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Latest Prototype 2 Developer Diary Introduces New York Zero

Garrett Hartman — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:00:59 +0000

Radical-Entertainment‘s latest developer diary introduces the setting for Prototype 2 – New York Zero. New protagonist, Sergeant James Heller, is on a quest to destroy the Blacklight Virus once and for all.

NYZ has three major distinct zones such where the story will take place:

Green Zone – home of the refugess
Yellow Zone – the industrial zone
Red Zone – an area completely overrun by the virus

Prototype 2 releases worldwide on April 24th for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

RipTen Review: Top Spin 4 (Xbox 360)

Bryce Wilson — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:40:21 +0000

Tennis, Baseball, Soccer, heck even the NFL. What do all these sports have in common? Balls and men. Wait, let me reword that… The fundamental elements don’t change. Tennis sees two players hit a ball, Baseball two teams hit and catch balls, Soccer is still boring and the NFL is still full of huge (yet awesome) promotions.

For that exact reason, sports video games can often stagnate and become a case of “Been there, done that” unless the developer not only keeps it fresh, but still manages to keep the core gameplay enjoyable for both newcomers and fans of their classic series’.

Top Spin, a Tennis simulation series originally created as a title for the original Xbox way back in 2003, has successfully kept itself both fun and surprisingly ‘new’ throughout four games and a stack of sales. Top Spin 3 was quite infamous for trying to refine the controller mechanics that the prior two games had established. Players controlled their shots through a “risk” meter that required you to essentially time your shots perfectly each and every time. It was difficult to use and basically deterred me from playing the game every time I felt the urge to have a hit across the net.

2K Czech is at the reigns of Top Spin 4 and they’re taking the series in a more casual direction – which is both good and bad, but onto that later. Instead of controlling your shots through the aforementioned “risk” meter, your four face buttons now control the immediate shots. With that being said there’s still a lot of control afforded through this system and suppressing the button for varied amounts of times directly controls the speed and power of your shots that you play. The system is ultimately simple but it works – and that’s what matters during those tight points and important rallies. My one gripe with this new system was how difficult it was to time “Perfect” and “Good” shots – but after a few hours of practice – I nailed it. On another note there’s very little analog control in the game besides your serving which once again feels simple and great.

Like I mentioned in my opening statement, sports games often stagnate and become repetitive, and unfortunately the campaign in Top Spin 4 is hit and miss. Top Spin 4 features an amazingly in-depth player creation system, one that allows you to make either Fabio or the ugliest person to ever grace the clay. From then on it’s all business as you play through one exhibition match and one special tournament each month. The special events range from simple things like practice matches to new and interesting promotional events that allow you to earn fans an in-game experience points. Your XP can be assigned to different areas based on three major trees, those being offensive baseline, defensive baseline and finally serve and volley.

It’s extremely rewarding to see your custom player go from seemingly nobody to star of the digital tennis world. As mentioned above though there’s some slight gripes with the campaign, the most noticeable of which being the AI scaling. Upon playing my first tournament I came up against Roger Federer, perhaps the greatest player in Tennis history. As it should, this promptly caused my palms to become sweaty and my skill levels suddenly became questionable.

Needless to say though, it was pointless. I absolutely demolished Federer in what I would call a cakewalk, a warm-up, it was too easy. Whilst I thought this was to allow you more experience with some of the games greats, it really ruined the impact of seeing the superstars for the first time. All of that being said though, once you hit the higher levels (The game is capped at 20), the players we admire on television become their fearsome selves on the court.

Now, once you complete the base campaign your focus will no doubt shift over to the equally great multiplayer experience. One of the great ideas I’ve seen of late in multiplayer gaming is a “World Tour” mode that sees you pitted against a plethora of other players in a desperate bid to grab the number one global ranking. Throughout each week there is a new ‘season’ that can be won by one single player. All in-game actions that you conduct, whether it be singleplayer or multiplayer, net you experience that not only drives the replayability factor but also gives you a ‘tangible’ reward for your hard work.

Whilst Top Spin 4 is not without it’s faults, it’s definitely a step in the right direction both for new and old fans like myself. A great career mode hampered by some poor AI scaling issues is redeemed by an intuitive multiplayer experience and incredibly strong and easily recognizable player roster.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ Great gameplay that is easy to master and understand
+ Healthy roster ensures some great matchups
- Scaling in career mode is a bit strange
- Control system is hit and miss… Pun intended.

Top Spin 4 was developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K Sports. Top Spin 4 was released on the 15th of March 2011 for $59.99 on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Our copy was provided by the publisher. The game was played til completion in single player and split hours across both multiplayer and split-screen multiplayer.

DDR Hottest Party 4 Release Date Announced

Bryce Wilson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:34:02 +0000

The latest addition to the time old DanceDanceRevolution series, DDR Hottest Party 4 offers players the ability to match full-body movements in order to rack up ever higher point combos and scores.

The new game uses both the Wii remote and Nunchuck controllers plus the classic dance mat allowing players to match both the onscreen arrows and arm movements.

Konami announced earlier today that DDR Hottest Party 4 is slated for an April 28th in Australia and April 29th in North America. The latest release will come either as a standalone title or bundled with a dance mat.

Are you a DDR fan? I’ve never tried it but I’m willing to look stupid for some fun! Let me know what you think in the comments below or via Twitter – @DrjftGaming.

Do Super Street Fighter IV Achievements Show New Characters?

Aaron Alexander — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:09:23 +0000

A number of screenshots have been released of the alleged new achievements for Super Street Fighter IV which if real, could indicate that the current game is in for even more characters! A new challenger … wait, challengers appear!

The leaked screenshots show Yun & Yang which is no suprise, and what would appear to be “Evil” Ryu and another purple ominous figure that people on the internet are proclaiming to be Shin-Akuma. Super Street Fighter IV already has a robust slate of characters and achievements/trophies, but if it’s free (and real!) count me in to do some more fighting on the streets, or busy markets, or a sunset sahara, or a nuclear plant, basically anywhere!

Our source link below contains all the images.

Source: [EventHub]

Time Crisis: Razing Storm – The Best Reason Yet to Get Playstation Move

Dave Oshry — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:07:58 +0000

Let me just say that nothing will ever compare to Time Crisis in the arcade. Nothing. But playing the latest Time Crisis with Playstation Move comes pretty damn close.

Not only that, but there are some definite advantages to bringing Time Crisis home, more so than ever before.

There are a ton of new gameplay modes and features that add to the replayability, including an online battle mode. (That’s right, Time Crisis PvP) But we’ll get to that in a bit.

First off, Arcade Mode will give you the usual arcade experience as you are taken on-rails from one destructible setpiece to the next, fighting off waves of enemies in typical Time Crisis fashion. Just like in the arcade, a friend can drop in or drop out at any time. Check out some gameplay footage: *Note the destructible environments, a first for the series.

Next up is Story Mode, where you can freely move about the stages as a member of Delta Team (uber leet). You can also strategically take cover behind objects, as well as lock onto enemies with the new Auto Look function. Screens of the free roaming madness below:

Take Cover!!

Come Out and Get Some!!

New to the series is Online Battle Mode. Oh yeah, this will allow up to eight players from around the world to participate in cooperative and competitive action with familiar modes like team deathmatch, capture the flag and king of the hill. Check these screens out!!

I See You ...

King of The Hill!!

But Namco ain’t done yet. Sentry Mode offers up to four players the opportunity to stop prisoners from escaping during a prison riot. Of course, we’ve got more screens to show you!!

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

4th? Is That The Best You Can Do!?

So now you know it’s got a ton of different modes you won’t find in the arcade, but the best part about bringing Time Crisis: Razing Storm home is the one thing you really can’t do in an arcade … dual wield!! Check out this video of me dual wielding PSMove controllers at a recent Namco event in NYC. Note my srs bsns face ;-)

Ok, now imagine me doing that with two of these instead …

Or two of these …

Or these …

Or even these …

See what I’m getting at? The possibilities are endless, and the experience is pretty damn sweet. Despite how serious I looked, I was having a pretty good time playing Razing Storm with Move.

But that’s not all!! Knowing that replay value is the one thing that kills console sales of arcade ports, Namco has decided to throw two more games onto the disc for free!! So you’re also going to get Deadstorm Pirates and Time Crisis 4. Smart move by Namco if you ask me, we’re starting to see some value here.

Deadstorm Pirates is not much different than any other Namco arcade shooter, except ya know, it’s got pirates!! YARRRRRRR!

Go For The Eyes ... Or Something!!

Shiver Me Timbers!!

Time Crisis 4 was the previous installment of the series also of this gen, so it’s more than a welcome addition to the package.

Action!!

More Action!!

So let’s recap – When you buy Time Crisis: Razing Storm You Get:

Three games in one (Razing Storm, Time Crisis 4 and Deadstorm Pirates)
Four different gameplay modes in Razing storm including an all new Online Battle Mode
Full Playstation Move support across the board
The ability to dual wield guns like a pro (who needs friends!?)

So, for $49.99 exactly why haven’t you pre-ordered this yet? It’s out on the 19th!! That’s in two weeks!! (Amazon has even saved you the trouble of finding the move controllers and guns!!)

Get to it soldier!!

Japanese Sonic 4 Website Reveals New Lost Labyrinth Zone Screens (Update 2)

David Oxford — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:23:57 +0000

Earlier this year, a preliminary version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 was leaked. Reaction from the head-start hedgehog huggers was poor, and SEGA took the game back into development, delaying its release so they could fine-tune it further.

In particular, fans reacted quite harshly to an area known as Act 2 of the Lost Labyrinth Zone, which featured a mine cart section which was said to be controlled by motion controls on the Wii and PlayStation 3, while the Xbox 360 version would rely on the controller’s top bumpers. Apparently, it didn’t work very well.

Today, SEGA has updated their official Japanese Sonic the Hedgehog 4 website with new screenshots, including what are said to be the first official of the new Act 2, which you can see for yourself in our gallery below.

Of particular note is that Sonic is now carrying a torch. No one is sure what it does yet, though speculation is that it may work in a similar fashion to the lights in the Sandopolis Zone of Sonic & Knuckles. Another screen, however, shows dynamite with a lit fuse, leading one to believe Sonic may have to detonate his way through parts of the level.

On the Penny Arcade Forums, member and resident Sonic fan TSR notes that a lot has changed from the leaked version, including the lighting effects on Sonic and the textures throughout the zone.

“There is a lot of brand new art in these pics,” he notes, also pointing out that by releasing screens of this particular portion of the game, “they’re trying hard as f*** to make a point.”

In addition, it seems that SEGA has kept true to their word, as the mine cart does not appear to be tilt controlled. That feature, they’ve said, will be reserved for the iPhone and mobile versions of the game.

Hopefully, we’ll hear more from SEGA on this soon. For now, enjoy the screens.

Update: SEGA has updated the English site with the new Zone, screens, and even Badniks, but no information about the gameplay of the Lost Labyrinth has been revealed yet.

Update 2: SEGA has added on their blog that more information is soon to come, including a possible video of the stage in action.

Review: SoulCalibur IV

Dan Landis — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:08:47 +0000

Of all the new fighting games being released this year, SoulCalibur IV represents, like, half of them. Considering it doesn’t have much competition, SoulCalibur really didn’t need to try very hard to pillage the average fighting game fan’s cash. Instead of just phoning it in like some series do (*cough, Madden, *cough), Namco Bandai Games has hand-delivered a game that makes Street Fighter 3 Turbo Alpha Pro Edition look like Street Fighter 2 Championship Hyper Tournament Edition.

I personally have been of the belief that the time of the fighting game has come and gone. At some point, there was nothing but fighting games, and all I did was sit around at home and bitch with my brother that there were too many fighters and not enough RPG’s. Then the first-person shooter craze took off, and we sat around playing Mortal Kombat II on the SNES complaining that there were too many shooters… and still not enough RPG’s.

Fast-forward ten years and we have an abundance of RPG’s, and shooters managed to survive somehow (damn shooters!), but the fighting genre has all but died. So now with the release of SoulCalibur IV, we have a rarity amongst rarities — a fighting game that is so kick-ass that I, not being a big fan of fighting games, find myself surprisingly entertained.

Some of you die-hards might read that and think that if a non-fan of fighters likes a fighter, that fighter must not be made for the hardcore fighter fans — and you would be wrong. SoulCalibur IV’s combat system is so deep it needs a lifeguard.

At first I thought that perhaps the geek in me is giving this game automatic cool points just for having Star Wars characters in it… but then I remembered how stupid I thought it was that there are Star Wars characters in it. Don’t get me wrong, Yoda is a dyslexic doofus but a pretty fun character to play, and the Apprentice is fairly awesome as well. Vader, however, seems too “animated” for me, not the lumbering super-force he’s supposed to be.

While having these Star Wars dudes in SoulCalibur is kinda dumb, it does give me the distinct impression that a full-on Star Wars fighter in the vein of SoulCalibur could Force Push some ass. Perhaps a LucasArts/Namco Bandai collaboration is already in the works, and this was just a testing ground? Excited by the possibilities I have become.

So while the Star Wars characters are an on-the-fence feature, SoulCalibur IV has plenty of awesomeness to make up for it. The game presents multiple game modes: Story mode gives you a little narrative about your chosen character’s journey and how it relates to the swords Soul Calibur and Soul Edge; Arcade mode is essentially, as you’d imagine, just like playing in the arcade, where you plow through a series of combatants to beat the game with the best score; and the Tower of Lost Souls is basically a survival mode, where you ascend or descend the tower for unique rewards.

All of these modes can also be played with a customized character. Customization is both visual and statistical — the pieces of armor, accessories, and weapon all affect the attack, defense, and hit points of your character. They also may offer points in the different areas of special skill, like Impact, Power, Gauge, etc.

These skill points can be spent on the skills themselves, which can do anything from absorbing HP to increasing the chance you will automatically counter a grapple attempt. It’s quite the balancing act to get your character to not only look cool, but to also have the points available to buy all of the skills you want.

The special skills and stat bonuses don’t apply in Arcade mode, however, because Arcade mode is essentially the pristine ranked version of SoulCalibur IV. If you are planning on competing in Arcade mode, you might as well make an alternate version of your character that focuses mainly on looking like a total douche, just because it’s fun.

See how stupid you can make them look? Oh, wait…

One of the most impressive things I experienced with my created character was the ending cinematic in Story mode. When it first started, I thought to myself “That can’t possibly be in-engine graphics” but it obviously was because there’s no way they could have predicted what my character looked like to make a pre-rendered movie. It was amazing, and it really motivated me to want to unlock more customization parts so that my character in the scene would look that much cooler.

Character customization can be used not only to create your very own combatant, but you can also customize the already-included fighters, with some exceptions. For example, you can put all of Nightmare’s armor pieces on Astaroth and then give him a nice pair of bifocals to complete the outfit. You can’t, however, customize any of the bonus characters, which includes most of the unlockables as well as the Star Wars characters.

I tried to make a custom character right off the bat but found that I had very little options. At first I was pissed and thought the creation tools sucked. I played through the Story mode once, and then went back to the character creator to find that I now had more parts. The moral of the story is that you should play the game first before you start trying to change it.

After managing to make it through the Story mode that first time, I realized that I had very little idea what I was doing. I loaded up Training and looked through the moves list. One of the things I noticed that wasn’t really explained anywhere and didn’t show up in the moves list is that your fighter attacks differently depending on how he/she is standing. My fighter would stand differently after certain attacks, which would cause some future attacks to also be different until I found myself back in my default stance.

Adding to that complexity is the Soul Gauge (Force Gauge for Star Wars characters), which depletes as you block attacks (or use Force powers) and gradually refills over time and as you land successful attacks. If your Soul Gauge is depleted, it flashes red and makes you susceptible to a Soul Crush, which essentially puts you in a Mortal Kombat-style “Finish Him!” sort of defenselessness.

Once you are Soul Crushed, your opponent can destroy you in one ultra-powerful move called a Critical Finish. The Star Wars characters, apparently having no soul, cannot be Soul Crushed and instead become dizzy and uncontrollable if their Force Gauge is depleted.

Critical Finishers are pretty impressive.

One might think that this immunity to being Soul Crushed makes the Star Wars characters kinda cheap fighters, but you’d be wrong. The only way to get Soul Crushed is by blocking a lot, and blocking is for pussies. So basically, don’t be a pussy and you will actually have an advantage over them.

Another advanced technique is the Guard Impact, which stops the attack completely instead of just blocking it. This move is something that a non-blocking non-pussy like myself would never use, and that’s a big reason why I will never enter a SoulCalibur IV tournament. Blocking, dodging, and Guard Impacting are all above the relative button-mashing and special-spamming that I find to be all that I am capable of.

If you do find yourself being a big pussy and deciding to block all the time, Guard Impact is definitely a better option. Not only does it give you an advantage, but it also prevents your soul from getting crushed and your armor from breaking. When your armor breaks, you take more damage if attacked in that area, and you also take shame-over-time damage from having your underoos exposed.

This is a situation where some people might cry “pervert” in addition to the game supposedly being so focused on top-heavy chicks. To be honest, I really didn’t notice the boobage too much while playing since the action is so furious, and if anyone cared enough to look at these girls in the near-nude, they could just take all of their clothes off in the character creation menu and even change what style they were wearing.

Ironically, my unintelligent non-pussy fighting style has won me more games than it has lost. Taking the game online via Xbox Live, I found the battles to be virtually lag-free. Knowing what I know about Xbox Live and myself, however, I kept the headset off just in case I found myself calling some kid a pussy because he repeatedly used that cursed Guard Impact on me.

SoulCalibur IV also features local multiplayer, but there was one thing I didn’t like about it. SoulCalibur IV only loads one save file, so even if a friend brings his memory card with his custom character on it, there is no way we can make him fight against my custom character. This is something that should be a relatively easy thing to accomplish, and it baffles me that we’re unable to do it.

One final thing I want to mention is that SoulCalibur IV has a fairly complex (if a bit convoluted) storyline that stretches back through all of the previous games. It’s surprising the amount of lore involved, and it goes above and beyond the story of pretty much every other fighting game, with the closest competition being Mortal Kombat.

SoulCalibur IV’s Museum menu lets you look at the “Chain of Souls” which shows how all of the characters are connected to each other, and it also lets you view unlocked cinematics, artwork, and your fight statistics.

Overall, SoulCalibur IV is a highly polished fighting game that has surprising depth while still remaining accessible to non-fighters like myself. The lag-free online versus battles give the game the longevity it needs to make it worth the price of games these days, and the character customization keeps the single-player modes relevant and worth revisiting just to unlock more parts.

The only thing really missing is the Weapon Master mode from SoulCalibur 2, but it could arguably be stated that the Tower of Lost Souls and Story mode feature most of what Weapon Master mode used to be. Regardless, SoulCalibur IV stands as one of the best fighting games I’ve ever played, and will likely be the best brawler on a console until Street Fighter IV attempts to dethrone it… which it might not be able to do.