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Final Fantasy X for PS3 and Vita Will Be a “Remake”

Catherine Cai — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:00:31 +0000

According to Yoshinori Kitase, a producer for the original Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X for the PS3 and the Vita won’t just be a HD remaster, but a complete remake. Rejoice, Final Fantasy X fans, in knowing that you won’t be paying good money for something that looks and plays the exact same way with some upgraded shaders… although now there’s the possibility that Final Fantasy X the remake could be something you absolutely hate.

Despite the remake being announced at the Tokyo Game Show back in September 2011, the project is still in its early stages and Kitase’s role in the project is still unclear. However, he assures fans that the remake will match the quality of the original.

I really hope so, Mr. Kitase. I really hope so. I’d really hate for a new generation of Final Fantasy X fans to play the remake, dislike it, and think that that’s all Final Fantasy X is. But, then again, it could do just the opposite. I have my hopes and I’m quite interested to see what if the remake will keep Final Fantasy X‘s original leveling system intact, or if Square Enix will opt for something different. Will the Final Fantasy X remake keep to the old turn-based RPG combat system that the old Final Fantasies were known for, or something a little more active?

Via [VG247]

RipTen Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Brandon Fenty — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:00:12 +0000

The HD remake is becoming a rather popular trend in gaming these days. Just last week, Metal Gear Solid released their HD collection, Goldeneye Reloaded the week before that, and now Halo: Combat Evolved is getting the same treatment. The game redefined a genre a decade ago; ten years later, does it still hold up?

Halo Anniversary is not simply an upscaled version of the original. The visuals have been completely reworked to take full advantage of the 360′s hardware. Models have been updated, textures are high-res, and dynamic lighting effects are implemented. It’s not just a fresh coat of paint, the visuals represent a serious overhaul. At the same time, however, it’s still the same engine running under that glossy new exterior.

Because it’s running on the same engine, the gameplay in Anniversary is exactly the same as it was in Combat Evolved. The weapons feel the same, enemies react the same, and moving through the environments feels the same. This is both a blessing and a curse; while the nostalgia factor is definitely there with things like the Assault Rifle and Pistol, there are definite points where the game shows its age. More than once I would walk around the corner to find enemies just standing there, apparently doing nothing. When I fired, they would suddenly jump into action, but seeing enemies just standing and waiting for me is a huge reminder that I’m playing a remade 2001 video game. Once in combat, however, the AI performs admirably, taking cover and using tactics in a way that stands up even by today’s standards. The vehicles, as well, feel a bit dated. The warthog especially seems to have very little weight, and after playing on more modern Halo versions, it was really tough to get used to again. There are a lot of refinements that have been made over the years, and you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Still, it was a design choice, and I’m glad that the developers stayed so true to the source material.

One of the coolest features that was implemented in Anniversary is the ability to swap graphics back and forth to and from the original on the fly. From a technical standpoint, I’m sure this is no easy feat, but it really helps showcase how much better the updated graphics look, as well as letting you easily compare old to new. At the same time, you’ll see just how true the developers stayed to the original. While the models are updated, every object, building, and landscape is still the same shape and in the same place; the attention to detail is certainly impressive.

The audio has also been remastered for Anniversary, and it sounds amazing. The updated audio was one of the first things I noticed, after the obviously updated graphics. The music sounds much more full and rich, the guns have more punch, and the ambient sound has more depth. Everything is in surround, and the effect is stunning. At the same time, the sound is still true to the original, and maintains the original voice work. It’s an immersive experience and just as important as the updated visuals, and I’m glad the developers took the time to do it.

One of the more unexpected additions to the title is Kinect support. Usually, you wouldn’t think that an FPS title would support Microsoft’s motion-sensing peripheral, but what they’ve done with it, however, is actually kind of cool. You can use your voice to do things like reload, switch weapons, pause the game, or swap graphical modes. While totally optional, once I figured out how to do it I found myself reloading using my voice just as much as the actual controller. It’s a cool addition that is fun if you want to use it, but doesn’t get in the way if you don’t.

Another addition to the game is the Library. If you’ve played Metroid Prime, you’ll feel right at home going into analysis mode and scanning objects in your environment into the Library. You can access the Library from the pause menu as well as the main menu, and while it’s basically a glorified model viewer with a little bit of backstory thrown in, it’s a nice extra option if you like collectables in your games.

The multiplayer component to Anniversary is, quite literally, Halo: Reach. If you own Reach, your score contributes to your overall score for Reach. Addons that you have from Reach carry over into Anniversary as well. Game types and weapons are still from Combat Evolved, as are the maps, but other than that you’ll feel like you’re just playing a new map pack on Reach. Speaking of which, if you own Reach, you can use a code that’s included in the box to activate those same maps for play from the Reach disc as well. It’s a nice addition to avoid swapping out discs. However, if you were hoping for a multiplayer experience that recreates the original, this isn’t it. Sorry, no Blood Gulch for you!

While an amazing presentation, Anniversary is not without its issues. The biggest is a framerate that stutters regularly. It’s understandable: a ten-year-old game engine has been updated to modern graphics, with the ability to switch on the fly between graphics setups. That’s a lot to ask of the system, but it still affects gameplay. The stuttering is most pronounced in many of the cutscenes, especially when there are sweeping views; but when in an intense firefight there were a few issues as well. This occurred when the game was installed to the hard drive and also played directly from the disc, so that doesn’t seem to matter. It’s never game-breaking, but it can get annoying to see stuttering in what is otherwise such a polished game.

Another issue that plagues Anniversary is facial animations. Captain Keyes is probably the worst offender, with his mouth moving completely out of sync from the words he’s saying. The updated graphics only serve to accentuate the issue, which is pretty bad. Again, it’s not game-breaking, but it really takes you out of the experience to have what looks like bad dubbing in all the cutscenes. Bruce Lee wouldn’t mind, but I do.

Overall, if you played the original Halo: Combat Evolved, then you’ll be happy to know that the core experience has survived the years beautifully. 343 Industries has obviously put a lot of love into the title, and while it’s not without issues, the total package is really quite impressive. The ability to play with both old and new graphics truly adds some extra replay value, and the Library brings out the collector in all of us. Couple that with the included Reach multiplayer maps and $40 price tag, and Halo Anniversary is a great buy for any Halo fan.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ Great nostalgic value

+ True remake, not just a upscaled version

+ Seamless switches between graphical modes

+ Same great online multiplayer as Reach, literally

- Framerate Stutters

- Somewhat dated engine makes for dated moments

- Lip syncing issues

- This is not the original multiplayer, just a re-skinned Reach

8 and 8.5 represent a game that is a good experience overall. While there may be some issues that prevent it from being fantastic, these scores are for games that you feel would easily be worth a purchase.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was developed by 343 Industries and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on November 14th, 2011 exclusively for the Xbox 360 for $39.99 USD. A copy of the game was provided by Microsoft for Stephiroth but Brandon bought it and beat it first so he reviewed it :-p If you’re a Halo fan, you probably did too.

RipTen Review : Goldeneye 007 Reloaded (Xbox 360)

Brandon Fenty — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:30:25 +0000

When you first fire up Goldeneye: Reloaded, you’ll notice that this isn’t your N64 classic. The graphics have been updated to modern standards, the story has been tweaked, and Pierce Brosnan has been replaced with Daniel Craig. These changes make for an experience that is distinctly different from the classic yet still has a ring of familiarity about it. It’s this combination of the new and the nostalgic that make this remake such a great game.

Reloaded’s story is not simply the same as Goldeneye’s (the game or the movie). Many of the same set pieces and major plot points are still there, but they almost always have a twist to them. For instance, the famous leap from the dam in the first level is still there, but with a twist that you’ll find surprising. Fans of the original will definitely notice the many nods to the classic, but the story still feels fresh, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to finding out how each scene will be reimagined.

The gameplay of Reloaded has a lot in common with modern shooters, many of which were born from the original Goldeneye. Still, it retains much of the same feel as the original. A quick headshot from the P99 is still the easiest way to dispatch many enemies. Stealth plays a large part in navigating the levels as well. Almost every environment gives you the option to sneak through it with headshots and silent takedowns. If you alert an enemy, an indicator shows up (much like a damage indicator) and you’ve got a few seconds to dispatch him before he can sound the alarm. If you do alert the enemies, you’ll find yourself in an all-out firefight pretty quickly.

One downfall of the single-player experience is the AI. While at points enemies will intelligently use cover, all too often they will just stand out in the open and fire blindly at you. Rarely do they employ any sort of strategy whatsoever in engaging you, and difficulty comes more from sheer numbers than individual enemy skill. While it’s not necessarily terrible, the AI certainly doesn’t impress, either.

The title adds replayability with optional objectives that often lead you off the main path of the level to complete them. When you turn up the difficulty, those objectives become mandatory. You’ll find yourself having to find new routes through the level, and this change-up makes the game feel new even after several playthroughs.

In addition to the main campaign, there are special side-challenges known as MI6 Ops, which add a lot of time to the game. The missions have a generic objective to them, such as take out all enemies or defend a point for a set amount of time, and you’re graded on how well you complete them. Modifiers can be added to make the challenge harder or easier, and you’ll get more points for completing it on a harder difficulty. You can even share a customized challenge with your friends and compete for the top spot.

The controls are fairly standard for a modern shooter, and Call of Duty fans will feel right at home. Bond’s ability to sprint and vault over obstacles makes moving through the environments feel effortless. Clicking the right stick executes a melee attack, which is great for silently taking down enemies or finishing off the last enemy instead of reloading. One nice touch that has been added is the ability to pop out from cover to fire. When crouched behind an object, holding the aim trigger pops your head over the obstacle to take out enemies. Releasing the trigger has you crouch back down. The system makes it easy to pop in and out of cover and helps keep the action flowing more smoothly — it’s a mechanic that more shooters should incorporate.

Unlike the Wii port, Reloaded’s graphics are one of its strong points, and it holds its own amongst modern shooters. Explosions look great, and the environments are large and detailed. Like the rest of the game, the environments will instantly remind you of the classic while at the same time introducing new elements and details. One of the little things I noticed were the doors from the Facility level. They use the same texture from the original (although obviously much more detailed). It’s those kinds of details that bring back nostaligic memories.

Multiplayer is one of the biggest selling points of Reloaded, and Activision doesn’t disappoint. Up to 16 players can face off online in a variety of game modes and environments. Tight controls and excellent level design make this a great part of the experience. In addition, as you play more, you’ll unlock better weapons and gadgets. Unlockable rewards keep players coming back to level up, and after every few matches you’ll have a new toy to play with. It’s a rewarding system that, while not new, definitely works.

The offline multiplayer is also engaging, and the ability to highly customize each match makes the possibilities endless. Many of the same game modes you remember make their way back, such as Golden Gun and You Only Live Twice. You can also tweak settings like damage and health modifiers, and throw in some strangeness with modifiers like Nick Nack mode where every character is reduced to half height and vaulting and climbing become impossible. Four-player split-screen matches are something that doesn’t exist much on consoles anymore, but it’s a welcome addition.

All in all, Goldeneye: Reloaded is a feature-rich game. Multiple modes and seemingly endless customization add a ton of replay value, and seeing the original story reimagined is definitely fun. It retains the feel of the classic while at the same time bringing the title up to date. The controls are solid, the graphics are great , and the level design is clever. Reloaded doesn’t rely on its Goldeneye roots to be a great game, but the nostalgic factor is just icing on the cake.

Here’s The Rundown

+ Solid Feature Set

+ Replay Value

+ Nostaligic Value

- Great Multiplayer

- Mediocre AI

Want to keep up with my latest reviews? Follow me on Twitter @DaMobileGuru

Goldeneye: Reloaded was developed by Eurocom and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The game was released in North America on November 1, 2011 with an MSRP of $59.99. The copy used in this review was provided by the publisher. The game was played to completion by the reviewer and multiplayer was played for many hours until boredom set in.

New Zelda Title Coming to 3DS, Majora’s Mask Remake Being “Considered” As Well

Sam Naylor — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:05:33 +0000

Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has said in an interview that there is a new 3DS Zelda in the works.

The new game is not a remake but an entirely new game, though it will “utilize ideas from previous console iterations of the series.”

You mean there might be a boomerang or bow or bombs or dungeons or green-hatted protagonist? Nice.

Aonuma also mentioned that a 3DS Majora’s Mask remake is not to be ruled out, and Nintendo is in fact “seriously considering” the prospect once they’ve milked the last out of the Ocarina of Time remake.

Via Joystiq

SEGA Teases New Daytona USA via Adorable Bunny Rabbit

Dave Oshry — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:00:19 +0000

D’awww look at the cute little bunny wabbit.

He’s hinting at something… something pretty obvious to SEGA fans.

It’s a new DAYTONA USA, BABY!!

Start your engines and stay tuned for an announcement!!

Why I Want A Shadows Of The Empire HD Remake

Justin McCullough — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:14:51 +0000

Every Star Wars fan (okay, maybe not the ones who only love the “original” trilogy) already know about the expanded universe in books, comics, TV series, and all sorts of other forms of media. The list of these books has grown tremendously over the years with their popularity, and it’s up to fans to pick and choose which part of the Star Wars saga they want to read about. Most fans like to read about events that happen in between or just before the movies. Others like to hear about what happens after the cute and cuddly Ewoks with their cudgels of death take down the most technologically advanced group in Star Wars history: the Empire. Maybe next time the Empire won’t base their entire storm trooper technology on cheap white plastic.

One book in particular stands out in the massive library of Star Wars fiction as being the best: Shadows of the Empire – although I will throw in anything from Timothy Zahn up there in contention.

Shadows tells the story of all of your favorite Star Wars characters (minus Han who is busy hanging out in a block of frozen carbonite) in between the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi movies. The gang hatches a plan to save Han, but of course nothing is easy, and gets tied up in one of the galaxy’s most feared criminal organizations: Black Sun.

You’ll be introduced to other side characters that aren’t in the movies, like the droid bodyguard assassin Guri; the head of Black Sun Prince Xizor; and one of my favorite characters, Dash Rendar, to play the gritty smuggler. He’s almost a carbon copy of Han Solo (so I can see why they didn’t want to include him in the movies), but Dash is even more of an asshole. I always loved that side of Han Solo, because he’s just a complete dick and he wins over the princess who is light years out of his league.

Shadows of the Empire features just enough of the main saga of Star Wars to care, but enough new fresh, content thrown in to play around with the characters and see them in new ways. If you haven’t read the book, you might have already gotten everything by playing the N64 classic of the same name. In the game, you took control of Dash with his trusty sidekick droid Leebo, and saw a companion piece to what happens in the book.

The book mostly follows Chewie, Lando, Leia, Luke, and the droids. In the game, you follow Dash and will constantly go off on your own, but occasionally intersect with the main characters as you come back to help out. It really is neat to look back and see how a video game beautifully intertwined with tie-in fiction. I just finished reading Shadows of the Empire, and now that I look back on that game, I realize just how great it actually was.

Now I want a high definition remake.

The book illustrates a lot of flying and dog-fights in space. It’s a little tough to read because you’re constantly trying to picture in your mind what’s going on during a large-scale battle, but the book fits perfectly into what a game should be: action sequences. There were a few third-person platforming and exploration levels thrown into the N64 classic for a junkyard sequence and hunting down Boba Fett (before he gets killed in the sarlacc pit in Jedi *spoiler*) but this would also be perfect as well.

Shadow’s story was masterfully told. Every now and then in the book, you’ll find a connection to the Star Wars movies (which is what most fans want). Want to know how many Bothans died to bring Mon Mothma the second Death Star plans? That’s in the book. It’s little rewards like this that tie back into the main story and you get one of those, “Oh yeah!” moments.

Sadly, the story and the ending are Shadows’ downfall. With all of these dog-fights, high-speed chases, and epic battles, the end of the book doesn’t really wrap up. It just can’t. It’s got to make room for the Return of the Jedi movie. This could piss some gamers off. They just sat there and battled for eight hours and they get to the end only to see that pretty much everything is exactly the same as in the beginning; Han is still in carbonite, people died, there were a few space battles, and Chewbacca growled a few times. Maybe they should just have the plans fall into the Alliance’s hands and show the first couple of clips from Return of the Jedi, then cut it off, I think that would make a great ending.

The first Star Wars: Force Unleashed delivered a mediocre story at best and offered uninspired rinse and repeat gameplay (and also a Star Destroyer glitch to hamper the game). Shadows of the Empire could be a breath of fresh air that Star Wars gamers want and need. Sure, playing as Luke Starkiller in the Force Unleashed series is nice and all, but being able to tie into the main movies is something every Star Wars fan wants to do. That’s the reason the Rogue Squadron flight series did so well, and Dark Forces, and Dark Knight. See where I’m going with this? Who didn’t want to take down Imperial AT-AT walkers on Hoth in Roque Squadron? Anybody? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Everyone does.

So with those reasons right there: renewed faith in the Star Wars franchise, fun engaging gameplay, action packed sequences, and little tie-backs and hints to the original trilogy, gamers would line up in droves to play a high-def remake of Shadows of the Empire. I just hope Mr. Lucas ok’s it and forgoes the “special edition” treatment. Believe me; he’s signed off on worse: Jar Jar Binks and the reveal of midichlorians didn’t really do much for my faith in Uncle George. Let’s make up for that.

Justin “D-bag” McCullough can also be found ranting and rambling over on his personal blog at the Distorted Gamer Blog.

Goldeneye 007: Reloaded Formally Announced for PS3 and Xbox 360

Garrett Hartman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:14:05 +0000

Activision has officially announced Goldeneye 007: Reloaded for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Goldeneye will be an HD version of last year’s Wii hit and is built on an “all new engine” which will offer improved graphics, sound and run a full 60 frames per second.

New features include extra ‘Mi6 Ops Missions’ — new, distinct levels separate from the campaign that span the varied environments from the story and challenge players to complete different Assault, Elimination, Stealth and Defense objectives. On the PS3 Goldeneye will have PS Move and SharpShooter support.

The press release says the release is for this fall, while retailers yesterday dated the game for the end of October. Either way, I’d like one shaken, not stirred.

Independent Streets of Rage Remake Gets Pulled by Sega

Matthew Sims — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:00:25 +0000

About a week ago, we let a story slip through the cracks about a Streets of Rage Remake that was made by someone other than Sega. Yeah, yeah I know we dropped the ball on that one, but we were dealing with some serious business, and by that I mean we were probably playing Crysis or something.

Either way, let me bring you up to speed on the whole saga. A small independent game company, or rather a conglomerate of Streets of Rage fans, teamed up to start an ambitious “Streets of Rage Remake” project. The game, which took an astounding eight years to make, has been shut down by the Sega legal team. This in turn has shut down the development team known collectively as Bombergames.

The remade version features over 100 different levels, branching storylines, and a plethora of powerups and weapons to satiate even the most hardcore beat-em up fan. It is likely that Sega doesn’t want somebody to make a game better than the $5 version they are currently peddling to every platform possible (coming soon to your microwave and toaster) and they especially do not want it to be free. So there you have it, shut down by the man.

If you’re looking for the title I can’t help you (but Google can). For the record, it’s a fantastic title and it is a shame that eight years of work was undone this way.

Full Blown Halo: Combat Evolved Remake Coming Later This Year

Dave Oshry — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:28:24 +0000

You want it? You got it. The game that started it all is getting more than just a high-rez update. It’s getting a full blown Xbox 360 remake this holiday season.

The game is not being developed by Bungie, but instead by Saber Interactive, the company who made TimeShift and it will run on the current Reach engine. The game is also expected to support 1080p and 3DTVs.

Will it have online co-op? You bet your ass it will. This is 2011, baby.

The game is expected to launch on November 15, 2011 – 10 years after the original Halo launched.

Holy shit, has it been 10 years since Halo? I’m getting old . . .

Source: Joystiq

Yar’s Revenge to Return Spring 2011 – Watch the Trailer

Garrett Hartman — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:53:51 +0000

Yep, you heard right. Assuming most people reading are too young to have memories about the original Yars’ Revenge (as the game is almost 30 years old) – it was the best selling title for the Atari 2600.

Now gamers will have the chance to play (or replay) one of the first arcade shooters as the classic returns with expanded gameplay and a new anime inspired art style. This remake will include local co-op, muliple endings and promises intense battles.

“Yars’ Revenge is one of the most popular Atari games of all time, leaving fans eager to experience the next chapter,” says Jim Wilson, President and CEO of Atari, Inc. “The new Yars’ Revenge updates this classic with anime inspired art direction, intense aerial battles and local co-op gameplay.”

Yars’ Revenge makes it’s return after a 30 year absence sometime this Spring for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Enjoy the Trailer.

Duke Nukem Reloaded Gets All New Jon St. John Voice Work and Horde Multiplayer Mode

Dave Oshry — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:16:53 +0000

The officially licensed HD remake of Duke Nukem 3D is in full-on production mode and multiplayer beta testing is about to begin. However, this time around there’s gonna be more than just DukeMatches. Not only that, but the voice of Duke – Jon. St John will be re-recording his original lines and all new one liners for this HD remake.

Horde mode is a bit like tower defense where you will have to fight off waves of aliens that are coming at ya hard. Project lead Frederik Schreiber describes the mode in detail below:

In our version of Horde Mode (Waves of enemies attacking you), we are introducing what we call “Drop Pods”. Drop Pods is a new way of solving a few critical problems in the usual Firefight/Horde Games out there.

Each Wave will appear on the map, in what we call “Drop pods”. When the game-mode starts, Drop Pods will be flying down from the sky, landing on specific points on the map.

Each Drop pod opens a door, from which the enemies from each wave will spawn. Those enemies teleport into the Drop Pod, from alien motherships (not visible on the map)

Each Wave will work this way:

Wave 1 will have one Drop pod, from where all the enemies from wave 1 will spawn.
Wave 2 will have 2 drop pods, spread across the map.
Wave 3 will have 3 pods, etc.

All the way up to 6 pods max:

The enemies will continue to respawn from the drop pods, until they reach the max enemy cap of the wave (Example, Wave 1: 10 enemies).

Once all Drop pods are destroyed (Each drop pod, has a “Health meter” that appears above it, when shot at)the wave ends, and points are handed to the players.

The Drop pods are a great way of doing something unique, and they eliminate the problem of “Campers”,or players defending the same areas, by forcing them to get around the map to destroy each pod.

When we researched on how to eliminate certain problems, our first concern was campers. Way too often Firefight/Horde Modes, are crippled by campers, staying at the same spot, and using the spawnpoints to their advantage.

We want players to navigate around the map, take chances, and get a good flow going. That’s why we think the Drop Pods, will create a more diverse gamemode, presenting the players with a greater challenge.

Here are a few concept shots of said Drop Pods:

Don’t forget that RipTen is the #1 supporter of the Duke Nukem Reloaded project. If there’s any news about DNR – You’ll hear it here first. Maybe we’ll even let you guys join in our beta testing ;-)

Final Fantasy VII Recreated in Little Big Planet 2

Dave Oshry — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 20:46:40 +0000

Sometimes words simply do no justice. Sometimes the creativity and imagination of gamers knows no bounds.

Enjoy:

Nostalgia – you can has.

Duke 3D Next Gen Remake Gets the Greenlight From Gearbox

Dave Oshry — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:24:24 +0000

That’s right, the fan-made Unreal 3 reboot of the original Duke Nukem 3D that you probably didn’t hear about, has actually been given the go ahead to get some!!

A while back, Frederik “Fresch” Schreiber decided he wanted to remake Duke 3d with the Unreal 3 engine, but he never thought anyone would let him bring it to life . . . until now!!

First check out this video . . . then read on to see how he got Gearbox to let him go all the way!!

Here’s the full story as it reads on the Gearbox forums, where Frederik has already become a hero to Duke fans worldwide!!

What is Duke Nukem: Next-Gen?
Duke Nukem: Next-Gen – Is a new independently developed game – By the fans, for the fans!

Duke Nukem: Next-Gen (DNNG), is the codename (Not final title), for at new Re-vision of Duke Nukem 3D. Duke Nukem 3D, if the game was made today.
DNNG uses Unreal Engine 3 technology to achieve the graphics expected for a next-gen title.

The final game will include both a 3 Episode Singleplayer campaign, and a full fledged Multiplayer Component, and will be released free to everyone – NO other games required.

How did this happen?

A few weeks ago, i played with the idea of a Duke Nukem 3D revision, made on Unreal Engine 3 Tech. Knowning that every other Duke project, not based on 3Drealms own technology (Build), has been knifed and cancelled, i didnt think it was possible to do.

But i still went for the idea and made a “Test” map, of what it might look like. Afterwards i took some screenshots, posted them on this board, for everyone to see – And all hell broke loose! Suddently the “News” of a Next-Gen remake, was all over the internet, even though the development wasnt approved by either Gearbox or 3Drealms.

I contacted George Brussard and Scott Miller, to start a conversation about the project – The shots managed to convice Scott Miller to a certain degree – But the project was only doable if Take-Two would approve it.

Thinking that Gearbox might have a better relationship to Take-Two, than 3Drealms, I contacted AdamF, who passed me through to PJ Putnam, Vice President and General Counsel of Gearbox Software.

Luckily Gearbox was interested in supporting the project, which resulted in a personal non-commercial license to Duke Nukem.

When will this be released?
DNNG – The final full game, will be released “When its done” (No kidding).
But we wont hold back the experience, until the final game gets released.
We want to ensure that the entire community will play a part in testing the product in different phases.

Thats why everyone will be able to play the first official Milestone Test.
The first test will include a few maps, and the weapons, items, etc. included in those maps. This will be a Multiplayer Duke-Match Test.

We have an internal releasedate for the Multiplayer Demo, and its sooner than you think – We hope you are just as excited as we are

We are hiring!
We need a lot of talented people on board on this project – If you think you can help, and have skills and knowledge to contribute to the project, feel free to drop me an email on: mail@meny-graphics.dk – Please attach a portfolio of previous work

________________________________________________________________

Artists
We are looking for artist to sketch, and make modelling ready artwork, for the different assents, charaters, props, etc. in the game.

Skills required:

Able to create stunning and realistic artwork, based on Duke3D sprites

Making Top/Side/Front – Modelling ready pieces

Having a passion for Duke, and gaming in general

Knowing what looks realistic, and how to create artwork that matches

If you think thats you, send an email, with a portfolio attached. We are looking forward to hearing from you

________________________________________________________________

Texture Artists / Wrappers
We are looking for texture artist to texture our models, and making them look good, in UDK. This covers textures for the different assents, charaters, props, etc. in the game. We’ll use basic textures from UDK, based on basics such as Gravel, Concrete, etc. but we still need a LOT of new materials and textures.

Skills required:

Able to create stunning and realistic textures, which matches their real life counterparts

Creating UVs, Maps, etc.

Having a passion for Duke, and gaming in general

Knowing what looks realistic, and how to create textures and materials that matches

If you think thats you, send an email, with a portfolio attached. We are looking forward to hearing from you

________________________________________________________________

Coders / UDK (Unreal) Specialists
We are looking for UDK specialist, who are skilled in both Kismet, UnrealScript etc. and has a feeling for how to bend, and shape the UDK, as required for DNNG. This primary covers the basic functions of the game. Inventory system, custom HUD, weapons coding, scripting, Menu systems, etc.

Skills required:

Some experience with UDK, or UT3 coding – UnrealScript and Kismet

Having a “Everything is possible” approach to problems and ideas

Willing to selfstudy and learn aspects of UDK required for the project

Having a passion for Duke, and gaming in general

If you think thats you, send an email, with a portfolio attached. We are looking forward to hearing from you

__________________________________________________ _______________

Animators
We are looking for animators, who are skilled in creating realistic animations, rigging, etc. for the different models used in the game. Weapon animations are our highest priority right now.

Skills required:

Some experience with UDK – or willing to learn.

Knowing how to make animations look real and lifelike.

Willing to selfstudy and learn aspects of UDK required for the project

Having a passion for Duke, and gaming in general

If you think thats you, send an email, with a portfolio attached. We are looking forward to hearing from you

Website – Community -Media – Screenshots
Right now, we are in the process of making the website, and community for DNNG – More information about this well be released as soon as possible.

Below, those of you who havent seen them yet, can see some of the first official screenshots and video from the game. Click on the links in my Signature for more screenshots, and the video

THANK YOU GEARBOX – FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE!

Well, way to go Fresch. You certainly have our support. In fact, we hereby pledge to playtest the living hell out of your awesome looking remake until it is ready for launch!! Hail to the King!! And Hail to Fresch!!

SOURCE

Why Splatterhouse 2D Will Not Be Paid DLC in the 2010 Remake

Dave Oshry — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 03:10:28 +0000

Hopefully, you’re aware by now that the 16-bit cult classic Splatterhouse has a full blown 3D remake due to come out next month. You may even know that the game has 2D side scrolling levels in it that pay homage to the original games. What you may not know is that the original three games will be included as unlockable content even though Namco originally wanted them to be paid DLC. In a part of our upcoming interview with producer Dan Tovar, he explains how he fought for years to keep the original games in, and why it was purely for the fans.

DO: Now, while I think it’s awesome, how did you manage to include the original three games as unlockables when clearly you could have sold them as paid DLC on XBL and PSN? From a business standpoint, it doesn’t make sense and guys like Bobby Kotick definitely wouldn’t approve of this!

DT: Hah, yeah well as far as keeping the original games as freebies in the game, I literally had to fight for years to keep them from being paid downloadable content. I specifically wanted to do it as a big thank you and a nod to the fans of the original franchise who’ve been keeping it alive for the last 15 years. These guys are voracious, they’re amazing, they’ve been keeping websites active, and they even had a petition to get a modernized version of the game going. For 15 years they’ve been screaming from the mountaintops about how awesome this game is, so I wanted to be able to give them something back.

Check out some old school Splatterhouse gameplay before we go any further:

DO: So, when you say you had to fight, what sort of resistance did you meet from corporate?

DT: Well basically, we’re in the business of making money. Games are entertainment, but it’s a business right? So there were obviously a lot of people who saw this as an opportunity to make more money. It took a lot of convincing that it was worthwhile, to really give something back to the fans, without making them pay extra for it. It comes down to us wanting to re-invigorate the franchise, so what better way to do that than bringing back the old that everyone knew and loved, as well as introducing something new.

DO: The 2D parts of the new Splatterhouse are some of the most fun. Did you ever think of re-doing the game as just a 2D side-scroller and arcade title?

DT: We did. Obviously there’s a lot of really cool elements about it, which is why we wanted to inject the side scrolling sections into the main gameplay. It’s definitely still a possibility, it’s not something we’re planning on doing in the immediate future, but its something that personally I’d love to do. I know a lot of the fans would really appreciate it, so hopefully we get the chance to bust something awesome out for them.

DO: Like a future downloadable title?

DT: Yeah.

DO: Sweet.

So first off, I’ve got to hand it to Dan for sticking to his guns to make sure that the original games were included free of charge. It’s a level of dedication to the fans that not many producers have and standing up to corporate is never easy to do. But, I’d also like to tip my hat to Namco for realizing that the fans deserved to have these games left in, and that sometimes it means more to do the right thing by your fans than it does to make an extra buck.

Hopefully, the fans will appreciate it, and this move will pay off when Splatterhouse is released on November 23rd.

Look for our full blown preview of Splatterhouse and full interview with Dan as we get closer to the game’s release!!

One Look At Dan and You Can Tell He's All About Splatterhouse

Rumored Team ICO Collection Coming March/April

Dylan Duarte — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:49:47 +0000

For a while now, it’s been rumored that a remastered collection of Team ICO games is on its way to the PS3, and we reported yesterday that Wal-Mart had listed the collection for pre-order. Well, it looks like the rumor is indeed true and ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are indeed bound for the PS3.

“Industry sources” have confirmed to Eurogamer that the bundle is on its way for a March of April 2011 release. The Wal-Mart listing priced the game at $39.82, which seems to be correct. The game will be available for pre-order from UK retailers in the coming days.

Except to hear more at TGS this week, but there isn’t much more to be said.

New MediEvil Game Coming To PSP, PS3?

Demi Adejuyigbe — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:15:39 +0000

It’s been about 10 years since we’ve seen an original MediEvil game, even though we got a PSP remake in 2005 and a PSN port in 2007. Sony’s popular platformer hasn’t been through many revisions or updates lately, despite the fact that I know many people who would love to jump into Sir Dan’s role once more. According to PSM3 Magazine, we should see a new MediEvil game soon enough.

GamesThirst is reporting that the latest issue of PSM3 Magazine claims Sony Cambridge is working on a new MediEvil game for either the PS3 or PSP platform. No idea what platform the game would be going to, but I’m really hoping it ends up on the PS3, which seems more likely since we already have PSP remake. There’s also no word as to whether or not this is another remake, but I’m really hoping not. I don’t care to have MediEvil 2 on my PS3, Sony. New material, son!

Gaming Dilemma: Why Re-Make When You Can Just Make?

Sam Naylor — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:08:50 +0000

The online marketplaces of XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare have been a great place for gamers and developers alike. We’re seeing more small (and large) developers than ever before pushing out great games for these platforms, and the market for them can only get bigger. We’re seeing more original game concepts than ever before on these platforms, alongside a collection of classic games.

The current generation of consoles seems to be a perfect place for development teams to test news ideas, push out interesting concepts, or just work on short, well designed games. Think about games like Braid, Flower, Cave Story, or World of Goo. These games were released to great critical acclaim, and featured great, original concepts which were very well executed.

However, these markets, along with the DS, seem to have promoted quite a few remakes of old games. It’s not just the new markets that we see remakes for, but they are what prompted me to write this article. The classic games available on the virtual marketplaces (i.e. the Virtual Console) have been great, but full remakes of games have started to pop up everywhere. Perfect Dark was remade for XBLA, along with Earthworm Jim. The first two Monkey Island games have been updated for most platforms, as well as the original Prince of Persia. Boy and His Blob was even remade for Wii.

I see this as a problem. Not because these are not great games, or indeed great remakes. The remakes of Monkey Island, for example, were very good indeed. In fact, I enjoy playing these remade games a great deal. The problem, I feel, is that they represent a wasted opportunity.

The teams working on these games clearly have a lot of really good developers working on them. The quality of the remakes is testament to that in many examples. Why then are these people not creating new and innovative games? I realise that games are made to make money, but that doesn’t mean that new games don’t sell. If, for example, the development team that created the brilliant remake of Super Street Fighter II Turbo had been put on to a team to create a completely new 2D fighter, I feel that the quality would be high enough for the game to sell perfectly well. We’d also have a brand new fighting game to sink our teeth into, and new players would have a great place to start.

Even Nintendo are guilty. In fact, they might be the worst offenders. We’ve already seen two remakes for a platform that has not even been released yet- Star Fox 3DS and Ocarina of Time 3DS. Don’t get me wrong, I will buy and love these games, but I still feel like the development teams on these games ought to be spent on creating new games with new characters, or even just new games in a series. Just think- we could have had a new 3DS Zelda game (or indeed a new IP). Obviously a remake is much easier to do than a brand new game, but as I have said- the potential to create new rather than old is there.

Although there are a lot of good remakes, sometimes they just cannot capture the magic of the original. Perfect Dark, Earthworm Jim and Vigilante 8 were all great games. When released, they were some of the best games that one could ever play. Now, though, they are not. They have all had remakes, and they seem antiquated and just do not play well. That’s because these old games were not designed as well as games are now. They were good when they were the best available, but game design has advanced so much since then that they end up being purely nostalgia trips. That’s fine for some- but again, the resources pumped into those remakes could have been put into something much more interesting and well designed.

Games remain an artifact of their time. This is why I am skeptical of the new GoldenEye game for Wii, for example. Although going back to GoldenEye on N64 is a nice little nostalgia trip, one can tell straight away that it is just not a good game by today’s standards. For PC gamers, it wasn’t even close to being the best shooter, but for console players it was the messiah needed to push the genre onto their platform- and with four people playing, it was an absolute blast. Imagine playing a brand new game, with a great multiplayer component and great level design- one designed not for online play, but for you and your mates. Why must that game be trying to be GoldenEye? Well, because it sells units- and it will be of a lesser quality as a result, because they’ve got the name, and don’t need the review scores.

Think about the God of War Collection for PS3, as well as the upcoming Sly Raccoon collection. There are development teams that have spent a lot of time converting these games to the new platform. Once again, why couldn’t these teams be creating a brand new game instead of making some not-even-old games HD? God of War II is only three years old- no matter how good, it just doesn’t need a remake.

Obviously they did a great job, and have created a new audience as well as allowed people who might not have had a PS2 to play these games, but the time used to make these things happen could have been used to begin on a new game that will create an even bigger audience. Perhaps they could have even spent more time on God of War III, or InFamous, to make them even better. Perhaps the funds that went into updating the old games could have gone into marketing the new games better. In a way, a really good remake is even worse; when it’s obvious there was a lot of love in a remake, it just makes me feel bad that that love could have gone into a brand new game.

I’d like to reiterate just once more that I have played and loved a good number of remakes. In fact, almost every time Nintendo remakes one of their old games, I’m straight on them. However, as I play, the childlike glee that happens on the outside is undercut by a feeling that had the development time gone into something new, I could have eaten my cake and had it too. I could have been playing Mario 64 on my N64, and had a new Mario game to play on the DS. I could have been playing Pokémon Red on my Game Boy, and had a new Pokémon game to play on the GBA. I could even have been playing Monkey Island on the PC, and had a new 2D adventure game to sink my teeth into.

Easter Egg: Crackdown 2 Agent Playable in Perfect Dark for XBLA

Demi Adejuyigbe — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:08:44 +0000

Perfect Dark for the Nintendo 64 was an absolute treasure as far as retro(ish) FPSes go, so when the XBLA remake, complete with online multiplayer and improved visuals, was announced, it was a no-brainer pickup. And if the reviews didn’t convince you that you should pluck down $10 on the remake, then maybe this neat easter egg will.

If you buy Crackdown 2, Perfect Dark will find a savefile for the game on your hard drive, and allow you to unlock “Agent 4″, a black-clad agent that resembles Crackdown 2′s main character, in the game’s multiplayer modes. If you were already planning on picking up Crackdown 2, and you also own Perfect Dark, then this is a neat bonus for you. I’m not sure why Rare decided to do this, as they have nothing to do with the development or publishing of Crackdown 2, but I can’t complain.

Crackdown 2 hits stateside July 6th, Asia Pacific/New Zealand/Australia two days later, and in Europe on the 9th. Stay tuned for our review of the game, as it should go up around the time of the game’s release. [Source: Rare]

Ocarina of Time Coming to 3DS

Sam Naylor — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:24:15 +0000

Shacknews reports that just before Nintendo’s roundtable discussion session with Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, a teaser trailer for a 3DS version of the N64 classic Ocarina of Time was shown, confirming that the game will be coming to the platform.

The teaser showed footage of Link riding Epona, and showed off the fact that 3D will be incorporated into the 3DS version of the game. Eiji Aonuma also apologised for the Water Temple level design, promising that using the Iron Boots will this time be easy thanks to the touch screen.

Nintendo fans love a bit of retro gaming, so this I’m sure will be music to their ears. The reason I know this is because this news is music to my ears. I can’t wait- the Mario 64 remake for DS was fantastic, and I expect this to be just as good.

New Fire Emblem Remake Coming to DS

Sam Naylor — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:29:57 +0000

Nintendo have revealed that a new remake (that’s not quite an oxymoron, literature fans) of Fire Emblem will be coming to the DS, likely this year in Japan.

There’s some fancy art in the teaser, something Fire Emblem is known for, and I doubt this one will let fans down. The only real exposure (aside from a few failed tries at getting into the DS remake) I’ve had is with the Smash Bros. series, where Marth (seen above- correct me if I’m wrong, FE fans!) is ridiculously good, with his massive pointy metal stick.

Via Dtoid