Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
October 9, 2009
If you are ever curious what happens when an unexpected console mascot bursts onto the scene then look no further than the Jak and Daxter franchise. The original series was always planned as a three-game set, and Sony was happy to have a new set of heroes exclusively gracing their consoles. But then something unusual happened, and fans latched onto the duo with a fervor that no one had really expected. Thus, when the original trilogy ended and effectively closed off the storyline Sony couldn’t help but wonder how they could continue to profit off the franchise. The solution they determined was to release a new adventure on the PSP starring Daxter, and that title’s impressive sales and solid reviews showed Sony that there was still life in this franchise. Now, they’re going back to the well once more with a new PSP Jak and Daxter adventure, but it seems that the well may finally be running dry. Read more
QuakeCon 2009: RAGE Public Preview
August 20, 2009
Ahhh. Another QuakeCon has come and gone, leaving me with familiar sensations. Bruises on my arm from carrying cases of Bawls to my car, a sore shoulder from one of the swag mobs I foolishly entered, and a feeling of general queasiness from eating Dominoes pizza that’s spent several hours in a warming cabinet in a hotel lobby. There’s also excitement! Well not really, but I can say that the RAGE gameplay demo did have me walking away with cautious optimism.
Let me preface this article by saying that this game is too early in development to judge. It’s clear that the content shown to us at QuakeCon was cherry-picked from a game that’s still waiting to come together. Watching the action on screen confirms some things, give reassurances, and ultimately leaves you with more questions than when you walked into the room. So let’s get on with my impressions. Read more
Post-E3 2009 Bioshock 2
June 16, 2009
The original Bioshock was shown behind closed doors and although I still contend Mass Effect was a better game during that show, I was eagerly awaiting to get my hands on Bioshock 2. Unfortunately, Bioshock 2 did not come in playable form and we were left with only a trailer of the game. But what we saw leaves us eager for more. Read more
E3 2009: ModNation Racers
June 5, 2009
Have you ever played a Kart Racing title and thought you could make a better track? Just like LittleBig Planet allowed you to create, share, and play by yourself and with others locally and over the Internet, ModNation Racers hopes to do the same exact thing for the racing genre. We had a chance to sit down with the game during a Closed Door “Breakout Session” at E3 2009. Read more
E3 2009: Afrika
June 5, 2009
Afrika is a title that intrigued a lot of gamers when Sony first showed it off alongside the unveiling of the PlayStation 3. Since that time, it seemed we, in markets outside of Japan, would have little or no chance to play the title. The chances for release seemed even slimmer since Sony released the title in Japan last summer. Thankfully for gamers outside of Japan, Nantsume has picked up the rights to the title for the North America audience. We had the chance to sit down with Natsume’s own Graham Markay to take a closer look at the latest build of Afrika. Read more
E3 2009: Homefront
June 4, 2009
THQ in 2009 is turning out to be one of the top studios at this years show with some of the most impressive games at the show, two of which are in the running for Best in Show. Having one of the most popular booths for a 3rd party developer THQ is earning high marks for its upcoming list of triple “A” titles, and when allowed a special live demo of Warhammer 4000 right off the bat, I couldn’t imagine how they could even top it… but thats exactly what THQ did. Read more
E3 2009: Warhammer 40k Space Marine
June 4, 2009
The developer, best known as a creator of real-time strategy games and, in 40K circles, as the minds behind the two Dawn of War games, is stretching its development muscles with Space Marine, which will be an action role-playing game that aims to give players an immediate and action-soaked look at the Warhammer universe. Although no concrete gameplay was shown, producers made a point of saying that all of the footage shown in the trailer came from in-engine action, which was impressive to say the least, considering the visual quality on display. Read more
E3 2009: MX vs ATV Reflex
June 4, 2009
Rainbow and THQ are working on what seems to be the best offroad racing game coming down the line this year. The big news this time around: an improved driving engine; bigger, more lush environments to explore; and a new control scheme that will make getting on the bike (or the ATV, or any of the other vehicles in the game), and staying on the bike, more fun than ever. Read more
E3 2009: The Beatles Rock Band
June 2, 2009
One of the biggest highlights of the Microsoft E3 Press Briefing was the reveal of The Beatles Rock Band. Since being announced last fall, the game has been eagerly anticipated by both fans of the Rock Band franchise and Beatles fans. Taking center stage, The Beatles rocked our world and is by far one of the best titles of the show. Read more
Pre-E3 2009: Brutal Legend
June 1, 2009
The eagerly anticipated Brutal Legend continues development and as the game gets closer and closer to completion, Developer Double Fine Productions is slowly revealing more and more in the game. Such is the case with our latest impression of the title. Currently, the title is being shown on the Xbox 360 but a PS3 version is being released at the same time later this year. Read more