Kotaku

Ghostbusters – The Tom Hanks of Intellectual Properties [Impressions]

AJ Glasser — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 MST

Nobody looks at Tom Hanks and says “He sucks, I hate him and every movie he’s ever been in.” Similarly, nobody hears “Ghostbusters” and thinks “They suck, I hate them.”

So says Ghostbusters: The Video Game developer Terminal Reality. After enduring a long and painful process to get this game published, I suppose they’ve earned the right to some hyperbole – and it’s not really hyperbole if the game turns out to be as awesome as Tom Hanks, right?

I started my first ever hands-on with the PS3 version of Ghostbusters at about halfway through the Library level. I’d already seen previews and clips of the areas before this point; where our heroes are heading into the library to chase down the Gray Lady from the movies. The “levels” in Ghostbusters are extremely long – more like areas with many levels within them. The Library has about eight “levels” total and takes anywhere from one to two hours to complete (depending on your gameplay style – run and gun versus stop and smell the roses).

So, I’d say I was about an hour/hour and a half into the game – long after the everyman “Rookie” character has been introduced and at some point after Winston had separated from Egon, Raymond and the Rookie to do some research on the Gray Lady. The journo before me had inverted the PS3 controls, so when I tried to get the hang of moving, I walked into a trap, pointed my gun at a wall and immediately blew myself up with one of the fire-spraying weapons that had been debugged for my use.

When you go down in Ghostbusters, one of your teammates can revive you if they’re still on their feet and nearby. But if all three or four of you go down, it’s game over and you load back at the last checkpoint. The checkpoints are pretty generous throughout the Library level – and I’m glad because if the levels are all two hours long, I’m going to need points during each where I can quit out so I can keep feeding my normal life.

The running dialog (written largely by Dan Aykroyd) between Egon and Raymond (and sometimes Winston from what I saw in the Library level) keeps you up to date on what you’re supposed to be doing, where you’re supposed to be going and what’s going on in the story. This makes for a seamless gameplay experience as well as a hilarious movie/game. When asked to describe Ghostbusters in terms of genre, the Terminal Reality guys said: “Third person action comedy.”

Both Egon and Raymond bit it following my ill-fated button press. We immediately spawned back at the checkpoint just before the trap and I had time to change the control scheme to something less bitched. The lack of a HUD in-game was a little hard to get used to, but once I learned which guns made the proton pack change which colors, it was surprisingly easy to switch between rays during boss fights where you need to use combination stun-and-wrangle tactics.

The ghost-capturing was tricky to master at first. You’ve got to target the ghost, start shooting your proton ray at it and once it’s in your grips, mash a button or trigger (depending on whether it’s the PS3 or 360) to send a blast its way and stun it. Then you can drag the ghost over to the trap on the floor and move on to the next book-flinging thing from another dimension. This requires both excellent timing and knowing which buttons to press exactly when; Terminal Reality says the controls aren’t a hundred percent hammered out yet – but hopefully the number of buttons or triggers you need to press to capture a ghost will stay below three.

After picking up our ghost-filled trap, we headed down deeper into the library. Little blips of static would cue me into turning on my ghost-vision tool (I know it has a real name in the movies – forgive me for being too young to remember what it is). This tool lets you see all kinds of stuff the naked eye would miss; children’s handprints on a wall, hidden doorways and clues, and – of course – ghosts.

The Gray Lady led us deeper and deeper into the library where a Necronomicon-looking book appears to have killed/possessed the old woman at some point in the past (y’know, before she became a ghost). Once discovering this, the Gray Lady morphed from harmless-looking librarian into screaming banshee of death. Like all bosses or mini-bosses in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, there’s a dominant strategy to beating a foe and hers involved smashing book stands from which she generated her shield.

I died before I managed to figure this out; but mercifully, the game lets you skip the static cut scenes. So instead of watching Egon argue with Raymond about not touching the book, I got to listen to them do it in real time while I positioned myself in the best part of the room for book-stand blasting.

Once her shield was down, it was fairly simple to finish off the Gray Lady. This concluded the Library level and following a series of events, we wound up in the next level – which I’m supposed to talk about. Sufficed to say, there’s a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation for why the sky can be both pink and doom at the same time and Peter will explain it to you while the level loads.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is designed to be easy to learn (straightforward, at least), difficult to master (thanks to weapon upgrades and dominant strategies), and always – always – fun to play because it’s Ghostbusters. Really, Acti-Blizzard doesn’t know what they’re missing.

The game is out this June. There will be about 50 Trophies/Achievements, spread out between multi- and single-player; and you can count on a demo – although nobody seems quite sure when. Expect it to sync up with the 25th anniversary Blu-Ray release of Ghostbusters.

Christian Group Warns Against Army Of Two's "Homosexual Encounters" [Censorship]

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:30:00 MST

Conservative Christian investment firm (investment firm?) The Timothy Plan have issued a Christmas guide to "responsible" holiday shopping, in the form of a list of 30 of the "most offensive" games on the market.

It's intended to help parents decide what to/not to buy their kids. You will enjoy this list. While some choices - GTAIV, Manhunt 2 and Condemned 2 - are to be expected, others aren't. Or are, but weren't expected for the reasons The Timothy Plan (who are sounding more like a prog rock band each time I type that) list.

Take Army of Two. It's a violent game, sure, and they say that, but The Timothy Plan also have a black mark next to its name for..."homosexual encounters", based on the fact there are "somewhat homo-erotic undertones between the two main characters". And that's a bad thing? I thought it was the only thing that saved the game, in a Transporter-oil-wrestling kinda way.

Metal Gear Solid 4's sexual warnings are equally good-timey, warning "Some of the game's women are wearing sexually revealing clothing and romances are implied". Fortunately Snake's romances weren't explicit, or we'd be looking at a Timothy Plan boycott of Konami's big-seller.

You'll find the full list below.

The Timothy Plan VideoGame Guide [The Timothy Plan, via GamePolitics]

More DISSIDIA Scans To Look At [Dissidia: Final Fantasy]

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:00:00 MST

The upcoming issue of Famitsu has some new scans of DISSIDIA: Final Fantasty character Shantotto.

A black mage in Final Fantasy XI, she was announced for the PSP action title a while back. Famitsu has a bevy of new screens of other DISSIDIA characters, too. Check 'em out! Game is out later this month.

Sony Promises "Improved" LittleBigPlanet Moderation [Littlebigplanet]

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:30:00 MST

Prior to release, LittleBigPlanet showed a ton of promise. Heavy-handed moderation in the weeks since release, however, has rubbed a little of the lustre off the game's appeal.

Don't think that Sony aren't aware of this. They are so aware. And have today promised that they'll be trying harder in the future to make things better.

Posting on the PlayStation Blog, the game's community manager has written:

The level moderation process is something we’re continually improving. The small percentage of levels moderated have been done so after the community has reported them using the Good Grief tool. We never moderate levels that have not been reported in this way. The vast majority of moderated levels were due to offensive material, however we are evolving the way moderation happens to ensure that creators are made aware of why their level was blocked. More to come shortly.

Dear user,

No giant flying penis levels, OK?

Thanks,

Sony

“SACK IT TO ME”…Weekly Answers to the LBP Community’s Questions [PlayStation.Blog]

Good Digital Hair Is Not Easy [Bald Space Marine]

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:00 MST

There's a reason why we get some many bald space marines or dudes in skull caps: Hair. Digital hair ain't easy. It's tricky to pull off realistic looking digi-locks.

Why? As NewScientist points out, it's difficult to recreate how floicles flow from the roots and interact with each other to give human hairdos their shape. But! Fret not, new tech is making better digital 'dos possible. Who knows, one day we'll say goodbye to bad (in-game) hair days for good!

Check out the video clip below for more.

Digital Hair is... Hairy [Giant Bomb]

King Of Fighters Movie Sounds Like A Disaster-In-Waiting [King Of Fighters]

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:40:00 MST

To refresh: Gordon Chan is directing a King of Fighters movie. Previously, details were scant, but today, details on the flick have surfaced. We wish they'd remained scant.

Seems filming has already begun in Canada, and the movie will star Maggie Q, Sean Faris, Will Yun Lee and Darth Maul himself, Ray Park. Those guys all have movie martial arts experience, that's the good news.

The bad news is this:

It also looks like the King of Fighters movie will introduce a new science fiction spin into the setting established in the games’ universe by following the surviving members of three legendary fighting clans who are continually whisked away to other dimensions by an evil power. As the fighters enter each new world they battle that universe’s native defenders, while the force that brought them seeks to find a way to invade and infect our world.

Huh? Wha?

You have until 2010 to prepare yourself for disappointment.

Exclusive: King of Fighters details revealed [Movieset]

Which FPS Games Are The "Most Engaging"? [Research]

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:20:00 MST

You'd think that'd be a subjective question! But science, as always, is here to poop the party, presenting "evidence" that shows which FPS games currently on the market draw the biggest "response" from players.

The research, conducted by San Francisco firm Emsense , looked at eight games - Battlefield 2142, Call of Duty 3, F.E.A.R., Gears of War, GRAW 2, Resistance, Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 - in order to measure "engagement and emotional and cognitive responses to content". Or, in other words, how much players got into it.

To determine this, the researchers used "proprietary brain monitoring EEG and bio-sensing technology" while tracking players engaged in the first 90 minutes of each game, and ended up with over 300 hours worth of data/

Their findings? That "the most successful FPS titles encourage close combat, dangling emotions of reward to compel players into high-risk, adrenaline-pumping scenarios". Think Gears' chainsaw duels, placing satchel charges on tanks in CoD, that sort of thing.

This means that, if you buy into the data, you can certainly draw a correlation between our involvement - and subsequent enjoyment of an FPS- and reviews scores/retail success. Gears of War has chainsaws and blood splatters. Halo 2 & 3 have insta-kill plasma swords. Half-Life 2 has the worlds greatest crowbar. Etc etc.

Shoot to Thrill: Bio-Sensory Reactions to 3D Shooting Games [Gamasutra]

Bashcraft And Arcade Mania On Your Japanese Network TV [Arcade Mania]

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:00:00 MST

That was this morning. Woke up, flipped on Zoom In!! Super, Japan's equivalent of Good Morning America, and saw my bloated, unshaven mug talking about Japanese arcades and Arcade Mania. Revenge of the Giant Face tag! Gah.

About a month back, out of the blue, I got a phone call from a producer from Nippon Television, one of the country's major networks. He said he'd seen very positive stuff on the Japanese internet about Arcade Mania. He wanted to know what foreigners thought of Japanese arcades.

We talked for a good bit and he phoned back several times in the following days. Then he said he'd call me back if there were going to do someone on arcades and Arcade Mania.

Time passed, my second son Micro-Bash was born, and I forgot all about it.

Got another call over the weekend from the producer, who said they wanted to interview me for Zoom In. Sure, I said, thinking I'd have to go to Tokyo, but no, they were going to send a camera crew to my house in Osaka to shoot. Oh, okay, great. Everything was happening so fast.

I'm really bad about stuff like this. Like, I get nervous, tongue-tied and generally freeze up. The last time I appeared on TV was for Kotaku when we were all in New York. It was incredibly stressful — and I was being asked simple stuff like when I first started writing for Kotaku and what I thought of blogging. VERY BASIC THINGS. And that was in English, too! I did horrible, I think.

This was gonna be worse: The Japanese TV interview was nationwide and, you guessed it, in Japanese. Wife was worried I'd start blabbering away in the Osaka dialect or come off as rude and embarrass myself into oblivion. I was worried that my face would contort and I'd simply go, "Eh......." Father-in-law told me, "It's worse to sound like a nervous idiot than just an idiot. So don't worry about sounding like an idiot. Just keep talking — even if you make a mistake."

That's pretty much what I did. They interviewed me in Japanese. I was exhausted after — I did okay, I guess. Didn't start crying or throwing up like I thought I would. But was extremely nervous during the whole thing. (I'm shy!) Good thing is that the next English language interview I do will be a cake walk.

The entire segment was something like 8 minutes long (or longer) and was quite interesting! Another reporter interviewed lots of foreigners at Tokyo game centers, asked them what they were keen about. Most said "sticker pictures" or "crane games."

There was a really funny bit where one guy was just watching some Japanese dude pwn Beatmania and then went up to him after he finished and shook his hand. Another interesting bit: The program polled a bunch of Akihabara tourists about where they wanted to go. The second most popular answer? Game centers.

Arcade Mania is now available on Amazon.

New York City Losing Its Giant PSP (Again)? [Playstation Portable]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:40:00 MST

The giant PSP in the SoHo district of New York City looks like it's on its way out... again. No, it's not the first time the PSP has been dismantled from its billboard.

But will it be the last? The thing has been doing great harm to the reputation of the PlayStation Portable's screen quality since 2005, but reader Mark says that the thing looks like it's on its way out. Maybe the thing's just in need of a good scrub-down and a firmware upgrade, to prevent piracy on a massive scale.

Perhaps it's just time to retire this thing and remember it fondly via its tan line-like filth silhouette.

Update: Looks like the PSP Huge is going to get a screen upgrade too. Hooray! Advertising is eternal!

PC Sales Charts [Sales Charts]

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:20:00 MST

What came out between now and the last time we checked the PC charts? Oh yeah. Lich King. If ever there was a week we'd have loved to have seen actual, hard sales figures, November 16-22 would be it.

If only so we could see the looks on the other game's faces.

NPD Sales Charts November 16-22 [via Shacknews]

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
2. Left 4 Dead
3. Call Of Duty: World At War
4. The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff
5. EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey
6. Spore
7. Fallout 3
8. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe
9. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Collectors Ed
10. The Sims 2 Apartment Life

Steam Charts As Of December 2

1. Left 4 Dead
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Fallout 3
4. Counter-Strike Source
5. Football Manager 2009
6. Orange Box
7. Counter-Strike
8. Titan Quest Gold
9. Team Fortress 2
10. Far Cry 2

Direct2Drive Charts As Of December 2

1. Grand Theft Auto IV
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Fallout 3
4. Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
5. Red Alert 3
6. Mass Effect
7. Final Fantasy XI Vanadiel Collection
8. World in Conflict
9. Civilization IV
10. Sims 2 Double Deluxe

Auditorium: The Prettiest Musical Puzzle Game You'll Play Today [Hot Flashes]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:00:00 MST

Sometimes we like our Hot Flashes to soothe us, rather than stir us into a reflexes-required panic. In fact, after playing Auditorium, the musical puzzle... experience, I've poured myself a strong cup of adult-style eggnog.

You too may want to wash away the day with hard liquor and be delighted by what Auditorium has to offer. Its creators describe the Flash game as a "process of discovery and play." It's one of those titles where outlining how it plays spoils some of the fun — figure it out on your own.

The Auditorium site teases that the developers may be convinced to port it to the iPhone or consoles, given the right encouragement and, of course, proper amount of funds via donation. We'll see.

Auditorium [Official Site via RPS]

Heavy Rain Is About Normal People, Real Life [Playstation 3]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:30:07 MST

Don't expect to see the heroine of Heavy Rain leaping through the air in some abominable mash-up of Cirque du Soleil and The Matrix. The game's director tells 1UP it's simply about "normal people."

David Cage, who is also president of Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream says that we won't see the French equivalent of a Dragon Ball-esque karate hover battle, a la Indigo Prophecy.

"I believe it'll be much more emotionally involving, as gamers will easily relate to the situations and characters," Cage said. "In Heavy Rain, you won't be a superhero or a gangster. You'll just be someone real." Given how good the game looked at Games Convention (and continues to look) we might be able to settle for normal, even if that sequence we saw won't be more than a potential bonus feature in the final game.

Heavy Rain (PS3) [1UP]

Scenes From A Nintendo DS Massage Spa [Nintendo]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:00:15 MST

Nintendo has been putting the "touch" back in Touch Generations over the past week at a handful of North American malls. It's been gently caressing weary shoppers and wooing them with Nintendo DS games.

We hadn't actually seen any of these rubdown dens in person, currently erected at malls in California, Texas, New Jersey, Georgia and Massachusetts. But readers Jared and Chris saw these orgies of relaxation at the Natick Collection in Natick and Lenox Square in Atlanta and thought "Well, that's weird. I should tip Kotaku."

If you'd like to find a totally non-sensual release, courtesy of Nintendo, you still have a week to partake. Locations are right here. We suggest bringing an import copy of Duel Love or Doki Doki Majo Shinpan to creep out your masseuse.

New Tekken 6 Screens Are Rippling, Ruffled [Gallery]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:40:00 MST

Namco Bandai dropped eight new screens of the multi-platform Tekken 6 today. And if each shot isn't packed with rippling dude meat and screen-warping effects, it's packed with short shorts. Yes, they're that good.

For an octet of screens loaded with washboard abs, bedazzling "you just got punched in the face" explosions and the occasional milky thigh, cruise through our gallery of new Tekken 6 screen shots.

New 360 Arcades Get 256MB Internal Storage [Xbox 360]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:20:00 MST

As hinted at in our ennui-bustin' Thanksgiving Rumor Roundup Microsoft have confirmed that the new batch of 'Jasper' Xbox 360 Arcade boxes will come with internal flash storage.

Speaking to Xbox 360 Fanboy, a Microsoft spokeschap said, "We can confirm that we are moving to internal memory for the Xbox 360 Arcade. The physical internal memory is the same size as the previous external memory units - 256MB"

Arcade users can now look forward to saving games right out of the box - and maybe even a few Avatar costumes if they are lucky - before having to cough up for some external storage.

Microsoft confirms 256MB internal storage in Xbox 360 Arcade units [X3F]

SingStar Getting Heavy Dose Of Christmas Cheer, Also... Starship [Playstation 3]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:00:00 MST

The dearth of Christmas-themed downloadable content available is the shame of the industry. At least Sony is doing something about it, announcing a batch of Christmas carols-cum-pop songs for the PlayStation 3 version of SingStar.

One could easily argue that the choices aren't ideal — no "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)?"; almost any version would do — but we'll take what we can get. Yes, we'll even take a little Celine Dion, just for the rum and eggnog coated cacophony of it all. Serious SingStar fans can download the following Xmas extravaganza "mid-December."

For just $6.99 USD, you'll get the following well-worn Christmas fodder.

• Toni Braxton – ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Xmas’
• Babyface – ‘Sleigh Ride’
• Shakin’ Stevens – ‘Merry Christmas’
• Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christmastime’
• Celine Dion – ‘Christmas Eve’

In addition, it looks like some better choices will be hitting the SingStore soon, most notably Queen's ‘The Show Must Go On’ and most gratingly Starship's ‘We Built This City.’ Oi!

SingStar Updates [PlayStation.blog]

Call of Duty: World At War DLC Said To Buck Tradition [Treyarch]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:40:46 MST

Considering that the downloadable content offered for previous Call of Dutys consisted of run-of-the-mill map packs, deviating from that path shouldn't prove difficult. But World at War executive producer Daniel Suarez is still being mysterious.

He tells MTV Multiplayer that the team has "potentially two, maybe three packs" planned for the fifth core Call of Duty title. If they were as simple as Modern Warfare's "Variety" map pack or Call of Duty 3's duo of similar content, he probably wouldn't be so cagey about dishing details.

Hmmm... would Nazi werewolves fall under "what we’ve done traditionally"?

Activision: ‘Call of Duty: World At War’ DLC Will Be Unusual, Announced In 2009 [MTV Multiplayer]

BlitzTech Unveils Stereoscopic 3D Engine [Blitztech]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:20:00 MST

As anyone who tried to play Magic Carpet in its ludicrous/innovative Magic Eye mode will tell you, niche 3D display technology can be more trouble than its worth.

BlitzTech, however, are pretty confident that their new 3D Engine - unveiled today at the 3D Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles - will definitely be a winner, despite requiring displays that follow the 3DTV standard. BlitzTech claim the engine will allow current-gen consoles to display IMAX-quality 3D imagery.

"Our BlitzTech technology will prove beyond all doubt that we are already doing what some industry experts have said is impossible on today's game consoles," said Blitz CEO Andrew Oliver, in a manner not unlike a soliloquising supervillain, "Our highly tuned engine is capable of producing real-time interactive graphics that are close to offline rendered CG movie quality."

Also, his army of robot water voles is invincible and cannot be stopped.

The Undergrads Are Our Future [Note]

Brian Crecente — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:00:00 MST

To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Neat or Not?

I drove up to Boulder today to speak to a journalism class about new media and old media and media in general. Mostly it was a walkthrough of how I got from point A to point B. Point A being a career in dead tree publications and point B being Kotaku. Lots of questions about what a person should do to get a job in journalism, to which all I replied: Write!

Write, write, write. Oh, and write. You can be a master at HTML, amazing at Flash, spectacular at navigating websites or conducting interviews, but unless you can write don't expect to get a job. Well, I don't count. But in general, you need to practice writing.

Man, I don't envy those J-School students, graduating in a month to six, in the center of a swirling recession. No... Thanks.

What you missed:
Petroglyph Takes Strategy Online With Mytheon
The Witcher To Officially Witch Consoles
Atari Narrows Down Ghostbusters Release Date
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution Cuts Loose This Spring
2008 VGAs To Feature Jack Black, God Of War III, Uncharted 2
Atari Snatches Up Rez Creator For New Wii Game
Prince Of Persia Review: Like Sands Through The Hourglass
Rumor: LittleBigPlanet Invading Hot Shots Golf
New Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Screens Show Off Re-imagination
Get Your Kotaku On Zune Marketplace
Tina Fey's Secret Video Game Voice Work

Atari Reviving Baldur's Gate, D&D, Test Drive Unlimited [Dungeons & Dragons]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:40:00 MST

Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Dungeons & Dragons and Test Drive Unlimited haven't been forgotten by Atari. The publisher plans to bring each of those series back to its line-up — but not until after 2009.

Atari revealed its intentions to revisit and resuscitate some of its better known properties at a press conference in the UK today, pointing to some of its most beloved hits as a focus for 2010 and beyond. The rebounding publisher diverted focus to its next-year line-up, according to Eurogamer, which includes Ghostbusters, The Witcher for consoles and the recently announced Ready 2 Rumble Revolution.

While Atari's been supporting Neverwinter Nights 2 in the form of expansion packs, the Baldur's Gate series has been quiet since the release of Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, with the spin-off series Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance petering out in 2004. Sequels to both would be very welcome, my new Atari overlords.

We suppose the only question is: who's going to develop the next Baldur's Gate? BioWare, now owned by EA, has already moved on to its own "spiritual successor" Dragon Age.

As far as another Test Drive, Developer Eden Games is rumored to have already started work on a sequel to Test Drive Unlimited as of earlier this year.

Atari to revisit Baldur's, Test Drive [Eurogamer]

Newell To Fan - DRM Strategies Are Dumb [Drm]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:20:00 MST

Valve's Gabe Newell has joined the growing roster of games industry names who are publicly unimpressed with Digital Rights Management.

In an email to a fan who had contacted Valve about fears that they would be using SecuROM to lock down Left 4 Dead, Newell replied,

"As far as DRM goes, most DRM strategies are just dumb. The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value [...] not by decreasing the value of a product. We really really discourage other developers and publishes from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches."

Report: Valve's Gabe Newell Disses DRM [GamePolitics]

Tina Fey's Secret Video Game Voice Work [Tina Fey]

Brian Crecente — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:00:00 MST

In a recent tell all interview with Vanity Fair, Tina Fey of Sarah Palin fame (I kid), tells the magazine that she did a bit of voice work for a pinball machine back in the day.

Did she ever use the Sarah Palin voice to entice her own First Dude?

No, she said, but once, when she did a voice-over for a pinball machine in Chicago, she used an Elly May Clampett voice. “These critters need some attention,” she says in a soft southern drawl, giving her husband a sexy glance. She’s as pitch-perfect channeling Elly May as she is channeling Palin. “And that was the only time Jeff has kind of hinted that maybe I should talk like that all the time.”

The game? It wasn't one based on Beverly Hillbillies.

According to the Internet Pinball Database it was 1997's Medieval Madness by Williams Electronic Games:

Tina Fey (of "Saturday Night Live" fame) did the voices of the "Opera Singer" princess and the Cockney-talking princess.

You can catch her Clampett over at Pinball News.

Leading Lady [Vanity Fair, Thanks Scott]

Red Bull Builds An Addition Onto PlayStation Home [Playstation 3]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:40:18 MST

In addition to all those video games setting up shop in Sony's Home, expect to see plenty of non-game advertisers. First out of the gate is energy drink Red Bull, complete with its own game.

You might think that's a positive sign that your Home avatar will be getting 'faced on Red Bull and vodkas, but you're just a bit off the mark — maybe when the Stoli partnership ink dries. Red Bull UK brand manager John Beasley says the drink's Home presence is designed to "facilitate interaction, to give people stories, memories, experiences and a really good opportunity to interact with the brand." Killer app? Oh, most definitely.

Red Bull will have an airplane racing game playable in its Home room, one modeled after the five year old Red Bull Air Race series. We can't wait to try it out with Van Halen's "Dreams" blasting in the background.

Red Bull becomes first brand on PlayStation Home [Brand Republic]

Draw A Path To Love In The Chase - Screens [The Chase]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:20:00 MST

The Chase is a good old fashioned love story. Boy meets girl, girl separates from boy, boy and girl attempt to reach each other by running at breakneck speed across surreal platform-filled landscape populated by bad guys and collectable power ups while an unseen hand draws bridges under the feet of both boy and girl.

Aww, its like something out of a Barbara Cartland novel.

The Chase from Razorback is due for release on the DS in February 2009. Some time around the 14th, I would imagine.

Get Your Kotaku On Zune Marketplace [Podcast]

Brian Crecente — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:00:00 MST

Last month Adam Barenblat started uploading our videos and podcasts over to iTunes for the iPhone, Touch, and iPod owners out there.

Of course it wasn't long before we heard from Zune owners, hoping to get their portable Kotaku on the Microsoft media player.

Today we've invaded the Zune Marketplace as well. So now if you must, must listen to Fahey as he talks about the economy while getting whaled on by a Left 4 Dead tank, now you can with your iWhatever, Zune or other media devices. Appropriate links to follow.

We'll be putting up all of our new content on Zune and iTunes and are continuing to dig through Kotaku's golden oldies in an attempt to convert and upload some of them as well. And while you're at it, drop a review on our podcasts on iTunes. We're ranked in the top ten right now, but we have a paltry nine reviews.

Zune Marketplace.
iTunes
Direct Mp4 Downloads

New Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Screens Show Off Re-imagination [Atari]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:40:00 MST

We're going to get double the Diesel in 2009, with Vin's face gracing both Midway's Wheelman and Atari's The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Atari released new screens of the latter today.

They show that the "re-imagining" of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher's Bay is looking pretty sharp, excessive depth of field excepted. And, sure, Riddick may look half-Rodian, half-human here, but everything else looks just swell.

Assault on Dark Athena will add online multiplayer and come bundled with a "remastered" version of Escape from Butcher's Bay when it lands on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC next year, so it will at least pack in the value.

Gameloft Launches Brothers In Arms: Hour of Heroes For iPhone [Gameloft]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:20:00 MST

Gameloft have released Brothers In Arms: Hour Of Heroes for the iPhone, bringing 14 missions over 3 theater campaigns to your pocket.

Control is via a 'fire' icon and a touchable movement circle, that at least looks like it might be a bit more analogue than a fake D-Pad and which changes according to whether you are on foot or in a vehicle. The accelerometer comes into play too as a natural way of lobbing grenades at your foes. (Be sure to hold on tight, lest you lose your precious phone)

During the 3 campaigns in Normandy, Ardennes & Tunisia you will use bazookas, machine guns sniper rifles and grenades, drive a Sherman Tank and a Jeep and die in a hail of bullets. A lot.

First Look Video at ‘Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes’ [Touch Arcade]

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Confirmed for North America [Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]

Brian Crecente — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:00:00 MST

Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories hit stores today in North America and to celebrate Square Enix announced that another oddly named Kingdom Hearts game is headed to our shores.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the DS is officially coming to North America, according to the press release. In the DS title gamers will take on the role of Roxas, a member of Organization XIII. What does that have to do with Mickey Mouse? Read on:

Uncover the events that took place during the year Sora was asleep regaining his lost memories. KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days revolves around Roxas, the “other” hero from KINGDOM HEARTS II, and his days as a member of Organization XIII. Follow Roxas and the rest of Organization XIII across the various Disney Worlds, and discover the connection between him, Sora, and the mysterious 14th member, and the reasons behind his eventual departure from the organization. KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days also features a multiplayer mode for the first time, allowing players to control their favorite Organization XIII members!

Rumor: LittleBigPlanet Invading Hot Shots Golf [Playstation 3]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:40:02 MST

Consider this littlebigrumor for now, but it looks like the Sackboy cross-promotion won't be stopping anytime soon. PlayStation-centric site PSN! is reporting that the star of LittleBigPlanet is going to hit the virtual links soon.

The Spanish PlayStation site writes today that Sackboy will join God of War series star Kratos as a downloadable golfer in Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. Sounds perfectly reasonable to us — and far more fitting than the Greek god of war or Darkstalkers' Morrigan landing birdies. We'd expect to see many, many more appearances in first-party PlayStation 3 games on par with this one.

For the record, PSN is the same outlet that ran that Street Fighter Sackboy rumor, for whatever that's worth.

Rumor: Sackboy como personaje invitado de Everybody’s Golf [PSnow - thanks, Macrike!]

Acekard Announce First Fully Working Dsi Flash Cart [Piracy]

Stuart Houghton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:20:00 MST

Remember that video we showed you of the work-in-progress DSi flash cart? Yeah, well, work has progressed.

The Acekard 2i is claimed to be the world's first fully-working DSi flash cartridge with cart mavens Acekard claiming the device supports all of the DSi's new features - including the ability to read and store data on MicroSD cards in the new slot.

This video shows what appears to be the menu system (curiously, the site says "The Acekard R.P.G. utilizes the idea of the iPhone which gives the customer a totally new control experience." which I think is just a fancy way of saying that the menu can use the touchscreen) with a quick segue into a probably not-that-legal version of Castlevania. Never mind, Nintendo. You had a good run at being piracy free for, what, two months?

Acekard2i For DSi Released! [Acekard - thanks to Wraggster for the tip]

Prince Of Persia Review: Like Sands Through The Hourglass [Review]

Mike Fahey — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:40:00 MST

Despite the overwhelming success of the first trilogy, Ubisoft went back to the drawing board to bring an entirely new Prince of Persia experience to the current generation of consoles.

The new Prince of Persia marks a total revamp of the beloved franchise that has enchanted millions of players since the debut of the original game back in 1989. Lost in a mysterious sandstorm, a nameless adventurer accidentally stumbles upon a legendary city threatened by the release of a dark god from ages past. Teaming up with a mysterious, magic-wielding woman named Elika, our hero sets off on a quest to keep the dark god from gaining its freedom and wrecking havoc on the world.

Was wiping the slate clean the right move for Ubisoft, or does the new Prince of Persia leave us wishing we could go back in time?

Loved
Ease Of Movement: This is the most fun I've had traveling in a Prince of Persia title, period. The controls are extremely responsive, making traversing the complicated levels a breeze. Remember past PoP titles where they would pan over the path you had to take before you attempted it? Completely unnecessary here, thanks to masterfully intuitive level design.

The Story Unfolds: Rather than reveal the story as scripted events, Prince of Persia allows you to decide how much or little of the story you wish to experience using an innovative conversation system. Simply press the left shoulder button to launch into conversations with your female companion that reveal much about her past as well as the Prince's own. While much of it is optional, I highly recommend you talk to Elika as much as possible, if only for the amazing chemistry that develops between the two characters throughout the course of the game.

A Painting Come To Life: The phenomenal graphics we've seen in screenshots of Prince of Persia are even more amazing when put to motion. The developers put the unique artistic style to good use, creating a world that is alternates between dark and dreadful and colorfully fantastic.

I Like Elika: Your lovely female companion is far more than something pretty to look at as you traverse the game. She's your lifeline, your help system, and the living embodiment of super moves that so often go unexplained in platforming titles. She is your magical attacks. She is your double jump. Rather than coming across as a tacked-on character, by the end of the game she is an extension of yourself. The perfect sidekick.

A Dance With Death: The fighting in Prince of Persia is simple enough for a beginner yet complex enough that the more skilled will be rewarded for mastering it. Consisting of four attack types (sword, magic, acrobatic, and claw) and a block button, battles can be fought and won by simply blocking until you find your opening, but using the parry system to create your own openings offers a much more satisfying experience. Combat is fluid and dynamic, with active time events breaking up the monotony and allowing for some spectacular cinematic moments.

Music Of The Sands: While I didn't notice the music as much during gameplay, as the credits were rolling I sat transfixed as several pieces from the original score played, amazed by the quality of composition. It's the type of music you'd expect from a big-budget adventure movie. This is music I would gladly purchase on its own.

Hated
Easy Peasy: If ever there was a game to accuse of excessive hand-holding, Prince of Persia would be it. You'll never see a Game Over screen, and you will never, ever die. Fall off a cliff, and Elika saves you. Get crushed by an enemy, and Elika saves you. While I understand some of the reasoning behind why Ubisoft Montreal went this route, the mechanic seriously cuts down on dramatic tension. The open nature of gameplay also means that there really is no ramping difficulty as you progress, in order to account for the fact that you can progress in any order you desire.

Redundant Boss Fights: The boss fights in Prince of Persia, save the very last one, are repeated upwards of five times over, with slight variations in-between bouts. One could argue that they are simply one extended boss fight broken up into five segments, but they would be wrong.

While many publishers would have been perfectly content to simply crank out sequel after sequel of a bestselling franchise, Ubisoft instead gambled with a total revamp of the Prince of Persia series, and their gamble paid off in spades. Not only have they maintained the core gameplay of the series, they've managed to improve upon it in a way that might not have been as noticeable had they stayed with the look and feel of games like The Two Thrones. Not only have they crafted a compelling new story for the game, they've created a completely new method for that story to be delivered, giving the player as much control over how the tale unfolds as they do over the Prince himself.

While I could have done with a bit more fighting and a slightly grittier voice actor to play the titular role, Prince of Persia still manages to be one of the most entertaining game experiences I've had all year.

Prince of Persia was developed by Ubisoft Montreal, published by Ubisoft, released in North America on Nov. 24 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Retails for $59.99. Reviewed on the PlayStation 3. Completed game, credits and all. Hungry for more.

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Atari Snatches Up Rez Creator For New Wii Game [Tetsuya Mizuguchi]

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:00:00 MST

The all-new Atari adds another heavy hitter to its line-up: Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment. The publisher announced today that it is bringing Q's next music-based game, (tentatively?) dubbed QJ, to the Nintendo Wii.

That's all Atari was willing to announce about QJ, according to a report from CVG. It showed a logo and flew in Mizuguchi himself, but it kept the actual game under wraps — probably until the Spike TV VGAs, we assume, since it seems to be hoarding all the exclusives.

Atari will also be publishing a Q Entertainment compilation disc featuring Rez HD, Lumines Live and Every Extend Extra Extreme, packed with downloadable content. Smart.

Mizuguchi reveals new game [CVG]