Review wrap-up - TiQal

- Xbox 360 @ IGN review by Erik Brudvig - 6.5 / 10
- Gamespot review by Don Francis - 7.5 / 10
- 1UP.com review by Tom Mc Shea - B-

Xbox 360 Fanboy have uploaded their weekly "XBLA in Brief review of TiQal as well. You can watch that here

Site news: Oh yeah, I can turn comments on!

Duh! maybe I should turn on all possible comment types? At least until it becomes filled with horrible, horrible comments.

Turned on now, so you don't need to have a blogger.com account.

Whoops again! Another release date pops up! Mr. Driller next week?

Sad_Panda over on NeoGAF has spotted another release date leak over at the Mr. Driller Online webpage. It looks like - despite not being announced until a few weeks ago, it may end up getting released... next week!

Source: Mr. Driller Online @ Xbox.com Japan

5pb - 'XBLA rejected Ketsui and Dodonpachi'

In a recent issue of Japan's Famitsu Xbox magazine was an interview with Masaki Sakari of 5pb - who are currently porting over two very popular Cave top down shooters Dodonpachi Daioujou Black Label X and Ketsui X to the Xbox 360 as a retail product. In the interview Sakari has a short vent about why they went for a retail product:

"Out initial plan was to port lots of good arcade titles to XBLA. We talked to IP holders of these titles, and persuaded them. We secured these licenses, and finally talked with Microsoft. There they rejected all of our proposals saying, 'We are going to cut down faithful arcade ports.' We felt so frustrated. We wanted to show them that their decision was wrong. So we switched our two most promising projects into retail."

Cave are creators of classic scrolling shooters - known mostly for their notorious "Bullet Hell" style games. There is a fairly large fan base for their games out there, and would have made an excellent addition to the Xbox Live Arcade.

It appears Microsoft's XBLA restraints are becoming a large problem for many developers wanting to get into the downloadable service - and in this case 'break' into the Western Markets with their niche titles. Let's hope they hear the cries of fans from around the world and perhaps loosen the restraints a bit.

Big thanks once again to Rmk106 in Japan watching out for new XBLA news! the original article can be viewed here and here.

Chessmaster released a whole bunch of chess sets

The Chessmaster Live team have been hard at work creating new skins for the Chessmaster game. From Major Nelson:

Content: Egypt Chess Set
Price: 80 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan, Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] Download this brand new 3D chess set and have more fun playing chess! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

Content: Mongol Chess Set
Price: 80 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan, Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] Download this brand new 3D chess set and have more fun playing chess! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

Content: Chessmaster Live Mushrooms Set
Price: 80 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan, Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] Edible or not this set represent one of Chessmaster's most unconventional chess sets There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

Content: Pyramids Chess Set
Price: 80 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan, Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] Download this brand new 3D chess set and have more fun playing chess! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

Content: Spheres Chess Set
Price: 80 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan, Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] A chess set with nice and warm colors, with lots of appeal for kids who want to learn chess.

Source: Major Nelson

Whoops! Ikaruga release date accidentally announced!

Edit: It appears they've taken down their Xbox.com website now!

Japanese website Xbox-News.com has had a watchful eye on the Japanese Xbox.com pages, and it appears the Ikaruga page went up a little early, and with a release date!

April 9th here we come! Check out the Xbox.com page here. Thanks to Rmk106 for bringing this to my attention :)

Source: Xbox-news.com - Xbox LIVE アーケードタイトル斑鳩が4月9日に配信？

Lost Cities officially 800 Points, coming in Spring

Sierra just sent out a short, sharp and shiny press release officially placing Lost Cities in the 800 Point price range. The conflicting reports were from the 3 Red Lights Podcast as well as the Lost Cities preview - both from IGN. Read on:

Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, is bringing the award-winning card game Lost Cities® exclusively to Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system this Spring for 800 Microsoft points.

In Lost Cities, players draw from a pool of cards with the goal of amassing the most points and making prosperous expeditions through the various lost cities: the Himalayas, the Brazilian rain forest, the ever-shifting desert sands, ancient volcanoes and the mystifying depths of the Oceans.

You can check out some images of the game here.

Source: Gamespress

Darwinia + announced for Xbox Live Arcade

A few days ago "Darwinia" popped up on both the ESRB and USK rating websites. Unlike most other companies however, developer introversion owned up to the new game and released a few details on their forum:

Admittedly it’s been on the rumour-mill for a while and quite possibly one of the worst-kept secrets in Introversion’s history, but recent events meant we thought it was time to end the speculation once and for all!

Three years on from Darwinia’s release on PC and we are really happy to confirm that we're working with Microsoft to bring both Darwinia, and our next title Multiwinia: Survival of the Flattest, onto the Xbox LIVE® Arcade service.

Due for release in early Autumn 2008, both games will be released under one package called Darwinia+.

When we first started Introversion back in 2001, the idea of developing our games for a console seemed an impossible challenge, and whilst we have built a fantastic community around our PC games, and will continue to support that, it has always been our dream to take the next step and produce a console title.

Multiwinia is the natural conclusion of what we started with Darwinia way back in 2002 and, with the launch of Live Arcade, Microsoft has presented us with a fantastic opportunity to get onto a rung of the console ladder. We're really looking forward to introducing Darwinia+ to a whole new audience. As announced, Multiwinia will also be released separately on the PC.

We’ll be announcing more about Darwinia+ and Multiwinia in the upcoming months, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for more announcements from our end…

Good luck to 'em. You can check out the original game here or download the video through Steam.

Source: IGN.com

Giant Bomb Previews Braid

Jeff Gerstmann over at the new website Giant Bomb was able to have a look at a PC version of Braid, and hense write a preview:

If you really want to strip it all down to its barest surface, Braid is an homage to Super Mario Bros. You jump on top of creatures to kill them, big plants pop in and out of pipes, there’s a castle with a flagpole at the end of the world, and so on. Of course, if that were all the game did, it wouldn’t be anything special. In fact, it’d probably be actionable. Braid’s big difference is that you have control over time itself. That lets you rewind your mistakes to prevent death, its first useful feature.

Read the whole preview below. Jeff also discussed the game in the latest podcast, which you can grab here.

Source: Giant Bomb: If I could turn back time...

TiQal is up!

Developer: Slapdash Games, LLC
Genre: Puzzle and Word
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Worldwide

Click here to check out pictures of the game!

Click here for the official Xbox.com webpage!

Click here for the official NeoGAF forum topic!

Source: Major Nelson

Three Red Lights Podcast - Ross Erickson from Sierra Online as guest!

Ross Erickson, Vice President of Content Acquisition at Sierra Online Games popped up on IGN's 3 Red Lights Podcast to discuss their current Xbox Live Arcade initiative. It's a great listen - here are some interesting tidbits:

- Sierra will be publishing an XNA game in the future, one which won an award.

- The best selling game they've released for XBLA is 3D Ultra Mini Golf, and they intend to expand on the 3D Ultra series. (Note: Personally, I think it's because it's the first game on the list)

- Lost Cities is nearing completion - might be in certification right now. The price is still up in the air - it may just be 400 points. (Note: Admittedly I forgot to add the previews some places had recently, check it out here)

- Assault Heroes 2 is also completed and hoping for release in April.

- Several other games in the pipeline for 2nd half '08, not announcing till later (Though we already know of a couple)

- They have been thinking of bringing back classic franchises such as the Sierra point and clicks, though it sounds like outside of XBLA - in a similar fashion to the new Sam & Max series.

- Loves Boogie Bunnies!!

- Expansions tend to sell to less than 50% of the original owners.

Check out the whole podcast below.

Source: Three Red Lights Podcast: Episode 28

Poker Smash title update released!

There were a couple of issues with the original Poker Smash game that got released - very infrequent freezing issues, some achievement glitches apparently, and some timed mode stat errors.

Drew Card of Void Star Creations has told the folk at NeoGAF as well as their own forum that the update is now available.

Source: Drew Card @ Poker Smash Forums

TiQal is your game of the week!

“TiQal,” a new challenge sure to delight fans of the puzzle game genre, is launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday.

With graphics inspired by the ancient Mayan culture, “TiQal” takes players on an epic journey to save the village of the same name. Players must demolish enemy block walls by matching squares of the same color and building them up to unleash massive combo points and mind-blowing power-ups.

“TiQal” features 120 levels of easy to learn, yet difficult to master gameplay and 14 formidable power-ups, as well as multiplayer support for up to two players. Partner with a friend in the same room or via Xbox LIVE in co-op mode to rescue the village. Players will also enjoy sumptuous graphics and sound effects, as well as an impressive musical score.

TiQal will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Source: Xbox360 @ IGN.com

Vigilate 8 Arcade website update - The Farm Level!

Over the Easter Weekend the Vigilante 8 page updated, along with a look at a new level - The Farm!

They've also added information about another returning character - John Torque. Check out the page here or get the images from here.

Source: Vigilante 8 Arcade website.

Switchball gets update, fixes many problems

To my knowledge this was unannounced, but I went back to the game today to try and finish it and lo and behold - an update appeared!

The update seems to have done two things - It's fixed all the Leaderboards now - which were pretty much unviewable and would usually hang - and it seems to have fixed a lot - if not all - of the bugs related to screen tearing! Awesome!

If you never got around to buying the game - which you SHOULD because it's one of the best games on XBLA - or were put off by the screen tearing - definitely go have a look back at it. It's the best looking game on the service.

The Switchball website doesn't mention any update - and currently the Atomic Elbow website seems to be down, but it's there. Check it out now!

PS. Holy hell the final level of Switchball is so god damn hard. I spent 30 minutes on the final part of the level and just gave up. Will try again tomorrow.

USK watch: Board Game Geeks - get ready for Ticket to Ride!

Just asfter the last ratings update - the USK was updated again. Two games sowed up - the recently announced RooGoo, but one more which will certainly make some people very happy - Ticket To Ride!

Ticket to Ride is a very popular German-styled Board Game created by Alan R. Moon and published by Days of Wonder, where you must create train routes throughout the map and gain points by doing longer routes, and making your destination. Lets allow Wikipedia explain it:

At the beginning of the game, players are dealt a number of 'destination' cards showing a pair of cities on the map. These become goals, representing two end-points which players are secretly attempting to connect. Each turn, players collect 'railway car' cards in various colours (including wildcard 'Locomotive' cards), draw additional 'destination' cards, or use railway car cards to claim routes on a map of the United States (that also includes southern portions of Canada) and thereby earn points. The routes are of varying lengths (requiring varying numbers of matching coloured cards), and each discrete route marked on the board can be claimed by only a single player. Longer routes are worth progressively more points than shorter routes, e.g. a route of length four is worth more than two routes of length two.



The game ends when one player has exhausted or nearly exhausted his or her supply of coloured train pieces. When this occurs, every player then plays one additional turn, after which they each reveal his or her previously hidden 'destination' cards. Additional points are awarded for having successfully completed the routes on the cards, whereas points are subtracted for any incomplete routes. A ten point bonus is awarded to the player who has the longest continuously connected set of routes.

There is also a video explaining how the game works in.. well, a very 1980's fashion here.

It's not officially announced, but this USK update pretty much confirms it.

Little Boy Games update Go! Go! Break Steady Blog

The Indie developer Little Bou Games - makers of the upcoming XBLA game Go! Go! Break Steady, havebeen updating their blog over the past few weeks since the Game Developer's Conference.

In the blog they've discussed how the game is going - some sketches of the characters you can play in the game, as well as other interesting facts, such as how they got their video for the ESRB rating set up, and how they got a tour around the 1up.com offices.

Check out the blog below.

Source: Little Boy Games Blog

Ratings update - More games get more details

All major rating websites have been updated with a slew of new ratings of upcoming games, lets have a look!
First, the OFLC for Australia Classification. Double D Dodgeball - which popped up on the USK a week or so back - still no official word or announcement of the game though.

The second game - Block Breaker Deluxe - is pure speculation. It's a game made by GameLoft for Mobile Phones, iPods as well as PC, and is essentially a clone of Breakout or Arkanoid. However, it hasn't been rated before this, and I don't believe iPod or Mobile games have required ratings before either. At the same time, their previous game - Brain Challenge - at least mentioned Microsoft, while this one does not. Keep a look out though!


The USK has two new inclusions - Penny Arcade Episode 1 (I doubt "On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness" worked well in German) has been rated - the other is also up in the air - Golf: Tee it up! A game being published by Activision, I'm adding it here since I can't find ANY information about the game at all anywhere - which usually means something. We'll have to wait and see if it pops up anywhere else.



Lastly, the ESRB - They've now added Gin Rummy - previously mentioned here, and Lode Runner.

Source: USK, OFLC, ESRB

Puzzle Quest gets expansion pack - and you can name it!

Infinite Interactive have announced that the XBLA version of Puzzle Quest will get an exclusive expansion to the game!

The expansion pack will offer fans hours of additional gameplay with four brand new Hero professions: Bard, Rogue, Ranger and Warlock. Players will adventure with new or existing Heroes to explore an expansive new area on the Southern Map containing more than 25 challenging quests, cast more than 50 new spells and collect more than 40 new magical items as they're immersed into the compelling story of Antharg, the Lord of Plague and brother to the infamous Lord Bane. New monsters, bosses and more will challenge veteran and casual fans alike for hours of compelling entertainment.

With the new expansion, Infinite Interactive is allowing fans of the game to name the expansion pack! Just go to Puzzle-Quest.com and enter!

Source: Kotaku

Podcast wrapup - Capcom Gamers Day, Bionic Commando and Fable 2 Arcade titles

Bionic Commando Podcast chats about the new videos that were released this week of the top down view and the official Bionic Commando Rearmed price (which is $10US). They also announce that.. there will be another announcement NEXT week about yet another new mode in Bionic Commando Rearmed!

Top Secret File 011: Kris Zimmerman, Voice Director, & Chip Beaman, Voiceover Manager: Top Secret goes on location at the voice recording session of Bionic Commando in Hollywood, California, as we talk to Soundelux VO manager Chip Beaman, and the Voice Director of Bionic Commando, Kris Zimmerman. We find out what it takes to make a game sound great, and explore the mixed past of Capcom voiceovers.

Download the episode here or join the RSS feed.

EGM Live discusses the Capcom Digital Day from last week, with some small previews of each game:

We're all over the map this week: opening the reader mailbag, announcing the winners of the EGM Smash Bros. cover contest, reporting on Capcom's upcoming batch of download games, and enjoying the first week of Smash Brawl.

Download the episode here or join the RSS feed.

Major Nelson has Peter Molyneux on his podcast, in which he discusses the upcoming Fable 2 XBLA games - which have all been named now. Besides the previously announced Keystone, there is Wizard's Tower and Mage Dice. Thanks for Xbox360fanboy for poinint this out.. There is only so much Molyneux you can take at a time.

Show #272: Battlefield: Bad Company, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Peter Molyneux

Co-host : e
Interview: Karl-Magnus, Battlefield: Bad Company (15:47–27:54)
Interview: Philippe Therien, Rainbow Six Vegas (27:55–42:54)
Interview: Peter Molyneux, Fable 2 (42:56–1:21:55)
Name the game
and more...

Download the episode here or join the RSS feed.

New Media: Shotest Shogi, Wits & Wagers, TiQal and Bullwinkle!

Along with the news about the 400 Point DOOM and Assault Heroes (which are up right now! Go check them out!) They also released new images of 4 upcoming games - some which had not actually been announced yet (TiQal) and others that have had very minimal limelight (Wits & Wagers, Shotest Shogi). There are a huge amount of images - 20-80 images each! So check them out.

“Rocky and Bullwinkle” (Zen Studios Ltd.). And now, here’s something you’ll really like! Based on the highly popular cartoon series of the same name, “Rocky and Bullwinkle” on Xbox LIVE Arcade is a fast and fun party experience packed with over 100 micro-games and decked out in an authentic retro art style. All your favorite characters are coming straight out of Frostbite Falls and into your living room: Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and many more. Plus, players with an Xbox LIVE Vision camera can control 25 of these games using fun gestures. Gee whiz, Rock!

Check out the new images of Rocky & Bullwinkle here!

“Shotest Shogi” (AI Factory Ltd. and Rubicon Development Ltd.). Experience a new kind of shogi, Japan’s top board game, which encourages complex tactical play and strategic sacrifices. Set in an elegant Japanese room, this beautifully rendered game features 16 challenging artificial intelligence opponents as well as an online multiplayer mode*. For beginners, “Shotest Shogi” on Xbox LIVE Arcade also offers an advanced tutorial that guides and tests players as they progress through the game.

Check out the new images of Shotest Shogi here!

“TiQal” (Slapdash Games). An addictive new puzzler, “TiQal” takes players on an epic journey to save an ancient Mayan village. Players demolish enemy block walls by matching squares of the same color and building them up to unleash massive combo points and mind-blowing power-ups. Partner with a friend over local or LIVE* co-op play to rescue the village, while enjoying sumptuous graphics, pulse-pounding sound effects and an awe-inspiring musical score.

Check out the new images of TiQal here!

“Wits & Wagers” (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC). Party and trivia fun! Even if trivia isn’t your thing, the first trivia and party game to hit Xbox LIVE Arcade is one in which players can win by making educated guesses, playing the odds or just knowing the interests of other players, whether they are local or online. Break out the Big Button Pad controllers or play couch vs. couch on Xbox LIVE for a trivia party extravaganza.

Check out the new images of Wits & Wagers here!

Game | Life Show - A Digital Day with Capcom

The new Game|Life show has some.. well, awkward footage of people from the Capcom Digital Day! Commando 3, 1942, Bionic Commando, Plunder and 1942 are all represented, go have a look!

Source: Game|Life The Video, #6: Capcom's Digital Day

Half Price DOOM and Assault Heroes are your games for the week!

This week is nothing new! Those poor people are waiting for Ikaruga and this is what you do!?

Kidding - DOOM and Assault Heroes are both great games, and with the upcoming sequel to AH this is probably the best thing to do for the original. Maybe Mutant Storm should follow suit?

“Assault Heroes” (Sierra Online). Become the only surviving member of an elite special forces unit searching for a secret underground lab. Play the mission alone or fight side-by-side with a friend in the two-player cooperative mode. The winner of IGN’s Xbox LIVE Arcade game of the year for 2006, “Assault Heroes” will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

“DOOM” (id Software). Originally released in 1993, “DOOM” introduced millions to the white-knuckle excitement of the first-person shooter (FPS). Relive the classic demon-blasting action with up to four players over Xbox LIVE*, complete with 5.1 surround sound and smoother graphics. “Doom” will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

This'll go up on Wednesday at the usual time.

Source: Gamespress

What's upcoming on the XBLA? Spring is chockers!

Okay you crazy Wikipedia addicts, let's try and get up to date with everything that's coming out.

Now, there are a LOT of games that have been announced as, supposedly, a spring release. It does sounds very much like it's being front loaded (Commando 3 was originally announced as a December release) so who knows when they'll come out.

Right now there is a lot of quality games coming out which all sound great. The most worrying bit though is that a lot of them rely on online multiplayer (Commando 3, Vigilante 8, Castle Crashers in the Summer) which, as we've seen in other XBLA games - dies off very quickly. Let's hope they can overcome this problem. Here is the list:

Games said to be coming in Spring

Assault Heroes 2 [Source]
Bionic Commando Rearmed [Source]
Braid [Source]
Commando 3 [Source]
Elements of Destruction [Source]
Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm (April) [Source]
Mr. Driller Online [Source]
Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball [Source]
RooGoo [Source]
Rocket Bowl [Source]
Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix [Source]
Shred Nebula [Source]
Peggle [Source]
Vigilante 8 Arcade [Source]

Games said to be coming out in Summer

Castle Crashers [Source]
Plunder [Source]
1942: Joint Strike [Source]
Go! Go! Break, Steady [Source]
Defense Grid: The Awakening [Source]
Penny Arcade Adventures [Source]

Games that could just suddenly pop out any day...

Aces of the Galaxy (Last was "Winter" [Source] )
Buku Sudoku [Source] (Spring 2007)
War World (Was Late Summer Last year)
Rocky & Bullwinkle (Holiday Season 2007)
Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown
Battlezone
Ikaruga
Shotest Shogi
Warlords

No idea when they're coming out

Axiom Overdrive
Airburst
The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai
Duke Nukem 3D
Ender's Game: Battle Room
Gridrunner+++
Hoopworld
Quake Arena Arcade
Rocket Riot
Schizoid
Sea Life Safari
Sentient
War Angels
Basement Pool
Keystone
Fractal Jigsaw
Lost Cities
Magic: The Gathering
Talisman
Frogger 2
Lode Runner
Red Baron
Samurai Showdown II
Pipe Mania
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
Kart Attack
Things on Wheels
Double D Dodgeball

Good stuff - can't wait. I wonder what'll be announced tomorrow?

Source: List of XBLA games on Wikipedia, Google

XBLAH BLAH BLAH: Triggerheart Excelica

What is XBLAH BLAH BLAH?

One thing missing from this blog is my own thoughts on XBLA games. I hadn't really been thinking about it - I post links to other reviews anyway, what else could I possibly add to that?

Instead, I'll do something different - a feedback or a critical analysis of sorts. A list of what I thought were really great, and some either bad or even just nitpicky - to help the developers on the little things. Instead of an arbitrary score I'll post my final thoughts on the overall product.

What's good about Triggerheart Excelica?

- It's a decent Shmup to add to the XBLA lineup.

- The grapple ability - where you shoot out an anchor onto an enemy and fling them around - is a lot of fun, and trying to use it to your advantage by bouncing enemy fire off and getting more 'gold' works really well.

- Flinging your grappled enemy or debris into oncoming enemies is awesome and brings in some extra strategy that isn't grabbing different weapon power ups.

- Levels 4 and 5 are the best levels of the lot with a lot of interesting enemy formations to wade yourself through.

How could Triggerheart Excelica have improved?

- Despite being in HD, it just looks like it's been filtered up to the resolution. The small text that appears during the game can barely be read on a 720p screen. It's really only readable when in TATE mode! That's a pretty big oversight.

- The game is incredibly short, like 20-30 minutes for completion. It's over very quickly with little to go back to other than playing with the other character. The Boss System which gets easier if you're playing bad works against the game since it doesn't really make you want to play the game better.

- I realise this game was originally made on the Dreamcast and merely ported to XBLA - but some sort of Cooperative mode being added would have made the game a whole lot more interesting, even if it doesn't make sense to the 'storyline'.

- The Leaderboards are poorly implemented - they just keeping track of the top 100 players rather than everyone. That doesn't work well with the Xbox Leaderboard style - not even your own best time or kept, or your friends, so you can't compare unless you're all in the top 100! While on Leaderboards, separate ones for each level would have been sublime in a separate mode - but no, it's completely ignored.

Final Thoughts

The original game was considered a very average shooter, and nothing has really changed. It's a damn shame that Warashi didn't go that extra mile and include a ton of leaderboards because the way they've done it is just really broken.

IGN: 1942 - A Retrospective

With the announcement of 1942: Joint Strike coming to the Xbox Live Arcade, some younger readers may not even know of this classic Capcom franchise that essentially launched Capcom into the giant they are today.

IGN have written a nice and neat look back at the original 1942 and the several sequels based around the same era. Don't confuse 1942 with the bizarre and crazy selection of 1945 Strikers titles where blimps can turn into giant Robots!

Check it out below.

Source: Retro @ IGN: From 1942 to Beyond

ESRB shows Rocketmen: It came from Uranus - Sequel or Expansion pack?

With the latest ESRB update came an odd addition: Rocketmen: It came from Uranus. With the up and down of the reviews it seems a little early to start thinking of a sequel. It might just end up being an expansion for the original game.

It's all up in the air at the moment - it wasn't even announced at Capcom Digital Day - so we might hear something about it once everything else Capcom is releasing dies down a tad.

Source: ESRB

New Braid preview on this weeks 1UP Show

The 1UP Show previews the upcoming XBLA game Braid this week as they chat with its creator Jonathon Blow. Give it a watch, it's looking very nice.

Source: Gamevideos

Mr. Driller Online - direct screens, trailer and feature list!

After the Famitsu announcement a day or so ago, the first direct feed screens and first details have emerged from Watch-impress.

Included in the details are the different modes available:

Single Player
- Standard Driller: The regular single player mode.
- Quest Driller: Every 100 metres drilled will add a new "Quest" for the player to finish, which must be completed by the next 100m drop.
Multiplayer modes
- Solo Battle: 4 players compete for the highest score.
- Tag Battle: A 2 Vs. 2 mode where players play cooperatively against another team. This mode is brand new to Mr. Driller games.

The first trailer has also made it online



Currently the game looks.. okay. It's Mr. Driller, no doubt about that, but the graphics themselves are VERY blurry from being made large through a softening filter - not sharp at all, looks quite poor. Hell I'd even go for the pixelated look, but surely Namco have these very simple characters somewhere in a Flash or Photoshop file somewhere - there really isn't an excuse for it.

You can see all the new images here. Also, strangely, the Xbox.com Japanese page has also popped up at the same time! You can check that out here with more images.

Source: Mr. Driller Online on Watch Impress Japan

Gamevideos presents - Interview with Fez & Fret Nice developers!

Gamevideos have added some new 1UP Specials to the mix from the Independant games festival. First off, an interview with Phil Fish from Fez's development team (above) which you can download here.

Secondly, an interview with Swedish developers Pieces Interactive and their game Fret Nice - an Independant platformer game being made to play with Guitar Hero / Rock Band Guitars! Their website claims they're working towards an XBLA release, along with PC, PS3 and Wii!



Download the video here!

Source: Gamevideos

Capcom Digital Day '08 - All the god damn videos you could possibly want.

Capcom's has opened the gates for the Capcom Digital Day media - and so every single site's on the case. This is a giant list of.. everything. Direct Feed, Off Camera, Interviews, the lot!

Above is a giant 17 minute interview with the Street Fighter II HD producers. Make sure you look at everything else too - all from Gamevideos, Gametrailers and IGN.

Commando 3

Gamevideos: Commando 3 'Blasting' gameplay
Gamevideos: Commando 3 'Co-op' gameplay
Commando 3 XB360 'Digital Day 08' trailer HD
Commando 3 'Generation' trailer HD
Commando 3 PS3 'Digital Day 08' trailer HD
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Island Fever Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Raft'n'Destroy Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Storming The Beach Gameplay
Xbox360 @ IGN: Three Of A Kind (HD)
Xbox360 @ IGN: Big Boss (HD)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Gamevideos: Bionic Commando: Rearmed 'Top-Down' HD
Gamevideos: Bionic Commando: Rearmed 'Sewer' HD
Gamevideos: Bionic Commando: Rearmed 'Evolution'
Gamevideos: Bionic Commando: Rearmed 'Mt. Base' HD
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Top-Down Trailer

1942: Joint Strike

Gamevideos: 1942: Joint Strike 'Digital Day 08' HD
Gamevideos: 1942: Joint Strike 'Tandem Attack'
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Mike Mika Interview
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Biplane Beatdown Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Tank Assault Gameplay
Xbox360 @ IGN: Dagmor Boss (HD)
Xbox360 @ IGN: Dagmor City (HD)
Xbox360 @ IGN: Bodan Chain Lightning (HD)
Xbox360 @ IGN: Bodan Boss (HD)

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Gamevideos: Super SFII Turbo HD Remix 'Ken/Ryu'
Gamevideos: Super SFII Turbo HD Remix 'Producer Chat'
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Ultimate Feature Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Tie-Breaker Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Overview and Balancing Interview
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Rivals Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Danger Zone Gameplay
Gametrailers: Capcom Digital Day: Japan Gameplay
Xbox360 @ IGN: SFIIHD: The Tarmack (HD)
Xbox360 @ IGN: SFIIHD - The Docks (HD)

New N+ content coming soon - first details!

N+ co-creator Mare Sheppard has announced that their game will be receiving new downloadable level packs over the coming months. IGN have got the scoop:

Metanet plans to release three downloadable expansion packs, each containing about 200 levels, in the months ahead. The first pack will likely contain some easier levels and some co-op multiplayer levels and could hit Xbox Live Marketplace as early as three weeks from now. The second and third packs would follow soon after.

Two of the packs are expected to be 200 Microsoft Points each [a point per level] which can include new maps, new Multiplayer maps and classic N levels. One of the packs will end up being free. Purely speculation but if the free one ends being purely Custom made levels from other players that'd be fantastic, and a way to get around Microsoft's stone fist on the subject of user created levels.

Speaking of - the article also mentions that Metanet are hard at work on breaking Microsoft and getting them to allow level sharing like they originally intended. Let's hope they succeed.

Source: IGN - New N+ Content Coming

Capcom Digital Day '08 - New Commando 3 impressions

Curse all this news, it's very hard to keep up!

Gamespot have got new impressions of Commando 3 from Capcom's Digital Day:

The game started with our squad being dropped off on a string of small islands that quickly revealed themselves as being under enemy control. It wasn't long before we found ourselves under fire from all directions. The game's simple controls made fighting back a breeze. The right analog stick was used to fire our guns, while pulling the right trigger would toss a grenade. The longer you hold the trigger, the further your grenade will go.

This made it much easier to take out soldiers hiding behind sandbags as well as to destroy vehicles. When the going got really tough, one of us would hit the left trigger to unleash an m-crash--an attack that, after a quick animated scene with the soldier who activated it, cleared all the enemies right off the screen.

It's sounding very nice - though I'm a bit worried with the lack of media push for the game compared to Bionic Commando and Street Fighter II HD - lets hope it starts getting more publicity.

Plus, new images! Check them out here!

Source: Gamespot - Mark of the Wolves: Commando 3 Hands-On

New Street Fighter II HD Remix Video, Images, Capblog, Online BETA!

Gamespot cornered David Serlin - the lead designer of SFIIHD down at Backbone - to ask them a few questions on the upcoming game. The video above also includes the first direct-feed video of the game!

Check out the video above, or download it directly here.

Now one of the first things you'll notice is that the graphics have changed a little - little flatter, thumbs in the right place this time, some giant eyebrows on Ken - well that's because they've had to start from scratch all over again!

The Capcom Blog has updated with a brand new entry all about the changes to SFIIHD in far, FAR more detail than any regular person could care for. But we're not talking about regular people - we're talking about Street Fighter fans!

There are a number of reasons we decided to change the art and here’s the run down of how we came to that decision: As a necessary part of development, we had to outsource a lot of the work to an outside company that based their work off of Udon’s key frames. This company has an excellent reputation and ability as an outside art contractor and we were very impressed with their overall resources and their infrastructure. Without going into the nitty-gritty of it, the art they were producing just wasn’t up to par or schedule of what we needed. To be honest, a lot of their art was looking pretty good, but just not “good enough.” It just wouldn’t satisfy the quality bar that both Capcom and Street Fighter fans demand.

So, we turned to Udon to help solve this problem. First, they identified that all of us (Capcom and Udon) were aiming way too high with our render style. In the original style, we were going using at least 6-8 tones to go from the darkest to the lightest values of a particular color. This, as some fans actually pointed out, is extremely hard to do. We decided to stick it out and go with that route and unfortunately, it didn’t work out too well.

There has been a bit of a delay thanks to the complete recreation of the recreated assets - but it's allowed them to add some more gameplay modes. Some of them include:

• 8-man Tournament Mode. This has been especially challenging with the new netcode
• Both Remixed and Classic music
• Hit Box Display. (Woohoo!)

View the whole blog post here, complete with viewable changed between characters.

And FINALLY - players will get a chance to play an online BETA of Street Fighter II HD! That is, if you buy yourself a copy of the upcoming Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 - only for the XBLA version! Capcom will send anyone who buys Commando 3 a code to download a trimmed down, online only version of SFIIHD, where players can only play as Ryu or Ken. This BETA will allow them to see how Lag goes since the original version got quite a bit of flack for the online code.

Hey, it worked for Crackdown - I'm just hoping Commando 3 is an exceptional game that lives up to my memories of playing MERCS on my SEGA Megadrive!

Source: Gamespot video, Capcom USA Blog

Gamespot: Dishwasher Developer explains XNA

Gamespot has had a quick chat with Dishwasher: Dead Samurai developer James Silva as he discusses his game, and how Microsoft's XNA works:

GS: What were some of the challenges working on the game with XNA?

JS: One of the biggest challenges I had was optimizing performance--namely controlling Garbage Collection. XNA uses managed C#, which has some inherent pitfalls on the Xbox360. However, once you get the hang of how to avoid silly mistakes, it's all gravy.

GS: What were the benefits of using XNA?

JS: In a nutshell, XNA takes all of the ugly stuff out of game development. Things like device initialization, managing the render loop, gamepad management, and the audio engine are all set up for you, so you can get to the fun stuff pretty quickly.

Check out the whole article below.

Source: Gamespot: Q&A: Dishwasher dev comes clean on XBLA XNA

Plunder coming to XBLA, new preview!

Adimittedly I missed the original announcement (hey, I'm doing this in my own time!!) but 1up.com have a new preview of the upcoming Pirate RTS game Plunder, coming to XBLA, PSN and PC from Certain Affinity - who's members previously worked with Bungie and are currently on the 360 port of Left 4 Dead.

[Max Hoberman's] description in simple terms does the game justice. You control a big red X and move it around the map to plot your path, deciding when to attack enemies and towns, when to attack areas on the map to earn resources, and when to chase after power-ups. The first team to capture a set number of towns wins.

You can track down three resources -- gold, lumber, and rum -- and earn town (defense) or ship (cannon/defense/speed) upgrades by combining them. For power-ups, you can find and use a Whirlpool to drown enemies, a bomb to cause area damage, etc. "It's all about moving your guy around, being in the right position at the right time," says software engineer Peter Carter. "That's really kind of the core of any good strategy game -- being in the right position at the right time...we just took out all the complexity."

Read the whole article and 20 new screens below.

Source: 1up.com Plunder Preview

Review wrap-up: Brain Challenge, Bliss Island and Rocketmen

Bliss Island appears to be getting panned across the board (as it did in PSP reviews), while Brain Challenge is getting some up and down reviews depending on who you ask.

Also, a late review of Rocketmen too!

Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

Gamespot review by Don Francis - 6.0/10

Brain Challenge

Xbox360 @ IGN.com review by Ryan Geddes - 7.2/10

TeamXbox review by David Chapman - 4/10

Eurogamer.net review by Dan Whitehead - 6/10

Bliss Island

Xbox360 @ IGN.com review by Erik Brudvig - 3.5/10

TeamXbox review by David Chapman - 3/10

Eurogamer.net review by Dan Whitehead - 5/10

Capcom Digital Day '08 - New Commando 3 Trailer!

Bam, done. Looking very nice, and a lot of the different weapons from MERCS (Laser, Flamethrower) so hopefully it'll be a great game.

Buying Commando 3 will also net players a chance to play a BETA of Street Fighter II HD Remix!

Source: Gametrailers.com

Capcom Digital Day - 1942: Joint Strike announced! :O

Capcom are on a revival kick for the Xbox Live Arcade - Bionic Commando, Commando 3, and now a brand new addition - 1942: Joint Strike!



1942 was originally made back in 1985, and was one of their first breakaway hits. This vertically scrolling shooter. The series has had several sequels - but all of them have been another year in the 1940's - this will be the first to reuse the 1942 name IGN have the exclusive first look at the game:

Your arsenal begins fairly weak. You'll have your choice of plane and starting weapon, but it won't be enough to handle some of the enemies that come at you as you progress through a level. As you defeat enemies, new weapon options and upgrades scroll down the screen.


Grab the weapon you prefer and put it to use. Each of the variations is effective, from the traditional three-pronged spread shot to the powerful laser. Hold the shoot button and you can charge attacks, though unless you are blasting some of the larger enemies, powering-up attacks tends to be an ineffective strategy.

Ultimately it's your skill at avoiding shots and tapping the shoot button that will determine if you'll make it to the boss at the end of the stage.

Check out the whole preview and more videos below. Apparently it should be out by the Summer.

Source: IGN: 1942: Joint Strike Preview

Famitsu: Mr. Driller Online made official!

It's been known for a while - through the OFLC and USK - that Mr. Driller Online will be making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade. This week's Famitsu issue has the very first details for the game!


Two images have been released - both showing new online multiplayer modes for the game. The first image shows a 4 player VS. Mode against other players - much like the previous games but now online - as well as a 2v2 Cooperative VS match.

We should hopefully seem more soon - apparently this game is due for "Spring" this year.

Source: Famitsu, Jonnyram on NeoGAF

Brain Challenge and Bliss Island are out!

Developer: Gameloft
Publisher: Gameloft
Genre: Puzzle and Word
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Available worldwide

Click here to check out pictures of the game!

Click here for the official Xbox.com webpage!

Click here for the official NeoGAF forum topic!


Developer: PomPom
Publisher: Codemasters Online
Genre: Puzzle and Word
Price: 400 Microsoft Points
Availability: Available worldwide (with the exception of Japan and Korea)

Click here to check out pictures of the game!

Click here for the official Xbox.com webpage!

Source: Major Nelson

IGN: First look at Assault Heroes 2!

The long known about yet unannounced game Assault Heroes 2 has finally shown up in a new preview over at IGN.

Blowing out the game means new and more powerful weapons, interactive and destructible environments, hijackable vehicles, improved level design and a 30% longer experience. Stages have now been added that stray away from the vertical design, creating a path that snakes in all directions. The team has also made the stages more three dimensional in appearance. One area we saw had the heroes riding on a bridge high above water, adding a sense of grandiose perspective. That water, by the way, looks very cool and is quite impressive for an XBLA game.

Check out the whole preview below, and check out this new video!



Source: IGN.com - Assault Heroes 2 preview

USK watch: Even MORE Dodgeball coming?

First we've got Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball coming out way through Gamecock, then assumedly the XNA demo of Rocketball probably means the game will come to the XBLA. Now there is another unannounced game on the horizon: Double D Dodgeball.

Nothing's known about the game other than it features Dodgeball and assumedly filled with Double-Ds. Got me interested right there. It's also being made by "Yuke's Company of America", or at least distributed by them. Yukes in Japan have made previous WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw games, as well as Go! Sports Ski on the Playstation Network. It'll be interesting to see what comes out of this.