Those that have been waiting for another iteration of the Samurai Shodown series in 3D (because this is not the first) will enjoy this one. Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny, the latest SNK classic 2d series looks to reinvent itself with some next gen flare.
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This time around it will add gameplay to match its 3D visuals in the form of fresh new controls. Controls schemes have added buttons for horizontal and vertical slashes, along with a kick and throw button. Blocking will happen automatically when not performing an action.
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Thirteen new fighters will join the remaining eleven in this new bout, so fans will get to play with favorites like Nakoruru and Haohmaru. This game will try to mix elements everywhere from Bushido Blade, Guilty Gear, Soul Calibur and Street Fighter 4.
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Hopefully SNK will learn from Samurai Shodown 64 mistakes on the Hyper Neo Geo 64 system. Look for Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny when it makes its US debut on the Xbox 360 exclusive from Ignition this November 2009.
Tired of the PS3 controller?, and we (LVLONE) don’t mean the added edition of the dual shock 3.  Ever feel like the L2 and R2  just slip right from your finger tips, never giving you the grip your looking for during gameplay. Well does LVLONE have a solution for PS3 gamers out there. Real Triggers from Gioteck gives players that competitive edge they’ve been looking for. With two button add ons to your Left and Right Triggers, this will add precision to your gaming like you’ve never thought possible.  Compatible with Sony’s SIXAXIS Controller and DualShock 3 Controller, owners of older controllers can still benefit from these. Now this isn’t new by any means but sometimes these kinds of products slip in the cracks. If PS3 owners have an itch to get some precise gaming in these two add-ons can be yours for only $5.00.
Activision recently announced that they will be bringing Band Hero to the DS and what would a new music game from Activision be without a new peripheral? Say hello to the Band Hero drum grip, the new piece of fake miniature instrument for the DS. The “Drum Grip” will slide into the GBA slot of the DS similar to the Guitar Grip of Guitar Hero On Tour. The drum grip features four drum pads which will provide a “more realistic” feel to playing the drums on the DS, the peripheral is set to launch with Band Hero in November. The game is sure to make lots of sales however, this peripheral represents a major problem for the gaming industry.
The news doesn’t come as a huge surprise from Activision, releasing the Drum Grip for the DS makes sense after the fact that Guitar Hero On Tour sold millions of units on the portable kid friendly system, with the “Guitar Grip”. However what we are seeing here might be a dangerous trend in the gaming industry and it could cause some serious problems for the average gamer. Of course I won’t argue that peripheral based haven’t benefited the industry as a whole. The Guitar Hero franchise has been responsible for much of game sales in recent years, however it seems that now companies seem to be focusing on making peripheral based games simply because they sell. Devices ranging from cameras, to instruments are now in the process of overcoming the industry, and they probably won’t slow down for a while. You might not see anything wrong with this trend however it has it’s negative side effects, and if they go unaddressed they can become problems for the industry.
The ruin of the gaming industry
One of the first problems is the obvious increase in cost, the average peripheral based game is at least $100, making it much more expensive than a traditional game, ideally you would think that’s not too bad of a deal, you only have to buy the perphrial once and then just play any game you want with it. Of course many gamers have found in recent years that their Guitar Hero peripherals aren’t compatible with their Rock Band games and vice verse, forcing us to choose a brand or shelling out extra money just because we like a few songs on one particular title. This problem will most likely take place again this holiday season with the two DJ games, both DJ Hero and Scratch use separate turntables that aren’t compatible with each other which will surely lead to many people being pissed off cause they can’t get both games. Another big problem with peripherals is that some are built for only one game, the biggest perpetrator of this is Tony Hawk Ride, the game is set to be released with a Board-Controller for around $120, and that expensive peripheral will not be usable with any other game on the market other than Ride, and it will very likely remain that way for some time. Another problem is probably the biggest, and that’s how developers are going to stop caring about the quality the game their making and instead focus on how they can make a peripheral for their title. A good example of this is Guitar Hero: On Tour, the developer behind the game was practically forced to create some sort of contraption to slap on the DS so that they can make money off the Guitar Hero name brand. This is time that could have been spent on developing an innovative game that simply used the hardware at hand.
Overall I don’t really have a problem with the game industry’s new gimmick of making money, but innovative games are what truly push the industry forward, and developers today seem to have to make a choice on whether they want to cash out, or push the boundaries of what we define as video games, I can only hope it’s the latter or we’ll be flooded with a bunch of useless plastic devices in the coming months.
From the team that brought you the Project Gotham series on Microsoft’s game consoles, now brings you Blur. Bizarre Creations is bringing the ultimate game experience with 20 cars on the track, intense power ups, gorgeous race environments and more. It will also include 4-player split screen, online competitive and co-operative play. The online game types include team racing, objective events, and can even creat custom multiplayer modes with custom groups that can be shared. Be sure to take a look at this game when it arrives in the fall.
If you the viewer at home is reading this shaking your head in confusion don’t be. Microsoft and Ubisoft have felt the internet shake with the disagreement of the TMNT Reshelled pricing. The Xbox Live pricing was set for 1200 points which is $15. Thats $10 over its original arcade TMNT release. Seems like both companies have come to a agreement to re-price the arcade game to 800 points=$10. Great news for fans of the TMNT series out there. This will kick off week two of Xbox Live Summer of Arcade and heres to more good news in the future.
The moment all Gears fans have been waiting for, the release of the All Fronts and Dark Corners DLC on Xbox Live.
For those who have already purchased the previous map packs you’ll want to pick up Dark Corners which contains seven new multiplayer maps and includes the single-player level “Road to Ruin”. This will set you back 1200 MS points ($15).
For those who were not early adopters to the game or its map packs can pick up “All Fronts Collection which would be better suited for those wanting to catch up to everything. This contains every single multiplayer map and “Road to Ruin” for 1600 MS points ($20).
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On Episode 4 of LVLONE’s Podcast the team discusses the Xbox 360 achievements vs PS3 trophies and which fanboys appreciate them more?. Along with Modern Warfare 2’s name change, XBLA summer game pricing for News and LVLONE’s pick for of the week.
By now consumers have lived in a generation where digital downloads is what has been growing the media over the last couple of years. We are beyond the years where demos are a special sneak peek or only a select few are able to receive them through magazine subscriptions etc. Demos today have been made downloadable through marketplaces like PSN, Xbox Live and PC to deliver the experience on a mass level. It’s also no surprise that this is a huge way to market a game and expand sales upon consumer’s that are either on the fence of a purchase or weren’t in the market for one in the first place. Here are some reasons on why demos are the best thing to happen to games before release.
1. New IPs are like the new kids on the block, they need to prove their worth before thinking they will be the hot ticket to get buyers. A demo for these kinds of games can be essential to pull consumers in and make them see how the good the game may be.
2. If it has something to offer that other games haven’t, its great to have a demo getting a run through on what we’re dealing with. If this will be the key success in the game, it is important to get the point across, and what better way then a demo.
3. Consumers also see a demo release when a game is just … well good. Developers know it wouldn’t hurt and probably only help at that point so a demo sees the light of day and almost becomes a demand to have. Games like Uncharted, Infamous, Lost Planet; which released a demo at E3 and a multiplayer game after. Left 4 Dead is definitely one of those cases, showing how its 4 player co-op worked; Skate, the new skate board franchise while trying to show the world its new control scheme for a skate boarding game. Mirrors Edge also did what no other game had in the past introducing Parkour into a first person shooter which at the end of the day worked! (despite some technical faults. Who could forget Fight Night round 3 which released a demo at the game developers conference in 2006 and was a game changer for what they offered in earlier console generations. Each of these games showcased that their a new IP or returning franchise and were somewhat of a big deal.
These can help, however all of these outcomes can have a negative spin and show more faults then not in this scenario. So while some developers and publishers see demos as beneficial, others don’t seem to go in the same direction. Some reading this article might be scratching their heads at why developers wouldn’t, but there are a few reasons why:
1. Firstly, why a game doesn’t get a demo. This is because the developers or publishers are not confident in the actual product. There are plenty of games that are not considered a AAA title and therefore such advertisement mechanisms like demo releases can hinder its sales. Although their are very confident developers (who at times shouldn’t be) who’s games will sell and decide not to make a demo … this doesn’t always work out as planned.
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2. Developers who have a AAA title that has sold millions of copies and is considered a “system seller” don’t necessarily need a demo; as when a game is known and played by millions the developers know that it will sell regardless of a demo release. We’ve seen no demo’s for games like Gears of War, Halo and Grand Theft Auto 4 because they simply don’t need it for the game to sell.
3. Development time definitely becomes a factor in a game’s release window when you have things like E3 and other events to worry about. In most cases a demo is cut specific for the event and takes them away from the games actual development time. For this reason along with other development issues that may occur, the game could cut itself close to the initial release window set by the publisher. There is no time for an actual demo before release and sometimes there after, if the game needs to be patched from unknown bugs when the game is released.
While games like, Time Shift, received a demo, and tried to unveil a new way to play a FPS by rewinding, fast forwarding and slowing down time. The game wasn’t fluid, it portrayed a different way to play then what was shown on the intro and offered little then the obvious. Too Human and Haze; while both were destined for greatness got less then stellar feedback from the demos and final product. Gears of War, Halo and Grand Theft Auto 4 for the obvious reason. Game sales are through the roof and these games also generate the most amount of buzz on the internet all the way till its release date. However games like Need for Speed Undercover didn’t release a demo, did very poor and didn’t receive high praise in reviews because of the lack of quality.
So while this may not effect the decision of many consumers out there LVLONE welcome demo’s. For those companies that not wanting to put those demos out there for one of the many reasons besides it being a AAA title, LVLONE says No Thanks. fans are still waiting on Mortal Kombat vs DC and Race Pro demo’s …
Earlier today at comic-con in San Diego Microsoft announced a Halo anime series, the cartoon will be a seven-part series to be released on DVD and Digital Download. Microsoft also reveled the series will be released in early 2010, and that most of the production will be done in five different animation studios in Japan, however Microsoft’s creative staff will approve the story-telling of the series.
When interviewed, Microsoft’s Frank O’Connor stated that the company wants to control the growth and direction of the Halo Universe similar to how George Lucas is doing with the Star Wars animated series. Not many other details were reveled but Microsoft assured there will be more info to come soon.
A Halo anime series, sounds like it could be an excellent idea for the Halo franchise. Being someone whose played every Halo game I’m still not too clear on the story, and frankly nor am I interested in it while playing the games, as I’m sure it was with many gamers. Halo isn’t originally meant to provide an expansive story like say Mass Effect, but with a little research you’ll find that there’s a story line thats just as deep and interesting. As of now the only way to experience the more interesting parts of the Halo story line are through the half dozen novels, which are surprisingly well received by readers, but not many people who play Halo aren’t exactly avid readers so the anime series might just be what the Halo franchise needs to boost it’s story from a typical FPS plot to a whole new world of characters, adventures and settings.
