Hitman: HD Trilogy Review

The Baldy-Eagle Strikes Again!

Bioshock Infinite Review

The AI Partner of your Dreams is Here

Breaking Down the New GTA V Screens

Listen to Roger Pick Apart These Sexy New Pics

Peeling Back the Layers of the Bioshock Infinite Onion

What the hell just happend and why can't I stop crying?!?!

Why Does Sony Love Indie Developers So Much?

Because Sony Wants to Get in Their Pants

$60 Price Point

Too Expensive or Just Right?

Why Is Bioshock So Loved?

Could it really be THAT good?

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Next Generation Sony Console teased


In a recently released video on Playstation's Youtube channel, Sony has teased what looks like the announcement of their next generation console.
This is a surprise, as the general consensus was that the new Playstation, codenamed Orbis, would be revealed at this year's E3. However, this announcement makes it seem that it will happen well before that, on February 20 at 6 PM EST.
With the post, Playstation encouraged excited gamers to 'join the conversation' using the hashtag '#Playstation2013.' You can follow that hashtag here.
Knowledge about Microsoft's new console, codenamed Durango, is still mostly speculation. However, with Sony showing that they are ready to take gaming to the next generation, the clock is ticking for project Durango.

John Schwartz
News Editor

Netflix FREE All Weekend on Xbox Live

Straight from Major Nelson's blog:

Netflix Unlocked this weekend on Xbox.

Access to the Netflix app is unlocked this weekend on Xbox! Watch every episode of the new Netflix original series "House of Cards" premiering Feb. 1. Xbox will unlock the Netflix app, so all LIVE users with a Netflix subscription can watch all weekend long. (All Netflix regions)


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*263

X-Men: Days of Future Past Takes Place 10 Years After First Class

According to a casting call the breakdown reveals that the majority of the events in Days of Future Past take place in 1973 (a decade after First Class), so that shuts out a lot of screen time for Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, etc. as their characters will likely only appear in scenes relating to the film’s dystopian future in the form of flash forwards. The casting call also lists the production schedule as lasting from mid-February to at least August, so this will be one very long shoot.

X-Men: Days of Future Past opens July 17, 2014.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*262

First Synopsis for "Fast and the Furious 6"

There's no official title yet so "Fast Six" or "Furious 6" are just as likely as any. Look out for the first trailer during the Super Bowl. The film stars Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky, and Gina Carano. Fast & Furious 6 opens May 24th.

Here’s the official synopsis for Furious 6:

Since Dom (Diesel) and Brian’s (Walker) Rio heist toppled a kingpin’s empire and left their crew with $100 million, our heroes have scattered across the globe. But their inability to return home and living forever on the lam have left their lives incomplete.

Meanwhile, Hobbs (Johnson) has been tracking an organization of lethally skilled mercenary drivers across 12 countries, whose mastermind (Evans) is aided by a ruthless second-in-command revealed to be the love Dom thought was dead, Letty (Rodriguez). The only way to stop the criminal outfit is to outmatch them at street level, so Hobbs asks Dom to assemble his elite team in London. Payment? Full pardons for all of them so they can return home and make their families whole again.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*261

Bethesda's Greatest Soundtracks Hit iTunes; Fallout 3, Morrowind,Skyrim, Dishonored, etc

I absolutely adore the magic in the music of Oblivion and Skyrim. Bethesda is releasing greatest hits package on iTunes of all their best soundtracks. Listen til your ears bleed gamers!

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind Original Game Soundtrack (Jeremy Soule) — $9.99

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Original Game Soundtrack (Jeremy Soule) — $9.99

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Original Game Soundtrack (Jeremy Soule) — $15.99
Fallout 3 Original Game Soundtrack (Inon Zur) — $11.99

Fallout: New Vegas Original Game Soundtrack (Inon Zur) — $11.99

Dishonored Original Game Soundtrack – (Daniel Licht) — $9.99

RAGE Original Game Soundtrack (Rod Abernethy) — $9.99



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*260

GRID 2 Release Date & Pre-Order Specials

Codemasters today announced that GRID 2, the long-awaited sequel to the BAFTA-award winning, critically acclaimed GRID, will ship to stores on May 28, 2013 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

Codemasters has also announced a range of pre-order Special Editions for GRID 2 with extra content, redeemable via download on PlayStation Network, Xbox Live for Xbox 360 and Windows PC, illustrated in screenshots also released today.

Gamers who pre-order at GameStop can choose the GRID 2: Turbo-Charged Edition

McLaren Racing Pack: Receive the exclusive McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Special Edition car to race in single-player, multiplayer and a special online event; plus expand the game with two new routes around the Brands Hatch GP circuit.

GTR Racing Pack: Receive the exclusive Nissan GT-R SpecV road car to race in single-player, multiplayer and an exclusive online event; plus experience all five routes around the Yas Marina circuit by day.

Gamers who pre-order at Best Buy can choose the GRID 2: IndyCar Edition

IndyCar Pack: Receive the exclusive Dallara IndyCar and the IndyCar Pace car to race in single-player, multiplayer and an exclusive online event; plus expand the game with two new routes around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval Circuit.

Gamers who pre-order at Amazon can choose the GRID 2: Head Start Edition

Head Start Pack: Receive the exclusive Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT car to race in single-player, multiplayer and enjoy discounts in the Car Upgrades Store in online game modes and a unique RaceNet bonus.

GRID 2 will challenge players to be fast, be first and be famous. Going behind the wheel of a handpicked selection of automotive icons spanning four decades, gamers will race their way to the top of a new, evolving world of motorsport. From Paris to Abu Dhabi, Chicago to the sun-kissed California coast and beyond, beautifully created city streets, licensed circuits and edge-of-control mountain roads will become home to the most visceral and exhilarating racing yet.

GRID 2 will also set new standards for a racing multiplayer experience with an entirely distinct and extensive gameplay component and unique progression system. Deep customization options and integration with RaceNet – the online community portal for Codemasters Racing games which tracks player's races, rewards and rivals – will offer further immersion and connectivity in GRID 2's new world of motorsport.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*259






















Why will T-Mobile always be a runner up?



Which T-Mobile Phones will supply our LTE connectivity? 
T-mobile is considered to be one of the top 5 mobile carriers and has given us the things that we know and love for years now.   Up until a few months ago, T-M hadn’t put any effort into an LTE network.  They are on the verge of being able to launch their first in Las Vegas, with Kansas City close behind.  

What hardware do our consumers have to look forward to for this wonderful upgrade? 
As of right now, T-Mobile only offers 3 phones that have LTE connectivity: the Nexus 4, Galaxy Note II, and the Lumia 810.  They have unveiled 2 more phones that will support Out-of-the-Box LTE (without an update): The Blackberry Z10 and an updated version of the Galaxy S III.  Neither of which have a release date.  


Too many Indians and Too Few Chiefs
I’ve been told before that there is only 2 types of people in this world: Leaders and Followers.  Understanding that it has only been a year for Mr. John Legere to officially have the title of CEO of T-Mobile USA but my point stems from his roots.  As the former CEO of Global Crossing, he successfully lead his team to be a leading provider of IP services worldwide.  Without antagonizing, I’d like to point out that there are major differences between an IP Network and Wireless Broadband Networks.


Written and Published by Rich - CEO of TheTechFixation.com & TechFixation's Podcast

 

Hi-Res Image of The Wolverine

Here’s the official synopsis for The Wolverine:

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, this epic action-adventure takes Wolverine, the most iconic character of the X-Men universe, to modern day Japan. Out of his depth in an unknown world he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

The Wolverine released in 3D on July 26.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*258

God of War Acsension Legacy Bundle Announced

Playstation Blog Statement:

We have some exciting news, fellow Spartans! In celebration of God of War: Ascension hitting stores March 12th and to commemorate one of our most popular and epic franchises, we’re releasing a limited edition God of War: Ascension Legacy Bundle for our die-hard fans!

This bundle comes complete with a 500GB Garnet Red PlayStation 3 system, the entire God of War storyline including God of War: Ascension and God of War Saga (which includes all five of the previous games from the franchise) and a 30-day PlayStation Plus trial membership. You can get your hands on this collector’s bundle when it hits stores on March 12th.

The Limited Edition God of War: Ascension Legacy Bundle is a must-have for series fans. You can experience Kratos’ epic story with a stunning Garnet Red PS3 system, whose color is inspired by Kratos’ signature tattoo. The 500GB of storage is perfect for all of your games, movies, music, photos and more.

The complete God of War game collection allows fans to relive their favorite series moments with the God of War Saga, which includes God of War, God of War II, God of War III, and God of War: Origins Collection, comprised of God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta.

The collection also includes God of War: Ascension, the newest addition to the franchise and a prequel story that introduces fans to a Kratos they’ve never known before. Ascension boasts a host of enhancements to the single-player experience, with new gameplay mechanics and combat systems, and also offers the franchise’s very first multiplayer experience.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*257

Nokia Granted $1.35 Billion to Develop Graphene

A year ago I reported that the introduction of Graphene could mark a new era of industry and manufacturing and now Nokia has received a $1.35 billion grant to develop the strongest material ever.

Graphene is a class 2D structure measuring just one atom thick. It's the strongest material ever produced; 300 times tougher than steel, it's one of the lightest conductors in existence.

Nokia is leading the electronic firms within the Graphene Flagship Consortium, which includes 73 other companies and academic institutions from a number of mediums. The Finnish handset manufacturer has received a grant of $1.35 billion to research and develop graphene for practical applications, with the European Union for the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) providing the grant itself.

"Nokia is proud to be involved with this project, and we have deep roots in the field – we first started working with graphene already in 2006," said Henry Tirri, EVP, CTO of Nokia. "Since then, we have come to identify multiple areas where this material can be applied in modern computing environments. We’ve done some very promising work so far, but I believe the greatest innovations have yet to be discovered. Graphene happens to be an area where we, in Europe, have all the important players in the value chain who are ready to use it in applications. From that perspective, this is a very efficient and promising way of doing research investments for Europe."

"During the last 18 months we have seen a tremendous effort to build collaboration between European academia and industry," added Tapani Ryhänen, Nokia's head of the Sensor and Material Technologies Laboratory. "Now we have all the ingredients in place to be globally successful. We believe that new two-dimensional materials will have an impact on industrial value chains in many ways, creating opportunities for new products, services and economic growth."

"Not only does creating a graphene research consortium open up new research possibilities, it will also create work and jobs across all of Europe," said Jani Kivioja, Research Leader at Nokia Research Center. "This kind of research is also an investment to the people that live within the EU, from an economy perspective."

"When we talk about graphene, we’ve reached a tipping point. We’re now looking at the beginning of a graphene revolution. Before this point in time, we figured out a way to manufacture cheap iron that led to the Industrial Revolution. Then there was silicon. Now, it’s time for graphene."



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*256






'Grand Theft Auto V's' Release Date Announced


Concerns have been growing about the release of Rockstar's next game, Grand Theft Auto V, and it's supposed spring release date. With a post today on Rockstar's blog, it seems the delay is official.
According to the GTA team, GTA V will hit shelves September 17, 2013.
"We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you," the post read, "but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time."
The last Grand Theft Auto game, GTA IV, came out to large critical acclaim, even garnering a 100 on IGN, the first game to do so since The Ocarina of Time was released.
Check out the official blog for more details, and a GTA V trailer already released here.

XSEED's Fall 2013 Lineup

XSEED Games, an independent-minded publisher, is celebrating the new year by announcing a robust lineup of action and RPG titles scheduled for North American release in 2013.

Among the titles XSEED Games has revealed it will be publishing the upcoming action thriller, Killer is Dead.
Developed jointly by Kadokawa Games and esteemed game creator, Goichi Suda, and his Grasshopper Manufacture Studio, now owned by GungHo.

Killer is Dead will be available for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Other titles confirmed for release in 2013 include a host of handheld titles, such as the RPG adventure title Rune Factory 4 for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system, as well as Ys: Memories of Celceta and Valhalla Knights 3 for the PlayStation Vita handheld entertainment system. The company will also be releasing Ys I&II Chronicles+ on Windows PC via Steam.

“XSEED is ringing in the New Year by sharing a glimpse of our upcoming lineup of great titles for 2013, including the exciting partnership for Killer is Dead, the newest creation from Kadokawa Games and Suda51, which I personally selected to bring to the US market,” said Shinichi Suzuki, President and CEO of XSEED Games. “In the coming year, we will release an array of solid action and role-playing games that are sure to delight fans through a combination of high quality gameplay and well-crafted localization.”

“This will be an amazing year for us,” said Ken Berry, Executive Vice President of XSEED Games. “Our portfolio continues to expand and it’s evident by this stellar lineup of titles, so we’re excited to share more details and hear what our fans are most looking forward to playing in the coming year.”

The full lineup of XSEED Games titles includes

Killer is Dead

PS3/Xbox 360, Summer 2013 – Created by game legend SUDA51, this highly anticipated original game is set in a not-so-distant future similar to the world we know now. The player takes control of an executioner named Mondo Zappa who wields a Japanese sword in his right hand and brandishes interchangeable weapons in his left artificial arm. His ultimate goal is to execute various heinous criminals scattered around the world and beyond.

Completely unique visuals and outstanding stylish action come together to deliver an unprecedented gaming experience in Killer is Dead. This brand-new action title is being jointly developed by Kadokawa and Grasshopper Manufacture, with SUDA51 lending his trademark sense of style at the helm. Deep Silver, the games label of Koch Media, will bring the title to the countries of Europe and Oceania.

Rune Factory 4

Nintendo 3DS, Summer 2013 – The first game in the Rune Factory simulation/role-playing series to be released on the Nintendo 3DS, Rune Factory 4 adds new romance options, the ability to select a male or female character at the game’s start, and has endless crafting, farming and cooking opportunities. The player becomes Selphia’s prince or princess and can manage the village, explore the countryside with townsfolk, or tame monsters in the wild to aid them in battle or help out in the fields.

Valhalla Knights 3

PS Vita, Fall 2013 – The fourth title published by XSEED Games in the popular Valhalla Knights action RPG series, Valhalla Knights 3 features a robust character creation system and brings intense seven-on-seven party-based combat to the PS Vita. Players can select from one of seven races and one of twenty job classes such as Fighter, Mage, Thief, Priest, Akatoki or Archer, while also equipping two sub-jobs. Players can adventure with a party of their own making or brave the wilds alone and seamlessly engage in real-time combat to earn skill points for upgrading and unlocking abilities unique to each job class.

Ys: Memories of Celceta

PS Vita, Fall 2013 – An extensive reimagining of (and pseudo-sequel to) Ys IV, one of the only Ys games never before released in the west, this title puts more enemies on screen than ever before and features the largest, most non-linear overworld in Ys history, boasting superlative graphics and a triumphant evolution of the fast-paced gameplay that has made this series a timeless action RPG mainstay. As the game opens, long-time protagonist Adol Christin finds himself alone, dazed and confused in a strange land, and must piece together his memories of how he got here and why, all the while struggling to determine whom he can trust.

Ys I & II Chronicles+

Windows PC, February – XSEED Games has delighted RPG fans for years by publishing multiple Ys titles from legendary RPG developer Nihon Falcom for handheld platforms and Windows PC, and now Ys fans can celebrate once more as an enhanced remake of the classic first two games in the Ys franchise comes to Steam for the first time. Including both Ancient Ys Vanished: Omen and Ancient Ys Vanished: The Final Chapter, this action RPG tells of red-haired swordsman Adol Christin’s inaugural adventure to defeat the evil forces blighting the isle of Esteria and uncover the mysteries of the eponymous lost land of Ys.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*255








Battlefield 4 In the Works

During EA's Q3 financial call last night, EA game label president Frank Gibeau mentioned Battlefield 4 as a response to questions about how the publisher intends to avoid another instance of last year's disappointing Medal of Honor: Warfighter which has now been "pulled out of rotation."

"We have a Battlefield title coming next year," he said, "but we're not in a position right now to talk about our development plans and our SKU plan long term."

"That will come in about 90 days when we get to show you some Battlefield stuff," added Gibeau, teasing that Battlefield 4 could be unveiled around April.

Battlefield 4 could be inside the October timeframe that Battlefield 3 and Medal of Honor previously occupied.



-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*254


Deep Silver Publishing Killer is Dead in Europe

Deep Silver will publish Grasshopper Manufacture’s Killer Is Dead in Europe, according to an announcement from the firm. The Suda 51 title, now owned by Japanese publisher GungHo as we just announced today and XSEED will publish the title in North America it has been confirmed. Killer is Dead launches this summer on PS3 and Xbox 360.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*253

How Much Would It Cost to Live on Mars

Mars has always loomed large in humankind's collective imagination. Now with PayPal's Elon Musk showing interest in the Red Planet, we take a look at just how much it would cost to set up home there.

From Earth's surface to our inner atmosphere is 160km (99miles).
From Earth's surfaceto out outer atmosphere is 2000km (1200miles).
The distance between Earth and Mars is 402 million km (250 million miles).

To put ONE pound into space it would cost:
Curiosity Rover- $900,000 per lb.
Total weight- 1982 lbs at $1.8 billion.

NASA's space shuttle- $10,000 per lb.
Elon Musk Spacex's Falcon 9 Rocket- $3,000 per lb.

Cost of Travel

Here are a few estimates from leading space agencies and companies:

NASA- $100 billion
SpaceX- $36 billion
The Mars Society- $30 billion

Even the cheapest of these could buy you 2.5 million "Round the World" cruises.

Shelter

The important thing about living on Mars is that we need to be "sheltered" all the way. We're fragile creature. The majority of the hypothetical manned Mars missions would use the lander they travelled in as a home with sections that would inflate upon landing for additional room.

The inclusive cost of an inflatable Martian home with a 120km(cubed) living area would be:
NASA- $267 million
SpaceX- $150 million

Sustenance

Per day an adult needs 1 US Gallon (3.7 litres) of H2O and between 1200 and 1500 kilocalories (basically two cans of food). The cost of transporting & storing ONE years food supply for ONE individual to Mars:
NASA- $42 million
SpaceX- $13 million

Agriculture

On Mars there is a possibility to grow your own food and collect your own water. Water is present in the ground and atmosphere on Mars. There are large ice deposits upon its surface as well.

The cost of transporting and initiating automated machinery that could provide fooda d water for ONE individual:
NASA- $15.4 million
SpaceX-$4.6 million

With intensive cultivation methods a 4700m(squared)(1.6 acre) can provide enough food for an individual. The cost of transporting the tools, plants, and shelter required to create a self sufficient agriculture for ONE individual would be:
NASA- $20.9 billion
SpaceX - $11.75 billion

The bonus for having agriculture is that plants create oxygen thus removing the need for additional oxygen transport or collection.

A person needs 8m(squared) of Chlorella Algae to maintain a balanced CO2/O2 level, which is the equivelant to around 400 household plants.

Entertainment

Unfortunately, there are no private telecom providers on Mars. So until then you'll be using NASA's 2011 Mars Odyssey to semd your data.
A standard text message (on Earth) costs $0.05 for 140 bytes of info. That's $383,300 per gigabyte.
The Mars global surveyor was a comparable satellite to the Odyssey able to send data back to Earth for $284,000 per gigabyte.
$0.04 per text = 20% cheaper than on Earth.
The cost of a ONE minute phone call- $209.71
The cost of a 75kb email- $209.71
The cost of watching PSY's Gangnam Style on YouTube in HD 1080p- $37,244.

Total Cost

So, to travel to Mars on your own private rocket, live there on 1.6 acres of land, and have enough food, water, and entertainment to survive comes to (roughly):
NASA- $121 billion
SpaceX- $48 billion

This may seem like a lot of money (and it is), but if the U.S. was to spend all of its $711 BILLION Defence Budget on getting us to Mars it could send 15 people to Mars on their own private rocket, and when they get there they could each have their own acre of land to live on.

Elon Musk's declaration of having 80,000 people living on Mars within two decades could be achievable if people traveled together and shared living conditions.


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*252


First Photo Released of Jim Jarmusch's Vampire Film

Only Lovers Left Alive is the title of the next Jim Jarmusch film (Down By Law, Dead Man) and, this time, he's tackling the vampire sub-genre with stars Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt and Anton Yelchin.  According to Indiewire, who has the first still (head inside for that), Hiddleston plays a vampire musician who reunites with his lover (Swinton) until her sister (Wasikowska) gets in the way.

All I have to say is great casting choices. This film is going in my "have-to-watch" queue.


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*251

Duncan Jones in Directing World of Warcraft


The film adaptation of World of Warcraft has kept it's head above some choppy waters over the past few years. Beginning as a Sam Raimi helmed project that was penned by Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) the progress quickly got off track when Raimi dropped out for The Great and Powerful Oz and the screenwriting job when to Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond).

Now it seems Warner Bros is serious and they've tapped Moon and Source Code director Duncan Jones to the project and are planning to start production in Fall 2013. In addition to directing, Jones wrote both of his previous projects, so one assumes he’ll at least have a hand in the screenplay for World of Warcraft.  He won’t have a ton of time to prep, though, because apparently producers Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are eyeing a fall 2013 start date in order to make a hoped-for 2015 release date.  Yes, if all goes according to plan World of Warcraft may join the bounty of other ginormous movies (The Avengers 2, Ant-Man, Pirates 5, maybe Star Wars 7 and Justice League) that are scheduled to be released 2015.


P.S.- There is a rumour that Warner Bros wants Johnny Depp to star. This could be a ploy to get more press into the development of the movie or it could be wishful thinking from the casting department. Either way, in my opinion, this is not a Depp film.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*250

[Update] Ubisoft's "Osiris" Leaked

[UPDATE] This game was cancelled before this leak occurred according to the video composer.









-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*249

Grasshopper Manufacture Acquired by GungHo Online



GungHo Online Entertainment today announced it has acquired game development studio Grasshopper Manufacture, founded and led by legendary designer Goichi Suda. Suda51 and his team join GOE and will continue to work as Grasshopper Manufacture, similar to the relationship GOE has with its other leading development studios including Gravity, Game Arts, and Acquire. Titles already in development at the studio before the acquisition will not be affected by the deal and will continue under their current publishing terms.

GungHo Online Entertainment is an established Japanese publisher of networked multiplatform titles including mobile, and is best noted for its wildly popular Ragnarok Online series as well as the blockbuster iOS/Android game, Puzzle & Dragons, which has seen over 7 million downloads. Since its formation, the company’s vision has been to work closely with its content partners to build, grow, and sustain interactive entertainment properties with a strong online component across PC, browser, mobile, console, and handheld platforms. Its lineup includes MMORPGs such as Ragnarok Online as well as a wide range of console and handheld games including Ragnarok DS, Ragnarok Odyssey and Dokuro. Grasshopper becomes the fourth prominent studio to become part of GOE’s fold, joining Ragnarok developer Gravity, Lunar and Grandia creator Game Arts, and Tenchu developer Acquire. GOE titles are published and supported in North America by its US subsidiary, GungHo Online Entertainment America led by Jun Iwasaki.

“We believe the strength of a publisher lies in its creative talent so with the addition of Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51 we are adding some of the most innovative talent in today’s gaming world to our stellar family of independently-operated studios,” said Kazuki Morishita, President and CEO of GungHo Online Entertainment. “Suda51 projects are known to put a unique spin on every game so coupled with our proven ability to support development with AAA resources including a tailored online experience, we believe gamers will benefit from this collaboration.”

Founded by Suda51, Grasshopper Manufacture is well known for creating imaginative titles such as killer7, the No More Heroes series and most recently, Lollipop Chainsaw. The developer has released nearly 30 titles internationally and in Japan and has a devoted following among gamers. Under Suda51’s leadership, the studio aspires to create games that challenge the norms with a spark of inspiration akin to the rebellious and artistic spirit of punk rock music.

“By joining GungHo Online Entertainment, we are aligning ourselves with a strong, established publishing force that will support our vision to further create inspired new games that appeal players across the world,” said Grasshopper Founder and Managing Director, Goichi Suda. “The Grasshopper team and I have many new ideas to share with our fans as we move forward so this union with GOE will help us realize our future plans.”

More information on upcoming Grasshopper projects will be revealed in the coming months.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*248

FUSE Delayed to Q2 of 2013


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*247

EA Pulls Medal of Honor "Out of Rotation"



Electronic Arts is taking the Medal of Honor franchise out of its lineup due to low scores for Medal of Honor Warfighter, chief operating officer Peter Moore said in an investor call today.

"We struggled with two challenges: the slowdown that impacted the entire sector and poor critical and commercial reception for Medal of Honor Warfighter," said Moore. "Medal of Honor was an obvious miss. The game was solid, but the focus on combat authenticity did not resonate with consumers.

"Critics were polarized and gave the game scores which were, frankly, lower than it deserved," he added.

Warfighter, the latest installment of EA's Medal of Honor military shooter franchise, was released in October 2012 and received mostly negative reviews.

"This one is behind us now. We are taking Medal of Honor out of the rotation, and have a plan to bring year-over-year continuity to our shooter offerings," he said.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*246

Killzone: Mercenary Coming September 17; Trailer & Screens



Killzone: Mercenary is a new first-person shooter in the Killzone series, developed specifically for the PlayStation Vita platform and powered by the stunning Killzone engine. Starting just after the ending of the original Killzone, and revisiting many of the events from the Killzone trilogy, the game puts players in the rugged combat boots of a mercenary named Arran Danner. Danner is a former UCA-soldier who has no qualms about taking on paid contracts from the ISA as well as the Helghast.

When a seemingly routine mission to evacuate the Vektan Ambassador and his family in Pyrrhus goes awry, Danner discovers that the outcome of the war could very well depend on the fate of the Ambassador’s young son. With both sides going to increasingly desperate lengths to get hold of the boy, he begins to wonder whether the price of victory is really worth the paycheck.

Comprised of nine single-player missions — each nearly an hour in length— Killzone: Mercenary delivers a full Killzone experience in a portable package. Completed missions unlock additional replay challenges, with a host of special objectives to accomplish. The game also boasts a full-fledged multiplayer mode with six maps tailored for eight players and three different game types, including the popular Warzone mode.

In keeping with the soldier-for-hire theme, every action in Killzone: Mercenary is rewarded. The better you perform, the higher your payout – not just in the single-player campaign, but also in the multiplayer mode. The wages you collect are deposited into a single bank account, so the money you earn in the campaign missions can also be used to buy gear and weapons for multiplayer matches, and vice versa.

Killzone: Mercenary makes full use of PlayStation Vita’s considerable input and graphics capabilities. It enhances the familiar dual-stick FPS control scheme with touch controls for actions such as brutal melee, and with tilt controls for accurate sniper aiming. The game even uses the powerful Killzone 3 engine to bring its massive environments and impressive set pieces to life.

blog.us.playstation.com










-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*245