Joystiq

We got a brief demonstration last week of the three new Halo: Reach battlefields present in the Noble Map Pack -- however, don't you want a tour from the sage minds who created said arenas? Well, then, look no further than the three Bungie video tours posted just after the jump.

Continue reading Bungie offers a trio of video tours of Halo: Reach's Noble Map Pack

Bungie offers a trio of video tours of Halo: Reach's Noble Map Pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Kinect launch was pretty much dominated by one third-party publisher: Ubisoft. Despite plenty of announcements at TGS and that Star Wars game, there isn't much on the docket from the bigger third-party devs. THQ's Danny Bilson promised on Twitter earlier today that would change.

"We will be announcing one Core Kinect game soon," Bilson wrote in a missive. This followed an earlier tweet where Bilson promised a "big game announcement" at the upcoming VGAs, but it's likely he's referring to the Guillermo Del Toro game (again) and not this Kinect title. Regardless, we've followed up with Bilson for comment and will let you know what we find out.

THQ to announce 'one core Kinect game soon' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interested in pages of thorough analysis on the technical proficiency of Gran Turismo 5? Of course you are! We all want to see how GT5 compares to previous entries of the franchise and learn how effective the game's other neat features work -- including 3D integration and head-tracking through PlayStation Eye -- right?

DigitalFoundry once again did its due diligence and broke down Polyphony Digital's latest in the only way it knows how: through extensive testing. While the massive tech report is best left read in full, we will offer a brief summary for all of you aspiring turismoers out there: basically, Gran Turismo 5 is quite the feat ... but you already knew that, right?

Digital Foundry pops the hood on Gran Turismo 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know, we know -- Fur Town is getting kind of lonely these days. All your Kinectimals have been petted and played with so many times and, well, you're getting kinda bored of them. Thankfully, according to an announcement from Jakks Pacific this morning, Microsoft has plans to release "five unique plush animals" in the first wave of Kinectimals stuffed animals coming out in Spring 2011.

Like the King Cheetah and Maltese Tiger included in the game's collector's editions, the plush animals can be scanned into Fur Town and be played with in-game to heart's content. No pricing was given in the announcement -- but can you even put a price on cuteness?

Kinectimals plush toys coming in Spring 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donkey Kong Country Returns developer Retro Studios doesn't just have a knack for successfully rebooting beloved Nintendo franchises, it's also got a wicked eye for bold fashion statements. For instance, the star-spangled signature necktie of Donkey Kong high-score contender Billy Mitchell (pictured right; from The King of Kong film) must have ensnared the attention of somebody at Retro, as the familiar pattern managed to sneak its way into DKC Returns, hidden in the backdrop of World 3-2 (pictured left).

Now, if only the developer could have found a way to sneak in Mitchell's undying admiration of hot sauce, or, you know, his overall winning personality.

Billy Mitchell's tie makes cameo in Donkey Kong Country Returns originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex developer Chair Entertainment is delivering its first stab at games for Apple's iOS, the sharp-looking Infinity Blade, on December 9. The Unreal Engine-powered action-RPG will be a universal app for iPhone 3GS / 3rd-gen iPod Touch forward and iPad, priced at $5.99.

Continue reading iOS stunner Infinity Blade priced, plunging into App Store on Dec. 9

iOS stunner Infinity Blade priced, plunging into App Store on Dec. 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA Games president Frank Gibeau has told Develop that the licensing deals involved in the development of movie-based games are going the "wrong way" for publishers. He described the movie-game business as "falling apart," with returns on investment often failing to justify the costs involved in securing popular properties for a video game.

According to Gibeau, EA considers itself better off working on its own IP like Dead Space, rather than spending it on something with the creative limitations like the James Bond series (a license now held by rival Activision). "The days of licensed-based, 75-rated games copies are dead like the dinosaur," the executive said.

Well, that's something we can agree on -- the days of 37-rated movie-based games has dawned, as evidenced recently by EA Bright Light's abysmal Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

EA: Movie licenses going the 'wrong way' for game publishers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft's crawl towards its "five million units in 2010" sales goal for Kinect turned into more of a headfirst dash during these past few deal-packed days. The company has announced that the device's global sales have reached 2.5 million, supported by retailer discounts on the hardware and its console bundle over Black Friday weekend, as well as the hardware's arrival in additional territories across the globe.

Of course, to reach its lofty goal, the Kinect's going to have move a considerable number of units next month -- but Microsoft Interactive Entertainment president Don Mattrick boasts in a press release that "we are on pace to reach our forecast of 5 million units sold to consumers this holiday." In the end, though, that's completely in the hands of the holiday shopping lists of the world. Also, Santa Claus.

Kinect's global sales reach 2.5 million with the help of Black Friday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poker Night at the Inventory seems to be drenched in the studio's typical humor and likable characters. But it quickly becomes clear that the repetitive dialog is muddying a poker game that was already weak to begin with. In short: Telltale has fallen off the rope entirely.

At least in Sam & Max there's always the chance of redemption in the next narrative-led mission. In Poker Night ... well, there's just the next oddly timed "sandvich" joke.

Continue reading Poker Night at the Inventory review: A bad beat

Poker Night at the Inventory review: A bad beat originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Television network G4 announced today that it has signed a three-year deal to be the official broadcaster of E3. The partnership between the network and the mega-convention's organizer, the ESA, extends a relationship the two have renewed annually for the past several years, relieving G4 of having to ask the awkward "wanna go steady (again)" question for a time.

The Comcast-owned network's multi-year agreement gives G4 access to "uninterrupted press conference coverage" and all the other flare you'd expect from the moving-picture medium. All you DirecTV subscribers, of course, will have to head over to a friend's house to watch the coverage, since the satellite TV company recently dropped the network -- or you could just join on us these little ol' internets for our own extensive E3 coverage with written words.

G4 signs three-year exclusive deal for E3 TV rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If there's one thing Splatterhouse isn't, it's precise. It seems to take pride in being sloppy as it revels in letting you lop off limbs, crush skulls, and tear ribcages from spines.

Unfortunately, thanks to that same sloppy attitude, you might find yourself wishing the game could do the same to you, if only to end the suffering.

Continue reading Splatterhouse review: All guts, no glory

Splatterhouse review: All guts, no glory originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EventHubs has posted alleged screens of eight new Super Street Fighter IV Achievements supposedly tied to an unannounced DLC add-on. While the images do reflect updates to the game featured in this month's Arcade Edition release for Japanese arcades, they remain unverified by Capcom -- even if the new content is expected as DLC for the console version.

SSFIV producer Yoshinori Ono responded to tweets about the possible leak without authenticating the images, though he offered a "wink" in one tweet and a seemingly joking reference to checking with the R&D department in another. We've put in word to Capcom and will let you know what we hear back. In the meantime, anybody know a good way to counter Seiei Enbu?

Rumor: Possible Super Street Fighter IV DLC Achievements show Yun and Yang originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the last day of its "Give and Get" sale, Steam is offering some noteworthy (noted below, in fact) discounts on a few of games we thought you might like. You can traverse the lonely carcass of Moscow in Metro 2033 for $10, unwittingly resurrect the dreaded pirate LeChuck in Monkey Island 2 Special Edition for $2.50, or buy Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for $2.50 and play it in secret, never telling anyone that you somehow missed it years ago.

Tell us which of the discounted games interest you most -- and in the true spirit of Cyber Monday, tell us what you're wearing.

• Aliens vs. Predator (PC) - $6.80
• Beat Hazard (PC) - $2.50
• Dirt 2 (PC) - $5
• Indie Air Pack (PC) - $4.99; includes: Altitude, Dogfighter, Flotilla, Gratuitous Space Battles and Plain Sight
• Mafia 2 (PC) - $37.49
Cyber Monday
• Deals from across the web
• Metro 2033 (PC) - $10
• Monkey Island 2 SE: LeChuck's Revenge (PC) - $2.50
• Peggle Deluxe (PC + Mac; SteamPlay) - $4.99
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC) - $2.50

Steam's gift pack deals for the day include a Lead and Gold ten-pack, 12 copies of World of Goo and eight Trine games for $19.99 per pack.

Steam dishes deals on Metro 2033, Monkey Island 2, Flotilla and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Now Playing: November 29 - December 5, 2010

Now Playing: November 29 - December 5, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The usual Monday blues are even bluesier today at Ubisoft Reflections, as the UK-based studio has suffered job cuts. Develop reports that as many as 19 employees could be dismissed from the group that is currently developing (the recently delayed) Driver: San Francisco. Ubisoft Montreal will now fill the role of "associate studio" on the project and offer support going forward.

An undisclosed source told Develop that the layoffs were wide-reaching, affecting higher-ups as well as contract workers. Additionally, the source cited "delays with the project" as one of the reasons for the redundancies, suggesting that the studio's lack of experience with the current generation of consoles (this is its first current-gen game, after all) has become exceedingly costly. The source claimed Reflections has been "learning as we go along, developing our skills."

An Ubisoft representative characterized the cuts as part of a reorganization, insisting that "Reflections is crucial as a studio" and that there are no plans to shutter the operation entirely following Driver's expected launch early next year. The spokesperson assured that Reflections "will absolutely keep going after Driver."

Driver: San Fran dev Ubisoft Reflections suffers layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The unlikely creation of Deus Ex designer and industry legend Warren Spector and his imagineers at Junction Point, Disney Epic Mickey is the single most ambitious Wii exclusive outside of Nintendo's own releases. "Epic" is not a misnomer -- from the quality of the art and animation, to the level design, scale and even score of the game, it's clear that massive amounts of resources, both of the creative and financial variety, were lavished on it. There are moments in Epic Mickey that are so good, so polished and so full of charm I would have sworn that I was playing a game Shigeru Miyamoto had a hand in.

If only the whole game was like that.

Continue reading Disney Epic Mickey review: A brush with greatness

Disney Epic Mickey review: A brush with greatness originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam hid its "winter 2010" launch date so cleverly in the brush that we're not sure if it can even find it now. It turns out that Russian intelligence (from 32bita) may be able to give us some intel on the game. Sure, it's not a release date, but some spy has posted all the weapons and vehicles that can be found in the multiplayer expansion.

Fair warning: it's spoilery. As in: these are the guns you'll get. Granted, there are many guns like them, but these are the ones that will be yours.

[Thanks, Tom]

Continue reading Bad Company 2 Vietnam video reveals weapons, vehicles

Bad Company 2 Vietnam video reveals weapons, vehicles originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We heard some buzz back in April about Microsoft execs considering the addition of a "television channel" to Xbox Live, allowing subscribers to view reruns and original programming for an additional buck or two per month. Today, Reuters reports that a pair of unnamed insiders has claimed Microsoft has held meetings with various media companies to discuss licensing of television programs to be streamed through such an application.

These talks, according to the sources, have been productive (though the launch of an Xbox Live TV service could be as far as a year out) and have included the potential to add interactive elements into shows viewed through the console and a "content silos" option, so that users could select entire networks (e.g., HBO or Showtime) to subscribe to. We'd definitely want to see an AMC channel, so we could get our Breaking Bad Mad Men Walking Dead on. Oh! And TBS -- for Conan. In fact, we could totally get down with an "all the awesome shows that they don't have on Hulu for some reason" channel.

Reuters: Microsoft in talks to bring subscription TV, networks to Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Reach for $40? Split/Second for just $20? It's just Cyber Monday -- the online equivalent of last Friday's big brick-and-mortar shopping day -- at Best Buy.

Other highlights include Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit at just $35, and Medal of Honor gets the same $25 discount. If those deals weren't enough, for every two games you purchase Best Buy even throws in a free $10 gift card. All without leaving your computer! Head past the break to see all the deals.

Continue reading Best Buy's Cyber Monday deals revealed, available right now

Best Buy's Cyber Monday deals revealed, available right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creepy-crawlies form the theme of this week's Xbox Live Deal of the Week, with all the featured titles getting 50 percent off the asking price. There's quite a diversity of invertebrate offerings, including the turn-based mayhem of Worms 2: Armageddon, the strategic Band of Bugs, the fantastic platforming of Earthworm Jim HD and twitchy blasting in Centipede and Millipede. The last title is 200 MS points ($2.50), while the rest are 400 MSP ($5) each.

The deals last until next Monday, December 6. Now, excuse us while we go look at adorable puppy videos for a little bit, because all this bug talk gave us the heebie-jeebies.

Worms 2, Earthworm Jim HD part of XBLA deal of the week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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