Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: PSP
A Eulogy For Guitar Hero: The Day the (Plastic) Music Died
A wise man once said that it’s far better to burn out than fade away. Apparently Activision agreed with the sentiment, as after a bit more than five years of rapid-fire releases, the company has shuttered the Guitar Hero franchise. Just 40 months ago the music gaming business was at its absolute peak – Guitar Hero III sold roughly 2.45 bazillion copies across a half-dozen platforms – but now the series is in complete shambles, what with the latest installment releasing with the authority of a farting ant. This legendary tumble from grace is no doubt why the company canceled the forthcoming Guitar Hero 7 and put the entire series on hold, perhaps permanently. Rather than harp on all that went wrong and led to its untimely demise, let’s discuss what went right – and what the future may hold if Activision dares to bring the music back. (more…)
Posted in DS, Features, Mobile, PS2, PS3, PSP, Top Story, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: World Tour
New Releases: Marvel vs Capcom 3, Dragon Quest VI, Hyperdimension Neptunia, More
This week it’s all about RPGs, except for the return of a favorite fighting franchise…
The Marvel and Capcom universes will be colliding in a battle for one-on-one fighting supremacy again with the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds this week for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
But every other major release will be much more enticing to RPG fans everywhere including Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation on the DS. Once Dragon Quest VI makes its way into stores on the 14th, it’ll mark the final game in the franchise’s main series to make its way across the Pacific. It just took a little over 15 years.
And speaking RPGs that are hard to find in America, Square Enix is bringing Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together to the PSP this week. Tactics Ogre has always been hard to come by in collector’s circles, so this new version means that everyone who wants to play it will finally get the chance to.
Also available this week is Hyperdimension Neptunia for the PS3. The game tells the story of the console war as if it were a typical Japanese RPG. Oh yeah, and a nearly naked girl representing “Sega” is the hero. Man, how can you not love NIS America?
Finally, Frictional’s Amnesia: The Dark Descent, which was originally released in 2010, will receive a retail release this week.
The full list of the rest of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in DS, News, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
AIAS names Mass Effect 2 their Game of the Year
BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 walked away with Game of the Year honors at the Interactive Achievement Awards last night.
The game, which was just recently released on the PS3 after its PC and Xbox 360 debut last year, was given the award by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. This is the Academy’s 14th year handing out the IAAs and Mass Effect 2 beat out Call of Duty: Black Ops, God of War III, Red Dead Redemption and Angry Birds to win the prize.
But among the honorees, only Black Ops went home empty-handed. Angry Birds was named Casual Game of the Year, God of War III won Outstanding Achievement in Animation and Red Dead Redemption galloped away with five awards.
You can watch the entire ceremony at G4tv.com/DICE2011 or you can see the full list of winners after the break. (more…)
Activision reveals new Family Guy game, X-Men: First Class, “unprecedented” new universe
Activision was very busy during their quarterly financial briefing yesterday. In addition to canceling Guitar Hero 7 and True Crime: Hong Kong, the company revealed a few details about their 2011 (and beyond) schedule.
New Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg did most of talking. He began by reiterating that Call of Duty 8 is on track for a 2011 release and officially announced a free-to-play Call of Duty game for China, which will be released in 2012.
Continuing with the Call of Duty theme, Hirshberg revealed that a new Activision in-house studio, Beachhead, will be creating an “all-new digital platform for the Call of Duty franchise.” The system sounds very similar to Halo Waypoint and promises to “support in-game integration and bring online experiences and console play together.”
Activision also has a slew of licensed games in development for 2011 including three never-before-announced games: Family Guy, X-Men: First Class and Wipeout 2.
A Family Guy game was released by 2K Games to tepid reviews in 2006. X-Men: First Class will likely launch alongside the film in June with the Silicon Knights-developed X-Men: Destiny still on track for a late 2011 release. And for those confused about Wipeout 2, it’s not the futuristic racing franchise, but a second game based on ABC’s obstacle course game show.
Several previously announced 2011 games, including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, a new Spider-Man game, more Cabela’s Hunting titles and a new Bakugan game were also discussed.
Bungie’s New Universe was briefly mentioned, but only to confirm that it won’t launch until 2012 at the earliest.
Finally, Hirshberg announced that Activision will be unveiling “an all-new gaming universes that brings together the worlds of toys, video games and online play.” in two days at the New York Toy Fair. Activision will release the game based on this new universe in the second half of 2011 and calls the franchise an “unprecedented” merging of different media.
Wow. We’ll likely learn more about a lot of these titles at E3.
Posted in 3DS, DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PSP, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty Online, Destiny, Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse, Spider-Man: Edge of Time
Atlus having a Super-Mega-Ultra 50% off sale on the PlayStation Network
I’m actually not even sure if I should be telling you this, seeing as I’m one of the Atlus Faithful, but I’m going to risk it just to get the word out about Atlus having another huge 50% off digital sale. Brand new to the sale this time around are Knights in the Nightmare at $14.99 and Yggdra Union at $7.49. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and SMT: Persona 3 Portable are both just $19.99, which is pretty serious business. Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is also $19.99, as is Class of Heroes. Crimson Gem Saga and Hexyz Force are at $14.99 each, and Hammerin’ Hero is just $9.99. Coming in at $7.49 is Riviera: The Promised Land, R-Type Command, and Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament. Droplitz is the cheapest one at just $4.99.
This is a great sale, and I’ll be frank – I don’t know how I’m going to resist picking up Hexyz Force. I resisted through one sale, but for them to have another so soon? That’s just pure cruelty. The sale ends on February 15, so maybe I can ignore the PlayStation Store until then.
First Madden NFL 12 details emerge
While most of us were pulling our hair out at how atrociously bad the Black Eyed Peas were last night, Ian Cummings, Creative Director of Madden NFL 12 (yes, Madden games have those) took some time out for the fans during half time to blog about some of the game’s new features. One was the input shown above where A, A, B on the 360 controller executes a surprise onside kick. The other major feature is “Tuner Sets” – gameplay balances that were previously featured in past NHL and NCAA games that allows the developers to tweak the gameplay without the cumbersome process of getting Sony and Microsoft to approve a patch. This will probably save all of us a lot of time and go a long way in keeping online play fun and free from exploits.
More Madden NFL 12 information can be found at the Madden NFL developer’s blog.
With the exception of the NBA Elite debacle last year, EA Sports has really been impressing game critics with their last few rounds of iterations. Expect Madden NFL 12 to do the same when it releases later this year.
New Tactics Ogre video brings the love you’ve been missing
Before the team formerly known as Quest made Final Fantasy Tactics, before they even needed the “formerly” in their name, a group of dedicated Japanese RPG developers churned out the masterpiece known as Tactics Ogre. The game focuses on the nation of Valeria, and the Liberation Army’s struggle to bring freedom to an oppressed people. A big part of the game’s attraction, apart from being an entry in the awesome Ogre Battle series, is that it is the spiritual predecessor to Final Fantasy Tactics, with a similar art style, combat system, and interface. After releasing only in Japan on the Super Famicom and Sega Saturn, a limited North American release for the PlayStation, and no fan translation in sight, many RPG fanatics gave up on playing this game. But finally, the game will see an all-new re-imagining and it’s coming later this month.
The trailer shows a few animated scenes from the game, some in a normal animation style, others in a kind of story book mode. The iconic artwork of Akihido Yoshida is brought to life by the trademark sounds of Hitoshi Sakimoto, who went on to work on the newest big player in the Strategy RPG sub-genre, Valkyria Chronicles. If you’re even remotely a fan of RPG’s, Final Fantasy, or just own a PSP, this is a spectacle you don’t want to miss. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together will release for the PlayStation Portable on February 15, 2011.
Posted in News, PSP
Tagged Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
First trailer for Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
The MTV Multiplayer blog has an exclusive first look at Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. You can follow the link to view it or you can just play the video right here.
In the video, you’ll be treated to a Lego-ized version of Jack Sparrow’s grand entrance from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The game will include levels from all three current Pirates movies as well as the upcoming On Stranger Tides.
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean will be released for the DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 this May.