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All Articles: E3 2011
Far Cry 3 returns to the jungle in 2012
Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry 3 is in development for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 for a 2012 release. Once again developed by Ubisoft Montreal, gamers that were saddened by Far Cry 2‘s desert landscapes will be pleased to know that Far Cry 3 is going back to the jungle:
With Far Cry 3, players step into the shoes of Jason Brody, a man alone at the edge of the world, stranded on a mysterious tropical island. In this savage paradise, where lawlessness and violence are the only sure thing, players dictate how the story unfolds, from the battles they choose to fight to the allies or enemies they make along the way. As Jason Brody, players will slash, sneak and shoot their way across the island in a world that has lost all sense of morality.
“Far Cry 3 brings something new and unexpected, while still building upon the foundations of excellence that are inherent to the Far Cry brand,” said Dan Hay, producer at Ubisoft Montreal. “Whether you’re already a fan of the Far Cry series or jumping into the franchise for the very first time, you’re going to be blown away by the gritty story and epic adventure we’re going to deliver.”
PS3-exclusive Tekken Hybrid includes Tekken Tag HD, CG movie
Namco Bandai has announced that an exclusive game/movie bundle will be coming to the PS3 this November. Tekken Hybrid will combine the upcoming CG movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D with the high definition remake Tekken Tag Tournament HD.
“Tekken Tag Tournament is considered one of the best titles in the Tekken franchise, and one of the greatest fighting video games of all time, so we’re thrilled to be bringing this property into HD for current generation gamers,” said Carlson Choi, vice president of marketing, Namco Bandai Games America. “Including the remake as part of Tekken Hybrid alongside Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D allows our passionate fans to immerse themselves in the storied histories of the Tekken characters on their path to the King of Iron Fist Tournament.”
Tekken creator and project director Katsuhiro Harada would go on to say that Tekken Hybrid will include a ton of great special features, including some things he’s not ready to talk about yet: “Tekken Tag Tournament HD will also include a version of the popular Tekken Bowl as well. And the content announced today might not be all we have up our sleeves for Tekken Hybrid.”
Hit the jump for a look at Tekken Hybrid’s E3 trailer. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged E3 2011, Tekken Hybrid
Miyamoto confirms Pikmin 3 is in development for Wii U
Every year after Nintendo’s E3 press conference, Shigeru Miyamoto holds the Nintendo Developers Roundtable. The roundtable is a more intimate gathering of press and Nintendo personnel which Miyamoto uses to talk about concepts and ideas that either wouldn’t be a good fit for a splashy media presentation or are too early in development to truly talk about.
At the 2007 Nintendo Developers Roundtable, Nintendo’s guru of games revealed that Pikmin 3 was in development for the Wii. The game quickly become the subject of this year’s discussion as well, prompting Miyamoto to confirm the game has jumped to the Wii U:
“We really did want to release Pikmin this year in honor of [the series’ 10-year] celebration,” Miyamoto told the crowd. “Earlier, someone asked if we’re working on any other Wii games after Skyward Sword. Well, Pikmin was a Wii game we were working on.
“However, as we’ve been working on Wii U hardware and I’ve been looking at those high-definition graphics and that beautiful controller, I’ve been getting the feeling I wanted to see Pikmin there instead.”
Pikmin 3 has never been publicly shown since its 2007 “announcement.” Perhaps we’ll learn more about its HD makeover (and get an official announcement!) at E3 2012.
[Source: 1UP]
Professor Layton and the Last Specter given Fall 2011 release date
Lost in the shuffle of Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS announcements comes the news that the fourth Professor Layton game, Professor Layton and the Last Specter, will be available on the DS this Fall.
Developed by Level-5, the game will sport a “baffling number of puzzles” and is the first story chronologically, making it a prequel to the entire Professor Layton saga. The Japanese release of The Last Specter included a full-length RPG, Professor Layton’s London Life, that was unlockable after the main game was completed. Let’s hope that makes it across the Pacific as well.
Posted in DS, News
Tagged E3 2011, Professor Layton and the Last Specter
Kirby officially returns to DS, Wii this Fall
Announced in Japan earlier this year, Nintendo has used the E3 Expo to confirm the North American release of two new Kirby games.
The imaginatively titled Kirby Wii is a side-scroller where Kirby gains special powers based on the item he’s holding. You can get a good look at the variety of these powers in the trailer above. Kirby Wii will be released for the Wii (surprising I know) this Fall.
Kirby: Mass Attack will be coming to the DS on September 19 and it takes a different tack for a Kirby side-scroller. Kirby has been dropped into some kind of world where everything is huge and the only way he can save the day is to gather up a gang of Kirbies to fight off the giant monsters. That’s right, in this game a gang of torch-wielding Kirbies will swarm a big monster and then eat him to death. Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer after the break. (more…)
Posted in DS, News, Wii
Tagged E3 2011, Kirby: Mass Attack, Kirby's Return to Dreamland
Michael Jackson moonwalks onto 3DS, Vita
Not the most original of headlines, but what are you going to do? It explains very succinctly that Ubisoft’s Michael Jackson: The Experience will be available for the 3DS and PlayStation Vita this Fall. As does the game’s debut trailer, which you can view above.
Both versions make use of each handheld’s touch screen to match Michael’s choreography with stylus motions on the screen. Actually, I’ll let Ubisoft tell it:
Players will be invited on an interactive journey into Michael Jackson’s artistry, which will set a new benchmark for handheld rhythm games. Using the tactile screens of both consoles, the players move in line with the choreographies on screen to increase their score and bring to life the environments of 15 of Michael Jackson’s hit songs that span his solo career. As players continue to improve and have fun, aiming to become the ultimate performer, they unlock bonus content along the way such as Michael’s special outfits or “power-up” gloves.
The gameplay will be an all-new experience on both platforms. Using the tactile screen, players will draw a series of shapes according to the beat and the choreographies of the Michael Jackson avatar on the screen. By chaining together moves, they will progressively unlock spectacular special effects and other animated background elements, all while being able to watch the avatar perform. During timed freestyle moments, players can even create their own choreographies from a set of classic Michael Jackson moves.
Players will rediscover 15 settings inspired by Michael Jackson’s music videos and stage performances, such as the ghoul-infested graveyard dance from Thriller, the luxurious Palace of the Pharaoh from Remember the Time, the seedy underworld nightclub from Smooth Criminal, and many more. And in addition to the exciting gameplay, gorgeous cinematic cut-scenes will retell these fantastic stories in eye-popping detail.
Posted in 3DS, News, Vita
Tagged E3 2011, Michael Jackson: The Experience
Wii U supports hard drive, new images released
If there was any doubt the Wii U wouldn’t match up with the PS3 or Xbox 360, it’s gone now. Nintendo has released the system specs of their tiny behemoth and the console appears more than capable of carrying Nintendo into the HD age.
In addition to being backward compatible with all Wii games and accessories, the system will support SD/SDHC Memory Cards or an external USB hard drive for storage. It will also support a “proprietary high-density optical disc” for game storage (basically, no switching discs) and a variety of video outputs including 720p, 1080i and 1080p.
Hit the break for the first images of the new controller as well as a summary of the system specifications, straight from Nintendo. (more…)
Kratos goes 3D in God of War: Origins Collection trailer
Kratos’ PSP outings, God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta, will soon make the jump to the PS3 in the God of War: Origins Collection. Available this September, the compilation will bring stereoscopic 3D to the God of War series for the first time. Be sure to check out all the brutality in the official E3 trailer above.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged E3 2011, God of War: Origins Collection