Giant Bomb Video Game News

Uwe Boll and Paul W.S. Anderson better be sweating under their hacky collars right about now. Sure, they're currently the kings of game-to-film adaptations, but Jerry Bruckheimer's involvement in the upcoming Prince of Persia movie is raising both the visibility and the stakes--if not necessarily the quality--for the much-maligned sub-genre. And now a proper movie star is getting in on the action, as it was today announced that Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment has optioned the film rights for Dark Void.

If you're not already familiar with Dark Void--which wouldn't be too terribly odd, as the game hasn't actually come out yet--it's got a premise revolving around the Bermuda Triangle, alien abductions, an unlikely hero strapped with a jet pack, and Nikola Tesla that seems high-concept and bizarre enough to make for a decent popcorn companion. My sensationalist headline aside, this deal doesn't guarantee, or even necessarily suggest, Pitt's personal involvement in a Dark Void film project. I like Brad Pitt and the weirdo roles he chooses well enough, but I'm plenty intrigued by the fact that Plan B is producing, having previously had a hand in Martin Scorcese's undeniably excellent The Departed, as well as the promising-looking teen superhero comic adaptation Kick-Ass. Optioning rights is a long way from actually making a movie, but getting people who seem to know what the hell they're doing is a promising start.

Capcom also used this announcement to casually mention that Dark Void would be coming out on January 19th, 2010, which is a week later than the previously announced date of January 12th. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, and it does nothing to mitigate what is shaping up to be an intense first quarter for new games.

You know what I'd actually like to play more of? Resident Evil 5. Despite having gone through the single-player story three times--something I never, ever do anymore--I would gladly sit down and blow away a few more big weird-looking bugs in that game, and not just because I'm still lacking a few easy achievements.

Well, forget about achievements. Capcom's got some honest-to-goodness new content on the way for RE5, and it isn't more half-assed, bolted-on multiplayer modes. It's a couple of all-new single-player episodes, and some new costumes in which to swaddle your characters while you play through the new action. The first of the new episodes, called "Lost in Nightmares," is due on the Xbox 360 on February 17 next year, with the PS3 version following a day later. Here's the official description.

Previously only seen during cut scenes of the original RESIDENT EVIL 5, the first new episode titled “LOST IN NIGHTMARES”, finds BSAA agent, Chris Redfield, working with his partner, Jill Valentine, as they investigate Ozwell E. Spencer’s hideaway.  Spencer, the evil mastermind and co-founder of Umbrella Corporation, has been hiding a new evil deep within the basement of his mansion. Chris and Jill discover this grotesque evil standing in their way as the two enter deeper into the catacombs beneath the mansion.

Chris and Jill, together again! In a big, sinister mansion! It's 1996 all over!
 

But wait, there's more! The first round of new costumes for Chris and Sheva is due on the same day. The second, as-yet-untitled episode and costume pack will follow on March 3, along with a "refresh" of the Mercenaries mode called "Mercenaries Reunion" that, from what I can tell in the vague press release, will pack two new playable characters and two new weapon loadouts into each of these four

No pricing is listed for any of this DLC, but it's worth noting that if you don't have RE5 at all yet, Capcom will happily sell you a Gold Edition starting March 9 (or 12 in Europe) for $49.99 that includes the original game and all of this DLC action in one tidy package. While the PS3 version of the Gold Edition will pack the whole shebang onto a single Blu-ray, the 360 release will oddly consist of the original RE5 disc and a voucher for all of the new DLC. I wonder if all that content plus the base game is too much to cram into one DVD?

Anyway, here are some more screens of all the business. Who else is ready to play more RE5? 
 

Man, it's Tuesday! I usually write this on Sunday morning, but my weekend was squarely focused on getting our New Super Mario Bros. Wii review finished and on the site. Now, it's onto my next two assignments, Buzz: Quiz World and Tony Hawk: RIDE, both of which require the use of peripherals that don't really work with many other games. Buzz, at least, is a series with other releases in it. Actually, Robomodo has gone on the record as saying that they've got another game in the works with Activision, so we'll probably see something else that takes advantage of the RIDE skateboard.

Achievementally speaking, this data covers the release week of Modern Warfare 2. Unsurprisingly, it's taken the top spot on the most popular achievements list, snatching the top spot away from the still-rolling Borderlands. 

Top Sets

1. Modern Warfare 2
2. Borderlands
3. Dragon Age: Origins
4. Football Manager 2010
5. Grand Theft Auto IV
6. Dark Void
7. Forza Motorsport 3
8. Assassin's Creed II
9. Brutal Legend
10. Halo 3: ODST

I hope the upcoming Borderlands DLC adds some more achievements. That's actually coming out really soon, which is nice, because I'm just about ready for some more Borderlands, even if I'm not the world's biggest zombie aficionado.

The new sets this week are all new releases, including the Steam version of Modern Warfare 2. 

New Sets

• LEGO Indiana Jones 2
• Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
• NBA Unrivaled
• 0D Beat Drop
• 1 vs 100

Quick tip for you: don't buy NBA Unrivaled. It's $15 and it's terrible. As soon as I clear out some of the bigger stuff on my plate, I want to go back and review some of the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade releases we've had to skip this season. 0D Beat Drop is kind of neat and deserves a bit of attention.

OK, this brings us to the individual achievements. Modern Warfare 2 made some heavy inroads into our individual list, taking half of the spots away from Borderlands, which was running the show for the past couple of weeks. But Borderlands has held onto the top spot. It makes sense, really, that people would frequent the page of a secret achievement that isn't immediately obvious, rather than sink too deeply into the fairly plain achievements of Modern Warfare 2. 

Top Individual Achievements

1. Borderlands - You're on a boat!
2. Borderlands - 12 Days of Pandora
3. Modern Warfare 2 - Drive By
4. Borderlands - Made in New Haven
5. Borderlands - My Brother Is An Italian Plumber
6. Modern Warfare 2 - Ghost
7. Modern Warfare 2 - Danger Close
8. Modern Warfare 2 - Look Ma Two Hands
9. Modern Warfare 2 - Pit Boss
10. Borderlands - Speedy McSpeederton

So, before I close things out, I've got some exciting news. This weekly article is probably going to change pretty dramatically before next week, because we'll have a new homepage on the site by then. That homepage is going to have some new gadgets and information on it, including some more-useful achievement data. This stuff I'm showing is purely traffic-based. But those dudes upstairs have been building stuff based on, like, the most played game for a given day or the most-unlocked achievement. Dave actually just IM'ed me a few things based on a 100-day old version of the database he's using for development purposes...

100 days ago fallout 3 was the most popular game played

then halo 3

splosion man had the top achievement

...did you play Fallout 3 100 days ago? Odds are you did, I guess. Anyway, we'll have to see if my most popular lists are still useful after the new page goes up. If not, well, then I guess I'll have to find a different set of information to use as a jumping-off point for what's essentially become a weekly column. No sense in stopping it now.

Atlus has announced plans to bring the incredibly cool-looking 3D Dot Game Heroes to North America. The From Software action-RPG has been out in Japan for a bit, but Atlus will be bringing it here on May 11.

As the game features all sorts of sly winks to gaming's pixelated past, it's drummed up a fair amount of online interest. Here's how Atlus is describing it:

About 3D Dot Game Heroes
A long, long time ago, the Dark King Onyx brought an age of darkness upon Dotnia Kingdom.  Only by the bravery of a hero with a legendary sword was Onyx sealed in an orb, restoring peace to the world.  But Fuelle, a powerful Dark Bishop, has stolen the orb, and with it, peace.  Dotnia requires a hero once more!  Can you live up to the legend?
 
Key Features

• Ultimate retro love letter -- Seamlessly fusing new and old, the golden era of gaming is felt in every detail of this lovingly-crafted adventure. Eye-popping visuals capture the nostalgic charm of pixel graphics in cutting edge 3D. Simple, but deep action-adventure gameplay is a throwback to the 8-bit era. Veterans will find references and jokes that pay homage to the great games of yore.
• Awe and adventure live again -- Embark on the next generation of classic exploration and discovery in a grand story-based quest. A hero sets out to gain the power of the six sages and the six orbs that protected the kingdom of Dotnia, which now stands on the verge of destruction.
• Customize your hero -- When pixels are your building blocks, the possibilities are unlimited. Freely edit the look of your character, or design one completely from scratch, and then trade designs with friends via a compatible USB storage device. Your hero's blade is also upgradeable, letting you add length and width to create a sword that fills the whole screen!

 The game will hit shelves at a discounted price of $39.99, which sure sounds reasonable. Here, look at some screenshots of this thing! 

One month from today, the newest Legend of Zelda game, Spirit Tracks, will hit the DS. Choo-choo? Yeah, OK, I've got nothing (but I'm sincerely excited to play the game when it comes out).
 
And I hope a few of you are too, because Nintendo will be providing us four extra copies of Spirit Tracks to send your way, provided you live in the United States. We'll give away one copy per week for the next four weeks until the game's release, along with a few other goodies like a train whistle, T-shirt, and DSiWare points card.
 
But you'll have to work for this stuff! There's no such thing as a free lunch, or a free Spirit Tracks, either. Instead of our usual random-drawing format, this time you'll have to be the first one to answer these five obscure Zelda trivia questions in the comments on this story to win. And I warn you, these questions are not kind. Put on your thinking (Minish) caps, find the answers to these questions, and be the first to drop them in the comments to win this week's game. Of course, if you just want to discuss the game or talk about how hard these questions are, that's fine too.
 

1. What is the only Zelda game that Octoroks have not appeared in?
2. Which piece of the Triforce does Link earn in the original Legend of Zelda?
3. In what game besides Link’s Awakening did the Ballad of the Windfish appear?
4. At the beginning of A Link to the Past, where are all three pieces of the Triforce?
5. Who is the Oracle of Ages?

 

That's it. I suspect some of these will take a little digging, so I'll let you get to work. The winner will be contacted via private message, so keep an eye on your inboxes here in the site once you enter.

 

And don't forget, you'll have three more chances to win, so come back next week for the next round of questions. 

 
UPDATE: We have a winner! And that winner will be contacted via private message.  
 
An important note: The three subsequent trivia challenges will post at 1pm Pacific Standard Time on the next three Mondays, so you won't have to worry about missing your next chance to win. Just make sure you've got your eyes on the forums or news feed at that time so you can take a stab at being the first with the correct answers.

It's not going to hit shelves until next year, but it looks like work on Super Street Fighter IV is progressing nicely. I recently got the chance to head down to Capcom and take a look at the three characters who have been confirmed to appear in this SFIV update, and though it's still a little early to tell how the whole package is going to come together, Juri feels like an interesting addition, and the returning duo of Dee Jay and T.Hawk feel about how you'd expect.

Right off the bat, Juri feels like a more exciting character than any of the four that were introduced in Street Fighter IV. That's probably just my personal style talking, but I never found myself too interested in C.Viper, Rufus, Abel, or El Fuerte. Well, maybe a little Abel here and there. Anyway, Juri's a fast-moving character with a built-in counter move, as well as a delayed fireball that starts with a little kick animation, but the projectile doesn't actually appear until you release the kick button. Like some of the other projectiles in SFIV, Juri's comes at you differently depending on which kick button is used to perform the attack. This lets her throw them low, high, or at an upward angle. The projectiles don't live long enough to make it across the entire screen, but they don't move very quickly, making them a bit of a lingering threat. Juri also has a spin kick, and a mid-air dive kick, both of which can be spotted in the gameplay footage Capcom has released. Here's a look at Juri and Dee Jay.
    
Yes, that's a new announcer. He sounds like some kind of out-of-control robot that just says crazier and crazier things as the fight goes on.

Dee Jay, of course, first appeared in Super Street Fighter II, where I did my best to basically pretend he didn't exist. Let's be honest here: Fei Long and Cammy were the real stars out of the "New Challengers" added back then. But most of his action remains intact here. Dee Jay continues to be a charge character, throwing projectiles and offering a couple of charge kicks. The machine gun upper is currently done by pounding on punch buttons, much like Honda's slap, and the EX version of it absorbs fireballs. T. Hawk returns with the same moves, including the devastating typhoon, his version of the spinning pile-driver. I was left with the impression that a lot of the gameplay specifics and properties of the different moves was still up in the air, so it seems like any of this stuff is still subject to change before release.

There will, of course, be more characters in the final product, but those three are all that anyone's talking about right now. The full roster of SFIV characters will also be available in some sort of updated and/or rebalanced form, and the publisher is currently committing to "about eight" new characters. There will also be an "enhanced Ultra Combo system."

All of this will come with a redesigned online mode that will offer some additional options, like a team battle mode that matches up to eight players together for a group throwdown, a quarter match-style mode where the winner stays on while other players rotate through, and a "replay channel" that lets players watch and discuss other matches. Bonus stages, where players bash apart a car or beat up barrels will also be added.

All told, this sounds like a really substantial update to the original Street Fighter IV, but a lot of that will depend on the quality of the characters that have yet to be announced and the specifics of whatever changes are made to the existing characters. With plenty of those left to announce, you can probably count on a very slow drip of information out of Capcom between now and the game's release this Spring.

You can stop worrying: There are in fact games coming out early next year. One of them is Final Fantasy XIII, which Square Enix has just confirmed will release in North America on March 9. That's both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

The company also confirmed the game's requisite pop song will be performed by... Leona Lewis. Still scratching my head a bit over that one, though at least this choice will curry more favor in Western markets than the Japanese pop stars that have contributed to previous games in the series. This also marks the first time Final Fantasy and Simon Cowell have come together in a meaningful capacity.

Hey, Square put out a trailer to promote this announcement. This trailer has a host. They are serious about this. 


  

While I'm throwing promotional business at you, here are three new shots of the game, along with the company pitch on the game's story and features (WARNING: STRAIGHT OUT THE PRESS RELEASE). Square would also like you to know that three new characters--Fang, Hope, and Serah--are now on display at the official site, too.

Story

Cocoon — a utopia in the sky.
Its inhabitants believed their world a paradise.
Under the Sanctum's rule, Cocoon had long known peace and prosperity.
Mankind was blessed by its protectors, the benevolent fal'Cie, and believed that tranquil days would continue forever.
Their tranquility was shattered with the discovery of one hostile fal'Cie.
The moment that fal'Cie from Pulse — the feared and detested lowerworld — awoke from its slumber, peace on Cocoon came to an end.
Fal'Cie curse humans, turning them into magic-wielding servants.
They become l'Cie — chosen of the fal'Cie.
Those branded with the mark of a l'Cie carry the burden of either fulfilling their Focus or facing a fate harsher than death itself.
A prayer for redemption.
A wish to protect the world.
A promise to challenge destiny.
After thirteen days of fates intertwined, the battle begins.
 

Features

• Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.
• Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.
• Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game's six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.
• Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.
• Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?

  






Now that FFXIII has a release date and consequently is starting to feel more like a video game and not some nebulous idea, I'm actually kind of getting excited about this thing. Where's your hype level and what platform are you feeling for this one?    

If for no other reason than to spray something Modern Warfare-related across every inch of our website here, I will now share with you the box art and screenshots from the Call of Duty 4 port to the Wii, Reflex Edition.















Better late than never, no? Any interest in trying this thing out? The shots don't look half bad, honestly.

From Ice-T's Twitter:


Provided you aren't going to be in line somewhere, come back around midnight PST for our review... which I should probably finish writing, now that I think about it.

This is it. It's the last weekend before Modern Warfare 2 is released. For some of you, it's a weekend filled with anticipation. For others, it's a weekend of complete indifference as you watch the Internet explode around you as every little bit of the game leaks. Leaks? Oh, right, for some of you, it's a weekend where you're playing Modern Warfare 2, because there are plenty of shops out there that'll break the street date for just about anything. Apparently GameStop stores in the North East part of the US have been given some kind of corporate go-ahead to just start selling the game, probably since plenty of independent game stores in those parts started selling the game last week. Makes me wish there were more stores like that around here. I can't even think of one non-chain game store in my immediate area. 

Regardless of how you feel about Modern Warfare 2 (and it really seems like no one is truly neutral about it, because even the ones who say they're indifferent want to go out of their way to TELL YOU THAT IN ALL CAPS), it's always exciting to see these big tent-pole moments, where huge games get released and people line up to get them. It's interesting to see publishers of other games sort of move their games out of a bigger game's path. That's why some stuff got pushed to 2010. Love it or hate it, Infinity Ward's latest is going to cast a long shadow over the rest of the year.

Anyway, on to the data. I've gotten out my interpreter hat and rolled up my not-actually-an-analyst sleeves, and by looking at the achievements page for Borderlands, I'm going to say that the people who play that game are playing the hell out of it. Its an interesting case, because it doesn't have any achievements that are especially difficult. You just need to put in the time to get them. And clearly, you guys are putting in the time. There are no more "rare" achievements for Borderlands, and only three of them still show as "uncommon." Two of those uncommon achievements are for hitting levels 40 and 50, so it's really just a matter of putting in the time.

Here's a quick, unsorted list of assorted releases and the number of people playing them as of Saturday morning. I think these numbers probably tell you more about the site's audience than any genuine sales trend, but I'm sure someone out there could cook up a formula that eventually tied these numbers to sales, if they wanted to.

• Band Hero - 79
• Jurassic: The Hunted - 4
• DJ Hero - 761
• Tekken 6 - 626
• Forza Motorsport 3 - 2,590
• Forza Motorsport 2 - 7,779
• Dragon Age: Origins - 1,536
• LEGO Rock Band - 234

I think I mostly wanted to show those numbers to note the following:

- LEGO Rock Band is outperforming Band Hero so far, but not by much.

- Jurassic: The Hunted was released with as little fanfare as possible and I think our Quick Look of the game is the only coverage anyone's done so far. After watching that video, I wouldn't buy Jurassic, either. Except I already bought it. Damn.

- If 1,500 people are playing the not-as-good-as-PC version of Dragon Age, how many people must be playing the PC version?

- My guess is that DJ Hero and Tekken 6 are moving some units based on their name recognition, but neither game really took off at launch.

OK, let's get into the traditional lists. It's not especially surprising that Borderlands has held onto the top spot. Also, predictably, Modern Warfare 2 has resurfaced as interest in actually playing the game begins to swell. And The Ballad of Gay Tony has reignited Grand Theft Auto IV's popularity quite nicely. The site's significant international readership is probably responsible for Football Manager 2010 making the list. 

Top 10 Sets

1. Borderlands
2. Dragon Age: Origins
3. Grand Theft Auto IV
4. Modern Warfare 2
5. Forza Motorsport 3
6. Assassin's Creed II
7. Football Manager 2010
8. Brutal Legend
9. DJ Hero
10. Tekken 6

 
We've got a new pile of unreleased games in the achievements system this week, including some 2010 releases. So if you want to start planning out your January, be sure to look at the Dark Void achievements. 

New Sets

• Wallace & Gromit #2
• Wallace & Gromit #4
• Winning Eleven 2010 (I think this is the Japanese version?)
• Chaotic: Shadow Warriors
• Polar Panic
• Rogue Warrior
• Madden NFL Arcade
• Encleverment Experiment
• Dark Void
• NCAA Basketball 10
• The Tale of Despereaux
• Big Brain Wolf (Steam)

And, finally, the individual achievements list. Borderlands is still holding on tight, but it doesn't control all ten spots like it did last week. People are looking for specific help on how to freefall as much as possible in The Ballad of Gay Tony, and they're also trying to figure out how to score 100,000 points in a single Forza 3 drift lap. That Forza achievement is probably the only one in the game that qualifies as tough. The rest reward you for specific, easy behavior or for just putting in the hours and gaining all your levels. 

Top 10 Individual

1. Borderlands - You're on a boat!
2. Borderlands - My Brother Is An Italian Plumber
3. Borderlands - 12 Days of Pandora
4. Borderlands - Fully Loaded
5. Borderlands - Made in New Haven
6. Grand Theft Auto IV - TBoGT: Adrenaline Junkie
7. Borderlands - Speedy McSpeederton
8. Borderlands - Ding! Champion
9. Forza Motorsport 3 - Drift Lap
10. Borderlands - Can't We Get BEYOND Thunderdome?

OK, I'm going to go brace myself for the release of Modern Warfare 2. Actually, thanks to some retailers' inability to obey street dates and the notion of "overnight shipping," I'm just going to go play Modern Warfare 2. Review Tuesday.