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by Oliver Motok
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Hey! Look! Listen!

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

HLLfinal

It looks like we’re back on a sort of regular-ish schedule here at Riddlethos.com. Aside from the part where the new theme week didn’t start until today.

But hey, at least HLL is here! Right? Everyone loves HLL, right? It’s better than Scatter Storming, right?

RIGHT?

EH?

Before I single-handedly destroy my own ego, we shall get started.

infinity-ward-logoActivision and Infinity Ward Are No Longer Friends

Well, I suppose I should rephrase that: Vince Zampella and Jason West, to two heads of Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward, are no longer friends with Activision. And, because of that, they’re no longer employees of Infinity Ward. Even more interesting than that, however, is that Activision has filed an SEC suite against Infinity Ward, investigating “breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward.”

You’ll notice that the above paragraph is rather short on details. This is because there aren’t many details to be had at the moment. What we know for sure is that neither Zampella or West are employed at Infinity Ward any longer (according to their respective Linked In profiles) and that Activision indeed filed the SEC suit. What happened to prompt such a lawsuit, and why did IW’s two big cheeses leave? Nobody knows. Kotaku is currently doing its best to stay abroad of the situation.

ps3fatSay What…? Apparently the PS3 Fat Was Having some Issues, All Better Now

This one kinda went under the radar for me, mostly because it didn’t affect me, because I have a PS3 Slim.

But apparently, owners of the PS3 Fat fell victim to what Sony is calling an “internal clock bug” yesterday, and because of this, many trophy-enabled PS3 games did not function correctly. Or… something.

Here’s the gist of it: the internal clock on many PS3 Fats reset themselves to January 1, 2000. Supposedly, this was because the PS3 fat was programmed to recognize 2010 as a leap year.

Well, after this automatic reset occurred, whenever owners of the Fat attempted to go online, they were greeted with the dreaded “8001050F Error Message.” And, on top of that, certain trophy-enabled games couldn’t even be played offline  - players were given the same error code, along with a message that said “Registration of the trophy information could not be completed. The game will quit.”

Anyway. As much as I’m sure that sucked for many people, it’s over now. Sony posted on the official PlayStation blog that it has been “resolved,” and if your time still isn’t right, feel free to adjust it.

Sounds so deliciously exciting. I’m sorry I missed out on it. (Kotaku)

wpid-Verizon-DROID-Eris_PhotoApple Sues HTC For Infringing on iPhone Patents

Perhaps by now, you’ve heard of HTC. They are, after all, the ones manufacturing phones utilizing the relatively new Android Operating System, such as the Droid Eris (the slightly watered-down version of Motorola’s Droid) and the upcoming Nexus One from Google.

Anyway. They’re one of the few players who are challenging Apple’s iPhone right now, so it hardly comes as a surprise that Apple is trying to sue them. Apparently HTC has infringed on over 20 of Apple’s patents, including multi-touch technology and other such nonsense. If you wanna know more of the specifics, check out this article on PC Magazine.com.

For drama’s sake, here’s a quote from Apple’s Chief Executive, Steve Jobs:

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it,” Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, said in a statement. “We’ve decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

PREACH IT, MR JOBS!

Nah, actually, this kinda stinks of a dominant player in the smartphone market trying to stamp out competition before it becomes competition. And I say that with little to no evidence supporting me. It’s just my gut reaction.

space-invadersPeople are Trying to Make a Space Invaders Movie

No, really. They are. Or, Warner Bros. is, to be exact. They are currently in talks with Taito to purchase film rights for everyone’s favorite arcade classic.

This is so ridiculous that I’m not even going to exert the effort necessary to say that it’s ridiculous.

Except I already did. Fuck. Oh well. If the movie ever does happen, then it will (reportedly) be produced by Mark Gordon, Jason Blum and Guymon Casady. Gordon was involved with Saving Private Ryan. Blum produced Paranormal Activity. I don’t care what Guymon Casady did. His name is sketchy. (Kotaku)

500x_codActivision Has Plans for Call of Duty

Rather than commenting on the juicy Infinity Ward rumors, Activision has taken the sneaky way out, and outlined their grand new business model for their immensely popular Call of Duty franchise.

Activision intends to form a Call of Duty “Business Unit,” which will “bring together its various new brand initiatives with focused, dedicated resources around the world.” The focus will be on “high-margin digital online content and further the brand as the leading action entertainment franchise in new geographies, new genres and with new digital business models.”

Sounds pretty heavy. But they didn’t talk all business jargon – they confirmed that a Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch (responsible for Call of Duty 3, and 2008’s World at War) will be released in 2010. In 2011, another CoD game from an unnamed developer will be released. And, furthermore, another CoD title will be developed by the upstart Sledgehammer Games, a studio headed by Dead Space creative leads Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey. Reportedly, Sledgehammer’s take on CoD will “extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre.”

Wait… really? I mean, uh. That could be cool? Iunno. All I can think about is the fact that one of my (newly) favorite franchises is well on its way to being transformed into an Activision cash-whore.

I mean, I guess that’s what it was before. In a way. But you know what I mean. Right?

New Metroid: Other M Cinematic Trailer Looks Dumb

I’m sorry, but it does. I mean, I guess I can sorta get behind this dramatic, story-driven new direction that Nintendo is taking with the Metroid franchise. Really, I can, because it would be great to get to know Samus a little more intimately. (Not that way.)

But if that’s what they’re gonna do, then the writing had better be good. Like, really damn good. Better than it is in this ridiculous, melodramatic, gameplay-devoid trailer.

Anyway. Now that I’ve torn the trailer to pieces. Enjoy it!

And that, as they say, is that. I’m off to play more Heavy Rain. ‘Till next time!

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, This Week is Copy Protected       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

HLLfinal

I’m baaaaaack!

Or, HLL is back, I should say. I feel like it’s been weeks since I sat down and wrote one of these things… and that’s probably because it has been. We did have the debut of the Audio Edition last Tuesday, if you recall (I’m sure it’s impossible to forget, as much as you’d probably like to) but HeyLookListen started as a written column, and those will never go away.

Now, will we see more audio editions in the future? Well, I can’t give any specifics at the moment (largely because I don’t know them myself) but I think it’s safe to say that you haven’t heard the last of HLL.

Get it? Heard the last? I’m implying that, y’know… there’ll be more audio editions.

Anyway. Let’s get on with it.

SamusMetroid: Other M Demoed, Dated

Nice. I’ve always been a strange breed of Metroid fan, but a fan nonetheless. I really love Metroid Prime 1+2, but I never did get into 3. I played Super Metroid all the way up to Ridley’s lair, and then for some reason, stopped playing forever. And that’s the extent of my Metroid experience.

We haven’t heard shit about Other M for almost a solid year until now, and it’s looking like a day one purchase for me. The concept intrigued me when it was first unveiled, and after reading through the slew of impressions now floating around the interwebs, I’m all but sold. For once, it looks like Nintendo is doing something very, very different, and that alone is enough to interest me.

For your convenience, I’ve provided links to gushy, fanboyish impressions from IGN (in which Matt Casamassina literally quotes all the dialog from the demo) as well as slightly more objective impressions from Kotaku. Both, however, seem to love the game. Other M has been confirmed for a June 27 release date in North America. Can’t wait.

And who knows, maybe I’ll finish up Prime 3 for posterity’s sake before then.

mediaMario Galaxy 2 Demoed, Dated

Hey, this headline is the same as the last one… except it’s Mario Galaxy 2 instead of Metroid.

I suppose I could have mentioned the fact that the Nintendo Media Summit just took place. Hence these two announcements. I’ve really never had much interest in Mario games of any kind, but Galaxy 2 is looking pretty sweet. For a Mario game. And that’s my educated opinion, after watching the trailer and not reading these Kotaku impressions I’m about to link you to. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve also provided the newest trailer for the game below.

Oh, and uh… here’s the boxart.

UR MI AY...? Whut? "UR MR GAY" was so much more straightforward.

UR MI AY...? Whut? "UR MR GAY" was so much more straightforward.

ffxiiiFinal Fantasy XIII is an 18 GB Install on 360

That’s between all three discs, naturally. Ve3tro.com was nice enough to provide exact sizes for all three discs:

  • Disc 1: 5.9GB
  • Disc 2: 5.8GB
  • Disc 3: 6.6GB

18.3 GB in total. Of course, it’s entirely optional to install. And it’s worth noting that the PS3 version sizes in at about 38 GB, so it literally more than twice the size of its 360 counterpart. And it’s all on one disc, too! Oh, the beauty of Blu-Ray.

heavy-rain-1New Line Optioned Heavy Rain Film

And, in fact, it’s technically still an “option,” as it were. Waaay back in 2006/2007, New Line Cinema (y’know, the people who distributed the Lord of the Rings movies) filed a “Short Form Option” for Quantic Dreams’ Heavy Rain. All this really means is that they have the option to make one, should such a thing be feasible. It has no financial contracts therein. The filing was discovered by internet sleuth Superannuation.

So really, this is nothing at all to get worked up about, just an interesting bit of trivia. And also a reminder that development on Heavy Rain really did start a looong time ago… now that I think about it, I do seem to remember the game being shown off before the PS3 had even been released. It’s been a long time coming.

On that note, I apologize for the complete lack of Heavy Rain-related content on Riddlethos this week. It’s been a little difficult, getting back from 8 days in Toronto and readjusting to normalcy. But I promise to have something written and posted before this week ends. Look for it!

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Posted in Heavy Rain Week, Hey! Look! Listen!       

Hey! Look! Listen! Audio Edition #001

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

HLLAudioEdition
Yup, we did it. Because Riddles is here in person, we decided to make Hey! Look! Listen! into an audio edition this time and debunk all the validity the feature has built up for the site. Pogo joins as a special guest and complete madness ensues. Please to enjoy.

Download directly here.

Subscribe to the RSS feed here.

Subscribe to it on iTunes here.

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Posted in Heavy Rain Week, Hey! Look! Listen!       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

HeyLookListenLogo1

Yes, it’s me. And yes, it’s Sunday. I’m not going to make this a “Riddles is a Lazy Jackass Edition” because I was also one of those things. Anyway, I was feeling nostalgic and decided to check news on the Nintendo Wii for the first time in weeks and weeks, so that’s what you’re getting today. Old Nintendo news. Excited? Let’s do this.

Looks cool, sure, but also like Twilight Princess...

Looks cool, sure, but also like Twilight Princess...

Nintendo spills the beans on some e3 plans
Woo, big surprises here. Mario and Zelda. While Galaxy 2 will very likely be a blast and I’m curious to see if Nintendo can save the slow death of the console Zelda, it’s not enough to get me giddy like it used to. But although it should be expected, it’s very hilarious that Nintendo plans on spending a hefty portion of their press conference showing off the Wii Vitality Sensor. I just mentioned this on the Megaphone’s Ahoy! Podcast, but why the hell would anybody want a device for gaming that literally requires you to stay as still as possible. I believe we had all hoped this had quietly disappeared into the terrible idea ether, but Nintendo seems intent in pushing forth. Oh well, we all need a good laugh. (IGN)

Major RPGs hitting up the Wii
Hmm… I don’t know what to make of this. Xenoblade, the supposed – but not confirmed – next title in the Xenosaga series will make an exclusive appearance, and a brand new Mistwalker brainchild, The Last Story will also be exclusive to Nintendo’s confused little console. While these strike me as potentially high quality titles, The Crystal Bearers and Tales of Symphonia 2 also had my hopes up. Dragon Quest IX on the DS makes sense to me, but I don’t think epic RPGs make sense on the Wii. Or at least they absolutely haven’t yet. (IGN)

Seriously, Mistwalker? The Last Story? You’re not even trying anymore.
At least “Lost Odyssey” tried to hide the fact that its title was a Final Fantasy rip-off. It also sounded cooler. Even if the game rocks, that name never will. (See: Kingdom Hearts: Dumb Name)

Metroid: Dumb Name seems to still exist.
Just like the Wii Vitality Sensor appeared to be a gimmick to make Oprah fans happy during the e3 press conference last year, hardcore fans were beginning to think that Metroid: Other M was a stunt to stave off angry fanboys who were finally beginning to crack under Nintendo’s heavily casual new direction. But, just like Nintendo’s stupid pulse checker, the newest game with the dumbest name has popped back into the news. There’s a Japanese teaser website that, of course, says nothing, but Nintendo did say that they’re aiming for a Summer 2010 release. …also just for Japan. Anyway, I’m not a massive Metroid fan, but I’ve got a casual eye on this game. (IGN)

Harder to keep in your pocket...

Harder to keep in your pocket...

iPad not scaring Sony and Nintendo.
Or not according to Sony and Nintendo, anyway. But what else would you expect? John Koller of Sony tried to make Apple’s success their own by stating,

“Apple’s entrance into the portable gaming space has been a net positive for Sony, when people want a deeper, richer console, they start playing on a PSP.”

Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata instead went on the slightly ironic attack by simply stating,

“It was a bigger iPod Touch”

I miss the fighting. Come back to us, Nintendo. (IGN)

Anyway, that’s that. Better than nothing, right? No? Piss off.

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, Mass Effect 2 Week       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

HLLfinal

Just to echo the sentiments of my current Facebook status, there really aren’t enough hours in a day.  So very much to do, and so little time to do it all. But, if I accomplish nothing else today, at least I can take pleasure in this Tuesday edition of Hey! Look! Listen!

Welcome to Hey! Look! Listen! everyone! I’m your host Oliver Motok, and I think I’m developing carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand. Makes typing this a bit painful, but I’m doing my best to ignore it. After all, the show must go on… am I right?

That’s enough directionless musing from me. Let’s move on to the meat of things.

vgmusicBoston Music College Training Videogame Composers

Berklee Music College in Boston is offering five different classes this semester that will teach students the many nuances of composing music specifically for videogames. By my knowledge, this is the first time an accredited university has offered something like this. From a Boston Globe report:

Berklee is offering five classes this semester in video game audio or game scoring. Sweet says his typical student is not only knowledgeable about state-of-the-art video games like Modern Warfare and BioShock but also has classroom experience in disciplines like sound production, voice acting, music technology, and film scoring.

Versatility and familiarity are important. In writing for games, composers must anticipate and create cues for the various layers and levels a player passes through. Story lines and scenes change rapidly and unpredictably. As technology improves and memory space expands, moreover, these games have grown more sophisticated, visually and sonically. Players’ expectations rise accordingly, creating a demand for such elements as a full orchestral score.

Interesting. I have absolutely no musical talent or inclinations, so I can’t offer any meaningful commentary – but, if nothing else, this is an intriguing concept. Is it useful or necessary? That I don’t know. Perhaps some of our more musically-inclined readers can comment below. (Kotaku).

Mass Effect 2BioWare Announces “Cerberus Pipeline” Service for Mass Effect 2

In a recent press release, BioWare announced that in order to access DLC for Mass Effect 2, players will use an in-game portal known as the Cerberus Pipeline. This portal is activated by a single-use code that comes packed with the game. Players who purchase the game used will be offered to purchase a new single-use code in-game.

The Cerberus Pipeline will give players access to “bonus content as well as daily messages and news on upcoming releases for Mass Effect 2 for no extra charge.” The first DLC pack will be released concurrently with the game (January 26) and will be given to players free of charge. Included in this pack is “a mission that introduces Zaeed, a rugged and deadly gun-for-hire who is recruited to join Commander Shepard’s mission to save mankind.” In short, you get a new mission and a new party member.

Well, that’s just neato! Mass Effect 2 hits stores in exactly one week. We plan on devoting an entire theme week to it here at Riddlethos, so stay tuned.

GoW3God of War III is Not the End

This hardly comes as a surprise, but I suppose it’s worth reporting.  Sony Santa Monica has stated that God of War III might be the end of the trilogy, but it’s not the end of the franchise. “This is not the end of God of War,” said John Hight, Sony Santa Monica’s director of product development ”This is definitely the end of the trilogy, but we’re going to continue to do God of War games.”

“We’re going to be very careful about what we do; we’re the keepers of the franchise and we don’t want to see it ruined or polluted.”

Well good, because neither do we. God of War III will hit Japan on March 25. A North American release is expected soon afterwards. (GamerVision via VG247).

Jordan ThomasGood Read: Kotaku Talks to BioShock 2’s Creative Director

The original BioShock remains my favorite game of this console generation, and it’s because I adore it so much that I’ve been skeptical about the relevance or necessity of a BioShock 2.

But I have to admit, in spite of my endless bitterness and negativity, I’ve been slowly warming up to BioShock 2 for a variety of reasons. This interview with Jordan Thomas, the game’s creative director, is one of those reasons. It honestly sounds like the guy is in this project for all the right reasons – and, as a fan, I can’t really ask for much more.

Hit the link below to read the full article; I’ll just spoil the ending for you here: “We genuinely believe Bioshock is more about asking questions than sending a message,” Thomas says. “We want to know your answers.” (Kotaku).

evil_bobbyBecause it Made Me Laugh: Bobby Kotick Admits that Activision’s Spider-Man Games Have “Sucked”

Bobby Kotick may be a greedy fat asshead, but at least he’s an honest greedy fat asshead. In the most recent Game Informer, this is what he had to say about his company’s Spider-Man games:

“Our Spider-Man games have sucked for the last five years. They are bad games. They were poorly rated because they were bad games.

“We went away from what is Spider-Man. It’s about web-slinging. If you don’t do web-slinging, what is the fantasy of Spider-Man?”

So. Does this mean we can now look forward to Spider-Man games that, y’know… don’t suck? Or does Mr. Kotick just have a penchant for stating the obvious? (Destructoid via Game Informer).

And that’s a wrap for today, folks. There is much else that requires my attention. Look for my first post concerning JRPG Relapse Week soon, in which I’ll announce what four games I’ll be playing.

‘Till then!

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, JRPG Relapse Week       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Friday, January 15th, 2010

HLLfinal

Wow, has it really been a full month since I wrote one of these things? Seems that way, since the last time we saw a Hey! Look! Listen! on Riddlethos was on December 15, and it is now, in fact, January 15.

Like Ethos and his Scatter Storming, I’M BACK, bitches. And so is HLL, your source for Riddlethos-flavored news. Without further ado, let’s cut to the chase.

assassinscreed26Assassin’s Creed III Announced, First Details Revealed

On Wednesday, Ubisoft officially announced that yet another Assassin’s Creed game for consoles was in development. Seeing that Assassin’s Creed II has already sold over six million units, this announcement is hardly a surprise. However, a few of the details released in tandem might seem a little out of left field.

For one, Ubisoft has stated that Assassin’s Creed III will feature (brace yourselves) online multiplayer. Details on how the hell it will work, or why the fuck Assassin’s Creed needs an online component, were not offered. I imagine we’ll find out, for better or worse. (Probably worse).

The second announcement isn’t as ridiculous, but it still came as a surprise to me, personally: Assassin’s Creed III will not feature a new historical setting, but rather, it will continue the story of Ezio in Renaissance-era Italy. I’m *tentatively* okay with this – so long as it doesn’t mean I’ll be retreading old ground. Ezio was a good character, far more likable than Altair. And 15th-century Italy has already proven its worth as a rich setting.

Perhaps the most frightening announcement, though is this: Assassin’s Creed III will be released sometime within “the 12 months ending March 2011.” In other words, it looks like Assassin’s Creed III is on track for a holiday 2010 release, which leaves Ubisoft Montreal with approximately half the time they took to develop Assassin’s Creed II. I’ll refrain from saying more here, because this item is already too lengthy – but suffice to say, I’ll be watching Assassin’s Creed III with interest and suspicion. (VG247).

New God of War III Screens Look… Godly

Well, that's a new one. I think.

Well, that's a new one. I think.

As I’ve already stated, with the recent release of Bayonetta, God of War III has a difficult act to follow. But if these screens are any indication, it’ll likely have Bayonetta beat in the graphics department. Check out all 14 new screens on Kotaku.

dsiA Successor to the Nintendo DS Is On the Way… Or Is It?

This one’s a tad convoluted, but bear with me. A few weeks ago, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun interviewed Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata. He talked about a few different things, including a successor to the Nintendo DS, and what such a device would be capable of. From the interview: “”[It will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing.”

But wait! In a classic case of corporate backpedaling, Nintendo released a statement about a week later claiming that their president’s words had been “misinterpreted.” That might be easier to swallow if Iwata had been speaking to, say, The Tennesseean. Or any publication that wasn’t, y’know… Japanese.

However, and much to their credit methinks, the Asahi Shimbun didn’t take this one lying down. Speaking to Kotaku Japan, they released this short and taciturn statement: “The article quoted Nintendo President Satoru Iwata’s comment accurately.”

Just to add further credibility to it all, industry research firm EEDAR has gone on the record stating that they “[expect] Nintendo to make an official announcement on the DS2 within the next eight months.” Their reasoning? Nintendo has always been the first to roll out a next-generation handheld. They also cite the fact that publishers such as Capcom and Ubisoft have essentially stated that they plan on reducing support for current-generation Nintendo hardware – particularly for the DS.

I’m inclined to agree. E3 2010, anyone? (Kotaku, VG247).

He looks... considerably less badass than Nathan Drake. But we can forgive him.

Nolan North Talks Voice Acting

Perhaps you’ve noticed my running love affair with Nolan North, the man who provides the voice for Uncharted 2’s Nathan Drake. Seriously, though, the guy is one of the best in the business, and GamePro just released a fantastic article that’s all about him. Believe it or not, the dude started out acting in soap operas. I’d say he’s come quite a ways since then, wouldn’t you? From the article:

“I feel terrible for Brad Pitt. The anonymity of voice over is one the biggest advantages of the job. You make a great living, support your family, and nobody’s going to bother you.”

Little-known secret: if I had to pick another dream job, (aside from my hopes of becoming a game journalist) it’d be videogame voicework. It’s an industry that has always intrigued me. I encourage you to read the full article on GamePro.

I Feel Like I’ve Seen This Somewhere Before

Below is a trailer for Tecmo’s upcoming third-person shooter, Quantam Theory. I don’t think I’ve seen such a derivative piece of work in quite some time. The gameplay shown off in the trailer clearly channels gameplay and aesthetic conventions from not one, but two different franchises. The first one is painfully obvious, but the other one might not be – if you can guess what it is, let me know in the comments below. (Hint: you’ll have to watch practically the entire trailer to catch the second one. You’ll be sorely tempted to turn it off after about sixty seconds, but don’t.)

Let’s Learn About Videogames!

I thought this was pretty damned interesting myself.
Videogame Statistics
Source: Online Education

I definitely do not spend 18 hours a week gaming. I feel like I’m being shorted somehow.

And that’s a wrap, folks! My fingers are now officially in pain, so it’s time to stop typing. Look for my next appearance in tandem with some thoughts on Devil May Cry 3.  ’Till then!

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Posted in Bayonetta Faceoff Week, Hey! Look! Listen!       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

HLLwinterOoooh! Wintery!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Winter Wonderland edition of Hey! Look! Listen! What’s so special about this Winter Wonderland edition? Nothing at all, other than the special revamped banner seen above. That image was yet another rejected possibility for the background to the Winter Week banner.

I like snow scenes, okay? Makes me wonder why the hell I’m living in Tennessee.  Who am I? I’m your host, Oliver “Riddles” Motok, and I’m well on my way to having not one, but two stunningly unproductive days in a row. How does that happen? Ah well, the completion of this column will count for something.  Hopefully.

Arkham Asylum 2 Announced

Wow, talk about unexpected. Anybody else catch the VGAs this past weekend? I watched bits and pieces on the crappy TV at work with no volume, and found them largely uninteresting, aside from this little gem of a teaser:

Well. My hopes for 2010 just got that much higher. No, the game hasn’t been confirmed for release next year, but I’m going to place my bets that will see it sometime next holiday season.

New Prince of Persia Details Emerge

As promised, a trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands premiered at the aforementioned VGAs. I’ve included it below for your viewing pleasure, but frankly it’s not much to gawk at.

No gameplay, no hints towards the storyline, just some average-looking cinematics coupled with a dramatic voiceover. Oh, and Ubisoft clearly needs to decide if they want their prince to look like Jake Gylenhaal, or the Prince we know and love from the original trilogy. Right now he appears to be in an odd sort of limbo.

However, while the trailer did nothing to ease my fears that The Forgotten Sands will be an ill-conceived cash-in on the upcoming movie, this interview with Michael McIntyre, the game’s level director, offered some hope.

The Forgotten Sands takes place shortly after 2003’s classic Sands of Time, and before the controversial sequel, Warrior Within. The Prince leaves Azad to visit his brother’s kingdom, only to find it under attack. And… that’s about all we know about the story so far. “The Forgotten Sands is another chapter in the SOT series, and is not tied to the movie in any way,” McIntyre said. Thank god for that, at least.

Oh, and the Prince will somehow have power over “nature itself” in Forgotten Sands. No other details were offered, but McIntyre says it will be “worth the wait.” Will it? Will it really? I’m glad to hear that it’s not a direct movie tie-in, but the proximity of the release dates is still cause for concern.

As Mass Effect 2 Draws Closer…

Check out the latest and greatest cinematic teaser for Mass Effect 2:

Excited yet?

Well, I didn’t plan on it, but it seems we’ve had another video edition, of sorts. My apologies to all of you using dial-up; but seriously, get with the times.

Farewell and goodnight for now!

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, Winter Week       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

HLLfinal

I”ve returned, faithful readers, to return my rightful position at the head of HLL.

I suppose I must once again begrudgingly thank Ethos for filling in for me. And also for penning that monster of a Spirit Tracks review directly below…

Let us move on to the news!

isaacDead Space 2 Confirmed

Well, this certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, but it’s officially official now. From the game’s official announcement:

“We’re thrilled to jump back into the series, making the next chapter in Isaac’s journey,” added Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of Dead Space 2. “The infection continues to spread throughout space and our hero Isaac Clarke is the only person able to contain it. There are still loads of Necromorphs that need killing. In Dead Space 2, not everything is exactly as it seems. Expect plot twists that will surprise you and a huge cast of twisted, disgusting monsters that are sure to scare the daylights out of you.”

This comes soon after the release of a teaser image, shown below. The text was soon decoded, and translated as “The nightmare is over but it will not end.”

deadspaceteaser

Makes no sense, but it sounds awesome. Needless to say, I’m quite excited, seeing that the original Dead Space is one of my favorite current-generation games. I’m also glad to hear that Isaac is back as the main character; maybe he’ll actually have something to say this time around…?

OH, and this just in: the next issue of Game Informer will feature the first details on the game. What a fantastic time for my subscription to run out. Here’s the full-cover spread below, revealing some notable upgrades in Isaac’s outfight:

gameinformer

Anticipation rises… (Kotaku, GameInformer).

yakuza3Yakuza 3 North American Release Officially Confirmed

Well this one isn’t much of a surprise either, frankly. Sega finally decided to stop playing coy and confirm a rumor that’s been going on for some time now. Writing on the European PlayStation Blog, SEGA Europe’s Online Community Manager had this to say:

One of my responsibilities as it were is dealing with our classic franchises, so I’m especially delighted to be able to at last confirm something that we’ve been working on for what seems like forever.
YAKUZA 3 IS COMING TO THE WEST!

The game will be released in March of 2010.

I’ve never played a Yakuza game before, and I’ve never really cared to. But for some strange reason, I find myself becoming more and more interested in playing Yakuza 3. Perhaps it’s just because I’ve been following the tumultous story of its North American release for months now. I think I might be a little preoccupied with a certain Final Fantasy XIII in the month of March, but I find myself with some extra cash and time, I might have to give Yakuza 3 a try. (European PlayStation Blog).

Check Out BioShock 2’s Big Daddy Wreaking Havoc

While this video doesn’t do much to ease my fear that BioShock 2 will be overly action-oriented, it is, admittedly, quite awesome.

As skeptical as I am about the game, I’m excited at the same time. A bit of an odd feeling, really.

And unfortunately, I think that’s all for today. Slow news week thus far. But while HLL may have been short today, Ethos’ review of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is most certainly not. Scroll down a bit, and give it a read.

‘Till next time!

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, Link's Choo Choo Week       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Friday, December 4th, 2009

HeyLookListenLogo1
Oh hey there. Remember Riddles? He doesn’t! He’s probably crying in some lost corner somewhere wondering where and who he is. That’s the absolutely only explanation I can think of why he didn’t come up with a Hey! Look! Listen! last night. But that’s okay, because there’s a wealth of news that I’m more than happy to bring you. So I, your temporary host, Ethan “Ethos the Great” Pipher, will guide you through the bizarre and depressing world of video games.

What I imagine the dude looks like

What I imagine the dude looks like

Man Completes World of Warcraft

Let’s start with the most depressing thing. Some sad sap recently “beat” World of Warcraft this week. Wow. WoW wow, even. I suppose he should be congratulated, but I just feel like crying. Especially because I feel I’m going to get the honour for Final Fantasy XIV when it comes out next year. MMOs are the games you’re not supposed to beat. (Destructoid).

White Knight Chronicles Gets North American Release Date

Took them freaking long enough. February 2. Still, with Mass Effect 2 and FFXIII, this one would need rave reviews for me to pick up. And looking at the reception in Japan, I’m not holding my breath. (IGN).

InFamous Sells Well Later and Opens Up DLC to Everyone

Infamous sold modestly when it first came out, but whether it was all the buzz, or people waiting to buy a slim, the numbers have jumped from around 200 000 at its release to 1.2 million now. To bring attention to this, Sucker Punch has dropped the price and is going to be releasing DLC that was previously only available as a pre-order incentive. It’s some “gigawatt” move or something. You power up the Delorean, I think. I don’t remember. I’m not terribly interested in that part of the story, so you can read the article if you are. (IGN).

Gran Turismo 5 Demo Coming This Year

Yessssss. This excites me, although with Forza 3 being so awesome, I have to admit that my enthusiasm is a little tamer than it would have been. Still, it’s nice to see all these games like Final Fantasy XIII and Gran Turismo 5 show that they are, in fact, going to be released before I die. Presumably anyway. Maybe Riddles is MIA because he’s come up here to kill me. (IGN).

KateBowmanMass Effect 2 Discs

SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!?! I used “2″ twice! Because it’s Mass Effect 2, and it’ll be on 2 discs! WOW, I’m incredible. But it’s true. On the PC, it just means a 2 disc install. On the 360 it means you’ll have one (and only one) disc swap at one carefully chosen point in the game. I’m sure some people are grumbling, but I don’t care about the swapping one bit. Although it does likely mean that the game will be longer. I know that’ll make some happy, but I loved the length of the last game, so I’m lukewarm on that thought. Either way, that’s the story. Oh yeah, and there’ll be a 3rd disc of bonus stuff if you get the Collector’s Edition. (IGN).

Done! That’s better than Riddles’ typical pile of shit, right?

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, Wind Waker Week       

Hey! Look! Listen!

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

HLLfinal

Good… uh, early MORNING everyone, and welcome to yet another edition of Hey! Look! Listen! As per always, I’m your host Oliver “Riddles” Motok, and I’m here with a smattering of news stories and oddities that managed to catch my eye.

In case you haven’t guessed already, I’ve failed at playing any Wind Waker this week. However, the week is far from over, so there is time. That game happens to be my second favorite Zelda, hot on the heels of the immortal Ocarina of Time. So naturally, I’m pretty excited about re-visiting it.

Shall we?

PrinceofPersiaWarriorWithinUbisoft Announces New Prince of Persia Game

I don’t think I’ve ever been so simultaneously thrilled and terrified by a game revelation in my life. Ubisoft has recently announced that Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will be released for both consoles and handhelds in May, coinciding with the upcoming film. Reportedly, the game will feature “fan-favorite elements from the original series,” as well as “new gameplay innovations.”

Why is this awesome? Because it’s a) Prince of Persia and b) a return to the Sands of Time universe, which is INFINITELY preferable to the cel-shaded universe of the recent series reboot.

Why is it terrifying? Well… because it’s a movie tie-in. While I can’t imagine that Ubisoft would mar the integrity of one of their most respected franchises, it’s still an unpleasant thought, given the quality of most film tie-ins. Secondly, Ubisoft DID NOT announce if this was a return to the Sands of Time videogame universe, or a game based on the film itself. (i.e, featuring the likenesses of the actors and such). If that turns out to be the case, no corner of the internet will be safe from my wrath. Let’s just say I’m tentatively both stoked and enraged. (Kotaku, 1UP).

Final Fantasy XIII Boxart, Length Revealed

The fact that Final Fantasy XIII will be mine in four months still hasn’t quite hit me yet. Not sure why, but regardless, the internet isn’t going to rest until my anticipation has reached the breaking point. Have a look at the game’s recently-revealed boxart:

FFXIIIboxart

My verdict: not bad, though extremely simplistic, and the Xbox 360 version wins for showing more leg.

While I’m on the subject: Final Fantasy XIII director Motomu Toriyama has gone on the record stating the the game will be a whopping 50-60 hours long. “For XIII, the size of the entire game is considerable,” said Toriyama.  ”Just running through the main story takes experienced players over 50 hours. For the first time, I think it’s possible to play through in full in about 60 hours or so.”

Good to know some things never change, I guess. Lord knows I’ll be punching in every hour and then some. (Kotaku, 1UP).

ac2screen2Assassin’s Creed II DLC Forthcoming

I rarely give a shit about downloadable content, but Ubisoft might change my mind with what they have planned for Assassin’s Creed II. Two different DLC packs have been announced, scheduled for release in January and February of 2010. They are entitled Battle of Forli and The Bonfire of the Vanities, respectively.

Those who have played and finished Assassin’s Creed II know that late in the game, the story skips a rather large chunk of time. (11 years, to be precise – it jumps from 1488 to 1499).  Also, it skips two chapters – jumping from “Memory Sequence 11″ to “Memory Sequence 14.”

Perhaps you’re picking up on something here? If  you need further proof, the Bonfire of the Vanities is an actual historical event that took place in Florence during the year 1497. Fits right in the aforementioned 11 year gap.

Oh, and Ubisoft is telling gamers to keep 1 GB of space available for each DLC, meaning these additional chapters will be quite lengthy indeed. (Kotaku).

Check Out Mass Effect 2’s New Asari Babe

I’m sorry, but Liara will not be making the cut as long as this chick’s around. All I can say at this point is damn.

Yakuza 3 Listing Found on Amazon Germany

It’s easy to forget that Yakuza 3 isn’t ACTUALLY confirmed for release outside of Japan. However, Sega’s persistent “no comments” and now this Amazon listing act as a sort of de facto announcement if you ask me. Apparently the game is set for a March release. I’d give you the link, but it’s apparently (and unsurprisingly) been taken down. Yakuza fans rejoice; I know you’re out there. I’m not one of them, though… seeing that I’ve, uh, never tried the series out. (1UP).

Nintendo Scales Back Wii Production

A report from Nikkei states that two Japanese companies, Mitsumi and Hosiden, are facing staggering losses in profit due to “declining fortunes” of Nintendo’s Wii. In case you’re slow on the uptake, Mitsumi and Hosiden are companies that assemble, among other things, Wii systems. Fewer Wiis being sold means fewer Wiis being assembled. All said, both companies are reportedly looking at net profit losses of over 50 percent. Ouch.

I find it rather humorous that, after years of keeping Wii production low, (likely for the sole purpose of stirring hype) Nintendo ramps it up, only to cut it back again with startling quickness. Or… maybe it’s all part of their evil plan. I don’t know. They’re devious little bastards like that. (Kotaku).

And that, as they say, is that! My goodness it’s late. Early. Whatever. Good thing I have to work for 10-11 hours tomorrow! Time to grab my four hours of sleep. Catch you on the flip side.

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Posted in Hey! Look! Listen!, Wind Waker Week       

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