Videogame Leak-A-Thon!

  • Author: Marty Day
  • Filed under: gaming
  • Date: Jun 17,2008

This is why you secure your websites, kids.

Thanks to an unsolicited marketing survey e-mail, and then in turn, their site having really poor security, a metric ton of forthcoming game information leaked, just weeks before mid-July’s E3 conference (where all the big companies drop info for the next year+).

Amongst the juicy tidbits found?

  • Microsoft will be adapting Nintendo’s popular “Mii” program, with their own user creations titled “Avatars” (seen above).
  • Guitar Hero IV will retail for $180 (with new touch senstive guitar and drum kit), and feature Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, and Muse amongst the artists.
  • Future Marvel titles in the pipeline: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (set during the CIVIL WAR storyline), Spider-Man vs. Marvel Zombies (self explanatory, I feel), and an untitled Wii Spider-Man game using the Wii Fit Balance Board.

In addition, details were found about future Tony Hawk installments, the next Transformers game, and a karaoke title for the 360 currently titled Lips.

For all the details, check out the thread where all this originated, over at the NeoGAF Forums.


I Don’t Even Need To Bother With Bus Trips Anymore!

  • Author: Marty Day
  • Filed under: gaming
  • Date: May 14,2008

2481355857_5bcfb78406.jpg

Playing Grand Theft Auto 4 these past few weeks has been quite the experience.  Not only is the scope of the title completely unrivaled, but Rockstar really outdid themselves with the level of approximation of New York City in the games fake-location Liberty City.

Of course, I didn’t realize how well they did until I saw this great Flickr set of images, titled Sightseeing In Liberty City, which compares the fictional Liberty City to the real-life New York City.

Props to Flickr member Matthew Johnson for compiling this set, which you can view here.


I Heart Next Gen Gaming

  • Author: Marty Day
  • Filed under: gaming
  • Date: May 13,2008

As some of you reading this may know, I seriously made the leap into this generation of gaming, owning a PS3, 360 and Wii.

While my time lately has been eaten up by Mario Kart Wii and GTA4, I still have many a great game to look forward to.

These two trailers are just a taste of the innovative titles to come this year. And I can’t wait for either.

First, the amazing first-person free running game Mirror’s Edge…

Secondly, the latest trailer for the blockbuster in the making, METAL GEAR SOLID 4 (why yes, that is Don LaFontaine!)

What say you, good readers? What games are you looking forward to?


Earlier this month, Midway started the hype train for the eighth Mortal Kombat title, with the rather cryptic (kryptic?) NOOB.com website, featuring a website counting down to today.

With the countdown ending, we were left with only a bizarre blurred image of Scorpion.

However, this didn’t stop Midway from revealing the truth behind Mortal Kombat 8.

You’re probably going to want to sit down for this.

I’ll wait.

….

dvt4x4.jpg

Not a dream. Not a hoax. Mortal Kombat 8 is actually….

MORTAL KOMBAT Vs. DC UNIVERSE

I can’t say I understand it at all, and honestly, I’m a bit worried.

Aside from the surreal juxtaposition of 2 major nerd franchises (one which is far, far lower in stature compared to their 90’s heyday), it’s not sounding too impressive already…

Infamous gaming blog Kotaku posted the early scoop on the title, and this doesn’t sound good…

Wondering why DC comics would seemingly sign onto a project that would let Scorpion rip Wonder Woman’s head off? You know…kill a superhero? So were we. So were you. This might explain it: a former Midway employee has contacted us and said that he worked on the game, and that Mortal Kombat v DC features “no fatalities and little-to-no blood”. In other words, “MK is dead”. No blood, no fatalities…if this is true, why is this game called Mortal Kombat again?

The words of an angry ex-employee? Or a look into what’s to come?

In the bizarre world of fighting games this generation, we’ve seen Street Fighter return to glory, Star Wars characters mix it up with the cast of Soul Calibur, and now we’re apparently going to see Scorpion hand Nightwing his ass…will it all pay off? Time will tell.

Until then, I’m going to pick my jaw up from the floor.

EDIT, 3:43PM- The first embargoed details on this surreal pairing are hitting the web. Gamespot.com has an early preview here, and you can watch the first trailer courtesy of Games Radar here.


Further Proving My Belief That Target Is Awesome…

  • Author: Marty Day
  • Filed under: gaming, swag
  • Date: Mar 27,2008

indiegamingshirtsomgattarget.jpg

Name 3 things somewhat highbrow nerdy people such as myself like…

  1. Indie games.
  2. Designer t-shirts.
  3. Cheap deals.

So of course, when fantastically awesome mass-market retailer Target (who I’ve long considered the Google to say, Wal*Mart’s Yahoo!), decides to sell somewhat stylish t-shirts along with free games on a CD-ROM from the Experimental Gaming Project, my ears perk up.

Each shirt design comes from the creators, with CD-Roms containing a full game (no shareware here), for just $12!  Apparently, the shirts aren’t available at all Targets yet, but you better believe I’m keeping an eye out.

The official site for this “EGPApparel” project is here, but it’s not quite finished yet.  Here’s to corporate America supporting the creation and gestation of new media. Hopefully this project is successful, and more people can support their unique creations this way.

Thanks to Joystiq for the story.