News

First pics out for two 10th anniversary Tales

Posted by: Randy at 2/27/2008 11:54 PM - Comments (0)
More On: Namco Bandai
Surviving an entire decade in video game land is no small feat.  But Namco Bandai has at one franchise in its roster celebrating a 10-year anniversary: the Tales anime role-playing series.  And 2008 won't see just one Tales tale, but two Tales tales:  Tales of Vesperia is coming to the Xbox 360, and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is coming to the Wii.  The former follows ex-knight Yuri as he unwraps a nefarious plot to use the ancient "blastia" technology to control or destroy civilization; and the latter follows two young heroes investigating their own world's fall into ruin.  We've got the first images right here; and sorry for the mix n' matching, but the 5th (crystal caverns), 6th (balcony), and 7th (crossed swords) images are from ToS:DotNW while the rest are from ToV.  The ToV artwork is particularly outstanding.
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namco bandai games CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY OF TALES SERIES WITH TWO NEW GAMES in 2008

 

Tales of Vesperia™ for Xbox 360® and Tales of Symphonia®: Dawn of the New World™ for Wii™ Highlight Celebrated Role-Playing Series’ First Decade

 

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (February 27, 2008) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced Tales of Vesperia™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Tales of Symphonia®: Dawn of the New World™ for Wii™. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Tales franchise in North America, these two new games expand the series’ winning combination of real-time combat, captivating storylines and remarkable graphics while introducing original elements that set a new standard for role-playing gameplay and interactive storytelling.

 

The debut of the Tales series on the Xbox 360, Tales of Vesperia launches the series to new heights of interactive narrative and engrossing gameplay with incredible anime-style graphics, a captivating storyline and characters as well as an upgraded battle system. Set in a world reliant on a mysterious ancient technology known as “blastia,” the game follows former knight Yuri as he delves into a shadowy plot to use these magical devices to control civilization, or destroy it.

 

A bold new interpretation of the elements that made the Tales series a hit with gamers around the world, Tales of Vesperia delivers a standard-setting RPG experience on the Xbox 360. Using an all-new graphics engine and character designs by the renowned Kosuke Fujishima (Ah! My Goddess, Sakura Taisen), the game delivers high-quality HD character models and environments that are indistinguishable from traditional cel-based anime. The game also makes significant additions to the series’ trademark real-time combat system, allowing players to do battle in massive battlefields and learn new special attacks that are tied to individual weapons. New finishing blows allow players to take down enemies in a single hit with correctly timed button combinations, while mission-based battles increase the variety of each encounter as players gain unique items by fulfilling various battle objectives.  Players can also use materials collected by successfully executing finishing moves to craft rare and unique equipment for their characters.

 

Set two years after the events of the award-winning Tales of Symphonia for the Nintendo GameCube™, Dawn of the New World follows the journey of two new young heroes, Emil Castagnier and Marta Lualdi, as they seek to uncover the mystery of why their world has fallen into ruin. In their quest, their paths will cross with the original cast of Tales of Symphonia including Lloyd and Colette, as well as a summon spirit known as Ratatosk who claims to be the lord of all monsters.

 

Advancing the combination of story, characters and real-time battles that made Tales of Symphonia one of the best-selling and highest-rated role-playing games for the Nintendo GameCube, Dawn of the New World introduces a new monster recruitment feature in which players can capture more than 200 unique enemies and train them to actively participate in battle. Players can then feed these monsters to make them more effective, and even evolve them into several new fearsome forms. The game also features an updated real-time battle system that lets players move freely in all directions around the battlefield, execute powerful unison attacks and take advantage of a new elemental alignment system for even more strategic depth. Dawn of the New World gives players complete control over a full roster of Tales of Symphonia characters and ally monsters, letting them customize their adventure party into hundreds of unique combinations.

 

“The Tales series is one of our most successful and well-regarded franchises, and we’re celebrating its 10th anniversary in a big way with two new games that redefine role-playing on the Xbox 360 and Wii,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “Not only can gamers look forward to playing these two incredible titles later this year, but we’ll be supporting special anniversary-themed programs throughout the year to thank all the fans of the series for their dedication and enthusiasm.”

 

Tales of Vesperia for the Xbox 360 and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for Wii will be available in stores later this year. Tales of Vesperia is currently featured in the March issue of Play magazine, and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is featured in the March issue of Nintendo Power magazine, both now on sale nationwide. For more information on the Tales series, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

 

New patch for Dominions 3

by: Nathan - posted: 8/30/2008 7:23 AM - Comments (0)
"It has been nearly two years since the release of Dominions 3: The Awakening.  Two years post release can be a desolate time for most games.  Patches dry up.  Developers have moved onto their next project.  The community ends up a shell of its former glory.  And the games themselves at that point?  Forgotten, their ghosts occasionally conjured on a forum, gone as quickly as they come.
Most games.  But Dominions 3: The Awakening isn't most games. "
OK well the press release is a little over the top (waaaay over) but it gets to the point. After two years developer Shrapnel Games is still releasing patches for Dominions 3:The Awakening. Of course this is good news for fans of the game and if you have never heard of Dominions 3 then by all means CLICK HERE and download theDEMO. Or if your already sucked into the fantasy world that is Dominions then CLICK HERE for the PATCH [READ MORE]

Space combat MMO, Ace Online, goes open beta

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 3:22 AM - Comments (0)
Just over two weeks ago, Korean developer Yedang Online and American publisher Wicked Interactive announced a strategic partnership to launch three MMOs in the US this year.  Even though Priston Tale 2 is their star player, Ace Online (formerly known as Space Cowboy Online) has got its open beta off the launchpad.  This one's free to play, a mix of traditional MMORPG elements and twitch-based aerial combat, has four unique starfighters ("gears") to choose from, thousands of customizable weapons, PvP combat, and in-game voice chat with squad mates.  These six new screens can tell you more:
[READ MORE]

Screenwriters sending cheek swabs into outer space

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 3:09 AM - Comments (0)
Okay, it looks like Richard Garriott's "Immortality Drive" stunt is starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel.  Not that I've personally been invited, so perhaps this barrel goes deeper.  But instead of high-profile names putting their digitized DNA into the drive, we've got a smattering of nine script writers for sci-fi films, television shows, and comedies.  Among them is Heather E. Ash, television writer for the Stargate SG-1 series; Melvyn B. Sherer, television and comedy writer with credits that include Married with Children and Happy Days; and Daniel Fiorella, longtime contributor to both Mad Magazine and Cracked.

Lord / General / Astronaut British is still scheduled for an October 12th flight to the International Space Station (ISS).  Provided there are no delays.  Which there always are.  And, as a whole, if this mad-scientist scheme doesn't get you to play Tabula Rasa -- nothing will. [READ MORE]

News Roundup: Hell's Silkroad Highway

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 2:36 AM - Comments (0)
DEMOS
  • Euro Truck Simulator Demo [European long haul simulation]
  • Tank Universal Demo [virtual tank combat]
VIDEOS
SCREENSHOTS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, GamersGlobal, Apolyton.net, AtomicGamer, Cryptic Studios, Digit-Life, and Legit Reviews for today's News Roundup.

The Dragon Age community is (given) a bunch of tools

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 2:07 AM - Comments (0)
Ever since BioWare released the Neverwinter Nights toolset in 2002, they've brazenly put the power of creation in their community's hands, and have never looked back.  BioWare is following that fine tradition by revealing details on their upcoming Dragon Age: Origins toolset at PAX this Sunday.  Here's some bulletpoints to tantalize, however:
  • Create Original Adventures -- Using the rich set of Dragon Age assets and locations as starting blocks, users can modify these stunning areas by adding new quests, characters and scripting to craft their own adventures, fate-defining conversations and cut-scenes.  [Notably less Tolkein-y, let's hope. - ed.]
  • Powerful Script Editor -- Users can fully customize combat and creature AI, allowing them to create detailed action sequences full of heart-pounding party-based tactical combat.
  • Content Creators Community -- BioWare plans to have a dedicated community are online where content creators can share content easily and get content updates for the toolset.
  • Ongoing Toolset Content Updates -- BioWare plans to release additional assets and features for the toolset in the future, allowing for expanded creation of new areas.
Well, well.  That certainly takes care of Gamer Bill of Rights #3 from StarDock.  Here's some screenshots (not new) that gives a hint at what the Dragon Age toolbox can dish out:
[READ MORE]

New dance: The "Red Alert 3 Step"

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 1:42 AM - Comments (0)
The Command & Conquer series is about to enter into those awkward teenage years as it prepares to celebrate its 13th birthday.  But this is one of those celebrations where the birthday kid gives you the presents.  I know.  This Sunday, August 31st, you can download the first Command & Conquer: Red Alert for free.  There's no better four-letter f-word in the English language.  (Well...)  But not only that, if you pre-order Red Alert 3, then you'll also get Red Alert 2 for free, too.  That's the "Red Alert 3 Step."
  • Step 1 -- Download the original Red Alert from www.RedAlert3.com starting Sunday, August 31st.  For free.
  • Step 2 -- Pre-Order Red Alert 3 from participating retailers and receive Red Alert 2.  For free.
  • Step 3 -- Pick up your pre-ordered copy of Red Alert 3 when the game hits this holiday season.  (Not for free.  Red Alert 3 is $49.99 standard edition, $64.99 premier edition.)
That's three games for as little as 50 bucks.  And that comes fully equipped with a Maxim-worthy cast including Jenny McCarthy (aka Hot Allied Barracks Girl), Gemma Atkinson (aka Hot Allied Lieutenant), Gina Carano (aka Hot Russian Poster Girl), Autumn Reeser (aka Hot Mystery Girl?), and Kelly Hu (aka Hot Mystery Girl #2).  Sorry.  Didn't mean to turn this into Spike TV. [READ MORE]

Lara Croft shows off her skills with the big cats in new Underworld demo

by: Chuck - posted: 8/30/2008 1:27 AM - Comments (0)
Poor Lara Croft, she's always exploring new places, meeting new animals, and then being forced to kill them.  Here's a new trailer from Tomb Raider:Underworld that has  Ms. Croft exploring a Thai temple and having to take on a pair of tigers.

Yakuza 2 screens profile four new characters

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 1:12 AM - Comments (0)
These screens from Yakuza 2, a mix of cut scenes and fight scenes, throw four different characters into the Asian gangster mix.  Daigo Dojima, the dude in the white puffy coat; Kaoru Sayama, the chick in the sharp pants suit; Kazuma Kiryu, the dude in the unbuttoned white suit; and Ryuji Goda, the dude in the fur-lined coat.  The screens don't elicit much excitement in and of themselves, but I always like the sound of "Japanese underworld" when reading a game's premise.

Yakuza 2 ships to retailers on September 9th (see it on shelves the 10th) for the Playstation 2.
[READ MORE]

Rolling Stones' favorite, Locksley, now in Rock Band Music Store

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 12:54 AM - Comments (0)
Added to the Rock Band Music Store is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "25 Best Bands on MySpace":  the Brooklyn-based Locksley.  Locksley contributed a three-pack of songs from their 2007 album Don't Make Me Wait, to include the rollicking drums of the title track, the rollicking guitar licks of "All Over Again," and the rollicking, semi-screamy hooks of "She Does."  It's definitely some tweenie, Generation Y garage pop rock that won't leave Gen X too embarrassed to download it too.

Each track is $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) for one month, but doubles to $1.99 per track (160 Microsoft Points) after that. [READ MORE]

Burn your soul this weekend with Soul Calibur IV demo

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 5:14 PM - Comments (0)
If you wanted to see why Sean liked Soul Calibur IV so much you'll be happy to know that Namco has finally released a demo of the game on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.  I finally got the chance to play the game still feels great to play but I'm still re-learning a lot of my old moves and combos.  Still if you're looking for something to do this weekend and aren't at PAX this is a good way to kill some time. [READ MORE]

Sins of a Solar Empire expanding

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 5:01 PM - Comments (1)
Sins of a Solar Empire was one of the more original strategy games of the year (see Tyler's review) and the folks at Stardock are going to be expanding the series in a unique way.  Instead of larger expansion packs they are going to be rolling out smaller "micro-expansions" over the next year or so.  The first pack, Sins of a Solar Empire: Entrenchment is slated for release later this year and will only set you back $10.  The new pack will add a new Starbase defense platform that you can upgrade over time and allow for a lot of cheap Deathstar jokes.

The other two packs will focus on diplomacy and ship enhancements.   No details on their release were provided.  [READ MORE]

EA looking for your help in choosing new free maps for Battlefield:Bad Company

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 4:56 PM - Comments (0)
Battlefield: Bad Company fans will be happy to know that EA is going to be releasing free multiplayer maps in the near future.  The catch is they want your help in choosing which single player missions to port over for multiplayer mayhem.  All you have to do is going to the official website and log your vote for which map you want to be able to blow to hell with your friends.  The new maps will utilize the old school Conquest style combat rather than the new gold rush mode so make sure to pick ones that are at least semi-symmetrical. [READ MORE]

Stardock announces Gamer Bill of Rights

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 4:50 PM - Comments (2)
The folks at Stardock released their Gamer Bill of Rights which addresses everything from the purchase experience to the ownership rights and everything in between.  It's a good list of items and I'm interested to see if more PC developers jump on board this or not.  Here's the full list:

1) Gamers shall have the right to return games that don’t work with their computers for a full refund.
2) Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
3) Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game’s release.
4) Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
5) Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will play adequately on that computer.
6) Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won’t install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their consent.
7) Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
8) Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
9) Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
10) Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play.

These are especially important as we move toward digitally distributing games but it's going to require a lot of honesty on the part of gamers and I hope that we can live up to our part of the bargain. [READ MORE]

NHL 2K9 goes gold, skates into stores on September 9th

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:14 PM - Comments (0)
The NHL2KX hockey series used to be the best in the business until two years ago when EA passed them with their superb skill stick.  The folks at 2K Sports know this which is why they've gone back and re-tooled the game quite a bit for NHL 2K9 which went gold today.  Ben had some reservations about the Xbox 360 demo but the demo was a little too short to get a good feel for everything in the game.  I know he's also stoked about the Wii version of the game as he's been anxiously waiting a Wii hockey game for years.  I guess we'll get to see how good the idea is when it's released on September 9th. [READ MORE]

Gaming Gibs for 8/29/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:08 PM - Comments (1)
Here are a few things I missed while marking my territory:

Launch trailer for Mercenaries 2 not going to win friends in Venezuela

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:40 AM - Comments (1)
At E3 I asked  Mercenaries 2 lead designer Scott Warner about the whole political controversy of setting a game in Venezuela and he mentioned that it didn't really impact their design at all but after seeing this trailer you have to wonder if Caesar Chavez isn't going to raise a fuss about the Americans creating a simulator to help people learn to invade his country.  While there's no obvious connection I do think that people are going to enjoy blowing stuff up in this game and it's not like you don't have the option of working for the government forces.

News Roundup: Ultimate Ninja Ninjatown Ninjas Dodgeball

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 11:38 PM - Comments (0)
PATCHES
VIDEOS
SCREENS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, TheTechLounge, AtomicGamer, Crackle, Digit-Life, and Techgage for today's News Roundup.

Wizard101 School of Death gets lively

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:53 PM - Comments (0)
Perhaps in response to the mini-diatribe I posted against Wizard101's over-recycled use of their own assets, these new screens -- depicting the family-friendly-titled School of Death Magic -- at least change up the camera angles a few times.  I can honestly appreciate how their summoning room doesn't just summon the creature itself, but conjures the creature's environment along with it.
[READ MORE]

Silent Hill: Homecoming king is a boy named Josh

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:33 PM - Comments (0)
Find the boy, save the town.  Silent Hill: Homecoming switches up an old horror archetype by using a disturbed little boy instead of a disturbed little girl for that added creepy factor.  This video is about a kid named Josh.  Finding him will change everything.

SBK-08 screenshots capture fair-weather umbrella girls

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:01 PM - Comments (0)
Filling out the previous screenshot profile we have for SBK-08: Superbike World Championship, these six new images reiterate all the slippery-when-wet roads, blurry speeds, brand-jammed bikes, and -- this is a first look -- the scantily-clad umbrella girls.  No clue what the umbrellas are for, but what the heck.
[READ MORE]

Geek Dad Takes a Shot at Super Swing Golf Season 2

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 4:08 PM - Comments (0)
Wired Blog Network's Geek Dad has a review up for Super Swing Golf Season 2 for the Wii as part of his Parents' Guide series. He gives a detailed break down of what, where, why, how, when, who for the title and compares it to two other golf games: We Love Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour '09.

Geek Dad describes how the game handles using the Wiimote to simulate swinging a club. The only thing I would add is that as with bowling it's imperative to use the strap, unless you really wanted to buy a new television anyway. Geek Dad also gives gamers a heads up that playing 18 holes can take an hour or more playing solo and potentially much longer with a bunch of friends. Apparently it could be time well spent as you'll actually learn a little about the sport.
While Super Swing Golf doesn't quite have the level of detail of We Love Golf, and lacks the serious weighty proceedings of Tiger Woods, it still manages to provide the majority of information the player needs to make their shot selection.
Ultimately experts looking for a hardcore golfing experience are better off sticking with Tiger Woods. For kids and amateurs, it's a solid pick. If you've been looking for a golf videogame, check out Geek Dad's review of Super Swing Golf Season 2 before making your final decision.

NCsoft's "Positron" Talks Mission Architect Toolset for City of Heroes

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 3:05 PM - Comments (0)
City of Heroes Lead Designer Matt "Positron" Miller has issued a letter to the community on the Issue 13: "Architect" update. He starts out by addressing the biggest new addition to CoH, the Mission Architect. This toolset will allow players to take their ideas for heroic adventures and create them from the ground up. There has been much concern (read shouting) over how to balance the system's rewards. It's not meant to spawn a bunch of scenarios that pander to "easy leveling" or "badging" or "farming". The NCsoft team is working on it and feels they've come up with a system that isn't "abusable." Positron is realistic enough to understand that virtually any system is abusable, but promises the team will keep tweaking it until they get it right.

The other big news is the "Booster Packs" coming out in an month or so. Due to popular demand, players will be able to buy the 30 day temporary jetpack from the CoH card game to use in the CoH MMO for $4.99. The Super Booster I: Cyborg Pack will also be available for CoH. The pack boasts an awesome set of costume pieces, emotes, auras and a power and will go for $9.99. For Positrons full letter visit the City of Heroes Community Site. You'll also find more specs on the update in a separate feature list for Issue 13: "Architect."

The Further Adventures of Vault Dweller, Master of Puppets Continues on Fallout Website

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 2:21 PM - Comments (2)
Heads up all you Fallout and Penny Arcade fans. Your favorite web-comic artists have taken time out from prepping for PAX to upload a sixth strip to their Penny Arcade Comic on Bethesda's official Fallout website. The strip tells the tale of one lonely vault dweller and a crate of puppets.

The site is age gated due to the game's rating but well worth the small hassle for the wealth of Fallout 3 information within. Make sure to check out any strips you missed in the Vault.