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Hellgate: London Logo

Here’s a quick rundown of what we learned about Hellgate: London as I got a tour of a few levels with Tyler Thompson, Flagship Studio’s director of technology.

Platform: PC

Release date: Still shooting for summer 2007 - which, let’s face it, is right now. According to Tyler, “We’re still working for that. If it takes a little bit longer, then we’ll let it take a little bit longer.” In industry speak that means, “If you don’t see it by August, you’ll see it for the holidays.”

Look: Flagship Studios, at its top levels, is populated by ex-Blizzard brains, including Diablo creators Erich Schaefer and David Brevik (and don’t forget Bill Roper, who played an integral role in the Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo series). So, think Diablo, but much, much better looking. Tyler told me that the game is in the alpha stage. I’m used to seeing games in alpha looking a bit rough around the edges. This game was, in the levels he toured me, free of jaggies and visual glitches. The word that comes to mind is “shiny.” I found it to be very reminiscent of Diablo in look and feel. Of course, bear in mind the tour was guided, which means I only got to see the best looking areas.

The biggest improvement in look, and, ultimately, playability, is the improved camera from Diablo 2. Gone is the fixed, third-person isometric camera in favor of 360-degree, fully rotational viewing.


More after the break.

Click to continue reading E3 2007: Preview: Hellgate: London


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Fallout 3 teaser poster

Here’s a quick rundown of what we learned from Bethesda‘s demonstration of Fallout 3.

Story: Post-apocalyptic teen ventures out of underground vault in which he’s been born and raised to find his dad and his fate in new-post nuclear world. Mutants, animals and humans hate you.

Setting: Washington DC, both downtown and outskirts.

Look: It’s Bethesda. Of course it looks good - for a post apocalyptic world. Very cool mix of art deco and post-modern ‘50s kitsch.

More after the break.

Click to continue reading E3 2007: Preview: Fallout 3 Details And Impressions


I’m a huge, huge fan of Unreal Tournament – I have been ever since the original was released on PCs nearly a decade ago. It’s about time we got a true sequel, as opposed to the incremental upgrade of Unreal Tournament 2004 (it’s been what, nearly five years since the true sequel in UT 2003?). The gameplay footage above focuses on vehicles quite a bit, but you can tell that this is still the same fast-paced, crazy shooter that made the original game so special. I can’t wait for some next-gen Instagib.


Latest Gear Live Videos

This post make your head explodeThere were plenty of releases on the Xbox Live Marketplace this week, and thanks to Major Nelson we can now easily compile it all for you en masse. Demos, trailers, Arcade games – you name it, you got it. Apologies if anything was missed, but there was an insane amount of content. Hit up the comments section if you like this story and would like to see a weekly round-up of downloadable content each week. And just as a warning: if lists irritate you, your head will likely explode if you check out the rest of the story after the break.

Demos:

  • NCAA Football 08
  • Blue Dragon
  • Ace Combat 6 (campaign)
  • Stuntman: Ignition
  • The Bigs
  • Harry Potter OOTP

Click to continue reading E3 2007: This Week’s Xbox Live Marketplace Content Update


Depending on what you’re expecting from Halo Wars, you’re either going to be very happy or very disappointed. From all indications, Halo Wars looks like it’s going to be a straight-up RTS with a Halo theme. If you were hoping for something more innovative (that’s not to say the game won’t be innovative, but from this 30 second clip nothing really jumped out), you’re going to be upset with what Ensemble Studios has to show.


Dave KarrakerDave Karraker, head of PR for Sony Computer Entertainment America, must be having one hell of a day. From all indications, it seems like the 60GB SKU will only be available in the US for as long as the current supply can sustain it. After that, the only option will be the 80GB SKU for $599. Naturally, gamers are pissed off. In response, Karraker has issued a statement regarding the issue yet again.

The 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499 until supplies of that unit are depleted. We have ample inventory to meet the immediate needs of consumers in this territory for several months to come. We won’t be making any further announcements regarding our PS3 model hardware strategy in North America until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated.

So, from the sound of it, it’s possible that Sony could decide to continue manufacturing 60GB PS3s, but that decision won’t be made until later down the road.

Read More | Joystiq

Bomberman Live Lost World Arena

Next Wednesday, July 18, we’ll be treated to a dual release – Bomberman Live and Yie Ar Kung Fu. Bomberman has been designed specifically for XBLA and features split-screen multiplayer, as well as online multiplayer over Xbox Live and tons of customization for your character. The game will cost 800 Microsoft Points ($10). Yie Ar Kung Fu is a fighting game that appeared on the NES, and is probably a game you’ve never heard of. But that’s why we have trials for all Arcade games, so you can decide if the game is really worth 400 Microsoft Points when they both go live on the Arcade next week.

Check after the break for more screens from both games.

Click to continue reading E3 2007: Next Week’s Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday Sports Two Releases


WTFEarlier this morning, reports were spreading across the internet like wildfire when SCEE president David Reeves stated in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that the 60GB model was going to be discontinued in the US.

How concerned are you about possible criticisms that you should have given European consumers what SCEA has given US consumers, i.e. the option to pay a lower price?

Well, they’re not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game. All they’re doing is taking their stock in trade that they’ve got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July.

So once the 60GB is gone, that will be the end of the 60GB then?

In America, yes.

To say there was outrage over this would be a grand understatement. Could Sony really be pulling a fast one and merely replacing the one option for a PlayStation 3 in the US – the 60GB SKU for $599 – with an 80GB SKU at the same price?

Click to continue reading E3 2007: WTF Is Going On? Could The 60GB PlayStation Really Be Discontinued? [UPDATE]


New low price

In a truncated interview with 1UP (the full version is coming), Microsoft’s Shane Kim discussed what he believes is a mass-market price. “If you look back in history—again, it’s not just going to follow what’s in history—in some cases, 75 to 80 percent of the business gets done $199 and below. … Maybe $249 will be a mass-market price point—but historically, $199 has been when you’re talking a PlayStation 2-like install base.”

He also went on to say July was an “odd” time to announce a price drop, when referring to the PlayStation 3 price drop. Additionally, Kim even said, “I’m not even sure Sony announced a price reduction, anyway,” referring to the fact that there was initially a $499 PlayStation 3 available, and today there is no cheaper option than $499 if you’re looking for a new PS3.

It’s hinted that a price drop may be in store this year, and to “stay tuned” – Kim acknowledged that this holiday is extremely important for Microsoft to win. So if you’re holding off for a price drop to pick up an Xbox 360, don’t lose hope just yet.

Read More | 1UP

I’m not much of a Metal Gear Solid fan, or a fan of the stealth-action/espionage genre at all, for that matter. But when I saw this MGS4 trailer earlier this week, I was absolutely blown away. Blown? Blown. This is, for me, the best trailer of the show and I seriously will consider picking up a PlayStation 3 just for this game. Maybe it’s a bit premature to say that, but just give the trailer a look and try to disagree.


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