Joystiq hands-on: Tiger Woods 10 (Wii)
by Randy Nelson { 21 minutes ago } 
Playing one hole at Bethpage Black, we first got into the swing of things (sorry) by seeing how accurately our on-screen club matched what we were doing in reality. The answer was "very accurately." Bringing the Wiimote slowly back and up, we watched as Tiger perfectly matched not only the angle we were holding it at, but the twist of the club as well. We took our first real swing and found that, yes, it was quite true-to-life: we sucked.
We got better, though, and putting really seemed to benefit from the increased Wiimote precision. The slightest backward movement was shown via an on-screen meter, providing a really good sense of how much follow-through we'd want in order to sink the ball. All in all, our brief time with Mr. Woods' game was the most impressive implimentation of MotionPlus we've tried yet. You can get an even better idea of what we experienced in the above video.
Gallery: Tiger Woods 10 (Wii)
Bioshock 2: Rapture sure has changed
by David Hinkle { 54 minutes ago } 
According to posts over there, the game takes place 7 years after the original and stars Jake Abbot, a private investigator sent to Rapture to find a girl abducted by the Big Sister. Oh, and there's supposedly only 1 Big Sister, and no Big Daddies. It's stated the game will feature 2-player co-op and new enemies, including Soviet soldiers, spliced dogs (what the funk?), and bi-pedal robots (you can hack them). New Plasmids are also mentioned, such as one that grants you the ability to slow down time and another that allows you to hear the thoughts of your enemies, revealing keypad codes and enemy weaknesses. There is said to also be underwater exploration segments, where the player will have to don a scuba suit to access some of the flooded areas of Rapture.
And that's about it. Sound legit? If you happen to have received your issue of Game Informer, send us a picture verifying this. We'll be your BFF.
[Via Shacknews]
Joystiq Review: Peggle Dual Shot
by JC Fletcher { 1 hour ago }
Really, the only thing that could make Peggle any better is if you could play it anywhere, during any spare time you find. Peggle Dual Shot on the DS, then, needed only to be a competent port of the original to be worth pretty much everyone's time. I'm happy to report that Peggle DS is Peggle, on the DS.
Gears 2 'Snowblind Map Pack' coming March 31, title update on March 24
by Griffin McElroy { 1 hour ago }
price point of the "Combustible Map Pack."Arguably more exciting than this, however, was Epic's announcement that the oft-discussed retooled ranking system will be coming to the game the week before "Snowblind" drops -- a title update on March 24 will (mostly) eschew the criticized TrueSkill system in favor of a more intuitive, experience point-based system. Players will earn experience points for scoring in public matches, rising up to level 100. They'll even unlock achievements at set levels (5, 15, 25, 50 and 100) -- we also hear that "Cole Train" evolves into "Cole Barge" at level 60. Gotta curb stomp 'em all!
Joystiq hands-on: EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis
by Randy Nelson { 2 hours ago }
click to enlarge
EA Sports' entry into the Wii tennis game roster came out to play at its "Season Opener" event in San Francisco. We weren't so much interested in the fact it was a tennis title from EA as we were with its support for Nintendo's yet-to-be-dated Wii MotionPlus peripheral.
It was a little odd, then, that we started off our play session without said Wiimote doohickey. We were essentially playing a more -- though not entirely -- realistic game of Wii Sports tennis, right down to the serve mechanic and the automatic on-court movement of our character. Thankfully, we learned that the game will support a Nunchuk for player-controlled movement -- and we eventually got to give MotionPlus a try.
It was a little odd, then, that we started off our play session without said Wiimote doohickey. We were essentially playing a more -- though not entirely -- realistic game of Wii Sports tennis, right down to the serve mechanic and the automatic on-court movement of our character. Thankfully, we learned that the game will support a Nunchuk for player-controlled movement -- and we eventually got to give MotionPlus a try.
Gallery: EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis
Animator confirms Lego Harry Potter, Lego Indy Crystal Skull games
Parker's CV reportedly listed the two Lego series game titles, though they were removed. According to GamesIndustry.biz, the CV also listed work on a demo of a Hobbit game, intended to be pitched to Peter Jackson.
Rumor: New Bone game coming in this spring
While unconfirmed, the publication notes the game will be released this spring, leaving us more than a little skeptical given that it's already March and nothing has yet been announced. Even so, we've reached out to developer Telltale Games for more information. Besides, since Telltale cast aside Phoney, Smiley and Fone Bone in 2006 for a lagamorph and a macrocephalic boxer, our gaming habit has been sorely lacking. Though mostly in stupid, stupid rat creatures.
[Via VGTribune]
Joystiq impressions: Fight Night Round 4
by Randy Nelson { 4 hours ago }
click to enlarge
Just seeing Fight Night Round 4 in action, it's a knockout. Yesterday we had the chance to watch Tyson vs. Ali coming to blows in the latest build of the game, which is due in final form this June. There's no saying how it plays, but we did take away some details on how it will differ from -- and improve on -- Round 3.
There's obviously been a dramatic visual improvement, which is made even more impressive when you consider the game is running on the same generation of hardware as its predecessor. EA has gone to great lengths to ensure "no punch looks exactly the same," using procedural techniques to send sweat (and blood) flying in the right directions -- the former tuning to mist and slowly dissipating in the air. Through slowed-down instant replays, we were able to watch as the boxers' musculature flexed under their skin, which itself ripples when hit thanks to a complex variant of cloth simulation.
There's obviously been a dramatic visual improvement, which is made even more impressive when you consider the game is running on the same generation of hardware as its predecessor. EA has gone to great lengths to ensure "no punch looks exactly the same," using procedural techniques to send sweat (and blood) flying in the right directions -- the former tuning to mist and slowly dissipating in the air. Through slowed-down instant replays, we were able to watch as the boxers' musculature flexed under their skin, which itself ripples when hit thanks to a complex variant of cloth simulation.
Gallery: Fight Night Round 4
Fall Out Boy goes on Oregon Trail, dies of starvation
The game, appropriately titled Fall Out Boy Trail, sets players upon a long and arduous tour that mixes together original elements, such as rationing food (band mates need delicious McNuggets and Vitamin Water to stay healthy) with Guitar Hero-style minigames that test even the quickest fingers. Unfortunately, our attempts to reach the end of the tour thus far have been felled by dehydration, constipation or the occasional zombie surfer. Still, as fun as it is the watch the pixelated band suffer at our hands, we're just as interested to read your misadventures with the alternative rock quartet in the comments below.
[Via The Escapist]
Kawata: Darkside Chronicles a 'very dark' Resident Evil
by Randy Nelson { 5 hours ago }
"What we're looking to do is go back to a 'very dark' style of Resident Evil," Kawata said. "'Dark' is really a key word for this game. It will be shown in horror, in the storyline, in the emotions that the characters go through." We saw examples of this as Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield fought side-by-side through a zombie ravaged Racoon City, circa Resident Evil 2.
He also explained that the development team at Cavia is "putting a lot of care, a lot of attention into [improving] how the camera system works in a rail-based shooter." This was evident in what was shown of the game's strong cinematic presentation, which included dramatic point-of-view shots of zombies feasting and the player narrowly escaping death with their partner's help. Kawata wrapped up his stint on stage saying that more information on the game would be revealed later this year, as everyone involved with the franchise is (rightly) focused on today's launch of RE5.
Joystiq at the Resident Evil 5 launch party
Click to El Gigante size
The full RE5 development team, lead by producer Jun Takeuchi, was on hand for the event, joined by members of the game's motion capture cast. Oh yeah -- we were there, too. (Though we weren't sporting spiffy, personalized B.S.A.A. team jackets like the dev crew.) Screaming contests were held, cell phones were laser-etched with RE5 imagery and photos were taken as evidence of the night's activity; check 'em out in the gallery below.
Gallery: Resident Evil 5 Launch Party
Metareview -- MadWorld
by Xav de Matos { 7 hours ago }
- 1UP (A-): "The design constraints of Nintendo's system forced the developers at Platinum Games to be creative, and they followed through on their creativity by putting together a thoroughly enjoyable brawler with just the right amount of the ultra-violence."
- GamePro (90/100): "Dark, brutal and hilarious in just the right way, MadWorld is a title that has rocketed to the top of every staff member's must buy list. Don't let the fact that it's on a "kiddie console" fool you-this is one title every "hardcore" gamer needs to play, provided you're over eighteen years old, of course."
- GameTrailers (85/100): "One of the most eye-catching games to come along in a while, MadWorld is stylish, bloody, and a great fit for the Wii's controls. Though there's a surprising amount of incentive to replay it, it's barely seven hours long, so if you aren't persuaded by the novelty of extreme violence buy with caution."
- Eurogamer (70/100): "No matter how much the schoolboy-humour commentary grates, no matter how repetitive the bits in between the set-pieces start to feel and no matter how frustrating the later levels become, MadWorld provides a rush of blood to the head almost as often as it provides a rush of blood to the pavement."
Gallery: MadWorld
Free Realms introduces not-so-free subscription option
by Andrew Yoon { 9 hours ago }
For $5 a month, premium members of Free Realms will be able to access 5 extra jobs, ranking on Free Realms leaderboards, three character slots and 400 extra items and quests. It appears most of the content in Free Realms will be, er, free for all -- however, we wonder how much content SOE will continue to provide for those that decide to play, but not pay.
The PC open beta for Free Realms is due next month. A PS3 version is also in the works.
[Via Massively]
Capcom looking for San Franciscans to focus test 'secret upcoming titles'
If you don't live in the San Francisco Bay area, or don't fall between the requested age barriers, or lack the required appendages, this particular news item isn't completely without relevance -- Capcom is working on secret upcoming titles. Aren't you, like, totally intrigued?
Hasselhoff taps 'celebrity card' to nab his daughter a Wii
by David Hinkle { 11 hours ago }
David Hasselhoff, representative of talking cars and safe beaches the world over, recently told a very funny story to MTV Multiplayer. He says he's one to "play celebrity cards," and when his daughter said she wanted a Wii, he got busy. Calling up his local game store, The Hoff was told that no systems were left, but was quickly able to charm the clerk into admitting that the store had held one system back. "Hold that game. I will be over in 30 minutes," he said, eventually showing up to the store where a very shocked employee declared, "Knight Rider! Dude!"Obviously, the store sold him the game system, and we imagine his daughter was incredibly happy that her dad used his celebrity to get it, but wouldn't it have been faster to just call up Nintendo? We heard Iwata's hooked on a feeling.
