January 2003
Rayman 3 Connects with GameCube and GBA
 Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 6:28 PM |
Category: Console_GameBoyAdvance|x|Console_GameCube|x|Developers_Corporate |
When Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc launches on the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance in March, players with both systems will be able to enjoy unparalleled connectivity - and join forces to kick ass!Ubi Soft Entertainment, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today unveiled Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance connectivity features for the highly-anticipated title Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, to be released in March 2003. Players with Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance game systems will be able to connect the two platforms to enjoy an exciting multiplayer game and unlock exclusive content.
"Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is the game to beat, on a Nintendo GameCube or a Game Boy Advance," said Tony Kee, vice president of marketing for Ubi Soft Entertainment. "By taking advantage of the unique connection between the two, we'll be delivering extra content and an even more intense gaming experience that rewards both cooperation and competition." Check out our latest Featured Shot for an in-game snapshot, and head to Ubi's Rayman site for more info.
Splinter Cell PC Date
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 4:43 PM |
Category: Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action |
Tiffany Spencer, Senior Public Relations Manager at Ubi Soft, and friend to us here at Mindless Games, sent a short note to let us know she has confirmed a US Ship date for the PC version of Splinter Cell. The game ships Feb. 18, 2003 and will hit store shelves as soon as the trucks pull in. So there you have it!
Hounds Of Hell
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:40 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
What would we do without Gamer's Hell?And we're hoping you wouldn't know what to do without Mindless Games. Click on some links, take a bathroom break, do some calisthenics, take a walk, check the kettle... we'll be here waiting for your return.
Death By PC
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:31 AM |
Category: General |
Wiggle those toes, stand and stretch, everyone! Doctors say too much PC time can prompt blood clots.(PCWorld.com) It's true: Your computer can kill you. We're not just talking about the gamers who have died at their machines after days of no food and water, but anyone who is affected by long hours at a desk.
New Zealand researchers have found that sitting at a computer for hours on end can cause fatal blood clots, just as long flights can lead to deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), known as "economy-class syndrome." I've gotten a lot better about getting up and taking breaks when I'm on the computer, but sometimes when I'm working on an issue, I will lose complete track of time. Hours will fly by, and I'm finally painfully prompted by the impulse to go empty my bladder. Which is probably more info than anyone really needed to know. Anyways...
| Thursday, January 30, 2003 |
John Carmack Speaks
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:17 PM |
Category: Hardware |
Oh yes, whenever John Carmack speaks, the world stops for the moment, just to take in his vast knowledge and his words of wisdom. Well, the man has spoken in his latest .plan and it's definitely worth looking at. It's not exactly Doom 3 information, but it is relative.At the moment, the NV30 is slightly faster on most scenes in Doom than the R300, but I can still find some scenes where the R300 pulls a little bit ahead. The issue is complicated because of the different ways the cards can choose to run the game. As usual, this update is rather technical, but it's information you'll be glad you read, especially if you are preparing to upgrade to play Doom 3.
The Sims Comes To New Consoles
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:02 PM |
Category: General |
It's taken over the lives of millions of people on the PC, and most recently, it's invaded the homes of people with a Playstation 2 in their living room, but Electronic Arts isn't stopping there. No, you still aren't safe! EA is releasing their insanely popular game The Sims and porting it to Nintendo Gamecube and Microsoft Xbox. It's no mere port either. These newest versions of The Sims will include a new "Get A Life" mode where players take a sim through the journey of life. Moving out of the parent's home can now be done in a videogame as well as real life, oh how far we've come. ;) The game will be released this spring, but until then, stay tuned for more details as they become available.
Don't Call Us, We Won't Call You
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:38 AM |
Category: General |
This is just too much! Telemarketers are actually going to court to keep us from trying to block their unwanted phone calls!(Yahoo! News) - Telemarketers went to court on Wednesday in an attempt to stop the U.S. government from setting up a proposed "do not call" list that would help consumers block unwanted sales calls. Four telemarketing companies and a trade group filed suit in federal court in Oklahoma City to stop the Federal Trade Commission from setting up a program that would allow consumers to place their names on a list of households that do not want to receive such calls. Hello?! Nobody wants these calls, otherwise we would be calling you! Same with SPAM mail; don't even get me started ...
Various & Sundries
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:21 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Another batch of links from Gamer's Hell:Feel free to click, it won't cost you anything.
| Wednesday, January 29, 2003 |
Ghouls And Ghosts... Online?
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:30 PM |
Category: General |
This struck me as odd because I can't really see how they came to this concept, but none the less, it sounds cool. According to Gamesarefun.com, Capcom is preparing a new MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, think Everquest) based off the Ghouls and Ghosts games. Sounds interesting to me. It will be released in spring 2004 on the PC with a release on the consoles shortly after. Hopefully we'll hear more about this soon.
More Unreal 2: Possible Demo?
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:21 PM |
Category: General |
I just read over at Shacknews that although it was reported that Unreal 2 won't see a demo release, it may actually see light afterall. Legend Entertainment's Glen Dalhgren had this to say:Now that Unreal II has gone gold, we've been exploring the possibility with Infogrames and Epic, which is something that Headup wasn't aware of. FWIW, everyone involved - including Legend - is very conscious of the benefits of a demo, and we'd all love to do it. I hope to have more news soon. Also FWIW, don't read anything into Headup's post concerning Legend's dedication to supporting Unreal 2. Even while Legend transitions onto other projects, Unreal 2 is still our top priority. So for those of you who try before you buy, you may get your chance yet! Check out Unreal Ops for more information.
Pitfall Harry Returns
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:12 PM |
Category: General |
It never gets old. The ancient classic that stood proud among other games of its time as innovators. You could play it forever and it just kept on going. Simply put: "Pitfall rocked". Activision knows this (they are gamers too), and have proudly announced that Pitfall Harry will be released this fall to the Nintendo Gamecube, Sony Playstation 2, Microsoft Xbox and even the Game Boy Advance.Gamers assume the role of Harry, a fearless, rough-and-ready treasure seeker who battles evil using his athletic ability and a knapsack filled with adventure gear. Harry must race against a rival explorer to find hidden treasures, which in the wrong hands could spell doom for him and his friends. Why must this be released in the fall? Can't it come out tomorrow? There's no doubt that we will be covering Pitfall Harry as it continues its development and ultimately is released to us all. God bless you Activision.
It's Real, Unreal 2 Gets An Official Date
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:04 PM |
Category: General |
For all of you hardcore (and softcore) Unreal fans, you'll be more than overjoyed to know that the sequel to the original Unreal, the game that dropped jaws aplenty, will be released on February 4th. Mark your calenders folks. Pull out the red marker and write it really big on the February 4th cell "UNREAL 2 IS OUT". That way you can take off work that day and sit in front of your PC basking in the wonderment that is Unreal 2. Am I being too excited about this? Naa....
Hell In A Hand Basket?
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 6:30 PM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
More of the usual good stuff from the folks over at Gamer's Hell:Click on any of those links, or you can just head to their main page and go from there.
Two Towers Stolen
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 3:26 PM |
Category: General |
The Federation Against Copyright Theft and British customs have seized more than 10,000 pirate DVD copies of the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in recent weeks.(Yahoo! News) Most of the DVDs came from Malaysia by air freight and appeared to have been pirated from digital copies sent by filmmakers to Oscars judges... The very high-quality counterfeits suggested that... somehow, some of the (studio) copies have got into the wrong hands... Studios send digital copies of their films to judges of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in hope of winning Oscar votes. That's just wacky. I'll wait and buy my copy of the Two Towers DVD when it's released legitimately, thank you. In case you don't already know, it's well worth it.
Lucas Becomes One
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:33 AM |
Category: General |
George Lucas today announced a company-wide restructuring that will merge all his companies into one organization.As a result of the shuffling, Lucas Digital (which includes Industrial Light and Magic and Skywalker Sound), LucasArts Entertainment (its videogame arm), Lucas Licensing and Lucas Film Ltd. will become one unified organization.
Lucas commented. “We have a unique array of talent in the areas of special effects, sound design, interactive games, licensing, distribution, and marketing. This new structure will make it easier for our diverse talents to work as a team." I really don't know what to make of all of this. Who knows if combining all Lucas properties into one entity is good, bad, or purple, but I'm reporting it because, well, it's Lucas.
| Tuesday, January 28, 2003 |
Kazaa Sues Entertainment Industries
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:58 PM |
Category: General |
The best defense is a strong offense, as they say. Apparently, the owners of the Kazaa file-sharing network know this, as they're suing the movie and recording industries, claiming that they don't understand the digital age and are monopolizing entertainment.(Yahoo! News) Sharman Networks Ltd. filed its counterclaim Monday in response to a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought by several recording labels and movie studios. That lawsuit accuses Sharman of providing free access to copyright music and films to millions of Internet users in the United States. Good for them; however, methinks Kazaa's still destined towards the way of Napster.
Tri Synergy's Purge
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:46 PM |
Category: Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Tri Synergy announced today that it will release Purge in Q1 2003. Purge is an upcoming online-only title that is said to deliver a compelling combination of first-person-shooter gameplay and role-playing character development.Developed by Freeform Interactive LLC, Purge immerses players in a strife-torn world that blends science fiction and fantasy. In Purge, players will find themselves engrossed in a war between two opposing forces, the Order (humans genetically modified to scientific perfection) and the Chosen (religious believers who reject all forms of technology). Check out our latest Featured Shot for a nice gander at Purge.
Daily Dose Of Hell
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:42 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Here's the latest from Gamer's Hell:For more, you know where to go.
Phantasy Star Wormed Online
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:10 PM |
Category: General |
No one is safe from the dreaded worm it seems. Even Sega's Phanstasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 for the Gamecube suffered some problems because of the worm that hit the Internet this weekend. Gamespy Daily reports that PSO servers were down Friday night and Saturday. It's all fixed now, so if you weren't able to log in this past weekend, give it another try and continue your addiction.
New Project Gotham Racing 2 Screenies
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:32 PM |
Category: General |
Before I get to the news at hand, let us discuss the Superbowl! Last night's game took me by surprise (I was rooting for the Bucs, but I thought Oakland was going to win it). It was a very enjoyable game overall (although I think some of the referee calls were pretty bad). The commercials were rather lame this year. There were a few stand outs, but nothing truly great. But in the end, it's the game we all watch for, so you really can't complain there.
Oh right, I had some news to tell you about. While the game is still quite a ways off, Project Gotham Racing 2 is looking really good thus far. There's some new screenshots available for your viewing pleasure at Xbox-Universe. The game is scheduled for release on Xbox next year, but hopefully these handful of screenshots will hold you off for now. I never tried the original Project Gotham Racing, but I've been told it's a very enjoyable game.
Game Day In Hell
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:50 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Happy Super Bowl day, everybody in the good ol' US!
Gamer's Hell loves us, and we love you, so here goes:So, who's it gonna to be, Raiders or Bucs?
| Saturday, January 25, 2003 |
IGN's F-Zero Footage
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:03 PM |
Category: General |
I just picked my jaw up from the floor and wiped the puddle of drool away. The folks at IGNCube have released a few videos of the new F-Zero game for Gamecube. Simply put: This game has sold me on a Gamecube. It was recorded with a video camera, but don't worry, the quality is very good, and does the game justice. There is, however, a catch. The videos are currently only available to IGN Insider subscribers. Strap yourself in and go here to check out the videos.
Online Game Boy Advance Games
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 12:09 PM |
Category: General |
Well, not exactly, but close! Pocket-Emulation has created a section of their site dedicated to online gaming. There's over 120 homebrewed Game Boy Advance games for your gaming pleasure. There's enough to keep you entertained for weeks! Check out Pocket-Emulation's new online section here. Hmmm... Nintendo, how about making the real GBA online? I know I'd get quite a kick out of stomping all over Phoebus in a game of F Zero (I'm going to pay for that comment ;).
Latest Quake Toolkit Released
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 11:50 AM |
Category: General |
The fine folks over at Engines Of Creation have released version 1.51 of the Quake Toolkit. The Quake Toolkit is collection of useful tools for Quake 3: Arena that can create new bots, compiling videos, server configurations, and more. The Toolkit now has support for Return To Castle Wolfenstein. Check here for more information and a link to download.
Vivendi, Trop Mauvais
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:31 AM |
Category: General |
This has been rumbling around the rumor bin for some time, but Vivendi Universal is reportedly exploring a sale of its video game unit, with none other than software giant Microsoft Corp. a possible acquirer.(Hollywood Reporter) As Vivendi Universal keeps mulling options for its U.S. entertainment assets, the media conglomerate is exploring a sale of its video game unit, with software giant Microsoft Corp. a possible acquirer, sources familiar with the situation said. Vivendi Uni and Microsoft have had initial contacts about a possible deal, but Vivendi Uni hasn't decided whether it will indeed sell the business, and no talks have advanced far enough to make a possible sales announcement imminent, they said. With a research note Friday, Investec analyst Jeff Van Rhee made the fate of the games unit the issue du jour in the ongoing industry chatter about Vivendi Uni's future. Ah yes, another Frenchified company (par exemple, mon ancien emplorer, Infogrames) being scooped up, without the buyer knowing what to do with the property once they got it, to the ultimate detriment of all. Imagine, Blizzard becoming another Xbox games studio. Mon dieu!
Web Blahs
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:58 AM |
Category: General |
Well, in case you noticed the web was running slow for a few hours early this morning (Saturday), it wasn't just you. You were probably noticing the effects of a fast-spreading, virus-like infection, which overwhelmed the world's digital pipelines, broadly interfering with Web browsing and delivery of e-mail.(Yahoo! News) Sites monitoring the health of the Internet reported significant slowdowns globally. Experts said the electronic attack bore remarkable similarities to the "Code Red" virus during the summer of 2001 which also ground online traffic to a halt.
"It's not debilitating," said Howard Schmidt, President Bush's No. 2 cyber-security adviser. "Everybody seems to be getting it under control." Schmidt said the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center and private experts at the CERT Coordination Center were monitoring the attack and offering technical advice to computer administrators on how to protect against it. Most home users probably didn't even notice, and no one needed to take any protective measures. But it seems like this sort of thing is happening more and more, of late.
Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:38 AM |
Category: Console_PS2|x|Developers_Corporate |
To support the upcoming release of Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the latest installment in the acclaimed stealth ninja video game series, Activision, Inc. is calling on college and film students 18-years of age and older to enter the "Reel Ninja Film Contest" for the chance to be awarded $20,000 in prize money.From Feb. 3 through Feb. 17, 2003 students can log on to www.ninjafilmcontest.com and submit an up to three-minute "Ultimate Ninja" themed live-action or animated film for judging by director John Woo and producer Terence Chang. Forty finalists will be chosen in a random drawing and earn points for originality, creativity and overall appeal. These finalist entries will be judged by director John Woo and producer Terence Chang of Lion Rock Productions. The highest scoring entry will be awarded a Grand Prize of $15,000. The five runner-up films will be posted online at www.ninjafilmcontest.com from March 3 - March 14, 2003 and consumers will be able to log on and vote for their favorite entry. The film that earns the most votes will win a First Prize of $5,000. The Grand Prize winner will be notified on or around March 4 and the First Prize winner will be contacted on March 17. Students 18-years and older who are currently enrolled in college or university classes are eligible to submit entries. Films cannot exceed 15 MB in size and need to be submitted in the following formats -- Windows Media Player, Quicktime, RealPlayer or Macromedia Flash Files. All entry information and a complete listing of contest rules for the "Reel Ninja Film Contest" can be found at www.reelninjacontest.com. Activision says the game delivers the most realistic, stealth-based, ninja-action/adventure ever and features impressive new stealth attacks, an enhanced fighting engine, new weapons and tools, larger levels, improved character animations and new multiplayer options. Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is rated "M" for Mature, and will be available in March for a suggested retail price of $49.99.
VU Games & 2015, Inc. Make Hay
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:22 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action |
Vivendi Universal Games and developer 2015, Inc. (Medal of Honor Allied Assault) are teaming up to bring a Vietnam War-themed first-person shooter to the PC and Xbox in 2004.Men of Valor: Vietnam will be powered by the latest Unreal technology and will feature infantry combat in the “humid jungles of Southeast Asia.” The storyline will contain missions set in Danang, the Tet offensive and the counterattack on Hue. Cooperative and multiplayer modes will also be included. Sierra Entertainment will publish the title. My buddy Eric Turman, who also left Raven, is now plying his animation craft over at 2015, Inc. nowadays, so you know this game is going to be top-notch.
| Thursday, January 23, 2003 |
Metroid Prime Sequel?
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:47 PM |
Category: General |
Gee, this whole Metroid thing has been really popular as of late, hasn't it? Continuing on its success with the massively popular Metroid Prime, sources say Retro Studios is preparing for the sequel. No details have been revealed yet, but it's rumored to have a possible multiplayer mode (Metroid deathmatches would be extremely fun, and maybe they could add online multiplayer with their underused network adapter, but like I said, it's just a rumor). For more information, check out this IGN article.
Nintendo Prepares For The Next Round
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:47 PM |
Category: General |
It looks like Nintendo realizes its mistakes this time around and is preparing to learn from it. In a Yahoo article, the company's president Satoru Iwata stated that the Gamecube had poor sales during the holiday season. He did not rule out the possibility of a price drop in the future either. However, the real story here is the fact that they are preparing for the next round by releasing a new console in 2005 or 2006. "The PlayStation 2 (news - web sites) debuted one-and-a-half years ahead of the GameCube. If we had launched the GameCube at the same time as PlayStation 2, the result would have been different," he said.
"We will get ready for a (new) battle in 2005 although foreign game developers are now saying that rival next-generation systems won't come until 2006." It's going to be interesting to see which consoles people will go with in the next round. Nintendo is planning to be ready at the start of the next generation, and hopefully, they will fare much better than they have in the last two generations.
Gamer Surfs In Hell, News At Ten...
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:50 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Gamer's Hell sent us another big list of links for you all to click on:Simple enough. Find a topic of choice and surf away...
Warcraft III Expansion Pack
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:40 AM |
Category: Developers_Corporate|x|PC_RolePlaying |
Blizzard Entertainment, a studio of Vivendi Universal Games, will release an expansion pack for its popular Warcraft III PC game this summer.(GameDAILY) Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne will offer a single player campaign that will have gamers revisiting the world of Azeroth to take on a new threat. One new hero per race will be included in the add-on, along with new units, three new titlesets and a host of new multiplayer maps. Players will also gain expanded multiplayer options through Blizzard’s Battle.net, such as new game types and support for clans and tournaments. Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne will sell for around $35.00, and is expected to be rated "T" for Teen.
The Metroid Hillbillies
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:36 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Developers_Corporate |
According to a report in Variety, a pair of Hollywood producers have acquired the big-screen rights to Nintendo’s Metroid property.(GameDAILY) Warren Zide and Craig Perry of Zide/Perry Entertainment (American Pie, American Pie 2, Cats & Dogs, Final Destination 2) are reportedly still in the early stages of development and currently searching out potential directors, writers and actors for the project. The movie will focus on the female bounty hunter Samus Aran as she attempts to stop a band of space pirates from breeding a stolen Metroid specimen. You can head to Nintendo's website for more info on all of their games.
| Wednesday, January 22, 2003 |
The Getaway
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:27 AM |
Category: Console_PS2|x|Developers_Corporate |
Hi Gang, sorry I've missed some news posts over the last couple of days, but I've been out of town, and am in fact typing this from a friend's I'm visiting in Athens, GA.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the release of The Getaway, a free-roaming, mission-based, 3D action game created exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's, Team Soho, The Getaway fuses interactive gaming and cinematic films into one medium, providing players with a one-of-a-kind interactive entertainment experience. Set in London, the cosmopolitan hub of Europe, The Getaway features 40 square kilometers of photo-realistically recreated London blocks and street corners, creating the most technological and realistic reenactment of a city ever seen in a videogame. Visit PlayStation.com for more information.
| Tuesday, January 21, 2003 |
Former Metallica Bassist Works In Cycles
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:38 PM |
Category: General |
This isn't new information, but it's the first I've heard of it, and I never read about it anywhere else, but I figured some of you might be interested. Being the big fan of Metallica for so many years like myself, I was upset when Jason Newsted left, but he changed my opinion completely when he released the album from his other band Echobrain. With a Beatles meet alternative rock sound, it is one of my absolute favorite CDs in my collection. Apparently, Echobrain is not the only project he's working on though. This article lets us know that Mr. Newsted is releasing new material from several of his projects every other full moon until 2005! That's a lot of music, and Metallica fans can be sure that there will be a lot of metal in there.
I'm very interested to hear what he releases. Metallica hasn't released any new material in over three years. If this works out as planned, Jason Newsted will release about 13 albums in a two year period. Pretty impressive.
New Console On The Market
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:51 PM |
Category: General |
The Adrenaline Vault has a story about a brand new console to join the console wars. Infinium Labs has a console in the works that claims to outperform the current systems. The console is called "The Phantom" and will be unveiled in March with a hopeful US launch in November of 2003. Check out the Adrenaline Vault article for more information, and we'll keep you posted as we get more information.
DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball Ships
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:39 PM |
Category: General |
It may be below freezing in many parts of the country, but those of us who live in chilly climates can enjoy a nice sunny beach everyday thanks to Tecmo for shipping their highly anticipated Dead Or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball. The girls of the popular DOA series are back and this time they are playing volleyball. With a slew of mini games and some amazing visuals, this is a game that Xbox gamers will want to check out. The game runs at the usual price of $49.95 at your favorite video game stores.
Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven Site Launched
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:21 PM |
Category: General |
Anyone familiar with the Tenchu series will be happy to know that the newest game in the series, Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven now has an official site. The game, being released in February on the Playstation 2, looks to be shaping up into a solid title. Located on the site are screenshots, movies, and information on the game.
RIAA Wants To Tax Your ISP
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:05 PM |
Category: General |
I really hate the RIAA. Their newest sorry attempt to thwart online file swapping is to charge your ISP for the music you download. The following is from an article at Yahoo.The music industry is in a tailspin with global sales of CDs expected to fall six percent in 2003, its fourth consecutive annual decline. A major culprit, industry watchers say, is online piracy.
"We will hold ISPs more accountable," said Hillary Rosen, chairman and CEO the Recording Industry Association of America (news - web sites) (RIAA), in her keynote speech at the Midem music conference on the French Riviera. "Let's face it. They know there's a lot of demand for broadband simply because of the availability (of file-sharing)," Rosen said. Here's an idea Hillary, why don't you make the big name record labels release some good music for once. Stop piping in all this recycled, boring, poor quality music into our ears everyday. I bet if you changed things up a little, people would be willing to spend a little more instead of buying the same thing over and over. You could try to drop your prices a little too. A lot of younger people download music because they can't shell out $15-$20 for each CD. But you'll never do it, will you? As long as you and your sorry excuse for artists are riding in your expensive cars while the artists who really possess some talent freeze their asses off in clubs you will continue to just grab as much money as you can.
Catching Up With The Hellses
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:42 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
There have been a good bit of articles going on over at Gamer's Hell, so we want to catch you up on the lot of them:There's sure to be plenty more, so you can head on over to Gamer's Hell, if you wish to do so.
| Saturday, January 18, 2003 |
Information About Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:20 PM |
Category: General |
Here we go. One of my favorite video game series of all time, Castlevania is getting yet another game in the saga. Continuing on its current home, the Game Boy Advance, Caslevania: Aria Of Sorrow is on the horizon. In the works less than a year after Harmony Of Dissonence, this game looks to be another great game in the series. It will also be the first Castlevania game to take place in the future.The game's scenario begins with the first solar eclipse of the 21st century. Turns out that Dracula's castle was sealed in a full solar eclipse in 1999, never to return -- or so they thought. Foreign exchange student, "normal teenager," and effeminate, snappy dresser Soma Cruz is in Japan and decides to visit childhood friend Mina Hakuba, a shrine maiden, during the astrological event. The climb up the stairs to the shrine seems longer than ever before; once Soma reaches the summit, he discovers Dracula's castle. Once he attacks an enemy, defending Mina, it awakens his ability to absorb souls and gain the powers of defeated foes. He's left with no choice but to explore the undead lord's ex-keep; Dracula having finally been defeated in '99, there's a new master -- but just who remains a mystery. Read more about this in a preview at Gamespy.
Virtua Cop 3 Updates
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:35 PM |
Category: General |
I didn't know they were making another game in this series, but I'm glad they are. Virtua Cop 3, the next game in Sega's classic Virtua Cop series. New details include the ability to play as four characters, change between four weapons, and the ability to slow down time like Max Payne.
A high resolution video of the game is available, as well as a low resolution video for you dial up users.
The Simpsons
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:29 AM |
Category: General |
We already knew they had the most consistently clever show on television, and now The Simpsons, our favorite dysfunctional family is about to go into TV history:(Yahoo! News) Fox announced a deal Friday to renew the cartoon for two more seasons, taking it at least through May 2005 — its 16th year. That will push "The Simpsons" past "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet," which aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966, as the all-time longest-running situation comedy.
"The Simpsons" premiered as a series on Dec. 17, 1989, after the animated characters were first introduced in a series of vignettes on Fox's "The Tracey Ullman Show" in 1988. In this blighted era of "reality tv", which The Simpsons is spoofing in their next episode, there is woefully very little reason to turn on the television these days, except of course for The Simpsons, and FX Networks' The Shield, and of course the Fox News Channel (O'Reilly's my man). We're going to have to wait another year for season 5 of HBO's The Sopranos, although season 4 was a bit of a disappointment, to say the least.
Changing Of The Guard At Sega
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 4:26 PM |
Category: General |
Sega Of America has announced that Peter Moore, President and CEO of the company, has stepped down from his position. Taking is place is Tetsu Kayama from Sega Corporation, the company's Japanese parent. Seeing as Sega Of America missed their profit expectations last year, there will probably be some big changes coming soon. I hope they keep their sports franchise going strong, despite its poor sales, I think Sega Sports had the best sports games this year.
Kali Returns
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:21 PM |
Category: General |
I didn't think I'd hear this name again, but sure enough, Kali has returned. Founder Jay Cotten purchased Kali's assets from bankruptcy and is back to business. For a limited time, you can purchase a life time subscription for Kali at the low price of $10. The price will go up when future versions are released. You can find more information here.
The Getaway
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:20 AM |
Category: Console_PS2|x|Developers_Corporate |
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is kicking off the launch of The Getaway stateside tomorrow, with a release party at the Sony Metreon store in San Francisco.(GameDAILY) The festivities run from 6:00 to 10:00 PM and will feature the game’s director, Brendan McNamara, on hand to sign autographs and pictures. Several other actors used in the title will also appear. Since The Getaway is rated “M” (Mature) adults must accompany anyone under the age of 17 who wishes to attend.
The rest of the country will be able to pick up The Getaway January 21. I've been to the Metreon place they're talking about, back when I worked at Infogrames North America in San Jose. Even got a cool t-shirt there, for Moebius' Airtight Garage, as I've been a big fan of the Heavy Metal illustrated fantasy magazine since way back when.
| Thursday, January 16, 2003 |
Mod Authors Messageboard Opened
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 12:59 PM |
Category: General |
This isn't a new forum, but was only really used by some people from this past year's Quakecon until now. Raven Software's own Rick Johnson has announced that a message board designed for mod makers of any game or engine (not limited to a Raven game) is up and running. This message board is open only to people currently involved in a mod, so if you are not involved in one, you need not apply (sorry!). Find out more details at the Raven Software Mods page.
Resident Evil Online Video
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 12:04 PM |
Category: General |
I've been looking forward to this Playstation 2 game since I first heard of it. I wasn't quite sure how the Resident Evil series could go online, but it looks like the answer is getting closer. It looks like it will be similar to Phantasy Star Online set in the classic Resident Evil universe. There is now a video of the game including in game footage and cutscenes here at Capcom's site. The movie weighs in around 23MB. Not too bad for many of us, but for those of you with a dial up connection, you may want to grab this one over night.
Soul Calibur 2
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:39 AM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate |
I'm sure you all know by now I'm a big Fighting game fan (among other quality genres, of course). Now, this is interesting. The PS2 version of the upcoming Soul Calibur 2 will feature none other than Heihachi from the Tekken series. And he'll be fighting against all the regular sword & other weapon-weilding characters with his fists alone:(PS2.IGN) The PlayStation 2 version of Soul Calibur 2, the hotly-anticipated 3D fighting sequel, will be released in North America in August alongside console ports for the GameCube and Xbox, Namco confirmed today. In addition, Namco also clarified details of the extra modes and hidden characters which will appear in the console versions. One new character will be common to all three versions, and each version will receive another new character of its own.
On PlayStation 2, the exclusive character is Heihachi Mishima, the redoubtable martial artist from Namco's Tekken series. Heihachi sets something of a record by being the only character to appear weaponless in a Soul game, fighting only with his fists. The other new character is Necrid, a reptilian hulk designed by Todd McFarlane Productions (famous for Spawn, among other creations). At the Japanese press conference where the game debuted, Namco indicated that there may be other characters added, but no other details were available. The original Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast is one of my all-time favorite games. And I must say, the screenshots I've seen of SC2 for the PS2 don't look all that much better than the original DC version's graphics. I love my Dreamcast... what an utterly under-appreciated console.
| Wednesday, January 15, 2003 |
Rage Software Collapsing
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:45 PM |
Category: General |
It's never good to hear news like this, let alone report it. A BBC article today announced that Rage Software, whose most recent efforts were for the new multi platform boxing game Rocky, have called in receivers and have left 77 employees without jobs.Receivers have been appointed by Liverpool-based computer game firm Rage Software, ending hopes that a rescue package could be put together. The Liverpool-based firm is now likely to be broken up, and any new games it is working on sold off. The future of the remaining 85 staff will depend on the sale of the intellectual property rights of games currently in development. It is unfortunate to hear about this, but it's something that seems to be happening all too often in this gaming industry. I think the saddest part about gaming companies in turmoil is the people involved. They care so much about games, and to see their dream jobs fall apart in their hands is a scary thought. Check out this page at IGN to see the long list of games that Rage has turned out over the years (see how many you've played).
Fraud Durst And Britney Together?
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:24 PM |
Category: General |
Alright, this isn't exactly news any of us care about, but when everyone starts talking about it in your circle of friends, you can say "Ahh, thanks to good ol' Frausty for telling me about this, or I'd be totally out of the loop". See? I care about you people. Britney Spears and Fraud Durst have been rumored to be a couple recently (first I've heard of it). Fraud isn't denying or confirming anything in this message he left on his website:"Anybody out there who has a serious problem with my feelings for Britney should just chill and worry about your own feelings for a minute". Uggghhh... Think about the horrible music these two would spawn together. "I'm a sllaaaaavvvee... FOR THE NOOKIE!!!". That thought brings a chill to my very bones and brings forth a sickening feeling to my stomach. I am going to listen to Rush now, as I need some real music.
Crash Gaming
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 3:32 PM |
Category: Console_GameBoyAdvance|x|Console_PSOne |
Crash returns to the Game Boy Advance:(GameDAILY) Universal Interactive, Inc., a Vivendi Universal Games studio, has released Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced for the Game Boy Advance platform.
Developed by Vicarious Visions, the title picks up where Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure left off. The furry critter battles the evil duo N. Tropy and N. Trance who are attempting to brainwash Crash’s friend and turn them to the dark side. 30 levels and a multiplayer mode are included. I liked Crash Team Racing for the PSOne...
It's That Time Again...
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 3:24 PM |
Category: General |
Online registration for E3Expo 2003 is now live.(GameDAILY) General attendees can now register online until April 4, 2003. Online registration for media debuted December 16, 2002, but also runs through April 4. This year’s conference runs from May 13 – 15, while exhibit dates are May 14 – 16, so start making your plans! If you've never been, you'll have a blast. If you've attended the event for four years, like myself (both as a fan and an industry insider), it might not be such a big deal. Head to E3Expo.com!
Dynasty Warriors 3
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:46 AM |
Category: Console_PS2|x|Developers_Corporate |
Koei Corp. has begun to ship copies of Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends to retailers in North America.(GameDAILY) The PlayStation 2 fighter puts players in the role of one of seven generals from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as they attempt to reunite their splintered nation. Players can customize bodyguards and choose from four different Challenge mode variations. A fifth weapon per character is also added. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for a good fighting game. Another good thing is that, while Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends is a standalone game, it can also update the original Dynasty Warriors 3, if you already have it.
Burn In Hell
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:35 AM |
Category: Console_GameBoyAdvance|x|Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
In a short break from my usual duties as cosmic diety (wink, wink ;), I noticed Gamer's Hell has been burning the midnight oil again, and has these items surely of interest to somebody:Always something gaming going on over at L'Enfer De Gamer.
Xbox 2: ATI Inside
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:29 AM |
Category: General |
It looks like Nvidia could get the boot as it they might not be supplying the graphics processor for the Xbox 2 (they provide the graphics processor for the current Xbox). ATI, Nvidia's largest competitor, and currently the leader in the graphics card market, is poised to provide its technology to the next Microsoft console. ATI is no stranger to the console market as it currently provides the graphics chip for the Nintendo Gamecube (which I think has graphics that rival the Xbox very well). No word yet on CPU, but with Microsoft wanting to cut costs on their consoles, we might see an AMD processor inside the Xbox 2.
Battlefield 1942 Waves Goodbye To Xbox
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:08 AM |
Category: General |
Electronic Arts has announced that their insanely popular PC war game Battlefield 1942 has been cancelled for the Xbox. The reason for this is to focus more attention on the upcoming expansion pack "The Road To Rome". Rather unfortunate since I know a lot of Xbox gamers were looking forward to this game. But hey, at least there's still Return To Castle Wolfenstein: The Tides Of War, so World War 2 on the Xbox isn't totally lost.
Square/Enix Merger Back On Track
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:00 AM |
Category: General |
A few days ago we reported that Masafumi Miyamoto, Square's biggest shareholder, was not happy with the share ratios and there was worry that this could spell doom for the merger. Thankfully, after some renegotiating, each Square share will increase from .81 to .85 for every Enix share. Mr. Miyamoto is now in favor of the merger. The value of the merger is slated a cool price of $39.5 million. We might just see a Final Dragon Fantasy Quest Cross X 2 yet!
Unreal 2 Is Golden
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:46 AM |
Category: General |
We can never have enough Unreal. Infogrames and Epic Games have announced that Unreal II, the sequel to the awesome shooter released in 1998, has gone gold and is gearing up for a release in early February. If it's even half as good as the original was, I think we'll be in for a treat (but it looks to be so much better in every aspect).
SNES Controllers Return
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:39 AM |
Category: General |
First off, sorry for the lack of updates yesterday. We dropped the ball on that one. Unfortunately, we are only human, and make mistakes (though Phoebus claims to be a super being from a distant galaxy with plans to enslave us all, but I'm still looking into the validity of that). In any case, here's something I found interesting.
With the release of Nintendo's Game Boy Player, an adapter that will play Game Boy Advance games on the Gamecube, a company named Hori is releasing a special controller. Removing the analog sticks, and analog sensitivity from the buttons, this controller should offer a better playing experience in GBA games over the standard Gamecube controller. The coolest part? It's design follows that of a Super Nintendo controller. Right now, no announcements have been made to get it released in the US, but if it does, it will probably have a $15 price tag. Check out this IGN article for some pictures of the controller.
Some Upcoming DVD Releases
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:56 PM |
Category: General |
Unfortunately, Eminem's movie 8 Mile will invade homes on March 18th. If you enjoy Slim Shady's "talent", you'll be happy to know that there will be some unreleased perfomances of Eminem on the set of the film. For the rest of us, let this be a warning that we will be tortured with commercials for the DVD on TV.
Thankfully, however, The Ring, one of the freakiest movies I've seen in my day, will hit DVD on March 4th. The DVD will include one featurette and a trailer for the Japanese version of the The Ring (which is the original version of the movie actually). Why would they give us a trailer of a movie that was only released in Japan? Because, it's also getting a DVD release in the US on the very same day! March 4th will be like a disturbing, haunted Christmas.
Hella Gamers
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:36 AM |
Category: Console_GameBoyAdvance|x|Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying |
These are the latest offerings from the staff at Gamer's Hell:There's even more over at Gamer's Hell.
Computer Cases
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:26 AM |
Category: Hardware |
TechwareLabs.com has teamed up with Xoxide.com to sponsor a computer case give-away. They will be giving away over 20 styles of cases valued at over $3,000. The cases are manufactured by Xoxide, Lian-Li, Chieftec, Thermaltake, and even Koolance. Techware Labs' aim in creating this contest was to select the best of Xoxide's cases, but as it turned out, all of the cases were so sweet, so they just had to give them all away. Be sure to register here, and you can see the prizes here.
Mortal Kombat Back To Glory
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:39 AM |
Category: General |
Midway is happy to announce that Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the newest game in the long running series has sold over one million copies across all platforms since its November 2002 release. The game is available for Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube, and Game Boy Advance. There's currently some rumblings about the game getting a release on the PC as well. It's always good to see an old game franchise still holding its own after all these years.
Red Faction II Spreads To More Platforms
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:29 AM |
Category: General |
THQ announced that their first person shooter Red Faction II will no longer be exclusive to the Playstation 2. Coming in March, you can find this game on the PC, Gamecube, and Xbox. The game will be enhanced for these platforms with better graphics as well as new multiplayer maps on the PC and Xbox.
Unreal Championship Getting Updated
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:20 AM |
Category: General |
J.P.Eekels from Digital Extremes announced on Infogrames' forums that a patch will be available for their Xbox game Unreal Championship. The patch, available via the Xbox Live service, will fix problems relating to exploits in the multiplayer mode, as well as some tweaks to improve performance.With the upcoming patch, first time players against bots will give get a certain amount of points (fairly low). As your skill improves bots will start to give you less and less points. See it as you're leveling up in the game. So at first the bots will give you points so that you're at least ranked enough that you don't have to be ashamed of your skills, later on this will become a very very small amount. At this point you can play all you want against bots instead of real players in an attempt to get your rank higher but that will be an utter waste of time. You can read the whole post by Mr. Eekels here for more detailed information on the fixes and how the patch is going to work.
I am not sure how I feel about this patch. As an Unreal Championship player myself, I like the fixes for the exploits in the game and also will look forward to tweaking my game's performance. However, one of the reasons I play console games so much is because they've never had patches. I hope Microsoft will limit how much patching can be done on their console games. How do you feel about this? Let us know by dropping us an email.
A New Semester Begins
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 6:03 AM |
Category: General |
This isn't a news update, but like myself, many people are starting classes again in colleges throughout America today. If you are one of those people, have a good semester and keep those grades up! However, I thought I'd make a note to everyone that school definitely can take its toll on your stress levels. Keep up with your studies, but remember not to let it get to you. You can always take a few minutes to play a game of Unreal when your frustration levels are sky high. It's amazing how just a few minutes of "mindless gaming" can help you keep your sanity!
Have a great day, and check here throughout the day for the best gaming and entertainment news!
New Atari 2600 Game Released... Seriously
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:24 PM |
Category: General |
I am not kidding folks, there is a brand new game released for the Atari 2600. Atari Age has released Space Instigators. It appears to be a faithful recreation of Space Invaders. Actually, it's more faithful than the Atari 2600 version. You can download the binaries or even buy the cartridge at the Atari Age website.
More Resident Evil Coming To The Cube
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:51 PM |
Category: General |
Nintendo and Capcom certainly aren't wasting that Resident Evil contract. The Gamecube gets two more games in the survival horror series this month. We here in the US will see the releases of Resident Evil 2 & 3 on January 14th and in Japan on January 23rd. No release has been set for Europe yet.
Unlike the other two Resident Evil games on the Gamecube, these will not be updated with new graphics and puzzles. These will be straight ports from the Playstation originals.
Bee Gees Singer Maurice Gibb Dies, Aged 53
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:27 AM |
Category: General |
Sadly, another death in Rock & Roll to report:(Yahoo! News) Maurice Gibb, a member of the famed disco band the Bee Gees, died Sunday at a Miami Beach hospital, his family said. He was 53.
Gibb, who joined with his older brother and his twin to harmonize their way to becoming one of the best selling musical | |
