Kotaku: legendary

Another Look Behind the Scenes in Legendary

Adam Barenblat — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:00:00 MDT

In this behind the scenes look at Spark Unlimited's Legendary we get to see some of the environments that will be featured in the game. Expect it to hit stores for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 September 30th and PC November 4th.

Legendary: Behind the Scenes

Legendary Hands On - Epic Moments

Mike Fahey — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:00:00 MDT

My first real “wow” moment at the Games Convention in Leipzig came when a griffin threw a taxi at me. Mind you it could have been a roc – I'm not exactly up to date on my mythical birds, but whatever it was it was impressive. It was exactly the sort of epic moment you'd expect from a game called Legendary, and after playing through a good 15 minutes of the beginning of the PC version I can see why they decided to remove “The Box” from the title. The box is nice and all, but what comes out of it is much more impressive.

The game starts out with the protagonist Charles Deckard at a museum, about to insert a mystical key into a mystical box...well, the magical box. The one you don't want to open? Yeah, he opens it, and in return it brands his hand with a mystic rune and unleashes doom upon the human race as we know it. It's a damn good thing that box came with that branding featuring, allowing the bearer to absorb mystical energy in order to heal himself, hurt mythical beasts, and solve puzzles, because otherwise we'd be completely screwed. Let's hear it for escape clauses!

Anyway, as soon as you are branded the museum begins to shake and break, fires breaking out, the earth heaving, tossing passersby to their deaths, fire and brimstone, dogs and cats, living together, etc. Your character gains some basic knowledge about his powers as he escapes while everything goes to hell around him. It's a common FPS mechanic...essentially placing you in the middle of a disaster movie where you can't get hurt, but it's done really well.

Things get even more exciting when you exit the museum, as we see some magnificent cinematics that effectively amount to the entirety of New York City doing the wave, streets, cars, people, and all as a wave of otherworldly energy floods the surroundings. Streets crack, people run screaming, and then the griffons show up and start tossing cars about.

You navigate a maze of cars, new paths opening as the griffons toss vehicles about as if they were really big birds tossing about cars, until you get to a place where you are completely stuck. Then some seriously awesome shit goes down.

Suddenly cars and wreckage get sucking into this swirling vortex, slowly coalescing into a massive giant built from spare parts, easily the size of the skyscraper he then walks through, opening up your new path.

From there things move into more familiar puzzle-solving FPS ground, opening valves to put out fires as you make your way towards the subway system, hoping to find a way to escape the city. My last moments with the game were spent shooting at fire-spitting lava dogs in the ruined subway tunnels of New York. Th guy waiting in line for the game behind me had moved from intently staring to uncomfortably rubbing against me, so I fled.

So the first 15 minutes of the game hooked me. I am dying to see what else happens over the course of the game now. Gameplay was fast and smooth, though I didn't get a chance to play enough to determine if I like the combat yet or not. So far it's just been standard pistol fare, so I've know idea what happens when the big guns come out.

Still, I can assure you that Legendary did manage to live up to the name several times during my brief encounter. I'm looking forward to playing more when I am not surrounded by touchy Germans.

Legendary: Behind the Scenes

Brian Crecente — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:20:00 MDT

Legendary has been in development now for more than three years by a team at Spark Unlimited (not the same ones who did Turning Point). With a little more than a month left before the Sept. 30 ship date for the Playstation and Xbox 360 (the game hits PC on Nov. 4) I'm posting this look at all three Legendary Behind the Scenes videos.

Legendary Gets Release Date, Preorder Bonus, Graphic Novel

Mike Fahey — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:20:00 MDT

Gamers eagerly awaiting the chance to chop off a werewolf's head in the middle of an annihilated New York City will be getting their chance next month, as Gamecock Media Group announces a September 30th release date for Spark Unlimited's fantasy horror shooter. Along with the release date comes news of the pre-order bonus, an attractive Legendary art book, complete with a DVD filled with trailers, behind the scenes looks, and general eye candy.

Even more exciting that the art book, Spark Unlimited is also releasing a 96 page graphic novel detailing Deckard’s fight against the Black Order, written by none other than Legendary comic book writer Mark Waid. See what I did there? It's a double meaning. Accentuated with a capital letter. Is the weekend here yet? Look for the graphic novel to hit around the same time as the game. Look for the box art after the jump!

Legendary Werewolves Evoke Childhood Nightmares

Mike Fahey — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:40:00 MDT

Back when I was but a wee child I would have nightmares about werewolves. I'd be in a secluded area somewhere in the woods, and I would hear a sound in the distance. I would turn to look, and there, silhouetted in the moonlight, would be a twisted, lupine form. Slowly the form would turn, and lightning would flash, a snarling face looking my way only to disappear in the blink of an eye.

I mention this because the werewolves in this latest batch of screens from Spark Unlimited's PS3, Xbox 360, and PC game Legendary (formerly Legendary: The Box) look exactly like the ones I used to have nightmares about. Could be time for a little virtual catharsis.

Legendary Info Dump

torif — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:00:03 MDT

For those of you who have grown weary of the typical WWII or sci-fi shooter, EIEIO's Legendary may be the answer to your prayers. After unwittingly opening Pandora's box, the thief Deckard is the only one who can seal it again, and he faces many nasty, gnarly creatures along the way. Feast your eyes on this collection of gameplay, screenshots, and concept art - much like the werewolves and slew of other monsters will soon be feasting on your head.

Legendary Fact Sheet

Summary:
Sealed away inside Pandora's Box are the greatest creatures of myth and lore, locked away by ancient forces to preserve humanity. There they have spent eons waiting to be freed in order to rule the world once more.
When a thief named Deckard is hired to steal an ancient artifact, he unwittingly triggers a war between man and myth. Now is the only one capable of preventing the destruction of civilization.
Giant griffons rule the skies and werewolves tear at the flesh of the innocent as cities are held under siege by creatures we'd dismissed as the imaginings of our ancestors. As the only person able to seal Pandora's Box and return the beasts to their prison, Deckard must work with a shadowy secret paramilitary society to save our civilization before it's torn apart by tooth and claw.

Features:
- Not another World War II or generic Sci-Fi shooter!
- Modern military firepower meets the tooth and claw of legend
- A massive, block-buster experience; spectacular battles, run and gun fire-fights
- Dynamic environments crumble, skyscrapers fall; the collapse of modern society in the face of the beasts of myth is realized in breath-taking detail
- See London burn to the ground and witness New York torn apart in spectacular supernatural destruction
- Incredible and unnerving AI: watch in fascination as werewolves scale vertical walls to find a path to the player and use objects in the environment to their advantage
- Encounter three-way firefights; take on the beasts of the box and those who would seek to control them for their own, evil ends
- Take on enemies from the size of a child all the way through to spectacular titan creatures tens of stories tall

Product Specs:
- Genre: First Person Shooter
- Created by: Sparks Unlimited
- Publisher: Gamecock Media Group (www.gamecockmedia.com)
- Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows Compatible PC
- Release Date: Third Quarter 2008

Gamecock's Release Schedule Hits

Brian Crecente — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:00:50 MST

Earlier today Gamecock announced that their annual mini-con, EIEIO, was moving from California to Texas to coincide with South By Southwest. While the company only has only brought two titles to market so far, they have a ton in the wings. Here's how things official stand with their upcoming games, from Mushrooms to Insects:

Pirates Vs Ninjas Dodgeball XBLA - Feb
Insecticide DS - 2/26
Insecticide Episodes 1 & 2 (Downloadable PC Episodic) - March and April
Hail to the Chimp - May
Mushroom Men:Rise of the Fungi DS - June
Legendary PC Next Gen Consoles - Summer
Mushroom Men:The Spore Wars Wii - Fall
Sabotage 360/PC - Fall
Dungeon Hero 360/PC - Spring 09
Section 8 Next Gen Console/PC - Summer 09

Another Legendary (?) Halo Tattoo

Maggie Greene — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:30:25 MDT

A few months ago, we posted about a Legendary(?) Halo tattoo. Well, here's another one: same theme, different stretch of skin (and this one appears to be half finished), sent in by Ryan C., who says the lucky tattooee is a 'friend's older brother.' We've actually mentioned this one before while it was still in the linework phase, filed under 'Just say NO to Halo tattoos.' I've flirted with the idea of adding a game related tattoo to my collection, but never been quite comfortable with having something that fleeting permanently inked on my body. Still, this one seems to be shaping up quite nicely if you're into that sort of thing.

Halo 3 Cat Helmets Set To Sell Out

Mike Fahey — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:00:19 MDT

On the left you will see Rufus. Rufus didn't want a replica Spartan helmet, so you might have him to thank if you run out to the store real quick and still find a preorder available for the Halo 3 Legendary Edition here in the states. A Microsoft spokesman told GamesIndustry.biz that while there are still quantities left for preorder, they are on course to be completely sold out by launch day next week. They've already sold out in the UK, so don't wait until they start showing up on eBay complete with pictures of very relieved felines. And don't worry about Rufus there. I'm dressing him up like Pinhead from Hellraiser as soon as I find my tiny hammer.

Halo 3 Legendary Edition should sell out in US [GamesIndustry.biz]

Tomb Raider: Anniversary Episodes Confirmed For XBLA

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:20:28 MDT

Eidos has confirmed speculation that Tomb Raider: Anniversary for the Xbox 360 will be an episodic affair, with releases beginning in the fall and requiring ownership of Tomb Raider Legend. However, gamers looking for a more traditional approach will be relieved to read that a full retail release of the game, already available for the PC and PlayStation 2, will come "later in the year."

The first two episodes will appear on Xbox Live this September, with the other two released shortly thereafter. The total cost for all four will be 2400 Microsoft Points, on par with the current releases. The game's training area, Croft Manor, will be free—if you buy one the episodic sets.

I'm not sure how I feel about this new trend of dual-released content, but I'm starting to think I... like it? Michael McWhertor

Tomb Raider Secures World First With Microsoft

Episodic Serialization on Xbox 360 for Tomb Raider Anniversary

Eidos Interactive Ltd., part of SCi Entertainment Group, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, is pleased to announce that the latest Lara Croft adventure, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, will be released on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, initially in the form of downloadable episodic content which will be available for purchase to owners of Tomb Raider Legend on Xbox 360.

This is the first time ever that the serialization of a full retail game will be available for purchase through Xbox Live® Marketplace. The game will be available in four episodes; Episodes 1 & 2 will be available in September, with the next two episodes arriving shortly afterwards. A full retail version is planned to be released for Xbox 360 later in the year.

"We have created this version of Anniversary specifically for digital distribution as episodic content. This is part of our strategy to grow our presence in online and digital distribution as we believe there are huge growth opportunities arising from this delivery format and we intend to capitalize on the increasing demand for digitally downloaded content," said Jane Cavanagh, Chief Executive, Eidos. "Lara has always been at the forefront of technology and this world first initiative with Microsoft really highlights that fact. Ultimately we also intend to make the title available at retail so that it reaches the maximum possible audience."

"We're continuing to break new ground in getting incredible gaming experiences in the hands of consumers," said George Peckham, General Manager of 3rd Party Publishing, Xbox, Microsoft. "We're excited to be able to deliver one of the most well-recognized franchises in video game history with Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary to our more than six million Xbox Live members worldwide in the form of episodic content."

The market for digital download of core PC and console games is expected to exceed $289 million by 2010, with Games on Demand services topping $104 million (ScreenDigest). Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming network can already boast over 2.3 billion hours of online gaming (this is equal to 95 million days or over 260,000 years) since its launch in 2004. Xbox 360 owners have activated more than 5 billion points (over $60 million) on marketplace with over 135 million downloads since the launch of Xbox 360 in 2005.

Inspired by the first Tomb Raider videogame, originally released in 1996, LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER: ANNIVERSARY is a totally new adventure for Lara, faithfully preserving the elements which made the original Tomb Raider such a classic (selling over 7 million copies worldwide). The Tomb Raider series is still one of the best selling videogame franchises of all time with over 32 million copies sold and two major feature films released, starring Angelina Jolie.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary has also launched on Windows as part of Microsoft's Games for Windows initiative, offering reliability, compatibility, and full support for play under Windows Vista™.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary will be available on Xbox 360 - episodically - from September. The Games for Windows® and PlayStation 2 versions have now been released worldwide, with both versions currently at No.1 in the UK and Germany in their respective charts, and No.1 in France on PC. A PSP version is due soon and a Nintendo Wii version is in development.

In order to access Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary downloadable episodic content for Xbox 360, players will require a Lara Croft Tomb Raider Legend disc. The episodes will cost 2400 Microsoft points for all four episodes, and will be released in two separate launches. Episodes 1 & 2 will be released in September and episodes 3 & 4 will follow shortly afterwards. The Croft Manor level will be free to download with both sets of episodes. Additional Tomb Raider Anniversary downloadable content will also become available for purchase on Marketplace to support the launch of Tomb Raider Episodic such as picture packs and theme packs.