Kotaku: sand

New 50 Cent Trailer: Still Amazing

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:40:00 MDT

As you're already aware, the story/excuse behind putting 50 Cent in the desert with a bunch of guns is great. Amazing, even. Know what's greater and even more amazing? This trailer.

50 Cent's New Game Includes Mysterious Love Interest

Brian Crecente — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:00:00 MDT

50 Cent remains hopeful that his new game, Blood on the Sand, will be a true gaming hit and not something that rides on the coattails of his music like he did with Bulletproof.

The game's producer, Aaron Blean, told MTV that he sat through a demo of the game three times several weeks ago and was "really excited."

The producer also talked up a mysterious love interest in the game that, brace yourself, 50 Cent came up with. Oh, this is going to be a grrrrreat game.

50 Cent 'Really Excited' By 'Blood On The Sand'; Video Game's Music, Love-Interest Details Revealed [MTV]

The Ultimate Sandboxer

Owen Good — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:00:00 MDT

Quite literally. "The Hell of Sand" is a brilliant time-waster of a flash game. "There are many dynamics to this game but no goal. Play around for a while and you'll get the hang of it." Great premise.

You play with four streams of colored sand using 18 different effects, some of them working in awesome combinations with each other.

C-4 and Torch, for example, wasn't too hard to figure out. I've also been making little cups of gunpowder and blasting them to hell with torch. But can someone tell me what "plant" does? Does it grow in the water? I can't figure it out.

The Hell of Sand [AndysLife.org]

What's It Like Working With 50 Cent?

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:00:33 MDT

What's it like making the follow up for million-selling, universally-panned 50 Cent: Bulletproof? Total freedom? Or is Fiddy running the show? ProllySays game director Julian Widdows at UK dev Swordfish Studios:

We were very much given control of the core experience, what we wanted to create with a 50 Cent game. He took a look at it and he was like, 'You know, it looks really cool, I'd like something a little bit more.' The guy's a gamer, which in and of itself is actually an advantage because he came in with a very honest, very open opinion - 'As a gamer, I want more than just a core experience'.

He's a gamer, just not a "crazy game head," m'kay?
Blood on the Sand Interview [CVG] [Pic]

Mark Rein "Blown Away" By New 50 Cent Game

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:00:00 MDT

Mark Rein is not an easy man to impress. He's very picky. That chocolate suit he's wearing, it took him years to pick that out. So, when he says he was blown away by Unreal Engine 3 licensee 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, that means something. What, we're still not exactly sure. Says Blood on the Sand game director Julian Widdows:

When we heard he was coming we were like 'oh no, we're gonna get killed!' But he was over the moon, we're chuffed about it... We're obviously an Unreal Engine 3 licensee and he just came in for a visit and said 'oh my god, I can't believe you're working on this, it looks phenomenal'. That was it; it wasn't anything particularly formal, he came in to say hello to his licensees and was blown away by it. That was great for us.

Don't just think of Mark Rein as some game executive in a chocolaty suit, he's a motivator. He motivates.
Rein "Blown Away" [CVG]

50 Cent Wasn't a "Crazy Video-Game Head"

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:00:00 MDT

Since 50 Cent has lent his name and likeness to video games, you'd think he was a gamer. Not so! Says the rapper:

I wasn't a crazy video-game head. But my son is crazy about them, so he sits and plays them all day. I'll play with him ... he beats me at those games. He likes to bring me around so he can beat me.

50 Cent: Not a crazy video-game head, his son's gaming bitch.
How 50 Cent Learned [MTV] [Pic]

50 Cent Sequel's Story Is AMAZING

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:20:00 MDT

We've got a little more info on today's darling of the internets, the unexpected sequel to 50 Cent's first game outing, Bulletproof. This time relating to the game's story. A story of blood, sand, promises, treachery, revenge and...a crystal skull. Which we're guessing somebody was paid to write. I...you...look, just read this, will you?

...what's inspired the title is, 50 and G-Unit are putting on a sold-out performance somewhere in a fictional Middle Eastern setting. This is where the 'blood on the sand' comes in. They put on the performance; the people are pleased, but the concert promoter stiffs them and doesn't give 50 and G-Unit their payment.

So, of course, 50 isn't going to leave until he gets paid, so he hassles the concert promoter, [saying] if he doesn't come up with the money now, there will be consequences. And instead, the promoter offers him a very valuable gift - something that's valuable to this particular country - a diamond encrusted skull.

So 50 gets the skull, and as he's about to leave this war-torn country, when they're ambushed and the skull is taken. They escape the ambush, but they're without the skull. So 50's motivated to get what belongs to him. So basically, throughout the game, he's trying to track these people down and find out who they are and why he was ambushed.

What...what? What? Why is he being entrusted with national treasures? Why can't he just buy another skull? So many questions...so many, many questions....
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Interview [IGN]

50 Cent Sequel To Feature Bloody Sand

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:40:10 MDT

Yep, Fifty and the G Unit are back. The follow up to 50 Cent: Bulletproof, the educational shoot 'em up in which the rapper took on a criminal organization out to get him, is known as 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. According to the MTV reveal on the Vivendi-published, Swordfish Studios-developed title, the details of whom 50 and his G's will be shooting at are still super secret. We know 50's going somewhere sandy, bringing AI and player controlled buddies with him and that Formula 50 Vitamin Water and bottles of bub will most likely be consumed.

MTV has eight exclusive screens of Mr. Cent's sandy adventure, currently planned for the Fall, which actually look quite nice. There's no shortage of details on the game, said to be a "Three Kings' meets 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'" crime story, which you'll find linked below.

50 Cent Video Game Exclusive: 'Blood On The Sand' Details, First Images Revealed [MTV]

Koopa Sand Sculpture

Brian Crecente — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:00:49 MDT

Australian Kotakuite Andrew sends us a shot of how he spent his Wednesday while at the beach. That's right, they built a Koopa out of sand and seaweed. I'm actually heading out to Australia for a bit of a vacation next month. I'm going to be hitting up Surfers Paradise for a week too, so I'll have to try my own hand at a gaming sand castle. Any suggestions?

Contest: Use Ice, Snow, Sand, Win Lost Planet

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 10:22:23 MST

Want Lost Planet? We've got ten, count 'em, ten copies of the Xbox 360 game to put in your greedy hands. Just handing them out ain't no contest though, but a giveaway. So here's our newest contest:

Using ice, snow or sand (for you warm weather folks) sculpt something game-related, snap a pic and send it our way to kotakucontest@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name and address as well as some info about your creation. We'll post the entries and from that select the winners. Contest ends January 5th, and the winners will be announced the following day. Like any contest, this one's got rules. Good luck and happy sculpting! Brian Ashcraft