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The PSN Is in Maintenance Mode
Just a heads up, the website log-in for PlayStation Network is throwing up a notice that the server is currently down for maintenance. According to Sony, “Fortunately we have got ISPs to release outstanding emails; unfortunately, a small amount of maintenance is required to improve this process.” Sony will let players know when the PSN…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Map of Half-Life 2‘s City 17 (and Beyond!)
Between all the running and riding in little boats and more running you end up covering quite a lot of ground in Half-Life 2! What makes this somewhat unique, though, is that you do it all in immediate succession. There’s no cutscenes where you jump in a helicopter and reappear 1,000 miles away, or hitch…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Soulcalibur V Is Getting How Many Fighters?
According to the latest Famitsu, the development team want at least 26 characters, including unconfirmed guest characters. The game will have unspecified gameplay changes, too. It’s due for 2012 and currently only 10 percent completed. [Siliconera]
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Your Eyes May Not Survive These Uncharted Figures
If you had to ask people which game series they’d most want action figures based on, your top answer would be Half-Life. Your number two, though, would be Uncharted, so it’s a shame to see these are the first plastic representations of the game’s characters. They’re part of the Minimates line of Minifig-like toys, designed…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 -
UncategorizedNintendo Fakers, You Got to Do Better Than This
For those who checked the internet when the Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii launched, you’ll remember the fake “secret presentation” photos. They were typically either bad photoshops or bad photos showing new hardware presentations. That was over five years ago, before the proliferation of high quality camera phones. It’s 2011, new hardware is incoming, and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mass Effect 2’s “Interactive Comic” is Now On The Xbox 360
Because the PS3 will most likely never see the first Mass Effect, when Mass Effect 2 hit Sony’s console developers BioWare had to include an interactive comic to help players make the choices that defined their character’s actions. Xbox 360 and PC players made those choices while actually playing the first Mass Effect, but since…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Let’s Check Out the Resident Evil Restaurant
To mark Resident Evil‘s 15th anniversary, Capcom turned Tokyo airsoft gun shooting bar EA into a S.T.A.R.S.. It’s kind of pricey! The bar is decked out in elaborate Resident Evil style. The guns are cool, the crows a nice touch, but those zombie wall stickers are mood killers. Ditto for the expensive eats. Besides the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Fable’s Creators Reckon Pre-Owned Sales are Worse Than Piracy
With experience on both the PC and Xbox 360, Fable studio Lionhead is well aware of the pitfalls of both platforms. And feels one pitfall is deeper than the other. “Piracy these days on PC is probably less problematic than second-hand sales on the Xbox,” Lionhead’s Mike West told Eurogamer. “I’ve been working on PC…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Chinese Toymaker Forced to Apologize for Gundam Ripoffs
China loves Gundam. But China doesn’t always love copyright law. That can be a problem! Bandai Namco, owner of the Gundam toy license, took China’s Hongli All Toys to court in 2009 for knocking off the famed Japanese mechs. Even before the lawsuit’s final ruling, Gundam clones continued to pop up in the Mainland. Copyright…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
So, Netflix On Consoles Is Hogging Up the Internet
One has to wonder when Netflix decided to offer its streaming movie service on video game consoles whether it would have such a drastic effect on American internet usage. I mean, look at this report: it states that almost 20% of total internet bandwidth usage in the United States is from people watching movies and…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
The First PlayStation Phone Will be Out In The US Next Week
The Xperia Play, Sony Ericsson’s first PlayStation-certified phone, has been out in Europe for a little while now. Americans wanting in on the action? Your wait is almost over. The phone will be released in the US on May 26, and will be available exclusively through Verizon. It’ll be priced at $199, with an additional…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - CultureTotal Recall
When Mario Had a Best-Selling…Book?
Mario has gone through three distinct phases of super popularity. One in the early 90’s. One is seemingly just on the wane, born of the success of his games on the DS and Wii. The other, though, was in the mid-80’s. The fat plumber was so popular then that he didn’t just have a best-selling…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2011 - Uncategorized
Portal 2: The Final Hours Makes the Leap from iPad to Steam
Geoff Keighley’s interactive app on the development of Portal 2 is no longer an iPad exclusive. Portal 2: The Final Hours is now available for Mac and PC via Valve’s Steam service for $1.99 USD.
By Michael McWhertor Published May 17, 2011 - Uncategorized
What Are You Eating?
Wow, is it Tuesday already? Just kidding, I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday! At least we have our semi-nightly open thread to ease the pain. And it’s one of those delicious Themed Tuesday open threads! Mmmm. Threads. So, what have you been eating? I’ve been chowing down on fruit like it’s going out of style…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 17, 2011 -
UncategorizedPortal 2 Finds A Unique Way to Offend
What could one possibly find offensive about the critically lauded Portal 2, an inventive, all ages-friendly game? Are those turrets too violent? Is the jazz too smooth? No, it’s the jokes about adoption that have one Portal fan (and one local news team) riled up. So says a report today from Charlotte, North Carolina’s CBS…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 17, 2011 - Uncategorized
‘Human Tetris’ Coming To Kinect?
Looks like Microsoft is turning game show Hole in the Wall, the Western take on Japan’s Nōkabe (aka Brain Wall or colloquially “Human Tetris”), into an Xbox 360 game. And, yes, that does seem like a very natural fit for Kinect… Microsoft is listed as the publisher of heretofore unannounced Xbox 360 game Hole in…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 17, 2011 - Uncategorized
You May Not Get That Wet Sequel You’ve Been Wanting
The revelation that Artificial Mind and Movement’s Wet and Naughty Bear were both getting sequels—despite some mixed reception—was something of a surprise. Less surprising was developer A2M’s name change to the less giggle-inducing Behaviour. Now it appears that Wet 2 may not happen after all. Siliconera spotted potential evidence that shoot ‘n’ slice ’em up…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 17, 2011