After loads of speculation and a couple of seconds of video, we finally have some solid information on Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles via IGN. The upcoming Wii sidestory will be directed by Masachika Kawata, who was responsible for the PS2 port of Resident Evil 4. Capcom also confirmed that the title will run at 480p and include a widescreen mode.
The more exciting news is that the title is no longer just a recap of the first few games. Umbrella Chronicles will be split into two separate stories. The first is a new game, taking place between Code Veronica X and Resident Evil 4. The second story is the previously confirmed collection of scenes from the earlier Resident Evil games redone in the Resident Evil 4 engine.
This was a bit unexpected. There hasn’t been an official announcement that I’ve seen anywhere, but according to IGN, Disgaea Portable will be coming out in the US this August. The game has been out in Japan since November, where it reviewed very well.The game isn’t just a port of the PS2 game, it’s more of a retelling, almost a prequel, with the story this time focusing more on Etna.
Quote:
However, even if you’ve become accustomed to the console version, a number of surprises are waiting for you when you pick up Disgaea PSP. For one thing, players will have to contend with geo cubes, new randomly distributed items that bestow special effects on the battlefield. For another thing, the portable title features a new multiplayer duel system that was specifically developed for North America. That means that you can challenge your friends to see who the better Netherworld strategist is. You’ll also have the option to manipulate almost every option for the game, including changing game rules, win/loss conditions and even creating new battle maps to fight over. Finally, along with a large roster of NIS America characters that have been hidden away in the game, players will have the option to purchase and replay their favorite soundtracks, giving them another level of customization during play.
And really, dood, who could resist the pull of demonic undead exploding baseball playing penguins on the go?
I’ve been hearing rumblings that some big Nintendo news was coming down the pipeline. I suspect this is it, or at least part of it.
Earlier today Sega pushed live a site for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Two of my favorite game characters in one of my least favorite genres. Huzzah!!
The game, which will feature the Beijing Olympics and is due to hit shelves by the end of the year, will be exclusive to the Wii and DS. Expect more official details later today
“Think about these [the three versions of the Xbox 360] as if they are bundles. The console is the same, we did some neat stuff because a lot of people said they liked black,” Albert Penello, Director of Global Platform Marketing for Xbox, says, while he explains the new Elite version of the Xbox 360. “We think it’s cool to try something interesting. When you’re a new customer, what configuration makes sense for you? All three of these consoles are different bundles.”
For $479.99, here’s what gamers will get (in black — see picture):
Xbox 360 Elite console. The console is equipped with a premium black finish and three powerful core processors capable of producing the best in HD entertainment (up to 1080p), 16:9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound, HDMI output and DVD playback with upscaling capabilities right out of the box.
Xbox 360 120GB hard drive. The 120GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to save their games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.3 The hard drive is sold separately for an estimated retail price of $179.99 (U.S.).
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (black). This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller, now in black, features the Xbox Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries. It is sold separately for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.).
Xbox 360 headset (black). Now available in black, the headset lets gamers strategize or trade taunts while playing games and send voice messages to friends on Xbox LIVE.
Xbox 360 HDMI cable. New to Xbox 360, HDMI allows consumers to get HD video (up to 1080p) and multichannel surround sound, all from one cable. (Editor’s Note: The component/composite cable already included with the Xbox 360 is also in the Xbox 360 Elite box).
Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, collect achievements and gamerscores, send and receive voice and text messages, and access Xbox LIVE Marketplace content such as game demos, HD movies and TV, as well as the best in downloadable games from Xbox LIVE Arcade.
One-month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold. An Xbox LIVE Gold Membership provides a complete online entertainment experience. Those who subscribe to this premium service can engage in competitive online multiplayer matches, tailor their matchmaking via feedback and accomplishments, chat with more than one person at a time, and take advantage of unique privileges in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Xbox LIVE Arcade.
Nitty gritty details aside, Penello did say the console is “the same.” The almost-a-year-old announcement of a revised chipset — one that will have the 360 running cooler and quieter — hasn’t bore fruit just yet, as the Elite SKU features the same 90 nm chip currently in Xbox 360 hardware.
The Elite SKU is not being released to replace the Premium (or the Core) versions of the console: “The Elite is not our new default SKU. The SKU that we still think is the sweet spot is the existing 20 gigabyte unit.” Penello said. “We’ve got a unit for people that is more entry level. We’re not going to start releasing 25 gigabyte downloads.”
Additionally, for consumers concerned with how they will get save files from their existing 360 hard drive onto the new 120 gig — the 120 gig HDD accessory, which retails for $179.99, has a cable and software built-in that will connect the HDD to the console with an HDD attached to it and transfer the files from one HDD to the other. People won’t have to use a memory card to transfer the files and then re-download all of their old Arcade titles.
Warner Brothers has signed a licensing deal to produce a new game featuring Batman in Lego form, Variety reported. Lego Batman will be published by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment and developed by TT Games, the company behind the two successful Lego Star Wars games.
Similar to Lego Star Wars and its sequel, which both sold several million units in the U.S. alone, Lego Batman will be a family-friendly game featuring the characters from DC’s Batman comics made out of the famous toy bricks. Warner will release it in 2008 on multiple consoles.
Zack Snyder, director of the hit 300, and Warner Brothers are reteaming to develop the zombie action-thriller film Army of the Dead, based on an original story by Snyder, Variety reported. He’s producing with his wife, Deborah Snyder, through their recently launched production company, Cruel & Unusual Films, based at Warners, the trade paper reported.
It’s too early to say whether Zack Snyder is considering Army as a directing vehicle for himself. He will next direct Watchmen for Warner, based on the Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons graphic novel about a group of retired superheroes who reunite to save the world from disaster. He’s set to begin shooting at the end of the summer, with the studio eyeing a 2008 release.
Snyder and Warner have set Joby Harold, who penned the upcoming Awake for the Weinstein Co., to write the script for Army. Cruel’s Wesley Coller is executive-producing.
Set in a quarantined Las Vegas in the not-too-distant future, Army revolves around a father who tries to save his daughter from imminent death in a zombie-infested world. (Snyder got his first taste of zombies directing the remake of Dawn of the Dead for Universal. Universal is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.)
Snyder told Daily Variety that he wants Army to have a sweeping, epic quality, along the lines of the highly stylized 300.
Interestingly, the similarly themed Resident Evil: Extinction is set in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas, where survivors of a zombie plague take their last stand. It’s set to open Sept. 21.
He did a hell of a job on “Dawn of the Dead Remake”. I can’t wait.
Paul W.S. Anderson (Alien vs. Predator, Resident Evil) may no longer be involved in the video-game adaptationCastlevania, which he was set to write and direct, according to a rumor posted on the Dread Central Web site.
Castlevania has had a troubled route to the big screen so far. Castle Sky Pictures acquired the rights to the long-running Konami franchise, which features Dracula as the main villain in a series of gothic horror scenarios, in 2005. Dimension was set to distribute the film, but dropped due to issues with the script. Rogue Pictures took over as distributor, but pushed production back from mid-2006 to 2007.
A source told the site that although Anderson has been attached to the project from the beginning, he has now left it in favor of directing a new version of Roger Corman’s futuristic action classic Death Race 2000.
We mourn the death of Yoyo.. Well not really, He had to sit this podcast out due to some technical difficulties. Izzy and Grim more then pick up the slack. We talk console exclusives, The New Black 360, Rant about DDR Universe and more…
Monday
Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (PC)
Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, The (PC, XBOX360)
Made Man (PS2)
Medal of Honor: Vanguard (PS2, WII)
POGO Island (DS)
Virtua Tennis 3 (PSP)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire (VC – SNES)
Tuesday
Baseball Mogul 2008 (PC)
Dance Dance Revolution Universe (XBOX360)
Disney’s Meet the Robinsons (PC, GCN, PS2, GBA, DS, XBOX360, WII)
Hard Rock Casino (PSP)
Honeycomb Beat (DS)
Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits (DS)
Red Star, The (PS2)
Settlers, The (DS)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent (PS3)
Wednesday
Jetpac Refuelled (XBLA)
Metal Slug Anthology (PS2)
Microsoft pulled no punches yesterday during the European launch of the PlayStation 3. Deciding that deviousness was the order of the day, they had agents in both London and Paris throwing monkey wrenches into the works at Sony-sponsored events that included:
Handing out chairs to the weary fans waiting in the PS3 lines that were printed with a link to this site on the back of them.
Sending SMS messages to game journalists saying “The Xbox 360 team wishes you a good night.”
Arming themselves with whistles and blowing them from rooftops to drown out the noise of Sony PR.
Apparently the gloves are off in Europe, and it seems to be working. At French events, one store sold 50 consoles out of 1000, and another store sold 300 out of 1000. At the massive under-attended event at the Eiffel Tower, where they were told to expect 3000 people, roughly 40 people turned out … security was still turning people away without invitations. One unlucky gate crasher said, “I came from the suburbs, perhaps they don’t like my face.” At least the French are brutally honest.
As I was checking up on video game news as I sometimes do I came across something. There are apparently many people out there that are really upset that DMC4 has been confirmed to not be a ps3 exclusive and to be heading to the 360 console, so upset that they started a petition against it.
Capcom how dare you! Why, you should’ve kept Devil May Cry 4 on the PS3. That way, Sony would sell
To: Capcom
We (The people that have signed this petition) feel very left out in your decision to make Devil May Cry 4 a Multi-Platform title, and hereby agree to boycott your sale of Capcom affiliated games. This is due to your decision to turn your back on your most faithful gaming company. For years we have enjoyed games, we have reaped the benefits of your committment to Sony. We find it absolutely demoralizing for not only the gamers, but also Sony itself. We want you to know that will not, and should not stand for your actions, and therefore withold our option of buying your product.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Oh, so Capcom’s commitment to Sony lead to fun games. Silly me, I thought that it was Capcom’s commitment to Capcom. Not doing charity work here,
I really don’t know what to say to this except the word ’silly’.
I like Capcom they give me Resident Evil but to me being angry over a game that is still coming out on a system you have and/or love is a little silly to me.
A few years back I heard that they were remaking the original Resident Evil and my eyes filled with tears of joy then I heard that the Resident Evil series would be a Game Cube exclusive.
I played RE 1-3 (plus survivor) on the ps1 and I played Code Veronica X on the PS2 but did I get upset that it was making its way exclusively to the GC? No. I went out and bought a Game Cube to play the game that I love so much.
When Resident Evil 4 came out and it was amazing on the GC and then a year later came out on the ps2 was I upset that it was no longer an exclusive to the system that I bought originally just to play RE? No. I went out and bought RE4 for the PS2 also.
Why?
Because I am a fan of the series and I will play it regardless of the system its on.
Isn’t it about the love of the game?
Seriously folks, if you like a series would you be that upset that it was going cross platform?
One of the biggest catalog announcements yet for HD DVD, Warner Home Video has set a May 22 arrival for two extensive box set collections of the blockbuster ‘Matrix’ series.
The revolutionary sci-fi trilogy, which grossed over $600 million in the U.S. alone, has long been rumored to be in the planning stages for next-gen release. Thought to be a “killer app” — the kind of trojan horse title that would entice non-early adopters into the high-def fold — Warner is already gearing up for one of its biggest-ever HD DVD releases.
The studio will unleash two different configurations, both streeting simultaneously on May 22.
‘The Complete Matrix Trilogy’ will span three discs and include each film in the trilogy — ‘The Matrix,’ ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ — plus a four bonus disc with extras, ‘The Matrix: Revisited.’ Each film will also include an Interactive Movie Experience (IME) feature exclusive to the HD DVD, which will deliver an video commentary featuring interviews with the cast and filmmakers, behind-the-scenes footage and more.
‘The Ultimate Matrix Collection’ will replicate the extensive standard-def box set of the same name which debuted two years ago. In addition to the three IME-enhanced ‘Matrix’ titles and ‘The Matrix Revisited,’ an additional 35 hours of bonus materials will be included.
Warner has not yet issued full specs for either box set, including whether what, if any, supplemental features will be presented in 1080p. But we’ll certainly keep you posted.
Suggested list price will be $99.99 for ‘The Complete Matrix Trilogy’ and, for only $20 more, you can grab ‘The Ultimate Matrix Collection’ for $119.99.
No Blu-ray version of either ‘Matrix’ set has been announced. However, Warner says it plans to release a comparable version later this year, once Blu-ray’s much-touted BD-Java environment is finally ready for prime time.
Name: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Price: 800 Points
Availability: Not available in South Korea
Dash Details: Single Player, HD (High Definition). Uncover all the mysteries of Dracula’s castle with the full version including achievements, leaderboards, and multiple endings. Have you uncovered the true secret behind Dracula’s power?
We’ve confirmed with trusted sources that the black Xbox 360 is indeed coming (the image above is of the original 360 dev kit, FYI), and will be dubbed the Xbox 360 Elite. Here’s what you need to know about it:
The Elite will be limited quantities only; that may be as much or as little as a couple hundred thousand.
The case, controller, and Live headset will all be black. It will have all new packaging.
Elite will cost $479, and will be a 3rd SKU; it will be sold alongside Premium and Core packs.
Eventually Elite hardware (in white plastics) will take the role of the Xbox Premium. That is to say, after the Elite is launched and sold out, future Xbox Premiums will have 120GB / HDMI.
We do not yet know exactly when 120GB / HDMI will become the standard for Premium, but it is loosely estimated to be late summer or fall.
Elite models run cooler than normal 360s, but they are not yet confirmed to have 65nm chips.
Prices may remain the same with the 120GB / HDMI hardware upgrade in the Premium Xbox, but we may still see a price cut on the line when 65nm chips start shipping.
The HD DVD drive will not be internal or bundled — Microsoft never did or nor does not currently have plans to put an HD DVD drive in the 360.
There are no current plans to integrate WiFi into the Elite or future Premiums (although that can always change).
Ok I know that the site i posted is in Japanese but luckily for us someone over on evilavatar has translated what it says.
Capcom Co., Ltd., a world-wide leader in the gaming industry, is proud to announce the development of “Devil May Cry 4″ for the PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™ and PC platforms.
“Devil May Cry” is a series of popular, stylish action games, with a cast of unforgettable characters. Since the release of the original “Devil May Cry” in 2001, the series has shipped 6,800,000 copies as of December 31st, 2006, proudly making it one of Capcom’s flagship titles. The series appeal is not limited to games; an animated TV series to be broadcast on Japan’s WOWOW network is slated to air Spring 2007. The latest iteration, “Devil May Cry 4″ will take advantage of each platform’s hardware strengths to achieve the most stunning visuals in the series to date, and the introduction of a mysterious new protagonist will keep the action fast and fresh. Even before its release, “Devil May Cry 4″ has been met with tremendous anticipation, as fans patiently endured long lines at TOKYO GAME SHOW 2006 for the chance to play the demo. “Devil May Cry 4″ will be released simultaneously for the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360™ platforms.
Capcom was among the first software developers in the world to make games for the next-generation consoles, and those efforts have been met with great success. In addition, Capcom’s use of an integrated development environment is one of the many methods being employed to improve efficiency and help take advantage of the cutting-edge functionality in next-generation systems.
Capcom will continue to produce titles that appeal to users while pursuing a multiplatform strategy to help enhance profits.”
I checked the web for the first time in a few days for news and I saw these Silent Hill phone pics. I know that many years ago a game like this was released in Japan but could it be making its way over here to the states?
I am really happy about Sonic Spinball on the VC and TMNT on XBLA
Monday
Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku (PC)
Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle (PC)
Top Spin 2 (PC)
Tecmo Bowl – NES (NVC)
Sonic Spinball – Genesis (NVC)
Double Dungeons – TG16 (NVC)
Tuesday
Call of Duty 3: Gold Edition (XBOX360)
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (PSP)
College Hoops 2K7 (PS3)
Disney’s Herbie Rescue Rally (DS)
God of War II (PS2)
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 (PC)
Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach (DS)
Sacred Rings, The (PC)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (WII)
arrival for two extensive box set collections of the blockbuster ‘Matrix’ series.
