via Gizmodo




The upcoming SOCOM Confrontation game for the PS3 will come with a free Bluetooth headset, much like the similar deal last hear with Warhawk. This headset, however, looks very PlayStation-branded and neutral (unlike the Warhawk one, which just looked ugly), leading us to believe that it could serve as the "official" PlayStation 3 headset if Sony wanted. Why Sony still hasn't come out with an official Sony/PS3 branded one is a mystery to us. Maybe they don't like money? ...

via Eurogamer


Capcom has announced that Puzzle Quest developer Infinite Interactive is hard at work on a new game called Neopets Puzzle Adventure for Wii, PC and DS.

Surprise surprise, it's a bit like Puzzle Quest! In this case, you create a virtual pet (Neopet) by customising one of 12 base units and then go out into an RPG-style world fighting enemies in games of Othello (also known as Reversi).

Othello is the game where you have to try and take control of an 10x10 grid by placing counters to annex those of your opponent.

As with Puzzle Quest, the basic puzzle gameplay of Othello is complemented by the act of collecting gems to build up a stock of spells, which can be deployed to win points and reduce the other player's control of the board.

As some of you may already know, "Neopets" is licensed from the popular web-based game/community run by Nickelodeon, where people create and nurture virtual pets and swap recipes and do all sorts via a website.

To tie in with the existing property, Neopets Puzzle Adventure will generate codes at certain points that players can redeem on the Neopets.com website to gain bonuses there.

The multi-platform game will offer around 150 quests in single-player, with mini-games and altered versions of the core Othello game used to upgrade your character's stock of spells.

There will also be multiplayer, and Capcom told Eurogamer at its Las Vegas Captivate 08 event last week that demos are likely, and Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PSP versions haven't been ruled out at this stage.

Check out our Neopets Puzzle Adventure hands-on preview for much more information on how the game works and what we made of it, and check out our screenshot gallery for the first grabs. ...

via Eurogamer


Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono has reiterated that there are no plans to produce a Wii version of the upcoming arcade and console beat-'em-up.

Speaking at Captivate 08 in Las Vegas last week, Ono brought the subject up himself during his presentation. "The fact of the matter is we haven't planned for a Wii version yet," he said.

In fact, when rumours broke of a Wii version, Ono had to go to Nintendo and apologise about the rumour, he added.

Street Fighter IV is due out in Japanese arcades this summer, and we got to play a near-complete version at Captivate. You can check out our thoughts and Ono's comments on a range of subjects in our Street Fighter IV hands-on preview.

The game is also due out on PS3, 360 and PC. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Capcom has released a bunch of new screenshots from Resident Evil 5, showing off zombie-dogs, more white zombies and a bunch of gorgeous looking locations. They look stunning.

The shots look mostly like they've been taken from scenes from the awesome trailer released earlier this week, but there are a few glimpses of areas we've never seen before.

Resident Evil 5 is planned for release this financial year. Unfortunately that could be anytime up until March of next year and Capcom has been known to flout normal conventions and release things earlier on in the year. Like Resident Evil 4 for example.

Take a look. We're sure there's more to follow soon.


Screenshots ...

via Computer and Video Games


Microsoft and Silicon Knights have gone skill tree mental, releasing a video and screens demonstrating how you can spend your Too Human experience points on the game's beefy Berserker class. Riveting stuff.

But seriously, there's some decent footage of robots getting there face smashed in as well, so be sure to give the video a look - the art style's gorgeous as well.

The 360 exclusive has been dated (finally) for August 19. There's a disturbing trend of press writing it off as a generic hack 'n slasher at the moment, but we had a play at Microsoft's showcase last month and found Too Human to be surprisingly deep and satisfying.

Let's hope they sort those camera controls out, though.


Screenshots
Trailer ...

via Joystiq


Sony has again trumpeted intention to get its virtual world Home out the door this year, though precisely what state it will be in when players are eventually allowed to log on remains another issue entirely. Speaking to Wired, PSN senior director Susan Panico referred to Home's initial roll out as "similar to Gmail," calling the online initiative's presumably fall release an "open, working beta."

These comments have not exactly filled our heart containers with confidence. Google officially launched its email service in 2004, and now, some four years later, it's still in beta. ...

via IGN


Videogames publisher Lexicon Entertainment and talented Chinese games developer TF-H Co Ltd have announced a two-year agreement which will see the two companies bring a number of new IP to Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 for a worldwide audience.

First on the horizon as part of this exciting partnership is the firms wholly owned IP 'Matchman' which will be released on Nintendo DS in Q1 2009 followed by Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 in Q2 and 3 respectively.

Christopher Allcroft, President of Publishing for Lexicon Entertainment UK Ltd said "This partnership with TF-H Co Ltd is another piece of our jigsaw which will see new IP on cross platforms being released all over the world and will also expand our collaboration within Asian territory. TF-H Co Ltd are a dedicated and extremely talented bunch of developers and we look forward to developing and publishing this exciting IP for the next 2 years"

Steven Shao of TF-H Co Ltd quoted "We are extremely excited about this partnership with Lexicon Entertainment and the development of 'Matchman' on cross platforms. 'Matchman' has been carefully chosen to suit the correct audience and working with Lexicon Entertainment will enable users around the world to enjoy it as much as we do!"

'Matchman' is a side scrolling shooter involving extraordinary graphics, manipulation and creative features. The graphic style is consisted by black and white line drawing, and the script is based on a combination of some classical fairytales such as Grimm's and Anderson's fairytales. In the script, there are many humorous factors. The black and white style will bring you the feel of an old school comic, which will attract audiences from different age groups.

One of the special features is the unconventional means to knock through some of scenario. In this case, you're not going to kill bosses directly. For instance, conventionally you kill monsters by using weapons; but to kill an evil bird named "Baba Yaga", you need to throw apples and feed it until its stomach bursts! Another feature is about manipulation. Within the game is a mode called Commuter, specially designed for people on public transport commuting to the office. These people can use a single hand to operate the console and the other to enjoy a soothing cuppa! ...

via Eurogamer


Dark Void developer Airtight Studios is looking at the possibility of including Sixaxis motion controls in its upcoming third-person, cover-based shooter.

Although a third-person shooter, Dark Void gives players access to a jetpack that allows them to fly around the Void realm that the game's hero, Will, is trying to escape, and it's also possible to highjack enemy UFOs and pilot them, leading to suggestions it would be a good fit for Sixaxis.

"We're exploring some things with Sixaxis," lead designer Jose Perez told Eurogamer at Capcom's Captivate 08 event in Las Vegas. "Right now it controls very similar to Crimson Skies [the last game many of the team worked on] when you're doing the flight stuff, so it's something we're looking into."

The developer has no plans to include multiplayer though, and Perez said that apart from the complexity of making it work with jetpacks and UFOs, the main factor was a desire not to split the team's concentration. "We have to focus on the single-player experience first," Perez explained, pointing to the strength of recent single-player games like BioShock and Assassin's Creed.

"Then for future versions of Dark Void - you know, please!" he said, cupping his hands in prayer, "that's something that I would personally love to explore. But right now it's about: let's make sure that we make a game that's solid and quality first." That also rules out co-operative play, the developer said. ...

via Games Industry


Square Enix saw its Tokyo stock rating upgraded by Cosmo Securities, which lifted the Japanese based videogame maker to "neutral plus" from the "neutral" rating it has maintained since November 26.

The shares rose JPY 60 (USD 0.57), or 1.9 per cent, to close at JPY 3210 (USD 30.7) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and much of the improvement is being put down to the performance of the company's Dragon Quest IX DS title, which sold 5 million units and will produce JPY 20 billion (USD 190 million) in revenue, Cosmo Securities analyst Takashi Oka reported.

"It's not surprising Dragon Quest IX for the portable console sold twice as many units as a version for stationary game machines,'' Oka wrote, according to Bloomberg.

The Cosmo Securities report also claimed that the company's net income for the year ending in March 2009 will almost double to JPY 17.4 billion (USD 166.9 million), 45 per cent higher than the company's target of JPY 12 billion (USD 115.1 million).

This comes after the company recently reported a profit of JPY 9.2 billion (USD 88.5 million) for fiscal year 2007, a 20.9 per cent fall from the previous year. ...