Batman Flys Solo

            After Rocksteady Studios released Batman: Arkham Asylum, gamers have been waiting to take up the “dark knight’s” mantle once again in the upcoming sequel, Batman: Arkham City. Rumors that the sequel will include cooperative gameplay have also helped feed the hype.

             

            However, Rocksteady Studios squashed the rumor in an Interview with IGN Entertainment last week.   

“With the game now coming to the final stages, I can honestly say it would not have been possible to deliver Arkham City the way we wanted to if we'd have added multiplayer”, Rocksteady Studios Game Director, Sefton Hill said.

             

            The multiplayer rumors first gained shape after a video of Batman and Joker fighting back to back against a swarm of thugs appeared on the web. In a gaming climate where multiplayer capability can make or break a game, Rocksteady shot down the rumor and stuck to their single-player game roots.

            

            “So it might not be the fashionable choice, it might not get us an extra tick on the box, but we are convinced, and we hope that gamers will agree when they get to play the finished game, that we have made the right decision,” Hill said.

                               Fake Batman: Arkham City Co-op Gameplay

Infamous 2: A cut above

           When Infamous came out it brought a new perspective to the traditional  “sandbox” game genre, but for the game's developers, Sucker Punch Productions, their was still room for improvement in the form a sequel.

             

            Infamous 2 boasts an  improved storyline, a cooler setting, and smoother gameplay than its predecessor.

             

            Cliché Manhattan-esk backdrops will no longer be prevalent in the new Infamous title. Instead, the fictional city of New Marais, where the game takes place, will have a more colorful urban environment reminiscent of New Orleans. So say goodbye to flushed out gray scenery and say hello to vibrant colors that will please the eye.

            

            Infamous 2 will feature a storyline that shares some similarities to the original, but also has some key differences. This means that the gritty comic book sequences that everyone knew and loved in the original will be making a comeback, but the lackluster in-game cutscenes are receiving a major facelift. The storyline will also feature choices that affect the story-arc like the first one did, but the choices this time around will carry deeper consequences.

            

            Larger more thought provoking fights will be a key aspect of this title’s gameplay, as well as more intuitive acrobatic gameplay. By using motion capture technology, Sucker Punch is now able to capture more realistic looking movement for the characters in their game.

             

            When it comes down to overall changes, it is clear that Sucker Punch has been listening to what fans had to say about the original and acted accordingly.

Spyro Returns

            After a two year hiatus, Spyro is back with a new adventure hitting shelves this year. This will not be your average running and jumping Spyro title however. 

            

            Activision’s upcoming Spyro title, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, will feature a new system, which allows new characters to enter the virtual game world by purchasing real-life figurines of those characters.

             

            The game will come with a platform called the “Portal of Power” which transports character data to the game by placing the figuring on its surface. The figurine will also save new information gained through playing the game, some of which include changes in levels, power ups and currency.

             
            According to Activision, more than 30 different character figurines will be available after the games release and they will cost slightly less than $10 to purchase. Currently the pint sized dragon is set to make his reappearance in the fall, but no exact date has been disclosed.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Released to Soon?

            It has been a long time coming, but Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has finally arrived in stores today. However, there is a possibility that the game may have been a bit rushed.

           

            Lack of modes and features are quite noticeable upon playing the game. For example, a spectator mode for multiplayer lobbies has become the norm for online fighting games, but Capcom neglected to include one. Another feature that is absent from Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a replay mode to watch archived footage of your or another player’s previous matches.

According to the game’s producer, Ryota Niitsuma there will be several downloadable content releases that will add new modes and characters.  However, this doesn’t make up for the fact that many of these features should have been included from the get go. Niitsuma specifically mentioned a new mode called “Shadow Mode” which will allow players to train against custom computer opponents that mimic the play styles famous players.

Although Capcom expects to sell at least two million copies of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, they may be in for a rude awakening if they do not promptly address some of the games shortcomings.

Uncharted Movie Adaptation

                Movie adaptations of video games are nothing new, but Colombia Pictures has announced that they will be bringing Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune to the silver screen.

                 

                Taking on the mantle of screenwriter and director is David O. Russell, who was also responsible for directing films like The Fighter and Three Kings.  Along with Russell, Colombia Pictures has commissioned Ari (worked on Iron man) and Avi Arad (produced Spiderman films), as well as Charles Roven (produces both new batman films) and Alex Gartner to produce the film.

                 

                Playing the role of the games protagonist Nathan Drake will be Mark Wahlberg, but beyond that the cast for the film is a mystery.

                 

                Currently there is no set date for when production of the film will begin or when the film will be released, but it is apparent that Colombia Pictures has hired some heavy hitters to be involved in this film.

               

The Playstation Phone

            Rumors have been circulating about Sony’s plan to come out with a portable gaming smart phone, but during this year’s Super Bowl these rumors were proven to be more than just that.

Sony's gaming phone, which has been dubbed the Xperia Play will be merging Android smart phone technology with elements of the Playstation portable gaming experience. As of now, however, there has been no official information given about the device’s features and capabilities.

According to Sony Ericsson’s Facebook page, more information about the Xperia Play will hit the web on February 13, but until then Sony refuses to break the silence.

             

            Presently, there has been no word regarding which of America’s cellphone service providers will be compatible with the Xperia. However, Sony has secured deals with two providers in the United Kingdom, which are O2 and Vodaphone.

 

Star War MMO will be delayed?

            It seemed like only yesterday that Bioware studios game developer, Dallas Dickinson, was telling gamers at the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo that Star Wars the Old Republic would see the light of day in spring of 2011. According to unnamed sources however, the game may be pushed as far back as September.

            

            Star Wars the Old Republic was first announced in October 21, 2008 and has been in development for years now. With a budget of $300 million, this title will be Biowares biggest and hopefully best game to date.  

             

            Scared of receiving a rushed product, gamers reacted to the rumors of delays with mixed feelings, but there is also the possibility that Bioware may be late to its own party as the hype surrounding Star Wars the Old Republic dies down.

Sony's Portable Behemoth

            The next generation in portable gaming technology is on the horizon as Sony shows off its latest project, the Sony NGP. A Sony conference was held in Japan last Thursday to unveil the NGP, as well as the new features it will bring to portable gaming.

            

            From a technical standpoint Sony’s newest gadget will be a portable powerhouse, sporting features like a 5-inch Organic LED touch screen, duel analog stick controls, as well as WIFI and 3G network capabilities. Several of these features are firsts in the portable gaming industry, but these are merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The Sony NGP will also include front and rear cameras, a rear touch pad, removable SD memory ports, and gyroscopic sensors to capture motion.

             

            When it comes to software, say goodbye to discs, cartridges and the UMD, because Sony’s NGP does away with all of them. Instead all of the video games played on this device will be directly stored on a flash based memory card.

           

           According to, Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony’s Worldwide Studios, several existing Sony titles, like Killzone and Uncharted will be making an appearance on the Sony NGP with brand new storylines and gameplay.

           

            Sony has announced that its newest creation will hit the shelves sometime during the holidays of this year, but currently an exact release date and price tag has not been established.

           

            

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