New Games |
- How awesome is Capcom's Yoshinori Ono?
- Review: The Blackwell series
- Have a very classy Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer
- The DTOID Show: Wii-U madness and Pokémon Photoshops
- Fan project Renegade X: Black Dawn available tomorrow
- Resident Evil: Revelations will be sold for $39.99
- Egoraptor turns a critical eye towards Castlevania IV
- The special forces of Mass Effect 3's co-op
- Watch this dude play (Street Fighter 3) with himself
- Indie developer redesigns UI specifically for one player
- 38 Studios explains Kingdoms of Amalur online pass
- This weekend on Twitch TV: Passing the torch
- Friday Night Fights: Resistance is futile
- Exclusive: Meet Final Fantasy XIII-2's sound team
- Art Juice: The Mega Man
- David Jaffe invites YOU to a Twisted Metal Tournament!
- A little more on A Game of Dwarves
- Preview: 5 things to know about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
- PixelJunk debuts on Steam with Eden
| How awesome is Capcom's Yoshinori Ono? Posted: 27 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST THIS awesome. What sells the video isn't that the producer of Street Fighter X Tekken was willing to do this. No, what really puts it in God Mode is the stilted English, the pimp robe, and the Blanka-in-a-glass cocktail. Street Fighter Movie Reenactment with Capcom's Yoshinori Ono [1UP] |
| Posted: 27 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST Point-and-click adventures were big in the '90s and Wadjet Eye Games looks to bring them back with the Blackwell series: four episodic games that follow a reluctant detective and her ghostly relative. Each game tells another part of the story, and opens up an interesting and dangerous world of obnoxious and stubborn ghosts, weird and entertaining people, and clever mysteries. In The Blackwell Legacy, you meet Rosa and Joey, then jump back twenty years in Blackwell Unbound to get to know Rosa's aunt Lauren. Blackwell Convergence brings you back to the present with a more knowledgeable Rosa and the most recent installment, Blackwell Deception, shows you that there is far more going on than you would have initially guessed. Each of these titles is a story. Keep reading to find out how well these stories are told. The Blackwell Legacy, Blackwell Unbound, Blackwell Convergence, Blackwell Deception (PC) The Blackwell series, which consists of four games, is a throwback to old point-and-click adventure titles. As such, the controls and mechanics are pretty simple. Left clicking interacts with objects and people, as well as directs your character where to go, while right clicking examines items and objects. There is an inventory that houses all of your items, whatever oddities you collect during your adventure, as well as the notebook, which will be your most frequently used tool throughout all of the titles. Within both the inventory and the notebook, players will also be able to combine items. In the inventory, this means perhaps combining a match with an unlit cigarette to get a lit cigarette, and in the notebook, it would mean combining two separate clues in order to produce a third clue that helps the story forward. The notebook does more than just collect clues -- it's how you will interview or question other characters during dialogue, including conversations with your companion. Your character may also go over the clues on her own, musing about them and possibly giving you an idea of to where to go next, should you get stuck. There is a lot of dialogue -- which should not come as a surprise at all -- and you will be using the notebook a lot, for almost everyone you talk to. These are not the only tools to help you solve mysteries though; using the phone, phonebook, and computer will also come in handy from time to time. The phone and phonebook should be pretty self-explanatory and you will use them to call people and look up numbers and addresses, respectfully. The computer will allow a bit more variety as you will be able to check -- but not respond to -- emails and do searches, effectively replacing the phone and phonebook. Unlike with real Internet searches, however, the game doesn't make you wade through hundreds of false leads to find the one you are looking for. If you type in the correct search, you won't have to do any more digging than that (if you're looking for realism, you probably shouldn't be playing a game that revolves around ghosts). Each of the four titles is a somewhat self-contained story, but there is a larger story arc that encompasses all four episodes as well. If you decide you are only interested in one or two of the games, you can play without being too lost, but you won't get the full meaning behind events and (some) characters. This is especially true with games two and three. The first game, The Blackwell Legacy, introduces you to Rosangela Blackwell, a struggling writer who is going through a bit of a rough patch in her life. You will also meet Joey, Rosa's sidekick. There are a few other resurfacing characters, but Rosa and Joey are the two main ones. You will also be introduced to Rose's aunt, Lauren, who is only spoken of and never met. In the second game, Blackwell Unbound, you get to play as Lauren since the game is a prequel. The second game also introduces something to the series that the first game lacked: the ability to switch control between the main character and Joey. In addition, Lauren's story takes place a number of years before Rosa is even born and so the sleuthing is done a bit differently. There are no computers or cell phones, so Lauren will use different methods to track people down. Blackwell Convergence, the third title in the series, brings you back to Rosa and Joey, and the story is a direct follow-up to Blackwell Unbound, so if you were thinking of skipping an installment, it would probably be a bad idea to skip this one. (Unless you're looking for serious immersion and want to be as clueless about events as Rosa.) The last game so far is Blackwell Deception, which hints at a much larger story than what you've seen so far. Since it is the newest, it is also the most polished. That isn't to say any of the others were bad, but game four feels the most streamlined and easy to get a handle on. Rosa gets technological and instead of a notebook and computer at home, she has a smartphone that can keep track of clues as well as search the Internet, make calls, and check email. While it may not seem like much, the change is a big one and quite welcome. Playing the games in order has another benefit, besides the main story. As you play each title, you will come to know the characters better. Without giving anything away, each of the mysteries is interesting as well, and by solving them, you are given more insight into the supporting characters. The puzzles involved in solving the mysteries vary in both difficulty and length. Some are more obvious than others, and some will really test your powers of observation and your critical thinking skills. There were a few times that something mentioned in a completely different context was relevant to solving a puzzle later on, and it took a little while to put two and two together, but because these games are so linear there is no way to get truly stuck in figuring something out. If you feel as though you've come to a dead end, you can go back and talk to everyone, try combining all the clues in your notebook or rechecking your inventory until you figure out what you've missed. And once you've figured out the next step, it will seem incredibly obvious. None of the puzzles were ever dull or silly though, and later games had some especially interesting little challenges to solve. The writing is where this game truly excels. The characters are interesting and fun, there are some great jokes and (I can't tell if this was done on purpose or not) there are some rather perverted moments. Not all of the dialogue is inspired, and there are a few fairly cheesy or cliched moments, but the mysteries you must solve, and the stories you dig up in the process are genuinely captivating. The overarching story that connects all four games is also something to look forward to. There are some plot holes, and one or two things that don't make sense (how does a ghost make a phone call?) but the tale isn't complete and those things may be explained later in another game. Unfortunately, as good as the story is, there isn't really much replay value there. Once you've completed a chapter, there is little reason to go back. You can replay a game for the commentary (which is interesting) or to get all the achievements, but that's about it. There are different dialogue options, such as the tone you want to take in a response, but that doesn't usually seem to actually affect much of anything other than if your character's attitude will be doubtful, aggressive, or sarcastic (to name a few examples). There are a few times when your choices do lead to different dialogue options, but the end result is always the same. While the stories, and most of the dialogue, are rather good there are some things (besides the lack of replay value) that hurt the games. None alone are that terrible, but together they can be a huge headache. One such problem is a glitch that breaks dialogue if you shift+tab to do anything else on Steam. If you have the games outside of Steam, this isn't a problem, but for those of us with Steam, good luck shift+tabbing out. Another issue, which is addressed in the later chapters, is reading. There is a bit of reading in the first game and because of how the graphics are handled, reading is a bit of a challenge. That isn't to say it's impossible, but little things like this tend to detract from the overall experience. One of the biggest disappointments was interaction between the two main characters. In the first game Rosa is able to question Joey about her family and history, but after that, the interaction is incredibly limited. While you do learn about both characters as the stories progress, its a shame that there aren't more chances to have the two main characters interact directly. In a game so heavily focused on dialogue and character interaction, it feels incredibly strange that the most important characters are so limited in how they can interact with each other. Rosa and Joey can discuss notes they've gathered or talk about the next step in the case they're working on, but selecting the option to just chat provides a few lines of conversation that you do not get to be a part of at all. Joey has an interesting relationship with Rosa and Lauren in the second game, and while you are given glimpses of it, they are small and oddly confined. The other major disappointment is the length of the games. The first three are each about two hours long, while the fourth one is about three times that. Although they are episodic, which means they should be shorter than a full length game, two hours doesn't feel like enough time with the characters. The fourth game, Blackwell Deception, tells a longer story, and hopefully future episodes will be longer as well, but I would have liked to see more in the other three. All in all, however, the Blackwell series does much more right than it does wrong. The '90s point-and-click adventure vibe and pixelated artwork are great for nostalgia and are charming, rather than annoying or outdated. The voice acting is rather good and the voices fit the characters well -- one example of this being the Countess whose voice is absolutely perfect. It's also worth pointing out that these games were made over a number of years, and by playing them in order you are given a chance to see a bit of how the story, creator, and game mature over time. Certain things, such as the inventory, remain the same across all four titles, in contrast to things like the area map, which changes with each new game. The Blackwell games tell an interesting and vast story that spans generations. They aren't for everyone (and if you're looking for a game that will put your new video card through its paces this certainly isn't the right game for you) but Wadjet Eye games has something really good going for it here and they do an excellent job of leaving the story open for another chapter. The games aren't perfect, but if you are a fan of point-and-click adventures, or of story-driven gameplay, give these a look. |
| Have a very classy Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer Posted: 27 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST
SEGA has released a new trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines. It's exclusive to IGN, but you can view their Youtube version of the video just above. There's no gameplay footage, which I'd really like more of at this stage, but the trailer is nonetheless very cool. The Xenomorph fanboy in me loves the way it's been set up, so I can't complain too much. Still, next time let's see more of the game in action. I'm desperate to see how it's looking now. Colonial Marines is scheduled for Fall 2012. |
| The DTOID Show: Wii-U madness and Pokémon Photoshops Posted: 27 Jan 2012 12:48 PM PST
Happy Friday, everyone! Hopefully you all tuned into our live show today and won an XBLA code for the latest Orcs Must Die! DLC, but if not, don't worry! There will be plenty more giveaways in the near future - and that's a Tara Long Promise©! In the meantime though, some videogame news was discussed today and I should probably mention it. First up, about a gazillion announcements regarding the Wii U have surfaced since Nintendo revealed their Q4 financial numbers, and we're here to speculate on some new names for the Wii U. Over in RPG land, Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning has an online pass (WTF?) and Mass Effect 3's got a new multiplayer trailer and an excessively excessive amount of DLC. Last but not least, the Resistance series is officially in the hands of Nihilistic Software. During the second half of the show, Max shows off some Photoshopped Pokémon crossover suggestions he collected from the chat during last week's live show. Needless to say, they proved to be quite the effective use of work time! |
| Fan project Renegade X: Black Dawn available tomorrow Posted: 27 Jan 2012 12:30 PM PST
Fans of the Command & Conquer series have had to deal with their fair share of ups and downs for the past few years. Up: Ric Flair fighting a bear. Down: Command & Conquer 4. After three years of work from Totem Arts, a small mod group, I don't think Renegade X: Black Dawn will be added to the "Down" category. January 28, 2012 will mark the release of its single-player mini-campaign, Black Dawn. According to Totem Arts, this will serve as a primer for the multiplayer that is currently being conducted in beta form. Black Dawn will be available as a free download from the Renegade X website, and if you like what you're shooting and have a copy of Unreal Tournament 3, then you can still join in on the beta. Renegade X is a spiritual successor to the original PC title Command & Conquer: Renegade. Renegade X has already been recognized by various mod community sites, and had also placed second in the Epic Games-sponsored Make Something Unreal Contest for the category of Best Vehicle Set. Only downside: very little Ric Flair. [Thanks, SanjiX!] |
| Resident Evil: Revelations will be sold for $39.99 Posted: 27 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST Last year, Capcom announced that it had to put Resident Evil: Revelations on a 4GB card instead of the standard 2GB, causing the price to jump from $39.99 to $49.99. Ever since this announcement, Capcom has diligently been working on ways to get the price lowered to the standard price point. It seems they were successful in that mission, as today they've officially announced that Revelations will be sold for $39.99. I was originally on board for the increased ticket price, especially after playing the fantastic demo that hit the Nintendo eShop recently. But, it's exciting to see Capcom was able to get price lowered. Hopefully this will get more people to go out and pick it up that were apprehensive about spending a bit more than the standard price of a new 3DS game. Does this news sway anyone who was on the fence of buying Revelations? Resident Evil Revelations price update: now $39.99! [Capcom-Unity] |
| Egoraptor turns a critical eye towards Castlevania IV Posted: 27 Jan 2012 11:30 AM PST Egoraptor's Sequelitis, if you haven't been following along, is a fairly new series that breaks down the game design advancements and downgrades between sequels, while also adding a bit of that manic Egoraptor pizzazz that we all love so much. This latest installment is an addendum to his first episode that compared Castelvania to Castlevania II, this time bringing Super Castlevania IV into the mix -- he apparently hasn't played Castlevania III yet, if you were wondering. While he doesn't say that IV is a bad game, he feels that by not re-balancing the game to account for the more versatile whip, Konami broke the Castlevania structure. There's no point in acquiring sub-weapons when the basic whip remains superior, and there aren't any new mechanics aside from swinging to test the whip's enhanced capabilities. I have to agree somewhat with his assessment. Still, it's f*cking Super Castlevania IV, so PFFFFFTTTT to you, Mr. Hanson. Sequelitis: Super Castlevania 4 [YouTube] |
| The special forces of Mass Effect 3's co-op Posted: 27 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST
I imagine people like me will play Mass Effect 3's co-op long enough to see what it's about and quickly lose interest, moving back into the quiet realm of offline play. It all seems to come down to how much you enjoy the series' brand of combat. I've never been bored by it, but I also can't say it's particularly engaging. Of course, that could all change with Mass Effect 3. This trailer is reassuring, though videos like these are never perfectly indicative of hands-on play. |
| Watch this dude play (Street Fighter 3) with himself Posted: 27 Jan 2012 10:30 AM PST This is sick. Dude, stop it. You're making everybody uncomfortable. Have you no shame? This, ladies and gentlemen, is fighting game virtuoso Desk as he plays a few rounds of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike one-handed against... himself! He's operating two characters at the same time and making it look like the most natural thing in the world. He's serving up parries, supers, and counters like grits at a Waffle House. Then at the 1:14 mark, the asshole whips out his cell phone and starts texting while wrecking Remy with the other hand. Good gravy. desk vs desk [blog of desk via EventHubs] |
| Indie developer redesigns UI specifically for one player Posted: 27 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST User-interface design is a tricky part of game development. You have to find the right balance between usability and attractive aesthetic choices. This is only taking an "average" gamer into account, but there are many different types of gamers with larger hurdles to overcome than that which any game presents. Legend of Grimrock developer Petri Häkkinen received an interesting comment after showing off the newest additions to the game's user interface. Commenter HarpoonIPA wrote, "I'm disabled and use a mouth stick for typing, I always used the mouse in [Dungeon Master] just easier for me, but I will learn to play you're way." How did the Petri and Almost Human Ltd. respond? Why, by simply redesigning the user interface to accommodate larger keys for player movement and item usage. By taking the time to listen to their fans, they have not only made their game more accessible for a multitude of newer players but have also shined a lesser-talked-about area of design. Judging by the time it took Petri to create and implement those UI changes as a small indie developer, it also shows the big boys how quick and simple it can really be if you take a few moments to consider more than just the "average" gamer. It's stories like these that make me really appreciate indie gaming and the strong connection that it can create to its fan base. Gaming vs Disability - an immediate and awesome reaction... [Reddit -- Thanks, J.] |
| 38 Studios explains Kingdoms of Amalur online pass Posted: 27 Jan 2012 09:45 AM PST 38 Studios has attempted to justify the content being gated behind an online pass in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. When asked why an entire quest line was being held to ransom in exchange for new sales, the developer said it was originally planned as paid DLC. "The House of Valor content is, for all intents and purposes, our first DLC content," said community manager Muse. "Instead of holding onto it for a month or more and charging everyone for it later, we opted to give it to those who purchase the game new for free." This is a pretty smart move on the part of 38 Studios. Using the already questionable tactic of holding back content for paid DLC in order to make the more questionable tactic of online passes look almost heroic is a master stroke of PR genius. I have to applaud that. It's a complex situation though, I grant you that. Giving away DLC is more akin to rewarding new customers rather than punishing used ones, something I've actively encouraged. Still, one can then argue if it's really a "gift" when it could have been in the game originally and was taken out to sell at a price. It certainly bears a lot more thought than it looked like it deserved, given the clumsy presentation of the pass found within the game's box. In any case, I maintain that having this pass as the first thing a customer sees really sends the wrong message about how confident a publisher is that it won't be traded into GameStop within a week. Maybe next time, don't have a game box that's nothing but the disc, the EULA, and a "Please don't trade me in" flyer. |
| This weekend on Twitch TV: Passing the torch Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:45 AM PST Jon Carnage may be on his way out of Dtoid's Twitch TV channel, but he's going out with a bang with his final few appearances this weekend. It starts with the last regular episode of Mash Tactics as hosted by Jon Carnage and Wesley Ruscher today at 4p.m.. Immediately following, Kingdom of Foom will be doing its Friday Community Corner with Jon Carnage as special guest. This Saturday at 12 p.m. Pacific, Jon Carnage will be joined by Pico Mause for their last planned appearance on the channel for the foreseeable future. Beyond that, we've got a full schedule of our regular programming to look forward to this weekend. Philanthr0py is continuing his quest to get to the bottom of Metal Gear Solid 4 on Chill with Phil. 321Go Cast is chatting with the lovely Caitlin Cooke. And Also Talks is joined by the CrimeMinister himself, Spencer Hayes. Today at 4p.m. Pacific, Jon Carnage and Wesley Ruscher make their final regular appearance as hosts of Mash Tactics. The guys will be playing the downloadable survival-horror game Amy. This Saturday after Hangover, Jon Carnage and Pico Mause will be broadcasting a special edition episode to show their appreciation to the community, and celebrate the end of an historic era. This special will air from 12p.m. to 3p.m. Pacific, and will signify the passing of the torch to King Foom as the new host of Mash Tactics. Immediately following Mash Tactics today, Kingdom of Foom is continuing the Friday Community Corner with special guest Jon Carnage. Foom will be chatting with Carnage about his experiences with livestreaming this past year and plans for the future. This will also mark the last show before Foom takes over as host of Mash Tactics next week. Saturday Morning Hangover with Conrad Zimmerman and Jordan Devore airs from 10a.m. to 12p.m. Pacific. Come watch as they play the latest Xbox Live Indie Games demos for your enjoyment, and revel in the beauty of Conrad's mustache! Chill With Phil will be on this Saturday at 4p.m. Pacific, continuing the arduous task of playing through all of the Metal Gear Solid titles. This week will be part two of playing through Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. After an unexpected 5 hour stream last week, tune in to see far Phil will take it tomorrow night. 321Go Cast is Destructoid's only live show/podcast hybrid airing on Sunday, from 2-4p.m. Pacific starring JohnnyViral, Pangloss, and Ryu89. This week, the guys are joined again by their trusty stream host Sterling Lyons, and Destructoid writer Caitlin Cooke. Destructoid's live talk show, Also, Talks, starring Bill Zoeker and Johnny Luchador is committed to bringing interesting conversations about videogames, Destructoid, and random nonsense on Sundays at 4p.m. Pacific. This week, the show is joined by former host of Communicast Spencer Hayes. Catch all of Destructoid's livestream shows at Twitch.TV/Destructoid! |
| Friday Night Fights: Resistance is futile Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:30 AM PST As you've probably heard, Insomniac has officially bowed out of making new Resistance games. Considering the third (and best) game didn't sell well, I can't say this comes as a shock, but it's still a sad day overall for fans of alternate timelines full of insane weapons and glowy-eyed enemies, so let's all take a moment and pour one out for Hale and the boys. Still, the future is far from dim. I, for one, am certainly looking forward to the studio's next project, especially after hearing they're going multi-platform this time around. What about you? Sad to see Resistance go the way of the Dodo? Excited for the future? Just don't care? Regardless, that's enough sad sh*t for one day; it's FNF time! Hit the jump and let's go shoot each other! Who knows, maybe we'll even play some Resistance! New to FNF? Read this! Each week, a bunch of us Dtoiders get together to play videogames online! It's a 100% community-run event, so feel free to join in or even host something yourself! The planning for FNF starts in the forums, where community members volunteer to host matches and post their pertinent details (game, time, Gamertag, etc.). Then, every Friday, reminder posts go up in the community blogs followed by a recap post here on the front page for last-minute planning. To join in, simply send a friend request to the match host! (Don't forget to say you're from Dtoid!) If you'd rather host something yourself, sound off in the comments section below! We hope to see you online! Tonight's Games:
Tonight's Games:
Check out the 360 FNF blog for more details! Tonight's Games:
Check out the PS3 FNF blog for more details! Tonight's Games:
Check out the 3DS FNF forum thread for more details! Tonight's Games:
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| Exclusive: Meet Final Fantasy XIII-2's sound team Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST Dale summed up the Final Fantasy XIII-2 soundtrack pretty well with his simple and direct "WTF?!" This soundtrack is a total departure from anything we've known as Final Fantasy music, with styles including rap, hip-hop, jazz funk, metal, electronica, and orchestral, all featuring tons of vocals. While the soundtrack has been available for import from Japan since December and even from Square Enix's North America store, fans who pick up the FFXIII-2 Crystal Edition next Tuesday will get their hands on the four-disc soundtrack as well, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce the team behind the game's music and sound design. Participating in the interview are music coordinator Keiji Kawamori, composers Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Mitsuto Suzuki, and sound designer Tomohiro Yajima. We get the chance to profile each person and gain insight into their contributions to this unique and impressive game soundtrack. Keiji Kawamori (Square Enix) On Final Fantasy XIII-2's extremely different and eclectic soundtrack: This time, the director, Motomu Toriyama, wanted to incorporate more vocal songs to take a different direction in the new songs, and to aim for a more edgy sound; and so we ended up trying out many different vocal styles and different genres. With each song, the composer himself took the lead in direction and finished the song, but we also held regular meetings to check on each piece and inspire each other while keeping one another from deviating from the vision. Also, the players seem to have an assumption of what genres of music [Naoshi Mizuta] and [Mitsuto Suzuki] are most confident in, but since we do handle videogame music and take on many different song genres, I'm sure you'll hear a new side of both of them in Final Fantasy XIII-2. On "Invisible Invader" (the "Lake Bresha Rap") and "Crazy Chocobo": I think "Invisible Invader" was the first song that Mizuta wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2. The fact that it's a vocal song (rap) makes it a piece that strongly reflects Toriyama's desire to have a sound that's unlike the typical Final Fantasy title. This song plays in the area where the main characters first arrive after they leave for their travel through time, but I think it fits in the game because it's a new Final Fantasy sound for a new Final Fantasy journey. [Editor's Note: "Invisible Invader" is instrumental in the overseas version] As for Crazy Chocobo," I was asked by Toriyama to make it have a fierce song style and for the arrangement to be like death metal, so I contacted Shawn (Shootie HG), with whom I had a prior connection to help me with this, including the arrangement. It's a Chocobo arrangement that no one has ever heard before, and I think it's a good hook within the game. On the inclusion of Naoshi Mizuta and Mitsuto Suzuki: [Masashi Hamauzu], too, is a wonderful composer who can create music of many different genres. But this time, we wanted to incorporate even more variety in the songs and build a different worldview from the previous game, and so Mizuta and Suzuki were added to the team. [Arranger/Composer] Yoshitaka Suzuki is very good at putting music to a cutscene, and so we borrowed his talents for the long cutscenes towards the latter half of the game to incorporate Mizuta's music while building up the emotion in the scenes.
Masashi Hamauzu (MONOMUSIK) On the similarities between his work on Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2: This time, while new music was expected, the worldview of Final Fantasy XIII was important as well, and so as the person who handled the previous work, I took on the role of handling the orchestral pieces for the cutscenes and events. I tried a lot of things that were new for an RPG and had fun with it, and so I did have a desire to do it again this time around. On his favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2: It would be "Knight of the Goddess," but rather than it being my "favorite," it was more like I had put a lot of thought into it. Last year, Japan faced a major calamity she had never faced before. Immediately after that, in a meeting with the director, Motomu Toriyama, he had asked me to write a battle song that would encourage the listener, and I had an idea of a song flash in my head right then and there. It was in a major chord, with a chorus that involved a melody with half notes that sounded as if they were taking one step at a time to climb to the top. I went home and immediately started to work on this piece. Before this meeting, I was very worried if I could create a battle song of the same caliber as "Blinded by Light" [Editor's Note: this is the battle theme from Final Fantasy XIII], but I believe this has become something that's in no way inferior. No matter how much the technology has progressed or how well logic has been revealed, the drive to make something good can come from just an instance, just like the inspiration I received from Toriyama. On our favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2, "Serah's Theme ~Memory~": With this song, too, I needed to take on the elements of XIII and make this match, if not top, the last version. If it's far too different, it won't reach the hearts of people, and if I just went for the unusual, I would just end up looking like I was putting on an act with the mismatch. So in the midst of that, I had an idea of combining two song pieces that I came up with. The pieces were in 3/4 time and 4/4 time respectively, and so at first I felt the need to change one to make them both match, but when I did that, one of the pieces lost its integrity, and so I deliberately put them together as they were. I think this version has a more human feel than the last installment.
Naoshi Mizuta (Square Enix) On how he was approached to work on Final Fantasy XIII-2: The director and producer had the intent of pushing out a different image from the original Final Fantasy XIII, so Suzuki and I were assigned to create songs with a new feeling. Music from the previous installment was very well made, so at first I did feel the pressure. However, musically I would make songs that were in a different genre as XIII, so I didn't fixate on the previous title, but I took this project on thinking I'll just do my best. On his versatility as a composer: It was my mission to create music that was totally different from the previous title, so I attempted to stay away from the orchestra-centered music of FFXIII. As a result, I got to this format naturally. Within each genre, I had the best musicians play for me, and so I think that's what made it successful. I also owe it to Tsutomu Satomi of [Uchida Ongaku Jimusho Co., Ltd.] who gave me sound advice and coordinated with me in terms of which musician to play the piece, and to Keiji Kawamori from our own company, who contributed greatly as well. On his favorite pieces from Final Fantasy XIII-2 : I can't choose just one as my favorite, but there is one song I really like, and that is "Historia Crux" written by Suzuki. There are many elements within one song, and the way that they develop is fantastic. Another song that had a strong impact on me is "Caius's Theme." This song had a hard time getting approval from the director, and so I remember rewriting the song about four times. What the director had asked me at the time was to make the song into something that can surpass Sephiroth's theme "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy VII! On our favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2, "Xanadu, Palace of Pleasure," an upbeat jazz funk track: With this song, my concept was to directly place the sounds of '80s music right into the game. If you listen to it now, the music from that era is unique and has a strong impact, but there are rarely any scenes in a game in which this style can match perfectly, so I've never had the opportunity to write anything like that until now. So this time, my chance had come, and I remember having so much fun creating this song. On our favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2, "Yeul’s Theme," an emotional vocal ballad: I didn't try to go for the unusual for this song, but rather I wanted to create a ballad that was pretty and poignant for me, and so this song came to being. Thanks to the vocal talents of Joelle, this song turned into something very wonderful. Also, the piano ad-lib during the interlude was performed by one of my current favorite pianists, Febian Reza Pane, which made a strong impact on me.
Mitsuto Suzuki (Square Enix) On his approach as a composer and the use of "Aggressive Mixes": The difference between composing and arranging is being able to make the final judgment. For example, in Final Fantasy XIII, the composer, Masashi Hamauzu, made the final decisions. During that process, if Hamauzu asked for a revision, I would respond, and if I wanted to present an option for arrangement, then I would present it. Hamauzu's style leaves the work up to me, and so long as we decide on the main points and direction ahead of time, we won't experience any major difference in direction. We work together often so it's clear what elements to include, which makes it very easy to work with him, and I admire him. In the case of Final Fantasy XIII-2, all of the decisions are from my perspective. The actual flow of the processes between composing and arranging aren't very different, but I do the arrangement and mixing as I create the music, so I think the process is fairly fast. The approach that was requested of me for the parts I handled was "Music that's unlike typical Final Fantasy." Instead of trial and error, I feel that I was able to reflect the music styles with which I'm most confident to the game. I made it so that the Aggressive Mix cross-fades into the regular, just like a DJ mix. In the game, the songs cross-fade as well, so I had intended for the listener to experience what's in the game [on the soundtrack CD], which I think came out to be an interesting effect. On his favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2, "Historia Crux": I created this theme with the concept of developing a song with multiple tunes mixing into one. It's just like time travel. Usually I would watch a completed screen while I developed the image of the song, but I started working on "Historia Crux" before the images were complete. I did have to feel my way through, but there was a direction which I wanted to try out, so I completed the basic structure of the song in about two days. After that, I added the vocals, recorded the drums and violin, and then I spent time on the process of arrangement. Each time I received new footage from the team, I would brush up the song, so you can say I made this song simultaneously. It's an irregular time signature, but that's because I wasn't concerned about the beats, so it became a fairly interesting rhythm, not logically thought out, but a beat that purely relies on my intuition. It must've been tough for the drummer, though. (LOL) On our favorite piece he wrote for Final Fantasy XIII-2, "New Bodhum": I wrote this song while watching the beach of Neo Bodhum. I believe it was around spring of 2011 when I wrote this, and I was fantasizing about going to a beach after I finish this song, and so I went to Hawaii just as I finished writing. After returning from Hawaii, I changed the melody of the vocal line, and just around summer time I asked ORIGA to sing the vocals. I remember asking the vocals to be "as if you're walking along a beach" when I explained it to her verbally. The "Aggressive Mix" is the style in which I am most confident in, so I had no worries about it. It's a techno sound that features the beats and bass, and I tried to go for making an impact during the first part of the game. In a way, it is an unusual number for Final Fantasy, but I'm sure that I was able to respond to the basic concept of "music that's unlike Final Fantasy."
Tomohiro Yajima (Square Enix) On finalizing the Moogle sound: We did have difficulties on the Moogle's voice, especially ad-lib or responsive sounds and answers. For the most part, "kupo" is the main means of dialogue, but with each scene the emotion is different, and so we divided the "kupo" into categories like "angry," "sad," "happy," and so on, and recorded many times in many different ways. Then we chose which "kupo" was applicable to the different situations. Also, he does speak quite a bit while they're on the search for the Artefact, but at first, during the beginning stages of development, we had made him talk too much to the point of him talking nonstop while moving on the map, so we had to go through some trial and error by changing or decreasing the occurrence patterns and changing the script to make things more balanced. On sound elements fans should listen for [we loved the whirring treasure chests from XIII]: In Final Fantasy XIII-2, monsters pop while on the field, but until an encounter happens, the NPCs in the vicinity are programmed to fight the monsters as well, so when it was necessary, fighting sounds were laid over as needed for the situation using a complicated mechanism. Also, in the aerial fight between Lightning and Caius at the beginning of the game, I overlapped the sounds made in the sky and automatically calculated the weight of the sound as objects pass by and brought out the presence and flashiness. My favorites are Cait Sith's voice and Chocobo's voice. Also, I was very picky when I was creating the sounds for the slot machine. Please keep an ear out for those. On how sound design is overlooked by fans and critics: In my opinion, the quality of the finished game is judged as a whole, and I think it boils down to if the player was either "satisfied" or "not satisfied" with it. Sound within a game is just a part of the direction, so sound can take the lead in the direction, but we never make it so that as a whole only the sound stands out. Like you mentioned earlier about being a fan of the treasure chest sounds, I think it's the best feeling when I know that the users play the game with which they are satisfied and within it find a sound that they like, or a song that they like. In terms of praise, I think the sound section considers providing with psychological stage effects to be their main axis, and apply that "effect" to every part of the game from the beginning to the end, including parts that don't have any sound at all. It might be easier to understand if you think in terms of how deeply you become immersed in the game. If you're consumed when playing the game, then I believe that the sound has had a big influence. Also, sound is greatly influenced by its playback environment, such as different speakers or amplifiers. The presence and the sense of immersion improves if you choose the right audio peripherals for your environment, so if the players play around with that when they have an opportunity, it would make me happy as a sound designer. |
| Posted: 27 Jan 2012 07:45 AM PST [Every week (until I get bored), Art Juice takes a recent videogame story and provides an unremittingly artistic slant, telling us a little something about ourselves in the process ... whether we want to know the truth or not!] As soon as I heard that "Crap American Box Art" Mega Man was coming to Street Fighter x Tekken, I was overjoyed. It is the greatest thing a videogame company has ever done for its fans -- ever. Unfortunately, some people are always going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Hardcore fans apparently hate the design for the character that will be in Street Fighter x Tekken, but it's really not that bad! All it needs is a little tweaking, something to bridge the gap between the old Mega Man of yesteryear and the sleek, asskicking Mega Man of today. Naturally, it's up to award-winning artist Jim Sterling to resolve the issue. So it is that I give you -- The Mega Man. This is the definitive design for Capcom's iconic hero. Hopefully they use it! |
| David Jaffe invites YOU to a Twisted Metal Tournament! Posted: 27 Jan 2012 07:30 AM PST Upon the news that a new Twisted Metal game was coming out, many gamers couldn't wait to sink their sweet teeth into it. Well, if you live in or near San Francisco, you will have the opportunity to check out this game next Thursday, February 2, weeks before its release! As seen in the above video, David Jaffe himself cordially invites you to come take part in a Twisted Metal multiplayer tournament. Held at the Mezzanine from 6:00-9:00 PM, this event is open to the public (21+) and involves a multiplayer tournament where you can win a sweet-looking, laser-etched Twisted Metal PS3. Not only that, exclusive swag that can only be collected at this event will be given away throughout the night for those in attendance. You can sign up for the tournament at the event or RSVP at the Facebook group here. Hope to see many of you all there! |
| A little more on A Game of Dwarves Posted: 27 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST
Developer Zeal Game Studios did the original Dwarfs game and are back for more with A Game of Dwarves. The CEO of Paradox Interactive, Freddrick Wester, was the one who actually approached Zeal Game to make a newer version, but in 3D and with lots of additional content. The developers thought it was a great idea and so they got working on A Game of Dwarves. The game will give you randomly generated maps with every level in the campaign, both to keep things fresh and to force players to adapt their strategies on the fly. The goal of each scenario is to complete the objectives the King gives you before being able to move on. |
| Preview: 5 things to know about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD Posted: 27 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST The original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater holds a special place in my gaming heart, as it does in Conrad's. I was fresh out of high school without a lot of money, and the addictive nature of trying to complete the perfect run eliminated the need for any other game. It was the perfect fix for when I was happy, sad, or just plain bored, and it only got better with the second installment -- especially the Dreamcast version. Unfortunately, the freshness that made the series so iconic began to wear thin with yearly updates that saw little innovation. There hasn't been much to like for fans of the early games, but I received a sneak peek at a very early build of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, and it may be safe to say that the Birdman is finally back. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD (Xbox Live Arcade [previewed], PlayStation Network) THPS: The Next Generation: It doesn't take more than a second to notice how sexy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD looks in, well, HD. But beyond that, developer Robomodo has acquired the original source code from Neversoft for their recreation. Thanks to that, every level should be 100 percent faithful, complete with the classic hidden S-K-A-T-E letters and those old VHS tapes -- I mean, DVDs (they got an update, too!). Return to glory: Forget all the crap in Tony Hawk: Ride and its godforsaken contraption. Controlling the Hawk is back to the way it's supposed to be -- with a controller. Helping further keep this classic ride smooth, THPS HD uses the scoring system from THPS2, which allows players to bust out manuals on the best stages from the first game. The revert, which forever altered the THPS landscape in the series' third iteration, won't be coming back, but Robomodo plans to update the remainder of the trick set to keep it current with the evolution of the sport. Only the best: Seven of the best levels from THPS and THPS2 are getting the HD overhaul. While the Warehouse and School II are the only stages to be shown in screens so far, the Mall, Phoenix, Hangar, Marseilles, and Venice levels are all on the list for digital skaters to shred later this summer. Something old and new: While it may be sad to see fan favorites like Bob Burnquist missing from the roster, there is still a fine mix of old and new to get excited about. Nyjah Houston, Chris Cole, Eric Koston, Andrew Reynolds, Rodney Mullen, Lyn-z Adams Hawkins, Riley Hawk, and both classic and current Tony Hawk have made the cut. Oh, and the cop and robot are hiding on the roster, too. Now let's hope that Spider-Man makes his way back in and that evil red-haired ginger stays far, far away. Music and multiplayer mysteries: Unfortunately, we still don't know the fate of the game's soundtrack. Will it be the seven best tracks picked from both games to accompany the best levels, or will THPS HD suffer the same fate as the Crazy Taxi remake? Nothing has been decided yet, so there is still hope. Activison also hasn't discussed the multiplayer component of THPS HD. One will exist, but will it be online? Let's hope the answer to that question isn't too far off. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD should be downloading to your favorite home console some time this summer, and I personally I can't be any less hyped. What I saw was still really, really early -- the scoring system had yet to be implemented -- but Robomodo appears to have the right foot forward when it comes to perfectly balancing nostalgia with today's visual standards. |
| PixelJunk debuts on Steam with Eden Posted: 27 Jan 2012 06:30 AM PST I was starting to think the PixelJunk series would never end up on Steam. Not so! Q-Games has announced a new version of PixelJunk Eden, due out on February 2. This release includes the five levels from the "Encore" DLC and "re-tuned everything from the controls to the enemies." Players can now warp back to their last resting position at the cost of some energy, and collecting the Spectra doesn't have to be done in one sitting. The store page on Steam hasn't appeared yet, but Eden will be $9.99. The 17-song soundtrack is set at $5.99. As per usual, those who buy at launch can save 20%. |
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