Joystiq

Alienware machines now come pre-loaded with Steam

by David Hinkle { 8 minutes ago }

If you've got an impressive amount of money buried in your backyard and would love to own a super slick gaming machine, Alienware might be an option you're currently considering. The company has announced that its "All Powerful" systems will ship with Valve's Steam platform pre-loaded onto the system, allowing potential gamers to sign up for Modern Warfare 2 boycotts mere moments after booting the rig up.

The Steam client will also include a free copy of Portal, in case you missed most of 2007.

New Star Wars game debuting during Spike Video Game Awards

by Griffin McElroy { 28 minutes ago }

Well, crap. Now we have a reason to watch the Spike Video Game Awards. See, while we can live without the WORLD EXCLUSIVE trailers for next year's big releases, we don't think we can skip out on the unveiling of a new Star Wars game in good conscience.

According to the latest teaser, viewers of the 2009 Spike VGAs will be able to find out "what's next" for the Star Wars gaming franchise. We've got our fingers triple-crossed for a new Jedi Outcast entry, but have also prepared our hearts for the icy embrace of Super Bombad Racing 2.

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Rock Band platform now has over 1,000 songs

by Griffin McElroy { 48 minutes ago }

A recent press release has informed us that with the release of today's Rock Band 2 DLC pack, Harmonix has met its goal of having over 1,000 songs on the platform before the holidays. According to the presser, these tracks represent the work of 390 musical artists. The rhythm gaming community has downloaded over 60 million songs from the Rock Band Music Store, which Harmonix has kept alive and kicking with new musical additions for 105 consecutive weeks.

To put this achievement in chronological terms, we'd estimate that the average length of these songs is, oh, about four minutes. By our calculations, a full playthrough of the Rock Band catalog would take you two days, 18 hours and 40 minutes. Not accounting for the number of times you'll inevitably fail out on "Painkiller," of course.

Congratulations, Harmonix, on this rocking accomplishment! Now, get back to work. That Paul Simon track pack isn't going to program itself.

Miyamoto: Mario originally named 'Mr. Video,' couldn't jump

by Griffin McElroy { 1 hour ago }

Though the latest edition of Iwata Asks is technically focused on New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the first few pages of the interview go off on a tangent about the overall-clad plumber's roots which you might find interesting. For instance, did you know that Miyamoto's original plan for Donkey Kong was a video game based on Popeye? It's true -- it was only after he was denied the rights to put the muscly-armed sailor man in a video game that he created the most prolific video game character of all time.

Of course, just like a timid middle school student, Mario was forced to go through some awkward formative phases. Miyamoto revealed that in the original design for Donkey Kong, Mario -- who, at the time, was referred to as "Mr. Video" -- was unable to jump. Man, we feel like we just gazed into some kind of creepy alternate universe.

"It is me, Mr. Video. I'm going to slowly walk over there, all the while praying that I don't encounter any ground-based enemies."

Call of Duty on iPhone sells like a Call of Duty game

by JC Fletcher { 1 hour ago }

The release of Call of Duty: World at War Zombies on iPhone seems to prove the sales power of the Call of Duty brand. FingerGaming reports that the $10 app topped the iPhone sales chart this week, dethroning Bejeweled 2. Or perhaps it's the combined influence of the brand and making a gam3 with Z0MB1ES!!!1

We have to wonder, however, who is the audience for this game? Presumably It would appear from sales that everyone interested in playing Call of Duty was busy playing Modern Warfare 2 last week.

... Oh, no. You guys aren't playing this in the bathroom between Modern Warfare 2 missions, are you? Don't tell us.

Gallery: Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies (iPhone)

Metareview: Tony Hawk Ride

by Griffin McElroy { 2 hours ago }

We're so proud of the individuals who managed to play through the pain radiating from their twisted, throbbing ankle, and craft a review for the latest (peripheral-infused) installment in the Hawkman's gaming franchise, Tony Hawk: Ride. Here's what these brave, persistent critics had to say about the experience.

Game Informer (5.75/10): "As a skateboarder and as a gamer, Tony Hawk: Ride is a curious idea but a letdown in practice. The huge level of frustration is not worth the time it takes to master the awkward gameplay idiosyncrasies."
IGN (5/10): "The idea? A more immersive skateboarding game that would ride the recent wave of hit games featuring their own custom controllers. The result? An expensive proposition that neither casual nor hardcore gamers will get much out of."
GameSpy (2.5/5 Stars): "As expected, Tony Hawk Ride is an experiment -- an interesting and ambitious experiment, but one that doesn't come together as a fully functional experience. I love the basic feel of the board, and had occasional bouts of fun amidst frequent frustration, but THR's gargantuan buy-in price is an awful lot to ask of an effective guinea pig audience."
Giant Bomb (1/5 Stars): "While the Tony Hawk franchise has been down on its luck lately, and was probably in need of a reboot as dramatic as this, the execution is such a miserable failure that it manages to splash even more mud on Tony Hawk's legacy. I'm left with a firm belief that whichever side of the Tony Hawk/Activision partnership has the out clause in the contract should just exercise it and part ways for good. Enough is enough. "

Mass Effect 2 system requirements revealed, restrictive DRM removed

by Griffin McElroy { 2 hours ago }

We've got good news and great news for PC gaming space opera enthusiasts -- we'll start with the former and work our way up, building a beautiful good news crescendo. So, here's the good: EA recently announced the system requirements for Mass Effect 2, which we've posted after the jump. Now you can start fine-tuning your rig, making sure it plays host to all the necessary components required to play the title -- for instance, you'll need something called a "video card." Sadly, we don't think they're referring to our Blockbuster rental pass.

Now, for the great: The retail version of Mass Effect 2 won't include the restrictive, pestering DRM featured in the franchise's first installment. Rather, the game will simply do a disc check upon boot-up -- the same piracy-preventing measure exercised by Dragon Age: Origins. Activate, dear friends! Activate your game to your heart's content.

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GameStop's Black Friday bundles are delectable

by Justin McElroy { 2 hours ago }

First off, we just want to apologize in advance if this post is the catalyst that forces you to wake up at 3 a.m. on Friday morning. Sincerely, we're sorry. But we just thought you'd want to know that GameStop will be offering some mighty tasty console bundles from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving. For $300, you'll be able to pick up an Elite 360 with Pure, Lego Batman and your choice of Bakugan or Call of Duty 4, which is sort of like Sophie's Choice, if Sophie had to choose between eating delicious pie or a rusty folding chair. Those same three Benjamins will also net you a 120 GB PS3 Slim with LittleBigPlanet and the God of War collection.

Now, keep in mind that our friend Cheapy D says you'll probably be just as well served getting Black Friday deals from an online retailer like Amazon. We know, we normally don't trust bald people either, but you don't have to wake up before the paperboy this way. We think the choice is pretty clear.

Level-5 reveals Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, coming to Japan next fall

by JC Fletcher { 3 hours ago }

Professor Layton and the Devil's Flute is out in Japan tomorrow, so Level-5 decided it was an appropriate time to go ahead and announce the next DS game in the second Layton trilogy. At a Devil's Flute launch event, Level-5 president Akihiro Hino revealed the above artwork for Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask.

This fifth game has Layton and Luke investigating the mystery of the title artifact in Casino City, which seems to have been created by the wish-granting mask. According to a Famitsu report that leaked before the official reveal, there could be major changes to the familiar gameplay system.

Miracle Mask will be out in fall 2010, and may be followed by a second movie, Hino said. The company first has to solve the puzzle of how much money it will receive from the first one.

[Via Famitsu, Andriasang]

Red Dead Redemption saddles up in April 2010

by Justin McElroy { 3 hours ago }

While announcing a new trailer for upcoming western epic Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar let it slip that the game is slated to arrive in April of next year, according to Videogamer.com. That gives your wallet yet another reason to be terrified of the first third of 2010.

The latest clip of the game, dubbed "My Name is John Marston," will arrive on December 1. Allow us to give you a sneak peek:

John Marston: "I used to be bad, but now I'm good!"

Former bad guy friend: "I wish you were still bad, but you're not, so I'm gonna make you kill me!"

John Marston: "Man, it sure is dusty here!"

[Gunshots]

[Fade to black]

Scivelation officially announced for 360, coming Q3 2010

by Griffin McElroy { 4 hours ago }

Good news, 360 owners: The hard-to-pronounce third-person shooter from TopWare Interactive and Black Wing Foundation, known as Scivelation, will be coming exclusively to the platform in the third quarter of next year. Hopefully, by that point, we'll have received some supplemental materials informing us how to properly speak the title of the game. We're considering changing our current position to "Skih-vee-lay-shun."

The press release which divulged this information also revealed a bit more about the game's story. You'll be playing as a member of a rebel faction, fighting against the oppressive, theocratic "Regime." Joining you is a former Regime scientist who has created a "post-human supervirus," and a former Russian special operative who is also a cyborg. It's like three plots in one! What a bargain!

Activision Blizzard sued by ... yeah, it's the PSN guy

by Alexander Sliwinski { 4 hours ago }

Serial suit launcher Erik Estavillo is making a little name for himself in the game space, as his latest complaint seeks $1 million in damages from Activision Blizzard over the design of World of Warcraft. GamePolitics reports on the complaint, which claims that the publisher maintains a "harmful virtual environment to many of its customers by forcing them to follow the game's sneaky and deceitful practices." Estavillo alleges that the "calculated slow pace" of the game makes turning quests in take longer and thus generates more subscription revenue for Activision Blizzard.

If that wasn't enough, Estavillo also subpoenaed actress Winona Ryder and Depeche Mode's Martin Lee Gore to testify on his behalf regarding alienation. He explains that his health issues, which apparently include OCD, agoraphobia, depression (and more), mean that he "relies on video games heavily for the little ongoing happiness he can achieve in this life."

Estavillo had previously sued Sony after being banned from PSN and also has another suit against Microsoft and Nintendo, for his Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death and Nintendo's disabling of the Homebrew Channel in an update. Perhaps he'll have more luck suing over the design of a game in which millions happily pay to participate.

Undead Labs' Jeff Strain is totally into zombies

by Justin McElroy { 5 hours ago }

We've already told you about Blizzard/NCsoft vet Jeff Strain's startup, Undead Labs, which is creating a zombie-centric, console-based MMO (sorry, marketing dept., we're not going to call it an MMOZ), but we haven't told you much about the game itself. Though this Eurogamer interview still provides next to no perspective on that topic, it does offer a considerable amount of insight into how much Strain thinks about zombies.

Take this gem for instance: "People are passionate about zombies ... the reason I'm talking about it is because I want zombie fans. I want the best developers in the industry that love zombies to want to work here."

Or perhaps this: "The reason zombies are so powerful and transcend fantasy is because right now they are the modern, societal guilt-free meat-puppet. We've been through the Nazi phase, we've been through the communist phase, we've been through the terrorist phase. Those were all at various times in history fair game in the gaming culture. Right now zombies are fulfilling that need for us. That no-rules, no-guilt mentality is something that people really resonate with."

So, what Strain is saying is that we used to be really angry at terrorists, but now, instead of that, we hate zombies. Will history remember how close Strain just came to inventing the zombie terrorist, the video game enemy that will someday unite the world, Wyld Stallyns-style? We suspect it will not.

'Turbo' movie trumps Natal, Sphere and Wii MotionPlus

by Kevin Kelly { 7 hours ago }

We talked about the trailer for Turbo back in April, and now director Jarrett Conaway has put the entire short film up on the web for maximum watchability. While it's a short film, it manages to make a movie about video games look like ... a movie about video games (and not some overblown Bay-gasm). It also stars Justin Chon, one of the bit players from this weekend's mega-money-making New Moon, though he's thankfully not playing an emo crybaby in this.

Conaway describes his film as "The Karate Kid meets Tron," but it actually feels more like The Wizard updated with tons of CGI. Except there's no Nintendo Power Glove in it. But don't fret, there are gloves in this short film. And they definitely have some power.

Check out all of Turbo after the break. Conaway is hoping to make a full-length version of the film soon, which means you could see Turbo: The Video Game of the Video Game Movie at a store near you.

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Splatterhouse shoes are like a Terror Mask for your feet

by JC Fletcher { 9 hours ago }

Namco Bandai may have trouble getting a next-gen update to Splatterhouse out the door, but the company seems to have had no problem developing a new iteration of the franchise for the your feet platform.

Namco partnered with Globe Shoes to create these sneakers, purportedly based on those worn by Rick in the game. To be nitpicky, the real-world shoes don't feature the green accent found on the in-game versions -- and the Splatterhouse logo on the shoes would make for a really weird coincidence if Rick happened to be wearing them when he went into, you know, the Splatterhouse.

Then again, the Globe version makes up for the inconsistency by coming with a T-shirt, which is something Rick could use. The shoes are available from Namco's shop in limited quantities for $79.99 a pair.