To: Totilo From: Bashcraft RE: The Answer Key
Tricky quiz!
Got sent a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4 today from Kojima Productions. I’ve been playing through Grand Theft Auto IV, which I still haven’t finished, because I’ve been dealing with a gajillion different things — more than one human should have to at one time! Getting towards the homestretch of that game, and I really like it. But MGS4 just popped up. Usually, I’m finish-one-game-start-another kinda guy, but kinda interested in checking out MGS4.
So…………. Whaddaya think? Should I finish GTAIV first and then start MGS4 or just go ahead and start MGS4?
What you missed last night MGS4 ships a million in Europe Premium DS Lites for Japan Simpsons meet… Quake III Limbo of The Lost devs protest Crave ditches ESA PS3 trophies?
The downside: It’s a developer diary. The upside? It’s a developer diary that actually has a ton of proper footage in it! And not just pre-rendered stuff, either, proper footage. Of your man running around Mars, blowing stuff up, hitting bad men with a giant hammer. Looks surprisingly fun, in a hitting-men-with-giant-hammers kinda way.
Parents! UK children are illegally buying violent video games via the internet says the UK’s Trading Standards Institute. Under 18 kiddos have been purchasing games like Grand Theft Auto IV through online auction sites, paying with postal orders. An investigation by the Welsh Heads of Trading Standards showed that enlisted volunteers between the ages of 12 and 16 were able to easily purchase 18-rated games on auction sites. Out of 44 purchase attempts, 38 were successful. To combat this problem, authorities recommend that online traders use companies that run age checks on customers, which were “very quick and relatively cheap”. And since selling 18-rated games to minors is illegal, it’s certainly worth the investment. Though! Shouldn’t we be more worried about underage kids downloading entire 18-rated games off the internet illegally and looking at obscene amounts of free porn? That seems like a more pressing problem…
Sony hasn’t given up on the PSP by a damn sight. The console is doing quite well in Japan, but feels stifled somewhat in other territories. But what’s the masterplan for the PSP? That Slim&Lite is nice and all, but how long is the PlayStation Portable going to last? Sony Computer Entertainment Europe suit Zeno Colaço (pictured, not in dress) states:
We definitely have the ambition for it [the PSP]to feature very strongly in the future, both on its own and also complimentary to PlayStation Network environment and the PS3. But we’ll have to wait a while before we can fully reveal the direction we’re going in. Ten years is certainly the long-term plan though.
No clue if Sony is planning slimmer PSPs in the future or what. But still, having a long-term plan is good. Not having them can make one look unprepared, you know.
Sony exec points to a ten-year lifespan for the ‘PlayStation Networked’ PSP [Pocket Gamer][Pic]
Whoah, NECA! Slow down! You’ll wear yourself out, then you won’t be any good to anyone. Not content with releasing God of War figures, and Gears of War of War figures, and Bionic Commando figures, they’ve just released shots of a Ninja Gaiden II figure as well. Of course, it’s of Ryu Hayabusa, who’ll stand 7″ tall and come with a bunch of weapons and accessories when he’s released in September. In case you haven’t noticed with those ball hips and wacky shoulders, the emphasis here is on his flexibility, not his detail.
We hear that Europeans like Metal Gear Solid. So to get ready, Konami shipped a million copies of Metal Gear Solid 4 to European retailers. That’s a lot! A million shipped is impressive — a million sold, even more so. Martin Schneider, Sales and Marketing Director Germany for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH, comments with SPOILER:
The Metal Gear Solid series has again proved its huge potential, and we are delighted with the fantastic response the game has enjoyed at retail… MGS4 is nothing short of a masterpiece — an epic conclusion to the Solid Snake story. We are extremely pleased with the positive feedback we have received from retail and consumers alike, and will keep satisfying their needs with updates to the game’s ‘Extra’ option, and via new content to Metal Gear Online.
Since Europe doesn’t have a single chart tracker for every territory, it’ll be a while until we have exact figures. (Konami will have to work off internal sales data for all of Europe.) But for now, this shipped figure will have to suffice. Full press release in all its confusing glory after the jump.
There’s a tidy piece up over on Gamasutra, detailing Howard Marks’ plans to resurrect the Acclaim brand name. While the original company went bust in 2006, Marks plans on capitalising on the brand name to leverage titles that are less about cartoony basketball players and more about…pony-based MMOs. Acclaim circa 2008 are all about free-to-play MMOs, nickel-and-diming you with microtransactions, getting into Facebook gaming and capitalising on the rise of the online gaming scene in markets like China. Might not sound like much, but the last time Marks decided to revive the flagging fortunes of a former big name in the industry was in 1991. When he and Bobby Kotick dug Activision out of the grave. That seems to be working out OK.
Acclaim Bringing For-Pay Item Trade To Facebook [Gamasutra]
Pokémon debuted in Japan back in 1995, causing a kid frenzy. Meaning? Those kids aren’t kids aren’t kids anymore. Some of them are adults! Via game forum NeoGAF comes this announcement:
The Pok´mon Company has announced Pokémon 151, a new brand intended for adult Pokémon fans. An official Web site opens Thursday, and Japanese Pokémon Centre stores have begun selling four types of stylised T-shirts. In addition, a Diamond and Pearl battle tournament for ages 15 and up will be held at the Tokyo store July 4.
The four T-shirts currently available for pre-sale feature stylised designs of Hypno, Cubone, Articuno and Mewtwo, respectively.
Yep, Japan only for the time being. Hit the jump for two more shirts.
Yeah, there are two Battlefield games on the way. that we know of. Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Bad Company. So that’s enough, right? EA’s and DICE’s whistles are well and truly wet, right? No. No, no, not even close. Speaking at GDC paris yesterday, DICE’s Ben Cousens has said that the company are working on a further three Battlefield titles. One is a “core game” for consoles. One is a secret. The other is a collaboration with Korean company Neowiz, targeted at the region’s online market. That’s, you know. Five Battlefield games in development. Never let it be said EA don’t know how to make the most of a franchise.
DICE confirms five Battlefield titles in development [GI.biz]
Snake, cake, a children’s book and a naughty ending? For Kotaku After Dark? Why, it couldn’t capture the spirit of the times better if it had a Zeitgeistmatron 3000. Called “Snake Bakes a Cake”, it’s the work of both Ms. Anne Moloney & a Mr. Foley, who somehow manage to take a charming story about baking a cake and turn it into (mildly) erotic, illustrated Metal Gear fan fiction. Being (mildly) erotic, anyone aghast at the thought of seeing Snake’s derrière should probably not click through.
Untitled [Spinooti]
