Slashdot Mirror

1up.com has an interview with community relations manager Gaile Gray. They discuss changes since the launch, and how the company has acted to keep the player-base happy in a title with no fee to keep them grounded. From the article: "August's event showed us that increasing the rewards for PVP play was both necessary and wise. The feedback we received before the event provided us with a lot of guidance on what players wanted most. We reacted with a substantial boost to faction points and with special rewards for PVP accomplishments...and the players loved it. We're going to keep watching the gameplay progression and reward systems to ensure that both PVP players and cooperative players are adequately rewarded."

1up.com has a feature on the growing business of videogame coaching. From the article: "This is where Tom Taylor comes in. He's one of the rising stars in the Halo 2 world and leading the charge for one of the first console videogame coaching sites: gaming-lessons.com. 'I've given lessons to people who [are] looking to go to tournaments or people who are just looking to brag to friends,' Taylor says, adding that he guarantees I'll beat Shoe after my training session. He's gotten offers from gamers in Europe and Australia for some schooling-his rate: $40 for a one-hour session-but today he'll be training a simple guy who just wants to beat his boss once."

Bungie's weekly update is always an interesting read, but this week they have a hint at a surprise to come next week. From the update: "Oh. Keep your eyes peeled next week for a surprising, cool, awesome Bungie-related announcement. No it is not Halo 3, nor is it the surprise revelation of our next project (whatever that may be) but it's sweet. It's something I've hinted at in the past. And you'll probably like it. More than that I can't say. Which even I know is aggravating. But it ain't up to me. So just be patient." News site pundits seem to think this may be a revelation that a Halo character may be in DOA 4. Guess we'll find out next week. Update: 10/04 20:00 GMT by Z : Well, that didn't take long. A Halo character *is* going to be in DOA4, and Peter Jackson is set to produce the Halo movie.

Bungie's weekly update is always an interesting read, but this week they have a hint at a surprise to come next week. From the update: "Oh. Keep your eyes peeled next week for a surprising, cool, awesome Bungie-related announcement. No it is not Halo 3, nor is it the surprise revelation of our next project (whatever that may be) but it's sweet. It's something I've hinted at in the past. And you'll probably like it. More than that I can't say. Which even I know is aggravating. But it ain't up to me. So just be patient." News site pundits seem to think this may be a revelation that a Halo character may be in DOA 4. Guess we'll find out next week. Update: 10/04 20:00 GMT by Z : Well, that didn't take long. A Halo character *is* going to be in DOA4, and Peter Jackson is set to produce the Halo movie.

Kimi writes "1up.com had a whole week of Team Ninja coverage the past few days, with exclusive screenshots and a discussion with Tomonobu Itagaki about the Reinvention of DOA. They also looked into DOAX2, Ninja Gaiden 2 on Xbox 360, an exclusive opening cinematic of DOA4, and punky short film created by Itagaki."

Kimi writes "1up.com had a whole week of Team Ninja coverage the past few days, with exclusive screenshots and a discussion with Tomonobu Itagaki about the Reinvention of DOA. They also looked into DOAX2, Ninja Gaiden 2 on Xbox 360, an exclusive opening cinematic of DOA4, and punky short film created by Itagaki."

Kimi writes "1up.com had a whole week of Team Ninja coverage the past few days, with exclusive screenshots and a discussion with Tomonobu Itagaki about the Reinvention of DOA. They also looked into DOAX2, Ninja Gaiden 2 on Xbox 360, an exclusive opening cinematic of DOA4, and punky short film created by Itagaki."

1up is running a feature about the previous two Sly Cooper game titles, underappreciated classics for the PS2. They're examples of truly great platforming for this generation of consoles. From the article: "Sly's emphasis on plot and continuity is one of its greatest strengths, which may be a pleasant surprise for gamers weaned on old-school platformers whose story lines rarely strayed from such gripping territory as 'Bowser kidnapped the princess again' or 'Dr. Robotnik is probably up to no good with those Chaos Emeralds (again).' Unlike the unambitious premises of action games gone by, Sly's narrative feels like a crucial component of the series."

1up.com has a piece on the making of Shadow of the Colossus, the sequel to Ico (arguably one of the first innovative titles for the PS2). From the article: "In the works for nearly four years now, Shadow of the Colossus is clearly the result of different thinking. While Western development teams try to one-up each other in terms of how big their guns are, how interactive their environments can be, how urban their attitude is, and how much their X-treme soundtracks rock, Ueda's studio is cutting its game from an entirely different cloth. One look at Shadow and you'll realize that this game carries the DNA of Ico, from its sun-soaked environments to its minimal cast of characters to its austere "level" design. But while the majority of Ico's discovery and puzzle-solving elements were confined within the walls of a finite space (in this instance, a castle), Shadow of the Colossus, shall we say, branches out."

1up is running a piece examining Hollywood's relationship with Sony's UMD format. From the article: "Two UMD movies sold 100,000 units within two months. By contrast, one of the earliest DVD releases, Air Force One, took nine to achieve the same goal. DVD and ticket sales are on the decline, Hollywood needs a new source of revenue while they pick up the pieces, and PSP's handheld UMD format is turning into the glowing solution." Relatedly, Next Generation is running an article taking a look at the increasing quality of original games coming out for Sony's handheld. From the article: "After an embarrassingly slow start, the PSP has begun to find its niche with developers; likewise, Sony's internal studios and publishing division have gotten really adventuresome lately, with big and little games, both in tested genres and genres those games serve to test."

Very few things surprise me about videogames anymore. I won't claim to be all-knowing by any means, but there are very few genuine surprises these days. Release dates are known well in advance, endless features and interviews are conducted with developers during the course of a game's creation, and what few elements that publishers try to keep under wraps get leaked to the media by individuals wanting their moment in the sun. Even the big gaming news stories of this past year (Hot Coffee, the PS3 PreRendered Movie Debate) were more frustrating than surprising. Happily, Nintendo managed to pull a rabbit out of their hat. Today's announcement of exactly what the revolution behind the Revolution will be is nothing short of a showstopper. Read on for my reaction to Nintendo's new bid for the brass ring. I know it's already been discussed, but I'll go ahead and say it here for the record. The GameCube failed as a console. Despite the excellent first party games that have been released for it, and the occasional exclusive (Resident Evil 4), Nintendo has definitely stumbled it's way through this generation of consoles. The failure of the GameCube makes this the second generation of console systems where Nintendo has been left essentially sitting on the sidelines. Every time I post a story about someone editorializing Nintendo's death, or how Nintendo will never die, it saddens me a great deal. Nintendo is the company that brought a lot of the people of my generation into gaming in the first place. The Christmas morning I sat down for the first time with a NES controller in my hand was a life-changing moment. If not for smashing evil mushroom people and searching for Triforce pieces in my youth, my life would be very different today. Every flashy Xbox commercial, PS2 exclusive, or can of crap with Mario's mug stamped on it has made the little kid inside me become more and more jaded about the possibilities this industry can offer.

Today, that little kid is beaming. The company that introduced me to gaming so long ago has picked itself up off the mat and looks ready to come out swinging this time around. We've already linked to 1up's coverage of the announcement, but if you haven't read it yet there are plenty of other places to get the specifics. Gamespot, Gamespy, IGN, and Game Informer all have photo spreads, video, and first hand impressions from their experiences with Nintendo's next venture. Commentary is available from CNN Money, Wonderland, Jeremy Parish, The Game Chair, Joystiq, and Next Generation. An interview with Nintendo's Senior EU Marketing director is available on Eurogamer, and if you want to see the announcement firsthand a webcast of the presentation is available.

All of these pieces spend at least a paragraph or two wondering about the future, and with good reason. Within half an hour of the story being posted to the internet there were already lamentations about "the end of an era" and blistering condemnations of the controller as a lark that will fail as badly as the Virtual Boy. Specifically, both the professional media and fan commentaries seemed to center around the reaction that third party developers may or may not have to this extremely intriguing idea. The combination of this new controller style and the mentality that "Nintendo is for kids" may cause the company some problems down the line. They're almost certainly right.

That said, if you've read the description of the Metroid Prime demo you can't help but pause. The mental gymnastics required to use a mouse and keyboard in a First Person Shooter have confounded non-gamers since the genre began. As anyone who's played an FPS on a console can tell you, the two joystick approach gets the job done but is far from intuitive. Attempting such a title on the console is basically out of the question unless you can work at the interface, something a non-gamer is rarely willing to do. Nintendo deftly sidesteps this with an interface that has ties directly into what we do in our everyday lives. Turning your head to observe your environment is already an instinct we posses, so not only will it be easy to explain it will be trivial to do. The natural flow of such an interface opens up many horizons. Shooters are well and good, but the immediacy of the first person perspective is a tempting way to just tell a story. Divorced of its more violent aspects and with an interface that doesn't require years of practice to use, who is to say that our mothers won't be playing something built in the Unreal Engine a year from now?

The FPS is just one example of a genre that we traditionally think of as "hardcore" which could be opened up to non-gamers by an interface that allows the user to interact with a gameworld in a less artificial manner . Real Time Strategy games would be a snap, as you wave your hand and the map moves effortlessly along beneath your outstretched hand. Driving games where you could actually apply your real life driving reflexes. Puzzle games where manipulating pieces is second nature. Sports games that require you to actually swing the bat or catch the football. Fighting games where you can feel a guy get punched in the face. At the end of the day, games are about having fun. Say what you will about their business acumen, Nintendo has always understood that. With the Revolution interface, the company is reaching out to the millions of people who have yet to pick up a controller. Why should those of us who have been playing since that first grey box reached our shores be the only ones who have access to the fun?

This is a risky venture, no doubt about it. If third party developers don't catch on to the possibilities here, if the EAs of the world don't take a chance with the new interface, then Nintendo will be looking at a big problem. This may be the last console larger than the DS we see out of the company for quite a while. If that's the way it's going to be, then I say so be it. Finally, at least, Nintendo isn't just going to sit there and try to imitate the other consoles poorly. Sony and Microsoft are very, very good at what they do. Instead of keeping up with the Jonses, Nintendo is striking out on its own. For better or worse, they've taken steps to expand the field of game players and change the nature of game playing.

The number of games at launch, third party commitment to the console, and the commercial reaction to this departure from the norm will be the only way to determine if Nintendo has made the right call. Either way we can look forward to a generation of consoles that will not only be graphically more impressive, but fundamentally different from the gaming systems we've played in the past. For me, at least, when I pick up the remote for the first time it will be like sitting down again on Christmas morning. I can't wait.

I've had my say ... what do you think? The controller announcement was put up early this morning. Now that you've had the chance to look at it more carefully, is your opinion any different? Most importantly, are you planning on buying one?

Very few things surprise me about videogames anymore. I won't claim to be all-knowing by any means, but there are very few genuine surprises these days. Release dates are known well in advance, endless features and interviews are conducted with developers during the course of a game's creation, and what few elements that publishers try to keep under wraps get leaked to the media by individuals wanting their moment in the sun. Even the big gaming news stories of this past year (Hot Coffee, the PS3 PreRendered Movie Debate) were more frustrating than surprising. Happily, Nintendo managed to pull a rabbit out of their hat. Today's announcement of exactly what the revolution behind the Revolution will be is nothing short of a showstopper. Read on for my reaction to Nintendo's new bid for the brass ring. I know it's already been discussed, but I'll go ahead and say it here for the record. The GameCube failed as a console. Despite the excellent first party games that have been released for it, and the occasional exclusive (Resident Evil 4), Nintendo has definitely stumbled it's way through this generation of consoles. The failure of the GameCube makes this the second generation of console systems where Nintendo has been left essentially sitting on the sidelines. Every time I post a story about someone editorializing Nintendo's death, or how Nintendo will never die, it saddens me a great deal. Nintendo is the company that brought a lot of the people of my generation into gaming in the first place. The Christmas morning I sat down for the first time with a NES controller in my hand was a life-changing moment. If not for smashing evil mushroom people and searching for Triforce pieces in my youth, my life would be very different today. Every flashy Xbox commercial, PS2 exclusive, or can of crap with Mario's mug stamped on it has made the little kid inside me become more and more jaded about the possibilities this industry can offer.

Today, that little kid is beaming. The company that introduced me to gaming so long ago has picked itself up off the mat and looks ready to come out swinging this time around. We've already linked to 1up's coverage of the announcement, but if you haven't read it yet there are plenty of other places to get the specifics. Gamespot, Gamespy, IGN, and Game Informer all have photo spreads, video, and first hand impressions from their experiences with Nintendo's next venture. Commentary is available from CNN Money, Wonderland, Jeremy Parish, The Game Chair, Joystiq, and Next Generation. An interview with Nintendo's Senior EU Marketing director is available on Eurogamer, and if you want to see the announcement firsthand a webcast of the presentation is available.

All of these pieces spend at least a paragraph or two wondering about the future, and with good reason. Within half an hour of the story being posted to the internet there were already lamentations about "the end of an era" and blistering condemnations of the controller as a lark that will fail as badly as the Virtual Boy. Specifically, both the professional media and fan commentaries seemed to center around the reaction that third party developers may or may not have to this extremely intriguing idea. The combination of this new controller style and the mentality that "Nintendo is for kids" may cause the company some problems down the line. They're almost certainly right.

That said, if you've read the description of the Metroid Prime demo you can't help but pause. The mental gymnastics required to use a mouse and keyboard in a First Person Shooter have confounded non-gamers since the genre began. As anyone who's played an FPS on a console can tell you, the two joystick approach gets the job done but is far from intuitive. Attempting such a title on the console is basically out of the question unless you can work at the interface, something a non-gamer is rarely willing to do. Nintendo deftly sidesteps this with an interface that has ties directly into what we do in our everyday lives. Turning your head to observe your environment is already an instinct we posses, so not only will it be easy to explain it will be trivial to do. The natural flow of such an interface opens up many horizons. Shooters are well and good, but the immediacy of the first person perspective is a tempting way to just tell a story. Divorced of its more violent aspects and with an interface that doesn't require years of practice to use, who is to say that our mothers won't be playing something built in the Unreal Engine a year from now?

The FPS is just one example of a genre that we traditionally think of as "hardcore" which could be opened up to non-gamers by an interface that allows the user to interact with a gameworld in a less artificial manner . Real Time Strategy games would be a snap, as you wave your hand and the map moves effortlessly along beneath your outstretched hand. Driving games where you could actually apply your real life driving reflexes. Puzzle games where manipulating pieces is second nature. Sports games that require you to actually swing the bat or catch the football. Fighting games where you can feel a guy get punched in the face. At the end of the day, games are about having fun. Say what you will about their business acumen, Nintendo has always understood that. With the Revolution interface, the company is reaching out to the millions of people who have yet to pick up a controller. Why should those of us who have been playing since that first grey box reached our shores be the only ones who have access to the fun?

This is a risky venture, no doubt about it. If third party developers don't catch on to the possibilities here, if the EAs of the world don't take a chance with the new interface, then Nintendo will be looking at a big problem. This may be the last console larger than the DS we see out of the company for quite a while. If that's the way it's going to be, then I say so be it. Finally, at least, Nintendo isn't just going to sit there and try to imitate the other consoles poorly. Sony and Microsoft are very, very good at what they do. Instead of keeping up with the Jonses, Nintendo is striking out on its own. For better or worse, they've taken steps to expand the field of game players and change the nature of game playing.

The number of games at launch, third party commitment to the console, and the commercial reaction to this departure from the norm will be the only way to determine if Nintendo has made the right call. Either way we can look forward to a generation of consoles that will not only be graphically more impressive, but fundamentally different from the gaming systems we've played in the past. For me, at least, when I pick up the remote for the first time it will be like sitting down again on Christmas morning. I can't wait.

I've had my say ... what do you think? The controller announcement was put up early this morning. Now that you've had the chance to look at it more carefully, is your opinion any different? Most importantly, are you planning on buying one?

kakos writes "At the Tokyo Game Show, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed what the Nintendo Revolution controller looks like. The new controller is a radical departure from traditional controller types. Has Nintendo struck gold with their new controller design? The reviewers seem to think so. It should be interesting to see how gamers react to Nintendo's new innovation."

1up.com has an interview with director Tetsuya Nomura, one of the men behind Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts. In it, he talks about several aspects of Square-Enixs' gaming library, and admits he'd like to expand the PS3 tech demo into a full revamp of Final Fantasy VII. From the article: "The PS3 tech demo was actually not the perfect forum that he wanted to have. It was just timing that we had to submit something in time for E3, for the press conference. So, again, it was not perfect forum. And the 7 remake idea was always, always in conversation, just because it's so popular. And then just because of that tech demo here in the PS3 conference, that probably based more expectations of fans, obviously."

Microsoft's presence at the Tokyo Games Show has resulted in a number of new details about the Xbox 360, set to launch November 22nd. 1up has a look at Japanese impressions of the upcoming launch, some games that may have been under your radar so far, and a new trailer for many of the upcoming games. Next Generation is also reporting that, at a London event yesterday it was confirmed that the 360 is now in mass production. From the 1up impressions article: "Another concern, and a lesson learned from the last launch, was that Japanese gamers at the were hesitant to buy into a new, wholly unfamiliar console. This time Microsoft hopes to entice gamers by opening a 360 lounge in the fashionable Aoyama area a full month before the launch date. The lounge will be a hip, comfortable place where gamers can play demos of 360 games before they buy them."

Microsoft's presence at the Tokyo Games Show has resulted in a number of new details about the Xbox 360, set to launch November 22nd. 1up has a look at Japanese impressions of the upcoming launch, some games that may have been under your radar so far, and a new trailer for many of the upcoming games. Next Generation is also reporting that, at a London event yesterday it was confirmed that the 360 is now in mass production. From the 1up impressions article: "Another concern, and a lesson learned from the last launch, was that Japanese gamers at the were hesitant to buy into a new, wholly unfamiliar console. This time Microsoft hopes to entice gamers by opening a 360 lounge in the fashionable Aoyama area a full month before the launch date. The lounge will be a hip, comfortable place where gamers can play demos of 360 games before they buy them."

Microsoft's presence at the Tokyo Games Show has resulted in a number of new details about the Xbox 360, set to launch November 22nd. 1up has a look at Japanese impressions of the upcoming launch, some games that may have been under your radar so far, and a new trailer for many of the upcoming games. Next Generation is also reporting that, at a London event yesterday it was confirmed that the 360 is now in mass production. From the 1up impressions article: "Another concern, and a lesson learned from the last launch, was that Japanese gamers at the were hesitant to buy into a new, wholly unfamiliar console. This time Microsoft hopes to entice gamers by opening a 360 lounge in the fashionable Aoyama area a full month before the launch date. The lounge will be a hip, comfortable place where gamers can play demos of 360 games before they buy them."

1up.com has up a feature going through the history of the game controller. Starting in the dark ages of the PDP-1, the article moves all the way up to Nintendo's mysterious Revolution controller. From the article: "And when will Nintendo tip its hand? All we know at this point is that the Revolution will be backwards compatible with GameCube controllers, so at the very least the system will support all the functionality you're used to. But apart from that, will the controller feature a built-in touch screen and microphone, like the Nintendo DS? Is it just a box of brain-wave-reading goo? One thing is for sure: if history is any indication, there's no telling what the game controller we use twenty years from now will look like. And just as long as there's no numeric keypad, we should be okay."

1up.com has a few precious details on the combat system to be used in Final Fantasy XII. From the article: "The semi-realtime, semi-ATB battle system of FFXII is finally sounding like it's got some real depth now as these new features are coming to light. First of all, a "Chain" system has been revealed. Basically when you keep attacking enemies of the same race without killing enemies of a different race in between, your Chain counter increase. Increasing the counter will lead to getting better and even rare items from the enemies as they fall."

End-of-week lists are always fun. From CNet, we have a list of the top ten games of the last ten years, and from 1up.com the definitive dozen titles from the PS1's lifetime. From the 1up article: "Resident Evil Capcom, 1996 Admittedly a straight-up rip-off of the PC adventure series Alone in the Dark (all the way down to the polygonal characters in static environments), Resident Evil was the first great example of Sony's commitment to quality, adult-oriented entertainment. Sure, the controls sucked, and the voice acting was worse. But for all intents and purposes, this was the game that helped the PS1 grab gamers by the throat, chew on their jugulars, and gnaw on their brains."

1up is reporting on the anniversary this week of the original PlayStation. For many people the system represents a fundamental shift in consumer gaming. From the article: "PlayStation changed the way people played games--the way they thought about them, really. When Sony launched its console, the gaming industry was bogged down by expensive production, too many competing standards, and crippling uncertainty among the mind-share leaders. In just a few short years, PlayStation rose from that morass to become the undisputed champion of the era, not only taking the 32-bit prize but simultaneously paving the way for a comfortable lead in the following generation."

1up has an editorial up exploring the biased nature of mainstream media gaming coverage, especially in light of the recent Hot Coffee scandal. From the article: "...Are CBS, Donny Deutsch, and Ed Bradley actually informing their viewers--or just inflaming their fears in a culture already on edge? Many, certainly many in the videogame industry, believe it's the latter. There's no shortage of gaming coverage, but it seems that what's out there, outside of enthusiast coverage, focuses disproportionately on certain kinds of games or on partial information that does no justice to the industry's successes. "

Zangief writes "Nintendogs, the quirky DS title about dogs, has sold more than a quarter of a million units in its first week on the U.S. market. This puts to rest the argument that Nintendogs wouldn't appeal to the Western consumers, obsessed with 'mature' games." Expect our look at the title next week.

Jane Pinckard, over at 1up, has a look at the evolution of the Nintendo Revolution controller...not that we have any real idea what the revolution will be. She takes a look at what we know to be untrue, and speculates on what might be. From the article: "One natural line of thinking, after eliminating the buttons and the D-pad, was that the controller would be touchable - not a far-fetched idea, since the DS uses a touch screen. What could be more intuitive than the power of touch? Throw in the microphone - another DS feature - and you have this model featured on the right; the creator kept the buttons and the analog stick, possibly to enable backwards compatibility. But the main interface of this controller concept is the spacious haptic touch screen."

Kimi writes "Love him or hate him, it's always entertaining to read about Uwe Boll, especially with his latest movie Bloodrayne due to be released shortly. 1UP has an interview with the man himself to find out just what he is up to." From the article: "Let's drop the bombshell before we move on: Rumors were flying this summer that Boll had picked up the rights to the controversial first-person-shooter Postal franchise, but developer Running With Scissors quickly debunked the speculation. In talking with Boll, we asked him about his interest in Postal and - lo and behold - were told he's currently in negotiations for the rights to the series, and expects to start shooting Postal sometime next year. Additionally, he'll be writing the script hand-in-hand with the game designers, a first for him and video game movies. It should be interesting to see how Boll handles a game whose gameplay revolves around pure shock value." Good to see we can expect more quality cinema in the future.

Kimi writes "Love him or hate him, it's always entertaining to read about Uwe Boll, especially with his latest movie Bloodrayne due to be released shortly. 1UP has an interview with the man himself to find out just what he is up to." From the article: "Let's drop the bombshell before we move on: Rumors were flying this summer that Boll had picked up the rights to the controversial first-person-shooter Postal franchise, but developer Running With Scissors quickly debunked the speculation. In talking with Boll, we asked him about his interest in Postal and - lo and behold - were told he's currently in negotiations for the rights to the series, and expects to start shooting Postal sometime next year. Additionally, he'll be writing the script hand-in-hand with the game designers, a first for him and video game movies. It should be interesting to see how Boll handles a game whose gameplay revolves around pure shock value." Good to see we can expect more quality cinema in the future.

Kimi writes "1UP is running a week's worth of coverage on Valve; content includes Aftermath, Lost Coast, Day of Defeat, Sin Episodes, Garry's Mod, Half-Life 2 Xbox, and an exclusive interview with Gabe Newell. Be sure to check out the kickass cover image, which was designed using assistance of the Garry's Mod community." From the subsite frontpage: "It all started with a tram ride into unknown catastrophe. With the release of Half-Life in 1998, Valve put themselves on the map as the undisputed saviors of PC gaming. For 1UP's second-ever cover story, we team up with sister-magazine Computer Gaming World and go behind Valve's iron curtains to get an exclusive sneak peek at Half-Life 2: Aftermath, the latest chapter in their Half-Life saga. "

Kimi writes "1UP is running a week's worth of coverage on Valve; content includes Aftermath, Lost Coast, Day of Defeat, Sin Episodes, Garry's Mod, Half-Life 2 Xbox, and an exclusive interview with Gabe Newell. Be sure to check out the kickass cover image, which was designed using assistance of the Garry's Mod community." From the subsite frontpage: "It all started with a tram ride into unknown catastrophe. With the release of Half-Life in 1998, Valve put themselves on the map as the undisputed saviors of PC gaming. For 1UP's second-ever cover story, we team up with sister-magazine Computer Gaming World and go behind Valve's iron curtains to get an exclusive sneak peek at Half-Life 2: Aftermath, the latest chapter in their Half-Life saga. "

1up.com has an unflinching article looking at what is broken about Halo 2, and what can be done to fix the problems. From the article: "The problem isn't the cliffhanger ending, because then you'd have to hate The Empire Strikes Back. Nor should you blame the prelaunch marketing plan that had consumers believing Halo 2 would be a battle for Earth -- it was documented before launch that the adventure would take place across the universe. It's not the Metal Gear Solid 2 hero-fakeout trick; while Master Chief represents Halo to many people, Bungie's use of the Arbiter to show another facet of the Halo universe demonstrated the company's commitment to the world of Halo and not the characters of Halo. And it's certainly not because Halo 2 didn't have cooperative online play. No, Halo 2 polarizes fans because of its multiplayer mode... and, more to the point, the problems therein. "

heday writes "1up.com has a comprehensive strategy guide for Nintendogs, which was released this Monday. The article explains a lot of the nuances and idiosyncratic stuff with videos and pics." From the article: "The subtle sounds of shuffling feet running towards you. Those adoring eyes glazing at you with complete obedience. The moist soft tongue running up and down the back of your feet. That pendulum tail wagging back and forth that embodies the dog's adoration for you. If there were any companion animals vying to be man's best friend, the dog would be unmatched in terms of friendship, loyalty, and devotion. Anyone who has loved a dog would testify that raising one is truly one of the most rewarding experiences in life. But owning a dog is no walk in the park--it requires the utmost responsibility. "

1up.com is running a piece examining how video games have matured since the early days. The article explores what the social context of gaming has been, from Hunt the Wumpus to 'Hot Coffee'. From the article: "The maturation of games might be viewed more accurately as a climb into a unified grace. By the time console gamers were wowed by Sonic The Hedgehog's 64-colour world, computer gamers were already familiar with zooming across galaxies, building cities and landing virtual planes. The 486 ran at 66 mHz and had the capability to create 3D texture maps. 16-bit consoles, which ran at 7 mHz, could not replicate a game as impressive-looking, innovative and as huge as Doom."

1up.com has a look at a new slimline NES console made by a company named Messiah. They hope the console, named Generation NEX, will be able to reach consumers in retail stores. From the article: "We think our products can be mainstream, it's just a matter of finding and reaching those people. Everyone loves the NES, and grew up playing it...We're hoping to get Generation NEX into mainstream retailers. We think that'll help out a lot. It's kind of like one of those impulse buys, people aren't searching for it but when they come across it they'll be like 'whoa, I want that!'...The greatest challenge was incorporating all of the extra features into the hardware...It's quite easy just to make a clone that works with the existing stuff, but then when you incorporate the built-in wireless and all the other stuff that went into this hardware ... That was the biggest challenge, getting everything to work together."

1up.com has an in-depth look at the Halo 2 Map Pack released by Bungie. Besides details and strategies for all of the new maps, they also include screenshots and footage to make sure you get the feel for the new playing area. From the article: "Halo 2 carries the same name, characters and clever design from Bungie, but the rebalancing, retooling and re-imagining the multiplayer mode received has resulted in a game that remains true to Halo: CE, but for competitive play, Halo 2 is a totally different game. Instead of focusing on individual skill, Halo 2's map design, weapon sets and game types demand a cohesive unit functioning on all cylinders for success. From symmetrical maps designed to pit flat-out skill versus flat-out skill to asymmetrical maps created for objective-driven multiplayer content, Halo 2's online modes and maps require as much teamwork as any console FPS available. So here's a head start on getting together your strats for the recently released Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack."

1up.com has a news post throwing together information from various sources, and revealing some release details about the Xbox 360. Scans of marketing flyers finally make clear the differences in the two skus. From the article: "There's ... a handy chart comparing the Core system to the standard system. The accessories are perhaps the most interesting, with specs and suggested retail prices listed. The wired controller is compatible with Windows XP, and the hard drive comes with some pre-loaded data, including an HD puzzle game. Of course, everything in the brochure is subject to change without notice, so check back for more confirmation as we get closer to the launch date." More commentary is available from Chris Morris's always excellent Game Over column. A transcript of the J. Allard chat is available at Major-Nelson.com.

aendeuryu writes "The first reviews are in for Madden '06, and the reception is underwhelming -- it's scoring an average rating of 79% on gamerankings.com (at the time of this submission). The reviewers on Gamespot (7.8) and 1up.com (9.0) have different takes on the game, but the readership of both sites doesn't (7.4 and 7.8 respectively). Gamespot's criticisms put the game in a less-than-exciting light: the new QB-vision feature adds realism but takes away from basic fun, and (perhaps most damning) the graphics rate a 7 out of 10 on what was supposed to be a next-generation title. Normally, a mediocre game release isn't a big deal, except that, because of EA's negotiated exclusivity deal with the NFL, this is the only NFL title you'll get to play this year. So, what are the players to do?"

1up.com has an interesting look at the forces ranged against Microsoft in Japan, as the 360 poises for a major push in foreign markets. From the article: "There are enough reasons (we have ten) to believe things will be different next round, and Xbox 360 will eat away at PlayStation's dominance in Japan. Yet there are those who still believe Japan will never embrace a non-Japanese game console (and we've got ten reasons why these arm-chair analysts are correct.) Warm up your typing fingers as we give you ten reasons why Xbox 360 could kick ass in Japan, and ten reasons why it could bomba bomba in Kutaragi's backyard."

1up.com has an article up examining the current state of PSP sales and interest. Frustrations are mounting regarding the lackluster monetary outlook and poor game selection. From the article: "The PSP has traveled the spectrum of being hailed as the greatest piece of hardware since the introduction of the original PlayStation to being treated like a Goodwill store where developers drop off bare-bones ports and shoddy, old games. Since the release of the PSP on March 24, 2005, to the time of this writing, there have been approximately 30 games released, 17 of which were released during the launch window. Around 10 or so of the games available could be considered ports of PlayStation 2 games, which is about one-third of the entire PSP library. And if you work out the math with the number of games released since the launch period, it comes out to less than one PSP game release per week--.76 games to be exact."

1up.com has a feature looking into the high stress world of game speed running. Primarily a history of the sport, they start with Doom and Super Mario Bros. and walk us forward to sequence breaking runs through Metroid Prime. From the article: "While there are plenty of real-world time-based challenges, speed running stands apart thanks to its virtual nature. You'll never tune in to a track meet and see competitors taking shortcuts across the grass, but that's essentially the modus operandi of video game speed runners. Similarly, you'll never see athletes exploiting flaws in reality to jump further or to warp themselves ahead in the race. Again, that's something that can only be done via video games. While speed running has been acquiring a serious head of steam over the last few years, its origins can be traced back to one game in particular: id Software's late 1993 bombshell of an FPS, Doom. "

Both the New York Times and Electronic Gaming Monthly have commented recently on the ongoing trend of sequel production in gaming. The NYT specifically cites EA's recent trends regarding endless rehashing of titles, while EGM talks more broadly about the role of sequels in the industry. While most reviewers lament the current state of the sequel factory, those within the industry rely on new versions of old titles for their bread and butter. From the EGM article: "Let's assume the publisher's position that sequels are a necessary evil, and the blockbuster videogame industry we have today cannot exist without sequels to support its often great financial burdens for research and development, marketing, distribution, etc. So, what are sequels doing for the gamer who's not interested in keeping up with the sequel treadmill?"

1up.com has a feature up today probing further into the making of gaming music. The article is a follow up to a similar piece last month. From the article: "Though before we dig in to its case histories, it might do to define what we're talking about. The key difference is OST (original soundtracks) or OSV (original sound versions) vs. arranged or remix albums, both of which present a spin on the original music that wasn't there before. Arranged music means nothing more than the original chiptunes arranged by a musician for live musicians to play, whether it's a small chamber group or a full symphony orchestra. So now that you know what it is, how did it begin?"

1up.com has a feature up today probing further into the making of gaming music. The article is a follow up to a similar piece last month. From the article: "Though before we dig in to its case histories, it might do to define what we're talking about. The key difference is OST (original soundtracks) or OSV (original sound versions) vs. arranged or remix albums, both of which present a spin on the original music that wasn't there before. Arranged music means nothing more than the original chiptunes arranged by a musician for live musicians to play, whether it's a small chamber group or a full symphony orchestra. So now that you know what it is, how did it begin?"

1up.com has a piece examining game cliches that are just done. Really. From the article: "2.) Pushing crates. Note to evil masterminds everywhere: We understand that you're trying to run a business, which involves receiving equipment and food somehow. But leaving those giant crates just lying around your warehouse for any one-man army to use for supplies and climbing? It's no wonder most startup criminal organizations fail within the first five years. Even seen in: God of War (PS2) 4.) Ridiculous portrayals of females. Women have breasts. Get over it. Even seen in: Soul Calibur II (PS2/XB/GC)"

mybrainonfire writes "There's an interview with the creators of the Metroid Prime series over on 1UP, and they talk about making the next game for Revolution. From the article: 'Metroid Prime 3 itself will reportedly take advantage of a number of new features in the Revolution, including the controller... Metroid Prime 3 will continue the first-person action adventure the series has become known for, and there are no plans to add a third-person viewpoint outside of the morph ball.'"

Square Enix has their yearly media event in Japan this past weekend, and news on upcoming titles is plentiful. Final Fantasy XII has finally been given a release date...in Japan. The Japanese launch is set for March 16, 2006. Aside from knowing the Japanese release date, details on the theme song for the highly anticipated title were also available. Aside from the heavyweight, information on Square Enix's Mobile games had some time in the sun, FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus had some new info revealed, and Fantasy Earth (Square's next MMO) was shown off but was unplayable. FFXI, their current MMOG, got the business end of a Q&A about upcoming plans, while movie fans will be happy to hear that FFVII: Advent Children is set to premiere in Japanese theaters in September. Finally, the rumour from the event that has everyone excited is the possibility that the Final Fantasy VII tech demo is more than a demo. The beautiful movie, shown originally at E3 this year, was shown again at the event and has prompted commentators to wonder if this is the first glimpse of the much rumoured remake of the classic console RPG.

Square Enix has their yearly media event in Japan this past weekend, and news on upcoming titles is plentiful. Final Fantasy XII has finally been given a release date...in Japan. The Japanese launch is set for March 16, 2006. Aside from knowing the Japanese release date, details on the theme song for the highly anticipated title were also available. Aside from the heavyweight, information on Square Enix's Mobile games had some time in the sun, FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus had some new info revealed, and Fantasy Earth (Square's next MMO) was shown off but was unplayable. FFXI, their current MMOG, got the business end of a Q&A about upcoming plans, while movie fans will be happy to hear that FFVII: Advent Children is set to premiere in Japanese theaters in September. Finally, the rumour from the event that has everyone excited is the possibility that the Final Fantasy VII tech demo is more than a demo. The beautiful movie, shown originally at E3 this year, was shown again at the event and has prompted commentators to wonder if this is the first glimpse of the much rumoured remake of the classic console RPG.

Square Enix has their yearly media event in Japan this past weekend, and news on upcoming titles is plentiful. Final Fantasy XII has finally been given a release date...in Japan. The Japanese launch is set for March 16, 2006. Aside from knowing the Japanese release date, details on the theme song for the highly anticipated title were also available. Aside from the heavyweight, information on Square Enix's Mobile games had some time in the sun, FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus had some new info revealed, and Fantasy Earth (Square's next MMO) was shown off but was unplayable. FFXI, their current MMOG, got the business end of a Q&A about upcoming plans, while movie fans will be happy to hear that FFVII: Advent Children is set to premiere in Japanese theaters in September. Finally, the rumour from the event that has everyone excited is the possibility that the Final Fantasy VII tech demo is more than a demo. The beautiful movie, shown originally at E3 this year, was shown again at the event and has prompted commentators to wonder if this is the first glimpse of the much rumoured remake of the classic console RPG.

Square Enix has their yearly media event in Japan this past weekend, and news on upcoming titles is plentiful. Final Fantasy XII has finally been given a release date...in Japan. The Japanese launch is set for March 16, 2006. Aside from knowing the Japanese release date, details on the theme song for the highly anticipated title were also available. Aside from the heavyweight, information on Square Enix's Mobile games had some time in the sun, FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus had some new info revealed, and Fantasy Earth (Square's next MMO) was shown off but was unplayable. FFXI, their current MMOG, got the business end of a Q&A about upcoming plans, while movie fans will be happy to hear that FFVII: Advent Children is set to premiere in Japanese theaters in September. Finally, the rumour from the event that has everyone excited is the possibility that the Final Fantasy VII tech demo is more than a demo. The beautiful movie, shown originally at E3 this year, was shown again at the event and has prompted commentators to wonder if this is the first glimpse of the much rumoured remake of the classic console RPG.

This summer it seems like Massive games are the only good news going, and this week has been busy. R. Spencer writes "1UP explores MMO addiction and, in true confessional style, opens the floor to heavy users and recovered junkies. It's especially interesting how much the mechanisms of MMO addiction have in common with other forms of addiction. The primary source of addiction nowadays seems to be World of Warcraft. If you're jonesing right now, you might want to check out this Guide to the Creation of the Scarlet Monastery on the official site. Additionally, Mogg writes "For new players, GamerGod has a up part one of a guide to the game World of Warcraft." This is Tobold's first writerly foray at the new site. Luck to him. For something a little different, 1up explores the world of Sociolotron...a Sex MMOG. Speaking of sex, SOE has been busy lately. The end to the Quest for Antonia search is almost here. They've put up new details on future EQ2 content, and announced a dramatic downsizing of The Matrix Online. See, when no one plays, you don't need as many servers. The new content mob is rearing his head all over with Secrets of the Syren in the works on Star Wars Galaxies, CoH Issue 5 coming up soon, and screenshots from the next Guild Wars update available. MMORPG.com continues to put out interesting editorials, with a look at the stories in Massive Games. Finally, the highly respectable Nick Yee has published a new edition of The Daedalus Project. The seminal source of MMOG statistics on the web has articles on participation in games at the level cap, introductions to the genre, and the stress of loot. As always, participation in the survey helps ensure future issues have good data.

This summer it seems like Massive games are the only good news going, and this week has been busy. R. Spencer writes "1UP explores MMO addiction and, in true confessional style, opens the floor to heavy users and recovered junkies. It's especially interesting how much the mechanisms of MMO addiction have in common with other forms of addiction. The primary source of addiction nowadays seems to be World of Warcraft. If you're jonesing right now, you might want to check out this Guide to the Creation of the Scarlet Monastery on the official site. Additionally, Mogg writes "For new players, GamerGod has a up part one of a guide to the game World of Warcraft." This is Tobold's first writerly foray at the new site. Luck to him. For something a little different, 1up explores the world of Sociolotron...a Sex MMOG. Speaking of sex, SOE has been busy lately. The end to the Quest for Antonia search is almost here. They've put up new details on future EQ2 content, and announced a dramatic downsizing of The Matrix Online. See, when no one plays, you don't need as many servers. The new content mob is rearing his head all over with Secrets of the Syren in the works on Star Wars Galaxies, CoH Issue 5 coming up soon, and screenshots from the next Guild Wars update available. MMORPG.com continues to put out interesting editorials, with a look at the stories in Massive Games. Finally, the highly respectable Nick Yee has published a new edition of The Daedalus Project. The seminal source of MMOG statistics on the web has articles on participation in games at the level cap, introductions to the genre, and the stress of loot. As always, participation in the survey helps ensure future issues have good data.

mybrainonfire writes "1UP is reporting that Nintendo had a 78.5% reduction in operating profits for the quarter. 'Speculation from the news service on the reason for the drop makes perfect sense - the GameCube doesn't have enough exclusives, first-party and third-party, and sales of GBA SP and GameCube have been declining.' Time to release more Pokemon games, stat!"