Primotech

Rockstar Reveals ‘Lost and Damned’ GTA IV DLC; Arrives February 17

2008-11-20T14:17:03Z

Rockstar has presented USA Today with the first concrete details of the long-elusive Grand Theft Auto IV DLC. “Lost and Damned,” according to the report, will have players returning to the inviting streets of Liberty City, though this time under the guise of a different playable character: one Johnny Klebitz, a proud member of the biker gang known as “The Lost.”

Players with particularly acute memories will recall that Klebitz was introduced fairly early on in Grand Theft Auto IV, providing Niko with assistance in a mission offered by the dope-dealing Elizabeta. He later absconded with $2 million of Ray Boccino’s cash following a botched diamond heist. It will be interesting to see if the storyline in the DLC runs concurrent to the events presented in Grand Theft Auto IV proper, or if Johnny’s story picks up where it last left off.

Those longing for a glimpse of Niko’s Eastern European mug will be happy to hear that he’ll have several cameos in the game. “The story is not directly impacted by decisions you took in the main game,” Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser told USA Today’s Mike Snider. “Tons of details and mysteries from the main story get explained, so it will add a lot of color to the main story.”

“Johnny is a very different character than Niko, with a very different background,” continued Houser. “I can’t go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released. But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City. We feel like we’ve only scratched [its] surface in terms of the depth and detail.”

Since its release in April, Grand Theft Auto IV has sold about 3.3 million copies for the Xbox 360 and 1.6 million PlayStation 3 copies. Many consider this differential to be a testament to the influence of exclusive downloadable content.

The DLC will be available exclusively on Xbox Live Marketplace on February 17 of next year. No official word yet on pricing (though Wedbush Morgan industry analyst Michael Pachter anticipates $20 USD), nor whether the content will be available for the PC-iteration of the game at some point in the future.

More details and the first screens are anticipated very soon.

Capcom Sets Release Dates for Street Fighter 4

2008-11-14T20:44:33Z

Time to wrap your wrists or put on some sort of decorative fighting mask: Capcom announced this afternoon that Street Fighter 4 will be released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on February 17 of next year. The game will launch in Europe a few days later, on February 20.

The game is also coming to the PC sometime in 2009, although Capcom has yet to specify an exact release date.

Left 4 Dead, The Orange Box, and Every Other Game in Valve’s Catalogue for $99

2008-11-17T23:24:52Z

We’ll be the first to admit, there are a veritable plethora of fantastic, must-play games coming out this holiday season.

But what if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic, don’t have a whole lot of money to blow, and want to sample some of the finest PC games ever crafted?

Valve has heard your whimpers, gentle gamer, and offers the Valve Complete Pack via Steam for a mere $99 USD.

Just as the name seems to indicate, that’s not only every game Valve has ever made, but entries in the Half-Life series Gearbox was responsible for, chiefly Blue Shift and Opposing Force. Oh yeah, and PopCap’s wildly popular puzzler Peggle Extreme.

Here’s the full roster:

Counter-Strike

Counter-Strike: Condition Zero

Counter-Strike: Source

Day of Defeat

Day of Defeat: Source

Deathmatch Classic

Half-Life

Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2: Deathmatch

Half-Life 2: Episode One

Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Half-Life 2: Lost Coast

Half-Life Deathmatch: Source

Half-Life: Blue Shift

Half-Life: Opposing Force

Half-Life: Source

Left 4 Dead

Peggle Extreme

Portal

Ricochet

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress Classic

In my best QVC host voice: “That’s a $234 value, yours for just $99.99!”

Honestly, Left 4 Dead and the games from The Orange Box are worth more than $99 alone. Consider the rest just icing on the cake. Inexpensive and surprisingly delicious icing.

Get yourself over to the Steam Store.

Left 4 Dead Sees Zombie Gold, Now Preloading on Steam

2008-11-14T21:15:46Z

Valve’s cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead has gone gold and is on track for it’s release next Tuesday.

Those who order it from Valve’s digital distribution service Steam can enjoy a 10% discount and the knowledge that they’ll be ready to go at 12:01 EST on Tuesday.

The game is also available for the Xbox 360 on the same day. Both PC and Xbox 360 demos are now available, if you’d like to get a taste of brains early.

Here They Come! Halloween Left 4 Dead Shots

2008-11-14T20:27:59Z

Valve teases us with a small batch of new Left 4 Dead screens. The game is out on the 18th of next month for the Xbox 360 and PC. Happy Halloween!

October Left 4 Dead Screenshots

Sneaky, Sneaky: New Velvet Assassin Screens

2008-11-09T05:13:52Z

Three new stealthy Velvet Assassin screens. The game is out next year on the Xbox 360 and PC.

October Velvet Assassin Screenshots

Back from the Dead: Alan Wake Trailer and Screens

2008-11-09T05:29:39Z

A game that needs no introduction. We’re glad to see Remedy is still hard at work.

Xbox 360. PC. When it’s done.

Alan Wake Cinematic Trailer

New Alan Wake October Screens

Resistance 2 Launch Screens and Trailer

2008-11-09T06:03:06Z

Resistance 2 is hitting store shelves. To celebrate, here are some screens and a trailer, courtesy of Insomniac and Sony.

Resistance 2 ‘Last Hours’ Trailer

Resistance 2 October Screens

Legendary Screens of Werewolves and Flying Death Creature Things

2008-11-09T06:34:01Z

Legendary October Screens

Tokyo Game Show 08: Prince of Persia Trailer and Screens

2008-11-18T07:48:16Z

Prince of Persia TGS 2008 Trailer

Prince of Persia TGS 2008 Screenshots

Fallout 3 Shots of Apocalyptic Wasteland Beauty

2008-11-09T06:55:48Z

Fallout 3 will undoubtedly turn out to be one of the year’s most talked about games. Here are some new screenshots. Its due out at the end of October on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Check out our interview with Bethesda’s Pete Hines from E3.

Fallout 3 October Screenshots

Fable 2 Screens of Extreme Lighting Effects

2008-11-12T20:19:34Z

Fable 2 September Screens

Games Convention 2008: Fable 2 Screens

2008-11-12T20:42:57Z

Games Convention 2008: Fable 2 Screens

Games Convention 2008: Heavy Rain

2008-11-08T17:33:52Z

Sony’s biggest unveiling at this year’s Games Convention was the first live gameplay demonstration of one of the most anticipated and secretive titles of the PlayStation 3’s line-up, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain. Directed, produced and penned by David Cage, the title features a wide variety of digital actors and situations that the player gets to interact with and explore.

Heavy Rain is an unconventional game in every aspect: There is no main character, there is no game over screen, and there are no cutscenes. Everything that happens is controlled by the player, except for the camera, which has a life of its own: an AI ‘cameraman’ has been implemented to give the game a cinematographic feel that makes the most mundane tasks, from walking up a staircase to opening a trash can, look like a meaningful act.

The story of the game is told through these playable sequences. “Imagine the story like a rubber band. It stretches, but it can also pull back” Cage explains. You don’t just interact with these scenes; everything and anything you do actually changes the outcome of the game.

The scene on display at Leipzig began with a female journalist riding a motorcycle over a bridge in, fittingly, a heavy downpour. After arriving at a mundane suburban house, she walks up to the door and presents the player with his first choice. He can now either knock on the door or ring the bell - we decided to try both, but there was no answer. A little dialogue indicator pops up in the bottom left corner, which lets us choose what to say. This is done with the SIXAXIS motion sensor, so that we can talk, or as in this case, lead an inner monologue, while doing other things.

“We never tell you what to do,” says Cage, who is notably excited about what he is
demoing today.

The way the scene played out for us was relatively straight-forward: We snuck into the house after finding an open window to look for clues inside. After failing to do so in the living room, we moved on to the garage where - to the visible disgust of our protagonist a trail of blood led outside. Back in the house, we moved upstairs to a hallway with a creaky wooden floor and found a triple-whammy of shocking revelations: A dead body in the bathtub — how clichéd — stuffed women in the upstairs living room and, to make bad worse, the taxidermist’s car appeared in the driveway.

Luckily, we left everything untouched - we can safely escape from the house through the garage, while the taxidermist, who is now a prime suspect, kicks back with a beer and some good old fashioned American Football.

“This is, of course, only one way for the events to turn out,” explains Cage (born de
Gruttola) with a thick French accent.

We go back to the bathroom crime scene, only this time, the taxidermist heard our footsteps on the creaky floor. Hastily trying to hide in a closet turns out to be one of the best demonstrations for the control scheme, which tries to evoke emotion in the way input is handled: Here, we have to assume a very complex position on the controller that leaves our hands vulnerable to any sudden input: L2, R1, X and triangle - a game of ‘Twister’ comes to mind.

Apparently, the place chosen to hide in was not the safest: the taxidermist pried the
doors of the closet wide open and is now chasing the reporter through the entire house.
The scene, which is probably as cinematic as you would expect from a game like Metal
Gear Solid, except this time around, it’s entirely the player controlling the screaming,
panicky woman through the house while fending off the taxidermist’s attacks with
tactfully placed quick-time events.

We still manage to escape from him, but Cage adds: “It is entirely possible to kill him — or to die yourself,” which will change the story accordingly.

As the demonstration draws to a close, I ask Cage “Will it be possible to fail often
enough to reach an unsatisfactory ending?”

“I would hope so!” he says smiling, while shaking my hand.

Games Convention 2008: Call of Duty: World at War Screens

2008-11-12T20:31:29Z

Games Convention 2008: Call of Duty: World at War Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Left 4 Dead Screens of Extreme Shadow Effects

2008-11-14T20:22:21Z

Four new Left 4 Dead screens from Valve this afternoon. The game is looking fantastic as ever. It launches on the PC and Xbox 360 November 18.

Games Convention 2008: Left 4 Dead Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Mirror’s Edge Screens

2008-11-12T21:04:39Z

Games Convention 2008: Mirror’s Edge Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Hands-On with Killzone 2 Singleplayer and Multiplayer

2008-08-26T14:57:51Z

In a way, KILLZONE 2 is a coming of age for Dutch developer Guerilla Games. After the original Killzone was labeled a potential “Halo-killer” in a preview by the British gaming magazine EDGE, the studio suddenly found itself with an additional hefty burden placed squarely upon its shoulders. With Killzone 2, Guerilla has shown it can handle that pressure without breaking a sweat; this time, they have set - and raised - the bar all by themselves.

The fulminant Corinth River mission shows the protagonist of Killzone 2, Sev, trying to lead a convoy through Helghast terrain. Given the fact that the game takes place on Helghan, the aptly named Helghast home planet, this proves no easy feat, as every corner is swarming with the grim-looking foes, whose glowing eyes prove advantageous to the player and detrimental to the enemy. If not for the fearsome fiery glow, the Helghast would be practically impossible to spot, as the rest of their uniforms blend in almost entirely with the stylized grey visuals of the game.

The gameplay is reminiscent of a futuristic Call of Duty: You trod along a predetermined path, triggering scripted events and enemy onslaughts as you go - not to say that there is anything wrong with it - but it is admittedly a little formulaic. That being said, it is still a very impressive tour de force in terms of both the PlayStation 3’s hardware and the shooter genre.

It is hard not to be taken aback by the sheer quality of the visuals: both art direction and technical prowess are impressive, most notably the light and smoke effects, which leave even graphical heavy-hitters such as Crysis in the proverbial dust.

The focus of the presentation was the multiplayer this time around, which is as fully-realized as one would expect from an AAA title this generation. “We at Guerilla are about pushing the envelope” says Senior Online Game Designer Eric Boltjes, while demoing the multiplayer modes behind closed doors in Leipzig, “We think of it as shipping two separate games.”

Eight maps will be included with the game with additional DLC coming at a later date. Boltjes is not lying when he says it looks every bit as good as the single player. Now, of course, some of the assets such as weapons and textures are the same as in the story mode, yet their inspired take on the Team Fortress-like class based system truly brings out the best in Guerilla’s designers. Each class is easily identifiable through its distinct visual features.

“We want everyone to be able to play like they want to” says Boltjes, who is talking us
through the badge system that will determine the classes. You can mix and match six different badges, each with a primary and a secondary feature. The primary badge will determine the looks of your character as well as your most important skill and primary weapon. If you combine a Scout with an Engineer, you will be able to snipe, cloak yourself and repair machinery. Reverse the two, and you will be able to build turrets and mark enemies in your line of sight with a blue circle around their respective heads then take them out with the shotgun.

All this will not be available to you when you first put the disk into your PLAYSTATION
3, as accessibility is a key factor for the team. You will be presented with the no-badge option, which is basically the soldier class: It gives you no limitations on what to use as your primary weapon, but does not give you any abilities or special skills either - “the depth has to be unlocked” says Boltjes.

The most intriguing feature has to be the dynamic objectives: the game randomly selects three types of missions for the two teams to compete in. An assassination mission could quickly be followed by a capture and hold scenario that then turns into a search & destroy-esque mode, keeping even seasoned shooter veterans on their toes.

The game will feature “Humanoid AI bots” that can fill up online matches or give you an opportunity to practice online. Add to this the ability to “track every statistic you could possibly think of” via the in-game browser and killzone.com, for “when your sister is using the PS3 to play Singstar”, plus extended community features with clan support and custom games, and you have quite the complete multiplayer package on your hands.

It remains to be seen if the quality of the final offering will be consistently as good as what we’ve seen here in Leipzig, but so far what has been demonstrated is something that everyone at Guerilla, Sony, and PlayStation 3 owners everywhere will proudly present as the crown-jewel of their collection.

Lorand Koncz is editor-in-chief of Austrian gaming site wearetheinternetz.com

Games Convention 2008: BioShock PlayStation 3 Screens

2008-08-26T02:03:11Z

Games Convention 2008: BioShock PlayStation 3 Screens

Games Convention 2008: Fallout 3 Screens of Massive Carnage

2008-11-13T03:58:41Z

Primotech

Rockstar Reveals ‘Lost and Damned’ GTA IV DLC; Arrives February 17

Capcom Sets Release Dates for Street Fighter 4

Left 4 Dead, The Orange Box, and Every Other Game in Valve’s Catalogue for $99

Left 4 Dead Sees Zombie Gold, Now Preloading on Steam

Here They Come! Halloween Left 4 Dead Shots

October Left 4 Dead Screenshots

Sneaky, Sneaky: New Velvet Assassin Screens

October Velvet Assassin Screenshots

Back from the Dead: Alan Wake Trailer and Screens

Alan Wake Cinematic Trailer

New Alan Wake October Screens

Resistance 2 Launch Screens and Trailer

Resistance 2 ‘Last Hours’ Trailer

Resistance 2 October Screens

Legendary Screens of Werewolves and Flying Death Creature Things

Legendary October Screens

Tokyo Game Show 08: Prince of Persia Trailer and Screens

Prince of Persia TGS 2008 Trailer

Prince of Persia TGS 2008 Screenshots

Fallout 3 Shots of Apocalyptic Wasteland Beauty

Fallout 3 October Screenshots

Fable 2 Screens of Extreme Lighting Effects

Fable 2 September Screens

Games Convention 2008: Fable 2 Screens

Games Convention 2008: Fable 2 Screens

Games Convention 2008: Heavy Rain

Games Convention 2008: Call of Duty: World at War Screens

Games Convention 2008: Call of Duty: World at War Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Left 4 Dead Screens of Extreme Shadow Effects

Games Convention 2008: Left 4 Dead Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Mirror’s Edge Screens

Games Convention 2008: Mirror’s Edge Screenshots

Games Convention 2008: Hands-On with Killzone 2 Singleplayer and Multiplayer

Games Convention 2008: BioShock PlayStation 3 Screens

Games Convention 2008: BioShock PlayStation 3 Screens

Games Convention 2008: Fallout 3 Screens of Massive Carnage

Games Convention 2008: Fallout 3 Screenshots