The next issue of PLAY will feature a little treat. The cookie? The unveiling of the Crystal Dynamics developed Tomb Raider Underworld. The issue features a world-exclusive including screenshots and an interview with Eric Lindstrom and can be purchased online and downloaded right now.
PLAY writes "Lara's adventure takes place after the events of Tomb Raider Legend. Her adventure will be a thrill ride for anyone new to the franchise. The emphasis is on bringing Lara's world to life, a lush, vast interactive world that reacts and remembers. It's pure woman versus wild."
Commenting on one of Lara's locations, PLAY says, "In the level where Lara explores Southern Mexico, she leaves footprints in the mud, but it's raining so they wash away. The bodies she leaves behind in combat encounters will stay, however, as will the debris from any destruction she causes."
On an immersive and epic environment and weather system, Eric Lindstrom says, "we developed a hybrid lighting model that combines dynamic lights with carefully created light maps to make our world look stunning in ways that none of the available methods could achieve alone."
Crystal Dynamics have also given Lara full motion capture "to bring a more natural fluidity to her movements, with proper weight and secondary motion." Moreover, when Lara kneels on a muddy outcrop, only her knee will be covered in dirt and this will gradually dissipate as she continues on her journey.
The game has been tentatively pencilled in for a 2008 release and is expected to court Xbox 360, Sony PS3 and Windows PC. Stay tuned for more info soon.
[Via TRC]
Friday, December 14, 2007
Tomb Raider Underworld to Be Revealed In Next Issue of PLAY
Bionic Commando: Smash & Throw
If the screenshots we posted yesterday weren't enough for you, then we have a video demonstration of the Smash & Thrown technique in the Capcom's upcoming Bionic Commando. Enjoy!
Race Driver: GRID Set for Release Mid-2008
In a new press release from Codemasters, it reveals we should be seeing one of the best racing games ever created, Race Driver: GRID, mid-2008.
The press release is below.
Coming mid 2008, Race Driver: GRID is set to capture every moment from the starting grid to the chequered flag and concentrate those moments into an intense and dramatic race experience. Race Driver: GRID is being developed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.
“Race Driver: GRID is all about the race.” said Gavin Raeburn, Executive Producer at Codemasters Studios. “The next iteration of our DiRT engine combined with a decade of experience in developing driving games enables us to put the player at the centre of the action like never before. Damage, packed grids, intelligent opposition and unprecedented race day atmosphere will combine to deliver an experience like no other.
Says Ralph Fulton, Chief Game Designer. “GRID focuses on everything that happens between the start grid and the chequered flag: the drama, the rivalries, the aggression and the crashes. This is not a game about collecting cars or spending all of your time in the front-end tuning suspension settings or designing liveries. We want to make racing exciting again.”
Race Driver: GRID will take players to beautifully realised and dramatic race locations over three continents to compete in an unprecedented variety of racing events. Packed with the most powerful race cars - new and classic, circuit and drift - players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races.
In Europe, race gamers will compete on the greatest official tracks in prestige Marques including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani.
Iconic cities across the U.S. - including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit and each with their own atmosphere and events - play hosts to diverse street races. Here, high-performance V8 muscle cars set the pace in aggressive closely fought pack competitions.
In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads. There is also the opportunity to compete in races that operate on the fringes of legality in the back streets and industrial areas of Yokohama.
Race Driver: GRID is coming mid 2008 for the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Games for Windows. To register for future driver briefings and get a place on the grid, be sure to visit http://www.codemasters.co.uk/grid.
Race Driver: GRID is coming mid 2008 for the Xbox®360, PLAYSTATION®3 system and Games for Windows®.
Confirmed: Metal Gear Online Bundled With Metal Gear Solid 4
Since Metal Gear Online was announced for the PLAYSTATION 3, it was unsure whether it would be released as a standalone package or if it would be bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Now, thanks to the latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, we know now. Read the scan for a smile.
[Via VGBlogger]
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Sells 50K First Day
According to the latest game selling charts, yesterday, the first day of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's release in Japan, the title sold nearly 50,000 copies. This is good news to hear for the game. It should be out in North America early 2008.
[Via N4G]
Burnout Paradise Demo: PLAYSTATION 3 vs. Xbox 360
GamerSyde has done another of it's PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 side-by-side comparisons. This time, it's Burnout Paradise, running at 60fps. Can you tell which is smoother?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Finally! PLAYSTATION Store Cards Coming to the US
PS3 Fanboy has received a nice little gift in their mail today. The gift was $20 in the form of a card for the PLAYSTATION Store.
Thats right, they are here. Expect to see these bad boys in stores soon.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony Neutral On Rock Band Patch Issue
Harmonix once said if the consumers demanded it, they will do it. Consumers demanded a patch for Rock Band to support Guitar Hero III's Les Paul PLAYSTATION 3 controllers, so they got to work. They submitted a patch to Sony Computer Entertainment America, but Activison objected to its release. Sony's stand?
"This is a matter that needs to be resolved between Harmonix/MTV and Activision regarding Intellectual Property," said a SCEA spokesperson to 1UP. "At SCEA, we of course want this resolved and to ensure the best possible gaming experience. We encourage MTV, Harmonix and Activision to discuss this among themselves so there can be an amicable resolution in the best interest of the consumer."Hopefully, MTV and Harmonix will force to patch to a go-ahead, as this doesn't really give us much answers. Hopefully we will see the patch early 2008.
[Via 1UP]
Super Stardust HD Going Online With Clan Support?
A member of the NeoGAF forums reported that the latest update for the UK PLAYSTATION Store has changed some things for Super Stardust HD.
The title is now listed as "Coming Soon" for it's picture instead of the logo we normally see. The games features were also changed.
"There will be new game modes, split-screen cooperative, split-screen versus, an editor for the battling ships, remastered music and sound effects, enhanced visual effects, a music attack mode and clan support."Clan Support, Online? Could anybody say hell yes! We will let you know more when we find out about this.
[Via NeoGAF]
Bionic Commando: Twelve New Screenshots
EU PLAYSTATION Store Update: December 13, 2007
The European PLAYSTATION Store update is now live. It contains a hefty amount of content for Europeans.
Games
- Piyotama (£3.49, AUD$8.45)
- High Stakes On The Vegas Strip: Poker Edition (£4.99, AUD $12.95)
Demos
- Conan demo (free)
- Burnout Paradise demo (free)
- NBA 2K8 demo (free)
Add-ons
- Guitar Hero III Foo Fighters & Velvet Revolver Track Packs (£3.99, AUD $9.95)
Game Videos
- High Velocity Bowling Trailer
- High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition Trailer
- Piyotama Trailer
New SSX Coming? Hint in Burnout Paradise Demo
If you downloaded the new Burnout Paradise demo from the PLAYSTATION Store, you may have noticed a hint of SSX's next coming in Paradise City.
Listening to Crash FM radio in your car from Radio Big, SSX3's DJ Atomika hosts. She mentions getting a message from Mac Fraser, one of the playable characters of SSX3. His message? That the snow on the mountain is falling and should be ready to ride by winter.
If you ask me, that highly suggests a new SSX is coming to consoles. Oh, why the wait?
[Via Games Radar]
US PLAYSTATION Store Update: December 13, 2007
DemosWell, another Thursday, another update done. Besides Burnout Paradise, was it really all that good? Even so, I highly recommend downloading the trailer for Cloverfield, it looks fantastic.Add-Ons
- Burnout Paradise demo (free)
Game Videos
- High Velocity Bowling Bowler 1 ($0.99)
- High Velocity Bowling Bowler 2 ($0.99)
- Rock Band Punk Pack 1 ($5.49)
- “I Fought the Law” - The Clash ($1.99)
- “Rockaway Beach” - The Ramones ($1.99)
- “Ever Fallen in Love” – Buzzcocks ($1.99)
- Need for Speed ProStreet Add-Ons
- Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 ($2.49)
- Pagini Zonda F ($2.99)
- Nissan GT-R (R35) ($2.99)
- Muscle Car Bundle ($4.99)
- Tuner Car Bundle ($4.99)
- Sport Car Bundle ($4.99)
- Ultimate Performance Bundle ($9.99)
Theatrical Trailers
- GT Awards at SEMA Video (free)
- Burnout “Stunt Run” Trailer (free)
- Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground – Tony’s Skater Story Trailer (free)
- Ratchet & Clank Future BTS – Art (free)
- Cloverfield Trailer (free)
- Untraceable Trailer (free)
PLAYSTATION Store Worldwide
Dragonball Z Burst Limit Announced In Scans
[Via Gamersyde]
Warhawk: Omega Dawn Expansion Dated
The first expansion for Incognito Entertainment's Warhawk is going to be released soon, and today we provide you with the exact date.
Operation Omega Dawn will be hitting the PLAYSTATION Store December 20th, 2007 with pricing being £3.99 in the UK and $7.99 for the US.
Get ready to fight at dawn.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Split Screen Co-Op Comming to Unreal Tournament III?
In a new FAQ posted on the official Unreal Tournament III forums, they answer a few questions of the users. One regards split-screen co-op.
Q: I want splitscreen!So fear not my friends who would like your screens split. Hopefully Epic is at work on this as we speak.
A: We're aware that some of our customers wanted splitscreen for the PS3 version of UT3. We hear you and will evaluate the feature for possible future updates to UT3.
[Via Epic Games]
Unreal Tournament III Fragging Fun Gameplay
GameTrailers has posted up a bunch of new Unreal Tournament III gameplay. Enjoy the fragging fun. See you online.
