BitSnark

Going on from the recently announced Battlefield: Bad Company 2, it appears that EA also have another Battlefield title in the works – Battlefield Pacific 1943. This information comes from an expunged entry in the New York Comic Con show exclusives pages revealing plans to announced a new Battlefield game at the expo.

Obviously no details have been announced at this point, we’ll have to wait till Comic Con for that, however I would be surprised if it was console bound given the fact that the previous announced Bad Company sequel is a console exclusive and also that (Battlefield Heroes non-withstanding) the PC doens’t hasn’t had an exclusive Battlefield title of it’s own since 2006’s somewhat lame Battlefield 2142.

Hoopefully we’ll find out more this Saturday when Comic Con kicks off.

Hopefully.

Developer Rockstar today unveiled the sequel to its 2004 western themed shooter Red Dead Revolver, now known as Red Dead Redemption. Billed as the first proper sandbox adventure for the Wild West, Red Dead Redemption appears to echo the team’s other free-roaming franchise Grand Theft Auto in many ways, promising a ‘seamless combination of breathtaking beauty and intense action, all woven together with strong plotlines in a massive vibrant, rural environment that pushes the limits of what an open-world gaming experience can be’.

The title also shares a more technical lineage with the Grand Theft Auto series, specifically the latest installment Grand Theft Auto IV, as Red Dead Redemption utilises the R.A.G.E graphics engine that was the driving force behind Rockstar’s crime epic opus.

I am very excited by the possibilities on offer here. Being a great fan of the Western setting, there isn’t nearly enough Western games out there (you can count them on one hand), and even less truly great ones. With the developer and tech behind this title, not to mention the lessons learned from last time, I do have high hopes for this.

Red Dead Redemption is due for release on XBOX 360 and PS3 in Fall/Autumn 2009.

With EA announcing three NFS titles, the Bourne license acquisition and Mass Effect 2, all within a week or so, it seemed as if the publishing giant had played out it’s hand.

Well add two more to that list as EA confirmed in its investor conference call that its 2008 console specific Battlefield spin off, Bad Company, would be receiving a sequel, this time for the PC as well as 360 & PS3, in early 2010.

In addition to this, one of the sleeper hits last year Dead Space, will be enjoying Wii iteration later on this year.

While no details have been shared regarding either title, my interest is piqued somewhat in regards to Dead Space on the Wii, and more specifically, how EA would go about trying to successfully recreate the experience seen on the 360 and PS3 consoles or if they would take a different approach entirely.

Interesting stuff.

Don’t forget people 🙂

Impressions due for both at some point soon.

A seemingly prominent source of future title release news these days is investor conference calls, and it is through the most recent EA investor conference call that Mass Effect 2 was confirmed for release on 360 & PC in early 2010.

While pretty much zip has been shown on the title itself, GDC in March is expected to showcase the level design of the sequel and thus, we’ll all get to see the title for the first time.

I loved the original Mass Effect, the only thing I wish they would sort out would be the terrifyingly banal and uniform side missions.

Roll on GDC 🙂

There may be hope for Free Radical Design yet. News reaches my twitching ears this morning that none other than Crytek (they of Crysis fame), have bought out the beleaguered developer, after they closed their doors back in December last year.

What this means for their unique IP such as the Timesplitters brand is anybody’s guess, however, of more concern is that this bit of news comes from a purported script writer for the company, so I wouldn’t put stock in it just yet.

More as and when Crytek confirm or deny I guess.

Following on from the somewhat mediocre attempt made by Sierra last year (a guilty pleasure of mine actually due in no small part to the fight scenes), it appears that everybody’s favourite amnesiac rogue agent may once again get a shot at the gaming spotlight as EA have signed a multi-year deal to publish titles based on the works of Robert Ludlum and by proxy, titles based on the Jason Bourne character.

Gamers have cause to be be cautiously optimistic however, as the talent behind the new Bourne title is none other than Starbreeze Studio’s, the very same chaps responsible for the Riddick titles and 2007 horror FPS The Darkness.

Below is the official press release:

LUDLUM ENTERTAINMENT GRANTS EA THE EXCLUSIVE VIDEO GAME LICENSE FOR THE WORKS OF ROBERT LUDLUM

EA and Starbreeze Studios Working on All-New Jason Bourne Title

Guildford, UK – February 2, 2009 – Ludlum Entertainment has granted Electronic Arts, Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) the exclusive worldwide license to create video games based on the works of Robert Ludlum, including the blockbuster Jason Bourne series. The first game to be released as part of the multi-year agreement is based on Jason Bourne and is currently in development with Starbreeze Studios in Uppsala, Sweden.

“Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne is the most exciting action hero to emerge in decades, thrilling audiences around the world,” said Mike Quigley, group vice president of marketing, EA Games Label. “EA is excited to enter into a long-term relationship with Ludlum Entertainment, bringing the action, intrigue and intensity of Robert Ludlum’s fiction to life for casual and core gamers around the globe.”

“The continued global popularity of Robert Ludlum’s works is a testament to the care he lavished on his characters and storylines,” said Jeffrey Weiner, chairman and CEO of Ludlum Entertainment and executor of the Ludlum estate. “Robert Ludlum made thrilling stories accessible and real. EA has brought that same level of realism to the gaming world. We are confident EA‘s unparalleled production ability and marketing reach will establish the Jason Bourne Series in games as powerfully and successfully as it exists in books and film.”

Ludlum Entertainment recently entered into a production deal with Universal Studios to produce films based on the dozens of books in the Robert Ludlum library, as well as films outside the library. The company currently has films in development at Universal, MGM, Paramount and with Summit Entertainment.

Video game veteran Matt Wolf will work with EA to oversee the creative development, production and positioning of the Ludlum Entertainment games portfolio. Ludlum entertainment was represented in the transaction by Keith Boesky of Boesky & Company.

Some five years have past since Resident Evil 4 came bursting onto the scene and reinvented not just what was then a stale, plodding franchise but also the survival horror genre itself with its over-the-shoulder camera, intuitive combat system and zombies that… well, weren’t really zombies in the traditional Romero sense.

It’s 2009 and Resident Evil 5 is a mere six weeks away from release. The demo that recently came out provided me with a good idea of what to expect from the finished article in March, which is to say that Resident Evil 5 will in all likelihood be the king of the genre, but it will not be however, in the same sweeping fashion that its predecessor managed it.

The demo rather generously allows you to play two full stages from the game either in single-player or co-op, via XBOX Live or split-screen. For the purpose of this review, I played the demo in the single player mode. I’ll get this out of the way first; Resident Evil 5 from this demo comes across not as a true bonafide sequel, but more as Resident Evil 4.5. Rather than try and reinvent the wheel as Capcom did (and needed to do) back in 2004, Resident Evil 5 appears to be more of the same with staggering visuals that bring the series kicking and screaming into the HD generation, and of course, the now obligatory co-op mode.

For the millions of people who were enthralled by Capcom’s reinvention of the series this will be both a boon and perhaps, a disappointment. Ostensibly Resident Evil 5 commits a sin that is nowhere near as bad as it detractors may suggest; yes it does simply regurgitate the core mechanics that we saw back in 2004, but such criticism is churlish when so many of us were literally crying out for more of the same in the first place.

The problem lies in those five years that have passed. Although Resident Evil 5 looks and feels every bit like a supercharged Resident Evil 4, it brings with the spectre of game mechanics that simply don’t age that well, especially in the face of fresh upstarts such as Gears Of War.

For example, simply moving Chris Redfield around feels like a clunky procedure, with the character stiffly turning, moving too slowly and just feeling far too rigid. The less than intuitive inventory system also feels like a product of a bygone era, in that not only does the action not pause when you are manipulating it, but it stops your character from doing anything else; often resulting in some frustrating deaths.

Whilst some aspects have inevitably not aged well, the overall package remains a compelling one. The aiming system still feels as satisfying precise as ever, with few games to this day matching the cheerful resulting glee that accompanies a successful laser targeted head shot. The palpable sense of fear and terror that was nailed so expertly in Resident Evil 4, remains all pervading too, with the urban setting evoking an atmosphere akin to the movie 28 Weeks Later.

Predictably from early previews and videos, the game is a treat for the eyes. Insanely detailed character models traipse around the destroyed beauty of neglected African inspired shanty towns, with the highest quality lens flare effects, particle effects and every other type of graphical trickery on show not once dragging the title below the 60 frames per second threshold.

So aesthetically then the game delivers but it’s the base core structure remains largely untouched and it is this which still remains as the major draw for the game. You are once more shooting infected folk in the face, blowing up mutant abominations, solving puzzles, upgrading weapons and of course, mixing herbs, and while co-op does add a much needed dynamic to the game, Resident Evil 5, though not the quantum leap that 4 was over the rest of the series, is still spectacular to look at and extremely fun to play.

If you’re not playing in co-op however, the single player experience remains as accomplished as you would expect it to be. Prior to playing the demo, my main concern when playing in single-player, was how just how effective the AI of your partner, Sheva Olimar, and in particular the basics like effective pathfinding, glitiching etc… would be. Thankfully Capcom have delivered, with an AI buddy, who while not perfect, won’t have you howling at the screen due to their dumb behaviour.

Sheva will prompt you to restock her for ammo if she is out (and vice-versa), call out to you when she is in danger and is almost never in your way; preferring instead to cover you wherever you go. In one particularly cool situation, a horde of the infected was descending upon our small shanty hut that we were both holed up in. Here I was able to tell her to move various bits of furniture in front of the windows and doors to impede their progress, and when they finally did break in, she would always be firing from a distance, only closing in for melee combat if she had exhausted her ammunition supply.

In conclusion then Resident Evil 5 will be cursed by some as not delivering the kind of change that Resident Evil 4 did five years ago. True, the landscape has changed and new franchises have stepped up to the plate, but Resident Evil 4 did more than just reinvigorate a franchise, it crucially changed the gameplay design of Resident Evil, and for many people, Resident Evil 5 is what they are looking for; an accomplished update of that same staggering game design with all the contemporary bells and whistles for the 2009 crowd.

Nope, that isn’t a typo. Word is coming out from Eurogamer that EA having completed a brand extension on their Need For Speed franchise, is intending to release not one NFS title this year as is the annual tradition, but instead FOUR, each one coming out on a selection of different platforms.

Apparently each title is being designed to cater for a different kind of audience.

Need for Speed: Shift (PC, 360, PS3, PSP)
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Need For Speed: Shift will apparently be the po-faced simulation title of the litter, being developed by Slightly Mad Studios of GT Legends and GTR 2 fame, with help from EA Black Box producer Michael Mann and EA Games Europe bigwig Patrick Soderlund.

One of the flashy features that was divulged was a flashy 3D HUD that mimics driver head movement. In addition to this, each car will have a virtual cockpit, allowing the user to look around the car as they are driving.

Sounds more than a bit like the Race Driver series to me, but to be honest, this is the direction the series needs to go in to establish some credibility as a serious force in the genre.

Need for Speed: Nitro (Wii, NDS)
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Described as a ‘fast and fun racer’, ‘Nitro’ apparently aims to ensnare the casual audience with accessible controls, eye catching graphics and exciting multiplayer modes. Cryptically, the title is not meant to be ‘anything like any other Need For Speed game that has come before’, but apparently is not a ‘Mario Kart clone either’.

Can you say ‘Hotwheels’ 🙂

Need for Speed: World Online: (PC)
==================================

Need For Speed: World Online appears to take the micro-transaction ball and run with it, as the title is being billed as free to play, but you pay for whatever tracks, cars or upgrades you use in the game.

With a comprehensive selection of stuff to buy, EA are first trialling this one in Asia prior to a Western roll-out.

Given the relative animosity that most stingy Westerners approach DLC at the present, I don’t see a game being made *entirely* off DLC doing that well… do you?

Secret Black Box Developed NFS Title: (???)
===========================================

From the scarce few details that have popped up about this, what we do know is that this title will aim to continue the urban-racing lifestyle scenario that has characterised the series since Need For Speed: Underground, and well, all of The Fast And The Furious films…

Overall, the whole strategy sounds like a knee jerk reaction to the credit crunch, allowing consumers to pick and choose their favourite ‘bits’ as separate retail packages, rather than sticking with a single vision and developing it solidly.

Congratulations, now instead of one NFS title each year, we now get four.

The last thing we need is more shovelware, which unfortunately I see at least two of these titles being.

Breaking their silence on DLC for Prince Of Persia, Ubisoft have today confirmed what gamers can expect to see in ‘Epilogue’, a DLC pack which continues the adventures of the arrogant Prince and his friend, Elika.

The feature list includes:

New Region: The Underground Palace – A corrupted underground palace from which the Prince and Elika need to escape in a new epic journey.

New Power: Energize – Reconstruct destroyed areas of the environment to create a path and rush through it before it vanishes.

New high pace: The new trap challenge – The Prince and Elika will face more cunning foes, cleverer traps and level design, adding more to the difficulty level in over 3 hours of gameplay.

New Attack: Sprinting Clash – A duel move that lets you or the enemy trigger a sprint attack, charging towards each other, clashing your weapons fiercely.

New Unlockable Skins: Finish the game and unlock exclusively, from the early development of the game, the Prototype characters of the Prince and Elika.

The DLC is dated for February 26, 2009, with no price point yet announced.