Welcome
back! Today's July 10th and that means there is only one
day left until the first new E3 kicks off. For those people wishing
to see live coverage from the show floor, GameTap will be running a
live feed for all three days. You can watch it here.
You will, most likely, need to install a plugin for Windows Media
Player to watch. Of course, there are still more publishers
announcing what they will be showing at their booths. And so, once
again, that's what we're starting today's Video Game Bits with.
2K's
lineup
BioShock
BioShock
is the "genetically enhanced" first person shooter that
lets players do things never before possible in the genre – turn
everything into a weapon, biologically modify your body with
plasmids, hack devices and systems, upgrade weapons and craft new
ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques.
Gamers enter the game as
a cast-away in Rapture, an underwater Utopia torn apart by civil war.
Caught between powerful forces and hunted down by genetically
modified “splicers” and deadly security systems, players have to
come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful
technology and fascinating characters. No encounter ever plays out
the same and no two gamers will play
BioShock the same
way.
Developer:
Irrational Games, a 2K studio
Platforms:
Xbox 360 and Games for Windows
Available:
August 21, 2007
Sid Meier’s
Civilization Revolution
Sid Meier’s
Civilization Revolution will be the first offering in the
legendary
Civilization series to appear on next
generation consoles and handheld systems. In development by legendary
designer Sid Meier and Firaxis Games, this game will deliver
Civilization’s renowned epic single-player campaigns
featuring vast re-playability and unmatched addictive gameplay. In
addition, with revolutionary features like real-time interaction with
leaders and advisors, extensive multiplayer capabilities and
integrated video and voice chat,
Sid Meier’s Civilization
Revolution will completely transport the
Civilization
series to a level of gameplay that fans have never seen before.
Developer:
Firaxis Games, a 2K studio
Platforms:
Xbox 360 , Playstation 3, Nintendo’s Wii, and Nintendo DS
Available:
Spring 2008 for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and DS and fall 2008 for
the Wii
The
Darkness
Based
on the Top Cow comic book written by Paul Jenkins and co-created by
Marc Silvestri,
The Darkness video game is a gritty,
first-person, action-adventure game with a horror twist. On his 21st
birthday, the awesome and terrible powers of the Darkness awaken
within Jackie Estacado, a mafia hitman for the Franchetti crime
family. Jackie is able to wreak terrifying havoc on his enemies,
through the use of his new powers and Darklings – impish demonites
ready to commit unspeakable acts.
Developer:
Starbreeze Studios
Platforms:
Xbox 360 and Playstation 3
Available:
Now
2K
Sports’ Line-up Includes:
All-Pro
Football 2K8
Featuring
hundreds of legendary players combined with an innovative attribute
system showcasing the well-known, signature abilities of each
football star,
All-Pro Football 2K8 delivers a
one-of-a-kind next generation football experience. Football fans will
instantly identify their favorite legendary football players not just
from their appearance but also by their trademark playing styles.
With these football greats,
All-Pro Football 2K8
celebrates the football tradition and creates a brand new next
generation football experience.
Developer:
Visual Concepts, a 2K studio
Platforms:
Xbox 360 and Playstation 3
Available:
July 2007
All-Pro
Football 2K8 will be displayed in the Barker Hangar.
NHL
2K8
NHL
2K8 reigns supreme as the category leader in innovation,
design and critical acclaim with five straight years as the top-rated
NHL video game. In addition to intensely realistic gameplay, all new
player models and spectacular graphics,
NHL 2K8 will
feature an unprecedented level of player customization with accurate
body styles for each marquee player, providing the most authentic
representation of your favorite NHL stars.
Developer:
Visual Concepts/Kush Games, 2K studios
Platforms:
Xbox 360 , Playstation 3 and Playstation 2
Available:
Fall 2007
D3
Publisher's lineup
Dark
Sector – An all-new and original action-thriller designed
exclusively for next-generation consoles,
Dark Sector thrusts
players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent
on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that
hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he
awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has
granted him inhuman abilities and he must learn to evolve along with
his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty
experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an
engaging story;
Dark Sector is anticipated for release in Q1
2008 for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360.
NARUTO:
Clash of Ninja Revolution – Based on the hit series
currently airing on Cartoon Network,
NARUTO: Clash of Ninja
Revolution is an original Wii game exclusive to the North
American Market and will include characters that have never been
featured in the
Clash of Ninja game series. The game will
follow the storyline of the television series and will take advantage
of the Wii Remote in fast-paced ninja action for up to four players
in nine different gameplay modes. The next generation in NARUTO games
will also include all new character animations, new interactive
environments and special mini-games created exclusively for the Wii
Remote. Co-published by TOMY Corporation and D3PA,
NARUTO: Clash
of Ninja Revolution is anticipated for release this fall.
Dead
Head Fred - Created specifically for the PSP,
Dead Head
Fred draws players into an original 1940’s inspired alternative
universe where players will experience an innovative and refreshing
twist on Action gameplay as they collect, upgrade and switch heads on
the fly to strategically fight enemies in a story of revenge and
redemption. As private detective Fred Neuman, savagely murdered and
then resurrected in a bizarre scientific experiment without his
memory or his head, players embark on a quest for vengeance as they
solve their own murder by using the severed heads of enemies to
battle their way through challenging but bizarre environments.
Dead
Head Fred is anticipated for release on August 28, 2007.
Ben 10: Protector
of Earth – Players will take on the role of Cartoon
Network’s popular everyday-kid-turned-alien-hero, Ben Tennyson.
Using the power of the Omnitrix which has embedded itself on Ben’s
wrist, players will be able to battle as one of five popular alien
heroes from the show. By taking on these amazing powers, players can
battle to save the world through the game’s diverse challenges,
puzzles and skirmishes.
Ben 10: Protector of Earth is
anticipated for release this fall for the Wii, Playstation 2,
Nintendo DS and PSP.
Dragon Blade: Wrath
of Fire – Designed specifically for the Wii system,
Dragon
Blade: Wrath of Fire is a 3rd person action-adventure game where
players unleash the magical powers of a fierce dragon, creating a
unique and visually stunning weapon through their sword and arms.
Players will utilize an intuitively designed, two-handed Wii control
scheme and use both arms simultaneously to emulate the dragon’s
arms, wings, tail, fire and more as they embark on an epic fantasy
adventure in more than 20 unique environments in 6 visually stunning
worlds.
Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire is anticipated for release
this fall.
NARUTO:
Path of the Ninja – Following the story line from the
Cartoon Network television show,
Naruto: Path of the Ninja for
Nintendo DS will allow players to explore the Village Hidden in the
Leaves and the world of Naruto as they roam across forests, fields,
rivers and mountains. Along the way players will encounter bosses and
enemies that they must use their special techniques to defeat. Each
of the 6 playable characters will possess a unique time-based combat
system and players will train their Ninja team to learn more than 90
different Jutsu techniques. Co-published by TOMY Corporation and
D3PA,
NARUTO: Path of the Ninja is anticipated for release
this fall.
Konami's
lineup
Castlevania:
The Dracula X Chronicles
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Action
Platform:
PSP
Castlevania:
The Dracula X Chronicles takes an entirely new look at the
classic action game
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and brings the
franchise to the PSP for the first time – complete with 3D
graphics, enhanced gameplay and new music. This is the first time
Rondo of Blood has been released outside of Japan. The game
also includes unlockable versions of the original
Rondo of Blood
and
Symphony of the Night games, optimized for the PSP with
old-school side scrolling action.
Contra
4 (working title)
Release
date: 2007
Genre:
Action
Platform:
Nintendo DS
Set
after the events of
Contra III: Alien Wars, the game follows
mercenaries Bill Rizer and Lance Bean as they battle to save the
world from a new extraterrestrial threat.
Contra 4 takes
advantage of the dual screens of the Nintendo DS to deliver
larger-than-life action, with massive enemies, detailed platforming
and mind-blowing set pieces. Across a variety of game modes,
including full cooperative play through the main story mode, two
players can take the fight to the alien army of the Black Viper and
reclaim Earth for mankind.
Dance
Dance Revolution Hottest Party
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Music
Platform:
Nintendo Wii
The
global dancing phenomenon gets even more physical with an entirely
new game designed for the Wii.
DDR Hottest Party is sure to be
the life of the party with four player multiplayer, Wii Remote and
Nunchuk support, smash hits taken from the last four decades of
music, entirely new modes and much more!
Dance
Dance Revolution SuperNOVA2
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Music
Platform:
Playstation 2
The
hottest revolution in the music game category explodes onto the dance
floor with
Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA2, the follow-up to
2006’s biggest and best
DDR game to date!
Dance Dance
Revolution SuperNOVA2 will deliver a dance party extravaganza
with its fun interactive gameplay, incredible song selection and
innovative new game modes.
Dewy’s
Adventure
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Action
Platform:
Nintendo Wii
Discover
this original game for the Wii from the producer who created the
acclaimed video game,
Elebits. Using the Wii Remote, take
control of Dewy, a tiny droplet of water, rolling him around the
environment and using special elemental powers with unique
gesture-based controls to take on the dastardly forces of Don Hedron.
Fishing
Master
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Sports/Fishing
Platform:
Nintendo Wii
Get
ready to bait, cast, & reel’em in! Published and developed by
Hudson Entertainment,
Fishing Master sets gamers off on a
thrilling fishing adventure. Utilize an array of different types of
bait. Cast your line with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as your rod and
reel. And start reeling in over 100 fish in your sole quest to become
a Fishing Master.
Hellboy
The Science of Evil (working title)
Release
date: 2007
Platform:
Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PSP
Based
on Hellboy comics from Dark Horse Comics and movie from Revolution
Studios,
Hellboy for the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360
lets players unleash the Right Hand of Doom in visceral melee combat
as they battle to thwart a diabolical Nazi plot.
Hellboy for
the PSP features an original visual style and new gameplay elements
built around episodic play sessions.
Konami
Kids Playground
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Edutainment
Platform:
PlayStation 2
A
new series of games designed for the pre-K market, Konami Kids
Playground offers toddlers a fun way to learn important basics like
numbers and letters, colors and shapes while also promoting a
healthy, active lifestyle. One game mat works with all Kids
Playground software titles. Choose from
Frogger Hop, Skip &
Jumpin’ Fun, Alphabet Circus, Dinosaur Shapes and Colors and
Toy Pals Fun with Numbers.
Silent
Hill Origins
Release
date: Fall 2007
Genre:
Horror/Action
Platform:
PSP
The renowned
Silent
Hill survival horror series makes its handheld gaming debut with
a brand new adventure that reveals many of the series’ most
hallowed secrets. Assuming the role of a lone truck driver, Travis
Grady, trapped in Silent Hill while making a routine delivery,
players must escape the city’s horrific inhabitants and confront
the strange hallucinations that have haunted him since childhood.
Taking full advantage of the PSP’s graphics, sound, and
portability,
Silent Hill Origins sets a new standard for
horror action video gaming on a handheld platform.
Activision's
lineup
Bee
Movie Game – Based on the upcoming DreamWorks Animation
movie written, produced by and starring Jerry Seinfeld due out this
fall,
Bee Movie Game lets players race, chase and fly
their way through an adrenaline-fueled world of adventure as they
experience the hilarious antics of Barry B. Benson, a dynamic and
daring bee who knows there is more to life than making honey. (Xbox
360, Wii, Playstation 2, Games for Windows and Nintendo DS; not yet
rated by the ESRB).
Call
of Duty
4:
Modern Warfare - The new
action-thriller from the award-winning team at Infinity Ward delivers
the most intense and cinematic action experience ever.
Call of
Duty 4: Modern Warfare arms gamers with an arsenal of
advanced and powerful modern day firepower and transports them to the
most treacherous hotspots around the globe to take on a rogue enemy
group threatening the world. As both a U.S. Marine and British S.A.S.
soldier fighting through an unfolding story full of twists and turns,
players use sophisticated technology, superior firepower and
coordinated land and air strikes on a battlefield where speed,
accuracy and communication are essential to victory. The epic title
also delivers an added depth of multiplayer action providing online
fans an all-new community of persistent, addictive and customizable
gameplay. (Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC; not yet rated by the
ESRB). For handheld fans, Call of Duty for Nintendo DS, from n-Space,
brings the signature Call of Duty chaos of battle to the DS in a
parallel modern day storyline packed with intense combat action (not
yet rated by the ESRB).
Enemy Territory:
QUAKE Wars - Executive produced by id Software and developed
by Splash Damage,
Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is the
ultimate team and objective-based multiplayer experience. A
first-person, strategic-action shooter set within the epic QUAKE
universe in the year 2065,
Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars
pits Earth’s Global Defense Force against the
technologically-advanced, alien Strogg invaders. Built on id
Software’s new MegaTexture rendering technology and featuring
stunning battlefields inspired by locations around the world,
persistent character promotions, offline gameplay with bots,
specialized character classes and abilities, and the universe’s
most powerful weapons and vehicles,
Enemy Territory:
QUAKE Wars transports players to the frontlines of an
epic new war for Earth. (PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3; the game is
rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.)
Guitar
Hero III: Legends of Rock - Fire up the fretboard, crank up
the amp and get ready to rock like never before.
Guitar Hero
III: Legends of Rock drops you into the spotlight of the
largest and most legendary rock concert ever. The star-studded
soundtrack includes master tracks by such legendary artists as Guns
N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Muse and Pearl Jam,
with added songs as made legendary by Kiss, Alice Cooper and Heart.
Now drop that air guitar, tune your exclusive new Les Paul Guitar
Controller and shred the night away with
Guitar Hero III:
Legends of Rock. (Xbox 360, Wii, and Playstation 3 and
Playstation 2; not yet rated by the ESRB).
Spider-Man:
Friend or Foe -
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe challenges
players to defeat and then join forces with notorious movie nemeses
including Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Venom and Sandman, and other classic
Spider-Man characters
. Players will embark on a global quest
to overcome an evil threat, by controlling Spider-Man and one of
numerous Super Hero or Super Villain sidekicks, as they master unique
fighting moves and styles while switching between characters to
execute team combos and defeat foes.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
features a unique co-op mode in which a friend can join the game at
any time and take control of Spidey’s sidekick as they battle
through the game side-by-side and replay favorite levels. (Xbox 360,
Wii, Playstation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS and Games for Windows; not yet
rated by the ESRB).
Tony Hawk’s
Proving Ground - In the largest and deepest Tony Hawk game
yet, gamers are now in total control of their skating destiny in
Tony
Hawk’s Proving Ground. Set in the streets of Baltimore,
Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., the title empowers players with
the freedom to define their character, story, abilities and style
based on the choices they make, the paths they select and the style
of skating they want. The game delivers deeper customization than
ever before, including a full-featured video editor to create epic
skate videos and a completely customizable online Skate Lounge, where
players can skate with friends in the ultimate pad. (Xbox 360, Wii,
Playstation 3 and Playstation 2 and the Nintendo DS; not yet rated by
the ESRB).
EA
announcements
Getting
back to regular press releases now, EA made quite a few announcements
today, and some are quite interesting. First off, EA's recently
acquired DICE Studio announced that it is currently developing a game
called Mirror's Edge for next gen consoles and PC. What did DICE have
to say about the game? Not much actually, other than saying the game
will be “a revolutionary new take on the First Person Action
Adventure category”. Mirror's Edge is expected to release in 2008
for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
EA
also announced that it will be bringing a new take on licensed NFL
games this coming January with its new NFL licensed arcade style
game, NFL Tour. EA says that NFL Tour will offer players a fun and
engaging experience with the NFL and its players. The game will take
players on a fictional NFL road show, putting them side by side with
real NFL players while traveling cross country to play against other
NFL teams. Each defeated team will bring the player one step closer
to an NFL contract. NFL Tour is currently scheduled to release in
January 2008 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
EA
is getting ready for its release of Boogie, the publisher's karaoke
dancing game for Wii, and in preparation it has announced the
soundtrack that will appear in the game. The game will include some
very popular singles from the past few decades, like Celebration and
Y.M.C.A, but will also include some more recent hits like Don't Cha,
Let's Get It Started and more. Here's the full list:
SONG
MADE
POPULAR BY
ABC The Jackson 5
Baila Me Gypsy Kings
Boogie Oogie
Oogie Taste Of Honey
Brick House The Commodores
Canned Heat
Jamiroquai
Celebration Kool & The Gang
Dancing in the Street
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Dancing Machine Jackson 5
Don't Cha Pussycat Dolls / Busta Rhymes
Fergalicious Fergi
Get Right Jennifer
Lopez
Get The Party Started Pink
Girls Just Want To
Cyndi
Lauper
Have Fun
Groove Is In The Heart Dee-Lite
I Want You Back The Jackson 5
I’m A Slave 4 U Britney Spears
It's Raining Men The Weather Girls
Karma Chameleon Culture Club
Kung Fu Fighting Carl Douglas
Le Freak
Chic
Let's Get It Started Black Eyed Peas
Love Rollercoaster Red Hot
Chili Peppers
Love Shack The B-52's
Mambo No. 5
Lou Bega
(A Little Bit of…)
Milkshake Kelis
One More Time Daft Punk
One Way Or Another
Blondie
Oops I Did It Again Britney Spears
Pop Muzik M
S.O.S. Rihanna
Stars Simply Red
That's The Way
KC And The Sunshine
(I Like It)
Tu Y
Yo Thalia
U Can't Touch This M.C. Hammer
Virtual Insanity Jamiroquai
Walking On Sunshine Katrina & The Waves
We Are Family Sister
Sledge
Y.M.C.A. The Village People
Boogie
will be releasing for Wii on August 7th here in North
America and on August 31st in Europe. It will be the first
Wii game that will be over than the regular $49.99 USD/$59.99 CAD
price point, releasing at an MSRP of $59.99 USD (we're estimating
that will be $69.99 CAD). All of the tracks will be available for
purchase through EA
Trax.
Click to enlarge
|
Finally,
at least as far as EA news is concerned, we're getting to the last
announcement, and also, the most interesting stuff. Steven Spielberg
is working on three completely original games with EA. Today, EA
revealed some of the details behind two of the three games that are
currently in development at EA Los Angeles.
The first will be
exclusive to Wii that will allow players of all ages to compete in
more than a hundred action packed block challenges. The game will use
the Wii Remote to give players the ability to build their own games
and structures or cause destruction by bringing those structures
crashing down. The second project, considered to be the
more
ambitious of the two, sounds like it will be a classic Spielberg epic
story.
Click to enlarge
|
Unfortunately, not much more information was given about the
game, other than “the game focuses on a touching and
ever-changing relationship between you and a mysterious female
character who holds the key to many futures.” The game is currently
in development for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. There are
currently no approximate release dates set for either of the two
projects mentioned, and no information has been given about the third
project yet.
Slash
to be in GHIII
You
may have noticed that Guitar Hero III was in Activision's E3 lineup
earlier in the article. Activision saved its best news, though. The
game, which is set to release this fall, will feature Slash (former
Guns N' Roses guitarist and Velvet Revolver frontman). Slash is
providing an original track for the game and will even appear as a
boss battle character. We have two words to say to that, very cool.