by Shank 2
Shank, Klei Entertainments side scrolling downloadable beat ‘em up is getting a sequel. Shank 2 will be released some time this year. Watch the teaser trailer right above.
South Park
South Park video games have always been surprisingly good. The new South Park RPG being developed by Obsidian seems to follow this tradition. The screens look great. The game should be out by the end of the year on PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.
Xbox Live Arcade House Party
Xbox is throwing another House Party. The yearly event begins on February 15th headlined by Alan Wake’s American Nightmare. Then a new exclusive game will be released every Wednesday for the next three weeks. here are the games joining Mr. Wake at his party. I Am Alive, the end of world apocalypse survival game by Ubisoft. Nexuiz, an arena-based first-person shooter by THQ. And puzzle-based stealth action game, Warp by EA. The order and prices of the games are still unknown. Check back here at Yell! Magazine for all your House Party news.
Iran
In news that scares the crap out of me, The Iranian government sentenced 29-year-old U.S. Marine and Kuma Reality Games developer Amir Mirzaei Hekmati to death for allegedly spying on Iraq and Afghanistan with the intent to infiltrate Iran for the U.S. government. He “confessed” on Iranian state television, and was found guilty of being “Corrupt on Earth and Mohareb (waging war on God).” The U.S. government is denying all of this, mainly because of the questionable “confession.” Kuma Reality Games work on games based on fictional and non-fictional events, like the killing of Osama Bin Laden, or a staged attack on an Iranian nuclear plant. The U.S. Department of Defense did grant $96,000 to the company to help them develop a language-learning and retention program for soldiers. All of this sounds like a terrible misunderstanding on the part of the Iranian government. Also this makes me think twice about traveling anywhere near the Middle East.
PlayMemories
The Consumer Electronic Show was this week, and Sony showed off their new photo and video sharing cloud service. PlayMemories will be available on Sony cameras, TVs, and of course, the Playstation 3. The service will be free for Android and iTunes. However, on the PS3 it will cost around $20, and will give you the ability to edit HD video directly on your console. The service will provide 20GB of free storage, will additional space available for purchase. No prices has been announced, but the service should launch soon in January.
Kinect for Windows
Full body motion controls are coming to a computer near you. Kinect for Windows will be released on February 1st. Besides the obligatory games, you’ll also be able to interact with the new Windows 8 interface. Kinect for Windows will have more refined and precise controls due to the close proximity of the user to the computer screen. Physically, Kinect for Windows is identical to the one on the Xbox 360. However, the current advertised price on Amazon for the device is $250, $100 more than its Xbox counterpart. Microsoft confirmed the price stating that the low cost of the Xbox version was being subsidized by the price of games and Xbox Live subscriptions, luxuries the Windows version doesn’t have. Right now, there’s no real point in getting one, but once Windows 8 comes out in around a year or so, it might be fun to use. It sure gives me an excuse to get a new computer.
Foxconn
Reports surfaced that on January 2nd there was a mass suicide attempt at the Foxconn Xbox 360 assembly plant in Wuhan, China. Over 300 factory employees threatened to throw themselves off the Foxconn factory roof. This all started when the employees asked for a raise. Foxconn denied them the raise, but told them they could quit and be awarded compensation. However, when people started quitting, Foxconn terminated the deal, and those who quit received nothing. The group was ultimately talked down from the roof the next day. No one wanted a repeat of what happened in 2010 when a dozen Foxconn workers committed suicide. The problem got so bad that the company installed suicide prevention nets at some of their factories.
This problem is clearly not going away. Foxconn makes more than just Xbox 360s, they do work for Sony, Nintendo, and Apple too. They are commissioned to make all the things we play with. But their track record for human decency sucks. I don’t know how bad the work conditions are at a Foxconn factory, but if you get the feeling to kill yourself at the end of the day, you must of had a horrible day. So what do we do? We can’t just stop buying stuff. Companies that do business with them like Microsoft have already stated that they do not condone their practices, but it’s still business as usual. It really comes down to us. If we are willing to pay more for our gadgets, it might persuade makers to invest in a better work environment for their manufacturers. I guess the least we can do is write an angry email. I’m no activist, but everyone deserves fair compensation, and a reasonable work environment.
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations: Mediterranean Traveller Map Pack
The first set of multiplayer maps for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations are coming. The Mediterranean Traveller Map Pack will be released on January 24th and will include three new areas and a couple from the previous game Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. One map will be set in the holy city of Jerusalem, the other will be located in the imperial district of Constantinople, and the last will take place in the Dyers mercantile district. The Firenze, San Donato, and the Siena maps will be the three included old Brotherhood maps from the last game. They will be available for all platforms for 800 Microsoft Points, or $10, depending on where you buy it. Have fun stabbing friends in the neck.
Saints Row: The Third: Genkibowl VII
Saints Row: The Third is getting its first downloadable content with the release next week of Genkibowl VII. Check out the new trailer here:
Genkibowl VII will be out on January 17th for 560 Micorsoft Point, or $7 on the Playstation Network.
Lollipop Chainsaw
Check out the new Lollipop Chainsaw trailer. It introduces the baddie Swan, an Edward Scissor Hands looking fellow. He’s probably more menacing than he sounds. I can’t wait till this game comes out later this year.
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Rakghouls
Are you deep in The Old Republic? Well good news, the game’s getting its first update. Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Rakghouls will add, tell me if you’ve heard this before, zombies! This new content is for those who’ve reached the level 50 cap, and need something to do. You’ll be tasked with going to planet Kaon for Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege to prevent an infection from spreading. Additionally, Operation: Karagga’s Palace will take 8 to 16 players against the Hutts. Also, there will be improvements made to the open-world PVP combat on Ilum, and the update will introduction a level 50-only PVP bracket. All this Star Wars goodness will be free on January 17th.
EA Bright Light
It was revealed this week that EA quietly closed one of their UK based studios late last year. Bright Light was the developer behind the recent Harry Potter games. Some of the talent was reorganized and moved to Criterion, or Playfish studios, the other EA owned UK studios. With the end of the film series, I guess this is no surprise.
Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition
If you still haven’t played the best fighting game of last year. Well now you have no excuse. Warner Bros. Interactive revealed Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, a compilation of the previously released downloadable content, plus a lot of extra goodies. In addition to the full game and all the DLC released, you’ll also get a 15 music tracks inspired by the game produced by JFK from DJ/production duo MSTRKRFT. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also get a copy of the wonderfully horrible 1995 movie Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition will be out on the Xbox 360 and PS3 on February 28th.
Call of Duty: Elite Mobile
The stat-tracking social networking service Call of Duty: Elite just got a mobile version. Now you’ll be able to check your profile, and study game stats directly on your Apple device. The iOS app will also allow users to change their Custom Classes on the go. Any changes made to their loadouts on their devices will be ready for them when they start up the game online. Activision said that there will be an Android version of Elite later this year. I think it’s a neat add-on for those who live and breathe Call of Duty.
Be sure to check back next weekend for the latest gaming news at Yell! Magazine.
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