In Other News...August 3

[DoctorFinger]

- According to a just released financial statement, EA and Crytek's Crysis 2 has been delayed. Originally slated to ship this holiday season, it's now set for a Q1 2011 release (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/crysis-2-falls-to-2011-in-ea-financial-report/).

- The single player DLC "Protector Trials" for Bioshock 2 is now available for both the 360 and PS3. This DLC adds the "Protector Trials", which force you to protect a Little Sister against waves of incoming enemies. It also adds 6 new maps, 7 new achievements/trophies and new unlockables. It will cost 400 MSP/$5.

- EA is facing yet another class action lawsuit over it's Madden NFL franchise (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ea-sued-by-6000-sports-players). This time it's a group of 6,000 retired NFL players who claim that EA us using their likeness on the rosters of "historic teams" without giving compensation.

- The PC version of Fable III won't ship alongside the 360 version (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3180688) on October 27. No word on when the PC version will ship, but Liohhead boss Peter Molyneux has repeatedly called the development of the game "very, very tough" and it's likely the PC version has been a casualty of these difficulties.

- Korean developer NetDragon is currently developing a Transformers MMO (http://kotaku.com/5602916/transformers-mmo-rolling-out). But there are no plans to bring the game to North America, Europe or Australia.

- The downloadable Western multiplayer FPS Lead & Gold, available on PSN and Steam, looks like it will no longer be on its way to XBLA (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/xbla-lead-and-gold-isnt-happening-says-paradox-ceo/).

[Xerxes]

Is Crysis 2 the first game to be pushed into Q1 so far? It's always expected a good few of them will move but I thought this one ready for game time.

[Zecon]

- The PC version of Fable III won't ship alongside the 360 version (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3180688) on October 27. No word on when the PC version will ship, but Liohhead boss Peter Molyneux has repeatedly called the development of the game "very, very tough" and it's likely the PC version has been a casualty of these difficulties.


This will end well.

[KamaItachi]

- The downloadable Western multiplayer FPS Lead & Gold, available on PSN and Steam, looks like it will no longer be on its way to XBLA (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/xbla-lead-and-gold-isnt-happening-says-paradox-ceo/).

Boooo. I was looking forward to this one quite a bit. Guess I could still grab it on the PS3.

[DoctorFinger]

Is Crysis 2 the first game to be pushed into Q1 so far? It's always expected a good few of them will move but I thought this one ready for game time.
Brink got pushed to Q1 and I'm sure there are a few others. The Joystiq article said that Bulletstorm was pushed too, but I don't think it had ever been slated for release this year anyway.

[Generation ABXY]

Hmm, there's a part of me that thinks a Transformers MMO would probably do pretty good here (what, with the heavy nostalgia and all). Perhaps not WoW good, no, but good enough, I'd think...

[Xerxes]

Brink got pushed to Q1 and I'm sure there are a few others. The Joystiq article said that Bulletstorm was pushed too, but I don't think it had ever been slated for release this year anyway.

These are actually some of the titles I could have seen waiting on. :confused:
Medal of Honors lackluster beta sounds like it's something to pass on. They should push that back and work on it.

[DoctorFinger]

I don't know if EA could push MoH back. The release date has been pushed too hard, and it would impact development of Battlefield 2 in the process.

[NotJeff]

Hmm, there's a part of me that thinks a Transformers MMO would probably do pretty good here (what, with the heavy nostalgia and all). Perhaps not WoW good, no, but good enough, I'd think...

A full 3D first person Transformers MMO, sure. Some Korean-style FreeMMO, not so much. I'd say the fact that they aren't shipping it to other regions is a pretty good indication what we're talking about, here.

[JayK47]

Sounds like Microsoft wants us all to buy the 360 version of Fable 3. So let me guess, the PC version will come out at about the same time the PC version of BF 1943 will. As in never.

[Xerxes]

I think JayK47 nailed MS. Pretty lame of them. Money is money. Does the 360 still need validating?

[Inspector Fowler]

- The single player DLC "Protector Trials" for Bioshock 2 is now available for both the 360 and PS3. This DLC adds the "Protector Trials", which force you to protect a Little Sister against waves of incoming enemies. It also adds 6 new maps, 7 new achievements/trophies and new unlockables. It will cost 400 MSP/$5.


The wording makes me laugh. I hate escort missions - even stationary ones - with a passion. I dunno if you meant to word it that way but it does kind of make you think - a whole DLC package that is essentially stationary escort missions. Maybe not the best option?

[Superman's Dead]

A full 3D first person Transformers MMO, sure. Some Korean-style FreeMMO, not so much. I'd say the fact that they aren't shipping it to other regions is a pretty good indication what we're talking about, here.

...I'd play it. Super cartooney transformers with flare attacks? Yes.

[Hawkzombie]

...I'd play it. Super cartooney transformers with flare attacks? Yes.

Don't forget the female transformers with huge breasts and hardly any 'outer casing' covering them :p

[Superman's Dead]

...

Yes!

[Yeti2005]

The wording makes me laugh. I hate escort missions - even stationary ones - with a passion. I dunno if you meant to word it that way but it does kind of make you think - a whole DLC package that is essentially stationary escort missions. Maybe not the best option?

I agree, who the hell likes escort missions?

I rented Bioshock 2 but never finished it. That game was so "more of the same" and didn't add anything to the original (besides using guns and plasmids at the same time). Story wise there didn't need to be a sequel at all.

[National Kato]

- The PC version of Fable III won't ship alongside the 360 version (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3180688) on October 27.

Well, at least we have the opening cinematic to sate us in the meantime. [spoilery? eh...only if you've been on 100% media blackout]

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[Gorvi]

I agree, who the hell likes escort missions?
I really don't mind escort missions so long as what/who I'm escorting isn't constantly trying to get themselves killed.

[National Kato]

I really don't mind escort missions so long as what/who I'm escorting isn't constantly trying to get themselves killed.

In Bioshock 2, the 'protect Little Sisters' mechanic is so far removed from what I hate about escort missions. People who disliked that gameplay would be more correct in saying they hate puzzles, since the whole concept is to create trap rooms prior to harvesting the Adam.

Basically, the same type of gameplay I used in the first game when setting up death rooms for taking down Big Daddies.

[Gorvi]

In Bioshock 2, the 'protect Little Sisters' mechanic is so far removed from what I hate about escort missions. People who disliked that gameplay would be more correct in saying they hate puzzles, since the whole concept is to create trap rooms prior to harvesting the Adam.

Basically, the same type of gameplay I used in the first game when setting up death rooms for taking down Big Daddies.
So almost like that old Tecmo game Deception? Well, much more scaled down obviously.

[National Kato]

Never played Deception, so not sure.

[pomeroy]

I didn't hate letting the Little Sisters harvest, but I'm not going to pay more money for something that grew increasingly tiresome as the game wore on.

[Gorvi]

Never played Deception, so not sure.
It was a series by Tecmo on the PS1 (there was one PS2 game that didn't have the Deception name on it in the US called Trapt) that was all about setting traps in an almost puzzle type way in rooms to kill invaders to your castle.

QKymfjNoscc

It was a fun series that I wish they'd come back to.

[DoctorFinger]

On a side note, can someone please make a downloadable version of Deception? Please?

[Gorvi]

On a side note, can someone please make a downloadable version of Deception? Please?
You can get the 3 PS1 games on the Japanese PSN. Yeah, that doesn't help much, I guess.

[National Kato]

Gorvi, that's very similar to the Bioshock 2 mechanic. You have a room with multiple entries and as soon as you let your Little Sister start harvesting Adam from a corpse, the splicers will begin to funnel into the room and attack her and you. You set up plasmid traps, proximity grenades, trip wires, etc.

Then the fun begins. :D

[Gorvi]

Gorvi, that's very similar to the Bioshock 2 mechanic. You have a room with multiple entries and as soon as you let your Little Sister start harvesting Adam from a corpse, the splicers will begin to funnel into the room and attack her and you. You set up plasmid traps, proximity grenades, trip wires, etc.

Then the fun begins. :D
Now I want to get Bioshock 2 more. :)

[ElektroDragon]

I just think FIII is WAY behind schedule, honestly, and they had to drop the PC version so they could shift that team over to Xbox 360 bug fixing.

[Xerxes]

I agree, who the hell likes escort missions?
People who played Ico! Or the people who liked the last Prince of Persia game?


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z3Ef_J4WD44/SwVX4PIFttI/AAAAAAAAAes/3rQApIBiPzQ/s200/pointman.jpg

Question is who likes crappy escort missions?

[ElektroDragon]

Escort missions are great when your escort is much more badass than you are and you can just sit back and enjoy the carnage. If you think about it, the giant robot at the end of Fallout 3 was sort of like an escort mission.

[Inspector Fowler]

I guess the problem with escort missions is that so often you can fail based on no fault of your own.

We've all had the escort mission, or the "everybody needs to survive the level" missions where your teammates run out from cover, disappear, get stuck in the open, etc. Or where you hit a checkpoint partially through the mission where your protection client is at, like, 10% health, and you can't finish the mission that way.

Nothing makes me crazier than when a good game is suddenly interrupted by the following: "Hey! Badass soldier dude! Take this retarded AI construct through a labyrinth of bullets and grenades so they can perform a 1 minute task while you protect them from like 50 guys!". Sigh.

[National Kato]

I guess the problem with escort missions is that so often you can fail based on no fault of your own.

Considering the Little Sister cannot die or be harmed, this type of mission shouldn't frustrate you. The only drawback to not doing a good job of protecting her is that it takes longer for her to get the required Adam and you might die from taking damage.

It's really not that bad at all.

[JayK47]

Well that takes a load off my mind. I guess I might pick up Bioshock 2 when it goes for $5 this holiday season.

[Talanvor]

I really don't think anyone should shy away from Bioshock 2 because of the harvesting parts. I really wouldn't even call it an escort mission. I think of it more as bait and slaughter. On the other hand, I don't think I'd pay just to do more of them.

One of my friends picked up the DLC. He told me that your loadout (weapons and plasmids) are all given to you, so I guess that ups the strategy portion of it.