Noby Noby Boy, the upcoming game from Katamari Damacy director Keita Takahashi, is ... well, it's weird.

I've watched the above clip four times now, and I still have no idea what the objective is, what the plot might be, or even if the protagonist could be categorized as animal, vegetable or mineral.

Given Noby Noby Boy's adorably surreal pedigree though, that quirkiness is almost certainly part of its charm. I may be scratching my head furiously trying to figure out what I just saw, but I'm also mass emailing anyone who might be able to help me get a copy of this game as soon as possible.

Noby Noby Boy hits shelves early next year.

See Also:

• Noby Noby Boy, Katamari Creator's New Game, In Early 2009
• Video: Noby Noby Boy Tears Up 2-D Space
• Katamari Creator's New Game Gets Drastic 2-D Makeover
• Katamari Creator Designing Playground

Speaking with UK-based website CVG, PlayStation Home's European service manager Dan Hill claims that the recently released beta has the potential to become a system-seller, once the product and its offerings evolve.

As it currently stands, Home is little more than a venue to toggle scripted emotes, play mini games, chat with strangers, and pay real money for the dubious honor of wearing digital advertisements for clothing companies. But Hill believes that once Home has grown, and its vision becomes fully realized,  PlayStation 3 owners will be a part of a unique gaming experience.

I'm inclined to agree.

Science fiction has often hearkened to the fully realized 3-D Internet of the future. Of course, typing a URL into a browser is far more efficient than "walking" to a web page; But from a gaming perspective, with 3D interactions being all but second nature to us, the marriage of digital spaces and the web just makes sense.

Continue reading "Home Will Move PlayStations, Says Sony" »

Noby Noby Boy, the next game from the creator of Katamari Damacy, finally has a release window -- we'll be playing it sometime in early 2009. But what is it?

Namco Bandai released a flood of screenshots, artwork, and information on the PlayStation 3 downloadable game Monday morning. We've heard snippets of this before, but the press release puts it thusly: As the eponymous Boy, you'll stretch your rainbow-colored body out to absurd lengths by eating objects and spitting them out. You'll be able to interact with other online players, somehow. And upload footage of your gameplay to YouTube.

Other than that, if you want to hear about how it plays, 1up has the exclusive hands-on preview and a host of other coverage running all this week.

Katamari Damacy won critical acclaim and decent sales for its unique rolling-and-sticking gameplay mechanic and charming visual style, but also for the fact that it was tons of fun. Noby Noby Boy has two out of three, hands-down. Will it be as addictive as its predecessor?

A variety of screenshots and artwork are below. Note that the game still looks like its old 3-D self, which raises the question -- what were those 2-D screenshots that Namco Bandai passed out at Tokyo Game Show?

Continue reading "Noby Noby Boy, Katamari Creator's New Game, In Early 2009" »

Sony unveiled a new trailer full of God of War III footage at the Spike Video Game Awards Sunday evening.

The game is a PlayStation 3 exclusive, it features "a new game engine built from the ground up and state-of-the-art visual technologies," and it serves to wrap up the tale begun in the first two God of War games.

Presumably that last bit is only applicable until Sony decides the added revenue from creating God of War IV outweighs any consumer contempt it might generate.

Sony has yet to reveal a release date or price details for the game.

CORRECTION: The original version of this story said that Sony announced God of War III last night. The game was announced at E3 this year. Wired.com regrets the error.

See Also:

• God of War Creators Sued for Plagiarism
• Director Confirmed for God of War Flick
• God of War Director Quits Sony

Sega just sent us this lovely Christmas story.

Twas a night before DeathWatch, when all through downtown
Not a person was stirring, since being stomped to the ground.
The bodies were hung on the rosebushes with care,
In hopes that more enemies would soon appear.

I give it a 6.8: good concept, but no effort at scan or meter. If anybody else feels like writing some MadWorld Christmas carols -- or on any topic whatsoever -- go for it.

The entire story is below.

Continue reading "'Twas the Night Before MadWorld" »

Skate 2 is still a month from release, but prospective boarders can get an early start on customizing their decks with the newly launched Skate 2 Graphics Creator from Electronic Arts.

The site offers players a chance to rearrange a limited series of standard shapes, letters and numbers in a system not unlike that found in Forza 2's custom art system. Once players are content with their design -- and obviously, after the game itself has hit store shelves -- the custom skateboard art can be uploaded directly into Skate 2.

Unlike the system seen in Forza 2 however, players are only asked to decorate a simple rectangle, instead of a three-dimensional vehicle. After seeing some of the amazing designs that emerged from the Forza community, I'm convinced the fruits of the Skate 2 Graphics Creator are bound to be even better.

Image courtesy Electronic Arts

skate.Gallery [Skate Official Site]

See Also:

• Skate 2 Coming in January
• Skate 2 Soundtrack Revealed, Suitably Diverse
• Skate 2 Debut Trailer

Tim Schaefer's Brutal Legend has officially found a home, under the EA Partners wing of Electronic Arts.

The game is a third person action/adventure, starring Jack Black as heavy metal enthusiast Eddie Riggs. He's a roadie, who is magically transported to an alternate history where demons, goths, and glam rockers have taken over the world. As it's brought to us by those wondrously twisted minds at Double Fine productions (creators of the fantastic Psychonauts), I'll risk disappointment by getting overwhelmingly giddy with anticipation for this one.

The game was caught in bureaucratic limbo for quite some time, after Activision Blizzard declined to publish it -- presumably because Brutal Legend lacks that certain je ne sais quoi that allows for microtransactions, expansion packs, and countless derivative sequels. But as Tim Schaefer of Double Fine productions so eloquently states, "I think it's clear that this game, like Metal itself, can't be killed."

Brutal Legend will be arriving for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime in the fall of 2009.

Image courtesy Double Fine Productions

Double Fine And EA Turn It Up To 11 [Double Fine]

See Also:

• Activision Spikes Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters
• Report: Activision 'Blocking' Brutal Legend Release
• Variety: Brutal Legend Close to Finding New Home
• Video: Jack Black Stars In Brutal Legend

The first-ever Funde Razor event in San Francisco was this past Wednesday, and it was awesome -- we weren't sure how many people to expect, but readers, Penny Arcade fans, and Rock Band enthusiasts packed the venue full of bodies and rocked all night.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and donated, we were able to raise an astonishing $2360 for Child's Play. Yes, New York City's and Denver's events raised more, but we will beat them next year. Special thanks to "Mojo" (pictured above left), a Penny Arcade Expo enforcer who showed up and immediately started helping organize our disorganized Rock Band line.

Photo from Gizmodo, where there is a full gallery.

To those who follow the gaming industry it may seem like review scores are the crux of development, but Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez is after more than a 90 percent Metacritic rating.

"To be honest, when Assassin's Creed launched and got 82 percent, we were desperate, and we thought we were going to die," Martinez related during the recent UBS Annual Global Media Conference, before noting that the game went on to sell more than five million copies.

The moral of the story? "It's not ratings that mean everything, but we think quality and innovation are the key," Martinez added.

One could use his quote as a jumping off point for a discussion on the inherent dangers in the monetization of any art form, but to be succinct it's best to just simply applaud Martinez' new-found freedom from review anxiety. Hopefully more industry figures will come to the same conclusion.

Image courtesy Ubisoft

Ubisoft CFO Talks Prince Of Persia, Far Cry 2, Suggests Ratings Overrated [Gamasutra]

The first game in Nintendo's "Play It On Wii Selection", Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, is available in Japan today. I have mine! This is what it is like.

This series of budget-priced titles consists of games that have been brought over from Nintendo's poor failed GameCube console. Since the Wii, as we all know, is two GameCubes duct-taped together, it's easy for Nintendo to recycle some of the great games that didn't get much love last generation. For those millions of Wii owners who didn't get to experience Pikmin or Metroid Prime, it's a no-brainer -- especially since those games will be upgraded with pointer controls.

But Donkey Kong Jungle Beat? I'm not sure. I liked it a lot when it was an innovative platform game played with a drum controller. Now that it's a more straightforward game -- you move Donkey Kong with the control stick, jump with the A button, and shake to attack -- it's less novel an experience. And no, even though Wii has GameCube ports, you can't just plug in your bongo controller.

Continue reading "Hands On: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Works on Wii, Sorta" »

The perennially forthcoming PlayStation Home is finally entering open beta Thursday, allowing those of us who weren't invited to the closed beta to figure out what all of the avatar-centric fuss is about.

It's an ambitious idea -- a sort of console-based Second Life, where players can create avatars that can walk around and do stuff, unlike those on Wii and Xbox 360.

While access to Home will be free of charge, prepare to swept up in a sea of advertising and microtransactions. Players will get their own apartment, and activities will include fraternizing with strangers in themed locales, playing social games, buying your digital self designer clothing and picking out fancy furniture you couldn't hope to afford in meatspace.

Continue reading "Home Open Beta (Finally) Arrives Thursday" »

At a press conference held in Tokyo Wednesday morning, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii has reportedly let slip that the next game in the series, Dragon Quest X, will be a Wii title.

Here's what Japanese blog Gemaga said happened at the event. Horii had just finished up talking about the Nintendo DS title Dragon Quest IX, which the company has announced will be available on March 28 in Japan:

14:25 -- Horii: "We're currently developing Dragon Quest X on Wii."
14:27 -- Nintendo president Satoru Iwata takes the stage with a huge smile on his face! Iwata: "Thanks very much for announcing Dragon Quest X on Wii!"

A clever "one more thing"? Or did Horii just legitimately let this slip out without warning?

Either way, this is a big win for Iwata & Co. -- and for gamers who want the series to return to home consoles.

(Reuters confirms it in English.)

Image of Dragon Quest VIII courtesy Square Enix

The bonus content scheduled for inclusion in the North American console version of Street Fighter IV has been revealed via a listing on mega-retailer Gamestop's website.

Included with the premium edition is the game itself, a promotional disc including a 65-minute anime movie, a CD soundtrack, a collectible figurine of new combatant C. Viper, the Prima Games hint book and 5 additional downloadable costumes.

Additionally, those that pre-order the game will receive a headband reminiscent of the iconic red cloth strip worn by Street Fighter protagonist Ryu.

The Collector's Edition hits store shelves alongside the regular edition of Street Fighter IV on February 17. While the standard version will retail for $60, the CE will set gamers back $80.

Image courtesy Capcom

Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition with Bonus! [Gamestop, via Team Xbox]

See Also:

• Inside Street Fighter IV's Nostalgic Allure
• Console Street Fighter IV 'Definitely' Coming This Winter
• Street Fighter IV Hits Consoles in February
• Street Fighter IV to Hit Consoles and PC
• Video: Capcom Spotlights Street Fighter IV's Gouken
• Street Fighter IV: New Characters, TV Ad
• Video: Meet Street Fighter IV's Last Boss
• Akuma Joins Street Fighter IV Cast

If you were looking forward to this week's release of Rygar: The Battle of Argus, you just got the rug pulled out from under you big time. Sorry.

Tecmo surprised everyone today by saying that the Wii action game wouldn't release this week, as promised: They're holding on to it until February 3, 2009. This was a very last-minute decision: IGN already ran its review of the game based on the original December 8 release date, and 1up's EIC Sam Kennedy wrote that he only heard about the delay yesterday -- after he stayed up all night writing the review.

1up says the delay, which won't be accompanied by any more work on the game, is to move Rygar out of the "busy holiday season." This, by itself, is not an uncommon move by any means. But waiting until the day the game was supposed to be on shelves?

Rygar shipped in Japan today. My experience with the Tokyo Game Show version is that it was a pretty half-assed port of a very old PlayStation 2 game; this seems to be the central thesis of IGN's review. But 1up's Kennedy says he likes it. I guess we'll find out in two months.

Image courtesy Tecmo

Alongside the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine film, Activision Blizzard is planning a game of the same name for release in May 2009.

Developed by Raven Software (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Soldier of Fortune), the game "enlists players to experience the tormented origins of Wolverine, from his escape of the Weapon X facility to the jungles of Africa."

Details on the actual gameplay are scarce, though the press release puts a huge emphasis on Wolverine's mutant healing factor, going so far as to say it "heals him in real time right before the player's eyes."

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is in development for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS, Wii and Windows PC platforms.

Image courtesy Marvel Studios

Those patient Halo fans anxiously waiting to command a full squad of space marines in the upcoming real-time strategy spinoff Halo Wars are going to be waiting just a bit longer.

Despite promising a "February 2009" release date only one month ago, Microsoft has pushed back the release date for the title here in "the Americas" to March 3.

Then again, the release still claims the game will hit Japan and Europe on February 26 and 27, respectively, so perhaps Microsoft is just using this as a chance to apologize to all those overseas gamers who repeatedly get the short end of the release date stick. Turnabout is fair play, and all that.

Image courtesy Microsoft

See Also:

• Hands On: Halo Wars, for Couch-Based Commanders
• Halo Wars Coming in February
• Halo Wars Devs Form iPhone Game Studio
• Halo Wars Dev 'Shocked' at Studio Closing
• Halo Wars Multiplayer Modes Revealed
• Four New Halo Wars Screens Roll Out
• Microsoft Will Dissolve Halo Wars Dev

Do you own a copy of Rock Band 2 sans microphone? Do you own a copy of Lips complete with microphone? Luckily for you Harmonix is working to make the peripheral work with their title, presumably via an upcoming patch.

"Microsoft and MTV Games are working together to ensure that consumers will be able to use the wireless mics from Lips with Rock Band 2 after launch," the companies told MTV's Multiplayer Blog in an e-mailed statement.

"More details on timing to come. Harmonix and MTV Games strive for all third-party controllers to work with the Rock Band games, fitting with Harmonix’ open-platform philosophy for controllers."

So far Harmonix has not revealed when support for Lips' mic would be added to Rock Band 2.

Image courtesy Microsoft

‘Lips’ Mic Patch Coming To ‘Rock Band’ Soon [MTV Multiplayer Blog]

See Also:

• Rock Band Track Pack 2 Coming November 17
• Guitar Hero, Rock Band Add Killers Tracks
• Rock Band Feature: Harmonix's Top Tips For Drummers
• Official Guitar Hero/Rock Band Instrument Compatibility Chart ...

It's no Lego Batman, but Batman: Arkham Asylum looks to be panning out nicely, if this new teaser trailer is anything to go by.

The first trailer we brought you certainly demonstrated the game's dark climes, but displayed nothing of the game's characters, combat or gameplay. This new clip may very well be cobbled together from cutscene footage, but at least it gives us a look at The Joker, Batman, and Killer Croc in all of their Unreal Engine glory.

Still, I'm a bit wary of this one. Aside from the aforementioned Lego game, titles using the Batman license have been almost uniformly bad -- particularly those that seek to directly ape the Batman universe.

Batman: Arkham Asylum comes to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2009.

Pitch Black is easily Vin Diesel's finest cinematic work to date, and seeing him -- or his virtual self -- return to the universe with a full complement of today's prettiest gaming technologies excites me to no end.

As we told you earlier this week, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is Atari's newly-revealed capitalization on Diesel's shiny-eyed anti-hero. The game contains the surprisingly good Xbox action title Escape from Butcher Bay, alongside its sequel, Dark Athena.

Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is scheduled to hit the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Spring of 2009.

I'm not sure how I missed this clip yesterday, but here it is: Video proof of a sequel to one of the best games of 2007, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

For those who missed the PlayStation 3 game on release, it's essentially Tomb Raider, only Lara Croft is replaced by a dude with the finest in wet shirt rendering technology and it hasn't yet devolved to the point of issuing numerous sequels, each lamer than the last.

The teaser for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves doesn't offer much insight into the world of the sequel, but if those snow-caked jeans are any indication, developer Naughty Dog may have once again pushed the boundaries of virtually moist fashion.

See Also:

• Trophies Patched Into Uncharted
• Naughty Dog President Confirms Uncharted Sequel
• Sony Angry About Uncharted Gun Replica
• Uncharted Ditched Dead Fish to Keep 'T' Rating
• Eidos: Tomb Raider Not Threatened By Uncharted
• Zero Punctuation: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
• Tight Schedule Watch: Uncharted Enters Beta Period
• Uncharted Developer Apologizes for Demo Goof