Bulgarian developer Masthead Studios, after a long and difficult year, has decided to pull the plug on Earthrise, their sci-fi/fantasy MMO. In a statement, studio director Atanas Atanasov said that “Earthrise was released too early and did not meet the expectations of its fans.” Atanasov also issued a challenge to other developers who might seek to create an MMO such as the ill-fated Earthrise. “I hope that one day an independent studio will be able to release the long anticipated open-world sandbox MMO, which everyone is talking about, but no one is making.” A previously planned free-to-play version of the game is still in the works, but its release hinges on the interests of investors and publishers.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Many fans of Diablo III were angered recently when Blizzard community manager Bashiok (aka Micah Whipple) tweeted that the upcoming game wouldn’t have public chat channels. However, in a shock twist, Bashiok was actually wrong. Public chat channels will be in Diablo III. Not only that, but they will also be included in an “upcoming beta patch.” Bashiok has since taken to the game’s official forums, apologizing for his original misinformation and setting the record straight.

“You know how sometimes you say something that’s stupid and wrong and then people very reasonably get upset and create a lot of threads and discussions and demands with some pretty reasonable reasons for the thing you said wouldn’t happen but then it turns out that you’re stupid and wrong and the things you said are completely the opposite of what’s actually true?,” said Bashiok. “Yeah. So that happened. Public chat channels will be in Diablo III, barring any catastrophe that requires we remove them, because they’re already implemented. In fact they’ll be in an upcoming beta patch so you’ll get to see and play around with them yourselves.”

Bashiok was unable to offer any explanation for his previous incorrect statements, except that “I believed them to be correct when I made them. I apologize, and I’ll strive to not be stupid and wrong in the future.” Looks like a happy ending for the game’s fans after all!

© Simon Moore for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

The latest Skyrim update, version 1.4, is now live on Xbox 360, but PS3 owners will have to wait a bit. “Sony tells us the PlayStation 3 patch will be hitting later today [9 Feb.],” Bethesda said in a blog post, “so stay tuned for more updates.” The developer says the patch, which became available for the PC last week, provides a heap of bug and quest fixes, including “…long term play optimisations for memory and performance,” meaning it should eliminate the game-crippling lag on the PS3.

© Simon Moore for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Kinect, Microsoft’s revolutionary motion-control gaming peripheral, is now available for Windows PCs, retailing for an exclusively priced $249.99. When first released for the Xbox 360 in 2010, it became the fastest selling consumer electronic device, pushing 10 million units in 60 days.

Don’t think Microsoft is just repackaging the same Xbox hardware, as they did for 360 controllers. The Xbox Kinect requires a distance of about six feet between the player and the sensor. To make desktop use less distant, Kinect for Windows features a “near mode,” which features an optimal distance of just 19 inches.

Since the device uses a standard USB connection, many homebrew hackers have been playing with the Kinect since its initial release, so Microsoft is offering official support for the idea. Now separated from a game console, Kinect is being used for many applications in business, educational and medical fields. There are a lot of dreams behind the Kinect, and as long as those dreams let me play Minority Report, then it’s all worth it.

Source: BBC

© Ian Davis for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

The Microsoft Flight Simulator series returns for the first time in six years with Microsoft Flight. Instead of arriving in traditional retail form, MSF will be free to play, and will feature the futuristic ICON A5 amphibious mono-wing and the entire island of Hawaii to explore. If you wish, you can branch out beyond your beautiful basics and purchase additional regions and aircraft using the money earned in your daily labors. To keep you coming back, there’ll also be “daily aerocache challenges” and a variety of mission goals to complete.

Realizing that the age of the joystick is over, Microsoft wants everyone to experience Flight, regardless of what peripherals they own. According to the company, “Players can choose to take the helm using highly rendered, accurate cockpits and authentic piloting procedures, or simply use their mouse and keyboard to control the plane in an exterior view.”

Microsoft Flight seems to be separate from its Games for Windows platform, which is a blessing. However, if players sign in using their GFW accounts, they’ll unlock extra content, including “the legendary Boeing Stearman plane.” Flight will be released, free of any puns, on February 29.

Sources: PC World, Game Informer

© Ian Davis for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Starting today, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim PC players can download and install mods directly from Steam with the new Steam Workshop. Using the “upload to Steam” feature in the recently released Creation Kit, modders can upload their creations, and players can view, sort and rate mods, as well as see which ones their friends are using.

Bethesda’s open-world RPGs have always been fertile soil for player-created modifications, which allow each user to tailor the game to their preferences. Even before the official Creation Kit, ambitious modders were already fixing, rebalancing and adding to the province of Skyrim. The list of launch mods is fairly thin, but expect it to balloon quickly very soon. To get the ball rolling, Bethesda has released an official high-resolution texture pack to PC users, free of charge. Additionally, the entire Elder Scrolls series, including Skyrim, is 33 percent off on Steam during Valve’s Midweek Madness sale. If you haven’t already snapped up this Seal of Excellence winner, you now have 33 percent less excuses.

© Ian Davis for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments

The popular FPS/tower-defense hybrid Sanctum will be receiving a sequel in 2013, according to Joystiq. After launching on Steam last April, Sanctum became an indie success story, quickly selling more than 300,000 units. The game took the typical tower-defense formula and injected it with more than a few ampules of adrenaline. In four-player co-op, players have to carefully construct and upgrade their defenses to stop waves of monsters, before leaping into the fray with their own upgradable weapons. No details are available on what new features await players in Sanctum 2, except that PSN and Xbox Live players will also get to experience the teamwork.

© Ian Davis for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Developer THQ has announced its list of upcoming releases. Sneaking out first on February 17 is UFC Undisputed 3. Then comes the company’s fiscal 2013 slate, which includes Darksiders II in June, South Park: The Game and a new WWE title in Q3, and Metro: Last Light and The Devil’s Third in Q4. In 2014 and beyond, THQ plans to release an unnamed game from Turtle Rock, inSANE from Volition, Homefront 2 (Crytek), the new game from Patrice Désilets’ THQ Montreal, and Dark Millennium Online, which will be completed with the aid of a “partner,” company boss Brian Farrell has revealed. On top of these, THQ has four unannounced core games in development for release in fiscal 2014.

© Simon Moore for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

If you have set aside your February 7 to relax with your favorite Ubisoft games, you might want to rethink your plans. According to Eurogamer, most of the developer’s games will be unplayable or otherwise impacted when the company starts the process of moving its game servers. Some of the games that will go totally dark include HAWX II and The Settlers 7 (PC), and Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell: Conviction (Mac). Console games and certain PC titles (Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Driver: San Francisco) will be unaffected by the move, but all games that require Uplay authentication will be unplayable. No word was offered on how long the work will take to complete.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments

Another MMO seems to be released or switches from subscription to free-to-play almost every month. Up until now, only the venerable EverQuest has stood strong and resisted the FTP tide. But after almost 13 years, the time has finally come for the last of the classic MMOs. Sony announced today that EQ will be moving to the FTP business model starting sometime in early March. Lead producer Thom Terrazas said in the EQ Player’s Blog that growing the player base was a prime reason for the decision. “With the gaming landscape changing every day, we want to ensure we continue to evolve the game to keep players engaged and bring in even more new players to further expand the community.” If you’re already a paying subscriber, you might be tempted to demand a refund, but don’t worry; your subscription fee gives you a number of advantages over the free players. A detailed comparison of free, silver and gold memberships can be found here.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments

Earlier this week, executive producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi characterized Resident Evil 6 as being the largest project undertaken by Capcom so far. “Between the 150 staff members in Japan and everyone around the world, we have more than 600 people involved. A lot of work has gone into this game,” Kobayashi said. “Resident Evil 6 is by far and away the most ambitious game in the series.” Also, producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi indicated that the game will be a blend of action and survival horror, which the team is calling “dramatic horror.” The latest instalment will feature a split plotline, with one thread focusing on Leon S. Kennedy in the US, and the other following Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield in China. The game is expected to arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on November 20.

© Simon Moore for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments

Gearbox has decided to make you wait even longer to see if anyone can hear you scream in space, announcing that Aliens: Colonial Marines has been delayed from a spring release to a tentative autumn 2012 one. According to an official statement from the developer, “Aliens: Colonial Marines is a process of creativity and invention, and those don’t necessarily follow the structure of an assembly line. While setting clear goals, deadlines and predictions is helpful, they are often subjective. We don’t want to sacrifice the creative process just for the sake of following a blueprint. We prefer to have the creative discovery shape that blueprint, because our goal is to make a great game.”

© Simon Moore for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments

rComplex, a tense, ominous platformer from 2009, is getting an HD overhaul in its upcoming debut on iOS devices. In this frenetic action game, you play an unnamed figure being constantly chased through seven levels of varied environments by a shadowy squid-like creature, with no immediate idea of what the enemy is or why it’s pursuing you. The game is being developed by InterWave Studios (Nuclear Dawn). InterWave general manager Igor Raffaele points out that the simplicity of the game’s controls aids the player in figuring out what’s going on. “With no gimmicks to distract from the intuitive control system, rComplex is all about survival and unraveling the mystery.” rComplex will be available for the Apple mobile platform at the end of February, with versions for Android, PC and Mac coming later in the year.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Today THQ announced that it would be refocusing its business strategy towards more profitable sectors. To do so, the publisher will be trimming its branches. Currently, that means its sizable kids entertainment wing. THQ has developed and published many games based on popular entertainment properties for children, such as Spongebob Squarepants, Avatar: The Last Airbender and AC-130 Gunships.

According to a press release, THQ is “in the process of exiting its relationships with kids’ licensed entertainment companies, but will continue to sell certain previously released titles,” thus killing off the possibility of a Warhammer 40k/Spongebob crossover game targeted towards the casual iPad market.

Meanwhile, the publisher is still riding high on hit games such as Saints Row: The Third, a success that THQ plans on emulating. “THQ will be a more streamlined organization focused only on our strongest franchises,” stated CEO Brian Farrell. “The success of Saints Row: The Third is an example of what our revised strategy and focus can achieve.” THQ’s five internal studios continue unabated work on popular franchises such as Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40k, Darksiders and Metro.

— Ian Davis

Source: Gamasutra

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | One comment

The best way to describe the hit indie game Minecraft to a stranger is that it’s like exploring and building in a world made of LEGOs. Naturally, this has caught the eye of The LEGO Group itself. Initially proposed last December, the project has garnered official approval. An official release states, “We’re happy to announce that the Minecraft project on LEGO CUUSOO has passed the LEGO review and we are now developing a concept that celebrates the best aspects of building with the LEGO system and in Minecraft.” CUUSOO is a site where LEGO fans can campaign for their favorite designs to become retail products.

It might be awhile before players can start indulging in real-world Minecraft fantasies, according to LEGO. “We can’t wait to show it to you—but we aren’t ready just yet. These things take time, so we appreciate your patience.“ Hopefully we’ll see an adorable LEGO creeper leaping through a steampunk Death Star before too long!

— Ian Davis

Source: LEGO Cuusoo

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | One comment

What do you get when you cross Minecraft with castles and Legos? Well, you could get one cool idea, or you could get Castle Story. While the game is still in the early phases, it’s shaping up to be a really awesome game. An early trailer has been released showing many of the ideas being incorporated into the game, and while everything is not there yet (a la early Minecraft), it still shows a lot of promise. Check out the demonstration trailer. So many great games in the works. With 2012 supposed to be the end of the world, at least I’ll die with a smile on my face and a game on the screen.

© Chip Henson for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)

Did I not just say 2012 will be known as the year of the X-COM? Well, here it is! A real X-COM game that’s not an FPS is on the way from developer Firaxis. Not only did we get the great news of the game, but a whole series of pictures to peruse. X-COM was one of the first games that I purchased for my Amiga and PC. While the sequels failed to live up to the original, I have high hopes for this one.

© Chip Henson for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments

This little gem is coming for the iPhone and Android sometime in 2012. You design and control a spaceship and explore the galaxy, meeting and blowing new species to bits. You also hire and manage your crew. Generally, you attempt to take over the universe, with a view style and gameplay very reminiscent of X-COM (aka UFO: Enemy Unknown) and a graphic style similar to Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters.

Developer War Balloon Games has announced that they don’t have a game trailer yet, so to whet our appetites they have released a taste of things to come with two animations. Both show the quality of work they are bringing to the game. There are some nice touches, such as the salute at the end of the sequence of hiring a new crew member. This is one game I know I will be getting on Day 1. 2012 just might go down as the year of the X-COM.

© Chip Henson for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | One comment

Click here to view the embedded video.

Back in 2004, I had the pleasure of going to E3 and seeing new games like Silent Hunter 3 and Darkwatch, and consoles like the Phantom and the PSP. Hidden away in the basement area, Kentia Hall, a game called Nexus: The Jupiter Incident was being shown. It featured stunning graphics and seemed like it was made exclusively for fans of the space genre. The game’s creation went through a lot of problems, though, and a release was looking grim.

Originally, when it was going to be developed by Mithis and published by CDV, the game was called Imperium Galactica 3. Later, it became known as Galaxy Andromeda. Finally, the game with a million names found its way to the publisher HDi, and it was given its final name change.

The strategy game consists of detailed ships, from small fighter/bombers to large capital ships, battling against stunning space vistas. I was in awe of the game and spent many nights playing until the wee hours of the morning, much to my wife’s dismay. I had always assumed there would be a Nexus 2, but slow sales hurt its chances. A video had been released showing what was planned for Nexus 2, and it can be seen at the top of this post. It gave the fans hope even though the chances of success were slim. In the middle of last year, that changed.

The announcement came that the developer Most Wanted Entertainment was looking for investors to get Nexus 2 going. A potential release date is still up in the air. Nexus 2‘s fate is all dependent on pre-order totals through GamesPlant. If the game doesn’t end up getting released this year, you may be seeing a repeat of this post in 2013.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments

Mass Effect 3. I’m not going to sugar coat it, or pretty it up with words. My most anticipated game of 2012 is, hands down, Mass Effect 3. Why the plain reveal? I feel ME3 is a very popular “most anticipated game” choice, and chances are, you are already feeling anything I could describe. I don’t want to leave you with nothing, though, so I’m going to change it up and report on my most anticipated gaming… thing of 2012.

Handheld gaming has always had a special place in my heart. From the original GameBoy and Game Gear to those awful single button Tiger Electronic games, I’ve always had something to keep me busy during long trips. As I grew older, my tastes matured, and my handheld consoles followed suit. I remember being a college freshman when the GameBoy Advanced SP came out. I took a bus to the local WalMart and bought it on release day. I eventually upgraded to the PSP and spent the next few years bouncing back and forth from Sony to Nintendo.

While I decided to skip the 3DS last year, I could not be more excited for the PlayStation Vita. When news of its dual touchscreens first spread, I was skeptical. The dual analog sticks, incredible visuals, and PS3 connectivity won me over, though, and I have been counting the days to its release in February.

Handheld gaming has evolved in the last few years thanks to better smart phones. Having access to some Xbox Live games on my Windows Phone 7 has been great for short trips and lunch breaks. I’ve always preferred to have a dedicated device for my gaming, though, and for 2012, the PlayStation Vita is going to be that device.

© Michael Smith for The Adrenaline Vault, 2012. | Permalink | No comment(s)