Sine Mora To Feature Mechanical Designs By Prominent Anime Creator
Sine Mora, the colourful dieselpunk shoot em’ up by created by Digital Reality and Grasshopper Manufacture, is one of the most visually stunning titles coming to Xbox Live to date. Beyond its intensifying, high-flying gameplay, much of Sine Mora’s greatness is thanks to the intricately designed boss battles derived from the very concept work of famous anime creator, Mahiro Maeda who’s various credits include directing Blue Submarine No. 6, Final Fantasy: Unlimited and The Animatrix , as well as designing art for Neon Genesis Evangelion, Magic User’s Club and many more.
Coming exclusively to XBLA, Sine Mora provides a unique take on the shoot em’ up genre, where time is always the key factor. Intertwining classic shooter sensibilities with next-gen presentation, Sine Mora is a beautiful title that appeals to both hardcore and casual gamers alike. Sine Mora features over 60 combinations of planes, characters and time manipulation devices to complete every intricately-crafted stage with increasing difficulty. All of this is set to an epic score of soaring heights, composed by Akira Yamaoka, acclaimed for his works on Shadows of the Damned and the Silent Hill series.
Epic Games On The Xbox 720
With the ever building noise surrounding the Xbox 360′s eventual successor, even Epic Games, developer behind the Gears Of War series and creator of the Unreal Engine has reached out and had their say in all this.
Founder of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney stated that they are investing heavily with their engine, as well as game development for the next generation of console technology and games:
“With every console transition, people ask if there will be another console transition or another successful console platform. We are betting big that there will be. If you look at games like Call of Duty and Gears of War, it’s clear that console is the pinnacle of the gaming experience. so we are investing heavily with our engine and game development efforts for the next generation of console technology and games. But at the same time, we actually see this wonderful thing happening where the mobile platform and web platforms are getting to the point where they can run a AAA game. One consistent game engine technology can run across console, PC, mobile and web games. We’re really happy with that position. It lets game developers target lots of different platforms. We have shipped Infinity Blade of iOS. We have announced a new game Fortnite for an entirely different audience, more casual. It appeals to a wider audience than a hardcore game like Gears of War. We are branching out, but we tie it all together with AAA production values.”
Sweeney continues:
“The longevity of this console generation has been a mixed blessing. On the game side, it’s been really great for our business. We have been able to ship three Gears of War games on the same generation of hardware, each one with dramatic improvements over the last and a two to three-year development cycle. So it’s been a very good thing for a game business today. With each new title, there is a bigger and bigger Xbox 360 installed base of users, so the games can sell more. On the other hand, it gets harder to generate the same excitement from the same hardware. That is when the new hardware is justified. But then you reset the installed base to zero and it’s a lot harder to sell a lot of games again. So you should only replace the hardware when you can make a dramatic leap in quality, not just 2X or 3X. It has to be huge and fundamentally new.
If you create awesome technology for the wrong platform, then nobody will ever adopt it. Epic in general has always tried to be really savvy on the business side. We look at the business models and changing trends and try to stay on top of them. If you look at Epic, we began as a shareware game company in the 1990s making really tiny games. Then we pulled together into one huge team and created the first Unreal game. At that point, we needed to build a huge game to compete with the likes of id Software. We changed our company dramatically to do that. Around 2004, we decided the game industry’s sweet spot was moving to consoles. So we made the transition from a PC game company to a console game company with Gears of War. Now we see new changes afoot with the move to mobile and web gaming with Adobe Flash. So we put together business relationships with Apple and Adobe and other folks to do what we need for the future.”
With some luck, this latest comment from Epic Games will spawn a host of unique opinions about the Xbox 720 from some of the other big names out there so be sure so keep checking in for all the latest updates.
Final Fantasy Creator To Speak At Midlands Comic Con
World famous videogame developer, director and producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the massively popular Final Fantasy series, will be attending the MCM Midlands Comic Con in Telford on 18 February. He will be talking about his career and latest project – Nintendo’s critically-acclaimed The Last Story for Wii ahead of its UK launch next month.
An icon within the gaming industry, Sakaguchi is not only the founder of the epic Final Fantasy franchise, but has produced a number of great titles including Lost Odyssey; Vagrant Story; Xenogears; Chrono Trigger and Kingdom Hearts. His newest game, The Last Story, a huge fantasy tale that sees the player take charge of a band of mercenaries as they explore and battle their way across Lazulis Island, the heart of an empire filled with hardship and strife.
Become the Legend that never dies in the UK’s SoulCalibur V tournament
As SoulCalibur V releases next month, Namco Bandai have decided that the games arrival will be the perfect time to find just who is king at SoulCalibur V in the UK.
Those who want the chance for bragging rights (and of course “exciting prizes”) can sign up at the SoulCalibur V launch party at The Chapel Bar in Islington from 12-6pm on Saturday 4th February. Admittance to the tournament will be on a first-come- first-served basis, with a limit of 200 players. And of course, if you need some liquid courage there will be a “limited free bar.”
This will all lead the best players qualifying to take part in the UK finals on March 16th, with the winner awarded the grand distinction of taking part in the European finals in London.
For those who can’t make it to the SoulCalibur V meetup but want to check out their potential online opposition or just want to watch at home, Namco Bandai will be streaming selected matches at http://www.twitch.tv/namcobandaiuk.
It’s not just all about finding the best SoulCalibur V player in the UK though, as Madcatz will be demonstrating their SoulCalibur V Soul Edition arcade sticks and showcasing top UK and French players Ryan Hart (Prodigal Son) and Marie-Laure Norindr (Kayane) skills via giving out tips and taking part in exhibition matches.
The stage of History will be set when SoulCalibur V is released on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the UK on February 3rd 2012.
CES 2012 Gaming Report from the Sony Keynote
While we don’t come to CES necessarily expecting big news in the gaming world, it’s hard not to look to the big reveals of previous years such as the NES and the original Xbox. You can’t help but hope for something big each time the annual CES press conferences come round.
Not to mention that this is Microsofts last year at CES so maybe the stakes are slightly higher this time since they may want to go out on a bang!
Here at Push-Start, we’re focused on the gaming side of CES 2012, so don’t come expecting to find out the latest on 3D Tv’s and HD Camcorders, instead come to read the content that matters to you, the gamer. You’ll find two articles, one for the Sony Keynote, and one for the Microsoft Keynote. Below, you’ll find the Sony wrap up, head over here for the Microsoft one.
Sony Roundup
Many of Sony’s announcements this year CES were, as expected, technology and entertainment focused. New applications and services were at the forefront, especially in reference to the Playstation Vita. So, without further ado, here’s a roundup of what went down at the Keynote for gamers.
Music Unlimited will be arriving for Playstation Vita on Day One. Music Unlimited for the PS Vita will offer a service that combines a number of aspects from other popular music services such as iTunes (iCloud), Spotify and Last FM. Artist recommendations as well as music that is instantly accessible on all platforms will allow users of the PS Vita to access their music library wherever they go, another plus for the 3G version.
Netflix will also be heading to the Playstation Vita in the US (though we expect it to follow to other territories soon as Netflix has just launched in the UK), with Sony again aiming for a day one release. Details are scarce at the moment, though expect a similar service to that on the iPhone and Android Netflix App. It is unconfirmed whether this will require a WiFi connection, or if it will support 3G connections also, as the mobile app currently does.
The Playstation Certified programme was brought to the forefront again with discussion of the new Sony Tablets including the dual screen Sony Tablet P. The scheme brings playstation content to new Sony devices such as Playstation 1 classics. This was seen last year with the Sony Xperia Play device.And that brings Sony’s announcements to a close. Not a huge pull for gamers, but a few important announcements and precedents show that Sony are open for more ‘Apps’ and services for the PS Vita, especially when it comes to entertainment possibilities, it’s certainly looking like the handheld will have a strong feature set when it launches 22nd February.
Not to feel left out, the Playstation 3 will be getting a new Video Editing application called PlayMemories Studio. This tool will allow you to use your controller to edit together photos and video clips. Other features such as YouTube upload are expected, but have not been announced. Hopefully the application will feature an intuitive interface allowing everyone to get to grips with what generally is seen as a complicated process. This service will also be available on the PS Vita, as well as many other connected Sony devices such as their Android phones, Tablets, HD TV’s and even their Vaio Laptop line.
The Playstation Vita can be pre-ordered from a number of retailers, so be sure to get your order in to get yours when it’s released later next month.
E3 2012: The Console Wars
According to MCV, all three of the next generation consoles are to appear at this year’s E3 event… let the next battle begin! Now we knew a while back that we could expect to see Nintendo’s Wii U to show its face but to see the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3’s successors make an appearance this year will be a real treat. To put some perspective on how huge this is, in the 17 year history of E3, 2012’s event will be the first year ever to showcase three rival consoles at the same time.
It’s been rumoured for a while that Microsoft had planned to reveal their next generation console at this year’s E3 but MCV’s third-party publishing sources has confirmed that the firm had signalled to its partners that this will happen. The real surprise however is Sony’s reaction. Executives at the PlayStation firm have made it clear that they will not be left behind this time.
Nobody really know what sort of detail will be revealed for either of the new consoles but we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that, whatever is announced, that it will be music to our collective ears.
GOTY Winner Skyrim Ships 10 Million Worldide
It has surfaced that a staggering 10 million units of Bethesda Softworks’ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have been shipped across the globe for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, accumulating approximately $650 (£400) million in sales since its release on November 11. The PC version of Skyrim in North America outsold all other PC games by a factor of over three to one in the month of its release. Large retail orders across all platforms and record-breaking digital sales reflect the ongoing global demand by consumers excited to explore and experience this extraordinary fantasy epic.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has already adorned over 20 ‘Game of the Year’ awards from major outlets worldwide, including winning the top honor of Game of the Year at the 2011 Video Game Awards which are voted on by a panel of editors from the industry’s most respected magazines and websites. In addition, Skyrim has received ‘GOTY’ awards from numerous other game critics, which, to date include such respected media outlets as G4TV, Official Xbox Magazine and Machinima.com. Skyrim was named ‘Most -Played Game of 2011’ by Raptr, based on research data which confirms its highly popular gameplay experience.
“We are gratified that Skyrim continues to garner high review scores and accolades around the world,” said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. “We are most grateful to our fans for their support and enthusiasm for the game, and their love of the hundreds of hours of gameplay it offers. We continue to strive to deliver the highest quality entertainment experience for everyone. 2012 will be another huge year for our fans, with the release of the Creation Kit, as well as exciting DLC which will add to the richness of this epic adventure.”
“Skyrim is the fastest selling title in Steam’s history” said Jason Holtman, Director of Business Development at Valve Corporation. “Bethesda’s commitment to and understanding of the PC as a gaming platform shows in the great review scores, spectacular launch, and continued high player numbers that the game has received. We are delighted that Bethesda chose to use Steamworks to support Skyrim both at retail and digitally.”
To date, Skyrim has received well over 200 perfect review scores worldwide, earning the highest praise from some of the industry’s most influential critics including: G4TV, GameSpy, Wired, Eurogamer, Destructoid, GamePro, Official Xbox Magazine, Joystiq, The Guardian, Famitsu and GamesRadar.
Japan Gets Long Overdue Zelda Bling
With the epic release of Nintendos The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword fans were nicely greeted with the option to buy a limited edition golden Wii Remote . However, any gamer knows that almost every game on thew Wii including Skyward Sword (voted SpikeVGA’s Best Motion Game) isn’t played with the Wii Remote alone. Now the lucky Club Nintendo members of Japan can finally own a golden Nunchuk controller to complete the set. Earlier this year, Nintendo raised the idea of a gold Nunchuk, however, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime firmly stated, “We looked into it. It was a little more bling than I think the average consumer was looking for.”
I’m crossing my fingers for the global release of the nunchuk but for now as far as controller modding goes, ill have to make do with my plain old Wii Remote.
Metal Gear Rising’s Director Already Having to Pacify Angry Fans
The man leading development on the up and coming Metal Gear Rising, Atsushi Inaba, seemed as if he had saved him and his team from any angry mobs after the release of the latest stunning trailer at the VGA’s over the weekend.
However, despite the great production values and developer track record involved, many Metal Gear fans aren’t happy with the frenzied action shown throughout Rising’s trailer, prompting Inaba to take to Twitter in a bid to falter this uprising by issuing the following statement:
“Let me begin.
It seems there are some who wish to imply PlatinumGames was able to achieve what Kojima Productions could not – interviewers among them.
This notion is spurious. Clearly, we have not yet produced any results in the world of Metal Gear.
The artists at Kojima Productions gave their blood, sweat and tears to bring the Metal Gear Saga to life.
The gap is immense. Mr. Kojima tossed his chips on our table, believing we could handle the task. In other words, he took a gamble.
Many seem to think the change from MGSR to MGR altered everything about the game, but this is simply not true.
MGSR’s concept excited us. We have love and respect for it, as we do the character of Raiden and the idea of freely cutting anything apart.
I know reaction to the new trailer is mixed. Yet I also believe our love and respect shines through.
It is my hope that you catch a glimpse of the future in the footage.
In order to achieve that evolution, that future, we at PlatinumGames will continue to fight, shedding our own blood, sweat and tears.
That is all.”
It seems Inaba is standing firm on this one, and I honestly don’t believe anyone should try and stop him. As one of the former big names up at Capcom, and one of the key developers at PlatinumGames (known for their sword-swinging action-packed titles such as Vanquish, Bayonetta, MadWorld etc) – Atsushi Inaba is without a doubt the man to bring Hideo Kojima’s legendary franchise back to life and in as much style as possible
PlayStation Vita Rooms Coming To The UK
PlayStation are once again back on the road bringing “Vita Rooms” to cities across the UK where you and your mates can get full hands on action with PS Vita’s Dual Analogue sticks, magnificent OLED screen, front and rear touch panels and Augmented Reality capabilities. These rooms will also be equipped with the latest and greatest in handheld gaming software too, including the highly anticipated Uncharted: Golden Abyss, FIFA 12, Reality Fighters, MotorStorm RC, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Little Deviants, Escape Plan, Super Stardust and Wipeout 2048.
Staff will be on hand at the Vita Rooms to answer any and all questions you have about the Vita, and if you’re lucky you may even get the chance to meet some of the developers behind these great games.
The Vita Rooms will be launching at 63 Deansgate in Manchester from Friday 13th – Wednesday 18th January, the spaces will then continue to Glasgow, Birmingham and London throughout January and February 2012.
For more information visit their Facebook here or if you’re the tweeting type; twitter.com/PSAccess
