]]> http://mediabreach.com/2011/06/27/bit-breach-2-e3-bugaloo/feed/ 3 http://mediabreach.com/2010/03/30/gaming-news-littlebigincredibles/ http://mediabreach.com/2010/03/30/gaming-news-littlebigincredibles/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:29:35 +0000 Adam http://mediabreach.com/?p=2943 [...]]]>

I know that our general coverage of video games around these parts is usually limited to reviews, but we’re always looking to expand our coverage at the Breach.¬† At the same time, it’s our website and we can report on whatever we want, can’t we?¬† So what brings on this foray into gaming news territory?¬† The marriage of beloved Breach favorites LittleBigPlanet and Pixar, that’s what.

As reported on the Playstation Blog, a huge level kit and costume pack featuring content from Disney and Pixar’s The Incredibles will be available on April 8.¬†¬† The pack will feature all of the Incredibles (including the blue-costumed Mr. Incredible) as well as Frozone, Syndrome and Edna Mode.¬† Also included will be a level kit that will highlight some Incredibles landmarks and props from the film.¬† Hit up the Playstation Blog for the rest of the details on the entire pack.

Being a huge LittleBigPlanet fan, and and even bigger Incredibles fan, this is pretty awesome news and I will be getting this downloadable content the day it comes out.  If you have no idea what the hell a LittleBigPlanet is, check this link out, go buy yourself a Playstation 3 and the game and thank me later.

Plot details have been intentionally vague at this point, but what we do know is that it revolves around ‘The Origami Killer’ and developer Quantic Dream has said the game is about unconditional love and choice.¬† The demo in which I played gives you two different scenarios to play through: one being a scene with private dick Scott Shelby and the other being FBI agent Norman Jayden.¬† Shelby’s scene is basically his attempt to question a prostitute named Lauren who has lost her son.¬† Everything in this game is basically about timed button pressing sequences.¬† On the surface it would appear that it’s like a really long, drawn out God of War boss fight, but really there is alot more control. From removing your inhaler from your pocket (Shelby is asthmatic) to leaning on a bed frame while talking to Lauren, it’s all done through contextual button pressing.¬† To walk in the game, you have to hold down R2.¬† It’s reminiscent of the old tank style controls of Resident Evil but after familiarizing myself with it, I had no problem.¬† I can see this being an issue for some though and it will likely turn people off completely.¬† The fixed camera can get a little wonky at times but is usually fixed by switching angles with R1.

Shelby’s scene shows off more of the interactive dialogue and what the combat is going to be like in Heavy Rain.¬† After playing through Mass Effect 1 and 2, the conversational flow and options are certainly not as advanced. ¬†But they’re better than most games.¬† The fight at the end of Shelby’s scene involving some asshole john was actually really cool and is definitely like a really REALLY long God of War boss ending sequence.¬† From swishing the sticks up and to the left, to mashing the buttons (and in some cases holding them down) it got pretty intense fast. ¬†And to those not familiar with a Playstation controller, this could end up extremely confusing at first.

Norman Jayden’s scene opens with him driving to a crime scene. ¬†We can see that he’s clearly struggling with some sort of addiction, although I’m sure we’ll get more information when the retail copy is out.¬† This section of the demo detailed the investigative aspect of the game and it is certainly a slick-looking one.¬† Norman has a pair of futuristic shades that he puts on to examine the crime scene. ¬†Tapping R1 will do a pulse scan of a 10 meter radius.¬† If there’s a clue, an icon will pop up and you can investigate it.¬† There are also options to tap into your inner thought process as well, holding L2 will bring up a list of things that your character is thinking about which you can access at your discretion.

The button pressing can get really complex at times, things as simple as walking up a muddy hill in the rain can require you eventually holding down nearly all the buttons simultaneously.¬† There’s functionality to it though and it doesn’t seem unnecessary and didn’t frustrate me personally.¬† The game looks outstanding on the graphical front.¬† It really showcases the power of the Playstation 3; from the downpour of rain, which is constantly beating down on you, to the fantastic way the environments are lit, and of course the immaculately detailed characters.¬† I was a little disappointed that its native output is 720p and not 1080p, but obviously I can overlook that.¬† Uncharted runs at 720p and looks gorgeous, so no big deal.

The voice acting on the other hand…not so great.¬† A game like this absolutely needs the voice work to be top notch, especially with games like Uncharted out there destroying the competition on this front.¬† It sounds stilted and you can definitely tell that none of the actors were even near each other when they recorded their dialogue.¬† Quantic Dream should’ve paid more attention to how Naughty Dog (Uncharted) did things with their actors because I feel like I’m losing something in the translation when it sounds so canned like this.¬† Some of the cheese that’s in the lines can be ignored because this is a take on film noir after all.¬† Even with that major gripe, I cannot wait to get my hands on a retail copy of this game.¬† Heavy Rain looks to break new ground by creating something that is truly a marriage between a game and cinema.¬† I’ve never seen something like this work, and it looks like (spotty voice acting aside) this could be the game that does it.¬† Hopefully this is the game that opens the door to all of those film buffs out there that don’t play games.¬† Check out the video of the Scott Shelby scene below!

This story broke earlier today right here but we waited to post this until it was confirmed by Sony which it has been.¬†¬† Apparently Sam Raimi pulled out of the movie because he couldn’t promise to meet the summer 2011 release date without the film being compromised creatively. ¬†I wasn’t really surprised that Raimi bailed on Spidey 4 as there’s been shit flying back and forth between him and the studio for months now.¬† I had a feeling Raimi would do this but what I am definitely surprised about is that Sony is choosing to ditch everyone and reboot the entire thing.

Normally you save a reboot for the most extreme circumstances.¬† A film franchise should be either¬† completely in the shitter (Batman) or have been lying dormant for ages in order to warrant a complete do-over.¬†¬† Being a somewhat cynical guy, I can only imagine the damage they’re going to do to this property by letting a talented guy like Raimi get away over what was essentially a power struggle.¬† But they don’t pay me the big bucks to make these decisions and I can guarantee you that’s exactly what all this was about- the fucking money.¬† Sony can get whatever hack director in there that will do whatever they ask him to do, and it’s still going to make them a shitload in the end.¬† It’ll likely be a big name director but someone they can keep on a leash.¬†¬† What’s Brett Ratner doing these days?

As for Peter Parker himself, the possibilities are endless.¬† Personally I’m hoping they cast Jonah Hill and then get Uwe Boll to direct.¬† Throw in Miley Cyrus as Mary Jane Watson (and providing the soundtrack) and you got yourself a fucking slab of cash.¬†¬†¬† All signs point to this unnecessary reboot being in 3D and will most likely have more in common with a Mountain Dew commercial than a Spider-Man flick.¬† Ok maybe I’m being a bit too negative here since I have no idea what Sony will actually do, but consider me extremely cautious.

Here’s the press release from Sony:

Culver City, CA (January 11, 2010) — Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012. Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.

‚ÄúA decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We‚Äôre very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter’s roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning,‚Äù said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job,” said Sam Raimi.

“We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade.This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else’s hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable,” said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio’s chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. “Now everything begins anew, and that’s got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can’t wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012.”

“Spider-Man will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. “We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films and as we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen.”

The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.