 Games? For The PS2? Balderdash!
Posted Friday, May 4, 2001 by Janitor Jim
For the first time in a while, Sony is announcing that they themselves will actually release some games for their so-far-disappointing system. The Magic Box is showing a list of what games the electronics mogul will be releasing for it's fancy DVD player. While a few of the games they're showing are for the arm-chair quarterbacks and curling masters of the gaming world, they announced a few surprises- one of those being Namco's Klonoa 2. A visual orgasm of LSD-induced proportions, Sony bringing this kooky old-school platformer to the US seems like a dream-come-true to those wishing GameFan had never died; you've probably played a game incredibly similar to this one a hundred times ten years ago. Also in the list are the previously-unannounced for US shores titles The Getaway and Drakan (both coming from Europe). While I'm sure at least two of you played Drakan when it came out for the PC last year, the mere mention of the titles should be at least somewhat comforting to those wishing they had some games to play on the box they sold most of the fluids coming out of their body for. They're also showing some weird "Gran Turismo" game, which leads me to wonder why they keep putting that funny talk in games. Goofy foreign-type words better not be in the fourty-two rasslin' games from THQ, or I'll have to break out mah shotgun. Noticably lacking, however, is any mention of Sony's mysterious "ICO," the game that was shown last year and then promptly forgotten about. E3 is shaping up to be a big one this year, with actual mystery regarding the event, although it's unlikely something as monumental as the Metal Gear Solid 2 trailer will be shown. The GameCube and Xbox showings should be impressive, as may be the GP32 if it actually shows up, and Portal Runner from 3DO is sure to excite former-Daily Radar readers everywhere with it's inclusion of new, and exciting, breasts.
 Tecmo, Microsoft Flirt, But No Bunga-Bunga Yet
Posted Friday, May 4, 2001 by Mr. Nevermore
In more Xbox related news, much as I do on days they serve Jell-o in the cafeteria, Microsoft has gone on the offensive and prejudicially secured a firm grasp on the bouncy stuff. The folks over at Tecmo have reportedly signed a deal with Microsoft in order to make Dead or Alive 3 an Xbox exclusive. However, according to FGN Online and Tecmo's president, Jinji Nakamura, Tecmo is far from becoming another Microsoft subsidiary. While selling out to a higher power does have its advantages- for instance, your game is guaranteed to run among the big dogs- Tecmo is not about to be tied down. Citing a Newsweek Japan article, FGNO quoted Nakamura as saying, "Under the current market conditions, we rank the PlayStation 2 as the most important platform for us, then Gamecube, and lastly Xbox. For Microsoft, it all comes down to how many developers they can win over, and that remains to be seen." Does this mean that we can expect a comparable version of the Xbox sequel to be released for the PS2, perhaps under another name? Let's hope so. Mr. Nevermore ever so loves the bouncy stuff.
Microsoft Lends Money, Hoards Licenses to Make the Xbox "The One"
Posted Wednesday, May 2, 2001 by Mr. Nevermore
Early in the development of the Xbox game console, many substantiated rumors pointed to Microsoft going "shopping" for developers like a kid in a toy store. The greedy child propositioned the likes of Konami, Capcom, and Squaresoft in the hopes that he could buy something he could take home and wave under his friends' noses. However, unimpressed, the Japanese game developers reportedly responded to Micro$oft's honorless intentions with responses of, "baka mitai," "omae wa mukatsuku wa," and "warawaseru na, ahou," respectively. However, American companies are not so scrupulous, especially when they're hurting for cash. Under the guise of a big brother helping out a developer strapped for funds, Microsoft has essentially secured exclusive rights to the first round of The Matrix based games for its upcoming Xbox game console. According to IGN PS2, Big Brother has lent financially ailing Interplay 5 million dollars to use towards securing exclusive rights for producing games based on the 1999 cult hit. Included in the "up against the wall and spread 'em" contract are the following stipulations: - Interplay must publish the Matrix game no later than three months after the debut of "The Matrix 2" movie, due in summer 2002.
- Interplay must spend at least $500,000 of said money developing online features only for the Xbox version.
- Interplay must repay the $5 million by June 30, 2003, through $20-per-unit royalties on the sale of the Matrix game and four other games in North America.
- Also reportedly included in the deal was reduced royalty fees for games published for Xbox. Interplay will now pay between a $5 and $7 per unit royalty fee for Xbox software. This is about $3 to $5 less than it would pay for Sony royalty fees.
It's unclear whether the ten plagues of Egypt are involved should Interplay fail to comply. I expect the developers over at Interplay need not fear for their first born, though, unless of course we send Leng over for an interview. The name recognition sales alone should be astronomical, and this in turn may help to sell a few Xboxes. However, given the fact that movie to licensed game conversions are historically proven to have made Moses' people cry, you won't find Mr. Nevermore slipping his desk restraints to jump in line on release day.
| |  Fists Were Flying
Posted Tuesday, May 1, 2001 by Mr. Lemming
IGN reports on leaks from Nintendo that indicate a sequel to the popular mascot fighting game Super Smash Brothers is in development for the Gamecube. The game is expected to be playable at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo where more details will be revealed. This, of course means The Corporation's console game coverage of the show has now been reduced to one game. Perhaps coverage will be expanded to cover two games if Wave Race on the Gamecube is playable. I personally apologize in advance, but it is for your own good... really. Nintendo shows they knows what they are doing by introducing a good party game as addictive as the sweet sweet nectar that is alcohol early on in the system's existence. More people will be playing the game on one system, more people will want the system, thus more systems will sell. Yamauchi is crazy like a fox!
Also to be seen at E3 is Tecmo's Dead or Alive 3, which recently was announced as an X-Box exclusive. The press release contains standard press release comments such as: "We have great plans for DEAD OR ALIVE 3," said John Inada, Marketing Director at Tecmo Inc. "Thanks to the incredible graphic and sound capabilities of the Xbox, DEAD OR ALIVE 3 will set a new standard for fighting games. When gamers get the chance to see it at E3, I'm sure they'll agree that nothing comes close to it." It is odd that Tecmo did not use the same marketing tactics as seen with the PSX version of Dead or Alive, such as "Available only on Dead or Alive: Beautiful Women" or "The women are total knockouts." Are the X-Box's "incredible graphic and sound capabilities" not capable of beautiful women and breast physic algorithms? I will make like a Nintendo representative and say, "All will be revealed at E3."
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