The Good, The Bad & The Ugly News Report 05.25.09: New Metal Gear, Metroid Prime Trilogy, OnLive and More!

Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 05.25.2009

This week we get details on a possible Metal Gear announcement at E3, OnLive skipping E3, Metroid Prime Trilogy coming to Wii and more!

Welcome to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly News Report. Once again I am Armando Rodriguez and these are your news! First of all, I have been very busy gaming-wise this week as I continued my Road to the Show career with a shortstop and finally hit my first homerun! After a measly 277 at bats! Go me! Anyway, besides that I also got my hands on UFC Undisputed 2009 and as many things as it does right, it left me very disappointed. Too many flash knockouts, the CPU is almost impossible to submit and there is plenty of lag online. It is a very good game, but it could have been a lot better. Also there is too much menu navigation in the career mode, which is a real drag. But what really killed me this week was a little PC game called Stalin vs Martians (thank you Ramon!) which is so bad; it killed half my brain cells in the first five minutes. Expect a full review very soon; just be aware that due to business ethic, I will not use profanity in my review, although it is well deserved. If you really hate somebody, give this game as a gift to them, trust me, it is satisfying vengeance.

Now, on to the news!

Biggest News of the Week: New Metal Gear Coming Soon

Konami has been mercilessly teasing gamers with its upcoming Kojima Productions-related announcement. Following a two-page teaser ad taken out in last week's Famitsu, the publisher launched a teaser site proclaiming that a big reveal was in store for May 18. When that date rolled around on Monday, however, gamers were greeted with a new countdown timer--which is set to expire at 6 p.m. PDT today--as well as a cryptic block character that could just as easily be an "S" as a "5."

Now, despite Konami's efforts to keep gamers on edge, it appears as if the publisher's grand scheme has been trumped by an advertisement for the July issue of Famitsu PSP + PS3. According to the online database of 7&Y, better known as the Japanese wing of convenience-store chain 7-11, the cover story for the PlayStation-focused magazine will be a "new Metal Gear." The magazine is expected to go on sale May 30.

Konami had not responded to requests for comment on whether the Metal Gear title in question relates to its current teaser campaign. The listing also does not indicate whether the new title will be for Sony's flagship console or the PSP, which has seen such system-exclusive titles as Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

Given the Sony-specific nature of the magazine, the listing also calls into question recent rumors that indicate that Konami's impending announcement pertains to an Xbox 360 edition of the publisher's top-rated Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The game--titled Metal Gear Solid 4 + Oxide--was said to be Microsoft's show-stopper during its Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference, which takes place on June.
Credit: Gamespot.com

I am getting my own game? Sweet!

GOOD: After the sheer awesomeness of Metal Gear 4, rumors about a new Metal Gear based on Raiden and the events prior of MSG4 started circulating and I guess they are about to come true. I don't think it is a new PSP game *that would not be a show-stealing announcement* nor an Xbox 360 port of MSG4 *after all, didn't Kojima said they would need something like a dozen 360 discs to port it to 360?* so it seems PS3 owners can rejoice about another exclusive title.

Metroid Prime Trilogy Coming This Summer!

While Nintendo fans are looking to the company's press briefing at next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo with hopes of new game announcements, the Wii maker today padded its release list by one more game. Or three, depending on how one looks at it.

Nintendo today announced Metroid Prime Trilogy for release on the Wii in North America. The compilation will include 2007's current-generation debut of the space-faring adventure franchise--Metroid Prime 3: Corruption--as well as revamps of the series' two GameCube installments on a single disc. Originally released in 2002, Metroid Prime brought the series into 3D to overwhelming acclaim, and was followed up two years later by the similarly lauded Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Both the original Prime and Echoes will be updated with motion controls along the lines of those featured in Corruption. The two games will also support widescreen displays, and players will be able to unlock art and music by achieving a number of in-game objectives.

The first two Metroid Prime games have been included in Nintendo's Japanese "Wii de Asobu" line, a series of GameCube ports making their way West as the New Play Control line. The announcement leaves only two titles from the Wii de Asobu line that have yet to be confirmed for North American release: Pikmin 2 (released in Japan in March) and Chibi Robo (set for a Japanese debut in June).

Metroid Prime Trilogy is set for an August 24 release with a retail price of $49.99.
Credit:Gamespot.com

Coming to a Wii near you!

GOOD: This is what Nintendo should do with Gamecube titles and the "All-Play Control" ideas: create bundles instead of selling us one old game with a few new tricks. I really love this idea and I enjoyed the first two Metroid Prime titles on Gamecube and for what I have heard, the Wii Metroid is also awesome, so this looks like a must-buy game. However, Nintendo better have a BRAND NEW game from one of their top franchises (Mario, Metroid, Zelda, etc.) announced at E3 or Wii owners will riot.

Haunted House Simulator Coming To Wii

Tecmo's Fatal Frame for the Wii may be out of the picture, but horror-loving North American Nintendo fans have another title to look forward to. Xseed Games today announced that it will be bringing over AQ Interactive's Ju-on: The Grudge for an October release.

Developed by FeelPlus (which previously assisted on the development of Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360 and Blue Dragon Plus for DS), The Grudge is a "haunted house simulator" with an emphasis on accessibility and quick scares. As an example, while one player explores the game's dingy environments using the Wii Remote as a flashlight, a friend can grab a second controller to trigger in-game scares.

"Ju-on: The Grudge makes quick scares accessible to anyone with a Wii," said Xseed president Jun Iwasaki in a statement. "Players can even hand the Wii Remote to their mother and enjoy watching her play and get scared."

Lending the project some authenticity will be Takashi Shimizu, creator of the Ju-on series and director/writer on most of the films. Shimizu is working with the developer as a creative consultant on the Wii game.
Credit: Gamespot.com

GOOD: I really don't know what to make of this announcement, but if it's matured themed it could be good. However, there is not much information on the game. How does it work? Is there a story? I guess we will get more details in the coming weeks, so if you are a horror fan, keep your eyes open for this title.

Watchmen Games to be Included in Director's Cut Blu-Ray

Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced parts 1 and 2 of Watchmen: The End is Nigh will be included on the Blu-Ray release of Watchmen: The Director's Cut. The End is Nigh Part 1 was released in March to mediocre reviews: it has an average press score of 5.6. Part 2 will still be available as a standalone download from the PlayStation Network.

The game and film hybrid disc of Watchmen: The Director's Cut will be released in July.
Credit: IGN.com

Free Watchmen games in the Blu-Ray release

GOOD: The first game was a disappointment, but getting free stuff is never bad. Two bonus games inside the movie blu-ray *I guess they can be playable on the PS3 only* is a nice incentive to buy the Blu-Ray version over the DVD. I hope other movie franchises take advantage of this medium to do stuff like that. After all, many of the Blu-Ray specific special features in recent releases have been mediocre at best.

OnLive Will Skip E3

OnLive set the industry atwitter when it unveiled its on-demand game-streaming service during this year's Game Developers Conference. By way of a PC and Mac software application or small TV plug-in device, OnLive promises to deliver new, top-tier titles from publishers such as Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Take-Two directly to gamers. However, many questions remain as to whether or not OnLive will deliver on its market-disrupting potential.

Unforutnately, answers to those questions won't be coming out of the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo. In a post to the company's official blog, OnLive chief operating officer Mike McGarvey confirmed that his company would be skipping the Entertainment Software Association's annual event, and in the process derided the retail economic model that has thus far defined the gaming industry.

"Due to a number of different factors...the currently available distribution methods for video games present extreme challenges for developers and publishers," wrote McGarvey. "This isn't a new development by any means. For years, industry experts have been monitoring and predicting this outcome."

The former Eidos CEO went on to note that while development and distribution costs have skyrocketed in recent years, the retail price of games has remained relatively unchanged. The stagnant price point, he said, is further aggravated by piracy and game trade-ins, creating a situation in which it is incredibly difficult for publishers and developers to turn a profit on their products. This situation, McGarvey then quite naturally noted, is one that his company hopes to alleviate.

"We will be delivering the same top video games titles exclusively through broadband Internet, in the same release window they are available in retail, but with significant economic, convenience, and feature benefits to both publishers and gamers," he continued. "And, this is the main reason why OnLive won't have a booth at E3 this year. More than anything, E3 is a retail-oriented conference, both for retail platforms and retail publishers, and OnLive is neither."

OnLive is currently undergoing closed beta testing, with an open beta period planned for this summer. The service's full commercial launch is expected this winter. For more information on OnLive, check out GameSpot's extensive rundown of the service from this year's GDC.
Credit: Gamespot.com

Is OnLive The Future?

BAD: I think E3 was a perfect opportunity for OnLive to show consumers first hand how everything will work with their video-game service. I still believe OnLive will be a failure, I do not think gamers and consumers are ready to adopt a download-only video-game system. First of all, you will need a fast internet connection and I don't think this sort of technology is common in American households. At least in Puerto Rico broadband internet is pretty expensive ($25 a month for 1MB) and with the current economy I don't think people can afford to not only pay for a fast internet connection, but also pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee to get access to the games and then pay yet another fee for the game they want to buy. Download only is the future, but I still believe that future is not right now. OnLive is trying something that I believe will fail right now, but will be standard fare in the next 10 years. Let's just wait and see if I am wrong on this one.

Rockstar Founders Form a New Studio

Sam and Dan Houser may be the two most high-profile names to be associated with Rockstar Games, but the house that Grand Theft Auto built was actually founded by five people in total. Today, two of those founders--Jamie King and Gary Foreman--announced that they would be joining forces with former Image Metrics general manager Nicholas Perrett and NBC executive Paul Coyne to form a new development studio, 4mm Games.

King and Foreman will hold the positions of president and chief technical officer, respectively, at 4mm. Together, the two contributed to such acclaimed Rockstar franchises as Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Max Payne, and Bully. Perrett will fill the role of chief executive officer, while Coyne will assume an executive vice president position. The independent studio is based in New York City, New York.

4mm did not detail its plans for the future, saying only that more information will be available in the coming weeks. However, studio founders did speak with Variety, revealing that the game maker's first efforts will be introduced through online mobile platforms like Apple's ubiquitous iPhone, before being adapted for Nintendo's, Microsoft's, and Sony's platforms.

According to the trade, 4mm has two unannounced titles currently in development, with the first expected to launch this year. As part of its announcement, 4mm said that it has entered into a multiyear, multigame financial partnership with investment firm CEA Autumn Games. Terms of the investment were not revealed.
Credit:Gamespot.com

GOOD: With some of the best studios closing over the past year it makes me happy to see new studios emerging to take their place and guarantee new games and experiences. These guys contributed to some of gaming's most memorable franchises and I am eager to see what they will come up with next.

The Useless News of the Week: California Appeals Game Law to Supreme Court

With a package of budget-balancing measures soundly defeated by California voters yesterday, the state is facing a $21.3 billion budget deficit. Despite that, the state is continuing its court battle with the Entertainment Software Association over a law to prevent the sale of violent games to children, a battle that has already cost the state more than a quarter of a million dollars.

The law's original author, State Senator Leland Yee, today announced that California has petitioned the Supreme Court to review the fight over the law. In 2007, a circuit court judge struck down the law as unconstitutional but admitted he was "sympathetic to what the legislature sought to do." In February, an appellate court judge backed up the original ruling. Months before the appellate court's decision, in an appearance on GameSpot's HotSpot podcast, Yee predicted that the dispute would be pushed to the Supreme Court.

Signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger but challenged in court before it could take effect, the bill sought to ban the sale or rental of "violent video games" to children. A "violent" game was defined as a "game in which the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being." Under the law, retailers that sold such games would be subject to a $1,000 fine.

The bill would also have required "violent" video games to bear a two-inch-by-two-inch sticker with a "solid white '18' outlined in black" on their front covers. That's more than twice the size of the labels that currently adorn game-box covers and display the familiar Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating.

"I signed this important measure to ensure parents are involved in determining which video games are appropriate for their children," Schwarzenegger said in a statement, adding, "I will continue to vigorously defend this law and protect the well-being of California's kids."

The Entertainment Software Association issued a statement of its own, unsurprisingly criticizing the state for pursuing the matter further.

"California's citizens should see this for what it is--a complete waste of the state's time and resources," ESA president and CEO Michael Gallagher said. "California is facing a $21 billion budget shortfall coupled with high unemployment and home foreclosure rates. Rather than focus on these very real problems, Governor Schwarzenegger has recklessly decided to pursue wasteful, misguided, and pointless litigation."
Credit: Gamespot.com

USELESS: This is like The Never Ending Story. There is not one single study that can guarantee, without a shadow of a doubt, that violent games are responsible for crime rates and all that. NOT ONE! If we have the ESRB in place and it has ratings that are widely accepted, why do we need the 18+ sticker? Isn't that like going over the ESRB rating system themselves? I mean, by the description of the law, many T and M rated games would be classified as 18+ when in reality, according to the ESRB, they are not. This is unconstitutional indeed, since it will force retailers to sell some T rated games as M rated games, which is totally against what the ESRB stands for. Then what would be the function of the ESRB if the ratings would be ignored in favor of the arbitrary "18+" sticker? I guess that Mr. Arnold the Gov just wants to leave a legacy of some sort and is looking for this idea to be it. This is totally stupid, USELESS and a waste of money.

The Reader's Voice

Last Week We Asked: What Iis The Worst Game You Have Ever Played?

Reader Response of the Week: Mike Said: For me, Snake's Revenge for the NES. I thought it would be Contra-esque, but instead of making me happy blowing shit up, I got some stealth game that almost made my preteen self leave gaming altogether.

Mike, you win this week because I remember this turd doing the same for me. Of course, that was before I became cool and started loving Metal Gear. However, I still hate Snake's Revenge.

Dude Said:Worst game ever played... Any game that was originally made for PS3 or 360 that got a version for Wii. Most of the time the camera controls are so far off that playing the games are impossible. Other than that... E.T. for the Atari 2600.

You actually played E.T.? I feel your pain, dude!

Dave Said: Some weird game for the PSOne called Bug Riders. It was a painfully slow "racing" game.

I can't believe I forgot about this one! I rented it once and hated it so much! Total waste of $3 at the rental store.

And now an appearance by Mark Salmela's favorite writer, Todd Vote!

Man, there have been so many. Worst of all time though... As much as it pains me to say this, it was probably Superman 64.

Funny thing is that I know one person who actually loved this game!

Now on to next week's question:

Guilty Pleasures: What Is The Worse Rated Game You Actually Loved Playing?

That's right folks, I want to know about that game that every gaming website hated, but for some reason you loved to death and consider it a favorite of yours. Mine has to be a Nintendo 64 fighter called Flying Dragon. It scored somewhere between 5/10 and 6/10 on every website, but I absolutely love the game and personally I rate it an 8.5/10. It was basically two games in one: One was a standard 3D fighter like Tekken and the other was a 2D fighter with super-deformed anime characters that had some RPG elements to it. Actually, it was similar to Dragon Ball Z Budokai's capsule system in which you could equip your character to make it stronger, faster or learn new moves. Instead of capsules you equipped things like gloves, knuckles, shirts, jackets, shoes and what-not and all this things boost your attributes and allow you to perform new attacks.

My Guilty Pleasure

Now I want to know what your guilty pleasures are. The top answers will make it to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly News Report next week!

Goodbye

Until next week folks! Remember to follow us on twitter and bookmark us! Yes, don't forget to bookmark us, because if enough people bookmark us, Ashish will go to the Nevada Desert and attempt to unearth the thousands of buried copies of E.T. for Atari 2600 so that he can sell them on ebay!