FAITH CHASER: A LOOK AT MIRROR’S EDGE SYNESTHESIA
But let’s clear up that third-person horrorshow with footage as it was meant to be: Sony and DICE have uploaded video of Synesthesia, the time trial level coming exclusively to the PlayStation 3 version as part of Sony’s regular Thursday PSN update, ahead of the full DLC pack coming to all platforms in February (delayed slightly from its original release).
It’ll be a taste of the ‘void’ levels the DLC will bring, and, says producer Tom Farrer, was the product of very Majesty of Colors-esque inspiration:
“Synesthesia” was actually inspired by balloons of all things. However, we did decide to settle on an overriding theme — If Faith was having a dream, what would she be dreaming about?
As it turns out, she apparently dreams about enormous abstract sculptures floating above an endless sea!
Mirror’s Edge Exclusive (and free) Time Trial Map Available Tomorrow [us.PlayStation]
Previously:
Mirror's Edge, running the void – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
BECAUSE THEY COULD, THOUGH THEY SHOULDN’T: THIRD-PERSON MIRROR’S EDGE
I can’t imagine this does anything but pain every last dev at DICE who worked tirelessly to maintain the sanctity of lead character Faith (though I did enjoy her terse expression in some of the screenshots in the accompanying thread), but the rapidly spreading video of a recently discovered third-person hack for Mirror’s Edge does prove just how quickly the mirage dissipates with just a little change in perspective.
3rd person view in mirror’s edge [On-Mirror’s-Edge, via Shacknews]
Previously:
On the momentum in Mirror's Edge – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals, Xbox 360
BECAUSE HE CO-OO-HOO-ULD: ASTEROIDS, DIAMOND DAVE EDITION
Today’s 60 second diversion: The current wave of David Lee Roth fever — from soundboard to Songsmith — seems to be leaving no corner of net culture unscathed, and now Flash gaming is no exception. To wit: As(s)teroidz: Diamond Dave Edition, which is basically precisely what it says on the tin.
Just mind the Hagar.
David Lee Roth Asteroids [via WFMU, via Gus]
See more posts about: Meta, Offworld Originals
SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2 GETS.. INVADER BINGO?
The latest in my ongoing Space Invaders Extreme watch: as it turns out, of course, the earlier retail rumors were correct, and the latest issue of Japanese weekly games mag Famitsu confirms that Taito is bringing a new DS version of the retro-futurist remake to Japan in just two months time.
Just what changes are in the cards is less clear: no online reports have been filed from the mag or the developer (which should change by early next week), and IGN’s translation only mentions “new gameplay systems [and] a deeper score attack system,” along with the return of WiFi multiplayer.
But, via import house NCSX we learn that one of those new systems reportedly is a “Bingo System” (naturally), where “a grid is lit up during the course of a stage as invaders are shot. To win at Bingo, key spots on the grid must light up horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.”
Space Invaders Extreme 2 import description [NCSX]
Previously:
Space Invaders getting even more Extreme? – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
OLLY MOSS’S MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GEAR
As long as he keeps making them, I’ll keep posting them: the latest in Olly Moss’s Videogame Classics mines Solid Snake by way of Saul Bass, adding a sly visual wink that crosses Snake’s nasty (but practical) habit with the franchise’s exclamatory trademark.
That’s four down and five to go — I’m really going to be gutted to see the series end.
Olly Moss’s Videogame Classics [Flickr]
Previously:
Olly Moss brings a touch of class to Black Mesa – Offworld
Olly Moss's Penguin-inspired Videogame Classics covers – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals, Olly Moss
SUPER MARIO EXTREME: THE CORRUPT EDITION
Cory Arcangel, eat your heart out: YouTube user LightningWolf3 is coming after the 8-bit art-glitch crown with a playlist 39 videos strong that consist of little more than Game Genie super corrupted versions of the various NES Marios.
The one above is his “most violent corruption” and the most curiously mesmerizing to watch, and surprising in that it appears still quite playable. Nintendo’s been fairly forward in playing off its legacy with different SMB subversions (the circular tiltable version in WarioWare: Twisted springs to mind), but this makes me crave a remake as mindmelting as Space Invaders Extreme.
Super Mario Corrupted Zone [YouTube, via n0wak]
Previously:
Super Mario Land: the drunken edition – Offworld
Super Mario in real life – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
FALSE IDOLS: CANINE SHAMUS & HYPERKINETIC RABBITY THING IN RESIN
I’ve made a promise to myself to willfully ignore the fact that Symbiote Studios has apparently created the first officially licensed anime-and-vampire-fang-styled statuette of infamous and now IGN-employed PSP-licker Jessica Chobot, because their new resin statue of LucasArts/Telltale adventure superstars Sam & Max is so gorgeously done that there’s nothing that should rightfully spoil this moment.
More photo details of the toy here and Symbiote’s order page is over here. The company has apparently flown under my radar but still sold out of a superdeformed six inch toy set of the gumshoe-duo as well, but promises a re-up in Q2 of 2009.
Sam and Max Statue [via Plastic and Plush]
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
REACT BRINGING EA CLASSIC ARCHON TO IPHONE, MAKE M.U.L.E. NEXT?
As Raph Koster noted in December, there are good things afoot for fans of Electronic Arts’ classic C64/8-bit computer chess-like board/strategy game Archon, with a resurgence planned for PC, consoles (likely Xbox Live Arcade), and now, React! Games has announced, a new version planned for the iPhone.
React says the game won’t be a simple port of the original computer version, but will include wifi multiplayer, worldwide leaderboards, selectable AI difficulty, and “an additional surprise game mode” for its single player game, and hints at further accelerometer functionality.
The dev hasn’t shown off any full-screen mockups of the iPhone game in action apart from a title screen (the above image is from a 2003 PC mockup, and from the developer’s blog, it appears work has only really been underway since the start of the new year), but the site’s gallery shows some promising work done in converting all of its game-piece characters into full 3D.
Now, if anyone else is willing to snatch up long-forgotten classic EA designs, no matter what anyone says, I do think a console/portable/iPhone re-up of Dani Bunten’s landmark multiplayer game M.U.L.E., particularly one using Niklas Jansson’s ridiculously well done concept art, would be an instant contender for game of the year.
REACT! GAMES ANNOUNCES ARCHON FOR THE IPHONE [Archon Classic]
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
NINTENDO PHOTO PRINTING SERVICE MOVING TO EUROPE?
And more potential Wii channel jealousy: Though trawling trademark/patent databases is never a sure bet for anything, Siliconera notes that a recent check netted the site a new ‘Wii Photo Print Channel’ trademark filed in Europe, and speculates that the company is considering a local service on par with the Digital Camera Print Service it launched in Japan last July.
The Digital Camera channel offers individual photo prints, two types of bound photo books, and, most fantastically, a set of 30 business cards that I’ve been coveting for nearly a year now, so hope’s obviously running high that plans are steadily moving westward.
A Picture Points To Nintendo Opening A Photo Print Service Channel [Siliconera]
Previously:
State your business (and your friend code) with Mii cards – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals
MORE BANJO HEADED TO XBLA IN APRIL
One of 2008’s most pleasant surprises was just how approachable and engrossing Rare’s N64 original Banjo Kazooie felt on its Xbox Live Arcade release — it ended up being one of my year’s most played XBLA games.
Now, in an expected but still surprise announcement, Rare has updated their ‘Banjo Blog’ with news that a similarly hi-rez version of its sequel, Banjo Tooie, is headed to the service in April, “appropriate since Easter is the designated time for hunting multi-coloured eggs.”
Fans of the original will also be happy to hear that, finally, the game’s original “Stop ‘n’ Swop” feature will be properly implemented, saying “the Stop ’n’ Swop items collected in Banjo-Kazooie will ‘magically’ appear in Tooie, resulting in… well, you’ll just have to find out.”
Banjo-Tooie Release Date & Screens + Top 7 Custom Contraptions Award Info [Rare]
Previously:
Qu'est-ce que c'est Banjo? – Offworld
See more posts about: Offworld Originals, Xbox 360
