We are pleased to announce that we are working on an Area 51 Strategy Guide. The guide is in its rough draft form, and is currently in progress. Check up on it often as I'll be working on it for the next few days until it is completely done. And, just think, this is yet another guide that you'd have access to if you get the LunaPass. In the meantime, if you're stuck, post your question on our Message Boards. I'm really enjoying Area 51. I think it's better than Halo 2 (egad...I've sinned!), as far as the single player campaign goes. I have yet to play Area 51 online, so I can't compare it there.

Monday - May 2, 2005

Puppy lovers rejoice! The Japanese release of Nintendogs, the Nintendo DS's puppy simulator, has been an overwhelming success. Not only is it receiving perfect scores among notoriously tough game reviewers, but the game has become the fastest-selling DS game ever AND it boosted sales of the hand-held system more than five times the daily sales rate. While the game is without a North America release date, Nintendo has confirmed it will be released in North America later this year. Did you hear that puppies? I'm coming for you later this year. Finally I can have a pug of my very own!
Read the Nintendo Press Release
View Nintendogs screens and video

Continue reading "Nintendogs Gets Perfect Rating as DS Sales Increase Fivefold"

2K Games (a publishing branch of Take-Two) today announced that they will publish Sid Meier's Pirates! for the Xbox. The game has you play the role of a Pirate Captain in the 17th century Caribbean. Your goal is to amass fortunes and become the baddest pirate on the seas. The game is due out this summer, so get your Xboxes ready...just don't throw it in the water to see if it floats. For more info on the game, visit the official site

Continue reading "2K Games to Publish Sid Meier's "Pirates""

As part of the E3 build up we so love, Square-Enix has launched its official Kingdom Hearts II website. Unfortunately it is in Japanese, so I can't tell you a thing about the information revealed. However, I can tell you that there are definitely new screen shots on the site along with a beautiful interface which has managed to get me giddy about the game. While we are without Kingdom Hearts II release dates, the game is expected to be released for the PS2 some time this year, first in Japan then in North America. Perhaps something a little more solid will be revealed at E3.
Official Kingdom Hearts II website

Tuesday - May 3, 2005

Bill Gates recently spoke to some industry journalists regarding the next Xbox, Xbox 360. According to many sources including GameDaily, Gates officially stated that the Xbox 360 will ship this year, that Sony and MS are on equal ground going into this console cycle, and that the Xbox 360 will be an entertainment hub similar to the Windows Media Cetner software, ""If you're used that menu, when you use this Xenon (Xbox 360), you'll see a menu a lot like that, that lets you get photos, TV, music and all those different things". What's also interesting is that since its inception, MS has spent $2 Billion to get into the gaming biz. Wow.

Wednesday - May 4, 2005

ABC News is providing PSP owners with a new way to watch "the news", and that's to download ABC news briefs from Sony's PSP download site, psp.connect.com. Currently there are only two available programs, each just under two minutes in length. The first deals with cyber-security and the second features the trend in hybrid cars, proving that your PSP news will be just as fluffy as the news they air on TV. Speaking of, anyone watching ABC's Primetime Live: Fallen Idol tonight?

EA announced today that SSX On Tour (working title) is in development by EA Canada and will be in stores this fall for the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. SSX On Tour is the fourth game in the extreme snowboarding SSX series, which has won many an industry award. According to the press release EA is claiming this game is a "completely fresh take on the SSX franchise". I don't believe that for a minute, but I've always been a fan of SSX games and I'm ready and willing to take on more of the same.

Continue reading "SSX On Tour Announced"

The San Francisco Chronicle is today reporting a California bill that sought to ban the sale of violent video games to children under the age of 17 failed to clear committee yesterday, falling one vote shy of what is necessary to pass such a bill. Stating the obvious was the bill's author, Assemblyman Leland Yee, who said, "We should not allow kids, on their own, to go into a store and purchase those kinds of ultra-violent video games". Too bad such an elected leader can't figure out a way to do such a thing without going down the slippery slope of censorship.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we could get our government to work with the ESRB instead of against it, we could get a kick ass public service campaign going that would demonize anyone caught selling such games to minors to a point where this situation would take care of itself, without taking away the First Amendment Rights of our minors. Sheesh.
Read the article

Thursday - May 5, 2005

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm announced yesterday that an investigation she had requested found "children ages 9 to 16 purchased adult games at 26 of 58 stores", which, apparently, has served as a call to arms to move legislation through the Michigan state House and Senate banning the sale of violent video games to children.

Continue reading "Michigan Investigation Shows Children Bought Adult Video Games"

Hey hosehead! Ready for some hockey, eh? Well, today, EA announced that Quebec native and Tampa Bay Lightning star, Vincent Lecavalier, will be the cover athlete for NHL 06. New to the game is "Skill Stick" which allows you to pull off such moves as, "spin-o-ramas, toe drags, bat-ins, and between-the-leg shots." So even if the NHL cancels this upcoming season you'll still be able to get your hockey fix and go top shelf with a blazing slap shot. Kick save and a beaut!

Continue reading "EA Reveals "NHL 06" Cover Athlete"

What a pleasant surprise Psychonauts was. I haven't had that much fun with a platform title since Voodoo Vince. In all honesty, this was my first experience with a Tim Schafer game (Full Throttle, Grim Fandango and the Monkey Island games) but now I understand what the hype is about. It is for this reason that we feel it absolutely necessary to add a Psychonauts Walkthrough and Strategy Guide to our collection. I'm working on it now, but if you have any questions that go beyond the reach of our guide, please post them in our Psychonauts Help Thread.

Friday - May 6, 2005

As we reported earlier this week, a California bill which sought to ban the sale of violent video games to minors and punish retailers failed to get out of committee by one vote. Yesterday, however, the committee reconsidered and voted it out of commmittee by a 6-4 vote. The bill will now go to the full assembly. Leland Yee, who authored this bill and at least one other that never made it very far simply doesn't get it.

Continue reading "Respawn: Cali. Violent Games Bill Gets Second Life"

The latest game based on the phenomenon that is Star Wars is now ready and waiting for you on North American store shelves. However, I must warn you that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith will, most definitely, give away details you may care to save for the film (even more so than LEGO Star Wars. With that being said, I'm thinking that true Star Wars fans will wait for the May 19th release of the film before picking this little number up. And, by that time, our Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Walkthrough and Strategy Guide will be complete. See how that all works out?
Visit the official Star Wars: Episode III site

When the Nintendo DS came out a few months ago, many an eyebrow was raised because of its slightly suggestive "Touching is good" campaign. Now it seems Nintendo is looking at raising a little more than an eyebrow with its newest application, a touch screen dictionary and calculator. While the name has yet to be confimed for a Western release, it seems they're going for the bold title of Touch Dic in Korea. Oy vey.
Visit the Korean Touch Dic site

I am pleased to announce that I have finished the Lunabean Area 51 Strategy Guide. Area 51 is a solid and fun sci-fi first person shooter starring David Duchnovy, Marilyn Manson, and Powers Booth. The game takes you deep into the bowels of Area 51 where you will learn about secret expiriments involving the US Gov't, the Illuminati, and Aliens. The guide contains everything you'll need to get through this challenging game. The PDF version is 28 pages and 355 KB. And, if you are a LunaPass member, you now have access to the guide at your convenience!

Monday - May 9, 2005

Rockstar today announced the first game from it's Vancouver studio, Bully. The game, due out for the Xbox and PS2 in October 2005 is described as such: "As a troublesome schoolboy, you'll laugh and cringe as you stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks on malicious kids, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the fictitious reform school, Bullworth Academy." It sounds a lot like the GTA model, toned down and applied to a school. The game is being shown behind closed doors at E3.

Continue reading "Rockstar Announces "Bully""

GamesIndustry is today reporting that more Xbox 360 pics have been revealed, this time from a launch party in Los Angeles this past Friday. Although we've already seen a few of the pics in the gallery, what is new is the pic showing the Xbox 360 itself, a headset, controller, and camera, similar to the Sony EyeToy. Oh boy. Oh boy.

Wednesday - May 11, 2005

If you want to keep up on E3, Lunabean style, then all you have to do is visit our E3 News Page. This is your central source for all things E3. This year, we're sending two correspondents to the show and we'll be here covering all the hype, news, and hubabaloo, as it rolls in. We'll also be doing an E3 Preview Podcast on Sunday, so look for that on the E3 News Page. Oh happy May!

Electronic Arts (EA) today announced its Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) line up. In addition to the closed door "Next Gen Lab," EA has many a franchise ready to be shown: The Godfather, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Batman Begins, Need for Speed, The Sims, Battlefield, Burnout, Black, Madden '06, and Medal of Honor European Assault. Wow. What a line up. Knowing that EA had over 25 Platinum titles last year, this year looks to be shaping up the same way.

Continue reading "EA's E3 Line Up"

Boy, it's shaping up to be a big E3 day here at Lunabean. Anyway, the Electronic Software Association (ESA) has announced that the E3 Insider website has gone live. Other than Lunabean, this is your central source for an insider view into E3. There are various web cams where you can watch all of the floor activities and you can view pictures from the show. So, as E3 approaches (May 16-20), keep Lunabean open in your browser for all of the latest news and keep the E3 Insider open to watch the show.

Crave Entertainment yesterday announced a brand new game for the PS2 and Gameboy which challenges gamers on their knowledge of the Bible. The aptly named, The Bible Game, has the player answer questions based on both the Old and New Testament. In the PS2 version, players are cast as contestants on a game show with a cache of 1,500 questions. The GameBoy version has you play as Billy or Jenny in a quest to protect the Armor of God. You'll play through seven levels, answering questions to advance. As an added touch, you can choose between the New International Version or King James translation.

Continue reading "Get Gaming with the Bible"

Gamespot is today reporting that the Nintendo Revolution, Nintendo's Next Gen console, will debut in the Summer of 2006. This information was garnered from a transcript of a conference call from Monolithic System Technology Inc., a maker of embedded memory technology. In that transcript, CFO Mark Voll states, "We are excited to be a participating member of the Nintendo team once again, as Nintendo will roll out and success game console to the GameCube in mid-2006." Gamespot guesses that this was mis-transcribed and actually states, "a successor game console...". Either way, it's not definitive, and mid-2006 sounds a lot like a 6 month window to me.

I am currently working on the Lunabean Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Strategy Guide. The guide is in progress, so you can check up on it each day to see how far along I am. I'm finding every single secret and giving advice on using your Experience Points wisely; like a good Jedi. The game is a blast and has the best motion-capture Lightsaber movements to date. And, for those of you who have the LunaPass, expect the guide to be available to you by the weekend!

Thursday - May 12, 2005

The Xbox 360 will tonight be unveiled on MTV's aptly named, "MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed." The presentation, hosted by Frodo Baggins...I mean Elijah Wood, will air at 9:30pm EST. We'll be tuning in to all of the PR glory that is sure to be part of this super-hyped event. If there is any groundbreaking news coming out of the show we'll update you tomorrow. You are now entering the HD Era!

You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Add Taxi Driver to the recent spate of popular '60's-'70's movies that are coming to a video game console near you. If you haven't been keeping score, The Godfather, Scarface, Jaws, and James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, have all recently been announced as in development. Taxi Driver, the disturbing 1976 Martin Scorsese flick starring Rober DeNiro, is being made into a First Person Shooter by Majesco. It's kind of sad, actually, as the movie is not an action flick and is more about lonliness and utter despair. So, what's up with the old movie trend? Think who the gaming companies are going after with these: those people 25 and older (hey, that's me). For more info you can check out the Reuters article.

Friday - May 13, 2005

Ubisoft today announced its very own E3 site: e3.ubisoft.com. Currently all you'll find there is a countdown clock and the ability to sign up for a newsletter. However, when E3 begins on May 18, Ubi will have their complete line up of games, photos and videos from the booth and other interesting E3 tidbits. Personally, I'm looking forward to the next Brothers in Arms game.

Continue reading "Ubisoft E3 Website Goes Live"

After last night's craptacular unveiling on MTV, the Xbox 360 has officially been announced and seen. If you want to get a closer look at the box and the controller you can head on over to www.xbox360.com. On the site you'll find rotatable pictures of the Xbox 360 console and the controller. I have to say, I'm excited for the new controller. It appears that there is a trigger button and a shoulder button on each side. Otherwise, the controller seems very similar to the current Controller-S. I guess if it ain't broke don't fix it. All I have to say about the MTV debut is more games, less people. Oh, and I learned that professional gamers are annoying!

I figured that since the Xbox 360 was unveiled last night that the companion viral marketing campaign, OurColony.net, would come to an end. And, it has. If you visit the site, however, you can download a 5:49 second video showing off some of the Xbox 360 features and design elements. What struck me the most was when Jeff Reents, Xbox Hardware, said that they came up with a, "water cooled CPU heatsink solution." Very interesting. Also quite remarkable is the, "trillion floating point operations per second." Stay tuned for more info on the Xbox 360 as it happens.

We're off to the winery tomorrow to do some pouring but we'll be back in action on Sunday to do an E3 Preview on our weekly Lunabean Video Game Radio. In the meantime, we'll both be working hard to finish our respective walkthroughs and strategy guides: Ali is working on Pyschonauts and I'm working on Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. We should have the guides done by early next week at the latest. Have a fun weekend everybody!

Monday - May 16, 2005

As we reported in March, Sony Entertainment announced plans for 24: The Game, based on the popular Fox TV show of the same name. Today, 2K Games announced that they will handle the publishing of the game for North America. The game is due out this Fall for the PS2. It will feature the voices and models of Jack Bauer, Kim Bauer, and Tony Alameda. In all honesty, though, I don't think CTU would put up with the game only being on the PS2 as they tend not to use outdated hardware. Still, I hope Chloe makes an appearance with that signature sneer.

Continue reading "2K Games to Publish "24: The Game""

Yay! It's E3 week! And, Lunabean.com is ready, willing, and able to give you that perfect balance in E3 coverage. We're here to give you the best of E3 without inundating you with news about each and every one of the billion games being shown. To keep up on everything that we consider to be E3 newsworthy, all you have to do is visit our Special E3 News Section. Also, we'll have exclusive reports from Lunabeanies, Dane and Kian, who will be attending this year's E3 as Lunabean.com correspondents. We hope they take more pictures of the games than of themselves, but we can't promise anything. Enjoy one of the best weeks in gaming and stay tuned to Lunabean!

In a recent Time Magazine article, Bill Gates stated that, "It's perfect...The day Sony launches [the PS3], and they walk right into Halo 3." Pretty ruthless and pretty awesome. I don't begrudge Microsoft for doing everything they can to gain the upper hand in this console cycle. Putting the #1 Xbox franchise against the PS3 is a great way to do that. Come PS3 launch day, consumers will have to decide between a brand new console or one of the most highly anticipated games for the Xbox 360. This is speculation, but I bet that MS offers Halo 3 as a bundle so people who have yet to buy either console will have an even harder decision.

All Psychonautic campers can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the LB Psychonauts Walkthrough and Strategy Guide is complete! Confused campers now have a terrific guide to help them through every part of this hilarious platform title. We've even made available a Screenshot version, with over 220 screens from this beautiful game. If you're a PS2 gamer, remember to come back to Lunabean in a couple of weeks, when Psychonauts is released for you, or, sign up for the LunaPass today and have the guide waiting on your computer upon release!.

A few details have come out from Sony's E3 Press Conference. First, the name, "PS3" or "Playstation 3" is official. Second, the console will come out in 2006. Third, Sony claims that the PS3 will have twice the processing power of the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 has three 3.2 GHz chips plus the graphics processor and is being water cooled to handle all of that power. If the PS3 is indeed twice as powerful...well, can you imagine? Fourth, it looks like "Playstation 3" is written in "Spiderman" font. Fifth, we have pictures! Stay tuned to all of our E3 coverage.

Continue reading "First PS3 Pics and Info!"

Tuesday - May 17, 2005

As reported yesterday, the first pics and info regarding the PS3 were revealed at the Sony press event at E3. Today, we have more info, pics, and specs. Most interesting to me: the PS3 will be backwards compatible with both PS1 and PS2 games, will use bluetooth technology for its wireless controllers, will use Blu-Ray DVDs, claims to be twice as powerful as the Xbox 360 and 35 times more powerful than the PS2, has controllers in the shape of boomerangs and seems to use "Spiderman" font on the console. If you want to add your two cents, head here.

Continue reading "UPDATE: PS3 Specs and More Pics"

Hot on the heels of Square Enix's announcement confirming Xbox 360 support (including the release of Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360), Square Enix has provided the release date for the highly-anticipated, feature-length CG film, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Advent Children will be released on September 14, 2005 in Japan, "followed closely" by a North American release. For details, and an in depth look into the storyline, check out the press release.

Continue reading "Final Fantasy VII Film Gets a Release Date"

As we wait for the Nintendo E3 Press Conference to begin (any minute now), we thought some of you might like to know what the next generation Nintendo console (the Revolution) looks like. Oh, and would you look at that. A press release from Nintendo just hit my inbox, chock full of Revolution details. Check it out while we watch the Nintendo E3 Press Conference, then report back to you.
See Revolution pics and read the official press release

Continue reading "First Nintendo Revolution Pics and Info Released"

Nintendo just revealed details regarding its newest handheld, the Game Boy Micro. The new Game Boy measures just 4 inches wide, 2 inches tall, and 0.7 inches deep. It weighs in at a mere 2.8 ounces, or about 80 paper clips. It has the same processing power as the Game Boy Advance SP and plays SP games. The unit will feature a removable face plate and the screen, said to be the best yet, has a brightness control to adjust to indoor and outdoor lighting. It also features standard headphones (thank you!) and a rechargable lithium-ion battery. Um, yeah, even though we don't use our Game Boys very much here at Lunabean (because we're so busy with the consoles) we'll be picking up one of these puppies when it comes out. No word yet on when that is.

Continue reading "Game Boy Micro Revealed"

I love everything about E3. However, I think what I love most about E3 is the inevitable release of new Zelda news. Whether an announcement of a new Zelda game, the showing off of one Nintendo announced months ago, or simply name dropping to remind us how cool Nintendo really is, I'm a sucker for it all. I particularly love information that comes out at the last E3 before a Zelda launch, which was the case today...

Continue reading "Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screens and Trailer"

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In this special E3 edition we discuss all of the big E3 happenings including the latest news on the Xbox 360, Sony PS3, and the Nintendo Revolution. We also fill you in on our three latest guides: LB's Psychonauts Strategy Guide, LB's Area 51 Strategy Guide, and LB's Star Wars Episode III Strategy Guide.

Continue reading "Lunabean Video Game Radio - Special E3 Edition"

Wednesday - May 18, 2005

When Sony tells us the PS3 is going to have 35 times the power of the PS2, we become both excited and fearful. We're excited for obvious reasons. We're fearful for the potential price tag of this puppy. There has already been speculation that the console could sell for $699 to $799, which, quite honestly, makes my stomach drop to my knees. However, we do have a bit of hope that the console will sell for under $500, as Japan's Mainichi Daily News has published and article citing Sony officials who put the price of the console at "less than 50,000 yen". Fifty thousand yen translates to US$467, which may just allow the console to sell for under $500 in the US, despite the inevitable bump in price which occurs between the shelves of Japan and the shelves of the US.

Konami has today announced its Castlevania franchise will make its debut on the Xbox this fall with Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. While previous Castlevania titles have focused on the battle between Dracula and the Belmont clan, Curse of Darkness will introduce gamers to an entirely new storyline. The star of the game goes by the name of Hector. Hector is described as "a Devil Forgemaster and former Lieutenant of Dracula".
The new title will also be available for the PS2. And, don't forget, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow will be hitting the Nintendo DS this fall, too. Halloween will be particularly spooky this year.
Read the Press Release

Continue reading "Castlevania Game Announced for Xbox"

Rockstar Games has announced Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, exclusively for the Sony PSP, for gamers in both the US and Europe. While I'm not impressed with the fact that the game is being shown by "invitation only" at E3 (get over yourselves, guys), I do have to admit that this might be the game that actually persuades me to purchase the fancy little handheld machine. Rockstar, in general, has become less and less impressive over the years, but they're still wowing me with their GTA games. I say milk it for all it's worth, boys. If you want to give me "an amazing new perspective with an entirely original storyline," well, I'm in.
Read the Press Release

Continue reading "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Announced for PSP"

Here at Lunabean.com, we're suckers for the game trailer. Since E3 provides the time and the place where the most game trailers are released to the public, it would be a shame not to share those trailers with you. Of course, there are masses of them. For a complete list, where you'll have to do a bit of your own searching, head on over to E3insider.com. Otherwise, check out our selection of games for which we are most excited.

Continue reading "LB's E3 Game Trailer Round Up"

Thursday - May 19, 2005

In an article today at GamesIndustry, the Xbox 360's backwards compatibility is explained, well, somewhat explained. The problem is that the current Xbox uses Intel and Nvidia. The Xbox 360 will use IBM PowerPC and ATI. Hmm? What to do? Well, MS says that they need to "recompile" the games in order for them to play on the Xbox 360. They said they'd start with the Halo series and recompile other popular titles. That doesn't bode well for those of us with a large Xbox game library.

Continue reading "Xbox 360 Backwards Compatible? Kind of."

I am pleased to announce that the LB Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Walkthrough and Strategy Guide is complete! The guide covers all 17 single player levels, details the locations of all of the secrets, and offers advice on upgrading your Force Powers. I even took 131 screenshots for the Screenshot Version. And, if you're a LunaPass member, you now have access to guide in all of its Force glory! Just don't get too sad at the end...I got a little emotional...hey, I had a Yoda-themed room for a good part of my childhood...back off!

Lucas-Arts yesterday announced a new Indiana Jones game for the next-generation consoles. Tentatively due out in 2007, and initially developed by Lucas Arts, the game promises a big improvement over previous Indiana Jones games, which we all know were somewhere between craptacular and meh. The press release states, "They?ll experience an interactive story unlike any that?s ever unfolded before them, as well as a noticeable evolution in physics and artificial intelligence." With Harrison Ford signed on to do another Indiana Jones flick with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg it seems the timing is right for a good Indy game. Let's just hope there are no bad dates.

I was saying to Allison, yesterday, that Brother in Arms is one of those games that the further you get away from it the more you realize how good it is. Back in March, we reported that Ubisoft had another Brothers in Arms in the works. Now we have a name! Drum roll please! Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is due out Holiday '05, most likely for the PS2, Xbox, and PC. Pushing Sgt. Matt Baker to the side, the new game will focus on Sgt. Joe Hartsock, who was Cpl. Hartsock in the original game; part of your Fire Team. Anyway, I love the first game and I'm looking forward to more info on this one.

Friday - May 20, 2005

A lot has been made over the last few years regarding the sale of "M-rated" video games to minors. From various State bills to radical lawyers it seems everybody has an opinion (or in some cases, a vested interest) on the matter. Best Buy is taking a step in the right direction by making cashiers ID anybody who appears under 21 buying an M-rated game. Still, I don't like the fact that they leave it up to the individual employee and the employee is punished if he sells a game to a minor. Best Buy is also starting a secret shopper program to see how well the policy is working. I don't know what the solution is, but I know that bills banning the sale of games are bad. Best Buy seems to at least want to try and help the situation, but only because a major Catholic investment firm pushed them. Read the Story.

If you haven't seen that shiny round head and the endearing grin then you haven't been paying attention to the Xbox 360. J Allard, Executive Vice President for Xbox, is one of the most interesting, and public, figures driving the Xbox 360. Today, you can read an interview that he did with GamesIndustry.biz. Some interesting tidbits: Sony's PS3 will probably be more powerful, " but graphics is not going to be the thing that's going to sell to the next 100 million systems," alluding to creativity and game design instead. Also, Allard suggests that the Xbox 360 will be cheaper than the PS3, that the Blu-Ray technology will be a problem for Sony, and that Xbox 360 may have a Square-Enix exclusive. Read the Interview.

While I am completely psyched concerning everything having to do with the Xbox 360, and I have no desire to speak poorly of it in any way, I discovered an article today which concerns me a bit. According to GamesRadar.co.uk, representatives from their site, who are at E3, claim to have discovered that the "playable Xbox 360" is not an Xbox 360 at all. Instead, it's two Apple G5s. Now, the people over at GamesRadar.co.uk seem to be truly impressed with this, particularly since the "Xbox 360" was only playing at 30% of its capacity. "If it takes two Apple G5's to represent 30% of the Xbox 360 capacity, imagine how powerful the Xbox 360 will be," seems to be their mindset. Funny, I automatically go to, "They're liars," and, "Now I can't trust them". Ah well. Maybe it's not true.

Today is a sad day for Lara Croft, Garret, Agent 47, LEGO Anakin and Obi-Wan, and JC Denton. You see, they had to throw a going away party for all of the Eidos executives who quit the board after it became official that British developer SCi will be taking over the company. As reported in many sources, including The Register, SCi replaced Eidos' board of directors with their own people. SCi, in my opinion, is a second-rate publisher/developer most famous for its "Conflict" series. In purchasing Eidos, they get their hands on some of the most sought after franchises. What was Eidos thinking? They should have gone with Bono. What idiots.

Monday - May 23, 2005

The dawn of Advent Rising is near! I don't know why I'm so giddy over this game, not knowing much about it other than what I've read and the few trailers I've seen, but I am. And, for that reason, I am reporting on it. The game is due out for the Xbox on May 31 and soon thereafter for the PC. In the game you are thrown into a fantastic sci-fi world full of legends and a deep history. Of course, you have the legend of a superior ancient race who will return to save the universe. Full of false messiahs, lore, and an engaging storyline, I'm hoping this game will pull me in like Thief: Deadly Shadows and Deus Ex: Invisible War. When it comes out, I'll get it and see what it's all about. In the meantime you can check out the official site.

Continue reading ""Advent Rising" Fact Sheet and Website"

As we reported back in April, there is a new Star Wars Battlefront game due out this Fall. Today, we have the brand new fact sheet for the game and boy am I excited! Star Wars Battlefront II will feature 16 new locations, many from Episode III. Also new are space battles where you can board enemy ships, the ability to play as the Hero (in the first one he was only an NPC), and now you will have even more online action with up to 24 players on PS2, 32 on Xbox and 64 on Windows. The first game is one of my top five games of all time and I'm hoping for good things out of the second one.

Continue reading ""Star Wars Battlefront II" Fact Sheet"

In this article published on GameSpot, Square-Enix president Yoichi Wada and executive Shinji Hashimoto, answered some loose ends regarding their support of Xbox 360 and other interesting tidbits. One big item is that Final Fantasy XI players who play online on Xbox 360 will be able to play with gamers playing on the PS2 and PC. Also, Final Fantasy XII was not shown at E3 because, "it was simply an issue of timing," said Wada. He went on to say that they'd have a playable version by July. It's no secret that Microsoft needs to make big inroads in Japan with the Xbox 360 and Final Fantasy is just one of the games that will help.

According to the AFP (Agence France-Presse), Lara Croft, of Tomb Raider fame, will be receiving a breast reduction before she appears in her next game, Tomb Raider: Legend. The game's developers, Eidos Interactive, believe women will be more attracted to the Tomb Raider series if Ms. Croft's breast size is more realistic. Lara will be going from a DD cup to a "full C".
Personally, as a woman, I was never offended by Lara's breast size, but I often thought how restrictive such large breasts would be with all of the sneaking through narrow spaces, crawling, and pointing a gun in various directions. This move will only make Lara a better, more balanced, and more accurate tomb raider, which is why I applaud Eidos and wish Lara the best of luck with her surgery.

Tuesday - May 24, 2005

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In this special E3 2005 Wrap Up Edition we discuss the big games of E3 including: Advent Rising, King Kong, Perfect Dark Zero, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, MGS: Subsistence, The Godfather, Prince of Persia 3, and Star Wars Battlefront II. We also fill you in on the completion of our LB's Star Wars Episode III Strategy Guide and the next guide on our plate, God of War.

Continue reading "Lunabean Video Game Radio - Special E3 Wrap Up Edition"

Factor 5, developer of the Star Wars Rogue Squadron series has pledged its support to Sony and the PS3, which is a bit of a surprise seeing as they had previously pledged their support to the Xbox 360. According to this article at GamesIndustry, Factor 5 was so impressed with the power of the PS3 that they went for it. There is also some speculation that some money changed hands to get Factor 5 to be exclusive to Sony. In my opinion, Factor 5 is a one trick pony and not worth fighting over. Let Sony have 'em.

Wednesday - May 25, 2005

The ballots have been sent out to the 1,900 members of the Screen Actors Guild and the 1,000 members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to see if they will strike against the video game industry. At issue are "residuals"; ongoing payments for each copy of a game sold. The voice actors want residuals for games that sell more than 400,000 copies. The video game industry doesn't want any residuals at all, making instead, a one time up-front payment. The unions require a super-majority (75% and 66.7% respectively) to strike. The vote should be tallied by June 7. In my opinion, the actors aren't asking for too much. If a game sells over 400,000 copies, it's a hit (due in part to the voice acting) and the video game industry can afford to pay out the residuals. Could it be a silent holiday season? Egad!

Thanks to Lunabeanie MasterX for pointing out this hilarious World of Warcraft video entitled Leeroy Jenkins. Poor Leeroy was away from the computer during the intricate planning stages of a WoW battle, then returned and began his own style of assault, much to the dismay of those in his guild. His actions have earned him a place in the Urban Dictionary and a "What Would Leeroy Do?" CafePress T-shirt.
Watch the Video (.WMV)

PointlessWasteofTime.com has published A Gamers' Manifesto, or "20 things gamers want from the seventh generation of game consoles". While all of the demands make sense, requests like, "Give us A.I. that will actually outsmart us now and then", "Don't bullshit me about your graphics", and a request to do away with all Loading screens, make me want to stand up and cheer.

Thursday - May 26, 2005

Last week we sent Dane and his friend, Kian, to E3 with one mission: Take as many pictures as you possibly can. Today we're pleased to announce that Dane has finally discovered Flickr, and has managed to easily upload all of his photos for the world to see. So, with no further ado, check out Dane's E3 Photo Extravaganza!

Eidos' (or should I say SCi's) Agent 47 is back at it again, starring in this Fall's, Hitman: Blood Money. Although we're not huge fans of the Hitman series, it does have its merits and ultimately, as I look back on Hitman: Contracts, I remember it fondly. Anyway, the Hitman: Blood Money website has gone live. Currently you can view a pretty cool trailer and get limited info about the game. As the summer progresses, Eidos will reveal more tidbits of information.

Now that we've met the next generation of consoles, the time has come to begin speculation of launch prices. Last week we told you of a report out of Japan's Mainichi Daily News, which cited Sony officials as stating the PS3 will launch at "under 50,000 yen" (US$467). This week, the Japanese web site Impress PC Watch is reporting that Sony has told its business partners that the PS3 will actually launch at a price of "under 40,000 yen" (US$370). This lone comment has caused the buzz in the industry to be that the PS3 will launch at the same price (39,800 yen, or US$368) as both the PS and PS2 did. However, with that being said, there has been no report on how the weak US dollar will fit into this pricing puzzle.

Last week we reported that the playable Xbox 360 at E3 was really running on two Apple G5's. Now, we hear from 1up.com and NVIDIA's CFO Marv Burkett that the PS3's RSX chip, the PS3's GPU, is still in development and couldn't have been in the PS3 during E3 demonstrations. So what was powering the PS3 at E3? Well, Burkett says that it was actually running on an "NVIDIA high-end desktop product in SLI mode." For gosh sakes, can anybody be honest anymore!?!

Friday - May 27, 2005

Okay, okay, I wouldn't usually write a story about a video game company choosing an ad agency, but since we are based in Portland, and Wieden+Kennedy is based in Portland, well, here it is. Today, EA announced that they have selected W+K to handle the majority of EA's print and broadcast advertising. The Portland office will handle North American business while the Amsterdam office will manage Europe. Among the first campaigns created by W+K will be Medal of Honor European Assault, NCAA Football 2006, and Madden NFL 06. Maybe we can run down to the Portland office and knock on the door and say, "Hey, can we see the ads, please!" Yeah. I think that will work.

Continue reading "Wieden+Kennedy to Handle EA Advertising"

In this TheStreet.com interview with J. Allard, Corporate VP for Microsoft and head of everything Xbox, Allard alludes to the Xbox 360 price being around $300. In fact, here's how the interview went: TheStreet.com, "Q: The last Xbox went out at about $300 initially. Will the 360 be priced higher, lower?" J. Allard, "It's going to be in the neighborhood." I hope it's a pretty small neighborhood. If MS can price the 360 agressively it will sell like hot cakes, especially given the Holiday timing. The interview has some other interesting tidbits, so it's worth a read.

MCV UK reports today, via unnamed sources close to Nintendo, that the next-generation Nintendo console probably won't hit PAL territories until 2007. According to the article Nintendo has plans to release the console in a strategy that mirrors the release of the DS--hitting the US in November/December 2006, followed by an early 2007 European release.

Tuesday - May 31, 2005

Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series and esteemed video game guru recently gave an interview to Boomtown where he discusses MGS4 for the PS3 and goes on to discuss his impressions of the next gen consoles. He likens the three consoles to dinners. The PS3 is the type of dinner you have once or twice a year, on special occasions. The Xbox 360 is a little more casual and perhaps a dinner you eat two or three times a month. The Nintendo Revolution is a like a good meal you have at home every night. What he's trying to say is that Sony's PS3 expectations are so high, and the cost of development for the games will be so outrageous that only a few publishers will be able to tackle the challenge while the Xbox 360 and Revolution will be more accessible. You can read the interview here. The extended dinner metaphor is at the bottom.

Now that E3 has wrapped up the folks over at Gamespot have their E3 Editor's Choice Awards feature section up for your reading pleasure. Receiving "Best of Show" honors (among others) are The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Soul Calibur III, Black, and Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes. For a complete list of the winners, follow the link.

Majesco today announced that the sci-fi thriller, Advent Rising, has shipped for the Xbox. "Advent Rising thrusts players into an intergalactic tale punctuated with innovative game play, stunning visuals, and a gripping storyline created in collaboration with award-winning sci-fi novelist, Orson Scott Card." The game will be released for the PC on June 30. We'll be buying this game soon to see if it needs a walkthrough. Stay tuned for our impressions.

Continue reading ""Advent Rising" Ships for Xbox"

Rockstar Games has just released its first trailer for the upcoming game The Warriors. Honestly, as is the case with most things Rockstar (excluding GTA), I'm not impressed, but I will reserve judgement until the game actually hits store shelves this October. Still, Rockstar should learn that they do one thing well (again, GTA), but it actually hurts the genre when they rip off their own games, then put them in a less satirical environment.
Watch The Warriors trailer.