The many arms of the Multiplayer blog reach many sectors of MTV. Today we've got some inside scoop on the pricing info for "Rock Band," a game that many people are expecting, but that so many people are expecting to be expensive.
We've been told by our corporate chiefs that, actually, the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions will launch on November 23 at a cost of $169.99. That package will include the game, one guitar, a mic and a drum kit.
The surprise twist? The PS2 version of "Rock Band," once thought to be scheduled for 2008, will actually ship this year. The full PS2 package ships December 10 for $159.99.
The PS2 and PS3 guitars will be wireless. The 360 one will be wired. A wireless 360 guitar will be available at a later date, those MTV people tell us.
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I must have watched the E3 2007 ["Metal Gear Solid 4"] trailer over a hundred times.
-- Ryan Payton, Kojima Productions
What is it with all these "Metal Gear Solid 4" trailers?
This summer, in the span of just two months, Kojima Productions released three different show-stopping "MGS4" trailers for three different major gaming conventions. Since 2005, the team has released nine major trailers (well, eight, plus a popular 15-minute clip of the game being played by creator Hideo Kojima) to hype a game that won't even be out until 2008.
Why make so many? What kind of changes have been made to "MGS4" due to fan reaction to the trailers? How many more are coming? And are these things, by any chance, responsible for why we're not getting "MGS4" a little sooner?
I asked Kojima Productions' Tokyo-based assistant producer Ryan Payton these questions in an e-mail interview earlier this week. Read on for the answers.
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In July, several gaming outlets reported on a demo of BioWare and Microsoft's epic sci-fi role-playing-game "Mass Effect" that left onlookers stunned.
It was an interactive story sequence featuring a major supporting character and the game's hero. IGN wrote:
Wrex is a Krogan, a powerful race on the verge of extinction. A few hours after joining up with your party, Wrex and our hero, Commander Shepard, have a disagreement. The potential results of this conflict left everyone in the room stunned. If we ever had doubt about Mass Effect, it was wiped away at E3.
To illustrate a piece I just did for MTV News.com about how BioWare gave such scenes their cinematic punch -- which basically involves the Canadian studio's clever decision to hire some of the world's best machinima-makers -- Microsoft is allowing me to be the first to air that scene.
Watched it once? Good. Now read on to sea how BioWare lead cinematic director
Ken Thain explain his thinking behind the scene's key shots.
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Much like everything else in my life, this week’s $13.37 Gamer hasn’t exactly gone as planned. Originally, I was planning on doing a sweet combo recommendation of downloadable content that would have had any shoppers out there coming in at just over $10, but, instead the total is going to come in at just under the $13.37. Again, originally, the plan was to throw some support behind Sony’s sequel to “LocoRoco,” “LocoRoco Cocoreccho,” but then I downloaded it, and you should really just save your money on that one.
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Some people really just don’t need the "Halo 3" Legendary Edition.
While not an issue for the majority of the people that bought "Halo 3" earlier this week, getting that Legendary Edition home can be a hassle. Those that live in major metropolitan areas -- particularly ones with high crime rates -- where mass transportation is the only form of reasonable transportation, how do you get your shiny new purchase home?
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Last week, we launched our regular feature "What We're NOT Playing."
In this feature, we discuss new releases, and instead of talking about all the games that we are playing (booo-ring), we talk about the titles we're avoiding. Whether it's because of things we've heard, hapless neglect or just plain personal tastes, some games -- both good and bad -- go untouched for whatever serious and/or strange reasons. Here, we try to find out why.
This week, in the "No Girls Allowed" edition (I wasn't able to participate due to a meeting), the boys get tough on flight sims, ponder playing prequels before sequels and argue over the cuteness of games (wish I was there for that one -- oh well, next time). Here's an excerpt:
JasonCipriano: I'm skippin' right over "Dewy's Adventure" this week
StephenTotilo: why? you don't believe in supporting 3rd party originals for the Wii?
GeraldFlannory: too cute for you Cip?
JasonCipriano: a - I still haven't beaten "Elebits"
JasonCipriano: 2 - yeah this one might actually be too cutesy
StephenTotilo: a... 2??? nice counting
JasonCipriano: YOU WILL APPRECIATE MY COUNTING SKILLZ
Make the jump for more mayhem.
Photo credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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Last week we ran an interview I did with Retro Studios, makers of the "Metroid Prime" series on MTVNews.com. I couldn't fit all the best material and left some of the more hardcore-oriented questions for today.
I wanted to know why the didn't open this game with the traditional Samus-loses-her-powers bit.
I wanted to know why they keep ending "Prime" games with collection quests that some gamers are vocally against. I asked about their relationship with the speed-running community that strives to break their games, their thoughts on whether top-level artists really want to make Wii graphics, and why one of the game's gesture controls wasn't working for me.
Oh yeah, and I asked them about that supposed "Metroid Dread" reference.
I grilled 'em, people! But they were great sports, and they had a lot of smart things to say. Read on and see for yourself.
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Eiji Aonuma, long-time producer of Nintendo's "Zelda" series recently sat down with us to explain what next week's upcoming DS title "The Legend Of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass" is all about. He describes the new game as an unintentional remake of the first "Zelda" from the NES. Check out the video interview. And, hey, would anyone like to see an intentional remake of that first Link adventure?
From that last comment, it sure sounds like Aonuma's got some interest in non-"Zelda" projects. Should Nintendo set him loose on some games that don't feature Link?
My birthday happened last week. And my Wii didn't seem to care.
Neither did my Xbox 360, my PS3, my PSP or my DS. Yeah, I got a big bag of "Halo 3" on my big day, but that was a coincidence.
This console cold-shoulder saddens me, because I'm pretty sure I told all of my gaming devices when my birthday was. I know I told the Wii. I even made a virtual version of myself -- my Mii -- and included my birthday.
What part of 9/21 do you not understand, Nintendo programmers?
Maybe my Wii has an excuse? After all, my first Wii did break, and my replacement one doesn't recognize me as the creator of the Stephen Mii that I transferred from the busted system.
But that's an easy out! I told these things when I was born. And they asked me!
I don't think it's right, and I think it raises questions -- seriously -- about how much today's modern consoles should be programmed to react to the ever-increasing amount of information we put into them.
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Two weeks in and things are not going as well as I had expected.
I completely understand that 10,000 achievement points in twelve weeks is a bit of a lofty goal, but I figured I’d be able to squeak out about 1,000 points a week for the first 10 weeks, and then be done with a fortnight to spare. It’s not looking like that’s going to happen. But, really, what difference does that make? You’re playing "Halo 3."
I’ve spent the last two weeks working my way through "BioShock." While it is easily one of the best games that I’ve played this year, it took me about a week longer than I expected to finish, and I didn’t even get the full 1,000 points, finishing with a respectable 950. I also chalked up a small handful of extra points from the Genesis classic, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," and I ended the week with a meagerly fruitful hour or so of "Halo 3."
My total for the week clocks in at 690, and over the past two weeks I have a total of 1,250 points, which is clearly under my 2,000 point expectation, and which is resulting in me being forced reexamine my gameplay plan for the next 10 weeks.
These are the strategies I used:
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