Sega
Idle Dreams / 20.11.09
It’s always difficult to know how to react to internet campaigns and petitions. Whether you agree with the cause, it’s hard to see them as anything other than shouting in the dark, with an undertone of pessimism throughout. But it’s easy to sympathise with the recent calls over NiGHTS’ exclusion from the forthcoming Sega Allstars Racing, a hotly anticipated piece of fan service due out in the second quarter of next year. Sonic Team’s second most famous creation has been a mainstay of the Superstars sub-franchise, and when the jester was excluded from the initial line-up, most fans merely assumed that he was being saved for a full announcement of his own.
Flat Out / 09.09.09
The next core series Sonic game has had its initial teaser released somewhat earlier than expected- the games are on a two yearly cycle, and the 2010 release has been announced much earlier than Unleashed was. It’s a rather more retro affair this time around, with the ‘Project Needlemouse’ described as being the HD old-school 2D game that the mass media have been requesting for so long. I’ve got mixed views here- I’d happily have settled for a straight sequel to the sublime Unleashed, but with Sonic Team apparently having put their house in order during the development of that title, I’m reasonably confident that the result will be a quality offering.
Reaction to the news has been largely predicable, with expressions of mild interested on display amongst the expected bashers of 3D Sonic in general and Unleashed in particular. The one thing that wasn’t expected, however, is the vocal cries that the game should use spites rather than polygon models displayed side-on. It’s not entirely clear why, as fully 3D models would offer greater gameplay and display flexibility, given the varying resolutions available under the HD banner…
Simple Things / 04.09.09
Unlike the western release earlier this year, this month’s Japanese version of the House of the Dead: Overkill has a familar presence on its cover, in the form of the iconic red HotD logo. This is the first time that the original branding has been used for a core series title since 1999’s House of the Dead 2.
That is all.
Diagnosis: Slaughter / 05.11.08
We flagged up House of the Dead: Overkill when it was announced a couple of months ago, but a further trailer has been released, and it’s looking very promising indeed. Showcasing the second level, Bayou County General Hospital, it looks like the comic Darkplace-style tone will be maintained throughout…
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/2841…
Back From The (House Of The) Dead / 19.08.08
It looks like the Wii conversions of House of the Dead 2 & 3 sold well enough to bring the zombie lightgun series shambling back to life in an original title. Ditching the environmentalist angle of the core titles, HotD: Overkill seems to be aiming for a 70s pulp atmosphere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUD2sLE5rM
Not sure how successful the implementation will be, but the phrase “Slo-Mofo Time” has me grinning…
