Archive for June, 2011
June 30th, 2011 | 
Author:
Update: Limbo has been confirmed for release on the PlayStation Network. It’ll be out sometime in July, with more details to come next week.
Original Story: A rating for Limbo popped up on the Korean rating board’s website earlier today, having been requested by Sony Computer Entertainment Korea. That would suggest the game is likely headed to the PlayStation 3 at some point in the relatively near future.
The Playdead-developed game first came out on Xbox 360 last July as a part of Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade promotion. Prior to that, an ESRB rating for PC and PS3 versions of the game was found, contradicting previous announcements that it would be an XBLA exclusive. Playdead later said it was a mistake and that no PS3 or PC versions would be coming; that’s likely because the game was published by Microsoft. Perhaps now that almost a year has passed by, the developer is free to move it to other platforms — hopefully a PC version will be coming alongside the PS3 one.
Limbo stood out because of its unique black-and-white art style and characters who are presented as silhouettes. It’s a 2D platform/puzzle game that ended up doing very well — it was the best-selling Summer of Arcade game “by a long stretch,” and judging by their first week of availability only, it was the second best-selling XBLA game of 2010.
Fans of Limbo can look forward to Playdead’s new game, which is said to be a new IP and “if you liked Limbo, it’ll definitely be for you.”
Source: GameSetWatch
Posted in 
Digg
del.icio.us
Facebook
Reddit
Google
Stumble Upon
Fark
Newsvine
YahooBuzz
Bebo
Twitter
Comments
enlargeRating:
4.5 out of 5
Game Rant’s William Case reviews Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition
Let’s be clear at the very beginning: unless you’re a competitive Street Fighter IV player or have yet to pick up one of the installments in the high-quality fighter, then the content the additional Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition probably isn’t something that you need to immediately seek out.
That said, adding an additional four characters (and bringing the final roster to a overwhelming 39), along with fixing balance issues and tweaks, the downloadable Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition is a fantastic addition for the keen eye and sharp finger. The add-on is the cherry on top of an already perfect sundae.
Looking primarily at the new characters, and what they bring to the roster, the biggest change would arguably have to be Evil Ryu. A blend of Ryu and Akuma bathed in dark flames and angst, he’s a fearsome blend of shoryukens and teleportation. Unable to throw Akuma’s air fireballs, Evil Ryu instead comes with a lunging axe kick, which can travel nearly half the screen when boosted with an EX. A fairly imposing fighter, especially when using his dive-kick or Ultra fireball, he will be a big favorite during online matches, and will likely replace many of the Ryu players.
Returning from their stint in Street Fighter III, Yun and Yang get an HD upgrade, though not to the full extent that they could have. Yun easily has the best screen movement, with a flurry of swift punches and spinning shoulder charges (which will also help avoid missles in a pinch). Yang is just as speedy, bolstering an invulnerable dash and a forward roll that transition into a rising kick. Both character’s attacks seem slightly underpowered, yet don’t let that fool you: their ability to string together combos will make them as fearsome opponents – as any top-tier character (as long as someone knows how to tap into it).
Though the character that stole the show is Oni, who enters the stage looking like a beefed up Dragonball Z character (hair and all). Oni really has the whole package; a spinning hurricane kick that rivals Ken’s, two types of fireballs that will either hit multiple times or charge up for distance, and that’s not even scratching the surface. In the air, Oni is almost untouchable as he is deadly. Sporting a ground smash special that stuns his opponent, his ability to dash midair, and use the Raging Demon mid-air (though hitting only opponents in air), Oni is versatile.
In fact, when it’s all broken down on paper Oni may be the most original of the character sets to come out of the additional Super Street Fighter IV Arcade content. That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it will potentially cause an issue when playing online or with friends, where Oni’s will pop up like weeds everywhere – until further balancing has gone through.
And that will need to happen. While the addition did a great job at refining the hit boxes and lag times between the already established characters, the new additions will still need some work to be done down the line. It’s nothing new, and of course competitors will make sure Evil Ryu and Yun go through their paces, but it may cause some initial problems.
Updated online section is another nice change in the addition – specifically the Replay Channel and filtering. Now, players will be able to check out the battles of top-ranked fighters, while also adding them to your channel. The function is streamlined and thus far, actually effective. Plus, Capcom realized that not everyone would have the Arcade addition, so filtering has been enabled, giving you the option to look for players with, without, or combined for an even mixing.
Unless you’re a player that is in it for the latest in Street Fighter action, that pays attention to the minute stat changes, or plays in weekend tournaments, you can hold-off on the Arcade Edition. Capcom did announce that they would be releasing the game in stores as well, giving you plenty of time to wait it out. Yet if you feel compelled to purchase, it’s worth every penny for the hardcore fighter.
Super Street Fighter Arcade Edition is currently available for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC later this year
After reading this article, people also read:
-
‘Super Smash Bros.’ on Wii 2: 9 Things We’d Like to See
-
New ‘Super Smash Bros.’ is ‘Several Years’ Away
-
E3 2011: ‘Super Smash Bros.’ Confirmed for Wii U and 3DS
Around the web:
Incoming search terms:
Earlier this year, Arcade Fire won Best Album at the Grammys. That album, The Suburbs, was a number one hit on the Billboard charts, with the band playing major venues like Madison Square Garden and headlining summer festivals alongside Lady Gaga and Soundgarden. Still, their acceptance into a larger mainstream ruffled many feathers, people perturbed at an “unknown” band winning such an important prize. The reactions, cataloged on a Tumblr, Who is Arcade Fire?, show a general populace angry and annoyed at the underground coup, unwilling to relinquish a prize whose main purpose, stated or otherwise, is mostly to confirm major stardom. With bands like The National, Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire all having chart success, the emergence of a strong independent force in music sales is unquestionable. But in terms of popularity, unquestionably, there is a divide and a bias. Maybe that’s fair—Arcade Fire certainly lack the decadence of Lady Gaga or the entertaining gossip life of Kanye West—but clearly the walls of the split are crumbling.
In the UK, one of the major music prizes is the Mercury Prize, awarded to one single album out of a large pool of nominees. The most recent winner was The XX, another independent group, for the debut record. But this surprised no one, as that record was a strong force in British music, young kids hitting a synthesis of rock and dance that England feeds on. Across the Atlantic, Fucked Up were the big winners of Canada’s analogous Polaris Prize in 2009. A punk rock band from Toronto, they certainly live far from the mainstream in terms of both sales and visibility. But was their win really a confirmation of their musical superiority? After all, their singer, Pink Eyes, is an enormous man who is always shirtless at shows, who always beats himself in the forehead with a microphone until he bleeds. He’s had a stint as a talking head on Fox News. He is, quite literally, an outsize personality, and, unknown or otherwise, the public loves a spectacle.
This year, Arcade Fire are nominated for the prize and surely are favorites to win. Neil Young is the prize’s other big name, with some mid-size acts like Destroyer and Stars mixed in. This being the long list, there are a few long shot groups like Braids and Young Galaxy, bands loved by blogs and sometimes critics who slog through SXSW, log their vans with many miles. Curiously, though, Toronto’s The Weeknd is also nominated, for his mixtape, House of Balloons. Undoubtedly on his way to a greater popularity, the RB singer’s mixtape is a great, adventurous, if not somewhat uneven release, with many meandering moments and some great ones too buried. Which is exactly what a first release should be. The mixtape was released online only, nonchalantly uploaded to file sharing services with no press push and a dearth of information. All of the attention stirred has been based solely on promise out of the gate. The Weeknd may plausibly some day reign as mainstream king, but that enormity is still many moons away, the way he clearly wants it. So why nominate House of Balloons? Surely it’s received more love than, say, fellow nominee Doug Paisley’s gorgeous folk album, but that’s a complete thought, presented as such. House of Balloons is only an inkling. So what does it mean that it was nominated for a nation’s prize? Has the mainstream dipped so far below the surface that there is no distinction? Or are the decision makers simply doing better, dirtier work? Or worse—should they continue to anoint already chosen kings and let the business of the underground continue unmolested? As frustrated fans bemoaning the unknown Arcade Fire’s Grammy win know, the given of rewarding stardom is clearly eroding. And, conjointly, so is stardom itself.
Does your dad like golf? With Father’s Day this weekend and the summer finally hitting its stride, heading out to the links is probably on a lot of dads’ minds. But why let your dad’s golfing be limited to the weekend or the warm months of summer when you can bring the links to him on his iOS device?
This week’s collection of apps is all about playing a quick game of golf during downtime. The first app lets you play through nine-hole courses in strange, multilevel fantasy 2D worlds. The second lets you join one of the best golfers around, in a more involved golf simulation, playing on real-world courses. The last, out this week, is the sequel to an excellent pick-up-and-play golf game, perfect for when you need a quick fix.
Play golf on strange worlds with interesting traps–you wouldn’t want to fall down that hole on the left.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)
Super Stickman Golf (99 cents) is a 2D golf game that’s really easy to pick up and play, with tons of fantastical themed courses, interesting power-ups, and excellent physics-based gameplay. Though the game has a huge amount of arcadelike features, the goal is always the same: try to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible. The challenge is that it can be much harder than it looks.
Rather than your standard 3D layout as seen in many golf games, Super Stickman Golf offers up a 2D platformer experience. The courses often have multiple levels you’ll need to reach and obstacles you’ll need to avoid to finally get on the green.
The interface consists of arrows on the left to adjust the arc of your shot, a button in the middle for bringing in bonus items, and a “Go!” button you’ll need to hit twice for each shot: once to start the swing, and a second time to adjust shot power.
Beyond the many themed courses that keep the game interesting, you also have some extra arcade elements to add some flavor. As you play, you’ll unlock unique balls like the Sticky Ball, which sticks to surfaces after you hit the ball–great for courses where there are shafts you need to climb to get to the green. You also can unlock Super Clubs that make it so you can stop a ball in midair, or freeze water hazards, for example. Each of the arcade elements is well thought out and adds a unique twist to the game.
Overall, with over 260 holes to play across several themed courses, unique obstacles, arcade elements, and local and online multiplayer, Super Stickman Golf has plenty to offer any arcade golf fan.
Switch clubs by hitting the club icon at the lower left.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 ($4.99) is the first golf simulation from the popular golf franchise on iOS since April 2009, and it’s easy to see that this latest game is leaps and bounds beyond the original. The graphics on the
iPhone 4 Retina Display are smooth, reminding us of console-level golf games. The controls have been fine-tuned as well, making it easy to adjust shot types and switch clubs depending on the situation.
You get the choice to play as Tiger Woods, alongside him, or as any one of several current pro male and female players. You can also create your own player and customize clothing, clothing color, and skin color. Later, when you earn some money for various challenges on the course, you’ll be able to upgrade your equipment for more powerful shots and better accuracy to help you improve your scores.
Rather than the standard three-touch hit method found in other golf games, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 uses a vertical swiping method for better precision–the down swipe determines shot power and on the up swipe you can slightly curve your swing for draw and fade shots. Even once the ball is in the air you can swipe repeatedly in any direction to put spin on the ball. All of these shot variables will come in handy in various situations, and we like that there are so many controls for shot precision.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 lets you play quick games, head-to-head matches against friends over Bluetooth or a local network, or Tiger challenges with unique requirements, or you can play through your own PGA Tour. You can also connect to Facebook and try to beat your friends’ best shots (which you can watch) on specific holes. Sadly, there is no online multiplayer at this time, but it seems like a no-brainer that EA would add that functionality in a future version–we’ll just have to wait and see.
Even without online multiplayer, with a streamlined control system, customizable players, and tons of challenging courses to play on, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 is the golf game to beat on iOS. Anyone looking for a golf game that’s closer to simulation than arcade will enjoy this title.
The graphics in this game are excellent as you shoot from atop high skyscrapers.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)
Flick Golf Extreme ($2.99) is the sequel to Flick Golf (iPhone or iPad), a very well-made arcade golf game we’ve reviewed here in the past. But instead of the usual golfing experience of trying to work your way to the green in the smallest number of shots, in the Flick Golf games your goal is to get as close to the hole as possible in one shot–ideally with a hole in one. Flick Golf Extreme takes the game a step further by moving off the grassy links of traditional golf games into all sorts of strange environments.
The interface and controls in Flick Golf Extreme were made for the touch screen, and it shows. When you start a hole, check for wind speed before taking your shot (this is especially important in later levels). To send the ball toward the hole, simply flick your finger in a forward motion across the ball toward the pin. While the ball is in the air, flick the screen to guide the ball toward the hole. You’ll also be able to apply spin to the ball as long as it is still bouncing–great for small adjustments to get extra points. Each hole is surrounded by concentric circles, each with a point value that increases the closer you are to the hole.
Flick Golf and Flick Golf Extreme share the same precise controls, but where Flick Golf Extreme really shines is in the environments. With beautiful 3D graphics, you’ll be taking shots across deep canyons and, on another course, from rooftop to rooftop high atop skyscrapers. In one level, you’ll actually need to take shots from a hovering helicopter onto an aircraft carrier. All of the environments are meticulously detailed, with gorgeous animations and excellent sound design (in one level you can see and hear a huge waterfall as you take your shots, for example). It’s clear that the developers went to great lengths to make this game a striking visual experience to go along with the already great gameplay.
Flick Golf Extreme offers three game modes: Quickshot, in which you hit as many shots as possible within a time limit; World Tour, in which you’ll need to achieve high enough scores to unlock each course; and–new to Extreme–a 5 Ball Challenge, in which you get five balls that you can only replenish by hitting holes in one. Each of the game types requires a different strategy, adding to the replay value of the game.
Overall, Flick Golf Extreme is a fun and addictive pick-up-and-play arcade golf game with excellent controls, strange and beautifully made courses, and plenty of replay value. If you liked Flick Golf or want a quick golf fix, Flick Golf Extreme is a must-download.
Do you have another golf game you would like to share? Let us all know in the comments!