You may not be old enough to remember it, but a decade ago when itwas first released, Driver felt like a revelation. A game where cars were used for more than racing each other and roadblasting? Unheard of! But there it was, all new and fresh and full of promise, and you'll get to experience the feeling once again on Aug. 14 when the PlayStation title arrives on PSN.
Sadly, you'll also get to experience the "honey why is the controller in the TV?"-level frustration that's been a series hallmark. Here's hoping the game's still good enough to hold up.
Previously known as the "Davis" update, the next major content infusion for Burnout Paradise has been renamed ... and delayed by a month. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Criterion producer Jeremy Chubb reveals that the update is now going by the designation "Bikes Pack" and will hit in September, not August as originally planned.
When it finally hits, the pack will feature two motorcycles: a street chopper and a racing bike. Criterion has also divulged more details on night racing. It turns out that the time of day will change dynamically, and, along with it, so will the bike challenges available. Special "Midnight Rides" will only be accessible after the sun sets on Paradise City. Not that it will always be sunny during the day or moonlit at night – in yet another surprise announcement, Criterion is implementing a dynamic weather system in this update. The dev says it's "serious about DLC," and given this latest news we're even more inclined to respond: "No, really?"
Saints Row 2 producer Dan Sutton tells CVG that the game isn't coming to the Wii over controversy and graphical concerns. He explains that implementing Wii controls for "chainsaws, satchel charges, stuff like that" in the game might risk the title running into Manhunt 2-style controversy. That's a bad thing? Apparently, SR2's developer, Volition, isn't totally run by the marketing department.
Sutton also explains that SR2 won't be making it to Nintendo's waggle-enriched juggernaut because Volition is "about pushing really good graphics" -- he believes the Wii feels like an older console. Ouch, at least he didn't mention duct tape.
Burnout Paradise finally got its 381 MB update on Xbox 360 today -- no, not that one. While PlayStation 3 owners have been warming up to the "Cagney" content for nearly a month, Xbox 360 players have had to wait out Microsoft's grueling certification process, and then the "final stages of testing." But, Cagney's here now, and still free. Just press A.
Check out Criterion's site for the full list of features. [Note: Obscured text in image above reads, "Without this update you will be unable to play online."]
Criterion's forthcoming "Davis" update for Burnout Paradise will deliver not only an array of two-wheeled vehicles, but a taste of automotive irony. Whereas the series' signature sports cars all spectacularly crumple into balls of mangled metal when they collide with walls, poles and, best of all, other signature sports cars, the bikes won't bend or buckle or break. And neither will the riders, safely disappearing from the game's E10-rated environment whenever they wipe out.
MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo explains that when it comes to Burnout Bikes, it's less about SMASH! and more about ZOOM! -- particularly in the update's speedy new single-player challenges and 8-player online, motorcycle-only events. Players can also expect a day-night cycle, weather effects (no, really!) and yes, wheelies.
We imagine plenty of people will bemoan the absence of bikers smashing their heads open on Burnout Paradise's pavements, but hey, Criterion is still giving us a pretty substantial (also: free) addition. The only drawback we can think of is not having a place to hang our pair o' dice.
After months of teasing us with crummy off-screen snaps of its forthcoming "post-apocalyptic open-world shooter," id Software has evidently heard us shouting "Show us your RAGE!" (in our best Raging Raven impersonation) and caved in. Behold: two nice, high-res screens of the game. Yep, two. But at least they're really purty.
Some on staff are wowed by the textures. Others are happy to see that Sloth from The Gooniesis still getting work. Still another faction here at Joystiq HQ is frantically checking Pricewatch in hopes of scoring some good deals on the hardware upgrades they'll need to play this beast at 2 billion x 1 billion resolution on their PCs.
We gave the last Trackmania DS trailer a hard time for its ... well, its complete lack of gameplay footage, not to put too fine a point on it. Now, we have some actual footage of the game and we don't know what all the secrecy was about: It looks great to the TM fans in our digi-office.
We still have some concerns, chiefly that the game will be decidedly less free than its PC counterpart. But with the promised track editing and sharing features, it still sounds like it could be a worthy purchase when it's released later this year.
As we reported during E3, the next evolution of the Gran Turismo series isn't Gran Turismo 5 – it's enhancements to the glorified GT5 demo, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Specifically, Sony and series creator Kazunori Yamauchi are all revved up about the roll out of Gran Turismo TV, an on-demand video service featuring motorsports shows from around the world – as well as original programming – accessible from within GT5P's front-end.
We've learned that these features will finally hit this Friday, August 1 as part of an update for the game demo. Auto aficionados will be able to download episodes of programs including England's Top Gear and Japan's Best Motoring. Programming created by Polyphony Digital itself – and indeed even hosted by Yamauchi – will also be up for purchase. Speaking of which, SCEA has announced that PPV content will cost 99 cents per episode for the first two weeks of GTTV, after which it will increase to $1.99.
In addition to the debut of GTTV, Sony has confirmed that some welcome gameplay tweaks will be introduced via the update. These include improved collision physics for online races (a biggie), more tire choices for Time Trial play, and fixes in penalty judgments. In speaking with Polyphony's Yamauchi at E3, we learned that the next GT5P update will introduce new tracks and cars. No date has been set for that yet.
With the game speeding towards an October 7 release, Rockstar has rolled out a new trailer for its latest underground street racer, Midnight Club: Los Angeles. In case you were wondering what an open world racer with an ... open world on the level of GTA IV would be like, this (ahem) fast and furious footage is your answer. And, if you're watching this between 12am and 1am PST, it's also incredibly appropriate.
It's interesting to see Rockstar San Diego fleshing out the story aspect of this sequel, right down to seeing your character behind the wheel during races. Although it's definitely the complex world detail matched with the pedigree of this series that really gets our motors running.
As Nintendo continues ride out the 'ebbs and flows' in its digital release schedule, we feel its our civic duty to warn you that today's Virtual Console offerings include references to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. And bad guys, lots and lots of bad guys.
Art of Fighting 2 (NeoGeo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): The second in SNK's Art of Fighting triple threat sees chronic bad guy Geese Howard, years before antagonizing those Fatal Fury chaps, printing up fliers for a 'King of Fighters' tourney of his own.
Chase H.Q. (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): In Taito's arcade racer, your car is your fist as you do your best Miami Vice impression behind the wheel of a Porsche 928 and run the criminal element out of town -- and into the highway barrier.
Sony's European arm has issued an official statement regarding WipEout HD's chronic PSN tardiness, and while the company failed to comment specifically concerning racer's reported tendency to leave players with the shakes, SCEE did reveal that the game is being updated to include a number of tweaks under the hood.
According to Sony, WipEout HD's continued delay is the result of "many improvements" and "numerous" additional features, including support for 2-player offline split screen and Trophies, as well as 8 reverse tracks, 4 extra ships, and a pair of alternative HUDS. As for when we'll be able to enjoy any of this from the comfort of our living rooms, Sony was less specific, saying only that it hopes to release the game "very soon."
Have you ever had that dream where you're running down a hallway but are unable to reach the exit because the doorway is constantly stretching out of reach? For fans of Burnout Paradise for the Xbox 360, this has become a waking nightmare, as Criterion has again pushed back the title's forthcoming "Cagney" update until early August.
Criterion is currently "aiming" to release the free update on August 4, nearly a month after the patch arrived on the PS3. However, according to a post on the dev's website, this merely represents the "earliest" that we can expect it to show up. Interestingly, while the previous hold-up was laid at the feet of Xbox Live's burdensome certification process, this latest information indicates that the update, much like the patience of street carnage virtuosos, is now in the "final stages of testing."
We somehow managed to get Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi to slam on his brakes for a moment today and talk to us about his flagship racing franchise. According to the Polyphony Digital boss, his studio is focusing a majority of its efforts on Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. In fact, he confirmed that the proper, disc-based Gran Turismo 5 might not even roll out before 2010.
In the meantime, Polyphony will continue to expand Prologue with additional cars, tracks, and features. Yamauchi couldn't speak to specific plans, but mentioned that an new update is planned for the near future.
With all of the work his company is putting into the next console GT installment, Yamauchi tells us that it hasn't forgotten the long-delayed Gran Turismo 4 Mobile for PSP. He confirms that the game – originally announced at E3 2004 – is still actively in development, although it isn't planned for release until after GT5. That would be 2011 for those with pen and calendar in hand.
The sequel to PS3's bippity-boppity-blazingly-fast off-road racer, Motorstorm, was shown only a wee bit of love at Sony's E3 press conference. Thankfully for it, Pacific Rift is being promoted much more vigorously on what's left of a show floor. It's getting dirt and palm fronds everywhere. While we can't promise anything, we think it's reasonably safe to watch the video above devoid of fear that the game will make a mess of your personal space. Reasonably safe.
You may not be old enough to remember it, but a decade ago when it was first released, Driver felt like a revelation. A game where cars were used for more than racing each other and roadblasting? Unheard of! But there it was, all new and fresh and full of promise, and you'll get to experience the feeling once again on Aug. 14 when the PlayStation title arrives on PSN.
_thumbnail.jpg "I Am 8 Bit: 2008")
