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[We have the scores, the news and more!]

26

TalkBack / Famitsu Scores Ahoy!

« on: April 03, 2003, 07:04:37 PM »

We have the scores, the news and more!

According to Famitsu, the GBA SP  and GB Player sold approximately 98 000 units and 100 000 units apiece from March 17th to the 23rd.  

Here's a partial list of the Famitsu Top 30 during that timespan:

1) FF X-2 (PS2)
2) Made in Wario (new)
3) Arc the Lad (PS2)
4 Jissen Pachisuro hissyou hou! Salary Man Kintaro (PS2)
5) Yugioh Duel Monsters 8 (GBA) (new)
6) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
7) Shin Kankoku Musou 3
Pokemon - Ruby / Sapphire

Other titles such as Final Fantasy Tactics dropped to 14th place from 9th the previous week, Metroid Fusion sunk to 23rd (from 12th), Rockman EXE Transmission slides to 20th (from 14th) and Hikaru no Go 3 pops into the charts at number 25.  

Reviews wise, Dokapon DX for GameCube scored 7,7,7,7, making for a total of 28/40.

The big release this week was the NARUTO fighting game for GameCube which received 8,8,8,7 (31/40) which qualifies it for the Famitsu Silver award. The reviewers said that though it has simple controls it stays true to the manga and won't disappoint fans. Unfortunately, the game was docked marks for its weak Story Mode and the fact it did not have a larger roster of characters.

[What? Link’s a secret character?]

27

TalkBack / Soul Calibur 2 for GC has been unveiled!

« on: January 14, 2003, 06:05:16 PM »

What? Link’s a secret character?

Namco has just officially unveiled the console versions of the hit arcade fighter Soul Calibur 2, and it includes one very famous Nintendo mascot: Link. Thanks to collaboration with the software giant, the famous green-tunic hero will be fighting in the excellent 3D fighter. Along with Link, is a new character by the name of Necrid.

The PS2 and Xbox incarnations aren’t without their own secret exclusive characters. The Sony version of the game will include none other than Heihachi, of Tekken fame. On the Xbox side the additional character is Spawn, the comic book hero.

Necrid will be in all three console versions.

 

[The Vampires are coming.]

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TalkBack / Hunter the Reckoning for GameCube goes Gold.

« on: October 24, 2002, 06:53:14 PM »

The Vampires are coming.

HUNTER: THE RECKONING ON THE NINTENDO GAMECUBE™ GOES GOLD

Interplay's hit video game to release on new platform

IRVINE, California, October 21, 2002  -  Interplay Entertainment Corp. (OTCBB:IPLY) and the Games division of Vivendi Universal Publishing announced today Hunter: The Reckoning(tm)  has gone gold.  The Nintendo GameCube(tm) title is scheduled to ship in mid-November.  Developed by High Voltage Software, Hunter: The Reckoning is an action game based on the characters and fiction found in the popular role-playing game Hunter: The Reckoning and the immersive World of Darkness(tm) created by White Wolf Publishing Inc.

 In Hunter, players become engrossed in the nightmare that is Ashcroft, a town plagued by creatures of the night.  Played from a third person perspective, this action shooter has players take the role of one of four unique hunters.  Throughout the game's many gothic environments, players will face over 30 creature variants from bloodthirsty vampires to unstoppable legions of the walking dead.  Up to four hunters can battle the creatures cooperatively on a single screen. Non-stop action along with striking graphics, bring to life the essence of Hunter: The Reckoning.

About Interplay  

Interplay Entertainment Corp. is a leading developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for both core gamers and the mass market. Interplay currently balances its development efforts by publishing for personal computers as well as current and next generation video game consoles. Interplay releases products through Interplay,Digital Mayhem, Black Isle Studios, its distribution partners and its wholly owned subsidiary Interplay OEM, Inc. More comprehensive information on Interplay and its products is available through its worldwide web site at www.interplay.com.

About White Wolf Publishing

 Since their entry in the role-playing game market in 1991, White Wolf Publishing Inc. has grown and maintained an average marketshare of 26%.With collective books sales in excess of 5.5 million copies during this time, White Wolf is one of two undisputed worldwide publishing leaders for pen and paper role-playing games. Their properties have been licensed into television series, comic books, action figures, professional wrestlers, a myriad of merchandising and, of course, video games. More information on  White Wolf can be found at www.white-wolf.com.

About High Voltage Software High Voltage Software Inc. was founded in 1993 and has been crafting games for three generations of consoles and the PC. The Chicago-based developer boasts a resourceful mix of the gaming industry's brightest young talents and skilled, veteran developers. Imaginative design, powerful proprietary technology, and a proven development process have made High Voltage Software a fierce competitor in the entertainment industry.   More information can be found at www.high-voltage.com.

About Vivendi Universal Publishing

 Vivendi Universal Publishing, a division of the world's second largest communications group (Vivendi Universal), publishes content in four major languages and has strong local brands. As the world's third largest publisher, the Company's key content areas include literature, reference, school, college, kids, games and consumer press. Vivendi Universal Publishing is a global leader in multi-platform interactive entertainment. A leading publisher of PC, console and online-based interactive content,its portfolio of development studios includes Black Label Games, Blizzard Entertainment, NDA Productions, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive. Through its subsidiary VU Games, it distributes worldwide its interactive contents and co-publishes and/or distributes products for a number of strategic partners. VU Publishing's digitization policy provides its contentwith a doorway to multi-platform international distributiongiving the group a competitive edge in a changing market.  

[PGC gives the low-down on what happened in San Francisco.]

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TalkBack / PSO Party Event Impressions

« on: October 24, 2002, 04:32:19 PM »

PGC gives the low-down on what happened in San Francisco.

It was a rather misty evening as Andres and I walked up the steps of Dolby’s theatre building in San Francisco. After checking in, we headed up to the third floor to check out how well Sega’s first online GameCube venture fared.

Soft lighting and the sweet sounds of PSO greeted us as we exited the elevator. One of the PR personnel mentioned we were a tad early and suggested we try out the game while we waited for the main event. Picking up a controller, the two of us played for a good half hour, taking a quick peek at what the final version had to offer.

Shortly after the group was ushered into the screening room and we were treated to a teaser showing off all sorts of items from the game, along with a new version of the opener that graced both DC versions. Character classes were displayed with using favored weapons in battle sequences in the all-new areas of the planet Ragol.  

After the video, Sonic Team president Yuji Naka took the stage and explained briefly about the game, touting both the progressive scan features and the fact the game ran in Dolby Pro-Logic II surround sound. He also emphasized the ease of online setup and the fact he hoped this incarnation would appeal to the even wider demographics the GameCube had to offer.  

Now it was time for us to see a demonstration of the game in action via a GameCube outfitted with four WaveBirds. A level 200 HUmar named “Sonic” was taken to action and soon joined up with other members of Sonic Team who were in Japan. After warping to “VR Mission Temple Alpha” the players explored the level fighting familiar monsters in a new backdrop.  

While the demo was running, Naka-san explained new features of the game, including revamped Battle and Challenge modes. The most intriguing was probably the re-affirmation that one would be able to download a GBA version of NiGHTS through PSO. However, today Naka-san revealed how: sometime in December, players will be able to complete a Quest and then be allowed to unlock the game and download it to their GBAs via the GC-GBA link cable. Other games were shown in the teaser, such as a version of Puyo. Nintendo is referring to this as the “N-port” and it was quite refreshing to see a third party take advantage of such a new idea so quickly.

As lights brightened once more, we left the screening room to take another quick run through of the game. As luck would have it we ran into Mr. Naka just before leaving and were able to ask him a couple of quick questions. First we asked what was being done about the infamous “dupe bug” that allowed Japanese players to duplicate items so as to illegally obtain rare weapons or armour. He assured us that the offending bit of programming code had been removed for the US version. He also mentioned that he would be willing to add more games to the N-port feature if the PSO gaming community took to it. Unfortunately there are no PSO Cards planned a la Animal Crossing, the game does not even recognize the E-reader.  

With all this and copious amounts of gameplay the two of us left satisfied.

Be sure to read the http://www.planetgamecube.com/impressions.cfm?action=profile&id=514>gameplay impressions of PSO I and II.  

[What? There's new details about the new Square games? Take a look inside!]

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TalkBack / FF: CC and FF Tactics Details!

« on: August 21, 2002, 07:08:01 AM »

What? There's new details about the new Square games? Take a look inside!

According to the new Famitsu Cube & Advance the Final Fantasty Tactics for the AGB will have additional all-new scenarios added to the game. According to QUITER it is not a 'remake', so we will have to see what that entails.

Famistu also reveals that Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles will be focused on "Action", rather than the traditional FF-style of gameplay.

Finally Treasure has confirmed to the magazine that Ikaruga is indeed coming to the GameCube with arcade and original modes.  

 

Special thanks to cybamerc of the GA forums.