Sony Are Their Own Bosses, Stranglehold without Chow-Yun Fat & Capcom hates complaining – Welcome to the column that thought they were in the charge of their own destiny until they met Miss Dare to Play the Game known as Dare to Play the Game.
My gaming this week has consisted solely of beating the crap out of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis collection for 360. If you remember, I was at about 360 achievement points last week. This week? 710. I beat my own estimates (600) and exceeded them. In fact, out of the 34 achievements available, I only have 7 left to achieve. What is still giving me trouble you ask?
There are two achievements I can get today if I so desire. Those are the play all Genesis games & play all Arcade games achievements (since I have unlocked all of the arcade games). Then we have one for E-Swat which is giving me fits as well as both of the Vectorman achievements. There is also an achievement for Comix Zone which has been a great exercise in frustration. But the final one might prove my undoing. Beat the scenario mode in Mean Bean Machine. Haha, haha. Outside of a complete fluke, I just don’t see this happening. I’ll be honest with you, my hands aren’t that fast. I can easily see me grabbing six of these achievements with some work and end up at 950 but MBM is truly my Achilles heel.
This is Kristin Kreuk. She is your new Chun Li in the latest flop of a Street Fighter movie. Mind you it only opened in like 1200 theaters but to this point it has only pulled in roughly $10 million worldwide. It’s a shame but hardly anybody gave it a chance after that Jean Claude dirtied up the guise of Guile. Fun fact, did you realize the original Street Fighter movie pulled in almost $100 million worldwide boxoffice? People will watch anything.
Playstation 3
You may have heard, the PlayStation 3 is expensive. Not “private jet” expensive, sure, but compared to the Wii and 360, it’s expensive. So people want it cheaper. Sony, however, are having none of it.
Despite publishers, analysts and consumers calling repeatedly for a price cut on the machine, SCE America’s senior vice president of marketing Peter Dille sounds positively fed up with other people telling him how to do his job. “Everybody in the development community would love for the PS3 to be free”, Dille told Bloomberg, “so they could just sell razor blades”.
Why so huffy? It’s an understandable request. After all, razor blades are expensive!
I actually use Mach 3, I have for many many years. They aren’t cheap. Show of hands, but does anybody else have the problem with Mach 3 blades just springing loose? I’ve lost two blades down the drain that way. Anyhow, add me as another person who thinks the Playstation 3 is too high and I think Peter Dille should personally cut the price. Himself and fund the costs of doing so. Okay, maybe not the last part. Seriously though, do they really think they are winning the console war? They are 3rd, an okay third but they could at least hold a candle to the 360 and the Wii with at least teasing a price cut at the ole marketing meetings. Right now, they are charging way too much for a big black box that has zero backwards compatibility to the PS2 (unless you own an older version), has worse online support than the 360 and very few exclusives. And people wonder why I refuse to get rid of the PS2 in the family room (or banish it to the back).
Either this guy invests in a lot of razors or has never shaved one day in his life. I’ll go with the latter.
Video Game Movies
It’s already been announced that the Stranglehold movie won’t be directed by Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo. Instead, the still-in-production-film will be helmed by Stephen Fung and isn’t a Hard-Boiled sequel.
The game follows “Tequilla”, the character played by actor Chow Yun-Fat in 1992 film Hard Boiled. Terence Chang, John Woo’s long time producing partner, explains that the game and the movie will share some action set pieces, but they will be different.
“There was once a sequel to Hard Boiled, from an idea that I had,” states Chang. “I developed it for Chow Yun-fat and had commissioned a pretty good script written by John Jarrell. The project is now inactive.” The Stranglehold movie is this proposed Hard-Boiled sequel — what’s more, Chow Yun-Fat does not appear involved.
“We are now developing a movie of STRANGLEHOLD, and just signed the writers Fabrizio & Passmore,” Chang continues. (Jeremy Passmore and Andre Fabrizio are also penning the Mission In Action update.) Chang adds that the Stranglehold flick will be “a hardcore action film” and will be set in both Hong Kong and Chicago just as in the game.
“We will keep some of the action set pieces of the game, but the story is different,” Chang says. “It is a total reinvention, with a much younger Tequila. In other words, it is not a sequel to Hard-Boiled.” A much younger Tequila? In other words, a difficult role for the 53-year-old Chow Yun-Fat to play.
Are they going to release this direct to dvd to? I mean they might as well since the chances of this turning a reasonable profit kinda went out the window when they mentioned no Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo’s involvement seems extremely minimal. How exactly does a video game with Chow’s face and John Woo’s signature all over the game not entail those same elements when they decide to try to make a movie out of it? They aren’t even keeping the same story! How are they allowed to even name it Stranglehold? I got an idea. I’m going to do a movie about Halo. But it won’t have Master Chief. In fact, he won’t even be mentioned and there will be no such things as Warthogs or Spartans. In fact, there will be pink colored warriors trying to hold off the Flood. Hello Kitty would be proud.
The truth is that an aging Chow Yun-Fat would work as perfect fodder for a Stranglehold movie. Last time I heard, the 4th Indiana Jones movie did great business and Harrison Ford was 60+ years old. Chow Yun-Fat can still play Tequila. In fact, today he might better be able to pull it off than 10-15 years ago. But does he want to? That’s the real question.
He’s come to save you from burnt milk & cookies!
Resident Evil 5
Capcom received some backlash last week when they announced that they would be selling downloadable content for Resident Evil 5 which would add multiplayer modes to the game.
Most of the Internet angst seems to surround the timing of the release and questions why it wasn’t just included on the disc. But Christian Svensson, vice president of Strategic Planning & Business Development for Capcom, isn’t having any of it.
“This is the part where I get to say “BS”,” he wrote on the Capcom forums. “RE5 is well worth every penny of $60. A huge game, with tons of replay value, loads of unlockables, new weapons, co-op, mercenaries mode, etc. If any game warrants its price point, it’s RE5.
“Prior to the announcement of the Versus mode, no one complained they weren’t getting their money’s worth with the initial release because it packs TONS of value because it is an amazing game. So if people were already satisfied with what the package had, when we offer MORE, why is it people feel they’ve been somehow cheated? If you don’t find value in our secondary offerings, the choice is simple, don’t purchase it. If you do find it valuable (and we hope you do) please do buy it and enjoy it.”
Svensson goes on to explain that any downloadable content that Capcom does has a budget separate from the main game.
“Secondly, whenever we do PDLC, that content exists with its own budgets, it’s own profit and loss analysis with its own forecasts. If it didn’t, that extra content wouldn’t have been put into production, because it did not fit within the production budget of the base product.
“The content that is shipping in the full game exists within its own budget. The content shipping afterward (regardless of how close to release it is… because the goal IS to have it release relatively closely to the base product’s release) exists within its own budget. To try and have it release in a timeframe that is relatively close to the initial release, development starts well before the base product is on the shelves. There’s no other way to keep it within 3 to 6 weeks of the initial release (which is the goal).”
It is an interesting phenomenon that people seem to get incensed about the timing of DLC alone. Would news of Resident Evil 5’s DLC been less upsetting if it came six months after the game was out?
A lot of people have been complaining about the DLC which includes a versus mode for the relatively new Resident Evil 5. However, I think that Capcom or rather Christian Svensson is missing the point. People aren’t complaining that Resident Evil isn’t worth $60. I would venture to say if you like the series, the $60 is very well spent as it expands on what you already like about past games and then goes that extra mile. It is an excellent game. The part most people are complaining about isn’t the worth of the original package, it has to do with the fact that you are charging for the DLC. This DLC is so close to the actual release that they should have put it in as an update and called it a day.
Instead they try to pass this nonsense in about a versus mode having its own budget and they have to track the profitability of such occurrences. I think a lot of gamers are scratching their head when they already put forth the $60 and then are told a week later, hey we got this cool versus mode to extend the life of the game, but we need some more cash. Huh? We understand certain features don’t always make the release date but that’s what updates are for. Expect in six months for this feature to be made free, cause there is no way they can reasonably expect people to pay for it.
Hasbro is releasing four Xbox Live Arcade games this Wednesday to match four of their most popular tabletop games. They actually work off the same engine so if you get all four, I think you’ll be able to switch between them seamlessly. However, the part I’m sure many are scratching their heads over is how they are each going for 800 points a piece. I would think the whole package would go for 1200 or perhaps 400 a piece. Connect Four, this can’t be a $10 game. I’ll take a cue from my Sarah when she says that these are much more fun on the table top face to face than over a console. I would agree at these prices. There is a case for Scrabble and Yahtzee I suppose, but at the price this is hard to justify.
Another rhythm game with wonky graphics. Using the Wii mote to bounce beats you will be immersed in Retro Visuals, Classic Gameplay and an 8-bit soundtrack. So essentially they are trying to pass off a an old NES game as something new. It’s WiiWare where old crap becomes new crap. The challenges are fierce (cause the controls are like Mega Man….1!) and this does include 4-player multiplayer, all for 600 points.
Another Commodore offering, this time for the Summer Games. There are eight different events here including Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, High Jump, Javelin, Kayaking, Rowing and the Triple Jump. Hrmm. What’s missing from that lineup when you think of the Olympics? I don’t know, perhaps the 100 meter dash or the hurdles? How does Fencing always make it into 80’s Olympic games? *caugh Track & Field 2*. You can represent any of eighteen countries as you compete to be the best.
PS2
Pimp My Ride: Street Racing
Singstar: Queen
PSP
Resistance: Retribution
Scrabble
Air Conflicts
PS3
Wheelman
Xbox 360
Wheelman
Wii
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Marble Saga Krorinpa
Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution
Rune Factory: Frontier
DS
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
World Championship: Track & Field
Suikoden Tierkreis
TrackMania: DS
Scrabble
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzle Adventure
Valkyrie Profile: Convenant of the Plume
Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled
Dreamer Series: Puppy Trainer
Dreamer Series: Horse Trainer
C.O.R.E.
This week can just be re-labeled the week of the DS. GTA, Suikoden, Valkyrie Profile and about a half dozen other odds & ends which would make any console manufacturer a little jealous. The rest of the systems? I don’t see much. Wheelman is the only major release on the current generation systems. That game has needed a reboot for sometime and we will have to see if there is something there to enjoy. I hope for the best but probably assuming something a lot less than that. Singstar Queen hopefully will do better than Singstar ABBA. Wake me up before you go if Singstar: Wham ever becomes a reality. I think we have quite a few good releases coming next week including Legends of Wrestlemania. Could I possibly get a new wrestling game on Day one for the first time in years? Stranger things have happened and monkeys do fly.
Something different this week, above is a Penny Arcade cartoon I found for the new Fifty Cent Game: Blood on the Sand. Pretty funny stuff, but it got me to wondering. What if the ending of the Blood on the Sand borrowed from Fable II and instead gave you three choices? What would they be?
50cent: Yo dawg. Hand over the skull. I got to get back to my crib and put the mack down on some fine…
Voice (interrupting): I can not do that until you decide from three choices. These choices will alter the fabric of mankind and shape your existence. They are:
1. You can choose to bring back the lives of those heroes that have fallen before you. Dignitaries such as Notorious B.I.G. and TuPac Shakur will arise from their grave and give the public what they desire: 6 more albums and 2 more gang related deaths.
2. You can choose to be granted a beautiful singing voice where you will be able to sing from the heavens and have your golden voice to rain down on your peeps.
OR
3. You can get back the skull and more bling bling than you could ever imagine. Cars, jewelry, hoes in every shape and ethnic background, you can have it all. *BLAM BLAM*
50 cent: The way I see it, Notorious BIG and TuPac are still alive, I do have a beautiful singing voice bitch, and I already got more cars and hoes than I can lay the smack down on. Therefore, all I need dawg is that skull and now that your sorry magic 8-ball head of choices is shut up for good, I can take my skull and go the f-home. Peace.
This has been brought to you by the Rappers for Edumincation Fund. Wait, this isn’t for charity. What the hell do you mean this is for charity, mf’er. *BLAM BLAM* Stay safe kiddoes and always wear a Kevlar vest when playing 50 cent’s new game: Blood on the Sand. The More You Know.
As Always,
Kedrix of Aldrianian
(*The Forgotten One*)
03/18/2009 @ 2:22 pm
Great as always, Ked! Gotta give props to a DS title that will likely be overlooked by the masses. Henry Hatsworth deserves a second look by even the most skeptical of DS owners. A puzzly platformer that will bring a smile to your face. If you own a DS, you already know that a lot of the true gems for the system are unfortunately encased in sickeningly cutesy cover art. Give Henry a chance, you may be surprised.
And Ked, MBM will fall. You just have to be persistent. 1000 nerd points will be yours.