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Third PSP Monster Hunter Announced

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 4:21am PDT

Tags: NEWS

The Monster Hunter Freedom series (called Monster Hunter Portable in Japan) is one of the few international "killer apps" that the PSP can lay claim to without sounding desperate. Every game in the lineup has shifted at least a million copies in Japan, with the most recent one -- 2008's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite -- selling over 3.5 million units and sharing the 2008 Japan Game Award with Nintendo's Wii Fit. It therefore makes sense that a new Freedom game announcement is huge news in Asia, as it became when Capcom announced Monster Hunter Portable 3rd at a fan event held in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The new PSP game, developed by a team led by producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Yasunori Ichinose, is meant to be a whole new experience for series fans. "This game doesn't use Freedom Unite as a base; the majority of it is being built from scratch," Ichinose said. "Thanks to that, the monster graphics and animation are a whole level better than before; we've got a broader range of expression to work with. It'll feel different from both Unite and Tri on the Wii."
MHP3 has a bit more of a Japan/Oriental feel to it than previous titles. As before, you're a freelance hunter tracking monsters in the wilds and cooperating with other players to take them down, but your home base this time -- the village of Yukumo -- is modeled after a traditional Japanese hot-spring village in the mountains, complete with open-air bath. "Pokke Village from the previous game was meant to have a Japanese taste to it," Tsujimoto commented, "but we brought that to the forefront this time. We didn't want to have just another town that looks like samurai-era Tokyo, though, so instead we added Asian tastes to the town features shared across the series."
Shinji Mikami Forms New Studio

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 3:50am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Shinji Mikami, creator of franchises like Resident Evil and Viewtiful Joe for Capcom, is currently working with Hideki Kamiya's Platinum Games on Vanquish, a shooter due out by the end of the year. He's got even bigger plans in the works, though -- in an interview printed in this week's Famitsu magazine, the designer revealed that he's moving from Osaka to Tokyo in order to create a brand-new development studio of his own.
"One of the reasons I'm building a company is to raise the game makers of the future, people who haven't gone pro yet," Mikami told Famitsu. "Game development is often overseen from a pure business perspective here, which is unique to Japan, and I have the impression that environment tends to prune away young talent. I really want to make Tango a company run from a creator's perspective, one that expands upon new talent."
Mikami, who left Capcom in November 2005 to go freelance, will fold up Straight Story (his current company) after development work on Vanquish wraps up later this year. His new studio currently employs 13 people, including sound director Masashi Takada (formerly of Grasshopper Manufacture) and art directors Ryosuke Aiba (Final Fantasy XI) and Naoki Katakai Okami). "We're going to handle all development within the company, so I think one development team will be the limit," Mikami said. "I'd like to see it grow to 100 people or so in five to seven years."
Blade Kitten Isn't As Groan-Worthy As You'd Think

Posted: March 15th, 2010, 3:20pm PDT

Tags: PREVIEW

Kit Ballard is a pink-haired catgirl bounty hunter with a snappy tongue and a not-so-covered rear end. Now, now, don't leave so soon -- yeah, Blade Kitten has all the markings of a tongue-in-cheek Western adaptation of Japanese comics, a la Ninja High School or its ilk (and in fact, it already is an indie comic), but appearances can be deceiving. Steve Stamatiadis (a.k.a. Space Captain Steve) is the brainchild behind Blade Kitten, as well as a longtime employee of the game's developer, Krome, who have a storied history of making action-platform games, including the Ty the Tasmanian Tiger series and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Compared to those, Blade Kitten narrows its focus a bit, going for a high-def anime-inspired adventure from a strict 2D plane.
It makes sense. As an action game, Blade Kitten is also inspired by the Japanese greats, which can be a lot more agreeable to most people than its style may be. Stamatiadis is clearly a fan of Capcom's Strider, dropping its name a few times when describing the game during a GDC 2010 press demo. It's not a one-to-one clone (so temper your expectations accordingly), but the inspiration is certainly there: Kit is naturally nimble, and can grab and climb onto most walls and ceilings with ease. She's slash-happy, making attacks look satisfying, and like Strider, she has a little pal following her at all times: Skiffy, a cute little creature that also can push buttons and grab things in the foreground and background.
Capcom Reveals Final New Character for Super Street Fighter IV

Posted: March 9th, 2010, 8:04pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Curious what tricks Capcom has up their sleeves for the final additional character in Super Street Fighter IV? Wonder no longer, because IGN got the first glimpse at Hakan -- a totally original brawler created specifically for the updated version of Street Fighter IV.
From the looks of the footage, Hakan appears to be a grappler along the lines of Zangief or Abel. Don't let that mislead you into believing he's just another musclebound clod in impossibly tight shorts, however. What separates this new guy from the rest of the pack are his bright orange, Jersey Shore-esque tan and the almost supernatural amount of... uh... lubrication dripping from his chiseled body.
Yeah, Hakan is one slippery fella. And he takes advantage of his trademark greasiness by sliding all over the ring at lightning speeds. The end result looks to be a fighting style that's just as unique as it is vaguely unsettling.
50 Percent Off Street Fighter IV on Impulse, GFW Live Games on Demand

Posted: March 5th, 2010, 1:02pm PST

Tags: NEWS

How does Microsoft follow up last weekend's Batman: Arkham Asylum sale on Games for Windows Live Games on Demand? With another tempting weekend deal on Street Fighter IV, that's how.
Bargain hunters can hit up the Games for Windows Live client to download Capcom's fighting franchise revival for just $19.99. Get it while it's hot, though, because the sale expires at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 5. Then it's back to $39.99 for Ryu and the crew.
If, for whatever reason, you'd rather not use Microsoft's online store, then you'll find a similar deal on Stardock's Impulse service. Their sale brings the game down to $19.99 as well, and is also scheduled to end sometime on Monday.
Playable Bass, Special Stages Coming to Mega Man 10

Posted: March 1st, 2010, 1:20pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Like Mega Man teleporting into a stage, word of downloadable content for Mega Man 10 came almost instantly. No sooner was the game released on WiiWare than the official Nintendo page detailed DLC plans to take place during April. "Bass Mode," which presumably will let you play as Mega Man's musically-named rival, will come on April 5 for 200 points ($2). Three "Special Stages" are scheduled for 100 points ($1) each, the first of which will hit April 5, followed by the other two on April 26. An "Endless Attack Mode" will also come on the 26, for 300 points ($3). If you want all the DLC, you'll be paying a total of $8 on top of the $10 game price. All of these release dates are for the Wii version of the game, so we're not sure yet if the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions will feature the content on the same day.
Mega Man 9 similarly featured post-launch DLC that totaled eight bucks. Among these a la carte Mega menu options were an extra stage, increased difficulty, the Endless Attack mode, and the ability to play as Proto Man. Mega Man 10 includes Proto Man from the start, but apparently Capcom is making up the difference with more special stages.
Monster Hunter Frontier Coming to Japanese 360s in June

Posted: February 24th, 2010, 1:49pm PST

Tags: NEWS

In an advertisement that ran in Japanese magazines this week, Capcom revealed that the Xbox 360 version of online action RPG Monster Hunter Frontier is hitting the island nation on June 24.
The Japanese 360 package will come with a wagonload of freebie weapons for beginners, and Capcom will also simultaneously launch an MH-branded Microsoft wireless keyboard with the release. The game itself costs 6090 yen with tax; the keyboard is an extra 1050 yen.
No US release has been announced for the game, the PC version of which enjoys a worldwide userbase of over 1.5 million.
New MotoGP Gets North American Release Date

Posted: February 19th, 2010, 12:11pm PST

Tags: NEWS

It's not nearly as big in North America as it is in Europe, but gamers on both sides of the pond will soon be able to enjoy MotoGP. Capcom has announced that the motorcycle racers will be available in North America next month.
Users will be able to download all 2010 season content for free, which includes new tracks, team updates and new motorcycles. The content will be available free.
If you're into motorcycle racing, then it sounds like a treat. If you're not sure, a demo should be out sometime soon.
New PlayStation Store Update Adds a Yakuza 3 Demo

Posted: February 18th, 2010, 4:11pm PST

Tags: NEWS

We already know all about the sale on Capcom games, which begins today with a 50% discount on Marvel vs. Capcom 2 ($7.49). But that's not the only discounted downloadable game or piece of downloadable content on the PlayStation Store. Topatoi has had its price permanently slashed (from $9.99 to $7.99) and there's a handful of Ubisoft games and DLC that's on sale from now until March 4, including TMNT ($9.99) and Shaun White Snowboarding.
Demos of Yakuza 3 and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing are among the new downloads available on PS3, along with the new downloadable content for Resident Evil 5 and Assassin's Creed 2. You can also now find the premiere episode of Sony's new reality show, "The Tester," and three PS1 Classics: Mass Destruction ($5.99), Magic Carpet ($5.99), Sorcerer's Maze ($5.99).
On PSP, in addition to the new helping of comics, there are two new downloadable games available: Puzzle Chronicles ($29.99) and SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 ($39.99), the latter of which was made available earlier this week.
Half-Price Sales on Capcom PSN Games Begin Today

Posted: February 18th, 2010, 2:01pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Capcom announced yesterday that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 would be on sale for half price beginning today on the PlayStation Store. And in addition to that, they've now announced that each week for the next five weeks, Capcom will be slashing the price on one of their PlayStation Network games by 50%. For the next week, you'll be able to pick up MvC2 for the price of $7.49 instead of the $14.99 it usually goes for. Then beginning on February 25, the discounted game will be Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix ($7.49); on March 4, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix ($4.99); on March 11, Age of Booty ($4.99); and on March 18, 1942: Joint Strike ($4.99).
There's a demo of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 available on the PlayStation Store right now if you want to give the game a try before buying. But be warned, it doesn't allow you to play against the computer or online, so you'll need two controllers (and ideally a second person) in order to play.
Cut Lost Planet 2 Content Could Return as DLC

Posted: February 18th, 2010, 9:25am PST

Tags: NEWS

Lost Planet 2 producer Jun Takeuchi recently said the developers had to make some difficult cuts to the game, but the content may find its way back to players through the magic of downloadable content. A Japanese Livedoor interview (via Kotaku) reveals that the cuts came from a lack of disc space on the Xbox 360 version. "This time, truly, the content that was cut was significant," he said, "and at the end, we had to wrestle with disc space." It sounds as if these cuts were made at the planning level, so even though the PS3's Blu-ray allows for more space, we'll see parity between the two versions. He did point out that Capcom "could be able to add that content at a later date as downloadable content."
We're seeing this exercised as a more common practice. Ubisoft made a similar move with two cut sequences from Assassin's Creed 2, one of which is due out as DLC today. Though some fans complained, the content has been generally accepted due to positive reception of the main game and relatively low prices for the downloadable content. We'll have to see if Capcom will take notes from Ubisoft's method, or find some other way to appease fans.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 50 Percent Off Tomorrow on PSN

Posted: February 17th, 2010, 1:23pm PST

Tags: NEWS

The official Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Twitter broke its months-long silence this morning to announce that the game will be getting discounted this week on the PlayStation Store. According to a tweet posted earlier today, the PlayStation Network version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is getting its price chopped in half ($7.49 instead of $14.99) as part of a sale that starts tomorrow.
There's no word as of yet on exactly how long this deal will last or what time it's scheduled to go into effect, but we'll be sure to keep you updated as Capcom and Sony roll out the details. Might as well dust off your favorite arcade stick and start practicing those dragon punches until then.
SFIII Characters Confirmed for Super Street Fighter IV

Posted: February 17th, 2010, 7:54am PST

Tags: NEWS

As we reported just yesterday, Dudley is the latest addition to the Super Street Fighter IV roster -- and he isn't alone, either.
Capcom confirmed in this week's issue of Famitsu magazine that three characters from Street Fighter III -- female ninja Ibuki, hard-nosed karate girl Makoto, and swarthy English gentleman Dudley -- will be joining in the SSFIV fray. Each one will have a few ultra combos to choose from, of course, including Ibuki's Yoroi-toshi throw, Dudley's Corkscrew Cross hurricane punch, and Makoto's Seichusen Godantsuki combo strike.
These three characters, along with the other new guys in the roster (which, so far, include Juri, Adon, T. Hawk, Dee Jay, Guy and Cody), will all be available for play once the game's released April 27. They won't be the last revealed, no doubt...
Capcom Bringing Street Fighter 4 to iPhone

Posted: February 15th, 2010, 2:05pm PST

Tags: NEWS

One of gaming's biggest fighting game franchises is headed to the iPhone. Capcom announced today that it's bringing Street Fighter 4 to the iPhone, and in surprisingly complete form; the game even features the same art style seen in the console and arcade versions. Only Ryu and Ken have been confirmed at this point, according to IGN, but other characters will be in the game -- including some who were newly introduced in SF4, as well as those from previous Street Fighter games. Those who do make the cut will have their entire arsenal of moves at their disposal, including Ultras in all their glory.
Multiple control schemes will be available so that you can find one that works for you. That's important, not only because opinions vary greatly when it comes to touchscreen controls, but also because you'll want to be very comfortable as you do battle with another player in the game's 2-player Bluetooth multiplayer.
If you read our interview with Street Fighter 4 producer Yoshinori Ono back in 2008, you probably aren't shocked to hear that the game is now headed to the iPhone. While discussing the possibility of SF4 coming to Wii, Ono said, "As long as people want to play Street Fighter 4, it could be on anything -- even this iPhone, for that matter. It really could be on any platform that could support it. So let's just see what happens." So even back in 2008, the notion had been brought up by Capcom.
Mega Man 10 Getting Staggered March Release

Posted: February 12th, 2010, 7:35am PST

Tags: NEWS

Capcom outlined release dates for Mega Man 10 on its blog. And yes, we mean release dates, as the company has decided to stagger the game's release throughout the month of March. First will be WiiWare on March 1, followed by the PlayStation Network release on March 11, and finally Xbox Live Arcade will get its version on March 31. All three will be roughly ten bucks -- or 1,000 Wii Points, $9.99, and 800 Microsoft Points to be technical.
The blog also shows off artwork and gives names for the eight new weapons, procured from the Robot Masters. The new weapons are the Water Shield, Triple Blade, Thunder Wool, Solar Blaze, Chill Spike, Rebound Striker, Commando Bomb, and Wheel Cutter (above). In addition, the Challenges mode now serves as a de facto practice mode for new players to get a hang of the controls. We're only a few weeks away from the WiiWare release, so keep your eyes out for our review.
RevisioNESt History: Comparing Made-Up Mythology in Retro-Style Games

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 4:52pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

RevisioNESt History: Comparing Made-Up Mythology in Retro-Style Games
Is making games purposefully simple and arguably ugly a piece of cake? Not if you want to properly represent their forebears.
By Ray Barnholt

A few years ago, something funny happened: Game developers realized that games from the '80s still had plenty of value in their design and presentation, and millions of present-day adults remember them so fondly. For various reasons, some of those developers began making new games that purposefully had old (some would say "bad") graphics and artificially-limited gameplay.

The most popular example is Mega Man 9, Capcom's deliberate regression of the classic action series into an 8-bit game, the most fondly remembered kind in the series. It's a trend that's positively blowing up thanks to more recent games like 3D Dot Game Heroes from Atlus tweaks the approach a little bit by turning 2D sprites into more humanoid 3D models, but packing the game with references to Zelda and related 8-bit games. Other developers seem to think that all they need is low-detail pixel graphics, though, like in Nippon Ichi's upcoming Classic Dungeon.

But this piece isn't about those games. Rather, this about case studies of two retro-style games for Nintendo DS that go the extra inch and set themselves up with not just '80s graphics, but also with back-stories to add some purpose and understanding as to why they are the way they are.
You Got Gears of War in My Lost Planet 2

Posted: January 26th, 2010, 1:02pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Last night's Capcom event didn't carry a lot of surprises, but one reveal definitely caught us off-guard. The new trailer (above) shows off the familiar Gears of War characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago making a cameo in the Xbox 360 version of Lost Planet 2. This means you can swap your insect-fighting space marines for grub-fighting space marines, making this the most lateral cross-promotional move since The Flintstones Meet the Jetsons.
As revealed last night, the game is due out on May 18. In the meantime, we'll see what Capcom and Epic have to say about this unlikely partnership, and if any similar cross-game cameos are coming for the PlayStation 3 version. Enjoy the trailer.
Capcom Event Reveals Monster Hunter 360, Various Release Dates

Posted: January 26th, 2010, 12:32am PST

Tags: NEWS

Capcom has been teasing a Japanese announcement this week in conjunction with Microsoft, and tonight's event and accompanying press release revealed what many suspected: Monster Hunter Frontier Online is coming to the Xbox 360. The company is aiming for a summer launch of the game, which will be a port of the PC MMORPG. Reports out of the event itself claim it will cost fans 1400 yen (about $15) per month to play. The 360 servers will be separate from the existing PC ones, but Capcom plans to merge the two sometime during the MMO's life. So far, we have no word on the game coming stateside.
The Monster Hunter name might not mean much in the U.S., but it's a force to be reckoned with in Japan. It stands to reason that the game will hit the PlayStation 3 eventually, but Microsoft co-marketed this event to get its name out as the home of the game. We may see a timed exclusive for the Xbox 360, which attached to one of Japan's most popular franchises could give it some much-needed support in the region.
Other announcements include some anticipated release dates. VG247 reports that along with the event's Japanese release dates, Super Street Fighter IV is now set for a U.S. release on April 27, with Lost Planet 2 following with a global release on May 18. Dead Rising 2 was less fortunate, receiving only a vague "2010" date. We'll update with new details as they become available.
Capcom shows off first Resident Evil 5 downloadable episode

Posted: January 25th, 2010, 4:42pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Do you ever find yourself sitting down and thinking, "Man, I sure wish Resident Evil 5 was more like the original games instead of being like RE4"? Apparently, someone at Capcom thought the same thing. We got to check out the first downloadable episode for RE5, titled "Lost in Nightmares," and it pretty much feels like an HD version of the original Resident Evil.
The basic premise is that you as Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine as they explore Spencer Mansion, a.k.a. the same spot that RE1 took place. Specifically (mild spoiler warning, highlight to see if you've already played RE5): the sequence where Chris and Jill are in the mansion and they witness Wesker's best imitation of Keanu Reeves from The Matrix. As mentioned, not only does the location lend itself to a more RE1-like feeling, but so does the basic gameplay. Rather than fill the screen with bad guys and constantly reward you with ammunition and items to encourage you to shoot and melee your way through a level, this episode is more about slinking around the mansion with limited resources. Most of the time during our brief session was spent walking around and finding random items to use as keys in mysteriously locked doors. The few instances of combat that did occur pitted the two of us against a new type of Majini: a big fellow sporting both a giant axe and a gross array of pulsating sores on his back (he somewhat resembles an uglier version of the Executioner Majini that you see early on in the regular RE5 story campaign). Like the first few RE games, there's a sense of panic as both players run out of ammunition while fighting this burly fellow in a confined/claustrophobic space ? even when playing in co-op.
1UP's 2009 Readers' Choice Awards

Posted: January 18th, 2010, 7:50pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

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You voted, we counted! Now see what your favorite games from 2009 were (and ours, too)!
By 1UP Staff

Another year has come to an end, and 2010 is already off to an impressive start for new releases. Before we get wrapped up in the new year's hottest games, it's time look back at 2009 and the titles 1UP's readers selected as their favorites. Votes were divided by Best of Platform, Best of Genre, and Game of the Year. After each category's runners-up, you'll notice that 1UP's editors have also weighed in with their favorite picks for each category as well. Plus, we have a special section at the end of our listings dedicated to special staff awards for games that deserve extra mention for excellence.

We begin with the Best of Platform Awards, in which the best releases for all consoles, handhelds, and of course PC are singled out. Multiplatform titles were eligible too, because sometimes a game just feels better on one system than on another. So what did our readers and editors decide were the games that best exemplified their hardware? Read on....

Jump to: Platform Awards | Genre Awards | Game of the Year | Editors' Special Recognition

Platform Awards
Downloadable Game of the Year Shadow Complex (24%)
Microsoft/Chair Entertainment
A love letter to Super Metroid that updated the structure of Nintendo's classic exploratory shooter to incorporate the visual and control stylings of modern third-person shooters, Shadow Complex was as notable for the sociopolitical controversy it inspired as it was for raising the bar of quality for downloadable games. Mostly, though, 1UP's editors and readers loved it for being damn fun.

Runners Up: Flower (14%), Torchlight (10%), Marvel vs Capcom 2 (10%)

Editors' Pick: Shadow Complex
Best PC Game Dragon Age: Origins (35%)
EA/BioWare
Game Night with Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars Coming Soon

Posted: January 18th, 2010, 11:05am PST

Tags: NEWS

Live TV by Ustream
Time: Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 5 p.m. PST
Location: Watch the embedded video player above.
Questions: Submit your question(s) in our Game Night message board thread.
Get ready for a Game Night filled with action-packed fights starring Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars. Last year, we ran a small office tournament for the import version of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, but this time, we'll try to be as informative as possible, showing off the new characters while taking questions from the boards.
We record Game Night live every Tuesday at 5 p.m. PST, and welcome your thoughts and comments on our message board or Twitter account. A recorded version of the show will go up Wednesday afternoon on GameVideos. For past Game Night episodes check out 1UP's Game Night hub page.
Game Night with Bayonetta Coming Soon

Posted: January 4th, 2010, 1:04pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Live TV by Ustream
Time: Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 5 p.m. PST
Location: Watch the embedded video player above.
Questions: Submit your question(s) in our Game Night message board thread.
We're back from the holiday break, and ready to start the year with a bang. We're playing Platinum Games' Bayonetta, an action game from the team led by Hideki Kamiya, the former Capcom director previously in charge of Devil May Cry. Given Kamiya's reputation, action fans can expect intricate and stylish combat, not to mention many over-the-top moments.
We record Game Night live every Tuesday at 5 p.m. PST, and welcome your thoughts and comments on our message board or Twitter account. A recorded version of the show will go up Wednesday afternoon on GameVideos. For past Game Night episodes check out 1UP's Game Night hub page.
Top 10 DS Games of 2010

Posted: January 2nd, 2010, 1:33pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

Top 10 DS Games of 2010
Get ready to cram some RPGs and adventures in your pocket in 2010.
By 1UP Staff

There's about a bajillion of these things out there, and in multiple flavors even (DS, DSi, and the upcoming/rumored DSi XL). So it's a safe bet that there will still be some damn good games coming out for the DS even in 2010. Though, a casual look at what excites us most shows that the DS has also become the unofficial king of RPGs and adventure games. We haven't even heard much about what Nintendo itself plans to release, but read on for the ten games that we want to put in our pocket.

10. --> Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth

Dev: Capcom | Pub: Capcom

If there was one think missing from Apollo Justice, the last Ace Attorney game, it was stylish prosecuting attorney Miles Edgeworth. Capcom remedies that oversight with the next title in its lawyer sim. This time, you control Edgeworth in an isometric 3D world -- cross-examining witnesses and drawing conclusions from the evidence you find. The graphic adventure parts of the game have always been great, but we're really excited for the humorous, well-written dialogue. Telltale may have the best graphic adventures on console and PC, but Capcom still presides high and mighty on DS.

10. --> Pokemon Heart Gold/Silver

Dev: Game Freak Inc | Pub: Nintendo

Yes, we get it. You're too old for Pokémon. You don't want anything to do with these disgusting, cute, and punnily named creatures. Why is it then that you've "caught them all" on DS when Pearl and Diamond (and then eventually Platinum) came out? That's right. We'd all like to think we're beyond Pikachu's siren call ("Chuuu...") but the truth is the game is addicting and deeply satisfying, easy enough for us to have gotten into it as kids, and meaty enough to hold our attentions still today. The enhanced remakes of fan favorite Silver and Gold editions will surely have you wanting to -- well, you know -- all over again. Plus, the game comes with a pokéball-shaped pedometer!

10. --> Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Dev: Atlus | Pub: Atlus
Capcom Considering Shifting Established Franchise Development Overseas

Posted: December 28th, 2009, 10:52am PST

Tags: NEWS

Capcom has recently outsourced a number of projects to western developers, including the upcoming Dead Rising 2. It appears that they will continue with that strategy going forward, but with more defined roles for western development houses and Capcom's in-house teams.
In a Q&A on the company's investor relations site (via Joystiq), a Capcom representative writes that the Bionic Commando reboot "demonstrated the difficulty of outsourcing the development of [a] new title to overseas companies." Developed by the now defunct GRIN, the reboot received mixed reviews when it was released earlier this year.
In light of that experience, Capcom is considering giving franchises with "well-established characters and universal themes" to international developers. Should they go forward with this new strategy, it wouldn't be surprising to see the likes of Resident Evil outsourced to western studios.
Fine Foods of Beat-Em-Ups

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 12:12pm PST

Tags: FEATURE
The Fine Foods of Beat-Em-Ups
An artistic tribute to the pavement-based delicacies in our favorite retro action games.
By Ray Barnholt

Videogames get enough crap for being excessively violent, but today's games aren't as bad as they used to be. Back then, the average walk-and-punch beat-em-ups would also encourage our nation's youth to eat food off the ground, thanks to the health-regenerating food that would appear out of broken barrels, telephone booths, or fire hydrants, and then lay on the filthy ground as hooligans got the snot beat out of them inches away. Absurd at first, it was soon a widely accepted part of the genre, and really, the unwavering dedication of those game developers is worth remembering and respecting. Here, now, is a selection of the best foods from the beat-em-ups of the '90s. They're reflective of a simpler time, when tables and silverware were mere novelties for the common man.
Appetizers
- Apples (Streets of Rage 2 | Sega | 1992)
  Plump, fresh apples from northwest Washington state, served one-at-a-time on a saucer. Though fresh, placement on city streets may lead to catching scurvy.
- Cheese (Alien Vs. Predator | Capcom | 1994)
  Farm fresh sampler of American cheese on bare plate. May include whatever saltines we had left in the back. Goes great with our complementary bread!
- Salad (Cadillacs & Dinosaurs | Capcom | 1992)
Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Parasite Eve Composer) Interview

Posted: October 23rd, 2009, 4:00pm PDT

Tags: FEATURE

The Ballad of Aya and Yoko
How composer Yoko Shimomura became one of gaming's most versatile voices.
By Jeremy Parish

Videogames have developed into a mature mainstream entertainment medium over the past few years. Few people would feel ashamed for choosing to spend an evening playing Halo or World of Warcraft over watching brainless television reruns. Yet while the medium may have found acceptance, its music inspires much less enthusiasm. Game soundtrack CDs remain a rare creature in the U.S., and far too often the only games whose audio earns widespread critical acclaim are music titles specifically built around popular songs (The Beatles: Rock Band, for instance) or big-budget action games whose publishers have recruited Hollywood talent like Harry Gregson-Williams or Hans Zimmer to lend a little cinematic flair.

Perhaps that's why Japanese composer Yoko Shimomura remains fairly unknown among gamers, despite having created the music for some of the most popular games ever. With major blockbusters like Street Fighter II, Kingdom Hearts, Parasite Eve, and Super Mario RPG under her belt, Shimomura's music has entertained tens of millions of gamers. Yet only a fraction of that number knows her name, and fewer still realize that she's arguably the single most versatile composer in the industry.

Shimomura's career began at Capcom in the 1980s, where she contributed music and effects to a number of arcade and NES games. Within a few years, she found herself working on two of the biggest arcade games of the era: Final Fight, which galvanized the nascent brawler genre, and Street Fighter II, which practically invented the fighting game.
Capcom Considering Fees For Monster Hunter Tri

Posted: October 22nd, 2009, 12:41pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

Would you be willing to pay to play Monster Hunter Tri online? According to MTV Multiplayer, Capcom is wondering the same thing.
At the moment, Japanese fans must pay 800 Wii Points ($8) for one month of online play, 1500 Wii Points ($15) for two months and 2000 Wii Points ($20) for three months). That would be unlikely to go over well in North America, where only Xbox Live and massively multiplayer games like World of WarCraft have subscription fees.
A similar system was in place for the PlayStation 2's Monster Hunter G, but was removed for the western release. When 1UP spoke with Capcom representatives at TGS, they said that based on the franchise's past history in North America, Monster Hunter Tri's online play would likely be free as well.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Hands-On Preview

Posted: October 19th, 2009, 6:51pm PDT

Tags: PREVIEW

Off the bat, let me admit to not having very much in the way of Resident Evil knowledge; I'm not a hardcore fan of the series. But while I enjoyed my recent hands-on time with two levels of Capcom's second on-rails lightgun shooter, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, which takes you through re-imagined levels from Code Veronica and RE2 along with some original stages, I'm a bit surprised by the game's overall lack of suspense. Theoretically, it's creepy to walk around darkened hallways of abandoned buildings, but the effect is pretty much ruined when you're not on the edge of your seat waiting for the next zombie that may or may not jump out at you around the next corner.
In the two levels I played, my character walked extremely slowly. On occasion, they'd sprint forward of their own accord -- hence, being on-rails -- but other times, they would just move forward at an excruciatingly slow pace. It's not that I don't have patience; it's just a bit jarring to walk so deliberately when the characters are speaking so animatedly and the background music sounds like a spirited JRPG fight theme. Not that that's a bad thing -- it's just incongruous. It doesn't do the suspenseful tone any favors either.
Super Street Fighter 4 Listed for $40, March 23

Posted: October 17th, 2009, 11:28am PDT

Tags: NEWS

When Capcom announced that Super Street Fighter 4 would be a standalone game and not a downloadable update, they promised it wouldn't be full price. And if GameStop's recent listing is to be believe, that seems to be the case: MTV Multiplayer reports that the retailer has listed Super Street Fighter 4 for release on March 23 for $40.
Which begs the question: Is $40 as cheap as you were expecting? A March 23 release would put it at retail just over a year after Street Fighter 4's release back in February, and Capcom promises "roughly" eight new characters (including newcomer Juri and returning characters Dee Jay and T. Hawk), updated online functionality, rebalanced gameplay, and a mysterious "bonus" for people who already own Street Fighter 4. Whether that'll be enough new content to justify a $40 purchase will, in the end, be up to every individual owner of Street Fighter 4, but for perspective, keep in mind hundreds of thousands of Madden fans spend $60 dollars for a new addition in their franchise every year.
And it should also be noted, of course, that Capcom has yet to confirm (or deny) that this price and date are official. But they've mentioned the game would be released in spring of 2010 before, so this sounds about right. Once we get any kind of confirmation, we'll pass it along.
PlayStation Store Update Brings EA Store, 100 PSP Games

Posted: October 1st, 2009, 10:34am PDT

Tags: NEWS

In preparation for the launch of the PSP Go today, Sony has added 100 full PSP games for purchase on the PlayStation Store as part of their regular weekly update. But it's not all just PSP content this week: The update also adds Electronic Arts as the second third-party publisher to get their own store page (via PlayStation Lifestyle), along with a bevy of other content for both the PlayStation 3 and PSP.
You can see the full list of available PSP games on Sony's official PlayStation Blog post, which includes titles from just about every major third-party publisher you could think of. Additionally, the PSP Go has launched with 13 Minis, which you can read more about here.
EA's "publisher page," meanwhile, now joins Capcom's, making them the only two publishers to have their own little corners of the PlayStation Store to themselves. And EA can add to it two new demos today, too: one for Brutal Legend (which EA is publishing), and one for Need for Speed: Shift.
RE5 Alternative Edition Bonus Content Could Come to 360

Posted: September 30th, 2009, 12:14pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

Announced at the Tokyo Game Show last week, Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition for the PlayStation 3 will add both motion control functionality with Sony's new wand controller, as well as new content featuring Jill Valentine once again as a playable character. And while the motion controls will remain a Sony exclusive, it looks like the bonus content won't. Dengeki Online reports (via IGN's translation) that Capcom plans to release this bonus material for the Xbox 360, potentially as DLC.
Dengenki's report states that the bonus material might be released on the 360 in a "different format" than on the PS3, suggesting it probably won't be a separate retail release -- which, naturally, leaves downloadable content as the next likely option. This content would include the "Jill episode" that Capcom is adding to the game, which takes place three years before the events of RE5 as Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield infiltrate the mansion owned by Umbrella Corp. founder Ozwell E. Spencer.
What other bonus material Alternative Edition will include hasn't been revealed, but producer Jun Takeuchi has teased that, "It's a brand-new release, so we're going to release it with more content than that." The game isn't scheduled to be released in Japan until next spring, though, so it could be a little while before we get more details.
Video of Juri and T-Hawk in Super Street Fighter IV

Posted: September 30th, 2009, 6:41am PDT

Tags: NEWS

In case you haven't been following our recent stories about this, Capcom is releasing a new version of Street Fighter IV next spring called (you guessed it) Super Street Fighter IV. It'll be released in stores and apparently not as DLC, and won't be hitting arcades. Anyway, while lots of details are still unknown about the upgrades to the game, two new characters have been revealed: a new fighter named Juri and the classic character T-Hawk. And first video of these characters has hit the web:

Also, in case you haven't seen them yet, here are the screenshots that Capcom has released of the two:
All About Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition

Posted: September 29th, 2009, 7:05am PDT

Tags: NEWS

If Resident Evil 5 wasn't survival horror-y enough for you, prepare yourself: there's more of it coming. Capcom's Resident Evil 5 Alternative Edition, first announced at Sony's press conference during last week's Tokyo Game Show, was detailed in depth this week in the Japanese press, and the (so far) PS3-exclusive title seems like a decent treat even if you're played through the original version already.
"The features we've newly added were planned out at the start of RE5 development," director Jun Takeuchi told Famitsu magazine. "We looked at the game flow and volume of the package and figured it'd be a smoother experience if they were taken out. Once RE5 came out, though, we got a lot of people saying they wanted to play as Jill; you could really feel the love for her."
Thus we have the new "Jill episode" of Alternative Edition, featuring Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield infiltrating the mansion of Umbrella Corp. founder Ozwell E. Spencer. These events, which take place three years before RE5 itself, were shown in flashback form here and there during the original game -- but the whole episode is now available via a separate menu, letting you play through it if you'd like. "Originally, all it had was you playing around in Spencer's mansion a little bit," Takeuchi said. "We put a lot more effort into it for this release. The new content starts with the two of them arriving at the entrance to Spencer's house, and I think a lot of it will be amusingly familiar to fans of the very first game."
Super Street Fighter 4 is Real and isn't Downloadable Content

Posted: September 28th, 2009, 6:54pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

It seemed abundantly clear that we were witness to an impressive hoax or simply an early look at a new Super Street Fighter game after a leak surfaced over the weekend. Screenshots showing, among other things, a returning T. Hawk led us to believe it was real and now we have confirmation of Super Street Fighter 4. Despite the popular theory that the new game would be released as downloadable content for the existing Street Fighter 4 game, GameSpot reports that Super Street Fighter 4 will be released in the form of a disc next spring for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 -- and it won't be a full priced release.
The very immediate and obvious question that springs to mind is just why Capcom made the decision to make this a disc-based released, as opposed to simply doing it as DLC. Producer Yoshinori Ono explained that this was due to the fact that Street Fighter 4's code wasn't designed with this sort of expansion in mind, and the game simply wouldn't be able to support the features being added in SSF4. A downloadable release was considered but ultimately ruled out due to these technical constraints. To ease the minds of SF4 owners, Ono promises that there will be some sort of bonus given to SSF4 buyers who own a copy of SF4, but just what that bonus might be is unclear at this point. You'll definitely want to hang onto your copy of SF4 if you plan on playing online with non-upgrading fans, as the two games won't be compatible with one another.
You can expect to see "roughly" eight new characters -- though that figure could still change -- in addition to the 25 that Street Fighter 4 shipped with. Among the additions are T. Hawk and the brand new Juri, who may not be the only new character added to the mix, as Capcom is looking to add both new and retro characters alike. Other changes include various balance tweaks, new ultra combos for the existing cast of SF4 characters, and an enhanced online component (no specifics on just what's being improved here, except a hint of a potential lobby system).
Possible Super Street Fighter 4 Screens, Info Surface

Posted: September 28th, 2009, 11:56am PDT

Tags: NEWS

After this weekend's suspicious leak regarding an new "Super" version of Street Fighter 4, new screenshots have surfaced that certainly seem to lend it even more credence. French site JV247 (via Giant Bomb) showed off eight screenshots in all, showcasing both a new fighter named Juri and the return of classic character T. Hawk. Other rumored characters to be brought to this update include Adon, Cody, Dee Jay, Dudley, Guy, Ibuki, and Makoto. Right now, we have no way of knowing if this rumored upgrade will be made available as downloadable content, a new disc, or only in arcades.
It certainly seems legit, but no word from Capcom yet on the authenticity. The Japanese teaser site is likely to be where the company will launch the official announcement. It teases a reveal at 5 p.m. on September 29, which will be the middle of the night for those of us here in the U.S. We should have some kind of definitive answer by tomorrow morning.
Capcom's Inafune Says Japan's Games Industry is 'Finished'

Posted: September 27th, 2009, 1:44pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

This is probably not the message you would want coming out at the end of the giant industry trade show that's supposed to be glorifying your native talents, but at the Tokyo Game Show earlier this week, Capcom's Keiji Inafune (creator of Mega Man and Dead Rising) shared his starkly damning assessment of the Japanese games industry: "it's finished."
The comments were made during an event showing off Dead Rising 2 (via Destructoid), where Inafune asked the attendees for their honest opinions of what they had seen at the show so far. Then, he shared his own: "Personally when I looked around [at] all the different games at the TGS floor, I said, 'Man, Japan is over. We're done. Our game industry is finished.'"
Ouch, huh? But to the surprise of no one, Inafune naturally left Capcom's games out of this evaluation, which he cited as an example of the "kick ass" games that are still coming out of Japan. As Destructoid rightly notes, there is a great deal of delicious irony in this remark, since Dead Rising 2's development is actually being handled by Canada-based Blue Castle Games.
'Super Street Fighter 4' Announcement Coming Monday?

Posted: September 27th, 2009, 1:16pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

Capcom's Japanese Street Fighter 4 blog has been teasing big news about the game for some time now, and thankfully, it looks like it might not be something as disappointing as a sequel to an arcade stick. A mysterious picture posted on GamePro Germany's website (relayed by EventHubs, via Kotaku) shows what definitely looks like T. Hawk in Street Fighter 4, suggesting a new iteration of the popular fighting game.
You can get a better look in the blown up image below at what certainly seems to be none other than a SF4-rendered T. Hawk. On top of that, you can also see in the regular-sized image, in the bottom-right corner, what looks like the Street Fighter 4 logo superimposed on top of a big S, indicating it could very well be the logo for Super Street Fighter 4.
And tying all this speculation together? A post on Capcom's Twitter page, where they respond to a fan's question about a potential announcement by saying "maybe Monday."
Dead Rising 2 Hands-On Preview

Posted: September 26th, 2009, 2:55am PDT

Tags: PREVIEW

What's the game about? After Capcom saw success with the Japanese-developed yet Western-focused Dead Rising, they handed off the sequel to a real live Western developer: Vancouver-based Blue Castle Games, best known for their work on The Bigs. The result is a flashier version of the first game's zombie massacre concept, starring characters that look like extreme sports athletes and a new Las Vegas casino-style setting (at least for part of the single-player game).
What's new for TGS? While the game wasn't on display on the TGS show floor, Capcom held a nearby event to allow the media to go hands-on with the single-player mode and check out four of the game's multiplayer challenges.
The single-player portion consisted of exactly what you'd expect from a Dead Rising sequel -- I ran around, picked up weapons (ranging from swords to chairs to chainsaws to guns to wheelchairs to guitars) and swung them at zombies. The demo took place in the above-mentioned casino, complete with a money-catching minigame where I stood in a glass cage and jammed on a button to grab the bills flying around. Once I was able to kill 300 zombies in 10 minutes, I unlocked a "prize round" with a machine gun-equipped wheelchair.
Dead Rising 2 TGS 2009 Hands-On Preview

Posted: September 26th, 2009, 2:55am PDT

Tags: PREVIEW

What's the game about? After Capcom saw success with the Japanese-developed yet Western-focused Dead Rising, they handed off the sequel to a real live Western developer: Vancouver-based Blue Castle Games, best known for their work on The Bigs. The result is a flashier version of the first game's zombie massacre concept, starring characters that look like extreme sports athletes and a new Las Vegas casino-style setting (at least for part of the single-player game).
What's new for TGS? While the game wasn't on display on the TGS show floor, Capcom held a nearby event to allow the media to go hands-on with the single-player mode and check out four of the game's multiplayer challenges.
The single-player portion consisted of exactly what you'd expect from a Dead Rising sequel -- I ran around, picked up weapons (ranging from swords to chairs to chainsaws to guns to wheelchairs to guitars) and swung them at zombies. The demo took place in the above-mentioned casino, complete with a money-catching minigame where I stood in a glass cage and jammed on a button to grab the bills flying around. Once I was able to kill 300 zombies in 10 minutes, I unlocked a "prize round" with a machine gun-equipped wheelchair.
Lost Planet 2 TGS 2009 "East vs. West" Interview

Posted: September 26th, 2009, 12:08am PDT

Tags: PREVIEW

Jun Takeuchi's a busy man at Capcom. In addition to being Capcom R&D's general manager, he also works as the producer of both the Resident Evil franchise and Lost Planet. He took a few moments out of his busy TGS 2009 schedule to sit down and talk with us about what separates Japanese shooters from their American counterparts, what features had to be included in Lost Planet 2, and his favorite games of all time.
1UP: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. You have a lot of responsibilities at Capcom, and I'm sure you have lots of ideas you want to execute on. But how long have you wanted to make Lost Planet 2?
Jun Takeuchi: In some ways, we started work on the game immediately after finishing Lost Planet. But we've been taking our time with the development of Lost Planet 2. It's been a fairly relaxed process, and we've just been keeping an eye on where the marketplace is going. So, altogether, we've spent about two and half years working on the game.
Capcom Announces Street Fighter IV "Round 2" Controllers

Posted: September 22nd, 2009, 10:01am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Dedicated fighting game fanatics may recall just a few days ago when Capcom's Japanese blog teased that a potential Street Fighter IV sequel announcement could be coming in the near future. Flash forward to this morning, when Capcom and Mad Catz officially announced sequels to... their Street Fighter IV-branded controllers?
Yeah, you read that right; new versions of Mad Catz' ever-popular Street Fighter IV tournament arcade sticks and six-button gamepads are on the way. The Street Fighter IV "Round 2" FightStick and FightPad are both made from the same premium components as their predecessors, only now the FightStick features a slick, monochromatic paint job, and the FightPads are plastered with official artwork depicting your choice of either M. Bison, Guile, Zangief, C. Viper, Cammy, or Sagat.

Once again, these premium controllers come at a premium cost: $149.99 for the FightStick and $39.99 apiece for each of the FightPads. They should be available sometime early in the fall of this year.
Capcom Trademarks Last Ranker In U.S.

Posted: September 22nd, 2009, 12:56am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Signs are looking good for a in North America. Capcom has filed a trademark for the recently announced RPG in the U.S., suggesting that it may be localized sooner than later (via Siliconera).
Last Ranker was announced just last week, and it will feature an impressive staff that includes Etrian Odyssey and 7th Dragon creator Kazuya Niinou as well as Ace Attorney's Minae Matsukawa. Other notables include Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts) and Kazushige Nogima (Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts).
While Capcom is notable for its more western approach to development than other Japanese developers, a western release isn't necessarily guaranteed. Niinou's 7th Dragon are among the RPGs that may never make it over to the west.
Fate/Unlimited Codes Review

Posted: September 14th, 2009, 5:48pm PDT

Tags: Review

My PSP's terrible D-pad was pissing me off. Despite Capcom's efforts to simplify Fate/Unlimited Codes' controls ("quarter-forward" motions are replaced by more basic directional taps), my left thumb was aching, bruised, and calloused. My first attempt to relieve this was to use a quarter taped to the top of the pad, but after two days, my thumb was not only still hurting, but also smelled like copper and nickel. In the end, I gave up the quarter and replaced it with a solution both comfortable and efficient: I ripped apart an old Xbox controller, took out its D-pad, and taped it to the top of the PSP pad. Problem solved!
Fate/Unlimited Codes will likely push you over the edge in the same way. It's an execution-heavy fighting game fought in the nebulous world between 2D and 3D, where two fighters face each other on a 2D plane, but can sidestep attacks by moving along the Z-axis. Most of the action takes place in close-range, with fighters fishing for flaws in the opponent's defense with a combination of high and low attacks, throws, or firing projectiles from across the screen, and then exploiting any opportunity with a long and complicated combo.
Capcom Considering Additional Resident Evil 5 DLC

Posted: September 5th, 2009, 12:31am PDT

Tags: NEWS

We haven't heard anything about Resident Evil 5 lately, but that doesn't mean that Capcom is finished with the latest in the horror franchise. According to Videogaming247, additional downloadable content is currently under consideration, with Capcom taking requests from the fans into consideration.
"We're talking about it. I don't know if you have seen some of the threads on Capcom Unity, but questions came up on whether we are going to do any more," Capcom vice president of strategic planning and business development Christian Svensson said.
"I asked what people would want to see and that spawned a thread that was literally hundreds of posts long and had tens of thousands of views."
Capcom Teasing New Game Announcements For TGS

Posted: August 27th, 2009, 10:29am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Hard to say what to expect out of this year's Tokyo Game Show, but at least one company is promising that they will have a lot to show off. Based on a recent tweet from Capcom_Unity, the developer will be revealing "several new games" at TGS.
The tweet said, "Hard at work on Tokyo Game Show plans. Several new games to be announced in Japan, lots of new content for [Lost Planet 2], [Tatsunoko vs. Capcom], [Dead Rising 2]. Exciting!"
Who knows what Capcom has up their sleeves at this point, but "several" sounds like quite a lot. If they keep their promise, there seems to be plenty of room for both new IPs and classic franchises.
Developer Roundtable: The Motion Control War

Posted: August 26th, 2009, 5:13pm PDT

Tags: FEATURE
Developer Roundtable: The Forthcoming Motion Control War
Four developers give their thoughts on Natal, Wii, Sony's device, and the future of motion-controlled games.
By Matt Leone

After Microsoft and Sony introduced their motion controllers at E3 this year, one of the most frequent comments I heard was that the presentations felt like they belonged at the Game Developers Conference rather than a marketing-focused show like E3 -- that they (for the most part) lacked games and seemed designed to showcase potential rather than execution. As a result, everyone got excited for a few weeks, but since neither publisher is planning to actually release anything until next year, at this point the conversation has moved behind closed doors as developers experiment with ideas

So while we wait, I tracked down four developers who have experience with this kind of thing, and presented each with the same series of questions about where they see motion controls heading in the near future

Our guest list:
- Eric Nofsinger (pictured, lower left), chief creative officer of High Voltage Software, which has embraced the idea of making traditional hardcore genres work on Wii (see: The Conduit)
- Mike Ball (pictured, second from left), chief technology ninja of Ninja Theory, one of the few teams to successfully implement a motion control feature on top of a traditional game with their long-range arrow shooting in Heavenly Sword
- Masachika Kawata (pictured, third from left), producer on Capcom's Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, one of Wii's most promising lightgun games.
- Josh Tsui (pictured, lower right), president of Robomodo, a new developer making Tony Hawk Ride, a game about as dependent on motion controls as you can get, since it requires players to stand on a simulated skateboard
Capcom Trademark Suggests Okami Sequel In The Works

Posted: August 25th, 2009, 8:00pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

Clover Studios is long gone, and it's generally accepted that the acclaimed Okami didn't sell well enough to earn a sequel. Nevertheless, rumors of a second Okami are circulating thanks to a mysterious trademark.
According to Siliconera, Okami publisher Capcom has trademarked "Okamiden, which they speculate might be a shortened version of "Okami Gaiden" or "Okami Densetsu." Given the Japanese habit of shortening words (Pokémon is a prime example), it seems like a distinct possibility.
Okami was most recently ported to the Nintendo Wii courtesy of Ready at Dawn. While it's been available in America for more than a year now, it isn't coming out in Japan until October 15.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Coming Nov. 17

Posted: August 25th, 2009, 1:54pm PDT

Tags: NEWS

Capcom has announced on their Unity blog that Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles will hit stores shelves on November 17. If that date sounds familiar to you, fans of the roving undead, that'd be because November 17 is the same day Left 4 Dead 2 will be released. It's going to be a very zombified holiday season.
Unlike main entries in the Resident Evil series, Darkside Chronicles (like Umbrella Chronicles before it) is more of an on-rails, lightgun-style shooter, where you use the Wii remote to blast away zombies. And whereas Umbrella Chronicles covered ground from the first Resident Evil, Resident Evil: Zero, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, this game's story is comprised of retellings of scenes that took place in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica. For more, check out our hands on impressions from E3 back in June.
Bionic Commando Soundtrack Arrives

Posted: July 28th, 2009, 11:04am PDT

Tags: NEWS

As part of their previously announced partnership with Nile Rodgers' Sumthing Distribution record label, Capcom have released the full soundtrack for Bionic Commando. The 20-track CD should be available at select retailers as of this morning, while those of us who've moved on from physical media can download the tracks from either iTunes or Sumthing's digital store -- both of which have the album priced at $9.99.
Composer Jamie Christopherson had the following to say about his work on Bionic Commando:
"I remember playing Bionic Commando back on the NES and like everyone else I was blown away by the quality of the music. Not only were there extremely 'hummable' epic melodies, but the use of the MIDI chip to create a very dense and complicated orchestral arrangement was astonishing. If someone would have told me that 20 years later I would be working on a next generation Bionic Commando game, I would never have believed them. I was fortunate enough to take the music (including the famous main theme) and give it a modern treatment, complete with an anthemic 15-piece brass ensemble."

So was Christopherson's treatment of the game's music memorable enough to warrant a purchase? Or were you far too busy swinging into things and groaning at the insane plot twists to notice the score?