Microsoft

Microsoft, Playstation 3 (PS3), Sony, Xbox 360

Bayonetta [Beta – Xbox 360 / PS3]

monokoma
05-05-2009
4 Comments

Bayonetta is an action game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, developed by Platinum Games in cooperation with Sega, who will publish the title. In April 2009, the official Platinum Games Youtube Channel released an interesting video in which we can see an early prototype version of the game, a build created in about a month of work.

Also, at Platinum Games’ blog we can find various concept arts with early designs of Bayonett’as characters and weapons. In Japanese TV special on the game we can seen even more concept arts, with a blondie and readhead protagonist. At 1UP we can read an interview with Kamiya, in which the talks about the design of the game:

“I had Mari Shimazaki, one of the designers, draw her for me,” the designer said. “She gave me a woman in a full-body black suit with her hair running through her hands. I thought that having black hair and a black outfit would make it hard for the player to see what the character was doing. But I loved that long hair; I could see it flowing in the air as she fought and I wanted to depict that. So we went through lots of minor changes; at one point she had red hair. But at the end of it, we went back to a style that had her hair around her arms, making her look really witch-like — and from there we said ‘Well, why don’t we just have her hair cover her all the way?’ That was how the current Bayonetta was born.”

More beta videos were upload to the Sega Youtube Channel. As we can read at The Silent Chief:

A lot of what’s seen in the videos never made it’s way into the final game, including the ability to ride Bayonetta’s motorcycle throughout a level and use it as a weapon. You’ll also notice that Bayonetta is a bit younger in the prototype footage.

Also, Mystie noticed that:

The models of Bayonetta and the Affinities that were used in the beta/prototype are left within the files in the final release.

In the TGS 2008 trailer, the crumbling clock tower scene takes place in modern times rather than old times, and Bayonetta has a slightly different model. Her eyes are pure blue instead of blueish-gray, the Umbran Watch looks slightly different, and the chains (as well as the belt buckles on her sleeve flaps) are silver instead of gold.

Thanks to Celine & Mystie for the contribution!

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GameCube, Microsoft, Nintendo, Playstation 2 (PS2), Sony, Xbox

Doomsday Rescue [GC/XBOX/PS2 – Cancelled]

monokoma
01-05-2009
1 Comment

Doomsday Rescue was an action / combat racing game  that was in development at Beyond Games in 2002 and it was going to be published by Midway.  The project was later cancelled as many other Beyond Games titles, probably because of the bankruptcy of the company.

[spoiler /Click here to read the original Midway press release/ /Hide the press release/] LOS ANGELES – May 22, 2002 (E3 Booth # 800, South Hall) – Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading software industry publisher and developer, announced today that Doomsday Rescue, an all-new combat racing game, is in development and scheduled to ship in 2003 for next-generation systems.

When a deadly asteroid shower hurtles toward earth, the collective governments of the world band together to save the human race by resettling on Mars. In order to ensure the revitalization of human life, key scientists, doctors and politicians from around the globe have been selected for transportation and relocation to Mars. To further guarantee the success of the resettled civilization, a planet-wide relocation lottery was held and a number of lottery-winning civilians have been granted seats on ships to the new settlement. As a hotshot driver for the Doomsday Rescue Corp., you embark on a frantic adrenaline-rush mission to find and deliver these key humans to their waiting transport ships within 24 hours. Doing your job means saving your own life. If you complete your rescue missions, you can resettle on Mars.

“Doomsday Rescue is the only combat racing game set in apocalyptic urban environments where players battle with rioting civilians to save themselves and the human race,” said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. “With an engaging mix of time-based combat racing and sheer wanton destruction, Doomsday Rescue brings a fast-paced, tension-filled experience to next-generation consoles.”

In your quest to resettle the human race, crash and bash your way through seven free-roaming urban environments and destroy anything and anyone between you and your goal – including hordes of rioting civilians who know they aren’t included in the resettlement. Players must be on high alert as meteorite showers pummel and obliterate urban buildings, cars and civilians, presenting new obstacles and opportunities as the environments dynamically evolve on-the-fly.

To complete your mission and guarantee your own relocation to Mars, you must also defeat the Back Yard Rocket Federation (BYRF), a group of terrorists whose plans to steal your colonists puts the survival of the human race in jeopardy. With a real-time physics engine tuned for pick-up-and-play driving action, players can jump right in the driver’s seat and unleash total carnage from their transport vehicle with an awesome arsenal of weapons including machine guns, lasers, missiles, chain guns, cannons and more. [/spoiler]

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Microsoft, Playstation 3 (PS3), Sony, Xbox 360

Resident Evil 5 [X360/PS3 – Beta]

yota
26-04-2009
2 Comments

Resident Evil 5 was officially announced on June 2005, but it was shown to the public for the first time only two months later in a CG trailer. Capcom created another trailer for the game in 2007. Even in the last year of the development Capcom was still moving things around. For example, the crash site of the helicopter was originally a fully playable section, not a series of QTE.

For more informations, check the Resident Evil 5 Beta Analysis

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Microsoft, Xbox 360

Cry On [Xbox 360 – Cancelled]

monokoma
25-04-2009
No Comments

Cry On was an RPG in development at Mistwalker for the Xbox 360 that was officially cancelled in December 2008: “AQI decided to cancel the project after analyzing the current market environment and forecasts for the future”. Only a handful of artworks and concepts were ever officially shown from the project and unfortunately, no gameplay of any sort was ever shown to the public. The game’s character designer was Kimihiko Fujisaka.

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Thanks to a transcripted interview that we can found on QJ360, we are able to read some interesting details about the game’s story and gameplay: The game’s setting is meant to resemble the Middle Ages, with a heavy focus on machines, including transportation air craft. The people of this time period place tiny “Bogle” creatures on their roofs to act as a protecting charm. The Bogles, were once powerful giants who lived alongside humans, but are now given the name “Soulless.” Recently, humans have decided to revive them for war purposes using a special skill that transform them into giant form.

The story begins when main character Sally is given this special skill from her father, the King. The Bogle that she takes into her company is different from other Bogles in that it can speak human languages.

You take control of Sally, starting off the game with your tiny Bogle riding on Sally’s shoulder. The game will require you to cross mountains, climb trees and engage in other activities difficult for a little girl. Once you’ve collected a particular item, the Bogle will transform into a giant, and end up placing Sally on his shoulder.

One of the concepts of the game, Sakaguchi reveals, is to let players experience the difference in traveling through the world as Sally and as the Bogle. The scale, playable character and perspective will change as you play the game, switching off between Sally and the Bogle.

Each time the Bogle transforms, the resulting giant will be different. Sakaguchi gives a hint at what we can expect, suggesting that you can use a stone to destroy the surroundings, then attach the fragments to the Bogle, making it bigger and giving it a different shape. This change will happen in real time. Sakaguchi wanted the Bogle’s design to differ with each transformation in order to avoid giving it the image of a robot, instead giving players the feeling that they’re dealing with a mysterious, living creature.

Gameplay will take different forms depending on which character you’re controlling. Sakaguchi wants to give the game more of a puzzle/RPG focus when playing as Sally, as he doesn’t want her to wield a sword. The action will come when players use Bogle.

Even when playing as the Bogle, Cry On isn’t a pure action game. The game is focused on the scenarios which are being crafted by Sakaguchi himself. Sakaguchi mentions a couple of possible situations: saving people as part of the storyline and using Bogle to raise a ship out of the water.”

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