Men Free Blog

With S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky shipping worldwide on August 29, Deep Silver has announced that it will handle publishing duties in North America for developer GSC Game World’s upcoming prequel to 2007’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. We think it’s particularly interesting that Deep Silver, a UK-based studio that only established a US footprint last month in Los Angeles, has been trusted to steer the game’s North American debut instead of THQ, which handled original game’s release last year.

As the latest in GSC’s considerable plans for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, the game promises a “what-if” look at the events leading up to last year’s FPS/RPG hybrid, and according to Deep Silver was “created as a warning to mankind against mindless play with technologies” — especially, we assume, any tech that can give rise to hordes of radioactive beasties.

[Via press release]

Since we first saw the gameplay from The Bourne Conspiracy, we’ve held a secret hope that the game, despite its deficiency of Vitamin D(amon), would rise above the standard of mediocrity that has been set by so many licensed games before it. But today is the true test, as a hulking, 1.24 GB demo for the game has just arrived on Xbox Live Marketplace in Australia, New Zealand, India and North America (it’s coming to Europe next week).

So eager were we to pass the news along that we haven’t given the demo a try yet. But we’re anxiously awaiting word on it, so … what’s your verdict?

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When we first caught wind (or is that exhaust?) of it, the Xbox Live Arcade version of retro car combat game Vigilante 8 was due for “spring.” Now, more specifically, developer Isopod says it’s shooting for early June, though it warns that the final decision will be Microsoft’s.

Though that’s a little later in spring than we would have liked, we were interested to hear that the team has already moved on to making DLC for the game, so what it lacks in promptness, it sounds like it could make up for in sheer girth.

[Via X3F]

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New Zealand’s Office of Film and Literature had to reiterate this week that store clerks can’t sell Grand Theft Auto IV to parents purchasing it for their children. The New Zealand Herald reports the office had to repeat itself after receiving calls from clerks who didn’t know what to do when a parent “demanded” to buy GTA IV with their 14-year-old in tow.

GTA IV is rated R18 by the New Zealand government and it’s illegal to make it available to anyone under that age. In New Zealand, even if it’s their own kid, the adult could be jailed for 90 days or pay $10,000 fine; however, the law has never been enforced.

[Via GamePolitics]

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In much the same way that one might admire the Lillberg sofa-bed in an IKEA before throwing a mid-riot brick through the window, Ubisoft says it was impressed with the Wii’s capabilities while bringing Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (by its own admission a “quick and dirty port”) to the console. Nintendic reports that the company told Edge magazine that it would like to return the Persian prince to Nintendo’s box, only (and presumably) it would put some actual effort into it this time.

Ubisoft is also emphatic that this game, if ever given the green light, wouldn’t be a port of the recently announced next-gen entry. In fact, it said, that will “never happen.” So … can we put that down for a “maybe?”

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Sierra and Radical confirmed today that Prototype will continue development until 2009. IGN noticed the game had been given a new date on GameStop.com and followed up with the company for a confirmation. The game was originally expected for late this year, but given our hands-on experience with the title, the delay may be for the best.Considering Prototype is a sandbox game set in Liberty City New York, it’s probably best to get as much breathing room between it and the hyper-praised GTA IV. A Sierra spokeperson says the company simply needs more time to “deliver the game the team initially set out to create.” Hopefully, Sierra’s new overlords at Activision will be understanding of the team’s desire.
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The PlayStation Blog reveals that the PSP’s Secret Agent Clank will infiltrate retail beginning June 17. PSP Fanboy recently posted several new videos of the game, including scenes of Cpt. Qwark’s gameplay.

Fans of the Ratchet & Clank universe who don’t own a PSP might not have to worry about missing out on this game as long as they have a PS2 or backwards-compatible PS3. If Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is any indication, Secret Agent Clank could sneak onto the PS2 as a port sometime in the relative future.

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Between the comprehensive in-game map, the GPS-imbued minimap, and the TomTom-esque functionality of certain vehicles, we’ve yet to misplace ourselves within Liberty City’s digital boroughs. Still, if you find yourself lost whilst playing Grand Theft Auto IV, we guess this Liberty City map application (mapplication?) using the Google Maps interface would come in handy.

A number of user contributions have already been made to the map, showing the location of hidden items, easter eggs, pigeon locations, stunt jumps, and yes, even hookers, whom we assume were fitted with GPS locaters by trained prostitute handlers before being released back into the wild. It makes for a useful cartographical companion for those with a laptop near their console of choice — if you don’t mind ruining the fun of exploring the nooks and crannies of Rockstar’s intricately crafted metropolis for yourself, that is.

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