New Hitman: Absolution screens show fire and brimstone, comical disguises
Square Enix has not-so-silently released a new batch of Hitman: Absolution, and – as with all things Hitman – they look like ads from some sort of twisted Armani catalog. Agent 47′s his usual snazzy self, and where he has a bar code, everyone else may as well have an expiration date. There’s also an uncharacteristic amount of ‘splodey run ‘n’ gun ‘n’ axe action on display here, but IO promises that these are indicative of a very, very small piece of the pie, which – if you so choose – you can sneak right past altogether. Check out all nine screens after the break.
Scarygirl coming to PC
Scarygirl is a child with an eyepatch and tentacle arms, and is probably the least scary thing in the world she inhabits. The platformer will be making its way to PC this year, after originally appearing on PSP, which means we’ll get to explore that adorable world and slap it with scarygirl’s wobbly arms. It’s due to arrive on XBox Live Arcade on January 18, but there’s no precise PC date yet. Find out more on the Scarygirl site, and take a look at the screenshots below, featuring a broken mechanical fire breathing dragon beast.
Square Enix trademark Hitman: Profession
Shortly before Christmas, Square Enix filed for a trademark that suggests a title for the Hitman game set to arrive after Absolution. The name? Hitman: Profession. Siloconera spotted the trademark application, which will likely be the working title for the new Hitman game in development at Square Enix’ recently opened Montreal Studio.
Hitman: Profession would be a terrible name, but the trademark coincides with a spate of unusual odd upcoming game titles…
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – PC Gamer UK’s action game of the year
Deus Ex: a game so good it gave us actual neuroses about its sequels. Invisible War, a shonky but interesting and sometimes hilarious shooter, became reviled as a crime against gaming for declaring itself to be Deus Ex 2. And when Human Revolution started looking seriously, seriously good, none of us could quite believe it.
Games of 2012 – Hitman Absolution
The first trailer of IO Interactive’s next Hitman game, Run For Your Life, looks like a departure from the series. The last game, Blood Money, exemplified the best of what the Hitman games had become: open, freely roamable environments in which no-one is hostile to you until you do something wrong. Infiltration was based around finding the right disguise, and there was very little actual stealth.
The first video of Absolution shows more sneaking in the shadows than playing dress-up. It shows hostile environments where Agent 47 can’t afford to be seen. And it shows a sequence in which you’re fleeing across the rooftops of Chicago, evading the searchlight of a circling police chopper. It’s not at all what we’ve come to expect, so we asked game director Tore Blystad if it’s representative of the rest of the game.
Final Fantasy XIV subscription fees lowered, returning in January
Many gamers are fond of calling botched, bug-ridden MMO launches “extended beta tests.” With Final Fantasy XIV, however, Square Enix turned the other cheek, took its lumps, and agreed. In penance, the Japanese role-playing giant cast a rather basic – at least, in Final Fantasy terms – spell: It made FFXIV’s subscription fee disappear. There were probably still a bunch of glittery effects involved, though. And zippers.
But now, after more than a year, Square’s finally feels that the game is worth charging for again. Soothe your panicked piggy banks, however, because FFXIV’s fee isn’t quite back up to full strength. At least, not yet.
Square Enix opens new Montreal studio, begins work on another new Hitman
Agent 47′s back! …Again! Absolution’s not even out yet, but Square Enix is already diving head-long into sequel territory. So said the publisher in a tweet announcing its brand new Montreal studio, which will apparently open up a whopping 150 jobs. Take that, the economy.
IO Interactive, meanwhile, will continue to meticulously craft sets of murder dominoes for Agent 47 to knock down, so this is beginning to sound a bit like the year-on-year model Call of Duty employs with Infinity Ward and Treyarch.
Hitman Absolution developer commentary talks instinct powers and alternative paths
We’ve seen the sixteen minutes of Hitman Absolution footage above before, but not with an informative developer commentary layered over it. Their main focus is on the instinct system that powers Agent 47′s guard-prediction and stealth abilities, and on all the different ways that they could proceed through the level differently. They reveal that it’s possible to assassinate the sergeant directing your manhunt if you’re skilled enough, and you can start a gunfight with the police force whenever you choose. As the fight continues, SWAT officers will start appearing to try and take you out.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – The Missing Link DLC is out now
The headline says it all. The Missing Link fills in the gap you probably didn’t know existed in Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s main storyline. A quiet sleep in a transport pod in the story turns out not to have been a quiet sleep at all, but a terrible nightmare in which Jensen loses his shirt aboard a stormy ship, and must get it back by any means necessary.
EU giveaway: Win a Deus Ex: Human Revolution collector’s edition!
With the Deus Ex: Human Revolution Missing Link DLC out next week the nice chaps of Square-Enix have given us some of Human Revolution to give away. Not just any copies though. No, we’ve got three Collectors Editions. Each one comes with tons of bonus material, in game items and even an Adam Jensen action figure. He definitely asked for this.
Check inside to see exactly what you can win, and how to enter.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Missing Link review
Human Revolution was brilliant at letting you play the way you wanted. Its boss fights were terrible for not doing that. When it emerged that they’d been outsourced to another developer, you had to wonder: what would they have been like if Eidos Montreal had made them?
Here’s one they did. I won’t spoil anything about the plot of the new Missing Link DLC, but I’ll tell you how I took out its boss.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Missing Link DLC release date and price revealed
Sometimes, even the best games end up with the absolute worst DLC. Fortunately, Jensen’s not being saddled with the latest in cybernetically enhanced horse armor. Missing Link’s looking like quite the thing, and the boss fight sounds like it’ll make all my wildest dreams come true – including the part where I’m always wearing a trench coat for some reason.
Best of all, the wait’s nowhere near as excruciating as, say, getting your arms replaced with transforming robot swords. According to Human Revolution’s Facebook page, the DLC’s launching on October 18 – aka, next week. The price is a bit steep at $14.99/€10.99, but you’re getting what essentially amounts to a whole new chapter in the game. Regardless, I’m pretty thrilled. Are you?
Update: Square Enix have sent over word that Missing Link will cost £8.99 in the UK.
Square Enix show off stunningly realistic graphics
Square-Enix have been demonstrating their new graphics engine, called ‘Luminous’ at a press conference in Japan. The video above, brought to us by Develop shows off some impressive technology, virtually indistinguishable from the real location. Shame they chose such a boring place.
Check inside for more details on the technology and side by side comparisons of real life locations and in-engine footage.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Missing Link trailer sails the augmented seas
Eidos Montreal have released the second part of their walkthrough for the Deus Ex Missing Link DLC. Like the first part it’s about five minutes long. which means they’re only show the first ten minutes of the game. Those who fear spoilers might want to avoid watching, but keep in mind that The Missing Link is going to be five hours long.
The Missing Link will be out this month, for more details, check out our Deus Ex: Human Revolution Missing Link preview.
Hitman: Absolution trailer dives in through window, straightens tie
Square Enix have sent over a new teaser trailer for Hitman: Absolution called ‘Run for Your Life.’ It’s not clear who should be running from who. Agent 47 is cornered in a run down Chicago library, surrounded by cops. Can he make it out alive without ruining his suit? We’ll know when Square Enix follow up with the full trailer tomorrow.
