Grand Theft Auto made its original debut on the PC and, although Grand Theft Auto IV made a huge buzz when it appeared earlier this year on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it came as no surprise when Rockstar announced just a few weeks ago that a PC version was in the works. Since then the elusive publisher has remained tight-lipped on its most valuable franchise but opened the gates to the press for a first look of the game at Leipzig Games Convention 2008.

Niko’s back, and he’s taking over your PC whether you like it or not.

The question on our lips is, How do you make a near-flawless game even better? The folks at Rockstar think they know the answer to that. For a start, they’ve boosted the graphics in the PC version including increased draw distances, and a higher resolution (supporting up to 2560×1600 pixels). They’ve also added a replay editor, which allows you to view 30-second instant replays and then chop and edit them, add filters, and even combine them into a montage of clips to upload to a Web site of your choice, or to Rockstar’s Social Club.

During the preview it was hinted that multiplayer, which supported 16 players on consoles, may include new modes and support for more players this time around. Our presenter was deliberately coy on the matter and didn’t offer up any more information on this for now–other than confirming that players will be able to filter searches for online matches, allowing you to pick those that match your preferences.

We were shown one mission in our brief time with the game, Three Leaf Clover, which requires Niko to help his friend Packie with a bank robbery. We pick up at the beginning of the mission and after a brief cutscene, began a tour of Liberty City by car. Once Niko arrives at the bank with Packie and his Irish friends things derail in short time with a customer deciding to shoot one of the bank crew dead. After dispensing some shells in the customer’s direction and taking off with the bank’s money, Niko is forced to take care of the police waiting for him in the street. Gradually working his way through their ranks–almost like a scene from Heat–Niko and co. descend into a subway station and onto the tracks. After taking out wave after wave of Liberty City’s finest, the crew fight their way out of the subway into an abandoned alley, where they regroup. Stealing a nearby SUV, the team hightails it back to Packie’s Ma’s house to divvy up the loot.

Ben jij al op de hoogte? Je kunt nu online kaartspelletjes spelen met al je vrienden! Kom en ervaar de snelle actie van online blackjack en online poker. Wij laten je zien welke casinoŐs de beste graphics, spelsystemen, spelerstips en trucks hebben. Dit en nog veel meer bij GokkenDoeJeZo.com Đ jouw beste games gids!

While the game is still a work in progress, Liberty City looked amazing as ever. Textures were sharp, animations looked clean, and environmental effects such as shadows, lighting, and water all looked top-notch. There were a few glitches when there was a lot of onscreen action, but by and large the engine looked pretty robust. The game was demoed on a giant plasma TV, and even at that size (60-plus inches) the game looked visually impressive. GTAIV will support Xbox 360 controllers in addition to keyboard and mouse, and the demonstration was done using a controller. Icons on the in-game menus reflected the button names and colours of a 360 controller, and if we hadn’t seen a giant, glowing PC tower in the corner of the room, we might’ve suspected the demo was being run on an Xbox 360. We were told that at this late stage of development, Rockstar are spending the next three months tweaking and polishing the game for its PC launch.

Liberty City by twilight looks as beautiful as ever.

While Grand Theft Auto IV surpassed the expectations of many when it launched on consoles, we’ll have to wait and see if the PC version can eclipse its lounge-room brethren.

It also doesn’t help that the skill tree is limited and doesn’t offer much in the way of variety for combat or abilities. A few skills here and there are specifically tailored for a particular class, but these mostly function as buffs or bonuses for pre-existing passive abilities. The more interesting skills — namely, those that determine whether your robotic spider helper is geared more defense- or offense — act similarly regardless of class. There’s something to be said for the fact that it’s possible to respec the skill tree (allowing you to regain and redistribute points for a price) and explore other branches, but you never feel compelled to do so — the other skills just aren’t that alluring.

But the most disappointing thing, by far, is the loot factor. The game offers no shortage of weapons and armor — which is good — but the fact that you’re always finding better equipment makes even crafted blueprint items seem ordinary. Nothing’s worse than saving money and leveling up to craft a powerful weapon or sturdy armor only to go back into the inventory and see that you already have new blueprints for an even more powerful weapon or even stronger armor. Additionally, the whole process of sorting, equipping, and selling items feels tedious thanks in part to an inelegant inventory system. Even something as simple as managing Charms (items that unlock more buffs) is a major hassle and surprisingly confusing if you don’t pay close attention.

On top of all of this, Too Human is also not a good action game. While it deserves some applause for a reasonable translation of PC classic Diablo’s mouse-driven controls, its reliance on the right analog stick as a means for attack only works at the most basic level. Attempting fancy aerial attacks exposes just how inadequate and unresponsive this control method is — you repeatedly swing at nothing but air in midjump. Long-range attacks aren’t any better; it’s often a struggle to get the camera into an optimal tactical position and to manually select targets. And it’s especially irritating when — even after letting go of the trigger and pressing it back down to lock onto a new target — guns continue to lock onto an enemy that’s already dead.

Interestingly, multiplayer action fares a little better, as long as one player focuses on guns and the other on melee weapons. In fact, Too Human’s cooperative mode as a whole is far more entertaining than the single-player experience — not only does it involve a tiny bit more strategy when two players are going at it, but it also has the additional benefit of not having the horribly animated cut-scenes or rudimentary plot of the single-player experience.

At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that’s worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn’t solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There’s absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss.

Source

Thanks to titles like God of War: Chains of Olympus, and Monster Hunter 2 the PSP has proven that it can be a demand-able portable console even after three years since its release. The sales charts have shown it, and the gaming crowd have proven it, but it gets me wondering what else does the PSP have in store for us? I took at look at future games to be released for the PSP, and the list got me worried. The list contained a few promising titles such as Valhalla Knights 2, as well as Buzz Master Quiz, but nothing from the list seemed to shout out as a PSP hit. We do have one title set for release next year that could bring new life into our beloved portable system. Announced at E3 this year Resistance Retribution is set to bring its chimera invasion onto the PSP in third person perspective. While it’s great to see Insomniac one again coming back to the system we need more triple A titles like these to show audiences that the PSP is no system to be messed with. GameXtract has created a list of the top ten most wanted titles that we feel would make the PSP a hit in the months to come.

Motorstorm

Developed by Evolution Studios this title made its very first debut on the Playstation 3. After being awarded as a greatest hit title, the developers went back to work with Motorstorm: Pacific Rift which is set to release this October 7th. This fast paced, wreckage racing game brought a solid experience to the Playstation 3, and if ported over to the PSP it could very well do the exact same. Controls would not be difficult to work with, and the PSP is a firm portable console that would work well with the racing genre. I can already see myself racing through the muddy terrain causing massive havoc around every turn.

Battlefield Series

This is hands down one of the most successful action series in the video game industry. The series started out with Battlefield 1942 in 2002 across the PC platform. The major success of this game then later brought it over to Apple’s Macintosh by 2004. Following its release it expanded with two major expansions known as The Road to Rome, and Secret Weapons of WWII. The series then went onto Battlefield Vietnam in 2004 which brought new flavor into the series. The biggest impact occurred with Battlefield 2 which was released in 2005. The game became a favorite for PC lovers, and before you could blink the series expanded across current generation platforms. The latest installment is known as Bad Company, and is currently available for the Playstation 3, and Xbox360. With the series expanding across all platforms it seems only fair that the PSP gets its own piece of the series. First Person shooters have proven to be a weak point with the PSP which in this case the game would perform better in third person view. The Battlefield series is known for their online experience, and if brought over to the PSP it would help revive the console’s current stale Infrastructure. Rankings, Unlocks, and tournaments would make the PSP a hot online system.

Devil May Cry Series

This series is no stranger as it has recently released its fourth installment across both the Playstation 3, and the Xbox360. While the series is apparently making an appearance on the PSP little to no info has been revealed making us wonder if they are actually working on the title or setting it off to the side. Dante’s, and Nero’s hack and slash is a must have, and the PSP can’t miss out on this series while it’s active and alive. With the series having titles on both PS2, and PS3 it would be a real shame to not see a Devil May Cry title for the PSP.

Fallout Series

Fallout 3 is preparing for a release this fall, and we sure can’t wait. We are just itching to get thrown into a war torn city forcing us to fight masses of monster in search of a missing father. Bethesda Game Studios are really working hard on this game, and if all works out for them they could be a runner up for game of the year awards across many different sites. The PSP could use a fantastic series like this to boost its portable reputation. Currently Fallout 3 takes place 36 years after Fallout 2 which leaves lots of room for the possibility of bringing gamers back to fill the gap between both installments. After all who wouldn’t want to experience a nuclear war right on the surface of the earth? Sounds epic!

Resident Evil Series

Resident Evil is a long time Playstation friend. The series has been around since the very first Playstation console, and it’s not about to leave its side yet. It has however gone multi-console, and the 5th installment is set to release on the 360 at the same time as the Playstation 3, but wait…If all three Playstation consoles have received a Resident Evil title then where is the love for the PSP? Don’t leave it out in the dark! Current generation consoles such as the Playstation 3 may be leaps ahead of portable consoles in terms of CPU power and graphics, but it would be a shame to not see the tradition kept by missing out on the portable unit. I’m sure there are tons of gamers ready to fight zombies, and deformed creatures on the slim unit.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

This game is ready to release this month, and it sure is making a bad ass approach like its prequel. The game is set in third person perspective which is perfect for the PSP. The game is currently set for a PS3, Xbox360, and PS2 release. While they’re at it they might as well port it over to the PSP. Who wouldn’t want to get in on the crazy life of a mercenary, and blow up everything in their path? Release this game on the PSP, and you will have portable action gamers craving for more!

Skate

We finally received a competitor to knock Activision off their board. Skate not only brought shame to Tony Hawk’s low quality series, but it brought new gamers who had thought they would never find themselves playing a skateboarding game. Skate 2 is already on its way, but while they’re at it why not bring it over to the PSP? It will surely be a challenge with the lack of buttons the PSP currently has, but I’m sure EA can do it. Skate is the next hottest skateboarding title for the next couple of years, and I’m sure EA has plans to expand it across other platforms.

LittleBigPlanet

It’s not even out on the Playstation 3 yet, and it’s already the most anticipated title this fall. It’s been all over the gaming industry lately, and Sony has been putting massive resources to ensure that everyone knows about this innovative title. Sacboy brings an old idea into a new generation in a way that could very well change people’s perspective on not only the title, but the whole console. Sony hopes that this game could be a console mover for the Playstation 3 in order to catch up to the Wii, and Xbo360 in terms of total units sold. If the game can be a huge success on the Playstation 3 then imagine what it could do to the PSP. Being able to bring Sacboy on the go would get gamers drooling for the portable device. Anyone who does not already own the unit would purchase the PSP just to play this title. Sacboy is turning into Playstation’s new Icon, and the PSP should definitely get a chunk of its popularity.

NBA Street

Now maybe this is just a personal preference, but I found the street series to be one of the best titles yet from EA Sports. Its fun arcade like game play was an instant hit and produced three more titles afterward ending at V3. NBA Street V3 was released on the PSP, and while it did not receive the same attention as other PSP titles at the time I found it to be very compelling, and overall solid. EA could very well spark the sports section back into the PSP with an all new exclusive NBA Street just for the PSP. Take us back to the arcade game play, and set us back into the 80s so that we can experience some of the great years of basketball.

Gran Turismo: Mobile

Last but not least we come to this mysterious title which could very well be the longest PSP title ever in development. Gran Turismo Mobile was a title that was advertised to be a PSP launch game back in 2005. It was later postponed till the following year, and then kicked off to the side with the development of Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation 3. Recent news has revealed that they will complete the title, but not until after they have completed the fifth installemt set to release on the Playstation 3 next year. Looks like we will not be receiving a Gran Turismo title until 2010 the earliest which is quite a shame. The title has a lot of potential, and gamers have been itching to a get a true virtual driving simulator on the PSP for quite some time.

Conclusion

We there you have it. We have brought you ten great titles that could keep the PSP around as a hot selling device into 2009, and possibly into 2010. Now we would like to see your opinions! Post in the comment box below about your favourite titles that need to still make their debut on the portable unit because after all who wouldn’t want to take their favourite video games on the go?

Source

The plot behind “Diablo III” was developed with Blizzard’s VP of creative development Chris Metzen, who crafted the tales for the first two games. In the first “Diablo,” the player quests to kill the Lord of Terror.

Then in “Diablo II” and its expansion, the player is an adventurer set off to discover what happened to the warrior from the first title, who became corrupted, and fight the Prime Evils, other Hell-spawned superpowers unleashed by Diablo.

Videogames zijn verslavend leuk om te spelen. Maar heb jij al eens de casino spelletjes geprobeerd? Bijvoorbeeld, online gokkasten zijn levensecht, kleurrijk en hebben geweldige prijzen die je kunt winnen. En wie houdt er nou niet van de spanning van het wiel van online roulette? Leer meer over het spelen van dit soort spelletjes bij GokkenDoeJeZo.com Đ de beste online casino gids!

Wilson also told me that in addition to fan-favorite Deckard Cain, “Diablo III” will feature other characters from “Diablo” lore.

“We also tried to focus a little more on bringing characters back, and not just from ‘Diablo II’ but from ‘Diablo I,’” he said. “We feel like a lot of the focus is on ‘Diablo II’ but ‘Diablo I’ started it all and has a lot of really good stuff on the gameplay side and on the character side. So people can expect to see characters from ‘Diablo I,’ more characters from ‘Diablo II,’ and characters from some of the books. We’re definitely going to bring a few of them in.”

And while “Diablo III” ends the trilogy, fans needn’t worry — it’s not the final curtain for “Diablo.” “We’re not saying this is the end of the ‘Diablo’ universe, but we are trying to bring this storyline to a close,” Wilson said. “It’s not just ‘Diablo III’ — we’ve got plans beyond.”

New York, NY – August 6, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto IV will be arriving on the PC on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively.

“We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can’t wait for people to play it.”

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.

For more information please visit: http://www.rockstargames.com/IV