Human Element is Robert Bowling's first game at his new digs. We don't know a lot about it, but we do know that it's some sort of survival game that's slated to hit PC and next generation consoles in 2015. Supplemental versions of the game are coming to mobile and tablets, too. In a recent interview, Bowling said that these versions will use some sort of GPS mechanic that will let you dumpster dive in the real world for items that you can transport into your game of Human Element proper.
"Say you're at home, you're playing Human Element, you're out in the world, you get injured," Bowling tells GamesIndustry.biz. "You're hurt and you need medical supplies. You don't want to risk going out to forage in the game world, or maybe you did and can't find anything, but you know that there's a pharmacy four miles down the road in the real world. So, you go out and you're out and about in the real world."
"You open up Human Element on your iPad. We're overlaying the world of Human Element onto the Googlemaps API, FourSquare business API, we're taking your real world and merging it with your game world. So, now you're checking into places in the real world and you're scavenging in those locations for supplies that are dynamic to those locations."
"We can do that anywhere there's GPS map data," he says.
Additionally, you'll be able to "form alliances" with other players, letting them do the messy work of scavenging real-world supplies for you.
Robotoki was announced shortly after Bowling left Infinity Ward. Bowling has said that one of Robotoki's goals is to make games that "transcend" platforms and genres. Universes will be first, mechanics last.
It'll be interesting to see if Human Element will do, uh, that.
A mobile port of what appears to be the HD version of Might and Magic Clash of Heroes is heading to iPhone, iPad, and Android devices at some point in the "near future," Ubisoft has confirmed in a surprising reveal this morning. Clash of Heroes first launched on the DS in 2009. It saw a XBLA and PSN re-release in 2011.
Clash of Heroes is a hip, forward-thinking turn-based RPG that mixes match-three puzzle game elements into its combat system. Widely seen as one of the best RPGs (or strategy games) on all of its previous platforms, it's definitely a game we'll welcome on iPhone and iPad whenever it launches.
We've included some media of the game in this post, so take a second to look around. If we can, we'll try to get some pre-release hands-on as soon as possible.
Big news, RPG enthusiasts: Cthulhu Saves The World is hitting iPad, iPhone, Android, and Mac soon. Like, June 28 soon. Zeboyd Games and TinkerHouse Games have been working on these ports for what seems like forever, but the time was worth it. We can confirm that the iPad and iPhone versions, at least, are looking sharp and running awesomely.
All versions of the game will launch at $1.99, by the way. We've got screens below:
Cthulhu Saves The World is a classic-style RPG that borrows a lot from 16-bit JRPGs, but it feels wonderfully modern courtesy some sharp tweaks. In it, you play as a crippled Cthulhu as he quests to become a "true hero." During the 6-10 hour romp, you'll come across a ton of Lovecraftian stuff, meet a bunch of slightly bent characters, and kill a lot of monsters -- all in the name of... good.
We'll be following up with pretty extensive hands-on in the near future, so look out for that. We may even throw in some video, if you're into picture-pictures instead of word pictures. Stay tuned!
So, what's up with this sale? Monsters is one of Apple's Apps of the Week. It should remain at its current price point throughout the weekend and into next week.
Needless to say, you should probably give Monsters a download. It's a solid match-three that manages to feel different in the clotted space. It's over-the-top, goofy, and rocks an awesome visual style. If you miss it at $0, you're being silly.
PlayStation Suite, Sony's mobile initiative that is putting PlayStation Classic games and other PlayStation titles on "PlayStation Certified" devices, has received a name change. At Sony's E3 briefing this afternoon, SCEE president Andrew House announced that PlayStation Suite is now called PlayStation Mobile. House also unveiled the initiative's first third-party hardware partner: HTC. Cool! Maybe.
We thought it appropriate to bring you this in an effort to keep following up with Suite, considering our extensive coverage when it was first announced. As the initiative exits its open beta, it's becoming increasingly more plain that an iOS version isn't in the cards as we've speculated in the past, but here's to hoping the name change indicates more than Sony's desire for a snappier name.
This console generation's second Need for Speed: Most Wanted was shown off at EA's E3 press conference in Los Angeles this afternoon. Ports of the game for iPad, iPhone, and Android were confirmed after the event via press release.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted, on consoles at least, is being developed by Criterion. It will feature an open world, licensed vehicles, and of course, races, chases and dramatic crashes. We've included its debut trailer below.
Do you like zombie games? We sure hope so. It's clear that studios aren't going to be giving the undead a break despite how clotted the market is with their moans and groans and brainless wanderings. On the other hand, we're still finding interesting things in the latest crop of zombie games. Dead Trigger, for example, is tickling us because its production values appear to be off the chain. We guess we're not over the whole zombie thing quite yet, either.
Dead Trigger is the latest title from Madfinger Games, the visual gurus behind Shadowgun and the Samurai franchise. It was announced late last week, and will be appearing on the usual Madfinger platforms -- iPad, iPhone and Android devices with beefy NVIDIA hardware -- at some point in the near future. And it looks like it'll definitely require some hardcore innards. Seriously, check it out:
E3 always has surprises, but most big publishers announce what they're taking or showing off in advance of the Los Angeles based event. Square Enix just did this, and revealed a new, or at the very least upcoming, 2D Final Fantasy game in the process. Yay!
Final Fantasy Dimensions as its called will draw from Final Fantasy both old and new, delivering "the best of Final Fantasy, retro and fresh alike." What this means is that it'll include (a) a Job system and (b) one of those silly 'dark versus light' stories, which we're sure will keep you on the edge of your seat.
New might not be the best word for Dimensions. Joystiq thinks this might just be a port of Final Fantasy Legends, which was a series of games released episodically on Japanese cellphones in 2010. We'll see if this is the case, but we're guessing Joystiq is right.
Dimensions is due out on iPhone and iPad this "summer." An Android version is hitting alongside this release, too.
We didn't think it'd take long for former Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling to find work after leaving Activision last month, but we didn't anticipate that he'd be employing himself. In an exclusive with Game Informer digital on Monday, Bowling revealed the formation of his own studio, Robotoki. He also announced that his new digs will be pumping out titles for console and PC, as well as phones and tablets.
“As a developer, our focus is on creating a universe first, experiences second, and game mechanics last, “ Bowling told GI. “With focus being on universe, we aim to create experiences that transcend platforms and genres and allow our players to connect to our world, their characters, and gameplay via any medium: console, PC, or mobile.
“However, how they experience the world is unique to their device. The mobile / tablet experience should not mimic the console or PC experience, it should be additive to it, not supplemental. Allowing them to support their console and PC experience, continue their progression, but by experiencing the world in a meaningful and unique way."
Bowling's vision for the mobile space sounds like a dream. We haven't seen any game with the level of integration that he's suggesting his titles will have. Also, we don't see a lot of companion apps functioning as more than a database. This space has a lot of room to grow, so it'll be interesting to see what Robotoki does.
Robotoki will be funding its own projects, by the way. And we'll catch a glimpse of its first title by the end of this year. It's currently slated for next-gen consoles, iOS, and Android.
You don't see this often. Brink developer Splash Damage is stepping into mobile, but it's doing it with a newly created in-house publisher, WarChest. Consisting of staff sliced and diced from the Splash Damage team, WarChest is primed to deliver quality free-to-play games across iPhone, iPad, and other handsets. We spoke with a Splash Damage marketing dude at the studio the other night, and he seemed revved about the opportunity and the change of pace this represents for the studio. It as a whole, however, will continue developing games in the triple A space. In fact, there's a PC-exclusive free-to-play game and a separate free-to-play console game in the works right now.
At the moment, WarChest is buckling down on a game called RAD Soldiers. It's an asynchronous multiplayer strategy game with a beautiful look and a great premise. Set in London after an evacuation, you and a team of "collectible" mercenaries battle for control of the territory. As you play, you'll assemble your group of ruffians, as well as customize their gear, outfits, and special abilities. It's free-to-play, so you'll be using in-game currency to unlock stuff, including new soldiers, equipment, and customization.
“Turn-based combat means there’s no rush, allowing you to ponder your next move at your leisure, and giving you ample time to unleash your inner tactical genius” WarChest CCO Richard Jolly said in a statement, “and you’ll earn valuable experience for your soldiers whenever you play, leveling up your squad commander to unlock new abilities”.
We've got the first trailer available for viewing just below, and we think it'll give you a great idea of what to expect. RAD Soldiers is slated for a June 2012 launch across iPhone and iPad. Many map, solider, and weapon updates are planned to follow. We'll be getting our hands on this soon, so stay tuned. Oh, and if that video got you jumpy to play, go ahead and register your name now.
Hello Games' Joe Danger will be making his debut on mobile in the near future, and it won't be a port of the Xbox Live Arcade or PSN version of the title. In an interview with Gamasutra, Hello co-founder Sean Murray noted that the upcoming iOS and Android takes on the title will be very platform specific, written from the ground-up for iPhone.
Here's what Murray had to say about his studio's approach to controls, iOS in general, and what this new Joe Danger will bring to the table:
I think games that people love on the iPhone have something in common, their controls are made for the device. Swiping in Temple Run, slashing fruit in Fruit Ninja or pulling back a catapult in Angry Birds are controls that are best on a touchscreen. I hate the virtual d-Pad, it never feels right to me. It feels like something that only exists to make porting games easier.
Joe Danger is a game with a lot of depth to the controls. We want to make very much an arcade game on your mobile. You swipe the screen to make Joe wheelie, you nudge him in the air to affect his gravity, you can flick a barrier out of the way, or wrestle with the shark in the shark tank. You have such control that levels that would be impossible on console are much easier on the touchscreen.
Murray expressed that Hello isn't one percent locked-on to what it's doing right now. In fact, it's using the playable build that it's bringing to PAX East to gather feedback and assess if this is something it still wants to pursue.
We'll definitely be keeping our all-seeing eye on this, so buckle up.
Cafeteria Nipponica is the latest Kairosoft game to grace Android. In it, you'll play as "the chef de cuisine" and assume his or her role of planner, architect, and chef. You'll compose menus, discover and research ingredients, construct a restaurant and then put in various trimmings in an effort to boost its popularity and make customers happy. This is as traditional as it gets, from the look and description of it.
We're giving you the heads up on this because there's a solid chance we'll see this on iOS soon. Historically, Kairosoft launches its titles on Android first, and then ports the game to iPhone about a month later. We haven't seen a Kairosoft release since the beginning of the year, so we're ready for it to... spice up our lives with any game, including this one. Help us feel complete, Kairosoft!
Penny Arcade On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode Three, the long-awaited follow-up by Cthulu Saves The World developer Zeboyd Games, is coming to the iPhone and iPad, according to a recent Joystiq preview. This version will hit this summer alongside the PC, Mac, Xbox Live Indie Games, and Android versions of the game. These guys have all their bases covered, right?
If you're not in the loop, Episode 3 is a... change of pace. It has the look, and what seems to be the feel, of an old-school RPG. In a chat with Joystiq, Zeboyd said that its major influencers were Final Fantasy V and Grandia, so go figure.
Zeboyd says this will continue the story Hothead Games and Penny Arcade set out to tell before things didn't pan out, but it'll also operate as a stand-alone title, which is a great thing for us. I mean, we didn't even see the previous two games on our tablet and phones of choice.
We'll definitely keep our eyes on this as it nears release, but you should definitely go read what Joystiq has to say. Episode Three sounds pretty hip.
As more and more third-party controllers enter the mobile market, the wicked small base that wants something physical in their hands as they play games becomes steadily more fractured. It's through this lens that we view the latest controller to catch our all-seeing eye, the Bladepad. It's an NES-like controller with an admittedly cool hook: it's thin, slide-out design theoretically makes it possible for you to carry around the phone with the controller firmly attached. Other products, including ION's upcoming PSP-alike shell, obviously don't embrace portability like this does.
Bladepad’s case fits around your phone and a razor-thin gamepad slides out from beneath the case. The gamepad can also be removed from the case for enhanced mobility and convenience.
No word on when this will be released, or if it's even actually in some sort of production phase. The page does mention that the company behind Bladepad is actively looking for developers to support the device, so get ready for some weird splintering or a lackluster show of support upon release.
In a universe in which ninja tournaments aren't just an elaborate excuse to stage a gory multidimensional melee, there's an adorable little ninja on his way to castle Shimawa on a hill. Hatted and garbed in his finest eentsy weentsy blacks, this little ninja is on his way to the 200th annual ninja tournament. He doesn't know it until he gets on the stage, but he's not skilled enough to win, at all.
And thus little ninja's failure becomes the premise of another game on mobile platforms that revolves around fruit. And while 8-bit Ninja might roll in one of the most dry and tired design elements in today's market, it does have something to share: simple fun.
Human Element is Robert Bowling's first game at his new digs. We don't know a lot about it, but we do know that it's some sort of survival game that's slated to hit PC and next generation consoles in 2015. Supplemental versions of the game are coming to mobile and tablets, too. In a recent interview, Bowling said that these versions will use some sort of GPS mechanic that will let you dumpster dive in the real world for items that you can transport into your game of Human Element proper. 
