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I saw the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie at Comic-Con last weekend, and while our purview is still just interactive entertainment, the film is an indication of just how prevalent video games have become in popular culture. Just like the popular indie comics on which it's based, the film is chock full of video game references and even has some big plot points that invoke old-school video game clichés. Gaming is woven into the language of this story and this movie.

I got a chance earlier this week to sit down with director Edgar Wright, Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley, and the movie's cast to talk about the flick, video games in general and how mainstream audiences will react to seeing games used onscreen in this way. We also got some new insight on the retro-style Scott Pilgrim vs. The World game.

Continue reading Scott Pilgrim vs. the world of video games

Scott Pilgrim vs. the world of video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was one of my favorite titles at E3 this year. It's got a terrific story foundation upon which Ninja Theory has built rock-solid combat, jazzed up by great art direction. This past week at Comic-Con, I spoke with Namco Bandai brand manager Laili Bosma, who filled in the background behind the game and fleshed out more of the gameplay mechanics that shape this promising action adventure.

The game's key aspect is the relationship between its two main characters. While their names and basic personalities have been taken from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, Bosma stresses that Enslaved is "very, very loosely based" on the famous tale. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Trip, a fragile 19-year-old redhead, embarks on a perilous journey to return home. In order to survive, she recruits the player-controlled Monkey, a brutish slave, bound to Trip by a deadly, magical headband.

Continue reading The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the West

The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the West originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A THQ press release has announced that upcoming third-person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, formerly slated to land only on the PS3 and 360, will also arrive on the PC when the game launches early next year.

We'd worry about PC gamers getting this particular installment in the franchise confused with all the other Warhammer titles currently available on their platform. However, considering this one has you mowing down wave after wave of orcs using novelty-sized guns and swords, rather than ... doing strategy game stuff, we don't think you guys will have any problem seeing the distinction.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine also storming PCs next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're not sure who was responsible for controlling the Fable 3 Comic-Con show floor demo shown in the video below, but whoever it was should be ashamed. Not because of all the peasant murder, mind you -- we've all done that -- but for executing the most aggressive flatulence attack we've ever seen.

Continue reading Fable 3 gameplay footage from Comic-Con is very, very upsetting

Fable 3 gameplay footage from Comic-Con is very, very upsetting originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A long, stupid story short: British newspaper The Daily Star recently ran a since-pulled article claiming Rockstar Games was working on a game titled Grand Theft Auto: Rothbury, based on the shooting rampage allegedly perpetrated by Raoul Moat earlier this month. The report was based on a shockingly tasteless and obviously Photoshopped box art for the non-existent title -- though the Star ran the report as cold, hard fact, even going so far as to get quotes from the still-grieving family members of the shooting victims.

Rockstar (and, assumedly, its fleet of superhuman lawyers) must have sent some stern words to the outlet, which ran a lengthy retraction (via Rock, Paper, Shotgun) earlier today. In addition to apologizing for the irresponsible report, the paper claims, "we have also agreed to pay them a substantial amount in damages which they are donating to charity." Well, at least something good came out of this situation, we guess.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

British news outlet apologizes for 'Grand Theft Auto: Rothbury' report originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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