Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

What it lacks in a Flux Capacitor and time circuits, Burnout Paradise's hover-enabled "Jansen 88 Special" more than makes up for in its ability to make us drool, as evidenced in new footage released by Criterion Games. View it after the break!

The car, which certainly meets with Doc Brown's seal of approval, is one quarter of the upcoming Legendary Cars Pack, which will also include the Cavalry Bootlegger, Manhattan Spirit and GT Nighthawk. Now, if only our Flux Capacitor would start fluxing so we could leap ahead a few months and try this DLC out for ourselves.

Continue reading See Burnout's Jansen 88 Special fly into action

See Burnout's Jansen 88 Special fly into action originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

Rockstar construction crews are hard at work laying down pavement for those already bored with Midnight Club's LA streets. The developer confirmed that it will release a "South Central Upgrade Map" for free next year, adding numerous LA landmarks and a new area equivalent to about a third of what's already on the disc.

Those looking to burn a little of their leftover holiday cash can also pick up the "South Central Content Pack," which will trick out the racing game with new character competitions, races, music and that all-important element of the LA landscape: The SUV. No release date for either download has been announced, though Rockstar notes that Xbox 360 and PS3 racers can look forward to rolling down the 105 Freeway sometime in early 2009.

Midnight Club: LA races into South Central in early '09 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Driving

At a summit held by Massive for in-game advertising, Activision confirmed that Bizarre Creations is working on a new third-person Bond title for release in 2009. According to the Twitter feed of Newsweek's N'Gai Croal (trust us, he's legit), the game is being touted as "racing and driving focused." The executive also mentioned Bizarre's new racing IP, describing it as "Mario Kart meets Forza." It's not much (in fact, it's somewhat paradoxical), but it does hint at a departure from Project Gotham Racing's realism -- relative to Mario Kart!

The executive also reportedly said the next Call of Duty Modern Warfare is due out Fall 2009. We're uncertain if that's confirmation of the next COD's setting or just a glib way of saying "Infinity Ward's COD series." We're reaching out to Activision for clarification on all these statements.

Bizarre making Bond title for '09, new racing IP is 'Mario Kart meets Forza' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Driving, RPGs

Infogrames President Phil Harrison announced today at a publisher event that the company plans to revisit Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter Nights and Test Drive Unlimited -- but not until after 2009 (via Eurogamer). Three of those franchises have had recent releases (NWN2: Storm of the Zehir last month, TDU and D&D Tactics in February 2007).

As for Baldur's Gate, a follow-up to BG2: Throne of Bhaal has been rumored since 2001 from now-defunct Black Isle Studios. It was reportedly mentioned again by a PC Gamer UK editor as recently as January 2008.

Atari reveals plans to revisit Baldur's Gate, others originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Driving

Despite what series creator Kazunori Yamauchi had to say to us on the topic during E3, Spanish newspaper El Financiero quotes SCEE executive James Armstrong as stating that Gran Turismo 5 (the full, real deal - not Prologue 2 or some-such) will be released in Europe "by Christmas 2009." This is, of course, concerning a series that's been historically fast and furious loose with release dates.

GTPlanet - which is part of the chain of custody on this rumor - speculates that, if true, we could see a summer 2009 release for GT5 in Japan and a late 2009 / early 2010 launch in the West. This scenario would certainly follow the staggered roll-outs of previous Gran Turismo titles to a (Model) T.

[Via Evil Avatar]

Rumor: Gran Turismo 5 on track for holiday '09 release in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

Criterion has announced that its upcoming Burnout Paradise downloadable content Big Surf Island, contrary to previous statements in the developer's podcast, will no longer be offered gratis. Said the developer, "Big Surf is the culmination of everything we learned creating Paradise City, and we want it to bring you a truly spectacular new experience - the highlight of a year of incredible premium content."

Surf Island will focus heavily on stunts -- in Criterion's words, the mantra is, "if you can see it, you can drive it." What we don't know at the moment is how much it will cost, or when it will be made available. The car shown in the images, the Dust Storm, will also be available the same time as Surf Island, although there is no indication if it will be free or premium DLC. If you haven't jumped on the Burnout Paradise bandwagon (and subsequently rammed it into a busy intersection, sending the bandwagon flying into a nearby construction site), the Ultimate Box edition is coming in February 2009.

Burnout Paradise's Big Surf Island now premium DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

That's right, the next one. As in the one after the flying cars, the toy cars and the not-actually-cars. Criterion just keeps on stuffing more content into its open-world racer, with the latest vehicular addition taking the form of the Carson Extreme Hotrod, a "stripped down, ultra low, overpowered straight line monster." You'll find it, along with another impossibly fast hunk of metal, in 2009's "Paradise Boost Specials Pack."

According to the developers, both vrooooooms are designed to "re-imagine Burnout Boost." And we doubt they're imagining it any slower. Here we come, walls!

Criterion teases next Burnout Paradise DLC pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

Codemasters talks Colin McRae: DiRT 2, coming 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

Well, this just seems like a missed opportunity. No, it's not that Wheelman's Feb. 16 release date is going to miss the coveted (and crowded) holiday release window. We think that's a darn fine idea. No, what we're troubled by is that had it arrived just two days earlier, it could have made the perfect Valentine's Day gift for that special someone in your life.

May we suggest a "VIN DIESEL Sexy Beefcake Photo Pics Vids Fan CD" to fill the gap? Or perhaps you'd prefer a dollar bill that looks like it has Vin's face on it, a replica from a magical alternate timeline where he served as our 44th Head of State and Also Kicking Faces. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Wheelman drives into stores Feb. 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving, Metareviews

Curse you, Need for Speed Undercover! Curse you for getting our hopes up with Maggie Q-laden FMV sequences and tales of being inspired by our lord and savior the Transporter (hallowed be his name). Curse you for having the most promise of any NFS in recent memory but still letting us down.

• Game Informer (70/100): "Part of the problem with Undercover is that it has no clear focus. After taking a detour with NFS: ProStreet, EA seems content to return to the pre-ProStreet era like it never happened. While this may not be a bad thing, Undercover refuses to move the needle forward from 2006's NFS: Carbon, and in some ways is a step back."
• 1UP (B): "In many ways, Need for Speed: Undercover is like a 'greatest hits' package of ideas and concepts that we've seen the franchise play around with since Need for Speed: Underground turned the series on its head five years ago. Undercover revels in street culture, much like both of the Underground games, while putting a greater emphasis on cops and car chases like Need for Speed: Most Wanted."
• GamePlayer (65/100): "There's no getting around the fact, however, that Undercover is basically Most Wanted with a new lick of paint. Can somebody please green-light Hot Pursuit 3? Surely the open-world horse has been well-and-truly flogged?"
• IGN (50/100): "Need for Speed Undercover is a poor game with a ton of problems, both technically and in terms of design. The open world design is completely lost as you can't actually drive to any event, many races are closed off which means no cross traffic, and it's incredibly easy. The presentation could have been good but winds up feeling totally contrived and confusing at times."

Metareview -- Need For Speed: Undercover (Multi) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

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