DriveClub vs Gran Turismo isn't an issue for Evolution Studios

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Posted June 18th, 2013 at 08:58 EDT by Mike Harradence0 Comments

The developer behind upcoming PlayStation 4 racer DriveClub has insisted it isn’t worried about competition from Gran Turismo 6, as it doesn’t consider the Polyphony Digital title a rival.

Although both games are released at roughly the same time, Evolution Studios told VideoGamer.com that DriveClub offers more of a ‘pick up and play’ approach to driving, while GT is simulation-based. As such, they're too entirely different gameplay experiences, and won't be competing against each other.

"We don't see Gran Turismo as a rival title,” commented senior designer Ben Gouldstone.

"We focus on the development of DriveClub and what it embodies. It comes back to issuing challenges, it comes back to the community side of things and clubs. It comes back to driving the greatest cars and the greatest roads. They're our colours, that's what we focus on, and that's the message we look to deliver, and I think that resonates with the gaming community."

"The way that we're pitching DriveClub is to essentially have that instant pick up and playability, but [with] depth," he continued. "So if you've got someone who is fairly new to racing games, they can put the pad in their hand and set somewhat competitive lap times. But then if you're all about full-on, shaving tenths of a second, you can do that too."

DriveClub will be a launch title for PlayStation 4, though Sony plans to offer the game to PlayStation Plus subscribers for free in the shape of the stripped-down PS Plus Edition.

PSU.com’s Kyle Prahl got behind the wheel of Evolution Studios’ latest IP at E3 last week – check out his impressions below.

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Underrated: NetherRealm Studios puts the K back in Kombat

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Posted June 1st, 2013 at 15:41 EDT by Matt Fernandez0 Comments

In the gaming world, there is a lot of talk from gamers about game studios being “overrated.” Fans and haters of different critically acclaimed studios battle it out on forums all across the internet in a never-ending flame war over which studio is overrated or why another studio isn't.

What about the other guys, though--the game developers that bring us great titles but don't necessarily get the appreciation or attention they deserve? There are some that bring up how underrated a developer may be, but for every one of those, there are thousands of gamers saying a developer is overrated. Well, in these “Underrated" articles, we are going to take the time to name developers that could be considered underrated and tell you why they deserve your time.

NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat, Injustice: Gods Among Us)

Over the course of the PlayStation 2 generation, the Mortal Kombat franchise lost a lot of its popularity and respect amongst fans. Midway Games tried to ditch the classic 2D fighter format in favor of a 3D arena format like Tekken. This change in the Mortal Kombat franchise lasted into this console generation with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and although the game wasn't terrible, it didn't deliver the true blood-filled Mortal Kombat experience that fans come to expect.

In 2009, Midway Games became a part of WB Games Chicago. In 2010, this studio merger was given the name NetherRealm Studios. With Midway Games came Mortal Kombat--its most successful franchise. Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat, came along for the ride as well and became the team leader at NetherRealm. With the many years of game industry experience that Ed Boon brought to NetherRealm Studios, it comes of no surprise that his influence is very apparent in everything the studio has done since.

NetherRealm Studios didn't pull any punches with its introduction to the gaming world. With courage and confidence, NetherRealm launched themselves into the spotlight by rebooting Mortal Kombat--one of the most widely known and popular fighting game franchises of all time. In terms of human growth, this is like skipping crawling and going straight for Olympic hurdles or, more appropriately in this instance, kick boxing. Thankfully for gamers, the gamble paid off brilliantly!

The reboot, simply titled Mortal Kombat, was a great return to what made the series popular in the first place. Mortal Kombat had the incredibly fast-paced gameplay, the ultra-bloody fighting moves, and the over-the-top fatalities. It had all of the things fans of the series would want, but it was so much more than a repeat of all the content we have seen from the Mortal Kombat franchise.

NetherRealm improved on the age-old franchise and gave it a new set of legs to kick with. A fun single-player mode other than the expected tower tournament mode was added to Mortal Kombat with interesting storyline. It also lasted a quite a few hours--something that most (if not all) fighting games lack. Aside from the strong single-player campaign, the reboot also included an interesting power meter that builds up by taking and dealing damage. The power meter is spent on combo reversals, enhanced special abilities, and x-ray techniques--the latter of which are exceptionally brutal!

Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios' most current offering, pits the mightiest of the DC Universe's super heroes and villains against one another. In terms of gameplay, it continues where Mortal Kombat left off with great single-player modes and all the punches and kicks any fighting game fan could ask for, but NetherRealm didn't just make a Mortal Kombat clone. The fighting areas in Injustice: Gods Among Us had a new level of interactivity that included breakable walls and objects, pushable buttons, and multiple areas that can be accessed by beating your opponent into them. This added a lot to the gameplay and helped the fighting experience feel different from other fighting games. PSU's very own Lazar Odic gave Injustice: Gods Among Us a strong 8.5 out of 10.

In the short time that NetherRealm Studios has been around, it has not only completely revived the classic gaming franchise Mortal Kombat, but also given us a strong new fighting game that could continue to evolve and eventually become a franchise of its own. The courage that NetherRealm has is worthy of respect all on its own, but its a good thing for us that the courage that its shown is backed up by some of the best fighting games we have seen this gaming generation. The future of NetherRealm as a studio looks promising and if you haven't stepped into the ring of one of its games yet, you're missing out. So what are you waiting for? Round 1, FIGHT!

Check out our Injustice: Gods Among Us game gallery for news, screenshots, and more.

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Next week, we will talk about another developer that we believe is considered underrated. If you missed out on last week's installment of Underrated, check it out right here. Do you think this studio could be considered underrated? What studios do you think are underrated? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to come back for next week's installment!

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Report: Prey 2 now in development at Arkane Studios

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Posted May 31st, 2013 at 13:12 EDT by Mike Harradence1 Comments

Development of Prey 2 is now being handled by Arkane Studios, reports Kotaku.

The elusive sequel was originally in the works at Human Head, though publisher Bethesda has now shifted development duties over to Arkane's Austin-based studio, who worked on last year’s highly acclaimed stealth-action title, Dishonored.

According to the Kotaku report, Prey 2 will now be released in 2016, presumably on next-generation platforms.

Elsewhere, Alien Noire claims that not only is Arkane developing Prey 2, but it is starting completely from scratch, hence why it’s not out for another three years. The company's Lyon, France studio is also allegedly working on a new Dishonored title.

Prey 2 was unveiled in 2011 before going quiet amidst rumors of its cancellation, though Bethesda has always remained tight-lipped on its status.

Do you think Arkane is the right developer to tackle Prey 2? Sound off in the comments section below.

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Report: Prey 2 now in development at Arkane Studios

You are here: Home » News » Prey 2 » Report: Prey 2 now in developmen...

Posted May 31st, 2013 at 13:12 EDT by Mike Harradence1 Comments

Development of Prey 2 is now being handled by Arkane Studios, reports Kotaku.

The elusive sequel was originally in the works at Human Head, though publisher Bethesda has now shifted development duties over to Arkane's Austin-based studio, who worked on last year’s highly acclaimed stealth-action title, Dishonored.

According to the Kotaku report, Prey 2 will now be released in 2016, presumably on next-generation platforms.

Elsewhere, Alien Noire claims that not only is Arkane developing Prey 2, but it is starting completely from scratch, hence why it’s not out for another three years. The company's Lyon, France studio is also allegedly working on a new Dishonored title.

Prey 2 was unveiled in 2011 before going quiet amidst rumors of its cancellation, though Bethesda has always remained tight-lipped on its status.

Do you think Arkane is the right developer to tackle Prey 2? Sound off in the comments section below.

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PSU chats with Coffee Stain Studios: AI, coffee and PS4

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Posted May 24th, 2013 at 10:38 EDT by Joseph Fait0 Comments

During our latest interview, PSU.com speaks with Armin Ibrisagic from Coffee Stain studios, a former PC-exclusive developer now releasing their debut PlayStation Network title, Sanctum 2. We talk about AI, agro, coffee, and what Armin is excited about with the PlayStation 4.

Thanks for listening.

Intro music credit goes to DJ Dekade; you can follow him on Twitter (@DJDekade), and his music can be found here.

Keep up to date with our RRS.

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Underrated: Avalanche Studios has Just Cause to demand your respect

You are here: Home » Features » Just Cause 2 » Underrated: Avalanche Studios ha...

Posted May 18th, 2013 at 15:46 EDT by Matt Fernandez3 Comments

In the gaming world, there is a lot of talk from gamers about game studios being “overrated.” Fans and haters of different critically acclaimed studios battle it out on forums all across the internet in a never-ending flame war over which studio is overrated or why another studio isn't.

What about the other guys, though--the game developers that bring us great titles but don't necessarily get the appreciation or attention they deserve? There are some that bring up how underrated a developer may be, but for every one of those, there are thousands of gamers saying a developer is overrated. Well, in these “Underrated" articles, we are going to take the time to name developers that could be considered underrated and tell you why they deserve your time.

Avalanche Studios (Just Cause, Renegade Ops)

Avalanche Studios started off with a real bang in the video game industry in 2006 when it released Just Cause--an explosive open-world action-adventure game. The game was received fairly well by critics and went on to sell over a million copies. The main issue that held Just Cause back was the abundance of glitches, which was attributed to a “rushed” release. Just Cause may have had its issues, but it was a brilliant introduction to Avalanche Studios for gamers. With Just Cause, Avalanche established itself as a developer that was unafraid to take chances and deliver a unique, over-the-top experience.

In addition, Just Cause's game world was approximately 390 square miles, which is quite large in scale compared to other open-world games. In fact, Grand Theft Auto IV had a map that was only about 6 square miles. Just Cause was a great starting point for the franchise and set up Just Cause 2 to be even more ridiculous. With Just Cause 2, Avalanche Studios worked to perfect the same explosive formula of the original game. Well, OK, they may not have perfected the formula, but they improved on it in just about every way. The explosions exploded bigger, the missions were crazier, and the already massive game world was even a bit larger at approximately 400 square miles.

If you have played either one of the Just Cause games, you already know the story is not one of the strong points. Narrative tends to take a backseat in games like this, with blockbuster action sequences being the central focus, but is this an issue? PSU's own Steven Williamson didn't think so, giving Just Cause 2 an 8.5 out of 10.

Both of the Just Cause games were met with a fair amount of success in terms of sales and review scores. Compared to many other developers, Avalanche Studios has done fairly well--but do they have the respect of the gaming community? Not as much as they should. Just Cause is like every 007 and action film rolled up into one bombastic package. There is no other game that encourages the player to do things like drive a speedboat ashore and up a hill, careening into an enemy helicopter before pulling your parachute, whipping out your rocket launcher, and decimating an enemy patrol boat before coming to the ground with a smooth landing.

Avalanche Studios found a way to differentiate itself from the rest of its big-name competitors. In doing so, it was able to carve out a piece of the open-world market for itself--a feat that is worthy of respect all on its own. With the next generation of gaming just around the corner, Avalanche Studios is definitely a name to follow. If you haven't played any games by Avalanche, what are you waiting for?

Check out our Just Cause 2 game gallery for news, screenshots, and more.

----------

Next week, we will talk about another developer that we believe is considered underrated. If you missed out on last week's installment of Underrated, check it out right here. Do you think this studio could be considered underrated? What studios do you think are underrated? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to come back for next week's installment!

This will permanently ban this user and delete all associated comments. This action is irreversible, are you SURE you want to do this?!

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Underrated: Avalanche Studios has Just Cause to demand your respect

You are here: Home » Features » Just Cause 2 » Underrated: Avalanche Studios ha...

Posted May 18th, 2013 at 15:46 EDT by Matt Fernandez1 Comments

In the gaming world, there is a lot of talk from gamers about game studios being “overrated.” Fans and haters of different critically acclaimed studios battle it out on forums all across the internet in a never-ending flame war over which studio is overrated or why another studio isn't.

What about the other guys, though--the game developers that bring us great titles but don't necessarily get the appreciation or attention they deserve? There are some that bring up how underrated a developer may be, but for every one of those, there are thousands of gamers saying a developer is overrated. Well, in these “Underrated" articles, we are going to take the time to name developers that could be considered underrated and tell you why they deserve your time.

Avalanche Studios (Just Cause, Renegade Ops)

Avalanche Studios started off with a real bang in the video game industry in 2006 when it released Just Cause--an explosive open-world action-adventure game. The game was received fairly well by critics and went on to sell over a million copies. The main issue that held Just Cause back was the abundance of glitches, which was attributed to a “rushed” release. Just Cause may have had its issues, but it was a brilliant introduction to Avalanche Studios for gamers. With Just Cause, Avalanche established itself as a developer that was unafraid to take chances and deliver a unique, over-the-top experience.

In addition, Just Cause's game world was approximately 390 square miles, which is quite large in scale compared to other open-world games. In fact, Grand Theft Auto IV had a map that was only about 6 square miles. Just Cause was a great starting point for the franchise and set up Just Cause 2 to be even more ridiculous. With Just Cause 2, Avalanche Studios worked to perfect the same explosive formula of the original game. Well, OK, they may not have perfected the formula, but they improved on it in just about every way. The explosions exploded bigger, the missions were crazier, and the already massive game world was even a bit larger at approximately 400 square miles.

If you have played either one of the Just Cause games, you already know the story is not one of the strong points. Narrative tends to take a backseat in games like this, with blockbuster action sequences being the central focus, but is this an issue? PSU's own Steven Williamson didn't think so, giving Just Cause 2 an 8.5 out of 10.

Both of the Just Cause games were met with a fair amount of success in terms of sales and review scores. Compared to many other developers, Avalanche Studios has done fairly well--but do they have the respect of the gaming community? Not as much as they should. Just Cause is like every 007 and action film rolled up into one bombastic package. There is no other game that encourages the player to do things like drive a speedboat ashore and up a hill, careening into an enemy helicopter before pulling your parachute, whipping out your rocket launcher, and decimating an enemy patrol boat before coming to the ground with a smooth landing.

Avalanche Studios found a way to differentiate itself from the rest of its big-name competitors. In doing so, it was able to carve out a piece of the open-world market for itself--a feat that is worthy of respect all on its own. With the next generation of gaming just around the corner, Avalanche Studios is definitely a name to follow. If you haven't played any games by Avalanche, what are you waiting for?

Check out our Just Cause 2 game gallery for news, screenshots, and more.

----------

Next week, we will talk about another developer that we believe is considered underrated. If you missed out on last week's installment of Underrated, check it out right here. Do you think this studio could be considered underrated? What studios do you think are underrated? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to come back for next week's installment!

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