Perfect's Stu's Rumor Mill
 

Okay, so it's IGN's rumor mill...but I'm posting it today, because it's really juicy :beat:

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/357/357301p1.html

Shinobi Returns on PS2

That's right, and it's coming to PlayStation 2, believe it or not. One of Sega's key titles on Genesis is making a huge comeback, courtesy Sakura Taisen 3 and Skies of Arcadia developer Overworks. Yes!

In this new version, simply called Shinobi for now, players take on the role of Hotsuma, who's armed with several weapons to attack his unfortunate enemies, including ye old trusty sword and shuriken, and magic attacks. Hotsuma can chain attacks together, use a stealth dash to avoid or attack, and he can run along walls, and all in wonderfully clean polygonal 3D. Unreal stuff.

Sega will develop and publish the game to appear this fall.

Is Sony's Undercover First-Person Shooter a Halo-killer?

The rumor has been around since the ice age, and we're pretty sure we started it. Well, the very same rumor is back and it's attracted a few more details to its sticky entrails. Sony, apparently at work on a first-person shooter that's been talked about as a "Halo-killer," may be working with British developer and Renderware-inventor, Criterion, on the very game.

With the PS2 providing plenty of untapped power in its second year, sources are claiming an unbelievably high level of anti-aliased polygons per second, adding the game could put even GT3 to shame. That's some fancy-schmancy talk, but hey, we're ready for the next level of FPS games.

A Rare Situation

There is a phenomenal amount of hubbub surrounding the recent story of Rare, the most prominent and important second-party developer in Nintendo's stable. The details are far from clear, and the rumors are growing ridiculously out of proportion by the minute, but from what we can gather, there are a few details that are reliable.

First, Rare is at the end of a five-year contract with Nintendo and both parties are at the negotiating table, discussing what they want, and how to resign another contract. Nintendo owns a minority stake in the private company, with the Stamper Brothers owning the majority. Sources say that neither party is interested in resigning the contract, and with the phenomenal amount of change going on at Nintendo of America, there's reason to believe that the two may be parting ways. Either that, or they resign a different kind of contract, one that positions Rare as a third-party developer, or perhaps even as a publishers of its own games on various systems.

The fact is Rare could potentially make a lot more money if it did strike out on its own, reaping higher profits with multiple skus, and working with multiple publishers. We all know the company has the ability to create unbelievably fun games, so why should they share the wealth on all systems? But the possible parting of the twain also spells trouble for Nintendo, whose harem of second-party companies is slowly dwindling (Left Field, Retro), and Rare has, pardon the pun, rarely let Nintendo down. Just look at what it did for N64 -- Blast Corps, Goldeneye 007, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Kazooie 2, Perfect Dark, and Conker's bad Fur Day.

And to think, all of this started from an innocent little Christmas card. Sheesh

Finally some real facts about Rare (unless IGNPS2 is making it up :hmm:). They are at the end of there contract. Hmm... I doubt that Nintendo will just give them up. I think that the contract that they will be signing will state the following :

• Rare will be able to develop their own game for whatever system they choose
• Rare will still be making exclusive games for the GCN and GBA, with Nintendo characters

Okay, I was planning on making a larger list, but I couldn't think of anything else.



And an undercover first person shooter, eh. Sounds good. Hopefully the game will bring some great spy-elements to the table. Oh, and I doubt that it will be a Halo killer. I just cannot see that happening.

the term 'Halo-Killer' was made just to create some hype. It basically means it'll be a Halo-type game, with Sony trying to exceed its standards. (which I also doubt). Either way, it sounds all good to me. :D

I know. But if it gets too much hype, and the game isn't up to par with Halo, then many many people will be disappointed. That is what I fear the most.

Re: Perfect's Stu's Rumor Mill
 

Was that your comment, or the end of the IGN's rumor mill? Also, does anyone have a link to a picture of that Christmas card?

Re: Re: Perfect's Stu's Rumor Mill
 

Here you go :

http://www.gamesradar.com/upload_ima...recardmain.jpg

I wonder if it'll be the same situation as Dark Cloud being "The Zelda Killer" :unsure:

I don't really like those "Whatever killer" labels... cuz like... a first party game that is like the same kinda genre and style as another first party game on a different system and people are like "IS THIS *so and so's* *whatever* KILLER!?" :D

Ditto!

Re: Re: Re: Perfect's Stu's Rumor Mill
 

Thanks. There's a box for a GBAdvance, GC, PS2, and XBox, but what's that other brown package for? Could that be Sony's future handheld... or just a log?;)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Perfect's Stu's Rumor Mill
 

You don't know what that is?!?!?!


Neither do I. :D

Umm... I think it might just be an extra little something from Santa.

To be honest, I hate the term "***** Killer" too. I'm just happy that Sony probably has a cool futuristic FPS in the works.

]

Yeah, usually these titles do not actually kill the other titles, but they are still very very good.