Details in an Activision SEC filing uncovered by GameSpot has confirmed the existence of a new Guitar Hero title focused on the long-running heavy metal act Metallica in Guitar Hero: Metallica, scheduled for release in early 2009. "In fiscal 2009, we plan to publish Guitar Hero: On Tour for the NDS; Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero: Metallica, and Guitar Hero IV across multiple platforms," the company said in the filing.
Activision's 2009 fiscal year ends on March 31 of next year, pinning the previously unannounced Guitar Hero: Metallica for a release prior to that time. The multiple-instrument update to the series, Guitar Hero IV, is expected this fall, making a release in the 2008 calendar year unlikely for Guitar Hero: Metallica.
No platforms were divulged in the filing, though Activision's other band-centric offshoot Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is slated to appear on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii.
Thanks to Masem for the heads up.
It's been a while since we've heard anything official about Huxley, the genre-defying MMO which ambitiously promises a twitch-action hybridization of classic FPS run-and-gun gameplay with the customization and tweaking/twinking elements commonly associated with standard MMOs.
Last we heard, 999 lucky Koreans were hard at work beta testing the game's infrastructure in some very closed-door quality assurance operations. Thankfully these endeavors seem to have borne profitable fruit, as Korean MMO publisher NHN just announced an intention to distribute Huxley to North American audiences in late 2008 through the U.S. arm of their operations: NHN USA.
"Huxley is one of the most anticipated online games currently in development, and we are very excited to bring the triple-A title to Western audiences," commented Whon Namkoong, CEO of NHN USA Inc. "Huxley provides gamers with a unique and compelling experience that gamers everywhere are sure to enjoy. The revolutionary online shooter is a welcome addition to ijji.com, the site where millions of fans can play it later this year."
While the company's decision to host the game through their own 6-million-users-strong portal shouldn't come as a surprise, it is interesting to note that the official literature only specifically mentions a PC release during that time period, leaving us to wonder whether or not the Xbox 360 version will be coming in the same time period or at all.
Those wishing to learn more about Huxley's gritty world and the Alternative vs. Sapien vs. Hybrid conflict contained therein are advised to head on over to 1UP's preview for a little preemptive recon.
Enjoyed Resident Evil 4, but wished you had some company while slaughtering hordes of ravenously infected villagers? Then boy are you going to be happy to hear this: The UK mag Xbox World 360 (via sister publication GamesRadar) has a new preview of Resident Evil 5 where -- among other things -- they break the news of full online co-op throughout the entire game. The preview appears to have since been removed from GamesRadar (though links on the site still point to it), but we managed to catch all the juiciest details.
According to the preview, main character Chris Redfield will be accompanied throughout his ordeal by an as-yet unnamed female mercenary (probably one of the two new female character recently revealed in Famitsu). This character will be guided by the AI when going solo, but a second player can take control at any time. This includes online co-op play, with seamless "jump in/jump out" design. (We're assuming this game will actually have voice chat, unlike the woefully miscalculated Resident Evil Outbreak games.)
And speaking of mercenaries, the preview also revealed that the shoot-em-up Mercenaries mini-game from Resident Evil 4 will be making a return. Gameplay-wise, the preview reports that while the game will still lack strafing, it will add two contemporary features: a cover system to press up to walls and shoot around corners, and the ability to duck and dodge using the right analog stick.
The preview also revealed some new story details as well (and you might want to consider these some really small spoilers, just in case you want to know as little as possible going in). The game will apparently take place in a nameless African country near a line of active volcanoes that stretch across Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Kenya. When the game begins, everyone will at first be uninfected, and this time around it'll be a long-dormant virus released through volcanic activity that turns the locals into zombie-like killers.
Moreover (and you might consider this an even bigger spoiler), the preview states the game will feature a number of classic Resident Evil characters (with Albert Wesker and Sherry Birkin being confirmed), including flashback episodes that'll fill the player in on character histories that haven't been explored yet.
One last bit of information, perhaps just as noteworthy as the co-op, is buried at the end of the preview: that the game will be released in 2009. Many have speculated whether RE5 would make it out this year, but is this casually mentioned date confirmation that it won't see release until next year? Let's hope not...
