10 cancelled games that came SO CLOSE to release
Added: 03.09.2015 14:00 | 159 views | 0 comments
Every gamer that ever played knows the unique agony that accompanies falling at the final hurdle. Whether that means popping your clogs within sight of a checkpoint or being brutalised by a near-dead boss monster - gamers know that no defeat hurts worse than that which was so very nearly a victory. At times, managing your hype for an upcoming game can feel little 'game-like' in and of itself. And just like a game, the prospective title that tests our patience, only to disappear mere weeks from release always stings that much more.
Today's big list of stuff looks at ten games that made it all the way to within spitting distance of release, only for outside factors to quash their drop. Some are sure to inspire a profound sense of longing, while others remain fairly unknown - some deservedly, others less so. These then, are ten titles we oh-so nearly came to play. Enjoy.
What? - A massively multiplayer RTS title set within the Dune universe. Players would have chosen between three dynastic groups - the soldiers, traders or mercenaries - and proceeded to carve out their own small empire on Arrakis. Interestingly, the game wasn't to be helmed by Westwood Studios (they of Dune 2 fame), but rather by their predecessors at Cryo Interactive, i.e. the same team that produced the Dune adventure game.
When? - Work on the project was shut down during the title's alpha testing phase, in which a functioning build of the game is put through its paces. Hardly the finished product, but with the vast majority of its workload now behind it
Why? - Developer Cryo Interactive entered bankruptcy in July of 2002. The studio had previously bet big on the success of its other Dune-related property - a third-person action title named Frank Herbert's Dune. Sadly, the game flopped, ultimately costing the studio the opportunity to complete its more ambitious MMO cousin.
What? - A third-person action-RPG similar in many respects to the Mass Effect franchise. In addition, the game was also said to feature a heavy emphasis on base building, forcing players to scout out an infested structure in order to toughen up their stronghold. Think of it as a quasi-survival sim, akin to the central predicament of the second Alien film. Oh, and just to add insult to injury, the game was also being developed by genre stalwarts Obsidian, creators of Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Yeah, it was probably going to be good…
When? - Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart has stated that Crucible was in such an advanced state that it almost appeared ready to release. His colleague Chris Avellone took a slightly less advanced view of the project, arguing that the title only appeared so close to completion because of special efforts made to debut a demo. In either case, Crucible was undoubtedly well into development by the time Sega pulled the plug.
Why? - Sega decided to de-clutter its portfolio -meaning either that the game was costing too much to maintain value, or that the publisher was worried about overexposure. Whatever the reason, Crucible ended up canned. A shoddy stroke of luck for any developer, but one made infinitely more aggravating by the titles Sega chose to press ahead with. 2010's AVP proved to be a thoroughly average adventure, whilst the less said about Aliens: Colonial Marines, the better. Bad call Sega.
What? - An enormous team-based multiplayer title set within the Star Wars universe. Unannounced and unreleased, details on the game remain sketchy, however a small number of interesting titbits have emerged. With Pandemic Studios choosing to move on, development duties passed to Free Radical Design - home to the outrageously entertaining TimeSplitters series. Leaked pre-alpha footage indicates that the studio was working on a fully-fledged storyline, disparate elements of which may have been repackaged into the PSP exclusive Elite Squadron.
When? - According to Free Radical founder Steve Ellis, Battlefront 3 was 99% complete when LucasArts jettisoned the project. An anonymous source would later claim that the figure actually stood at around 75%, prompting Ellis to publically deny the allegation.
Why? - Prior to its acquisition and subsequent shutdown by Disney, LucasArts had commenced upon a widespread company shakeup. As Ellis and co-founder David Doak tell it, Free Radical went from being told to 'think bigger', to cutting back every conceivable cost. Doak would even go so far as to name the project's second set of executives as "psychopaths", intent on the franchise's failure. According to Ellis, the official reason given for the game's cancellation was a lack of necessary marketing funds. The anonymous source meanwhile claimed that the studio had repeatedly missed deadlines and was even redistributing assets onto its other projects.
What? - An ambitious MMORPG project announced back in 2002. Developed by Level-5 (of Dark Cloud and Ni No Kuni fame) True Fantasy Live Online was designed to take advantage of a then-fledgling Xbox Live. Servers would have held around 3000 players apiece, with fully-integrated voice chat between parties.
When? - Level-5 President Akihiro Hino stated that "the world of TFLO was already complete" at the time of the game's shock cancellation. The title was scheduled to enter Beta testing soon thereafter, with a speculative Japanese release date of autumn, 2004.
Why? - Despite its advanced state of completion, TFLO failed to live up to Microsoft's standards. Several overly ambitious features, including widespread voice chat proved tricky to accomplish, fraying relations between the developer and its publisher. Given that the game had already received plenty of positive buzz, TFLO might well have transformed the fortunes of the Xbox brand in Japan. As it is, the game would wind up as a painful reminder of MS's failure to crack that market.
What? - A controversial 4-player beat-em-up title. Thrill Kill combined Mortal Kombat with Manhunt, boasting blood and guts gameplay alongside fetishistic visuals.
When? - Thrill Kill was completed and ready to ship.
Why? Having acquired the property as part of its takeover of the Virgin US label, EA opted to cancel Thrill Kill's release. It was felt that the game's deliberately controversial nature jarred with that of the EA brand. In addition, the company also forbid the title to be sold on to any other publisher, effectively killing off the game. Fortunately for fans, the finished title was soon leaked online, making it one of the more readily available games of that sort. Activision would later utilise the Thrill Kill's engine to create Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, X-Men: Mutant Academy and its sequel Mutant Academy 2.
What? - Remember the Gizmondo - Tiger Telematics' failed attempt to crack the handheld market? Colors was to be that machine's first 'killer app' - a gang-based third-person shooter with GPS player location. Strangely, the game also allowed players to indulge in seedy prison sex (participants would receive early release)… I just can't imagine why it didn't succeed.
When? - Leaked copies of the game suggest that Colors was all-but complete at the time of its cancellation.
Why? - The Gizmondo became the worst-selling handheld of all time, bankrupting Tiger Telematics and putting and immediate stop to all games then in development.
What? - A tactical action game boasting numerous RPG elements. Black9 took its inspiration from the Deus Ex series, positing a cyberpunk world divided between warring cartels. Former Taldren Inc. developer Erin Hoffman argued that the game was so very "special", that it may even have changed the lives of a small portion of its players. High praise indeed then.
When? - Hoffman stated that the game was around 85% complete at the time of its cancellation.
Why? - According to several parties involved in the Black9 project, publisher Majesco proved to be an overly demanding and highly unprofessional partner. Having already released two commercial flops - including the critically acclaimed Pyschonauts and the supposed franchise starter Advent Rising - Majesco was beginning to feel the pinch. They in turn put to squeeze onto Taldren, demanding 'crunch time' level working hours throughout the entire life of the project. Hoffman claims that the studio rallied to hit these targets but was still denied promised funding. Later, - again according to Hoffman - two programmers were surreptitiously 'lent' to the project so as to steal the game's source code. This was allegedly done in order turn the game - a property wholly owned by Taldren Inc. - over to a brand new developer. With the near-complete title in its possession, Majesco would then attempt to lure key personnel away from the studio, at which point the team chose to shut its doors rather than to let Majesco win. Later, many of the Majesco executives involved in the Black9 botch were ousted by the company's shareholders, with Hoffman herself describing the modern publisher as 'a very different company'.
What? - A realistic, tactical FPS based on the Second Battle of Fallujah, aka the bloodiest battle of the Iraq war. Developer Atomic Games intended to create what might best be described as a 'survival-terror' game, in which the player never feels wholly safe from attack. Long stretches of agonising tension would be broken up by moments of breathless, violent confrontation, echoing the real-life experiences of many soldiers involved in the battle.
When? - An 'insider source' speaking to IGN claimed that work on the game was completed sometime in late 2009/ early 2010.
Why? - Given the recent nature of the events depicted, many commentators found the game to be in poor taste. When word of this controversy reached publisher Konami the company responded by dropping the project entirely. Atomic Games was subsequently unable to secure a new publisher and later released a large number of its staff. However, studio president Peter Tamte remains committed to the project, confirming that 6 Days was still in development as recently as 2012. The game's current status is unknown.
What? - After 16 years of annual releases, EA opted to retire its NBA franchise in 2011. However, just two years later the brand was back.
When? - EA's big comeback made it to the figurative post-season before being abruptly cancelled just weeks ahead of its proposed release.
Why? - EA exec Andrew Wilson stated that the game was simply not ready enough to hit its scheduled release date. Instead the company would take another year to develop a truly "great" experience. NBA Live 14 went on to receive some of the worst review scores in series history. Ouch.
What? - A sprawling space-based FPS title. Human Head's vision for the game featured an amnesiac U.S. Marshall named Killian Samuels - abducted from the earth and now plying his trade as a galactic bounty hunter.
When? - Former Human Head developer Jason Blair described the title as a 'full game', denying claims made by publisher Bethesda that Prey 2 was merely "a demo" at the time of its cancellation. Project Director Chris Rhinehart has also stated that the title was close to reaching its alpha stage, with most of the game's major elements already in place.
Why? - How long have you got? The saga of Prey 2 is a sad, strange and complicated one, so let's just stick to Human Head's involvement. Having developed the first game in the series, HH teamed up with Bethesda Softworks to publish its ambitious sequel. However, by 2013 the developer had been completely removed from the project, with Bethesda citing an overall lack of quality for the shuffle. For its part, the scorned studio remained proud of its efforts on the game, with many senior devs pointing to internal politics as reason for the changeover. Prey 2 was officially confirmed cancelled in October, 2014.
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From:
www.gamesradar.com
| On Launch Day, Gamers Are Increasingly Asking 'Is It Playable' Instead Of 'Is It Worth Playing?'
Added: 02.09.2015 18:17 | 35 views | 0 comments
Forbes: Warner Bros. Interactive released a new video game on PC today called Mad Max. Youve probably heard of it, even if it was inexplicably sent to die against the 500 pound gorilla that is Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. I woke up this morning not necessarily eager to read reviews of the latest from Avalanche (though Im optimistic because the studio has the fantastic Just Cause series under their belt), but to ask Google if the game worked on PC. Im not remotely alone in this mentality.
Tags: World, Gear, Jump, Metal, Metal Gear, Phantom, Solid, Launch, Gear Solid, The Phantom, Games, Interactive, Google, Warner, Yours
From:
n4g.com
| Act of Aggression Releases Tomorrow, Gets Launch Trailer
Added: 02.09.2015 0:17 | 22 views | 0 comments
Act of Aggression, Eugen Systems love letter to the golden era of RTS games releases tomorrow. To celebrate the imminent assault of this ambitious techno-thriller RTS, plublisher Focus Home Interactive has released an explosive launch trailer for the game, which pits three global super-powers against each other in a fight for military supremacy.
From:
n4g.com
| Missing: An Interactive Thriller - Episode One Review | Hardcore Gamer
Added: 01.09.2015 21:17 | 6 views | 0 comments
In a world where graphics and hyperrealism mean everything, its refreshing to see a game developed around actual actors playing the roles of their characters as well as having scenes that are filmed on location without the help of any digital enhancements or green screens.
From:
n4g.com
| Back to Bed Review | Digital Chumps
Added: 01.09.2015 16:17 | 10 views | 0 comments
Digital Chumps:
Picture a game where you play as a dog-like creature with a human face and your goal was to put a man named Bob back to bed, via the usage of giant apples, stairs and mirrors (and other things) before he falls off the edge of a optical illusion driven level. Picture that and now know that LOOT Interactive has created just that game for you.
From:
n4g.com
| Nancy Drew: Midnight In Salem Delayed to 2016
Added: 01.09.2015 3:17 | 10 views | 0 comments
J Station X: Her Interactive delays upcoming adventure game, Nancy Drew: Midnight In Salem, to 2016. The famous sleuth is set to investigate a suspected witch.
From:
n4g.com
| Official Showstopper Playthrough
Added: 31.08.2015 19:07 | 25 views | 0 comments
IO-Interactive community manager Travis Barbour showcases one of the missions from Agent 47's next game.
From:
feeds.ign.com
| Lego Dimensions PAX Prime Live Demo Walkthrough
Added: 31.08.2015 16:00 | 79 views | 0 comments
Before producer Doug Heder arrived to tell me about LEGO Dimensions' Adventure Worlds, the Warner Bros. Interactive rep was telling me about some of the game's Doctor Who features; particularly that your onscreen Doctor can be changed to any of the prior Doctors. However, if he dies, when he pops back up in regular LEGO fashion, he will "regenerate" as the next Doctor in the sequence.
From:
www.gamerevolution.com
| Hitman Gameplay Video Infiltrates A Fashion Show
Added: 30.08.2015 22:18 | 54 views | 0 comments
Following up on the reveal of Hitman at this year's E3 event, IO Interactive released a new playthrough of the game featuring 15 full minutes of gameplay. There are a lot of details rolled out in the video and it helps give gamers an idea of what to expect from the title.
From:
www.cinemablend.com
| Review - Whispering Willows | Use A Potion
Added: 29.08.2015 9:17 | 15 views | 0 comments
"Whispering Willows is a game that has a unique, interesting concept that unfortunately doesnt end up becoming fully realised. Its a shame because although the spirit projecting works well, its simply under-utilised. The game feels old fast and without a great narrative to drive them on many players will find themselves quickly becoming bored of their foray into the Willows Mansion. Whilst the fantastic art style make some amends for the uninspired gameplay, its not enough to encourage players to buy the game. Its a shame; a bit more work and Night Light Interactive might have had something pretty special on their hands."
From:
n4g.com
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