Holding onto the Torch before Diablo Comes

Starcraft II just came out this past month, but some people might be more hyped for Blizzard's next big title, Diablo III, to hit the PC some time in the future. Unfortunately, that game is sort of far off in the distance. However, veteran developers who were known in the creation of Diablo I and II, along with other games such as Mythic and Fate, have made the wait just a bit shorter.

Those developers happen to be behind Runic Games, the development team behind Torchlight, an action RPG with all the feel that a good Diablo title can have. Today, Runic Games is proud to announce the development of Torchlight II for PC, releasing early 2011.

From the official site...

Beyond the town of Torchlight lies a world shrouded in adventure and mystery. Guardian-warrior Syl appears in a prophetic dream, summoning the player to the Estherian Steppes. There, you meet with the Destroyer and soon venture across the continent of Vilderan, an exotic frontier besieged by forces of evil. A discovery unfolds, that the Alchemist, following his conquest of dark ember, disappeared on his quest to defeat the unknown corrupted force responsible for destroying the mystical race of Estherians. Aided by Syl, the remaining Estherian Guardians, and clues left behind by the missing Alchemist, you will find yourself battling a powerful enemy that threatens to unravel the elements of the entire world.

Sounds like quite an adventure for one warrior to handle, but thankfully Runic is pushing a new Co-Op mode through the sequel, either through LAN or online connections.

Players can customize and build up their warriors as they please, and they can even "retire" characters and bestow their weaponry and such to new characters, so players can keep their awesome loot while starting anew!

The game also touts the ability to mod the title with TorchEd, the game's level-editing system. Looks like Runic is pulling all the stops on this sequel!

PCWorld has exclusive artwork from Runic, so go over there and take a look. Torchlight II will be released initially as a digital download title for PC early 2011, with no console or physical release specified thus far.

Runic Games is also developing an MMO, and it has emphasized that production in that title is still happening, despite this game's announcement.

SITE

NBA Jam Bundled with HD title: NBA Elite 11

At E3 2010, Nintendo gave a bit of time to highlight NBA Jam as an upcoming exclusive title to the Wii this holiday season, and 3RM has learned today that Nintendo was only half right.

Electronic Arts today announced that a version of the new NBA Jam title will be available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 this year but only has an additional title to the purchase of NBA Elite 11, a new NBA title from EA Sports to fight back against 2K Sports' titles.

With each purchase of NBA Elite, players are given a download code for a version of NBA Jam specific to HD consoles. This title will have three specific modes: Play Now, Classic Campaign, and Online. The third mode there is interesting, as the Wii version's online system has not yet been finalized and may, very well, be removed by its release later this year. Jordan Edelstein, Vice President of Marketing for EA Sports, emphasized:

"...the only way to play 'Jam' on the 360 and PS3 is by picking up 'Elite'. There's a one-time use code that will be in every copy of 'Elite', so you just go online and redeem it. We're not selling 'Jam' on PSN or Xbox Live."

The Wii version has a new Remix Tour, which includes new special modes including Boss Battles with some of the greatest basketball players around the NBA. While the pricing is not set in stone, it would be wise to assume the title's price around 40 to 50 bucks when it arrives.

With no online play yet realized on the Wii version, the appeal of NBA Jam is starting to lean toward the other consoles. Hopefully that will be rectified before release.

SOURCE

Electronic Arts Creates "Create"

Between LittleBigPlanet and all of the Physics-based puzzle games released in the past few years, there is still one old title that resides in the minds of many as the king of situational puzzle-dom: The Incredible Machine. Not only did that game offer multiple puzzles, but it also provided a massive selection of items through which players could create their own levels.

While this is not an announcement of The Incredible Machine revival, it might not be so far from that.

Presenting Create from Electronic Arts.

“Create uses families’ imaginations to develop new ways to play together that are both fun and challenging,” said Harvey Elliott, VP and General Manager at EA Bright Light. “We wanted to design a game where the entire family can explore, decorate, and solve challenges where no solution is wrong and the only limit is the imagination.”

Create is a sandbox platform puzzler in which players can create worlds and challenges for themselves and others to complete. The game also comes with a multitude of pre-made level-based challenges, such as riding a bicycle over an obstacle course or bringing a particular item to the end of the stage without getting damages.

Create is being slated for this holiday for Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 (with Move compatibility), PC and MAC. However, the Wii version will not allow players to share their levels online with other gamers. A shame, but expected.

What will YOU create?


TRAILER (From GamingNexus)


Official Site

Month in Review: July 2010

Well, Third Rate Minion's blog has been in service for just over a month, and what a way to send off that month than with a new segment.

Month in Review: July 2010

This month was not so bad, being the month after E3 this year. We got plenty of game announcements, big and small. Now, while you could read every story Third Rate Minion posted, why not enjoy a less formal, direct video highlighting every story in less than ten minutes?

As for the games of July, the big games included: Crackdown 2, Dragon Quest IX, Limbo, and Starcraft II. That's a pretty significant July!

See you next month for another Month in Review. Though I imagine you'll see us sooner...we hope!

Weekly Releases: 8/1/10

I think I was wrong calling July's weeks the summer doldrums. We've had some good weeks, what with Summer of Arcade and Dragon Quest IX and Starcraft II. This might not be one of those weeks.

Significant Releases

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (XBLA)


Developer: Konami (IGA's Division - Castlevania Series)
Publisher: Konami

Castlevania goes cooperative online for the first time through XBLA. Rather than be a single castle with multiple areas, the game is split into six large worlds in which each player or team of players must defeat the target boss within a given time limit. The game offers six-player cooperative play as well as a deathmatch mode for those who prefer more counter-operative experiences. DLC levels and characters are planned, and hopefully the game will have a lot of replay value for only so few worlds.

Other Releases
Disney Sing It: Family Hits (Wii)
Monster Rancher DS
Arctic Adventures: Polar's Puzzles (PSP)
Earthworm Jim HD (PS3)
XBOX 360 4GB Model

Previous Weeks:
7/25/10 - Starcraft II / Hydro Thunder: Hurricane
7/17/10 - Limbo
7/11/10 - Dragon Quest IX
7/04/10 - Crackdown 2
6/27/10 - Sin and Punishment: Star Successor / Singularity

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