LittleBigPlanet Will Probably Have Fully 3D Gameplay In The Future

LittleBigPlanet 2 might be sticking with 2D gameplay, but according to Media Molecule co-creator Alex Evans, the first LBP was originally a completely 3D game -- and the series will probably go that way in the future as well.
Speaking with Joystiq, Evans revealed that the original version of LittleBigPlanet had full 3D depth and moving cameras, but that gameplay was slowly scaled back due to the difficulty of creating content without any restrictions. "It's really unconstrained in 3D. It's really hard -- I mean creatively unconstrained, it's really difficult to have something to push off...We found our level designers wasted tons of time in 3D land, so we iteratively reduced it, first of all we reduced the scope, then we added the layers, and with each restriction we did, it improved the quality."
Evans went on to say that he is "...assuming at some point we will go 3D," and that the problem holding Media Molecule back at this point is a design one, not a technical limitation. "...I'd love to see a fully-3D creation game. I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm saying we haven't cracked it yet."

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Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter A Possibility?

With the recent reincarnations of the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat franchises -- not to mention the newly announced Street Fighter X Tekken -- could gamers ever see a Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter team-up? Hector Sanchez certainly thinks so. And he's the producer of the upcoming MK reboot.

CVG is reporting that Sanchez not only thinks it's possible gamers will one day be playing a compilation of the two legendary franchises, but that such a product would be "inevitable" provided Street Fighter X Tekken does well -- and that Capcom and Warner Bros. can resolve the franchise's mismatched violence. "Obviously there are problems with that," Sanchez said. "I'm not sure Capcom would be happy with Scorpion ripping Ken's head off."

Despite the hurdles, Sanchez revealed that the idea is nothing new. Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon reportedly pitched the idea for the team-up over ten years ago. With all the fighting crossovers in the past few years, I can't wait until the world's developers band together and finally make a game with every fighter from every series battling it out all at the same time.

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Looks Like A Carmine Might Survive Gears Of War 3

We all love traditions, and Epic Games' habit of killing off a different Carmine brother in each Gears of War installment was quickly becoming one of our favorites. But with Gears of War 3, the company decided to leave the fate of the third Carmine brother up to the participants of an online charity, and so far, people have been voting to save the unlucky grunt.
Epic says that the race is close and voting doesn't end until September 2, but if the voting trend doesn't change, the Carmines will finally have someone to carry on the family name. Players can vote for the fate of Carmine by buying one of the above shirts for Microsoft's stupid Avatars. I thought the fact that you're spending real money on a fake digital shirt would be upsetting enough to make voters doom Carmine. Then again, the people voting are donating their money to Child's Play, so we probably shouldn't underestimate their propensity for kindness.
[Via OXM]

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Fable III's Online Auction House Scrapped

Game designer Peter Molyneaux is infamous for promising too much of his upcoming games, and it looks like Fable III is no exception. At this year's Gamescom, Molyneaux revealed that Fable III's planned auction house, which was to be used to sell your custom-crafted weapons, will no longer be a feature in the retail game.
Citing the burden of running an online server for the auction house, Molyneaux told OXM that the decision to scrap the feature was a matter of priorities. "It was on our list of features to do, but we had the choice of doing the main co-op right, and balancing the game, or we could do the trading house. And we decided to do the co-op."
It's hard to argue with that kind of logic, and luckily the game's unique weapon evolution system is still completely in tact. You can also still trade weapons with friends via your Friends List or in-game antics. Hopefully we won't lose any more of the ambitious additions to Fable III before its October 26 release.

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Monday Night Combat Provides A Week�s Worth Of Entertainment

Thanks to the replayability of online games, multiplayer-oriented downloadable titles are an enticing proposition for value-minded players – but even the most addictive formulas need enough base content to keep them entertaining. Monday Night Combat’s mix of tower defense strategy and third-person shooter action is an addictive new approach to multiplayer gaming. However, with just two basic modes and a handful of similar-looking maps, it’s only a matter of time until the player is left wanting more variety.
The first of Monday Night Combat’s two basic modes is Blitz, which can be played alone or co-operatively with up to three other players. The goal of Blitz is to defend your Moneyball (a giant glowing orb reminiscent of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball) from waves of attacking robots. If that sounds a lot like the typical Horde mode, it is. However, the game’s six classes accommodate a wider variety of play styles, and each features unique abilities that you can upgrade with credits earned during the match, similar to Counter-Strike. While I mostly stuck with MNC’s Assault class, the Assassin’s cloaking ability proved invaluable against some of the larger bots, and each character’s skill set is unique enough to encourage experimenting with different combinations on your team.

The game's six classes provide a good amount of gameplay variety

You can also build and upgrade automated turrets at designated locations throughout the map, adding some much-needed strategy to the action-heavy gameplay. Unfortunately, these extra layers are rarely needed for the dim-witted robots you and your friends will face, and even when your team is performing like a well-oiled machine, Blitz can feel like a grind.
Luckily, the PvP Crossfire mode is a lot more engaging. This mode pits two teams of six players against each other, tasking them with simultaneously assaulting the opponent’s Moneyball and defending their own. Turrets and bots are still part of the gameplay (you now spawn the bots on your side of the map and must escort them into the enemy’s area), and have a greater impact on the outcome of matches. The game becomes a lot more exciting playing against human opponents. Although I died a lot, none of the classes felt overpowered, and I never felt like I had been cheated.

This guy is so annoying that it's impossible not to smile while shooting him

The gameplay is a lot less realistic than most shooters, with exaggerated (albeit T-rated) kill animations and fantasy weapon design, but MNC’s shooting mechanics are still as solid as most triple-A third-person shooters on the market. The ability to create custom classes and choose your own endorsements (MNC’s equivalent of perks) is an appreciated bonus that will help keep players engaged as the novelty of the two modes begins to wear off.
While there is plenty of variety in the game’s characters and strategy, the lack of additional modes remains MNC’s Achilles’ heel. Crossfire features just four multiplayer maps, all of which feel similar to one another and share an almost identical art style. The game’s numerous ProTags (like MW 2’s Callsigns) and detailed stats give extra reason to keep playing, but I was still left yearning for different goals besides attacking and defending Moneyballs (and shooting MNC’s amusingly annoying mascot). That said, with a price tag of $15, fans of the genre shouldn’t have a problem getting their money’s worth from this competent shooter.

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Classic Gameplay Or An Outdated Formula?

Halo: Reach is just around the corner, but Bungie's popular shooter has always been a polarizing franchise for gamers. Players either love it or hate it, and I'm guessing that disagreement comes down to the gameplay mechanics. Despite each iteration adding new weapons, modes, and abilities, the core of Halo has remained the same throughout the years: No iron sights, floaty physics, a two weapon limit, and a recharging shield.

When the original Halo was released, a lot of developers were quick to copy it. But over the years those copycats continued to evolve (if only by copying other innovators), while Halo stayed the same. So I pose the question: Are Halo's gameplay mechanics a tried and true formula that should never change? Or do you think the series is outdated and should go in a new direction once Bungie moves on to its next franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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