Microsoft today unveiled the Xbox 360's upcoming games portfolio,
including the announcement that Final Fantasy XIII is coming to the
console.
• “1 vs. 100” (Endemol).
The exclusive game pits one Xbox LIVE member against 100 others from
around the world with a live host and great prizes. The goal of “the
One” is to eliminate all the opposition by correctly answering
questions, hoping that the opponents will answer incorrectly and be
eliminated from the game.
• “Lips” (iNiS/Microsoft Game Studios).
“Lips,” an all-new music franchise exclusively from Xbox 360, is the
only singing game that offers wireless motion-sensitive microphones and
the ability to sing from your own music collection.
• “Guitar Hero World Tour” (RedOctane/Activision).
The latest installment from the No. 1 best-selling video game franchise
of 2007, “Guitar Hero World Tour” will transform music gaming by
marrying the guitar gameplay of “Guitar Hero” with a cooperative band
experience that combines the most advanced wireless instruments with
revolutionary new online and offline gameplay modes. The game will
feature a slick newly redesigned guitar, a genuine electronic drum kit
and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator
that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own
rock-and-roll anthems, along with online Band Career and eight-player
“Battle of the Bands.” “Guitar Hero World Tour” will be available for
Xbox 360 this fall.
• “Rock Band 2” (Harmonix/MTV Games).
Debuting exclusively on Xbox 360 this September, “Rock Band” is
developed by Harmonix and published by MTV Games. “Rock Band 2” is the
next evolution of the franchise that allows players to virtually step
into the shoes of their favorite bands as singer, guitarist, bassist or
drummer. This next iteration of the best-selling franchise will allow
gamers to access all the great songs they purchased on Xbox LIVE for
the original game and will feature new online capabilities and
instrument options.
• “You’re in the Movies” (Codemasters/Microsoft).
Premiering exclusively on Xbox 360 this holiday season, “You’re in the
Movies” is the first and only game of its kind to transport players
into the world of cinema mixed with the world of improvisation. Using
the Xbox LIVE Vision camera, players’ actions are captured and placed
into short films.
• “Scene It? Box Office Smash” (Krome Studios and Screenlife/Microsoft Game Studios).
“Scene It? Box Office Smash,” the revolutionary movie trivia game on
Xbox 360, will ignite your game night this holiday season with totally
new questions, movie puzzles and more high-definition (HD) content from
real movies including some of Hollywood’s latest blockbusters. Trivia
night goes global as players challenge each other online over Xbox
LIVE, customize their own characters, and access extra questions and
localized content from films around the world.**
• “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios).
Available exclusively on Xbox 360 in November, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts
& Bolts” is an action-adventure game that breathes new life into a
franchise that has entertained people of all ages for a decade. In a
platform genre first, players create their own abilities by building
vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, sea and air in a variety of
Challenges where their choice of vehicle and tactics determines the
course of the adventure. Players can test their customized vehicles
against other players’ creations online or simply compare and share
their inventions with friends. The original “Banjo-Kazooie” also debuts
with “Stop ’N’ Swop” on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this year.
• “DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE3” (Konami).
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, “DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE3”
dances its way to you with fun new modes — including DJ Mode and Quest
Mode — and settings for players of all skill levels. In addition to one
of the biggest soundtracks — more than 70 songs spanning from the ’70s
to some of today’s hottest tracks — “DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE3”
brings friends together from around the world via Xbox LIVE.**
Character customization features more than 400 options of clothing,
faces, skin tones and hairstyles, allowing players to create the
ultimate dancer.
• “UNO RUSH™” (Microsoft).
“UNO RUSH” is a challenging and exciting party card game for up to four
players. Developed by the same team that brought the original,
best-selling “UNO” to Xbox LIVE Arcade, “UNO RUSH” boasts a wide range
of gameplay and social features — multiple variants, house-rule
options, local and Xbox LIVE multiplay, camera support, avatar support,
and more — plus fast-paced gameplay to keep the party going. “UNO RUSH”
is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.
• “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios).
In this sequel to the colorful sleeper hit “Viva Piñata” debuting in
September, players can venture outside the boundaries of the immersive
and ever-changing garden to retrieve exotic piñata species from two new
lands, the Dessert Desert and the Piñarctic. Developed by Rare, “Viva
Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” allows up to four players to work together
to create the ultimate online garden via Xbox LIVE.** Players can race
their favorite piñata or enter them into the P-Factor, Piñata Islands
very own talent show and beauty pageant, online against friends or
against other gardeners from the island. They can now use the Xbox LIVE
Vision camera to drop a new piñata right into their gardens, change the
weather or share their custom piñatas with others.
• “Final Fantasy XIII” (Square Enix).
“Final Fantasy XIII” is the eagerly anticipated title from Square Enix
that takes full advantage of the superior power and technology in Xbox
360, providing tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless
transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics.
Using the latest in cutting-edge technology, this latest addition to
the “Final Fantasy” series is worthy of the title “next generation.”
• “Galaga Legions” (NAMCO BANDAI Games).
The arcade shooter “Galaga” has captivated players all over the world,
and now the legend lives on with “Galaga Legions.” Featuring
table-turning game dynamics, updated graphics and vast waves of
ferocious enemies, “Galaga Legions” was created by the same team that
developed the best-selling “PAC-MAN Championship Edition” for Xbox LIVE
Arcade. “Galaga Legions” will debut exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade in
2008.
• “Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2” (Bizarre Creations Ltd./Activision). The
latest version of the frenetic retro shooter, “Geometry Wars: Retro
Evolved 2” debuts exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008. Newcomers
and pros alike will be blown away by the screen-melting intensity and
insane new features, including six action-packed gameplay modes, new
enemies, scoring strategies and a diverse list of exciting
Achievements. “Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2” also supports
multiplayer mayhem for up to four players, with versus or co-op modes,
and features razor-sharp 1080p graphics and new, pulse-pounding music.
• “Portal: Still Alive” (Valve/Microsoft).
“Portal: Still Alive” features the full award-winning “Portal”
single-player game from Valve plus a new challenge mode. Designed to
change the way players approach, manipulate and surmise the
possibilities in any given environment, “Portal” has earned more than
70 industry honors for its innovative gameplay, with more than 30 Game
of the Year Awards. Solve physical puzzles and challenges by opening
portals to maneuvering objects, and yourself, through space. The game
is debuting on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.
• “South Park” (South Park Digital Studios/Doublesix/Microsoft).
Based on the Emmy- and Peabody-award winning show, a “South Park” game
(title TBA) is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2009.
• “Fable II” (Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios).
This Xbox 360 exclusive action role-playing game offers players an epic
storyline and an unprecedented level of freedom and choice. Every
decision defines who the player becomes and influences the evolving
world around them. “Fable II” is the next great step for the genre,
with an innovative dynamic cooperative mode, where players can choose
to invite a friend on the same couch or over Xbox LIVE to experience
the world together.** The journey begins in August with a
first-of-its-kind exclusive Xbox LIVE Arcade title, which allows
players to get a head start on earning gold that will transfer to the
rich world of “Fable II” when it arrives at stores in October.
• “Gears of War 2” (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios).
Epic Games’ design director Cliff Bleszinski gave a stunning new look
at the “Gears of War 2” campaign, and confirmed the ability to ride the
fearsome Brumak. Also detailed was the all-new five-player cooperative
mode “Horde,” where players unite to battle a seemingly endless
onslaught of Locust Horde forces.** “Gears of War 2” is the most
anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive title this holiday season and will be
released worldwide Nov. 7.
• “Grand Theft Auto IV” (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games). Continuing
its blistering pace on the Xbox 360 platform, the first of the Xbox 360
exclusive downloadable episodes for this record-breaking game will be
available this fall — the only console with new “Grand Theft Auto IV”
content available this holiday season.
• “Halo Wars” (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft Game Studios). Microsoft
is further expanding the “Halo” universe with “Halo Wars,” the
blockbuster strategy game designed exclusively for the Xbox 360. A
piece of the “Halo Wars” story is revealed through “Five Long Years,” a
trailer from Ensemble Studios and Microsoft, which showcases the brutal
struggle for control of Harvest early in the Human-Covenant wars. “Halo
Wars” will put gamers in command of the entire battlefield, leading
both UNSC and Covenant forces.
• “Infinite Undiscovery” (Square Enix).
“Infinite Undiscovery” is the newest fantasy role-playing console game
from Square Enix, drawing gamers into a real-time world woven of
countless threads where player choices spin untold discoveries — only
on Xbox 360. Players will be confronted with a variety of dramatic
situational battles, such as executing a daring escape while a gigantic
ogre follows in hot pursuit, or waging battle amid towering tidal
waves. Dynamic environments change and respond in real time, creating
an entirely new experience never before seen in the genre. The title is
scheduled to release exclusively on Xbox 360 in North America on Sept.
2, 2008.
• “The Last Remnant” (Square Enix).
“The Last Remnant” is a new role-playing game crafted using the finest
artistry and technology Square Enix has to offer. Set in a fantasy
world, war-torn and scarred by years of conflict, gameplay revolves
around mysterious artifacts — Remnants — that possess magic powers.
Groundbreaking graphics possible only on Xbox 360 bring the intensity
to a whole new level. “The Last Remnant” is launching worldwide on
November 20 and will be available only on Xbox 360.
• “Resident Evil 5” (Capcom).
Destined to bring new fans to the series, “Resident Evil 5” is the
sequel to one of the highest-rated video games in history (according to
Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com). Promising to revolutionize the
series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and
control, “Resident Evil 5” unleashes an unprecedented level of fear for
the next generation. New technology developed specifically for the
game, as well as incredible changes to both the gameplay and the
“Resident Evil” world, will make this a must-have game for gamers
across the globe.
• “STAR OCEAN: The Last Hope” (Square Enix).
“STAR OCEAN: The Last Hope” is the long-awaited continuation of the
celebrated science fiction and fantasy role-playing game series. Slated
for release on Xbox 360 in spring 2009 and published by Square Enix,
this prequel set during the aftermath of World War III combines science
fiction and fantasy elements spanning multiple planets and the vastness
of space itself to recount the origins of the STAR OCEAN universe.
Exhilarating combat expands upon the franchise’s famous real-time
battle system, introducing the amazing graphics and visual effects
possible only on Xbox 360.
• “Too Human” (Silicon Knights/Microsoft Game Studios).
“Too Human” is an epic action game with integrated role-playing game
elements, and will be available in North America on Aug. 19 and in
Europe on Aug. 29.
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