Attendees of this year's Captivate event in Rome probably had a pretty good idea of exactly who and what would would be in attendance at Capcom's annual showcase. Yoshinori Ono wasn't among them. Just a few weeks after the Street Fighter IV producer was transported to hospital with a sudden, unexplained illness, Ono-san sat down for an interview with Eurogamer.

Spanning decades and revealing a darker side to t??he work-life of those in the employ of the Japanese publisher, Ono's story might give some insight as to why so many of Capcom's hi?gh profile developers have left the company in recent years.

With the creators of Mega Man and Resident Evil now long gone, Yoshinori Ono has become the public face of Capcom. Charged with the responsibility of managing both the creative direction and marking of the publisher's fighting brands, Ono has had his hands full sin??ce the resurgent genre sprang to life.

After wrapping up a lengthy promotional tour for Street Fighter X Tekken, Ono returned to his Osaka home for a well-deserved ni?ght's rest. Planning to get a few hours of shut eye before work in the morning, he made it as far as the bathroom, only to unexpectedly lose consciousness and collapse. After being rushed to the hospital, medical testing revealed the fatigued Ono possessed a blood acidity level "on par with someone who had just finished running a marathon."

Nobody told me to take a rest. When I returned to work, Capcom didn't even acknowledge that I had been in hospital. There was no change in my schedule. I was at home for an entire week before the doctors allowed me to return to work. When I returned to my desk there was a ticket to Rome waiting for me. There's no mercy. Everyone in the company says: 'Ono-san we've been so worried about you.' Then they ??hand me a timetable and it's completely filled with things to do.

Things weren't much different when Ono joined the company in 1993. As a newly-hired sound programmer, Ono found himself with the grueling task of hand-writing music in binary. "Even back then Capcom was very g??ood at squeezing people to the last drop of their blood to get work done," h??e explained, recalling a two year period where he lived out of the office, only managing to sleep in short bursts and rarely making it home. 

Despite the long, exhausting hours it's the fans that help Ono get out of bed in the morning. He explains that it's the community that "fuels [his] passion." Specifically likening Street Fighter to a game of cards, the producer notes that the fighter is a system of rules through which people connect and express themselves. Previously limited to groups of friends huddled around a console or acquaintances in the arcade, Street Fighter IV took that community global --?? somethi??ng that almost didn't happen.

In the interview, Ono reveals that Capcom looked at the game that rejuvenated the genre as "an unwanted child" and waste of resources that likely never would have came to fruition without the support of the fans. But Ono isn't going to stop there. He still wants to "support ?the next generation of fighting game," by expanding the community and bringing it closer together.

The full article is? an incredibly captivating read and truly behind-the-scenes look at an industry that's all too secretive about the conditions its workers endure to bring us the games we love. I strongly encourage you give it a look.&??nbsp;

The Rise and Collapse of Yoshinori Ono [Eurogamer]

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Capcom recently held their annual Captivate event and the intrepid Dale North dropped a flurry of previews on the site first thing this morning. He got his mitts all over DmC: Devil May Cry and came away rather taken with the fast combat, though a little concerned about Dante's new characterization. We have a look at the Vita version of Street Fighter x Tekken, plus previews and new trailers for Resident Evil 6, and Lost Planet 3.

There's still more to come but, in the meantime??, here?'s a quick roundup of everything so far:

Preview: Street Fighter x Tekken (Vita)
This DmC: De??vil M??ay Cry trailer is freaking ridiculous
Hands-on Preview: DmC: Devil May Cry
Resident ?Evil 6: New details, trailer and release date
Preview: Resident Evil 6
Lost Planet 3 announced, dated for early 2013
Preview: Lost Planet 3

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How do you follow up Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, the game many critics (including myself) called the best of the Nintendo 3DS? By releasing the next big game hardcore 3DS players have their eyes on, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D.

Sure, it's not the story-driven, wholly original game that Resident Evil fans might be clamoring for; that'll have to wait until 2012, when Resident Evil: Revelations is released for the 3DS. But in the meantime, The Mercenaries 3D looks like it'll scratch itchy trigger fingers of fol?ks looking for a bit of extra action on the side. 

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (Nintendo 3DS)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release date: Summer

Familiar with the "Mercenaries" bonus modes from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5? Then you already have a good idea of what to expect the The Merc??enaries 3D, which uses the popular extra as its basis, and then sprinkles in added goodies to flesh out the experience. 

The premise is simple, with The Mercenaries tasking players with defeating as many baddies as possible within a set time limit. Unlike traditional Resident Evil games, the goal is to score as many points as you can within a time limit. Gameplay takes place across a series of one-off maps, with environments that will be familiar to players who braved Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. 

Capcom brought a four stage demo to its Captivate event in Miami, wh??ich proved that the "Mercenaries" experience has been successfully translated to Nintendo's handheld. Six playable characters made the cut for the demo -- Albert Wesker, Jill Valentine, Jack Krauser, Hunk, and the sibl??ing team of Chris and Claire Redfield -- and each had their own predetermined weapons loadout. 

Give thanks to the heavens for the Nintendo 3DS circle pad, because it goes a long way to making The Mercenaries experience a pleasant one on the controls front. Moving around in 3DS space is a snap, with the rest of the controls basically exactl?y where you'd expect them: you aim with the right trigger, and fire with the "Y" button. The "Y" button, incidentally, is also your catch all "action" go-to: you'll use it to pick up items, to open doors, and even to frequently deliver melee strikes. 

Bonus: you can walk and shoot at the same time. I know, this is crazy talk for a Resident Evil game, but here we are. In reality, it's more of a "strafe and shoot" that can be performed by holding the "L" button while aiming. Once locked in, you can move forwards, backwards, left, and right; you can't however, turn around, first-person shooter style. While this control method seems like it would give you more freedom in play, I have to be honest: I didn't rely on it and rarely used it. It's a nice option, and maybe I'm just used to playing Resident Evil?? without, but I almost never used it i??n action. 

Another first for the series: first-person shooting mode. While we didn't see it in action, we're told players will have the option to have the game go completely first-person for shooting. This is something that players can apparently set in the game preferences, and is not an on-the-fly control op??tion; if you don't want to use it, you won't have to. 

As for the "change of heart??" and putting more action-oriented controls into the game, director Kazuhisa Inoue says it wasn't necessarily from any demand that players might have imposed over the years. Instead, it's simply a matter of them being right for the project.&??nbsp;

"For this specific game the goal was a more fast-paced, action-oriented experience," Inoue tells me. "It was a natural decision. If a player can move while they're shooting, we're going to be able to achieve [that experience] more effectively. For Mercenaries, it just made a lot of sense."

While the game largely uses assets and gameplay ideas from The Mercenaries sub-games found on the consoles, the updated controls aren't the only fresh feature. Capcom is also including a "skill system," which is analogous to Call of Duty's perks mechanic. Up to three skills ??-- from a pool of 30, unlocked as you play -- can be applied. 

Some examples I saw included the "Smart Reload," which nearly double reload speeds; a "Thunderbolt" melee attack that sent electrified enemies flying; and one called "Reversal" that powers up melee attacks when health is low.  By mixing and matching skills, each player can customize their play experience. Find the skills you like the most and stick with them --?? using them often will allow you to increase their potency upwards of three levels. 

Cooperative gameplay for two players, either locally or via Wi-Fi, is also supported. While most stages can be cleared alone by skilled players, getting the highest scores may require a equally-skilled partner. With two folks in on the action, combo attacks can be performed. These unique melee attacks and animations can only be done with another partner, and are more powerful that traditional blows. For example, I saw Krauser reach in and slash an opponent, and his partner Hunk entering the fray quickly with a leaping jump kick animation. For tougher foes, a three-combo attack may be necessary: ?Krauser starts with a boot, and ends his animation with a dropkick, but not before Hunk dashes in with the swipe of his knife. 

The Mercenaries also marks the return of Capcom's impressive MT Framework engine on the 3DS. Like Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, this game is easily one of the best looking titles ??on the handheld. Its 3D stands up surprisingly well, even with the slider on "full blast"; I never had any issue with blurry i??mages or ghosting when I played. 

But like I noted with many 3DS games in my review of the? hardware, the 3D effects are secondary to the action -- they didn't seen necessary to the gameplay. Director Inoue agrees with me that it's not required for a good experience, but also notes that he personally plays with the effect turned on. 

"It's not an essential part of the experience, but neither is, say, the background music," he explains, while telling me he ???appreciates being able to give players the option. 

Capcom will only commit to a "summer" release for Resident Evil: The Mercenaries, although retailers like GameStop give a more specific "July" timeframe. Whatever the case, it looks like it's the game that may e??nd the 3DS "launch" software drought, and certainly seems like it'll be worth the wait. 

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Capcom held its yearly Captiva??te event last week in Hawaii, and today I'm finally able to reveal what we were shown. Damn, it's a lot of stuff.

Yes, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was revealed along with a sexy trailer and art work. Yes, there's a Bionic Commando Rearmed sequel, and yes,  you can now use your legs to (are you sitting down?) jump. Yes, Okamiden is coming to North America next year. 

Now that those questions have been answered, here's your handy guide to all of our coverage in one place. Yes, there??'s a lot of? it; hope you cleared your morning for this stuff.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3

• Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds revealed ??with marvelous trailer
  

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2

• Bionic? Commando Rearmed 2 coming 2??011, now with more jump (with trailer)

Dead Rising 2

• It takes two: Dead Rising 2 to fea?ture two-player?? co-op
• Dead Rising 2 trailer vague about ?story, al?low us to shed some light
• Drills meet bucket:?? A look at Dead Rising 2's item combo system
• More details on Dead Rising? 2's 'Case Zero' prologue DLC
• A look at the map of Dead Rising 2's zomb??ie-killing playground, 'Fortune City'
• Dead Rising 2 bloody direct feed video bonanza!
  

Okamiden

• Okamiden coming to North America, first hands-on (with new trailers)
• Okami??den produ?cer: Not a sequel, a 'spiritual successor'
• No current plans for iPhone???/iPad versions of Okamiden
  

Super Street Fighter IV

• Super Street F??ighter IV gets free 'To?urnament Mode' DLC on June 15 (with new trailer)
• Super Street Fighter IV 360 Avatar items incoming
  

Lost Planet 2

• Lost Planet 2 to get day one multiplayer DLC

Ghost Trick

• Change fate, manipulate?? the world with your Ghost Trick
  

(Full disclosure: The publisher paid for travel and accommodations, and yes, Hawaii is really nice. Hope you enjoy the coverage.)

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Super Street Fighter IV, which hits s??tores next week, already ships with a slew of upgraded online features. But it doesn't stop there -- at Captivate, producer Yoshinori Ono and Capcom revealed a fifth new online mode, "Tournament Mode."

As the name implies, this mode will allow you to host your own tournament with either four or eight players on Xbox LIVE or PlayStation Network. While the game will automatically determine the bracket, the host can freely edit and re-order it at any time for the best, most balanced matches. SSFIV's replay feature is also available here in full -- a replay ??of the entire tournament can be saved and later shared. Additionally??, a ninth "player" can act as the tournament host, simply setting up and overseeing the tournament, allowing for easy organization of "official" tournaments.

The "Title" system from the original game (which allowed you to unlock "badges" to add to your profile) a return in Super Street Fighter IV. With "Tournament" mode, there's an added twists: Capcom is able to create new titles that can only be won by winning certain tournaments. As an example, if Destructoid wanted to ??have a "STFUAJPG" tournament, you'd theoretically be able to win that label after Capcom helped us create it. However, you can put that title up in future tournaments, potentially losing it to a more skilled player. So what I'm saying is "don't suck."

As an added bonus, th??e final battle of the tournament will have its own unique music, a "?heart-pumping" soundtrack fitting for the epic clash.

The "Tournament Mo???de" will be available as a free download on June 15.

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Capcom's next-gen Bionic Commando console game might have been a "miss" both critically and at retail, but most were in agreement that its digital download counterpart, Bionic Commando Rearmed, was an astounding success. So gamers should be excited to learn that a sequel, Bionic Commando Rearmed 2, is headed ?to Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network.

The sequel finds Nathan Spencer going head-to-head against a new enemy, General Sabio, a "technologically sophisticated" bad dude looking to launch a fatal missile attack. Spencer will use ??all of his usual tricks to?? put an end to the menace, including his Bionic Arm, which can now be upgraded and enhanced throughout the game.

But the big news here is that for the first time in a Bionic Commando side-scrolling title, Spencer now has the ability to jum??p. That's right, I said it -- dude can bend his knees and jump. This simple move (often taken for granted in tradition??al side-scrolling games) has the potential to change the feel of the series, offering more freedom and possibilities.

In the premiere trailer for the game, we see Spencer attempting to use his Bionic Arm to rea??ch a p??latform that's just out of reach. Using the jump, he simply hops up before releasing his arm to latch on. Capcom is also promising new "physics-based puzzles," but it's unclear what that means within the context of the game.

Rearmed 2 brings back to the same composer behind the sick remixed soundtrack of the original, and will feature cut-scenes designed by Massive Black, best known for its recent work on inFamous, BioShock 2, and God of War III. And just like the first title, you'll be able to experi??ence it all with a friend in the game's two-player cooperative mode.

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 is being developed by Swedish developer Fat Shark, and is set ??for an early 2011 release.

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With Clover studios having disbanded, some thought they'd never see a proper follow up to its 2006 PlayStation 2 classic, Ōkami. Ōkamiden, Capcom's upcoming Nintendo DS title set in the Ōkami universe, may just be what gamers h?ad been hop??ing for. Just don't go calling it as sequel.

"I should clarify for you that I don't consider it a sequel so much as a spiritual successor," Ōkamiden producer Motoshide Esh??iro tells me via a translator.

Eshiro explains that there's Ōkami, which was on the PlayStation 2 and the Wii, and then there's the upcoming Ōkamiden -- he'd like to keep the "brands" separate. Ōkamiden, however, maintains the feel of the original, existing alongside that game's universe. Eshiro says this is mostly due to the fact that the Ōkamiden team has a deep understanding and respect for?? the o?riginal material.

"I think the team is just happy to be involved in an Ōkami project, and for them the joy of being involved in an Ōkami project is greater than any pressure or stress they might feel to make this game good," he says of the enormous responsibility of living up to the original. "In fact, I think being able ?to to work on this motivates them further, and spurs them on to try to make something good, and they want to make the best game they can on the DS."

The not-a-sequel Ōkamiden is schedule to hit North ??American DS systems in 2011.

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Yes, Internet, the rumors you've been hearing for the past eight years are true... Capcom is working on a follow up to 2000's Marvel vs. Capcom 2. It's called Marvel vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worlds, and it's coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in ??Spring 2011.&n??bsp;

The game's producer Ryoto Niitsuma (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom) and special advisor Seth Killian (really good at fighters, cool guy) were on hand at Capcom's Captivate event last week to unveil the game's trailer, which contained the bulk of the information the publisher is willing to let on about the title. Powered by the MT Framework engine (used for both Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2), the game will sport a "comic book page come to life" look both in-game as well as cut-scenes, character intros, and character outros. While we didn't see any gameplay, Niitsuma says that the trailer is a good example of what we should expect when we get our hand??s on the sticks.

Capcom is currently only revealing six characters that will be playable in the game, with only one surprise. Series regulars Ryu, Morrigan, Wolverine, Iron Ma??n, and Hulk have all made the cut, and will be joined by Resident Evil's Chris Redfield. While they weren't officially confirmed, the game's trailer drops hints for other characters that may appear in the game, including Captain America, Dr. Doom, Deadpool, Felicia, and Chun Li. (If you spot anyone I missed -- and I did, because I just wasn't sure on a few -- let me know!) Still a ways to go in development, the number of characters has yet to be locked down, but producer Niitsum??a says they're aiming to include more than 30.

Fans of Marvel vs. Capcom 2's looping character select jingle "Take You For a Ride" may be disappointed to learn that Capcom hasn't yet decided if the track will be included in The Fate of Two Worlds. However it's still a possibility, with the goal to have over 100 pieces of music, including orig??inals as well as remixes of familiar favorites.

If you're wondering about game??play, your guess is as good as mine. All we really know right now is that the game will feature 3-on-3 tag team battles, aerial combos, hyper combos, and "other original systems." Killian even says that things like final controls are "still in flux," with about a year of development left before the game ships, and that they have some "very smart ideas floating around right now." It was repeatedly mentioned that the goal for the game is t??o create an accessible yet deep experience for comic fans and fighting game veterans alike. Niitsuma adds, however, that they're not looking to reinvent to the wheel, and that fan's expectations on the controls front will more than likely be met.

As for when we'll get to see the game in action, we're crossing our fingers for E3, and Niitsuma hints that they're working hard to make a big splash at the conference this June. Whether that means we'll actually get a chance to play it is another story, but we're sure fans are going to be salivating over the tiniest bits of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 info until the game ships next year.

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While we still haven't had a chance to see it, Dead Rising 2 developer Blue Ca?stle Games dropped a few ?new details on the upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive pre-release DLC, "Case Zero."

Designed as a prologue to Dead Rising 2, the standalone downloadable content will link the events of the original with the sequel, which takes place five years after the events of Willamette Mall. The content will introduce the game's new protagonist Chuck Greene, as well as h??is daughter, along with new game mechanics like item combinations to create weapons and more.

"Case Zero" will be set in the desert town of Still Creek, and is said to feature three hours of completely unique content not found on the retail disc. This will include, we're told, a ton of zombies, survivors to save, as well as living psychopaths bent from the pressures of an undead outbreak. What the "Case Zero" won't support, however, is co-op, a new feature found in the final retail version of Dead Rising 2.

Capcom isn't currently talking pricing, and it won't pin down a date, although it has confirm?ed it will be available before the sequel hits stores on Augus?t 31.

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Not only does Dead Rising 2 come with an entirely new protagonist, but also a new set of skills. Compared to Dead Rising’s journalist Frank “I’ve Covered Wars, You Know” West, the sequel's Chuck Greene is quite a different beast wi?th his own skillsets.

While West was handy with a camera, using photography to document the outbreak (and earn experience points to upgrade his abilities in th?e process), G??reene relies on another craft to survive -- dude’s a bit of a McGuyver with some duct tape.

The original Dead Rising was littered with items -- from guns to lawnmowers -- you could use to kill zombies in all manner of creative ways. Dead Rising 2 is no different. In the demo developer Blue Castle Games brought to Capcom's Captivate press event, you could rarely take a few steps without stumbling across a new item. But Dead Rising 2 ups the ante, allowing you to combine items to create some of the craziest, most satisfying (and sometime?s comical) weapons seen? in any game to date.

Hit the jump for details on how this works, and to see a quick gallery of some of t??he game’s potential combinations.

In Dead Rising 2 players will find "combo rooms" spread throughout the game world. It is here where they’ll be able to combine two items on a workbench, and see a small cut-scene of a determined Greene creating an item to rocking metal guitar. While?? you won’t be able to combine all items, experimentation could lead to some surprising results.

In the demo area I played, the first combination I was shown was simple -- a box ??of nails plus a baseball bat to create the “spiked bat,” a common thug weapon perfect for bashing in zombie skul?ls. Alternately, you could combine a box of nails with MMA fighting gloves to create the "Tenderizers"; use your imagination to picture what that could do to the face of the undead.

While randomly mixing and matching items could be a bit of fun, all of that experimentation could be a bit time consuming. In order to guide the player, “Combo Cards” can be found throughout the game?? world, offering up examples of potential zombie-slaughter tools of the trade. While it won’t be necessary to get a combo card to create an item (you could find a list of potential combinations online, for instance), having the card in your inventory comes with a bonus -- the player will get twice the Prestige Points (or PP) when using that particular item.

The demo I played came pre-l??oaded with 17 "Combo Cards," but the number of items I was able to create within the confines of the small demo area far exceeded that number. For instance, what did I make a with a flashlight and some gems I stole from a jewelery store? A lightsabre, of course.

Blue Castle won’t commit to a the number of in-game combinations, only saying that it would be “a lot.” Examples of some of the weapons, taken from the demos available “Combo Cards” can be seen in the gallery. For a look at some of these items in action, check out our direct feed footage of the game in action (lightsabre and all).

The post Drills meet bucket: A look at Dead Rising 2’s item combo system appeared first on Destructoid.

It's one thing to talk about Chuck Greene's wonderful creations and tools that he uses in Dead Rising 2. It's a com??pletely different story to see them in action.

If you're wondering just how a spiked bat finds its home in the cranium of a zombie, you'll see it after the jump. Curious to see what happens when you shoot an explosive arrow into a crowd of the undead? We've got that, too. Just how curious are zombies when it comes to a flying toy helicopter? You know the drill. (Speaking of drills, we've got those, too.?)

There are five videos in all, each showing off different action, ridiculous kills, and more t??han one wild and crazy Chuck Greene outfit. But I'll warn you -- if you don't? like violence and gore, these are not the videos for you. Oh, who the hell am I kidding... go, go, go!

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Fans of things that are good should be pleased to learn that Capcom is bringing Ōkamiden, the Nintendo DS follow-up to the PlayStation 2/Wii title Ōkami, to North America. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the publisher had trademarked ?the name all over the globe, shortly before announcing it only for Japan at least year’s Tokyo Game Show.

Act shocked, because you don’t want Capcom to feel bad. But it's nice to have confirmation, and after going hands on with a translated trial version of the game at Captivate, I’m convinced the game is headed in a direction that will surely please fans of the original. From the Sumi-e art style to how it feels making sweeping Celestial Brush strokes with the stylus, Ōkamiden t??ruly nails the vibe of its predecessor?? across the board, while making fitting tweaks unique to Nintendo’s handheld.

Ōkamiden follows the adventures of Chibiterasu, the young sun god offspring of Amaterasu, the now iconic wolf from the original Ōkami. Being a child, the ludicrously adorable little wolf cub simply doesn’t have the power of his older, stronger, and wiser parent. Because of this, in Ōkamiden he’ll need assistance, which comes in the form of a number of in-game characters which can be directed using the Nintendo DS touc?h-screen and stylus.

In the trial version I played, the partner character on hand was Kumi, son of the arrogant, self-proclaimed warrior Susano from the first title. With Kumi on his back, I was able to move Chibiterasu around a gorgeous, hand-drawn-style 3D world displayed on the top screen by using the d-pad. Attacks are all mapped to a single button (which can be pressed repeatedly to string together combos), coupled with a jump b??utton to further navigate obstacles.

It wasn’t long before the game introduced how it uses the Celestial Brush, the bread-and-butter game mechanic of the series. By pressing L or R, a “canvas” version of the world moves down from the top to the touch screen. It’s here that you use the stylus as the brush in a way that you might already be familiar with from Ōkami. Circle a naked spot on a tree to make flowers bloom, cleave a stone in half to clear a path, or draw in an empty spot on a bridge to allow forward movemen?t. The canvas can also be used in combat, stopping time and slicing multiple foes with one long brush stroke.

But the Nintendo DS touch screen isn’t used only for the obvious Celestial Brush mechanic. Ōkamiden introduces a “Partner System” which allows players to guide teammates through obstacles and to solve puzzles. In the case of the trial, pressing X makes Kumi hop off Chibi’s back. By then using the Celestial Brush to draw a path (it appears as a red stroke), you’re able to direct y?our partner character through the world.

This can be used in a number of ways, the m??ost obvious to tri?gger switches in the environment to solve environmental puzzles. In one, I had to direct Kumi across a cracked path, too weak to support the heavier Chibi; there he stood on a switch that created a bridge which Chibi could cross to a raised platform. I then had to guide Kumi to yet another switch which create one more bridge, allowing Chibi to move forward and join the young adventurer once again. Partners will also act intelligently, opening chests and returning items when guided with no additional instructions. While these are some of the simplest examples, it’s easy to see how this guidance system can lead to some clever (and likely mind-bending) puzzles further into the game.

While much of the world of Ōkamiden will look at feel familiar, producer Motohide Eshiro notes that just because it’s based in the same world, that doesn’t mean you’re simply treading old ground. In addition to new areas, the game will feature some of the same sett??ings from the original, with all ??????????????????????????new buildings and other places to explore.

The game’s enemies, “Yokai” or demons inspired by Japanese mythology, may also look familiar as many are back and causing trouble in Ōkamiden. But each has been redesigned for the Nintendo DS, giving them a fre??sh look, and they will also be joined by a host of new demons in the final game.

Sound great? It kind of is, and this is coming from a pretty big fan of the original. (And who isn’t?) There’s a catch -- Ōkamiden won’t hit North American shelves until 2011. Yes, that 2011. As in next year. The wait should be worth it, as Eshiro is aiming for more than roughly 20 hours of gameplay in Ōkamiden.

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Lost Planet 2 already ships with a handful of multiplayer maps on the disc, but players are always deman??ding "more, more, more." Beca?use that's what we do, and we're never satisfied. Well Capcom is going to hook up even more content for you... on day one.

Those who pre-order the game with GameStop will receive the two downloadable maps, "Helix" and "Back to the Island," completely free. But for those who refu??se to step foot in the mega-retailer (or live on the moon where there are no GameStops), Capcom will also make the maps available as a paid download which will be live as soon as you pop the disc in.

I went hands on with both of the maps at Captivate, and each held up pretty well during the 16 player multiplayer skirmishes. "Back to the Island" looked a bit familiar, and for good reason -- it's a remake of the popular "Island 902" map from the original game, tweaked for Lost Planet 2.

"Helix" is ??an underwater NEVEC research facility, a map that encouraged the use of and showed off the new ability to swim by?? pressing and tapping the jump button. Pockets of air made good hiding spots and a quick reprieve from battle, and air jets scattered around the facility acted as "jump pads" that can shoot you up through the air to a higher platform.

Both maps were solid, and maybe worth whatever price Capcom will put on them, but free is the way to go here. You can just pre-order the game now and now have to worry about opening up your wallet again later. As to the price for those who don't pre-order, Capcom isn't ready to talk. We'll find out next month, though -- Lost Planet 2 ships on ?May 11 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

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With Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi behind the upcoming Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the expectations for a quirky, original title are already astronomical. After spending about 20 minutes with a demo version of the game (a tutorial and introduction to the game’s world and characters), it’s obvious that Ghost Trick will me?et those expectations, with a rather unique game mechanic and presentation that’s like nothing else on the Nintendo DS.

Ghost Trick is one of the few games that begins with your character already dead. Murdered. Lying face down on the ground of a junkyard, the pointy-haired, shades-wearing Sissel regains consciousness, but in spirit only. In this spirit form, he's witness to another potential murder -- a tall, thin, blue-skinned man stands with his gun pointed at a young girl. A mysterious voice calls to Sissel, guiding him ?and showing him how to use his powers in the spirit world to possess and manipulate items in the real world, “ghost tricks” if you will.

More after the jump.

With a simple tap of the screen it’s possible to go into the spirit world; items that can be possessed and potentially manipulated by Sissel’s soul will appear as blue. You start by dragging your?? soul, a blue orb, with the stylus to a nearby object. Objects must be within “reach,” and in order to gain access to further items, you’ll have to leap from one to the next, forcing you to find various paths within the spirit world.

Once the object you want to possess is reached, that’s where the fun starts. By tapping the “trick” button Sissel’s soul can make an object react in the real world. In this first e??xample, I hopped from Sissel’s body to a nearby crossing rail as the events between the man and the girl unfolded. By using ghost powers, I was able to make th??e crossing rail shift, hitting the armed man and allowing the girl to make a temporary escape. Keyword “temporary” as the man catches up with her, and I’m forced to hop between a few objects, landing in a guitar lying in a junk pile. Using ghost powers, I strum it on the strings, the sounds startling the man and allowing  the girl to make another run for it.

In this scenario, the girl doesn’t get very far, and the man eventually pulls the trigger. Even with all of Sissel’s ghost powers, the girl can’t be saved. But he has yet another trick up his sleeve -- the ability to turn back time and change f?ate. After scenes like t?his play out, it’s possible to turn back the clock four minutes, manipulating events to change possible outcomes. During this time, the clock runs down in realtime, the events unfolding once again before you.

In this sense, Ghost Trick is a bit like a puzzle game. G?iven only four minutes to change events (you already know how it’s supposed to go down), you have to think fast and react quickly as you hop from object to object. And it’s not just as simple as doing just that. The game doesn’t necessarily make it easy -- what fun would it be if all of the objects were lined up towards your goal?

In the demo, for instance, I had to trigger a refrigerator door to open, which rolled a blender into a rope that was connected to a pulley that then raised a flag. Once the flag was hoisted up, I hopped over into a fan which, once turned on, blew the flag in the direction of a previously unreachable object. Even in this most simple puzzle (it will presumably get mor?e complicated as the game progresses) I found myself scratching my head, carefully eyeballing each object for potential outcomes. All the while, the four minute countdown applied pressure -- the fate of the girl, a fatal gunshot, was drawing near. Fortunately, I was able to make it to her and change her fate on my first run. But had I made a misstep or simply couldn’t piece together the environment in time, it’s possible to rewind and retry scenarios indefinitely.

Going into it with almost no expectations, I was surprised at how clever the game was in terms of both its gameplay mechanic and dialogue, which shares the same off-kilter humor of the Ace Attorney series. It’ll be easy for such a strange title like Ghost Trick to be overlooked at retail by the mainstream -- it’s not conventional in any sense. But I have a strong hunch that Capcom has its next darling sleeper hit on its hands, and that hardcore gamers are going to eat up when Ghost Trick hits shelves this winter.

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During a presentation at Capcom's Captivate press event last week, producer Yoshinori Ono revealed that Xbox 360 gamers will soon be able to dress up their Avatars as their favorite Super Street Fighter IV characters.

A handful of character outfits have been confirmed: Dudley, El Fuerte, Crimson Viper, Juri, DeeJay, Ryu, Cody, Guy, Chun Li, Abel, Ju??ri, Guile, Akuma, Makoto, and Ibuki have all made the cut.

No word on pricing or when they'll hit the Avatar Marketplace, but with Super Street Fighter IV scheduled to ship next week, there's no doubt th?ey're just around the corner.

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Wondering how the Willamette Parkview Mall of the original Dead Rising compares to the Las Vegas-esque Fortune City of Dead Rising 2? Wh??ile Capcom and Blue Castle only let me shred ghouls in a few areas, I was able to sneak a look at the map during my hands-on demo at Captivate last week.

Yes, what you're seeing above (a larger version can be found after t?he jump) is only one "floor," but it gives you a good idea of what you can expect. Casinos and plenty of shopping opportunities (for stuff to dismember the undead with, of course) at the Palisades Mall, it looks like there'??s quite an environmental spread ripe for an undead massacre.

In terms of actual size, Blue Castle would only say that the sequel? is comparable ??to the first, but is more "dense." Based on what I've seen playing around in limited areas, I understand what they mean -- there's plenty to do outside of tearing apart zombies. Like playing a large video poker machine, for instance... to make money so you can buy things to tear apart zombies. Of course.

Hit the jump for a larger version of the map, pieced together from the "pause" screen of Blue Castle's Dead Rising 2 demo at Captivate.

The post A look at the map of Dead Rising 2’s zombie-killing playground, ‘Fortune City’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Breathe deep and call a pal... it’s zombie hunting time. Yes, in addition to the already revealed competitive multiplayer, Dead Rising 2 will feature full two-player cooperativ?e play through the game’s entire main story.

Here are the basics, and it’s pretty straight forward: During any time, a second player can be invited to join a game in progress. Each player will control the game’s main protagonist, Chuck Greene, and any kind? of continuity or logic gets thrown out the window in lieu of pure fun. The story doesn’t change, as the missions and game layout will remain identical whether you’re playing alone or wit??h a friend. But make no mistake about it -- killing zombies and saving survivors with a buddy is a hell of a lot more fun (and safer) when you do it with a friend.

Hit the jump for more details.

The name of the game here with Dead Rising 2 co-op has less to do with making any sense from a narrative standpoint, and more to do with all of the crazy sh*t you could only do with a second Chuck Greene at your side. According to Blue Castle, all kinds of new gameplay emerges when two players are thrown into the Dead Rising 2 sandbox, and this was very easily proven during a short hands-off demo, and later when I got my hands on the contr??oller.

An example had one Chuck using a fir?e extinguisher to freeze zombies; once frozen, a second player could drop kick or hit the frozen ghoul with a bat to shatter it to pieces. In another example, we saw some strategy as one player collected items and weapons, while another spent time fighting off the hordes.

It also seemed as if Blue Castle had added many game moments and interactive environmental objects that simply screamed co-op. While playing the game alone, I struggled to fight off two homicidal twin Vegas showgirls; with a second player ha?ving my back, sending them to their grave was not only easier, but a lot more enjoyable. A giant interactive video poker machine in the middle of a casino was nearly unusable alone ??-- I kept getting hassled by flesh-hungry zombies while trying to win big. With a second player, I was able to focus on my gambling addiction without the worries of a creature gnawing on my face.

From what I could tell, the cooperative mode was not really limited in any real way. Yes, the entire game can be played with a second player who can drop in and drop out at any time, with the host “owning” the game. T??his means that whoever starts the game will be the owner of the save file and the story; the second ??player can participate and advance, but once he or she leaves, their earnings will only be in the form of in-game money and any PP (experience) points earned.

Players aren&??rsquo;t tethered to one another within areas, with one caveat -- certain story elements (like those beyond doors) cannot be triggered unless both players are within a certain distance. Before the aforementioned Vegas showgirl battle could begin, I had to wait patiently for my partner to get bored using a vacuum/saw blade combo elsewhere in the casino before I could move forward. As you can imagine, that could take awhile. Because honestly, wh??en does anyone really get bored using a vacuum/saw blade combo?

Cooperative play was the big Dead Rising 2 reveal at Captivate, but producer Keiji Inafune says there are “more scoo?ps” yet to be revealed. Unfortunately, he tells us, “press restrictions?” are keeping him from spilling the beans. Damn you, “press restrictions” -- how about a date with my vacuum/saw blade combo?

Dead Rising 2 hi?ts shelves on August 31; expect more “scoops” to come out of E3??. 

The post It takes two: Dead Rising 2 to feature two-player c??o-op appeared first on Destructoid.

Eu??reka! You knew it was coming, but get excited anyway. It's okay. I'll wait.

No, we're excited too. It made our most-anticipated games list for this year. And it makes a lot more sense than being excited about a nine-year-old game that we all already have being re??-released as a download. Yep, I said that. Objection?

Fresh from Capcom's event Captivate '09 comes this rousing trailer for Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations, the spin-off from the crazy popular Phoenix Wright games th??at features the purple-we?aring prosecuting attorney. Wait, why am I telling you this. You already know this.

The trailer only shows us about four or five English scenes. If you look close, you'll see some untranslated s?hots toward the end of the video??. So they threw this together for the event. So what? We're still excited, right?

The post Miles Edgeworth Ace Attorney’s English debut trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

Today, Capcom confirmed what we had been? hearing for awhile -- their CAPTIVATE media day will take place in Monte Carlo thi?s year.

That's right, Capcom has decided to hold a typical gamer's day in the "jewel of Mediterranean," laughing in the face of a tough economy. What will they be showing off? Well, what's been confirmed so far is what you'd expect: Dead Rising 2 (including a new trailer and actual gameplay); Lost Planet 2; a new playable build of Dark Void; Spyborgs for the Wii and its new look; Resident Evil The Darkside Chronicles; and more. By "more" we mean new, previously-unannounced games. What, did you think Capcom have shown their entire hand for 20?09 and 2010 yet? 

Sounds hot -- last year's CAPTIVATE event in Las Vegas was a great time, and a slew of information about Capcom games flew right out of that one. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we've been invited to partake in the festivities, but th?at doesn't mean we won't be keeping a close eye on what comes out of Monte Carlo later this month.

The post Capcom goes big with CAPTIVATE 09 in Monte Carlo appeared first on Destructoid.

I have often wondered if executives should even post on message boards. Yesterday Christian Svensson, Senior Director of Strategic Planning & Research for Capcom, decided to talk a little Spyborgs with the nice folks on Capcom’s forum. In a mere two posts, Svensson announced that Spyborgs will not be showing at E3 this ye??ar, and implied that the game will max out the Wii??’s hardware.

The poster that originally grabbed Svensson’s attent?ion made mention that he was tired of poor third-party support on the console, and wanted a game that ?would “make full use of the Wii’s power.” In reply, Svensson implicated that the Spyborgs would do just that.

Spyborgs will be that product. Wait and see.

When asked further down in the topic if Spyborgs would be at E3 this year, Svennson was wonderful??ly? candid:

No. Captivate was the announcement with very little detail shared... it'll lie low for a bit until we're ready for a bigger reveal (similar to what we did with the Dark Void announcement last October with the bigger reveal at Captivate), so no E3 showing??.

Our very own Nick Chester recently had a chance to check out Spyborgs in action at Captivate. His interaction with the game is very telling of what we can expect from the title. Personally, I could go either way with this one. I would love to have an excellent game that pushed the development envelope for the Wii, but I’m not quite ready to stamp Spyborgs as that fantastical hardware shredder.

[Via Nintendo Everything]

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When speaking with Spyborgs creative director Mike Stout, he admitted there m??ay be a chance the team could include Balance Board support in the Wii?? exclusive.

"It would be rea?lly cool," he said, "but we're not sure if we can yet. So there are a few opportunities for it in other places of the game that we haven't talked about ei?ther, and we're also thinking about that."

Balance Board support seems an obvious choice, since one of t?he game's characters, Kinetic, rides a hoverboard of some sort. But what about other peripherals?

"One of our programmers joked that we should support every peripheral," Stout said, laughing. It would just flash up on the screen -- 'Alright, put on your dance pad now! OK, plug in your Wii Zapper! Plus in your Rock Band drums!'"

Hey, maybe they're on to something here ... 

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