61 Frames Per Second : bioshock 2

Take a Dip Into Bioshock 2's Viral Campaign

Bob Mackey — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMT

I've never really understood much of the appeal of viral marketing campaigns; it seems like they'd be perfect in a pre-Internet world, but in our modern society, they're found out for what they are seconds after hitting the web. That being said, they are an ultra-cool way to build hype and release information about upcoming games that's far more interesting than sending out a boring set of screenshots. And Bioshock 2's viral marketing site, somethinginthesea.com, certainly does a great job of giving just the right amount of tantalizing information about a game we really know nothing about.

So, what exactly do we know about Bioshock's sequel? Not much, aside from Bioshock's 2 newest threat, the Big Sisters, and their penchant for kidnapping little girls for reasons that should be more than obvious to anyone who played the first game. But even though very little is known about Bioshock 2, the viral marketing campaign is proof that the development team (who should have had some say in this) are on their way to creating a world as deep and involving as what we saw in the first game. This should come as a relief to anyone who feared that Ken Levine's absence would spell doom for the sequel.

Related Links:

Games to Film: Et Tu, Bioshock?
War Stories
Where Are All Of Videoland's Nice Jewish Boys?

New Year’s Resolutions For a Few Of Our Favorite Publishers

John Constantine — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Now, to close out the first full week of 2009, we will do for videogame publishers what we did for console makers: we will tell them how to live their sordid, godforsaken lives! You’d think developers would make the list, but no. No, I tend to trust them, so they will be left to their own devices, free from the crushing logic of advice from 61 Frames Per Second.

In 2009, the following folks should resolve to do the following things:

EA – Stick to your guns and keep investing in new IP. 2008 was good stuff, Riccitello. Keep promoting Mirror’s Edge and Dead Space, they will find their audience. And EA Sports? How about SSX4 already.

Capcom – Resolve to support Dark Void with an aggressive marketing campaign and release it during the summer. Do not let this one die during the holiday rush. Also, Street Fighter III HD Remix. You know it would be sweet.

Atari – Do not release Ghosbusters until it is perfect.

Namco – Push Klonoa like you have never pushed a game in your entire lives. Tell people it will make them lose weight, tell them it will make them smarter. And knock it off with the nickel-and-dime DLC already, what is this, 2006?

Square-Enix – S-E, I want you to go out tomorrow, hop on a train, and pay Jupiter Games a visit. You cut them a check, and you tell them to make whatever they can imagine. The people who made The World Ends With You should be allowed to make whatever they like.

Konami – Release a press statement claiming you were forced to make Rock Revolution at gun point.

Midway – Um. Hang in there?

Activision – Give Neversoft the vacation they so desperately need and deserve.

Atlus – More PS1 reprints!

Take-Two – If Bioshock 2 looks stupid, don’t be afraid to cancel it.

Ubisoft – Release Beyond Good & Evil 2 by the end of the year. Please. PLEASE!

XSEED – Keep on keepin’ on, you guys. Can’t believe you actually localized Retro Game Master. Just awesome.

Tecmo-Koei – No Dynasty Warriors: Dead or Alive games. Just don’t. I know you're thinking about it.

SEGA – Disband Sonic Team. It’s over. Enough.

And that about covers it. Happy New Year, everyone.

Related links:

Microsoft’s New Year’s Resolution
Nintendo’s New Year’s Resolution
Sony’s New Year’s Resolution
Virtual Console New Year's Resolutions

Where is… Oh Wait, Hydrophobia’s Right Here!

John Constantine — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:30:00 GMT

Where Is, as a feature, is typically reserved for those games and individuals who fall through the cracks of gaming history, those curiosities that were born briefly into the public eye and then disappeared into the digital ether, never to be seen again. It was born in the hopes of seeing its respective subjects resurface, as if our patient musings might give them new life. Today’s a happy one though, since Hydrophobia, an intriguing action title that hasn’t been heard from since early 2007, has not only popped back up on the gaming radar, but has an imminent release date of March 2009.

Hydrophobia’s unique hook is levels flooded with water that reacts dynamically depending on the action. Its plot revolves around a near future world where a Malthusian catastrophe has taken place and the world’s wealthy elite have moved onto self-subsistent floating cities. One of these cities, the Queen of the World, which has come under siege and you, as security engineer Kate Wilson, must take Steven-Seagal-style action (but with dreads instead of a ponytail.) Take that Bioshock 2! Gameplay details and pretty much everything else about the game is still an unknown, but here’s hoping that Blade Interactive has come up with an underwater world that uses its element in a more tactile way than Ken Levine’s aforementioned critical darling did.

Nice to see you back, Hydrophobia.

Note: Apparently the teaser above was shown at E3 back in July. Why didn’t anyone talk about this at the time? Dang journalists and PR agents.

More Where Is?:

Prototype
Where is Shuichi Sakurazaki, Creator of Ninja Gaiden?
Yasunori Mitsuda
Landstalker PSP
Joe Madureira
Wii’s Disaster: Day of Crisis
Yu Suzuki
The City of Metronome
New Indiana Jones
Doug TenNapel
Victor Ireland