First ZombiU Multiplayer Details Surface

A new multiplayer mode titled King of Zombies has been unveiled for upcoming survival horror game ZombiU.

In an interview with ONM, the game's story director Gabrielle Shrager explained that that the mode would have links to the St George's Yard mission that players will encounter in the single-player game, while also being based on a modified version of Capture the Flag.

“

St George's is our hell within hell. Our multiplayer arenas are a spin-off of this mission in the campaign.

"You’ve seen the Tower Of London gameplay footage by now, so you know we are going to have to breach the Traitor’s Gate and penetrate the depths of the Bloody Tower to find the Raven Of Dee’s Secret Bunker," she revealed. "But you’ve never heard of St George’s Yard.

"St George's is our hell within hell. Survivors here are unwilling participants in a twisted game in which they are thrown to the infected. Our multiplayer arenas are a spin-off of this mission in the campaign."

The King of Zombies mode is one such multiplayer arena that sees one player use the Wii U Pro Controller to try and guide their survivor towards the flag. Meanwhile, it's the job of the GamePad wielding player to spawn zombies around the flag using the touchscreen in a bid to keep the flag unclaimed.

ZombiU is planned as an exclusive launch title for the Wii U when it releases in America on November 18 and in Europe on November 30.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant and is slowly realising he'd be as useful as a chocolate teapot in a Zombie Apocalypse. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

NYCC: Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy Reunite at Vertigo

It's really no surprise that when two of our favorite creators here at IGN -- Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy -- paired up for last year's American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest, the series wound up being IGN's Best Mini-Series of 2011. Now we've got even more to look forward to from the duo, as Vertigo revealed at their panel today that they'd be reuniting for a new mini-series called The Wake, an underwater sci-fi horror tale.

"I couldn't be more excited about The Wake!” explained Snyder. “This is a story Sean and I have actually been developing together for more than a year, a big, twisted, sprawling science fiction and horror epic, all of which begins with a single, terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean. It's one of the most ambitious stories I've ever done, and there's no one I'd rather be creating it with than Sean Murphy. Sean's a great friend and we had a blast together on American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest; luckily, he's also one of the industry's brightest new stars, someone with unrivaled abilities as a world-builder -- every scene he draws is so fully realized, so richly imagined, it's hugely inspiring working with him, and I'm grateful to him for signing on to be my partner at the end of the world, here."

The Wake is set for release in 2013.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

NYCC: Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy Reunite at Vertigo

It's really no surprise that when two of our favorite creators here at IGN -- Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy -- paired up for last year's American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest, the series wound up being IGN's Best Mini-Series of 2011. Now we've got even more to look forward to from the duo, as Vertigo revealed at their panel today that they'd be reuniting for a new mini-series called The Wake, an underwater sci-fi horror tale.

"I couldn't be more excited about The Wake!” explained Snyder. “This is a story Sean and I have actually been developing together for more than a year, a big, twisted, sprawling science fiction and horror epic, all of which begins with a single, terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean. It's one of the most ambitious stories I've ever done, and there's no one I'd rather be creating it with than Sean Murphy. Sean's a great friend and we had a blast together on American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest; luckily, he's also one of the industry's brightest new stars, someone with unrivaled abilities as a world-builder -- every scene he draws is so fully realized, so richly imagined, it's hugely inspiring working with him, and I'm grateful to him for signing on to be my partner at the end of the world, here."

The Wake is set for release in 2013.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

30 Days Until Resident Evil 6

With only 30 days to go until Resident Evil 6 is released on October 2nd, we count down 30 reasons why Capcom’s latest zombie infested survival horror game has us ready to destroy wave after wave of the bloody undead in terrifying new ways. You rolling with us? Pack a shotgun and never look back, this is the dirty 30 for Resident Evil 6. BRRRAAAAAIIINNNSS!!

30

The Zombies Are Smarter Than Ever Now

Like much, much, much smarter. They jump, spit acid and fight back with weapons. These things don't just grunt and groan. They eat brains and ace math tests. Run, man. RUN!

29

The Special Editions Rock

Why snag just the game when you can get copies of a bunch of classic Evils or even a hoodie? There are a ton of options, so stop being so boring.

28

That Logo Looks Like A Giraffe And A....

Love flourishes in the strangest of places. Sometimes a man loves a woman. Sometimes a woman loves a giraffe. Sometimes two fish smoke cigarettes after an argument. The Resident Evil 6 logo is like the world's most perversely inspiring rorschach test! Watch this Up At Noon bit for even more.

27

The Achievements!

There's an Achievement named "Duty Calls" in case you were worried there wouldn't be enough action to go with that survival horror. Plenty more Achievement spoilers at that link, if you're into that kind of thing.

26

Ada Wong Is Back, Baby

And yes, we missed her too. Don't lie, so did you.

25

This Mysterious Man

What is he doing? Maybe he's READING THIS VERY ARTICLE!

24

You Probably Have Better Skin Than This Guy, So Cheer Up!

23

Leon, Chris & Eminem In The SAME GAME!

22

That Title Screen Guy Will Totally Yell "RESIDENT...EVIIIIL. SIX!" When You Press Start On The Title Screen

He did it for every other Resident Evil game so why fire him now?

21

Resident Evil.Net Keeps The Game Going FOREVA AND EVA

Regularly updated new content and events? This makes us very happy.

20

We Couldn't Wait So We Did Awesome Break Downs Of The Resident Evil Games Leading Up To RE6

Our homie Lucas M. Thomas has been doing amazingly detailed breakdowns of all the Resident evil classics. Join us in celebrating our old, withered nostalgia.

19

The Amazing IGN Wiki Means You'll Never Get Stuck

We'll keep updating it with backstory, cheats and full walkthroughs but we'd love if you helped us, too.

18

That Whole Zombie Infection Thing? Yeah, It's Global Now

(Although once again, Greenland is safe from the rest of the world's problems)

17

It Has A Naked Human-Spider Boss Woman Thingy That We Can't Even Show You

We would probably get arrested for throwing a picture in here but that won't stop us from talking about it.

16

DAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!!

SO CUTE!!!

15

It's F***ing Legit!

Or so says @GenaMarini and she's probably right.

14

This Game Has Some Weird-Ass Enemies, Man!

Zombie mutant prize claw people? What the hell?!?! Well, it's not like being populated with freakish weirdos is new for the series or anything.

13

***ZOMBIE CAT BREAK!***

Hey look, it's Albert Whisker! We're so, so sorry.

12

Multiple Story Campaigns

Oh, you want branching stories and entire campaigns with different lead characters? Here are three to start you off:

And that's not even all of them...

11

Some Crazy, Talented People Are Working On This

Just watch our making-of video for proof!

10

The Bio Ball

Hypodermic fun for the whole family!

9

It Takes Place In The Same Universe As Sleeping Dogs If You're A Fan Fiction Writer Or Crazy Conspiracy Theorist

It doesn't really, but we can pretend.

8

It Comes With An Umbrella Corporation Umbrella If You Pre-Order It

Never heard of an Umbrella Umbrella? Let our resident (see what we did there?) video hostess Naomi Kyle show you one in action.

7

The Game's Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi Is No Slouch

From classics like Dino Crisis, Resident Evil 2 to Killer7 and Devil May Cry, this guy is a legend.

6

It's Not Resident Evil 5

Nuff' said.

5

It's The Only Game This Year With Crossbows

OK, so that's bullsh*t. There are thousands of games this year with crossbows. But we like this crossbow the best.

4

It Reminds Us Of Resident Evil 2...

3

...And The Village From Resident Evil 4

2

That CRAZY Plane Crash Scene

1

And Finally? Zombie Party Time!

Excited for Resident Evil 6 as we are? Well you absolutely should be by now. Be sure to let us know just how excited in the comments below.

Source : ign[dot]com

I Am Alive Coming to PC in September

Ubisoft's post-apocalyptic survival game I Am Alive will release on PC on September 13.

The title, which launched on XBLA and PSN earlier this year, will feature improved graphics along with two new modes.

The "easy" mode allows an infinite number of retries and gives players a smoother introduction to the game, while the "Replay" mode allows gamers to revisit previous missions to try and discover more secrets and treasures.

The game takes place in an America that has been decimated by an unspecified "Event". You play as a male survivor searching for his wife and daughter in his hometown of Haventon, whilst trying to survive the toxic ash and attacks from fellow survivors.

I Am Alive will be available for £11.99/$19.99/€14.99 on Ubishop, Steam and other digital retailers worldwide on September 13.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Is The Walking Dead FPS Convincing?

As a big fan of The Walking Dead in all its forms, I entered the Gamescom presentation of this survival-FPS with one hope: that the doubt I’ve felt since Activision announced the game last month will be put down for good by a crossbow bolt to the brain. By the close of the session, I’m heartened by some of what I’ve seen and heard, but the doubt still lingers. I wish I could say otherwise, I really do.

The presentation is hosted by developer Terminal Reality’s principal effects artist, Glenn Gamble, which seems an apt name for someone working on an attempt to marry a franchise associated with strong narrative with a genre that often eschews it. The biggest disappointment thrown up by the session is that it’s presented via a series of static screenshots, despite Gamble stating that a playable build exists (and is in fact where the screenshots have come from).

A gameplay video could have done much to reassure me that comments made earlier this year by franchise creator Robert Kirkman (during which he said a straight-up run and gun FPS of The Walking Dead “would be pointless”) need not apply to Terminal Reality’s efforts. However, as the presentation plays out, Gamble raises some interesting concepts that the team are working into The Walking Dead. It suggest the developer agrees that if it’s to make this project work, it needs more meat on its bones than a straight-up, gung-ho shooter can offer.

First, the choice of character: Daryl Dixon, who so far has existed only in The Walking Dead AMC TV series, was introduced to the fiction as something of a loose cannon. His evolution through series one and two has seen him become the show’s rough diamond; the bad boy with a heart who’s not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done and survive in a world that’s gone to hell

“

If you watch the show and play the game you’ll get a much deeper and broader sense of his character.

“He’s a survivalist, which is a huge part of the show as well as the game,” posits Gamble. “His evolution of character through season two has let us work with AMC to try, with our story, to plant those seeds of change earlier on. So now, if you watch the show and play the game you’ll get a much deeper and broader sense of his character."

If Daryl is a survivalist then his brother Merle is, frankly, an ass. A highly strung fellow of low moral fibre, Merle will be along for the ride as a companion to the player. This concept of companions, which will take in various other survivor NPCs met along the way, is a second positive factor.

Each survivor NPC has skills that can aid the player and while the NPCs do not appear to join in the zombie killing (all of the screens show only Daryl embarking on missions into towns to gather resources), they contribute to the group and introduce an element of resource management and survival considerations.

In addition to skills, the NPCs also have their own back-stories, as well as pros and cons that must be balanced when considering whether to take them with you: one guy might have a medical background which will be useful when you’re able to source medicinal items, but he’s also an extra mouth to feed, which will necessitate more food to be sourced when Daryl heads into a town.

“

I wish we had co-op, but the decision was that since it’s easier to tell a better story with single-player than with multiplayer.

Vehicles, too, have their own attributes to be considered as you try to make your way across state for a currently unknown reason. Some vehicles will offer bountiful passenger space (think along the lines of the RV that belonged to poor old Dale) but will guzzle more gas; a pick-up truck, meanwhile, has plenty of room in the back for equipment and resources, but only limited space for survivors.

Despite the seemingly blatant potential for co-op play presented by the two brother set-up, Gamble reveals, somewhat wistfully, that the team believe a single-player-only experience will serve them better from a narrative standpoint.

“I wish we had co-op, but the decision was that since it’s easier to tell a better story with single-player than with multiplayer, we decided to go with the single-player,” says Gamble. “That’s because story is bullet point number one; bullet point two is survival; bullet point three is the walkers”

Unlike the comics and TV show where it’s the living that can provide the greatest threat, it appears from Gamble’s presentation that it will be the walkers that the player will have to be most wary of. Gamble describes them as being “super environmentally aware”, able to see, hear and even smell the player. So, while sneaking past a lone walker may seem sensible, it leaves one more to add to a potential horde if you’re foolish enough to cause a commotion within earshot of the walking cadaver later on.

Overall, the survival elements, resource management and strong narrative aspects suggested by the presentation cast The Walking Dead in a positive light and do much to encourage hope that maybe wanton zombie slaying will come a distant second to the focus on survival. In-game footage and, ultimately, hands-on time with this survival-FPS will be necessary to ascertain whether Terminal Reality can deliver on the concepts introduced here. Until then, despite wishing it were otherwise, the doubt will continue to gnaw at me.

Stace Harman is a freelance contributor to IGN and is convinced that zombies will one day inherent the Earth. You can follow him on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Resident Evil's Weirdest Enemies

Through the years, the Resident Evil franchise has offered its fair share of epic, zombie-fueled adventures. From the exceptional first entries that focused on survival horror to the more action-oriented modern releases like Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5 - the franchise stands as a shining example of how to do zombie-gore right.

The funny thing is, the more memorable Resident Evil enemies usually aren't traditional zombies. In fact, some of them are downright weird. Elephants, giant snakes, plants, dudes in armor - when you really think about it, some of the creatures we've taken down in the name of survival have been pretty damn freaky.

In honor of the forthcoming release of Resident Evil 6, we've compiled the absolute weirdest enemies the RE franchise has to offer. These are in no particular order - although I think we can all agree the zombie elephant would have been number one. Take a look, then let us know your own favorites in the comments afterward.

On to the weirdness!

Neptune

As if Great White sharks weren't frightening enough, the bastards at Umbrella had to go and make B.O.W.s out of them. Bop it on the nose! I hear they hate that...

Hunter

Good ole hunters - giant, reptilian B.O.W.s with giant claws and mean tempers. He looks like he's yelling, "WHY ARE MY HANDS SO BIG!?"

Eliminator

ZOMBIE MONKEY! How can you not like that? Still - it's freaking weird.

Plague Crawler

Ew. Freaking... EW! Giant bugs are not only nasty, and unsanitary, they're also just not normal. Bugs should stay bug-sized.

Stalker

You only thought Aslan was on your side.

Web Spinner

This one's kind of just a spider. But it's HUGE! That's weird.

G

Not surprisingly, G is a product of the G-Virus. It's born from a human host - which is not only strange, but also endlessly unsettling. Also, if you looked at that and didn't think "zombie E.T." - shame on you.

Duvalia

This dude makes those Plagas that burst from your neck seem downright friendly. Disgusting.

Titan

It's a zombie elephant. What more do you need to know?

Alligator

A zombie alligator is different from a regular alligator because... it... well... it's bigger. That's about it.

Queen Leech

A former pet of Dr. Marcus, the Queen Leech is a product of Progenitor virus experimentation. That's what you get for keeping a leech as a pet. Freak. It also looks strangely like Bongo Bongo from The Legends of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Except without the bongo...

Ivy

A lot of the other enemies on this list are funny, but still frightening. This one is a plant with legs - which is just dumb.

Cephalo

It's like some sick game of jack-in-the-box, but where Jack is a disgusting Plaga that pops out of a zombie's severed neck rather than a box. Thanks for stomping all over our innocence, RE. At least he's wearing sandals, though. You can't be afraid of a man in sandals.

William Birkin

Man, and you thought your family was messed up. Worst. Father. EVER.

Armadura

A suit of armor infected by a Plaga. WTF?! So many questions... so few answers.

Big Man Majini

This one is basically just a big dude. The fact that he doesn't look at all like a zombie is the weird part. Um, ya. Moving on.

Licker

Its body is rotting, but its brain is perfectly intact? Its tongue is longer than its neck? This classic villain makes no sense. Watch out though! It'll lick you to death! Nooooo!

Giant Moth

Look at his mouth - this guy was clearly infected by the Zoidberg virus. Seriously though, what were they hoping to accomplish with this one? When is Umbrella going to learn that no one benefits from giant, infected bugs?

Bitores Mendez

That... has got to hurt.

Ghiozzo

That ginormous fish-monster could never fit in that tiny pool. Weird!

Lurker

Okay, this guy is just awesome. Expect to trip the **** out if you lick this frog's back. And maybe die. And maybe turn into a zombie. Proceed with caution.

Ndesu

He was actually only unshaven before the mutation happened and now look - a full beard! Also, he wears a dead dude for a belt buckle.

Executioner

At what point did he decide it was a good idea to stick nails in his head and torso? Dumbass.

Cerberus

The RE developers sure do love their zombie dogs. He looks more like a "Spot" to me though. I mean, come on. Silly RE developers. Cerberous has three heads.

Yawn

The most badass of badass snakes, Yawn is an awesome - though admittedly weird - B.O.W. that likes to hang around creepy mansions. That expression though - not frightening. He's either yawning, as his name implies, or the happiest puppy ever. I wish I felt half that good right now.

Were those weird enough for you? Did we miss any? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to let us know your picks for the weirdest Resident Evil enemies.

Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!

Source : ign[dot]com

DayZ Surpasses 900,000 Unique Users

According to the official DayZ website, the insanely popular ArmA II zombie survival mod has continued to be insanely popular. At the time of this post the total number of unique users now numbers 936,156, a rise of over 500,000 since we last covered the game's user base earlier this month.

No doubt part of this comes from the recent Steam Summer Sale, which ArmA II: Combined Operations was predictably a part of. It's no surprise that Combined Operations still sits in the top of the Steam sales charts, currently occupying the number two slot right behind the recently released Orcs Must Die! 2.

At this point it seems inevitable that DayZ will pass 1,000,000 users, but until that happens, why not tide yourself over with our latest preview?

Anthony Gallegos is a part of IGN's PC team. When he's not screaming and running away from the undead he's busily strumming a guitar or losing himself in yet another game of Company of Heroes. You can reach him on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com