Xbox 360 HD Requirement Dropped

Back when the Xbox 360 first launched, Microsoft wanted to make sure all the games on its console were at least running in 1280x720 screen resolution, or what we typically know as 720p high-definition. Developers had to reach that graphical resolution minimum, or were told to look elsewhere. There were several exceptions made for some very exceptional titles, however, specifically Halo 3, which ran at 1152x640 and Call of Duty 4 which was 1024x600. Dropping the resolution down a bit allowed for more graphical effects. But now it seems the door is open for any developer for any game. David Jefferies of Black Rock Studio - makers of Pure and Split Second - stated on hisDevelop blog (via CVG) that Microsoft recently dropped the requirement, and now studios are "free to make the trade-off between resolution and image quality as we see fit. Jefferies mentions that since more and more TV's are 1080p, his whole screen resolution "issue" will become less of a problem.

GT5 has 1000 vehicles, out in Q4 2009

Gran Turismo 5 will feature a massive 1000 vehicles, according to information reportedly posted on the official Polyphony Digital website, and should be released this year according to a gamescom brochure.

GTPlanet apparently got hold of the Polyphony website information while it was live (thanks 1UP), and reports that the game also boasts more than 20 tracks in more than 60 layouts.

Meanwhile, Sony was reportedly handing out brochures at gamescom listing the game for release in Q4 2009.

The translated Japanese information also lists game modes accessible through the menus, mentions custom soundtrack support, and reveals that 170 of the 1000 vehicles will have full interior modelling.

Apparently GT5 will also include various hybrid and electric vehicles, including the latest Tesla. Vrrooom. Or, rather, not.

Digital Foundry caught up with Gran Turismo 5 at gamescom last week and took a look at its damage modelling, concluding that it's still a bit of a work in progress.

Japan charts: Dragon Quest IX rules roost

Dragon Quest IX has mustered 126,682 sales to soar back to the top of the Japanese chart, according to Media Create data for the week ending 16th August.

Its performance helps DSi and DS Lite combine to 95,857 units sold, which is just over double that of the nearest challenger Wii, which sold 47,732 consoles.

Wii champion Monster Hunter Tri holds on at four and hits a lifetime milestone of 750,000 units.

DS game Tomodachi Collection (Friend Collection) takes two this week, followed by Wii Sports Resort at three and SD Gundam G Generation Wars (PS2) at five.

The PSP is Japan's third most popular console with 39,882 units sold. Fourth, surprisingly, is Xbox 360 with 9162 consoles shifted. PS3 and PS2 are almost neck-and-neck with 5994 and 4907 units sold, respectively.

Konami casts shadow over Wii

Konami has announced it will release Hudson Soft's unusual Wii title, The Tower of Shadow, in spring 2010.

What makes The Tower of Shadow (working title) unique is that the player controls the shadow of a young boy. The shadow must scale the colossal tower that dominates the game’s skyline. The boy does not speak and nobody knows his name. He simply climbs.

As a shadow the player will need to abide by certain rules. The shadow can only walk on the thin line between shadow and light. While he is not affected by height or distance, he must always have a shadow foothold, and he will disappear if he is fully engulfed by either the dark or the light.

Gravity does not apply in normal ways. Instead, when the source of light in a stage is parallel to the ground, the shadow is pulled towards the light. Similarly, if the angle of the light changes, so the gravity also shifts as the shadow is extended or reduced.

The shadow is accompanied by a winged sylph known as a ‘Spangle’, which can be used to manipulate physical items that the shadow boy cannot.

Shadow boy isn't the only shadow around, though. A giant shadow is in pursuit of shadow boy, and patrols the tower, alongside other assailants.

A slimmer, cheaper, better PS3. Was that so hard?

I've wanted a PlayStation 3 since forever. It plays Blu-ray movies, it has some great exclusive titles, and it looks like it could beat somebody up without breaking a sweat across its glossy matte brow. But it's always seemed out of reach price-wise. As my desire grew stronger over recent months, I found myself unable to pull the trigger: I just didn't want to pay $400 for a video game console that came out in 2006. The fact that I could get a lot more for my $400 than $500 would've gotten me at launch was hardly consolation, given that the PS3's main competition, the Xbox 360, has been available in a "full fledged" edition for $300 for a while. Luckily, the PS3 Slim has come at last to save me from all this heartache,

Diablo 2 High Resolution patch, best thing since sliced bread

Craving Diablo III? Want to try and fill the void until its release? Well for those of us who want some classic hacking & slashing action, but aren’t willing to play Diablo II in the old cruddy 800 x 600… The High Resolution (Multi-res) patch comes to the rescue.

The Multi-res patch allows you to play Diablo II in any resolution supported by your monitor, there are a few caveats but nothing that stops the awesomeness of high res Diablo.

This patch has been out for a while, but it doesn’t stop it from making it a fantastic way to replay Diablo II.

Alan Wake 'done' - Report

Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment first debuted Alan Wake at E3 2005. Now, more than four years later, the dark survival horror game is finally "done"--in a manner of speaking.

Joystiq is reporting that Remedy managing director Matias Myllyrinne told the gaming blog after a GDC Europe presentation today that the game is "all done." However, "all done" is not the same as "gone gold," as Myllyrinne added, "We're just polishing at this point."

Alan Wake is currently expected to launch for the Xbox 360 next spring. A PC edition had originally been planned for release alongside the console version, but Remedy recently acknowledged that a simultaneous release is no longer planned.

"PC plans are currently open," a representative of the studio said at the time. "Remedy has a deep heritage in PC gaming and would love to see a PC version available to its PC followers. Ultimately, however, this decision lies with our publisher [Microsoft Game Studios]."