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Square’s Thexder NEO Launches for PSPgo

Square’s Thexder NEO for the PSPgo released today on the PlayStation Network.  Thexder NEO is a remake of the classic 1985 side-scrolling shooter featuring a transformative robot/spaceship/fighter/jet with LOTS of enemies and even more weapons to shoot them with.

The Thexder NEO launch coincides with the release of the PSPgo itself which included a host of new downloadable games available from PSN as well as numerous updates, assets and more.

Shacknews has a pretty comprehensive look at the day’s PSN releases.

And, here are a few Thexder NEO screens!

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Square Enix Taps Maverick to Support Arkanoid Plus!, Dragon Quest Wars

Maverick Jumps In With Community and Media Support For Dragon Quest Wars and Arkanoid Plus!

Arkanoid Plus!

We’re really excited to announce that Maverick is continuing its relationship with Square Enix here in North America, this time jumping in to support media activities and community outreach for some of Square Enix’s awesome upcoming downloadable titles.

These downloadable games will be coming out on a bunch of different systems and they represent some pretty great video game franchises, so we couldn’t be more excited about this.  First up – the aforementioned titles:  Arkanoid Plus! for WiiWare and Dragon Quest Wars for DSiWare – good times!

Dragon Quest Wars

Dragon Quest Wars

We’ve really enjoyed working with the entire team at Square Enix on Order of War (out now!!!) – and of course with all the people out there in the real world who we talk to every day about the game — and we expect great things from this new project.

So keep an eye out right away for information coming from Maverick about Arkanoid Plus! and Dragon Quest Wars — they are great games and come out very soon!

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Maverick Hits SanFran with Square Enix’s Order of War

OOW Multiplayer Mode Gets a Hands-On Showcase in San Francisco to Online Outlets

We love going to San Francisco.  Really we do.  We’re there quite a bit.  In fact, besides cities that I’ve lived in, I would say I have spent most of my time in San Francisco.  To be fair, the entirety of my knowledge of SanFran revolves around a small, 5-block cluster centered on the W Hotel, The Palomar, The Argent (now Westin), 1UP and GameSpot… and then a tiny peninsula in South San Francisco.  So… I’m no tour guide.

This, the view from the Westin, is all I ever see of SF. If you look hard, you can see Alcatraz back there. I've never been there.

View from the Westin: all I ever see of SF. If you squint, you can see Alcatraz . I've never been there.

However, I do know where everyone works.  So when Maverick was tasked with whisking Order of War up to San Francisco for a showcase of the game’s cool multiplayer mode, we had a pretty good idea of what we needed to do.  So off we went!  And, we had a great time talking about the game and facing off head-to-head with some of the industry’s top PC journalists in the two maps we were showing.  I can’t say I was victorious often, but it was a blast either way.

Take a minute to check out some of the coverage that has hit online since our tour.  You can find it here on IGN, GameSpot, Kotaku, GamesRadar, 1UP and Worthplaying.

I utilized my rocket artillery with much ballyhoo, but alas, most editors shamed me anyway.

I utilized my rocket artillery with much ballyhoo, but alas, most editors shamed me anyway.

And keep an eye out for the multiplayer demo – 2 levels of WWII strategy action are going to drop on your head this coming Tuesday – 9/15!!

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MavPR Blogging: Evolving Definition of “Ship” – What It Means to VG PR and Media

Over on PR_Flak’s Flak Attak, I’m discussing the impact that emerging business models and added content is having on the media cycle for video games and how PR and press are having to adjust.  Between DLC coverage widening the coverage window and “new to us” online game emerging in North America, there’s a lot of confusion as to what should be covered and how…

A <snip>:

This is where the next challenge for the VG media and VG PR professionals lies – to define the terms and options for covering what, by current definitions, is simply uncoverable.

Take a read of “Shipping a Game Ain’t What It Used to Be” – hope you enjoy it!  Love to know your thoughts.

– PR_Flak

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Puzzle Quest: Galactrix — IGN Editor’s Choice

In the event you missed it.  Puzzle Quest: Galactrix just snagged the IGN’s Editor’s Choice award for the XBLA (Xbox 360) version of the game.

You can read the review here.

In the meantime, here’s a small taste:

Infinite Interactive took what worked in Puzzle Quest and expanded it into an even bigger, longer game. That means if you are a fan of PQ, Galactrix will hook you all over again. The zero gravity puzzle game is slightly more complex, and there is an entire galaxy of quests, mini-games, and characters to get lost in. Plus, the music is fantastic. The developers really hit on something with the Puzzle Quest formula, and I’ll be on board as long as they can keep it engrossing.

-Grok

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THE ART OF THE SCREENSHOT III: Requesting Screens

Welcome to Part III of The Art of the Screenshot.  So far we’ve covered “big picture issues” – how it is PR’s responsibility to produce screenshots that do more than just look good and the importance of conveying emotions and attitude in assets.

Now that you understand the key ingredients, you’re ready to rock n’ roll!  So let’s cover more hands-on material, namely, what you need to do to work effectively with your PD teams to secure great shots.

Do this wrong and you’ll get shots that aren’t perfect along with a PD team that thinks you’re a total idiot.  Do it right… well, then you’ve got PR gold.

Read more

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MavPR Blogging: The Problem With MetaCritic

Over on PR_Flak’s Flak Attak, I take on the issue of MetaCritic and its misleading and distorting aggregation of review scores.  It’s a major issue in our industry, and it can no longer be denied or tolerated.

I can’t tell you how many times I get emails from the development team after reviews post saying: “Hey! We got a B- on XXX site, but on MetaCritic it shows up as a 67!  WTF!?!?”  It happens all the time.

What I’d love to see is some kind of resolution that removes the obvious issues and allows editorial integrity to reign supreme.  Hopefully we can find a way to get the scoring system fixed.

Meanwhile, here’s a <snip> for you, and be sure to head over there and check it out:

It comes down to a simple fact — MetaCritic casts a powerful shadow but it is constituted of editorial inaccuracy, factual distortions and unchecked subjectivity.

The Problem With MetaCritic – PR_Flak’s Flak Attak

– PR_Flak

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THE ART OF THE SCREENSHOT II: Stir Emotions & Convey Attitude

…our job as PR and Marketers is to create an
emotional connection with our target audience…”

Before we get into the details of my advice for acquiring and distributing great and effective screens successfully, I want to take a step back to take another look at the BIG PICTURE.

Previously, in Part I, I suggested that screen shots should be more than just literal representations of what a game looks like; it is PR’s responsibility to ensure they are memorable.

In this edition, we’ll cover the importance of injecting attitude instead of action and showing the fun of a game rather than the activity of playing.

Read more

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Wanted: WOF – Maverick Hits The Studio Lot

The MavPR team is fresh back from our trip out to California (“home”) to show off the upcoming release of Wanted: Weapons of Fate to a group of online reviewers.  We had a great time taking a look behind the scenes with the Universal Pictures development team, learning more about the Wanted universe, the design inspiration, and how they got those bullets to curve so damn nicely.

We also had a delightful demo of how to sneak up on someone and stab them in their… well… places no one should be stabbed.

I love review events, especially when we have a group of development professionals who are as passionate and talented as the ones on Wanted.  People who legitimately enjoy presenting their work and talking about the intimate details and design theory they believe in, no matter how many times they are asked.

Read more

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Kotaku on Puzzle Quest: Galactrix Factions

Kotaku recently highlighted the various factions players will encounter in the upcoming Puzzle Quest: Galactrix from D3 Publisher and Infinite Interactive.  The story includes breakouts of the various faction classes from Humans to Aliens and even Enemy factions.

Hit the jump for the full story — Kotaku on Galactrix.

A few additional folks ran similar stories, you can see them here:

WorthPlaying

ThatVideoGameBlog

Gaming Nexus

-Grok

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