Today sees the release of DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue on Steam, marking the availability of the whole heroic saga on the PC. Mac OSX users will be able to claim the same privilege on December 14th.
Remember, the Steam version of the game comes with the Snowy Mountain Dungeon that was sold as DLC on consoles in addition to "a new playable co-op character, Sidekick Tankko."
Source: Steam
The Tingler recently shared a report on how Costume Quest has performed on the XBLA for the month of October, and today comes equally promising news about how it's faring on the PSN.
Gamasutra's anaylsis of PSN's October sales place Costume Quest ninth amongst the top ten sellers. Again, bear in mind that the game was released in the last month of October.
If the success of the work of his now fellow employees wasn't enough, Ron also has reason to wear a smile. The PSN leaderboard statistics for October show that DeathSpank is continuing to be a consistent seller, with the two parts attracting over 12,000 new players.
Source: Gamasutra
PC fans may have got no love with the announcement of Double Fine's new game Stacking, but fortunately at least one previously console-only game is coming, as DeathSpank: Thongs Of Virtue is coming to PC on December 1st.
As a slight apology for taking so long, the Snowy Mountain Dungeon DLC will be included free. As a further bonus, Mac games will also get both DeathSpank episodes on 14th December. It's available to purchase now on Steam with a 10% preorder discount.
I guess DeathSpank is doing pretty well on PC after all. Who'd have thought that a Diablo/Torchlight-style action-RPG from the creator of The Secret of Monkey Island would be successful on the platform that made both popular, eh?
Source: Eurogamer
It would appear that the PSN version of the original Deathspank is now on sale on PSN in North America. It's going for $7.49, instead of the regular price of $14.99. As is now traditional to say around this festive time of year, "Buy buy buy" (if you're interested).
Source: Playstation Blog
Source: Steam
According to a Gamasutra article that analyzed XBLA stats for the month of September, Ronzo's DeathSpank saga a has not only proved popular, but a consistent seller:
So, good for Ron, Hothead, and all the wise gamers out there who've been spanking themselves raw since July. And with The Tingler already pledging at least one sale for the PC version, the success will hopefully not be limited to the console sector.
A completely unrelated piece on THQ by Gamasutra also caught my eye because it states that former LEC president Jack Sorenson (his reign being during the largely glorious 90s) has started his own company, Famous Games. Notably, the company Autumn Games (not to be confused with Bill Tiller's company, Autumn Moon Entertainment), which has signed a long-term agreement with Famous, has added former LEC suit Jeffrey Ulin to its own ranks. Y'Know, just in case you were afraid that the old suits were any more inclined to retire than the old creatives!
Source: Gamasutra
October's a good month for Mixnmojo: Deathspank, Hothead's/Ron Gilbert's RPG/adventure game, is coming to the Master, Superior platform the PC on the 26th. Any ancients here, please note it is not coming out on that ancient artifact, the CD, but is downloadable: Thanks, Steam! Pre-order now for $13.49, or get it in a package with Shank for $25.48.
Right now, it is unknown whether the game comes with its sequel, Thongs of Virtue. This is the first game. Thongs of Virtue hasn't yet made it to Steam, but - in Hothead's own words - "stay tuned".
The Master Race that is the PC Gamer prevails.
Update: the game will be released for Mac, but a release date is yet to be announced.
Source: Steam
We almost reviewed DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue the same month it was released. Almost. Now run and read it!
Source: Kotaku
Just a quick reminder: DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue, the follow-up/sequel/second part of DeathSpank has been out for a few days now on XBLA and PSN. So, yeah. You should probably go buy.
Look forward to a timely Mojo review sometime within the next few years.
After the release of DeathSpank, Kroms went on a quest to find Ron Gilbert and ask him some important questions. The day he waved goodbye was the last time he was ever seen by a mortal soul.
Though Kroms disappeared, it seems he was successful as the following interview appeared in Mojo's mail box on a tattered piece of paper.
Over in our forums in the requisite DeathSpank thread, Threepwood4life has noticed that a surprisingly story-centric <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/ex...-thongs/703926
">trailer for DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue has appeared at GameTrailers. The game looks low on virtue if high on great. And yes, it seems like we'll get to explore a pirate setting in a Ron Gilbert game again after all.
For those attending PAX, it'll probably be of interest for you to know that Hothead will be showcasing the DeathSpank sequel there. The expo is otherwise saturated with awesome due to the already announced presence by Telltale, who will be letting you take pictures in front of a Delorean, presumably because the replacement of the Back to the Future ride means you can no longer do so at Universal's theme park. Not sure about Costume Quest as I couldn't find THQ's line-up following a diligent fifteen seconds on Google.
Oh, and I checked: Southpeak's PAX line-up contains neither Insecticide's second half nor a keynote apology.
Source: Lucasforums
Source: Gamespot
What? It has only been, what? A month since it was released? Now shut up and read the damn thing right here!
There were almost 20 years between Ron Gilbert's last two games; this time it will be two months.
GameSpot reports that Thongs of Virtue will be released on XBLA and PSN next month, September 21 and 22 respectively. Word has it the sequel, which was developed pretty much at the same time as the first game (remember it was supposed to be released episodically), will sport more of a sci-fi-like setting and have more varied quests. Add to that new multiplayer options and more varied weapons... Well, it actually looks like a true sequel.
Look for our belated DeathSpank review later today and start getting excited for more Ronzo fun!
Source: GameSpot
Is Deathspank getting a sequel already? It seems so, as Xbox360Achievements have today noticed a dozen leaked achievments, totalling 200 points, under a game called Deathspank: TOV.
Let me explain: Xbox Live Arcade titles are handed 200 gamerpoints to give out; add-ons are awarded an extra 50 points. This brings the total to 250 points, suggesting that Deathspank: TOV will be an all-new game.
The achievements list things such as a pirate ship (Scurvyville?), evil nuns and two endings. At the time of writing, there seems to be no indication that Ron Gilbert is involved in the game.
What does "TOV" mean? The Orphaned Vendors? Who knows? Who will ever know? You, that's who. More (spoilerly) stuff here.
Source: Xbox 360 Achievments
Gamasutra has posted an analysis of DeathSpank's chuckle-inducing characteristics, using the game's "integrated design for comedy" to explore the success and prevalence of humor in games in general.
How telling is it that Ron Gilbert and Tim Schafer, who arrived on the scene together over 20 years ago, remain the only two designers most gamers can think of when it comes to comedic games? It's a worn-out cliche, but it remains true: comedy is hard - hard work; hard to produce; and hard to perform.
Source: Gamasutra
Kat "A WOMAN!" Bailey has interviewed Hamish Millar and Darren Evenson from Hothead about Ron Gilbert's new game, Deathspank.
"We've got Ron who worked on... Monkey Island... he was the pioneer of adventures in the 80's... he started teaching us what adventure games were, and what they meant."
Chris Remo may have hit the double-digits of interviews with Ron Gilbert with this excellent Gamasutra feature discussing all things DeathSpank with its grumpy creator. The interview is lengthy and covers some interesting ground, so don't just stand there.
Source: Gamasutra
Well, with Ron Gilbert's latest game finally Justice Ready and released onto the world, let's see how the world's liking it:
IGN (8.5/10)
GamesRadar (8/10)
MTV Multiplayer (No score - Positive)
GamePro (4/5)
Jeugo Xbox 360 (8.6/10)
Official Xbox Magazine - 85/100
Eurogamer (6/10)
Game Revolution (A-)
Kotaku (No score - Positive)
1up (B)
VideoGamer.com (7/10)
Just fine, by the looks of things. But why not judge for yourself? DeathSpank is currently available for the PSN and XBLA for $14.99.
