Valve has acquired Turtle Rock Studios, the Orange County-based developer behind Left 4 Dead, a multiplayer coop that uses the Source engine.

The merger of the two companies extends Valve’s development team and provides the company with a new studio in southern California.

Valve and Turtle Rock aren’t exactly strangers since the two have collaborated on several projects, including a number of Counter-Strike: Source maps, Condition Zero, and the Xbox port of Counter-Strike.

“We have been seeing very strong growth with Steam and Source, our content distribution and development platforms, up over 150% over the last 12 months. Given our expectations for Left 4 Dead and our long-standing relationships with members of the Turtle Rock team, this was an easy decision. It also gives us a base from which to expand our development activities in the Los Angeles area,” said Gabe Newell, Valve’s big cheese.

So the merger is a good one. Unfortunately, I don’t see much value in Left 4 Dead, considering that there are tons of awesome Half-Life 2 mods out there. The most recent one that resembles Left 4 Dead is Zombie Panic. Unlike Left 4 Dead (which would likely cost around $39.99), Zombie Panic is free.

Post from: EveryJoe

Valve acquires Turtle Rock

Just when I decided to reinstall my old copy of Half-Life 2, news of an interesting mod pops up. Anyone ever heard of Zombie Panic? Notice that I’m a sucker for games related to ninjas, zombies, and samurai, so don’t be surprised when I start drooling over this new mod.

Zombie Panic is a multiplayer that pits humans versus zombies. The session begins with just one zombie (can’t an entire team choose to play as zombies?), but whenever a human is slain, he respawns as one of the undead. The human side wins when they wipe out the zombies.

How is the game balanced? Well, each side has its own quirks. Humans are quicker, have more weapons, and can communicate via voice commands (through a menu). Zombies, on the other hand, have regeneration, some form of respawning, and zombie vision.

It’s interesting to note that while humans get the initial advantage in numbers, the zombies will eventually multiply as the game wears on.

The best part about the mod is that if by some strange reason you don’t have Half-Life 2, you can always play it in Half-Life. You can visit the download page here.

Post from: EveryJoe

New Half-Life 2 mod lets you play dead

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If the bad news about recent PC ports isn’t enough, then get ready for more. According to 1UP, the PS3 version of Half-Life 2: The Orange Box is having technical problems despite the supposed power that the console has under the hood.

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The most consistent issue seems to be Episode Two’s bad framerate, which bogs down during vehicular sections of the game. On the flipside, the PS3 version of Portal seems to be doing very well.

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Unfortunately, there were no details on Team Fortress 2. 1UP confessed to having server connection issues, so they were unable to spend time with the cartoony multiplayer shooter.

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Interestingly, Valve Software isn’t touching the PS3 version of The Orange Box with a 10-foot pole. Instead, the port was handed off to an internal team at Electronic Arts. It’s not really surprising, since Valve head honcho Gabe Newell thinks the PS3 is “a waste of everybody’s time.”

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Post from: EveryJoe

PS3 version of The Orange Box is “unplayable”

I’m just surprised how the gal manages to stay in the vehicle even without wearing a seatbelt.

Post from: EveryJoe

Half-Life 2: Episode Two lets you enjoy a joyride with Alyx

Even if we did know, don’t take our word for it because if there’s one thing sure about Valve—aside from the quality of their games—it’s their delays.

*Cough* six years *cough*

Warning: If you’re trying to steer clear of spoilers, then read no further. If you think you can handle it, read what’s in store for Episode 3 after the jump.

Taken from PC Gamer’s November issue:

“At the end of Episode Two, Gordon and Alyx watch a video recorded by Dr. Judith Mossman, a scientist who worked with Eli Vance and the resistance. Mossman reports of the discovery of a lost cargo ship, the Borealis, which supposedly carries a dangerous new technology developed by Black Mesa rivals Aperture Science. Episode Three will most likely take place aboard the Borealis, where you’ll be sent to retrieve the tech before the Combine get to it.

Sharp eyes will notice a group of Combine Advisors floating in the concept art. While you never directly fight these brain suckers in Episode Two, we’d put good money on being able to pump ‘em full of lead in the episodic trilogy’s final chapter.”

Brain suckers? Again?

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Post from: EveryJoe

Half-Life 2: Episode 3 is indeed coming

Sure, you may have felt a little sick when you played Half-Life 2, but who didn’t right?

If there’s one thing I really dislike about my short time spent playing Bioshock, it’s the motion sickness I get after playing the game for a couple of hours. It’s not as hurl-inducing as Half-Life 2 (which starts to make me sick in less than 60 minutes), but the headache does begin to set in after you’ve had a good share of Rapture’s gun smoke and art deco.

So what do I do when I gain the inspiration to heave my previous meal out through my maw? I stop. Very reluctantly.

Question is: does Bioshock really cause motion sickness, or was it the semi-choppy visuals that caused the headache? I won’t be able to tell until I get my video card back. Are you reading this, Rising Sun?

Post from: EveryJoe

Bioshock annoyance #1: Motion sickness gives that Half-Life 2 feeling

Why, you ask? Aren’t developers supposed to play other companies’ games if they want to make good games of their own? Of course. Just ask any marquee developer, and they’ll tell you that they play other makers’ games.

But when your office is stuck in crunch time because your team is feverishly working on a couple of games that’s scheduled for release in a couple of months, then the decision to ban one of the best shooters ever made is beginning to make a lot of sense.

Valve big kahuna Gabe Newell told CVG that they had to ban Bioshock because they need to work on The Orange Box and Half-Life: Episode Two. Sure, Orange Box may just be a compendium of the original Half-Life 2, Episodes One and Two, and a whole slew of other Valve titles, but one mustn’t forget that it’s coming out in three platforms: the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

The Valve team won’t be waiting long, however. Episode Two and Orange Box are coming out early this October (some say 9^th, others 19^th). To make up for this draconian measure, Gabe said everyone gets a copy of Bioshock.

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Post from: EveryJoe

Valve bans Bioshock in their offices

My current favorite is Psi Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy. Yes, it got great reviews on the PlayStation 2, but I like the PC version better because I can use the keyboard and mouse for moving around. Psi Ops’ Havok 2 physics engine makes the game a very enjoyable romp, and it brings out my creativity in beating the crap out of enemy fodder.

Half-Life 2 is a perennial choice, thanks to Counter-Strike Source. Then again, I’ve yet to finish Half-Life 2 since I got stuck somewhere in the latter part of the game. Some game expert I am.

I’ve also returned to Von Braun, the starship from hell that you have to outlive in System Shock 2. I love this RPG/shooter hybrid because it reminds me a lot of Event Horizon, that über-cool sci-fi/horror flick that came out a decade ago. Bioshock, if you haven’t heard, is actually the spiritual successor to System Shock 2.

Outside the PC, I’m still playing Metroid Prime Hunters. Whenever my friends and I decide to hold a DS party, I bring this along because it’s the closest thing to Counter-Strike for the handheld. You won’t find me in the Nintendo WFC rankings, though. I always get my rear end handed to me when I play there.

Enough about me. I want to know what you’re currently playing.

Post from: EveryJoe

Games I’m currently playing