One of the PSP's earliest games (and a bit of a smash hit, at that) is about to be reincarnated onto Xbox Live Arcade. As revealed in a recent issue of Famitsu, Taito's EXIT will be heading to the Japanese XBLA network this summer for 800 MS Points. No word yet of a release in other regions, but you can bet you bucks on Mr. ESC to show himself around these waters soon enough.

For those not familiar with EXIT, think Oddworld meets Elevator Action meets Superman Returns meets Mappy meets, uh, Pepsi Man. Categorically speaking, it's an action-puzzler where you have to escape from a building and rescue people along the way. There's going to be obstacles too, so running straight through a level won't benefit either. You're still going to have to use your brains too, all the while under the pressure of a time limit.

The developers have confirmed new and exclusive levels for the XBLA version of the title. The art style and 2D perspective of the PSP version will be retained, however, it'll be in high-def now. More updates? You betcha.

People cheat because they can. People cheat, because cheating is an option that can possibly make ones life, in this case, one's gaming experience, a lot easier. The amusing part is that marketing - the folks who try to catch the attention of people who've stopped watching TV - knows that we gamers love cheats and now they are trying to creep in-game advertising into bonus/secret content.

Perhaps their logic is probably something like this: "Game environment advertising is so yesterday! Let's sneak in an ad that players will have to figure out to see, and then they'll keep looking. People love Easter Eggs." Rachel Konrad reports that this is evidenced by a certain video that pops up after you shoot a jar of body wash in a certain video game about saving Vegas from terrorists.

Beyond just masking/camouflaging advertising as additional content in Video Games, Konrad reports that the act of distributing and advertising the cheats and the easter eggs have become a marketing tool for games and game publishers/developers.

Konrad cites the Superman Returns DVD that had a cheat code in it to unlock additional content in EA's Superman Returns game. It seems that lines are starting to blur if the games are advertising the products, or the product/franchise is advertising the game.

Either they're doing all of this on purpose to get our attention, or EA just has that arrogant, eherm, charm that only a special few acquire. Most memorable WTF-EA-quote so far? Well, for me it is EA senior VP Glenn Entis asking people to improve motion physics during the Montreal Games Summit and making the tactical error of citing Final Fantasy (of all things) as an example of "bad motion" in games. In his words:

In Final Fantasy, the modelling fidelity was really better than the motion fidelity. In other words, when you looked at the models, they signalled an expectation to the audience that the motion couldn't deliver upon.

This, right before he says that EA's amazing attempt at achieving realism is Tiger Woods PGA Tour. His proof that the golf game is achieving realism? Tiger Woods couldn't tell he was looking at CG. Yep. A certified "WTF-EA?" Moment right there.

Other recent WTF-EA moments include EA CEO Larry Probst saying that before, gamers were complaining, but now, after they've done some alterations, players are now happy about their microtransation-pay-for-simple-cheat-codes business model. In his words:

We did a better job on Need for Speed Carbon, and we're not hearing those same kinds of complaints or negative feedback about that product. It's generating a lot of money through microtransactions. So it's a learning process, it's iterative and we'll get better about it as we go. Need for Speed is the first example of getting smarter about it.

He said this to Newsweek. Perhaps he actually meant the fact that they started to release free downloadable jerseys for Madden and NCAA Football, but to imply that all the complaints happened before the cheat-codes for money fiasco just is just plain... oh never mind.

Get the rest of the article after the Jump!

IGN managed to interview Brandon Routh about Superman Returns: The Videogame from Electronic Arts (Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS), voice acting for games, making money on games, and Iowans.

Brandon said some interesting things (he said a lot of things, but let's get to the game-related points):

• He said he's not worried about the fact that every other Superman game has sucked. He thinks this game stands out because of the team that worked on it.
  
• You have to overact a little or put in more energy when doing video game voices because you're not seeing a real person speaking.
• He only gets paid for the voice acting if the game sells.
• You don't make a lot of money on your first movie.
• He said EA has fantastic games, many of which he owns and plays.
• He owns a PS3.
  
• Brandon thinks it's only in Ames (Iowa State University country - go Cyclones!) where people put honey on their pizza crust. Yes, I know this isn't game-related.
  

Speaking of Iowans and our strange habits, let me share a bit of Iowan humor. OK, I came up with this joke - please don't flame me.

Question: Do you know Superman Returns: The Videogame?
Answer: Why? Who did he borrow it from?

Get it? Superman returns the videogame! Hahahaha. Admit it. That was funny.

The movie Superman Returns is turning into nothing more than a movie memory faster than a speeding bullet. Superman Returns the video game, however, is yet toflex them steels of muscles. The game is based on the movie plus 60 years of comic book content's worth. Sixty years? Has it been that long? If Superman was a mere mortal the only ass he could kick around would be Abe Vigoda's!

In case you've forgotten the plot of the movie Superman Returns, here it is: Superman takes a vacation. Who can blame him? After baby-sitting Metropolis for over 60 years, the real question is why come back at all? Upon his return, he discovers his gal pal Lois Lane is not only engaged to someone else, she's a mom. Who knew she had time to make a baby considering all she has been doing for the last six decades is chase after scoops.

Meanwhile, antihero Lex Luthor goes into his Donald Trump phase (minus the hair) and uses kryptonite to generate real estate property in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The process would leave half the world's land mass underwater thus ensuring a demand for Luthorland. The real crime here, of course, is that Lex plans to go into real estate without taking a real estate license exam.

Superman Returns from Electronic Arts UK will be available starting November 20. That is, if Superman decides not to extend his vacation some more.

 

The rest of the screens after the jump.

Superman Returns will be landing soon on your Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, and PSP, but not before these new videogame screens. Indeed, Clark Kent's alter ego seems to be in a really good shape to save the Metropolis from all kinds of looming disasters and catastrophe. Join this Krypton local as he flies around in his classic red cape (fine, even his classic red drawers) combatting villains out to do no good.

With a storyline derived from the movie and more than 60 years of comic book content's worth, this game is sure to keep you up and about. And with actors Brandon Routh (Superman/Clark Kent), Kevin Spacey (Lex Luthor), Kate Bosworth (Lois Lane), Parker Posey (Kitty Kowalski) and Sam Huntington (Jimmy Olsen) reprising their roles from the film for the video game, saving the world has never been as breezy as this.

More screens after the jump!

Holy golden statuses, Batman, it's Superman! There's not a slight stench of kryptonite in the air here. Everything has gone smooth sailing for Electronic Arts. They have just announced that Superman Returns has now reached gold status and will be shipping to retailers on time. The game will be available on November 20 in PS2, Xbox 360, Xbox, NDS, and GBA.

Some of you folks must be wondering now about what happened to the PSP version. Well, quite honestly, we still do not know. The version for the Sony handheld is still stamped with an unsettling "TBA" release date, and there wasn't any mention of it in the gold status announcement. Was it delayed? Or worse... has it been cancelled? EA seems to have experienced a bit of kryptonite along the way after all.

Well if there's one thing we know about Superman (and if the title is any indication), it's that he will return with a renewed purpose to save Metropolis. And on that note, we'd like to end this article with a quote from Jor-El in the movie:

You will travel far, my little Kal-El, but we will never leave you - even in the face of our deaths. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father. And the father, the son.

Just to get you guys geared up for the upcoming release of Superman Returns: The Videogame on the Xbox 360, we're down to the list of Achievements here. The objective is to complete a total of 1000 points from 18 of 'em, including the Secret Achievements. Here's the list:

Hero of Metropolis 200 - Complete All Metro Events And Mini-Games
Armageddon Averted 30 - Complete Level 01: Meteor Storm
Mr. What’s-his-name 50 - Complete All Mini-Games
You Am Bizarro! 20 - Complete The Bizarro Mini-Game
Super Sonic 20 - Finished All Fast Flyer Mini-Games
Mr. Whiskers 50 - Find All Kittens
Souped-Up Superman 30 - Obtain All 15 Power-Ups
Frequent Flyer 30 - Travel For 10,000 Miles
Roadside Assistance 30 - Pick Up 100 Cars Throughout The Game
The Greatest Day 30 - Play A Total Of 12 Hours
Heavy Lifting 30 - Lift 10,000 Tons Throughout The Game

Secret Achievements - There are three secret achievements worth 100, 50, and 30 points. Your main goal is to continue playing to unlock these secret achievements.

Electronic Arts will have the game shipped on November 20 in North America, November 30 in Australia, and by the year's end in Europe.

Oh, and BTW, we heard a few days ago that Superman Returns the movie will have a sequel, and production will start next fall. Someone quipped that "Superman will have the battle of his life in the sequel and audiences can expect one of the ultimate baddies in the D.C. universe to come to Metropolis to pick a fight with the Man of Steel." If you're a movie buff as well, take that as another good news!

Pre-Order: [Superman Returns]

Superman was further immortalized as a superhero after Electronic Arts announced that a videogame based from this year's box office hit film Superman Returns. The game is already being developed by EA Tiburon for Xbox 360, PSP and Nintendo DS. Featuring a virtual Metropolis, this single player game allows its players to have a first-hand experience of Superman's kyptonian abilities. Players must need to master these superhuman skills in order to combat an array of enemies like Metallo, Mongul and Bizarro, and save the lives of Metropolis' citizens.

Players are free to roam the 80 square miles expanse of Metropolis, with over 10,000 buildings. Having a large area for gameplay, players won't run out of missions to accomplish as changes in the city also affect Superman's progress in the game. The game is slated to be released November 20 this year so while waiting, check out these cool artworks for Superman Returns:

  
 

Even though Superman Returns had been out on all the theaters across the U.S. and other countries, the videogame for the movie has not hit stores yet as it was delayed. As the Man of Steel, the super powers you will have available for you to fight and destroy the villains include Flight, X-Ray Vision, Heat Vision, Super Hearing, Super Strength, Super Speed, and Super Breath.

Today IGN has posted some new screens of EA's Superman Returns: The Videogame in action. The game comes out on November 20th so until then, go ahead and check out the new screens by clicking on the thumbnails below.

   

Pre-Order: [Superman Returns]