News Briefs - Halo 3: Recon & Marvel anime details

A few months ago we reported Madhouse's plans for re-envisioning Marvel superheroes, and just last month we relayed the sequel-licious info about Bungie's newest Microsoft Games Studios collaboration: a Halo spinoff called Halo 3: Recon. This week, we received confirmation of the Marvel anime's worldwide release alongside news of Halo 3: Recon being more like an... "expansion pack"? Uh oh.

Head past the break for all the goodies.

Game Informer: Halo 3 Recon '3 to 5' hours, earn Recon armor / GI: Halo 3 Recon is open-world (Joystiq): According to the latest issue of GameInformer magazine, Halo 3: Recon will not be "a $60 game" and will bemore like "a three to five-hour expansion pack." Not just that, but according to the article, Recon is also an "open-world" title, meaning that Bungie is ditching the linear, run-and-gun FPS gameplay of the previous Halo games. Even though users will be able to acquire the rare, Bungie staff-only "Recon Armor" through the game, I question the validity of a "three to five-hour" "open-world" title. In a "real" open-world game, you spend three to five hours in your inventory alone!

Sony to Release Madhouse's Marvel Hero Anime Worldwide (Anime News Network): Madhouse's anime adaptations of Marvel superheroes will not only be releasing in Japan. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will distribute the series in America after the Iron Man and Wolverine series premiere on Japanese television in Spring 2009. Without question this is Marvel's attempt to fight the popularity of animated feature Batman: Gotham Knight (read Uncle Yo's review). The DVD - propelled by The Dark Knight, no doubt - soared to the top of the anime sales charts in the past months, giving Warner Bros. a significant edge over Sony in the casual anime market.

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TGS08: Surprise! Bungie and Microsoft developing Halo 3: Recon

Remember when Bungie split off from Microsoft, and we all thought that the era of Bungie-made Halo games was finally over? Well, for those of you who crossed your fingers, waiting for a brand new, original IP from Bungie, get ready for a surprise (or perhaps a disappointing non-surprise). Microsoft Game Studios is publishing Bungie's newest project, a stand-alone Halo 3 pseudo-sequel titled Halo 3: Recon.

This disc will include "hours" of gameplay in the form of a new campaign called "Hell Jumpers," starring a brand new lead character. Bungie has also stated that the game will be a traditional Halo game, except with a bigger focus on "stealth" and "cunning." Before you worry yourself, Halo 3: Recon will also come equipped with all of the multiplayer components from Halo 3, as well as some new extras. No original Halo 3 game disc is required. Microsoft plans to release the game in the fall of 2009.

[via Joystiq]

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