The first big game that we have for this month is Rocksmith. It was released on October 18th for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

This game looks like it’s going to be one to buy for anyone who just wants some fun, or even for those of you who want to learn, or are learning how to play guitar. The easiest way to learn something is to have fun while doing it and this is the way to go.

I’m probably not going to be picking this one up anytime soon, I’ll probably put it on my Christmas list this year and give it a shot around the Holidays!

Next up, we have a game that is being released cross-platform again, so for anyone on the PS3, Xbox 360, or PC, you’re going to want to check out Kingdoms of Alamar, Reckoning.

The projected release date for this one is on February 7th, 2012, so we have a little time between now and then, but this game looks like another well done RPG that I will put on my maybe list for if I have extra time.

The way this game has been put together, it has been created and aimed at those of us who are avid RPG players and it’s made to skip the things that we already know and allow us to get right into the meat of the game, which is what we all want anyway!

Everybody loves a good classic game that’s been around for ages, so get excited because Soul Calibur V is due to be released on January 31st, 2012.

Graphicwise, the Soul Calibur series has always been on the front lines leading the the gaming industry in graphic amazingness and I don’t think that Soul Calibur 5 might disappoint in that area!

The overall customization in this game is extremely impressive and it’s always more fun when you can create a player that looks exactly like you, facial shape and all, so this is going to be a good one for those of you who need another fighter to fill some space on your shelf.

For anyone who owns a Playstation 3, February 12th, 2012 is a sacred day that must be marked on your calendar immediately, because this is the day that Twisted Metal returns to the Sony platform and you are not going to want to miss this game!

I will put this on my to get list and it might even make it to my launch day purchase list depending on how many other games are being released during that time frame in February.

I really don’t think that I need to say a whole lot about Twisted Metal, as it’s been around since the Playstation 1 days and if you seriously don’t know what it’s all about, you need to wake up and open your eyes!

As for all of you Xbox 360 owners out there, don’t worry, I didn’t leave you out on this one, because you have The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings to look forward to sometime in Quarter 1 of 2012.

This is another RPG to add to the already overflowing ocean of RPG games that are being released so often these days, but as far as I can tell, this is being ported from the PC and already has a thriving fan base that is looking to be expanded to the console platform.

There is already some news of DLC that will be released for The Witcher 2, so there’s no way that this game is going to get old too fast, unless the game itself is just a failure.

Personally, I won’t be purchasing this game as it’s for the Xbox 360 and also because there are so many RPG games being released now-a-days that my plate is already full, so I would suggest that this might be one to skip for you.

This wraps up this overview of the November Update 2011, so be sure to enjoy the Holidays with family and friends and you will hear from me next month!

More Than Two Sides

Despite the delusion that these two games are the sole combatants waging war for your time and money this fall, it is undeniable that a large portion of the multiplayer market will be invested in these two titles this fall.  In addition to Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3, there are more than 80 games releasing during the fall/winter season of 2011, many of which will also feature multiplayer components.  Knowing the $59.99 price point that each of these games carries, choosing one or both of them will part from you $60-120 dollars, along with the gobs of time you will spend playing online.  Both games are very similar-modern military shooters, both carrying their own innovations, new graphics and unique features.  Rather than pick up one or both of these games, I would rather spend my time playing two games already released this fall, and both featuring their own rich and vibrant multiplayer experiences.  These games are Red Orchestra 2 and Nuclear Dawn, retailing at $39.99 and $24.99, respectively.  Those price points means that you can snatch both of these great games for the same amount of money you would pay for one of the above mentioned military shooters, with tax included.

Nuclear Dawn

This is the less robust of the two games I’ve mentioned, but there are some pretty major free updates coming in the future.  Nuclear Dawn takes on the task of incorporating RTS elements into a multiplayer FPS, with astounding success.  One player from each side dons an RTS Commander role, building structures from a map overview, while the players fight on the ground over control points and resource points.  The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future, with a new twist on the common classes featured in most multiplayer games.  Nuclear Dawn features four classes—Exo, Support, Assault and Stealth—each giving the player a choice of a kit within that class.  Do you like the Sniper role?  Well, you can take the Assault Class Sniper Kit and use the advantage of thermal vision and slightly better armor, or take the armor penalty of the Stealth Class equipped with a Sniper Kit, and trade that thermal vision for a cloaking ability.  Assault is by far the most versatile, allowing a typical rifle kit, sniper kit and grenade launcher kit.  Sadly there is no campaign mode, or single player mode with bots to help you sharpen your skills.  With only six maps and one game mode, it’s debatable that Nuclear Dawn may be perceived as a holdover until the release of MW3 or BF3.  Still, with some major game changing updates being promised by it’s developer, InterWave Studios, and an already strong multiplayer experience, this is definitely going to be a game that monopolizes my time this fall.  Our review won’t go live for a couple days, but check out our preview of Nuclear Dawn here or our interview with InterWave Studios here.

Red Orchestra 2

Red Orchestra 2, from Tripwire Interactive, is a far reach from the modern battlegrounds of MW3 or BF3.  It portrays the Russian/German grudge match at Stalingrad in World War II.  Of course there’s been a very anti-WWII sentiment within gamers ever since COD4 first made it’s boot print on multiplayer shooters.  Gamers were too busy with COD4 to support the sales of Call of Duty’s own step back into WWII, but Red Orchestra 2 is not ‘just another World War II shooter’.  In addition to being the first game to allow players to fight on the Axis side of the war, RO2 has invested an amazing amount of detail in the historical accuracy and shooting mechanics of the game.  This is the first game where a weapons tutorial feels appropriate.  With each weapon you can dial in your sights to adjust for the range or your target and for bullet drop across that distance.  When aiming the cannons or machine guns of the game’s tanks, the same options for aim adjust is available.  An incredibly detailed and accurate damage system makes most shots an instant kill, and makes the player stick to more strategic options, rather than just a run-and-gun mentality.  You soldier is affected by morale–seeing his squad mates cut down or being pinned by suppressive fire will affect your vision and accuracy and make you more vulnerable to damage.  There is a rich single player campaign that allows you to practice these skills on both sides of the battlefield, before trying your abilities out online.  With amazing in-game tension, alone or online, and the grit and primitive feel of older weapons, Red Orchestra 2 is really hard to put down.  For more detailed thoughts, you can read my review here.

Fair Comparison

I certainly don’t doubt that both MW3 and BF3 will feature rich gameplay elements and complicated perks, customization and innovation over their previous iterations.  I also acknowledge that the mainstream appeal of MW3 and BF3 will certainly be greater than that of Nuclear Dawn and Red Orchestra 2, especially since there won’t be console releases for the two games I spoke of in this editorial.  My intent was not to take a stab at the two military shooters debuting this fall, I’m sure they will both deserve the high sales figures they earn.  My point was to restate the obvious–that there are more options available to us this fall, and that while most people will be mulling over which game to buy in a few weeks, I am perfectly happy letting every one else fret over their choice while I spend some quality time with these two great examples of forward innovation and gameplay.  Enjoy your tour on whatever battlefield duty may call you to.  Nuclear Dawn, Red Orchestra 2 and I will still be here when you get bored.

New Releases

Tuesday June 1st

Alpha Protocol – $49.99, The Espionage RPG

Sims 3 Ambitions – $39.99 – Meticulous career control for your Sims

News Bytes

• DRM Alert!!! So this week, we have good news and bad news on the DRM front.  First, the good.  A Blizzard representative was quoted saying that Anti-piracy efforts, on the PC platform, are an outright waste of resources that would be better devoted to making better games.  They acknowledged that piracy and software cracking teams were exponentially greater than the developer teams, and that anti-piracy measures are futile at best.  They seem to believe that, if correctly implemented, Battle.Net will offer enough features to lure players into wanting to play with a legitimate, paid copy rather than a cracked torrented one, and isn’t that what we have been saying here at EDG?  Make the game better and continue to innovate, and the majority of players will gladly pay for the experience.  On the downside, Namco Bandai, while echoing the futile sentiments of anti-piracy measures, have said that they are choosing to support the “always on” DRM scheme that Ubisoft has flung at us, like plague ridden bodies over a castle wall.  They admit that it is not the best scheme, but it is the best option for them, at this time.  So how will Test Drive’s new game and The Witcher 2 be affected?  Only time will tell.  However, if you are a Test Drive fan, head over to the Test Drive Unlimited 2 site, or click here, to apply for the game’s beta.  Keep in mind, that while Blizzard’s statements are a remarkable breath of fresh air, Battle.Net 2.0 still requires a log in for single player gameplay—-although it would appear that an offline mode, a la Steam’s offline play, should be an option.  Keep your eyes peeled for the EDG SCII Beta preview, coming soon—–and keep at those Zerg rushes, the Beta has been extended until June 7th!
• Were you one of the lucky 25,000 first gamers to jump into OnLive’s pre-order? Were you looking forward to the free first 3 months that were promised?  Well, that’s not the deal anymore!  Take heart true believers, OnLive has not taken away, but upped the ante to one year free AND one free game.  Sounds like a great deal no?  Also sounds like an attempt to attract attention from their competitor, Gaikai, who has been drawing much attention of their own with their pricing structure and network of server sites.  It will be interesting to see this clash of the titans, and the news they unveil at E3!
• Need For Speed World Online prepping pit crews. The official launch date of the online racing MMO will be July 20th, with beta access for pre-orders.  The new iteration in the NFS universe will allow free play until level 10, after which a $19.99 ‘Starter Pack’ purchase will be required and will up the level cap to 50.  Also available with a pre-order is an exclusive car, early access and a power up pack.  I assume there won’t be any balancing issues with the exclusive content, but then again that statement would assume that there is enough of a NFS following willing to make the jump into MMO territory and play long enough to uncover these balancing issues.
• More Call of Duty ups and downs, as Treyarch announces that they are solely committed to the Call Of Duty franchise. Sure, it’s good news, but it’s also worrisome if they are not cautious to avoid the same pitfalls that Infinity Ward fell prey to.  On another front, Black Ops details are hitting like tracers lighting up the night sky.  Apparently, we can gladly move on from World War II as the new game’s setting will span across multiple fronts such as the Cold War and Vietnam.  Joystiq aired a developer interview, withe Treyarch’s Dan Bunting,  here, but if you are reluctant to read it, I will post the highlights here :

1. True to Call of Duty form, you will control multiple characters across many frontiers in the 60′s and 70′s timeframe, enclosed in a single, over-arcing storyline.
2. Four player co-op and two player split screen has been announced, along with a beefed up COD4 graphics engine.
3. DLC was not addressed, a PS2 port was confirmed DOA and a Wii title, handled by another team within Treyarch, will be enrolling for active duty.

• Heavy Rain will not be storming onto the PC. Well, we can put this rumor to rest apparently, although, even with the mixed reviews, I can say I would still like to see Heavy Rain get ported over.  In a large list of games supporting Nvidia’s PhysX technology on an Nvidia website, gamers spied that Heavy Rain would be supporting the technology that shined in Arkham Asylum, among other titles.  Without a game announcement, this seemed like an accidental announcement for an interesting PC port.  Unfortunately, the PhysX guys have declared this a mere typo and corrected the website.  True, this does not completely rule out the game’s weather conditions changing direction to the PC, but it makes it a lot more skeptical, for now.

Geared Up

Well, I can thank our own, Patrick Adams, for this week’s ‘Geared Up’ entry.  I was a little uninformed with last week’s discussion of Nvidia’s current 3D PC technology, so what better way to get caught up than to get up close and personal right here!  The 3D kit currently retails on NewEgg for $199.00, with a copy of James Cameron’s Avatar for the PC.  As I mentioned, the tech runs best on a monitor with a refresh rate of 120Hz, but it is not required.  This particular kit only includes the software, glasses and IR transmitter to transmit the image up to 15 feet wirelessly to one or multiple sets of glasses.  It’s the LC lenses in the glasses that are the key to the whole technology.  The lenses flicker at a rate far beyond the eyes detection, allowing the images corresponding to each eye to be seen as 3D by the wearer.  Like our console wireless controllers, they are charged by USB to be ready for use in-game, but I found no details on how long they could be used before requiring an additional charging.  Sure, this only creates the illusion of 3D, but judging by the spectrum of reviews, it can be excellent—-provided you have the tech to pull it off.  I have been able to find prices for 22″ monitors starting at $249 and climbing online-which is probably not unreasonable if you are in need of a replacement monitor, but seems expensive if you already have a good resolution reliable monitor and are upgrading for the sole purpose of 3D support.  One of the interesting features that I came across, that one might not think of, is the ability of Nvidia’s 3D tech to create it’s own crosshair in any title supported.  Why in the world would they do that, you ask?  Well, in case the game did not adapt it’s built in crosshair to the 3D support, Nvidia does the work for them so that your crosshair will not disappear behind objects and enemies rendered in 3D, causing targeting difficulties.  If you are curious about the technology and it’s presentation, check the links below.

For a video of the unboxing and product review, look here.  Also, many associated videos can be found on the right.

For a full list of supported games, as well as links to product descriptions, check Nvidia’s page here.  I have to say, the list of supported titles is absolutely staggering, and I can easily see myself dusting off many of these games when my budget catches up with the falling prices of the monitors and tech.

Release List

Tuesday, 5/18

• Split Second – Retailing for $39.99, simultaneous console release
• Shrek Forever After – Movie Tie-in, $19.99
• Dragon Age : Darkspawn Chronicles DLC – $5.00

News Bytes

• Has another PC version been leaked by box-art? Gears of War was unofficially announced when PC Gamer ran a ‘Gaming on Vista article prior to the OS release, showcasing Games For Windows store displays with Gears Of War boxes bearing the shiny new Games For Windows LIVE logo on top.  Oooops.  Well, now it seems Fable III has broken in similar fashion, as boxart provided by Microsoft to Games Press had the “Only on 360 and Windows” golden stamp on the case.  The picture was quickly pulled down, but I know what I’ll be looking for this E3!  There have been many teasers of great PC announcements to come from LA next month, so it should be a wonderful time to be a PC gamer!  Now the question remains, will we see a retro port of Fable II?
• On the positive side of the Call of Duty turmoil, it seems Treyarch has given credit to PC players’ complaints. When Treyarch head, Mark Lamia was asked about the upcoming Black Ops PC port, he confirmed that dedicated servers would, indeed, be supported.  In a very obvious politically worded statement, Lamia denied any reasoning to not support dedicated servers, but stated that steps would be taken to protect the experience to provide a similar experience to that of consoles, while still providing the positive features unique to the PC platform.  Gee, I hope they continue Infinity Ward’s tradition of Modern Warfare 2′s acclaimed PC specific features like mouse support and voice chat.
• Torchlight in a Perfect World? Announced today, was the purchase for $8.4 million dollars made by Chinese MMO developer, Perfect World.  With Perfect World now retaining a majority share of Runic Games, it will be interesting to see what agreements are made for the already planned Torchlight MMO.  Will this be an acquisition of support to add resources and leave the game alone, or will Perfect World be muscling their way into the creativity process of the already breakout success of the single-player dungeon crawling franchise? Apparently, we have two years to wait until we see the final product, but keep your eyes for more details.  Also curious, is the nature of Runic Games previous MMO attempt during their days as Flagship Studios–the Hellgate : London multiplayer experience.  Hellgate offered both free and paid options for their MMO multiplayer, it will be interesting if Perfect World will not only disturb the creative process, but also the pricing structure to recoup some of their investment.
• Isaac spreads the PC love. Like many high school relationships, the PC port of Dead Space 2 has been on again off again more times than we care to know.  My favorite aspect was the denial of the port by EA, immediately followed by the statement’s of Ziff Davis being more surprised about the cancellation than the fans(which he quickly retracted).  Well, now we can breathe easily—-at least until next year when Visceral’s sequel officially creeps onto consoles and PC.  EA PR has, once again, confirmed that a PC version will hit shelves Q1, next year.

Geared Up

I decided to take a different turn on ‘Geared Up’ this week.  Instead of trolling the internet looking for some cool gaming accessories, peripherals or case mods, I decided to feature some of the gear I prefer to use in my own gaming exploits.  Please keep in mind, that I have paid for all of these items, and do not receive any samples, review products or incentives from the companies that produce these products, they are just the peripherals I have grown to prefer.

Mouse Pad – Gaming on the go, my mouse pads take a fair beating being trucked around in my laptop case and tossed around from lap to desk to wherever.  When my most recent one died, I decided to table my skepticism and try out the Rocketfish ‘Gaming’ Mousepad.  I have to say, I am certainly impressed.  The pad features two differently textured surfaces mounted on either side of an aluminum plate, sized 18.4″ x 13″.  One side is textured for speed, the other for control, and it holds up nicely.  Of course, be careful to place this in your bag where it will not scratch your machine, if you choose to travel with it, but it’s easily recommended at the price point of $19.99, as I’m sure it will outlast and outperform it’s cheaper alternatives.

Mouse – Razer Diamondback 3G, Red.  Sure, it’s not the latest or the greatest, but this Razer series is tride and true in it’s performance.  Newer and more sensitive models are available, but for a current retail of $40, this is a great mid-ranged model that performs well.  The Diamondback is equipped with a 3G infrared sensor, capable of a maximum of 1800 DPI.  With it’s drivers installed, it also has 9 programmable buttons and on the fly sensitivity options.  I personally only need one button to map my ‘Melee Attack’ to, but it’s always nice to have the extra features if need be.  I also prefer to turn the mouse sensitivity to it’s highest setting, and lower the sensitivity in each game to it’s lowest to achieve the smoothest movement, but that’s one of my quirks.  Razer has since made multiple wireless mouse options, but I prefer the gold plated corded one to a wireless option anyday.

Headset – Funny enough, I stumbled upon this headset not for my gaming needs, but my podcasting needs.  That being said, I can once again sing Razer’s praises in this category with the Carcharias headset, still retailing for $79.99(Thankfully I found it for significantly less).  The only downside is it’s lack of Surround Sound support, but the Carcharias excels in everything else.  The padded earcups are velvety soft, and dare not irritate or chafe your ears during the longest of gaming sessions.  The sound is crisp, and is relayed through two, gold-plated 3.5mm jacks that plug into your headphone/mic jacks.  The boom mic will swivel up to be tucked away, or to switch to the other ear for headset reversal, and the braided cord with volume and mute controls reaches a whopping 10 foot length.  As with the mouse, there are better options out there, but I can’t find any faults with these mid-range products—they outperform anything priced comparatively.

I am in no way a hardcore online multiplayer kind of person but I do play online pretty often and I’ve had my fair share of victories with the Call of Duty 4 online multiplayer so you can trust my judgment. For anyone who is afraid of Treyarch taking the lead on this one, don’t be, World at War, at least as far as MP goes, is exactly the same as COD 4. Yes it takes place in WWII but honestly it doesn’t take away from the game at all, it still plays great.

The one thing I noticed right away with WaW was the sound. Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve played COD 4 but the sounds in WaW are spectacular. The music was intense without being too distracting, the artillery strikes sound brutal, and even the footsteps of the soldiers around you sounded crisp. Overall the sound really adds to the mood of WaW and helps to get you in the zone. I actually found myself listening for footsteps in the wooden huts of Makin to help me try and snuff an enemy in the dark.

As with COD 4 you are rewarded for your kill-streaks. 3 kills will reward you with a Recon Plane which shows where the enemies are on the map, 5 kills and you are rewarded with an artillery strike, and for a kill-streak of 7 you can unleash the dogs on your opponents, no more annoying helicopters. If you happen to be on the team being chased by the dogs you can earn 3 experience points for killing one. The maps included in the beta are Makin, Roundhouse, and Castle. All bring very new settings to the series and I hope that the maps in the final version will be this good.

All-in-all the Call of Duty: World at War beta got me hooked and made me realize why Call of Duty 4 was such a good multiplayer experience. I honestly don’t see a need to go back to Call of Duty 4 once the full version of World at War is released this November. I’m sold.