Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Microsoft Officially Prices Kinect, New 360 Model, And More

We have all heard the pricing rumors for Kinect now ever since the name change at E3.  Well today Microsoft has finally taken the cat out of the bag and revealed that Kinect will be priced at $150 when it hits stores November 4th.  It will also come bundled with Kinect Adventures.

Aside from that, Microsoft has also announced a $200 new Xbox 360 “S Model” which includes a 4gb storage device and will ship on August 3rd according to Joystiq.

The “S Model” will also be bundled with Kinect for $300.

That’s a lot to take in all at once.  Think about it and let us know what you think.

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Rock Band 3 Kicks Off It’s Tour October 26th

According to Harmonix today, Rock Band 3 will be jamming it’s way onto store shelves on October 26th for all major platforms.  Aside from the announcement, pre-order bonuses from a few different retailers have also surfaced.  For people who reserve the game at Wal-Mart will receive a $10 e-gift card, while Amazon folks will be able to unlock a exclusive in-game guitar.  Lastly, Gamestop shoppers will receive three free additional tracks at launch: “My Own Summer” by the Deftones, “Blue Monday” from New Order, and “Burning Down The House” by the Talking Heads.

It seems like Gamestop is offering the best deal considering they are giving you some pretty awesome exclusive tracks.  Which retailer will you be picking Rock Band 3 up at?

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Red Faction: Origins Movie Coming Next Year

There has been talk for quite sometime now that we were getting a Red Faction film.  Well it has now been confirmed that the THQ and SYFY movie project will come to life in March 2011 which is around the same time Red Faction: Armageddon is set to release.  Here is official synopsis that was found on Shacknews.

Described as a “pilot” movie, the two-hour film follows Jake, the last surviving son of Alec Mason, as he battles against a new human army who have lured his sister into their Red Faction-hating web. Origins is set to take place between the events of Red Faction: Guerrilla and Red Faction: Armageddon.

Q1 of 2011 should be a busy time for Red Faction fans.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Release Date List: 7/18-7/25

This week the Summer of Arcade promotion kicks off on Xbox Live with LIMBO.  Also Need for Speed: World on the PC and Alien Swarm. Check out the full list of titles in the link below.

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Madden NFL 11 Demo Tackles XBL and PSN

Football season is right around the corner people, and with that usually means another EA Madden NFL game.  On July 27th you can download the demo that pits last years AFC Championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets.  The demo will have 5 minute quarters and give you a option to choose between four select difficulties: Rookie, Pro, All Pro, and All-Madden.

A lot of people are upset with EA for there Ten dollar online pass tactic, and rightfully so.  Will you be picking up the new Madden this year?

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XBLA Breach Gets Delayed

The Xbox Live title that had a lot of people excited at E3, Breach will be getting a pretty significant delay.  Instead of dropping this year, the game will release in January.

Atomic President Peter Tamte says the delay will give the studio the time they need to add a “hardcore” mode to the game to mimic the real life military situations.

Luckily there were features we had been thinking of adding to the title, and now we have the opportunity to do just that. Unlike with Six Days in Fallujah, which was delayed indefinitely when Konami pulled out, we are publishing Breach ourselves, and it will be out in January… I’ve always said, we don’t make simulations for the public and we don’t make games for the government. However, we have come to realize there is a growing segment of the gaming population that wants to test these simulation systems out for themselves, which is why we’re adding features, like a Hardcore mode, to Breach.”

Breach will now release day and day with the Xbox 360 version and will still carry a $15 price tag.

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Netflix Streams Over the Border

It is a happy day today for the Canadians as Netflix have announced today that their streaming service will be coming to Canada later this fall.  It may not be a big deal for people in the US because we have been spoiled with streaming content for quite some time now, but people across the northern border couldn’t be more happy.

The Canadian version of Netflix will have its first ever separate package that allows customers to choose a streaming-only package instead of having to pay for a DVD bundle.

No other details have been mentioned including pricing information, but we imagine that to surface shortly.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Medal Of Honor Limited Edition Extras Revealed

EA has confirmed the Limited Edition content for Medal of Honor, and best of all it costs the same as the standard edition.  That’s right, the Limited Edition will be $59.99 and add a few more weapons to your arsenal right off the bat.  The MP7, TOZ-104, and 870MC2 Shotguns will be available day one.  Standard Edition owners will also have access to those weapons but will have to earn them through the unlock ranking system.

At E3 it was also announced that PS3 users will get a copy of the 2002 award winning Medal of Honor: Frontlines.  Which copy do you plan on picking up?

Medal of Honor will shoot its way onto store shelves October 12th for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 with a Europe release on October 15th.

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Halo: Reach Gets Down To Business With Limited Edition Bundle

You’ve dreamed, You’ve asked, You’ve waited.  Now Bungie is delivering the goods on there Limited Edition Bundle for the  next installment in the Halo universe.  The LE will cost you $80 and will include the following:

• Custom case modeled after a recovered ONI data module
• In-game Elite armor set for multiplayer
• Artifact bag, which contains the personal notes and documents of the creator of the Spartan program: Dr. Catherine Halsey
• Dr. Halsey’s ONI security badge
• An embroidered Spartan II patch

You can check out screen shots of the bundle from our source below.

Halo: Reach will come to a store near you on September 14th exclusively on the Xbox 360.

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Bayonetta Discounted On Amazon Today

Q1 of this year was a crazy time for gamers with what seemed like a new triple A game coming every week.  But in case you’ve missed out on Platinum Games “Bayonetta” today would be the best day to scoop it up.

Amazon is having a deal on the game and you can pick it up for 20$ for the PS3.  Unfortunately the deal is not running on the Xbox 360 as well, but if your looking for a great game to play before the “next big thing” then you cannot go wrong with Bayonetta.

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After 30 Years It’s Still Haunted

Atari is celebrating it’s 30 year anniversary of the 1980 classic title Haunted House by releasing a downloadable title this September.

The sequel will go back to its spooky atmosphere and return players to the Graves Mansion.  The sequel will have enhanced graphics and follow the same concept but will offer new locations and a character shown in the third-person.

Haunted House will be available this fall for the PC, Xbox Live Arcade, and the Wii.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Modnation Racers Gets Even More “Casual”

Do you love those cute little racers you go up against in Modnation Racers? but hate them because you just can’t seem to beat them in a race? Well your in luck because today SCEA San Diego community manager Ramone Russell announced that United Front Games is almost finished with putting out a casual difficulty for the single player campaign.

No mention has been made on a specific time frame when to expect the new difficulty, but we imagine it will be coming very soon.

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Walmart Prices Kinect Bundle At $199.99

As we get even closer to an official Kinect pricing from Microsoft, Walmart has now started taking pre-orders for a limited time bundle.  The bundle includes the Kinect unit, a $30 online only walmart gift card, and one Kinect launch game of the buyers choice.

Again, no official word on pricing has been announced from Microsoft yet, so we will just have to wait until we hear it from the big boys.

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Kane & Lynch 2 Gets Bumped Up A Week

Kane & Lynch 2 will see a new release date of August 17th instead of it’s original August 24th release.  Why you may ask? probably so they do not have to compete with Mafia II which releases on the 24th as well.  But the official word comes from IO Interactive general manager Niels Jorgensen.

The team has worked hard to deliver a game that’s different from the current trend of third-person shooters and we’re so pleased to be able to share it with the world ahead of schedule. With development now complete, why keep people waiting any longer? We want to let gamers experience the game we’ve created and get them online betraying their friends in Fragile Alliance, so we have decided to bring the release date forward by one week.

It’s never a bad thing when you get to play a game you’ve been looking forward to even earlier than expected.  Let the backstabbing begin!

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Release Date List: 7/11-7/18

This week starts off with a reminder that football season is just around the corner.  NCAA Football 11 from EA hits store shelves this Tuesday for all major platforms.  If football maybe isn’t your thing and you could care less, Dragon Quest hits the DS and Deathspank comes to the Xbox Live Arcade.  For the full list of titles check out the link below.

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K-Mart Deals So Good, They May Leave You Broke

If you’ve missed out on some of the latest and greatest lately, have no worries because K-Mart has a great deal going on select games for as much as $25 off.  Take a look at the list below and know there may be even more titles on sale.  So if you live near a K-Mart just get down there and see for yourself

Offer only available until Saturday July 17th.

• Alan Wake (Xbox 360) — $34.99
• Singularity (Xbox 360, PS3) — $34.99
• Call of Duty: War Collection (Xbox 360) — $34.99
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP) — $19.99
• PSP-3000 — $149.99
• Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies — Purchase at full price, get $10 gift card and half-off select DS titles

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Ubisoft Steers Driver: San Francisco To 2011

During Ubisoft’s estimated earnings report today, they decided to delay Driver: San francisco to an early Q1 2011 release time frame.   Reason being? because of the “competitive market at Christmas.”

I never know if it’s a good thing or not when company’s push back there title because of the other popular games coming out.  It may be good for the developer but is it a sign for the gamers that it may not be a great game?  Let us know what you think.

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XBLA Content Browser Delayed

The content browser “Destination Arcade” which is suppose to be more easier to navigate the “Summer of Arcade” titles, pricing, and customer reviews, has been slightly delayed according to ‘Major Nelson.’

It will now be released July 21st, which is the same day the “Summer of Arcade” promotion kicks off with its first title LIMBO.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

505 Games Goes Under The Sea in 2011

That’s right people, time to grab your scuba gear.  Today 505 Games announced a brand new game for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 that will be out Q1 of 2011 by developer Biart Studio.  Deep Black, a third-person action adventure is said to bring “action packed battles with an immersive storyline” which will have players engaging most of the game under water.

Not much else has been said about the title, but if the game can pull off under water gameplay it could be a nice change of pace from what we are use to seeing.

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Dead Space 2 Prequel Announced

Dead Space: Ignition will be a downloadable prequel to Dead Space 2 that will drop on the XBLA and PSN.  The prequel will showcase the strange happenings that lead up to Dead Space 2 in an “interactive comic-style story with three unique hacking mini-games; Hardware Crack, Trace Route and System Overide.”

Dead Space Ignition is the first of many exciting game extensions we have planned for the launch of Dead Space 2,” says Dead Space 2 executive producer, Steve Papoutsis. “The interactive comic-style game will give Dead Space fans a unique perspective on the events leading up to Dead Space 2, but will also introduce the storyline to a brand-new audience of gamers.

Dead Space: Ignition will be ready to download this fall, just before Dead Space 2 releases January 25, 2011.

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PC Specs for Mafia II Unveiled

System Requirements for Mafia II on the PC has been unveiled as well as specs for the PhysX effects. Mafia II will be releasing for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 on August 24th, with a demo coming in early August.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP (SP2 or later) / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor: Pentium D 3Ghz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (Dual core) or higher
RAM: 1.5 GB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8600 / ATI HD2600 Pro or better
Hard Disc Space: 8 GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Peripherals: Keyboard and mouse or Windows compatible gamepadRECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP (SP2 or later) / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor: 2.4 GHz Quad Core processor
RAM: 2 GB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better
Hard Disc: 10 GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compliant card
Peripherals: Keyboard and mouse or Windows compatible gamepad

PHSYX/APEX ENHANCEMENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP (SP2 or later) / Windows Vista / Windows 7 Minimum Processor: 2.4 GHz Quad Core processor
Recommended Processor: 2.66 GHz Core i7-920 RAM: 2 GB

Video Cards and resolution: APEX medium settings
Minimum: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 (or better) for Graphics and a dedicated NVIDIA 9800GTX (or better) for PhysX
Recommended: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 (or better)

Video Cards and resolution: APEX High settings
Minimum: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 (or better) and a dedicated NVIDIA 9800GTX (or better) for PhysX
Recommended: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 for Graphics and a dedicated NVIDIA GTX 285 (or better) for PhysX NVIDIA GPU driver: 197.13 or later.
NVIDIA PhysX driver: 10.04.02_9.10.0522. Included and automatically installed with the game.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Release Date List: 7/4-7/11

This upcoming week is another busy one.  But the game that is on everyone’s mind is Crackdown 2.  For those that may not be interested in hunting down orbs, there’s a bunch of other games you can choose from including the PC release of Sniper: Ghost Warrior.  Take a look at the link below for the full list of titles.

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High Demand For Xbox 360 Slim’s

It shouldn’t come as a shock, Microsoft has reported a “unprecedented demand” from retailers for the new 360 Slims. As well as there Elite and Arcade models due to there recent price drops.

Normally this kind of announcement is a shot at the competition.  Obviously there going to sell. Why wouldn’t they?

We will soon find out the exact number on next months NPD’s.

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Alan Wake Has A Scary Debut

NPD sale numbers hit today and unfortunately Alan Wake only managed to sell 145,000 units during its mid May debut.  It still was the eighth best selling game for the month, but nowhere near what I assume Remedy would have liked.

If you want an idea on how another game did, Red Dead Redemption sold 1,513,000 in May which also came out the same day as Alan Wake.

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Save Money For LIVE-A-Palooza

A huge discount on over 200 tracks and as much as 50% off on Rock Band 1 & 2, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: World Tour and every Lips title can be bought on the Xbox Live Marketplace from now through July 12th.  The reason? well because its Independence week.  Take a look at the entire list of songs and discounted prices below.

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As we all know and heard from E3 this year, EA has released a multiplayer beta for the PC, PS3, and the Xbox 360.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on the beta for the PS3, and honestly I was quite impressed on what I’ve played.  After 4 hours or so of play time, I am ready to give my impressions of EA’s Medal of Honor, which could be its last chance to redeem itself.

As soon as I started my first match, I said to myself this reminds me a lot like Battlefield Bad Company.  Well that should come as no surprise considering DICE is doing the multiplayer aspect of the game, while EA LA works on the singleplayer.  It was obvious EA wanted to get potentially the best of the best when they went after DICE for the online, as I’m sure they know as well that they have to keep up with the big boys this holiday season.

The game starts off with you as a Level 1 Regular.  As you progress through the game you will level up and unlock different weapons, attachments, and armored piercing bullets, among other things.  You have the option before each match to pick from a list of three classes.  Rifleman, Special Ops, or a Sniper, and will either be selected as the Coalition (good guys) or the Insurgents (bad guys).  Each side has a different setup of weapons that you can select in the gear section before each game. It is a good enough mix between the weapons and unlockables in each class that you might want to experiment a little and feel out which class is best for you.

The most important part obviously is the gameplay.  You can have 100 classes and 200 weapons but without solid gameplay does any of that matter?  I am a pretty hardcore Call of Duty player so a lot of times when I go into new shooters I have a certain expectation of what that game should give me. The gameplay is very different then most shooters and you will pick that up pretty quick after being gun down a number of times before you have to stop and realize whats going on.  Only a few shots will put you down for the count, so I must say that there is a pretty high learning curve in the beginning.  You really do not want to stand or camp in one place for too long, but you also don’t want to run and gun like a Halo, or a Call of Duty style match.  So basically what I am saying is the game is not very forgiving.

Each game mode has its own map.  With Team Assault (team deathmatch) placing you on the Kubel City Ruins map.  This map takes place in a broken down war torn area with a lot of high ground to take out enemies from below.  The map has a very c0ol look to it and has a pretty good amount of detail that adds to the feeling of being in a war.  It’s not a huge map but its a nice size to accommodate the 12 on 12 matches.  Combat Mission is your objective game mode on the Helmand Valley map.  Combat Mission is your typical attack and defend this area depending on what group you are, the Coalition or the Insurgents.  I didn’t play this game type as much considering there really weren’t many people playing it at first, but it’s similar to Battlefield Bad Company’s Rush mode.  Helmand Valley however is a pretty impressive map which is more open then Kubel City Ruins with not as many places to take cover except for some trees and rocks.  Both maps I was very happy about and I look forward to the others that the game will bring upon release.

Some other gameplay elements introduced to Medal of Honor are killstreaks.  These work a little bit different than your Call of Duty style killstreaks considering they are not really based upon how many kills you get but how many points you earn for doing different things.  Kills, assists, and earning ribbons (challenges) will all give you points towards your killstreaks.  I have only had the pleasure of using Mortar Strikes and UAV’s but from I know there are a ton of different things you can use that will help your team succeed.

All these elements of the game I mentioned are great, but that doesn’t mean the game in any way is perfect.  The most annoying thing is before you die, there’s quite a big of lag in between you getting shot and right before you die.  It happens really quick and might not be bothersome at first, but after some time it can get frustrating.  Also respawn points is something they need to work on, I’ve been in a lot of games where I would get spawn killed right away and vice versa.  It would be nice if they gave you an option where to spawn like in Killzone or if its possible to spawn on a player that your in a party with.  That I’am not sure of considering I always played alone.  One last thing I would like to see is some kind of killcam or a quick camera view of where you got shot from before you die.  Sometimes everything is happening so fast and you can get gunned down pretty quickly.  Without any knowledge or idea where those bullets come from on top of the bad spawn points can get tiresome.  Again this is just a beta so it’s going to have its problems.  I have confidence that DICE will fix these small problems before the release date.

With all that said, I was very happy with my experience with the Medal of Honor beta.  The question is will it have the long lasting appeal of a Call of Duty multiplayer?  It’s good that there are releasing the game in October which would be a month before Black Ops and I think the game definitely has potential to hang around to form a good online community.  It’s gameplay is different enough if you want to take a break from other shooters and can even be more challenging and rewarding at times than other games.  I know it will be a day one purchase for me.

Medal of Honor will be in stores October 12th 2010 for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Bioshock 2 Gets More Singleplayer

2K Marin has announced the first piece of DLC singleplayer for Bioshock 2.  The “Protector Trials” will focus on the section of the game when the little sister gathers the ADAM from the corpses.  You will play the Big Daddy and will be in charge of protecting the little sister from the crazed splicers.

There will be three different difficulties that you can test your skills at, across six new maps taken from the most popular areas in the Bioshock 2 world.

The “Protector Trials” will be coming to the Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 on August 3rd, and will run you 400 Microsoft Points or $5.

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Modnation Racers Wins The Race, No Photo Finish

Last month was a crazy time for Racing fans, with Modnation Racers, Blur, and Split Second all coming out within a week of each other.  The NPD’s have revealed the best selling of the three, yet none were really outstanding.  Modnation Racers came in the 15th spot on the software sales, which isn’t too bad considering it was a Sony exclusive only title.

However, Blur and Split/Second unfortunately didn’t even make the top 30 in game sales.  Analyst Michael Pachter said that Blur sold “Well below our estimate of 100,000 units” and that Split/Second did not do much better.

It’s a shame that good games do not get that recognition it deserves at times, but when you have 3 potential top racing games coming out within 7 days of each other, what do you really expect?

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Rock Band Weekly DLC This Week: Creedence Clearwater Revival

This week’s Rock Band DLC is going back a few years with Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Song information and pricing below.

• “Bad Moon Rising” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Born on the Bayou” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Down on the Corner” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Fortunate Son (Original Version)” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Green River” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Proud Mary” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Run Through the Jungle” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Travelin’ Band” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Up Around the Bend” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)
• “Who’ll Stop the Rain” (160 MSP / 200 Wii Points / $1.99)

*Track packs not available for purchase on Wii; all tracks sold individually.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Hulu Plus May Cost More Than You Think On The PS3

Rumors have been circulating around the internet about Hulu Plus only working on the PS3 if you subscribe to Sony’s new Playstation Plus, according to a write up by Technologizer.

This may not seem that big a deal to people who plan on being a Playstation Plus member. But for those not interested in the service may not want to cancel there cable just yet.  Again these are just rumors at the moment but I would not put it past Sony to do something like this.

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It Can Only End One Way For The Mob

The great minds behind Mafia 2 originally wanted to make the game with multiple endings depending on the players choices.  Now Illusion Softworks have scrapped that idea to make one “great” ending to give you the best possible experience.

Here is the official word from senior producer Denby Grace

We had four multiple endings at one point in the game, and then we looked at it and we had one really outstanding, great ending to our story.  We worked on these things and we have our players that focus test and we found that people were just replaying and ultimately only felt satisfied when they got to the one great ending. We just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just ditch these other endings, this is the ending everyone wants.

It seems that they truly know what the gamers want, I know personally I cannot wait for this title.

Mafia 2 will be robbing the stores August 24th for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

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Final Fantasy XIV Gets PC Release Date

Today Final Fantasy XIV received a release date on the PC which will be September 30th.    The game will cost the standard 50$ price tag with a collectors edition at $75.  For the Final Fantasy die hards out there who pick up the collector’s edition, will be greeted with a voucher that comes in the box which will allow them to the access the game 8 days earlier before everyone else.

Below is a list of items that will also be included in the CE of FFXIV

A behind the scenes DVD with the obligatory documentary on the making of the game.
–A travel journal with concept art pages in which players can document their in-game wanderings.
–An in-game item called the “Onion Helm.”
–A fully personalized “Right of Passage” certificate.
–Special cover illustrated by artist Yoshitaka Amano.
–A FFXIV-branded security token for use with regular password.

Let us know what version of the game you are deciding to pick up in the comments section below.

In today’s Daily Bits, Hulu finally made official, PlayStation plus launches and a little something for you Lightcycle fans.

Hulu Plus coming to Xbox Live and PSN

It is finally official: Hulu has announced a partnership with both Xbox Live and PSN to bring Hulu Plus to the consoles. Hulu Plus is a $10 a month subscription service that gives you access to full seasons of series from many different networks instead of just the most recent episodes. The PSN version is due out in July sometime, while the Xbox Live one, which will only be available to Gold members and will have “added features” taking advantage of the live community (according to Microsoft) is due in 2011.

So I have already cut my ties with cable TV, and now I am wondering if Hulu Plus will convince others to do the same. Cable companies might have to actually get competitive to stay alive.

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PlayStation Plus is Live

For those of you who do not already know, PlayStation Plus, Sony’s answer to Xbox Live, is now available for PS3 owners. The new firmware update that just rolled out brought that added functionality, along with a PS3 Facebook app and a video editor among other things. PlayStation plus costs $18 for 3 months or $50 for a year (you get a bonus 3 months if you sign up now), and it includes added features like free Qore episodes, extended demos, free games that remain free as long as you have a subscription and the ability to set things to automatically download on the PS3.

I believe I have made my feelings about PlayStaion Plus very clear. I will not be paying for it.

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A Real Lightcycle?

Are you a major fan of Tron? Can you not wait for the new movie? Do you have $35,000 dollars lying around? If so, you can really show your love of the movie by purchasing a real life, street legal Lightcycle.

Parker Brothers Choppers of Melbourne, FL is creating 5 custom bikes based on the new Lightcyles. These babies will be sold on Ebay for $35,000, and they will include that neon glow that will make them seem just like the ones in the movie, crash inducing glowing wall emanating from the rear wheel not included.

While I in no way have this kind of money to spend and realistically would not buy one even if I did, I would be less than honest if I didn’t mention it would be a little tempting.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Hold Off The Zombie Horde Until Late September

Zombie killing fiends will have to wait until late September to play Dead Rising 2, as the game was delayed today by Capcom.  No specific reason was mentioned other than Capcom stating, “We are happy to confirm today that Dead Rising 2 is set for release across North America on September 28th, 2010″.

It is undetermined whether or not this will affect the Xbox 360 downloadable prologue “Case Zero”.

Dead Rising 2 will be released on the PC, Xbox 360, and the PS3 on September 28th in North America and October 1st in Euroupe.

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Red Faction Downloadable Game To Hit Before Armageddon

THQ’s VP of core games Danny Bilson said to expect a Red Faction Downloadable title due for the XBLA and PSN release 3-4 months before Armageddon hits store shelves in March.

There’s going to be a Red Faction Arcade game that ships about three or four months before Armageddon. “What’s interesting is that we will sell it to the fans, it will have content you can download that is TV show-related, it will build up to the new game and also we can use it to drive pre-orders, too; we can give codes and aspects of it, we can give the whole thing away.”

Bilson also says to expect the same treatment for other upcoming titles like Saints Row 2 and a couple of others.

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Sony Planning To Release More PS2 HD Collections

With the popularity of the God Of War Collection, Sony has revealed that they are in fact looking into other PS2 titles to give an HD makeover. As we already know from E3, The Sly Collection is already in the works, and both Ico and the Shadow of the Colossus has been rumored for quite some time now for a possible release in Q1 of 2011.

It’s nice to see Sony working on HD versions for some of the classic games from the PS2 era, especially if you have a PS3 that’s not backward compatible.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Guitar Hero Queen Coming In 2011?

Swedish website DN.se recently spoke with Queen guitarist Brian May, to talk about the ‘We Will Rock You’ Musical.  What is even more interesting though is his possible slip up regarding a Queen Guitar Hero that could be in the works for a 2011 release.

May commented by saying ” We have invented a way for the players to participate in our concerts” but said he can’t say anything else about it.

As of right now there has been no word from Activision regarding the recent news.  True or not we will just have to wait and see.

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Street Fighter 4 FightStick Priced At $99

Today only on Amazons ‘Deal of the day‘ you can pick up the Street Fighter 4 Fightstick for the Xbox 360 and PS3 at only $99 compared to its normal price of $150.

You many want to take a few minutes away from your job this afternoon to make sure you get one before they all sell out.  Your boss will understand.

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Next Weeks Rock Band DLC Is…Nickelback?

Have you been just absolutely dying to play some Nickelback songs on Rock Band? I didn’t think so, but in case you have, your in luck because that is what Harmonix will be releasing next week as there next weekly downloadable content.  The six tracks that have been chosen are:

• Nickelback – “Burn It to the Ground”
• Nickelback – “Figured You Out”
• Nickelback – “Never Again”
• Nickelback – “Photograph”
• Nickelback – “Rockstar”
• Nickelback – “This Afternoon”

You can buy the entire six pack for $9.99 on the Xbox 360 and PS3.  If your not feeling so Nickelbackish then you can purchase each by individual track for $1.99 on the Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii.

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Kinect Playable At Microsoft Store Today

If you cannot wait until November 4th to try out Kinect, then you can take a trip over to the Microsoft store today and jump around like a fool in public.  Only problem is that its only in four locations.  If you happen to live near Scottsdale, Arizona, Mission Viejo California, San Diego California or Lone Tree, Colorado then hop in there and give it a try.  If not, well then your just going to have to wait like the rest of us.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

OnLive Unveils Launch Titles, Includes Pricing

OnLive has listed there launch titles for there upcoming service which also shows pricing options on 3 and 5 day “rental” passes on some titles.

OnLive Launch Titles

• AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! — A Reckless Disregard for Gravity — demo / $9.99 (full)
• Assassin’s Creed 2 — demo / $39.99 (full)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum — demo / $4.99 (3 days) / $6.99 (5 days)
• Borderlands — demo / $29.99 (full) / $5.99 (3 days) / $8.99 (5 days)
• Brain Challenge — demo / $4.99 (full)
• Dirt 2 — demo only
• Defense Grid Gold — demo / $13.99 (full) / $6.99 (5 days)
• F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin — demo / $19.99 (full)
• Just Cause 2 — demo / $49.99 (full)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 — demo only
• Madballs in Babo: Invasion — demo / $9.99 (full)
• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands — $49.99 (full)
• Puzzle Chronicles — demo / $9.99 (full) / $3.99 (3 days)
• Red Faction: Guerrilla — demo / $19.99 (full)
• Shatter — demo / $8.99 (full)
• Splinter Cell: Conviction — demo / $59.99 (full)
• Trine — demo only
• Unreal Tournament III: Titan Pack — demo / $19.99 (full) / $4.99 (3 days) / $6.99 (5 days)
• World of Goo — demo / $19.99 (full) / $4.99 (3 days) / $6.99 (5 days)

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Happy 19th Birthday Sonic!

Sega is celebrating  Sonic’s birthday by saving us money, which is never a bad thing.  A handful of Sonic titles will be discounted for the XBLA, PSN, and even the IPhone this Thursday.  What not a better way to celebrate! The full list of games that are discounted are below.

-Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles- 240 Microsoft Points (3$ on PSN) (Thursday Only)

-Sonic Rivals (PSP) 10.99

-Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP) 13.99 or both games for $17.99  (Offer good until July 6th)

-Discounted DLC for Sonic’s All Star Racing, Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic The Hedgehog 1.

Sega is also having a sale on other titles, even though they have nothing to do with Sonic.

-Streets of Rage & Golden Axe for $99 cents. (IPhone)

-Super Monkey Ball 2 ($2.99) IPhone.  IPad Version-$4.99

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Bad Company 2 ‘Onslaught’ Mode Hits XBL Tomorrow

The delayed Onslaught mode for Bad Company 2 on the 360 will come to Xbox Live tomorrow.  As already stated, the pack will run you 800 Microsoft Points.

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Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

Crackdown 2 Demo Hits Today, Among Other Goodies

Today is the day you can finally get a taste of the Crackdown 2 demo on the Xbox Live Marketplace.  Besides the Crackdown 2 demo there is a new list of Games On Demand, new Xbox Live Arcade titles and much more. Check out the link below for the full rundown.

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Heavy Rain DLC MOVEs To A Undetermined Date

Back in February when Heavy Rain was released, Quantic Dream promised fans that we would be consumed with episodic DLC.  Now those plans seem to be on an “indefinite hold” according to co-founder Guillame de Fondaumiere.

Quantic Dream is working on a patch to enable Playstation Move support for Heavy Rain, which I suppose is the main focus at this time.  The patch will be free for people who already have purchased the game, but there will also be a re-release of Heavy Rain with the Move controls already on the disc.

It would be unfortunate if we no longer get content for Heavy Rain, but I guess worse case scenario is that they work on their next project.

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Alan Wake DLC Gets Priced At $7 Each

For those that have finished the main story of Alan Wake and are looking to continue the journey can do so next month with the first piece of downloadable content “The Signal” which is due out July 27th.  “The Signal” will cost you 560 Microsoft Points ($7).  Unless you bought the game new, then you will be able to use the token that came in the box.

The second downloadable episode “The Writer” will also carry the same price tag.  Both episodes are estimated at around 90 minutes of gameplay.

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Halo: Reach Trailer Hints At Space Gameplay

At the end of Bungie’s E3 trailer for Halo Reach, it revealed some new gameplay elements that we really havent seen before from the franchise.  For more of an understanding of what I mean, check out the gameplay montage from our source below.

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Konami announced today that it will be bringing a new Silent Hill game to the Xbox 360 and Ps3 in 2011.

“Staying true to the franchise’s original roots; says Konami, the game returns with another third person horror experience, and an all new thought provoking storyline.

The soundtrack will be done by ‘Dexter’ & ‘Hellraiser: Bloodline’ composer Daniel Licht.

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After Guerilla Games showed off Killzone 3 today at Sony’s E3 Press Conference, they announced to expect Killzone 3 in February of 2011. That would put the game two years after Killzone 2. Also worth mentioning is the game will have full 3D support and functionality of the Playstation Move at launch.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will add 4 player co-op campaign along with stereoscopic 3D support.  Those that purchased a new copy of Splinter Cell: Conviction will get access to its multiplayer beta.  Ghost Recon will be released on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC between January 1st 2011 and March 31st 2011.

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An Expansion Pack for Bad Company 2 titled “Vietnam” will be releasing on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Only details we have so far is a Winter 2010 release.  Keep your eyes peeled for more information on the Vietnam Expansion Pack during E3 in the next couple of days.

Criterion Games will be making the next installment of Need for Speed which races onto store shelves November 16th.  With a interesting career mode which will allow you to play as both a racer and as a cop.  “Autolog” is a new feature as well that allows you to compete with your friends and challenge those that may have beaten a certain record you’ve achieved or vice versa.

This could be one of the best Need For Speed titles done in years.  I look forward to what EA unveils about Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit closer to its November 16th release.

Check out the new Fallout New Vegas E3 Trailer below and let us know what you think of it! Fallout New Vegas will ship on October 19th on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in North America, and October 22nd in Europe.

Epic Games and People Can Fly have revealed a release date for Bulletstorm during EA’s Keynote. February 22nd the game will ship for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

On top of that EA also has announced  a release date for Dead Space 2, which will scare the hell out of you on January 25th 2011.  It looks like early 2011 is going to be just as busy as the beginning of 2010 was.  This is a good thing.

A Multiplayer Beta has been announced by EA LA and DICE.  The Beta will kick off on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on June 21st for those who pre-order the game.  The beta will feature 2 playable maps.  Helmand Valley and Kabul City Ruins, and will have up to 24 player matches across two game modes, Team Assault and Combat Mission.  People who picked up Battlefield Bad Company 2 new or bought the VIP Access will get access to the beta on the 17th, to get a little upper hand before the rest of the world jumps in just a few days after.

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Bizarre Creations has been hard at work at trying to recreate the popular “Power-up” gameplay in there latest project BLUR.  While many comparisons ring true about Mario Kart, BLUR isn’t just a quick knock off but instead a much deeper experience in certain areas.  BLUR’s environments screams chaos, and if you didn’t know by now the name of the game is to strike your opponents with as many power-ups as you can and move to the front of the pack.  But with the amount of arcade racers that have come out within the last month you may be asking yourself, is BLUR worth my time?

As I mentioned before BLUR’s game is all about the Power-ups.  Let me explain in some detail how each of these work.  There are a total of eight different power-ups that you can pick up that lay scattered on each track.  Your allowed to have up to three in your arsenal at a time.  You can also drop a power-up to make room for something else  if you picked up two of something that you do not need.  Here is a quick look at the power-ups that could help save your life.

Shock- This is great if your having a bad game and are at the end of the pack.  The Shock will launch a bolt of lightning to the front of the group, stunning any car that runs through it.  It will greatly slow down the driver and make it easier for you to catch up.

This Cannot End Well

Mine- Explosives Mines are great in any situation, while also allowing you to shoot it behind you to spin the guy riding your tail right out of control.

Barge- A Barge is a close-range attack that forces cars away from you when activated. Just get right up close to your opponent and a quick jolt will do the job.

Bolt- Pretty much the opposite of Barge.  Bolts are great for long ranged damage.  Fire up to three bolts to hand out the most damage and force cars to swerve all over the track.

Shunt- This is probably my favorite Power-up in the game. A homing missile that flips cars straight up into the air.  This is another power-up that you fire backwards if you happen to be in the front of the race.

Nitro- The obvious of the bunch, gives a quick burst of speed to catch up. If fired backwards you can turn late or airbrake into other cars.

Shield- The last two are more what I like to call defensive power-ups. The Shield protects your car from damage and whatever else may come flying at you on the track.

Repair- After you’ve been knocked around make sure to not forget about repairing your cars health.  When damage is critical this is the only thing that will save you.

Back in March those who were lucky enough had early access to the BLUR Multiplayer Beta for the Xbox 360.  Which consisted of 4 playable tracks and a ranking system that unlocked new cars as you made your way to the top, although talks on the career mode were for the most part non-existent.  So needless to say after spending hours with the Multiplayer Beta I was more interested in the career progression and sadly I came away very underwhelmed.

The Career section of the game is split up into nine different Boss Battle scenarios.  In each chapter you must complete a set of demands by Placing in races, doing time trial runs or winning Destruction games in where you have to rack up a certain amount of points by doing damage to AI racers.  If and when you accomplish the Bosses demands you square off with him mono vs mono and have a chance to steal his ride and shut him up once and for all.  Earning new cars is awarded by how many “fans” you make during each race.  Fans work as XP progression and the more you have the better your rides will be.  You can earn fans in alot of different ways so you are constantly ranking up.  Anything you do good in a particular race will increase your fan amount.  For example completing “Fan Runs” these are set up as gates that you have to drive through in a set amount of time.  By doing that will give you a little extra bonus.

Unfortunately I found the Career mode to be lacking and just simply not fun after a couple of bosses.  You really don’t feel like your achieving anything by doing these “demands” and it just adds a bit of frustration to the mix.  Luckily enough, the single player aspect has absolutely nothing to do with the multiplayer component.  This my friends is what makes BLUR better than the competition.

Things Can Get Pretty Crazy

With 90 races under my belt (none in first place) so far and just under 6 hours of multiplayer mayhem, BLUR has a online that will keep you coming back for more.  One of the great things about it is that you don’t need to play a lick of the single player.  Everything you do in Multiplayer is separate from the Career and has no bearing on what you did in it.  In fact, you could completely skip the Career and hop right into Online.

If you have ever played Call of Duty multiplayer then you will feel right at home with BLUR’s similar style. Once again, just as in single player “Fans” are awarded for how well you do in a race. They mean everything to your progression in the rankings and the more you have the better and faster your cars will be.  Each specific car also has a set of challenges to it.  Using certain power-ups with your vehicle or coming in first place with that car will earn you more fans. The challenges really add a nice pace to the multiplayer and you will want to use different cars to earn the maximum amount of fans.

What really is the make it or break it for BLUR multiplayer is its rank up system.  You start off at level 1 and have to progress all the way to a level 50.  Like Call of Duty’s Prestige mode, once you cap out at Level 50 you have the choice to enter “Legend” mode, which will unlock new items every time you do.  On your way to Level 50 you will unlock better cars and trucks and unlock “Mods.”  Mods are the equivalent to Perks, for example if using a shield and you happen to get hit with a power-up, that power-up will be available to you.  Maybe you slam into walls one to many times, you can add “Battering Ram” that will decrease the amount of damage your vehicle will take.  These Mods add a nice little tactical aspect of how you play, but really does not decipher how well you will do in a particular race.

Multiplayer game modes is something BLUR is lacking.  You have your standard Skirmish racing that allows 2-10

Did I Mention To Avoid The "Shock"

players (my favorite) with a “Powered-Up” playlist that adds up to 20 cars in a single race.  I did not really enjoy the 20 car races, mainly because I had problems with Lag and lost connections.  “Motor Mash” reminds me of being a kid in bumper cars, without going 100mph of course.  The object here is drive around a circular track dealing as much damage to the other cars as possible.  Whoever has the most points after the 10 minute game wins.  It is a good change of pace from the regular races but gets a little boring after a few games, and you will quickly just want to hop back into regular racing.  All other modes are nothing to call home about.  They added team-based games for “Motor Mash” and “Powered Up” races.  These can get hectic and pretty ridiculous as its hard to tell who you should be trying to wreck and who is on your team.  There is a couple more modes scattered throughout but honestly nothing that adds to the multiplayer experience.

After all that said, BLUR is still an incredibly fun arcade racer.  Though I would not recommend it for someone who just plans on playing this single player.  Its evident that Bizarre Creations made this game a multiplayer first, single player second project.  But if your looking for a deep multiplayer experience that will keep you coming back for “just one more” then I cant tell you enough that this game should be in your gaming library over any of the other competition.

I had never really played a Western video game prior to Red Dead Redemption, partially because of their infrequency and partially because I lacked the interest in a genre that seemed like it wouldn’t hold up as well as the familiar sci-fi and post apocalyptia that dominated the landscape. Compared with the creativity of weapons and enemies afforded by genres spawned exclusively by the artists imagination, more recent American history is far more challenging to make as exotic or compelling with as little effort. That isn’t to say it doesn’t have enormous potential, the Old West is after all the great American mythology, it’s just harder to coax this greatness from the dry fabric of realism and antiquity. However, I’m glad I paid attention to this one because Red Dead Redemption is not only the answer to these challenges, it is the definitive Western experience and one of the most purely enjoyable games I’ve played in a while.

It’s ironic that a setting drenched in blood and heroism in film and fantasy has been largely overlooked in gaming, a medium highly receptive to both, but it’s perhaps it’s seeming disadvantage when compared to other more accommodating genres that have limited it. After all, who wants to ride a creaky old buckboard when they can fly around in a spaceship or tear around in a Warthog, and why would I want to use a six shooter when I can use a gravity gun or a chainsaw bayonet? Any period of history following the sword but preceding the machine gun is in danger of being too mundane or tedious for a conventional shooter. The challenges of creating compelling gameplay aside, Developers face additional obstacles in building the environment since the organic spontaneity of nature is much harder to believably render than the symmetry and steel of sci-fi or the barren wastes of post apocalyptia. In short the unique limitations and challenges of creating a great Western game have always relegated it to near obscurity.

Looks Comfortable Huh?

With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar has overcome these hurdles with solutions that include an impressively simulated, thoroughly engrossing environment, and gameplay and story elements that fully realize the unique potential of the Old West. It’s clear that the developers examined the issues at hand and understood what needed to be done. It was crucial that the individual qualities that make the Wild West legendary in our minds and so appropriately suited as fiction, be the foundation of any game that attempted to do it justice. Rockstar accomplishes this neatly and as a result, Redemption is not simply a dull Westernized clone of every other shooter, not simply old ideas transplanted to a different time and place, but a game that captures the spirit and experience of the Wild West. It delivers on the promise of it’s setting and it’s greatest success is how completely it fulfills that promise.

Following the exploits of ex-outlaw John Marston, the game accounts his attempts to end his old life and begin a new one. In order to do so he must hunt down his former brothers in arms in exchange for clemency for himself and his family from Government agents who’s ruthless tactics and callousness come off as more sinister then the relatively simple motives of the men he hunts. The story itself is less dramatically told or cinematic then say Mass Effect 2, but is a lot deeper than it’s candid delivery at first appears. It’s layered in a way few stories are. It’s depth is in many ways informed by the wealth of Western mythos inherent in our cultural subconscious but it’s Rockstar’s talent for satire and social analysis that give the lengthy story and characters genuine integrity. The understated comparisons between the forces of good and evil are one example of this underlying poignancy and the story’s methodical discernment of characters and motivations is deeply philosophical. Nothing is forced which is why the story seems fairly unassuming but there is a quiet nobility to it’s arc as a sensitive elegiac commentary on society and history.

The various personalities you’ll encounter are all very well done. Each is a Western caricature in their own way, brought to life with great writing, superb voice acting and some theatrically impressive mo-cap. Most of them have a charismatic eccentricity that makes them comedic and memorable and the more serious individuals fill their roles with appropriate gravitas. Rockstar continues to assert itself as a master of character design.

Nothing is wasted here and when I spoke of Redemption as the definitive western it wasn’t simply because there are so few to compare it with but rather because it’s a fulfillment of practically any Western fantasy you can imagine. Everything from the host of interesting and eccentric characters to the various missions, mini-games, challenges, side quests and multitude of locations have been designed to showcase the unique variety and range of the Old West as a time and place as well as a legendary realm of adventure and bravado. The missions read like a thrill seeker’s wild west to-do list and players will take part in everything from defending stagecoaches to boarding moving trains, robbing banks, assaulting fortresses, dueling with gunslingers, hunting buffalo, searching for treasure, cheating at poker, lassoing criminals, riding with posses and everything in between. Even agrarian chores such as herding cattle and breaking horses are accounted for and like everything else you’ll do, they’re fun and satisfying.

Traveling Easy

The ecology of the world is equally varied. The map itself is massive, (it has to be one of the biggest ever in a game) and, as with the activities, the diversity of the Old West is fully realized across it’s impressive acreage. Players can explore the great plains, shadowy forests, snowy mountains, arid canyons, bleached deserts and red mesas. Everything is stunning. The game looks as good and better, in fact, then most linear games, with a host of environmental effects and subtle touches, combined into one of the most impressively lifelike worlds in any game. High end tech like Grass, brush and vegetation that respond to your character’s movements are ubiquitous and more common effects such as footprints, dust and particles are masterfully implemented. Lighting is also top shelf, with dynamic shadows and impressive sunrises and sunsets. I’ve literally stopped on more then one occasion just to watch the last glimmering rays disappear beyond the horizon.

The world is populated by an impressive selection of region specific wildlife all of which can be hunted for valuable meat, feathers and pelts. In addition players will encounter the believable traffic of everyday life as, travelers, townsfolk, and campers all inhabit the landscape attributing a constant flow of activity and further enhancing it’s effectiveness as a real world setting. Everything is impressively rendered and animated thanks to Rockstar’s Euphoria engine, which gives humans and animals, a fluidity of movement often missing from other games.

It’s the fidelity and level of detail that’s unrivaled in this type of game that truly makes this such a unique experience. The world and it’s inhabitants (the day night cycles, weather patterns and ambient effects) seduce you with their realistic majesty and picturesque splendor. The ebb and flow of nature surrounds you as you explore and it’s easy to lose hours to the enchanting embrace of the wilderness. This natural quality also provides moments of almost poetic serendipity, such as the time I pursued a black stallion into the twilight of a misty forest as a gentle snow began to fall. Rarely does a game surprise you with moments that transcend the act of simply playing it. The quality and believability of the environment, it’s ability to captivate the player and function as an entity all it’s own, was an essential component in creating a great Western sandbox and Rockstar absolutely nails it here.

Continue on to page two for the rest of the review.

I’ve been looking forward to ModNation Racers ever since it was announced at E3. Originally I thought it was supposed to be a PSN downloadable title but I guess I was wrong. ModNation Racers is basically Mario Kart on the PS3 but with loads of customization. You can customize your characters, your karts, and also build tracks. The options while creating are endless too. As you probably would have guessed there is a campaign mode in which you participate in races against AI kart racers. Winning these races gives you items for customizing your karts and characters. For each track there are 3 goals to achieve which makes the game very re-playable, for each goal you unlock more goodies for your character or kart.

Kart Customization

My time spent with the game was great. The controls feel so tight that you don’t even have to brake, you can keep your finger on the gas and never let go. Compared to how colorful your character and kart is, the tracks in ModNation are kind of bland in the color department. It may just be because I am used to the bright colors of Mario Kart but I felt like they were not diverse enough in their coloring schemes.

ModNation Racers has the standard modes you would expect in a kart racer: Campaign, Online Multiplayer and Split-Screen multiplayer. I had a chance to sit down and play the split screen multiplayer with my wife and she really enjoyed it. I was trying to get her to play at least one track and we ended up playing 6 or more. My biggest complaint about ModNation is the load times. The average load time for loading a race is 1 minute (I timed it). You may not think this is long but try sitting at your computer for a full 60 seconds and you will see what I mean. Now imagine sitting there each time you want to start a race. This is unacceptable, especially for a fast paced kart racing game. ModNation is what I consider a “just one more track” kind of racing game you’d want to play with your friends. The minute load times really kill that mood. This is a huge downfall for ModNation Racers in my opinion. I have however read there is a patch in the works to decrease those load times, the question is when will it be released? I remember the Fat Princess lag fix took over a month to roll out.

Track Creator

Other than the loading time problems ModNation Racers is a solid racer. While I didn’t really care for the cut scenes the campaign mode is lengthy enough, especially with the challenges you can complete. The bread of the game is going to be the customization and the multiplayer. I’m sure you will spend hours customizing your character and creating tracks, it’s kind of like the LittleBigPlanet of kart racers. This is a great game to play with people on the same couch as well, split screen works great and I honestly think it’s best played that way and it’s a shame that the load times have to kill the mood. The menu, also known as the “ModSpot” is basically a menu in which you drive around in. You drive to the campaign to start it, you drive to multiplayer to start it, etc. You can also browse the characters that people have created. When I first started the game there was Mario, Luigi, and Spiderman available to download. The sharing option is a great addition to the game.

ModNation Racers is definitely worth the money. If you are a little on the fence about the game then go check out the demo that is available in the PSN store. If I had to pick between ModNation, Blur or Split/Second, I’d go with ModNation Racers, but that’s just my style. One more thing: It has the same announcer from Crackdown and Red Faction: Guerrilla which is a plus. I’m giving ModNation a 3.5 out of 5 star simply because of the load times, if this wasn’t a problem it would be a solid 4 out of 5.

We’ve all been there. You are having an honest conversation with someone about the strengths of the various consoles. Maybe a friend has come to you for advice on which would be best for them, or you and your coworkers are talking about what you like and do not like about that. Suddenly someone steps up and says something that just makes you cringe.

“Yeah, but you don’t want to own a 360. Every single one of them is designed to break. You’ve heard of the Red Rings, right?”

Or maybe it’s “Yeah, but the PS3 is so hard to program for that all cross platform games play better on the 360!”

Now you are facing a choice: do you try and steer the conversation back to the reasonable discussion you were having, knowing this new voice is going to fight you every step of the way, or do you just decide it is not worth trying. Some might say there is a third option, arguing against this new person, but in the end that almost never turns out to be a good idea. The other person walks away convinced he has won another argument, and you are lucky to leave with your sanity. Welcome to the world of Fanboys.

So what is a fanboy? Wikipedia defines them as a person considered to belong to one or more fandoms to a point of obsession. Now understand we are not condemning being a fan of a game, console or otherwise; after all, most of us have things in the gaming realm we like better than others, even consoles. What we have a problem with is people who are so enthralled with what they are supporting that they cannot accept there is anything good about anything else. In this case, we are arguing specifically against the console fanboys, in particular of the PS3 and the 360, but they are not the only fanboys out there.

You know the worst part about fanboys? They often bring up valid arguments. They just take them to invalid conclusions.

The Attack on the 360

Anyone who has spent time playing on Microsoft’s entry into this console generation knows it is capable of some impressive things. They also know there are some design flaws in the system itself. The PS3 fanboys like to prey upon that fact, and though some of their arguments may have an element of truth, their presentation leaves a lot to be desired.

So let’s deconstruct their arguments and see what is truth and what is just fabrication.

• No built in wireless internet: Okay, I cannot really argue with that. There is no built in wireless connectivity in the 360. This can make life interesting, as people’s home networks are not always set up in a way to make wired connectivity a reality. There are solutions, however, and some that do not even require you to buy Microsoft’s overpriced wireless adapter. As one who has gamed online with the 360 in both wireless and wired capacity, I can honestly say wired is the way to go. May not be convenient, but there is a difference. In the end, however, the lack of native wireless is a valid argument, but not when taken to the extreme of “my console is so much better because it has wireless support, and yours doesn’t, so mine is better.”
• Have to pay to play Online: This is one of the PS3 fanboy’s favorites. The fact you have to pay for Xbox Live Gold is no secret. What seems to be missed, however, is how little you actually pay for what amounts to an amazing service. So let’s break it down. A 13 month card costs $50 if you pay full price, and honestly it is usually pretty easy to find it cheaper. Still, for arguments sake, we will go with the full retail price. $50 dollars spread out over 13 months equates to about $3.85 a month. For that measly amount, you get the ability to create a list of friends, invite them directly into your game, form parties with your friends within your game or across multiple games and take advantage of other services like Netflix streaming and Last FM. When you consider all the benefits, just under $4 a month seems to be a more than reasonable price to pay. Sure, we would all rather Gold be free, but I am willing to pay for a good service, and Live is a good service.
• Sony has better exclusives: Talk about your judgment calls. Granted, the PS3 has some absolutely amazing exclusives, but the 360 has been no slouch in that area. This year alone, there has been Mass Effect 2, Splinter
  

  The RROD is a serious issue. Fanboys don't treat it that way.

  Cell: Convictions and the soon to be release Alan Wake. Granted, some of these are being released on PC as well, but to say that the only good exclusives are coming out in a particular console is really putting on blinders. Both consoles have great games you cannot play on the other system.

• Every 360 is designed to break: There is no denying the fact the 360 has had design issues. The Red Rings of Death are a serious issue, as are the drives burning out on some of the older systems. Saying something like this, however, cheapens the seriousness of the problem. It also does not factor in the steps Microsoft has taken to do something about the design flaws. Not only are more recent 360s much better systems, but extending a console warranty 3 years past the sale date is practically unheard of. While it may have taken a bit for the company to take action, Microsoft has really worked to do something about the problems with its console. Failing to recognize this just makes fanboys look petty.

Blasting the PS3

Just like the 360, Sony’s entry in this generation of consoles has it share of positive and negative points. 360 fanboys, however, make it out like Sony is the old dog that needs to be put out of its misery. Shall we look at some of their arguments?

• Installs/Updates take forever: Okay, there is no doubt that installs and updates are an issue with the PS3. It can be frustrating when you dome to that time you have set aside to game on the PS3 and find you are not ready to do so because the of the latest game or system update or install. It’s not like this happens ever time you turn on the system, however. Fanboys make it out like every time you turn on your PS3, you will have to download an update or install a game. This is not the case; when I was playing InFamous, I had an initial install and update but never had to do so again. This is an annoyance, not the death sentence some make it out to be.
• You can’t play (inset game here): Fanboys love to point out the games you cannot play on the PS3. The list usually starts with Halo 3, followed by the Gears of War games. Heck, someone told me recently how they were told the PS3 was inferior to the 360 because you could not play Mass Effect 2 on it. The exclusives argument really does not work for either console; if you are only able to own one or choosing just to buy one, you are going to miss out on some great exclusives.
• Online Play is horrible: Anyone who has spent time on Xbox Live can tell you it has some serious advantages. This does not mean that the Playstation 3′s online interface is broken. While online play may not be as elegant on Sony’s console as it is on Mocrosoft’s, it does work just fine. You can still play with friends online, even if you have to jump through a few more hoops. Granted, you will find fewer people with headsets on the PS3
  

  While Home may not appeal to most gamers, it does give some added functionality to the PS3.

  then on the 360 since none are provided, but you can connect any bluetooth headset to the system along with many wired sets. Maybe it would be more accurate to blame the gamers for the lack of chatter online than the system.

• Home Sucks: Okay, I cannot argue with the fact that Sony’s Home is just plain sad. Still, to use this as an argument against buying a PS3 is just lame. I mean, is anyone really buying a PS3 for Home? Is anyone going to pay $300 to play Second Life on a console? It is one thing to acknowledge Home is useless for most serious gamers, but saying it is a reason not to buy a PS3 would be like saying since you do not like Game Room, the 360 is stupid. Home brings added functionality to the console, and though it is functionality I particularly do not care to use, I will not try to use it to convince someone not to buy the system.

These arguments are just a sampling of what the fanboys say about each console. As you can see, it is relatively easy to poke holes each one. Still, fanboys have sold out so much to their consoles they cannot see reason.

And in the end, gamers as a whole are the ones being hurt.

Why this must end

So fanboys are annoying. I believe we have established that fact. If it stopped at annoying, that would be okay, The problem is they are actually hurting gamers. How are they doing that, you ask?

1. Fanboys keep gamers from being taken seriously: As a gamer, you are probably used to being seen as a kid. Fanboys do not help this perception. Think about those sports fans who are so blinded by the love of their team that they just sound like idiots. Now think about how many people, maybe even you included, lump all fans of that team in with these ones, making a blanket judgment. That happens to gamers. Those outside of gaming start to view all gamers through the fanboy lense, since that is what they see. If we ever expect people to see gaming in a mature light, we need to do all we can to stop these childish attacks.
2. Fanboys distract from the real issues: As we mentioned earlier, there is some basis to at least some of the arguments fanboys use. The problem is by taking these arguments to their illogical extremes, they make people defensive, unwilling to look at the truth behind the attack. An extreme example of this came out when Joystiq started reporting on the rise of the E74 error after the release of NXE for the 360. Because there was so much fanboy backlash over the red rings, many people did not take the website seriously, some even accusing them of just trying to stir up controversy. Though the tune changed for most people when Microsoft included this error in the RROD warranty extension, it did distract people from the truth of the issue and from the fact that Joystiq was just trying to bring a problem to light.
3. Fanboys end up wasting our time and energy: I am a fan of Adam Sessler from X-Play, and I used to listen to his Sessler’s Soapbox podcast. I will never forget the one he did after X-Play gave Killzone 2 a 5 out of 5 stars. He spent it addressing the emails they received from the fanboys. Sure, it was not surprising that the 360 fanboys tried to put it down, but what was amazing was the mail they received from PS3 fanboys stating it was obvious that, even though they gave it a 5, they were still ragging on the game. One even asked if Microsoft paid X-Play to give the game a 5. Needless to say, Sessler was not happy, and he expressed his displeasure rather vocally. His main point, however, was that he could not understand why people could just not accept the fact that the game was good, even if it was not for their favorite console. I believe we all have felt that way about fanboys.
4. Fanboys polarize the gaming community: I probably do not need to explain this one. Gaming is on the verge of making a huge breakthrough. More and more people are becoming gamers, and more gamers are growing up and becoming major contributors to the world around us. At the same time, video games are seeing attacks from people who just do not understand the medium and are afraid of it. As gamers, we need to stand united against this, but the fanboys tend to divide us against each other instead. Let’s face it; we have more than likely been drawn into arguments with fanboys that have left us turning on other gamers. Sure, when we are more level headed, we would never get into these arguments, but fanboys tend to bring out the worst in us. We need to stand together as gamers if we want our hobby to really become widely accepted, not breaking into stupid infighting because of the fanboys.

When it comes right down to it, fanboys are not helping gaming in any way. As gamers, we have put up with them long enough.

If we ever want gaming to be taken seriously, we nee to call for an end to fanboys.

After all, we all know the Dreamcast was the ultimate console. All others are pretenders to the throne.

Salem and Rios are back and this time the platonic pair find themselves stuck in Shanghai when the proverbial crap has hit the fan. The entire city crumbles around the duo and the simple goal of getting out of dodge quickly spirals into large scale fire fights and unexpected moral dilemma’s. Rios or Salem, the choice is yours. Just make sure after you pick one, you find a friend to pick the other. Although the game does feature a command for initiating a game of rock-paper-scissors at anytime (in the middle of chaotic gun fight perhaps), do the fist bumps and aggro meters really make this game a must buy? Or should Salem and Rios figure this one out without your help?

The Story So Far..

Being a hired gun isn’t the world easiest job, and this time Salem and Rios have really drawn the short end of the stick on what seemed like a slam dunk job. When a easy job turns complicated, Salem and Rios are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Spanning only a few days, the pair must survive long enough to escape from Shanghai and find out who is behind all the destruction. The game isn’t exactly Hemingway material, but it does a good enough job of letting you know who you are shooting at and why..most of the time. You might not be all that interested in where you are headed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride their. Two grizzled mercenaries with big guns and even bigger armor shoot everything that moves…while wearing fancy hockey masks. Don’t expect award winning story telling and you won’t be disappointed.

How Is The Gameplay?

It plays pretty much exactly how you think it would. Over the shoulder shooting with cover to cover mechanics straight out of the Gears of War play book. It’s not terribly innovative, but it does a good job of providing nice clean controls that help you navigate the world easily, aside from some issues with making your character take cover as oppose to leaping over it. With a couple new additions to the controls and some improved AI in your buddy, as well as the enemies, the game manages to fix most of the pressing issues people had with the first game. Not to say the AI will blow you away, but it’s definitely competent. Aggro is back in a big way in The 40th Day, making flanking one of the most effective strategies in the game. Most mini-bosses can be easily beaten as long as you have a teammate to distract him as you sneak around back and shoot the exploding backpacks or gas tanks. If you choose to tackle the game alone, prepare to do a fair bit of partner managing which can sometimes feel like a drag.

Salem and Rios

Luckily the controls for teammate orders are simple enough and pretty effective. If you’ve played the first game or Gears of War, you will pick this game up almost instantly. Prepare to mow through the game in around 5 hours or so, which feels like a pretty good length. Much longer and the tricks the game pulls might have become tired. You can only save some many hostages before it gets old.

One of the best parts of the game is the level of customization you have over the characters and their weapons. Score money for completing objectives and rescuing hostages to spend on new guns and all sorts of upgrades. Deck out your weapons in all sorts of ugly color schemes (tiger stripes, rainbow puzzle pieces) and attach scopes and silencers to help increase or decrease weapons stats. The game features plenty of different weapons and unlocking all the attachments for them would be a serious commitment to playing the game.

Not everything is the game is simply an improvement, some features are completely new. The 40th Day takes some time to engage the player with moral choices that have you picking one of two options to a problem. Do I kill this person and take his stuff, or do I let him go? Either way you choose to handle yourself, you will be treated to a comic book style cut scene showing the ramifications of your choice.  Some of the most interesting stuff in the game is entirely contained in these small choice segments. It’s a nice addition that helps add some much needed character depth, it’s a shame the first player to make a choice speaks for both of you.

The Multiplayer

It is an absolute shame that the multiplayer made such a bad impression on me. Lag and wacky grenade spamming turned me off almost instantly. Even with just five thousand people online, every match I entered was rendered unplayable due to lag. I’m sure the problem isn’t global, but it sure did a fine job of ruining it for me personally. What little I did get to enjoy in between lag attacks seemed to be pretty fun.

Shooting Blind

The game takes after Killzone 2 in its mid-game mode switching which keeps the action going and spices things up. Grab a buddy and give it a shot, but I wouldn’t say it’s the games strong point.

Closing Remarks

Ubisoft has managed to deliver on pretty much everything I was expecting in Army of Two The 40th Day. The new addition of a morality system feels like a natural fit for the series and I hope this is a trend that will be even further expanded upon in the next game. Although it is another game with Nolan North as a main character, the voice acting in the game does a fine job of defining it’s characters and showcasing their reactions to the story. The game shows some of it’s legs with the much improved multiplayer and the ability for gamers to log onto the EA site and create custom masks, ala Skate 2, to help set their character apart online. It’s a nice addition to the series, but if anything customization and the morality system could stand to be pushed even further. I can’t say for certain that you must play this game, but you probably can determine for yourself by now if you are interested. Expect explosions early and often, a story that does just enough to explain the gun fights, lots of bullets and some good ol’ fashion co-op fun.

You know, I was not really interested in Brutal Legend at first. Granted, Tim Schafer is a brilliant game designer, having made games the defy genres and are considered among the best made, even if they did not sell well. It’s just that I am not a fan of Jack Black. Sure, he can be funny when he is reigned in, but he often is not, and I figured with the game being M Rated, he would be allowed to run free. Still, I decided to give it a chance.

In the end, I am glad I did. This game is one not to be missed.

A world ruled by Heavy Metal

So let me get one thing straight from the very beginning: this game is weird. Now that may not be too much of a surprise when you consider who created the game. You enter the twisted world of Brutal Legend as Eddie Riggs, the best roadie in the world stuck in a dead end job working for what passes as a metal band. A stage accident draws you into a world run by metal music ruled by Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil and his Glam Rock minion General Lionwhyte. Opposing them are Lars and Lita Halford and Ophelia, who meets Eddie when he first appears in this new world. Working alongside this motley crew (pun fully intended), Eddie forms Ironheade, a rag tag army of head banging youth forced to work in the mines, rocker girls with long distance arsenal, bass playing healers riding hogs and numerous other “warriors” taken from a metal motif.

Schafer has created an entire world based on Heavy Metal…as only he can.

If you think the storyline is twisted, wait till you play the game itself. Brutal Legend is primarily an open world brawler akin to God of War. You control Eddie, whose primary weapons are his enchanted axe and his guitar, which, when played in combat, can create various effects combining lightning and fire and allows for some rather serious combos. There’s more to it, however. Add in part rhythm game as you come across different “sacred solos” to play on the guitar, doing anything from raising relics to rallying the troops in battle. Another one of the solos calls forth the Druid Plow, and upgradable hot rod that not only allows you to traverse the the open world areas more quickly but also get involved in races and vehicular combat. Then come the stage battles: a mixture of brawler and real time strategy in which you and your army must complete the task at hand, be it just survive the battle or take down an enemy stronghold. To power your army, you draw energy from “fans,” geysers of spirits in the earth. You draw this energy from them by “Playing to the Fans,” a solo that erects a merch booth that becomes both your source of power and your weakest point in battle. Basically, Tim has attempted to bring several game play styles together on on package.

Does it work?

Brutal Legend is a kind of a hard game to score. On the one hand, it is a rather brilliant amalgam of gaming styles. The combat is strong, and though the real time strategy elements are simplistic, they are well done. On top of that, Schafer has constructed an impressive world around this unusual game. The storyline runs deep. with plenty of back story to be found by the curious. Then there is the humor in the game, something that really sets Schafer apart as a game designer. Brutal Legend contains a dry wit that, while it rarely gets you to laugh at loud, keeps you in a bemused state that makes the game rather enjoyable. Everything from the cloaking roadies, who hide in the shadows and tend not to be seen, to the Lord of Metal from whom you can buy upgrades, voiced rather appropriately by Ozzy Osbourne, just seems to fit within the twisted yet ultimately clever design.

On the other hand, the game is not all fun. As the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none, and Brutal Legend suffers from thisat points. While the combination of styles is well done, none of them feel quite fully fleshed out. The open world is nice, but as often happens in these kind of games, you start to run out of things to do. The game starts to take on a little bit of the “Been there, done that” feeling. On top of that, Schafer seems to fall prey to to some of the trappings of games of this ilk, including really bad escort missions and some rather poor side quests.

Most gamers will find themselves enjoying the game despite its flaws.

It’s still worth it

In the end, Brutal Legend is neither as good as many people have said it is or as bad some of my criticism may lead you to believe. Most gamers will enjoy this game, which is a departure from the norm, something Schafer is known for doing well. Add to that the rather nice feature of built in censors for those of us who would rather not see all the gore or hear all the foul language, dealt with in a rather humorous flair worthy of the famous game designer, and you have a game I can recommend in spite of its flaws. Brutal Legend gets a 4 out of 5.

I first saw WET when it was announced a while back and I wasn’t very impressed. I thought it was a joke and I was positive it would be a flop or not even get published. Well, the day has come and WET has been released into the wild and boy did it exceed my expectations by far.

WET reminds me a lot of Stranglehold, the emphasis is on slo-mo and acrobatic kills. Basically you do certain actions like jump, wall-run, or slide which then trigger slow motion that lasts about 5 seconds. One of your guns aims automatically and you aim the other gun manually, this makes it possible to kill two people at the same time. Combine this acrobatic gameplay and a highly stylized art direction and you have the basis of WET. WET reminds me of the Kill Bill movies and I think it was made like this on purpose. You will even see drive-in commercials in between some of segments. The whole art direction, I would say, was made to make WET look like a movie.

Rubi Malone, the main character, wields guns and a sword. Guns are for slow motion combat and the sword is for close combat. There are certain areas in the game that I like to call “battle areas” and you will know you are about to enter one of these areas when a cut-scene of Rubi doing some gun-slinger tricks plays. In these areas you are to destroy the enemy spawn points by slashing them with the sword. Once all spawn points are destroyed you are to defeat the rest of the enemies. After you complete a level you are taken to a screen where you can purchase new moves and perks. You gain “style points” in each level based on how well you do. Once you complete a chapter of the game you are taken back to your “junk yard” which is basically where you can practice all of your skills. There are also challenges to be completed there. I wasn’t sure I actually liked the idea of the junk yard, I felt like the game would be better suited as a campaign with no stops from start to finish. There are also other sequences in the game that stick out from the rest and make you go “Wow” like the “Rage Mode.” Rage Mode happens at random points in the game and basically just makes the graphics look similar to MadWorld but with red, black, and white. To watch Rage Mode in action check out my video here. There are also quick time sequences in the game. One of them took place on a highway during a fast paced car chase while Rubi leaped from one car to the other shooting enemies in slow motion. It was these sequences that made the game feel unlike any other game I’ve played.

WET is a great looking game, the art direction is fantastic and I was also impressed with how gritty the game is. Usually I am not a fan of intense violence but it fits well in WET. Again, WET feels like a movie and I almost wish they would turn it into one as I think it could be very enjoyable. One last thing I want to add is that the soundtrack to the game is stellar. It fits the game perfectly and really adds to the action on the screen.

I was a little surprised to hear that Bethesda decided to take on publishing WET but I can see now they made a great choice. Hopefully WET will get the attention it deserves. The bottom line is that I really enjoyed it,  it’s pure fun, very artistic, and I would recommend picking it up if you like Stranglehold or if you like the idea of a Kill Bill game.

If you are interested in WET check out my play-through of the demo here. You can also download the demo on Xbox 360 or PS3.

First, let’s get this out of the way.  Batman: Arkham Asylum is an exceptional game worth the price of admission.  Your wait for a game that actually makes you feel like the Dark Night himself is over.  Doing my best to keep you hidden from spoilers, your trek through Arkham Asylum will have you swinging, sneaking, destroying, bludgeoning and detectiving (wait is that even a word) until the very end.

This next paragraph is the well known plot of the game but if you don’t want any spoilers skip it. Your long night as Batman starts out with returning Joker to his rightful home at Arkham Asylum, an island near Gotham City which houses the criminally insane.  Batman realizes that the Joker surrendered too easily and feels like something is amiss.  Before you know it Joker has the upper hand and his capture was a setup to extinguish “The Bat”.  Arkham Asylum is now under the Joker’s control with the help of his groupie Harley Quinn.

Batman is an everyman hero, built from revenge striking fear in the hearts and minds of criminals without the use of “super powers”, which is exactly how you feel when playing with your enemies.  Unarmed inmates are handled with earth shattering combos; each hit feels like you just dropped a sledge hammer on your foe, quiet satisfying to say the least.  Combat is smooth and effortless never feeling awkward.  Your 4 face buttons are assigned to attack, counter, evade and stun.  Dealing with armed enemies demands a more stealth-like approach.  Even though Batman is built like a tank a few gunshots can take him down like the rest of us.  In order to stay out of harms way you can grapple up to the rafters by way of strategically placed gargoyles where you are basically invisible.  This can feel a bit cheesy at times, once spotted all you have to do is swing to a few of these and it was like you were never there, enemies seeming unaware that you just swung 40 feet to the left.  You will also find other environmental aids to hide in the shadows like air ducts and trap doors.  Sneak up on an enemy and you’re rewarded with a silent takedown, cutting off their air supply until they are out cold.  One of my personal favorites is hanging from a ledge and at just the right moment you can smash their head against a guard rail and drop them over the edge.  Many tools are at your disposal to rid yourself of these pests.  Batarangs, grappling hooks and explosive gel all lend to the fun.  Let your imagination run wild here, drop a baddy near an electric door and when their buddy comes to check on them, kindly guide them into it.  Effortlessly string up a villain to a gargoyle and startle their partners by cutting him down with a Batarang, at just the right moment.  Those are just a few examples of how much diversity can be had with the combat system, half the fun is seeing what you can come up with.  Batman has a leveling system based on experience points which are rewarded for stringing combat moves together and mixing up your fighting style.  Each “level” progression provides you with an unlockable item; enhanced Batsuit, detective aid, combat increase or Batarang upgrade.  The upgrades are handled nicely and there is not an overwhelming amount to try and unlock.

Arkham Asylum’s immersion factor rivals the underwater world of Rapture in Bioshock and it’s a good thing it does because backtracking is a very familiar task.  It’s certainly not without reason.  In most games it would feel like a cheap tactic to extend the game play, no so with Arkham Asylum.  Backtracking never feels tired or bothersome.  The environment also changes as the events of the night unfold.  Your first play-through will take around 10-12 hours depending on your play style, I say first because I definitely feel this game warrants at least another run.  The Riddler left behind plenty of riddles to challenge your detective skills, finding them is worth while as they unlock character bios, interview tapes and help increase your overall experience.

Rocksteady has created something special with Batman: Arkham Asylum.  Many may not care for the ending as it seems somewhat out of place but of the few gripes I have, are all trumped by the sheer impressiveness of the entire package.  The pacing, graphics, attention to detail and overall presentation are exceptional and I will say it again this is a must play.

To me, Peggle falls into this category. At its heart, this is such a simple puzzle game, but I would dare anyone to spend a little time with it and not get hooked.

All you do is launch the ball

When it comes right down to it, the gameplay for Peggle is extremely simple. You have a little cannon launcher at the top of the screen. You use it to aim at the pegs on the board, the plan being to send the ball ricocheting off those pegs. The majority of these pegs, which in later levels can be bricks, are blue, and hitting them just gives you points. The pegs you need to focus on are the orange ones; to advance to the next level, you must hit all of them. Every time you fire a ball out of the cannon, you use up one of the balls in your stock for that level. Run out of balls before you hit all the orange pegs, and you do not advance to the next level.

That’s it. That is the basic gameplay. Seriously, that is the basis of the entire game. Now granted, you do get the ball slowing down when it is about to hit the final orange peg, and if you do hit it, ‘Ode to Joy” starts playing as your ball travels to the bottom of the screen to get your bonuses, but that is the whole point of the game.

It may not look like much, but Peggle will keep you coming back for more.

It’s the ways the game designers tweak the game from there that makes it so addictive.

Gems, Powerups and Extra Balls

Remember how I said you use up one of your stock of balls every time you fire one out of the cannon? Well, you can gain extra balls in the game, which makes it easier to pass levels. You can gain these extra lives, if you will, a couple of different ways. The easiest is to make sure your ball drops into the little cup that moves back and forth across the bottom of the screen. The other way is to score enough points in one shot that you earn an extra ball. You do this by hitting more pegs in a single shot or by accomplishing skill shots, which are ricochets that occur over a great distance.

Then there are the purple pegs. Before each shot, one of the blue pegs will turn purple. If you hit this purple peg, you get a higher score for that shot. Once you hit a certain number within the level, you are taken to another board where you use the bumpers to bounce the balls and collect the gems to gain more points, which in turn gives you extra balls.

The green pegs are the ones you really want to hit, however. Each level will have two green pegs. Hitting these pegs will activate a special power. The power varies based on what master you ware working with in the adventure mode. They include such abilities as gaining a guideline that shows where your ricochet is going to go, fireballs that will go right through pegs, magic hats that highlight any pegs they touch as if the ball hit them or the zen shot, which adjusts your shot just a touch to give you a better score. These power ups are what really makes this game so addicting.

In the end, Peggle is not some phenomenal, groundbreaking game that makes you rethink puzzle games. It is incredibly addicting, however, and I guarantee you will find it very hard to stop playing. It may not sound like much, but trust me; you just need to try it to get hooked. Peggle gets a 4 out of 5.

It may not have started where you think it started

Do you remember where the whole Marvel characters appearing in Capcom fighting games got its start? Many of you may be thinking X-Men VS Street Fighter, but there was one before that: Marvel Superheroes. This game pit several of the major characters from the comics against each other in an attempt to stop Thanatos, who was in control of the Infinity Gauntlet. That was followed by the aforementioned game, and things eventually lead to Marvel VS Capcom.

Marvel VS Capcom brought a cavalcade of characters into play, with you picking two to work in tag team battles throughout the game. It was heralded by many people to be one of the most interesting fighting games out there, and the crowds it used to draw would have rivaled the Street Fighter 2 games if the arcade hadn’t been on the downturn. Before the local arcade really hit its end, however, Capcom released the the sequel, and people were just blown away.

Though it can be a little frantic, Marvel VS Capcom 2 is an excellent game.

Marvel VS Capcom 2 did the unthinkable. Not only did it once again pair the Marvel and Capcom worlds together, but it brought 56 characters into the field. This game was just about pinnacle of the 2D fighting games, so when news came out that it was getting released for the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, gamers like myself rejoiced.

The only concern was whether not not game would live up to our expectations. Thankfully, it does more than that.

Tag team insanity

At first glance, one might think that Marvel VS Capcom 2 is a more simplistic game than its predecessor. After all, the game does remove two of the attack buttons, making it easier to play for those not as used to the Street Fighter button layout. The other two buttons are replaced with assist buttons, which allow you to call in your teammates for help.

That’s right, I said teammates. Unlike the first game in the series, Marvel VS Capcom 2 lets you select three characters, not 2. Not only do you get to call in your partners for assist attacks in the middle of combat, but when you select your characters, you can choose what type of assistance they are going to give, which may include capture attacks, projectile, anti air or others. How you choose to use these assists can determine just how well you perform in the fight; in the later stages, it is crucial to know how to pull them off.

You can switch from among your characters at anytime during the fight, with characters who are not currently fighting being able to regain some of their lost health. You have to be careful, however. If your character loses all it’s health, you cannot use it the rest of that battle. On top of that, characters who are coming in for assists can be hurt. So when it comes dow to it, you really have to know how to use your characters well.

56 characters, assists and team super combos make this a game you need to play.

So who do you choose? The answer to that question generally stems from what kind of player you are. With 56 characters to chose from (all the unlockable characters are unlocked from the beginning for 360/PS3), there are fighters to fit anyone’s style. The main thing you want to keep in mind is what characters will complement each other well. For example, you probably do not want to choose three melee fighters or projectile players. Sure, you may do well against certain teams, but a well balanced team will be able to take you out.

Special attacks

Of course there is more to the game than just your normal attacks and combos. As was the case with the games before it, you can build up your combo meter, which will allow you to unleash major attacks on your opponent. What is nice is every character has at least 2 of these special attacks, and some have more, even if they are only slight variations. You can build up to 5 levels on your combo meter, which not only allows you to use multiple super attacks back to back but also do combined supers, calling in your teammates to do even more damage. Of course, each additional character you bring in uses another bar of your combo meter.

There is one other type of special attack in the game. If you can time it right, you can knock an opponent off the level, forcing your opponent to use another character. That character you just knocked out will be unusable for a time, which can be really strategic, forcing your enemy to use a character he would rather not have to use against you. If you can do it twice in a row, you can force your opponent to use just one character for a time, which can be very advantageous. This attack will use one bar of your combo meter, but it is more than worth it.

So any bonuses for the new version?

With the tendency to add new graphics or other things to the new versions of games being released on Xbox Arcade, you would think Capcom would add something to Marvel VS Capcom 2. Sadly, that is not the case. Other than having all the characters unlocked up front, this is the same game Dreamcast fans have had for a while.

Of course, there is the online play. You could maybe argue the ability to play over Live or PSN is a new addition, since it does bring in Player, Ranked and Custom matches, but in the end it is not much of an addition. Even the graphics are the same, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Though it would have been nice if Capcom had added something this this game, It really did not need it in the end.

So if you were a fan of the original game or just like 2D fighters, Marvel VS Capcom 2 is a must own game. Though it may have its issues, the game still holds up very well, and it is more than worth the price. Marvel VS Capcom 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

So week two of the 30 Reviews in 30 Days feature is now behind us. This is the half-way point: after today’s reviews, I will have written half of the reviews I will end up writing for this feature. Before I get to a review I have been needing to write for a long time, let’s take a quick look of last weeks games:

Monday: Following my feature review of Damnation, I reviewed one of the most unique RPGs Square Enix has ever made: The World Ends With You. This is one of the best DS RPGs out there.

Tuesday: Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has a unique take on puzzle gaming and is worth trying.

Wednesday: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords managed to combine puzzle games and RPGs, something most gamers did not think could be done.

Thursday: My review of Mirror’s Edge was not exactly praise worthy. If you like the game, more power to you. I don’t.

Friday: My second Xbox Indie Game review was Artoon. This Q-Bert like platformer is a little quirky, but a lot of fun.

Saturday: The Retroview made its return with my review of The Lost Vikings. Blizzard scored a hit with this puzzle-platformer, and if you are a retrogamer, you need to play it.

So that brings me to Day 15, and a game review I have started and restarted several times. In a way, I am glad I waited this long. I think my review of Street Fighter IV will more than likely be more balanced now that I have had a little time away from it.

The Legend returns to its roots

Remember when Capcom first announced it was releasing Street Fighter IV? From what I remember, the reactions were mixed. Some people wondered if Capcom was going to do a halfway decent job of bringing the Street Fighter series to the current generation of consoles. The first trailer didn’t exactly alleviate any of those concerns. Sure, the graphics looked pretty good, but their was an odd style choice with the ink splotches thrown in. Gamers were left wondering just what to expect.

What was my reaction? Well, I was hoping for a return to the days of the arcade, when I would wait my turn to take on the current champion. Street Fighter II was the game that truly made me a gamer, so I was hoping Street Fighter IV would go back to that feel. Hoping, but not expecting. As the game drew closer to its release, that hope began to grow. As I got to see more of the graphic style and gameplay, I began to really get excited. The game was going back to the old school 2D gameplay with 3D character models, a move that made it look impressive graphically but still feel like the old game. Capcom was also bringing back most of the characters from the Super Street Fighter II version of the game, along with some new characters and fighters from the lore of the series. All in all, the game looked great. So when I took my 360 over to a friend’s house the day I bought the game, I was looking forward to seeing if this game would recapture the magic of the series. I was not disappointed. The game brought back the old feelings of pure joy I used to have when playing Street Fighter II.

Old meets new

Street Fighter IV does a fantastic job of blending tradition fighting gameplay with new mechanics and characters. The primary object of the game remains the same: KO the opponent before he can KO you. Each character has their own unique set of moves, strengths and fighting styles, giving almost anyone the opportunity to find someone they can use. Like any fighting game, the gameplay is all about combos, counters and timing. The good news is Capcom does not try to reinvent the genre they helped pioneer.

Ultra Combos are well animated, and they can quickly change the battle in your favor.

The company did add a few of things that make it a little more interesting, however. First, there is the return from previous Street Fighter games of the Super Combo. You build up energy based on the attacks you perform, and once you have enough, you can launch powerful versions of your special attacks that will really damage the opponent. Second is the focus attack, which allows you to absorb one hit by the opponent while getting ready to deliver a counter move that can lead to a nice combo. It’s the third addition that really spices things up, however. The more damage you take, the more power you build up in your Revenge Meter. Once that is full, you can pull off your character’s Ultra Combo, a cinematic attack that usually involves several hits and lots of damage. This Ultra Combo can turn the tide of battle quickly, allowing a player who has been getting hammered to even the odds a bit. These attacks are both impressive and sometimes humorous, and they are a joy to watch. Capcom animated these attacks very well.

Here comes  a New Challenger

Street Fighter IV is loaded with characters both old and new. Along with the returning cast, four totally new characters have entered the World Tournament:

Abel: A French mixed martial artist, Abel has no memories of who he is. He approaches Chun Li because he knows she is investigating the Shadaloo. She invites him to take part in the World Tournament, and he accepts, hoping it will help him remember. Abel is a power house character who is not as slow as many of the other heavy hitters in the game.

Crimson Viper: Viper is an American who is testing a new technologically enhanced battle suit to sell in the black market. Though she portrays herself as a mercenary for hire, there is more to her than meets the eye. She is a speedy character with some unusual attacks thanks to her technology.

Abel, C Viper, Rufus and El Fuerte are welcome additions to the line up.

Rufus: Rufus is overweight, obnoxious and absolutely obsessed with proving he is a better fighter than Ken. Do not let his size fool you, though. Rufus is a surprisingly fast Kung Fu style fighter.

El Fuerte: A man of conflicted dreams, El Fuerte is a luchador who dreams of being a gourmet chef. He is the most unique fighter in the game, making him difficult to face as an opponent.

On top of these new characters, there are several characters you can unlock by playing the game, including Akuma, Sakura, Dan and, for the first time in a Street Fighter game, Gouken, the trainer of Ryu and Ken.

Excellent gameplay, a fantastic online mode, multiple characters, challenge modes….is there anything this game does not do well?

Yes, there is: Seth.

What was Capcom thinking?

Do you remember the first time you made it to Bison in Street Fighter II? Here was this man with soulless, glowing eyes that was able to tear you apart with his martial arts and psycho powers. At first, he seemed unbeatable, but after playing him a few times and watching others face him, you begin to figure out ways to take him down. The first time you manage to beat him, you feel a certain amount of pride at finally figuring out how to beat this menace.Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the final boss of Street Fighter IV. Where Bison was intimidating, this boss is almost comical: a genetically engineered fighter with a spinning yin yang globe in place of his torso. Oh, and Capcom in their infinite wisdom thought Seth would be a good name for this boss. Seth? Are you kidding me? I’ve met cronies in other games with more intimidating names then that.

Ridiculous looking, cheap and named Seth. Did Capcom really this would be a good boss?

I wish the bad news about this character stopped there, but it doesn’t. Seth is by far the cheapest character in the game. He constantly manages to pull off attacks at times that no other character in the game would be able to do. Take for example the time I went to hit him with Ryu’s Super Combo Hadoken. Seth, who when I had started the attack was vulnerable from a hit I had just delivered, manages to grab me through the blast and spin slam me to the ground. The problem with beating Seth is you really do not get that sense of pride you do when beating Bison in the older games; instead, you just kind of feel lucky. End bosses are a major part of fighting games. Ruining them can almost ruin the game. Fortunately, Street Fighter IV has enough going for it that Seth does not ruin it. This is the first fighting game I have played since Marvel VS Capcom 2 that really made me remember why I once loved these 2D fighting games. While I probably would have given the game a perfect rating had I reviewed it right after it came out, time has lead me to look at this game with a little less nostalgia for the older games. Still, Street Fighter IV is a great game, and it gets a 4 out of 5.

Sorry Yuoma. No 5 for you.

One thing should have clued me into the fact this game might not be as good as I was thinking. I was visiting my local Play N Trade and noticed they had Mirrors Edge set up on one of the 360 consoles, so I decided to try it. It was not long before I found myself getting quickly frustrated, especially when I was suddenly dropped into a area with three armed guards and just kept dying. I figured that I had missed the tutorial and would be better equipped to play the game if I started from the beginning.

Turns out I was wrong.

Mirror’s Edge had all the makings of a great game. It just fell short.

It seemed like such a good idea

As I mentioned earlier, you take on the role of Faith in Mirror’s Edge. You are a runner: a message deliverer who uses parkour to traverse the roof tops and deliver sensitive materials people do not want to fall into the hands of the totalitarian government. When your sister is framed for murder, you make it your mission to clear her name and bring to light the conspiracy that left the one person who might change things dead. Not the most original plot line, but it had potential.

Mirror’s Edge was going to be a unique experience for gamers. Faith was not a combatant; she was a runner. As such, it would be to your advantage to use the environment to avoid conflicts. You also have what they call “Runner Vision,” which marks in red the areas you need to go to proceed further into the levels. You had to be able to run, jump, roll and time your movements right to be able to reach the next area, and this was something that was supposed to be simple.

Notice I said “supposed to be simple.” That’s because it is not. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is the choice of first person perspective. While that does give you a feel for the speed of movement, it makes it a little hard really measure jumps and other actions. I understand it was a design choice, but I cannot help but feel like it may have been better and easier to play in third person. The other problem is the button combinations for movement are not intuitive. When you are rapidly having to remember a whole series of button presses just to complete a jump, you find you are so focused on the buttons you are not being drawn into the game itself. Compared this to the ease of similar movements in games like Assassin’s Creed, Damnation or Prince of Persia, and Mirror’s Edge just seems needlessly complex. I even menti0ned on a podcast this game made me realize how much I would not have liked Assassin’s Creed if I had to push a button for each movement.

And then there’s the combat

While the movement in this game is overly complex, the combat is just flat out broken. Once again, this was a design choice, and in this case it was a poor one. Faith is not a fighter, and the game designers wanted to make sure you knew this. As a result, they made it very difficult to deal with anymore than one enemy at a time.

Mirror’s Edge’s Graphics are impressive. Its gameplay…not so much.

Fighting in this game is just flat out clunky. You can try to get up close and deal with an opponent in hand to hand combat, but generally you are not going to win a straight up fight. You can slide into an opponent and kick them, but it is really hard to be accurate with that, and if you miss you leave yourself wide open for counter attacks. In the end, your best bet is to try and get in close enough the enemy decides for some reason to try and hit you with the gun instead of shoot you. The gun will turn red for a short period of time as the enemy takes a swing at you, and if you hit the right button, you can disarm him. While the concept is not a bad one, there is a major flaw in it: for some reason, enemies with bigger guns take less time swinging them back to hit you, so you have less time to disarm. This almost seems counter intuitive, but then again so does hitting someone with a gun in the first place.

The problematic combat would not be that big of an issue if you could avoid fighting. The biggest problem with this game is, for a game that is not supposed to be about combat, you sure find yourself in many areas where you have to rely on it at least to an extent. In other words, you have to use this broken fighting system to get through areas of the game. I wish the developers had actually decided to either give you the chance to avoid the combat or make the fight controls work. This was just way too frustrating.

And so the game falls short

I really wanted to like Mirror’s Edge. The anime cut scenes were a nice touch. The story, while nothing new, was intriguing. Some of the parkour elements in the game were really impressive. After getting about five or six levels into the game, however, I found myself getting much too frustrated with it to keep playing. I was tired of hitting several buttons to make any kind of significant movement in the game. I was ready to throw my controller the next time I actually had to engage an enemy in combat. In the end, I decided I had just had enough and sent the game back to Gamefly.

What else can I say? This game is not horrible by any means, but I cannot bring myself to recommend it. If you really want to play it, I would recommend renting it first so you don’t find yourself regretting the purchase. Mirror’s Edge gets a 2 out of 5.

There are 4 modes: Rescue the Princess, Snatch N’ Grab, Team Deathmatch, and Invasion. Rescue the Princess has to be the most popular of the group as I would say it’s what the game is built around. Each team has the other teams princess locked up in their castle, the object of the game is to steal your princess back and bring her to your castle so that you have both princesses in possession. Then you must defend the castle for a short amount of time. The Team Deathmatch mode is self-explanatory. Each person you kill is worth one point, first to 250 wins. In the Snatch N’ Grab mode you are to capture the enemy princess as many times as possible in the amount of time given, once you capture her she goes back to the castle to be captured again. The team with the most captures wins. The last mode, Invasion, has both teams trying to capture and hold outposts while defeating the enemy team.

Fat Princess is a very overwhelming game at first. When I started playing it for the first time I had no idea what I was doing. The “How To Play” section helps a bit but really it’s a lot of reading and you won’t understand the game until you play a few rounds. There are 5 different classes in FP: The Mage, the Priest, the Ranger, the Warrior, and the Villager. The Mage can throw fire and ice from it’s magic wand. The Priest can heal teammates and suck the life from enemies, the Ranger uses ranged weapons like the bow and arrow and when upgraded, a gun. The Warrior has a sword and shield and when upgraded can use a longer sword. The Villager is in my opinion the most interesting class. The Villager is the work force, he is responsible for cutting down trees and mining for silver. If enough wood and silver is collected the Villager can then upgrade the classes. The Villager can also build stuff such as ladders to the enemy castle, catapults, and even trampolines. When upgraded the Villager can throw bombs at people.

Fat Princess is in my opinion a great game but the game really depends on who you play with. Sometimes if you get lucky you will have an awesome group who knows how to use teamwork, other times you are stuck with people who run off and try to win the games by themselves. FP relies heavily on teamwork, when the team works together it almost always results in a victory. My only complaint would be that there are not enough people using headsets. Every once in a while I hear someone say “good game” and didn’t even hear them say a word during the match.

But honestly, I love the rush I get when I capture the princess and slowly make it back to the castle with all of my teammates defending me. It’s a great feeling. If you have a PS3 and $15 to shell out for Fat Princess then I suggest you do it. You will have a great time.

It all started well

FEAR 2 sort of picks up where its predecessor left off. I say sort of, as you do not even control the main character from the first game. Instead, you find yourself playing Michael Becket, a member of an elite team sent to take Geneveieve Aristide into protective custody right about the time the protagonist in the first game destroys the reactor at the Origin Facility, setting Alma free and ruining the city around it from both a physical and supernatural standpoint.

This of course opens up a whole new set of problems. Now not only are you trying to survive the aftermath of the explosion, you are faced with the task of stopping a teenage phantom with an axe to grind. This leads you through a hospital full of failed experiments to make replica generals, ruined city streets filled with replica soldiers, puppet masters and ghosts of those who once lived there and, most haunting of all, a school where…things are just not quite right.

Sure, the pule rifle is nice, but the laser and even the mech…not so much.

As you make your way through this barren landscape, you begin to understand that you and your team were a part of a project known as “Harbinger,” a top secret project to create teams of super soldiers lead by telepathic generals. You also learn thanks to the help of “Snake Fist” that Aristide has an ulterior motive, and that you may be the only one who has a chance at stopping Alma.

It all seems fine, and everything plays out fairly well to a point…till it all kind of falls apart. You see, you come to this amazing point in the game where you ware making your way to the Origin Facility. As you make you approach, you have to walk into the blast crater, walking on the walls of the buildings as if you they were the ground. It is an amazingly striking visual, and you cannot help but think the ending is going to be great. The problem is that is really the high point of the game, and beyond that it all starts to fall apart.

When a good thing turns bad

One of the fist things you will notice about FEAR 2 is it is not a very tight shooter. This isn’t really too much trouble as you do have the ability to slow down time. Something that that helps you deal with the fact you are constantly outnumbered. You also have a variety of weapons to choose from throughout the game, but with rare exception, they are not really all that impressive. Useful, but they’ve all been done before. The one exception is the weapon given to you by Snake Fist, a pulse weapon that works great against the replica assassins in the game, but runs out of ammo in no time. You never do find any more for it.

Anyway, back to the not-so-tight controls. This becomes really annoying in the final stages of the game, where you are dealing with overwhelming odds and numerous replica assassins, which require precision. The problem is the controls will not give you that kind of precision. One of the most annoying segments in the last levels is the tram ride, where you are being attacked from soldiers on all sides. You really are trying to to conserve ammo while taking down your opponents, but that is easier said than done when you cannot line up your shots accurately and quickly. Now in full disclosure, I was playing the Xbox 360 version of the game, and the controls may be more precise on the PC, but that is no excuse in my book. Other companies, including Valve and Infinity Ward, have found ways to make their games shooting mechanic precise on the 360. There is no excuse for Monolith’s somewhat sloppy handling of this gameplay mechanic.

On top of that, there is the “maze” where Alma keeps trowing crates around telekinetically that somehow land in the exact same place they were already in, the ridiculous final battle and the ending that will have you cringing.  I was serious when I said in the podcast that once you get through the crater section I mentioned earlier, you should really stop playing the game. At least then you will not end up with such a bad taste in you mouth.

It’s not all bad news

By this point, you must think I hated Fear 2. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are parts of this game that are truly brilliant. Take for example the sequence in the cells of the hospital. You are stuck in a room with cells that keep opening, releasing the failed attempts to make the replica generals. These people have turned into rather nasty creatures who will stalk you, moving in such a way that makes them rather difficult to hit. The sequence can be nerve racking, making you as a player start looking around every corner, considering the defensibility of every area you must cross.

The atmosphere of FEAR 2 is sufficiently creepy. It’s not a bad game, just not great.

Then there is the school. FEAR 2 goes out of its way to create a creepy and disturbing atmosphere, and nowhere does this atmosphere shine through more than in the school. Imagine walking through an area that should be a place of learning and laughter, only to find grim reminders of the surrounding devastation, strange propaganda being taught in the classrooms, and ghost like apparitions ready to attack you at any turn. It is probably the most impressive section of the game.

The game just tries too hard

In the end, FEAR 2′s biggest problem may be that Monolith tried to hard to make an epic sequel to the first game. Even the mech suit sequences feel like an attempt to upstage the first game. In the attempt to make the game bigger and better than the first, Monolith instead made a game that starts strong but wears out its welcome.

So am I saying you should avoid the game? No, not really. I just think it is more of a rent than a buy, especially when you consider the lackluster multiplayer. While I enjoyed this game, I just cannot give FEAR 2: Project Origin any higher than a 3 out of 5.

So there.

Okay, okay, I’ll get serious. There is no denying the fact that Rock Band was a revolutionary game. Harmonix took what it had learned from making Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution and created something that went beyond being just a game, becoming an experience. I’ll never forget the first time I heard the crowd singing along as I was doing well on a song; a part of me felt like a rock star.

Well, some people were surprised when Harmonix announced Rock Band 2 just a year after the first one. When Harmonix started talking about both the improvements to the game and the set list, however, that surprise and apprehension began to turn into excitement. It was obvious that the company was not content to just make incremental improvements to the game: it wanted to make Rock Band 2 what it had intended to make the first game. The only question was would it succeed?

Taking the World by Storm

As good as the original Rock Band was, there was one major drawback to the game: you could only play World Tour mode with multiple people. Add the fact there wasn’t even a career mode for bass, and some players began to get a little bored with the game.

Rock Band 2 changed all of that. From the very beginning. you could create a band. and any of your band members could play any instrument as opposed to being locked to one. You could even set it up so your band was always with you, having the same characters play with you throughout tour mode. Harmonix Dropped the career mode, substituting it with the tour mode, a move that made the game much more enjoyable. Each instrument is now represented, and you cam play this mode both single player or coop, online or off.

Rock Band 2 lets you create your own band. Mine’s called Slide Rock.

That is not the only change to the gameplay. Harmonix has introduced Challenges into the mix, ranging from decade specific sets to sets consisting of 15+ songs. On top of that, there are the Battle of the Bands, where you and your friends can compete with other bands on specific songs or challenges to see who reigns supreme.

Party Like a Rock Star

While Rock Band 2 is a lot of fun to play alone or online, it is at its heart a party game. I have never seen a game draw more attention from a group of people gathered together than this one. With the 100+ songs in the game (the ones on the disk and the 20 free downloads Harmonix could not fit on the disk), there is something for everyone. Seriously, i mean everyone. I have played this game with friends my age, the youth at church and my mom, and we have all enjoyed it thoroughly.

Rock Band was fun as well, but there was always one drawback to playing the game at parties: someone who did not know how to play could end a song very quickly. To help alleviate that, Harmonix added in a No Fail mode. With this activated, you will be able to finish the song no matter what, something that helps encourage new players to try the game out.

You know a game is good when writing the review makes you want to play it.

Keep On Rocking the Free World

What really sets Rock Band 2 apart is the music. The game comes with some of the standards of rock, including “Eye of the Tiger,” “Carry On Wayward Son,” “Everlong,” “Aqualung”…. You can honestly find soemthing for everyone. the game also let you import all but about 3 songs from the original Rock Band into it. Just from having the original game and the 20 free downloadable songs, you have a lot of music.

Harmonix did not just leave it at that impressive list, however. Every week, new music is released on Xbox Live and Playstation Network for Rock Band 2, with anything from indie artists to full albums by some of the most well known bands out there. Add to that Harmonix’s promise that all songs downloaded for any Rock Band game will be playable in any other Rock Band game, and you have no reason to not have this game in your library. Rock Band 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

Capcom announced the return of the celebrated brawler last week. The new version will feature a filter for the graphics, online play and all the characters unlocked from the start. That’s right, all 56 characters from he two universes will be available from the moment you download the game. Better yet, it’s based on the Dreamcast code for the game, which is widely considered the best as it is the arcade port of the game.

The game will be available for $15/1200 MS points this summer.

Check out this video showing the new graphic filter.

I don’t care if I already own this for the Dreamcast. I will be buying this game.

According to Pete Hines of Bethesda, the game will not be a sequel to Fallout 3 but a new game that takes place in the same universe, just in Las Vegas this time. Not much else was revealed at the company’s London press conference. The game is due next year for the 360, PC and PS3.

Looks like a lot of us will be wasting a whole lot more time in the ruins of a post apocalyptic Sin City.

Source

“Versus” Brings New Online Gameplay Excitement To Resident Evil^TM 5 Via Digital Download

Additional Mode Adds A New, Deadly Twist To RE5 Multiplayer Gameplay

Tired of working together with other players in Resident Evil™ 5? Ready to show your co-op partner exactly what you think of their gaming abilities? Capcom is pleased to announce that a new multiplayer mode for the soon-to-be blockbuster, Resident Evil 5, will be released post-launch as paid digital content via Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network. The new mode, called ‘Versus,’ adds a deadly twist to Resident Evil 5’s multiplayer, pitting players against each other in a contest of survival, a marked departure from the central co-operative nature of the game.

Versus allows up to four players to match wits in online battles across two very different game types. Slayer’s Rule is a point-based game that challenges players to kill Majinis. In Survivor’s Rule, players hunt the most dangerous game, each other! Players can begin the hunt as Chris, Sheva or other secret characters, and choose from either one-on-one or two-versus-two team matches for either of the two gameplay styles.

Versus will be available on Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network a few weeks after Resident Evil 5 is available. Versus will be available for 400 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE or $3.99 on the PlayStation Network. Versus mode requires the Resident Evil game software in order to be played. A broadband internet connection is required.

“The newest entry into the Operation Flashpoint series is one of the most highly-anticipated games of 2009, and today marks the release of a behind-the-scenes video where key developers will take you through how Codemasters’ EGO technology is able to power a game as wide in scope and detailed in focus as Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.

The keen-eyed readers out there will note that we’ve dropped the number 2 from the title, to make it a bit punchier, and to tie the game more to its illustrious forebear.

So, check out the new video at the Official Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising site!“

Source

The Top 5 Things The PS3 Needs to Do
Well I gave Sony there day in court and proved irrefutably, with my Top 5 Reasons to own a PS3, why if you don’t own a PS3 by now you’re a dork (give or take). Okay “irrefutably” and “dork” might be a little strong. Never the less, I believe there are some very compelling reasons to own the system and hope I have demonstrated if nothing else why you should legitimately consider picking one up.

That being said, now it’s time to get our hands dirty. It’s time to stop patting backs and start kicking butts. A little friendly beat down never hurt anyone and in the spirit of constructive criticism I pull no punches as I offer my take on what Sony needs to do, stop doing, improve and outright fix, to start gaining ground in the console war.

The Playstation 3 is a great system and on a strictly platonic level I like the system even more than my 360, but even though I consider the PS3 a better designed, more powerful, more reliable system, these are simply objective observations. My preference for the system is in this regard theoretical, but in practice, unexpressed. Simply put I play my 360 far more as I’m sure most gamers who own both systems can similarly attest.

To spite my admiration for Sony’s powerhouse, there’s simply no denying the advantages of the 360 in terms of games and features. Numbers don’t lie either and there’s a reason the 360 consistently outsells the PS3 on a monthly basis. I can talk about the benefits of the PS3 all day but in the end, ultimately, it’s second fiddle (excluding the Wii, which I play even less) both in terms of usage and sales.

Since Sony seems to be taking their sweet time figuring out what they’re doing it’s apparently up to me. Sony I know you’re reading this. You no longer have any excuse for not being on par with the 360. I give you The Top 5 Things The PS3 Needs to Do.

5. Quit losing exclusives
Let’s start with some basic first aid. The first thing you need to do on a sinking ship, if you’re going to save it, is plug the holes. One of the defining factors in this generation if not the defining factor is the quantity and, interchangeably, the exclusivity of games on a given console. Quite simply, exclusives define a system. Their importance can not be understated. Even cross platform titles are distinguished by exclusive features such as better performance or DLC on a given console. The acknowledged fact is that in terms of exclusivity, of games, DLC, or simply quality of performance, the Xbox has more and does better. But it isn’t just the number of exclusives the system has that’s significant it’s the strategy of what, how, and where.

Not only has Microsoft beaten Sony to the punch for new IP’s like Bioshock, Mass Effect and Left 4 Dead, they have also dealt blows to Sony by ‘borrowing’ some of theirs. What seems unthinkable in the past, and detrimental to Sony’s success, now seems routine, even, company policy. The loss of major AAA exclusives has plagued the troubled system from the beginning. Names like GTAIV and FFIIIX have been the pride and glory of Sony fanboys everywhere, synonymous with the company and platform. Microsoft had Halo but the popularity of these franchises was hard to touch even for a 7′ tall space marine. They are prime gaming real estate and were the major reason for gamers to spend their precious few hundred on Sony’s system instead of another. To see them drift into neutral waters as cross platform titles is a significant blow to the prestige of Sony’s exclusive repertoire and a major coup for Microsoft.

In this case it wasn’t about gaining new exclusives but maintaining the lead in this area by preventing Sony from doing so. Fans of Final Fantasy no longer have a reason to have to buy a PS3, this alone is a major victory for Microsoft since the franchise likely would have been a console mover. There is also a deficit of great JRPG’s on the PS3 and while FFXIII will help to alleviate this they gain nothing on the 360′s library in this respect as it benefits simultaneously. In the case of GTA IV Microsoft has also leveraged the advantage of exclusive DLC.

It may have been Microsoft’s head start or the financial advantage they gained because of it but whatever the reason Sony needs to find a way to stop the bleeding and secure the precious exclusive IP’s they still retain. They’ve been asleep at the watch and Microsoft has been plundering their camp. They still have plenty of new IP’s such as Heavy Rain, M.A.G. (Massive Online Game) and LBP as well as reliable heavy weights such as God of War, Jak and Daxter and Shadow of the Colossus, but they need to make sure they keep them. Though paying the big bucks for exclusives is hard for a company that still loses money on every console, they may need to reach even deeper into their pockets and do so but there is another very important thing they need to do that will make an even bigger difference as time goes on.

4. Get the PSN up to snuff
Something important in consideration of saving exclusives is the enormous popularity of online gaming, the growing demand for downloadable content and their effects on the future of games. If a game features multiplayer it’s becoming essential that it includes robust online functionality, and even games that don’t are expected to take advantage of the internet in some capacity. Whether it’s multiplayer, episodic installments, user generated content, or add-ons, the increasing integration of the online experience into the composition of games is changing the way we perceive them, and how developers approach their creation. It makes sense to focus on the system that will take advantage of this new dynamic most effectively and allow their DLC reach the most people. It’s important Sony finds themselves at the forefront of this frontier.

Yes I realize I included the PSN as one of the top 5 reasons to own a PS3 and that including it here may seem hypocritical but I still stand by my original recommendation. The PSN is a nice network if you choose to take notice of it and enjoy it for what it is. What it is, is free. But let’s face it, free mints after dinner are nice but I don’t go to a restaurant based on the quality of their mints. The PSN has good functionality and enough content and members to keep you occupied, so in it’s defense, yes, it’s a great reason to own a PS3. But if Sony want’s to compete on the same level as Microsoft they’re going to have to step up their game and the PSN for all it’s value and content has one major problem; it’s not Xbox Live.

Microsoft wisely implemented an online platform in the last generation and it gave them several years head start over the competition that has paid off handsomely. Xbox live is the gold standard of online gaming and the multiplayer scene. It is also, in a gaming generation quickly becoming identified as an online culture, one of the primary reasons Xbox enjoys the popularity it does. By establishing the “Live” brand Microsoft gave a name to this new phenomenon while it’s competitors where still just dabbling in it. The Xbox planted a flag in the planet of online gaming while Sony’s half-generation behind PS2 was just barely capable of breaking the stratosphere of even reaching the internet (Nintendo still thought the earth was flat at that point.)

To spite their delay, there is no reason for the Playstation Network to still be wallowing in stagnant mediocrity at this stage. It’s biggest problem is that it suffers from an identity crisis. Online communities are a pillar of hardcore gaming in this age and Sony has taken far too long establishing a recognizable online presence. The interface is minimal, bland and lacks the personality of NXE. The feature set is a sparse reproduction of XBL’s own and simply feels like a second rate alternative to the gold standard. Sony needs to quit dragging it’s feet and decide exactly what the PSN is, and what kind of image it wants to project. They seem to be attempting this with Home and new concepts like Qore but they need to start bringing it all together. It’s all just disjointed parts right now without any distinguishing form.

Funny thing, when someone talks about XBL, you know exactly what they’re talking about. Familiar images of it’s interface and features come to mind as you regard it with a certain spacial palpability, almost as if XBL, with NXE’s slick structured organization, was a tangible place. Now try and get the same sense of recognition, and most importantly orientation, by thinking of the PSN. Sony’s network desperately needs to find itself. And while it’s looking, it also really needs to…

3. Find it’s ‘Halo’
To spite the opinions stalwart PS3 defenders may ardently maintain, Resistance is not as good or anywhere near as big as Microsoft’s FPS juggernaut, Halo. It’s not even quite on the same level as, Gears of War, though the two more recent shooter franchises are oft compared as fanboys butt heads in forums across the internet. What Sony needs, perhaps more than anything, is a franchise as revered, envied and, most importantly, purchased as Bungie’s epic FPS.

Halo is more than just the Xbox brand’s bread and butter killer app, it’s a phenomenon; one of the most recognized and successful game franchises of all time. It put the original Xbox on the map, giving it the credibility and gravitas it needed in the early stages of it’s existence to help it stay in contention, and though Microsoft did not win the last console war it did what Sega and others could not in the end: it survived. It may still have made it without Halo but it’s future and appeal would have been in greater doubt.

Halo and in particular Halo 2, were also a major factors in the success and popularity of Xbox Live. Though online gaming was inevitable, the popularity of the franchise, stamped “cool” all over the idea and the legions of fans that migrated into the online arena, stimulated it’s growth early on. It’s contributions to the platform have been immeasurable selling both consoles and Live memberships as it continues to do to this day.

Halo has become the poster child for hard core gamers and helped the Xbox brand dethrone the Playstation as the go-to system. If Sony is going to reassert itself as the console to own, it’s going to need a franchise that’s just as dominant as Halo and a character as iconic as Master Chief.

More important than the specific character however is the game that makes them big. If Halo had sucked we’d have thought Master Chief was a stupid name and nobody would have remembered it. Halo however, not only didn’t suck but blew previous FPS conventions away, invigorating the genre with a host of new or improved features that are now standards in most shooters. It’s hard to imagine what we did before we had rechargeable health, vehicles, or secondary grenades, but the innovation and originality of Halo still resonates to this day, informing the fundamentals of modern shooters and influencing their design.

Halo was epic, it was innovative, it had an awesome soundtrack, great controls, and cool new features. With it’s cavalier gameplay and open worlds, it was a departure from the claustrophobic humdrum of typical shooters and felt more like a thrilling space opera than a cliche or tired retread of ideas. It did everything well and became an instant classic as it’s popularity exploded exponentially.

Whether it’s a shooter or something else. Sony needs a game that captures the same Gung-Ho adventure, groundbreaking innovation and epic scale of the original Halo, as well as a hero to embody it and the good fortune of opportune timing that it capitalized on. Who knows where they should look though. Bungie came out of relative obscurity and it’s entirely possible, maybe even necessary, that the next big thing come from a developer less settled than the big studios; someone still flexing their creativity. This is another reason why it’s so important to…

2. Get developers committed to the Hardware
Thus far the technical advantage of the PS3 has been kept largely at bay by the success of the 360. As I’ve already mentioned it makes sense to develop games preferentially for the 360 since it has the larger install base, then simply port them to the PS3. But you’re only as fast as your slowest horse or in the case of graphics, your least powerful console.

Since the 360 is the priority platform for most developers they won’t exceed it’s capabilities in their games. At the very least, this effectively cancels one of the PS3′s greatest advantages. At worst it makes the system appear inferior, as software developed on the 360 often exhibits inferior performance on the unique hardware architecture of the PS3.

In contrast, when a studio develops a game exclusively for the PS3 they are able to harness it’s full power rather than limiting it. This is apparent with the beautifully rendered Metal Gears Solid 4 and Guerrilla Studio’s phenomenally pretty Killzone 2. Other titles developed solely on the console exhibit similarly impressive results. The first Uncharted is still one of the best looking games around and Little Big Planets deceptively charming style features some impressive effects and whimsical realism. When a developer is serious about creating a game on the system the results are almost always visually outstanding. Yes, Haze was terrible but it was also an exception.

The PS3 is capable of truly great feats that we are just beginning to glimpse. It’s a powerhouse and it’s success or failure hinges on whether or not it can deliver the goods and establish itself as the best hardware on the market. For this to happen, securing the commitment of developers is paramount. Games like Killzone 2, M.A.G. and LBP are great starts but the trend must continue. Sony needs to get developers excited about the system and convince them that it truly is the future of gaming and the system that will allow them to push the limits of digital entertainment. Get developers to commit to tap into the system’s potential and the games will follow and so will the gamers.

At the moment, superior hardware is one of the only definitive and unchanging advantages Sony has, which is why it’s so strategically essential that they capitalize on it. It’s one of the only ones Microsoft can’t eliminate but, as long as the 360 maintains it’s popularity and in turn, the favor of developers, they can effectively mute it.

In order to start winning the hearts and minds of gamers Sony needs to get their attention and the prettiest one at the ball will turn the most heads. If Sony can consistently distinguish itself as as the superior console in terms of pure, dazzling, visual wonderment, players will finally have a clear reason to think twice about which system to buy. They’ll have a good argument, they can see with their own eyes, for the Playstation’s cause.

Of course at that point potential buyers will still have to clear the biggest hurdle facing anyone considering, wanting, hoping to pick one up. Sony are you listening? I implore you…

1. Lower the Price!!!
Please! Please! Please! Pretty please with sugar on top!

Without a doubt the biggest deterrent for those looking to pick up Sony’s big black box, is the big fat price. I imagine it could have been easy to mistake 20 somethings for wealthy business tycoons but Sony really should have gotten their marketing analysts together with their hardware engineers when they where in the planning stages of the PS3. The system launched for the obscene price tag of $500, a mere pittance if you’re an oil tycoon, to the average gamer, however, you might as well have asked them to buy a space shuttle from NASA.

I realize the cost is proportionate to the tech we’re getting and not unduly inflated but the price point is still more than most gamers are willing, or able, to pay for what the system offers. Sony realized this after the enormity of it’s price stifled sales at launch and stigmatized the system thereafter. A series of reconfigurations followed as the company tried to figure out how to make their super computer financially accessible to the people who actually play it.

The hardware rearrangements haven’t done any favors to Sony’s image, or their standing with gamers either, becoming a messy and confusing debacle of discontinued models and multiple SKU’s. In the end, sacrificing backwards compatibility (how is that expensive to include?), some USB ports, and excessive hard drive space, they eventually got it down to $399, which is where it stands now. This is attainable, but still high and considering the 360 has lowered it’s price even faster, Sony hasn’t really gained any ground. The price ratio has remained similar and other systems, consistently, and attractively, cheaper.

If Sony wants to compete, there are a lot of things it needs to do but the one thing that will make the biggest difference the fastest, is to find a way to drop another $100 off the price. Right now there are more exclusives on the 360 and most of the biggest and best games on PS3 are cross platform titles. Even with blockbuster franchises like MGS4 and Resistance, Sony’s exclusive lineup can’t quite go toe to toe with the 360 and a slew of games like Halo 3, Mass Effect, and Gears of War. They simply haven’t the edge in the software department right now so if they want to have a prayer this generation they need to compete in the price category.

It is absolutely essential that they find a way to make the machine accessible. It would even the playing field and prompt people to begin to consider the system’s other unique qualities.

There are plenty of reasons to own the system instead of a 360 but none so obvious as the extra $100-$200 it will cost you to do so. It doesn’t matter if you prefer the system or not, like Sony better than Microsoft, or Solid Snake more than Master Chief. If you’ve only got about $300 to spend on a console, guess which one you’re going home with.

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Another Take: Eric Bouchard

As much grief as I have given the PS3 over time, you may be surprised to hear that when they were first announced, I really wanted Sony’s new console. I had no real interest in the 360, even though I had owned an Xbox and enjoyed the games on it. Gears of War was the game that changed my mind. After getting a hold of it and a 360, I have not looked back.

The Playstaion 3 is a great system. People who do not acknowledge that are just being ridiculous. There are some things Sony’s powerhouse can do that the 360 cannot, but Microsoft has done a much better job leveraging the advantages it does have, including online presence, a larger install base and a lower price.

Microsoft has one other major advantage, however, and Sony has given to them. Sony entered this generation with a bit of bravado. Some can argue the company had a reason to be confident. After all, the Playstation 2 was an absolutely dominant system, having won the battle for the last generation without question. It even continued to sell strongly after the new consoles were released. Problem is that Sony’s confidence soon turned to what many gamers perceived as arrogance. Questions about Sony’s rather high price for its console was met with comments that people would just have to work more to be able to afford it. And this was only the beginning:

-Sony criticized Microsoft for using software driven backwards compatibility when its systems were able to play almost all of the PS2 games. Just over a year later, backwards compatibility was a thing of the past for Sony.

-Sony pointed to the fact that Microsoft had three skews for the 360 and said it was confusing to console consumers. Since then, Sony has managed to release several different versions of the PS3, so many that it can become confusing even to those who make it a point to learn which system is which.

-Sony pointed to PSN saying “We allow you to game online for free!” The company has used that line to bury its head in the sand, and its stubborn refusal to change the online play to make it more user friendly has been baffling. Sony touted Home as the thing that would close the gap between PSN and Live, but in its present form, Home is nowhere close.

-Sony’s stubborn refusal to lower its price last holiday season hurt it severely, especially in light of the current economic state.

If I was going to add one piece of advice to this debate, it would be for Sony to realize just where it stands right now, in third position in the current console battle and not gaining any ground. The company needs to drop the arrogance and start actually trying to reach out to gamers again. This starts with a price cut, but that cannot be the end of it. In order for Sony to really become competitive in this generation, it needs to realize it is no longer the lone dog in the fight. It needs to stop putting its foot in its mouth and work to recapture the hearts and minds of gamers.

In the end, gamers are a forgiving bunch, and most of us really do want to see the PS3 succeed. It can be hard for us to really want to back the system, however, when Sony continues to act like it can do whatever it wants and we’ll just sit back and take it. The sales of this generation of consoles and multi-platform games should be enough to give Sony a clue that it is time for an attitude adjustment.

If the company waits too long, the PS3 will suffer, and so will gamers.

My Fist Your Face

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 11, 2009 - Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro’s legendary G.I. JOE® brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in summer 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters August 7, 2009.  EA will unveil a “first look” of the G.I. JOE® video game at Hasbro’s Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.

“As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the G.I. JOE® property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro.  “G.I. JOE® offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as G.I. JOE® fans.”

For  fans of all ages, 2009 is gearing up to become another watershed milestone in the timeless franchise by introducing even more new ways to engage, immerse and play within the G.I. JOE® universe.   The G.I. JOE® video game will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line.  The game will feature 12 G.I. JOE® characters, each with unique abilities and weapons.  Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil as they work together to defeat the powers of the COBRA organization.  The G.I. JOE® video game is under development for Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii^TM, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS^TM, and mobile devices.

“G.I. JOE® has been an icon of action for 45 years,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro.  “EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans.”

For more than four decades, G.I. JOE® has been one of the premiere brands in the history of boys’ toys.  Originating the term “action figure” in 1964, Hasbro’s G.I. JOE® brand ushered in a new play pattern that forever changed the scope of the toy industry.  The G.I. JOE® brand made another revolutionary introduction in 1984 with the release of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA toy line, which introduced a generation of boys to the heroic G.I. JOE® forces, led by Duke, and their epic struggle to defeat the evil COBRA organization.  The G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga featured a diverse cast of characters – both good and evil – that became a part of pop culture through Hasbro’s toy line, an animated television series and best-selling comic book franchise.

For more information about the G.I. JOE® video game and to sign up for updates, visit gijoe.ea.com

Source

THE DEAD WALK AGAIN AS CAPCOM CONFIRMS DEAD RISING 2
Sequel to 1.5 million-plus seller announced for multiple gaming platforms
London – February 9, 2009 – Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today confirmed that Dead Rising™ 2 is in development for three different gaming platforms: the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment’s PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and the PC. The sequel to the 1.5 million-plus selling Dead Rising™, Dead Rising 2 will take the franchise to a new level of zombie-killing fun with tens of thousands of zombies, the all new gambling paradise of Fortune City to explore and conquer plus a host of new in-game objects that can all be used as deadly weapons to stave off the zombie assault.

It’s not easy going from first to last in the console wars, or for that matter, having your last generation system outsell your current one. It’s been a hard couple of years for Sony as the expensive Playstation Tres struggled to keep up with, let alone make up ground to, this generations hardcore console of choice, the Xbox 360. Lost exclusives and occasional inferior performance on cross platform games has plagued and even defined the system’s troubled existence.

It’s a unique accomplishment when a system incurs derision and hate even outside of the fanboy camps but somehow the PS3, for whatever flaws, has inspired a gaming subculture of enemies; people as dedicated to hating the system as fanboys are to loving it. Still, sluggish sales and stinging criticism hasn’t dampened the spirits of die hard Sony loyalists and it shouldn’t stop you from considering investing in this generation’s most powerful system.

If you can pony up the cash (you might need a couple ponies) the PS3 actually does offer plenty in return. If you haven’t bought a system yet listen up. Even if you already own another console there are still good reasons to consider the PS3 as a second or, yes, even third, system. In short, to spite the lofty price point, and the nay sayers the system is worth it, every penny of it. Why? I’m glad you asked. I happen to have the top 5 reasons right here.

5. The Playstation Network

Everybody knows that Xbox Live is the online gaming scene, but you pay for the quality and quantity offered with a $50/yr. membership charge. You get your money’s worth but it’s still $50 more than you’ll pay for access to a lot of similar features on the PSN. Though Sony’s service still trails in functionality, it won’t cost you a shiny nickel to access in it’s entirety and it still offers enough variety of similar features and unique content that you won’t complain about not getting your free’s worth.

In addition though somewhat less impressive than it’s XBL counterpart, the PSN marketplace (Playstation Store) keeps in step and boasts a splended collection of original downloadable games and content. With an emphasis on inventive gameplay and imaginative art design, games like the Pixel Junk series, Flow and the upcoming Flower provide fun experiences that promote artistry and unconventional creativity, while the recently released Demoscene, “Interactive art” experience, Linger in Shadows confirms Sony’s dedication to exploring new possibilities and expanding the boundaries of the medium.

The backbone of the PSN and it’s true advantage over XBL is it’s free multiplayer experience. Though a less popular alternative it none the less hosts a small army of games which take full advantage of the service and offer truly great multiplayer experiences that rival anything on the 360.

Early on, the now overlooked, Warhawk jumped right into the PSN scene with a combat flight game designed exclusively for multiplayer matches. Resistance: Fall of Man provided some respectable online FPS action early on and Insomniac didn’t pull any punches with the online features in it’s sequel Resistance 2, delivering one of the most robust online experiences available with over 60 player matches, a separate 8 player co-op story mode with scaling difficulty and a wealth of other options. Metal Gear Solid 4 offers a refreshing change of pace from frenetic FPS matches with stealth strategy as does the tactical team based Socom: Confrontation.

Yet even as impressive and exhilarating as tactical precision team play and frenetic 60 player matches are they’re little more than training skirmishes compared to the ambition of Socom developer Zipper Interactive’s forthcoming effort. A modern military shooter reminiscent of Socom, the apltly codenamed MAG: Massive Action Game was announced at E3 08 and boasts future online matches on the unprecedented scale of 256 players! I’m not sure if you can even do that with the 360 but the PS3′s tendency to constantly push the envelope seem to confirm the significance of another one of it’s advantages.

4. More Powerful Hardware
Practically any way you stack it against Microsoft’s machine the PS3 is a more robust, more powerful, more advanced system and even on a a simply tactile level it’s a much nicer machine. The PS3 looks and feels, well…sturdier. It’s heavier, it’s components seem more compactly assembled, it runs quieter, isn’t subject to the RRD or anywhere near the percentage of 360 hardware failure, it features a simple disc slot instead of a noisy “please accidentally break me” tray and it’s super slick finish looks far more sophisticated than the dull white or black of the 360. In short, the quiet, stout, reliable construction makes the 360 seem downright flimsy by comparison.

Beyond simple glamor however the PS3 is just as impressive under the hood and packs more firepower in terms of graphical capabilities and future ready components. This of course adds up to prettier games and although a general lack of dedicated exclusives and commitment on the part of developers have limited the hardware’s full potential thus far, games like Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, and MGS4 have allowed us to glimpse it’s glorious unfettered capabilities.

When not held back by cross platform development the graphics on the PS3 are nothing short of stunning. Games developed exclusively on the PS3 for the PS3 such as Uncharted and Killzone 2 are optimized for it’s unique hardware architecture. Able to take full advantage it’s capabilities these games force every last ounce of processing power out of the system and the results are simply gorgeous. Sadly only a few titles have really begun to push the platform but with gradually more exclusives down the road, such as Uncharted 2 and God of War 3, you can expect to see some real lookers in the near future.

At this stage, though, the difference between the PS3 and 360′s graphics is negligible and with so many cross platform games (many optimized for the 360) the potential superiority of the PS3 isn’t definitive enough to make a difference, yet. Expect the gap to widen as time goes on, however, until finally the difference is irrefutable. As the 360′s potential is quickly being maxed out, Sony’s beast is just getting warmed up.

In addition to the superiority of it’s graphics the PS3 is a consummately more future oriented machine. The price advantage of the low end 360 model compensates for the system’s technical limitations to an extent but by the time you pay nearly $100 for an external WiFi adapter and $60 for a larger hard drive the total price is significantly less competitive. Compared to the base model 360 and the collection of peripheral paraphernalia you need to to bring it up to speed, the entry level PS3 comes ready out of the box with a larger hard drive (80gig), wireless ready internal Wifi, and of course…

3. Blu Ray
With the Hi-Def dvd wars well behind us and Blu-Ray the victor, consumers will gradually start migrating to the new standard in home entertainment. The price of the PS3 is hefty when compared to other systems but if you’re Hi-def ready the inclusion of a Blu-Ray player is a huge advantage. A stand alone player is going to run at least $200  and the one inlcuded in the PS3 is still one of the best on the market. If you buy a Blu-Ray in addition to a 360 you’re looking at at least $400 and that’s the Arcade model without the larger hard drive and of course no Wifi. When considered in this respect the PS3 actually offers more value for the hardware.

Even if you aren’t interested in watching movies in sparkling, clear high definition the Blu-Ray format has another advantage as a gaming medium with it’s greater storage capacity approximately 6x that of standard discs. Games developed on this format can contain far more content which is especially beneficial for highly cinematic games such as MGS4 and RPG’s such as the upcoming FFXIII. Instead of splitting the game into individual discs that have to be swapped out during play, like Lost Odyssey for the 360, the entire epic experience streams off of a single disc without interruption (bathroom breaks not included.) Welcome to…

2. The Future of Gaming
Microsoft has had a considerable advantage during this console war that began when they launched their system a year ahead of Sony. They traded hardware power for a strategic advantage in install base that has so far paid off. The 360 is the go-to system and with a larger contingent of hardcore gamers playing, is more appealing from a business standpoint to publishers looking to sell software to as many people as possible. Only time will tell but as smart as it seems now this ‘first in’ strategy may have been a little short sighted. Though it’s a powerful system the 360 is still not as strong as the PS3 and it’s lack of future ready components may cost Microsoft in the long run.

On the other hand as we have already pointed out, the Playstation 3 is a far more advanced system. It’s expensive and over engineered as of right now but that’s a temporary setback that will evaporate with time. Where Microsoft’s hasty launch of the 360 may limit them in the future, Sony’s extensive development invested in the PS3 may pay off as the technology finally comes into fruition. Buying a console based on it’s future potential is a gamble but when you consider the forward thinking Sony has conceived the PS3 with, their strategy makes more sense. As time goes by the hardware will age better than the 360′s, the price will drop and the system will become more and more appealing.

The most important thing that Sony has going for it in the future is a bevy of top tier franchises it has yet to take advantage of. God of War has finally been announced but there is still a cache of gold IP’s just waiting to be ushered into the Hi-Def era. Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and the Jak and Daxter series come to mind.

2008 finally saw a PS3 lineup as good if not better than the 360′s and as the landscape of 2009 comes into focus it seems to favor Sony even more so with sequels and new IP’s like Heavy Rain, Killzone 2, God of War III, and Uncharted 2. Clearly PS3 owners are looking at a blockbuster year as the system finally generates momentum.

In terms of pioneering innovations, hardware and graphics the PS3 continues to distinguish itself as an outstanding platform and though stigmatized by price and an identity crisis it’s the system’s extraordinary potential that truly defines it as a console. And nowhere is it’s exciting capabilities more evident then in the system’s greatest triumph.

1. The Games

You heard me. With any system, ultimately, it’s all about the games. Fancy hardware is awesome, an online community is great, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games to use them with. I don’t care if your console makes french toast and doubles as a mechanical bull if it doesn’t have kick butt games your hardware is already obsolete (French toast wouldn’t hurt though.) To spite being overshadowed by the 360′s popularity the software lineup on the Playstation 3 is none the less hard to argue with.

Insomniac gave the PS3 a solid shooter to hang it’s hat on with it’s Resistance franchise. The developer also delivered one of the system’s first truly jaw droppingly pretty games with Ratchet and Clank before producing another solid installment in the Resistance series. Naughty Dog unearthed another gem when it launched Drake’s inaugural expedition with the first of the ongoing Uncharted series and Metal Gear Solid 4 brought it’s acclaimed saga to a thrilling conclusion with classic stealth gameplay, thrilling action sequences, and phenomenal graphics.

Sony has also demonstrated a commitment to artistic and unconventional titles with this year’s Little Big Planet and a host of PSN exclusives such Flower, Pixel Junk Eden, and Flow which push the limits of creativity and artistic design in games.

Something that’s often overlooked, by those toting the vastness of the Xbox library is that in addition to an impressive resume of fine exclusives the Playstation 3 also stays in the game (no pun intended) hosting some of this generations best cross platform titles right alongside the lauded 360. Call of Duty 4, The Orange Box, Fallout 3, GTAIV, and Bioshock are some of the greatest games of this generation, and they are all available on the PS3.

At the end of 2007 there was no contest between the 360 lineup and the PS3′s but with killer apps like MGS4, LBP, and Resistance 2, as well as the late debut of Bioshock, 2008 saw the 360′s software advantage nearly evaporate as the PS3 finally delivered stellar titles showcasing the system’s awesome capabilities, and with 2009′s promising lineup of first rate exclusives Sony is finally beginning to assert itself as a hardcore contender.

If you’re only choosing one console the decision is hard, but whether it’s your first console or not don’t write off the PS3. The console war is far from over and Sony knows what it takes to be the best console on the market, just ask the Playstation 2.

We thought about baking a cake in celebration of this occasion, but instead we decided to count down the top five console exclusives for each of the platforms. In a collaborative effort we, the staff of EDG, bring you our picks. So, without further ado here it is.

Nintendo Wii:

5. Metroid Prime 3

The side scrolling adventure turned FPS during the Gamecube era made it’s wonderful Wii debut with this title. While it lacked the multi-player mode made popular in the DS iteration (Metroid Prime Hunters) the story and game-play more than made up for this. This title features some of the best Wii motion controls of any game to date on the Nintendo console.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

What’s a Nintendo system without a little Zelda love? Twilight Princess had Zelda fans foaming at the mouth for the triumphant return of Link. Easily the best launch title for the Wii – TP had gamers pouring hours of their life into the little, white machine right off the jump. With it’s incredible story, hours of game-play, and solid focus on action, rather then waggle controls, TP is still one of the best titles to grace the Wii.

3. Wii Sports

This incredible tech demo turned pack-in title for the Wii is easily one of the most recognizable games for the system. Wii Sports had gamers and non-gamers alike bowling, golfing, boxing, playing baseball, and tennis until they developed elbow arthritis (or threw a wii-mote through their HD TV). Definitely the best game to show off the controls and function of the Wii-mote, Wii Sports has set the bar high for waggle based game-play.

2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Nintendo’s unique brawler is easily one of it’s most successful franchises. Series faithfuls have been throwing down since the N64 days, and were certainly pleased with this outing. SSBB has you controlling your choice of video game character (mostly from traditional Nintendo series’) and facing off against three other human or A.I. controlled opponents. Brawl introduced online play to Nintendo’s fighting series, which continues to develop into one of the best fighters available on any console.

1. Super Mario Galaxy

The plumber may have missed the Wii’s launch, but that didn’t stop his game from selling millions worldwide when it finally did hit store shelves. Galaxy built upon what Mario 64 started by expanding it’s open world feel and sending Mario into space.  If any game ever justified owning a system solely for it’s playing, Galaxy is definitely it.

Honorable Mention: Zack & Wiki, WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Lost Winds, Wii Fit

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Playstation 3

5. MLB ’08: The Show

The Show presented 2k’s baseball series with it’s only video-game rival, and easily became the best game of stick ball available for any console. 08′ incorporated some in depth features including “Road to the Show” which takes the traditional “create-your-own-player” mode to a new level. With it’s slick performance, crisp graphics and flawlessly executed game-play, The Show is video game’s equivalent to the Yankees (I hate the Yankees).

4. Ratchet & Clank: Future

One of Sony’s flagship titles, Ratchet & Clank, made it’s PS3 debut to critical acclaim. Future took the R&C series, and threw in “Pixar-like” graphics to create, not only a fun, but also one of the most beautiful platformers ever. Ratchet & Clank continues to please fans, and offers one of the few family friendly titles that is still able to appeal to the “hardcore”.

3. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

Naughty Dog’s Uncharted presented gamers with a “tomb raider” who was able to compete with Ms. Croft. One part Tomb Raider one part Gears – Uncharted had gamers seeking out treasures, fighting off bad guys, and exploring jungles as pretty boy Nathan Hale. The games gunplay, while not flawless, was solid enough to add a new element to the traditional cave exploration game type. It looks like Sony has another blockbuster franchise on it’s hands.

2. LittleBigPlanet

Platformer? Puzzle game? Shooter? LBP’s the game that is whatever you want it to be. With it’s robust game creation tool-set players are able to create whatever type of level or game that their mind can think up. Rather just play? You can also jump online and download user created levels, or just play the one’s that come with the game. The game’s Sackboy character has quickly become a face that Sony can rally behind (and hopefully save the life of the PS3).

1. Metal Gear Solid 4

Snake may be old and near death, but this game is full of life. Kojima’s MGS series has long been a staple of Sony’s consoles, and this outing is possibly the best. This game presents some of the most realistic and beautiful environments that any console has ever seen. Possibly the best game of 2008, it’s no wonder it made the top spot on our list.

Honorable Mention: PixelJunk Monsters, Warhawk, Resistance 2

Fallout 3 starts with you witnessing your birth in the confines of Vault 101. In the opening hour of gameplay you are introduced to the mechanics and story of the Fallout world, and while this serves it’s purpose it also creates for a slow start. Don’t be fooled by the beginning of the game’s snail pace though, because you quickly find out that life inside of 101 is not as friendly as it may appear. As something strangely prompts your father to make a run for it, you are left to make an escape or meet your own demise. It’s from here that your wonderfully, wild adventure to find your father begins.

As I finally made my way out of Vault 101 and into the sunlight of the nuked DC wasteland the overall vastness of Fallout was immediately apparent. Exploration is one of the key elements of an open world RPG of this nature and there is no lack of it here. My travels during the game had me venturing into makeshift towns pieced together from scrap airplane parts, subway stations teeming with ghosts, and many other unique locations.

One of the many questions I had coming into my time with Fallout 3 was how would Bethesda handle the dungeons in this game? After a short amount of time in Fallout you’ll notice that many of the games dungeons are simply cut and paste affairs. That’s not to say that this aspect of the game is flawed by any means, but the problem that I noticed after several hours of game play is that most of the game’s dungeons had that “been there done that” feeling. Dungeon crawling still presents fun game play, but you’ll want to spend most of your time sucking in the radiated outside air.

Combat in Fallout 3 is somewhat of a mixed bag. Battles can be approached from a variety of angles; there’s third person (throw this mode out the window), first person, and the distinctive V.A.T.S. (pause time, target a body part, attack) system. While no one approach is right or wrong, this isn’t a game that you’ll want to play through solely as an FPS nor is it a game that you’ll want to play through as a standard RPG. While Bethesda claimed in early interviews that you could play the entire game as a first person shooter, doing so will only result in frustration and looking at the “Game Over” screen many, many times. From my experience the best way to handle a fight is by combining quick attacks via first person mode with deadly blows through the V.A.T.S system. It’s an experience that takes patience and some getting used to, but with practice you’ll find yourself tearing through baddies in no time.

What’s a good RPG without a solid leveling and character progression system? Fortunately that question is not answered here, as Fallout’s character progression approach is top notch. You’ll find plenty of options when it comes time for your character to level up. The best approach to leveling is to focus in on only a few areas where you would like to progress and then throw all of your attribute points at those areas. What’s unique about this game is the Perks that you can also select for your character when you level up. Perks allow you to advance in specific areas quicker based on which Perk you choose.

The story line and character’s in Fallout are as top notch as every other aspect of this game. While you could plow through the main quest in 20 some hours, doing so would only do an injustice to the amount of work that Bethesda put into fleshing out the living, breathing world of Fallout 3. Everything from the voice acting to script screams blockbuster production. I came across characters that I grew to love and some that I loved to hate. Take your time with this game – stories like this don’t come along often in the video game world.

So is there anything negative about Fallout 3? Well, yes. Playing a game of this magnitude can become overwhelming at times and Fallout doesn’t do the best job at pointing you in the right direction. Sometimes exploration is the best route, but it would be nice if at times there was a little more hand holding. It’s a small hindrance, but one non-the-less. I also would have preferred for Bethesda just to do away with the third person option – yes you don’t need to use it, but why is it even there? I also felt like the gore was a little over the top. How many times do you need to see an enemies head explode off their shoulders? Other than these few, small setbacks the game is otherwise an incredible masterpiece.

Fallout 3 is an encounter with greatness that every gamer should take the time to experience. If you are a fan of Bethesda’s other outings then you should already have this game. Even if you never were able to play any of the Elder Scrolls games you still owe it to yourself to check this one out. An experience like this comes around only a few times in a consoles life, so what are you waiting for?

]]> http://everydaygamers.com/2008/11/20/fallout-3/feed/ 11 http://everydaygamers.com/2008/09/26/the-last-guy-2/ http://everydaygamers.com/2008/09/26/the-last-guy-2/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:25:06 +0000 Patrick Adams http://everydaygamers.com/?p=2573 I saw some screenshots of The Last Guy and had no idea what it was about. It seemed like a very simple game that someone just put together for fun. I heard nothing about this game before it’s release and I still don’t hear much about it afterward. The Last Guy is a sleeper hit in my book. TLG is available on the PS3 through the PSN for $9.99.

The object of TLG is to find survivors scattered around the city, once you find them they will start to follow you, creating a long trail of humans behind you. You are not however a human, you are a zombie turned good guy trying to save the human race from the other bad zombies. Once you have the humans following you, you are to bring them back to the safe zone. You are required to save a certain amount of people in a certain amount of time, these two things will fluctuate along all the levels. Sometimes you need to save 1,500 people in 8 mins and sometimes you need to save 800 in 3 minutes. Now you can go the route of grabbing people and quickly dropping them off or you can keep growing the trail behind you, if you do this your stamina will increase letting you run longer and gather your people quicker. Different zombies will appear in each of the different levels each posing a unique threat. The one thing that interests me about The Last Guy is its use of a Google Earth style layout design. The levels in TLG are taken straight from Google Earth and tweaked a bit. You will encounter many different real-world locations along the way.

I had a lot of fun with The Last Guy and I am very happy with my decision to purchase it. My wife is also very addicted to it. It’s the simple gameplay mechanic of gathering people and returning them to safety that makes this game a great play for anyone. Although it does get pretty challenging in the later levels it is fun enough to make you want to keep trying without getting too frustrated. It does suck however when you have 999 people out of 1000 and your time runs out, this has happened to my wife.

The Last Guy is a unique game from all angles but it’s the Google Maps level integration that makes this one unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Go download the demo now on PSN to try it out for yourself.

When I had first played the demo of PixelJunk Eden I was a little frustrated with it. The controls were hard to get used to and I didn’t understand why people said it was a relaxing game, I thought it was very intense. Well once the full game was out I decided to purchase it because I knew I had to give it more time. I am a huge fan of the Pixeljunk series and knew that I would like Eden if I would just take the time to learn it. I am very happy I took the time because this game is great. There is some out-of-this-world feeling you get from playing this game. The colors are beautiful and the game is such a work of art. I know that it takes place in a garden but part of me relates this garden to outer space. I think of the pictures I saw before of the Eagle Nebula and it Eden reminds me very much of deep space. The higher you get the more this is made plain. Once you learn the controls and get good at playing Eden the game is taken to another level. You get sucked in and everything starts to flow.The main thing to remember is take your time and don’t try to rush or else you will end up falling and you don’t want that to happen.

The majority of the time I play PixelJunk Eden with my wife. I find it really fun to play with her. We have to work as a team and make sure that we stay together or else we will get penalized for either of us going off screen, this is the one thing that makes co-op play sometimes frustrating. If you go to fast and don’t wait for the other player then that player will go off-screen and you will lose half of any pollen you’ve collected in the pods. This is not good especially when you are in a time crunch. I understand that co-op would be too easy if they hadn’t made it like this.

This game also sports a YouTube video upload function. This lets you record yourself playing the game and upload it directly to your YouTube account. I found this feature pretty pointless. The quality isn’t the greatest which makes it hard to even see your grimp and I don’t think anyone will really be interested to watch them as there isn’t really that many interesting things you can do in Eden other than collect pollen and spectra. It may be put to good use if you want to show your friends the game to convince them to buy it but that’s about it.

PixelJunk Eden is a great game. It’s very fun and addictive and I highly recommend it. First impressions may not be the greatest but if you stick with it for just a little longer you will see why everyone’s making such a big fuss about this one. PixelJunk Eden is proof that games are definitely art.

First of all the game has a really interesting story that makes the gamer want to know really what happened down there in Rapture. I think that this story is interesting because we’ve never experienced a game based on a non-futuristic underwater city. I love that they didn’t make it futuristic. Same thing with the art direction, amazing. If it wasn’t set in the 50′s then this game probably wouldn’t have caught my attention as much as it did. All the levels were very interesting. You might look at it and say it looks pretty much the same throughout but if you are really into the game you can see the difference in the places you visit. One of my favorite experiences is when you come down into rapture for the first time and you can really see the art direction that they were going for.

One of the main things that I really liked about the game was the interaction. I would take the time to check every box, cabinet, corpse, and storage case in hopes of finding something, anything. At first you were collecting money and eve, but eventually you started finding little pieces like screws and tubing in which you could use to invent things. I love that about this game. It’s not like most games in where you get pushed through, and most of the people that played that game went through it the same exact way you did, it’s more of an experience. There are so many ways that you could have gone about the game. Whether you want to hack everything, destroy everything, harvest everything, or save everything. It’s your choice but you make that choice without even knowing you are doing it. Whether you want to use plasmids or weapons or a combination. You decide. There is no wrong decision either. BioShock is truly an experience. I know that everyone out there who plays it is going to experience it differently.

The only thing that I was worried about the whole time while I was playing the game was the chance that I might get “stuck.” What I mean by “stuck” is, no money, no ammo, and no health, and no eve. Because everything is connected. I can say though now that I finished the game I never got “stuck” and I think it’s pretty hard. There are so many ways to go about the game that it’s practically impossible to get stuck. A few times I had low ammo and wondered how I was gonna make it through, then I would come back to an area and find that ammo and other things magically appeared there. I’m not sure if it was placed there for me or if it was just a coincidence. The respawning was also a big help. I was surprised to find out that you didn’t get penalized for the respawning. This helped when fighting Big Daddy’s.

Another thing that I didn’t expect when going into this game was how much of a horror game this really is. I would find myself at times turning the volume down a bit. But this wasn’t like most horror games. There was blood spattered everywhere throughout the whole game but rarely did you ever really experience it. I think you were left to wonder what happened to those people and use your own imagination there.

All in all this game is a masterpiece. I never wanted it to end and that is rare in a game for me. What you should do if you haven’t played it is quit reading about it and just go buy this. I know most people will be satisfied. This is what a game should be. I believe that BioShock will be what people will compare games to from now on. It just hits the nail straight on and hopefully this will be a wake-up call to all the developers out there just trying to pump games out ASAP to make some money. I know I will play BioShock a few more times before I put it down and I can’t wait to see what Ken Levine can cook up next.

So far my wife and I completed 12 maps and out of those maps we have 6 rainbows. We’ve been playing it every night since the release and are addicted once again. PJM: Encore seems a little harder than the original maps but it could just be me. We are actually stuck on getting a rainbow on one of the Easy maps. Sick! I find the balance of PJM: Encore to be very inconsistent as some of the Hard maps were easier than the Easy maps. Overall PJM: Encore is a great addition.

I highly recommend it to anyone who owns a PS3. I hope Q-Games considers doing at least one more expansion pack before pushing PJM by the way side. Oh and I found out the other day that PJM is officially my wife’s favorite game ever

The game does have the word “Vegas” in the title but you will only see a casino maybe once or twice. The setting is more of a behind the scenes of Vegas. That was fine with me because I played through enough casinos in the first one. I really enjoyed the settings in Vegas 2. They took us through backyards, convention centers, and even a Vegas junkyard. These new places gave it a fresh feel. The controls felt great as they did in the first one. At first they may feel complicated but you will get the hang of them within the first few minutes and after a while you will really be happy with the way they are laid out. Kurt and I did encounter some random problems such as disk read errors and some freezing up but not enough to make us quit playing. I was excited to hear they were adding experience points to the single player campaign as well as the multiplayer modes. This gave me a reason to go back and play some more of the campaign even after I finished it. I have a habit of looking at the bottom of the screen to see how many more points I need to rank up. I’m always looking forward to unlocking new armor and guns.

After Kurt and I finished the campaign we jumped right into “Terrorist Hunt” mode. We’ve been working at the “complete every map on realistic difficulty” achievement for a few nights now and so far we’ve been having a great time with it. This is definitely a great way to hone your skills before going into some death matches over Xbox Live. It forces you to work as a team and try different techniques to get the job done. The only thing I didn’t like was that it felt like the terrorists were set to spawn only when you reached a certain point. Once you walked past that certain point or threw a grenade into it they would then react to you. A few times I swore nobody was around and then I would look a second later and 3 or more people would just be standing there. This made the terrorist hunt mode a lot more difficult, it forced you to come out into the open and search instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Vegas has a very high replay value and I don’t think I will be setting it down anytime soon. I highly suggest playing through the campaign with a friend. If you want to join Kurt and I for some terrorist hunting just send me a message over Live.