tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90711140564563466802024-03-05T16:56:04.083-08:00Welcome to HDGAMING360HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-14976781136633554892010-09-27T05:37:00.000-07:002010-09-27T05:39:23.095-07:00DJ Hero 2: Five Improvements From IGN.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;">Here's the most important thing you need to know: DJ Hero 2 is still awesome. Activision and developer Freestyle Games gave us a near-perfect music game last year and they didn't mess anything up for the sequel. They have added a few new features that make scratchin' and crossfadin' even more fun than before. Here are our five favorite additions to DJ Hero 2. </div><hr style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; height: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><br />
<big>Megamixes</big><br />
Just as in the first DJ Hero, each song is an original mix of two tracks that range from '70s disco to '80s hip-hop to '90s RnB to modern electro. Terrific new additions are several </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY69fUKoG8m1c_yFxeMJGN99sscvggKEipWsrQObyNAi3fEGYOwg8qZZmRPGd1fOb0ZBB3Xj8KfagIjgkED44Sp8cJmZFIea8i1ezhZlANBVHrMUZ9JZJaqpj3r91rtyJneIT-1I5ft_T9/s1600/dj-hero-2-20100908074848495_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY69fUKoG8m1c_yFxeMJGN99sscvggKEipWsrQObyNAi3fEGYOwg8qZZmRPGd1fOb0ZBB3Xj8KfagIjgkED44Sp8cJmZFIea8i1ezhZlANBVHrMUZ9JZJaqpj3r91rtyJneIT-1I5ft_T9/s320/dj-hero-2-20100908074848495_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Megamixes that keep the music going seamlessly from mix to mix. In the first game each song in your set list would be self-contained and there would be a short pause in between mixes. The Megamixes blend three or more songs together, beatmatching everything so you might not even realize you've moved on to the next song. There are only six Migamixes in DJ Hero 2, but they're one of the best new additions.<br />
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<big>New Effects</big><br />
You can still trigger effects at certain points in a mix in order to boost your score but your arsenal of effects is noticeably increased. Instead of just a filter and phaser, you now can twiddle the turntable controller knob to create futuristic delays and chop effects.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuZaT4BMaijf8qYWlUGJ22E1aDxlyoLQZKT7CNl9yzsyYmM_jck7qCJYiudHp3Qgm-ioEet1G3MG-Pgy3wWNXfsGo1rQY15H9dzhhiVM_yHUauBrKbVwWnRBBvF1IfEnBhccWf-BbxVUT/s1600/dj-hero-2-20100908074831214_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuZaT4BMaijf8qYWlUGJ22E1aDxlyoLQZKT7CNl9yzsyYmM_jck7qCJYiudHp3Qgm-ioEet1G3MG-Pgy3wWNXfsGo1rQY15H9dzhhiVM_yHUauBrKbVwWnRBBvF1IfEnBhccWf-BbxVUT/s320/dj-hero-2-20100908074831214_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><big>Freestyling</big><br />
For the most part you still crossfade and scratch by following the onscreen indicators. But now there are "freestyle" sections that let you get creative and manipulate the tracks with more freedom. Freestyle crossfading is fantastic. In each mix you basically have two records playing, right? In these sections you can move the crossfader back and forth however you like, isolating each record at will. The tech is quite impressive and it makes you feel that much more like a real DJ. I have to admit, though, that freestyle scratching leaves something to be desired. You can push and pull the turntable back and forth, but without the crossfader you're limited to baby scratches. At worst it sounds like a mess and at best you'll sound like a beginner DJ -- I'd rather just hear the pre-recorded professional scratches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXl8fBU6vq_rt05JMsf91Hw5E2f-8PV7du6zLWjDgXsCPkVsfqsbT_E09crB-aHJah-RdcdILQSjHW0Ga8Vjs-O9B-QQScH9azvO7U7gUSj_KsFWeCbj8ubd-tNlSBLABu9L_eJJ11eYeL/s1600/dj-hero-2-20100902000606430_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXl8fBU6vq_rt05JMsf91Hw5E2f-8PV7du6zLWjDgXsCPkVsfqsbT_E09crB-aHJah-RdcdILQSjHW0Ga8Vjs-O9B-QQScH9azvO7U7gUSj_KsFWeCbj8ubd-tNlSBLABu9L_eJJ11eYeL/s320/dj-hero-2-20100902000606430_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><big>DJ Battles</big><br />
The two-player head-to-head mode was kind of a miss in DJ Hero. Each player received the same note stream and simply tried to get the higher score. The sequel has a much more robust versus mode with six different games to play. Easily the best is "DJ Battle," which finds each DJ taking turns in unique mixes. It's sort of a call-and-response session with both sides trying to outdo the other. Great stuff.<br />
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<big>Lots of Unlocks</big><br />
A load of unlockables will be dropped in your lap after every set. From new songs to new venues to playable DJs to outfits to gear, you're constantly being rewarded in DJ Hero 2. Sure, you unlocked stuff in the first game, but there are noticeably more rewards here.<br />
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<big>Bonus Improvement: Avatar Support</big><br />
There are 20 playable DJs in the game, most of which have to be unlocked. But on the Xbox 360 you can also mix it up with your Avatar. Surprisingly, the Xbox Live Avatars don't look as silly in DJ Hero 2 as you might think. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><hr style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0pt; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0pt; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0pt; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; height: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><br />
Of course, another big addition to DJ Hero 2 is the vocal part. But we're not sure yet if this is an improvement or unnecessary feature. Greg Miller, our resident Sing Star, has <b>detailed impressions of his time on the mic here</b>.<br />
</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-5096816280101897022010-09-27T02:59:00.000-07:002010-09-27T02:59:59.019-07:00FIFA 11 UK Review From IGN.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In football, sometimes it's not about the big signings or the headline additions. Take Ferguson's United; at its spine are the same core players that have helped the club dominate domestic football for the best part of a decade, and no number of star signings elsewhere in Manchester look likely to change that. EA Sports'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://ps3.ign.com/objects/060/060988.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">FIFA 11</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">is a similar proposition; there are no grandstand new features to dazzle and no major upheavals to the existing formula, but that doesn't stop it from being the best FIFA yet and by extension perhaps the best football game there's ever been.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvRuRJ9PkNS6wPc5a21R-JDppl55NbCf-v4BLN1S8omleNa8ShIONs7cNFCbeuLH1Vb6i7XMM5bUFp8QLiyYFGsEzEbhuXr1Drts5-_q1zOvC8aHEQvDTELBwd12vS3ixyi78plRV1dxl/s1600/..j;ukhgjf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvRuRJ9PkNS6wPc5a21R-JDppl55NbCf-v4BLN1S8omleNa8ShIONs7cNFCbeuLH1Vb6i7XMM5bUFp8QLiyYFGsEzEbhuXr1Drts5-_q1zOvC8aHEQvDTELBwd12vS3ixyi78plRV1dxl/s320/..j;ukhgjf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">If FIFA 10 realised the potential that was apparent in the series since its reboot at this generation's dawn, then FIFA 11 is more about refinement. What's really impressive about this year's effort is how far and wide that enhancements have reached. If you had any gripes about the brand of football that previous FIFAs laid out then they're likely to be answered here</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">FIFA 11's most profound tweak is something you won't find being boasted about on the back of the box, but its bearing on the game is beyond measure. Crosses are now more effective, whether that's a punt to the far post or a double-tapped lofted ball to the near one, and they're more often met with spectacular results. It's a continuation of the tweaked crosses that this summer's World Cup game introduced, though here it's taken further; there's more variety in how they're answered, be that an acrobatic volley, an outstretched toe or with a hammer-strong header.<br />
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It leads to greater variety in attacking options; flanks are now opened up, and scoring takes more than pinging the ball about until it finds someone with a clean line on goal. However, more options certainly don't mean more goals. Finding the back of the net's a more trying task than it's been before, thanks in no small part due to the Pro Passing that's at the heart of FIFA 11.<span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUtO6jwn45FRz3o1nwhNk9R9LUlq05aWKil4e1OGioA8s7CHSQUkarDdV2HKlESNVMgtGqXLeOicbiMk9LPmC3qs0_kEm3xFFg8aDTyg8AOR55ejnLGo7Vs0j780IP49CkahyxARwkEk_/s1600/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022257946_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUtO6jwn45FRz3o1nwhNk9R9LUlq05aWKil4e1OGioA8s7CHSQUkarDdV2HKlESNVMgtGqXLeOicbiMk9LPmC3qs0_kEm3xFFg8aDTyg8AOR55ejnLGo7Vs0j780IP49CkahyxARwkEk_/s320/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022257946_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In truth it's something that's been a part of the series before, but in FIFA 11 it's been pushed to the fore and has a significant effect on each game's flow and pace. More emphasis is placed on well-weighted passes, with it now easier than ever to under or overpower the ball, and player positioning is equally important. There's no point trying to lay off a first touch pass to a player you've got your back to, as it'll only ever end up with your arse on the grass.<br />
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This new focus means players individual attributes are more important than ever, a fact that's highlighted by their newfound prominence in the team selection screens. EA has matched this with greater attention to detail to the star players, be that in the bespoke animations that convey the twinkle-toed runs of Ronaldo, the sturdy grace of Drogba or the flicks and shimmies that make Messi such a wonder to watch.<br />
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With this in place, the key to success in FIFA 11 is knowing your team and playing to their strengths; if you've got a right back who's in a different league to the rest of the squad then you'd be well advised to use them at every opportunity, and if there's a star player on the other side, the sensible thing to do is mark them out of the game.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvzy-X8Hco2kPia02dg8B8_FcsBLLBq6I-8FfDeMBVIJp8KTvC5i6nY6MQ166JnUj8BdKKtpiR_f6n02TfgWHdytjl6GorbdDnrEuijRfelD5ASpZ9jSBZ5bxw0PZghjjnXTvPFK2LL3B/s1600/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022405302_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvzy-X8Hco2kPia02dg8B8_FcsBLLBq6I-8FfDeMBVIJp8KTvC5i6nY6MQ166JnUj8BdKKtpiR_f6n02TfgWHdytjl6GorbdDnrEuijRfelD5ASpZ9jSBZ5bxw0PZghjjnXTvPFK2LL3B/s320/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022405302_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In combination, all these new elements make for a much more thoughtful game of football where the best players will be thinking two to three moves in advance. It's slower but undoubtedly more authentic, and it's now more probable that some encounters could fizzle out into a midfield tussles. It might initially lack the unwavering action of other football games, but it makes a successful move all the more satisfying when it's pulled off; if you do manage to bag a late minute winner at the end of a closely fought encounter you'll probably scream louder and more ferociously than you ever have done in front of a console. <span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span>Other improvements only help raise the level of immersion. The visual upgrade is admittedly slight – a new lighting pass and improved pitch textures bring some added life while key players' likenesses have been enhanced, though it only goes to widen the gulf between them and FIFA's swelling ranks of clay-faced trolls. The most convincing of the aesthetic upgrades is the sound; crowd noises are noticeably beefier, more atmospheric, and tailored to specific regions. Play a game in South America for example, and those samba drums in the stands will be more pronounced. Providing commentary, Andy Gray and Martin Tyler continue their largely brilliant double act – though perhaps it's one that's beginning to wear a little thin as over-familiar sound bites crop up once too often. The fans have the biggest impact, and the fevered screams that greet in-game incidents help bolster the atmosphere admirably. <span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVxnsF4wE9tkPNP8PXMcA1ik2H5XEMWfI7TVfkCPmATTwXgFLBZropzH7d21TVwF63X0Au0NFgwcNZZvq8VnoGl2WzNnhNNwuFV5497t-G-JAkimCCIljitPGi_Ljfaic4J0a-0h7vP8c/s1600/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022432363_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVxnsF4wE9tkPNP8PXMcA1ik2H5XEMWfI7TVfkCPmATTwXgFLBZropzH7d21TVwF63X0Au0NFgwcNZZvq8VnoGl2WzNnhNNwuFV5497t-G-JAkimCCIljitPGi_Ljfaic4J0a-0h7vP8c/s320/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022432363_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><span>And it's the fans at home that have been given more power than before. Yes, it's possible to create custom chants but this is one new feature that falls flat; it's fiddly and overcomplicated, and there's no EQ options should you want to record a convincing one yourself. Better is the addition of custom audio – as a Chelsea fan, seeing the team coming on to Stamford Bridge to Harry J and The Allstars' 'Liquidator' was a special thrill. But best of all the editing options is the ability to alter player's attributes for the first time, which in itself is a neat way of bypassing EA's Live Season service or, in our case, being able to change more neglected lower league teams.<br />
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Other improvements off the pitch have been just as effective. Sensibly, FIFA's single player options have been consolidated into one career mode, and it's free of some of the statistical blights that marred previous FIFAs. It's possible to attack the career as a player, manager or – that rarest of breeds these days – a player manager. Seasons play out with verity (so expect Man U and Chelsea to be the teams to beat if you're playing in the Premier League), as do the transfers when the window is open.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33ch2dUtYxi6o0OSQ29ETygfndmRw9st_auuVTXXnu8B5ZA0FdLMejRuZx6jvrL3u6X7e5cqL3R6_fEj3hE9AP-8t08O3jba06kAhrpK6JuPdoFcVKIqRIh2U5dBHS_TMZZCoyLgiKJ1X/s1600/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022432363_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33ch2dUtYxi6o0OSQ29ETygfndmRw9st_auuVTXXnu8B5ZA0FdLMejRuZx6jvrL3u6X7e5cqL3R6_fEj3hE9AP-8t08O3jba06kAhrpK6JuPdoFcVKIqRIh2U5dBHS_TMZZCoyLgiKJ1X/s320/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022432363_640w.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><span>It's all kept in check with a redesigned front end that's as slick as it is efficient, though if there's one gripe it's that it still lacks a spark and passion, with campaigns too soon becoming a lifeless trudge through the fixture list. It's an improvement on previous efforts for sure, but it still feels like there's much more ground to be covered.<br />
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But in truth it's one part of a whole that's becoming staggeringly immense, and as its years as the cream of the football crop continue, the list of features gets longer and longer. Virtual Pro returns with a few worthwhile tweaks, as does a seemingly untouched Game Face mode, and FIFA 11's legacy is an all-new feature that works surprisingly well. <span><br />
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<div class="article-content" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.16px;">It's indicative of EA's commitment to quality across the board that what could have been a throwaway addition is in fact quite enjoyable. The right stick controls dives, and true to the real thing it's all about positioning. There's help from some on-screen markers that help track the ball and point to where the optimum position is, ensuring that getting your palms stung by a ferocious strike isn't as frustrating as it could have been.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHYrtz6w5vxd_YibUDsPuJyYOgE2Fqa3wQr2NpS9m5HKA59eQVL7KuMvs-mzmrmlFpxBuA1pw2Qec5RJNxECI3BHB6xHhiGNudNChS_YllPCMpAos7rP5umyQ3w_H1k1wyoRn3HUpXjLy/s1600/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022400692_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHYrtz6w5vxd_YibUDsPuJyYOgE2Fqa3wQr2NpS9m5HKA59eQVL7KuMvs-mzmrmlFpxBuA1pw2Qec5RJNxECI3BHB6xHhiGNudNChS_YllPCMpAos7rP5umyQ3w_H1k1wyoRn3HUpXjLy/s320/fifa-soccer-11-20100817022400692_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="article-content" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.16px;">Being a goalkeeper in <a class="autolink" href="http://ps3.ign.com/objects/060/060988.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">FIFA 11</a> is faithful to the real thing in other, less satisfying ways too. Life between the sticks can be a solitary affair and that's no different here. An attempt's been made to alleviate the loneliness of the keeper by allowing the camera to pan up to the action on the pitch and orders to be barked out to team-mates, though it does little to save single player keeping from being a novelty – albeit a novelty that's been very well implemented. It's still a great way to fill out the numbers for true 11 v 11 play online (and next year we're holding out for controllable linesmen and refs, though we wouldn't be surprised if we were alone in that desire), and it makes the one-on-one stand-offs that precede a match all the more satisfying when two players are involved.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="hdr-article hdr-ratingbox-comments" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 28px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">CLOSING COMMENTS</div><div class="ratingbox-comments" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.16px;">FIFA 11 doesn’t redefine the football game, nor does it bring with it bold or surprising ways to play. What it does, however, is refine an already superlative game, taking nearly every aspect and polishing it to help create a whole that’s notably superior to its predecessors. It’s excellence, not innovation, that wins out, and that’s surely no bad thing; for the next twelve months at least this is likely to be the best football experience available, and FIFA’s looking like retaining its crown in convincing fashion.</div><span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span></span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-71484692130957380172010-09-24T13:39:00.000-07:002010-09-24T13:39:34.603-07:00Diving Deep with Hydrophobia From IGN.com<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb38M2SPSk5jYbbqaZoLIhcjSux8w1qveMDj3YmQy2izhErlR_armUK68dqFe04vhetIsZZnYLHHlEJw6SE8LNUNjm3f9FDHNrbrOfwCKwTDzCpj0pBGeAscB64TXSvtW19ucl1_9KR-rR/s1600/hydrophobia-20100923103352520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb38M2SPSk5jYbbqaZoLIhcjSux8w1qveMDj3YmQy2izhErlR_armUK68dqFe04vhetIsZZnYLHHlEJw6SE8LNUNjm3f9FDHNrbrOfwCKwTDzCpj0pBGeAscB64TXSvtW19ucl1_9KR-rR/s320/hydrophobia-20100923103352520.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">When</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hydrophobia</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">launches next week, it will be the culmination of a long journey and the start of another. Having first been revealed at the beginning of 2007, the three subsequent years have seen it transform from a boxed game to an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive - and its release could well redefine expectations from downloadable console titles. It's not just that it's a fully fledged, third person sci-fi action adventure at a cut-down price; it's looking like a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>really</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">good action adventure, and one that's as thoughtful and innovative as anything the 360 has seen this year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hydrophobia is set in a chillingly plausible future. 30 years from now, and the population has risen to unmanageable levels, with water and food not plentiful enough to support the billions who live on the increasingly infertile land. Sailing the troubled waters of this world is The Queen of the World, a colossal ship that's a refuge of sorts for the rich; it's a free of the strife found across the planet, funded by mega-corporations and a haven for the bright minds that are trying to find a solution for the world's woes and a way to provide for its swollen numbers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRZVvU89X-WqpD6_Ngi9oTW1JWcayRNy-WXcKP6sBnb_sBWdR8A_aokPvgcTLaDGYg_R5O9HcghLX5FgJY82kV3wgQ9t65Q8EN8lej9WJS5QDcL5WmCkRq3fJB1-Uzy8rMRWALd61_UoL/s1600/hydrophobia-20100916045825016_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRZVvU89X-WqpD6_Ngi9oTW1JWcayRNy-WXcKP6sBnb_sBWdR8A_aokPvgcTLaDGYg_R5O9HcghLX5FgJY82kV3wgQ9t65Q8EN8lej9WJS5QDcL5WmCkRq3fJB1-Uzy8rMRWALd61_UoL/s320/hydrophobia-20100916045825016_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">But it soon transpires that The Queen of the World isn't immune to the troubles found elsewhere. As the celebrations of its tenth anniversary break out across the ship, so too does a meticulously planned terrorist attack. The culprits? The Malthusians, a group who believe the only answer to the escalating population crisis in an enforced cull, who pump their cheery 'Save the World... Kill Yourself' motto across the ship's vidscreens.<br />
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And plunged into the middle of this is Kate Wilson, a systems engineer who is to become the unwitting hero of the piece. It's a set-up that's admirable not for merely its grand arc but for the detail with which it's been realised; developer Dark Energy has been meticulous in its work, and there's a feeling that every moment of the three years it's taken Hydrophobia to launch has been well spent.<br />
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Seemingly every element of Hydrophobia's world has its own rich story; whether that's the Malthusians, who take their inspiration from Thomas Malthus' 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population – a philosophy that's gaining credence as overcrowding becomes an ever more real threat – or The Queen of the World itself, of which detailed blueprints of a fully functioning ship were drawn up before the game had even reached production. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoQPl_6nTFduKTgINi1SJqBCB_XKfGDtGRm_0MG1LU4L89B6Ns-55guUSHG-DInU8a_EBtE4kmTE0h0IMYgBu2CoDWGQ_9w__seeQkW4LnRWeDrXXGxXq8eA0om_bFbNLNWK2Ud_yKE1o/s1600/hydrophobia-20100916045820579_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoQPl_6nTFduKTgINi1SJqBCB_XKfGDtGRm_0MG1LU4L89B6Ns-55guUSHG-DInU8a_EBtE4kmTE0h0IMYgBu2CoDWGQ_9w__seeQkW4LnRWeDrXXGxXq8eA0om_bFbNLNWK2Ud_yKE1o/s320/hydrophobia-20100916045820579_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
It's indicative of the work that developer Dark Energy has put into Hydrophobia, the Manchester outfit occupying an office space that, by some neat coincdience, was built with the same proportions of a ship's hull. "Those blueprints weren't done for effect," creative director Peter Jones tells us, "they were done to give us a sense of place. We wanted to know, for instance, who built the ship; and as part of the back story there are five companies who come together to build The Queen of the World. We wanted to go into a lot of detail about how the world would be at that time - we followed UN population forecasts of 9 billion people on the planet, and there's a bunch of other stuff that comes to a crucial pinch point in about thirty years."<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Like the best science fiction it takes a central, plausible premise and spins it out to a fantastical extreme – think Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park and how it built upon the very real issue of genetic engineering, or how P.D James' Children of Men built upon infertility to create its own epic dystopia. "I read a lot of science fiction," confesses Pete, "but science fiction has to be tangible. You're taking scientific respectability and upon that garnish a whole preposterous theory, but because it has a root of plausibility you can relate to it."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb-K0p5XscQu2jRVbe78bAWnYNGgXm9v2epm03SXb_lWJWJXurNxPf3Qg2o4IRuj46413O6e-dXNHoHDtSr7BR-bUatpGREIjx382OVj5TpWnmvqkT6jrUawH1nzeJY5SXHc5vcbYsgO_/s1600/hydrophobia-20100916045814501_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb-K0p5XscQu2jRVbe78bAWnYNGgXm9v2epm03SXb_lWJWJXurNxPf3Qg2o4IRuj46413O6e-dXNHoHDtSr7BR-bUatpGREIjx382OVj5TpWnmvqkT6jrUawH1nzeJY5SXHc5vcbYsgO_/s320/hydrophobia-20100916045814501_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">And Dark Energy's attention to detail extends beyond its science. "There are back stories to all the characters," explains Senior Creative Designer Rob Hewson, "who they were, their childhood and all that kind of stuff – it's all in there and it doesn't even appear in the game. We know it, because to make something cohesive and to make something believable you have to have that depth behind it." <span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span>Playing through the opening chapters of Hydrophobia, it's this believability that helps heighten the experience. Unlike many other videogame backdrops, the corridors and service tunnels that make up The Queen of the World's lower levels are alive with a purpose beyond that of the game; they feel functional and lived in, as if they form part of a larger and very convincing world. It makes the prospect of exploring more of The Queen of the World all the more tantalising; next week's release is just the first part of a proposed series, exploring only a small part of the ship's imposing reach.<br />
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Hydrophobia's about more than a well realised location, though, and its play equals its vision for ambition. At its core is its water technology which is, it's no exaggeration to say, unmatched. Its flow is dynamic and bespoke, flooding areas and swilling around in a brilliantly believable manner.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHrxcrxK5fhyphenhyphenPw44U1J5zfBjEQ84ADjyLYNBCvY7QTSwUmwELTN_xxNtNa2v2R_FdOpp83_8d9tOVHOO5fN7hZVo_rlP11KfRzP1iL9JWWI2NA61o3tQaN3s6sAj-JmFnft0yflHGpXXx/s1600/hydrophobia-20100916045901875_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHrxcrxK5fhyphenhyphenPw44U1J5zfBjEQ84ADjyLYNBCvY7QTSwUmwELTN_xxNtNa2v2R_FdOpp83_8d9tOVHOO5fN7hZVo_rlP11KfRzP1iL9JWWI2NA61o3tQaN3s6sAj-JmFnft0yflHGpXXx/s320/hydrophobia-20100916045901875_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span>What's best is how it's been worked into the game as much more than a graphical flourish – areas can be flooded at the player's will, dramatically influencing how they'll play out. Go through them dry and it's a competent, cover-based third person shooter. Go wet, though, and it's a different game all together.<br />
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Environmental kills are Hydrophobia's bread and butter, and the water plays well into them. Loose electrical cables can be knocked around, transforming placid pools into death traps, and barrels can be punted along the surface with sonic rounds emitted from the charged pistol that's Kate's regular firearm.<br />
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Different ammunition types open up more inventive ways to kill. Gel rounds attach to objects and countdown to an explosion, so it's possible to attach one to a barrel and then send it towards a group of enemies, while energy rounds can send electricity coursing through the water. All this is kept in check with a score system whereby creative kills are rewarded, and true to other Xbox Live Arcade games leaderboards promise to keep Hydrophobia fresh long after the first playthrough. <span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMuoKjpcow4GJQuOo-4XzpNCaG-K273jU7xK2oU53LiqEHPKYm5PEIbaO3XuENrmO49WYdhzokMC4XACqkmyoNkacqntoxZB93N7Viq30KCZzqqnWoJ55LbnzAr7LbIA8EXP9DjNo3qiK/s1600/rgvgrvfbjfcoklbv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMuoKjpcow4GJQuOo-4XzpNCaG-K273jU7xK2oU53LiqEHPKYm5PEIbaO3XuENrmO49WYdhzokMC4XACqkmyoNkacqntoxZB93N7Viq30KCZzqqnWoJ55LbnzAr7LbIA8EXP9DjNo3qiK/s320/rgvgrvfbjfcoklbv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span><span>Punctuating the action are light puzzle and investigation elements, sometimes drawing upon the water physics but more often utilising the Mavi, Kate's handy PDA. Using it switches the game into a first-person perspective in which everything's rendered in stylish wireframe, allowing the player to scan the scenery Metroid Prime style. Doors can be unlocked remotely and CCTV cameras hacked, adding another layer of depth to the game.<br />
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It's all so impressive, so vast in scope, that you have to keep reminding yourself that this isn't a full-priced, boxed product. The amount that Dark Energy has managed to squeeze into 1GB is incredible – even more so when it's revealed that 400MB of that is the sound files. This economy comes courtesy of the team's bespoke InfiniteWorlds engine, and its ability to squeeze whole games into minimal file sizes was one of the reasons the digital download path was chosen for Hydrophobia.<br />
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"We can produce this product and put it out globally at a fraction of the price [of a boxed game] – and it's still the same quality product," explains Dark Energy's Deborah Jones. Peter Jones is more bullish: "I actually think what we witnessed is the beginning of the end of the old business model of making video games. It takes time to work through, but if you look at the shockwaves that have already gone through the industry, I don't think those terms are too strong."<br />
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If the death of physical retail means more games like the Hydrophobia - thoughtful, technically impressive and best of all at a download-friendly price point - then the future's looking very bright indeed. Expect the full verdict next week. <span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-88329777980156724302010-09-24T07:22:00.000-07:002010-09-24T07:22:18.070-07:00Need for Speed: Multiplayer Hotness From IGN.com<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCyczcx10sQoRdy8BtMrq_tdh__n7PY_F15FH-a9DmXcuzvT6ywToLIPIesvVetb5SynNXr6FzVltd_IYuBc8ZsVIM0_WqzbA38V0LCi9zviYvj9AM_Q3AY_Acfg56MTEkcQiLuZ7ng91/s1600/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100918002837449-000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCyczcx10sQoRdy8BtMrq_tdh__n7PY_F15FH-a9DmXcuzvT6ywToLIPIesvVetb5SynNXr6FzVltd_IYuBc8ZsVIM0_WqzbA38V0LCi9zviYvj9AM_Q3AY_Acfg56MTEkcQiLuZ7ng91/s320/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100918002837449-000.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">It's always funny to travel around the world and arrive in Tokyo, only to play a game developed outside of Japan. I happily did that, however, following EA's press conference at the Tokyo Game Show when I sat down for a multiplayer session with</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Criterion Games</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">' Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Although I respect the Need for Speed series, I've never been an avid follower of it -- until now. This is one of the tightest, most exhilarating arcade-style racers I've gotten my hands on, and multiplayer is a total blast.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The folks at Criterion Games, of course, are no strangers to well-polished racers. Having nurtured Burnout Paradise long after its launch, the studio seems to be putting a lot of effort into Hot Pursuit. Players will be able to experience the thrill of chasing down illegal racers or, alternatively, running from the long arm of the law while burning over the asphalt. During my multiplayer session, I was able to get behind the wheel of both sides of the chase. In doing so, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit became one of my most anticipated games yet.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6irwClgAtZFf8gs9QVxH_Ui1Jbej3JMRMUE97sFgXSpEMaS258uOCrVF1LC1dE4fNEZHibfAbp1WP0fIMwfoYypiThCYertQETumqfnZ9qVyl08Vu_5tIELWD3E65HdgZHV9saJnnx0h4/s1600/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100817091845723_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6irwClgAtZFf8gs9QVxH_Ui1Jbej3JMRMUE97sFgXSpEMaS258uOCrVF1LC1dE4fNEZHibfAbp1WP0fIMwfoYypiThCYertQETumqfnZ9qVyl08Vu_5tIELWD3E65HdgZHV9saJnnx0h4/s320/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100817091845723_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span>The multiplayer suite of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is incredibly robust, especially when you consider the Autolog system, which seamlessly tracks your friend's accomplishments in-game and creates a hyper-intuitive system for launching into those same challenges in order to best them. But the real competition, of course, comes from playing with your friends online in one event. And that's where things get beautiful.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span>Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit has three different modes for online play: racing, hot pursuit and interceptors. Racing, as you might expect, is just straight competition with no bells and whistles. Hot pursuit is the mode that pits the cops against the racers, and interceptors puts you in a more involved, elaborate chase that can take up to 30 minutes to complete.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGH-Io8cpb9RkvCL4jdSSGaoRiY30-GS6CYdptWyeJww0reOA1rvlab8VoQ-HiqljDFr5OjbkMWIwyqOFY8LeHMspOFm3XvHRU48M8fIpazGDxCYrLSL6V_2HkpjEWcjpEIUihCuS8c04/s1600/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100816080340814_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGH-Io8cpb9RkvCL4jdSSGaoRiY30-GS6CYdptWyeJww0reOA1rvlab8VoQ-HiqljDFr5OjbkMWIwyqOFY8LeHMspOFm3XvHRU48M8fIpazGDxCYrLSL6V_2HkpjEWcjpEIUihCuS8c04/s320/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-20100816080340814_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span>At EA's event, hot pursuit was the mode on display, so I quickly found myself amidst the cops, chasing down the racers on a dangerous forest road. The first thing I noticed when it comes to Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (and what might be obvious to those familiar with Criterion's projects) was how brilliantly the cars controlled. There's a degree of realism to be found in the handling, but really this game is all about having fun and racing at blinding speeds. Skimming around a corner while biting at the tail of an escaping racer is a special kind of treat, one that many will greatly appreciate.<br />
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In Hot Pursuit, players will have access to some "special moves" to keep things interesting. Those on the police's side can order a road black, lay down a spike strip, call in helicopter support and trigger an EMP. All these techniques can be executed with a direction on the d-pad and they definitely spice up the already adrenaline-filled matches. <span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><span>The racers aren't without their own set of tricks, though. They can also throw down spike strips and trigger EMP blasts, but they have a jammer for dealing with pesky police helicopters and they also have a powerful turbo boost that can send them careening down a track. While playing as a racer, this was one of my favorite moments in the multiplayer experience, despite the fact that I wrecked my car at the end. As you might expect, your ride doesn't turn as well during a turbo boost, so walls are not your friends...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><span>There's really nothing I <i>didn't</i> like about Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit so far, though my experiences have been limited. The game is incredibly promising and I suspect that any gamer interested in racing will get a kick out of this title, especially its multiplayer support. But we'll just have to see if the final product is as enticing as the short demos I've enjoyed thus far.<span><br />
</span></span></span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-52795213520979652542010-09-24T04:30:00.000-07:002010-09-24T04:31:56.351-07:00Future Xbox, PlayStation games could all be free - THQ From Computerandvideogames.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">THQ has claimed that the price of video games will drop in future - and could even go free-to-play - as publishers release less content on-disc.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />According to THQ boss Brian Farrell, the future of console gaming is most likely see stripped-down titles bought at retail for $29 - $39.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEds7pdd6UULm4zwlMTk5v2Bs5PlxVCN3uogW-52JGVTzX5auGTj-CVkTAwkRfYgg3eWPobYS1Ba1zWwYcoioc8SlsTs1s6KYGDgurtN5sTWmSKiAdzSOVNP646eZ0wIn2-Vbar2jykDb7/s1600/thq_logo_qjpreviewth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEds7pdd6UULm4zwlMTk5v2Bs5PlxVCN3uogW-52JGVTzX5auGTj-CVkTAwkRfYgg3eWPobYS1Ba1zWwYcoioc8SlsTs1s6KYGDgurtN5sTWmSKiAdzSOVNP646eZ0wIn2-Vbar2jykDb7/s320/thq_logo_qjpreviewth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Gamers will then have the option to download extra content to the tune of around $100 if they so wish.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />THQ is experimenting with the hybrid model with its MX Vs ATV off-road racing title, due for release next year. <br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />However, Farrell told investors this week that a free-to-play model - where gamers only pay for in-game items and extra content after a gratis initial sale - was also a possibility.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />"You might know we are the industry leader in off-road racing in gaming with our MXVs ATV brand," Farrell told the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference in New York. "In the past, we've seen that we bring the game out at $59.99 and it does reasonably well - around one million, or one million-and-a-half units. <br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />"When we lower the price to a mass market price the thing really jumps... So what we're doing this time is we're coming out initially with a smaller game at a lower price point - the $29 to $39 range. <br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />"We're then doing a download model for different modes, different tracks, different vehicles. It's what we call a hybrid - it's a bit of the microtransaction and DLC model.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />"It does a couple of things: I'm a big believer in monetising under the curve, so we capture that $29 to $39 user no matter what, and a person that wants to spend $100 on the product can do so as well.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />He added: "I think that's the future of gaming - whether it's this model or a take on the free-to-play model. It's where our industry is going and this is a very, very interesting experiment with one of our key brands."</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-31131445991817093622010-09-24T02:05:00.000-07:002010-09-24T04:25:05.728-07:00We play Dead Rising 2... From Strategyinformer.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffc246; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px;">I guess it's safe to assume that if a terrible virus did spread throughout the real world, infecting people and turning them into zombies, we'd have a fairly good idea of how to deal with them by now, thanks to the plethora of movies and games that teach us various ways to dispatch the shamblers. As if <em>Dead Rising</em> hadn't taught us well enough the first time around, the mall action is back for a second round in <em>Dead Rising 2</em>, and it's all looking mighty familiar. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">If you loved the first game, you'll most likely get a kick out of number two. Not a lot has changed in terms of gameplay and concept, although the controls feel much smoother this time around, and the added co-op mode is plenty of fun. There are some horrible difficulty spikes involved, and you'll need to spend a ridiculous amount of time with the game to see results, but otherwise this is the successor that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><em>Dead Rising</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">fans have been longing for.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">New guy Chuck replaces Frank West as we witness one of the most awesome openings to a game in a good while - a motorbike with chainsaws attached to it, and an arena full of zombies. For the get-go, it's obvious that you're going to be killing a hell of a lot of zombies, and in lots of lovely, utterly mental ways. Very soon the setting becomes rather familiar, as you discover the arena is part of a huge shopping mall.</span><br />
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Initially, I found Chuck to be a difficult character to care about. He's rather lifeless, and as he escorts his daughter Kate to safety, you don't exactly get the feeling that he cares all that much for her, thanks to his forced dialogue and blank expression.</span><br />
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However, as the story progressed I began to feel for the guy, and the writing became a little more solid. Katey was bitten by a zombie when she was very little, and now needs to take a drug called Zombrex every 24 hours so that she doesn't 'turn'. Now trapped in this mall, Chuck must go out and find the drug so that his daughter will remain safe, while also attempting to cle</span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioz8g4-iRLS3lc1MYDXNJrLMcYxvYAsaKkchF3uw-F1mx9p9kQzIMjSKL5Tej2utKgL97CVedDk56uQ-phmPryvcl1QCIsUx3-Csxf0cxLrf4bKa7AM9qIVC15vqGfVjt0H-okg9Sd6_Pq/s1600/dead-rising-2-20090427023827278_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioz8g4-iRLS3lc1MYDXNJrLMcYxvYAsaKkchF3uw-F1mx9p9kQzIMjSKL5Tej2utKgL97CVedDk56uQ-phmPryvcl1QCIsUx3-Csxf0cxLrf4bKa7AM9qIVC15vqGfVjt0H-okg9Sd6_Pq/s320/dead-rising-2-20090427023827278_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">Since you're killinar his name and prove that he had nothing to do with this particular zombie outbreak.<br />
g for a child's life this time around, there is a lot more feeling to it. You really do find yourself caring for the child and wanting her to be OK, and whenever it is time to administer the drug, without a doubt you'll be there ready.<br />
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With formalities out of the way, let's get down to the slaughtering. Throughout the huge mall, there are tens of thousands of zombies all ready to taste the backend of whatever weapon you decide to sling their way. Nothing has changed much since the first game - you can pretty much pick up anything in the shopping centre, from plant pots to billboards to cash registers, and swing for a zombie's brain.<br />
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In fact, quite possibly too much of <em>Dead Rising 2</em> is plucked straight from the original. Health is represented by squares, with PP collected by killing zombies and escorting survivors to the safe point, allowing you to level up and take on more zombies at a time. Although there is once again a time limit, the action doesn't feel as urgent this time around, and you'll find it's roughly around twice as long as its predecessor. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCGaW0Os4l8EAEFlst-yCmWjzx493r8VLH5i-3KMLG3Y_vTkdwnt1tRH9RF556NDHtUfRXHOtrd8dtGzgFCaLTQFpwrsGm0svs6WFs4_3Xap__Ci4rA39sz4bc-nZj3zxmjumtPphFABA/s1600/dead-rising-2-20090601012914423_640w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCGaW0Os4l8EAEFlst-yCmWjzx493r8VLH5i-3KMLG3Y_vTkdwnt1tRH9RF556NDHtUfRXHOtrd8dtGzgFCaLTQFpwrsGm0svs6WFs4_3Xap__Ci4rA39sz4bc-nZj3zxmjumtPphFABA/s320/dead-rising-2-20090601012914423_640w.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">As with the original, the game doesn't appear to expect that you'll complete all the missions in one playthrough. When you die, you're given the option of restarting the entire game but keeping all your stats. You'll find later on that this is pretty much obligatory, as side quests and boss battles are ridiculously hard unless you've leveled up quite far. </span><br />
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Even so, the difficulty spikes are really quite absurd. One minute you'll be cutting down hordes of zombies and barely losing any health, and the next you'll be fighting a boss battle and getting your ass handed to you. Eventually I got sick of even attempting side missions, and found they were far more trouble than they were worth. If you're looking for a long haul experience in which you restart the game multiple times over, <em>Dead Rising 2</em> will be your thing. If, however, you're looking for a more simple 'once through and you're done', the action provided here will not bode well with you.<br />
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It doesn't help that, once again, saving the game can be a total nightmare. You need to hunt down the toilets again, but there are barely any around, and I found myself longing for a simple 'save wherever you want' method. Why this idiotic system is still being used, I really have no idea.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNb3yL7OQTczvedOzrU-Vs4ye8iDtwDPRcWReSAibJaCtijS8euZjWWdgRWm_xtpZrKYU-LJbKdmm1hLtQg3lUCHPrMX3E-eU2anMtEiXqv6A0iLT_PUeo2DUM3yvTVipURySSZyuS0gWl/s1600/deadrising2cover530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNb3yL7OQTczvedOzrU-Vs4ye8iDtwDPRcWReSAibJaCtijS8euZjWWdgRWm_xtpZrKYU-LJbKdmm1hLtQg3lUCHPrMX3E-eU2anMtEiXqv6A0iLT_PUeo2DUM3yvTVipURySSZyuS0gWl/s320/deadrising2cover530.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">The main pull of the original game was the unique and sometimes hilarious methods for killing zombies, and <em>Dead Rising 2</em> does not disappoint in this particular field. There are even more fantastic ways for knocking them down this time around, thanks to a new combo weapons feature. Collect combo cards, and you'll be able to strap certain weapons to others and create ultimate killing machines. My favourite so far is the Drill Bucket, which you place on a zombie's head, and then the drills inside tear out their brains. There are so many different combinations, and you'll spend hours simply checking them all out. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">So what else is different in this second outing? The NPC characters are slightly smarter, and will actually follow you rather than standing around and getting eaten all the time. It can still be a nuisance to get them to follow you through doors and into other areas, and I found that sometimes I had to keep jumping between areas until they eventually came with me.<br />
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The controls are far better too. Aiming and shooting with firearms in the original game was horribly tedious, but it's much easier in Chuck's world. In fact, killing zombies in general feels a lot smoother in this instalment, and hence a lot more fun too. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffceb; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">By far, however, the greatest addition to the formula is the co-op multiplayer. Grab a friend online, and the two of you can slice, chop and smash your way through the hordes together, with plenty of missions to complete. The action is very entertaining with a second person keeping you company and you'll spend hours simply exploring and clearing out entire areas of zombies together.<br />
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<span class="highlighted" style="color: #ffc246; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><em>Dead Rising 2</em> doesn't exactly build that much on the original game, but then again many would argue that it didn't really need to. If you were a big fan of Frank and his zombie-smashing ways, prepare to make good friends with Chuck and his very familiar journey. If, however, you didn't enjoy the previous action all that much, you're not going to have a ball here either. </span><br />
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<span class="highlighted" style="color: #ffc246; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Top Game Moment:</span> <strong style="font-weight: bold;">Driving a car straight through the mall and mowing down hundreds of zombies in one go.</strong></span></div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-38275107242731238242010-09-23T13:24:00.000-07:002010-09-23T13:24:30.133-07:00LittleBigPlanet 2 Delayed Into 2011 From filefront.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">That noise you just heard? That was what it sounds like when Christmas hopes are dashed around the world.</div><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Media Molecule has <a href="http://www.littlebigplanet.com/en-us/news/article/important_news_regarding_the_release_date_of_littlebigplanet_2/" style="color: #f8c53a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" target="_blank">confirmed on their website</a> that its highly anticipated sequel won’t hit stores until January 2011.</div><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In their statement, Media Molecule sys,</div><blockquote style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDZnfkPfcAhWg0RVu-c89tSrlfDIj1Xu_tqN-RnGcpITfXoyEgNm3DeNphkI75_8GV74wk2cC1CHUJMjuZzjgriRHe-_UU-maJBFOjJcHngYxQHkyBBfvfM_ioHFAP3EpknN9IISuQdmP/s1600/littlebigplanet-2-475x285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDZnfkPfcAhWg0RVu-c89tSrlfDIj1Xu_tqN-RnGcpITfXoyEgNm3DeNphkI75_8GV74wk2cC1CHUJMjuZzjgriRHe-_UU-maJBFOjJcHngYxQHkyBBfvfM_ioHFAP3EpknN9IISuQdmP/s320/littlebigplanet-2-475x285.jpg" /></a>We know this will come as disappointing news for all you LittleBigPlanet fans, and believe us, we are disappointed too. We are a tight-knit team and we take enormous pride in our work, so to raise the bar we’ve set with the original LittleBigPlanet, a game that has been so embraced by all, we’ve agreed to allow ourselves a bit more time to deliver the experience that our great fans and community deserve. We are truly sorry, but hope you understand that we have to build the best possible game, as it is the foundation of our community. </div></blockquote><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">While this is disappointing news for LBP fans, there is one silver lining. At the end of their announcement of the delay, Media Molecule adds one little tidbit that makes things a little better, saying,</div><blockquote style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">On the upside, we are going to find a way to give more of you a taste of LBP2 prior to launch, so stay tuned. </div></blockquote><div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">We’ll let you know more when we do, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see an open beta roll out fairly soon. As soon as we know, you’ll know.</div></span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-62866564708674912412010-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:002010-09-23T12:11:20.192-07:00XBL Update Preview sign-ups beginning From Gamespot.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">Microsoft accepting submissions for feedback on new XBL dashboard, which will add ESPN, Netflix search, and Zune music marketplace.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArhRp7QH62KL88-2tvJDwM39-4q17beMr5e2Mjbk2WCnjkS3oIBf20seOkPScVIIpUKulyOl6TneuOVEjGobL7XpwulENnt0yDbk7TgTXablt-e_-f3Mu9M49zlA7kqGLoypVOJ3Hd9vI/s1600/xboxlivelogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArhRp7QH62KL88-2tvJDwM39-4q17beMr5e2Mjbk2WCnjkS3oIBf20seOkPScVIIpUKulyOl6TneuOVEjGobL7XpwulENnt0yDbk7TgTXablt-e_-f3Mu9M49zlA7kqGLoypVOJ3Hd9vI/s320/xboxlivelogo.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">Although the next Xbox Live dashboard update isn't expected until its traditional November release, Microsoft is already soliciting feedback on the features it will add. These include the ability for Xbox Live Gold-level members to search and edit Netflix queues, watch ESPN 3 content, and shop for music on the Zune Marketplace.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jr5NquHsVb5oYhCG3Tg0ckGRHXRaAhR8P6D2HwoNlU4Nke_gNAunbm2QDp3zA0R3TgNa9uTa0E_HL01h9l4QUjZDCfTqAjLGnS40FUUPhLtn62AWk8yRhyxMhKzq9-6p5lDpxdHvrKch/s1600/xbox-360-november-2010-dashboard-update-family-plan-screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jr5NquHsVb5oYhCG3Tg0ckGRHXRaAhR8P6D2HwoNlU4Nke_gNAunbm2QDp3zA0R3TgNa9uTa0E_HL01h9l4QUjZDCfTqAjLGnS40FUUPhLtn62AWk8yRhyxMhKzq9-6p5lDpxdHvrKch/s320/xbox-360-november-2010-dashboard-update-family-plan-screenshot.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">According to a post today on the </span><a href="http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/09/22/xbox-live-update-preview-program.aspx" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">blog of Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">, the software giant is currently accepting early testers for the new XBL dashboard. Those interested can sign up for a preview via the </span><a href="http://mjr.mn/csMPKf" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">Microsoft Connect feedback site</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"> using the Windows Live ID tethered to their Xbox Live gamertag.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">Hryb said that since Microsoft is looking for "thousands" of participants, the chance that an applicant will be admitted to the preview is "good." Those applying to take part in the survey should have their console's serial number handy and also be aware that once installed, the new XBL dashboard cannot be uninstalled. (It can, however, be updated.) Participants will also be required to fill out a survey about the new features.</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-53839843493140048602010-09-23T02:04:00.000-07:002010-09-23T02:04:01.566-07:00Tumble Review From Gamespot.com<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4uKAFCXT1DD3uTczBWw4T4StQxIETbRrrWByMXXM_1Q4DvlNWXFfiDbF93nD77Fk-QW_UhBL30Mpf3LJASFs6gcKGg5su83UEj_H9Ltz5tMdVCkBno5uwHDRVB3vgMDYUxKI8HaxcWpy/s1600/997883_20100916_embed002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4uKAFCXT1DD3uTczBWw4T4StQxIETbRrrWByMXXM_1Q4DvlNWXFfiDbF93nD77Fk-QW_UhBL30Mpf3LJASFs6gcKGg5su83UEj_H9Ltz5tMdVCkBno5uwHDRVB3vgMDYUxKI8HaxcWpy/s320/997883_20100916_embed002.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">It's probably been quite a while since you played with building blocks; perhaps erecting towers just so that you could knock them down again or--if it was even longer ago--smashing one against the floor while gnawing and drooling on another. Saliva isn't simulated in Tumble, but if your building block ambitions aren't motivated by teething, then this PlayStation Move puzzle game almost certainly has you covered. Varied and imaginative puzzles challenge you to both build and destroy unlikely-looking towers in the lengthy single-player mode while enjoyable local multiplayer options afford you an opportunity to pit your stacking skills against a friend. Tumble isn't reason enough to invest in any Move hardware, but if you already own a Move motion controller, then that's reason enough to drop $10 on this clever and well-presented downloadable offering.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tumble is a game that uses the Move motion controller to great effect, and the controls could hardly be simpler. You point at the block you want to pick up, use the trigger to grab and release it, and hold down the Move button when you want to reposition the camera. And that's it. The camera isn't quite as versatile as it could be and refuses to go low enough to be useful during tricky limbo-themed levels, but outside of this minor irritation, the controls are difficult to fault. Tumble even makes it incredibly easy to recalibrate your controller on the fly because you can hit the O button to center your position on the screen at anytime--very useful if you want to sit down and play after standing for a while, for example.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw13jaWqVo0p9OyvUINfCqjFcBwZmWRPE2yUd8QvJBRQAqSrmS8V8IPBVq0fNfPDhfj6d1ImWKF5Oio4xWugkEXfs-S3z5XVvYO5rf743ByD4zMcha0aZLEM4yDlv0d7Hyp-0CZpwlIqw/s1600/997883_20100817_embed013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw13jaWqVo0p9OyvUINfCqjFcBwZmWRPE2yUd8QvJBRQAqSrmS8V8IPBVq0fNfPDhfj6d1ImWKF5Oio4xWugkEXfs-S3z5XVvYO5rf743ByD4zMcha0aZLEM4yDlv0d7Hyp-0CZpwlIqw/s320/997883_20100817_embed013.jpg" /></a></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The puzzles in Tumble start out simply enough. Early levels do nothing to mess with the gravity that serves as your enemy and challenge you either to build as high as possible or to use as many blocks as possible. As you progress, puzzles introduce seemingly minor new challenges that end up changing the game completely. Blocks made of different materials, for example, force you to concern yourself with qualities like weight and grip, while oddly shaped blocks (does an egg even qualify as a block?) are clearly more difficult to work with than cubes. The platform that you build on gets smaller, sloped, shaky, and even swapped out for a seesaw on occasion, ensuring that Tumble's puzzles never feel overly repetitive. Other hazards you have to contend with en route to the last level include fans powerful enough to blow light blocks away, moving obstacles that will push your blocks out of the way unless you build around them, and antigravity rooms in which different-colored blocks are pulled in different directions. There are also some really satisfying puzzles that involve using mirrored blocks to manipulate beams of light. Inevitably, there will be one or two puzzles that frustrate you, but attaining bronze medals for level completion is rarely difficult--it's only when you push for silver or gold medals (which you need a number of to unlock subsequent challenges) that things get tough.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When Tumble isn't keeping you busy building, it's testing your demolition skills with score-based challenges that see you trying to take down towers using only a few limpet mines. You score points not for simply bringing the tower down, but for sending the blocks as far away from the tower's original location as possible. It doesn't sound difficult or even particularly interesting, but when you factor in blocks of different weights, blocks that offer score multipliers, and a baseball block that awards you a home run medal if your explosions send it all the way to edge of the level, these challenges become surprisingly compelling. Later demolition levels are among the most fiendish that Tumble has to offer because towers are assembled of mostly heavy blocks and have almost no obvious weaknesses.</div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-30516857521872138072010-09-22T13:35:00.000-07:002010-09-22T13:35:08.992-07:00Aero the Acrobat 2 Review From IGN.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39t4IqIRQ-ZPjigCvk6fSVDUPH-wYavCCW__NcDo6PpG_4iXOqaomcq_aAfoJwG50OEMB3Gzd0SGqW5W4LlGwuGOt-_yjF5DKjK9z2K5dyIFPmewRNNq10jvs7njGUH5cp2nG0ziRwFHz/s1600/aero_the_acrobat.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39t4IqIRQ-ZPjigCvk6fSVDUPH-wYavCCW__NcDo6PpG_4iXOqaomcq_aAfoJwG50OEMB3Gzd0SGqW5W4LlGwuGOt-_yjF5DKjK9z2K5dyIFPmewRNNq10jvs7njGUH5cp2nG0ziRwFHz/s320/aero_the_acrobat.gif" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Aero the Acrobat's left the circus. He's put the tent behind him for the freedom of the open road, seeking new experiences in the outside world – but, sadly, the outside world just isn't as adventurous as bouncing under the big top back home.<br />
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Going into it, this 16-bit sequel from <a class="autolink" href="http://games.ign.com/objects/025/025122.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Sunsoft</a> seems to offer about what you'd expect. Not a revolutionary departure from <b><a href="http://wii.ign.com/objects/081/081123.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">the original Aero adventure</a></b>, but just a continuation of the Acrobat's same style of platforming play. With a different setting. <a class="autolink" href="http://wii.ign.com/objects/081/081125.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Aero the Acrobat 2</a> ditches the signature circus scenery of the first game and swaps in, instead, a variety of much more generic levels that just don't have the same appeal as the trampoline-filled, trapeze-equipped, overcrowded-with-clowns stages we saw before.<br />
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Aero is still himself. He can still twirl through the air, spinning like a drill and tumbling around on a variety of interactive set pieces – but it just feels like a lesser experience here. He hops around on gigantic gears in an old, crumbling tower – the likes of which gamers in the mid-'90s had already seen several times in the Castlevania series. He trudges through drifts of snow in the requisite ice level, a staple of just about every other platformer developed in that same era. And even when he mixes things up with a special snowboarding stage, it just feels like a copy of the similar levels we saw elsewhere on the SNES, in Yoshi's Island.<br />
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(Though that game actually came out after this one, so the complaint is only valid in hindsight.) </span></span></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpz_EuG5-nZF2-tJ7n4S2Qcg7OrGZpTSeECC8Rt99N3eO1WBsgkyYGYwXzqSjJsOniWGbRGgQxSdq1Ass2bEnY0myWhfgmd8V3z8khyphenhyphenqmVs19XAdgj2CXrL_jhg3zA0OkAOADEVTpmD_Z/s1600/aero72610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpz_EuG5-nZF2-tJ7n4S2Qcg7OrGZpTSeECC8Rt99N3eO1WBsgkyYGYwXzqSjJsOniWGbRGgQxSdq1Ass2bEnY0myWhfgmd8V3z8khyphenhyphenqmVs19XAdgj2CXrL_jhg3zA0OkAOADEVTpmD_Z/s320/aero72610.jpg" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But at least the levels look great. You can tell that the developers at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://games.ign.com/objects/026/026066.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Iguana Entertainment</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">learned a new trick or two between the time of Aero 1's release and Aero 2's completion, as cool ambient effects, subtle details and parallax backgrounds give more depth and "pop" to several of the stages.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBAsLjlEpyilDThqI6Dk_M1Dm1jQioZMRZx6pyKG25UPb2CNsHUFGg1OUazAx6rxx-Ih1_qku2-Ngh_CQ3TscfiLUQuPbhgkObaTQAyyqa5lMji-SMUw8GdI7z85xaqEnWzAwTi212ePU/s1600/AeroInline_1280162484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBAsLjlEpyilDThqI6Dk_M1Dm1jQioZMRZx6pyKG25UPb2CNsHUFGg1OUazAx6rxx-Ih1_qku2-Ngh_CQ3TscfiLUQuPbhgkObaTQAyyqa5lMji-SMUw8GdI7z85xaqEnWzAwTi212ePU/s320/AeroInline_1280162484.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Aero's control also feels just a bit better, as keeping a handle on his many different types of movements was a challenge in the first game. There are still some cheap hits, and you'll still lose a life or two that will feel like more of the game's fault than your own. But it's a bit better.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">And, lastly, there's a touch of new variety tossed in here. Another of the first Aero the Acrobat's strengths was that its level objectives were often varied – in one you'd be boarding platforms, in the next you'd be collecting items. That exact structure isn't copied this time around, but there are moments when the relative monotony gets broken up.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">There are the vehicle-based challenges like the snowboarding stage mentioned before, and then there's the Ektor cup game. For whatever reason, Aero the Acrobat's chief nemesis – Mad Clown Edgar Ektor – likes to show up and challenge you to rounds of the old classic cup game. (The one where there are three cups and one good item under one of them, and their positions get spun around and swapped quickly to try to trick your eyes into losing track of where the good one went.) It's even a pretty tough little mini-game, when it gets going at higher speeds.<br />
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Though any and all of these positive points, for me, don't make this sequel a better experience than its predecessor.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;">CLOSING COMMENTS</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span><div class="ratingbox-comments" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.16px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;">Maybe I'm just being picky, but picking out retro re-releases to spend modern cash on through the Virtual Console is made much easier when the game you're thinking of buying calls out from the Wii Shop with a unique voice and individual appeal – Aero the Acrobat did that with its signature mix of a cartwheeling character and the circus setting that matched his antics, but Aero the Acrobat 2 only offers half of that successful equation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PvM340pR54AIMpSk7cD4ZDWa7DcseAnZhxifTfCiCawTtUd54XEJyS-BkbYqtUgp0SFmaMLbUQ8X_kPDYIggrnVtgeYYda1NUjfA1v7cCb_O4uzTN-6WPsJXnLL1mI6rLM6WGCoRrb1c/s1600/576814_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PvM340pR54AIMpSk7cD4ZDWa7DcseAnZhxifTfCiCawTtUd54XEJyS-BkbYqtUgp0SFmaMLbUQ8X_kPDYIggrnVtgeYYda1NUjfA1v7cCb_O4uzTN-6WPsJXnLL1mI6rLM6WGCoRrb1c/s320/576814_1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;">It's still a fine game, and a decent platformer. Not the worst eight bucks you could spend on the service by far. But even with its refinements in control, graphics and the occasional cup game, I still prefer the original. Take me to the circus.</div></div></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span><br />
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-81670274643809659102010-09-22T09:04:00.000-07:002010-09-23T12:13:05.407-07:00FIFA 11: Where's cheapest? From computerandvideogames.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">With just over a week to go before its UK release, the price of FIFA 11 is already being cut across the board.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=FIFA+11&x=0&y=0" style="color: #065a74; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a> is offering FIFA 11 for £35.93 on both the 360 and PS3, whilst currently offering the cheapest option for Wii owners, who can pick up the game for £29.91.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br clear="all" style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.shopto.net/SEARCH/HTML/" style="color: #065a74; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ShopTo</a> is taking pre-orders of the game for £34.85 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - a whopping £15 under its RRP. The PSP and DS editions of the game are currently priced at £24.85, with the Wii version at £34.85.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt0ts8OFrmveeYxZW3HsKjSg6bhg4BrJ-ao5odfkhIGMe44VtFgRqrxqgoEXtLzRuQng0fT8aGSNeRzXNVr4Fk2Ndpt18VNlDFuHNqw8RsKg2WnxqMwQMxmK_hPZzU-kWq_uSgale43FT/s1600/fifa10milan1256330779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt0ts8OFrmveeYxZW3HsKjSg6bhg4BrJ-ao5odfkhIGMe44VtFgRqrxqgoEXtLzRuQng0fT8aGSNeRzXNVr4Fk2Ndpt18VNlDFuHNqw8RsKg2WnxqMwQMxmK_hPZzU-kWq_uSgale43FT/s320/fifa10milan1256330779.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Sans Serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Although <a href="http://www.game.co.uk/search.aspx?s=FIFA+11" style="color: #065a74; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">GAME</a> has the PS3 and 360 versions at £39.99 online, both versions come with early access to the FIFA 11 Creation Centre. PC, DS and PSP players can also pick up the game for £24.99. <br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />Meanwhile,<a href="http://www.gamestation.co.uk/Wii/FIFA-11-/~r420550/?s=FIFA+11" style="color: #065a74; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Gamestation</a> is selling the Wii version £32.99.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />The real fun will begin when the supermarkets disclose their prices. Tesco famously cut Halo Reach to <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=264233" style="color: #065a74; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">just £28</a> on release day last week, so expect similar shenanigans in the lead up to the release of FIFA 11.<br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />As always we'll update our price round-up as and when confirmed details come in. <br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /><br style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" />If you spot any good deals on your travels let us know in the comments section below and we'll add them to the round-up.</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-20706395220050132362010-09-22T02:35:00.000-07:002010-09-22T02:35:57.150-07:00Taking a Shot at Medal of Honor From IGN.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubiCpT-WoxBs_XWg-zybZkKHip-9T7tS5JZXJG5efO16RyXrXU8km3ATTLyzXgcHJXicHwb7XXTaKgJKZdCB6dlqzwI9lxdG77ik9KPxRVm3eYL07qWEikUYLO1GH6NkneClPiDC_NdDR/s1600/Medal-of-Honor-2010-Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubiCpT-WoxBs_XWg-zybZkKHip-9T7tS5JZXJG5efO16RyXrXU8km3ATTLyzXgcHJXicHwb7XXTaKgJKZdCB6dlqzwI9lxdG77ik9KPxRVm3eYL07qWEikUYLO1GH6NkneClPiDC_NdDR/s400/Medal-of-Honor-2010-Banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">We're getting into the holiday release season, and you know what that means: it's time for the high profile, big budget first-person shooters to hit the market. Bungie's Halo: Reach is already out and Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops is in November, and in the middle sits</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/037/037290.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Medal of Honor</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. The name isn't new, but this subtitle-less version of the game represents a reset for the franchise. Traditionally, it'd been set in World War II, but like Infinity Ward did with its Call of Duty franchise, EA's bringing Medal of Honor into modern times.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Development isn't taking place all in one studio. The multiplayer component is being built by DICE, the studio behind the Battlefield franchise. Only a limited number of modes and maps have been shown off so far,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b><a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/110/1102186p1.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_new">playable in a beta that started up a few months ago</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/110/1102186p1.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_new"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. The single-player portion, which follows various American soldiers as they fight for their lives in Afghanistan's rocky mountains, is being built at EA LA. Up to now we'd only seen a few stages demoed for us, but recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with three brief levels. If you don't know what hands-on refers to, it basically just means I played it. Here's what it was like.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55L3FCEp9ut9Pf0BeEBFa7BjqsNIZyy88vBOaxrIXJpQkzqqkdeVifnPQlDBOJyYsvt1n2lmkSWr8ppWgy2OhXh3FBNTpMCye3Lz1O7_HTHJleimq375OBOIxrDUx2JzP4LZBAkEAEz77/s1600/960407_20090911_790screen002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55L3FCEp9ut9Pf0BeEBFa7BjqsNIZyy88vBOaxrIXJpQkzqqkdeVifnPQlDBOJyYsvt1n2lmkSWr8ppWgy2OhXh3FBNTpMCye3Lz1O7_HTHJleimq375OBOIxrDUx2JzP4LZBAkEAEz77/s320/960407_20090911_790screen002.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The action begins with a mission called Belly of the Beast, which is about midway through the game. I'm told in total the single-player portion of Medal of Honor will offer around eight to ten hours of content and will be divided into multi-mission chunks that flow into each other and follow different protagonists. There will be mission briefings between these stitched-together outings but those weren't shown while I was playing. The protagonist in Belly of the Beast is Dante Adams, part of a group of Rangers who are about to drop into hostile territory. Riding in Chinook transport choppers the mission begins as the soldiers bark back and forth amidst the whine of machinery. They offer encouragement to each other and make nervous jokes about the similarities between the Chinook's exit door and the landing craft used by the Allies in the D-Day invasion. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4qbf8gr6GCaYrPZkUvHyGQcL33DxKau19uKOEzwO6sTNVq2JpoBpksv3LsUsFpoUehFQu80dK7ANciNwT3KdYrvI9jft-FiV4O7zNHvYEEhhwtM_z5L3j3ORot7C1Qc8-MW69bMJ5UNk/s1600/medal-of-honor-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4qbf8gr6GCaYrPZkUvHyGQcL33DxKau19uKOEzwO6sTNVq2JpoBpksv3LsUsFpoUehFQu80dK7ANciNwT3KdYrvI9jft-FiV4O7zNHvYEEhhwtM_z5L3j3ORot7C1Qc8-MW69bMJ5UNk/s320/medal-of-honor-2010.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The aircraft land and doors open to a sunny, dusty vista as everyone piles out. All's quiet for a moment as additional transports drop off more soldiers all around, establishing a sense that there's a major offensive about to begin. Amidst the excitement of the landing, bullets whiz through the dust and a rocket strikes the side of a Chinook, causing it to veer out of control. Those on the ground scatter as the rest of the air force takes off, and you rally with a smaller group of soldiers near the foot of a rock hill to assess the next step. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The enemy isn't far, and before long the sound of gunfire is all around, echoing off the walls as bullets chip away at cover. To survive, it's necessary to hide behind rocks while your AI-controlled compatriots fight alongside. Two weapons are available initially, a shotgun and a rifle. You're free to switch between the two and should ammunition reserves run low, additional magazines can be requested from friendly soldiers. It's also possible to pick up weapons dropped by the dead, but if you decide to scoop up enemy guns it won't be possible to acquire additional ammunition. </span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs330WDjjaz1PbPKnOXxcxhF5lyPbhF7oVYKlkuO35R70q-U7KksuHTjtk8wGldrAB50gZ3PsaOGIFaNKpHleqibDMJwpU5O8cNV28_IOattSqjDGqNpKWYD_cEFSHXY-AjMjYFzc6uF7f/s1600/Medal-of-Honor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs330WDjjaz1PbPKnOXxcxhF5lyPbhF7oVYKlkuO35R70q-U7KksuHTjtk8wGldrAB50gZ3PsaOGIFaNKpHleqibDMJwpU5O8cNV28_IOattSqjDGqNpKWYD_cEFSHXY-AjMjYFzc6uF7f/s320/Medal-of-Honor.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">In terms of controls there are a few things you can do. The mechanics feel solid and allow you to point, shoot and kill quickly and efficiently. I know that may sound psychopathic to something who hasn't played a first-person shooter before, but it's important in this kind of game since it's a majority of what you do. There's also a lean feature, which is notable because I was playing on an Xbox 360. By holding LB on the controller I could then move the left thumbstick left and right to peer out from behind cover spots to fire at foes. It seemed to work alright, though holding LB, moving the thumbstick left and also holding left trigger to zoom was a little awkward. Aside from that, the game makes it easy to swiftly duck out of the way of incoming fire by giving you an option to slide while running. To be clear you do not stick to cover, but just slide in behind rocks and walls after which gameplay continues as normal. An option to go prone is also built in case you need to make yourself a smaller target. When things get too hectic, lobbing a grenade into enemy territory is usually a good idea. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2RitdwMqnKGQ_n5al86jp0oXKa0v6MBTDXsVGSTsmzGr4f_MJY_TVx5De1ZGGcC-Y0tHHPV3kVsH15HydRw1OzAiZgBwaxig0cnGVBYsWeO7qJTxI1NoB5yVilSJZyBvJzyIaxNcOgfW/s1600/24gkthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2RitdwMqnKGQ_n5al86jp0oXKa0v6MBTDXsVGSTsmzGr4f_MJY_TVx5De1ZGGcC-Y0tHHPV3kVsH15HydRw1OzAiZgBwaxig0cnGVBYsWeO7qJTxI1NoB5yVilSJZyBvJzyIaxNcOgfW/s320/24gkthy.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Back in Belly of the Beast, enemies surge behind rocks and clamber down the sides of ravines. This means it's necessary to focus in front as well as above and to the sides since enemies will often be running alongside the ridges of hills and will fire from on high behind cover. It's not all long-distance fighting, however. I switched to the shotgun while approaching a town and ran behind houses to surprise enemies who were staring in the other direction under the assumption that my squad would all stick together. Between firefights there are often dialogue sequences where decisions are made about where to go next. The dialogue here helps lend a sense of authenticity to the characters, who often shout during combat, calling out enemy positions and other threats worthy of attention, establishing a sense that they care about your well-being. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTONxPKs4FSxw9VLqKteLWx72YDiXUrt90g28-Q5WFXZN4RhXcHDJBZQFSnhtOobWXSOkluurBKwDzSs7YfYRwvBH7nJHaTKhj3fn527EuXLrpUV2qFATKfy8rogZHw54FuCX78JJtS2n/s1600/medal-of-honor-2010_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTONxPKs4FSxw9VLqKteLWx72YDiXUrt90g28-Q5WFXZN4RhXcHDJBZQFSnhtOobWXSOkluurBKwDzSs7YfYRwvBH7nJHaTKhj3fn527EuXLrpUV2qFATKfy8rogZHw54FuCX78JJtS2n/s320/medal-of-honor-2010_008.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">From the town the soldiers surged toward a machine gun nest, taking cover as it unloaded. When things briefly went silent, it was necessary to pop out and send enough bullets at the machine gun operator to get him to stop firing, allowing squadmates to inch closer. Eventually smoke was tossed at the nest signaling to air support overhead that the site was to be demolished. When the bombs hit the sky filled with dust and soldiers coughed and complained as they move into a valley below, eventually reaching a house surrounded by looming hills. It was supposed to be a rendezvous point, but a cell phone is audible near the front door that triggers an explosive. The roof blows off and enemies stream in off the hills, leaving your squad to defend and pray for help. </span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq7MX0MGFclGs6BvCCqJM408pD0UM9qjcUCFOX_iQd-Yc54b0Ekk0juVWKcdLf1mVsom9Q7MnE3YZNBkRyGDHKh64u0a6meUZIM7JlZqCBVZwB4As_LL3fhz88CXAEgrFDIyZFe-IrIz5/s1600/v68ad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq7MX0MGFclGs6BvCCqJM408pD0UM9qjcUCFOX_iQd-Yc54b0Ekk0juVWKcdLf1mVsom9Q7MnE3YZNBkRyGDHKh64u0a6meUZIM7JlZqCBVZwB4As_LL3fhz88CXAEgrFDIyZFe-IrIz5/s320/v68ad1.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">At this point the fighting got especially intense, as the squad was under near-constant attack by large groups of enemies firing from different positions across the hillside. By cowering against a rock wall and popping out quickly to make a few headshots it was possible to survive. Cover spots are whittled down by incoming fire and the enemies send an abandoned car crashing into the house's skeleton. Thankfully air support shows up just when you're about to completely run out of ammunition and cover to save the day. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_e49KTALWwWSDLm0uTJ6vdflDbiqcyJgp0AIYlF6mRTzhfwyyocpCZheuBbV4a7ojGa9t7ixwzVT07mbfQrR9vvQH44D4dWe_LANaS3404ApqNq4rYgI3-hcFBynsoVFw4NbhJxzvEbs/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_e49KTALWwWSDLm0uTJ6vdflDbiqcyJgp0AIYlF6mRTzhfwyyocpCZheuBbV4a7ojGa9t7ixwzVT07mbfQrR9vvQH44D4dWe_LANaS3404ApqNq4rYgI3-hcFBynsoVFw4NbhJxzvEbs/s320/images.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Through a cutscene the game then changes protagonists, transferring from the Rangers to the gunner in an Apache gunship. Here the flight action is on rails so there's no way to alter the course of the Apache's flight, but you can move around the targeting reticule to direct the ship's machine guns and, to a lesser extent, rockets. Alongside your chopper floats another friendly in this mission that's in constant communication, relaying enemy positions and other important information. The craft cut through the air over a sprawling landscape, weaving between hills and slowing when targets become visible in the distance. By zooming in it's possible to identify enemy mortar teams setting up on hillsides, and by locking and letting loose Hellfire missiles it's easy to bomb these bogeys into oblivion. In a cool effect, there's a period of delay between the action of firing and when the missile actually hits, again adding an undercurrent of realism beneath the otherwise blockbuster action movie pacing. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6HT9kHFMujYw-CjYsENzkTqUPiQ0-WOlTr5qKGZmUfnzX2UlSjJj33v0YC6uq35A0NHTw5S_oq9xpTn7Wsmv68OKeQkmoMP3-xmo1sZbOygzM_YUrQvt7Yhb_4wCUcHHA3_0wf_ujpHt/s1600/Gamescom-2010-Medal-of-Honor-Hands-On-Impressions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6HT9kHFMujYw-CjYsENzkTqUPiQ0-WOlTr5qKGZmUfnzX2UlSjJj33v0YC6uq35A0NHTw5S_oq9xpTn7Wsmv68OKeQkmoMP3-xmo1sZbOygzM_YUrQvt7Yhb_4wCUcHHA3_0wf_ujpHt/s320/Gamescom-2010-Medal-of-Honor-Hands-On-Impressions.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The two Apaches continue to circle around hillsides, eventually identifying a line of enemy trucks that need to be demolished. A few rockets take care of that easily enough, leading to a hillside town swarming with hostile forces. Here the helicopters circle around making it easy to rain down bullets and explosives into rooftops and alleyways. There's no need to be overly concerned about ammunition here. Though you will need to manage an overheat meter for machine guns, it's still no issue to have a constant blanket of fire covering the enemy and using rockets to blast apart structures on the ground. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECv2AES_6trstjz_LbAhZ6VBpwprl9H9hlx-yslZtfscwaIFDXMgzZAxBd5Tp9jVvojE5-RQwLtxSurue4W_r1vMKhdg1MhMywvFr8an0YiIPSW1phtsHpyigNhyFLffFirRnPzi6i9jp/s1600/2mqovic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECv2AES_6trstjz_LbAhZ6VBpwprl9H9hlx-yslZtfscwaIFDXMgzZAxBd5Tp9jVvojE5-RQwLtxSurue4W_r1vMKhdg1MhMywvFr8an0YiIPSW1phtsHpyigNhyFLffFirRnPzi6i9jp/s320/2mqovic.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Should your chopper be hit in the air it'll simply regenerate until stable, though the same can't be said of your airborne compatriots. Eventually they're hit and can no longer operate at full capacity, but will still fly around and designate targets for your Hellfire missiles. Beyond the town the Apaches move to another hillside surprisingly populated with heavily armed hostiles. After several minutes of embedding bullets and rocket shrapnel into the hillside a cutscene triggers that shows a hidden anti-air weapon just about to shoot down both choppers. Thankfully the operator is bit into by sniper fire. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv6pOVjAlKxVn5fQ-om8pK5QfMix4bqRt_fXchTKDoh3Pp_MVihR1eFPk4VMUhTX_6zzKkir7aMpBHyPar8oa0PgdslbyHVMbFN5HAdxc7LjjgfVITlrUYP47jg40AUcGjhoM-HeOWjBJ/s1600/medal-of-honor-20100915112209436-000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv6pOVjAlKxVn5fQ-om8pK5QfMix4bqRt_fXchTKDoh3Pp_MVihR1eFPk4VMUhTX_6zzKkir7aMpBHyPar8oa0PgdslbyHVMbFN5HAdxc7LjjgfVITlrUYP47jg40AUcGjhoM-HeOWjBJ/s320/medal-of-honor-20100915112209436-000.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">This section isn't all sniping. After picking off targets on a mountainside Deuce and Dusty take off, crunching through snowpack and squeezing through narrow spaces between rocks and roots to uncover more enemy encampments. An injured enemy is discovered and instead of charging in, Dusty leads the way up a steep incline to a cliff overlooking a small clearing. Other foes slowly creep in and fill the space to check on their fallen friend. Once they're all in view, both Deuce and Dusty open fire, bringing down all enemies within seconds with automatic weapons. Then you return to trudging across the mountain trails until you reach a group of friendly soldiers positioned across a valley on another mountain. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">It's back to the sniper rifle for this sequence, as you must peg enemies ascending the distant slope that are trying to wipe out your fellow soldiers situated near the peak. Since there are plenty of hostiles swarming up this hill this sequence was fairly frantic, and didn't leave a lot of time to carefully track targets to wait for them to slow down. When enough are wiped out your allies are able to escape over the peak. Had the demo continued, the perspective would change again to one of the fleeing soldiers as they blast their way down the other side of the mountain. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgPgkIEoQEF-M7idD7Dibb8MKLrDX4qLdUL1n5jcTbeXFYS6UypyBtCmUrJWhOUnQ43Ix0OxF63PXjGM2a08j5rSxSgekbXlZTrcHoK4pzB_0thnhh8y-VUWfHqLXRAhBGQXGA5pCShbQ/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgPgkIEoQEF-M7idD7Dibb8MKLrDX4qLdUL1n5jcTbeXFYS6UypyBtCmUrJWhOUnQ43Ix0OxF63PXjGM2a08j5rSxSgekbXlZTrcHoK4pzB_0thnhh8y-VUWfHqLXRAhBGQXGA5pCShbQ/s320/images+(1).jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Ultimately where this will stand against in comparison to its predecessors and the current crop of war shooters is something that won't be known until launch, but so far it's fun. It would seem EA LA is trying to deliver a kind of action movie feel with a touch of realism in the sound design and visuals. There's still a lot more to see in the campaign as well as additional maps and modes in the multiplayer portion. Hopefully the rest of the campaign can keep up the same kind of pacing and sense of urgency to make the entirety exciting to play.</span></span></span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-10961956125449086492010-09-22T01:10:00.000-07:002010-09-22T01:10:49.976-07:00New Nintendo 3DS Hardware Info From IGN.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">While it remains uncertain whether or not we'll see the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://gear.ign.com/objects/066/066400.html" style="color: #003366; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Nintendo 3DS</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">released in western territories</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b><a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/111/1119817p1.html" style="color: #003366; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">before the end of 2010</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/111/1119817p1.html" style="color: #003366; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, we have received new information regarding the hardware powering the 3D-enabled handheld.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">IGN has learned that the Nintendo 3DS will pack not one, but two 266MHz ARM11 CPUs, along with a 133MHz GPU, 4MBs of dedicated VRAM, 64MBs of RAM, and 1.5GBs of flash storage. The information comes from persons familiar with the hardware who spoke to us under the condition of anonymity.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">While we were unable to determine which variation of the ARM11 processors the 3DS will feature, we now have a better sense of the system's capabilities. Currently there are a number of devices being powered by the ARM11, including the Zune HD, a variety of Android smartphones, and prior to the introduction of Apple's A4 processor, the iPhone and iPod touch.<br />
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As we <b><a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/110/1100568p1.html" style="color: #003366; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">learned in June</a></b><a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/110/1100568p1.html" style="color: #003366; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></a>, the 3DS' GPU has been named DMP's PICA200, which features a maximum processing speed of roughly 200MHz, though it seems Nintendo is scaling it back a bit for use in the 3DS. Numerous developers working on software for the platform have likened its graphical capabilities to current-generation consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, albeit on smaller, lower-resolution screens.<br />
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The handheld will also have substantially larger storage capacity than preceding models, jumping from only 256MBs on the DSi to 1.5GBs of flash memory on the 3DS. The total drive space can, of course, be expanded using the 3DS' SD card slot.<br />
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We've contacted Nintendo for comment, so stay tuned for updates.</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-20788549244902933862010-09-21T07:38:00.000-07:002010-09-21T07:38:35.836-07:00The Old Republic: First of a New Breed From Gamerlimit.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I have never understood the acronym “MMORPG”, because it lies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnsI4H3O-X4uPCdlbmH8ROJR6guSMLKG8m_GZQxlIuw3GAhJaa7jI-ZFyz_hiCGFBqsqoqA2sGfZD6PG1kc_euQSBiXAjBknzuJjnsTOKPc1Bmp7Ikfk8lEMGtWiouf4ZBmvxi0beOYBJ/s1600/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnsI4H3O-X4uPCdlbmH8ROJR6guSMLKG8m_GZQxlIuw3GAhJaa7jI-ZFyz_hiCGFBqsqoqA2sGfZD6PG1kc_euQSBiXAjBknzuJjnsTOKPc1Bmp7Ikfk8lEMGtWiouf4ZBmvxi0beOYBJ/s320/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Role-playing games are what I played as a kid in high school. Combat tables, equipment, and loot only served as structure for the interactions between our player characters and the non-player characters (NPCs) portrayed by the Dungeon Master. The role-playing was the heart of the experience.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="more-62942" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span>Nowadays, we drop the RPG altogether and refer to the genre as MMO. Combat mechanics and loot tables are all that computers are fit to replicate from the tabletop. Role-playing requires human beings, and writing and performing your own dialogue is a challenge for most people. MMO players often establish unofficial “roleplay servers” to make it easier to find one another, as they are so few in number.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JErlSL-lslWEugfcHT91cLGGF4fR5CxfW7Nd4SYWEkRDWclSePBHfhcHoAVIzu3ZPGcaFAyjEBSd_8eX90TXdYWmEvqVKTHtFQqhYtms3C74hopW1RI0LQtuB6Cae-XJfQoHKynwOT0K/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JErlSL-lslWEugfcHT91cLGGF4fR5CxfW7Nd4SYWEkRDWclSePBHfhcHoAVIzu3ZPGcaFAyjEBSd_8eX90TXdYWmEvqVKTHtFQqhYtms3C74hopW1RI0LQtuB6Cae-XJfQoHKynwOT0K/s320/images.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">When Bioware announced their focus on story in <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Old Republic </em>it sounded like a step in the right direction, but I couldn’t figure out how a focus on individual plot lines was going to support the group play that is so essential to a successful MMO. If all the players have their own, individual stories to pursue, what’s to keep them gaming together over time? When I sat down with Daniel Erickson after my hands-on demo of <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">TOR</em> at E3, this was the first question I asked him.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“The demo you played takes place on the origin worlds,” Erickson said. “Most of that is class specific content, but you can still work together to accomplish those goals.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Why, I asked, would we stay together <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">after</em> that point?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“The great majority of our content is not class-specific,” Erickson said. “Each planet in the game has a world arc. They are giant, multi-quest stories that are designed for party play. Also, you get different dialogue options from NPCs for being in a party,” he added as an aside.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I raised an eyebrow.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“If I talk to an NPC by myself, I get a different set of dialogue options than if I was in a group?” I asked.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“Yes,” he said.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1POktCER-HnEolQ7kyhd7wN7S4TCee-eVApNAyAaJCdx8jzxOzny_NgX6GhOWkQX9kNdxxFS5SebIuFOe5u916nFZkE9OD01om22DF5f-aWbRsY0wB1GIHbS4kScHjygT9Y74egj9nhnL/s1600/g179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1POktCER-HnEolQ7kyhd7wN7S4TCee-eVApNAyAaJCdx8jzxOzny_NgX6GhOWkQX9kNdxxFS5SebIuFOe5u916nFZkE9OD01om22DF5f-aWbRsY0wB1GIHbS4kScHjygT9Y74egj9nhnL/s320/g179.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“If I have different types of character classes in my group during different conversations with the same NPC, do I get different dialogue choices each time?” I asked. No MMO has ever given me a reason to repeat a quest other than loot runs.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“We had to prototype the multiplayer dialogue system before we even had an engine,” Erickson laughed. “Brad Prince, our lead world designer, only plays MMOs. He’s a strictly multiplayer gamer, so he always asks how groups work. What we wanted to do was recreate the pen-and-paper tabletop roleplaying experience that people have always wanted.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In other words, Bioware wants to create the first MMORPG that lives up to the name.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLgCZ75349l8eb69sKZtqO-QpUNKKZQbakUM0DK5xIeyvb5ZyOf0XYYkuORXM4QvU3Kk7Yvf8kGZZFCzuB3EFtuPCmi3lh1O-dckoAie9o5X-G92YM2lOhYEijuIGqGZMv8E5Zxu9Fw3S/s1600/419_30_Star-Wars-The-Old-Republic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLgCZ75349l8eb69sKZtqO-QpUNKKZQbakUM0DK5xIeyvb5ZyOf0XYYkuORXM4QvU3Kk7Yvf8kGZZFCzuB3EFtuPCmi3lh1O-dckoAie9o5X-G92YM2lOhYEijuIGqGZMv8E5Zxu9Fw3S/s320/419_30_Star-Wars-The-Old-Republic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Here’s roughly how it works: you and your party of three players are on a quest together and encounter an NPC. Someone from your party starts the dialogue from the familiar Bioware radial menu. The NPC speaks, and then each member of your party gets to select a response from their personal radial menu, and you all issue your “lines” to the NPC. Think the party dialogue in <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Dragon Age</em>, where party members opine about the potential choices you might make while dealing with an NPC, but now that party dialogue is being generated by human beings.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYziN67WiZy15R1MvgMtHFi71dQ6a8X61CJxOk7hKoDIsnvA9uWNMd3EKV5J3Nh12sNw6hz0CtQvJYPc_fmShx-Jrjp6JVE7s2Xe0tJyG9kdfJS7NjJvioY4x8iZP_AllB5GBJUVy_PoBH/s1600/starwars__4_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYziN67WiZy15R1MvgMtHFi71dQ6a8X61CJxOk7hKoDIsnvA9uWNMd3EKV5J3Nh12sNw6hz0CtQvJYPc_fmShx-Jrjp6JVE7s2Xe0tJyG9kdfJS7NjJvioY4x8iZP_AllB5GBJUVy_PoBH/s320/starwars__4_.jpg" /></a>“In pen-and-paper roleplaying games, groups tend to move toward the extremes,” Erickson said. “You have a small group of dominant personalities all trying to control the direction of the party.” He gave me an example of how <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Old Republic</em> replicates this. Let’s say that your group is composed of three Light Side characters and you’re a Dark Side character. Your party begins the interaction with the NPC, and your three compatriots select Light Side dialogue choices.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">You decide to screw with your party and choose a Dark Side dialogue choice. That gets the NPC riled up, and now your other party members have to try calming him down as the dialogue continues, while you continue messing with them.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">NPCs in modern-day MMOs serve as little more than quest bookends. Bioware is not only turning these interactions into substantive content through full voice support, but where groups of players are concerned has turned them into roleplaying exercises.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Bioware has taken the onus off players to learn how to successfully roleplay. <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Old Republic</em> may not even require roleplay servers because the game turns <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">everyone</em> into a roleplayer. Groups will no longer be solely about 40-man raids into instances, but about playing characters creating a story.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This may not make roleplaying the heart of the experience, but even introducing it as part of the default experience returns the RPG to the genre’s acronym and may forever change what players expect from an MMO well beyond expecting their NPCs to speak to them.</div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-49838974988346081192010-09-21T02:34:00.000-07:002010-09-21T02:34:38.626-07:00Drawn: Dark Flight Review [PC] From beefjack.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #363636; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44cBq-NUj4fVMq5Xzgi29c6um1sbJO9Yp9JO98wh8LJTU0Ebf2XpIcOaCUSJek9UinQFEAm1R06fFTAtspvNTZQCPqi4v8LY_l_iubSc-3RsZx7_j6-IfXAAXPBAZpEyEsnCc-CoIY9qm/s1600/drawn-dark-flight-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44cBq-NUj4fVMq5Xzgi29c6um1sbJO9Yp9JO98wh8LJTU0Ebf2XpIcOaCUSJek9UinQFEAm1R06fFTAtspvNTZQCPqi4v8LY_l_iubSc-3RsZx7_j6-IfXAAXPBAZpEyEsnCc-CoIY9qm/s400/drawn-dark-flight-banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">It follows directly on from its predecessor, in which you rescued a princess, Iris, from her captors at the top of an enormous tower in the kingdom of Stonebriar. But amongst the chaos, you’ve found yourself trapped in the crumbled wreck of the toppled building, and Iris is being pursued once more. The rightful queen of Stonebriar can only be crowned once three beacons have been lit, and of course, it’s up to you to light the flames.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB3FT4bgArgmJ6Da3e24maiT2NxV4haEH4gb8Vzeo5yqw6i8PhBe50Bqyy5JNzJZUwU1X0ZkN5zJHkCFtuCGDL2LWisjhX82btG8jLZNV6xnzKwUD3wrUQK09qKK8w93RC3Pr37iYrJcx/s1600/drawn-dark-flight-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB3FT4bgArgmJ6Da3e24maiT2NxV4haEH4gb8Vzeo5yqw6i8PhBe50Bqyy5JNzJZUwU1X0ZkN5zJHkCFtuCGDL2LWisjhX82btG8jLZNV6xnzKwUD3wrUQK09qKK8w93RC3Pr37iYrJcx/s320/drawn-dark-flight-1.jpg" /></a>But Iris has a gift, and you’ve come to gain one as well (admittedly, Dark Flight is absolutely dreadful at explaining why this is the case). Iris can make her artwork come to life, and you have the ability to travel in and out of paintings and drawings, making the real imaginary and the imaginary real, crossing over between actual and painted worlds in your quest to save the young princess.</div>While the game begins in the ruins of the tower, it quickly spreads out into Stonebriar itself, which is where Drawn’s world really springs into life. Or, perhaps closer, death. The tower of the first Drawn was a dark and foreboding place, gorgeously designed, but somewhat lacking in variety. By opening up the game world into a full town, Dark Flight’s art team have been given the all-clear to let their imaginations run away with them – and the result is quite extraordinary.When you review a lot of games, you get into the habit of taking screenshots habitually. Usually you’ll finish the game with a few hundred shots, but the nature of your fast-grabbing means you’ll end up with only a handful that stand out. They’re the obvious choices of images to submit with your final piece, and there’s never a great deal of doubt in your mind.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDm6zHMkOhaK8xTrd49YUBNMFEPbmzVHlCvCUe3UFQ2xtXeF0SNbl8x99MYoTtTG8A5lst2t0MZv3RkR0dEjMdSvWMuXcrMYRI6IyQ2l3kqLmHhZqV5kAiIDIPymOg7BUmX0mnILAr8IuJ/s1600/drawn-dark-flight-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDm6zHMkOhaK8xTrd49YUBNMFEPbmzVHlCvCUe3UFQ2xtXeF0SNbl8x99MYoTtTG8A5lst2t0MZv3RkR0dEjMdSvWMuXcrMYRI6IyQ2l3kqLmHhZqV5kAiIDIPymOg7BUmX0mnILAr8IuJ/s320/drawn-dark-flight-3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I don’t think I’ve ever had this much trouble selecting screenshots before. I want to show you the one of the giant statue in the library, thousands of stone steps curving up his body and to his skyscraping head. Or the sequence I’ve snapped of the figure in the child’s drawing coming to life, hopping off the page, and lighting a lamp in the real world. There’s the carved wooden boy with dud batteries for a heart, and the moonlit children’s room with a flourescent blue stream flowing out of a mural, and the several delightful living pop-up books. The three I’ve gone with, I think, convey what I so absolutely adore about Dark Flight’s aesthetic, but I want to show you every single grab I’ve taken. I truly wish BeefJack did screenshot galleries.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClFEu_VpO5ZaG3AlHAoJyxLFJOdFLFvZ1xW7Wk2yHsQFh_ACoI5HRfaBKpSAWVZ-QB3-4V7dR3cZigNpoYZfhRvH89iTtlWyrYhllFEA9frsFH5GGQCjH69GqTVKBXFyRT8NpaxBhBsTV/s1600/drawn-dark-flight-collectors-editon-screen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClFEu_VpO5ZaG3AlHAoJyxLFJOdFLFvZ1xW7Wk2yHsQFh_ACoI5HRfaBKpSAWVZ-QB3-4V7dR3cZigNpoYZfhRvH89iTtlWyrYhllFEA9frsFH5GGQCjH69GqTVKBXFyRT8NpaxBhBsTV/s320/drawn-dark-flight-collectors-editon-screen1.jpg" /></a>This is the second installment in the Drawn series, the first of which might well have passed you by. I’m determined that no one will miss this second game – not only because it’s a shame so few picked up on the first one, The Painted Tower, but because Dark Flight is so stunningly better in every way. Drawn: The Painted Tower was a short, atmospheric, casually-oriented point-and-click adventure with an irritating hints system and some slightly unfortunate puzzles, but with a soul that’s so sorely lacking from much of the genre. Dark Flight fixes the hints system, improves the puzzles, and presents a world and characters that outshine The Painted Tower’s by far.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8heS5cs38hyphenhyphen99t2mdwKPHr62WiafqP7kYYGOPVynO8OuoPw5RtQIVEkL5ML4_r3ykjeK-lLeXyH0j1JULyAcN7MCPXaL52d6IaeUD8-5CB9BVQYdvJfElU2esrs87p-pgTBdHgqCHJLq/s1600/drawn2-1282709770-1282747131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8heS5cs38hyphenhyphen99t2mdwKPHr62WiafqP7kYYGOPVynO8OuoPw5RtQIVEkL5ML4_r3ykjeK-lLeXyH0j1JULyAcN7MCPXaL52d6IaeUD8-5CB9BVQYdvJfElU2esrs87p-pgTBdHgqCHJLq/s320/drawn2-1282709770-1282747131.jpg" /></a>Stonebriar is whimsical and wobbly, a haunting and dreamlike place with a hefty dose of German expressionism. But it’s also a solitary place. I found myself repeatedly thinking of PS2 classic Ico – not because the games play similarly, nor even just because your “enemies” are shadow creatures, but because of the tremendous sense of isolation this place exudes. The town’s squares are desolate, the few who dwell there lost and alone. And you’re compelled onwards not because of your own motives, but through the overwhelming desire to help a person in need. All the while, the swirling orchestral soundtrack soars. It’s a glorious setup, and an astounding place to explore.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XGGYxAsx7hf5bOGMmznABB1C6_CqEya_giWzNeSxGnDPAMReU0UaA_u5bhsbAnOLvl4EJz3f2uJZdFp5x1PkX8hj9sl-65oD9TkH2dqaCYoawjYEJj4xlhKvl0Qcj_qEzHLbvjefuZwV/s1600/530libraryentrancevignette2-530px.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XGGYxAsx7hf5bOGMmznABB1C6_CqEya_giWzNeSxGnDPAMReU0UaA_u5bhsbAnOLvl4EJz3f2uJZdFp5x1PkX8hj9sl-65oD9TkH2dqaCYoawjYEJj4xlhKvl0Qcj_qEzHLbvjefuZwV/s320/530libraryentrancevignette2-530px.png" /></a>And you can explore it, too – to a much greater extent than the freedom afforded in The Painted Tower, at least. Progression is still ultimately linear, but there are almost always several locations available at once, as well as paintings and drawings to transport yourself into. It all feels much more layered, with many puzzles spanning numerous locales, and hopping between the real world and the art that rests within it. Puzzle logic is generally improved, with only a couple of stinkers, and the whole thing feels delightfully cohesive.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">It’s a more difficult game than its predecessor at face-value, but one of Dark Flight’s most notable improvements is its hint system. Before, Drawn’s tiered hints provided three nudges of increasing explicitness, but it responded contextually poorly to what you’d already done, and required a frustrating ‘recharge’ period between each one. Now, not only does the game seem to have a much better grip on the actions you’ve performed already, but it also allows you access to these hints at any time. Some might say this makes the game too easy, but there’s nothing to force you into utilising the system. It’s simply there, waiting in the corner of the screen, should you feel the need for it.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RKCO4WDuftIn8PBPPWSXhqz-jEc_xRciU7cFYFdl7R7hTpwzoNhuztz3mg8ExkOlJCcWSYwXEThEAoaDNxFLK3ZvrN-lFqTgML4cxuUHnoDIH5ZjPdxyT-yzMFRCPOlx2Xf9xyHJ4PcS/s1600/2lxa0aq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RKCO4WDuftIn8PBPPWSXhqz-jEc_xRciU7cFYFdl7R7hTpwzoNhuztz3mg8ExkOlJCcWSYwXEThEAoaDNxFLK3ZvrN-lFqTgML4cxuUHnoDIH5ZjPdxyT-yzMFRCPOlx2Xf9xyHJ4PcS/s320/2lxa0aq.jpg" /></a>It’s a short game, and the ending leaves a little to be desired. I played through in a little under five hours, which, considering the <a href="https://store.bigfishgames.com/cart.php?productID=6524&siteID=1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1f5f8e; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">$14 price tag</a>, I don’t find too stingy at all. The ending rubbed me up the wrong way, arriving abruptly and with a big fat “To be continued…” message, but it’s telling that I’m desperately eager to return to Stonebriar for the series’ third part. And there’s a decent amount of epilogue content in the Collector’s Edition (which, as far as I can tell, is the only version currently on-sale).</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.62em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">What I like most of all about Dark Flight, however, is its message. Here’s a game about helping people in need, for no other reason than that they are in need. And it’s about helping those people not through violence – with swords or guns or big veiny fists – but instead with art, and music, and craftsmanship. It’s an absolute celebration of creativity, and all the magic that comes with it. That the game is so unequivocally and consistently creative itself just seals the deal.</div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-9902870442153343502010-09-21T01:07:00.000-07:002010-09-21T01:07:50.678-07:00Gran Turismo 5 Update - Dynamic Weather, Rally Courses, and Playing on Your Computer From Gamespot.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Last month, we were in Germany for Gamescom watching Polyphony Digital's Kazunori Yamauchi reel off a dense checklist of new features in Gran Turismo 5 that included</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><a class="gslink" href="http://tgs.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/granturismo52/news.html?sid=6273983&mode=previews" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; color: #e43403; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a course generator, go-karts, and the expanded B-Spec driver management mode</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. To be honest, we were surprised there was so much left to show for a game that's been in development so long and has thus been the subject of so much prior coverage. Fast forward one month and we're left with the same thought. Here at Tokyo Game Show 2010, Yamauchi has just treated the press to a similar presentation with yet more new content to be found in Sony's upcoming simulation racer</span><br />
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<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPq1sDgBLxWoFzkWjrA6L88uwrR4OrC6UEw8OfHzuvmzuMENsAcDyRWP-bzP6Dmq6gQS2ammViqi9hv3kbgL5ryldYCVEaJR5eO0vtC7Xw7gK67Q4b34xg_SsGc7MNzgFS2Le1peBeWue/s1600/gran_turismo_5_prologue_ps3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPq1sDgBLxWoFzkWjrA6L88uwrR4OrC6UEw8OfHzuvmzuMENsAcDyRWP-bzP6Dmq6gQS2ammViqi9hv3kbgL5ryldYCVEaJR5eO0vtC7Xw7gK67Q4b34xg_SsGc7MNzgFS2Le1peBeWue/s320/gran_turismo_5_prologue_ps3.jpg" /></a>Among the highlights of this presentation was a look at some of the game's new community features. There's a screen in GT5 called My Home that acts as a sort of community hub, allowing you to send messages, share content, and generally explore what you're friends have been up to in the game. There's also going to be an online counterpart to the game's My Home screen at gran-turismo.com that will let you explore similar community features by logging in with your existing PlayStation Network ID. But what really grabbed our attention about this Web site was this: When leaving your PlayStation 3 in remote mode, you'll be able to have your machine act as a server and manage races through your Web browser with the B-Spec race management mode. “Right now the browser game industry and the console game industry are two completely different things," remarked Yamauchi. "This is the first example of something that bridges the two.”</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(196, 196, 196); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The other big new feature was an extended look at GT5's dynamic weather system. After previously announcing that GT5 will offer the ability to race during nighttime conditions, today, we got to see what sort of hazardous weather you'll be able to pair that with to create some truly challenging race scenarios. Rain and snowfall are a couple of the weather types you'll be able to race in, and in true Polyphony style, these conditions affect not only the driver's visibility but also the physics of a car on the road. In fact, the driving lines left by cars in a heavy snowfall create grooves in the ground with which you'll also have to contend. Yamauchi admitted that these types of conditions are definitely for the expert driver but hopes the allure offers novice players an enticing challenge. All we know is, with one of the newly announced cars from today, you'll now be able to race a Volkswagen Bus through a snowstorm in the dark of night. That's pretty crazy.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGaevu75C7onoAI3MEGHlaXm8g78-xFx5XQZH21eXwtaVrNRJivxWAxllfMTSedkPnUJPLTZXe0EdBSg8iezjoIgbkCnl3jg1i_WYfEr3g7E9wHFxjJ76fxdpqJ7jNjSY6C3CAaauloGV/s1600/986091_20100917_embed002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGaevu75C7onoAI3MEGHlaXm8g78-xFx5XQZH21eXwtaVrNRJivxWAxllfMTSedkPnUJPLTZXe0EdBSg8iezjoIgbkCnl3jg1i_WYfEr3g7E9wHFxjJ76fxdpqJ7jNjSY6C3CAaauloGV/s320/986091_20100917_embed002.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Speaking of new cars, Volkswagen was easily the dominant make in the list of five newly unveiled models that Yamauchi included in the presentation. In addition to the hippie favorite Volkswagen Samba Bus, there was the Volkswagen Kubelwagen and the amphibious Volkswagen Schwimmwagen. Outside the VW family, Yamauchi unveiled the Isuzu 4200R, a concept car first unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show and the GT by Citroen race car that was created as an interesting collaboration between Citroen, who designed the exterior, and Polyphony, who did the interior. Then, on the subject of tracks, Yamauchi announced both Laguna Seca and Trial Mountain will return, which have been completely rebuilt since the last time they appeared in the Gran Turismo 5 series. And finally, there's also going to be the Circuit de Sarthe track for some nighttime Le Mans action.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaq-njGAxNf7Nv_-e2M70Qwn3Ei_ZRwyBVb6vnrmOXNPKvXqmMbVBn76ia8rgUrtC3CAU_TVE1f4kjvP5GziiTG3Gs_Sd3CG3UcsR-KXDZ8gJ_s2fkrIvDPcTFqUmh_yEtveAWpz6Hk80/s1600/gt-5-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaq-njGAxNf7Nv_-e2M70Qwn3Ei_ZRwyBVb6vnrmOXNPKvXqmMbVBn76ia8rgUrtC3CAU_TVE1f4kjvP5GziiTG3Gs_Sd3CG3UcsR-KXDZ8gJ_s2fkrIvDPcTFqUmh_yEtveAWpz6Hk80/s320/gt-5-2.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Lastly, Yamauchi gave us a look at a new Rally mode. Tucked away in a special events screen that included other options like The Stig Challenge, Jeff Gordon NASCAR School, and Mercedes-Benz AMG Driving School, Gran Turismo Rally drops you into the seat of an off-road race car driver with an experience that seems to differ quite a bit from the usual GT experience. Here, start times are staggered, the courses are randomly generated, and you've got a navigator voice telling you about each turn ahead of time so that you don't have to keep glancing at the map. Yamauchi gave us a demo on one of these randomly generated point-to-point rally tracks, and you'd be hard pressed to tell it wasn't a predesigned course. We did notice that the dust effects in GT5 leave quite a bit to be desired, as the puffs of dirt kicking off the ground looked pretty choppy, but overall, the look of the rally events with their cars bouncing all over the off-road tracks was pretty solid. We're looking forward to getting the final product when it arrives on November 2..</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-51430916132686091272010-09-20T02:35:00.000-07:002010-09-20T03:41:03.888-07:00Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Updated Hands-On From Gamespot.com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Constant one-upmanship is the basis of Criterion’s first stab at the Need for Speed licence. Its Autolog feature tracks your friends’ progress, showing you their high scores and in which events they’re beating you, allowing you to challenge them in a constant battle for superiority. In a system similar to the news stream of Facebook, you can see what your friends are up to, pictures of cars they’ve uploaded, and videos of their best racing moments. The system even intelligently recommends which races to play based on this activity, creating a custom career experience for each player.</span><br />
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Though the social gameplay integration is intriguing, what matters most is how the cars handle on the track. We went hands-on with a multiplayer race against five opponents, without any police interference. To begin, we picked a car, going for a rather splendid bright-yellow Porsche Boxster. The race kicked off with the cars already at speed, with our opponents scrapping for first place. The car handling was arcade-style, with an extremely satisfying drift mechanic that made it easy to slide around corners. Our car was equipped with a boost, which was charged by driving dangerously. By swerving around cars, drifting, and ramming our opponents, the boost charged quickly, allowing us to make our way up to second place. Using the boost resulted in requisite motion blur, which gave us a great feeling of speed as we sped along the track.<br />
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Though there were no cops around to hamper our racing efforts, we still had to deal with our rivals constantly ramming our car and attempting to wreck it. We noticed bits of our car fly off when we were hit, with panels and paint work becoming more damaged. Fans of the Burnout series will recognise the “wrecked” animation, which shows your crash in horrifying detail in slow motion. While we weren’t able to race against cops, we were shown a demo that featured many an epic chase along a highway. This showed off more Criterion-style touches, in particular the slow motion and camera zooms which highlighted when the cops set up road blocks or dropped stingers across the road. Other police tools we saw included helicopter units and the police interceptor, which was a supercar decked out in cop colours.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vy_gGKoAQ9qw52QqeIBskgHt19byJDc44vURV0xSTj-uFI5rADNwY1Di0kVl2Ju6ILLL3kpuuzkLKN2EQ-SEr9TKutdhirP7Te6NVMLJzEEisIX9YhanPxW4_3B2NyZbq9sJrhhaw8UP/s1600/997658_20100816_embed002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vy_gGKoAQ9qw52QqeIBskgHt19byJDc44vURV0xSTj-uFI5rADNwY1Di0kVl2Ju6ILLL3kpuuzkLKN2EQ-SEr9TKutdhirP7Te6NVMLJzEEisIX9YhanPxW4_3B2NyZbq9sJrhhaw8UP/s320/997658_20100816_embed002.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The final race Criterion showed us highlighted many of the graphical effects in the game. It started off on a rainy track, with realistic-looking spray flying from the back of the tyres. This soon gave way to sunshine, and we could see reflections along the bodywork of the car. The race then transitioned to nighttime, with street lamps and moonlight creating a neon glow across the road. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is due for release on November 16 in North America and November 19 in Europe. Head over to gamescom.gamespot.com for more of our coverage from Cologne.</span>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-72637382901362716972010-09-20T01:34:00.000-07:002010-09-20T01:34:30.107-07:00TGS: Tokyo Game Show Best in Show From IGN.com<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJge436-y3nSUCQlwCegsCUnjzUgjUK3C-n-3xO3a1YgWSqHDLrydwRv4vMg3W3_th-GwJ7SukYI1ui0-mv97zzyR2bozNv6LdEjCip-k6YLFt6KNHRMHIk9OBJ4NGGjHvvmBB9dE5cfVx/s1600/tgs-psp-685x513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJge436-y3nSUCQlwCegsCUnjzUgjUK3C-n-3xO3a1YgWSqHDLrydwRv4vMg3W3_th-GwJ7SukYI1ui0-mv97zzyR2bozNv6LdEjCip-k6YLFt6KNHRMHIk9OBJ4NGGjHvvmBB9dE5cfVx/s320/tgs-psp-685x513.jpg" /></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Tokyo Game Show has come and gone, and it's time to sit back, drink sake and reflect on what we've seen. Despite the fact that Japanese games don't have the global appeal they once did, the show is as big as ever. When the public days of the event opened on Saturday, the Makuhari Messe convention center was jam-packed with gamers looking for the hottest new offerings. They mostly made a beeline for Japanese favorites like Monster Hunter, Love + and pretty much anything with anime girls or Gundams in it. But our gazes were trained on other fare. Here you can find our picks for the best games, biggest surprises, and stories you can't miss.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b>Best of Show: <a class="autolink" href="http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/143/14354640.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Child of Eden</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The creator of Rez and Lumines, Tetsuya Mizuguchi is a leader in synesthesia-style games. His latest title is Child of Eden, a shooter that mixes vibrant visuals with techno music. While that may sound a lot like Rez (and it is), Child of Eden is compatible with Kinect motion controls, which changes the experience completely. Instead of using an analog stick to shoot, you use your hands to flick away the corruption in the world and return things back to their natural beauty. Between the colorful, majestic art style and the uplifting beats, Child of Eden is an amazing trip you'll want to be a part of.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Check back with IGN on September 28 for a lot more on Child of Eden.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<div style="width: 480px;"><a href="http://uk.ign.com/videos/2010/09/16/child-of-eden-kinect-demo-1?objectid=14354640">More Child of Eden - (Xbox 360) Videos</a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b>Biggest Surprise: Steel Battalion for Kinect</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Steel Battalion for the original Xbox was insane. Bundled with a controller that was so big it doubled as a desk, it's probably the most hardcore game in existence. Considering that sales for the game weren't superb (the hefty price tag of around $200 probably didn't help) it was a shock when a new Steel Battalion for Kinect was announced at Microsoft's press briefing. From a thousand buttons to zero? Consider us intrigued.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b>Best Trailer: DMC</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">It's no surprise that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://games.ign.com/objects/025/025017.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Capcom</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">loves to revisit its old franchises. With Bionic Commando remakes and classic Mega Man titles in the works, it makes sense that the company would continue to expand on the most famous names in its lineup. The</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/086/086431.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Devil May Cry</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">series needed an overhaul after the underwhelming fourth entry in the series. Thanks to developer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a class="autolink" href="http://games.ign.com/objects/714/714847.html" style="color: #003399; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Ninja Theory</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, that's exactly what we're getting with DMC, a more realistic, gritty take on the demon-slaying action. With a young, psychologically unbalanced Dante and enough style to make the snazziest model blush, DMC's debut trailer stole the show.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<object class="ign-videoplayer" data="http://media.ign.com/ev/prod/embed.swf" height="270" id="vid_4c90de0ddad0bd6cfb00304f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://media.ign.com/ev/prod/embed.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashvars" value="url=http://uk.ign.com/videos/2010/09/15/devil-may-cry-debut-trailer"/></object><br />
<div style="width: 480px;"><a href="http://uk.ign.com/videos/2010/09/15/devil-may-cry-debut-trailer">More Devil May Cry (Ninja Theory Project) - (Xbox 360) Videos</a></div>HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-62349341012080710792010-09-19T05:32:00.000-07:002010-09-24T04:34:37.517-07:00Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Updated Hands-On Impressions From Gamespot.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JpZzCHIHufW2BySxtZ4SBGuaGfmVhbEl4G7NMb2Zm9MNmuYWGD8MDjs301kJVy_a-1YBf9Icw2GEMPUn6-R2f6gHXlz3bfAHbDAGXLUQeXRA8lQTAtRrZEjz-gxrzG2n3PcailmSdVNv/s1600/38278555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JpZzCHIHufW2BySxtZ4SBGuaGfmVhbEl4G7NMb2Zm9MNmuYWGD8MDjs301kJVy_a-1YBf9Icw2GEMPUn6-R2f6gHXlz3bfAHbDAGXLUQeXRA8lQTAtRrZEjz-gxrzG2n3PcailmSdVNv/s320/38278555.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>E3 2010 gave us our first look at this year’s version of the venerable Pro Evolution Soccer football series. Catch-up seems to be the name of the game, and while the runaway success FIFA has experienced over the past few years has made it the market leader, PES clearly isn't prepared to give up the battle and go quietly into the night. During this year's Tokyo Game Show we braved the legions of football fans eager to strap in and boot around on the grass.<br />
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The work-in-progress Xbox 360 version we played included support for a chunk of the global national sides, and while limited time prevented us from exploring menus and scoping out all the club level options, there appeared to be a good amount of choice of teams available. Rather than kick us straight onto the grass to pass the ball around, once we had selected a matchup between England and Brazil, we were treated to a bit of preshow entertainment. Beginning our run in the tunnel, we took to the field as broadcast television camera angles captured players giving instructions to each other and warming up. Star players like Kaka got their share of the screen time as the two teams lined up for their anthems. As "God Save the Queen" echoed around the stadium, English players mimed along.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCjnfld-iOB1Kg5VgD7Ne0hYRkiNhSNaHsVydFTbFpLW0msOqWTKma7M2W-RJcAIHS1tjJ0YZkGJPeF54B7BmZBmf7tgGfHLx8H7hOU2JChrQhFUz47hts5HlSY0fTYBP8R_ghGNPwOM9/s1600/pes8p2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCjnfld-iOB1Kg5VgD7Ne0hYRkiNhSNaHsVydFTbFpLW0msOqWTKma7M2W-RJcAIHS1tjJ0YZkGJPeF54B7BmZBmf7tgGfHLx8H7hOU2JChrQhFUz47hts5HlSY0fTYBP8R_ghGNPwOM9/s320/pes8p2011.jpg" /></a>After being introduced in last year's game, full 360-degree ball dribbling makes its return in PES 2011. Without it, sports titles feel more like early '90s arcade titles than current-generation sports simulators. Longtime PES fans may face a short adjustment period, but FIFA fans either dipping their toes with the competitor product or returning to the PES fod should have no trouble making the transition between the two control systems. Dribbling felt smooth and responsive, and even if you're not one to perform ballhandling tricks like feints, simply shielding the ball with your player's body by facing away from the attacker, or drawing a defender to fire off a pass, is simple and rewarding. Ball control is king, and we noticed during our play session the ease with which we were able to pick a gap and lure our opposition to commit a man before threading the needle and stepping the ball around the corner. Passing to team members felt a little bit floaty, while fast-paced ping-pong passing (done away with in this year's FIFA game) frequently set up chances for strikers inside the box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJOZcLAOW8-DdXDyBn8wgpN9q-mmRwR29sf6996FpdIIB0tL_wTKswFXxzj2HxWaxsPzpA8ssfTFsC8WurQyY6aXltbIzZ6b-m-rNU_itW_8WTda8qwKYDdweJ9IfkBlnaecAZC9nnAn3/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJOZcLAOW8-DdXDyBn8wgpN9q-mmRwR29sf6996FpdIIB0tL_wTKswFXxzj2HxWaxsPzpA8ssfTFsC8WurQyY6aXltbIzZ6b-m-rNU_itW_8WTda8qwKYDdweJ9IfkBlnaecAZC9nnAn3/s320/images+(1).jpg" /></a>Comment on this videoWatch this video in High Def<br />
Physicality also plays a big part in this year's title. Players jostle on and off the ball, and while we played the CPU rather than another human player, the game certainly didn't take it easy. Free kicks were accompanied by slow-mo replays of slide tackles, while wronged players won't just stand there and take it, often held back from fighting by fellow squadmates after taking a tumble in the grass. Things get even more passionate when a player scores a yellow or red card, frequently appealing to the referee and flanked by visibly distressed AI buddies hoping to have the decision overturned.<br />
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Emotion appears to have been high on Konami's wish list this year and extends from anger to frustration. Players failing to score against open goals fall to the ground once the ball has gone dead, covering their face with their hands in horror at having squandered a chance to get on the board, equalise, or put their team's score beyond reach.<br />
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Will the new features in PES 2011 give FIFA 11 a run for its money? Only time will tell, but from what we've played of both games already, football fans are the real winners here with two titles to suit their tastes. Pro Evolution Soccer is due to toebash its way onto all major platforms later next month.HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-7949180460904203122010-09-19T03:23:00.000-07:002010-09-19T13:11:01.744-07:00F1 2010 Review From IGN.comIt wasn't that long ago when you couldn't move for racing games, and when every other one seemed to have the official F1 licence haphazardly slapped on it. That deluge soon slowed to a trickle when Sony took hold of the licence and squeezed any life out of it; by the time that Formula 1 Championship Edition for the PlayStation 3 came out even the thrill of the then new generation couldn't hide the fact that the game managed to make one of the most spectacular sports in the world monumentally dull. <br />
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Codemasters' F1 2010 fills a yearning chasm, and it jumps its first hurdle brilliantly; this is as visceral a take on the art of threading 600bhp through less than half a tonnes' worth of steel, carbon fibre and rubber as a console's ever seen. Driving these things is every bit as joyous as it should be, and the cars manage to nail the perfect blend of being predictable yet terrifying; bulls-eying apexes is an easy enough exercise thanks to the pounds of downforce generated by the car's wings, but braking and acceleration can prove delightfully skittish as they threaten to spear themselves into the nearest wall – and any worries that the arcade bent of DiRT and GRID would make its way to F1 2010 are extinguished in one run. <br />
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Going wheel to wheel is fun and fair in F1 2010.<br />
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For those first few laps there'll be more trips to the gravel trap than Kamui Kobayashi manages in the course of a season, and the flashback feature is likely to be leant on often. It's an exacting art, then, and not something that's in-tune with the quick fix sensibilities of some other racers. Tracks must be studied in detail, and quite often there's a lot to learn too – it's not just about the angle and camber of each corner, it's also about that violent bump that awaits at the exit, that run-off area that rapidly encroaches the track or that kerb that can be flat-lined to skim another few precious tenths off a lap-time. <br />
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What F1 2010 has inherited from its racing stable-mates is some startling visuals courtesy of the EGO engine. The cars are, as they well should be, objects to be lusted after, and all 12 models are brilliant facsimiles of the real thing. It's a shame, though, that they're not subject to the superlative damage model of Codemasters' other games hasn't made the jump, as a 180mph encounter with a concrete wall never amounts in anything more than a wheel shearing off and a lost nose cone. <br />
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Rendering the often lifeless autodromes of the F1 circus can be a thankless task, but there's precision and personality in the depiction of all 19 tracks – and some of the season's idiosyncratic events have been captured handsomely. Monaco's a genre benchmark that F1 2010 rises to confidently, and it's as good to look at as it is fun to drive, with the framerate only dipping when all 24 cars are jostling on the same stretch of tarmac. <br />
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From Singapore to Silverstone, the tracks have been brilliantly realised.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmXRZTigJZgIoouuuAYrcJKxS5hWpJWyn-oydzPfU9PPmLGsacai0PjnYBrhFVX3TM2uUrFnTXro4SoVHev6xgpim591JjPacMFuZ7V7QtM-EHyR-eTrPKVEOUgSVrK5ruu6n6iojEZRP/s1600/f1-2010-20100916031951059-000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmXRZTigJZgIoouuuAYrcJKxS5hWpJWyn-oydzPfU9PPmLGsacai0PjnYBrhFVX3TM2uUrFnTXro4SoVHev6xgpim591JjPacMFuZ7V7QtM-EHyR-eTrPKVEOUgSVrK5ruu6n6iojEZRP/s320/f1-2010-20100916031951059-000.jpg" /></a>Other staples such as Monza, Spa and Silverstone also impress, but it's some of the newer circuits where F1 2010 gets to flex its visual muscle. Singapore's night race is as novel and dynamic as the real thing, while Abu Dhabi's preposterous Yas Marina is a true marvel. True to life the race takes place under a setting sun, and shifting light that's reflected in the colossal and futuristic trackside hotel is a real spectacle. <br />
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It's indicative of a dynamic weather system that's the best in the genre – at least it is until Gran Turismo 5 launches later this year. Clouds drift across tracks and ambient temperature has a noticeable effect on the on-track action; there's a tangible difference between taking to the circuit for an overcast Friday morning's first practice with cold brakes and fresh rubber to pounding the same course in the blazing heat of a Saturday afternoon, for example. <br />
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When those clouds bear rain the effect is more profound. Wet weather driving is both a joy and a nightmare; traction is slashed dramatically - as is vision when caught in the rooster tail of spray of a leading car - and driving in heavy rain for the duration of a race can be a harrowing experience. Thankfully the deluges often subside over time and the track visibly dries. It's here that tactics come into play, and the timing of a decision to shift to slicks can either win or lose a race; either way, finding grip in such conditions is an equally cerebral task. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3wXyQU0H_NdUH_DYSf4MV-mza2BkJHjxiDVR92ag9fkz4jqH6J_twaH4F5SGhiCc1pFkW0ZKalSnc-GAcUleIo1kZB2BQe4cQmgcXvF6Sbp4n_Dn2EI_u0JZE6TjHDr3RlqtYaadm9B9/s1600/f1578365857%5D94e505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3wXyQU0H_NdUH_DYSf4MV-mza2BkJHjxiDVR92ag9fkz4jqH6J_twaH4F5SGhiCc1pFkW0ZKalSnc-GAcUleIo1kZB2BQe4cQmgcXvF6Sbp4n_Dn2EI_u0JZE6TjHDr3RlqtYaadm9B9/s320/f1578365857%5D94e505.jpg" /></a>With such an exhilarating driving model and an attention to the sport's finer details, F1 2010's foundations are fantastic - and it's only in a handful of problems that Codemasters' game prevents itself from joining the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo at the top of class. The career mode offers up the bulk of the experience, and it promises plenty and delivers much. True to the developer's other efforts it's impeccably presented, with a pristine motorhome housing the campaign's options. <br />
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Day or night F1 2010's a handsome game.<br />
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It's the familiar tale of working your way from the back of the grid to the front, and of getting from a Lotus to a McLaren in a career that can take in either three, five or seven seasons, though it's told with a few novel twists. Your team-mates performance is the yardstick by which you're judged, and out-perform them and you'll be party to car upgrades that are developed and introduced throughout the course of a season. It's something that's reflected in the press conferences that await the top three finishers of each race or in the questions of the journalists that dwell outside the player's motorhome. But despite Codemasters' best intentions it falls flat; responses to the questions are limited and universally banal, while the questions themselves soon become repetitive. It is well short of the kind of engagement that both GRID and DiRT 2 offered, and it leaves the actual racing itself to do all the legwork. <br />
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The good news is that the races are thoroughly enjoyable affairs. Other drivers show respect for the player as well as a little personality, and wheel to wheel confrontations are both fair and rewarding. Despite the ban on refuelling this year tactics still play a part, and the timing of the one mandatory pitstop can be crucial to getting a good result – while trying to stretch a set of tires beyond their lifespan to eke another place is a test of endurance and concentration. <br />
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Wet weather driving's a real challenge.<br />
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Other problems are oversights that bare the fact that this is Codemasters' first crack of the official F1 whip. Presentation during the race can be inconsistent, and the bespoke in-game menu can be confusing – which is baffling seeing as the existing one used in broadcasts is perfectly functional. Also the only way to put a driver of your choice through the 2010 season is by setting up a playlist of Grand Prix, an odd omission, and finally there's no real data or telemetry to be mined in between sessions – a gripe for the more dedicated, perhaps, but it's a vital part of a such a technical sport. <br />
CLOSING COMMENTS<br />
But such teething problems don’t obscure the fact that F1 2010 is easily the best Grand Prix game since Geoff Crammond was on the beat. Its driving is second to none and is brought alive by a dynamic weather system, while its racing is as thrilling as the real thing. It’s an exacting take by a team that clearly understands what makes F1 tick, and while a handful of issues hold it back from challenging Forza and Gran Turismo just yet, for now racing fans can rest assured that the world’s fastest sport is in safe hands.<br />
IGN UK RATINGS FOR F1 2010 (X360)HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071114056456346680.post-29603804430885458842010-09-19T02:04:00.000-07:002010-09-23T12:15:43.834-07:00Gamescom: Stealth, Savagery in Call of Duty: Black Ops from ign.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpnF04rRsDGfVJ0v0fzFlGeg8tDJKr8IopgqdWneQ8LN1XMn4oIUZog-bkctXMnPb9U2MOEDUEGOYSN1BwXG_7UUpoCf_6bDrUfh7g1_NsPcP_L1Fy89rgVPNgnTxtJp4NuEnXkxK1MWG/s1600/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpnF04rRsDGfVJ0v0fzFlGeg8tDJKr8IopgqdWneQ8LN1XMn4oIUZog-bkctXMnPb9U2MOEDUEGOYSN1BwXG_7UUpoCf_6bDrUfh7g1_NsPcP_L1Fy89rgVPNgnTxtJp4NuEnXkxK1MWG/s400/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On the Huong River, Vietnam, there's a splash whose echoes reverberate as your blurry vision clears to show a flickering light and helicopter cockpit rapidly filling with water. The pilot's dead and there are enemies shooting through the windshield as the chopper sinks down into the murky river. "We're going under!" shouts a squadmate just before all sound is engulfed by the rising water. <br />
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But that isn't the end. No, you hit a button to rip open the doors and swim out as bullets bubble across your field of vision from foes standing atop boats. You climb up to a boat and surprise an enemy still peering into the water, holding him hostage to stop bullets as you fire with his rifle. As you do so the camera shifts to a bullet's perspective in slow motion, letting us watch the tip violently piercing the forehead of the last standing enemy in the area. You dispose of the body serving as your shield and plunge back underwater to move to safety. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjfmd9WkIEYlyIoSquYtqKHZRbP78doLBzbgYKHE0EBoZj_riaPYX23zUrQ3mUzUxk2nOKpa4SGlYwMNPF8jbqKSBwxxLXNIMAVv2Tg8be2KXVRWLnSQNjO-PRGOA4KlFH4xGEGzc2zr-/s1600/call-of-duty-black-ops3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjfmd9WkIEYlyIoSquYtqKHZRbP78doLBzbgYKHE0EBoZj_riaPYX23zUrQ3mUzUxk2nOKpa4SGlYwMNPF8jbqKSBwxxLXNIMAVv2Tg8be2KXVRWLnSQNjO-PRGOA4KlFH4xGEGzc2zr-/s320/call-of-duty-black-ops3.jpg" /></a>Moments later it's pouring and you're sneaking into an enemy facility with AI teammates that move silently onto a platform and knife guards from behind. You're looking for a general, and your squad whispers hoarsely and hand out semtex as a plan of action is hatched. You follow one squadmate and dive underwater into brown water and plant C4 near a dock. Then it's back to the surface to slink along the side of a building while enemies whisper inside, unaware of your presence. You pop through a window and past a sleeping enemy in a hammock. Not one to take changes, you plunge a knife through the sleeping guard's neck as a squadmate does the same to another. The man in the next room over is killed as he sits as you sneak up behind and surprise him with a knife to his chest. <br />
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Further into the jungle there's music in the distance. It's coming from a town just below a row of trees and as you approach your squadmates reappear through the foliage. To initiate the attack a charge is detonated in one of the village's buildings, and shortly thereafter the scene is thick with bullets amidst the chaos of gunshots and falling bodies. Enemies stream from doorways and launch rockets at your position as grenade shrapnel rips from explosions and smoke clouds the air. Moving out to a clearing you spot a dock in the distance, a heavily fortified area protecting an anti-air gun. There's a four barreled rocket launcher on the ground and you snatch it up and launch explosive, crippling the gun and collapsing the hut nearby as foes at the target area go flying in all directions, helpless against the blast. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxmSkO6VAIRdGDH7ldzfezefl2r9LmOG4Tayog97ihUMuHG48jrVJ0o4RVRBhfXST_01cubxJWxjaI29VTVCUcQinRvz7GPuyBMLwIBrRnAxdAGZaXDgMZejPZNvEJEeiSXoinqxgxt6Q/s1600/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxmSkO6VAIRdGDH7ldzfezefl2r9LmOG4Tayog97ihUMuHG48jrVJ0o4RVRBhfXST_01cubxJWxjaI29VTVCUcQinRvz7GPuyBMLwIBrRnAxdAGZaXDgMZejPZNvEJEeiSXoinqxgxt6Q/s320/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-.jpg" /></a><br />
With the skies safe a group of helicopters soar in and drop off reinforcements as the assault on the town continues. You fire through more houses and blast apart machine guns nests on your way to a trap door in the ground. A grenade is dropped to clear the way before you head down, and in the darkness you click on a flashlight and align your pistol with the beam of illumination. Enemies are crawling through the claustrophobic warrens here, and stab a squadmate right before your eyes. Another friendly soldier is alongside and kills another in a fistfight in knee deep puddle before turning around to you with a tired look and requesting you go on ahead to face whatever dangers may come next. <br />
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From what's been shown off of this year's Call of Duty, it seems like a pretty wild ride.HDGAMING360http://www.blogger.com/profile/04190640501253065378noreply@blogger.com0