Archive for November, 2009
The SFX-360 Holiday Gift Guide ‘09
by admin on Nov.27, 2009, under Uncategorized
Greetings, Gamers!
What’s that you say? The holidays are here and you’re not quite sure what titles to pick up? There’s a finicky video game aficionado in your family that doesn’t necessarily want to storm the White House lawn or play a pop song in a cover band? Fear not, as SFX 360 has compiled some of the best console titles released this year that we think should find a home under every Festivus Tree.
Xbox 360 Exclusives
The follow-up to Valve’s wildly successful zombie shooter Left 4 Dead has SFX 360 staff members running and panicking like a reanimated rat is chasing them down the streets of Los Angeles. Frying pans, Clown Zombies, and a bayou backdrop has us coming back for more for one of the best shooters on Xbox 360.
2. Halo 3: ODST
While Master Chief is fly fishing in the Florida Keys, “The Rookie” is put to the task of blasting away baddies on New Mombasa. Though not playing as everyone’s favorite super Spartan, ODST still provides a tight single player experience and compilation of map packs for Halo fans that may have missed them the first time around.
Let’s be honest. Forza 3 is about as close as many of us are going to get to driving a real Ferrari. Instead of knocking over armored cars for a down payment, this racing simulator puts gamers in some of the most responsive and expensive cars in the world. If you’re looking for an intense racing game, Forza Motorsport 3 is a sweet ride.
PlayStation 3 Exclusives
Nathan Drake has cemented himself as an icon in the action-adventure genre with Naughty Dog’s latest treasure hunting epic Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Thankfully, this cinematic sequel and its multiplayer are infinitely better than the last crusade a certain fedora-clad hero embarked on the big screen not too long ago. Kiddies take note- train rides aren’t always as safe as you think they are, but they sure as hell are fun.
2. inFAMOUS
Cole MacGrath is everything that Niko Bellic is not: a bike messenger caught in an explosion, a super-powered antihero coursing with electricity, and the star of one of the greatest new IP’s to be released this year. Yeah, GTA IV’s got guns, money, and women, but who needs that when you can scale buildings and zap the good guys into ashes with lightning? Don’t kid yourself, you’d much rather play as the bad guy too.
3. Killzone 2
You didn’t think we forgot about the Helghast, did you? Debuted back at E3 2005, this highly anticipated title from Guerilla Games proved to the world that Spartans weren’t the only big kids on the FPS playground. Incredible gameplay and graphics alongside a solid multiplayer, and you’ve got a surefire system pusher for Sony that set the new standard for PS3 shooters.
4. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time
In the final chapter of the Future series, action platforming superstars Ratchet and Clank blast through new worlds with the aid of their signature array of killer weapons and cool new time-bending tools. If puzzle solving and robot sidekicks are your thing, then this is your next stop after your Quest for Booty is over. As if it will ever end…
Quite possibly the greatest badass gaming icon to survive the sixth gaming generation makes the glorious leap to HD in God of War Collection. Kratos’ first two epic adventures are rolled into one combo disc on the PS3 with beautifully updated graphics and trophy support, plus enough blood and gore to make lesser games cower in its shadow from high atop Mt. Olympus (or your coffee table). If you have never wielded the Blades of Athena or want to refresh your skills before God of War 3 drops next year, then God of War Collection should be on the top of your list.
Nintendo Wii Exclusives
If you own a Nintendo Wii, then this game should be in your system. It’s the classic side scrolling Super Mario you remember from years ago, but with three other players thrown into the mix at the same time. Though not online, this update of a classic formula will provide hours of fun for both new heroes and returning veterans of the Mushroom Kingdom.
2. MadWorld
I always knew that secretly, the Nintendo Wii was frustrated with all the third rate third party games it was forced to promote. Sega’s MadWorld is the release of that pent up rage in a flurry of stylized, bloody chainsaw violence and a streak of swear words that would make any Italian plumber turn red. MadWorld is that often passed action gem that visceral gamers are looking for on the otherwise family friendly Nintendo Wii.
Samus Aran is as tough as any other interstellar bounty hunter or space cowboy you’ve ever known. She can blast a hole through your ship AND looks incredible in a skin-tight space suit. Sigourney Weaver can’t say that, not today anyway. Though merely a collection of the three Metroid Prime games, Nintendo’s premier first party FPS franchise translates well with updated Wii Motion Controls and legendary gameplay.
Multi Platform Titles
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Oh, come on. You knew this was going to be on the holiday wish list of every gamer who didn’t wait hours in line for the biggest launch in entertainment history. Infinity Ward delivers with addictive multiplayer features and a solid (though short… that’s what she said) single player campaign. Chances are if you’re not playing Modern Warfare 2 or the person you’re shopping for isn’t playing Modern Warfare 2, they’re standing in line at their local retailer wondering why no one loved them enough to buy them a copy of Modern Warfare 2. Do it, you know you’re going to. It’s what all the cool kids are playing.
2. Madden 10
Here’s an annual sports title that continues to draw in legions of fans regardless of how many sleepless nights they’ve played online with the previous year’s iteration. If you want the most authentic and realistic NFL experience, then EA’s Madden 10 is the football game to own. If only any other publishers could still use the NFL name…
In 2009, fights were settled in the streets just like they were back in the 90’s. Not with stray rounds or ludicrous rounds of “Yo Momma” jokes, but a swift Tiger Knee to the face. Don’t let the age of the Street Fighter franchise sway you, SFIV takes the best parts of all previous games in Capcom’s marquee fighting franchise and polishes them off with crisp controls and a unique cell-shaded art style. Throw your first Hadoken and you’ll be hooked all over again, guaranteed.
I always thought the Italian Renaissance was simply a time of scholars and noblemen, but Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II delves into the seedier world of blade-for-hire Ezio Auditore da Firenze. As Ezio, players leap across rooftops in an open world and stealthily shank every target set before them, or a guard that gets in the way. Don’t let the droopy white threads fool you- Ezio would take you down too before you even realized he was there.
5. DJ Hero
If you love the party atmosphere that the Guitar Hero games have always been known for, but you’re not a fan of plastic drum kits and awful karaoke renditions of classic rock tunes, then DJ Hero is the hip-hop dream you’ve been waiting for. Using the new turntable peripheral, novice deejays can scratch along with mixes featuring Jay-Z, Eminem, the Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash, and dozens of other music icons. Yeeeeeeah, Boy!
6. Borderlands
This is the reason I’ve been late to meetings, losing sleep, and speaking like a redneck mechanic for the last month. 2K Games and Gearbox Software’s Borderlands is a stylish role-playing shooter, combining frantic FPS gameplay with the leveling and looting mechanics of a classic RPG. As a mercenary on the barren planet Pandora, its up to you to find the legendary Vault with up to four players in progressive drop-in, drop-out gameplay. Think Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome meets Halo meets Diablo. Git you one!
Portable Gaming
1. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
I haven’t seen dear old Link rescue anything since experiencing Phantom Hourglass last year when I first got a hold of my DS Lite console, and now everyone’s favorite boy hero is returning just in time for Christmas. Nintendo could make my holiday a whole lot merrier if they offered the special edition of the game in the U.S. instead of being UK-only, but what can I do but make sad faces at them. In the meantime, regular editions of Spirit Tracks are available starting on December 7 for $34.99. Best of all, his green clothes match the red holly perfectly.
2. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (DS)
The Mario Brothers make like Ozzy and Drix in the latest title from the Mario & Luigi RPG series and end up inside Bowser for another venture in saving the princess and curb stomping the forces of evil. Have a few hours to kill on your next road trip and want to play a fun and unique game instead of finding out of state license plates? This one’s for you.
Ah, to be a young Sackboy again, running and jumping through worlds of electrified fences and gaseous poison pits dressed as a space chicken wearing a cowboy hat. No, I’m not hallucinating from staring way too long at the moving cars, it’s just that PSP owners now have the incredible platforming experience that PS3 gamers do from Media Molecule’s hit 2008 title on the go. Also available on the PSP Go… as soon as Sony gets that stitched up.
Gaming Accessories
1. Turtle Beach x41 Headsets
Not only will you enjoy the crystal clear 7.1 surround sound of the Turtle Beach x41 Headsets, your family and friends will appreciate the quietness associated with them, save for the occasional out burst from you in regards to camping newbs. Wireless and light, the headsets blend the games sound within game chat perfectly and sit nicely on the wireless receive when not in use. These are a must have for any serious gamer looking for an edge over the competition.
My favorite video game generation, my favorite internet meme rolled into one ossum ensemble. This 100% cotton (all natural, people!) T-shirt bids an ode to the world’s most talented feline pianist and pairs well with all the fails and facepalms I run into every day. Its black, machine-washable material is a perfect solution for all the times I spill Ramen noodles on myself. It’s got failproof fashion written all over it, up for grabs at MySoti.com starting at $17.99 plus shipping and handling.
3. Transforming 2GB Ravage USB Drive
If you remember the original Transformers, not the Michael Bay-formers that have populated the silver screen the past few years, then you already know that Soundwave isn’t the ‘bot to mess with. What made that tape deck so deadly, besides his blaster and dance moves, was the array of cassettes that would pop out of his chest and wreck the Autobots at a moment’s notice. Had Soundwave been USB compatible, he would have had this USB drive from the Takara Device Label line. Ravage is ready to help you hide files you don’t want your significant other or parents to see… disguised as a robotic panther of doom. More than meets the eye, indeed… shame on you.
There are plenty of items we’ve not covered in our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide, but we assure you that these are on the lists of every good boy and girl this year. The bad ones probably want a few of these as well. Remember, for every Halo or Ratchet and Clank title out there, there are a handful of wannabes and knockoffs ready to fight for your dollars. Use this guide as a good starting point, but don’t neglect gems like GTA: Chinatown Wars or Dragon Age: Origins just because the clerk is telling you that All Star Cheer Squad 2 is on sale for 50% off. Check back often with SFX-360.com for any details you may have concerning a new gaming purchase; we’ll let you know if it’s worth the disc it was printed on.
Thanks to all of the SFX-360.com staff members who contributed to the guide. Santa appreciates the help!
Be safe, have fun, and Happy Holidays!
Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned DLC Review
by admin on Nov.27, 2009, under Uncategorized
If you’ve been one of the many mercenaries who have already torn through the stylized role-playing shooter that is Gearbox Software and 2K Games’ Borderlands, chances are you’ve already beaten the main campaign. Don’t worry, no spoilers here, except that upon completion you are sent right back to the beginning and play through the game again with tougher enemies and better loot. Now you’ve reached the end of the main campaign, again, and you’re itching for some new downloadable content to keep you interested. Capped at level 50, armed with the best weapons you’ve found over the last month of scavenging, you run headfirst into The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned expecting the grasp of the undead to provide a worthy challenge.
Unfortunately, chances are you’ll be as cold and irate as the “living impaired” that you’ll be slaughtering mercilessly.
The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned currently sees Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers exploring Jakobs Cove, the main production facility for one of the many weapons manufacturers featured in Borderlands. The inhabitants of Jakobs Cove have been turned into zombies by Dr. Ned, and it is up to you to lobotomize his failed experiments. After downloading the new content for 800 Microsoft Points ($10 US), traveling to the new area is as simple as using the familiar New-U station. Instantly you’ll note the gloomy atmosphere, contrasting from the sweltering sun beating down on many of the Borderlands maps. After a bit of wandering, you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a few of the titular zombies. The most common dead heads on Jakobs Cove are the classic shambling Zombies, bile-spitting Defilers that temporarily blind players, and Psycho Zombies that charge with all the love of the regular Psychos in the core Borderlands game. So long as you’re not on a menu checking out your guns, these should prove no real threat. Whip out an incendiary weapon and watch as the horde burns back into the mire.
Cool atmosphere aside, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned definitely left me wanting more out of my Borderlands experience. The new content offers no increase in the level cap, no increase in storage, and no new weapon variants besides the ones you’ve already left lying in the Dahl Headlands or Crimson Enclave. There are also no new abilities added, no new vehicles to ride, and no improvements on the map to tell you exactly where the hell it is you are going. There are plenty of signposts strewn throughout the new areas, but I wouldn’t recommend stopping to look unless you want to beat back the zombies or a flock of familiar flying allies because you were busy playing tourist. Speaking of which, Dead Haven is a dead ringer for Old Haven, sans the turrets and tension from patrolling Red Lance soldiers. Use the minimal amount of common sense when exploring and you’ll be fine, even against the bruting Tankensteins.
I cannot wholeheartedly recommend The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned unless you’re a hardcode Borderlands player fiending for a few more achievements or trophies. There’s more useless grinding in The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned than the last decade’s worth of Tony Hawk games. In less than 5 hours with a two-player party, all of the quests available were completed, and most of that time was spent collecting Zombie Brains for a quest found long after beginning the new area. The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned feels like the perfect complement to the original Borderlands game, but only if you stopped leveling after the first playthrough. This downloadable content borders on the edge of fun, but style and narrative cannot cover what feels to be a rehash. I really hope this isn’t the route 2K Games and Gearbox Software is taking on the remaining Borderlands content packs, otherwise this mercenary may soon be spending more time in a Russian airport than the outer reaches of Pandora.
No More Heroes Heading to Xbox 360 and PS3
by admin on Nov.18, 2009, under Uncategorized
Scans of the latest issue of Famitsu reveals that Wii owners will soon have a few more heroes moving into the city of Santa Destroy, California. A high definition port of the once Wii-exclusive action game No More Heroes, No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise sees Xbox 360 and PS3 owners taking the role of beam katana-wielding otaku Travis Touchdown in a bid to become the top hitman in the United Assassins Association. The game is scheduled to be released in Japan on February 25th, 2010, and will include an Advanced Mode, Japanese voice dubs, and a Very Sweet Mode that strips down the amount of clothes the ladies of NMH will be (barely) wearing. No western localization has been announced yet, but that’s the inevitable path pending the success of No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise overseas.
Better known as Suda 51, CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture and the writer/director of such games as No More Heroes and killer7, Goichi Suda has previously expressed interest in other platforms to expand the world (and audience) of Travis Touchdown. In an interview with Edge earlier this year, Suda 51 had stated the forthcoming sequel No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle would be the last developed for the Nintendo Wii. “To expand NMH to new possibilities, we need a new platform. Wii is a great platform, but we’ve done everything we can with it now.” A port of the first title in the series is the first step in that direction, introducing a whole new audience to No More Heroes that would have otherwise dismissed it as just another quirky Wii title.
Hopefully the charm of the original No More Heroes will not be lost in its high definition translation; there’s something distinctly satisfying about charging your beam katana with the Wii’s motion controls.
Images of the No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise announcement can be seen below.
Sources: vgchartz.com, joystiq.com
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review
by admin on Nov.16, 2009, under Uncategorized
Dear Wii,
After our breakup back in August, we’ve not spent much time together. Feelings were hurt, things were said, and I knew that we needed time apart. Even after a few flings, there was still not enough to make me want to reconsider my decision. Then I woke this morning and you called out to me from the living room, trying to lure me with those all too familiar words:
“Here we go!”
It worked. You’ve definitely got my attention.
Released November 15th, 2009, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a throwback to the classic 2-D side-scrolling Mario Bros. platformer that put Nintendo on the map. This isn’t Mario Mario as a baseball player, doctor, or a football goalie; this is the adventurous plumber who saves Princess Peach and takes down Bowser. Combining decades worth of Koopa stomping skills, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the reason to own a Nintendo Wii. It is also the reason we’re still spending time together and you’re not stuck in the backroom of a GameStop earning your keep the hard way.
Rather than enjoying our afternoon of nostalgic bliss together alone, you’ve grown a bit bolder and decided to let a few of my friends join us. New Super Mario Bros. Wii enhances the traditional Mario experience primarily by allowing up to four players to play on one screen at the same time. The result is a chaotic mix of bounding fireballs and nameless Toads that invites bystanders to jump in either competitively or cohesively to save Princess Peach rather than pouting and waiting for their turn to play. Unfortunately, the additional characters on-screen end up as Tails did back in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and play catch-up for most of the time. As much as I love the idea of bringing more people into the mix, I don’t think it would have been too much to ask of you for some online capabilities to fix this issue.
We… you’ve always had that issue, Wii.
You love to spend time with others, Wii, but only with the people just within reach. You’ve got some odd restrictions and unnecessarily complicated digits to memorize in hopes of meeting new faces, and that’s probably why you spend most Saturday nights alone while the other systems in this generation strive online. I know what you’re going to say, that there’s already a lot happening on the screen for you to also worry about the capabilities of New Super Mario Bros. Wii online. It seems that you just don’t want to let go of those tired memories from our childhood, but you should. The time of inviting the other neighborhood kids over for anything short of a full orchestra comprised of plastic instruments is gone. The lack of online capabilities for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, especially in our current generation of online gaming, tarnishes what would have otherwise been a perfect 2-D side scrolling Mario game.
The most infamous gameplay feature you’re introducing in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the Super Guide, essentially playing the game for me. Upon dying eight times in a row on any given level, a giant green box appears that releases Luigi on activation and lets him beat the stage. None of the frills or excitement of playing a Mario game remain intact when using the Super Guide; no extra items or coins are collected, and Luigi even manages to defeat Boss enemies without fail. This is not only not fun, Wii, but basically cheating your way to the end of a game. Yes, you could argue that the Super Guide feature provides the same assistance that an older sibling or best friend would when completing a Mario game, but I would be embarrassed to be caught using your Super Guide. Know what happened when I died eight times playing Super Mario World on SNES as a kid? I got up a ninth time and completed the level. I didn’t cry about it or call my little brother Luigi to come beat the tough bad guys for me, I just learned from my mistakes and got it right. I truly hope that this is the first and last appearance of the Super Guide; its very existence poisons the integrity of video gaming as a whole. As a fan of the Mario franchise, I simply will not use the Super Guide.
With those gripes aside, Wii, I’m glad that you still remembered how to make me happy with all of the items that you’ve included in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Mirroring the classic Fire Flowers from the Super Mario series are the new Ice Flowers, giving Mario the ability to throw snowballs that freeze enemies in their tracks and turn them into temporary platforms. The idea of power suits I loved from Super Mario Bros. 3 and Galaxy return too, now featuring the new high flying Propeller Mario that uses Mario’s Corkscrew Jump to propel him upwards and slowly descend. My favorite new suit, though, is the incredible Penguin Mario that surpasses the swimming capabilities of the old-school Frog Suit, allows firm footing on ice, and grants the snowball abilities of the Ice Flower. I was never less impressed with Bowser’s fireballs until I was dissipating them and sliding under the others dressed as a penguin. The Mini Mushroom from New Super Mario Bros. on the DS returns as well, granting a tiny stature, lofty jump, and the ability to run across the surface of water. That’s quite an impressive arsenal, and each item will be needed along with the standard mushrooms and stars in order to defeat Bowser and his Koopalings across multiple levels in nine worlds.
The levels themselves in New Super Mario Bros. Wii felt familiar but still provided a thumb-numbing challenge that can make even veterans of the series shout obscenities at the screen much as I did. There are your mandatory themed stages, often covered in sheets of ice or being pummeled by flaming lava boulders, and others that highlight the use the aforementioned new power ups. The item management system in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is also a useful feature, and allows the use of power ups prior to entering a level. Even armed as Penguin Mario or radiating across the screen with the use of a Super Star, it still required me to use skill to complete a stage. With the addition of the Wii Remote’s motion controls, there are also a few interesting twists on the traditional platforming mechanics that had me genuinely smiling. None of that Super Guide nonsense… and if you mention it to me again, we’re calling this whole game off.
Ultimately, Super Mario Bros. Wii makes me glad I still kept you around. It would have been ridiculously easy to kick you out of my life and ignore the fun we had years ago, but I knew that you still had great potential, Wii. So long as you keep up the incredible first party games, you will still have a spot in my living room. I’m not talking about Wii Music, Wii Fit, or WarioWare- you can keep that shovelware for those gamers who don’t know any better. I’m talking about titles like Team Ninja’s Metroid: Other M or a new Star Fox title featuring online intergalactic dog fighting in Arwings. If you want to survive the seventh generation of gaming, you’ll build upon your famous franchises and stop trying to impress me with a new My Sims title or a hand-me-down port of a game from a more powerful system. Your original characters and personality are more than enough to keep me happy, all you have to do is remember your roots and what made you special in the first place. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the first step you’ve made in the right direction in a long time, Wii, and I hope its undoubted success inspires you and keeps you around for years to come…
…or at least until we get to return to Santa Destroy next year.
Happily Yours,
Jon Venture
Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned DLC Preview
by admin on Nov.12, 2009, under Uncategorized
There was always something I didn’t quite trust about Dr. Zed when we first met in Firestone. Maybe it was his shifty eyes, or his easygoing demeanor amidst constant bandit raids… or the way he so eloquently wielded a saw blade as he dissected a corpse on his operating table. Either way, Zed’s vending machines still provided me with health kits so I looked the other way. No longer can I ignore the actions of this questionable doctor without a Med School degree though, as a figure with a striking resemblance to Dr. Zed has unleashed hell on Jakobs Cove.
In The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, the upcoming Borderlands downloadable content pack from Gearbox Software and 2K Games available November 24th for the Xbox 360 and PS3, the top mercenaries on Pandora have been enlisted to quell a zombie outbreak in the working class community of Jakobs Cove. It seems that a certain Dr. Ned has been experimenting on the local townsfolk, and it is up to Mordecai, Lilith, Brick, and Roland to clean up his mess. By “clean up”, of course, I mean to decimate every half-living remnant of life with fire, lightning, acid, and explosive infused weaponry. Following the same frantic style as the core Borderlands game, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned sees gamers blasting away enemies in an RPS (role-playing shooter) that combines the tactical skills of modern shooters with the addictive role-playing elements of games such as Diablo and World of Warcraft. For only $10 US, or 800 Microsoft Points, that’s a pretty good deal.
In becoming part of the current zombie gaming fad, the inhabitants of Jakobs Cove possess many of the qualities of traditional zombies as well as a few new perks. Zombies aren’t the only new enemies you’ll encounter, but they’re definitely the reason you’ll be picking up this DLC. You’ve got your standard George A. Romero zombies that shuffle about as they search for their next victim (some in beer helmets), and persist to crawl after you even after blasting their legs off. Then there are your speedy Danny Boyle-esque Psycho Zombies that chase after you to induce panic (and death), very similar to an undead version of the Psycho enemies encountered in Borderlands. Also introduced to the Borderlands universe are spitting zombies and the massive Tankenstein zombies, a play on the legendary Frankenstein monster but strapped with explosive barrels or loot chests on their backs. Some of these Tankensteins even possess the ability to lob balls of lightning at you… of course. Even if the random drops are terrible in some of these chests strapped to the massive Badass Tankensteins, it will be a welcome challenge to take them down rather than going on a New Haven gun run.
In addition to the brand new enemies and areas for mercenaries to explore in The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, there will also be a slew of new quests, bosses, and dungeons that will encompass about 6-10 hours of gameplay. Gamers can expect plenty of new opportunities to loot chests with around 50 new quests and five new dungeons to complete, as well as a few new boss battles to keep us swapping our new weapons as we figure out exactly which of Borderlands’ bazillion guns work best on the undead. While no announcements about an increase in the level cap or skill tree have been made, it would be wise to go into Jakobs Cove at level 50 with guns blazing as there’s no telling what will be coming at you, or from which direction. These are zombies, after all, so their lack of gun skills will be made up with massive numbers. If you’ve been one of the many gamers playing Borderlands for the past few weeks, you also know that the number and difficulty of the enemies you face increase as the size of your party does. I say bring it on; I’ve got my Sniper ready and waiting for the next big kill.
See you guys on The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned on November 24th for the Xbox 360 and PS3. That is, if you can make it out alive.
Gearbox on Borderlands 2, Upcoming DLC
by admin on Nov.11, 2009, under Uncategorized
Even though the vast majority of gamers are currently running through the streets of Rio de Janeiro, there are still a few hired guns patrolling the Dahl Headlands on Pandora. In an interview with VG247, Gearbox’s Creative Director Mike Neumann discusses the success of their new IP Borderlands. Neumann even takes a few questions regarding the possibility of Borderlands 2 and The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned , the upcoming DLC for Borderlands scheduled to be released in less than two weeks on November 24th, 2009. The interview also touched upon some key questions that a few Borderlands devotees have been wondering since reaching the Vault, twice, including a level cap increase and more glorious loot.
Gamers who have yet to enjoy the frantic RPS goodness of Borderlands can check out our review of the game and watch the SFX crew regularly stomping Skags with other mercenaries on UfragTV.com.
First Look at Modern Warfare 3!
by admin on Nov.10, 2009, under Uncategorized
Not even 24 hours have elapsed since the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and the details on Infinity Ward’s sequel have already surfaced… kind of. Following the massive hype train that has left thousands of gamers hung over and calling out sick from work, a video has surfaced showcasing the ultra-realistic experience gamers can expect from the inevitable follow-up. Call of Duty 7: Modern Warfare 3 sees gamers waiting around a lot and arguing about hot women in a hot desert environment. Too bad this is just a video from The Onion News Network and a complete parody. Still, there’s something I find innately satisfying about hyping a game’s fake sequel on launch day! Enjoy!
Brutal Hype
by admin on Nov.08, 2009, under Uncategorized
Less than a week away to the official release of Modern Warfare 2, and the majority of gamers are writhing their hands in anticipation. The rest are apparently already playing the game and tearing up the multiplayer scene as a few brick and mortars have already broken street date, or their pirated copies have yet to be detected. Aiming with the precision of a sniper to take out the likes of Halo 3: ODST and Uncharted 2 as the most fun you’ll have this year, Modern Warfare 2 will surely cause gamers to lose sleep and call out sick from work. Your friends will all be playing. Your neighbors, your boss, and the whiny underage brat that yells at his mom in line at GameStop will be rocking the Prestige Edition’s goggles and blasting the enemy away.
And I could care less.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 does not interest me as a gamer, which has outraged more than a few friends and coworkers. “But the game’s going to be so awesome!” you say. Good for you. Not everyone is a Call of Duty fanboy. I’ve also never played more than a few rounds of Gears of War, nor am I interested in any more. I even had a copy of Halo 3 given to me when I first purchased my Xbox 360, but I’ve not spent more than an hour in Spartan armor. Both of those games were actually traded in, along with a few others, towards another title which I am currently having an absolute blast playing. Even after months of building the hype myself, the game I’m referring to is not Brutal Legend.
That was actually one of the games I ended up trading in for some additional credit.
As both a gamer and fan of heavy metal music, I was led to believe that Brutal Legend was going to be the ultimate amalgamation of two of the greatest loves of my life. There were dozens of videos made available before the game’s release, appearances at the MTV VMA’s and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and a huge logo on NASCAR driver Joey Logano’s number 20 Toyota Camry. The game I played a week before it was released was lots of fun to play. The game I picked up on Rocktober 13th, though, felt as if was something else completely. The action/adventure game I played was a prelude to the real-time strategy boss battles forced upon me in the full version of Brutal Legend to continue its progression. I felt as if I had been had; if this is an RTS, tell me so, but don’t hide it from the prerelease demos and keep its significance subdued. Brutal Legend’s story was quite fun, but I admit I was caught up in the game’s hype before I was able to experience it as a whole. I thought Brutal Legend would have been the crown jewel of my gaming experiences this year, but Batman: Arkham Asylum and Borderlands are both shining much, much brighter.
What is a gamer in this modern era supposed to believe when every cent of his expendable income is influenced by many, often biased, sources? The internet, television, billboards, even the consoles we play on serve as platforms for publishers and developers to push product in this consumer-based industry. Can I even believe that a demo gives a true sampling of an upcoming title when it may not include all of its essential facets as with Brutal Legend? What about Modern Warfare 2, which has no demo? Am I supposed to drop the $59.99 msrp on a game I’ve never even tried simply because all of the cool gamers are doing it?
The short answer, I believe, is no.
There’s no reason to blindly purchase a game unless you can afford losing a sizeable percentage of its value upon trading it back in for the “next big thing”. Do your extensive research beforehand on a few fronts, as even months of gameplay trailers, developer interviews, or hyped media previews can’t tell you how a game will tailor to your particular gaming tastes. Don’t feel pressured into purchasing a title just because that’s the only game your friends will be on for the next few months. Be the bold one; strike out on your own and throw down a few rounds of Peggle if that’s what you’d rather spend your dollars on than a game you’ll be forcing yourself to enjoy. You’re the one paying for your copy of the game after all, so spend your dollars on something you love, not what you think your friends will. If you’re not having any fun doing what you’re doing, then that’s a good sign to stop and do something else.
Don’t buy into the brutal hype; a game isn’t always the same as the one in the trailer.
DJ Hero Review
by admin on Nov.01, 2009, under Uncategorized
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Admit it; the first time someone handed you a plastic guitar and told you to rock out, you hesitated. There’s something unnerving about standing in front of your friends with what you thought was a child’s Playskool instrument and playing in sync with the colors flying down at you on the television screen. You thought it was a joke, as did everyone else their first time…
…but you haven’t stopped playing since.
Activision and FreeStyleGames are hoping that the same phenomenon that began with Guitar Hero can be remixed into their gaming homage to hip-hop, DJ Hero. Whereas Guitar Hero saw players taking on the role of a rock guitarist, and soon thereafter a lead singer and drummer, DJ Hero allows gamers to take on the role of the titular DJ, the master of turntablism who keeps the party going. Emulating the DJ’s found in countless club venues and parties worldwide, gamers must mix together two songs and accentuate the beats while throwing in their own signature style to keep the crowds happy. Just as Guitar Hero enticed many gamers to jam with Kansas and Foghat, DJ Hero will surely open the doors to a culture and lifestyle that has long deserved a quality headlining music game. And if you consider Def Jam: Icon anything but a quality coaster for my drink, then you have some serious gaming issues to resolve.
So you want to be a DJ, but you haven’t the faintest idea how to operate the new turntable you’ve just opened alongside your copy of DJ Hero. Frustration towards your $120 investment into yet another plastic music peripheral then leads you to an inviting tutorial mode hosted by Grandmaster Flash that plays quite similar to many of the music games you’ve played to date. In order to score points, gamers must tap buttons on the turntable platter to coincide with the spots on the music highway and “scratch” the platter back and forth when indicated to. As the game’s difficulty is increased, you will then have to also manipulate the crossfader, which changes the emphasis on the music highway from one song to another (rather frequently so on the more challenging tracks). The crossfader felt as frail as the overall lightweight turntable peripheral, which would make me question its quality after repeated use- similar to a loosening strum bar on a worn-out guitar controller. For DJ Hero’s equivalent of Guitar Hero’s point multiplying “Star Power”, novice DJ’s can hit the Euphoria button above the crossfader after a series of successful taps and scratches. If you can keep up your 8x point multiplier, you can earn a “Rewind” that lets you replay a section for even more points after a full spin of the platter. The effects dial, located also just above the crossfader, allows for samples to be thrown into a song at set instances. As a rookie digital DJ, there was nothing like hearing Flavor Flav’s hype to get a bit more confidence and a nice pop out of the crowd.
DJ Hero truly shines not in its turntable peripheral, but the mixes that gamers are able to manipulate in this fledgling franchise. Aside from the tracks used to promote DJ Hero, which feature such artists as Gwen Sefani, the Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, and Eminem, are a few tracks from welcome artists that I didn’t expect to be as much fun to play as they were. 50 Cent vs. David Bowie, the Jackson 5 vs. Third Eye Blind, and Motorhead vs. Noisia were all incredibly fun mixes to play, even more so when the tracks allowed for inclusion of a guitar controller. Daft Punk, Beck, 2Pac, and the Beastie Boys are also but a few of the artists included in a setlist featuring everything from classic hip-hop to soul and pop songs. If you’ve got friends still hesitant to throw down a few rounds on the turntable, then introduce them to the game through the use of their beloved guitar and show them how similar they are to each other in terms of gameplay. Yes, the motions and hand gesturing can sometimes prove awkward on tracks, but that’s no different for someone who never picked up a guitar in their lifetime until they became a Guitar Hero. Whether your party will feature a turntable, guitar, or a combination of the two, the fun and possibilities for future tracks to be included in DJ Hero through either DLC or a full sequel are limitless.
I still believe that DJ Hero will find its initial reception as rough as a skipping album in a hot nightclub full of angry patrons. Everyone with an ear for hip-hop will have an edge when it comes to DJ Hero as you can sense when it would be the best time to scratch, when the accentuated beats would drop, and when it would be best to rewind for a killer score boost; everyone else will definitely have a bit of a learning curve to climb. Unless you’re a die-hard Jay-Z or Eminem fan, I also don’t suggest paying the nearly $200 price tag for the DJ Hero: Renegade Edition. This deluxe version of the game simply brings a 2-disc music CD featuring some of Hova and Em’s best tracks and a carrying case for the turntable that converts to a stand to play upon. Trust me, you’ll have much more control and worry less about your investment accidentally being bumped and toppling over if you simply place the turntable on your coffee table as most gamers will. Even though DJ Hero is based upon the free-flowing art of turntablism, gamers do not have the ability to choose which of the included tracks they can combine to form their mixes. If DJ Hero proves successful, the natural progression of the game and subject matter should eventually lead to this possibility. If you take the time to practice on your turntable just as you did your guitar, your redundant rock shows could very soon become a venue for the style and swagger that hip-hop brings to the world.
