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New Xbox Experience: It's Up.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:43:13 -0600

Whelp it's up now. Enjoy all of those features that you've already heard about. Install the four games you can fit on your 20gb drive after uninstalling all of your demos and let rip. Enjoy kids. Or maybe don't if you're like me. It would be super awesome if we weren't forced to pick an avatar. These things were charming on the Wii for all of the first 30 minutes you played Wii Sports before that became tiresome, but honestly, can we please kill this trend? Additionally it would be nice if half of my themes weren't half-assed covered by the icons. Aside from that it's pretty cool.

Capcom announces dates for Super Street Fighter II HD for XBLA, PSN

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:10:06 -0600

Capcom announced today the release dates for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - November 25 for the PSN version and November 26 for the XBLA version.

Also announced was that various Street Fighter-themed DLC will be released for various XBLA titles while another "little surprise" will be coming for PSN later in the year. In addition, a downloable album of hip-hop music inspired by Street Fighter will be made available for PS3 owners when SSFIITHDR is released.

GB Review: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (360)

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:42:24 -0600

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is Treyarch's first Spider-Man game not based on a movie. The gameplay, especially in combat, is a step up from previous Spidey titles but the story is short and unsatisfying. Too much emphasis is placed on a half-baked "choose your fate" branching storyline that quickly devolves into a non-stop series of boss fights. The ability to switch between red and blue Spider-Man and black-suited symbiote Spider-Man is novel, but wasted. People like me who pine for a game with Spider-Man 2's quality of web slinging with a decent game attached might be satisfied, but not impressed. This game is worth a rental for Spidey fans or any curious gamer, but at the end you wont be itching for more.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Spider-Man is probably the perfect character for video games. He can jump higher than anyone; he can walk, run, and sit on walls; he can beat up multiple attackers with blinding speed and feline agility; and he can swing around town on webs he shoots from his wrists. If ever there was an entity better suited for virtual representation, I'd like to hear it.

He's had a spotted past in games. I have no qualms saying that Spider-Man 2 on the Xbox is one of my favorite games to play. Altogether, the game is a wreck, but it's the web swinging I love. I could sit in front of that game for hours doing nothing but swing around its digital Manhattan. It just felt right in that game. You could feel the weight of Spidey as he grabs a fresh webline, feel the G-forces as he reaches the apex of a swing, feel the wind sheer off his body as he pulls his legs in and kicks out at just the right moment to maximize airtime and distance. That game is the perfect Spider-Man webslinging simulator. Every game since then has tried to be a better game, cramming in more story or more combo attacks and celebrity voices, abandoning the web mechanics altogether. Spider-Man 3 was a complete waste. How couldn't it be? It was rushed to come out with the movie, which itself was a waste.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(15 images)

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is different. It's not based on a movie or a particular series of comics (like Ultimate Spider-Man). If I had to describe Web of Shadows as intrinsically as possible, I'd say that it is Treyarch and Shaba Games' attempt to create a Spider-Man game that perfectly captures not only the feeling of swinging like Spidey, but the feeling of being Spidey. Not being bound or hurried by the release date of some summer movie, this game actually stands a chance of accomplishing that.

The web swinging is simplified and made more efficient, for sure, but the the focus this time around seems to be on the combat. Previous Spider-Man games have always been heavy on combo-attacks, but never very much fun. You never got the feeling during combat that you could do everything Spider-Man could, only that you were playing a watered-down beat-em-up tacked onto a web-swinging game. This time around, it feels much better. Combat makes heavy use of Spider-Man's abilities, and allows (at last) to make use of Spidey's best advantages in combat: his speed and ability to stay airborn.

How silly is it for Spider-Man, a man who can walk on walls and lift himself or anything else into the air with ease, to be seen standing with two feet on the ground, throwing punches against enemies? In Web of Shadows, there's no need to stay on the ground for the sake of grounded baddies. Better to knock them up into the air, where you're free to mangle their helpless bodies. The most welcome addition is the ability to "web strike," or zip yourself up to an enemy from far away, get in a quick attack, and then bounce out before he knows what hit him. You can string together web strikes and clobber dozens of enemies, one at a time, bouncing from head to head, staying in constant motion the entire time.

Treyarch's previous Spider-Man games have all been so-called "sandbox games" like Grand Theft Auto where an entire city is under your control, and you can attempt story-based missions at your leisure. This time around, the game is much more linear, but built around a sandbox architecture. You can still go anywhere in the city, and you still start missions by approaching specific characters and starting them, but there are no real alternatives. There are no real side-missions, and the random crimes you'll encounter just by wandering around aren't very engaging.

No, the game sees itself as linear and story-based, and shouldn't be ashamed for it.

The story itself involves the return of Venom and the black symbiote, and its eventual attempt to spread its inky tentacles across the whole city. Early in the game, Spider-Man gets re-introduced to the symbiote and through much of the game is free to switch between normal (red and blue suit) Spider-Man and symbiote (black suit) Spider-Man. Herein lies the biggest bullet point in the game's sell-sheet.

The game insinuates that your actions as either red/blue Spidey or black Spidey affect how the story branches. This is partially true. There are several points during the story where you're given the option to follow either a "good" path (marked by a red/blue Spidey icon on screen) or a "bad" path (marked by black Spidey). Whether you chose to be red/blue or black Spider-Man within the game itself makes no difference, and is altogether pretty arbitrary. Each suit has its strengths and weaknesses as far as combat and agility go, but it really just comes down to your choice of outfit. The branching storyline is controlled by your selection of the good/bad path, and when you're playing a super hero does it make that much sense to ask the player if he wants to do something good, like save somebody, or something bad, like let them die? Sure, after playing through the game once as a goodie two-shoes you might go through again to see what lies on the dark side, but the so-called conflict between good ol' Spider-Man and his evil suit doesn't come across very well when you're basically given the options of "be good" or "be bad."

It would be better if the branching paths in the story were based on your actions and not simply your selection of them. If the black suit had a more noticeable advantage in-game, maybe I'd be more tempted to use it. Maybe the game could keep track of how often you use the black suit or how much damage you cause with it, and from that make it harder and harder to go without it. Then, based on which suit you've spent the most time with, the story can branch however it likes. This is what I thought was going to happen. This is how the marketing material makes it sound.

Altogether, the story mode is somewhat satisfying but brief. The intention is probably to let people try the various branches, but I can't imagine it being too enticing.

Once you've beaten the game, you can't re-load your saved game and freely roam the town with all of your upgraded and unlocked abilities, nor can you start a new game with your earned abilities. This is a huge, huge problem for me. You spend the whole game unlocking and upgrading attacks and combos, and then after a boss fight wherein you can't even use them, they're completely wasted. I feel like I wasted all that time.

As I said, I can spend hours inside Spider-Man 2 ignoring the missions and just swinging around, looking for collectible items, earning points, unlocking new combos. Spider-Man: Web of Shadows doesn't really allow for this. It's a shame, really, because the swinging sure is fun.

I'm left at an impasse. I can't recommend this game for fans of Spider-Man video games. For people who don't really care, the more refined package and far fewer bugs compared to previous Treyarch Spidey games, as well as it being the first one truly designed for next-gen (although from the graphics you might not know it), it might be worth a rental.

They've finally made a game that feels like being Spider-Man, now they just need to make one with a satisfying game on top of it.

Square Enix to Open US Studio.

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:14:51 -0600

According to Gamasutra Square Enix has plans to open a US studio based in Los Angeles for the purposes of creating an action game based on an original IP (assumedly for the 360 based upon the job descriptions.) It should be interesting to see how this pans out in the end. Square Enix, original IP, and action game aren't usually phrases that you see lumped together. I'm personally just excited to see what sort of art direction we can expect to see from this new studio. I'm going to be really disappointed if it's full of man-tough space marines rather than my beloved effeminate Gackt copies. In the end, I'm just glad to have had a chance to use this image.

GB Review: Gears of War 2 (360)

Solomon Lee — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:43:07 -0600

Gears of War 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Gears; the title that gathered quite a following with its impressive visuals, intuitive run-and-cover gameplay, and engaging characters. The game doesn't mess with its own formula of success but rather, it focuses on what it does best -- delivering an intense, visceral, adrenaline-pumping experience. The sinister violence and gore is a trademark of this game that has been well received by fans and one that Epic doesn't shy away from. Although it fails to revolutionize the genre, Gears 2 delivers on all fronts and surpasses the original with more weapons, deadlier monsters, larger campaigns, more multiplayer maps and an incredibly addictive Horde mode. Gears of War 2 is this year's game to own on the Xbox 360.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Gears of War was quite the blockbuster when it first arrived on Xbox 360. The game offered solid controls, great visuals, intuitive third person camera and chainsaws. Though the plot wasn't the main focus, Gears effectively brought us the memorable, wisecracking Delta squad members: Marcus, Dom, Cole and Baird. Fast forward to Gears 2 -- the game takes everything that made the original Gears a solid shooter and takes it a step further on the epic scale. To quote Epic Lead Designer, Cliff Bleszinski, Gears of War 2 is definitely "bigger, better and more badass."

Gears 2 continue right after the original shooter; following General RAAM's defeat and the light mass bombing. Marcus and Dom fight with fellow COG soldiers fatally wounded defending the city after subsequent Locust attacks. It is there on the hospital grounds we meet the rook, Benjamin, brother to his sibling Carmine who died from an infamous sniper shot and Tai, a militaristic but calm leader. They quickly learn that the Locusts have quietly regrouped underground and have launched attacks in endless numbers. Entire cities have been sunk underground as the Horde employs powerful forces and tactical equipment and that's not all; they've brought grotesque and far deadlier creatures this time around. Epic has placed a strong emphasis on the story behind the war that sheds light on Marcus Fenix's history and Dom's continued search for his missing wife, Maria.

As expected, the returning weapons are the Lancer, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, Torque Bow, Pistol and the Hammer of Dawn. New weapons added to your arsenal include the Hammerburst Rifle (enemy weapon), Gorgon Pistol, Ink Grenade (emits poison), Mortar (distance artillery weapon), Mulcher (turret gun) and the fan-favorite, the Scorcher Flamethrower. Grenades can be stuck to walls and used as proximity mines to destroy enemies lurking around. If you are pinned in battle, you can crawl while bleeding to try to reach your teammates to be revived. The new weapons are available in the latter half of the game and can be found by looting Locust corpses. Each weapon is distinct and allows you to perform unique executions on fallen enemies crawling away. You can also grab a dying Locust for use as a meat shield to flank your enemies. Be warned that using the corpse for cover lasts for a very short time -- limiting you to the use of a pistol. The shield will either explode into bits under heavy gunfire or be disposed of after breaking the Locust's neck.

The original Gears saw players destroying their opponents with a chainsaw attack; granting them temporary invulnerability to gunfire or melee attacks. Pulling the attack off was often based on luck between two players with the one who revved up his chainsaw just a split second earlier winning the fight; which was infuriating. Epic has addressed the Chainsaw attack complaints with a new Chainsaw duel feature. Two players that rush one another with the Lancer will be thrown into a mini-game; quickly mashing the B button ensures victory. If a third player approaches two people engaged in a Chainsaw duel, the poor guy or gal on the receiving end will instantly be overpowered.

Both single player and coop campaigns allow you to finish the game by yourself or with a friend. The option to play at your own pace is simplified as campaigns can be played with two separate difficulty settings. An extra difficulty setting Normal can be selected with the Insane difficulty unlocked after the game has been completed. You can invite your friends with the "What's Up" feature that lets you see the status and progress of your Gears' friends online. Personally, I found the friendly menu list to be useful in keeping tabs with other online players.

The all new Horde mode is one of the highlights of Gears 2. In Horde mode, you join a team of five players collaborating to destroy Locusts waves on various maps. Eventually, your enemies grow stronger with more health, better weapons and increased numbers. A total of 50 waves are featured in Horde mode for which the difficulty level rises considerably after the tenth wave. Fighting together in groups, reviving teammates, giving cover fire and using key vantage points is crucial for your survival. Linked achievements play a big role in the Horde and multiplayer modes. Gears fans will be happy to hear that specific achievements (completed from the original) unlock new playable characters such as Anthony Carmine, Minh Young Kim (former Delta squad leader) and General RAAM. Your progress ultimately dictates your rank; which is used for matchmaking purposes. Horde mode is tough as nails but is easily the most satisfying and rewarding to play with everyone.

A War Journal is a handy tool that tracks your listed achievements, unlocked characters, and collectables. Rather than using COG tags, Epic has placed hidden files, newspapers, memos and personal letters throughout the game. They comprise a total of 41 collectables that provides a side story to the events surrounding the war. A magnifying glass signifies the item is found and is easily picked up by pressing the X button. You don't need to guess how close you are to an achievement as the journal displays your progress towards obtaining it. This is a welcome change for fans wishing to complete the game in its entirety.

Multiplayer modes feature seven maps: Warzone, Execution, Annex, King of the Hill, Guardian, Submission and Wingman. Epic's gift to its fans is a code for the Flashback Map Pack for those with preorders and for those buying Gears 2 at launch. This map pack includes five maps: Subway, Canals, Tyro Station, Gridlock and Mansion. While it doesn't sound like much, each map is considerably different from the original Gears. The Subway is less dreary, Canals have been hit by a frozen icy spell, Tyro Station is more industrialized, Gridlock is filled with foliage and the Mansion has better lighting. A new Training Ground mode gives casual, novice and veteran players a brief tutorial on the basics of multiplayer controls and combat.

Gears 2 is a graphically intense game. Buildings, air-borne dust, the underground caverns and the city landscapes are very polished. Special effects ranging from hailing fire on your enemies with the Mortar to poisoning the enemy with Ink grenades are visually gratifying. The frame rate takes a severe hit at numerous checkpoint locations that could have used some tweaking. There is also a tendency for Locust corpses and weapon spoils to fall and to defy natural physics in its environment. Otherwise, Gears 2 is a game detailed to the core that manages to exceed the best visuals of the original Gears. With respect to audio, the soundtrack is top-notch and a great accompaniment.

Many of the flaws from the original Gears have sadly crept into Gears 2. The A.I. teammates tend to block your shots, run straight into enemy territory without cover, and get hopelessly pinned in a far corner amongst a group of Locusts. Regrettably, the vehicle stages are the most irritating part of many campaigns; especially on the higher difficulty settings. Despite its shortcomings, Gears 2 is an exciting game full of blood, action and suspense for anyone that enjoys a solid third person shooter.

Fable 2: Making Big Promises, Again.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:56 -0600

On the Fable 2 Dev Blog, Lionhead has gone and thrown down the big promises gauntlet again. This time they hint at big announcement next week. As to what it is? No clue, but since I'm here... and you're here... and maybe, just maybe someone at Lionhead may look at this before it's too late: Un-fix the co-op camera and give us the ability to be our own heroes in coop. You're welcome to add another dog, some new STDs, actually include the girl from the above posted shot (in fairness I have yet to finish it, but I'm going to guess she was replaced by the blind lady) you know, whatever you want. Just, please, fix the co-op.

Curse You Red Baron!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:43:09 -0600

Everyone's favorite beagle takes to the skies in pursuit of the infamous Red Baron in Snoopy Flying Ace. The title is slated for X360 and Wii release with a tentative 2009 date. Other details are sparse, but the game looks as if they actually managed to expend some effort on the licensed title. Anyway, enjoy a video of the game, since well... that's the best you can do just yet as the official site is rather barren. (You can thank me for not saying baron there.)

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts Text Difficult to Read on SDTVs

Zach Lott — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:28:34 -0600

If you've yet to make the jump to a high-definition television, then you might be a bit disappointed with this news: Joystiq is reporting that the text for the upcoming 360 title Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is muddled when viewed on standard-definition televisions.

Worse yet, Rare has announced that they aren't planning to take action in order to fix it, stating that it would require too much "time, resources and money to alter."

While there are certainly many gamers who already own HDTVs, this should be a huge annoyance to those still relying on standard ones. It shall be interesting to note how this affects the November NPDs.

U.S. Chooses Barack Obama

Tim Grube — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:42:55 -0600

Resident Evil 5 Coming To PC?

Tim Grube — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:34:02 -0600

Resident Evil 5 is approaching quite rapidly and today the folks over at MCV have found something deep within a Capcom Q1 2009 release schedule. It states the RE5 is scheduled to be coming out on the PC as well as the previously announce PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

This is big news for PC fans because many RE fans have been asking for a PC port and now it is here! The game is scheduled for release on March 12, 2009 in Japan, and March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe.

Gears of War 2 Sweepstakes Details

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:43:00 -0600

On behalf of Lionsgate, you can now win some cool Gears of War 2 swag thanks to the movie Transporter 3.

How to enter:

Register your gamertag now and get ready for a whole weekend of fun and competition! From 12:01 A.M. (ET) on Friday, November 7 until 11:59 P.M. (ET) on Sunday November 9, you'll get an entry into the sweepstakes when you play a multiplayer Gears of War 2 match.

Prize Information
After the entry period, will conduct a prize drawing for the following nine winners from among all eligible entries:

Two Grand Prizes: A custom Gears of War 2 Xbox 360 console
Two Second Prizes: A Gears of War 2 Special Edition Zune 120 GB digital media player
Five Third Prizes: A Gears of War 2 Limited Edition game

Get more details on the Play & Win Sweepstakes.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (includes the District of Columbia) 18+. Game ends November 9, 2008. For details including free, alternate method of entry, see the Official Rules.

Valve Unleashes Left 4 Dead Intro

Tim Grube — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:18:14 -0500

Valve has released the introduction video for its zombie shooter Left 4 Dead. Left 4 Dead will is expected to hit the Xbox 360 and PC on November 18.

The demo is scheduled for release on November 11. Expect more soon...

Happy Halloween To All - Now Go Play Fallout 3!

Tim Grube — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:19:33 -0500

Shameless plug incoming...I have been locked into Bethesda's Fallout 3 on the PC for a couple days now and I have to admit that this game is almost my game of the year. Well, the World of Warcraft expansion is due out on November 13, so that might consume most of my time--but as of right now, Fallout 3 is an exceptional game and you must purchase it today!

Game reviews:

GameRevolution
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Total Video Games
GoodGearGuide
Spillmagasinet Norway
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Hardgame2
Gamesurf.it
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Spaziogames
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Empire Online,

Banjo Kazooie Demo Arrives on Xbox Live

Solomon Lee — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:49:44 -0500

Following the special preorder bonus, the demo for Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts has made its way to Xbox Live. The demo is sized at 1.07 GB and allows you to explore vehicle building and "Jiggy" challenges.

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is set for release on November 11.

Tomb Raider: Underworld Demo Now Available On XBL

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:58:36 -0500

In case you haven't got enough Lara in your life, you can now download an official demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

PS3 fans seem to not be invited to this party. We haven't gotten any word that a demo will find its way to the PlayStation Network.

Tomb Raider: Underworld goes on sale November 18.

Portal: Still Alive; Even More Extra-dimensional Hyjinx

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:29:38 -0500

Come October 22, Xbox fairing fans of Valve's Portal will be delighted to find an expansion available for their favorite mind-bending pseudo shooter on XBL's Marketplace.

You can expect to find an additional 14 challenge maps, and assumedly, more witty banter from computers with sultry voices. Expect to pay out somewhere around $15 for the privilege. Granted that's more than the game's original percentage based price in The Orange Box, but if you're like me you were only interested in Portal anyway.

Image courtesy of Brickshelf.com

Fable 2: Revenge of the Molyneux, Redux!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:48:04 -0500

Remember many moons ago when we first reported that Fable 2 would be shipping without a vital component? Well, it looks as if the gang at Lionhead Studios may just have pulled it out in the last moment. Should all go according to plan and the patch passes certification, the feature should be available at launch. See what we get for worrying?

Additional Content Coming to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

GB News — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:28:02 -0500

LucasArts today announced that it is preparing two rounds of additional content for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed this Fall. This new content will be available for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox Live Marketplace and for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network.

The first piece of downloadable content will be comprised of additional costumes and character models that can used while playing through the single-player campaign, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto.

The second round of downloadable content, due later this year, will feature an entirely new single-player mission, set in the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant. Darth Vaders Secret Apprentice turns to the Jedi Temple to learn more about his father, and while searching through the rubble of the destroyed building he must confront his inner demons.

Pricing and availability for these downloadable items will be announced at a later date.

No Gears of War 2 For PC

Solomon Lee — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:35:31 -0500

With Gears of War 2 coming in November, fans hoping for a PC version are out of luck. Cliff Bleszinski, Epic Lead Designer, has reiterated the company's focus on the Xbox 360 by declaring the issue of piracy to be a deterrent for a PC version.

"The person who is savvy enough to want to have a good PC to upgrade their video card, is a person who is savvy enough to know bittorent to know all the elements so they can pirate software. Therefore, high-end videogames are suffering very much on the PC." states Cliff Bleszinski.

Gears of War 2 is set for release on November 7 on the Xbox 360.

Rare Announces Details On Banjo-Kazooie Preorder Bonus

Zach Lott — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:00:14 -0500

If you're a Banjo-Kazooie fan, then there's no doubt that you've been waiting since last month for details on how to pre-order Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, as it was then that Rare revealed that those who do pre-order will receive an Xbox Live Arcade version of the original Kazooie game as a bonus. Wait no longer; those details are finally here.

"You'll get the free B-K download token on or near the time you pick up Nuts & Bolts, and for the period between the launch of the two games (Nuts & Bolts on November 11th/14th in US/Europe, B-K XBLA on November 26th), only N&B pre-order customers will be able to download and play B-K XBLA," says a news post on Rare's official website.

You'll be able to download the game for fifteen dollars if you don't want to pre-order, but it's certainly a good way to save some money if you're planning on picking up Nuts and Bolts.

Here's a full list of participating retailers:

U.K.: Amazon, Play.com, Game, and Gamestation
U.S.: Amazon, EBGames, GameStop, and GameCrazy
FRANCE: Micromania and Game
SPAIN: Game
ITALY: GameStop
SCANDINAVIA: Game and GameStop

Fable 2: Revenge of the Molyneux

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:17:51 -0500

In a move that's unlikely to surprise anyone acquainted with the works and words of Peter Molyneux, Fable 2 will ship without online co-op play.

People with real life friends or no friends at all will be unaffected due to the fact that the split screen and single player modes will be entirely functional in the disc release.

Those of you who happen to yearn for interaction with distant friends still have the silver lining that the online co-op mode will be functional via a patch that will be made available within the first week of release--probably.

Let's hope that Molyneux delivers, as it would be horrible to see such a promising game marred by the temporary occlusion of such a heavily touted feature.

New Xbox Experience: What's Bumpin' with Themes?

Ryan Fulton — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:03:16 -0500

We all know that the New Xbox Experience is a fancy way of re-skinning the Xbox's current "blade" interface and adding Mii Avatar support. While a new look is nice, many of us paid hard earned Imperial Credits for our current themes and they suit us quite well, thank you very much. Not to fear! The fine folks at Gamerscore Blog have descended from their perch upon high to allay your doubts and worries.

Not only will your old themes still be viable in the new format, they'll look even better, theoretically. In addition to old themes being supported, some of the new themes will be slightly animated. Avatars will also take an active role on the background representing what your friends are doing and even grouping together when partied. All in all, it seems pretty exciting. Well, as exciting as a glorified menu system can be, which is sort of exciting.

GB Review: Infinite Undiscovery (360)

Solomon Lee — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:48:45 -0500

Infinite Undiscovery is an action RPG from tri-Ace, the folks behind Valkryie Profile and the Star Ocean series. The game employs an interactive real-time combat system. Teamwork is a vital part of the game as the game has its fair share of puzzles that can only be solved with the aid of a party member. While the visuals and sound design are decent, the game fails to achieve its potential. It's overcomplicated and unresponsive, and altogether feels like an incomplete package. Fans of tri-Ace and RPGs in general might get a kick out of the 30-or-so hour game, but it's nothing for casual gamers to get excited about.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Infinite Undiscovery is the latest title developed by tri-Ace, the development powerhouse behind the Valkryie Profile and the Star Ocean series. At its core, it's an action RPG that blends situational battles with open exploration. These battles are influenced by conditions and choices made by players resulting in, as the name implies, new discoveries that affect the world around you. The first of three highly anticipated Square Enix RPGs (The Last Remnant, Star Ocean: The Last Hope), Infinite Undiscovery marks tri-Ace's return to the RPG limelight.

Infinite Undiscovery puts you in the role of Capell, a young lad who is imprisoned and mistaken for the leader of a Liberation force. The Liberation force is a band of resistance warriors rebelling against the Dreadknight and the Order of Chains -- an evil force that has bound the moon with chains and brought chaos to the surrounding lands. After a period of three days, he is rescued by Aya, a brave girl who is shocked to learn Capell is, in fact, a cowardly flutist. Against his own wishes, he reluctantly joins Aya to regroup with the Liberation force in their efforts to stop the Order's sinister plans. On his journey, Capell meets the real Liberation leader, Sigmund, to whom he bears a striking resemblance. Further in the game, he teams up with various allies like Edmund, a loyal swordsman; Balbagan, a brash warrior and the conniving twins, Rico and Rucha.

The game employs an interactive real-time combat system. Both standard and power attacks are used to perform combos and special attacks. Though Capell lacks the ability to cast magic, his flute is used in place of it to cast special status effects on his party members. In the thick of battle, the A.I. is quite receptive to the tactics you assign to them that range from "Spread out" to "Focus on single target". You are also able to sneak up from afar or behind your enemy directly for a higher chance to acquire rare items -- thus giving you the "Player's Advantage." After a chain of successful attacks and combos, the AP sword gauge will gradually rise; boosting the power of your special attacks that can be used to devastate your enemies. In addition, you can issue healing requests from your party members to reduce the extra time spent scrolling the menu for healing items.

Teamwork is a vital part of the game as the game has its fair share of puzzles that can only be solved with the aid of a party member. This is done by "connecting" with a team member that allows you to use their battle skills that are mapped to two buttons. The ability to use a team member's skills only works some of the time as they tend to be slow in responding; which is frustrating. Outside of combat, the team member acts on your behalf by opening treasure boxes, inspecting items and talking with others. Consequently, Capell can only connect with one party member at a time. Notable skills include Sigmund's Observant skill that allows you to view enemy stats and Rico's Beastmaster skill to speak directly with animals.

Party members will automatically split up upon entry to towns and villages. You can connect with them to discuss the party's current affairs or to chat with the locals. Specific team members are handy as they can draw out different responses from the townspeople and help with mini-quests. However, the towns differ so greatly in size from one another that simply searching around for your comrade is tiring enough. Granted, the ability to connect and to collaborate with your team members is a promising feature that should have been better implemented in this game. What's more, Capell will recruit up to 17 allies over the course of the game that is quite a hassle to manage. Assigning weapons, armor and accessories to all of your respective team members is a very cumbersome task.

Certain missions throughout the game require you to divide the party members into separate groups. Your choice of team members ultimately dictates the items, Fol (currency) and the experience gained. All items and spoils found by the other party will be added to the inventory list. With respect to Item Creation skills, Aya and Rucha are bestowed with cooking abilities, Rico is a composer, and Capell has the enchantment skills as a flute player. During the missions, food that is acquired is useful for curing negative status effects and healing party members. Each character has their own food preferences as the item's effects are more effective when they eat their choice foods.

Infinite Undiscovery's visuals are decent. The character designs are average and the surrounding environments respectable. One particular note: the game's graphics are not bad by any means. It's just that the game does not sport the imagery or gorgeous visuals of other Square Enix titles like the Final Fantasy series. The voice acting is standard -- but it's odd how many cut-scenes have no voiceovers at all. Fortunately, the voice behind Aya and a few other characters was performed well and was very believable. As for the soundtrack, composed by Motoi Sakuraba, the music fits the game accordingly and provides acceptable accompaniment.

Overall, the game fails to achieve its potential. It's hindered by the number of party members falling under its management system. It could have been enjoyable with half as many characters; demonstrating in this case that less is more. On top of this, the connecting feature in battle feels sluggish as the A.I. reaction times are slow at best. While the game is short and can be completed by most players in less than thirty hours, Infinite Undiscovery is still worth checking out for tri-Ace fans and RPG enthusiasts.

Mirror's Edge Release Confirmed For November

Solomon Lee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:27:11 -0500

Electronic Arts has announced that Mirror's Edge is coming to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on November 11. A special code unlocking the "Time Trial" mode in the demo will be given to those that pre-order the game after September 26. As reported, this pre-order bonus is available only at "selected retailers."

The PC version has been delayed to "later in the winter."

New Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Screenshots

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:45 -0500

Activision and Treyarch are hard at work on the next Spider-Man game entitled, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and today we were treated to three new screenshots. Peep them below. The title is expected to be released late October on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, and PlayStation 2.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(3 images)

Left 4 Dead Demo Coming

Zach Lott — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:37:37 -0500

If the wait for Valve's upcoming zombie-killing FPS Left 4 Dead is driving you crazy, then listen up: Videogamer is reporting that demos for both versions (360, PC) of the game are in the works.

"We will be releasing demos for both the Xbox and for the PC. I don't know what the date is for release on that, though. I think it's going to contain the first part of one of the campaigns. I think it'll probably be Hospital but I'm not sure. That's a decision that Doug Lombardi is making," said Gabe Newell, managing director and co-founder of Valve.

The demo will feature single player and online co-op play and will likely hit shortly before the game is released on November 21. We'll let you know once a date has been set in stone.

Ubisoft To Push Subtitles On All Games

Tim Grube — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:12:04 -0500

So how do you help the deaf community? One way, put subtitles in videogames. Ubisoft today announced that it will make all there games accessible to this group by incorporating subtitles. First games that will feature this new addition will be Far Cry 2, Prince of Persia, and Shaun White Snowboarding.

"This commitment entails modifications to some of our game engines, as well as the inclusion of subtitles in the conception phase of game development," stated the company.

Far Cry 2 is due out in stores October 21, 2008.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:48:35 -0500

Finally it has been announced! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today the new name - F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin for the sequel to the hit videogame F.E.A.R. The game is being developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

The name addition builds upon the strong game recognition, which we will extend as we move forward reinventing the F.E.A.R. brand, said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will continue the legacy of the original F.E.A.R. game with story and combat while adding new twists, gameplay and graphics to expand the players experience.

The game is due out in stores on February 10, 2009 in North America and February 13, 2009 in Europ. Hit the jump for the official boxart!

Xbox 360 Price Cuts Confirmed

Zach Lott — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:32:35 -0500

Remember the rumor we reported on that said that extensive price cuts are in the works for the Xbox 360? Well, Major Nelson announced today that this is indeed the case, as the cuts will be official starting on September 5. Check out the new prices below:

Xbox 360 Arcade - $199
Xbox 360 - $299
Xbox 360 - Elite $399

This means that the Arcade is now cheaper than the Wii, so it will be intriguing indeed to see how much of an effect this will have on the sales figures for the coming months.

Fallout 3 Release Date Official

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:29:47 -0500

1up is reporting that Bethesda has revealed the official release dates for Fallout 3: October 28 in North America, and October 31 for Europe.

"We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise," Bethesda President Vlatko Andonov said about the release. "To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

As the successor to one of PC gaming's most legendary franchises, the game should be one of the most popular of the year, and it had a strong showing at this year's E3 event, where it won "Best RPG" awards from various gaming outlets. It'll be available for PC, 360, and PS3.

Mega Man 9 Achievements Revealed

Zach Lott — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:18:41 -0500

Well, the achievements for the XBLA version of Mega Man 9 have been revealed, and "hardcore" might not be enough of a term to describe them.

Indeed, to collect these virtual treasures it'll take a superhuman effort, as you'll be performing such tasks as clearing the game without using any energy tanks, beating every boss with just the Mega Buster, and clearing the game without dying.

Hit the jump for a full list of what to expect.

Jitterbug -- Clear the game in 60 minutes or less (20 Achievement points)

Invincible -- Clear the game without dying (30 points)

Almost Invincible -- Clear the game without continuing (20 points)

No Coffee Break Clear the game without using any Energy or Mystery Tanks (10 points)

Peacekeeper -- Clear the game by defeating the fewest number of enemies possible (20 points)

Conservationist -- Clear the game by using the least amount of Weapon Energy possible (20 points)

Gamer's Day -- Clear the game five times in one day (20 points)

Whomp Wily! -- Clear the game once (5 points)

Destroyer -- Defeat your 1000th enemy (20 points)

World Warrior -- Defeat every type of enemy (5 points)

Trusty Sidearm -- Defeat the eight Bosses with the Mega Buster (20 points)

Blue Bomber -- Defeat a Boss without getting damaged (10 points)

Rumor: 360 To Get Massive Price Cuts

Zach Lott — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:40:00 -0500

Been waiting for the price on the Xbox 360 to drop? Well, it's almost time to get one, as Kotaku has reported that fifty-dollar price cuts for all three SKUs (Arcade, Pro, Elite) are in the works for September. That'll bring the Arcade down to $199, the Pro down to $299, and the Elite down to $399.

This now makes the Arcade cheaper than the Wii, which will make September's NPD numbers that much more interesting when they hit in October. It's hard to say if this development can slow down the Wii juggernaut, but it could help the 360 break away from the PS3 this holiday season. It'll be fun to watch.

Final Fantasy XIII Development Being Led On PS3

Zach Lott — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:34:26 -0500

Microsoft provided one of the few big announcement at this year's E3 event in the form of the news that Final Fantasy XIII is hitting the 360 as well as the PS3, but that doesn't change the fact that Square Enix is leading the game's development on the PS3 and will port the game to the 360 later, according to GameDaily.

"We haven't changed the direction of the development. We're making the PS3 version first, and then porting to the 360 later," said director Motomu Toriyama in a video shown at Japan's DK Sigma 3713 event. "I'm telling them to not think about the Xbox 360 right now. We can think about it after the development kits arrive."

As noted by GameDaily, this will likely push back the release of the game in North America even further because there will be a simultaneous release for both platforms in the West. We'll let you know if a North American release date is announced in the future.

E3 2008: Wanted Videogame In Production

Tim Grube — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:12:12 -0500

Universal Pictures announced today that they are in development of a game based on Universal Pictures' blockbuster action-thriller "Wanted", starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. The game will be published worldwide by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and is being developed by renowned game developer GRIN, best known for its work on the Tom Clancy: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter series and the upcoming Bionic Commando.

"'Wanted' is a film with a fantastic visual style, an in-your-face attitude and edge-of-your-seat action sequences, and moviegoers around the world have resoundingly embraced it," said Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Interactive, Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group. "From the time we read the script and saw the film's pre-visual material, it was clear that 'Wanted' was a powerful property -- one that was well poised to deliver an engaging gaming experience. We look forward to working closely with the film's creative team to extend 'Wanted's' mythology and to expand the story behind the Fraternity of Assassins."

The "Wanted" video game will feature intense third-person action, taking combat to a new level with iconic moves -- such as "curving bullets" and "Assassin Time" -- drawn directly from the film, as well as an innovative, multi-layered cover mechanic. The storyline of the game will pick up where the movie leaves off, providing fans with another chapter to explore both Wesley's journey into becoming an uberassassin and the epic fiction of the Fraternity.

The 'Wanted' game, in development since early 2007, will be available later this year for consoles and personal computer

E3 2008: Stormrise Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:53:13 -0500

Check out the new screens for Sega's Stormrise, heading to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Launch Gallery: Stormrise

(8 images)

E3 2008: Mirror's Edge Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:28:55 -0500

Launch Gallery: Mirror's Edge

(4 images)

E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:27:29 -0500

EA has released these new screenshots from Valve's upcoming co-op survival horror shooter, Left 4 Dead, coming to the Xbox 360 and PC.

Launch Gallery: Left 4 Dead E3 2008

(9 images)

E3 2008: Dead Space Screenshots

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:20:03 -0500

Launch Gallery: Dead Space

(4 images)

E3 2008: 5 New Gears of War 2 Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:45:26 -0500

Launch Gallery: Gears of War 2 E308

(5 images)

E3 2008: Too Human Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:19:17 -0500

Launch Gallery: Too Human

(9 images)

E3 2008: Halo Wars Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:17:35 -0500

Launch Gallery: Halo Wars

(11 images)

E3 2008: First Screens from Fable II

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:18:54 -0500

Will Molyneux's followup to the legendarily disappointing Fable be a sure-fire hit? It's hard to tell by looking at screenshots, but this is a gaming site afterall... how else are we going to speculate?

Microsoft has just released these sceens in their E3 2008 asset dump. Check out the gallery below.

Launch Gallery: Fable 2

(9 images)

E3 2008: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Images

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:57:38 -0500

Microsoft has released these first images of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts for the Xbox 360. The game is developed by Rare and is said to be available this November.

Launch Gallery: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

(8 images)

E3 2008: Xbox 360's New Dashboard Video

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:42:05 -0500

Here is a video straight from Microsoft of the brand new dashboard interface coming to the Xbox 360 this fall. The video shows their new avatar system, Netflix playback, Xbox Live Parties, and more.

E3 2008: Star Ocean: The Last Hope Trailer

Solomon Lee — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:35:19 -0500

The trailer has been unveiled for Star Ocean: The Last Hope, one of three highly anticipated Square RPGs (Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant) for the Xbox 360. Check out the video below.

E3 2008: Unreal Tournament 3 Trailer

Tim Grube — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:13:39 -0500

Unreal Tournament 3 for the Xbox 360 just recently came out, but Midway wanted to show off a new trailer just for E3. Check it out below.

E3 2008: Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 Announced

Tim Grube — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:02:54 -0500

Activision and Microsoft announced today the development of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 for Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360.

The game is developed by Bizarre Creations, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 takes players on an all new ride through six different action-packed gameplay modes. With all the signature vibrant visuals and heart-pumping battles of the original, the game also features a new electrifying soundtrack and exhilarating local multiplayer modes in either versus or co-op for up to four players.

The title is scheduled for release this summer via download and has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

E3 2008: Halo Wars Coming In 2009

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:46:38 -0500

1up is reporting via their E3 coverage that Halo Wars, the upcoming RTS set in the Halo universe, is definately locked into a 2009 release date. They received the news from Dave Pottinger, the game's lead designer, with whom they have a huge interview on their site which can be found here. Be sure to check it out if you're looking forward to the game, which will be available for the Xbox 360 and PC and is being developed by Ensemble Studios, the minds behind games like Age of Empires.

E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII Trailer

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:36:23 -0500

In case you missed the big reveal at Microsoft's E3 conference, here's the trailer shown for Final Fantasy XIII, which is no longer exclusive to the PS3:

E3 2008: Microsoft Reveals XBLA Lineup

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:29:35 -0500

Microsoft made quite a few announcements at their press conference today, not the least of which is that they've got several titles slated for Xbox Live Arcade this year.

Leading the way is Portal: Still Alive, an expansion of Valve's wildly popular puzzle game from last year that will contain fresh levels and achievements. It should hit XBLA this fall.

Also announced were Geometry Wars 2 and Galaga Legions, which should satisfy those of you craving more retro-style shooters. The latter will be released next month.

Other announcements include Rare's N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie, Uno Rush, and an unnamed South Park title.