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Cheap Playstation 3 (PS3 PSP) - GAMER NEWS
February 2010 - Posts
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Plenty has been said about what games can be and how far the medium has come in its 40-year-plus history. Quantic Dream is the latest to put its foot forward on the matter with Heavy Rain, a fully produced triple-A title that hopes to accomplish what's been solely the realm of the -- yes, sometimes pretentious -- indie game art scene. Did they succeed?
In many ways, HR is everything games have been striving for since they went 3D: The ability to relate to the characters we play as instead of just portraying our command presses as violent avatars is there. And there are even moments in the game that may not exactly be fun (i.e. crawling over glass in a vent labyrinth) but it pushes the fact that video games are interactive entertainment and the possibility to treat them as such. Not just as play toys with a high score.
Short of redefining the Shenmue-advanced genre, of course, Heavy Rain mostly succeeds in telling a narrative filled with believable characters going through a depressing spell and the hunt for a serial killer on the loose. Hardly original, I know, but never before have you been able to feel the story as is the case in Quantic Dream's latest.
You'll be put through the wringer when characters die; experience child responsibilities and the joys of playing with them; and, before the credits roll, struggle with mature themes of love and betrayal.
And those are just the themes made obvious through playing HR. What's left up to the player to discover of everyone's motivations and background through subtle dialogue is incredibly gratifying -- devoid of the overwrought exposition most other games are guilty of. Quantic Dream took the best bits of story telling and matched it to the gameplay seamlessly.
Pressing L2 takes you into each character's mindset and gives you further context as to what you're next goal in the environment is, not a gold arrow guiding the way. Multiple quick-time event choices give you the option to cheat when counting, kill or not kill, and augment sequences of emotional burden.
For that last one, think to the end of MGS4 where Old Snake struggles to get from one side of a hallway to the other. Heavy Rain takes that concept and expands on it ten-fold with the added gravity that you may fail and the story would continue -- with or without you.
That said, HR's "gameplay" is not perfect and definitely not for everyone. While the action scenes are some of the more intense moments in gaming history, sometimes I wished I was more in control of what was happening. Pressing left, right, square, triangle, whatever at the right time is handled well enough in the game, but I couldn't help to imagine what could've been if it was playable in real-time.
Other small gripes with the game include audio glitches and, even, the audio itself. For the most part, the game is well acted and voiced but certain moments -- especially all of the banter between Norman Jayden and Lt. Blake -- fall flat to the point where they come off as comical. Also, the trials you go through bring in an unwelcome "Saw" feeling to the, otherwise, excellent story, I thought.
Taking it as a whole, though, HR exceeds past its flaws to present a memorable package with lasting appeal that, surely, games will come to incorporate in the future. It is mature past the presumed M-rated status of other games that usually fall in the adult immaturity end of the category. And it has a daring save system that, while arduous for those of us into trophy hunting, gives you no easy way out once you've dug your own grave, so to speak.
How the game doesn't fit nicely in the aspects of a review -- i.e. visuals, gameplay -- and can, instead, be judged mostly on its cohesive whole is part of the brilliance of its design. Should it be considered a "game?" Doesn't matter.
HR is an interactive experience just as the developer proposed it to be as it is not always fun to play, but always engaging. An example of the culmination of what's come before in gaming and the maturation of the industry that's allowed this piece to be possible.
Closing Thoughts:
With Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream goes for not just redefining a genre but what a "game" is, in general. They tell a story of four different characters' interacting with a world that's failed them and how they progress through it. The choices you make -- some times in the blink of an eye -- carry over in hours of game play and creates dread and a sense of uneasiness made possible only by your direct impact on it. The controls can hinder that feeling at times but the overarching story in this effective "interactive drama" more than delivers on its lofty and innovative setup. It's one giant quick-time event, but one worth exploring.
Rating: A 
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Yesterday, a factory sealed North American (NTSC) version of Stadium Events (NES) sold for a record $41,300!
The NTSC version is universally accepted as the rarest licensed NES game available for purchase in North America.
At the time of its launch during the holiday season of 1987, Stadium Events was only available in limited stores prior to Nintendo purchasing the distribution rights.
The two Family Fun Fitness-branded games that had already been released, as well as Bandai's version of the running pad accessory (rights purchased for the Nintendo Power Pad), were pulled from shelves and presumed destroyed. Because of this odd sequence of events, only 2000 copies are believed to have been produced, of which it is estimated that 200 copies reached consumers before being recalled.
After this auction, I imagine many attics boxes will be scanned...
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While it hurts me to divulge easy Gold trophies of any kind...I'm here for you: the reader. And, as such is my responsibility, I'm letting you know that before you go suffering through multiple playthroughs in Heavy Rain for two, degrading Gold trophies, you can do that in Frogger Returns instead.
It's cheap ($5), easy, and will net you 3 Gold, 1 Silver trophies in under an hour. First, from the main menu, hit up "Free Play" and simply beat the four levels of the game.
Done. Playing through this way may destroy the challenge of the game, but meh, you're in this for the trophy gain, right? Just please don't tell @DarthMazza. We're competing and he seriously doesn't need the tip...
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"We went to EA and we talked to them about [a UFC game], they said...'this isn't a real sport, these aren't real athletes and we would never do a game like this,'" UFC's President Dana White said on yesterday's X-Play episode.
He continued by saying, "So our game comes out and makes a bunch of money. And look at EA: 'Now, its a real sport, isn't it? And these are real athletes.' EA sucks."
White is renowned for his blunt opinions and making sure everyone hears about it. He talks tough publicly, but I'd like to see him turn down an EA licensing deal if the money's right. It seems like he cares about the quality of UFC titles so competition similar to what went on with the NFL 2K/Madden series a few years ago would only propel the franchise forward.
Do you agree with his aversion to EA or should he try to expand his company as much as possible?
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In a, mostly, unprecedented move Nintendo will be releasing their heaviest hitters of the year earlier than expected, according to Kotaku (Down Under Edition).
Nintendo plans on launching Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M by the end of summer 2010 -- meaning, the latest we'll see both titles is August.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption came out summer of 2007, so it's more surprising that Nintendo's most famous plumber will debut at such an unconventional time frame.
Think this will affect Nintendo's bottom line come Christmas 2010?
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Blu-ray Movie Releases for the Week of Feb. 23, 2010
Here is the full list:
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Gamefly Top Queued!
For the week of February 23, 2010, Heavy Rain remains at the top of the cross-platform Gamefly 'Most Queued' list. Dante's Inferno tops the Xbox 360 list, while New Super Mario Bros. remains on top for the Nintendo Wii.
Queue up the complete Gamefly Top 10 most requested lists:
Most Popular Games Cross-Platform:
|
Rank |
Title |
Platform(s) |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Heavy Rain |
PS3 |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
2 |
Dante's Inferno |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
4 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Sega |
|
5 |
BioShock 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
6 |
God of War III |
PS3 |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
7 |
Mass Effect 2 |
Xbox 360 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
8 |
MAG |
PS3 |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
9 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
10 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
Xbox 360 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Dante's Inferno |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
2 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Shooter |
Sega |
|
4 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
5 |
Mass Effect 2 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
6 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
7 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
8 |
Darksiders |
Action Adventure |
THQ |
|
9 |
Metro 2033 |
Shooter |
THQ |
|
10 |
Assassin's Creed 2 |
Action Adventure |
Ubisoft |
PlayStation 3 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Heavy Rain |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
2 |
Dante's Inferno Divine Edition |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
God of War III |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
4 |
MAG |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
5 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Shooter |
Sega |
|
6 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
7 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
8 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
9 |
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
10 |
Yakuza 3 |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
Nintendo Wii Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
Action Adventure |
Nintendo |
|
2 |
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games |
Sports |
Sega |
|
3 |
Just Dance |
Arcade/Puzzle |
Ubisoft |
|
4 |
Endless Ocean: Blue World |
Strategy/Sim |
Nintendo |
|
5 |
Wii Sports Resort |
Sports |
Nintendo |
|
6 |
Alice in Wonderland |
Kids/Family |
Disney Interactive |
|
7 |
Mario Kart Wii |
Racing |
Nintendo |
|
8 |
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars |
Fighting |
Capcom |
|
9 |
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle |
Action Adventure |
Ubisoft |
|
10 |
Super Mario Galaxy |
Action Adventure |
Nintendo | 
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Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Highlights this week include Heavy Rain, Borderlands: Double Game Add-on Pack, Endless Ocean: Blue World, and Metal Slug XX.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of February 22, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
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This week, the 4th DLC Pack, "The Challenges of the Edy Detachment" is coming to the PS3.
The DLC features 6 new missions with challenges that require the following classes:
- Scout
- Shocktrooper
- Lancer
- Engineer
- Sniper
- Tank
The DLC hits on Thursday, February 25th!
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While speaking with OXM, Bungie's own Brian Jarrard said that they regretted not including matchmaking in ODST's firefight mode.
"I regret not being able to go back and make Firefight in ODST work and have match-making," he told us. "I think we would have loved to have done that. We've heard it from the fans, we've heard it from the press. It's definitely something we'd have loved to be able to do but we didn't have the scope on the project. We didn't have the time.
"We accomplished a tremendous amount, but that's probably the reason ODST isn't being played as much right now as we'd like. It has had a shorter lifecycle than any of the Halo titles before. But Reach is our big chance to make up for some of those things. "
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Mangod, aka Shane Bettenhausen of Ignition Entertainment and previously of EGM, hypothesized on this week's 4 Guys 1UP podcast that Sony and Nintendo's portable follow ups will be shown at this year's E3:
"I think the big story of E3 is DS 2 and PSP 2. I'm really excited to see that."
Shane is widely believed to have been behind EGM's (mostly accurate) Quarterman rumor column back in the day. Now he's on the publishing side of things with, presumably, more insider info. What do you guys make of his comments on the popular internet podcast? Truth or just stirring the pot up?
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No overworld map. Ammo and health caps maxed at 100. Zero Y-axis capability. If you're old enough to remember playing Wolfenstein 3D back in 1992 these are shortcomings made only apparent in the current world of elaborate modern war fares and halo rings. Surprisingly, id's pioneering first-person shooter still holds a certain amount of charm, and playability, more than a decade and a half later; even for someone like me who didn't grow up playing the game. Like Mega Man 9's example of gameplay over graphics, Wolfenstein 3D shows that its iconic game design amounts to more than a spritely face bleeding out every time you get shot at the bottom of the screen. That is, if you only play the initial three episodes with an explosive Vampire Hitler finale. The latter half of the package compounds its regular barrage of convoluted levels by 20 magnitudes of stupid. Pick up a map guide and you might make it out alive.
Rating: C
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The interweb is in an uproar over the latest DRM restrictions on Ubisoft games (like Assassin's Creed II).
In response, Ubisoft has published the following FAQ...
What do you think?
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Ahhh.... Goldeneye...
Many a drunken night were spent on this little gem...
Not only will Rare's spiritual successor to Goldeneye, be available for a respectable $10 on XBLA, but it will also reportedly have the original Goldeneye guns (slightly renamed) and levels:
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Who will be "The Tester"?
The Playstation blog reports that episode 1 is now available for download...
Starting this afternoon, you can download the first of eight episodes of The Tester from PlayStation Store or watch it with your friends in the PlayStation Home Theater all for free. We want to hear from you, so please comment and let us know what you think.
Who are you rooting for?
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Street Fighter To Go Please...
Capcom just announced that Street Fighter IV makes it's way to the App Store this March and includes head-to-head Bluetooth action. It will be interesting how the controls work (like many apps), but hopefully they can pull it off...
Full Press Release:
CAPCOM® ANNOUNCES STREET FIGHTER® IV FOR THE IPHONE AND IPOD TOUCH
Legendary Fighting Franchise Set To Make Its App Store Debut This March
LOS ANGELES, CA – February 16, 2010 –Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that Street Fighter® IV, the definitive next generation fighting franchise, is making its way to iPhone and iPod Touch this March. The game will feature a roster pulled from recent console releases including several classic and newly introduced fighters.
"This is Street Fighter 4 in all its glory… uncompromised and awesome," said Takeshi Tezuka, General Manager of Mobile Content Development, Capcom. “We’re particularly proud of the multiplayer feature as it remains true to the series arcade roots by allowing players to go head-to-head over Bluetooth in spectacular fashion.”
Street Fighter 4 for iPhone uses an advanced virtual d-pad or “Visual Pad” control interface to immerse the player into the familiar Street Fighter combat system. Players can fully customize the “Visual Pad” interface by repositioning the buttons and d-pad anywhere on the screen through the options menu. Additionally, players can further refine their configuration by setting the transparency level of the controls.
For newcomers to the series, a new “Dojo” mode unleashes the warrior within turning neophytes into Street Fighter masters. Once players hone there skills in single player mode they can then go head-to-head against their friends via Bluetooth for bragging rights and the coveted title of “Champion.”
Street Fighter 4 will be available this March on Apple’s App Store. For more information, visit the Capcom official press site at www.press.capcom.com
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Here's a hot little rumor going around the Interwebs: cross-game voice chat might be coming to a PS3 console near you at a premium. Sony has been more than obvious about toying with the idea of having a subscription-based PlayStation Network so it doesn't come as a huge surprise to see a quote in the latest issue of Official PlayStation Magazine about the subject:
“Sony’s current service is one of the PS3’s best features, so we’d begrudgingly welcome a revamped PSN with extra subscriber functionality, like cross-game-chat and exclusive PSN downloads.”
The quote comes from a rumor section in the publication, so I'm guessing the magazine is just breathing substantial hot air or they've recently come into new, concrete information regarding a future PSN update. Possibly in Spring.
If Sony charges for such a feature, are you guys in? 
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 SEGA released a demo version of next month's Yakuza 3 earlier today. The series has been a runaway success overseas, but hasn't managed to make much of a dent in the States. If you weren't a big fan of the games before, the demo will do little to win you over. But for those of us looking forward to the title, there's a few noticeable changes: Graphics - Visually, Yakuza 3 stands out over its PS2 forebearers by introducing...uh, shinier hair? The graphics are definitely upgraded from last-gen but they still appear to be stuck in 2006 when developers generously lathered Crisco on character models to promote a "next-gen" feel. Improved graphics, sure, but will gamers care when the eye candy feasts of God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII release in the same month? Expanded Move List - One thing that I'm not so down on is Kazuma's move list. Its been expanded to make room for new grapples, specials, and usable items (i.e. traffic cones, abandoned bicycles) and more intricate quick-time events during battles. Also, Kazuma's new "My Revelations" blog is as hilarious as it is useful. See a drunk pervert bothering a school girl on her way home? Take out your cell phone and document the events to learn the grapple move the girl uses to defend herself! And...well, that's really it. From what I can see of the demo, SEGA took the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra and applied it fully to their latest title. Japanese-only voicework returns from Yakuza 2 -- whereas the first game featured Eliza Dushku, Michael Madsen, and Mark Hamill doing the VO honors -- so we'll see how gamers feel about that when the game launches on March 9th. Yes, the same day as the previously mentioned 800-pound gorilla: FFXIII.
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Underwater games have had a less than favorable history over the years and, contrary to that belief, Bioshock released to a stellar reception that any follow-up would have surely failed in comparison. Enter Bioshock 2, another water-infused quest, and it actually stacks up rather well to its predecessor. Even if -- mostly -- in the mechanical sense.
The vintage, art deco style returns. The eerie, '40s-era music marks your every step. Violins hit you with ear-deafening solos alerting you of incoming danger. All aspects in play and just as effective as the last time you visited Rapture via bathysphere.
Only...not as novel this time around. The grand reveal, surprise, and conclusion of the first game was something completely refreshing a few years ago. But it makes this return trip interchangeable in parts with only a few distinguishing qualities here and there.
This time around, the game's hook comes in the form of donning a Big Daddy suit and the underlying effects of said wardrobe change. You feel heavier but, speed-wise, you don't suffer for that perceived shortcoming. Because of this, Bioshock 2 isn't afraid of suddenly dumping sounds of water on you to, consequently, wade through to your next destination.
You're suited up! Why not? Other little touches -- like the dedicated plasmid port in your forearm -- add to the atmosphere of the game and amounts to a well-rounded experience that isn't complete rehash of the first game.
Where Bioshock had you switching between your primary weapon and your plasmids during combat, its sequel allows you to run around in proper dual-wielding fashion. The hacking game, while possibly an unfortunate change for Pipe Dream aficionados, also gets a necessary upgrade in the form of a timing-based mini-game played out without interrupting the flow of the game.
Throw in the drill as a weapon, varying ammo types, video recording research, and you have the makings of a legitimate sequel. Unfortunately, when it comes to the story, Bioshock 2 is less fruitful.
While not terrible by any means, and it can be argued that overall it is structurally better than the first, it does lose some of its awe when the aesthetics and backstory have already been established. Instead, the game is stuck filling in canonical bits that were explained just fine through audio logs when Andrew Ryan was pulling the strings before.
Lastly, Digital Extremes, one of the several teams overseeing the development of Bioshock 2, produced a credible setting for multiplayer: a civil war prior to the events of Bioshock that you engage in ad infinitum. While the side story isn't fully fleshed out, what little it does provide gives you sufficient incentive to wreak havoc online long after you've saved/dispatched the little sisters in single-player.
The multiplayer portion shamelessly bites Modern Warfare 2's leveling up system by unlocking plasmids (some unique to multiplayer) and challenges, or "trials," as you progress to the level 40 cap. Most of the game types are typical -- think: Little Sister replaced for flags and oddball -- but considering plasmids are added to the mix, it's a more than serviceable game mode.
Closing Thoughts
Sure, retreading through Rapture in Bioshock 2 loses some of the world's novelty and opening impact you got after crash landing in the middle of the ocean in the original Bioshock, but this made-by-committee sequel proves to be a worthy successor. Whether or not it meets the high expectations of fans, Bioshock 2 serves up a lenghty adventure, fun, exhilarating combat, and a multiplayer mode that isn't just a tacked-on bullet point on the back of the box. Even if it did turn out a bit less genuine than the first.
Rating: B
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This will likely go down as the worst podcast effort in the short history of podcasting...
We dare you to listen to this painful first effort...
Any suggestions for the podcast name? Hit us up on twitter!
Stream:
Download here
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 So after patiently putting up with uninspired (and quite terrible) Sonic titles for years and years, Sega finally announced that a proper 2D sequel to the old Genesis series, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, will be out this summer.
The footage below (courtesy of GameVideos) was leaked earlier and shows the game in all its Dimps-developed glory. 1up pulled the clip from the original post but it lives on, at the moment, here:
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Gamefly Top Queued!
For the week of February 16, 2010, Heavy Rain knocks off Bioshock 2 from the top of the cross-platform Gamefly 'Most Queued' list. Dante's Inferno tops the Xbox 360 list, while New Super Mario Bros. remains on top for the Nintendo Wii.
Queue up the complete Gamefly Top 10 most requested lists:
Most Popular Games Cross-Platform:
|
Rank |
Title |
Platform(s) |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Heavy Rain |
PS3 |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
2 |
Dante's Inferno |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
BioShock 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
4 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
5 |
Mass Effect 2 |
Xbox 360 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
6 |
MAG |
PS3 |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
7 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
8 |
God of War III |
PS3 |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
9 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
10 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
Xbox 360 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Dante's Inferno |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
2 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
3 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
4 |
Mass Effect 2 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
5 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
6 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
7 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
8 |
Darksiders |
Action Adventure |
THQ |
|
9 |
Bayonetta |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
10 |
Metro 2033 |
Shooter |
THQ |
PlayStation 3 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
Heavy Rain |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
2 |
Dante's Inferno Divine Edition |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
MAG |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
4 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
5 |
God of War III |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
6 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
|
7 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
8 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
9 |
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
10 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
Nintendo Wii Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
Action Adventure |
Nintendo |
|
2 |
Endless Ocean: Blue World |
Strategy/Sim |
Nintendo |
|
3 |
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars |
Fighting |
Capcom |
|
4 |
Wii Sports Resort |
Sports |
Nintendo |
|
5 |
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games |
Sports |
Sega |
|
6 |
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle |
Action Adventure |
Ubisoft |
|
7 |
Mario Kart Wii |
Racing |
Nintendo |
|
8 |
Just Dance |
Arcade/Puzzle |
Ubisoft |
|
9 |
Alice in Wonderland |
Kids/Family |
Disney Interactive |
|
10 |
Punch-Out!! |
Fighting |
Nintendo | 
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Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Highlights this week include Aliens vs. Predator, Tropico 3, Data East Arcade Classics, and SOCOM: US Navy Seals Fireteam Bravo 3.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of February 15, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
| Aliens vs. Predator |
| Tropico 3 |
| Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce |
| Aliens vs. Predator |
| Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce |
| Data East Arcade Classics |
| Chicken Riot |
| Triple Crown Snowboarding |
| SOCOM: US Navy Seals Fireteam Bravo 3 |
| Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth |
| Ragnarok |
| Crime Scene |
| KORG DS-10 Plus |
| Aliens vs. Predator |
| Everquest II: Sentinel's Fate |
| Strongbad's Cool Game for Attractive People | 
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For those of you looking to put your, ahem, "manhood" through a vice again, Capcom flips the Mega Man 10 download switch on next month.
Just like Mega Man 9 before it, the blue bomber will have a staggered release on the three leading consoles. Releasing for $10, MM10 will hit Wii first on March 1, followed by PS3 on March 11, and finally Xbox 360 on March 31.
Know which version you'll be waiting for?
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As part of Sony's "make.believe" campaign on PSN, thatgamecompany's flOw is free for download until 2/13 at Midnight EST. After which point you'll have to, well...pony up the full asking price like a sucka for not following @Hawtwired.
Big news also comes in the form of GTA: Chinatown Wars  going on sale this weekend for $6.99 on iPhone (normally $9.99) and Plants vs. Zombies making its iPhone debut for a stoopidly cheap price of $2.99 on Monday. If Peggle iPhone is anything to go by, you'll want to pick up PvZ pronto as the price post-launch will surely only go up.
Check it out: iTunes: GTA: Chinatown Wars
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 Microsoft hosted X10, a media event absent from the scene since 2006, tonight and presented a few updates to their game offerings in the coming year. I ranked them, unequivocally, by importance below:
6. An exclusive Xbox 360 prologue to Dead Rising 2, Dead Rising: CASE ZERO, is set to release before the game proper launches on August 31.
5. I reported on this earlier in the week but it was confirmed tonight: there WILL be a Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition Xbox 360 Bundle coming out. The bundle is due on March 9th and will include a 250GB hard drive, two wireless controllers, and a copy of the game of course for $399.
4. Lost Planet 2 marks the series first step into four-player co-op on May 18.
3. Alan Wake decides to compete directly with Capcom's latest by releasing on the same day, May 18.
2. Joanna Dark redeems herself from the travesty that was Perfect Dark Zero by re-starring in her original N64 adventure in March. Perfect Dark will sport a higher poly count on Xbox 360 and a surprising low $10, according to 1up.
1. And lastly, but most important, is that the Halo 3: ODST disc you've been holding onto will finally prove its worth on May 3; the date the Halo Reach beta goes live. Retouched graphics engine, improved game mechanics, more Halo...I'm there.
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If you've been gaming for as long as I have, you no doubt have certain expectations when it comes to video game releases. Triple A titles always come out during the fall. Madden during the summer. Niche titles in the earlier part of the year. And so on.
Sure, some games may have slipped through during unexpected times -- GTA IV and Metal Gear Solid 4 chief among them -- but it is as it has always been since we were first making Mario jump in the late '80s.
The Delay Game
 Cue fall 2009, though, and gaming as we knew it had changed. Interrupted, if you'd like. Titles that we were expecting to gorge on during the holidays were delayed into an ever-distant future.
Splinter Cell Conviction. Bioshock 2. Heavy Rain. Mass Effect 2.
All of them delayed. All highly-anticipated games that were, presumably, done yesterday but were held over for a more vacant release window.
The reason? The one game that every publisher feared to compete against and, conversely, the game every gamer wanted was launching in November 2009: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Not even Microsoft dared to touch it. Bungie's penultimate game in the series, Halo 3:ODST, was released a couple of months earlier in September. The only games left were those that weren't trying entreat on MW2's strong first-person shooter roots.
The Interrupters
Assassin's Creed II and Borderlands succeeded because they were the only games in town that didn't force you to look down the barrel of a gun with the former and the latter flipped the script by adding co-operative Diablo-esque looting to the FPS mix.
Mario made the fall cut with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as well, but who are we kidding? Nintendo can release anything "Mario" or "Wii" branded during a second Great Depression and still come out on top. Wii Play is the best selling game ever, so that clearly includes half-heartedly developed, peripheral-pushing titles as well.
How things played out for game release dates last fall created a ripple through the video game industry. The first three months of 2010 are set to be the heaviest (we're talking 800-pound gorillas here) early year releases gamers have ever seen.
The Sea of Change
Starting with Mass Effect 2, the aforementioned list of delayed games will be dropping ready to be picked up by eager and impatient gamers who will rip through the eco-friendly packaging and devour their delayed experiences.
 If things keep going the way they are, you can say goodbye to first quarter gaming bores. Goodbye to summer droughts. And goodbye to crowded, indistinguishable genre titles releasing in the same time frame.
You'll be able to eat your gaming ice cream any time of the year.
January through March will serve as your second Christmas; spring time would be reserved for PlayStation Network downloadable goodies; Xbox 360's XBLA turn would be in summer; a few double-A games would serve as lead up to the holidays August through October; and the established blockbusters would rule the pre-Christmas months.
A stream of great experiences would be had all year round. Creative, groundbreaking titles would be able to release without fear of instant death at retail and the Call of Dutys, Halos and Grand Theft Autos of the world can run free during their usual time slots.
The Defying Factors 
The gaming schedule, of course, only changes if sales forecasts pan out for publishers. After all, they are not our friends. They care for the bottom line as much as everyone else.
It remains to be seen whether the kind of word of mouth that games like Darksiders and Bayonetta have generated online will translate into sales for THQ and SEGA. Titles that will serve as a sort of litmus test to see how games are expected to perform outside of the typical holiday release window.
Who knows, early 2010 sales numbers might turn out to be disastrous and reverse last year's fortunate delay of games to what we've always expected of game releases. A congested fourth quarter with the biggest titles waiting for us in November and putting up with crap the rest of the year.
I'm still hoping for an ideal outcome where 2010 becomes the model for a future with excellent games year-round uninterrupted by underwhelming gaming fodder filling in the cracks.
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Gamefly Top Queued!
For the week of February 10, 2010, Bioshock 2 knocks off Mass Effect 2 from the top of the cross-platform Gamefly 'Most Queued' list. MAG tops the PS3 list, while New Super Mario Bros. remains on top for the Nintendo Wii.
Queue up the complete Gamefly Top 10 most requested lists:
Most Popular Games Cross-Platform:
|
Rank |
Title |
Platform(s) |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
BioShock 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
2 |
Mass Effect 2 |
Xbox 360 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
Dante's Inferno |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
4 |
MAG |
PS3 |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
5 |
Heavy Rain |
PS3 |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
6 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
7 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
8 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
PS3, Xbox 360, PSP Games |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
9 |
Darksiders |
PS3, Xbox 360 |
Action Adventure |
THQ |
|
10 |
White Knight Chronicles: International Edition |
PS3 |
RPG |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
Xbox 360 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
2 |
Mass Effect 2 |
RPG |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
Dante's Inferno |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
4 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
5 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
6 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
7 |
Darksiders |
Action Adventure |
THQ |
|
8 |
Bayonetta |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
9 |
Assassin's Creed 2 |
Action Adventure |
Ubisoft |
|
10 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
PlayStation 3 Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
MAG |
Shooter |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
2 |
Dante's Inferno Divine Edition |
Action Adventure |
Electronic Arts |
|
3 |
Heavy Rain |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
4 |
BioShock 2 |
Shooter |
Take Two |
|
5 |
White Knight Chronicles: International Edition |
RPG |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
6 |
God of War III |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
7 |
Aliens vs. Predator |
Action Adventure |
Sega |
|
8 |
Army of Two: The 40th Day |
Shooter |
Electronic Arts |
|
9 |
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves |
Action Adventure |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
|
10 |
Final Fantasy XIII |
RPG |
Square Enix |
Nintendo Wii Most Popular Games:
|
Rank |
Title |
Category |
Publisher |
|
1 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
Action Adventure |
Nintendo |
|
2 |
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars |
Fighting |
Capcom |
|
3 |
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle |
Action Adventure |
Ubisoft |
|
4 |
Wii Sports Resort |
Sports |
Nintendo |
|
5 |
Endless Ocean: Blue World |
Strategy/Sim |
Nintendo |
|
6 |
Mario Kart Wii |
Racing |
Nintendo |
|
7 |
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games |
Sports |
Sega |
|
8 |
Punch-Out!! |
Fighting |
Nintendo |
|
9 |
Just Dance |
Arcade/Puzzle |
Ubisoft |
|
10 |
Super Mario Galaxy |
Action Adventure |
Nintendo | 
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 Bucking the recent trend of letting you know about interesting tidbits for the week's games, I've found one for Bioshock 2 today.
Apparently, there's an option in the main menu to alter the game's framerate which reads:
Unlock Framerate - 'On' Maximizes framerate but may degrade visual quality.
Considering the game runs at a pretty smooth clip -- I'm playing it on PS3 -- it seems like an odd option to give the player. Bioshock 2 being quite the visual powerhouse, I'm trying to play it at its highest fidelity possible so I've yet to mess with the framerate.
But have you guys checked it out? Post your thoughts below.
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VGChartz ran the above screen showing off FFXIII getting the bundle treatment. Photoshop, or the real deal?
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Single-player games can be a hard sale for gamers who will more than likely just play once and trade in. EA shot their first salvo against selling back games -- which retail will resell as a profitless "used" copy -- by introducing free content only available to new-copy buyers of Dragon Age last year.
Next up was Mass Effect 2 with the Cerberus network that granted you free DLC missions, character skins, and weapons if you bought it new. During a conference call earlier today, reports G4TV, EA CEO John Riccitiello claimed that EA saw a positive reaction to incentives for new buys. And, of course, that they plan on giving players more of it in the future.
What do you guys think? Does it make you think twice about renting the latest hits and instead opting to buy? Or is it just another way to alienate the player from experiences you'd gladly pay for?
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I'm sure that by now you guys have already picked up Dead Space Extraction on the Wii, right? Never heard of it? Ouch. Well, I guess you weren't one of the few 30,000 or so purchasers of the 2009 motion-enabled Wii shooter.
If what Kotaku reported on is correct, EA noticed your hesistance and is doing something about it.
A recent survey revealed that DS: Extraction will be getting an "full HD" port to Xbox Live Arcade some time in the future for a rumored $15. Kotaku suggests that it might come to those who pre-order Dead Space 2 free of charge.
Would that be a good enough incentive for you guys to pick up the sequel to one of 2008's best action games?
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Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Highlights this week include Bioshock 2, Dante's Inferno, and Star Ocean: The Last Hope International.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of February 8, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
| Bioshock 2 |
| Dante's Inferno |
| World of Outlaws Sprint Cars |
| Bioshock 2 |
| Dante's Inferno |
| Star Ocean: The Last Hope International |
| Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll |
| Shiren The Wanderer |
| World Cup of Pool |
| Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief |
| Scene it? Twilight |
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 Heavy Rain is a game about choices and the consequences to those choices. Quantic Dream's demo of the upcoming adventure title tries to demonstrate just how the developer plans on pulling that off. You get a brief glimpse at how the controls, dynamic conversation, and investigation aspect will work. As the player, you'll immediately notice in the first scene that the controls are atypical to other contemporary games: every move is deliberate and can even require multiple buttons be pressed at the same time. For example, the game goes so far as to make you hold R2 to simply walk. You can imagine how the rest of the controls hold up. Not to worry, though, you get used to them quickly and just in time to see the story unfold in beautiful cutscene-quality form in the second scene. Shenmue-era QTEs be damned when it comes to Heavy Rain. Conversations flow naturally and every button corresponds to a single-word meaning of what you want your character to say. You get that in the second scene and then you move on to use future 2011 technology to dissect a crime scene. The last scene presents you with a different character investigating a recent murder. This is where the demo slows down a bit but presents unique challenges to the player...you'll have to be thorough and check everything before you can move on. Unfortunately, for a game that's touted for being about consequences at the demo's closing, Heavy Rain doesn't seem to exemplify that. At least, from what I can glean from the demo. I played through it multiple times and changed my word choices and actions and it seemed to end essentially in the same way. Save for maybe different wording here and cosmetic changes there. The controls aren't too bad once you get used to them, but the verdict on the story and the impact you have on it is still out based on this presentation. Maybe the choices you make have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the story but it's something that probably would never be apparent in demo form. We'll see how it pans out for the full game on February 23. You can get your hands on the demo right now by following my directions here. 
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Dante’s Inferno is almost here, much to the anger of literature purists who like to point out that the original Italian poem never mentioned anything about Dante God-of-Warring his way through Hell for his beloved. By this time next week, I’m sure we’ll all…be playing Bioshock 2.
But in an recent interview with Industry Gamers, the jokers at developer Visceral Games (or rather, one joker, Executive Producer Jonathon Knight) has shot his mouth off about besmirching another beloved work of literary art…um…The Scottish Play.
Okay, if you don’t know what I mean, hold tight. See when I refer to “The Scottish Play”, I’m referring to a very specific Scottish play. Okay, it’s not Scottish, but the characters are. I’m getting nowhere here…
Okay, I’ll say it. Once. From that point on, read between the lines:
“MacBeth”
*ptoo*
The so called “Scottish Play” is referred to as that because, in theatrical circles, to invoke the name of…He Who Shall Not Be Named (not Valdemort, jerk) is to invoke a cursed play, and there by transfer the curse to yourself. Supposedly, when Shakespeare wrote the piece, he used actual chants and spells he gleaned (read as: spied on) from the local witches in the dialogue. Furious about his…use of artistic liscense (press passes hadn’t been invented yet), the witches cursed the show and all performances of it, to the point that even to say…that name aloud is sure to cause problems for any staged show, not just The Scottish One...
(click here to read more...) 
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 So Halo 2's -- among other Xbox 1 games -- done transmitting battle rifle shots and plasma grenades across the Interwebs on April 15th, so says Major Nelson. While it might be saddening for players to think of giving up their pre-RB/LB reloading, pre-equipment, pre-plasma sword balancing Halo 2 gaming days, there's a more pressing question to be answered:
What does that mean for Xbox Live's friends list 100-person cap? Microsoft has stated before that one of the main reasons for the limit was the fact that they still supported original Xbox games that had the friends' cutoff point "hardwired" in.
Major Nelson said the following on his blog:
"While I can’t comment on the specifics, this change will allow us to continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE community."
Confirmation of raising your friends list restriction? Until after April 15th, it's the closest we'll get to one for now. 
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The developers of Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream, have a cool little site up promoting their upcoming title where you try to put together a "dossier" of evidence. Guess right and you get a demo code for Heavy Rain. Luckily for you and me, VGChartz threw up the solution for it earlier today:
" • Short cigarette (117b)
• Origami bird
• Coffee shop C (it says "diner")
• 117h (tyre tracks).
But mind your step: Be careful when choosing the coffee shop, because there are a lot of them. Furthermore, the writing on the “tyre tracks” is kinda difficult to read."
Do it correctly and you'll have yourself a download code for Heavy Rain's demo early. You'll want to keep about 1.7GB of memory space available. Ah...and before I forget, you'll need to use your UK account to get at the goods. You have one of those lying around, right? 
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 The new age of RPGs is exciting, emotional, and utterly captivating. With the advent of Mass Effect 2 I have to wonder if there's even a need for another Final Fantasy. And yes, I'm referring to the one coming out next month. Nothing about ME2 is typical role-playing fare. The visuals, and not just the cutscenes which are done in-game, are the best I've ever seen in a third-person shooter. Worlds are teeming with such life, diversity, and wonder that you might think you're relapsing back into "Avatar"-like depression once the end game hits. Beware, though. The game may look nice on a standard definition TV, but in order to read ever-so-crucial combat information you might want to consider splurging on a high-def. Because hitting "Incendiary" ammo instead of "Unity" when your team needs a critical health boost will be the exact opposite of staying alive. The good thing is that even with the occasional command slip-up, ME2 is intently forgiving when it comes to its battle system. You're not expected to be a complete sure-shot because the underlying emphasis on RPG levels takes care of any trigger happy deficiencies.
 Of course, that's not to say it doesn't control well...because it does. Compared to the first where your hits were more reliant on your stats, in ME2, if you get head shots, you're shooting with that skill in mind. It strikes a better balance than ME1 by letting you focus on being either a soldier of destruction or an indestructible power user; the game will adapt to your play style and take care of anything you lack. Still, and maybe only if you look close enough, ME2 largely plays out as a series of cleverly disguised corridor firefights set in galaxies that are presented as expansive worlds. The great trick Bioware pulls on the player is how well they cover it up by quickly moving you through the action and providing a story that keeps you on your toes from beginning to end. Right from the start, Mass Effect 2 throws you into the middle of intergalactic warfare with nary a moment to digest what's happening in the game's prelude. You can go for importing your save state from the original title, but in reality, ME2 stands sufficiently alone if you're coming to it fresh. There are new characters introduced that you'll like or dislike, but you'll love Bioware for including all of them. Each recruit carries his or her own back story and valid reasoning behind following Shepard on his suicide mission. Jack, for example, is probably one of my favorite characters I've ever come across in my years of running through video game worlds.
And the beauty of the story constructed in ME2? You can skip it all. Everything is understated, yet deeply involved if you choose to interact with the world more than you have to. You don't have to pay attention to locals when they call you over on the street. You don't have to go on every side mission that asks for you to find a wine bottle or unearth locations of missing N7 operatives.
You can skip right past it and enjoy the tightly-woven main story thread or you can delve a bit deeper and see what secrets Bioware lay about the universe. It's your choice and you'll get a game uniquely tailored to how you play it.
Just remember that everything you do in the game has a pivotal role on the outcome of ME2 and how it ties into the end of the trilogy in a couple of years. At least, that's what I'm hoping for since the ME1 to ME2 conversion doesn't really matter all that much in the grand scheme of things.
Sure, a few things are different here and there depending on your playthrough with ME1 but they are mostly cosmetic or things that go easily unnoticed if you didn't play the first title. I'll chalk that up to the fact that they were launching a new franchise but considering how flexibly the story can pan out for ME2 you can expect to see significant cross-over variety in ME3. And, hopefully, better world exploration since sending out probes is really only marginally improving on driving a weak-handling vehicle through boring terrain.
Closing Thoughts
Mass Effect 2 pulls no punches with its special brand of RPG and shooter crossbreeding. The shooting mechanics have been polished to stand with the best of them and its expansive storyline is poised to rival -- maybe even supplant -- the sci-fi predominately owned by "Star Wars." Far from being just another space opera, ME2 offers an adventure of blockbuster proportions that produces tangibly different outcomes particular to every gamer that plays it. And one that takes full advantage of the medium the doctors at Bioware decided to tell it in.
Rating: A 
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Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Once again, a fairly short list this week... Highlights this week include Star Trek Online, White Knite Chronicles International Edition, and Puzzle Chronicles.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of January 25, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
| White Knight Chronicles International Edition |
| Family Party 30 Great Winter Games |
| Puzzle Chronicles |
| Imagine: Reporter |
| Playmobile: Knights |
| Star Trek Online |
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat | 
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