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Being inFamous

Major Newbie — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:43:02 +0000

While I wait for Red Dead Redemption, I’ve decided to work my way back through my stack of as yet unfinished games. First up, revisiting inFamous and taking Cole down the dark path.

Sadly inFamous changes little regardless of your choices, the storyline unfolds linearly and the cutscenes are generic enough that they work for either morality. There are only a couple of places where the choices jar, with Cole ordered to save civilians on a couple of occasions where an Evil Cole might get tired of taking orders and just not bother.

The differences in the playthroughs for inFamous are far more subtle, such as Zeke’s error in judgement with the Ray Sphere. In the good playthrough it seemed like an exceedingly dumb move one I felt I might empathise with more as an evil do-er, but the truth is even in context of all the violence and death caused by Cole up to that point, it still seems like a really sickening wrong decision for which there’s no excuse. That surprised me a little.

The other surprise came from the fact that typically, the evil path is more destructive and more powerful making the game easier. While the former is certainly true in inFamous, most of Cole’s evil variations on his powers involve multiple explosions, the later certainly isn’t with the negative karma removing access to powers that heal Cole with each takedown.

The other hinderance to evil Cole is that at first Empire City’s citizens hate Cole for causing the original blast but good deeds slowly have the City warming up to him and eventually cheering him on. As a bad guy they at first fear you but quickly it turns back to hatred and upon reaching full infamy found they will openly attack you in the streets, hurling rocks or cans and pounding on you with fists. Of course, the response is to erupt in a powerful display and take out everyone on the street, but it was a nice touch to see Sucker Punch mixing the usual formula up a little and providing more of a challenge to those less inclined to do the right thing.

Sure, it suffers from much of the same repetition that plagues nearly all sandbox titles, this time around I’m barely touching the side missions and probably won’t until the third island where I remember life gets pretty tough and may need the XP, but it is still a fantastic game the second time around and the cutscenes leave me hungry for the rumoured graphic novel that was talked about when the game was released but promptly forgotten about.

Game deals

Major Newbie — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:47:39 +0000

Who doesn’t love cheap games, with EA’s PAX East coupon expiring at their online store, it is back to hunting for bargains. Here is some help:

Super Street Fighter IV (Xbox360/PS3) – $36.99 with $10 video game credit at Amazon

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC) – Steam are offering a free weekend of multiplayer gameplay.

15% off all in-stock new Wii, PS3 or Xbox360 titles at GameStop.com. Enter code 15NEW at checkout.

25% off orders $100 or more at GameStop.com. Enter code 25OFF at checkout. Not valid on consoles or hardware, expires 4/30/2010

The Saboteur (Xbox360/PS3) – $19.79 at Amazon.

Monkey Island 2: Special Edition Screens

Major Newbie — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:23:09 +0000

Much like when your mom wiping your face would create a clean spot which meant the rest of your face would be shortly due for a wash, when LucasArts did their high-def remax of the first in the Monkey Island series, you knew that it wouldn’t be long before LeChuck would be back to have his revenge. So here are some screenshots of the special edition of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge, with comparison shots of the original 1991 version of the game.

The shots bring back many fond memories, the monkey wrench, the drinking game and the jailer’s dog. While I’m reluctant to accept the special editions in my heart for messing with sacred works, the fact a new generation of gamers are being introduced to the gold standard of adventure games is certainly a good thing and who can refuse a pirate game involving a grog spitting contest?

Still no firm word on a release date other than ‘Summer 2010′.

The first Just Cause 2 DLC drops

Major Newbie — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:53:50 +0000

The first of the rumoured Just Case 2 DLC dropped today for PS3 owners. So what do we get? Multiple rocket launcher? Parachute thrusters? Nope. You scream and now Panau screams for ice cream, or an ice cream truck at least.

Pimped-out by Panau’s finest body shop, the Chevalier Ice Breaker’s lowered suspension, slick aluminum alloys and body-styled side skirts are perfectly complemented by its rigid front bull bars, more than capable of tearing apart anything that stands in its way. Mind that child!

On the one hand an ice cream truck, even one with a natty jingle, is probably my least desired DLC. On the other, it is nice to see the DLC wagon rolling so soon after the launch and hopefully Square-Enix are planning to support the game long into the future, or at least long enough for me to make some serious headway into completing the over 300 villages.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online Launch Trailer

Major Newbie — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:57:01 +0000

To go along with our review of EA’s new browser-based Tiger Woods experience, here’s a look at the launch trailer:

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online

Major Newbie — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:51:33 +0000

Tiger returns to the masters, which is the perfect time to open the doors of their online PGA Tour game to the public.

The game is free to play after only a modest install weighing in at a little over 3mb and helps to deliver “the most accessible, authentic and feature-rich golf video game experience available through a web browser”. It marks EA’s continued expansion into microtransaction territory with paid options that provide points that unlock access to unique items and equipment. So does PGA Tour Online make it to the fairway or land in the rough?

The Good

Pick up and go
With only a small install and quick setup, you’ll be on the green in only a few minutes provided you already have an EA account. The game itself is also easy enough to drop into for a quick round, though you’ll find yourself saying ‘just one more hole’ all the way to the 18th. Trophy-like challenges for each course provide added incentives to replay and keep things fresh.

So real, you can smell the grass
For such a modest install, the graphics are incredible and easily comparable to a full game, rather than one that runs in a browser. Frame rates are stable and smooth even on my laptop. Without a doubt, one of the most visually impressive web games to date.

Community spirit
Often when games implement social features, they’re a miss, but Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online really hits the mark. As you play, you’ll see the shots of other players on the same hole landing around you allowing you to compare and watch other tactics at work. A chat window allows you to talk to other players on the course and there’s options for group tournaments and rounds as well Facebook integration and the option of sponsoring other players which earns you in-game cash if they’re on good form.

The Bad

club fees
No sooner than your first round is over you’ll be wanting to spend your earnings on new equipment. The gear that can be bought with earned currency all feature major drawbacks in return for their benefits and their effect on the green feels negligable. The equipment only available to paying users offers far better boosts without the heavy penalties. While a microtransaction model isn’t necessarily bad the implementation here, coupled with a limited selection of ‘free’ equipment, is heavy handed and with the points packages starting at $9.99, many may find it a tad expensive should they wish to remain competitive.

The back 9
The game is recently launched, but debuted almost 12 months ago and during that time “players from nearly 200 countries have played more than two million rounds of golf”. Which begs the question where is the other half of the game? Course options and the selection of equipment upgrades are limited. EA promise more content is on the way but it will need to drop soon to keep players interests.

Stay the course
A variety of settings are on offer for each round allowing you to set the level of difficulty, which also effects the money you’ll earn from the course. Much like the equipment though playing with these settings offers little impact on the game. I found balls frequently blown off course in the opposite direction of the wind, making the placement of shots more luck than skill.

The Verdict

As free games go, PGA Tour Online is eaily one of the most beautiful and easiest to set up. The simplicity unfortunately carries through to the upgrades on offer. Strong community features may well reward those who play in groups, but those who aren’t hardened golf fans will find the lack of depth fails to encourage anything but the most casual gaming experience.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Top 5 control majority of new product sales

Major Newbie — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:37:45 +0000

An SEC report breaks down GameStop’s new game sales by company and surprisingly 75% of all ‘new product’ sales are down to just 5 companies, which are:

Nintendo (23%)
Sony (17%)
Microsoft (12%)
EA (12%)
Activision (11%)

This means the remaining publishers are all fighting over the small slice of pie that is left. 25% of a $1.5 billion market is still some $375 Million in sales, but the uneven distribution shows just how much influence and power the top 5 have in the industry.

Also surprising is that new game sales are actually an impressive 44% of GameStop’s entire sales income, with new hardware and used games both accounting for around 21%.

After Burner, climaxing in April

Major Newbie — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:13:30 +0000

After Burner: Climax, the console version of 2006’s arcade game update to the classic After Burner, is hitting Xbox Live (800pts) and the PSN ($9.99) on April 21.

Three planes, 20 stages and a host of other features are explained on Sega’s Japanese language site. Unfortunately I’ve no clue what it says so will have to wait until next month to discover what exactly the amazing ‘EX Option’ feature does.

UFC Undisputed 2010

Major Newbie — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:39:23 +0000

The UFC returns to consoles this year with a new offering featuring over 100 MMA fighters, a 16 player tournament and enhanced combat controls.

Last year’s Classic fights mode has also been revamped:

Ultimate Fights Mode allows players to relive some of the more memorable fights in UFC history. Each fight opens with an introduction from one of the UFC Octagon Girls, Arianny Celeste or Chandella Powell, who break down the significance of each fight. Following the introduction, a pre-fight montage is played with comments from each fighter and a brief history on how the fight came to fruition. Once the prefight montage is over, the basic match flow occurs and gameplay begins.

The main difference between Classic Fights from last year and the Ultimate Fights for UFC Undisputed 2010 is the introduction of Fight Categories and Multiple Challenges for each fight. Assigning each fight to a category helps structure the mode and allows players to easily identify each type of fight, while the introduction of Multiple Challenges for each fight adds replayability to the mode.

Another new component is the ability to “play as the spoiler” (or the fighter who lost in real life) and provide additional challenges and unlocks associated with the losing fighter, where players look to “rewrite history.”

Upon completing all the challenges, the player unlocks the ultimate reward – a montage that recaps the actual Ultimate Fight itself.

UFC Undisputed 2010 comes to Xbox360, PS3 and PSP on May 25th 2010.

More Assassin’s Creed 2 codes

Major Newbie — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:37:20 +0000

Ok,ok, just the one more this code comes from the sequence surrounding Thomas Eddison and the theft of PE4 from Nikola Tesla (it makes sense in the game).

- …. . -.– ..- … . -.. .. – – — — .- -.- .
- . … .-.. .- –. — .. -. … .- -. . – …. .
— .-. –. .- -. .. –.. .- – .. — -. – — — -.-
…. .. … .-. . … . .- .-. -.-. …. .- .-.. .. . -.
.–. .-. — .–. . .-. – -.– -.-. ..- … – — -.. .. .- -.
— ..-. ..-. .. -.-. .

Translated it says “THEY USED IT TO MAKE TESLAGO INSANE THE ORGANIZATION TOOK HIS RESEARCH ALIEN PROPERTY CUSTODIAN OFFICE”

An interesting spin on historical event, the details in the hidden glyphs suggest a number of historical figures and events tie nicely into the war between the Assassins and Templars and the quest to obtain the pieces of Eden.