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Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack Announced
By GameInformer, published 24-05-2012
EA announced the Rebellion Pack for Mass Effect 3, a free download pack available starting next month that adds two brand-new maps, new unlockable characters, a new team objective and a new equipment slot to the cooperative mode. The pack is only available for free if you redeemed your Mass Effect 3 online pass. Also available are all new weapons and items through reinforcement packs in the game’s multiplayer store. The Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack will be available starting May 29 on Xbox Live and Origin, and on PlayStation Network in North America on May 29 and in Europe on May 30. The Rebellion Pack includes the following content: Two New Action-Packed Maps – Land on Firebase Jade, located in a Salarian STG base on Sur’Kesh and fight to control Fir...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/24/12
By GameInformer, published 24-05-2012
We've got another week of entertaining blogs for you to enjoy, but before you read them, take a moment to pause and reflect that on this day back in 2006, Half-Life 2: Episode One went gold. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: May 14 – May 20, 2012Number of User Blogs: 110Number of User Bloggers: 59Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: How To Create A Successful GameMost of us know a bad game when we experience it, but creating a successful game is far more challenging. Mike outlines a number of qualities present in nearly every successful video game. Improving Pokemon Stadium For The Wii UA clever and colorful post by iDreamRunner, offering up a few recommendations to improve the next version of Pokémon Stadium for the Nintendo Wii U. Pay To Play What You Pa...
E3 Predictions: Console Price Drops
By GameInformer, published 22-05-2012
Gamers are always up for a console price drop, and next to the holiday season, E3 time is ripe for a price reduction. Will we see any at this year's convention? Each console manufacturer has their own reasons for reducing the price of their current consoles particular to their own situation in the market. Here is how things might go down. SONY Given that the PS3 is in last place behind Nintendo's Wii and the Xbox 360, Sony has ground to gain by reducing the price of the system. Although the last price drop happened only last fall (160GB slim model for $249.99), a $199 model has a nice ring to it. Sony will probably position this new price point squarely at younger new adopters rather than established gamers, and as such, getting under $200 could be critically important. If the com...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/17/12
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2012
Today marks the day J.C. Padilla scored the highest video game score ever recorded, when back in 2003 he reached 2,181,619,994,299,256,480 points in Giga Wing 2 for the Dreamcast. If that doesn't excite you, perhaps one of these blogs by the community will. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: May 07 – May 13, 2012Number of User Blogs: 90Number of User Bloggers: 53Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: Weird Should Be A ComplimentDoctor Apozem talks about how weird shouldn't necessarily have negative connotations when referring to an atypical video game design and challenges us to seek these games out and give them a try. Cutting Corners – Tricks Of The TradeCommunity blogger xking595x examines techniques used by the developers in the construction of video g...
Afterwords: SSX
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2012
Snowboarding fans waited over five years for EA Sports to revive its over-the-top SSX franchise. While the reboot thrilled some by continuing the series' legacy of wild trick and breakneck races, others took issue with the frustrating Survive It mode. We talked to creative director Todd Batty to find out what changed, what got cut, and what he wishes he could bring back. The game was originally announced with the subtitle "Deadly Descents." How soon after announcing did you decide to remove the subtitle? Did you change any of the content of the game as well or was it more of a marketing change? That was really more on the marketing side of things. I've said this many times before, but we started off from day one with race it, trick it, and survive it as the three pillars...
A Whole Mess Of New PSP Games, Minis Now Out On PS Vita Store
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2012
PS Vita owners have a good reason to check out the Vita Store today, as more than a dozen PSP games and Minis have been added. Today's releases include Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas, Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital, and Age of Zombies. Here's the complete breakdown, straight from the PlayStation Blog: Available Today: PSP Titles:Cho Aniki Zero (Aksys Games Localization, Inc.)Strikers 1945 Plus (PM Studios, Inc.)Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (UbiSoft, Inc.)Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas (UbiSoft, Inc.)Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance (XSEED JKS, Inc.)Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital (XSEED JKS, Inc.) PSP minis:Aero Racer (Halfbrick Studios)Age Of Zombies (Halfbrick Studios)Blast Off (Halfbrick Studios)Dynogems (StormBasic)Echoes (Halfbr...
Last Batch Of Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC Drops Today
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2012
Today marks the end of an era, as the final wave of Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC hits the PS3 and Xbox 360. The downloads include costumes for Noel, Serah, and Mog, as well as two playable episodes. Here's what Square Enix has to say about Snow’s Story: Perpetual Battlefield: Snow is engaged in battles at the Coliseum after being separated from his fiancée, Serah. The episode also features a battle against the “Arbiter of Time,” who has been watching events unfold at the Coliseum. Snow should pose a difficult challenge to players and will allow them to end the Coliseum battles on a high note, and ultimately unlock Snow as a party member. The other downloadable episode is Lightning’s Story: Requiem of the Goddess: This DLC reveals the arduous batt...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/10/12
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2012
For many the highlight of the week was revealed with Game Informer's June cover announcement, showcasing The Elder Scrolls Online. Several bloggers shared their thoughts on it while others were compelled to write about a wide range of topics from the world of video games. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 30 – May 06, 2012Number of User Blogs: 109Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Events: Kid Icarus Uprising 3DS Online TournamentGame Informer community members Kid Ica and The Monster Hunter are looking for some fellow gamers to join them for some Kid Icarus Uprising online action on or around May 13. Community Blogs: My Top 25 Vacation Spots In GamesIf you could escape to any location in your favorite video game for a little rest and r...
Minecraft Review: Construct Your Own Adventure
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2012
The indie darling Minecraft has now forged its way onto consoles, giving those players a chance to see what all the fuss is about. To its credit, Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition is largely the same fascinating game as its PC counterpart, giving players an open world and the tools to make the most of it. If you’re not familiar with Minecraft, let me quickly break down the basics for you. You start out in a massive, randomly generated world with only your wits and a map (a nice starting bonus for console players). The game is divided into days and nights, and you’ll quickly learn that the difference is more than cosmetic. When you begin, you start by punching trees to collect wood, which can then be crafted into planks and sticks. You combine those materials with other scavenge...
Question Of The Month Reader Responses: Issue #230
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2012
In issue 228, we asked readers what video game animal they would want as a pet. We posted a few of the answers in the latest issue of Game Informer (#230), but there were plenty more fantasy pet picks to go around. Gotta Pet 'Em All: I would definitely have to say Pikachu, or any other Pokémon for that matter! Certainly any pet that has awesome powers and can understand and do anything you say would be a great pet indeed!Robert I would take a Ditto from Pokémon. The reasoning behind Ditto would be because it can turn into anything. I could have Godzilla under my control if I wanted (cue evil laughter). Greg Irvin I could go with the cliche Pikachu, because who doesn't want a yellow rodent with a cute voice that can unleash the power of Zeus on anyone his traine...
Twisted Metal Creator Hints At Next Project
By GameInformer, published 05-06-2012
Twisted Metal and God of War creator David Jaffe offered a few hints about his next game and it may feature at least one gun. In an interview with IGN, Jaffe commented on first-person shooters saying that he is a fan, but that the genre has grown stale over the last few years. "I love the genre, but I feel it has been allowed to go a little -- well, actually, quite a lot -- stale when it comes to moment to moment mechanics," said Jaffe. Jaffe added that he has been throwing around a lot of different ideas for games, and has narrowed them down to a few that he would like to pursue. Jaffe said, "there is a gun in [one of the games] and you hold it. And all the things that I can sit here and passionately discuss and preach to you are absolutely things that I'm thinking abo...
Weekend Warrior 05/04/12
By GameInformer, published 05-05-2012
It feel like the biggest thing happening isn’t game related, but Avengers related. Some of us have already seen the film, and some of us will be going to see the film again soon. How many times will you see it this weekend, and how are you going to fit in any game time? Joe Juba: I am not going to see the Avengers. Ben Reeves: I will be feeling sorry for Joe and his sad life most of the weekend. I might run to the theater to help cheer myself up. Kyle Hilliard: Unlike most, my weekend will not feature a team of super heroes fighting a Norse god. I am still trying to decide if The Avenger’s is worth a babysitter, but if Ben Reeves excitement this morning after seeing the movie at midnight last night is any indication, then it probably is. As far as gaming goes, I’d like...
XSEED Bringing Ragnarok Odyssey To North America
By GameInformer, published 05-04-2012
The PlayStation Vita is getting more RPG love later this year. XSEED announced it's publishing Ragnarok Odyssey in North America. It was released in Japan earlier this year already. “Ragnarok Odyssey is an amazing game that players have recognized through its position as one of the best-selling PS Vita titles in Japan,” said Ken Berry, Executive Vice President of XSEED Games. “To be able to offer this game, which has been the most requested title by our fans for some time now, is very rewarding and speaks to the level of quality we are committed to delivering to the players.” Ragnarok Odyssey is developed by Game Arts, the same studio that produced the Lunar and Grandia series.
June Cover Revealed: The Elder Scrolls Online
By GameInformer, published 05-03-2012
Long rumored and much anticipated, The Elder Scrolls Online is finally being unveiled in the June issue of Game Informer. In this month's cover story we journey across the entire land of Tamriel, from Elsweyr to Skyrim and everywhere in between. Developed by the team at Zenimax Online Studios, The Elder Scrolls Online merges the unmatched exploration of rich worlds that the franchise is known for with the scale and social aspects of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Players will discover an entirely new chapter of Elder Scrolls history in this ambitious world, set a millennium before the events of Skyrim as the daedric prince Molag Bal tries to pull all of Tamriel into his demonic realm. "It will be extremely rewarding finally to unveil what we have been developi...
The PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Roster
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2012
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale pits Sony's classic characters against each other in winner-takes-all brawls. Here's a round-up of the confirmed characters of Sony's star-studded fighter, along with the characters we hope will be in the game. We will update the list as Sony reveals more characters. Confirmed CharactersHere are the characters that Sony has already confirmed will be in the game. We will update this list as more characters are announced. Kratos: The God of War was among the first characters confirmed for Battle Royale, and given his illustrious career killing pretty much every notable character in Greek mythology, we're not surprised. We can't wait to see Kratos rip off PaRappa's head. Fat Princess: Sony's confectionary-loving royalty was th...
Sony Unveils God Of War: Ascension's Multiplayer
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2012
When news of God of War: Ascension’s existence leaked, many wondered what they’d see when Sony officially spilled the beans on the prequel. I attended a recent preview event in Hollywood for the game, and there was no shortage of chatter and predictions amongst journalists before the presentation began. Would the game take place before Kratos’ family died? If so, would he still have his trademark Blades of Chaos? What antagonists can he take down after slaying so many gods? When the presentation came to an end, we still didn’t have answers to these questions. Instead, we were shown a glimpse of the game’s new multiplayer mode. Game director Todd Papy took to the stage to begin the demonstration, and it was clear that the team planned on teasing the crowd with...
Sony's Heavy Hitters Clash In PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2012
Rumors of a Sony fighter in the style of Smash Bros. have been swirling for quite some time now, and the publisher finally let the cat out of the bag at a recent showcase event. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale will feature a cast of characters from the brand's 18 years in the gaming industry, and I played it using a restricted selection of combatants. Sony unveiled Kratos, Sly Cooper, Parappa the Rapper, Fat Princess, Sweet Tooth, and Killzone's Colonel Radec as playable characters. Four stages were available, including Hades (God of War), Sandover Village (Jak & Daxter), Dreamscape (LittleBigPlanet), and Metropolis (Ratchet & Clank). Unlike the singularly focused stages of Super Smash Bros., most of these stages eventually morph to showcase trademarks from another Pla...
Five Great Comic Book Games That Will Never Be Made
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2012
Plenty of great comic book characters have had their shot at digital entertainment, but the comic world is filled with an endless stream of great characters and shorelines. Why should gamers only ever get to play as the Batmans and Spider-Mans? We shuffled through our longboxes to uncover some great overlooked comic book gems that would make great games. PlanetaryWhy it would be awesome: Most secret organizations focus on ensuring national security or fighting global criminal organizations, but Planetary is an almost non-existent institute that tries to catalogue the world's secret history. Planetary’s members aren’t really superheroes, but they do have superhero-like powers. Dubbing themselves “Archaeologists of the Impossible,” this team of researchers often...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/26/12
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2012
Before you dive into this week's collection of blogs from the Game Informer community, how about a bit of video game history? On this day back in 1999, Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. for the N64 in North America. Enjoy the blogs. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 16 – April 22, 2012Number of User Blogs: 113Number of User Bloggers: 63Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Events: Play Battlefield 3 with the GIO community. Warbuff's public server for the Xbox 360 is still up and running until June; Ownzoir's Playstation 3 public server was supposed to end on April 22, but rumor has it he extended it for another week. Click the respective links for all of the details and server status. Game Informer Online FragFest 2012Frag Fest events have been somewhat sp...
Why Xenoblade Chronicles Makes Me Want To Punch A Kitten
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2012
Xenoblade Chronicles is an amazing game. The characters are engaging, the storyline is epic, and the fresh combat blends MMO style cooldowns with the feel of an old-school, turn-based RPG. However. The graphics. Dear god, the graphics. I can’t decide whether the technical capabilities of the Wii make me want to projectile vomit or take a 12-gauge to my television, and it makes me angry enough to mail a severed unicorn head to Nintendo’s main office because this game deserves better. It deserves better than gasping fish mouths bobbing up and down through beautifully crafted dialogue. It deserves better than jagged edged fuzzy textures comprising a breathtaking landscape set within the body of a fallen god. IT DESERVES BETTER THAN WHAT YOU’VE FORCED THIS GAME TO BE, ...
Prototype 2 Review
By GameInformer, published 24-04-2012
When the first Prototype released in 2009, it did a lot of things right: traversing the towering skyscrapers of New York City, stealing the identity of anyone you see, and forming weapons out of your character’s grotesquely morphed appendages. It fell short with a frustrating combat system, lackluster visuals, and inconsistent missions. Prototype 2 feels like a well-heard response to fan feedback, addressing nearly every issue from the original.Over a year after the events of Prototype 1, New York is overrun yet again by the Blacklight virus. Former protagonist Alex Mercer has gone completely to the dark side, and new hero James Heller is out for revenge against Mercer for causing the outbreak that killed his family. Before long, Mercer grants his viral powers to Heller, seeing poten...
Rumor: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Is Sony's Fighting Game
By GameInformer, published 23-04-2012
It looks like Sony has registered the domain name www.playstationallstarsbattleroyale.com, according to PlayStationLifeStyle.net lending even more believability to a Super Smash Bros. type fighting game featuring Sony's mascot elite. Original story Sony's rumored Super Smash Bros. style fighter may have a new name. According to a survey acquired by the website PlayStation LifeStyle, one of the name's being considered for the still-unannounced game is "PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale." When rumors of the project first surfaced last year, the name "Title Fight" was also being thrown around. The game will supposedly include a number of PlayStation characters such as Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal and Kratos from God of War. Developer SuperBot Enterta...
The Essential Xbox Live Arcade List
By GameInformer, published 21-04-2012
PlayStation 3, Wii, iOS, and multiplatform downloadable games have had their shot. Today is all about the Xbox 360.This week, we've outlined some of the best games across the life of the major console download services. With an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive survey of the essential titles on any given downloadable platform. You may recognize this feature from last year, which has now been updated with all the new great titles that have released since.Today, we’re tackling the first major console game download service that appeared. There are now over 480 games available on the Xbox Live Arcade service, an impressive collection that has been building since the c...
Kratos' Complete Olympian Hit List
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2012
Kratos has killed a handful of soldiers, gods, titans, animals, civilians, mythical creatures, family members, and ghosts in his time, and after today's surprise announcement, you can be sure that he will be going after a few more. Here’s every notable Olympian he has been able to cross off his list so far, in chronological order. We'll update this list in the future as Kratos kills more of Greek mythology's most important gods and people, which at current count is 23. Non-gods and nobodies that Kratos has killed is currently a 15 digit number. Please note that many of the videos in this feature are just a little bit incredibly violent. Also this is more or less a list of spoilers for the God of War franchise. You have been warned. God of War: Chains of Olympus Kra...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/19/12
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2012
The collective efforts of the Game Informer user community prove once again why it's the premier gamer hangout on the Internet. From renting dedicated servers, establishing a new members group, and posting dozens of stimulating blogs, it's weeks like these that make me proud to be a part of the team. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 09 – April 15, 2012Number of User Blogs: 113Number of User Bloggers: 70Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Events: A couple of members have stepped up to provide an awesome service to the Game Informer community. Warbuff and Ownzoir have procured Battlefield 3 servers, one for Xbox 360 and one for Playstation 3. Read the details and join your fellow community members on the battlefield. Community Blogs: My Evolution As A...
God Of War: Ascension Revealed
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2012
Update: Sony has officially announced God of War: Ascension, and the company is promising more details very soon. Sony's official PlayStation Blog and the game's Facebook page will feature a live streaming event on April 30, at 10 AM central time that promises more info on the game, including a Q&A with game director Todd Pappy from Sony Santa Monica. Head over to the official blog for more details on how you can participate. ---------------- Original Story: It seems Amazon jumped the gun with Sony's suspected God of War reveal by publishing the game's product page a day early. God of War: Ascension for PlayStation 3 seems to be a prequel to the original trilogy, before Kratos became the Ghost of Sparta. Not much else is known about the story, however. The listing note...
Sony Teases God of War Announcement
By GameInformer, published 18-04-2012
Update: It was discovered on NeoGAF the file name for the teaser image on Sony's website is "ps_gow-teaser," suggesting heavily this is indeed a new God of War game being announced tomorrow. ------------------------------------ Sony asks, "Will vengeance bring redemption?" Looks like we'll find out next week. Sony published a teaser image on its Facebook page this morning revealing the date. This is likely related to God of War IV, however we can't rule out a potential Vita announcement, either. What do you think it is? Tune in next Thursday for the announcement. [Source: Facebook]
Update: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2012
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Minecraft, Mass Effect 3, Prototype 2, Anomaly Warzone Earth, and a handful of other games. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf – Play the Limited Colle...
Sony Teases God of War Announcement
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2012
Sony asks, "Will vengeance bring redemption?" Looks like we'll find out next week. Sony published a teaser image on its Facebook page this morning revealing the date. This is likely related to God of War IV, however we can't rule out a potential Vita announcement, either. What do you think it is? Tune in next Thursday for the announcement. [Source: Facebook]
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/12/12
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2012
With the exception of the industry news gleaned from PAX East, it was a relatively quiet week in the world of video games. Many of the community members took advantage of the lull in the action to post a remarkable assortment of blogs covering the past, present, and future of gaming. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 02 – April 08, 2012Number of User Blogs: 88Number of User Bloggers: 50Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Events: Private GIO Server On Xbox 360 – Coming SoonWarbuff announces that in the near future he will be renting a Battlefield 3 server (Xbox 360) with the intention of making it available for the Game Informer community. Community Blogs: How Heavy Rain Changed My Mind About QTEHeavy Rain succeeded in a couple of different ways, like providing a...
Read A Chapter From Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto
By GameInformer, published 04-10-2012
David Kushner's Masters of Doom, which told the gripping tale of id Software's creation of Doom and the FPS genre, is perhaps the best-written video game book ever released. After exploring some topics outside of games, Kushner returns to video games with Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto. Jacked is a well-written and exhaustively researched looked at the history of Rockstar Games and its flagship franchise. In breathless detail the book captures the company's rise to the top of the industry and the controversy it caused along the way. From the groundbreaking GTA III to the Hot Coffee scandal, every element of the Rockstar saga is told in cinematic style. For a taste, check out this excerpt from the first chapter of the book, which explores Rockstar head Sam H...
CosBlog # 73: Warrior of Light by Epi-Corner
By GameInformer, published 04-05-2012
Epi-Corner’s Epic Warrior of Light costume shows how a little can go a long way. Primarily constructed out of craft foam in a two-month marathon of little sleep, the final photos look like the game came to life. Check them out for yourself below! Who: The CharacterThe character is Warrior of Light from Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. This is the default outfit. Why: The DecisionFunny story about deciding to cosplay this character. At first, I wanted to cosplay The Emperor, but I wasn’t able to find suitable materials in time so I opted to do Warrior of Light for a Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy team project. I like Warrior of Light, I think he is very dashing. What: The ProcessThis costume took about a two month marathon with lack of sleep, so I was sleepy during the photoshoot.The ba...
May Cover Revealed: Halo 4
By GameInformer, published 04-05-2012
We've seen a surprising amount of speculation this month about our May cover, with all sorts of different games being suggested. At long last, we can pull back the curtain on our world-exclusive look at Halo 4. This 14-page cover story is stuffed full of details on the new game, including information on where the story is going, hands-on impressions of multiplayer, and intel on the surprising new approach governing every aspect of Halo's multiplayer experience. 343 Industries also shared a wealth of in-game screenshots and concept art revealing new locations within the Halo universe. Take a look at the May cover image below. Now, get a glimpse of the new look for Halo's longtime character, Cortana, revealed on our back cover for the first time. In addition to ex...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/05/12
By GameInformer, published 04-05-2012
After a rather rowdy week within the Game Informer community, the dust has settled and many of the regular bloggers and even a few new faces have returned to work turning out a hefty amount of interesting and entertaining blogs for your reading pleasure. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 26 – April 01, 2012Number of User Blogs: 100Number of User Bloggers: 73Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Blogs: Friends You Will Never KnowMore positive praise for Journey, a game that has captivated the video game industry with its unique gameplay, beautiful scenery, and according to Matthew Fugere, compelling multiplayer experience unlike anything you have ever played before. Have It, Might As Well Play ItLong time blogger Hist talks about his extreme obsession with not only comp...
Rumor: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Is Sony's Fighting Game
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2012
Sony's rumored Super Smash Bros. style fighter may have a new name. According to a survey acquired by the website PlayStation LifeStyle, one of the name's being considered for the still-unannounced game is "PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale." When rumors of the project first surfaced last year, the name "Title Fight" was also being thrown around. The game will supposedly include a number of PlayStation characters such as Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal and Kratos from God of War. Developer SuperBot Entertainment has been linked to the project. So far, Sony has not commented on the rumors. We reached out to them again and will update you if we hear anything new. [Source: PlayStation LifeStyle]
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/29/12
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2012
Since its release, Mass Effect 3 continues to be a volatile issue threatening civil war in the gaming industry, and many blogs continue to focus on it. If you're fatigued with it all, perhaps these blogs will offer a suitable and equally entertaining alternative. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 19 – March 25, 2012Number of User Blogs: 97Number of User Bloggers: 68Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Events: Frag Fest Alert: I'm not entirely convinced this isn't an April Fool's joke, but Sheriff Warbuff says he will be hosting a Frag Fest event on April 01, 2012 (Sunday) at 1:00 Pacific Time. The game is Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City on the Xbox 360. If you're interested in playing online with fellow Game Informer members, send him a reques...
Play Borderlands 2 At PAX East
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2012
2K is letting fans go hands-on with Borderlands 2 and Spec Ops: The Line next month at PAX East. Additonally, 2K will have theater demonstrations of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Civilization V: God & Kings. Borderlands 2 is at booth #936 and Spec Ops: The Line is at booth #924 There will also be three panels fans can attend: Irrational Games: Making a Monster - Saturday 12-1pm Manticore Theatre Reimagining X-COM with XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Saturday 4:30-5:30 Manticore Theatre Inside Gearbox Software - Sunday 4:30-5:30 Manticore Theatre PAX East takes place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center April 6-8.
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/22/12
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2012
It was a volatile week in the world of blogging as numerous gamers penned their thoughts on the contentious ending to Mass Effect 3. Amidst those blogs were some others that you should find equally entertaining and less controversial. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 12 - March 18, 2012Number of User Blogs: 96Number of User Bloggers: 68Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: How Females Are Negatively PresentedSilvershine08 tackles the delicate issue of being a girl gamer in today's digital landscape and the disparity between how many gamers are female and the way they are represented in most video games. Lessons In Interactive Storytelling From A Player's PerspectiveA short blog by ps2freak about two rather whimsical titles that surprised the industry with thei...
Here's What's Coming Soon In The World Of DLC
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2012
Whether it's on the disc, supposedly not on the disc, or definitely not on the disc, DLC is a major component of all current generation games. Here's a compendium of what's coming soon, and what recently released for the biggest games of the last few months. Street Fighter X TekkenStreet Fighter X Tekken's first batch of DLC adds new characters (sort of) and new costumes (sort of). The character pack is the collection of extra characters that will be available in the Vita version of the game. The new costumes are swaps that allow Tekken characters to wear Street Fighter clothes, and vice versa. There will also be a number of free updates to fix bugs and expand the gameplay. The costumes will be available on April 3, with the new characters appearing shortly after the Vita ...
Zynga Buys Draw Something Dev
By GameInformer, published 21-03-2012
Zynga today announced it has acquired Draw Something developer OMGPOP. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "The OMGPOP team has created a game that's fun, expressive and engenders real social interaction," said Mark Pincus, founder and CEO of Zynga. "Draw Something has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. We love the way they've worked playful and relevant culture into their games from Devo to Daft Punk, from Lin to Beckham. "We're honored to have the opportunity to partner with and support such an innovative team of creative inventors." In the six weeks since Draw Something launched, it has been downloaded over 35 million times. Here are some other interesting stats per OMGPOP: In the last week, more than 1 billion...
Silent Hill HD Collection Review: Old Nightmares Reborn
By GameInformer, published 20-03-2012
Silent Hill 2 wowed gamers from the first moment they saw protagonist James Sunderland standing in a decrepit, meticulously detailed bathroom. From the streaked mirror to the stained porcelain, the rest stop looked like the last place on Earth you’d ever want to be. Silent Hill 2 helped usher in the PlayStation 2 era of horror games with beautifully grotesque visuals, and its sequel iterated on the successful formula. Now Silent Hill 2 and 3 have been updated with high definition visuals and new voice acting, allowing you to revisit the games as your nostalgic mind remembers them.Both the original versions of Silent Hill 2 and 3 have aged quite well, but this HD collection replaces all the muddy textures and character models with cleaner visuals. The fuzzy fog of Silent Hill feels mo...
iBUYPOWER’s Erebus GT Now Available
By HotHardware, published 15-03-2012
Remember the Erebus GT that iBUYPOWER was teasing at CES? Well, it’s available now. The Erebus GT (aka, the God of Darkness) starts at $899, which gets you a Koolance water cooling setup that purports to deliver to circulate 4.5 gallons of coolant per minute via 13mm tubing and a trio of radiators. The Erebus GT is designed as a smaller...
Molyneux Talks Developing For Kinect, His Gaming Habits
By GameInformer, published 14-03-2012
Throughout his career, designer Peter Molyneux has consistently been one of the most entertaining interviews in the industry. We had a chance to speak with him at the Microsoft Spring Showcase, mere days before he departed from Lionhead and Microsoft to join the new studio 22 Cans.What was your first job before you were in the gaming industry?I worked in strawberry picking, I worked in fish and chips shops, and I worked as a kitchen porter washing up dishes at a holiday camp for six months. I was voted the least likely person to succeed when I was in school, so that was my destiny. When I first started as a kitchen porter, that was it. That was the dizzying heights of my career at that particular time.When you think back on your gaming history as a fan, what were the games that really gra...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/08/12
By GameInformer, published 03-08-2012
This was an atypical week in the world of community blogging, which witnessed an unprecedented and record number of unique faces and a rather eclectic collection of blogs. It made the selection process somewhat challenging but you certainly won't go wrong with the posts listed here. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 27 – March 04, 2012Number of User Blogs: 125Number of User Bloggers: 84Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Events: GIO Community Skype ChatroomEven though technically this isn't a blog about a specific community event, Stranger announces a moderated Skype room that members of the community can join and chat with the community in real time. Community Blogs: Changing The Way We Play Games Since 1972An interesting piece by Stranger that highlight...
Darksiders II Preview: A Rendezvous With Death
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2012
As the sequel to THQ’s surprisingly awesome 2010 action game, Darksiders II has a lot in common with the original. You’ll still be slicing up demonic enemies, solving Zelda-style puzzles in post-apocalyptic dungeons, and piecing together a conspiracy of biblical proportions. One area in which the sequel is decidedly different is the main character. In my most recent lengthy look at Darksiders II, it became abundantly clear that Death is much more than a palette swap for his big brother. This feature originally appeared in issue 227 of Game Informer. On Borrowed Time In the first area of the new demo, Death enters a cave full of freely flowing lava. As he walks in, a stone golem named Ghorn threatens him and smashes the ground, destroying the bridge Death is standing on and sen...
Microsoft Reveals A Bevy of New XBLA Titles
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2012
The recent Spring Showcase was full of new announcements and details on the upcoming slate of XBLA games. Microsoft had a lot of new info to share at its recent Spring Showcase. With all the big announcements, it'd be easy to overlook some cool new Xbox Live Arcade announcements. And that would be an awful thing to do. Here's your first look at several upcoming (mostly newly announced) titles. First up is Bloodforge, a new game that seems to be mixing mythological fantasy with more than a touch of bloody, God of War-style combat. Check out the trailer: (Please visit the site to view this media) Then we have Deadlight. This interesting new project from Tequila Works is set in an alternate version of the 1980s in which a zombie epidemic is sweeping through the United States. You pla...
Possible God Of War IV Teaser Trailer Leaked
By GameInformer, published 03-04-2012
A low quality, off-screen video teasing God of War IV has appeared on YouTube. There's no appearance of Kratos, or any gameplay, but the logo you see above appears at the end. There is also a barely distinguishable voice (due to the low quality of the video) that seems to say, "brother," and then "wake up!" Could this mean the next possible installment in the God of War series could have something to do with Kratos' brother, Deimos? It's likely fake, but if it's not, it's certainly exciting. (Please visit the site to view this media) Thanks to Chase Robinson for the news tip!
The Most-Platinum'd PS3 Games
By GameInformer, published 03-03-2012
Assassin’s Creed II, Modern Warfare 2, and Uncharted 2 rank among the most-completed games on PlayStation 3. The list was put together by the PlayStation Blog, who notes that the top-10 games have an average review rating of 89. The list of games also includes very few multiplayer trophies, which explains why they were Platinum'd the most. Here is the list of games ranked by the most Platinum trophies on PlayStation 3. Assassin’s Creed II Modern Warfare 2 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves God of War 3 Resident Evil 5 inFamous Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune God of War (GoW HD Collection) Borderlands Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (The Sly Collection) [Source: PlayStation Blog]
God Of War II Creative Director Joins Tomb Raider Dev
By GameInformer, published 03-02-2012
Cory Barlog, the creative director behind God of War II, has joined Crystal Dynamics. “Crystal has pulled together some of the best teams in the industry to deliver against upcoming projects and future IP,” says Darrell Gallagher, head of studio. “Cory's heritage in building industry-defining action adventure titles, together with our focus on delivering quality character-driven blockbuster entertainment, makes Cory a tremendously exciting addition to the team." Barlog will work on the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot as well as an unannounced project.
Ratchet & Clank HD Collection Spotted
By GameInformer, published 03-02-2012
[Update] Sony responded saying, "We have not made any announcements regarding a Ratchet & Clank HD Collection." [Original Story] It seems Sony is readying another HD collection of classic PlayStation 2 games. Amazon France has a product listing for Ratchet & Clank HD Collection. It has a release date of May 16, 2012. No other details from the listing were revealed. This doesn't confirm a collection is coming just yet, but history shows it's likely to be true. To date, Sony has released HD collections for God of War, Sly Cooper, ICO & Shadow of the Colossus, and Jak and Daxter. Game Informer has contacted Sony for comment. [Source: Amazon France]
April Cover Revealed: Assassin's Creed III
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
For years now we've enjoyed the adventures of Ezio Auditore as he makes his way through the Italian Renaissance and Ottoman-controlled Constantinople. That story is over. Ever since the conclusion of Assassin's Creed II, a senior team of Ubisoft developers has been secretly toiling away on what comes next. That team aimed high, with plans to examine and rethink every element of the franchise from the ground up, build something new, and take a full three year development cycle to do it. The game that emerged is Assassin's Creed III. Set in the latter half of the 18th century, we'll see the war between the Templars and the Assassins escalate as it crosses over to the New World of America, and witness firsthand the events of the American Revolution. Caught in the conflict is a...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/01/12
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
Mass Effect 3 continues to be a popular topic this week, especially the closer we get to its imminent release date. Also, last week's Blog Herding marked the six month anniversary of its return and recognized thegodofwine7 as the most featured blogger. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 20 – February 26, 2012Number of User Blogs: 82Number of User Bloggers: 56Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Events: Frag Fest March 4thWe're days away from the special edition Frag Fest hosted by Sheriff Warbuff and Alek389, featuring Halo Reach and a number of custom maps and game modes. It's not too late to sign up. Community Blogs: Musical Feng ShuiBlogs about video game soundtracks are rather popular around here, and this one posted by GoldvsSilver is right up there w...
Cast Your Vote For The Best PSN Games Of 2011
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2012
Sony is holding its second annual Gamers' Choice Awards, where players get to pick the cream of the PSN's crop. If the idea of honoring a 2011 game sounds so 2011, perhaps a discount or 10 may help you change your position. Voting for the awards begins today and lasts a week. Simply visit the PlayStation Store and make your selection among 10 categories. Participating in nine of the 10 categories gives you a series of special Gamers' Choice XMB themes. If you vote in the Best PSN Indie, you'll get a voucher code for an exclusive XMB. Winners will be announced on March 6, and winning games will be discounted 30 percent for a week. If you're a member of PlayStation Plus, that discount expands into a cool 50-percent off. Here are the nominees: Best PSN Exclusive:• In...
South African Retailer Outs Existence of God of War 4
By GameInformer, published 24-02-2012
The fact that Sony is working on God of War 4 is becoming the worst-kept secret in the game industry. Today, a South African game retailer put up a page taking preorders for the game on its website.The chain, BT Games, has revealed unannounced games before, including the Jak and Daxter Collection.This seems to corroborate the claims by composer Timothy Williams that he's working on the soundtrack to God of War 4.Source: Joystiq
The Best-Selling HD Remasters At Retail
By GameInformer, published 17-02-2012
The God of War Collection remains the best-selling HD remaster to date. With the help of retail tracking firm NPD, we put together a top 10 list of best-selling HD remaster games released in the U.S. so far at retail. The list does not include download sales, however. Most HD remasters are now available digitally through PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Download-only titles like Resident Evil 4 HD and Beyond Good & Evil HD are absent from this list for that reason. Here is the list ranked by most units sold: God Of War I & II Collection (Nov. 2009) Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Nov. 2011) Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (Nov. 2011) The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (Sept. 2011) The Sly Collection (Nov. 2010) God of War: Origins Collection (Sept. 2011) Tomb Raider...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/16/12
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2012
This week marks the 25th consecutive episode of Blog Herding since its triumphant return roughly six months ago. In that time we've witnessed the community grow and prosper as bloggers deliver exceptional content week after week, including the latest round of blogs listed below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 06 - February 12, 2012Number of User Blogs: 82Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Events: Frag Fest March 4thIt's been awhile since the community conducted a Frag Fest, but Sheriff Warbuff is coordinating a special Halo Reach Custom Map Pack event. Submit your own maps or show up just to play. Details inside. Community Blogs: Twelve Video Game Clichés That Will Never DieA clever post by the Mysterious Stranger explor...
Why Audio Matters In The Last Of Us
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2012
Throughout our month of coverage for The Last of Us, the team at Naughty Dog has stressed the importance of subtlety and intensity both in the story and gameplay. Phil Kovatz is the man responsible for setting that tone with the audio of the game. As the audio lead for The Last of Us, Phil plans on using audio not only to submerge players in the world but also to have a significant impact on how they engage the enemies of the game. Watch the video below to learn how Phil Kovatz's work on everything from God of War 3 to Flow has prepared him to take advantage of the new sound propagation tech to make sure that the audio for The Last of Us leaves a lasting impression. (Please visit the site to view this media) Mirroring the focused and subtle sound design for the game is the plan f...
Guinness Voters Select Black Ops As Greatest Ending In Gaming History
By GameInformer, published 02-12-2012
Remember Big Boss saluting at the grave of The Boss? How about the fate of John Marston in Red Dead Redemption? Or the insane final moments of Portal 2? Well, none of those endings are as good as the one in Call of Duty: Black Ops, according to the 2012 Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition book. After 13,519 votes were counted, the 2010 Call of Duty entry stood atop the list of greatest gaming endings of all time. If I remember correctly, it involved shooting a lot of guys, hearing Ed Harris yell something, doing a QTE or two, and then seeing jets fly overhead as a guitar riff played. You can see the complete list below: 50. Resident Evil 449. Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic48. Ratchet & Clank: a Crack in Time47. Crysis 246. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion45. Call of Duty...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/09/12
By GameInformer, published 02-09-2012
The output of the Game Informer blogging community dipped slightly this week but that doesn't mean there aren't still some great posts to read, including a few of the best provided below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 30 – February 05, 2012Number of User Blogs: 65Number of User Bloggers: 53Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Blogs: What Makes Us Special?Continuing the ongoing debate of purchasing video games new or old, we get to hear from a voice who works in the industry as Sheriff Warbuff shares his thoughts on the often controversial subject. Why Free-To-Play Is GeniusA number of members in the community are debating purchasing new or old video games, but Jack, The Quixotic Gamer switches gears and talks about why the free-to-play business model is a...
Weekend Warrior 02/03/12
By GameInformer, published 02-04-2012
It’s time to begin another weekend. Let’s look up at the stars and wonder about our place in the universe. Okay, enough of that. Now, it’s time to get serious about playing games. Jeff Cork: I don’t even know what I’m going to play this weekend. I need to get around to playing some Forza, but the God of War collection sounds pretty great right about now, too. Who am I fooling? I’ll just end up trying to beat a bunch of scores on Pinball FX. Ugh. Dan Ryckert: I'm about to go pick up my dad, who just arrived in town for the weekend from Kansas City. I'm immediately taking him to Game Informer to record several new videos of him playing (and hating) games, and then we're going to be drunk until Monday. I can't wait. Tim Turi: I finally beat...
Update: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 02-03-2012
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, Disneyland Adventures, and Joe Danger: Special Edition. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf &nd...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/02/12
By GameInformer, published 02-02-2012
Of course there are a diverse collection of blogs again this week, but one of the prevailing topics breaking the headlines and being debated around the community is the focus on purchasing new video games versus used video games and the various techniques used by the industry to persuade the consumer to buy new. Read the blogs and join the discussion on an issue that affects us all. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 23 – January 29, 2012Number of User Blogs: 78Number of User Bloggers: 55Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: Do Incentives Work Better Than Punishments?Oni no Tenshi provides a clever and colorful perspective on the sometimes controversial topic of buying new games versus used games and which technique yields the best results. It's NOT The End ...
March Cover Revealed: The Last Of Us
By GameInformer, published 02-02-2012
Ever since its debut video in December, The Last of Us has shot to the top of many gamers' most anticipated upcoming games. The trailer ran on in-game assets and the engine, but it didn't show an actual part from the final game. We visited Naughty Dog's studio to see a full segment of The Last of Us played live, talked to the team members about their inspiration, and landed a ton of details you won't find anywhere else. If you've missed the basic setup for the post-apocalyptic world that protagonists Joel and Ellie must battle through, be sure to check out our story on the science behind The Last of Us to prepare yourself for the issue that launches next week. Be sure to return to gameinformer.com later today for our first batch of The Last of Us content. At 4:...
Who Actually Won Mortal Kombat?
By GameInformer, published 02-01-2012
The gaming industry is no stranger to convoluted storylines, with series like Metal Gear Solid and Xenosaga leaving many fans scratching their heads. If there’s one corner of gaming with more incomprehensible story arcs than all the others, it’s the fighting genre. They often feature a roster of dozens, each with their own motives, origins, endings, and relationships with other characters. Mortal Kombat can be one of the most confusing, with its numerous realms, powers, alternate storylines, and return appearances of seemingly dead characters. Even though I’m a lifelong fan of the long-running series, I wasn’t even sure who actually won the various Mortal Kombat tournaments in the canon. After doing some internet scrounging consisting of YouTube videos, fan forums,...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/26/12
By GameInformer, published 26-01-2012
The recent delivery of the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo had the community buzzing this week, as a number of blogs and podcasts focused their attention on Electronic Art's upcoming roleplaying game scheduled for a February 7 release. If that doesn't interest you, there are plenty of other excellent blogs from a wide array of topics to pick from. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 16 – January 22, 2012Number of User Blogs: 103Number of User Bloggers: 77Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Blogs: My Top 10 Favorite Games Of 2011How amazing of a year was 2011? Well, we're already a month into 2012 and some gamers are still talking about 2011, like this first blog by xghost777 that lists his favorite games of 2011. Amalur ConfidentialWhether you pla...
Replay: God Of War II
By GameInformer, published 21-01-2012
At this point, you can find over 100 episodes of Replay over at our hub page. While we've done a lot of episodes, there are a few finished episodes that you've never seen. On occasion, Reiner will decide after an episode that it's not up to the usual Replay standard, and that episode will be scrapped. A look back at Die Hard Trilogy was discarded during the early days of Replay, and Reiner has also put the axe to odd episodes like Cy Girls, a supremely crappy PS2 title. Recently, Reiner, Jeff Cork, Joe, and Jim took a look back at God of War II, and Reiner didn't want to air it because he didn't like how it turned out. However, he wanted to end "season one" of Replay and throw in a couple of bonus episodes in the week before we start it up again. That's w...
Nintendo Aims For The Stars With Long-Requested Revival
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2012
I've seen bits and pieces of upcoming cult hit revival Kid Icarus: Uprising since Nintendo announced it a couple of years ago, but I only recently had the chance to finally dig in for an extended hands-on session to discover what this game is really all about. I played four levels from various points across the story mode, ranging from traditional Greek ruins to a mountain-top fight to a battle against a space pirate ship. Regardless of setting, every area featured the same structure, beginning with an on-rails flying segment where main character Pit shoots enemies out of the sky. After that, you switch to a ground-based section where you're given free control of Pit's movement, allowing for more exploration. Each level wraps up with a boss battle, often against a foe much lar...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/19/12
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2012
What you are witnessing is that period after the holidays where there is a lull in the release of new games. Thankfully, we won't have to wait too long until the action picks up. In the meantime, the Game Informer blogging community has published a number of thought provoking blogs, including the ones included below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 09 – January 15, 2012Number of User Blogs: 96Number of User Bloggers: 60Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Blogs: Standing Up For The People Who Are Worth ItA touching blog by Anticitizen-One that retells the heartbreaking story of one dysfunctional family's controversial visit to their local GameStop and how the store employee stepped in to make it all better. Did Sony Make A Mistake By Releasing So...
Weekend Warrior 01/13/12
By GameInformer, published 14-01-2012
It's the weekend! It's (finally) cold outside! That means video games! Here's what the GI staff will be playing: Jeff Marchiafava: This weekend I plan on continuing my quest for the complete domination of Steelport in Saints Row: The Third. I’ve got most of the city covered, including the completion of all the Professor Genki SERC challenges, which were by far the most difficult for me. All that’s left is to finish up some stray challenges and finish off the story mode. Once Saints Row is out of the way, I plan to finally jump back into Skyrim, which I will probably continue playing until the day I die. Kyle Hilliard: This weekend I will build a shelf. I will then place that shelf in a closet, and upon that shelf, I will place shirts. After that I will finish playi...
Why You Should Care About XCOM: Enemy Unknown
By GameInformer, published 13-01-2012
Not sure if XCOM: Enemy Unknown is for you? Come see why fans of other popular franchises should have Firaxis' upcoming strategy game on their radar – or just to see three more new exclusive screenshots. [Click any of the three screenshots on this page to view a larger version.]BattlefieldSure, Battlefield and XCOM are in two entirely different genres, but the core concepts of squad tactics and lethality are common to both. Do something stupid like poking your head out of cover with no support in either game and you're just as dead. On the plus side, since you're in control of everything in XCOM, you won't lose match after match because some idiot insists on flying a chopper filled with squaddies into a hillside.CivilizationThis one is obvious, but worth mentioning. C...
Game Hunt: Dragonborn Edition
By GameInformer, published 01-12-2012
You've tracked down gaming's most memorable characters and icons in Arkham City, the barren wastelands of Pandora, and a Portal 2 test chamber. Prepare yourself for the greatest challenge yet, as Skyrim's ancient engravings reveal more hidden mysteries that only a gamer could appreciate. By this point you probably know the drill. Game Informer's newest graphic designer Laleh Azarshin is a diabolical genius when it comes to hiding video game objects in a seemingly innocuous background. She also takes great pleasure in stumping even the most eagle-eyed readers, which this latest edition is sure to do. In the picture above you'll find 27 hidden video-game objects, including characters, items, and symbols. To view the full wall (the above picture is only ab...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/12/12
By GameInformer, published 01-12-2012
This was a remarkable week, both in output and excellence, from the blogging community. Boasting several new voices across a broad spectrum of topics ranging from handhelds to video game urban legends, if you can't find a blog on this list you absolutely enjoy, you need to check your pulse. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 02 - January 08, 2012Number of User Blogs: 102Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Blogs: RPG Protagonists And Moral AbsolutismA thought provoking blog by Bryan M. Stafford debating how video games, specifically characters from the RPG genre, are faced with morally challenging situations and how different developers implement this element into their work. Rerolling With Star Wars: The Old RepublicThe Old Republic has recei...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #226
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Even Though I Read It Three Months Ago Ready Player One Still Pops Into My Head Once A Week (READ IT), Winter Training, Waiting For Diablo III, Jazz At Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge, Breaking Bad, Jose Gonzalez, Mad Men, NFL Playoffs, Timberwolves Basketball, My New Darksiders Statue Dislikes: THQ's Stock Price (THQ Has Way Too Many Awesome Games To Be As Beat Up As They Are – Stop Making An MMORPG And Concentrate On The Games In The Works That Matter Like Darksiders II And South ...
Activision Picks Up BlackOps2.com
By GameInformer, published 01-10-2012
If Activision decides to do a sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops, they now have the website name to do it. As spotted by Fusible.com, the publisher recently acquired the domain name BlackOps2.com for an undisclosed amount. The domain name was originally registered shortly after the first Black Ops title was announced in May 2010, however the owner was never identified. The report points out the original registration was under "Domains by Proxy" by GoDaddy but has now switched to internet brand protection company MarkMonitor, an Activision client. In August 2011, Activision acquired the domain names all the way up to Black Ops 6 and Modern Warfare 6, however, a "Black Ops 2" web registration was missing at the time. It should be noted that URL registrations don&#...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/05/12
By GameInformer, published 01-05-2012
Welcome one and all to the first episode of Blog Herding in 2012. Last year witnessed a steady growth in the number of bloggers and quality of blogs published and this year is already setting the pace with several new bloggers making this week's list. Enjoy the blogs and a new year of gaming. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 26 – January 01, 2012Number of User Blogs: 81Number of User Bloggers: 58Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: Video Game Literature – Vintage GamesIf you're interested in video game history, you might enjoy Vintage Games, a book about the most influential games of all time. Samurai Zero summarizes the book and his thoughts about it in this blog. Starting Over From ScratchIn her premier blog, Valerie Figueroa talks about how ...
February Cover Revealed: XCOM: Enemy Unknown
By GameInformer, published 01-05-2012
This is the announcement you've been waiting for: One of the most beloved strategy titles of all time re-imagined by one of the best strategy studios in the world. Firaxis Games' XCOM: Enemy Unknown introduces a wider console audience to what made the storied franchise great in the first place. Unlike 2K Marin's previously announced XCOM shooter, which sparked tempers among longtime fans for turning its back on the series' cerebral roots, this title is a full-on strategy game that puts players in command of a global anti-alien defense force. XCOM's leader needs a worldwide perspective where threats are identified, populations reassured, and national leaders mollified – but a tactical mind is just as critical considering every shot XCOM's soldiers fir...
Dance Your Way To Invincibility In Old Republic
By GameInformer, published 01-05-2012
Plenty of games let you dance your way to victory. Several hugely successful series are explicitly built around the idea. But I bet you wouldn't have guessed that BioWare's recently released MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, is one of them.Posted on YouTube by an enterprising SW:TOR gamer, the clip below shows how enemies refuse to use any of their attacks at a player currently engaged in the /getdown emote (activated by typing /getdown into your chat window).(Please visit the site to view this media)I'm betting that this doesn't quite count as a creative use of game mechanics, unless someone can point out the relevant subsection of the Treaty of Coruscant. Via: Rock, Paper, Shotgun
God Of War IV Appears On Composer's Resume
By GameInformer, published 01-04-2012
Composer Timothy Williams updated his resume recently, and appears to have added that he has done some work on a new, not yet announced God of War game. Doing music for a new God of War would certainly fall in line with Williams' other work. He has done music for many films including 300, Conan the Barbarian and Shark Night 3D, as well as video games like Rise of the Argonauts. [via Siliconera]
Gigabyte X79-UD3 Motherboard Obliterates X79 Overclocking Record with F7 BIOS
By HotHardware, published 31-12-2011
Back in the days of old, overclocking used to require setting DIP switches and chanting prayers to the gods of clockspeed and stability. There was a good chance you could burn something up, and if you did, the motherboard vendor would simply shrug. And today? Some of them will still shrug with indifference if you kill your hardware by overclocking,...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/29/11
By GameInformer, published 29-12-2011
The blogging community worked through the holidays to bring you all a gift in the form of exceptional video game-inspired user blogs and podcasts. This marks the final Blog Herding blog of the year, so have a safe and Happy New Year and we'll see you back here next week. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 19 – December 25 2011Number of User Blogs: 86Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Blogs: What The Next Gen Xbox NeedsA solid post with a completely impartial perspective written by Allen that discusses a few interesting proposals he would like to see incorporated into the next generation of the Xbox. If I Could Make Games Into MoviesWe all know the track record of video game to movie crossovers, but that doesn't mean we can't ...
The Big Gaming Remake Guide
By GameInformer, published 25-12-2011
Remaking classic titles with enhanced features and uprezzed graphics is all the rage these days and keeping track of them gets out of hand quickly. Here's a guide to help you remember which remakes are already out and which ones are on the horizon. The following lists focus mostly on titles that released recently, but includes a few older favorites and some that are on the way. The data includes the name of the remake or collection, the platforms, and which games are included. Some games were omitted because they are no longer available (the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games and Double Dragon). Click on the links for full reviews or more information on the collections. If we did a review back in the day and it's doesn't have a direct link on the site, the numerical sco...
Go Daddy Flip-Flops, Drops SOPA Support
By MaximumPC, published 23-12-2011
Anybody who knows anything about tech knows that the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act sucks and would break the Internet, to put it in a nutshell. That’s why so many geeks find Go Daddy’s support for the act …disappointing (to say the least). We told you yesterday that Go Daddy was facing a boycott slash mass exodus from irate techies for the company’s vocal SOPA support, and apparently, the prospect of losing tons of domain registrations makes businessmen reconsider their political positions quickly. Today, Go Daddy announced it was withdrawing its support for SOPA. "It's very important that all Internet stakeholders work together on this,” CEO Warren Adelman said in the company’s press release. “Getting it right is worth the wait. Go Daddy will support it when and if the Int...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/22/11
By GameInformer, published 22-12-2011
The holidays are here and hopefully you're enjoying some time off from school or work and spending time with friends and family while playing your favorite video games. When you take a break to check your email and visit Game Informer, be sure to review the below blogs worthy of your attention. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 12 - December 18 2011Number of User Blogs: 78Number of User Bloggers: 52Number of User Blogs Herded: 7 Community Blogs: Thoughts On Dragon Age IIIHard to say whether developers always listen to our feedback and incorporate it into the next version of their game under development, but it's always fun to consider the options. This blog by BioshockLegend articulates what features he'd like to see carried over from Dragon Age Origins to Dragon A...
These Are The People Composing Mass Effect 3's Soundtrack
By GameInformer, published 19-12-2011
If there's one thing almost everyone can agree on regarding the Mass Effect series, it's that the soundtrack for each game is always really, really good. BioWare today released the roster of composers putting together the game's music. “The magic of BioWare games has always been the emotional power of the story, so music is extremely important to the experience,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. "Each composer has played an intricate role in delivering the combination of epic scope and delicate emotion that will make Mass Effect 3 the best game in the series.” The roster includes: Clint Mansell - Golden Globe nominated Hollywood composer recognized for scoring celebrated films including Black Swan, The Wrestler and Requie...
Devil May Cry Shows Off Secret Area In New Trailer
By GameInformer, published 19-12-2011
Capcom's reboot of the Devil May Cry franchise, developed by Heavenly Sword/Enslaved studio Ninja Theory, is heading to Xbox and PS3 sometime in 2012. Today, Capcom released a new trailer, one that shows off a hidden area that will be in the game.As you'll see, Ninja Theory is definitely going for an epic scale here, almost a cross between the level design of DMCs past and the God of War franchise. The game (as stated in a disclaimer at the beginning) is still very much a work in progress. Still, with what what we've seen of the game in action so far (read this preview for more) we couldn't be more excited about it. (Please visit the site to view this media)Previous Devil May Cry trailers
Review: LG 50PZ850T
By TechRadar, published 16-12-2011
OverviewLG is never short of an idea or two, that's for sure.For instance, not content with introducing passive 3D TVs to the world this year, the Korean brand has now also hit the street with PenTouch technology, as sported by the 60-inch 60PZ850T and the 50-inch 50PZ850T under scrutiny here.As its name suggests, PenTouch uses a 'touch-screen' technology in conjunction with a special 'pen' to allow you to interact directly - as in, physically - with the 50PZ850's screen.You just move the pen around on the screen or tap it to produce freehand drawings or navigate and access various function buttons or browser icons. With its key PenTouch system not necessarily God's gift to TV tech, then, it's just as well that the 50PZ850 has a couple of other tricks up its sleeve. Namely active 3D playba...
Review: Microsoft Xbox 360
By TechRadar, published 16-12-2011
OverviewThe Xbox 360 has changed since its launch in 2005.That much is transparently clear from the updated version that debuted in 2010.The Xbox 360 S is smaller, sleeker and quieter than the previous model and designed to banish the infamous 'Red Ring of Death' hardware failure that forced Microsoft to extend its warranty on the system.Likewise the arrival of Kinect, which has gone on to sell over 10 million units, has transformed the machine from solely the preserve of hardcore gamers to a casual gamer friendly environment.While some of the novelty of Kinect may have worn off, if anything the games are improving – finding new ways to take advantage of what is still fascinating technology.But Microsoft is and always has been a software company first and foremost and, fittingly, that's ...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #225
By GameInformer, published 16-12-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: I Really Want To Install A Giant Second Monitor In My Game Room For Sports Viewing (I Know, I Have First World Problems, I Didn't Say I Was Doing It), Winter Training (I'm Finally Able To Workout Since My Kidney Donation, And I Really Want To See If I Can Do An Olympic Length Triathlon This Coming Summer. I'm Gonna Crush The 3K Miles I Rode Last Season On My Bike), Having A Full Staff Again (This Death Star Is Fully Operational), Skyrim Dreams, Bananas Dislikes: Finding That Pa...
LEGOborn Modeler Recreates Skyrim Dragon
By GameInformer, published 15-12-2011
LEGO creator Gambort doesn't have the time to play a game like Skyrim, but that doesn't mean his life has to be free of dragons. Feeling left out of the questing fun, he decided to create a Skyrim dragon out of LEGO. I'm sure Gambort uses his imagination to make this dragon fly both forward and backward, and terrorize villagers from afar. The big question: Will Gambort create a dragon skeleton that can twitch perpetually? You can check out more shots of this lovely creation on his Flickr page. Email the author Andrew Reiner, or follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Game Informer
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/15/11
By GameInformer, published 15-12-2011
The number of blogs posted this week rebounds back to normal levels while witnessing quite a few exceptional posts by infrequent bloggers. And as many of us are busy preparing for the holidays, quite a few gamers are preparing for the imminent release of The Old Republic. What better way to help pass the time than reading some community blogs, including a sampling of the best included below? Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 05 – December 11, 2011Number of User Blogs: 110Number of User Bloggers: 67Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: Embracing InteractivityIt's common for video games to use cinema-like cut scenes to stitch the story and the gameplay together, but can this method be a distraction? Read Matthew Fugere's thoughts on the subject and see if...
Skyrim, Portal 2, Arkham City Won Big At VGAs
By GameInformer, published 12-11-2011
Spike TV broadcast the VGA ceremonies last evening, and while there weren't any tremendous upsets among the award winners, the event continued to be a celebration of what's ahead in gaming via several exclusive game reveals. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim took game of the year and best RPG honors, with Bethesda Game Studios picking up studio of the year recognition. Other big winners included Valve's Portal 2 and Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham City. Valve had its hands full by the end of the evening, with the company's Portal 2 winning five awards, the biggest overall winner. The puzzle game won the best PC, multiplayer, and DLC nods, as well as awards for Stephen Merchant and Ellen McLain for their respective voice roles as Wheatley and GLaDOS. Batman: Arkham City took home...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/08/11
By GameInformer, published 12-08-2011
This week marks the lowest number of blogs submitted by the community since the return of Blog Herding, but don't be alarmed by the decrease in output, there are still plenty of great blogs to read including the ones listed here. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 28 – December 04, 2011Number of User Blogs: 78Number of User Bloggers: 56Number of User Blogs Herded: 7 Community Blogs: My Ezio – What Really Drives HimHist discovers what motivates his control of Ezio while playing Assassin's Creed Revelations and chances are it's not what you think. Take a look at this clever blog sure to make you smile. Bonus PrizesOni no Tenshi blogs about her joyful shopping experiences with Club Nintendo and GameStop's Power Up Rewards program. Check out the blog for...
Chair Delivers Another Hefty iOS Experience With Infinity Blade II
By GameInformer, published 12-06-2011
With the first Infinity Blade, Epic and Chair brought iOS owners a much meatier experience than what they were used to on their mobile devices. Combat may have featured a Punch-Out-esque system that relied heavily on dodging/blocking and counterattacking, but the production value and robust selection of items made it a substantial experience. Infinity Blade II brings iOS gamers more of what made the first game great, but with several tweaks that make it one of the best downloads in the App Store. It's made clear from the beginning that this sequel has a heavier emphasis on story than its predecessor. A playable prologue introduces the world to the player, before plunging him into the main story as the "Deathless" Ausar. The format of the game is relatively unchanged, as you&...
Smell The Sulfur With New Army Corps Of Hell Screens
By GameInformer, published 12-04-2011
The PlayStation Vita's upcoming strategy action game, Army Corps of Hell, combines the best elements of Pikmin and... hell. Basically, you're an undead general commanding legions of ravenous goblins as you attempt to exact vengeance on the gods. From what we've played of the game, it's a blast, and these new screens have us wanting more. Army Corps of Hell is destined to be a launch window game for the Vita, so you can look forward to tossing hordes of minions on demonic insects and other abominations around February 22. Trust us when we say this is among the most promising games for the handheld.
In Depth: 16 best TV streaming services
By TechRadar, published 12-04-2011
16 best TV streaming servicesWithin the last few years there's been a new explosion of TV in our lives. Before, we were content to watch television on a schedule dictated by the broadcasters, but things have moved on a long way since then. We now have a huge range of services that let us to get our fix of programmes and movies at any time and through a multitude of devices. No longer are we confined to the living room - the internet lets us watch TV anywhere in the house, while portable media devices like smartphones and tablets keep us entertained on the move. Viewing habits haven't quite kept pace with technological advancement, so although the amount of time we spend watching television is increasing every year, we're still a long way from ridding our homes of the big TV - just 0.2 per ...
In Depth: 16 best TV streaming services
By TechRadar, published 12-04-2011
16 best TV streaming servicesWithin the last few years there's been a new explosion of TV in our lives. Before, we were content to watch television on a schedule dictated by the broadcasters, but things have moved on a long way since then. We now have a huge range of services that let us to get our fix of programmes and movies at any time and through a multitude of devices. No longer are we confined to the living room - the internet lets us watch TV anywhere in the house, while portable media devices like smartphones and tablets keep us entertained on the move. Viewing habits haven't quite kept pace with technological advancement, so although the amount of time we spend watching television is increasing every year, we're still a long way from ridding our homes of the big TV - just 0.2 per ...
Weekend Warrior 12/02/11
By GameInformer, published 12-03-2011
We're all still recovering from the long Thanksgiving weekend and preparing for the fresh blast of cold weather in Minnesota, which means plenty of lazy time bundled up inside this weekend to play games. Here's what we'll be tackling this weekend: Tim Turi: I’ve had it about up to here with Hugo Strange, so this weekend he’s going down. After that there’s a certain green tunic-clad hero I’ll be teaming up with. I also plan to shoot dudes in the face in Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3. Jeff Marchiafava: I really want to just play more Skyrim this weekend, but since we’re almost to the end of the year, I’ve also decided to check out Infamous 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2 from the vault for consideration of my personal 2011 top ten list. However, ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/01/11
By GameInformer, published 12-01-2011
As expected with any long holiday weekend, the blogging community output was a bit lower than usual this week. But that doesn't mean there weren't some exceptional blogs posted for your reading pleasure. The blogs included here represent some of the finest from your fellow Game Informer readers. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 21 – November 27, 2011Number of User Blogs: 95Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: You Spoiled Me!This blog by moderator Supersnake discusses the challenges of not being exposed to revealing information for games you're waiting to play. No games were spoiled in the posting of this blog. Five Questions A Non-Gamer Should Never Ask A GamerChances are you've had a non-gamer ask you a question abo...
January Cover Revealed: South Park
By GameInformer, published 12-01-2011
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have never been shy about their love of gaming. From Randy Marsh playing Guitar Hero in his underpants to the legendary "Make Love, Not Warcraft" episode, the comic duo have demonstrated an obvious familiarity with the medium. Now that they've conquered television, film, and Broadway, the next target on their hit list is the gaming industry. Thanks to a collaboration with THQ and Obsidian, Parker and Stone are writing the script, performing the dialogue, and overseeing the development of South Park: The Game. Unlike the cash-in Acclaim titles from over a decade ago, this ambitious project is a full-scale RPG for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. As the new kid in South Park, it'll be up to you to make friends and defend the town from a wide ...
Shippin' Out Nov. 27-Dec. 3: Infinity Blade II
By GameSpot, published 28-11-2011
The launch calendar takes a post-Thanksgiving nap as Epic Games' iOS-exclusive sword-swinging sequel leads a light week at retailers. The 2011 release calendar has slowed down significantly following the Black Friday unofficial kickoff to the retail holiday season. This week's biggest release comes in Infinity Blade II for Apple mobile platforms, backed by an assortment of PC and DS titles. Infinity Blade is back and less finite than ever. Infinity Blade II is the follow-up to last year's hit iOS PunchOut!-esque sword battle game. The story plays a bigger part in the second entry, with the player traversing an aesthetically Asian-influenced land. The first game's protagonist is back, but after defeating the God King, he finds himself a hero without a...
If You Like Fantasy Games, You’ll Love Ascension
By GameInformer, published 25-11-2011
Our continuing series on tabletop games that are fun and accessible to the video game crowd continues with our look at Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer. Previous installments featured games like Tannhäuser, Castle Ravenloft, and Yomi that share mechanics familiar to video gamers. While the deckbuilding style of Ascension might be less familiar, the simple rules, fast-paced gameplay, and fantasy styling make the game easy to pick up and share with new players. It’s no coincidence that our recommendation comes at the time it does. With the holidays upon us, a lot of video gamers are likely to be headed for some big family gatherings. Ascension makes for a great pick to bring along; it’s simple enough that you can get your family and/or friends playing quickly, but you&...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/24/11
By GameInformer, published 24-11-2011
From a video game perspective, we have much to be thankful for this season with the release of so many great games to occupy our time. Something else to be thankful for – the outstanding blogs posted by the Game Informer user community this week, including a few notable ones linked below. Happy Thanksgiving. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 14 – November 20, 2011Number of User Blogs: 102Number of User Bloggers: 72Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: Road To SWTOR: Can I Love An MMO?The highly anticipated release of The Old Republic is nearly upon us and febtober swords questions what many of us are wondering – will the game be good enough to recruit those who don't normally play the MMORPG genre? What Happens When A Franchise Becomes Too Big ...
Future Tense: Zombie Jamboree
By MaximumPC, published 23-11-2011
One of my favorite zombie movies is Revenge Of The Zombies, made in 1943. It stars John Carradine as the mad scientist and Gale Storm as the female ingénue. It’s not a great movie, in fact it’s not even a very good one, but it has an ending that still disturbs me to this day. John Carradine has turned his beautiful wife into a zombie. He’s also trying to breed a race of zombies for Hitler. But his wife still has some free will. She takes control of the growing army of zombies (well, only four or five) and they take Carradine down to the spooky swamp, where she faces him, holds him by the shoulders so he can’t escape, and they both sink down into the quicksand. He struggles, she doesn’t. The rest of the zombies sink down with them. What’s disturbing about this ending is the th...
Tackling the Tablet Conundrum: Which One is Right For You?
By MaximumPC, published 21-11-2011
Do you even need a tablet? If so, which one? We review the current crop of tablet mainstays. We explain the hardware and OS features that matter the most. Follow along as we unravel what tablets are actually good for. When a consumer electronics category confuses the masses, it’s usually because the technology is hard to understand on a fundamental level. Have you ever tried to explain texture fill rates to your GPU-ignorant brother-in-law? Or RAID levels to your mom—who shouldn’t even be asking about RAID in the first place? Videocards and storage devices can confuse the lay consumer, but at least the prospective hardware buyer usually knows he or she needs a videocard or storage device in the first place. Your game won’t play at a high resolution? A new videocard is probably the...
Reader Discussion: Are You Getting Tired Of HD Remakes?
By GameInformer, published 20-11-2011
Remastering classic games in high definition is a great way to relive your favorite titles or, in some cases, experience them for the first time. But is there a point when enough is enough? I think I've probably reviewed more HD remakes than anyone else in the office, and as I recall, the current trend kicked off with the God of War Collection on PS3. Given the success of that compilation, Sony and other developers went forward with plans for other HD re-releases of games from the last generation. Since then, we've seen Beyond Good & Evil HD, Resident Evil 4 HD, Resident Evil: Code Veronica X HD, The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and the God of War Origins Collection (and I'm probably missing a few). It doesn't seem to be...
Tutorial: How to repair a dead hard drive
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
Repair a dead hard drive: Where to startWhen a hard drive goes bad, the first thing you'll probably do is have a good old curse at the platter gods for picking on you. You then might decide to have a bit of a panic when you realise that you didn't back up your files. Shortly after sweating out a few pounds, you'll probably have a go at fixing it. Well, it's worth a shot after all. But chances are, unless you know exactly what the problem is and have the skills necessary to fix it, you're pretty much up poop alley. If you're lucky and the disk head or motor hasn't been damaged, the problem could lie in the controller board or printed circuit board (PCB). Often, when there's a power surge or the drive overheats, it can damage the board. If this happens, then you can quite easily replace the ...
Tutorial: How to repair a dead hard drive
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
Repair a dead hard drive: Where to startWhen a hard drive goes bad, the first thing you'll probably do is have a good old curse at the platter gods for picking on you. You then might decide to have a bit of a panic when you realise that you didn't back up your files. Shortly after sweating out a few pounds, you'll probably have a go at fixing it. Well, it's worth a shot after all. But chances are, unless you know exactly what the problem is and have the skills necessary to fix it, you're pretty much up poop alley. If you're lucky and the disk head or motor hasn't been damaged, the problem could lie in the controller board or printed circuit board (PCB). Often, when there's a power surge or the drive overheats, it can damage the board. If this happens, then you can quite easily replace the ...
Tutorial: How to repair a dead hard drive
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
Repair a dead hard drive: Where to startWhen a hard drive goes bad, the first thing you'll probably do is have a good old curse at the platter gods for picking on you. You then might decide to have a bit of a panic when you realise that you didn't back up your files. Shortly after sweating out a few pounds, you'll probably have a go at fixing it. Well, it's worth a shot after all. But chances are, unless you know exactly what the problem is and have the skills necessary to fix it, you're pretty much up poop alley. If you're lucky and the disk head or motor hasn't been damaged, the problem could lie in the controller board or printed circuit board (PCB). Often, when there's a power surge or the drive overheats, it can damage the board. If this happens, then you can quite easily replace the ...
Tutorial: How to repair a dead hard drive
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
Repair a dead hard drive: Where to startWhen a hard drive goes bad, the first thing you'll probably do is have a good old curse at the platter gods for picking on you. You then might decide to have a bit of a panic when you realise that you didn't back up your files. Shortly after sweating out a few pounds, you'll probably have a go at fixing it. Well, it's worth a shot after all. But chances are, unless you know exactly what the problem is and have the skills necessary to fix it, you're pretty much up poop alley. If you're lucky and the disk head or motor hasn't been damaged, the problem could lie in the controller board or printed circuit board (PCB). Often, when there's a power surge or the drive overheats, it can damage the board. If this happens, then you can quite easily replace the ...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #224
By GameInformer, published 18-11-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: GTA V Watch, Throwing Wii Remotes, The Daily Show, Tosh.0, Colbert Report, South Park, Cycling, Running, My Search For The Perfect Burger, NOLA Dislikes: NBA Players (I Really Think You Guys Need To Look At Working With The Owners To Make The Game Better And In Turn Make The Pie Bigger And The Money Better; I Think A Super Competitive League À La The NFL For The NBA Would Be Incredible), The NCAA Bowl System – Annoys Me Every Year, That I Don't Have Enough Time In The Day ...
Review: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
By TechRadar, published 18-11-2011
Overview, Design and Feel.The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the world's first phone to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and comes with a plethora of top end tech, including a huge but still massively high resolution screen.There are some gadgets in geek-world that are announced and we just cannot wait to touch. Nokia's N95, the original iPhone, the T-Mobile G1 and Palm's first Pre. And the Galaxy Nexus fits firmly in that category.The big selling point here is not so much the handset – it's what powers the Galaxy Nexus. Google has redrawn its Android OS in probably the biggest overhaul since it launched exactly three years ago. brightcove : 1244183571001Ice Cream Sandwich fuses together last year's Gingerbread OS for phones and Honeycomb for tablets and gives us a whole new, futuristic And...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/17/11
By GameInformer, published 17-11-2011
Not only did Skyrim spellbind the gaming community with its awesomeness, it also captivated the blogging community, which witnessed an unprecedented number of blogs inspired by the game. Even so, a number of bloggers succeeded in posting entertaining blogs on other topics, a handful of which have been summarized here. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 07 - November 13, 2011Number of User Blogs: 109Number of User Bloggers: 70Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Upcoming Events: FragFest Fall 2011 Event ScheduleYou know all of the big games that have come out recently – Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3. What better way to play these games online than with the Game Informer community? Well, you can do just that by participating in the Frag Fest events. Check...
The Quest To Final Fantasy XIII-2's Valhalla Begins
By GameInformer, published 17-11-2011
Most RPGs are difficult to judge based on the first several hours of gameplay. Tutorials are absorbed, characters are introduced, and the overall pace of the adventure’s early stages is usually quite slow. Most gamers that will be picking up Final Fantasy XIII-2 will have already played FF XIII, so jumping into the new chapter will be a smooth transition. But even for newcomers to the Fabula Nova Crystalis universe, I’d argue that FF XIII-2‘s introductory hours are shaping up to be the most thrilling of any recent Final Fantasy title – even if the story is a tad confusing. Gotta Catch 'Em All! As mentioned in previous FFXIII-2 coverage, Noel and Serah round out their party by enlisting the help of monster partners. During my playthrough I used a Cait Sith to ...
Schools Reserving .XXX Domains To Protect Good Name
By MaximumPC, published 14-11-2011
Later this year, the much-debated .xxx top level domain will go live, but the domain name gold rush is already on. The .xxx domain is being presented as a sort of “red light district” for the internet. But before all that happens, individuals and organizations with a trademark are being given the opportunity to snap up .xxx domains to protect their brands. It turns out that one group taking advantage of this is higher education. Many schools are seeking to lock down the .xxx version of their domain names in order to stop any clever pornographers in their tracks. A University of Missouri-Columbia official was quoted as saying, "We don't want someone coming across our trademark on a porn site. God only knows what they'd come up with." The adult industry has been critical ...
Sly’s Ninja Ancestor Joins The Gang As A Playable Character In Thieves In Time
By GameInformer, published 14-11-2011
We recently had a chance to infiltrate Sanzaru Games’ studio in Foster City, California to steal a glimpse at the fourth entry in the Sly Cooper series. Sanzaru is responsible for last year’s gorgeous high definition collection of the original PS2 trilogy, and this new title is staying true to original developer Sucker Punch’s vision for the stealth platformer while sneaking in some intriguing new gameplay elements. One significant addition to the series is the ability to travel through time to meet and even play as Sly’s thieving ancestors. So far Sanzaru has shown Sly creeping through feudal Japan, stealing pieces of flame-resistant samurai armor and battling the evil tiger dictator El Jefe atop a gigantic statue of himself. While these exciting sections show off...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/10/11
By GameInformer, published 11-10-2011
It's a fantastic time to be a gamer right now as we are presented with a collection of spectacular video games released on every system and spanning every genre. But if you're reading this, then obviously you've taken a break from playing, so take a look at some of the week's best blogs. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 31 - November 06, 2011Number of User Blogs: 128Number of User Bloggers: 70Number of User Blogs Herded: 12 Upcoming Events: FragFest Fall 2011 Event ScheduleYou know all of the big games that have come out recently – Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3. What better way to play these games online than with the Game Informer community? Well, you can do just that by participating in the Frag Fest events. Check out eyros2k...
NBA Jam tops October PSN sales
By GameSpot, published 11-08-2011
EA's digital follow-up to last year's arcade baller drives it home ahead of Payday: The Heist and Crysis. Shooters may be ruling the roost at retail recently, but they couldn't outdo EA's big head-sporting basketball game on Sony's digital storefront last month. Sony today released its list of the top 20 best-selling PlayStation Network games for the month of October, and NBA Jam: On Fire Edition was last month's star player. Much like NBA Jam, Shaq sails above the competition. A follow-up to last year's retail release of the reinvented arcade basketball franchise, On Fire Edition brought EA's arcade-style basketball game to the PSN at a lower price point. All of that's not to say the downloadable shooter scene wasn't well represented on the PSN las...
Is The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Another 10?
By GameInformer, published 11-04-2011
It’s still two weeks until the release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and I can’t post the full review until next week. Since our December issue will be in subscribers' hands soon, though, we wanted to share our score and a few impressions here rather than let it get spoiled for you on some forum. Here’s the big news: Skyward Sword is one of those rare treasures, a 10/10 game. In fact, it’s the first 10 that I’ve ever given out in my two years at Game Informer. While you’ll have to wait until next week to read my full review and see all the reasons why, here are a few paragraphs to get you started. Skyward Sword’s combat and puzzle-solving rise above the majority of Wii releases (and even most recent Zelda games) thanks to the...
December Cover Revealed: Rainbow 6 Patriots
By GameInformer, published 11-03-2011
Ubisoft's tactical shooter series is back with bold new narrative direction. The December issue of Game Informer features 12 exclusive pages of coverage detailing Rainbow 6 Patriots, the controversial new entry in the Tom Clancy series that places gamers in the shoes of Team Rainbow, a homegrown terrorist uprising, and the civilians caught in the crossfire. This new terrorist threat, called the True Patriots, hopes to restore its interpretation of American values by beheading corporate America and overthrowing the government. As a member of a new Team Rainbow cast, players must ask themselves how far they are willing to go to stop the militia. “Terrorism has evolved, and so has Rainbow 6," said creative director David Sears. "In Rainbow 6 Patriots, all the team play, ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/03/11
By GameInformer, published 11-03-2011
Even with the release of some big name titles like Battlefield 3 this past week and more highly anticipated games on the horizon, it's the third week in a row the blogging community has posted in record-breaking numbers. A collection of some of the best are provided below for your viewing pleasure. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 24 - October 30, 2011Number of User Blogs: 149Number of User Bloggers: 75Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Upcoming Events: FragFest 2011 Fall ScheduleIf you're interested in playing all of the latest video games with various members of the Game Informer community, periodically check out eyros2k's blogs for the latest on the FragFest schedule. The next event is this weekend. Community Blogs: Touching: The Emotion Of GamesFollowing up on a pr...
The Game Boy: The Future Will Be Randomized
By MaximumPC, published 11-02-2011
I don't know if you've heard, but Minecraft is pretty great. Now, maybe (read: probably) I'm crazy, but building towers that scrape – nay, grievously paper cut – the sky and versions of Mt. Rushmore with the faces of Rush band members actually isn't my favorite part of the game. Truth be told, that award goes to the simple act of cracking open a fresh world and seeing the sights. Minecraft's random generator is a subtle master of “Ooooo, what's that over there?” and each unique world is a joy to explore. Towering, snowcapped mountains, glorious seaside vistas, winding cave mazes that feel thousands of years old (as opposed to seconds) – each one's a Costco bulk bag of block-shaped eye candy. Meanwhile, when most gamers hear “randomization,” they probably think “Diabl...
Asura's Wrath - Preview
By Game Revolution, published 31-10-2011
Don't poke Asura with a stick. Capcom and CyberConnect2 probably don't like their upcoming Asura's Wrath being compared to God of War, but all I could think about in the back of my mind while playing the game (and while sitting in a featuring CyberConnect 2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama as expressively excited as a Japanese game show host) was a screaming match between Asura and Kratos. Just imagine the tornado of fury and spit spewing forth from their mouths. Because if you do, Asura would win. Why? Because he's actually angrier. Blessed with the power of a demigod, Asura is one of the eight deity generals sworn to protect the human race from the Goma, enemies in the form of animal spirits (perhaps inspired by Shinto) with black skin and red veins all over their skin. Howeve...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/27/11
By GameInformer, published 27-10-2011
Despite the spam attack plaguing the Game Informer website, the blogging community presses on and continues posting high caliber blogs for your viewing pleasure. This was also one of the biggest weeks of 2011 for the video game industry with the release of the critically acclaimed Arkham City and the highly anticipated Battlefield 3. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 17 – October 23, 2011Number of User Blogs: 156Number of User Bloggers: 80Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Upcoming Events: FragFest Fall 2011 Event Schedule – Events 2 And 3The release of Battlefield 3 is upon us and eyros2k is celebrating the event by hosting Frag Fest 9 this weekend. Check his latest blog for all of the details and join your fellow GI members online. Community Blogs: The Morality Of The...
David Jaffe's Vision Of God Of War
By GameInformer, published 26-10-2011
David Jaffe always has something on his mind, and on his blog he recently mused what it would it be like if he ever made another God of War. Jaffe was pretty explicit in regards to his vision of another God of War with him at the helm – hypothetically, of course – since he hasn't been asked. A lot of people ask me if I'd ever make another GOD OF WAR (assuming that opportunity was offered) and I always say the same thing: if it were GOD OF WAR meets something like ZELDA (formula wise), then yes (aka Darksiders, right?)…But if it were GOD OF WAR using the current formula, I would not. For me- and this is just me PERSONALLY (I get and respect not everyone shares this same thinking)- directing GOD OF WAR made me realize that as a game designer (and certainly as game...
Hands on: Samsung Epic 4G Touch review
By TechRadar, published 25-10-2011
Hands on: Samsung Epic 4G Touch reviewHow do you make one of the best phones ever released even better? With the US-only Samsung Epic 4G Touch, which was released recently in the US by Sprint, the super-thin (9.59mm) and super-light (128.9 grams) device is remarkably similar to the Samsung Galaxy SII, our Android-leading current 5-star phone.Even the demigods at Apple might need to worry a little about the Epic 4G Touch. Sure, the iPhone 4S has a bright and crisp screen, with a fast A5 processor. Yet, the Epic 4G Touch goes a few steps beyond those specs. Outfitted with a 1.2GHz Exynos processor, the Epic is one of the fastest phones we've ever tested. Apps pop up suddenly. Flipping between widgets, there's none of the annoying pause of some earlier Android models. Games like NOVA 2, a sci...
Blizzcon 2011: My God—It's Full of Awesome
By HotHardware, published 23-10-2011
Blizzard's Blizzcon has wrapped up, and we've gathered up the best of the goodies to discuss them with you. There were major unveils for all three Blizzard 'verse's (and a new game announced)—whether you're a WoW player, Starcraft fan, or anxious for Diablo III, there's updates and goodies to review. New Warcraft Expansion: Mists of...
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Preview Panel Reveals Big Changes
By GameSpot, published 22-10-2011
Mists of Pandaria will offer a new playable panda race, monks, a Pokemon-like pet battle system, and much, much more. Get the details in our BlizzCon 2011 panel report. Who Was There: Game designers Tom Chilton, Cory Stockton, and Greg Street What They Talked About: The subject of this panel was the many, many, many new features that Mists of Pandaria, the next expansion for World of Warcraft, will add to the game. The panel began with designer Tom Chilton admitting that the previous expansion, Cataclysm, might not have added much in the way of new things to do. To that end, the expansion will attempt to "get people back in the world" with new features like player-versus-environment (PVE) scenarios (which will offer large-scale encounters outdoors); and it will also offer a comple...
Nintendo Releases Three New Trailers And A Handful Of Screens
By GameInformer, published 21-10-2011
Nintendo released all kinds of content for Skyward Sword today, including screenshots and three trailers showing off gameplay and new game features. The first of the three trailers below shows Eldin Volcano, where we see Link using his sword as a dousing rod to uncover buried treasure. The second, shows off the Earth Temple dungeon, where Link can be seen doing his best Katamari impression in the lava, and fighting a giant scary lava creature. The final trailer shows the Goddess Cubes, and is somewhat ambiguous compared to the other trailers. It looks like Link has to chop down these blocks in order to uncover treasure. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is officially one month away as of yesterday. The game will be available on November 20 for the Nintendo Wii. Click here to see some mor...
Assassin's Creed sneaks into SoulCalibur V
By GameSpot, published 21-10-2011
Assassin's Creed: Revelations protagonist Ezio Auditore revealed as playable character for weapons-based fighting game; Namco Bandai confirms January 31 launch. Namco Bandai's SoulCalibur series focuses on crossed swords, but it also has a reputation for crossovers. Familiar faces like Link, Spawn, Kratos, Heihachi, Darth Vader, and Yoda have already sparred with series staples like Mitsurugi and Nightmare, and today the publisher revealed the featured guest fighter for the upcoming SoulCalibur V: Ezio Auditore da Firenze from the Assassin's Creed series. Ezio's next target is on the SoulCalibur roster. Ezio will enter the arena with his usual assortment of weapons, including a sword, a crossbow, and the series' iconic concealed wrist daggers. Namco Ba...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/20/11
By GameInformer, published 20-10-2011
Clearly the hot topic circulating around the blogging arena this week – besides the ongoing debate about downloadable content – is the big revelation that Mass Effect 3 includes a multiplayer component. In other news, congratulations to the video gaming community, including our very own TEAM GIO, for collectively raising over one million dollars to benefit Children's Miracle Network Hospitals! Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 10 - October 16, 2011Number of User Blogs: 145Number of User Bloggers: 77Number of User Blogs Herded: 12 Upcoming Events: FragFest Fall 2011 ScheduleWith one event down and many more to follow, keep checking eyros2k's page for the latest Frag Fest news and schedule of events. This is a wonderful opportunity to join your fello...
How-To: Build a Site With Drupal Gardens
By MaximumPC, published 19-10-2011
In a world where most of us have turned to expressing ourselves in snippets through the use of services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+, there’s still a place in this world for websites. After all, 140 characters might get be enough to push out a message concerning how much you drank last night and where you think you left your pants, but unless you’re a MAG Poetry Prize winner, you might have some difficulty at expressing the emotions you felt in seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time on your summer vacation. It goes without saying that for businesses, having a website to showcase or offer support your products is a no-brainer. These days, those looking to build their own site are spoiled for choice. For those that just want to throw their pictures, video and photos up online ...
Can You Build A 2560 x 1600 Gaming Rig Without Breaking the Bank? We Find Out!
By MaximumPC, published 17-10-2011
It's easy to build a gaming machine on a budget if you're playing at 1650x1080 or 1920x1200, but if you're rocking 2560x1600, you need a little more oomph As Maximum PC senior editor Gordon Mah Ung puts it, building a budget gaming rig for a 30-inch panel is the metaphorical equivalent of slapping a Ferrari engine into a crappy Ford car. If you can afford a display that rings up north of $2,000, then why the heck are you trying to cut corners on the system you’re connecting it to? I can’t answer that one for you. But what I can tell you is exactly how you can go about getting the best frame rate for your buck without purchasing a PC that’s more expensive than your mega-monitor. That’s my task for this build-it: killer gaming performance without needless budgetary destruction. And ...
Devil May Cry compiled on PS3, Xbox 360
By GameSpot, published 17-10-2011
HD Collection of first three games in Capcom's action franchise set for North American release early next year at $40 price point. The HD revival trend that has seen enhanced rereleases in series like God of War, Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, and Prince of Persia isn't reversing course just yet, as Capcom today announced the Devil May Cry HD Collection for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The original Devil May Cry, sporting a new HD treatment. Set for North American release early next year, the HD Collection will represent the original PlayStation 2 trilogy with Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition. Beyond a high-definition visual retooling, Capcom has said the new package will include unspecified bo...
Updated: 4G mobile broadband and LTE explained
By TechRadar, published 17-10-2011
4G mobile broadband and LTE explainedToday's 3G/UMTS networks were only launched in 2003, but plans are already well underway for replacement 4G mobile broadband technologies. Though we Brits might be waiting a little while yet - as you'll read - things aren't quite so sluggish stateside. In the US, Sprint was investing in the 802.16e WiMAX standard - promoted by Intel stateside - while Verizon has been rolling out a rival Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.However, it has now emerged that Sprint is also planning a 4G LTE network by late 2013 - seemingly admitting that it made the wrong choice with WiMax. LTE promises mobile internet connectivity speedier than your home broadband.And it's easy to get excited. 2011 has seen several companies unveil 4G mobile phones designed specifically for ...
My Ill-Fated Introduction To Dark Souls
By GameInformer, published 15-10-2011
For weeks, I've heard several Dark Souls fans excitedly discuss the notoriously-difficult RPG. From everything I heard, I assumed I'd hate the game. I'm a fan of fast-paced, constant-action games like Devil May Cry and God of War, and the strategy and unrelenting difficulty of Dark Souls sounded like something I wouldn't enjoy. At some point yesterday, I finally cracked and gave the game a shot. I grabbed Dark Souls fan Andrew Reiner as my guide, and we recorded this video of my first experience with the game. Things start out fairly smooth, but I make a horrible mistake halfway through that results in several deaths. Will my prediction of hating the game prove correct, or will I have a change of heart after playing it? Watch below to find out. (Please visit the site to vi...
The Illustrated Tour Of Cybertron
By GameInformer, published 14-10-2011
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron has an ambitious vision. The game makers at High Moon Studios are looking to broaden the appeal and excitement of the Transformers brand by expanding the fictional backdrop in new and exciting directions. As exhibited in sci-fi franchises like Halo, Killzone, or Gears of War, a key component of a believable mythology lies in authentic and surprising locations and environments. Fall of Cybertron aims to bring the metallic homeworld of the Transformers to life as never before with an array of exciting locales. Take our illustrated tour of the game’s many sites in the pages ahead. On any of the many art images and screens, you can click the image for a larger version. CybertronThe home planet of the Transformers is a world of metal on the far side of the ...
Big in Japan October 3-9: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012
By GameSpot, published 13-10-2011
Football, idols, and F1 racing rule the roost in recent Japan sales; 3DS still on top. Soccer has taken center stage in the latest Japanese Media Creates sales chart for the week of October 3 to October 9. Soccer and idols rule the charts for the week of October 3. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (or Winning Eleven 2012) took the top spot on the charts; the game sold 272,036 units on its debut week. The recent football title features faster game play, numerous AI improvements, and off-the-ball controls. For more information, check out GameSpot's review. Dating simulator AKB1/48: Idol to Guam de Koishitara (translated to " I Fell in Love With an Idol in Guam") took second place with 236,587 units sold. The game's objective is to get players to convince ...
31 Apps, Games, and Utilities to Enhance Your Chrome Experience!
By MaximumPC, published 10-12-2011
Like any dependable sidekick, Google Chrome has proven to be reliable, fast, and easy to work with; so much so, in fact, that we decided to feature the various apps, games, and utilities Chrome has to offer in a weekly series. But to make things easier for all you Chrome fans, we've decided to compile the last 30 weeks worth of posts and bring them to you here, in one huge comprehensive list of reading apps, games, utilities, and more. Check em' out below, and by all means, let us know what we missed in the comments. Enjoy! Gaming Gun Brothers No matter how much we love Gun Brother’s special brand of shoot ‘em up gunplay on Android and iOS devices, we couldn’t recommend it for use as a Chrome web app. When it was released to the Chrome Web Store several months ago, it was a glitchy, ...
Future Tense: The Baby Cooper Dollar Bill
By MaximumPC, published 10-12-2011
The Baby Cooper Dollar Bill an excerpt fromA Day For DamnationI was minding my own business, happily writing a novel, not thinking beyond the needs of the story, when the following sentence suddenly occurred: “The Baby Cooper Dollar Bill, for example, was only fifty years old….” I stared at the sentence for 15 seconds. I knew what it meant. The entire anecdote had flashed into my head simultaneous with the creation of that first ominous sentence. I typed, “The short version:” and began. 1741 words later, I had the longest paragraph I’d ever written. And one of the most terrifying predictions I have ever written: +++ …That was the nice thing about software entities. You could create the most interesting legal monsters and turn them loose upon society, where they would loose-ca...
Review: HTC Titan
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
Overview, design and feelHTC is doing fairly well right now. From the days of making (not so great) Windows Mobile handsets for networks, it's found its identity and is now riding high with a hugely recognisable brand around the world. Android was its saviour (and still is) but Windows hasn't been forgotten. HTC was the first to roll out Windows Phone 7 devices when they launched in the UK last year. And, true to form, it's in the lead with Windows Phone 7.5 devices too. The HTC Titan is one of its two first Mango-powered handsets - the other being the Radar. So, what's in a name? Well, quite a lot actually. The Titans were giant beasts from ancient Greek mythology. So by giving the phone a name like this, HTC's certainly aiming high. And you see that as soon as you take the HTC Titan out ...
The Tech Behind Aquarius: NASA's Most Advanced Climate Satellite
By MaximumPC, published 10-11-2011
In NASA's salt-seeking probe, new and old come together to show us the future The Fifth Dimension advised us in its massive chart-topper of 1969 that "This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius." A time when "Peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars," an era that brings about "the mind's true liberation." And, looking back, we can say with some confidence that many minds certainly experienced at least momentary liberation in the wild and experimental days of the late 1960s. Today, however, there is an all-new age of Aquarius, one that began on June 10, 2011. It was on that day that NASA, in conjunction with Argentina's Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), launched a Delta II rocket from Southern California's Vandenberg Air Force base. Atop that rocket s...
Question Of The Month Reader Responses: Issue #223
By GameInformer, published 10-11-2011
A few months ago we asked readers what their favorite video game power-up is, and why. The latest issue of Game Informer contains a variety of answer, but they were only the tip of the ice burg. Here are more responses from your fellow gamers. Invincibility Star FTW: I gotta give it to the star from Super Mario Bros. There are many obvious reasons, but its the only power-up I can think of that has its own theme music and that is some powerful sh*t!Brett Burrows My favorite video game power-up would have to be the star power-up in the various Super Mario Bros. games as well as Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Star power-up gives you invincibility. Invincibility really helps you win in a fight (whether it's against Bowser and his minions or against multiple opponents in Super Smash Bros. ...
Atari founder on the end of consoles
By GameSpot, published 10-10-2011
GDC Online 2011: Games guru says there's no need for another Xbox or PlayStation, Facebook games are "too stupid to live," and recalls wanting to fire early Atari employee Steve Jobs. Who was there: Atari founder and serial entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell, oft-referred to as the godfather of the games business, kicked off the 2011 Game Developers Conference Online with a presentation on the future of narrative in games. Atari founder Nolan Bushnell. What he talked about: Bushnell started off his wandering presentation with a bit of foreshadowing. "It was a dark and stormy night. There were problems, big problems in the castle," Bushnell said, launching into a simple narrative about villains, a damsel in distress, and a hero that saves the day. But looking back ...
God of War Collection - Volume II [Review]
By Thinkdigit, published 10-10-2011
This is madness!! No, This is God of War Collection - Volume II !! God of War needs no introduction to its legions of fans, but for those who are not aware, it is one of the most successful franchises as far as PlayStation goes. Ready At Dawn, the studio behind the series’ portable entries, has ported God of War - Chains of Olympus and God of War - Ghost of Sparta to the PS3 as the God of War Collection Volume II. And boy oh boy, it does pack some punch with bumped up HD visuals, full ste [...] Read the entire article
Weekend Warrior 10/07/11
By GameInformer, published 10-08-2011
The weekend is among us! Game Informer staffers share their weekend gaming plans. You should do the same in the comments section! Jeff Akervik: With the NHL and collegiate hockey season starting in earnest this weekend, I won't be spending as much time gaming as I'd like to. That, and a trip up north will eat into what little free time I'll have. Regardless, I'm hoping to put whatever time I can into trying to polish off Red Dead Redemption. That game has been bogging me down for quite some time – and mostly in a good way. I'm itching to get her finished off since I've got Deus Ex: Human Revolution waiting in the wings. But at the pace I'm going, it will be a long, long time. Such is life… Jeff Cork: Finally, I have some free time. I’ve spen...
Mortal Kombat Kollection tops September PSN sales
By GameSpot, published 10-07-2011
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's arcade fighter compilation the best-selling game on Sony's PS3 storefront last month; Resident Evil series claims four of the top 20 spots. Everything old is new again. Sony today released its list of the top 20 best-selling PlayStation Network games for the month of September, and fully half of the list--including six of the top 10 titles--consisted of retro rereleases. Topping the PSN sales chart deserves a tip of the hat. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection topped the list. Released in the last week of August, the coin-op compilation packed in ports of the original Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Meanwhile, the Resident Evil series swarmed the sal...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/06/11
By GameInformer, published 10-06-2011
This week's edition of Blog Herding demonstrates why the Game Informer community is so spectacular. While the industry is still buzzing from the launch of the Battlefield 3 demo, veteran and rookie bloggers alike continue turning out a collection of blogs on all sorts of different video game topics. This latest series has something for everybody, regardless of your platform or genre preference. Blog Herding Stats:Period Reviewed: September 26 - October 02, 2011Number of User Blogs: 112Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 17 Upcoming Events: Need A Good Karma Boost? Help Some Sick Kids And All Will Be ForgivenIt's not too late to join TEAM GIO to support the Extra Life 24 hour gaming marathon. All proceeds will benefit the Children's Miracle Network Ho...
Sony pushes Only On PSN games
By GameSpot, published 10-03-2011
PS3-exclusive promotion features Infamous 2: Festival of Blood, PixelJunk Sidescroller; PS2 games also making downloadable debut with God Hand, Odin Sphere, more. In July, Sony announced that it had invested $20 million into its Pub Fund as part of a three-year deal aimed at bulking up the PlayStation Network game lineup. Now, the Japanese game giant is rolling out a new "Only On PSN" program, highlighting some of the fruits of that investment. Infamous: Festival of Blood and PixelJunk Sidescroller will cap off the Only On PSN promotion. The Only On PSN promotion will see new games exclusive to the PlayStation Network every week in October. Sony lists the program as launching tomorrow with the release of Rochard and Eufloria. However, Rochard actually ...
Modern Games + NES Art And Carts = Neato
By GameInformer, published 10-02-2011
Do you have shelves that need filling? Do you like video games? Are you a fan of that crazy 8-bit retro thing that the kids just seem to go wild over these days? If you answered "yes" to at least two of those questions, this could be the most incredible day of your entire life. 72 Pins is selling genuine NES carts plastered with spiffy retro art based on contemporary games. And they are awesome. 72 Pins has a bunch of games in its roster, from a variety of different artists. They're $20 a pop, and include art based on such heavy hitters as God of War, BioShock, Halo, and Dead Space. Better still, Okami is available (love it!!!), and carts based on Resident Evil, Super Meat Boy, and PaRappa the Rapper (lovelovelovelovelove) are coming soon. The carts are technically functiona...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/29/11
By GameInformer, published 29-09-2011
If you were concerned that the release of Gears of War 3 was going to impact the level of activity from the blogging community, worry no longer. This week's edition of Blog Herding marks the most activity and biggest selection of blogs since the series returned. Check out this week's collection of blogs from your fellow friends and gamers. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 19-25, 2011 Number of User Blogs: 114 Number of User Bloggers: 70 Number of User Blogs Herded: 17 Upcoming Events: Need A Good Karma Boost? Help Some Sick Kids And All Will Be Forgiven On October 15th, Extra Life is holding their annual 24 hour gaming marathon to benefit the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Mojomonkey12 is championing the effort and has taken the lead with establishin...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #222
By GameInformer, published 23-09-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, NFL Football,Cycling, Kidneys, Recovery Dislikes: Anyone That I Run Into Randomly On The Streets Who Doesn’t Really Play Games But Realizes I Work At Game Informer Then Proceeds To Tell Me Why Angry Birds And Cut The Rope Are The Greatest Games Ever Created, Being Away From Work For A Month To Donate A Kidney To My Brother (But I Like Giving Him A Kidney) Current Favorite Games: Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Crimson Alliance, L.A. Noire, God...
3D hurdles becoming easier to leap
By GameSpot, published 22-09-2011
Developers from Uncharted 3, God of War: Origins Collection join Sony, AMD, TriOviz reps to talk about the stereoscopic singularity. Who was there: Ready at Dawn senior programmer on God of War: Origins Collection Jeremy Nikolai, Naughty Dog Uncharted 3 lead graphics programmer Pal-Kristian Engstad, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe senior development manager Simon Benson, AMD technology management group senior manager David Nalasco, and TriOviz sales and marketing representative Guy Matteotti. The session was moderated by GameTrailers.com editor-in-chief Shane Satterfield. Naughty Dog thinks 3D makes Nathan Drake's world feel more real. What they talked about: Engstad started off by discussing the differences in developing for a 3D experience. He t...
3D hurdles becoming easier to leap
By GameSpot, published 22-09-2011
Developers from Uncharted 3, God of War: Origins Collection join Sony, AMD, TriOviz reps to talk about the stereoscopic singularity. Who was there: Ready at Dawn senior programmer on God of War: Origins Collection Jeremy Nikolai, Naughty Dog Uncharted 3 lead graphics programmer Pal-Kristian Engstad, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe senior development manager Simon Benson, AMD technology management group senior manager David Nalasco, and TriOviz sales and marketing representative Guy Matteotti. The session was moderated by GameTrailers.com editor-in-chief Shane Satterfield. Naughty Dog thinks 3D makes Nathan Drake's world feel more real. What they talked about: Engstad started off by discussing the differences in developing for a 3D experience. He t...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/22/11
By GameInformer, published 22-09-2011
The Game Informer blogging community says goodbye to a few of its prominent bloggers while the remainder of the community tackles challenging issues from the video game industry. Check out this week's diverse collection of blogs and podcasts for your entertainment. Blog Herding Stats:Period Reviewed: September 12-18, 2011Number of User Blogs: 112Number of User Bloggers: 58Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Blogs: 6 Things I Hate About Mass EffectIt's not very often you hear the words hate and Mass Effect used together, but in this blog, Apozem discusses a few features he doesn't like about the game he loves so much. Second Hand CitizensShawn Gordon debates the merits of buying video games new or used, and how those that choose to buy used are treated differently t...
Sony’s Shu Yoshida Talks Vita, PSP Lessons, And Nintendo
By GameInformer, published 19-09-2011
The PlayStation Vita was definitely the star of TGS 2011. Sony’s dual analog sticks, touch capabilities, impressive graphics, remote play, and 3G functionality has the attention of portable-minded gamers everywhere. I got the chance to interview Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment’s worldwide studios. We chatted about lessons learned from the PSP, Nintendo’s new second 3DS circle pad, HD remakes, and more. The PSP received many different hardware iterations, to mixed reactions of consumers. Do you think the Vita will experience a similar life cycle? We haven’t even released the PS Vita, so we don’t have any plans for future iterations. But as with any electronics product, things get better and cheaper or components advance, so we look at ...
Mortal Kombat makes it to 3 million
By GameSpot, published 15-09-2011
NetherRealm Studios' reboot of violent fighting franchise marks another milestone; WBIE dubs it the highest-selling fighting game of the year. Last month, Mortal Kombat sales were pegged at "close to 3 million" by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay. The latest installment in the long-running gore-soaked fighting franchise has swapped out a couple key words, as the publisher today officially declared that is has sold "over 3 million" copies worldwide across the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. MK has sold a cool million three times over. In addition, the publisher called Mortal Kombat "the highest-selling fighting game of the year." That would put the game at the top of a relatively small heap, as only a handful of noteworthy f...
SoulCalibur V burns in early 2012
By GameSpot, published 15-09-2011
Namco Bandai fighter gets global release window as Katamari Damacy rolls to Vita, Tekken 3D Prime Edition set for February, and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy takes off Nov. 15. TOKYO--Dark Souls may be one of the most anticipated games coming from Namco Bandai this year, but the publisher's pre-Tokyo Game Show event yesterday focused more on release windows for its 3DS and Vita titles, as well as additional details for SoulCalibur V. Carlson Choi, vice president of marketing, opened the presentation by talking about the company's vision and goals. Then he announced that Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy would be coming to the Nintendo 3DS in the United States on November 15, with a European release date still to be determined. Tekken 3D Prime Edition for the 3DS was also gi...
Asia Shippin' Out Sept. 11-17: God of War Origins
By GameSpot, published 14-09-2011
The handheld adventures of Kratos, an "old-school" cyberpunk FPS, and a historical shooter are what's in store for gamers this week. Even with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and a load of other triple-A titles either already out or just a week within gamers' grasp, new titles are still flowing through the September pipeline. First up are the remastered versions of the PSP God of War titles. Compiling both God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta, these two titles have sharper fidelity and can be played in 3D mode. The PS3 compilation will be out tomorrow on Asian shelves. Next up is the PC shooter Hard Reset, developed by Flying Wild Hog Studios, which consists of members from renowned studios like People Can Fly and CD Projekt Red....
Sony Celebrates God Of War: Origins Collection's Release With A Trailer
By GameInformer, published 14-09-2011
When Kratos celebrates, he does so in an appropriately depraved bacchanalian fashion. Sony, on the other hand, marks special occasions (like today's release of the latest God of War compilation) with video. God of War: Origins Collection on PS3 contains both Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta, the two installments originally developed for PSP by Ready At Dawn. They've both been beefed up for the collection, including HD visuals, improved framerate, and 3D support. Watch the trailer below for a taste of what you'll get for your $40. Fair warning: The video has some story spoilers, so if you haven't played either of the games on PSP, you may want to avoid it. You can learn more about the Origins Collection by reading my review. If you're too impatient, here's th...
Scoundrels or Saviors? 8 Notorious Nerds On Trial
By MaximumPC, published 13-09-2011
We decide: Scurvy dogs or merely edgy? Every hero is a villain, every villain a hero. Truth is that even the greatest people in history had at least a hint of the dark side within them. Today we look at an assortment of men inside—or merely tied to—the tech industry. Some are merely controversial, others are clearly of the bad seed variety. But do they deserve their status? How evil are they? We come to conclusions, from Assange to Zuckerberg. Come along for the ride. Julian Assange Hero to many and villain to many more (he's been labeled a high-tech terrorist by the likes of Newt Gingrich and Mitch McConnell), Julian Assange is nothing if not incredibly controversial. Purportedly hacking computers by his mid-teens with a group calling itself "International Subversives," Assange had l...
Relic’s One-Man Army Excels In Battle
By GameInformer, published 13-09-2011
“They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give themselves to me. Like clay I shall mold them and in the furnace of war I shall forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armor shall I clad them and with the mightiest gun shall they be armed. They are my bulwarks against the terror. They are the defenders of humanity. They are my space marines and they shall know no fear.” This is the benediction bestowed by the Emperor of Mankind to his ultramarines, genetically enhanced soldiers with god-like abilities. The Emperor’s message hangs from a purity seal fastened to the shoulder of Space Marine’s protagonist Captain Titus, the veteran called upon to defend Imperium Forge World Graia from an ork invasion. Within the first few minutes of pla...
Legends Of Dawn - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 13-09-2011
A colossal threat hangs over the old and once prosperous region of Narr. Legends Of Dawn features a vast continent with more than a hundred unique locations like ancient dwarven ruins, mysterious dungeons, stunning bridges overlooking realistic waterfalls and spectacular canyons that call for exploration. Legends Of Dawn offers players the possibility of creative skill combination, joining any of the nine schools of magic and creating a unique fighting style, that would help in mission solving and staying alive. Over a hundred different opponents lurk, and they change tactics depending on the weather and time of day (daylight or night), guaranteeing constant surprises. In the face of such adversity, the player can offer sacrifices to the gods and have a divine ally. Solve numerous quests...
Shippin' Out Sept. 11-17: God of War Origins
By GameSpot, published 09-11-2011
PS3 compilation of Kratos' PSP exploits joined in stores by NHL 12, and Twisted Pixel's Gunstringer; downloadable debuts topped by free Red Dead Redemption add-on. Between Resistance 3, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine, Driver: San Francisco, Dead Island, and Star Fox 3DS, the first full week of September was chock full of high-profile new releases. The second week lets up ever so slightly, with a new PlayStation 3 compilation of Kratos' portable conquests leading a slate featuring EA Sports' annual hockey sim, Twisted Pixel's first Kinect game, and a free downloadable add-on to last year's smash hit Red Dead Redemption. God of War Origins will let gamers find out what makes Kratos tick. Besides all-consuming rage. The God of War: Origins Collection brings togeth...
Shippin' Out Sept. 11-17: God of War Origins
By GameSpot, published 09-11-2011
PS3 compilation of Kratos' PSP exploits joined in stores by NHL 12 and Twisted Pixel's Gunstringer; downloadable debuts topped by free Red Dead Redemption add-on. With Resistance 3, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine, Driver: San Francisco, Dead Island, and Star Fox 3DS, the first full week of September was chock-full of high-profile new releases. The second week lets up ever so slightly, with a new PlayStation 3 compilation of Kratos' portable conquests leading a slate featuring EA Sports' annual hockey sim, Twisted Pixel's first Kinect game, and a free downloadable add-on to last year's smash hit Red Dead Redemption. God of War Origins will let gamers find out what makes Kratos tick. Besides all-consuming rage. The God of War: Origins Collection brings toge...
Super iam8bit Book Signing Brings Gamers Face To Face With Artists
By GameInformer, published 09-09-2011
As the acclaimed iam8bit video game-inspired art show in Los Angeles nears its close, the curators are offering fans in the L.A. area chance to get their iam8bit art books signed by many of the artists who contributed to the tome.The event takes place on Saturday, September 10, from 12 to 3pm. Nearly 30 artists will be on hand. If you haven't seen the show, this would be a great time to do so, there's some seriously amazing art featured in it.Here's the link to the event's Facebook page. The signing takes place at the iam8bit gallery at 2147 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.For more on iam8bit check out our previous article on the show and read the current issue of Game Informer, which features an extensive history of the event. Here's a list of the artists who w...
Browser Extension of the Week: Save to Pulse
By MaximumPC, published 09-08-2011
If you’re an Android or iOS device user, you’re faced with the happy dilemma of having a gazillion ways to ingest the news and stories that are important to you while you’re on the run, chilling on your lunch break or hiding from the boss in the bathroom. One of our favorites is Pulse by Alphonso Labs. Sleek, easy to use, and most importantly, free, Pulse is an example of what a mobile news aggregator should be. Now, thanks to Save to Pulse, our Browser Extension of the Week, Chrome users who rock Pulse on the go will find chomping on the content that interests them even easier. With the click of a button, Save to Pulse allows Chrome use to add web pages they don’t have the time to ingest while sitting in front of their computers to their Pulse reading list to peruse at...
Review: Time Can’t Touch Team Ico’s Classics
By GameInformer, published 09-08-2011
Video game elitists insist that people must earn the right to call themselves gamers. Enjoying playing games isn’t enough; you need to prove your dedication by experiencing a shifting collection of definitive titles. The specific entries vary, but both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are frequently mentioned on such lists. I don’t advocate that exclusionary view of gaming, but I agree that these titles from Team Ico perfectly illuminate many facets of the medium’s appeal. Video games provide a broad spectrum of experiences. On one end, you have the adrenaline-fueled action embodied by Sony’s other compilation this month, God of War: Origins Collection. On the other end of the spectrum are Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, titles that rely on understatement ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/08/11
By GameInformer, published 09-08-2011
Last week marked the return of Blog Herding and the response was overwhelmingly positive – including a comment from the former Blog Herding master, Miss Annette Gonzalez, who provided her support and endorsement. This week marks another busy and productive round of community blogs including perhaps the best blog you didn't read from one of Game Informer's newest members, ThrawnOmega. Blog Herding Stats:Period Reviewed: August 29 - September 04, 2011Number of User Blogs: 97Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 12 Community Blogs: The Unanswered Questions Of Gears Of WarAt level 3 and debuting his first blog, that, at the time of this writing barely has a dozen views, ThrawnOmega poises some interesting questions derived from the Gears of War series of video ...
The Game Boy: You Paid For It, But It's Not Yours
By MaximumPC, published 09-07-2011
One of gaming's more recent gee-whiz-it's-probably-magic trends comes with a pretty thick string attached: your saves, your character, your mountain of collectable doodads for that precious achievement – all of them are imprisoned inside a server on a desert island or in space or something. You're playing a high-stakes game of rental roulette, and everything you've worked so hard to build could go poof in the blink of an eye. What trend am I referring to? Did you say, “cloud gaming”? Private Obvious, I'm sure your Captain is beaming with pride right now. However, while your answer's technically correct, I'm talking about MMOs. It's interesting, too, because gamers have been largely a-okay with this aspect of MMOs for years – at least, so long as their game of choice hasn't met an ...
October Cover Revealed: Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2011
This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, one of the most memorable and beloved series in all of gaming. To celebrate the occasion, we've devoted 24 pages of our October issue to honoring Zelda's past and looking forward to its future. Beginning with a look back, we have a 14-page run-down of every major Zelda release up to this point. We've split this retrospective into a series of personal essays explaining why each of these legendary games mattered to us. After this history lesson, you can dig in to a 10-page exclusive hands-on with Skyward Sword, Nintendo's upcoming Wii swan song. We spent six hours playing portions of the game that have never been seen such as the mysterious Silent Realm, experienced brand new gameplay mechanics including flying and...
3DS Yoshi & Demos Rumored For TGS Showcase
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2011
Nintendo is putting together a 3DS showcase next week during the Tokyo Game Show, and a report from Japanese gaming blog Hachimaki contains several details. We've already heard the rumors of a second circle pad and Monster Hunter, so read on to see what's new. Yoshi side-scroller coming from Kirby's Epic Yarn developer Good-Feel New title being announced from developer of WarioWare New Etrian Odyssey Grasshopper Manufacture's The Silver Case being moved from DS to 3DS 3DS downloadable demos coming, along with trial of Super Mario 3D Land New Ace Attorney title with Edgeworth scenario New God Eater game that will also be available on Vita Won't be long until we can confirm whether or not this report is true, as TGS takes place next week. Keep an eye on the site for up...
Crimson Alliance Review: Top Notch Co-Op Seals The Deal
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2011
Fantasy-themed action/RPGs trace a pretty standard formula. It involves monsters, loot, twisty corridors, and character upgrades. Even so, there’s a big difference between a great dungeon crawler and a mediocre one. Small features like ease of interface, distinct character classes, and smart level design can make all the difference. Crimson Alliance is one of those rare games that gets it right. The result is a surefire formula for a fun weekend with a couple of friends. Certain Affinity’s new game can be played with any combination of one to four players, but I personally like it best with three. That’s because the developers have crafted three well-balanced but distinct character classes in their mercenary, assassin, and wizard. As you play, you’ll not...
Not A Review
By GameInformer, published 09-05-2011
A few weeks after launch, my initial judgement of Age of Empires Online holds up: This MMO take on real-time strategy is a great fit for casual and moderate RTS players, but can't compete with StarCraft II or Company of Heroes for competitive multiplayer. The good parts of AOEO are like if you stretched out a traditional RTS single-player campaign over hundreds of hours and mixed it with the multiple progression paths of a traditional MMO like World of Warcraft. How appealing that sounds to you is an excellent indicator of whether or not AOEO is worth your money. Most of AOEO's hundreds of scenarios fall into the same major categories we've seen in RTS for years. Defend your base, or an ally or two's bases, for a set time. Blow up the enemy base. Rescue these guys from the...
A Few Missing Limbs Can’t Hold Back This Undead Romp
By GameInformer, published 09-05-2011
Like a garbage disposal with a severed arm shoved down it, the video game market is clogged with zombie games. New games featuring the walking dead have trouble standing out from the horde, but Techland’s first-person, open-world, action/RPG entry Dead Island distinguishes itself. After kicking and slashing my way through the infected island of Banoi, I can say the game has tons to offer. The long-term goal in Dead Island is to escape Banoi. On the way, you’ll fight tooth and nail-bat through legions of zombies as one of four characters. The survivors are all unique and loosely class-based, with specialists focusing on various types of melee weapons or firearms. While everyone starts on similar footing, the joy lies in chopping zombies to bits and completing quests ...
Sony showing 18 unannounced PS Vita games at TGS
By GameSpot, published 09-01-2011
Publisher's booth will have 31 titles for upcoming portable in total at show; The Last Guardian MIA from 21-game PS3 lineup. Sony has made it official that the PlayStation Vita will be confined to Japan in 2011, with the North American and European rollouts not expected until early 2012. Japan will also be the site of a major update to the PS Vita library, as Andria Sang reports today that Sony confirmed that this month's Tokyo Game Show will play host to the announcement of 18 new titles for the device. Dynasty Warriors Next will be among 31 PS Vita games shown at TGS 2011. Sony did not provide a breakdown of who will be publishing the games that it plans to show at its PlayStation Vita Zone booth. However, the publisher did confirm by name 13 other...
Sony showing 18 unannounced PS Vita games at TGS
By GameSpot, published 09-01-2011
Publisher's booth will have 31 titles for upcoming portable in total at show; The Last Guardian MIA from 21-game PS3 lineup. Sony has made it official that the PlayStation Vita will be confined to Japan in 2011, with the North American and European rollouts not expected until early 2012. Japan will also be the site of a major update to the PS Vita library, as Andria Sang reports today that Sony confirmed that this month's Tokyo Game Show will play host to the announcement of 18 new titles for the device. Dynasty Warriors Next will be among 31 PS Vita games shown at TGS 2011. Sony did not provide a breakdown of who will be publishing the games that it plans to show at its PlayStation Vita Zone booth. However, the publisher did confirm by name 13 other games...
God Of War: Origins Collection Review
By GameInformer, published 30-08-2011
Since the original God of War released in 2005, Kratos’ epic has expanded to five games and three systems, including PSP. Those handheld entries from Ready At Dawn accomplish a rare feat, providing portable God of War experiences that earn their place beside the console installments. Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta are great games – without needing to apply the “for a handheld” qualifier. This fact is clearer than ever now that they are bundled together in God of War: Origins Collection. Because of the quality of the originals, the transition to PS3 goes well for both titles. A new HD coat of paint results in impressive visuals for both gameplay and cinematics, and the action flows smoothly thanks to the improved framerate. The graphics aren&rsquo...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #221
By GameInformer, published 25-08-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Cycling, Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, Friday Night Lights & Mad Men (I Finally Sat Down To Watch These Shows That People Always Talk About), All The Great Feedback I Got For My Recent Letters As Well As GI Digital (Keep It Coming), The World Series of Poker Dislikes: That I Sometimes Wish I Still Read Comics, But Won't Get Off My Butt And Do It Because I've Been Burned Too Many Times, The Slow Process Of Getting Things Done, Darth Vader Deals, 3D, Contacts Current Favorite Games: A...
Black Rock Shooter aims for Western release
By GameSpot, published 25-08-2011
NIS America licenses Image Epoch's Japanese PSP role-playing game for North America and Europe; release window to be determined. NIS America is primarily known for its localized Japanese role-playing games, but the publisher's latest announced title is Black Rock Shooter: The Game, which happens to be a Japanese role-playing game. Be sure to keep an eye out for Black Rock role-playing game, which would presumably be a shooter. NIS America has acquired the license to publish Image Epoch's PSP RPG Black Rock Shooter: The Game in North America and Europe. Black Rock Shooter is based on the anime of the same name, but it is actually set in a different universe. The game boasts character designs by Huke and cutscenes by animation studio Ufotable, which has ...
PSN picks up discount movie rentals
By GameSpot, published 17-08-2011
Beginning today, Sony's online platform offering select movie rentals in standard def for $.99, high-def for $1.99. Between cutting the price of the PlayStation 3 to $250 and introducing a €99 PSP in Europe, Sony evidently had money on its mind during its 2011 Gamescom press conference. One announcement that didn't make it into that media briefing was the introduction of a discount movie rental program for the PlayStation Network. Want to watch JFK: Reckless Youth (Part 1) on your PS3 for $1? Now you can do so, in standard definition at least. Beginning today, PSN users in the US and Canada can download and watch a range of movies in standard definition for $.99 or high definition for $1.99. Sony has been offering movies for rent since 2008, wh...
Hands On Ruin's PlayStation Vita Incarnation
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
I played through a demo area with upcoming action/RPG Ruin's agile Assassin class and came away with more questions than answers. Sony invited us out to its Gamescom 2011 press conference, with the complementary inclusion of hands-on sessions with a selection of Vita games afterward. Sitting down with Ruin, I was unsurprisingly impressed with the Vita hardware and the game's graphical fidelity. Beyond that, the demo itself was a mixed bag.The Assassin is a dextrous, tricksy heroine who decimates her foes with lightning-fast dagger strikes, poison darts, and improvised bombs. I had no trouble brushing aside the opposition, bosses included, but the Ruin developer on hand freely admitted that the team hadn't even tried to balance the powers for this demo. Indeed, my mana bar never...
Game announces in-store digital deal with Sony
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Game has revealed plans to move away from physical disc sales, announcing that it has struck a partnership with Sony to distribute digital content through the PSN.With the UK's high streets falling prey to online e-tailers, Game has seen its shares more than half in the last three months – down to 23.75p, from a snip under 50p in May, the group is looking at new ways to bring in income and this link-up with Sony is part of this.The exclusive deal allows the company to sell downloadable PSN games, as well as additional content in its stores. At first this will be for Sony titles, but it is thought that it could expand to third-party titles some time in the future.Eurogamer has managed to get some information on pricing, with Game telling the gaming site that when you buy the content, you ...
Shippin' Out August 14-20: El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
By GameSpot, published 15-08-2011
New Release slate led by Ignition's action adventure game; No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise lands on PS3 alongside Bastion and Age of Empires Online for the PC. Last week's new release slate was decidedly short, with Fruit Ninja Kinect leading all-new releases. This week's offerings are heartier, with Ignition's action adventure game leading the way next to Travis Touchdown's first outing on the PlayStation 3. El Shaddai lights up the PS3 and Xbox 360 this week. First out of the gate this week is El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. El Shaddai takes its premise from the apocryphal Old Testament Book of Enoch. When a group of seven angels betray heaven to build the Tower of Babel, God appoints the mortal Enoch to set...
God of War Origins Video Shows Side-By-Side Comparison Of PSP And PS3
By GameInformer, published 08-12-2011
Sony's upcoming HD remaster collection God of War Origins collects Ready at Dawn's amazing PSP God of War games Chains of Olympus and Ghosts of Sparta. As they did with the PS2-era games with God of War Collection, the games have been given a new HD coat of paint, buffing up the textures to look better on your flat panel.To show you the improvement, Sony posted this video on its official Youtube account. This side-by-side view of PSP and PS3 demonstrates what higher resolution textures can do. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Feature of the Week Super Roundup: 52 Awesome Sites, Add-ons and Apps
By MaximumPC, published 08-12-2011
Here at Maximum PC, we adhere to a few simple maxims: Make it faster! Be thorough. And keep things as simple as possible. Adhering to that philosophy, we'd like to present to you a mega-ultra-laser-shark mix and mash of features we've published these past couple of months, including some of our favorite websites, Windows Phone 7 aps, and Chrome and browser add-ons that you've been seeing grace the pages of our site recently. Because, after all, we wouldn't want you guys to have to dig around for all these yourselves. Remember. We keep it simple, just for you. Enjoy! Awesome Sites NASA The last Star Trek TV series was kind of terrible, and they cancelled Firefly before the series had a chance to really come into its own. Sure, Battlestar Galactica was great but now that it...
Quick 15: God Of War Origins Collection
By GameInformer, published 08-09-2011
Considering the game initially released on PSP in 2008, you may have already seen the first 15 minutes of Chains of Olympus. However, you haven't seen them like this, remastered in HD for the God of War Origins Collection on PS3. Join me and Ben Reeves as we chat about these PS3 versions of Ready at Dawn's two excellent handheld entries, laugh about walking across beams, and discuss the God of War series in general. During all of this chatter, you'll see Kratos tear apart an army with a variety of weapons and moves (I'm playing on new game plus, so Kratos isn't his weak, early game incarnation), as well as tackle a boss battle with a Persian general. Check out the video below, and don't forget to mark the Origin Collection's release date on your calendar: It hi...
Resistance 3 Celebrates Going Gold With Trailer, Bonus Content
By GameInformer, published 08-05-2011
Insomniac's Resistance 3 is getting out ahead of some of the year's big shooters on September 6th, and today Sony announced that the game has gone "gold" and has been delivered to manufacturing. To celebrate, the PlayStation Blog dropped a dramatic new trailer for the game as well as the announcement of some bonus goodies that will be included in on the game disc.Along with Resistance 3, your Blu-ray will feature playable demos for Killzone 3, MotorStorm Apocalypse, Infamous 2. In addition, there will be developer videos from upcoming titles like Uncharted 3, Starhawk, and God of War: Origins. What? You want more? Well, how about some movie trailers for Sony Pictures films and music videos from artists like Ozzy Osbourne and Foo Fighters. We're surprised there isn...
Resistance 3 golden, day-one patch inbound
By GameSpot, published 08-04-2011
Development on Insomniac's shooter finished ahead of September 6 release date; launch day "updates and tweaks" fix slated. Gamers are one step closer to coming face-to-face with new Chimera. Insomniac Games today confirmed that Resistance 3 has gone gold for its September 6 release date. Resistance 3 is locked and loaded for its arrival on September 6. Though development of the game is finished, Insomniac has more work to do. The studio said it is planning a day-one patch for Resistance 3 that will bring unnamed "updates and tweaks" to the game. Additionally, gamers won't need to wait that long to play the game, as the beta for Resistance 3 starts today on the PlayStation Network for owners of SOCOM 4. The pool of beta players will be opened wider...
Three Cancelled Sony PS3 Titles Revealed
By GameInformer, published 28-07-2011
The LinkedIn profile for one of Sony Santa Monica's sound designers inadvertently names three unannounced PS3 titles that will never see the light of day. Steve Johnson's resume reads like a greatest hits collection for Sony-exclusive PS3 titles, with games like Infamous, God of War III, Twisted Metal 4, and even the downloadable success Flower, all on his list of games he's worked on. The final three games, however, are a little more intriguing, as they have all been cancelled before Sony officially announced them. Here's a capture of his CV, with the titles in question highlighted: We don't have any information about these three titles, so I'm just going to take a shot in the dark as to what they entailed: High Rise was an open-world window cleaning sim with a G...
Xbox Live Update: From Dust, Dragon Age II DLC
By GameSpot, published 27-07-2011
Ubisoft's god game, new content for BioWare's fantasy RPG arrive; Games on Demand welcomes three; Kinect Sparkler and Homefront map pack due tomorrow. Get the full article at GameSpot "Xbox Live Update: From Dust, Dragon Age II DLC" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:24:28 -0700
Asia Shippin' Out July 24-30: Catherine
By GameSpot, published 26-07-2011
Sheep-laden nightmares, godly power wielding, and a return trip to Kirkwall are on the agenda in this week's releases. This week's titles will more unique in comparison to last week's cowboys and postapocalyptic settings. First up is the adventure game Catherine from Atlus, the team who made the Shin Megami Tensei Persona series. The game puts you in the role of Vincent who has to solve his women troubles in the day while escaping a nightmare-addled labyrinth in his sleep. GameSpot's recent review stated that the title has a compelling and personal story, as well as devious and challenging puzzles. The PlayStation 3 version of Catherine will be making headway into Asia this Tuesday, with the regular and limited edition up for purchasing. Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 version of the adven...
Starhawk goes wild wild Warhawk
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: Lightbox discusses adding sci-fi Western single-player story to multiplayer-centric franchise for upcoming PS3 exclusive. Who was there: Lightbox Interactive creative director Lars DeVore was joined by writer Keen Wooten, as well as Sony Santa Monica studio director John Hight and senior producer Harvard Bonin. IGN's Greg Miller moderated the panel. Emmett Graves is the star of Starhawk. What they talked about: Rather than a sequel to 2007's online, multiplayer-only Warhawk, Lightbox is returning to the PlayStation 3 in a new direction with the markedly expanded Starhawk. Announced in May, Starhawk combines sci-fi and Western elements to tell a single-player story that augments the franchise's well-known online element. Taking to the ...
Shippin' Out July 24-30: Catherine, From Dust
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
New release slate led by Atlus' horror puzzler and Ubisoft's god game; Black Ops Annihilation DLC for PS3, Dragon Age II: Legacy DLC, 3DS Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions also hit this week. The last week of July is a busy one for new games, as several high-profile games make their debut. New releases this week range from a horror-puzzle game from Atlus to fresh maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops for the PlayStation 3. Leading the charge is the well-received Catherine for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Catherine has players navigating tricky relationship waters (and equally tricky puzzles) as Vincent. When the commitment-phobic protagonist's girlfriend Katherine starts talking about taking their relationship to the next level, Vincent finds himself straying. While out drinking with f...
Shippin' Out July 24-30: Catherine, From Dust
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
New release slate led by Atlus' horror puzzler and Ubisoft's god game; Black Ops Annihilation DLC for PS3, Dragon Age II: Legacy DLC, 3DS Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions also hit this week. The last week of July is a busy one for new games, as several high-profile games make their debut. New releases this week range from a horror puzzle game from Atlus to fresh maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops for the PlayStation 3. Leading the charge is the well-received Catherine for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Catherine has players navigating tricky relationship waters (and equally tricky puzzles) as Vincent. When the commitment-phobic protagonist's girlfriend Katherine starts talking about taking their relationship to the next level, Vincent begins to stray. While out drinking with friends,...
Marvel Super Hero Squad mobilizes for uDraw, 3DS
By GameSpot, published 23-07-2011
Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii drawing peripheral gets Comic Combat Nov. 15, while Nintendo handheld receives Infinity Gauntlet with new playable heroes Oct. 11. Today's theatrical release of Captain America: The First Avenger signals the end of the year's super hero gauntlet as far as films go, but there are still a small handful of spandex-spangled offerings in store for gamers. Two such titles were dated today, as THQ confirmed Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat for the uDraw tablet will hit the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii on November 15, while Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet receives a 3DS port on October 11. The Avengers will assemble on consoles in Comic Combat November 15. All three versions of Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Caper will ...
Halo 4 has been in development for 'a couple of years'
By GameSpot, published 22-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor, Kevin Grace, Dan Ayouh joined by writers Karen Traviss, Greg Bear to discuss sci-fi shooter franchise. Who was there: For its Halo-centric Comic-Con 2011 panel, Microsoft trotted out some of its top players at 343 Industries, including franchise development director Frank O'Connor and franchise manager Kevin Grace. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary director Dan Ayouh, Red vs. Blue lead Ray Burns, and New York Times best-selling authors Greg Bear and Karen Traviss were also in attendance. Halo: CE Anniversary will feature new, Guilty Spark-related story elements. What they talked about: O'Connor kicked off the panel with a recap of what's been going on with the Halo universe over the past year, giving sh...
Cool Site of the Week: Stolen Camera Finder
By MaximumPC, published 22-07-2011
While cellphones might be the go-to photographic device for many people these days, Many of us choose to stick with a mission-specific device to capture the moments of our lives. Whether it’s a fancy DSLR that cost us more than our first car or a trusty point-and-shoot that simply gets the job done, the investment of time and money that a photographer outs into their camera is substantial enough that seeing it lost or stolen is unthinkable. Should such a crisis ever arise, you can curse the gods of photography for not equipping your shooter with GPS transmitter, or you can attempt to track it down using Stolen Camera Finder, our Cool Site of the Week. Stolen Camera Finder is a site dedicated to--you guessed it--locating stolen cameras. Users are invited to drag and drop a photo tak...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #220
By GameInformer, published 22-07-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Cycling, Google Plus, Twitter (Follow me @GI_AndyMc), Coming Up With New Plans For Game Informer, Surprised I Am Kind of Excited For Planetside 2, The Tour De France, Archers of Loaf (The Chicago Shows Rocked) Dislikes: How Slow New Plans For Game Informer Take To Come To Fruition, Netflix's New Pricing Plan, Slow Internets!, Comcast (Can They Do Anything Right?), Not Having Real Choice For Internet and Television Service (Choose This Idiot Or The Other) Current Favorite Games: Bastion...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 07/21/11
By GameInformer, published 22-07-2011
You may or may not have heard the news, but this is the last edition of Blog Herding coming from me as I am closing out my last few days as a member of the Game Informer staff. Rest assured the series will live on through other editors so keep on blogging! Check out this week's community blog picks. Happy reading! Indiejones Interviews Greg Kasavin About Bastion Indiejones chats with Supergiant Games' Greg Kasavin about the downloadable game that's been making headlines.Attack Against GamersSurvivor girl provides an alternate solution to verbally attacking opposers of the gaming community.Discussion: Has Gaming Become A Mass Art Form?"Can it be said that games like Mass Effect 2, Read Dead Redemption, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots are as much art as The Go...
Is A God of War Master Collection Coming?
By GameInformer, published 21-07-2011
Kratos kicked off the HD remake trend with the God of War Collection, but he may be coming back with a definitive anthology that collects all five of the God of War games. According to a listing on Amazon.de, the God of War Master Collection contains God of War I, II, and III along with the two handheld entries, Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta (in case the listing is removed, you can see a screen capture here). Releasing another bundle of Kratos' adventures seems strange with God of War Origins Collection on the way, but it could be a good value for gamers that want to own the entire series on a single system. Via: Joystiq
Thoughts On The Portable Landscape
By GameInformer, published 21-07-2011
In my history as a gamer, I’ve always felt the need to buy almost every console and portable on day one. Sometimes this works out -- I had a blast playing SSX and Timesplitters when I bought my PS2, Call of Duty 2 with Xbox 360, or Twilight Princess with Wii. There’s usually at least a game or two at launch that keeps me busy until some other quality titles come along in the following couple of months. However, my history with portables isn’t quite as positive as my experiences with consoles.I learned to love my DS once great titles like New Super Mario Bros. and Professor Layton came out, but the first year or so wasn’t generous in the way of quality games. I played Twisted Metal: Head-On for a couple of weeks after buying my PSP, but very few games in the system&...
The Game Boy: The Future of Gaming As Predicted by E3 2011, Pt 1
By MaximumPC, published 20-07-2011
E3 is finally far enough behind us that I can start to make sense of it. Taken all at once – it pretty much sounded like a bunch of ungodly screaming occasionally punctuated by the word “transfarring” (which isn't even a real word). You tried to roll with the punches, I'm sure – to stand before News Godzilla without fleeing while shouting something in badly lip-synced Japanese – but it eventually broke you. So, what happens next? Now that the news/preview/interview barrage dust has finally settled, what does it all mean? Well, since I did one of these things last year and I'm nothing if not a slave to habit, here are a few thoughts on this year's show. Brand New Consoles That Are Already Behind The Times Now: Nintendo took the wraps off its latest box-shaped chunk of insan...
Cancelled Red Fly project Star Wars-related?
By GameSpot, published 20-07-2011
Resume of ex-Red Fly environment artist reveals studio was working on now-cancelled Star Wars title. Earlier this year, Austin-based Red Fly Studio--the team behind the Wii version of Sega's Thor: God of Thunder--laid off 30 staff members due to the unexpected cancelation of "a large, high-profile project." Red Fly's Wii version of Thor: God of Thunder. It now appears that the project may have been a Star Wars title, with the online resume of an ex-Red Fly developer (discovered first by Superannuation) revealing he had worked on a "next-gen Star Wars title" from January to June 2011, after the studio's completion of Thor: God of Thunder for the Wii. Red Fly is best known for 2008's original Mushroom Men games on the Wii and DS. Its highest-profile g...
Report: Were Red Fly Layoffs Caused By A Canceled Star Wars Project?
By GameInformer, published 19-07-2011
Recently, Austin-based developer Red Fly Studios was forced to lay off around 30 employees due to a "high-profile project" that had been canceled. Now, it appears that project maybe have been a Star Wars game.Internet sleuth Superannuation is once again on the case, and has tracked down an online resume by a former Red Fly employee Patrick Doran. Doran was an artist at Red Fly. On his resume, the most current entry reads as follows:"Environment Artist (January-June 2011) for next-gen Star Wars title"Doran lists his time of employment at Red Fly from May 2008-June 2011, suggesting that the project that was canceled was, in fact, a Star Wars game. Red Fly had most recently done the Wii version of Thor: God of Thunder and is best known for the cult hit Mushroom Men (pictu...
Everything You Need To Know About Summer Of Arcade
By GameInformer, published 19-07-2011
With XBLA's summer promotion now beginning, we take a brief tour of each game to help you decide which ones you'll use to hold off the summer gaming doldrums. 2011's Summer of Arcade begins tomorrow, July 20th, with the release of Bastion. Traditionally, Microsoft has reserved some of the most compelling digital content of the year for five weeks around August, and this year is no exception. If you're still on the fence trying to figure out which games to purchase and play, we've pulled together a quick synopsis of each game and one of its trailers, all in one place, so you can figure it out. The games are listed by their release date on Xbox Live Marketplace. BastionRelease Date: July 20Price: 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) Mixing action and role-playing with the thrill ...
Cliff Bleszinski On Board With Gears Of War Beyond Gears 3
By GameInformer, published 19-07-2011
Epic design director Cliff Bleszinski shocked the world today by saying that if Gears of War 3 sells well, Epic would likely be open to continuing to work on its blockbuster franchise. We'll understand if you have to sit down after hearing this news."We’re business people. Gears 1 and 2 sold about 6 million copies, so if this game comes out and, God willing, sells 8 or 10 million it would be completely dumb to not do another one, right? It’s just business 101," Bleszinski told RipTen.Bleszinski didn't go so far as to speculate in any but the vaguest terms on the future of Gears of War past the upcoming end of the trilogy, but he opened the door to more than just big-budget HD shooters. "The key is figuring out what’s appropriate. What makes sense fo...
Dear Netflix, It’s Time to Get Your S*** Together
By MaximumPC, published 13-07-2011
You probably know Netflix raised its prices. And, like everyone else, you're probably outraged at the death of $10 1 disc + streaming plan. But the $6 price hike doesn't have to be the end of the world. First off, everyone should probably calm down and understand that this move isn't a greedy cash grab by Netflix. In fact, the company is actually trying to subvert the establishment, whose own greed has led them to believe that streaming video is a bad thing. Netflix knows streaming is the future. Well over 60% of Netflix customers stream right now. And from the sound of things, the god of red envelopes is aggressively going after streaming content, offering upwards of $100,000 for the rights to a single episode of television. Netflix execs have gone on record saying the less money they sp...
ModernWarfare3.com Leads Browsers To Battlefield 3 Website
By GameInformer, published 07-12-2011
With the military shooter battle between Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 shaping up to be one of the most intense rivalries in video game history, we've been waiting for more shots to be fired between the soon-to-be-warring factions. Consider this the latest escalation. Aggregame points out the rather surprising news that ModernWarfare3.com, a domain you'd assume Activision would have purchased years ago, currently redirects visitors to the Battlefield 3 website. This redirect just went into place yesterday, but the ModernWarfare3.com domain was registered via GoDaddy in 2009. Some have speculated that EA itself is behind this bold move, but the more likely scenario is that some devoted Battlefield fans (or devoted Activision haters) registered the domain before ...
Dream Machine 2011: How We Created the Best PC Ever
By MaximumPC, published 07-11-2011
Join us as we celebrate another year of Pure PC PowerIn an age of overly synthesized catchphrases ginned up by some suit to commercialize new soda pop or body spray, the term “pure PC power” was never intended to be marketing hype.Instead, it was conceived to describe our obsession with performance computers and it has withstood the test of time. Who would have known that 16 Dream Machines later, the pursuit of all-out computing power could still be viable?But that’s just what this year’s Dream Machine again proves: Despite pundits predicting the PC’s death many times over—speed still matters. For this year’s Dream Machine, we decided to build a rig that balances top-notch performance with the style and elegance of an exotic sports car. The overall package is well-behaved and...
Question Of The Month Reader Responses: Issue #220
By GameInformer, published 07-11-2011
A few months ago we asked our readers what television show they thought would make a good video game. The latest issue of Game Informer contains a small sampling of the selections they came up with, but we received too many letters to stop there. Here are some more shows our readers would love play on their home console. The Doctor Is In: One word, one question. Doctor. Who? I feel Bioware could do great things with this franchise, due to the companion selection in Mass Effect. Substitute Normandy for T.A.R.D.I.S., Garrus for Captain Jack, etc. This would satisfy players who like to use guns, as well as those who like exploration (the Doctor never uses guns). Combined with a time-based puzzle solving aspect like the Ocarina of Time, and the options are endless. It could be an amaz...
In Depth: The United Kingdom's secret firewall
By TechRadar, published 07-10-2011
The UK has very strict laws about what you can and can't do with other people's data. If you intercept it so that you can see what it is, deliberately delay its transmission or prevent it from reaching its destination altogether, you can be fined or thrown in prison. Unfortunately, that only applies if the data is written down and sent through the post. If it's electronic and you're an ISP, you can filter, delay and even block data all day long. Our connections are already monitored and filtered to prevent us from stumbling across horrific and illegal images, but there's growing pressure for ISPs to do more. As we'll discover, ISPs could soon be stopping us viewing perfectly legitimate content, with secret blacklists making some sites disappear. The way we consume content is changing. Incr...
Half-Minute Hero Review: Tons Of Fun Content In An Ugly Little Package
By GameInformer, published 07-08-2011
Released in 2009 for the PSP, Half-Minute Hero celebrated the absurdities of the JRPG genre by stripping the concept to its 8-bit roots and warping it into a hyper-speed parody. I never realized how ridiculous hours of grinding for levels looked until I saw numerous 40-plus hour RPGs fast-forwarded into three-to-five minute chunks of gameplay. Super Mega Neo Climax takes the same concept and most of the same adventures, adds a few new embellishments, and trashes the bonus modes that didn’t work well in the original. Hero 30, the first and bulkiest mode in Half-Minute Hero, follows the story of a plucky, young adventurer recruited by a cash-obsessed Time Goddess to help save the world. A mysterious evil force is traveling the globe one step ahead of the good guys, teaching evil lords...
343 And Pyramid Studios Remaking Halo Soundtrack For Anniversary Edition
By GameInformer, published 07-07-2011
Microsoft's 343 Industries division, which oversees all things Halo including Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary edition, has big plans for the HD remake's soundtrack. 343 has partnered with Pyramid Studios to remake the original game soundtrack, using the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and the Chanticleer vocal ensemble.The soundtrack team will remake the original's soundtrack (composed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori) note for note, but with a newly recorded orchestral and vocal arrangement.“It was a huge undertaking to transcribe, orchestrate, and produce every note from the original game soundtrack files” said Paul Lipson, Pyramind Studios COO/audio director. “Our team approached every aspect of the music with an immense amount of skill and care...
The 10 Most Annoying Call of Duty Players
By GameInformer, published 07-04-2011
We've all been stuck in a lobby with one of these unlikable goons. Read on to make sure you're not on the list. With large and diverse following, the Call of Duty series has more than its fair share of insufferable gamers who pollute the online multiplayer experience. We've all come across unsavory sorts while firing our way through Modern Warfare, World At War, and Black Ops, but which are the most loathsome? Check out our list below. 10. The Dead WeightThese players come in all shapes and sizes. Some gamers can't help their poor stills; they simply aren't blessed with twitch reflexes or haven't familiarized themselves with the maps yet. Some slowly drink themselves into a stupor over the course of the night. Others are hopeless parents investigating what thi...
Zynga Goes Public
By GameInformer, published 07-01-2011
The massive social gaming company is proposing an initial public offering that will make it one of the biggest publicly traded companies in gaming. You know those Farmville and Mafia Wars games that you probably don't play? Turns out they're worth a good bit of money. While Zynga's game offerings tend not to appeal to the core gaming crowd, they do draw in a lot of cash from everyone else. CNBC believes that the initial public offering of between $1.5 and $2 billion implies that Zynga's actual valuation hovers somewhere around $15 billion to $20 billion.That's a lot of farms. Zynga's fortunes have been on the rise in recent months. They recently brought the former EA COO and Dreamworks CEO into the fold, and added to a long string of recent acquisitions with the p...
Red Fly lays off 30
By GameSpot, published 30-06-2011
Austin-based studio behind Mushroom Men, Wii versions of Thor, Ghostbusters cuts staff after cancellation of planned project. Last month, Austin-based Red Fly Studio celebrated the launch of the Wii version of Sega's Thor: God of Thunder. This week, the developer is marking a more somber milestone, as the company today confirmed it has laid off dozens of employees. Red Fly's Wii version of Thor debuted early last month. "Red Fly was in the unfortunate position of laying off around 30 people on Wednesday June 22," studio CEO Dan Borth told GameSpot. "The reduction of staff was a response to a large high-profile project that was, to our surprise, reevaluated and then canceled. "Red Fly has been an agile, passionate company from day one, and while this n...
Respawn website launches with teaser art
By GameSpot, published 29-06-2011
New online destination for studio founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella goes live with blurry game shot; Harry Potter, Star Wars concept artist on board. When Jason West and Vince Zampella--the embattled Infinity Ward cofounders--opened Respawn Entertainment last year, they did so without uttering a word about their new project. Now, the studio's website has launched in full, teasing what the shop is currently creating and who will be creating it. Here's a first look at Respawn's new game. One of the most intriguing bits of the just-launched www.Respawn.com is a blurry image of what appears to be a first look at the studio's development debut. The image shows what appears to be a landscape, with what looks like a building in the foreground. Earlier this ...
Microsoft Believes Core Gamers Will Learn To Love Kinect
By GameInformer, published 29-06-2011
Many hardcore gamers were disappointed in Microsoft's E3 2011 press conference and its focus on Kinect titles. The console manufacturer defended that choice today, saying that gamers will warm up to the new motion-sensing device when they get their hands on the core-focused titles they were showing. Speaking with Eurogamer, Xbox senior product manager David Dennis said the negative reaction from many gamers was "as we expected." Nevertheless, he believes, "Stuff like Rise of Nightmares and Ryse...are certainly going to appeal to the core." Dennis says the feedback from the E3 presentation this year is similar to last year: "It's similar to last year where some of the core gaming media walked out of E3 a little skeptical about Kinect and said 'I'm n...
XBLA Summer of Arcade games dated, priced
By GameSpot, published 27-06-2011
Five-week run kicks off July 20 with Bastion, wraps up August 17 with Toy Soldiers: Cold War; gamers who buy all five get Crimson Alliance free. At the height of the Electronic Entertainment Expo this month, Microsoft revealed the lineup and starting date of its 2011 Summer of Arcade promotion. Today it detailed exactly when each game would arrive and how much players could expect to pay for them. From Dust development is headed up by Eric Chahi, creator of Another World. Kicking things off July 20 will be Supergiant Games' Bastion. The role-playing game relies heavily on storytelling, offering more than 40 hand-painted environments that gamers explore to uncover the origins of Calamity, a civilization-destroying event. Ubisoft's From Dust will follo...
Mercenaries 3D, UFC Training--Weekly Roundup 6/27
By GameInformer, published 27-06-2011
If you're in the market for slaying some zombies or dropping a few pounds off your carcass, this is your week. Capcom is releasing Resident Evil: The Mercenaries on 3DS, as well as the retail version of Super Street FIghter IV: Arcade Edition. If you're a fighting fan looking to get into better shape, UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System may fit the bill. Also, there's another Dynasty Warriors Gundam game. Yeah. GamesDynasty Warriors Gundam 3 (PS3, Xbox 360)Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (3DS)Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 Kinect) MoviesTheatersLarry CrowneThe River SorrowTerriTransformers: Dark of the MoonDVD/Blu-rayBeastly (DVD/Blu-ray)Cyrus (DVD)Eddie Vedder: Wa...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-06-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.iPhone 5 release dateThis year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OSA new report from China later stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011 rather than June/July. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. As iOS 5 is set to be out in the...
Connected apps twice as popular on iOS than Android
By TechRadar, published 22-06-2011
New data from the GSMA shows that UK iOS users are using far more internet-connected apps than any other operating system. By monitoring app data requests using a bespoke Mobile Media Metrics application, the GSMA discovered that iOS users accounted for 65 per cent of the total number of unique connections through an app in April, while Android trails behind with 31 per cent. This means that twice as many iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users are using apps that connect to the internet, like Google Maps, weather and news apps, than the plethora of Android users.Trailing behindSymbian offers just one per cent of connected app users, while all other OSes (BlackBerry, Windows Phone, WebOS etc) put together make up the final three per cent. As the Guardian points out, RIM's stringent security meas...
Review: HTC Salsa
By TechRadar, published 20-06-2011
There's a slight lack of high-quality action in the mid-sized Android phone section. The big manufacturers are focusing their attentions on creating monstrous, high-end "super-phones" with entire LCD monitors stuffed in their cases, while the smaller phone makers concentrate on offering budget handsets with smaller screens and lower specs.Thankfully the HTC Salsa has appeared to fill that touchscreen gap, and comes as a throwback to 2010's lovely little 3.2-inch HTC Legend, trying to be the perfect compromise between performance, price and screen size - with added Facebook integration and a larger 3,4-inch HVGA screen.With pricing expected to be around the £20 - £25 month on monthly contracts, could this be an affordable mass-market winner for HTC? Physically, you get a tough, matte, met...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 16-06-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Toy Soldiers: Cold War. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed.(Please visit the site to view this media)Special thanks go out to YouTube user AvatarItemsVideos for this early look at the Companion Cube prop in use. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every...
DRM from 1998 to the Present: A Brief History of Copy Protection
By MaximumPC, published 15-06-2011
Avast ye mateys, piracy is alive and well on the virtual high seas. Argh! Time was that if you wanted to see a movie, you went to a theatre or you waited a few months to rent a VHS tape or DVD at five bucks a pop. If you wanted to read a book, you either drove to the bookstore and bought it, or to the library and borrowed it, under strict regulations governing its return. If you wanted to listen to a specific band or singer, you shelled out for the LP – or more recently, the CD.That's just the way it was. An artist/performer/writer would create something and you would pay real money to buy a copy. Or you'd pay less money and/or be somehow inconvenienced to borrow a copy that someone else had already paid for. Makes sense, right? Who wouldn't want to get paid for the work they do? Proble...
Video: Sony at E3 2011: Top ten PS3 games
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Sony unveiled the PlayStation Vita at E3 2011, the company's latest handheld gaming console, set for release later this year. Just in time for Christmas, as is the tradition. Yet Sony also released a veritable welter of quality new PS3 game demos.That's right! Sony's E3 2011 was not all about the thrill of showing off the capabilities of its latest hardware, plenty of PS3 games were also on show to prove that delivering decent-quality exclusive gaming content is still right at the heart of the PlayStation strategy. A strong, humble showing from SonyOverall, it was, as PSM3 magazine editor, Dan Dawkins tells TechRadar, "a strong, humble showing from Sony after a gruelling year – the absence of Kevin Butler demonstrating the focus on delivery, not levity. Uncharted 3 was one of the most ob...
Best Case for Your PC Build: 8 New Chassis Tested & Rated
By MaximumPC, published 13-06-2011
When you're outfitting a new computer, it can be tempting to just buy the cheapest no-name case you can find, slap your new parts into it, and call it a day. While that might have been a valid choice in ye olde beige days—heck, early Dream Machine builds didn't even list the case—it's not one we'd recommend today. Enthusiast components today put out a lot of heat, and if that heat isn't dealt with, your rig's lifespan and performance will suffer.That doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg on your chassis, though you certainly can. This month, we round up eight cases, from the budget to the extreme, to see how they measure up to the task of holding your precious modern components.How We Perform Thermal TestingTo ensure useful thermal test results, we have to use components that...
What Wasn't Shown At E3?
By GameInformer, published 06-11-2011
E3 is the chance for all the developers and publishers in the industry to show what they've got. But that doesn't mean that they bring all the games they're working on to the convention. Here's a look at some of the titles that didn't make it to the show this year.Of course, there are lots of reasons a company doesn't show a certain game at E3. Sometimes they want to highlight other games that might be coming out sooner. Or perhaps the title simply isn't in a state to be shown.Some of the games listed below are actual titles we already have heard about (ex. May Payne 3), and others are merely franchises that currently don't have any announced games for them – like Kingdom Hearts, but we're pretty sure that will exist in due time.Enjoy these games....
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Serve In Heaven Or Rule In Hell: The Lore Of Darksiders
By GameInformer, published 06-11-2011
Darksiders begins as a straightforward story with heavy mythological overtones. Heaven and Hell go to war during the Apocalypse. War, one of the four horsemen, is summoned to oversee this Endwar. He soon realizes that something is wrong. The other three horsemen are not here. The final seal whose destruction marks the beginning of the Apocalypse has not been broken. He should not have been summoned. There was a mistake. Defeated and blamed by those who rule over him for starting the Endwar early, War swears to bring justice upon whoever framed him, and upon returning to an Earth now 100 years dead, he discovers that a great demon named the Destroyer has led Hell’s forces to victory. Here is the most obvious suspect, the demon who quite likely faked the Apocalypse and set War up to t...
E3 2011: Activision Publishing CEO sounds off on Wii U, Vita, and Call of Duty: Elite
By GameSpot, published 06-10-2011
Q&A: Eric Hirshberg discusses the new console and portable, explains why Call of Duty won't fade like Guitar Hero; Sledgehammer Games' COD "action adventure" on hold. LOS ANGELES--At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendoall held major press events. So did two major third-party publishers: Ubisoftand Electronic Arts. However, the biggest third-party publisher, Activision, didn't stage a media event. It was the third year running the company didn't hold a traditional press briefing, although it did tease some games during a star-studded concert at E3 2010. The company did have a massive booth in the Los Angeles Convention Center's South Hall which loudly promoted Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Elite, Modern Warfare 3's controv...
E3 2011: Sega's Pritchard talks Aliens: Colonial Marines, used sales
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
Publisher's executive vice president of marketing offers his take on Gearbox's new game, secondhand market, the six-week-long PlayStation Network outage, and Vita support. LOS ANGELES--The 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo comes to a close today in Los Angeles after some big announcements were made. Nintendo unveiled the Wii U, Microsoft brought Halo 4 out of the shadows, and Sony offered the finalized name of its newest portable, Vita. Sega's Alan Pritchard. One of the major exhibitors on the show floor this year was Sonic house Sega. The company used its floor space to showcase a range of games, including first-person shooter Binary Domain, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and others. GameSpot caught up wit...
E3 2011: Infinity Blade sales push past $10 million
By GameSpot, published 06-08-2011
Epic Games announces new financial milestone for Chair Entertainment's iOS game. LOS ANGELES--Chair Entertainment took five months to develop its iOS game Infinity Blade and six months to make $10 million off it, publisher Epic Games announced today. Infinity Blade quickly made money. Epic Games today announced that its Salt Lake City-based studio's iOS game Infinity Blade has surpassed sales of $10 million during its first six months of availability in Apple's App store. It is currently available for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Infinity Blade runs on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3, the under-the-hood technology behind big-name projects like Gears of War 3 and the Mass Effect series. Since Infinity Blade debuted last December, the game has welco...
Companions - iPhone - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 06-07-2011
Altland is in danger. The dark god Detexx is on the rise again, ready to plunge Altland into eternal darkness. People are vanishing and rumour has it, that strange creatures roam the land. Unbeknown to each other our four heroes begin their quests in the catacombs of Mentzel. You have to unriddle the evil plans of the dark god and do everything in your power to stop the "Hordes of Nether"! GAME FEATURES: - Campaign with 10+ hours of playing time - deep story line - 4 races - 3 different classes for each race Minotaur: Berserker, Gladiator, Bull Elf: Assassin, Ranger, Archer Dwarf: Miner, Draftsman, Engineer Human: Light, Matter, Void - 40+ skills - bombard, crossbow and scythe towers traps (spike pit, stone trap and others) - 100+ Items (weapons, potions, books etc. etc.) - 30+ U...
Sony Announces 3D, HD Remasterings Of God Of War, Ico, Shadow Of The Colossus
By GameInformer, published 06-07-2011
Sony's E3 2011 press conference included an exciting announcement for fans of good games: PS2 classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in one PS3 HD/3D collection, and both excellent PSP God of War games in a second.The Ico/Shadow collection has long been rumored, and it's great to finally have confirmation. The God of War PSP titles -- Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta -- are both highly regarded and I salute Sony for breaking the chains that bind them to the soon-to-be-defunct PSP platform.Sony didn't announce a price point or release date for either collection, but we can assume those will be following shortly.
E3 2011: Bastion, From Dust headline Summer of Arcade
By GameSpot, published 06-06-2011
Microsoft's latest five-game Xbox Live block begins on July 20; Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Fruit Ninja, Toy Soldiers: Cold War also joining in. LOS ANGELES--Microsoft didn't have much to say about games aimed exclusively at Xbox Live during its press conference this morning. However, following the event, the publisher rectified that fact, detailing the fourth annual Summer of Arcade Xbox Live promotion. The first of five games will arrive on July 20. Bastion will be one of five games coming as part of Summer of Arcade. Microsoft has yet to confirm the exact order of this year's Summer of Arcade promotion, but it did reveal which games Xbox 360 owners can expect. Signal Studios' will be following on from its 2010 Block Party success with Toy Sold...
Weekend Warrior 06/03/11
By GameInformer, published 06-04-2011
The Game Informer crew has been busy gearing up for a week of games at E3! While we're heading out to LA on Sunday, we're still looking to squeeze in some time with our favorite games. Find out what we're playing this weekend, then head over to the comments section and tell us your game plan! Kato: Should be finishing up L.A. Noire this weekend (hopefully). Will also be playing a bunch of NCAA for review at home. It’s always funny when I bring a game to play for work home for the weekend because my declarations to the wife that I have “work to do” always seems a little conspicuous when it involves playing a football game for hours on end on the couch. Jeff C: As much as I’d like to say that I’ll be sitting around the house playing L.A. Noire, Pin...
Lights, Camera, Action Button
By GameInformer, published 06-04-2011
No, this article isn’t about how L.A. Noire’s expressive facial animations and multilayered story have blurred the line between film and game. Rockstar’s 1940s saga makes an appearance in this article, but it’s only to stress that video games are becoming more and more similar to the archetypes and release rhythms we’ve come to know from the film and television industries. Both the local theater and your living room host summer blockbusters, gripping trilogies, and episodic cartoon installments; something that’s difficult to imagine considering the first video game was a rudimentary ping pong simulator. We’ve narrowed down the main breeds leading this converging cadence of titles hitting the silver screen and the TV screen. The Summer Blockbuster...
The Big Questions
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
With the rise of mobile gaming, gesture-based controls, browser-based games, and an elongated console cycle, the interactive entertainment industry landscape looks drastically different than it did a decade ago. Once-formidable regions like Japan have failed to keep up with development trends, while Korea and China are challenging the conventional perception on how players consume games. Are these innovations here to stay, or are some of them destined to be short-lived fads? We asked industry luminaries to shed light on the big issues that could change the way you play your games. Once the shining beacon of innovation and creativity, the Japanese game development community has fallen on hard times. Obviously, in the aftermath of the tragic natural disaste...
Ico And Shadow Of The Colossus Remakes Priced And Dated For Japan
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
Gamers are understandably excited about the upcoming Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD re-releases, and the Japanese now know just how long they have to wait. The games will be releasing on September 22nd as both a limited-edition bundle and as two individual games. Remastered by Bluepoint Games (the same team that did the God of War Collection and upcoming MGS Collection), the individual games will cost 3,980 yen. That converts to about $50 for US gamers. Together, they'll sell for 6,980 yen (approximately $87 US). Here's hoping the price drops significantly for the States. With previous HD Collections ringing up at about $30 total, it would be unfortunate to have to cough up triple that for two games. Source: 1up
Star Trek beams to 360, PS3, PC next year
By GameSpot, published 06-03-2011
Paramount's sci-fi series boldly returns to retail with a cooperative action game picking up with Kirk and Spock in the wake of 2009's big-screen blockbuster. The Star Trek film franchise received new life with J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot of the same name, and now Paramount Digital Entertainment is looking to do the same for the seminal sci-fi series' game license. Paramount today announced Star Trek is in development for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC with a summer 2012 retail release window. A sequel to the 2009 film is also expected to hit theaters around the same time. Will this be the cover-based shooter Gene Roddenberry always dreamed of? Billed as an action adventure, Star Trek will feature Kirk and Spock in an original story penned by God of War wr...
Star Trek beams to 360, PS3, PC next year
By GameSpot, published 06-03-2011
Paramount's sci-fi series boldly returns to retail with a cooperative action game picking up with Kirk and Spock in the wake of 2009's big-screen blockbuster. The Star Trek film franchise received new life with J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot of the same name, and now Paramount Digital Entertainment is looking to do the same for the seminal sci-fi series' game license. Paramount today announced Star Trek is in development for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC with a summer 2012 retail release window. A sequel to the 2009 film is also expected to hit theaters around the same time. Will this be the cover-based shooter Gene Roddenberry always dreamed of? Billed as an action adventure, Star Trek will feature Kirk and Spock in an original story penned by God of War wr...
Uncharted NGP Preview: Golden Abyss Is Just As Big As Its PS3 Siblings
By GameInformer, published 06-02-2011
Like the two God of War games that came out on the PSP, Uncharted: Golden Abyss seeks to take the formula that worked so well for one of Sony’s best console franchises and shrink it down for the new portable device. Unlike those previous efforts, though, Sony is introducing some new gameplay elements into its beloved series to help showcase the impressive technology powering the NGP. In my original hands-on with this game back in January, it was little more than a tech demo, but at a recent NGP event where I got to check it out again, it had been fleshed out significantly to include deeper gameplay and actual story elements. Golden Abyss takes place before the first Uncharted game for PS3, but Sony is considering it a stand-alone story. In this adventure, Drake teams up with Jason D...
E3 2011 Predictions: Day One
By GameInformer, published 06-02-2011
E3 is next week, which means loads of announcements, system news, and other assorted gaming information. To prepare for the hype, the editors at Game Informer have gazed into their respective crystal balls and are bringing you the results. In our first day, we've got predictions on the NGP, Nintendo's next system, and how Sony plans to deal with the PSN outage fallout. JoeSquare Enix's line-up seems to be focusing on Eidos titles like Hitman, Deus Ex, and Tomb Raider. My prediction is that we see more announcements of Japan-developed RPG projects besides Final Fantasy XIII-2, though they'll probably just be in a sizzle reel of CG clips. Personally, I'm hoping for a new Valkyrie Profile. Unfortunately, I think anyone hoping for a Kingdom Hearts 3 reveal is going to be d...
PlayStation Store back online after six-week hiatus
By TechRadar, published 06-02-2011
The PlayStation Store is finally up and running, putting an end to more than a month of woes for Sony.Since a hack back in April, the entire PlayStation Network had been taken offline while Sony made the appropriate steps to secure the service.The last offline piece of the PSN is now back up after 43 days in the wilderness and it is like nothing ever happened. This is because the spring offers that were on the store back in April are to remain for the majority of June.Online offersThose looking for the Welcome Back offer will be disappointed, though, as this is not yet available.The reason: it is still in the final stages of testing. Considering Sony has been testing our patience for the last six weeks, you would have thought they were experts of it by now.The offers available on the store...
Hunted Leads Off This Week's Releases — Weekly Roundup 5/30
By GameInformer, published 31-05-2011
Hunted: The Demon's Forge is out this week, along with the portable version of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II and Duke Nukem: Critical Mass. More importantly, Super Adventure Island is on the Virtual Console. It has a great soundtrack, and fans of whistles will undoubtedly be pleased. GamesRetailBlazBlue: Continuum Shift II (PSP)Duke Nukem: Critical Mass (DS)Hunted: The Demon’s Forge (PS3, PC, Xbox 360)The Sims 3: Generations (PC)DownloadableNintendoVirtual ConsoleSuper Adventure Island (800 Wii Points)WiiWareFAST—Racing League (1,000 Wii Points)Bit.Trip.Void (600 Wii Points)DSiWareB Team—Episode 1: Dust & Steel (800 DSi Points)House M.D.—Globetrotting (800 DSi Points)Valet Parking 1989MoviesTheatersBeautiful BoyBeginnersHouse of the Rising SunLove, Wedding, ...
Reader Discussion: What Recent Games Belong On Our Top 200 List?
By GameInformer, published 31-05-2011
Back in December of 2009, we printed our picks for the Top 200 Games of All Time in our 200th issue. We managed to get games as recent as Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2 on the list, but many AAA games have been released since that issue hit newsstands. With titles like Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, Super Mario Galaxy 2, God of War III, Starcraft II, and Heavy Rain all releasing after our issue, the list might look a little different a year-and-a-half later. What recent games do you think belong on the Top 200 Games of All Time list, and how high up would you place them?
Framing The Game: Into The Pixel 2011 Gallery
By GameInformer, published 25-05-2011
Every year, the Into the Pixel exhibit honors a select group of outstanding artists and their work by including them in a touring art installation. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and the Entertainment Software Association have announced the winners for the 2011 exhibition, and you can see them here. The exhibit will be formally unveiled during E3, and it will continue travel around the world throughout the year. These 17 selections were chosen by a jury of experts, and culled from submissions by artists across the industry. The subject matter is drawn from games including God of War III, Dragon Age II, BioShock Infinite, Kinectimals, and many others. After you see the images below, check out the full credits for each piece over at Into The Pixel, where you can also see ga...
Age of Conan relaunching free and unrated this summer
By GameSpot, published 25-05-2011
Funcom's fantasy MMORPG dropping subscription fee and adding "barbaric and sexy" content, in-game store; sales top 1.4 million; movie tie-in pack in development. Funcom's massively multiplayer online role-playing game Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures was well-reviewed when it debuted in 2008. It welcomed a major expansion pack--Rise of the Godslayer--in May 2010, and now its developer has announced the next major new change for the game. The Unrated version gets bloodier than this. Age of Conan will relaunch sometime this summer under a new name: Age of Conan: Unrated. In addition to the new title, the game will go free-to-play, joining big-name MMORPG Lord of the Rings: Online in adopting the business model. Gamers will be able to choose if they w...
What Games Do You Want To See In The PSP Remaster Series?
By GameInformer, published 23-05-2011
Today's announcement of the PSP Remaster series is an exciting proposition for gamers who missed out on some great titles by not having a PSP. Which begs the question: What PSP game would you like to see transformed into an upgraded PS3 title? I'm sure there will be no shortage of readers who would pick the God of War PSP games or MGS: Peace Walker, but the series I'm most interested in is Valkyria Chronicles. The series' mixture of action and strategy is intriguing to me (shame on me for having still not played the first game), and a lot of gamers have lamented Sega's decision to stick to portable releases for the franchise's sequels. A remastered version of Valkyria Chronicles II could be the second chance the series needs to make an impression on PS3 owners. So ...
PSP Remaster Series Coming To PS3, First Title Announced
By GameInformer, published 22-05-2011
Today Sony announced a new line of PS3 games it's dubbing the PSP Remaster series -- PSP games that have been upgraded with HD graphics and much more. Here are the first details. Those who are worried that Sony intends to release a bunch of lackluster PSP ports can rest easy: In addition to the HD visuals, Sony is promising new content for the games, plus control schemes designed for the PS3 controller. Stereoscopic 3D support and ad-hoc multiplayer will also be supported for certain games. Sony also revealed that save files can be swapped between the PS3 and PSP versions of the games, allowing you to play on your television at home, then take the game on the road with your PSP, something that Hideo Kojima showed interest in last year. The first game that will be released in the PSP R...
Putting The RP Back In RPG, With Style
By GameInformer, published 20-05-2011
Gorgeous, ambitious, and not afraid to kill you dead, The Witcher 2 can be a harsh mistress. This dark, unique world is so well realized and populated with interesting characters that it's easy to lose yourself in its environs. Yet, if you're anything like me, you'll hate portions of the game with a burning passion. The driven Polish developers at CDProjekt boldly cut their own path in creating The Witcher 2, and their vision is one well worth sharing despite a few snags along the way.Legendary monster slayer Geralt of Rivia is the fulcrum around which the fates of entire kingdoms pivot. As Geralt, the player makes decisions that dramatically impact the direction of momentous events. You're not just affecting a portion of the ending cinematic when you choose between workin...
Sony at E3 2011: what to expect
By TechRadar, published 19-05-2011
What confirmed E3 rumours and surprise E3 announcements can we expect from Sony and its PlayStation at E3 2011 in Los Angeles next month?Sony hosts the second of this year's three major press conferences at 5pm PST on Monday 5 June (that's 1am BST on Tues 6 June, for those British PlayStation fans who are willing to wait up to watch the news streamed live online). This follows Microsoft's E3 press conference at 9am PST earlier that same day, with Nintendo set to reveal its own show-and-tell the following day on Tuesday 6 June at 9am PST.The actual E3 show itself doesn't kick off until Wednesday June 7 through to Friday June 9 at the immense LA convention centre downtown. But tradition has it that the big news announcements from the major three console manufacturers dominate the first two d...
Harry Potter Saga To Conclude In LEGO Form
By GameInformer, published 19-05-2011
It's clear that the guys at Traveller's Tales don't get to take vacations. In just the past few months, the studio has released LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean, but it seems that they've also been hard at work on yet another LEGO title: LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7. Whew. The game, due out for a holiday 2011 release, is based on the last three books in the Harry Potter series (or final four movies, if you're one of those film buffs). Warner promises that players will be able to visit familiar places such as Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, as well as locations that are new to the LEGO series such as Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic, and Godric's Hollow. “In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, we are giving gamers a truly epic co...
L.A. Noire, Chrono Trigger — Weekly Roundup 5/16
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2011
Rockstar Games' detective thriller L.A. Noire ships this week, and it looks like other publishers are giving it a wide berth. That's not to say that there isn't anything else coming out, but games such as Spongebob Squigglepants, the Witcher 2, and the PC release of Fable 3 aren't exactly competing with L.A. Noire on its own AAA console-game territory. Chrono Trigger is finally available on the Virtual Console as well, so if you don't feel like exploring a '40s version of Los Angeles you can still have a great adventure. In addition to that, the Fantastic Four table is hitting Pinball FX 2, so we won't be hearing from Jeff Marchiafava for a few days. He's kind of obsessed like that. GamesRetailExerbeat (Wii)Fable 3 (PC)The First Templar (Xbox 360, PC)L.A. N...
Rumor: God Of War Portable Collection On PS3?
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2011
The God of War Collection (which included the two PS2 entries remastered in HD) was a huge hit on PS3. Now a similar treatment may be in the works for the two PSP installments. According to The Magic Box, Ready At Dawn's handheld entries in the series (Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta) are slated for an HD collection. The current rumor is that the collection would hit Asia on July 7, though no mention is made of North America or other territories.That release date seems pretty early to me, though not completely implausible. At any rate, we'll keep you posted with any new developments.(Source: Magic Box)
DOFUS: Battles - iPhone - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 14-05-2011
Discover the first iOS game to be set in the world of DOFUS, the multiple awarding winning MMORPG played by several million players worldwide. Take command of an army of twelve legendary heroes led by the gods’ fantastical summons, Animakhal the dragon. Send them into battle against hordes of bloodthirsty monsters in epic battles which will put your strategy and your reflexes to the test. Features: - The 12 classes of the world of DOFUS and characters whose characteristics evolve during the adventure - One main game modefeaturing 28 levels - 3 mini games: Reflexes / dodging (10 levels) Memory / rhythm (10 levels) Gambling - More than 170 equipment items to personalise the heroes and make them stronger - More than 80 different monsters coming from the world of DOFUS - 27 different map...
21 New Rules for Technology: A Maximum Manifesto
By MaximumPC, published 05-12-2011
Four Score and… no, that’s not going to work. We the People of the Geek World, in Order to form a more perfect Desktop… no, that probably won’t work either. The Founding Fathers had it easy. Alas, there’s really no “Geek manifesto” that I can quote from, nor any real historical document that I can pilfer and humorously change, to reflect the modern-day demands of geek consumers. Look, there’s no reason why you should let hardware and software manufacturers dictate terms for how you go about your daily geek life. Whether you’re a hardware hacker or a Best Buy shopper who just wants to get the latest gadgets sans fuss, it’s up to you to demand that all of your technological interactions meet a bare minimum of standards. Why? Doesn’t it make you mad when ...
Gatling Gears - Xbox360 - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 05-12-2011
Where do they fit all those missiles?! Stop me if you've heard this before: a top-down dual-stick "bullet hell" shooter set in a faux ultra-military world, with a very generic name and that seems to come out of the goddamn blue. Gatling Gears fits that description to the letter, but even so, it's a great game. [image1]In the prologue, we meet Max and Julius, two war buddies just starting their mech-suit training. Sooner rather than later, the evil enemy faction attacks the empire base and chaos ensues. In the resulting battle, their foe stands defeated, with Julius wishing to annihilate the remaining enemy villages, leaving Max with no choice but to desert the army. Years later, living low with his niece, Max is forced to jump back into his tank in order to put an end...
Gatling Gears - PC - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 05-12-2011
Where do they fit all those missiles?! Stop me if you've heard this before: a top-down dual-stick "bullet hell" shooter set in a faux ultra-military world, with a very generic name and that seems to come out of the goddamn blue. Gatling Gears fits that description to the letter, but even so, it's a great game. [image1]In the prologue, we meet Max and Julius, two war buddies just starting their mech-suit training. Sooner rather than later, the evil enemy faction attacks the empire base and chaos ensues. In the resulting battle, their foe stands defeated, with Julius wishing to annihilate the remaining enemy villages, leaving Max with no choice but to desert the army. Years later, living low with his niece, Max is forced to jump back into his tank in order to put an end...
Gatling Gears - PS3 - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 05-12-2011
Where do they fit all those missiles?! Stop me if you've heard this before: a top-down dual-stick "bullet hell" shooter set in a faux ultra-military world, with a very generic name and that seems to come out of the goddamn blue. Gatling Gears fits that description to the letter, but even so, it's a great game. [image1]In the prologue, we meet Max and Julius, two war buddies just starting their mech-suit training. Sooner rather than later, the evil enemy faction attacks the empire base and chaos ensues. In the resulting battle, their foe stands defeated, with Julius wishing to annihilate the remaining enemy villages, leaving Max with no choice but to desert the army. Years later, living low with his niece, Max is forced to jump back into his tank in order to put an end...
New Trailer For Fallout: New Vegas' Honest Hearts DLC
By GameInformer, published 05-11-2011
Is Honest Hearts' Burned Man a looney or the "right hand of God"? Take a look in this trailer for the forthcoming DLC. While traveling through Utah's Zion National Park, your caravan is ambushed and you are thrust into a conflict between two warring sides, including the mysterious Burned Man. Take a look at the trailer and be sure to check out screens for the DLC in the gallery below. Honest Hearts comes out on May 17 for Xbox Live and Steam, and "on the earliest possible date" for PSN. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Movie Review: Thor
By SlashGear, published 05-10-2011
When I first heard about the “Thor” movie, I had the same reaction as most folks I know. “Thor? Really?! Thor?” Couldn’t we just have another Hulk movie instead? Did the “Power Man and Iron Fist” script not turn out the way they hoped? Until I was about 16, I was an avid comic collector, and I favored Marvel titles, of which “Thor” is one. When I turned 16, I started spending my comic book money on gasoline, and it all went downhill from there, but I still have boxes and boxes filled with a few thousand comics, bagged and boarded, safe in my parents’ basement. I collected “Thor,” but I also collected “Speedball,” so my taste is suspect. In any case, the news of a “Thor” movie mostly means, to me...
The Return Of Darth Clark
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2011
Every April we run a feature in the magazine called Game Infarcer. As the title suggests, Game Infarcer is a parody magazine that pokes fun at trends in the industry, as well as ourselves. Every year, despite the fact that the cover says "World's #1 Pretend Magazine" and each page has the word "Parody" at the bottom, some of our readers think Game Infarcer is real, and get upset about the (fake!) news and (fake!) opinions that it contains. Reading their heated responses is as much of a tradition as Game Infarcer itself. We ran a few of the responses we received in this issue's Feedback, but thanks to a particularly inflammatory editorial from Game Infarcer's returning editor Darth Clark, we have a ton of other humorous replies that didn't make the cut. ...
Brink, LEGO Pirates, MX vs ATV — Weekly Roundup 5/9
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2011
It's another decent week for new releases, with games like Brink, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean, and MX vs ATV: Alive hitting stores. Additionally, BioWare's shooter MDK 2 is available on WiiWare. Not bad at all. GamesRetailBrink (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP, 3DS)MX vs ATV: Alive (PS3, Xbox 360)Virtua Tennis 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2011: Over the Nexus (DS) DownloadableNintendoWiiWareMDK2 (1,000 Wii Points) DSiWareGo Series Tower of Deus (200 DSi Points)Mighty Milky Way (800 DSi Points)Whack-A-Friend (DSi Points) MoviesTheatersBridesmaidsEverything Must GoPriest DVD/Blu-rayBlack Death (DVD/Blu-ray)Blue Valentine (DVD/Blu-ray)Cropsey (DVD)Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (DVD)No Strings Attached (D...
Weekend Warrior 05/06/11
By GameInformer, published 05-07-2011
The weather is finally warming up in Minnesota and the GI staff couldn't be happier! While we'll be sure to get outside to enjoy the warmer weather, we'll still find some time to chill at home and play a few games. Find out what we're playing this weekend then share your weekend game plan in the comments section. Reiner: Hello from the year 2009! For this entire month, my weekends are dedicated solely to games that I started in 2009 and never finished. First up on the list is Tales of Vesperia. My last save date for this game is February 27, 2009. I put over 20 hours into the game, and have fond memories of it, but for the life of me cannot remember what the plot is about, or where I need to go next. This should be an amusing (and frustrating) venture. Kato: Thinking of g...
Computing in 2100: Wearable Computers, Flying Cars - and Immortality?
By MaximumPC, published 05-04-2011
Imagine a world where peas grow as large as beets, where suburban commutes are completed in mere minutes and cost but a penny, where the letters C, X, and Q have been eliminated from the alphabet, where all wild animals have died, and where retail purchases (and even meals) are conveniently propelled to the consumer's home via a city-wide, nation-wide network of pneumatic tubes. A wacky vision of the future? Sure, but this wacky vision was postulated in the year 1900 for the year 2000. In other words, according to the article, published in the December 1900 edition of Ladies Home Journal, all of the above should already be a familiar part of our world. It is not, and for that we give thanks. For the very idea of beet-sized peas is enough to make anyone run screaming from the dinner table. ...
Brit Week: Molyneux: Minecraft is 'most impressive' game of last 10 years
By TechRadar, published 05-03-2011
To most gamers, Peter Molyneux needs little introduction. Not only is he a great British games designer, he is one of the gaming industry's most high-profile developers.Inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and awarded an OBE back in 2004, Peter was most recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards, in addition to receiving a BAFTA Fellowship at the 2011 British Academy Video Games Awards.So it's already been a great year for the man widely credited with inventing the god game genre with 1989's Populous, the second major title to come out of his first studio, Bullfrog Productions. That company was acquired by Electronic Arts in the 1990s, where Molyneux worked for a few years before founding Lionhead Studios in 1997 ...
Mortal Kombat Review Roundup
By SlashGear, published 05-03-2011
The gory classic Mortal Kombat has gotten a complete reboot and may redeem itself since the franchise seemed to have lost its way over the years. Now with new publisher Warner Bros. on board, NetherRealm Studios has gone back to its roots and reinvented the latest Mortal Kombat with a welcome 2D-format that has all the modern graphics with the unapologetic carnage-fest of over-the-top fatalities that made Mortal Kombat great. This ninth installment of Mortal Kombat still has graphics that appear three-dimensional, but the overall fighting format has returned to a more two-dimensional setup. Controls for the fighters have also changed such that each button corresponds to a particular limb, so that attacks are much more intuitive. The Xbox 360 version has a total roster of twenty-seven fi...
SlashGear 101: Spaceflight
By SlashGear, published 05-02-2011
It’s said that what’s so amazing about spaceflight is that how fast man has accomplished it. It took less than 60 years from the time that the Wright Brothers stretched their wings at Kitty Hawk to when Yuri Gregarin became the first man to orbit the earth. Less than nine years after that, Neil Armstrong to that one small step, putting man on the moon by the end of the decade. Since then, manned space flight has be confined to low earth orbit, but man has reached far outside it’s solar system with various unmanned probes which have reached the boundaries of interstellar space. So what is spaceflight, how risky is it and is it worth the billions spent every year by taxpayers? This SlashGear 101 will answer some of those questions. Where did it all begin, and how did we g...
Shippin' Out May 1-7: MotorStorm: Apocalypse, Black Ops DLC
By GameSpot, published 05-02-2011
New release slate championed by third entry in racing series, latest volley of $15 content for Treyarch's shooter; Thor: God of Thunder, Section 8: Prejudice for PC also out. It's not a busy week for new releases, but the week's two leading offerings pack heavy punches. Leading the pack this week is the warmly received MotorStorm: Apocalypse for the PlayStation 3. The game includes a single-player story mode that lets gamers experience a plotline unfolding through the eyes of three characters who represent the game's different difficulty levels. The game also sports five new vehicle classes, 40 distinct races, and a four-player split-screen mode that's compatible with online modes for up to 16 players. Finally, Apocalypse will feature customizable vehicles and a game mode creator ...
MotorStorm, Thor—Weekly Roundup 5/2
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2011
This week, Sony's MotorStorm: Apocalypse and Sega's game based on the upcoming Thor movie are hitting shelves. MotorStorm was originally slated for an earlier release, but it was postponed following the earthquake in Japan. Now's your chance to check it out. Aside from that, the big release is the Escalation DLC for the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops. Enjoy! GamesRetailMotorStorm: Apocalypse (PS3)Thor: God of Thunder (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS) DownloadableNintendoVirtual ConsoleRival Turf! (800 Wii Points)WiiWareBingo Part Deluxe (500 Wii Points)Bit.Trip Runner (free demo)DSiWareAnonymous Notes Chapter 2—From the Abyss (200 DSi Points)Ikibago (500 DSi Points)Picture Perfect Pocket Stylist (500 DSi Points)MicrosoftCall of Duty: Black Ops—Escalation DLCMov...
The Sims Medieval - PC - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 30-04-2011
Ring Kichard teh Thrid. So, I've always kinda liked the Sims games. Kinda. I wouldn't sit here and tell you I'm a fan, exactly; I keep buying each major title update, and then I completely ignore the expansion packs. This has worked out fairly well for me, as about the time that I fill up on my tolerance for Sims gameplay is about when I run out of content in each Sims game. There are certain nagging irritations that keep me from being an unqualified fan of the series – like how hard doors are to negotiate for the common Sim – but on the whole, I like having the ability to provide godlike direction to people. [image1]As for The Sims: Medieval, I actually like it. It's fun, albeit a somewhat distant sort of way. Somewhere between a RPG and a classic Sims game...
Gods & Heroes rising June 21
By GameSpot, published 29-04-2011
Heatwave launching Perpetual's once-abandoned Roman mythology-themed MMORPG this summer; preorder package detailed. For a time, it appeared as if releasing the massively multiplayer online role-playing Gods & Heroes was a task to be ranked alongside the 12 Labors of Hercules. However, like the slaying of the Nemean lion or the cleansing of the Augean stables, so too will the task of releasing the fated MMORPG be accomplished. Today, Heatwave Interactive announced that Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising will launch for the PC on June 21. The MMO nature of the game should mean players will only rarely have to slay minotaurs on their own. Gods & Heroes' story began in 2005, when developer Perpetual Entertainment, who was also at the time creating St...
SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up, April 28th 2011
By SlashGear, published 28-04-2011
Good news this morning, with Verizon’s 4G LTE back online in time for the launch of the DROID Charge. But this is a black eye for Verizon, casting doubt on the reliability of their network, and leaving subscribers to wonder why they had to use a workaround to get 3G. We have a hands-on of the new white iPhone 4 that Chris Davies visited with in London, complete with a video and a comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S II. Also, users that had manually updated their Nook Color found their e-reader bricked after the 1.2 update was installed. No word yet on a fix, just that “engineers are investigating the issue“. Also, the Huawei lawsuit, RIM’s questionable OS update, the G-Slate, more on the Sony PSN story, plus the Samsung Galaxy S II launch in Korea. Lots more after th...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #217
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Game Of Thrones (HBO Don’t Screw This Up), Cycling, The Joy Formidable (I Like To Call Them Silversun Pickups 2.0 And Smashing Pumkins 3.0), Rival Schools (The Band, Check Them Out), iPad 2, Old Man’s War By John Scalzi, A Dance Of Dragons Releases July 17 (I’m Going To Take The Day Off) Dislikes: The A--holes Who Stole Bikes Out Of My Garage (Seriously, These People Should Be Shot – The Driveway Has Been Electrified To Deter Future Dbags), Bugs On The Site That Mak...
Darkspore Heads Up A Slow Week—Weekly Roundup 4/25
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2011
Hey, what do you know? It's another tame week for game releases. Sure, you've got a new Operation Flashpoint game, Darkspore, and IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover, but everything's bound to seem a little anticlimactic after last week. Maybe it's another excuse to tackle that backlog. GamesRetailDarkspore (PC)IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (PC)Man vs. Wild (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)Operation Flashpoint: Red River (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) DownloadableNintendoWiiWareLearning with the PooYoos: Episode 3 (500 Wii Points)Word Searcher Deluxe (500 Wii Points)DSiWareAirport Mania: First Flight (200 DSi Points)Inchworm Animation (500 DSi Points)Ubongo (500 DSi Points) MoviesTheatersDylan Dog: Dead of NightFast FiveHoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil DVD/Blu-rayBlood Out (DVD/Blu-ray)Knockout (DVD/B...
God of War 4 reigning September 2012?
By GameSpot, published 20-04-2011
Sony Santa Monica's latest Kratos title hitting fall of next year, say sources speaking with UK game magazine. God of War III shipped last March to glowing reviews and swift sales of over 1 million copies. Now comes word Sony may be readying the next entry in the series for a debut in the fall of 2012. The Mayans say the world will end in December 2012, so the new God of War game is safe. The news stems from British PlayStation magazine PSM3 (via CVG), which cites sources saying God of War 4 is in development and is being readied for a September 2012 launch. Following the release of God of War III, franchise producer Steve Caterson told Industry Gamers that though God of War III marked the end of the trilogy, the studio would likely craft more games ...
New God of War in 2012?
By GameInformer, published 20-04-2011
Kratos' trilogy of God of War titles may be over, but there's no doubt that Sony will continue the blockbuster series. A new rumor says we can expect the next game in the franchise in 2012. According to magazine PSM3, an anonymous source says that the next God of War title will hit in September 2012. That there will be another game is beyond doubt, but we certainly hope the rumor is true and that we get another title from the franchise in relatively short order. If this is the case, we hope to hear about the game at E3 this June. [via CVG]
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as...
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high-profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday, including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as GLaD...
Buying Guide: Best gaming keyboard: 9 reviewed and rated
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
The humble PC with its keyboard and mouse is the best games controller known to man. Granted, playing a racing game on your keyboard makes you look like a drunken midget trying to use a fruit machine, but in the world of the FPS and MMO, the keyboard rules the roost. There's one problem, however. The standard keyboard that came bundled with your PC will do nothing but hinder your chances of topping the Call of Duty board, or downing Deathwing in World Of Warcraft. Dell and its bundled keyboards want you to fail, but you can stick two fingers up at OEMs by investing in a gaming keyboard, which can boost your playing potential. The best gaming keyboards come with extra macro buttons, which you can map to spells, weapons and god-mode cheats for faster access in the heat of battle. Most high-e...
Buying Guide: Best gaming keyboard: 9 reviewed and rated
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
The humble PC with its keyboard and mouse is the best games controller known to man. Granted, playing a racing game on your keyboard makes you look like a drunken midget trying to use a fruit machine, but in the world of the FPS and MMO, the keyboard rules the roost. There's one problem, however. The standard keyboard that came bundled with your PC will do nothing but hinder your chances of topping the Call of Duty board, or downing Deathwing in World Of Warcraft. Dell and its bundled keyboards want you to fail, but you can stick two fingers up at OEMs by investing in a gaming keyboard, which can boost your playing potential. The best gaming keyboards come with extra macro buttons, which you can map to spells, weapons and god-mode cheats for faster access in the heat of battle. Most high-e...
Buying Guide: Best gaming keyboard: 9 reviewed and rated
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
The humble PC with its keyboard and mouse is the best games controller known to man. Granted, playing a racing game on your keyboard makes you look like a drunken midget trying to use a fruit machine, but in the world of the FPS and MMO, the keyboard rules the roost. There's one problem, however. The standard keyboard that came bundled with your PC will do nothing but hinder your chances of topping the Call of Duty board, or downing Deathwing in World Of Warcraft. Dell and its bundled keyboards want you to fail, but you can stick two fingers up at OEMs by investing in a gaming keyboard, which can boost your playing potential. The best gaming keyboards come with extra macro buttons, which you can map to spells, weapons and god-mode cheats for faster access in the heat of battle. Most high-e...
Guitar Hero lives
By TechRadar, published 13-04-2011
It happens all the time. Just when a washed-up old Rock God looks done for good, he announces a comeback and returns to the stage in all his glory.When Activision called time on the multi-platiumum career of the storied Guitar Hero franchise earlier this year, most people thought (video game) rock was dead.But it appears, in true rock 'n' roll tradition, the game is just taking a year off the road to recuperate and get off the smack, man.HiatusActivision president Dan Winters told industry publicationgamesindustry.biz that, rather than retiring, the franchise was simply on hiatus and will be back on stage, perhaps as soon as next year?"Just to clarify," he said, "we're just putting Guitar Hero on hiatus, we're not ending it."We're releasing products out of the vault--we'll continue to sust...
Guitar Hero lives
By TechRadar, published 13-04-2011
It happens all the time. Just when a washed-up old Rock God looks done for good, he announces a comeback and returns to the stage in all his glory.When Activision called time on the multi-platiumum career of the storied Guitar Hero franchise earlier this year, most people thought (video game) rock was dead.But it appears, in true rock 'n' roll tradition, the game is just taking a year off the road to recuperate and get off the smack, man.HiatusActivision president Dan Winters told industry publicationgamesindustry.biz that, rather than retiring, the franchise was simply on hiatus and will be back on stage, perhaps as soon as next year?"Just to clarify," he said, "we're just putting Guitar Hero on hiatus, we're not ending it."We're releasing products out of the vault--we'll continue to sust...
Guitar Hero lives
By TechRadar, published 13-04-2011
It happens all the time. Just when a washed-up old Rock God looks done for good, he announces a comeback and returns to the stage in all his glory.When Activision called time on the multi-platiumum career of the storied Guitar Hero franchise earlier this year, most people thought (video game) rock was dead.But it appears, in true rock 'n' roll tradition, the game is just taking a year off the road to recuperate and get off the smack, man.HiatusActivision president Dan Winters told industry publicationgamesindustry.biz that, rather than retiring, the franchise was simply on hiatus and will be back on stage, perhaps as soon as next year?"Just to clarify," he said, "we're just putting Guitar Hero on hiatus, we're not ending it."We're releasing products out of the vault--we'll continue to sust...
Guitar Hero lives
By TechRadar, published 13-04-2011
It happens all the time. Just when a washed-up old Rock God looks done for good, he announces a comeback and returns to the stage in all his glory.When Activision called time on the multi-platiumum career of the storied Guitar Hero franchise earlier this year, most people thought (video game) rock was dead.But it appears, in true rock 'n' roll tradition, the game is just taking a year off the road to recuperate and get off the smack, man.HiatusActivision president Dan Winters told industry publicationgamesindustry.biz that, rather than retiring, the franchise was simply on hiatus and will be back on stage, perhaps as soon as next year?"Just to clarify," he said, "we're just putting Guitar Hero on hiatus, we're not ending it."We're releasing products out of the vault--we'll continue to sust...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Section 8: Prejudice, and Sega Rally: Online Arcade. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. cs_setInnerHtml('video_22ab0a8b-89fe-44ed-8567-62c80010a008',''); Special thanks go out to YouTube user AvatarItemsVideos for this early look at the Companion Cube prop in use. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every E...
Contest Winners: The 10 Best Windows Application Tips
By MaximumPC, published 04-12-2011
10 Great Readers, 10 Great Tips In our March issue’s cover story, we threw out a challenge: Send us your favorite application tips, and we’d grant the five best submissions Maximum PC coins. We got so many tips it’s taken us some time to go through them all. And so many of them were interesting, we decided to up the number of winners from 5 to 10. Hey, that’s a nice problem to have right. So here are the winners, in all their glory. 1. Alexander Mentis: MS WORD EXTEND MODE This tip is on MS Word’s “extend mode,” which can save you a lot of editing time. While not as powerful as <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi>VI’s</a> command mode, VI users stuck using MS Word will probably appreciate some of this tip. Even people who are familiar with extend mode may n...
Over-The-Top Action Rules In Asura's Wrath
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2011
Asura is not happy. Once a demigod himself, he has been betrayed by his former associates, who have kidnapped his daughter. His mission is simple: Get her back while slaughtering anyone who stands in his way. Judging from the boss encounter we saw, he might have his work cut out for him.The hack-and-slash action game Asura’s Wrath was first announced at last Tokyo Game Show with a trailer that culminated in a planet-sized behemoth attacking Asura with a single jab from his index finger. During a presentation at this year’s Captivate 2011 event, developer CyberConnect 2 provided some welcomed context to the encounter.The battle begins in a large, open area, with the lumbering demigod Wysen far in the distance. As Asura approaches, he attacks with a targeting reticle. The boss f...
Ocarina of Time 3D dated, Wii Play: Motion revealed
By GameSpot, published 04-12-2011
Nintendo will ship 3DS remake of Legend of Zelda classic on June 19; new bundle to feature Wii Remote Plus, all-new minigame compilation; full spring schedule inside. Last September, Nintendo pegged the 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as a spring 2011 release. Today, the game giant finally dated the title, which will make the spring launch window--barely. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be launched in North America on Sunday, June 19, two days before summer officially begins. The game is a portable, reworked version of the 1998 classic for the Nintendo 64. Wii Play: Motion will bring 12 new minigames. Six days before Ocarina of Time sounds off on Nintendo's new handheld, the company will release a sequel to its wildly suc...
Ocarina of Time 3D dated, Wii Play: Motion revealed
By GameSpot, published 04-12-2011
Nintendo will ship 3DS remake of Legend of Zelda classic on June 19; new bundle to feature Wii Remote Plus, all-new minigame compilation; full spring schedule inside. Last September, Nintendo pegged the 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as a spring 2011 release. Today, the game giant finally dated the title, which will make the spring launch window--barely. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be launched in North America on Sunday, June 19, two days before summer officially begins. The game is a portable, reworked version of the 1998 classic for the Nintendo 64. Wii Play: Motion will bring 12 new minigames. Six days before Ocarina of Time sounds off on Nintendo's new handheld, the company will release a sequel to its wildly successfu...
New Starcraft Action Figures On The Way
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2011
DC Direct is best known in gaming circles for its World of Warcraft action figures. In 2011, the company also plans to release its first line of figures for Mass Effect (April 27), Killzone (April 13), Starcraft (September 28), and God of War (May 25). Additional lines for Batman: Arkham Asylum, World of Warcraft, Ratchet & Clank, and today's newest announcement, StarCraft, are also due out in 2011. Starcraft's second series consists of Kerrigan and Tychus Findlay. Kerrigan's giant wings reach up to 12 inches in height. Tychus stands in at a respectable nine. Both figures are due on store shelves on December 21.
March extends sales slump - Analysts
By GameSpot, published 04-12-2011
Trio of industry watchers projects 5-10% software decline; Sebastian says 3DS demand experienced rapid drop-off. NPD may no longer want analysts to disseminate its official US sales figures every month, but that isn't stopping industry watchers from laying out their predictions. With the industry-tracking body prepared to announce its US retail accounting for March on Thursday, a handful of analysts have issued dour projections for the industry. Nintendo's perennial chart topper is expected to top March's charts. Wedbush's Michael Pachter believes software sales were down 8 percent in March to $805 million. The fourth consecutive month of software sales declines comes despite strong performances from Nintendo's Pokemon Black and White, which combined...
Michael Jackson Leads Week Of Strange Creatures—Weekly Roundup 4/11
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2011
Maybe I'm overreaching here, but it seems as though this week's releases follow a strange sort of pattern. Excluding the release of Michael Jackson: The Experience, of course, most of the games that are hitting stores over the next few days feature bizarre lifeforms of one sort or another. Don't believe me? What the heck are Patapons, anyway? Rabbids are too puffy and aggressive to be confused with rabbits. Dragons? Talking birds? Fantastic freaking pets? Seriously. Anyway, this is what you're up against this week. If none of these strike your fancy, there's always Portal 2 and Mortal Kombat next week. Carry on. GamesRetailDivinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga (Xbox 360)Fantastic Pets (Xbox 360 Kinect)LEGO Battles: Ninjago (DS)Michael Jackson: The Experience (PS3, Xbox ...
[Update] Valve Selling Limited Edition Team Fortress 2 Hats For Japan Relief
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2011
[Update] Well, it looks like the Team Fortress 2 community is one of the most charitable in all of gaming. On its Team Fortress site, Valve just revealed that its sale of limited edition in-game hats for TF2 has raised a whopping $430,543.65 in only a little over two weeks. That's an impressive number, and just another example of how the game industry has rallied around the people of Japan during the tragic events of recent weeks. While the TF 2 hat sale is over, it's never too late to donate to the Red Cross, or check out some of the charitiable auctions being conducted by industry insiders for Japan relief over at PlayForJapan.org. Update Via Joystiq [Original Story] Valve's Team Fortress 2 has one of the most devoted communities in all of gaming, and now the compa...
Twisted Metal exploding Oct. 4
By GameSpot, published 04-08-2011
David Jaffe's revival of car-combat series will arrive exclusively on the PlayStation 3 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The closing highlight of last year's Sony press briefing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo was the reveal of the new Twisted Metal game. The revival of the car-combat series, which is exclusive to the PlayStation 3, is being developed by Eat Sleep Play, the indie developer founded by former God of War director David Jaffe in 2007. Twisted Metal will bring the mayhem on Oct. 4. When it was revealed, the new Twisted Metal game was given a general 2011 release window. Now, the game's latest trailer has given it a firm launch date of October 4, at the beginning of the all-important holiday quarter. The first installment in ...
Mortal Kombat goes gold
By GameSpot, published 04-06-2011
NetherRealm Studios finishes development on April 19-dated fighter reboot. April showers are raining blood. Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios have jointly announced that Mortal Kombat has gone gold, ahead of its April 19 date with North American retail. Mortal Kombat brutalizes retail in a few weeks. The first Mortal Kombat game since 2008's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and the ninth in the series, the reboot game is rated M for Mature for its gruesome fatalities. The game's roster will be a throwback of sorts, full of fighters pulled from the first three games in the series. There is one particularly notable exception, as the PlayStation 3 version will feature God of War protagonist Kratos as a playable character. ...
Blizzard Announces New Dungeon, Adorable Dungeon Helper For World Of Warcraft
By GameInformer, published 04-01-2011
If there's one thing gamers have said about World of Warcraft for years now, it's that the game is too hardcore for its own good and not new-user-friendly at all. Thankfully, Blizzard is finally taking some steps to fix all of that with Crabby, the new Dungeon Helper. Announced on the World of Warcraft website, Crabby will accompany hesitant adventurers into dungeons, providing useful information along the way such as strategies for defeating bosses. If you choose to make use of Crabby, he will always be visible in the lower right corner of the screen, offering tips and advice as you progress through each dungeon. Even hardcore WoW players will need the help, too, as Blizzard has also announced a deadly new dungeon: the Tomb of Immortal Darkness. This five-player dungeon will intr...
What's Next For 3DS?
By GameInformer, published 30-03-2011
This weekend marked the launch of the Nintendo 3DS in America, and despite the innovative new hardware features, the first round of games wasn’t exactly mind-blowing. So what can we expect from the next wave of titles? We break down all of the upcoming 3DS games that have been announced for this summer. Keep in mind that all of the release dates below are tentative, and based on how little information is out there for some titles, a few will probably change. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3DDeveloper: Ubisoft MontrealRelease Date: April 10Sam Fisher finds another platform to infiltrate as he is sent to the Korean Peninsula to prevent WWIII in this upcoming 3DS title. Apparently no task is too big for the scruffy master of stealth. Sneak, spy, shoot some guns, and pick locks...
God of War 4 on the way?
By GameSpot, published 29-03-2011
[UPDATE] Resume lists cinematics for next installment of Sony's deicidal action series; animator says he was taking a test. Get the full article at GameSpot "God of War 4 on the way?" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:08:43 -0700
How Tablets Can Connect the Disconnected
By SlashGear, published 29-03-2011
Many of us have heard stories about tablets being more accessible for those who have trouble dealing with PCs. Grandmothers, for example, who have never used a computer, get hold of an iPad and start tapping away like an old pro. What is it about tablets that make them so engaging, and make them so much more appealing than using a PC for some people? Let’s face it, PCs can be complicated. If you know nothing about using one, setting up a PC could be an insurmountable task. You have software to install, inexplicable error messages, antivirus notifications always popping up… For some people, especially older people, all they want to do is get email, see pictures of family, and maybe do a little shopping. Why do they need to install the Office Suite, or worry about defragmenting...
Job Posting May Hint At Online Component For God Of War
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2011
Sony Computer Entertainment America’s Santa Monica branch is searching for a new senior online programmer, hinting at possible multiplayer functionality in a future God of War title. The intriguing part of the post dictates that responsibilities include “designing and implementing systems and tools to support networking needs (such as in-game communication, client-server, match-making, leaderboards).” The job listing boasts an image of God of War protagonist Kratos, and invites applicants to “join the God of War team!” We don’t know if the God of War team has moved onto greener IP pastures, or if another God of War title is actually in the works, however. All we can confirm is that Sony Santa Monica is interested in expansion. That being said, care to m...
God of War going multiplayer?
By GameSpot, published 29-03-2011
Sony Computer Entertainment America Santa Monica hiring online programmers to craft leaderboards and matchmaking. Single-player-only games are an increasingly rare breed, with only a few marquee series lacking a multiplayer component. These include the Elder Scrolls and Fallout from Bethesda Softworks, BioWare's Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and Sony's God of War. Could Kratos' rampages soon go multiplayer? Now, though, it looks like the latter franchise may be getting a multiplayer component. Sony Computer Entertainment America Santa Monica is currently hiring a senior online programmer to "join the God of War team!" Applicants must have experience "designing and implementing systems and tools to support networking needs (such as in-game communicatio...
The Essential Xbox Live Arcade List
By GameInformer, published 25-03-2011
In the second of our essential downloadable game lists, we examine the 15 games you should play on Xbox 360.This week, we’re outlining some of the best games across the life of the major console download services. With an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive survey of the essential titles on any given downloadable platform.Today, we’re tackling the first major console game download service that appeared. There are now nearly 400 games available on the Xbox Live Arcade service, an impressive collection that has been building since the console’s launch in November of 2005. Though a trial version of Xbox Live Arcade actually appeared on the original Xbox, we&rsq...
Apple Wins American Brand Excellence Award
By SlashGear, published 24-03-2011
Apple has won the American Brand Excellence Award as the company that best meets the needs of small to medium-sized businesses. Apple also won the award in the Technology category. The annual awards are given by The Business Journals, which is a collection of 41 local/regional business newspapers, and is owned by American City Business Journals, Inc. Over 2,000 owners of small to medium-sized businesses were asked to rate over 250 brands. The ratings were based on “forward thinking”, “behaves ethically”, and “good price for what you get.” “Apple has become the premier business brand, and as the leader of the tablet category with the iPad, Apple is redefining how we work,” said vice president of research for The Business Journals, Godfrey Phillips. “Our study found that...
Samsung announces SE-406A slim external Blu-ray combo drive
By SlashGear, published 24-03-2011
Samsung has announced the launch of a new external slim Blu-ray drive that is for the computer market. The new slim drive is called the SE-406A and it supports 3D playback. The drive might be just the thing to add 3D Blu-ray capability to a notebook or netbook that lacks an optical drive. The drive ships with CyberLink TrueTheater software for playback of movies and the software will also test the ability of the PC to support 3D content. The player will play normal DVDs and Blu-ray flicks too. It can also read and write to CDs and DVDs. However, it only reads Blu-ray discs. The SE-406A is designed to work with both Mac and Windows computers and it has Buffer Under Run technology to prevent any errors that may result from writing speeds that are faster than data transfer speed. The drive s...
Ready At Dawn Working On "AAA" Console Game
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2011
The developer known for making the best PSP games on the market is breaking back onto the console scene with an unnamed new IP. A line on Ready at Dawn's jobs page asks applicants if they are "ready to work on an exciting new AAA IP for the home console." It doesn't get much plainer than that, though no particular console is named specifically. (In case the studio changes the jobs page, here's a capture of the relevant info) Unfortunately, that's all the information about the mysterious project that's available... but if the new game is as good as the studio's previous work, we should be in for a treat. (Source: GameSpot)
Kratos Looks At Home In New Mortal Kombat Video
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2011
Throughout five God of War games, we've seen Kratos eviscerate and decapitate thousands of enemies. Having this on his resume made him a natural fit for the Mortal Kombat roster, and he looks right at home in this first gameplay clip. You'll see him utilize several familiar items from the God of War series, such as his flaming bow, slo-mo jump, charge attack, Blade of Olympus, and even a QTE sequence. It all looks pretty sweet, and it's seriously making me question my preorder of the 360 version. Take a look. (Please visit the site to view this media)
God of War PSP dev working on 'new AAA IP' for consoles
By GameSpot, published 23-03-2011
Ready at Dawn job listing reveals studio is working on third-person action adventure for non-portable platforms. Ready at Dawn has several claims to fame. The Orange County, California-based studio developed the Wii version of Capcom's cult classic Okami, as well as the PSP favorite Daxter. However, its biggest titles were the two PSP entries in the God of War series: Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. Ready at Dawn is cooking up something for home consoles. While Ready at Dawn made its bones in the portable space, the company is now working on a title for non-handheld platforms. A job listing on the studio's site asks applicants, "Are you ready to work on an exciting new AAA IP for the home console?" Which console was not specified, but the gam...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for From Dust, Star Raiders, Yar's Revenge, and Full House Poker. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed.(Please visit the site to view this media)Special thanks go out to YouTube user AvatarItemsVideos for this early look at the Companion Cube prop in use. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/19/11
By GameInformer, published 20-03-2011
Check out the latest edition of Blog Herding. Happy reading! We Keep Saying We'll Play Them Again, But..."I'm sure every gamer out there has a stack of old games. Games that they loved to play but that have been set aside. I myself still have the entire Jak series, both Kingdom Hearts games, the original God of War, and FF X and XII sitting on shelves in my house. We keep saying to ourselves that we'll go back and play them again, but when was the last time any of us have?" o_JMan240_o explains.How Important Is Game Length To You? With the release of Homefront this week and the commonly cited short length of the single-player campaign, Hist poses the question about the importance of game length.(Concept) Game Informer Online: Let's Play - 00Eyros2k releases the ...
Amazon Hiring Developers For Android Kindle Tablet?
By SlashGear, published 18-03-2011
Amazon’s Android App Store is gearing up for a grand opening any day now. And to show that they’re serious about taking up the Android market, they’ve even scored an exclusive deal to carry the wildly popular lineup of Angry Birds games. Could these developments along with recent plans to hire more Android developers, be a sign that Amazon may soon be pushing an Android-based Kindle? This certainly wouldn’t be out of the question, considering a recent analyst’s report that a Kindle tablet would be the best competitor to the iPad. Amazon’s Lab126 department is focused on designing hardware and software for the Kindle, and hence their recent job postings requiring Android experience has peaked people’s imaginations on what could be ahead. Competin...
3DS could be good for kids' eyesight
By TechRadar, published 18-03-2011
The Nintendo 3DS console might be good for the eyesight of young children, despite Ninty warning that it shouldn't be used by kids under six.The news, which will come as a massive boost to five year-old hardcore gamers, comes from a leading optometrics group, which says it could help reveal problems that have to be caught early to be fixed.If youngsters are unable to see the glasses-less 3D effect served up by the console, then they might have amblyopia (lazy eye) which can be treated more easily while the vision is still developing."The 3DS could be a godsend for identifying kids under six who need vision therapy," said Michael Duenas of the American Optometric Association.Like an eye examDuenas says that only 15 per cent of kids under 6 get a comprehensive eye exam that would pick up pro...
3DS could be good for kids' eyesight
By TechRadar, published 18-03-2011
The Nintendo 3DS console might be good for the eyesight of young children, despite Ninty warning that it shouldn't be used by kids under six.The news, which will come as a massive boost to five year-old hardcore gamers, comes from a leading optometrics group, which says it could help reveal problems that have to be caught early to be fixed.If youngsters are unable to see the glasses-less 3D effect served up by the console, then they might have amblyopia (lazy eye) which can be treated more easily while the vision is still developing."The 3DS could be a godsend for identifying kids under six who need vision therapy," said Michael Duenas of the American Optometric Association.Like an eye examDuenas says that only 15 per cent of kids under 6 get a comprehensive eye exam that would pick up pro...
Nintendo 3DS Approved By Optometrists For Kids Under Six
By SlashGear, published 18-03-2011
You would think that all these years of being told not to sit too close to the TV, not to read a book too close, not to play video games for extended periods for the sake of your vision, that optometrists, of all people, would be up in arms against young children fixated for long hours on the dizzying 3D graphics of the Nintendo 3DS. But nope, they are all for it. In fact, they think the use of the Nintendo 3DS for children under the age of 6 will help identify vision problems early on. Despite manufacturer’s warnings that 3D screens should not be used by children 6 or younger for fear of harm to their immature vision, optometrists are saying the opposite. “The 3DS could be a godsend for identifying kids under 6 who need vision therapy,” said Michael Duenas, associate d...
Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2 win big at BAFTAs
By GameSpot, published 17-03-2011
Heavy Rain proves a critical favourite, picking up three British Academy awards; Mass Effect 2 wins the Best Game prize; Peter Molyneux awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement. Heavy Rain and Mass Effect 2 were the big winners at the British Academy Video Game Awards, with the PlayStation 3-exclusive Heavy Rain picking up prizes for Technical Innovation, Story, and Original Music, and Mass Effect 2 bagging the Best Game award. This year's awards were announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in a ceremony at the London Park Lane Hilton, presided over by celebrity host Dara O'Briain. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was awarded the gong for Best Gameplay and iOS title Cut the Rope was given the award for Best Handheld Game. To be eligible for nomination, games...
Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2 win big at BAFTAs
By GameSpot, published 17-03-2011
Heavy Rain proves a critical favourite, picking up three British Academy awards; Mass Effect 2 wins the Best Game prize; Peter Molyneux awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement. Heavy Rain and Mass Effect 2 were the big winners at the British Academy Video Game Awards, with the PlayStation 3-exclusive Heavy Rain picking up prizes for Technical Innovation, Story, and Original Music, and Mass Effect 2 bagging the Best Game award. This year's awards were announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in a ceremony at the London Park Lane Hilton, presided over by celebrity host Dara O'Briain. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was awarded the gong for Best Gameplay and iOS title Cut the Rope was given the award for Best Handheld Game. To be eligible for nomination, games...
Build It: Three Water-Cooling Techniques Detailed and Constructed
By MaximumPC, published 14-03-2011
Can an off-the-shelf cooling loop out-cool a custom-built system? I’m taking a standard midrange computer with a Core-i7 930 CPU (stock speed: 2.8GHz) and clocking it up to 4GHz. That’ll up my CPU’s heat output, and I’ll need better cooling. Water-cooling can be quieter and more effective than air, but isn’t necessarily cheap or easy to install. How much time and money do you need to spend to get good cooling? To answer this question, I’m testing three build options: a basic off-the-shelf liquid-cooling loop (Corsair’s H70), an all-inclusive Swiftech DIY kit, and finally, a custom-built water-cooling setup of my own configuration. How can I get the best performance for the least money, time, and aggravation? Ingredients Case Cooler Master HAF X $200 www.coolermaster-usa.co...
Shippin' Out March 13-19: Homefront, Shogun 2, Yakuza 4, Halo: Reach DLC
By GameSpot, published 14-03-2011
New release slate led by THQ's war-at-home shooter, Sega's period strategy game, Japanese mob title, and the Defiant Map Pack for Bungie's shooter; Top Spin 4, MotoGP 10/11, Gods Eater Burst, and Okamiden also out. It's a bountiful spring break at retail, as several high-profile new releases are out this week, including THQ's war-at-home shooter, Sega's open-world crime game, and 2K's latest tennis title. Leading the pack this week is THQ's Homefront for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Due out on Tuesday, the game was developed by Kaos Studios and is a story-driven shooter set after North Korea invades and occupies the United States. The single-player component sees the player as a member of the American resistance fighting the Korean People's Army in an attempt to regain con...
Top Spin, Homefront, And Showtunes—Weekly Roundup 3/14
By GameInformer, published 14-03-2011
Sure, we could focus on this week's release of Top Spin 4 or Homefront, or even give a shout out to Just Dance's Broadway-themed release. Instead, let's bow our heads to Nippon Ichi for having the guts/gall to release a game called "Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel" on the marketplace. Your move, Square Enix. GamesRetailAr tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel (PS3)Dance on Broadway (PS3, Wii)Fit in Six (PS3, Wii)Homefront (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)Jikandia: The Timeless Land (PSP)Top Spin 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)Trackmania: Build to Race (Wii)Warriors: Legends of Troy (PS3)Yakuza 4 (PS3) DownloadableMicrosoftFull House Poker (800 Microsoft Points) NintendoWiiWareLiight (500 Wii Point)Mix Superstar (500 Wii Points)DSiWare5 in 1 Mahjong (200 DSi Points)Plants vs. Zombies (800 DSi ...
Firefox VP Sides With Apple: Flash has to Go
By MaximumPC, published 13-03-2011
Apple has made its war against Adobe Flash a very public affair, but a new heavyweight has arrived to pitch in their support for the cause. Mozilla’s VP of products Jay Sullivan told Fast Company in a recent interview that flash was “plug-in prison”, and felt strongly that emerging standard such as HTML5 should be used whenever possible to help speed up its demise. When asked directly if he felt Flash was going away he responded, “I think so in the long run.” "A lot of it has to do with HTML5. With Firefox 4, Internet Explorer 9, and Chrome, to the extent that we provide functionality in enough browsers, then the developers will switch over to HTML5, especially in mobile, where you can't have Flash popping up on every page just to do some little animation. The idea that you'd hav...
Winners: 2011 Game Audio Network Guild Awards
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2011
The Game Audio Network Guild Awards may not draw attention on par with the GDC or IGF Awards, but is an important occasion celebrating the outstanding work being done in interactive entertainment audio. Chosen by peers comprising a 70-person committee, the final winners for excellence in audio have been announced. Winners are highlighted in red. Audio Of The YearBattlefield: Bad Company 2Dante's InfernoGod of War IIIHeavy RainRed Dead RedemptionMusic Of The YearAssassin's Creed: Brotherhood Bioshock 2Dante's InfernoHeavy RainJames Bond 007: Blood StoneRed Dead RedemptionSound Design Of The YearBattlefield: Bad Company 2Bioshock 2Dante's InfernoEnslaved: Odyssey to the West God of War IIIRed Dead Redemption Best Soundtrack AlbumBioshock 2 Dante's InfernoHalo: Reac...
GDC Microtalks: Jaffe, Lemarchand, Brathwaite on gaming's future
By GameSpot, published 03-03-2011
Ten game designers, thinkers, writers, and luminaries get together to talk about what the act of playing means to them. Who was there: David Jaffe (director of Twisted Metal and God of War series, cofounder of Eat Sleep Play); Michael John (creative director at EA); Richard Lemarchand (designer at Naughty Dog); Brenda Brathwaite (industry veteran, game designer, social media and gallery games maker); Asi Burak (copresident of Games for Change, a social impact games collective); Jamin Brophy-Warren (cofounder of Kill Screen magazine); Jason Rohrer (game maker and creator of Cultivation and Passage); Colleen Macklin (associate professor at Parsons the New School for Design); Naomi Clark (game designer, Gamestar Mechanic); and Brandon Boyer (games critic, writer, musician, chairman of the I...
Red Dead Redemption lassos Game Developers Choice Awards
By GameSpot, published 03-03-2011
GDC 2011: Rockstar San Diego's Western triumphs at Game Developers Conference's annual ceremony; Mass Effect 2, Limbo, Minecraft, also honored; full video inside. [ Watch Video ] Comment on this videoWatch this video in High Def Each year, the Game Developers Conference's crowning event is the Game Developers Choice Awards, one of the most prestigious ceremonies in gaming. Hosted once again by the comically gifted head of Double Fine Productions, Tim Schafer, the evening wasted no time in getting started, awarding the Best Audio trophy to Red Dead Redemption. John Marston can put the GDCA GOTY trophy on his shelf. After making a crack about his onetime legal foe Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Schafer went on to introduce the Best Debu...
Infinity Blade completed in five months
By GameSpot, published 03-01-2011
GDC 2011: Creative director Donald Mustard reveals the secrets behind Chair's development process for the Unreal Engine-powered iOS hit. Who was there: The Infinity Blade: How We Made a Hit, What We Learned, and Why You Can Do It Too! panel featured Chair's creative director, Donald Mustard. Chair completed Infinity Blade in five months because of its design philosophy and because it had to. What they talked about: Mustard began his presentation with some background on the name of his company, as it has bearing on the company's design philosophy. He said that it was inspired by Plato's Theory of Forms, in which the philosopher says that everything exists in a perfect metaphysical state and what we experience is an emulation of that. Plato uses the c...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Fantastic Pets, along with a Portal 2 Companion Cube video! If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed.(Please visit the site to view this media)Special thanks go out to YouTube user AvatarItemsVideos for this early look at the Companion Cube prop in use. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Fligh...
Gears of War 3 - Xbox360 - Preview
By Game Revolution, published 03-01-2011
Big. Thick. Meatier. Fun! When a game like Gears of War 3 has its release date pushed back by five months, there are going to be a lot of irritated gamers. Many of those have been fidgeting restlessly for two years now, playing the previous two Gears titles over and over in an attempt to get their fix. Others, whose curiosity was stirred by the cryptic teaser of the last installment, just want to know what the hell is going to happen. [image1]Microsoft understood this. They greeted the press with a red carpet welcome (well, parts of a red carpet, anyway). Top notch goodies and libations were handed out with top notch service. Anticipation mounted with the view of some twenty or so monitors lined up throughout the grand hall. The same thought seemed to be running through the minds of ev...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Portal 2 and Carnival Games.If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf – Play the Limited Collector's Edition Bonus disc Alien Breed 2Barne's Helmet &nd...
Fight Night Champion, Disgaea, Rift – Weekly Roundup 2/28
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2011
EA Sports' latest boxing game, Fight Night Champion, hits shelves this week, alongside Chuck E Cheese's Sports Games. Yes, sports fans, it's a glorious time to be alive. Aside from those releases, the MMO Rift is in stores, keeping company with a pair of Disgaea titles. On the download front, the HD remake of Beyond Good & Evil hits XBLA, and the Bit.Trip saga winds down with the WiiWare release of Bit.Trip.Flux. So there you go. GamesRetailChuck E Cheese’s Sports Games (Wii)Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice (PS3)Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness (PSP)Fight Night Champion (PS3, Xbox 360)Rango (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DS) Rift (PC) DownloadableMicrosoftBeyond Good & Evil HD (800 Microsoft Points)NintendoWiiWareBit.Trip.Flux (800 Wii Points)Gods vs Humans (1,200 Wii Poi...
Indie Week Day Three: Excellence In Design
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2011
[Welcome to Indie Week at gameinformer.com. We’ve got a full seven days of indie game coverage leading up to the 2011 Independent Games Festival Awards. Check back daily for coverage of the top independent games of the year.] Behind the evocative graphics, stirring music, and technical programming that make a game feel complete, there must be a blueprint that holds it all together -- a design concept that establishes the game and holds all the other pieces together. The IGF Excellence in Design award seeks to highlight those titles with exceptional and innovative design ideas -- especially those that take risks to explore new and different ideas not currently found in mainstream games. Previous winners include 2D Boy's World of Goo and Pocketwatch Games' unique heist game,...
God of War III leads Greatest Hits additions
By GameSpot, published 25-02-2011
Sony adds five more titles to lineup of budget-priced catalog titles, including Heavy Rain, ModNation Racers, UFC 2010, and Uncharted 2: Game of the Year Edition. Get the full article at GameSpot "God of War III leads Greatest Hits additions" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:30:55 -0800
Sony Adds Five PS3 Games To Greatest Hits Program
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2011
Sony's Greatest Hits program is a great way for budget-minded gamers to get some of the PS3's biggest and best titles at a bargain price. Today, Sony announced that it is adding five new titles to the program. The good news? These are some amazing games; three of them standing among the very best of this generation.New PS3 Greatest Hits Titles ($29.99 MSRP)God of War IIIHeavy RainModNation RacersUFC Undisputed 2010Uncharted 2: Among ThievesTo qualify for the Greatest Hits program, PS3 titles must surpass 500,000 in sales and be on the market for 10 months.
A Bloody Romp Through The Gears Of War 3 Multiplayer Beta
By GameInformer, published 24-02-2011
Last night I got my hands on the Gears of War 3 mutliplayer beta, and let me tell you, chainsawing guys in half is still a blast. The experience has improved dramatically from Gears of War 2 while still retaining the heavy, dramatic feel the series’ multiplayer is known for. Strap on your Cog armor and grab your lancer, here's what you have to look forward to in Gears of War 3’s multiplayer. One of the most important improvements to Gears of War’s multiplayer is also the least noticeable. Epic is addressing connectivity issues that fans complained about with Gears of War 2 by incorporating dedicated servers to the third entry. You no longer have to worry about rage quitters, imbalanced latency, or long waits in the match-making lobby. The feel of Gears of War 3&rsquo...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 23-02-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Torchlight, Swarm, and Deadliest Warrior.If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf – Play the Limited Collector's Edition Bonus disc Alien Breed 2Barne'...
A Bewitching Story Hindered By Nagging Gameplay
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2011
Knights Contract’s Heinrich is the antithesis of your typical video game protagonist. He’s old, arthritic, and scarred from head-to-toe. He walks with a limp, and every word he utters carries the sorrow of a lifetime of depression. He’s unlikable – intentionally so, perhaps – but the reasoning behind his state of mind and the means to cure it drives his story forward. Heinrich once served as an executioner that specialized in beheading witches. Through periodic flashback sequences we see Heinrich carrying out the orders of Faust, a power-hungry dictator hell bent on purifying the land. One of the witches touched by Heinrich’s scythe, named Gretchen, showed no fear. With her head resting gently on a wooden stump, she casts a curse on Heinrich before he c...
Warriors: Legends of Troy - Xbox360 - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 22-02-2011
OVERVIEW In Warriors: Legends of Troy, two great armies clash not over home and country, but for the love of a single woman. The fates of these civilizations now stand upon the razor's edge. 3000 years ago, a poet sang of heroes strong enough to stand alone against an army. For love, they sailed the world. For family, they made the greatest sacrifices. For honor, they stood and faced the will of gods, And fought a war which shook the earth. In the age when Zeus Almighty ruled over immortals and men, what begins as a truce between two cities quickly erupts into a massive war that will shake the very foundations of Olympus. FEATURES * Choose Sides: Do battle as the Trojans or the Greeks. With two unique storylines, players will see the war from two unique perspectives. *...
Warriors: Legends of Troy - PS3 - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 22-02-2011
OVERVIEW In Warriors: Legends of Troy, two great armies clash not over home and country, but for the love of a single woman. The fates of these civilizations now stand upon the razor's edge. 3000 years ago, a poet sang of heroes strong enough to stand alone against an army. For love, they sailed the world. For family, they made the greatest sacrifices. For honor, they stood and faced the will of gods, And fought a war which shook the earth. In the age when Zeus Almighty ruled over immortals and men, what begins as a truce between two cities quickly erupts into a massive war that will shake the very foundations of Olympus. FEATURES * Choose Sides: Do battle as the Trojans or the Greeks. With two unique storylines, players will see the war from two unique perspectives. *...
Crytek Talks About The Crysis 2 Leak
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2011
A little over a week ago, an early build of Crysis 2 was leaked onto the Internet. Though playable from start to finish, the iteration of the game was not complete. Crytek's executive producer Nathan Camarillo goes on the record talking about how the leak impacted the development team, and what pulled them out of their mire of depression. According to Camarillo, even though the build was leaked recently, the version was from mid-January. "With 250 people working on a project, thousands of bugs get fixed in a heartbeat. So that version is like a really ugly version that we don’t want anyone to see," he explains. Crytek was very sensitive to the negative reaction they received regarding the original Crysis's over-saturating marketing campaign. “We were really...
Molyneux gets BAFTA honour
By GameSpot, published 21-02-2011
Creator of Fable, Populous and Theme Park to receive Fellowship at the March ceremony. While the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has been honouring video games and their developers since 1998, it was not until 2007 that leading game creators were put on the same level as leading lights in the other creative arts. This was marked by Will Wright receiving a BAFTA fellowship--the highest honour the Academy can bestow. Peter Molyneux. After the awards' hiatus in 2008 the next developer to be inducted was Nolan Bushnell in 2009, followed by Shigeru Miyamoto in 2010. This year, the honour is to be bestowed on Peter Molyneux. The 51-year-old founder of Bullfrog and current head of Fable studio Lionhead is the first British developer to receive ...
Ophthalmologist Recommends Long-Term Trials On 3DS' Safety
By GameInformer, published 20-02-2011
Nintendo's 3DS has already garnered a ton of attention, thanks to its impressive 3D capabilities. Those very capabilities are also raising concerns from some in the medical community. The vice president of England's Royal College of Ophthalmologists had a chance to play with the system for a while, telling a British paper that he thinks that long-term trials on the potential effects would be sensible. Larry Benjamin played Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition in a session set up by The Independent. Afterward, he had this to say about the experience: "It's remarkable 3D, but it's fairly dependent on your position. If you're just five degrees off, it doesn't quite work, which is tiring for the eyes... you continually have to readjust to 3D vision and that's m...
David Jaffe Takes Gamer To Task Over Twisted Metal Flop Comments
By GameInformer, published 19-02-2011
David Jaffe is a bit of a loose cannon, which is why he's so interesting. It's rare to see developers willing to engage fans and players so often--and so frankly. Even if I don't always agree with him, I appreciate the fact that Jaffe speaks so candidly.A Twitter user recently directed a bit of a slam to Jaffe, saying that he thought that the Twisted Metal reboot was going to flop. In true Jaffe fashion, the developer took the time to respond and say that he doesn't care. It's not as though Jaffe is apathetic toward success, but as he explains, there's more to the gaming business than just being a hit factory. Jaffe says that his main goal when working on a game it to make a great game and to work with talented people. As he puts it, it's backward thinking to s...
Rift: Planes of Telara - PC - Preview
By Game Revolution, published 19-02-2011
Can’t we all just get along? A huge dragon trying to kill us as we speak! Rift tells a tale as old as time. The classic, heartwarming fantasy story about the end of the world – no, scratch that – the one and only hope to stop the end of the world. That’s you, if you couldn’t figure it out. Well, it’s technically you and your friends, and the members of your faction, and of course a bunch of NPCs… I guess it’s a lot of people, actually. [image1]But what else would you expect (or want) from an MMORPG? And the folks at Trion have set some high goals: Rift aims to emulate the best parts of WoW’s staggeringly successful formula while at the same time eliminating the stuff that hinders the MMO experience and adding a few unique elements ...
Weekend Warrior 02/18/11
By GameInformer, published 19-02-2011
The snow is finally starting to melt in the Midwest! Still you may find most of us inside playing our favorite games. What are we playing this weekend? Read on to find out then add your gaming plans in the comments section! Kato: I’m not actually planning on playing a lot of video games this weekend, believe it or not. Going to watch a fair amount of hockey on TV, hoping to read a bit of Game of Thrones, and hoping to practice some guitar. Oh, and I’ve got a family as well. Of course, when I say I’m not really going to play games this weekend, I imagine I will anyway in some form or another.Tim: With Dead Space 2 behind me, this weekend will be dedicated to exploring another outer space adventure pitting a lone, armored survivor against an alien race. I’ll be play...
Watson on Jeopardy: Watson Wins!
By MaximumPC, published 17-02-2011
If you missed the round one and two recaps, shame on you. Catch up on the action here and here. Let's be honest: Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter had slim chances of winning the IBM Jeopardy Challenge after the bludgeoning they suffered at the hands of the IBM supercomputer Watson last night (their final score is the combined total from the first two rounds). But they did have their pride to play for. We covered the match as it happened, so I won't bore you with a second play-by-play, but a few things stood out in this round. Ken Jennings was thirsty for blood (silicon?) tonight. After struggling to buzz in faster than Watson during in the first match, Jennings was noticeably quicker in this match, buzzing in first and thinking about the correct response after. As a result, he finished...
Respawn Picks Up Two God Of War III Developers
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2011
Vince Zampella and Jason West already have a solid team at Respawn thanks to the mass exodus from Infinity Ward, but they're not done hiring yet. From the looks of his LinkedIn profile, God of War III's Justin Hendry has joined the team as a senior designer (the same role he played at Sony Santa Monica). NowGamer is also reporting that former God of War environment artist Robert Taube is also on board. Considering that this duo is coming from such a different style of game, we can't help but wonder if Respawn has something different than an FPS up its sleeve.
Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2011
Today Guinness revealed its list of the top 50 video game characters of all time, and if you don't agree with it, you only have yourself to blame. And something tells us that gamers will find plenty to disagree with. While no-brainers like Mario, Link, and Solid Snake made the top five, some of the other choices are more controversial, such as "Soap" MacTavish edging out Nathan Drake, Naruto topping Altair, and "Leisure Suit" Larry Laffer beating Street Fighter's Ryu. The list was chosen via an online poll on the Guinness website, during which more than 13,000 gamers voted. Here's the complete list -- what do you think? 1. Mario (Donkey Kong, Nintendo, 1981)2. Link (The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, 1986)3. ...
Players Decide The Best PSN Game Of 2010
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2011
There was a glut of good games released for Sony platforms in 2010, many of which were downloadable. Sony wants you decide which were the very best of 2010 by downloading themes which correspond to the game you want to win. Whichever game wins will be available on PSN at a price 30 percent less than usual, while PlayStation Plus subscribers can get it for 50 percent off. The voting will last from February 22 until March 1. The nominees: Best PS3 Downloadable Game Castle Crashers Costume Quest Death Spank PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Best PlayStation Network Exclusive Game Dead Nation Hustle Kings Joe Danger Sam & Max Ep. 1 Soldner-X2 Best PSP Downloadable Game God of War: Ghost of Sparta Lunar Silver Star Harmony Phantasy Star Portab...
UPDATE: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2011
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Islands of Wakfu.If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf – Play the Limited Collector's Edition Bonus disc Alien Breed 2Barne's Helmet – Kill 5...
Reader Discussion: Do You Still Play Music Games?
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2011
Well, according to Activision's recent execution of the DJ and Guitar Hero brands, the answer to that question is no. And then there are the Harmonix layoffs and Viacom ditching the company all together. The music game genre has gone beyond turbulent times, and appears to be in a full-on nosedive. So what role have your gaming habits played in the rise and fall of music games? I'll never forget the first time I got my hands on Guitar Hero at a friend's house. This guy never played games seriously, but everyone was gathered around the TV holding Fisher Price-looking instruments and wearing huge grins. One of my favorite songs, Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," was blaring through the TV speakers, and that's when I noticed that the folks holding the guitar controller...
Review: Palit GeForce GTX 560 Ti Sonic
By TechRadar, published 02-11-2011
Affordable and factory overclocked, Palit's GeForce GTX 560 Ti Sonic could be the ideal iteration of Nvidia's latest mid-range Fermi.The GeForce GTX 560 Ti caused a bit of a stir last month when it first hit our test benches. We were, and still are, fans of the GTX 460 and were hoping for more of the same graphical goodness in this next generation. Unfortunately though it doesn't hold as special a place in our heart as the GTX 460 though, but that's actually nothing to do with the card itself. It's still a speedy little daemon, and it's still coming in at the price/performance sweetspot of £200.The issue here is that the market has moved onwards since the inception of the GTX 460, or more specifically the competition has moved on.There was nothing to touch the original mid-range Fermi whe...
Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption Dominate 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards
By GameInformer, published 02-11-2011
BioWare's sci-fi RPG landed three awards, including game of the year, while Rockstar's gritty Western wrangled five trophies at the annual DICE awards show. In addition to the Mass Effect 2 accolades, BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk were inducted into the hall of fame for their impressive resumes that include critically acclaimed titles like Dragon Age, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Baldur's Gate, and Jade Empire. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences also awarded former EA bigwigs Bing Gordon and Bill Budge with the lifetime achievement and pioneer awards, respectively. The creators of Heavy Rain, Limbo, and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty also had nights to remember, with each title garnering multiple awards. "The Interactive Achievement ...
Nintendo 3DS launch line-up confirmed
By TechRadar, published 02-08-2011
Nintendo has revealed the full line-up of games to be available on 25 March when the Nintendo 3DS launches in the UK. Pilotwings Resort promises to make good use of the device's 3D view to explore Wuhu Island from the air.Meanwhile,Street Fighter IV 3D edition will also be available, with 35 characters, bonus stages and "cinematic" ultra combos, as well as online multi-player mode.Non-Nintendo games available on launch day include Sims 2, PES 2011 3D, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, Ridge Racer 3D, Super Monkey Ball 3D, Samurai Warriors: Chronicles, Asphalt, Splinter Cell 3D and Rayman 3D. And that's not allComing soon, Nintendo promises, are classic favourites like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Mario Kart, Paper Mario and Animal Crossing. One week after launch you can look ...
Review: Acer Revo RL100
By TechRadar, published 02-08-2011
There's something seductive about slimeline black slabs of technology. Perhaps it's the indoctrination that black monoliths are a gateway to some godly realm or better yet, that they might play your Blu-ray discs without making too much of a racket. To add to the clutter of boxes huddling up to your TV for warmth, Acer has its very own slab of tech to throw into the ring. In many ways it's an unassuming thing, being just 25mm thick, 300mm high and 180mm deep. But inside that chassis it packs enough to connect, entertain and surprise us all. The key is its Blu-ray/DVD-RW combo drive and HDMI v1.4 video output. We say this is key because it means this comes Blu-ray 3D-ready. Currently you're either rolling your eyes and these words are possibly flying through the air with the rest of the mag...
In Depth: 4G mobile broadband and LTE explained
By TechRadar, published 02-08-2011
Today's 3G/UMTS networks were only launched in 2003, but plans are already well underway for replacement 4G mobile broadband technologies. In the US, Sprint has invested in the 802.16e WiMAX standard, while Verizon is rolling out a rival Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Both promise mobile internet connectivity speedier than your home broadband.It's easy to get excited. Especially considering that CES 2011 saw several companies unveil 4G mobile phones designed specifically for next-gen 4G networks. These included the show-stealing Motorola Atrix, which boasts a dual-core Tegra processor and 4-inch (540 x 960 pixel) screen. Not to mention the Samsung Infuse (with its incredible 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display) and the HTC Thunderbolt.THUNDERBOLT: The HTC Thunderbolt is designed for Ver...
Ultimate Geek Living Room: 14 Must-See Entertainment & Lifestyle Technologies
By MaximumPC, published 02-07-2011
It’s your command center. Your sanctuary. Your high-tech entertainment pavilion serving audiophile-caliber music, 3D HDTV, and sundry other digital treats. It's your living room, and it demands the most maximum gear. In this article, we included only products that are currently for sale, and we personally tested every single piece of gear, picking only those products we could personally endorse. Indeed, this is no superficial gadget catalog that you’d find in your junk mail, and we’re not one of those websites that profiles something just because it looks cool. Our homes are becoming fully technologized, and we aim to reveal the very best of today’s domestic tech revolution. Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT25 Plasma 3D HDTV Should your next HDTV be LCD or plasma? Partisans in both camps w...
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood wins Writers Guild trophy
By GameSpot, published 02-07-2011
Ubisoft's action-adventure beats out Fallout, God of War III, Prince of Persia, Singularity, and Force Unleashed II; organization defends process that excluded Red Dead, Mass Effect 2. Over the weekend, the Writers Guild of America handed out trophies in its annual Writers Guild Awards. Top honors in film went to Christopher Nolan for his original screenplay for Inception and to Aaron Sorkin for his adapted screenplay for The Social Network. TV series that scored plaudits included Mad Men, Modern Family, and Boardwalk Empire. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood took top honors at the WGAs Saturday night. The WGAs also have a video game category, where the winner was Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. The game's story was written by Jeffrey Yohalem, ...
Cars, Kicks, Kinect--Weekly Roundup 2/7
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2011
All right, finally some games. The games releasing this week are a pretty eclectic group, including a Kinect game from the mind of the Brain Age guru, a sports compilation from Nintendo, and the welcome return of quiz game you Don't Know Jack. In addition to that, Double Fine's Stacking hits the PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace. Of course, I'd be remiss not to call out the theatrical release of the Justin Bieber's 3D film Never Say Never. What a great time to be alive. GamesRetailBody and Brain Connection (Xbox 360 Kinect)Dungeons (PC)Mario Sports Mix (Wii)Naruto Shippuden: Shinobi Rumble (Wii)Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)You Don’t Know Jack (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS)DownloadableNintendoVirtual ConsoleS.C.A.T. (500 Wii Points)WiiWareLIT (800 Wii Points)Sp...
Android Community Wants Writers!
By SlashGear, published 02-05-2011
Do you think you have what it takes to be a member of our sister site Android Community’s team of writer/editors? Do you like odd hours and part time jobs where your primary goal is to find our more about your favorite mobile operating system then write up stories in an extremely speedy manner? How about reviewing fabulous new phones, would you enjoy something along those lines? All of this could be YOURS if you submit your information to Android Community and get hired as a worker! The original listing for this job lies here, below this paragraph. Follow along and see for yourself if the requirements are something you feel as though you fit, and be sure to submit your information to the correct email to ensure quick responses and a fast path to superstardom as an Android Community...
Kitchen Counter Tech: 25 Essential Culinary Gadgets Through the Ages
By MaximumPC, published 02-03-2011
Mission-Specific Cooking Gadgets: The 25 Best, Worst, and Weirdest of All Time Give a pro chef the right ingredients, and he can make a mind-blowing meal with tools no more fancy than a sharp knife and a hot stove top. And then there’s the rest of us. We need cooking gadgets—because we wouldn’t be able to extract the juice from an orange without the help of electrical power, or cook a hot dog without a custom weenie-roaster. There’s something intrinsically kitschy about cooking gadgets. They’re just so damned mission-specific, performing a single, specialized task, often in the service of the most lowbrow or faddish of culinary trends. Think about it. A 10-inch chef’s knife isn’t kitschy. It can cut, chop, slice, dice, and mince. It’s a work horse. But a melon baller? It os...
NGP Wishlist
By GameInformer, published 02-03-2011
Sony’s NGP (Next-Generation Portable) was recently announced in Tokyo with great fanfare at the PlayStation Meeting. Once unveiled, the folks at Sony broke down some of the system’s features including front and rear touch screens, two cameras for the possibility of augmented reality, dual analog sticks, gyroscope, accelerometer, graphics on par with the PS3, and more. Still, what good is an impressive feature set without the software to back it up? Though the original PSP was fine multimedia machine, it only had a few winners in its game library, which was not nearly enough to compete with Nintendo’s DS. Not to mention that the PSPgo was DOA. Can Sony make amends with its upcoming handheld? According to Sony, 82 publishers have already signed on to support the NGP with f...
Enslaved sells 460,000, Namco Bandai returns to profit
By GameSpot, published 02-03-2011
Publisher and toy maker posts $45.3 million profit as acclaimed action adventure game underperforms. Following Sony, Konami, Electronic Arts, Square Enix, and THQ, Namco Bandai became the latest game company to post earnings results this week. For the nine months ending December 31, 2010, the publisher and toy maker reported net sales of ¥288 billion ($3.5 billion), up from ¥282.8 billion ($3.4 billion) the year prior. Net income--aka profit--was ¥3.7 billion ($45.3 million), way up from the ¥11.7 billion loss ($143.3 million) the company posted the year prior. Enslaved didn't do as much monkey business as Namco had hoped. In terms of games, the company's best-selling title for the current fiscal year remains Tekken 6. The PlaySt...
Play Co-op Or Not At All
By GameInformer, published 02-01-2011
The last time I had this much stupid fun blowing things up in a video game was years ago with Painkiller. My time with Magicka was cut short before I'd had my fill of its flexible combat system, though, and not because of any impending deadline. Single-player becomes unplayable due to horrid level design halfway through, and technical problems continue to mar online co-op. Still, the affair between Magicka and myself was hot enough despite its brevity. The fact that it costs less than a movie ticket and doesn't subject you to 90 minutes of Jennifer Aniston helps.The plot doesn't do anything more than make a few Star Wars and 300 jokes along the way to setting up a few thousand enemies between you and some kind of existential threat to the world. There are almost no RPG element...
Original Grand Theft Auto 'almost canned'
By GameSpot, published 02-01-2011
Then-series developer DMA Design's Gary Penn says top-down title nearly shelved because it was "awful"; GTA: IV life-to-date sales sit at 17 million. The Grand Theft Auto franchise is one of the most recognizable brands in the game industry, with the latest entry, Grand Theft Auto IV, scoring a top rating and selling 17 million copies since debuting in 2008. However, the first entry in the series almost never got off the ground. In an interview with industry site Gamasutra, Gary Penn of DMA Design (which later became Rockstar North) said the original series entry was nearly shelved; not because of politics, but rather because the game was unstable and "awful." The game that started it all. "It never really felt like it was going anywhere. It was almo...
Why Your Call Dropped: Annoyances Explained!
By MaximumPC, published 28-01-2011
The call just died, and for no apparent reason. You were just walking down the street, for God's sake. So, let's talk about it: What happened? To you, this situation was simple, and nothing really changed: You walked a few feet and your phone stopped working. To your phone, though, the scene was quite a bit more interesting. To understand the world as seen by a cellphone, it helps to imagine a massive grid. On this grid, there are cell towers, some tall and conspicuous, others hidden. These towers each carry calls placed within a certain radius. In an open, rural environment, this radius can be a few kilometers. In a city, it can be well under 500 meters. These areas of coverage generally overlap, so that there's nowhere a phone can be where it doesn't have a tower to talk to. A phone kee...
Review: Sanyo PLV-Z4000
By TechRadar, published 26-01-2011
Sanyo's Z Series LCD projectors have given us some cracking 1080p models at aggressive price points – and now there's a new flagship. The Z4000 keeps to the formula and packs in high-end features like optical lens shift, while the price hits a new low. The most exciting area for home cinema projection is the entry-level full HD arena, for it's here that you'll find the hottest competition between brands and projectors, with 1080p resolution and 100Hz processing changing hands for little more than a grand. Sanyo has competed strongly here in the past, and the new Z4000 wades right in with its 3LCD technology and motorised lens cover. What you're getting is a full HD 3LCD projector with a bright 1,200 lumens lamp and features such as optical lens shift and 100Hz motion processing that you ...
Dead Space, Two Worlds--Weekly Roundup 1/24
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2011
This week sees the release of Visceral Games' Dead Space 2 and the Two Worlds follow-up from Reality Pump. They couldn't be more different from one another, aside from the fact that you're fighting monsters in each one. Oh, monsters. If you'd rather fight airplanes, 1942 is hitting the Virtual Console. The first season of Webster is coming out on DVD as well, and you can just put your own joke about that in this space: ______________. GamesRetailDead Space 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)Two Worlds II (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) DownloadableNintendoVirtual Console1942 (800 Wii Points)Black Tiger (800 Wii Points) WiiWareFish’em All! (800 Wii Points)Furry Legends (1,000 Wii Points)Jam City Rollergirls (1,000 Wii Points) DSiWareAnte Up: Texas Hold’em (500 DSi Points)Airport Mania: ...
The Last Word: January 16-22
By GameSpot, published 22-01-2011
An abbreviated week was jam-packed with gaming content, thanks to the 3DS event and...Duke Nukem Forever getting a launch date? It was a short work week in the US, thanks to the Martin Luther King holiday. However, that didn't stop the remaining days from being jam-packed with major gaming news, including dual Nintendo events in New York and Amsterdam. Those produced a bevy of previews of 3DS games, as well the handheld's price ($250) and launch date (March 27). In New York, GameSpot Live was also on hand to capture many of the games on video along with Nintendo's presentation itself. Several games were also reviewed this week, including the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect. The 3DS arrives on March 27 for $250. THE LAST WORD: JANUARY 16-22 NEW RELEAS...
Bill Budge staking AIAS Pioneer claim
By GameSpot, published 22-01-2011
Pinball Construction Set creator to be honored at 2011 DICE Summit for seminal work helping people easily build their own games. The 2011 DICE Summit is just under a month away, and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has just about rounded out its award lists. Today, the AIAS said that it would confer the second annual Pioneer Award to Bill Budge, whose 30-year career has covered ground at such tech heavyweights as Apple, 3DO, Electronic Arts, Sony Computer Entertainment, and Google. Budge also created Raster Blaster. While Budge is not a household name, his accomplishments are highlighted by his early-career emphasis on creating tools to help people build their own games. Specifically, Budge created the 3-D Game Tool, which gave non-programmer...
Mortal Kombat hits stores April 19
By GameSpot, published 21-01-2011
Warner Bros. nails down date for latest installment in notoriously gory fighting franchise on PS3, Xbox 360. The fighters of the next Mortal Kombat tournament can finally start making their travel plans (and funeral arrangements), as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today set an April 19 release date for the blood-soaked Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 brawler. Given that Reptile's spit is actually acid, this move adds injury to insult. As the first installment in the franchise since 2008's T-for-Teen-rated Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the upcoming Mortal Kombat was designed with the goal of "reestablishing the brand," according to WBIE president Martin Tremblay. That means a return to the series' signature over-the-top fatalities and copious quanti...
Skyrim’s Dragon Shouts
By GameInformer, published 21-01-2011
Many aspects of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will feel familiar to longtime fans. The exploration of a vast open world, first-person combat, and interacting systems of melee, magic, and stealth are all tent pole ideas within the franchise. However, Skyrim introduces something new into the gameplay mix: dragon shouts. This special new set of powers stand apart from the existing magic system, offering a broad range of powerful effects. The ability to attain these abilities is unique to your hero in the world, and the path to attaining them is a quest in itself within the larger tale that unfolds over the course of the game. Dragon shouts give the player the same overwhelming might that drives the resurgent dragon population, and the same source of power that launched the last line of emperors...
Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved, God of War lead IAA nominees
By GameSpot, published 20-01-2011
Rockstar Western leads the pack with nine nods for Interactive Achievement Awards, Namco Bandai action game and Sony's mythological trilogy caper secure six nominations each. If it's an honor just to be nominated, no game has been honored more by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences this year than Red Dead Redemption. The AIAS announced the finalists for its 14th annual Interactive Achievement Awards, giving Rockstar San Diego's open-world Western shooter nominations in nine different categories--including Game of the Year--more than any other title. Red Dead Redemption could be adding to its trophy case. Red Dead Redemption has already been named GameSpot's 2010 Game of the Year and was among the nominees for the Game Developers Choice Award...
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God of War 3 : (9.4/10)
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Ghost Trick : Phantom Detective : (8/10)
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