Assassin's Creed 3 'UbiWorkshop Edition' announced

If you haven't yet purchased your copy of Assassin's Creed 3 then you may be interested in this new special edition that has just been made public.

The Assassin's Creed 3 UbiWorkshop Edition has just been revealed and includes either the PS3 or Xbox 360 version of the game, the second edition of the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia and a graphic novel titled Assassin's Creed: Subject 4.

The Assassin's Creed graphic novel contains the whole Daniel Cross/Nikolai Orelov narrative arc obtained by merging Assassin's Creed The Fall and its sequel Assassin's Creed The Chain.

The price for this special edition is normally $109.99, but can be bought today via the UbiWorkshop site for $99.99.

Assassin's Creed 3 UbiWorkshop Edition is the latest special edition being offered, joining The Freedom Edition and the Join or Die Edition announced back in March.

Via: Assassin's Creed 3 'UbiWorkshop Edition' announced

LittleBigPlanet Karting multiplayer to be unveiled at E3

With E3 less than a week away, Sony has revealed their plans for LittleBigPlanet Karting. 

Sony will be unveiling the game's multiplayer mode, which will support one to four players offline and one to eight players online. Outside of the announcement that they will be showing off multiplayer gameplay, Sony San Diego producer Kyle Zundel didn't reveal much else, except that it will be "addictively fun".

"We’ll also be showing off more of the single-player campaign that users will be able to explore, as well as some of the additional non-racing experiences that are unique to LBP Karting, so get ready!" he teased.

In addition to the E3 announcement, Zundel reminded us about the LittleBigPlanet Karting pre-order bonus offer. Those who pre-order the game through Amazon or GameStop will receive a bonus voucher code that grants access to the Kevin Butler DLC Pack, which includes the Kevin Butler Sackboy Costume and Executive Golf Kart.

Via: LittleBigPlanet Karting multiplayer to be unveiled at E3

'Major' Sonic & All-stars Racing Transformed announcement coming at E3

SEGA will be making a "major announcement" at E3 next week for their upcoming title Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the company announced today.

For those who haven't heard of the game, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a new racing experience featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and the rest of the SEGA cast.  Players will race across land, air, and water in vehicles that fully transform from cars to plants to boats.

We don't have any idea what the announcement will be, but we are excited to find out next week at E3.  All we know right now is that there will be a "large reveal", so your guess is as good as ours.  Maybe they will announce it as a Wii U title as well?

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is currently set to launch in late 2012 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, and PC.

What do you think/want the announcement to be?

Via: 'Major' Sonic & All-stars Racing Transformed announcement coming at E3

Sorcery review

The game puts you in control of Finn, a young magician who tries to learn magic while keeping out of harm’s way, even while his master’s cat, Erline, taunts him over it.  However, one day, a nemesis manages to kill said master, and with his dying words, he wants Finn to protect Erline at all costs, as it’s much more than it seems.  Throughout the rest of the game, you’ll battle enemies using magical spells of different elements, keeping them at bay while trying to solve the mystery revolving around that darn cat.

For a Move game, Sorcery shows a lot more structure than previous efforts like Medieval Moves and, obviously, those lame dance games.  The story is actually quite involving, with a few twists and turns you might not see coming and plenty of heartwarming moments as Finn eventually evolves into a master magician.  Likewise, the way you can level up your character is pretty cool, upgrading your spells so that they’re far more effective.  (You’ll need to do this too, especially against tougher boss enemies.)

Sadly, all this magic is somewhat dwindled by the repetitive Move controls.  While they are responsive, you don’t really get to do much outside of thrusting the controller to throw spells and occasionally doing a secondary action – like pouring contents into a bottle.  And that’s really about it.  The lack of a general DualShock control option really hurts here, because the game would’ve been enjoyed by a far greater audience with it, I think.

As for the game itself, it’s fun, though there isn’t really much variety in the enemies you face (four or five at best) and, again, most of the spells you cast just end up being the same old thing.  And yet when you do get the occasional boss battle, where you have to use strategy to stay alive, it’s startlingly good.  Too bad there aren’t more of these.

For a game that’s about two years past its initial announcement at E3, Sorcery has aged pretty well.  The graphics are very good, with plenty of magical environments to run through and some great looking bosses.  Your hero, however, has looked better, as his facial animation is lacking in a few places.

The audio fares much better.  A great score plays throughout your adventure, so you really feel motivated to continue onward, and the sound effects really make you feel more like Harry Potter, even though you don’t need those dorky glasses – or a damn scar – to get the job done.

If Sorcery had included a regular control scheme, I think the score would’ve definitely bumped up to an 8, for sure.  As it stands, however, it’s a decent Move effort, but some folks are likely to lose interest the moment their arms start getting sore.  Too bad – this could’ve been a really magical summer hit. 

Via: Sorcery review

Sony targeting 2013 release for PS4, considered download-only at first

The PlayStation 4 - codenamed Orbis - hasn't been announced or even acknowledged by Sony yet, but is "targeting" a 2013 release for the rumored next-gen console.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the PS4 not only suggested the 2013 release date, but indicated that Sony, at one point, considered a "download-only plan" for its next console.

Ultimately, the company decided to include an optical disc drive and abandoned the idea of download-only, but not for reasons you may think.

"Sony decided against a download-only model largely because Internet connections are too inconsistent around the world," one of the WSJ sources said. "Because game files are large, customers in countries where Internet connections are relatively slow would be hobbled by a requirement to download games."

Sony declined to comment on the speculation.  Regardless of why Sony decided to include an optical disc drive, I'm sure many PlayStation fans are happy.

[WSJ]

Via: Sony targeting 2013 release for PS4, considered download-only at first

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier review

The Clancy franchise has been evolving lately into a more straightforward approach to shooters; in other words, "we're busting in guns blazing, tango out." Recon, though, continues to be the outlier for Clancy, as seen in this most recent installment. Future Soldier identifies itself rather quickly and maintains it through most of the action. Players will quickly become accustomed to silent, tactical killing, using squad-based signals in a satisfying way. Fans who crave action should not shake this one off though. Future Soldier does not shy away from action. Instead, it conveniently spaces out its stealth and "guns blazing" sequences where players will always be on their toes. Add in a jaw-dropping tagging system, dubbed "Sync Shot," where you're able to pick out foes for your squad to kill on your mark, and you've got yourself a hefty diet of excellent gameplay. 

In case you've been out of the loop, Recon once again revolves around the gritty military group called the Ghosts. Your squad of four begins its journey by responding to the death of another Ghost squad through crucial intel on the projected killer. The small scaled response quickly intensifies into a full-fledged arms race with warheads and lots of bad guys. The 12-hour campaign plays out forthright in that you're always aware of your tasks and why you're doing them. One would assume, then, that you're able to develop an emotional attachment to your squad, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Also, you'll begin to feel like your tasks are all the same: get to point A, retrieve your target, and then get to point B for extraction. Luckily, Future Soldier's gameplay makes this mission set-up worthwhile, especially during the later missions. 

Your objectives throughout Future Soldier won't leave you fighting in one location (but you already knew that, right?). From the streets of South America to the cold air of Russia, Future Soldier branches out quite well. As you're presented greater threats throughout the campaign, you become aware of a true, futuristic war. Enemies begin to counterattack with gadgets that you'd expect to see in ​Star Trek or Men in Black III​, but it's what sets the tone of the game. It also doesn't hurt that Ubisoft beefed up the graphics from earlier previews so that it can now stand toe-to-toe with today's shooters. It's nothing innovative but it's definitely a pretty game with detailed locations that you'll undoubtedly appreciate. 

How well does Future Soldier's formula transfer to online play, you ask? Quite outstanding. Unlike other shooter's attempts to call their multiplayer team-based, Future Soldier's truly thrives off team play. Each mode depends on players' ability to utilize their class' strengths to counteract opponents. It'll leave you with an accomplished feeling when you win a match, and will leave you pondering your team's strategy when you fall in defeat — this is exactly what an excellent multiplayer should do. In addition to your standard modes, Future Soldier includes a ​Mass Effect 3​-like "Horde" mode called "Guerilla" where players must fend off waves of enemies at various locations on a map. It doesn't quite offer the same experience as multiplayer, but it's something that you and three buddies can thoroughly enjoy.

In an industry that's not easily surprised, we can most definitely say that Ghost Recon: Future Soldier ​has done just that. The game's excellent stealth sequences pave the way for an above average story. Jump online and the action only reinforces the fantastic gameplay. Of course, Future Soldier has its faults and nit-picky issues like AI responsiveness and unpredictable in-game alarm alerts, but they're easily overlooked by the hours of third-person shooter fun that highlights the game. Whether you're a Tom Clancy connoisseur or a newcomer to the franchise's library, you'll quickly applaud Ubisoft for everything Future Soldier is. And it is everything we wanted it to be and more. 

Via: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier review

Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' DLC available on Xbox 360 and PC, coming soon to PS3

Mass Effect 3's new Rebellion Pack DLC is now available on Xbox 360 and PC, and will be arriving on PS3 later this afternoon/evening.  The new expansion, free for those who redeemed an Online Pass for Mass Effect 3 on any platform, brings new maps, characters and weapons, along with an all-new objective mode.

In recognition of today's launch, BioWare has released a new trailer showing off all of these goodies.

The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion opens two new fronts against the Reapers: Firebase Jade’s jungle reservoir and Firebase Goddess on Thessia. In-game reinforcement packs now include three new weapons (Reegar Carbine, Krysae Sniper Rifle, Cerberus Harrier) as well as equipment, consumables, and six new characters from species that have lost lives or whole planets to the Reapers: Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator, Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel, Ex-Cerberus Adept and Vanguard (each with their own unique abilities and loadouts).  Check out the individual descriptions of each add-on here.

Via: Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' DLC available on Xbox 360 and PC, coming soon to PS3

Uncharted 3 patch 1.12 deployed

Naughty Dog has released a patch for Uncharted 3 today which will be available across all regions except Japan over the next 24 hours.

The minor patch update contains a technical fix that eliminates all cinema files recorded prior to patch 1.11.  It will delete all local and online cinema files.

In addition to today's patch, Naughty Dog promised more information regarding future updates to Uncharted 3 multiplayer including more details about the Lab and other upcoming multiplayer events.  The Lab, if you don't already know, is a competitive multiplayer playlist added to Uncharted 3 in the recent 1.11 patch.

Via: Uncharted 3 patch 1.12 deployed

Sony readying PlayStation Plus revamp reveal at E3

According to multiple sources, Sony is preparing a revamp of their subscription-based PlayStation Plus service which will be revealed during its E3 press conference next week.

Sources close to Eurogamer have indicated that part of Sony's E3 press conference will be devoted to the PlayStation Plus revamp in an attempt to convince users to sign up with the service that offers free games, huge discounts, early access to exclusive demos and betas of upcoming titles, and more.

Sony is said to be enticing users to sign up by giving subscribers top tier games for free while implementing proper integration with PS Vita.  Plus on the Vita will supposedly offer exclusive Vita titles, DLC, and cloud services rather than having to connect the handheld to the PS3 or PC to backup saved content.

"By the way, if you don't have a PS+ subscription, now is the time to get one. For real. Just get 3 months if you aren't sure. Trust me," PlayStation Plus content manager Ross McGrath said on his Twitter page.

Sony's E3 conference is set to take place on Monday, June 4th at 6:00 PM.  If you are unable to attend, you can tune in to the event via the PlayStation Blog or stream it live on your PlayStation 3.

[Eurogamer]

Via: Sony readying PlayStation Plus revamp reveal at E3

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Review

In the game, you guide the good doctor through a series of side-scrolling segments, using the left analog stick to control his movements and the right to guide his sonic screwdriver, his “weapon” of choice, if you will.  You’ll spend a good amount of time picking locks to progress through the game, and the other part you’ll spend trying to figure out why the computer AI can’t make River climb something as simple as a ladder.  As a result, you’ll restart the level – often – just to make sure you can keep progressing forward.

While there’s an interesting story here (I won’t spoil it for long-time Doctor Who fans), the fact is it just takes forever to get anywhere.  The lock picking game pops up so often that you grow tired of it, and the puzzles that are included don’t really offer that much diversity.  Worse yet, the time required to solve them dwindles down as you get further into the game, making it unnecessarily harder as a result.

To alleviate the “stupid River” issue, Doctor Who does come with a local co-op mode, where one player can control the Doctor and another can handle River and the sonic blaster.  But the aiming is way off, forcing you to actually miss enemies from above and hope you don’t get vaporized.  I mean, come on, even Bill and Lance could shoot enemies above them.  This doesn’t make sense.

It’s really sad that the gameplay never meshes, because everything else in Doctor Who really clicks.  The graphics remind us of some great classic 16-bit games, with plenty of ambience and detail that stem straight from the TV show.  And BBC even called upon Murray Gold to provide a traditional soundtrack for the game, along the same lines as the one as he does for the show.  Matt Smith and Alex Kingston also come along for the ride, with humorous dialogue and unflappable character portrayal that they do best.  Fans may buy the game just for them alone.  (Well, and the hidden hats throughout the game.)

Doctor Who is a perfect example of a license converted into a video game, but missing that certain spark to make it as good as the shows.  The problematic gameplay and bugs make it near impossible to really get the enjoyment that BBC intended initially with the game, which is a shame.  I’ve never had to turn away the good Doctor before…but there’s a first time for everything.

Via: Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Review

Inversion wants you to fight without gravity

Ever felt like third person shooters were way too...grounded? INVERSION wants to challenge that fact and bring on the gunfights to an all new level.

Developed by Saber Interactive, INVERSION challenges players to master the forces of gravity to create moveable cover, use enemies as projectiles, and navigate through zero-gravity segments.

In this little gameplay teaser, we get a glimpse of just how gravity works, which means you'll easily be running up buildings while blasting your enemies in the face. Awesome.

You can look forward to defying gravity with INVERSION in only less than two weeks, as it releases on June 5th.

Via: Inversion wants you to fight without gravity

Lollipop Chainsaw special edition contents revealed

Lollipop Chainsaw from the legendary Suda 51 and James Gunn pits a sexy zombie hunter, Juliet Starling, against endless hordes of the undead. Available in June 2012 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Lollipop Chainsaw is offering a real life Juliet as part of the "Special Edition"

Via: Lollipop Chainsaw special edition contents revealed

Spike TV unveiling new Star Wars video game on May 31

Spike TV has announced plans to unveil a new Star Wars video game currently in development at the LucasArts studio.

As part of the pre-E3 episode on Thursday, May 31, GTTV will provide a first look at this top secret project that will debut at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Following this "first look", a world gameplay premiere of this new Star Wars game franchise will be aired during the networks "E3 All Access Live" primetime special on June 4 at 10:00 pm ET. The project’s creative director will join the “All Access” team live in-studio to debut footage of the game and will answer questions from fans in real-time through the show’s interactive and social media hub operated by social media correspondent, Justine Ezarik.

“I am blown away by both the caliber of the team on this project and their bold vision for this new Star Wars title,” said Geoff Keighley, Host and Executive Producer, Spike TV’s “E3 All Access Live” special.  “I can’t wait to introduce our viewers to this game and show off the footage that left my jaw on the floor when I first saw it.”

During the pre-E3 episode, Keighley will travel to San Francisco for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the LucasArts studio where we will learn the name and concept behidn this mysterious Star Wars game.
 

Via: Spike TV unveiling new Star Wars video game on May 31

Armored Core V review

Not to confuse that last statement with my enjoyment of the game. On the contrary, Armored Core V can be a very fun game, but From Software pulls no punches with the barrier of entry for this game. Aside from the initial mission, which somewhat lets you familiarize yourself with your mech, or AC, you don't get much guidance afterwards.

It all starts with a login screen. Armored Core V surprisingly has more in common with a MMO than your standard console game. Once your profile is all set up, you can then join an existing online team, consisting of up to 20 other players that are in your region, or start your own. Whether you know the people on your team or not, doesn't really make a difference; your goal is all the same: territory domination.

The game is then similarly set up like the game of RISK. There are multiple territories to take over, story missions to partake in, or side missions called Sorties to take part of. The grand scheme of things is that everything you do helps your overall team level, grants your team points, and so on. It's a neat set up that makes the game way more interesting than it would be without it.

The single-player portion, or the story missions, which can also be tackled with another player, are another thing entirely. Since the game doesn't rely at all on showing any of the characters, you're left with listening to audio clips and radio messages from your squad, teammates, captain, etc, all of which try their hardest to deliver lines in a way to make the story seem interesting. Instead, it makes the entire thing seem bland and unrelatable. If a character dies, what do I care? The only memory I have of them is their voice from my communication radio.

Where things pick up, however, is the action. There is no denying that From Software knows their stuff when it comes to mech combat. Gamers coming in and expecting to play this like your standard third-person shooter will probably find themselves confused and struggling with how the game operates. Your AC and its unnerving amount of customization options are what you'll spend most of your time tweaking and upgrading in between missions. Trust me when I say that you can make your AC look truly unique from anyone elses. Not only do you have the staggering amount of parts to outfit it with, but you can separately color each one and design emblems to make your AC stand out from the crowd.

Each choice of part does have its consequences, however. You can't simply outfit your AC in all super powered and high defense parts and expect it to nimbly dash around your enemies. Each part is associated with weight and energy. Trying to mount huge, heavy turrets on both your right and left arms while using the lightest and speediest bipedal legs is not possible. Even with these limitations, you can still give your AC some sweet reverse jointed legs, or even a tank base, and outfit it with crazy amounts of firepower.

There are vast amounts of weapons, like quick firing rifles, slower but way more powerful sniper guns, inaccurate but rapid firing gatling guns, pulse guns, laser rifles, and even a devastating laser blade, which can be used up close for some devastating damage.

This is the part of the game that's not always self explanatory. Certain weapons work better against certain enemies. Take the wrong weapon into a mission and you can find yourself fighting an unwinnable battle. There are garages that you can access in levels, which not only replenish your health, but let you switch out weapons that you currently own, but again, getting to that point with the wrong weapons can be equally as challenging.

This is a hard game people. From Software is not one to ease up on difficulty in favor of appealing to a mass market — look at Dark Souls. This is definitely a game that requires time in order to learn all the ins and outs. On the other hand, if you have good players on your team that are willing to share their knowledge, you'll find yourself accustomed to the game much quicker. Even playing missions with other people is a blast, not to mention it makes completing them way more manageable, such as those damned timed missions! Curse you timed missions...

The game certainly doesn't push the graphical capabilities of the console to the max, but it is worth noting that the ACs look pretty great. The amount of detail, when you actually take the time to view your AC in its entirety, is quite staggering. It really looks like a machine that could actually work if built to scale. The environments are fairly repetitive, however, with post-apocalyptic looking cities, broken down buildings, and tons of vehicles just scattered across the city streets. And that damn lens flare — it's almost as if J.J. Abrams himself had a say in the game's art direction. With that said, the explosions are awesome! I'm sorry but I'm an explosion fiend, and there is something so utterly satisfying with blowing up all your enemies around you.

Strip away the online functionality, and you're looking at a mediocre game at best; it's the robust MMO-like nature of the game that make it more enjoyable. With that said, those looking to come get their quick mech fix won't find the game appealing, as there is a lot to learn and grasp before you actually start kicking ass. Those who invest their time and grasp all of the intricacies involved in building, piloting and managing your AC, will definitely find a satisfying experience and some long lasting appeal.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Armored Core V review

BioShock Infinite's combat has evolved 'substantially'

Combat in BioShock Infinite has evolved in a "very substantial way", according ot Irrational Games boss Ken Levine.

In an interview with CVG, Levine explained how game's large, vertical spaces have provided an opportunity for Irrational to include a variety of weapons that are effective in certain situations.  This is particularly useful when confronted with the BioShock Infinite's Heavy Hitters, a series of "mini bosses" new to the franchise.

"Combat is one of the things that has evolved in a very substantial way," Levine began. "The reason I feel that way is that in BioShock the combat got a little bit same along the way because of what we demanded of the player. You'd generally come across an enemy and the right way to deal with them - almost all the enemies - was to use the Electro Bolt, which was incredibly effective across the spectrum."

"With BioShock Infinite, one of the opportunities of having the large, vertical spaces is the ability to include weapons that are effective at short range versus those that are effective at long range," he explained. "You have certain weapons that are extremely effective against you on the Skyline and weapons that are more effective against you on the ground and vice versa in terms of how you interact with the enemies and which weapons you use, so you have to be thinking all of the time. 'What should I be doing now?' 'Which weapon should I be using?' 'Should I be on the Skyline?' 'Should I be on the ground?' 'Should I be in cover?'"

"And a lot of that also has an impact on the powers you get in the rest of the game. We're really putting a lot of effort into making more demands on the player in terms of combat choices. We're really making them think about the toolset, how they want to approach the combat, and how they want to build their character."

BioShock Infinite was recently delayed until February 26, 2013 in order for Irrational Games to "deliver the best Infinite possible."

[CVG]

Via: BioShock Infinite's combat has evolved 'substantially'

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance title screen revealed

If you're like us, every little bit of Metal Gear footage is enough to set you to salivating. Check out the just released footage of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, though you may need a bib. Raiden looks awesome!

Via: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance title screen revealed

Max Payne 3 sells 'approxmiately' 3 million units

Coming off news that Max Payne 3 topped the UK sales charts, it has been revealed that Rockstar Games' critically acclaimed title has sold "approximately" 3 million units during its initial launch.  Parent company Take-Two Interactive revealed the impressive numbers during yesterday's annual fiscal conference call.

Max Payne 3, which launched on May 15 and North America and May 18 internationally on consoles, will look to build upon those numbers with its upcoming PC release on June 1st.

In addition to the impressive launch sales numbers, Take-Two also detailed the upcoming Max Payne 3 multiplayer DLC. Beginning in June, and continuing throughout the Summer and Fall, Max Payne 3 will receive new multiplayer maps, modes, items, playable characters, and challenges will be available on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and PC. 

One of the additions includes a new co-op mode coming in Summer 2012, although no details were revealed.

Earlier this month, Rockstar Games detailed the Local Justice Map Pack, the first of a full lineup of multiplayer content planned for release this summer and beyond.  The Local Justice Map Pack, coming in June, will include the Police Precinct map for Gang Wars, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Payne Killer multiplayer modes. The pack will also feature two additional maps for Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Payne Killer, new precinct-themed multiplayer avatar items, multiplayer challenges, and more.

If you already plan on purchasing all of the Max Payne 3 DLC, you may be interested in the Max Payne 3 Rockstar Pass.  Buying this pass allows you to get all of the upcoming DLC at a special discounted rate, cheaper than purchasing each pack separately.

The Rockstar Pass can be pre-ordered for Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network from Best Buy or GameStop (or pre-ordered for PSN directly from the PlayStation Store).  The Rockstar Pass grants you access to all upcoming Max Payne 3 DLC and will be available for 2400 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE), or $29.99 (PlayStation Network and PC) – over a 35% discount compared to purchasing the content individually. Once purchased, the Rockstar Pass enables gamers to download all DLC releasing through the end of 2012 via the in-game store as soon as it is made available on Xbox LIVE, PlayStation Network, or PC.

Via: Max Payne 3 sells 'approxmiately' 3 million units

Starhawk review

Starhawk is a space western. You play the main campaign as Emmett Graves — I'm guessing a combination of Emmett Smith (who he looks like) and Graves from League of Legends — and you're dropped right in the middle of a war being waged over the precious resource Rift Energy. People who mine the resource are known as Rifters, and they travel to other planets to mine it. Some Rifters were exposed to Rift Energy, transforming them into mutants known as Outcasts (who are very protective of the Rift Energy and attack Rifter sites).

This is where our main character comes in. Emmett and his brother, Logan Graves, own a farm. After an attack from the Outcasts, Emmett and Logan are exposed to the Rift Energy. Logan mutates into an Outcast while Emmett is able to remain human thanks to a spinal implant that keeps him from transforming. From here, Emmett becomes a gun for hire and gets paid to protect Rifter sites from the Outcasts.

There's potential for such a great story here, but ultimately, it ends up falling flat. There's a grand landscape with the sci-fi western, which we don't see too often, but the story — and the characters for that matter — never really take off. I'm not saying that I didn't have fun, but I never felt like it reached its potential. I feel that the story is mainly there to serve as a tutorial for the multiplayer and to get you acquainted with combat mechanics. If this is the case, it serves its purpose well.

Combat in Starhawk is a mix of third-person shooter, vehicular combat, and structure building. Tower defense and RTS elements come into play. With any multiplayer shooter, controls should be tight. I'm happy to say that the control scheme works perfectly. After a few matches, or just a bit of the Story mode, you'll have the mechanics down pat. Your typical shooter actions — like aim, shoot, throw grenade, melee — are assigned to your usual buttons for the genre. Then throw in the ability to build structures (tied to 'triangle'). The 'Build and Battle' mode uses a resource (Rift Energy level, which you get by staying in your base and killing enemies) to build structures. These structures give you and your team items and vehicles to be utilized both defensively and offensively. Want to snipe enemies? Build a watch tower, climb to the top, and grab a sniper rifle. Need more defenses in your base? Build walls and turrets to keep out enemies. You can build structures to give yourself and your teammates jet packs and of course, the infamous Hawks.

Hawks are different in this game — they transform freely from walking mechs to flying fighters. The great thing is that they aren't overpowered at all. A well-placed rocket, a manned turret, or enough machine gun fire can take one out. So, it isn't a battle of who has the most Hawks. Balance is so important in a player versus player multiplayer game, and Starhawk finds that balance. It feels a bit like Battlefield in that sense — with all the different options for weaponry and vehicles.

Since it is primarily a multiplayer game, Starhawk should have a cornucopia of game modes, which it does. There's the standard Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, and Deathmatch, but there's also Zones. In Zones, teams are tasked with capturing strategic locations on the map by standing in the capture radius. The longer you control the zones, the more points you earn. If co-op is more your style, Starhawk offers something for you as well. Not only can you play the campaign co-op, but there's a fun Prospector mode. This can be easily equated to the now familiar 'Horde' mode. You and your teammate have the goal of defending a Rift extractor against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. Utilizing the 'Build and Battle' ability, you defend for as long as you can, gaining points in the process. It's fun and really forces the two of you to work together. Did I mention that you can play this (as well as all of the multiplayer modes) in split screen? The only problem that I found with this mode is that the waves don't increase in difficulty over time. I found the difficulty to be very random, and if you fall behind, your extractor is going down fast! I've had the second round be ten times tougher than the fourth round. A little tweaking on the ramping of the difficulty could pay dividends.

Via: Starhawk review

Silent Hill: Downpour review

The game focuses on Murphy Pendleton, an inmate at a local prison who seems like a nice-enough guy when he’s first walking through the halls.  Moments later, however, you’ll see how vicious he becomes when he beats a toweled man to death in the shower, for reasons (yet) unknown.  This leads to his transfer to a tougher facility, but along the way, the bus he’s being transferred on crashes.  That leaves Murphy to wander through Silent Hill, not only looking for answers from the accident, but also things that tie in with his own personal dilemmas.

Silent Hill: Downpour really plays with your emotions when it comes to its story, sometimes giving you moral choices (save the deputy that wants to kill you, or let her drop to her death?) and providing more than enough interesting characters to keep you guessing.  Konami has also done a superb job regenerating scares, something that a couple of the previous games were sorely missing.  If you can, play the game in its intended 3D format, using the proper television.  You’ll love it when the camera angle goes wrong, or if something jumps out at you.

As for the town, it’s well worth exploring.  Not only can you wander around outside, occasionally getting into encounters with monsters and avoiding bottomless pits (they are EVERYWHERE), but also through interior places, like the local diner or houses that all of a sudden come undone.  Konami did fine work with the game’s graphic engine, even if there are times it stutters when you’re trying to do something simple, such as saving your game or manipulating the camera.  Perhaps a patch could fix that in the future.

Also, for a Silent Hill game, the dialogue is quite serviceable, with solid (if not incredible) voice acting and great music cues placed throughout the game.  This is one sure to send chills down your spine — especially if you’re wearing headphones.

The game sounds like a great ride, but where it derails, almost completely, is in the gameplay.  The puzzle solving throughout Downpour can be downright tedious, from trying to find items to scrounging around a solution to get through a locked door.  Some hints would’ve been preferred for lesser players, though Silent Hill fans will probably be right at home.

Like other SH games, the combat is clunky.  Yes, you can effectively hit enemies with weapons, or even go all fisticuffs on top, but the aiming feels off, and too many times, you’ll miss your target completely, leaving you vulnerable for a counter-attack.  What’s more, there aren’t many enemy types throughout the game.  The same old monsters keep coming back, time after time.  Variety wouldn’t have been out of the question here, guys.

We will give proper kudos to Konami for at least trying with Silent Hill: Downpour, with its great new story and presentation.  However, it should’ve given that same effort to most of the gameplay and maybe provided a little more clarification when it came to certain puzzles.  Though it’s far from the worst place to be, some folks just won’t feel like Silent Hill’s right for them.

Via: Silent Hill: Downpour review

Sony patents technology to pause game and display advertisement

PS3 and PlayStation Vita owners may want to prepare for commercial breaks within their games.  As spotted by a user in NeoGAF, Sony has patented an application that interrupts the current game playing to display an advertisement. Worst idea ever or worst idea ever?

The patent was filed back in July 2011 by Sony Computer Entertainment America under the moniker "Advertisement scheme for use with interactive content".

The description reads: "A method for use in advertising includes initiating playing of interactive content, suspending playing of interactive content, displaying an advertisement, and resuming playing of interactive content."

So imagine you're in the middle of an intense level of God of War: Ascension or and intense match of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.  Next thing you know, a warning message is flashing on the screen warning you that the game will be automatically paused.  Shortly after the gameplay will be suspended and a paid advertisement will appear, such as Sony's "Best Brand Soda. You've got to try it!" commercial.  Following the ad, gameplay will begin again, and the user will have the option to briefly rewind a portion of the game.  Talk about losing the immersion.

And you though 30-second pre-roll advertisements before a video were a bad thing? That looks like nothing compared to this.

Let's try to think of the positives that may come from this. Automatic bathroom breaks? You won't die from playing 72 hours of a game straight a la Diablo 3?

Congratulations Sony, this might be the best patent ever to piss off gamers.  I hope you show this at E3.

[Eurogamer]

Via: Sony patents technology to pause game and display advertisement

Blades of Time review

And on top of that, if you consider yourself knowledgeable about a game, you can submit your own reviews, cheats and more! Just locate the game and find the "submit your own" buttons.

Via: Blades of Time review

For all of the video games, we now have:

And on top of that, if you consider yourself knowledgeable about a game, you can submit your own reviews, cheats and more! Just locate the game and find the "submit your own" buttons.

Via:

Ridge Racer Unbounded review

Rather than going through the usual uninspired Ridge Racer series, you’re careening through Shatter Bay, a city that’s been built merely for the thrill of driving at top speed.  Throughout the game’s campaign mode, you’ll take on events that have a “drive through mostly anything” flair, where crashing through lamp posts, bridges, gas stations and cement blocks scores you points.  Never mind the fact your car miraculously survives all of this — speed is the name of the game.  You’ll also gain occasional speed bursts (via drifting, tailgating and other stunts) that enable you to drive through opponents or highlighted points on the track, which can turn a shopping mall or a government building into a launch pad.  Destruction is a huge part of the game, giving you points to help unlock new content throughout Shatter Bay.  Like any good racing game, you can also shoot for a first place victory in events to earn a bonus, so be sure to keep that in mind.

The campaign is divided into a number of events.  Domination is the best of the bunch, no-frills races where all the tactics described above are employed; Shindo races are genuine speed contests without the emphasis on blowing stuff up, good for traditional Ridge Racer fans; Drift Attacks require you to go crazy on the tire squealing; and Frag Attacks let you hunt after opponents like the sheep that they are.  Hardly a good sense of variety, but there’s enough to keep you busy.

In general, the controls are great.  Assigning the drift function to a button is the smartest move in the world, compared to finagling between gas and brake to get it done right.  Still, some skill is required to make sure you don’t spin, so practice accordingly.  The rest of the car controls are quite responsive, especially when you’re boosting, giving you that destructive edge to cut through obstructions.  It’s a joyful feeling.

Being able to play on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network against friends is a nice touch, and it’s here you’re introduced to one of Unbounded’s greatest assets — the track creator.  Though some elements take some getting used to (especially building tunnels — oy), it’s quite intuitive and inspires you to create tracks however you please, then share them with others.  It sure beats the six or seven tracks littered throughout Ridge Racer on PS Vita, that’s for damn sure.  And being able to unlock additional assets, along with cars and tracks, with points is excellent.

While Ridge Racer Unbounded may not be the most original looking game on the planet (hints of Split/Second and Blur pop up everywhere), it’s cool to see Bugbear put so much emphasis on creating somewhat new territory for the franchise.  Shatter Bay is a striking place to race through, both indoors and out, and the frame rate remains consistently high, even with all the crazy action happening.  What’s more, the dramatic replays are sensational, especially when you come off a jump through a building.  We like the light-up indicators too — little hints that show you what you can and can’t drive through.

As for the music, it’s mostly made up of new dubstep-style tunes, though there are some classic Ridge Racer tunes sprinkled throughout for good measure.  It’s a decent mix, but we would’ve preferred more of the classic style of tunes in the game than the new stuff.  The engine noises are good, and the ambient destruction noises are quite suitable.  Boom, boom, and repeat.

Kudos to Namco.  For the second time in the past few months (following Ace Combat: Assault Horizon), they’ve managed to relaunch a franchise to the point of it being fresh again.  Ridge Racer Unbounded is a crazy ride, one filled with explosions, fast-paced competition, and plenty of skillful stunts.  The presentation is sharp, the gameplay is tight, and the online functions, particularly the track creator, will keep you busy.  This is a good time to Unbound your wallet and invest in this racer.

[Reviewed on PlayStation 3]

Via: Ridge Racer Unbounded review

NBA 2K13 slated for Oct. 2, 2012 release

Although we're smack dab in the middle of some heated NBA playoffs, Take-Two Interactive has revealed a target release date of NBA 2K13.  Although no details about NBA 2K13, set to release on October 2, 2012, were revealed, Take-Two's report showed that it will be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, and PC.

Take-Two didn't detail any features of NBA 2K13, instead focusing on the accomplishments of this year's NBA 2K12, which delivered the top ranked and top selling basketball video game for the 11th year in a row.  Despite the challenges of the NBA lockout, NBA 2K12 sold over five million units, for the second year in a row.

Looking forward, it's not hard to see that 2K will attempt to build upon the success of NBA 2K12 which was the first in the basketball series to offer downloadable add-on content and a mobile version for iOS.  I fully expect them to focus on DLC and online play heading into NBA 2K13.  Expect to see even more emphasis on NBA Legends because, well, we can't get enough Michael Jordan.

Via: NBA 2K13 slated for Oct. 2, 2012 release

New Ghost Recon trailer shows off Elite Mode

What the heck song is playing during this Future Soldier trailer? Somehow the stirring guitar strings seem a bit out of place while the boys of Ghost Team are getting their asses handed to them. Check out the video, you'll see what we mean.

Game info: There is nothing fair, honorable, or just about combat. There is only winning and losing—the dead and the living. The Ghosts don't fret about even odds. They do everything in their power to overwhelm and obliterate the enemy. Future technology is the key to winning an asymmetric battle.

In Ghost Recon Future Soldier join an elite team of highly trained, cut-throat special-ops soldiers. Armed to the teeth with unrivalled combat technology and cutting-edge military hardware, Ghost Recon takes you to the globe's most deadly warzones to hunt down the highest value targets.

Combat Technology

In Ghost Recon Future Soldier you will be equipped with the most advanced combat technology designed to overwhelm and obliterate the enemy.

Cross Com 
Stay one step ahead of the enemy: Cross Com gives you real time intel projected directly on your goggles. The HUD allows you to control drones on the fly, as well as locating key enemy targets.

Optical Camouflage
Be invisible: Use optical camouflage to move undetected through hot spots and gain the upper hand on your enemies.

Sync Shot
Tag 'em and bag 'em: Use the tagging feature on the ground or by drone to coordinate synchronized attacks on enemy targets.

Cover Swap
Stay out of enemy sight: Exploit unique cover system and swap through dynamic covers to surprise, flank and eliminate the enemies.

Hand to Hand Combat 
Become the ultimate "quiet professional": hand to hand combat will give you brutal close-combat moves.

Over the shoulder 
Relish in over 2500 animations: Your Ghost Recon character will roll, cover, slide, climb and disappear to stalk and take down your prey.

Modes

Single Player Campaign
An all-new, epic Ghost Recon experience.

12-hour storyline; 12 missions

8 spectacular locales - Fight across diverse terrains from the dust of Africa, the suburbs of Moscow, to the icy territory of the Arctic

Co-op Mode
Team up with friends to take down the enemy.

Play through the 12 campaign missions cooperatively online with up to 3 friends, or play on the same console and TV with the 2 player split screen mode.

Perform highly-coordinated takedowns and devastating large-scale strikes utilizing multiple viewpoints. Your "5th man" UAV drone can draw fire and target enemies.

Lock onto enemy positions from the air or from the ground. Deploy sonic blasts to incapacitate your targets.

Unleash the firepower of mounted weapons systems from jeeps to helicopters, and eliminate enemies with your shooting skill.

Guerrilla Mode
Four soldiers dominate hundreds in this brand-new combat mode.

You and your fellow Ghosts will face waves of enemies and utilize real-life techniques inspired by U.S Army counter-insurgency experts.

Enter, capture and secure a designated area, then prepare for up to 50 waves of enemies with increasing difficulty.

Compete against friends in online leaderboards.

Play full 12 hour campaign cooperatively online with up to 3 friends, or play on the same console and TV with the 2-player split screen mode.

Multiplayer Mode
Up to 16 players in 8vs8 matches for a fast-paced, intense online experience.

Select from 3 classes (Rifleman, Engineer and Scout) and unlock new gear to battle online across 10 maps.

Gain experience and levels, make decisive choices to customize and develop your character.

Gather Intel on your enemies' positions and share it with your teammates.

Use the new suppression system to pin your enemies down while your teammates flank them.

4 game modes focused on objectives and cooperation, including new exclusives and GR's classic Siege.

Created by Red Storm, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter multiplayer modes.

Gunsmith Mode
With over 20 million weapons at your disposal you'll have the perfect weapon for any combat situation.

Customize your weapon in the Gunsmith mode to gain the unfair advantage on your enemies.

Choose from dozens of attachments and components.

Replace triggers, barrels, stocks and much more to trick out your weapon and make it your own.

Test your weapon in the firing range before taking it into battle for ultimate accuracy and performance.

Compatible with Single Player, Multi-Player and Co-Op.

Via: New Ghost Recon trailer shows off Elite Mode

Warriors Orochi 3 review

One of the best aspects of the Orochi games is that since the story doesn't rely on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, or the Warring States period in Japan, it means that people who constantly bash the games for having to replay the same storyline can finally give it a rest. Though don't expect this storyline to break any new grounds in terms of originality. The demon Orochi is back, or rather, his reincarnation as a multi-headed Hydra, and is once again threatening to destroy the very fabric of reality and kill off civilization. The warriors must travel through time and recruit more warriors in order to not only amass an army, but build a super weapon that can destroy the Hydra. It's silly fun, but the fact that the story can literally do whatever it wants at this point, it also makes it feel refreshingly new.

Since time travel is a huge factor, and guest characters from other Tecmo/Koei games make an appearance, some of the new levels are a breath of fresh air. The futuristic city where Ryu resides or the sandy beaches where Ayane can be found are so out of the norm for this series that seeing your Dynasty or Samurai warriors go through them feels almost surreal.

The game now uses a hub-world, much like Dynasty Warriors 7, where you can buy and upgrade weapons, host parties, go online, and advance to various missions. While in the hub-world, you have the option to talk to various characters that appear in between missions to acquire even more missions and strengthen your bonds.

These bonds actually play directly into the gameplay. Since you always take a three man team into the fray, those characters will gradually grow closer. The stronger the bonds are, the more likely that character is to jump in and help when you're getting your butt kicked. Another way of increasing bonds is by hosting parties, banquets, or moon viewings. Parties and Banquets raise everyone's bond level, in accordance to the character you currently have selected, and Moon Viewings will allow you to pick two characters and those bonds will get a much bigger boost.

The gameplay does remain largely the same. You can either take this as a positive if you love the series, or a negative if you loathe it. This means that you will still run around a huge battlefield, pressing a combination of your regular and heavy attack buttons, build up your Musou gauge, unleash your super attack, level up, and repeat. The biggest problem people seem to have is with the simplicity of the Warriors games, but luckily, Orochi 3's difficulty ramps up quite a bit at later levels and does require you to level up your characters and buy better weapons. Trust me when I say that there is a ton to do in this game. Each mission can also have sub-missions given to you by various characters that you can either choose to ignore or to accept. These sub-missions can ask you to defeat a certain number of enemies within a certain time limit, or kill a certain number of enemy officers while maintaining a certain percentage of health. These increase in difficulty to make sure to keep you on your toes in the later levels.

One of my biggest gripes with the previous Orochi game was how you specifically had to do certain missions in order to save some characters and add them to your roster. If you failed to do a certain set of assignments during a mission or didn't do something within a time limit, you would have to redo that level until you got it right. Orochi 3 kills off those characters initially, without you having any power to change that. You can then pick up an alternate level where you go back in time before that battle and help out that individual, which then enables them to survive if you then replay the level in which they previously died in. Sure, it means that you'll be doing some backtracking, but in turn, you get some awesome characters to join your army.

Speaking of characters, playing as Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, or even Achilles is awesome. They seem extremely overpowered, but that is part of the fun! Though they aren't the only awesome characters. In truth, every character has the potential to kick a lot of ass; it's honestly the preference of the weapon that you like using, as well as how your characters look. I for one am a huge fan of staff based characters, mainly due to their reach, so I'm always partial to Zhou Yu or Zhao Yun, but I can't deny the appeal of playing as any of the guest characters, since they seem so out of place. The only warriors missing are from the Gundam series, but let's be honest, that would be weird...

The game once again lets you play the entire game with a buddy, either local or online, which is always good fun. The one problem that my co-op partner had (local) was whenever someone had something to say during a level, the subtitle would show up on the lower half of the screen, which would effectively cover up some of the action or their map.

One of the newest additions to the series is a map builder, which lets you create battlefields with certain rulesets, save them, play them, and even share them online. Depending on how popular this title gets, this could mean that you could potentially always have new maps to play. Again, it all depends on the popularity of the game to see whether this feature even gets some mileage out of it.

Also in true Warriors fashion, you have guitar riffs mixed in with techno beats to create fitting, upbeat songs to accompany your soldier massacre. This time around, the voice acting was kept strictly in its native language, and thank god for that! No more do we have to endure the painful American voice acting, and instead stick with the original Japanese voices. Sure, it means you have to do some reading while you're bashing your enemies' skulls in, but trust me, your ears will be much happier.

If you're a fan of the Warriors series and take it for what it is, you'll undoubtedly love Orochi 3. If you're one of those who can't get over the fact that the series doesn't really push the boundaries as far as graphical advancements go, you might as well skip this outright. Mindless action, mixed in with a crazy amount of characters, and some truly fun to play as guest characters, this is one Warriors game you shouldn't miss out on.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Warriors Orochi 3 review

Closure review

Part of that push is this past week’s release of Closure, a game that initially debuted as a free Flash game way back in 2009, and produced by a team of three people.  Now, you might be scratching your head and wondering, “Now why would I pay $15 for something I can easily play for free?”  Well, this is one truly refined port for PlayStation Network — and one that comes with its fair share of rewards.

In the game, you find each level shrouded in darkness with only a few bright spots scattered about.  Light is the friend of the few playable characters in the game, including a multi-legged demon, a construction worker, and a little girl.  Without it, you would simply fall off into the empty abyss, without anything to stand on.  Shine a beam on a small piece of platform, however, and you have some stable ground beneath your feet.  You can also carry occasional light-up orbs around to help navigate your way through a stage, until you get to a point you can place it and (carefully) move on.

The levels start out pretty basic at first, but as you progress, they become increasingly tougher.  A moving flashlight beam becomes a platform for you to stand on and maneuver your way around.  Small spotlights have to be adjusted so that the light shines in just the right place so you don’t fall to your doom.  You’ll even go underwater at certain points of the game, where the music slows down and you’ll have to avoid getting too far into the darkness.

There are times that Closure can be tough, but no puzzle is ever to the point of being impossible.  Sometimes, the best way to find a solution is through mere trial-and-error.  A lot of games rely on this as of late — including Limbo — and Closure happily joins this group.  The gameplay is sharp and inventive, making you think about finding the way out, even though there are times when you have to dig to find the answers.  That’s the mark of a true puzzle platformer.

What’s more, Closure provides some ample rewards through Trophies, with multiple ones available depending how deep you go into it.  There are several to unlock here, and they’re all worth your while, provided you don’t slam down your controller in frustration first.  (Just calm down and THINK.)

For a three man project, Closure's presentation is sensational.  The team has ported the game over with sharp HD visuals, even though they’re in black-and-white, so you don’t miss a singular detail.  The music is equally impressive, with neat little ditties that sound as if they came out of Danny Elfman’s personal library.  The characters lack sound effects, but they don’t need them.

The only major complaint about the game is its price.  It is worth it, don’t get me wrong, but is there a reason Sony isn’t selling this at $10?  Even five would be more than reasonable.  15 might turn off potential buyers… but thank goodness a demo exists.

Closure was a great game back in its day, and three years later, it makes a remarkable debut on the PSN, not missing a beat in its action or engaging design.  The price is a little steep, but to those who appreciate the kind of platformer that makes you think, it’s definitely worthy of being in the spotlight.

Via: Closure review

Sony performing scheduled PSN maintenance on Thursday

On Thursday, May 24, Sony will be performing maintenance on the PlayStation network as part of an effort to "continue to deliver you a world-class online entertainment experience."

Maintenance will begin at approximately 8:00 am PDT and conclude around 11:00 pm PDT.

During this time you may receive a message that states "PlayStation Network is undergoing maintenance" when attempting ot access the PlayStation Store or PlayStation home from your PS3 or PS Vita devices.  Online play and entertainment apps will not be affected during this maintenance as long as you have signed into the network within 5 days prior to the start of the maintenance period.

Via: Sony performing scheduled PSN maintenance on Thursday

Skullgirls review

What was I expecting with Skullgirls?  For a $15 downloadable only title, my expectations were surprisingly high.  Upon first glance, I instantly fell in love with the unique art style.  For me, this stunning art set the bar high for the entire game – if the developers were willing to create something so visually pleasing then I wanted all aspects of the game to share this sort of pampering.  Well I got it.

Skullgirls exceeded my expectations and delivered nearly everything I want out of a fighting game.  The game feels like it is a 2D fighting game created by people who have been playing and have loved fighting games all their lives.  Certain features cater to the entire 2D fighting genre and not just specific series.  For instance, in vs. gameplay you can pick 1 to 3 characters.  This doesn’t force you into the more modern team dynamic if you only want to roll with one character.  With only one character though, the disadvantages include not having non fighting characters regenerating some heath and no assist type moves to use; you can even customize what the character’s assist move is.   A single fighter still remains viable though since the game will make a single fighter stronger than the multiple fighters for balancing purposes. 

For you ‘button masher’ types picking up the game for the first time, you may realize how easy it is to string certain combos but also find only limited success.  For the more advanced fighters, you will quickly realize just how complex the combo string system is.  The cliché ‘easy to pick up, hard to master’ definitely applies to Skullgirls.  During combos you can throw in special moves and even ‘Blockbuster Moves’ to string the combos further and do maximum damage.  The ‘Training’ option dives you right into the complexity of the game and shows off some of the difficulty in the system.  The training aspect of the game is very detailed and I recommend starting there – especially if you are unfamiliar to this type of fighter (plus there is an achievement / trophy attached).  I for one, like the vertical growth Skullgirls offers to players; the learning curve is huge.  Oh, and a fun feature for button mashers, the pause button has to be held in order to pause the gameplay – so accidently hitting start in the middle of gameplay won’t interrupt the match, genius!    

The characters in Skullgirls are all women / girls who have their own motives for either defeating the Skullgirl, collecting the skull heart to make a wish come true, or a combination of both.  The catch is, the skull heart will warp your wish depending on how un-pure your intentions are.  Each of the eight characters have their own specific story line with art slides and different enemy paths in story mode.  What I specifically liked was how each girls' story lines intertwined.  Only by beating the game with each character do you feel like you understand more of what is really going on and why the individual fighters are involved.      

Each character also has 10 variations of their outfits and color palettes that are unlocked through excessive playing of the game.  The characters themselves range immensely in diversity; each fighter having a unique special move set.  You won’t find multiple characters who say – have the same exact fireball move or same uppercut move.  The characters all have a different ‘feel’ to them and moves that complement that feel.  On top of that, the characters have themes that work for them.  Like Valentine is a nurse so her attacks and special moves involve nurse related items: syringes, bone saws, defibrillators, body bags, drip-bag stands, etc.  The character Peacock has an old-time cartoon feel so she throws bombs, airplanes, shoots toy guns, drops anvil’s on your head, smokes a cigar, uses boards with nails in them, pies to the face, etc.  The whole transition of the different attacks and items is so smooth and entertaining.

Before matches, the characters often say something unique to the other as a taunt or something amusing.  This shows me that the game designers went that extra mile to add another layer of entertainment.  Using the two characters I’ve already mentioned, before the match started Peacock said “Helllllllllo Nurse” to Valentine like in the Warner Brothers cartoon Animaniacs.  Classic.

This is the part where I mention that the characters in Skullgirls are hyper-sexualized.  While some characters are mere children, others are– ‘full grown.’  Excuse me if this sounds sexist, but in no way do these over sexualized characters hurt the game.  The character design is very fitting for the art style of the game.  Is the over sexualized art necessary?  Of course not – but like I said, it is very fitting.  The characters aren’t supposed to seem ‘real.’ The ‘over the top’ feel and art to the characters stands out as a staple to the game to me.  I feel the potential haters just need to sit back and respect the artists of the game.  On top of the art, the game is also sexually suggestive in certain situations.

Besides story mode there is also a more traditional arcade mode.  In this mode you can create your 1 to 3 player team and take on random combinations of AI controlled opponents.  The Skull Girl will still be your end opponent every time.  This adds more variety to single player gameplay and gets team practice down before taking gameplay versus locally or online.

No fighting game is complete without a training mode and Skullgirls delivers.  In this setting you can even pick  your 1 to 3 player comp to practice assist moves with.  The multiple settings allow you to construct the perfect scenario for you to practice in.  The only feature training mode lacks is a move list window.  There is nowhere in the game where a character’s move set is listed.  However, the game does provide a website where all moves can be found, which is HERE.  Why this didn’t make it in the actual game is beyond me, but at least the move list exists.

The music is composed by none other than Michiru Yamane.  Perhaps she is best known for her work on Castlevania’s music – but she had worked with Konami for years. The jazzy music during the Skullgirls loading screens is pretty awesome with some rocking bass lines.  It doesn’t stop there though.  The background music of each stage works in conjunction with the art style.

My only gripes with the game are the lack of input commands in game and a lack of spectator / review mode.  That’s it though.  While for a $60 retail game I would subtract score for these aspects, for a $15 independent downloadable game it wasn’t enough for me to take the 10 away from game.  Other people have complained there is a lack of characters.  Sure the huge IP’s have years and multiple games to have a colossal repertoire of characters, but this is the first of the Skullgirls IP.  Think of it this way, Skullgirls has one more character than the original Mortal Kombat.   In addition, Skullgirls characters are extremely diverse compared to certain other games.

Lastly, and I’m basing this off of nothing, but I expect to see more from Skullgirls in the future.  If you highlight the “Extras” menu, the game states that galleries will come at a later time.  Could that be a hint for future content?  Also, the character select screen is set up so multiple new characters could be patched in or added as DLC.  Black Dahlia perhaps?  I for one look forward to DLC and / or a Skullgirls 2 down the line.  I’ve already seen the competition list so you know it’s going competitive.  My hats off to you to Autumn Games and Reverge Labs.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Skullgirls review

Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' unveiled, coming May 29

Mass Effect 3 Rebellion Pack will be released next week, BioWare announced.  The upcoming multiplayer DLC, which adds some "heavy hitter" reinforcements along with new maps, will be released for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on Tuesday, May 29.  It will arrive on PSN in Europe on May 30.

The Mass Effect 3 Rebellion Pack will add more gear, weapons, maps, and kits for no additional cost to anyone who redeemed an Online Pass for Mass Effect 3 on any platform.

The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion opens two new fronts against the Reapers: Firebase Jade’s jungle reservoir and Firebase Goddess on Thessia. In-game reinforcement packs now include three new weapons (Reegar Carbine, Krysae Sniper Rifle, Cerberus Harrier) as well as equipment, consumables, and six new characters from species that have lost lives or whole planets to the Reapers: Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator, Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel, Ex-Cerberus Adept and Vanguard (each with their own unique abilities and loadouts). 

Check out the individual descriptions of each add-on below:

NEW CHARACTERS

Vorcha Soldier

Vorcha Sentinel

Male Quarian Engineer

Male Quarian Infiltrator

Ex-Cerberus Vanguard

Ex-Cerberus Adept

NEW MAPS

NEW WEAPONS

The Firebase Jade and Firebase Goddess will be available as soon as the Rebellion Pack is downloaded.  The new weapons, characters, and equipment are available as rewards inside Reinforcement Packs.

Look out for Mass Effect 3 Rebellion Pack on Tuesday, May 29 for all platforms and Wednesday, May 30 on PSN in Europe.

Via: Mass Effect 3 'Rebellion Pack' unveiled, coming May 29

Take-Two revenue estimates indicate 2013 release for Grand Theft Auto 5

According to key analysts in the gaming industry, Take-Two Interactive's lofty revenue goals for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 indicate the release of Grand Theft Auto 5, Rockstar Games' highly anticipated sandbox action game.

“Full year FY13 guidance for net revenues is $1.75bn-$1.85bn,” Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz observed. "We believe management could not provide this level of guidance with any degree of confidence if it did not anticipate shipping Grand Theft Auto 5 during FY13."

He added: "Take-Two's announced line up of titles for FY13 was largely unchanged, including continuing to resist announcing a release date for Grand Theft Auto 5. We are modeling a ship date for Grand Theft Auto 5 in the last two weeks of March 2013."

Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter seems to agree, at least with the fiscal year 2013, adding: "Guidance strongly implies the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 in FY13. Although management did not provide a release date or window for GTA 5, its FY13 revenue guidance is unattainable without a huge seller from Rockstar."

"Management disclosed that the FY13 revenue mix by label is estimated to be 60 percent Rockstar Games and 40 percent 2K Games. Rockstar is expected to contribute $1.1bn, with $300m from Max Payne (including DLC) and $150m from catalogue," he explained. "The remaining $650m is simply not possible without the release of GTA 5 well before FY end.”

Pachter, however, still believes Grand Theft Auto 5 is on track for an October 23, 2012 release - especially now that BioShock Infinite has been delayed into early 2013.

Take-Two's lineup of future titles announced to date include Spec Ops: The Line, Borderlands 2, NBA 2K13, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, tons of Max Payne 3 DLC, and BioShock Infinite which was delayed until February 26, 2013.

Of course, if Creutz is correct in his estimate, a 2013 release means Grand Theft Auto 5 could again be in line to compete with BioShock Infinite.  It was previously speculated that 2K Games delayed BioShock Infinite form its original October release to make room for Grand Theft Auto 5.  Will both games now release in 2013?

Hopefully we find out more at E3.  In April, Pachter anticipated some sort of GTA 5 announcement from Rockstar near E3.  With the giant gaming conference now less than two weeks away, it shouldn't be long before we hear something (if Rockstar does indeed plan on announcing anything).

[MCV]

Via: Take-Two revenue estimates indicate 2013 release for Grand Theft Auto 5

World Gone Sour review

World Gone Sour is a pleasant surprise when considering that it is a five hour advertisement for Sour Patch Kids. Overall the game ii quite enjoyable. The mechanics are similar to LittleBigPlanet,  or any other platformer and they're fairly simple, although, they sometimes require a few ‘do-overs’ to get a well placed double-jump. 

The long loading times unfortunately brought the game down just a bit for me. They are just lengthy enough for you to get up, grab snacks - check the fridge twice, and return to your comfortable playing position before the screen loads. You can view this as a bad thing or a good thing, depending on whether you like snacks.

The graphics in World Gone Sour are detailed enough to be reasonably believable and are able to pull you into twisted candy world. Though they aren’t phenomenal they are pretty decent for a $5 downloadable game.The music can be quite repetitive with a short intermission from Method Man in a small level but otherwise you’ll be able to hum the tune line by line for hours after the game. 

The level design is quite entertaining, going from a garbage can out into the scary big world of a theater. Everything is proportionate to the size of a Sour Patch Kid. Because of your size in the game, anything can be your enemy, even other Sour Patch Kids. A large part of the environment however is made up of a lot of boxes and gum. The gum-wads are a near constant theme throughout each level, you get stuck in them and you have to fight gum-wad monsters that look scarier upon close inspection.

On your travels throughout the giant cinema you come across other Sour Patch Kids, these friends come in handy every level. You can use them to grow larger or smaller depending on what the level has in store for you. In order to progress through certain areas or to be able to grab onto trophies you use your little friends as sacrifices. You usually can retrieve the little guys...unless they meet an unfortunate end on a few spikes. Don’t worry, no Sour Patch Kids were harmed during the making of this game.

The game has some unexpected humor to it, which is largely thanks to the narrator. Although he’s there to help you out throughout the game, he often makes remarks that aren’t appropriate and can insinuate many things. One of the best lines has to be ‘that looks like something I found in your mothers drawer.’ Any game that brings your mother into it is good in my books. Definitely. 

Overall, World Gone Sour echoes LittleBigPlanet with its drop in co-op and some similar mechanics, without any of the level building. It has the ability to draw you in and entertain you no matter who you are. Running through levels as a Sour Patch Kid, sacrificing your little Sour Patch Kid friends for the greater good...I mean, how much better can it get? The game is available to download on the XBLA and PSN for 400 MSP and $5 respectively. I would recommend it for those who enjoy side scrolling, eerie fun.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: World Gone Sour review