ProductWiki

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:54 -0500

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the third video game in the Call of Duty Franchise. It is available on Xbox 360 Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, DS and Microsoft. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first person shooter that is based in a fictional future where there is a conflict between American and Russian forces. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has a heavy focus on multi-player gaming and includes new features such as 2-player co-op and improved weapons. New game modes include collecting dog tags, team defender and survival mode. The single player mode continues the campaign from where Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 left off. With the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Call of Duty: Elite will supplement game play as a service that offers free and subscription based levels of access, a mobile app, social networking options and more.

Features

Exciting Single-Player Campaign
More Multi-Player Options
Pointstreaks and Strike Packages
Weapon Proficiencies
Modes and Match Customization
2 Player Co-Op Special Ops Survival mode
Call of Duty: Elite Service
Available on a Variety of Platforms

UFC Undisputed 3

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:56 -0500

UFC Undisputed 3 is a video game that features UFC style martial arts fighting. The game is the third in its series. UFC Undisputed 3 features various modes of game play including pride mode where players compete for the first time within the legendary pride environment with official announcers and Japanese MMA league rules. UFC Undisputed 3 features moves such as soccer-style kicks, head stomps and ground knees to the head. Players are invited to finish the fight with punishing new moves and submission system and an increased focus on presentation. In UFC Undisputed 3 players have more options than ever before to take out a downed opponent. Other game features include fighting in the octagon and new player entrances and a variety of camera angles. Users can choose from over 150 UFC fighters including the addition of featherweight and bantamweight divisions.

Features

More Finishing Moves
New Pride Mode
Improved Facial Animations
Japanese MMA League Rules
New Entrances
Fight in the Octagon
Choose from over 150 Prolific UFC Fighters
Improved Camera Angles
Addition of Featherweight and Bantamweight Divisions

Team Fortress 2

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:37:31 -0400

An update to the 1999 Team Fortress Classic, Team Fortress 2 is a team/class based multiplayer game. Based on Valve's updated source engine, the game was originally released as part of Valve's Orange Pack in October 2007 - but later as a stand-alone game in April 2008. The game invloves 2 teams made up of individuals that get to choose 1 of 9 classes of character. Each character has their own specialized skills, giving the edge to the team with the best cooperation as well as individual skill. There are many modes of gameplay - from capture the flag to attack/defend senarios that involve moving a bomb into the opponents base.

The most recent update occured on February 25th 2009. This update added new wepons and items for the Scout character, as well as new official maps. To celebrate the price of the game was also cut in half to 9.95 until the weekend.

Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:25:54 -0500

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the eighth game released under the Call of Duty franchise, and true to its name, is the fourth main game in the series. While COD3 was developed by a separate studio, COD4 is developed by the game's original designers: Infinity Ward. Thus far the Call of Duty franchise has focused exclusively in the World War 2 era, with the fourth release being the first happening in modern times, and also the first to achieve a mature rating. Similar to the other main releases in the series, COD4 places a heavy emphasis on both the single player campaign and multiplayer portions of the game. Both sides feature new additions to the series, and some new additions to the FPS genre entirely.

Gameplay

Call of Duty is a traditional first person shooter set in a real world setting. You use real guns and fight in realistic areas and locations. Unlike other modern FPS games releasing in 2007, COD does not feature a dedicated cover system, but instead uses the same crouch/prone positioning system in earlier COD games. New to the series is the introduction of a ballistics model, this means that bullet strength is analyzed and can impact the environment, even shooting through certain materials making cover a relative thing.

Campaign

Following the tradition of the franchise, COD4 has you take control of multiple infantry-men fighting from different perspectives of the same war. You'll take control of an American and a British soldier as they try to take down a rogue Arab terrorist, and corrupt Russian military general. Most of the action sees you taking a role in a tight squad in battles that aren't as big as WW2 ones, but still involve dozens of enemies at any one time. The story takes place over the course of 12 different levels and is told through the use of realtime cutscenes, events unfolding during the levels, and certain details fleshed out in the briefings between missions. Level events can occur even if you're not around to see them, meaning you can miss parts of they story if you're not at the right place in the right time. After the main campaign has been completed an arcade mode unlocks that is scored based giving you multipliers and extra points for stringing kill combos together. This is similar to Halo 3's metagame.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer has been a huge part of the Call of Duty series since the beginning, and Modern Warfare is no different. One of the big new changes with COD4 is the introduction of upgrades. As you play more games and accomplish goals such as killing certain number of enemies, you'll rise in military rank - from a lowly soldier to Captian and beyond. As you rise in rank you gain access to more abilities and "perks" as they're known in the game. You have three slots for perks, each slot with its own set of perks that are unlocked as you rise in ranks. Weapons can level up as well. The more you use a particular weapon and gain more kills, the more experience you get with the weapon which unlocks more upgrades and accessory options letting you add more ammo or lower the recoil. All of these upgrade options come together through the game's custom class mechanism where you can choose every aspect of your character's loadout including weapons, grenades and abilities. Similar to other games there are preset classes available, though the main focus is on creating your own that suits your playstyle the best.

Multiplayer is competitive only with no co-op modes available. Action takes place over 16 different maps that support between 16 and 18 players. Six different game types are available ranging from standard deathmatch to more objective based modes that are reminiscent of bombing runs and assault. And similar to Halo 3 each game type can be further customized with various options to increase longevity. One of the modes available is known as "Hardcore" in this mode you have no HUD, and bullets deliver more damage to give a more realistic feel.

Finding matches in Modern Warfare is again similar to Halo 3. It uses a lobby system where you can group up with some friends and go between matches together. You can also search for custom games that are unranked. Both the PS3 and 360 version feature the same matchmaking system, with the only difference being the 360 version uses Microsoft's TrueKill metric to aid in bringing players of similar skill level together.

Version details

Infinity Ward stresses that all three versions of the game are nearly identical. If you have a top of the line PC, then that version will look the best, but for the most part they all look the same running at a constant 60 frames per second. The PS3 version supports both USB and Bluetooth headsets, but does not support the upcoming Dualshock 3 rumble, with no plans in the future.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:58:13 -0400

Modern Warfare 2 is the upcoming first-person-shooter sequel to the critically-acclaimed Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, in development at Infinity Ward. The story begins several years after the end of the original, as the player takes on the role of a member of an elite multinational commando unit, tasked with countering an ultranationalist organization gaining strength in Russia. Missions will take place in varied locations, including an Afghan desert and Rio de Janeiro. The game is scheduled to be released in November 2009 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Features

First-person shooter
Special Forces mode with non-story-based missions
Two-player cooperative option in Special Forces mode
Varied locations
Varied, innovative gameplay elements
Online multiplayer

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:03 -0400

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a role-playing video game from Square Enix developed in conjunction with Eidos Montreal. Functioning as a prequel to the Deus Ex: The Conspiracy and Deus Ex: Invisible War titles, this game revolves around mechanical character augmentations within the categories of "Combat", "Stealth", "Technology" and "Social" interaction. Multiple AI technologies have been employed in effort to maximize the "real life" elements of the game, including individualized enemy reactions based on weapon and behaviour type alongside squad leader allegiance. Each firearm features its own ammunition type with specific performance upgrades offered for each gun, while a regenerative health model helping to minimize extensive rations scrounging. Human Revolution's primary view is a first-person layout, but occasionally changes to third-person for providing environmental context during stealth modes, specific augmentations and specialized kills. A limited edition "Augmented Version" is also available that includes a 40-page art book, graphic novel and bonus DVD.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows 7/Vista/XP) consoles
Functions as a prequel to the first and second Deus Ex titles
Four primary game elements: "Combat", "Stealth", "Technology" and "Social"
First-person control with occasional third-person views
Upgradeable weapons and ammunition
Cyberpunk/Renaissance design style
Regenerative health system
Special Edition "Augmented Version" also available

Chrono Trigger

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:05:12 -0400

Chrono Trigger begins with the 1000 A.D. Millennial Fair, where Crono and Marle sample Lucca's new teleportation device. Marle volunteers, but disappears through a strange portal when the machine reacts with her pendant. Crono asks to be sent through the machine to find her, and discovers he's traveled back 400 years. He meets Marle at Guardia Castle, and learns that a search party looking for the missing queen of that era found her instead. Marle then vanishes; Lucca arrives and claims that she's actually the princess of Guardia in 1000 A.D., and that since her ancestor was not rescued, Marle ceased to exist. With the help of a talking amphibian called Frog, Crono and Lucca rescue the real Queen, kidnapped by "Mystics" who worship the wizard Magus. Marle reappears and the group returns to 1000 A.D., where Crono is placed on trial for allegedly kidnapping Marle. He's sentenced to death, but breaks free from the prison. With Marle and Lucca, he flees the king, to nearby Guardia Forest, where they stumble into a time gate. They're shocked to find a devastated world filled with futuristic ruins (later determined to be 2300 A.D.), and uncover a video of the "Day of Lavos". The video shows a creature called Lavos erupting from the planet's surface in 1999 A.D and decimating the planet. The group resolve to prevent this catastrophe and recruit a robot named Robo before entering a new gate to arrive at the ethereal End of Time

Halo Wars

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:22:17 -0500

Set in the Halo Universe, Halo Wars is a Xbox 360 game that follows up on the sucessful Halo series of games. Developed as a real-time strategy game instead of the normal shooter game, Halo wars lets the players build armies and bases, harvest resources and defend themselves. With single-player, multiplayer, co-op and Xbox live play options, Halo Wars is a good option for a social game, and in some sorts is a glorified game of rock-paper-scissors. Ground vehicles beat infantry, infantry beat aircraft, and aircraft beat ground vehicles. Throw in special abilities, and customizable hero units and the game is complete. Since it was specially designed from the ground up for the Xbox 360 console, the game takes full advantage of the controller setup and delivers a game that syncs well with the player.

Features

Real-Time Strategy
Single-player
Multiplayer
Co-op
Xbox Live
Base building and resource harvesting
Designed with Xbox 360 controls in mind
Set in the Halo Universe

Bayonetta

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:34:34 -0400

Bayonetta is a stylish and cinematic action game from SEGA, directed by Hideki Kimaya to be released in 2009 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Players take control of Bayonetta, who is a member of an ancient witch clan, and has incredible powers she can use for attacks, but also has various weapons such as handguns, shotguns and katanas. Throughout the game, Bayonetta faces off against countless enemies, many of which reach epic proportions. Her fighting style is fluid and gracefull as she pulls of outlandish finishing moves and continues to her next foe without missing a step. The over the top action is matched by extraordinary visuals in stages that are a veritable theme park of exciting attractions.

Fallout 3

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:14:09 -0500

Released in late October 2008 Fallout 3 is the most recent release in the Fallout series by Bethesda Games. Taking place 30 years after the events of Fallout 2, Fallout 3 continues in the same dystopian vein, which involves a living in a world cut short by a deviating all-out nuclear war. Primarily an action RPG, Fallout 3 mixes a visually fantastical world with surprisingly realistic game play - which includes things such as radiation poisoning, a 'karma' based interaction, weapon degradation and the ability to build your own weapons and items out of the vast number of doodads one can encounter.

A 50MB patch issued in mid January fixed a number of bugs including crashing issues. It also made way for 3 planned downloadable installments that will expand the game. Each installment is planned to be released a month apart, beginning in late January/early February. The miniature packs will cost $10 and be good for 3-4 hours of gameplay. Details of these expansions are detailed below:

Operation: Anchorage will be the first release, allowing users to experience a little bit of the Fallout 3 Universe's backstory. It will place the player into the past - fighting alongside American troops during the liberation of Anchorage from the Chinese - one of the biggest reasons the war began.

The Pitt will see players in Pittsburgh, an interesting change of scenery from the Washington ruins.

Broken Steel will allow users to continue playing after the main quest which ended the game. It is safe to assume some post-story quests which re-visit some of the main games iconic characters and locations will be added as well.

PC System Requirements

Minimum: Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or equivalent, 1GB of memory(2GB for vista), DirectX 9.0c compliant card with 256 MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better / ATI X850 or better)
Recommended: Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent, 2GB of memory, DirectX 9.0c compliant card with 512 MB RAM (NVIDIA 8800 series, ATI 3800 series or better)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:12 -0400

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a role-playing video game from Bethesda Softworks, developed in conjunction with Bethesda Game Studios. Intended to function as a follow-up to 2006's The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, this title is built around a civil war raging within the dragon-populated land of Skyrim. Players navigate a massive open-world environment split into five different city centers, each separated by vast stretches of mountains and wilderness. A wide variety of user-driven skill types are available based on the tasks that players decide to partake in, with each increase in experience level providing the character with a "Perk". Perks are used to apply specified advancements in a given skill area, comprising nearly 300 different upgrades available across a 50-level hierarchy. An intelligent heads-up display has been incorporated to notify users of any fluctuations in health or magic, and also features a customizable menu for quick access to items and weaponry. A wide variety of combat techniques are available with the addition of dual-wield functionality, allowing users to perform two mutually exclusive attacks at the same time.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows Vista/XP) platforms
Functions as a sequel to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Massive, free-roaming environments
Multiple character types
Dual-wield weapon support
18 different skill levels
Powered by the Creation graphics engine
On-screen HUD (Heads-Up Display)
Radiant AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology

WWE '12

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:56 -0500

WWE '12 is a wrestling video game that allows the player to truly feel like they are in the ring. Players get to experience improved graphics such as more fluid, dynamic and authentic WWE simulation through the new Predatory Technology gameplay system. New features in the 12th edition of WWE include Breaking Point submission system, new attributes, control layout, momentum and stamina. WWE universe Mode 2.0 introduces new elements of unpredictability based on the decision of the player to keep every game fresh and authentic. WWE '12 also includes new camera positions, animations, lighting and rendering. Players have the ability to develop and customize their own superstar for the ring. WWE '12 offers story lines, highlight reels and more exciting entrances with favorite wrestlers including Randy Orton, John Cena and The Miz. WWE '12 is available on the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

Features

Improved Graphics
Develop and Customize a Wrestler
More Authentic Simulation
New Predatory Technology Gameplay System
New Breaking Point Submission System
WWE Universe 2.0 Mode
New Camera Positions and Lighting
Improved Animations
Fresh Storylines
Choice of Many Favorite Wrestling Superstars

Grand Theft Auto 4

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:40:25 -0400

The next-generation sequel to the controversial number one selling game. Grand Theft Auto 4 has you playing as Russian immigrant, Niko, trying to escape his shady past in modern-day New York. In a break from the trend of increasingly larger worlds to explore, Rock Star opted for a more densely packed smaller game world than in San Andreas. Major improvements over the previous games come in the form of a more vibrant city, substantially improved combat mechanics, "deeper" personal relationships, fleshed out physics and animation systems, and a comprehensive online component.

Gameplay

GTA4 fundamentally resolves down to the basic mechanics the first incarnations pioneered - stealing cars, shooting gangsters/cops, and completing missions. The fourth main installment of the franchise refines and improves many of these fundamentals. Most notably is the change to the gun shooting mechanics, where before auto-aim played a very large role and often times frustrated players, GTA4 uses an over-the-shoulder view similar to that in Gears of War. Also similar to Gears of War is the inclusion of a cover system that lets Niko hide behind objects to avoid getting hit. Hand-to-Hand combat has also been refined with a deeper moveset, and more combos available.

Driving has taken on a more realistic feel to match the rest of the game's setting. Cars now have more distinctive weights and features that sometimes make them more difficult to drive than in previous games. Vehicles that can be driven by Niko include cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and helicopters. Bicycles and airplanes introduced in San Andreas don't make the cut.

Setting

Rockstar is taking the game back to its roots and placing the setting in the fictitious Liberty City. This time around the city is far more realized and offers a more than passing resemblance to New York City. Four of the Five burroughs are found in the game under fictitious names, with the notable exception of Long Island. Rockstar has been quoted as saying the city is smaller than the one in GTA:San Andreas, however its far denser, making the overall amount of places you can travel to be equal. Buildings are more interactive with many containing full interiors.

Multiplayer

Grand Theft Auto 4 is the first time that online multiplayer is available to console players. Rock Star has taken cues from other modern online games and added their own GTA twist. Up to 16 players can take part in online matches that exist within the same open world of the single player. This means you can engage in one of the 16 different multiplayer modes and still travel to any part of the map, engage with civilians and do everything you can do in the regular game. Rock Star attempts to keep the interactions localized by making health and weapon respawns occur in select parts of the map.

Customization plays a large role in the multiplayer modes. Hosts are given the ability to specify the number of pedestrians available, cars in the streets, if cops are active, auto-aim settings, etc. Players themselves can also customize their digital personas with different clothing and body shape choices, the more you play, the more points you gain to unlock further customizations for your avatar.

Rock Star Social Club

Taking inspiration from Halo 3 Rock Star has a website that accompanies the game to provide statistics, community organization and other benefits to gamers. Not only do online games get logged in the social club, but extensive leaderboards and challenges for the single player game.

Differences between Xbox 360 and PS3 versions

Downloadable episodic content will be available exclusively for the Xbox 360 version. Any exclusive content/features for the PS3 version has not been announced yet.

League of Legends: Clash of Fates

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:34:56 -0400

League of Legends: Clash of Fates is a step into a new genre of gaming, a multiplayer online battle arena. The player can select from one of dozens of Champions that all have varied skills and abilities. The player takes these Champions and work together in teams to fight other teams of players online. In League of Legends: Clash of Fates the player has a Summoner avatar that they can customize by earning achievements in the game. New content is unlockable, leagues are organizable, and an integrated Leavebuster helps people avoid being dropped out of the game. One unique feature of the online game is the Suggestion Engine which allows the community to have solid input when new content is created and integrated into the game.

Features

Dozens of Champions
200 crafted items
Customizable Summoner avatar
Clan and team warfare
Stat tracking
Solid matchmaking
Leavebuster
Unlockable content
Suggestion Engine

Final Fantasy IX

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:29:28 -0400

Final Fantasy IX begins with Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnapping Princess Garnet during her sixteenth birthday celebration. The group learns that Garnet, who is concerned about Queen Brahne's increasingly erratic behavior, actually wanted to escape to Lindblum to meet with Regent Cid, and had planned to stow away on the theater ship. The Troupe's airship, Prima Vista, is attacked by the royal guards, and damaged during the escape; it crashes in the Evil Forest, prompting Zidane to continue the trek to Lindblum without the rest of Tantalus. Zidane and Garnet are accompanied by Vivi and Steiner, who became entangled with Tantalus during their escape from Alexandria.

During their journey, Garnet adopts the alias "Dagger" and struggles to mingle with the locals. The group learns of a factory that is manufacturing soulless Black Mage warriors for Alexandria's use. Three powerful ones called Black Waltzes are sent by Brahne to retrieve Garnet by force, but in vain. In Lindblum, Zidane meets Freya and joins in Lindblum's Festival of the Hunt. Regent Cid has been turned into a bug-like oglop by his wife Hilda, for his womanizing behavior. Wishing to protect Garnet from Brahne's newfound aggression, he had ordered Tantalus to kidnap her. When the group learns that Alexandria has invaded Burmecia, Freya investigates the situation with Zidane and Vivi, while Dagger and Steiner head to Alexandria to ask Brahne to stop the war. Both parties are powerless to stop her, and Dagger has her eidolons forcibly extracted from her body.Brahne uses Dagger's eidolons to destroy Cleyra, after which she attacks Lindblum, forcing Cid to surrender. Zidane, Freya, and Vivi, after witnessing the assault on Cleyra, rescue Dagger, befriend General Beatrix, and return to Lindblum.

Afterward, Cid tells the party about Brahne's arms dealer, Kuja. The party travels to the Outer Continent, the location of Kuja's headquarters, through an underground tunnel with the help of Quina. There, the party meets a young summoner named Eiko, who assumes herself to be the last survivor of Madain Sari. They also discover a village inhabited by self-aware Black Mages. Their pursuit of Kuja leads them to the nearby Iifa Tree, an entity that emits fighting-stimulant Mist. They also learn that Kuja uses Mist to create the Black Mages. The party defeats the Iifa Tree's core and stops the Mist from flowing. When the party returns to Madain Sari, they confront Amarant, who was hired by Brahne to apprehend Dagger. Dagger slowly realizes that she is also a Summoner from Madain Sari. Amarant joins the party for his own reasons. At the Iifa Tree, Brahne turns against Kuja and intends to kill him with the eidolon Bahamut.

Final Fantasy IX takes place primarily on the four continents of a world named Gaia Most of Gaia's population resides on the Mist Continent, named so because the entire continent is blanketed in thick mist. Lands outside the Mist Continent — the Outer, Lost and Forgotten continents — are uncharted territories not explored until midway through the game. Several locations on the parallel world of Terra and the dream land of Memoria round out the game's areas. The Mist Continent features four factions: Alexandria, Lindblum, Burmecia, and Cleyra. Each country is separated by mountain ranges; the isolated Cleyran civilization, nestled in a giant tree in the desert, is protected by a sandstorm summoned by the village elders.Gaia is inhabited by humans and various non-human races. Alexandria and Lindblum are both populated by a mix of humans and anthropomorphic animals.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:58 -0400

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an upcoming roleplaying game by 38 Studios and EA. It will be available on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles, as well as PC. It features the ability to string together different kinds of attacks, hundreds of quests and characters, and art design by Todd McFarlane. The developer claims that the player will be able to use both magical and physical attacks against enemies, integrating them into the experience of the game. It also will feature hundreds of quests and characters, that will increase the replay factor of the game. Todd MacFarlane, best known as creator of the hit comic series Spawn, has been brought in to help with the art design, creating interesting and detailed looking environments. Though details are scarce at the time, thus far the game appears to be similar to games such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Features

Player can use both physical and magical attacks
Hundreds of quests and characters
Art design by Todd McFarlane
Story written by R.A Salvatore
Designed by Ken Rolston
Open world
Will be connected to other Kingdoms of Amalur games
A long, epic story mode
Detailed graphics
Multiple language support

Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:27:11 -0500

Sequel to the popular yet bizarre fighting game, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 ups the ante with many more playable characters and new techniques. Players choose a team of three characters from a wide selection of both characters from Capcom games and superheroes from the Marvel universe. One character is controlled at a time, the other ones able to be called in to preform assist attacks (which are chosen at the start of the match) or to tag in and switch with the controlled character. Originally released on the Arcade, the game was ported to the Dreamcast, Playstation 2 and Dreamcast, where it became a tourney mainstay. Recently, the game was ported again to the Xbox 360 Arcade and Playstation Network, where single player campaigns were stripped in favor for online play. With 56 characters to choose from leading to insane amounts of unique competition, MvC2 has stayed popular with fans for nearly a decade.

Tomb Raider

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:56 -0500

Tomb Raider rebooted is the tenth game in the series' franchise. The latest title is survival horror and it will represent an origin story for the lead character, Lara Croft. In the new Tomb Raider Rebooted Lara will begin the game as a young woman setting out on an expedition aboard the ship Endurance but after a mishap becomes shipwrecked on a strange island with hostile inhabitants. The publisher, Crystal Dynamic's previous game in the series Tomb Raider: Underworld followed on from a previous reboot in the series, Legend. This game in the Tomb Raider saga told the story of Lara Croft's efforts to free her Mother from a spiritual realm. The Tomb Raider series are an action adventure that is well known for its intense and well written narratives, physics based game play and more recently, 3D graphics. Tomb Raider will be available on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and the PC.

Features

Continuing Story Line
Engaging Narratives
3D Game Play
Physics Based Game Play
Origin-Based Story
New, Exciting Storyboard
Available on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC
Puzzles, Adventure and Action Packed

Halo 3

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 00:29:43 -0500

Halo 3 is one of the most anticipated games for 2007 as the series that defined the Xbox makes its debut onto the next generation successor. This third installment marks the conclusion of the Halo trilogy and ending of this particular story arc. Bungie has been developing the game for over 3 years and in a marked difference from other Microsoft Game Studios titles is using their own engine as opposed to Unreal Engine 3. Bungie is also incorporating a large number of substantial new features such as saved films, the Forge system, and 4-player online co-op while keeping all of the old game modes of Halo 2.

Gameplay

The Halo series revolves around the design concept of an extremely refined 30 seconds of gameplay continually repeated. This gameplay involves giving the player tools and environment to fight against their enemies. With Halo 3 Bungie is expanding the core mechanics introduced with the first two games by expanding the range of tools at your disposal and the kind of tools that are available. Players run, jup, shoot, use vehicles, and use elements in their environment to move around the levels and kill their enemies. The player has a rechargeable shield that automatically refills after a few seconds have passed without the player being hit by enemy fire.

Weapons, Vehicles and Equipment

All the trademark weapons of the Halo franchise return with new weapons being added that represent the Brute enemy's arsenal. A new class of weapons is being added known as "support" that are heavier tools of destruction that put the player in a 3rd person view, and cause the player to move slower.

A new class of tools is introduced with H3 called "equipment". These items can support you and your teammates, or hinder your opponents. Shields, portable lifts, RADAR jammers, are examples of equipment that can be deployed in the field.

Vehicles make a return in Halo 3 with the classic warthog once again taking a prominent role. Similar to the weapons new vehicles are added that represent the Brute's arsenal.

Campaign

The campaign mode sees you playing through the last chapter of the Halo arc started with the games, and the three novels. The tag line of Halo 3 is "Finish the Fight" with the ending of Halo 2 seeing Master Chief heading back to Earth to defend humanity from a full scale Covenant invasion. Being the ending in the series many fans expect H3 to answer many of the questions involving the Forerunners and the purpose of the Halos and the Ark.

The campaign is mission based seeing the player traverse the landscape accomplishing the assigned mission objectives, usually in the form of destroying something or rescuing something else. Story is relayed through cutscenes and in-game acting and dialog.

Similar to both of the previous games, the entire campaign can be played cooperatively with another player on the same Xbox 360. And for the first time in the series up to four players can go through the campaign cooperatively over Xbox Live.

For the first time Bungie is creating what they call a "meta-game" around the campaign mode that tracks the player's accomplishments through a particular level and assigns them points and medals. Performing more advanced maneuvers such as double kills, and head shots result in more points. Leaderboards will be available for the overall score, and leaderboards for individual level scores are also available.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer is a large part of the Halo franchise and Bungie is expanding the mode for Halo 3. Similar to Halo 2 multiplayer games can be found by joining a friend's custom game, or through the Matchmaking party system. New for Halo 3 are public custom games which let you join other custom games similar to a server list that don't affect your ranking. The party system sees you joining your friends in a group and going through the matchmaking process together, so you always join the same games.

All the new vehicles, weapons and equipment introduced will be available for multiplayer. And similar to H2 there will be a multitude of game modes available for customization for custom games, alongside an ever changing playlist of ranked matchmaking modes.

The ranking system which tracks your kills and other accomplishments gets factored into the Matchmaking system to try and match you up with similarly ranked players so people get a "fair" game. People who continually drop out of a game will have their rankings negatively affected reducing their ability to find games with "good" players.

Forge

Forge is a new kind of mode that has a significant impact on the multiplayer game. With Forge mode activated players can take on the role of an entity outside the game and manipulate the level and rules of the game in a variety of ways. Spawning weapons, vehicles and other items is already confirmed. At any time players can switch between the Forge mode and normal playing resulting in new ways of playing multiplayer.

New levels can not be created from scratch, and level geometry can not be modified. Forge simply allows you to create and move items around existing multiplayer maps and change their settings. Modified levels and rules can be saved and played through as a normal multiplayer game. Custom creations can even be shared with other players on your Friend's list and beyond. Bungie has stated they'll have a website dedicated to the best Forge games and levels and let people download new Forge levels to play on their own system.

Saved Films

Halo was an extremely popular title to use for Machinima, films created using video games. The popular video series Red vs Blue is an example of Machinima, though others also exist. Bungie is supporting these kind of film makers by integrating the film making capabilities into the game itself. Players can record, save, and playback any of their gaming sessions either in the campaign or multiplayer modes. Saved films aren't actual video files, but instead scripts that playback within the game engine itself. This allows you to watch a saved film from any angle and even manipulate the camera on the fly. Saved films can be shared with friends, and uploaded to Bungie's servers with the best films being available for anyone to download.

Editions

Halo 3 will be offered in three different editions in increasing forms of fan service.

Standard Edition ($59.99) - Game disc and manual

Collector's Edition ($69.99) - adds an Interactive Xbox 360 disc containing new themes and gamer pictures, and the Beastiarum which is a hard cover book detailing the flora and fauna in the Halo universe

Legendary Edition ($129.99) - adds Legendary DVD which contains even more exclusive content, and a Master Chief Helmet to hold all three discs.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

Sat, 19 May 2007 11:05:42 -0400

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the first part of the StarCraft II trilogy. It contains full multiplayer capability and the Terran campaign. The Zerg and Protoss campaigns will be released as expansions, entitled Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, respectively. Each campaign has 27-30 missions, meaning that the entire StarCraft II trilogy will have almost three times the number of missions in Brood War.

The long awaited sequel comes over a decade since the release of the original StarCraft, a landmark game in the real-time strategy genre. Announced at a world wide invitational press conference on May 19, StarCraft II continues the legacy set down by its predecessor and continues the story of the war between the Protoss, Zerg and Terran races. Full 3D graphics, new units, and new abilities are all introduced for this second installment.

A several month long beta started in eary 2010, and a two-week final release candidate beta took place in early July 2010. The game was released on July 23rd, 2010. Digital downloads from Blizzard had been available since the previous week, however the game could not be installed until the release date.

Announcement Trailer

Controversy

The strict DRM that Blizzard uses to control cheating, piracy and unauthorized copying has come under much attack, ever since Blizzard announced that the game would not include LAN and the only way to legally play multiplayer was through their Battle.net service. An internet connection is required for install, and the game can only be played offline for a month until the user must log in again to reactivate the game. Each game is tied to a single Battle.net account, and is region locked. Rumor has it that much of the DRM was pushed onto Blizzard by Activision, although nothing has been confirmed.

Saints Row: The Third

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:56 -0500

Saints Row: The Third is a video game that is the third in its series. It's available on a variety of platforms including: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Microsoft and as a PC download. The premise of the game is based around gang-life in the fictional city of Stilwater. Saints Row: The Third is known for its outlandish scenarios and gory game play. As a member of the Saints your mission is to hit the streets and defend your gang's status by taking out your rivals. Saints Row: The Third features a lot of action, violence and new features including a ride in a massive tank, defending against a highly trained military force and a strategic satellite airstrike against a Mexican wrestling gang. Saints Row: The Third is published by THQ and intended for mature audiences.

Features

Action-Packed
Outlandish Scenarios
New Features
Ride in a Tank
Plan a Strategic Air Attack
Defend Against Military Forces
Fight a Mexican Wrestling Gang
Battle with Dangerous Gangs

Halo: Reach

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:20:48 -0400

Released on September 14th 2010, Halo: Reach is the 4th and final Halo game from Bungie, the original creators of the popular series. Taking place before the events of the Halo trilogy, Halo: Reach puts you in the boots of a new protagonist - the rookie Noble 6 - as part of an elite team, outing the iconic Master Chief. The popular online multiplayer of past Halos has also been improved. Retrofitted with all of the improvements of the single player campaign - including the game changing class-like armor abilities such as the jet pack - the online experience has been expanded with weekly challenges for credit, new and improved modes, an expanded Forge for custom level design, and the ability to tweak the very finest rules of the game - for customization never before seen in the Halo franchise.

Features

7-12 hour campaign mode
- split screen co-op
- online co-op
- "score mode" with toggle-able options
online multiplayer with up to 16 people
- matchmaking
- custom games
competitive multiplayer game types
firefight mode with 4 people online
Forge mode to create your own levels
watch and view replays
take screenshots
new graphics engine
new armor abilities
- jetpacks
- sprinting
- etc
new weapon selection

Portal 2

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:54:25 -0400

Portal 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the critically praised 2007 first person puzzle game, Portal. Following the events of the original game, the game follows the same protagonist 200 years in the future, in the now rebuilt compound that was left to degrade when the evil AI GladOS was destroyed. The game is slated to be released on April 19th in North America, and the 21st in Europe / Australia.

Kinect Adventures

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:30:07 -0400

Kinect Adventures is a video game created for the Kinect motion tracking camera for the Xbox 360. This is a collection of mini-games that encourage the player to jump, dodge and kick in order to navigate the levels. 20 "adventures" are set in a variety of exotic locations, and involve activities such as navigating rapids or obstacle courses. The game can operate in single player mode, and co-op play is available as well. Players can also join on the fly just by standing next to the person who is currently playing. The game takes still photos of the players as the game progresses, and offers the option to publish the pictures online.

Features

Requires Kinect for Xbox 360
Tracks full-body movements
No controller required
Jump, dodge, and kicking action
20 adventures set in exotic locations
Co-op or single player
Navigate rapids, obstacle courses
Photo Moments can be shared online
Game Rating: E (Everyone)

Wii Fit

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:56:10 -0400

Wii Fit is an exercise simulation game (aka exergaming) developed by Nintendo that makes use of the Wii Balance Board peripheral. It was announced at E3 in July 2007 and has been described as "way to help get families exercising together". There are over 40 activities included in the game broken up into four categories: (1) Aerobic Exercises, (2) Muscle Conditioning, (3) Yoga Poses, and (4) Balance games. It was released in Europe on May 8, 2008 and in North America on May 21st, 2008 for $89.99 with the inclusion of a Wii Balance Board.

Activities

yoga exercises
press ups
step aerobics - done in sync with background music
hula-hooping
heading soccer balls
ball-rolling mini game
ski-jumping

Wii Fit tracks your "Wii Fitness Age" in a similar manner as "Brain Age" was tracked in Brain Age and Big Brain Academy for the DS and Wii. There is speculation that Wii Fit may utilize the WiiConnect24 feature to help doctors and fitness professionals interact with patients and clients.

The Wii Balance Board will be included with the game and is already being used by other games such as We Ski, apart from upcoming titles. The Balance Board is similar to a bathroom scale and includes multiple sensors that can determine the user's (1) center of gravity, and (2) BMI (Body Mass Index). These reading are used as part of the gameplay.

Dwarf Fortress

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:55:13 -0500

Slaves to Armok: God of Blood, Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress, is a freeware computer game, more commonly known as simply 'Dwarf Fortress'. It is a roguelike game, but features a common engine which runs over different modes of gameplay. Gamplay varries from traditional dungeon crawls, to a sim city simulator. The game is still in development, and some features are not as polished as they could be. The scope of the game is very ambitious, with several more modes of gameplay planed before completion. The game leverages it's common engine for what are in essance different games, and brings the game modes together, so that activities done in the dungeon crawl can effect the sim city mode, and vice verse. The game is very large in scope, and attempts to use emergent properties from simple systems to create interesting simulations.

Twisted Metal

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:59 -0400

Twisted Metal, new for 2011, is the eighth installment in the series of the same name, and is a vehicle combat video game developed by Eat Sleep Play and distributed by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. Heavily focusing on a variety of multiplayer modes, gamers play as members of various factions such as the Clowns, the Dolls, the Skulls, and the Preachers, among others. New cars have been introduced, such as a motorcycle (The Reaper) a rodent catcher's van (The Vermin) and a helicopter (The Talon). The list of weapons has expanded, now featuring a sniper rifle, and a shotgun, while vehicle power ups and special moves remain to further aid in the single player tournament mode as well, gunning for the grand prize: having one wish fulfilled.

Features

Over a dozen new and old favourite vehicles
Psychotic power ups
Over a dozen battlegrounds
Pair up different vehicles to maximize firepower
Twisted characters
Up to 16 player online multiplayer
Single player tournament mode
Strategic dismantling of opponants

Batman: Arkham City

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:12 -0400

Batman: Arkham City is an action-adventure video game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics, developed in conjunction with Rocksteady Studios. Functioning as a sequel to the highly-successful Arkham Asylum title, this game utilizes a stealth-based navigation system comparable to the Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell series'. Nearly all of the weapons and gadgets accumulated throughout the first game will be available to users from the get-go, featuring several innovations both graphically and functionally. Two items new to Arkham City are the tracer device and the smoke bombs, enabling users to track and confuse enemies respectively. "Detective Mode" offers players a forensics-style look at certain crime scenes and map locations, working in conjunction with an integrated criminal database to help Batman track and locate villains. A full host of primary and secondary missions are available for a truly in-depth experience, pitting users against classic Batman enemies including Catwoman, the Joker, Two-Face, Hugo Strange, Harley Quinn and more.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows Vista/XP) platforms
Sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum
Single-player gameplay
Incorporates villains such as the Joker, Catwoman, Hugo Strange, Two-Face and Harley Quinn
Unreal 3 graphics engine
Open-world gaming environment
Stealth/puzzle-based gameplay
Includes forensics-based "Detective Mode"

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:59 -0400

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is the third installment in the Uncharted series developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation 3, and continues following the story of explorer Nathan Drake and his mentor Victor Sullivan as they delve into Drake's ancestry and travel the world in search of the legendary lost city, the Iram of the Pillars. Maintaining the successful movie-like cinematic scenes that have helped define the first two, a number of advancements were made from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, including a rethought battle system and enemy AI, enabling simultaneous multi-enemy combat, and foes gathering together to form more efficient squads. While like the previous two offering, Uncharted 3 is not an open game, it has been designed and directed in a slightly more open manner to compliment the sparse desert climate and topography.

Features

Enhanced climbing
Automatic ammunition pickup
Stereoscopic 3D support
More cerebral enemies
Organically rendered animation
Real world locations
Epic single player campaign
Action adventure multiplayer

Max Payne 3

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter video game from Rockstar Games developed in conjunction with Rockstar Studios. Functioning as a direct sequel to Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne, this game takes place approximately one decade after the events of the previous title. Set in Sao Paolo, Brazil, users control Max as he works in a private security force for a wealthy family. Daytime settings are much more prevalent than in the rest of the MP series, with a number of never-before-seen tactical maneuvers including human shields and near-death kill tactics. The infamous "Bullet Time" feature has been updated to include "Environmental Bullet Time", a mode in which players retain full control of Max while time passes in slow motion. Players can also scale walls and climb fences, with "kill cam"-style replays incorporated for reviewing certain stylistic murders after they happen. Max Payne 3 also features the return of James McCaffrey for both voice and acting credits, with a full component of motion-captured controls and cutscenes for optimal realism.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows 7/Vista/XP) consoles
Functions as a sequel to Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne
Set in Sao Paolo, Brazil
Updated "Environmental Bullet Time" mode
Stars James McCaffrey in both voice and motion-capture acting roles
"Euphoria" AI engine
Considerable increase in daytime settings as compared to other Max Payne titles
Revamped graphics engine

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:32 -0500

Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is the sequel to the popular Marvel vs Capcom 2 that was over 10 years in the making. MvC3 continue the franchise's main aspects of being a 2D fighter pitting a team of 3 warriors against one another in a chaotic and fast paced battle. Half the cast comes from the Marvel universe including popular characters like Captain America and Wolverine, alongside some more obscure villains such as MODOK and Dormammu. Capcom's side includes Street Fighter characters such as Ryu, alongside characters from other Capcom franchises like Wesker from the Resident Evil series and Arthur from Ghosts N Goblins.

Features

offline modes
- arcade
- training
- mission mode
online modes
- ranked match
- player match
- lobbies
38 characters at launch
- 19 Marvel
- 19 Capcom
multiple downloadable characters

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:22:56 -0500

Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game that is developed and published my Ubisoft Montreal. Assassin's Creed: Revelations can be played on Playstation 3, XBox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Revelations is the fourth and final installment of the game in the Assassin's Creed franchise. It's a historical science-fiction third person action-adventure that takes place in 2012 and stars the same protagonists throughout the series: Desmond Miles, a bartender who comes from family line of assassins, Ezio and Auditore. Assassin's Creed: Revelations follows the same gameplay as its predecessors, an open world storyboard but features new additions such as an item called a hookblade, which increases speed by 30%. Assassin's Creed: Revelations is playable in 3D on all its available gameplay platforms and online multiplayer allows users to customize their character's clothing and weapons while creating a custom guild and coat of arms. Assassin's Creed: Revelations's multiplayer mode provides different ways to play with others including Deathmatch, Story and Capture the Flag.

Features

Available on Popular Platforms
Features Ezio, Desmond and Auditore
New Items
Playable in 3D
Console Version Supports 3D for 3D HDTV and 2D HDTV
Online Multi-Player Customization
New Multi-Player Game Modes
Collector's Edition Available with 50 Page Color Art Book

Dark Souls

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:59 -0400

Dark Souls is an action adventure with RPG elements developed by From Software for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. A spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, Dark Souls retains the same difficult gameplay and problem solving through trial and error (frequent deaths) rewarding only dedicated players through its 60 hours of action. Nearly 100 unique and troublesome monsters continuously challenge your individually crafted character, demanding free strategizing and knowledge of the range of nuanced weaponry and magic spells system. Through network play, you can watch other players succeed or fail in front of you, and craft strategy accordingly; players can also freely communicate or leave notes for others, helping or hindering as they choose fit.

Features

Seamlessly intertwined dungeons
Mastery earns progression
Multiple character styles
Flexible development
Network play does not hinder personal quest
Dynamic landscapes
Difficult monsters
Player vs Player and Co-op modes

Mass Effect 2

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:29:17 -0400

The Mass Effect 2 is an action RPG released in 2010 for the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Xbox 360 gaming console. It’s a sequel to the original Mass Effect (2007/2008) and takes place two years later; plus, a user’s completed saved data from the first game can be utilized and in fact results in different story-lines within the second game. As for changes, Mass Effect 2 utilizes an upgraded combat system with an enhanced A.I., improved damage modeling, and enemies that continue to drawl and fight, even after they’re knocked down. There are all new races, a greater focus on health regeneration, and heat sinks that function as ammo clips. The game basically works like this: recruit, train, and equip a team; explore the galaxy to discover missions; and command your squad as you “kick ass.”

Features

Mass Effect Series
Continued Game (From Saved Data)
Upgraded Combat System
More Intelligent AI
Improved Graphics
New Alien Races
Universal Heat Sinks

Bomberman Act Zero

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:38:01 -0400

Bomberman: Act Zero recreates Bomberman, keeping the fun gameplay but adding a modern look and dark storyline. Deep within an experimental underground facility, humans are imprisoned as test subjects and trained to become soldiers. Equipped with armored battle suits, the subjects must fight for survival and eliminate each other to determine who will become the Ultimate Human Weapon. As Bomberman, your objective is simple: destroy your opponents before they destroy you. Up to 8 players can engage in frantic battles for survival online through Xbox Live and earn points to become the ultimate weapon on the World Rankings.

Little Big Planet 2

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:58 -0400

Little Big Planet 2 is an upcoming video game by Media Molecule and Sony Computer Entertainment. It is a sequel to 2008 game Little Big Planet, and is exclusive to the Playstation 3 platform. It features compatibility with the Playstation Move controller, a "direct control seat", and the ability to create "Sackbots". The game is capable of using the Playstation Move controller to use motion-based controls with the game, creating a more immersive experience, as well as giving the player options regarding controls. Within the game itself, the player may use a tool called the direct control seat, which allows them to select specific actions (such as button presses and sixaxis motions) to certain aspects of their level. They may also apply actions to a Sackboy character. The player also may create "Sackbots", non-playable characters whose AI can be set by the player. The player can set their weak points, as well as routines. When compared to the previous game in the series, Little Big Planet, Little Big Planet 2 has some advantages in that it gives the user more tools to work with, letting them create more complex levels.

Features

Compatible with Playstation Move
Direct control seat tool
Can create "Sackbots"
Compatible with downloadable content from Little Big Planet
Compatible with levels made in the first Little Big Planet
Can create many kinds of levels, including platforming, racing, and RPG
Levels can be linked together
Customizable HUD
Can use recorded sound effects in levels
Playstation network enabled

Dead Island

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:59 -0400

Dead Island is an open world action adventure/horror game developed by Techland for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, and distributed by Square Enix. At the Royal Palms resort on the South Pacific island of Banoi, four characters find themselves strangely immune to the unknown cause of a zombie outbreak that plunges the vacation spot into carnage and chaos. Focusing on close-quarter, immersive melee, thousands of weapons (from blunt objects to serious firepower) and a weapon customization system allow for intricately customized but intimately pressing survival. Along with the standard action adventure model, RPG elements have been added allowing for the development of characters, including XP leveling, and unlockable skill trees to further craft the ideal survivor.

Features

Open-world setting
4 player co-op multiplayer
Visually detailed attack effects
Immersive surroundings
Multi-terrain survival
Variety of enemy attack styles
Mystery/escape driven story
4 dynamic playable characters

Homefront

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:21:41 -0400

Homefront is a first person shooter (FPS) released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Playtation 3, and OnLive in spring 2011. It tells an apocalyptic tale of the United States, in which the U.S. is under attack by Korea. Since players are defending their turf instead of infringing on other people’s lands, the game differs from others combat games in that there are no large fields and huge battlements. Instead the game is played in quaint cul-de-sacs, survivalist compounds, and abandoned warehouses. Unfortunately, Homefront doesn’t veer far from the status quo in regard to gameplay. The same elements as always pop up: aiming and shooting, throwing grenades, and murdering people left and right. However, there are two multiplayer modes (Co-Op, Deathmatch), vehicles to drive (Humvees, helicopters), and an RPG-like leveling system tied to what are known as Battle Points (BPs).

Features

FPS Game
Deep Apocalyptic Plot
Single-Player Campaign
Multiplayer Modes
Trophy/Achievement Hunting
RPG Like Experience
Driveable Vehicles
Poor Graphics
Poor Audio

Jurassic Park: The Game

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:01 -0400

Jurassic Park: The Game is a third person adventure video game developed by Telltale Games, and is based on the long standing Jurassic Park franchise. Attempting to synthesize modern paleontological views with the cinematic drama that made the original movie so popular, the writers and designers have constructed an original plot that runs both concurrent and after the original movie's story, attempting to tie up some loose ends. Distribution is episodic, and entirely downloadable for PC, Mac, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. An escape driven decision-based storyline is featured as opposed to a more violent shooter, and contains the classic dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Dilophosaurus, and Triceratops, as well as the newly introduced nocturnal hunter Troodon.

Features

New cast of original characters
Reconstructed park grounds from original movie
Cinematic cutscenes
Movie inspired dinosaur personalities and movement
Immersive story expands the original movie
Quick-time events affect game path
More accurate dinosaur movement
Movie inspired evasion strategies

Madden NFL 12

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:12 -0400

Madden NFL 12 is a football simulation video game from the EA Sports company, developed in conjunction with EA Tiburon. Marking the 25th consecutive title in the series since its inception in 1988, this version incorporates a number of never-before-seen features for advanced football simulation. A revamped collision engine gives users full player control right up to the point of impact, maximizing physical realism through more than a hundred potential tackle combinations. Improvements in Artificial Intelligence make it possible for computer players to recognize and react to plays in a truly authentic manner, providing gamers with an unprecedented level of realism. Madden's classic "Franchise Mode" has been configured to feature start-of-season free agent bidding wars with a full pre-season training component, allowing users to trade and make cuts like a real coach would. Players can also be edited at any time regardless of their skill or experience level, with retirement logic and salary levels more true-to-life than ever before.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Playstation Portable and Playstation 2 gaming consoles
Revamped collision system
Custom playbook functionality
32 team-specific "run-outs" with cheerleaders and mascots
Updated player equipment, helmet logos and pylon/ball physics
Player degradation system - affects players and uniforms based on field and weather conditions
Revamped A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) engine
"Classic Controller" support for Nintendo Wii version

Rage

Tue, 04 May 2010 22:40:48 -0400

Rage is and upcoming post-apocalyptic, first-person shooter to be released by id Software sometime in early 2011. While the game is still very far off, this shoot em' up game will include lots of first-person fighting and some driving and racing gameplay. The game will be available for XBox 360, PS3, Windows and Mac.

Throughout the game, players will also be able to get more weapons and upgrade vehicles using money won in races. While much is still not known about the plot of the game, it is known that Matthew J. Costello, story writer for Quake 3, will be working on this game. The trailer for the game shows a post-apocalyptic world similar to the Mad Max movies. In an interview, designer Tim Willits revealed that the game's fictional apocalypse is based on 99942 Apophis, which is a near-earth asteroid discovered in 2004 that has a small chance of striking earth.

Key Features

first person shooter
set in a post-apocalyptic world, after Earth is hit by an asteroid
also contains driving and racing gameplay
characters find new weapons and can upgrade their cars by racing
game written by Matthew J. Costello, video game script writer of Quake 3
to be released in 2011 (date is yet unspecified)

Driver San Francisco

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:25:27 -0400

Driver: San Francisco is the sequel to 2006's poorly-received Driver: Parallel Lines. Since then the game has changed developers and publishers, and has been redesigned from the ground up. The game takes place slightly after the end of Driv3r, and the protagonist, John Tanner goes into a coma after crashing while chasing his former comrade Charles Jericho through San Francisco. The game takes place in Tanner's coma dreamworld, which gives the player and developer more freedom than before, and allows there to be features such as "Shift," which is instant car switching while driving. Shift switches into a top-down mode, where the player picks a new car from other cars on the road. Shift then physically changes the location of the player into the new car, allowing it to be used as a travel and strategic mechanic. Because of this feature, none of the game is on-foot, and that function has been removed altogether. Also new to the franchise is the online multiplayer, which has several modes and supports up to eight people.

Features

Sanbox San Fransico environment
Over 280 miles of road
"Shift" car switching
Dreamworld allows for weird physics
Online multiplayer
All driving, no walking
Redesigned from ground up
Sequel to Driv3r

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:55 -0400

Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first person shooter and the seventh installment in the Call of Duty series. It features a number of play modes, including single player, local multiplayer versus and online co-op and multiplayer. The setting and story are based on the the live fire conflicts of the Cold War, and features a number of elements specific to the time. The large arsenal of weapons available are period specific, and include items like the explosive-tipped crossbow. A number of vehicles are also a part of the game, including the famous SR-71 Blackbird. Play settings range from air-based to ground combat, and vary from urban settings to snow combat and steamy jungles.

Features

Single player story mode
Local multiplayer versus mode
Online co-op and multiplayer
Based on Cold War era
Air and ground combat, urban and jungle settings
Traditional COD gaming with new elements
Large arsenal of weapons
Several vehicles
Available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and PC

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:58 -0400

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an action adventure game from the long-running Legend of Zelda series, developed by Nintendo for the Wii console. Temporally, Skyward Sword acts as a prequel to the highly successful title Ocarina of Time, and maintains the older, more able bodied version of Link that it presented, while stylistically resembling more of a synthesis between the animation styles of Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker. Taking place in Skyloft, a group of floating islands, Link discovers the Skyward Sword which leads him to the discovery of a previously unknown land below, ruled by evil forces, and gradually discovers why the two worlds have become separated. The Wii MotionPlus becomes integral to battle, as enemies are not only be susceptible to timing attacks, but also to the angle from which they are hit.

Features

New stamina meter
Potion drinking no longer interrupts gameplay
Easier to read maps
More articulated swordplay
Revised Wii Remote targeting
Improved graphical realism
Fewer large vacant areas for better adventure pacing
New complex enemies

Duke Nukem Forever

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

Duke Nukem Forever is a first-person shooter video game sequel to 1996's Duke Nukem 3D, designed by Gearbox Software for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Fourteen years in the making, gamers once again get to play as Duke Nukem, the musclebound, egotistical, foul-mouthed womanizer who has an uncanny ability to save the day. With a barrage of new and classic one-liners throughout the game, Duke Nukem Forever continues on the previous title's path of crudely comedic destruction, featuring outlandish settings, vehicle driving, and puzzle solving on top of the familiar first-person shooter action. A new group of minigames allow a break from the game's story progression, including basketball, lifting weights, pinball, pool, air hockey, and slots.

Features

Multiplayer options rethought Duke's way
World interactivity
New alien invasion driven plot
Classic combat redesigned
New weapons introduced
More impressive vehicles
Incredibly un-PC gameplay
More interactive combat

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:31:53 -0400

Metal Gear Solid 4 is the fourth installment of the critically acclaimed, and fan-obsessed Metal Gear Solid series, which is part of the larger Metal Gear universe. Hideo Kojima, the creator of the series, claims MGS4 is the last game that will feature the iconic protagonist Solid Snake who now finds himself old and decaying. In development for four years, MGS4 was anticipated by fans as the first and last next-gen installment of their favorite series with a budget to match the epic expectations.

Story

Metal Gear games are notorious for their convoluted, intricate and deep narrative that mixes serious themes such as war and free will, with supernatural elements. MGS4 takes place years after the events of MGS2 as Solid Snake who is rapidly aging since he is a clone is attempting to stop his rival Liquid Snake (who has possessed Revolver Ocelot through a transplanted arm) from taking over the world with nano-machine controlled soldiers.

Traditionally the story in MGS games have been told through "CODEC" conversations where two people spend copious amounts of time talking to one another with animated avatars. In response to criticism the traditional CODEC conversations have been replaced by full real-time cinematics. Some of the story presentation is presented while playing the game, most of the cinematics are non-interactive.

Gameplay

MGS4 introduces several refinements and changes to the traditional Metal Gear Solid gameplay, while retaining many of the core elements that make the series. The biggest change comes in the gameplay perspective which now defaults to a regular third-person view from behind Snake's back. Other camera angles are available including an over-the-shoulder view, the birds-eye angle, and even a first person view.

Snake has more tools and weapons at his disposal including the OctoCamo which is a cameleon-like suit that automatically changes colors and patterns to match his surrounding. The Solid Eye and Metal Gear MK.II are two other tools that Snake can use to help his progress.

Super Mario Galaxy

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:11:38 -0500

Super Mario Galaxy is an action 3D platformer released for the Wii on November 12th, 2007. The game is set in outer space, as you control Mario by jumping from planetoid to planetoid with the objective of collecting stars like other Mario 3D games. Gravity plays a significant role in Galaxy with the planet's affecting Mario's trajectory while also preventing him from drifting off in to space.

Note: this product report is a stub. Please expand this description and add other information.

World Of Warcraft

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:28:48 -0500

Design a character from one of two factions, the Alliance or the Horde. There are eight races to choose from (all races can be both Female and Male) in the basic game and ten races with "The Burning Crusade" expansion. Currently there are eight playing classes (see below), but this is subject to change when the new expansion "Wrath of the Lich King" is released later in 2008.

You basically roam around inside the dynamic online world called "Azeroth" killing beasts, monsters, giants, dragons and even other players of the opposing faction if you so wish, while completing tasks (quests) to earn virtual money and items to improve your character and take it to the next level.

There are currently a total of 70 levels in World of Warcraft, you start at level one and as you progress in the game you gain levels, making your character more powerful with better character statistics (strength, stamina, intelligence, spirit and agility) and abilities/spells (depending on what class you choose/roll).

World of Warcraft is the most played game of the MMORPGs, connecting a huge amount of realms over several continents and countries. With over ten million subscribers --and growing-- you're sure not to adventure alone, but can of course if you prefer not to adventure with other people.

World of Warcraft has always been the gateway MMO for a lot of people new to the genre, it is a fairly simple game with a fast learning curve, the game only becomes as advanced as you want it to get.

The user interface is very simple and easy to understand, but for people that want a different look, or more advanced control there are custom user interfaces and interface enhancements to download from various World of Warcraft Interface sites. But for the inexperienced, the basic UI will take the new player to the highest level without any real need to change your UI.

Classes & Races

The Alliance consist of:

Dwarves (Hunter, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warrior)
Draenei (BC only) (Mage, Paladin, Priest, Shaman, Warrior)
Gnomes (Mage, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior)
Humans (Mage, Paladin, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior)
Night Elves (Druid, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Warrior)

The horde consist of:

Blood Elves (BC only) (Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Warlock)
Orcs (Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior)
Tauren (Druid, Hunter, Warrior)
Trolls (Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior)
Undead (Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior)

Both factions now have the same classes (after BC was released), the classes are the following:

Druid (Able to Shapeshift into various animals to benefit him or herself)
Hunter (A tamer of animals and most commonly a ranged DPSer)
Mage (A DPS class that focuses on magic spells to deal heavy damage to it's enemies)
Paladin (The holy warrior that is a combination of a caster /healer / warrior with it's heavy armor, healing magic and combat magic.
Priest (The primary healer, but can also be dealing damage if he or she is talented in that direction)
Rogue (Uses the shadows, moment of surprise and stealth to deliver heavy blows to it's enemy)
Shaman (With the use of totems that buff yourself or your group, also provide excellent for combat aid.
Warrior (Primary tank class, but can be talented to deal melee DPS)
Warlock (A caster with the ability to summon a demonic pet and a combination of DoT spells and heavy damaging spells like a Mage)

Tradeskill

There are also several trading professions in the game such as:

Alchemy
Blacksmith
Enchanter
Engineer
Herbalism
Jewelcrafter (BC Only)
Leatherworker
Skinner
Tailor

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:46:06 -0400

After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor, the throne of Tamriel lies empty. With the Empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land - laying waste to everything in their path. To turn the tide of darkness, you must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

In development for 4 years, Oblivion is another leap forward in role-playing with its combination of freeform gameplay and cutting-edge graphics for the world under The Elder Scrolls.

Resistance 3

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:58 -0400

Resistance 3 is a science fiction first person shooter developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation 3, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The third installment of the best-selling Resistance series, players once again assume the role of Joseph Capelli who has given up fighting the Chimeran invasion and has gone into hiding with his family. The game's story follows their path from Oklahoma to New York City. Returning to the first installments weapon wheel system, after it was excluded from the second, the array of weapon options include both new and old, all being upgradeable and becoming more powerful the more they are used. Resistance 3 has also been designed to support PlayStation Move, Stereoscopic 3D, and the PlayStation Sharp Shooter attachment.

Features

16 player online multiplayer
Online/split-screen co-op story mode
Real world location maps
Wide variety of unique weapons
Unpredictable alien encounters
Unique alien plant life
Brutal post-invasion environments

Sports Champions

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:17:54 -0400

Sports Champions is a 2010 sports game featuring support for PlayStation Move controllers. Players use Move technology to perform actions such as pulling a bow or tossing objects into goal areas. Gameplay consists of six different playable sports from various periods of time. For example, the player can partake in an ancient gladiator duel or a modern game of table tennis. Other sports include volleyball, disc golf, bocce and archery. Users can choose between ten different playable characters, then pick from various gameplay modes including Free Play, Challenge and Championship Cup options. This game has received positive reviews by major publications, with many citing the multiplayer mode and integration with Sony’s motion technology as positives.

Features

PlayStation Move compatible
10 playable characters
Free Play mode
Challenge mode
Championship Cup mode
Table Tennis, Volleyball sports
Gladiator Duel mode
Disc golf, Bocce, Archery competitions

The Sims 3

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:42:59 -0400

The Sims 3 is an upcoming computer game in the popular and critically acclaimed The Sims franchise, originally created by Maxis and due for release on June 2, 2009 in North America, and June 5, 2009 in Europe and Australia. In contrast to the previous versions, the houses and neighborhoods will be seamless, allowing players to explore and interact with their neighborhood without loading time. With this release there is a Create-A-Sim character builder, where the polygon 3-D models of Sims can be modified by changing a wider variety of properties than what was available in previous installments. This opens the door to creating completely unique Sims with regard to weight, fitness, hair, and clothing, etc. Players can customize nearly everything in the game, including furniture, clothes and shoes.

In The Sims 2, there were only three body types—fat, normal and fit. As in The Sims 2, body shape varies with diet and exercise, so that Sims created as overweight can become slim by exercising and Sims created thin may become fat by eating too much and not exercising. Personality configuration for Sims has also been made more complex, with the original 'percentage bar'-style personality points replaced by a combination of traits, similar to those in the personals section of newspapers. The build and buy modes have been revamped. The square outlines that appear on the ground (often referred to as a grid or tile)—apparent when entering build or buy mode—are now four times smaller to give the player more liberty to place objects where they want

Features

Houses and neighborhoods will be seamless, allowing players to explore and interact with their neighborhood without loading time
Create-A-Sim character builder, where the polygon 3-D models of Sims can be modified by changing a wider variety of properties than what was available in previous installments
New fitness options for sims
New personality configuation
New build and buy mode
There are new customizability features

SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:43:13 -0400

SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition includes SimCity 4 and the SimCity 4: Rush Hour expansion pack. Design, build and watch your city take shape before your eyes. Catch thugs and criminals, put out fires with fire trucks and drive through the city streets that YOU created!

SimCity 4 (SC4) is a city-building simulation computer game developed by Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. It was released on January 14, 2003. It is the fourth installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 has a single expansion pack known as Rush Hour which adds additional features to the game. SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition contained the original game and Rush Hour combined as a single product.

The game allows players to create a region of land by terraforming, and then to design and build a settlement which can grow into a city. Players can zone different areas of land as commercial, industrial, or residential development, as well as build and maintain public services, transport and utilities. For the success of a city players must manage its finances, environment, and quality of life for its residents. SimCity 4 introduces night and day cycles and other special effects for the first time in the SimCity series. Tools such as the Building Architect Tool (BAT) allow custom third party buildings and content to be added to the gameplay.

SimCity 4 was praised for being the first game in the SimCity series to primarily use a 3D engine to render its graphics. It received widespread acclaim, won several awards, and was one of the top ten selling PC games of 2003.[3] It was however criticised for the difficulty of gameplay and computer performance.

L.A. Noire

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:04 -0400

L.A. Noire is an action-adventure video game from the Rockstar Games company, developed in conjunction with Team Bondi and Rockstar Games. Heavily inspired by the mid-1900's "Film Noir" genre of Hollywood crime movies, this game feature a block-by-block representation of the city of Los Angeles circa 1947. Gamers assume the role of LAPD officer Cole Phelps (voiced by Aaron Staton), starting as a rookie patrolman and working their way up the ranks into homicide, forensics and arson departments. A multitude of different primary and secondary tasks are available within each of the five crime desks; all of which include a "partner" officer to help the player navigate and assess various situations. L.A. Noire also incorporates a number of different graphics technologies for optimal realism, building on industry-standard techniques with never-before-seen development engines for a truly modern gaming experience. LightSprint's real-time "Global Illumination" technology helps to improve the natural characteristics of light, making things like reflections, refractions and shadows much more believable. Depth Analysis' "MotionScan" technology has been used to drastically improve facial detailing amongst characters, using a series of 32 cameras to capture every possible viewing angle.

Features

Available for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming consoles
Inspired by the "Film Noir" movie genre
Five different playable LAPD crime desks
8 square-mile, block-by-block recreation of 1940's-era Los Angeles
Lightsprint global illumination graphics technology
Multiple difficulty settings available
Highly-realistic police investigation/interrogation component
Depth Analysis MotionScan graphics technology

Chrono Cross

Fri, 30 May 2008 20:19:47 -0400

Chrono Cross features a diverse cast of forty-five party members. To create characters, developers brainstormed traits and archetypes.Originally, sixty-four were planned ^[6]. Each character is outfitted with an innate Element affinity and three unique special abilities.

The story of Chrono Cross begins with Serge, who must collect komodo dragon scales on the beach for his friend Leena. The setting is El Nido, a tropical archipelago inhabited by ancient natives, mainland colonists, and beings called Demi-humans who are often prejudiced against. While meeting his friend, Serge slips into an alternate dimension in which he drowned on the beach ten years prior. While searching for truth behind his supposed death, Serge meets the famous thief, Kid, a teenage girl intent on finding the mysterious Frozen Flame. Serge joins her search.

The story of Chrono Cross focuses on a teenage boy named Serge and a theme of parallel worlds. Faced with an alternate reality in which he died as a child, Serge endeavors to discover the truth of the two worlds' divergence. The flashy thief Kid and forty-three other characters assist him in his travels around the tropical archipelago El Nido. Struggling to uncover his past and find the mysterious Frozen Flame, Serge is chiefly challenged by Lynx, a shadowy antagonist working to apprehend him.

NCAA Football 12

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:21:40 -0400

NCAA Football 12 is the twelfth installment in the fifteenth installment in the NCAA Football series. It was released in summer 2011 for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, iDevice, and Microsoft Windows gaming consoles and operating systems. It improves from its predecessor, NCAA Football 11 (2011) with noticeable visual upgrades to nearly every element of the game. The first upgrade was to the lighting system, which was pumped up to High Dynamic Rendering (HDR), which allows the game to maintain a stark contrast without sacrificing the intricate details that add to realism. This especially makes a difference while playing in exceedingly large stadiums that are covered in shadows, in that the game doesn’t have to raise brightness anymore to alleviate these shadows. Also added are realistic-looking dreadlocks on the places, a much more detailed crown, and fully three-dimensional (3D) particles such as grass and rain. Overall, the game looks much more photographic than its predecessors, which still suffered from a serious grain of cartoonishness.

Features

NCAA Football Series
Playstation 2 Gaming Console
Playstation 3 Gaming Console
Xbox 360 Gaming Console
iDevices (iPhones, iPads)
Microsoft Windows PCs
Improved Lighting System
High Dynamic Rendering
Realistic Effects
Photographic Particles
Full 3D Environment

Alan Wake

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:46:42 -0400

Alan Wake is a video game in development for Xbox 360 and PC, to be released in Spring 2010. Previewed at E3 2009, it places the player in the role of Alan Wake, a best-selling suspense/mystery writer, in what promises to be an innovative psychological thriller from Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind the Max Payne series. Wake moves to a seemingly peaceful community called Bright Falls, when his wife disappears and he is pulled into a grim world of nightmarish enemies in which light becomes a central ally and weapon. The player seeks to wake from the sinister dreamscape that brings to life the darkest inventions of Alan Wake's literary imagination. More information will become available as the release date nears.

Features

Intricate, psychological storytelling
Intense, cinematic action
Light as weapon
Open-world environment
Episodic narrative

Rock Band

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:17:34 -0400

Rock Band is the highly anticipated game in which players play along with rock music with the included microphone, guitar, and drum accessories. The game borrows many of the elements from the popular Guitar Hero franchise. Rock Band is developed by Harmonix, published by MTV Games, and will be distributed by Electronic Arts. Harmonix has released the titles of 35 songs included with the games. Additionally, other songs can be purchased and downloaded.

Guitar

The game includes a Rock Band branded Fender Stratocaster guitar (wired for Xbox 360, wireless for PS3/PS2 versions) that offers some improvements over the guitar included with Guitar Hero. There are 5 fret buttons located further up the neck of the guitar dedicated for solo sections using hammer-ons and pull-offs (no strumming required). Also, there is an effects switch on both the wired and wireless version.

Harmonix has confirmed that the Guitar Hero and third-party guitar controllers are compatible with Rock Band.

Drums

The included drum accessory has 4 foam pads used as a snare, hi-hat, tom-toms, and crash/ride cymbal that you hit in a very similar fashion as the real drums. There is also a foot pedal for simulating the bass/kick drum. It is similar to the drums in the DrumMania arcade game. The drums feature detachable legs so you can set it up on a table top.

The drums match playing the drums so closely, that Harmonix claims that if you can play the drum parts on the Hard difficulty in the game, you can play the drums in real life.

Microphone

Rock Band includes a microphone similar to the one found in Harmonix's Karaoke Revolution. Rock Band adds a phoneme detector to sense for vowels and consonants, instead of merely matching pitch and timing like in Karaoke Revolution. The microphone doubles as a cowbell and tambourine when there are no vocals.

It will be released Friday, November 23rd, 2007 for both the Xbox 360 and PS3. It will be released for the PS2 on December 10th. The game will include a microphone, guitar, and drums and will retail for $169, less than the anticipated $199.

Mass Effect

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:28:27 -0400

Mass Effect is a new RPG from BioWare who developed the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of Old Republic games, and Jade Empire. The game takes place in a sci-fi world where space exploration is common and robots, aliens and humans comingle. The action is split into three main modes: conversations with other characters, exploration around the galaxy, and combat.

BioWare focuses a lot of energy on the conversation side of the game introducing a new form of dialog progression that moves away from requiring copious amounts of text and instead is more emotion base. Every character is fully voiced, and the player simply chooses a general kind of reaction with the actors fleshing out the reaction with the proper animations and voice.

Exploration is further divided into two stages, one is the galactic map where you can choose to pilot your ship, the Normandy, to hundreds of different planets. Once a planet is selected you move into the second form of exploration which involves a combination of driving and walking around on the planet's surface.

Combat is a hybrid between real-time action, and turn-based strategy. The flow of the combat is real time where you control a single character and aim their shots, perform attacks and execute abilities. At any time you can pause the action to take a more strategic approach and queue up commands to the entire party.

Being an RPG, character development and stat progression plays a large part with all of the characters able to gain new abilities, weapons and armor. All the weapons and armor you equip are visible in real-time during the game.

Child of Eden

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:22:15 -0500

Child of Eden is a game designed specifically to play with motion controllers such as the Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect. It is also only available on the two aforementioned platforms. Child of Eden is a music based game with shooter elements. Players are required to shoot various objects on screen. By using gestures other functions can be accessed such as weapon change. The game has been well received by many reviewers citing its innovative and immersive game play with a high degree of replayability. The game's five levels can be considered as dynamic as it changes during ever play through; these changes are based on the player's performance and playing style. Child of Eden is a worth addition to anyone's game collection.

Features

Designed for Kintec, PS Move
Compatible with traditional controllers
5 immersive levels
Dynamic levels that changes according to playing style
Multiple shooting modes
Gesture control
Available on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 only
Highly replayable

Zepetto Point Blank

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 23:18:38 -0400

Online MM-FPS game

MX vs ATV Alive

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:52:53 -0400

The MX vs ATV Alive is a motocross racing game for the PS3 and Xbox 360. A "Rider Reflex" interface provides complete control of the rider's posture and the bike itself, creating a more realistic experience for the player. The track itself is deformed in real-time on every lap, giving the players a new layer of complexity as they adjust to ever-changing conditions. Rider-to-rider collisions are tracked to enable win/loss conditions based on the amount of abuse the player has given other riders. The riders in the game are based on real riders, feature real gear, and have real licensors throughout. A campaign mode is available to allow the player to try and win the Motocross Championship title, and an online mode allows races of between 2 and 12 players.

Features

Rider Reflex provides total control of both rider and bike
Advanced real-time deformation continuously changes the track with every lap
Rider-to-Rider collisions
Win/loss conditions through a new bar banging system
Real riders, real gear, and real licensors
Campaign mode focuses on Nationals and Motocross Championship title
Additional event available
Local 2 player mode and 2-12 online multiplayer action

Dungeon Siege III

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

Dungeon Siege III is an action/role-playing video game from the Square Enix company, developed in conjunction with Obsidian Entertainment. Functioning as a direct sequel to the Dungeon Siege II and the Dungeon Siege II: Broken World expansion, this game is set in the Kingdom of Ehb and revolves around the "10th Legion" regiment. Four main characters are available that each possess an exclusive set of weapons and attacks - "Lucas Montbarron" uses a combination of swords and shields, "Anjali" uses spears and shape-shifting techniques, "Reinhart Manx" uses short and long-range magic, and "Katarina" uses a variety of firearms. Players traverse landscapes in a "hack and slash" style protecting the kingdom while collecting loot and upgrades along the way. Co-operative gameplay is available in both online and offline forms, supporting up to four gamers (one of each character) at a time.

Features

Available for PC (Windows 7/Vista/XP), Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles
Functions as a sequel to Dungeon Siege II
Set in the "Kingdom of Ehb"
Onyx graphics engine
Online and co-operative gameplay support for up to 4 players
Four different playable characters - "Lucas Montbarron", "Anjali" "Reinhart Manx" and "Katarina"
Large amount of upgradeable weapons and items
Wide variety of specialized attacks

Portal

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:32:13 -0400

Portal is a single-player first-person action/puzzle video game first released as part of The Orange Box collection of games released in October 2007 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. The game was included along with more established titles Half Life 2, and Team Fortress 2, but, somewhat unexpectedly, Portal became a standout on its own, with many gamer's buying the box set for Portal alone. It was released as a standalone game for the PC on Steam in October 2007 for $19.99, and retail games appearing in stores on April 9th, 2008. Portal was released on Xbox Live! arcade on October 22, 2008 for 1200 points.

Gameplay

In Portal, the player controls the character, Chell, from a first person perspective as she is challenged to navigate through a series of rooms using the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device ("portal gun"). The portal gun can create two distinct portal ends, orange and blue. Neither is specifically an entrance or exit; all objects that travel through the one portal will exit through the other with no change in momentum magnitude. If subsequent portal ends are created, the previously created portal of the same color is closed. Not all surfaces are able to accommodate a portal, and any attempt to do so will not affect the existing portals. Chell can also pick up objects, though she can only throw objects a short distance (affected by the player's momentum). These objects ("Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cubes" or a "Weighted Companion Cube") can be used to press large buttons to open doors or activate platforms, but barriers (known as "Material Emancipation Grids" or 'fizzlers', as described by the audio commentary) at the end of each test chamber or within certain test chambers prevent the player character from carrying such objects beyond them. Passage through these fields also closes any open portals, and portals cannot be fired through these fields

* source Wikipedia

Infamous 2

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:58 -0400

InFamous 2 is an open world video game designed for the PlayStation 3 by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. As Cole MacGrath, players will enter the New Orleans-inspired city of New Marais to further enhance his electrical abilities from the first installment. Building off the first's less developed moral elements, inFamous 2 offers polarizing choices that result in both different in-game powers, and end of game battles and story resolution. A rethought melee combat system is smoother and more involving than the previous, and Sucker Punch also focused on the development of the open world aspects, creating a more interact and responsive surrounding, including manipulable environments and a more realistic reaction from the city's residents.

Features

New powers (including fire, ice, and telekinesis)
User-generated missions
Epic boss battles
Cinematic cutscenes
Increased environment interactivity and destruction
Unique combat platforming
Upgradeable abilities
Rated T

Mario Kart DS

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 01:11:46 -0500

The multiplayer favourite comes on the DS. This game combines many of the tracks, characters and weapons from the past Mario Kart games and introduces new features that take advantage of the DS' abilities. The biggest new feature is the addition of online play. Players around the world can battle each other using Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

Shadows of the Damned

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:03 -0400

Shadows of the Damned is a survival horror video game from Electronic Arts developed in conjunction with Grasshopper Manufacture. Designed in collaboration with Shinji Mikami of the legendary Resident Evil series, this title employs many different "Arcade Shooter"-style gameplay elements within the Unreal 3 graphics engine. Users control protagonist Garcia Hotspur as he navigates the depths of Hell in search of his true love, Paula. Hotspur has access to a variety of different firearms via his demon counterpart Johnson, who can be configured to function as a revolver, a machine gun and a shotgun among others. A third-person control view is employed for battling numerous enemies simultaneously, with motorcycle transportation available for quickly traversing open terrain. Shadows of the Damned is said to have been greatly influenced by Sam Raimi's Evil Dead film series, and is available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles.

Features

Available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles
Wide array of firearm weapons including revolvers, machine guns and shotguns
Third-person shooter control style
Motorcycle vehicular component
Collaboration between Goichi Suda (Killer7, No More Heroes) and Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil series)
Incorporates many "Arcade Shooter" elements
Unreal 3 graphics engine
Inspired by the Evil Dead film series

Alice: Madness Returns

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:21:40 -0400

Alice: Madness Returns is a horror adventure-adventure platform video game released for the Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 operating system and gaming platforms in summer 2011 as a successor to American McGee's Alice (2000). Madness Returns picks up eleven years from where its predecessor left off, with Alice now released from the Rutledge Asylum and her family dead from a fire. She is haunted by hallucinations that inevitably lead her back to Wonderland, where she must again save everyone by defeating the evil within via a combination of platform-jumping adventuring and good old-fashioned combat (stab, slash, shoot, throw). Featured is collectable currency for upgrading equipment, third-person combat with fancy effects, and Tomb-Raider-like world exploration. The biggest improvement from its predecessor is the graphics, as most of the gameplay remains fairly the same.

Features

Horror Adventure Game
Platform Exploration
3D, Third Person Combat
Improved Graphics
Fairly Same Gameplay
Six Realms
Six Themes
Currency
Upgradeable Equipment
Demo Available (Early 2011)

Kinect Sports

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:30:08 -0400

Kinect Sports is a Kinect-based video game for the Xbox 360. It features six games (soccer, volleyball, track/field, bowling, table tennis, and boxing) designed to be played solo or against others—and by using one’s body to direct movements. It differs from Deca Sports Freedom in that Deca offers 10 games, including some like beach volleyball, doge ball, skiing, and archery. Motion Sports, on the other hand, tackles football, soccer, hang gliding, and horseback. So from the standpoint of weight loss and fun, Kinect reigns supreme. But for users looking for more exotic sports, they might look elsewhere. Plus Kinect Sports supports online co-op/dual, whereas Motion Sports support is unknown, and Deca is also co-op.

Features

Sports Video Game
Kinect Controller
Play via Body Motion
soccer
Volleyball
Track/Field
Bowling
Table Tennis
Boxing
Online Co-Op

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:35 -0400

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 is a a tactical action-RPG video game for the Xbox 360 and PS3 which is based on the world from the Gundam anime series. Similar to previous installments in the series, Gundam 3 features action-oriented hack-and-slash gameplay with tactical and RPG elements. Players can choose from a number of playable characters and upgrade their Gundam suits while multiple game modes and four player online co-op ensure plenty of replayability.

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3's playable characters and Gundams will be familiar to fans of previous installments and the Gundam series with the largest number of available Gundams in the series thus far. Its game modes include History, Collection, Memorial, Challenge, Friendship, Relation and Special Missions, allowing players to build up various aspects of their favourite characters and Gundams. Meanwhile, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3's four player online co-op features 15 unique mission designed specifically to challenge the teamwork and ability of four players.

Features

Over 50 playable and upgradable characters and over 70 playable and upgradeable Mobile Suits combed from the Gundam universe, including new Mobile Suits from Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Mobile Suit Gundam UC and many more
Experience the Gundam anime and manga series come to life with an entirely new cel-shaded graphical treatment
Deeper gameplay systems: Enhanced and aggressive enemy AI adds to the challenge while new gameplay systems, including Partner Strike, Emergency Dash and Recovery Gauge expand the level of strategy and depth to the gameplay
Story mode returns: the popular mode originally introduced in the first DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM is back with an entirely new campaign
Four-player online co-op
History, Collection, Memorial, Challenge, Friendship, Relation and Special Missions
Rated T for Teen

UFC Personal Trainer

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:35 -0400

UFC Personal Trainer is a simulation/fitness game that utilizes the motion control systems for Wii, PS3 (requires Move) and Xbox 360 (requires Kinect). It is designed to provide players with a complete mixed martial arts-based fitness routine, using motion controls to ensure correct form. UFC Personal Trainer also features workout routine customization and three well-known MMA trainers.

UFC Personal Trainer's fitness routines feature over 70 MMA and NASM-approved exercises derived from popular fighting styles such as wrestling, kickboxing and Muay Thai; fitness routines focus on losing weight, building strength and improving performance for a complete fitness goal. Three trainers guide players through exercises and routines: Mark DellaGrotte, Greg Jackson and Javier Mendez, all three of which currently operate prominent MMA training facilities. Meanwhile, UFC Personal Trainer allows players to customize workouts with 12 warm ups and cool downs and specific fitness objectives.

Features

Learn over 70 MMA-inspired exercises, including moves from disciplines such as wrestling, kickboxing and Muay Thai
Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PS3
Requires Kinect on Xbox 360 and Move on PS3
Focus on specific fitness objectives, guided by a UFC personal trainer, in building personalized routines with up to 12 different exercises
Hit the mitts against several popular UFC fighters with a variety of challenging rhythm and timing-based agility drills that utilize punching and kicking sequences
An in-game journal enables players to view a comprehensive calendar of their fitness activities, including specific routines, time management and more
Rated E for Everybody

Cars 2: The Video Game

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:34 -0400

Cars 2: The Video Game is a multi-platform (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, DS, Wii) racing game made by the same team that did Toy Story 3: The Video Game. It expands upon the film's storyline, further exploring the spy organization known as CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage). Cars 2 also features 20 playable characters, 4-player split-screen and a number of stunts and gadgets.

Cars 2: The Video Game sports 20 playable characters, each with a different racing style, including Mater, Lightning McQueen and the newly introduced Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell. Its 4-player split-screen play allows every game mode to become a party. Meanwhile, Cars 2 features unique mechanics (two-wheel driving, air tricks, sidestepping) and gadgets, making each race a unique challenge.

Features

Available on PS3, Xbox 360, PC (Windows, OSX and Linux), Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii
Expands on the film's storyline
20 playable characters
4-player split-screen
Unique maneuvers and gadgets
Different game modes
Rated E 10+

Record of Agarest War Zero

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:34 -0400

Record of Agarest War Zero is a role playing game with tactical elements. It is the prequel to Record of Agarest War. Aside from the main battle and story portion of the game, there is a deeply integrated relationship element with non-player characters (NPC). Two new features are introduced in this iteration: feel link and free intention. Both deals with the player's relationship level with NPCs. With feel link, players' character's appearance changes based on their relationship with NPCS, and with free intention, by building their relationship with NPCs new costumes, CGs, and items can be acquired. Players can also load saved games from the first game which enables them to unlock certain items and portions of the game map. There is a total of 15 playable characters in this game which includes 9 from the first game.

Features

The pivotal installment of the multi-generational tale tells the story of what happened in the age before Record of Agarest War
The beautiful, static character portraits from Record of Agarest War are now animated to resemble living and breathing characters
Unique Soul-Breeding system returns making the choice of bride at the end of the first generation determining the skill sets & weapon of the offspring
New card skill system gives players more control over the battle style of the main character and skills
Limited Edition extras including: character data guide, CD soundtrack and two collectible card decks
Feel Link
Free Intention
Extra Mode

IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:20:48 -0500

IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover is a combat flight simulator based in 1940 Britain. The plot involves fighting off German and Italian air forces trying to invade Britain. Players man a British RAF combat plane and subsequently fly through London, southern/northern England, northern France, and southern Belgium. Featured are over 25 aircrafts, extremely detailed environments, and enhanced realism—so much so that every aircraft component can suffer damage. Note that there are singleplayer missions as well as massive multiplayer campaigns in which up to 128 players can simultaneously battle either in teams or in a freestyle shoot em up deathmatch.

Features

Combat Flight Simulator
Based in WW2 Britain
Over 25 Aircrafts
Enormous Environments
Enhanced Damage Model
Massive Multiplayer
Upgraded 3D Engine

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:54 -0400

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a third person action game for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. In single player mode the player is Ezio, the legendary Master Assassin from the second game, and continues the story while interacting with historical caracters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Caterina Sforza. Assassins are recruited and placed strategically around the city to aid the player in the quest. There are 15 hours of single player gameplay. Multiplayer mode is also available, with multiple character classes and a variety of signature moves and weapons.

Features

Multiple character classes
Richly-detailed maps
Multiplayer modes
15 hours of single player gameplay
Recruit and deploy assassins across the city
Historical character interaction
Large number of weapons

Pride of Nations

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:33 -0400

Pride of Nations is a turn based strategy game with a focus on historical eras between 1850 and 1920. Players can pick from a list of eight countries: USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. It is designed to be a realistic simulation without too much fanfare. Unlike previous iterations that were based strictly in Europe or North America, Pride of Nations allows players to be engaged on a global scale. Features include a revolutionary system for military, detailed world economy, and a unique diplomatic system. A multiplayer mode is also available with a new simultaneous turn based game engine.

Features

Play as the world’s Great Powers between 1850 and 1920
Lead one of eight different countries, each with their own personality and agenda: USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Immerse yourself in realistic historical gameplay set on a global map
Explore a revolutionary system for building armies and fleets
Engage in a detailed world economy with realistic components
Experience the most original diplomacy model ever created for a grand strategy game
Fight against a strong AI through a number of new game mechanisms
Battle it out with others in multiplayer with a new simultaneous turn-based engine

Operation Flashpoint: Red River

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:33 -0400

Operation Flashpoint: Red River is a sequel to Dragon Rising. It is a team based tactical first person shooter with a single player campaign as well as a 4 play co-op mode. The Operation Flashpoint series have been known for its realism as well as the player's freedom to roam across vast levels. Unfortunately most reviewers have been disappointed by the cut back of the aforementioned features. The game have been said to become a more something of a half way between an arcade shooter and a simulation shooter. Whilst the campaign has been improved, the non-player character's AI has not. That said the co-op campaign is worthwhile and the storyline should disappoint Operation Flashpoint fans.

Features / Specifications

Available on PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Sequel to Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Raising
Improved campaign story
4 player co-op
Four playable classes: grenadier, scout, rifleman, automatic rifle man
Experiences points system
Points can be used to unlock items
Realistic combat support; the ability to call in mortars, howitzers and air support

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:15:33 -0400

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is a video game aimed to promote the Green Latern motion picture. It is available on seven platforms including PS3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo Wii. The game features a similar story line as well as voice acting from Ryan Reynolds who stars in the movie as Hal Jordan. The game includes a set of 3D glasses and it features 3D visuals on 3 platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, and the 3DS handheld. It will feature both single and multiplayer co-op modes. In the single player mode players can "Master The Ring" by gaining experience thus acquiring special abilities. The co-op mode also allows the second player to drop in and out seamlessly without the need of restarting the mission.

Features

Multi-Platform: PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, Ds, 3Ds, iOS
3D glasses inlucded
3D game mode
Multiplayer co-op
Master The Ring game mode
Hal Jordan voiced by Ryan reynolds
Storyline from the movie
Rated: T

Red Faction: Armageddon

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

Red Faction: Armageddon is a third-person-shooter video game from THQ and Syfy games developed in conjunction with Volition, Inc. It as a direct sequel to Red Faction: Guerilla, this title incorporates a number of never-before-seen features for a truly modern gaming experience. The "Infestation" engine providing added realism through fully-destructible environments. Competitive multiplayer game modes have been removed but an infestation game mode features horde style game play has been added. Several additional gameplay types are available that include the never-ending "Extermination Mode" with support for up to 4 players, alongside the mass-destructive "Ruin Mode" in which players have a specific amount of time in which to cause as much damage as possible. Many of the series' recognizable weapons have been updated or revamped, including the trace-firing Magnet Gun, the long-range Singularity Cannon and the melee-style Maul hammer. The primary weapon the Nano-Forge, which can be used to reverse damage inflicted upon various tools and objects and unleash an ultra-powerful "Impulse" beam. All weapon and armor items can be upgraded as players gain experience, offering improvements in aesthetics, capabilities and overall efficiency.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows 7/Vista/XP) consoles
Functions as a sequel to Red Faction: Guerilla
Fully-destructible environments
"Infestation" horde-mode gameplay style
Updated collection of tools and weaponry
Multiple co-operative modes including endless "Extermination" mode
Mass-destructive "Ruin" mode
Available for online purchase

Hunted: The Demon's Forge

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:11 -0400

Hunted: The Demon's Forge is an action-adventure video game from Bethesda Softworks, developed in conjunction with inXile Entertainment. Utilizing the Unreal 3 graphics engine as seen in games like Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, this title features both single-player and co-operative gameplay for multi-user playability. The game's two different characters - "E'lara" and "Caddoc"- offer two very different control and weaponry styles for player versatility: "Cover Mode" and "Melee Mode" respectively. Cover Mode involves smaller weapons like bows and daggers, while Melee Mode incorporates massive swords and clubs for various enemy and environment types. Spell-casting is also accessible, with a number of user-specific special attacks offered in addition to standard elemental techniques. Users can explore any number of Hunted's massive open-air environments, and also have the option of designing their own landscape via "The Crucible" - an integrated map editor. The addition of online playability further likens this title to its Unreal counterparts, with a wide variety of match configuration types for maximum replay value.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows Vista/XP) platforms
Single-player and Co-operative multiplayer modes
Powered by the Unreal 3 gameplay engine
Third-person gameplay
Two different combat types - melee and cover modes
Multiple character types
Integrated dungeon map editor - "The Crucible"
Online playability

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:52:49 -0400

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game is an action-adventure game for the PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS. It features content based on the Pirates of the Caribbean world, all rendered in a light-hearted LEGO brick format. Several cut scenes throughout the game replay scenes from the first three films, as well as scenes from the upcoming fourth film "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". As players progress they can collect more than 70 memorable and new characters to play with, and over 20 levels are available to explore and unlock. In addition to sword fighting combat action, a number of puzzles are built in to find LEGO treasures and secrets throughout the game. A 2-player cooperative mode is available in a "drop-in/drop-out" style, enabling friends to casually join in on the action.

Features

Memorable scenes from the first three films
Preview scenes from the upcoming fourth film, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in humorous LEGO style
More than 70 memorable and new characters
More than 20 levels
Sword fighting combat action
Puzzles to find hidden LEGO treasures and game secrets
Two-Player Co-op mode in “drop-in/drop-out” action
Freeplay concept opening up previously unavailable areas
Available for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo 3DS

Dirt 3

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:55:41 -0400

Dirt 3 is a rally-style racing video game from the Codemasters company, developed in conjunction with Codemasters Southam. Functioning within the popular Colin McRae Rally series that began with PC and Sony Playstation titles in the late 90's, this game incorporates a number of updated and never-before-seen features for added realism and overall functionality. Amongst the game's highlights is the inclusion of a Gymkhana mode - this is a high-risk style of racing that involves a number of advanced maneuvers including drifting, 180 and 360-degree spins and figure-8s. Professional driver and member of the Monster World Rally Team Ken Block has lent his customized DC Shoes Ford Fiesta to the game, providing fans with unprecedented access to the inner workings of the vehicle. Additional cars from the WRC (World Rally Championship) have been provided, alongside a number of "Group B" rally cars for an element of true real-world playability. 15 different classes are available, with a multitude of racing environments based on famous courses from all around the world. A limited edition of Dirt 3 is also available that includes a fully-featured remote control model of Ken Block's signature Ford Fiesta.

Features

Available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles
Never-before-seen Gymkhana racing mode
15 different rally classes available
Includes Ken Block's signature DC Shoes Ford Fiesta rally car
First title in the series to feature snow-covered terrain types
Includes official WRC (World Rally Championship) vehicles
Includes classic "Group B" rally vehicles
Limited edition version includes a remote-controlled Ken Block Gymkhana car

Dante's Inferno

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:28:36 -0400

Dante's Inferno is a third-person action adventure game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts in the first quarter of 2010 for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Playstation Portable. It is based on Dante Aligheri’s epic poem, ‘Divine Comedy’, and in fact involves playing as Dante, a veteran of the Crusades. The player must dig into the pits of Hell in his quest to save his beloved Beatrice from Lucifer’s grasp. In many ways, Dante’s Inferno is kind of like a third-person version of the popular top-down game Diablo. Whereas users in Diablo controlled his/her character from above, Dante’s Inferno allows for a more realistic experience by following the character of Dante from behind. In fact, users describe Dante’s Inferno as a cross between God of War and Diablo. Dante’s Inferno is played via a GamePad.

Features

Third-Person Action Adventure
Based on ‘Divine Comedy’ by Dante Aligheri
Save the Beloved Beatrice (Romance)
Dig into Hell (Action)
GamePad (Control)

Killzone 2

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:07:43 -0500

Killzone 2 is a science fiction first person shooter developed by Guerilla Games for the PlayStation 3. It is the third in its line, coming after Killzone, for the PlayStation 2, and Killzone: LIberation, for the PlayStation Portable. The game was announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo so its development period has spanned several years. Killzone 2 is set on the planet Helghan, the homeworld of the Helghast, who invaded the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance colony. This follows after the events of the two previous games, a great strategy to resonate with fans and encourage first time players to buy the previous two games to get the full plot line of the series. Since this is a first person shooter, it is targeted towards a particular portion of the population and is not a game that can be given to just anyone as a present. The recepient has to like first person shooters, and not just games in general. However, it is very popular, with pre-orders of the game rocketing above 1.1 million units in the European sector by itself.

Killzone 2 is played in first person perspective, the standard campaign mode and a multiplayer mode which is class-based. This means the player can specialize their character within 7 different classes so that they can fight on one of two teams with or against other players. The multiplayer mode is not listed as being a part of the campaign, making this game undesirable for those who want to be social and have a friend go through the campaign with them.

Features

First person shooter
Science Fiction
Single Player Campaign Play
Restricted Multiplayer
Class based Multiplayer
7 different classes
2 Teams
Follows the events of the previous games
First person perspective

F.E.A.R. 3

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

F.E.A.R. 3 is a first-person shooter, horror video game developed by Day 1 Studios for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and MIcrosoft Windows. A sequel to F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, players will be able to control both weapons-based Point Man, and his newly resurrected brother, Paxton Fettel, using each for their very different fighting styles. A new horde of enemies spawned from the tortured mind of Point Man's mother, Alma Wade must be taken down using a variety of traditional firepower, telekinesis, and Mech combat. The original story and cinematics are the result of consulting horror legends John Carpenter on the directing front, and Steve Niles in terms of writing. A multiple-mode multiplayer option is available as well as a unique co-op system that requires each players unique abilities to solve in game problems.

Features

Deep, social co-op
360 degree cover
Rethought slow-mo modes
Phasing portal systems
Sinister enemies from the Almaverse
Additional downloadable content
Psychologically thrilling plot
Unique Mech fighting combat mode

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:47:58 -0400

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is the RPG sequel to the earlier The Witcher for the PC from CD Projekt RED studios, and distributed by Atari. As Geralt of Rivia, players are called to hand to hand combat, and to craft potions, traps, and weapons of increasing strength as the game progresses. The Witcher 2 story also features increased replay value thanks to multiple story paths and game endings brought about by polarizing in-game choices. Building off the story and successful gaming elements from the first installment, years of effort have culminated in a much more sophisticated sequel. With striking visuals and sound built around the lore of Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher 2 attempts to provide a world that is graphically detailed and engaging enough to be both alluring on its own, and remain faithful to the established elements its building off of.

Features

20-30 hours gameplay
Havoc physics engine
Redesigned battle system
Full voice acting
Unique CD Projekt gaming engine
In-depth character customization
Visceral combat
4 large realms to explore

Mount and Blade: With Fire and Sword

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:53:03 -0400

Mount and Blade: With Fire and Sword is an action-oriented RPG for the PC. Players command armies to help one of 5 factions take over Europe in the 17th century. While a story mode is part of the single-player experience, players can switch to a sand-box mode at any point if they just want to play around and have fun. The combat is based mostly on mounted combat experiences, with the addition of the use of pistols, muskets, grenades and other weaponry. Players can conquer castles in a variety of ways to gain victory, from direct storming of the castle to a simple bribe. Multiplayer modes are also available on 7 multiplayer maps, and up to 16 players can command a squad of soldiers for head-to-head battle.

Features

Action-oriented RPG
Players can switch from story mode to sand-box mode at any point
Mounted combat
Combat with pistols, muskets, grenades, and other weaponry
Enhanced siege mechanics: storm the castle, blow up the wall, bribe an officer or poison the well/food to get past the defenses
Single player and multiplayer modes
7 multiplayer maps: Nomad Camp, Moscow Kremlin, Moscow Fortress, Novgorod Fortress, Swedish Castle, Teutonic Castle, Field by the River
Up to 16 players can each command a squad of soldiers
Set in the 17th century

Brink

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:55:41 -0400

Brink is a first-person shooter video game from the Bethesda Softworks company, developed in conjunction with Splash Damage and Valve Corporation. Available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles in addition to the PC platform via Windows Vista or XP operating systems, this game takes place in a post-apocalyptic society and features a parkour-style motion engine for continuous player navigation. Gamers can choose to play within one of four different character classes, including "The Soldier", "The Medic", "The Engineer" and "The Operative". Each class involves a specific set of duties and functions, and is built around gaining experience points to customize characters and purchase performance-enhancing items. Utilizing the Splash Damage SMART (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain) system, players have access to a highly-intuitive gameplay environment that uses predictive locational technology to anticipate and prepare for their future actions. Context-sensitive mission assignments help to ensure that each player is assigned only those missions that he or she is prepared to complete, while Valve's advanced "Anti-Cheat" technology has been implemented to prevent noncontiguous storyline jumping. Brink also features a fully-functional online multiplayer component, enabling up to 16 users to play within a specific map and set of missions at the same time.

Features

Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC (Windows Vista/XP) platforms
First-person shooter gameplay style
Parkour-style movement system
SMART (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain) system control technology
Four different playable character classes
Online multiplayer mode for up to 16 players
Fully-customizable character engine
Steamworks integration with Valve Anti-Cheat technology

The First Templar

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:52:52 -0400

The The First Templar is an action adventure game designed for the Xbox 360 and Windows operating system. Players create a custom character with a skill set that matches their playing style, and work through the game in either solo mode or with another player in cooperative play. The campaign mode follows a dark story set in the 13th century, and is set in several historical locations. Up to 20 locations are available based on the lore of the Knight of Templar, and include Cyprus, Acre and Ibelin. Combat is an in-depth and complex experience, allowing players to use chain combinations and killing moves. In cooperative mode players can also work together for several unique attacks. The overall tone of the game is cinematic and is backed up by an orchestral soundtrack.

Features

Solo or Co-op play
Dark, Story-driven campaign
20 historical locations from the lore of the Knight of Templar
Deep combat experience
Combos, killing moves and team-based cooperative attacks
Character customization
Cinematic, realistic graphics to portray 13th Century
Orchestral soundtrack

Eve Online

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:27:54 -0500

EVE is a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) set in a science-fiction based, persistent world. Players take the role of spaceship pilots seeking fame, fortune, and adventure in a huge, complex, exciting, and sometimes hostile galaxy. It is developed by the Icelandic company CCP Games and was published from May to December 2003 by Simon & Schuster Interactive.

Thor: God of Thunder

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:55:41 -0400

Thor: God of Thunder is an action-adventure video game from the Sega of America company, developed in conjunction with Liquid Entertainment, Red Fly Studios and WayForward Technologies. Functioning as a tie-in to its motion picture counterpart, this game features voice acting from many of the film's cast in addition to numerous elements inspired by the original Marvel comic book series. Users lead Thor through a variety of Norse landscapes, battling trolls, frost giants and other creatures with Mjolnir, his legendary hammer weapon. In addition to utilizing ground-to-ground melee combat techniques, the character can also throw his weapon and use it to unleash a variety of elemental attacks including thunder, lighting and wind-based offensives. As the game progressive, users earn "Valor Runes" which can be used to upgrade Thor in many different ways. This component provides adds a highly-individualized element to the game, minimizing parallels between different players due to the large amount of customizable features. All 3D versions of the game involve third-person gameplay, while the Nintendo DS version is presented in more of a classic Castlevania-style side-scolling fashion.

Features

Available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS consoles
Inspired by the 2011 feature film "Thor"
Original storyline written by original Thor comic book author Matt Fraction
Upgrade weapons, learn new abilities and develop new powers by earning "Valor Runes"
Authentic voice cast - Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Single-player gameplay
Interactive third-person environments (3D versions)
Classic side-scrolling gameplay (Nintendo DS version)

Far Cry 2

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:14:05 -0500

Released on October 21st 2008, Far Cry 2 is the long awaited sequel to the popular first person shooter of the same name. With the same open world concept, Far Cry 2 abandons the plot and science fiction elements of the first game to focus more on bringing the storyline into line with the 'realistic' elements that made the original a success. Similar to games such as Fallout 3, the game will be released on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 as well as PC - bringing the overall system requirements for the later down considerably. The game still remains quite demanding, however, requiring very powerful video cards as well as powerful RAM and CPUs to attain decent frame rates at higher resolutions and levels of detail.

PC System Requirements

Minimum: Pentium 4 3.2 GHz, Pentium D 2.66 Ghz, AMD Athlon 64 3500+ or better, 1GB of memory (2GB for Vista), 6GB of free disk space, NVidia 6800 or ATI X1650 or better; must support Pixel Shader 3.0
Recommended: Intel Core 2 Duo Family, AMD 64 X2 5200+, AMD Phenom or better, 2GB of memory, 6GB of free disk space, NVidia 8600 GTS or better, ATI X1900 or better

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (Expansion)

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:23:14 -0400

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is the second expansion set (following The Burning Crusade) for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft. It adds a substantial amount of content to the game world, including the continent of Northrend.

Fallout: New Vegas

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:57 -0400

Fallout: New Vegas is an action RPG and the latest addition to the Fallout series. The player explores the post-apocalyptic Great Southwest, an expansive area of desert wastelands, small towns, the busy New Vegas strip, and the Hover Dam. There are twice the weapons in this game that were in Fallout 3, and weapon customization is more involved. Interaction with characters gives the player quests and guides them through a story line of feuding factions. The player can choose one side or the other, or choose neither and attempt to beat them all. Combat with melee weapons now involves new systems for greater control, and gun based combat continues to use the V.A.T.S. system that freezes time for target selection. Directing companions is handled with the Companion Wheel, allowing quick directions to be given. A Reputation System tracks the players actions and adjusts the consequences accordingly.

Features

Action Adventure RPG
Explore desert wasteland, small towns, New Vegas strip, Hoover Dam
Interact with colorful characters
Special Melee combat
Refined gun combat
Companion Wheel
Reputation System
V.A.T.S.
Double the weapons of Fallout 3
Modify weapons

BioShock

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:03:44 -0400

BioShock is a first-person shooter that is the spiritual successor to the cult classic game System Shock. BioShock takes a more thoughtful approach to the genre as opposed to traditional run and gun gameplay. The three standout features that the developers strive for are with the setting and storyline, the open natured gameplay, and the advanced artificial intelligence.

The game takes place in an underwater city named Rapture. Surviving a plane crash at the beginning of the game you find your way to this lost city, a decrepit and crumbling shadow of its former self. The ocean is reclaiming the space, and the inhabitants have turned into bloodthirsty mutants. During the course of the game you uncover how Rapture fell from its grace of a 1940s Utopian dream to the current nightmare. Minimal use of cutscenes are used as information is spread around the environment itself in newspapers, posters, and radio broadcasts.

At its core the game is a first person shooter, meaning you run around the environment in the first person perspective shooting and killing your enemies. Irrational is trying to mix up the formula by giving players many options to work with. There are eight weapons available that can be customized with various options, alongside the 60 abilities that are found in the game. Abilities, or Plasmids as they're known in the world, let you perform superhuman acts such as launching fire, electricity, or confusing your enemies.

BioShock differs from other games in that the enemies are not out to specifically get you. Irrational games states that each character in the world of Rapture has their own "brain" and motivations, usually revolving around the harvesting of ADAM which is the oil/money/water of the world. Since ADAM is a very limited resource that results in you battling the other characters, but also results in the characters battling each other.

Both a PC version and Xbox 360 version are set for simultaneous release. Both versions of the game have received design and optimization to ensure the interface suits mouse and keyboard, and a controller respectively.

Nascar 2011: The Game

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:21:43 -0400

Nascar 2011: The Game is a Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii racing video game based on real Nascar racing. The developers spoke with fans, racers, and even pit crew members to more accurately capture the racing experience. As such, the game includes 22 real world tracks, AI characteristics that match their real world counterparts, and even detailed pit stop strategy options. Players, on the other hand, have the option of either creating a custom character or playing as a real world professional Nascar racer. Regardless, players can race in the Spring Cup Series or the Kentucky Speedway. More importantly, The Game includes highly detailed animations for car accidents, pitstops, spotters. Additional features include a 16 player multiplayer mode, advanced user customization, and advanced auto customization, including paint color, decal, number, and logo.

Features

Nascar Racing Game
Spring Cup Series
Real World Tracks
Real World Players
Car Handling Tuning
Customizable Controls
Customizable View
Pit Stops
Spotters
Detailed Animations

Shaun White Skateboarding

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:25:27 -0400

Shaun White Skateboarding is a new take on the skateboarding genre by Ubisoft. It is based on the dual-sport athlete that is Shaun White, of Shaun White Snowboarding. It crosses the park creation genre of RollerCoaster Tycoon and SimCity, with the skateboarding of Tony Hawk and Skate. At the start of the game, Shaun White or the players custom skater is in the middle of an entirely gray and dull city. As the player skates he adds color to the city, transforming it into a skating paradise. As the player does grinds off of certain rails, he can continue the grind in midair, drawing a pipe to create a path to a higher area, a longer rail, or an inter-connected web of trick rails. The pipes can be redrawn at any time. This makes for a huge number of in-game challenges. The progression centers around opening up new areas of the city using the shaping mechanisms, as well as time-attack and high score modes which force the player to shape the area for speed or for giant tricks. Ubisoft has stated the game has multiplayer, and it is unknown whether or not there will be a mechanism to share creations between players.

Features

Shaun White
Skateboarding crossed with world creation genre
In-game level creation
Extend grind rails through the air
Time attack mode
High score mode
Multiplayer

Resident Evil 4

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:41:51 -0500

Six years have passed since Raccoon City was destroyed and the government has dismantled the Umbrella Corporation from the inside-out. But the terror is not over. Now a U.S. Agent, former Raccoon Police Officer Leon Kennedy has been dispatched on a mission to Europe to save the President's daughter from a "crazed organization" that bares a striking behavioral resemblance to creatures found in the Arklay Mountains. Is there a connection between these foes and the horrible nightmares from the past? Discover the answer for yourself in Resident Evil 4.

Wii Version

Capcom has decided to re-release Resident Evil 4 for the Nintendo Wii. The Wii version borrows from both the Gamecube and the PS2 versions of the game. The game has the Gamecubes superior graphics, as well as the extra content found in the PS2 version (that means the Ada Wong missions are included). This version is meant to be the best Resident Evil 4 out there. As expected, the game includes the Wii's signature motion control. A simple shake of the wii-mote draws you knife and slashes crates or the throats of enemies. The pointer is used for precision aiming and camera control. Even though the pointing reticule is onscreen at all times, you still have to stop to shoot. Also, the pointer does not handle camera control (all previous Wii shooters used a bounding box method to control the camera), that is still delegated to the joystick. All of this content for the bargain price of $30. Experience what is widely considered the best game ever made.

Sorcery

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:52:43 -0500

Sorcery is an upcoming Action/RPG video game developed by SCEA in conjunction with Sony. Slated for a spring 2011 release, this title will be available exclusively for the Playstation 3 console and utilizes the Playstation MOVE motion-sensor peripheral. Users start off as a magician's apprentice, learning to perform magic spells and eventually travelling to the dark Faerie Realm to battle the evil Nightmare Queen and her minions. 12 upgradeable spells are available, with puzzle solving and potion making among the numerous activities that players will encounter. Through accomplishing these tasks and battling enemies of all shapes and sizes, users can hone their skills and eventually reach the status of "Master Wizard", unleashing storms, walls of fire and more.

Features

Available exclusively for Playstation 3
Playstation MOVE compatibility
1-player Action/RPG gameplay
12 upgradeable player spells
Motion-sensor spell casting
In-game environments include Faerie Kingdom, Realms Below, City of the Drowned
One-on-one enemy combat
Likelihood of online multiplayer component

Dragon Age 2

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:56 -0400

Dragon Age 2 is an action RPG for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows Vista/XP. The single player gameplay involves beginning as a destitute refugee and working up to becoming champion of the land. Every decision the player makes over the decade the story takes place shapes the world, altering how the game is played. Character classes include a mage, rogue, or warrior, and powers increase as the character increases in level. Combat involves a mix of action and strategy. The story is further expanded through cinematic sequences.

Features

PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions available
Single player story spanning a decade
Level up to gain greater power
Dynamic combat mechanics
Multiple character classes
Strategic and Action gameplay
Full motion cinematics