If you ever wanted to be a gangster, walk around in million dollar suits with flagrant disregard for the law, but don’t like the appeal of spending 20 years behind bars, look no further as Rockstar Games are answering your call. As part of a twitter promotion, Rockstar are giving 8 lucky people the chance to lend their likeness to a multiplayer gangster character in their much anticipated upcoming release Max Payne 3.
To enter, simply use the #MaxPayne3 on Twitter, and between now and 13th January, Rockstar will choose, every week 10 random people who will be asked to submit photos of themselves for consideration, with 2 of them being chosen to appear in the title. For the best chance of getting your face in the game
– Make sure you follow @Rockstargames on Twitter
– Use the hashtag #MaxPayne3 when you tweet or talk about the game with others
– Keep an eye out for any Twitter replies or messages Rockstar send out
It has been officially confirmed today through Shonen Jump’s twitter page, that a new One Piece film has been confirmed for release in December 2012. This news comes hot off the One Piece panel at Jump Festa 2012.
Perhaps the biggest news of all is that Eiichiro Oda, the man behind the One Piece, will be helming the project as director and executive producer. Not only that, but this will be the first One Piece film set within the New World. That is huge news for One Piece fans and coincides with the series 15th anniversary next year.
What do you think of this breaking news? Are you excited for a new One Piece film? Let us know in the shoutbox and comments section.
One of the most unique features in Final Fantasy XIII-2, besides all of the time traveling of course, is the fact that the third member of your party will be an actual monster that you can capture and then use in future battles. There are over 150 different monsters to collect throughout the title and each one of them has their own special attack where they will be able to team up with Noel and Serah to deal out devastating damage.
You can watch the below trailer to find all out all of the new gameplay aspects that are introduced with the party member monster addition. Like dressing them up with a bow tie and clown nose… either way you best watch the video now, as the release date of January 31st is slowly creeping up on us.
Youtube sensation FreddieW, known for his action packed video game adaptations videos of franchises such as Call of Duty, uploaded a video yesterday announcing that EA had approached him about making a commercial for the game. FreddieW and his team combined forces with Corridor Digital and made a hilarious re imagining of the recently released Back to Karkand DLC in less than 10 days! The commercial is set to hit TV really soon, but as for now you can watch the ad in it’s entirety via his channel. Or you could just check it out for yourself below! Enjoy!
It has only been a few days since the One Piece Pirate Musou Gold Edition PlayStation 3 was revealed and now it has already made its appearance in front of the public. The system as you can see above is available to be seen at the Sony booth during the Jump Festa event at Makuhari. This is also the same event that Pirate Musou will be playable so it only makes sense that they would do everything they can to help raise hype for the title.
The image was grabbed by one of the editors at the V Jump magazine and posted on the company’s Twitter. You can view the image their for a more high resolution image where you can see that the system even has engravings on it. So… when can we see this game and especially this PlayStation 3 in North America Namco Bandai?
The PlayStation Vita may not be coming out in Western regions until next year but it just has been released in Japan and of course, the first thing that the people who bought it are going to do is play it right? Well, a few of those people may begin playing the title but at least one person figured that the best thing that they could do at the moment is to pull out every old handheld gaming device they own and compare the sizes of each.
In a picture found by Hachimaki, the PlayStation Vita is visibly one of the larger handhelds released in recent years, however there are certainly some massive ones there as well. Also you can take a look at some of the Japanese box arts for the launch titles in Japan. So, here is a quick challenge for everyone, in the image below can you name all of the handhelds shown? Leave us a comment if you feel up to the challenge.
Amongst the many contests that Blizzard has provided over this past year, they are welcoming applicants for the Holiday Dessert Contest. The rules are fairly simple – create a dessert with the theme of Diablo, Warcraft, or StarCraft. Once the masterpiece is completed take a picture of the Blizzard themed dessert and submit it along with a valid email address. Greatfather Winter may have prizes in store for your grand dessert.
1st Place:
Wilton Ultimate Decorating Set
Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard
Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset
Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse
Second Place:
Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard
Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset
Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse
Third Place:
StarCraft II Zerg Edition Messenger Bag
For a full list of the contest rules and an entry submission check the Blizzard Holiday Dessert Contest link (HERE). The contest ends on December 20, 2011, so get baking people!
Max and The Magic Marker Platform: Nintendo DS (Reviewed), PSN, WiiWare Publisher:Easy Interactive Developer:Press Play Release Date: November 8, 2011 Price: $29.99 – Available Here
Overview
Since launching last year, Max has made quite a mark on the gaming universe. If you have never tried the indie hit yet, this romp puts you in control of a young boy who sets out on an adventure with a magical marker in a hand drawn world. The entire experience is a platformer at heart, but sets itself apart from other genres by letting the player utilize their own creativity to keep Max safe and sound on his colorful journey. After a year of success, Easy Interactive have now brought the game to the Nintendo DS. Considering that the DS uses a stylus, you would think that this would be our young hero’s true home. How does this platform fare for the already popular IP though? Here is my review for Max and the Magic Marker.
Story
Max and the Magic Marker starts off with a young boy receiving a mysterious package in the mail. As you would have guessed, that young boy is Max and enclosed is a magical marker. Max, who already loves to draw takes the tool and draws a picture of a monster. Before our budding artist can even show off his masterpiece, the monster jumps off the page and comes to life, jumping into other drawings. Max must stop his chaotic creation and doodles himself into the world. With just his newly obtained marker in tow, it’s your job to take control of Max as he tries to stop his own artwork.
As a whole, the whole story is rather charming and meshes well with the game’s concept. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be in the imagination of a child? Even though this story is heartwarming and gentle, following the entire narrative is a bit hard to do as the main story is just told through text sequences and run-ins with other characters. A few cut-scenes or even still images could have done a lot to make up for this, but most will probably overlook the lack of plot as just like the gameplay within, Max and the Magic Marker is rather light on delivery and meant to be accessible to all ages.
Gameplay
As I mentioned, the very core of Max and the Magic Marker is a platformer. Each level is broken down into several segments, all separated by checkpoints. Once the player crosses a checkpoint, they must then relinquish their ink and progress through the next area by solving one or more environmental puzzles. Those expecting Max to control like Mario, Sonic, or any other platforming guru will be a bit disappointed however as he is a bit slow, movement wise. Using the D-Pad for control, players can jump and walk throughout the world and must keep an eye out for many dangers such as water, pits, and enemies. Some of these can be avoided by simply jumping, but usually the game requires you to utilize your magical marker to safely cross longer jumps or to access platforms located at a higher point.
Compared to the many other versions of the game, the marker controls are much more precise due to the Nintendo DS’ stylus. If the player needs to draw a anvil to crush an enemy, you can just draw the said item and watch it plummet to the ground. If a staircase is needed, the player can doodle up a staircase and safely jump up to progress through. There really is no limit on your own creations, but after a while you will quickly learn that creativity is not really necessary for the basics. There were several occasions where I would just scribble out a ball to bash a foe or simply make one line to create a ramp to move upwards or across a gap. You see, the game leaves your own creations up to you, so if you’re not willing to use your own imagination, the entire experience will be rather bland and get stale quickly.
Even though Max’s marker is magical, it still requires ink. After each checkpoint is reached, the player will have their pen drained and must gather up enough ink to properly complete an upcoming puzzle all over again. You would think having your ink taken away so often would be frustrating, but that’s actually where the true challenge and strategy of the game comes in. Later on, ink supply can become very limited and the player must conserve and constantly “erase” previous creations to keep their pen usable. With fewer lines and strokes able to be used, the game then requires conservation and more elaborate creativity to be successful. The puzzles also get more difficult and clever as you move on, which is where the game truly shines. For example, there are many areas with clouds that pour acid rain. To safely pass, you must draw a bubble around max and push your way through. Sometimes you might also need to hit a switch that is out of reach, so the player would then have to create a see-saw and drop a bit of weight onto one end to have the other end trigger the button. Yes, it’s nothing too complex, but there were still quite a few areas where I spent a good time just trying to figure out what to sketch up. Once you do find a solution however, seeing the result play out is always rewarding and that is one feeling that never gets old.
As solid as Max and the Magic Marker is control wise, there are still a few moments of frustration to be found. I had many times where I would get stuck under a see-saw and have to completely restart the level to continue. The actual response of the touch screen can also be hit and miss, with some drawings taking more than one try to properly place. A lot of these gripes don’t really effect the overall game, but having to replay a difficult level due to a bug can be a test of patience. When you finish traveling throughout the three worlds offered, there is a lot to keep you going back in as well such timed achievements, collectibles, and several hidden secrets.
Visuals/Audio
The graphics in Max in the Magic Marker are obviously the stand-out feature. Each backdrop, platform, and character within all boast a hand-drawn art style that does wonders to create a playful and light atmosphere. Animations are a bit more of a mixed bag though, as frame-rates are jumpy and seem to have gotten the shaft when Easy Interactive ported the game over to the Nintendo DS. I know Scribblenauts also had a few hiccups in this area, but other developers have proven that the DS can handle standard animation and whether it was intended or not, the sluggish animations can definitely lead to a bad first impression. Yes, you get used to it and it doesn’t really effect the gameplay, but considering the gimmick, Max a deserved better treatment.
The soundtrack also is hit and miss. The main theme of the game is an absolute earworm that is catchy and pleasant to listen to as you complete the game in it’s entirety. The problem is however that there isn’t much variety. It’s that same tune nearly all the time, on a constant loop. Most enemies are very quiet as well, which makes them feel generic, even though they have an appealing design. Much like the visuals, just a little more time and love would have went miles into making the presentation and charms in the game greater, and it’s sad to see that not much attention was given in this area.
Overall
Max and the Magic Marker started off as a small game with big dreams over a year ago on the digital scene. Of course since then, we have seen the title tackle more platforms and Max himself escalate into a household name of sorts. As great as it is to see an IP grow, this port doesn’t really do much to separate itself from any other versions we have seen thus far. Those looking for a new way to play the game will fall in love with the more precise stylus controls and still get a lot out of the innovative mechanics offered, but the DS version feels almost like a downgrade in comparison due to the presentation of the overall package. If your a handheld guru and want to own Max and the Magic Marker for your dual-screened handheld, then by all means, pick this one up. If you own any of the other platforms that Max and the Magic Marker is available for however, you would do best to do your doodling in another manner for a fraction of the price.
I hope you have all been enjoying the wonder and stress that is Christmas shopping, just know that there is one place that can take away that stress and replace it with the warm, fuzzy knowledge that you have gotten a great deal.
EA Daily Deals of course! For those with a smart phone (iOS or Android, it doesn’t matter) who enjoy their good quality games at heavily discounted prices, EA Daily Deals is the perfect place to go, with new deals announced daily at 9am GMT, so even if the current deals don’t interest you, a good one is bound to pop up at some point.
This weekend we’ll see some fantastic deals on Monopoly: Here and Now edition and Plants vs Zombies for iOS and Tetris and Bejeweled 2 for Android. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the EA Daily Deals site and get yourself a bargain for Christmas without the queue!
EA Mobile have added two more games to their impressive arsenal, with The Sims Freeplay and Trenches 2. So for those of you who have not yet found the game you will be wasting away the holidays with, these two are prime candidates for the position.
First off, there is Sims Freeplay, for which an article has already been written up here on the impressions and a bit of information on the game. To refresh your minds (or if you simply don’t want to click), you can control up to 16 sims, each with their own unique personalities, there are over 1,200 ways to customize each home, or you can simply buy already furnished places, and – most importantly – it all takes place in real time. Take control of your town and make the town wealth go up! And all for free!
Sims Freeplay is available NOW on the iPhone, iTouch and iPad for FREE! Grab it HERE.
Trenches 2 is also available on the App store, in which you get to fight an epic campaign through an expanded world map, in even more realistic battlefields with all-new artillery and troops. You get to lead your troops through over 50 locations across Europe, can customize armies with over 20 different units, and play with some all new military units and weapons.
Trenches 2 is available NOW on the iPhone, iTouch and iPad for $2.59. Grab it HERE.
