Deep Silver have announced that their upcoming winter sports game, Winter Stars, has now gone gold. This means development has been complete and the game has now gone into production. It will be releasing in stores on 25th November for Kinect for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 with PlayStation Move support, and Wii using the Wii Balance Board.
This new title enables sports fans of all ages and abilities to compete with one another or against virtual opponents in no less than eleven disciplines: paraskiing, curling, snowmobile, bobsled, downhill skiing, figure skating, biathlon, freeride skiing, snowboard cross, ski flying, and short-track. It offers four player multiplayer and given it releases on 25th November, just in time for Christmas, it could be an ideal party game for the winter months with friends and family.
Get Up And Dance has laced up its dancing shoes and is ready to step it up and dance; it’s boogied its way to store shelves and online retailers today. It includes dance hits from the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Jessie J, Example & Rizzle Kicks, as well as classics like Salt-N-Pepa’s dance hit ‘Push It’ as Amy Childs did at the glitzy launch event in London last week. It features Group, Career and Shape Up modes, and tracklist housing all the official videos too.
Get Up And Dance is out on Nintendo Wii and PS Move for PlayStation 3 today.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 seems to really be stepping it up in terms of multiplayer! In this latest trailer, representatives of Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Beachhead Studios reveal the ELITE and Facebook integration to create multiplayer experiences like never before.
Facebook integration means players will be able to easily connect with their Facebook friends whilst playing, while ELITE will enhance the game by providing free tools that help players form, join, and organize clans. Shooting your best mate in the head and levelling up your clan isn’t the only things ELITE provides however-it also provides players with with tools to improve skills and opportunities to compete for prizing in the real world! For more, check out the video below.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is set for a November 8, 2011 release date.
In what many see as a positive move forwards regarding updating Australias archaic classification laws, proposed guidelines have been put forward for the introduction of an R18+ rating on games. The video game industry welcomed the proposal which was released today by The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor. Currently Australian classification laws only permit a MA15+ rating on games, much to the anger of thousands of avid gamers country wide.
According to Ron Curry, CEO of Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), there are many sensitive issues to deal with when making these kinds of decisions and a delicate balance must be found between those who are strongly for and against the new guidelines. “We are pleased to see this process moving forward and understand that great care has been taken to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification and adults who want to play video games designed specifically for mature audiences and readily available in other developed democracies.”
The guidelines have apparently also brought up the age old argument of whether video games have a greater propensity to incite violence due to their interactive nature. This is despite an Attorney Generals published findings that showed no such evidence. “There will be continued debate about whether the interactivity of video games has a greater impact than other forms of media, and we will continue to refer to the lack of the evidence to support these claims. With that being said, we welcome the commitment from all parties involved to seek a reasonable outcome to address this longstanding issue. We now look forward to the Commonwealth, States and Territories implementing these guidelines in an expedient manner,” said Curry.
With all this said and done, I wouldn’t start rejoicing yet Australian Gamers, thinking that you will be soon be slicing Sub Zero in half and sending him to hell and back. Games like Mortal Kombat are non classifiable and therefore banned under any current or proposed Australian system. The main issue with the current laws is that many games that were originally deemed objectionable worldwide for various reasons have had the decision overturned. The result is that they receive an R18+ rating in every country but Australia that slaps a MA15+ on it as that is the current highest rating reserved for video game media.
At least Brendan O’Connor has made responsible decisions to allow adults to enjoy games that were clearly developed for them, in the same manner as any other form of entertainment. Australian governing bodies are so hung up on sexual content, especially within gaming titles that they lose sight of the bigger picture. I’m more offended by war based games and the glorification that goes with it then I am by games like GTA and Saints Row which just have a different feel to them. I guess what I’m getting at, is this argument is too subjective. As a result I resent the fact that other adults are making the decision for me as an adult as to what they think I should or should not be subjected to. Stephen Conroy would do well to take note of Mr O’Connors responsible decisions that are not based purely on his own beliefs and intent to enforce them upon others.
“We need a classification system that protects young minds from any possible adverse effect, while also ensuring that adults are free to make their own decisions about what they play, within the bounds of the law,” Mr O’Connor said.
With over 250,000 units sold over three platforms (XBLA, PSN, Steam), Trendy Entertainment is seeing great success for the tower defense RPG – Dungeon Defenders. A whopping 200,000 units were sold on the PC alone!
Now Trendy would like to give back to their fans by providing free weekly events to win exclusive in-game items. For the Xbox 360 and PS3, players will be able to join games with the developers and compete against each other for prizes.
Before we get too in-depth to this preview, I must state that I could only play through the first two chapters of Afterfall: InSanity. While I haven’t experienced the entire game, I believe I can give gamers enough insight to either pre-order or simply buy a different game.
Setting
It’s 2035. In a post-apocalyptic earth, humans have dug themselves in large underground complexes to escape the instant greenhouse effect of the above world. The Third World War brought massive devastation, and the few fortunate citizens of the Republic have made sanctuary in the prepared shelters. Secluded in the underground facility, time weighs heavily on the survivors of Day 0.
In charge with the care of residents’ mental and physical nature, Dr. Albert Tokaj finds himself faltering to the same distress. Beyond normal depression and sleep deprivation, Albert will come to face an unknown plague that may forever change his already damaged world.
Gameplay
As the protagonist, you take the role of Dr. Albert Tokaj. Forced to perform psychiatric evaluations for the Republic, Albert’s job becomes easily overwhelming. The opening scene portrays the psychiatrist dozing off while in session with one of the facility’s residents. Startled as the resident confronts him, Albert seems physically and mentally exhausted. Once the scene ends, you are free to roam your living quarters with and objective to find your handheld PDA. And the action horror begins…
Afterfall: InSanity starts off slow by giving the player a tutorial on basic gameplay. Players will develop their own personal feel, but the basics are essential. For instance you must use “E” as your interaction button, and movement is your standard W,S,A,D. So if you are ever walking by a vending machine and care to use “E”, a can will fly out of the bottom and land on the floor – only to mysteriously disappear after 10 seconds.
In junction with the tutorial, you will learn how to fight in a bar. With several people cheering you on, your first attempt at fighting is with bare knuckles. A left mouse click will cause the character to make a jab while a right click will initiate a block. Using left and right movements while jabbing will cause chain attacks and add fatigue to your swings. Chaining attacks is effective but is a learned process and not explained in the tutorial. A final kick with “V” will ensure that your opponent does not get up – and it is rather hilarious.
Upon defeating your first foe, you get to try your luck at using weapons. Using your interaction button, you may pick up weapons like firefighter’s axe, pipe, and even a broom to whack at your opponents. Players can chain attacks similarly to the first fight in the bar yet fatigue weighs in faster. Eventually you will pick up some badass guns like a pistol, shotgun, tranquilizer, and assault rifle.
Why would you need these kinds of weapons? As Dr. Tokaj, you will investigate a matter on a different level of the facility. Ordered by the high command of the Republic, an immediate quarantine was issued to address the unknown situation. Accompanied by two elite guards – one was only a bouncer, Albert will assist in decentralizing any contacts they meet and investigate the reasons for the lock-down. Walking around proves to be very informative as you will find security cameras and data logs on computer consoles. The guards make you do all the work and want you to unlock the bay doors to access the level further. Upon opening the doors, an enraged humanoid attacks the group. One of the guards physically retrains the being and slams it to the ground. Laying motionless the guard starts stomping on the humanoid which does sit well with Albert. Taking a shot from the tranquilizer gun, the guard falls to the ground. The standing guard motions over and yells at Dr. Tokaj for unnecessary measures. Being ordered once again, Albert must venture further into the quarantined section or else face the wrath of HQ. HQ might have been nicer.
The changed humans you end up meeting look deranged, mutated, and muscular. At first I did not think that some of the weapons would suffice in killing the humanoids , but even a broom can be considered a weapon in today’s society. After beating one of these baddies down, you can even initiate an execution.
Puzzles make Afterfall: InSanity an even more enjoyable experience. Some devices like door panels can be hacked by using your PDA. Your PDA creates a link and can decode the device by using the directional keys. Trial and error mixed with luck creates the enjoyment of hacking terminals. Gears will appear once a correct directional is pressed but will reset once an incorrect command is given. For example, (W,W,S,D) may be correct until “D” and will reset once the “D” is pressed. Trial and error will show that “A” was the correct choice when the player enters (W,W,S,A). The lock will open, and you will continue on with your adventure.
Final Thoughts
Third person fighting tactics meshed with challenging puzzles holds my attention very well. You will want to explore every room to see what kind of weapons or data can be found. Whenever I see that “E” pop up, I have to test the device out – even if it turns the lights off.
The environments feel realistic and emanate the confined attribute of claustrophobia. I find myself always checking my back just in case someone decided to drop in for tea. I don’t want to let go of my firefighter’s axe, but I might give it up for a shotgun. Shooting first and talking later is not common practice for a psychiatrist, but these are troubled times.
If you want a great third person action horror, I think this is a must on your shopping list. There is not a multiplayer function that I know of, but playability is increased with increased difficulties and achievements (achievements were not in preview). Additionally, if the pre-order limit of 10,000,000 is reached, the game will be available for only $1. If the limit is not reached, all of the money from the pre-orders will go to charity.
Ubisoft has announced the next installment of the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 franchise ‘Rainbow 6 Patriots’. In this installment will tackle a touchier subject: home-grown terrorism. Whist not a complete far cry from previous Rainbow 6 storylines of international terrorism.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Patriots single player will forces on the reality of modern-day terrorism, with the story told from multiple characters’ perspectives.
A homegrown terrorist group called the “True Patriots,” threats to reclaim America as their own as they believe that the American government is irrevocably corrupted by greedy politicians and corporate special interests.
The Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 franchise has sold over 25 million copies and is still going strong, and is interesting to see the franchise take this new and perhaps controversial direction.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Patriots is set to be release on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC sometime in 2013.
Following the announcement a few weeks back for the DLC, Legends Showcase, 2K Sports have now announced that they will be adding 45 legendary players exclusively for the add on mode.
Although the full list of players is yet to be confirmed, they have revealed that amongst the 45 players will be greats such as Yao Ming, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, Kevin Johnson and Bernard King.
2k Sports have also put out a trailer for this mode, which you can watch below, and we’ll keep you updated on the release dates and other players for this mode. Has this persuaded you to purchase the Legends Showcase or are you still going to need a bit more? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.
Hello Games has announced that Joe Danger: Special Edition will be coming to the XBLA soon. It will be published by Microsoft.
Being ported over to the Xbox 360, Hello has decided to change some things up.
“I think we knew that Joe Danger was a hard game, but it could be frustrating,” Murray said. “I think we’ve really changed that, it’s a much more joyous game now, through like a thousand changes big and small.”
“New environments, gameplay modes, characters” and more will be included.
“I’m not sure it would be possible for someone to complete in under 30 hours now… the game is huge,” Murray stated.
MMM, there is nothing better than freshly killed Orcs. Luckily, you will soon have a new mode, named the Chaos Challenge, to kill them in. The release date for the Chaos Challenge is sometime in December. The new downloads will include “new boss rounds, new co-op arenas and new enemy units like the Imperial Sanctioned Psyker.” Of course, it will cost you. 800 points or $10 to be specific.
Three new warzone operations across the Habs Ablaze, Station Tertius and Aquila Canyon maps will be included. In addition, a CTF mode will also be in the DLC, although it will be outside the Chaos Unleashed mode.
