Dynasty Warriors 7, the most fun you will ever have slaying hundreds of enemies at a time, is now ready to show off its good side. And what a good side it is. Just peep all the those glorious screenshots below! Also, the game will ship on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles on March 22, 2011. And remember, while playing this game, you DO have all the power, so feel free to start singing while slashing, dashing and otherwise dismembering your foes, while cleverly outwitting them as well. You clever devil you. Ready to prance to victory? I know I am.
Gears of War, made by the most epic studio of them all, Epic, is a series of games that are based around a crew of hardened soldiers that are a part of the Coalition of Ordered Governments (or COGS) that have to fight the Locust horde in order to save the planet for their human counterparts.
Recently EPIC revealed that they were launching a third entry into this series, Gears of War 3! This game appears to be shaping as the most epic of the three titles with the introduction of new characters, locations and of course, epic multiplayer.
You’re likely to play the game as one of the COG soldiers, Marcus Fenix – the buff leader of the team. The squad is likely to be named Delta as in the previous games.
The team consists of action hero cliché soldiers, Dom, Cole, Baird and the newest members of their ranks: Anya Stroud, Samantha Byrne and Bernadette Mataki.
‘But wait!’ You may be thinking, ‘Anya isn’t a cliché soldier name!’ Well, that’s because you’re right, it’s not. It is in fact the name of a woman, a woman who may very well be a part of Delta squad. If you’re someone who follows Gears of War’s canon closely you may already know that Anya is a love interest for Marcus and their relationship may very well be fleshed out over the course of the game. Of course, she probably exists for more than romance in the game and is likely to be in the front lines with the rest of Delta, killing line after line of Locusts and maybe even occasionally sawing one into many. Besides Anya there may also be another female member of Delta, ‘Samantha Byrne’. I don’t normally go for the militaristic/buff loo– ah who am I kidding, yeah I do and man who wouldn’t? She’s a rather attractive persona! And I also bet that she could mow down the locusts as efficiently as any of the male characters could, maybe even more so. She’s also going to be voiced by Claudia Black (of Pitch Black, Farscape, Stargate SG1 fame!). The last of the new female Gears is one ‘Bernadette Mataki’. Judging by her looks, she could be one tough character. I’m assuming that any Locust that comes between her and her goal will likely end up as mincemeat, or juicy steak… depending on the situation.
From left to right – Anya, Sam, Bernie
Like the previous games, the combat is where this game stands out. Like most epic games the battles are as intense as they are graphic, very. However, there is more to combat then just running in and gunning down enemies (and occasionally sawing one in half), the combat is more about the flow of the battlefield and how you use cover to your advantage. Running straight out into a nest of Locusts is likely to get you killed, even on the easier difficulties (unless of course you have a really good plan and running in is a part of that), so your best bet is to stick to the cover and act strategically. If the AI in this game is anything like the last two, they’re going to be quite capable of backing you up… or mowing you down, depending on how you’re looking at it.
What’s an EPIC game without competitive multiplayer? This is the strong point of any and all games released by EPIC. Just look at their lineup of games from their catalog: One Must Fall 2097 (Back when they were Epic Megagames), Unreal, Unreal Tournament (UT-UT3), Unreal Championship (On the Xbox), The upcoming Bulletstorm and last but certainly not the least, Gears of War (GoW 1-2). There was also an Unreal 2, but for some reason it originally didn’t ship with multiplayer… which was a strange deviation. Anyways, multiplayer in Gears of War is a combination of team work, dedication to the goal, strategic placement of yourself in comparison to the enemy and your allies and most importantly, a very decent aim with an even more decent firing reflex. I believe that this is why Gears of War is such a revered multiplayer game and what makes EPIC such a great company, they know how to make things balanced while remaining fun. You’re always concentrating on multiple things at once or you’re going to be killed, but it’s also the same in reverse! Spend too much time figuring out what’s going on and you’re likely to be killed. You need to be the best at both and there’s nothing more satisfying than besting some other player, especially if he’s the top guy on the other team it’s just so much fun! Let us hope that EPIC keep up with this tradition of competition in the multiplayer while maintaining the balance and fun and this game will be quite a success.
I know that I’ve talked greatly about the multiplayer but it is hard to deny that it will be the core of this game, besides the cover based strategy elements. The first two Gears of War games single player component were built around cooperative gameplay and having fun with your friends either in your loungeroom, or online (I’m sure you could also use PUGS, but I didn’t). I’m certain that co-op will be making a return, considering it’s what makes this franchise so great, and it is likely to great fun inviting over a few mates and going to town on the Locust horde.
Speaking of hordes, there’s a new spin on the Horde mode from Gears 2 called ‘Beast Mode’. In Beast Mode players work together (as Locusts) to mow down wave after wave of human soldiers within the wave time limit. Obviously this will become more difficult as you progress and the further you progress the more rewards you shall receive. The in-game reward for completing a wave will be ‘tokens’. Tokens can be used for upgrading your soldiers class within the Beast gametype. This gametype sounds like it could be really fun! I’m personally pumped for it as Horde mode was my favorite gametype in Gears of War 2, mainly for its arcade like feel as well as the cooperative component. Of course, there was always the competitive element of the scoring system which kept things interesting.
This is likely to be at minimum as fun as Horde was, but, knowing EPIC and CliffyB, it’s going to be more bigger, more awesome and it’s going to be a lot of fun!
All in All, this is going to be one of EPIC’s most epic games ever. It’s going to be bigger, better and offer more ass-kick than its predecessor. Knowing the staff behind this game and the way the previous games were handled you can expect this to be one of the best games to have ever been released on the Xbox360. Let’s hope that it does well enough to warrant a release on the PC as well (C’mon PC community! Let your voices be heard!).
The highly popular XBLA game Castle Crashers has reached over 2 million players and to celebrate Behemoth is introducing just a ‘little’ tournament for all the millions of XBLA Castle Crashers players – Tournament of Champions. Players will be challenged to prove their attacks, combos and pure skill in the quest to find the best Castle Crashers Arena Fighter in the entire world.
And the prize for first place you ask? A 24k Gold Xbox 360, that’s right a functional Xbox 360 plated in pure 24K gold, no joke! 2nd place will win, a slightly less shiny but just as grand nonetheless a Castle Crashers themed Xbox 360 Elite. And for 3rd place 250 squishy chickens, not too shabby at all. Everyone in the top 100 will win a prize, and the top 24 will get a special bonus as well.
To be eligible for the tournament you must be in the top 100 Weekly Ranked Arena players on the Castle Crashers leaderboards at noon (PST) on January 28th. The top 100 will compete in 1 on 1 Arena matches, in a single elimination tournament format on Saturday February 5th, until a victor emerges!
So hone your skills because there is only 2 weeks before the tournament begins!
Keeping good on their promise of more character reveals, Capcom have now announced both Phoenix and Haggar will be joining the roster for the new Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Haggar of course is from the Final Fight series and I think everyone knows Phoenix from the X-Men/Factor so these two make excellent additions the already impressive roster full of characters.
Of course with this announcement comes the usual flock of screenshots (which you can check out below) as well as two new trailers which can all be seen below as well. I think both of these additions fit perfectly myself and now I am curious if the next “reveals” might happen to be some villains from either side as we have not seen too many in that area announced as of yet. Either way, Marvel vs Capcom 3 will finally release on February 15th so it is nice to be held over yet again with a bunch of news. If any more reveals happen between now and then we will be sure to bring you even more details as we hear it.
Konami is bringing the acclaimed soccer franchise to the Windows Phone 7. Coming real soon like, the PES 2011 experience on the mobile device will focus on realism and “offer the most advanced team and player AI in a mobile game.” A “specially devised control system” will also be implemented. The Windows Phone 7 version of the game also introduces the ‘true flow’ system. Meaning that you can use AI-supported controls, or use on-screen buttons like a regular controller. Plus, there will be goal celebration animations.
Officially licensed UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League modes will also be included. Online support includes Leaderboards and Xbox LIVE achievements.
“PES 2011 arrives on a new format, bringing its intense realism and stunning gameplay to a whole new audience,” commented Florian Stronk, Head of Network Business Development for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “PES gamers can now hone their skills while away from their system, while the true ethos of PES – skill, timing and beautiful football – can be enjoyed at any time, everywhere.”
“It is great to see best in class game franchises such as PES 2011 coming to Windows Phone 7, cementing the fact that it is fast becoming a leading gaming platform. Windows Phone 7 is a great platform for PES 2011 and I am looking forward to the game’s release” Ron Pessner, General Manager, Microsoft.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II has seen much success since it’s release will soon see an expansion pack to be released for the RTS. The third expansion to the game (though only the second actual paid expansion) will be released next March for players to purchase. But rather than just buying the standard edition what about buying the Collector’s Edition that was just revealed?
As you can see above the Collector’s Edition will include quite a few different items which are of your standard fair for your average collector’s edition. But what is interesting about this pack is that you can receive four bonus wargear items for your character depending on what playable race you purchase the game for. This means that each of the six races playable in the game; the Orks, Tyranid, Chaos, Eldar, Space Marines and Imperial Guard will each have new specific items. You can pre-order the collector’s edition now for $59.95 AU from either EB Games, GAME, or JB Hi-Fi and expect to be picking up your collector’s edition sometime in March
Launched in November, Michael Jackson: The Experience has become an instant hit with sales of the video game surpassing two million units across the Wii, Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStationPortable thanks to the recent holiday splurge. Michael Jackson: The Experience allows players to performing the dance steps inspired by the choreography of Michael Jackson himself and to experience the environments from his iconic music videos Thriller, Bad, Beat It and many more. All the while players are listening to and singing along with his music that continues to excite and move people today. High sales figures may also be attributed to Ubisoft’s novel anti-piracy method, in which pirated versions of the Nintendo DS game would emit the horrid vuvuzela horn sound (made famous by the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa), deeming pirated versions of the game unplayable.
“Michael Jackson: The Experience is a worldwide hit and offers fans the game they have been waiting for,” so says Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer of Ubisoft, “We’re looking forward to bringing Michael Jackson: The Experience to Kinect and Move so an even bigger audience can enjoy playing the game with their friends and family too.” Ubisoft is expected to release the highly anticipated Xbox 360 Kinect and Playstation Move enabled versions on April 14, 2011. New content includes the songs “Blood on the Dance Floor” and “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, new dance routines and more additional content to be revealed closer to the release date.
Xbox 360 Kinect and Playstation Move exclusive features will be included in the game enriching the overall experience. Apart from the improved visuals and the integration of the Kinect and Eyetoy cameras on both versions, Xbox 360 Kinect features full body motion tracking allowing for players see their true motion and steps reproduced in the virtual world. Not to be outdone, Playstation Move features automatic Facebook feed integration which allows players to instantly post and upload pictures of themselves playing the gaming direct to Facebook. The game also adapts to the player’s available hardware, for example Move only, microphone only or Move plus microphone offering various game modes – dancing, singing or dancing and singing depending on the player accessories. Sales of Michael Jackson: The Experience across all consoles are expected to be high dance fan rejoice, the King of pop lives on!
For fans of the MX vs ATV series that has been out since 2004, it is now time to celebrate as the series has hit a landmark of 10 million shipped overall according to THQ. Not bad at all for a the motocross racing series that has became a household name to gamers everywhere over the years.
With this bit of news also came the announcement that Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener in Anaheim on January 8, 2011 (which THQ sponsors), a brand new MX vs ATV title will be announced. With only two days to go, it will be interesting to see where THQ take the series next.
“This record-setting milestone for the MX vs. ATV franchise is the culmination of consistently delivering genre-defining innovations and the most authentic motocross racing experience for fans worldwide,” said Michael Lustenberger, THQ Vice President, Global Brand Management. “The next iteration of MX vs. ATV will take the series to an exhilarating new level, and we are absolutely thrilled to unveil the first trailer during the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener.”
Just two more days and we will know exactly what new title may come out of this and on the stage THQ are announcing it on, this could be a new turn for the series with the promise of “taking it to the next level”. Stay tuned as when the announcement breaks, we will be sure to bring coverage for this developing story.
The Nintendo 3DS does not even have a date yet and already we are seeing some accessories that are ready to hit shelves upon release of the new handheld. Mad Catz have been a leader on the gaming accessory scene for a long time now from fight sticks, controllers, and of course portable gaming accessories being available and now the company has announced their full range of products for the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, whenever that launch may be…
Licensed accessories expected to ship as part of the new range are:
· Nintendo 3DS Traveller Bag
Fashionable yet durable, the Traveller Bag proves an ideal travel companion, providing storage for gamers’ Nintendo 3DS, up to 21 game cards and 2 styli, alongside spare storage compartments for accessories such as AC adapters and headphones. Fashioned in a contemporary design with protective inner lining, the case offers safe and stylish transport for gamers’ console and accessories.
MSRP: $19.99
· Nintendo 3DS Microsuede SlipCase
Discrete and refined, the officially licensed Microsuede SlipCase offers a fashionable solution for transporting gamers’ Nintendo 3DS and up to three game cards. Featuring a sleek design and protective inner lining, the plush, tactile Microsuede SlipCase ensures gamers’ console and games travel safely and in style.
MSRP: $12.99
· Nintendo 3DS Extendable Stylus 3-Pak
Mad Catz’ officially licensed Extendable Stylus 3-Pak for the Nintendo 3DS provides a trio of high-quality styli. Designed for comfort and available in multiple colors, the Extendable Styli provide an ideal replacement for the standard stylus provided with the Nintendo 3DS.
MSRP: $5.99
· Nintendo 3DS Stylus & Screen Protector Pak
Mad Catz’ officially licensed Stylus & Screen Protector Pak for the Nintendo 3DS provides gamers’ with a trio of high-quality Extendable Styli, ideal for handheld gaming needs. Designed for comfort and provided in colors which match the console, the Extendable Styli are complimented by two sets of Screen Protectors, designed to protect the Nintendo 3DS from dirt and scratches.
MSRP: $9.99
· Nintendo 3DS Screen Protector Pak
Mad Catz’ officially licensed Screen Protector Pak has been designed to help shield the screens of the Nintendo 3DS from dirt, scratches and accidental damage. Consisting of 2 sets of high-quality Screen Protectors, each set is easy to apply and remove, leaving zero residue and no distortion of the 3D effect or screen quality. Complete with bonus Microfiber Cleaning Cloth.
MSRP: $7.99
Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented, “The Nintendo 3DS promises to introduce gamers to a new era of entertainment. Mad Catz is delighted to be complimenting the launch of this exciting new handheld with a range of high quality, licensed accessories which we believe enhance the gaming experience and will prove invaluable to gamers everywhere.”
With this announcement, I am now drawing even more to thinking the 3DS launch date is just right around the corner, so I would say now that we got some of the awesome accessories to clean and wrap our 3DS’ in, but now we just need the actual system. Of course no date was given for any of these products to be released so this is ultimately another tease until then, but my anticipation has now peaked for the device that is sure to be a huge draw for all gamers sometime this year. Either way it is good to see Mad Catz on top of things right from the get go with these products and at affordable prices as well.
Game Name: Frobot Platform(s): Nintendo WiiWare Publisher(s): Fugazo Developer(s): Fugazo Genre(s): Action/Puzzle Release Date: December 20, 2010 (US) Price: 1000 Nintendo Points ($10 US)
Frobot is the product of developer Fugazo and an interesting title without a doubt. You play as a stereo-typical robot with an afro, some kickin’ treads and five “foxy girlfriends” who you must rescue by solving puzzles to open each level’s warp pad. As I learned with Frobot, this title has much more that meets the eye and can be quite a mind-bending puzzle experience with a pinch of shooting added to the formula. How does all of this work? Here is my review for Frobot for the WiiWare.
Story
The story starts off by giving a brief history of how Frobot came to be and shortly after a small tutorial your off on your journey as you learn your five girlfriends have been bot-napped and you must make your way to the BotBlocker Headquarters to get back your lovely ladies once and for all.
If you think the story sounds a bit over the top, you would be right. That is what makes the game stand out though is the over the top storyline and the setting that will make you feel like your in a time warp between the 70’s and the future. Frobot himself is full of some brilliant one liners that bring some humor to the game and all of the characters interact in this funky style and dialogue that set the whole mood for the entire experience.
Gameplay
The story and setting pack quite a punch for creating such a visual and original world, but the gameplay is by far what makes Frobot so addicting. The game plays with a top-down view the entire time and you control Frobot with the WiiMote & Nunchuck. Each level begins by starting you off right in front of a warp pad, but it isn’t that easy. You must go from room to room of each level and perform various tasks with your weapons to unlock the next room, then continue this pattern until you finally power up the warp pad and go to the next level.
Weapons in Frobot vary quite a bit and like the characters of the title, they all possess that funky charm and fit well with the theme of the game. Your basic weapons include your cannon which can easily be fired anytime and your “Dynomine” which is a remote mine for blowing up enemies or obstacles on your way through the game. As you go further into the game, more weapons and power-ups become unlocked which make harder puzzles easier to deal with such as the “Robo Hustle”, a boost technique that let’s you briefly speed up, the “Stud Missile” which can be used to take out tougher enemies from afar, and the “Jive Stalker” which is a disco-ball that you control with the WiiMote pointer.
Control is certainly something to pay attention to as proper pointing is a must if you don’t want your funky hero to meet his demise quickly. You can easily control Frobot with the Nunchuck, but you also must properly point in the direction you want to fire with the WiiMote and accuracy is one thing that puzzles beg for as I discovered during my play-through of the game. Each room’s puzzle is different from the next, whether it be simply shooting a specific target to open the door, picking up blocks to move to specific platforms, or just taking on enemies, there is plenty of variation from level to level which is actually well thought out and can be stumping at times to properly pull off each room’s puzzle.
All of these can bend the brain a bit when it comes to solving specific tasks as some puzzles later on mix in all elements for a much harder difficulty, but luckily even novice jive turkeys can set the difficulty level to best fit their play style. The one type of puzzle I didn’t care for all too much was where you needed to drop blocks on to a catapult and fire them to a platform across the stage. It wasn’t that the task was too much, it was that I kept having my cube miss it’s mark and on areas that are blocked left me to restart the level altogether. This thankfully isn’t as frustrating as it may sound though as each level isn’t too long to start with. Bosses also enter the mix later on and add a nice change of pace into levels, which after defeating you rescue one of your five ladies.
After you complete the main game, Frobot offers quite a bit of re-playability, which is a rare thing to see in a WiiWare release anymore. In the standard “Single Playa” mode, you have hidden “Power Picks” that can be obtained to unlock “multi-playa” stages and power ups as well as a timed goal that will keep speed runners on their toes to finish each level as quickly as possible. Multi-Playa is a bit different from the main game as you actually utilize all of your arsenal to take down other bots in a battle to the death. This mode is actually quite fast paced and involves a good deal of strategy, so if you get bored of the single player game, inviting some friends over can squeeze even more life out of the experience.
Graphics/Audio
I really could compare the visuals to something from a PSone title or at least near it, as the models are a bit blocky, but the game utilizes so many colors and charm to each level as well as clever character design, the not so great graphics are not a problem after you really get going into the game. Enemies, bosses, and Frobot himself each have a unique art style that fit perfectly into the disco-themed world and the level design gave the game more of a retro title flare.
The music is upbeat the whole way through and of course the soundtrack is made up of disco tunes up until the final level which makes the setting truly come alive. Characters talk in text bubbles, so there really is no voice work to be found but dialogue still remained funny and relevant even without sounds from the speech as everything is well written.
Overall
Frobot is quite a unique title and it took a bit of getting used to for me to really take off into the game, but once you get the feel for the controls and puzzles, it can be easy to lose a lot of time in this disco-filled blast fest. Not only are the puzzles challenging, each are well made and are actually fun to execute the solution due to some innovative design. Robot blasting is also a great addition which bends the genre card for this title a bit and kept the gameplay from getting stale the whole way through. Add in the intense multi-player, and Frobot is easily worth the 1000 points ticket price. If you are a fan of any sort of retro style shooter or puzzler and love crazy themes mixed in your gameplay, this title is for you. Even if you are not any of those, Frobot is a title that demands attention and with the demo now available, you should now run to your Wiis and give this Funky bot a try.
