Bad news for fans of the previous two versions of Rock Band, if you haven’t already upgraded yourself to RB3 then you are out of luck as far as new DLC is concerned. Anything released after October 26th, 2010 (already past) for Rock Band will only be compatible with Rock Band 3. Any Rock Band Network songs will still be available however, and any songs that have already been released as DLC from before October 26th will still work, but this is far from a consolation to those who have favorite songs being released now exclusive to the RB3.
Why this change though? Joystiq was able to contact Harmonix and it turns out that these new songs will not be backwards compatible “due to the new authoring standards, inclusion of new instruments, new lighting / venue cues, etc.”
Sure it may make sense from a developing stand point, since it gives Harmonix more breathing room when it develops new effects to go along with songs, but it does pinch the pockets of those who haven’t purchased RB3 yet. Though one thing that RB1 and RB2 users won’t have to worry about is accidentally purchasing these songs, because any new songs will simply not show up in the Music Store or inside the internal Rock Band’s marketplace. So this means that those who do not know this news at all will simply not see any new songs being released at this point in time.
G5 Entertainment, the leading publisher in the hidden object genre, is set to publish another sequel to one of the greatest hit developed by Artogon on the Apple portable devices, namely “The Mystery of the Crystal Portal”. The game was the winner of the first annual Great Game Awards in July last year, ended with Nicole (the main cast) managed to activate the Crystal Portal in her father’s basement in hope to find him. The sequel will pick up from there with a whole new puzzling adventure that comes with lots of brain-twisting fun and stunning graphics.
The Mystery of the Crystal Portal 2: Beyond the Horizon will be available on the App Store in approximately 2 weeks time on the 25th of November, just in time for Thanksgiving! Rest assured that you will not be disappointed. If you’re still not convinced, check out some of the awesome features of the game below!
Retina Display-enabled graphics
Supports multitasking on iOS 4 devices
Unique hidden object gameplay
Original storyline
2 Game modes – Casual and Advanced
8 Incredible locations
34 Fascinating levels
8 Tricky mini games
I don’t know about you, but I’m extremely excited of this new sequel. What say you?
For those of you who haven’t really been ready to take the jump on Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, now is the best time as the title which was only released a little over a month ago is just $25 (US) on Amazon as the Deal of the Day for both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of the game. It also appears a price drop is coming as the original price listed is $39.99, down from the original $59.99. Either way this is a fantastic deal that should not be passed up, but act quick as this sale ends at midnight!
Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold Platform: iPhone/iPod Touch (iPad)
Developer: Big Fish Games
Publisher: G5 Entertainment
Released: 28 October
Price: (US) $2.99 BUY NOW
Story Nelly keeps having the same dream. In the dream, Nelly sees a girl aboard a large pirate ship captaining a group of pirates as they all sail across the ocean. As it’s a pirate ship, it is also full to the brim with a huge hoard of gold and other treasures. Oddly, Nelly knows who the girl is. It’s not her but in fact her grandmother, though she imagines herself standing beside her. She knows that her grandmother was a pirate because her parents told her so. But she can never stay in this fantasy world, as each time she awakens from her sleep to find her normal bedroom before her, rather than on the decks of this wooden cruiser with the sea breeze in her hair and the occasional spray of water as waves hit the side of the ship. Perhaps she’s longing to be like the girl in this dream, but soon, events in the game lead her to have an adventure of her very own.
Overview And her bedroom is the start point of the game where, in true hidden object game fashion, you search for an assortment of objects and then interact with them to move on to the next stage. There is also a brief explanation of the game’s various icons and controls, which while being helpful, leaves a lot to be desired, and the first time I ran through the initial tutorial there was even a bug which halted my progress and, in turn, I was forced to reboot the game. However, these are fairly minor drawbacks and the majority of people will be able to pick up the game, all aspects included, unhindered by the limited tutorial.
As hidden object games go, Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold has a clearer level layout than most, and while the masses of items flooding the screen will always make hidden object games look cluttered, Big Fish Games has ensured that the levels are well lit and that background textures are distinguishable from the items themselves. This is something a number of other hidden object titles have tripped up on, rendering them almost unplayable and as such, it’s a good thing that Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold gets it right.
As with most hidden object and point ‘n’ click games, Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold takes a while to get going, and only really becomes interesting when the plot progression is in full swing and when the objects you collect are being put to use intelligently, instead of in bland, pointless circumstances. Again, like all hidden object games before it, the game won’t appeal to everyone, with some finding the style of play too slow-paced for their liking, but for those who enjoy the genre, Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold definitely has something to offer, with some adequate logic-based puzzling on display.
Graphics and Sound Where graphics are concerned, Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold doesn’t excel in any way, shape or form. The cutscenes can have a fairly attractive art-style, and as I mentioned before, the developers have done the basics well with clearly laid out items, but graphically it doesn’t break any new ground. Visually, it can only really be described as detailed but average.
Whereas the music and sound effects seem good; at first that is. The musical score sounds very good until you realise that it doesn’t actually git the mood of each particular point in the game. Where it should be setting the tone and matching the atmosphere represented by the specific section in the game, it actually does not match up at all. In this respect, the musical score which initially seems impressive actually negatively affects the game by spoiling the atmosphere. There are also tiny other niggles regarding the sound which may negatively affect the experience, such as some sound effects which could grow irritating to some. However these are minor niggles, and when it comes down to sound effects, these aspects of repetition and a limited library of sounds feature in most games.
Conclusion Hidden object games which derive from the point ‘n’ click genre will always be a bit of a niche interest. The slow-paced nature of them means they won’t suit everyone, and this game is no exception: you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. Some will enjoy gathering objects and, in the particularly puzzling sections, using their brains to help them progress. Others will feel as if the object-finding sections are building up to something, only to be disappointed when all that’s waiting for them on the other side of each search for objects, aside from maybe the odd exploration section or cutscene, is another search for objects.
If you are a fan of the genre or you happen to want to try it out, you could do a lot worse than pick up Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold. The gameplay has good quality point ‘n’ click/hidden object value, visually it does the job and more importantly, doesn’t compromise gameplay in place of over the top graphics. Some games try to be so dark and sinister you can barely see what you are doing, but thankfully, the developers haven’t fallen into this trap. There are a number of bugs that plight the game, though all of these could be fixed with an update in the near future, and there are some issues with badly chosen sound, but all of these are pretty minor drawbacks and shouldn’t be dwelled on too much.
Which is why I am giving Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold on iPhone:
Pros
Visually sound
Steady gameplay
Good example of genre
Cons
Slower speed of play won’t appeal to everyone
Some small bugs
Music isn’t well-stylised and negatively affects the mood
Slow-starter
GIVEAWAY: Comment Contest Simply comment about what you like best about Treasure Seekers to be in with a chance of winning a code for the game!
Sure, everybody enjoys the present day titles out there, but for us retro gamers out there, nothing beats the classics and no company knows that better than Capcom. Capcom is now quenching that thirst with the announcement of six classic arcade titles headed to the Nintendo WiiWare download service.
The six titles announced are:
SONSON Experience the original adventures of the Monkey King in this action-packed side scrolling adventure. Rapidly switch between different levels of play to shoot dangerous enemies in the face! A truly original concept, this quirky, old skool arcade classic has been a rare find in the west since its arcade debut in 1984. Until now!
1942 This classic vertically-scrolling shoot ’em up is perhaps Capcom’s finest moment in the pre-Street Fighter era. Spawning a million clones and re-appearing throughout the history of gaming, 1942’s biplane action needs no introduction. And now, for the first time on the Wii, the original and best version.
Black Tiger Fight your way through colorful, action-packed levels in this 1987 arcade classic. Explore huge, sprawling levels as a powerful barbarian, seeking to defeat menacing bosses. Plus, upgrade your character with one of the first inventory and power-up systems ever built.
Commando: Wolf of the Battlefield Experience the Capcom arcade game that spawned a multitude of clones as the original Commando comes to your living room courtesy of the Virtual Console Arcade. Take control of Super Joe and shoot your way—in all eight directions—towards the enemy’s territory, using grenades to wreak havoc with enemy placements in this seminal genre creator.
Exed Exes A retro classic from Capcom’s arcade line-up in 1985, Exed Exes is a vertically-scrolling shooter that’s sure to bring back fond memories. Dodge bullets! Collect fruit! And go for high scores in the most furious sci-fi insectoid shoot ’em up ever made.
Ghosts ’n Goblins Ghosts ‘n Goblins is a classic game that packs a heavy punch (and lance). Experience the smash arcade hit from 1985 as you help Arthur defeat hordes of monsters in his attempt to rescue the princess. The first (and possibly only) game in which taking a hit reduces you to your underwear.
I think most of you will agree that this is an impressive line-up, aside from Sonson, which I am very eager to try out, I am a fan of every title. Capcom are truly devoted to their new and longtime fans and if you’re either, any one of these should be an excellent addition to the WiiWare. The date on these titles looks to be sometime this winter, but check back as we will be bringing even more news as we hear it on these classics from Capcom.
Game Name: Blood Stone 007 Platforms: Xbox 360 Publisher(s): Activision Developer(s): Bizarre Creations, n-Space Genre(s): Action, Shooter Release Date: 11/2/2010 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Price: $59.99 USD
Story Blood Stone 007 starts out with an attempted terrorist attack at the G20. M contacts Bond to stop the attack from happening. The attack will happen during a group photo of the world leaders, and Bond has to rush against the clock as he attempts to stop the person behind it all. You are dispatched as bond and the action starts instantly. The game’s tutorial is thrown in among the action and everything you need to know is taught quickly and effectively. Upon finishing the first level, the James Bond style opening credit scene starts with bond killing people and diamonds bursting out. Let the game commence!
Gameplay The singleplayer experience consists mostly of running through pretty linear levels as you beat people up, shoot them, and sneak around. By dispatching people through hand to hand combat, you will unlock focus shots, which are basically auto-aimed instant kills. You can collect a maximum of three of these and although they seem pointless, since you could just shoot everybody, they come in quite handy. Farther enemies are a pain to take out without a sniper rifle, but by using only one focus shot you can take anyone out at any distance with a single bullet. A cover system is also implemented in order to keep you from getting filled with bullets. It seems a little clunky at first and takes a while to get used to, but after you get it down it becomes easy to use and extremely useful.
The run and gun moments are split up by driving sequences. Games like these usually have pretty terrible driving sequences but with Bizarre Creations handling it the driving sequences are epic and a lot of fun. While the driving sequences are actually cruel and quite difficult they are fun and fast paced. A single mess up will cause you to hit a wall or another vehicle and spin out of control causing you to lose your target. You have to drive carefully, but if you drive too slow you either lose your target or get completely obliterated by whoever is chasing you.
Gadgets aren’t a big focus in this game. Most bond games are full of gadgets, but this one only gives you one: The Smart Phone. This smart phone handles all electronic needs, shows you where to go, and lets you scan data that adds some more detail to the game. At all other times, you are relying on your fists, one pistol, and one heavier weapon. Throughout the game you will run into electronic devices that need to be hacked or bypassed. You may have to press certain buttons to get passed a pretty easy hacking minigame, or scan various objects throughout the level in order to get all the pieces to the code. Honestly, I never used the smart phone unless I was required too, at all other times it just seemed pointless and removed from the action of the game.
Multiplayer is an addition that seems to fall short. The multiplayer plays a lot like singleplayer and uses the same basic system. You pick your weapons, take cover, and shoot people. There are basically other players who can actually hit you and kill you, unlike the AI most of the time. There is an upgrade system that is based on medals that you can gain and by doing certain tasks you can unlock more guns to use. The multiplayer feels like a generic attached multiplayer with different modes and a few settings, but it isn’t really that original. On top of that, the community seems to be dying already and there are balancing issues. People may still be going through singleplayer and haven’t touched multiplayer yet, but when I tried to find a game it took a while to get a lobby and then only had 5 or 6 people were in the lobby at one time. The balancing issues are also pretty annoying and I have run into many games where the set up is 4 levels 20s against 3 level 5s; that just doesn’t seem fair at all.
Audio & Graphics The audio is decent, but it has its shortcomings. Explosions are the key emphasis in this game, and they sound epic. On the other hand, voice acting is pretty poor but it doesn’t remove the player from the overall experience. Gun Fire everywhere, parts of the level blowing up, and destructible scenery that blows up in your face creates a symphony of disaster that dances on your ear drums. Sadly, the entire level isn’t full of these kinds of moments. At the times that explosions aren’t going on you are stuck listening to someone tell you what to do or what you should be doing from half way around the world.
The graphics are great during driving scenes, they are simply beautiful and well done. Sadly, these moments don’t transfer over well to the on foot moments in the game. During the times where you are on foot the graphics just seem generic and dull. However, I must emphasize the use of explosions and crashes to create a more dire situation. While no moment actually has any immediate risk (Aside from a few scattered moments), the action happening around you creates a rushed feeling that pushes you through the level at a brisk pace. Often this causes unnecessary deaths, but also raises the thrill of the game.
Achievements
The achievements in Blood Stone 007 consist of singleplayer achievements, completionist achievements, and multiplayer achievements. Basically, a pretty standard list is located within the game. The singleplayer achievements consist of using every weapon, killing people in various ways and just simply beating the game. The initial three difficulties all unlock the first series of mission based achievements, while the final unlockable difficulty unlocks its own set of “complete the mission” achievements. This is a nice bonus to anyone who wants to actually beat the game on the new harder difficulty. The completionist achievements, have you going through the levels and scanning everything possible. Not that creative, but if you want 100% you’ll have to find each and every one. The multiplayer achievements require you to play a lot. In order to get every single medal, you’ll need to kill a lot of people and play a lot of games. Sadly, I don’t feel that the multiplayer will stay alive very long as two days after the release date it was already difficult to find games. Overall the achievement list is pretty basic and while it isn’t easy it also isn’t impossible.
Overview Blood Stone 007 is simply fun and enjoyable. The singleplayer experience may be straight forward and quite linear, but the entire trip is enjoyable and lots of fun. The harder difficulty that is unlocked by beating the game doesn’t actually add much but it does add a little extra for those people out there that enjoy completing their games completely. The multiplayer is also pretty fun, if you can look past the balancing issues and the fact that it is relatively difficult to find a game. Blood Stone is not based off of any James Bond movie and even though it grabs some memorable features out of every James Bond movie, it is still its own unique story. Blood Stone 007 is a lot of fun, albeit short, and deserves to be play. I just sadly don’t see the multiplayer lasting that long and the story wasn’t all that clear; however, there were tons of explosions and that is all we really need right?!
I give Blood Stone 007
University of Abertay Dundee undergraduates (200 of them!) have launched Play2Improve, a free online service that will help train new FPS players. It also provides work experience & training on marketing. The program will work by simulating live action and using learning tools based on psychological research. It has been made with world champion gamer Paul McGarrity. Play2Improve will make money through selling personal tuition and premium features.
Matt Seeney, Play2Improve Chief Executive, said, “Being based in Abertay University has been a great help while we develop and put the finishing touches to FPS Trainer. As well as the great facilities and easy access to computer games experts, having more than 200 students prepare marketing ideas for us is incredible! First-person shooters are incredibly popular games, but are fiercely competitive online. It can be very disheartening for inexperienced gamers to jump straight into a game like Quake Live and play online against very experienced gamers, some of whom might even be full-time professionals. By providing interactive training, FPS Trainer is much, much more sophisticated than the basic tutorial levels in games. Using computer gaming technology, psychological research and the skills of a world champion gamer, we’ve developed a truly unique service that will help gamers improve their skills, and enjoy their gaming even more. We might even help create a new world champion!”
Who knew that when Microsoft released Kinect, they would be creating a robot? Well technically it was AlexP of NUI, who hacked together a Windows Phone 7 and Kinect so that they are able to communicate.
As he says, “Kinect device hosts some pretty amazing hardware. For starters, the Kinect’s depth sensor is stunning. A quality depth sensing camera like this would ordinarily cost a couple orders of magnitude more than the Kinect device itself. For only ~$150, Kinect makes RGB-D type of sensing accessible to anyone. The potential uses are numerous including HCI, robotics, educational use, surveillance, motion capture, people/object tracking, 3D scanning, etc.”
It may not be too impressive at the moment, but considering that Kinect has only been out for 4 days, this project has got some serious legs. Haha. Legs…
Amazon.com is running a special offer where you can pick up one Kinect title and grab another at half price as long as it is all during the same transaction. Just add two Kinect games and you’ll only have to pay half price for one of them. That is quite a good deal.
There are eleven Kinect games taking part in the offer, which pretty much just includes all of the launch titles. The titles are (if you don’t know them): Dance Central, Kinect Sports, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Sonic Free Riders, Fighters Uncaged, Kinectimals, Kinect Joy Ride, Motion Sports, Dance Masters, Adrenalin Misfits and The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout.
Go to amazon now, and pick up the deal while it lasts. The offer ends on November 13th.
If you aren’t busy playing a particular game that just released 18 minutes ago, then I’m sure you will be happy to see this weeks releases on the xbox live arcade. They include two games that aren’t so familiar, a reduced XBLA game that is quite a steal, and some demos for your tasting pleasures.
First on the list of unfamiliar games is Cave’s 1999 arcade cabinet and ‘manic shooter’, Guwange, which will be available Wednesday at 800MSP.
Secondly we have Faery: Legends of Avalon, an XBLA RPG. The price is currently unknown, but I am leaning toward 1200MSP. I feel my gut is going to be correct on this one.
Deal of the Week meanwhile is half price Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. If you have picked up this game, I strongly suggest a try of the Demo. At 400MSP this game is a steal, and the soundtrack more than covers the many reasons why you would want to purchase this game. The deal will last until early morning of Monday, November 14th.
Finally, there’s a bunch of demos on the Xbox Live Marketplace right now for your tasting pleasures, keep in mind that the Kinect Joy Ride demo will require kinect, and Rock Band 3 requires instrument peripherals to be used correctly. For everyone else that doesn’t have these, you can enjoy the Apache: Air Assualt Demo.
