No longer will Xbox Live Silver members be so blatantly displayed as being inferior to Gold members, though ironically they still will be. This is because the community boss for Xbox UK Graeme Boyd has released the information via a tweet on twitter saying the following:
“Just been told that ‘Xbox LIVE Silver Membership’ will now officially be called ‘Xbox LIVE Free Membership’. The times they are a-changin…”
You can see the tweet itself here. The fact that Microsoft has decided to rename the free version of Xbox Live can be viewed a number of different ways. It could be a marketing ploy to make hardcore gamers feel as if they are truly missing out on something by calling them Free users instead of Gold users. Sort of an image changer. Or it can be in anticipation of the release of Kinect to allow for a more understandable experience for casual gamers that may become confused. Though I doubt it is the latter one. If anything I believe the name change is simply to promote more sales of the Gold membership by making it seem like Free players are truly missing out on special features by not even being called a precious metal anymore, but free.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has sold over 19 million games and Ubisoft has charted record pre order sales for the next game in the series: Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. Marketing budgets for AC: Brotherhood have also surpassed other marketing projects by Ubisoft.
Geoffroy Sardin, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, says, “Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is being heralded by the press as a single and multiplayer experience unlike any other. As evidenced by the record number of pre-orders and the success of the multiplayer beta, consumers can‘t wait to get their hands on Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, and we’re looking forward to delivering them an experience they’ll never forget.”
Brotherhood will be released on PC in 2011 and on November 18 for consoles. Get prepped for 15 hours of single player campaign and a new multiplayer experience. If you can’t wait that long, you can play the Facebook game now.
Nintendo announces that from 28 October 2010, you will be able to buy the Wii in either Black, White and for a limited time the brand new Red colour too.
Hold on that’s not all the Black and White versions now come packaged with Wii Sports Resort, Wii Sports, Nunchuk and the original Wii Remote will be replaced with the Brand new Wii Remote Plus and all for the same great value of £159.99/ AU $299.95
Please note that the Wii Remote Plus is the original Wii Remote, with Wii MotionPlus functionality built in!
The Red Wii
The Red Wii console includes Red WiiMote Plus, Nunchuk, a copy of New Super Mario Bros Wii, Wii Sports and a digital copy of Donkey Kong pre-installed.
Please click here for more info on this great new product from Nintendo.
Also available are two great new WiiMote Plus colours too!
Nail’d is releasing soon, and its developers are worried about the potential health problems gamers may face. Specifically the challenge of gripping the controller so hard that your knuckles turn white. Apparently this is a terrible epidemic and must be stopped. Wanna find out about a cream so good that it will literally improve your life? Especially in the areas of low game scores and embarrassment? Do you want to be able to scream, “LETS GET NAIL’D!?” Then visit whiteknucklecream.com.
SO, I’ve been thinking. I’m a big fan of “community” events, interacting with other people (in this case, you, the viewer). Having previously been a moderator for Capcom’s website, Capcom-Unity.com, I picked up the interest. I’m also a big fan of streaming games, something which I feel people don’t do often enough. I previously streamed Sengoku Basara before it even hit the shelves, and got a pretty good reception. I even put up a link to other forums to get more attention and had people coming into the stream chat asking questions/requests to see characters/levels. In short, it was a lot of fun and so it got me thinking. I have the capture stuff required (obviously) and I play games on a regular basis, so why the hell not just stream as I regularly play whatever it is I play, it provides no hindrance to me and it might entertain some of you in the process.
My games collection is pretty decent (and is always growing). I know our readerbase is still somewhat small, but I also know that there are a handful of you out there who do come here and so, this is for you, but it will require a small bit of effort/participation on your part if it’s going to succeed. I’m going to list all of my games in the hopes that you will comment here, saying which ones you want to see streamed. If I actually get responses, I’ll do it! If I get a decent turnout, maybe I’ll make this a daily/weekly thing, as long as there are people who want to see this done.
So! Heres the list, comment here if there’s one in particular you wanna see. I’ll make a follow up article, if/when I see some requests, detailing when I’ll do the streams.
(Original Xbox)
Beyond Good and Evil
Fable: The Lost Chapters
Halo
Halo 2
Jade Empire
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath
Phantom Dust
Psychonauts
Sudeki
Tron 2.0: Killer App
(Playstation 2)
Dark Cloud 2
Dr. Muto
Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends
Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy XII
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Katamari Damacy
Jak and Daxter
Jak 3
Kingdom Hearts 2
Monster Hunter
Okami
Ratchet and Clank
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Ratchet and Clank: Deadlocked
Rez
Shadow of the Colossus
Twisted Metal: Black
Xenosaga
Xenosaga II
(Gamecube)
Eternal Darkness
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
Kirby Airride
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
P.N. 03
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II
Pikmin
Pikmin 2
Skies of Arcadia: Legends
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
Starfox Adventures
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Legend of Zelda Collectors Edition (zelda 1+2+Ocarina of time+Majora’s Mask)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
(Wii)
De Blob
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Monster Hunter Tri
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Zack & Wiki
(Xbox 360)
Fable 2
Halo Reach
Kameo
Lost Odyssey
Mass Effect 2
The Darkness
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Too Human
Viva Pinata
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
(Playstation 3)
3D Dot Game Heroes
Assassins Creed II
Demon’s Souls
Just Cause 2
Killzone 2
Katamari Forever
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
Sengoku Basara
I’ll list digital games if people truly want me to, but for now, that’s more than enough to choose from. Like I said, if this gets a good response and people genuinely want to see this done, then I’ll do it as often as I can. If not, however, I will still likely stream, only it will just be whatever I feel like. So either way, streaming will happen, your involvement determines what will be streamed and how often. For now I’m going to be streaming my favorite FF game, Final Fantasy XII (I know it’s a love/hate game with the fanbase, but I LOVE it), though I will likely get bored quickly and move on to something else. If you catch me streaming right now and want to see a particular game, pop into the stream chat and tell me!
Edit: That was quick, got bored, on to Assassins Creed II!
‘No more lessons, no more training.’That’s the message that accompanies this latest trailer for the game. In this instance, it showcases some of the gameplay from the DS iteration. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will feature a much more serious journey than previous outings, aiming to re-enforce the gritty storyline of the novel in videogame form. Gone are the days of lessons learning charms, potions and all that magical nonsence in Hogwarts. Now the only way you’re going to learn your defence against the dark arts is in practice, battling Voldemort’s legions.
Following the same plot as the book, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 you will track down and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes, but not without the help of your friends Ron and Hermione, an element of the gameplay which is touched upon in the trailer.
You will also be able to battle against a friend in the game’s multi-player mode, choosing to fight as either Harry or a Dementor.
Nordcurrent, the European games developer and publisher has announced it’s latest title is due for release in Europe this week, with a street date of 22nd October. 101-in-1 Megamix Sports, follow-up to the successful 101-in-1 Megamix which sold around half a million units, offers a wide range of sports in one package. The wide assortment of sports include all-time favorites like bowling, boxing, volleyball, tennis, basketball and unique sports some may not recognise right away, such as caber tossing, traction kiting, capoeira, street luge, and more.
Key Features
One hundred and one sports games on a single cartridge – It’s the ultimate sports bundle. It averages out to less than twenty pence a game.
Unlock dozens of exciting new sports as you go along, earning points by setting high scores, and then spending them to unlock dozens of exciting new sports.
Compete with friends in local wireless – Some games allow players to challenge friends to head-to-head
If the last one is anything to go by, it should be a bundle of fun as it is jam-packed full of sports mini-games, promising you value for money.
Cosmonaut Games are at it again with a brand new title for the iPad and iPhone, Inkub. The title rolls off the tongue well but I am sure you want to know a little more about the game itself. Inkub is a unique strategy/action game putting players in the role as an employee of Inkub, a company that maintains and preserves species thanks to genetic engineering and high-level technology. Mixing genes from existing species, extinct and human, Inkub seeks the artificial creation of carbon based organisms to avoid their disappearance.
INKUB has a spacecraft navigating through different systems to offer their help to other civilizations with problems. It is in this spacecraft´s process plant where the embryos start their creation inside accelerated growth plasma incubators. However, bacteria, parasites, and other species that have evolved for years and live in the plasmatic liquid constantly threaten the growth of these embryos. The objective is to ensure the growth of said specimens, eliminating the threats. INKUB has
perfected defense systems within the incubation plants that must be used to end all threats and preserve the developing species.
Inkub is like a tower defense game where you must defend incubator containing a growing specimen with different weapons and powers that will help you destroy, pause, or block these enemies. These threats will try to enter the incubator through the Plasma tubes that connect it with the life-giving energy that makes them grow.
Each of the enemies will have special features (speed, resistance, range) and, likewise, the weapons and blockers will have other features (damage, range, speed…). A total of 8 different weapons will be available, all of them upgradeable, which you will obtain as you advance through the 40 rounds that make up the game. The whole system is sustained by energy. Therefore, using that energy, you will be able to acquire and upgrade all of the available weapons. You can obtain energy by constantly improving the energy cells that appear on each round.
Features Include:
3D Graphics: All scenarios are in 3D, making the most of the iPad and iPhone graphics.
3 Difficulty Levels: 3 different difficulty levels have been prepared so that you can adjust the
game to you ability.
Adventure Mode: 5 different Worlds, each of them containing 8 rounds. A total of 40 rounds
full of action, enemies and danger where you must prove your defense skills.
Survival Mode: Beat the record in each one of the game worlds in this non-stop mode,
where each wave is stronger than the previous one.
Scenario Rotation: With an innovative play system, slide your finger over the screen to rotate
the level perspectives and access the rear tubes.
Sniper: Discover special rounds where you must crash the enemies.
Enemies: Up to 21 enemy feature variations available.
Weapons: Up to 24 variations in all of the weapons at your disposal.
Files: Review enemies and weapons in the game files. Learn more about each of the
available weapons and the enemy features.
Unlocking system: Unlock weapons, enemies and play modes as you pass each one of the
Adventure Mode rounds.
Complete soundtrack with 7 songs performed by El Topo Negro.
Inkub looks like a great tower defense title that is sure to be an addictive experience for anyone wanting a great title on the go. You can pick up the title now on the AppStore for only $.99 for the iPhone and $2.99 on the iPad. Check out the trailer below which shows off the gameplay and the incredible soundtrack. We also have screenshots for both versions below. For a great price and a solid looking title, all those with an iPhone or iPad should definitely look into this surely addicting game.
Following suit of the releases of Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi, Sega is now bringing some more Dreamcast classics to the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network.
“The release of these games marks SEGA’s ongoing effort to bring its best-sellers from the Dreamcast era to the latest consoles,” said Haruki Satomi, Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA. “We want to enable a new generation of players to experience some of the most celebrated titles our video game history has to offer, while at the same time appealing to our enthusiastic and much appreciated community of fans.”
First up is one of my personal favorites, Space Channel 5 Part 2. Never released in America for the Dreamcast but later released on the Playstation 2 with the original title, the sequel had another rhythm/action adventure with Ulala, Pudding, Space Michael and all the rest up against the evil and mysterious Perge using dance as the ultimate weapon. I personally loved both the Space Channel 5 games and seeing a re-release is wonderful news.
Next up is another classic, Sega Bass Fishing. This realistic 3-D bass fishing simulation shines with eight fishing environments and fourteen different lures. This should be a welcome revival as well for fishing fans or anyone wanting a fun retro-like experience on the newer consoles.
Both are scheduled for release in early 2011 for the XBLA & PSN. Sega has been one of the most giving companies to fans that made them where they are today and it is great to see even more Dreamcast revivals. Now I will say Shenmue would be great as well, Sega. Hint..Hint..;)
Razer is on a roll this year with some of the hottest peripherals on the market for PC gaming. Keeping the pace of releases to be sure to make any pc gamer drool will be the new Starcraft II line of peripherals and just in time for Blizzcon. The line includes the Razer Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse, the Razer Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard and the Razer Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset. It’s time to upgrade your equipment and prepare for battle, as these products are fully integrated into the StarCraft II experience.
“We have been anticipating the moment we could get these gaming peripherals into the hands of gamers and StarCraft players,” said Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff, president, Razer USA. “We could not be more happy with the massive feedback we’ve received over the unique APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System™ feature and remarkable design. This new line offers StarCraft II players a great new way to complement and customize their real-time strategy gaming experience.”
The Razer Spectre, Razer Marauder and Razer Banshee are all packed with features designed to enhance gamers’ play experience. All of the Razer StarCraft II gaming peripherals feature an APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System that provides the gamer with feedback on performance, providing a fully integrated gaming experience that responds directly to the player’s maneuvers and speed. Each peripheral also features a gaming-optimized design with an emphasis on portability for tournament play, and is stylized with design elements from the StarCraft universe.
So now to talk a look at each item:
Razer Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse
Tournament-ready and designed for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the Razer Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse is a lightweight, five-button mouse designed to provide precision and control for RTS gamers. The Razer Spectre features the newly developed APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System with a multi-color LED that provides real-time performance feedback through changing lighting hues and adjustable mouse button force settings for optimal mouse click speed and control. Equipped with a powerful 5600dpi Razer Precision™ 3.5G laser sensor and a 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ 1 ms response time, the Razer Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse gives gamers exactly what they are looking for in an RTS mouse.
PRICE: AU$149.95
FEATURES:
Gaming-Optimized Design inspired by the StarCraft universe
Lightweight, Fingertip-Grip 5 Button Mouse
5600DPI Razer Precision 3.5G laser sensor
Backlit Mouse with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Mouse Click Button Force Adjustment
1000Hz Ultrapolling/1ms response
Hardware Configuration Utility
Razer Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard
Designed for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the Razer Marauder StarCraftII Gaming Keyboard is a full-featured, tournament-ready keyboard maximized for compact design. The Razer Marauder features a multi-color backlit keyboard with an APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System that provides real-time performance feedback through changing color hues to complement the gaming experience. Enhanced with elevated keys for rapid command input and improved gaming performance and a dedicated on-the-fly macro recording system, the Razer Marauder is built with a gaming-optimized design inspired by the StarCraft universe.
PRICE: AU$199.95
FEATURES:
StarCraft-inspired Design
Optimized Key Travel Distance
Backlit Keyboard with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Optimized Spacing with Laser-etched Keys
Razer Hyperesponse technology
1000Hz Ultrapolling /1ms response
Hardware Configuration Utility
Razer Banshee StarCraftII Gaming Headset
Designed for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, with a focus on maximum performance, comfort and sound isolation, the Razer Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset features a newly developed, multi-color APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System™ that provides real-time feedback on player performance. The Razer Banshee is equipped with a configuration utility for customized adjustments of equalizer, pitch and volume. Other special features include a detachable microphone boom for easy transport and a comfortable circumaural construction, all in a gaming-optimized design inspired by the StarCraft universe.
PRICE: AU$199.95
FEATURES:
Gaming-Optimized Performance & Comfort
StarCraft-inspired Design
Backlit Headset with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Circumaural Design with 50mm Driver Units
Built-in Volume & Mic Control Buttons
Detachable Microphone Boom
Hardware Configuration
Razer StarCraft II Zerg Edition Messenger Bag
The Zerg Edition of the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty Messenger Bag features artwork from the game and is designed to protect gaming gear in style.
PRICE: AU$129.95
FEATURES:
Tear-resistant, weather-proof heavy duty 1680D ballistic nylon outer shell
Single shoulder sling design for added mobility
Easy one-handed release chest clasp enables quick and convenient access
Built-in compartments for laptops, gaming peripherals and portable gaming device
Padded inner lining protects electronic devices and provides ample shock absorbency while on the road
The accessories all look amazing and should please any Starcraft II fan when they are released in November. For more information about the products listed or pre-order info, check out www.razerzone.com.
