Ubisoft has revealed a new trailer for their game “Michael Jackson: The Experience.” The game will release on November 26, 2010 for the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP. Support for Playstation Move and Xbox 360 Kinect will be available in early 2011. So far, the announced tracks include:
During our time at Tokyo Game show, we managed to fantastic Razer team and secure a fantastic interview/rundown of the new Razer products. In this rundown, we go through the Razer Onza which has 2 extra bumper buttons located on the top next to the R/L bumpers on an Xbox 360 controller. The Razer Onza is: Razer’s take on an Xbox 360 controller with various features such as adjustable analogue stick sensitivity to suit your playstyle and 2 programmable buttons located on the back of the controller which can assign the extra bumper buttons on the controller.
The next product on Razer’s line that we looked at was the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard. The BlackWidow is a fully mechanical keyboard with 50g actuation force providing 1ms response time. It’s fully programmable keys allow on the fly macro recording. It also has USB-passthrough and Audi-out / Mic-in jacks along with very cool backlight features.
Below are the videos of the interviews and rundowns with a Hatta Aziz – The Community Marketing Executive from the Razer team.
Razer Onza Xbox Controller – Video :
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard – Video :
Images below
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Special thanks to the Razer guys : Hatta Aziz, Fiona Ng & Jeremy Soh. If you need any further information make your way over to the Razer Website : www.razerzone.com
Real Golf 2011
Developer: Gameloft
Platform: iPhone
Released: 9 September
Price: $6.99
Real Golf 2010 by Gameloft is one of the most visually stunning and accurate golfing titles currently available on the Apple iTunes store. Designed with the iPhone 4 in mind, the graphics and amazing fluid controls which take advantage of the iPhone 4 Gyroscope feature makes this game even more enjoyable to play.
Stepping up to the tee we have seven male golfing superstars consisting of : Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Justine Rose, Australia’s very own White Shark, Greg Norman and Four female superstars : Natalie Gulbis, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb. All with their own skills, strength and weaknesses such as Driving, Accuracy, Putting and Recovery.
Start off by choosing one of these golfing greats and jump into any of the four single player modes : Instant Play, Career, Challenge or Free Mode.
In Career mode you begin with a world ranking of 150 and $5000 at your disposal. You can instantly visit the Golf shop and purchase better equipment and balls that can increase your skills and performance while on tour in career mode or even when playing in challenge or free mode.
Another feature in the game is the ability to level up your chosen golfer after they perform well on the course. Unfortunately you can’t assign the ability points to your character’s specific skills as they are ,automatically assigned.
You have the options of two types of control methods, Classic and Advanced, both with controls are great to use and totally up to personal choice. The Classic control allows you play and start your swing by pressing the button, then pressing it again once it reaches it’s peak then pressing it once more to hit and send the ball flying into the direction of the green. Accompanying this control method you also get to choose the spin on the ball and also your stance choice. All very similar to golfing games you’ve played in the past.
The new Advanced control method is actually quite simple compared to the classic. By dragging your finger vertically, you need to keep a steady line down to it’s peak then back up again and release. With the shot performed you then have the choice of adding slice on that ball while it’s in the air so it makes a perfect landing. One unfortunate aspect of this control method is that the guide to perform your shot is located on the right hand side. This could affect left handed players if they prefer to use their left finger to make the shot as it will obstruct their view of the control system.
If you’re new to the golfing scene, don’t worry Gameloft have this department covered. Jump into the options menu and run through a comprehensive Golf Training tutorial which runs you through everything you need to know about the game, how to use the control system and onscreen features such as checking the mini map to zoom in and out so you can plan your next move. Picking the right club and taking into consideration the wind strength on the course so the ball doesn’t end up in the water and your club along with it.
Gameloft have included 32 Trophies ranging from getting your first Par to that memorable hole in one. There is enough here to keep you entertained and busy for hours with their wide range of challenges. Speaking about Hole in One’s check out just below MasterAbbott’s very own HOLE IN ONE with his favourite Golfing superstar Greg Norman.
Real Golf 2010 is also enabled with a stable multiplayer system. Choose from 3 options : online, wi-fi or bluetooth and challenge your friends or players from all over the world. Just make sure you’ve practiced a bit before you do as there are quite a few Sharks out there !
Jam packed with enough features, challenges and great courses from all over the world, with some that will need to be unlocked by going though career mode / challenges. Real Golf 2010 is by far the best golfing game in the iTunes store. Whether you’re a golfing veteran or new to the sport, Real Golf 2010 is the perfect game for you.
Capsule Computers Score : 9 Capsules Out Of 10
A while back, we told you about the unique new visual novel thriller, Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Days coming to the Nintendo DS from Aksys Games. Aksys have now announced a pre-order bonus that is one of the best bonuses I have seen this year, a digital watch crafted straight from the game.
Customers who pre-order a copy of the game online at GameStop will receive the exclusive Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors watch. The Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors watch is a replica of the ”bracelet” worn by nine prisoners of the Nonary Game. The watch is made of heavy-duty metal and resilient plastic tubing, with a screen that appears to be solid metal until the button is depressed, displaying the time in bright, red digits. Also notice the sharp Aksys logo on the faceplate, making it the perfect item to add to your swag collections.
“You too can sport the watch that the game revolves around, just like Junpei and his companions!”, says Frank ”Bo” deWindt II, Associate Producer, Aksys Games.
Customers who are not online shopping fans can also contact their local Gamestop for more details on pre-ordering in-store to receive the bonus.
“999” is looking to be an awesome experience on the Nintendo DS with an intense story where every decision you make is critical to how the outcome of each character’s story will result. I personally am already being drawn in to Junpei’s story more and more and as more news is released and we will be sure to bring more updates up to the scheduled release date of November 16th.
If the recent release of Birth By Sleep for the PSP wasn’t enough to tie over fans of the hugely popular Kingdom Hearts series, fans can get ready for the newest installment for the Nintendo DS, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded. Originally made for mobile platforms in Japan, Re: Coded will be a complete remake exclusively for Nintendo’s handheld that will be releasing October 7th in Japan and hopefully by the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011 for everywhere else in the world.
Jiminy Cricket is looking over the journal he used to document his first adventure with Sora when he discovers a mysterious message. He didn’t write it – so how on earth did it get there? King Mickey is determined to find out, so he and his friends decide to digitize the journal and delve into its deepest secrets. Inside this “datascape” dwells a second Sora who is about to embark on a grand adventure of his very own.
The gameplay is said to be a mix of what players experienced in 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep but with some nice puzzle elements added for a fresh new gameplay experience. The story falls right after the events in Kingdom Hearts II and the new trailer that was shown at the Tokyo Game Show shows off some of the characters and how the gameplay will fit in to this version along with the tune of Utada Hikaru’s famous theme song. Check out the new trailer below and once we hear an official date we will be sure to announce it here as well as any new information that follows.
For those with Sin & Punishment: Star Successor for the Nintendo Wii, a new contest from Nintendo is now underway. Players who are over the age of 13 can enter by simply topping the leaderboards over the next few weeks. The winner will be awarded a customized plaque, two black Wii Remote controllers, two black Classic Controller Pro accessories, two Wii Zapper accessories and bragging rights. The winning score will also be submitted by Twin Galaxies for consideration in the Guinness World Records 2011 Gamer’s Edition.
The competition is underway right now and end on Oct. 6. Throughout the competition, players with broadband Internet access can use the game’s online leaderboard to see the best scores and gauge how they stack up against other players around the globe. To enter the competition, players must submit a video of themselves playing the game. Official rules and details can be found at http://www.twingalaxies.com.
These types of competitions don’t come around too often, so get out there and shoot your way to the top. The prizes are huge and with as great a game as Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is, this should be a lot of fun for all involved. You can check out our official review here. Best of luck to all!
Rising Star Games has announced the eagerly awaited survival horror game Deadly Premonition, a refreshingly obscure and compelling title on the Xbox 360, will be available from 29th October.
The release means gamers in the UK will finally be able to form their own opinions about Deadly Premonition, a game which has split opinions across the board: Destructoid awarded it 10/10, naming it “simply stunning”, while IGN US scored it 2/10, saying it’s “terrible”.
“We’re delighted to be able to confirm the release date for Deadly Premonition,” says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. “A cult classic in the making, the game continues to divide critics. But when it comes to the consumer, they seem to really ‘get’ the game, with the average user rating on Metacritic 8.5/10.”
Developed by Access Games, Deadly Premonition is an open-world game set in Greenvale, a secluded rural town in North West America. Playing as FBI Special Agent Francis York, gamers are charged with solving the shocking, ritualistic and brutal murder of a local girl, unravelling the mystery via clues, lies and a trail of bodies.
Agent York travels around Greenvale in a variety of vehicles – entertaining gamers with facts about movies along the way – encountering eccentric natives, supernatural creatures and a folklore killer, who stalks his victims in a blood-drenched rain coat.
His appearance changes in ‘real time’ (shaving, showering and eating are essential), and this level of hygiene has consequences as it influences the towns folk’s perceptions of him. Side quests and mini-games, such as darts, fishing and collecting trading cards also feature.
Deadly Premonition will be available for the Xbox 360 for £24.99 on 29th October.
Any Australian readers that were excited upon hearing the news that Deadly Premonition was getting a PAL release have yet another reason to revile the countries lack of an adult classification for video games, as it has been reported Rising Star Games could not even be bothered to attempt to get the game released in the country. Rising Star later stated in a press release that:
As part of our normal procedures in submitting any game for classification, it was determined internally at Rising Star Games that the game would not satisfy the criteria for an MA15+ rating in Australia and further that any changes to the game would not be possible. It was therefore decided, with regret, the game will not be released in Australia.
This is the first evidence of a developer ever choosing to completely forgo release of their product in Australia due to the failure of its classification system.
EA has released several screenshots for their upcoming basketball game: NBA Elite 11. NBA Elite 11 will feature a more true to life sim experience. This includes a new control system based on 1:1 actions between gamer and game. The ‘Hands- On Control’ system applies to every action in the offense and defense. Some other new items in NBA Elite are a real time physics engine and skill based shooting. Skill based shooting takes the randomness out of the equation when making a shot, and it looks to be a welcome addition. The game will release on Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 8, 2010. A demo will be available soon.
Tom Clancy’s HAWX 2
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Flying
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3 (PC, Wii)
Released: 3 September
Zooming onto Xbox 360 this month (among other formats), HAWX 2 set out to ‘break the limits of aerial warfare’ by building and improving on it’s predecessor, the original Tom Clancy’s HAWX. But it’s hard to tell whether or not it prevailed. Initially, you are blown away by the experience. The immersive experience of the first take-off should have you totally mesmerised . It’s all very well done, with the gentle taxi to the run-way followed by clearance from flight control and then roaring of engines as you accelerate down the run-way to achieve a suitable speed for lift-off. Magic. And, from here on, the campaign begins.
Upon starting out, you are greeted with a series of tutorial tasks which introduce newbies to the game, as well as allowing players of the original to reassociate themselves with the HAWX world and any new controls that have been added. These tasks offer a masterclass in all the techniques needed for the missions that follow, from evading enemy missles in aerial combat, to basic flight controls. Before release, many gamers were doubtful of the aeroplane physics and their realism, even over on the official HAWX forums. Unfortunately, it seems their fears were just, because the flight controls and physics are a little dodgy. When playing through the missions, HAWX 2 feels uncertain of it’s identity. Although we have to bear in mind that developing for a control stick rather than a fully-fledged flight stick is difficult, HAWX 2 seems to be stuck between two realms. On one hand, the stunning graphics and aircraft from real life suggest a realistic approach, whereas on the other, the arcade flying physics and the controls the accompany them say otherwise. Fair enough, the game has to be exciting, with an accessible control scheme, but the mix of arcade and reality leaves a strange aftertaste.
Cleverly, the story links with that of the upcoming Tom Clancy’s game, Ghost Recon Future Soldier, in that the infantry units which you provide air support to are often the soldiers you will play as in Future Soldier. This is a nifty touch by Ubisoft, and the fact that the two are intertwined may mean that people planning to buy Future Soldier in the near future will want to pick up HAWX 2 as a prologue, advised you are looking for an insight into the story. To build tension and a sense of atmosphere, there are even special bombing sessions which break down the campaign mode so it isn’t all flying. While these feel like little more than interactive cut scenes, they act well as a resting period to give you a break from constant flying. Plus, dropping a series of bombs on various enemy ground units is fairly satisfying, especially when you decide to upgrade what you are firing out at them. Let’s just say the largest explosions look like near nuclear explosions on the Infra-Red vision, and in a very sadistic way, the flash of colour and the accompanying sound are somewhat beautiful. It is in these sections that the majority of the story-telling is done through the voice-acting, as well as the cutscenes, of course, and it is mainly these missions that will be linked to the missions on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier.
All in all, the campaign mode is average on single-player mode. It gets repetitive, fast. However, thanks to the ability to embark on the story with up to three other comrades in Co-op, online or local, there is still a great dealof fun to be had in the campaign. As things are always more fun with friends, playing with some human players can really spice up the game, even warrating an increase in the difficulty settings if you work together well enough.
The same applies for the multiplayer mode. Playing online with a real person on the end of your heat-seeker-missiles, rather than an AI, is much more satisfying. You can play with up to 8 players online in 3 different game modes, over 5 multiplayer maps. The game modes to choose from are; Regular Match in which you gain points by destroying satellites positioned around the map, on top of obliterating your opponents; Gun Battle, which, as the name suggests, is a straight-up aerial dog-fight; and Hardcore, for those who have developed a mastery of HAWX 2 and are looking to step it up a notch.
Much like campaign, multiplayer is enjoyble while it lasts, in fact, it is superior to the campaign in that there’s a lot more fun to be had. This is based not only on the principal that playing with a group of friends can make any game more entertaining, let alone a good one like this, but that once you start co-operating together, HAWX 2 becomes a very tactically orientated game. You can link attacks, co-incide with a team mate to attack two different places simultaneously, target specific areas of weakness in your opponents, or just fly as a unit, double teaming other players and eviscerating them with your superior fire-power. Yes, similarly to the campaign, after a while multiplayer loses it’s appeal as there is only so much variation to be had when flying and shooting, but unlike the campaign, online multiplayer offers a whole new level of depth tactically, because you can work in-sync with other like-minded gamers to take down the enemy. Also, with the huge amount of freedom that comes with flying and the airspce that is the sky, no two matches will play out exactly the same. Whether it’s a different stunt used to dodge an inbound missle, or an alternative strategy which you haven’t seen used before, there’s always something new happening This is something you can’t do and won’t find in the single player part of the game.
Conclusion
Tom Clancy’s HAWX 2 provides adrenaline-fuelled aerial combat-based action , which is pleasing on he eye, and for the start at least, an immersive experience. The campaign is average on it’s own, but the ability to play through it co-operatively with up 4 players promises some good times, and the online multiplayer dog-fights are entertaining while they last. Sadly, there is only so much variation you can cram into a flying/combat jet game, and though the scenery and targets may change, it quickly becomes very familiar. The intricately detailed real-life aircraft mean HAWX 2 has real appeal among enthusiasts, and the option to downloads new skins and customise paint jobs is just the icing on the cake. It’s arcade-reality mix make for an odd pairing, and while some will dislike the unrealistic physics, others will just appreciate being able to perform incredible aerial manoeuvres simply and easily.
Pros
Cons
I loved the first Deus Ex for the computer, and hope this new one will again return to the games roots and be an ultimate game. The video below is looking quite promising, and hopefully the CGS isn’t the only awesome thing about the game. Check out the trailer for yourself below.
