And so concludes this weeks Nintendo downloads. As you can see, slim pickings this week, with no retro release on the Virtual Console, only a handful of meagre titles. Anyone taking the plunge and dishing out for any of this weeks downloads?
Sega has been hinting at a new Yakuza game focused on the theme of destruction for the past few weeks, but didn’t really explain much about it. Well, thanks to the Tokyo Game Show, we now have some details on it. You ready for this? Zombies. Yep. Zombies. Now wait a minute, let me tell you why this is a great concept for a Yakuza game.
So far every Yakuza game in the series has been pretty… standard for a crime drama. Rival gangs fighting other rival gangs, this guys doing this to that guy, someone’s getting double crossed, oh, maybe the CIA gets involved, oh and did I mention Kiryu opens an orphanage? Yeah, pretty standard things that the Yakuza normally do. SEGA knows they can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again, but rather than add more friends and change the gameplay radically from what we know, they decided to take a look at something a little more realistic.
Zombies? Realistic? No, that’s not where I’m going with this, but look at the situation. All these Yakuza gangs live in Tokyo, and now there’s something coming that’s destroying their home. In real life, during times of great crisis the local Yakuza gangs would band together to help people out, for example during the Great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe, members of the Yamaguchi-gumi were there immediately to help people out.
That’s why I feel like this is gonna be a great game, yeah, I’m tired of the whole “zombie” fad too, but this game isn’t so much about zombies, but about rival gangs coming together in times of crisis to help each other. I wouldn’t be so quick to consider this as Yakuza 5, but rather a spin-off similar to Yakuza Kenzan, a side-story that gives you a fun alternative to the main story. I know I’m definitely gonna be picking this one up day one, unless SEGA decides not to release it here, in which case I’d be VERY angry!
Story “Spider-Man™: Shattered Dimensions is an action-packed adventure encompassing four dramatically different parallel universes, each with its own Spider-Man armed with unique strengths. Each stunning universe has its own detailed art design and thrilling gameplay with challenging skill sets to master in order to unlock powerful new moves. Explore dramatic environments, wield explosive new powers, and face epic boss battles against extraordinary foes. Experience the legendary superhero like never before: Four unique worlds. Four distinct Spider-Men. One unparalleled experience!” [Via Xbox.com]
Spider-Man has accidentally shattered a powerful tablet and the pieces have been scattered throughout multiple dimensions. The tablet pieces bring great power to whoever wields it and it is up to Spider-Man (in multiple dimensions) to collect the pieces and stop the bad guys. With the help of each Spider-Man you must collect the pieces within each dimension and save the world from utter destruction.
Gameplay Gameplay consists of playing as four different Spider-Men from four different dimensions. This gameplay mechanic lets the developers throw a few different styles of gameplay into one game. This tactic can be looked at in many ways, but probably the most obvious is to let the players get a wider experience in playing the game. Since the developers of this game decided to remove the sandbox gameplay, the multiple dimensions give the game a larger feel other than just the levels that you linearly fight through.
The four different Spider-Men are: Awesome Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, 2099 Spider-Man, and Noir Spider-Man. Awesome Spider-Man is the version that many of us all know, it is the version that is in the movie and the comics; Ultimate Spider-Man is the version where the black suit takes over spider-man; 2099 spider-man is a futuristic spider-man; and finally Noir Spider-Man is a “classic film” like spider-man. Out of all the variations, Noir is the most unique. In Noir you sneak around in the shadows, and attempt to take everyone out without ever being detected. You can’t actually fight head on with the enemy, so if you get caught you must hide and then sneak up on the enemy again once they lose sight of you. The other three consist of beating up a whole bunch of bad guys and getting to the boss while using each of their unique moves; however, these three also have slight things that set them apart from the rest. 2099 spider-man, for instance, has free fall events; which require you to avoid object that are coming up towards you and falling down from above you.
Aside from the differences, each Spider-Man is still Spider-Man. Swinging around and climbing on walls is exactly what you would expect to be able to do. While it is all fun, there are some problems with it all. Since the levels are linear and most of the time you are busy fighting bad guys, you don’t really spend a lot of time swinging from webs. Instead you spend time using your webs to zipline yourself to the next post, or to a high spot. Another problem is the annoying camera; it will continually readjust itself when you don’t want it to. The annoying camera makes climbing on walls a chore and not fun at all. A game where climbing on walls is a key feature, a crappy camera nullifies it and ruins a large portion of the game.
There are tons of other things to do as you play through the game, there is the web of destiny to complete, multiple difficulties, rankings for each level, and upgrades to purchase. The Web of Destiny consists of a whole bunch of miscellaneous tasks that you can complete in each level. These tasks can consist of killing a certain person in a certain way, or beating a certain area in a certain time. Many of the tasks can be done on the first attempt if you keep track of what tasks you need, but quite a few will require multiple attempts on the level. As you progress through the levels you will gain experience, this experience can go towards upgrades and unlocks within the game. Upgrading yourself will require a bunch of experience, and as you level up you will gain access to more and more upgrades. There are also unlocks, such as alternate costumes for each of the Spider-Men to wear.
Graphics The graphics are really good in this game. Since four different dimensions are present as you play through the game, it is really nice to see the differences in art style. The dark and light contrast of Noir Spider-Man to the futuristic style of 2099 Spider-Man are both good examples of the superb artwork. There are also multiple costumes for each Spider-Man that you can unlock, and the bosses look marvelous.
Achievements The achievement in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions range from easy, too hard, and even too extremely time consuming. Mostly the game is split between really easy, and really hard achievements. A large chunk of them are comprised of achievements that you will either get through the story, or by completing some easy task. The others consist of achievements that require you to beat a level on the hardest setting with the best score, or beat a level without dying (actually easy on easy) or beat a boss without getting hurt. Completing the Web of Destiny, which was mentioned in the gameplay section, will take some time. Even though a majority of it is completed by just going through each level, there are still certain tasks that may take a while to do. Overall the achievement list gives you plenty to do while in the game, even after you beat it; but it is definitely not an easy 1000, though it isn’t an extremely hard one either. Click This Link to go to the achievement List
Overview While the free roaming that is so popular in Spider-Man games is out, a new experience is brought in for players to enjoy. Four different Spider-Men let you play multiple roles and enjoy slightly different gameplay mechanics all in one game. The game is really focused towards fans of Spider-Man and all the villains are from the comic book. If you are a fan, you will get much more enjoyment out of this game. There are a few annoyances such as the repetitive one liners and the awkward camera, but past that is a fun game that is quite enjoyable.
I give Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
The achievement in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions range from easy, too hard, and even too extremely time consuming. Mostly the game is split between really easy, and really hard achievements. A large chunk of them are comprised of achievements that you will either get through the story, or by completing some easy task. The others consist of achievements that require you to beat a level on the hardest setting with the best score, or beat a level without dying (actually easy on easy) or beat a boss without getting hurt. Completing the Web of Destiny, which was mentioned in the gameplay section of the review, will take some time. Even though a majority of it is completed by just going through each level, there are still certain tasks that may take a while to do. Overall the achievement list gives you plenty to do while in the game, even after you beat it; but it is definitely not an easy 1000 though it isn’t extremely hard one either.
~~The Achievement List~~
Easy as pie! – 20 – Complete all levels on Easy
Is this normal? – 50 – Complete all levels on Normal
Hard pressed – 100 – Complete all levels on Hard
Lead on, M-Dubs! – 5 – Complete the Tutorial
End of Act 1 – 20 – Complete Act 1 on any difficulty level
End of Act 2 – 20 – Complete Act 2 on any difficulty level
End of Act 3 – 20 – Complete Act 3 on any difficulty level
Getting warmed up – 10 – Defeat 100 enemies
In the zone – 20 – Defeat 500 enemies
Ain’t no stoppin’! – 50 – Defeat 1000 enemies
Manifest Destiny – 100 – Complete the Web of Destiny
Bug collector – 50 – Collect all Hidden Spiders
The complete package – 20 – Unlock all Character upgrades
Smooth moves – 20 – Unlock all Combat upgrades
Uncle Benjamin – 10 – Execute a 100-hit combo (except the Tutorial)
Two hundo – 20 – Execute a 200-hit combo (except the Tutorial)
Missed me! – 20 – Defeat a boss on any difficulty level without taking damage
Close call! – 10 – Recover 10 times from a Critical Fall
Amazing! – 20 – Complete 4 levels with the highest rank in Hard mode
Sensational!! – 30 – Complete 8 levels with the highest rank in Hard mode
Spectacular!!! – 50 – Complete 12 levels with the highest rank in Hard mode
Hobbyist – 10 – Collect 125 Spider Emblems
Enthusiast – 15 – Collect 250 Spider Emblems
Fanatic – 20 – Collect 500 Spider Emblems
The Spider’s shadow – 10 – Complete a Noir level without triggering an alarm
The Spider’s bite – 10 – Keep Rage Mode active for one minute
The Spider’s grace – 10 – Complete a 2099 freefall section without taking damage
The Spider’s web – 10 – Defeat 50 enemies using the Amazing Charge Attack
~~Secret Achievements~~
Survival of the fittest – 15 – Defeat Kraven on any difficulty level
Something CAN stop Juggernaut! – 15 – Defeat Juggernaut on any difficulty level
Here’s mud in your eye! – 15 – Defeat Sandman on any difficulty level
Now there’s a shock – 15 – Defeat Electro on any difficulty level
Canceled! – 15 – Defeat Deadpool on any difficulty level
Minimized Carnage – 15 – Defeat Carnage on any difficulty level
Clipped wings – 15 – Defeat Hobgoblin on any difficulty level
Took the sting out of him – 15 – Defeat Scorpion on any difficulty level
Lay down your arms – 15 – Defeat Doc Ock on any difficulty level
The caged bird squawks – 15 – Defeat Vulture on any difficulty level
The hammer falls – 15 – Defeat Hammerhead on any difficulty level
Circus freak – 15 – Defeat Goblin on any difficulty level
Final curtain call – 50 – Defeat Mysterio on any difficulty level
No harm done – 20 – Complete any level without dying (except the Tutorial)
Do you own an Iphone? Have you played Monkey Island before? Do you like pirates? If you answered any of these questions, you should probably get checked in; talking to yourself isn’t good.
September 19th is talk like a pirate day, and Monkey Island SE 1 and 2 are on sale. These sales are limited time offers and you should snatch them up as soon as possible. Based on the time of the event; it will probably be on sale till September 19th, though I don’t know how long after that date they will remain on sale. The point I am trying to make is: “GO Pick UP these GAMES now!!”
Supposedly, the ending song is a special little diddy that everyone loves to discover for themselves. Well, the song at the ending of Alan Wakes upcoming DLC, “The Writer” has been revealed and it is actually created by a band many of you may know.
Reminds me of Left 4 Dead a bit. Check out the song in the video below, but if you don’t want the spoiler you probably should never have clicked this post.
Another DLC is already coming to Mafia II, it will be the third downloadable content for the recently released game.
Joe’s Adventures is the name, which obviously stars Vito Scaletta’s childhood friend Joe Barbaro, a brash and unpredictable wiseguy who loves to live the sweet life of money, fast cars, and faster women. When Vito gets sent to prison, Joe uncovers the truth behind his friend’s sentence, and it sets the stage for his own story to unfold.
This DLC features new missions, new locations not seen before in Empire Bay, new clothing, new collectables, and more excellent music from the 40s and 50s.
Joe’s Adventures DLC will be released for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. More details are expected for the following days.
Sound is an important part of just about anything. Sound quality is something you don’t cherish until you hear it from top notch speakers. The kind folks at Able Planet we kind enough to send their NC300B model my way and I was rather impressed with what it offered.
Able Planet’s NC300B headphones are all about noise cancellation with clean, crisp sound. To run down some of the specs, this particular model has a frequency response of 20Hz – 20,000Hz with sensitivity at 1kHz: 115dB (Off); 121 dB (On), or to put it simply, the range of sound is excellent and everything you hear will be crystal clear.
A big part of this model is it’s ability to effectively block out most noise from entering your ears. You’ll have to actually turn the headphones on to start the noise cancellation, resulting in a slightly airy noise coming through the speakers. When you start listening to something the airy noise is rarely noticeable. The headphones don’t block out everything, however. I’m able to hear the typing on my keyboard, but not able to hear the fans running in my desktop (which tend to be pretty loud), barely able to hear someone talking to me a few feet away, and most low pitched noises are blocked out.
The NC300B is ideal for riding in a car and quite possibly a plane ride, seeing as how an airplane adapter is included. Having the headphones on for an extended period of time is barely a hassle. I had them on for upwards of six hours straight with very little discomfort. I enjoy how the headphones cup around my ears, making them ideal for long sessions.
Nothing but crisp and clarity come to mind when listening to music with the NC300B. I swear I’ve noticed little things here and there in songs that I’ve never heard before. While everything sounds wonderful, the bass can be a little underwhelming. When playing games is when I really noticed how well the surround sound works. This is the first time I’ve been impressed with surround sound technology in headphones. When something happens behind you, you’ll know.
Overall I’ve been extremely happy with my time using the NC300B. Mostly everything about this model is top of the line. The NC300B is available over at Able Planet for $150. If you’re looking for new headphones that sound excellent and provide pretty good noise cancellation, I highly recommend these – if you’re able to throw down the cash that is.
It’s been an amazing first full day in Japan for MasterAbbot and myself. After settling into our hotels (ho-te-ru :D), we attended the absolutely unbelievable Tokyo game show. From individual university projects to huge companies like Capcom and Microsoft, they had it covered. We began the day by collecting our press passes then at 10am we made our way into TGS. After that, we browsed the sections bit by bit and were blown away with the games you guys can expect to see in the near future. Microsoft’s very own Kudo Tsunoda, mastermind behind Kinect attended and MasterAbbot had a quick chat with him and was head over heels! (hopefully interview with the great man will be up sometime tomorrow – stay tuned).
We also have interviews with EA’s Matt Webster on Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. And for all you hardcore gamers our there we also have an interview with Hatta Aziz from Razer as he runs us through two great new peripherals, both of which will be posted shortly. A few stands that performed well were Capcom’s monster hunter portable 3, with all the media; lines to play the game being full ALL DAY. Capcom vs Marvel is another another fantastic hit. Both MasterAbbot and I played each other, and of course, he was no challenge for me. ;D I was hooked right off the bat and wanted to see more, and we’ll have more for you tomorrow.
The Sony and Microsoft stands were both fantastic with Move and Kinect keeping the media very busy. The Square-Enix, Sega, Konami, Namco Bandai, Level 5, Irem and Ubisoft stands were also outstanding and full of fun great titles. We’ll have more for you all tomorrow. Check out Day 1 of images below. There are quite a few (approx 200+) so make sure you scroll through the pages down the bottom one by one. (there are 2o pics per page).
Let us know what you think. We’ll have more news and interviews tomorrow along with some give aways 🙂 So Stay tuned 🙂
This latest trailer fresh from the Tokyo Game Show displays some of Kirby’s yarn-related abilities and simultaneous co-op gameplay.
In this cute platformer you will be able to play through the entire adventure with a friend, but that’s not all the video reveals. It also shows all the imaginative power-ups you will be able to use in the game to overcome the various hurdles you encounter. Such as racing car Kirby, a speedy way to navigate your way through the level, or alarm clock Kirby, who can be seen waking up a hibernating bear in order to alter the shape of the floor.
As you can see, Kirby Epic Yarn features a creative and cutesy game-world reminiscent of a children’s story book, and will appeal to the whole family when it releases in 2011 for Wii.
