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Weekly Playstation Store Update – May 11th

Philip Federico
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1

 

G’day everyone,  Playstation Store Spring FEVER updates continue are up and available for everyone to enjoy.  Quite a few price updates to check out just below.  Have a look around, there should be something for everyone this week. Let us  know what your going to pick up this week. 

Special note :  POPCAP & Midway have a cool Spring Fever Bundle at the moment, if you don’t have any of these games I would recommend you picking them up, check it out below : 

Thanks SONY WE HEART YOU !! 😉  

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PopCap Spring Fever Bundle ($24.99)
Kick off the spring season with all your PopCap favorites brought to you by Sony Online Entertainment! Can’t decide which game you want? Get them all! The PopCap Spring Fever Bundle includes Bejeweled 2, Peggle, Zume, Heavy Weapon, and Feeding Frenzy 2 Shipwreck Showdown, so get yours now for some crazy unbeatable fun!
ESRB Rated E10+

Midway Spring Fever Bundle ($14.99)
Celebrate spring with all your favorite classic Midway games, brought to you by Sony Online Entertainment and available for one week only! Get ready to re-live all of the classics. The Midway bundle includes Mortal Kombat II, Championship Sprint, Gauntlet II, Joust, and Rampage World Tour!
ESRB Rated E-M 

Updates 

Tetris minis Sale (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Zombie Tycoon minis Sale [Also available in French] (now $2.99, original price $7.99)
Section 8 Sale (now $14.99, original price $29.99)
Tokyo Police PS3 & PSP Theme Permanent Price Drop (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
Echoes minis Permanent Price Drop (now $0.99, original price $2.99)
Unbound Saga Permanent Price Drop (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Free Gravity Crash Dynamic Theme with purchase of Gravity Crash (Full Game) ($9.99) Qore 

Qore Episode 24: May 2010 ($2.99)
Episode 24 of Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network jumps into the action with Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, dukes it out with UFC champ Jens Pulver, takes it to the next level in LittleBigPlanet 2, and returns to PlayStation Home.
File size: 1.73 GB

Qore Annual Subscription: May 2010 ($24.99)
Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network is a monthly interactive video production covering the world of PlayStation. Qore provides its audience with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to developers and their games, from both the SCE Worldwide Studios and the third-party community, where the audience member can freely navigate through the content.
File size: 1.73 GB 

Downloadable Games 

World Of Outlaws Sprint Cars ($19.99)
World of Outlaws Sprint Cars is the first game that lets you race on your favorite dirt tracks, against your favorite sprint car drivers or your friends online. Your career will take your across the country to build your racing empire. Win races, win cash and sponsorships to upgrade your car. See if you have the stamina to be the next World of Outlaws Champion..
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.88 GB 

Game Demos (free)

Split/Second Demo
In Split/Second you trigger devastating explosions to decimate drivers and change the track!
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 752 MB 

Add-on Game Content

LittleBigPlanet: More Animals! – Hippo ($0.99)
The best thing about SackBoy is that you can make him look and act exactly as you want. Download the the “More Animals!” Hippo Costume today! NOTE: to download this costume, you must already own LittleBigPlanet.
File size: 1.04 MB 

LittleBigPlanet: More Animals! – Fly ($0.99)
The best thing about SackBoy is that you can make him look and act exactly as you want. Download the the “More Animals!” Fly Costume today! NOTE: to download this costume, you must already own LittleBigPlanet.
File size: 1.04 MB 

LittleBigPlanet: More Animals! – Turtle ($0.99)
The best thing about SackBoy is that you can make him look and act exactly as you want. Download the the “More Animals!” Turtle Costume today! NOTE: to download this costume, you must already own LittleBigPlanet.
File size: 1.04 MB 

LittleBigPlanet: More Animals! – Peacock ($0.99)
The best thing about SackBoy is that you can make him look and act exactly as you want. Download the the “More Animals!” Peacock Costume today! NOTE: to download this costume, you must already own LittleBigPlanet.
File size: 1.04 MB 

LittleBigPlanet: More Animals! – Costume Pack ($2.99)
The best thing about SackBoy is that you can make him look and act exactly as you want. Download the the “More Animals!” Costume Pack today and get the Hippo, Fly, Peacock, and Turtle costumes! NOTE: to download this costume, you must already own LittleBigPlanet.
File size: 1.04 MB 

Bioshock 2: Exclusive Characters ($1.99)
Passion, drama and adventure. Find yours with 2 brave new characters for the multiplayer experience. Mlle Blanche de Glace, the internationally acclaimed actress, or Zigo D’Acosta, one of Rapture’s great sailors.
File size: 101 KB 

Bioshock 2: Kill ‘Em Kindly (free)
What’s your golf handicap? Take this chance to turn your handicap into your enemy’s with this fresh melee mode where every blunt object is a golf club. No putting.
File size: 8.81 MB 

Bioshock 2: Rapture Metro ($9.99)
As one of our valued Sinclair Solutions testers, we specially invite you to enjoy the pleasure of Rebirth! But only if you are truly dedicated and fully ranked up. However all testers are eligible for the 6 new maps in Rapture Metro.
File size: 1027 MB 

DJ Hero – Domination Mix Pack DLC ($7.99)
Downloadable Mix Pack for DJ Hero featuring Wolfgang Gartner, Danny Byrd, Darude, and Josh Wink.
File size: 62 MB 

Lost Planet 2 Map Pack #1 ($4.99)
Download two new battlegrounds in this Map Pack for LOST PLANET 2. In “Helix,” fight in a multilayered NEVEC ocean research facility at the bottom of the ocean. “Back to the Island” brings the new weapons and abilities of LP2 back to Island 902, a remake of the classic map from the original LOST PLANET.
File size: 74 MB  

Super Street Fighter IV: Super Shoryuken Costume Pack ($3.99)
Download the second pack of alternate costumes for Super Street Fighter IV! New costumes for Ryu, Ken, Gouken, Dan and Akuma are included. Mix things up with your favorite Shotokan characters! Only available for use with Super Street Fighter IV.
File size: 100 KB  

Batman: Arkham Asylum Game Of The Year Edition: Play As The Joker Challenge Map Pack (free)
Become The Joker in Challenge Maps only available on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. Experience a whole new set of unique fighting moves as well as Joker’s demented tricks and gadgets. This downloadable content is for the Game of the Year Edition only!
File size: 107 MB  

Batman: Arkham Asylum Game Of The Year Edition: Prey In The Darkness Map Pack (free)
Test your combat and Invisible Predator skills in 2 new locations, the Arkham Pumping Station and the Abandoned Glasshouse. This downloadable content is for the Game of the Year Edition only.
File size: 70 MB  

Batman: Arkham Asylum: Crime Alley Challenge Map ($3.49)
Experience the unique FreeFlow combat system in this all new Combat Challenge Map, set in the iconic Gotham location of Crime Alley. You will face 4 consecutive waves of The Joker’s henchmen armed with a range of weapons.
File size: 54 MB  

Batman: Arkham Asylum: Dem Bones Challenge Map ($3.49)
Enter this villain’s nightmarish world and experience a unique combat challenge that will test you to the very limits.
File size: 43 MB  

Skate 3: Time Is Money Pack ($6.99)
If you are busy, or just plain lazy, Time is Money will unlock all locations, skaters and gear, and Skate.Park objects that can be earned by playing through Skate 3’s career and online modes.
File size: 1.52 MB  

Nier: The World Of Recycled Vessel ($6.99)
The diary of Nier’s wife opens a gate to a strange world where an unnamed warrior battles powerful Shades. Engage in 15 nightmarish battles to unlock bonus costumes, weapons, and a special quest.
File size: 470 MB  

Record Of Agarest War: Add-On Dungeon 5: Generation 5 Deep Forest Naruvia (free)
An add-on dungeon for generation 5. Embark on one last adventure into the [Deep Forest Naruvia]!
File size: 2.33 MB  

Record Of Agarest War: Item Pack 5: Ellis Kit (free)
We’ve prepared five items that increase your magical power. This powerful kit comes with [Adaka], [Shield Sword], [Bird Eye], [Magic Frame], and [Seed of Happiness]. It’s a must-have for any aspiring sorcerer.
File size: 2.33 MB  

Record Of Agarest War: Item Pack 6: Power Up (free)
Assorted items for increasing one’s stats. It contains two each of [STR Up], [VIT Up], [INT Up], [AGI Up], [LUK Up], and [Max. HP Up] . Train your favorite character with this set.
File size: 2.33 MB  

Record Of Agarest War: Points Pack 2: Service Point Pack (free)
A set containing 5,000G and a whole bunch of ability points (50PP, 500TP, and 500EP). This special package has more stuff than the Trial point package.
File size: 2.33 MB  

Guitar Hero 5
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.  

  • “Juke Box Hero” by Foreigner ($1.99)
  • “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd ($1.99)
  • “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band ($1.99)
  • Classic Rock Track Pack 3 ($5.49) – Downloadable Track Pack featuring “Juke Box Hero” by Foreigner, “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band. Please Note: Many songs are available both as singles and as part of a Track Pack, so please carefully consider your purchases before downloading.
  • “Face Down” by Alpha Rev ($1.99)
  • “Low Day” by Capra ($1.99)
  • “You’re All I Have” by Snow Patrol ($1.99)
  • Alternative Pop Track Pack ($5.49) – Downloadable Track Pack featuring “Face Down” by Alpha Rev, “Low Day” by Capra, and “You’re All I Have” by Snow Patrol. Please Note: Many songs are available both as singles and as part of a Track Pack, so please carefully consider your purchases before downloading.

File size: 31 MB – 58 MB (singles), 116 MB – 132 MB (track pack)  

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.  

  • “Breaking The Law (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “Grinder (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “Living After Midnight (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “Metal Gods (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “Rapid Fire (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “Steeler (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “The Rage (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “United (Live)” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • “You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise” – Judas Priest ($1.99)
  • British Steel Live Pack ($14.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: British Steel Live Pack. This pack includes “Breaking The Law (Live),” “Grinder (Live),” “Living After Midnight (Live),” “Metal Gods (Live),” “Rapid Fire (Live),” “Steeler (Live),” “The Rage (Live),” “United (Live),” and “You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise (Live)” by Judas Priest.

Rock Band Network   

  • “I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” by A Day To Remember ($1.99)
  • “Mordecai” by Between the Buried and Me ($1.99)
  • “Remedy” by Seether ($1.99)
  • “Tongue Twister Typo” by Blackmarket ($0.99)
  • “When I Get Home You’re So Dead” – by Mayday Parade ($2.99)

File size: 20 MB – 42 MB (singles), 291 MB (track pack)  

Game Videos (free)

God of War 3: Chaos Trailer
Download the GOD OF WAR® III — Chaos Trailer. IN THE END, THERE WILL ONLY BE CHAOS… God of War III finds Kratos raining carnage and destruction upon the Gods who have betrayed him and the entire Ancient Greek world. Armed with his deadly double-chained blades, Kratos will take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles on his merciless quest to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeus himself.
File size: 75 MB (HD), 122 MB (1080)  

LittleBigPlanet PSP – Turbo! Level Kit Trailer
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere. Put the pedal to the metal with this massive vehicle-based pack. Race, battle and bounce your way through six completely new levels. And the fun doesn’t stop there, with hundreds more bits and pieces to fill your Popit, you can create turbo-powered vehicular contraptions of your very own.
Download the Turbo! Level Kit trailer today! NOTE: Manual Update required
File size: 52 MB  

3D Dot Game Heroes – “The Hero Your Hero Could Be” Trailer
Watch this short vignette to find out how awesome your hero could be if he was created in the 3D Dot Game Heroes 3D character editor. Retro chic meets modern sleek in this, the ultimate love letter to retro gamers. Seamlessly fusing new and old, the golden era of gaming is felt in every detail of this adventure.
File size: 35 MB (HD)  

Crysis 2: “The Wall” Trailer
Experience the first trailer for Cryteks new genre defining shooter: Crysis 2.
File size: 145 MB (HD 1080)  

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City Network Trailer
The all new trailer for Grand Theft Auto’s highly acclaimed downloadable episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
File size: 49 MB (HD)  

Kick-Ass Trailer
This Kick-Ass Trailer shows this third-person action fighting game based on the movie of the same name. The game takes the player through different mission areas of New York, facing petty thugs and even powerful mob bosses. The player’s main goal is to bring justice back to the city — at any cost, including frantic Superhero action.
File size: 72 MB (HD)  

PS3 Themes

3D Dot Games Heroes Theme (free)
File size: 2.97 MB  

After Burner Climax Premium Theme ($3.99)
File size: 5.43 MB  

Gravity Crash Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
File size: 1.94 MB  

PS3 Wallpaper

Kick-Ass Wallpaper
File size: 402 KB (SD), 1.89 MB (HD)  

Kick-Ass Wallpaper 2
File size: 321 KB (SD), 1.55 MB (HD)  

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Harvest Moon: Hero Of Leaf Valley $29.99
The tranquil town of Leaf Valley is scheduled for demolition! The heartless Funland Corporation is going to bulldoze the town and replace it with an amusement park unless its citizens can find a way to stop them! You’ll need to grow crops, raise animals, and mine ores and gems to help save Leaf Valley and your family farm. With a branching storyline and multiple endings, how you choose to save the town is up to you!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 120 MB  

Game Demos (also available from PS3 Storefront) (free)

ModNation Racers PSP Demo
Be among the first to test drive ModNation Racers on the PSP system! In this free demo you’ll experience kart racing for a new generation as you boost, drift, and race your way through two over-the-top tracks using any one of six racers. Plus, get a taste for the game’s revolutionary Create tools with the Track Studio preview! Drive your idea of the perfect track into existence for the included Track Theme, then tweak it and test drive it.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 135 MB  

PSP minis (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Busy Sweets Factory (PSP Only) ($1.99)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 5.84 MB  

Love Cupid (PSP Only) ($1.99)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 6.49 MB  

Quiz Animania (PSP Only) ($1.99)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 11 MB  

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 Storefront)

LittleBigPlanet PSP – Wilderness Costume (free)
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere. LittleBigPlanet’s critically acclaimed “PLAY, CREATE, SHARE” experience, makes its way to the PSP system with a completely new Sackboy adventure. Get these free costumes from the Wilderness Theme Pack. NOTE: Manual Update required
File size: 2.51 MB  

LittleBigPlanet PSP – Wilderness Theme Pack ($2.99)
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere. Download a new set of costumes and CREATE materials to create your own Wilderness levels! The Wilderness Theme Pack includes 5 Costume items, 13 CREATE Materials, 15 Stickers, 1 Music kit, and 1 Background. NOTE: Manual Update required
File size: 2.64 MB  

LittleBigPlanet PSP – Sackfari Explorers Costume (free)
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere. LittleBigPlanet’s critically acclaimed “PLAY, CREATE, SHARE” experience, makes its way to the PSP system with a completely new Sackboy adventure. Get this free costume from the Jungle Sackfari Explorers Theme Pack. NOTE: Manual Update required
File size: 1.35 MB  

LittleBigPlanet PSP – Sackfari Explorers Theme Pack ($2.99)
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere. Download a new set of costumes and CREATE materials to create your own Jungle Sackfari levels! The Jungle Sackfari Explorers Pack includes 4 Costumes and 12 Stickers. NOTE: Manual Update required
File size: 1.46 MB  

Game Videos (free)

LitteBigPlanet PSP – Turbo! Level Kit Trailer
File size: 10 MB (SD) (HD)  

3D Dot Game Heroes: “The Hero Your Hero Could Be” Trailer
File size: 4.37 MB (SD)  

3D Dot Game Heroes: “Dot-Mart” Trailer
File size: 4.16 MB (SD)  

PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Draganov PSP Theme 1 ($1.49)
File size: 554 KB  

Draganov PSP Theme 2 ($1.49)
File size: 539 KB  

Disney Princess and the Frog PSP Theme ($1.49) (US only)
File size: 580 KB  

PSP Wallpaper (free)

Armored Core: Last Raven Wallpaper 1
File size: 31 KB  

Armored Core: Last Raven Wallpaper 2
File size: 30 KB  

*info provided by Sony Computer Entertainment*

Bioshock 2 updated 1150g with 3 new DLC and 1

Dylan Radcliffe
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Today the previously announce DLC for Bioshock 2 has finally arrived. With a arrival of the DLC comes a game update that increases the total achievement points to 1150g,

The first bit of DLC is 2 new downloadable characters for 160MSP. Zigo and Blanche are the two preorder characters that were available for preordering the game from gamestop. Now they can be yours for about $2. Add to your Xbox 360 download queue

The second piece of DLC is free, and is entitled “kill ’em kindly. Supposedly you go around with golf clubs killing everyone. Sounds like fun and it’s free, so get downloading. Nothing is better then free, well except getting paid for playing video games; but that only happens in fairy tales right? Download the Kill ‘em Kindly add-on for free here.

The final bit of DLC is The Rapture Metro Pack which includes 6 new maps, a new Rebirth feature (basically prestige for when you hit level 50), new masks, new “trials” and 3 new achievements.

The achievements that are included are:

  • Aqua Incognita – 25
    Play at least one non-private match on each downloadable content map.
  • Territorial – 25
    Win a non-private match in each of the 6 new maps.
  • Reincarnation – 100
    Use Rebirth to start again!

Add Download the BioShock 2: Rapture Metro map pack add-on

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 now available !!

Philip Federico
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NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc have announced today that NARUTO™ SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja® Heroes 3 is now available at retailers nationwide for the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP).

Based on the popular animated NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series from VIZ Media, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 refines the series’ trademark fighting mechanics by offering an all-new adventure mode, a new roster of fierce ninja, and robust multiplayer battles.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 players can re-live the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN storyline up to the Hidan and Kakuzu arc in the new Master Road mode as they follow the Nine-Tail Fox ninja in his continuing adventures to save his friend Sasuke. With more than 80 action-packed missions, players’ skills are put to the test as they face intense battles using one of more than 50 characters.

 

Now for the first time in the series’ history, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 expands upon the series’ renowned fighting engine and updates it for four-player brawls. Through an ad-hoc connection, players can team up with a partner to take on opponents while unleashing devastating Jutsu attacks or single-handedly battle multiple enemies. Additionally, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 features a three-player cooperative mode which allows players to experience select adventures in the main story. As Naruto explores familiar settings throughout the Leaf and Sand Villages, players will also be tasked to complete specific missions including winning battles, evading danger and much more.  

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood details revealed

Travis Bruno
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What happens when you include multiplayer together with Assassin’s Creed?  I have a feeling it is going to be extremely awesome.  We shall see how it turns out this holiday season because Ubisoft has released information (and a teaser site) that Brotherhood will be released sometime during the holidays and it will include a multiplayer aspect.

As to what the multiplayer aspect holds is up for speculation however it is said that there will be a deathmatch mode in which various assassins shall be pitted against one another to find out who will be the best in the end.  It would also be interesting if there was another mode included allowing co-op assassination to clear a city of guards or eliminate a target.

Ezio is in Rome and this Assassin’s Creed is looking to continue where the last story left off, with a fully assembled brotherhood of assassins.  Another speculation is that the selectable characters may be the rest of the brotherhood seen during the ending of Assassin’s Creed II.  The single player story itself is said to reach up to 15 hours.  Whether or not this is with collecting every single thing and exploration is not said but it is always hard to resist finding the tallest point in the game and seeing how far you can fly from it, literally.

Hit the Jackpot with Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition

Travis Bruno
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Hit the Jackpot with Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition

Looks like those of us in North America will be seeing the above special edition if we so choose to purchase it.  Fallout: New Vegas’ creators Bethesda has released information about this special edition today and here is what it includes:

  • “Lucky 7” poker chips. Each of the seven poker chips was designed to represent chips from the major casinos found on the New Vegas strip and throughout the Mojave Wasteland.
  • A fully customized Fallout: New Vegas deck of cards. Each card in the pack has been uniquely illustrated to depict characters and factions found within the game. Use the cards to play poker, blackjack or Caravan, an original card game that was created by Obsidian especially for New Vegas!
  • A recreation of the game’s highly coveted “Lucky 38” platinum chip.
  • A hardcover graphic novel “All Roads”, that tells the story of some of the characters and events that lead up to Fallout: New Vegas. “All Roads” was written by Chris Avellone, the game’s creative director, and created in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics.
  • ‘The Making of Fallout: New Vegas’ DVD. This documentary DVD will contain exclusive video content, including interviews with the developers in which they take you from concept to creation and discuss topics such as story, setting, legacy of the Fallout franchise and more.

Currently the special edition is set to go for sale at $20 more than standard asking price at $79.99 in North America. Only $69.99 however for the PC version. Prices from Gamestop, so subject to change as time goes on.  Currently there is no set release date, instead Bethesda has slated Fallout: New Vegas for sometime in Fall of 2010.

Lost Planet 2 – Review

Philip Federico
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Lost Planet 2
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3
Release Date: May 11th, 2010

Lost Planet 2 has returned, bigger and better than ever.  Utilizing Capcom’s very own MT-Framework 2.0 engine, you can see and feel the improvements straight off the bat.  The controls feel more fluid and the setting has shifted from the snow-covered environment of the original to lush, jungle settings, underwater, desert  and even space.  All of the weapons you’ve grown to love are back.  Everything from the original game is here PLUS more , even grenades have their very own category as there are so many of them to choose from.  You won’t be disappointed with the amount of weapons and VS’s (Mech armoured suits) and other machinery you can hop into and take for a ride or even fly this time around.  Not to mention special weapons of MASS destruction that can take down enemies and Akrid in one shot.

Lost Planet 2 gameplay is action packed and high paced if you’re not taking on the Akrid you’re taking on the many different factions inhabiting the world of E.D.N III.  There is never a dull moment.  If you’re looking for an action packed game then you’ve come to the right place as Capcom have hit a home run in this department.  Combat is the same as it was in the original, but with a few little extra’s thrown in.  There are a total of three gauges.  First there is your standard health gauge which goes down when you take damage.  Then we have the T-Gauge that we all know from Lost Planet.  The T-Gauge slowly restores your health when you have taken damage, but at the same time it slowly depletes its reserves.  The T-Gauge has been updated in Lost Planet 2 and you get to see what it is capable of doing in the opening scene.  Labeled the “Harmonizer”,  this little gadget restores your health faster and drains your T-Gauge meter at the same speed it takes to re-gain your health.  This comes in handy when you’ve taken a huge hit and are about to die. When activated  it your health replenishes almost instantly at the cost of any remaining T-Energy.

The  third gauge is called the “Battle Gauge”.  I like to call this your OVERALL team health.  This is shared amongst your team mates.  This gauge is possibly one of the most important ones.  You don’t want this one to deplete because if it does, then it’s GAME OVER.  The way it works is quite simple. If  you die, 500 points are deducted from the Battle gauge.  If you activate a data post you gain 500 points.  Don’t die and keep on activating data posts and your Battle gauge will always stay full and that GAME OVER screen will never appear.  BUT … beware – the Akrid you encounter, especially in the boss battles, have other plans as most of them are capable of killing you with one swipe and by doing so your Battle gauge will and can deplete in a matter of minutes if you don’t plan and fight as a team.  This is where teamwork is very important.  Another  feature of data posts is that they also are used as spawn points.  So it would be wise to activate as many as possible because if you don’t and you die you might be spawned back right at the beginning of the level and have to run back all the way to where you died to continue fighting.

The Lost Planet 2 campaign is broken down into 6 episodes.   The campaign is quite lengthy taking approx 10-15 hours to complete even on easy.  When starting up campaign mode you feel like you’re in the wrong menu system as it looks very much like an online lobby where you can invite your mates to join you, create private slots, allow public slots for randoms to come in and play along with you, or lock everything up and only play with the AI.   It’s a very different feel to playing a campaign but Capcom wanted Lost Planet 2 to be 4 player co-op experience, where you can hop into someone else’s game or get your mates to jump into yours as seamlessly and easily as possible.  I believe Capcom have succeeded with this quite well.

When playing the campaign mode, a few issues were encountered.  Firstly there are no checkpoints to save your progress. As previously mentioned, there are re-spawn points that are available by activating data posts.  These only allow you to return to the action if you are killed.  However, if you need to exit the game, you can’t return to that last data post you activated on that level.  You will need to start from the beginning of that episode and run through the entire level again.  In addition, you can’t pause or exit the game whilst in the middle of a level due to Lost Planet 2’s online feature.  If you need to quit, you’ll need to run through and complete the entire level before it will allow you to exit out.

If you decide to play on your own you can take up to three AI characters along with you for the ride. The AI are fairly competent in performing simple tasks such as healing and taking on the Akrid/Factions/enemies,  but as the difficulty levels increase and tasks become more complex you will end up having to do most of the work yourself.  One thing missing when playing only with the AI is the ability to command them to perform specific tasks, therefore freeing you up to do other things. 

Lost Planet 2 is quite linear – there aren’t too many opportunities for exploration or side missions.  Maps do occasionally branch out a little and AI or Human partners can take specific paths but ultimately they end up joining back up again.  Most of the objectives have you moving from one location to the next, destroying as many Akrid along the way and activating all the data posts you can find.  Once you reach your objective a timer will countdown and the mission/level will complete.  Make sure you have done everything on the level before stepping into the objective sector as once the timer appears you cannot stop it.

Lost Planet 2 has a huge focus on customization.  As you progress through the game or whilst playing online, your character gains experience and levels up.  By leveling up, you unlock special abilities, weapons, call signs and different skins.  There are hundreds of items you can unlock – and this is where the re-playability of Lost Planet 2 comes into full effect.  Whilst you can finish the game in 10-15 hours, grabbing yourself some pretty cool items, weapons and gear along the way, you probably would have only unlocked a 1/10 of what’s available in the game.  If you were to sit down and play Lost Planet 2 and attempt to unlock every single item you’d probably be looking at close to 200 hours of game play.   

A great feature is the ability to take your character with you anywhere you go.  If you join another person’s campaign or play online in multiplayer your character will be there in all its glory for everyone to see.  Gone are the days of having to use a generic character with a set of special abilities, weapons and skins when playing multiplayer or joining a friend’s co-op game.  All your hard work can be taken with you. Everything you collect along the way in any campaign and all the experience you gain in multiplayer is added straight to your character.

Lost Planet 2 online multiplayer supports up to 16 players and has a total of 10 new maps.  Online play is very competitive and quite a challenge, it’s probably recommended you play through the campaign first to build up your character then take him/her online and cause some major damage.  Capcom have also extended the re-playability of the online maps by creating what they believe is the first of its kind, entitled map layouts.  Each map has a total of 4 map layouts.  As always, once you become familiar with a map you learn where all the weapons are hidden and where all the secret spots with certain items are located. With the map layouts those items, weapons,  VS’s, data posts are all moved around to different locations.  For example, when playing Pirate Fortress on layout 1 you know that a specific weapon is located at so and so spot.  But when you play Pirate Fortress on layout 2 that weapon is now in a different location on the map.  This does spice up the levels to a certain extent as re-playability is increased.

Lost Planet 2 has improved in leaps and bounds from the original. Graphically the environment, special effects and intriguing looking enemies are a pleasure to look at.  The game-play is fluid and action-packed, but it is recommended to take on the campaign with human players – as AI lack intelligence in certain areas.  There isn’t much in terms of music / soundtrack in Lost Planet 2, however the sound effects are quite impressive – especially with surround sound headphones.  Lost Planet 2 was intended to be played with friends – therefore the emphasis on multiplayer is huge.  Playing on your own in campaign mode is just not the same as teaming up with 3 of your closest mates and tactically taking down an Akrid 10 stories tall.  If you love your action 3rd person shooters and enjoy playing online with mates then Lost Planet 2 is right up your alley.

Final Score :  8 Capsules Out Of 10

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Check out our interview with Shawn Baxter Community Manager at Capcom for Lost Planet 2 here

Zombie Infection Review iPhone / iPod Touch

Philip Federico
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1

zombie-infection-01

Title: Zombie Infection
Genre: Action / Shooter
Platform: iPhone/iPod Touch
Developer/Publisher: Gameloft
Price: $6.99 Buy now Zombie Infection

“The infection is spreading and fear is everywhere in this non-stop survival shooter.  Head to South America as a soldier and reporter try to uncover the origin of another zombie outbreak”

Gameloft have outdone themselves with their latest action / shooter for the Apple iPhone / iPod Touch.  Zombie Infection is Gameloft very own take on RESIDENT EVIL 5.  You take on the role of two characters, Damien Sharp an ex soldier on a mission to find his lost brother and Alex Rayne a report looking to find the truth.  The story begins with both Damien & Alex in South America on a chopper flying into the Favela, a location very similar to Resident Evil 5’s African Slum level.  If you’ve also played Modern Warfare 2 this level also looks very familiar.

Landing on the roof you take control of Damien and begin your tutorial.  Zombie infection uses a over the shoulder, 3rd person style camera control system.  The left analog stick allows you to move left, right forward and back.  You can look around by using your other thumb or finger and pressing the middle of the screen to swing the view to wherever you want.  It does take a little getting used to at first especially when using a weapon.  As you’ll need to aim using your right thumb then when you have the shot return your thumb back to the right side to press the fire button. 

There is a mini map in the top right side of the screen which will point you in the direction you need to go.  The game is quite linear so you really cant get lost.  Scattered through out each mission are 6 tokens in the shape of a biohard symbol these are similar to the BSAA medals you find in Resident Evil 5.  Finding all of them will result in a reward and also unlock an achievement.  YES Gameloft have incorporated 20 trophies/achievements into Zombie Infection.  To enable this feature you need to login / register a Gameloft live account.  This is shown in more detail in the video review.  The great thing about the achievements are they appear very quickly, as soon as you’ve unlocked a specific achievement it will pop up on the screen instantly.  At the end of each level you’ll be presented with a stats page on how you went, how long it took you to finish the level, how many tokens you found and also how many achievements/trophies you unlocked.

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zombie-infection-16

Zombie infection consists of 12 levels, all the environments are finely rendered in 3D so you can feel as close to the action as possible.  Each of the missions can take approx 10-20 mins to complete, with total game play time of roughly  3 hours from start to finish.  Starting off in the Favelas, then moving into a Zoo where you get to encounter all sorts of wild animals along with infected humans and mutants all with their own abilities and skills.  You also get to take down a giant crocodile (But this time you don’t kill it with a gas canister), other levels consist of mines, on a boat, and even a secret lab !!  Well you are on a mission to discover the source of the infection and the plans of the ones who created it so you will always end up visiting a secret lab sooner or later. 

Gameloft have added some very impressive voice acting in the game,  every cut scene has voice and even while your in the middle of the action Damien, Alex and even random characters yell out and speak, which is a nice little touch that makes the game feel more alive. 

With the video review covering most of the remaining topics, press play and enjoy the rest of the review.

Gameloft have actually accomplished what many people thought wasn’t possible.  They’ve created their very own fun and exciting version Resident Evil, creating a fast, smooth, action packed game with lots of variety in weapons, enemies and storyline.  There a few little hiccups with the control system as it does take a bit of getting used to.  Specific enemies with projectile weapons are way to accurate and can cause all sorts of problems, best bet is to take them out first then go for the rest.  The addition of the brutal and spectacular fatalities is always welcome in a zombie game and are a pleasure to perform as you’ve seen in the video review.  If you’re a fan of the Survival Horror and would like to take a the action with you anywhere you go then,  hop onto iTunes and download Zombie Infection now.  You will not be dissapointed as it is by far the best Action/Survival Horror game on the iPhone / iPod Touch at the moment.

Check out the screenshots of the game below in the gallery

 Final Score : 9 Capsules Out Of 10

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[Gallery=57]

Nier Review

Travis Bruno
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3
Nier Review

Nier
Developer: Cavia
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Platform: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), Playstation 3
Release Date: 4/27/2010

Overview:
Cavia who’s most recent game was a rail shooter called Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles and is also known for a medley of other games is back again with a stunningly touching RPG.  Just like their previous action game Drakengard which was released back in 2003, Nier is amazingly touching and has one of the best storylines in many years.

Story:
What would a man do to save his daughter from a debilitating and deadly illness?  You will find out.  Nier takes place a full 1,300 years after the fall of humanity. (As a small side note, there is a hint within the game that states the reason for the fall is one of the endings of Drakengard itself.) Human beings are a dyeing species and only live in the ruins of what once was modern day society.

However that is not all that plagues these poor survivors; deadly Shades with no mercy strike them down without any remorse.  Just like the same disease which ravishes the populace of the world known as the Black Scrawl.  A middle aged man, named by the character but known hereafter as Nier, must seek out the cure to this deadly affliction due to the fact that his own daughter is slowly slipping from his grasp due to the Scrawl.

His journey is not a lone one however, as he is soon joined by one of the most colorful characters ever to be seen within an RPG.  There is Grimoire Weiss, a floating tome of knowledge who’s tongue is sharper than any sword. A young boy named Emil who would do Medusa proud with his ability to petrify anything he looks upon.  Finally though to round out this cast of characters is the cursed woman Kainé who strings together expletives and violent temper are anything but ladylike.  Kainé is the most unique for a reason, but that will be left for you to find out yourself.

Nier’s story and the delivery thereof is one of the best you will ever come to find.  Like Drakengard you will be constantly feeling the emotions that the characters themselves are feeling.  It is clearly shown throughout the story the deep fatherly love Nier has for his daughter Yonah and his willingness to rescue her no matter what, even if it means he must sacrifice his sanity to obtain his goal.  Kainé and Weiss constantly are at each other’s throats/pages and always make a high point in the game.  As for Emil…. poor Emil…..

There are four different endings to the game which leads to an extreme amount of replay ability as you attempt to receive all four endings. Each ending varies slightly and tears at the heartstrings of the player.

Graphics:
Unfortunately the graphics are one of the major failings to Nier.  But first the high point.  Each of the characters are very well designed, especially one character who undergoes a change part way through the game. Though their coloration makes some of the main characters seem nearly dead due to their pale complexion.

The environments are well detailed and good looking when you are near something at least. For everything else the world is quite bland and open.  This all changes though when you enter a dungeon.  Some may be a bit lacking in the design department but the uniqueness of each one is outstanding.  There is even a few hints towards other games which are not even from the same exact genre, but are extremely hard to miss. Even the set up and the design is the exact same of said game, see if you can discern what the level is mimicked after.

Boss enemies are amazing to look at, however normal enemies are all extremely standard.  There is a decent variety of enemies, but there is literally no graphical change between them.  The size may increase, or they may be wearing armor but overall every basic enemy has the same exact appearance of shimmering gold humanoid forms which spill literally gallons of blood everywhere.

If you dislike blood, I wouldn’t recommend playing this game.  Though there is no gore accompanying the violence blood falls upon the ground in liters.  Enemies will spray blood into the air as they are killed, splattering it along the ground and even on the wall.  Not only that but the characters themselves can be bathed in this blood in a realistic looking manner.

To put it simply the graphics are a bit out-dated.  When compared to any number of RPGs released this year, including a few Wii games at that, Nier suffers from lack luster graphics. There are multiple rough edges to the graphics as well as graphical errors which is hard to let by un-noticed. During battle there are times gameplay will come to a halt due to an overabundance of action happening on the screen only to resume a few seconds later.

Sound:
If you ever were to buy a soundtrack to a video game, Nier is the one to purchase it for. Nearly every single song is beautifully sung and paired with a stellar orchestra.  I don’t believe I have ever heard such amazing music to go along with a game.  There are even times when you will want to pause just to listen to the amazing orchestral score.  Not to say that there isn’t some repetition, but honestly with how the soundtrack for Nier is, it is hardly a bother.

The voice acting for each of the characters is spot on as well.  The emotion you will feel from each one of them mimics the deep storyline and the feelings portrayed by the characters themselves.  The bitter anger of Kainé, the wryness of Weiss, and even that you will have to discover yourself.  Not every single character and bit of dialogue has voice acting, but every major scene and dialogue does.

Gameplay:
Nier’s overall gameplay feels as if someone found a list of what everyone enjoyed about various RPG games, casual games, shooters and more.  And then they attempted to push everything down into one game.  During certain parts of the game the camera will switch, altering the gameplay.  At times you will be playing a platformer, a top down shooter, even a far away dungeon crawler.  You may even experience horror from the past as well.

At Nier’s core it is a standard hack and slash action game, with some small RPG elements thrown in together. You may level up, but there are no stats to modify or any actual character customization to be had. There are a total of two attack buttons, one involving normal melee attacks that can be charged, and a dashing attack for wider damage radius.  There is also the magic attacks which come in many different flavors and varieties, however their usefulness falls anywhere between very useful and useless without much gray area in-between.

On top of that there is the customization system which is handled through various prefixes and suffixes that are found throughout the game.  Each magic attack, skill, and weapon can have one of each added onto it providing a small upgrade of power towards the weapon.  There is also the ability to upgrade your weapons, however this is handled extremely poorly.

The area to upgrade your weapons is not near any town, instead it is a great distance away, involving a tedious walking distance coupled with even more tedious ladder climbing.  There is very little option with moving around the maps in Nier. Each map is extremely spacious as mentioned earlier, however without any proper way to navigate said maps they become extremely tiring.

Shortly after beginning the game you may obtain the ability to ride a Boar, however the boar itself is very unwieldy while turning and is extremely slow unless charging straight ahead in a nearly uncontrollable rush.  Even further down the line is the ability to take a boat between certain docking points of the game.  This however is completely pointless as only two docking points are anywhere near a useful area.  There are five docking points in the game, one of which is used for questing and two are useful.  The other three?  Not so much.

Not only is getting around tedious but you will be seeing many areas repeatedly.  On one such occasion you may be asked to retrieve a bit of scrap metal from within a Junk Heap.  Once this metal is obtained you will be then asked to go deeper into the mine to fulfill a request for the same people.  Only to later in the game come back to the exact same area again and walk through the same dungeon to defeat a boss.  Not to mention that this requires yet another fetch quest to advance the main storyline.

There are many side quests which are included into the game.  But to be quite honest there is very little variety in what you will be doing for them.  There are a few side quests involving monster slaying, a couple for delivering packages which can be extremely frustrating.  Though the most prominent quest that you will receive is a task to obtain a number of items that you may never have heard of, and you will be sent out without any hint as where to obtain them.  Be it either from harvesting certain areas, growing crops, or fishing.

This is another little part thrown into the game with little rhyme or reasoning.  Firstly the growing of crops.  There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with the small bit of Harvest Moon placed within the game, and it isn’t actually required at all.  If anything it is a small addition that is perfectly reasonable and is quite enjoyable.

The latter however involves enough anger and time wasting to force a controller through a wall.  The fishing mechanics in the game are completely broken, or otherwise intentionally made to infuriate the player.  Not only that, but there is a requirement to advance the main storyline which involves fishing itself.  There could have been many things done differently that could have made fishing enjoyable but instead Cavia turned it into a punishing task.

Overall:
Nier contains the makings of a great game.  If it wasn’t for lackluster gameplay with large time wasting trekking it would be perfect.  With the narrative story being astounding, the colorful cast of characters, the amount of dialogue and quirky comments among the characters, and the emotional draw of the game it could have been a top contender for game of the year.  If you can tolerate the long drawn out gameplay and the amount of frustration it brings you are in for a stellar story.

I give Nier for the Xbox 360

6-5-capsules-out-of-10

Interview with MEDAL OF HONOR Executive Producer Greg Goodrich

Philip Federico
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3

G’day Everyone.  MasterAbbott is back with a great interview.  This time we sat down with Greg Goodrich, Executive Producer behind the HIGHLY anticipated Medal Of Honor due out for release in September. 2010  Greg runs us through what Medal Of Honor is all about and what we can expect to see when it makes it’s triumphant return.

Enjoy the interview :

Question 1 – Tell us a little the new team behind Medal Of Honor.  Where have they all come from? What past projects have they previously worked on?

We have a wide variety of individuals on the project from various backgrounds. It’s quite a good mix actually. There are a few individuals who have been on every single Medal of Honor ever developed and there are people such as myself and Rich Farrelly (our Senior Creative Director) who are embarking on this franchise for the first time.

 

Question 2 – For people that don’t know anything about, Medal Of Honor.  How would you describe the game to them? And how would you describe the game mechanics for the new Medal Of Honor.  Is it similar to previous versions?

 

Medal of Honor is a first person shooter franchise that has always been set during WWII. The core tenets of the franchise are authenticity, respect for the soldier, and honor for the soldier’s story.  The new Medal of Honor leaves the WWII theatre for the first time in its 11-year history and enters the modern day setting of war-torn Afghanistan. Although the setting has changed, the core tenets remain the same. This game will feel very familiar to fans of the series.

 

Question 3 – What do you believe will make Medal Of Honor stand out compared to other games currently available in the same genre?

 

With this Medal of Honor we have set out to make a great, authentic game that players will love.  Our goal is to deliver at a quality level that places it amongst the greatest shooters of this generation. Beyond that, we believe the story is a well-crafted, balanced, non-repetitive, emotional ride through today’s war with compelling characters that see the conflict in different ways.  The franchise has always been known to make honest, authentic and respectful games and we plan to continue that tradition with this newest edition.

 

Question 4 -How long was the development cycle for Medal Of Honor.  Could you briefly explain the start to finish phases: storyboading, concept art etc?

 

Our development process has followed pretty standard timelines and methodologies for creating a game. However, for this Medal of Honor we decided to prescribe a very specific strategy for content creation. From the start, we chose to take broad brush strokes to get the game stood up as soon as possible. Meaning, we wanted to get the game playable from beginning to end without having to worry about how it looked. This allowed us to see what we had very early on. We were able to determine pretty quickly what was working and fix the things that were not. Now we are making it look great and squeezing as much polish into it as we possibly can before it ships.

 

Question 5 -What engine / technology is used in getting Medal Of Honor up and running on the Xbox 360 / PS3 how many developers / programmers were involved in creating Medal Of Honor on these two platforms.

 

The single player team in Los Angeles is using a heavily modified version of the Unreal3 Engine. As you may have seen in the footage used to create our trailers, we have really pushed it to do the things we needed it to do, especially in our environments. The version of Frostbite that DICE is using has also been modified to support the Medal of Honor multiplayer game. It is faster paced and the map design is tighter. And the design reflects realistic effects, local destruction and individual player skill.

Question 6 -Will there be any updates planned for Medal Of Honor? (extra missions, downloadable content) if so what can players expect to see and when could they expect to see it.

 

At this point we are not talking about DLC.

 

Question 7 – What were the development teams inspirations behind creating this new and improved version of Medal Of Honor, what other games have played a major role (past and present) in shaping and creating this amazing game.

 

We are making the game we’ve always wanted to make. And as always, we’re inspired by the soldier’s story. Medal of Honor is not about politics, procedures or operational planning, it’s about the men and women on the ground fighting a common enemy and then coming home.

 

Question 8 – Trophies / Achievements are what drive a number of players to play games now-days .. How much effort was put into designing the Trophy / achievement system for Medal Of Honor?  What do you think is the hardest Achievement for players to obtain ? and what can you suggest in terms of tips for players to get it.

 

More details about trophies and achievements will come at a later date.

 

Question 9 – Finally.. What do you love most working in this newly assembled team?

 

The best thing about this team is that they are concentrating on the work and letting everything else take care of itself. They are extremely passionate, professional and care deeply about what they are doing. Here is an example: we have a full team meeting every Friday in the large theater on the first floor at EA Los Angeles. We normally use this meeting to go over the week’s work and to show the software on the big screen for everyone to see. We usually get everyone there, but this past Friday was very different. We were all assembled as normal and decided to watch the recently released “Leave a Message” trailer. After it was done, I turned on the lights and for the first time realized how many people were actually in the room. I started to notice faces that I didn’t quickly recognize. I knew the entire Medal of Honor team could easily fit into the room, yet people were standing in the aisles, sitting on the floors, assembled in cracked doorways and along the back wall. People from around the campus had decided to show up and take part. This team is extremely passionate about this product and their passion is infectious. And everyone who was in that theatre on that day saw that passion up on the big screen. It was truly inspiring.

 

Thanks for your time and allowing me to speak about Medal of Honor.

 

Greg Goodrich

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Capsule Computers would like to thank Greg for taking the time from his busy scheduled to answer these questions about Medal Of Honor.  This is certainly one of the most highly anticipated titles of 2010.    We wish his team all the best of luck and we hope Medal Of Honor is a great success on upon its release.

If you haven’t already done you can pre-order your copy now

Medal Of Honor – Playstation 3

Medal Of Honor – Xbox 360

Let us know what you thought of this interview.  Leave a comment below.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 – Lifestyle trailer

Dylan Radcliffe
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1

Sunshine, moonlight, dancing at the pool, clothes, and awesome cars. Every new trailer that is released for Test Drive Unlimited 2 makes the game look better and better. No longer must you race only during the day and only when the game requires you too. Now you can race at night or during the day or during that time where everyone is asleep and the sun is just coming up, yeah that time!

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