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Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Review

Katie Bennett
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Game: Red Dead Redemption – Undead Nightmare
Developer: Rockstar
Publisher: Rockstar
Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror
Format: PS3, 360
Price: 7.99, 800 MSP
Release: Out Now

The Story

Red Dead Redemption – Undead Nightmare is the latest add-on content for the seminal wild west adventure from Rockstar Games,  released just in time for Halloween and now whipping up a dust storm on both XBox Live and the Playstation Network!

Undead Nightmare sees players once again take on the role of John Marston as he searches for a cure to combat a freak zombie mutation that has suddenly swept the country. The surprisingly gripping story will often have you on the edge of your seat and the particularly horrifying intro which sets the tone nicely and gives the game a real sense of purpose from the get go.

Despite the rather grim nature of the quest the humour and absurdity of the situation is never forgotten and this is reflected well in the dialogue with some really snappy one-liners from Marston and company. Just listening to the townsfolk in full panic mode is incredibly entertaining especially when it comes to their views on what they think caused the outbreak to begin with. For example: the shop owner, Herbert Moon, blames the zombie invasion on a British catholic homosexual conspiracy! Quite how he (or Rockstar) came to this conclusion is frankly anyone’s guess but it’s certainly presented in a tongue-in-cheek manner and not to be taken at all seriously.



This adventure also sees the return of some other fan favourite characters from the original story and without too much of a spoiler some of these once beloved characters are now not quite so welcome so prepare to get your hands dirty!

Game Play

Gameplay in Undead Nightmare clocks in at around 6 hours but as with any sandbox style game you could certainly add a few more on to that should you decide to embark on every quest, save as many people as you can or simply go sightseeing in the moonlight.

The flow of the game is much the same as in Redemption and as before the bones of the title sees you head from person to person and town to town trying to find out just what in tarnation is going on and how the heck you can stop it! There are a plethora of side missions which range from helping survivors lost in the wilderness get back to an unaffected town or helping the towns themselves if they have been over-run by zombies The rewards for saving towns and cleansing graveyards can be very motivating, especially if you are in need of a better weapon, extra ammo or even a bed for the night – which, in true Red Dead style, means your character can get some much needed sleep whilst you save your current in-game progress.

You will find most of your time will be spent running and gunning down zombies instead of relying on stealth. This suits the pace of this particular chapter as the undead are surprisingly swift and if they spot you hiding behind a barrel for instance, trying to be a little too crafty, they will come running and clawing at such a fast pace you will have no choice but to beat a hasty retreat… or better yet, start praying!

The ‘dead eye’ feature really comes into it’s own this time around and if you find you have a little distance between you and an approaching zombie horde it will provide you with much more precise aiming. I recommend the head-shot as a sure-fire final solution. I’ve yet to meet a zombie who rose again after their dome was blasted clean off their rotting body!


There is a lot of time spent on horseback so this will colour your experience depending on whether or not you enjoyed this aspect of the original game. However, some of the trudging can be negated by completing side quests and ensuring towns are completely free from the zombie scourge as this will enable the fast travel feature between certain areas on your map.

A really great bonus, exclusive to this add-on is the hunt for the four horses of the apocalypse – presumably belonging to the four horsemen – War, Famine, Pestilence and Death! These legendary stallions appear randomly on the map and when found can be broken and ridden. Each of these mounts also has a special ability that will help you in your mission to end the zombie plague.

  • Pestilence: Surrounded by a cloud of greenish mist, Pestilence has infinite stamina and a very high pain threshold.
  • Famine: Surrounded by a swarm of locusts, Famine also has infinite stamina.
  • War: Has amazingly high stamina (not infinite, although near impossible to diminish) and anything its fiery mane and hooves touch bursts into flames.
  • Death: Has infinite stamina as well as a ‘wind of death’ circling it. Handily this wind causes the zombies’ heads to explode on contact! (My personal Favourite)

Online Game Play

The brand new online multiplayer mode, Undead Overrun, is a co-op survival mode for between 2 and four players which sees you  working together to see how long you can fend off seemingly continuous waves of flesh eating zombies. At the start of each game you and your teammates each select a weapon from a selection that consists of the Ravager, Overkill, Long-Shot and the Mauler. All of these weapons are pretty good and all get the job done but if you are after something with a bit more bite then I thoroughly recommend the Overkill as this particular weapon packs a quite a punch when it comes to quickly depleting the zombie masses.

Each multiplayer map takes place on a desert plain with just the odd building scattered here and there for cover. Of course there’s always the church and what church is not complete without a graveyard – the perfect setting for a zombie takedown, just watch your back!

Although cutting through the first few waves is pretty easy the difficulty is quickly ramped up and becomes challenging and energetically paced. After stage 7 having 3 or 4 players really becomes the ideal and continuing to proceed much further with less is quite literally a monstrous task. More is most definitely merrier here – at least when they are on your side!


Graphics and Sound

Once again Red Dead offers up some pretty remarkable visuals with breathtaking vistas and some very atmospheric weather adding a spooky sense of doom and gloom. This visually stunning weather changes throughout with a denser fog usually hanging over infected areas like a heavy grey beacon. As usual, the cut scenes are detailed and character animation is smooth and varied both here and in the game itself.

The soundtrack is absolutely spot on and exactly how you might imagine a zombie-western to sound.  Sound effects add to the ambiance with a notable stand out being the quickening pace of zombie feet as they scramble toward you.


Overall

With such a successful franchise as the supporting frame this off kilter add-on had a lot to live up to and rather than being the point where Red Dead ‘jumped the shark’ this innovative and lovingly produced chapter has actually added a unique spin to an already compelling story.  The old west meets zombie mash-up works much better than I had imagined and although I am not a big zombie fan I feel like I have been converted – to a fan and not a zombie of course! Creatively mowing down zombies turned out to be incredible fun as was riding horses that were, quite literally, on fire! What more could a girl want… except for maybe a canyon jam-packed full of zombies and and a fully loaded Overkill!

The story never feels shoe-horned into the Red Dead world and the main game always flows well, with just the right balance of zombies to kill and and survivors to rescue. The interaction with NPC’s is also spot on and their growing panic and paranoia really makes you feel like you are in a full-on zombie invasion.

The online mode is fun and very addictive although not for the faint-hearted if you are playing with less than 3 in a team. The teamwork and quick reflexes required to survive make for some seriously immersive gameplay and more than a few ‘jump out of your seat’ moments when things get tough.

The ending to the main game also features a really great twist which I will not spoil here. Needless to say it’s definitely worth downloading and playing for yourself just to find out…



For only £7.99 or 800 Microsoft Points I really can’t recommend Undead Nightmare highly enough. Although Halloween has just passed and Christmas is only a weeks away you really don’t need a seasonal excuse to wail on a few zombies, especially when the quality of the product is so high. At around 6 hours of solid gameplay in the story mode alone you certainly get your money’s worth.

Word has it that this is the Last add-on for Red Dead Redemption and if that’s true Rockstar have closed the book with a real bang… followed by a blood curdling scream… followed by a bang!

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare is available now on PSN and Xbox LIVE. The expansion will also be released on disc, along with all the previous DLC packs on November 26.

I give Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare …

9-5-capsules-out-of-10

Video Games blamed – for the death of an infant

Ian Crane
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0

In other world news today, a young mother has pleaded guilty to killing her baby son, after he interrupted her with crying; while she was playing FarmVille on Facebook. In a sign of the times, this is yet another messy situation that the courts have had to deal with, and one which obviously leads people to squarely point the finger- at video games.

A 22yr old from Jacksonville, Florida, Alexandra V. Tobias’ son was just 3 months old. She was arrested in January, where she told police that “She shook her baby, then had a cigarette to calm herself. Then she shook him again.” Tobias says he may have hit his head during one of the shakings.

According to the Florida Times-Union, the plea of guilty was entered at the end of October before Ciruit Judge Adrian G. Sound in Florida. Tobias` plea will help her family avoid reliving this tragic event.

No doubt this puts, the developers of FarmVille; Zynga, in the spotlight and yet it is Alexandra ultimately who is to blame. With the majority of players accessing the game through Facebook, FarmVille exists as a co-operative social experience with over 60,000 members.

Although, it is reasonable to assume that the mother was perhaps suffering from post natal depression, it certainly highlights the implications of playing games under the influence of other mental and physical conditions, such as drugs, alcohol or depression. As gaming, weather it be as simple as FarmVille or as complicated as a full blown AAA title, encroaches ever more on our lives, we have an ethical and social responsibility to ourselves and each other to play responsibly, healthy and above all else remember: It’s just a game.

Video Games & the Supreme Court – What Happened Before, During and Later

J. Bradshaw
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Since the last story about video games and politics, an incredible amount of information and updates have been unearthed.  If your all for video games remaining uncensored, this article is for you.  Some of it may infuriate you, but the ending will give give you some hope.

Lets start out with CNN and G4TV.  CNN interviewed Adam Sessler about the California law and judicial case.  In my opinion, Adam brought out some extremely good points, and CNN seemed to be agreeable.  Shocking though it may be, as we have all seen how many times the media has dredged gaming through the dirt, the media actually does provide a balanced view of gamers.  Check it out!

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQZHj-WJZSE[/pro-player]

Link to CNN.com Video

Rush Limbaugh, a Conservative radio host, also had interesting things to say.  Although I may not agree with him on a lot of issues, it is hard to disagree with him on this.  You can read the whole call here ,but the main thrust of what Limbaugh said is this:

“I’ve been concerned about the reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine.  I am glad this is happening.  If it takes an impingement on free speech in something you’re interested in, video games, to alert you to what’s happening throughout society then I’m glad it’s happening, because I’m sure you oppose this…  Your video game is your video game and you don’t think the government should have any role whatsoever in applying any artistic sanction to it or any stamp of approval — you can say that but you can’t say that — because that’s not permitted… If it’s taken a video game to get you interested and have the light go off, to have you see what liberalism is all about, I’m glad to have you on our side, ’cause I agree with you.  Leave your game alone.”

So that was pretty cool.  But now lets get down to the juicy stuff.  On November 2, 2010, the ESA as represented by Paul Smith, had their opening arguments with the State of California before the Supreme Court.  We have linked the whole argument below,# and I strongly encourage you to read the first 59 pages that make up what happened on November 2.  It is really fascinating and even humorous.

CLICK THIS LINK! 😉 Schwarzenegger v. EMA

However, the short story is this:

Zack Morazzini, counsel for the State began the hearing by alluding to Ginsberg v. New York, a case in which minors’ are restricted from buying harmful sexual material.  However, Justice Scalia posed the question, “What is a deviant- a deviant, violent video game?  As opposed to what? A normal violent video game?… There are established norms of violence?

This statement really sums up a lot of the problems that the State of California had when they drafted this law.  Not only is the law vague, but it also near impossible to regulate and implement.  It would be the publishers mandate to rate the game and hope they fall into line with what the State has ordered.  The law also fails to take into account downloadable games.  How can it possibly enforce that?

In the same line of reasoning, Justice Scalia posed the question, ” What is a deviant violent video game?… Some of the Grimm’s fairy tales are quite grim, to tell you the truth… Are you going to ban them too?”

Justice Ginsberg and Roberts followed up that whammy of thought by grilling the State on why only video games, and not other forms of media that have violence were included in the law.

“The California legislature was presented with substantial evidence that demonstrates that the interactive nature of violent — of violent video games where the minor or the young adult is the aggressor, is the — is the individual acting out this — this obscene level of violence, if you will, is especially harmful to minors,” Morazzini said.

However,  Justice Sotomayor responded with, “One of the studies, the Anderson study, says that the effect of violence is the same for a Bugs Bunny episode as it is for a violent video. So can the legislature now, because it has that study, say we can outlaw Bugs Bunny?”

Now that the prosecution has had their say, what say we set up a defense now?  Enter Paul Smith, who utters, “California, as we have heard today, does not seriously contend that it can satisfy the usual First Amendment standards that apply to such a law.  Instead it’s asking this Court to grant it a new free pass, a brand-new Ginsberg-like exception to the First Amendment that would deny constitutional protection to some ill-defined subset of expressive works, and I submit not just video games, but necessarily movies, books and any other expressive work that describes or portrays violence in a way that some court somewhere, some day, would decide is deviant and offensive.”

After discussing this for awhile, Smith goes on to cite how effective the ESRB has been in regulating the sale of M games to minors.

As a side note,  according to the FTC,  the ESRB holds the best record, beating out R rated movies/ theaters and music sales with an 80% turn away rate for minors attempting to buy M rated games.*

Smith also mentions how this case differs from the Ginsberg law when he states, “… we do not make films for children in which explicit sex happens.  We do make films for children in which graphic violence happens.”

After a bit more Q&A, Justice Alito said, “We have here a new — a new medium that cannot possibly have been envisioned at the time when the First Amendment was ratified.”

Smith’s answer was, “We do have a new medium here, Your Honor, but we have a history in this country of new mediums coming along and people vastly overreacting to them, thinking the sky is falling, our children are all going to be turned into criminals.”

The Court also wondered about how much narrative there was in video games, asking how much different a video game is than a game of Monopoly.  Apparently, they did not play Mass Effect, Halo or Enslaved. Odd.

“You are acting out certain elements of the play and you are contributing to the events that occur and adding a creative element of your own,” Smith said. “That’s what makes them different and in many ways wonderful.”

Those are the high points, but it is impossible to convey how everything went down.  Once again, I strongly encourage  you to read the linked proceedings.

Now, onto the current news!  Microsoft released an Xbox Engineering Blog detailing all the improved console safety settings in the new dashboard.  You may want to check it out right here! Looks pretty good, and it is, in my opinion, the way that console manufactures and parents should have an active role in what games are played by what age groups.

*This is an exhibit to show how effective the ESRB is.  This a graph from the ESRB.  It was not a part of the court proceedings.

Video Game Industry Statistics
Can't see the text? Click the image to go ESRB.org and see it full size!

#Thanks for putting up the embedded Supreme Court docs, Joystiq.com!

Playstation Store Update week of Nov 2nd

Zachariah Blue
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0

That is right! Another update coming at you for the week of Nov 2

PlayStation Plus:

God of War I HD (60 Minute Trial)

God of War II HD (60 Minute Trial)

Downloadable Games

God of War I HD & Phantom of Chaos Skin Bundle ($14.99)

God of War II HD & Forgotten Warrior Skin Bundle ($14.99)

Free Games
BreakQuest – minis

Discounted Games
Tomb Raider 2 ($3.00, original price $5.99)

Early Access/Exclusive Demo
Vanquish Challenge Mode Demo

Free Add-ons & Themes
God of War III – Dominus Skin & Challenge of Exile Arena (Free, original price $2.99)

Dead Nation Dynamic Theme (Free, original price $2.99)

Shadowy Graves Theme (Free, original price $1.49)

Free Videos
Qore Episode 30 – November 2010 (Free, original price $2.99)

-all prices exclusive to PS plus members.

Updates

Spyro The Dragon – Sale($2.99, original price $5.99) Part of the PlayStation 15th Anniversary Sale

MAG Interdiction Pack – Permanent Price Drop ($4.99, was $9.99)

Qore

Qore Episode 30: November 2010 ($2.99)

Qore Annual Subscription – November 2010 ($24.99)

Downloadable Games

Hoard ($14.99)

God of War Collection ($29.99)

Psone Classics

Virtual pool 3 ($5.99)

Game Demos (free)

Split Second Demo 2

Aqua Panic! HD Demo

Rock Band 3 Demo

Add-on Game Content

Dead Rising 2 – Skills Pack – Ninja ($1.99)

DJ Hero 2: Hit Makers Mix Pack ($7.99)

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimension Cosmic Costume ($2.99)

Super Street Fighter IV: Ultra Shoryuken Pack ($3.99)

Soldner-X 2: Final Prototype: The Last Chapter ($4.99)

Fifa Soccer 11 – Ultimate Team (free)

Medal of Honor – Hot Zone Pack ($9.99)

Front Mission Evolved: Wanzer Weapons Pack (free)

Front Mission Evolved: Wanzer Pack 2 ($3.99)

Space Invaders Infinity Gene – Bonus Stage Pack 2 ($2.99)

Fist of the North Star – DLC Pack 1 ($2.99)

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 – Bonus Pack (free)

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 – Russian Power Pack ($2.99)

ModNation Racers – Kratos Mod and Kart ($1.99)

EyePet: Music Pack ($2.99)

PAIN: Creepie Character ($0.99)

PAIN: PAINaMotion (free)

Sports Champions – Reverse Course ($2.99)

God of War III – Phantom of Chaos Skin ($0.99)

God of War III – Morpheus Skin ($0.99)

God of War III – Forgotten Warrior Skin ($0.99)

God of War III – Apollo Skin ($0.99)

God of War III – Challenge of Exile Arena + Dominus Skin ($2.99)

God of War III Kratos Skin Bundle ($2.99)

-all god of war skins, you must have beaten game once to access skin.

Def Jam Rapstar

  • “Dey Know” – Shawty Lo ($1.99)
  • “Party Up” – DMX ($1.99)
  • “Ice Cream Paint Job” – Dorrough ($1.99)
  • “Got Money” – Lil Wayne ($1.99)
  • “Grindin’” – Clipse ($1.99)
  • “Make Me Better” – Fabolous ($1.99)
  • “Throw Some D’s” – Rich Boy ($1.99)
  • “Shoulder Lean” – Young Dro ($1.99)

Rock Band 3

  • “Hello, I Love You” – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “L.A. Women″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Light My Fire″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Love Her Madly″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Love Me Two Times″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Peace Frog″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “People Are Strange″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Riders On The Storm″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Roadhouse Blues″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Soul Kitchen″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “The Crystal Ship″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • “Touch Me″ – The Doors ($1.99)
  • The Doors Greatest Hits: Rock Band Edition Album ($19.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: “The Doors Greatest Hits: Rock Band Edition” Album. This pack includes “Hello, I Love You”, “L.A. Women”, “Light My Fire”, “Love Her Madly”, “Love Me Two Times”, “Peace Frog”, “People Are Strange”, “Riders On The Storm”, “Roadhouse Blues”, “Soul Kitchen”, “The Crystal Ship”, and “Touch Me”.
  • “Subdivisions″ – Rush ($1.99)

Rock Band Network

  • “Determined (Vows of Vengeance)” – Kataklysm ($1.99)
  • “Hello Fascination” – Breathe Carolina ($1.99)
  • “Revolution” – Bang Camaro ($0.99)
  • “The Gun Show” – In This Moment ($1.99)
  • “Uncivilized” – Texas in July ($1.99)

Bundles

High Velocity Bowling – Move Bundle ($39.99)

PlayStation Home Items

God of War PlayStation Home Tattoo T-Shirt ($0.99)
God of War PlayStation Home Leaping Kratos T-Shirt ($0.99)

Avatars

Darkstalkers Avatars (x4) ($0.49)
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes (x4) ($0.49)

Game Videos (free)

NBA 2K11 – He’s Back Trailer

NBA 2K11 – The Jordan Interview Trailer

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Official Trailer

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Casino Street Trailer

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Lost Labyrinth Trailer

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Mad Gear Trailer

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Launch Trailer

The Tester Season 2: Episode 1

LittleBigPlanet – Marvel DLC Trailer

LittleBigPlanet 2 – Grappling Hook Featurette

Heavy Rain: Cutting Room Floor

Heavy Rain: Non-Linearity

Beat Sketcher – Gameplay Trailer

Surround Sound System Video

PS3 Themes

TV Superstars: Big Beat Kitchen Theme (free)

TV Superstars: DIY Raw Theme (free)

TV Superstars: Frockstar Theme (free)

TV Superstars: Hosts Theme (free)

TV Superstars: Let’s Get Physical Theme (free)

TV Superstars: STAA Theme (free)

TV Superstars: Set Theme (free)

Dead Nation Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Spectrum Theme ($0.99)

Manga Theme ($0.99)

Redemption Theme ($1.49)

Blue Tiger Camo Premium Theme ($2.99)

New FlingSmash Screens Emerge

Jack Joly
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Accompanying the release of the Japanese official website for the game, FlingSmash has recieved a whole whost of new screenshots showcasing the game in all its glory. It is the latest game from Nintendo, and will release very soon in collaboration with the built in Wii MotionPlus Wii Remote. In fact, as the game is completely and utterly based on the MotionPlus technology as it requires a level of sensitivity beyond that of a normal Wii Remote, come launch, the game will actually be bundled with a new Wii MotionPlus Controller. This is similar to Wii Play, which as you’ll remember came with a normal controller, which means, like Wii Play, the package will be good value for money.

FlingSmash, bundled with the new Wii Motion Plus controller, will release on the 18th November.  







Live stream – Blast from the past

Justin Mienkiewicz
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Well, I’m bored and whether you like it or not, I’m going to stream what I play today.  Today I’m going to play only on my N64, bringing me back to the “golden age”, if you will, of gaming.  A few of the games you will probably never have heard due to my niche interest in the cult classic “genre”, but rest assured, they are all great.  Enough talk, scroll on down to the stream to see what gaming in the 90’s was like.

New Information Rises for Inkub’s WiiWare Release…

Dustin Spencer
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Recently, we told you about Cosmonaut’s latest game, Inkub, which is available now in the now in the AppStore. Inkhub was originally created for the WiiWare service though and Cosmonaut has released some of the first details on what to expect from the Wii version of the tower defense title.

Here is a full list of features for the WiiWare version, and while they look to be a lot like the features for the iPhone/iPad, the Wii’s motion controls will come into play to create a different experience for Wii owners.

  • 3 Difficulty Levels: 3 different difficulty levels have been prepared so that you
    can adjust the game to you ability.
  • Adventure Mode: 5 different Worlds, each of them containing 8 rounds. A total
    of 40 rounds full of action, enemies and danger where you must prove your
    defense skills.
  • Survival Mode: Beat the record in each one of the game worlds in this non-stop
    mode, where each wave is stronger than the previous one.
  • Scenario Rotation: With an innovative play system, use the Wii Remote™ to
    rotate the level perspectives and access the rear tubes.
  • Sniper: Discover special rounds where you must point and shoot the enemies.
  • Enemies: Up to 21 enemy feature variations available.
  • Weapons: Up to 24 variations in all of the weapons at your disposal.
  • Files: Review enemies and weapons in the game files. Learn more about each
    of the available weapons and the enemy features.
  • Unlocking system: Unlock weapons, enemies and play modes as you pass
    each one of the Adventure Mode rounds.
  • Complete soundtrack with 7 songs performed by El Topo Negro

    • As well as announcing the official WiiWare release, Cosmonaut has also released a new trailer which you can check out below. No official date has been given but I would expect to see Inkub debuting on the Wii by the end of the year. I still am very pumped to see this unique game in action and as soon as prices and the date is released for Inkub, we will be sure to let you know.

    Nicole Scherzinger Loans Her Vocal Talent for the New Goldeneye..

    Dustin Spencer
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    Unless your living under a rock, you are probably well aware that the new re-imagining of Goldeneye is now in stores. Yes, everyone is excited about the new gameplay engine and many more elements, but one thing Bond games and films have been known for is the high presentation value for the opening credits. In Goldeneye 007 for the Nintendo Wii and DS, players will get to get their 007 experience started off right as Activision enlisted Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger to perform a cover of Tina Turner’s memorable theme from the Goldeneye movie for the new video game.

    I personally like the new theme myself as it fits well and does Tina’s version justice, but you can judge for yourself by picking up game as it is now in stores in the U.S.. Activision also created a special behind the scenes look at the making of the opening credits. In the video, cameras follow Nicole and the crew as the song is remade for Goldeneye as well as a bit of insight on the Bond series as a whole music-wise. You can check the video out below but you might want to turn down your speakers as high notes hit may bust some eardrums out there.

    Crafting Mama – Review

    Dustin Spencer
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    Game Name: Crafting Mama
    Platform(s): Nintendo DS
    Publisher(s): Majesco
    Developer(s): Cooking Mama Limited
    Genre(s): Simulatation, Mini-game
    Release Date: October 26, 2010 (US), November 11, 2010 (AU) November 12, 2010 (EU)
    Price: $29.99 (US)

    After spending time in the kitchen and the garden, Mama is back in a brand new title which lets player’s craft different items with Mama in the classic mini-game setup. While some may put this off as a more casual title, I was quite surprised to find out there is more that meets the eye with this one and I will go over all of these elements in a moment. Here is my review for Crafting Mama.

    crafting-mama-screenshot-02

    Story
    Let’s face it, the Mama franchise has never been known for it’s story. This one is no different as the main plot of the game is to create various objects from scratch in short mini-games with Mama as your guide and judge. Mama hasn’t changed at all character wise, with the same trademark dialogue and appearance since the original Cooking Mama still in tact. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t fit with the game, as Crafting is right up Mama’s Alley as everything fits perfectly into place and the title does not lose a bit of it’s charm since from the last incarnation.

    Gameplay
    There are many different elements of gameplay in Crafting Mama. While it is made of of MANY types of mini-games, each one plays differently from the other and I was surprised just how much content was in the game. Getting started in the game you select the “Let’s Craft” mode to bring up different items you must help Mama create. From pinwheels, candles, origami, and many other items, there is a lot to create in this mode.

    When you pick an item out to craft, you will be taken into a screen to select the first mini-game in your path to completion of the project. For instance, if your making a candle, the first will be to crush up a set number of rolling candles in a certain amount of time, then you must pick a color, melt the wax, and shape and add the wick so attention to detail is very present withing the game. Now mini-games like this may sound simple, and believe me, a lot of the mini-games just consist of doing simple things such as tapping on the screen, but over the course of the game these tasks can actually provide a bit of challenge as the game throws in mini-games that require fast thinking and precise stylus movement to complete the said game. Overall I found most of these to be fun and the game actually teaches you how to make these items pretty well so the whole family can take something from the overall experience.

    crafting-mama-screenshot-11

    That brings me to the controls. The whole game is controlled via the touch screen and as I mentioned, almost all of the mini-games take full advantage of this. I didn’t notice any problems with accuracy, but there is from time to time objectives in certain games that don’t make a lot of sense with the chore at hand. What I mean by this is that some games just make too much out of a simple task like cutting images out of paper where the slightest movement makes you completely restart the cut, and with a timer to back up this task as well, this becomes a bit more tedious than fun. I imagine since the main audience for the title are younger, this would be one that might make them lose interest in the mini-game and switch to one of the more fun projects in the game.

    When you complete a task, Mama will judge you on your performance and award you a gold, silver, or bronze button depending on well the task was completed based on time and presentation. You can always go back and aim for a better score as well so if you completely screw up, no score is set in stone. With a practice option also available, you can easily master the mini-game in question before getting officially judged which is great for perfectionists out there.

    Replay value should not be a problem whatsoever. As you complete crafts, you not only unlock paintings for your gallery, you unlock new ways to play with even more projects to complete and mini-games that let you take your creation and try them out for yourself. The best example for this is the ocarina you build from scratch. I thought just creating this item was enjoyable to start with, but the mini-game where you get to use it is one of the best in the whole game as you use rhythm-action cues to play a melody with your freshly made creation. Every craft has a “Play” feature like this, and while not all are interesting, most demand to be tried out and I spent hours just going through all the various options in this mode. Some crafts even have different variants you can you create with different colors, shapes and sizes. There is even a mystery mode which let’s players make an item they know nothing about going in and discover what exactly they are building as the mini-games play out. The game really can last as long as it can hold your attention, and with some addictive mini-games, going back shouldn’t be too hard for any gamer.

    crafting-mama-screenshot-03

    Graphics/Audio
    Everything in Crafting Mama is bright and colorful from the menus to the crafts themselves. Mama looks exactly the same, angry flaming eyes and all and each craft looks like the real-life counterpart. Even little details are easy to spot and a lot of the visual charm applied should easily capture the core audience’s attention throughout the whole experience of playing.

    The music in the game in nothing too memorable when it comes to the melodies played while creating, but fits with the overall feel of the game. Mama sounds a bit like a Japanese woman who just learned how to speak English but if you have played the series you should be used to that by now. The sound effects are on key with every action as well, from slicing, playing tunes from handmade instruments and sawing through woodwork. Overall, the sound blends in to the charm filled world perfectly and keeps the mini-games upbeat and entertaining.

    Overall
    While Crafting Mama may have been created for kids, this game has one huge thing that a lot of educational and casual games on the market do not, and that is a pleasant experience that can easily be picked up by someone of any age. Not only are the projects within the game interesting with fun mini-games, I actually started getting nostalgic of the homemade crafts I used to make in class when I was younger, and for a game to be able to achieve this feeling says quite a lot about the title itself. While some of the mini-games are overly simple and even tedious at times, Crafting Mama is packed full to provide something for every kind of gamer out there and is easily worth the price-tag as it is captures it’s whole premise and does everything advertised and so much more.

    I Give Crafting Mama:
    8-5-capsules-out-of-10

    Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 blasts onto shelves today!

    Travis Bruno
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    Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 blasts onto shelves today!

    Anticipating your favorite Anime and Manga based fighting game after playing the demos available on the PSN and the XBLM? Then you are in luck because today Namco Bandai has released Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 onto store shelves. After being developed by Spike, this newest Raging Blast game will bring the fight even closer to what fans have come to expect from the fast paced Dragon Ball Z.

    Raging Blast 2 is going to feature all of the same gameplay elements that fans of the series love and adore, such as destructible environments, the trademark attacks and transformations of different characters and a brand new Raging Soul System which brings characters to a special state of battle frenzy, increasing their combat abilities and boosting them to an all new level of power.

    Not only that but for the first time ever, there will be an exclusive half-hour Dragon Ball Anime episode named Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans. This newest chapter will be available on both console versions, but you will be unable to find them anywhere else so it will be a must buy for fans of the series.

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