Boss Kamikaze

E3 2009: Modern Warfare 2 Preview - Putting the Wood Back in Hollywood

2009-06-16T17:55:00.001+01:00

I’ll hold my hands up here and admit this ... I was supremely underwhelmed with the showing of Modern Warfare 2 at this year’s Microsoft press conference. I’m not sure why, it just didn’t “wow” me like COD4 did when I first saw it a few years back. After a long bloody few days at E3 and with 30 minutes of the show left on the last day, I had one game left to see, Modern Warfare 2. In the end I couldn’t have planned it any better, ending such a successful show with a bang and with Infinity Ward restoring my faith in their franchise. That’s a double whammy closer if there ever was one. Before I go on, let me first point out that the walkthrough that took place behind closed doors was an extended version of the one at the conference and from a personal standpoint ... the press conference unveiling skipped out the best bits which made it seemed disjointed.
With Infinity Ward’s Drew McCoy at the helm, we pick up the mission, “Cliffhanger,” right at the beginning with fan favourite MacTavish on hand to assist McCoy’s character, “Roach.” It might be worth noting at this point that Modern Warfare 2 is in fact a direct sequel to the 2007 title and similarly, tells the story from multiple perspectives. This scene will be familiar to people who managed to see the Microsoft press conference, but being in a more intimate environment allowed us to pick up on things that were lost in the white noise of the Monday morning conference. It tended to be the little things we noticed more ... the impressive attention to detail. As Roach traversed the cliff edge and continued to climb the cliff-face, we couldn’t help but notice the little things, like the ice gripping onto MacTavish’s beard, the much more refined and impressive character models, the wind whistling across the cliff-face wildly blowing about the tassels on Roach’s jacket and the ice cracks getting steadily bigger the longer Roach’s ice-pick stayed embedded in the icy cliff-face.
The first part of the mission was to stealth through an enemy encampment taking advantage of the low level visibility and harsh conditions. Roach and MacTavish made use of their suppressed rifles and heart beat detectors on their weapons to get in unannounced. Just after Roach places the C4 on the fuel station, the press conference gameplay cut away, however, luckily for us, the mission continued. The attention to detail continued to become more apparent the further the mission went on, whether we highlight the light snow fall, the harsh winds echoing across the base or the MiGs flying overhead, they all help create an atmosphere. An atmosphere and mood that helps you get immersed in the gameplay and the world that Infinity Ward have created.

(this screenshot is not associated with the walkthrough. Infinity Ward & Activision have only released 3 fairly generic and random screens so far ... but we want to make it look pretty of course)

From this point, MacTavish ordered Roach to sneak around the back of one of the hangars and make his way towards the mission objective. Roach made his way up a flight of stairs inside of the hangers and eventually found himself at the target computer where he continued to download the sensitive information. It’s at this point the shit really hits the fan. Unfortunately the stealth mission was about to turn a little John Rambo. Your superior, MacTavish, appears to have been compromised and that means that Plan B is now the only viable solution if both of you are to get out of there alive. As the enemy troops approach MacTavish, the previously placed C4 is detonated creating a distraction, allowing Roach to storm in and save the day. It’s about here that the Microsoft press conference drops back into the action.
The next area was just all out war as Roach and MacTavish attempted to flee the base and head for the extraction point whilst having to contend with the enemy on full alert along the way. It’s here we encountered a much more open and less linear environment that we really didn’t see much of in the original. Whether this is a sign of things to come for the title, who knows, we don’t. This was a vertical splice and we’re not mind readers ... yet.
The next scene – listen to me, I’m talking as if it’s a film now – takes Roach and MacTavish down a large snowy embankment. One scripted MacTavish ice-pick to the chest later and you’ll find yourself aboard a snowmobile heading to extract. Before I make obvious note of the “ZOMG, rideable vehicles in Modern Warfare 2!!!!!1!” I must draw attention to the impressive and realistic character animations that I’d seen throughout; the MacTavish ice-pick to the chest incident was just a perfect example of that realism. Where was I? Oh, I know ... vehicles. Of course the snowmobile means that Modern Warfare 2 will feature at least one rideable vehicle, but how far they take that remains to be seen. McCoy did add though that there was “no vehicle mandate” stating the snowmobile fits from a design perspective.
Halfway through the snowmobile chase the Microsoft press conference showing faded out and ended. I’m not sure why though, because the huge downhill chase scene – showing off the large environment and impressive draw distance – that followed, was one of my highlights of the presentation. If I could use one word to describe it, “wow” might actually be pretty damn appropriate. When MacTavish and Roach reached the end of the run, one cliché Hollywood style jump across a large crevice later and our two boys are at the extraction point and the presentation ends.

The Modern Warfare 2 engine has been tweaked and upgraded since COD4, and rightly so as well. Infinity Ward highlighted a few key upgrades that allowed them to get the best out of the engine for Modern Warfare 2. The first tech upgrade was now that the engine features “texture streaming,” ultimately allowing bigger environments and a much higher level of detail in the world to be portrayed. That much was apparent in the walkthrough. The second major upgrade was the enemy AI, as Infinity Ward sought to make it more dynamic, which must be a necessity especially with their new focus on creating bigger environments. Seeing as not all the action took place in narrow corridors, the scripted AI of COD4 would never have worked. Now the enemies will be more aware of their surroundings, whether it be where they are, posing behind cover for instance, or where you are; watch out for that melee now. This essentially means that they’ll move around and the battles should never be the same, giving it that more natural and instinctive feeling.
Infinity Ward seems to be back on form with Modern Warfare 2, but then again, are they ever off form? Questions regarding campaign length were inevitably answered with the usual non-committal response, “we’re not sure yet.” A similar non-committal response was issued when questions regarding the multiplayer were pinged around, although they did remind us of the two exclusive Xbox 360 map packs being available after launch. What we did see on show was Infinity Ward delivering another Hollywood style shooter with plenty of variation throughout. Our first impressions of the shooter, out this fall, are that this bad boy oozes class and style, and we’re excited to see more of the title in the coming months.
Modern Warfare 2 is currently slated for a November 10th release in North America. Europe should expect it on the 13th.

Source: X360A.org

E3 2009: Dragon Age: Origins Preview - Birds, Bees and Dragons

2009-06-15T20:09:00.001+01:00

It seems like Dragon Age: Origins has been hovering around in the background for some time now ... that’s because it has. Announced as far back as E3 2004, Dragon Age: Origins, the “spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate,” has been in production now for well over 6 years. For BioWare fans and those eagerly anticipating the game, the wait is nearly over as Dragon Age: Origins will be with us by the end of October. The fantasy RPG was one of three BioWare titles on show at this year’s E3 and we got the chance to see it in action, better still ... we actually saw a dragon! Seriously! It only took 6 years.

Dragon Age: Origins casts you into the role of a Grey Warden plagued with the formidable task of stopping the Blight from raining down death and destruction on the fantasy world. The Wardens are an ancient order that have been around for a long time, longer than Oprah apparently, and have long stood to defend the world from the Blight. The Blight are ravenous dark spawn who are unified by an arch demon (you know, that big dragon we keep seeing) by bringing them to the surface where they spoil the lands and poison the water. Seeing as the Wardens are the only ones able to defeat an arch demon, the fate of the world rests in their hands.
Your story begins from one of six different origins which not only affects your introduction into the game, but so much more. Like many other BioWare games, Dragon Age: Origins has deep seated roots in choice and consequence which will intertwine with the main themes of the game; violence, lust and betrayal. The demonstration at E3 allowed us to see a softer side of the game as Lead Designer, Mike Laidlaw focussed on the relationship and lust aspect, and what sort of implications and bonuses it can carry.

Dragon Age: Origins allows you, the player, to fuse meaningful relationships with various characters in your party. Your decisions effectively dictate how they act as part of your party, with some decisions improving their combat efficiency as they gain faith in your leadership, and other decisions having an opposite effect. We pick up our Warden about 30-40 hours into the game in the party camp – a moving location that allows you to interact with your allies in a peaceful locale. Our Warden’s current love interest is Leliana, a master archer who has shared many an intimate moment with our hero (or villain). To stir the boat a little here and demonstrate the party reaction and interaction aspects of the title, Laidlaw navigates across the encampment to Morrigan, the parties’ sorceress.
Morrigan has a hunger for collecting lore and rituals, and just as chance would have it, our Grey Warden has a book of secrets that she may be interested in. After handing over the book to the busty wench, Morrigan acquires a new skill meaning she will peform better in combat. This is all down to her being much more assured of your leadership. Up until now, Morrigan has been rather flirty with you, and this new act has opened up the chance for our Warden to bed this fair maiden. At this point, you can choose which way to pursue it. Being a live demonstration, Laidlaw decided to pursue the Morrigan love interest but of course skipped the “love scene” (let’s see Fox blow this one out of proportion). “Love isn’t free guys,” Laidlaw jokes.

Each of your party members in Dragon Age: Origins will have their own characteristics – all members will have needs, motives and desires. As a result of your womanising, Leliana is quite pissed off to say the least and demands you make a choice between her and Morrigan, and show them both a little respect. Laidlaw went with the crowd on this one choosing Morrigan as the Warden’s true holder of his heart. As a result, Leliana now becomes disapproving of our main character which will negatively affect her in combat. Laidlaw comments that you can actually disgruntle them enough to make them leave your party, and on some instances if things escalate fast enough, force them into attacking you. The whole interaction with your party seems like a complex and intuitive system but only reading what your character says rather than hearing dialogue seems a bit of a faux pas to us and a little 1990. Don’t expect anything as advanced as Mass Effect’s dialogue because you’ll be sorely disappointed.

The second part of the presentation/walkthrough was more combat orientated as the Warden and co. head out to visit Flemeth, the source of the book of the secrets you gave Morrigan, and her mother. Flemeth was not only expecting your confrontation but heavily infers that Morrigan is just using you, and using sex as a weapon – something that Laidlaw commented was entirely possible. This puts you in a bind giving you the option to abandon Morrigan to her fate, work with Flemeth to cast her over to the old witch or kill Flemeth. As usual, the almighty power of sex presides and so the Warden chooses to kill Flemeth ... or at least try. Did we mention that Flemeth was a shapeshifting mage who could turn into a dragon? Ah ha ... course we didn’t.

So our band of merry men face off against the huge dragon and its multi dimensional stomps, tail sweeps and kicks. There is at this moment in time an awful lot of blood spillage going on, and the Warden and his allies seem to be struggling. It’ll be up to Morrigan to heal the wounded and shapeshift into a spider to poison the dragon before the Warden can gain the upper hand. Whilst Morrigan’s trickery had the dragon distracted, it gave the Grey Warden enough time to mount Flemeth the dragon and drive a sword through her skull ... as you do, pretty much wrapping up the demonstration.
Dragon Age: Origins looks to be shaping up to be a fantasy RPG of many different dimensions but nothing on show struck me in the face as being outstanding. The interactivity of the party does seem pretty complex and in-depth, and combined with the choice and consequence aspects of the title; it could really bring the game into its own. However, I’m still pretty astounded that in the 21st century, with a renowned developer like BioWare, we still have to read text from the bottom of a screen for our main character’s dialogue outside of the cut scenes. You’ve also got to question why for such a huge trade show like E3, BioWare decided that a 15 minute presentation on the birds and the bees in Dragon Age, finishing off with 5 minutes of combat was a good balance. Of course, it’s a BioWare title, so you’ve got to expect a powerful story and delivery, but everything from the presentation just screamed Carry On Lord of The Rings. Sure there was blood and gore, but after seeing the trailers released in the build up to E3, I had to question whether I was looking at the same game. Let’s hope for a better showing in Cologne in August.

Dragon Age: Origins will be available on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this coming October 20th in North America and what we can only assume is October 23rd in Europe.

Source: X360A.org

Fight Night Round 4 - Put Your Face in the Game

2009-06-15T19:57:00.001+01:00

Ever wanted to see what your face looks like after Muhammad Ali steps in the ring with you? Ever wanted to see what your brother's face looks like when you've stepped in the ring with him? Well now, thanks to EA, you can ... without actually doing it.

Fight Night Round 4's "Photo Game Face" allows you to do just that, without having an Xbox Live Vision camera as well which will surely please some people. Pretty nifty little, although pointless, feature and if anyone wants to knock me out come June 25th (European release date), I'll whack my face up so you can download it and knock ten tonnes of crap out of me. Hey, and who said I did nothing for you guys?

Sorry for no News!

2009-05-31T12:00:00.000+01:00

If your wondering why my Blog hasn't been updated for the last few days its becaise the charger of my laptop is broke and I need to get a new one soon.

Infinity Ward Launches YouTube Channel

2009-05-26T21:23:00.001+01:00

Well today Infinity Ward launches their Official YouTube Channel. So head over there and have a look while your here why not have a look at the new Modern Warfare 2 Screenshots Here.

Namco Reveals Dragon Ball: Raging Blast

2009-05-26T18:58:00.001+01:00

Namco Europe today announced Dragon Ball: Raging Blast, which is set to be the first title in the Budokai Tenkaichi range to come to next generation platforms, and will drop in PAL territories this coming autumn.

Set to feature interactive and destructible environments, players will be able to smash their opponents into the surroundings to enhance their damage count and gain the upper hand in battles. Raging Blast boasts superior graphics and characters will have enhanced facial expressions to immerse players further into the Dragon Ball universe.

BioShock 2 lets you shut off the Vita Chambers!

2009-05-25T19:31:00.001+01:00

Any masochists in the room? Don't be shy, go ahead and raise your self-battered hands. We've got great news for these deviant individuals -- in a recent interview with CVG, 2K Marin executive producer Alyssa Finley explained that the original BioShock's easily exploitable respawn points, Vita Chambers, can be turned off in BioShock 2, allowing the player to die without the luxury of a self-cloning safety net.
It was an option that last year's BioShock DLC (as well as the PS3 version of the game) afforded to its more hardcore players. And by "hardcore," we mean "absolutely insane." Seriously, during our first jaunt through Rapture, we died more times than Bill Murray did in Groundhog Day.

Bionic Commando Rearmed is Deal of the Week

2009-05-25T16:50:00.001+01:00

It's a proud and momentous day in gaming today. I can for once, with a tear in my eye and my glass raised high, report that this week's Deal of the Week is actually pretty damn good. Deal of the Week meet Bionic Commando Rearmed.

Not only is this week's title a solid title, and one that everyone should experience, but at 400 Microsoft Points ... it's a bloody bargain! Seriously ... stop whatever you are doing right now and go and pick this up ... or not. But you only have a week, so don't drag your feet.

Remember, this is open for gold membership only.

[Via Major Nelson]

Brand New Modern Warfare 2 Site Launched

2009-05-25T16:44:00.001+01:00

In celebration of the release of Modern Warfare 2’s full teaser trailer this morning, Infinity Ward’s put up the game’s official site.

There’s not much on there, but you will find three screens. Hoopla.

It’s out in November

Updated: New Modern Warfare 2 Screenshots

2009-05-25T15:22:00.001+01:00

Update: Thanks for @SnakeEyes5 on Twitter for informing me of more screenshots.

Check Out These New Screenshots for Modern Warfare 2.

Please Re-Tweet And Leave a comment on what you think of them.

(Click On Images For Full Size Image)

Please Leave A Comment Below.

Hold Up: Xbox LIVE Gold 12+1 Month Card – Only $39.96 At Amazon! Great Deal!

2009-05-25T14:59:00.001+01:00

List Price:
$49.99

Price:
$39.96 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

You Save:
$10.03 (20%)

Grab the 12 +1 Month Xbox LIVE gold card for $39.96 with FREE shipping and no tax in most states @ Amazon!

Use this card to add an addition 13 months to your existing Xbox LIVE membership, or of course to create a new Xbox LIVE account. You don't have to wait until your membership gets down to the last month. In fact, you could buy 2 of these and stack 26 months of Xbox LIVE Gold membership bliss well into the future!

Check it out: Amazon - Xbox LIVE 12 + 1 Month Gold Card

What do you think about this deal!

Modern Warfare 2 Extended Trailer HD

2009-05-25T14:22:00.001+01:00

The Highly Anticipated Second Trailer For Modern Warfare 2. So All I Can Say Is Sit Back And Hold On To Something and Watch 2 Minutes Of Modern Warfare 2 Awesomeness, Also Please ReTweet This if you have Twitter And leave A Comment Below.

Let's Talk Big Daddy Prototype

2009-05-25T14:14:00.001+01:00

We've already gotten the first third-person look at BioShock 2 Big Daddy — in the sequel players get to be this "new" Big Daddy. New to us, but not the in-game world.

"The player doesn't just play any Big Daddy, he plays a prototype Big Daddy — the very first one that was successfully created," BioShock 2 exec producer Alyssa Finley told website CVG. And as a prototype, this Big Daddy is quicker and more agile than the standard Daddy. The prototype also has the ability to switch weapons and use plasmids. However! It is not as powerful as the other Big Daddies.

"Another thing that is special about the prototype Big Daddy is that he has somehow regained his free will which is a very important distinction," said Finley. That free will allows players to grapple with the moral choices and interact with Little Sisters. "You aren't a stranger to them, you are Mr. Bubbles and they look to you for protection," Finley added. "What you do with that trust is your choice as the player."

Questions that remain include how the player became the first Big Daddy and why did someone think a quicker, more agile Big Daddy should only remain a prototype?

E3 2009: GOW III Demo & A New Firmware Is A Possibility ??

2009-05-24T22:14:00.001+01:00

There has been rumours that Sony’s plan for E3 2009 includes a God Of War 3 Demo & A New Firmware update that will bring along the 3D Games/Movies which is currently in development by Next3D.

Sony Released This following the rumours, they replied,

”For now we’ll have to keep our quite, but everyone will found out soon as E3 is just a week away from us, it’ll be worth the wait”.

I believe that it is impossible that Sony will release a demo for the game which might not even make it to the retail stores this year, but saying “it’ll be worth the wait” in the end could be a signal towards God Of War III Demo & a new Firmware Update or it could be something else.

Yet again we are left with no choice but to wait for E3 which kicks off on 01/6/2009.

Share Your Thoughts By Commenting Below.

PlayStation Home Dares You to Step Inside Xi

2009-05-24T22:08:00.001+01:00

Xi, the adventure based in PlayStation Home, took another step into the real world this week as a select group of players met with characters face-to-face – in a limousine.

The meetings were ‘recruitment interviews’ to join Veilcorp, a mysterious corporation whose motives have always been unclear.

But now their aims are becoming clearer. All of the candidates in both New York and Los Angeles were given a pen during their interview. Each pen contained a USB stick hiding passwords to a restricted area of the Veilcorp website. And it looks like Veilcorp has had plenty of reasons to keep their dirty business secret…
To find out more, switch on your PS3, download Home, and look for the Xi graffiti in the main square. The recap video in the Hub will help you catch up with the action.

Meanwhile, check out the video of some of the candidates in New York. (We’re not sure if these two guys were candidates as well or just big fans of Veilcorp.)

Tecmo Announces Family Fun Football for Wii

2009-05-24T22:06:00.001+01:00

Having already revived Tecmo Bowl on the DS last year (to middling results), Tecmo now plans to bring a more simplistic brand of gridiron action to the Wii with Family Fun Football.

As the name telegraphs, the game is planned squarely for the casual market. There will be 10 unique teams (no NFL license, of course, given EA's exclusivity) that have varying player attributes. The game will also offer a simple playbook that "makes it easy for everyone to learn and understand the game of football," and in a Mario Kart-style nod, random power-ups will be awarded throughout games through a slot-style system, which temporarily increase a player's speed, strength, passing, and interception abilities.

And of course, because this is a casual Wii sports game, there is the legally mandated inclusion of 10 mini-games, although none were detailed in the press release. Players will also be able to unlock the option to play as Miis, as well. Full Details Below.

Simple Playbook: Catering to the casual gamers, Family Fun Football offers a coaching playbook that makes it easy for everyone to learn and understand the game of football.

Colorful Stadiums: There will be a total of five stadiums that include a fun mix of realistic and fantasy worlds such as a space themed stadium.

Power-ups: During gameplay, each player can be rewarded with a power-up from a slot-style system that can enhance certain attributes including speed, strength, passing, and interception for a limited amount of time.

Mini-Games: Ten fun and simple mini-games can be played with up to four players.

Teams: Ten unique teams with their own attributes that players can choose to play competitively with.

Mascot Mode: Players can play as their default character or their team's mascot in Mascot Mode! Mascots include animals, aliens and robots and additional, unlockable mascot heads.

Mii Compatibility: Unlock the ability to play as your Mii and load in your own caricatures and play against your friends' and family's Miis for a more personal experience.

Developed by Seamless Entertainment, the Wii exclusive Family Fun Football is scheduled for a fall 2009 release. The game has not yet been rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

Yanks Can Gate Crash Canada's 1 vs. 100 Beta

2009-05-24T21:43:00.001+01:00

Deux-deux-deuxs and Cuban cigars are joined by the 1 vs. 100 closed beta on the list of semi-forbidden indulgences Americans are sneaking from across the great northern border. Virtually of course.

Kotaku reader Tai Youkai Sama figured out how to do it rather simply. He found nothing prevented him from creating a Canada-based Xbox Live account, then using it to send his U.S. - based account reminder notices the next time 1 vs. 100 went live. Bingo, when he accepted the notice, it allowed him to download the beta. And from there, he was able to invite plenty of Yanks to also download the game and peek in on the fun. Here's what they saw and what you might see, unless and until Microsoft tightens the IP filtering and kicks us out.

• As of now, all prizes are bogus - that goes for the Xbox Live Arcade games The Mob wins when The One craps out, as well as any Microsoft Points accumulated by The One, who is given the option of cashing out early or trying to outlast all 100 in the Mob. Since the cash doesn't exist, there's no reason to take the money and run, although some players yesterday didn't know that.

• Stephen's observations about questions being too easy also is right on the mark. Unfortunately, this can cause the bored to outsmart themselves, thinking that the obvious answer is a red herring. (There will always be at least one blatantly obvious incorrect answer.) I incorrectly answered that South America, not Australia, was home to the most marsupials, simply because I figured there might be a ton of possum down there or something. Don't make it complicated, because it's not.

• Two people were able to beat the entire mob of 100 last night. I'm sure this is partly because they had nothing to lose, so everyone kept playing, but I doubt Microsoft wants that to happen so frequently.

• The more dated questions proved to be the most difficult. A question about Dolly Parton singing the title song in "9 to 5," a 1980 movie, booted a bunch of people from the Mob. On the other hand, a question about "Mr. Dressup," a Canadian children's show, weeded out all the Americans.

• The host did live phone interviews with previous winners from the evening. (One, from Prince Edward Island, won playing on her brother's XBL account. I'm sure this will be an issue going forward.) None of The Ones, nor did it appear that anyone featured from the Mob, was from the U.S. I'm not sure if they're region-locking your ability to get into The Mob. (I didn't, and none of my friends did.) It's still fun to play along.

• The advertising is also inoffensive and largely organic. Really, it's a gameshow, so you have to expect the sponsor breaks. Plus it allows you to get up and pee or grab a beer, or check your stats. I saw spots for Sprint and a Naruto DVD during breaks. However, one question about a Burger King ad from 2006 led me to believe that some of the questions themselves could be sponsored. I hope not.

• The avatars' reactions are delightful. Especially when The One is sweating out a question or calling in for help. My avatar didn't seem to be doing much of anything up in the audience though, even though my other three party members were dancing, roof-raising and doing all sorts of things. I was wondering if I was doing, or not doing, something to cause that, or if I was inert on my screen but going crazy on everyone else's.

So, there you have it - a look inside the closed beta for all the non-Canadians, and a way to possibly get in on the action. 1 vs. 100 is a very innovative, very memorable experience the first time you do it. I'm looking forward to tonight's play. I'm not sure how long the replay value will last - this is for now a cool thing to do with my long weekend. But once Microsoft adds real prizes, that should boost interest, and fun, considerably.

Bethesda Didn't Actively Seek President Clinton for Fallout 3

2009-05-24T21:25:00.001+01:00

Remember that bizarre story about former president Bill Clinton being approached for the role of the president in Fallout 3? Well as it turns out, that was more about an overzealous casting agent than anything Bethesda actually wanted. Speaking to Variety's The Cut Scene blog (via Kotaku), Pete Hines, Bethesda's vice president of public relations and marketing, says they never actually asked for Clinton to be approached for the role.

The story originated from an interview with Lev Chapelsky, general manager of Blindlight, a talent acquisition agency. Chapelsky told Edge that "we've made offers to Bill Clinton for video games and gotten great responses with attorneys who have said, 'The former president will not participate in one of your video game products, thank you very much.'"

But now according to Hines, that was never exactly at Bethesda's request,

"Before they would pitch us on someone like Clinton, they may first go ask if he would do something like that," Hines said. "In no way, shape or form, did we say President Clinton is who we want for this role or (tell Blindlight to) go chase him."

Still, it would have been pretty cool if Clinton actually agreed to it, wouldn't it have? Maybe they can get George W. Bush whenever they get around to Fallout 4?

Switzerland is Suddenly More inFamous!

2009-05-24T21:21:00.001+01:00

Reports are just coming in about broken street dates for Sony’s highly anticipated game, inFamous, all over Switzerland.
This comes just 3 days before the scheduled release. No word yet on what retailers are participating, or if it just a nation-wide occurrence. Just to prove it, here is an image of a lucky buyer.

Fable II Player Has 539 Children!

2009-05-24T21:13:00.001+01:00

Talk about going for the record books! A gamer who goes by the Xbox Live Gamertag: Evan1357 has spawned an army of pixelated children in Fable II. Evan1357 leads all gamers in the breeding category with 539 children. Yes five hundred and thirty-nine children. That's a whole lot of unprotected sex. You can check out a Youtube video of Evan with his little rascals Below.

Please Leave A Comment Below And If You Have Twitter Please ReTweet This Post!

More hints for Capcom’s secret E3 game

2009-05-24T19:48:00.001+01:00

As the days until E3 officially begin wind down, Capcom continues to leave a few hints about their secret E3 game. Thus far, the company has left a number of teases for gamers to speculate about: It’s something fans have been waiting for, it’s from a classic Capcom IP, and it’s not a remake. Oh, and it’s not Devil May Cry 5 either. Capcom is again being asked questions about the game on their twitter account and handed out two more hints. First, it’s not a fighting game. Rather, it was answered that it is an action game. That rules out all of the Capcom’s fighting IPs such as Marvel vs. Capcom. The other hint that was released is that Capcom Japan is developing the title. So this title is an in-house developed game unlike titles like Spyborgs.

Kojima Are To Reveal Zone Of The Enders 3?

2009-05-24T19:36:00.001+01:00

“It all started when I was working on my last article; it contained a section that required exploring the flash page that Kojima created to tease gamers with his next project. When I reached the page, I noticed the countdown with symbols in the background that flash every few seconds randomly. I saw the four symbols: “5“, “3“, “E“, and a lower case “e”. After all, that is exactly what I read in many articles posted on countless websites.

However, the first thing that caught my eye was the presence of a pattern, which is something that I did not read in any article. More importantly, I also noticed that the so-called lower case “e” looks to me more like a reversed “9“. In fact, it was the only symbol out of the ordinary; meaning, not only was it the only symbol that could not be read, but it was also the only one that was reversed!

In addition, I noticed that the symbols started in a certain order, and then they became random for about two minutes before resetting again to the initial order which was the following: “5“, then “3“, and then “E“; that was the constant order that I saw every two minutes.

I then asked myself: “is it possible that the pattern is there for a reason?”. I then asked myself the following questions: “is it possible that the number 9 is reversed for a reason? and that I should reverse it back because that is the right way to read it?”. Finally, I asked myself one last question: “is it possible that in order to read the other symbols correctly, I must reverse them all in the same way I reversed the number 9?“, and as soon as I reversed them, the answer began to emerge before my very eyes. When I reversed each symbol, “5“….”3“….”E” suddenly became “Z“….”E“……”3“. In other words, Zone of the Enders 3!

In fact, when you think about it, you begin to realize that it was so brilliantly placed that arriving to my conclusion could not have been a meaningless interpretation. Furthermore, it actually makes perfect sense. After all, Kojima is known for constantly misleading and misdirecting his fans. To clarify, with the GDC 09 “Next MGS” screen, placing the number “5″ in the teaser, and including thunder and lightning on the flash page to suggest Raiden, which means thunder and lightning in Japanese, it just seemed too easy and obvious to actually be Metal Gear Solid 5; I believe that Kojima directed our focus in a certain direction that he wanted us to focus on in order for him to blow us away with something entirely different at E3 09. Moreover, Lords of Shadow was first announced at Leipzig Games Convention in August of 2008 as a multiplatform title developed by MercurySteam, and not Kojima Productions!

Lastly, the evidence has been presented to you, and the choice is yours; in addition, regardless of your reaction to this, one thing is clear, the evidence is compelling, and we will soon find out the truth regarding this matter. However, if Kojima does announce Zone of the Enders 3, all I ask is that you remember the source of that prediction.

God Bless You All

Master Samo”

Articile From Master Samo

Loads of New Mass Effect 2 Information Leaked On the Net

2009-05-23T21:59:00.001+01:00

Details from the July issue of Official Xbox Magazine leaked onto the net, this morning and it’s full of Mass Effect 2 information along with some DLC talk for the first Mass Effect. It is suggested that you take most of this as rumor until the new issue is released, but E3 will have already happened by then, so when it comes out, more than likely we will already know all of this.

As far as DLC for the original Mass Effect, that is not much of a shocker considering more gameplay for the title was was promised back in February. It will, however, be the last bit of anything until the sequel comes out. “We are definitely working on a substantial new DLC,” said BioWare to OXM. “We’re finishing it up and making sure that it’s going to be really good, and then we’ll announce it, probably pretty [soon]. “That’ll be the last thing between Mass Effect 1 and 2 in terms of content."

However, most of the article in the magazine talks about what will be shown by BioWare at E3 regarding Mass Effect 2. Apparently this includes whether Shepard is really dead, the new transit system, exploration of new worlds, who you will play, and more information on Thane. Check out all the details we know at this time below:

The leaked information is as follows:

You will play as Shepard, but for how long is unknown at this time

There is a new species called the Drell and Thane is a new character who is an assassin and may join your party

Planets - There will be a Krogan planet, and Illium, an Asari planet, that is like Coruscant from SW. Also there is “Omega” with is like an anti-Citadel in that it’s huge and it’s the bottom of the barrel whereas the Citadel is the height of civilization. Also a Cerebus mothership will act as a location of significance.

Story - The ultimate story is still civilization fending off the Reapers, but this chapter will deal with this Cerebus corporation and it’s enigmatic leader.

There are human civilizations disappearing and it’s up to Shepard to investigate, it’s termed as a “suicide mission” which may lead to the details of the teaser.

New vehicle that controls better than the Mako…a “new” control scheme.

Totally new and improved inventory system

Elevator system revamped where you will get the sense of scope of where you’re at and where you’re traveling.

No more texture pop ins.

Secondary races like Volus and Elcor are much more mobile, giving more depth and makes things more interesting.

Choices are more meaningful and there is a real risk that major support characters (i.e. anyone not Shepard) can and will die.

Also on the story, they’re super-hyping the ending, saying that it’s much more grand meaningful in ME2.

More weapons, more species, more/new team members, returning team members, locations, weapons.

Let me know your comments below!

Strawdog Studios Reveal “Space Ark”

2009-05-23T17:00:00.001+01:00

Strawdog Studios have unveiled thier latest game Space Ark, which will be released soon on Xbox Live Arcade.

Space Ark is a homage to the bright and bouncy arcade games of the late 80s such as Rainbow Island and Arkanoid, with an added mix of Pinball.

A wandering black hole has passed through the galaxy destroying planets and leaving others damaged and desolate in its wake. The Arkonauts - a team of space travelling animals - have been dispatched in their Space Ark on a mission to repair the damaged worlds so that their refugee inhabitants can return. You must aid the Arkonauts in their quest by bouncing them into the air to collect DNA (which helps to heal the planets) whilst also collecting bonuses and power-ups.

The game features:

Single or Multi-player (split screen)

180 levels (spread across 5 worlds),

5 mini games,

24 different Arkonauts to choose from,

Bonus levels

Power-ups

You can find out more about Space Ark by visiting http://www.strawdogstudios.com/games/spaceark

Let me know your comments below!

FUEL sets Guinness World Record

2009-05-23T16:56:00.001+01:00

It's about the same size as Trinidad & Tobago and larger than Honk kong, Singapore, St Lucia and the Isle of Man put together. What am I talking about? The open-world racing game FUEL of course. FUEL releases on our consoles 5th June 2009 and boasts a mammoth 5,560 square miles of open-world game terrain, officially making it the largest playable environment in console game history.

Guinness World Records presented Codemasters and Asobo Studio with a certificate that officially documents:

“Largest playable area in a console game: The largest playable environment in a console game is 5,560 square miles (14,400 km²), and is featured in FUEL (Codemasters, 2009). The area features rivers, deserts, forests and mountains and was demonstrated at the offices of Guinness World Records, London, UK, on 20 May 2009.”

Gaz Deaves, Video Games Records Manager for Guinness World Records said:

“We’ve been very impressed with the technology powering FUEL, and I’m pleased to welcome Asobo and Codemasters into the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition,”

“What we’ve seen from FUEL places it right at the cutting edge of the open-world racing genre and really raises the bar for games developers in the future.”

Phil Wright the Producer from Codemasters then said:

“We knew FUEL was going to be big,” said , “but to have this confirmed officially by Guinness World Records justifies our faith in this ground-breaking title. No other game comes close to offering the variety of environments, the range of vehicles or the sheer size of FUEL. It’s one of the most innovative racers ever, and we’re thrilled it’s been recognised as the biggest console game of all time.”

Wow. That is all I have to say. If you were putting it into perspective, it would take over 3 hours straight to drive from one side to the other according to Codemasters. Let's just hope there are a few little chef restaurants on the way to avoid us falling asleep on the long drive.

Let me know your comments below!