Developer: Bethesda

Platform: Xbox 360, PC

Cost: $10 (800 Microsoft Points)

The Pitt is the second offering of Fallout 3’s DLC and is exclusively for Xbox 360 and PC. This new content takes players into a post apocalyptic Pittsburgh and it offers a bunch of new quests, weapons and it gives players a grim look at the haven for slavers. Now is it worth your money?

Graphics: The destroyed city of Pittsburgh looks great and exploring the area is a pleasure on its own. Seeing the run down steel mills as bases of operation for the slavers felt very immersive and different from the Washington D.C wasteland. Although the frame rate at times drops and of course you’ll get the occasional graphical hitch and texture pop up and because of this it sometimes took away from the already immersive experience. 

Sound: Of course since its Fallout, you can expect top notch voice acting and it helped give these new characters personality, also the background noises from the steel mills and power tools really made you feel like you were apart of this slave colony. The only problem that I really encountered was that towards the end of the main quest, some off the charcaters voices cut out while I was speaking with them and sometimes the sounds even cut on the weapons when I was engaged in combat.

Gameplay: The Pitt offers the same gameplay experience that you’d expect when playing Fallout 3. You do quests, you explore for new items and you ultimately make good or bad decisions that affect those around you and its offers a very interesting storyline that should intrique players. Also the new weapons are sure to satisfy players and the fact that you can return to Pittsburgh after you’ve completed its story, really makes it feel like a true expansion pack and makes it far superior than the previous Operation Anchorage expansion, its just a shame that it only takes about three hours to complete all of The Pitts quest.

Final Word: If you love Fallout then you’ve already bought this and I recommend that any newcomers to Fallout 3 should please consider this because it is something very unique and the price is pretty reasonable. But just be prepared for bugs and glitches in this add on and dont expect something that will last you a long time.

SCORE: 8/10

*Disclaimer: The views which are addressed in the following article represent only Kyle Barreira’s.  These are his words and opinions, and not that of Gerards (HipHopGamer).*

I remember back in September of 2007 when I got my next gen console.  I sped home from school, withdrew 500 dollars and went to Target and bought a PS3 along with my fist next gen game.  That game was Rainbow Six Vegas.  After booting up my PS3, installing the firmwares, signing up for the PSN, I finally got gaming.  After I played R6V’s multiplayer, I no longer cared about getting Resistance, or trying out Warhawk.  R6V was totally and completely immersive with a nice mixture of tactical cooperation and fast paced action.  So it was almost obvious to say that I was in line waiting for R6V2 to come out.  When I finally did get it into my hands and soon play it, I was highly disappointed.  The graphics were not improved enough to notice, no new game play was added, the level design was two steps down and the story was a huge letdown.  The final battle included you against one really lame helicopter.  IGN.com gave R6V a 9.3 and R6v2 a 8.4.  Notice the downgrade.  Gamespot gave Rainbow 1 a 9.1/10 and Rainbow 2 a 8.4/10.  Again, a downgrade.  The same can be said about F.E.A.R, which was released in 2005 when compared to it’s newly released sequel.  When talking about F.E.A.R here is what publications thought;

IGN claimed that, “Monolith forges new shooter territory with some truly freaky elements, challenge, fun, and beauty.^” GameSpy praised the game’s plot, and later awarding it their “Best Story” and “Game of the year” award.  When F.E.A.R 2 hit store shelves about 2 months ago, GamePro criticized the opponent A.I., level designs, and the game ending on a flat note.  F.E.A.R’s metacritic score is 85, where as F.E.A.R. 2’s is 77.

Welcome to the “Sophomore Slump.”  It is when a games squeal doesn’t live up to its original.  Whether it be the lack of changes, lack of originality or a downgraded on-line multiplayer (as in the case of of Rainbow 2), it always frustrating paying 60 dollars for a letdown.

This gets me to my main point.  Is any one worried that Modern Warfare 2 will have the “Sophomore Slump?”  And even if it does suffer from this, will it even matter?  My prediction is that Infinity Ward won’t release ‘just another COD game,’ but it could be a very easy thing to do.  I do believe that the single player of the game will see a significant increase in length and detail because of the criticism Modern Warfare 1 had.  It was a very well written single player to say the least, but it was so incredibly short.  So I’m sure Infinity Ward listened and made it more engaging.  And I’d bet anything you will also see off-line and on-line co-op as well.  So my worry is not that the single player will be a downgrade.  No, my worry rests in the multiplayer, for this is the main reason why the majority of the people play the game.  My question is, how can they make it better without just adding more of the same?  Sure new levels, new perks, and new weapons are all terrific.  But will it be the fresh air that the first was?  Will it have a new overall system of game play that will be revolutionary, just as the Modern Warfare had?  Honestly, what more could they do?  But even if they just add more of the same, granted, Modern Warfare 2 will still be the best multiplayer game out when released.  I just hope I get blown away again, and not stuck with a Sophomore slump.

So here is to overwhelming optimism that Infinity Ward punches me in the stomach…again.

Kyle Barreira (Riderofpl4gues)

Lead-In
Sony and Microsoft are the two companies hardcore gamers are following closely behind. They are the two companies in which are battling head to head regardless of whom else is on the console race. Sony has won previous generations whilst Microsoft still kind of fresh to the console war with a mere 9 years lost the previous console war but came in second. Microsoft isn’t afraid to take chances and buy out exclusives; Sony on the other hand sticks with their first party development team such as Sucker Punch & Guerrilla Games. Microsoft also bought out exclusive DLC (Downloadable Content). There have also been a few indirect insults being tossed around as well. What do these two companies need to remain competitive against one another? Let’s see the rundown!

What happened and what’s happening
Sony held onto their number one spot for two generations, first with the PSX (aka: PS1 or PS) and then with the PS2. Their scheme seemed to have held up pretty nice in past times which was to just stay ahead of the other consoles in technology. Unfortunately, this trick isn’t working so well with their PS3 though it is without doubt ahead of all other consoles in terms of technology. I don’t mind Sony’s fall from grace as it would make them too arrogant just as how they were showing themselves off to be just one year ago; I’m sure many remember the one Sony representative that clearly stated that they are winning the console war. Nintendo winning this generation is good for them because they already lost too many console wars that another would just cause a backlash and land them in a Sega position. Microsoft has always managed to stay in second since the original Xbox to the Xbox 360.

Desperate Moves
This here article is simply between the two hardcore consoles so I’m going to get back on point. Microsoft is still far from untouchable when compared to Sony. Microsoft makes enough money from Live subscribers, software sales, and XBLA Content they have no need to develop many 1st party titles, they can just use much of their profits and buy out more exclusives, just as they’ve been doing, so why is there still problems with hardware even after repairs? They should have fixed it permanently instead of just a mere short temporary fix! Since they have bought out plenty exclusives as well as exclusive DLC, this has pushed Sony to releasing amazing 1st party titles, and over the years those 1st party titles from Sony have only increased in numbers. Both companies have had their desperate times this generation and both pulling drastic measures. Sony has had to add Video content to their store as well as many other features including HOME not found anywhere else just to satisfy those who aren’t too happy with the little content on their store. Microsoft on the other hand always seems to lower the price on their console every time Sony makes a price drop to their PS3 which in terms makes consumers happier, but stock holders more angry. Microsoft knew if that if they launched their console at the same time as the PS3, they would lose yet again only because they would both start off at the same price and both have similar games. Microsoft launched it a year earlier and while it may have seems like a great move on Microsoft’s behalf, served them bad in terms of hardware issues. The Xbox 360 would brick up constantly because they cut as many corners as they could to release it as quick as possible. The early release did however succeed in the form that made consumers love next generation gaming and this built up a lot of hype for the 360 causing sales to go berserk over the PS3. Sony made the mistake by assuming they could sway over consumers simply by their name brand; they priced the PS3 with that in mind with a starting Price of $499 & $599. Sony should’ve stayed to their old competitive spirit for instance when the PS1 first came out, it was half a year later than the Sega Saturn which made Sony drop the price of the PS1 by $100. Sony is now keeping up but only with a little kick from Microsoft; unfortunately for them, they still aren’t at a very good spot nor seem to be rising from it.

The Insults
Sony said recently that they didn’t charge customer’s double fees like their competitors did; this was a statement when comparing both PS3’s video store to 360’s Netflix service. Aaron Greenberg, a representative over at Microsoft also stated that the PS3 is too expensive that’s why 360 is console of choice. There have also been a few other indirect insults tossed around.

The Rap Up
Microsoft did what they needed to do to secure exclusives from third parties and DLC content to ensure their victory over Sony. While Sony has had the upper hand in the past two generations, Microsoft has kept a steady second, though a first place in the feud between themselves and Sony. There’s been a few insults quietly tossed around between the two and that was the rap up.

On a recent visit to a favorite aggregate review score site, Metacritic, I stumbled across a fascinating statistic. Out of all the films nominated at this year’s Academy Awards, none of them had a score over 90. Even Slumdog Millionaire received a subpar 86 by videogame standards. Upon noticing this, I went over to check out the scores for the videogames that were most commonly referenced as game of the year material(you know MGS4, GEOW 2, LBP, Fallout 3, etc) and none of them had a score under 90. So I thought to myself–why do so many go watch and love movies that score in the 70’s(The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) yet these same people wouldn’t lay hands on 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand?

Is it the Reviewer’s Fault?

Over recent years, there has been much speculation over the credibility of the major review outlets on the internet. Whether its the IGN GTA IV debacle, or the Gamespot Gerstmanngate fiasco, gamers have become more aware of the whole quid pro quo that goes on in the world of gaming. Why is it that major, big budget games always receive high scores? I’ll tell you why– its because publishers know that gamers only look at the scores and don’t read the actual reviews. Movie studios understand that the success or failure on their upcoming blockbuster doesn’t hinge on its Rotten Tomatoes score. This why you don’t see advertisements for the new X-Men film on your favorite movie reviewer’s website. Big time game publishers know that if their game doesn’t get high scores, that game will not sell.

Why are gamers so critical?

Gamers often say that its the $60 price tag that makes it so difficult to purchase a game that scores in the 70s. The argument is that its acceptable to spend $10 on a mediocre movie, but $60 on a mediocre game is a waste. But why is a game that ranges in the 70s considered mediocre in the first place? Is it simply because of all the other titles that have inflated review scores which make a game scoring in the 70s look bad? If GTA IV and Halo 3 had both received more true to life scores, such as an 83, would gamers be so quick to overlook 50 Cent’s game which currently has an aggregate score of 71. Guess what, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has a Metacritic of 70 and it was nominated for Best Picture! Frost Nixon, also nominated for best picture, has an aggregate score of 80 which is commonly considered a flop by videogame standards. Even everyone’s favorite Blu-Ray, The Dark Knight, currently boasts a whopping 82.

The Wrap-up

All in all, I just want gamers to understand game review scores aren’t everything. In fact, at times they hardly mean anything. As we see in the much related, much more mature movie industry, films rarely score in the 90-100 range, but in games it happens much too often. So I’d like to pose this question. Are the games just that good, or are publishers paying for those high scores because they know that this is all that gamers care about?

————————————————————————————————-
PSN ID: ph8al
Gamertag: ph8al

Da Lockdown Podcast
HHG Forums

Brother Ali- Real as can be

This song is real laid back and easy on the ears. Ant (producer) did a real nice job on the beat. Jazzy, mellow, and sweet. Brother Ali is always good with the lyrics. Pays respects to Busy Bee. Listen up, and I promise you that you will enjoy it. Just listen to it twice, and you will love it.

Plot Summary: Inspired by the classic Universal film that launched a legacy of horror, “The Wolfman” brings the myth of a cursed man back to its iconic origins. Oscar® winner Benicio Del Toro stars as Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father (Oscar® winner Anthony Hopkins), Talbot sets out to find his brother… and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself.

Lawrence Talbot’s childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother’s fiancée, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline (Hugo Weaving) has come to investigate.

As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Now, if he has any chance at ending the slaughter and protecting the woman he has grown to love, Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor. But as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself… one he never imagined existed.

comingsoon.net

When the Playstation 3 first came out, both the 60GB model and the 20GB model had backwards compatibility. This continued for a year with different models such as the old 80GB. Currently, though if you buy a PS3 there is no way for you to enjoy your old school PS2 games on the system. With the PS2 having over 100 million units sold, and one of the greatest gaming libraries ever this is very frustrating to PS3 owners.

While they dropped backwards compatibility to lower the price on PS3…

It doesn’t mean that Sony shouldn’t at least add some greatest hits PS2 titles to the PSN. Many gamers who currently don’t have a PS2 anymore, but own a PS3 would gladly pay $10 on the PSN to play an older game like God of War or Ico.

Even though the PS2 is cheaper now..

And only cost’s gamers $99, it doesn’t really matter. Some people don’t want to have 3-4 consoles laying out, and after investing $400 in a console they should be able to enjoy PS2 games.

There are many ways to fix this issue…

Like the example given above, Sony could put PS2 titles on the PSN just like they have done with the PS1. They could also create some form of software that people could download to allow for software emulation. Even a add-on would appeal to some fans.

It’s just not right that…

Some gamers have to have two consoles to do what one should be able to do on it’s own. Even with Xbox’s limited backwards compatibility it at least allows owners to play some of the greatest games from their last gen console. Hopefully, Sony understands that while gamers want a lower price, we also want to enjoy over a decade of great PS2 games. There are ways to let gamers play PS2 games, and allow Sony to even make more money. Hopefully, they announce something in the near future on this issue.

Thoughts on Sony Announcements:

Sony had everyone on the edge of their seats, when they stated they had a huge announcement today on the 31st of March 2009, sadly it was about the PS2.

Sony’s Playstation 2 is dropping its price from $129.99 to $99.99. Not the big announcement I was hoping for, actually it wasn’t big at all, unless you don’t own a PS2, but who doesn’t have a PS2?

I was expecting a new IP, Final Fantasy VII remake or PS3 price drop, not a price drop on a last generation console. I feel bamboozled; this sort of hyped up announcement is aimed at hardcore gamers who check out the gaming news on a regular basis. The PS2 is 100 million strong and still going, so it’s kind of encouraging to Sony fans who have yet to upgrade to the PS3, but nevertheless this announcement was a bit pointless.

Here is the “so-called” big announcement:

  Today I’m excited to talk about another milestone in PlayStation 2’s lifespan. For the first time ever, PlayStation 2 will be offered at a price point under $100 (that’s $99.99 MSRP, to be exact), starting April 1!

Why is this so significant? Well most importantly, this new price means that more people than ever will be able to join in on the fun that so many of you PlayStation 2 owners have been enjoying for years, which means new families will become part of the platform’s record-breaking install base. With this new price, we intend to introduce a new generation of consumers – some of whom weren’t even alive when the system was first introduced in 2000 – to the immense entertainment value offered by PlayStation 2.

In the gaming industry, the typical lifecycle for a console is around five years, but because we build each of our platforms for a large and diverse consumer base, we design our platforms differently. With the original PlayStation and now PlayStation 2, we’ve proven that consumers can rely on our platforms for their gaming and entertainment needs for at least a decade. This speaks to the technology and features that were packed into PlayStation 2 from the beginning, as well as to the ongoing support the platform enjoys from the publishing and retail communities and, well, all of you fans.

PlayStation 2’s unmatched gaming library will grow to nearly 1,900 titles from both our first-party studios and publishing partners this year, with a particular focus on the social and sports genres that are so popular with the emerging family demographic. This will include games such as MLB ’09, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Guitar Hero Metallica and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge…not to mention the 250 titles that have achieved “Greatest Hits” status. With all of that content, PlayStation 2 is a great option for families looking for ways to share their entertainment experiences together; they can rock out to Rock Band, test their trivia knowledge with Buzz!, or simply use the PlayStation 2 as their DVD or CD player.

Sources:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/03/31/playstation-2-will-be-available-for-under-100/

Classic with a positive message.