A couple months back I sent some questions over to Freestyle Games regarding DJ Hero (Thanks Lindsay!).  I got them answered recently. Here are the questions along with the response. They hinted at either a sequel or an update.

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KY: How long did it take for the DJs to make these mixes?

FG: DJs can take anywhere from one day, when everything comes together, to up to a month on some of the trickier mixes. On average, it takes about two weeks to go from a concept to a mix that is ready to be marked up in DJ Hero.

Our teams are broken out by genre and they are given the two tracks for a particular mix. Prior to beginning work on the mix, they all meet to listen to each separate track for phrases, samples, melodies or solos that stand out.

From there, the DJ will start to sketch out the mix. Sometimes the mix comes out just as discussed but sometimes it takes a totally different direction.

The trick is to give the DJs creative freedom and the space to make something really epic for our audience.   They come back with an amazing mix every time.

KY: Do you plan on releasing an official soundtrack?

FG: The soundtrack in DJ Hero is something we are incredibly proud of. In fact, it won the Spike TV’s Video Game Award for Best Soundtrack this year.  One of the reasons we’re so proud of our soundtrack is because of its exclusive nature. DJ Hero features unique music creations that can only be heard in the game and this is part of the mixes exclusivity – you can’t hear these mixes anywhere else. You can’t download them off iTunes, you can’t go into a record store and buy them.  The only place you can hear this fantastic content is by playing DJ Hero.

KY:There are a lot of mixes that use the same song (Disturbia, All eyes on Me, Satisfaction). Is there a reason why, such as a licensing issue?

FG: Re-using certain songs was a creative decision that allowed our DJ talent to showcase the potential of mixing and mashing up songs through turntablism. For example Rihanna’s “Disturbia” mixed with Kid Sister’s “Control” sounds completely different than when mixed with The Tramps’ “Disco Inferno.” One of the great things about DJing is how you can take a song that people are familiar with and mix it up in various ways to produce mashups that sound new, fresh and create very different experiences for the players.

KY: Are there more mixes in the works? If so can we get some exclusive information about it, for example the songs that are being mixed or by which DJ.

FG: We have many more mixes in the works for upcoming DLC releases. So far, we have released a David Guetta pack and an Extended Mix pack featuring 50 Cent, Queen, Gorillaz and Public Enemy.

KY: Do you plan on getting more top notch DJs to work on mixes for DJ Hero, such as DJ Revolution, DJ Q-Bert, etc.?

FG: Absolutely.

KY: On a smaller note, one of my personal favorite mixes in the game is the Mobb Deep and Gang Starr mix. I feel that it is the ultimate hip hop song on the entire track list. Two classic HIP-HOP songs mashed together. Can we expect more HIP HOP mixes?

FG: That’s a great pick and one of our favorite hip-hop mixes as well. DJ J Period produced that mix and it does an outstanding job of showcasing the strength of hip-hop mixes in DJ Hero. We consider the hip-hop genre to be a cornerstone of DJ culture and, therefore, fans can definitely expect more pure hip-hop mixes down the road.

KY: Is your team satisfied with the game overall?

FG: Everyone at Activision is ecstatic about how the game turned out. From the quality of the mixes to how the peripheral delivers on the DJ experience to graphical fidelity of the venues, the game exceeded everyone’s expectations in its ability to deliver a new “spin” on the music-gaming genre.

KY: There is no quick select option where I can play one song only. I have to go through the process of making a DJ set list to play one song. Is there a reason why you guys decided to do it like that?

FG: While the set list-style menus are an integral part to embracing the DJ culture represented in our game, we also wanted to give players the option to quickly jump into the game. Once a player enters a set list or the Quickplay menu (which lists all unlocked songs in one area), they can highlight a specific mix, press Start, select a difficulty, and then enter the game. This allows them to skip the process of picking an entire set list, selecting DJs, accessories, and venues.

KY: Do you intend on expanding online in the future with maybe an update or even in the next installment?

FG: Yes.

KY: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Overall I loved the game. I literally love all the mixes. This game is something I have been looking forward to since it was announced. I can’t wait to hear about the future of this game and hopefully its sequels.

I had a limit to how many questions I because I was told they moved on to other projects. I assume based on some of their answers it would be a sequel or a spin-off (like Guitar Hero Aerosmith) for DJ Hero. Either way we can expect something big coming up from them. Look out for it.

Presentation
The game is nothing special in terms of looks. It looks pretty much like the latest guitar hero game with flashing lights (lights lights lightsssss), and filters. Overall it is obvious that the graphics were not of primary concern. What the game did well in the presentation department is the audio. The audio was clear and perfect. I only came across some minor lag issues with audio or gameplay. I think it is because of my PS3 and not the game itself. Overall the audio is fabulous and everything sounds perfect in Dolby digital. If you hook it up to a real speaker system trust me in that it will shake the place.

Gameplay
This is where the game shines. The gameplay is similar to Guitar Hero in that it uses the note highway and has star power. That is just about it in the similarities. You have to use both hands intuitively. Crossfading properly is as much a skill as scratching properly. The game is about getting the highest score along with the longest note streaks. The rewind features adds to the dj element and allows you to extend that score. All you have to do is spin the the wheel backwards and you will rewind the track back. The only problem is you have to unlock it by playing hitting around a 50 note streak or higher. The game is in no way easy. Medium itself is very tough.

I had some friends who are insane at Guitar Hero play DJ Hero and they barely were able to get through medium. The learning curve is pretty steep. It will take some time to get used to the game, but when you do, the feeling of hitting every note as if it is almost second nature is amazing. This game catches the essence of DJing, but please don’t think that you can become a DJ playing this game. You might get that feeling though, but don’t think it is true. You might end up embarrassing yourself. Anyway, the game plays smooth once you get it down. I started to really get into the music. The mixes are just amazing. I mean nothing beats my reaction when I first heard Mobb Deep mixed with Gang Starr. That song alone showed the potential this game has. I mean this game will introduce gamers to some music they probably never heard. Dizzie Rascal, Gang Star, Mobb Deep, etc. This game could help introduce people to a different side of hip hop (not mainstream stuff). The gameplay is just pure bliss. You have more than 70 mixes and DLC. The list of DJs working on the game is phenomenal.

Here is one thing about gameplay that is a pretty bad. The online component. It is just lackluster and it seems as if they just threw it in there. It is just a simple two player match with nothing else. No rewind feature or anything. Real disappointment. Other than that everything is perfect.

Controls
The turntable works perfectly. Only one problem though…..scratching. I use my thumb, but no matter how they set it up, the turntable still feels awkward to scratch. Especially on some of the hardest songs in the game. My hands nearly fell off playing 8 songs on expert back to back. Crossfading is real easy, but the quick spikes are really tough to get down. The directional scratching is like an added game element. On medium you can just scratch however you want, but on expert the long scratching segments can be the most devastating. You have to scratch in a certain way and on top of that hit the red button or the blue button or even fade. If you mastered expert…then you are amazing…period.

Summary
Here is the deal. This game is something you have never played. This game captures the essence of DJing, but in no way does it mirror the real thing. It is just a game, so please don’t think it will teach you how to DJ. Regardless it makes a great game. It plays perfectly, and the music is top notch. Top notch DJs worked on the game, and there will be plenty of DLC to come in the future. If you like the music then support Activision in continuing the series. The learning curve is pretty steep in that it will take some time for one to master it. Once you master it, the feeling of kicking ass is just outstanding. The music and background environment real gets you into the music. The Turntable itself is great. The game requires concentration and rhythm to perfect.

If you love hip-hop, pop, and or rock, then this game is perfect for you. It costs 120 dollars, but it is well worth the investment. If you have guitar hero then you should buy this game. The guitar dj playlists are great and you get some extra worth out of your guitars. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for something more than just another rock and roll music game. This is a refreshing game to the music genre in video games.

A copy of DJ Hero has been sent to us and I have beat the game on medium and hard. Almost done with the game on expert. I played a few online matches and clocked in more than 50 hours.

After the shocking announcement of Tecmo announcing the once PS3 exclusive mulitplatform, it looks like we’ll be playing the game sooner than we think. Tecmo just announced that Quantum Theory will be released on March.25/2010 for the Xbox 360 and Ps3, they also revealed the never before seen collectors edition for Quantum Theory which will include the games soundtrack and a code to unlock an exclusice character.

There is still no word on when the game will hit North American and European shelves, but I’m sure we’ll get one in the coming months. If you ask me I say its a good thing that we don’t get it in March because with huge titles like God of War III and Gran Turismo 5, I don’t know how I’d make the time to fit Quantum Theory in there.

So how could Left 4 Dead 2 get any better? Simple, bring back the original four survivors and feature them in a campaign with the new survivors. Valve has announced that their first DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 will see the return of Louis, Zoey, Bill and Francis and they will be featured in an all new campaign, where they will cross paths with the new survivors Coach, Ellis, Rochelle and Nick.

The DLC is titled “The Passing” and it will be set right after the Dead Centre campaign. Other features in the DLC will include a new Uncommon Infected, new maps for Survival, Scavenge and Versus and a mysterious new co-op mode, which I believe will in some way allow us to play as the original four survivors in L4D 2. Those also looking for more weapons will be happy to know that the DLC will add a new gun and melee weapon which will make zombie killing even more funner.

The DLC is set for release in Spring 2010 and it will be released for the Xbox 360 and PC. No price has been stated yet.

The original Dead Space was released back in 2008 and it became an instant classic for its intense gameplay and for it being one of the scariest games ever. The latest issue of Game Informer which is set to hit shelves on December.14 will give gamers the first look at the sequel Dead Space 2. The front cover shows that Isaac Clarke the protaganist from the first will be returning and he’ll be wearing some new armor to kill every last necromorph in space.

We all heard that the next Star Wars game will be unveiled on December.12th at the Spike Video Game Awards and if you look back at the Star Wars brand in games you see that they have a huge list of games that could possibly see a sequel on the next gen consoles. Since the anticipation for the announcement is very high I decided to make a list of Star Wars games that could potentially be announced on December.12th during the VGA’s.

The Force Unleashed 2

Last year Lucas Arts released Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and like its name says, it truly gave players a chance to unleash the force is some very devastating ways. Although the game features some amazing physics and visuals, the overall gameplay came up short due to repetitiveness and a wonky camera. But its been a year since it was released and Lucas Arts could be hard at work on a sequel that will hopefully fix up these issues.

Star Wars: Battlefront 3

Rumors for a new Battlefront game have been going around for months and what a better way crush those rumors then to see the official unveiling at the VGA’s. The Battlefront series is the top selling Star Wars franchise of all time and fans have been waiting to see a new game for years now so to me it seems like Battlefront 3 may be the most likely candidate for Lucas Arts next game.

Star Wars: Republic Commando 2

The original Republic Commando is one of my favorite Star Wars game of all time. The game would have you take control of an elite squad of clone troopers and you were sent on missions against the Trade Federation during the Clone Wars. The fps gameplay mixed with the squad control was something you never really saw in a Star Wars game and playing as characters other then jedi was a unique experience on its own. So although I don’t see it happening an announcement of Republic Commando 2 would really blow me away.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 3

I know the announcement of KOTOR 3 is a   but we can always dream. Bioware unleashed the first KOTOR back in 2003 and it is widely considered to be not only one of the greatest Star Wars stories ever told but also one of greatest RPG’s of all time. Obsidian then followed up with a sequel a year after and although it was a great game it too had an ending that left the story open for a sequel. Even though Bioware has already announced the MMO version called The Old Republic and Obsidian has Alpha Protocol in development the announcement of KOTOR 3 would certainly be one of the biggest announcements of the last decade.

Modern Warfare 2 is the fourth title in the Call of Duty series from developer Infinity Ward and is a direct sequel to their previous title, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. As with the original, the story takes place in multiple locations all over the world and the player assumes the role of multiple soldiers from different factions. The game also features three separate modes to play through. There’s a single player campaign which sequels the original, two player co-op that varies from level to level, and a full multiplayer mode to keep players involved for ages.

The main campaign puts the player in the roles of multiple soldiers spanning from the American Army Rangers, to CIA and the British SAS. Without ruining any crucial plot points, the story takes place all over the world as groups of soldiers try to chase down a Russian terrorist as he tries to spark a global war. The main story does feel a bit short, but it’s so packed full of action that it doesn’t disappoint. Each mission contains so much variety and it means that no level feels out of place or boring. Not only is there a lot of satisfying first person shooter sequences, there are also stealth segments and vehicle chases. So in essence the campaign’s length feels just right. Not to mention that the story can be played through higher difficulties to make the game a little more challenging.

Beyond the story there is also a vast co-op mode which can be played either split-screen or online with a friend. This mode, also known as spec-ops, is a series of levels specially made for two players. This variation of the game is like a whole game on its own. There is a whole series of levels varying from time trial versions of the single player campaign to separate levels that give each player their own task in a mission. For example, there is a sniper sneaking mission at one point, the next level could be clearing a village without harming civilians, or there’s even a really cool mission where one player fires explosive rounds from an attack plane while the other player tries to work through a farm without getting killed. The great thing is, players can probably invest more time in this mode than the actual single player campaign.

On top of the two previously mentioned modes is possibly the biggest part of Modern Warfare 2, it’s online multiplayer mode. Quite a lot has been added since the last Modern Warfare, including better game balance and more perks. This time around the perks have been rearranged and offer things like using two attachments for a weapon in lieu of a perk that boosts damage or allows faster reloads. There’s also a large variety of maps, with a lot being based on missions from the single player campaign, including a throwback map from Call of Duty 2 that’s been re-skinned. The maps are also nicely sized for the up to 18 players that are allowed. The level cap has also been extended to give more spaced out perks and guns. The weapons are still balanced enough though that it’s not really uneven when earlier guns are used against newly unlocked ones.

The gameplay in Modern Warfare 2 is actually very simplistic and sometimes it just goes to show that keeping things simple works. Each level is a linear path toward a series of objectives usually with more than one way for players to tackle the approach, which can make things more tactical. Essentially the game focuses on aiming down the sights, and picking off targets as quickly and as effectively as possible. It’s very fast paced and in terms of a video game experience, it’s very intense. Suppressing larger numbers of enemies with grenades and flash bangs for more forceful approaches adds an explosive element to the mix, however, most of the time the gameplay involves ducking in and out of cover, so that players can gain an advantage.

It’s not just this that makes Modern Warfare 2 so engrossing, put simply its the rush of the hail of bullets and explosions and cinematic effects that make the game such a joy to experience. The AI responds in such a brutal way that simple exposure for a few of seconds on higher difficulties results in instant death. The game requires players to actually think before they leap and it encourages a sense of actual feeling part of a squad as a opposed to being an ultimate killing machine. The squad members don’t really do a vast amount to help, but it feels like they do. Overall, the formula hasn’t changed much, but there is one new addition in the form of breaching doors. Specifically this happens in the later missions but it’s used a fair bit and essentially involves a slow down of time in order to clear a room of enemies before they can react. It’s quite a nice gameplay element and it gives quite a sense of achievement when the game returns to normal speed and everything is deadly quiet.

The gameplay and various modes are wrapped nicely around some great graphics. The visuals are all very vivid with dense smoke and large explosions. Landscapes are all vast and feature a lot of variety due to the constantly changing environments throughout the game. The characters are also well animated and textures look really good as well. The whole game also keeps everything well paced with great controls. Guns have a nice weight to them and feel like they are actually firing bullets rather than bits of plastic. Surprisingly vehicle segments control great as well and don’t feel like they’re just tacked on as an afterthought.

In terms of sound, the game also shines from the voice acting to the sound of people walking around. All the voices are very well done and they convey emotions well in every character from short one liners to long monologues. In terms of the ambient sound it’s also great. The ambiance can be used as a game mechanic to listen in on people coming near or trying to sneak around. Not to mention weapon sounds, explosions, and vehicles all sound accurate and crisp.

Conclusion

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is easily one of the best games of the year. It features stunning visuals, fantastic sound, solid gameplay, and engrossing content that will keep players enthused for ages. For fans of shooters, or even games with high action, it’s impossible to pass up this amazing title.

I would like to give a shoutout to The SIS Clan and say RIP to INSAIN KILLAS Mother We all hope you make it through bro keep your head up and God Bless. Please sent your best to his fam.

Ubisoft announced this morning that the sequel to their critically acclaimed sequel Assassin’s Creed 2 has sold approximatley 1.6 million units since its release on November 17th. It’s unclear how many copies were sold on each system but I’m sure that we’ll know towards the end of the month.

Ubisoft also pointed out that Assassin’s Creed 2 has also sold 32 percent more copies than the original did in its first week back in 2007. I’m sure that the sales will continue to rise as we get more into the holiday season.

Back in 2008, Left 4 Dead was one of my favourite games that year. The fact that Valve created a game mainly focused on 4 player coop and that you were thrown right into the midst of the zombie apocalypse immediately made it a hit among gamers. Since its release, Left 4 Dead has been nominated for tons of game of the year awards and Valve once again proved that they could do no wrong when it came to game development. Now last June at E3, Valve announces that Left 4 Dead 2 will be released in November and since then Valve has received so much criticism, because if you look at Valve’s past games, they’ve never been so quick to release a sequel just a year after it predecessor. With Left 4 Dead 2 finally out and after spending alot of time playing it, I have to say this really does feel like a true sequel and it trumps the original in almost every way possible.

If you’ve played the original L4D then you know how the gameplay works. You play as one of four of the survivors and you have to use team work to fight through the hordes of undead in order to progress through the campaign and ultimately find a source of rescue from the undead. Left 4 Dead 2 features 4 new survivors Coach, Ellis, Rochelle and Nick and they do show alot more personality then the survivors in the first game did. The first Left 4 Dead featured 4 campaigns and although they were fun, they all felt very similar. Valve addresses this issue by adding 5 brand new campaigns and each one feels alot different then the other. L4D2’s five new campaigns Dead Centre, Dark Carnival, Swamp Fever, Hard Rain and The Parish are all very designed and they make the gameplay more intense then ever. For instance in Dead Centre, you’ll find yourself in a shopping mall and you have to fill up a race car with gas cans and of course while doing this you’ll be flooded with zombies constantly attacking you. I could go into more detail about the other campaigns but I wouldn’t want to reveal any of the games other awesome moments.

The weapon selection in the original was very limited; the game only featured six guns and two types of explosives. Left 4 Dead 2 gives you a much broader arsenal of guns and the inclusion of melee weapons adds a new level of strategy to the game. Some of the melee weapons include baseball bats, guitars, crowbars and of course chainsaws. The melee weapons can really make certain situations alot easier and they can benefit you greatly when you’re being surrounded by zombies. There was one moment when my buddy got covered in boomer bile and he simply ran into a corner and I stood in front of a doorway with my chainsaw, which then caused the attacking horde to be sliced and diced into bits leaving my friend unharmed. When talking about the guns, there is alot more to pick from this time. Players can pick between four new shotgun types, silenced uzis, AK-47s and grenade launchers. The best part of this is that all of the new weapons are spread out across the map, so swapping for new weapons will be a frequent thing when you’re playing. By far one of my favorite new weapons is the new Boomer bile grenade, which is a vial of boomer puke and what ever you throw it at will immediatley attract the horde and if you get lucky and throw it at the Tank then the infected will assist you in taking it down.

Valve even decided to introduce new special infected; joining the Smoker, Hunter, Boomer and Tank are the new Jockey, Spitter and Charger. The Jockey’s main ability allows him to jump on a survivors head and he is able to control the survivors movements. The Spitter shoots acid from her mouth and any survivor that steps in it suffers great damage; so basically don’t think you’re gonna be able to sit in corners any more. As for the Charger, he has the ability to ram through the survivors and when he grabs a survivor he begins to slam them into the ground which can incapacitate the survivor very fast. The new special infected make the experience feel alot more intense and it really make versus mode even more insane.

In the original Left 4 Dead not all of the levels where available right out of the box for Versus mode, but in Left 4 Dead 2’s case all five of the new campaigns are available and the new levels and infected make Versus mode alot more challenging. For those that are unfamiliar with it, versus puts a team of 4 Survivors and 4 Special Infected against  each other and as the survivors you need to make it to the safe rooms in order to gain points to win and its the infecteds job to make sure that doesn’t happen. Like I said before the new special infected make scoring points even more challenging and this can make for some very fun and intense Versus matches. Along with Versus, is the entirely new Scavenge mode which is similar to Versus but as the Survivors you have to recover gas cans spread across the map and use them to fill up power generators and the team that used the most gas cans wins. Scavenge mode is a great addition to Left 4 Dead 2 and its a great for those looking to play some quick competitive matches.

Graphically Left 4 Dead 2 is a greater improvement other the original. Valve made a great choice to make some of the levels occur in the daytime and this really makes the game feel alive and it makes the environments look more detailed. This is greatly due to the fact that each campaign features an entirely different setting like swamps, flooded neighbourhoods and carnivals so no campaign will seem similar like they did in the first game. Also the gore has been taken up a notch so you can expect to more limbs fly off when you swing a katana and a zombie. Although not everything is perfect, there will be times when you will encounter some frame rate drops but they don’t occur to often so you’re experience won’t hampered by this.

So in conclusion Left 4 Dead 2 trumps its predecessor in every way possible. The new weapons, special infected, campaigns and new modes all make Left 4 Dead 2 worth its price tag and anyone still playing the original should really look passed the whole boycott thing and play this game. Valve has proven yet again that they now how make great games and the future of the Left 4 Dead franchise will continue to get better for many years to come.

SCORE: 9.5/10

Check out the video of the Assassin’s Creed 2 Master Assassins Edition Unboxing for PS3 and please leave your comments.