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.

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

The Left 4 Dead 2 demo was made public on PC and Xbox Live this week and for those that haven’t had the chance to try it out, check out the video below. The demo gives a good look at some of the new weapons and special infected zombie types and the more I play the demo the more I look forward to its release. Please watch the video and leave your comments.

Part 1.

Part 2.

Second Video Mash Up featuring Modern Warfare 2. Just have to wait a few more weeks guys. Hopefully this video will get you more pumped up for the game.

Valve’s upcoming Left 4 Dead 2 will be one of the first disc based games to implement Avatar rewards. Valve confirmed today that some of the rewards will include a health pack, a bunch of shirts and plenty more.

Here’s the list of what to expect:

• Left 4 Dead 2 Shirt – A Left 4 Dead 2 shirt earned by winning 10 games of Scavenge
• Left 4 Dead 2 Shirt #2 – A Left 4 Dead 2 shirt earned by winning 10 games of Scavenge
• Depeche Mode Shirt – A sweet Depeche Mode shirt earned by rescuing Gnome Chompski from the Dark Carnival.
• Depeche Mode Shirt #2 – A sweet Depeche Mode shirt earned by rescuing Gnome Chompski from the Dark Carnival.
• Zombie Hand Shirt – A scary zombie shirt earned by killing 10,000 Infected
• Zombie Hand Shirt #2 – A scary zombie shirt earned by killing 10,000 Infected

Left 4 Dead 2 will be available on November.17 for the Xbox 360 and PC. Look for the demo on November.10 on Xbox Live and it should be on Steam as well.

I recently sent Valve my burning questions regarding their upcoming title Left 4 Dead 2. Chet Faliszek the games writer, was kind enough to answer them for me and here’s the scoop on what I got back from him.

PAYBACK – What made you guys decide to bring out a sequel so early?

Chet – We don’t consider it early, but a natural progression for Left 4 Dead. The team was excited with everything they learned with Left 4 Dead and the ideas couldn’t be contained in DLC. People are still just seeing some of what is new with the L4D2, and we keep expanding on their expectations with things like Scavenge and Realism modes.

PAYBACK – We’ve seen 3 new infected types which are the spitter, jockey and the charger will you guys be revealing more new special infected characters before the game is released?

Chet – We will be shipping with those 3 new specials and each will be playable in Versus and Scavenge modes. We also have 6 uncommon common that mix up the game play. All of these are balanced not only for Campaign, Versus and Scavenge mode but also to work together to heighten the challenges in Survival Mode.

PAYBACK – You’ve guys have already unveiled 3 maps swamp fever, the parish and dark carnival what are the final 2 maps that gamers will be playing in?

Chet – Left 4 Dead 2 begins with Dead Center as the survivors escape Savannah and Hard Rain appears between Swamp Fever and the Parish. Each campaign is not only a new location but we have made sure in Left 4 Dead 2 that each campaign also features distinct gameplay. So while the streets of New Orleans offers many vertical hiding spots for the infected, the swamp’s cypress trees and fog make the wide open spaces almost more claustrophobic.

PAYBACK – The AI director was amazing in LFD it made the game feel different every time have you guys made any enhancements to make LFD 2 feel like a new experience every time?

Chet – We have expanded the powers of the AI Director in Left 4 dead 2 to insure replayability. In Hard Rain, the director actually controls the weather. Storms will whip up and force the survivors to seek shelter as they try and cross the maps. In campaigns like The Parish, sections of the maps can reconfigure themselves to be different each time. And with the larger selection of Specials to throw at you, the AI Director can keep you on your toes.

PAYBACK – Will you guys be adding more online modes to make LFD 2 all the more enjoyable?

Chet – We have just recently announced Scavenge Mode. This is a shorter more intense competitive mode. It is a time based game where the infected are hell bent on stopping the Survivors from completing their goal. Each round lasts just a few minutes and then team swap sides and it starts up again.

PAYBACK – Do you guys plan to expand the Left 4 dead 2 experience by adding new DLC like maps, weapon or modes?

Chet – As of now we are just finishing up on what is going to be shipped in the box. We will continue to support and update the game in the future, but we haven’t nailed down what form that will come in yet.

PAYBACK – Now as much as there’s alot of excitement for LFD 2, there’s also a lot controversy surrounding valves decision to make a sequel so early what do you have to say to all those fans that are boycotting the game?

Chet – With pre-orders and excitement about the game intensifying, I think they have spoken for us.

PAYBACK – Finally will the original survivors be in anyway be a part of Left 4 Dead 2’s story?

Chet – We aren’t done with them yet. The Left 4 Dead world has many stories and their story isn’t finished.

Special thanks to Chet Faliszek and Doug Lombardi from Valve for answering my questions. Left 4 Dead 2 will be released on November 17 for the Xbox 360 and PC.