Check out the first video of MW2 multiplayer. You can customize your killstreak. The guy playing was able to whip out AC130 Gunship and destroy everything in site. You can see that their are 15 different killstreak bonuses. After seeing the gunship one, I can’t wait to see what else is their. Hopefully, the other ones are just as impressive. Another thing you should note is that you can shoot down an enemy aircraft, which balances things out. The game is looking absolutely amazing.
By the way, the end is quite funny. Let me know what you think
Check out the video after the jump. It was the first time I played the game. I was kind of noob at it. Sorry for the bad audio by the way. I played more then 3 minutes by the way. After the camera was off, I played a good 15 minutes. Here are my impressions
First thing I have to mention is that everybody at the demo booth at that time was playing a 256 player match. They only debuted one huge map for the E3 demo.
What I liked
I loved the control layout. Even though it took some time to get used to, it felt a lot like COD4. The gameplay itself felt like COD4 but with a more objective based gameplay. I like that you can help prevent spawn camping by just jumping into the helicopter spawn turrets and destroy everything in sight. I really like the whole feel of the game. You can run and reload as you can see in the video. The perfect online military grade shooter. So many weapon loadouts that I started to get confused.
What I did not like
The learning curve is pretty steep. It will take time to get used to everything. It is the type of game where you do not want to skip the tutorials and guides. So many logos on the screen that you can’t tell what you have to do. I had to ask a developer to help me out, since there was no tutorial or any help. One more minor thing that I disliked is the map. It is so packed with icons that you can barely make out the roads or the layout of the map. The map is not as organized as I would like. Still the only problem is that you have to get used to everything. The game throws so much at you that it will take some time to adjust.
Final Thoughts
For a 256 player online FPS on the console, the game is very good. So much is given that it might seem overwhelming. Once you get used to everything however, the game works smoothly. I did not use the headset, but communication will be key. The way the party is split up is great. It almost feels like the way squads are split up in Resistance 2, but better. The XP system works real well too. It is sort of like COD4, but the more you follow the leader’s requests as a soldier, the faster you can become a leader. The better you do, the better planning you do, and the better instruction following you do, the more XP you will gain and the quicker you will rank up. All and all, this game looks like it will be a top notch online shooter and can hold its own against Modern Warfare 2.
Two DJ games are coming out. Which one is really the best one for you? Well let’s break it down and see what each has to offer.
Make sure to watch the videos below for “visual aids”
Gameplay
DJ Hero is basically Guitar Hero meets the world of DJing. You have only 3 buttons to really focus on where guitar hero has 5. What makes the game more difficult is the scratching and crossfading. At particular times in the mix you will be flicking the crossfader left or right based on the on screen prompt. You also can scratch in the game, but you are not really scratching the song. Instead, you hear the scratch that the game wants you to hear. An interesting feature is that the game allows you to rewind to an earlier section of the song to either redo a part you messed up on, or to just play through your favorite part of the song.
Scratch however is completely different. It is trying to be a DJ simulator without taking away the fun. A developer said that if you give it to a grandmaster, he can literally tear up the game. Unlike DJ Hero, you get 5 buttons to hit. These buttons represents certain parts of the song (drums, cello, saxophone, etc.). You also get a full 360 degree vinyl, but in this game, you have free control over the scratching. You can scratch and you literally scratch the song. What I liked is that the game teaches you how to scratch. If you scratch with the song and do it so that it matches the song, you get more points. It really teaches you how to become a DJ.
Presentations
DJ: Hero looks like Guitar Hero with a DJ atmosphere. That is the basic gist. The flashing lights, dance floor, and environment in general are much better than that of Guitar Hero. It is not some DJ on stage dishing out music to cheering fans. Instead, you get a DJ in a night club filled with lights, fog, breakdancers, and more jamming to the mix you are playing. It was nice to see the game in action. There is so much happening in the background of the game that you want to take some time a look at it. That is something nice at the same time distracting.
Scratch has a similar feel to DJ Hero. The difference is the art style. Scratch uses a cell shaded art style that has a graffiti feeling to it, which matches the hip hop theme perfectly. Scratch does not have fleshly effects such as lighting, smoke, etc. Instead it puts you in normal situations (for a DJ). For example, playing in a backyard party or playing at a record store. I was told that there will be 7-9 different places to play in. That is not a lot, but you will not be focusing on the background as much as you would think.
Music
This is where there is a huge difference. DJ Hero has mixes done by numerous famous DJs such as DJ Shadow, DJ AM, and more. Instead of a song they mix two different songs together and add in a nice beat. The mix I heard was a combination of Jay-Z’s “Izzo” and Eminem’s “My name is.” It was amazing. The part that freaked me out was when the mix went “Hi my name is what? My name is who? My name is H to the Izzo!” That was down right amazing. Mixes like that was awesome. Another awesome feature that is unique to DJ hero is that there are mixes that incorporate a guitar. That means you can take a guitar hero guitar and rock out to a mix like Beastie Boys’ sabotage, to Foo Fighters’ “Monkey Wrench.” One person can do the DJ part while the other can do the guitar part. That was a nice twist and feature. Overall the game only provides mixes and you can only play those mixes really. There aren’t any normal hip-hop tracks, at least, from what I have seen
Scratch focuses on hip-hop tracks without any mixes. There are no two songs being put together. Instead, you play one single song, but you get to play each part that makes up the song. So if you mess up the cello part in Rakim’ “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” then you don’t hear the cellos. You can freely scratch the music as well, so you can remix your favorite songs. The way you play the game is much different than DJ Hero. Just look at the controls below.
Controls
DJ Hero’s control system is unique as you can tell. The buttons are directly on the vinyl and the vinyl spins a full 360 degrees. The crossfader is there as well, and the little knob is DJ Hero’s version of the whammy bar.
Scratch has a slightly more complicated button set. You have 5 button (like guitar hero), 360 degree spinning vinyl, and a crossfader.
Extras
DJ Hero. From what I got the extras are multiplayer and that is about it. Nothing worth mentioning really, so this part will be pretty short for DJ Hero, until I see more
Scratch however has a plethora of features. You can upload your own music and basically remix it. They allow you to scratch uploaded music and instead of “playing” your song, you get to add different samples (drums, bells, whistles, airhorns, etc.). Another great feature is that you can upload your own samples as well. That was amazing. Oh..you can also plug in a mic and sing over tracks. That means a karaoke feature. Man, there are so many extras for Scratch Ultimate DJ. After you upload your own music and remix it, you can save the remix. That is amazing. You basically have a studio built into the game. It is a versatile game, and definitely wants users to become better DJs and encourages them to let themselves go and try new things.
Final Thoughts
So who wins? Well to be fair, both games are different and do their own thing. They are not copies of each other one bit. The only thing they really have in common is the genre and overall theme each studio is striving for. DJ Hero is pretty much like rock band, but for those non rock fans. Scratch is a game that wants to teach you how to become a DJ while not sacrificing the fun factor. DJ Hero is the perfect party game, while Scratch is the perfect DJ game. It is all up to you. Do you like all types of music and want variety in the music? Go for DJ Hero. Do you want to remix your own tracks as well be on the right track to becoming a DJ? Go for Scratch: Ultimate DJ. There are so many reasons to get both games. Activision is the best company for licensing amazing music, and I do not think Genius Studios has the power of Activision, so expect even better music from Activision. Me personally, I will probably go for Scratch first and get DJ Hero next. That is my plan of action. I like Scratch’s extras, and I like the music selection they have so far. Again some of you readers may be able to get both when they come out……well congrads on being rich.
Pricing
DJ Hero is still unannounced
Scratch is looking to be 100 dollars for the game and controller. The controller will cost 40 dollars, but I assume it is the wired version. Still, that is a great deal and a new controller will not cost too much.
VIDEO
DJ: Hero footage (gameplay, question answering, and more)
At the Sony Press Conference only one game took the collective breath out of the room, and that game was Uncharted 2. While games like God of War III and Gran Turismo 5 got the fans all excited and on the edge of their seat, when the shot of Drake overlooking the destoryed city went on the screen people just sat there in graphic-whore awe. The game looks absolutely beautiful.
The single player experience looks even better than the original with improved graphics, better animations, and all the things that made the first game great. The single player footage I got to see was basically what you’ve seen either before E3 or at the Sony press conference. Basically it looks great, and there isn’t much doubt that the 2nd game will be better than the first. The first one was one of the better games made in 2007, and now with the game having a well known name in the market hopefully this game will get even more love from the masses.
Let’s get to what we’ve all gotten our hands on though and that is the multi-player/co-op. A new addition to the franchise, but a welcomed one. One of the few gripes with the first game was that after you beat it there was no real reason to go back. Now with the ability to play with and against friends replayability will be much higher. Though people were worried if these features would just be tacked on and not a quality product. Well after playing the multi-player and co-op since E3, I can assure you that the online features are quality products.
Let’s start off with co-op. Following the same path as Resistance 2 the co-op mode will be completely separate from the single player, and will allow players to experience something new. Talking to Justin Richmond of Naughty Dog he said that the co-op will have different story elements from the single player. Besides just playing with your friends, you will also be able to delve yourself deeper into the Uncharted universe. You will be able to play with up to two of your other friends.
My experience with the multi-player has overall been a great one. The graphic transition from single player to multi-player has been a smooth one, and Richmond states that it was very important to the team to make sure the game would look the same on both the single and multi-player. The idea from multi-player started with the team just tinkering around with the idea, but after testing out they saw how much fun it really was. While the game is no Call of Duty it is one of the better third person shooter multi-players and in my opinion is better than the experience currently in Gears of War 2. The mobility and agility in the game offers an experience that gamers usually don’t see in online shooters. The plunder mode is a nice change of pace for capture the flag.
So far so good from what I’ve seen and played on Uncharted 2. The expierence is different and fresh, but beautiful and well made. The online features look good will bring the game some muhcn needed replyability. Uncharted 2 drops this Fall for the Playstation 3.
First off, let me tell you that the game looks gorgeous. The lighting effects are amazing. Kratos never looked as stunning as he did in this DEMO. The detail in his face and his body was impressive. The way the blood splattered on his body was insane. It truly is a bloody work of art. The game is soaked with blood. There is so much blood that it will satisfy any blood thirsty bastard.
The game is like any other God of War game, but with better graphics, weapons, moves, and story. Sure it is the same old game with big upgrades, but there is nothing wrong with that. When you rip a centaur’s stomach open and see his guts fall out………….damn. Nothing tops that. Except, when you rip of Helios’s head and you literally see the skin on his neck peel off before blood spews out. I have never seen anything like that in real life, but it probably would have looked like that. Clearly the game has stepped its brutality up thanks to the next generation technology. It is obviously better than the PS2’s technology.
To start off the demo you are introduced to some familiar enemies. You beat the shit out of them and move on. You are only given two weapons, the usual blades and the new Cestus. Both have unique moves and are good for different situations, but overall the blades are still the weapon of choice. You also get the good old bow and arrow. I did not really use it much until I got to the harpy section, where you have to shoot a harpy with an arrow to call it over. You use the harpies to “jump” to higher sections. You hold L1+O to latch on and you may have thought you have to mash square to get it to fly, like me, but you just hold L1+O and Kratos will do the rest. Finally you hit the X to jump off by ripping apart the harpy.
Later you get your first glimpse at the Fire Titan. Man, was that a site. I first thought that the Titan looks horrible in terms of detail, color, etcetera, but when I seen the hi-res character model, that all changed. You are greeted with more skeleton dudes, you kick there ass and then face the centaur. Fast forward to when you meet the Chimera. This was my favorite part. When you weaken him and grab him, you cut off his tail. He starts hitting you with new attacks and you weaken him again, and grab him. This time Kratos stabs it several times. Here is where I was sort of amazed. All the cuts that you inflicted can be seen on his body. All the cuts and gashes you inflicted. That was really amazing to me. Finally, the killer final. You rip of the Chimera’s horn and stab it in its eye. You literally see the inside of the monster’s head.
Later you get to pilot the Cyclops. That was a thrilling experience. It really felt like you are forcing the Cyclops to do your bidding, since you are stabbing him in order to get him to swing his arms. You almost feel bad for the Cyclops when you rip his eyes out. Then after killing the Cyclops you kill Helios. You rip of his head and use his head as a flashlight to reveal a hidden door. You kill some more bad guys, and finally you start to fly. Yes, he grows wings out of his armpit and he starts to fly (they are Icarus’s wings). The game then sort of becomes like a flying game where you have to avoid on-coming objects. Then you finally end of the demo with Kratos latching onto the Fire Titan. You get so wrapped up in the demo that you forget it is a demo. It really sucked when I hit the end.
What I took away from it is that the game is stunning, the new weapons will be as in depth as the blades. That is something that the previous God of Wars never did. The Athena Blade’s combo list is so much better than any other weapon you get in the game, but this time around all weapons will be in-depth and used to the max. This is a game that will easily make anybodies top 10 most anticipated games of 2010. The game is expected to ship early 2010. Either way, after playing the demo, I can not wait to get my hands on the final version.
Well Sony and Square sure did slip one in under our noses didn’t they this year. In a year, where a lot of secrets dropped I can personally tell you that this game caught pretty much everyone in the Sony crowd off guard. There were multiple “Whats?” and cuss words yelled and mumbled out of shock when Jack Tretton revealed Final Fantasy XIV, and afterwards when he said it would be shipping in 2010. No one saw it coming.
It is quiet shocking considering that you rarely see games get revealed before the game before it hits, and a spin off is still in development. It’s like waiting for Pirates of the Caribbean 4 to drop and next week they reveal the 5th installment due out the same year. This just doesn’t happen, but hey you don’t see me or anyone else complaining about it.
It was quite a shocker at the moment, but after you think about it, it makes sense. We all knew that the Final Fantasy XI team was working on a new MMO, so it makes sense since we all know that this game was in development for at least 4-5 years. It just really makes it obvious though that XIII took a lot longer than originally expected.
This announcement was really just as big as Microsoft’s last year, but I gotta say that I don’t expect the game to stay permanently exclusive on the PS3. It may be timed exclusive until 2011, but Final Fantasy XI did very well on the 360 so I don’t see them dropping that entire group of their fanbase. This was probably Square’s way of making amends for pissing off every Cloud-cosplaying PS3 fanboy for last year’s fiasco. Also remember that even though the game is console exclusive to the PS3, it will still be on MMO’s number one platform which is PC.
Now let’s get to the game. As you can see the trailer really looks great, and personally I think it captures the feel of a Final Fantasy more than XI did just based off the character design, environments, etc. The game is not a sequel to Final Fantasy XI, but is set in it’s own unique world with a very similar character design. Most of the team from XI is working on this game because they obviously know what they are doing when it comes to the Final Fantasy world and console MMO’s. Another nice thing to know about the game is that famed video game composer Nobuo Uematsu will work on the game’s soundtrack. While Uematsu has worked on recent Final Fantasy’s his role has been diminished and he no longer works at Square Enix. It is nice to know that he will at least have some impact on the games soundtrack.
Hiromichi Tanaka talked about how in this game there will be content for people who only want to play 40 minutes a day and play by themselves, and there will be content for people who play 8-9 hours a day in large groups. They really want the game to appeal to fans of the single player and multiplayer Final Fantasy games. Director, Nobuaki Komoto, talked about the importance that the growth and development of a player’s character will be to the experience.
We are unsure on the combat system, the monthly charges, the ways characters upgrade, and the job system. Though one nice piece of news is that the game will be released worldwide simoultaneously. The game looks and sounds good so far, hopefully we will be able to get our hnds on it next year along with Final Fantasy XIII.
Xbox owners can now enjoy the Fight Night Round 4 demo, which is currently availalbe to gold members on Xbox Live. The demo, which is the same one given to people who preordered the game, is 784 MB and features Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton. The PS3 demo will be available next week.
The first Mass Effect was a great game. BioWare did not disappoint in creating a rich RPG experience in space, but will they be able to top that effort in the sequel? Well all signs point to a major hell yes. Everything that has been released pertaining to the game has looked great, and really made the sequel sound light years better than the first.
Mass Effect 2, which is coming out in 2010 for the PC and 360, continues the story of Commander Shepard and his crew as they travel through the galaxy trying to stop the Geth and Reapers from destroying all life in the universe. For gamers who had the chance to play the first game, all their story choices and character models will carry over into Mass Effect 2. The story experience from the first second of the game will be different than someone elses.
A great thing that BioWare is doing is creating some mystery about the status and faith around the main character in the first game, Commander Shepard. The first teaser trailer of the game hinted that he may have been K.I.A (Killed in Action), but no one is sure what exactly that means. This is great because in a world where the internet and TV give us so much news so fast, it’s easy for all the games secrets to be revealed. This is something that BioWare will likely keep close, so that the player will be surprised.
The game play in the first game was fun for a RPG and got the space marine experience across, but it wasn’t perfect. Now it seems that BioWare has tweaked the combat system and cover mechanic to create not only a great RPG experience, but also a great action experience. The graphics and lighting have had a major jump in quality, according to the video below, and looks to improve on what was already a great looking first game.
An improvement that I personally like is how the new levels are in more populated levels. In the first game the best levels were in the more populated and developed planets, and while I hope they continue to balance it I do like the new planet artwork they have revealed.
While there has been little to no doubt that Mass Effect 2 would live up to the hype set by the first one, the video below only proves how much potential this game will have. The story, graphics, and game play all look to improve in the sequel, and will easily be a GOTY contender in 2010.
Japan’s most successful PSP title, Monster Hunter Portable 2G, is heading to North America this coming Spring. Renamed Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, this latest installment in the epic Monster Hunter series delivers over 500 hours of gameplay spanning some 400 missions. Add in previously unreleased monsters, weapons and missions and you have the biggest Monster Hunter game to date.
Using the PSP’s wireless Ad-Hoc connection, players can adventure with up to three friends for a savaging multiplayer hunting party. From devising the strategy to executing the attack, players will need to work together in order to hunt down the ferocious beasts and progress through the wide range of quests on offer. Players will be rewarded for their use of deep fighting combat systems, encouraging them to seek out the more experienced hunters and team up in order to learn from their experience.
Even in single player mode Hunters won’t be alone thanks to the introduction of the new AI “Felyne” feature. Accompanying players on quests your furry ally will helping them battle monsters and gather extra resources.
The game is scheduled for release on June 23rd, 2009.
Movie games rarely turn out to be major hits. Games such as Iron Man, Spiderman, and Transformers are black eyes when it comes to quality in the gaming industry. The guys at Raven Software hope to change this though with their upcoming video game, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
The game is based around famed comic book character, Wolverine, and his early story before joining the X-Men. The game talks about Wolverine’s past which begins in the late 1800’s and goes into the late 20th century. For fans of the Origin Comic it mostly covers that story, and his time with Col. William Striker and Weapon X.
The games is rated M(Mature), and thats a good thing for the fans of the comic book because it shows that the development team is not holding anything back. In most movie games, the publisher asks the developer to tone down the game so it will be rated T(Teen) so it can sell more copies. This game is being made for the hardcore by the hardcore.
Many who have played early builds of this game praise it for it’s gameplay. Many compare it to a poor-man’s God of War. While the game may not be the next God of War, expect some great hack and slash gameplay. The claws are supposed to be a devastating weapon which will be fun for the player to use. A lung feature will allow Wolverine to jump to enemies over 20 ft away. Quicktime events are also present in the game to create cinematic, badass experiences. Another great feature in the game is the regeneration health system. Whenever Wolverine takes damage and receives scars/scratches the player will see him heal in real time.
Characters from the X-Men universe making appearances in the game include Sabretooth, Gambit, Dead Pool, and the iconic Sentinels. The Sentinels will be a fun challenge for gamers.
Gamers looking for a fun hack-slash game, check out the upcoming Wolverine game that comes out on May 1st.
