Gamerology: The Science of Gaming

Medal of Honor Review

2010-10-15T09:45:00.009-04:00

This is perhaps the most difficult review I've had to write during my tenure at Gamerology. I had high expectations for this series reboot. That isn’t to say that Medal of Honor didn’t meet some of them. In fact, that’s what makes it so difficult. Medal of Honor excels in some respects and feels antiquated in others. In hindsight, the pressure on development teams Danger Close and DICE was immense. DICE known for their stand-out Bad Company series, and Danger Close a small studio within EA Los Angeles tasked with breathing new and much needed life into the series single player campaign. The mission was clear. Take down Call of Duty. It’s no secret that EA is desperate to get a piece of the Shooter pie. Unfortunately, the likelihood of Medal of Honor meeting the lofty expectations of the gaming community and becoming a “Call of Duty killer” is nominal at best. This isn’t to say that the series isn’t on the right track. The new setting and focus are certainly a step in the right direction.

Medal of Honor takes place in the mountains of Afghanistan and portrays a conflict still very much a reality for the thousands of U.S. servicemen on the other side of the globe. Danger Close Studios has been very vocal about the U.S. military's involvement in the development of Medal of Honor. Direct input was provided from several tier one operators from the Special Operations community. Trailers were even created depicting the real life operators discussing their experiences. I can assure you that as far as authenticity is concerned, Danger Close has honored these warriors and their sacrifice. It's obvious that Executive Producer Greg Goodrich and his team are adamant admirers of the U.S. military and its Special Forces veterans. Definite care has been taken in attention to detail. The in game chatter between soldiers is spot on and specific to that branch of armed forces. So much so that players unfamiliar with military banter will often wonder what the hell everyone is talking about.

"Realism" is an increasingly debatable design choice in the FPS genre. Having a game present a plausible scenario filled with real world detail helps to ground the player and develop an emotional connection for the player. It's not enough to carry a game however. The majority of Medal of Honor is unfortunately run of the mill. There are a few points of high tension and intensity, but ultimately Danger didn’t pace the game accordingly. Games certainly need high and low points to create climaxes, but you should never be left feeling bored with what’s happening on screen. Modern Warfare 2 is certainly not a perfect game, but it did set the bar quite high for seat of your pants action. In reality, Operators aren’t in combat every moment they are in conflict. Countless hours are spent on reconnaissance and observation. That being said, I am not a Delta Operator, I’m an out of shape gamer from Long Island. The stealth portions of the game are numerous and feel contrived. You never feel at any moment like your cover will be blown. Throughout the entire campaign, you are paired with a fellow Operator that leads you around like a child. You rarely feel like you are in command of the situation. There are memorable moments on occasion. Shootouts will often have you wondering if you are going to make it out alive. You are always outnumbered 20 to 1 and your enemy is surprisingly accurate with their weapons. I can’t tell you how many times I was clipped with a single round headshot. However, even these moments become monotonous after awhile as it's the only real action scenario you encounter. You'll hunker down and defend a position against waves of enemies until you escape or are extracted. Playing on the PC version is easy enough as you can simply lean out from cover and pick off enemies as they pop out from cover. The sheer number of enemies can occasionally begin to overwhelm, but most experienced gamers won’t feel the heat unless on the hardest difficulty setting.

The development team is painfully aware of the success of Modern Warfare 2. So much so that Medal of Honor feels like a checklist of Call of Duty’s greatest moments. There is rarely a moment that hasn’t been done in some capacity and in many instances better by the well established franchise. Danger Close is so intent on following the Call of Duty formula they even opted to create a painfully short experience that clocks in at no more than 4 hours. If it takes you longer, you are either brand spanking new to shooters or you have no thumbs.
Medal of Honor features a limited HUD that is effective for immersion purposes, but often leaves you wondering where the hell you are supposed to go and what you are supposed to do when you get there. Visually, Medal of Honor is a mixed bag. The single player portion is running on a “heavily modified” version of the Unreal 3 engine. What that means, I can’t tell you. Despite modification the Unreal 3 engine is still apparent every time you switch between weapons and the texture loads a moment later. Character models aren't bad and most of the scenery is highly detailed and clean, but largely uninteresting and repetitive. I realize this is largely due to the Afghan mountain setting. However, many locales don’t feel fully realized with plenty of empty rooms and closed doors. There are rooms within Bagram Airbase that are not only completely unoccupied, but filled with darkness to cover up the fact. Detail is only applied to the route you must traverse during the extremely linear level progression. Some aspects of the game were given a great deal of attention and polish while others feel neglected and unfinished. That being said, areas of note include the stellar animations and realistic particle effects. The sound design inpercticular is praise worthy. The gun sound effects are by far the most believable I’ve ever heard. The team headed to an Army base and recorded the majority of the games sounds direct from the source. They even went so far as to record the weapon systems from varying distances to capture the uncanny crack a sniper rifle makes from a mile away.

The multiplayer portion of the game is actually the weaker of the two. It was developed by DICE. The gameplay feels like an unholy spawn of Call of Duty and Bad Company 2. The result is a game that has no identity. There are scarcely any maps at launch and even worse bugs will often result in players battling on the same map time and again without interruption. The classes are largely unbalanced and Snipers rule the battlefield. It’s a one hit kill pretty much regardless of where the round hits, and the effective range is limitless once high powered scopes are unlocked. DICE attempted to combat this by giving the Assault Rifle class an unrealistic effective range with nearly no recoil. Even sub machine guns are capable of sniper like accuracy. Close quarter combat is non-existent as players take turns trying to pick off tiny heads in the distance. Cover is deceiving as well. You are given the impression that you are completely safe with your entire body secure; meanwhile your opponent is viewing half your body hanging out begging to be targeted. Medal of Honor’s multiplayer will merely provide a distraction to those waiting for Black Ops release this November.

Medal of Honor isn’t a bad game. It just wasn’t able to meet the industry’s expectations and high standards. The shooter genre is a very crowded market and re-launching a franchise requires an exceptional offering in order to turn heads. It’s a step in the right direction, but major improvements to narrative, gameplay and pacing are going to be necessary to become king of the hill.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10

The Digital Vine - 7/20/10

2010-07-20T10:54:00.013-04:00

Welcome back to another edition of The Digital Vine! We've got a lot to cover this week so let's dive right in.

Dragon Age Origins and it's companion piece Awakening are getting major face lifts. A new patch is on the way that will correct a slew of issues. Behold the official patch notes!

General Fixes

• Daggers will now properly assign the dexterity-based damage bonus.

• Achievement images and messages will now display properly.

• Resolved some authorization issues with downloadable content.

• Blood talents from the Grey Warden Base premium downloadable content will now work properly in Awakening.

• Fixed an issue where installing new downloadable content would occasionally leave the "Other Campaigns" selection greyed-out without a restart of the game.

• Multiple transitions in and out of Fade areas will no longer multiply the number of visual effects running and slow down gameplay.

• Floating numbers no longer appears over players' heads.

• Damage statistics will now be updated properly on the Inventory screen when weapons were unequipped.

• Importing a character to a new module from a savegame that did not have the hero in the party caused the game to crash.

• If a character is imported into Dragon Age: Awakening and is stripped of their incompatible gear from DLC, they will be equipped with default equipment.

• Names with accents and special characters will now show up correctly in the Story So Far load hints.

• Switching between Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Awakening will no longer reset options to default settings.

• Fixed a number of memory leaks that were increasing the number of crashes.

• Audio drivers were causing a number of audio-related crashes. As such, audio drivers have been updated.

• Fixed issues that were preventing portraits from being uploaded to the BioWare social site.

•Game saves on Xbox 360 were being corrupted if you sold too many items to the same merchant. Saves will no longer be corrupted if you do this.

• Screenshots are no longer automatically uploaded on the PC by default on new installations.

• Fixed pick-pocketing. Characters were successfully stealing, but not receiving any items.

Dragon Age: Origins Fixes

• Fixed an issue that would cause incorrect characters to occasionally appear in Morrigan's ritual.

• Players who rescued their party members in the Fade of the Broken Circle plot were still forced to fight the sloth demon alone. This has been resolved.

• It is no longer possible for the player to get blocked during gameplay by pursuing both candidates' quests in the Orzammar plot line.

Dragon Age: Awakening Fixes

• A variety of bugs were preventing personal quests from triggering and causing issues with party member approval have been fixed.

• Lillith will no longer repeatedly thank the player at Vigil's Keep after being rescued.

• During the Assault on Amaranthine, a bug would occasionally make some enemies invincible, which impeded game progress. This no longer happens.

• Imported rogue characters will now properly detect traps.

• The message, "Legacy tattoo asset do not use!" will no longer appear on the faces of imported characters.

• Masterpiece and paragon silverite runes are now weapon runes instead of armor runes.

• The masterpiece slow rune is now available for purchase from merchant stores.

• Players may now receive notes of appreciation from their Origins love interests.

Famed Metal Gear Solid creator, Hideo Kojima, is working on an adventure game. Nothing is known as of yet however Kojima stated via Twitter that he will "challenge a certain type of taboo." He went on to say "If I mess up, I'll probably have to leave the industry." I have faith in Hideo Kojima and whatever he's working on will no doubt captivate fans. On the other hand, maybe he's ripe for a bomb after all these years.

Tim Schafer recently sat down with Eurogamer.com and had a few choice words for Activision head Bobby Kotick. "His obligation is to his shareholders. Well, he doesn't have to be as much of a dick about it, does he? I think there is a way he can do it without being a total prick. It seems like it would be possible. It's not something he's interested in." Schafer went on to say, "Well, he makes a big deal about not liking games, and I just don't think that attitude is good for games in general. I don't think we're an industry of widgets. I don't think we can approach it like we approach bars of soap, where you're just trying to make the cheapest bar of soap." I'm glad someone finally said it. Unfortunately Tim retracted his statement soon after and offered an apology. I'm guessing Mr. Kotick's lawyers made a few phone calls.

New Screenshots!

2010-07-16T10:11:00.005-04:00

Hey game fans! We are back after a bit of a hiatus with some new screenshots for Spec Ops: The Line and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Spec Ops developer Yager has never developed a AAA title before. This is causing skepticism in the gaming community as to their ability to develop a top tier gaming experience. Let us not forget the likes of Bioshock and Farcry, both developed by development teams that were mere blips on the map compared to some of the industries established giants. So far, the footage released gives every indication that Spec Ops: The Line will be the sleeper hit of 2011.

The Deus Ex franchise is a favorite among the hardcore gaming community. It's been seven years since Deus Ex 2: Invisible War and the announcement of a new installment was a bit surprising. Human Revolution is going to be a prequel to the original so there's no need to worry about remembering continuity. That being said, the following screenshots are gorgeous. Eidos Montreal has a real opportunity to revitalize the series. To be clear, this is a brand new team behind the helm and the original creators are not attached to the project in any capacity. Sometimes that's a good thing. Case in point; Red Dead Redemption.

Trailer Madness! - E3 2010 Edition

2010-06-11T16:18:00.008-04:00

E3 2010 is less than a week away, and many developers couldn't take the wait. In this edition of Trailer Madness, we have the latest in rhythm games and first person shooters.

XCOM

XCOM is a relaunch of a classic PC game franchise that hasn't had an installment since 2001. 2K Marin, the creators of the original Bioshock, have resurrected the series with their own unique twist. The game is set in what appears to be mid 1950's suburbia. You assume the role of a federal agent part of a government extra-terrestrial defense force. From the gameplay on display, this has instantly become one of my top most wanted games and one that I can't wait to get more details on.

Red Faction: Armageddon

Next up we have the sequel to Red Faction: Guerrilla. The game seems to be running on basically the same engine. The series itself seems to be going in a different direction incorporating alien creatures and gore.

Rock Band 3

I hate to say it, but I am of the opinion that the rhythm game genre has been beaten to death. No doubt, the blame falls mostly on Activision and it's Guitar Hero franchise. Guitar Hero comes out more frequently than some of my favorite comic books. I have a feeling Harmonix is well aware of this and is aiming to raise the bar with Rock Band 3. First we see the inclusion of a keyboard. With three part harmony vocals, this brings the total band capacity to seven players. That has to be a first in gaming. The visuals are looking a bit better with some great art direction.

Killzone 3

Killzone 2 is one of my favorite FPS games of all time. It has a completely unique look and feel. When I saw the first footage of Killzone 3, I let out a girlish shriek of joy. Some major new additions are on display including a jump pack and various melee kills. The game is as beautiful as ever, and the action looks intense. It's going to be a long wait until May 2011.

Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat once ruled the roost of fighting games. I can scarcely imagine an adult gamer who hasn't played at least one of the many games in the series. Some installments have been better than others, but the game has shown unbelievable longevity. The new reboot has brought back fatalities and has included some cool new mechanics including combos where you literally see the physical impact your blows have on an opponent. The graphics are tight and clean and I am honestly really looking forward to getting my hands on this one.

That's all for now, but there will no doubt be plenty more game reveals as E3 kicks off. Keep it here for the latest E3 news and trailers.

The Digital Vine - 5/27/10

2010-05-27T13:41:00.003-04:00

It's Thursday! You know what that means? One more day until TGIF, and yet another trip through gaming news via "The Digital Vine!"

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has made an interesting offer to Treyarch's Community Manager Josh Olin. He's willing to cough up an entire season worth of home game tickets (an estimated $3000 value) in exchange for an advanced copy of "Call of Duty: Black Ops." Olin responded with an offer for Ochocinco to visit the Treyarch studio's and get an early taste of the game behind closed doors. No word on whether or not he accepted the offer. In an amusing side note, Chad also petitioned Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling which obviously didn't yield any results.

President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Andrew House has revealed that plans are in motion for a premium version of the Playstation Network. House assured fans that the current free version of PSN will remain unchanged. No details yet on pricing or what the premium version will offer. Cross-game chat seems like a good place to start.

Mark Hammill has just revealed that he will no longer portray famous Batman villain The Joker following his work on Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. Hammill's words were a bit cryptic stating, "this will be my last, there's no question about that." The actor made famous by depicting Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, went on to lend his voice to the fan favorite villain for over twelve years.

Killzone 3 Announced!

2010-05-26T10:04:00.005-04:00

Killzone 2 is one of the best Shooters on any gaming system to date. Stellar graphics, unique gameplay and a highly addictive multiplayer helped launch the Killzone name to AAA status. Many fans have been chomping at the bit waiting to hear about the future of the franchise. Rest easy as Killzone 3 has been officially announced for the Playstation 3. Right now details are scarce, but jet packs and the ever popular snow levels have already been confirmed. Those of you accusing Killzone 3 of copying Halo: Reach concerning jet packs, remember that developer Guerilla first introduced the concept in Killzone: Liberation. The question is how it will be implemented and unique from what Bungie has to offer. Below are brand new screenshots of the game in action. New information should come through the pipeline soon.

The Digital Vine - 5/20/10

2010-05-20T10:03:00.018-04:00

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has confirmed that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood will have a multiplayer beta. The time or parameters have not been released yet, but at least we know something is on the way. It'll be interesting to see how Ubisoft incorporates multiplayer into a game that has traditionally been single player only.

Bioware is releasing a patch for Mass Effect 2 on the Xbox 360. The most notable improvement is the increased planet scanning speed. The often tedious task has series fans split on wether the mechanic should even be in the game in the first place. Below you'll find the entire list of fixes in the patch notes.

• Scanning for minerals has been optimized

• Fixed an issue with marking all entries as viewed in the Journal

• Fixed an issue relating to text and the menu screen

• Fixed an issue relating to players starting a new game and loading a save

• Fixed multiple issues when loading a save containing DLC when DLC isn’t present

• Fixed an issue with ammo flashing when it can’t be picked up

• Fixed an issue with crosshairs

• Fixed an issue with Grunt’s Fortification power

• Fixed an issue with enemies and cover

• Fixed an issue where players could receive additional talent points

• Fixed an issue where squad members would overwrite ammo powers the player had assigned them

Heavy Rain is one step closer to becoming a feature film. Production company Unique Features is reportedly about to seal the deal having beat out all other bids. While at New Line, company executives Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne previously produced Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films and the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Call of Duty: Black Ops World Debut Trailer!

2010-05-19T14:09:00.010-04:00

"Call of Duty: Black Ops" made it's official debut during last night's NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The trailer features tons of exciting gameplay for what is shaping to be the best in the series since "Call of Duty 4." Treyarch has their entire 200 plus staff working on Black Ops where as in the past the team would be developing up to three games simultaneously. Below you'll find the full length uncut trailer as well as screen captures from the trailer. Leave a comment with your own impressions!

Call of Duty: Black Ops First Details

2010-05-17T16:04:00.016-04:00

Treyarch has had the misfortune of being labeled the "other" Call of Duty developer ever since their first contribution to the franchise, "Call of Duty 3." Despite releasing excellent games for years, Infinity Ward always seemed to crowd the spotlight due to their industry changing AAA titles. Following Infinity Ward's highly successful though eternally defective "Modern Warfare 2," Treyarch is poised to take the mantle of top Call of Duty developer once and for all.

New details have been released via an exclusive with Official Xbox Magazine. Details are still scarce, but a few interesting details have been released already.

4 player online Co-op will be available via a separate mode similar to "Spec Ops" from "Modern Warfare 2."
"Black Ops" will take place over a long period of time with Vietnam and Cold War era already confirmed. Locations will include Vietnam, Russia and Laotian.

New weapons include a cross bow as well as the ability to use secondary ammunition. Incendiary rounds are available for the shotgun and explosive tip arrows are selectable for the cross bow.
You'll play as at least two characters with U.S. forces already confirmed. The player will assume the role of a CIA back special operations force called the Studies and Operations Group.

There is a mission where you pilot a SR-71 Blackbird, providing reconnaissance to the ground troops below.
The same motion-capture technology as Avatar is being used. The characters will not only display gestures, but facial expressions and highly expressive line delivery.

A brand new trailer will debut during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Stay tuned here for all the latest details. Call of Duty: Black Ops is set for release on November 9th 2010.

Halo: Reach Beta Impressions

2010-05-13T10:42:00.011-04:00

Bungie has officially launched the Halo: Reach Beta to the masses. All you need is a copy of Halo: ODST and you are good to go. The beta will be accessible from the main menu of the single player disc. I've spent a few hours playing through the various game types and I can say with great certainty that Reach is on track to being the best Halo since the original "Combat Evolved."

Right off the bat let me just say that the game is stunning. Halo: Reach multiplayer looks better than most games single player campaigns. Textures are crisp and colors are vibrant. There is a ton of detail in this game. Bungie re-tooled Reach from the ground up and it's evident in every frame. The particle effects are vivid and there is no texture pop in to speak of. This is what Halo 3 should have looked like. I can't wait to see what's in store for the single player campaign.

After you get accustomed to the new visuals, you'll start to notice the various and subtle changes in gameplay. The first thing that becomes apparent is the option of choosing load-outs. Players will be able to choose roles to build strategies. You can take on the role of a hulking juggernaut and use temporary invincibility to draw the attention of your enemies. Meanwhile, your team mate can use their invisible cloaking ability to flank the ability with a well placed grenade or assassination. The assassinations themselves are totally new to the series and as far as I'm concerned are a welcome addition. There's something so satisfying about sneaking up behind your opponent and bring them down with a stealthy knife kill or swift neck snap. Be forewarned, you are completely vulnerable during the animation and can fall victim to the same fate you've just dealt out.

Combat techniques from Halo 3 aren't going to work this time around. Health packs are back in a big way and if you plan on staying alive they quickly become a necessity. Grenades now have physics and are no longer lobbed in a perfect arch. They also feel heavier than in past incarnations and as a result, Hail Mary throws down map aren't really possible. In addition, battle rifles are much weaker then in the past. Emptying a clip and then following it up a well placed melee bash won't take your enemy down. It's going to require team work to take the other team down. There are other more deadly weapons scattered about the map and controlling them will be the key to victory. That being said, the playing field is initially level as load-outs don't allow for weapon customization in most game modes. The special abilities are what makes each class unique. The only time this changes is in the just released "Invasion" mode where various weapon load-outs become available as the match progresses.

Customization in Halo: Reach doesn't end there. You'll be able to earn credits from fragging successfully which can be used to unlock armor variants. You'll be able to customize your warrior to your liking complete with color and symbol selection. Expect to see a few pink Spartans dealing death from time to time. It is unknown if customization will be deeper in the final release, but as it stands it's fairly basic and isn't much of a progression over Halo 3.

I highly recommend taking the Halo: Reach beta for a spin. It is currently slated to run until May 18th, but Bungie may decide to extend the duration as needed. Bungie still has the best match making to date and lag is far less an issue in Reach than in other contemporary shooters. Enjoy it while it lasts as we won't get another taste until Halo: Reach is released this September.

The Digital Vine - 5/12/10

2010-05-12T16:04:00.007-04:00

Welcome to a brand new feature called "The Digital Vine!" Here you'll find all the latest in gaming news as it breaks. From major game announcements to the latest controversy, "The Digital Vine" is your one stop shop for the comings and goings of the gaming industry.

A Microsoft Executive has revealed that Project Natal will be released sometime in October. The exact date will be revealed at next month's E3, but at least the time frame has been narrowed. Project Natal is a controller free motion sensing device in which gamers interact using their bodies. No details yet on pricing.

EA has announced a new and controversial method of combating used game sales. The publisher will issue one-time use Online Passes with all of their new sports games. The passes will only be issued when the game is purchased new. Players with used copies wishing to gain access to online features will have to pay an additional $10 fee. No word on whether this policy will eventually make it's way over to other game genres.

Little Big Planet 2 Confirmed!

2010-05-10T12:54:00.007-04:00

Despite rumors to the contrary, Sony officially announced today that Little Big Planet 2 will be released Winter 2010! Media Molecule was acquired by Sony earlier this year, so it's little wonder that Sony would want a follow up to the critically acclaimed and financially successful Little Big Planet. Several new features have already been announced including improved community, a better search system, features, new cinematic tools, new characters, controller customization, and power ups. In addition to the already stellar level creator, gamers will now be able to create games in other genres including racing, shooters, role playing. All your hard work won't go to waste either. All of the over 2.3 million levels users created in the original Little Big Planet will carry over to the sequel with new and improved visuals. We'll be sure to keep you posted with all the latest details as they become available.

Demo Round Up - 5/03/10

2010-05-03T09:43:00.010-04:00

This week we have a wide variety of demos to cover. Whether you enjoy hugging tight turns or pummeling your opponent to a pulp, we've got something for you.

Split/Second

I was eagerly awaiting the chance to get my hands on Split/Second. I'm a big fan of Black Rock Studio's last release, Pure. It featured addictive gameplay, simple controls, and a large assortment of off the wall tricks. Split/Second promised to deliver a similar fantastical experience with hot cars traveling at blinding speeds. The gameplay revolves around the ability to trigger environmental changes in order to trip-up your opponents. The demo features one track, one car and one race. For those of you who have a tough time making decisions, this demo will be easy on the nerves. Split/Second is based around the premise of a television reality show in the same vein as the film "Death Race." However, it isn't violent or gory in anyway. This is a Disney game after all. The objective is to fill your momentum meter by drifting around turns, and drafting by driving directly behind other racers. Once the meter is full, you can execute environmental hazards to take down opponents. The Tier 2 takedowns are often spectacular and include crashing jumbo jets and helicopter missile attacks. Split/Second is the sort of game that can interest gamers that aren't even particularly big fans of the racing genre.

Verdict: Download it!

UFC Undisputed 2010

This one is a tough nut to crack. I can see that the bones of the game are strong. Somewhere in there is a strong and competitive fighting game, but the presentation in the demo is terrible. UFC Undisputed 2010 assumes you are a well-learned MMA fan with knowledge well above that of the average gamer. I'm not even foreign to UFC and I had a difficult time working through the controls and fighting styles. For every situation there is a unique set of actions depending on offense or defense. This is confusing and more often than not has you button mashing hoping to gain the advantage. There is an action list included, but it requires you to sift through an endless array of menus to find the exact situation you are currently in. More often than not the computer opponent made me tap in 20 seconds. I won a few of the bouts thanks to slamming the punch button until the other fighter was napping on the mat. If you've mastered UFC Undisputed 2009 you are going to have a much easier time in the octagon. Hopefully the full release will feature an in-depth traning mode to break-in newcomers to the franchise.

Verdict: Skip it!

The Very Best from the World of Cosplay!

2010-04-30T09:39:00.016-04:00

I've never been one to dress up as a ficticious character. It's labor intensive, expensive and more often that not, the results are underwhelming. However, there are those in the cosplay community that go above and beyond. They re-create highly accurate and detailed omages to some of gaming's finest. Today we celebrate the very best the world of cosplay has to offer.

Helghast from Killzone 2

Nero from Devil May Cry

Naked Snake from Metal Gear Solid 3

Marcus Fenix from Gears of War

Master Chief from Halo

Fran from Final Fantasy XII

Evil Nurses from Silent Hill 3

Soap and Ghost from Modern Warfare 2

Dante from Dante's Inferno

Samus from Metroid Prime

Dark Link from Zelda: A Link to the Past

Kratos from God of War

Halo: Reach Beta is Inbound!

2010-04-27T15:24:00.017-04:00

Halo: Reach is one of the most anticipated titles of the year. Bungie is claiming that this will be the final title in the franchise. As a result, Halo: Reach has been re-tooled from the ground up and the results are remarkable. Best of all, in less than a week, millions of loyal fans will be able to check out a pre-release build for themselves. The beta will be released May 3rd and will be available to those who previously purchased Halo 3: ODST. It will be accessible via the campaign disk and will run until Microsoft and Bungie have completed their testing. Since it is available through the disc, renting Halo 3: ODST or purchasing it used should still allow you to participate.

Bungie has released a new ViDoc entitled "Carnage Carnivale" showcasing some exciting new footage of actual gameplay. Some new features include choosing your own load-out and assassinating your opponents with a flashy coup de grâce.

The Assist: Battlefield Bad Company 2

2010-04-23T09:56:00.013-04:00

The Assist is a new feature where we share tips for some of your favorite games. In this installment we show you how to properly snipe at various ranges in Battlefield Bad Company 2. Sniping in Bad Company 2 is unlike most modern shooters. Traditionally, wherever you place the cross hair is where the bullet will travel and it will do so in a straight line. In Bad Company 2, ballistics are taken into account every time you squeeze the trigger. Here are a few helpful tips to make you the most effective sniper possible.

- Distance and bullet travel time isn't an issue with targets at close to medium range. If you're enemy is close enough to occupy most of your scope, you can place the bullet directly where the cross hair is focused.

- Sniping at medium to long range is a bit more complicated. It takes practice and time to get a feel for distance shooting. Depending on how far your target is, you'll have to compensate by aiming the cross hair above their heads. The further the target, the more you will have to compensate. This is because the bullet will begin to drop after a certain distance. The mil dots on your scope are helpful for gauging target distance.

- The same is true for a moving target. You will have to lead the target. in order to have them run into the bullet. The angle at which the target is moving is also important. If they are running directly from left to right, you'll have to lead the target a great deal more in order to land a hit. If they are moving toward you on a diagonal, then you'll have to lead considerably less.

- You should always go for head shots whenever possible. Regardless of distance, a head shot will always kill in one shot. A sniper's goal is always "one shot, one kill." Occasionally you'll have to fire off a round with haste so this won't always be possible. If you are certain you can land a body hit that leaves an enemy vulnerable, better to gain points for assist, than no points at all. The only circumstance where a body shot is preferable, is when you know that your target is already injured and a single shot will get the job done. Killing an enemy at full health will require two body shots with considerable downtime in between shots if using a bolt action rifle.

- Only fire when a shot is possible. Sending a bullet down range when the target isn't visible or acquirable will betray your position as well as waste valuable ammunition.

- Press the "back" button on the Xbox 360 controller or "select" on the Playstation 3 in order to highlight enemies on screen. This is possible only when you are looking through your scope or aiming down sights with other weapons. Enemy positions will now be visible to your teammates and you will be able to rack up "spot points" with nearly no effort at all. The class is called "recon" after all.

- Accessories are a snipers best friend. Use your motion detection mines! It only takes a second to throw out, and on close quarter maps you can rack up points like nobody's business. Once you've unlocked it, the mortar strike ability is your new best friend. The sniper class is more than any other capable of wreaking havoc on enemy personnel. This is especially true against vehicles. A well placed mortar strike can decimate enemy tanks in seconds. It's also great for flushing out an ambush of closely grouped foot soldiers.

That's all for this week, but be sure and check back for future installments of The Assist. Leave any comments or questions below and let us know how you're doing in Battlefield Bad Company 2.

God of War 3 Review

2010-04-21T09:52:00.014-04:00

God of War 3 is a modern masterpiece of gaming. It is, in nearly every way, a representation of what today's game developers are truly capable of. Both the artistic and technical graphics are state-of-the-art, presenting a sense of scale that other games have only hinted at. Everything, including the cut scenes, are rendered with the in-game engine. Load times are infrequent and short and I didn't notice any frame rate issues. High resolution textures drape nearly the entire world with the occasional instance of a lower resolution object or set piece. Character models are highly detailed and animations are fluid and believable. God of War 3 is by far the best looking game on the market today.

The English language has served me well throughout my life. In near every situation, I've been able to find just the right terminology to get my point across. However, I feel a new term is needed to describe God of War 3. Words like brutal, visceral, and sadistic don't even come close for the most violent game in the series. I humbly suggest (wait for it) Kratostrophic. Whether your gutting a Centaur or tearing off Helios' head with your bare hands, you'll be squirming in your chair with one eye open. The sex mini game is the most explicit of the series and finds Kratos enjoying Aphrodite's company while her half-naked followers look on with delight. This is not a game for minors in any way, shape or form. If you have kids or younger siblings, tuck them in before popping this one in.

Kratos' total disregard for anyone but himself has always made him a difficult character to relate to. He's not so much a bad ass as he is an asshole. It's a credit to the game's writers for being able to make you care about what's happening on screen. As inhuman as Kratos may seem, his tragic past offers a plausible albeit irrational motivation for his rampage against the Gods. You are supposed to feel that Kratos is going too far, and you certainly will by the time you've completed your journey. The ending is controversial to say the least and may leave a bitter taste in the mouths of some of the most hardcore fans.

The action and set pieces vary at a pace that keeps the game exciting and fresh. In a game that spans about 10 hours, I never found myself bored with what the game was throwing at me. Each boss battle is completely unique and offers something new. You'll acquire a majority of your in-game items and weapons by defeating the Gods and their kin. Combat is very deep featuring four melee weapons, magic attacks and special items. As seen in previous installments, you feed red orbs into your weapons to level them and gain new attacks and abilities. The special items like Apollo's bow and Hermes' boots will recharge after a short rest. The key is experimenting to find what works best against the many types of enemies you'll face. The difficulty is consistent on normal and will offer a challenge with the occasional bout of frustration. There is one mini boss in particular that had me red faced for nearly an hour. The puzzles are mild brain teasers that are easily solvable with a bit of trial and error. The only part of the game I downright despise is the wind tunnel flying sequence featured in the demo. It's long and feels cheap since misjudging a single opening can lead to an unavoidable series of collisions. Also, as breathtaking as the visuals may be, some environments and character models will occasionally appear crisper and more detailed than others. The slight unevenness doesn't take much away from the experience and even at it's worst, God of War 3 looks better than any of its contemporaries.

If you can stomach the violence and gratuitous nudity you'll be rewarded with one of the very best experiences in gaming. The story is powerful and easy to follow. The visuals are gorgeous and the production values are incredibly high. There are several items to unlock, and a second play-through is well worth it if just to enjoy some of the more unforgettable moments all over again. God of War 3 is a must-own exclusive for the Playstation 3. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know how you feel about Kratos' latest adventure.

Rating 9.5 out of 10

Gears of War 3 Debut Trailer

2010-04-14T11:34:00.010-04:00

The debut trailer for Gears of War 3 has been unleashed on the world. It made it's debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It's nice to see games getting some mainstream media attention without being connected to some scandal. Most noteworthy is the inclusion of a female COG soldier who might be Anya from the two previous Gears of War titles. Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games has mentioned in the past that he sees the FPS genre adopting certain Role Playing mechanics. Will the new Gears of War have upgradeable armor and weaponry? Is there such a thing as a Level 9 Marcus Phoenix Mage? More information will no doubt be released as it's release draws nearer. Gears of War 3 will conclude the series and is set to be released in April 2010.

Medal of Honor Debut Trailer

2010-03-18T10:36:00.007-04:00

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Medal of Honor ruled the roost of World War II games. The once legendary franchise has since been stuck in a bit of a rut with Medal of Honor: Airborne receiving both average review scores and sales. EA looks to reclaim the throne with its upcoming and updated modern warfare game, simply titled, "Medal of Honor." The game is being developed by EA Los Angeles and will feature contrasting gameplay between small teams of Tier One Operators and the shock-and-awe-driven Army Rangers. The formula is no doubt awfully familiar. It's only been five months since Modern Warfare 2 hit shelves and the concept has been around since its predecessor in Call of Duty 4. However, Modern Warfare 2 did leave many fans dissatisfied after a short and confusing single player campaign. Perhaps the new "Medal of Honor" will be the spiritual successor to the well received Call of Duty 4 that many fans are craving. If your appetite can only be satiated by fragging live opponents, than rest easy as Battlefield: Bad Company 2 developers DICE are behind the wheel for multiplayer. Medal of Honor is due out this Fall and will no doubt go head-to-head with whatever Treyarch has cooking for Activision.

The Customer Is Always Wrong

2010-02-23T09:20:00.005-05:00

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released nearly 3 months ago now. Since that time it's become the proverbial play toy of the hacking and modding community. The game has also had the misfortune of a growing list of bugs and glitches originating from the source code itself. To be fair, Infinity Ward has released a handful of patches since release to combat the most severe hacks and bugs including the infinite ammo and ice skating (think Ferrari without brakes) hacks, as well at the care package glitch resulting in unlimited amounts of the mystery box.

Naturally one would expect that Infinity Ward would approach it's loyal fan base with humility and appreciation. You'd be wrong. Robert Bowling, Infinity Ward's Community Manager, has made a mockery of community relations. He instructs fans to follow his personal Twitter page where you'll find a rambling of incomplete sentences answering a single suffering souls dilemma. Want to know what the question was? Just click the inquisitive users account and scroll through dozens of posts in an attempt to match the question to the answer. This is assuming of course the user hasn't deleted the question or set their account to private. If you do manage to find out the original question, Bowling's answer is short and sweet, containing just enough information to vaguely answer your question without providing any real detail. Too bad "Lost" is in it's final season or Mr. Bowling would have a future in television. If you are one of the chosen few that receives a golden ticket and gets an answer, then surely you are greeted with respect as a valued customer. Strike two. Bowling is often snide and defensive refusing to show the patience he asks of the gaming community. Lashing out with profanity and insults is rarely the correct course of action, however given the high expectations of Modern Warfare 2 and the accompanying record breaking sales, you think Bowling would choose not to fuel the fire. Here are a few examples of Rob's drawn out responses:

"@_Trems_ No problem."

"@Boyle111 I am."

"@Jayroo21 Correct. At least, that's the goal."

Thank you for the clarification Mr. Bowling. Perhaps now I can sleep soundly at night knowing that it's no problem, you are, and that Jayroo21 is correct about one of an infinite amount of conclusions floating in outer space. I knew I pre-ordered for a reason.

The worst is yet to come. Thus far, we've seen Infinity Ward's treatment of the gaming community on a large and more public scale. What about the die-hards in the Infinity Ward forums posting endlessly about the various problems needing resolution in "Modern Warfare 2?" Despite their best efforts, the community is usually ignored with little input from Infinity Ward staff. One can only wonder why Infinity Ward doesn't watch these forums more closely since these are the fans that are most aware of the bugs, glitches and hacks plaguing the game. I presume it's because Infinity Ward is already moving on to it's next project. They would have to push forward with any hopes of having a new game out to meet Activision's ludicrous release schedule (Guitar Hero 18 is no doubt in development somewhere). The staff realizes that fans like those in the forums are in the minority. Millions of gamers are clueless to the controversy with "Modern Warfare 2" and I'm willing to wager that a fair share of them aren't even aware that "World at War" and "Modern Warfare 2" are made by completely separate and unrelated developers. Infinity Ward now has at least two downloadable content packs to consider as well as plan the inevitable Modern Warfare 3. A small part of me hopes they do decide to abandon this game in hopes that the next will receive the polish necessary to warrant it's sales figures. Below are excerpts from the official forums by a staff member in the art department known as Hyphen_MW2.

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:46 pm

"when most of the threads consist of someone berating us, what we do for a living, or how we do it, do you expect volunteers to come back and take it over and over? many may not know, but after i received several death threats and ridiculous comments being sent to me through all avenues, i decided to cut myself free. it's not in my job description to be here answering questions and getting reamed every which way."

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:11 am

"since im not one to really bite my tongue quite as often as i should, i'm gonna go ahead and say it. flugtag, you have absolutely zero clue what you're talking about. i'm pretty sure you just started typing away and while flailing your fingers at the keyboard, some random ideas came about and you decided that it'd be cool to post it. you really have no idea and need to put the pity card away. you too spetznas. i'm sick of all these lame ass assumptions. jesus christ. now, with that out of the way, dungbeetle, i'm trying to ease it in there. i can't just walk up to the engineers and say, "ohay guyz! we needz to put in local search." local searching is considered a feature, one that i dont think you can simply put in by typing a few lines of code. and even if it was as simple as that, it has to get approved first. so, i'm easing into it. i've brought up your plight to a few people, it just needs to gain some more momentum. if you wanna know my opinion, i think taking some video of your games would be helpful. possibly a montage of connectivity issues from different people. hell, if everyone in the other thread could make one video and string it together in a vid i could fwd that to some people and itd make things a LOT easier on me. and an fyi for people, there are many fixes in the works. just because we aren't overly vocal about things doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't being made."

According to Infinity Ward, we should make videos of the in game bugs and send it to them. This is pretty amusing considering Hyphen has a fondness for stating that responding to fans is not his job. Why he should presume that making videos of bugs is our job, I couldn't tell you. I don't own a video recorder, but I think I might buy one now just to make Hyphen's life a little bit easier. It's good to know that besides having paper thin skin incapable of receiving criticism, Infinity Ward's staff also require bug reports to be eased in with KY jelly in order to gain the "momentum" necessary to fix a broken game. At least they aren't being "overly vocal", because God knows fans hate hearing from the developers about upcoming patches for the game they blew their Christmas money on. Perhaps there is enough left over for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 due out March 2nd for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.

Halo: Reach vs. Halo 3 Graphics Comparison

2010-02-17T15:51:00.011-05:00

When Halo 3 was released in September of 2007, it was welcomed with a new entertainment launch sales record (recently bested by Modern Warfare 2) and a host of skeptics troubled by the game's lack of visual horsepower. While certainly a step up from its predecessor, Halo 3 did not achieve the same shock and awe effect that Halo 2 did when released. This no doubt is in large part to the over all increase in graphical quality among other First Person Shooters. Bungie, developer of the Halo franchise, knew they had an antiquated game engine on their hands and wisely chose to start from the beginning. The result is a brand new engine capable of rendering far more detailed imagery. Halo: Reach is currently set to be released on September 26th, 2010. Below you'll find a comparison of several in game images from both Halo: Reach and Halo 3 as well as actual gameplay released at the recent X10 event.

Battle Rifle Comparison

Sniper Rifle Comparison

U.N.S.C. Marine Comparison

Jackal Comparison

Game of the Year Awards 2009 - Marc's Picks

2010-02-02T10:19:00.003-05:00

Most Disappointing Game

Halo 3: ODST

Runner Up: (TIE) Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Best Downloadable Game

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

Runner Up: Shadow Complex

Best Shooter

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

Runner Up: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

Best Role Playing Game

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Best Music Game

Guitar Hero: Metallica

Runner Up: DJ Hero

Best Platformer

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Runner Up: Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time

Best Fighting Game

Street Fighter IV

Runner Up: Marvel Vs. Capcom 2

Best Racing Game

Forza Motorsport 3

Runner Up: Fuel

Best Real Time Strategy Game

Brutal Legend

Best Action/Adventure Game

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Runner Up: Infamous

Best Graphics

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Runner Up: The Saboteur

Best Story

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Runner Up: Mario and Luigi: Inside Bowser's Story

Best Soundtrack

Brutal Legend

Worst Peripheral

Tony Hawk Ride Skateboard

Best Game No One Played

Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure

Worst Game Everyone Played

Prototype

Game of the Year

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Game of the Year Awards 2009 - Jon's Picks

2010-01-28T10:29:00.010-05:00

Behold the first annual Gamerology Game of Year Awards! There were quite a few excellent games in 2009 and this year's recipients represent the best of the best (or in some cases worst of the worst). Agree of Disagree? Let us know what your personal picks are in the comments section below.

Most Disappointing Game

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Runner Up: Bionic Commando

Worst Game

Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust

Runner Up: Stalin vs. Martians

Best Downloadable Game

Shadow Complex

Runner Up: Trine

Best Shooter

Killzone 2

Runner Up: Borderlands

Best Platformer

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Runner Up: New Super Mario Bros.

Best Fighting Game

Street Fighter IV

Runner Up: Tekken 6

Best Role Playing Game

Demon’s Souls

Runner Up: Dragon Age: Origins

Best Music Game

The Beatles: Rockband

Runner Up: DJ Hero

Best Racing Game

Forza Motorsport 3

Runner Up: Dirt 2

Best Real Time Strategy Game

Halo Wars

Runner Up: Brutal Legend

Best Action/Adventure Game

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Game of the Year

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games of 2010 - Jon's Picks

2010-01-07T14:46:00.006-05:00

Choosing only five games I’m looking forward to in 2010 is like choosing your favorite Backstreet Boy; it’s damn near impossible. The following are personally what I am foaming at the mouth to play. The new year is still infantile and many more games have yet to be announced, but as it stands, 2010 is shaping up to be a great year for game releases. Perhaps most surprising is the stellar first quarter release schedule which is the most impressive I’ve seen in ages.

1. Mass Effect 2

The original Mass Effect was not a perfect game by any means. It was however, an excellent game with tremendous potential. Mass Effect delivered a mature Sci-fi role playing experience that hasn’t been done this well since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It featured an interesting and engaging story which was irreversibly affected by your decisions. Developer Bioware has not turned a deaf ear to the complaints of the gaming public. Expect Mass Effect 2 to be fine-tuned and highly refined. The engine is already built and implemented leaving plenty of time to craft a masterful experience. The best part is that your original game save from the first Mass Effect can be uploaded and the choices made will carry over. This has never been done before to my knowledge and I can’t wait to see it in action.

2. Heavy Rain

This is a game even Marc and I can agree on. Heavy Rain is being developed by Quantic Dream, the same team behind last generation’s sadly overlooked Indigo Prophecy. In-game footage is beginning to surface and the game looks gorgeous. The character models are highly detailed and are capable of expressing complex emotions. The gameplay seems to be more akin to an interactive film than a traditional videogame, but that’s what is so alluring. The concept of what constitutes a game is being pushed and opening doors to even more possibilities. The most exciting and possibly unnerving aspect of the game is that it never ends. Like a film, there is no game over screen with a checkpoint. If your character dies, the story continues. It is unclear exactly how this will work, but the concept is ground-breaking.

3. Final Fantasy XIII

There is scarcely a gamer past or present that is unfamiliar with the Final Fantasy series. For over 20 years, Final Fantasy has been the definitive Japanese RPG. No two games are alike, and each installment features a brand new story with all new characters and gameplay features. What makes Final Fantasy XIII so special? It’s the first in the series to make the leap to the current generation of consoles. Final Fantasy XII was one of the best games on Playstation 2, and given the console’s library, that is truly saying something. Imagine what can be done with a Blu-Ray disc and high-definition graphics. The new fluid and fast-paced battle system in place will most likely bridge the gap between Western and Japanese Role Playing Games even more. I am officially preparing to have no life beginning day one of its release. It is one of very few franchises that has met or surpassed my expectations time after time.

4. God of War III

The E3 2009 God of War III demo initially made available through pre-orders is now available with the purchase of the District 9 Blu-Ray. Luckily for you, District 9 is a fantastic film and one worth purchasing in its own right. The God of War III demo is just the muscle-bound, dual blade-wielding Spartan cherry on top. The demo is not even indicative of the final build and it already looks incredible. The action was absolutely brutal. I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to gaming and even I couldn’t help but cringe every time Kratos delivered a gore-laden killing blow. At its core this is still God of War. The controls and gameplay haven’t changed since the original God of War yet it still felt fresh and exciting. The team at Sony knows what they are doing and this could be the game that helps to level the playing field between Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in 2010.

5. Spec Ops: The Line

No doubt you are as surprised as I am about Spec Ops: The Line being included in this list. Logically this game shouldn’t be anywhere near a most anticipated list. The developer is unknown and the 3rd person shooter genre has had cover mechanics for years already. One question, have you seen the trailer? This game looks incredible. See our recent "Trailer Madness" update to check it out for yourself. If Rocksteady (a virtually unknown developer at the time) can strike gold with Batman: Arkham Asylum, why can’t the team at Yager crank out a surprise hit? The sand-caked buildings of Dubai are both eerie and breathtaking to behold. The concept is fascinating featuring a modern combat setting with a decision-based system that will affect the story progression. What if Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare series wasn’t on wheels? Imagine facing tough life or death choices amidst a global conflict. Very little is known about Spec Ops: The Line at the moment, which is undoubtedly what makes it so alluring.

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games of 2010 - Marc's Picks

2010-01-07T09:14:00.001-05:00

For me, 'most ancicipated' is different than what I feel will be the best games of 2010. I have chosen five games that I think can change the balance of gaming and I’m trying to stay away from sequels, Mafia II being the only exception.

1. Dante’s Inferno

After playing the demo, I realized one thing. This game is God of War. It's almost exactly the same game, but with a different setting. The combat is smooth and silky and it controls exactly like God of War. It even has Quick Time Events (you press a certain button at a certain time), which was originally made famous by Resident Evil 4. It is now also a God of War staple. The demo, which is available on PSN and XBL, is worth playing through. It’s a long demo at about an hour and it gives you a full boss battle and a mini boss. It ends at a proper location, making you crave some more. It’s about the best game-selling demo I have played since Batman: Arkham Asylum. It may rank up there with Bioshock as one of the best demos I’ve ever played, period. I hope the story stays good as it has a lot to work with, being based on a poem (POEM!?, how many games have you ever played based on a poem) that is almost 700 years old. It’s like the stylization of Assassin’s Creed, only in Hell. You have to go through the 9 levels of Hell and each one has its own boss. People love boss battles that are smart and not too easy or hard. Here’s hoping they can get that balance down.

2. Heavy Rain

Indigo Prophecy is one of my favorite original Xbox games, lame ending aside. The next game from the same development team is Heavy Rain. It could prove to be too much movie and not enough game and end up being hurt by being a Playstation 3 exclusive. Still, nobody knows exactly what to expect from this game other than a twisted story and highly realistic graphics. It will be full of Quick Time Events (note a recurring theme here?) and you play as four separate characters. If one dies it affects the rest of the game! I have a lot of skepticism about how exactly that will work and how it will affect replay value, but it kind of worked in Indigo Prophecy. My only concern is how much will you actually be playing this game and not just clicking a button at a certain time. The demo can't get here fast enough.

3. Mafia II

The first Mafia was pretty good on the PC but stunk on PS2 and PS3. This one is being developed concurrently for PC/PS3/360 and looks to be the game that Godfather should have been. So far everything I’ve seen looks like this game is a combination of the best elements of the Godfather games and the GTA games. It's open-ended with a heavy emphasis on story and other mafias fighting with your crime family. It will not be as goofy as GTA, that's for sure, but can it be better? Can the world be much more alive than GTA IV was? It’s hard to tell until you actually jump into the game and start playing it.

4. Split/Second

I was debating which racing game I was going to put on this list, either Split/Second or Blur, and after thinking it over, I chose Split/Second. Why? Well as much as I love Bizarre Creations and Project Gotham, the developers of Split/Second also developed Pure which, aside from its lame career mode, was just plain fun. Now they are taking their awesome ATV games and making a bona fide car racing game. What’s the difference? Each race has a bunch of “special events” that once you build up your “powerplay” meter, you can trigger them and create obstacles, shortcuts or change the race course entirely. Burnout kind of had that, but it was very limited and each race only had 1 or 2. These tracks are supposed to have a LOT in each one. The story mode also sounds intriguing, using a reality TV show premise, broken up into numerous “seasons” with 24 episodes, and one episode consisting of 3 race events.

5. Alan Wake

I don’t usually take to survival horror games, but this one is not your typical survival horror. It’s what the guys over at Remedy Entertainment are calling a “psychological action thriller." This is a game that is about 5 years in the making, and the first game from these guys since Max Payne 2. The game was originally planned to be more free-roam, but that has since been removed to focus on a compelling story. I can’t thank them enough for that; not every single game needs to be free-roam. Sometimes I just want the story to progress and not have to do a million side stories to get the full experience. What has been shown of this game so far looks amazing, from the graphics to the “psychological action” scenes. I want a scary game that has nothing to do with monsters (Dead Space) zombies (Resident Evil) or fog (Silent Hill).

M.A.G. Beta Review

2010-01-05T13:22:00.002-05:00

Hello again game fans! I hope everyone had a great time over the holidays. On Christmas day I battled obese cats and a fastidious toilet bowl. I wish I was kidding and literally dare you to top that. What better way to kick off the New Year than with a brand new review of one of the most highly anticipated shooters of 2010? Modern Warfare 2 is currently plagued by widespread hacking, glitching and a piss poor matchmaking system. Could Zipper Interactive have the answer for all of the disillusioned FPS fans?

M.A.G. is the latest from famed SOCOM developer Zipper Interactive. The team decided to forgo heading up last year's SOCOM: Confrontation and instead chose to tackle a much greater feat. They aim to create a structured and team-focused, online-only shooter featuring up to 256 players. The concept revolves around three Private Military Corporations or PMC's and the struggle to dominate the battlefield. You begin by choosing one of three factions to work for and fine tuning minor appearance options for your character. Next you equip your load out with one of the three starting weapons: Sniper, Assault or Light Machine Gun. As experience is gained in combat, you rank up and unlock skill points that can be used to purchase additional weapons and upgrades. The gameplay borrows from some of the industry's heavy hitters including Battlefield: Bad Company, Killzone 2 and the Modern Warfare series. You will have to heal yourself to survive continuous encounters since the decision was made to implement a non-regenerating health system, which honestly feels antiquated. The skill point progression system is a credit to Call of Duty 4 and the squad system is reminiscent of Killzone 2. Taking several elements previously done and combining them isn't necessarily a bad thing, however there doesn't appear to be much innovation or originality. M.A.G. is a shooter, it works, and that is its greatest strength.

This game is by no means a graphical powerhouse. The visuals are clean and crisp, but unfortunately lack fine detail. This isn't surprising considering the massive size of the maps populated by up to 256 combatants. The maps feature awful draw distance with rampant texture pop-in. There is currently not much customization in character appearance, but this is presumably because this is only a sampling of the final build.

Team Zipper aims to balance the lack of technical brawn with the use of dedicated servers. Having suffered several weeks of nearly unplayable matches in Modern Warfare 2, joining a dedicated server was a revelation. There was nearly no lag to be found in the several hours I've already invested. This introduced something that has been sorely missing from many online shooters: a level playing field. There seems to be an issue with scope accuracy that is unrelated to lag. There were several instances where I fired on a prone target with a Sniper rifle only to have the round seemingly disappear. Be prepared to wait excessive spawn times as well. I waited as long as twenty seconds on many occasions. Once you spawn, be prepared to trek a minute or so before you see any signs of life. That is of course unless you fall victim to spawn camping, which is already a concern in the game (I played several matches where the enemy team was able to target us at the pre-designated spawn location).

There is tremendous potential for MAG to have a strong presence in the crowded FPS market. With a now industry standard deep upgrade system and lag free dedicated servers, it could easily garner a tremendous online community. The beta is available now on PSN (allow at least 30 minutes to download) and the full game will be released on January 26th, 2010 on the Playstation 3.

Trailer Madness!

2009-12-14T13:18:00.006-05:00

Spike TV recently held their annual Videogame Awards and as is tradition, several new trailers premiered throughout the evening. 2010 is poised to deliver a multitude of AAA titles following a generally light 2009 line up.

Spec Ops: The Line

This one came out of left field. Yager is a mostly unknown developer with only a handful of budget titles under their belt. The team has apparently gone under revisions and the company is ready to release what they hope will be their first stand out release. Judging from the premiere trailer, Spec Ops: The Line is going to be one to watch in the coming months. The game takes place in a sand storm stricken Dubai as elite Delta Force Operators are sent to rescue a missing U.S. Army team behind enemy lines. The trailer features superb graphics and exciting pitched battles among ultra modern architecture bathing in a sea of sand.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

Speaking of sand, the next installment in the Prince of Persia franchise has been announced. As is all too common with initial reveals, the debut trailer doesn't show a single frame of gameplay. It has since been confirmed by the develoment team that the game is not related to the film in any way. Altough, it's worth noting that The Prince is dressed an awful lot like Jake Gyllenhaal as seen in the film's trailer. It also appears the ability to rewind time will make a return. Forgotten Sands looks to be bridge the gap between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within.

Batman: Arkham Asylum 2

Surprise! Here we have yet another trailer omitting any semblance of gameplay. Rocksteady crafted a unique and original masterpiece the first time around and with the Joker spilling chaos in to the streets of Gotham, I can hardly wait to get a peak. However, the trailer serves its purpose; to confirm the inevitable and have us squirming for more.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review

2009-12-03T14:14:00.008-05:00

The most highly anticipated game of 2009 has finally been released to a rabid gaming public salivating at the bit for more modern warfare. Developer Infinity Ward has crafted a memorable and addicting experience in less than two years from the previous installments release. This in and of itself is an incredible feat and one that should be highly commended. Despite Infinity Ward's best efforts, the short comings of a short development cycle are still evident.

Modern Warfare 2 is split into three distinct experiences featuring Campaign, Spec Ops and Multiplayer. The Campaign mode is a non stop adrenaline ride that is as exciting as it is hard to follow. There is seemingly an endless array of breath taking gameplay moments from the moment you begin your journey to the instant the credits roll. Modern Warfare 2 is by far the most cinematic of the Call of Duty series to date. This provides a strong emotional connection, but ultimately fails to deliver the same experience crafted in Call of Duty 4. The sense of authenticity and realism that made the former so unique has been replaced with a narrative that is pure Hollywood. The plot of the game is largely unbelievable and filled with confusing twists and plot holes. This is mainly due to the fact that much of the story driven dialogue is presented while you are desperately fighting for survival. It's difficult to grasp the situation when your main concern is the barrage of RPG laden OpFor hell bent on introducing you to your maker. Nevertheless, the action is intense and exciting and there is never a feeling of "I can't wait until this is over." Coincidentally, the experience will be over before you know it and you will indeed be pining for more. In what appears to be a seemingly cheap tactic, the difficulty has been increased in an effort to lengthen the disappointingly short campaign. If you are an avid FPS player, expect a five hour run through on even the Hardcore setting.

Modern Warfare 2 features visuals with a noticeable improvement over Call of Duty 4. The graphical jump is most noticeable on the PC as long as you have a powerful rig to max out the settings. However, the current generation of consoles is starting to show their age with inferior textures and anti-aliasing. Draw distance is not particularly impressive in either the campaign or multiplayer. It is most obvious in multiplayer given the increased map sizes. Diverse character models are another casualty of a tight deadline. One need only play the now controversial airport mission where you attempt to infiltrate Vladamir Makarov's terrorist organization. The opening scene features civilians crowded together in an airport terminal. I counted only a handful of models with matching clothing in a scene that features easily a few dozen non-playable characters. Immersion was instantly broken and the gruesome scenario that unfolds loses some of its shock value.

Spec Ops easily steals the show with two player Co-op missions that feature exciting and unique scenarios that are a blast to play through with a friend. The Spec Ops mode is roughly the same length of the Campaign, but it doesn't feature a story element. These are purely combat missions, many of which are inspired by memorable scenes from both Modern Warfare games. Should you fail to achieve your objective, be prepared to restart from the beginning. This creates a tension and sense of urgency that actually adds to the experience. Missions are usually brief and restarting a level due to mission failure doesn't become an issue until the later missions.

The multiplayer is by far the largest portion of what Modern Warfare 2 has to offer. In many ways it improves upon the near perfect formula created in the last chapter of the franchise. Unfortunately the added features may prove to be overkill. The additional kill streaks are great fun for the possessor, but have the ability to quickly disrupt balance. Gameplay is faster and deaths are nearly instantaneous in Modern Warfare 2. Controlling the more powerful kill streak rewards can create a devastating onslaught that can cripple a team without much hope of retribution. Spawn points are another area that needs attention. You will often be spawned in the same exact place you were gunned down giving your opponent an opportunity for easy seconds. Furthermore, hit detection feels a bit off which is most noticeable when sniping. Many times a shot will be fired directly into an opponent’s chest without the shot even registering a hit. The game is heavily populated at the moment and very few matches don't exhibit game hindering lag even with a high speed internet connection. Lastly and probably most unfortunately, many of the bugs from the original Modern Warfare make their way into the sequel. In true Call of Duty fashion, it is all too easy to get stuck in a street sign or barrel with the only option being a cooked frag grenade to queue a respawn. If your out of grenades, be prepared to wait until an opponent puts you out of your misery. Glitch spots are even more rampant then before and are seemingly encouraged by Infinity Ward based on the level design. There isn't anything more frustrating then being sniped from the top of some building you can only get to if you jump off your team mates head, spin 3 times and click your heels. Despite several set backs, the multiplayer is incredibly addicting and one that could become unequaled given a few much needed updates.

Modern Warfare 2 is a must own for any gaming fan, though this time the bar has not been set quite as high. It is an exceptional game that is a victim of circumstance. It brings to mind what truly could have been possible if Infinity Ward was given time to fully realize their vision. Given the record shattering first day sales, I don’t expect Activision to have a change of heart anytime soon.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.0

Demo Round Up - 11/18/09

2009-11-18T09:35:00.002-05:00

When Valve released their Left 4 Dead demo around this time last year, it was an instant fan favorite. The demo offered a gratuitous amount of gore, humor and addicting cooperative play that could be played multiple times. Now Left 4 Dead 2 has crept up on us like a ghoul amidst controversy from the franchise's core following. It's only been one year since the original and many fans feel it didn't garner enough support from developer Valve. Are zombie maniacs justified in their war cry?

Left 4 Dead 2

The demo is nearly identical in presentation to last years sampling. A gorgeous CG cut scene introduces the characters, what little plot there is, and a few of the new additions to the zombie line up. This time around you'll have to deal with Jockeys, Chargers and Spitters (reminds me of high school). The new enemies add some flare to the line up, but ultimately don't change the gameplay significantly. Four new characters are introduced as well although the demo never delves deeper than a few albeit humorous one liners. The blue print that was laid in the first has been dusted off yet again with only skin deep elements added in hopes of convincing the player that this is an entirely new experience. Sure, there are new guns and new locales, but there isn't enough here to persuade fans of Left 4 Dead to switch to this year's installment. There has been little improvement in the graphics department other than changing the time of day to showcase sun soaked bayous and city streets. The campaign in the demo is significantly shorter then what was featured in it's predecessor's demo offering and ultimately feels a little too familiar. Several other modes are included as well all of which can be played with up to three friends. Left 4 Dead 2 is still mainly a co-op demo. If you have friends that can fight at your side, you're still going to have a blast. If you have played the original to death, than this demo has just enough variety to keep you going for a little bit longer.

Verdict: Download it!

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

2009-11-09T10:30:00.010-05:00

Few games in the history of the industry have ever come close to a completely immersive experience- one in which you are emotionally invested in the characters on screen. This has often been a draw for motion pictures, but with the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the gaming world looks to level the playing field.

Nolan North once again delivers a brilliant portrayal of wise-cracking adventurer Nathan Drake, who brings along a host of new characters and some old favorites as well. Drake's new love interest Chloe Frazier is an excellent addition to the cast with a stand-out performance from Claudia Black. The story also introduces a new villain in Zoran Lazarevic, a merciless and genocidal maniac obsessed with discovering the fabled Chintamani stone. The stone is believed to be capable of granting great power to whoever possesses it.

As the plot unfolds the player is transported from one breathtaking locale to the next. Naughty Dog has outdone themselves in bringing the world of Uncharted 2 to life. It isn't just the sweeping panoramic views of snow covered mountains, or the towering ancient trees and jungle fauna. It's in the way Drake reacts to the world around him. When Drake is hurt he stumbles with a believable gait. When he encounters the flames of a burning train car, he shields his eyes from the light.

There is literally never a dull moment in Uncharted 2. The game has the ability to leave you winded from the safety of your couch. Each set piece is more outrageous than the previous and the platforming elements are some of the most innovative I've seen in years. The rushing train sequence roughly half way through the game is an instant classic and an incredible achievement in game design. Gun play has been greatly improved and the control scheme has been reworked, allowing for faster and more fluid action on screen. The campaign is several hours longer than the original and you'll still feel a need for more. It's just that good. I was legitimately sad when it ended.

When you've completed the campaign, you unlock the "Crushing" difficulty that will provide a challenge for even the most experienced players. Additionally, there is now a fully fleshed-out multiplayer component. There are several cooperative modes as well, including one reminiscent of Gears of War 2's Horde Mode. Several team games are also available including the standard team deathmatch and Naughty Dog's version of Capture the Flag entitled "Plunder." Players earn money from getting kills as well as completing various in-game tasks such as assisting a teammate and achieving a kill streak. The multiplayer is challenging to master and comes with a steep learning curve. The matchmaking is non-existent and you will often face-off against much higher level foes. "Boosters" are the name of the game to give you an edge similar to Call of Duty 4's perk system. They are absolutely necessary in order to stay competitive with higher ranked players. Whatever you do, don't quit out of a game; Naughty Dog has implemented a merciless system to punish players who are looking for greener pastures. I was disconnected two consecutive times and was hit with a $200,000 earnings penalty and a 2 tier loss in rank. This is the equivalent of several hours worth of gameplay. Be sure you have a strong connection as the new evil system can't tell the difference between a victim of circumstance and a quitter.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a nearly flawless experience. If it weren't for the new unforgiving punishment system governing the game's multiplayer, I wouldn't have a single grievance. Uncharted 2 is a serious contender for the gaming community's various "Game of the Year" awards and is certainly in consideration for Gamerology's inaugural top honor.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.0

Modern Warfare 2 Special Ops AC-130 Gameplay

2009-10-27T16:50:00.004-04:00

Here is footage of 2 player co-op featuring a man on the ground, and a 2nd player controlling the devastating AC-130 gunship from the skies. There are over twenty Special Ops missions included in the game. If they even come close to what is seen here, we are all in for one wild ride.

Marc Moves to Pennsylvania!

2009-10-27T16:43:00.003-04:00

I wanted to take a moment and congratulate Marc on his new job and new life in Pennsylvania. We hope you find much success! All donations and delicious perishables may be sent to Jonathan Focarino. Good luck, have fun!

Games You Should Play - 10/20/09

2009-10-20T13:54:00.010-04:00

It's been a very busy time in The Marc household, with moving and starting a new job and working my butt off at my old job to train my replacements. I haven't really had that much free time to blog. However, I figured since I posted my Brutal Legend review, that I would enlighten all of you with a brand new "Games You Should Play."

Games You Should Play - Amplitude

Amplitude is to Rock Band/Guitar Hero as Medal of Honor is to Call of Duty. Both are precursors to the biggest games out there. If you have played Rock Band Unplugged on the PSP, you have played Amplitude. Amplitude is actually the sequel to the game Frequency...but much much better. It's kind of hard to explain exactly what it is or how it plays, but once you play it and start to learn it it is not that hard. It's actually easier if I explain how Rock Band Unplugged works. Basically, you play the whole band, all four instruments, and you have to keep them going all at the same time. But...you don't have to play them all at the same time. You have to keep them going by hitting a whole bunch of notes in a row for a defined section, then that track (drum, guitar, bass, solo) plays automatically and you can move on to the next track. Repeat for all the tracks and by the time you have all 4 going at once (if you are good) the first one you did should be back to hitting the notes. You have to be pretty quick and be able to keep a rhythm to succeed at this game.

In order to know where Rock band and Guitar Hero get their roots, you should play this game for that reason alone. The multiplayer stinks (it is definitely NOT a party game) and you cant even play online anymore if you wanted to as they shut the servers down years ago. The difficulty ramps up about as well as the RB/GH games, and Brutal is seriously, seriously, hard. But if you put the time and effort into memorizing everything, it should be easier. What really kills this game, is the song list. Good songs, don't get me wrong, but only 26 songs makes for a game where there is not much variety. There's a decent variety to the tracks, but only 26 songs makes for a game where you can hear about every song in an hour. There are no MEGA HUGE AWESOME songs either. In fact, most of it is stuff you've never heard of. Don't get me wrong, the game is still fun. You should definitely play it.

Brutal Legend Review

2009-10-20T11:50:00.013-04:00

I usually don't like to review games until after I have beaten them, but in the case of the awesomeness that is Brutal Legend, I will make an exception. To put it bluntly, BRUTAL LEGEND ROCKS! It has its downfalls, which I'll delve into, but on the whole as a package, it is the definitive heavy metal game.

I won't bore you with the intricacies of the story (which goes from 0-60 in about the length of time of an Iron Maiden guitar solo), but I will say a few things that I like. It's a decent story, probably Tim Schaefer's weakest, however, in the grand scheme of things, way better than a lot of crappy stories these days (I'm looking at you Mirror's Edge). Tim Schafer games include all of the Monkey Island Games, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle and Psychonauts.

The story is basically a "what if there was an parallel universe where Heavy Metal was created and passed down by the gods and people forgot it over time, but if you rock out and play some kickass solos you get awesome powers." I mean, how awesome is that!? If you didn't say very awesome, then you are dead wrong

It takes some huge balls to create a game like this, both figuratively and financially, as in the last 20 years (or if we want to get very technical, since Metallica's Black Album), heavy metal has been slowly dying. It has since been replaced by many things, none of which are even close to being the same thing. Goth and scream metal are not the same things. In fact, one of the main villains you fight are Goths, but I won't get too much into that. How metal is this game? Well, apart from the kick ass solos you bust out in a Guitar Hero styled way, there's also 82 metal songs in this game. These aren't just little blurbs or major bands, I'm talking huge names and huge songs and really obscure (but still AWESOME) songs. This is a game that has Ozzy, Lita Ford, Rob Halford and Lemmy doing voice acting. Let it be known that Ozzy does have the smallest part in terms of importance to the actual story, but he is the fucking GUARDIAN OF METAL. I mean, do I really need to sell you on the metal level of this game? I think not. If you like metal, don't read the rest of my review. Just go buy this damn game.

Ok, for all of you people on the fence who kinda like metal or Jack Black, here's what is good and bad about the the actual gameplay.

Good

The hack and slash parts are excellent and everything controls very well. From driving your car (Druid Plow) to running and picking certain enemies to attack, everything is smooth.
The actual hack and slash battles are also equally excellent, making you think about how you will attack a huge group of enemies and switch between your battle axe, and your guitar (or, other battle axe if you want to use Heavy Metal lingo).
The side missions, while repetitive, have a good variety to them. There are a decent amount and you don't really HAVE to do them, although they will help you later on buy more upgrades that you will need. They aren't bad if you do them sporadically, like I have, but if you want to do a whole bunch in a row, you will notice that they get very boring and that the little cutscenes right before are almost exactly the same in each case, but overall, I liked the variety of them.

The graphics are gorgeous. There is a bit of pop-in when you are driving, but GTA has pop-in too and I think it's still an unavoidable thing when you are talking about a huge open world game. The characters are very cleanly rendered and the style of everything is awesome. When it really shows off is when there are LOADS of enemies and units on screen. There is almost no slowdown (once I've seen in), while there are loads of units fighting. This was never designed to be a realistic looking game, and I wasn't expecting that, but the art design and style is phenomenal.
The voice acting is among the best I've ever heard. Even with huge names, they don't give them WAY too many lines and the more important people are voiced by phenomenal voice actors (Tim Curry or even Jack Black). My only qualm was that Rob Halfords character looked like it should have been voiced by David Bowie.

Bad

About an hour in you have your first boss battle, or "stage battle" as it's called in the game. No matter what Tim Schaefer says, this is totally a RTS design. Read this Penny Arcade strip to get a sense of what i am talking about. I, for one, am not a fan of real time strategy games. However, they are not quite that hard, except for the one I am currently stuck at! GRRRRRRRRR! However, they are unnecessarily long and while it is encouraged that you actually fight in these battles, you don't have super powers or a health bar so it is tough to gauge how much you can actually take, and these enemies will kill you (you automatically respawn an infinite number of times until someone actual wins or loses the battle, but its annoying).

That really is the only bad thing I could find in this game, and while it is a design choice and a matter of personal preference (I hate RTS games, too much going on at once), but if you can get past that, you'll love this game. Please play the demo on 360 or PS3 to play the 1st half hour of the game if you are on the fence. That should make you want this game a lot more. If you are thinking about it, PLEASE buy it. This is a game that will LIVE AND DIE by the sales it has when you purchase it NEW. Please support the fine developers at Double Fine and only purchase new, as I fear that if this game bombs, it will just make it harder for an original game with an original idea to get created if you aren't from a big company and because dammit, Tim Schaefer deserves it.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.0

Darksiders Hands On Impression

2009-10-19T16:56:00.010-04:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to make it to the Big Apple Comic Con located in midtown Manhattan. The convention was totally overhauled this year to include B movie stars, comic book artists, and videogames. The only 3rd party title on display was the upcoming Darksiders developed by Vigil Games. This is the developer's first outing and the pressure is on to produce a brand new hit intellectual property. I had an opportunity to play through a portion of the game and form some pre-release impressions.

The demo opened at some point deep within the story. You play as War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. You are a hulking bad ass that is more than capable of laying to waste everything in your path. War has a variety of both physical and magic attacks. All of which are brutal, visceral and gruesome. Comparisons will immediately be made to the God of War series and with good reason. Darksiders wants to be God of War in every way imaginable. If you had dropped Kratos into the mix, it would have made little difference to the gameplay. The button configuration is nearly identical, including light and heavy attacks with a grab button for gore soaked close encounters. Darksiders even features simple platforming to accompany the carnage. Intimidating foes of various scale are ever present as you slice, dice and clobber your way through the level. Boss fights are massive, over the top and require quick time events to bring the behemoths to their knees. The developers at Vigil Games are clearly great admirers of the God of War franchise and with good reason. The question is, do we really need a God of War impersonator when God of War III is just around the corner?

In the coming months, no doubt more information will be released and the Vigil Games will be looking to differentiate themselves from the crowd while still appealing to the God of War audience. As it stands now, the game looks great. Character models are richly detailed and the environment is well defined. Famed comic book artist Joe Madureira provided the character designs for Darksiders and the developer's 3D artists did a fantastic job bringing his creations to life. For the record, there was little discernable difference between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. However, the Xbox 360 version did appear to be a bit brighter. We shall have to wait and see if Darksiders is a worthy spiritual successor or a note for note carbon copy of one of gaming's biggest icons.

Big Apple Comic Con photos courtesy of Stephanie Koithan

CryEngine 3 Beauty Speed Interaction Trailer

2009-10-15T16:41:00.002-04:00

Crytek is widely considered to be the industry leader when it comes to in game graphics. After taking a look at this brand new trailer showcasing the CryEngine 3, it isn't hard to see why. I can't wait to see this technology put to use in a new intellectual property from Crytek.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Review

2009-10-09T00:24:00.007-04:00

There are a few universal truths in the videogame industry. Halo games will always be released full price regardless of content. Your girlfriend will never care about your latest Xbox 360 achievement (if she says she does, she’s lying) and finally, games based on comic books can never be Triple A titles. I am pleased to report that at least one of these truths has been laid to rest. More appropriately it’s been blown to bits. Batman: Arkham Asylum is that good.

From top to bottom Batman: Arkham Asylum has more polish than the top of Patrick Stewert’s head. Bad jokes aside, this is a carefully crafted masterpiece and I don’t throw that word around lightly. You will be immersed in an experience that takes you to every corner of the Asylum as you play through continuous memorable moments. The game begins with Batman bringing Joker back to Arkham after an admitedly easy scuffle. Joker, never being one to be outdone, turns the table on the Dark Knight and takes command of Arkham. Chaos naturally ensues and Batman is left to his own devices to bring down the nefarious super criminal. Many characters from Batman’s stellar catalogue of villains make an appearance including Victor Szasz, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, and Scarecrow among others. Each villains segment plays out in a unique manner with the Scarecrow’s sequences being particularly fantastic.

The player has the unique position of witnessing the longest night of Batman’s life. You begin the evening with only your trusty batarang and grappling hook to tackle your foes. As the story progresses, you’ll have the opportunity to retrieve several more wonderful toys from Batman’s arsenal as well as unlock combat specific abilities. Each gadget is fully upgradeable and a lot of fun to use. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve hung upside down from a stone gargoyle only to swoop up an inmate and hang him by his toes. The up close and personal combat is surprisingly fluid. Seamlessly moving from takedown to takedown is a sight to behold. With only a few simple button presses you can pull off a 40 hit combo and leave a room full of bad guys in a world of hurt. The button configuration is simple, but the timing and execution of combos takes a great deal of patience to master. Everything looks fantastic as well. The game has a very clean and stylized artistry while maintaining crisp clear visuals. Rocksteady completely captured the feel of the Batman universe. This is as close as anyone is going to get to dawning the cape and cowl. The developers were careful to exclude hockey pants from Batman’s wardrobe.

Batman: Arkham Asylum will take about ten hours just to complete the main story objectives. This is not including the over 240 Riddler challenges that will have you crawling through the complex solving various cryptic messages and uncovering hidden Riddler trophies. Several combat trial rooms are included as well with more unlockable as you progress through the game. Small graphical hiccups are present, but are nearly negligible considering they are infrequent and don't intefere with the experience. The majority of texture loading issues are most certainly due to the Unreal Engine the game is built on. Buy a copy of Batman: Arkham Asylum and give it a place of distinction on your game shelf as one of the very best this generation.

Rating: 10.0 out of 10.0

Uncharted 2 Single Player Gameplay!

2009-10-08T13:44:00.004-04:00

Today we have some footage featuring various locales and gameplay from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I literally can't wait to get my hands on this game. If you haven't done so yet, download the multiplayer demo from PSN and join in on the mayhem. I personally recommend rolling with the shotgun. Getting a one hot kill on an unsuspecting foe is ridiculously satisfying. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be released next week on October 13th.

Modern Warfare 2 "Infamy" Trailer

2009-10-05T09:54:00.002-04:00

Demo Round Up - 9/30/09

2009-09-30T11:17:00.014-04:00

I'd like to introduce a new feature here at Gamerology called "Demo Round-Up." Most game critics will review a game in the interest of saving you money. On Demo Round-Up, we are going to sift through the weekly demo releases and tell you which are worth your time. You've heard it said that "time is money," but in this day and age, time is quickly becoming more valuable then the greenback. This week, we are going to take a look at Brutal Legend, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Wolfenstein.

Brutal Legend

Brutal Legend comes from the genius mind of Tim Schafer. He is best known for the Monkey Island series among other great titles. Despite his wealth of creativity, his games have been overlooked by the gaming community as of late- Psychonauts being his latest critical jewel that didn't find success on a large scale. Brutal Legend looks to change all that. This game is fronted by the likeness and unmistakable vocal stylings of Jack Black as he takes on the role of Eddie the Roadie. This gives the game instant mainstream appeal. The beauty is that this isn't a mainstream title. It's all about Heavy Metal, leather jackets and blowing demons' heads off with delicious power solos. Let's not forget Eddie's kick-ass belt buckle that actually has the power to summon Ormagöden, The Fire Beast, Cremator of the Sky, and Destroyer of the Ancient World. Who knew Hot Topic sold such valuable artifacts?

The demo lasts about twenty minutes and features a variety of gameplay including literal axe wielding, guitar shredding, and hot rod driving. The game's initial boss fight is also included. Suffice it to say, you'll be going toe-to-toe with a giant worm complete with a set of jowls stocked with teeth. The game is genuinely funny and takes some shots at the current metal scene. Overall, the demo is a fair representation of what we can expect from Brutal Legend without spoiling any crucial story elements.

Verdict: Download it!

Uncharted 2 Multiplayer

When a franchise has established itself as a tried and true single player experience, the idea of adding a multiplayer component is often met with the inevitable sighs and eye rolls. I am here today to testify on behalf of the Uncharted 2 multiplayer. It is well-tuned and incredibly addicting. I had the privilege (not really, I pre-ordered Infamous) of testing the multiplayer component long before any demo was available. I saw the bones of a great game that desperately needed a healthy dose of polish. I am pleased to announce that Naughty Dog has not disappointed and Uncharted 2 plays better than ever.

An incredible portion of the multiplayer game is available in the demo right from the start. You'll have 5 maps to battle on in various game types as well as full co-op support for multiplayer-specific modes. The controls are easy to pick up, but will take some time to master. The cover system, shooting and climbing mechanics all worked great and overall the gameplay felt incredibly smooth. There is an large number of unlockables including character skins, boosters (similar to COD4: Modern Warfare's perks) and taunts. Matchmaking could use an adjustment; first time players will be pitched against much higher level combatants. The unlockable booster system gives those with higher ranks a distinct advantage.

Uncharted 2 is a real looker too. It is certainly one of the best looking games ever made. The multiplayer looks better than most games single player campaign. Naughty Dog claims to be pushing the Playstation 3 to its limits and the demo made a believer out of me. Do yourself a favor and download this demo now. It has the potential to keep you busy all the way up until Uncharted 2: Among thieves is released on October 15th.

Verdict: Download it!

Wolfenstein

Last and certainly least, we have Wolfenstein. I was hoping to bat a perfect average this week, but I had no such luck. First of all, the game has been out for almost two months. Why are we getting a demo now?

Wolfenstein is running on the Doom 3 engine from ten years ago. As such, it looks inexcusably dated. That would be more forgivable if the gameplay was more akin to the the current generation of First Person Shooters. The entire experience feels like something that would have been great in 1999. No doubt it would have gotten top marks across the board. I regret to inform Raven Software that it is in fact 2009 and the gaming world has come to expect more from its developers. The demo will take you about half an hour and gives you a pretty clear picture of what Wolfenstein has to offer. Too bad it's not a pretty picture.

There are some redeemable qualities like the ability to upgrade weapons via the Black Market. This feature is something that I hope becomes more popular in the genre. In fact, all signs are pointing toward Gears of War 3 featuring more role-playing-like qualities. The shooting component works fine and over-all the game doesn't necessarily feel broken, it just feels uninspired. If you are a die-hard fan of the series, then at least wait for this to hit the bargain bin.

Verdict: Skip it!

Final Fantasy XIII TGS 2009 Trailer

2009-09-29T11:17:00.003-04:00

The Final Fantasy series is undoubtedly the most respected and successful Role Playing series in the history of the genre. Currently featuring twelve feature titles and many spin off games, Final Fantasy has consistently been a go to franchise for exceptional story telling, gameplay, and graphical excellence. Come this December, the series 13th installment will be released in Japan. The bar has once again been set, and there doesn't appear to be many contenders on the horizon to shake the King from atop it's sturdy mountain. Enjoy this full length trailer featuring gorgeous CG cut scenes and breath taking in game footage. No word yet on a U.S. release date, but the game is expected to launch sometime in the Spring. Who said that post Winter releases can't be AAA titles?

Modern Warfare 2 Leaked Single Player Footage!

2009-09-24T11:39:00.006-04:00

SPOILER ALERT!

Brand new footage has been leaked of the Rio de Janeiro mission from Modern Warfare 2. This is a full length video featuring over eight minutes of heart stopping action! The new vertical element of combat is very much on display and it looks exilerating. The in game cut scene at the beginning is shocking and will certainly elicit an emotional reaction from even the most battle hardned FPS junkies.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review

2009-09-22T16:48:00.007-04:00

Excelsior! True believers, it's Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. I would like to say that this is a game "unlike any other," but sadly I cannot quote Stan Lee three times in two sentences. To get to the point, you’ve played this before. It was once called X-men Legends; its x-gene then mutated to become X-men Legends II, and then was bitten by a radio-active arachnid and became Marvel Ultimate Alliance! It seems as though Marvel and Activision are just cashing in on their licenses with Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

The gameplay from game to game has changed very little. In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, you take control of a team of four different Marvel superheroes and fight against leagues and leagues of enemies. Your characters gain experience from defeating enemies and subsequently gain levels and become more powerful. The combat is very basic; the visuals are somewhat outdated (the cut-scenes especially); the story is a cut-and-paste nightmare, and the gameplay is pretty derivative. However, for some ridiculous reason, I can’t seem to put this game down.

The button-mashing, “beat-'em-up” style is a lost art. In the golden age of the SNES, these games were too plentiful; but in this current, FPS (first person shooter) generation, we have been unable to find our roots. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 does its best to bring us back to 1991, and it’s a romp. It will satisfy the hunger pangs of any starved Marvel super-fan. In general, superhero games tend to be quite weak, and it’s nice to see a game that represents its characters so well while providing the player with an enjoyable experience.

Each character has a light and heavy attack, as well as four super-powered attacks. Characters have a red bar, which represents health, and a blue bar which represents endurance/magic power (use super powers and you drain endurance). By defeating the leagues of enemies, your characters will gain experience to level-up, which the player can use to increase the strength of each of their four superpowers, as well as bolster the character’s statistics/abilities. This method is the cookie-cutter approach to any action RPG. There are really no strides or attempts to change the combat. The game introduces new Fusion attacks to the system, which add a different level of depth to this relatively shallow experience. Fusion attacks are super-powered attacks that use two different characters. The player has a meter that increases for each successful attack and once that meter gets to a certain point, the player may choose to unleash a fusion attack. These attacks vary and are situational. Fore example, clearing attacks are used to clear a room full of enemies; whereas targeted fusions are used to target one enemy to do massive damage. This adds a new intricacy to the combat, because the player needs to strategize in order to use the correct fusion at the proper time. The bottom line on gameplay is that it’s an old dog that has learned one new trick. It works, it’s fun and gets the job done, but it’s very tired.

The production value of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is on the low end. The storyline combines events from two more recent Marvel story arcs including the Secret War and the Civil War. The storyline feels very forced. Civil War is treated like the cream of the Oreo, wedged between the two chocolaty Secret War wafers. Roughly a third through the game the player must make a decision of whether they will be for the Super Human Registration Act or against it. By doing so the player unlocks different characters, and gains different abilities. This story choice was smart, because the power gamer needs to play through this game twice to get everything (can you say built-in replay?).

The character selection is quite good, but some choices are worthy of a Mike Staub, “Huh?” For some reason, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 feels the need to include characters that have no business being part of the Civil War (i.e. Iceman, Gambit, most of the Fantastic Four, and Hulk). The game also excludes characters like the Punisher, Dr. Strange, and Ronin which were integral to the Civil War. I foresee more downloadable characters hitting PSN and Xbox Live in the near future for a price of $1.99 or so.

The graphics are reminiscent of the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance and the game can only be played in up to 720p, so it will never look spectacular. The game is also a little buggy, like any action RPG. If there are too many enemies on the screen, the game will slow down. Sometimes characters on your team will choose not to attack, or do anything for that matter. The A.I. is weak, and needs a tune-up. I will say that the voice work is generally very good, although Thor’s voice sucks. Generally, the characters were properly represented by their voice acting and that’s key for a huge Marvel fan like myself.

If you are a fan of the Marvel universe and greatly enjoy the characters, this game will not let you down. If you are a fan of action style “beat-'em-ups” then this game will be a fun and rewarding experience for you as well. I enjoy this game, but it’s just a flash in the pan. It won’t greatly impact the gaming world, and it’s an ultimate fan service. We live in the age of the sequel, when sales are more important than originality. Spidey’s Red and Blues work, but are in need of a good wash. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is currently available on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2 and Wii.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.0

Review by Mike (henshin a go-go baby!) Staub

The Beatles: Rockband Limited Edition Xbox 360!

2009-09-22T12:30:00.004-04:00

Introducing The Beatles: Rockband Limited Edition Xbox 360. How rare is this gem? One of them just went for $17,300! Would you like a car or would you like a pretty new Xbox? Of course it's all for charity so prices tend to be inflated for the common good. It's unknown as to how many of these new consoles have been produced. One thing is for certain; it looks amazing. I have a feeling I could sell most of the major organs in my body and still not have enough cash to bid on this bad boy. I think for that kind of money, Paul McCartney should hand deliver it with the Xbox in one hand and a pot of delicious meat balls in the other. All proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened. Rockband fans and Beatles enthusiasts alike also have an opportunity to win the custom console by downloading the exclusive "All You Need is Love" bonus track available now on Xbox Live.

Grooooovy!

Halo 3: ODST Gameplay Footage

2009-09-21T11:21:00.008-04:00

Happy Halo 3: ODST eve! Many gamers will be lining up at midnight tonight to get their hands on the latest chapter of the Halo franchise. Halo fans will get a chance to play as the elite Orbit Shock Drop Troopers (or ODST) as they take the fight to the Covenant. The story takes place after the events of Halo 2, but before Master Chief makes his return in Halo 3. Included in the newly full price title is Firefight, a mode that allows four players to team up and take on wave after wave of Covenant forces. The mode will be familiar to Gears of War fans as obvious comparisons are being made to Horde mode. Enjoy the fresh gameplay videos below featuring both campaign and Firefight footage.

Halo 3: ODST Single Player Campaign

Halo 3: ODST Firefight

Games You Should Play - 9/17/09

2009-09-17T12:45:00.007-04:00

Yes, I know. I'm sorry, it's been a while since I last posted a Games You Should Play. Let's just say my life has gotten pretty nuts the last 2 weeks and I haven't had much time to do much of anything. And both my 360s died when I was about 75% through Batman, and about to get Shadow Complex. Yeah, and my 360s are the least of my problems right now. Anyway, moving on.

Games You Should Play - Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Edition

I can hear the rumblings already. How can you put a game on here that's only been out for like, 5 months? I'll tell you why, NOBODY IS BUYING THIS GAME. It hasn't sold like my previous most recent Games You Should Play game, Mirror's Edge, despite it having a worthy story and excellent gameplay. It's got an 83% rating on MetaCritic, yet there are barely any sales figures on this game because well, according to VGChartz it has only sold about 30k in the US. That's THIRTY THOUSAND. For the only blend of platforming and puzzles the DS has ever seen! (And no, Puzzle Quest is a blend of RPG and puzzles).

Well to stop my ranting, I will tell you why this game is awesome. First off, it's insanely British, which I love. The graphics are very crisp and clean, and the controls are spot-on (see, British humour! Hah!). How the game works, basically, is that on the top screen you control Henry Hatsworth through his adventure, but on the bottom screen there is a Puzzle League style puzzle game going on. Now when you defeat guys on the top, they don't go away, you also have to make them go away in the puzzle too. Ingenious! There's your standard power ups and stuff, but you can get items in the puzzle to help you in your adventure, and you can use the puzzle to also beef up grenades, boomerangs and your trusty gun while the projectile is in mid-air.

Here is the first level in action:

So what's the downfall, you say?

It's hard. Not Ninja Gaiden hard, but definitely frustrating at points. Now, whereas I did manage to beat the game, believe you me it wasn't easy. But it was so good I was DETERMINED to slay the game. The levels are all very long, and seemed kind of stretched out. Some levels have sections where you just have to fight a whole bunch of predetermined enemies, and it seemed like a lame mini-boss type area, and those parts get repetitive fast. Many levels also seem very similar as well, making some of them feel like a chore to get through.

The story is pretty good too, with a nice twist at the end. It's completely ridiculous, but a lot of fun nonetheless.

Please give it a shot. You can snag it for only $18.99 at Amazon these days and is definitely worth it at that price.

Official Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Announced!

2009-09-16T01:01:00.013-04:00

So Yeah, under the radar or WHAT!? A sick looking custom Modern Warfare 2 console, two black controllers, the game, and a 250GB HDD. Buyers get everything included for only $399.99. The extra controller and game would set you back $110 alone. And a 250 GB HDD! That's more than double whats available now! Oh man, I want this bad.

Assassin's Creed 2 Gamescom 2009 Walkthrough

2009-09-10T11:18:00.003-04:00

As promised last week, here is the Gamescom 09 gameplay walkthrough that features Izio on the hunt for his next target. The game already looks slicker and more responsive then it's predecessor. The graphics have been given an upgrade over the still beautiful original. Hopefully the tasks are varied enough to hold the player's interest this time around. Half way through the first Assassin's Creed I found myself playing for the sake of playing as each mission was a regrettable clone of the previous. Regardless, the concept was fantastic and wholly original. The blue prints were laid and the bones were put in place. Ubisoft is now poised to deliver a classic. Assassin's Creed 2 is set for release on November 17th.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Pax 2009 Gameplay

2009-09-08T09:44:00.004-04:00

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best looking game this year. No doubt there are other stellar titles with jaw dropping visuals (Mass Effect 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 come to mind), but Uncharted 2 seems to have that certain something to propel it to the top of the heap. Feel free to count the "2's" in that last sentence.

When it comes to animation, Naughty Dog doesn't pull any punches. Every movement in the game was painstakingly recorded in studio with a live actor. I know what you're thinking, "Don't a lot of developers do that?" Yes, however how many of them feature the actual actor used for recording the dialogue. Each scene is actually acted out between actors to create a chemistry that hasn't been achieved in other next generation titles. Throw in amazing technical graphics with a fantastic art style and you have a real looker on your hands. You may salivate over Exhibit 'A' below. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves hits stores October 13th.

Shadow Complex Review

2009-09-02T11:40:00.005-04:00

Shadow Complex is easily the most ambitious Xbox Live Arcade release to date. It combines gorgeous visuals with fast and addictive gameplay. The game is built using the Unreal Engine and Epic Studios even had a hand in delivering the final product. You play as Jason Flemming, a young man thrust in to a heroic role when he unknowingly uncovers a radical militia's devious plot to overthrow the government and start a 2nd civil war. All of which starts when Jason ventures on a hiking trip with his new girlfriend (evidence that exercise is indeed bad for you). The game is a companion piece to the Orson Scott Card Empire series of novels.

Shadow Complex is very much a traditional side scrolling adventure game, however the unique twist comes in it's execution. It features fully three dimensional environments rendered with actual depth. Enemies no longer attack from above, below, left or right as they can now flank you from behind. This is a small touch that makes the game feel very original and helps bring it in to the modern gaming era.

One of the more addictive aspects of the game is it's use of deep exploration to upgrade your character. Many areas will not be accessible until the appropriate upgrade is found. Some puzzles can be found throughout the map, but few are overly challenging. Most upgrades can be found through simple yet time consuming level exploration. Your character will also gain levels through experience earned from exploring and combat. The more you search the world, the more powerful you become. This is a necessity as the enemies and bosses will become increasingly challenging. A bulk of the upgrading will happen naturally through story advancement. If you run right through, you'll be able to best the radical militia in less than 5 hours. If you're going for 100% completion, you'll be grinding for about 8-10 hours.

From beginning to end, Shadow Complex is an exceptional game with few hiccups worth mentioning. The graphics maintain a very high technical standard throughout, although there is occasional screen tearing and stuttering. I also had a few instances where audio and video were not synced correctly. In most cases, restarting the game from a previous save room corrected the issue. The main campaign is short enough that it merits a 2nd or 3rd play though, which will be necessary to unlock all of the achievements. Several challenge rooms are also included to test your metal for those looking to smash high score records. All in all, Shadow Complex is a definite purchase and one of the few Arcade titles worth 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.0

Modern Warfare 2 Uncut Multiplayer Gameplay!

2009-09-01T14:12:00.010-04:00

As promised by Infinity Ward, here is a brand new uncut multiplayer video. The video is chalk full of little details that I'm sure will be analyzed to death in the coming days. Why not get a head start on the competition with a brief overview?

Riot shield is in full view and being used to protect the flag bearer
New name tag system of identifying who you killed
Brazilian Militia is a playable faction
Multiple kill streak rewards on display including UAV, Predator Missile, and Air Drop
Kill streak rewards are no longer limited to numerically odd intervals
Several new guns including AA-12, TAR-21, SCAR-H w/ Bling, MP5K and UMP45 w/ extended mags
New host migration system is on display
Throwing knives are confirmed

Let us know if you notice anything else hidden within the brief, but loaded new video.

Modern Warfare 2 Gameplay Leak!

2009-08-27T16:21:00.007-04:00

I'd apologize for focusing largely on Modern Warfare 2 as of late, but something tells me you don't mind. Perhaps it's because it's the biggest game of the year and quite possibly of all time. New info on Assassin's Creed 2 coming soon as well new Halo: ODST multiplayer gameplay. That is if you don't have a heart attack from the excitement of the aforementioned video below.

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-08-27T11:12:00.005-04:00

Hey there game fans. The gaming news has all but come to a hault. This is typical of this time of the year. The flood gates will surely open as the fourth quarter draws near. A new Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer perk video is due out any day now. Also, look for a review of Shadow Complex in the next day or so. A real review from a real gamer; no strings (or advertisers) attached. In the meantime, please enjoy this photo of my face plastered on Super Mario.

Games You Should Play - 8/25/09

2009-08-25T10:05:00.011-04:00

Games You Should Play - Power Stone 2

So when I pick the games I'm going to do for this weekly installment here at Gamerology, I try to pick a game that has fallen by the wayside or games that people may have avoided for whatever reason. But, in going with the name of the column, you should play these games. Let's recap real quick what games I have chosen and why you SHOULD play then, and why you shouldn't.

Mirror's Edge

Good: Incredible sense of motion and speed for a first-person view. Smooth controls.

Bad: Terrible story. Real bad.

XIII

Good: Fantastic comic-book graphical style. Good voice acting, amazing soundtrack.

Bad: Terrible AI, lame overdone story. Controls are lousy.

Ok, now I'm going to to keep this database updated everytime I write one of these articles, in case you are new or want to see what I've written about in the past. But, they will be at the END of each article, not the beginning. This column is still a work in progress, but I think soon enough I will have finalized the format.

Anywho, on to this weeks game: Power Stone 2 (Dreamcast)

Now, I'm just talking about the DREAMCAST version of this game, not the arcade or PSP version that is on the Power Stone Collection (the load times are horrendous on that).

Ah, Power Stone 2. Just talking about it makes me want to bust out my Dreamcast and play it again. It is, one of the first, if not first 4-player simultaneous fighting games to ever be released. It is a fully 3D fighting game, where you can run to any point at any time (not like Tekken or Soul Calibur where you can only sidestep or dodge in 3d). Not only that, but the level design is excellent as well and they have multiple levels within the level! One level starts you fighting on a flying airship, only to break apart and then have you freefall down to another part of the level. Another level has an Indiana Jones style giant ball chasing you. The levels are also extremely interactive. Some levels have turrets or other things you can use as weapons. There are also tons of items around that you can pick up and use as a weapon. The sheer insanity of what is going on when 4 players are playing at once is awesome.

Check this video out to see a FULL playthrough of almost all the levels you see in the game:

You can also combine weapons you pick up with other weapons or items, and make NEW weapons which you can use! Where could this game go wrong?

Well, the characters are incredibly lame. The character design in this game is not really good at all, and there is no differentiation really except for the big guys (who move a little slower and can use a pole as a weapon) and the superpowers you get when you collect three gems. Otherwise, each character is basically the same. The stages, which are a HUGE part of the game and awesome in their own right....welll there are only 5 of them. And 2 boss stages. For a game where the level design is so good, the repetitive nature of the stages gets boring after a while. There is no story, well, there kind of is. You are trapped in this magical castle and you have to escape. There are no "endings" like other video games. You have no attachment to the characters. I know, stories and fighting games are usually kind of lame but at least they HAVE one and they HAVE endings that make you want to play with each character so you can see the ending. This game doesn't have that.

But don't let my negativity fool you, you SHOULD ABSOLUTELY play this game and then wonder to yourself, why haven't they released this on the XBox Live Arcade, or made a new one in GORGEOUS HD graphics? I ask myself those questions quite often.

Double your Deagle, Double Your Fun

2009-08-25T09:50:00.011-04:00

It has now been leaked that dual wielding will now be possible in Modern Warfare 2. Whether limited to the campaign or multiplayer has yet to be officially confirmed, although Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling has eluded to akimbo being available in both. Right now there is confirmation that the dual-wielding will be limited to side arms, however side arms are now no longer limited to pistols. Dual Knife?

Don't worry, you won't be able to duel wield like Mr. High Pants in the picture. I'm pretty sure if he started shooting the momentum would knock him over.

Modern Warfare 2 Gets an Upgrade

2009-08-21T09:37:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I featured a pair of Modern Warfare 2 screenshots from Gamescom 2009. Today, Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward has released an enhanced version of the image featuring Captain "Soap" McTavish. The brand new streaming texture technology is on display and it looks spectacular. This seemingly puts to rest any doubt as to whether the sequel would feature a noticeable graphical leap. Below is yesterday's low resolution image along with the just released high resolution image featuring the new streaming technology.

With Streaming Texture Technology

Without Streaming Texture Technology

Gamescom 2009 Highlights

2009-08-20T14:23:00.007-04:00

Hey there game fans. I'm checking in today with a few highlights from this year's Gamescom convention. This is the convention's inaugural year; However, it is in actuality a re-branding of the Leipzig convention. Gamescom has a new location in Cologne, Germany to go along with its new and peculiar name. Below are some of my personal picks of the more noteworthy exhibitions.

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 comes out of the gates with a brand new trailer, showcasing a notorious mining facility named Omega. The facility is mercenary-controlled and is a veritable sin city, complete with exotic dancers and gambling. Mass Effect 2 looks gorgeous and with the new improvements to gameplay, this promises to be one of the best titles of 2010. As a side note, if you've never played Mass Effect in HD, you don't know what you're missing.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Naughty Dog has done a terrific job of keeping Among Thieves in the public eye (Infinity Ward could learn a thing or two). A steady stream of trailers, combined with last month's killer closed beta, has rocketed this title to the top of my winter 2009 most wanted list. The new Gamescom trailer showcases the state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay that you've come to expect from Naughty Dog. Uncharted 2 features the most life-like and expressive character models I've ever seen in a game to date. With the ever shrinking list of Playstation exclusives, this is definitely not one to miss.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

I know what you're thinking: "Only two screenshots!?" I couldn't agree more. Infinity Ward has really dropped the ball as of late. I know this is considered blasphemy these days, but I like to call them like I see them. This is Europe's premier gaming convention and only two screenshots are released to the public. The images can certainly be considered eye candy, but they don't showcase anything we haven't seen already. The Special Ops mode was apparently demo-ed for the press, but nothing has been made available to consumers as of yet. On the upside, Robert Bowling has stated that we can expect a brand new multiplayer perk trailer sometime next week.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Fact: You involve Hideo Kojima in your game development, you get a kick ass game. Even if Kojima just used the game disc as a coaster for his morning smoothie, his magical gaming dust would sprinkle all over it and make it a kick ass game. Can you tell I'm a fan? Not much is known as of yet, but if this extended gameplay trailer is any indication, we have a hit on our hands.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

No two ways about it, this game is going to be a lot of fun. Although Battlefield: Bad Company 2 does not have the mass appeal that Modern Warfare 2 does, it will certainly provide a compelling alternative. The new multiplayer looks fantastic featuring Destruction 2.0 and a new level of team gameplay. Who knows, it may even give Modern Warfare 2 a run for its money.

Fable III

Finally, we have the official announcement that Fable III is in development at Lionhead Studios. The trailer is purely a teaser and barely worth mentioning, but it is a welcome addition all the same. It's nice to see that the franchise will continue on Microsoft's current generation Xbox.

Stay tuned for more from Gamescom 2009 as information becomes available.

Games You Should Play - 8/16/09

2009-08-16T18:13:00.012-04:00

Games You Should Play - XIII

XIII is the first cel-shaded FPS in gaming history. The graphical style is excellent and is one of the two reasons you should play this game. The soundtrack/voice overs is the other. The game has a very unique style because of the cel-shading, and actually looks like a comic book. However, the plot, AI and control all suck. Bad. For me, if a FPS cannot control like I want it to control, I don't even bother. There are plenty of other games out there I could play instead that can control exctly how I like (Halo, Bioshock and Call of Duty spring to mind). The gameplay is standard FPS, but becuase the AI is so unbalanced, sometimes they won't hit you from 5 feet away but hit you dead on from 50 feet away. The plot is your basic amnesiac who can't remember he is a secret agent plot (basically a Bourne Identity rip off). However, there is good in this game.

Check out the fantastic graphical style of this game. The comic book action words ("POW", "BAM", etc.) and the panels within the game. This was one of the first games to do that. At the 4:00 minute mark is a cool example of how this game was at its best.

Check out a sample of the soundtrack here.

It's a funk-electro fusion and it is outstanding. I managed to score the soundtrack CD and used to listen to it all the time. It really stands out on its own. The voice acting is also very good, with a good David Duchovny (not like his Area 51 bullshit performance), Eve, Adam West and the supporting voices were also excellent.

It's worth a play, and can be had for under 10 bucks on Xbox, PS2 and PC. I recommend the PC or Xbox versions. It's also based on a French graphic novel, and there's a miniseries movie too, starring Stephen Dorff (it suckssssssss so bad).

Next week: Power Stone 2

Are You Ready for a Throwdown?

2009-08-14T12:28:00.008-04:00

In what has to be an industry first, Manveer Heir of Raven Software has issued a challenge to EA Sports. According to Heir's twitter, if Wolfenstein outsells Madden 10 in the month of August, he will personally reimburse you for your purchase of Wolfenstein. This is an outrageous and controversial claim as the reimbursement will be fulfilled personally by the designer. Raven Software has not been indicated in the offer. Certain restrictions do apply however. You must be a follower of Manveer Heir on twitter as well as present a receipt as proof of purchase. There is of course a limit of one per customer.

Wolfenstein has not received a tremendous amount of hype which only adds to the peculiarity of the situation. The game has visuals that border on last generation. Then again, there is always hope the gameplay mechanics prove to be more than skin deep. A homely looking games with a great personality is fairly uncommon in today's beauty obsessed world. However, it is not all together impossible (see Indigo Prophecy). One can only wonder if Heir's challenge is a last ditch effort to accumulate release date sales before word of mouth spreads. Personally I'm all for it. I hope Wolfenstein turns out to be a great game. There is a rich history with the franchise, and it's only right that it should continue.

I would gladly plunk down the cash to support the series and simultaneously wound Electronic Arts ego. If it manages to outsell Madden 10, then the cash back is an incredible bonus. I wouldn't let the reimbursement offer persuade you as there is certainly no guarantee. Manveer Heir's word hardly seems sufficient. Be forewarned, it is extremely unlikely that the first person shooter will topple the football beast in the month of August albeit at all.

Wolfenstein is slated to be released on August 18th and Madden 10 is due out August 14th. I've included trailers of both games to help you decide which franchise deserves your hard earned cash.

Wolfenstein

Maddden NFL 10

Modern Warfare 2 Character Models

2009-08-13T11:03:00.005-04:00

Here are a pair of little known screenshots from Modern Warfare 2. These photos appear to be screen captures from the original full length trailer released a few months ago. I haven't seen them posted on many gaming sites and I think they showcase the new character models in Modern Warefare 2 quite well. Both screenshots feature special forces operators with authentic weapon and gear loadout.

UPDATE:

It appears the images are promo shots for the Special Ops mode!

British S.A.S. Operator

U.S. Special Forces Delta Operator

Awesome 8-Bit Sampling

2009-08-12T15:39:00.005-04:00

www.nintendomixtape.com

These guys have taken samples from some classic (and some not so classic) NES games and turned them into pretty killer rap songs.

Check out this video first, then hit up the website if you are interested. You can download the whole album for free.

The Power of the Demo

2009-08-11T10:44:00.015-04:00

Look, I've said it many times, not necessarily on this blog, but the best way to sell your game is to put a demo on Xbox Live BEFORE the game comes out. A demo after the fact is stupid, lame, and redundant (I'm looking at YOU, Call of Duty: World At War).

Here is a list of games, that from personal experience of not only playing the demo but also selling the game at retail, I have found that the demo definitely increased the sales for the game:

Dead Rising
Fight Night Round 3
Bioshock
Mirror's Edge
Skate
Army of Two
Battlefield: Bad Company
Red Faction: Guerilla (though personally, I HATED this demo)
Lost Planet

Now, if you noticed, save for Red Faction and Fight Night, all of these games are NEW IPs (intellectual properties). And in the case of Red Faction, most people that played the new one never played the first two anyway, and Fight Night was the first WOW HOLY CRAP demo for the 360. That demo sold systems. What do all of these games have in common? A demo that didn't treat you like an idiot. They all gave a very reasonable length of time to experience the demo, didn't cut off at a bad part that angered you, but left you wanting more in some cases, while increasing awareness of the game.

On the flip side, there are demos out there which have clearly hurt retail sales, either because the game itself sucked, or the demo was TERRIBLE. Those demos include:

Bionic Commando (this demo was so painful)
F.E.A.R. 2 (the demo cuts off in a TERRIBLE place)
Blacksite: Area 51 (again a terrible cut-off)
Fracture (the game just sucked)
Iron Man (impossible to control)

Why do I bring this up? Because 3 phone calls in a row at work last night, I was asked 'When does Batman: Arkham Asylum come out?" After the 3rd call, I asked the person on the phone, "Why is everyone calling?" He says, "The demo just hit the marketplace." "Oh, is it good?" He replied, "It's fucking awesome."

When you have a game that might be missed, overlooked or one that people just plain forgot was coming out (Batman was supposed to drop in June, now it's coming out dangerously close to Madden 2010) you get people interested in it again. I know, it's Batman, how can people miss that? Well, there hasn't been a GOOD Batman game in about 20 years (NES and Gameboy versions). TWENTY YEARS!? Superman has never had a good game, period. Spider-Man 2 was phenomenal and a genre-changer, Iron Man sucked, Marvel Ultimate Alliance was good, Wolverine was awesome, but Batman shouldn't have sucked for so long.

Dear Game Developers of New IPs (or old ones you are finally bringing to next-gen):

Please give me a demo. Please make the demo an accurate representation of what the game is. Please make the demo at least 20 minutes, especially if the download is more than 1 GB. I don't want to spend more time downloading the demo than I do playing it. Please give me a multiplayer option, even if it is just one map for deathmatch or co-op (Thank you Resident Evil 5). Please make sure you don't cut it off when you get a totally kickass weapon and then have it fade to black (FEAR 2, I'm looking at you). Please leave it off where the story starts to get very interesting (in the case of a single-player game of course) and then leave me wanting more (Bioshock, FTW!). Please don't release the demo AFTER the game comes out (Dead Space, Ghostbusters, Call of Duty: World at War [BETA doesn't count]). Please don't make it multiplayer only ON THE SAME SYSTEM (Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on PS3 WTF!?). If your game stinks, don't release a demo. I'll only really never play your game. You know if it sucks. Don't lie to me.

Sincerely,
The Marc
Gamerologist
Gamerologyscience.blogspot.com

See below for some screens of Batman: Arkham Asylum in action. The last image seems a bit out of place. Early Rocksteady concept art perhaps?

Candidate for Worst News of the Year

2009-08-10T11:23:00.010-04:00

It was announced over the weekend that famed Rapper 50 Cent would be among the celebrity voice actors lending their "talents" to the upcoming Modern Warfare 2. This is a sure fire candidate for worst news of the year. I couldn't help but check my calender several times in hopes that the space-time continuum had transformed the date to April the 1st. I had no such luck.

Mr. Half dollar will apparently be heard saying such classics as "Reloading", "Tango Down", and "I'm the downfall of civilized man!" Even if you are a 50 Cent fan, I'm sure you can agree that the young man's English language handicap is not appropriate for a game featuring special operations forces. Somehow I doubt the words "shawtee" and "Birfday" come up very often when dealing with international terrorism. Then again, if you are a 50 Cent fan you are probably preoccupied with mugging the elderly and hurling helpless kittens.

Best of all, he will be featured in the game's multiplayer, so we will all have the pleasure of hearing his voice in repetition until the next installment in the franchise. It is a sad day indeed.

News You May Have Missed

2009-08-09T16:47:00.009-04:00

Another new thing I'm starting here, entitled:

News You May Have Missed

It's basically a recap of all the SMALLER, but still important, gaming related news that people have passed over for the week.

In the original Punch-Out for the NES, Mario was never actually approved to be the referee or be in the game at all. (Source: Kotaku)
Johnny Cash is in Guitar Hero 5, and you will be able to export SOME, but not all, songs from World Tour and Smash Hits.
There is a Best Buy in Utah testing the price-matching of Gamestop's used games on their new games. (Source: Joystiq)
Oh yeah, Madden 2010 drops this Friday.
Apparently, the Xbox 360 Pro is going to be discontinued, with only the Arcade and Elite remaining. No word on price or pack-ins. (Source: Joystiq)

I bolded that last part because I think it's the biggest news of the week that nobody is paying attention to. With the Pro bundle effectively eliminated, it can only mean a price cut is in order. With the Xbox 360 leading the way now that the Wii has really slowed in terms of sales and the attach rate on the 360 continuing to set records (8.1 games per 360 owner on average), Microsoft could be poising themselves to cut the price on the Elite to sell tons of systems. If they cut the price on the Arcade to $149 and make the Elite $279, they would make some serious dough. Especially if they continue to do their holiday bundling (last year they gave out Kung Fu Panda/Lego Indy; the year before that was Forza 2/Marvel Ultimate Alliance), Microsoft could sell millions, putting them even farther ahead of Sony and catching up to Nintendo's total Wii sales (although they wish they had the kind of attach rate that Microsoft has). Furthermore, it could really put a damper on Sony- why would you buy a $99 PS2 when you can get $149 Xbox 360 Arcade. Next-gen for only $50 more!? How could you not?

Games You Should Play - 8/6/09

2009-08-06T00:34:00.012-04:00

Here's a new weekly feature I plan to start, well, this week. I have entitled it:

"Games You Should Play"

It doesn't necessarily mean these are the greatest games of all time. I realize that everyone has different tastes, what I am trying to do is pick a game that does something so well (even one small part) and give it a place to shine. Even if overall the game is crappy, it might be a game worth playing. This is something Gamerankings and Metacritic won't tell you. I'm also going to try and find you games that everyone else already hasn't called "underrated" or "overlooked."

Games You Should Play - Mirror's Edge

Mirror's Edge is one of the first games where I actually felt a sense of motion in a First-Person view. Unfortunately, it's an amazing technical achievement stuck in a game with a crappy fighting system and an even worse story. But you should play it because it not only controls so smoothly, but because it's a first-person game in which you are SUPPOSED to run and jump and move like you never have before. The sense of motion you get is amazing when you are jumping from ledge to ledge doing parkour stunts. You don't even really have to play the game. Just play the demo and you will see how incredible it is.

The story does absolutely nothing to suck you in as it has one of the dumbest plots in video game history and fails to keep the game interesting. There have been many games I have played through because the story was interesting but the gameplay was not. But then again, this is a game done by a bunch of good developers, in DICE (or now EA Digital Illusions CE) who also do the Battlefield games. Battlefield:Bad Company being their only game previously that really had a storyline. Therefore, these guys don't have much experience in the story department.

Mirror's Edge can be picked up for about $19.99 these days, which isn't a bad price. Even still, I recommend the demo that can be downloaded on either the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3, as it's a fantastic representation of the game.

Coming next week: XIII

How Nintendo Became Top Dog in Spite of Itself

2009-08-05T10:57:00.012-04:00

As of this month the Nintendo Wii has sold over 50 million units worldwide. That's significantly more than even the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 combined. The question is, how did they do it despite doing everything wrong?

Right off the bat, the Wii's tech specs are barely upgraded over last generation's Gamecube. Below is a chart outlining the minute differences between the two consoles' capabilities.

That's strike one.

One of the major evolutions in the current generation of consoles is the advent of HD gaming. The sharper and clearer picture has contributed to the major leap in overall graphics quality. According to Nintendo, it's not a priority. President Satoru Iwata recently said, "As far as the Wii is concerned, we have not found a significant reason to make it HD-compatible at this time." This coming from the same company that declared online gaming a fad. That's strike two.

Lastly, there is the the most obvious blunder. The lack of games geared toward hardcore gamers. The Wii may have struck gold with casual gamers, but hardcore gamers buy software. Halo 3 sold 2.48 million units on day one. That's more than the first week sales for both Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Mario Galaxy combined. What does this mean? It means that third party support for the Wii is at an all time low. If the Wii's first party games can't even perform on the same level as its competitors, what hope is there for third party developers? That's strike three.

Despite Nintendo's non-progressive viewpoint and poor choices, they continue to dominate the landscape. Many of you are wondering, "Isn't there room for everyone? If people enjoy the Wii, why should it matter to you?" I'll tell you why. Nintendo has shown the gaming world that you can produce inexpensive, low tech hardware and still dominate your competitors. This is dangerous for the gaming industry as a whole. What's to prevent Microsoft or Sony from producing their own versions of the Wii? Games will come to a standstill and companies will no longer be focused on breaking boundaries and pushing the limits of one's imagination. How long before Nintendo has thought of every single type of activity that can be done with a Wii remote? Golfing? Check. Fishing? Check. Lasting Appeal? Let's hope not.

Leave a comment below and chime in with your thoughts. Also, check us out on Facebook!

Speaking of Just Around the Corner....

2009-07-30T16:13:00.010-04:00

Hey, has anyone else noticed that game companies are now being smarter about the timetable for releasing new games?

Wait....what? You haven't heard that?

Noooooo, of course you haven't. All you have heard is that a bunch of BIG GAMES have been pushed to 2010.

With that being said, the first 6 months of 2010 will be the most important 1st half of the year in gaming. Period. End of story.

Why? Well, it comes down to this. Many game publishers believe, for what reason I do not know, that you have to put out all your HUGE games in time for Christmas. This inevitably leads to madness because between October 1 and the Black Friday, there are literally hundreds of new titles hitting your local Gamestop. (Why Black Friday, very rarely are games released in December, with some few exceptions: the newest Prince of Persia, Rise of the Argonauts last year, and previously NFL Street 2 which was due out XMAS EVE! and inevitably missed that date because of snowstorms.)

Having work in the gaming retail industry, I can tell you, honestly, that it doesn't matter when a game releases. If a game is good, has enough hype behind it and knows the audience its going after, it can release in any month. Here are a few examples:

Grant Theft Auto IV - April 2008
UFC: Unleashed - May 2009
Red Faction: Guerilla - June 2009
Red Dead Revolver - May 2004
Ghost Recon - Advanced Warfighter - March 2006
Fight Night Round 3 - February 2006
God of War 1 and 2 - March releases

All of these games have sold over a million copies, PROVING that you do not need to launch in the 4th quarter to have a successful game. Granted, you can argue that for some of those games, it didn't matter when they launched because people wanted it, which is exactly what I am arguing here.

So why is the 1st half of next year important? Well, these games were all scheduled for a 2009 releases but have been pushed back:

Bioshock 2
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Red Steel 2
Dark Void
Bayonetta
MAG

But we still have a HUGE list of games that are scheduled for a Holiday time release:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Dragon Age
Assassin's Creed 2
Borderlands
Uncharted 2
Brutal Legend
Halo 3: ODST

It's already crowded enough, and I'm glad they've thinned it out but I want them to say that it was because they thought they could sell more if they gave it just a little more development time and not say that they didn't want it to hit during an already crowded time (which is a crap reason). Do you ever see movies come out all at the exact same time? No, because then nobody would see them. They spread them out and their are a few dull months (Jan/Feb), but for the most part you can have a hit anytime of the year. I wish the game companies would take note of that, especially if you aren't a major publisher.

As long as Modern Warfare 2 doesn't get pushed, I'm ok.

Xbox Live Dashboard Update Just Around the Corner

2009-07-30T13:54:00.008-04:00

Happy Thursday game fans. E3 has come and gone, but fortunately we won't have to wait much longer to get our hands on some of the new features promised for Xbox Live. August 11th is quickly approaching and the new features will help to encourage the 10 year system life cycle promised by Microsoft. Below are a list of some key features as well as some preview images.

Netflix:

Xbox Live Gold members will now be able to sit together in a virtual theater with up to seven friends. The avatars will be able to flirt or throw popcorn at each other. I can't imagine that ever getting old (sarcasm at it's best).
You can now browse the Netflix video catalogue without the use of a computer.
Streaming movies will now playback much smoother when your Internet bandwidth fluctuates.
More information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide revealing what your friends are up to.

Avatars:

New clothing and props from top brands and game franchises will now be available for your pint sized virtual you. New content will of course be subject to Microsoft points.

Games on Demand:

Xbox 360 titles will now be available for download. Game manuals will also be viewable.

Game Ratings:

All games available in the Games Marketplace will be rateable based on a 5 star system.

Miscellaneous Additions:

Achievements will now be easier to view via an achievements browser.
A Notification will be issued when your Xbox Live subscription is about to expire.
Community Games has now been renamed India Games for no apparent reason.

Unfortunately, Twitter, Facebook, Last FM and 1080p video content will not be included in this update. There's always next year.

Modern Warefare 2 Multiplayer Reveal

2009-07-27T16:10:00.006-04:00

Prototype - The Best Worst Game I've Ever Played

2009-07-26T21:42:00.008-04:00

I know, the title is a bit misleading. But it is true.

Somewhere inside Prototype is a good game dying to get out. The controls are excellent, the graphics are as well. The recreation of NYC is excellent, probably the best I've ever seen. But it's just missing something, something I can't put my finger on. Here's a few things that have bothered me:

There is no gradual build up of your powers, getting used to them at first. You can get some really powerful stuff almost immediately, including the flying power.
I'm tired of amnesiac stories. At least Infamous' amnesiac story made him only forget a small portion of what happened, but Alex Mercer can't remember a damn thing.
It's very easy to just run around and not be spotted, even though there are "detectors" in a lot of places.
The story is boring and the dialogue seems so stilted. Why does Alex have to go ALL THE WAY from one part of the city to the other just for a 30 second meeting with one of the other characters. Don't they have a fucking cell phone?
The missions are extremely repetitive.

Here what was good:

Fucking karate kicking a Helicopter. See: http://penny-arcade.com/images/2009/20090619.jpg

Please buy Infamous instead. It's much better. unless, of course, you don't have a PS3, then you're only choice for open-ended-super-human-free-roam-Summer-2009 game is Prototype. Wait until Borderlands comes out.

That is all.

Left 4 Dead 1.5!?

2009-07-24T15:17:00.015-04:00

Hey there game fans. I'm checking in today with a bit of analysis on the highly anticipated Left 4 Dead 2. There is currently a heated debate amongst fans of the series as to whether or not the game warrants being a sequel. Many core gamers feel the game is better suited as downloadable content for the original Left 4 Dead.

Personally I feel there hasn’t been quite enough information released from Valve yet to warrant a definitive stance. However, I am currently under the impression that Left 4 Dead 2 should be a reduced price title. Now before I receive an inbox full of hate mail (who am I kidding?), let me explain.

The information and footage released thus far hasn't exactly been overwhelming. The game has not improved in the technical graphics department at all. This is hardly a debatable issue. One need only glance at recently released screenshots to come to that conclusion (see below). Furthermore, the developers from Valve, when addressing the gaming press, haven't exactly backed up their claim that this is an all new experience. Valve employee Chet Faliszek recently answered a few questions on this very topic when speaking with 1up.com. He stated the game would include new weapons, characters, locales and new infected. That's all well and good, and to be honest, that is pretty much the standard bulk of additional features included in all franchise sequels. However, Mr. Faliszek did little to elaborate on new gameplay mechanics or additional features. If I were to base my opinion solely on his comments, I would presume Left 4 Dead 2 is the exact same game as last year's offering, but with a new coat of paint. I'm sorry, but changing the game from night to day is hardly a change in gameplay. I am open to the possibility that there is much more to Left 4 Dead 2 than meets the eye. Only time will tell and the final verdict will hang in the balance until the game's release on November 17. Below you'll find some screenshots of both the original and the forthcoming sequel. Decide for yourself. Enjoy the weekend.

Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 1

Please Leave Comments

2009-07-23T14:36:00.002-04:00

If you read our shit (well, my stuff is mostly shit), please leave us some comments. It makes me feel like I'm not just writing to myself.

Uncharted 2 Gets Dated and Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Footage On The Way

2009-07-23T13:26:00.018-04:00

Hello Everyone. Thanks for checking out Gamerology: The Science of Gaming. I'm Jonathan, the other self-proclaimed gaming genius that haunts this website. I don't think I'll post my resume (ala The Marc), but rather let my rhetoric speak for itself (I'm too lazy).

In a surprising turn of events, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves receives a rather early release date. It is currently slated for an October 13th release. While I don't believe this is the title to save the PS3 from abysmal sales figures, I do believe it is going to be one of the best exclusive offerings from Sony since the console's release in 2007. Of course that is a veritable no-brainer since the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a fantastic game and one that must be played by anyone with a Playstation 3. This time around, Among Thieves receives a graphical facelift (no small feat considering the stellar graphics in Drake's Fortune) and even more heart-pounding action sequences. For those of you who have yet to see the game in motion, I've included the E3 demo presented at the Sony press conference. Warning: You may need a bib to catch the drool.

I also have some news regarding a rather small indie title called Modern Warfare 2. According to Robert Bowling of Twitter.com/Fourzerotwo, filming will commence shortly for the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer unveiling. August looks to be the promise land for Call of Duty enthusiasts.

That's all for now, but if you are suffering from summer gaming blues, be sure to check out Fight Night Round 4, Ghostbusters and Infamous. That should hold you for a while.

This Anti-Video Game Violence Shit is Starting to Get Retarded

2009-07-23T12:56:00.004-04:00

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/741867.html

World of Warcraft....THE MOVIE?

2009-07-22T10:05:00.002-04:00

As many of you probably know, I HATE, with a PASSION, World of Warcraft. I think it brings nothing new to the table, is a sorry excuse to suck out $15 a month from people who have nothing better to do with their lives. It's a terrible game and it also has taken away Blizzards ability to make sequels or new games since it came out. Now, I am not a fan of Starcraft either (RTS...not my forte), but 10+ years for a sequel seems pretty nuts. Diablo III is also probably going to end up being a sequel released 10+ years after the previous one.

But enough abou my ranting about the video games. Yesterday, Ain't It Cool News broke the story that the World of Warcraft movie has a director. And no, it's not Uwe Boll or that other fucker who fucked up the Resident Evil flicks (Paul W.S. Anderson), it's motherfucking Sam Raimi. That's right, the Spider-Man dude.

First off, I can tell you RIGHT NOW that this movie will suck. There's no way it can be good. No video game movie is good. Not one. Sure, maybe it'll make money, but that still doesn't make it good. Hell, look at the Fast and the Furious movies. They suck, but people eat that shit up. Some of the WORST MOVIES OF ALL TIME are video game movies, even if I don't count Uwe Boll. Well, it doesn't help that they really aren't picking games that could work as movies. Super Mario Bros.? Sure it's a huge video game, but it doesn't really have a story and it really doesn't work as a non-animated movie.

Now, for me, the first good video game movie could potentially be Prince of Persia. It's based on a game series with a very good and deep storyline, has a major star and a major director as well, in Mike Newell (who also directed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

Here is a list of 5 games that could POSSIBLY work as films:

Metal Gear (the original) or Metal Gear Solid, done VERY CAREFULLY and without the massive confusion that surrounds the Metal Gear series
God of War (although, finding someone that looks like Kratos could be hard)
Grim Fandango (retaining all the humour, of course)
Bioshock (provided it doesn't exactly follow the game)
Half-Life

Possibly.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition Unboxing

2009-07-14T14:12:00.003-04:00

Retail on this bad boy is $149.99. Also comes with a download for the original Call of Duty with XBLA and PSN multiplayer support (although, not XBL vs PSN).

No exact numbers on how many are being produced, but NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES FTW!

What Qualifies Me as a Gaming Genius?

2009-07-14T11:42:00.004-04:00

Well, as you all are aware, right in the headline this blog calls me one of two gaming geniuses. And you are probably thinking to yourself, "What the fuck qualifies this dude as a gaming genius?". Well, gentlemen (and ladies) I am here to give you my qualifications. So I will list them here, for all you people to see, and you can judge my qualifications. And if you don't think I'm qualified enough, well, you can go to hell.

I currently work at a major gaming retail outlet, and have been for over 6 years. I even was a manager of a location, but left to pursue a better opportunity, only to return to work part-time for the suhweet discount and to honestly, talk about video games.
I currently own a PSP, PS3, PS2, XBox, XBox 360 (2), Wii, DS Lite (2) and a PC.
I play almost every BIG game that comes out. I just finished Ghostbusters, and have played Fight Night Round 4, Rock Band Unplugged and UFC. Next on my list is The Bigs, NCAA Football 2009 and Batman: Arkham Asylum.
I enjoy almost every type of game except for RTS and Flight Sim games. I do, however, happen to love turn-bases strategy (think...Civilization, not Starcraft). I like RPGs, but I wish more of them were old-school, like Final Fantasy VI (the best in the series, VII is OVERRATED) or Chrono Trigger.
I have this crazy ability to name box art if you cover up the name of the game and show me just the picture. (Only current and last-gen though).
I am wicked good at Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Expert on Guitar/Bass, Hard on Drums/Vocals.
I am also wicked good at Call of Duty. I tend to die a lot, but my K/D ratio is still over 1.15.
I have been playing video games since 1986, when I was 2. That's 23 years of gaming experience.
I love video games. I love reading about video games. I love writing about video games. I love weird Japanese video games (but not anime or manga, yech).

And there you have it. Don't like it? Well, you can go somewhere else but dammit, I hold nothing back. I am not afraid to diss games that people love. In fact, here is a list of beloved games that I hate or I think are overrated:

Goldeneye
Final Fantasy VII
Pokemon
World of Warcraft
Tekken
Any Resident Evil before 4
Any Legend of Zelda game that isn't Link to the Past

Let the hatred begin.