For the Gamer

FarCry 2 Review

2009-07-22T15:46:00.005-04:00

As promised here is my first review. Enjoy!

Presentation: 9/10

FarCry 2 starts you off from the beginning as a FPS and remains the same throughout the game, but unlike other FPS games, FarCry 2 brings you into a person and a country; a feeling that remains throughout the game. All parts of FarCry 2 mesh together well, giving it a top notch presentation.

Graphics: 9/10

While there are some minor glitches and slow down (it is just going to happen in a game this large), graphically FarCry 2 is one of the best looking games on the 360 out there. Everything from the varying environments, fire, water, to the simulation of the day, all add to the illusion of being in Africa.

Gameplay: 6/10

This is where FarCry 2 draws much of its criticisms, gameplay just becomes repetitive and drawn out. You almost always have to drive to the other side of the map, most often than none just to talk to someone. Cellphone anyone? So you talk to a guy, get your diamonds for the job, go and get new weapons so they do not degrade on you, drive to the other side of the map, kill some people, kill some more people, rinse, wash, repeat. That is FarCry 2 in a nutshell. And while there are many side missions such as assassinations, blowing up gun shipments, helping your buddies, finding safe houses, and extra diamonds it all becomes the same. Other decisions such as limiting the player to essentially four weapons was also a mistake in my in my opinion. You are given a melee weapon (the machete), A special weapon (rocket launcher, dart rifle, LMG), a pistol slot, and main gun slot (machine gun, sniper rifle, grenade launcher, shotgun). Many times I would find myself wanting a Sniper rifle and a machine gun, but obviously this is not possible, being they are the same weapon slot. I would find myself using the dart rifle, a sniper that is good, but is severely limited on ammo and degradation time. With the limited weapon slots I would find myself many times running into a firefight with a pistol. Another reoccurring problem is the A.I. They just seem too good. You would find yourself many times being shot down from a mile away while hiding behind bushes, or being discovered by a vehicle passing while walking around in the middle of the jungle. Another poor decision being your infection of Malaria that you contract in the opening sequence, throughout the game you find yourself having to take pills, pills that you have to travel across the whole world for. This choice just draws out your time in the game that much more.

Controls: 8/10

Control wise, FarCry 2 is your standard FPS. While the controls are familiar to any FPS player, they just do not seem to have the ease of precision as a top notch shooter such as COD 4. While the game does have in game options for sensitivity, I just could not get them to match up with the feel of COD.

Fun Factor: 7/10

FarCry 2 is a slow burn, there's just no way around it. Not to say it is not fun because it most definitely is, it just feels drawn out and overly long. You continually get missions going from one side of the map to another and while the change in landscape is welcome, stopping every five minutes to kill the people you killed five minutes ago is not. Many times I would find myself quitting the game for the night because I just did not want to spend the 15 min preparing and driving to the objective. The fact of the matter is the fun in FarCry 2 comes from its openness. It is essentially a GTA FPS.

Price: 10/10

You can find FarCry 2 for well under its $60 MSRP and even then it is money well spent.

Sound: 9/10

This is a category where FarCry 2 also succeeds. It does not matter if you are walking through the jungle hearing the birds and animals or in the middle of an intense firefight the sound is just amazing.

Replay Value: 8/10

Replay value for FarCry 2 is tremendous. There is just tons of stuff to do. Anywhere from the main quest, the many side missions (assassinations, gun shipments, helping your buddies, finding safe houses and hidden diamonds), the replay value is just there. You could easily spend 40+ hrs playing this game.

Conclusion: 8.5/10

FarCry 2 is an excellent game, but like all great games it has it strengths and weaknesses. FarCry 2 does something never seen before in the FPS genre, a totally open world, non linear game. A game that you feel totally immersed into, and for this it should be rewarded. With as much innovation in the genre it promotes, it also brings along many weaknesses from the past. Ubisoft has definitely found something with this game and I can’t wait to see what they are going to do next in the series.

NXE Update [Update]

2009-07-19T11:05:00.011-04:00

As I said before I am changing the site direction from news centric to a more personal view, but would still try to post any major news. This is one of those days. Microsoft has announced some of the new updates coming up in the latest update of the NXE due to be out for some by the end of the summer. I have to say I'm excited and glad that Microsoft is listening to the community for new features.

Netflix Updates
Now you can watch movies with your friends no matter where they are and manage your queue from the comfort of your couch.

Movie Parties – Xbox LIVE Gold members can sit together in a virtual theater with up to seven friends no matter where they are while your Avatars watch a movie, flirt or even throw popcorn at each other.
Manage Your Queue – Browse the Netflix Instant Watch video catalogue, choose from the most popular movies and genres and add to your queue all from the comfort of your couch – no computer required.
Enhanced Playback Experience – Enjoy a smooth viewing experience when your internet bandwidth fluctuates.
Friends Info – Richer information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide showing what you and your friends are doing.

Avatar Marketplace

Express yourself! Deck your Avatar out with the latest clothing and props from the top brands and game franchises. Please note that only limited content is currently available in the preview.
Clothing – Download premium items, including branded apparel from your favorite fashion labels and Xbox 360 games such as "Halo."
Props – You can now equip your avatar with animated items they can carry around and interact with.
Awardables – The ability to earn Avatar clothing and props as rewards within games has been added. Please stay tuned for an update on supporting titles.

Games on Demand
Please note that Games on Demand will be available in the preview beginning early August.

Enjoy 24 x 7 access to a growing online library of popular full game titles on Xbox LIVE whenever you want them, in the comfort of your living room.
Purchase Options – Browse and download a great selection of full Xbox 360 games using Microsoft Points, direct debit, or credit card.
Game Manuals – Game manuals for Games on Demand titles can be viewed, downloaded or printed on Xbox.com.
It's Yours Forever! – As with other Xbox LIVE content, Games on Demand titles are linked to your Xbox LIVE account, so you can delete and re-download anything you have already purchased to the same console or another console.

User Ratings
User ratings help you find games that other people think are awesome!

Rate it – You can now rate every game on the Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace using a 5-star system.
Sort and Find it – Now you can easily find the games that everyone's been raving about by visiting the Top Rated games in the Browse All category of Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace.

Xbox LIVE Parties
Everyone loves to Party! Check out the new and improved Xbox LIVE Party features.

Party Reconnections – If you are accidently disconnected from your party, Xbox LIVE will automatically reconnect you.
Streamlined Party Invites – Invites are now just one click away! No need to click through multiple screens to get all your friends together.

Video Display Options

We've made it easier for you to see your entertainment in the highest resolution possible on your TV using an HDMI connection.
Display Discovery – Make sure you can see and hear your entertainment in the highest resolution and sound quality possible with the option to override and select audio and video formats independent of the information your television sends to your Xbox 360 console.

Other Improvements
We're always listening to you for feedback, and this Xbox LIVE update will include numerous dashboard updates.

Gold Member Veterans – Xbox LIVE Gold members get to show it off with a stamp on your Gamer Card that tells people how long you've been a Gold member.
Indie Games – Xbox LIVE Community Games has been renamed Xbox LIVE Indie Games. We feel this new name better represents the independent spirit of these titles.
Achievement Browser – We've revamped the Achievements browser so it's now easier to read through all the achievements while playing a game. You can now also launch a game directly from the browser.
Achievements Tracking – A new view inside the profile panel which includes a summary of Achievements earned across all the games played, and shows of all your completed games.
Streamlined Navigation - Streamlined navigation, including new entry points in the dashboard for Active Downloads, redeeming codes, recovering Gamertags and more.
Voice Messages – No more blank voice messages! When recording a voice message, a warning will pop up if no audio is detected.
Friends List Sorting – It's now easier to find your friends! Find and sort your friends by activity, Gamertag or online status by pressing the Y button while viewing the friends list in the Guide.
Memory – Time stamps now appear in the memory area, which particular handy when managing saved games.

Account Management
We've made some changes to make your life easier.

Subscription Notification – If your Xbox LIVE subscription is about to run out, you will now be notified when you sign into Xbox LIVE.
Updates for Invalid Windows Live IDs – If the Windows Live ID you provided has expired, you will now be prompted to update it the next time you sign into Xbox LIVE.
Account recovery – We've enhanced the account recovery process to make it faster and more reliable.

What does this Xbox LIVE Update not include?
The following features will be coming in future Xbox LIVE updates, which we'll be sure to let you know about.

Facebook
Twitter
Zune video and 1080p Instant On
Last.fm

[Update]

Microsoft has opened up the LIVE Preview Program where you can sign up to get into an early release of the NXE Update, you can sign up here. Microsoft has also announced the official release date of the update will be available to everyone on August 11th.

New Releases: Week of 7/19

2009-07-19T10:59:00.001-04:00

Title	Platform	Genre	Release Date
Black College Football Experience - The Doug Williams Edition	X360	Sports	Jul 20, 2009
5 Spots Party	WII	Puzzle	Jul 20, 2009
G-Force	DS	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream	WII	Sports	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	PS3	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Rock Band Country Track Pack	X360	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
Rock Band Country Track Pack	PS3	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
Rock Band Country Track Pack	PS2	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	X360	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Rock Band Country Track Pack	WII	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	PS2	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Little King's Story	WII	Role-Playing	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	PC	Action	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	WII	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 1 & 2	X360	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Complete Experience	PS3	Puzzle	Jul 21, 2009
Farm Frenzy 3	PC	Strategy	Jul 21, 2009
G-Force	PSP	Action	Jul 21, 2009
Sudoku Ball Detective	PC	Puzzle	Jul 23, 2009
Shatter	PS3	Action	Jul 23, 2009
Strikers 1945 Plus Portable	PSP	Action	Jul 24, 2009
Strikers 1945 Plus Portable	PSP	Action	Jul 24, 2009

[From Gamespot]

New Releases: Week of 7/12

2009-07-12T10:58:00.000-04:00

Title	Platform	Genre	Release Date
Incoming!	WII	Driving	Jul 13, 2009
Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Mummy	WII	Adventure	Jul 13, 2009
Rambo: First Blood Part II	WII	Action	Jul 13, 2009
Bit Boy!!	WII	Action	Jul 13, 2009
Fritz Chess	DS	Puzzle	Jul 13, 2009
Pulseman	WII	Action	Jul 13, 2009
Brain Challenge (DSiWare)	DS	Puzzle	Jul 13, 2009
Ant Nation	WII	Action	Jul 13, 2009
Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Mummy	DS	Adventure	Jul 13, 2009
Darkfall Online	PC	Strategy	Jul 13, 2009
Officers	PC	Strategy	Jul 14, 2009
NCAA Football 10	PS3	Sports	Jul 14, 2009
NCAA Football 10	X360	Sports	Jul 14, 2009
Birthday Party Bash	WII	Puzzle	Jul 14, 2009
Nancy Drew: The Ransom of the Seven Ships	PC	Adventure	Jul 14, 2009
NCAA Football 10	PS2	Sports	Jul 14, 2009
NCAA Football 10	PSP	Sports	Jul 14, 2009
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition	X360	Adventure	Jul 15, 2009
Science Papa	WII	Puzzle	Jul 15, 2009
Nebulon	X360	Action	Jul 15, 2009
Pop Quiz	X360	Puzzle	Jul 15, 2009
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition	PC	Adventure	Jul 15, 2009
Chick Chick Chicky	X360	Action	Jul 15, 2009
Science Papa	DS	Puzzle	Jul 15, 2009
Madballs in Babo: Invasion	X360	Action	Jul 15, 2009
Tour de France 2009	X360	Driving	Jul 15, 2009
WarpForce	PC	Role-Playing	Jul 15, 2009
Power Pros Touch	IP	Sports	Jul 16, 2009
Namco Museum Essentials	PS3	Action	Jul 16, 2009
Unbound Saga	PSP	Action	Jul 16, 2009
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This?	PSP	Role-Playing	Jul 16, 2009
Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy	PC	Adventure	Jul 17, 2009

[From Gamespot]

New Releases: Week of 7/5

2009-07-05T10:53:00.003-04:00

Title	Platform	Genre	Release Date
Bust-A-Move Plus!	WII	Puzzle	Jul 6, 2009
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing	DS	Driving	Jul 6, 2009
Heracles Chariot Racing	WII	Driving	Jul 6, 2009
Art Style: BASE 10	DS	Puzzle	Jul 6, 2009
Bit.Trip Core	WII	Puzzle	Jul 6, 2009
California Games (C64 version)	WII	Sports	Jul 6, 2009
CID The Dummy	PSP	Action	Jul 7, 2009
BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle	X360	Action	Jul 7, 2009
CID The Dummy	PS2	Action	Jul 7, 2009
CID The Dummy	WII	Action	Jul 7, 2009
The Bigs 2	PS2	Sports	Jul 7, 2009
BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle	PC	Action	Jul 7, 2009
CID The Dummy	PC	Action	Jul 7, 2009
The Bigs 2	PS3	Sports	Jul 7, 2009
The Bigs 2	PSP	Sports	Jul 7, 2009
Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 1: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal	PC	Adventure	Jul 7, 2009
ARMA II	PC	Action	Jul 7, 2009
The Bigs 2	WII	Sports	Jul 7, 2009
The Bigs 2	X360	Sports	Jul 7, 2009
Memento Mori	PC	Adventure	Jul 7, 2009
Battlefield 1943	X360	Action	Jul 8, 2009
Buzz! Junior: RoboJam	PS3	Puzzle	Jul 9, 2009
Roid Riot	X360	Simulation	Jul 9, 2009
Gamerbots: Third-Robot Shooting	X360	Action	Jul 9, 2009
Eye-Ball	X360	Action	Jul 9, 2009
Artist Colony	PC	Adventure	Jul 9, 2009
Battlefield 1943	PS3	Action	Jul 9, 2009
Sprill & Ritchie: Adventures in Time	PC	Action	Jul 9, 2009
Trine	PS3	Action	Jul 9, 2009
Lotus - Stellar Conflict	X360	Action	Jul 10, 2009
The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime	PC	Adventure	Jul 10, 2009
Europa Universalis Rome Gold	PC	Puzzle	Jul 10, 2009
Trine	PC	Action	Jul 10, 2009
Button Memory	X360	Puzzle	Jul 11, 2009
Get the Ball	X360	Action	Jul 11, 2009

[From Gamespot]

Whatcha' Playin' ?

2009-07-03T19:34:00.005-04:00

With the Fourth of July weekend here, I have one simple question. Whatcha' playin' this holiday weekend?

Coming Along

2009-07-02T19:21:00.004-04:00

I'm sure you can see the changes in the site happening basically everyday. One of my goals in my "new direction" of the site was to put up reviews of games I've played. I'm happy to say that my first review should be up soon. Before the review, however, I would like to give a basic intro to the categories in the reviews and what they mean to me.

Presentation-The overall polish and feel of the game. The meshing together of all the elements you could say.
Graphics- The overall quality of the visuals in the game for the type of game it is attempting to be.
Gameplay- The overall experience of playing the game.
Controls-The feel of the games controls.
Sound- The quality of the sound.
Fun Factor- The overall fun the game is to play.
Price- The overall value of the game.
Replay Value- The amount of time that can be spent completing the game.
Multiplayer- The quality of the game with more than one player.
Conclusion- The Final score, thoughts, and overall impressions of the game.

As always feel free to leave your feedback (email, comments below, or in the skribit box) on what I should include on reviews.

New Releases: Week of 6/28

2009-06-29T19:39:00.005-04:00

Title	Platform	Genre	Release Date
Silver Star Reversi	WII	Puzzle	Jun 29, 2009
Sudoku Master	DS	Puzzle	Jun 29, 2009
Water Warfare	WII	Action	Jun 29, 2009
Princess and Knight	DS	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Giana Sisters DS	DS	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Duke Nukem Trilogy	DS	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Powerbike	DS	Driving	Jun 30, 2009
Smash Cars	PS3	Driving	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	DS	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Kodu	X360	Simulation	Jun 30, 2009
Treasure World	DS	Simulation	Jun 30, 2009
Roogoo: Twisted Towers	WII	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Trine	PC	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Metal Drift	PC	Driving	Jun 30, 2009
Duke Nukem Trilogy	PSP	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	MAC	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Gatheryn	PC	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
PAINalympics	PS3	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Williams Pinball Classics	PSP	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Moomin The Mysterious Howling	PC	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Wallace & Gromit Episode 3: Muzzled!	X360	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Marker Man Adventures	DS	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Still Life 2	MAC	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Squibs Arcade	WII	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Sudoku Student	DS	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Magnetis	WII	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
My Dress-Up	DS	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Martian Panic	WII	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Russell Grant's Astrology	DS	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	WII	Action	Jun 30, 2009
My Make-Up	DS	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Williams Pinball Classics	WII	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Texas Cheat 'Em	PC	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Animal Paradise Wild	DS	Simulation	Jun 30, 2009
The Three Musketeers: One for All!	WII	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Eschalon: Book II	PC	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	X360	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	PC	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Fallen Earth	PC	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	PS2	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	WII	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	PSP	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Space Exploration: Serpens Sector	PC	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Legio	PC	Strategy	Jun 30, 2009
Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace	DS	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood	PC	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood	X360	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood	PS3	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	PC	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Infernal: Hell's Vengeance	X360	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Trine	PS3	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Zombie Apocalypse	X360	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	PS3	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	PS3	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Pro Cycling Manager/Tour de France 2009	PC	Sports	Jun 30, 2009
Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming	DS	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	DS	Adventure	Jun 30, 2009
Zombie Apocalypse	PS3	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	PS2	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	X360	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Grand Theft Auto PC Trilogy	PC	Puzzle	Jun 30, 2009
Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament	PSP	Action	Jun 30, 2009
Trainz Simulator 2009: World Builder Edition	PC	Simulation	Jun 30, 2009
Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker	DS	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Hero	PC	Role-Playing	Jun 30, 2009
Worms 2: Armageddon	X360	Strategy	Jul 1, 2009
Delta Force Angel Falls	PC	Action	Jul 1, 2009
Marvel vs. Capcom 2	X360	Action	Jul 1, 2009
Deadly Rooms of Death: Suit Pursuit	PC	Puzzle	Jul 1, 2009
Battle Tanks	PS3	Action	Jul 1, 2009
The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match	X360	Action	Jul 1, 2009
Deadly Rooms of Death: Complex Complex	PC	Puzzle	Jul 1, 2009
Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Fire Dragon	PC	Adventure	Jul 1, 2009
Marvel vs. Capcom 2	PS3	Action	Jul 2, 2009
The Punisher: No Mercy	PS3	Action	Jul 2, 2009
King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 3	PS3	Action	Jul 3, 2009

[From Gamespot]

New Direction

2009-06-29T18:52:00.007-04:00

After being gone for a long time I have decided that I just can't keep up with what I was doing. It is just too much for one person to do alone. Therfore, a new direction must be taken. With this new direction will come less posts, but hopefully at a better quality. I have been brainstorming some ideas for this "new direction" and have come up with:

-Reviews of games I'm playing
-More original posts of my opinions
-Major news
-Metareviews of games from different sites
-Gaming deals
-New Releases
-Community (Posts for you, the readers)

What you're playing
What you're buying
What you're looking forward to
What you want to know (Finding info on subjects you want to know about)
Polls

I'm sure there are plenty more ideas out there and if you have any suggestions feel free to comment below.

Secret Code for XBLA Every Extend Extra Extreme

2008-01-26T23:02:00.000-05:00

This code for E4 will let you adjust the way your beat appears for your own tunes while playing the game. To get this new "fine tune" mode you must go to the start menu, use the left and right triggers to input "left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right" which will unlock the aforementioned Fine Adjustment menu. The tools were originally going to be included in the game but were abandoned when they were thought to be too complicated. But, the public asked and Q has amply provided.

FOX VS. Mass Effect VS. EA

2008-01-26T22:27:00.000-05:00

Wow, it has been an amazing week. Especially for the people at FOX and EA. It all started when FOX aired a clip about Mass Effect with people who never played the game criticizing the game for its "sexual content" claiming it's pornography and that it's ruining the lives of children even though the game is rated M for Mature 17 and older. Anyway here is the clip. Watch it. It is very interesting.

Following the brutal beating of Mass Effect on FOX, EA strikes back with this:

Your headline above the televised story read: "New videogame shows full digital nudity and sex." Fact: Mass Effect does not include explicit or frontal nudity. Love scenes in non-interactive sequences include side and profile shots - a vantage frequently used in many prime-time television shows. It's also worth noting that the game requires players to develop complex relationships before characters can become intimate and players can chose to avoid the love scenes altogether.
FNC voice-over reporter says: "You'll see full digital nudity and the ability for players to engage in graphic sex."
Fact: Sex scenes in Mass Effect are not graphic. These scenes are very similar to sex sequences frequently seen on network television in prime time.
FNC reporter says: "Critics say Mass Effect is being marketed to kids and teenagers."
Fact: That is flat out false. Mass Effect and all related marketing has been reviewed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and rated Mature - appropriate for players 17-years and older. ESRB routinely counsels retailers on requesting proof of age in selling M-rated titles and the system has been lauded by members of Congress and the Federal Trade Commission. In practical terms, the ratings work as well or better than those used for warning viewers about television content.

The resulting coverage was insulting to the men and women who spent years creating a game which is acclaimed by critics for its high creative standards. As video games continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. But this represents a new level of recklessness.
Do you watch the Fox Network? Do you watch Family Guy? Have you ever seen The OC? Do you think the sexual situations in Mass Effect are any more graphic than scenes routinely aired on those shows? Do you honestly believe that young people have more exposure to Mass Effect than to those prime time shows?

This isn't a legal threat; it's an appeal to your sense of fairness. We're asking FNC to correct the record on Mass Effect.

Sincerely,

Jeff Brown
Vice President of Communications
Electronic Arts, Inc.

After this the community is outraged. They all go over to Amazon, where the women who never played Mass Effect sells her books, and give her a 1 star rating leaving comments such as:

"I never read the book, don't know who she is, and don't really care what she's writing about"

"If she does have as much "research" as she does for her tv spots you can expect a book full of complete lies at best. Take everything she writes with a huge grain of salt or better yet save your money."

"Trying to encourage sexual acts in a book made available to young children is unacceptable."

Following the spamming of amazon reviews, Amazon pulls ALL reviews of the book. Soon after Ms. Lawrence gives an apology stating:

...Ms. Lawrence said that since the controversy over her remarks erupted she had watched someone play the game for about two and a half hours. "I recognize that I misspoke," she said. "I really regret saying that, and now that I've seen the game and seen the sex scenes it's kind of a joke.

"Before the show I had asked somebody about what they had heard, and they had said it's like pornography," she added. "But it's not like pornography. I've seen episodes of 'Lost' that are more sexually explicit."

As of now FOX has not issued any apologies for the slandering of Mass Effect, while EA continues its fight.

[From Kotaku]

GTA IV Delay PS3's Fault, New Date April 29th

2008-01-24T22:17:00.000-05:00

From GamePro:

"It's really no surprise to anybody that the PS3 was definitely a contributing factor to [the delay]," said Jeronimo Barrera, VP of product development for Rockstar, in an interview with MTV News.

He added, "That's not to say there's anything wrong with the PS3 version. It's awesome... Now, we're neck and neck" -- meaning that both versions are identical, something that presumably wasn't possible for the original fall 2007 release.

The PS3 has long been the elephant in the room with regards to multiplatform development. In August 2007, Sony confirmed to GamePro that the technical benefits of PS3 hardware often come at the cost of a steeper learning curve when coding games.

Grand Theft Auto IV, easily one of the most anticipated games of this generation, is scheduled for release on PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 29.

The "Truth" About 360 Failures

2008-01-20T20:40:00.000-05:00

I'm sure everyone has heard the horrible tale of the Red Rings of Death. You may have heard about it, you may know someone who it has happened to, or you could be the person who has experienced it firsthand. The website 8Bit Joystick claims to have a "confidential source" who worked with the Xbox team, and gives his take on the 360 RROD and it's failure rates. You can check out the full interview here.

New Releases: Week of 1/20

2008-01-20T20:36:00.000-05:00

Title	Platform	Genre	Release Date
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin	DS	Strategy	Jan 21, 2008
Burnout Paradise	PS3	Driving	Jan 22, 2008
Burnout Paradise	X360	Driving	Jan 22, 2008
Endless Ocean	WII	Adventure	Jan 21, 2008
Iridium Runners	PS2	Driving	Jan 22, 2008
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games	DS	Sports	Jan 22, 2008
No More Heroes	WII	Action	Jan 22, 2008
One Piece: Unlimited Adventure	WII	Action	Jan 22, 2008
Pacific Storm: Allies	PC	Strategy	Jan 21, 2008
Pirates of the Burning Sea	PC	Role-Playing	Jan 21, 2008
PixelJunk Monsters	PS3	Strategy	Jan 24, 2008
Rainbow Islands Evolution	PSP	Action	Jan 24, 2008

[From Gamespot]

Your FREE XBLA Game for LIVE Problems

2008-01-18T19:19:00.000-05:00

From Gamerscore Blog:

Recently, Xbox.com posted a letter from Marc Whitten, General Manager of Xbox LIVE, thanking subscribers for their patience with the service. We’ve implemented several improvements to the service, to help ensure ongoing reliability and performance. As the popularity of Xbox LIVE expands, we’ll continue to closely monitor the service and make adjustments. As always, if you are having any problems, please contact your local support (1-800-4-MYXBOX in North America) so that we can assist you.

Marc announced that all Xbox LIVE members (Gold and Silver) around the world would have access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game to download free of charge. We’re pleased to announce that beginning next Wednesday, 2:00 a.m. PST through Sunday, 11:59 p.m. PST, Xbox LIVE members worldwide can download the full version of the recent award-winning Xbox LIVE Arcade game, Undertow.

Developed by Chair Entertainment Group, Undertow is one of the highest-rated and best looking games available on Arcade. Undertow redefines aquatic based shooters through a mix of high-definition graphics, intuitive controls and multiple modes of game play action. The game features a full story driven-single player campaign, on and offline co-op, and multiplayer for 2-16 players over Xbox LIVE for Gold subscribers. Players battle for control of the oceans as one of three selectable races, each with four unique, upgradeable units. "Undertow" is available worldwide (normally 800 Microsoft Points) and is rated E10+.

Today's PSN Update

2008-01-18T19:10:00.000-05:00

Turok demo (free)

FIFA Street 3 demo (free)

Mesmerize: Trace PlayStation Eye "game" ($1.99)

Tori Emaki PlayStation Eye "game" ($1.99)

Blast Factor bundle ($12.99)

Motorstorm "Double Track" add-on pack ($2.99)

Rock Band downloadable content ($1.99 each)

Sweet's "Action" (cover)
The Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville" (cover)
Blink 182's "All the Small Things"

PixelJunk Monsters trailer (free)

Syphon Filter: Combat Ops trailer (free)

Lost Planet trailer (free)

Brother In Arms: Hell's Highway trailer (free)

Dynasty Warriors 6 trailer (free)

Borderlands trailer (free)

[From PS3 Fanboy]

Virtua Fighter 5 Patch Released

2008-01-16T18:43:00.000-05:00

I just got word from Sega that a title update is now available for VF5. The next time you play VF5 and you are signed into Xbox LIVE, you’ll be prompted to accept the free update. Direct from Sega, here is the what the update contains:

Some characters will now be able to equip select costume-specific pants in alternate costumes, for example equipping Costume A pants in Costume B.
Replays of online battles can now be saved
Rematches in Online VS. Player Matches now possible even when the players haven't added their opponent to their friend list
One additional item per character (appear as "Downloaded item" in Costume settings/Item edit dialog)
Gamer pictures will now be shown in online battles
After winning the World Tournament Final, it's now more likely that rivals you have not defeated will be playing in arcades
When someone joins an online match, you can now see their connection quality
Various fixes for minor bugs, including a texture bug
Easier sorting of rankings

[From Major Nelson]

Nintendo Releases Half of '08 Schedule

2008-01-16T18:40:00.000-05:00

The following is a partial list of Wii and Nintendo DS software for the first half of 2008. Note that details are subject to change.

Wii
Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean™ from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece™: Unlimited Adventure™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation™: Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30™ from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike™ from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes™ from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games
April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island™ from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball® 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life™: Outdoor Challenge™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo

Nintendo DS
Jan. 21: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin from Nintendo/Intelligent Systems
Jan. 21: Mazes of Fate DS from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
Jan. 22: Mega Brain Boost from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 24: Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 24: Fantasy Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 29: Pet Pals: Animal Doctor from Majesco Entertainment
January: N+ from Atari
January: Barnyard Blast from DSI Games
January: Command & Destroy from DSI Games
January: Miami Nights: Singles in the City™ from Ubisoft
January: Brain Challenge™ from Ubisoft
Feb. 4: Paws & Claws: Pet Resort from THQ
Feb. 5: Homie Rollerz from Destineer
Feb. 5: Nanostray 2 from Majesco Entertainment
Feb. 10 (street date): Professor Layton and the Curious Village™ from Nintendo/LEVEL-5
Feb. 12: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney from Capcom
Feb. 12: New Zealand Story Revolution from Ignition Entertainment
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 19: Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the RAF from Destineer
Feb. 19: Zoo Tycoon II from THQ
Feb. 25: Bratz: Super Babyz from THQ
Feb. 26: Bubble Bobble Double Shot from Ignition Entertainment
February: My Horse and Me from Atari
February: M&M'S® Kart Racing from DSI Games
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Insecticide from Gamecock Media Group
February: Anno™ 1701: Dawn of Discovery from Ubisoft
February: Assassin's Creed Altair's Chronicles™ from Ubisoft
February: Petz® Wild Animals: Tigerz from Ubisoft
February: Puppy Palace™ from Ubisoft
February: Real Soccer® 2008 from Ubisoft
March 1: Project Exile from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
March 3: Let's Ride: Friends Forever from THQ
March 4: Diary Girl from Konami
March 4: Go Pets from Konami
March 4: Disney Friends from Disney Interactive Studios
March 4: Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest from Majesco Entertainment
March 8: Plushees from Destineer
March 8: River King: Mystic Valley from Natsume Inc.
March 8: Harvest Moon DS Cute from Natsume Inc.
March 11: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix
March 11: Lost in Blue 3 from Konami
March 11: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
March 25: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo, Inc.
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Drone Tactics from Atlus USA
March: Double Sequence from DSI Games
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Myst from Empire Interactive
March: Naruto™: Ninja Destiny from Tomy Corporation
March: Petz® Bunnyz™ from Ubisoft
March: Imagine™ Figure Skater from Ubisoft
March: Commando from XS Games
April 15: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys from Ignition Entertainment
April: Super Dodgeball Brawlers from Aksys Games
April: Rondo of Swords from Atlus USA
April: Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft
May 5: Crosswords DS from Nintendo
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 8: Organize It from Summitsoft Corporation
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: Winx Club: Mission Enchantix from Konami
May: Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles from Aksys Games
May: Garfield® Fun Fest from DSI Games
May: 1 vs. 100 from DSI Games
June 8: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness from Natsume Inc.
June: Shining Stars® from DSI Games
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: PipeMania from Empire Interactive
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Sid Meier's Civilization® Revolution™ from 2K Games
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Spring: The World Ends with You from Square Enix
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Tamagotchi Connection®: Corner Shop® 3 from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America
Q2: PREY THE STARS from KOEI CORPORATION
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time from Nintendo
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness from Nintendo

[From Kotaku]

This Week's XBLA Release

2008-01-16T18:17:00.000-05:00

Content: Boogie Bunnies
Price: 800 Microsoft Points Availability: Not available in India, Japan or Korea (why?) Dash Text: [ESRB: E (EVERYONE)] Single Player, Xbox LIVE Multiplayer 1-2, Local Multiplayer 1-2, HD (High Definition). Help the Boogie Bunnies achieve their dream of super stardom as they try to win the ultimate dancing competition in this zany puzzle game. Match these colorful fur balls from three different sides – left, right and from the bottom. Unlock the full game now and hop into multiplayer mode with a friend! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/Live/accounts.

[From Major Nelson]

Ninja Gaiden 2 Needs Your Help With Achievements

2008-01-15T18:19:00.000-05:00

The guys over at the Gamerscore Blog have a post up asking for the community to help Team Ninja come up with some achievements that are worth getting. No more press start and get an achievement. These achievements must have meaning and inspiration. So head on over to the Gamerscore Blog and post what you think the achievements should be. You have until January 24th, so move it!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Officially Delayed

2008-01-15T18:14:00.000-05:00

How come every time Nintendo releases a new character for SSBB they also release a new release date? Oh well, at least we know it is going to be good. Hopefully. From Nintendo:

Due to delays in the completion of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, we've had to change the release date of the game to Sunday, March 9th.

I deeply apologize to the people who have looked forward to playing the game for so long and ask that you hold on just a little longer. Thank you for your patience.

COD 4: MW Coming to a Mac Near You

2008-01-15T18:10:00.000-05:00

Who says you can't game on a Mac? Here is the official press release:

Aspyr Media, Inc. announced today they will publish Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ for Mac, a gripping modern-day action-thriller that deploys players into heart-stopping battles across the world's most treacherous hotspots. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare delivers unprecedented high-definition graphics, piercing 5.1 surround sound and a dynamic community-oriented multiplayer experience. Developed by Infinity Ward and licensed by Activision, the game is expected to be available for Mac in May 2008.
Featuring a tense storyline, filled with plot twists, the title thrusts players into battle like never before. With amazing special effects, including rim-lighting, depth of field, texture streaming and character self-shadowing, players are enlisted into one of the most photo-realistic gaming experiences imaginable.

The community-oriented Call of Duty 4 multiplayer gameplay features a robust leveling system, variety of unlockable perks, hot-join and matchmaking, as well as create a class and party capabilities to ensure that players of all skill levels can join in the fun. Additionally over 100 challenges and a host of new game environments and modes deliver unlimited possibilities. Infinity Ward has also included Kill-Cam, a fan favorite feature that they created in Call of Duty 2 which allows for spectator instant replays.

Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ will soon be available for preorder through Aspyr's website for only $49.99. For more information, fans can also visit the official Website, http://www.callofduty.com/.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is rated "M" (Mature) by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Strong Language and Blood and Gore.

2K9 College Hoops CANCELED

2008-01-14T19:38:00.000-05:00

Take-Two has announced today that College Hoops 2K9 has been canceled. Here is their official statement:

2K Sports has decided not to continue negotiations with the CLC for the license for its top-rated College Hoops franchise, which would have been released next in November 2008. We are committed to providing fans with high-quality, critically-acclaimed sports games, but given our disciplined approach to the business, we do not believe the current discussions would result in an acceptable outcome.

There are many rumors floating around that EA is trying to buy yet another license. Making them yet again the ONLY publisher allowed to publish another sports franchise. I don't know about you, but this has got to be a monopoly. If this is true, which it probably is, EA wins again. As they continue to churn out the same game every year with no competitors. They have already done it with football, and you can probably expect it with basketball.

P.S.- Yes, that's the Monopoly guy.

[From Kotaku]

No More LIVE Updates

2008-01-14T19:26:00.000-05:00

Major Nelson announced today that he is no longer able to update the Xbox community on the status of Xbox LIVE due to a class-action lawsuit brought up against Microsoft for $5 Million. The plaintiffs in the suit claim Microsoft has breeched its contract and should have "provided adequate access and service to Xbox Live and its subscribers." Here is the official words from major himself:

"Unfortunately... a lawyer has decided to sue us, once that happens I can no longer make a comment [regarding the status of Xbox Live]. I apologize, but go talk to the lawyer."

I mean who are these people suing Microsoft? Are they stupid or something? I'm pretty sure that Microsoft has some kind of clause in that contract that claims they can't guarantee access 100% of the time. It's not like they intended for the outage, they have already apologized and they are giving a free arcade game to everyone. I mean what else can they do?

[From GamePro]

This Week's VC Update

2008-01-14T19:24:00.000-05:00

Pac-Attack (Super NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Pac-Man makes a rare appearance outside of a maze environment in Pac-Attack, a fun and quirky puzzle game. This unique entry in the genre puts its own twist on established conventions and adds one of gaming's most iconic characters to the mix. The goal is simple: Keep your screen clear of falling blocks and ghosts by lining up blocks horizontally, causing them to disappear. Clearing the ghosts, though, requires the help of a hungry Pac-Man (who just happens to swing by every so often for a snack). It's up to you to get all of the ghosts lined up for him, because Pac-Man will keep eating them until he is stopped by a block or he runs out of ghosts. In addition, his range of movement on the playing field is limited to horizontal or downward--thus adding further strategy. There are three game modes to choose from: 1 Player Normal, 2 Player VS., and the challenging 1 Player Puzzle. Feel like gobbling up some ghosts?

Riot Zone (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Tobacco Reference, Violence, 800 Wii Points): Riot Zone is a side-scrolling fighting game that follows two heroes as they fight to take down an evil organization. The crime syndicate Dragon Zone has kidnapped Hawk's girlfriend and it's up to him and his partner detective, Tony, to get her back. Join them as they jump "fists first" into the grim Kowloon district. Play as Hawk or Tony and fight through all five stages in the deadly Kowloon district. Smash down the Dragon Zone goons in areas like the Harbor, Abandoned Warehouse and the Ghetto. Both characters have unique skills and attacks. Hawk is a master of karate, while Tony is a hard-hitter. That being said, both guys are massive and possess killer techniques. The hard-boiled action is enhanced by the game's realistic sound effects.