NextGen Player - Canada's Premier Entertainment Blog

Review: Zone of the Enders HD Collection

2013-03-09T16:33:00.000-05:00

By Paul Hunter

Kojima Productions, the acclaimed studio behind the Metal Gear Solid franchise, has opened their vault for the re-release of two classic PlayStation 2 titles in their Zone of the Enders HD Collection. The compilation pack features completely remastered versions of the original Zone of the Enders (2001), plus the far superior Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (2003), and even throws in a demo of the upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for good measure.

With over ten years since we first stepped into the cockpit of Jehuty, do the original games combined with a shiny coat of HD warrant a second interplanetary trip through these mecha adventures?

Back in the early years of the PlayStation 2 era, famed producer Hideo Kojima wanted to venture outside the realm of Metal Gear Solid and helm a new franchise; the result was Zone of the Enders. Set more than a 100 years in the future, the games take place on distant colonies on Jupiter and Mars at a time when humans have recently discovered Metatron, a high-energy ore that warring factions are seeking to control. BAHRAM, a particularly ruthless military organization led by Col. Ridley (Nohman) Hardiman, are the most aggressive coveters of Metatron resources and stop at nothing -- including civilian casualties -- to further their own corrupt agenda.

In the original Zone of the Enders game, players assume the role of 13-year-old Leo Stenbuck as the forces of BAHRAM invade his space colony Antilia, which orbits one of Jupiter's moons. By happenstance, Leo stumbles upon a powerful "Orbital Frame" mecha named Jehuty which he uses to ward off his attackers. With the help of Jehuty's A.I. named ADA, the young boy sets out to rescue civilians from his colony, and defeat the BAHRAM forces that are threatening his people.

If you're familiar with Kojima's work on the Metal Gear Solid series, then it won't come as a surprise to hear that Zone of the Enders story sequences are more often than not, loquacious, convoluted and stuffed with unnecessary exposition. For a high-action, aerial combat mech game, these long-winded dialogues interrupt the action much longer than they should, and the stiff voice-acting and grainy animations certainly show their age.

Where Zone of the Enders shines is in its blisteringly intense, aerial combat gameplay. Jehuty has a range of offensive abilities including using long-range laser blasters, destructive energy bursts requiring a momentary charge, and a short-range energy sword for melee-style battles. Attacks can also be combined with a dash move, giving combat a constant high-speed feel. On the defense, Jehuty can latch on to enemies at close range and give them a nice toss, resulting in damage if aimed toward a hard surface, and can also project an energy shield capable of nullifying everything short of an enemy burst attack. The abilities of Jehuty are fast, varied and surprisingly deep, but unfortunately a great deal of this richness is lost in the simplicity of combat. Enemies, including most bosses, have paper thin attack patterns and combat rarely needs to surpass a "button mashing" strategy to succeed.

Objectives in Zone of the Enders are repetitive and monotonous, basically boiling down to traveling from location-to-location on the world map and either destroying all enemies in a particular zone, or obtaining an item to progress. There's a lot of back-and-forth as you are forced to visit areas over again and combined with the clear lack of development of your mech, the action feels like a repetitive slog.

Zone of the Enders is so thin, clocking in a mere four hours to completion, that it's better thought of as a proof-of-concept versus a full-fledged mech game. It gets you familiar with the core mechanics of Jehuty through VR training and live combat, introduces you to the essential characters and plotlines, and that's about it.

The real meat of this package comes in the fully-realized sequel, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. In short, it's fantastic.

In every conceivable way, The 2nd Runner is better than its predecessor. The graphics and animations are much improved, enemies are more varied and have better attack patterns, Jehuty moves with more fluidity and has a wider range of attack maneuvers, the locations are more varied, brighter and feature more detail, and the story, while still a bit contrived, is at least more coherent and even fills in some of the gaps from the first outing.

Taking place two years after the events of the original game, an ice miner named Dingo Egret inadvertently stumbles upon Jehuty just as the BAHRAM forces are attempting to retrieve the concealed mech (sound familiar?). Dingo boards the massive Orbital Frame, but is knocked unconscious by Anubis, a counterpart Orbital Frame controlled by Col. Nohman. Dingo soon wakes up to find himself inside Jehuty, which has been hooked into his body as a life-support, rendering him unable to exit the mech. Understandably frustrated, Dingo sets out to confront Col. Nohman and make him pay.

The sheer amount of improvements in The 2nd Runner are impressive, and where the real value of the HD Collection is derived. Enemy battles require much more strategy this time around, and boss battles are more varied and a great deal more challenging. Your Jehuty mech has improved abilities as well, such as new grappling mechanics that allow you to use enemies as melee weapons or protective shields, and you can also pick-up objects in the battlefield and perform a powerful swing attack with them, or hurl them at your opponents.

While The 2nd Runner is a completely linear affair, eschewing the world-map model found in Zone of the Enders, the lack of exploration in no way takes away from the enjoyment, and if anything, this series is better suited to straight level progression. The 2nd Runner constantly feels like it's being driven forward, with more satisfying narrative and a real sense that your mech is getting more powerful along the way.

Unfortunately, the frame rate of this HD remake suffers noticeably, so whereas the PlayStation 2 version held stable at 60 frames-per-second, the remastered edition feels considerably slower. Even with a reduced frame rate, the action is still faster than most action games out there, so likely only purists will care.

It's worth noting that the version of The 2nd Runner included is the PAL special edition, which has never been released before in North America and includes extra missions, more VR training, extra difficulty settings and graphical improvements such as better anti-aliasing. There's also an all-new 7-minute opening cinematic created by the acclaimed Sunrise animation house, which ties together the story between the two Zone of the Enders games, as well as higher resolution versions of the original opening animations for both games. Both games also include full PlayStation Trophy and Xbox Achievements support, a nice added touch.

To sweeten the pot, the HD Collection includes a demo of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the upcoming spin-off title starring Raiden and set for release on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on February 19, 2013. With the original Zone of the Enders game featuring a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2, the subtle, pleasant feeling of déjà vu is a nice addition.

It's no surprise that Konami showed off the remastered HD version of The 2nd Runner during the majority of their presentations leading up to the launch of the HD Collection -- it's by far the better game of the two included. It's best to view this compilation as an HD version of The 2nd Runner with the original Zone of the Enders and a Metal Gear demo thrown in for good measure. The 2nd Runner, as a stand-alone remastered title, is worth the cost of admission for this value-priced collection, so as a whole it's easy to recommend. It may be nearly ten years since we've last entered Jehuty, but like the return an old friend, it's great to finally be reacquainted.

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is out now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation. The game was developed by Kojima Production and published by Konami.

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: Wii U

2013-03-09T16:23:00.002-05:00

By Paul Hunter

Nintendo has come first out of the gate with a brand new console -- the Wii U -- officially kickstarting the next generation of home gaming. The Wii U brings with it a new online experience, finally bumps the graphics up to full HD, and delivers a superb new Mario game; yet, it's the Wii U GamePad, with its range of innovative features, which really steals the show.

After putting the Wii U console through its paces over the last few days I was amazed at how multifaceted the Wii U GamePad is, and the degree to which the second screen adds to the overall gaming experience. There were a few hiccups with my overall experience with the Wii U, which I'll explain below, but they didn't detract too much from the numerous hours of enjoyment I had.

Wii U System

In terms of pure looks, the Wii U is the plainest Nintendo console yet. It has a smooth body with rounded corners, and is larger and bulkier than the Wii: 10.6” deep, 6.75” long, and 3.5lbs, vs. Wii’s 8.48” deep, 6.18” long, and 2.65lbs. Out-the-box the Wii U can only be placed horizontally, but can have a vertical orientation with the optional Console Stand (included in the Deluxe Console package, or sold separately). The face of the console has a disc drive capable of playing Wii U or Wii game discs, eject and power buttons, and a front hatch that reveals two USB 2.0 ports and an SD memory card slot. In a nice touch, the hatch slides into the console when you open it, instead of jutting out like it does on the Wii. Above the power button is a tiny LED that shines blue when the console is powered on and red when powered off. Above the disc eject button is a second light that emits a bright white light when a disc is inserted into your Wii U.

As previously mentioned, the Wii U is capable is displaying full HD graphics -- the first for a Nintendo console. The supported video modes for Wii U include 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. The back of the Wii U console contains slots for the AC adapter, sensor bar, AV connector, HDMI out, and two additional USB 2.0 ports. Inside the box comes an HDMI cable, which makes Wii U the first console to ever include one (Wii included a standard A/V cable). There's no AV cable included, so if you have an older model TV you'll have to either buy Nintendo's AV cord accessory, or if you have a Wii, you can use the same AV cable with your Wii U (very convenient). Finally, Wii U contains a built-in wireless adapter, allowing you to connect the console to the internet through your home network.

Wii U Sets Available

There are two Wii U console packages available now. They are: (1) the Basic Set, and (2) the Deluxe Set. For a comprehensive review of each of these sets, have a look at Erika's comparison article. There's a $50 price difference between the two packages, and if you look at the contents of each package you'll notice the more expensive Deluxe Set is a better value by a longshot. Not only does it come with Nintendo Land (a fantastic launch game -- see Raj's review here), it also has four times the hard drive storage space, and a slew of peripherals including a Wii U GamePad charging cradle and Wii U console stands -- items you will most certainly want to own. As a further incentive to pick-up the Deluxe Set, Nintendo will be rolling out the "Deluxe Digital Promotion" (coming Dec. 2012) which will give you a 10% credit for each purchase made through the Nintendo eShop. So for example, if you purchase a $60 game through the Nintendo eShop, you will receive credits equal to $6 towards your next Nintendo eShop purchase.

So you can visually compare the two sets, here's a full list of the contents:

Wii U 8GB Basic Set

White Wii U console with 8GB of internal storage
One white Gamepad controller
AC Adapters for both the console and controller
Sensor bar
HDMI cable

Wii U 32GB Deluxe Set

Black Wii U console with 32GB of internal storage
One black Gamepad controller
Nintendo Land video game
Console stand
Gamepad charging cradle
Gamepad stand that allows it to sit vertically on a table
AC Adapters for both the console and controller
Sensor bar
HDMI cable

Setting-up the Wii U

Nintendo hit a small bump in the road this past weekend when they rolled out a system update on launch day that every Wii U owner had to install if they want to connect their consoles online. The massive update takes about an hour to download and install using a broadband internet connection, and Nintendo cautioned owners to let the process run uninterupted or risk damaging your Wii U system. That, combined with the physical set-up of the Wii U console and the 2.5 hours to charge the Wii U GamePad meant that there wasn't a lot of gaming during my first night with the Wii U. [pro-tip: start charging your Wii U GamePad immediately after opening the box to minimize overall set-up time]

Wii U GamePad

The Wii U GamePad is by far the most interesting aspect of the package. The natural focal point of the Wii U GamePad is the 6.2", 16:9 aspect ratio LCD touch screen (single-touch). The screen itself looks beautiful, but it's not HD, with a resolution of 854 x 480 (the same as Wii's video output). You can, as a main feature of most Wii U games, play the games directly on the Wii U GamePad instead of on your TV. Even with a lower resolution on the LCD touch screen, the games I played (New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge) looked fantastic and I barely noticed the drop in resolution. The truly impressive technical achievement of the Wii U is how smooth the games play on the Wii U GamePad, with no latency or graphical ghosting or clipping, despite being steamed to the controller from the console unit. It's impressive to see Wii U games running on your Wii U GamePad at the same speed as the image on your TV, so much so that I'd put it on par with the feeling of "awe" I got when I first tried the Wii Sports motion controls on the original Wii.

The Wii GamePad is much more than just the LCD touch screen, in fact, it's the most feature-rich main console controller that's ever been designed. The controller is bulky: measuring 5.3" high x 10.2" wide, it's almost as big as the Wii U console itself. Surprisingly though, it feels extremely light at 1.1lbs and the left and right grips are ultra-comfortable even during long game sessions. There are two analog sticks, at the top corners of the controller, and they are clickable for extra button inputs. Below the stick on the left is a D-pad slightly larger than what's found on the Wii Remote, and below the right stick are A/B/X/Y face buttons in the same triangle formation as the Super Nintendo controller. At the top there are left and right shoulder buttons, and below them on the back are ZL/ZR trigger buttons which have a short push distance, so there's no analog range.

The main navigation controls include +/- buttons, which act as Start and Select, and below the touch screen on the right is a Power button that turns the Wii U console on or off. In the centre below the touch screen is the Home button which serves a similar function as on the Wii, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 controllers.

Since you can navigate menus using the touch screen on the Wii U GamePad, the controller also includes a GamePad Stylus slotted in the back-right, which has a noticeable "click" that locks it into place when inserting it back in. Using the GamePad Stylus to launch apps such as the Nintendo eShop is a snap, and it helps to search through content quickly and easily. You can also use the stylus for typing messages to your friends using the on-screen keyboard, and you can draw pictures.

For audio, the Wii U GamePad includes stereo speakers adjacent to the touch screen, which sound better than the speaker found on the original Wii controllers, though there is still a noticeable tinny quality to them. Since I found myself playing games more on the Wii U GamePad itself than the TV, the included headphone jack came in handy for times when other people were in the living room. There's also a volume control on the top-right of the Wii U GamePad that adjusts the volume for your earphones or the built-in speakers. Furthermore, there's a microphone beside the Home button, though the only time I was able to test it out was in the "Donkey Kong's Crash Course" carting mini-game found in Nintendo Land (and it worked just fine).

Similar to the Nintendo 3DS, there is a front-facing camera that can snap photos or insert your face into a Wii U game, and the quality of camera is improved over the 3DS, though don't expect hi-res images. I tested out the camera in the Mii Maker application, which lets the camera take your picture and then convert the image into a Mii character. It worked "ok", and included my basic features (recognized I was a guy with glasses), but really, how accurate do you really want a Mii character to look?

There's yet more input mechanisms as the Wii U GamePad incorporates motion control with a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope. It felt on par with the Wii Motion Plus technology that Nintendo introduced in their last console, and when I tested out the motion controls with ZombiU it felt 1:1 with my movements. The Wii U GamePad also has built-in rumble somewhere in between the quality of the original Wii and an Xbox 360 controller (so it's serviceable).

As for the battery life of the Wii U GamePad, I got about 3 hours in before the battery indicator started flashing, indicating low power, and about 3.5 hours use in total before it totally conked out. My average charge time for the rechargeable lithium-ion battery, using the Charging Cradle, was just over 2 hours. So, expect to be charging your Wii U GamePad quite frequently if you're a heavy user (or keep it plugged in while playing using the included Wii U GamePad AC adapter).

A feature that most users will quickly learn to enjoy is the TV Control button that, once pressed, calls open a menu which allows you to use the Wii U GamePad as a universal TV remote control. Upon set-up of your Wii U console you have the option to search for your TV's frequency (you search by manufacturer), and after finding the right frequency you have the ability to control various functions of your TV such as the channel, volume, and power on/off. So, this means that not only can you turn on your Wii U console with the Wii U GamePad, you can also turn on your TV using this one-stop-shop controller. Pretty nifty.

One feature I was not able to test out is the Wii U GamePad's Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, which has yet to be incorporated into a Wii U game.

The Wii U console is able to support up to two Wii U GamePads (second controller sold separately), and up to four original Wii controllers. You can also use all your Wii accessories, including the Balance Board and Nunchuk. There are numerous different ways you can play games on the Wii U, including using just the Wii U GamePad, using the Wii U GamePad plus your TV screen, using the stylus, using the Wii Remote (plus Nunchuk), and you can even use the Wii U GamePad and Wii Remotes together for up to 5 players. The amount of play options are simply staggering, and the possibilities are practically endless for game developers -- meaning we should expect to see some very interesting combinations in future game titles.

Conclusion

With the Wii U, Nintendo has once again delivered an innovative piece of technology that has the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry much like they did back in 2006 with the Wii. Graphically, it doesn't have that "next-gen" feel you'd expect, simply because the Wii U brings the console up to the same standards we've expected for years with the Xbox 360 and PS3. With that said, the Wii U GamePad is really the main draw here, and with its numerous features and functions, there are a staggering number of gameplay possibilities. The software line-up for Wii U, which includes New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, Assassin's Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and more, is the strongest launch line-up we've seen to date for any console. My absolute favourite feature of the Wii U is the ability to control games using the Wii U GamePad, and I spent more of my time gaming on the controller than on my home TV. Nintendo has certainly ignited this new console generation in a big way, and given their history of innovation, I am already looking forward to what's potentially next for mega franchises such as Zelda, Kirby, Kid Icarus, Donkey Kong, and Metroid, on the Wii U.

Stay tuned in the coming week for a follow-up article on the Wii U's operating system interface and online features (of which there are many!)

Wii U is available now.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: Resident Evil 6

2013-03-09T16:18:00.001-05:00

By Paul Hunter

Playing through Resident Evil 6 was one of the most enigmatic experiences I’ve ever encountered in a video game. The franchise, which was once known for its survival-horror roots, has all but abandoned its petrifying, spine-chilling moments in favour a mishmash of genres ranging from stealth, to puzzle, to all-out third-person action. The problem isn’t that Resident Evil is attempting to evolve; it's that the franchise is trying so hard to morph into a jack-of-all-trades that it ends up being a master of none.

That’s not to say Resident Evil 6 is a terrible game – because it certainly has its moments – it’s just that with such an enormous development budget and the largest production team ever for a Resident Evil title, there are way too many moments that left me wondering “what in the world was Capcom thinking?”

The opening 10-minute prologue of Resident Evil 6 is reflective of what the majority of playing Resident Evil 6 is like. In this tutorial of sorts, you assume the role of familiar series mainstay Leon S. Kennedy, who along with his new partner, Helena, are both attempting to escape from a zombie-infested city that's quickly burning into ashes. During this introduction, you'll learn the basic movements such as the new dodge mechanic and cover system, how to flip through the now real-time inventory menu, and get a grip on your new ability to run and gun. However, punctuated throughout this entire tutorial are an endless number of quick-time events (QTEs), from opening a door to wrestling off a zombie, that have you wiggling and waggling your controller around like you were playing Super Street Fighter Turbo on maximum turbo. Even more baffling are the over-the-top setpieces, such as the obnoxious helicopter chase sequence, that somehow manage to make Resident Evil look more like Call of Duty zombie mode. What's worse, these setpieces invariably contain numerous QTEs, so while you want to relax and enjoy a nice cutscene, you end up having to sit at the edge of your seat anticipating the next waggle. Dodge, QTE, shoot shoot, QTE, reload, QTE QTE, massive explosion, repeat -- this is the Resident Evil 6 experience.

To Resident Evil 6's credit, the game does pack-in a lot of content. There are three main campaigns, each of them playable co-operatively via local split-screen or online through Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. The campaigns each contain five chapters lasting about an hour each, for a total for fifteen hours. What's interesting is how each campaign differs from the rest, and how they draw influence from past Resident Evil games. Leon's campaign, which is reminiscent of Resident Evil 4 with its dark atmosphere and the eerie locations such as the cemetery and its central cathedral, is as close to survival horror as Resident Evil 6 gets. Chris Redfield's campaign is action-oriented a la Resident Evil 5, and many scenes include squad-based assaults featuring tanks, heavy machinery and towering bio organic weapons (BOWs). Newcomer Jake Muller, who happens to be the son of the now-deceased Albert Wesker, spends the majority of his campaign running from an unstoppable BOW called the Ustanak, giving a clear Resident Evil 3: Nemesis vibe. Each main character is paired with a partner for the duration of their campaign, and both of the characters are playable.

What's more, the three campaigns follow distinct timelines, yet occasionally have crossover moments where, for example, Jake and his partner Sherry Birkin (all grown up from Resident Evil 2) bump into Chris and his sniper support Piers, and the four of them team up to take out a particularly menacing BOW. These are moments where Resident Evil 6 shines, particularly when you factor in that during these crossover moments four players online can all participate simultaneously.

Playing Resident Evil 6 is another story altogether. While in many respects the series has evolved, such as finally allowing running and gunning, the series controls are increasingly feeling archaic. As an example, the "new" cover system (wait, didn't Resident Evil 5 have a cover system?) Capcom introduced is so finicky, it's practically useless. Unlike games like Gears of War, which features a seamless wall sticking cover system that allows easy targeting over obstacles, in Resident Evil 6 it's not always clear which areas will provide cover, and when in cover, the camera never seems to position itself right for the clean shot. Fortunately, you can progress through all three main campaigns without using cover, as it's more of an option than a necessity.

Rounding out the story mode is an entirely new single-player campaign starring Ada Wong that unlocks after beating the three aforementioned campaigns. Her campaign is the most interesting of them all, featuring a hefty dose of stealth and puzzles, and provides new twists on the other three campaigns. All together, there is over 20 hours of campaign content here -- the most ever for Resident Evil game and about twice as long as the standard action game.

The best new addition in Resident Evil 6 has got to be Agent Hunt mode, which unlocks after the individual campaigns are completed. In this mode, you can jump into another player's online game as a zombie, or other grotesque BOWs, as you attempt to take them out. It's fun, fresh and it's the mode I keep on coming back to play more of. The popular Mercenaries mode returns as well, rounding out the online features.

After putting in thirty-something hours into Resident Evil 6, I'm just as boggled as I was during the first ten minutes into the game. Why Capcom decided to stretch Resident Evil 6 into a game that caters to so many tastes is baffling when you consider that the core mechanics are just simply flawed in some respects. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to enjoy in Resident Evil 6, such as the twenty hour campaign and solid Agent Hunt mode, it's just that given the pedigree of the development team this game should have been much better. Resident Evil 4 was, and still is, the best entry in this series, and sadly, the only real horrifying aspect of Resident Evil these days is watching this once-great franchise steadily decline with each new iteration.

Resident Evil 6 is out now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation. The game was developed and published by Capcom.

Resident Evil 6 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Wii U Launch Photos (Toronto)

2013-03-09T16:04:00.003-05:00

By Paul Hunter

The launch of the Wii U was a big day for Nintendo fans across the country. The new Nintendo gaming console promises to usher in a new era of gaming with its innovative Wii U GamePad.

Since the big Wii U reveal announcement at last year's E3, the industry has been buzzing about the revolutionary Wii U GamePad which features a 6.2" LCD touch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and is intended to supplement the gameplay on your main display. The touch screen can be used in a variety of innovative ways, such as scanning objects, accessing your inventory, solving puzzles or selecting sports plays. Furthermore, with some Wii U games it's possible to play them right on the Wii U GamePad, freeing up your television during times when other family members want use it.

To give Nintendo fans in Toronto a chance to test out the new Wii U GamePad first-hand, Nintendo took to the streets with a huge gaming truck and a tent filled with launch title games such as New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, Just Dance 4 and FIFA 13. Hundreds of gamers came out to sample the new Wii U console, get their photos taken with giant Mii mascots walking about, and to relax with a cup a hot chocolate provided by Nintendo.

It was a lot of fun to check out the event, and without a doubt the enthusiasm from the crowd for Wii U was high. The diverse line-up of games, which catered to hardcore gamers and casual gamers alike, seemed to have something for everyone.

And of course, see below for photos (with descriptions) of the Nintendo Wii U launch event in Toronto!

The Wii U game truck

Miis jumping for joy because Wii U is finally available!

At the Nintendo Land select screen

Dancers playing Just Dance 4

A gamer player New Super Mario Bros. U

Another gamer checks out New Super Mario Bros. U

A gamer plays FIFA 13

The Wii U GamePad

The Wii U console and GamePad

They even have Wii U cups!

Wii U is available now.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Far Cry 3 Launch Event Photos

2013-03-09T15:57:00.004-05:00

By Paul Hunter

Ubisoft kicked-off their Far Cry 3 launch event at the Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto in a big, big way. And no I don't mean the 6-foot-something Dan Hay, producer of Far Cry 3, who came up on stage to introduce the game, I'm referring to the opening 10-minutes of the game those in attendance were given the opportunity to watch. In short, it was easily among the most breathtaking, fluid, and suspenseful introductions I've ever seen in a video game. I must have looked pretty silly with my jaw dropped the whole way through.

Dan had an interesting way of presenting Far Cry 3, instead of a verbal run-through of the story and main features, which typically happens at media events, he simply walked up on stage and asked us if we wanted to see the game, and then said the game would do the talking for him. The demonstration walked us through the first ten minutes of Far Cry 3, [spoiler alert] which shows how lead protagonist Jason Brody found his way to the island in which the game takes place, and the circumstances surrounding his abduction by Vaas, the merciless pirate who controls the island.

The opening sequence is visually stunning and incredibly intense, setting a new bar for realism and storytelling in video games. It's one of the few video games demonstration I've seen where you actually felt "there", feeling the same raw emotions of confusion, fear and apprehension that you know Jason is experiencing. What's also superb is how the development team at Ubisoft Montréal managed to integrate the gameplay tutorial directly into the opening sequence seamlessly, without distracting or taking away from the flow of action. In fact, the on-screen instructions added to the overall vibe, creating more tension as you quickly learned how evade, distract or engage enemies.

We've heard before that Ubisoft was aiming to make Far Cry 3 a visceral experience that would invoke a constant state of fear within the player, and to that degree what I saw certainly lived up to the hype. In past interviews, Dan has been quoted as saying that each of the insane cast of characters you meet in Far Cry 3 is "like a rabbit hole" that has somehow been affected by the island. If the quality of the performance capture and voice acting throughout the game is a good as the opening sequence, then it looks to be one heck of a ride.

Also shown at the launch event was Far Cry 3's competitive multiplayer, and media were invited to participate in a multi-round, competitive tournament. The game type selected was called Domination, and the objective was to capture three specific strongholds on the battlefield, and keep them protected while under enemy fire. The influence of the Call of Duty series was obvious, with the custom loadouts, XP system, kill cam, and tried-and-true game types; however, the island setting made it visually distinct. It seems like all the checkboxes were made, and while it was felt like a competent competitive shooter, I left the event feeling the real bread and butter lies in the single-player campaign.

To catch a glimpse of Toronto launch event for Far Cry 3, here's a run-down of the best photos I captured during the night (with accompanying descriptions):

The Tattoo Rock Parlour entrance was lined with screens displaying Far Cry 3

Jeyson Acevedo, Ubisoft's PR Manager, kicks off the event

Far Cry 3 producer Dan Hay introducing the game

Far Cry 3 in action

Future Shop's Carl-Edwin Michel plays Far Cry 3 co-op campaign

The new antagonist for Far Cry 3, Vaas

Steve Tilley (Sun Media) & Kirby Yablonski (Canadian Online Gamers) pose with their team

Canadian journalists getting some Far Cry 3 practice time in before the tournament

The Far Cry 3 competitive multiplayer tournament in action

A winner of Far Cry 3 tournament poses with Michael Mando (actor for Vaas)

After the tournament, journalists could get their photo taken with Michael Mando

Far Cry 3 is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montréal and published by Ubisoft.

The game is rated M for Mature (17+) by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Launch Photos

2013-03-09T15:48:00.001-05:00

By Paul Hunter

Call of Duty: Black Ops II made its historic launch last year, an event that publisher Activision expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all-time. With pre-orders exceeding that of last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the franchise is poised to be the top-seller across the entire industry for its fourth consecutive year.

Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision, called the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops "another legitimate, pop cultural phenomenon", with massive launch events around the world. In Canada, all Future Shop locations opened their doors early, with 120 stores hosting midnight openings on Monday, November 12. There were plenty of prizes and giveaways including t-shirts, dogtags, patches, posters, energy drinks, and exclusive Future Shop Steelbooks. The Future Shop downtown Toronto, Vancouver and South Edmonton Common locations also gave away a huge prize pack consisting of a 47” Smart Cinema 3D LED TV with dual play feature, and a 5.1 Channel Blu-ray Home Theatre system (a $1,600 retail value).

Black Ops II is bringing plenty of innovation into the franchise with futuristic weaponry and branching stories driven by player actions. Activision tapped the likes of Trent Reznor (theme), Jack Wall (score), and tracks from acclaimed music acts Avenged Sevenfold, Skrillex and Alvin Risk. The story was written by David S. Goyer, the screenwriter for The Dark Knight and the upcoming Man of Steel, and takes places immediately following the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops.

"From day one, we've pushed ourselves to make the best gaming experience of our lives and I am so incredibly proud with what this team has created with Call of Duty: Black Ops II," said Treyarch Studio Head, Mark Lamia.

"Our vision has been to deliver the complete package — something for every type of player. Beginning with the single player campaign, Treyarch introduces things that you've never seen in the Call of Duty franchise before, like branching storylines, non-linear missions and customizing player load outs; or multiplayer, where we've re-written the rules with an all-new 'Pick 10' Create-A-Class, Score Streaks, and entire suite of eSports competitive features like CODcasting, Live Streaming and League Play that further makes Call of Duty a spectator sport; all the way to our biggest Zombies experience yet, which has three modes of play by itself."

The Toronto launch event had plenty of thrills as droves of fans waited until midnight to get their hands on Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

Below are some photos that I took during the night -- have a look at some of the fun that went down!

The first buyer at Future Shop's flagship Yonge-Dundas location

Fans line-up down the street for Black Ops II

First fans coming up the elevator to buy Black Ops II

Midnight shoppers buying Black Ops II

Cosplayers dress up for the launch event

Call of Duty zombies

Black Ops II logo spraypainted outside the game stations

Black Ops II helicopter

Black Ops II game stations

Huge digital advertisements at Yonge-Dundas Square

The Black Ops II Hardened Edition

The Black Ops II Official Strategy Guide

Black Ops II unboxing

The Black Ops II Regular Edition

The Black Ops II Steel Book

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is out now and available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, with the Wii U version releasing on November 18, 2012. The game is developed by Treyarch and published by Activision.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: DOOM 3: BFG Edition

2013-03-09T15:20:00.002-05:00

By Paul Hunter

DOOM 3 is one of those games that feels like nothing else on the market.  Even in the crowded spaces of first-person shooters and horror, DOOM 3 stands apart as one of the most visceral, carnage-soaked experiences possible on any gaming platform.  Eight years after its original release comes the brand new DOOM 3: BFG Edition, a compilation packing featuring fully re-mastered versions of DOOM 3 and the Resurrection of Evil add-on pack. Is it enough to warrant a revisit into Hell?  The answer is yes, if you’re a console gamer.

It’s interesting that Bethesda decided to label this package with “DOOM 3” when in fact on the disc there are full copies of DOOM and DOOM 2: Hell on Earth, including most of the add-on packs such as Thy Flesh Consumed and No Rest For The Living.  You’d think they’d position the game as an “ultimate collection”, which would be simultaneously more marketable and more accurate.  Add in the fact that Bethesda threw in an all-new DOOM 3 chapter called “The Lost Mission” and you get a sense of just how much content is crammed onto the disc.

DOOM 3, as most of us already know, provides among the most intense, white-knuckle experiences ever in gaming.  Set in 2145, you assume the role of an unnamed new space marine recruit who’s been deployed to Mars to assist the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) as they conduct questionable scientific research.  Being outside the jurisdiction of Earth, the UAC freely conducts experiments with teleportation, extraterrestrial biology, and advanced weaponry, all without the typical ethical and legal boundaries corporations on Earth must adhere to.  As you orient yourself to your new surroundings, a feeling that something isn’t quite right sets in, and that feeling builds to worry and soon dread.  In fact, only the initial ten minutes or so on Mars is somewhat placid, the rest is wrought with jitters and scares worse than Dead Space and early Resident Evil games.  This might be the scariest game ever created.

The build-up to the catastrophe that unleashes the forces of Hell onto Mars is gradual, methodical and deliberate.  From the moment Hell’s unsettling sonic boom turns your former colleagues into blood-thirsty zombies and opens a gateway for its worst demonic creatures to come through, DOOM 3 is visually and aurally horrific.  The levels are, for the most part, straight-forward and tight to the point of claustrophobia.  As a radical departure from earlier DOOM games, usually only one or two enemies are ever attacking at once, usually emerging through pipes or come sprinting around corners.  Though enemies are spaced apart, most attacks instill some level of panic since room lighting is practically non-existent in some areas and unlike modern FPS games, your health doesn’t regenerate (health packs are required).

Perhaps the only reprieve in DOOM 3: BFG Edition is ability to now use your flashlight while shooting.  In the original version you had to make a choice, use your flashlight for sight or use a weapon to shoot, and given that some rooms are totally dark there were more than enough occasions of blindly firing into blackness.  The ability to see and shoot simultaneously will likely polarize fans into ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ categories, for better or worse.  For me, even with a shoulder-mounted flashlight, DOOM 3 still gives one helluva scare.

Adding to the relentless feeling of unease are frequent radio transmissions of fighting, screaming and dying, presumably from other inhabitants in the Mars facility, along with the frequent heavy-breathing, unexplained voices, and sudden wailing pitches that are often heard.  The environment too adds even more terror as machinery suddenly bursts, grated floors collapse and doors frequently get stuck while opening.  For good measure, rooms are routinely covered in dismembered limbs and enough blood to put the Saw franchise to shame.

DOOM 3 is certainly a radical departure from previous games, and the influence the Half-Life series had is easy to see.  Story plays a much bigger role this time around, with non-playable characters frequently adding to plotlines, providing key advice, or passing your character new inventory items.  There’s also a larger meta-story that plays out over your Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a device that gains you security clearance to specific areas, and lets you view videos and emails that delve into the inner thoughts of the recently dead.

DOOM 3: BFG Edition clearly seems targeted at console fans that may not have experienced DOOM 3 on the PC some eight ago.  I say this because PC gamers have already been treated to upgrades and mods for enhanced graphics and gameplay, including the “duct tape” mod that allowed use of the flashlight and gun concurrently.  For Xbox 360 and PS3 owners however, this is the best version available and comes highly recommended if you’ve never experienced DOOM 3. The game controls have been nicely mapped onto the controllers and a new check point system adds to an overall smoother experience.  Add the fact that this is the best-looking DOOM 3 ever on a console and value proposition is even more appealing.

Complimenting the story of DOOM 3 and the Resurrection of Evil is an all-new campaign called The Lost Mission, which follows the exploits of the ill-fated BRAVO team seen in the main story.  It’s a roughly 3-4 hour experience, so not it’s not lengthy by any means, but still, it’s another campaign to sweeten the deal.  If you’re a PC gamer, there’s not enough to The Lost Mission to justify another Doom 3 purchase, but console players will likely view it as a nice supplement to an overall excellent package.

Graphically, DOOM 3: BFG Edition is crisp, though you can’t help but feel some textures and lighting effects are a bit dated.  The flashlight, bizarrely enough, no longer casts dynamic lighting, an effect that added significantly to the original experience.  Still, DOOM 3 was ahead of its time graphically when it was released, and this re-mastered version still looks great.  The game clocks at a smooth 60 frames-per-second, and never drops, so gameplay is fast and frantic.

The odd quality about DOOM 3 is that while the presentation is superb and thoroughly engrossing, the actual combat is about as drab as FPS games get.  Enemy demons and zombies have atrocious AI, and more often than not simply charge at you with guns blazing or claws swinging.  In an ironic twist, this incredibly dumbed-down AI serves to add even more fright as they come at you unrestrained and aggressive.  Whether or not this was intentional is debatable. Combat is further dragged down the completely snoozer repertoire of weapons at your disposal, which all sound muted and lack punch, including the worst pea-shooting pistol I’ve ever seen in a shooter.

What makes DOOM 3 so special is despite all its drawbacks, the game is still undeniably engaging.  Very few games drag you into their worlds better than DOOM 3, and if you enjoy the sensation of constant fear, this game is bar none a must-play.

DOOM 3: BFG Edition also features a number of enhancements such as Stereoscopic 3D and VR headset support, but given the popularity of these technologies I would say the appeal is rather limited.  Of course, there is included multiplayer, which features your standard Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch gameplay types, however DOOM 3 fans will know that the franchise has never really been focused on multiplayer (Unreal Tournament was where the real multiplayer was at).

DOOM 3 is without a doubt a divisive game, with its macabre visual onslaught to its radically different gameplay from previous DOOM games this game is a love-it or hate-it affair.  If you’re in the love it camp like me, then DOOM 3: BFG Edition represents a tremendous value with its three full games and abundance of add-on pack.  This is especially true for console players that are receiving the best-looking and most content-rich DOOM package ever released.  No matter what the detractors may say, DOOM 3 made its mark on gaming in a big way, and this package is testament to the game’s ongoing legacy.

Doom 3: BFG Edition is available now for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks.

Doom 3: BFG Edition is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: Halo 4

2013-03-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

By Paul Hunter

At the beginning of Halo 4 when Master Chief awakes from his nearly five year cryo-slumber, it might as well been symbolic of the entire Halo franchise waking up to what made the original title such a captivating experience. Not since Halo: Combat Evolved has a Halo game given us such a sweeping sense of scope and exploration of the unknown, alleviating all doubts that new developers 343 Industries can successfully helm the franchise.

From the opening cutscene it’s obvious how much work went into creating Halo 4. Not only is the context and dialogue pretty thick, the meticulously detailed character facial expressions will surprise most fans of the series. We knew that Halo 4 was the first entry in the new “Reclaimer Trilogy”, but we didn’t know how determined 343 Industries was to make it apparent that this isn’t a Bungie Halo.

If you’re expecting Halo 4 to begin on a high note, you can rest assured that it does. Perhaps paying homage to Halo: Combat Evolved, the game once again begins with our Master Chief on an UNSC spaceship, this time it’s the Forward Unto Dawn which we saw during the final moments of Halo 3. The adrift, derelict frigate is rapidly approaching an unknown planet when Master Chief is awoken by his AI companion Cortana and immediately is set into action. A more desperate and aggressive Covenant fleet has attacked the Forward Unto Dawn, and at once our hero is thrust into war.

Surprisingly though, this isn’t Master Chief’s story to be told, but a greater focus is placed on Cortana, who is suffering from “rampancy”, a condition that besets all UNSC artificial intelligence after seven years, where literally the vast collection of information they’ve acquired causes them to think themselves to death. The connection these two characters share is explored in a respectful and believable way, makes you wonder if perhaps Cortana is the more human of the two.

We later learn the mysterious planet is the artificial Forerunner home of Requiem, where the majority of the Halo 4 campaign takes place. Halo history buffs will finally have their chance to explore some of the background of this ancient race, which is only hinted at in previous Halo games. What’s more, on Requiem an ancient evil is revived, paving the way for the first real antagonist in the Halo franchise.

Halo: Reach set the bar high for graphics, so the expectation that Halo 4 would deliver an even higher standard must have been a daunting challenge for 343 Industries. In every way conceivable the team accomplished their goals, Halo 4 is simply gorgeous to behold with its breathless vistas and sprawling battlegrounds, all layered with the best textures and lighting seen in a Halo game yet.

Perhaps the best visual aspect of Halo 4 is the distinctness of each race (Human, Covenant, and Forerunner), from their architecture, weaponry and physical appearance. When you approach a Forerunner stronghold you’ll immediately recognize unique characteristics such as its neon blue and orange lighting, and tall perches for Promethean Knights, the race’s most loyal guards. In the same vein, entering a marshy swamp and seeing purple landing pods strewn about immediately alerts you to the presence of Covenant forces.

What has always set Halo apart is how unique and specialized each race’s weapons are, and how each serves a very specific purpose. This has never been more prevalent than in Halo 4, which introduces a whole new class of Forerunner weapons in addition to the vast selection of Covenant and UNSC weaponry. The Forerunner munitions are energy-based, mostly concentrated beams of orange light, and range from the new short-ranged Boltshot to the rapid-fire Suppressor and precision sniping LightRifle. The higher you increase the game’s difficulty, the more you have to rely on the unique characteristics of each weapon for survival, and more appreciation you get for how much thought went into their creation and placement in-game. For example, a quick spurt from a Covenant Needler can take out a dodgy Elite, however trying the same technique on a squad of Grunts will quickly result in catastrophe as the spikes all home in on a single Grunt, while the rest take you out. These same application of specific weapons to specific situations applies to all Forerunner weapons, as for example, Boltshots can effortlessly take out a group of Crawlers (the dog-like Forerunner pack hunters), but is practically useless against the larger Promethean Knights.

Long-time fans of the series will be happy to know that Halo 4 features the return of all the major Covenant forces, from the sniping Jackals to the hulking, armour-plated Hunters, only this time they all seem more intelligent and quite a bit more erratic. Elites will hoof it towards you with ruthless aggression, while Grunts will wait for you to walk by them unnoticed and ambush you silently. The same AI sophistication holds true for the new Forerunner forces, and it will take several campaign levels to fully understand the best fighting techniques to take each unit type out. Vehicles are also back, from the classic Warthog, Scorpion, Ghost and Banshee, along with new moveable behemoths such the ultra-heavy, 70-meter wide Mammoth anti-air tank, and the two-story Mantis mech equipped with a four-barrel machine gun on one arm and a multi-launch missile launcher on the other. Each vehicle has a least one spot in the 8 mission Campaign where its use is required, or at least strongly encouraged with its conspicuous placement or mention by Cortana.

343 Industries took a bold step by having Neil Davidge from Massive Attack fame compose the soundtrack for Halo 4, replacing the revered incumbent, Marty O’Donnell. Gone is the iconic monk chant that Halo is best known for, and the soundtrack this time around is decisively more atmospheric. Instead of the tension-raising tunes we’re used to in past Halo games, Halo 4’s soundtrack more often than not is additive to the ambient, extraterrestrial environments, instead of really heightening these moments. It’s a different story when it comes to sound effects, which all serve to heighten the mood, whether it’s the panic of bullets rattling Master Chief’s MJOLNIR armour, or the hilarity of watching Grunt’s screeching wildly as they flee.

It wouldn’t be a Halo without a robust online multiplayer component, and again Halo 4 shines. All the online modes are given context this time around, with players assuming the role of a new Spartan-IV enlistee (remember, Master Chief is a Spartan-II) aboard the UNSC spaceship Infinity. There’s an all-new ranking system where players are awarded skill points for finishing multiplayer matches, with additional points earned based on performance. As players rise in rank, new weapons, abilities and outfits unlock, allowing players to customize their Spartan to their liking. Furthermore, up to five loadouts (they unlock as you gain rank) can be customized, including your primary and secondary weapons, Grenade type, Armor Ability, and new Tactical Packages and Support Upgrades.

The amount of customization here is much more robust than ever before in a Halo game, meaning that no two games – or two characters – will be the same. If you prefer sniping, equipping a long-range DMR with the “Awareness” Support Ugrade, which allows use of your motion sensor when using a scope, will do the trick. Conversely, a Suppressor mixed with the “Active Camouflage” Armor Ability would be a better choice if you prefer close-quarters combat.

Competitive multiplayer takes on a new name, War Games, and is placed within context of the Halo universe – on the training deck of Infinity to be precise. A brand-new point system is used during online matches, with kills generally earning players 10 points, and other actions such as assisting a kill or distracting an enemy also awarded points. There are 9 game types including old favourites such as Capture the Flag, Oddball, King of the Hill, and classic Slayer, along with some exciting new game types such as Regicide, where additional points are awarded for killing the person in first place, and Dominion, a tactical mode where the goal is to occupy and resupply strategic bases. There are 10 maps to choose from, and vary from big-team maps like Exile loaded with vehicles, to small, symmetrical maps such as Haven that are best suited for close combat. While they range from average to excellent, I didn’t find a single map that evokes the kind of feeling that classics such as Halo 3’s The Pit, or Halo 2’s Zanzibar, can do.

In addition to new competitive multiplayer maps and game types, there’s a brand new cooperative mode called Spartan Ops that replaces Firefight mode seen in Halo: ODST and Halo: Reach. Spartan Ops is a new weekly episodic story-driven mode, complete with cinematics on par with the main campaign and cooperative multiplayer for up to four players. Season one of Spartan Ops is set to deliver five new objective-based missions every week for ten weeks, each with their own backstory and end goals. These levels are great if you enjoy bite-sized missions, as each one takes about 20 minutes (longer on Legendary difficulty), however it doesn’t have the staying power as Firefight mode did. With no point system, there’s very little reason to replay a Spartan’s Op mission upon completion, except perhaps to try at a higher difficulty. Still, Spartan Ops will have content equivalent to a second main campaign, and has potential for future episodic seasons.

As a complete package, Halo 4 is genre-defining in a way that Halo: Combat Evolved was genre defining way back in 2001. The Halo franchise did not suffer in any way during its transition from Bungie to 343 Industries, and long-time fans should celebrate this moment. Halo 4 is the pinnacle of the first-person shooter genre and will long be remembered as the best example of how to pass on a beloved gaming franchise to a new development studio. Best of all, with Halo 4 the beginning of a whole new trilogy, after you’ve poured hundreds of hours into this top-notch title, you can rest easy knowing that two more games from this top-tier team are in the works. This is Halo at its absolute finest.

Halo 4 is out now, exclusively on Xbox 360. The game was developed by 343 Industries and is published by Microsoft Studios.

The game is rated M for Mature (17+).

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: LittleBigPlanet PS Vita

2013-03-09T14:26:00.001-05:00

By Paul Hunter

While LittleBigPlanet PS VIta's heartwarming narrator Stephen Fry uses words like "wonderful" and "magnificent" with obvious and intentional exaggeration to describe just about everything in Sackboy's latest adventure, he might as well be saying it with a straight face. Simply put, LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is such a joy to play that it's basically LittleBigPlanet 3 in the palm of your hand.

Having a big franchise like LittleBigPlanet given to relative newcomers Double Eleven Studios and Tarsier Studios seemed a bit uneasy on paper, even with Media Molecule giving their guidance. Those fears were soon alleviated when I popped in the game cartridge and started my new Sack-adventure. Beginning with the most charming introduction seen in a LittleBigPlanet game yet, a rather odd-looking ringmaster of a planet known as Carnivalia tells a tale of an evil Puppeteer whose malevolence towards disrespectful audiences drove him to rid the land of all its happiness. Now a miserable place, it's up to our burlap-textured hero to travel through themed levels as he attempts to foil the Puppeteer's plans and return joy back to Carnivalia.

Graphically, LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is pixel for pixel exactly as charming as LittleBigPlanet 2 was on PlayStation 3. Like in previous LittleBigPlanet games, the 45 included Story mode levels serve as an excellent portfolio for the wide range of level-types that can made in the game's robust level creator. In LittleBigPlanet PS Vita you'll encounter touch-control flying areas, underwater sections, rolling levels using tilt motions, timed races, and take a ride on numerous contraptions and creatures.

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita introduces motion controls into the franchise for the very first time and I'm happy to say they work. There's no tacked-on feel whatsoever, the motion controls are introduced naturally and effortlessly become second-nature. You'll tap the front touch screen to "push" blocks into the background, just as you press on the rear touch screen to "pop" these same blocks into the foreground. The game also incorporates the PS Vita's gyroscope with levels that requires you to move objects via tilting your screen or roll your Sackboy using the same method. Aside from the odd smudge you'll get on your PS Vita screen, there are no real negatives here when it comes to motion control.

Beating levels nets you rewards such as stickers, costumes for your Sackboy, and can unlock special bonus levels if you find hidden keys on certain levels. These bonus levels almost always require you to hold the PS Vita vertically and most feel inspired by other video games, such as Tower Building (like Tetris) and Flower Pop (like Bust a Move). Acing a level (beating it without dying), unlocks even more goodies, and if you have a buddy join a multiplayer session with you there are sometimes designated two-player areas containing additional costumes and stickers.

On top of the five main worlds, a sixth area called The Arcade unlocks after completion of the first world. Inside the Arcade there are five games sans Sackboy that show off even more capabilities of the level creator. These games are so impressive, each of them could easily be mistaken for a PlayStation Mini title. They all incorporate the new and powerful tool called the Memorizer, which allows creators to build multi-level games that include save points, level select menus, three-star performance ratings, and even RPG elements such as persistent inventories between levels.

It wouldn't be a LittleBigPlanet with a Community mode and this one feels every bit as complete as its console sibling. Here, all the user-created games can be found and played (at time of writing, 20,000+ games have already been created). If you enjoy a community game you can give a heart vote, tag it with identifiers, or leave a comment. To search for levels there are three methods, using the Cool Levels option where popular levels naturally float to the top, by entering the Team Picks area to find games selected by the LittleBigPlanet development team, or by simply searching for the level if you happen to know the name. While a WiFi connection is required to play games in the Community area, there's a neat feature to download games to play later when you'll be in a spot without WiFi, say on a road trip. You will need WiFi however for multiplayer, which supports up to four players simultaneously.

The level creator is back, and is as feature complete as what was seen in LittleBigPlanet 2. In fact, there are even more tools and gadgets to use this time around, all explained through 67 tutorials narrated by the always giddy Stephen Fry. These tutorials start out with simple editing techniques and later show advanced techniques to incorporate motion control and even create multi-level games using the Memorizer. Bringing photos into your LittleBigPlanet level has never been easier, given that the PS Vita includes built-in front and rear cameras. Keep in mind that if you found level creation to be too time-consuming or tedious in previous games, you'll likely feel the same way this time around. While the tutorials are nice, they're the weakest part of the whole package as they can sometimes be insufficient to fully understand a concept, and in some bizarre cases you can't even replay the tutorial.

Overall, LittleBigPlanet PS Vita shines as the best example of how to fully take advantage of the PS Vita's unique capabilities. The motion controls are a natural fit for LittleBigPlanet and add a new layer of challenge and fun. If you've been deterred by the "floaty" platforming feel that permeates the series, you'll find nothing unchanged with the PS Vita version. However, if you can accept the controls as part of the LittleBigPlanet experience, you'll find this new entry to be the very best in the franchise's history -- and that's saying a lot.

LittleBigPlanet is out now, exclusively for PS Vita. The game was developed by Tarsier Studios and Double Eleven Studios, in conjunction with Media Molecule, and is published by Sony Computer Entertainment.

LittleBigPlanet is rated E for Everyone.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Future Shop Opening 61 Stores at Midnight for Halo 4

2012-10-28T16:43:00.000-04:00

By Paul Hunter

After over four years in Cryo-Sleep, our beloved Master Chief is finally awakening for another sci-fi saga in Halo 4, and for this grand occasion, 61 of Future Shop stores across the country will be opening at midnight the evening of Monday, November 5.

Details of the Future Shop midnight openings can be found below, and also on the snazzy Halo 4 dedicated webpage on futureshop.ca.

Ever since Master Chief ended his triumphant story arc with the Covenant and the Flood way back in Halo 3 (2007), fans have been clamouring for the return of UNSC's greatest super soldier. The great news is that we're just over a week away from his momentous return, in what is arguably the most-anticipated game of the year.

In addition to the 61 stores hosting midnight openings, these select Future Shop locations will be giving away an exclusive SteelBook Case (minimum 10 per store) and downloadable content (DLC) for a customizable multiplayer Spartan IV Gungnir Armour Skin and helmet to the first customers that purchase Halo 4 at midnight. Take a look below at the amazing artwork contained on the exclusive SteelBook:

Future Shop exclusive SteelBook (outside case):

Future Shop exclusive SteelBook (inside):

While that was all the giveaways noted in the announcement email I received, the futureshop.ca Halo 4 page says to "line up early to win cool Halo swag and t-shirts", meaning that there might be even more goodies given away at participating Future Shop stores.

Halo fans living in the Greater Vancouver Area get a special treat with a Halo 4 multi-player tournament at the flagship downtown Future Shop location (Robson & Granville), starting at 9:00pm. Tournament participants will have a chance to win incredible prizes, including the grand prize of an Xbox 360 320GB Limited Edition Halo 4 Console with a Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Headset (a $749.99 value). Other prizes include exclusive Halo 4 posters and t-shirts, and a random draw for an LG 47" Smart Cinema 3D LED TV with Dual Play and a 5.1 Channel Blu-ray Home Theatre system (approx. value $1,599.98).

For a complete list of participating Future Shop stores open at midnight on Monday, November 5, see this link www.futureshop.ca/Halo4

This is not the first time Future Shop have been open at midnight for a Halo launch, with select stores also open for the Halo: Reach launch back in 2010.

Future Shop has many Halo 4 products that will be available at launch including the regular edition, the Limited Edition, an Xbox Halo 4 Limited Edition Console, and a Halo 4 Limited Edition Xbox 360 Controller. All these products are reviewed in detail in the following posts:

Halo 4 Limited Edition Available Now For Pre-order @ Future Shop
Microsoft Announces Xbox Limited Edition Halo 4 Console
Limited Edition Xbox 360 wireless Halo 4 controllers

Halo 4 officially launches on Nov. 6, 2012, exclusively on Xbox 360. The game was developed by 343 Industries and is published by Microsoft Studios. The game is rated M for Mature (17+).

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Nintendo Reveals Launch Dates For Professor Layton & More 3DS Games

2012-09-24T22:55:00.002-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Much like how every puzzle has an answer, every video game has a release date, and for Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask for the Nintendo 3DS, that date has now officially been set by Nintendo for October 28. What's more, the company has revealed the release schedule their 3D portable gaming system for the remainder of 2012. With a line-up that includes Professor Layton, Skylanders, Paper Mario, Rayman, Epic Mickey, and much, much more, the Nintendo 3DS truly has something for everyone.

With the August 19 launch of the Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo is ushering in a whole new era of 3D portable gaming with screens that are 90 percent larger than the regular Nintendo 3DS. Many of Nintendo's fall line-up will take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS XL's larger screens, including Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! which lets players draw with more detail on a more spacious touchscreen, and Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask with puzzles that are much bigger and easier to see, and more room to draw notes.

Regardless of whether you have a Nintendo 3DS or a 3DS XL, there's plenty of great gaming options coming from Nintendo and third-party publishers this fall, let's have a look at what is coming out:

(official game descriptions from Nintendo)

Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Oct. 1
Users of any artistic skill level can learn painting and drawing techniques that can be applied to real-life art projects, with optional, additional lessons available for purchase. The game also lets users share and download certain game content via SpotPass.

Crosswords Plus
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Oct. 1
More than 1,000 professionally designed crossword puzzles will challenge players at any skill level. They can also receive and share bonus puzzles via StreetPass or connect their Nintendo 3DS to the Internet to receive free additional puzzles via SpotPass. The game also includes other game play modes such as Wordsearch, Anagrams and the new Word of the Day.

Skylanders Giants
Publisher: Activision
Release Date: Oct. 21
Fans can look forward to more than 20 new inter-action figures to collect, including Giants that are twice the size of regular Skylanders and new LightCore Skylanders that light up both in the game and in real life when they are placed on the Portal of Power.

Style Savvy: Trendsetters
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Oct. 22
Players can run their very own full-scale fashion shop and spark a fashion revolution by helping customers keep up with current trends, buying new clothes for their customizable store and sharing their creations with their friends online.

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Oct. 28
Experienced fans and newcomers to the Professor Layton series can solve dozens of fascinating puzzles as they work their way through a new mystery storyline. Players can even download one additional puzzle per day for 365 days, starting on game launch day, at no additional charge.

Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive!
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Nov. 5
Players can create their own creatures and use them to explore a planet that they customize. Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! contains new features not found in the original downloadable title, such as dungeons to explore, enhanced creating capabilities with more parts to choose from and new special powers that can be used to further personalize the creatures. The game also features Download Play, which allows players to share the creative experience with friends who do not have a copy of the game.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Nov. 11
Nintendo's classic Paper Mario franchise gets a fresh 3D look in its hand-held debut. Stickers are the backbone of Mario's newest adventure in which players use stickers found in the game to not only win battles, but to solve puzzles as well.

Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion
Publisher: Disney Interactive
Release Date: Nov. 18
Inspired by the classic Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, this game features new ways for Mickey Mouse to interact with a 3D game world using paint and paint thinner.

In addition to the above mentioned titles, Nintendo also wants to remind fans that Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 will launch on October 7 for Nintendo DS (also playable on Nintendo 3DS in 2D). The previously announced Pokémon Dream Radar and Pokédex 3D Pro arrive in the Nintendo eShop on Oct. 7 and Nov. 8, respectively.

The full list of Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo eShop game releases this fall can be found on Nintendo's website here.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

It's Kirby's 20th Anniversary! How Will You Be Celebrating?

2012-09-24T22:42:00.000-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Nintendo's iconic pink puffball turned 20 years old in August, and with so many great games in the Kirby series, there are many ways to celebrate. Perhaps the best way to celebrate this significant milestone is with Nintendo's release of Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition, a compilation package for Wii containing six classic Kirby games, a soundtrack CD, and a full-colour collectible book.

Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition is the perfect anthology package for fans, featuring six of Kirby's most memorable adventures, from his debut on Game Boy, up to his classic outing on the Nintendo 64. The games included in the package are:

Kirby’s Dream Land (Game Boy, April 1992 release)
*Kirby's original adventure which introduced the inhaling and spitting out of enemies
*one player
*view the trailer here

Kirby’s Adventure (NES, May 1993 release)
*Kirby's original NES adventure, and the first to feature copy abilities (24 in total), which allows Kirby to copy his enemies abilities by swallowing them
*one player
*view the trailer here

Kirby’s Dream Land 2 (Game Boy, March 1995 release)
*Joined by three animal friends Rick, Kine and Coo, Kirby's second Game Boy adventure expands his copy abilities even further as they change in combination with his friends
*one player
*view the trailer here

Kirby Super Star (SNES, September 1996 release)
*Featuring a collection of eight distinct games, Kirby can now generate 19 helpers from certain copy abilities
*includes two-player co-operative gameplay mode
*view the trailer here

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (SNES, November 1997 release)
*In addition to Rick, Kine and Coo, Kirby is joined by new animal friends Nago, Chuchu, and Pitch
*includes two-player co-operative gameplay mode
*view the trailer here

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64, June 2000 release)
*Copy abilities can be combined together for the first time in the Kirby series
*minigames feature gameplay for up to four players
*view the trailer here

Furthermore, Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition will come with new challenge stages based on last year's Kirby’s Return to Dream Land for Nintendo Wii. During these challenge stage minigames, Kirby will race to the goal while in possession of a single copy ability, aiming for the highest score.

The anniversary package also includes an interactive timeline on disc, featuring highlights of Kirby's history including past games and a peek at the Kirby TV show. There's also a special edition soundtrack CD containing a curated collection of 45 of the best songs from games throughout Kirby's history, and a 40+ page collectible book stuffed with character art, development sketches and some behind-the-scenes details never seen before.

For a preview of the Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition check out the game trailer below:

Kirby's 20th anniversary is certainly a significant milestone and for a very deserving character that has easily become synonymous with the Nintendo brand. Good to see Nintendo continuing to support this popular character after so many years, as I'm sure fans will agree.

Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition is out now for Nintendo Wii. The game is being developed and published by Nintendo.

Kirby’s Dream Collection Special Edition is rated E10 (everyone ten and over) by the ESRB.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Watch the Entire World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Opening Cinematic

2012-09-24T22:20:00.001-04:00

By Paul Hunter

We are drawing ever so close to the September 25 release date for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, so close in fact that it's time to have a look at the full opening cinematic for what's sure to be another blockbuster expansion pack.

The lengthy 4-minute intro begins with a eye-popping naval combat scene between two vessels, one carrying a Horde flag and the other brandishing the Alliance, as they crumble and plummet into the depths below. A survivor from each warship, one being an overgrown Orc and the other a husky Human, manage to swim ashore, where a melee battle errupts between the two. Grabbing whatever weapons they can find from their surroundings, the pair lock arms in a test of strength until...they get interrupted. Take a look at what happens:

According to lore, the denizens of Pandaria are a mysterious and noble race, rarely seen or understood by the other races that inhabit the world of Azeroth. In ancient times, the Pandaren were oppressed by warlords known as the Mogu, however through a staged revolt the Pandaren were able to overcome their captors and lived prosperously for thousands of years.

The new Pandaren race, unlike previous races in World of Warcraft, begin faction-neutral for the early parts of the game. Once your Pandaren reaches Level 10, you can choose to align your character with the Horde or the Alliance. Also unique to the Pandaren race is their ability to speak their native language, plus the language of the faction they choose to enter, be it Common language (Alliance) or Orcish (Horde).

Seven character classes in total are available to Pandaren characters: Mage, Rogue, Warrior, Hunter, Priest, Shaman, and the all-new Monk. Monks are masters of hand-to-hand combat, employing "chi" energy to help them enhance their damage, defense or cast healing spells. The weapons of choice for Monks are primarily their fists, though they are also capable of carrying one-handed weapons such as axes, maces and swords, as well as two-handed polearms and staves.

There are two difference retail SKUs available for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, a regular edition and a limited run Collector's Edition.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is releasing on DVD-ROM for Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 and Macintosh on September 25, 2012. The expansion pack is being developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is rated T for Teen.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Ubisoft Reveals Just Dance 4 Full Track List

2012-09-24T21:57:00.001-04:00

By Paul Hunter

The Just Dance phenomenon continues this October with Just Dance 4 releasing for Nintendo Wii, Kinect for Xbox 360, and PlayStation Move. A Wii U version is also being worked on, with Ubisoft saying that version will release during the Wii U release window (expected later this year). Ubisoft have announced that more than 40 tracks will be included on disc, ranging from chart-topping hits from Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Flo Rida, to classic dance party songs from P!nk, Ricky Martin, and Will Smith.

Check out the full Just Dance 4 track list:

1. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” new!
2. Las Ketchup – “Asereje (The Ketchup Song)” new!
3. Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj – “Beauty and a Beat” new!
4. Panjabi MC – “Beware Of The Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)” new!
5. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
6. Boys Town Gang – “Can't Take My Eyes Off You” new!
7. Emma– “Cercavo Amore” new!
8. Anja – “Crazy Little Thing” new!
9. Army of Lovers – “Crucified” new!
10. Rihanna – “Disturbia”
11. Dancing Bros. – “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” new!
12. Flo Rida – “Good Feeling”
13. Blu Cantrell – “Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)” new!
14. A.K.A – “Hot For Me” new!
15. The Blackout Allstars – “I Like It” new!
16. They Might Be Giants – “Istanbul” new!
17. Elvis Presley – “Jailhouse Rock” new!
18. Ricky Martin – “Livin' la Vida Loca” new!
19. Selena Gomez and the Scene – “Love You Like A Love Song”
20. Nelly Furtado – “Maneater”
21. Sergio Mendes ft. The Black Eyed Peas – “Mas Que Nada” new!
22. Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”
23. Alexandra Stan – “Mr. Saxobeat” new!
24. Rick Astley – “Never Gonna Give You Up”
25. Marina and The Diamonds – “Oh No!” new!
26. Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull – “On The Floor” new!
27. The Girly Team – “Oops!... I Did It Again” new!
28. The B-52's – “Rock Lobster”
29. Skrillex – “Rock N’Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain)” new!
30. Kat DeLuna ft. Busta Rhymes – “Run The Show” new!
31. P!nk – “So What”
32. Sammy - “Some Catchin' Up To Do” new!
33. Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
34. Stevie Wonder – “Superstition” new!
35. Europe – “The Final Countdown”
36. Halloween Thrills – “Time Warp” new!
37. 2 Unlimited – “Tribal Dance” new!
38. Rihanna ft. JAY-Z – “Umbrella” new!
39. Hit The Electro Beat – “We No Speak Americano” new!
40. One Direction – “What Makes You Beautiful”
41. Will Smith – “Wild Wild West”
42. Barry White – “You're The First, The Last, My Everything”
43. Carrie Underwood – “Good Girl” new! (US exclusive)
44. Bunny Beatz – “Make The Party (Don't Stop)” new! (available on Wii U, Kinect for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move)

Wii U-exclusive Tracks

45. The Girly Team – “Ain't No Other Man” new!
46. Cher Lloyd ft. Astro – “Want U Back” new!
47. Jessie J – “Domino” new!

With the major Gamescon trade show happening last month, Ubisoft took the occasion to release a new trailer for Just Dance 4 showcasing the game's major features. Have a look here:

New modes and features in Just Dance 4 include:

Battle Mode: In the all-new Battle Mode, friends go head to head with each other in six rounds of dance battles. During the battle, the choreography and music changes in real time, depending on who is currently winning or losing.

Alternate Choreographies: Players have the chance to unlock alternative dance routines for some of their favorite tracks. They can opt for a more challenging, faster-paced routine or more outlandish choreography, depending on their mood.

Expanded Just Sweat Mode: The popular Just Sweat mode gets a major upgrade with new workout sessions, personalized programs and a calorie counter to track your workout intensity.

Wii U-exclusive Features: The Wii U version introduces up to 5-player gameplay with an exclusive Puppet Master Mode. The Puppet Master Mode allows the player operating the new Wii U GamePad to switch dance routines that are being performed by the four other players in real-time. In this mode, the operator has the power to create choreographies and choose playlists for the other players to follow. In addition, the operator also has the ability to write on-screen live dedications and take pictures and videos of the best dance moments to share online.

Ubisoft is banking on Just Dance 4 to be another smash success, and with a rock solid track list and some great innovative new features, I wouldn't be surprised to see this game go flying off store shelves come this October.

Just Dance 4 is releasing for Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 9, 2012. The game is being developed and published by Ubisoft.

Just Dance 4 is rated E10+ (everyone 10 and older).

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Future Shop Opening 61 Stores at Midnight for WoW: Mists of Pandaria

2012-09-24T21:22:00.000-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Attention World of Warcraft fans! Future Shop will be having midnight openings for the next expansion pack of the world's most popular online role-playing game, World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.

61 of its 149 stores across Canada will open their doors at 11:59pm tonight for the release of the much anticipated World of Warcraft expansion. Furthermore, all 28 stores in Quebec will open at 8:00am tomorrow to give fans a chance to pick-up the game before regular store hours.

For a complete list of Future Shop stores that will be opening early, please visit: www.futureshop.ca/wow.

All stores opening early for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria will have collector's items to give away, including:

- Limited-edition, Future Shop exclusive World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria SteelBooks (minimum 20 per store).
- Branded mouse pads (minimum five per store) and branded posters (minimum 15 per store).

Thousands of fans are expected to line-up early to pick-up a copy of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. The popular online role-playing game, which debuted in 2004, boasts 9.1 million subscribers as of August 2012.

This is not the first time Future Shop has held midnight openings for a World of Warcraft expansion, with stores also opening early for 2010's World of Warcraft: Catacylsm.

Future Shop will be selling a World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Collector's Edition and regular edition, both of which will be available at the midnight openings. The Collector's Edition includes many bonuses, such as a behind-the-scenes DVD and Blu-ray and a soundtrack CD.

Mists of Pandaria will introduce a brand new race to the World of Warcraft universe called the Pandaren, a mysterious race that has long been unknown to the rest of Azeroth. A video clip of the Pandaren can be found here.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is releasing on DVD-ROM for Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 and Macintosh on September 25, 2012. The expansion pack is being developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is rated T for Teen.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: Energizer Ultimate Lithium & Recharge Batteries

2012-09-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

By Paul Hunter

As any huge techie can attest to, using batteries is essential to our daily lives. Whether its AA batteries in our point-and-shoot cameras, or closer to home, our wireless video game controllers, we simply can't live without them. The problem is, most batteries just simply don't last very long. For a serious photographer and gamer like me, having batteries you can trust to last is important to enjoying what we love to do most. So, when Energizer offered me a chance to test out their Ultimate Lithium (AA) and Recharge batteries (AA), two of their longest-lasting batteries on the market, I must say I was pretty excited.

I've always been a fan of Energizer batteries, having used them in electronic devices for as long as I can remember, however I will admit that knowing the differences between all the various battery types on the market is not my strong suit. It's not everyday that I get a chance to review batteries, so as soon as I got my hands on the Energizer batteries I immediately went to their website to find out what makes them so unique.

Energizer Ultimate Lithium

The Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries are claimed to last up to 9X longer in digital cameras (vs their hallmark Energizer Max batteries) and 1/3 lighter than traditional alkaline batteries. They're also said to be good for temperatures ranging from -40C to 60C and can hold their power up to 15 years when not in use. Marketing speak is one thing, but what really matters is how these batteries perform in real-world situations, so I decided to put them to the test.

Since the Ultimate Lithium batteries were intended for high-drain devices, I used four AA's in a Nikon Coolpix (a higher-end point-and-shoot camera) to see how they'd perform. Admittedly, my photography sessions were designed to intentionally drain the batteries quickly, so I would expect even better performance for regular everyday use.

To test the battery capacity, during my time snapping photos I purposely took a lot of indoor photos with flash, maxed out the LCD screen's brightness, and moved the zoom lens in and out to for positioning. I even took a lot of action shots at maximum resolution, again to drain the battery quickly. Despite my abnormally high battery usage, I managed to get about 15 hours worth of use, and captured over 1,200 photos. That's compared to the approximately 2 hours lifespan I got with regular AA alkaline batteries. Overall, it's easy to recommend Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries if you use high power consumption devices like digital cameras, handheld GPS devices or gaming peripherals.

Just a couple of side notes, I wasn't able to measure the batteries in extreme temperatures, because well, it's 30C here in Toronto at the moment, and I also can't measure up to 15 years to hold its charge without use, since that would be impractical. With that said, it is nice to know that given our extreme temperatures here in Canada (we've had summer days in the mid 40s this year) that the batteries should perform as normal, and if you're the type like me that puts fresh batteries in a drawer only to rediscover them six months later, it's comforting to know that the charge should still be at max.

Energizer Recharge Batteries + Energizer Recharge Smart Charger

Being a huge gamer I just had to test out the Energizer Recharge batteries I was given on a game controller, so I selected my Xbox 360 wireless controller. The unit takes 2 AA batteries, and thankfully the Energizer Recharge Batteries come pre-charged so there was no waiting required to power-up the controller. Energizer Recharge batteries are said to last up to 4X longer than Energizer Max batteries, which for an Xbox 360 controller should mean over 100 hours of gaming (standard AA alkaline batteries usually last up to 40 hours). After putting in approximately 25 hours of gaming, the power status on the controller was still showing its maximum charge, so I figured in order to drain the battery for a proper test I had to use a higher power consumption device, such as my digital camera.

After using the same methods as above to drain the batteries down to zero, I used the Energizer Recharge Smart Charger to power the rechargeable batteries back up to full. It's worth noting that like most chargers, you need to charge batteries in pairs, and in the same dock in order for them to charge.

The Smart Charger is able to hold up to 4 AA or 4 AAA batteries, however for my test I used 2 AA's. The charge took about four hours in total, and what's cool is the Smart Charger has a countdown timer to show you how much time before the batteries fully recharge, and there's a fuel gauge to show how much battery power is available at any given time.

There is also a "bad battery" alert that lights up when your battery should be replaced or a non-rechargeable battery is used (I tested with a non-rechargeable battery and it works), and there's an auto shut-off when the batteries are charged, improving the long-term health of the batteries.

Energizer also says the charger has universal voltage so you can take it anywhere abroad. Also interesting is that the Smart Charger intentionally charges at a slower rate to maximize the lifespan of the batteries, and you can get up to 600 charge cycles.

Overall, what I found during my testing is that the Energizer Recharge batteries do perform significantly better than traditional AA alkaline batteries, making them a good value. I was also extremely impressed with the Energizer Recharge Smart Charger, with its big LCD display that shows the current status of your batteries, and can be seen from across the room. Using Energizer Recharge batteries I was able to play over two dozen hours of gaming without showing a measurable decrease in the battery's charge (according to the Xbox 360 controller power gauge) and even after switching the AA rechargeable batteries to my digital camera I still got a few hours of shoot time in before the batteries were fully drained.

As a huge tech guy and heavy user of batteries, my experience with Energizer's Ultimate Lithium and Energize Recharge was good enough to convince me of their value. Keep in mind that these batteries are best used in higher power consumption device such as digital cameras, remote controls, flashlights, etc., so for low power devices you're probably still better off using the everyday Energizer Max batteries. Tech guys like me though need something more powerful, and that's why I was very satisfied with how long Energizer's Ultimate Lithium and Recharge batteries lasted.

[I have been provided with free Energizer products to permit me to review  them. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Energizer Canada Inc.]

Review: Riot Fest Toronto

2012-09-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Riot Fest hit Toronto this past Sunday and brought with a walk down punk memory lane that would make any past Warped Tour fan smitten with joy. With bands from all eras of punk music, from pioneers like NOFX and the Descendents, to local newcomers, Riot Fest brought back that 90's punk feeling that only aggressive lyrics mixed with distorted power chords can provide.

The Fort York Garrison Common was the chosen venue for the inaugural Riot Fest Toronto, and while it's a lesser used venue for outdoor concerts, it's certainly one of the best. It was clear from looking at the growing crowd over the day that while they might be getting up there in age, their looks are as fresh as ever. Mohawks and tattoos seemed to be the rule, not the exception, with just about every colour in the rainbow represented on a few heads. Their taste buds must have progressed along with the time, with gourmet poutine, wood-fired pizza, Redbull and Jägermeister rounding out the food and beverage offerings.

A trio of local bands, Organ Thieves, Junior Battles and Mockingbird Wish Me Luck, kicked off the event as the half-fill venue continued to absorb the influx of fans. By the time Andrew W.K. hit the stage the crowd was sizable enough to give the venue a packed feel, and just in time too as W.K. clearly wanted to start a party. While he did seem a little out of place in the clearly punk-heavy line-up, W.K. thoroughly entertained the crowd with his constant reminders that "this is not a rock concert, it's a party", and I couldn't help but feel the party vibe when he belted out a modified version of "I Love NYC" which he changed to "I Love Toronto City".

The energy continued with the outspoken Lawrence Arms, Florida-ska band Less Than Jake, and a reunited Hot Water Music, which all played with as much enthusiasm as I remember from decades past. Less Than Jake was the stand-out of the bunch with their upbeat music that served as a reminder of how great their music was back in the mid-90's, and it was clear they were enjoying themselves tremendously on stage.

Toronto favourites Fucked Up were better than I remember, and lead singer Damian Abraham spent nearly the entire set in the middle of the crowd, encouraging the fans that surrounded him to sing along. By the end of their performance Abraham was mixed so deep in the middle of the crowd it was hard to spot him -- something you rarely if ever see these days.

NOFX took the stage and showed Toronto exactly why they're legends of punk, even without the aid of a major record label and minimal promotion. In between studio perfect songs, Fat Mike made a number of jokes to warm up the crowd, including one about their song "Kill All the White Man" which stirred the ire of the outspoken Canadian Immigration Report group, and prompted a "ban NOFX from entering Canada" Facebook page. Even after nearly thirty years, NOFX can still rock the house like very few punk bands can.

Despite a large portion of the crowd leaving after NOFX, the night ended with the Descendents playing and excellent set to a visibly tired and muddy crowd. A special 49th birthday cake ceremony for drummer Bill Stevenson rounded out the event which was a nice touch.

Overall, Riot Fest Toronto an amazing nostalgic trip down memory lane and proved the punk is still alive and kicking in the city. Being the first ever Riot Fest to come here, let's hope we see a return next year, I know I'll be keeping my spiked collar handy just in case.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Behind the Scenes Videos!

2012-09-17T20:02:00.003-04:00

By Paul Hunter

We're less than two months away from the much-anticipated release date of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, a game that is shaping up to be significantly superior to its predecessor. That's saying a lot considering the Wii-exclusive original Epic Mickey was, finicky camera issues aside, an epic experience in its own right.

To shed some light on the making of Epic Mickey 2, publisher Disney Interactive Studios have released a pair of videos featuring insights from industry luminary Warren Spector, the creative force behind the game. The videos explore the rich story, written by famed comic book writer Marv Wolfman, and the cast of characters, which include the return of our hero Mickey Mouse, along with his new playable companion, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Veteran comic book writer Marv Wolfman is no stranger to the Disney universe, having wrote scripts for Ducktales and Mickey Mouse Adventures in the early 90s, along with being one of the first editor for Disney Adventures magazine. In Epic Mickey 2, Wolfman says that his approach to storytelling begins with letting himself "get inspired by the art" and that Disney art "is very specific and beautiful". Wolfman further notes the biggest change to storytelling this time around is that Mickey is now accompanied throughout the game by Oswald, and therefore the writing is "mostly dialogue and conversation" that forces the characters to relate to one another.

Take a look at the video for the full interview:

The Power of Storytelling - Disney Epic Mickey 2

In a second video uploaded to YouTube by Disney Interactive, Warren Spector is joined by design director Chase Jones and studio director Paul Weaver as the trio explain the rationale behind selecting specific characters for Epic Mickey 2, along with an explanation of their role in the game. Among the insights gleaned is that Oswald will have his own unique set of abilities, separate and distinct from Mickey, including the ability to fly with his helicopter ears, throw his boomerang leg, and shoot electricity with his remote control. Mickey, like last game, will have the magic ability to control paint and thinner, which can create or destroy respectively. Have a look at these characters in action:

The Power of Characters - Disney Epic Mickey 2

There are plenty of other interesting aspects of Epic Mickey 2 which set it apart from its predecessor, including Spector's description of the game as "the very first musical video game," with the story employing song to drive the narrative forward. The game will feature drop-in/drop-out co-operative play, allowing two players to assume control of Mickey and Oswald, or single players can play with an AI-controlled Oswald.

With two months to go until we can get our hands on Epic Mickey 2, expect more exciting news to come.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is releasing for Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 18, 2012. The game is being developed by Junction Point Studios and published by Disney Interactive Studios.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Gears of War: Judgment Releases in Early 2013

2012-09-17T19:48:00.004-04:00

By Paul Hunter

At E3 this year, Epic Games and Microsoft announced an "early 2013" release window for Gears of War: Judgment, the next big entry in the Xbox 360 exclusive franchise. A couple months later and now we have a firm date set by the publisher: March 19, 2013. That feels soon, doesn't it?

Gears of War: Judgment is a prequel set 14 years before the events of the first Gears of War game, just a few months after the terrifying events of Emergence Day, or E-Day, the day the subterranean Locust army first emerged and launched their full-scale attack on the human population.

The game will center on the Kilo Squad, a team led by series protagonists Damon Baird and August Cole, who are joined by newcomers Sofia Hendricks, a media correspondent who became a Gear shortly after E-Day, and Garron Paduk, a former UIR Major that joined the Gears team after his homeland was devastated by the Locust. Take a look at the launch trailer from E3 below:

Gears of War: Judgment launch trailer:

The trailer shows Baird and Cole, handcuffed and on trial for supposedly not following orders during the early months after the emergence of the Locust. Members of the Kilo Squad, including Baird and Cole, have been charged with many wrong-doings including desertion, cowardice, trespassing, theft of experimental military technology, and treason. You have to wonder just how bad their screw-up must have been.

What's interesting about Judgment is that the campaign is really a series of flashbacks, which has you play out the story as Baird recounts it while on trial. During the trial, a number of key events and facts are considered "classified"; and the campaign will play out accordingly with certain aspects of the story missing. After you complete the campaign, a new "Declassified" mode will unlock, which will then add these elements back into the campaign and can dramatically alter how you play. As an example, Baird my initially believe he pushed through the Locust army with his Kilo Squad, but on the second play through he remembers there was a Mech suit present, which he can then use to unleash punishing damage.

Epic Games director of development, Rod Fergusson, says that Judgment is less scripted and cinematic than previous entries in the series, and the game will feel more dynamic and open. Instead of static enemy encounters that trigger once your player reached a specific area location, Judgment will use what the developers call a "smart spawning system" that reacts to a number of factors about your current status, such as your health, accuracy, current location, and so on. This could mean more enemies could spawn, or different type of enemies, or they could spawn in more strategic locations.

Also new in Judgment is a new multiplayer mode called OverRun. This mode lets two teams of five, one controlling the Locust who are on the attack, and the other controlling COG who must be on the defense. The objective for the Locust is to seek out and destroy the COG's power generator in the fastest time possible, while the COG army tries to defend their home base. Once the Locust secure victory, or time expires, the teams then switch roles to see which team can complete the goal in the fastest time. OverRun introduces class-based multiplayer for the first time ever in the Gears series, allowing COG players to play as an Engineer, Scout, Soldier, or Medic. Here's a video on YouTube, narrated by Baird himself, giving an overview of OverRun:

OverRun Walkthrough video

As you can see, OverRun is an asymmetric multiplayer mode with the Locust units totally designed for offensive abilities, while the COG are designed for defense. Each COG character class has their own loadout and unique abilities, which are:

Mechanic -- can repair fortifications with his blowtorch and deploy automated turrets

Soldier -- provides ammo boxes for the team and carries a Boomshot weapon by default

Medic -- can deploy Stim-gas grenades to heal teammates, and can revive players who are down

Sniper -- can climb sniper perches and throw tag beacons to spot enemies for the team

On the Locust side, you can play as the Ticker, Wretch, Grenadier, Kantus, Bloodmount, Corpser, Mauler, and Serapede. Each Locust creature has their own special abilities, such as the Kantus' healing, the Corpser's burrowing, and the Ticker's speed dash. Having put in countless hours into Gears of War 3's Beast Mode and Horde Mode, OverRun does sound like a pretty enticing hybrid combination.

The Gears of War series has sold over 18.5 million units worldwide, and so it's no surprise that here we are looking at a new entry coming early next year. Judgment is already looking quite promising, and with the addition of OverRun there should be lots of exciting multiplayer modes to explore. Now we just have to sit patiently for game to release, which shouldn't be too hard considering we're rapidly approaching the busy, and exciting gaming holiday season.

Gears of War: Judgment is releasing exclusively for Xbox 360 on March 19, 2013. The game is being co-developed by Epic Games and People Can Fly, and will be published by Microsoft Game Studios.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Doom 3 BFG Edition Coming This Fall

2012-09-17T19:40:00.003-04:00

By Paul Hunter

I was relieved last month when I saw the initial photos from the NASA Mars rover Curiosity showing a very calm, untouched terrestrial planet, alleviating all fears that the red planet which is depicted in Doom 3 -- a sanctuary for grotesque zombies and the demon army from hell - simply isn't true. It's a good thing too, because that unsightly world is about to get much more vivid with the upcoming release of Doom 3 BFG Edition, a re-mastered version featuring greatly enhanced graphics and vastly improved audio horror effects.

The genre-defining first-person shooter (FPS) game, Doom 3, which released in 2004, was considered at the time to be one of the most graphically impressive games on the market. As is common in the games industry, technical progress happens quite quickly, and by today's standard the game looks dated. id Software's has put a lot of effort in updating the graphics for the BFG Edition, and the results are quite stunning. Take a look at the debut trailer on YouTube showcasing the enhanced visuals:

Doom 3 BFG Edition Debut Trailer

I must say, the game looks great even at this early stage.

Whereas the original game was published by Activision, the updated version of Doom 3 will be releasing courtesy of Bethesda Softworks after the developer of the game, id Software, was acquired by Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, back in 2009. Bethesda has announced the Doom 3 BFG Edition will be releasing for Xbox 360, PC, and PS3, marking the first time a Doom game has ever appeared on the PS3.

Doom 3 BFG Edition will be packaged with bonus content, including the previously release expansion pack Resurrection of Evil, and a new single-player expansion pack called The Lost Levels. Both expansions have been optimized with the improved rendering and lighting effects, 5.1 surround sound, a new checkpoint system, and will feature Xbox 360 Achievements and PS3 Trophies for the first time.

As an extra special bonus, Doom 3 BFG Edition will also include the original Doom and Doom 2 , making it the definitive collection of the revolutionary FPS games pioneered by id Software.

Doom 3 BFG Edition is releasing for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 16, 2012. The game is being developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Review: Pokémon Conquest

2012-09-17T19:31:00.003-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Having grown up playing the Nobunaga's Ambition series of turn-based strategy simulation video games, I spent countless hours as a wee lad unifying the feudal states Japan with my legions of riflemen, cavalry and infantry. It was the closest I had come to learning about Japan's Sengoku ("Warring States") period, a time during the 16th century marked with tremendous war and the unification of Japan's many fiefdoms.

Fast forward to present day, and before me is a copy of Pokémon Conquest for Nintendo DS, perhaps the most unlikely crossover title ever created, one that mixes the strategic elements of Nobunaga's Ambition with, you got it, Pokémon. Suspending my love for Japanese historical simulations, I put the cartridge into my Nintendo DS convinced this wacky crossover idea simply couldn't work. It took less than thirty minutes before I realized that not only does the concept work, it's quite possibly the most entertaining Pokémon spinoff ever created.

Pokémon Conquest begins with the ruthless Oda Nobunaga attempting to take over all 17 kingdoms of the fictional land of Ransei. Legend has it that the warrior who unites Ransei will be given the chance to control the Legendary Pokémon Arceus, the strongest Pokémon in the Pokéverse. Feeling that Nobunaga's intentions are for the ill of the country, a young warrior, whom you control, sets out to oppose Nobunaga's ruthless regime in hopes of ensuring peace is maintained on Ransei.

Aside from including Nobunaga, practically nothing within Pokémon Conquest can be considered remotely historical accurate. The story, environments and characters are purely fictional, and feel much more like what you'd encounter in a Pokémon game. As such, in order to enjoy Pokémon Conquest you have to focus on the core essence of Nobunaga's Ambition that made it so fun to play - the highly strategic turn-base combat - and let go of all the tedious elements such as micromanagement of your fiefdoms. Pokémon Conquest is so straightforward and simple, it's tempting to initially think the game is a watered down shell of a strategy game. However, as you ease into the game, a surprising amount of strategic depth presents itself and continues for the bulk of the 30+ hour campaign.

Your main character, Warlord recruits, and enemy Warlords, all possess the unique ability of forming strong links with the wild Pokémon that inhabit Ransei. There are over 200 Pokémon to be found in the game, including many from the recent Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, as well as 200 individual Warlords to recruit. Each battle takes place on a kingdom battleground, with the two opposing sides able to select up to six Pokémon each to fight on their behalf. While the Warlords don't directly fight, they each have a unique Warrior Skill that can used once during battle and can have a range of effects from healing, to temporarily boosting attack power or defense. Each character also has a Pokémon in which they can acquire a Perfect Link with, which significantly increases the maximum power the Pokémon can achieve.

The base gameplay during battle sequences is what you'd expect, turn-based combat in which Pokémon can move a finite number of squares on the map and are able to attack once per turn. The strategy you take prior to battle is very important, since attack and defense is based largely on the traditional Pokémon series rock-paper-scissors formula, so for example if your enemies are Fire Type it's best to bring your Ice Type Pokémon to battle. Usually victory is obtained through eliminating your enemies, however there are variants such securing four banners and maintaining possession for five rounds.

With a lengthy campaign that opens up even more content after finally defeating Nobunaga, the amount of playable content in Pokémon Conquest is staggering. This game is perhaps the most fully fleshed out and coherent Pokémon spin-off title in the history of this 16-year old franchise. I was so engrossed playing Pokémon Conquest that I didn't care about egregious it was that I was plotting the downfall of Nobunaga using Pokémon. This game is fantastic and I highly recommend it to Pokémon fans and strategy buffs alike.

Pokémon Conquest is out now for Nintendo DS, and is also playable on Nintendo 3DS in 2D mode. The game was developed by Tecmo Koei and published by Nintendo.

Pokémon Conquest is rated E for Everyone.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Five Best 3DS games of 2012 (thus far)

2012-09-16T02:29:00.004-04:00

By Paul Hunter

This year the Nintendo 3DS has built a lot of momentum with a consistent stream of quality games released month-after-month. Now that we're approaching the busy fall gaming season, I thought it would be important to take a look back at the year to recap some of the best games released for Nintendo's 3D portable handheld.

It was a tough decision narrowing the field down to my top five games released in 2012 thus far, but after much deliberation I did it, and so here they are:

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: March 23, 2012
ESRB Rating: E10+

Kid Icarus was one of Nintendo's most popular game franchises from the mid 80's to early 90's, and after a twenty-year hiatus, this long running game series finally returned with Kid Icarus: Uprising, the much-anticipated 3D follow-up. Players once again assume the role of Pit, our young angel protagonist, as he does battle with the evil Queen of the Underworld, Medusa, and her Underworld Army. Battles take place by air and by land, all presented in perhaps the best 3D seen yet for the Nintendo 3DS. Throughout the lengthy adventure, Pit can find literally hundreds of unique weapons across nine types: bows, blades, clubs, claws, staffs, arms, orbitars, palms, and cannons, each having their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Also included is a robust multiplayer mode for up to six players, using either local connection or WiFi. Multiplayer matches include Team Deathmatch, which has players outfitted as Light or Dark in a 3-vs-3 battle, and the more traditional Free-For-All set-up. Without a doubt, Kid Icarus: Uprising is a fantastic Nintendo 3DS game, and definitely recommended for all players aged 10+.

Resident Evil: Revelations

Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 7, 2012
ESRB Rating: M

Resident Evil: Revelations is the first full-length game in the series to grace the Nintendo 3DS, and the results are fantastic. In Revelations, the action takes place on three distinct locations: the derelict ship Queen Zenobia, snow-covered mountaintops, and floating city of Terragrigia, in a story that is seen through the eyes of four playable characters. The game is structured as episodic missions that switch between playable characters, which include fan favourites Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield. The action is as tense as ever, with the Queen Zenobia featuring mostly tight hallways and suspenseful, close-quarter combat, and the snowy mountains are home to terrifying new breeds of bio-organic weapons. In addition to the new characters and settings, Revelations also introduces a new piece of equipment, the Genesis Scanner, which allows players to scan their environment and enemy remains to find hidden objects, uncover secrets, and discover valuable health packs. Along with the campaign, the game also features a time-attack mode that can be played solo or cooperatively via local play or online with WiFi. For those who own the Circle Pad attachment, Revelations is a compatible title with this device. As one of the best portable Resident Evil games ever released, Revelations is so good it's just as good, if not better, than some of the series main console entries. Resident Evil: Revelations is recommended for ages 17+.

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

Publisher: Konami
Release Date: February 21, 2012
ESRB Rating: M

Snake Eater 3D is a reworked update of the best-selling PlayStation 2 title, and is the first Metal Gear Solid for Nintendo 3DS. Set in the 60s during the cold war, players control series hero Solid Snake as he infiltrates the Russian jungle to rescue a scientist being held captive against his will. The game features lush jungle environments presented in stunning 3D for the very first time, and using the dual-screen of the Nintendo 3DS, Snake's inventory is located on the lower screen at all times. Another addition to Snake Eater 3D is the all-new camouflage photography system, which lets players take a picture of your surroundings to alter the colour and pattern of Snakes outfit. Snake Eater was a great game when it released in 2004, and this updated version is even better with the incredible 3D graphics and gameplay enhancements. Definitely one to recommend for gamers 17+.

Mario Tennis Open

Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: May 20, 2012
ESRB Rating: E

Continuing the long line of Mario sports games, Mario Tennis Open brings back many of our favourite characters for some incredibly fun arcade tennis action. There are sixteen playable characters in total, including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Princess Peach, and Bowser. Mii characters can also be created and brought into the game, and Mii skills and are completely customizable depending on what gear is equipped. Six different shots can be performed, ranging from Flat Shots that are straight and fast, to Lob shots that have a wide arc and distance. Selecting which shot you want to perform is as simple as pressing buttons on the lower touch screen (or for tennis pros out there, you can use the face buttons). While the game is enjoyable single-player, the real bread and butter of Mario Tennis Open is its local wireless and online capabilities, allowing up to four players to play simultaneously. With lots of modes and outfits to unlock, and excellent online replayability, Mario Open Tennis is recommended for gamers 6 and older.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Publisher: Square-Enix
Release Date: July 31, 2012
ESRB Rating: E10+

King Mickey and Sora return in the latest installment in the widely popular Kingdom Hearts franchise. Featuring a mixture of the very best characters from the Disney and Final Fantasy universes, Dream Drop Distance is the first ever to bring the franchise into full 3D. Joining Sora is his best friend, Riku, who is also a playable character in the game. During the adventure the duo will visit the worlds of many popular Disney stories such as Tron: Legacy, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. These worlds are inhabited by new creatures called Dream Eaters that split into two categories: Spirits, which eat nightmares and create good dreams, and Nightmares, which eat good dreams and create nightmares. These Dream Eaters serve as the main enemies similar to the Heartless and Nobodies from previous Kingdom Heart games. Kingdom Heart 3D fills a much-needed void in the Nintendo 3DS RPG category, and is recommend for ages 10+.

Well there you have it, my top five Nintendo 3DS for 2012 so far. What are you favourite games? I'm curious to know in the comments.

All five titles above are available now Nintendo 3DS.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Kinect for Xbox 360: Four Family Friendly Games to Consider

2012-09-16T02:23:00.003-04:00

By Paul Hunter

Kinect for Xbox 360 is a great gaming platform for families looking for fun titles that everyone can enjoy. From Sesame Street to Disney to Star Wars, there are a range of excellent family games available on Kinect for Xbox 360 no matter what age the gamers in your household are. Let's take a look at four of my favourite out there:

Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure

Publisher: Microsoft / Disney Interactive Studios
Release Date: March 20, 2012
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone

Kinect Rush feels like a follow-up to last year's Kinect Disneyland Adventures, offering fans a chance to once again jump into a Disneyland theme park and experience fun mini-games inspired by hit Disney movies. In Kinect Rush, players start in a central hub environment called Pixar Park and can travel to five difference themed areas from the Pixar movies Toy Story, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and Up. Each area features iconic emblems representative of their respective movies, such as the Eiffel Tower for Ratatouille, and city streets for Cars. The mini-games are more action-oriented than what's found in Kinect Disneyland Adventures, focusing more on coin collecting, performing required goals, and racking up a high score. This is definitely an enjoyable game for Pixar fans, and is playable for up to two people.

Kinect Star Wars

Publisher: LucasArts
Release Date: April 3, 2012
ESRB Rating: T for Teen

LucasArts experimental Star Wars Kinect project was quite ambitious, hoping to be the world's first completely interactive Star Wars game, and while the modes range from "ok" to "great", the overall package is worth recommending. The core campaign, called Jedi Destiny, has players assuming the role of a young Jedi padawan from training through to live missions against the forces of the Dark Side. Using body motions, your character can perform signature Jedi moves such as lightsaber swings and force pushes, along with the ability to dash at lightning speed and move massive objects like boulders and starships. In addition, Star Wars Kinect contains a breadth of modes such as Pod Racing, Duels of Fate, Rancor Rampage and Galactic Dance-off, that each are reminiscent of iconic Star Wars moments. With its Teen rating, Star Wars Kinect is intended for more mature audiences, so definitely a game to consider if you have a teen Star Wars fan in your family.

Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: October 11, 2011
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone

The undeniably cute Cookie Monster and Elmo are the leads stars of this storybook driven Kinect adventure. In Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, the pair of muppets read a living storybook that draws them in and makes them a part of the story. As Elmo and Cookie Monster encounter friendly monsters that inhabit this story, they must help them solve problems and overcome challenges. All chapters in the story contain fun and interactive mini-games that are perfect for children to enjoy. There's also drop-in/drop-out co-operative multiplayer that is ideal for parent-child or child-sibling play. Throughout the adventure the duo will encounter familiar faces such as Oscar, Grover, along with all-new characters introduced for the very first time.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures

Publisher: Microsoft
Release Date: November 15, 2011
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)

Kinect Disneyland Adventures is the ideal game for players looking to bring the Disneyland experience home. Featuring a near perfect virtual replica of Disneyland, players can wander around the park, greeting iconic Disney characters and interacting with them in many ways. All interactions are done using motion controls, letting you hug, wave hello, or snap a photo with your character. There are a range of themed areas to explore, from the quintessential small town feel of Main Street U.S.A. all the way back to the topsy turvy architecture found in Mickey's Toontown. In each location there are mini-games that can be played, including a fast-paced game of croquet in Alice in Wonderland's area, a Matterhorn bobsled race, London sky soaring as Peter Pan, and the regional dance mimicking in It's a Small World. It's a fantastic package for families that love Disney (and really, are there any that don't?), and both parents and children will have hours of fun here.

All four titles above are available now on Kinect for Xbox 360.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

Resident Evil 6 To Have Ada Wong Campaign & Playable Zombies

2012-09-16T02:12:00.003-04:00

By Paul Hunter

The trickle of Resident Evil 6 news is now becoming a flood as we inch closer to its anticipated October 2 launch, including word from Capcom that the game will feature an Ada Wong campaign and an all-new Agent Hunt mode. This brings the total number of campaigns in the game to four, in what is shaping up to be the most elaborate and interwoven Resident Evil story of all time.

There's been murmurs that the fan favourite character, Ada Wong, would be playable in Resident Evil 6 as far back as January, so the confirmation this week finally brings the rumours to close. The popular series antihero will have her own single player campaign featuring unique missions that intersect with other storylines and provide greater perspective on the bioterrorist outbreaks that threaten the world's population. In tandem with the Ada Wong announcement, Capcom also release this exclusive trailer showing some campaign footage:

Ada Wong Campaign footage:

In addition, Capcom also revealed a new online multiplayer mode called "Agent Hunt" which will let players take control of zombies, C-virus mutations, or the new J'avo creatures which have the ability to speak to each other and coordinate attacks, as well as heal themselves. After completing one of the main campaigns for Chris, Leon or Jake, the Agent Hunt mode will unlock for that particular campaign. Once unlocked, players can join online games as one of the aforementioned "hunters", each with their own set of unique abilities, and try and eliminate the human players. When a hunter dies, they will automatically respawn in the same session as a different random hunter. If you've ever played Left 4 Dead's Versus mode, you'll have an idea how the matches will unfold. Here's a trailer for the new Agent Hunt mode:

Agent Hunt Multiplayer Mode:

As mentioned above, the Agent Hunt mode unlocks after beating the campaigns for Chris, Leon, and Jake -- the three playable characters previously announced by Capcom. Now with the Ada Wong campaign, one has to wonder if her campaign will also have an Agent Hunt mode (no word yet from Capcom on this). To see the other three playable characters in action, Capcom released these gameplay videos during the San Diego ComicCon:

Chris Redfield campaign:

Jake Muller campaign:

Leon Kennedy campaign:

Interestingly, Capcom has two separate special edition packages for Resident Evil 6, with the content depending on which console (PS3 or Xbox 360) you purchase the game for. They even have different names, with the PS3 version called the Resident Evil 6 Anthology, and the Xbox 360 version called the Resident Evil 6 Archives. Here's what's included in each package:

Resident Evil 6 Anthology (PlayStation 3)

- Resident Evil 6
- Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
- Resident Evil 4 HD
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
- Resident Evil 2
- Resident Evil: Director's Cut

Resident Evil 6 Archives (Xbox 360)

- Resident Evil 6
- Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
- Resident Evil 4 HD
- Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD
- Resident Evil Degeneration (DVD film)

I'm curious to know in the comments, which package appeals most to you?

Resident Evil 6 is releasing for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 2, 2012. The game is being developed and published by Capcom.

Resident Evil 6 is rated M for Mature.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]

NHL 13 Collector's Edition Features Exclusive Stanley Cup Tin, Plus Much More

2012-09-16T02:04:00.004-04:00

By Paul Hunter

If you're a hockey fan looking to pick up the next big entry in the NHL series, keep in mind that EA is releasing a standard edition and a limited-run NHL 13 Stanley Cup Collector's Edition that contains a lot great collectibles, as well as in-game bonuses that will you keep you on the ice.

The NHL series is a perennial favourite among hockey fans, and this year EA is producing what could be their best Collector's Edition yet. Here are all the exclusive bonuses that will come with the NHL 13 Stanley Cup Collector's Edition:

- Exclusive collectible Stanley Cup tin featuring an embossed Stanley Cup image (see image at the top of the article for a visual)

- Two Stanley Cup Theme Hockey Ultimate Team packs featuring randomized player items from the Western and Eastern Conference Champions

- Gold Jumbo Hockey Ultimate Team Pack featuring 24 randomized items, including an exclusive Wayne Gretzky Hockey Ultimate Team Legend and six other rare items

- A CCM Boost Pack featuring the all-new CCM RBZ stick (For use in Be a Pro and EA SPORTS Hockey League)

- A 10% discount on a one-time purchase at shop.NHL.com

- A complete copy of NHL 13

For the game itself, EA is delivering a ton of new features and enhances to improve the overall gaming experience. Many of the new features, including the all-new True Performance Skating and EA Sports Hockey I.Q., can be seen in this exclusive Future Shop @ E3 video:

Of course another big announcement by EA is that Canadian-born Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers is the cover athlete for NHL 13.

NHL 13 is available now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is being developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports.

NHL 13 is rated E for Everyone.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]