Video Game Legion

Alleged Anonymous and LulzSec Members Arrested

2011-09-22T18:12:00.000-04:00

Do you remember Anonymous? How about LulzSec? I sure hope you guys do because they were responsible for many hacking infringements and most recently two suspects were arrested on Thursday morning. The two suspects were alleged members of both LulzSec and Anonymous, one was picked up in San Francisco and the other in Phoenix but it doesn’t stop there because there are also search warrants being carried out in New Jersey, Minnesota, and Montana.

One of the arrestees is named Cody Kretsinger, 23, and was arrested in Arizona with charges for conspiracy and unauthorized impairment of a protected computer. His online handle is Recursion and he is rumoured to be either a current or former participant in the hacking group LulzSec, he is also being accused of involvement in the hacking of SPE (Sony Pictures Entertainment). In a fit of frenzy, “Recursion” erased his hard drives that were used to carry out the Sony attack and is expected to appear in court this afternoon.

Now for the suspect in San Francisco. This suspect is a homeless hacker who is allegedly involved in cyber attacks on the Santa Cruz County government websites.

In July it is said that 16 Anonymous members were arrested in both the U.S. and the U.K. with several higher ups of the group including two people who are said to be the founders of LulzSec. If you’re interested in hearing more about Anonymous and LulzSec you can click these two links: Anonymous, LulzSec.

Dead Island Review

2011-09-21T17:28:00.000-04:00

Dead Island was one of those games where you saw the trailer, loved the trailer, and then feared for the production of the game. If you recall, the trailer was outstanding and I was completely blown away by the emotional strings that it pulled yet at the same time enticed. At first I was saying, “Oh great, another Left 4 Dead” but as I read more and more about the game it came to be that it was a free roaming RPG rather than a zombie hack ‘n slash. So without further adieu, I bring to you my entirely unbiased review of Dead Island.

The game starts out at the resort and it’s already a quick paced game, within the first 10 minutes you’re being chased by zombies and having to run away from them. I loved that. I also loved the fact that I could rummage through left over suitcases and find a copious amount of money and other necessities that I would need later on in the game. I had no idea what to expect when I put in the disc so when I discovered that I could travel virtually everywhere and anywhere I was overjoyed to say at the least.

The length of the game was surprising, mind you it’s not Skyrim (with an estimated 300 hours of gameplay) but it was still decently long. I spent around 60 hours on the main quest without dabbling much in the side quests, which there are a lot of. Most of the side quests that I did encounter were mostly retrieval quests (grabbing this for this person from this location).

As for the weaponry, that was the most fun aspect of the game for me. There are weapons strewn all over the maps, you can pick up anything from a rusty wrench to a debilitating sickle but the fun doesn’t stop there. You can scavenge nails, blades, duct tape, oleander, soap, etc. and use those ingredients to mod your weapons. Yes, you can mod your weapons. I pre ordered the game so I received The Ripper mod automatically which is essentially a baseball bat with a saw blade at the end of it that pretty much gives you auto decapitation if you time the blows right. Some other mods that you can look forward to are: nail’d mod, shock mod, deo-bombs, and molotovs. The weapons do deteriorate fairly quickly but there is a way that you can help conserve their life, which is what I’m going to get into right now.

Most RPG’s have some sort of level tree or skill tree, as does Dead Island. There are a certain amount of major skills and then they branch down to other skills that can aid your character in various ways such as: strength, rage, stamina, weapon deterioration and reloading time. For example, the more skill points that I use on weapon deterioration, the longer my modded weapons are going to last. The problem that I see with most skill trees is that it’s fairly simple to level up quickly and max out your character before you even finish the game. Luckily with Dead Island that wasn’t the case, I actually finished the game with more room to improve my character.

Now onto the graphics…The graphics were reasonable, I don’t believe that they were much to write home about but the way that they used them, well, that was the incredible part. When fighting a zombie, you have a stamina bar that depletes the more that you swing or the more that you run away from the fight. As the stamina bar wears down, there is a higher chance that you can get knocked down by your enemy (which was extremely frustrating) and there is also a higher chance that a zombie will literally grab the camera. Yes, I said grab the camera…and they will shake it too. The water on the resort looked extremely realistic and I have to admit it made me want to go swimming more than a couple of times.

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this game regarding the bugs and how it affects the playability. I know that a lot of PS3 users have been experiencing delayed actions and issues with some quest characters but I honestly haven’t experienced any bugs in the game that have made it unplayable. All issues (if any) haven’t affected my gameplay and with that being said, I cannot shed any light on any problems. The only thing that I have yet to try is the co-op but there have been rumours that the co-op won’t even work properly until the patch comes out so you guys will have to wait for that.

Needless to say, Dead Island is going to be a game that I’m going to pick up and play again to achieve all of the challenges and to gain all of the trophies…I’m also stoked on the Bloodbath Arena which I was also granted with due to my pre order. The main question being, should you buy it? My answer for you is YES. The plot is amazing and it was an extremely fun game to play but stay tuned for patch information if that’s what’s swaying your opinion.

Black Ops Rezurrection- Zombie Authority Trailer

2011-08-18T15:36:00.000-04:00

Battlefield 3 Looks Amazing!

2011-08-17T01:31:00.001-04:00

New footage of Battlefield 3 released at Gamecon 2011

PS3 Price Cut

2011-08-17T00:33:00.000-04:00

Sony has made it official that both Playstation 3 models are getting a price cut effective immediately in all territories, except in Japan where it will happen August 18th. The 160GB model is now priced at $250 ($50 less than the previous price), and the 320GB system at $300 in the United States.

Also, Sony has announced a new inFAMOUS limited edition bundle available at participating retailers across North America. The bundle will include a copy of inFAMOUS 2, 320GB PS3, and a 30-day membership to Playstation Plus. Sounds like one hell of a deal to me.

Analysts believe that Sony could see a 30-50% spike in sales.

The next question is... How will Microsoft respond to this?

Hot Upcoming Games for Fall 2011

2011-08-16T15:35:00.000-04:00

As summer is coming to an end, we start to anticipate many hot games that will be making there entrance into the hands of anxious gamers. Here are some of those games that we have had an eye on for quite some time now.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Release Date: November 8, 2011

Battlefield 3
Release Date: October 25, 2011

Dead Island
Release Date: September 5, 2011

Gears Of War 3
Release Date: September 20, 2011

Resistance 3

Release Date: Septemeber 6, 2011

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Release Date: November 1, 2011

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Release Date: November 11, 2011

Batman: Arkham City

Release Date: October 18, 2011

Madden 12

Release Date: August 30, 2011

DotA 2 Trailer: Gamescom

2011-08-15T20:16:00.000-04:00

Here's a new trailer for DotA 2. For more info on the game click here!

Enjoy :)

It's About Time for a Change, says Microsoft.

2011-08-15T19:59:00.000-04:00

Console manufacturers always look for something that will give their products a sleek and unique look, which is probably why Microsoft chose the gloss finish for their 360's. Well, you can say bye bye to the glossy look of the Xbox 360 and say hello to a matte finish.

Microsoft has announced that they will be replacing all Xbox 360's with a matte finished version. It will obviously take a while to pull all of the 360's off of the shelves so rest easy, you'll still be able to get your hands on one of the dust friendly consoles at a store near you for a while.

Yay or nay to matte finished consoles?

Resistance 3 Beta Details: 08/15/2011

2011-08-15T19:53:00.000-04:00

Ever since the release of the Resistance 3 beta, we've been hearing mixed reviews about whether downloading the game was worth it at all due to all of the updates and bug fixes over the past week. Well, I for one would like to add that it's better that they fix it now than make you wait and fix it later!

Anyway, back to the point....Insomniac Games has released a few more updates for you guys.

Patch 2.02 should be available within the next day or two and it will include:
-Potential fix for "Game has already ended" bug
-Host migration after every game fix
-Possible fix for invisible players
-A few other minor tweaks

Insomniac is assuring us that they have made a significant amount of progress revolving around the invisible player glitch but they need more information to ensure that it has been fully fixed.
If you have noticed any details regarding that specific glitch you can post here in their thread. Detailed descriptions will be rewarded.

They will be opening a new forum thread for any new issues that may arise from 2.02.
Following 2.02, Insomniac is planning on releasing 2.03 sometime this week. The main focus for 2.03 is to reset stats and progression for EVERYONE. They want to remind all of their fans that beta stats won't be carried over to the retail release.

You can keep up to date with more beta details via Insomniac Games' Twitter and Facebook accounts.

DC Universe Servers Merge

2011-08-07T21:33:00.002-04:00

DC Universe is merging their servers to make things a little easier for players and for the servers themselves. Starting Monday Morning at 8 AM CET, DC Universe Online’s 26 servers will merge into four “MegaServers.” There will be one for the PlayStation 3, one for the PC and two others are to be set up in the European market.

This merger will allow players to join one another and choose whether to play between PvE and PvP using phase shifters which can be found in either the JLA Watchtower or the Hall of Doom.

The merger will start with Europe’s PC servers Monday Morning at 8 AM CET, followed by the US PC’s on Wednesday (same time) and then the US PlayStation 3 servers will merge on Thursday followed by Europe’s PS3 on the following Monday. The merging will inevitably make the servers go down for approximately 10 to 14 hours but it will (hopefully) be completely worth it.

The one downside is that a lot of players have the same names across multiple servers so some people will be prompted to choose a new name once the servers get back online.

You can check out Sony’s in depth write up on their website for more information.

EA Sports Presents: Season Ticket

2011-08-07T21:29:00.002-04:00

EA Sports made an announcement during their press release a few days ago regarding this new program titled Season Ticket. Season Ticket is supposedly a new subscription service that will give you discounts and specialized web content as well as early access to releases in the NFL, NHL, FIFA, Tiger Woods and NCAA Football franchises. Should you become a member, you will also receive a 20% discount on all DLC for EA Sports titles and it is said that one of the first releases will be a Creation Center pack for FIFA Soccer ‘12. This offer will be available to all those who own a PlayStation 3 or an Xbox 360 for the low price of $24.99/2000 MS Points per YEAR.

Now there’s a catch, as we know, there’s always a catch. Obviously the access to games early is a really big incentive for everyone, but this is how it’s going to go for everyone with subscriptions. You will be able to download the game as early as 3 days in advance and the download will be a digital copy straight to your system…little do you know that the download expires after the 3 days and the game gets into retail locations.

It’s also pretty obvious that EA wouldn’t have given away 5 big titles a year for only $25 but those sports fans that are really into the EA franchises will most likely be the people to look into this offer more. All members will receive a hard copy and a digital copy of a membership badge.

Good deal or not?

Source: G4

Minecraft Beta

2011-08-07T21:28:00.001-04:00

Mojang’s Markus “Notch” Persson and Daniel Kaplan sat down with Develop and talked about some more details revolving around Minecraft and it’s launch on the XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade). They described how they were going to take the same approach with the XBLA release as they did with the PC release, “the way we’re going to do it is similar to how we did Minecraft on the PC. So we’ll do a beta version first or something like that and then try to get feedback - find out which parts are actually fun to do, what do you like doing when playing on the console as opposed to the PC. I think there will be a big overlap in terms of both console and PC players, and they can help us figure it out.”

You can check out more info via the interview thanks to Develop.

http://www.develop-online.net/features/1386/QA-The-men-behind-Minecraft

Source: Game Informer

Lollipop Chainsaw - Zombie Killing Cheerleaders

2011-08-07T21:25:00.000-04:00

We’ve had movies about zombies, about cheerleaders and now we actually have a video game about zombie slaying cheerleaders. Lollipop Chainsaw is a hack and slash game brought to you by Suda 51 and Warner Brothers which will throw you into a loop with the creativity and wacky action involved. You will be playing as Juliet Starling, a high school cheerleader and you’ll be going on a mission to slay zombies.

The game is rumoured to be released in the US, UK, Spain, Italy, Japan, Germany and Australia for the 360 and the PS3. You can check out the website, Facebook page, and Twitter for the game via the links below:

Website: http://www.lollipopchainsaw.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LolliChainsaw

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LollipopChainsaw

Source: G4

Upcoming Releases on the PSN

2011-08-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

This week there are a few heavy hitters available to be downloaded on the PSN. First up we have Far Cry 2 which will be able to be downloaded as a full-length game. Second we have the Madden NFL ‘12 demo and the Driver: San Francisco demo!

Here’s a little bit of background on each of the games so that you know what you’re getting into:

Far Cry 2: This RPG/FPS will be an adventure throughout Africa as you are on a mission to take out “The Jackal,” who is a mysterious character working with all of the African warlords and taking the lives of hundreds. Basically you will be working to exploit the warlord factions by using their own intel against each other while using brute force.

Driver: San Francisco: The story revolves around a guy named John Tanner and he is known as “the Driver.” You will be on a quest to stop crime lord Charles Jericho before he can bring any more devastation to the city of San Francisco. Playing as the Driver you are thrown into a never ending manhunt involving driving a ton of licensed vehicles while also having the option of free roaming car chasing.

Madden ‘12: This game is pretty self explanatory. You will be playing football. There will be a ton of new features added to the game and enhancements that you wouldn’t even believe. The player’s skills have all been revamped and it will be the most realistic sports game to date.

For more info on Madden '12 click here.

Source: IGN

Sony Adds Sucker Punch To Their Roster

2011-08-02T20:01:00.000-04:00

Posted By: Bret

Yup, its true. Sony has bought Sucker Punch. Now what does that mean? It means that InFamous might actually become infamous. Here is a perfect explanation as to why I say this. Remember Socom 1, 2? Well Zipper Interactive developed those games as an independent game developer. Those Socoms are known as the greatest in franchise history. So what happened to Zipper after these titles? The same thing that is happening to Sucker Punch, they were bought by Sony. The next two games put out by Zipper never came anywhere close to the marks of the first two in the series and many blame Sony's "new path" that they went with.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Sucker Punch might be regretting their decision within the next few years. Time will only tell, so sit back and we'll watch where Sony takes the famous InFamous.

Resistance 3 and Skyrim Updates!

2011-07-30T06:45:00.001-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

Just as a heads up for you guys, starting Monday Insomniac Games is going to be giving everyone a chance to be a part of an amazing beta. With their new release of Resistance 3 on the horizon, Insomniac is going to be giving out free beta codes so that you can play the game alongside those who own SOCOM 4. We're pretty sure that the company will be giving the codes out via their Facebook page but just in case here's a list of all of their social media pages for your browsing pleasure:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/insomniacgames
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/insomniacgames

As for the Skyrim updates, there's not much news on their front aside from the fact that they were featured in the Speakeasy blog in the Wall Street Journal. I think that's a pretty big deal, what say you?

"From Dust" Launch Trailer

2011-07-30T06:35:00.000-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

As a fan of strategy games, it is my pleasure to bring to you, From Dust, a brand new thrilling strategy game. You will have the joy of being The Breath who has the capability of controlling water, dirt, and lava in an attempt to aid a tribe in need of help. Check out the trailer below!

Xbox 360 Games - E3 2012 - From Dust

Source: G4

Socom 2 HD?

2011-07-28T13:07:00.000-04:00

For years and years now one of the biggest topics you hear from the heart of the community over at socom.com is a plea for a remake of the older Socoms. Something that closely replicates the classic Socom series to a T. On the playstation share blog a Socom 2 HD poll has been up for a year now and has accumulated close to 11,000 votes bringing it into the top 10 for requests on the blog.

Today, I wanted to show you guys a video that surfaced on youtube in which a Socom fan claims to know that Zipper Int. has begun working on Socom 2 HD. In most cases I would blow videos like this off as people just trying to get attention, but for some reason this guy has a vibe that keeps me wondering.

Also, everyone who would like to support Socom 2 HD can still vote for it here http://share.blog.us.playstation.com/ideas/2010/03/17/socom-ii-hd/

Black Ops Annihilation Map Pack

2011-07-28T01:20:00.000-04:00

Posted by: Bret

Today the PS3 will get a taste of the new DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops. To help brief you on everything available in the Annihilation map pack, here is a quick video that should tell you all you need to know!

Oh and If you don't remember, my name is Bret and I am alive, glad to see you guys again.

See you guys on Black Ops!

Resistance 3 Beta Details

2011-07-07T21:49:00.000-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

As per Insomniac Games’ blog, here’s some info on when you can be expecting the beta to launch and who will have access to play it. Next week, the friends and family beta will be released for Resistance 3 (this will be for friends/family of the devs). This beta will be online solely for Insomniac to test their servers before everyone bombards them with the release of the early access beta.

Now, the early access beta includes those who purchased specially marked game of SOCOM 4 and those in Europe who have PlayStation Plus. Those with early access betas will be able to play the Resistance 3 beta during the month of August and during this time they will be using our input to test the servers for the anticipated release of the game on September 6th.

Once again: those of you who have the early access vouchers (from SOCOM 4), the beta will begin in early August. It will also be available for those users who have PlayStation Plus in SCEE territories.

Source: InsomniacGames.com

QuakeCon 2011

2011-07-07T21:26:00.000-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

QuakeCon 2011 isn’t just about Quake, contrary to what the popular belief is. The even will begin on August 4th and continue on through August 7th. Todd Howard, game director of Skyrim, will be presenting Skyrim to the public for the first time alongside a public demo of Prey 2. Not only will there be live demos but you will also be able to play a few games, we know for sure that Rage will be available for play on the show floor.

The best part about QuakeCon 2011? General admission tickets are FREE so if you live in Dallas, Texas don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity. If you don’t live in the immediate Dallas area don’t worry because G4 will be covering the entire event all week.

Uncharted Movie: New Crew

2011-07-07T21:24:00.001-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

Just when you thought the Uncharted hype was going to end, we have even more details to share with you guys. Apparently, there is an Uncharted movie coming out at some point in time. Originally the film was going to be picked up by David O. Russell but he dropped the project in May because of “creative differences.” Luckily, Neil Burger, who most recently worked on Limitless, decided that this was something that he wanted to take on.

Mark Wahlberg is said to play the role of Nathan Drake in the original adaptation (David O. Russell) of the movie but it is unclear as to whether Wahlberg is still in the running or if there has been a new candidate chosen.

Source: G4

Bethesda Softworks a ZeniMax Media company presents: Dishonored

2011-07-07T21:20:00.001-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

Today one of the largest video game publishers (in my books) announced a brand new video game titled Dishonored. Dishonored will be a first-person action game under the development of Arkane Studios and under the publishing ability of Bethesda Softworks a ZeniMax Media company.

The lead designer of Arx Fatalis, Raphael Colantonio and the lead designer on Deus Ex, Harvey Smith will both be collaborating as co-creative directors of this new game. Dishonored WILL be multi platform, looking to hit shelves for the 360, PS3, and PC sometime during 2012.

If you’re looking for more details on the game stay tuned because the August issue of Game Informer (hits news stands on July 15th) will include all of the info that you’re looking for. Additional details and information can be found on Game Informer’s website throughout the month of August.

“At Arkane we have a passion for creating deep, immersive game experiences. To be able to finally share details of our project is both extremely exciting and satisfying.” Says Colantonio.

Source: BethBlog

Uncharted 3 Beta Release Date AND Time

2011-06-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

Here’s a handy little tool for all of you Uncharted 3 fans, a time zone chart.

You’re probably like “…okay, why do I need one of these?”

Well, let’s just say that this will allow you to see exactly what country will be receiving the Uncharted 3 beta first and when it will be available to you.

Click here for the time zone chart.

You’re welcome :)

For more on Uncharted 3's multiplayer follow this link!

Source: Naughty Dog

Just How Hard Is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Master Quest?

2011-06-28T09:30:00.001-04:00

Posted by: Tiara Sleight

When we were first aware of the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D we were discussing how the master quest was going to be revamped and quite harder than you remember. We’re happy to say that Eiji Aonuma, the director of the game has released a statement explaining just how different the master quest will be.

“People who play the Master Quest are looking for something formidable, but I didn’t think it would be that challenging if it were the same as in the original, so Link takes double damage. The world of the Master Quest is a mirror reflection of the main game, so if you go somewhere thinking you’ve already figured it out once so it’ll be easy, you might be out of the game simply by falling off of a cliff! You’re like, ‘What?! That’s a game over?!’”

He also went on to say, “You can clear a lot of games today just by playing them casually, so it feels nice to have to go back and heal before a boss battle. The Master Quest is extremely tense and rewarding.”

Source: CVG