Crackdown 2 Agility Orb Map

I picked up Crackdown 2 today and let me tell you, I'm very excited to partner up with my favorite Agency "voice" to shoot bad guys, jump across rooftops, and run over mutant freaks. There will be a review shortly so check back on the website in a few days! For now, here's the Crackdown 2 Agility orb map found from gamesradar.com.

Click to Enlarge

Project Natal AI Milo Development Ongoing

Was anyone amazed/creeped out at last years E3's showing of Peter Molyneux's Milo? The original announcement video featured an extremely intelligent, state of the art AI capable of expressing emotions, recognizing faces, and making us all question whether the Terminator series will become reality.

The demo which was vaguely reminiscent of Steven Spielberg's early 2001 film Artificial Intelligence (only much less depressing and in a video game format) introduced elements new to not only the gaming community but could be considered revolutionary to the future of "smart" computing technology. Peter Molyneux himself even commented on his ambitious project with high hopes that Milo could "change the world."

There has been confusion however, in regards to the Milo production. In fact, a top Microsoft executive claimed Milo will no longer be a game, later to clarify that it will be a game. Confused? Molyneux had things to say regarding his project in an interview at the GameHorizon conference in Gateshead, England.

"Milo has been a really hard thing to do and a really hard thing to describe," he said. "I have real sympathy for the [Microsoft] people over in Redmond, because they understandably have some questions."

Hopefully we will learn more in the next coming weeks especially with Molyneux participating in the TEDGlobal talk on July 13, where he'll be amongst peers discussing "human systems." According to his TED bio, Molyneux is "building an astonishing new 'virtual friend' who interacts with you.'"

Sounds a little like Milo right?

If you missed the original Project Natal Milo demo, you can see it here

Been Away for Awhile

If you've been checking back on the site you may have noticed that there haven't been any posts lately. My internet has been going crazy for the last few days but I assure you the site will be back up and running like always with daily updates starting in the next few days!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Metal Gear Solid: Rising Details Released

Metal Gear Solid Rising, the next MGS game in line after the PlayStation 3 mass hit Metal Gear Solid 4 made its bow at E3 showcasing what the ‘Lightning bolt action’ game has to offer. With mystery shrouded around where Rising will take place in the MGS timeline and how the gameplay will work. At E3 Konami showed how the game will work in a new trailer with the games main character – Raiden.

With the game due out next year, MGS fans are drooling for more information on the title. Fortunately the folks over at First Play have an interview in the latest edition where Rising director Mineshi Kimura revealed some details about the game.

• Kimura confirmed his team were interested in Kinect and Move and have even done research into implementing both motion devices into Rising. He stopped short of actually confirming either would make the final game, though.

• Raiden’s sword will control similarly to the system seen in MGS2. You’ll aim and angle your katana with the right stick (like Sons of Liberty), but the controls will be much more accurate and refined than the swordplay seen in the PS2 title.

• The katana is considered a stealth weapon. And Kimura hinted you will be able to take on enemies with rockets and other weapons.

• The story takes place between MGS2 and MGS4 and is set to explain how Raiden went from floppy haired moaner to badass ninja.

• Snake might appear, because it takes place in the same timeframe, though the team haven’t decided whether to stick him in or not yet.

• The story will be more accessible to make it easier for folk who’ve never played the series before.

• The scale of the stealth will be larger and more ambitious than before, simply because Raiden has more abilities than Snake.

• That glowy spine thingy Raiden cuts out of the cyborg at the start of the trailer isn’t actually a spine. No, it’s an intestinal battery ripped from the baddy’s stomach. Raiden will have to harvest these as their electricity powers his sword. He can also cut and harvest different organs to regain health.

• It will not be a mindless hack ‘n slash title. The player will have to precisely cut certain weak parts of many enemies to do them in. Cutting is not limitless, either. Some bad guys will have parts that can’t be sliced and diced. So you’ll have to aim strategically.

• The slow motion that appears near the end of the video is partially context sensitive. It will kick in during counters and certain moves, like when Raiden kicks the guard and knocks him off balance.

• And finally Kimura gave some insight into the Lightning Bolt Action tagline. The game will be faster and more intense than previous games. Lightning is fast and intense. Ladies and gentleman, we give you your tenuous link.

Article Courtesy of PlaystationLifestyle.net

Red Dead Redemption Co-Op Pack is FREE

PS3 Games - E3 2010 - Red Dead Redemption

Giddyup cowboy. Rockstar Games' extremely successful western shooter Red Dead Redemption has received its first addition to the already extensive content with the Outlaws to the End mission pack. This downloadable content features 6 co-op missions, new achievements/trophies and supports up to four players.

And the best news of all, it costs $0.00. Meaning it is entirely free!

Anyone play it yet, comments, impressions?

Crackdown 2 Demo Now Available on Xbox Live

For anyone who enjoys utter destruction, super human powers, and explosions up the wazoo here's a friendly reminder from your favorite Agency representative, THE CRACKDOWN 2 DEMO IS OUT! Ruffian Games' free roam sequel to Crackdown will be released July 6th. For anyone unable to wait, the demo is now available on Xbox Live as so if you'd excuse me, I have things to blow up.

You Know You're a Dedicated Gamer When You...

As gamers we all embrace not just video games, but the culture and industry behind it. Meaning if you're a real gamer others will know. Here's a list of the ways you can tell if someone is a true video game aficionado.

You know you're a dedicated gamer when you...

1. Have a list on your desk with all the new game releases scheduled for the next few months or even next year.

• Gotta start saving early right?

2. Ask your girlfriend/boyfriend for a video game on your anniversary.

• I don't know about you, but I'd take a game over flowers any day.

3. Hang on to video game classics even though you must have beaten them a million times.

• In my room, my N64 is sitting right next to my Xbox 360. There's no way I'm giving that away, how would I replay Ocarina of Time for the 8th time?

4. Force your skeptical friends to play your favorite games saying, "Dude just play the first level."

• I made my friend play the first level of Dead Space. He had nightmares the next day. That's what I call friendship.

5. Need your own console.

• Hardcore gamers don't share, unless of course they're broke.

6. Call your friends by their gamertags or PSN IDS when NOT playing.

• Hey it's just a nickname anyway.

7. Have your own custom controller.

• Mine is bright pink, top that.

8. Know all the gaming abbreviations.

• From FPS to MMORPG, no one can say gamers can't spell.

9. Only use an arcade stick for classic fighters.

• Streetfighter with a controller? Bah, no need!

10. Recognize weapons in real life from Call of Duty.

• Is it me or do you feel like your getting a military education from cod?

11. Use Gamefly

• For movie buffs there's Netflix, for us, there's Gamefly.

12. Rock a video game tattoo, T-shirt, or car sticker.

• I don't know how many halo bumper stickers I've seen in the past few years. All I know is that I want one.

13. You're reading this list right now!

• If you can relate to a few of the points on this list, than u must be more than a casual gamer. I'm a hardcore gamer and I'm proud of it!

E3 2010: F.E.A.R. 3 First Look

E3 introduced a multitude of shooters to the gaming community this year but none quiet as unique as the latest to the F.E.A.R. series. F.E.A.R. 3, which is scheduled to be released October 31, 2010 on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC reintroduces the supernatural feel that fans know so well with brothers Paxton Fettel and Point Man.

F.E.A.R. 3 allows players to control either one of the brothers in a co-op experience new to the franchise. Paxton who was killed by his brother in the last installment, now roams the world as a ghost with extraordinary powers. One of which, allows him to take over the bodies of other characters turning friends against one another. Point Man is also available as a playable character, offering more of a typical first person shooter style complete with guns and armaments to battle with.

This uneasy alliance among the brothers builds an entirely new level of tension, trust is only a facade. F.E.A.R. 3 takes the reigns from the previous game in a strange way. It's 9 months later, and Alma, the key figure in the series is pregnant. Rift events randomly appear in the world, tearing apart any hope of safety and stability. These events coincide with Alma's contractions and are sure to provide an intense ride for Paxton and Point Man.

If your confused, I'm sorry and so are we. That's all the news we got straight from the producers' mouths. We'll keep you updated on any more supernatural weirdness that only F.E.A.R. could produce.

PC Games - E3 2010 - F.E.A.R. 3

E3 2010: Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Real Technology Comes to Life

"The soldier of the future is an F-16 on legs." According to Ubisoft's latest addition to the Ghost Recon franchise, in the future a soldier with the firepower of a F-16 jet may be the least of your worries. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, set to be released on multiple platforms November 30, 2010 paints an accurate picture of what military operations might just be like in the not so distant future.

Future Soldier takes command of the Ghost Squad, highly trained, highly specialized group of soldiers who approach battle with completely diverse styles. This is playable through 4-player co-op where teamwork and planning can be combined for deadly results. Producers warn us, you might very well need a headset to communicate with friends and effectively strategize. The future setting of Future Soldier opens the door to possibilities not yet available, especially pertaining to the technology.

The producers of Future Soldier pride themselves in incorporating real life technology or at least concepts that scientists have been pondering into the game in a playable form. Optical camouflage is one of the most coveted gadgets seen in the demo allowing players to utilize stealth in the middle of a battlefield by appearing completely invisible. Sounds a little too much like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak? This technology is real and in development today. Optic camo like the one present in Future Soldier is coming to fruition by using nanomachines and nanotechnology woven into suit fibers to create the appearance of invisibility. But don't worry, this gadget is certainly not the only asset to the game.  

Developers assure us the optic camo won't be completely unstoppable. Enemies can posses counter technology that knocks your camo offline, not to mention a power meter that drains with continuous use so relying entirely on the stealth suit might just get you killed.

Luckily Future Soldier offers 30+ other weapons and technology to use at your disposal ranging from MRG's to laser weapons. A player can experience the game through stealth, action, and everything in between. Although the game's structure is mission based, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier promises to take the online multiplayer to a new, less predictable level. Not much has been released on this topic, but we expect to find out in the coming months.




 

Xbox 360 Games - E3 2010 - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

E3 2010: Medal of Honor Multiplayer Demo

Electronic Arts is pulling out the big guns to prove its self as a serious competitor against the reigning champs of platform shooters. Call of Duty may have to take a back seat to the latest E3 first person shooter, Medal of Honor for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Producer Patrick Lou, was at E3 discussing the newest and most impressive additions of the Medal of Honor series. With a release date set in America for October 12th and the 15th in Europe this game is coming up fast, and from what we've seen, we're pretty excited. Medal of Honor is actually taking place in present day Afghanistan, this is the first Medal of Honor game that takes place in modern time.

Many of the online modes have not been revealed yet, but Lou did mention a game mode called combat mission. From the little bit mentioned, combat mission will be played with a team of players tackling a level and completing objectives. Of course, with any online game, there will be a leveling up and ranking system. If you work hard enough you can become a tier one operator and get your own home grown beard that comes with some fancy shades and your very own hat. Seriously.

Unfortunately, Lou did not say anything about the story mode, but he did say that the game is more focused on the soldiers rather than the war. They really wanted to make this game feel and look real. From what they've shown it looks like they have accomplished what they set out to do. Now all we have to do is wait and see if the game really lives up to our expectations.

PC Games - E3 2010 - Medal of Honor

E3 2010: EA's Dead Space 2 Scarier Than Ever

EA's survival horror hit Dead Space, is back with a sequel. Dead Space 2 set to be released January 25, 2011 for multiple platforms looks just as good as the original, maybe even better. Today at E3, developers and producers delivered the latest news about the series.

Dead Space 2 takes place on The Spawl which is a giant space city on one of Saturn's moons, Titan. This happens to be the site of the first ever planet crack and will surely provide plenty of new environments to the Dead Space universe. One such location featured in the demo is the Church of Unitology. The dark, almost Gothic themed building was crawling with necromorphs, some in which make their debut in Dead Space 2.

The Pack, Tripod, Puker, and Stalker are some of the new additions to the necromorph flock. The Pack, as shown in the demo, utilize their numbers to overwhelm its enemies. We can't wait to see what other deformed creatures EA will scare us with.

For these souped up baddies, EA will give us a whole new arsenal of weapons. The favorite so far is the Javelin Gun which allows the main character Issac to pin necromorphs to the wall with ease. Speaking of Issac, the protagonist from the first game will be returning as the hero in Dead Space 2. EA developers have given Issac a more natural feel, meaning he will be more responsive when it really counts.

An old element returning in a new way in Dead Space 2 is the no gravity zones. This time however, no gravity movement won't just be from point A to point B as it was in the original but more of a 360 degree experience. Also, decompression will be available for players to take advantage of. By shooting a glass window for example, enemies will be sucked out into space while Issac holds on for dear life.

I don't know about you but I'm ready to get freaked out next year with Dead Space 2.