Month: October 2008

Tales of Symphonia 2’s Opening Is So RPG

Besides hiding my head under a rock, one of my other hobbies is missing out in video game news that everyone else knows about. Namely, that there is a Tales of Symphonia sequel (titled Dawn of Souls) hitting the Wii in November. Wtf? For those of you who don’t know, ToS was a Gamecube RPG that was one of the shining stars of that system, and one of the best RPG’s of last gen, in my opinion.

I seriously had no clue about this game, or I would have been excited as I am right now. What’s funnier is I saw this back at PAX, but thought it was just the original ToS being re-released with waggle controls, so I barely gave it a glance. Here’s the opening cinematic from the game. Did anyone else play the original ToS?

Resistance 2, Trophy Style

One of my anticipated games of the Fall/Winter gaming extravaganza is Resistance 2, as I’m sure some of you have guessed. It actually seems like this installment of the franchise will have more of a story to go on, and the gameplay is just looking fantastic.

So, for you completion gurus out there like myself, the Resistance 2 trophies have been released. Browse it, dissect it, take it apart, and get more excited about the game. Also, be careful, there might be a couple of spoilers hidden with its secret well of secrets.

Trophies after the jump!

Continue reading Resistance 2, Trophy Style

Flying the Reaver in Gears of War 2

While it is an unusually slow time for video game news, there is apparently an unending well of information regarding Gears of War 2.

Some new Gears of War 2 screenshots were released today, showing off some more of the game’s gorgeous visuals and fairly varied locales. While somewhat similar, they at least look more colorful than the first game, which was mostly just brown places. One of the screenshots in particular that is eye-grabbing is the shot of the heroes atop a flying Reaver, escaping from some terrible and gigantic beast-thing. Hype level: rising.

Source- Xbox360Fanboy

Great Deal On A PS3 HDD Upgrade

Is your PS3 memory getting filled out more than an application? I know mine is. My puny 40 GB HDD is down to a measly 10 GB and with Little Big Planet and Fallout 3 looming in the near future, steps must be taken. Thankfully, I have found a great deal on Amazon.com that I wanted to point out to you guys. Simply click the link above and feast your eyes on a 320 GB with FANTASTIC reviews from people who used it for their PS3. The price? $83.90.  Not too shabby, huh? So what are you waiting for????

Halo Wars Gameplay Footage

Well, it’s a rather slow weekend in terms of video game news, so at the risk of turning into Halo-sushi, I thought I’d post some Halo Wars actual gameplay footage, rather than just the trailer from the other night. It seems to be standard RTS fare, with that Halo-rific twist on the gameplay.

It actually seems to work pretty well from the screen, and is probably simple to control to boot, given that it’s designed for the 360. I do worry about how fun the game will be though, considering that there seems to only be 2 races, Covenant and Human. I doubt we’ll see the Flood making any appearances. Thoughts?

Machinima: Oil’s Well

I’m not sure just how many of you are familiar with Machinima, but one of my favorite machinimakers out there is Ross Scott, who makes a little series in Half Life 2 called Civil Protection. These episodes star Mike and David, two combines who patrol the streets of City 17 and have humorous antics.

However, in the newest short, he has them talking about today’s oil crisis. I’ve always been really impressed with Scott’s camera work and manipulation of the Source engine, knowing a little about Hammer (the editor) myself. I’m pretty much in awe of some of what he pulls off here.

Bungie Introduces “BuTube”

Ok, it’s not really called that, but hey, a man’s got to dream. For those of you that play Halo 3, this will be some rather cool news. And even if you don’t, it’s kind of a crazy step forward in terms of console conline communities go, that you can look forward to seeing in your favorite games down the road.

Bungie is adding a feature on their site in the near future that will allow Halo 3 players to upload their saved film files and then render them into WMV files. That’s right, you don’t need a capture card any longer to share your video clips with the Web.

Continue reading Bungie Introduces “BuTube”

Halo Wars: Field Trip to Harvest Trailer

A new trailer has surfaced for Halo Wars, finally giving us a glimpse into what specifically the story is going to be about, besides Halos and/or Wars. For those of you who don’t know, Harvest was the point where the Covenant first attacked humanity, and it seems that they must return their for some mysterious purpose before the events of Halo proper.

So, is anyone else but me excited about this game? I mean, I’m not jumping out of my chair for it, but I’m still keen to see more about the mythology of the franchise.

MOD Squad Weekend on Steam

Got Steam? Like MODs?

Well, this is your lucky weekend, because Valve is making a new effort to push community-created MODs. To show their undying love to you, the gamers, they are releasing, free of charge, 5 new Source MODs for anyone that already has a Half-Life 2 property installed on their computer. Also, you can grab HL2: Episode 1 for just $4.99.

All in all, the MODs look pretty great. I’m particularly interested in Age of Chivalry and Zombie Panic. There’s also Synergy, which allows friends to play through HL2 co-operatively. What are you waiting for? Go get your free games!

Source (no pun intended)- Steam

Wii Punch-Out Trailer

Ah, the nostalgia begins. So far, Wii Punch Out is looking good. Really, they could just recreate the exact same game with some updated graphics and I’d be happy with it. Luckily, that’s about exactly what this seems to be. Hopefully it’s got a tad more depth though, and maybe a little bit more length on it.

Bravo Nintendo!

Mega Man Create-A-Boss

Now that Mega Man 9 has landed, it seems like the retro craze is firing up. I was a big fan of the Mega Man series on the original NES, so I’m really pumped to see this one finally out. Like we’ve said before, it seems that some styles of gaming never get old.

All of that lead up is to introduce a new app from Destructoid that is blowing my mind: the Mega Man 9 Boss Maker. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. You can mix, match, customize and name your own boss character for the Mega Man series, and it’s a blast.

Continue reading Mega Man Create-A-Boss

Rumor: Revealing the KOTOR MMO

The long-rumored (and sort of confirmed by EA) KOTOR MMO has been a thing of legend over the last few months. As a joint venture between LucasArts and Bioware, it’s got fanboys (namely, me) chomping at the bit for any kind of official confirmation or piece of news to show that dear sweet Lord, it is true.

Well, according to CVG, that news is coming soon. Like, in just a few weeks.

Personally, I’m dying to hear something about this game, seeing as how KOTOR is one of my favorite games of all time. I’ve never allowed myself to touch an RPG, but for this, I just might have to break those rules.

What about you guys? Excited about a KOTOR MMO?

Source- CVG

Sin and Punishment 2 Teaser

Wow. Got to hand it to Nintendo for this one. If you were unaware, a game existed in Japan for the N64 called Sin and Punishment, an on-rails shooter that many consider to be one of the best of the N64, if not one of the best in that genre altogether. Sadly, we never knew its joy in America except through drastic means.

Well, it looks like a Sin and Punishment sequel is going to be hitting the Wii, and even though it’s just a teaser trailer, some of the gameplay footage really does look incredible. Now that I’m done peeing my pants about it, watch the video.

EA Cancels Tiberium, Comment Fight Ensues

Nothing like a good old fashioned blog war. In case you hadn’t heard, EA has canceled Tiberium, the sci-fi RTS/FPS that had you playing as generic space marines fighting some generic bad guys. Wait, why was this canceled again? I think there’s a market for that.

Anywho, what’s even crazier than this game getting canceled is the comment fight that erupted at Gamasutra, where several disgruntled developers have weighed in on what the real development problems were with the game, naming names and crucifying producers and execs.

Continue reading EA Cancels Tiberium, Comment Fight Ensues

Lame: GamePro’s Best PC Games

So a few weeks ago, I cried foul about GamePro’s not-so-great “Best 360 Games” list. Well, I’m here to break it to you: the newest installment, “The 32 Best PC Games of All Time”? Even worse. Yes, believe it.

Once again, I understand that this is all opinion, but just take a gander at the positioning of some of these great games, and where they fall. To give you a little hint: Doom, even though it’s perhaps one of the most influential games of all time, didn’t even land on the list, and World of Warcraft is declared the number one PC game of all time.

Continue reading Lame: GamePro’s Best PC Games

Want In The Resistance 2 Beta?

Just a quick heads up- for a limited time, it seems that applications are being accepted to be a part of the Resistance 2 beta. If you want to get in on the action before the actual PS3 game ships in November, then this is definitely the way to do it.

The process is easy. Just head over to the Resistance 2 beta application, and sign in online with your PSN ID. Answer a few questions, and the whole thing should be done, piece of cake. You’ll be notified in an e-mail at a later date if you’ve been accepted.

I’ve already sent mine in. Go go go!

Is Co-Op the New Versus?

When I think back on the times that define my life as a gamer, the moments that stick out to me typically involve other people. Sure there are those fantastic single player experiences like Mario 64 or Final Fantasy VII that will always stand out in my mind, but something about playing a game together with others seems particularly memorable.

To be honest, I think this love affair for me with multiplayer began in the days of the Nintendo 64, the first system that brought that LAN party feel to the console realm. I remember after school, several of us would play through 4 player titles like Goldeneye, Conkers and Wrestlemania 2000 for hours on end. We’d make characters, perfect taunts, and listen to the Bond theme play endlessley while my brother mowed us down with the RPC 90.

Continue reading Is Co-Op the New Versus?

Introducing: Nintendo DS-i

Maybe they’re trying a little too hard to be like Apple with the name, but nonetheless, Nintendo has announced the DS-i, the new Nintendo DS.

The DS-i will feature a .3 megapixel camera (640 x 480), larger screens and no GBA slot. There will also be an SD card slot to save those pictures onto, as well as some audio enhancements. All in all, this will run you about $180 early next year, whenever this thing comes to the US.

Continue reading Introducing: Nintendo DS-i

Nintendo: New Wii Punch-Out!

Not sure how many of you remember the old school boxer title Punch Out! from the original NES, but it seems that Nintendo is giving the series a slight makeover and then reviving it on the Nintendo Wii.

There aren’t really any other details besides the screen here, but I’ll definitely be following this one pretty closely. I still have fond memories of that game, not to mention the epic training music and montage that went up before the big fights. I’m pretty excited to see this announcement, that’s for sure. What about you guys?

Source- NintendoWiiFanboy

CoD: World at War Co-Op Gameplay

Until recently, I mostly ignored any news about Call of Duty: World at War because the game 1) was back in WW2 and 2) wasn’t made by the same dudes that made CoD4, which is just incredible. However, I’ve started to pay more attention.

One thing that really interests me is the game’s co-op, which actually scales in difficulty depending on the skill levels of the players involved. This sounds like a total blast to me, and some new co-op gameplay footage is now out that really got me wanting this game. In this video featuring a street level, the rain effects are dazzling, and when the tank takes the building down, it just looks awesome.

Thoughts?