Electronic Entertainment and Technology Blog
Yet another game that has advertised Co-Op play. This feature seems to be the latest trend in gaming for 2010.
Players will be able to use a transceiver at any time to call a friend into their game. They can then faceoff against Zombies together, race through malls on skateboards and get up to all other sorts of shenanigans together.
Fantastic news for gamers everywhere. Red Dead Redemption, the latest Open World game from Rockstar set in the Wild West, will feature multiple difficulty levels.
The difficulty levels relate directly to the method of control that players will have regarding the aiming of the various weapons. I am of the opinion that gamepads are horrible controllers for First Person Shooters, and am a great fan of the ‘Lock On’ style aiming in Grand Theft Auto 4 as compared to the aiming in any of the HALO titles. It seems that Rockstar is trying to meet the needs of its variety of customers by allowing a Lock-On mode in Casual difficulty, all the way up to a Free Aim mode in Expert. Normal has a sort of snap-to-target with some precise targeting mixed in.
I think it’s an excellent move that will no doubt greatly expand the reach and playability of the title. Shame this isn’t due out for the PC. The game launches on May 18th for the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 in North America, and May 21st in Europe.
From the fact that enemies drop ‘loot’ , to the requirement for 400 Frost Emblems, MMORPGs are scientifically designed to get you addicted and to keep you playing.
The sad part of all this is that many people become addicted to MMORPGs because it provides and fulfills the need for self determination, complexity and the connection between effort and reward which their Education or Careers do not provide.
Quick, tangible rewards and a sense of accomplishment are missing from the lives of many of us, and apparently these basic elements are quite important for a balanced psyche.
Now the ethics of all this can be debated, game companies are there to earn money, therefore games are structured to keep the player paying. Players though, have the power to stop rewarding the treadmill style of game design. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees when you are already addicted , however!
If there was any doubt that Microsoft’s consoles and accessories are grossly overpriced in the current market, rumor has it that a USD299.00 Xbox 360 Slim may appear this year.
This new SKU will have a greatly reduced form factor, and sport a massive 250GB hard disk. Currently these Hard drives are available either in expensive bundles or separately for USD129.99
Natal is Microsoft’s motion detecting peripheral which is supposed to enable the console to track your body movements to control games.
The question that potential buyers should ask though, is what radical change is the market going to undergo between now and later this year which could see a product currently sold for 129.99 be bundled with a brand new console for 299.00? Is the Xbox 360 SLIM really costing just 80US to make? I highly doubt. It seems more likely that Microsoft has grossly overpriced the current 250GB offering.
The Splinter Cell Conviction Co-Op Multiplayer has several modes that increases the value of the game incredibly, in my view.
Take a look at the video here. I’m definitely picking this up for the PC when it’s out…no, actually I’ll have to pick up Two!
Awesome stuff!
Ubisoft announced the next title in the Ghost Recon Series – Future Soldier. Ghost Recon has always been a 4 man Squad based Tactical First Person Shooter, where running and gunning was very likely to get you killed. Care and consideration had to be given to Cover, location of opponents, and the devices and gadgets at your disposal.
Future Soldier reprises these themes only with even more cutting edge Gadgetry and the promise of new Gameplay elements as a result. Here’s what Ubisoft themselves had to say:
The game will feature cutting-edge technology, prototype high-tech weaponry, and state-of-the-art single-player and multiplayer modes. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will go beyond the core Ghost Recon franchise and deliver a fresh gameplay experience, with an unparalleled level of quality that will excite long-time fans and newcomers alike.
In the meantime, take a look at the new trailer.
The venerable turn based strategy series, XCOM, is being turned into a First Person Shooter by Bioshock 2 Development Studio – 2K Marin. The game is to be released for PC and Xbox 360.
Why would anyone turn XCOM into a First Person Shooter? Well I suppose 2K is hoping that the name recognition of XCOM coupled with the popularity and easy sell of a First Person Shooter will ensure high sales. They obviously have no interest in bringing a quality Turn Based Strategy title to the market, which is what XCOM was and what the fans loved.
The old XCOM, the way it was meant to be :
The Gears of War 3 Trailer has been released. This is pure CGI, no gameplay is shown. It’s actually quite depressing and macabre, just like the game’s subject matter.
We can expect the game to be released on April 8th 2011 for Europe and the Rest of The World, and on April 5th 2011 for the US.
The game will feature 4 player Co-Op through the single-player Campaign.
The highly popular 1993 game by Bullfrog Entertainment seems set to return to the market in a modern incarnation. Over on Kotaku they’ve posted information that suggests certain trademark filings in 2009 indicate Electronic Arts may be working on a remake.
There is a dearth of similar titles on the market now. We have no more Turn Based strategy games. I had great fun with Xcom (who didn’t!) , Jagged Alliance, and Silent Storm. Sadly these games have gotten quite long in the tooth, and just don’t have the expected visual thrills that gamers have come to rely on.
A while back, the Escapist magazine also posted that a revised Syndicate Game was definitely in the works for Next Gen PCs and game consoles.
Here’s hoping that EA really does bring back good ole Syndicate!
source: Kotaku
You can download a demo of the hack and slash title Fairytale Fights from the Xbox Live Marketplace now. The game looks like fun, if you’re into mindlessly hacking away at a variety of cute opponents. It’s a bit amusing that it only lasts for 90 seconds..it makes you wonder at what point the developers think you’d get bored of the gameplay!
The PS3 is due to get the demo on the Playstation Network by the 10th of December.
