'Rock Band' officially priced and dated!
4:33 PM, September 28, 2007
On November 23rd you will be paying... drumroll please... $169.99 for the drums, the guitar, the microphone and the game.
Happy yea!
Exclusive video of Clive Barker discussing Jericho
2:47 PM, September 28, 2007
Doug's post about Clive Barker's Jericho reminded me that I shot some footage of a Q&A Barker did with the crowd at the recent GameStop conference I attended.
The footage didn't make it into the official video I shot and edited, so I just pulled a short clip together for you Punchbutton fans. The audio's a little fuzzy, but you should be able to make it out.
Barker is an eccentric guy, but obviously cares a lot about his work.
Bungie File Share
10:47 AM, September 28, 2007
Here's a screenshot I grabbed from my playthrough of the final campaign level on Halo 3.
'Jericho' demo is a trip to H-E-double-hockeysticks
10:31 AM, September 28, 2007
As a fan of horror movies and violent FPS games, it takes a lot to unnerve me. The story-line of CodeMasters 'Clive Barker's Jericho' for the 360 is completely unnerving... so much so, that as I started the demo (which has recently popped-up on Xbox Live), I almost didn't continue after the intro video to the game. I understand fantasy and fiction concepts, but when the narrative of a game starts delving into religious themes, I get very uncomfortable.
'Jericho' is based on a premise that God's first attempt at creating man was so hideous that it was destroyed in the desert somewhere in the Middle East. Fast forward to modern times, and at said-location, a city rises from the sand... a kind of "hell-on-earth." Some military occult specialists are dropped into the creepy city and, I guess, are ordered to find out what's going on in this place.
Am I the only one that finds this premise upsetting?
A major plot point is revealed in the demo... one of the commandos is killed and his soul is able to move between any character in the game. Gamers are allowed to control this soul-movement and take control (possession?) of any character. Each character has different psychic abilities which, as it turns out, are relevant to the various situations they encounter.
Oh, and each character has a big gun. The only time I giggled at this game was when the narrator was dramatically voicing the bios of each character and said something like, "... she has the amazing ability to use telekinesis for moving objects with her mind, and she carries an automatic pistol."
The game environments are very creepy. Super creepy. Nightmare creepy... very hell-like. And, from the video in the intro, I was expecting to encounter a lot of scary devil-monsters with pentagrams gouged into their foreheads. In this demo however, I mostly ran into "Mummy"-movie rejects. I guess the really disturbing stuff is left for the full game.
'Jericho' is well made, plays well and has a ton of production value, but I'm not sure if I will buy this one... just because of the subject matter. I'm very interested to see if there is any sort of media backlash similar to what 'Manhunt 2' experienced. Strangely I'm more accepting of 'Manhunt 2.' Go figure.
September 27, 2007
Wha? Wait... Bizarre Creations is gone? Really?
12:27 PM, September 27, 2007
The 'Project Gotham' series of games have been my 'Halo' during the times when there is no 'Halo.' I love these games. And on the eve of 'PGR4's' launch, the studio that created them is no more... absorbed by Activision.
1up.com released THIS STORY yesterday about what is in store for the future of the franchise and what will happen to the Bizarre team.
I know it's business, but I hate to see another fantastic franchise team go away. I don't trust PGR titles in the hands of another... but I guess time will tell.
Oh, and what will happen to 'Geometry Wars'? Does Microsoft own the IP? Will the best Xbox Live Arcade title fall into lesser hands?
September 26, 2007
It's official. The launch of 'Halo 3' was the biggest 24 hours in entertainment history
5:43 PM, September 26, 2007
Well, if any of Microsoft's sites were working today, you could officially see that yesterday's 'Halo 3' launch raked in $170 million for the big M (strangely, that's the same amount of money Victor and Marc make every 24 hours (VICTOR COMMENT: Ha! Tell that to my withering bank account.)(MARC COMMENT: Strangely none of that income comes from Punchbutton...hmmmm).
Since you may not be able to read the info here, try C-Net's story here!
VICTOR UPDATE: I've added the official news release from Microsoft after the jump.
'Halo 3' makes me sad (and other observations)
1:13 PM, September 26, 2007
I, unlike my blogging brethren, have to buy my own games... only on their official release dates. I get to stand in line for hours with a bunch of people that embarrass me and make me ashamed I love video games so much. So, only now, can I express my feelings about my last 24 hours with 'Halo 3.'
The game makes me sad.
Why am I sad? Because it's almost over. It's end of Seinfeld, the end of Harry Potter, the end of Star Wars, the end of the Lord of the Rings...it's the end of probably the most anticipated game, ever.
At the conclusion of the fourth chapter, Master Chief stands at the edge of a vast crater and the familiar 'Halo' piano passage plays and, wow, I was really emotionally moved. NO video game has every done that to me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm completely enjoying the game so far (I've just wrapped up Chapter 6 of 9), there's just the overwhelming feeling that it will be ending far too soon. That's also why at the end of each segment, I have to shut down the 360 and take an hour break... just to draw it out a little more.
Sigh.
Here are some random thoughts I've had about the game so far:
• The Legendary Edition, which I purchased, is absolutely HUGE. The planet-sized box is almost a big as the Halo Xbox. But, at least MY discs weren't scratched.
• (Start spoiler) Chapter 3. It's the equivalent of a racing game with reversed and mirrored tracks. You play the level forward, you then backtrack through the level and then you play it again... and it all looks exactly the same (end spoiler).
• The Warthog-toss game on the supplemental disc is strangely addictive.
• The graphics are amazing. I've read reviews complaining about the look of 'Halo 3' and I keep asking myself, "what game are you playing?"
• Ripping guns off turrets is the greatest joy I've had in a FPS in a long time. Wicked cool!
• The music is the best original score I've heard in years. I really equate game music to aural wallpaper... but here, it is totally a character in the game and it truly powers each level.
• I really want to find the 13 skulls hidden in the game.
• I still can't comprehend the supernatural skills of online players. Why can't I be that good?!
• Victor is right, the flame-thrower is jaw-dropping good. It's like recreating John Carpenter's "The Thing" over and over again.
• (Spoiler start) The journey into the Flood's ship is the creepiest thing I have ever seen in a video game. The claustrophobia is staggering; and, even though nothing really happens, my heart was in my throat the entire time (spoiler end).
Can this really be the end of 'Halo' FPS games? I know 'Halo Wars' is on the horizon, but will it really continue the passion that was felt in these last three games?
Double sigh.
Chief rings the bell at Nasdaq, laments selling out
12:58 PM, September 26, 2007
Couldn't they at least get him a Spartan Laser to tote up there? We'd get this mortgage meltdown solved in a hurry.
September 25, 2007
Halo 3: My official review
4:04 PM, September 25, 2007
Halo 3: Microsoft offering free replacements for scratched discs
3:55 PM, September 25, 2007
That didn't take long.
Microsoft is now offering to replace for free any scratched Limited Edition Halo 3 discs.
The free replacement deal runs through Dec. 31. Just fill out the form and mail it back with your scratched disc.
You will have to wait two weeks to get the disc back, though.
From what I've been reading, most retailers seem to be aware of the problem and are simply offering replacement discs on the spot. So I'd try that before waiting a fortnight for a new disc to show up via snail mail.
Also, Microsoft, what the heck is going on in quality control? This is the biggest software launch in the gaming division's history, and the limited edition box was apparently designed by blind children. Good job!
Halo ActionClix tabletop game
2:23 PM, September 25, 2007
So you haven't slept since Sunday, you were up all last night plowing through the entire Halo 3 campaign on legendary difficulty, and your thirst for Halo rages on.
Well, have you considered the Halo ActionClix game?
Each $10 pack contains four miniature Halo figurines, vehicles and weapons, four stat cards, a set of dice so small that you might have to worry about accidentally inhaling them, and a paper map.
I'm not much of a tabletop gamer myself, but the little figurines are kind of cool, and might be worth the 10 bucks just to complete your Halo shrine.
Additional cell phone pics after the jump.
September 24, 2007
Halo 3: Limited Edition case scratching game discs?
10:12 PM, September 24, 2007
When I got my Limited Edition copy of Halo 3 on Saturday, I noticed that the game disc was rattling around loose inside the box.
The plastic nub intended to hold the disc in place wasn't working, and I assumed it was just a problem with my copy. The disc itself looked (and played) fine.
But I was chatting with fellow Punchbutton blogger Marc Kravitz, and he said his limited edition was equally defective and his game disc was scratched (though still playable).
Uh oh.
Now comes word that the problem may be fairly widespread.
So far, there don't seem to be any reports of discs scratched so badly that they're unplayable, and neither the standard nor legendary editions seem to be affected.
But you might want to check your disc before you leave the store.
Did the Wii NASCAR car kick the Halo NASCAR car's butt?
6:00 PM, September 24, 2007
Yes. Yes, it did.
And my PR-meister at Nintendo called it almost to a T.
He was so clairvoyant that I kind of wonder if he popped the hood on the Halo car before the race and disconnected a heat sink or ventilation fan.
From my PR dude's self-congratulatory e-mail/victory lap:
Did the Wii car rock? Yes. Greg Biffle sped across the finish line just 0.0671 seconds behind the winner.
Did the Halo car fizzle out? Yes. Finished 39th of 43 with engine trouble.
My Gamer Tag, if you're looking for a Halo 3 competitor/co-op partner tonight, is...
5:50 PM, September 24, 2007
...TexasGamer
Warning: I'm not very good (at least compared to the hard core players you see on Live), but I usually end the round with at least a few kills in my bag.
I also tend to make a lot of suicidal, one-man assaults on entrenched enemy positions.
Just remember: forewarned is forearmed!
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Our skills sound similar. We would probably match up pretty good in multiplayer. I also tend to rush groups of enemies by myself and with a weak weapon no less. I sent you a friend request. I should recieve my copy of Halo 3 Friday.
See you in Halo, bigE!
Halo 3 -- better than Halo 2
1:56 PM, September 24, 2007
My full review is running tomorrow, but after investing about 10 hours over the weekend in the game (I went to bed at 5 am this morning), I wanted to give you guys an early peek at my review.
Also, I wanted to beat Marc's review up onto the blog.
So, hah!
I think the best way to sum up my review is to list what I think will be the three stages of general reactions to this game: massive hype and excitement, then slight disappointment, and finally renewed appreciation and enjoyment.
You can't escape the hype, and it colors the way we all look at Halo 3 right now.
So we're expecting an epic entertainment experience, the greatest game of all time, and a life-changing dramatic tale all rolled into one.
Well, Halo 3 isn't that.
It's a lot of fun, already one of my favorite Xbox 360 games. But I don't know that it's necessarily better than Gears of War or Dead Rising or Oblivion or BioShock.
So I bet we'll hear some grumbling on the blogs soon after release, and it won't be long before the accepted wisdom is that the Halo franchise was always overrated.
But I'll also bet that, after the radioactive glow of Microsoft's hype campaign fades away, gamers will realize that Halo 3 is, warts and all, entertaining as hell.
My score: A-
I'll post a link to my full review once it's up on dallasnews.com.
UPDATE: Some Halo 3 screens after the jump, if you actually haven't had your fill yet.
Halo, How Are You?
10:49 AM, September 24, 2007
Thanks to our friends at Microsoft, we just recieved our reviewable of HALO3. We're going to tear into the shrink wrap just as sooon as I hit the post button for this entry and run Master Cheif through his paces. Check back in the next few days for our Texas Gamer review.
September 21, 2007
Surprise! Crysis demo delayed!
5:44 PM, September 21, 2007
So apparently the developers at Crytek woke up this morning and realized that Halo 3 is coming out next week.
Because the Crysis singleplayer demo -- originally scheduled to go live on Tuesday, the same freaking day as the Halo 3 launch -- has been delayed until Oct. 26.
Of course, no one at Crytek or EA is mentioning Halo in the official release (peep it after the jump), but c'mon, guys.
Let's just all admit that you guys swallowed your pride and admitted to each other that Crysis was going to be crushed like Bambi at a nuclear bomb test site.
Well, this is interesting, PSP outselling everything (in Japan)
11:09 AM, September 21, 2007
NextGen is reporting (from Japanese sales charts) that the PSP outsold every console in Japan last week.
20,000 more than the Nintendo DS and about 94,000 more than the Xbox 360 (which sold 1243 consoles).
I don't know which is more shocking... the PSP outselling the DS or that the 360 is still so unpopular over there.
Oh, it needs to be pointed out that the PSP was helped by the release of a new PSP Final Fantasy title (it sold over 500,000 copies).
September 20, 2007
'Home' delayed until next year
10:39 AM, September 20, 2007
All of us 'Home' beta-testers saw this one coming.
The 'Home' beta just never met the schedules and expectations that we all were promised. The updates were slow in coming and the new features were never added... plus there just wasn't much to do.
'Home' will be released in 2008.
Official rumblings
10:27 AM, September 20, 2007
Sony officially announced the rumbling Dualshock 3 controller for the PS3 at the Tokyo Game Show.
Why is it not called the SIXAXIS? It retains the same motion sensing technology, now with more weight and happy vibrations.
Japan gets them this November, we get them next year. Awww.
September 19, 2007
Southwest Airlines dumps on the Nintendo Wii
3:51 PM, September 19, 2007
Cross-posted from our airline blog:
Southwest might be a few months late to the my-Wii-broke-my-plasma meme, but a worthy entry in the "Wanna get away?" campaign nonetheless.
Save the 'Halo 3' drama for yo... oh wait, nevermind.
1:33 PM, September 19, 2007
So like every great high-profile retail release, there's bound to be some screw-ups. According to www.pro-g.co.uk, a nearby high-street store (in the UK) sold them a copy of 'Halo 3.' After the United Nations had been contacted and a charity concert was scheduled (just kidding about those things), they contacted Microsoft to ask if it was OK to play the game.
Microsoft issued a warning that anyone caught playing the game prior to the launch date would be banned from Xbox Live. Even if you play the game offline, the second you connect your 360 to the internet, you're banned. Wow.
After word about the threat spread like wildfire, Microsoft quickly retracted the statement and said the threat was only for their own employees.
The drama has been playing out through several blogs and has actually been quite entertaining. It also makes me wish someone would accidentally bring me a copy of the game.
Follow along here, won't you:
Rumble for PS3
12:23 PM, September 19, 2007
EA accidentally (purposely?) allowed IGN.com to play the PS3 version of 'Burnout Paradise' with a SIXAXIS controller that... rumbled!
Let's hope this is confirmation that Sony will be offering this soon.
September 18, 2007
Play N Trade game retailer offers discount for kids with good grades
6:16 PM, September 18, 2007
So while we await the resolution of the GameStop "games for grades" imbroglio, another video game retailer is already offering an official incentive for studious students.
Play N Trade, which I mentioned in my story this past weekend about the GameStop manager's conference, offer pupils a 10 percent discount on used games for each A on the report card.
Play N Trade is a young chain, but it does have one location in Plano.
The full release from this past May is below the jump, but I'd just like to go on the record with my prediction that GameStop will basically adopt this exact policy, reinstate the Oak Cliff manager and call it a day.
FINALLY! Light saber duels coming to the Wii
3:44 PM, September 18, 2007
LucasArts announced today the news that we've all been waiting for:
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Sept. 18, 2007 – LucasArts today revealed that Star Wars™: The Force Unleashed™ will come to the Wii™ home videogame system from Nintendo next spring, offering owners the unique chance to live out their Jedi fantasies by wielding the Wii Remote™ as a lightsaber while using the Nunchuk™ controller to torment foes with their Force™ powers.
The Force Unleashed casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice” and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The game’s expansive story is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi – and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.
The Wii version, in development by Krome Studios, will also add an exclusive duel mode in which players can compete head-to-head with their friends to determine the ultimate Jedi Master.
“The Wii is a great platform for The Force Unleashed, because the console’s motion-oriented controllers really bring the game to life,” said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts. “We’ve worked hard to make the Wii version of the game unique in order to truly let you unleash the Force.”
What's up with all the game-themed NASCAR rides?
2:34 PM, September 18, 2007
Microsoft and Nintendo will each be sponsoring cars in the the NASCAR Dover 400 on September 23rd.
Kevin Sherry, my Nintendo PR guy, was brave enough to send along a prediction for the race:
The Halo car starts out OK, but that’s only because it has a head start. The only people cheering for it are pasty teens who don’t get out much. With the support of men, women, kids and grandparents, the Wii car comes on strong, shows off some cool new moves and easily overtakes its rival, which quickly overheats and is left stalled on the track with two red rings in its headlights.
Pasty teens! The gauntlet has been thrown down!
Limited?
2:06 PM, September 18, 2007
Are the 'Halo' 360's supposedly limited editions? Are they supposedly hard to get? There were hundreds at my local big-box electronic store.
I still want one.
No turning back
1:55 PM, September 18, 2007
I pre-ordered the legendary edition of 'Halo 3' back in 1996. I did this in-store (wasting gas and energy).
Since then, I was actually thinking about canceling my pre-order due to a retail-nightmare-run-in with this particular store. I was going to get my $50 back.
At the same time I went ahead an pre-ordered, again, with a store online. So basically I have two pre-orders.
Well, today my credit card was charged for my online order. I took this to mean the game was about to ship. I called customer service and was told the game was not be leaving the warehouse today and it would not arrive at my house until the release date (drat!). I was also told it was too late to cancel my order.
Now my dilemma: attend the midnight release for my in-store pick-up... and enjoy all-night gaming OR sleep-in and get the game the next day.
I guess I could sell one of my "Legendary Editions" on eBay.
Sleep just sounds so good.
VICTOR COMMENT: 1996? What a fanboy!!
Getting ready for 'Halo 3': a real warthog
1:28 PM, September 18, 2007
You're going to need a band-aid: 'Ninja Gaiden II'
10:52 AM, September 18, 2007
There's an insane gameplay clip of the Xbox 360's upcoming 'Ninja Gaiden II' on YouTube. Melcolm alerted me to its posting.
I would embed the clip here on the front page, but the game is spectacularly brutal and I don't want surprise anyone with the M-rated footage.
You can watch it after the jump. Just remember you've been warned (and it's kind of blurry, so it's hard to tell what's really going on). Also notice the complete lack of character shadows. What's up with that?
September 17, 2007
The Halo 3 hype train hits my desk
1:33 PM, September 17, 2007
That's me (in a pic from the iPhone of fellow tech blogger Jim Rossman) holding the contents of a box of Halo 3 swag sent to me today by 7-Eleven.
Behold the Halo 3 Slurpee cups, the can of Halo 3 Mountain Dew, the bag of Halo 3 Doritos, and the Halo 3 Mountain Dew t-shirt.
Not pictured: the Halo 3 notebook and Halo 3 codpiece (I'm kidding about one of those).
Sad news, Colin McRae (1968-2007)
12:06 PM, September 17, 2007
Colin McRae, the man who practically defined rally car racing and gave rally car video games a household name, died this past weekend in a tragic helicopter accident.
In case you didn't know, Codemasters' 'DiRT' is actually part of the Colin McRae line of racing games.
I actually did an interview for punchbutton with Colin's former navigator Nicky Grist. Colin was and is one of my heroes. I'm very sad.
Colin's website
September 15, 2007
Oak Cliff GameStop store manager suspended for "games for grades" policy
5:43 PM, September 15, 2007
WFAA-TV has the story of Brandon Scott, an Oak Cliff GameStop store manager who refuses to sell games to kids who can't prove they have good grades in school.
While the parents interviewed for the story seem pleased with the policy, the executives at Grapevine-based GameStop have suspended Scott while they conduct a review.
The company says it wasn't aware of Scott's unorthodox requirements.
The fact that he wasn't fired outright is probably a sign that GameStop would prefer Scott to just back off and sell the games.
But it doesn't sound like he's going to do that.
From the article:
Scott says he's unsure whether his suspension was due to the unorthodox policy, or because he spoke to the media.
But says he remains committed to making a difference, regardless of the label.
"I wouldn't say rebel, but I can be rebellious. I can fight for what I believe in," he said.
It will be interesting to see how GameStop plays this.
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Anything but reinstating him and commending him for his original idea would be an idiotic PR move by Gamestop.
Let's hope they're smarter than that.
September 14, 2007
Video of the GameStop manager's conference.
6:27 PM, September 14, 2007
I apologize in advance for the audio sync problems. Final Cut Pro and Windows Media were apparently never meant to co-exist.
Still, I think you nerds will enjoy the action.
I also have a story running in the Business section tomorrow (Saturday) about GameStop's embrace of casual gamers (UPDATE: Here's the article.), and will have a preview running next week in the paper of several of the games that I played at the event.
While Halo 3 was missing in action, Microsoft will be sending me an early review copy of the game next weekend so my review can run in the paper and online on the actual release date (Sept. 25).
Enjoy the video!
Video: GameStop managers try out the latest titles
UPDATE: Check out some additional photos that I shot of the event after the jump.
September 13, 2007
Giant PlayStation store update
5:20 PM, September 13, 2007
The PS3's PlayStation store gets a lot of demo-y, video-y, trailer-y goodness today, including all this (from the PlayStation blog):
New downloadable games:
• PixelJunk Racers ($6.99) - A single and multi-player slot car racing game, with 32 modes, 10 tracks and online rankings.
• High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition ($9.99) Ante up! Play limit or no-limit poker in five different game types. There’s single player mode or you can play up to five others online.
Demos, demos and more demos:
• PixelJunk Racers
• Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground
• NHL 08
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• FIFA 08
... more movie trailers and videos and wallpapers for your favorite new and upcoming games:
• Everyday Shooter trailer
• Warhawk trailer
• Lair Behind the Scenes video
• Feel the Noise trailer
• Juiced 2 trailer
• High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition trailer
• Soul Calibur IV trailer
• High Stakes: Poker wallpaper
• 2 PixelJunk Racer wallpapers
• Folklore wallpaper
... a free music track from our favorite dragon game, Lair.
Wow!
Full info here
'Project Gotham Racing 4' has gone gold
2:26 PM, September 13, 2007
Yea! The game I spent the most time with last year gets another sequel and that next chapter has gone gold. 'PGR4' for the 360 should be released on October 2.
Remember when "released" meant, "available to buy"? Why can't stores offer games the same day as new movie releases? Why can't... oh, sorry, here's the info
September 12, 2007
'Rez' coming to Xbox Live Arcade
10:43 AM, September 12, 2007
Oh my, this is amazing news. 'Rez,' in my opinion, one of the greatest and most under-appreciated games ever released, is getting an HD update for the Xbox Live Arcade.
Wired's blog entry doesn't say whether it's an HD port of the original, or a totally new game. Either way, I am giddy with excitement. Oh yeah, there is no mention a release date.
• Wired: Rez HD Announced for Xbox Live Arcade
• Wikipedia's info on 'Rez'
HANDS ON: Watermelons
6:45 AM, September 12, 2007
Watermelons are this generation's lens flare.
Somehow, this seedy fruit has become the must-have background element for every hot action game.
I noticed during the slum level in the singleplayer demo of Call of Duty 4 that I tested that you can shoot apart a watermelon sitting in the sink of a house.
The just-released shooter Stranglehold has more watermelons than Farmer's Market, and the upcoming Heavenly Sword also has piles of the mean, green fruit for you to upend.
What's the deal? Frankly, I don't know, but it's a little odd that three big-time titles all being released about the same time all have graphical flourishes that involve watermelons.
First developer to use a honey dew wins a prize!
Ninja...Bloody Ninja
1:11 AM, September 12, 2007
Go get a plate from your kitchen cupboard to catch your drool... Screenshots of the long rumored Ninja Gaiden 2 were officially released tonight at Xbox.com. Your "Only a ninja can defeat a ninja"-fun will start sometime in 2008, exclusively for the XBox 360.
UPDATE:They just posted a trailer as well. See all the juicy info here.
September 11, 2007
HANDS ON: Call of Duty 4 singleplayer
6:14 PM, September 11, 2007
LAS VEGAS -- I know thousands of gamers have been crawling all over the multiplayer beta of CoD4 in the last few weeks, but I had a chance this afternoon to rummage around in two of the single-player levels.
I was duly impressed.
The demo level on a cargo ship on a dark and stormy sea made great use of torrential rainfall and crashing waves. The best part is after the ship starts to sink, and you have to scramble out from below decks to, in the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "GET TO DA CHOPPA!" (Seriously, go rent Predator. Second-best action movie ever made, after Aliens.)
Anyway, the boat is sloshing all over the place, and the hallways are rotating around you as you run, and pipes are bursting and spewing steam. Good, tense action.
The second level, set in some Middle Eastern shantytown, is a white-knuckle advance through a maze of enemy machine gun fire, RPGs, hand grenades and exploding vehicles. Less distinctive than the boat level, but definitely thrilling.
I did find that, in tight spaces, your AI comrades tend to get in your way, particularly when you're breaching a door and entering a room or hallway. It may not be sound tactics, but I want to go through the door first, rather than hanging back while my squadmates hog all the glory.
Still, I can't wait to play the full game when it ships November 5.
'Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction' demo on 10/4
5:23 PM, September 11, 2007
At the GameStop manager's conference in Las Vegas
1:35 PM, September 11, 2007
LAS VEGAS -- I'm here in the City of Sin to cover the annual GameStop manager's conference.
I'll be interviewing executives from the Grapevine-based video game retailer and checking out previews of some of the most-anticipated holiday titles.
The invitation promised access to Halo 3, Mario Galaxy, Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero III and others.
Should be fun!
I'll post comments and impressions throughout the afternoon as time allows.
Right now, I'm off to interview GameStop's chief operating officer and the vice president of marketing. Then I hit the show floor.
Doug note: Victor, ask them if they wouldn't mind offering online pre-ordering with in-store pick-up... like my suggestion here
September 10, 2007
Official PS3 backward compatibility checker
4:43 PM, September 10, 2007
Not sure why you would use this instead of just sticking the "in-question" game into your PS3, but if you've got some time to kill you can check the BC quotient of you old PlayStation games here.
I checked on my favorite PS2 game, 'Taiko Drum Master,' and the results said "No major problems for this title." Well, yeah there are, the drum controller won't work on a PS3. Duh!
More PS3 price drops?
3:32 PM, September 10, 2007
Sony, not to be outdone by Apple's recent shocking iPhone price drop, may have future PS3 price drops. They might also introduce a 40 gig PS3 for $399.
Maybe just in time for the holidays? Rumor here
Also, has anyone heard the PlayStation phone rumor?
Texas Gamer Review: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
11:17 AM, September 10, 2007
Nintendo's famed bounty hunter makes her return to Prime Time. This week's Texas Gamer reviews Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii.
September 7, 2007
A giggle from Sega
5:36 PM, September 7, 2007
Pontiac 'Halo 3' contest
3:49 PM, September 7, 2007
Just FYI: there's a 'Halo 3' contest sponsored by Pontiac. Winners will get the opportunity to own 'Halo 3' before it's released.
Here's the link (18 or older only)
Free Games!!!
1:36 PM, September 7, 2007
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Victor update: The Fileplanet links are acting a little squirelly, but the free Ubisoft games are available on other sites, as well.
Here they are on gamespot.com. You don't need a paid account, but you do need to create a free account and log in:
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Got your attention?
As I said in my game column running this week, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts recently made available for free download four of their classic PC titles.
Here are the three ad-supported Ubi games:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
And the totally free EA game:
Command & Conquer (the original Windows 95 game)
Have fun!
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It would have been nice to know that you can't download the games unless you have a PAID subscription to FilePlanet.com!!!
So the games really aren't free per se.
VICTOR COMMENT: Actually, while clicking on the links takes you to a page to sign up for a paid account, you can just sign up for a free account and download the games.
At least, you could.
Since I posted the story, it seems the games have disappeared from the site entirely. I'll poke around some more on the site and see if I can find links that still work.
September 6, 2007
Tequila time!
6:15 PM, September 6, 2007
I got my non-grubby hands on the 360 version of 'Stranglehold', the John Woo produced game featuring Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila. Sounds weird to describe a game like a movie, but I guess it’s coming to that.
Let me start off by saying that I am totally disappointed that I shelled out an extra 10 bucks for the “limited edition.” For my additional dough, I got a making-of DVD and a different cover. C’mon! These collectible game versions really need to need to live up to their price point!
If you’ve downloaded the demo from Xbox Live, you basically have the entire first level, minus a big final gun fight and a boss battle. AND, if you’ve downloaded the demo, you know the game is crazy fantastic.
‘Stranglehold’ reminds me a little of ‘Gears of War,’ with it’s third-person play mechanics and insane shooting action. But, this game features environmental destruction like I’ve never seen before. You can destroy almost everything... and many times it’s required to kill off the baddies. It’s so cool to shoot an air conditioner off the side of building in order to take out an unsuspecting enemy.
The graphics are great... even though the characters look a little strange (kind-of muddied, living-dead zombie-like); but the settings are spectacular. And those explosions... awesome!
My favorite parts of the game have been the Matrix-Max Payne-John Woo-like “Tequila-Time” feature and the super-power “Tequila-Bombs.” “Tequila Time” slows down the action so that you can aim a little better. “Tequila-Bombs” are power-ups that you earn along the way and give Inspector Tequila special powers. Being able to precisely aim at the bad guys’ specific body parts gets to be quite comical.
I’m only a few levels in, but so far I’ve loved every second of ‘Stranglehold.’ I can’t believed it’s keeping me from the ‘Call of Duty 4’ beta. But it is.
'Call of Duty 4' beta update: rank levels up!
6:13 PM, September 6, 2007
I just got this email concerning the 'CoD4' beta...
Hey Everyone –
Straight to the Point: The Level Cap Is Rising!
Friday morning at 10 am PDT (1 pm EST) we’re going to be increasing the Rank level cap to Level 16. This is going to allow you to rank up and unlock more weapons, more perks, and more features; including Clan Tags (lv. 12). This is the first of several level increases we’re going to do throughout the beta, so keep playing, and we’ll keep you informed of incoming updates. Thanks to everyone currently playing for the tremendous amount of feedback we’ve been receiving; Keep sending it, and we’ll see you online!
- Infinity Ward
Dang, I'm not to 11 yet!
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wondering if anyone knows when the ranks will go up agian?
Microsoft bans 'Call of Duty 4' beta exploiters
11:46 AM, September 6, 2007
Apparently a few, not-so-honest, recipients of the 'CoD4' beta tokens were able to log on to multiple 360's and download the beta using the same token.
Well, now they're temporarily banned from Xbox Live and I'm giggling.
Victor note: I think Microsoft came down harder than it needed to. After all, these guys weren't stealing anything. It was a free demo. Just thank them for their interest in the game, but say the tokens only allow one download per token.
September 5, 2007
Holiday outlook
12:46 PM, September 5, 2007
Here's an article I wrote for today's paper looking at the big trends and games for the holiday season.
Biggest piece of bad news: the Wii isn't going to be any easier to find this Christmas than it was last Christmas.
September 4, 2007
Post-weekend/holiday blog round-up.
11:37 AM, September 4, 2007
September 3, 2007
Texas Gamer - Call of Duty 4 Sneak Peek
7:08 PM, September 3, 2007
I am loving this game and it's only in it's Beta testing state. Enjoy.
- 'Rock Band' officially priced and dated!
- Exclusive video of Clive Barker discussing Jericho
- Bungie File Share
- 'Jericho' demo is a trip to H-E-double-hockeysticks
- Wha? Wait... Bizarre Creations is gone? Really?
- It's official. The launch of 'Halo 3' was the biggest 24 hours in entertainment history
- 'Halo 3' makes me sad (and other observations)
- Chief rings the bell at Nasdaq, laments selling out
- Halo 3: My official review
- Halo 3: Microsoft offering free replacements for scratched discs
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