Week in Review: Jan.17-30, 2010

We’re back from a week off. Topics include: Mass Effect 2, Darksiders, Vancouver 2010, Plucky’s 3D Adventure, Assassins Creed II: Discovery, and more..

Intro music selection performed by “A Wilhelm Scream” off their album “Mute Print”
Outro music selection performed by “Big L” off his album “The Big Picture”

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More Last Flight Updates!

Just wanted to let you guys in on some more updates about the upcoming Wiiware title Last Flight.

Bloober Team, the developmental team behind the game, just unveiled their new Facebook page for it, as well as posted three new screenshots of the game in action. (more…)

Mass Effect 2 DLC from Dr Pepper, 7-11 & EA Games

From Dr Pepper, 7-Eleven & EA Games, comes some of the latest in DLC game content for Mass Effect 2, Spore, Sims 3, Medal of Honor, Skate 3, and many more. What’s really cool about all of this is you get to select from the list of games you prefer for your DLC items. Now with Mass Effect 2 being so hot now, its a given that fans of the game and Dr Pepper will love winning these three DLC items for Commander Sheppard to use in the game. Some of them are also exclusive from 7-Eleven alone.

 To claim the under the cap codes, simply enter them at DrPepper.Com, where each code will earn you a Dr Pepper Point. These points can currently be claimed for some EA Games DLC items. The Mass Effect 2 DLC comes in the form of head gear for Commander Sheppard to wear. You may select either the Umbra Visor, Recon Hood, or Sentry Interface items for each point you’ve earned. Not only do these items look really cool with your armor, they’ll also enhance some of the features of your Armor choices. Details for each of the item appears below and outlines the added perk enhancements available for your character.

Umbra Visor (7-Elven Exclusive) - A next-generation night-vision device that assists targeting. By detecting the focal point of the wearer’s eyes and enhancing the image at that location, the visor helps direct a biotic power or a shot from an omni-tool exactl where the wearer is looking. Increases power damage by 5%.

Recon Hood (7-Elven Exclusive) - A hood issued to covert action teams, this models optic display interfaces with most small arm’s auto-targeting software, linking hand and eye for improved accuracy and increased weapon damage. Ballistic-mesh fabric and composite ceramic plating provide necessary armor, and the integral air filter helps in hostile environments. Increases weapon damage by 5%.

Sentry Interface- This visor works with the Sentry system, a software application that optimizes an armor suits microframe computer. When the Sentry system is running, more power can be devoted to shield management. Increases shield strength by 5%.

After you’ve claimed your items, simply fire up the game and you’ll see them available via the Cerberus Network for download. Its nice to see items like this become available and at such a small price of only $1.5o per Dr. Pepper. I also like that you can select form a limited number of  DLC titles you prefer. I just might have to get some of the other game items… after all, I am a fan of Dr Pepper too.

NMH2 Now In Stores!

The Sequel to Suda 51′s Stylish, Over the Top, Hack and Slash Wii Exclusive No More Heroes entitled No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle hits store shelves today.

Here is the backstory behind it:

Three years after battling for the rank of #1 assassin (more…)

Ubisoft reveals Red Steel 2 Info!

Story Courtesy of EpicBattleAxe.com

During a recent Q @ A session with EpicBattleAxe.com, Jason Vandenberghe, the creative director behind Red Steel 2, revealed some information about the game regarding (more…)

ME2 could be next GOTY

We are now hours away from the midnight release of Mass Effect 2 and fans are getting ready to head on out and pick up their reserved copies and find out what is in store for Commander Sheppard next. All this hype and build up from Bioware is about to be revealed at last in what could very well be their best RPG to date.

In fact this could very well stake a claim for Game of the Year perhaps. The buzz from those who have gained early access to the game is helping fuel the hype machine and keep the fans pumped and excited. So if your new to the Mass Effect world, what should you expect and is all this hype what its cracked up to be then?

To start with you can expect a really great story. I think from both books and the first game, you have a must buy game for any RPG fan. If you love to read at all, then I think you should start out with the book Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn and learn all about the Universe that makes up Mass Effect and sets the ground work of things to come down the road. This prequel for the game is a very good read and will have you wanting to finish the book and dive right on into the game.

The Mass Effect game continues the story of Humanities quest for for a place in the Universe and furthering on the story. You’ll play as a new character known as Commander Sheppard and learn what has been going on our hero Anderson that was introduced in the first book. I loved the first games story and really enjoyed playing through it. I’m not going to give a full review on the first game and will simply say that its by far one of the best game stories I’ve ever experienced.

Once I finished the game I dove straight on into Mass Effect: Ascension and  began to learn more about what has happened with Kahlee Sanders since the first book and about a new force known as Cerberus, and their very own plans for Humanity. Not much is mentioned here about Commander Sheppard in this prequel to Mass Effect 2.

So from these great stories and setup so far, its only natural to expect something amazing from Bioware in their latest effort here. Commercials have been airing some pretty amazing clips and scenes and fans are dying to import their original character from the first game on into ME2 and get started with the new story lines.

Do you have to play the first one to play ME2? Not at all, but I think you’ll be missing out quite a bit. Thankfully Bioware has provided a way for those jumping into this new to still experience a great story. I’m just not big on skipping the beginning of a story or a line of movies and the same goes with games for me. If you need an extra push towards the first game, the price is very reasonable for both new and used copies of the game.

What should you expect in the game play and visuals? If the trailers are any indication, your going to be amazed and fall in love with this RPG. The developers have done a lot more than pour a sequel into a skinned version of Mass Effect. I’ve heard where some people have spent about 25 hours in initial play through and still have tons of things to explore in this game. Clearly not a short quick game and those who beat the first game will have any number of possibilities, depending on the choices they made in the first game and in importing a saved character into ME2.

The 360 version of the game will have two discs and you will need to swap the discs out from time to time. Its been said that this experience will not be a bad one for those on the 360. I just hope we don’t run into any situations of dialog load screens on one disc, followed by a switch to the 2nd disc and then loosing a battle and having to swap back to disc one and repeat the process.

If I had any hang up at all in the first game it was situations of load like I stated above, but the Devs have said that a lot of that has been improved in ME2 now. My only suggestion is to not go far with auto saves alone and from time to time check your menu options and do saves on your own. You’ll thank yourself later for sure and take my word if you’ve never played the first game.

Loyal fans and first time owners will gain access to some free DLC at the launch of the game in the form of the Cerberus Network. Sounds like they might have setup a really cool interface to entertain and provide us with DLC for sure. Now if you happen to loan your game out to a friend, they’ll experience the main game fine, but will not have access to the Cerberus Network unless they purchase this extra access content.

The FPS portions of the game have been improved by leaps and bounds and you can now do more with your team that goes out with you. No longer do you simply say advance or fall back to your members, you can actually split them up and move them into to various locations to help draw out enemy targets or take out enemy targets.

How about Alien Sex? Sounds like that is all back if you really fancy that. One of the biggest scandals from ME came from this and I was shocked at how silly people got over all of this. I’ve clearly seen a lot worse in other titles, that didn’t draw anywhere near the amount of “Oh my and how dare you put that in a game,” comments. If ME2 has anything close to this, I’m sure it will be ultra tame and artistic to further the story on only. I think Mass Effect: Ascension painted much more in words for sure in the area of steamy scenes.

Still not sure if this is for you, well if your not much on story lines and games that take time and just want some quick shooter action and play with friends. Then this is not for you at all, but if you want to see something really amazing and experience a great story like none other, then join the Masses in full Effect and buy this game. Like I’ve said, this could very well be the Game of the Year for 2010.

IPhone Preview: Crap of Defense

Now you may think that the name of this game is kind of weird, but honestly the name is the last thing I was thinking about when I first came across the IPhone game Crap of Defense. The first thing that caught my eye is (more…)

NC Update 01/25

Here are the latest videos and DS Demos available for the Nintendo Channel. (more…)

DSiWare Update 01/25

Here is your weekly update of games coming out for DSiWare. (more…)

Wiiware/VC Update 01/25

Here is your weekly update of game releases for Wiiware and the Virtual Console. (more…)

Final Fantasy I & II Coming to iPhone/iPod Touch

iPhone / iPod Touch users can now enjoy what started the Final Fantasy craze. Final Fantasy I & II, originally released in Japan in 1987 and 1988 (* see below), will be coming to the iTunes App Store. There has not been a release date announced yet, but some of the new features might make this a reasonable purchase if you’ve already played the two on the PSP. The new features include an optimised control system for iPhone/iPod Touch interface, enabling users to play the game as intuitively as possible by simply touching the screen. There will be additional dungeons that were not available in the original releases. Plus there will be bonus content that can be accessed once the main game is completed.

* In the early years of Final Fantasy, it was rare for North America and Japan to be on the same page. Both North America and Japan seen the release of Final Fantasy I, but North America never seen another Final Fantasy game until Final Fantasy IV (which was dubbed Final Fantasy II for us gamers in the States).

360/PS3 Review: Vancouver 2010

Two of RJG staff members entered to participate in the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver.  Find out what they think, after the break. (more…)

First Look at TrackMania (Wii)

The people over at Focus Home Interactive have just released the first set of screenshots and info for their upcoming racing game for the Wii entitled Trackmania.

Here is some info about the game:

* Controller options will include (more…)

Bittos+ gets release date

Machine and Unconditional Studios announced yesterday that Bittos+, the upcoming puzzle game for the Wiiware service, will be available for download this coming Monday the 25th for 1,000 Wii points through the Wii Shop Channel. The PC version, bittose is also available exclusively for download on their website machinearcade.com.

For more info on the game, take a look at my previous post I did for Bittos, or go to their official website at www.bittos.com. Be sure to also check out the game’s Youtube page for some gameplay trailers, as well as visit the Uncoditional Studios Facebook Page for all of the latest news regarding Bittos. The links for these pages will be provided below.

Be sure to check Bittos+ when it releases this Monday for Wiiware.

Links:

Bittos+ Preview





bittos.com

Machine Arcade

New Tool to Help Gamers

Inktree, a small two-man company, is introducing a new peripheral that can help gamers during their game play. The new peripheral is called the Big Fold. The Big Fold is a new accessory that will supplement strategy guides and can have anything printed on them. Inktree’s first piece was a multiplayer mapset that came packaged with the Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition “Prestige” Strategy Guide.

This new accessory can help out the gamer looking for a power-up, on a fly. Instead of aimlessly looking for that must have weapon, now the the gamer can dash right for it.

Check out Inktree’s website and all the various uses for the Big Fold.