Tag Archives: Xbox 360
Gears of War: Judgment Review – The jury’s out on the latest entry in the Gears series
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Epic Games & People Can Fly
Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: March 19th 2013
ESRB: M- Mature
The question “did we really need another Gears game this generation?” has probably floated around in most gamers heads since Judgment’s announcement at last year’s E3 but the prequel to the ever-popular Gears of War series shows there’s some life in the old dog just yet.
Gears of War, like Call of Duty and arguably Halo, is never really about the multiplayer so it is refreshing to see the campaign move towards a multiplayer-based structure with the emphasis on co-op and scoring. As a result, the narrative suffers immensely. There is no real plot or goal to Baird and company’s travels across Halvo but it by stripping back the previously convoluted narrative, People Can Fly have been able to concentrate on the fluidity of the gameplay and the sheer satisfaction that comes from shooting Locust. The game is extremely short though. Most will be able to breeze through in around six hours which is disappointing.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Review: Let This Call Go To Voicemail
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (Version Played)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
Genre: Modern Warfare FPS… Again
Release Date: November 13, 2012
ESRB Rating: Mature
The Call of Duty franchise practically prints money for Activision shareholders. It is for this reason that an annual release in November is as certain as Thanksgiving. 2012 marked Treyarch’s turn in the development driver seat and they are looking to show that they aren’t just the Call of Duty “B-Team.” Unfortunately, Call of Duty: Black Ops II falls short of the lofty expectations set forth by the stellar World at War and the original Black Ops.
Many gamers will jump right into multiplayer first. Why not start with arguably the most important feature of Call of Duty? I’m not even sure disappointment is the right descriptor to use. Underwhelming seems fitting. It is mostly the same basic multiplayer and Treyarch really didn’t do much to innovate or move this mode forward like they tried to do with the campaign in any way, which I’ll get to in a moment. For those okay with forking out dollars for status quo, you’ll likely feel right at home and can live with the incremental changes that plague every release of Call of Duty going back to the first Modern Warfare. I can’t live with status quo when it comes to this billion dollar franchise. It always feels like I’ve been there and done that.
The multiplayer game modes are mostly unchanged with a minor addition called Hardpoint, a King of the Hill-style mode. Everything else is present and accounted for. You can choose to play in a new League Play option, but I found every match I participated in to be full of lag. I can only assume that is because there are less people playing those modes and the game is going to match you up with anyone it can find in the appropriate division you are in. My biggest complaint when it comes to game modes is the lack of hardcore. The game should ship with a version of hardcore for all game modes. Yet, like previous releases, the hardcore modes are limited. These kinds of things should be included when the game ships.
What seems to bother me the most about multiplayer is a subtle change that has occurred I admit is nothing short of conspiracy theory. I’m not a big conspiracy theorist but, the multiplayer in BO2 feels as if it has been designed to restrict the intangibles that appeal to the hardcore CoD gamer, thereby making the game more accessible to the average gamer, thereby giving everyone an even playing field. What happened to honing skills to become competitive? What happened to learning to adapt and improvise based on things like connectivity, other gamers’ skills, and loadouts? The multiplayer now reeks of rewarding mediocrity and bad connections like handing out participation awards in sports. It isn’t about winning or losing anymore. It is about making sure that even the weakest of links are satisfied enough with their experience enough that they’ll keep coming back.
You can read the rest of this review at Warp Zoned.
Halo 4 Xbox 360 Review – A Shadow of its Former Self
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: 343 Industries
Release Date: November 6th, 2012
Platform: Xbox 360
ESRB: M – Mature
Many people considered Halo 4 to be the biggest release of the year. The kickstarter for a new trilogy featuring the return of Master Chief and the introduction of the Forerunners as a new main enemy, Halo 4 begins where Halo 3 left off. The Chief and his AI companion, Cortana, are once again thrown into action when the crippled frigate Forward Unto Dawn encounters a mysterious Forerunner shield world. Waking up to a fight is nothing new for Spartan-117, but this battle has more than a few new twists.
The transfer of the Halo franchise to 343 Industries has been the subject of hot debate since before the new Reclaimer Trilogy was even announced. Many longtime fans were dubious about the infant developer’s ability to carry on the legacy and retain the high quality of classic Halo titles. Others have expressed their unyielding faith in 343 for years. So where does this new title fall? Is it the masterpiece of game design that we all hoped for, or the lackluster shell of what it could have been?
Minecraft XBLA Update Now Available
The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. The original Minecraft 360 release, though quite fun and very successful, was lacking a few of the more enriching features native to the PC version. Update 1.8 released early this morning, and contains the following features:
-Creative Mode: Allows for flying, infinite supplies, and quick removal of blocks.
-Hunger Meter: Food isn’t just for replenishing hearts anymore, but for keeping up strength when building.
-New Food: Melons, chicken, steak… yum.
-More Monsters: Endermen, Cave Spiders, Silverfish
-New Crafting Items
-Different terrains (new worlds only)
-Expanded Host Privileges
The update is free, and a download prompt will appear automatically the next time you open Minecraft on the 360. Though the creative mode does take some of the fun out of finding materials for building, the new additions are a great improvement over the more basic version of the game.
Dragon’s Dogma Xbox 360 Review – Mayhap Capcom Knows Aught of the WRPG?
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Roleplaying
Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: May 22, 2012
ESRB: M – Mature
The griffin swoops down on us and I launch myself at it, clinging to a talon, hanging on for dear life as it beats its wings, taking us higher and higher into the sky. I manage to compose myself enough to scramble up its leg toward its back. With one hand, I fumble for my sword, almost losing my grip with the other. I make the mistake of looking down and I see the ground far below me, baiting me to leap knowing full well the end result of that scenario.
I right myself and rear back with my sword and stab as hard as I can. The griffin bucks and roars from the pain. Far below, my Pawn finishes casting a spell that engulfs the griffin in flames, charring its feathers and flesh, filling my nostrils with a putrid smell of overgrown roasted fowl. We plummet towards the earth like a stone. Just as the griffin crashes into the ground, I leap for safety. I’m exhausted, my stamina completely drained, but the battle isn’t finished yet. I lock eyes with this monstrosity one last time as I raise my blade to deliver the killing blow.
Such is the tale of Seria the Arisen and her Pawn, Nalavara.
First Trailer for The Walking Dead:Episode 4- Around Every Corner
TellTale Games has released a trailer for Episode 4 of their fantastic The Walking Dead game, titled “Around Every Corner”. This episode is written by Gary Whitta, who wrote the script for The Book of Eli.
TellTale Games also stated in their press release that they will be revealing the release date for episode 4 very soon, with episode 5 following not long after. All 5 episodes will be bundled and released at retail stores later this year. I personally can’t wait to see what happens with Lee, Clem, and the rest of the group in the next episode.
Halo 4 Video Shows Map Remake with New Twist
343 Industries continues their ongoing litany of content videos to promote the upcoming Halo 4, releasing in the US on November 6. Fans have had the privilege of videos covering everything from voice recording to weapons design, and now the as-yet-untested developers have pieced together a short video showing off their remake of the Halo 3 map Valhalla (itself a remake of the classic Halo map Blood Gulch). From what is shown in the video, the reds and blues are still fighting over their two bases in the middle of a box canyon. But there is also a new piece of tech to alter the dynamics of the battle: a man-shaped mech tank called the “Mantis.”
Mass Effect Getting Trilogy Compilation Treatment
Bioware announced on the official Mass Effect page that Mass Effect will be getting a trilogy collection for Xbox 360 and PC on November 6th with a PS3 version to follow at a later date.
The trilogy package will include all three Mass Effect games and DLC packaged in a foil box decorated with snazzy custom artwork for $59.99.
This will obviously be the first chance for PS3 owners to play the formerly Xbox 360 exclusive (for consoles) Mass Effect. Unfortunately, you just have to wait a little bit longer for an unspecified date. If you don’t want to dip into the trilogy compilation just for the original Mass Effect on PS3, it is confirmed as a PSN download for $14.99 and it will be available the same day as the compilation.
Here are the details:
Dishonored’s “The Tales From Dunwall” Webisode Series
Bethesda recently released three webisode episodes set in the world of Dishonored. “The Tales from Dunwall” tells the story of three different people from separate walks of life. Check out the videos below and let us know what you think by leaving a comment.
