Video Game Depot

Klonoa for Nintendo Wii

2009-05-14T13:59:00.002-04:00

Here is a review of Klonoa for the Nintendo Wii from Kansas City.com.....

Video-game review: Klonoa'
By BILLY O'KEEFE
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

It's hard not to admire Namco's resilient love for "Klonoa," which soldiers on despite more than a decade without ever setting foot in mainstream popularity's ballpark.
"Klonoa" takes it back to the beginning on the Wii with a philosophically verbatim remake of the 1997 original that debuted on the original Playstation.
The predictable changes are here on schedule. The blocky 3-D graphics are completely redone and look thoroughly modern (by Wii standards) thanks to better animation and a much smoother framerate. Gibberish gives way to a full complement of voice actors, who class up what remains a pretty goofy storyline.
http://www.kansascity.com/433/story/1196580.html

Video Game Addiction

2009-04-21T12:16:00.001-04:00

Video game addiction has been talked about for quite awhile.
But now it seems this is really getting a lot of press.

Parents have been saying for years that their kids are "addicted" to video games, but a new study by an Iowa State University psychology professor is the first to actually report that pathological patterns of video game addiction exist in a national sample of youth, aged 8 to 18.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420103547.htm

MONDAY, April 20 (HealthDay News) -- A sizable number of young video game players -- fully 8.5 percent -- exhibit signs of addiction to gaming, a new study has found.
These kids aren't just playing a lot. Their gaming interferes with school performance, disrupts interaction with family and friends and poses health problems, the study reveals.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/04/20/hscout626221.html

A new research article out today in the journal Psychological Science suggests that the answer is yes.
Nearly one in 10 children and teens who play video games showed signs of what could be considered addiction to games in a January 2007 Harris poll that the research is based upon.
The poll of 1,178 U.S. kids and teens (aged 8 to 18) found that 8.5% of those who played video games exhibited at least six of 11 addiction symptoms such as skipping household chores or homework to play games, poor performance on tests of homework because of playing, and playing games to escape problems.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/04/65719049/1

The Bigs 2, Nielsen Ratings and Wii Fitness

2009-04-08T12:29:00.001-04:00

The BIGS 2
With the exception of our resident sports nut, everyone here in the TPS office does one of those full body shiver/cringe things at the mention of baseball. Maybe it's because we had to ride the N-Judah MUNI Metro train in to and from work and during baseball season our precious public transit was so choked with loudmouthed drunkards in orange jackets that we just kinda started to resent the sport they so tirelessly plunked down cash to see for a few months out of the year. It could also be that if you're not really into baseball, "enjoying" a game might as well be a marathon of watching paint dry, such is the kind of boredom it engenders.
http://totalplaystation.com/ps3/news/8233

Nielsen: Video games winning against primetime TV
Nielsen is out with its latest State of the Video Gamer report, based on data from the fourth quarter 2008. There's not many surprises, but some of the data is quite interesting, including the fact that "heavy" gamers tend to play video games during primetime TV hours and use time-shifting technologies, such as Tivo DVRs to catch up on shows later in the night.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10214587-62.html

Bronx students play video games for fitness
Some students in New York City are playing video games at school to get into shape.
About 25 Bronx middle school students are spending four hours a week after school boxing and bowling, playing tennis and golf and exercising using Nintendo Wii Fit consoles.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-bc-ny--videogamefitness0407apr07,0,4188870.story

50 Cent's new video game, "Blood on the Sand."

2009-02-25T13:30:00.002-05:00

50 Cent's new video game, "Blood on the Sand."

Music has been a big deal in video games in the past few years.
But music stars aren't only providing the soundtrack, in some instances, they are providing the games.
Case in point....50 Cent's new video game came out yesterday.
Here's a write up on it and 50 at MTV News.....

50 Cent Proud Of 'Intense' New Video Game
You may think of 50 Cent first as a rapper, but the man's life is now filled with video games, including titles of his own. First there was "50 Cent Bulletproof," then a PSP spin-off and now "Blood on the Sand." The latest takes 50 to a Middle Eastern-looking city to chase down a crystal skull that's been stolen from him and his crew. The new game has 18 unreleased 50 tracks, plus hits from several G-Unit and 50 albums and a score from Swizz Beatz.
Full story here
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1605736/20090224/50_cent.jhtml

And in a related story (kinda).....
Minors can purchase violent video games in California, again
A controversial California rule that banned the sale of violent video games to minors has now been reversed thanks to a ruling by a federal appeals court.
Full story here:
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/17082.cfm

A New Age Group for the Nintendo Wii

2009-02-17T13:48:00.000-05:00

Now I think this is a very interesting article.
In the last entry I mentioned how well the Wii Fit was doing.
It seems the sale of this video game, and the other Wii titles are going outside the usual demographic.
I think this article in the Daily Sun by Caroline Klapper should really open some eyes.....

Villagers discovering health benefits of popular video game system
By CAROLINE KLAPPER, DAILY SUN
THE VILLAGES — Village of Virginia Trace resident Dan Delehanty loves downhill skiing.
He even has won a few races, although he hasn’t had to leave his living room to do it.
As the owner of a Nintendo Wii video game system, Delehanty can play skiing games, jog, bowl, try yoga and even hula hoop if he feels like it.
“We use it every day,” Delehanty said of his family’s enjoyment of the Wii system.
Long considered the domain of children and teenagers, video games slowly are making their way into the homes of retirees.
Residents of The Villages are no exception, and Delehanty is among a growing number of Villagers who are enjoying the Nintendo Wii.

You can read the full article here.

Amazon.com Offering Game Downloads

2009-02-04T13:54:00.001-05:00

You can add another competitor to the gaming site wars.
Amazon......

Amazon.com has begun offering game downloads, stepping up competition with Yahoo and other gaming Web sites.
Consumers can download and play more than 600 games for $9.99 each or less, the Seattle-based company said Tuesday on its Web site.
Amazon.com has expanded into electronic content over the past few years, offering music downloads and streaming videos.
In October, the company bought Reflexive Entertainment, which makes and distributes video games.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6245552.html

You can find out more about this here:

Video Games Increase Violent Behavior

2009-01-12T16:49:00.001-05:00

And now the "video games increase violent behavior" debate raises it's head again.....

Congressman Wants Health Warnings On Violent Games
Joe Baca, a US Representative from Rialto (just east of LA for those of us who aren’t all that good with geography), has proposed branding games rated T or higher with the following warning: “WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior.”
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2009/01/12/congressman-wants-health-warnings-on-violent-games/

But is it true that video games increase violent behavior?
Kids in both the U.S. and Japan who reported playing lots of violent video games had more aggressive behavior months later than their peers who did not, according to the study, which appears in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/03/healthmag.violent.video.kids/

Children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others
Children may be more fearful of the world around them
Children may be more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways toward others
http://www.psychologymatters.org/mediaviolence.html

And the US military certainly seems to think it does....they use video games....
The soldiers are real. But they're also actors, staging scenes for the Army's latest war game.
It's a video game created by the U.S. Army to win over the hearts and minds of American teenagers.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/30/eveningnews/main609489.shtml

Are Video Games Recession Proof?

2009-01-06T10:32:00.000-05:00

Although most retail was down over the Christmas season, Video games seemed to have escaped that fate.
Video game sales won't be released officially till January 15th, but individual sales figures from the big three companies seems to suggest that video games may be almost recession proof.
Microsoft says it's video console division had record sales. Sony and Nintendo are reporting similar gains.
This will come as a relief to Sony since in November, PS3 sales fell 18.8 percent.
Full story here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10132039-52.html

Boom in music video games helps original artists

2008-12-22T13:19:00.001-05:00

In the last entry I posted about original video game music, but original music isn't the real driving force in games these days.
Look at Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero 3, both are driven by "older music".

Boom in music video games helps original artists
By RYAN NAKASHIMA
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "This song is dedicated to Debbie Harry," flinty-eyed Lisa Hsuan purrs into a microphone on the red-lit stage of Hyperion Tavern. It's a cozy dive where patrons drink Coke and beer from bottles and a fading chandelier dangles overhead.

Her tribute is intentionally ludicrous: The 30-year-old veterinarian is about to belt out "Call Me," which Harry — fronting the group Blondie — released 28 years ago. Accompanied on fake guitars and drums by three Web programmers who drove in from the refinery-dotted coastal suburb of El Segundo, Hsuan launches in as a smoke machine puffs nearby.

They're playing the video game "Rock Band 2," which along with "Guitar Hero" is rocking bars and living rooms across the country. Many songs' sales have more than doubled after release in one of the games, and well-known bands have started lining up to provide new music direct to the game makers. Now record labels — noticing what they are missing, and struggling as compact disc sales tumble — are looking for a bigger piece of the action.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g48HYpMKs_f2jZ9QurMNSeK3bgbQD956SSLO0

Video Game Music

2008-12-15T11:29:00.001-05:00

Okay, I knew that video games often use songs in the game, but I had no idea that it was this involved....

Video game soundtracks getting bigger and better
By Alex Pham, Los Angeles Times

Music composer Garry Schyman sits in his Los Angeles studio, at a desk topped with Gustav Mahler biographies and Krzysztof Penderecki recordings, and ponders the hero's predicament. He pivots to his keyboard and plays a handful of chords conveying utter loss, the draining of hope.

If you happen to play the video game "Resistance: Retribution" after it's released next spring, you'll take on the role of a British soldier working to subvert an alien invasion in post-apocalyptic Europe. Schyman's soundtrack will accompany your virtual exploits, heightening your thrills and frustrations.

The game's creators want the 90-second piece he is creating, "Luxembourg Suspense," to project despair as the hero is cornered by hordes of venomous creatures eager for their next meal. Which song will come next? That depends entirely on the player. If he fights, the game triggers a Schyman tune designed to crank up the adrenaline. A victory is rewarded by a triumphant score; death triggers a dirge.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_11197775

No More Used Video Games?

2008-12-05T11:14:00.002-05:00

Are used video games about to be a thing of the past?
GameStop, Gamefly and Amazon all sell them.
But now two Atari executives are coming out against them.
Now will other major companies chime in as well?
This is one measure that I don't think will get very far.
Since "Green" is so politically correct, recycling games would seem to be an excellent idea.

Should we stop the sale of used video games?
Used video games play an integral part in the lives of the gamer: instead of spending $60 for a new title, they can save some cash and get the same game used at a discounted price. But from a developer's perspective, every used game that's sold yields no revenue, and that has created a divide between publishers and gamers over whether or not used video games should be sold at all
Two Atari executives--CEO David Gardner and President Phil Harrison--shared some gripes about used video game sales earlier this week at an Atari event. And as far as they're concerned, used games are hurting us all.
"Second-hand game sales represent consumer choice and desire," Gardner said at the event. "Obviously, it has economically been extremely painful for the industry (and) the publishers don't benefit."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10113636-17.html

3D Graphics Bad for Video Games?

2008-11-27T17:12:00.005-05:00

Do you prefer this?

Or this?

Interesting article over at techradar.com about why adding 3D graphics to games was a bad idea.
I may not totally agree with it, but I do understand where the article is coming from.

Why adding 3D graphics to games was a bad idea
By Luis Villazon
I'm getting a bit sick of 3D graphics. When 3D was first invented, back in the early cretaceous period, the first-person shooter, the flight sim and the RPG all got better.
But platform games got worse. I used to quite like Sonic the Hedgehog but all the 3D versions did was make me get lost and feel sick. And Tomb Raider? A gorgeous woman in tight clothing running round shooting endangered species with automatic pistols? What on Earth is there not to like? The camera control, that's what.
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/why-adding-3d-graphics-to-games-was-a-bad-idea-489087?src=rss&attr=all

Spike TV's 2008 "Video Game Awards"

2008-11-17T12:52:00.001-05:00

Spike TV has announced the nominees for the 2008 "Video Game Awards".
The 2-hour extravaganza will premiere live on Spike TV Sunday, December 14 at 9:00pm, ET.
But if you don't want to wait, here is the list of games nominated for Game of the Year.....

Grand Theft Auto IV
LittleBigPlanet
Fallout 3
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Gears of War 2

And my prediction for Game of the Year?
I'm gonna have to go with Gears of War 2.

Violence in Video Games

2008-11-04T16:53:00.000-05:00

A state lawyer tried Wednesday to revive California's ban on selling violent video games to minors.
Don't expect the major companies or players to take this laying down.
PC World has an interview with Texas A&M psychology professor Christopher Ferguson about violence in video games....

Violence in Games: A Conversation with Christopher Ferguson, Part One
Matt Peckham
I don't know much that'd pass scholarly muster when it comes to violent games and children, but since it's pretty much the hot button in video gaming these days, I'm constantly looking for people who do.
In April 2007, I spoke with Iowa State professor Doug Gentile (see parts one, two, three, four) about studies compiled in a book entitled Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents. Earlier this year, I spent some time on Drs. Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl K. Olson's book Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games. And I've had plenty to say about the issue's coverage in the media, in particular by people with no scholarly expertise in the area, or business talking politically about it.
Yesterday, news broke of a new study claiming to link violent games and increased aggression, published in the journal Pediatrics. It's author, Craig Anderson, who teaches psychology at Iowa State University and runs its Center for the Study of Violence, said: "We now have conclusive evidence that playing video games has harmful effects on children and adolescents."

You can read the full article here

Golden Axe: Beast Rider Review

2008-10-20T15:18:00.002-04:00

Golden Axe: Beast Rider Review (Xbox 360)

I have to admit, I havent heard anything about this game either. But heres a review from teamxbox.com.....

From the “I didn’t even know this game was coming out” department comes SEGA’s Golden Axe: Beast Rider. We’re not exactly sure why the hype machine hasn’t been set into full-swing for a title within a franchise with some real history behind it, but nevertheless, Golden Axe: Beast Rider is in stores right now.
For those of you not quite ready to be put out to pasture, Golden Axe is a franchise that originated in SEGA’s arcade heyday—circa 1987. Golden Axe dropped at the end of an impressive run for the System 16 hardware (the ‘16’ representing 16 bits), which included huge arcade hits for big blue. System 16 arcade ROM’s transferred nicely to the SEGA Genesis home console too; nice enough, in face, to put the “Mega Drive” into console’s top spot during the late 80’s.
Golden Axe was like a barbarian version of Altered Beast: 16 bit hacking and slashing at its grandest. The undeveloped story revolves around three playable, medieval archetypes: barbarian, dwarf and amazon. Along with bladed attacks, each character can conjure up magic once potion vials are collected. The magic is tiered so that its effects become more powerful as potion vials are rationed.
Full article here:
http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1597/Golden-Axe-Beast-Rider/p1/

'Halo Wars' Campaign Presentation

2008-10-20T14:49:00.002-04:00

I looked at this and thought " Hey...that reminds me of Command and Conquer."

'Halo Wars' Campaign Presentation
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, October 16, 2008 2:21 PM

At Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios were nice enough to invite us to a fancy hotel suite (with terrible acoustics) to check out a campaign mission for their upcoming Xbox 360 real-time strategy game, Halo Wars.
We apologize for the poor sound and background noise of journalists furiously typing on their laptops, but we think the video is worth watching anyway.
Graeme Devine, the lead writer on the project, discusses the mission, gameplay mechanics, and more. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Here's a link that shows the presentation video
http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/690177/Halo_Wars_Campaign_Presentation.html

Wrestling Games: Blazing Tornado

2008-10-15T11:14:00.003-04:00

Blazing Tornado was a professional wrestling arcade game created and released by Human Amusement in 1994.
You could choose eight wrestlers to take part in wrestling tournaments in single or tag team matches.
The eight wrestlers were, Eric Starbuck, Daijiro Zama, Baron Firebird, Wolf McSchneider, John Saigo, Hayate, Ho Long, Jailbreaker Bullnoi and the boss, Hizelshutat von Ludwig.
Interestingly, these eight characters were included in Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium (1995) as hidden characters.
Fire Pro Gaiden Blazing Tornado was also released in 1995 for the Sega Saturn in Japan.

Wrestling Games: Backyard Wrestling 2K8

2008-10-07T10:32:00.001-04:00

Backyard Wrestling 2K8 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Jordan Lindsey Games that is planned to be released on December 31,2008.
What makes this game a little different from other wrestling games is that it's gonna be released for PC.
Not a lot of info floating around about this, which makes me wonder about the December 2008 release date.
I haven't even been able to find any screenshots yet.

UPDATE: According to IGN, the release date has been bumped back to December 2009.

Wrestling Games: Backyard Wrestling 2 - There Goes the Neighborhood

2008-09-30T10:24:00.004-04:00

The fun sequel to Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home.....

Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood was released on Xbox and Playstation 2 on November 16, 2004.
Music for the game was done by Andrew W.K., Kool Keith, the Insane Clown Posse, Bad Brains, Body Count, Six and Violence and Hoobastank.

The roster of underground wrestlers features more than 20 combatants, again including notable hardcore wrestlers, music personalities, and a few film actresses.
Mad Man Pondo, Vic Grimes, Vampiro, New Jack, Sick Nick Mondo, Ruckus, The Sandman, Violent J, Shaggy 2 Dope, The Rude Boy, Sonjay Dutt, Messiah and Supreme were a few of the members of the roster.

Even thought it had improved game play, the game was a bomb with game critics when released. However, game players didn't see it that way, and the game sold nearly 300,000 copies through 2005.

The TV commercial for the video game included Insane Clown Posse, New Jack, and Tylene Buck.

Wrestling Games: Backyard Wrestling - Don't Try This at Home

2008-09-22T10:28:00.004-04:00

Backyard Wrestling is a video game developed by Paradox Development.
It was published by Eidos Interactive in 2003 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.
The goal of backyard wrestling is basically to use the environment to defeat an opponent.
The playable characters in the game come mainly from the Insane Clown Posse's wrestling federation, the Juggalo Championship Wrestling. The JCW was itself inspired by the original ECW. (Not the lame WWE/ECW you see today).
The characters included Mad Man Pondo, Sabu, Tom Dub, Rude Boy, Josh Prohibition, MDogg20, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. It also included Miller Lite spokesmodel and infamous catfight girl, Kitana Baker and former WCW valet Tylene Buck, " Major Gunns".

Although critics really didn't seem to like it, player interest was high enough that Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The Neighborhood was released the next year, including even more wrestlers.

Wrestling Games: Appoooh

2008-09-16T12:02:00.001-04:00

Appoooh is a truely strange looking wrestling arcade game released by Sega in 1984 only in Japan.
The graphics look almost like little " Kirby's" running around.
Or kinda like South Park characters.....
Anyway, some of the game characters were based on wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, Stan Hansen, Andre the Giant and Abdullah the Butcher.

Technorati Tags: Appoooh Sega wrestling games video game xbox nintendo 360 ps2 ps3 ds computer playstation 2 pc

Wrestling Games: All Star Pro-Wrestling III

2008-09-10T11:38:00.003-04:00

All Star Pro-Wrestling III is a Japan only professional wrestling video game developed and published by Square Enix on August 7, 2003 for the PlayStation 2. I
Not a lot really to say about it other than it is the successor to All Star Pro-Wrestling II.

I did find this music video with some game play in it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-ECuRhCWn4

Technorati Tags: All Star Pro-Wrestling III play wrestling games playstation 2 video

Wrestling Video Games: All Star Pro-Wrestling II

2008-09-03T12:45:00.002-04:00

All Star Pro-Wrestling II is a professional wrestling video game made only for Japan.
It was developed and published by Square on November 22, 2001 for the PlayStation 2.
It is the successor to All Star Pro-Wrestling and was followed by All Star Pro-Wrestling III.

Wrestling Video Games: All Star Pro-Wrestling

2008-08-28T11:14:00.002-04:00

All Star Pro-Wrestling is a professional wrestling video game exclusive to Japan. It was developed and published by Square on June 8, 2000 for the PlayStation 2. It was the first wrestling game published on this platform.

All Star Pro-Wrestling was released in a period in which Square sought to diversify its catalog by producing various non-role-playing games for the PlayStation 2. The game was notable for its control relying exclusively on the Dual Shock 2's analog sticks, although a second mode using the normal buttons was also available.

While the quality of the game's graphics was lauded and sales were good during its month of release, the control was received negatively by critics, who felt it was awkward and unintuitive. Nevertheless, the game spawned two sequels in the following years.

Wrestling Video Games: 3 Count Bout / Fire Suplex

2008-08-22T14:54:00.002-04:00

3 Count Bout, also known as Fire Suplex in Japan, was a wrestling arcade game released by SNK in 1993.
You could take your pick of 10 wrestlers, each with his special moves, and work your way from Rookie Champion to the World Heavyweight Title.
The game was controlled by a joystick with 4 buttons used for Punch, Kick, Jump/Body Drop and Pin.

Computer games industry threat to downloaders: 'pay up or we'll sue' - Times Online

2008-08-21T18:00:00.001-04:00

Computer games industry threat to downloaders: 'pay up or we'll sue' - Times Online:

"The computer games industry has launched an unprecedented assault on illegal downloads, demanding payment from thousands of families who obtained the latest releases over the internet without paying.

Five of the world’s top games developers will serve notice on 25,000 people across the UK, requiring each one to pay £300 immediately to settle out of court. Those who refuse risk being taken to court. The companies will target their initial legal actions on 500 people who ignore the letters."

Sept. 11 Version of 'Space Invaders' Draws Fire at Video-Game Convention - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News

2008-08-21T16:21:00.001-04:00

FOXNews.com - Sept. 11 Version of 'Space Invaders' Draws Fire at Video-Game Convention - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News:

"Well, it's definitely eye-catching.

Attendees at the Leipzig Games Convention in eastern Germany were startled this week to come across a modification of the classic 'Space Invaders' video game — one in which the relentless crab-like aliens are blowing holes in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center."

2001 Ghost Recon Game forshadowed Russian War Video

2008-08-12T12:23:00.001-04:00

2001 Ghost Recon Game forshadowed Russian War Video:

"In 2001 a video game was released called Ghost Recon. This video game perfectly forshadows the current war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. Keep in mind it was released in 2001, but was supposed to take place in the future.

The date in game for the conflict was set for August 2008! So 7 years ago a game was released that not only predicted what would happen and where but even predicted the time down to the month!"

'Dark Knight' reigns not in video game

2008-08-07T12:33:00.001-04:00

The Associated Press: 'Dark Knight' reigns not in video game:

"LOS ANGELES — It's a puzzle worthy of The Riddler: Why is there no video game based on 'The Dark Knight'?

For the first time in the film-franchise's history, the caped crusader flew into movie theaters without a video game attached to his utility belt. Despite a plethora of 'Dark Knight' action figures, bobbleheads and T-shirts sweeping in Bat-dollars beyond the film's $400 million record-smashing box office, no 'Dark Knight' game is following suit.

Whatever held things up caused about $100 million in sales to be missed, according to estimates."

Video game's user content spawns naughty Web 'Sporn' - CNN.com

2008-08-01T12:40:00.000-04:00

Video game's user content spawns naughty Web 'Sporn' - CNN.com:

"(CNN) -- When makers of one of the most anticipated video games of the year invited users to help design part of the game, the gamers jumped at the chance to create animated characters.
Users will have the option to incorporate other people's 'Spore' designs or choose to block them all.

But some took it upon themselves to create something entirely different: a new kind of Internet porn.

It started when the makers of 'Spore' released a Creature Creator program that allowed users to develop their own characters to drum up hype before the game's scheduled release in September.

The game, a joint venture from 'Sims' creator Will Wright and Electronic Arts, allows users to create a unique creature and then control its evolution from a single cell into a complex cultural civilization."

Group: Families turning to video games

2008-07-06T10:34:00.001-04:00

Group: Families turning to video games:

"British families increasingly are turning to video games for entertainment as the ongoing credit crisis restricts their finances, a game maker says.

The British video game company Game Group said it will earn $66 million in pre-tax profits during the first six months of this year as more families focus on such home-based entertainment, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Analysts say the rising success of video fare such as 'Mario Kart' and 'Wii Fit' is due, in part, to the credit crisis that is forcing parents to rethink how to entertain their children on a limited budget."

Ideas and Trends - The Shootout Over Hidden Meanings in a Video Game - NYTimes.com

2008-06-22T11:39:00.001-04:00

Ideas and Trends - The Shootout Over Hidden Meanings in a Video Game - NYTimes.com:

"If there’s a subject that’s as contentious as war itself, it might be a video game about war.

It’s been just over a week since the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the latest chapter in the popular video game series about a covert military agent named Solid Snake. And already, fans are exchanging rhetorical fusillades on the Internet, teasing out what the underlying political and philosophical messages of Metal Gear Solid 4 might be."

Hollywood’s Snakes and Assassins Squeeze Into a Video Game Console - NYTimes.com

2008-06-05T08:09:00.001-04:00

Game Theory - Hollywood’s Snakes and Assassins Squeeze Into a Video Game Console - NYTimes.com:

"With the release of the action adventure game Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, Harrison Ford has become the first actor to be turned into a Lego video game character twice. That may not be the first thing he lists on his résumé, but it’s got to rank above starring in “Six Days, Seven Nights.”"

Rock acts ringing up sales via video games | Entertainment | Reuters

2008-05-24T11:17:00.002-04:00

Rock acts ringing up sales via video games | Entertainment | Reuters:

"DENVER (Billboard) - Games like 'Rock Band' and 'Guitar Hero III' have proved their ability to breathe new life into classic rock sales. But can they do the same for new music?

Last month, Motley Crue decided to find out. The band placed its new single, the title track from 'Saints of Los Angeles,' for sale as a downloadable track on 'Rock Band' well in advance of the album's release date, which has been pushed back to June 24. The only other place to obtain the track was iTunes.

According to data provided by the band's management, Tenth Street Entertainment, the track was downloaded more than 47,000 times via the Xbox 360 version of the game alone in the first week after it became available. ('Rock Band' publisher MTV Networks was unable to independently verify these figures, and total downloads that include the PlayStation 3 version of the game were not available.)"

Lawmakers Want to Regulate Violent Games

2008-05-11T12:28:00.001-04:00

ABC News: Lawmakers Want to Regulate Violent Games:

"After the record-breaking $500 million first-week sales of 'Grand Theft Auto IV,' the big business of video games is under the microscope again this week. But this time, it's not outraged parents doing the scrutinizing. It's lawmakers."

Rating and selling video games | Computerworld Blogs

2008-04-25T10:14:00.001-04:00

Rating and selling video games Computerworld Blogs:

"The US isn't the only country where kids are playing what are sometimes age-inappropriate video games. According to this IDG News Service article I read in PC World, European children are now being protected by the European Commission as far as their access to violent and explicit video games."

Stephen King takes a stand for video games | Domestic News | GamePro.com

2008-04-07T10:31:00.001-04:00

Stephen King takes a stand for video games Domestic News GamePro.com:

"Gaming received an unlikely ally this weekend in best-selling horror author Stephen King. In an op-ed piece written for Entertainment Weekly, King outlines his objection to video games being singled out for their objectionable content by politicians and the media. He admits 'video games are not my thing,' but that doesn't prevent him from defending games as an emerging medium, one that he claims falls into the larger scope of popular culture."

Music video games rock on ... and on, and on

2008-03-27T11:08:00.001-04:00

globeandmail.com: Music video games rock on ... and on, and on:

"At some point in the deep freeze of February in Winnipeg, Jean-François Brochet ponied up for the mega-hit video game Rock Band and promptly outfitted his basement with his new kit.
This would be just another quotidian moment in the life of any 17-year-old Grade 12 student except for the magic words that come tumbling from young Mr. Brochet's mouth: “I just love classic rock.”"

U.S. video game sales jump 34% in Feb. - USATODAY.com

2008-03-14T11:15:00.001-04:00

U.S. video game sales jump 34% in Feb. - USATODAY.com:

"SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) — U.S. sales of video game hardware and software hit $1.33 billion in February, up 34% from a year earlier, with Sony's PlayStation 3 topping Microsoft's Xbox 360 for the second month in a row."

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Game On Can Video Games Make You a Rock Star?

2008-03-11T10:54:00.001-04:00

Game On Can Video Games Make You a Rock Star?:

"Movies make bad video games, video games make even worse movies, but what about video games making rock stars? No, I don't mean some hidden talent scouting feature in Rock Band or Guitar Hero ('Hey, you can sure tap buttons swell! You've got your choice of data entry, or playing finger bongos during happy hour at the local cantina!'). I just found this interview with Electronic Arts game audio exec Steve Schnur by way of MSN and read the sentence 'Avril Lavigne was first introduced to European audiences through FIFA 2003,' followed by 'Ozomatli, a band that has existed for years with minimal sales and exposure, got an iPod commercial, a career-changing sales jump, and a Grammy nomination based on their exposure in Madden 2005,' both at least mildly surprising."

Game On Borders Teases New Video Games Lineup

2008-02-28T11:05:00.001-05:00

Game On Borders Teases New Video Games Lineup:

"As in Borders the international bookseller, and they're reportedly testing a handful of PC titles in their Oxford Street, London store with potential plans to expand to Wii and DS games."

Hey, That’s MY Game! Intellectual Property Protection for Video Games

2008-02-25T10:50:00.001-05:00

Hey, That’s MY Game! Intellectual Property Protection for Video Games

So you’ve created a video game. Naturally, you’re proud of the result after months of all-nighters spent programming and debugging the source code. Your game includes ideas, puzzles, game concepts, and user interfaces that no game has ever had. You’ve created artwork and graphics that are sure to enthrall even the most skeptical of gamers. Your game is most assuredly destined to be Game of the Year!
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3546/hey_thats_my_game_intellectual_.php

technorati tags: x box 360, nintendo wii, video game, x box, ds nintendo, playstation 3, playstation 2, video game rental, video game

Hugh Grant has got nothing on these games, the top five most romantic video games

2008-02-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Hugh Grant has got nothing on these games, the top five most romantic video games
Thu, February 14, 2008
By STEVE TILLEY, SUN MEDIA

As much as video game makers like to say they tap into a broad spectrum of human emotion with their digital diversions, the truth is that plausible representations of love in video games are about as common as meaningful plots in porn flicks.

But there are some games that have, in their own weird way, made us stop and go, "Awwww" -- and then immediately look around and hope no one was listening. With Valentine's Day around the corner, here's our list of the top five most romantic video games.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/ThursdayTicket/2008/02/14/4846126-sun.html

Video game review: Advance War: Days of Ruin

2008-01-29T09:42:00.002-05:00

Video game review: Advance War: Days of Ruin
BY MONTY PHAN Special to Newsday
January 29, 2008

The Advance Wars series has gotten a bit older, in more ways than one.

Not only does Days of Ruin mark the fourth installment of the title - one of the best strategy series to appear on any handheld system of the past five years - but it signifies a shift in tone, one that's decidedly darker and more mature (while remaining appropriate for preteens). Thankfully, though, the major changes stop there. For the strategy-obsessed, the game remains as satisfying as ever.
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-l5554805jan29,0,4663251.story

Technorati Tags: Advance War: Days of Ruin video game games xbox nintendo 360 ps2 ps3 ds computer playstation 2 pc

Writers strike sends viewers to DVDs, video games

2008-01-18T13:18:00.000-05:00

Writers strike sends viewers to DVDs, video games
By Thomas K. Arnold

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) -

The Hollywood writers strike looks like a boon for the DVD and video game industries.

According to a survey released Thursday from new-media consultancy company Interpret, TV viewership has suffered because of the strike, particularly for dramas and sitcoms. Interpret finds that 27% of respondents are spending less time watching network series and 12% are watching less cable and satellite series.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1827308420080118

technorati tags: video game systems, video game rentals, video game rental, video game, video games, games

Bollywood is game for more

2008-01-13T15:19:00.000-05:00

Bollywood is game for more

Seema Sindhu / New Delhi January 14, 2008

GAMING: FXLab Studios has tied up with Yash Raj Films to develop an offline game based on Dhoom 2.

After movies on mobile phones, comes India’s first movie-based video game for PCs. Indian game developers are looking to tap the popularity of Bollywood movies by building games around films and actors.

With 54 per cent of the Indian population below the age of 25, the country’s only getting younger. And entertainment wizards are fast cashing in on the aspect.

FXLab Studios, a leading developer of high-quality game products for PCs and video game consoles, has tied up with Yash Raj Films to develop a video game titled D:2.5, based on the hit Bollywood thriller Dhoom 2.

This is the first time an Indian movie is being made into a full-length PC game. The game is set in a 3D world, featuring characters which resemble those in the movie.

http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?leftnm=lmnu9&subLeft=&autono=310566&tab=r

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Fonix Speech Technology Utilized in Major Video Game Release in 2007

2008-01-04T12:25:00.000-05:00

Fonix Speech Technology Utilized in Major Video Game Release in 2007

Hugely Successful Virtual Rock n' Roll Video Game Utilized "VoiceIn" Speech-to-Text Technology Developed by Fonix Speech, Inc.
January 04, 2008: 09:00 AM EST

Fonix Speech, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonix Corporation (OTCBB: FNIX), announced this week that a top game in the hottest sector of the video gaming market utilizes a Fonix Speech software engine. This particular karaoke-style video game, which was released to the public November 20, 2007, experienced overwhelming initial success in a unique sector of the gaming market made popular over the last few years by the video game "Guitar Hero."

Fonix Speech's "VoiceIn" technology is the only software currently available to game developers that permits voice-activated interface across all major platforms, including Xbox, Playstation2, PC and Mac versions. The video game makes significant use of the VoiceIn technology, as specific gamer voice direction and participation is at the heart of this particular video game's functionality.

Fonix Corporation is especially excited about this relationship with the makers of the rock n' roll karaoke-style video game, as this recent release is only a first edition of a planned series of video games. The wildly successful Guitar Hero has released three major editions of its game to date, with each game generating more and more publicity.

full story here:
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0344842.htm

technorati tags: video game designer, educational video game, video game graphics, video game rental, video game rental review, psp video game , nintendo ds video game, computer video games, psp video games, professional video game, video game review, video game systems, video game

Wii's Magic Doesn't Rub Off on Game Makers - News & Analysis - Technology - ATVI - THQI

2007-12-17T16:34:00.000-05:00

Wii's Magic Doesn't Rub Off on Game Makers - News & Analysis - Technology - ATVI - THQI: "Wii's Magic Doesn't Rub Off on Game Makers
By Priya Ganapati
TheStreet.com Staff Reporter
12/17/2007 10:32 AM EST

Nintendo's best-seller Wii is so hot it can't stay long enough on retail shelves for consumers, but video-game publishers are still waiting for some of the console's magic to rub off on them.

IGN: Virtua Fighter 5 Demo Released

2007-10-13T18:49:00.000-04:00

IGN: Virtua Fighter 5 Demo Released:

"October 12, 2007 - A demo version of Virtua Fighter 5 is now available for download on the Xbox 360 Marketplace, SEGA of America announced today."

Trigger-happy video game players battle for cyber supremacy - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

2007-10-06T12:27:00.000-04:00

Trigger-happy video game players battle for cyber supremacy - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos:

"SEATTLE, Washington -- The roar of virtual racing engines and rat-a-tat of screen killers echo in a Seattle arena, as 700 trigger-happy video game players from 74 countries flex their thumbs for bragging rights at the World Cyber Games (WCG). This is only the second time the WCG Grand Final has been held in the United States. As gamers walk into the Qwest Field Exhibition Center in this northwestern US city, they are greeted by a sensory overload of music blaring, giant digital displays, and LED screens pulsing with video games played all around the room."

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Creators of 'Halo' video games leaving Microsoft - Los Angeles Times

2007-10-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

Creators of 'Halo' video games leaving Microsoft - Los Angeles Times:
"The team behind the 'Halo' series, one of the all-time top video game franchises, said Friday that it was splitting from parent Microsoft Corp. and eventually might develop titles for consoles that compete with Microsoft's Xbox. Though both sides described the spinoff as amicable, it shows the difficulty faced by the 32-year-old software behemoth in fostering the creative environment necessary to keep innovative game designers and engineers in other hot areas happy."

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

'Halo 3' takes video game industry to new heights

2007-09-30T16:43:00.000-04:00

Indystar E Technology Games - Personal Tech News, Video Game Reviews, Gadget Reviews and more from Gannett News Service:
"'Halo 3' takes video game industry to new heights
MIKE SNIDER, USA TODAY

'Halo 3' launched straight into the stratosphere Tuesday. First-day sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 space adventure totaled $170 million in the U.S. It was the most successful video game rollout in history and, the company boasted, topped the $151 million 'Spider-Man 3' made at the box office in its opening weekend in May. Though not quite a fair comparison - each game costs $60 or more, most movie tickets are $10 or less - the early sales are 'spectacular,' says Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter. He estimates that 2.5 million copies were sold starting with midnight store promotions coast to coast, meaning one-fifth of all Xbox 360 owners bought a copy in the first 24 hours. 'I would guess that the number is 1 million higher in a week, and double by year end.'"

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Unforgiven: Metallica sues Red Octane, Activision, and Harmonix

2007-08-14T18:14:00.000-04:00

Unforgiven: Metallica sues Red Octane, Activision, and Harmonix

Harmonix confirmed back in July that the legendary rock band Metallica is coming to Rock Band (PS3 and Xbox 360). Also earlier this month both Red Octane and Activision came up with a similar announcement for Guitar Hero III that is scheduled to be released on Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 platforms.

http://ps3.qj.net/Unforgiven-Metallica-sues-Red-Octane-Activision-and-Harmonix/pg/49/aid/99918

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

The Video Game Revolution: "Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked" by Henry Jenkins | PBS

2007-08-08T19:29:00.000-04:00

Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked Henry JenkinsMIT Professor

A large gap exists between the public's perception of video games and what the research actually shows. The following is an attempt to separate fact from fiction.

The Video Game Revolution: "Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked" by Henry Jenkins PBS

THE VIDEO GAME CONSOLE WARS

2007-07-14T17:28:00.000-04:00

THE VIDEO GAME CONSOLE WARS
TIM SHUFELT AND DAVID GEORGE-COSH

July 14, 2007

HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE FLOATING DOT

1 In 1966, Ralph Baer, an inventor at a New Hampshire electronics company began research on game systems that could interact with standard television sets. Consumer electronics at the time, however, could not handle the graphics required to cleave gang bangers in Manhunt, or pick up hookers in Grand Theft Auto, let alone position a flat line to deflect a bouncing circle, as in Pong, one of the first commercially distributed games.

Simulated tennis and Ping-Pong games like Pong trace back to the world's first interactive game created for the oscilloscope by William Higinbotham, an American physicist with enough smarts to participate in the Manhattan Project, but apparently not enough physical prowess for actual table tennis. In 1972, Magnavox licensed Mr. Baer's technology and introduced the Odyssey, the first video game console, which included a Ping-Pong game with no sound. Later that year, Atari developed the ball-and-paddle game in its most popular form with a Pong arcade game, followed quickly by a home version. Mr. Baer later successfully sued Atari for patent infringement.

full article at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070714.RFIVETHINGS14/TPStory/Business

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Trinity College offers Masters Degree in video games

2007-07-05T00:34:00.000-04:00

Trinity College offers Masters Degree in video games
[Published: Wednesday 4, July 2007 - 15:38]

Ireland's first Masters Degree in video games is being offered at the country's most prestigious university, it was revealed today.
The one-year course in interactive entertainment technology will kick-off in October at Trinity College Dublin and has been designed in collaboration with some of the world's top gaming companies.

Supported by Microsoft, it is the first time an Irish post-graduate course will focus on the science and technology behind video games and is intended to prepare students for a career in the growing gaming and entertainment sector.

The course marks a new era for TCD, Ireland's oldest university and one of the country's most historic locations, with literary giants Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde among its illustrious former students.

``Interactive entertainment is one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of global industry right now,'' course director Dr Steven Collins said.

full story at:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2735173.ece?service=print

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Video Games, AMA Taking Action

2007-07-01T17:27:00.000-04:00

Video Games, AMA Taking Action

Given that approximately 70 to 90 percent of U.S. youths play video games, the American Medical Association (AMA) has called for more research on the long-term beneficial and detrimental effects of video game and Internet use, as well as a review of the current video game ratings system.

To spur additional study, the AMA will submit the full report and recommendations to the American Psychiatric Association and other appropriate medical specialty societies for review and consideration in conjunction with the upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

full story here:
http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/7301

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

World of Warcraft

2007-06-06T14:59:00.000-04:00

World of Warcraft (commonly abbreviated as WoW) is a pay-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It is Blizzard Entertainment's fourth game set in the fantasy Warcraft Universe, first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994. World of Warcraft takes place within the world of Azeroth, four years after the events at the conclusion of Blizzard's previous release, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Blizzard Entertainment announced World of Warcraft on September 2, 2001. The game was released on November 23, 2004, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise.

Although its initial release was hampered by server stability and performance issues, the game became popular and a financial success, becoming the world's most popular subscription-based MMORPG. On March 7, 2007, Blizzard announced that the subscriber base for World of Warcraft had reached a new milestone, with 8.5 million players worldwide; there are more than 2 million players in North America, 1.5 million players in Europe, and 3.5 million players in China. The game has won numerous awards and recognitions, including Gamespot's Game of the Year Award for 2004.

There is also a World of Warcraft Board Game published by Fantasy Flight Games and a World of Warcraft Trading Card Game published by Upper Deck Entertainment.

The first official expansion pack of the game, the The Burning Crusade, was released on January 16, 2007.

Unlike previous games in the Warcraft series, World of Warcraft is not a real-time strategy game, but is a MMORPG. As with other MMORPGs, such as EverQuest, players control a character avatar within a persistent gameworld, exploring the landscape, fighting monsters, and performing quests on behalf of computer-controlled characters (also called NPCs—non-player characters). The game rewards success through money, items, and experience, which in turn allow players to improve in skill and power. In addition, players may opt to take part in battles against other players of an enemy faction, including both duels and fights.

The majority of the quests during the early and middle stages of gameplay can be completed without the help of other players, particularly if the player is a higher level than what the quest suggests. Other portions of the game such as dungeons (also called instances) are designed to require other players to work together for success. Dungeons are designed for parties ranging from two to five players, up to a maximum of 40 for the significantly more difficult "raids" (a term originating from Everquest gameplay)[citation needed]. The highest level, most complex dungeons and encounters are designed to take raiding guilds a lot of time (sometimes even months) and many attempts before they succeed.

World of Warcraft runs natively on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. Boxed copies of the game use a hybrid CD to install the game, eliminating the need for separate Mac and Windows retail products. The game allows all users to play together, regardless of their operating system.

Although there is no official version for any other platform, support for World of Warcraft is present in Windows API implementations Wine and Cedega, allowing the game to be played under Linux and FreeBSD.

As of Patch 1.9.3 the game added native support for the newer Intel-powered Macs, making World of Warcraft a Universal application (as defined by Apple). As a result of this, the minimum supported Mac OS X version has been changed to 10.3.9; World of Warcraft version 1.9.3 and later will not launch on older versions of Mac OS X.

Due to the fact that new content is constantly being added to the game official system requirements often change. As of version 1.12.0 the requirements for Windows have increased from requiring 256 MB to 512 MB of RAM and official Windows 98 technical support has been dropped even though the game should still run fine.

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/

technorati tags: World of Warcraft, gaming, warcraft, games, world-of-warcraft, wow, asides, mmorpg, worldofwarcraft, etc., video games

Xbox : Project Gotham Racing

2007-05-24T23:59:00.001-04:00

Project Gotham Racing (PGR) is a racing game, first in its series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft for the Xbox gaming console. The first title in the franchise, Project Gotham Racing, is an Xbox launch title that quickly became the second best-selling game for the console after Halo.

PGR is a sequel of sorts to the Sega Dreamcast game Metropolis Street Racer, but the name was changed because Sega held the rights to the original name.

PGR differs from most racing games in that winning a race does not necessarily mean the player advances to the next round; instead advancement in PGR requires both driving fast enough to meet the challenge set, and scoring enough Kudos points to advance. Kudos points are gained through the player's driving skills, such as power sliding around a corner at speed, or overtaking other NPCs in the race.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has described Project Gotham as his favorite video game.

This game is not yet compatible with the Xbox 360. It is unknown when the game will be compatible.

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Xbox : Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

2007-05-19T21:39:00.002-04:00

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts. KotOR was released for Microsoft's Xbox on July 15, 2003, for PCs running Microsoft Windows on November 19, 2003, and later for Mac OS X. KotOR is the first computer role-playing game (RPG) set in the Star Wars universe. The alignment system tracks actions--from simple word choice to major plot decisions--and then determines one's either light or dark alignment.

The game's system is based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Combat is round-based. Time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack/react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round.

A sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords was developed by a different studio, Obsidian Entertainment, using an updated version of the engine from the first game. Bioware was occupied with producing Jade Empire and wanted to focus more on their original productions than licensed games, but they recommended Obsidian for KotOR's sequel. It was released for Xbox in December 2004 and PC in February 2005.

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Xbox : Fable

2007-05-14T19:46:00.002-04:00

Fable is a video game for Xbox. It was developed by Big Blue Box, a satellite of Lionhead Studios, and was published by Microsoft. Shipped to retail on September 14, 2004, Fable was well-received by critics for the quality of its gameplay and execution, even as they lamented its failure to include many of the features promised by creator Peter Molyneux.

An extended version of the game, Fable: The Lost Chapters, was released for Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox on September of 2005.

The game's music was scored by Russell Shaw, whilst the opening title theme was composed by Danny Elfman.
Many of the gamemaker's names (over 25) can be found on the gravestones throughout the game. In Fable: The Lost Chapters, Peter Molyneux's grave can be found in Snowspire village saying he tamed lions and always reached for the stars. A gravestone of Russell Shaw can be found in Hook Coast.
A few cameos are made on gravestones within the game. In the Lychfield Graveyard the hero finds a grave that reads: "Cpt. J. Sparrow. A wind at your back forever, sir". This is a reference to Jack Sparrow, one of the primary characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. A grave of someone named George W. can be found in the necropolis in Fable: The Lost Chapters. The grave mentions that this person gave support until the end. Another grave reads "No man can hold his breath for ten minutes," referencing Guybrush Threepwood of the Monkey Island series.
While trying to open the demon door near in Avo's Temple, instead of hitting the correct stone sequence (H->I->T->S), players may try hitting S->H->I->T. They will hear the door say something angrily and a pack of balverines will attack them at once. If they enter it a second time, they will hear a voice whisper the it.
This game won two Dubious Honors in GameSpot's Best & Worst of 2004: "Most Light Bloom" and "Biggest Disappointment."
In the expansion, Fable: The Lost Chapters the teacher of the school in Bowerstone will make a reference to a popular author. If he is handed the book 'A Hero's Journey 3', he will comment on its author Jack Stevenson. In real life, author Steve Jackson (who wrote the 'choose your own adventure' books series known as Fighting Fantasy).

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Xbox : Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

2007-05-06T18:04:00.001-04:00

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a critically-acclaimed stealth-based video game, developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It is a 3D modern action-adventure stealth-based game, built on the Unreal Engine 2. It is the first Splinter Cell game in the series endorsed (but not created) by author Tom Clancy, and follows the activities of American NSA Black Ops agent Sam Fisher. The character of Sam Fisher is voiced by actor Michael Ironside. His boss, Irving Lambert, is voiced by actor Don Jordan.

The game is available for the Microsoft Xbox, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, PC, Mac and Game Boy Advance.

In December 2003 a port for the N-Gage handheld game console was released, retitled Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Team Action Stealth. The N-Gage game is in 2D instead of 3D.

The success of the game series spawned a series of novels written under the pseudonym David Michaels.

Splinter Cell's stealth-based gameplay, although frequently compared to the Metal Gear series, has more in common with that of the cult PC series Thief which pre-dates it by several years. Most of the game is spent sneaking around, using darkness and shadows to hide from patrolling guards. The player is equipped with a "light meter" that indicates how visible they are to enemies, as well as night vision and thermal vision goggles to help the player navigate in darkness and spot enemies. For combat, Fisher is equipped with a silenced pistol as well as a silenced assault rifle that can be used for combat, sniping, and even for launching various non-lethal devices such as "sticky shockers" and "gas grenades". Fisher can also sneak up on enemies from behind to knock them unconscious or grab and interrogate them. Fisher is also extremely acrobatic, and has a variety of maneuvers including the ability to mantle onto and climb along ledges, hang from pipes, and perform a "split jump" in narrow spaces to mantle up a steep wall.

The game heavily encourages stealth over brute force. Although Fisher is equipped with a firearm, he only carries at most 60 rounds of ammunition and rarely is able to obtain more during a mission. He also can only survive about 6 bullet hits before dying, and since most enemies are equipped with fast-firing automatic weapons they have the ability to cut Fisher down in a second or two. Additionally, Fisher must go in "aim mode" before firing his weapon, during which his movement speed is significantly slowed down. Moving while firing also makes Fisher's weapon highly inaccurate, as does firing more than one bullet at a time. It is also critical to hide bodies after killing or knocking them out. If another patrolling guard finds the body, he can alert other enemies and an alarm is heard. If the body is unconscious, the guards can revive him. Sometimes the only option is knock them unconscious, as lethal force is not permitted.

The game is quite linear, instead of exploring an open area, the player frequently goes on a straight route from one point to another throughout an entire level.

In the first Chinese Embassy level, when Sam is meeting a contact, his code phrase is, "A bright cold day in April", the first line of George Orwell's novel 1984. In the CIA building it is possible to enter an out-of-the-way room containing UFO-themed items and a computer with a jumbled email from 'F.M. FBI,' a reference to Agent Fox Mulder from The X-Files. Further exploration lets the player view a huge, unreachable records room as seen in that series.

On Jon Holmes' BBC 6 Music show, a version of "Tom Clancy Splinter Cell for the Radio" is played. The game features some subtle but crucial changes.

On the CIA mission , Sam is told to go to "Information retrieval" departament , another fictional department from the movie Brazil by Terry Gilliam

technorati tags: microsoft, xbox 360, 360, gaming, sony, games, ps2, pc, ps3, playstation

Xbox :Halo: Combat Evolved

2007-04-29T11:36:00.002-04:00

Halo: Combat Evolved, or simply Halo, is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios, and the first installment of the Halo trilogy. It was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is considered that platform's "killer application". With more than five million copies sold worldwide, Halo is second only to its sequel, Halo 2, in sales for the Xbox video game console.

The titular Halo is an enormous, ring-shaped artificial space habitat, and, according to Bungie Studios, has a diameter of ten thousand kilometers. Halo sits at a Lagrange point between a planet and its moon. Rotation provides the station's gravity. In the game, the player assumes the role of the Master Chief, a cyborg "super-soldier" with battle armor. The Master Chief is accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence who occupies the neural implant between the battle armor and the Master Chief's brain. Players battle various types of aliens on foot or in vehicles as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the Halo. The game has been called "easy to learn," and has been praised for its "engaging story".

Widely considered to be one of the best, and most influential, first-person shooters of all time, Halo's acclaim rivals that of GoldenEye 007 and Half-Life. For example, Edge gave Halo a full score of ten out of ten, only the fourth such designation in the magazine's 12-year history. Nevertheless, Halo has its critics. The game was tenth on GameSpy's "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time"; one reviewer stated that the game "recycled the same areas over and over until you were bored to tears."

The game's popularity has led to labels such as "Halo clone" and "Halo killer", applied to games either similar to, or anticipated to be better than, Halo. In addition, the game inspired and was used in the fan-created Red vs. Blue video series, which is credited as the "first big success" of machinima — the art of using real-time 3-D engines, often from computer and video games, to create animated films.

Halo's influence has been called "undeniable", and its "numerous subtle innovations have been borrowed by countless other games since." The game is often cited as the main reason for the Xbox's success,and it began what is commonly known as the system's flagship franchise. Through criteria including revenue, average review scores, commentary, spin-offs and other elements, Halo has been estimated as the top second game of the twenty-first century, behind only Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The game's popularity sparked the usage of terms like "Halo clone"and "Halo killer". Notably, the game Killzone was billed as a "Halo killer". The Halo engine has been used for the game Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse".

Halo has been featured at both Major League Gaming and the World Cyber Games. In machinima, the game was used as the basis for the extremely popular Red vs. Blue. The game's sequel, Halo 2, made US$125 million with unit sales of 2.38 million on the first day of its release, earning it the distinction of the fastest-selling United States media product in history.

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Xbox : Halo 2

2007-04-24T14:20:00.003-04:00

Halo 2 is a science fiction first-person shooter developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the sequel to the blockbuster Halo: Combat Evolved. Since its initial release, Halo 2 had been the most popular video game on Xbox Live,[ holding that rank until the release of Gears of War for the Xbox 360 nearly two years later. By June 20, 2006, more than 500 million games of Halo 2 had been played and more than 710 million hours have been spent playing it on Xbox Live; by October 30, 2006, this number rose to four billion. (This comes to more than 45,662 years.) Halo 2 is compatible with the Xbox 360, including its Xbox Live functionality.

The game features a newly built game engine, the Havok physics engine, new weapons and vehicles, new multi-player maps, and a continuation of the storyline from Halo: Combat Evolved. In the game, humans, who have developed faster-than-light travel and colonized several worlds, have been engaged in a war against a collective of genocidal alien races, the Covenant. The player assumes the roles of Master Chief and the Arbiter, and fights enemies on foot or with a collection of alien and human vehicles. As of November 9, 2005, more than seven million units of the game have been sold worldwide, making it the best selling game for the Xbox. A Windows Vista version of the game is under development. Game developer Pi Studios will be producing editing tools for this version, which will allow users to create unique multiplayer maps.

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Xbox 360 : Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

2007-04-16T17:28:00.001-04:00

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a third-person shooter video game created by Capcom exclusively for Microsoft's Xbox 360. It was produced by Keiji Inafune, the creator of the Onimusha and Mega Man series. The game utilizes both mech piloting and on-foot exploration and features Korean-wave actor Lee Byung-Hun as the model for the main character, Wayne. Lost Planet was released on January 12, 2007, in North America and PAL regions. Lost Planet: Trag Zero, a prequel which focuses on Gale, the main character Wayne's father, is also expected to be released on cell phones. It has been recently announced that Lost Planet: Extreme Condition will be released on PC in June in Europe and North America. The PC version will include DirectX 10 support and enhanced graphics.

The game has multiplayer support on Xbox Live with up to 16 players online in a single game. Players can compete through four game types; Fugitive, Elimination, Team Elimination, and Post Grab. Killing enemies, destroying VS, and hacking data posts will add to the players score while getting killed and committing suicide will take away points. The point total at the end of the game will be added to the player's overall score across all of their games. This score will be used to determine the player's level. The highest level is 99. Players can unlock new character models and patterns. There are eight (nine in SE version) multiplayer maps: Crimson River, Dark Town, Diplidation, Training Facility, Canyon 810, Lost Coast, Pirate Fortress, and Frozen Wasteland (plus battleground in SE version).

The weapon variety in Lost Planet becomes obvious when playing in multiplayer matches; the game features 5 varieties of grenade, 15 distinct weapons (7 of which are dual-function in that they can be carried by infantry or attached to a mech), and 6 mechs ranging from transforming tanks to jump-jet walkers. Weapon placements are randomized for each match, as are a player's grenades upon spawning.

On March 2, 2007, Capcom released the first gameplay patch for Lost Planet's multiplayer modes. The patch includes fixes that allow players to easier discern the nationality of their fellow players, to tell who is speaking during matchmaking and gameplay with an added "speaking" icon, as well as a connection speed/strength indicator. This speaking symbol is also added in the results screen at the end of the match. It also contains a number of bugfixes geared to prevent major glitches and exploits during online play. However a few people haven´t been able to enter a match, due to the host quitting the match. This is an error, and more people reports about this problem. Due to the fact that descerning nationality is easier, many people refuse to play with any people not from their country, causing an increase of reports on gamertags for racism.

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Xbox 360 : Dead Rising

2007-04-15T22:10:00.002-04:00

Dead Rising is a single player action video game exclusively for the Xbox 360 produced by Keiji Inafune and developed by Capcom. It was released in North America on August 8, 2006. A playable demo was released for download to the Xbox 360 from the Xbox Live Marketplace on August 4, 2006. The game follows the events of the main character over a 3 day span while he is trapped in a mall infested with zombies.

Dead Rising has earned generally positive reviews. The game received ratings of 8.1/10 from 1UP.com, 8.7/10 from TeamXbox, 8.3/10 from IGN.com, 8.4 from GameSpot, 4.5/5 from GameSpy and 9.25/10 from Game Informer. IGN stated the game needed "a better save system, more intelligent NPCs, a more forgiving story progression, and tighter controls," but still called Dead Rising "one of the more unique and entertaining titles on the Xbox 360." GameSpot said, "It's zombie action for people who want zombie action, and it's simply a great piece of entertainment."

The reviews shared a general consensus. All the reviewers commended the game's "sandbox" style mall to explore and the sheer amount of ways to kill the thousands of zombies. Prior to its release, Dead Rising topped the video game sellers chart of Amazon.com. Capcom is currently giving away surveys asking fans if they would like to see a sequel. On August 29, 2006, Capcom announced the game had sold more than 500,000 copies in the two weeks since its US launch date of August 8.

Dead Rising has won several awards. IGN awarded the title "Most Innovative Design for Xbox 360" in its Best of 2006. GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2006 awarded the game honors for "Best Action Adventure Game", "Best Sound Effects", and "Best Use of Xbox 360 Achievement Points".Additionally, the game won "Action Game of the Year" at the 2006 Spike TV Video Game Awards. It ranked number two in famous gaming mag Gamesmaster's Top 50 of 2006. It also won Best Original Game of 2006 on X-Play.

According to Capcom, Dead Rising had shipped one million copies worldwide by the end of 2006 and will become a franchise, with multiple sequels in the preproduction stages.

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Xbox 360 : Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

2007-04-13T14:21:00.001-04:00

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (also known as Ghost Recon 3 or G.R.A.W.) is the third installment in the popular Ghost Recon tactical shooter video game series, published by Ubisoft. As in previous Ghost Recon games, players will command their team of Ghosts while neutralizing hostile forces and completing various mission objectives. These objectives can range from escorting friendly units across the map to rescuing hostages or taking out enemy artillery.

Being a tactical shooter, similar to games like America's Army, Advanced Warfighter places emphasis on using cover effectively in order to stay alive, together with sound strategic co-ordination to successfully complete mission objectives. Advanced Warfighter will allow new strategic situations to be planned and performed using original features. One such feature is the Integrated Warfighter System. This system is based upon the Future Force Warrior program. Previously, in 2005, the XM8 was also cancelled while still in its testing stage, making its induction into military service highly unlikely.

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter is slightly unusual in that there are three versions of the game for four different platforms, with minor varied storyline/missions. The PS2 and Xbox versions are essentially the same title, while the Xbox 360 and the PC stand on their own.

The Xbox 360 version features the exclusive third person view and covering system, which allows the player to duck behind objects for covering and perform tactical manoeuvres such as pop-and-shoot. Other versions are primarily designed as a first person shooter.

Gameplay emphasis is placed upon the player to do the bulk of the fighting while AI teammates tag along. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox version contains only one teammate, while the other versions provide three. The player can issue commands to the team members. The Xbox 360 version allows issuing command to the whole team, but not individually.

The Xbox 360 and PC versions feature a cross-com system. This system allows the player to command not only his squad, but also other friendly units (e.g. helicopters, UAV drones, etc.). The cross-com system can be used in conjunction with the Intel map, which is a tactical map showing the entire play area, to issue commands.

The PC version allows the player to issue different commands to each squad member in an effort to appeal to the fans of the original Ghost Recon series. The PC version requires the player to use squad tactics in order to achieve success. The PC version levels are larger than the console versions with more situation awareness required, lurking enemies, thus requiring more careful approach on the player.

Unfortunately, many PC gamers were disappointed when they first started the game due to the new squad commands. Unlike the Xbox 360 version of the game, the player has to command their men in every way possible, and at times the game is very strenuous to play this way.

The PC version can take advantage of the presence of a Ageia PhysX card, however the enhancements are only cosmetic and offer no benefits gameplay-wise.

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Xbox 360 : Dead or Alive 4

2007-04-11T15:42:00.001-04:00

Dead or Alive 4 (DOA4) is a fighting game developed by Tecmo for the Xbox 360 video game console. As the latest entry in the Dead or Alive video game series produced by Tecmo's Team Ninja studio, its plot follows the events of the 2001 title Dead or Alive 3. The game features twenty-two playable characters and many multi-tiered and interactive fighting arenas.

DOA4 contains three new playable characters: Kokoro, a young Geisha in training, Eliot, a 16 year-old boy from England and protégé to Gen Fu, and La Mariposa, a female Lucha Libre wrestler and rival to Tina.

In addition, DOA4 features a playable unlockable character from the Halo series. The November 2005 issue of Game Informer revealed that this character is a female Spartan supersoldier, going by the name "Spartan-458". It would later be revealed that her real name would be "Nicole". In conjunction, a Halo-themed stage named Nassau Station is incorporated in the game.

The final boss of the game in story mode for most characters and in time attack mode for all characters, ALPHA-152, is a very noticeable example of the "SNK Boss Syndrome", as she can damage close to and over 70% of the player's life in one attack chain, has easily executed combos that go far beyond the ability of any regular character, and can teleport to anywhere on the stage instantly. It has been noted, however, that previous DOA bosses were easier to compare to the SNK bosses of yore, in that they were extremely difficult to beat. This is the first time a Dead or Alive boss has been in the Time Attack mode. As beating ALPHA-152 is very difficult, this can make achieving a good time trying for inexperienced players. However, the match settings can be changed so each fighter has to be beaten only once. For some characters, though, the final confrontation in their story modes is different; for instance, Bayman and Helena fight against Christie, Tina confronts her father Bass, Hitomi fights Hayate's alter ego, Ein, Lei Fang battles Jann Lee, and Eliot fights his old master, Gen Fu.

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Xbox 360 : Saints Row

2007-04-08T17:18:00.002-04:00

Saints Row is an action-adventure video game, available for the Xbox 360 and to be released for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by Volition, and published by THQ. The game has been described as being in the same vein as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in terms of gameplay, with the developers referring to it as an emerging genre called "open world". Both games focus on urban gang activity, with the main character attempting to strengthen his gang's standing within the world.

A downloadable single-player demo of Saints Row was released via the Xbox Live Marketplace on August 1, 2006. The game arrived in stores in wide release on August 29, 2006 in North America, and on 1 September 2006 in Europe and Australia.

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Xbox 360 : Perfect Dark Zero

2007-04-06T19:48:00.001-04:00

Perfect Dark Zero is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was released as a launch title in North America, Europe, Australia and Japan.

With respect to storyline, Perfect Dark Zero is a prequel to the successful Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark, made in 2000. Zero takes place in the year 2020, predating the original Perfect Dark's storyline by three years. A tie-in novel, Perfect Dark: Initial Vector, was also published. Set between Perfect Dark Zero and the original game, the book tells the story of how Joanna Dark helps the Carrington Institute dig deeper into dataDyne.

technorati tags: x box 360,nintendo wii,video game,x box,ds nintendo,playstation 3,playstation 2,video game rental,video game system

video games

Xbox 360 : Madden NFL 07

2007-04-05T17:04:00.001-04:00

Madden NFL 07 is an American football video game released on August 22, 2006. It is the seventeenth installment of the Madden NFL series, noted for commentator John Madden. It features Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, the National Football League's 2005 Most Valuable Player, on the cover. This marks the second time in Madden history that the previous season's MVP was featured on the cover, Marshall Faulk being the first.

Madden NFL 07 was released for more formats in a single year than any previous version. In addition to its appearance on the PC platform and cell phones, versions of the game were produced for every game console of the previous generation, including the Xbox, the PlayStation 2, and the Nintendo GameCube. Hand-held versions appeared on the PSP, the Nintendo DS, and the Game Boy Advance. It is also the second iteration of the series to appear on the Xbox 360, and the first to appear on the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles.

After John Madden's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, EA Sports released a version of Madden NFL 07 called the "Hall of Fame Edition." It contained two discs, one with the normal game and the other a DVD with special features. Special features included an interview with John Madden, a behind the scenes look at the making of Madden NFL 07, and a sneak preview of the new PlayStation 3. To go along with Madden's inception into the Hall of Fame, there are special Hall of Fame teams that players can unlock with credits earned during the game. These teams are statistically superior to the default NFL team rosters.

The PlayStation 2 version sold 1.8 million copies, helping to make the game the top seller of 2006.

TECHNORATI TAGS: x box 360,nintendo wii,video game,x box,ds nintendo,playstation 3,playstation 2,video game rental,video game system

Xbox 360: Call of Duty 2

2007-04-04T14:06:00.001-04:00

Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and sequel to the critically acclaimed game, Call of Duty, also developed by Infinity Ward. Call of Duty 2 had contributions from Pi Studios, and was published by Activision on October 25, 2005 for Windows and November 22, 2005 for the Xbox 360. Call of Duty 2 takes place during World War II and features three campaigns where the player can be a soldier for the Red Army, the British Army, or the United States Army. Since October 13, 2006, the game has also been available to buy on Valve's content delivery platform, Steam. This comes after an agreement with its publisher, Activision.

Call of Duty 2 was the highest selling Xbox 360 launch title, selling 250,000 units in its first week of availability. Call of Duty 2 also was attributed to the large number of Xbox 360s sold, with 77% of people buying an Xbox 360 buying Call of Duty 2. To date, the game has sold over 1.4 million units on the console.

A single player demo featuring a British Army mission in El Daba, Egypt (entitled "The End of the Beginning") from a British perspective was released on September 26, 2005. A special DVD Collectors' Edition also exists, which includes 'making of' documentaries and interviews.

The sequel to Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3, was released in November 2006.

On February 16 2007, a PocketPC version of Call of Duty 2 was released by Aspyr.

Xbox 360: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

2007-04-04T14:04:00.001-04:00

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or Oblivion, is an award winning fantasy-themed action oriented role playing game developed by Bethesda Softworks LLC for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the fourth installment of the Elder Scrolls series. The game's story focuses on a prisoner drawn into a Daedric Lord's plan to conquer the mortal plane.

Oblivion was released in March of 2006 for the Windows and Xbox 360 platforms, and by April 10, 2006 it had sold 1.7 million copies, and over 3 million copies by January 18, 2007. It was released for the PlayStation 3 on March 20, 2007 in North America, and is yet to be released elsewhere.

The game continues the tradition of Elder Scrolls games of allowing the player to travel anywhere in the game world at any time, including allowing the player to ignore or postpone the main storyline indefinitely. Although it is set after the previous Elder Scrolls games chronologically, the game is not a direct sequel to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind or any other game.

Xbox 360 : Gears of War

2007-04-04T13:56:00.001-04:00

Gears of War is a tactical third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games (the creators of the Unreal Tournament series) using Unreal Engine 3.0 technology and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Released for the Xbox 360 on November 7, 2006 in select stores in the United States, it was broadly released in major U.S. retailers on November 12, 2006. The game was released on November 17, 2006 in Europe outside of Germany, where Microsoft Game Studios did not publish the game after it was denied a rating. A limited collector's edition was also released, which included a disc of bonus content and an art book titled "Destroyed Beauty" that detailed much of the game's backstory.

Gears of War centers on the soldiers of Delta Squad as they fight to save the human inhabitants of the fictional planet Sera from a relentless subterranean enemy known as The Locust Horde. The player assumes the role of Marcus Fenix, a former prisoner and war-hardened soldier. In cooperative play, the second player plays as Fenix's friend and fellow soldier, Dominic Santiago "Dom". The two soldiers join up with Delta Squad and battle the Locust Horde through the course of the campaign.

The Top 10 video games

2007-04-03T23:02:00.002-04:00

Top 10 video games
By William O'Neal

If one thing is true, it's that video games have come of age in the past 10 years. Sure, many of us remember playing Ms. Pac-Man in the early '80s, but the fact remains that many of the games that were released over the past 10 years have changed not only technology and gaming, but in many ways entertainment in general. Here are our picks for the top 10 games of the past 10 years.....

1.Half-Life (1998)
2.Starcraft (1998)
3.The Sims (2000)
4.Quake (1996)
5.Madden NFL Football (immemorial)
6.EverQuest (1999)
7.Halo (2001)
8.Metal Gear Solid (1998)
9.Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
10.The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time (1998)

Full article at: http://www.cnet.com/4520-11136_1-6310088-1.html

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Xbox : Project Gotham Racing

Xbox : Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Xbox : Fable

Xbox : Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Xbox :Halo: Combat Evolved

Xbox : Halo 2

Xbox 360 : Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

Xbox 360 : Dead Rising

Xbox 360 : Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

Xbox 360 : Dead or Alive 4

Xbox 360 : Saints Row

Xbox 360 : Perfect Dark Zero

Xbox 360 : Madden NFL 07

Xbox 360: Call of Duty 2

Xbox 360: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Xbox 360 : Gears of War

The Top 10 video games