Genre: Action RPG, Fantasy
Lead Creators: Jason Anderson (creative director), Leonard Boyarsky (executive producer), Tim Cain (design), Brian Mitsoda (lead writing, design)
Developer: Troika Games
Publisher: Activision
Console: PC
Release Date: Nov. 16, 2004 (NA), Nov. 19, 2004 (EU)
Rating: M for Mature

Based on Vampire: The Masquerade, the story-telling RPG designed by White Wolf, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines places you in the shoes of a newly turned vampire whose sire (the vampire who turned you) is killed for breaking vampire law. You are set in the service of Prince LaCroix, the leader of the Camarilla vampires within the city, and are sent straight to Santa Monica for your first mission. The game spans across four districts of L.A., and the major goal of the game is to uncover a supernatural artifact called the Ankaran Sarcophagus for the Prince. The story goes very in-depth, and players will learn much about the different bloodlines, political sects, and hidden agendas of vampires and humans during both the main storyline and the numerous side quests available.

The game starts off on a positive note with character customization. You can choose from one of seven clans as well as gender, both of which influence subsequent dialogue options. From there, players can customize their character however they so desire, making for some rather unique combinations, including a seductive computer hacker, an intimidating gunslinger, or a persuasive brawler. Stats greatly influence not only dialogue but world interactions, such as lock picking, hacking into computers, and effectively fighting in combat, so planning ahead is key. If you choose a clan that goes against what you want, such as picking a Tremere vampire who uses blood magic while wanting to be a fighter, then you’ll have great difficulty in enjoying the game.

After character customization, you are shown several cinematics, in which the political background and foundation of modern vampiric society is displayed at its finest. The laws, known as the “Masquerade,” are extremely important in the game, and breaking vampiric laws results in a Masquerade violation. Invoking too many violations, such as feeding or using abilities in public, not only causes your fellow vampires to hunt you down, but also attracts the likes of witch-hunters.

The gameplay is rather basic; your job is to complete as many quests as possible, obtaining as much experience as possible, in order to make the strongest vampire ever. Easy, right? While the quests are indeed rather fun, the experience points rewarded are oftentimes a bit sketchy. There are times when players will think “only one point for killing a leader of a death cult?!” This can make leveling up your character seem tedious and unbalanced, particularly at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately the game can often be weighed down by the sheer amount of loading time. Every time you enter a building or area, be it a place you never visited or a place you have visited a hundred times, the game takes some time in loading the area. Most loading screens run rather smoothly and quickly, but the massive amount of loading screens (accompanied with tips on gameplay as well as information on the World of Darkness background) can also be tiring to go through, particularly if you’re merely visiting an area to view an email or talk to someone standing next to the door on the other side.

The sense of atmosphere in Bloodlines is extremely well done. Graphics are good on the whole, although cinematics (particularly when you choose a female character) could have been much improved. Timing always seems a bit off between sound and movement, and as a female character, you will take note that your chest is sunken in and your stature seems to have been designed to mimic a male character’s stature. Not something you want to see while listening for cues as to your next destination. The backgrounds are nicely designed, however, as the musical soundtrack adds a level of dimension that is quite impressive. The music is just right for the area: haunting themes in haunted mansions, pulse-pounding background to combat areas, and a nice mixture of techno and Gothic music for the number of clubs you visit during your travels. The dark, gritty feeling of L.A. is captured nicely, and proper attention has been given to buildings and scenery.

There are two major flaws in Bloodlines, however. The first is the combat system; it relies on your stats in combat (naturally), but it seems more like a “mashing of the buttons and praying you hit your target” system. Guns are practically useless, as they do little damage to supernatural entities (the exception being a shotgun), and even with a high skill level you will find that a majority of your shots miss for no apparent reason. Melee and fighting hand-to-hand are a bit better, as these attacks typically do more damage, but there is also an obscene amount of hitting-and-missing action going on. You can see the blade hit the enemy, yet it will register as a miss. The only fun part about combat is your vampiric abilities (each clan obtains three distinct powers), and even some of those are worthless in combat.

The other problem is that there are glitches everywhere. Literally everywhere. In fact, players who purchase the game must download Patch 1.2 from the official website in order to complete the game, since the game is known to crash at specific points throughout the main quest line. Once downloaded, however, there are still plenty of problems, including errors in items, dialogue options not appearing when they should, quest errors, and issues concerning character placement and camera. While all these glitches are rather minor things, they tend to add up to a frustrating overall experience.

Despite these two major flaws, the game itself is a unique addition to the RPG genre. The storyline is original and dark, and the amount of customization available to players, both for their character and for the development of storyline, is quite enjoyable. The fact that there are five available endings also makes Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines worthwhile to play over and over again, as players will be able to change sides each new night.

[Passable]

---

This review is based on a retail copy purchased by the reviewer.

Medium: Console Video Game
Genre: First Person Shooter
Designer: Jason West
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Version Reviewed: Xbox 360 retail (also available on PS3 and PC)
Release Date: November 10, 2009
Rated: M for Mature

In any review of this, the newest iteration of the Call of Duty franchise, we have an interesting dilemma at our hands. You see, the game has been divided up into three sections: we have the campaign, we have Special Ops (SpecOps) mode, and finally we have the muliplayer. For now let's start of with the campaign.

Our story starts five years after the original story of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare took place. A new dictator, Makarov, has risen to power after the defeat of the dictators in the original game. It's at about this juncture that we get to the “No Russian” mission that has received so much controversy.

In order to get the support of the Russian people, Makarov, begins to slay the people in an airport – killing thousands. You play his right hand man, an undercover member of the US Task Force 141. You then get framed for all of the deaths causing a war between Russia and the US. This is definitely a controversial subject for most, but very few gamers have actually complained about it. Also, the media seems to have cut off it pretty quickly; Grand Theft Auto IV, by comparison, still causes controversies to this day, nearly two years after its original release.

Anyway, “No Russian” aside, Modern Warfare 2’s campaign is an incredible sight to behold. The physics engine is one of the best I've seen in years, and the amount of detail in many objects is truly remarkable. Plus, there is nothing better than seeing an AI crouch behind a drywall divider and watching him collapse due to your bullets going right through it.

The plot of the game is a bit lacking, though. Yes, you have to fight off waves of invading Russian soldiers from the White House and Captiol but it's one of those things. They just as easily could have stuck the characters in any order city on the eastern seaboard and had it be just as interesting. As it were, the missions away from the US are significantly more enjoyable, probably because the designers were able to have a bit of fun developing their own unique places. Even in the US, placing the missions in random “Genericville” was a much better option.

The other problem with the story is the absence of the “wow” factor. It's great to have a big shocking event, but when it's three or four times during a game it really loses its value. Not to mention (Spoiler Alert!) the ending is one big quick time event. Yep, you get great gameplay with an above average storyline and they ruin it with a massive quick time event.

The sound of the game is very immersive, but I'm finding sound to be one of those things that it has to be good or the game is just going to be bad outright. The voice acting is superb and the soundtrack is somewhere between Halo on the high side and Fallout on the low side.

The gameplay itself isn't different from the first game. All the buttons do the same thing they've always done , and the game has the same “very easy to learn, hard to master” type of gameplay. There are also four different levels of difficulty, from Beginner to Veteran. The problem is that the game (even on a high difficulty) is only about 2 to 3 hours long and you can cruise by this game on a lower difficulty.

So. now let's look at SpecOps. This is new to the Modern Warfare games and is a very fun mode to play with friends. Basically, as either a one- or two-man group, you can play through certain Special Ops missions that relate to campaign settings. The only is that this is the only co-op part of this game – a real bummer to a person like me who loves to play with his friends.

Finally, we have the multiplayer a.k.a. "bait for seven year olds and the 20+ people who hate them." Seriously, every game I played online, I had a little kid yelling at my team on how we all sucked. Meanwhile, the kid’s gotten five kills and 24 deaths during the game. But I'm the one who sucks? ...

"For the record" this is a great game and one you should go out and get. However, I'd like to point out that, since Modern Warfare 2's release, there aren't nearly as many five-year-old brats playing Halo 3.

great.

I have always been addicted to the zombie genre, so it was natural that Left 4 Dead made me feel, as the old proverb states, "like a kid in a candy shop." "Crash Course" is the newest offering served up by Valve via DLC for both Xbox 360 and PC.

You start off with a downed chopper in front of you and your teammates beside you, complaining about a zombie pilot. The city is littered with the usual flipped cars, random burning fires, and lots of great dark places for you to get yanked and made a four course meal of. The gameplay is the same fluid shooter experience you have likely come to expect from L4D, with no real tweaks or changes. The level design, however, is excellent. It's a little on the linear side, but it is cramped and filled with obstacles, which really helps to give players that feeling of claustrophobia and total fear.

"Crash Course" suffers from a few setbacks. Sitting at only two chapters of actual gameplay, it's far too short; it only took me and two other people a total of 30 minutes to complete a pick-up game. Versus is a different story altogether though; a few pick up games took us a total of an hour and a half to finish, so that made up for it. For PC gamers this DLC is totally worth it (since its free), but for Xbox gamers it costs the significantly less-free 560 Microsoft points. I don't know if I can blame Valve for this, but I fully believe that I can blame Microsoft. I have also come to find it a little annoying that they didn't make any changes to how you fight the horde. Its the same "bunker down, get ready, and unload mounds and mounds of ammunition into the undead onslaught" pattern.

In your first stand you get to set off a huge cannon attached to a military vehicle to clear your path, and from there it's just rinse, wash, and repeat. Your last stand before completion is turning on a power generator to get the Dawn of the Dead-esque bus off the auto lift. The only moment that's just a bit different is when the power goes out. If you're not near the generator, you actually have to fight your way through the masses of undead flesh to get back and switch it on. (Do it fast enough and you get an achievement.) Left 4 Dead 2 promises to make us work to stop the horde, and I hope Valve follows through on that promise. Don't get me wrong – I love to empty clips into zombies – but after playing for hundreds of hours it can get a little old.

In closing, "Crash Course" is a solid and fun offering to help you pick up the game if it's starting to feel a little stale. However, it's a short-lived run and takes a cut of your MS points for Xbox owners. If you don't mind paying the points, though, I totally recommend that you download this. For PC gamers... what are you waiting for? GET IT!

The Super Street Fighter IV hype-machine is in full swing. With announcements about adding up to 8 new fighters, tweaks to both current and online gameplay, Capcom is clearly trying to give the fans what they want.... almost. It's a well-known fact that the game's final boss Seth has been the cause of many a frustrated rage from gamers, but according to a recent quote from Capcom Community Manager Seth Killian, "Seth will be even cheaper and more irritating." Some current characters will also get some new moves, though details are sketchy regarding who will receive the updates. Killian did admit that one character – Ken – will learn a new trick or two.

Questions arose about the online play as soon as SFIV hit consoles, but it is yet to be proven whether Super SFIV will improve them or not. When asked about the issue, Killian's response was only a meager, "That is one of the things we will be trying to address." I know I would love it if Capcom would add a party room of sorts (a la Dead or Alive 4).

One of the more surprising details from Killian is Capcom's decision to create all new background stories for ALL characters, though they will not be animated by Studio 4°C. This could be a great idea, but it might also backfire since sometimes story changes can destroy diehard fans' original love for a character. On the topic of the game's price, I remember reading somewhere that Capcom was originally planning to make SSFIV cheaper than SFIV, but that may change according to Killian, who says that Capcom is still debating whether to sell the game for the traditional price of console titles or a lower price. I vote lower, since Capcom would anger a lot of fans by making them pay twice for just a few tweaks and new characters that could be delivered through DLC or patches.

[via Kotaku]

American fans might be very familiar with Marvel vs. Capcom, the popular fighting game series that pitted some of America's most iconic superheroes (Spiderman, Wolverine) against their capcom rivals (Chun-Li, Megaman). Now imagine the very same excitement of seeing Spiderman take down Ryu, but for a Japanese person. That is what Capcom has hoped to achieve with their new arcade game, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes.

Japanese anime studio Tatsunoko might not be a household name here in America, but its properties have seen marked popularity on both sides of the Pacific, from Gatchaman (a.k.a. Battle of the Planets) to Speed Racer to Casshern. Most American Tatsunoko fans were under the impression that the game would never come to North America because the lack of fan recognition for Tatsunoko over here, but lo and behold, the Capcom-Unity Blog has confirmed the North American release of the Wii version.

The characters on the Capcom side include the usual characters from Street Fighter, Megaman, etc., while the Tatsunoko side includes Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Yatterman-1 and Doronjo from Yatterman, Casshern, Tekkaman, and Karas, among others. And who could forget the giant lighter-turned robot, Gold Lightan (who has the silliest robot design ever)?

With so many awesome Tatsunoko characters, this is looking like a really fun time for any fans of classic Japanese animation. As such, I'll definitely be looking to pick this up when it hits stores on its as-of-yet-undisclosed release date.

[via Capcom-Unity Blog]

Genre: Action, Platforming
Designer: Unknown (do you know who this is?)
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: Capcom
Console: Nintendo DS
Rated: E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

If you’re like me, then you probably fell off the Mega Man train a long, long time ago. Time and time again we found ourselves setting out as the Blue Bomber, tasked with defeating eight robot masters before taking on the evil Dr. Wily/Doppler/whoever only to have him slip away once more.

Sure, we had Mega Man Legends and Battle Network which helped mix things up, but all in all it seemed that the traditional Mega Man formula had finally run stale. Enter Mega Man ZX Advent, an ambitious little title by Inti Creates which builds upon the traditional formula while improving upon some features we didn’t even know we wanted.

Now, when I say ambitious what I mean is that this title sports everything from substantial voice acting, to an open world environment, to the ability to play as the robot masters you defeat. That’s right, instead of merely copying a power from your defeated foes you now have the ability to play as that character at any point in the game. Now, unsurprisingly, some of your alternate forms are quite gimmicky and are only usable in specific areas – while one in particular almost breaks the game. But, if it’s a choice between just playing as Mega Man and having the transformation ability, I’d choose the latter any day of the week.

Another thing you might have noticed from the list above is the open world environment. In between the various levels of the game you’ll find yourself back at the Hunter Base - an area where you’re free to run around and accept missions from other characters, buy items, or re-visit previous levels. Again, while this feature is an appreciated one, it also has its setbacks – namely a lack of substance. There are really only a handful of missions to accept and you quickly find yourself with more cash than you’ll ever be able to spend. It’s a step in the right direction and in future releases we’ll hopefully see a more fleshed out game world.

A traditional feature that does carry over from classic Mega Man is the difficulty. While it’s nothing impossible, I must say that quick saves and save states have spoiled me over the years. While the levels are longer than in previous Mega Man titles I’ve played, Advent does a good job of providing a challenge (especially the final level) without having you throw yourself against the game over and over to get it right. It’s a fine line between challenging and frustrating, and Advent seems to maneuver it quite well.

So, you blast your way through the game, defeat the disappointingly easy final boss, and find yourself staring back at the title screen once more. Normally at this point we’d hit the power switch and say it was a job well done - but Advent throws a bit more content our way in the post game. As you’d expect, you can battle your defeated foes once more, only now the game will reward you with medals for fulfilling certain conditions in the battle, such as using only a specific weapon or damaging the enemy at a certain time. While this is all fine and dandy, my personal favorite would have to be "Mega Man a," a mini-game which has you playing an 8-bit version of yourself in what feels like a classic NES Mega Man title. Oh, and if you manage to rack up all of the gold medals from the robot masters, you can use that 8-bit version of yourself in the main game.

There are really only a few constants in this world: death, taxes, and yearly Mega Man releases. The Advent series seems to have a lot going for it, and the various additions brought out in this game will hopefully continue to be improved upon in the inevitable sequels that are to come. For those of us who remember the Mega Man games as a lesson in traditional platforming action but have grown tired of the newer titles - this might be a good point to jump back in.

good.

Capcom has recently announced that if their latest 2D fighter were to be coming state-side any time soon that it would not be in arcade form. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes, which is set to release in Japanese arcades later this year, is Capcom’s latest installment to their acclaimed Vs. series alongside Marvel vs. Capcom and Capcom vs. SNK. The game is set to include such Capcom staples as Ryu and Mega Man as well as the likes of Tekkaman and Casshan of anime studio Tatsunoko Productions.

Despite their previous statement, Capcom did actually bring this title to American in arcade form during the 2008 EVO World Finals which were held in Las Vegas in early August. The reason behind this was that Capcom wanted to conduct localization testing to see how the American 2D fighter community would receive the product. Since then there have been rumors abound concerning a Wii-port of the title thanks to the Japanese website Fighting Front Line claiming that the game supported a “Wii-compatible board.”

While a Wii port is still technically possible, Capcom’s own Yoshinori Ono, lead producer behind the upcoming Street Fighter IV, has recently expounded upon the importance of a stable online component for fighting games, stating that: “Online will definitely be the future of the fighting game." Given Nintendo's reluctance to standardize a fully featured online component the idea of this title hitting the waggle-box seems all the more slim. Agree, disagree, have some crazy rumor about the title coming to PCs or something? Thensound off in the comments section below!

[via Go Nintendo]

Valve and Turtle Rock’s survival-horror FPS, Left 4 Dead, has now been bumped back from its previous release date of November 4th in North America to November 20th. This news comes by the way of Valve’s president Gabe Newell who, in a video interview with the German gaming site Gamekings, confirmed the new release date while also offering no insight as to why this decision was made.

Valve has always been known for its “when it’s ready” release mentality, though some believe that the delay may have to do with a possible PS3 port of the title. In an interview with CVG, Doug Lombardi, Valve’s marketing vice president, states that there is a “50-50” chance of the title coming to the PS3. He follows up by saying: "There's zero chance of [Left 4 Dead on PS3] happening this year. It's something that's being talked about right now as the game is gaining popularity and looking like it's going to be a hit."

It’s not all bad news, though; be sure to check out the new trailer from the Leipzig Games Convention after the break!

[via 1UP]

Bethesda Game Studios, Fallout 3’s developer, has confirmed that their post-apocalyptic action RPG will be hitting retail in North America on October 28th, 2008 and in Europe on October 31st, 2008 for the 360, PS3, and PC. The game has come under some fire recently from the Australian OFLC ratings bureau who denied the game a rating, effectively banning the title from retail, for the referencing of drug use in the game. Bethesda has since decided to cut those references, resubmitted the game to the OFLC, and met with its approval.

Vlatko Andonov, Bethesda's president, has high hopes for the success of Fallout 3, stating: "We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise. To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

[via Opposable Thumbs]

Konami announced today that their fifth installment to the Silent Hill franchise, Silent Hill Homecoming, will not only be available on PS3 and 360 on day one, but on PC as well. Homecoming, which is being handled by the newly formed western developer Double Helix, will be made available through the Steam digital distribution service. This announcement has lead some to speculate that this is reason behind the delay in the game’s release from September to sometime in November.

With the amount of change that the Silent Hill game mechanics are undergoing this announcement doesn’t come as too big of a surprise. Developer Double Helix has already expressed their intent to maintain the disturbing ascetic of the previous games, while simultaneously revamping the game’s combat controls to reflect the main character’s combat experience. And after five other very similar titles, perhaps a little change won’t be such a bad thing.

EDIT 1: OH SNAP! As reported by 1UP, Tomm Hulett, Silent Hill Homecoming's producer, is confirming that the game's release date is still set for September 30th in North America. The November release date only applies for the European release.

[via PS3 Fanboy]

After giving us a few details on Warhammer Online’s pricing structure and release date, Mythic Entertainment and EA are now ready to announce that the open beta for their upcoming MMO will begin September 7th, 2008 – a little over a week before the title goes live. Those who wish to participate can do so by pre-ordering the game from select retailers listed on Mythic’s website here. Those who participated in the closed beta will automatically receive an invite as well.

"In just a few weeks, we are going to throw open our doors and invite more players into the game than ever before,” says Mythic Entertainment co-founder and general manager Mark Jacobs. “They will have a chance to delve into the open beta and see for themselves that WAR has arrived and it is glorious!"

Depending on where you pre-order you copy from you’ll also be entitled to different pieces of in-game equipment (and a $5-dollar off coupon if you go with Target). And while all 20 classes will be made available, the beta is not without its restrictions, which include a lvl.20 level cap as well as restrictions on what in-game content you’ll have access to. And remember, Orcs iz da biggest and da strongest!

[via Opposable Thumbs]

Yesterday, Electronic Arts announced plans to partner up with Grasshopper Manufacture (Killer7, No More Heroes) to release an unnamed horror game for the PC, PS3, 360, and Wii. In addition, the title will be produced by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, directed by Goichi "Suda51" Suda, and will involve Q Entertainment (Lumines, Meteos) in some capacity. Details are still scarce at the moment but, as IGN points out, this title could be “Kurayami,” a horror game that Grasshopper Manufacture announced for the PS3 two years ago.

In the press release, representatives from EA and Grasshopper Manufacture expressed their excitement at the chance to work with the other. In particular Frank Gibeau, President of the EA Games Label, states that: "It is an honor for EA to sign Grasshopper Manufacture and help bring their new franchise to gamers worldwide…Grasshopper Manufacture is a world-class studio and, within the EA partner program, they stand alongside some of the world's most revered independent studios." So now, as noted by Joystiq, we’re talking about a franchise...

[via Wii Fanboy]

In an interview with MTV’s Multiplayer Blog, BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk (zest-chuck?) hinted strongly at bringing some more downloadable content to their space opera Mass Effect. Its been about five months now since the first piece of DLC, Bring Down the Sky, went live on 360 for 400 points, and was later made free with the PC release of the game. Since then, fans across the net have been wondering if this was just a one-time affair, now Greg Zeschuk is here to shed some light on the subject.

Zeschuck explains:

“Well, we said it was a trilogy, so there’s some stuff happening. We’re also looking at some other post-release content. We’re working away. BioWare’s pretty busy these days… With everything we build now, we want to have this long-term relationship with the customer and always have something for them to try. So we’re definitely looking at that for Mass Effect.”

Definitive? Not exactly, but at least it’s something. It sounds like they’re trying to decide whether to release these extra missions they’re working on now as DLC now or save them for Mass Effect 2 where they’ll receive more polish and fine tuning.

[via 1UP]

Today, EA’s Mythic Entertainment announced that Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is going live on September 18th. After three long years in development, and the recent loss of some substantial content, it seems that this gritty, PVP-centric MMO is ready to see the light of day. Along with the date, pricing tiers were also announced at $14.99 a month, $41.97 for three-months, and $77.94 for six-months.

“The countdown has officially begun,” says Mythic Entertainment founder Mark Jackobs. “Mark your calendars! September 18th is the Day of Reckoning. For the last three years, the entire team at Mythic has poured their hearts into making Warhammer Online the next great MMORPG. We are so excited to open up this world and share it with the fans that will live in it, quest in it, go to war in it and make it come alive.”

Now, if you just can’t wait to bash some skulls and you live in North America then EA might have a deal for you. For those who pre-order there will be "special benefits" including an invite to the open beta, some extra gear, and a head start on everyone else. You can check out the details on the official Warhammer Online site here.

[via Kotaku]

It should come as no surprise that Rockstar announced a PC release for Grand Theft Auto IV, which will be arriving on November 18 and 21 in North America and Europe, respectively. So far, all of the previous GTA iterations have received PC ports, and this one promises to maintain that same level of polish as the others. In their press release Rockstar hinted at some "newly expanded multiplayer" modes, exclusive for PC users.

As Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games, puts it: "We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV. The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can't wait for people to play it."

Also, be sure to check back here soon for our review of this summer hit!

[via GameDaily]

Last week at the Casual Connect summit Popcap’s CEO David Roberts announced that Peggle would be coming to the Nintendo DS. The project is managed by developer Q Entertainment, who has a solid track record in handheld development between Lumines (PSP) and Meteos (DS). Q and Popcap have also announced that the title will feature both new game modes and touch screen integration.

For those of you that haven’t already poured hours and hours of your life into this title, Peggle is a game that capitalizes on a simple premise: clearing orange blocks. Each level is littered with various dots and platforms, and it’s your task to take out the orange ones by bouncing tiny balls off of them. Think of it as sort of a mix between the arcade classic Breakout and The Price is Right’s Plinko. Check it out now on Steam, or later this year on XBLA.

[via IGN]

OverClocked ReMix, the fan site devoted to remixing and reimagining classic gaming tunes, has been given a unique opportunity by Capcom studios. In preparation for their high-definition remake of the arcade classic, Street Fighter II, Capcom has turned to the talented folks at the OC Remix to craft for them a new soundtrack comprised of remixed classics.

Personally, I think it’s great to see a developer, especially one as large as Capcom, giving their fan community a chance to contribute to a title they’ve helped to make so successful. Look forward to their booming soundtrack later this summer, and if you’d like to check out more of the OC Remix you can look them up here.

[via Ars Technica]

Yesterday, Microsoft announced that their PC gaming hub, Games for Windows Live, is now moving to a completely free business model. This move will remove the distinction between the Gold and Silver membership tiers and will hopefully alleviate some of the negative stigma that has been surrounding the service since its release.

In the wake of this announcement all eyes now turn to Microsoft’s console equivalent, Xbox Live, in the hopes that it will be undergoing a similar adjustment. However, in the absence of a direct competitor – such as Steam on the PC – and the fact that Microsoft continues to turn a profit from the service, any change that drastic seems highly unlikely.

[via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Broken in this week’s Weekly Famitsu magazine, Capcom’s zombie-bashing extravaganza, Dead Rising, is making its way to a Wii console near you. It's strange that this announcement was absent from both Nintendo and Capcom’s press conferences, and even stranger still that this title still hasn’t seen a PC release (Devil May Cry 4 and Lost Planet say “hello”).

From what can be gleamed in the Famitsu article, the title will be a port of the 360 game, with an emphasis on maintaining the massive zombie hordes of the original given the Wii’s, well, limitations. Naturally, there is also talk of some Wii motion control functionally as well. Hey, a little motion control didn’t hurt Resident Evil 4 now did it!

[via Kotaku]

I've got bad news, good news, and more good news; I'll start with the bad news: Chris Priestly, the community coordinator for BioWare stated on the Mass Effect Forums that Mass Effect PC will have to experience a slight delay from its original May 6th release, to May 28th, and June 6th (for Europe). Reason being is pretty simple, but you can over complicate it if you wish: they're doing some extra playtesting, polishing, and overall 'just making sure everything works,' so that quality is ensured.

And now for some good news: Soon after, BioWare announced a new HUD design for the PC version to heal the broken hearts bent on enjoying the crap out of Mass Effect on May 6th. It can easily be accessed with a simple slap on the space bar; allowing you to select your biotics, guns, etc. for yourself and squad members. To be perfectly honest, though, a new HUD really doesn't at all mend for annoying delay (however insignificant it was) caused by the original HUD.

The last of the good news is that I just know BioWare's only delaying it so it could match my birthdate.

[via Mass Effect forums]

Joystiq reports that Valve will soon release individual retail copies of the constituent games from their hit title, The Orange Box. The titles, which will hit stores on April 9, include Half-Life 2 Episode Pack (Episodes 1 and 2), Team Fortress 2, and Official Seal of Nerd 3rd place winner Portal. These games have been available in their individual forms on Valve's digital distribution program, Steam, for some time, but this is the first time physical copies will be available.

Those wishing to simply catch up on their Half-Life, try out some Team Fortress action, or experience the magic of Portal can now buy only the games they want. Dare I say that this was a triumph?

EDIT 1: Sorry, but the titles are not releasing on the Xbox 360. Maybe later...?

[via Joystiq]

Genre(s): Adventure, FPS, Online, Puzzle
Designer: Unknown
Developer: CCR
Publisher: Codemasters
Console(s): PC (Windows)
Rated: T for Teen

The following article was submitted by Raidon. The opinions expressed below do not represent those of Ani-Gamers or its affiliates.

For any and all online games, pick two of the following:
[-] good
[-] free
[-] MMO

I think you have noticed that it is impossible to have a massively-multiplayer online game that is both good and free from that test. There are some good games out there, like Penumbra, that you can get for free. But RF Online is a free MMO, without the good. Do the math.

First off, you probably found this by Google-searching "Free futuristic MMO". You read the rules and stuff. It looked good. Then you turn on the game. You have to choose between two species of elves, and one type of robot to play as. Ok, so they're unorigional. Big deal, right? Wrong.

It goes farther than that. You create your character (and after noticing about 10 mesh interferences on your character model) you go out into the world. You are given your first weapon, and soon you go out and kill. The only problem is, this is a futuristic game. Monsters drop swords, shields, bows, guns, and magic wands. Now you start to think "what the crap?" The entire basis of the game is turned inside out. The combat system is Diablo-meets-Star-Wars-Galaxy, taking the worst from both and combining them into one mesh of pure fail. And don't get me started on quests. Every time you level up you are bombarded by several quests through a radio transmission from your racial leader. The rate at which they get done and at which you level are slightly off, so you will be doing the same quest along the course of 3 levels, and have others stacked on. Enemy dynamics are even worse; they have more health than you, and deal more damage if you travel at the same pace as your quests (the enemy monster level is not even shown). I found myself chugging about 75 superior health potions in the course of half an hour just to stay alive. The PVP is not much better anyway; high-level players ride around in mobile-suit-like tanks and high-tier armor near the racial spawning point to gain player kills, as well as in mines, where victory leads to the ability to stand in a predetermined area for hours on end mining for ore. So, overall, RF Online sucks. It's a good time waster, but you have better things to do with your life, right?

It's another mass-produced Korean MMO. They don't know what the market wants. Don't look forward to this one.

Gameplay:		1.5		Overall: (1.0 stars)
Graphics/Sound:		2.5
Design/Story:		2.5
Lasting Appeal:		1.0

CAPCOM and Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced a partnership in which they will work together to create Biohazard: Degeneration, a computer-animated film based in the Resident Evil (called Biohazard in Japan) universe. Sony, who produced the live-action ResEvil movies, will also produce this film. The movie will be an original story, so the inclusion of characters like Leon Kennedy has not been confirmed or denied.

While Resident Evil has had a somewhat difficult time with the whole movie thing, this could potentially turn out good. After all, Advent Children was fairly popular, and it was also a game-to-CG-movie adaptation. In addition, Resident Evil 4 has already established a visual style that could easily move over into Degeneration.
[via Anime News Network]

PC gamers, the final wall has been breached. Any arguments with your console-playing friends that ended in "At least I've got Guitar Hero" can be taken back. Any ones that ended with "I had sex with your girlfriend"... well, Aspyr, developers/publishers of Guitar Hero III, can't fix those ones. But hey, you'll be able to play Guitar Hero III on your PC or Mac this fall! With the possible DS version in the works, this means that Guitar Hero is officially a world superpower, seeing as it will release on all consoles but the PSP.

PC and Mac gamers will be able to play against each other online, and as Kotaku's Mike Fahey sugests, possibly settle the age-old Mac v. PC debate using the only thing that can truly decide it: Rock and Roll Combat. The release date has simply been stated as "this fall," begging the question of if it will release alongside its console counterparts on October 29.
[via Kotaku]

For those of you who don't know (aka those of you living in holes in the ground), BioShock, the highly-anticipated and fascinatingly-unique first-person shooter from Take-Two and 2K Games, releases this Tuesday the 21st in the US, and by September in all major territories. The game, which will be released on Xbox 360 and Games For Windows, has been sold early by Toys R Us's across the country, naturally sending fanboys into a convulsive furor.

In the spirit of the occasion, the good folks at Joystiq did as any self-respecting journalists would do: They went out to Toys R Us and picked up 4 copies of the 360 version to give away. (2 in Joystiq, 2 in their sister site Xbox360Fanboy) I've already signed up (though I don't have a 360, but plan to get one), so get on over there gamers. There are currenty 4 posts to sign up in: one and two at Joystiq, and one and two at X360FB.
And for those interested in what BioShock is all about, visit the Wikipedia article on it here.
[via Joystiq]

(For those wondering, the digg button is sort of broken in this post. The only way you can digg it is through the permalink.)