Battlefield: Bad Company DLC announced

In early August, the first package of DLC for Battlefield: Bad Company will include Conquest mode, four modified maps, and some bug fixes. It will be release as a free download once the auto-update hits in early August. More details on Conquest mode and the rest of the DLC can be found here:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/895/895183p1.html

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince official movie trailer

Courtesy of IGN: http://media.movies.ign.com/media/040/040311/vids_1.html

GoW2 to feature linked Achievements

Gears of War 2 was presented at Comic-Con 2008 by none other than Cliff Bleszinski, director for Epic Games. While most of the game that was presented had already been shown at E3 a few weeks ago, Bleszinski announced that GoW2 would feature "linked Achievements." What this means is that accomplishments that you've made in GoW1 will carry over to the second installment and award the player something special. Bleszinski listed only 3 examples of how these linked Achievements will work:

- Complete Act One in Gears Of War, unlock a playable Anthony Carmine in Gears of War 2
- Find 10 COG tags in Gears Of War, unlock Minh Young Kim in Gears of War 2
- Kill Raam in Gears Of War, unlock a playable Raam in Gears of War 2


Source:http://kotaku.com/5029602/gears-of-war-2-features-backwards-compatible-linked-achievements

Resident Evil: Degeneration trailer revealed.

Today at Comic-Con, a new Resident Evil movie was announced. This film will be all-CGI and hopefully be a step beyond the past 3 Resident Evil movies that have been released. Unfortunately, it will only make its theatrical debut in Japan, but will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the US later this year. Here is the trailer:



Source: http://dvd.ign.com/articles/893/893044p1.html

Gears of War 2 Collectors Edition Content Revealed!

Gears of War 2, set for release on November 7th, 2008, will have it's own collectors edition. It will $69.99, ten dollars more than the regular edition. The collectors edition will include the following:

Collectible SteelBook DVD Case that we expect to be very similar from what we've seen recently from Halo 3 and Mass Effect.

"Beneath the Surface: An Inside Look at Gears of War 2," this is a 48-page hardbound art book that we expect to be similar to what was included in the first Gears of War limited edition. You'll find concept art, character profiles and a foreword by Epic's Design Director, Cliff Bleszinski.

Bonus DVD including a making-of documentary and commentary by Epic Games along with promotional videos such as the E3 2008 trailer, Rendezvous.

An exclusive gold-plated Lancer Assault Rifle for use during online play.

Source: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/892/892335p1.html

Many Ways to Get into the Resistance 2 Beta

Turns out that "exclusive to Qore" means not so exclusive to Qore.

The Insomniac guys contacted us today to try and clear up the Qore announcement confusion. The team promises to do everything they can to make sure the beta problem runs as smoothly as possible and that it is available in many countries and through many different outlets.

Here's the deal. We are running a Public Beta, and you will have many ways to get in. The best way which will give you the earliest access to the beta will involve a pre-order program that should be announced soon, (for those of you who don't know what pre-ordering is, you essentially reserve your copy with five dollars down, and that five dollars will go towards the price of the game when it releases).

For all of you folks outside of North America are up in arms because Qore is NA only, please don't worry. This is one of many ways to get in, and we plan to make the beta available in all territories, as we need to test all servers and worldwide play.

Further details on how to get into the beta will be forthcoming.

Well that's good to know.

[From Kotaku]

First look at Portable Prince of Persia Game

We were ready to be disappointed by Ubisoft's new portable Prince of Persia, largely because the protagonist bears a striking resemblance to an Oompa-Loompa. But the charming, colorful animations won us over, as did what appears to be a pretty full utilization of the DS's touch-screen capabilities.

It was then we realized what wasn't included in the trailer: Our almost comically meaty hands. Now we're in doubt that we'll be able to see any of the on-screen action behind our mitts, leaving us just as nervous about the game as when we started. So, we'll rely on your judgment: How's it looking to you?

[Courtesy of Joystiq]

The Dark Knight Breaks Opening Weekend Record!

Warner Bros. Pictures' The Dark Knight has earned $155.34 million to top Spider-Man 3 for best opening weekend at the box office. The weekend estimates show Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins follow-up more than $4 million ahead of the $151.1 million first weekend for Spider-Man 3 in May of 2007. The Dark Knight has also broken Spider-Man 3's record ($4.7 million) for best debut in IMAX theaters with $6.2 million in 94 locations. Budgeted at $180 million, the film opened in a record 4,366 theaters nationwide and broke the new single and opening day records on Friday with $67.85 million. Spider-Man 3 previously held those records with $59.8 million. Internationally, The Dark Knight added $40 million in 20 countries where it began opening Wednesday. The Dark Knight stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.


[Courtesy of ComingSoon.net]

Left 4 Dead Box Art Revealed

Normally, box art posts are the stuff of filler. This one, however, is merely for praise. Valve's art department makes up for The Orange Box's yucky melange with the most enjoyable pun-as-box art treatments ever with Left 4 Dead. Frothing demand, will buy two copies, probably should get a DVD-ROM drive in my PC, etcetera, etcetera...



[Courtesy of Kotaku]

Full Rock Band 2 Set List Revealed at E3

Recently at E3, the entire set list for Rock Band 2 was announced. Out of 84 songs, AC/DC is finally making an appearance with "Let There Be Rock," making Rock Band 2 the first rhythm game to feature the band.


Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List:
Artist Song Title Decade
1. AC/DC “Let There Be Rock” 1970s
2. AFI “Girl’s Gone Grey” 2000’s
3. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” 1990’s
4. Alice in Chains “Man in the Box” 1990’s
5. Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man” 1970’s
6. Avenged Sevenfold “Almost Easy” 2000’s
7. Bad Company “Shooting Star” 1970’s
8. Beastie Boys “So Whatcha Want” 1990’s
9. Beck “E-Pro” 2000’s
10. Bikini Kill “Rebel Girl” 1990’s
11. Billy Idol “White Wedding Pt. I” 1980’s
12. Blondie “One Way or Another” 1970’s
13. Bob Dylan “Tangled Up in Blue” 1970’s
14. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” 1980’s
15. Cheap Trick “Hello There” 1970’s
16. Devo “Uncontrollable Urge” 1980’s
17. Dinosaur Jr. “Feel the Pain” 1990’s
18. Disturbed “Down with the Sickness” 2000’s
19. Dream Theater “Panic Attack” 2000’s
20. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” 1980’s
21. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” 1970’s
22. Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” 1970’s
23. Foo Fighters “Everlong” 1990’s
24. Guns N’ Roses “Shackler’s Revenge” 2000’s
25. Interpol “PDA” 2000’s
26. Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song” 1980’s
27. Jethro Tull “Aqualung” 1970’s
28. Jimmy Eat World “The Middle” 2000’s
29. Joan Jett “Bad Reputation” 1980’s
30. Journey “Anyway You Want It” 1970’s
31. Judas Priest “Painkiller” 1990’s
32. Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son” 1970’s
33. L7 “Pretend We’re Dead” 1990’s
34. Lacuna Coil “Our Truth” 2000’s
35. Linkin Park “One Step Closer” 2000’s
36. Lit “My Own Worst Enemy” 1990’s
37. Lush “De-Luxe” 1990’s
38. Mastodon “Colony of Birchmen” 2000’s
39. Megadeth “Peace Sells” 1980’s
40. Metallica “Battery” 1980’s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Where’d You Go” 1990’s
42. Modest Mouse “Float On” 2000’s
43. Motorhead “Ace of Spades” 1980’s
44. Nirvana “Drain You” 1990’s
45. Norman Greenbaum “Spirit in the Sky” 1960’s
46. Panic at the Disco “Nine in the Afternoon” 2000’s
47. Paramore “That’s What You Get” 2000’s
48. Pearl Jam “Alive” 1990’s
49. Presidents of the USA “Lump” 1990’s
50. Rage Against the Machine “Testify” 1990’s
51. Ratt “Round & Round” 1980’s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away” 1990’s
53. Rise Against “Give it All” 2000’s
54. Rush “The Trees” 1970’s
55. Silversun Pickups “Lazy Eye” 2000’s
56. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” 1990’s
57. Social Distortion “I Was Wrong” 1990’s
58. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” 1980’s
59. Soundgarden “Spoonman” 1990’s
60. Squeeze “Cool for Cats” 1970’s
61. Steely Dan “Bodhitsattva” 1970’s
62. Steve Miller Band “Rock’n Me” 1970’s
63. Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” 1980’s
64. System of a Down “Chop Suey” 2000’s
65. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” 1970’s
66. Tenacious D “Master Exploder” 2000’s
67. Testament “Souls of Black” 1990’s
68. The Donnas “New Kid in School” 2000’s
69. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” 1980’s
70. The Grateful Dead “Alabama Getaway” 1980’s
71. The Guess Who “American Woman” 1970’s
72. The Muffs “Kids in America” 1990’s
73. The Offspring “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s
74. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” 1980’s
75. The Who “Pinball Wizard” 1960’s

Bonus Artist Bonus Song Title Decade
76. Abnormality “Visions” 2000’s
77. Anarchy Club “Get Clean” 2000’s
78. Bang Camaro “Night Lies” 2000’s
79. Breaking Wheel “Shoulder to the Plow” 2000’s
80. The Libyans “Neighborhood” 2000’s
81. The Main Drag “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter” 2000’s
82. Speck “Conventional Lover” 2000’s
83. The Sterns “Supreme Girl” 2000’s
84. That Handsome Devil “Rob the Prez-O-Dent” 2000’s

** The Rock Band 2 on-disc track list is comprised entirely of master recordings.

Source: http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63006

Wii Surpasses Xbox 360 In U.S Console Sales

Nintendo just broke word that the Wii has overtaken the Xbox 360 as the best selling current-generation console in the United States, with a 10.9 million strong install base, according to the NPD Group. We're waiting on final NPD numbers for all console manufacturers, expected later in the day. As of last month, the previous hardware champ, the Xbox 360, stood strong at 10.2 million units sold.

We have yet to get comment from Nintendo of America, but will assume for now that they're pleased.



[Courtesy of Kotaku]

New Xbox 360 Dashboard Fall Update Details

As you now know the Dashboard will go thru a complete retooling and new look this fall. Here's a summary of details to answer some questions. If you have more info please add.

• Official advertisement Video from marketplace (Please download from XBLA for better Rez):

• Video detailing the changes:

Gametrailers has the HD version if you prefer:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36411.html?type=

• Existing themes on new layout:

http://gameplasma.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&id=908


If you purchased a theme on your Xbox 360 in the past, this is an example of what it would look like on the New Xbox Experience
.

The new download area for content is completely overhauled with the ability to add more information regarding the download for a specific game. Scrolling through each piece of content displays the window of information, reducing the amount of button presses it takes to jump into purchasing or learning more.
.

The game specific launch center adds everything from access to (what we expect are) streaming trailers, screenshots and description of the game selected. Demo download and launch appears to be included in the game specific page and the Play Now function could be an option made available when a game is inserted or added to the harddrive, or always displayed and will outline the steps needed to be taken to play. You know. Put the game in somehow.
.

• UPDATE: xbox.com has been updated too to resemble the new dashboard theme.

[This info is all courtesy of Sabuc of achieve360points.com]

God of War 3 Announced for Ps3

The third installment in the hit franchise: God of War, was announced earlier today at Sony's E3 Conference. Coming complete with a debut trailer for the upcoming blockbuster, it seems Kratos is still holding a grudge. But don't expect to get your hans on this game until 2009 at the earliest. Just remember: "IN THE END...THERE WILL BE ONLY CHAOS"

Gears of War 2 at E3: New Trailer and Multiplayer Footage!

The New Trailer!



Gears of War 2 hits November 7. That's pretty much all you need to know at this point, if you're a fan of shooting stuff that is. The trailer above, showcased at the Microsoft press conference is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace. In HD the trailer looks beautiful.

[Courtesy of X360Fanboy]


And...... sick Multiplayer Footage!



Notice the new sniping crosshairs and the new enemy cover feature. November 7th can't come soon enough.

New 60GB Xbox 360 Confirmed (and 360 Price Drop!)

Microsoft has confirmed that the 20GB Xbox 360 console has received a $50 price cut to $299, and taking its place in the $349 tier is a new 60GB console arriving early August. The Xbox 360 Arcade (i.e. no HDD) will continue to sell for $280 and the Elite (120GB) model will sell for $449.

We wouldn't blame if you if you felt this was old news: rumors of the 60GB model date back to mid-June and it seems like every major retailer confirmed the price cut in the last week. Now if only someone can explain to us why anyone would continue to buy the HDD-less Arcade model when you can get a 20GB hard drive for only $20 more ...




[Courtesy of Joystiq]

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed *Preview*

With all the reports surrounding LucasArts at the moment, we have to admit we were a little bit worried when we sat down to play the E3 build of The Force Unleashed. Silly Jedi...

It's clear from the off that a lot of thought has gone into the plot, which is set in the time between Episode III and Episode IV. You're not just visiting unnamed planet X or generic space station Y. Everything in the game references something or other in the Star Wars universe.

In our travels, we stopped by the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, a TIE Fighter factory in orbit over the smuggler's moon of Nar Shaddaa (seen in Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight), the junk world of Raxus Prime and Felucia, the planet where the Twi'lek Jedi woman gets gunned down in Revenge of the Sith.

The nods to the lore are evident right from the start, where you assume the controls of Darth Vader himself. The dark lord has come to find something hiding among the Wookiees and nothing will stand his way.

Putting Vader in as a playable character is a brave choice for The Force Unleashed. Vader is iconic, after all. His actions have never been anything less than extraordinary. So to put him in a situation where the Sith Lord could be reduced to a clumsy oaf who accidentally walks off bridges or gets stuck on piece of terrain could grossly undermine him.

But restrictions and additions have been included to keep Vader himself. We breathed a sigh of relief when we discovered he can't run. It would have been an instant fail if we'd seen Lord Vader look like Benny Hill while chasing wookies around Kashyyyk.

As Vader you posses several Force powers right from the off, turning the prologue into a Wookiee-killing jolly. But as the combat tutorial takes place between the prologue and the first level, you're thrown in at the deep. And while having unlimited powers should feel empowering, in fact you're still trying to figure out how to play the game and turn your lightsaber on.

A slight shame, because once you know what you're doing the controls are intuitive. A and X provide different types of lightsaber attacks, Y activates a Force push and B makes Vader jump like a bunny. The right trigger controls Force Grab for when you feel like lobbing a Wookiee off a walkway.

The left trigger enhances other abilities such as jump and throwing your lightsaber with added Force power. For example, to toss your lightsaber like a boomerang instead of merely swinging it around, you hold down the left trigger and hit either 'A' or 'X'. It'll only take an experienced gamer about half a level to get the hang of it.

When you do, the game shines. Wave after wave of stupid Wookiees who run at you cry out to be killed in imaginative ways. Our reign of terror saw trees soar through the air, bodies thrown from mile-high tree houses and corpses rammed into live bodies like battering rams.

When you do, the game shines. Wave after wave of stupid Wookiees who run at you cry out to be killed in imaginative ways. Our reign of terror saw trees soar through the air, bodies thrown from mile-high tree houses and corpses rammed into live bodies like battering rams.

As anyone familiar with the last prequel movie should know, Kashyyyk has a lot going for anyone blessed with telekinesis and a desire for destruction. We battled across platforms hanging high in the treetops, fought Wookiees in Vietnam inspired huts and tore up the greenery just because we could.

At the end of our hike we found the Jedi we were looking for. After dispatching him with ease (you are Vader don't forget) and watching a twist in the plot, the story sets off in a direction that has similarities with both trilogies. It's obvious Unleashed is going to visit the same parent-offspring themes seen in all the films.

Fast forward a few years and instead of playing ultimate badass Vader, you now assume the role of The Apprentice. He can run (yes, run!) and is generally more agile than Vader, so the drudgery of the prologue dissipates and things speed up a little. But being the 'apprentice', you only have a few powers to abuse, which streamline the controls somewhat and give you a chance to learn the mechanics from the ground up.

Vader tasks you with hunting down a former Jedi and Clone Wars veteran, General Kota, who is making a nuisance of himself at a TIE Fighter factory. As Vader doesn't want the Emperor to find out about his bit on the (dark)side, his instructions also state that everyone must die. We eagerly agreed, a lot more gleefully than Secret Apprentice too. Seems a decade under the personal tutorage of Vader doesn't meld you into an ice-cold killer. It just makes you a bit moody...

So with orders to exterminate without prejudice, we flew with our companions (Sith need friends too, it seems) across to Nar Shaddaa. A rebel force, led by Kota, had infiltrated the station, giving us both imperial and rebel targets to vanquish.

Given the game essentially plays on the Force-power and lightsaber combo mechanic, LucasArts has thrown in a number of set-pieces to stagger the pace. Inside the factory, we had to bring down some AT-STs (the Emu-like vehicle Chewie steals on Endor in Return of the Jedi), deal with TIE Fighters and even manipulate laser machinery to take out a mass wave of soldiers. There's also plenty of optional objectives to completists busy.

Not surprisingly, the level ends in a lightsaber duel with General Kota. Boss-battles are distinctive things in The Force Unleashed, operating under slightly different rules to the rest of the game. The perspective, previously a third-person following cam, switches to a side view that zooms in and out of the action when necessary. It's slightly jarring at first, but does give a better view and ultimately serves you well. Lightsaber combat is not exactly a nuanced affair, but still feels solid. Koto follows specific combat patterns like any boss so your task is to work out when to block, when to attack and when to get the hell out of there.

The Force Unleashed also takes a cue from the page in the Prequel handbook that reads lightsaber combat is boring onto itself. Each fight is spiced up by being set somewhere ridiculously over the top like on the roof of a ship crashing into a planet, or on a moon with low gravity, or in the nasal passage of a huge space slug. The fight with Koto is no different.

You start in a spherical control room perched high above the sprawl of the world below. Deciding early on that you're more powerful than him, he decides to rip the entire room off of the factory and send it plummeting to the heavily populated planet below. Jedi morals seem to get a bit lax when the council isn't watching its back, don't they? Still, it's a nice set piece.

Less impressive are the Quicktime events that end each boss battle. Instead of landing that hard-fought-for and so satisfying final blow, the game jumps to a cut scene when your foe is almost defeated. We think it's supposed to make the final moments of the hunted Jedi more dramatic, but we felt robbed of not being able to dispatch Koto our own way. And it's one of those Quicktime sequences that simply repeats itself until you get it right.

Next up we're dispatched to kill another Jedi. This time insectoid Kazdan Paratus is scheduled for the chopping block and we're more than happy to obey our master. Landing on the junk world that Paratus is hiding on, The Force Unleashed once again really illustrates that more than a game, it's a bridge between two very different time periods.

The copious amount of junk covering the planet's surface can be manipulated by the Force, either to be thrown at adversaries or even to proceed through the level. The puzzles hindering your path through the level are hardly Sudoku, but a few were challenging enough to make us stop and think for at least two minutes. It might seem trivial, but when you're an all powerful Sith that no one can stop, small set pieces like this prevent the game from becoming stale.

Another factor in keeping things compelling is the Force power skill tree. Unleashed employs a RPG-like levelling system whereby you choose what powers and abilities you gain as you move through the game. The amount on offer far outweighs how many you can actually earn in any one play through, so while there'll be some tough choices to be made, there's also a strong replayability factor. We were sacrificing certain powers so we could just get our hands on Force lightning.

Experience points are earned by killing opponents, finishing levels and completing side missions. On Raxus Prime for example, a number of skiffs (the thing that takes Luke to the Sarlacc Pit) fly above the planet's trash-covered surface, dropping combat droids off to attack you. Destroying five completes a secondary objective that gives you experience.

Skiffs aren't the only thing from Tatooine to make an appearance on Raxus Prime, either. As we made our way up from the surface towards the top of a tower where our Jedi target waited, the glowing eyes of Jawa's soon stared back at us.

Being Sith, we didn't give them much time to state whether they were friendly or not, but we suspect it's another Unleashed nod to wishlists of fans. Frankly, we don't know anyone who doesn't find butchering Jawa's amusing.

Reaching the top of the structure, we were actually surprised to find the Jedi Temple. It seems Jedi Kazdan couldn't handle the destruction of the order and decided to make a replica out of broken bits, including statues of the Jedi Masters.

To get Kazden's attention, we started to bash up the Yoda duplicate. He didn't take too kindly to our insensitivity and summoned what can only be described as a golem made out of spare droid parts and held together with the Force. It certainly raised our eyebrows and we imagine some Star Wars purists will get into a flutter over it.

Upon reaching the final planet in the preview build, we were pretty glad of our Force powers. Previous to Felucia, we'd been strolling through the locations like we were out for a stroll in the park, crushing enemies like flies.

Comparatively, Felucia had us running away from almost everything we encountered just to stay alive. We seriously hope there's still some balancing work to be done. The increased difficulty is welcome, but it's a little too much too soon.

Felucia itself is a plant-covered world ripped straight out of Revenge of the Sith. As well as having to fend off carnivorous vegetation, the natives on the planet are surprisingly tough. They attack in groups consisting of a few warriors and one shaman. While the warriors immediately go for your neck, the shaman will hold back.

His very presence makes the warriors rock hard so you need to go for him first. Even though the wily things have an annoying habit of teleporting. As with the droid monster from Raxus Prime, it bends the Star Wars feel slightly, but introduces variation in the enemies' attack patterns.

Coupled to this is the Rancor. Several of them, actually. To say there's a lot going on during Felucia is an understatement. In fact, we only got to the boss battle by using the old 'run past everyone towards the exit' technique. We felt dirty doing it and hope the level isn't so unrelenting in the final build.

The Force Unleashed looks like it might tick many of the right boxes come release. The opening three levels we played through certainly showed an entertaining Star Wars game that was a pleasure to play through. If the game can keep the set pieces flowing, the skill tree interesting and the storyline compelling, there's little reason LucasArts shouldn't be thinking about retaining a few of those staffers for a sequel.

[Courtesy of CaVG.com]

Hancock - Review

So today is my first film review that I hope to do some more of. So keep an eye out.
~~~~

Just the other week I finally found some free time in my day. I sat around in my hotel room watching some TV when a review caught my eye. Hancock: The story of a drunk Superhero with a very unsocial mindset. Now that kind of story doesn't come everyday. So I decided it was worth the time to go to my local theatre as catch a screening. Wasn't expecting too much, but Will Smith has a huge rep that I was sure he'd continue to build so there was some level of acting I expected.

The humor starts right off the bat with this one. A little kid tapping hungover John Hancock (Will Smith) on the shoulder alerting him of the high speed chase taking place on the highway. Hancock tells him to leave him be but this kid shows him the mouth and calls him an a-hole. Well Hancock as you expect, flys in to 'save the day', but he seems to cause more harm than help. By this time, this superhero isn't so 'super' to the Los Angeles public and they think he should be detained where he can't do anymore damage. Here comes Ray Embrey into the scene, a failed public relations worker that sees Hancock as an opportunity. He thinks that Hancock should be a rolemodel that kids would look up to and idolize. Ray takes Hancock under his wing to make him a public figure. He soon learns that this will be way harder than he anticipated and soon finds himself visiting Hancock in the city jail.

Now I won't give away the ending, but Hancock is a special comedy that delivers. But the constant a-word and other explotives makes this film a little unfriendly to little kids, but the unexpected twist at the end of the film and the great acting by Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman make Hancock an enjoyable experience.

My Rating: B+

New 007 Quantum of Solace Gameplay!

James Bond may have taken a digital breather on Casino Royale, but Daniel Craig fans will finally get to play as the super buff super spy in Treyarch's Quantum of Solace. Oh, sure, the name is horrid, but the gameplay could be a silky smooth experience, given that Quantum of Solace is built on the Call of Duty 4 engine. That means there will be plenty of shooting, but Treyarch's take on Bond adds some variety with stealth gameplay and "quick time events." Damn it, Shenmue. I'll never forgive you for these.



[Courtesty of Kotaku]

New Layout!

If you haven't noticed yet, Wired Circuit has undergone a total face lift. This place is now a pretty blue :P Courtesy of suckmylolly.com, this template has all the original features of the original template and more. Feedback is very appreciated. And make sure you subscribe to the feed!

Also, I'm currently in the process of getting a banner done. If anyone else would like to volunteer to make one would be awesome! Just email them banners to me at sting@neo.rr.com and I might pick your banner for the blog. I'll keep you guys updated.

Rock Band 2: Wireless Drums!

Rock Band 2 isn't going to just take the introduction of a wireless drum set in Guitar Hero World Tour lying down. No, Harmonix has its own wireless drum set planned, according to a product listing on Amazon.com. With a tentative release date of September 14 and a price of $89.99, it may mean waiting for an upgrade that's free of ugly cables is just around the corner.

Likewise, Xbox 360 owners will finally cut the chord on the guitar side, as a wireless guitar for Rock Band 2 makes an appearance at the online retailer. As an owner of the PS3 version of Rock Band, I have to say that going wireless makes a world of difference when one is doing high kicks during solos.


Rock Band 2 Standalone Drums



[Courtesy of Kotaku]

Free Bungie Day '08 Downloads Available

Just so you know, the FREE Bungie Day 2008 theme and gamer picture pack are now available for download off the Xbox Live Marketplace. W00tacular! And no, your calendar is not misinforming you. The downloads are available a day early (tomorrow, July 7th is officially Bungie Day), but that just allows us to celebrate 48 hours of Bungie Day(s). You'll have to wait for Cold Storage though, it'll be made available for FREE sometime tomorrow.

Also, when you download today's free goodies, be sure to note the gamer picture pack. Not only is there a soffish, a Pimps at Sea logo and bleached white Bungie logo, but there's one other featuring none other than the mysterious Superintendent himself! He also makes an appearance on the theme's Games blade. What a damn cute lil' plumber.


[Courtesy of Xbox360Fanboy]

Mortal Kombat vs DC: Brutal

Let's face it -- one of the main things that has set Mortal Kombat apart from its contemporaries throughout the years has been its inclusion of flagrant acts of grisly violence. When Ed Boon explained that the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe would explore the softer side of the series with Teen-rated acts of pugilistic carnage, many fans were upset, as it seemed their thirst for evisceration would go unslaked. The latest salvo of screenshots for the brawler from Midway might confirm or ease your fears of a censored MK title -- no, there's no evidence of any impromptu spine-removal procedures, but there's pummeling and arm-breaking aplenty. Does the latest entry in the toasty franchise look gruesome enough for your sinister bloodlust?



[Courtesy of Joystiq]

PSP leading the first half of the Year in Sales

The first half of this year belong to the PSP in Japan. According to Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, the PSP moved 1,964,461 units, while the Wii was hot on its heels with 1,720,263 units. Rounding out the top three was the Nintendo DS, selling 1,593,844 units. Now that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G has been out for three months, we'll have to wait and see if the Sony portable still has enough steam to snag the second half of the year.



[Courtesy of Kotaku]

Mario Super Sluggers Hands-On

The first time we had a chance to check out Mario Super Sluggers for Nintendo Wii, we were none too impressed. As a sequel to GameCube's 2005 Mario Superstar Baseball – also developed by Namco – we knew what to expect from the simple "charge and release" gameplay the Mario Sports franchises have been using for years previously. Unfortunately, the first live demo Nintendo showed off wasn't making too strong of a case for the game, showing off some pretty admirable visuals, but a whole lot of waggle and Wii-mote only control. Pull back and then forward to pitch or bat, and watch as your team auto-fields and base-runs on the fly, with only a bit of waggle to encourage them to move faster. It was none too impressive.

The game has since released in Japan, along with some new info on the title along the way. Nunchuk and Wii-mote control is supported in the final build, as is the ability to turn the remote on its side and play Sluggers like a classic NES game. In fact, now that we've gone hands-on with the other modes and options in the game, we've got more faith in the product than we openly expressed originally. There's more depth, some entertaining gameplay quirks that the Mario sports series is known for, and a pretty robust experience for both single and multiplayer gamers. It's not amazing by any standard, but it's an easy recommendation for younger baseball fans, and we're only a few hours in.


Sluggers is set up like the previous GameCube title, so anyone returning for a second trip around the bases should already know the score pretty well. Whether you're pitching or hitting, the game uses the same "charge and release" system as before, so the better you time your swing or pitch, the better you'll execute. Holding A on the Wii remote allows you to pitch a lob ball, which will still act as a strike if missed, and holding a direction on the analog stick while flicking will throw to any base on the diamond. Of course in Wii-mote only mode, a flick in any direction will automatically throw to the right base, and it's a bit too simple; very much a "baby mode" to say the least.

The charge and release mechanic works well, and pitchers still have a chance to add a little after-touch to throws, curving it out of the strike zone with either the analog stick, or Wii-mote tilt (in Wii-mote only mode). Super pitches and hits make a return, executed by holding A and B together while either swinging or throwing, and while you can still hit off of them (or defend them, should you be on defense), it's a nice way to swing the favor in a specific team's direction in as little as an inning of play. It never got too cheap or imbalanced, which is nice, but it added a much-needed level of strategy into the otherwise simple design.

We still have a few gripes though, and are trying to figure out just how to move past them since the game is finished and out the door in Japan. The mini-map in the upper right of the screen, for example, doesn't show fielders, so a ball can be flying, and you've got no idea which player you're currently selected on, or where the final destination of the ball is until your player comes into view on-screen. Depending on the type of hit, you'll have some time to navigate an arrow that points to your defender off-screen, but it really isn't precise enough, and we're hoping there's a hidden option among the Japanese text that lets us cut the camera from the ball mid-flight, over to the defender we're trying to position.

Along those same lines, there's also some annoying issues with player auto-switch while trying to field balls. The game will often switch your defender on the fly, so while you're moving towards the ball with one player, you may find yourself running away from it with another in a matter of seconds. Again, maybe there's a hidden option we're not seeing yet, but if nothing else players will need to learn to work with the game, anticipating when and where your player will switch mid-play.


As far as the interface and options go, Sluggers is pretty slick overall. The game supports a fast, intuitive IR pointer (one of the best on Wii, as far as we're concerned) for menus, and there's a lot to see and do within the game. As always the experience opens with a quick two minute CG trailer to get players into the mood, and then offers three save slots with the last time and date played to identify it. Miis are included in-game as well, but they pale in comparison to the amount of total Mario mascots that make an appearance. There are 12 captains to chose from, including DK, Diddy, Wario, Birdo, Daisy, Luigi, Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Waluigi, Bowser Jr., and Bowser. Each captain has different skill levels for pitching, hitting, fielding, and speed, as well as three other specific stats centered around both sides of the ball.

Also included are 40 supporting characters, including everyone from Toad and Shyguy to Koopas, Hammer Bros, multiple types of Goombas, Monty Mole, and the baby versions of Mario and Luigi. As an added bonus (and maybe our favorite aspect of the roster, actually), certain "non-specific" characters such as Shyguy, Toad, or Koopas have alternate colors, and each one comes with their own different stats. That means if you want an army of Koopa Troopa, Toad, or Goombas at your disposal, you could have up to five variations depending on the character, each with a different color and stat set. That really ups the roster.

As a few other odds and ends, we'll briefly mention that the game includes Toy Baseball this year, which is a party mode based on the classic "darts" inspired baseball arcade games. Hitting to different spots awards more points. There are also a few mini-games included in a party mode, but they're pretty generic and hit or miss for the most part. The stadiums we've played thus far include Mario Stadium, Peach Rink (ice based), Yoshi Park (theme park inspired, with trains and other moving obstacles), Wario City (urban, with streets that send ground balls randomly about), and DK Jungle, complete with stun flowers. The classic control mode, which is Wii-mote only, held on its side, plays like the nunchuk control scheme, but with the 2 button as your charge/swing/pitch control. Oh, and the music is a great little blend of classic Mario tracks, now with level themes worked into the audio presentation.

[Courtesy of IGN]

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Vote for Your Favorite Cover for the upcoming Spiderman Game

Following the whole "Seize Control" theme they kicked off by allowing fans to vote on the preorder bonus for Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows, Activision is now giving players a chance to decide which box art the game ships with this fall. The choices are limited to the left image, which is almost mildly appealing, and the right one, which for some reason makes Spidey's arms and hands into display monitors for concept art.


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[Link to Article, courtesy of Kotaku.com]