|
|
May 2010 - Posts
-
 Not happy to fall into the predicted second place Apple would be so happy to place Microsoft in, the Washington software giant plans to refocus on previous store-owning efforts. Microsoft will be expanding on their measly 4 stores by opening a brand store in Bellevue, WA and try to fight the image Apple's 287 stores have had on its main competitor. And more are planned to follow...soon you'll be able to buy the next Gears of War title from a human cash register just like at the other guys' store!
|
-
 New on the product-biting line today is Sony and their plans to take on Apple's iPad series of portables, so says Asahi. As is the case with many companies, it's not too surprising to see Sony look at competing, successful products and trying to get into that market. The difference here being that Sony has formed a partnership with Google to use their Android OS system and will be rolling out their new tablet-like device later in their fiscal year. Everyone wants in on what Apple has going with its unstoppable brand, we'll see if Sony can take some of that away and give consumers more options -- and less of a reliance on AT&T!
|
-
  
Only four more days until the most sought after phone in recent memory becomes available to the general public. As if that wasn't enough to keep our heart rates up at an unsafe level, the good people over at XDA-Developers have revealed an HTC EVO 4G that has been force fed a serving of tasty FROYO (Android 2.2). In case you missed our previous post, Android 2.2 is a beast of an OS upgrade for Android phones that will bring what could be an unrivaled usability to the Android platform (looking @ you iphone). When the upgrade was announced, Android devs were very vague as to which handsets would be blessed with it. It comes a relief to many that it could be up an running so quickly on the EVO, maybe hinting at an early release for this super handset.
|
-
Hey Hawtheads, we all know that gamers have a short attention span when it comes to new releases; after all, so many games come out each week, it's difficult to keep track of them all. If you are a true gamer, then you are hiding a secret...a deep dark secret that you don't want anyone else to know about: Your Pile "O" Shame. You know, those games that you pre-order or rush to buy on day one, but end up sitting in the wrapper months later. We are all guilty of it and that's why I am going to make Pile "O: Shame a regular post on Hawtwired. I have a ridiculous Pile "O" Shame consisting of games in wrappers, games I have played half way through and even games where I am on the last boss, but just never finished. I fiugre it's time to take my gaming destiny into my own hands and hopefully I can help others like me.
I have a couple of reasons for starting this post:
- To burn through my pile and encourage you to burn through yours
- To offer a fresh look at games that you may have overlooked due to time constraints or finances
In each Pile "O" Shame post, I will give an over view of the game(s) that I am playing and will offer my opinion as to how much I think you should pay for this game if you want it; putting a $ amount on each title instead of a review may help you make a decision if (like me) you're on a tight budget. Right now I am finishing up God of War III and plan on finishing Halo:ODST and Uncharted 2 next, so stay tuned!
|
-
While it's no secret that MvC 3 is hitting the masses early next year, what is still hush hush is the character line up. The developer's have said that they expected to release the game with upwards of 30 characters, but only a handful have been revealed so far. We've been racking our brains here @ Hawtwired trying to figure out which characters are in the silhouette above and we have to admit, we need your help. Hit up the comments section and let us know who you think the witness protected characters above are so we can sleep peacefully at night.
So far we put our money on the far left character being the
Super-Skrull, the far right character being Nick Fury, the character to
the immediate left of the hulk is obviously Deadpool and immediately to
Hulk's right (everyone else thinks I am crazy) looks like Thanos to me. Come on Hawt-Heads!!! Hit up the comments section and change the world! (Oh yeah, check out all of the sweeeeeet screenshots over @ Marvel.com) 
|
-
Doing what Nintendo has done not did, Atlus took it upon themselves and released what basically amounts to NES The Legend of Zelda HD with 3D Dot Game Heroes. A title that places you in the role of savior in a world all too happy to have its tongue firmly in cheek.
And it works for it. Mostly because it is basically a parody game that can be rightly described as a -- gasp! -- comedy.
You can create whatever character you wish out of poking and manipulating dots in 3D space, but for you to get to the truest sense of 3DDGH, I suggest you use Gamespy's approved Link custom character model.
Dialogue, story cliches, overworld quirks, screen to screen pauses, one-hit enemies, and even dungeons are directly ripped from Zeldas past in 3DDGH. All represented in the best way they could when transferred to an isometric, 3D world. Annoyances included.
The biggest annoyance being every time you don't know exactly where you're supposed to be heading next! 3D Dot Game Heroes follows Zelda logic right from the start.
"You need to first get the bow to pass through here." Well, where's the frickin' bow, old man?!
If you enjoyed aimlessly wandering in Link's original NES adventure, you'll find more of that here. I, on the other hand, am still debating if the nostalgia kick is enough to stave me off from rage-quitting and throwing the disc out the window.
As they did with Half-Minute Hero last year, Atlus continues to prove that they are willing to play with genre conventions with 3D Dot Game Heroes -- just be prepared to take some sour with your sweet. 
|
-
-
![True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51poP37pn9L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Blu-ray Movie Releases for the Week of May 26, 2010
True Blood: The Complete Second Season drops this week on Blu-ray. In addition we have some additional treats in the form of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, The Road, Spartacus, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Part 1!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is True Blood: The Complete Second Season.
True Blood's second season, with episodes involving a new cast of monsters invading Louisiana swamp town Bon Temps, is notably gorier and more camp than the first season. While thematically the central focus in these 12 exciting episodes still revolves around faith and loyalty, these questions are complicated by displays of pagan ritual and obsession. Though the vampire/human relationship dilemma continues, spearheaded by lovers Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), there is less emphasis on addiction to V, or vampire blood, and more time dedicated to outsiders whose supernatural talents make some episodes feel like superhero battles.
Here is the full list:
-
True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray] ~ Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, and Ryan Kwanten
-
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog [Blu-ray] ~ Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day, and Simon Helberg
-
The Road [Blu-ray] ~ Viggo Mortensen, et al.
-
Spartacus (50th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray] ~ Kirk Douglas, Laurence Oliver, Jean Simmons, and Charles Laughton
-
Dear John [Blu-ray] ~ Channing Tatum, et al.
-
Stagecoach (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] ~ John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Andy Devine, and John Carradine
-
Seven Swords [Blu-ray] ~ Donnie Yen, Master Lau Kar-Leung, and Leon Laui
-
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Part 1 [Blu-ray] ~ Vic Mignona, Maxey Whitehead, J. Michael Tatum, and Travis Willingham
-
Django [Blu-ray] ~ Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, Jose Bodalo, and Angel Alvarez
-
City of the Living Dead [Blu-ray] ~ Christopher George, Catriona MacColl, Carlo De Mejo, and Giovanni Lombardo Radice
-
Clash of the Titans [Blu-ray] ~ Laurence Olivier, Burgess Meredith, and Harry Hamlin
-
By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volumes One and Two (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
-
Samurai Princess [Blu-ray] ~ Aino Kishi
-
Babysitter Wanted [Blu-ray] ~ Sarah Thompson
-
Flashbacks Of A Fool [Blu-ray] ~ Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Olivia Williams, and Claire Forlani
-
White Wall [Blu-ray] ~ James Boss, et al.
-
Tupac: Live at the House of Blues [Blu-ray]
-
Beyond Sherwood Forest [Blu-ray] ~ Robin Dunne, Julian Sands, and Erica Durance
-
Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet [Blu-ray] ~ Vincent, Cumbus, Stuart, and O'Hagan
-
Tell Tale [Blu-ray] ~ Brian Cox, et al.
-
The Shortcut [Blu-ray] ~ Andrew Seeley, et al.
-
It Waits [Blu-ray] ~ Dominic Zamprogna, et al.
-
Wagner: Parsifal [Blu-ray] ~ Ventris, Meier, Salminen, and Hampson
-
Merlin and the Book of Beasts [Blu-ray] ~ James Callis, et al.
|
-
I received my invite to the E3 Rock Band 3 demo/hands on the other day; I thought to myself: Self, why on earth do we need a hands on Rock Band Demo? Well I put it on my agenda anyway and just moved on. The invite did remind me to download the demo, so that I did. Upon exiting the demo, you are treated to treated to a Rock Band 3 teaser screen (above) in which you see symbols for a guitar, drums, bass, mics (harmony) and KEYBOARD?!?! didn't think that i could get really excited for another Rock Band or Guitar Hero game, but I have been proven wrong. Stay tuned for our E3 coverage, we will be live blogging from the event.
|
-
Amazon has recently added an number of upcoming titles to their $10-$20 video game credit promo.
Here is the updated $10-$20 Amazon Credit list:
PS3:
Xbox 360:
Nintendo Wii:
PC:
Nintendo DS:
Sony PSP:
PS2:
|
-
 He has a propensity for hallucinogens. He jumps over imaginary creatures named "Goombas." He's our favorite Italian plumber: super Mario. His name being inspired by Nintendo's Seattle warehouse landlord back when they were initially trying to get into this whole "games" business. Funny how things have turned out. Current video games try so hard to grow up, be taken serious, and stress "maturity" yet the most memorable icon for our favorite past time remains a character that shoots straight out of a tunnel -- magically arising from the sand -- at the outset of my franchise favorite, Super Mario 64. Mario is a character that's lived through it all. He made it through the 80s arcade era jumping over Donkey Kong's barrels, ran after the Princess Peach in multiple 2D adventures, made the jump to 3D in stride, water-pack hovered (wahhhh??) in Sunshine, and his latest quest has him running across a seemingly endless "galaxy" armed with nothing but his butt stomps, jumps, and the occasional power-up. He's never spoken a word, yet has more character than the stereotypes found in the typical third-person shooter protagonist. 20+ years in the making and he's still young, spritely, and continues to epitomize what gaming can be about: pure fun. And as great as titles like God of War 3 and Red Dead Redemption are, super Mario has always proven that strong, fundamental game mechanics can be the narrative not just the means to push forward the latest story featuring an anti-hero in a gloomy, post-apocalyptic wasteland. This article was inspired by Bitmob's recent community call-out asking for any Mario-related articles. Check out the prompt and feel free to contribute with your own take!
|
-
Halo Reach fans may have reached the end of their trial with the game's multiplayer beta last week, but not to worry! The good news of an official release should give you new hope -- and a new date to count down to -- for your next jetpackin' kick.
September 14 is the launch for Bungie's last Halo game before moving on to other projects. We'll have to wait and see if whatever they have planned recreates the cultural milestone the Halo series has had on gaming.
|
-
Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Releases are starting to pick up a notch before the summer lull... Hightlights include Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo Wii), Blur (Xbox 360, PS3, PC), UFC Undisputed 2010 (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP), ModNation Racers (PS3, PSP), plus a few more gems...
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo Wii). Make sure to get your order in for Super Mario Galaxy 2 at Amazon for a free $20 gift card!
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of May 24, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
|
-
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is Here!
The highly anticipated release of Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Nintendo Wii is here!
If you have been procrastinating getting your pre-order in, you still have time to take advantage of the many retail special promotions and coupon codes.
Check out the full run down of current Super Mario Galaxy deals and midnight launch/early openning details:
Order Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $49.99 and get a $20 Amazon Video Game Credit plus free shipping at Amazon.
This video game credit promo will be ending at any time, so secure the deal and pre-order now...
Steps:
Unfortunately, Buy.com is currently offering Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $49.99 with free shipping.
Earlier this week, it was available for $46, but that deal is as dead as disco...
Steps:
 
BestBuy is offering Super Mario Galaxy for $49.99, but if you purchase a Wii MotionPlus controller they are throwing in a $20 gift card.
Order online, and select In-store pickup to get the game on release day.
Steps:
BestBuy.com - Super Mario Galaxy 2
- Select 'In-Store Pickup'
In Store Demo Event:
Want to give the out-of-this-world sequel a try on its launch day? You may be in luck.
Head to one of hundreds of Best Buy stores on Sunday, May 23, and from noon until 4 p.m. you'll have a chance to play this all-new Mario adventure for Wii.
Check it out: BestBuy.com - In Store Demo Event List/Details
Gamestop is currently offering a free $20 video game credit with orders of Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Order online, and select in store pickup to secure the deal and get it on release day!
Steps:
Early Openings:
Participating stores listed below will be opening at 9:00 am.
Lines may form early at some locations - call your local participating store for details.
Check it out: Gamestop.com - Super Mario Galaxy 2 Early Opennings 
Walmart.com is offering a free $20 gift card and free shipping on all Super Mario Galaxy 2 orders.
Steps:
If you happen to run across other deals, by all means send us a deal tip!
|
-
-
In a surprising turn of events, SEGA actually decided to push back one of their premiere titles and instead of rushing it out the door will delay and polish a bit more. Sonic 4, Episode 1 has been pushed back from its previous "Summer 2010" release to "Fall 2010" to implement fan suggestions and time enough to create an iPhone and iPad version, as well.
"The additional time will allow the development team to focus on ensuring overall high-quality throughout the game by continuing to tune, balance, and maintain the kind of polish that an important title like this demands," the release reads via 1up, "and ultimately providing fans with an unrivalled classic Sonic feel."
Now, I was hoping that I'd be playing a new 2D Sonic to coincide with Xbox Live's excellent "Summer of Arcade" program that features worthy downloadable titles (i.e. Braid, Shadow Complex). But all is well, that just means Microsoft will need to dig up another triple-A title to fill Sonic's shoes this year. Shadow Complex 2, maybe? No, as a matter of fact, I don't think it's too soon! 
|
-
Well, we didn't have to wait long at all. A few scant weeks after the debut of the first Call of Duty:Black Ops trailer, here comes another one. Apparently Treyarch has heard all of the nay sayers that don't think they can meet, much less exceed the bar set by the artists formerly known as Infinity Ward; I say this because this new trailer is blazing! If you liked Modern Warfare and can honestly say that this trailer doesn't get you ready for more, then I think you should put down your copy of Cooking Mama and get with the program. Check the 1:04 mark, when a soldier receives the unfortunate gift of what I can only describe as an exploding dart. It is tragic, yet strangely satifying to watch. Treyarch, if the game play can match the adrenaline rush of the trailer, then go ahead ask for those royalty checks up front (I know, I know). Go grab a change of shorts and focus your peepers on the trailer below.
|
-
MCV reports that Virgin, one-time publisher of cult favorite games like The Lion King and Cool Spot (my sister's all-time favorite game), is planning an announcement at E3 next month, and they even suspect that Sir Richard Branson himself, seen above in the most offensive photo of him I could find, may be involved with the presentation.
Details are scarce: Virgin is expected to seek partnership with other publishers, and has already subscribed whole-heartedly to the theory that digital download is the future of gaming, foregoing physical media.
Sufficiently less than scarce is speculation. MCV is theorizing the project will run across multiple platforms and involve many major titles. Frankly, I think they’re overreaching, as Virgin Games division has been much more successful since their 2004 incarnation with play-for-prize online games. My money is either on a new online game show in the ilk of 1 vs. 100 (remember when Microsoft said that “XBL Primetime” was going to be a big thing?) or simply a expanded game service to their already successful Virgin Mobile phone service. 
|
-
Who needs Skinimax when you can play Warriors of Elysia?
FMV fighting game with 3-D CG backgrounds and bikini-clad women brawling, what can I say? GameVideos.com threw this preview trailer up, and I'm currently imbibing various household cleansers in an attempt to burn it out of my mind. Honestly, I shouldn't be drawing your attention to something like this, but misery loves company and I've had a bad attitude all day, so there you are.
Oh, and as for the whole "Art and Video Games" thing? Screw it. We lose. I hope you choke, Ebert...
|
-
Irrational Games community manager Collin Moore recently posted on their Insider Blog the first nine pages of the original pitch for BioShock, a nifty spiral bound presentation that painted a very different picture of how BioShock was originally conceived. More of a cyberpunk dystopia then the art-deco one we’ve come to love, it’s an interesting look at where the game began in contrast to where it ended up. (I particularly found the "Mod the World" bit to be interesting...)
Moore says that the next few episodes of the “From the Vault” will further explore the evolution of BioShock, and if this first tidbit is any sign, it should be an interesting history lesson. On a personal note, if you’re further interested in the evolution of Bioshock, I suggest tracking down the BioShock Art Book PDF. It’s no longer available on 2KGames’ site, but a little digging online and you can find it. 
|
-
 When Marvel and Microsoft announced it's Cryptic Studios (City of Heroes) developed MMORPG, there were not so masculine squeals of delight all over the world. An ambitious project, to say the least; it was to incorporate cross platform play between the PC and XBOX 360. This game was every Marvel fan boys dream; the ability to control our favorite hero, battle classic villains, recreate battles from the actual comics...then, there came the cancellation. I still hear the sound of my heart breaking. When word dropped that a new Marvel MMO was on the horizon, millions thought that our dream was being resurrected. Depending on how you look on it, this could be a good or bad thing. While Marvel has indeed recruited Gazillion Entertainment to create multiple titles based on the Marvel Universe, the first title is the "kid-centric" Marvel Superhero Squad. If you are not familiar with the squad, they are bite-sized versions of your favorite heroes and villains that much more friendly than their full-sized counterparts. While it is a bit disappointing that the MMO is not based on the mainstream Marvel Universe, we can hope that this game is fun for all ages. It worked for the Lego franchise.
|
-
 I know that most of you are out there conquering the great expanse of the wild west or taking on the "Twin Peaks" offshoot, Alan Wake, right now but there's something much, much bigger happening in gaming at the moment. You can get a custom character Link in your copy of 3D Dot Game Heroes! Gamespy has the file on their site and provide a red, blue, and green Link for the different classes the game offers. Nostalgia GET. 
|
-
Blu-ray Movie Releases for the Week of May 19, 2010
Invictus, Walkabout, Extraordinary Measures drop this week on Blu-ray. In addition we have some additional treats in the form of Valentines Day, The Messenger, The Spy Next Door, and Carlito's Way!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is Invictus...
What does Nelson Mandela do after becoming president of South Africa? He rejects revenge, forgives oppressors who jailed him 27 years for his fight against apartheid and finds hope of national unity in an unlikely place: the rugby field. Clint Eastwood (named 2009's Best Director by the National Board of Review) directs an uplifting film about a team and a people inspired to greatness. Morgan Freeman (NBR's Best Actor Award winner and Oscar nominee for this role) is Mandela, who asks the national rugby team captain (Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominee Matt Damon) and his squad to do the impossible and win the World Cup. Prepare to be moved--and thrilled.
Here is the full list:
- Invictus (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) ~ Morgan Freeman, et al.
- Walkabout (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] ~ Jenny Agutter, David Gulpilil, Luc Roeg, and John Meillon
- Extraordinary Measures [Blu-ray] ~ Harrison Ford, et al.
- Valentine's Day (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) ~ Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Taylor Swift, and Jamie Foxx
- The Messenger [Blu-ray] ~ Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Samantha Morton, and Jena Malone
- The Spy Next Door (Two-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ~ Jackie Chan, et al.
- Outlander [Blu-ray] ~ Jim Caviezel, Ron Perlman, Sophia Myles, and John Hurt
- Carlito's Way [Blu-ray] ~ Al Pacino, Sean Penn, and John Leguizamo
- The New Daughter [Blu-ray] ~ Kevin Costner, et al.
- Dragon Ball Z Kai: Part One [Blu-ray] ~ Sean Schemmel, Christopher R. Sabat, Justin Cook, and Mike McFarland
- Defiance & Enemy at the Gates [Blu-ray] ~ Jude Law, et al.
- Appleseed [Blu-ray]
- Coming to America & Trading Places [Blu-ray] ~ Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and James Earl Jones
- Black Sheep & Tommy Boy [Blu-ray] ~ Nathan Meister, et al.
- The Dukes [Blu-ray] (2007) ~ Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi, and Peter Bogdanovich
- Farewell Show: Live in London [Blu-ray] ~ Delirious?
|
-
The hype is matching the buzz, the buzz is matching the hype! Red Dead Redemption has hit the streets and appears to be on its way to being Rockstar's next big IP...
The Xbox 360 version is topping the Amazon Best Seller Charts , followed closely by the PS3 version. In addition, it has been trending on twitter all day long...
Reviews have been very positive with a 95 (Universal Acclaim) Metacritic Metascore on both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions!
You can still score some deals on Red Dead Redemption (if you act quickly) as well:
|
-
 Clayton Morris of Fox News was at Sprint's launch event for the HTC EVO 4G. He spent about twenty minutes with the phone and had nothing but praise for it. In the video that he posted (see below) there are a couple of noticeable features that have not been highly publicized. The first thing that you will see is that the Sense UI can be "pinched" into a tile format, similar to Web OS, but with more tiles on the screen. You will also see a full screen bookmark page for your web app, which is a lot larger than other handsets using Sense. I won't even mention the blazing launch speed of the programs or the non-existent load times for videos! What this all adds up to is that America wants this phone yesterday and June 4th seems a long way off right now.
|
-
Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Releases are starting to pick up a notch before the summer lull... Hightlights include Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360/PS3), Alan Wake (Xbox 360), Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (PC/PS3/Xbox 360/PSP/DS), Split / Second (Xbox 360/PS3/PC), Trauma Team (Nintendo Wii), Canada Hunt (Nintendo Wii), plus a few more gems...
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360/PS3). This might very well go down as one of the top titles of 2010! Make sure to get your pre-order in at Amazon for a free $20 gift card!
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of May 17, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
|
-
An anomaly in the Japanese gaming scene, the Yakuza series tends to take itself a bit more serious than other fare that comes out of the land of the rising sun. No overly large breasts to ogle at or nefarious demons to take down. Yakuza 3 presents itself as a Sopranos-esque take on living the life of crime in video game form. If you have the time, that is. You might have to go find runaway children, help make dinner, stage a wrestling match or talk abandonment issues with the orphaned children main character Kazuma Kiryu watches over. Aside from improving on the graphics from the PS2 games and implementing new move sets to this beat-em-up RPG, Yakuza 3 creates a world that doesn't completely rely on sheer violence. It's not perfect, but it demonstrates proper character development before Heavy Rain came along. And a great continuation that provides the thrills fans have come to expect from the series.
Grade: A-
|
-
While browsing around Amazon this morning, I stumbled upon the image above...
Looks like another Amazon All Nintendo Wii Gold Box Event is set to kick into gear. The festiviities kick off at midnight Pacific Time (Tuesday, May 18th) with their Gold Box deal of the day. Following the midnight debute will come the lightning deals sprinkled through out the day to ensure that your work productivity takes a massive hit.
Check back on Tuesday as we will fill update with the list of deal hints and our best guesses...
Check it out: Amazon All Wii Gold Box
|
-
-
If you are old enough, you may remember the Shazam/Isis Power Hour on CBS or if you are a true geek (like me) you know all about the Marvel Family and Public Enemy #1, Black Adam from DC comic books. It was revealed this week that the bad guy that you love is coming to DCU Online. Fans have been waiting patiently for this game that will allow you to play the role of your favorite hero or villain from DC's expansive line-up of characters (think Superman, Batman, Joker, Lex Luthor...). It is an open world MMOAG that let's you take on the role of either established DC characters or you can create your own from the tights up. SOE is promising that it will be fast paced and action packed when gamers finally get to play it on the PS3 or PC (cross platform, yippee) and I am one of those that couldn't be happier if turns out to be true.
|
-
RockStar Games Red Dead Redemption is Coming!
The highly anticipated release of Red Dead Redemption is coming this Tuesday (May 18) on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the US!
If you have been procrastinating getting your pre-order in, you still have time to take advantage of the many retail special promotions and coupon codes.
Check out the full run down of current Red Dead Redemption deals and midnight launch details:
Pre-order Red Dead Redemption for $59.99 and get a $20 Amazon Gift Card plus free shipping at Amazon.
Additionally you'll receive access to an Amazon exclusive in-game golden guns weapon pack, which let you gain fame faster (fame gains you access to in-game side missions).
This gift card promo will be ending at any time, so secure the deal and pre-order now...
Steps:
Unfortunately, Buy.com is currently offering Red Dead Redemption for $59.99 with free shipping.
Earlier this week, it was available for $46, but that deal is as dead as disco...
Steps:
BestBuy is offering Red Dead Redemption for retail at $59.99.
Fear not though, they are offering a FREE War Horse Download:
- Order the wild west saga, Red Dead Redemption, and get a code in-pack to unlock this mighty, Best Buy® exclusive steed.
Order online, and select In-store pickup to get the game on release day.
Steps:
BestBuy.com - Red Dead Redemption
- Select 'In-Store Pickup'
Midnight Store Opennings:
You can't wait to tackle this six-shooter epic, so dozens of Best Buy stores will open at midnight May 17 (Monday night), so you can buy Red Dead Redemption as soon as it releases on Tuesday.
Check it out: BestBuy.com List of Midnight Store Opennings
Gamestop is currently offering a free upgrade to the Special Edition + $10 off a future order when you pre-order Red Dead Redemption. The $10 coupon code will be emailed when the order ships. Online Offer only. Not valid in stores or for in-store pick up customers.
Special Edition Includes:
- THE DEADLY ASSASSIN OUTFIT John Marston’s “Deadly Assassin” outfit causes your Dead Eye to regenerate at twice the speed.
- THE ORIGINAL GAME SOUNDTRACK The original score composed by the critically acclaimed recording artists Bill Elm and Woody Jackson.
- AND EXCLUSIVE CHALLENGES
Steps:
Midnight Openings:
- No news of any Gamestop Midnight opennings at this time...
 
Walmart.com is offering a free $20 gift card and free shipping on all Red Dead Redemption pre-orders.
Steps:
If you happen to run across other deals, by all means send us a deal tip!
|
-
While, Ubisoft officially announced details about the holiday release of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (PC/PS3/Xbox 360) earlier this week, we have now received the official box art...
A new twist that should mix things up this year is the new multiplayer addition:
And for the first time, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood offers a never-before-seen multiplayer layer. Players can help the Templars by using Abstergo to train in the art of Assassination to eliminate the Assassins once and for all. Players can choose from a wide range of unique characters, each with their own signature weapons and assassination techniques, and match their skills against other players from all over the world in different game modes.
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is set to ship on November 16, 2010 and is available for pre-order at Amazon .
|
-
We refrained from reporting on the June 6th release date rumors that have been floating around for the past few days, but never in our wildest dreams did we think that a June 6th release date would be "late to the party". Sprint has officially announced that everyone's dream phone will be available on June 4th for a dirt cheap (considering what you get) $199.99 (w/a new 2 year agreement). But with great power, comes great fiscal responsibility; a mandatory $10 premium data charge will be added to your monthly bill for 4G service. It seems like a small price to pay for kick butt speeds. Sprint has also confirmed that you will be able to talk and surf at the same time (EAT IT AT&T-MOBILE), so CDMA, welcome to 2005 2010! Click here if your home is a rock and you don't know the beastly specs yet.
|
-
By now you’ve probably already cleaned up the froth from your mouth regarding EA Sports mogul Peter Moore announcing the EA Online Pass. For those of you who missed the memo, starting next month, EA”s sports line-up is only free to play if you happen to buy a new retail copy of the game. Taking the company’s “Project Ten Dollar” formula to an new level, any renters or used-game buyers will have to shell out ten bones to take advantage of online play and as yet unnamed “additional bonus content”. Did you play Mass Effect 2? Cerberus Network for Madden, only the game’s playability is reduced by a third if you don’t color inside EA’s lines.
Okay, let me tell you where I’m coming from, here, so you get an idea of how I got to where I’m going. I, personally, hate the used game market. I try to buy as many games new from retail as I can, unless its something out-of-print that I stumble upon and want to add to the old pile-of-shame. (Seriously, I don’t want to go into “pile” details, but you’ll need more than fingers and toes to tally it. I own Atari 2600 games I’ve never played…) Personal preference; I’d rather a portion of my money make it back to the cats who built the game instead of the whole hog drop into the retailer’s coffers. I’m not going to knock used buyers--I realize times are tough and if gamers aren’t saving the world, the who will, right? It’s just how I choose to roll. Live and let live.
Now, coming from that mindset, I applaud the efforts of “Project Ten Dollar”, not for spiting the consumers, most of who I doubt bother with paying to download the extra content anyway (though I haven’t seen any numbers on it, so I can’t really say), but more for spiting the big chain used stores. But EA Online Pass goes too far.
Holding a feature such as Online Play hostage is madness. The EA Sports crowd may be the most loyal cross-section of gamers as a whole, and EA’s thank you for decades of fandom is to cripple arguably the biggest feature that won that loyalty in the first place.
Not to mention the Xbox 360 owners, who are already paying $50 a year for online play ($50 more than the other consoles’ online service, but that’s a gripe for another day). Now they have the privilege of paying either $60 for a new disc or $55 + $10 for a used disc plus Online Pass that is compatible with their $50 online portal to their $30-$50 a month internet service. Add in a $200 console (not an uncommon expense for many RRoD sufferers), and you’re low-balling at $340. Seattle Seahawk season tickets start at $398, for those keeping score at home.
Should we be surprised at this structure? Probably not. World of Warcraft players proudly pay up to $15 a month for the right to play online ($180 a year, for those of you who refuse to admit that price to yourself), and those Blizzard-Activision cats, in case you hadn’t heard, do gangbuster-type business.
Like I said earlier, sticking it to chain used outlets is cool in my book, but there’s much better ways to do it. For instance, offer bonus materials if consumers buy the game via the publisher’s online store. In fact, make the online stores more visible. The best marketing move EA has made in the past five years was the discount code they handed out at PAX East this year, because it reminded a whole ton of people, “Hey, I don’t HAVE to buy my games from Amazon, Best Buy, or Gamestop”. See, not having to ship the games out to stores across the country, or give a share of the profits to said stores, vastly increases the profitability of the business model, yet the developers seem to almost consciously neglect keeping consumers informed of this buying option. Capcom is the only developer I’ve seen make real strides in this area, offering exclusive deals every week, but even their visibility is lacking.
Secondly, if you’re upset that the number of gamers that would rather pay $50 for your game outnumbers the amount that would pay $60 for your game, LOWER THE EFFING PRICE! We all know that Booby [sic] Kotick and his “Bleed Gamers Dry” mentality is the stuff the Monopoly Guy’s wet dreams are made of, but as far as brand loyalty goes, Activision hasn’t done themselves any favors. Games like Katamari Damancy and Earth Defense Force 2017 became popular because they were good games that were willing to play with the pricing structure to appeal to an audience that probably wouldn’t give them a second look otherwise. It’s basic supply-and-demand economics--the highest profitability point is the point where the supply of manufactured goods and demand of lowest price intersect. If Gamestop’s walls is lined with 20 copies of Madden 10 two weeks after launch, your dumb ass either oversaturated the market or overpriced your supply.
But of course, at the end of the day, like any economic structure, it’s ultimately the consumer’s responsibility to keep the price of goods in check, which is a larger effect on supply and demand than sticker price or manufacturing orders. If you don’t like paying $60 for a new release, quit paying $60 for new releases. If you don’t like a game company’s policies or practices, quit buying games from them. Gamers of the world, your life will NOT end if you don’t play certain games, okay? Your phony boycotts and after-purchase-criticisms don’t affect the publisher’s bottom lines, and therefore, they don’t care what you have to say. The only way to get a rise out of them is through their wallets.
Now go. Hit them where it hurts.
|
-
Following Walmart's free $20 gift card with the purchase, Amazon began offering a $20 video game credit with all pre-orders of Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Players take the role of a Black Ops operative who will be involved in missions behind enemy lines. Missions will take place in a variety of locations, including Cuba, the Arctic, and Vietnam. The game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series and the fourth game in the series to be developed by Treyarch after Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War.
Call of Duty: Black Ops is set to release on November 9, 2010.
Check it out:
|
-
Earlier today, the forum-goers over at GamerTag Radio supposedly outed Natal's release date for October later this year.
Their source was Syed Bilal Tariq (a Microsoft Saudi Arabia marketing manager) who also revealed that Halo Reach would also be showing up on PCs down the road.
Now, as uncovered by G4TV, the guy isn't even an employee of Microsoft!
He's employed by a business partner of a business partner of Microsoft proper. His claims aren't incredibly outlandish -- October release for Natal seems right in line with getting out before the holidays -- but it looks like he may be giving out information based on hearsay.
Lesson: don't believe everything you hear, kids!
|
-
![Legion [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zH-AVIZzL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Blu-ray Movie Releases for the Week of May 11, 2010
The Karate Kid, Legion, and Edge of Darkness drop this week on Blu-ray. In addition we have some additional treats in the form of Daybreakers, the classic Clint Eastwood western Hang Em High, and The Man in the Iron Mask!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is Legion...
As pure check-your-head-at-the-door popcorn entertainment, the apocalyptic action-horror hybrid Legion delivers in nearly every frame--its story of a band of strangers fighting an army of angels and demons for the fate of mankind is proudly loud, bullet riddled, and knee-deep in gore and CGI. That doesn't mean it's particularly good or even coherent--the story has renegade angel Michael (a glum Paul Bettany) come to the aid of diner owner Dennis Quaid (equally glum) and his patrons (a cross-section of stereotypes embodied by a capable cast, which includes Lucas Black, Charles S. Dutton, Tyrese Gibson, Kate Walsh, and Jon Tenney) as a host of heavenly and diabolical beings, dispatched by an angry God, descend on the diner with the intent of killing waitress Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights), whose unborn child may be the salvation of humanity. The orgy of special effects--endless hails of bullets and a menagerie of unpleasant demonic creatures, the most unsettling of which is the ice cream man (Doug Jones, Hellboy)--is eye popping but ultimately repetitive, and since no character rises above a cipher in director Scott Stewart's script (cowritten with Peter Schink), the whole affair feels unwieldy and eventually tiresome under a barrage of hackneyed dialogue. Naturally, Legion ends with the possibility of a sequel, though one wonders where the story can go after Armageddon. --Paul Gaita
Here is the full list:
- The Karate Kid [Blu-ray] ~ Ralph Macchio, et al.
- Legion [Blu-ray] ~ Paul Bettany, et al.
- Edge of Darkness (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) ~ Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, and Bojana Novakovic
- Daybreakers [Blu-ray] ~ Willem Dafoe, et al.
- The Karate Kid / The Karate Kid, Part II Boxed Set [Blu-ray] ~ Ralph Macchio, et al.
- Celine: Through the Eyes of the World [Blu-ray]
- Hang Em High (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray] ~ Clint Eastwood, Ed Begley, Bruce Dern, and Dennis Hopper
- M (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] ~ Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann, Inge Landgut, and Otto Wernicke
- The Man In The Iron Mask (w/DVD) [Blu-ray] ~ Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, and John Malkovich
- Magnificent Seven Collection (4pc) (P&S Ws) [Blu-ray] ~ Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and Eli Wallach
- The Edge [Blu-ray] ~ Anthony Hopkins, et al.
- Rock 'N' Roll High School (Roger Corman's Cult Classics) [Blu-ray] ~ P.J. Soles, Mary Woronov, Joey Ramone, and Dee Dee Ramone
- Marked For Death [Blu-ray] ~ Steven Seagal, Basil Wallace, and Keith David
- History of the World Part 1 [Blu-ray] ~ Mel Brooks, Dom Deluise, and Harvey Korman
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights [Blu-ray] ~ Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Roger Rees, and Mark Blankfield
- Live at Madison Square Garden [Blu-ray] ~ Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Richie Sambora, and Tico Torres
- High Anxiety [Blu-ray] ~ Mel Brooks
- Legend of the Tsunami Warrior [Blu-ray] ~ Sorapong Chatree, Dan Chupong, Ananda Everingham, and Winai Kraibutr
- Celtic Thunder: Its Entertainment [Blu-ray]
- Tidal Wave [Blu-ray] ~ Kyung-gu Sol
- The Karate Kid, Part II [Blu-ray] ~ Ralph Macchio, et al.
- Hiromi In Love (Blu-ray Disc) ~ Hiromi Kanda
|
-
After hearing the incredible amounts of hype for the original LittleBigPlanet, I swooped it up almost immediately. Upon further inspection? Didn't hold up so well. The controls were incredibly floaty, transitioning from foreground/background was a bit funky, and, honestly, not a lot of fun for me.
The sequel's been announced for a Winter 2010 release and it should do well for the franchise to get the game out there for new audiences -- especially after some of the creative levels that graced the original. The only issue? No word on if they plan to explore new control schemes or "tightening up the graphics on level 3" in regards to the jumping physics.
All I read is "backwards compatibility" this, and "new tools that" on an interview with Media Molecule co-founder, Alex Evans, with 1up.
Hmpf. I'll be taking a wait-and-see approach when LittleBigPlanet 2 releases this fall...how about you guys? 
|
-
-
Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Releases are starting to pick up a notch before the summer lull... Hightlights include Lost Planet 2 (Xbox 360/PS3), 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3), Skate 3 (Xbox 360/PS3), Batman Arkham Asylum: Game of the Year (Xbox 360/PS3), Naruto Shipuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 (Sony PSP), Age of Conan: Rise of Godslayer (PC), plus a few more gems...
Our recommended new release of the week will go to 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3).
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of May 10, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
|
-
Cataclysm:Halls of Origination, announced during Blizzcon last year, is finally approaching release. It is the next money printing expansion for the uber populer MMORPG we all know as WOW. This new addition is a level 85 player dungeon that features two new races (tha Goblins and the Worgen) and an increased level cap (yay), in which you will search for an ancient treasure that has the potential to eliminate all life on Azeroth. Not good. There are 5 areas to explore, each one seemingly more dangerous than the last. We will keep you updated as more information comes out.
|
-
 
If you are one of the 3 few people (like me) that have been struggling to ignore the siren call of The World of Warcraft, I am sorry to tell you, but it is time to surrender. Target is offering The Burning Crusade Expansion Pack ($29.99) for free when you purchase the original WOW game. This sale is not found on Target.com and it isn't even listed in the local Target ad for the store that I found it in, but there was a sale tag in front of both items. It may be at select stores, so you may want to call before you jump on your horse and ride all the way down to your local Target. Really, there is no excuse not to play the game now, so just mail your credit card to Blizzard and get it over with.
|
-
 
With the trailer making it's official debut last week, a synchronized retail pre-order campaign has begun for Treyarch's upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Amazon, Gamestop, BestBuy, Walmart  and others have the game available for pre-order. Today, Walmart has begun offering a free $20 gift card with the purchase. As typically happens, once Walmart fires the initial gift card salvo, Amazon is soon to follow.
Players take the role of a Black Ops operative who will be involved in missions behind enemy lines. Missions will take place in a variety of locations, including Cuba, the Arctic, and Vietnam. The game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series and the fourth game in the series to be developed by Treyarch after Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War.
Call of Duty: Black Ops is set to release on November 9, 2010.
Check it out:
|
-
“By our counts, we had 1,170,112 unique players participate in the Reach beta through Monday. That's already more players than we saw over the entire life of the Halo 3 beta... in the FIRST day of the Reach beta. And even more awesome - each of these nearly 1.2 million players played an average of 14 games," Brian Jarrard told Industry Gamers about the recently launched Halo Reach multiplayer beta.
And here I was thinking that gamers would feel the burn of the not-quite-a-sequel and the not-quite-full-release of Halo ODST. Jarrad mentions that their latest entry in the franchise beat record game time of the Halo 3 beta but that was tacked-on to Crackdown, an unknown property, with a small sticker that announced that beta. This time around, they had the cache of their flagging franchise to push the Halo Reach beta forward...
Either way, the more people to play with the more rocketeer-style death from above fun.
[Image Source: Gamepro]
|
-
 Halo has been the safe bet when it comes to console first-person shooters since it debuted alongside the original Xbox's launch date in 2001. Bungie, as its last joint venture with Microsoft, has decided to mess with a few of the screws that have since been Halo staples with Halo Reach, though.
Mainly, the addition of jetpacks. Oh, yeah. Jetpacks. In the Halo Reach beta (available through the Halo 3: ODST menu options) four different loadouts are available with super abilities: invisibility, shield, sprinting, and jetpackin'.
Instead of picking up equipment as you did in Halo 3, you'll be granted use of those in a more permanent form -- with a short cool-down period after each use. All are pretty fundamental to the way you play in Halo Reach multiplayer, but none more than the addition of flying around at will.
It's not as quick as launching upwards in the Tribes series or as easy to manage, but skyward zipping around in a Halo game is incredibly satisfying. Battles take to the air constantly along with your usual moveset of precise shooting and melee attacks. I've only played the last couple of days the beta has been live and already I've been involved in countless of epic aerial struggles.
Jetpacks aren't an easy "win button," either. The drawbacks of the slow-to-start ignition and the fact that you're sticking out like a watch tower's light beam when you're using them helps keep the matches balanced. At least, it seems that way from what I've played so far.
For some, it may be worrisome that Halo's once "pure" gameplay has been infected with the seemingly viral inclusions of leveling up, loadouts, and perks to first-person shooters. But it looks like Bungie is taking the right path with respects to Reach. The changes are at the root of the new Halo experience but they are modest and avoid stitching in anything too crazy (i.e. thermonuclear rewards for masterful players). So rest easy, Halo fans. We're in for a good, high-flying ride this fall.
|
-
I know I am just a little fish in the game/tech blogoshpere (is that a word?), but I am a little sore. Whenever I blog about something that I saw on someone else's site, I try to give credit. Last night I posted a video on Youtube.com (from my TV, mind you) of Oprah using an HTC EVO 4G and immediately posted the video on Hawtwired.com, along with my sleepy ramblings. Much to my dismay surprise, by 5 o'clock today a whole bunch of web sites had taken the story and ran with it. Cool beans, yes, that's the nature of the biz and I am ok with that because I do it too. The issue that I have is when you "quote" (William Gates over @ ozcarguide.com) me without actually quoting me; or report that you have "video evidence of the momentous event" (Donald Melanson, engadget:Celebrity Nerd) that Hawtwired brought to the masses and present it on your site as an original thought. I understand that news is shared like this, but this was not a public press release or an FCC leak, it was my personal thoughts and I only ask that you give a little credit. Thanks and I still love you guys.
|
-
Huh. It has sure been a busy day on the game announcements front for HawtWired today. First, Starcraft II gets a date then God of War for PSP is unveiled making calendar 2010 an incredible year for gaming. Now, the sequel to the best Star Wars games of the last few years, The Force Unleashed, is known to be releasing October 26.
I've yet to make it through the first title in the series but I heard a whole mess of crazy 'ish happens! You're apparently Darth Vader's son, then you kill him, then you are appointed great emperor of the galaxy, and then all kinds of junk proceeds. (OMG, spoilarz!)
Well, I'm not sure that's what exactly happened, but I guess I'll have to dig the game out now to prepare for the upcoming The Force Unleashed II. You guys plan on brushing up, too, for the sequel?
|
-
Coming straight off the heels of the recently released God of War III, Sony announced that the next PSP God of War, Ghost of Sparta, will be out later this year. Honestly, and what was hopefully apparent by my review, I think the series has seriously run its course.
I'd like to see Sony's Santa Monica studio run with a brand new idea and build it up on the same epic scale as the God of War trilogy, but since this IS a portable edition and being developed by the worthy Ready at Dawn studio it should be a great (last?) hurrah for Kratos. The first portable title did a few interesting things with the story and here's hoping they step it up similarly Holiday 2010.
|
-
![Saving Private Ryan [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51inT85gEvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Blu-ray Movie Releases for the Week of May 4, 2010
Saving Private Ryan (aka: show off your uber new home theater surround sound system) drops this week on Blu-ray. In addition we have some additional treats in the form of Doctor Zhivago, the tearful Notebook, plus quite a few concerts from Chickenfoot, Collective Soul, Barbara Streisand, and the unstoppable Michael Bolton!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is Saving Private Ryan...
The movie is as heavy and realistic as Spielberg's Oscar-winning Schindler's List, but it's more kinetic. Spielberg and his ace technicians (the film won five Oscars: editing (Michael Kahn), cinematography (Janusz Kaminski), sound, sound effects, and directing) deliver battle sequences that wash over the eyes and hit the gut. The violence is extreme but never gratuitous. The final battle, a dizzying display of gusto, empathy, and chaos, leads to a profound repose. Saving Private Ryan touches us deeper than Schindler because it succinctly links the past with how we should feel today. It's the film Spielberg was destined to make. --Doug Thomas
Here is the full list:
- Saving Private Ryan [Blu-ray] ~ Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, and Tom Sizemore
- Doctor Zhivago Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Book) ~ Omar Sharif, et al.
- Nine [Blu-ray] ~ Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, and Marion Cotillard
- Tooth Fairy [Blu-ray] ~ Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews, and Stephen Merchant
- One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Quartet at the Village Vanguard - September 26, 2009 [Blu-ray] ~ Barbra Streisand
- The Notebook [Blu-ray] ~ Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, and Ryan Gosling
- Leap Year [Blu-ray] ~ Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott, and John Lithgow
- Chickenfoot: Get Your Buzz On - Live [Blu-ray]
- Hamlet [Blu-ray] ~ David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Penny Downie, and Oliver Ford Davies
- Michael Bolton: Live at the Royal Albert Hall [Blu-ray]
- Escape from L.A. [Blu-ray] ~ Kurt Russell, Steve Buscemi, and Bruce Campbell
- Tetro [Blu-ray] ~ Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, Maribel Verdu, and Carmen Maura
- K-19: The Widowmaker [Blu-ray] ~ Harrison Ford, et al.
- Elektra (2005) (Ws Dir Dub Sub Ac3 Dol Dts) [Blu-ray] ~ Goran Visnjic
- Collective Soul: Home [Blu-ray] ~ Collective Soul, et al.
- The Dukes [Blu-ray] (2007) ~ Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi, and Peter Bogdanovich
- Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: Season 2 [Blu-ray] ~ Christopher R. Sabat, Jason Liebrecht, and Monica Rial
- Visions of Nature: Timescapes [Blu-ray]
- Girls Gone Wild: Top 50 Best Butts Ever [Blu-ray] ~ Girls Gone Wild
- The Giant Panda [Blu-ray] ~ Narrated
- Clamp Double Feature: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and xxxHOLiC [Blu-ray] ~ Cherami Leigh, J. Michael Tatum, Colleen Clinkenbeard, and Todd Haberkorn
- Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: Collected Memories Box Set [Blu-ray] ~ Christopher R. Sabat, John Savage, and Monica Rial
All of these new Blu-Ray releases are currently available at 30% off over at Amazon.
Check it out: Amazon - Blu-ray Sale
|
-
Hardcore RTS fans need no more words or explanation as the reason for why they're taking a whole week off of work to dig into Blizzard's Starcraft 2 in the tail end of July this year. A summer drought will be nigh unlikely when the came releases in a few short months.
Interesting, though, that ActiBlizzard is launching the game pre-Holidays. What is it that everyone is trying to avoid or trying to pre-emptively strike on? Nintendo threw a wrench in the PR machine as Super Mario Galaxy 2 also releases in an untraditional launch window in just a few, short weeks now.
Halo Reach? PlayStation Move? Microsoft Natal? Call of Duty: Black Ops? Speculate away in the comments...
|
-
As I mentioned on this week's episode of the podcast...err, wait. Where is this week's episo--well, whenever (ahem) Patrick gets to uploading our latest audio recording you'll know I talked about the fate the awaits DLC games and their uphill battle against perceptions that they are somehow inferior to retail products.
PopCap might be taking us at our word and going with an Xbox 360 disc-based edition of their popular Plants vs. Zombies game soon. Gamefly has the game posted on their upcoming games section and they strictly deal with tangible products, not dreamer talk "cloud computing."
Would you guys expect the game to MSRP as a full release or launch at a budget price if it indeed being slapped on DVD for release?
|
-
Once again the mighty Oprah Winfrey has proven why she, and she alone, is the most powerful person on the planet. So, I am sitting down with my wife and she turns on the Oprah show; absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. I had no special interest in this episode, but I hear her Oprah-ness mention that she is about to demonstrate how to text something for the audience. Of course when I hear the word text, I look up. What do I see in Oprah's billion dollar paws? AN HTC EVO 4G! Sprint some how got wind of the fact that if Oprah uses a device on her show, millions of people will buy it (usually, said item is available for purchase, though). What I want to know is how do we get one? The uber-phone still has a release date of "summer" and no pricing info has been leaked, yet Oprah just whips it out of her purse pocket magical unreleased cell phone bag. So for now, I guess we will just have to hope that Oprah feels sorry for us here at Hawtwired and drops in the mail really soon. Oprah, please, don't make me beg.
|
-
Sam is back! After several years of delays and re-drawing the hobo look Fisher had going when the game was first announced, Splinter Cell Conviction brings the Third Echelon back into the gamer conscious. Does Sam bring the heat, or is he simply getting to old for this #&*!?
Initially, Ubisoft revolutionized the stealth genre mostly dominated by Japanese developers by introducing full camera control and matched that with fun gameplay; unlike the Metal Gear Solid series' "not doing it right" notoriety. SCC goes for innovation but doesn't completely execute on its mark.
Gone is the need to cautiously stash away dead bodies or even some of the freedom to take on missions as you see fit. Splinter Cell Conviction would like to give you the illusion of complete liberty to take on missions as you wish, but its new action-oriented focus usually funnels you into two basic approaches.
One, stealthily melee enemies to -- easily -- "mark and execute" in quick John Woo-style succession or, two, merely go in guns ablazing. You'll be fine when you come out the other end. It's a clear attempt to rein in gamers who don't want to wade through trial-and-error gameplay, but it makes SCC wholly inconsistent.
Every mission will usually have a correct approach and if you choose incorrectly: "You're doing it wrong." There were plenty of times during the campaign where I was having flashes to playing the much more difficult MGS games. Not fun.
At least, that's how it played out for me the majority of the time. In the few moments that I wrapped my head around the controls and a particular scenario, it was incredibly engrossing.
Innovations like the next cover indicator remedies the "stickiness" that the Gears of War games have been fighting with since their inception. The indicator gives you a visible guideline to where you're heading next to avoid shuffling right into an enemy's line of sight.
And the story -- while nothing to hold up as medium-advancing -- does a good job of presenting unique flashback situations, chase scenes, and humanizes Sam Fisher for the player as he sets off on his suicidal, revenge mission.
Still, it is more style than substance when it comes to SCC. And even that can wear on you. Sam interrogates everyone pretty much the same way (i.e. torture subject three times, then get what you want) and every time you do it, it diminishes its cool factor making you wish for a "skip scene" button. And the writing on the wall? Nice touch, but they never give you any particular insight on what usually are straightforward objectives.
Splinter Cell Conviction's shining offering for me was its online multiplayer. Err, more specifically the four -- surprisingly lengthy -- co-op missions. They do a good job of translating single-player to a two-player stealth environment with an added layer of tension and situational awareness if you have a buddy shouting out enemy positions in your ear.
Regular multiplayer, from what I played, seemed to be just a shoe-horned and quickly re-proportioned version of co-op missions and maps. If you were a fan of Chaos Theory's exemplary multiplayer and were hoping to find it here...Ubisoft avoided fatigue and sidestepped that option.
Closing Thoughts:
Splinter Cell Conviction looks good, plays well enough, and even puts together enough "24" scenarios of its own to push a serviceable story into the game but it lacks a special something. A special something that made Kojima Productions rethink the way their venerable Metal Gear Solid series does stealth by making it more fun to play. Ubisoft focused a bit too much on going accessible with a game that was already known for being the accessible type. The new presentation and control additions it puts forward are good candidates for showing up in future third-person action games, but they don't help Sam aim any truer in his latest adventure.
Grade: C
|
-
Ever have a news story you’re afraid to write? The live-action Mega Man movie is set to drop on May 7th, over on Screw Attack, and it looks pretty awesome. Produced by Eddie Lebron, the fan-made, not-for profit film depicts the events of the first Mega Man game, and, I’m sorry to say, looks way better to me than the upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer Prince of Persia movie.
I’m kind of hesitant to draw attention to the film, even though I’m excited about it. Definitely, I want people to check this out, but I fear if it gets too much attention it might go the way of the Zelda live-action movie Nintendo pulled the plug on last winter.
Hopefully, Capcom plays it cooler than Nintendo did. After all, Capcom’s game movies have done considerably better than Nintendo’s game movies… 
|
-
Welcome to New Releases for the Week!
Releases are starting to slow down a notch (pre-summer lull)... Hightlights include Iron Man 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, PSP, Nintendo DS), Oblivion Platinum Hits (Xbox 360), Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake, Picross 3D (Nintendo DS), plus a few more gems...
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Picross 3D (Nintendo DS).
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of May 3, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
|
-
Good news for Nintendo Wii hold outs... All new Wii systems will include Wii Sports Resort and the Wii MotionPlus in addition to the original Wii Sports. In addition, the new "black" Nintendo Wii console starts shipping on May 9, 2010.
A great value in video games is about to get even better. Starting May 9, Nintendo will add new elements to the baseline Wii™ system package offered at retailers throughout the Americas. In addition to the intuitive, motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller, Nunchuk™ controller and popular Wii Sports™ game that currently comes standard with each system purchase, every new unit will now also come packaged with Wii Sports Resort™ and the control-enhancing Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. In addition, consumers will be able to choose between two color schemes for the Wii console and included controllers: original white, or a new black option. The U.S. suggested retail price of the new system package will remain at $199.99. Pricing outside the United States will be established by the local markets, but offer similar consumer value.
These new Wii bundles are available for pre-order at Amazon...
Check it out: Amazon - Wii Hardware with Wii Sports Resort - Black
|
-
Yes. That’s World of Warcraft running on an iPad.
1up.com reports that game designer Dave Perry (of MDK and Earthworm Jim fame) posted this pic on his blog recently. Perry’s current project is Gaikai, a cloud-based game streaming service similar to the much talked about OnLive, and the photo is of Gaikai’s streaming service sending WoW to the iPad over standard WiFi, Perry claims.
No comment is made regarding the actual play-ability of WoW via iPad (I’d wager that the soft-keyboard doesn’t make things easy), but if Blizzard catches wind of this and decides to run with it, the largest game in the world will get quite a bit larger. 
|
-
When Cliffy B announced that he was goin on the Jimmy Fallon show, everyone aassumed that he would be announcing Gears of War III. He did, not disaapoint, but GOW III was not the only big news. Outed a few days earlier was BULLETSTORM.
|
-
It’s official--Penny Arcade creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik made the final cut for Time’s 2010 Most Influential People list.
There’s not a whole lot more to say than that. The article mention going from part-time web cartoonists to masters of a gaming media empire (you know, more or less), noting PAX and Child’s Play as major achievements for the duo. All of which you probably already know.
Sharing space on a list with artistic luminaries such as James Cameron, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindeloff, Elton John, and Ricky Gervais, is a huge honor, and congratulations are definitely due for the duo better known to the world as “Gabe and Tycho”.
Notably, Roger Ebert was nowhere to be seen on the list… 
|
-
Tipped off by a post from the store manager of Game Crazy in Bend, Oregon on Craigslist, of all places, Kotaku picked up a rumor that ALL Game Crazy and Hollywood Video stores will begin liquidating their stock within the next two weeks. A follow up phone call to said store manager by Kotaku resulted in the manager sticking to these claims.
Movie Gallery Inc., the parent company that owns Hollywood Video, Game Crazy, and Movie Gallery stores, filed for Chapter 11 in February, which means massive restructuring in an attempt to get out from under their creditors. The result, closing a ton of Hollywood Video and Game Crazy stores, which, if store manager Glenn J.’s claims are true, is far from the end.
Glenn J. warns bargain hunters, which you should all know if you tried to cash in on Circuit City’s close-out last year, the hot items and killer deals will go quick (the ones not shipped off to more profitable destinations, that is), so waiting for Super Street Fighter IV to drop to $10 isn’t likely to be a viable strategy, but clever shoppers and collectors will probably find some neat scores. 
|
|
|
|