Most Recent: News

WWE ’12 pins PS3, Wii, 360 this November

Posted on June 1, 2011 by John Scalzo

Smackdown has been smacked down and Raw has been cooked, this year’s WWE release from THQ will be known by the much simpler title WWE ’12. THQ promises that WWE ’12 will be “Bigger, Badder, Better” when it releases on November 22 for the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.

Not only does the game have a new title and a new slogan, but the technology behind it has been rebuilt from the ground up:

WWE ’12 will offer players the opportunity to engage in the WWE experience through the new Predator Technology dynamic gameplay system, which is poised to deliver the most fluid, dynamic, authentic and action-packed WWE simulation experience to date. Included are the new Breaking Point submission system, new Attributes and control layout as well as significant improvements to other key gameplay systems, including Momentum and Stamina. WWE Universe Mode 2.0 will generate new and more impactful elements of unpredictability based on player decisions, while dynamic visual changes to gameplay presentation, including new animations, camera positions, lighting and improved rendering, will set the tone for delivering an exceptional simulation of WWE programming.

WWE ’12 will also include an extensive Creatve-A-Wrestler mode with customizable entrances, finishing moves, storylines and Highlight Reels along with the return of the popular Road to WrestleMania mode. Finally, the game will boast one of the largest rosters of WWE Superstars, WWE Divas and WWE Legends in franchise history, including Randy Orton, John Cena, The Miz and the debuting Alberto Del Rio.

The game’s debut trailer can be found and a ridiculously detailed developer Q&A with Creative Director Cory Ledesma can be found at SmackdownVsRaw.com (the Q&A also includes a ton of screenshots). Not surprisingly, THQ will be showcasing the game at next week’s E3 Expo.

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Deep Silver bringing Dead Island, Risen 2 to E3

Posted on June 1, 2011 by John Scalzo

Deep Silver has announced they’ll be bringing two games to this year’s E3 Expo: the zombie FPS Dead Island and the pirate RPG Risen 2: Dark Waters.

More information on both games can be found right here, in case they haven’t pinged your gamer radar yet:

Dead Island (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Dead Island, the upcoming gruesome zombie action game with RPG elements by renowned developer Techland, combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customisation of a vast array of weapons. All of these gameplay features are presented in a dark story inspired by classic zombie movies with a gritty and engrossing campaign that can be played with up to four players in co-op mode.

Set in an open world tropical island, hordes of different festering zombies await players around every corner while they embark on a variety of thrilling missions through the holiday resort. With firearms and ammunition being scarce the player must rely on discovering and utilising items as weapons for self-defense and fighting off zombie hordes in intense melee combat. A diverse range of items can be collected and will later serve to transform the player’s ordinary makeshift weapons into serious instruments of destruction.

Risen 2: Dark Waters (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Piranha Bytes combines Risen’s authentic role-playing gameplay with a fresh setting, new content, further-developed technology and multiple, thematically varied islands. With its highly interactive game world and dynamic day/night rotation – influencing countless aspects of the world – Risen 2 allows players to plunge into one of the most intense role-playing worlds ever created.

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Batman: Arkham City takes at least 25 hours to complete

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Mark Casino

Sefton Hill, the game director of Batman: Arkham City at Rocksteady, recently talked to The Guardian about the game. During the lengthy interview, Hill discussed the Arkham City’s narrative and revealed a few details about the game’s length:

“It takes over 25 hours to complete the main stories in Batman: Arkham City. To keep players engaged for this length of time, not only do the characters and the story need to progress, but the core mechanics of the game they are playing need to change and adapt as well.”

He also mentions that there’s at least 15 hours of side quest content to this dark sequel. Yes, Arkham City is loaded with over 40 hours of gameplay; which is much more than its predecessor.

Batman: Arkham City will be relased for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 October 21.

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Let It Bleed: First trailer for Mortal Kombat DLC character Skarlet

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

As a retelling of the original trilogy, the Mortal Kombat reboot didn’t have much room for new characters. Thankfully, Ed Boon and company plan to remedy that omission with DLC characters, the first of which is Skarlet.

Skarlet can be seen in the regular game chained to Shao Kahn’s throne as a prisoner, but once she’s unleashed this blood mage will do some serious damage. Check out the trailer above to get a sneak peek at both of her Fatalities, her X-Ray Move and her special moves.

There’s no word yet on when we’ll get to finish somebody with Skarlet, but NetherRealm plans to bring her to this year’s E3 Expo. So we’ll get to see more of her then.

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Nintendo DS Lite price drops to $99.99; Mario games “go red”

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Nicole Kline

The Nintendo DS Lite is getting a price cut down to $99.99, making it ridiculously affordable. If there are any people left on this planet without a DS – aside from Jack Tretton – they should seriously consider this the best time to hop in with both feet. All five of the people without a DS already, that is.

On top of that, Nintendo will also be changing the packaging of six of the Mario games that “represent some of the best-selling fan-favorite Nintendo DS games of all time.” The games will now come in red packaging, making them easy to identify. Those six games are:

  • Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
  • Mario Kart DS
  • Mario Party DS
  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
  • New Super Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario 64 DS

No word on whether or not the red packaging will also come with a price drop as well. As for me, well, I’ve got a DS… and a DS Lite… and a DSi… errr, and a 3DS. But if there was any way I could get this beauty for $99.99, I would do it in a heartbeat.

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L.A. Noire DLC plans detailed by Rockstar

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Nicole Kline

Rockstar Games formally announced their plans for L.A. Noire‘s DLC today, detailing information on new cases, collectibles, and challenges. All of the content will be available on both the PlayStation Network (whenever the Store returns) and Xbox LIVE. The cases are priced at $4.00 (PlayStation Network)/320 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

The four new standalone cases are:

  • The Naked City (Vice) – available today
  • A Slip of the Tongue (Traffic) – available today
  • Nicholson Electroplating (Arson) – coming 6/21/11
  • Reefer Madness (Vice) – coming 7/12/11

There’s also The Badge Pursuit Challenge for $2.00/160 Microsoft Points and the Sharpshooter/ Broderick detective suits for $1.00/80 Microsoft Points.

A unique way to pay for all of this is to purchase the L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass, which costs $10.00/800 Microsoft Points and gives you access to all the DLC as it comes out. So the total without the pass is $16, saving you a big $6 – but the discount is only for a limited time, after which the pass will go up to $12.

Well, that’s not confusing at all. In addition to all of the paid items, Rockstar Social Club members will be getting a freebie – the Chicago Lightning Detective Suit – and everyone will have access to the Chicago Piano machine gun for free. Hit the jump for the full release schedule. (more…)

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Daily Scoop: May 31, 2011 – You know the drill

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Nicole Kline

So we didn’t make it to the beach this weekend, but I did manage to play a ton of video games, do lots of food shopping, sleep a bunch, and did some cleaning! All things I really needed to get done. So even though I don’t have a tan, at least I ate delicious food and caught up on sleep. It all worked out!

Time for deals… Amazon’s Deal of the Day in video games today is the Tritton TRIAX-180 AX 180 Universal Gaming Headset by MadCatz. It’s just $50.00 down from $69.99, and has a “Stereo Analog Connection” as well as an “Inline Audio Controller with Independent Chat Volume Control.” Not as cheap as I’d like it to be, but still a pretty decent deal!

Amazon’s also having a Dads & Grads promotion right now. Week One is from 5/29 to 6/4 and it’s all Wii deals, which includes games as well as accessories – get the NHL Slapshot Bundle for $29.99 or the Nintendo Wii – Controller Bundle for $21.99.

Today’s Tee Fury has good timing, considering I spent a good portion of my weekend playing BioShock 2. It’s called “Petty Morality” and it brings us back to Rapture:

BioShock Infinite is too far away…

Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

See the final box art for Madden NFL 12

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis vaulted over some stiff competition to earn the right to grace the Madden NFL 12 cover. Today, Hillis has officially been targeted by the Madden Cover Curse as the final box art for the game was revealed. Feel free to click on the image to view a slightly larger version.

Madden NFL 12 will be released for the PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 on August 30.

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