Most Recent: Xbox 360

New Battlefield 3 gameplay trailer, pre-order bonuses detailed

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

I’m really torn about Battlefield 3. I’ve been a huge fan of the Bad Company series and certainly lost a lot of time in Battlefield 1943, but I don’t feel I’ll be up for the true sequel to the original franchise. Without a PC to run it, I’m kind of disappointed the console versions will only support up to 24 players, which is what we’ve come to expect in Bad Company. Getting the same scale as the console spin-off just feels like I’m not getting the authentic spirit of the game.

In any case, DICE gives us another amazing trailer showcasing the new engine and features for the game. Frostbite 2, their “next-generation engine for current-generation platforms” sports some seriously impressive lighting, as well as destruction that seems a lot more unpredictable this time. The gameplay shown is standard – a little running, a little gunning, but it displays the return of going prone, something a few players complained about being absent in Bad Company.

The official Battlefield 3 site has also revealed the first tidbits about pre-order bonuses: reserving the game will net you the “Back to Karkand” expansion, including four legendary maps from Battlefield 2, weapons and vehicles, unique rewards, new achievements/trophies, and more. That’s a pretty big pre-order bonus; it sounds as robust as Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam (which was excellent). Battlefield 3 is scheduled for release this Fall 2011 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Test Drive Unlimited 2 patches incoming, first DLC pack will be free

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

We gave Test Drive Unlimited 2 a decent score, but the game wasn’t free of issues, and it certainly had a couple bugs. Network issues, exploits, and corrupt saves have been fixed on the PC version, even repairing some corrupted save files, and console patches are in the pipeline at Sony and Microsoft. Taking it one step further, Eden Games have announced that the first DLC, the “Exploration Pack,” featuring Lancia Stratos version Rallye, 1969 Dodge Charger, and new wrecks to explore will be available for free. Eden wants you all to know, “the team spends a great deal of time looking at community feedback, so please keep posting your comments to the official TDU2 forums and we look forward to seeing you in Ibiza.”

Sounds like a good PR move on their part, and free DLC is always a good thing. There’s no date on when those patches will be certified or when the Exploration Pack is coming, but stay tuned for more Test Drive Unlimited 2 info.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Bejeweled Blitz Live matches up with XBLA

Posted on February 23, 2011 by John Scalzo

After taking Facebook by storm, PopCap’s Bejeweled Blitz has been released on the Xbox Live Arcade as Bejeweled Blitz Live. Blitz Live is the second entry in Microsoft’s second annual XBLA House Party promotion. The game is available to download for 800 Microsoft Points ($10) and includes a ton of bonus features not found in the Facebook application.

The biggest change to Bejeweled Blitz Live is that the game includes the “Twist” gameplay style. Players will be able to rotate four gems instead of two while making matches during the frantic 60-second rounds. Players will also be able to compete in local versus matches and 16-player battles over Xbox Live.

More information on the game, direct from Microsoft, can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Gears of War 3 emerges on September 20

Posted on February 23, 2011 by John Scalzo

If things had gone according to the original plan, we’d all be sitting down to play Gears of War 3 in a few weeks time. Instead, the trilogy-capping game was delayed to an unspecified “Fall 2011” date. But now, Microsoft and Epic Games have confirmed that the game will make its worldwide debut on September 20th.

Marcus, Baird, Dom and company will continue their fight against the Locust Horde (and “new threats”) in the aftermath of GoW2 throughout new maps and with new weapons. Microsoft has promised that more details about all of the game’s new features will be revealed in the future, including the full scoop on the Gears of War 3 “Official Multiplayer Public Beta.”

My only question is, if this is the end of the trilogy, what’s Gears of War: Exile going to be about?

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Stacking Review: Yertle Ain’t Got Nothing on Double Fine’s Puzzler

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

In a space where a million small studios are trying to make the next big hit, world-class developer Double Fine productions returns to the downloadable scene with Stacking. From the mind of Art Director Lee Petty and under the mantle of the legendary Tim Schafer, this puzzle-solving adventure game combines pleasantly appealing visuals and intuitive gameplay with the social commentary and quirky humor of the era of silent films. (more…)

Posted in PS3, Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Red Faction: Armageddon gets its ass to Mars on May 31

Posted on February 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

Because references to Total Recall never go out of style. Anyway…

THQ has announced that the latest entry in their Mars-based shooter series, Red Faction: Armageddon, will be released for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on May 31.

Developed by Volition, Armageddon is set 25 years after the events of Red Faction: Guerrilla. Starring Darius Mason, the son of Guerrilla’s Alec Mason, the game digs deep into the heart of Mars to reawaken the ancient Martians. And unlike the benevolent ancient Martians of Total Recall, these space aliens are pissed.

Gamers will get a second helping of Red Faction this May when Syfy airs the tie-in movie Red Faction: Origins. The film, which stars Robert Patrick, is meant to bridge the 25-year gap between Guerrilla and Armageddon.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

First Bulletstorm DLC announced

Posted on February 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

Bulletstorm, the latest psychotic shooter from Epic Games and People Can Fly, is in stores today. And, like with Dead Space 2, publisher Electronic Arts is wasting no time in announcing the first downloadable content pack.

The Gun Sonata pack will be available this Spring on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace. It’ll be priced at $9.99 (800 Microsoft Points) and include three new maps for the Anarchy multiplayer mode. The maps will take place in “the wretched” Sewers of Stygia, “the dilapidated ruins” of Hotel Elysium and “the open spaces” of Villa.

The DLC pack will also feature two new Echo mode maps: Crash Site, “where Final Echo soldiers must deal with the ramifications of their crashed ship”; and Guns of Stygia, “in which a captive commando escapes from an enemy prison.” The final piece of the Gun Sonata pack will be two new Leash enhancements, the Flamingo and the Pulp.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Super Meat Boy delivers additional free Grade A content to XBLA

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Ryan Littlefield

Late last night, Team Meat announced two new chapters for players to complete in the XBLA version of their extravagantly-crafted Super Meat Boy. The two chapters – titled “Expert Remix” and “Cramps” – are totally free for current owners, and collectively feature 40 new levels for players to whiz through.

The expanded levels are encompassed under the name “Teh Internets,” by collecting 15 bandages or completing 40 levels in the main game. 20 of the levels (or half of the content) are user-created, which marks Team Meat’s first release of user-created content. They also stated that more developer and user-created levels will be coming in the future, adding to the game’s excellence.

These levels are XBLA-exclusive for now, but Team Meat has promised that PC gamers will be able to sink their teeth into them shortly.

Check out Team Meat’s page for more info, as well as images of the new stages.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360 | Tagged