Daily Scoop: February 7, 2011 – No, I will not stop talking about Dead Space 2

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Nicole Kline

Why should I stop talking about Dead Space 2? I just reviewed it, I’m working on a review of Dead Space: Extraction, I’m about to start Dead Space: Ignition, and my Rig Backpack just got here, with the awesome t-shirt and lithographs that accompany it. Backpack of the year, man.

I also had nightmares last night about Necromorphs. I must not be the only one, because today’s Amazon Deal of the Day in video games is Dead Space 2. The regular edition is on sale today for $39.99 from $59.99, and the collector’s edition is on sale for $59.99 from $79.99. Fans of the game should absolutely get the collector’s edition, especially if you own a PS3, because it comes with Dead Space: Extraction with upgraded HD graphics and Move compatibility.

This is a lot of awesome for a Monday. I think I might just go home, put on this backpack, bust out my Plasma Cutter, and see how sci-fly I can possibly be.

Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

Massive savings on XBLA shooters this week

Posted on February 7, 2011 by John Scalzo

Major Nelson has announced that this week’s Xbox Live Deal of the Week is live. And I’m here to announce that it includes an awesome selection of games!

This week’s theme is “Retro Shooters” and Xbox Live Gold members with a hankering for more retro shooters will definitely want to pick up at least one of these titles:

  • Duke Nukem: Manhatten Project – 400 Microsoft Points (Regular Price: 800 MSP)
  • Space Invaders: Infinity Gene – 400 MSP (Regular Price: 800 MSP)
  • Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 – 400 MSP (Regular Price: 800 MSP)
  • Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter – 400 MSP (Regular Price: 1200 MSP)
  • Serious Same HD: The Second Encounter – 400 MSP (Regular Price: 1200 MSP)
  • Galaga Legions – 400 MSP (Regular Price: 800 MSP)

Space Invaders: Infinity Gene was one of my favorite games of 2010 and if you love retro shooters it should be almost impossible to pass up at 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

Posted in News, Xbox 360 |

Packers intercept Madden Super Bowl XLV prediction

Posted on February 7, 2011 by John Scalzo

For only the second time in the last eight years, the Madden NFL Football Super Bowl Simulation has been proven wrong. This year’s prediction picked the Steelers winning with a final score of 24-20. However, real life intervened, and the Packers emerged as Super Bowl XLV champs in a 31-25 victory.

Aside from the final score, the simulation’s accuracy is almost scary. In the simulation, Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdowns (one each to Hines Ward and Mike Wallace) while Rashard Mendenhall ran one in. In real life, all of these events also occured. However, it’s the INT column that made all the difference as the simulation predicted Big Ben would throw one pick, but in real life, he threw two. The first of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown, putting the Packers up 14-0 early and ensuring their real life victory.

The other major difference between the simulation and real life is the performance of Aaron Rodgers. The simulation predicted he would toss two interceptions, including one in the final seconds that would have sealed the game for Pittsburgh. Instead, Rodgers was almost perfect on Super Bowl Sunday, throwing for three touchdowns and 304 yards. As you may have guessed, he was named the Super Bowl MVP at the end of the game.

And he’s likely the early favorite to appear on the cover of Madden NFL 12. Packer fans are no doubt preparing some kind of anti-Madden Curse ritual as we speak.

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Weekly Warp-Up: Better Than Football Edition

Posted on February 6, 2011 by John Scalzo

No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…

I think there’s some kind of football match going on today in Dallas. Madden NFL 11 says that the Steelers are going to win it all, so if you need some last minute gambling advice, you could do worse than making a deal with the devil that is Peter Moore (and his maniacal Satan-like grin).

Michael Pachter is a name that needs no introduction among gamers. The man considers himself the world’s premier video game analyst, but his track record at reading the industry is probably partially responsible for investor’s continued wariness when it comes to game publishers. Watch him embarrass himself yet again by stating that the “Wii 2 will fail” even though Nintendo hasn’t announced the Wii 2 yet or even released a “failed” home console. Pack it up Pachter, we could provide better commentary on the game industry than you can. That said…

Get Warp Zoned!
The third episode of the Warp Zoned Podcast is live for your listening pleasure. Mike Gutierrez, Nicole Kline, and Ryan Littlefield talk about the games they’re playing, the games they’ve been busy reviewing, and the games they worked on at last week’s Global Game Jam. They also talked about the 3DS vs. the NGP and why they are – or aren’t – going to be buying those systems on launch day.

We also dug through hundreds of YouTube channels to creat the definitive list of official publisher/developer channels that we call the Guide to Gaming Videos on YouTube.

Hit the jump for the rest of the Weekly Warp-Up.

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Posted in News |

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood wins Writers Guild Award

Posted on February 6, 2011 by John Scalzo

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and its writing team of Patrice Desilets, Jeffrey Yohalem, Corey May (Story); Jeffrey Yohalem (Lead Script Writer); Ethan Petty, Nicholas Grimwood and Matt Turner (Script Writers) won the Writers Guild Award for Videogame Writing last night.

Facing stiff competition from Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, God of War III, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Singularity, the Ubisoft Montreal-developed Brotherhood has been praised for the way it wove real-life political figures into its story and its shocking ending.

Interestingly enough, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood wasn’t even nominated in the Best Writing category for the Game Developers Choice Awards or the Outstanding Achievement in Story category for the AIAS’ Interactive Achievement Awards.

Posted in News | Tagged , , ,

Angry Birds flying onto 3DS this year

Posted on February 5, 2011 by John Scalzo

A series of tweets on Rovio’s Twitter account have revealed that the publisher is bringing all three versions of Angry Birds to the 3DS this year.

The games (Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Rio) will be downloadable through the 3DS’ eShop (which doesn’t come online until May). It’s unknown if they’ll be bundled together, or sold separately as individual games. This news comes one day after Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime slammed $1 mobile games, though he referred to Angry Birds as “a great piece of experience.”

Hit the break for all the non-angry Rovio tweets that confirm this news.

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Pac-Man and Galaga reimagined for 3DS

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Namco Bandai announced yesterday that two of their most legendary franchises will see new treatments taking advantage of some of the Nintendo 3DS’ more distinctive features. No specific release date was mentioned, but sometime this year the publisher will release Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions, one package including the new Pac-Man Tilt and Galaga 3D Impact. Both games heavily utilize the 3DS’ gyroscope; Pac-Man Tilt has players, you guessed it, tilting their 3DS from side to side to work Pac-Man through 2D platforming levels while Galaga 3D Impact has you play from the seat of a turret, moving around to locate and shoot down the Galaga forces coming at you.

Both games seem to deviate greatly from from the formulas we’ve all grown accustomed to, but it’s definitely a cool thing to see them make new gameplay types using all the 3DS has to offer, instead of just giving us the same game from the 80’s in 3D.

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New Releases: Mario Sports Mix, Test Drive Unlimited 2, You Don’t Know Jack, More

Posted on February 5, 2011 by John Scalzo

After you’re done watching the Packers and Steelers in tomorrow’s Super Bowl, Mario and friends has five more sports for you to enjoy with Mario Sports Mix on the Wii.

Also available this week is Atari’s open world racer Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) and the return of the irreverent trivia series You Don’t Know Jack (DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360).

Speaking of returns, Dr. Kawashima is back in the brain training game with Body and Brain Connection, an Xbox 360 Kinect exclusive. And finally, Tecmo Koei plans to release Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll, an action RPG for the PS3.

The full list of the rest of this week’s new releases can be found after the break.

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