Stefano’s E3 2014 Report Part 5: Destiny

Bungie is a developer that really needs no introduction. Thanks to their fantastic work on the Halo series, they have earned a spot on any list of premiere first person shooter developers. After leaving Microsoft, Bungie struck out on their own, and have finally taken the wraps off of their latest work, Destiny, an Action/FPS/RPG. I was given the chance to play 2 matches of one of Destiny’s 12 player modes, Zones on the PlayStation 4.

Favorite Games of 2010

This year, I’ve decided to do things a little differently than my usual Best Of awards. Seeing as though I’m not a definitive authority on what the best games of the year are, I thought I’d just outright tell you about the games I personally enjoyed throughout 2010. Agree, disagree, leave comments about your own personal favorites, it’s all good. One thing is for certain though, 2010 was a fantastic year for gaming, and I had a great time. So, here are my personal favorite games of 2010.

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World The Game Review

Genre: Sidescrolling Beat’em Up

Platform: PSN, XBLA

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal/ Ubisoft Chengdu

Price: $9.99 (USD)/ 800 MSPoints

It’s an unspoken rule… actually, it’s kind of a loudly spoken rule, that video games based on movies suck. There are exceptions to that rule, but the overwhelming majority of movie tie in games blow, or maybe it’s just the ones produced by Activision, but I digress.

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World The Game is in an interesting position, however. It is not only based off of a movie, but it’s based off of a movie based off of a series of Graphic Novels by Brian Lee O’Malley. That’s like, a double chance for the game to well and truly bomb.

Fortunately, the developers at Ubisoft opted to take on a novel approach. And by novel, I mean literally rip the game play mechanics of an often overlooked NES classic: River City Ransom.

Alan Wake Review

Genre: Survival Horror

Platform: Xbox 360

Developer: Remedy Entertainment

Price: $59.99 (USD)

I have mixed feelings about Alan Wake. On the plus side, it’s a survival horror game. The genre has been horribly under-represented this generation of consoles, and the few titles released weren’t so much survival or horror (I’m looking at you Resident Evil 5). On the negative side, Alan Wake isn’t exactly a scary game. Creepy, sure. Scary? Not so much.

However, the game does more than just a few things right. First up: Story. The plot centers around horror writer Alan Wake, who has taken a trip with his wife to the town of Bright Falls in an effort to remedy his writer’s block. Before long, his beloved Alice goes missing, and Alan embarks on a twisted journey to find her. The story is equal parts Twin Peaks and Silent Hill 2, but it fails to really capture the creepiness and psychological mind trip of either. Still, the plot is intriguing, and executed well enough, and uniquely at that. The voice acting and supporting characters are also excellently performed, in particular Alan’s sidekick/agent, Barry.

Red Dead Redemption + Undead Nightmare Review

Genre: Sandbox/Western

Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Developer: Rockstar San Diego

Price: $59.99 (USD)

I’ve always been a fan of the Western genre. Maybe it’s the picturesque landscape, tough as nails heroes and villains, or the lawless nature of the wild wild west that intrigues me so, but one thing is for certain; the genre is woefully under-represented in video games. The few titles that have gone down the western path are mostly average, with one or two notable entries. I was beginning to lose hope on ever experiencing a truly awesome western video, but lo and behold, the developers at Rockstar San Diego rode into the scene on a white horse and a gleaming badge of “awesome game,” and produced what is, I believe, the definitive western game this generation. Read on to find out why.

E3 2010 Photos Part 2: Microsoft

Hey folks! Sorry for the HUGE delay since the last update, but it’s been an incredibly busy few months, what with working 12+ hour days and some side projects that I hope to unveil in the coming weeks.

Nevertheless, here’s the next batch of photos from E3 2010, this time covering a few of the things I saw at Microsoft’s booth.

Mass Effect 2 Alternate Appearance DLC Landing on PC and Xbox 360.

Bioware has announced that they will be releasing a downloadable content pack for their epic Sci Fi adventure Mass Effect 2.

The content will be additional costumes for Garrus, Jack, and Thane. The pack will launch on March 23rd for the Xbox 360 and PC, and cost $2.

Mass Effect 2 Getting New Downloadable Content Via Cerberus Network

Bioware has announced that Mass Effect 2 will be receiving new DLC over the next few months with the first pack, Firewalker, hitting some time next month.

The content will feature five new missions, and the Hammerhead heavy assault vehicle, which “hovers over the battlefield at up to 120 kilometers per hour and features a guided missile system ensuring accuracy even during aggressive maneuvering.”

What’s interesting to note is that the DLC will be free for those gamers who have purchased a new copy of Mass Effect 2, and thus have the redeemable code that came packed into the game that allows them to connect to the Cerberus Network. For anyone who purchased the game used, it will run them $15, or 1200 MS Points.

Assassin’s Creed 2 Review

by Figboy

Genre: Sandbox Action/Adventure

Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Price: $59.99 (USD)

Despite the original Assassin’s Creed’s highly intriguing premise and impressively realized cities, the game play suffered from extreme repetition and blandness. Even so, I found it to be, overall, a compelling, interesting game. The ending left me a bit irked at it’s abrupt nature, and blatant attempt at shilling a sequel. Still, I figured it was just laying the groundwork for an even more impressive sequel.

And I was right.

Right off of the bat, Assassin’s Creed 2 establishes a more compelling world and characters. Players once again step into the shoes, or should I say, genetic memory, of Desmond Miles, who has been spirited away by fellow assassin Lucy Stillman, in order to be hooked up to the “Animus 2.0,” and uncover further information about the Templars and their latest plans.

Select/Start Games Best of 2009 Awards

2009 now draws to a close, and for gamers, it has been one of the best years of this generation, if not the best year this generation in terms of quality software. It seemed like no matter what the genre or platform, you could find a game that simply screamed quality, even amidst the many game delays that plagued the year. These awards are by no means comprehensive, or to be taken as law, but they are certainly the games we felt really summed up 2009. Enjoy.