Dead to Rights—Retribution, from Namco Bandai, isn’t a game-changer, but it’s engaging and fun, with some cool and unique ideas. The “Retribution” comes from your character’s drive for vengeance for his father’s murder. Accompanying you on your quest: your seemingly unstoppable, smart and stealthy dog, Shadow. And how cool is that, to have a reliable partner in a single-player game? Shadow has two kill moves—he can rip out a man’s throat or perform a…well, a teste-kill. You can also take advantage of some normal dog behavior, such as the propensity to pee on things.
The game isn’t terribly difficult, even on the highest level. There are some reliable strategies to get through the levels, one involving freezing time—a special power that you’ll have to pick up along the way. As in real life, finding cover is a fairly reliable way to keep your head attached to your body—and as in real life, no cover is indestructible, so you can’t just sit tight (although, why would you want to?).
I recommend playing this game on an Xbox 360 over a PlayStation3 because for some reason, the the PS3 supports only 1080i resolution while the Xbox 360 lets you play at 1080p. With all the textures, effects, and of course, spraying blood, the full resolution is more rewarding. The game isn’t what I’d call “extreme realism,” but it looks good and is convincing. Overall, between the look and the gameplay, I’d rate Dead to Rights—Retribution a 7 or 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. It won’t be the greatest gaming experience of your life, but it’s a lot of fun, the headshots are stellar, and this bears repeating: Your partner is an awesome dog.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IN THE VIDEO I SAY THAT CAPCOM IS THE PUBLISHER BUT IT IS NAMCO BANDAI. THIS IS ALICIA KIM’S FAULT BECAUSE I ASSOCIATE HER WITH THE GAME AND SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY AT CAPCOM.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior exposes players to the elements.
In City Interactive’s Sniper: Ghost Warrior, players will have to properly position the perfect headshot under the strain of certain weather conditions, including torrential rain, dense fog and blazing bright sun.
The elements are but one trial that players face, as a host of other challenges are in store. The missions are arduous, and it sup to the sniper to move with stealth and smarts to take down the tango and accomplish his mission objectives.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior hits stores June 8, 2010 for Xbox 360 and the PC.
Check out the forecasts in Sniper: Ghost Warrior!
Capcom Redefines the Fighting Game Genre Again as Super Street Fighter IV Is now Available in North America
The follow-up to one of 2009’s highest-rated games features 10 new characters, new ultra combos, new stages, enhanced online play and much more, for $39.99.
SAN MATEO, CA — April 27, 2010 — Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced Super Street Fighter IV, the ultimate vision of Street Fighter, is now available in North America for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation3 computer entertainment system. The follow up to one of Metacritic’s highest-rated games of 2009, Super Street Fighter IV features 10 new characters, new Ultra Combos, new stages, the return of Bonus Stages, and beefed-up online modes (including the free Tournament Mode DLC after launch) all for a low price of $39.99.
Super Street Fighter IV features the full roster of 25 characters from Street Fighter IV such as Ryu, Ken, Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus, while adding 10 characters new to the world of Street Fighter IV. The impressive new roster includes classic combatants from previous Street Fighter games including Dudley, Ibuki, Makoto, Guy, Cody, T. Hawk, Dee Jay and Adon, as well as all-new characters to the series such as the mysterious and deadly Korean fighter Juri and the over-the-top oil wrestler Hakan.
Super Street Fighter IV adds new Ultra Combos for every character and advancements to the online matchmaking and online gameplay introduced in Street Fighter IV, including new modes Team Battle, Replay Channel, and Endless Battle. This will be followed by the all-new Tournament Mode, coming as a free download in June 2010, which will determine the best players in the world as Street Fighters compete online for unique Championship Titles.
For more information about Super Street Fighter IV, including screens, art and video, visit Capcom’s official press site at www.press.capcom.com.
Ed. note: We’ll meet you at the Pepper Pot…
About Capcom
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including best-selling franchises Resident Evil®, Street Fighter®, Mega Man® and Devil May Cry®. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Korea, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom can be found on the company web site, www.capcom.com.
There was a really insightful posting about Microsoft’s law enforcement investigation compliance policies over at GamePolitics.
MSFT Criminal Compliance Handbook Leaked | GamePolitics.
The most important thing to realize is that I was writing stuff 10 years ago trying to alert businesses and consumers that Microsoft was tracking what we did. Companies embed tracking information in hardware and on web sites also. No big shock there to most people.
But the shock is just how ready Microsoft is to hand everything about you over to a law enforcement agency. They designed the information stores for their online services so that they could easily obtain your info and provide it when asked. I’m talking about Windows Live, Windows Live ID Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Xbox Live.
For example, law enforcement could get a warrant for your Xbox Live account and obtain your full name, address, credit card, Microsoft PassPort account and then have access to all your Hotmail email. And your IP address.
The big picture is that if you’re using Microsoft anything you should know that Big Brother is watching you. The same is true for Google – Gmail, the search engine, desktop search – so I’m not calling out Microsoft for anything others don’t do.
They know where you are, your web activities, the text of your email, the games you play and the movies you watch.
ROCK BAND ADDS TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS SIX PACK
KELLY CLARKSON MAKES ROCK BAND DEBUT IN “GIRLS WHO ROCK” DLC FEATURED IN LEGO® ROCK BAND
Cambridge, Mass. – Nov. 20, 2009 – Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a six pack of live tracks from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, as well as singles from Kelly Clarkson, P!nk and the Go-Go’s will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system and Wii™.
Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 System and Wii
Rock Band is delivering more tracks from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with a six pack of live tracks that coincide with the group’s latest album release, The Live Anthology. All six songs featured in “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live Anthology Pack 01” are featured on The Live Anthology, a box set featuring 48 live recorded tracks on four discs that will be released Nov. 24, the same day these tracks come to Rock Band. The album spans 30 years of concerts from legendary U.S. rockers Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, who have been performing together since 1976. A special boxed set edition of The Live Anthology will also be available Nov. 22, exclusively at Best Buy.
Downloadable content featured for LEGO® Rock Band kicks off with three songs featured in both the Rock Band Music Store and the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store with “Girls Who Rock!” Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum selling recording artist Kelly Clarkson will make her Rock Band debut next week with “Miss Independent,” the Grammy-nominated single from her 2004 album, Thankful. The 80s anthem, “Our Lips Are Sealed,” from The Go-Go’s and P!nk’s “Who Knew” will also be available in the Rock Band Music Store and the LEGO Rock Band Music Store next week.
Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 24) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 26):
- Go-Go’s – “Our Lips Are Sealed” +
- Kelly Clarkson – “Miss Independent” +
- P!nk – “Who Knew” +
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “A Thing About You (live)” +
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “American Girl (live)”
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Even the Losers (live)”
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Here Comes My Girl (live)” +
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Mary Jane’s Last Dance (live)”
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Refugee (live)” +
(All tracks are original master recordings)
These tracks will be available for purchase as “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live Anthology Pack 01” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks on Wii. Tracks marked with a “+” are also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.
Price:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$9.99, £4.99 UK, €7.99 EU (800 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live Anthology Pack 01”
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track
Rock Band DLC Additions for Wii in Europe
Rock Band 2 for the Wii was released Oct. 9 in Europe. Featuring over 100 songs (The Rock Band 2 game disc features 84 tracks. In addition, players have access to an additional 20 free DLC tracks. Online connection required.), Rock Band 2 showcases an extensive music catalogue with an eclectic blend of classic and new artists. The Rock Band library for Wii in Europe is being updated regularly with back-catalog tracks. For a complete list of tracks available now, visit http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3247220#post3247220.
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
Website Links:
For more information, please visit:
Rock Band 2 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Wii system. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content.
Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Store using Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.
There are now 1,000 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/music). Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers’ voracious appetite for rock with more than 60 million paid downloads since its launch Nov. 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.
Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.
For more information on Rock Band 2 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.comv.
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.
LEGO Rock Band video game (excluding LEGO assets) © 2009 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and the Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2009 The LEGO Group. Rock Band is a trademark of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
The topic du jour was all about TV, but this morning at NewTeeVee Live – an industry conference that explores the future of television – Xbox LIVE general manager Marc Whitten confirmed the next wave of social entertainment is coming to Xbox LIVE on November 17. Starting next week, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and instant on HD video from Zune will be available on Xbox 360 consoles, transforming Xbox LIVE into the largest social network connected to the TV with exclusive features custom-designed for the living room.
“We’re delivering some truly exciting social entertainment experiences to our members,” said Whitten. “Xbox LIVE’s differentiator has always been our community, and we’ve already seen a tremendous response to these features in our public preview. It’s the community that drives us forward and allows us to pioneer new ways of connecting people through the entertainment they love.”
- Facebook*– Update your status to share what movie, game or entertainment you’re enjoying, connect with friends and view their Facebook stream, status updates and photos on the big screen – all seamlessly integrated and custom-built for Xbox 360. You can even compare your Xbox LIVE and Facebook friends lists to see which of your friends are on LIVE.
- Zune – Zune video on Xbox LIVE offers a full fidelity experience with instant on HD in 1080p and 5.1 channel surround sound. No waiting for downloads or buffering, it’s there at the press of a button. You can also share the experience with up to seven friends through voice chat and Avatar integration on the TV screen – it puts a whole new spin on “movie night.”
- Twitter*– Stay in the know by discovering, posting and replying to Tweets right on your Xbox 360. You can even view friend profiles, trends and conversations, or search to see who’s tweeting about your favorite game.
- Last.fm* – Discover more music and explore endless personalized radio stations with Last.fm on Xbox 360. Skip, “ban” or “love” tracks to create your perfect mix—we’ve even built in “Gamer Stations” with game-related types of music selected specifically for the gaming community (Available in the U.S. and UK)
In addition to these social features, Xbox LIVE will also be debuting “News and More,” a new section of the “Inside Xbox” channel, transforming Xbox LIVE into a full-fledged media portal. With a regularly-updated stream of content from MSNBC, The New Yorker and Dilbert, “News and More” brings the latest in current events, arts and entertainment right to your fingertips.
All of these features build on the wild success of Netflix on Xbox LIVE, which quickly established TwitterXbox 360 as the most-used living room device for streaming Netflix content to the home1. Only on Xbox 360 can you find the best in movies, music, games and social networking all in one place, tailor-made for the TV and connected to more than 20 million people around the globe.
“From the launch of Xbox LIVE nearly seven years ago, to milestones like Video Marketplace, Netflix and the New Xbox Experience, we’ve continued working toward our vision of connected entertainment for everyone,” continued Whitten. “I’m proud to say that next week marks another great stride in fulfilling that promise, and we’re already imagining what the future has in store.”
So what are you waiting for? On November 17, turn on your Xbox 360, log onto Xbox LIVE and enjoy the world of social entertainment at your fingertips. Not an Xbox LIVE Gold member? Starting November 20 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT) until November 23 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT) Xbox LIVE Silver members can enjoy the latest Gold features for FREE – including Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm! There’s tons more to experience with Gold as well. Play the latest game titles like “Halo 3: ODST” online multiplayer, participate in “1 vs. 100,” host an Xbox LIVE Party or even video chat with friends. All of these Gold-only features will be available all weekend long for anyone to try.
* Xbox LIVE Gold adult account required to access these features. Xbox LIVE Gold memberships are just over $4 (U.S.) per month ** Xbox LIVE members under the age of 18 will not be able to access Facebook and Twitter as part of the Free Gold Weekend 1 Source: One Touch Intelligence (www.onetouchintelligence.com), from October 2009 survey conducted in association with The Praxi Group, Inc.
A simulation run by EA SPORTS™ NHL® 10 predicts that cover boy Patrick Kane will fall just short of claiming the Stanley Cup as the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Cup champions. Led by an outstanding performance by Conn Smythe Winner, Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins were able to withstand a relentless offensive assault by the young Chicago forwards. Hart Memorial Trophy winner Sidney Crosby and the Penguins take home the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many years with a 4 games to 2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite being considered one of the top teams in the league, the Detroit Red Wings barely made the playoffs, and were eliminated in a quick five games by the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago established that they are a team to watch by finishing first in the West on their road to the Stanley Cup Finals. Other notable teams in the simulation included the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished with the most points in the league and walked away with the President’s Trophy; the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, who were the only Canadian teams to make the playoffs; and the Florida Panthers, who made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Several individual players also stood out in the NHL 10 simulation. The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby completes an injury-free season and captures the Hart Memorial trophy after posting 102 points during the regular season. The Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has a breakout season and is one of the top ten point getters in the NHL. Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf takes the Art Ross trophy after leading the league with 107 points, while Ilya Kovalchuk walked away with the Maurice Richard trophy after leading the league with 57 goals, and NHL 09 cover boy, Dion Phaneuf caps a stellar year by leading the Calgary Flames to a NorthWest Division Championship and winning the Norris Trophy.
Final Regular Season Standings:
Western Conference
W
L
OTL
PTS
1
Chicago
54
26
2
110
2
San Jose
49
26
7
105
3
Calgary
47
30
5
99
4
Columbus
48
27
7
103
5
Los Angeles
46
30
6
98
6
Vancouver
43
29
10
96
7
Anaheim
43
30
9
95
8
Detroit
39
34
9
87
9
Nashville
39
35
8
86
10
St Louis
39
39
4
82
11
Phoenix
37
40
5
79
12
Edmonton
34
39
9
77
13
Minnesota
31
36
15
77
14
Dallas
33
43
6
72
15
Colorado
27
44
11
65
Eastern Conference
W
L
OTL
PTS
1
Carolina
54
23
5
113
2
Boston
49
25
8
106
3
Pittsburgh
47
28
7
101
4
New Jersey
46
29
7
99
5
Washington
47
31
6
98
6
New Rangers
45
31
6
96
7
Philadelphia
42
32
8
92
8
Florida
40
33
9
89
9
Tampa Bay
40
38
4
84
10
Montreal
37
36
9
83
11
Ottawa
39
39
4
82
12
Toronto
36
37
9
81
13
Buffalo
34
37
11
79
14
Atlanta
34
42
6
74
15
New York Islanders
31
41
10
72
Last night, August 21 2009, I hosted an awesome Guitar Hero competition at the Long Beach Island Foundation. Not only did I have a fantastic time, but so did about 50 kids between the ages of 8 and 15. Many, many parents came up to me afterwards to say that this was a great, fun event and we should run more of them. Everyone was also very impressed with Activision’s generosity as a corporate sponsor.
The event itself got off to a roaring start at 8pm when several vans full of little tan kids pulled up. We had 4 stations set up around the room. Three were for practice and one was for competition. Of the three for practice, one was Guitar Hero World Tour, one was Guitar Hero Metallica, and one was Guitar Hero Smash Hits. Then, we did the greatest thing ever, which was to set up some small amps and a projector which gave the appearance that the Guitar Hero band was up on the stage.
Last week I got the chance to head up to midtown and play Tony Hawk Ride with no other than the man himself, Tony Hawk. It was fantastic and I really enjoyed meeting him. Unfortunately the only camera I had was the crappy one on my Blackberry.
The game itself is focused on establishing a fully interactive and immersive world. The most important thing is the new skateboard controller which was way cool. It is a solid deck made of rubberized plastic with two accelerometers and four infrared sensors. This way it knows which way you are leaning and how fast, plus whether you are reaching for any grabs or not. You don’t actually have to touch the board to get a grab, just wave your hand through the infrared beam.
The game starts easy where it really just teaches you how to ride. Then you learn tricks and build speed. This is much more like the earlier versions of Tony Hawk. Not story based and really a series of new courses and tricks to be done. Each bit of game play is relatively short. The game was designed to be played in a group of friends and just like when you’re skating, it’s like “hey, check this out” then each person takes a turn.
July 3, 2009 – The summer is in full swing, and what better way to celebrate Independence Day than Madden NFL 10 team previews, featuring the NFC East. What teams will lead the pack? Which players are prepped for a breakout season? Will your team be a contender or pretender? See how your favorite team and players will fair – according to the Madden NFL 10 Season Preview.
We continue our look at each team’s overall rating and individual player ratings with a focus on the NFC East division. In addition to the player ratings, a wealth of team-specific assets will be made available, for both the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, and Wii versions of Madden NFL 10.
Everything culminates on August 3rd, where Madden NFL 10 will predict the 2009 NFL division winners, season MVP, and more.
To view the overall team ratings for the Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Cowboys, as well as download the complete team roster ratings, visit the official Madden NFL 10 website below:
· Madden NFL 10 Season Preview
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