Author: jake108

Jacob Lopez has been writing for Geekscape since April, 2008. He is also a graduate of USC's School of Cinematic Arts program. When he's not writing, he's probably watching LOST or playing video games. XBL Gamertag: jake108

Introducing Halo 4’s New and Improved Forge Mode

by jake108

Developed by Certain Affinity and unveiled at Rooster Teeth’s RTX Convention in Austin, Halo 4 promises new toys, tools, and hopefully headache-free forging. Check out the video to watch dynamic lighting, magnetized pieces, locked pieces, and more!

As someone who spends time in single player and multiplayer a lot more than Forge, I can safely say that I’ll now make an attempt at building something worthy of seeing the light of day.

RUMOR: Halo 2 Anniversary In-Development

by jake108

Stemming from a rumor listed in the most recent Official Xbox Magazine UK, we have our first radar blip regarding anything Halo 2 Anniversary that’s not just fan speculation.

Following the success of remake Halo Anniversary, 343 Industries has now started development of Halo 2 Anniversary.

While there are no sources named, I think it’s safe to say this rumor may be true. In-development or not, I think we’ll be seeing more after Halo 4’s release. Keep in mind, Halo Anniversary was released ten years after the initial release, making Halo 2 Anniversary a possible 2014 title.

Regardless, this hopeful fan wants to see something at Comic-Con this week.

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Babel Rising’

by jake108

Babel Rising casts you as an angry god set on destroying everyone and everything that is contributing to building a tower set to reach the heavens. Anyone familiar with the Tower of Babel story can already get the gist of this Xbox Live Arcade title. Still, is Babel Rising worthy of your attention?

Babel Rising is all about gameplay. If you’re looking for a dense story, you can stop reading now. The concept is simple: hurl stones, fireballs, ice, and gusts of wind at figures who are building a tower. The campaign consists of missions with objectives and is better served as a tutorial for leaning the four different set of powers you have. Each power set has a total of two types of attacks, basic and heavy. As you use your powers, a meter will fill up based on what power you use. Once one of the meters fills up, you will be able to use a special attack meant to deal a great amount of damage.

Your tools of destruction are Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. None are similar and depending on what game mode you’re playing, you will have the option to choose what two sets you want with preference being an underlining reason for choosing.

Babel Rising has Kinect functionality which allows players to control the elements with their hands rather than a controller. While some might enjoy this Kinect functionality, I found that using a controller was overall more responsive to what I wanted to do and who I wanted to attack. The resulting conclusion will have you sitting on the couch while trying to drive up your high score.

Babel Rising offers up both multiplayer and cooperative modes. These multiplayer modes are not Xbox Live enabled. Babel Rising is a case of what you see is what you get. While it’s good to pass the time, there’s really nothing serious or “hardcore” about Babel Rising.

Babel Rising is available today on the PSN and XBLA for $9.99 and 800 Micorsoft Points respectively. Babel Rising will also be available on iOS devices, Android, and Windows PC.

E3 2012 – Geekscape Previews: Halo 4 HANDS-ON!

by jake108

In November 2011, the first ten years of Halo drew to a close. With that close, the next ten years of Halo had already been set in motion. What started out as an FPS with story in 2001 has grown into a detailed universe spanning hundreds of thousands of years through books, graphic novels, shorts, and of course, the video games.

Halo 4 kicks off the next ten years with great ambition and confident words. From this point out, everything in the Halo universe is canon, even the multiplayer. The lines between multiplayer, co-op missions, and standard campaign have been erased, and are instead all one complete package. Innovation, something the Halo franchise has been known for, is driving Halo 4 to be unlike any console game on the market.

Multiplayer

The UNSC Infinity is the biggest, most advance ship in the UNSC fleet. Taking two decades to build, this ship was surly built to kill Covies during the Human-Coveneant War. Now, nearly five years after the events of Halo 3, the UNSC Infinity houses an untold amount of Spartan IV’s.

In the game’s story, Master Chief comes into direct contact with the UNSC Infinity, as it is seen in the E3 2012 stage demo. In multiplayer, your spartan is a Spartan IV onboard the Infinity. As far as the multiplayer is concerned, each gametype, such as capture the flag, team slayer, king of the hill, are all training simulations between two groups of Spartans.

As you progress through multiplayer, you will build up credits, unlock weapons, armor, and new “toys” to better your playing experience. Your choices and progress through the game will affect your arsenal and appearance.

Spartan Ops

It is here in Spartan Ops where Infinity’s story intertwines with Halo 4’s campaign.  After you’ve completed Halo 4’s standard campaign, you will be able to continue events through missions provided in the Spartan Ops game mode. Gamers will be provided with an episode with 5 missions per each Op. Episodes will be available weekly and span months after Halo 4’s release.

In Spartan Ops, you may also earn credits to build your Spartan IV up to use in multiplayer also. With each episode, we can expect cinematic storytelling, a blend of enemies, objective-based gameplay and the ability to play cooperatively with up to four players. Before each op, players will be able to choose their loadout and customize it before they actually start the operation. Think of it as the lobby of Mass Effect 3 or being able to customize weapons and gadgets before each mission of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

Frank O’ Conner (Franchise Development Director) and Kiki Wolfkill (Executive Producer) demoed a chapter of Spartan Ops for me in which they fought both Covenant, Promethean Knights, and Crawlers. The mission was to obtain a Forerunner artifact while repelling waves of both Covies and Forerunner defenses at separate times. At one point, groups of crawlers were being spawned. While crawlers aren’t hard to kill by themselves, their strength is in numbers. Still, Frank O’ Conner said it it best:

[Killing a Crawler] is like popping bubble wrap…until there’s a thousand of them. Then it’s deadly bubble wrap.

It was clear that Spartan Ops would blend a mixture of Objective type gameplay and variations of completing each mission while advancing Halo’s story. Each map used in Spartan Ops is built specifically for the op itself. There will be no recycled maps here.

Hands-on Gameplay

I was able to play on one of Halo 4’s larger maps titled, Longbow. The map features all three types of combat, as well as vehicle use. Before the match, we were able to customize our loadouts and equipment. Players should no longer have to worry about using sprint, as all spartans have the ability to sprint. Many will say choosing loadouts in Halo 4 is too similar to games like Call of Duty or Battlefield. While the idea is similar, Call of Duty never crossed my mind while choosing my primary weapon. Instead, I was able to go to directly what I wanted in what was a fluid transition to being “Ready.”

My first weapon of choice was the Battle Rifle. At the start of the match, I fired my rifle into the air just to hear how it sounded. I must say, I was impressed with the game’s audio. Your footsteps, the Warthog’s engine, and weapon use sound different, distinct, and authentic.

Fans of the Battle Rifle will be happy to know there’s no learning curve. I was able to go on a Killing Frenzy in my first spawn using the Battle Rifle. It was during that initial spawn I knew I would use the Battle Rifle for my entire Halo 4 career.

My second choice of primary weapon was the Covenant Carbine. The Carbine was relatively easy to use if you have a fast trigger finger. In fact, you can think of the Carbine being like the Needle Rifle in Halo: Reach.

The third weapon I used was the DMR. I liked the attention to detail when scoped in on an enemy. The DMR’s scope is unique to every other scope in Halo’s arsenal in that it displays how far an enemy is. You’ll probably hear this a lot between now and the time Halo 4 launches, but many will keep asking: “Why use the DMR if you could have a Battle Rifle?” Well, if you’re an accurate shooter, you’ll be able to take someone down a lot faster than someone who is spraying their shots using the Battle Rifle. The DMR is definitely a weapon to fear.

I briefly drove a Warthog, which hasn’t changed much. I was also able to use the M363 Remote Projectile Detonator as part of Halo 4’s new weapon drop system. In hopes of cutting out power-weapon spawn campers, players must earn points for a power weapon drop to their location, one being the Remote Projectile Detonator. This snazzy, and smaller form of a grenade launcher, launches a grenade at a location. If you hold the trigger down, a screen displaying a motion tracker of sorts around the grenade you shot. Obviously, you want to let the trigger go and detonate the grenade when one or more enemies are on or close to the grenade.

Halo 4’s multiplayer is a little fast paced mixed with a little familiarity and new toys. It’s important to recognize that Halo 4 has its own voice and style. Yes, it does borrow from past Halo titles, but that doesn’t mean the fine folks at 343 Industries are remaking the same title. As a Halo fan since Combat Evolved, I admit I was skeptic of how 343 Industries’ handling of the franchise would be after Bungie’s departure. After playing and previewing what 343 Industries has to come, I can safely say I am no longer a skeptic.

In the coming weeks, I will go into detail regarding Halo 4’s gameplay, gadgets, modes, power-ups, and what it means for you!

E3 2012 – Geekscape Previews Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD!

by jake108

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise is very near and dear to a lot of gamers hearts. Growing up, every kid and myself had a blast grinding around an abandoned hanger bay as Spider-Man. Should those memories be left in the past? Or should you pick up your virtual skateboard for another round this summer?

As I was playing, I had someone come up and ask me how the gameplay was. After a couple of failed attempts at reaching the top of the hanger bay, I calmly told him it was familiar and new at the same time. Now, knowing that answer may have sounded incredibly philosophical and provided no help at all, I quickly handed him the controller. It was after a long and “Sloppy” list of tricks when he agreed with my statement.

I’m not worried for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, in fact, it may be even more fun with friends. There’s no question this HD treatment will cause some nostalgia. In fact, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD contains maps from both the first and second game from the 90’s. And if that wasn’t enough, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD will feature songs from the original two games.

Anyone who was good at any of the past installments should be able to pick up a controller and know what they’re doing. I had trouble my first go around due to having an extensive amount of hours logged in using a Playstation controller rather than an Xbox 360 controller. Still, you’ll find that you can adjust easily.

The full list of features is as follows:

– HD Upgrade: Game was rebuilt and polished by Robomodo using Neversoft’s original code.
– Classic levels: The style and feel of the best 7 levels from THPS and THPS2 (Warehouse, School 2, Mall, Phoenix, Hangar, Marseilles and Venice) refreshed for today. Tony Hawk himself put a call out to his fans on Twitter during the summer of 2011 to decide the final levels.
– The Top Pros: Today’s biggest skate pros round out the cast including: Nyjah Huston, Chris Cole, Eric Koston, Andrew Reynolds, Rodney Mullen, Lyn-z Adams Hawkins (Pastrana), Riley Hawk and, of course, Tony Hawk himself.
– Refined controls: The skaters’ animations, tricks and combos reflect the evolution of the THPS games. For example, you can do manuals in levels from the first THPS, a trick that didn’t enter the franchise until THPS2. However, reverts are not part of trick combos, as the scoring system is based on THPS2.
– Endlessly fun objectives:  Players pursue the same global and level-specific goals as the original games, including S-K-A-T-E, Secret DVD (used to be VHS tape!), and many more.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD is set to come out his summer as part of Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade line-up.

E3 2012 – Geekscape Previews Gears of War: Judgment!

by jake108

Whenever you grow a franchise, there’s a certain level of betrayal. If you don’t betray the customer a little bit, then it’s not changing enough and people feel like it’s becoming stagnant. But if you betray them too much then you lose them. You always got to keep it fresh. By being outside the Marcus Fenix story, we’re going to have more opportunities to do new things.

-Rod Fergusson, Epic Games Director of Production

Gears of War: Judgment is ambitious in its quest to dazzle gamers with fresh storytelling and gameplay. Set years before the events of the Gears of War trilogy we’ve been playing since 2007, fans and newcomers alike will follow the adventures of Baird and Kilo Squad. The game starts with Kilo Squad members, which include Augustus “Cole Train” Cole,  being charged with desertion, cowardice, trespassing, treason, and theft of experimental military tech. The game’s campaign will follow events proceeding the charge and what lead to their incarcerations.

Since Judgment is set before the existing trilogy, we can expect to be fighting Locusts. A LOT of Locusts. We can also look forward to the return of that “destroyed beauty” look that was so prevalent in the first Gears of War. I don’t know about you, but I miss the gloomy and frighting tones that came hand in hand with the first Gears of War. With Judgment taking place not long after E-Day, one can only hope it will make a return.

With this new installment in to the Gears of War Universe, we’re going to see more than a little change, in a good way. A Smart Spawn System (S3) will be implemented in campaign and multiplayer. This system allows the game to generate a different experience every time you fall victim to Locust bullets or fists. The types, timing, and locations of enemies will all change so there are no exact similarities in each gameplay scenario.

Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable change are the controls. In an effort to make gameplay more intense and fast-paced, switching weapons are now at the push of the “Y” button, while special abilities can be used by pressing “LB.” Special abilities you ask? Multiplayer in Judgment will be based on classes chosen by the player. Classes include Soldier, Engineer, Sniper, and Medic.

Announced at E3, OverRun is a brand new game mode that puts COG and Locusts in an objective-style match. Think of it as a combination of Beast and Horde modes. In each match, classes of Locusts will attempt to destroy a generator at the center of the map before time runs out. COGs will have to defend it using their special abilities and ol’ fashion beatdowns. There’s no question that these 5-on-5 matches can provide some of the most intense experiences you’ll have in a Gears of War title.

Each class on both COGs and Locusts have special abilities as well as jobs they need to do in order to help their team succeed. For example, a Wrench could hop into the middle of a group of COGs and screech to stun them. At that moment, a Grenadier can lob a ‘nade into the center and blow them all up. Sound fun?

I admit, I was skeptical at first also, it’s only natural for any Gears of War fan. Here we are with a new Gears title being co-developed by another studio (People Can Fly), and our beloved controls are different. Even so, after a couple of playthroughs of OverRun, I was blown away. As a Soldier class, I was dropping ammo left and right while retaining a healthy amount of Boomshot ammo. You may think of that system as unbalanced, unfair even. To get straight to the point, you’re wrong. The map design allows Locusts to quickly move around to get to the generator in a number of different ways. Since there’s only one Soldier class per team, there’s only one Boomshot on the field at any given time.

All in all, I couldn’t be more excited for Gears of War: Judgment. Judgment is slated for an early 2013 release on the Xbox 360.

E3 2012 – Geekscape Previews Star Wars: 1313!

by jake108

There’s been a lot of recent buzz and hype regarding Lucasart’s newest addition to the already long line Star Wars video games. Much of the buzz is being generated by the graphical power Star Wars: 1313 is showing off. Now, to better understand how much graphical power this game is giving, look it at this way:

The above screenshot is running off a pre-alpha build.  That’s right. The fine men and women hard are hard at work in the early production stages of Star Wars 1313.

Perhaps the most exciting piece of information released by LucasArts at E3 2012 was the list of departments working on this title. All departments of Lucasfilm have, or are going to have their hand in crafting 1313. Behind closed doors, I was able to see a short, but very sweet behind the scenes video featuring employees from Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. Their enthusiasm and talent make 1313 a stand out among past Star Wars video games. If there’s anything gamers should know coming out of the behind the closed doors presentation, it’s the creators’ mantra:

“We never want to see anything in a cutscene that we wouldn’t want to play.“

1313 be a third person shooter of sorts, with some extreme platforming mixed in. Finding the perfect balance should deliver a great cinematic gaming experience.

For those of you who haven’t read up on it yet, 1313 puts you in the role of a bounty hunter who starts to unravel the inner-workings of the criminal underworld located on level 1313 of the planet Coruscant. The official press release is as follows:

Calling all Bounty Hunters!  Star Wars 1313 ™ is a brand new mature videogame franchise set in a never-before-seen world, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars ™ galaxy.  Level 1313 is a dark, vast subterranean metropolis beneath the surface of the planet Coruscant where the criminal underworld thrives.  A third person action adventure game, players will take on the role of a lethal bounty hunter navigating through this ruthless world in a high-octane thrill ride.

Star Wars 1313 will feature epic action adventure game play including exotic weaponry and gadgets that bounty hunters depend on for survival.  In addition, the game will feature a combination of agile cover-based combat, epic platforming and seamless playable cinematic game play.  Players will experience awe-inspiring and action-packed cinematic sequences, constantly staying engaged through the threat, pressure and tension of this criminal underworld.

In a fully integrated game development approach, LucasArts is bringing in top artistic and technical talent from all parts of the Lucasfilm organization, including Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.  Through shared tools and technologies while using the Unreal engine as a foundation, the teams are able to create a more emotional and visceral connection between the game and the player.  With cutting edge full body performance capture, high-end Hollywood visual effects techniques and leveraging Lucasfilm talent across the board, Star Wars 1313 promises to deliver a completely immersive experience set in a brand new mature Star Wars world.

The information contained in this fact sheet relates to a pre-release product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the product when it is first commercially released. This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes only, and Lucasfilm makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the fact sheet or the information contained in it.

LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2012 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

It is unclear as to when exactly 1313 takes place in the Star Wars universe. One of the things I found most interesting about 1313 was the repeated use of the word franchise. It looks like we’ll be able to look forward to sequels. 1313‘s release date has not been announced. In fact, I was told that the character we’ve grown used to over the course of a couple of days is a placeholder. We’ll get an introduction as to who the character is, and hopefully soon.

Check out some more shots from the game:

E3 2012 – Geekscape Previews “Injustice: Gods Among Us”!

by jake108

I was lucky enough to get seated at a behind-closed-doors preview of DC’s newest fighting game. Fans of DC games may remember their last attempt to make a serious impression on the fighting genre. Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe was, to say the least, not as good as it could have been. But that’s besides the point. Injustice: Gods Among Us will be unique enough to keep on your radar.

NeatherRealm’s newest fighting game will feature a 24-character roster. Officially announced characters include Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Batman, Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman. The rest of the 20 character slots were silhouetted with question marks.

NeatherRealm was kind enough to show us two matches. The first was between Superman and Flash in the Batcave. NeatherRealm is focused on crafting a unique experience in this specific title. One of their major focuses lies within the map design. Developers are keen on making the world a weapon at your disposal during a match. Examples included Superman grabbing debris from the Batcave, picking grenades up that had fallen out of a Batsuit, and throwing a barrel of oil used to fill the Batmobile; all to inflict damage on Flash.

More examples of using the map as a weapon came in a match between Batman and Solomon Grundy in the stage, “Future City”. Solomon Grundy was able to interact with a parked car by picking it up and smashing Batman with it. This caused the car to become flammable and a potential explosive, thus creating a hazard to both players. During the match, both players must keep fighting while thinking about how they can use that hazard to their advantage.

With each map, NeatherRealm promises to deliver 3 separate environments, each with its own set of object interactions and hazards that can potentially help you win the match. Maps are also destructible, something NeatherRealm wants gamers to notice. Each map and player model will have an intense amount of detail and shades of lighting. The attention to detail was apparent as I was watching Superman and Flash duke it out. During the fight, we were able to see Superman have different facial expressions as he was fighting. Depending on the use of their superpowers, the Batcave would shake and cause damage both in the fighting area and background.

The last thing that gamers should be aware of are the supers. Once a meter is filled, gamers will have the opportunity to perform a super attack. These super attacks have a strong cinematic feel to them. Perhaps the most outstanding super attack came from the Flash. After stunning Superman, Flash took off in one direction as the game cut to a shot of Earth. Flash and his trail could be seen, from space, running AROUND the globe to then deliver a punch to Superman’s face. Each character will have a distinct super, look, and feel.

NeatherRealm is aiming for a cinematic “blockbuster movie” type of fighting experience. I believe they’re right on target.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is set to release next year.

The Last of Us Provides a New Take on the Post-Apocalyptic Genre

by jake108

From the same studio that brought you Uncharted comes a new take on the post-apocalyptic genre and an action-packed title. The Last of Us is brutal, beautiful, and driven by a combination of action and suspense.

Ideally, you’d have one badass friend alongside you to help you survive a post-apocalyptic world. In The Last of Us,  your sidekick is a teenage girl who is severely desensitized to the brutal behavior displayed by yourself and enemies.

The Last of Us is definitely one to look out for, and I will be doing just that starting tomorrow. Check out the gameplay trailer and some screenshots below!

Beyond: Two Souls is Visually Outstanding

by jake108

The makers of Heavy Rain debuted a new title today, and it’s visually stunning to say the least. Beyond: Two Souls is set to explore what lies  past life and human existence as we know it. Staring Ellen Page (Inception) as the character lead, Beyond looks to be a promising title.

Below, you can find the the trailer and some awesome screenshots!

Geekscape Games Reviews Batman Arkham City: Harley Quinn’s Revenge

by jake108

The adventures in Arkham City continue with Harley Quinn’s Revenge. If you haven’t played through Arkham City’s story already, be warned: Spoilers follow!

Harley Quinn’s Revenge starts not long after the events in the game’s standard story mode. With Joker dead, Harley Quinn has obviously lost and and vows to extract revenge on Batman. Surprising, right? The game starts with Robin as the protagonist. You play as Robin for roughly half of the DLC’s campaign, which, depending on your skill level, can last up to two hours. It is also important to note that the entire DLC story takes place in and around the Steel Mill.

Harley Quinn’s Revenge a simple story compared to the standard on-disc campaign. A group of GCPD cops have been kidnapped by Harley Quinn’s thugs, and have retreated into Joker’s old lair in Arkham City. Without spoiling the DLC’s story, I can say you’ll have few things to do other than the main mission objectives.

There are Harley Quinn balloons scattered around the mission area, but it’s hardly enough to get a gamer to replay the DLC for a reason other than simply wanting to experience it again.

Sadly, Harley Quinn’s Revenge just isn’t up to par with Rocksteady’s previous installments into their Batman franchise. It doesn’t really advance the overall story and is instead an event that can be played if you choose to do so. As someone who adores the past two Batman video game titles, I have to say it would be best if you waited until Harley Quinn’s Revenge went on sale.

Harley Quinn’s Revenge is available now for $10 on both Xbox Live and PSN.

Possible Gears of War Prequel in Development

by jake108

Gameinformer recently released their newest magazine cover set to release this month.

From what I can gather from cover picture, I am certain that is Marcus Fenix in handcuffs. Any Gears of War fan knows at least some the backstory regarding Marcus Fenix’s life up to the start of the first Gears of War.

If you look in the background, you’ll also see two Locusts riding Reavers. Having the Locust back as an enemy may not surprise many, but hopefully we’ll get to see some of the much talked about Pendulum Wars leading up to Emergence Day.

Also, if it is indeed an prequel, I assume we can expect all of our favorite voice actors to return to Sera.

Nevertheless, we’ll be finding out much more about this title in just a few days.

Geekscape Games Reviews Joy Ride Turbo

by jake108

We got our first glimpse of Joy Ride Xbox Live Arcade title a little over two years ago. At the time, it was a free-to-play title incorporating the use of our Avatars in an arcade-based racing world. Soon after, Microsoft revamped the title for Kinect use. Now, a year later, a controller-based port has arrived to the Xbox Live Arcade with an 800 Microsoft Point price tag. Is this joy ride worth the price?

Graphically, Joy Ride Turbo is a treat. Playing through each track was entertaining thanks to a few key components. Each race track comes with a variety of shortcuts leading to new portions of the track altogether. Gamers will also be treated to hidden collectables around the track, usually found in the shortcuts themselves. When racing on a map for the first time, it’s easy to overlook your competitors and instead focus on the track’s surroundings while performing back flips and barrel rolls with your vehicle.

Joy Ride Turbo comes with both single-player and multiplayer modes. While the modes aren’t plentiful, they are what is expected from an arcade racing title. Off the Main Menu, you’ll find:

Championship Series – Players choose from 100 HP to 300HP in an assortment of tracks that are mostly class-restricted.

Stunt Park – Players choose from 100 HP to 300 HP in an attempt to find every hidden car part and trophy, while collecting coins.

Aside from those, you also have the standard Quick Race option. On Xbox LIVE, you’ll find the options to race and visit stunt parks. My major gripe about this arcade title is the way matchmaking is set up. Unfortunately, when you enter a lobby, you are not able to invite any friends. Instead, you are forced to create a private match. This may prove to be a bit of a hassle, especially if you just want to invite one friend.

Joy Ride Turbo’s gameplay is solid. Players can drift, perform mid-air tricks, all of which goes towards your ability to boost. Just as in Mario Kart, players will also have the opportunity to  gain weapons and power-ups to use on the race track. With friends, these modes can be quite fun. Joy Ride Turbo supports up to 4-player split-screen, and up to 8 racers on Xbox Live.

Car customization only goes as far as changing the color. However, seeing your avatar racing is pretty great. If you’re into kart racing titles, definitely check out Joy Ride Turbo.

Joy Ride Turbo is available now for the Xbox Live Arcade!

Mass Effect 3 Voice Actors Returning for Expanded Ending

by jake108

Lance Henriksen, Tricia Helfer and Raphael Sbarge will be making a return to the record new lines for the expanded Mass Effect 3 ending. This news guarantees we’ll be seeing more Admiral Hackett, EDI, and Kaiden Alenko.

We can all play the guessing game as to how important these characters roles will be in the expanded ending, but nothing will be set in stone until we actually see it.

“I just did another session with them…They were saying there’s a little bit of a problem with the abruptness of the ending..So we did a whole series of things to add to the end of the game, to live up to the quality they’ve been doing.”

– Henriksen to G4TV

Whether you were disappointed with Mass Effect 3’s ending or not, it’s safe to say all Mass Effect fans are eagerly awaiting what Bioware produces regarding our beloved trilogy’s ending.

Microsoft Rumored to Sell $99 Xbox 360 + Kinect Bundle With Monthly Fees

by jake108

You read right. While the initial $99 price tag for a 4GB Xbox 360 and Kinect Sensor may look tempting, the fees you’ll be paying afterwards may detour you away.

While it’s not too bad of a deal, it may seem awfully complicated from just purchasing the console outright. The complication starts at the $15 monthly fee that covers an Xbox Live Gold Subscription, 2 year warranty, and possibly a subscription to one of Xbox Live’s streaming services. Customers will be given a choice of which contract they wish to pursue, both of which last two years. Still, customers should be weary of early termination fees.

Here’s the breakdown:

Option #1

  • 4GB Xbox 360 + Kinect: $299
  • 2 years of Xbox Live Gold: $120
  • Extended warranty (Xbox 360): $25
  • Extended warranty (Kinect): $25
  • Total: $470

Option #2

  • 4GB Xbox 360 + Kinect: $99
  • Two years of $15 monthly fees: $360
  • Total: $459

There are many gamers who don’t spend $60 a year on a Xbox Live Gold subscription. We can view this bundle as just another way of purchasing an Xbox 360 console, but I think we can all agree on hoping this doesn’t become the norm for next-gen consoles.

This bundle is rumored to be available to purchase as soon as next week.

Splinter Cell Studio Gets $500 Million Dollar Investment

by jake108

Ubisoft’s new Toronto Studio will be expanding after a $500 million dollar investment by the video game company, and another $267 million dollars from the government of Ontario. Previously staffed at only 210 team members, this Toronto studio is expected to increase its size to 800 staffed employees.

This is great news for both Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six fans alike. Currently, the studio is hard at work at producing the next installments of the Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six franchises. Not much is known about either titles, other than a couple of rumors and leaks. After the increase in staff, we can only expect production will be sped up. With any luck, the world will get a glimpse at what’s going on in Ubisoft’s Toronto Studio at E3 2012.

Rainbow Six Patriots is currently set to release in 2013.

There is no word on the release date for the next Splinter Cell title.

Wii U to Feature Day-One Digital Copies for New Releases

by jake108

Nintendo’s Wii U will allow gamers to purchase and download games on launch days via their home internet connection. What’s potentially awesome about this is the fact that gamers can simply download the game presumably at midnight instead of leaving the house and spending time with friends at midnight launch events. As depressing as the image of myself you’ve formed in your head is, you’ve got to admit: It’s convenient. What’s NOT convenient is the amount of people wanting to download any given game at the same time you are.

Sure, Nintendo will accommodate all of us and whatnot, but others may simply not have patience for the long download times, be it because of Nintendo or their ISP. Gamers will also be able to purchase codes at various vendors if they choose not to pay online.

In any case, we should be looking at the big picture: Nintendo is giving gamers options to get what we want, and that’s something to be admired.

In a comment to Kotaku, Nintendo of America clarified more on the subject:

Nintendo is aiming to significantly expand its digital business. In August, New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo 3DS system will launch both as a packaged game at retail stores and as a digital download in the Nintendo eShop. The majority of future Nintendo-published Nintendo 3DS games will have the same dual-distribution strategy. Likewise, the majority of Nintendo-published Wii U games will be available both as packaged products and as digital downloads starting on launch day.

These downloadable games will be available for purchase at participating retail stores and on retailers’ websites. Our customers can visit retail outlets or their online shopping sites, look for the products they want and pay for the product there. The retailers will then provide shoppers with a 16-digit code that can be exchanged in the Nintendo eShop for the game. This will give shoppers more options to find and purchase their favorite games.

Leaked Halo 4 Screens Show New Player Models, Environments and More!

by jake108

A number of screenshots including concept art, player models, and a couple of in-game screens have surfaced online and do not disappoint. It’s unclear how far into the future Halo 4 is taking place in reference to Halo 3, but I believe we are to be under the impression that it is a few years, and not quite a few years. I don’t want to delay it much further, but this is something nice to look at following a November 6th release date announcement.

Enjoy!

Let us know what your favorite is below!

Medal of Honor Warfighter Gameplay Trailer Released!

by jake108

EA’s new installment into the Medal of Honor series released it’s first gameplay trailer today. Danger Close’s ‘Warfighter’ touts the Frostbite 2 Engine, an engine used for Battlefield 3.

From the trailer, we can gather that missions will be located globally. One of my favorite things about Battlefield 3 are the environments. I’m hoping ‘Warfighter’ will expand on environmental hazards and design. Still, I skipped the last Medal of Honor for a reason. It’ll take a little more for me to go out and reserve the next. While I believe warfare FPS’ is dominated by the Call of Duty franchise, Medal of Honor Warfighter definitely has a one-up with the addition of Frostbite 2.

Medal of Honor Warfighter is set to release October 23, 2012.

Geekscape Games Reviews “Diabolical Pitch”! A Swing and a Hit!

by jake108

Diabolical Pitch is one of the more unique games available as a Kinect title for the Xbox Live Arcade. Don’t worry, this is a good thing.

Set in a twisted amusement park, you must fight waves of enemies as you progress through different “worlds” with your bionic pitching arm. What sets Diabolical Pitch a part from other games is of course its Kinect functionality, but when coupled its art style and cutscenes reminiscent of motion-comics, Diabolical Pitch sets the stage for future Kinect Arcade titles.

Perhaps my favorite part of Diabolical Pitch is in fact the atmosphere and enemies. With each cutscene, I found myself sitting on the couch, watching the screen intently…and not resting. Gamers will be happy to know that there are more than just the two kinds of enemies seen above. At the end of each world, players will have to engage in a boss fight, but nothing a “Diabolical Pitch” can’t handle.

Gameplay is simple and easy to pick up in the beginning stages, and yes, it is as easy as it looks. As players progress through the different worlds, the option to upgrade your character and even purchase new special pitches become available via cards. In order to engage the “Diabolical Pitch” mode, which is essentially your special attack, players will have to strike a pose in front of their Kinect, and yes, it can be as funny as it looks in real life.

Diabolical Pitch also offers up local multiplayer/co-op in which you and a friend can combine powers to wipe out enemies, or betray one another to win it all. Leaderboards are also present, along with your fastest pitch on each stage.

Diabolical Pitch is available now on the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points, and worth every point. This arcade title is surely not one to miss for fellow Kinect owners!

Sine Mora – Geekscape Review

by jake108

Whenever I pick up a game that features a sort of ship flying horizontally across the screen whilst shooting down enemies, my mind immediately goes to the Gradius series.

Upon seeing gameplay trailers, Sine Mora immediately piqued my interest. Releasing on the Xbox Live Arcade today, should you drop 1200 of your hard earned Microsoft Points or settle for an old favorite like Aegis Wing?

Sine Mora uses a blend of time travel, talking badass animals, and steampunk-inspired bosses. Visually, the Sine Mora looks fantastic. Not once did I get tired of looking at the assortment of backdrops and bosses the game had to offer. Character designs are also unique in that there are no actual Humans, but rather animals on a fictional warring planet.

To explain key plot points, Sine Mora does not employ the use of cutscenes, but instead displays a paragraph or three of English text while a voice actor reads it over in Japanese. This method is definitely a preference, sometimes shared by gamers. Nevertheless, depending on how invested you are in the story and characters, this screen of text can go away with the press of ‘A’.

Sine Mora suffers from a case of the enjoyment of killing things more than caring why you’re doing so in the first place. Being a game that’s not supposed to scare away “newcomers to the genre”, newcomer or not, it all depends on if you like to read between stages.

Combat in the game is unique in that each character/plane comes with a set of attacks and special ability. Some special abilities include speeding up, slowing down time, and a range of devastating attacks which can only be used after collecting the right orb. Players must defeat enemies before a timer located at the top of the screen runs out. Killing enemies will increase your time. While this can prove frustrating at times, it does provide the necessity to strategically utilize everything in your arsenal.

Upon destroying some enemies, you’ll see a variety of power-ups floating around. These power-ups extend your time to prevent you from dying, increasing your firepower, increasing the amount of special attacks, or sometimes provide extra shielding.

Sine Mora does not offer co-op or multiplayer of any kind. The game does include leaderboards for the three different modes, which are: Story, Score Attack, and Arcade. Each mode uses the same set of environments provided in the game’s story. Players can also practice against bosses you’ve already faced.

While I don’t think Sine Mora‘s story was as rewarding as its gameplay, some gamers may find this title to be worth the 1200 Microsoft Points. Then again, if you’re looking from some standard action reminiscent of my beloved Gradius, save your money and download Aegis Wing for free. Sine Mora is available today on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

The Wondercon 2012 Video Game Wrap-Up!

by jake108

As Wondercon draws to a close, it’s time to look back at the best of what Wondercon had to offer in the realm of videogames!

Capcom

Operation Raccoon City – Xbox 360, Playstation 3

Release Date: Tuesday, March 20th

Operation Raccoon City is another installment in the Resident Evil franchise. While Resident Evil fans are used to the 3rd-person survival horror formula, both old fans and new fans will be able to further explore Resident Evil lore with this new squad-based shooter.

Raccoon City offers up fluid gameplay, the necessity of squad-based tactics, and most of all: fun. During my ten minutes of gameplay, I had no outstanding gripes about the gameplay. The game plays how it looks. It’s definitely a new take on squad-based zombie survival. Raccoon City’s biggest rival is of course the Left 4 Dead series, but I don’t see any reason why someone should start Raccoon City vs Left 4 Dead threads on the internets.

Raccoon City employs a certain strategy you’ll have to abide by if you want to succeed. The game allows you to pick classes, weapons, and power-ups before the rounds begin. From what I could gather from watching others play, and playing myself, gamers will like to know that you CANNOT get left behind. If you don’t work together or leave others to die, you’re squad will easily be overwhelmed. In fact, in the event that you start to bleed, zombies will take notice and swarm you to the best of their abilities. I found these features made Operation: Raccoon City a pretty horrifying and exhilarating experience!

Capcom Digital Collection – Xbox 360 – March 27th

Eight games, one disc. Capcom’s attempt to re-release old classics comes to light next Tuesday, and includes:

1942: Joint Strike

Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2

Final Fight: Double Impact (includes Final Fight and Magic Sword)

Flock!

Rocketmen: Axis of Evil including Rocketmen: It Came From Uranus Expansion

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando

Capcom’s digital collection was easy to navigate as soon as the collection was booted up. There aren’t extended load times when selecting a game and gamers are able to switch through games by exiting your current session.

I was able to play 1942 Joint Strike and was thoroughly pleased with it. I’m sure anyone who spent an untold amount of quarters in their time will be happy with it.

Capcom Digital Collection will retail for $39.99 and should be a definite buy for anyone looking for some good ol’ nostalgia.

Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir

This Fatal Frame spin-off is set to release April 13th on the Nintendo 3DS. Spirit Camera fantastically utilizes the use of the Nintendo 3DS’ AR cameras, and of course, 3D.

Certain parts of the game require that you physically turn your 3DS in order to look at your surroundings in-game. The game’s alternate reality feature allows you to see both your in-game friends and real friends standing next to each other.

Other portions require that you look at the memoir that comes packaged with the game. The memoir serves as a plot device in which you point your 3DS camera at the empty pages and watch as words or pictures appear (or disappear in some creepy cases).

Combat in-game requires that you line up the camera over a moving spirit for a set amount of time in order to “trap them” and build up your own attack. After chasing the ghost around enough, they will turn and attack you. Once your reticule glows red, you must then press either L or R to take a picture, thus hurting your enemy. The longer you’ve managed to keep them in frame, the more damage you deliver. Counters also exist during combat situations, which shakes up the standard point and… click.

Many gamers, who are living on the edge, may prefer to play the inventive Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir in the dark to preserve its intensely creepy atmosphere. Our editor Jonathan played through the demo and found himself yelling at the screen throughout as he chased spirits around corners and was wowed by mysteries revealing themselves in the memoir through the AR scanner. Fellow gamers didn’t know what was creepier: him or the game!

All in all, Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir is one to watch. 3DS owners should pick this one up, even if you’re not acquainted with the Fatal Frame series. We found it to be an inventive and refreshing use of the 3DS’ AR functions. Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir is set to release April 13th.

343 Industries Takes Us Inside the Making of Halo 4

by jake108

If you’re like me, you’ll want to bypass all the words of hype, so, here are your first Halo 4 IN-GAME screenshots:

343 Industries promises Halo 4 to be the best-looking game on the Xbox 360. With a release date that’s far off into the holidays of this year, it’s looking like 343i may keep that promise.

As you can see, the first two screenshots are of Master Chief, while the third is a multiplayer model probably wearing default armor. I’m sure seeing the Master Chief’s armor in-game will stir even more debate as to why 343i made some changes. There are many reasons, and we can save that for another time.

I’m sure many gamers will be overjoyed with an updated Battle Rifle making the cut for this new installment. As you watch the video below, keep an eye out for some pleasant reveals:

Halo 4 is set to release this holiday season. Here is our extensive gallery from the tour:

 

Assassin’s Creed III Character Image Leaked

by jake108

Ubisoft is expected to make an announcement regarding Assassin’s Creed III on Monday. Unfortunately for them, we have our first leaked image of the title:

The next Assassin’s Creed looks to be set during colonial times. Here’s what I noticed right off the bat:

– The Flintlock

This gun was introduced at the beginning of the 17th century and quickly replaced its predecessors. The Flintlock has a short range and is typically used in combination with a sword or cutlass. It’s also important to note that the Flintlock was commonly used as a military sidearm.

– Sword

If you look closely, you can see a holstered sword around the character’s belt. Judging by the fancy round gold handle, it’s safe to say this sword wasn’t carried by the average colonial joe. It’s likely this sword belonged to a British ship captain.

– Holstered Pistol

Next to the sword, you can see a holstered pistol. That makes two short ranged guns.

– Bow and Arrow

Perhaps the most obvious weaponry in the image are the bow and arrow. This will allow players to perform long-ranged stealth kills. What’s going to be a challenge is going for a killshot. I’m afraid arrows in the knee will not suffice here.

– Hatchet

This could be hinting at a more violent and bloody title compared to the past AC games. The blade is shaped like the “A” for “Assassin’s”, which means this hatchet blade was custom made.

– Steel Chest Plating

I see this as added protection against blades, rather than bullet-proof.

– Snow

Some might argue that it’s rain, but since there’s no splash the character’s hood or the rock, I’d have to go with snow. This makes it more likely that the game will be centered in the northern part of the colonies.

Assassin’s Creed III is set to release in October of this year.

Microsoft Celebrates 10 Years of Xbox With ‘Anniversary Bundle’

by jake108

I was browsing around Amazon France when I stumbled upon a listing for this console bundle celebrating a 10 years of Xbox. Set to release March 9th, this bundle may seem a bit underwhelming to many.

With a price around $400, one might expect a Kinect, with a Kinect-enabled game, and Gears of War 3 instead of ‘2’.

Here’s the full listing:

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Gears of War 2 [Code for a Digital Copy]

Halo: Reach [Code for a Digital Copy]

Fable III [Code for a Digital Copy]

Two Controllers

250 GB Hard Drive

3 Months of Xbox Live

Still, it’s nice to see many bundles with different hardware and games available to gamers.

EA Announces Medal of Honor: Warfighter

by jake108

EA is churning out another war-based FPS set to release this Fall. GameInformer reports that the story will follow Tier One Operations, will run on Frostbite 2, and will release this October.

This from EA’s webpage:

We’re excited to bring you up to speed on the next Medal of Honor, titled Medal of Honor Warfighter. More details to come in the next few weeks but, we’d like to share a visual inspiration and representation of this title now:

While I enjoy the gameplay and certain elements of Battlefield 3, EA needs to rework their marketing strategy and really hit it out of the park with this new Medal of Honor game if they want to stay in a business dominated by Activision. We could go back and forth on the topic of Battlefield/MoH vs. Call of Duty, but numbers don’t lie.

Building hype won’t be a problem. I’m excited to see what Danger Close and EA will do to set themselves apart from the Call of Duty franchise.

Midway Arcade Now Available for iOS Devices!

by jake108

Midway Arcade features 10 classic titles available to purchase on the app store for 0.99 cents  now. Upon purchasing the app, you’ll get a virtual showroom featuring:

Spy Hunter: Race down a freeway in an armed sports car and destroy enemies while protecting civilian vehicles;
Rampage: Reduce the city to rubble as gigantic monsters George (a King-Kong-like gorilla), Lizzie (a Godzilla-like dinosaur/lizard), and Ralph (a giant werewolf);
Defender: Defeat waves of invading aliens while protecting astronauts in this 2D shooting game;
Joust: While riding a flying ostrich, fight to defeat enemy knights riding buzzards;
Root Beer Tapper: As the bartender, serve beer and collect empty mugs and tips without letting the thirsty patrons’ patience expire;
Arch Rivals: In this Basket Brawl, outscore opponents as a crowd pleaser, rebound king, a defensive giant and more;
Skill-Based Games: Beat your friends’ top scores in Pool, Air Hockey, Roll Ball and Basketball.

Gamers may also purchase two additional in-game packs to add to their virtual showroom for 99 cents each.

Fantasy Game Pack

Gauntlet I: Hack and slash through monsters as they try to exit the dungeon maze;
Gauntlet II: The monsters return in this acclaimed sequel, with all new levels, and challenges;
Wizard of Wor: “Worriors” must make their way through monster-infested dungeons to destroy the Wizard of Wor.

Action Game Pack

APB: Playing as Officer Bob, a rookie police officer, pursue law-breakers, cite and arrest criminals – and pick up donuts along the way;
NARC: Arrest and kill drug offenders, confiscate their money and drugs, to defeat Mr. Big;
Total Carnage: As a member of the Doomsday Squad, invade evil dictator’s General Akhboob’s base and destroy mutants, rescue hostages and capture Akhboob.

The Midway Arcade App is available for $0.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore. The Fantasy Game Pack and Action Game Packs are available for $0.99 each through In-App Purchase.

Mass Effect 3 Set For Liftoff

by jake108

As you may or may not know, EA is planning on launching Mass Effect 3 copies into space starting tomorrow. Their journey can be tracked on their official website until it makes landfall. Rules regarding how to snag a copy before release will be posted soon. Until then, I’ll be working on my omniblade.

From the official website:

To celebrate Commander Shepard’s war to take Earth back, Mass Effect 3 will be the first console game launched into Earth’s upper atmosphere on a historic voyage. And you have a chance to take home a piece of that history.

Starting February 23rd, various cities across the globe will host their very own Space Edition launches. Starting with San Francisco, CA and ending in Berlin, Germany.

Track the packages on their flights and be the first to arrive at the landing zone to win an early copy of Mass Effect that has survived space travel. Each Space Edition also comes with an on-of-a-kind fan prize package. Other prizes will also be given out to runner-up participants (subject to availability).

Check back soon for rules and contest entry.

The launch dates are as follows:

San Francisco: February 23 – 7:00 AM & 10:00 AM

Las Vegas: February 24 – 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM

New York: February 25 – 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM

London: February 27 – TBD

Paris: February 28 – TBD

Berlin: February 29 – TBD

Can anyone help me calculate trajectories?

Why Modern Warfare 3 Should Be on Your Holiday Shopping List

by jake108

Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars the game has already earned, the Modern Warfare franchise has come under fire as being more or less the same thing as previous installments. Modern Warfare 3 offers some elements that other games have a hard time accomplishing.  

Note: This compilation is not console/system specific.

 

Multiplayer

Sure, the basic underlying formula for the Modern Warfare franchise remains the same; Kill people with the aid of your perks to unlock Killstreaks in which you can use toys to kill people. The same multiplayer modes are back with the addition of one new one. Kill Confirmed is a game mode in which it combines the elements of Team Deathmatch and, well, confirming the kill you just got. You confirm kills by picking up your enemies dog tags. If your teammate dies in front of you, and you pick up their dog tags, the kill will be denied for your opponent. In order to win the game, you must rack up enough kill confirms, as opposed to just racking up kills. Theater mode returns, but is limited to multiplayer use only.

 

There are new perks and killstreaks to be earned and who doesn’t like new toys? One of the things that plagued Modern Warfare 2 is what everyone called the “Noob-Tube,” in which players would simply fire off their grenade launchers from across the map. They would then be able to switch their class, using the One Man Army perk, to reload on their grenades. This has since been taken out. I’m not saying you’re not going to get frustrated in this game. Frustration seems to be a right of passage that you must endure over and over again in the Call of Duty Franchise. Nevertheless, multiplayer in this game, especially with friends, can be a blast.

 

Spec-Ops

Spec-Ops was introduced in Modern Warfare 2 as co-op missions with its own storyline. That was about it. New to the franchise is Survival Mode. Survival mode is both fulfilling and disappointing. Survival Mode is a great take on Halo’s Firefight and Gears of War’s Horde modes. You are able to purchase weapons, air support, an assortment of grenades, and body armor.

 

You are also able to purchase bots who come to your aid. Now, the only thing I wish Survival Mode had was the ability to have up to three or four of your friends with you on the map. Maps used for survival mode are the multiplayer maps we know and play on. Certainly the fun factor of this mode would have greatly increased if you had a couple of more friends fighting by your side.

Nevertheless, Spec-Ops mode has improved and is worth the playtime.

 

Story

Call of Duty’s Modern Warfare storyline has been hard to follow for me. In fact, the only character I bonded with in this series has been Captain Price, simply because his player model, well I guess his grandaddy, was in the original WWII Call of Duty games. Because of that, I never really considered the Modern Warfare story to be top grade. Still, I enjoyed more than a couple of campaign missions from previous installments.

 

Modern Warfare 3’s campaign really was action-packed. Yes, it is short, but playing it through on Veteran extended the playtime to around eight hours. Many games strive to have the feel of a movie experience while engaging the player to have them feel they’re in it. If you, or anyone game you know would enjoy being in a constant action movie, this campaign is for them. The campaign missions aren’t heavy emotionally, but will rather leaving you thinking how awesome that mission was.

 

Modern Warfare 3 packs a punch. Fans of the franchise already have it. Skeptics, if you see it on sale this holiday season, pick it up.

Questions? Comments? Don’t be afraid to post below!

 

Written by:

Jacob Lopez (jake108)

Follow me on Twitter!

 

 

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary – Geekscape Review

by jake108

It’s been a full ten years since the release of the first Halo on the original Xbox. Anniversary stays true to everything Halo: Combat Evolved was. The original Magnum is back along with the indestructible vehicles, remastered multiplayer maps, and the game’s outstanding story. Halo is what made FPS titles on the consoles cool. Who could forget the introduction of The Flood? And the Warthog run in The Maw? Its worth was only amplified by its multiplayer and LAN parties. Those are the memories of Halo: Combat Evolved. For $39.99, you can revisit those memories and make more in this truly remastered title.

 

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary features Kinect support in the form of voice commands, two player online or splitscreen co-op, the ability to switch between Classic graphics and Remastered graphics, and skulls, which activate certain elements to change gameplay.

The story is supplemented by terminals located within each level of the game. At first, I admit that I wasn’t overly excited for terminals to be a part of the story, since they weren’t a part of the original game. When playing the game with the Classic graphics on, the terminals don’t appear anywhere they should. While in Remastered, the terminals glow. They’re not necessarily easy to find, but for someone who has spent hours exploring Halo ten years ago, avid players should come across them.

 

Each terminal tells a story, mostly from 343 Guilty Spark’s point of view. As far as that story goes, I would say fans of Halo lore are in for a treat. Big treats. That doesn’t mean the terminals don’t cater to players who haven’t read the books or recall every little thing that’s happened in past games. The terminals are cinematic cutscenes, which some would take over the lines of text Halo 3’s terminals delivered. Who likes reading, right? Honestly, words cannot describe how awesome I think the terminals are in this game. I’ve found myself re-watching each one this past weekend multiple times. If you’re a fan of everything Halo, I would purchase this game for the terminals alone. I await to see forums light up with discussions on what information these terminals contain.

The gameplay is as I remembered. It was easy to get back into with a zero learning curve. Some gamers might have skipped or didn’t play past Halo games nearly as much as they played Halo: Combat Evolved. Default controls on Anniversary resemble the controls for Halo: Reach. However, players are able to choose “The Duke” as a button layout, which is the original control scheme.

 

Above, I mentioned that the game features Kinect support via voice commands. While playing the game, you may speak voice commands that allow you to pause/resume, switch between graphics, reload, switch weapons, flashlight activation, throw grenades, and more. My favorite is the inclusion of what I call Master Chief Detective Mode.

 

You may analyze the battlefield after you’ve dealt with your enemies and scan their bodies, weapons, and other surroundings. The findings are then added to your Library. Afterwards, you can visit your library to read up on enemy bios, weapon specs, and other various descriptions.

 

These descriptions can be looked through via hand movements through the Kinect. In fact, right after I finish writing this review, I’m going to continue my research.

The Anniversary edition of the game also comes with a Firefight map. The map, Installation 04, is different from any other Firefight map in that it also spawns ODST’s to help you fight the waves of Covies. With friends, this Firefight map is worth a few playthroughs.

 

Anniversary multiplayer is different from Halo: Reach. The maps have been remastered with new graphics and new settings. Still, I can guarantee that if you were a master at Halo CE, you should have no problem coming back in to dominate players new to the maps. Headlong was an old favorite of mine in Halo 2 and it makes an appearance in the Anniversary collection. This can only mean awesome Big Team Battle games will be had. Below are screenshots of the Anniversary maps:

Timberland

 

Prisoner

 

Hang 'em High 

 

Damnation

 

Headlong

 

Beaver Creek

 

The overwhelming question here is: Is it worth it? This game is a MUST for any Halo fan looking to delve further into Halo lore. This game is a MUST for any sci-fi FPS fan. The inclusion of terminals coupled with an already great story made Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary an outstanding game. Can Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary be up for Game of the year?

 

Written by:

Jacob Lopez (jake108)

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