Video Games Today

One of our favorite XBLA games is this week's Deal of the Week for Xbox Live Gold Members. You can grab this awesome game for only 400 Microsoft Points! Just click the download link below to get playing!

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/offers/00000001-0000-4000-8000-0000584108ff?cid=SLink

Update: We've heard reports Geometry Wars 2 is still priced at 800 MSP on Xbox.com, but via the Xbox 360 is is now 400 MSP. We are contacting Microsoft support now! Update soon!

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

Need more incentive to download the free Lost Planet 2 demo? Well, earlier today Capcom confirmed that the "MG SP" gun, which is available in the demo, is only unlockable in the demo and will carry over, to the retail game, for folks who manage to unlock it in the demo. According to Joystiq, "...the MG SP could stagger opponents with a single shot and prevent them from squeezing off shots of their own with subsequent hits -- sounds useful."

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

The second VIP map pack for Battlefield Bad Company 2 has hit XBLA, the same day as the Modern Warfare 2 map pack. The map pack turns Arica Harbor possible to play in Conquest Mode and Laguna Presa on Rush mode. There are no "new" maps, but its free and adds maps for players who only play rush or conquest (not both). If you are a "VIP", or you bought the game brand new, you get the pack for free. If not you must buy "VIP" access, for 15$ (1200 Microsoft Points), to get any of the free VIP map packs (currently 2 available). Check out a tour of the two new maps, and a link to purchase the map pack after the jump!




Buy "VIP" Access: http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/offers/0ccf0001-0000-4000-8000-0000454108a8?cid=SLink

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

The long awaited Modern Warfare 2 map pack has finally hit Xbox Live shelves. The map pack, which costs a staggering 15$ (1200 Microsoft Points), includes three new maps, along with two old favorites (Overgrown and Crash) from Call of Duty 4. Personally, we will be waiting until the price drops (or it is a deal of the week) to be joining in on the preadolescence fun. Hit the jump to see what we mean.

Can a single title save Sony's plight and ignite flagging PS3 sales? It's unlikely. Is Guerrilla Games' effort a defining PS3 exclusive blockbuster, which will at least assure long-suffering PS3 owners? Definitely. Is it worth forking out for a PS3? ... Possibly.

Ever since Sony's infamous use of CG sequences to demonstrate the "possibilities" offered by the PS3 back in 2005, Guerrilla Games' flagship title has found itself under a tremendous degree of scrutiny. Could the PS3 actually manage to pull off the visual quality hinted towards, or was it all just smoke and mirrors? Let's admit it; it wouldn't be the first time Sony has resorted to such trickery.

If rumours are led to be believed then a considerable budget and access to Sony's finest tools, technology, and talent have certainly helped to ensure KillZone 2 is worthy of that footage. Purists could argue that such fidelity is restricted to a handful of sections within KillZone 2 and they're largely cut-scenes. But there's little denying that Guerrilla Games' first PS3 title is a visual masterpiece, eclipsing everything we've seen so far on the format and putting the likes of Gears of War into its place.


Picking up the events two years after the original KillZone, Guerrilla Games has deliberately ensured knowledge of the 2004 PS2 title is not a pre-requisite to enjoy the action. An entirely new cast of characters face this struggle between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) and the Helghan, with the return of Col. Jan Templar providing the only real link to the first game. The ISA's attack on the Helghast planet of Helghan also brings us up to date with the continuing battle between both factions and explores the deeper reasons of why.

So begins eight chapters of pretty intense shooter action. Let's get this out of the way immediately, KillZone 2 isn't the greatest first-person shooter ever created, but then again neither was Halo. Half Life 2 and Modern Warfare still manage to share that honour. But KillZone 2 doesn't need to be. Beyond ensuring a solid shooter experience, the key requisite for KillZone 2 is (rightfully or wrongfully) whether Guerrilla could actually pull it off. And in answer to this, PS3 fans will be happy to know it's a most certain yes. "Hollywood Realism" is the wonderfully opaque term Guerrilla Games has used to describe KillZone 2, something that actually isn't merely the hyperbole that it suggests. There's a constant sense of dynamism to KillZone 2 and the world of Helghan. Wind gushes across the Helghan terrain to create a convincing sense of atmosphere that you can almost feel, while the forceful physics engine creates a gameworld that's utterly believable. Objects fly across the sky when the action heats up, yet there's a sense of solidity to everything unlike the many flimsy, plastic examples we've seen in other shooters.

Unfortunately, although the game captures the visual flair of those trailers, it rarely manages to capture the diversity and concept in terms of the mission challenges and gameplay. All too often the game falls down into familiar territory, with only the occasional section straying beyond the genre's conventions of shooting increasingly tougher opponents. Although KillZone 2 ticks many of the boxes for a solid fps experience, throwing ambushes, squad, and solitary sections into the mix, the game's pacing and occasional bland level designs prevent it from reaching the echelons of the genre's finest. Guerrilla hasn't attempted to throw anything new into the mix, and who can blame them when the pressure was on to deliver the PS3's visual magnum opus? The strict reliance on the check boxes however is a little too stringent for our liking, and whilst sections such as the assault on a speeding train are solid enough, the overwhelming sensation is one of 'seen it all before'!


The assortment of arms is what you'd expect from a shooter with even the more creative Helghast weaponry failing to offer anything that feels particularly new. Equally the handful of sections that require you to jump aboard a tank feel as though they're included just because other shooters have vehicular sections. There are exceptions: jumping onboard the AA guns onboard the ISA Cruiser New Sun feels closer to Star Wars than most other attempts ("great kid, don't get cocky"), while the mech section later in the game is pretty remarkable - all the more surprising considering we're not traditionally fond of mechs in shooters (Quake IV anyone?).

The covering system is the exception. Its implementation can be compared to that of the Rainbow Six Vegas series, just without the gimmicky need to switch the view to a third-person. Tapping a shoulder button attaches you to the nearest wall or object, with the ability to move around it and lean and peek out of cover to shoot. It's not without its problems, but it does provide a more tangible blend of old-school PC style and newer examples without degenerating into the virtual equivalent of whack-a-mole.

Guerrilla certainly deserves credit for its implementation of motion-sensitive controls as well. Wisely opting to restrict its usage to the gimmicky nature that it deserves instead of trying to develop control setups inextricably based around it, KillZone 2 uses the SixAxis/DualShock 3 motion controls for subtle commands such as turning gauges, steadying your aim when sniping, or planting mines - brilliant. Thankfully it's also largely a solid game without the glitches or bugs that thwarted the original. AI is generally very impressive and puts up a good challenge, although the kamikaze technique of certain Helghan troops does provide a weakness that can easily be exploited. As did the availability of the Electricity Gun during a later stage, its imbalance completely removing the sense of challenge from a game that generally steps up in challenge suitably as it progresses.

Of course no shooter is worth its RRP on a single-player campaign alone. It's the online multiplayer that really makes KillZone 2 an essential purchase, and surprisingly where Guerrilla Games has been at their most inventive. Despite the clamour for online play, we've got to applaud Guerrilla Games for including the relatively rare addition of bot support.

With the inclusion of persistent careers linked with the XP system, KillZone 2 may not radically push the boundaries, but the 'Warzone' mode does at least provide something that feels fresh in a fiercely competitive genre. Essentially it's a compendium of tried-and-tested game types into one cohesive game. Such an example begins with the two teams attempting to gain control of command points, the victor winning the round, before the next objective is something like defending or attempting to assassinate a VIP. There's nothing particularly new but the idea to combine each type into one mode is genius, and you're left asking why nobody's really tried this before. The only potential pitfall for KillZone 2 to overcome is whether or not the PlayStation Network can sustain the huge number of hours we expect KillZone 2 to quickly notch up.

Final Rating: 9/10

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

A sad day for those who spent an actual 10$ just to get the golden lancer that was supposed to be exclusive to the Limited Edition. EPIC and Microsoft have released the gold plated lancer for free to all Gold and Silver Xbox Live members to use. No word on if the Midnight Mayhem Exclusive Golden Hammerburst will be coming for free soon.

Download: http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d53082d/?p=1&of=6&sb=1&did=0ccf0001-0000-4000-8000-00004d53082d

EDIT: Microsoft goes "oops!"! They said adding the lancer to the marketplace was a mistake, and will be removed shortly. More information on this soon, once it happens!

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

First off, welcome to VGtoday's new little "column" that will be published weekly, or biweekly, that will give you tips and/or guides on how to get those precious achievements. This week we discuss how to rack up a good 175 gamerscore easy, with the new Gears of War 2 DLC Achievements!

More Mystery, Less History (15g): For this you need to win a multiplayer match on each Flashback map pack and it cannot be Wingman. Just go into a private match and put 1 bot on casual on execution, and make the round limit "1". Do this for each map, and you will have the achievement in about 5 minutes.
Bound by a Shared Past (15g): This is the same thing as "More Mystery, Less History" except you must win on each map on Wingman. Just put the settings on 9 bots on casual and round limit on "10" and you should have the achievements in no time.
The Roof! The Roof! The Roof... (15g): Read "More Mystery, Less History" and just do that on the combustible maps.
Forged in the Fire (15g): Read "Bound by a Shared Past" and just do that on the combustible maps.
Skeletons in your Closet (20g) & Trial by, and on, Fire (20g): These are some of the more time consuming achievements on this DLC pack. If you put the Horde mode on casual you should reach wave 10 in about 15-25 minutes depnding on how fast you go. You must do it on each map so 15-25 minutes on 8 maps should take you roughly 2 Hours - 3 Hours 20 Minutes for 40 gamerscore.
Annex: Now With Execution Rules (75G) : Note, this is the ONLY achievement in this bunch that MUST be played in a public match, which means you CANNOT boost this in private matches. Just load up the Flashback or Combustable map pack and try and get annex. It should not be too difficult because EPIC increased the chances of annex showing up in those playlists.

Good Luck!
The VGToday Crew

That is right, for people who did not get the code in their copy of Gears 2 or if you bought the game used, you're in luck! The Map Pack is now available on the XBLM for a cheap price of 5$ (400 Microsoft Points). Sure, it should be free...but for those that got the game used (Priced at 54.00$ Used), you saved 1$ overall! Here at VGToday wish that Epic would just migrate the Flashback maps into the normal playlists and not have a seperate playlist just for Flashback...same for combustable, but thats never going to happen.


Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

You heard it right, Epic is acknowledging the bugs in the currently multiplayer game and promises to fix them. Included are fixes for melee through walls, shotgun and boomshot blasts going straight down when fired from the hip, and much more! Mark Rein from Epic made the announcement on the Epic Forums, here is what he had to say:

As I mentioned before the break we’ve been working on a major title update for Gears of War 2. This update will address bugs and exploits as well as add some new achievements related to downloadable content. We don’t have an exact date for it but all indicators are it will go live within January. If that changes we’ll let you know.

We’re fixing a whole bunch of online exploits. For example we’ve fixed the ability to wield an invisible shield, melee through some walls, gain infinite Lancer ammo and equip a shield and a two-handed weapon simultaneously plus many more.

We’re also making several small changes to improve the overall online gameplay experience. A few of the ones that might interest you are; increased penalties for quitting matches early, adding additional spawn protection against planted grenades and chainsaw attacks, and adding the ability to see the Submission flag carrier destination by using Tac/Com.

We know you folks love achievements so on the achievement side we’re adding achievement progress numbers to the War Journal, increasing the frequency of in-game Achievement progression notifications and adding some new Achievements for DLC.

This is just a very small list of some of the things that will be in the next title update but one more item which has been talked about a lot in our forums deserves a special call out...

About that shotgun...

We fixed the client side hit detection on the shotgun so that in a high-latency (i.e. “laggy”) match, the shotgun will be more reliable. We’ve also fixed another bug whereby shotgun and boomshot rounds could strike the ground when firing from the hip.

So there’s a brief status report on the next title update. At some point I expect we’ll post a more detailed list but I assure you we’re working hard to get this out the door and once it’s done we’ll start working on the next update. We’ll try to do a better job keeping you informed of our progress on future updates and we’ll try to be a little more active in the forums once this update is released.

1. Leavers/Long Matchmaking Times: The multiplayer in Gears 2 is broken, as most people are aware. It takes a long while to find a game without a full party of five people, even then, on some playlists it takes a long time with the party. If you can get past the wait, then you get to the real problem with this matchmaking system. In contrast to popular opinion, I like the Halo-esque matchmaking for Gears, and the voting makes good variation in gametypes and maps. In Gears 1 you only ever saw Warzone on Gridlock, now it is randomly voted on. The real problem though is if someone leaves the game. Epic tried to stop people from leaving games by making no "Quit" button in the start menu. This is easily overcome by going to the dashboard, or just turning off your xbox. Unlike games like Call of Duty, when you lose a player on your team...a new player that is matchmaking CANNOT jump into the game in progress. This effectively makes games broken if someone leaves, and increases Matchmaking times. Epic seems to think that the matchmaking is a bug in the coding or networking, it is not. I have come to the conclusion that the wait times happen because people cannot jump into games in progress. Most of the time, when playing a CoD Series game, you will get in a game in progress rather than a brand new one. This makes the load extremely short. Maybe Epic should learn from CoD.
2. Laziness From Epic: As seen in Gears 1, Epic never cares about fixing major game breaking bugs as long as they rake in some "hard earned" cash. Epic is all about profit, as seen from the map packs...but I'll talk about that later down this post. An example is that in Gears 1, "crab-walking" was never fixed. This was a glitch where a user could run and shoot at the same time, effectively breaking the multiplayer experience. In Gears 2, it has similar issues. I will not go into great detail in this section, so I'll give one example. The shield glitch is my example for today. The shield glitch is where a user can pick up the shield and hold his shot gun at the same time. Normally, you can only have a pistol out with your shield, making the shield fair. With a shotgun, you can see how the game become broken. Do not get me wrong, I know all games have bugs and glitches when released, but it is inexcusable when the game has GAME BREAKING glitches/bugs. And if there is a game breaking bug, it should be fixed promptly by the developer. Many people say to give Epic time, but we did that with the crab walking, but it is still there.
3. Lack of Playtesting: This expands on the laziness of Epic, and/or shows that Microsoft makes developers rush products out...as we all know they do. Over the past week numerous problems have arisen that SHOULD have been seen and fixed during playtesting. One of these things has to do with walls having no density. On most walls in multiplayer matches, if they are relatively thin, you can melee right through them at an enemy on the other side of the wall. (Here is the link to the video) I am not going to go on, and on, about this topic since the video clearly conveys my point.
4. Lag Switching: This is probably the single, largest problem with the multiplayer aspect of the game. In case none of you know what this is, it is when someone turns their modem on Standby and everyone in the game lags, except the person on standby. Effectively making them win the game 9 times out of 10. This has happened numerous time to me when playing RANKED matches, where my stats count. This gets me irritated, how can Epic ignore such a HUGE problem? This should also have been known about in playtesting, or fixed immediatly after release. It is breaking the online experience, and makes me want to sell my game back for something that I know is quality. Let's just hope Microsoft jumps on the banhammer for these cheaters, and be sure to file a complaint for "System Tempering" if a lag switching occurs to you.
5. All the Little Things:

• Host Advantage: Epic said it was fixed from Gears 1, they lied. Host advantage is not as profound in Gears 2 due to the new matchmaking system...but it still exists. The problem mainly occurs when you shoot someone at the same time, or a little bit before or after.
  
• Chainsaw: Before someone comes and complains that get killed by the chainsaw alot, and I'm just complaining...well, I am. The chainsaw is utterly ridiculous in this game. In Gears 1 I had NO problem getting killed by the "noob" one hit kill weapons, because I had a chance to stop it! In Gears 2, I have unloaded nearly 4 shotgun blasts into the target and he still walks right up to me and chainsaws.
• Chainsaw Lunges: When did the chainsaw become the Energy Sword Epic? Now, when in multiplayer matches, if you are within a foot or two of a chainsaw, the player revving his chainsaw will literally "lunge" at you and kill you. For a better example, think of the Halo 3 Energy Sword. A player can lunge at an enemy with the sword to kill him from a fair distance away, this should NOT happen with the chainsaw. This makes it so you cannot dive or run away from the chainsaw.
• Alot of other stuff: Frankly, I'm tired of talking about Gears 2 right now. I know there is alot more stuff to talk about, but I am done. Do not get me wrong, Gears 2 is a fun game and I have logged in over 30 hours playtime in the game. Sometimes the game just makes me want to sell it back, because some of these faults are inexcusable...and should NOT have been released with the game. Shame on Epic.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been announced and is expected for release in Fall 2009. This game will be developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, as usual. Infinity Ward has stated they have no intentions to ever return to WWII, anytime soon, if at all. No word from Treyarch, but it seems we will be on a Modern-WWII yearly rotation from now on. I personally cannot wait for my modern guns again, and a great single player! Wait, did I say that out loud?

Gears of War 2 is one of this year's most anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive titles. Gears 2 is designed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. This is a sequel to the Xbox 360 blockbuster, Gears of War. The game was announced during the 2008 Game Developers Conference by Cliff "Cliffy B" Bleszinski to be "Bigger, Better, and more Badass".

You play as Marcus Fenix, as in the first game, with your partner Dom Santiago. The game has added an extra mode of difficultly to try and sell some of the more "casual" gamers. "Casual" mode from Gears of War is now called "Normal", and "Casual" in Gears 2 is basically the easiest mode in a shooter you will ever encounter. The game starts you out in the last human refuge, Jacinto. Jacinto is the one city that cannot be sunk by the Locust, or so we are to think. You are told the Locust are advancing on Jacinto, and are becoming more "desperate". You are then put in command of Benjamen Carmine. This Carmine is one of the brothers of Anthony Carmine, from Gears of War.

The single player experience is a great improvement over the first installment. It is longer, and generally more of an actual experience. The first game was, and still is, criticized for the sever lack of story. Gears 2 follows the fight against the Locust, along with the side story of Dom and his long-lost wife Maria. The game should take you around 8-14 hours of game time to finish, depending on the level of difficultly you are on. Also, if you wish to get the 1000/1000 gamerscore for the game, you must play through a second time to play on the "Insane" difficultly mode. The difficultly of Insane seems "pumped" up from the first game, due to the improved AI and certain weapon balancing. The Lancer now nearly stops an opponent in his tracks due to "Stopping Power", and the shot gun only gets a "1 hit kill" if you are right next to the enemy. No longer will you see shotgun battles.

The story may not be a classic, but it atleast gives players a reason to be interested in why things are happening. The ending of the game does seem to come to an end abruptly, but it worked. Do not expect a Halo 2, stopping in the middle of a cut scene ending. The story leaves the series wide open for Gears of War 3.

The multiplayer is where this game really excels. Epic has brought in a new Matchmaking System, similar to the Halo 3 matchmaking, replacing the old lobby system seen in Gears of War. The system has had it's problems, including the long waits to find matches when you are alone, or in a four person group. Epic recently released a title update to Gears 2 that seems to have fixed that issue. There is also a ranking system on this installment. It is based off of Microsoft's True Skill, and includes 5 different ranks. These ranks, since they use True Skill, are only based on Wins and Loses in public matches. So no need to cry over a kill being stolen.

Overall, Gears 2 is not a "Gears 1.5". It is it's own single player experience that expands off of the original "story", or lack of one, and makes a really great single player campaign that wants you coming back for the next installment. Also, the multiplayer is a great improvement and will hold lots of fun for a long time to come, along with Horde mode keeping you entertained for hours on end.

Gears of War 2 gets an:
A
Pass -- Rent -- Buy
Enjoy,
Max Burke
VGToday Management; Review Crew

Epic Games released this statement on the multiplayer matchmaking issue on Gears of War 2:

This is an issue that’s affecting some folks, and [we] are...looking into it. I'll let you know more details as I have them. In the mean time, try to go back to the dashboard and use it to test the network connection. Re-sign in to see if you have better results. This has worked for some people for the time being.

• Choose the "Player's Choice" or "Horde" matchmaking playlists.
• Go check your NAT, if it is not "Open" that may be your problem. Call Xbox Support at: 1-800-4MYXBOX
• Search for a game, wait 2 minutes, cancel matchmaking, wait on menu's for 2 minutes, resume matchmaking.
• Unplug, then plug in your router.

After one day (24 Hours) of no Xbox Live worldwide, it is back. Incase you didnt know what this update was, here is what Major Nelson said:

On Monday, 9/29/2008 from 12:01 AM PST for up to 24 hours, Xbox Live will be offline for maintenance. As a result, Xbox LIVE and the ‘My Xbox’ section of Xbox.com will be unavailable, and the Xbox forums will be in read only mode (you won’t be able to post.) The remainder of Xbox.com will be available with limited interruptions.

This service maintenance is in preparation for the new Xbox experience which will be available later this fall.

Let me reiterate: When the service returns, you will not have any new features and you will not have the new Xbox experience update. That will happen later this Fall.

Welcome to my new blog. I have been in the "blogging business" for awhile now, and have blogs on Affiliate Marketing, and a blog on just general things I want to rant about. I closed those down so I could open up my own blog here and focus primarily on it.

This blog will contain reviews, previews, interviews (Hopefully!), editorials, and much more. I hope you will stick around and bare with me as I get some blogs up to start me off. I'd appreciate to have you subscribe to the blog, and/or even "follow" me, if you are a Blogger.com user.

That is it for my opening post, hope to write more soon. Until then,
Lava~