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[Review] Lord of the Rings : War in the North

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:10:57 +0000

Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a hack and slash game based on the fantasy created by J. R. R. Tolkien. This story takes place during the same period as the books (or movies), but in the game, the tale told is that of another group of adventurers. There have been many attempts to translate the rich world of LotR into video games, and many have failed. However, while still not the definitive Tolkien experience, I’ll agree with the bold statement made in the cover: “this is the best LotR game yet”. After the movies came out (2001, 2002 and 2003), everyone started looking at this universe differently. Peter Jackson really raised the bar when giving life to Tolkien’s stories, and I was glad to see this represented in the game. Environments are rich and varied; weapons and armor also have a very unique feel to them. Character models are simple, but you’ll certainly note the resemblance of some of the known characters, like Elrond, Aragorn and Bilbo. Effects are few, even when casting spells or using special skills, but this works out for the best because it does not get in the way of your view of the battlefield, which gets really busy at times. Textures are decent, but what really upped the visuals a bit was the lighting. Animations are the only thing that disappointed me a little bit, but only during cut scenes (and there are many), because combat looks really good and fluid. Like most action games, it’s really simple to switch between weak, strong and ranged attacks. Special skills acquired through leveling are just as easy to use and can change the tide of the battle. You’ll play as one of 3 classes (ranger, warrior or mage), each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but since they’re always together it doesn’t really matter which you choose. Just make sure it’s the one more suited to your play style. The ranger (based on Aragorn, a.k.a. Strider) is more of a DPS character and a great archer. His bow and arrow skills are extraordinarily useful, but he also handles close combat pretty well (unless surrounded by stronger enemies). The warrior (a dwarf that looks a lot like Gimli) is your tank character, with a bunch of war cries that will boost your party’s stats. Finally, the mage (which doesn’t resembles much any of the members of the fellowship) is an elf with some great control abilities and also works as the healer and ranged defender. You can play as any of these characters (and change in between major checkpoints if you feel like it) while the computer (or someone else) controls the other two. Working together is the key to overcome the biggest challenges. Based on the epic score of the movies, I was expecting the soundtrack to be more remarkable, but it ended up being a bit repetitive and otherwise uninteresting. Sound effects are good and do justice to the fun combat. Unfortunately, not the same can be said about the voice acting, which is very inconsistent. In a game with as many cut scenes as this, you’d expect more, especially since Nolan North lends his voice to the ranger. However, the dialogue does not sound like Tolkien, which only serves as aggravation. The story has you running after a sorcerer by the name of Agandaûr to prevent a massive attack at the North ( ! ) while helping those who are somehow hindered by his evilness along the way. I thought it worked fine for the game, and while it might not be as epic as Frodo’s journey, it certainly didn’t feel out of place or sounded unbelievable in the overall scheme. Please note that I’m a fan, so don’t take this lightly. Like many action games, combat can get a bit tiresome at times. Fortunately, you can switch between characters and mix it up a little bit by trying different play styles every once in a while. I only wish you could do this on the fly right in the middle of fights, instead of having to quit and reload to do so. Co-op is certainly the way to go, since your AI partners aren’t really bright and don’t usually take orders that well. I also enjoyed having a New Game + option, since, for some reason, I always appreciate starting the game more and more powerful (however, at least 3 playthroughs on increased difficulties are required to platinum the game). Overall, I was pleased with Lord of the Rings: War in the North. It certainly scratched my itch for something related to the subject and it was really interesting to see something new created for this rich universe, even if it’s not nearly as good as the original. A hack and slash RPG with solid combat and placed in the best fantasy world ever created; this is how I’d describe it. A great time for anyone interested in one great cooperative game or just looking to revisit Middle-Earth. Review Pros Cons A Lord of the Rings game! Solid and rewarding combat Fun co-operative experience Lots of loot to hoard and secrets to uncover Bland soundtrack and voice acting Overly complicated menus make it annoying to switch characters and manage equipment Story is fun, but fails to deliver a true LotR feeling of epicness Rating 87%

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[Review] Lord of the Rings : War in the North

The PS Vita Rooms Party

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:32 +0000

Last week, I was invited to an exclusive PS Vita Rooms Party here in the UK, and to be honest it’s taken me all this time to digest everything to do with the event. The PS Vita Rooms Party took place on Tuesday 17th January at 63 Deansgate – a highly popular stretch of road situated bang smack in the heart of Manchester, the city belonging to two of the world’s most admired football/soccer teams, Manchester City and Manchester United. With the location guaranteeing maximum exposure for the PS Vita events in the North West of England, thousands of gamers filtered through the doors over 7 days to catch a glimpse of the console that has caused a stir over recent months. With the event consisting of approximately 30 – 35 playable PS Vitas on two floors, approximately 10+ ‘launch day’ games on display, a DJ, free food & drinks, developers and exclusive PS Vita accessories being showcased – you knew that this party was the place to be! First Impressions The handheld console, if you’ve not already seen it looks absolutely stunning. The black glossy chasis is just beautiful, and with the most important feature of the console being a 5-inch (960 x 540) OLED touchscreen, to say it simply makes games look amazing due is an understatement. With multi touch functionality, you can play games in a way you couldn’t on the PSP, or on the PS3. Plus, the touchscreen isn’t the only touch sensitive feature of the console, the Vita also packs a touch pad on the rear side of the device, which in time will prove to be an important element of the console’s success. Expecting it to feel a little heavy due to the amount of technology packed into the console, I was somewhat surprised to find how much it actually weighed. Let me put it this way – imagine a wallet or purse containing approximately 5 credit cards in it, that’s how much I thought it weighed – super light! In fact, it was considerably lighter than my mobile/cell phone. The Games For those that are looking beyond the console and are focused on the games, here’s a list of games that were on show at the event: Uncharted: Golden Abyss Modnation Racers Reality Fighters Everybody’s Golf Little Deviants Hustle Kings Top Darts FIFA 12 Gravity Rush WipEout 2048 WipEout HD (PS3) Super Stardust Delta Escape Plan LittleBigPlanet MotorStorm RC Rather than spend quite a bit of time dissecting the games, which this report isn’t about – I’ll briefly go over just 3 of the key games I played. Uncharted: Golden Abyss If you thought that Uncharted 2 and 3 were superb games, then you have another thing coming as Uncharted Abyss on the Vita takes things to a higher level. To start off, the graphical detail is just perfect – and if you’re all about gameplay then you will not be disappointed. The game follows Drake across South America in search for gold. I got the opportunity to play 2 levels of the overall game. I was put into situations where I had to snipe the baddies, and whilst sniping, you could tilt your console left, right, up or down in order to target your victim – this reminded me of the perfect sixaxis functionality that was put into Super Rub A Dub, a sixaxis game that was released alongside the PS3 back in 2006/7. Whilst progressing further, I needed to cross over to another section of the level – I tried everything I could think of and nothing worked (I guess my level of intelligence isn’t as good as I thought) – but in order to progress, you had to think outside the box. I needed a bridge – how do I do this? Simple, just stroke your finger across the landscape in order to create the bridge for Drake to cross. How awesome is that? I wouldn’t have figured it out if it wasn’t for the chap next to me. With features and functionality such as this, you really were part of the game. WipEout 2048 You may have noticed the WipEout HD (PS3) in the list above – nope, it wasn’t a typo, I’ll expand on that list entry in a few moments. For now, let’s concentrate on WipEout 2048. Not so long ago, Sony had been quoted to say that WipEout 2048 will be the game that will sell the Vita – and they for sure weren’t lying about that. WipEout 2048 can be described in one word – amazing! Ok, let me add another word to that – beautiful! I can imagine some of you thinking, yeah yeah, it’s just WipEout and it’s nothing special – no really, go and try it – you WILL be blown away! I don’t really need to go on about how the graphics were like this and the playability was like that – it’s WipEout – you can’t go wrong with this title at all! It’s all it was meant to be – superb! Now let’s look at how the PS3 is involved here. If you’ve played WipEout before, you know that it has a huge multiplayer following. Well, imagine this – you’re playing WipEout HD on the PS3 but you’re also taking on players in the same game who are playing on the PS Vita (see image above – note the players on the right). Yes folks, cross-platform connectivity is here. If that isn’t a selling point, then I don’t know what is. So does this game make me want to go out and buy a PS Vita? Hell Yes! MotorStorm RC Evolution Studios are at it again! They had a launch day release for the PS3, and now they strike again with MotorStorm RC being their launch day game for the PS Vita! MSRC took me by surprise, and although the title should have given it away for me (RC) I was expecting something a little familiar to what I’ve been playing in the MotorStorm series for the last 5 years. With more than 100 customised cars available, which fall into categories such as Buggies, Muscle Cars, Superminis, Racing Trucks, Rally Cars, Supercars, Big Rigs and Monster Trucks, your bus journey into work is going to be more entertaining as you’ll be whistling around those crazy maps whilst hi-5′ing that old granny that is sat next to you each time you come first! With each game lasting around approximately 2 mins, you can get at least 5 – 10 games played before you hit your desk.* This is a quality, yet fun and crazy game to keep you glued to the Vita for hours! It doesn’t end there either – if you have a Vita and a PS3, you can continue your progress on the PS3 and vice versa – saving you tons of time, and generally avoiding the need to prove yourself again that you’re a MotorStorm Legend. * Depends on how long your journey to work is! Games – Overall Impression Each of the games I played tested the Vita’s functionality in one way or the other, and from 3 keys games I played, I saw some really good demos of functionality; cross-platform connectivity & continuity, motion sensors, touch-screen interaction – and I’m sure it doesn’t stop there. Once the developers get used to developing for this little beauty of a console, they’re sure to make you look and act strange in any which way they can by unlocking/packing some great interaction into their games. A major tumbs up from me from what I’ve seen. I can’t wait to see how the Vita market will be in one years time. Other Guests Other than spending lots of time playing as many games, I was eager to meet some of the other guests that were present at the party. We talked, we laughed and I made a fool of myself – quite normal for me though. 4Gamers It was an absolute pleasure to meet Tony Walton, Product Development Manager for 4Gamers, and if you haven’t heard of 4Gamers – you need to get googling now. They don’t just make accessories for every console out there – but they make THE best accessories for every console out there. After a nice long chat about 4Gamers and what they’ve got in store for the Vita, I got an opportunity to see the accessories that will be available on launch day and I also got a sneak preview of an accessory which will make your Vita look even cooler than it already does. Rather than spoil the surprise, I will be writing up a special on 4Gamers very soon. We’ll show you exactly what 4Gamers have up their sleeves for the Vita launch! Evolution Studios I also had the pleasure to chat to Paul Rustchynsky, Lead Designer at Evolution Studios, the guys (and girls) behind the ever popular MotorStorm series. I took the liberty to record the interview (clever me), which you can listen to below: Last but not least, a big shout goes out to the well dress @Keggs11, who forgot to change before he left work for the party. Now, I am led to believe that this is how all Evolution Studios staff dress when they come to work – or maybe someone was pulling my leg?!? Yep – I’ve been had, haven’t I? All in all, I’ve definitely been sold on the PS Vita. For me it’s on my shopping list – albeit it being a huge shopping list – thank you dear wife. When it comes to technology, I’m like a kid in a sweet shop. However, I’m one of those kids that are very careful with their money and make sure you’re getting your moneys worth. Then there’s the hope that my postman would just deliver a PS Vita out of nowhere – there’s always hope. We’ve seen the PS3 go from strength to strength over the last 5 years or so, expect a lot from the Vita a few years down the line! Sony have a game plan, and the Vita isn’t just going to be a PSP replacement, it seems there’s more to it than what’s been shown to us. So, the party – yes, it was a huge success! The message was sent out loud and clear, that Sony really mean business with the Vita. The console is definitely going to knock your socks off – if you wear socks that is. So, are you going to bag a PS Vita when it’s out? What are your reasons for picking one up? If you’re not getting one, other than financial constraints – why not?

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The PS Vita Rooms Party

Jak & Daxter HD Collection Footage

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:25:11 +0000

Here’s new gameplay footage of the Jak & Daxter HD Collection. While the footage in the video is of Jak II the Jak & Daxter HD Collection includes the first three games of the series, Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II and Jak 3. The Collection is set to arrive in North America on February 7th.

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Jak & Daxter HD Collection Footage

Starhawk Beta Is Going Public Tuesday Jan 17th!

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:06:10 +0000

The Starhawk beta is going public on the 17th! The public testing will allow the team to work out bugs and server issues as well as allow the public to get on what has otherwise been a closed beta up until now. Who gets in, and when? (North American Starhawk Beta schedule) PlayStation Plus January 17: All PlayStation Plus subscribers and all Private Beta participants (who haven’t erased their original Private Beta files). You can learn more about PS Plus here. Starhawk UC3 Voucher January 31: UNCHARTED 3 Beta key holders. These voucher codes were found inside of North American copies of UNCHARTED 3. FB February 7: Visit GameStop and PlayStation on Facebook and see how you can get early voucher codes. IGN February 14: IGN.com (details to be revealed soon) LOGO-PSN stacked vert pos copy copy February 21: Everyone with a PlayStation Network account…in other words, everyone who wants in, gets Beta FAQ If I was in the Private Beta, am I in the Public Beta? If you were in the Private Beta, you are in the Public Beta for the duration. DO NOT delete the Private Beta file from your PS3 or else you won’t have access. Worse, you will be…unhappy. Is this a demo? This is NOT a demo. You can expect to find bugs and the vast majority of the game features planned for the final game will not be implemented. Of course, many of you will not read this sentence and will expect the Beta to be final quality. We ask that the community help itself and remind players that this is a test. It happens to be a pretty fun test, but it is a test regardless. Keep an open mind and we’ll continue to regularly update the Beta with changes based directly on your feedback. Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to help make games? This is your chance! When does the Public Beta end? When the game is good and ready! Honestly, when we’ve learned all we can and feel we can deliver the best product to you. Basically, sometime after February 21st, BUT it’s our recommendation that you do not delay joining or you might find your window of opportunity passing you by. What’s different from the Private Beta? We’re going to reveal more about the content updates soon enough. Patience, Padawan… Will you test out the solo campaign? Nope! The Public Beta is solely based around the multiplayer experience. While we have a robust solo story campaign in the final game, we can get our testing done elsewhere for that. How do you send us feedback? This is very important…to give us feedback, please visit http://us.playstation.com/psn/ and use your PSN login to enter the Beta forums. If you are in the Beta, you can enter the forums. Remember though…with Beta testing comes Beta responsibility. We are on these forums hourly looking for bug info, so please use this. We need your help and this is the best way to give us info. Source: PlayStation.Blog

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Starhawk Beta Is Going Public Tuesday Jan 17th!

Game of Thrones RPG Trailer

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:49:25 +0000

Here is the first trailer for the upcoming RPG based on the internationally bestselling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin and critically acclaimed HBO television series, Game of Thrones. Narrated by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night’s Watch — voiced by series star James Cosmo, who also lent his likeness to the game — the new trailer (“The Wall”) introduces viewers to the bitter cold and solitude of the massive barrier of ice that stretches across the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms, protecting it from the wild lands beyond. Each member of the Night’s Watch, the order of black-garbed soldiers tasked with patrolling and guarding The Wall, must swear a solemn, life-long oath to the order, one punishable by death should it be broken. The trailer offers ample evidence of the game’s dedication to authenticity and to properly capturing the grit and drama the beloved fantasy series is famous for. Also launching today is the full official North American website for “Game of Thrones,” which guides visitors through the key locations featured in the upcoming RPG. Guests can explore and discover key characters and events that will shape their journey, as well as learn about unique game features and more. Visitors can also choose to take on mini-quests to receive web-exclusive content. The website is a must-visit for series fans and gamers eager to experience the upcoming RPG, and will reward repeat visitors as it opens new location-based sections over time. “Game of Thrones” is currently scheduled to release in early 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. For more information, visit http://gameofthrones-thegame.com . Expect frequent news updates, content additions, and more between now and the game’s release!

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Game of Thrones RPG Trailer

PS Vita Set To Launch With 25 Games

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:36:10 +0000

Sony has shared the official North American launch line up for the PS Vita. The new portable system will hit retail in the US and Canada on February 22nd packed with 25 games to choose from. Many titles will be available via retail and PSN while others, like The Escape Plan, will be downloadable only. Prices for PS Vita software will range from $9.99 to $39.99. Make the jump to see the entire list of games set to accompany the Vita. Games available at launch: Escape Plan (PSN Only) Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Hustle Kings (PSN Only) Little Deviants ModNation Racers: Road Trip Super StarDust Delta (PSN only) UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss wipEout 2048 Army Corps of Hell Asphalt Injection BEN10 GALACTIC RACING Blazblue: Continuum Shift EXTEND Dungeon Hunter Alliance Dynasty Warriors Next F1 2011 EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer Lumines Electronic Symphony Michael Jackson The Experience Plants vs. Zombies (PSN Only) Rayman Origins Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen Tales of Space: Mutant Blobs (PSN Only) Touch My Katamari Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition Games available around launch: Gravity Rush MLB 12 The Show Reality Fighters Unit 13 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention NINJA GAIDEN ∑ PLUS Ridge Racer Silent Hill Book of Memories Supremacy MMA: Unrestricted Memory cards and other system accessories will be sold separately. You can pick up the Starter Kit for $39.99 which includes a 4GB Memory Card, Pocket Pouch, Protective Film, Card Case, Headphones, and Cleaning Cloth. The Starter kit goes on sale on February 15th. Find out more by heading over to the official US PlayStation blog .

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PS Vita Set To Launch With 25 Games

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Hitting A Console Near You Next Year

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:36:41 +0000

Currently available in Arcade form across Japan and undergoing playtests in parts of North America, Namco Bandai has announced a release date for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for home consoles. The fighter is expected to debut sometime during “Holiday” 2012. Which likely means next November or December. Along with the date Namco also released a spiffy new trailer for the game.

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Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Hitting A Console Near You Next Year

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 Exclusive “Genji Bow”

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:52:36 +0000

GameStop now has another exclusive pre-order for FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. PowerUp Rewards members who pre-order FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 at GameStop will receive the exclusive “Genji Bow” weapon for Serah. “With a unique look for both its sword and bow forms, the Genji Bow allows the player to attack more frequently.” The exclusive weapon is retroactive for existing pre-orders, as long as the customer is a PowerUp Rewards member and is purchased/picked up by Feb. 2, 2012. For more information, visit: http://www.GameStop.com/finalfantasy . Players will follow Serah as she ventures through time across various worlds in search of her lost sister, Lightning. FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 is developed for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and will be available in North America on Jan. 31, 2012. Source: Press Release

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FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 Exclusive “Genji Bow”

Ni No Kuni Magical Edition Bundle

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:50:45 +0000

Alright, so Japanese gamers were treated yesterday with the latest RPG from Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, Ni No Kuni. Namco Bandai will publish the north America English version of the game, which was confirmed earlier for an early 2012 release, exclusively on the PS3. The Japanese exclusive “Magical Bundle” of Ni No Kuni was released yesterday with a 160GB PS3 in cream-white and gold , a matching Dualshock 3 controller, a copy of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and surprisingly , just like the DS version, a fantastic looking spell book . Sadly, This limited quantity bundle will cost ¥33,780 ($440) and will only be available for Japanese consumers. Well, unless you want to import one … Do you?

Soul Calibur V Collectors Edition and Pre-Order Bonus

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:06:47 +0000

What a week it was for Soul Calibur Fans. First, we had FooBear’s Live Blog coverage from the Soul Calibur V Event in San Francisco, then Sakinah confirmed Ezio as a playable guest character . Here is the first picture of Soul Calibur V Collectors Edition available Jan 31st and Feb 3rd, 2012 in North America and Europe respectively. The Collectors Edition contains: Soul Calibur V Game Artbook Parchment Letter Exclusive Book box case Making of DVD & Original Soundtrack CD Exclusive Signed Art by de development team Exclusive Dark Knight & White Knight costumes for character creation mode Namco has also unveiled that the Jack of all trades, Dampierre, a Soul Calibur character from Broken Destiny will be available as a pre-order bonus from a (still to be announced) retailer. For more information on all things Soul Calibur, stay tuned to PS3Blog.net

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Soul Calibur V Collectors Edition and Pre-Order Bonus