Friday 18 February 2011

Capcom Tells You How To Not Suck At Marvel vs Capcom 3!

By Mark

Having some trouble with Marvel vs Capcom 3? Capcom have put out a list of tips courtesy of Leo Tan who has a bit of a reputation for being pretty good at the series. Speaking with the official playstation blog he gave gamers some tips and overviews.

The advice he gives is as follows:

1. Take the time to mess around with all the different characters. Some of the characters that have never been in a fighting game before have some really interesting moves, and even characters that you think you know inside out - like Ryu - have something new to play around with. Experiment so that you know you have the right team.

2. Don't be afraid to use Simple Mode. It may make inputs easier, but winning a game of Marvel Vs Capcom 3 isn't about who can do the most complicated moves, it's about strategy and tactics.

3. It's ok to block sometimes. Honestly. If you never block, you'll never beat somebody who does block. Not losing health is as important as dealing damage. And since you're blocking...

4. Use Advancing Guard! It's easy to forget it's there as an option when you start out. Just press the attack buttons when you're already blocking and you'll push your opponent away. Advancing Guard is a great way to make some space when your opponent is attacking relentlessly.

5. Don't mash! It's easier said than done, but if you don't stop mashing, you'll never learn how to play fighting games. It's like that eureka moment when you suddenly realise that you have to brake early in Gran Turismo to get round a corner; that temporary sacrifice of instant gratification opens up an entire genre of gaming to you. And there's never been a better time to get into fighting games. Instead, learn the basic Light Mid Heavy chain. Almost all the characters can use it to link into pretty much anything. It's easy to do, and is a good replacement for the mashing that you've just given up.




6. Learn the timing for launching. The trick is to jump IMMEDIATELY after hitting the S button. And don't forget to combo in the air.

7. Don't be intimidated by Mission Mode. They're meant to span the entire range of skills a good MvC3 player will have after extended play. If you only make it to the third or fourth mission, don't be disheartened. You'll be surprised how soon you'll be coming back to smash previously insurmountable walls.

8. Don't rage quit! It will increase a hidden rating you have that increases your chances of meeting other people that rage quit. Which, I guess, is fine if you don't mind playing with dishonourable people.

9. Have fun! It's easy to get involved in discussions on which character is the best, and to feel that your character choice is one of the weaker ones. Remember, 'tiering', as it's called, is determined by tournament players, and you might not even be able to take advantage of the things they're doing with a certain character to make them top tier. Make your choices based on characters that you like, both from how they play and how they look. In the end you'll enjoy your game more and who knows, maybe one day you'll become the player people associate with that character. Many players make a name for themselves by playing with 'weaker' characters.

10. And finally, always make sure your team synchronise their outfits. Red Hulk with red She Hulk and Viewtiful Joe makes a great team. So does Captain America, Chun Li and blue Iron Man. If you're not colour co-ordinated, you're nothing.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River Gameplay and Release Date

By Mark

Codemasters have put out a new trailer for Operation Flashpoint: Red River that features never before seen gameplay footage. I have to say that the gameplay itself looks alot smoother this time around whe compared to 2009's Dragon Rising. We also hear the thoughts and opinions of an in game character from the south of America named Cpl. Ryan Balletto and how he plans to earn the respect of both friend and foe.

As for the release date Europe can expect it on the 21st April and North America can look for it on the 26th.

Dead Island is back!

By Mark

Now this was a surprise indeed when a new trailer started floating around for Dead Island which was in itself thought to be dead by many. The game was being developed by Techland who are known for their work on the Call of Juarez series and this is more surprising as the developer announced Call of Juarez: The Cartel not long ago.

The reason the title was put on hold was due to a lack of publisher but now Deep Silver have come to the rescue, as for who they are the most recent title they published was nail'd.

So now the game is back on track for a release later this year on PS3, 360 and PC and it's a little hard not to get excited, as far as the slew of zombie related titles released these days, Dead Island could be one that really stands out. An fps survival action affair on an island full of zombies? We're in. Check the trailer below from our youtube page and feel free to comment!

Thursday 17 February 2011

First Castlevania DLC Delayed

By Mark

'Reverie', the first planned DLC pack to launch for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has just been delayed until next month according to the game's Facebook page.
"DLC Update: 'Reverie' is swinging into March. Our apologies for the delay but it's going to be worth it!"
That's what we're told about the delay as for information on the DLC itself, Reverie will see Gabriel return to the castle in order to help Laura the former servant to the vampire Carmilla, in destroying an evil that was previously kept held back by the recently slain Queen. The second addon will be called 'Resurrection' and features Gabriel in "a final showdown with a very notorious enemy".

It's only an extra month so not long to wait right?

New RAGE Trailer Shows Fresh Gameplay

By Mark

iD Software and Bethesda have put out a relatively short trailer for RAGE which contains new gameplay footage albeit not much.

We also get given another look at the types of environments to be expected in the game all of which keep in line with the post apocalyptic aesthetic. Add into this a huge creature at the end of the video and we have ourselves a little more excitement.

According to the trailer we're still looking at a September 13th release date.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent Headed to Boxes

By Mark


Frictional Games used to be known for their work on the Penumbra series that were physics based survival horror games and last year they launched their latest title Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The game is very similar to the developers' last work in terms of genre but it still holds as a great game and shows that Frictional have every reason to stick around making players terrified.

Until now the game was only available via digital download however THQ are planning to release the title at retail this year in the US and while no word on a European release has been given yet, it's probably safe to say that it'll come at some point. As for pricing? It'll be $20.

Source - GameInformer

Wednesday 16 February 2011

inFamous 2 Video Interview

By Mark

Over at the official PlayStation blog there has been a video interview released for inFamous 2 that futher explain the morality system that is in place within the game.

Aside from going for the more intricate details of our good and evil we also get told some information about why Cole has added weaponry to his arsenal and more details on the environments within the game. We also meet Greg from Sucker Punch.

Director of Warhawk Teases Latest Sony Title

By Mark


LightBox Interactive presidant and director of Warhawk Dylan Jobe has been hinting that the studios latest title that is in development for Sony is now close to being revealed.

He describes the events on twitter:

"Last couple weeks have been spent cranking on builds for SONY. Lots of good play-tests and game improvements.

"Keeping the new game under wraps for this long is tough, and very hard on our fans. But will be worth it all in the end!!

He also went on to say "Fans deserve real game footage and not a BS pre-rendered trailer," "That's tricky 'cause pre-rendered trailers are much "safer" to do.

"But all the investment and time in the game itself is ultimately the right direction. For the product *and* for the fans!"

So as you can see they appear to hard at work indeed and in no desire to rush the project they're developing for the PlayStation platform.   

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Mortal Kombat – Noob Saibot Reveal Trailer

 By Jonny



A brand new character reveal trailer for Mortal Kombat has been unleashed upon us today showcasing an old favourite of the series Noob Saibot. The trailer gives us plenty of gameplay action and shows of some of Saibot’s special abilities including a grey clone, smoky teleportation and the ability to make the enemy vomit, which is just about the best ablilty in the world… right?

For the eagle eyed among you, if you watch the trailer closely enough you will see a host of other charcarters that have also yet to be revealed one of which being the white haired Sindel at around the 50 second mark.

Check out the trailer to see Saibot in action and see how exactly he makes someone puke. Mortal Kombat is out on 18th April so be sure to grab your preorder now or opt for the special edition if you would like that lovely statue at the end of the trailer.


Crytek reaffirm PC commitment

By Mark


Despite a pretty much complete build of Crysis 2 leaking on the PC more than a month before it's scheduled release date Crytek have spoke out not to show more frustration at the situation but rather to reaffirm their dedication to the platform.

Cevat Yerli of Crytek has spoken to the community via the official forums and has said that the loyal fans of both the developer and the platform shouldn't fear a lack of interest from Crytek. The statement reads:
As you all have heard by now, an early, incomplete build of Crysis 2 has been leaked online. While we are deeply disappointed by these events, we are all completely overwhelmed by the support we have received from you, our community.

Despite this unfortunate incident, we can assure you that PC gaming is very important to us and will always be important to Crytek in the future. We are all still focused on delivering a great gaming experience to our true and honest fans. I hope you will enjoy Crysis 2 on PC, as we think it is our best PC game yet!

We appreciate all of your continued support, and look forward to playing online with you soon!

Thank you,
Cevat Yerli"
So there you have it folks, expect more love and affection from Crytek as per usual. Crysis 2 launches on March 25th.

Final Roster for Marvel vs Capcom 3

By Mark

Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds released in the US today and will be hitting the UK this friday so with that in mind Capcom have put out a new video to give us a full look at the final roster.

Keep in mind that this video goes through the characters at breakneck speed so keep an eye out in case you miss any. Looking forward to the game? Let us know.

Crysis 2 campaign trailer

By Mark

Crytek and EA have put out yet another new video this time in the form of a trailer showcasing the campaign of Crysis 2.

We get to see the Earth in a pretty tight spot with freak weather conditions and even a virus spreading throughout New York. The struggle gets labelled as a war that humans cannot win and that's when we the players step in with the nanosuit.

Look out for the title on March 25th on the PS3, 360 and PC.

Monday 14 February 2011

Can 'Bad' Games Be Good?

By Mark

With games there are those that are objectively good and others objectively bad and with certain titles there’s just no denying that the actual ‘game’ component of the title is dismal regardless of whether you enjoyed it or not. But then that’s what I’m considering in this musing, can a game be bad yet still be an entertaining experience overall? Of course they can.

So bad it's good?
The most recent example of this is possibly the title Deadly Premonition which was developed by Access Games and released to incredibly mixed reviews but the rallying cry from most was that it was ‘so bad it’s good’. While only having played the title myself for a short while it was clear that the game was an example of a title where one had to almost ignore the gameplay itself and push on in hope that the narrative experience continues to deliver. I won’t say that the gameplay itself was truly awful but the action sequences where heavy handed as were the controls and it’s clear the production values simply aren’t there with weak looking presentation, although that may have helped its case.

So why then do people claim the title to be a good ride if not for the gameplay which is what all games should primarily nail down? The reason is that games can offer us that which other entertainment forms don’t do all that well and that’s interactive experiences. Deadly Premonition offered players a  strange and enticing land that was filled with weird and peculiar characters right from the word go with little information or explanation given to us as players and it’s occurrences such as these that have the ability to make you overlook the bad and focus on the enjoyment to be had. 


Another example of a game that was labelled as ‘bad’ by many was the RPG title developed by Obsidian ‘Alpha Protocol’. Now if you’ve been reading my work for a while now you may have seen my review on the title last year where I praised it for being rather enjoyable as a role-playing title despite having somewhat lacklustre gameplay. I can talk more comfortably about Alpha Protocol as I recently got through with a second play through just to see if I could find the same enjoyment I experienced when I was first exposed to the title and surprisingly I did. 

Sure, it was a title that if you lined up a perfect head shot you could miss just because the ‘dice’ say so and yes it should have played more like a third person shooter with its RPG elements infused but as it was I still enjoyed it greatly. This was purely based on some of the characters and role-playing elements as the game did indeed do it’s best to make you feel like an espionage agent albeit with bad shooting, laughable crouch animations and bland visuals. 

They are just two examples from myself so what about you folks? What games have you played that are objectively bad but you found yourself loving? Games like NIER spring to mind but I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Halo: Reach 'Defiant' Map Pack Trailer

By Mark


Over on the official Facebook page for Xbox 360 a trailer has been released for the latest DLC to head to Halo: Reach which is named 'Defiant'.

The released video showcases maps called Condemned and Highlands, with the former being set on an orbital station high above the planet's surface and the latter located in a training facility found deep in the forest lands. These new maps will offer both competitive play and firefight variants to add to your reasons for picking it up and with all the additions and changes sure to be made by the community in forge who can complain?

The pack will be a cool 800 Microsoft Points and land sometime in March, will update with a specific day when we know.

LittleBigPlanet 2 Custom Campaign Coming Courtesy of Community

By Mark


Now, heavily 'C' filled headline aside word has reached us that a custom campaign designed entirely by a community team will be coming to Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet 2. 

The idea for this came about when the Community Molecule set a challenge to create a 'full game experience' that included an original story, mini-games, bosses, cutscenes, music, and voices. The result of which is a package to be entitled 'Hansel and Gretelbot'.


Media Molecule said about the project:
"The team was gathered, designs were drawn up, themes were picked and building began, now several months later they are very nearly ready to launch their project for you to play!"
While no word has been given on how we'll come to experience Hansel and Gretelbot I'd imagine it'll be a free package released either as DLC or on the usual means of playing community levels. Either way once there is an official statement you'll know.

Mirror's Edge 2 Development Stalled

By Mark

Those of you that enjoyed the DICE title Mirror's Edge (myself included) may have to wait even longer for the long proposed sequel to the 2008 free running action affair. 

Speaking with Swedish website Press2Play, Patrick Soderlund of DICE reconfirmed that while a sequel was indeed in the works it has now been 'stalled' despite the game even being showcased internally at EA. The stall is due to the fact that the teams involved with the game have been moved over to another project for the time being. 

No word was given on what the other project is but nevertheless the fact is that Mirror's Edge 2 will take just 'that' bit longer to arrive. Thoughts?

Source - Press2Play