- Reviews
Mafia II: Jimmy’s Vendetta Review: Sand And Fury
Mafia II’s release was clouded by confusion over what “open-world” really meant. Some assumed it meant “sandbox,” where Mafia II was anything but. Jimmy’s Vendetta, the game’s first batch of downloadable content offers more of what some had been expecting. That means no Vito, no Henry, no Joe Barbaro. Instead you’re Jimmy, a former mob…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
Halo: Reach Done
To: Ash From: Crecente I spent today, a full work day, playing through Halo: Reach beginning to end. I’ll have the review up tomorrow night when the embargo lifts. That’s alls I can say and I can’t says no more. What you missed: The Leather Couches, Surround Sound and Big Screens of Nintendo’s Airstream What…
By Brian Crecente Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
NBA 2K11’s Demo Is Out Next Week; Halftime Show Confirmed
2K Sports is publishing its NBA 2K11 demo on Tuesday, three weeks in advance of the game’s Oct. 5 drop. The publisher has normally waited until much closer to launch to release a demo. The demo is available on Sept. 14 for the 360 and PS3 over their download services. Players will get a single…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedMy Favorite Moment In Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
My favorite moment in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is a cameo by a very special alternate universe version of Spider-Man. Don’t click play if you don’t want to spoil the surprise! I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for this particular version of Spider-Man. Maybe I’m just a sucker for this sort of thing.…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
An Ewok, Guile And A Moogle Try Motion Gaming
Some people look amazingly cool when they try upcoming PlayStation 3 motion game Kung Fu Live. They step in front of the PlayStation Eye and do their kung fu moves with panache. But how do cosplayers look? [UPDATED with more!] See more of these sights — including some people who do look cooler while playing…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
How Health Works In Diablo III
Think you can just stock up on healing potions to keep your character alive in Diablo III? Think again. Blizzard has released an in-depth guide to how health and healing help promote strategic play in the eagerly anticipated sequel. Sure there are potions in Diablo III, but they are both rare and on a timer,…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
Frank West Takes A Trip To Fortune City For Dead Rising 2
A blurry “photo” that’s appeared on Dead Rising 2’s Tape It Or Die blog shows the game’s protagonist Chuck Greene getting a little help from a journalist who has been known to cover wars. While it’s pretty difficult to tell from the screenshot, we’re pretty sure that blurry guy busting heads with Chuck is none…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
When Dragons Happen To Good People
Dragons can be good guys. One fire-breathing flying lizard can be if you’re the dragon. In Hoard, princesses and happy towns are on the wrong side of history. The Penny Arcade Expo was in overtime last Sunday when I reached the folks at Big Sandwich games and convinced them to ignore any approaching forklifts. I…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
Am I in Tokyo? Or am I in London? Have I traveled to the future? Perhaps playing the time-bending Professor Layton and the Unwound Future while crossing the international date line, messing with my internal clock wasn’t wise. But play my very first Professor Layton game I will this weekend. I’ll play it while on…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
A Tron Take On Wii Sports
Me to the lady showing the new Tron game for Wii this past weekend: “Don’t you think a reporter would have a more favorable impression if you let him win?” Lady to me: “This makes it more memorable.” Who knew that Tron was made for trash-talking? Tron Evolution: Battle Grids, the Tron game for Wii…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010 - Reviews
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions Review: Broken Mirrors
What could be better than a video game featuring the amazing Spider-Man? How about a video game featuring four amazing Spider-Men? The Tablet of Order and Chaos has been shattered, and the Spider-Men from four different dimensions must act together to retrieve it before reality completely unravels. Rather than the free-roaming sandbox Spider-Man games of…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedRock Band 3 DS: It’s Like Rock Band Meets Tapper
The latest version of Rock Band to come to the DS doesn’t just deliver a stripped down, button-tapping version of the popular console game, it also seems to find some inspiration from a classic 80s arcade game. I loved Tapper when it hit arcades in the early 80s. In the game you had to move…
By Brian Crecente Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
Box Art From The Past For A Video Game From The Future
If the impressions and video we ran of Retro City Rampage yesterday didn’t send the message that the upcoming downloadable console game is a love letter to gaming past, then perhaps these official promotional boxes will?
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedGimli And Samwise Talk Lord Of The Rings: Aragorn’s Quest
“My name is John-Rhys Davies and I play the role of Gimli in this splendid game, Aragorn’s Quest.” I don’t know about you guys, but I’m sold. I love John-Rhys Davies’ voice. I’ve loved it since I first saw him in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and while the actor himself might not have the…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
How To Beat Three People At Civilization V Multiplayer
Strangely-detailed hypothetical situation: You are a video game reporter, you have an early build of Civilzation V and you have a couple of hours to play the game against three people. You’re playing as the Arabs, at Prince difficulty. You will start slowly. But you will win. You will begin the match late. It’s your…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010 - Uncategorized
Vehicular Combat Plus Zombies Equals Blood Drive
Armed and armored vehicles do battle in a post-apocalyptic wasteland while laying waste to hordes of zombie strippers in Blood Drive, coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this November from Activision Publishing. To be fair, it’s not just zombie strippers. There’s also undead frat boy, cops, and “bachelorette partiers” roaming the streets as…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedNine Minutes With Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Insomniac Games’ North Carolina studio director Chad Dezern walks us through nine minutes of gameplay footage from the upcoming four-player co-op Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, showing us creative ways to hurt our friends. We can pretend that Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, introduced at GamesCom last month, is all about cooperation. It…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedThe Flower Fields and UFOs of Kirby’s Epic Yarn
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. From the second I picked up the Wii Remote and turned it sideways to start playing through the Flower Fields level of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, there was something familiar about the look of the game. Mr. Rogers? I asked tentatively of the Nintendo rep working his way through the…
By Brian Crecente Published September 10, 2010 -
UncategorizedHere Is Halo Reach: Briefcase Edition
We got Halo Reach in a silver briefcase today. I took it to the roof for an unbriefcasing video, guest-starring the distant Empire State Building and a blimp. This is really just the standard edition plus doodads plus briefcase. You can’t buy the briefcase edition, because it’s just a mailing method for press, to get…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 10, 2010