Personally, I think Sony was pretty weak this year. They did have some big announcements, however. Sony finally revealed the price and release date of the PS3: November 17 at a price of $499 for a twenty gig HDD and $599 for a sixty gig. A little pricey if you ask me. Sony's president, however, disagrees. He says it's too cheap. Even Microsoft's head of Marketing Peter Moore says to get an Xbox and a Wii instead of a PS3.
Sony also revealed their final controller design: exactly the same as it was for the past two systems. It is, of course, wireless, and word on the street is it's very light as well. Here's the problem I have with Sony though: they're unoriginal. They were being sued for stealing the former PS controller's duel shock technology and using it without permission. As a result, the PS3 controller no longer rumbles. So what do they put in it's place? Motion sensitivity. That's right, Sony swiped Nintendo's idea. And what do you find right in the middle of the controller? A guide button. They also announced plans for a "virtual-console" similar to the Wii's and a free online gaming service they hope to kill Xbox Live with. So far, Sony has done little to make me want to buy their product.
As for games, I thought Sony was rather weak this year. They announced GTA IV(http://ps3.ign.com/articles/706/706234p1.html) and showed of FF XIII (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/826/826843.html) and MGS 4 (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/714/714044.html), but there were few other blockbusters. There were, however, several games that have potential. One in particular, and the only one that really interests me at the moment, is Resistance: Fall of Man (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/748/748483.html). Other titles of note that were shown include: Ratchet and Clank PS3, Assassin's Creed, Heavenly Sword, and Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. Check out IGN's E3 page for more.
For the PS2, Sony had God of War II playable at their booth as well as Guitar Hero II. Sony also showed off FF XII. For the PSP, Sony showed off GTA: Vice City Stories, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, and MGS: Portable Ops. Again, be sure to check out IGN's coverage for more on these games.
All in all, like I said before, I think Sony fell a bit short this year. The competition, however, was stronger then I've ever seen.
May 13, 2006
E3 2006
posted by
Fuzunga
![](http://www.tradefair.co.uk/images/showlogo/E3%20Logo.jpg)
April 30, 2006
Huxley: possibly the most annticipated online MMORPG for the X-Box 360
posted by
Anonymous
![](http://www.2weird.co.uk/files/images/huxley/screenshots/huxley_screenshot_06.jpg)
It's no surprise that MMORPGS are going to be seen alot more on the next gen systems. However, besides Planetside, which got canceled about a year ago; there have not really been any major advancements to a first person shooter MMORPG.
Until now
Huxley is a first person MMORPG comming out for the X-box 360 and and it looks amazing.
The story line is as follows: For years now objects called Lunarites have hit the moon causing it to collide with the eart. This collision with earth causes a branch out of six different variations of humans. Trouble soon starts however when the human races of the earth don't exactly agree with each other...
Sapiens One:
These humans are the most closely related with todays modern humans. They hate all othe human races except for the Sapiens Syn who are most closely releated to them. The One only admire the Syn for there cruelty to other human species. The dream of the One are to anilate all other human races minus the syn and create the perfect world witht eh perfect human race.
Sapiens: Syn
These humans are similiar to the One with the excpetion of there slight albino features. They formed a pact with the One early one in order to avoid anilation. The Syn however are very cautious and trust no other race but themselves.
Alternative: Alteraver
These humans are best refered to as gentle giants. They are kind and warm hearted but when angered can quickly become a deadly fighting machine. Once oppressed by the One, they learned how to deal with heavy weapondry and become a poweful force to be reckoned with.
Alternative: Alternix
These humans are completly albino and make excelent assasins. They are however quiet and easily intimidated. When threated though, you can quickly find out that they have the means to kill anyone, quietly, and deadly.
Hybrid:Human+Hybrid: Monster
These are the only non playable races in the game and nothing is knows about them besides that they seek to rule the world and destroy alll other races.
Huxley will provide an arsenal of weopans for a player to wield as well as different types of vechiles the player can pilot. I will keep you updated as future information about the game comes in. However, will Huxley be the game its hyped up to be, or fall like Planetside?
-Doegab
(information retrived from www.huxleygame.com)
April 1, 2006
First Halo 3 images!
posted by
Fuzunga
Following yesterday's story about the Halo 3 release date, Bungie released today the first concept art for Halo 3! There's a lot to be learned from these pictures. First, the game will take place on multiple Halo rings. Second, for the first time, you'll be able to interract with the native creatures of the ring worlds. Third, in one of the pictures a library can be seen. Finally, you'll notice the vasat variety of enviornments you'll encounter. Ther's a desert level, an ice level guarded by giant walking sentinals, a valley, two canyons, and what appears to be a city in the clouds. It can also be seen that the game might take place on other planets as well, because a halo ring can be seen orbiting what looks to be a planet besides Earth. If these pictures are any indication, we're in for one hell of a game!
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/Ice-Ring2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/stranded2.0.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/chief%20pic%20thing.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/installationuknown2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/halo_eclipse2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/destination_halo2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/canyon_pickup2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/Ice-Ring2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/stranded2.0.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/chief%20pic%20thing.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/installationuknown2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/halo_eclipse2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/destination_halo2.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5001/723/400/deltahills2.jpg)
March 31, 2006
Halo 3 release date!
posted by
Fuzunga
According to a source close to Microsoft, who wishes to remain anonymous, Halo 3 will be released next March! This was re-confirmed by a second reliable source. Still, if Microsoft themselves or Bungie hasn't said anything this shall be regarded as a rumor. Halo 3 is expected to show up at E3 in video form.
Xboy is coming!
posted by
Fuzunga
Okay, so it's not called the Xboy (personally, I prefer Xblock) but it's coming! According to Microsoft themselves they are working on a portable gaming system to rival Apple's iPod and Sony's PSP. It'll play music, movies, and games. It's been in development since mid-2005 and is being headed by the team that made the 360. It should be available next year.
If this news is false, don't blame me.
If this news is false, don't blame me.
March 17, 2006
Quick reviews
posted by
Fuzunga
Here's some more quick reviews by Raider Bear (Again, quite old. Sorry!) :
Handheld
Mario Luigi Partners in Time: 10
Animal Crossing Wild World: 10
Viewtiful Joe Double Trouble: 10
Mario Kart DS: 10
Console
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King: 10
Gauntlet Legends 7 sorrows: 8.5
Ninja Gaiden Black: 10
Handheld
Mario Luigi Partners in Time: 10
Animal Crossing Wild World: 10
Viewtiful Joe Double Trouble: 10
Mario Kart DS: 10
Console
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King: 10
Gauntlet Legends 7 sorrows: 8.5
Ninja Gaiden Black: 10
Finally! An update!
posted by
Fuzunga
It's been a while. Too long if you ask me. Anyway, here's some (rather old) Xbox 360 game reviews by Raider Bear. They may be old, but who cares no one has a 360 anyway. Maybe these will help when we all finally get one.
Kameo: Elements of Power
Graphics: 10
Controls: 7
Synopsis: Kameo is an excellent game for the Xbox 360. It provides a new sort of game genre which merges past games like the Fable environment, crazy cool character drawings like in Oddworld Series, mythological beings like Lord of the Rings, and great game play. This is an awesome game and as I previously mentioned great gameplay. The only downside are the controls. All your actions revolve around Y, B, X to switch warriors and Rb and Lb to attack. Besides the ify controls this is a must own for Xbox 360.
FINAL VERDICT: 9.5
Gun
Graphics: 6
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Like Red Dead Revolver, excellent western shooter. The game should have been called Red Dead Revolver 2 because it is exactly like it. If you like Red Dead Revolver this game is a must buy, if you didn't avoid. This game depends on the person, I personally love it.
Final Verdict: 8
King Kong:
Graphics: SUPER 10 INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!
Controls: 9
Synopsis: WOW! First game I played for Xbox 360 and might be one of the best. I don't know how people hate this game, it is awesome. As Jack it is one of the best shooters I have ever played, and as Kong the game is just incredible. Easy controls, incredibly stunning graphics, my personal favorite.
Final Verdict: 10
Call of Duty 2
Graphics: 9
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Excellent war game, best I have ever played. I love war games and this one is awesome. Really easy controls, really brings the terror of war to life. Must have for Xbox 360.
Finaverdictct: 10
Perfect Dark: Dark Zero
Graphics: 8
Controls: 5
Synopsis: Rip Off! I do't like this game one bit, but it is still a decent shooter (lol, it plain sucks). Just like the failure of the 3rd person James Bond game this game failed. It was disappointing. It takes like fifty shots to the head to kill one guard, and like 1000 body shots to kill another guard. The controls are bad, and story makes no sense. The multiplayer is its saving grace (fooled yah, that sucks too). Save your money and wait on this game, or I'll give it to you as a present.:
Final Verdict: 5
Dead or Alive 4
One word...WOW!!!!
Graphics: 10
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Woah. Best fighting games ever. I love it and I normally hate fighting games. Another Most have for Xbox 360.
Final Verdict: 10
While I don't have an Xbox 360, I have played Call of Duty 2's multiplayer and I must say it's incredible!
Thanks again to Raider Bear for the reviews.
Kameo: Elements of Power
Graphics: 10
Controls: 7
Synopsis: Kameo is an excellent game for the Xbox 360. It provides a new sort of game genre which merges past games like the Fable environment, crazy cool character drawings like in Oddworld Series, mythological beings like Lord of the Rings, and great game play. This is an awesome game and as I previously mentioned great gameplay. The only downside are the controls. All your actions revolve around Y, B, X to switch warriors and Rb and Lb to attack. Besides the ify controls this is a must own for Xbox 360.
FINAL VERDICT: 9.5
Gun
Graphics: 6
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Like Red Dead Revolver, excellent western shooter. The game should have been called Red Dead Revolver 2 because it is exactly like it. If you like Red Dead Revolver this game is a must buy, if you didn't avoid. This game depends on the person, I personally love it.
Final Verdict: 8
King Kong:
Graphics: SUPER 10 INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!
Controls: 9
Synopsis: WOW! First game I played for Xbox 360 and might be one of the best. I don't know how people hate this game, it is awesome. As Jack it is one of the best shooters I have ever played, and as Kong the game is just incredible. Easy controls, incredibly stunning graphics, my personal favorite.
Final Verdict: 10
Call of Duty 2
Graphics: 9
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Excellent war game, best I have ever played. I love war games and this one is awesome. Really easy controls, really brings the terror of war to life. Must have for Xbox 360.
Finaverdictct: 10
Perfect Dark: Dark Zero
Graphics: 8
Controls: 5
Synopsis: Rip Off! I do't like this game one bit, but it is still a decent shooter (lol, it plain sucks). Just like the failure of the 3rd person James Bond game this game failed. It was disappointing. It takes like fifty shots to the head to kill one guard, and like 1000 body shots to kill another guard. The controls are bad, and story makes no sense. The multiplayer is its saving grace (fooled yah, that sucks too). Save your money and wait on this game, or I'll give it to you as a present.:
Final Verdict: 5
Dead or Alive 4
One word...WOW!!!!
Graphics: 10
Controls: 10
Synopsis: Woah. Best fighting games ever. I love it and I normally hate fighting games. Another Most have for Xbox 360.
Final Verdict: 10
While I don't have an Xbox 360, I have played Call of Duty 2's multiplayer and I must say it's incredible!
Thanks again to Raider Bear for the reviews.
Forerunner = next Halo!?
posted by
Fuzunga
It all started with this statement from Shane Kim at a press event announcing the game Viva Pinata : "We're not here to talk about the mythical Halo 3, as I call it". He continued by saying: "We'll be talking about anything we're doing in the Halo universe - whether that's Halo 3 as I call it or anything else - at the right time. That time will be soon."
This statement led many to believe the next game in the series would not be Halo 3. As you know, Bungie has denied the existence of Halo 3 thus far. However, an article in the new issue of Game Informer stated they know about the game. It's not Halo 3; rather it's codenamed Forerunner. Some red flags were raised being that this information was revealed in the April issue of Game Informer, but the article itself claims "(and no, this is not an April Fool's joke)". If you're interesteded in further details, check out the full article below.
Is it true that there will be no Halo 3? If you ask bungie or Microsoft the current answer will be, “Yes.” In fact, at the time of this writing, both companies have flat-out denied that Halo 3 even exists. And yet the game has not only been the constant subject of talk and rumors by both fans and the industry itself online retailers have thrown up bogus release dates from time to time to stir up the masses. How can a game that supposedly doe snot even exist be speculated about so much? We know that Bungie is working on various projects, and despite employment advertisements asking that applicatants love “combat on the high seas,” Game Informer has learned through its network of industry spy pirates that Bungie’s next release will be a Halo Xbox 360 project. However, as of now, it’s not even called Halo 3.
The relentless confusion over Halo 3 starts with the powers that be at Bungie. Shortly after the release of Halo 2, the company’s studio manager Pete Parsons told the BBC, “After Halo 2 we are planning to do something different. We will do something else and we have a few ideas.” This led the public to the logical conclusion that the next project wouldn’t be Halo-related. None other than Microsoft’s Bill Gates himself put down the gauntlet on Halo 3 and seemingly confirmed the game’s existence in the spring of 2005 when he told Time that he game would release alongisde and compete with Sony’s Playstation 3. Gates would later recant this ex act release date of the game but didn’t deny the project existed. That job has instead been left to others such as Microsoft Game Studios head Shane Kim who dubbed the game “the mythical Halo 3″ in a February update of the website Next Generation. And, of course, all the while Bungie has held the course that Halo 3 does not exist.
In its customarily clever way, Bungie is not telling a lie - it’s just not telling you the whole truth. A well-connected Game Informer source has seen this game up and running and tells us that the project is dubbed Forerunner (and no, this is not an April Fool’s joke). At this time the game is not being called Halo 3, which is perhaps how Bungie has been able to deny the existence of a title that literally bears the name “Halo 3.” Of course, when all is said in done, the game could be officially dubbed Halo 3: Forerunner or some variation thereof. It is very common for a game in development to be tagged with a temporary codename. For the time being, however, our source tells us that it’s being referred to simply as Forerunner. We contacted Microsoft about the game, but it would not comment on “rumor or speculation.”
The game is being designed around huge persistent worlds that will be created with what we’re being told as a modified Halo 2 engine. “Big” is the operative word, and many aspects of the title will be affected by the large scale of the game. For instance, Forerunner will showcase four player co-op in a move away from a strict linear single-player experience. Make no mistake about it , though, Master Chief is the game, and gamers will play as him to drive along the story. however, the world itself and the events that draw from it will be more malleable to the player and any co-op friends that join in on the action.
If you are charged to capture a weapons depot, for instance, you might not choose to do it, or may fail trying. Although our source says the game still has a definite mission structure, your failure at this particular task will mean that wh atever extra firepower may have been yours for the taking had you caputred the depot will instead strengthen your enemies from then on. This cause/effect concept applies to the game’s destructible environments as well. Of course, the philosophy is nothing new in video games, but it clearly embraces Bungie’s love of multiplayer and the lessons learned from the series’ success online. We imagine that these tidbits are surely only the tip of an iceberg that hopefully includes plans to merge the offline and online worlds together to great effect.
We’re told t he game’s storyline will delve into the origins of the Forerunners, the long-absent, technologically advanced civilization that inspired the Covenant’s Great Journy. Up to this point, the Forerunners are a mysterious element within the Halo story that has yet to be fully explained. However, the pots of Halo and Halo 2 imly taht humans, the Master Chief, and the Forerunners are linked, but with as little we know about the actual plot of this upcoming project, we don’t know how everything is going to fit together. Although our source has seen the Chief in action, even his presence could only be half the truth. After all, this is from the company that surprised everyone with the introduction of the Arbiter as a playable character in Halo 2.
Bungie’s denials that Hlo 3 exists have led fans to surmise that he compnay says so simply because the next Halo project doesn’t involve an actual halo, unlike the first two titles. That would make sense, given what our source has told us regarding the game’s focus on the Forerunners. However, that does not preclude the title from picking up where Halo 2 tantalizingly ended - with the M aster Chief returning to Earth with a mandate to kick some ***.
The project could also be aligned with the Halo movie s cheduled for release in the summer of 2007, which has Peter Jackson at the helm as executive producer. Our source tells us that he film will be based on the book Halo: THe Fall of Reach, chronicling a time leading up to the first game. If the mysterious Forerunner project is in fact related to the movie, then perhaps the video game’s title could not only refer to the civilization, but to the game being a prequel set during the early part of humanity’s war with the Covenant.
Clearly there are more questions remaining than have been answered with the information we’ve brought to light. Does this Forerunner project actually mean there won’t be a legitimate Halo 3? Could there be a game called Forerunner and an entirely other project entitled Halo 3? What if Forerunner is simply a side project meant to explorer storyline t angentswithin the Halo universe? If “Forrunner” is indeed the actual name of the game our source has seen, and not simply a temporary codename, we can’t imagine a Halo product leaving Bungie’s doors without a Microsoft marketing executive slapping the word “Halo” somewhere on the box for maximum effect.
As always in the development process, there are myriad aspects that can change at any moment. But for the time being, our source has assured as that the tantalizing snippets that have come our way are indeed true. Whether or not they point to the whole truth is something we won’t know until Microsoft pulls back the curtain on the project at E3. Bungie clearly delights in winding up the public, so we wouldn’t at all be surprised if what we know now are merely isolated pieces of a larger puzzle that Bungie has cleverly constructed. Regardless, any project from the developer is a big deal and one that’s guaranteed to get fans excited, regardless of what it’s finally called.
This statement led many to believe the next game in the series would not be Halo 3. As you know, Bungie has denied the existence of Halo 3 thus far. However, an article in the new issue of Game Informer stated they know about the game. It's not Halo 3; rather it's codenamed Forerunner. Some red flags were raised being that this information was revealed in the April issue of Game Informer, but the article itself claims "(and no, this is not an April Fool's joke)". If you're interesteded in further details, check out the full article below.
Is it true that there will be no Halo 3? If you ask bungie or Microsoft the current answer will be, “Yes.” In fact, at the time of this writing, both companies have flat-out denied that Halo 3 even exists. And yet the game has not only been the constant subject of talk and rumors by both fans and the industry itself online retailers have thrown up bogus release dates from time to time to stir up the masses. How can a game that supposedly doe snot even exist be speculated about so much? We know that Bungie is working on various projects, and despite employment advertisements asking that applicatants love “combat on the high seas,” Game Informer has learned through its network of industry spy pirates that Bungie’s next release will be a Halo Xbox 360 project. However, as of now, it’s not even called Halo 3.
The relentless confusion over Halo 3 starts with the powers that be at Bungie. Shortly after the release of Halo 2, the company’s studio manager Pete Parsons told the BBC, “After Halo 2 we are planning to do something different. We will do something else and we have a few ideas.” This led the public to the logical conclusion that the next project wouldn’t be Halo-related. None other than Microsoft’s Bill Gates himself put down the gauntlet on Halo 3 and seemingly confirmed the game’s existence in the spring of 2005 when he told Time that he game would release alongisde and compete with Sony’s Playstation 3. Gates would later recant this ex act release date of the game but didn’t deny the project existed. That job has instead been left to others such as Microsoft Game Studios head Shane Kim who dubbed the game “the mythical Halo 3″ in a February update of the website Next Generation. And, of course, all the while Bungie has held the course that Halo 3 does not exist.
In its customarily clever way, Bungie is not telling a lie - it’s just not telling you the whole truth. A well-connected Game Informer source has seen this game up and running and tells us that the project is dubbed Forerunner (and no, this is not an April Fool’s joke). At this time the game is not being called Halo 3, which is perhaps how Bungie has been able to deny the existence of a title that literally bears the name “Halo 3.” Of course, when all is said in done, the game could be officially dubbed Halo 3: Forerunner or some variation thereof. It is very common for a game in development to be tagged with a temporary codename. For the time being, however, our source tells us that it’s being referred to simply as Forerunner. We contacted Microsoft about the game, but it would not comment on “rumor or speculation.”
The game is being designed around huge persistent worlds that will be created with what we’re being told as a modified Halo 2 engine. “Big” is the operative word, and many aspects of the title will be affected by the large scale of the game. For instance, Forerunner will showcase four player co-op in a move away from a strict linear single-player experience. Make no mistake about it , though, Master Chief is the game, and gamers will play as him to drive along the story. however, the world itself and the events that draw from it will be more malleable to the player and any co-op friends that join in on the action.
If you are charged to capture a weapons depot, for instance, you might not choose to do it, or may fail trying. Although our source says the game still has a definite mission structure, your failure at this particular task will mean that wh atever extra firepower may have been yours for the taking had you caputred the depot will instead strengthen your enemies from then on. This cause/effect concept applies to the game’s destructible environments as well. Of course, the philosophy is nothing new in video games, but it clearly embraces Bungie’s love of multiplayer and the lessons learned from the series’ success online. We imagine that these tidbits are surely only the tip of an iceberg that hopefully includes plans to merge the offline and online worlds together to great effect.
We’re told t he game’s storyline will delve into the origins of the Forerunners, the long-absent, technologically advanced civilization that inspired the Covenant’s Great Journy. Up to this point, the Forerunners are a mysterious element within the Halo story that has yet to be fully explained. However, the pots of Halo and Halo 2 imly taht humans, the Master Chief, and the Forerunners are linked, but with as little we know about the actual plot of this upcoming project, we don’t know how everything is going to fit together. Although our source has seen the Chief in action, even his presence could only be half the truth. After all, this is from the company that surprised everyone with the introduction of the Arbiter as a playable character in Halo 2.
Bungie’s denials that Hlo 3 exists have led fans to surmise that he compnay says so simply because the next Halo project doesn’t involve an actual halo, unlike the first two titles. That would make sense, given what our source has told us regarding the game’s focus on the Forerunners. However, that does not preclude the title from picking up where Halo 2 tantalizingly ended - with the M aster Chief returning to Earth with a mandate to kick some ***.
The project could also be aligned with the Halo movie s cheduled for release in the summer of 2007, which has Peter Jackson at the helm as executive producer. Our source tells us that he film will be based on the book Halo: THe Fall of Reach, chronicling a time leading up to the first game. If the mysterious Forerunner project is in fact related to the movie, then perhaps the video game’s title could not only refer to the civilization, but to the game being a prequel set during the early part of humanity’s war with the Covenant.
Clearly there are more questions remaining than have been answered with the information we’ve brought to light. Does this Forerunner project actually mean there won’t be a legitimate Halo 3? Could there be a game called Forerunner and an entirely other project entitled Halo 3? What if Forerunner is simply a side project meant to explorer storyline t angentswithin the Halo universe? If “Forrunner” is indeed the actual name of the game our source has seen, and not simply a temporary codename, we can’t imagine a Halo product leaving Bungie’s doors without a Microsoft marketing executive slapping the word “Halo” somewhere on the box for maximum effect.
As always in the development process, there are myriad aspects that can change at any moment. But for the time being, our source has assured as that the tantalizing snippets that have come our way are indeed true. Whether or not they point to the whole truth is something we won’t know until Microsoft pulls back the curtain on the project at E3. Bungie clearly delights in winding up the public, so we wouldn’t at all be surprised if what we know now are merely isolated pieces of a larger puzzle that Bungie has cleverly constructed. Regardless, any project from the developer is a big deal and one that’s guaranteed to get fans excited, regardless of what it’s finally called.
March 15, 2006
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