Goldeneye. The name alone conjures images of four (often more) warm bodies crowded around a single television set, thrilled by the concept of gunning down their friends for the fifth hour running.

Perhaps this isn’t your experience with the game, and you enjoyed it more as a counterpart to one of Bond’s strongest cinematic offerings, engaging in espionage action as only Ian Fleming’s famous gentleman spy could. Regardless of how you enjoyed Goldeneye back when it was released in 1997 (and Activision is betting that you enjoyed the hell out of it), Eurocom’s new reinvention of the Goldeneye name lives up to the spirit of Rare’s revolutionary console shooter, even if the execution sometimes falls short.

Goldeneye 007: Reloaded is a high-def port of 2010’s Goldeneye 007 for the Wii, which updated the game’s story and gameplay while staying true to what makes Bond different from other action heroes. Eurocom also overhauled the multiplayer, adding online competition to the first game’s fabled split-screen, bringing new modes into the mix while retaining other established classics. It was a highly praised bit of software when it was released, and Reloaded is a great opportunity for non-Wii owners to experience one the best Bond games in recent years.


Penned by Bruce Feirstein, co-writer of the original 1995 film, Reloaded’s story is an updated take on Bond’s attempts to stop terrorists from acquiring and using a weaponised satellite, the titular Goldeneye. Much of the narrative remains true to the movie, though changes have been made; the plot no longer involves the Soviet Union, for example, and there are many more references to today’s political landscape. It’s a clever remix of the fresh and familiar, and remains a satisfying tale with only a few small holes (Reloaded ditches the 9-year gap present in the original movie, making some character motivations a bit murky).

Gameplay is better in line with modern shooting conventions; Bond uses ironsights to aim his weapons, and only carries two armaments at once, though he also keeps his signature Walther P99 on him at all times. Where Goldeneye 007: Reloaded diverges from contemporary shooters is in its mission structure. Throughout the game, Bond is given objectives to complete, with additional tasks added on higher difficulty levels, ranging from photographing evidence to destroying arms caches. The emphasis on accomplishing more than simple survival helps Reloaded to feel less like a corridor-shooting simulator, and more like an actual secret mission.


Another way Goldeneye 007: Reloaded stands out from the modern FPS pack is in its emphasis on stealth. Bond is a covert agent, after all, and the game gives him many opportunities to use sneakiness over brute force, taking out enemies using silenced weaponry and avoiding detection where he can. It’s a fun way to mix up the bog standard shoot-all-the-baddies scenario, and several achievements and trophies are awarded for completing levels without being detected. In many cases, stealth can be the preferable option; if detected, enemy soldiers call in about half a regiment's worth of reinforcements, all exhibiting much higher levels of AI than regular guards, and more than happy to flush you out with grenades or flank your position. In this way, Reloaded strikes a favourable balance between action and stealth, allowing stealth aficionados a chance to sneak around to their heart’s content, while always offering an option to go balls-out if the player so chooses.

Bond’s mission takes him from Dubai, to St. Petersburg, to the infamous dam from the first game, and most of the areas are pleasing to the eye, though not the best-looking of 2011. Reloaded is never quite successful at hiding its Wii origins, and many levels lack the polish found in today’s graphically heavy blockbusters, like Uncharted or Battlefield. Still, the game's environments often show several nice artistic flourishes, like the constant snowfall in Severnaya, or the mountain overlooks in Nigeria. Goldeneye 007: Reloaded also updates the original game's cast, replacing Pierce Brosnan with Daniel Craig, and Sean Bean’s Trevelyan with, oddly, Ptolemy from Alexander. It seems like somewhat of a step down for me, but the cast is fairly on-point throughout, especially Craig and the ever-reliable Dame Judi Dench, who provides the voice work for M during mission briefings.


The single-player mode is quite good, but the multiplayer is truly what made the first game shine, and while Goldeneye 007: Reloaded doesn’t do anything to dethrone the reigning champions of the genre, it’s still a hell of a lot of fun. Four-player split-screen is as addictive as ever, and online has expanded to sixteen-player skirmishes, making every match frantic and intense. Reloaded’s multiplayer eschews weapon pick-ups for customisable loadouts, giving players an incentive to unlock weapons and add-ons, but taking away from the strategy of finding placements for the best guns. Reloaded also brings back old favourite modes, like 'Man With the Golden Gun' or 'You Only Live Twice', placing them alongside game types found in other shooters (King of the Hill, Conquest, etc.). Good luck finding anyone who wants to play anything besides Team Deathmatch online, though.

Reloaded could easily have been a nostalgic cash-grab, using the Goldeneye name to prop up a flimsy game for easy money. Not so; Goldeneye 007: Reloaded is a fun, modern take on the Nintendo 64 classic, and while it's unlikely that this new version will become as infamous as its forebearer, it’s a fun throwback, and a reminder of how satisfying a game protagonist Bond can be.

8/10 [?]

Labels: Activision, Andrew Testerman, Bond, Eurocom, Goldeneye, Goldeneye 007: Reloaded, PlayStation 3, Review, Xbox 360

I think the first time I tried to move the TV remote solely using the power of my mind was when I was about eight years old.

I’ve been dreaming of becoming one of Marvel Comics’ ‘mutants’ ever since. I would join the X-Men and become a hero, and be utterly and unapologetically awesome. Alas, it turns out that telekinesis is not one of my god-given talents; at least, not yet. In the meantime, I am left to live out my super-heroic dreams through comics, movies, and games. X-Men Destiny promised to be a cause for celebration for me and my inner eight-year-old, but, regrettably, the celebration consisted of a couple of awkward high-fives instead of the tribal comic geek dance that we had been anticipating.

X-Men: Destiny seems promising enough, as it sets out to tread the ground so many X-Men games before it have surprisingly ignored. Instead of letting you play as an established mutant hero or villain, the game casts you as a new mutant in the Marvel Universe, and allows you to choose your alliances, siding either with the X-Men or the Brotherhood of Mutants. This is a seriously great idea; what better way is there to get the wannabe mutants of the world to identify with a game character, than to let us play through our very own origin story? Sadly, although the premise is full of promise, the execution is a strictly mediocre affair.


The game starts off at a San Francisco peace rally, hosted by the government’s Mutant Response Division, the X-Men and the Mayor. All of the involved parties are hoping to quell the rising tensions between mutants and humans, as relations have hit an all-time low following a series of natural disasters, for which mutants have been scapegoated. Add to that the death of Professor Charles Xavier, and the disbandment of the X-Men, and things look pretty grim. As you can expect, the rally does not go as planned, as an apparent mutant attack sends the masses running for the hills. You stand somewhere in that panicking crowd and, as all hell breaks loose around you, your mutant powers manifest themselves for the very first time. The story offers several predictable twists and turns, but, for the most part, it isn’t half bad. X-Men Destiny offers up a true comic book yarn, which could have been pulled straight out of one of Marvel’s books. So what’s the problem? Well, the problem is the way the game wants you to believe the choices you make have some kind of effect on the story, when, in fact, they don’t.

See, at the beginning of the game, you’re prompted to choose between one of three characters: Aimi Yoshida, a young and spunky Japanese refugee; Grant Alexander, a football jock with a college scholarship (and, if you’re wondering, he is indeed a total douche); and Adrian Luca, who, as the son of a human supremacist, is arguably the most interesting of the three characters. Choosing who you play as is the first 'false' choice that the game presents you with, because the characters are so poorly developed that, regardless of who you choose, your experience with the game will be largely unchanged. Sure, Grant hits on any female character he can find, and Adrian has some serious daddy issues which pop up occasionally, but other than that, the game doesn’t really make you feel like you’re having substantially different experiences.

The same can be said of your choices of alignment with either the X-Men or the Brotherhood. Throughout the game you’ll encounter several well-known Brotherhood and X-Men members, many of whom will ask you for help with various missions and attempt to sway you towards their cause. As a fan of the comics, fighting beside Emma Frost was very different from fighting alongside Mystique, but for the casual gamer, I’m not quite sure the difference will register, largely because the game fails to make the missions offered by both sides feel any different. Most missions task you with taking out a given number of enemies, and regardless of who you fight alongside, you’ll smash through the same faceless lackeys and ultimately head towards the same goal. Having played through the campaign aligned with both the X-Men and the Brotherhood, it was utterly disappointing to choose differently only to find that I ended up taking on exactly the same mission that I had completed before. Talk about lazy game design.


As for the gameplay, X-Men Destiny promises to make me feel like a powerhouse of a mutant, and for the most part, I’m going to go ahead and confirm that this is achieved. Although the game is mostly a button masher, I must admit I did enjoy mashing said buttons, mainly due to the different ways that the game allows you to customise your mutant and his or her powers. At the start of the game, you’ll be asked to choose between three different power sets: density control, which will turn you into a brawler with the ability to encase yourself in obsidian stone; shadow matter, which will allow you to pull off some very acrobatic and quick moves (think a badass Nightcrawler); or energy projection, which will have you shooting shiny lights from your hands that blow stuff up real good. Each power set comes with a branching skill tree, which allows you to upgrade your powers with new combos and abilities, all pretty standard stuff. The real treats, though, are offered up by the X-Genes.

X-Genes are power-ups and upgrades you are awarded with upon completing missions. Think of them as genetic material belonging to your favourite X-Men characters, which you can equip to your character. There are three different types of X-Genes: offensive, which grant special attributes to your attacks; defensive, which ramp up your evasion skills and defensive capabilities; and utility, mostly passive abilities or movement upgrades, which grant you the power of flight or super-speed. If you’re playing with density control powers, you might equip the Iceman offensive X-Gene, the Emma Frost defensive X-Gene, and the Quicksilver utility X-Gene; this will cause your character’s hits to freeze your opponents, and allow you to run around the screen at super-speed with your body encased in diamond. Just that idea is pretty freaking awesome, especially for a fan of the comics.

One last bit of customisation comes in the form of the special suits you find. These suits are also inspired by the most famous mutants in the comics, so each of the three main characters end up with their own version of classic costumes, such as Wolverine’s yellow-and-blue costume, or Psylocke’s purple threads. These suits aren’t just for show, though. If you equip all of the X-Genes related to a specific character and also wear that character's suit, you’ll be able to activate X-Mode, which grants you a considerable power boost for a short period of time, allowing you access to the abilities and powers of the mutant whose genes you have equipped.


So gameplay is completely epic, right? Well, no: sadly, it isn’t. Although goofing about with your mutant powers is fun, the enemies that the game pits you against are just too darn repetitive and, frankly, dumb. The AI is a mess, and enemy variation is slim. You end up feeling like an Omega-level mutant taking on a bunch of Danger Room bots. Can this be fun? Certainly. Is it ultimately forgettable? Absolutely and undeniably.

Lastly, the game has caught a good deal of flak for its presentation, and it’s time that the record were set straight: it isn’t as horrible as certain internet folks would have you believe. The voice work is actually pretty darn good, and all the major players act and sound like you would expect them to, which is something I greatly appreciate. As for the visuals, there are two things to consider: the art style and the graphics. The art style wants to be great; a very cool animation sequence at the beginning of the game just oozes with comic book coolness. Likewise, the character's suits all look good and are faithful to the comic design – with the exception of the newly hippie Nightcrawler – and the main characters’ customised suit designs are pretty authentic as well. The problem is that the graphics just don’t do the designs justice. Character models are seriously lacking in detail and animation fluidity, and the hair, oh-do-not-even-get-me-started on the hair. Mutant powers look okay, with some decent particle effects here and there, but the environments you let your powers loose in are mostly drab and lifeless. All in all, the game is not hideous, but neither is it pretty by any stretch of the imagination. On the heels of Batman: Arkham City, a visually-uninspired comic book game is simply unacceptable.


If you are a fan of the comics, I say you should definitely give X-Men: Destiny a try. There is a certain rush to fighting as a new mutant alongside the likes of Cyclops, Colossus, and Emma Frost, which only an X-Men fan can entirely appreciate. I'd be lying if I said that I didn’t have fun with this game, though whilst X-Men: Destiny is a fun distraction, it doesn't achieve much more than that. If you’re looking for the next great action RPG or comic book game, your attention should be centred elsewhere.

6/10 [?]

Labels: 2011, Activision, Joey Núñez, PlayStation 3, Review, Silicon Knights, Wii, X-Men, Xbox 360

My vision blurs, and myriad shouts and explosions fill my ears as I come to. I’m sitting in an overturned Humvee, trying to come to grips with the chaos going on around me.

“We gotta move, now!” calls my squadmate, cutting himself free of his seatbelt. I open the door and hoist myself out, as outside light blinds me. My eyes adjust, and I watch a cruise missile collide with a skyscraper, sending debris cascading down to the street around me. The report of gunfire, grenade concussion and screams of terror and pain wells in my ears. Not far up the street, invading troops are bearing down on my position, barking orders and sending a hail of bullets in our direction. My squadmate tosses me a magazine, and I load my weapon, ready to meet the enemy head-on. This is Modern Warfare 3, and this is only the first level.

Many, including myself, wondered if Infinity Ward - now sans numerous key members of its creative team - could pull off the sort of bombastic, thrilling campaign that the Modern Warfare name is known for, whilst retaining the tight, finely-honed gameplay that brought the series popularity in the first place. Fortunately for gamers everywhere (which numbers at least 6.5 million, based on first-day sales alone), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 meets Infinity Ward’s high standards, with perhaps the best campaign since Call of Duty 4, and even manages to surpass that hallowed game in several respects. Add the series’ already-exceptional multiplayer and several well-designed cooperative modes, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 easily ranks among the year’s top titles.


Modern Warfare 3 picks up immediately after the end of the second game, with Russia invading the United States over a misdirected terrorist attack, orchestrated by Russian ultranationalist, Makarov. Players take control of several characters over the course of the game, but primarily occupy the boots of Sargeant Derek 'Frost' Westbrook of the US Army, and ex-Spetsnaz soldier Yuri. The game largely expects gamers to remember events from the story in the previous two titles, doing little to re-explain who Makarov is, or why Russia is waging war with the United States, except in brief flashbacks. For those willing to pay attention, as well as dig through the rat-a-tat delivery of military speech voiced by nearly every character, the game does a great job of driving the action forward and providing context for each mission. I’ve seen many folk on Twitter crowing about how difficult the story is to follow, but I thought Modern Warfare 3 does very little to deliberately obfuscate its narrative.

The game trots players around the globe, from Sierra Leone, Africa; to a shelled-out Hamburg, Germany; to a frozen diamond mine buried in Siberia. Variety is the order of the day, and in addition to its many explosive setpieces, Modern Warfare 3 does a good job of changing up gameplay styles and including slower, more deliberate moments, such as navigating a mine-strewn harbour to board a submarine, or using stealth to evade guards on the dark, rainy streets of Prague. Modern Warfare 3’s pacing is outstanding, using the calmer sections to build up the heavy ones, sometimes within the course of the same mission. Admittedly, the game does play it a little safe; none of the scenarios push expectations of what the series can do with shooting. Still, each mission is pitch-perfect and wound tight as a drum, with none of the tricks used by similar games to pad the difficulty or create frustration for its own sake (read: no enemy spawn-closets, and no ‘fend off endless enemies until the data downloads’ missions).


I find Modern Warfare 3’s story to be as good as that of any action movie, and was surprised how - for an ostensibly shallow single player game - the campaign drew me in, and even provided a few emotional moments. The title does an excellent job of building on characters (within the context of a military shooter; this isn’t Mass Effect, after all), and I found myself building an attachment to members of my squad in ways that I hadn’t felt during many recent shooters' campaigns. There was also one moment before the end of the first half that elicited an emotional response from me in a way I hadn’t felt since the infamous Aftermath scene from the first Modern Warfare. The narrative is pure action movie fare, but it’s the very best action movie fare, and is a must-play for shooter fans.

Of course, Call of Duty hasn’t achieved its legend status in the gaming industry solely because of its single player mode. Modern Warfare 3 brings back the series’ much-loved multiplayer, letting players battle it out locally or online via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, with the option to bring one additional guest via split-screen. Changes are light, but not insignificant. Modern Warfare 3 ditches CoD Points from last year’s Black Ops in favour of level-specific unlocks. Perks have been further rebalanced, feeling more like strategic add-ons rather than nearly-mandatory requirements, and gun-specific perks like Iron Lungs or Deep Impact have been reincorporated as weapon bonuses. Weapons also level up in Modern Warfare 3, unlocking goodies like silencers or personalised scopes through general use. Lastly, Infinity Ward has added two new types of killstreaks (called Strike Packages) that differ from the usual 'kill X players without dying for bonus Y'. Support packages summon team-boosting effects, and allow gamers to retain their kills after dying, whilst the Specialist package gives players additional perks for as long as they can keep their kill streak going. Most will stick with the traditional streaks, called Assault in this game, but the added options are definitely appreciated.


New modes are light in Modern Warfare 3, but fortunately, they’re all keepers. The first is Team Defender, an odd mix of Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch, with players earning double points whilst they possess a flag. The other (and better) mode is Kill Confirmed, a variation on Team Deathmatch that requires players to collect the dogtags of their fallen victims in order for their kill to count, effectively reducing the effectiveness of camping. Both new modes add a small semblance of strategy to the usual Team Deathmatch fare, and stand proudly alongside staples like Domination, Sabotage and Demolition.

Maps in Modern Warfare 3 are fun, though they merely feel ‘pretty good’ rather than ‘great.’ Maps are much more conducive to tight, close-quarters action, though many have enough open spaces to make sniping a valid strategy. As always, learning a map’s chokepoints and alternate routes will help determine players’ success, a problem that Activision’s new social tool , Call of Duty Elite, is supposed to help address. However, at the time of writing, the service was still largely out of commission, and I was unable to dive into the its finer points. Whilst each map is more than sufficient for team play, Modern Warfare 3 lacks any standout maps, like Afghan or Nuke Town. Still; deeper, more rewarding multiplayer games are hard to come by, and Modern Warfare 3’s online modes should be more than enough to satiate those with an itchy trigger finger.


For players uninterested in competitive play, Modern Warfare 3 also includes two flavours of co-operative gaming with the return of Spec Ops. New to Spec Ops is the Horde-esque Survival mode, which pitches increasingly-difficult waves of enemies against players, forcing them to group up, purchase weapons and revive one another in an effort see how long they can last. The Missions mode is similar to Spec Ops’ iteration in Modern Warfare 2, pitting teams of two players against a variety of objective-based situations, from rescuing hostages in an African village to collecting samples of biological weapons in a hulking Juggernaut suit. Best are the scenarios that place gamers in specific roles, such as a mission where one player must utilise a base’s security system to clear the way for another player, who must reach the endpoint before time runs out. Mission mode features sixteen different operations to work through, and finishing each one requires teamwork and constant communication, leading to an incredible sense of satisfaction upon completion. Spec Ops also features a progression system similar to the one found in multiplayer, adding an extra incentive for return sessions.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is absolutely crammed to the gills with worthy content, from its harrowing and thrilling single player campaign, to its deep and addicting multiplayer, to its varied and rewarding co-operative play. It is incredible that a brand like Call of Duty can operate at such a high level, year in and year out, and Modern Warfare 3 toes the line, providing the best franchise experience in years. Perhaps next time, Activision could try to innovate a bit further and push gamers’ expectations with the series. Still, what’s here is absolutely stellar, and shooter fans owe Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 a spot on their shelf this holiday season.

10/10 [?]

Labels: 2011, Activision, Andrew Testerman, Call of Duty, Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 3, Review

I don't like this war. I don't like how the Battlefield 3 fans and the Modern Warfare fanatics will go as far as their hate-filled minds find it possible, to dig up as much dirt and sling as much shit at each other as their tiny, bigoted hands allow.

'BF3 sukcs, it just copys MW'. 'MW3 is crap lolol BF3 forever'. It's graffiti that adorns the walls of seemingly every YouTube video out there. It's facile, fruitless and frighteningly feckless. I'll probably stump up the crumbled cash for both, as I imagine a great deal of you will. At the end of the day, we're all adults, and there are - obviously - redeeming and disappointing qualities in each game.

Keep that in mind.

I feel I have to say the above, because you may think I'm nitpicking. This may look, perhaps, like a piece of propaganda which overflows from the legions of froth-faced fanboys around the internet. But do believe me when I say that I have a serious point, despite being a man who's taken several screenshots of a fictitious van. A van which drove a knife through my heart whilst I sat at my computer. A van that may have just killed my faith left in Modern Warfare 3.



That's the Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer trailer. It's exactly what everyone expected: lots of shooting, lots of things blowing up, and a hell of a lot of death. Despite a largely incomprehensible storyline of a sneaky sniper, Modern Warfare 3 looks to embody the reckless chaos which made Modern Warfare 2 a hit; you, a gun, and a confined space with explosives around every corner and a dozen enemies wanting to shoot your face off. But one thing in particular caught my eye.


It's a van. A van which can blow up if put under heavy fire. In fact, the same brand of van, Marley & Griffin, goes up in a ball of flame quite a few times in the trailer. For developers, it's a bog-standard replacement for a red barrel; bigger, more dangerous, less cliché than its iconic counterpart but still a destructible asset in a game which thrives on gratuitous chaos, whilst also providing tactical opportunity for each team. So, why is this important?



The first picture is a Marley & Griffin van, blown up in Modern Warfare 3, a game which released on 8th November, 2011. The second is a Marley & Griffin van, blown up in Modern Warfare 2, which released on 10th November, 2009. There's a two year gap between those two games, yet it's the same van.

Yes, I'm being pedantic. But it's not so much the van that annoys me - there aren't many players who stand and look at the branding of transportation vehicles in video games; those who do are described as 'easy kills'. What bugs me is what the van represents. It represents laziness. It represents copy-and-paste design. It represents a lack of ambition and, perhaps most irritatingly, a lack of pride.

Assets are reused in video games all the time; it saves a bit of money and means developers can focus on other stuff. But Modern Warfare hardly needs to save money; we're talking about possibly the biggest, highest-grossing, most cashed-up videogame series in existence. It would take a designer half a second (exaggeration, but still) to come up with a new logo or brand for a van, or even a whole new van. This is particularly true given that he has two whole years to do so. That van peppers every single multiplayer map numerous times, and players are bound to cast eyes over it on thousands of occasions. So why the hell is it exactly the same as Modern Warfare 2?

And it's not just the van; I reeled off a whole list of exact replicas in this article here. The heavy physics, the boring blood effects, the invisible line triggering the next wave of enemies in single-player, the reload animations, the vehicle controls - all these aged conventions seem just lifted from older games and lumped into Modern Warfare 3. We all know the reason for these similarities is due to the ageing, stumbling and predictable IW Engine that has been used since 2007, and - to an extent - that can be used to justify the physics or the graphics. It's a silly and a lazy choice by the developers, but at least it gives an explanation. The design of a goddamn van, though? Very little excuse. I knocked one out in 30 seconds:


There you go. It's utterly disgusting and I feel sick just looking at bit, but at least it's something new. That's why a tiny, stupid van was the final straw for me. Of all the things they could have done with two years and hundreds of millions of dollars, you would have thought one single bored guy would have noticed one day that: "oh, hang on, these vans are from Modern Warfare 2, and since they're seen so regularly it would probably be a good idea to change them so the game's design doesn't look so blatantly lazy". When Battlefield 3 launches weeks before with an entirely new engine, and Skyrim steals sales just a few days later with its massive scale and unestimatable ambition, Modern Warfare 3 should surely be pulling out all the stops to make sure that as much of the game as possible seems fresh and exciting.

But, alas, no. You'll take your van and you'll like it, say our lords and masters. Screw you, say our lords and masters. I'm having whatever is in your fridge then I'm punching your kids in the eyeballs, say our lords and masters. They don't care.

I'll end up buying Modern Warfare 3. The reality is that it's unavoidable, in the same sort of way that death is unavoidable. And if I must, I'll avert my eyes whenever I see a Marley & Griffin van, in the same way I approached the bits with the spider in Limbo. It is, after all, a van; a very small part of a very big game. But, even still, it's attention to those details which makes the best games. It's that extra will to polish everything, that unbounded passion to make the best experience humanly possible, that desire to go the extra mile and have pride in every aspect of your game which has brought us classics like Half-Life 2, or GTA IV. Or, dare I say it, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Modern Warfare 3 shows none of that ambition. And that's why I've lost faith in the game.

Labels: 2011, Activision, Call of Duty, Chris Hawke, Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 3, Sledgehammer Games

Following on from last year's Transformers: War for Cybertron, High Moon Studios' latest Transformers-licensed title - Dark of the Moon - gives players the opportunity to transform once again into the legendary machines. Andrew Testerman sees whether it lives up to expectation. Reviewed on Xbox 360.

Last year, High Moon Studios gave gamers something they thought they’d never see: a legitimately fun Transformers game that stayed true to the fiction of the original 80’s series. With Transformers: Dark of the Moon, High Moon took the play mechanics that made Transformers: War for Cybertron so enjoyable, and implemented them into a new game, based on the upcoming movie. On paper, it seems like a recipe for success, but Dark of the Moon falls short in several of the areas its predecessor excelled in, and ultimately doesn’t manage to be much more than an above-average licensed game.

Dark of the Moon presents players with a two-act campaign, playing during the first half as Autobots and the second half as Decepticons, with a small Autobot epilogue. The narrative deals with the two sides fighting to control technology known as 'MechTech', though exactly what MechTech actually does is a little dubious, as the uses are never really mentioned in the game itself. The game’s story is a prequel to the upcoming movie, but - apart from ominously showing the moon in a few cutscenes - the connections with the film seem pretty tenuous. Unless Nolan North is actually featured alongside Shia LaBeouf and Tyrese Gibson?

The heart of a Transformers game is, of course, the transforming mechanics, and this is where Dark of the Moon is at its best. Players click the left analogue stick to change from robot to vehicular form, and vice versa, with each form having its own distinct advantage; vehicles are slightly more unwieldy in combat, but have heavier armour. New to Dark of the Moon is the Stealth Force mode, a hybrid of the robot and vehicle form with heavy weapons and the ability to strafe. The range of movement afforded by this system greatly shines in multiplayer, where a hasty retreat is sometimes necessary to avoid death.


The shooting mechanics that make up the brunt of Dark of the Moon are fairly solid, with each weapon having a nice sense of heftiness to it, in particular the heavy weapons like Megatron’s Fusion Cannon. A few issues hold it back from greatness, though; it’s pretty tough to gauge whether or not a shot connected with an enemy, especially since some of the guns can be wildly inaccurate. Also, the Transformers’ movements make the Cogs from Gears of War look positively graceful, and it’s all-too-easy to accidentally galumph into a wall and die from repeated shots to the back. Most annoying are the flying controls, an awkward mix of hovering, strafing, and ever-changing altitudes that never quite does what the player wants.

Presentation-wise, the game is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, Dark of the Moon ditches the monotonous metallic greys of War for Cybertron in favour of a variety of locations, like a dusty, remote South American village, a bombed-out incarnation of Detroit, and a lush tropical island complete with lava-strewn volcano interior. There are even a few nice atmospheric touches, such as small flocks of birds, or brilliant morning sunrises. However, the game is filled with technical glitches, ranging from the annoying (getting stuck in the environment) to the cringe-inducing (reloading a checkpoint because a scripted moment didn’t trigger).

Multiplayer is solid, if unspectacular. Players can customise their character loadout, choosing from different weapons and abilities, as well as assigning perks. Similarly to Battlefield: Bad Company 2, each of the game’s four classes level up separately, encouraging players to experiment but also rewarding those who stick with and specialise in one class. Unlike last year’s game, players are allowed to choose from licensed Transformers in matches, though the design of Michael Bay’s Transformers can make it hard to tell Bumblebee from Enforcer without first looking at the colour. Sadly, the multiplayer has its fair share of glitches as well, often acting laggy and occasionally dropping players from matches entirely.


Much of the content in Dark of the Moon is good enough, but seems downright lacking when compared to War for Cybertron. Dark of the Moon's single player is woefully short, clocking in at about six hours on Normal difficulty — in the face of War for Cybertron’s two-part, ten hour campaign, it’s a bit of a disappointment. Also, War for Cybertron’s robust set of multiplayer modes have been significantly cut down in translation to this iteration, from seven in last year’s game to three in Dark of the Moon. Perhaps High Moon was rushed in getting Dark of the Moon out in time for its film counterpart to hit theaters, but the shortened campaign and dearth of multiplayer modes give the game a small, slightly unsatisfying feeling, especially for a title that costs sixty dollars at retail.

Dark of the Moon is good fun while it lasts, but its brief playtime, lack of multiplayer options and host of technical glitches make it worth only a rental, for everyone but the most stalwart Transformers fans.

7/10 [?]

Labels: 2011, 360, Activision, Andrew Testerman, High Moon, PlayStation 3, PS3, Review, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Xbox 360

Released to critical acclaim in 2007, the original Modern Warfare both redefined the first-person shooter genre, and catapulted its developers to the forefront of industry attention. Almost five years on, however, Chris Hawke explores the difficult dilemma prompted by Activision's cash cow.

I still struggle to remember why I knew almost nothing about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Almost five years ago, I'd read some previews and seen a bit of gameplay, all the trappings and trimmings of a game that just sits in the corner of your eye; you know it's there, but you're not too fussed. In reality, I was hugely unprepared for what hit me in 2007.

Modern Warfare was brilliant. It was hands-down, balls-to-the-wall stunning. It tore the competition apart with realistic, next-gen graphics, a fresh setting, and horrifically brutal gameplay. In a world filled with tired, old Second World War shooters, and clunky sci-fi romps, Modern Warfare boldly strode out onto the playing field and slapped the gaping, wide-eyed industry around the face, proclaiming "This? This is how you make a videogame."

I'm writing this on the 21st June, 2011. I'm watching the E3 demonstration of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. And I don't know what to think.

The Call of Duty series has been in a rather odd decline, at least from my personal perspective. Yes, sales are continually rising uncontrollably, breaking records with the carelessness of a toddler and his toys. Yes, the franchise has more media coverage than anything that had ever gone before it. Yes, it boasts an ever-growing userbase, and has propelled the franchise's two developers - Infinity Ward and Treyarch - into stardom. Yet, whilst a casual onlooker may only glance the surface, storms rage beneath; they may not notice the corporate turmoil as splinter group Respawn broke away in a messy lawsuit, might not have seen the furious mobs' boycotting and badmouthing, and may not get a whiff of the general feeling - amongst those serious about their games - that the magic has slipped away from Activision's baby, like falling sand from Bobby Kotick's clammy hands. Battlefield is enjoying unparalleled reverence left, right and centre, whilst Call of Duty Elite was announced to tepid applause and scathing stares.

The series finds itself with older legs and faster competition.

But how did it come to this?

One commonly cited criticism is the stumbling plotlines. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare had a rounded, interesting and lovable cast, complete with HOORAH-yelling Marines and quiet, reflective British SAS stormtroopers. It allowed greater scope for a wide variety of characterisation, a concept disgustingly overlooked even now in many shooters. To actually care about a video game character in a first-person shooter - to the extent that the discussion surrounding whether or not Price was dead, and 'that' moment when you succumbed to nuclear radiation, raged for weeks afterwards - was novel; you actually cared for who you fought with and what you fought for. The implications of that on the quiet, grounded and scalpel-sharp story were huge.

Here's a quick recap of its sequel, Modern Warfare 2: BANG, BANG, NO NO, NOT THE CHILDREN, THUD THUD THUD BAM HOORAH KA-BOOOOOM. Or, at least, that's all I could glean. Garish explosions replaced understated floodlights, heavy metal overpowered the once-terrifying echoes of gunfire, and the whole thing was just big and loud and stupid and dumb. Compared to the deftness of the original, with its relatable characters and clever twists, Modern Warfare 2 felt contrived, messy, and incomprehensible. It covered precisely the same ground and the same characters - only, this time, with more swears! - and essentially the same twists, but with a nasty gasoline-meets-match focus and very little development. It could still take you on somewhat of an engrossing journey, and there are some lovely touches when developing the theme of personal sacrifice, but the whole thing just paled in comparison to its older brother.

Competition has also been a major element in the growing distaste for the Call of Duty name. We waited with baited breath for Medal of Honor's return, wanting it to grab the top spot once more, but it could only manage to get a fleeting finger on the prize. Homefront was touted as a possible Call of Duty killer, but the less said about that, the better. If you give an audience the same thing for 4 years, they're going to get bored. People scream out for new stories and new experiences, and after so many failed attempts at delivering that, it's natural that fans become more and more disillusioned. Battlefield 3 seems to be the new centre of attention, and every feature it has that Call of Duty doesn't have (regardless of how minor or unimportant) is touted as another small victory in the war against the Call of Duty name.

These factors are important. The rivals, the ridiculousness; it all chips away at the once-proud, Ozymandian series. But there's one comment that you keep seeing again and again, over and over, which perfectly sums up the reason for this backlash against the beauty that became the beast:

"It looks like the other Call of Duties".

Correct, it does. And it isn't for lack of trying, either. Now you're in England, Germany, even France; there are new guns and new features, new levels and new characters. There are pretty hefty improvements and additions to Modern Warfare 3, so it isn't quite correct to claim that each new game is merely its predecessor "with some new maps". Instead, that effect - of each game seeming the same as the last, and the one before that - is created through one key, tragic flaw: the IW Engine.

"It would be counter-productive to create a new engine from scratch", Infinity Ward claim. Utter bollocks. The engine is the very heart, the core, the beating heart and pulsating soul of the Call of Duty series that once dazzled, but now reeks of dirt and guilt and rust, struggling to keep the game standing on its ever-weakening legs. The engine has aged, and it hasn't aged well. Sure, the actual graphics could stand up to other games in 2011, but that isn't the point. I've played every Call Of Duty multiplayer since 2007, all the single player stories countless times, achieved 100% completion on Spec Ops: I know the games, and I know them well. And thus, even before I've played Modern Warfare 3, I know exactly how it will feel and play.

I know the bodies of enemies will drop to the floor a bit too fast, and won't have enough physics for my liking. I know that it'll take two bullets too many to kill a man. I know that, if I camp in a corner and don't cross an invisible 'line', no more enemies will find me. Even in the E3 demo, I knew how it would feel to control the boat, how long it takes to aim my weapon and reload, and that the only blood splatter will still, disappointingly, come from a headshot. I know pretty much every detail - the good, the bad and the ugly - months before release.

It's beyond stupid: it's depressing.

But, even as I survey Modern Warfare 3, shaking my head and tutting, I can't help but think: y'know what? That's quite good. Setting it in four entirely different locations? That's pretty neat. Sneaking into a nuclear submarine, hijacking the missiles, and then belting away as Manhattan burns? Yep, that's kinda cool. It's a bit redundant to compare every facet of Battlefield and Call of Duty to one another, but whilst EA had a slow E3 demo in which (let's face it) a few tanks had a skirmish, Modern Warfare 3 was a thirteen-year-old's wet dream. Is that what we want from a first-person shooter nowadays? Possibly not, but the fact that it realises its situations so well is honestly awe-inspiring: everything is blown to bits or on fire or dead. It may be childish and unrealistic, but Infinity Ward take the task of setting out a Third World War scenario, and do a bloody admirable job of it.

And that is the dilemma. Modern Warfare 3 is predictable, outdated and stale. But, despite that, it has a raffish charm, like the kid who's muddy, dirty, annoying and loud, but you can't help but admire a little bit. The key question, when it comes down to it, is whether or not you purchase a game you've essentially played for years now, with only some nice little additions in way of development. Or, is this the final nail in the coffin?

Labels: 2011, Activision, Call of Duty, Call of Duty Elite, Chris, Chris Hawke, Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 3, Treyarch

Following on from last year's ridiculously huge hit, Modern Warfare 2, was never going to be easy. That difficulty is only accentuated when Treyarch, the developer behind Black Ops, doesn't have a great deal of popularity within the Call of Duty fanbase. Many see the company as the second-fiddle developer; the guys playing the bit part role, a mere elf to Infinity Ward's Santa (to use a festive metaphor). Yet, critically and commercially, both Call of Duty 3 and World at War from Treyarch have done commendably well.

Despite all that, Treyarch found themselves in a familiar position leading up to the release of Black Ops. Fans cried foul. "Oh, it hasn't got 'modern' in the title! Oh, it hasn't got Spec Ops! There's no Soap or Price!" Well shame on you impatient, judgemental fans, because Call of Duty: Black Ops doesn't just live up to series expectations; it exceeds them, and then some.

Let's start off with Black Ops' campaign, which - in terms of its story and how it's told - is remarkably different from what's come before. The story is intriguing, which is a nice change; it's full of twists, mysteries and is far more clever than the rather brain-dead summer-blockbuster-style yarn in last year's Modern Warfare 2. Rather than criss-cross through the viewpoints of stupid numbers of characters, Black Ops sees you step into the shoes of Alex Mason (not to be confused with Red Faction Guerilla's Alec Mason), apart from a few select missions.

Mason isn't the most fascinating character in the world but his backstory is rather interesting. The whole story is told in flashbacks whilst Mason is interrogated by unknown dudes with gruff scary voices in a torture chamber in a place that we don't know. Of course, eventually everything becomes clear but for obvious reasons I won't be spoiling it. What I will say is the way in which you get to the ending and uncover various mysteries is done really well, with locations varying from Cuba to Russia, and plenty of cool characters including the return of Gary Oldman's superb Victor Reznov. The story is most definitely not the standard Cold War premise you might have been expecting; it's far more than that and is pretty damn good.

Whilst the story is different and a nice change of pace, the way you play through the campaign is quite familiar in that it's full of linear pathways with frenetic gunfights leading you from one set-piece to another. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it's not fun and exciting, because it most certainly is, but like Halo: Reach the Call of Duty formula might need a bit of a tweak next year to keep it relevant and fresh. For the time being though, Black Ops' campaign is an awesome ride with some truly memorable sequences. The highlights include taking direct control of an attack helicopter, sneaking through a Soviet base in the snow and making your way through a sinking ship in the game's epic finale. Available to help you fight your way through these encounters is a wide array of weaponry and gadgets, including the M16, FAMAS, AK47 and Skorpion machine pistol. Treyarch has also delved into the Cold War archives to find some fascinating contemporary guns, however, including the powerful but slow H510 shotgun. There aren't any P90's to be found, but this is still a varied and powerful arsenal.

Black Ops' campaign is a really fun, well paced ride, but like its predecessors you shouldn't expect more than eight or so hours of action on the standard difficulty settings. Play through it on Veteran like I did and you could probably spend upwards of 10 hours playing, and that's not including the incessant screaming, controller-throwing, jumping up and down, running downstairs, and plentiful declarations of "I'm never playing this piece of shit again!" that I went through. I don't mean it of course, but crikey, it's tough.

Of course, everyone knows by now that you don't really come to the Call of Duty party to play through the campaign and then get rid of it; you come to shoot annoying 11-year-old Americans in the face. Not literally of course - that would be bad - but in the famous online campaign. As you'd expect, all the classic modes are here with much the same mechanics, such as perks, kill-streaks and custom classes. The way in which you rank up has changed a bit: you still earn XP to gain levels, but you also earn 'CoD Points' which are used to buy the aforementioned weapons, perks and kill-streaks. This is a somewhat neat addition since you don't have to waste time unlocking guns you're never going to use, but at the same time the sense of accomplishment disappears a bit quicker than you may expect since you might end up with your weapon of choice fairly early on, meaning that gaining the rest of the ranks becomes a bit irrelevant. Despite that, people were still prestiging left, right and centre within hours of release, so clearly there's still something to be said for having a cool little badge next to your name.

Amid the collection of classic game types, the new 'wager matches' - which let you use the aforementioned 'CoD Points' to bet on the outcome matches - are the stars of the show. These matches are exclusive to four new modes: 'Gun Game' and 'Sharp Shooter' are both gripping variations on an entertaining theme, where you get players to use as many different weapons as possible within a single match. In the former, you're given a better gun after each kill, and the action ends when one player succeeds with all 20; in the latter, each player is given the same weapon type, and this is swapped randomly every 45 seconds. The result, especially when a bunch of players find themselves in an enclosed space just as the weapon type changes to rocket launcher, can be both hilarious and downright exciting. The other modes, 'One In The Chamber' and 'Sticks and Stones', are proving to be the most popular. The first gives you a pistol with one bullet and a knife, and the only way to reload is by getting a kill. The latter gives you a crossbow, tomahawk and a ballistic knife and is particularly frantic and devilish. All are no doubt fun, but probably won't usurp the old favourites as the modes of choice for most players. They are good to play with friends though, no doubt about that.

Rounding off Black Ops' impressive multitude of features is the welcome return of the Zombies from World at War. Not much has changed: it's still just as addicting, memorable and unpredictable as ever. There are only two maps, but they're both excellently designed with multiple tiers and plenty of excellent new weapons exclusive to the mode. One of the maps is especially entertaining, allowing you to take on the role of the likes of JFK and Castro as they fight off the undead horde in the White House. It's awesome fun.

Perhaps what sums up Black Ops' superb value for money offerings more than anything else is the Dead Ops Arcade. This surprisingly brilliant top-down, dual-stick shooter is basically Zombies in the style of Geometry Wars. It's as addicting as anything else in the game, and could easily be sold as a £10 XBLA or PSN title, but it's a mere extra in Black Ops. Don't be surprised if you lose hours to this mode alone.

All of this awesomeness is wrapped up in a stunning audio-visual package. The sound effects are plucked straight from the era, with hit songs from the time period used at key points (which feels both contrived and brilliant at the same time). The epic military score doesn't hit the heights of Hans Zimmer's majestic score for Modern Warfare 2, but it does the job. The voice acting from Sam Worthington in the lead role is quite terrible, but by his exceedingly low standards I guess it could be classed as reasonable. As mentioned earlier, Gary Oldman is superb as Reznov and the rest of the cast is great as well. Also, whoever it is playing JFK is clearly hamming it up and having a blast: he is awesome.

The graphics are great too, with the exceptional lighting and animation we've come to expect. The new motion-capture technology is used to fantastic effect, with facial features and movements being eerily realistic. Explosions are plentiful, blood and gore effects are brilliantly brutal, and overall this is up there with the best looking games of the year. It's also worth noting that the game can be played in 3D, and whilst it can look stunning at points, the 60fps framerate that the series is known for takes a serious hit when played in this way. It might be worth looking at to show off your 3DTV to your mates, but you really don't want to take the fight online when playing in 3D.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is not going to change your mind if you simply don't like Call of Duty, but anyone else who has become a fan of the refined, fast-paced gameplay, the authentic weaponry, the superb online modes and the incredible visuals of this franchise will no doubt be impressed. As an overall package, this is probably the best shooter of the year.

9/10 [?]

Labels: 360, Activision, Black Ops, Call of Duty, CoD7, PC, PS3, Review, Tom Acres, Treyarch, Xbox 360

A new teaser for a Treyach game, Call Of Duty 7, appeared on the internet recently, and we recorded everything we've seen and heard. Here's what is hidden within the teaser.

Please note: Many say this is a Fallout: New Vegas teaser. Bethesda were contacted, and said the teaser was 'cool', but 'didn't have anything do to with [our] games'.

Video: By twisting the dial at the top right of the TV, you can tune into an old 60s TV picture. This video shows these events: A radioactive nucleus emitting either alpha or beta radiation, which then splits other radioactive nuclei, and so on, until they all explode. This is what happens in the A or H-Bomb as ionization. The video then cuts to a baseball stadium, which suddenly seems to explode, with a small nuclear cloud coming out of the field. Suddenly, the video buts back to the baseball field, and zooms into a baseball, which morphs into a globe, which becomes increasingly misshapen.

The video again cuts to an Atom bomb, showing the workings of it inside, before showing a diagram of radioactive material Uranium 238 being converted to Uranium 235. Again, the video cuts to a map labeled 'Plan', with diagrams of battleships and infantry appearing round it. The final shot is of Kennedy announcing the 500-mile Naval Blockade of Cuba on live TV, on the 22th October, 1963.

From this, it's clear that Call Of Duty 7 will take place during the Cold War, with most of those shots looking like 50s and 60s American Propaganda, explaining the A/H-Bomb and Arms Race. The final shot of Kennedy is a dead givaway - either the Bay of Pigs, or Cuban Missile Crisis, will be included.


Audio: A man and woman continually spell out NOVA SIX intermittently. A little sound effect plays - we don't know if it is from something relevant, like a 60s computer. Sometimes, you can hear a man say something like 'Hell Is Horrible/Purple', very slowly. The man also says 'Man is starting to make a world of their own conception, and profit from their own mind all the material which they employ.' Sounds pretty Capitalist to us.

All you can tell from this is... well, nothing really. We don't know what NOVA 6 is, what the little electronic ditty is, or what the man says. However, the 'Man is starting to make a world...' bit sounds like 60s capitalist ideology.

We'll keep updating this with anything that happens to the site. Found something else? Add it to the comments!

Chris

Labels: Activision, Analysis, Call of Duty, Chris Hawke, CoD7, Trailer, Treyarch, Video

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Those of you who aren’t familiar with older video games may have never even heard of Wolfenstein before, allow me to educate you – Wolfenstein was one of the pioneers of the FPS genre that is... well it’s pretty darned popular, isn’t it? This game’s ancestor, Wolfenstein 3D (that ran on MS-DOS) may not look pretty to the eye, but its influence on modern gaming cannot be overstated. Such a shame is it then, that Wolfenstein does nearly nothing new for the ever so slowly stalling genre.

But hey, do you like shooting guns? At Nazis? Well then my friend, ignore the rambling diatribe above and go out and buy Wolfenstein. Yes, as you may have imagined this game is an incredibly competent first person shooter that makes good use of a very well made upgrade system and some cool magical powers.

Wolfenstein’s “plot” is little more than a flimsy premise to set you on your way to capping some olde-worlde skinheads. That isn’t necessarily bad, per-se, and didn’t really influence my enjoyment of the game; I mean, if you wanted a deep meaningful story... well, you probably shouldn’t be considering playing a game in which the main character is constantly addressed as ‘BJ’. Go to the German WWII town of Isenstadt and kill the leader of the ‘Nazi Paranormal Division’? Sure, why not. Use the magical crystals to walk through walls? Absolutely.

The game completely quashes any smouldering embers of narrative left by making every single German (that’s pretty much everyone in the game apart from ‘BJ’) have a terrible, terrible accent, that reminds me of some sort of semi-racist impression of a Nazi which your drunken uncle might impose upon you at a wedding. Then... well, towards the end, a character that is reasonably important in the grand scheme of things dies in a gunfight. This may sound reasonable, but the game presents this as some kind of huge calamity when you have talked to this character for literally at most; 2 minutes. It was at this point I realised Wolfenstein was awesome.

Sure, it has a terrible story, but you know what: Raven Software doesn’t give a damn, and neither should you. The shooting system is terrific, there are eight weapons in all that will absolutely quench your blood lust, and dude, when you shoot a Nazi’s head, it pops off like a coconut in a sideshow. Speaking of weapons, as I mentioned earlier, they are all super upgradable, to a point where at the end of the game I was completely unstoppable, mowing down Nazi’s with a super-charged laser cannon that leaves a smouldering pile of bones. During the course of the game you pick up four crystals, one that allows you to see things not visible in the real world, one that allows you to slow down time, one that deploys a bubble shield, and one that gives you extra damage power. However, these magical powers won’t last long - at most 15 seconds - meaning the fight isn’t too unbalanced.

It’s probably worth mentioning that Wolfenstein has a multiplayer component. The little I played of it (about 45 minutes in all) was really enough to prove to me that it was passable. There’s a Team Deathmatch and two objective based modes that really just add another bullet point on the back of the game’s box. However competent it is doesn’t really matter, however, as I’m willing to bet that within a couple of months the servers will be empty.

Wolfenstein isn’t pretty, it’s not got some new “cutting edge” art style, it wasn’t written by J.J. Abrams and its multiplayer is forgetable, so if you want any of those things, move along. However, if you like shooting then you’ll get a good solid 8+ hours out of this game that are incredibly enjoyable, even if only for low-brow thrills.

Matt

Labels: Activision, Matt, Matthew Meadows, Review, Wolfenstein

The belaboured legal feud between Activision and Double Fine Productions over the rights to release the guitar-toting action game, Brutal Legend, reached what seems like a conclusion on Thursday with Activision's lawyers announcing an out-of-court settlement at a Los Angeles hearing. As you'd expect, the details of said settlement are being kept under wraps (for now).

The who-owns-what tangle originally began when Vivendi (Brutal Legend's original publisher) merged with Activision in 2007, in turn prompting Activision to abandon releasing the game. Double Fine then took up the project.

As a result, Activision sued Double Fine in order to halt Brutal Legend's scheduled October 2009 release date. In its suit, Activision alleged that the rights to Brutal Legend still belonged them despite stopping its prior release.

To further complicate matters, Double Fine counter sued, stating that Activision wasn't trying to protect the rights to Brutal Legend but merely trying to eliminate competition for the long-running Guitar Hero franchise. Double Fine also claimed faulty business practices in its suit. Apparently, EA failed to follow up on Brutal Legend's standing as what was supposed to be a sequel to Guitar Hero.

For the most part, publisher Electronic Arts has played a sidelines role in this battle. EA adopted Double Fine into its EA Partners program in 2008 to publish the then-rejected Brutal Legend, which CEO of EA John Ricitiellio called "a creative risk." A risk indeed: if Activision's suit had been successful, EA would have lost the publishing rights, and the Jack Black shred-fest would be propelled further out of reach for gamers once again.

Hopefully, more details regarding the settlement will be made available in the coming weeks. But I'm pretty confident that Brutal Legend's fiery trail through courthouses over the last two years will make its rightful diversion soon enough: into gamers' consoles.

Jacob

Labels: Activision, Brutal Legend, Double Fine, Jacob, Legal

Wii gamers, never fear - the games industry hasn't forgotten about you just yet. In fact, quite the opposite, as Activision has very kindly proven with the announcement that their biggest selling game of all-time will be coming to Wii this winter.

The Infinity Ward development has been ported to Wii by rival Call of Duty dev Treyarch, and will hit store shelves on 10th November, the same release date as CoD4's big brother, Modern Warfare 2.

It's no real surprise, considering that Treyarch have faithfully ported Call of Duty 3 and World at War to Wii in the past. Hopefully it'll stay true to the original, though, and won't suffer from issues due to the Wii's slightly different control mechanic.

We'll keep you posted.

Linford

Labels: Activision, Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2, Treyarch, Wii

Hate Nazis? Good, you've just been given a holiday. It appears that August 18th and 21st have been chosen as hosts to one sexy, sexy celebration of anti-fascist sentiment.

The reason: in a span of three days, the tenants of Adolf Hitler will be artistically urinated on in not one, but two ways. Gaming-wise, the third installment of the famous Castle Wolfenstein series will once again give players a chance to kill Nazis and their unnatural undead experiments. Three days later, Quentin Tarantino's latest blockbuster, "Inglourious Basterds," will tell the exciting and child-friendly tale of a group of happy young Jewish-American soldiers in France during the Second World War who took it upon themselves to perform acts of swift, shocking violence against high-ranking Nazi officials in retribution for over a decade of horrible social atrocities committed to their people. It's a potent combination. I personally foresee a fresh landslide of jokes, blog entries, newspaper articles, and t-shirts relating to Nazism in the general public.

Seeing a connection between their products, the good people at Activision and iD entertainment, the companies that produced the latest Wolfenstein in the series, decided sometime in the relative past to sponsor the just-as-good people at Universal Pictures, who are producing Inglourious Basterds. It's the kind of corporate menage a trois that people only dream of.

To get people excited about what I'm now calling "Freedom Weekend", iD, Activision, and Universal Pictures have created a contest that combines the essences of the Wolfenstein franchise and Tarantino's latest flick by glorifying in the destruction of everything Hitler believed in and stood for: anti-semitism and the existence of godless zombie experiments.

Entering is easy, just head over to GameSpot.com and fill out a form. After that, wait and see if you are one of the two lucky entrees chosen. If so, then take a moment to congratulate yourself before proceeding with a companion of your choice to Los Angeles. There, you will attend the Hollywood premiere of Inglourious Basterds at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre, after which you will be escorted, probably via gold-plated limousine, to a ritzy, star-studded after party, where you will no doubt nervously spill exorbitantly-priced martinis on gorgeous celebrities.

You might as well apply, the chance is too great to miss.

Wolfenstein will be playable on the 360, PS3, and PC. For those of you who are more interested in the game than its contest, head to its main page - it'll tell you everything you need to know.

Greg

Labels: Activision, Greg Mengel, iD, Wolfenstein

If you've ever seen someone playing guitar like a semi-pro and really wanted to yourself, yet know that you haven't the time, neccessary effort or patience to learn how to, you'll know how disappointing it can be. However, that's all about to change - for the fifth time - with the release of Activision's Guitar Hero 5.

Shipping on 1st September, just in time for a few days of non-stop riffs before school starts for the autumn term, GT5's full setlist has just been released via a very shiny press release. Boasting an impressive 85 tracks straight out of the box, and doubtless there'll be many more available via download after release, it's easy to imagine the guitar simulator doing well in this year's Christmas charts.

The full setlist includes a varied selection of tracks, old and new, from Coldplay to David Bowie, Iggie Pop to Kiss and Kings of Leon to Rammstein. You can view the full setlist below.

-- 3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite
-- A Perfect Circle - "Judith"
-- AFI - "Medicate"
-- Arctic Monkeys - "Brianstorm"
-- Attack! Attack! UK - "You And Me"
-- Band Of Horses - "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands"
-- Beastie Boys - "Gratitude"
-- Beck - "Gamma Ray"
-- Billy Idol - "Dancing With Myself"
-- Billy Squier - "Lonely Is The Night"
-- Blink-182 - "The Rock Show"
-- Blur - "Song 2"
-- Bob Dylan - "All Along The Watchtower"
-- Bon Jovi - "You Give Love A Bad Name"
-- Brand New - "Sowing Season (Yeah)"
-- The Bronx - "Six Days A Week"
-- Bush - "Comedown"
-- Children Of Bodom - "Done With Everything, Die For Nothing"
-- Coldplay - "In My Place"
-- Darker My Love - "Blue Day"
-- Darkest Hour - "Demon(s)"
-- David Bowie - "Fame"
-- Deep Purple - "Woman From Tokyo ('99 Remix)"
-- Dire Straits - "Sultans Of Swing"
-- Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"
-- Eagles Of Death Metal - "Wannabe In L.A."
-- Elliott Smith - "L.A."
-- Elton John - "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)"
-- Face To Face - "Disconnected"
-- Garbage - "Only Happy When It Rains"
-- Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."
-- Gov't Mule - "Streamline Woman"
-- Grand Funk Railroad - "We're An American Band"
-- Iggy Pop - "Lust For Life (Live)"
-- Iron Maiden - "2 Minutes To Midnight"
-- Jeff Beck - "Scatterbrain (Live)"
-- Jimmy Eat World - "Bleed American"
-- John Mellencamp - "Hurts So Good"
-- Johnny Cash - "Ring Of Fire"
-- Kaiser Chiefs - "Never Miss A Beat"
-- King Crimson - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
-- Kings Of Leon - "Sex On Fire"
-- Kiss - "Shout It Out Loud"
-- Love and Rockets - "Mirror People"
-- Megadeth - "Sweating Bullets"
-- Motley Crue - "Looks That Kill"
-- Muse - "Plug In Baby"
-- My Morning Jacket - "One Big Holiday"
-- Nirvana - "Lithium (Live)"
-- Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
-- No Doubt - "Ex-Girlfriend"
-- Peter Frampton - "Do You Feel Like We Do? (Live)"
-- The Police - "So Lonely"
-- Public Enemy Featuring Zakk Wylde - "Bring the Noise 20XX"
-- Queen & David Bowie - "Under Pressure"
-- Queens Of The Stone Age - "Make It Wit Chu"
-- Rammstein - "Du Hast"
-- The Rolling Stones - "Sympathy For The Devil"
-- Rose Hill Drive - "Sneak Out"
-- Rush - "The Spirit Of Radio (Live)"
-- Santana - "No One To Depend On (Live)"
-- Scars On Broadway - "They Say"
-- Screaming Trees - "Nearly Lost You"
-- Smashing Pumpkins - "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
-- Sonic Youth - "Incinerate"
-- Spacehog - "In The Meantime"
-- Stevie Wonder - "Superstition"
-- Sublime - "What I Got"
-- Sunny Day Real Estate - "Seven"
-- T. Rex - "20th Century Boy"
-- The Derek Trucks Band - "Younk Funk"
-- The Duke Spirit - "Send A Little Love Token"
-- The Killers - "All The Pretty Faces"
-- The Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes"
-- The Sword - "Maiden, Mother & Crone"
-- Thin Lizzy - "Jailbreak"
-- Thrice - "Deadbolt"
-- Tom Petty - "Runnin' Down A Dream"
-- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "American Girl"
-- TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
-- Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"
-- Weezer - "Why Bother?"
-- The White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
-- Wild Cherry - "Play That Funky Music"
-- Wolfmother - "Back Round

Guitar Hero 5 will allow users to take complete control, with any setup in any game mode, including multiple singers, bassists or guitarists, and a new 'jump-in, jump-out' party play mode. Look out for GT5 when it hits shelves this September.

Linford

Labels: Activision, Guitar Hero, Linford Butler, Music game

The recently announced Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition - including a collector’s bust of Captain ‘Soap’ MacTavish from the game, a special edition Steelbook, an art book, a code to download the original Call of Duty game over PSN or Xbox Live and a fully-functional set of Night Vision Goggles - has been secured for the UK by HMV, and will be retailed at a hefty £119.99.

Along with the release of the Prestige Edition, which will hit shelves on 10th November, HMV is reportedly planning a series of in-store events to accompany the release.

“This is a fantastic limited edition exclusive for hmv.com customers for what is, undoubtedly, the game of the year,” said HMV’s commercial manager Jonathan Hayes. “We’re absolutely delighted that we can help make such a special premium product available to fans of the Modern Warfare franchise.

“We’ve been working very closely with Activision to make Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 one of the biggest entertainment events of all time. With this great exclusive and the upcoming launch we hope that everybody gets to play this brilliant game.”

The Prestige Edition will be on general release in the US, but will be exclusive only to HMV stores in the UK. If you fancy your own pair of night vision goggles along with possibly the biggest release of 2009, then you'd better get into your nearest HMV as soon as November 10th hits, as copies of the prestige edition are likely to fly off the shelves.

If you don't manage to get your hands on a copy, you're going to be looking at forking out £54.99 for the normal edition of the game.

Linford

Labels: Activision, Linford Butler, Modern Warfare 2

When the highly anticipated sequel to Infinity Ward's last Call of Duty outing, Modern Warfare 2, hits store shelves this winter, it'll be at a recommended retail price of £54.99, according to a report by games industry analysers, MCV.

The increase in price, triggered by fluctuating exchange rates, economic difficulties and the price of development costs, may see many of this winter's awaited titles undergo an increace in RRP, as the Pound weakens against the Euro.

“Exchange rates between the Euro and the pound are making it very difficult for publishers to show an acceptable operating margin in the UK,” THQ's EVP of worldwide publishing Ian Curran told MCV.

“You can’t continue to trade as normal when the biggest territory in Europe has seen cost of goods increase by 30 per cent due to the strengthening of the Euro. Publishers somehow need to offset this drastic increase in costs. I’m not surprised to see the [Modern Warfare 2] SRP go up and I feel this will continue across more key titles.

“Also, development costs for next gen software has increased at a time when the take-up on these machines is slower than expected and therefore the opportunity to sell more units is limited. The increase in cost of goods due to the weak pound has added to this burden, and therefore something has to happen to ensure publishers’ return on their investment.”

However, while Activision has risen the price of Modern Warfare 2 and will inevitably up the price of some of their other triple-A titles, other publishers are flatly refusing to jump on the bandwagon. Electronic Arts have already commented, assuring gamers that the price of their upcoming titles, such as FIFA 10 and Need for Speed: Shift, will not see a price increase this winter. While inflation continues, though, expect to see more price increases on games and hardware.

Linford

Labels: #Modern Warfare 2, Activision, Linford Butler, Modern Warfare 2

Activision has announced that there will indeed be a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Guitar Hero 5 and new Tony Hawk game.

More when it comes in.

Matt

Labels: Activision, Matthew, Matthew Meadows, Releases

Go to Berlin today, and you'll find a relatively pleasant city with a large population. Take a trip there this November, however, and you'll find a war-torn city filled with ruins and bomb sites. Because Treyarch's latest masterpiece is set to catapult us back into the midst of the Second World War.

Call of Duty: World at War follows two different campaigns, and there looks to be enough difference between the two to make it worthwhile. One follows the struggle between the US Marine Corps and the Japanese Imperial Army in the Pacific, and the other playing out the story of the Soviet Red Army's push on the Eastern Front towards the end of the war.

Based on an enhanced version of the CoD4 engine, the latest in the Call of Duty series allows players to experience the final climatic days of the Second World War. You play as either an American or Russian soldier, attempting to prevent the advance of Axis forces on multiple different fronts, which should give the game a real sense of intensity.

So far, three levels have been revealed, and they look to be shaping up nicely. One level, entitled Makin Raid, pictures an Allied prisoner of war being tortured and then murdered by the Japanese - while the player's character witnesses the whole grisly proceedings. Two other levels include machine-gunning on a PBY Catalina and attack against German troops under cover of a bombing raid.

Treyarch don't seem to be lacking in the multiplayer department either, with co-op play and online multiplayer packed into the same disk as the single-player campaign.

The latest gaming tour of WW2 features 2 player split-screen and up to 4 player online co-op modes, so you needn't play the game through feeling lonely. Players can complete unique challenges with their teammates, as well as playing the game through normally. The co-op also utilises the CoD4 perks system, so it should give an immersive experience.

Online is where it's all happening, though. World at War takes the CoD4 multiplayer engine and adds vehicles, which should make for some very exciting ranked matches. Of course, the classes, perks and player rankings are still there, so changeover from CoD4 should be easy for even the most die-hard Modern Warfare gamer.

The latest in this massively successful franchise looks like it's going to be one of the highlights of the gaming year. The revert back to WW2 may be sneered at by some, but I reckon that it could redefine the Second World War genre. I'll have to wait and see. November isn't long away.

Linford

Labels: Activision, Call of Duty, Hype Train, Preview, Treyarch, World at War

After the huge amount of Bond games being thrown at us around the millennium, there hasn't been much going on in the double-0 department recently. However, that's about to change big-time, with Treyarch developing the latest game to star the famous spy - Quantum of Solace.

Quantum of Solace follows the storylines of both Casino Royale and the title movie, and release of the game is set to coincide with the release of the upcoming movie. The developers had access to the scripters and actors from the film to try and make this latest Bond experience as genuine and well-done as it can be – and so far they seem to be making a decent job of it.

The game is based on an adapted version of the Call of Duty 4 engine, and that much is obvious just by looking at it – same sort of weapons, same targeting system, same basic controls. But that isn’t to say it’s a bad thing – if anything the basis on such a brilliantly developed engine will just add to the whole experience.

The graphics look very good indeed, although they’re still lacking a certain something to give them that real ‘wow’ factor – they’re still up there with some of the best though. The locations look fantastic - all soft lighting and grand décor – and really give the exotic feel that anything Bond-related should have.

The gameplay does look excellent. The weapons look like fun to fire, and nice little touches like firing at unknowing enemies around corners will make it that much more satisfying. The hand-to-hand combat looks brilliant too – Bond can sneak up on an unsuspecting guard and promptly throw them off a building, break their neck or smack ‘em round the face, and all with wince-inducing sound effects.

The best feature by far has to be the dual-cameras. The majority of the game plays out in classic first-person view, but at key points of the game the camera will switch to third-person to really make you think ‘oh yeah, I’m Bond’. This third-person camera will be used when Bond is taking cover – you can clearly see Daniel Craig’s rugged appearance as he shelters from oncoming bullets. Fantastic.

Activision have also confirmed that there will be a multiplayer mode of some sort for up to 12 players – but to be honest, I’d be content with just the single player. Quantum of Solace looks like it’s going to leave you shaken, not stirred.

Linford

Labels: 007, Activision, Bond, Call of Duty, Hype Train, Preview, PS3, Quantum of Solace, Treyarch

Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS)
-Portable
-Green, red, yellow and blue guitar buttons on bottom of DS unit

Singularity (360, PS3)
-Trailer shown
-Huge monster/robot things
-Very colourful
-Good graphics

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Fusion
-Needs a shorter name, or at least an abbreviation
-Fusion: mixture of character's powers for better ones
-Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine, and Spiderman all shown
-Can combine different characters powers

X-Men Origins: Revenge of the Fallen
-No trailer for Wolverine yet

Call of Duty: World at War (360, PS3, Wii, PC)
-Rifle smacks, flamethrowers, stabbings, men on fire, point-blank executions
-Looks intense
-Tanks give vehicle-based gameplay.
-Implementing a perks system similar to CoD4
-4p online co-op
-New competitive mode for rankings and stats
-Keifer Sutherland (Jack Bauer from 24) will voice a main character
-Co-op trailer shown.
-Basically looks like CoD4 in a new setting - in a good way

Spiderman: Web of Shadows
-Good graphics
-City at night looks really good
-Good smoke and sky effects
-Dark black oil or tentacle monster slithering about
-Will find NYC infested by 'alien symbiotes'
-There will be quarantine zones and evac points
-Up to Spidey to choose who to team up with
-Completely rebuilt combat system
-Red Spidey suit for agility, black/symbiote suit for strength
-Robust upgrade system
-Actions effect how the game pans out
-Air combat featured
-Long drops off buildings

James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
-Footage from film itself begins presentation
-Source material (ie. movie footage) looks amazing
-Senior VP of Global Strategies at Danjaq calls Daniel Craig a 'blonde bombshell'. Not too bad you might think, till you find out the VP is a bloke
-Activison given full access to the movie - ie. scripters, Craig, etc.
-Game tells story of both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace
-World exclusive: Daniel Craig is a gamer! It isn't uncool any more! :)
-Third person
-Bond can sneak along ledges, hide and dash up to soldiers
-Game cam able to switch to first-person
-Can knock guards out to remain stealthy
-Split screen allows you to see other details
-Explosions and guns. In a Bond game. Well, we weren't expecting that...
-Classic 007 gun scope closes in as you take damage
-In game cutscenes
-New, attractive HUD - Bond shot, side view of weapon and obviously ammo and grenade indicators.
-Crouch system looks strong; HUD Bond shot changes to a crouch when you go prone
-Action on train, in an elevator shaft, and in the indoor pool all shown in trailer.
-More explosions
-Due for release this November

Wolfenstein (360, PS3)
-Nazi themed. Dunno about you, but I like the idea of kicking the hell out of some Nazis
-Nazis trying to open portal to different dimension called 'shrell'.
-BJ doesn't have to fight by himself. He can enlist underground resistance to help him.
-Multiplayer included
-Kickass heroes, killing Nazis, mysterious occult and killer multiplayer? Yes, I'll reserve one, please.
-Really fast, 5-second montage shown. Can't see much
-More footage coming at Quakecon

Guitar Hero: World Tour (360, PS3, Wii)
-85 master songs available on disk-Doors, Eagles, Van Halen all included
-Metallica DLC for PS3, 360 and Wii
-Previous instruments will be compatible
-New guitar features: star power button, dual start buttons for lefties and righties, slider bar. It is also velocity sensitive.
-Drums included. Sorta defeats the point of Guitar Hero
-Kick pedal pot allows for Y-splitter and double bass pedals
-MIDI in port for any electronic drum kit or machine to play with GH.
-Mic breifly shown
-Song creation mode called 'Music Studio'
-Keyboard with close to 80 diffent synthesizer sounds
-4 on 4 battle of the bands online multiplayer
-Character customization

Overall: A good presentation, but a shame that Activison pulled out from the E3 main event. The new Bond game looks fantastic, and Guitar Hero looks to be shaping up nicely.

Linford

Labels: Activision, E3