Games Cheats and Reviews

If StarCraft 2 doesn’t outsell Modern Warfare 2 worldwide, I’m going to be very disappointed in you Internet…

On this episode Scott and James talk about a recent (hopefully not probable) rumor about Modern Warfare. We also discuss more about Red Dead Redemption, Deathspank, and Singularity and it’s similarity to Bioshock. Also I try to figure out why I can’t get Persona out of my mind and why I will be picking it up on the PSP.

JRPGs have fallen on tough times as of late. Final Fantasy XIII, the flagship of the genre in the west, received lukewarm reviews when Square Enix released it earlier this year. Meanwhile, Dragon Quest IX has been setting Japan on fire for nearly a year, but has yet to see a western release. The best titles in the genre in recent memory have been for handheld systems. That may be about to change. Nintendo released Monolith’s new Wii RPG Xenoblade this month in Japan. The game is headed by Xenogears and Xenosaga creator Tetsuya Takahashi, and by taking specific cues Modern Warfare 2 and wester MMOs, it may just help lift console JRPGs out of the doldrums when it sees a western release.

Xenosaga is probably a better representative of the future of JRPGs than Final Fantasy XIII was. While both titles use AI-controlled party members (a mechanic that is fast becoming a staple of the genre on consoles) Xenoblade’s “single-player MMO” mimics the strong points of MMO combat-namely, coordinating and balancing skill selection, recharge times, and party cooperation- while avoiding the overly technical aspects that can dominate high-level MMO play. By borrowing from a genre that is popular in Japan and the west, Xenoblade offers mechanics that will appeal to those on both sides of the Pacific–if they can stomach certain JRPG tropes. that is.

Live TV by Ustream

Time: Tuesday, June 3rd, 2010, 5 p.m. PST

Location: Watch the embedded video player above.

Who wants to play on the new maps with me? I’ll be attempting to maintain a good kill-to-death ratio on the live stream as I wander around unrecognizable territory. Send me a message on Xbox Live during the show; my gamertag is Teanah. And if you don’t feel like paying fifteen dollars, make sure to tune in since we’ll be distributing a few codes. If you happen to miss out on game night, we’ll still be handing out a couple on Friday and Saturday.

Analysts have been baffled as to the steep drop in game sales last April. Its not that hard to understand the drop… Splinter Cell and Monster Hunter where the only real major releases, and both appeal to a specific market. At the same time, Modern Warfare 2 had a new map pack, the Starcraft 2 beta continued and gamers eagerly awaited the Halo: Reach beta that started in May. When there isn’t much to buy, why would slow sales surprise you?

That all ends this week. The games that hit shelves in the next two weeks should satisfy a hungry gaming audience through the summer. Highly anticipated games like Alan Wake, Prince of Persia and Split/Second all land in the laps of eager gamers this week. It kind of makes you wonder why they didn’t get pushed forward into April, especially when they are up against the next big thing from Rockstar.

Red Dead Redemption can be described as the Grand Theft Auto of the wild west. You take the reigns of the reformed outlaw John Marston and guide him through the wild west. Its hard to determine what the most exciting part of this game will be. Is it the dynamic side quests that can pop up anytime, anywhere, even during another mission? Is it the vast open world that is alive with some 40 different species of wild life that you can hunt… or be hunted by? How about that classic spaghetti western gunplay? And that is just the single player…

Red Dead Redemption also offers a free roam multiplayer mode that will allow you to wander around the west with your friends. You will be able to posse up and take on gangs of bandits, hunt together or jump into a competitive match with another posse at certain landmarks. If you are into a more structured online experience then there are a wide array of classic competitive multiplayer matches, each with a unique western twist.

There is nothing like starting off with a Mexican standoff, the winner getting a chance to get into position while the dead wait to respawn. Modes include your standard gang shootouts and various objective based matches, usually revolving around bags of gold. After completing various weapons challenges based on kills/headshots, you will eventually unlock golden versions of each of your weapons.

I can’t appropriately convey how excited I personally am to get my hands on this game. It looks to be the Grand Theft Auto of the wild west, complete with the multiplayer experience you always hoped would appear in a GTA game. Usually I recommend waiting a few days when a game is coming out, to see if it gets the critical acclaim that you would expect. You don’t need to wait on this one. Red Dead Redemption is a day one purchase.

Just so you know, there is a slight difference between the PS3 and XBox 360 versions. While it hasn’t been advertised heavily, the PS3 version gets some exclusive content. Leaked images of the PS3 box cover highlight that the PS3 version gets “Solomon’s Folly Gang Hideout” and the “Walton Gang Outfit”. These aren’t really major enough to influence most gamers, but its a neat little bonus for PS3 owners.

Sharing: It’s Win/Win

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With some major releases on the way this month, Amazon, Walmart and GameStop have been handing out $20 and $10 gift cards for every game under the sun. Buying Red Dead Redemption, Halo: Reach and Alan Wake with those outlets could result in some nice savings down the road, so check them out now.

In the meantime, Direct2Drive is finished up their Spring Sale, and Kmart is surprising with an excellent sale of their own. Check out the Spotlight section for huge savings on Final Fantasy, Modern Warfare 2 and Bayonetta!

Spotlight

Another video game industry professional is making the leap into movies. Modern Warfare 2 talent director Keith Arem has been tabbed to direct his first movie — a horror film titled Frost Road.

In a USA Today report, Arem calls his new project a “zombie film in reverse.” Instead of being constantly threatened by various monstrosities, the main character is trying to save the townsfolk from a phenomenon that is ripping them apart.

Arem has been working on video games since 1993, but his first career was as a musician, where he toured with groups like Nine Inch Nails and developed his skills as an audio engineer.

Yeah, that’s right. The best game this week is only an open beta. I have made this decision for two reasons. First of all, nothing really notable is coming out other than the Iron Man 2 movie tie in and I don’t like movie games. Secondly, if you have ever been a Halo fan, then this is what you will be playing for the next couple weeks.

While ODST acted more as a supplement to Halo 3, Reach is essentially Halo 4. New maps, new modes and a new(ish) health system are all things that you are going to want to try out before the game is released later this year. Beyond that, Reach will include stealth, jump packs and assassinations. If you are a Halo fan then I’m sure that you already know all about the beta. However, as the Beta started today, I am also sure that you are probably too busy playing the beta to even be bothered read this article.

Just in case you have been living under a rock, you will need have a  copy of Halo: ODST to get into the Beta. From there, you just access the beta from extras menu on campaign disk. Simple as that. Makes me wonder why Modern Warfare 2 never had a beta…

Sharing: It’s Win/Win

Yeah, that’s right. The best game this week is only an open beta. I have made this decision for two reasons. First of all, nothing really notable is coming out other than the Iron Man 2 movie tie in and I don’t like movie games. Secondly, if you have ever been a Halo fan, then this is what you will be playing for the next couple weeks.

While ODST acted more as a supplement to Halo 3, Reach is essentially Halo 4. New maps, new modes and a new(ish) health system are all things that you are going to want to try out before the game is released later this year. Beyond that, Reach will include stealth, jump packs and assassinations. If you are a Halo fan then I’m sure that you already know all about the beta. However, as the Beta started today, I am also sure that you are probably too busy playing the beta to even be bothered read this article.

Just in case you have been living under a rock, you will need have a  copy of Halo: ODST to get into the Beta. From there, you just access the beta from extras menu on campaign disk. Simple as that. Makes me wonder why Modern Warfare 2 never had a beta…

Sharing: It’s Win/Win

Infinity Ward will undergo significant change in the wake of ex-staffers’ bitter legal row with Activision, an insider claims.

Activision media manager Dan Amrich says that the ongoing legal row – pitting ex-studio heads Zampella and West against the publisher – will spur a revolution at the Modern Warfare studio.

"IW still exists," he said. "[Though] obviously its identity and company culture are going to go through huge changes in the coming months and years."