REVIEW: Call of Duty: Black Ops

One year since the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Activision decides to release a 7^th installment in the Call of Duty series. Call of Duty was always about those intense moments in Single Player but now they slowly evolved in also providing us with a satisfying Multiplayer formula that just works. Treyarch, The developers of Call of Duty: World at War decided to take another shot on another Call of Duty Title.[FULL REVIEW]


Call of duty: Black Ops
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PC
Rating: MA 15+(PS3, Xbox 360, PC) M(Wii and DS version)
Release: 11/9/10

Axl Rose Suing Activision

Axl Rose has just issued his most insane lawsuit yet, suing Activision for $20 million for Featuring Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Axl initially signed off on "Jungle" being used in the game, but on one condition: Do not put any music by Velvet Revolver, which boasts guitarist Slash (Rose's former bandmate and mortal enemy) in the game. Well, not only did "Guitar Hero III" offer a bunch of Velvet Revolver songs, they crowned Slash the game's spokesperson, featured him on the game's cover and made him a playable avatar. Cue Axl's lawsuit.

"[Activision] began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and VR prominently in GH III but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N' Roses and the band's song 'Welcome to the Jungle,' " Rose's lawyer Skip Miller writes in the $20 million suit. Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine" featured in "Guitar Hero II," and "Shackler's Revenge" from Axl's long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" actually debuted as a game-ending challenge in "Rock Band 2," so Rose isn't opposed to the use of his songs in music video games. This comes down to, once again, Rose's undying hatred of Slash. Oh Activision, you amuse me in the most ridiculous of ways.

Why would Axl's lawsuit arrive three years after the release of "Guitar Hero III"? The Amp likes to imagine that during a brief hiatus in the GN'R tour, Rose headed to his local Best Buy to get a jump on some Black Friday shopping. While pushing his cart down the discount video game aisle, he saw the box for "Guitar Hero III" with Slash on the cover and got perturbed. After purchasing the game along with the new deluxe "Avatar" DVD and Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday," Axl drove back to his home in the Hollywood Hills to see if GNR's music was in fact in the game, only to discover that he bought an XBox 360 copy of "GH3" and he only owned a Playstation 3 (lol). Down but not defeated, Rose then realized that he could simply go on Wikipedia to see the game's track list. And then he called his lawyer.

Rose also claims that the GNR song "Sweet Child O' Mine" was used in an online promotion for GH III despite being licensed only for GH II. He wants $20 million in damages from sales of the popular game.

Black Ops Tomahawk FTW!

I had to post this. In Modern Warfare 2 you see tons of videos showing crazy knife throwing kills. Well that's all behind us now. In Black Ops, instead of a Throwing knife, we have the Tomahawk to embarrass our foes. Above is a crazy Tomahawk kill that will blow your mind. Thank you for the players who randomly throw their Tomahawks in hopes to see something awesome happen. Keep it coming!

Not So Cartoony Now

Watch the trailer first.


Look familiar? Well if you pay attention as to who is developing this game then maybe a question mark is floating above your head right now. 5th Cell, the people behind DS titles such as Scribblenauts and Drawn To Life are making this shooter for Xbox Live Arcade.

As for how Hybrid will play? We still don't know. Let's just wait a little longer. It's good to see a studio who likes to mix things up. In my opinion more companies should be like that. With what 5th Cell has at the moment is a very good streak. If they can keep that streak alive, that's all you ever needed to know.

Source:
http://kotaku.com/5697191/

Rumors:Eder Scrolls V in development, no official word yet...

Bethesda Games Studio is finally in works on a direct-sequel to the famous Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The last game, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released in xbox 360 and PC in 2006 and was released on the PS3 a year later. No official word from Bethesda or any footage of the game but one thing is for sure, it's in development. Rumors say that in a few weeks they will work with voice actors for their characters.

It's been too long since the last Elder Scrolls and i can't wait what Bethesda has in store for us. If they introduce us with a new engine to run the Elder Scrolls world with less bugs ill be sold. They have been running on the same engine for quite awhile, tweaking it and using it in their Fallout Games. Again no official word from the developers but good to know its being worked on.

To read more from my source, link here: Source - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-11-23-rumour-elder-scrolls-5-in-the-works

REVIEW: God of War: Ghost of Sparta

God of War, the action adventure hack and slash punch everything in it's face with testosterone filled manliness series that's been around shedding virtual blood since it's first release on the Playstation 2. We once again join Kratos on his quest to find whatever the hell he's looking for this time.[FULL REVIEW]

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Developer: Ready at Dawn Studios / Sony Computer Entertainment Santa Monica Studio

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Platform: Playstation Portable

Rating: M for Mature

Release: 11/2/2010

Video Game Music Itch

Are you bored? Nothing to listen to at work? Sick of all the mp3's on your music player? Or just want to hear some awesome renditions of video gaming music but don't know what and where to search? Well look no further.

This is a flash driven music player featuring a massive tracklist of video game music, some original, some remixed, some rock versions etc. Some of your favorite tunes from both old and new games all in one nifty spot. Enjoy.

http://vip.aersia.net/vip.swf

Special thanks to Brad Simons from 4playerpodcast

I’ve got three words for you: Man Furismo Jive

You all excited for GT5? Cause we are. Even good ol' Kevin Butler is getting in on the GT5 action as the VP of Add More Awesome.

When he says "realistic damage", I really hope that's the case because early footage of GT5 and car damage/crashes looked kinda... poopy. But from this new commercial, the car damage looks better. Anyway here's to GT5. Excelsior!


Note: Mr. Butler is a professional driver on a closed course. Do not attempt.

Zero and She-Hulk joins Marvel vs Capcom 3, Release date February 15

2 more character was revealed for Marvel vs Capcom 3. For the Capcom side, Zero joins the line up for the first time in the franchise. This isn't Zero's first versus game since he was first used in Tatsunoko vs Capcom. For the Marvel side, She-Hulk is added. This is her first appearance in any versus game and her super's look....interesting.





Aside from revealing 2 new characters, Capcom has finally given Marvel vs Capcom 3 a release date. Mark your calendars, Marvel vs capcom will be released on February 15 2011. For fans curious if there will be a collectors edition, yes there will be. The 70$ Collectors Edition will come in a steel book case with a 12-page prologue comic, a one -month subscription to the Marvel Digital Comics online library, and two downloadable characters who previously appeared in Marvel vs Capcom 2. Jill Valentine and Shuma Gorath. The pair will be available four weeks after the game launches.

Sounds great for the extra bucks if you've been waiting for this game for years. Hope it won't be a regular thing for Capcom making extra playable characters as downloadable content though.

Here are the latest trailers for Marvel vs Capcom 3 just in case you missed it.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 Full Length Trailer


Marvel vs Capcom 3 episode 2 Cinematic Trailer

Mortal Kombat Demo

Pretty old news since this was shown back in E3 '10 but it's awesome seeing a new Mortal Kombat in the works. When i was reading and watching conferences of E3 '10 for some reason i didn't notice they revealed Mortal Kombat in E3. Mortal Kombat started way back in in the early 90s and was an awesome 2d fighter in it's time. As it progressed and as the fighting scene changed, Mortal Kombat was left in the shadow by games like Tekken and Street Fighter. I'm really hoping they do a good job at bringing back Mortal Kombat to the players as this title has been gone for too long. So far it looks amazing and it might have a deep combat system that will be interesting to learn. Developers if Mortal Kombat are aiming for a spring 2011 release. For now, check out the demo from E3 and witness the new fatalities that are just flat out insane.

Tekken Tag 2 Sneak Peek

Tekken Tag 2 is looking good so far. Even with walls, it looks like it will retain the same depth as Tekken 6 without making the tag system seem too cheesey. Grab combos and assists have also been included. Tagging looks fast and frantic but the assists look fixed which to me is a good thing. Bounds, wall combos and even breaking walls and floors are all said to be present in Tekken Tag 2. I can't wait to see what crazy combos players will come up with when this comes out.

Game Breaking Glitch in Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Oops. This has got to be a 10 time worse than the Javelin Glitch from Modern Warfare 2. Warning, this video may be too graphic for you, it may want you to stop playing CoD Black Ops forever. The horror... the horror...



Source:
http://kotaku.com/5685110/the-floating-apple-that-ruins-call-of-duty

Neglected Side of the Force

I know Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 (FU2 lol) isn't new news but it has just come to my attention that there is also a Wii version of this game. I played the PSP version of Force Unleashed which was a port of the PS2 version and is exactly the same as the Wii version aside from controls. Chrome studio did a great job with the lesser versions of the Force Unleashed but this iteration of the FU2 looks to be better.

I'm talking about storm trooper limbs flying off bodies, and this is a Wii game! Of course they're going to integrate Star Killer's moves into motion controls, luckily the light saber combos are button based.

To set this game apart from the PS3 and 360 versions, they gave Star Killer some pointer based moves, those moves being his Jedi mind trick is now pointer based so I'm guessing it's easier to mind trick troopers and since you aim manually there's a depth of strategy. Another move is something they're calling "Force Rage" which is basically a Jedi's equivalent of Red Dead Redemption's / Revolver's "Dead Eye" in which you go into bullet time and aim at multiple targets and Star Killer starts warping to each target and taking them out with a powerful strike.

The 4 player mode looks to be some soft of a Smash Bros. clone which I am very curious to try seeing as Smash Bros. is one of my favorite franchises of all time. I will be going into this game with a very positive attitude and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Violent Video Games Supreme Court Audio Tape Is Out

If you all are too lazy to read the transcript of the court hearing then rejoice. Through the magic powers of the internet we now have access to the audio tape in digital form for all to hear. And I gotta say, this is hilarious.

If you don't want the audio file but want to read the transcript don't fret, it's there too. Enjoy

http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio_detail.aspx?argument=08-1448

In case you're curious about the Miller test, here it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_test

Armed Robbers Snatch 100 Copies Of Black Ops In GameStop Heist

Wait what!? yes it's true apparently there are hard hardcore gamers out there that would do a criminal act just to get their hands on the game, or sell them.Two guys with semiautomatic firearms were hellbent on breaking street for Call of Duty: Black Ops, sticking a Baltimore-area GameStop and looting it of 100 copies of the game, deue tuesday.

Great, another ridiculous act that will hurt the gaming industry's image in the long run. Another leverage people can use to say gaming leads to violence. Take note that the supreme court is currently hearing the case to reenact California Law AB 1179 which bans the sale of violent video games to minors, perfect timing for this to happen. Everything is going great and it looks like they won't apply this law then this happens. It's either they couldn't wait to legally get they copy of the game or they thought they would instantly make a profit selling it on a higher price since it's not out yet. People can be just........dumb. Stupidity at its best don't you think??


Sources below:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/bs-md-video-game-robbers-20101107,0,5201573.story via Kotaku

interested about the Supreme Court case? source below:
http://4playerpodcast.com/2010/11/02/games-as-porn-supreme-court-case-not-looking-good-for-california/

REVIEW: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has everything you have for an epic adventure. Chase scenes, intense fights, a colorful world to explore, and a good story to tell. Enslaved was a breath of fresh air for me, a game that focuses more on presentation and story. From the likable characters, a colorful post-apocalyptic setting, to a well written story, this game will suck you in from start to finish but with a few bumps along the way...[FULL REVIEW]

The First TV Sacrificed to Kinect

And there it is, just a day after release, Microsoft's motion gaming device has taken it's first victim. Well at least the first news of it to go public. The TV belonged to Phil Villarreal.

"A public service announcement: Do not under any circumstances play Kinect Sports Volleyball at 1:30 a.m. while standing under a ceiling fan with a dangling chain for a light switch," he writes.

Phil apparently spiked the dangling chain of his ceiling fan into his 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTV. The TV was purchased last December, not even a year old.

Back when the Nintendo Wii launched in 2006, there were stories of Wiimotes flying around and breaking things too, some real and some not.


Sources:
http://kotaku.com/5682343/

Yes, I Am The First Moron To Break His TV With Kinect [because i told you so]

Keiji Inafune Leaves Capcom

Capcom legend and father of Rockman / Megaman has left the company he's been with for 23 years. His full job title had been Head of R&D Management Group, Consumer Games R&D Division and Contents Management Division. His final post on his blog (which is now closed) titled "Sayonara", Inafune explained why he decided to leave.

"A manager's work means evaluating your subordinates and speaking your dreams. Anyone who can do both of those can be a manager. I thought that when I came here, and I still think that now."

I guess Inafune-san wasn't kidding when he said he hated his job. This is a sa d turn of events following the announcement of Megaman Legends 3.

Mega Man Legends is apparently Inafune's favorite series in the Mega Man franchise. "We have wanted to create a new installment in this series for a number of years," Inafune said in a video letter last month. "And it is great that we now have the opportunity to bring this title to the Nintendo 3DS."

Gamers will have the opportunity to play Mega Man Legends 3 when it is released next year, but Inafune unfortunately won't have the opportunity to see it to completion.

Sources:

http://kotaku.com/5676855/capcom-explains-how-they-will-carry-on-without-mega-man-creator

http://kotaku.com/5676403/mega-mans-creator-quits-capcom

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/66245

http://mmomfg.com/2010/10/29/inafune-quits-capcom-1029/

Shinji Mikami Making His Last Game

The man responsible for creating some of the well known titles such as Resident Evil and Devil May Cry is going to stop directing games after his next unannounced title and instead will focus on running his new company.

This new title after Shadow of the Damned will be created at Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda.

"That's something I was planning for from the start," Mikami said. "I can only last for so long handling both director and company president duties, and besides, I want to give our younger developers a chance. Knowing that, of course, makes me want to put all of my experience, my energy, and everything else I've got into this game."

"I'm pretty lucky that [Bethesda] was willing to accept that, too. Too many publishers are only interested in the very near future, after all."


Sources:
http://kotaku.com/5680820/the-man-who-made-resident-evil-is-making-his-last-game
http://www.1up.com/news/shinji-mikami-discusses-joining-bethesda

Gran Turismo 5 has gone golden....Finally!

Gran Turismo 5 is finally gonna hit the shelves and is making a 2010 release date. Hopefully theres no more delays because this Title has been in development for too long. Gran Turismo 5 was first announced for the Playstation 3 in 2005, that was 5 years ago and We've had countless delays that it felt like this Title would never get released. 

New Release date on online sites like Amazon.com is Dec 31, 2010 But Sony said their trying to aim for a holiday launch or before the holidays. As far as sites like Amazon, retailers have arbitrary dates that are used just in case they haven't been provided with an actual Release date. Hey, at least they kept their promise to release it this year. 

Regarding last months delay, Sony producer Taku Imasaki said, "We're really close, but this was an executive decision that was made yesterday. Realistically, we thought we had a good date. We're not happy over here" He also mentioned that Sony "is shooting for it to be out by the holidays. You won't see to much more delay."

When Gran Turismo 5 finally comes out, it will feature close to 1,000 vehicles on more than 70 tracks in 20 plus locations. The budget for this exclusive Title is $60 million. It even has official license of several major racing circuits like NASCAR and the World Rally Championship.

This is the lastest trailer. the release date in the end of the trailer was the E3 2010 announcement that got everybody excited. A month away into release they dumped us with another delay.

Impressions: Medal of Honor didin't impress me...

I recently rented Medal of Honor and played it on the weekend and i'm grateful that i went for the rent rather than getting my own. It seems like Medal of Honor won't be a threat against Call of Duty: Black Ops at all.

Now my earlier post on Medal of Honor, i said i was only interested in the Single Player and that didn't even impress me. It had it's moments but wasn't that engaging for me. You play as different characters with different missions all happening in a span of 2 days. AI are the dumbest I've seen in an FPS, and you can literally feel the game being linear. Now yes most FPS are linear experiences but when i mean u feel it, you actually do. There's invisible walls preventing you from going one way or jumping on a rock. There are times were i was planning to flank my enemies but only to find an invisible wall telling me no. It's easier to hide places to prevent players from heading there with debris or actual walls but in this game they just dump a hidden wall in front of you. Didn't have much thought on my game plan, just go on cover, point and shoot.

Now there was a lot of variety in the Single Player gameplay adding stealth, helicopters, and long range sniping but it all ended in a flash. Yes its a very short experience that left me with nothing in the end. While the story felt engaging , overall i wasn't that impressed. With all the hype i was expecting more, so i looked for satisfaction in multiplayer. Found it but not enough for me to get my own copy.

Multiplayer was fun but it gave me Deja vu and again i expected more. I invested 4 hours in multi player at the moment and didn't feel the urge to keep going. This is Electronic Arts take on keeping up with the Call of Duty franchise of Activision and With Black Ops on the way, they need Medal of Honor to work and compete against it. Sadly i don't think Medal of Honor will be able to do well when Black Ops comes out. I'm not saying Black Ops is  better than Medal of Honor. It's just from what i experience in Medal of Honor, they didin't set the bar high enough.

With this being a disappointment for me, i'm interested on what Black Ops has to offer all of a sudden. This may sound like a review but it isn't a full review on the game since i didn't go into detail about other aspects of the game. Will try to dig in deeper to get a full game review about the game but we'll see if i have the time or will to play Medal of Honor.