CURRENT NEWS: SUNDAY, 5 JULY 2009
Sun Jul 5, 2009 9:01am
When you spend most of your gameplay hours wrangling new release games for review, you do not typically get the opportunity to sit down and soak up the atmosphere to the same extent as a regular player does. Once those end credits roll, you’re onto the next one; sometimes a cause of frustration, particularly when the summer movie season is in full swing and rushed licensed titles are piling up on your desk, leaving you totally jaded. Sometimes you just need to step back from it all and remember what you enjoy about the hobby.
This week, we’ll look at a few of those little things that we really like in video games.
This week, we’ll look at a few of those little things that we really like in video games.
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NEWS FOR SATURDAY, 4 JULY 2009
Sat Jul 4, 2009 5:47pm
Everybody has a fond memory or two, when it comes to Ghostbusters. The Stay Puft marshmallow man, the Keymaster and Gatekeeper, the dancing Statue of Liberty... my sister actually developed nightmares after the bathtub filled with slime in the second film (she was very young at the time)...
Given that it's been two decades since the last film, I wonder if the next generation of kids will grow up with Ghostbusters: The Videogame as a sort of surrogate-movie? Matt Keller strapped on his protective gear and stepped into the fray, all to bring us this new review.
Given that it's been two decades since the last film, I wonder if the next generation of kids will grow up with Ghostbusters: The Videogame as a sort of surrogate-movie? Matt Keller strapped on his protective gear and stepped into the fray, all to bring us this new review.
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Sat Jul 4, 2009 11:50am
A story has emerged from the murky world of EVE Online, about the CEO of an in-game financial institution who's been pinching a bit of money from the bank's coffers - and then exchanging it for real-world money.
Ricdic had built up a reputation for himself as one of the few players that gamers could trust in the ingame world - and on the outside he was a 27-year-old married father of two, living a quiet life. And before you start with the stereotypical gold-farming accusations, Ricdic is Australian.
Ricdic had built up a reputation for himself as one of the few players that gamers could trust in the ingame world - and on the outside he was a 27-year-old married father of two, living a quiet life. And before you start with the stereotypical gold-farming accusations, Ricdic is Australian.
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Sat Jul 4, 2009 11:09am
Before this year's E3 event, many people thought that Polyphony Digital's plans to release Gran Turismo on the PSP had all but disappeared. They were proven wrong when a bunch of information about the game was released during the trade show.
While we've still not heard all that much about the game, we do know that the game is set to be released in the US "just after" the first of October, and that we've just gotten our hands on some new images from the game, which look pretty impressive for the PSP.
Gran Tursimo will feature over 800 cars, 30 tracks (with 60 different layouts) and promises to run on the PSP at a silky smooth 60 frames per second, making it one of the most fully featured games on Sony's hand held platform.
While we've still not heard all that much about the game, we do know that the game is set to be released in the US "just after" the first of October, and that we've just gotten our hands on some new images from the game, which look pretty impressive for the PSP.
Gran Tursimo will feature over 800 cars, 30 tracks (with 60 different layouts) and promises to run on the PSP at a silky smooth 60 frames per second, making it one of the most fully featured games on Sony's hand held platform.
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Sat Jul 4, 2009 10:17am
It isn't every morning that you wake up to a patch of over 1GB for a free game. So, that makes today a little bit special, with a massive patch for America's Army arriving. The patch weighs in at just over 1GB, and should you have installed the Steam version of the game, should automatically be downloaded by your Steam client.
While the change list does little to suggest why the patch is so large, it is likely that the inclusion of a "new TS3 SDK" has something to do with the large file size. Other fixes and additions to the game include an improved console, support for clans, and the ability to see what version of the game you are currently running.
In addition, a number of minor fixes are made, which should make the game experience more enjoyable for all. Your Steam client should automatically pull down the update, or will be forced to do so if you restart Steam.
While the change list does little to suggest why the patch is so large, it is likely that the inclusion of a "new TS3 SDK" has something to do with the large file size. Other fixes and additions to the game include an improved console, support for clans, and the ability to see what version of the game you are currently running.
In addition, a number of minor fixes are made, which should make the game experience more enjoyable for all. Your Steam client should automatically pull down the update, or will be forced to do so if you restart Steam.
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NEWS FOR FRIDAY, 3 JULY 2009
Fri Jul 3, 2009 5:42pm
Whether you're excited about a new release, or have already written it off as flogging some sort of dead animal, Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits has recently arrived on Australian shores, bringing with it a bunch of classic tunes from the earlier games and reinventing them in a band environment.
Matt Keller, who is a bit of a bedroom rocker when he's not playing the humble games reviewer, plugged in the guitar, dusted off the drum pads and dug out the microphone, all ready to re-visit some of these hand-picked tracks. But - is it worth the re-release?
Matt Keller, who is a bit of a bedroom rocker when he's not playing the humble games reviewer, plugged in the guitar, dusted off the drum pads and dug out the microphone, all ready to re-visit some of these hand-picked tracks. But - is it worth the re-release?
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 3:58pm
It's July 3rd, which means tomorrow is July 4th, which means if you happen to be in the US (or sympathise with those who are), you've probably got a big weekend planned.
...if you don't yet, or you're not into the "big weekend" sort of behaviour, may I suggest a quiet one? Why not spend the next few days at home with the PC, checking out some of these demos, free games and full clients we've collated for you!
This week, we have for you demos from Chaines, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Star Defender 4, Trine, Trucker 2
and we have for you full games from 7Million, Aion - Tower of Eternity, Ragnarok, FreeStyle Street Basketball, Gods War, Holy Beast Online, Perfect World, Rappelz, Red War, Talisman Online, The Hunter, Battleground Europe, Zero Online.
...if you don't yet, or you're not into the "big weekend" sort of behaviour, may I suggest a quiet one? Why not spend the next few days at home with the PC, checking out some of these demos, free games and full clients we've collated for you!
This week, we have for you demos from Chaines, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Star Defender 4, Trine, Trucker 2
and we have for you full games from 7Million, Aion - Tower of Eternity, Ragnarok, FreeStyle Street Basketball, Gods War, Holy Beast Online, Perfect World, Rappelz, Red War, Talisman Online, The Hunter, Battleground Europe, Zero Online.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 1:55pm
Earlier this week, it was reported that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment were the only company to have made a bid on the properties of Midway Games. Today, it has been noted that the Delaware Bankruptcy Court has approved the deal, with the presiding judge also waiving the standard ten-day wait for such a deal.
For a price of US$33 million, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will acquire the Midway properties Mortal Kombat, and The Wheelman, and the studios attached to each property.
For a price of US$33 million, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will acquire the Midway properties Mortal Kombat, and The Wheelman, and the studios attached to each property.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:31pm
With the retail release of ArmA II still scheduled for the 16th of July in Australia (the game is currently available on Steam if you can't wait) 505 Games and Bohemia Interactive have released a developer diary that shows off some of the basic features of the game.
Focusing on simulation, the game contains realistic ballistics, and the features that are not common to other first person shooters. Players have the ability to look around in several directions while moving in another, the ability to roll, and do other tasks that are typically less complex in other firs person shooters.
Focusing on simulation, the game contains realistic ballistics, and the features that are not common to other first person shooters. Players have the ability to look around in several directions while moving in another, the ability to roll, and do other tasks that are typically less complex in other firs person shooters.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 11:57am
DICE have announced that the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 versions of Battlefield 1943 are due to launch via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PlayStation Network next week. Pricing for the game is 1200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and US$15 on the PlayStation network.
The game is due for release on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the 8th of July, and those on the PlayStation 3 will see the game hit during the next weekly update, the 9th of July.
The game is due for release on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the 8th of July, and those on the PlayStation 3 will see the game hit during the next weekly update, the 9th of July.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 11:31am
Those of you who are looking forward to the latest RPG offering from Obsidian Entertainment will be pleased to know that a release date for Alpha Protocol has been announced. In Alpha Protocol, gamers will be able to enter the shoes of Michael Thorton, a US government spy who is sent to Europe to investigate reports that that a US missile strike on a civilian aeroplane.
As it turns out, the plan was actually destroyed by some sort of group seeking to lower the standing of the US, and Thorton must find and bring those behind the plot to justice. Gamers will be able to investigate, interrogate and infiltrate the plot on the 6th of October (if they're in the US), and other parts of the world should be able to find the game on shelves shortly thereafter.
As it turns out, the plan was actually destroyed by some sort of group seeking to lower the standing of the US, and Thorton must find and bring those behind the plot to justice. Gamers will be able to investigate, interrogate and infiltrate the plot on the 6th of October (if they're in the US), and other parts of the world should be able to find the game on shelves shortly thereafter.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:46am
Tripwire Interactive, the folk behind the zombie-shooter Killing Floor have released an update for the game via Steam. The update fixes a number of bugs, while at the same time, cracking down a little bit on those who would rather exploit the game to gain levels than develop their character through actual gameplay.
A number of perks have been tweaked, and a few new features have also been introduced, allowing people to do things like chat using their voice while waiting for other players to ready up in the lobby.
As is normally the case, your Steam client should pull down the update automatically. If not, restarting Steam will force the game's update to download. While you wait for that to happen, we've go the complete change list for you to look over.
A number of perks have been tweaked, and a few new features have also been introduced, allowing people to do things like chat using their voice while waiting for other players to ready up in the lobby.
As is normally the case, your Steam client should pull down the update automatically. If not, restarting Steam will force the game's update to download. While you wait for that to happen, we've go the complete change list for you to look over.
[ READ MORE ]
Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:10am
Not too long ago, the developer of Dawn of War II, Relic announced a major content update for the game, which is set to introduce eight new maps, a number of balance changes, and a rather large number of bugs.
Today, the developer has released a beta for what is dubbed the "There is Only War" update, which is available to all owners of the game via Steam, right now.
The change list for the update is massive, and there has been hundreds of changes made to the game, which includes a lot of changes to unit damage values, health, cost, and more.
Today, the developer has released a beta for what is dubbed the "There is Only War" update, which is available to all owners of the game via Steam, right now.
The change list for the update is massive, and there has been hundreds of changes made to the game, which includes a lot of changes to unit damage values, health, cost, and more.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 9:18am
I imagine it happens something like this: a group of developers want to make a game in a particular, successful genre. Unfortunately, everybody else is making the exact same game, and despite their titanic efforts in the areas of gameplay and graphics, they know in their hearts their title will not stand out from the pack. Rather than admitting defeat, our brave heroes fall to thinking up a gimmick that will differentiate their baby from the pretenders, and titles like U-Wars, a third-person shooter that sees the action raging on land and underwater, are born. Games journalists everywhere then rejoice at the slew of easy punning opportunities that arise.
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Fri Jul 3, 2009 8:40am
So, Damnation! Wasn't that awesome? Umm, actually, I haven't gotten around to it yet, and apparently I am not alone. The shooter with the "climb everything" claim to fame performed quite poorly at retail, which has been very bad news for developers Blue Omega - and didn't do any better with critics. Not that even universal applause would compensate Blue Omega for the lack of profit, or be likely to sway them from their recent decision to sack the entire development team of the beleaguered shooter.
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NEWS FOR THURSDAY, 2 JULY 2009
Thu Jul 2, 2009 5:49pm
So, let me get this straight. Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil is - effectively - a remake of a remake? If you recall, the original game (from way back in 1996!) was developed for PlayStation, and was then re-made for the GameCube in 2002. This version featured new graphics, better voice acting and a bunch of "significant" gameplay changes.
Now, Capcom have sat down and re-worked the game again for a Wii release, this time a more standard port of the GameCube release. Released as part of the Resident Evil Archives project, Matt Keller spent a bit of time with the master of unlocking, to see how the game carries over into this generation.
Now, Capcom have sat down and re-worked the game again for a Wii release, this time a more standard port of the GameCube release. Released as part of the Resident Evil Archives project, Matt Keller spent a bit of time with the master of unlocking, to see how the game carries over into this generation.
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Thu Jul 2, 2009 4:36pm
StarCraft II may have been in the news recently for a less-than-positive reason, but don't let that cloud your judgement of what is still shaping up to be a pretty awesome little title.
Today, we've got two mysterious treats for fans of the game - not only have we scrounged up seven minutes of gameplay footage for you (it's so pretty) - but also, images of each of the three tech trees that will be implemented in the game.
Today, we've got two mysterious treats for fans of the game - not only have we scrounged up seven minutes of gameplay footage for you (it's so pretty) - but also, images of each of the three tech trees that will be implemented in the game.
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Thu Jul 2, 2009 12:26pm
It seems that for all the people who complain about our coverage of Steam updates, there are still avid gamers who hang on our every word and rely on us for the latest and greatest in the world of digital distribution.
Take today for example. A (pretty tiny) update was released for Empire: Total War, which tweaks a couple of things that I'm sure are crucial to the gameplay. My eyes have been dazzled by all sorts of interesting bits and pieces, and the news of the update slipped past for a few hours. Once I paid attention to my inbox, I discovered it was full of news submissions, all begging us to remind people to restart their Steam Client and get the update!
...so, there you go - hop to it!
Take today for example. A (pretty tiny) update was released for Empire: Total War, which tweaks a couple of things that I'm sure are crucial to the gameplay. My eyes have been dazzled by all sorts of interesting bits and pieces, and the news of the update slipped past for a few hours. Once I paid attention to my inbox, I discovered it was full of news submissions, all begging us to remind people to restart their Steam Client and get the update!
...so, there you go - hop to it!
[ READ MORE ]
Thu Jul 2, 2009 11:29am
At E3, we were thoroughly impressed at what we saw and learnt about Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction, so it gives us great pleasure to see that Ubisoft have released the first developer diary discussing some of the new features that will be introduced in Sam Fisher's return into gaming.
The trailer introduces us to several of the developers, who, in turn, explain the new gameplay features of the title, which include "Last Known Position", and "Mark and Execute", the ability to queue up targets or traps to assist Mr. Fisher while he infiltrates various environments in the game.
The trailer introduces us to several of the developers, who, in turn, explain the new gameplay features of the title, which include "Last Known Position", and "Mark and Execute", the ability to queue up targets or traps to assist Mr. Fisher while he infiltrates various environments in the game.
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Thu Jul 2, 2009 11:19am
Well, lookie here! It's another Steam update! This time around, it brings changes for both the Steam Client itself, but also for the Source SDK, specifically Hammer.
If you're the sort of person who enjoys a bit of Steam-powered gaming, then keep in mind you'll need to install these updates before you can get back to it - it should be a simple matter of restarting your client, and possibly hopping on one leg while reciting the alphabet backwards.
If you're the sort of person who enjoys a bit of Steam-powered gaming, then keep in mind you'll need to install these updates before you can get back to it - it should be a simple matter of restarting your client, and possibly hopping on one leg while reciting the alphabet backwards.
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Thu Jul 2, 2009 11:10am
In the lead up to E3, many rumours abounded regarding the future of the PlayStation 3 as a games platform. While the focus on hardware emerging from Sony's camps was squarely directed towards the PSP Go, rumours of a Slim PlayStation 3 circulated like wildfire before the event got under way.
In the fallout of E3, several sources indicate that a Slim PlayStation 3 does exist, and today, several news agencies report that the "PS3 Slim" is due to shortly enter production, with Sony signing a contract to this effect.
In the fallout of E3, several sources indicate that a Slim PlayStation 3 does exist, and today, several news agencies report that the "PS3 Slim" is due to shortly enter production, with Sony signing a contract to this effect.
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Thu Jul 2, 2009 10:38am
For a game that's not out yet, Scribblenauts is already buckling under the strain of having to carry all of its awards and prizes around with it!
Luckily, the inventive write-your-own adventure from 5th Cell (Drawn to Life, Lock's Quest) can probably just describe a bag to help lug 'em all around, as it basks in the glow of becoming the unexpected "must-see" game from E3 2009. It seems everybody from "mommy bloggers" to the hardcore gamer crowd fell in love with the game's totally original (and fun!) gameplay.
Luckily, the inventive write-your-own adventure from 5th Cell (Drawn to Life, Lock's Quest) can probably just describe a bag to help lug 'em all around, as it basks in the glow of becoming the unexpected "must-see" game from E3 2009. It seems everybody from "mommy bloggers" to the hardcore gamer crowd fell in love with the game's totally original (and fun!) gameplay.
[ READ MORE ]
Thu Jul 2, 2009 10:24am
Yesterday, we brought you news that the first episode in the Tales of Monkey Island series is due to launch on the 7th of July. To celebrate this, the fine folk at Telltale Games have provided us with a gameplay trailer that features in-game footage from the first episode of the game, Launch of the Screaming Narwhal.
The trailer suggests that the promises made by Telltale Games that all the charm and wit of the previous games are still present in the new series, which is desgined to appeal to all new audiences while also satisfying the desires of those who fondly remember the original titles.
The trailer suggests that the promises made by Telltale Games that all the charm and wit of the previous games are still present in the new series, which is desgined to appeal to all new audiences while also satisfying the desires of those who fondly remember the original titles.
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