December 22, 2006

Gears of War reviewed

Gears of War
Xbox 360
Review by RaiderBear

Halo 3 has a lot of ground to cover if it even hopes to hold a candle to the incredibleness that is Gears of War!!! This game sets a new bar for third and first person shooters everywhere, and is so amazing I don’t know where to begin. So, I’ll start with the back-story all of you probably know by now: Gears of Wars takes-place in the some-time future, after Emergence Day, or the day when the Locust Horde attacked every major city on Sera (hard to believe, but makes for an interesting plot, unlike Halo 2). The Gears (Earthlings) engage in intense battles against the Locust Horde and are getting their a$$es kicked left and right. You play as Marcus Fenix, who was in jail for not following orders (I won’t reveal much more past that). The game starts off that Dom, one of your army buddies, busts you out of jail…but then again everyone is dead so it’s not must of a “bust”. The game immediately puts you into the action, and starts off with small enemies than grows massive until you have to hold off tons of Locusts, from Wretches (you will learn to absolutely hate these guys, especially the exploding ones) to Boomers (big-stupid Bazooka Locusts).

Great Single-Player: the single player campaign is awesome. The game perfectly designs a duck, over, and run third-person shooters with an in-your-face adrenaline-pumping total machine-gun warfare! Complete with senseless violence and gore galore!!! While weapons are limited, the game play is incredibly. The replay value is also high since you unlock more things by completing it in hard (which is code-named Insane). The game is complete with incredible game-play, interesting story-line, stunning graphics, and a villain that you fell like beating the living hell out of. At times, however, especially as you progress, the game seems impossible and the enemies seem endless – but this is the joy of the game – don’t give up and keep trying and when you beat one of those difficult parts, you fell pride and accomplishment!

Look-out Bungie: As we all know, Halo 2 was a big disappoint despite high-sales, and the mod for online play ruined it. Gears of War sets a new bar for shooters with its long hours of gameplay, endless xbox-live multiplayer (which could be better but isn’t bad), innovative game-play system, and everything else. This game meets and surpasses all the hype, and is a must-buy for 360 owners everywhere. And if you don’t own one, save up money and buy a 360 with Gears of War!

Breakdown:
Graphics: 10
Single-Player: 10
Replay: 9
Story: 8/9
Online play: 7/8
Controls: 10

+ Graphics
+ Senseless violence and gore
+ Chainsaw!!!!!!!
+ Game-play
+ Endless hordes of enemies
+ Baird’s smart-a$$ jokes
+ Replay-value
- Way too little weapons
- At times game seems impossible

Overall rating: 10/10

We're two years old today!

I almost forgot! Gameweb is officially two years old today! To celebrate, the site has undergone a makeover courtesy of the new Blogger. Enjoy!

October 27, 2006

Actual info for Halo 3!

This has been translated from the German gaming magazine "LEVEL":

(Oh, and if you want to be surprised when the game comes out, don't read this.)

"Three Multiplayer levels were tested: Three different multiplayer levels does our own Halo-Fanboy Thomas Wiborgh have time to try out and the levels are limited by invisible walls. If the player reaches to far outside of the level they will be attacked by an automatic defense. Whats the point of it is not presented in the text.
One of the multiplayer level is called "Snowbound". It's a battle level in winter territorie with large Covenant bases. On the levels are also bunkers that are protected by energyshields. These shields can't be penetrated by bullets and grenades, but players can go through it though.
Another level is called "Highground", its shaped for teamplay and reminds of the Halo 2 level "Zanzibar". One team has to defend a base that is on a hill. The other team begins in a beach below the base and has the mission to attack it. In the base you can open alarge gate that lets a warthog from the beach drive inside the base.
The third and last level is called "Valhalla" and is a forest covered level with mountains in the horizon. It's so big that it is made for vehicles and has two large bases placed out. (It's suppose to be the new "Blood Gulch".)


At least two new vehicles A new vehicle has been revealed: "Moongoose". It's smaller and faster then a warthog and has only two places to sit on. It is used primarily for fast transportations. Another vehicle by the name "Man Cannon" has been mentioned, but no further explination has been presented.

Lots of new weapons When it comes to weapon a lot of things has happend. Bungie has listened the critics from Halo 2, that primarily didn't like that it was so important to use two weapons at the same time, so called Dual-wield. Now they have done the standard weapon Assault Rifle a bit more powerful, but it's still not so good as the other weapon in the game.
All the weapon the players carries are being visiulazied in the game. I.e. you can now see an opponent carring around a Shotgun on the back.
Spartan Laser is the name of one of the new weapons. It's made for destroying vehicles and even if it takes time to use and its not so hard to avoid it makes a lot of damage. You dont want your vehicle to be hitted by its red heating ray.
Another new weapon are the Brutes "Spiker". Its like a one-hand Shotgun but shoots out a lot of nails. A new grenade has Bungie also put in. It blows its harvest of nails in one direction and can be placed on walls or the ground.


New Controll The control has some new features: RB and LB (the upper shoulder buttons) are used for reloading the weapons, while RT and LT (the lower shoulder buttons) fires the gun. If you have a weapon in your right hand you reload it with the RB and if you have a weapon in your left hand you reload if with the LB. The X-button is being used for something that is going to "change the whole game", but Bungie are not ready to tell about it yet.

Legendary Edition Bungie are going to release Halo 3 in a "Legendary Edition" that looks like Master Chiefs head. It contains four DVD disc's. One with the game, another with documentaries and commentator tracks, one contains "spinoff-material" like Red VS Blue and Spark of life. And one with all film clips from the game series in a chronological order.

Like the E3-Trailer One game sequence is from the singelplayer part is being showed up too. Accordingly to Wiborgh it reminds of the Halo 2 film that was being shown on E3 2003 and it shows that the game is taking place on earth! This time its going to accordingly from Bungie being directly game parts taken directly from the game."

The ATV is in!!! Whooo!!! Some of this stuff sounds a little off, though. "Man Cannon"? A brute nail gun? Time will tell. Keep in mind, this is translated from German so it doesn't make the greatest of sense.
*UPDATE!*
This site: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2006/10/27/halo-3-collectors-edition-unveiled-bungie-shows-pictures-of-new-levels-weapons-vehicles-and-talks-multiplayer-and-other-features.htm#more-2802
has scans of the magazine containing the first ever in-game shots. These graphics are by no means final. Expect the finished game to look even better!

September 22, 2006

It's just my opinion...don't kill me!

Well, I've written up how I think Halo 3 should end. Read it at Viewpoint now. I warn you, it will spark controversy!

The Ultimate Halo 3 Ending

Hey! I randomly back for some reason, and I'm randomly posting what I think would be the ideal ending to Halo 3! Now, I know when most of you read this you'll probably send me hate mail, hunt me down, and kill my family, but just remember that it's one man's opinion. It probably won't turn out anything like this, I just think it would be cool. Also, I don't have enough details to go into details... except for the very end, which is the important part anyway.

It's the final battle. The other remaining Spartans are battling the covenant on Earth (For those of you who don't know, the Spartans are: Will, Linda, Fred, Kelly, and John- apparently there are more MIA, crippled, away/unaccounted for, or retired. Also, there is Nicole from DOA4 and, apparently, Spartan IIIs- but I won't get in to exceptions. We'll assume there are five Spartans left.) while the Chief, who has gotten himself back on High Charity- now in orbit around Earth, is taking on the Flood and Covenant. He manages to take down High Charity and crash it into the Ark on Earth. The resulting explosion destroys the Ark. Now, here comes the good part:

At this point, the Covenant are beaten, Gravemind is dead, and the Chief is near death from the crash. The other Spartans come to his aid, but it is too late. Kelly holds up the Chief as he dies in her arms. You can hear her crying under her helmet as she takes off his helmet and strokes his hair. The other Spartans are also deeply saddened. The camera pans out and Cortana says something about the world being saved and his sacrifice or some such nonsense. You never see the Chief's face because Kelly is blocking it. Oh, and sad music is playing as the final cutscene fades into the credits.

Sad, yes. But that's the way things should be.

August 3, 2006

Emergence Day revealed!

Gears of War has officially been dated for a November 12 release, just five days before the PS3.

August 1, 2006

DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 roster

Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is the sequel to last year's Budokai Tenkaichi and biggest Dragonball game ever made. It is expected to have over 130 playable characters. Here is the current comfirmed character roster (with transformations included) :

Goku (Base~, Kaioken~, SS1~, SS2~, SS3~, SS4~)
SS4 Goku (~)
Kid Goku (
Dragon Ball) (~)
Kid Gohan (~)
Teen Gohan (Base~, SS1~, SS2~)
Adult Gohan (Base~, SS1, SS2)
Mystic Gohan (~)
Great Saiyaman (~)
Great Ape
Piccolo (~)
Krillin (~)
Yamcha (~)
Tien (~)
Chiaotzu (~)
Vegeta (Saiyan Saga) (Base~, Great Ape~)
Vegeta (Cell Saga) (Base~, SS1~, Super Vegeta~)
Vegeta (Buu Saga) (Base~, SS1~, SS2~)
Majin Vegeta (~)
SSJ4 Vegeta (~)
Trunks (Base~, SS1)
Son Goten (Base~, SS1)
Future Trunks (Base~, SS1, Super Trunks~)
Future Trunks with Sword (Base~, SS1~)
Gotenks (Base~, SS1~, SS3~)
Vegetto (Base, SS1)
Gogeta (SS1~)
Gogeta (SS4~)
Hercule / Mr Satan (~)
Videl (Base~, Great Saiyawoman~)
Raditz (Base~, Great Ape~)
Saibamen (~)
Nappa (Base~, Great Ape~)
Dodoria (~)
Zarbon (Base~, Post-transformation)
Recoome
Guldo
Jeice
Burter (~)
Captain Ginyu
Frieza (Base~, Form 2~, Form 3~, Final Form~, 100% Full Power~)
Mecha-Frieza (~)
Android 16
Android 17 (~)
Android 18 (~)
Android 19 (~)
Android 20 / Dr Gero (~)
Cell (Base, Form 2, Perfect Form~, Super Perfect Form)
Cell Junior
Dabura (~)
Fat Majin Buu (~)
Evil Majin Buu (~)
Super Buu (Base~, Gotenks~, Gohan~)
Kid Buu (~)
Bardock (Base~, Great Ape~)
Cooler (Base~, Post-transformation)
Broly (Base~, Mind Controlled SS1~, Legendary Super Saiyan~)
Bojack (Base~, Post-transformation~)
Super 17
Baby-Vegeta (Base~, Super Form 1~, Super Form 2, Great Ape~)
Janemba (Base~, Post-transformation~)
Master Roshi (Base~, Muscular Form~)
General Tao
Android 13 (Base~, Super~)
Lord Slug (Base~, Large~)
Turles (Base~, Great Ape~)
Tapion with sword (~)
Hildegarn (Transformed~)
Metal-Cooler (~)
Pikkon (~)
Garlic Jr. (Base ~, Transformed~)
Sauza (~)
Zangya (~)
Yajirobe (~)
Supreme Kai (Base~, Kibito Kai~)
Cui (~)
Pan GT (~)
Uub GT (Base~, Majuub~)
Syn Shenron (Base~, Omega~)
Grandpa Gohan (~)

This time, taking after the first three Budokai games, you can transform in-game, or start out transformed. Also, expect an improved combat system.

If you just can't wait for the game's release this fall, check out Super DBZ in the meantime. Super DBZ was developed by the creator of Street Fighter 2.


Thanks to Wikipedia for the character listing.

It's the end of E3 as we know it...

...and I'm not fine! As promised, here is the official press release and follow-up to the post below:

"The world of interactive entertainment has changed since E3Expo was created 12 years ago. At that time we were focused on establishing the industry and securing orders for the holiday season," said Douglas Lowenstein, President of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers and the owner of E3Expo. "Over the years, it has become clear that we need a more intimate program, including higher quality, more personal dialogue with the worldwide media, developers, retailers and other key industry audiences."

The new E3Expo will take shape over the next several months. As currently envisioned, it will still take place in Los Angeles, described by ESA as a "great and supportive partner helping to build E3." It will focus on press events and small meetings with media, retail, development, and other key sectors. While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, E3Expo 2007 will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years. "E3Expo remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep that sense of excitement and interest, ensuring that the human and financial resources crucial to its success can be deployed productively to create an exciting new format to meet the needs of the industry. The new event ensures that there will be an effective and more efficient way for companies to get information to media, consumers, and others," said Lowenstein.

Additionally, the evolution of the video game industry into a vibrant and expanding global market has led to the creation of major events in different regions, such as the Games Convention in Leipzig, the Tokyo Game Show, and company-specific events held by Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and others around the world. As a result, Lowenstein said, "It is no longer necessary or efficient to have a single industry 'mega-show.' By refocusing on a highly-targeted event, we think we can do a better job serving our members and the industry as a whole, and our members are energized about creating this new E3.
"

Thanks to Team Xbox for the press release. At least the last big E3 went out with a bang.

July 30, 2006

This is BIG!

I know I don't post news as much as I ought to, but when a story this BIG, BREAKING, SHOCKING, and IMPORTANT comes along I just have to post it. Brace yourselves, grab on to something, and don't bother to sit down because you're just going to stand up. It's that HUGE! Oh, and did I mention it's not good news?

You may recall a little event called E3. Well, actually it's not little. It's the biggest entertainment expo in the world. This year's was also the best in recent memory... and also the last. That's right, E3 IS NO MORE!!! An official press release is expected tomorrow. Rumor has it it might be replaced by a much smaller event, but it's just not the same.

July 21, 2006

After Analysis: Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, and City of villains

For the past few months I have switching between Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, and City of villains. I got Guild Wars and World of Warcaft around the same time, and later City of villains when I took a break from WOW. After playing all three of these games I have come with new scores, and reviews on them.



Guild Wars

The revolutionary idea of an MMORPG with no monthly fee gave birth to the game Guild Wars. This MMORPG was thought to be the death of all other MMORPG. Many people where excited after trying the beta demo (I was one of them). So why is it that Guild Wars is now one of the least populated, most unsuccessful games of it's time?




- Repetiveness ( same weapon's, quests, ect)

- Lack of PvP: is game is supposed to be centered around PvP, but even games that are less "PvP oriented such as WOW and COV made Guild Wars PvP look like a joke

- No class balance: The idea of mixing classes together is a great idea, except when u have horribly overpowered combination (Monk/Warrior anyone?)

- Community: with no monthly fee, the main audience of the game where 7-11 year olds who are often immature brats who have no idea of how to play.

-PvE: This is the joke of the game, there are no specific areas you can go to for your level, no players are with you when you enter the PvE zone unless you invite them yourself to your group. It gives the impression of a normal RPG, not a MMORPG where u see people questing with you and interacting with them. I rather fight a player over a certain item/kill/drop for a quest than be alone in the barren waste land with nothing more than a couple of bots helping me quest.

I originally gave this game a score of 8.5 now I give it a 3.0 the only thing positive I can say about this game is that it is still free, andhat maybe the expansion will improve it

-Original Score: 8.5

-New Score: 3.0


City of villains



COV was an amazing game, it broke the generic repetiveness of "Lord of the Rings" type races, ideas, of the more common day MMORPGS. I played the game for a month, and it blew me away. The first thing i noticed was the customization, which was the most detailed I have seen in any MMORPG. The game itself is a great game, the powers especially are amazing. Also in COV they have a very unique modes of transportation using powers such super speed and flight to get you across the world. This game was great but unfortunately not as detailed and deep as WOW, so I abandoned it. Still for those who don't find WOW that great, should try City of villains or City of hero's

Score: 9.0


World of Warcraft




With 7 million subscribers and rising, World of Warcraft is the most successful game of its time. This game was the underdog when fighting the biggest MMORPG at the time of its release( EQII) in a battle of gaining subscribers. World of Warcraft came out on top in the end and the rest is history. The game already had a large fan-pool to draw subscribers from. But the reason the game was s successful was because anyone could pick it up and enjoy it. The game was suited towards everyone, casual and hardcore players, Roleplayers and PvPers, young and old, inexperienced and veteran. Now its a game that is likely to not die out for many years to come. With the expansion coming, the game promises to to expand and add content, drawing in more players and bringing in more loyal fans.

Score: 9.8

(http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart7.html for MMORPG charts)

July 20, 2006

Dark Sector... It's not dead!

I recently visited the Dark Sector website to see what was up, and was surprised to find it had totally changed. Though the site is only a teaser, I was greeted with this awesome picture that revealed two things: the game comes out fall '07 and "Everything you know about Dark Sector is probably wrong."

For those of you who don't know, Dark Sector is (or at least was) a third person sci-fi shooter. It was one of the earliest next-gen games I'd seen and still one of my most anticipated. I thought the project might have been canceled until now. It looks better than ever! The E3 '05 trailer also remains one of my favorite game trailers ever. You can check it out on gametrailers.com.


E3 in a nutshell

Since I got so lazy and didn't post much on E3, I've found this cartoon that pretty much sums it up for everyone. Enjoy!

July 18, 2006

Oh, I reviewed it all right!

The Chromehounds review is up! I think I went a little insane, though. Go check it out for yourself. Oh, and if you already have the game, there will be some downloadable content tomorrow.

In other news... this is Gameweb's 150th post!!! WOOT! Here's to 150 more!

Chromehounds Review


Finally, the Xbox 360 gets a giant destructive mech game! Be warned, however, this is no Mech Assault. What you get here is a very different game. The basic story has something to do which three warring nations, though I don't pay much attention because it's presented in such a dull way. I've read, however, that the story is very good. Guess you'll have to see for yourself.

There really isn't much to be had in the single player mode. You'll find yourself playing it to unlock precious HOUND parts (more on that later) or to get accustomed to the six different role types. Speaking of which, you probably want to know what they are. The RTs (role types) are one of the things that truly makes this game unique. There is the soldier, designed for front line battling, the sniper (self explanatory), the defender, designed to defend your base, the heavy gunner, packed with huge long range missiles to take out the enemy's HQ, the scout, quick and able to zip through battles and asses the situation, and tactics commander, who analyzes the map and strategies with the team.

In company mode, you'll find yourself piloting "borrowed" HOUNDS specifically suited to the role type in which you are playing (you choose an RT to play as and each RT has seven missions- 42 single player missions all together). Once you collect parts, however, you can freely combine parts to combine RTs.

The impressive part of this game is the online mode. Unless you have Xbox Live, you won't find much in this game- it has no multiplayer. If you do, then you're in for a treat. Chromehounds has an incredibly deep online mode. When you first start, the game will ask you to join one of three nations. You'll then battle against players on other nations for dominance of the land mass the three countries reside on. As you battle, your mech will take damage. You'll have to spend money earned from victories to pay for repairs, extra ammo, and parts. That's right- there's an online store. You'll be able to buy a variety of parts made by your nation, but there's nothing stopping you from changing your alliance to another nation and buying their parts. You can also import parts and HOUNDS from the offline mode. There's some online single player missions too to earn some extra cash. Nothing special, just destroy as many enemies as you can in the time limit. Also, based on your skill in the campaign mode, the game will give you a level for each RT which carries over into the online mode and is used to pit you against players of similar skill.

The game's three nations are all very unique and different. Each has its own culture, income, ruler, etc. If any one nation were to control 100% of the territory the servers reset and another war starts. The game also lets you start your own squad of up to twenty people, though only six are able to fight at once- that's a total of eighteen players per mach. The game also lets you choose from a variety of unranked matches just for fun. These do not reflect the outcome of the war like the raked matches.

Finally, the best part of the game... HOUND customization! You can literally customize every aspect of your HOUND from weapons (a total of sixteen per HOUND!), to color, to number, and its all incredibly easy! There are several different types of parts that make up your hound: light arms, heavy arms, cockpits, engines, bases, assist parts, and computer chips. To make the game more realistic, it includes a system in which you must balance your HOUND for maximum performance. For example, would you made a huge, heavy, gas guzzling hound with a small fuel tank and no radiator? No, of course not. It won't last long in battle. It a long, but fun, process to get the right balance of parts. You can even test your HOUND on a practice course, then go back and make changes. This mode became what I wanted and more. No two HOUNDs will ever be the same. You can literally customize everything, right down to color and custom emblem.

Now, on to the gameplay. Chromehounds has incredibly simple pick-up-and-play controls. Move with left stick, look with right stick, shoot with right trigger, switch weapons with right bumper. You can only have four weapons to switch between, but can customize it so you can fire up to four weapons at once. By clicking on the right thumbstick you can switch to first person view. This will become a necessity in battle. A small screen in the upper right corner shows the third person view or a first person view when zoomed out. My only problem with the gameplay is that most of the mechs were really slow. I've learned to deal with it, however. You can always make a fast scout if it bothers you.

Graphically, Chromehounds is beautiful. The one problem is that enemies disappear completely in a puff of smoke when destroyed. Levels are huge, but barren and buildings crumble unrealistically. Other than that the game looks fantastic. Sound wise, the game is good. Sound affects are great and music is cool and eerie, yet repetitive.

The Breakdown
+ Great customization
+ Awesome online mode
+ Simple controls
- Lacking campaign mode
- No offline multiplayer
- Where the hell do the enemies go when you blow them up!?

Overall, Chromehounds is a great game and a fun experience. If you don't have Xbox Live, don't bother. If you do, definitely pick this one up! 8/10

It's been a looooooooooooooong time

Out of nowhere, back from the dead is... Gameweb! Surprise! I, and everyone else was caught by an extreme case of The Laziness. This is a very dangerous disease as it prevents any productivity of anything. Nothing gets done. You just sit and watch reruns on TV or play video games... or sleep. In any case, don't let the laziness get you! This is the first post in a long time (save for one or two on Viewpoint, which, by the way, weren't mine), and I hope the start of many more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll write a review of Chromehounds... or maybe I'll just play it some more.

June 26, 2006

Guild Wars


That's right folks the one known as to be reckoned with is back with a review on Guild Wars. Well from the get go I can tell you Guild Wars is a good game but when we get down to the nitty gritty it depends. First of there are 5 classes to choose from Warrior, Monk, Elementalist (wizard), Necromancer (evil dude that controls evil stuff), Ranger, Mesmer ( weird spin off of elementalist but looks Irish and wears masks). Now you may be saying that only 5 classes are to little for a MMO, well your right but that's were they through in the second class in which you can choose another of the classes to be a sub class for your character for exp. Warrior monk (Paladin), Monk Necro. These are only a few of the combos that you can come up with and the amount of skills you can learn are just flabbergasting. The one thing that I got a little upset with in this game and many other MMO's out there is the customization of making your character look unique ( props to Oblivion for doing it right) I was quite annoyed when I saw a guy that looked similar to my warrior ranger. All in all this is a good MMORPG for you MMO fans if your not I suggest a game like Ragnorok online which is like a MMORPG for people who are not really interested in MMORPG's. But if you like a good MMO and staying up till late trying to get money to buy armor guild wars is the game for you.

May 13, 2006

E3 2006- Sony

Personally, I think Sony was pretty weak this year. They did have some big announcements, however. Sony finally revealed the price and release date of the PS3: November 17 at a price of $499 for a twenty gig HDD and $599 for a sixty gig. A little pricey if you ask me. Sony's president, however, disagrees. He says it's too cheap. Even Microsoft's head of Marketing Peter Moore says to get an Xbox and a Wii instead of a PS3.

Sony also revealed their final controller design: exactly the same as it was for the past two systems. It is, of course, wireless, and word on the street is it's very light as well. Here's the problem I have with Sony though: they're unoriginal. They were being sued for stealing the former PS controller's duel shock technology and using it without permission. As a result, the PS3 controller no longer rumbles. So what do they put in it's place? Motion sensitivity. That's right, Sony swiped Nintendo's idea. And what do you find right in the middle of the controller? A guide button. They also announced plans for a "virtual-console" similar to the Wii's and a free online gaming service they hope to kill Xbox Live with. So far, Sony has done little to make me want to buy their product.

As for games, I thought Sony was rather weak this year. They announced GTA IV(http://ps3.ign.com/articles/706/706234p1.html) and showed of FF XIII (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/826/826843.html) and MGS 4 (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/714/714044.html), but there were few other blockbusters. There were, however, several games that have potential. One in particular, and the only one that really interests me at the moment, is Resistance: Fall of Man (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/748/748483.html). Other titles of note that were shown include: Ratchet and Clank PS3, Assassin's Creed, Heavenly Sword, and Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. Check out IGN's E3 page for more.

For the PS2, Sony had God of War II playable at their booth as well as Guitar Hero II. Sony also showed off FF XII. For the PSP, Sony showed off GTA: Vice City Stories, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, and MGS: Portable Ops. Again, be sure to check out IGN's coverage for more on these games.

All in all, like I said before, I think Sony fell a bit short this year. The competition, however, was stronger then I've ever seen.

E3 2006

I thought it would be much easier to cover E3 once it was over. I know there are a ton of people that didn't follow the show day-to-day, so this is for you. I will basically have three posts. One for Sony, one for Nintendo, and one for Microsoft. The final post will be my overall impression of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some of the most awesome, content filled posts ever. This is definitely a year to remember.

April 30, 2006

Huxley: possibly the most annticipated online MMORPG for the X-Box 360


It's no surprise that MMORPGS are going to be seen alot more on the next gen systems. However, besides Planetside, which got canceled about a year ago; there have not really been any major advancements to a first person shooter MMORPG.
Until now
Huxley is a first person MMORPG comming out for the X-box 360 and and it looks amazing.
The story line is as follows: For years now objects called Lunarites have hit the moon causing it to collide with the eart. This collision with earth causes a branch out of six different variations of humans. Trouble soon starts however when the human races of the earth don't exactly agree with each other...

Sapiens One:
These humans are the most closely related with todays modern humans. They hate all othe human races except for the Sapiens Syn who are most closely releated to them. The One only admire the Syn for there cruelty to other human species. The dream of the One are to anilate all other human races minus the syn and create the perfect world witht eh perfect human race.

Sapiens: Syn
These humans are similiar to the One with the excpetion of there slight albino features. They formed a pact with the One early one in order to avoid anilation. The Syn however are very cautious and trust no other race but themselves.

Alternative: Alteraver
These humans are best refered to as gentle giants. They are kind and warm hearted but when angered can quickly become a deadly fighting machine. Once oppressed by the One, they learned how to deal with heavy weapondry and become a poweful force to be reckoned with.

Alternative: Alternix
These humans are completly albino and make excelent assasins. They are however quiet and easily intimidated. When threated though, you can quickly find out that they have the means to kill anyone, quietly, and deadly.

Hybrid:Human+Hybrid: Monster

These are the only non playable races in the game and nothing is knows about them besides that they seek to rule the world and destroy alll other races.

Huxley will provide an arsenal of weopans for a player to wield as well as different types of vechiles the player can pilot. I will keep you updated as future information about the game comes in. However, will Huxley be the game its hyped up to be, or fall like Planetside?

-Doegab
(information retrived from www.huxleygame.com)

April 1, 2006

First Halo 3 images!

Following yesterday's story about the Halo 3 release date, Bungie released today the first concept art for Halo 3! There's a lot to be learned from these pictures. First, the game will take place on multiple Halo rings. Second, for the first time, you'll be able to interract with the native creatures of the ring worlds. Third, in one of the pictures a library can be seen. Finally, you'll notice the vasat variety of enviornments you'll encounter. Ther's a desert level, an ice level guarded by giant walking sentinals, a valley, two canyons, and what appears to be a city in the clouds. It can also be seen that the game might take place on other planets as well, because a halo ring can be seen orbiting what looks to be a planet besides Earth. If these pictures are any indication, we're in for one hell of a game!

March 31, 2006

Halo 3 release date!

According to a source close to Microsoft, who wishes to remain anonymous, Halo 3 will be released next March! This was re-confirmed by a second reliable source. Still, if Microsoft themselves or Bungie hasn't said anything this shall be regarded as a rumor. Halo 3 is expected to show up at E3 in video form.

Xboy is coming!

Okay, so it's not called the Xboy (personally, I prefer Xblock) but it's coming! According to Microsoft themselves they are working on a portable gaming system to rival Apple's iPod and Sony's PSP. It'll play music, movies, and games. It's been in development since mid-2005 and is being headed by the team that made the 360. It should be available next year.

If this news is false, don't blame me.

March 17, 2006

Quick reviews

Here's some more quick reviews by Raider Bear (Again, quite old. Sorry!) :

Handheld
Mario Luigi Partners in Time: 10
Animal Crossing Wild World: 10
Viewtiful Joe Double Trouble: 10
Mario Kart DS: 10


Console
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King: 10
Gauntlet Legends 7 sorrows: 8.5
Ninja Gaiden Black: 10

Finally! An update!

It's been a while. Too long if you ask me. Anyway, here's some (rather old) Xbox 360 game reviews by Raider Bear. They may be old, but who cares no one has a 360 anyway. Maybe these will help when we all finally get one.

Kameo: Elements of Power
Graphics: 10
Controls: 7
Synopsis:
Kameo is an excellent game for the Xbox 360. It provides a new sort of game genre which merges past games like the Fable environment, crazy cool character drawings like in Oddworld Series, mythological beings like Lord of the Rings, and great game play. This is an awesome game and as I previously mentioned great gameplay. The only downside are the controls. All your actions revolve around Y, B, X to switch warriors and Rb and Lb to attack. Besides the ify controls this is a must own for Xbox 360.

FINAL VERDICT: 9.5


Gun
Graphics: 6
Controls: 10
Synopsis:
Like Red Dead Revolver, excellent western shooter. The game should have been called Red Dead Revolver 2 because it is exactly like it. If you like Red Dead Revolver this game is a must buy, if you didn't avoid. This game depends on the person, I personally love it.

Final Verdict: 8


King Kong:
Graphics: SUPER 10 INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!
Controls: 9
Synopsis:
WOW! First game I played for Xbox 360 and might be one of the best. I don't know how people hate this game, it is awesome. As Jack it is one of the best shooters I have ever played, and as Kong the game is just incredible. Easy controls, incredibly stunning graphics, my personal favorite.

Final Verdict: 10


Call of Duty 2
Graphics: 9
Controls: 10
Synopsis:
Excellent war game, best I have ever played. I love war games and this one is awesome. Really easy controls, really brings the terror of war to life. Must have for Xbox 360.

Finaverdictct: 10


Perfect Dark: Dark Zero
Graphics: 8
Controls: 5
Synopsis:
Rip Off! I do't like this game one bit, but it is still a decent shooter (lol, it plain sucks). Just like the failure of the 3rd person James Bond game this game failed. It was disappointing. It takes like fifty shots to the head to kill one guard, and like 1000 body shots to kill another guard. The controls are bad, and story makes no sense. The multiplayer is its saving grace (fooled yah, that sucks too). Save your money and wait on this game, or I'll give it to you as a present.:

Final Verdict: 5


Dead or Alive 4
One word...WOW!!!!

Graphics: 10
Controls: 10
Synopsis:
Woah. Best fighting games ever. I love it and I normally hate fighting games. Another Most have for Xbox 360.

Final Verdict: 10


While I don't have an Xbox 360, I have played Call of Duty 2's multiplayer and I must say it's incredible!
Thanks again to Raider Bear for the reviews.

Forerunner = next Halo!?

It all started with this statement from Shane Kim at a press event announcing the game Viva Pinata : "We're not here to talk about the mythical Halo 3, as I call it". He continued by saying: "We'll be talking about anything we're doing in the Halo universe - whether that's Halo 3 as I call it or anything else - at the right time. That time will be soon."

This statement led many to believe the next game in the series would not be Halo 3. As you know, Bungie has denied the existence of Halo 3 thus far. However, an article in the new issue of Game Informer stated they know about the game. It's not Halo 3; rather it's codenamed Forerunner. Some red flags were raised being that this information was revealed in the April issue of Game Informer, but the article itself claims "(and no, this is not an April Fool's joke)". If you're interesteded in further details, check out the full article below.



Is it true that there will be no Halo 3? If you ask bungie or Microsoft the current answer will be, “Yes.” In fact, at the time of this writing, both companies have flat-out denied that Halo 3 even exists. And yet the game has not only been the constant subject of talk and rumors by both fans and the industry itself online retailers have thrown up bogus release dates from time to time to stir up the masses. How can a game that supposedly doe snot even exist be speculated about so much? We know that Bungie is working on various projects, and despite employment advertisements asking that applicatants love “combat on the high seas,” Game Informer has learned through its network of industry spy pirates that Bungie’s next release will be a Halo Xbox 360 project. However, as of now, it’s not even called Halo 3.

The relentless confusion over Halo 3 starts with the powers that be at Bungie. Shortly after the release of Halo 2, the company’s studio manager Pete Parsons told the BBC, “After Halo 2 we are planning to do something different. We will do something else and we have a few ideas.” This led the public to the logical conclusion that the next project wouldn’t be Halo-related. None other than Microsoft’s Bill Gates himself put down the gauntlet on Halo 3 and seemingly confirmed the game’s existence in the spring of 2005 when he told Time that he game would release alongisde and compete with Sony’s Playstation 3. Gates would later recant this ex act release date of the game but didn’t deny the project existed. That job has instead been left to others such as Microsoft Game Studios head Shane Kim who dubbed the game “the mythical Halo 3″ in a February update of the website Next Generation. And, of course, all the while Bungie has held the course that Halo 3 does not exist.

In its customarily clever way, Bungie is not telling a lie - it’s just not telling you the whole truth. A well-connected Game Informer source has seen this game up and running and tells us that the project is dubbed Forerunner (and no, this is not an April Fool’s joke). At this time the game is not being called Halo 3, which is perhaps how Bungie has been able to deny the existence of a title that literally bears the name “Halo 3.” Of course, when all is said in done, the game could be officially dubbed Halo 3: Forerunner or some variation thereof. It is very common for a game in development to be tagged with a temporary codename. For the time being, however, our source tells us that it’s being referred to simply as Forerunner. We contacted Microsoft about the game, but it would not comment on “rumor or speculation.”

The game is being designed around huge persistent worlds that will be created with what we’re being told as a modified Halo 2 engine. “Big” is the operative word, and many aspects of the title will be affected by the large scale of the game. For instance, Forerunner will showcase four player co-op in a move away from a strict linear single-player experience. Make no mistake about it , though, Master Chief is the game, and gamers will play as him to drive along the story. however, the world itself and the events that draw from it will be more malleable to the player and any co-op friends that join in on the action.

If you are charged to capture a weapons depot, for instance, you might not choose to do it, or may fail trying. Although our source says the game still has a definite mission structure, your failure at this particular task will mean that wh atever extra firepower may have been yours for the taking had you caputred the depot will instead strengthen your enemies from then on. This cause/effect concept applies to the game’s destructible environments as well. Of course, the philosophy is nothing new in video games, but it clearly embraces Bungie’s love of multiplayer and the lessons learned from the series’ success online. We imagine that these tidbits are surely only the tip of an iceberg that hopefully includes plans to merge the offline and online worlds together to great effect.

We’re told t he game’s storyline will delve into the origins of the Forerunners, the long-absent, technologically advanced civilization that inspired the Covenant’s Great Journy. Up to this point, the Forerunners are a mysterious element within the Halo story that has yet to be fully explained. However, the pots of Halo and Halo 2 imly taht humans, the Master Chief, and the Forerunners are linked, but with as little we know about the actual plot of this upcoming project, we don’t know how everything is going to fit together. Although our source has seen the Chief in action, even his presence could only be half the truth. After all, this is from the company that surprised everyone with the introduction of the Arbiter as a playable character in Halo 2.

Bungie’s denials that Hlo 3 exists have led fans to surmise that he compnay says so simply because the next Halo project doesn’t involve an actual halo, unlike the first two titles. That would make sense, given what our source has told us regarding the game’s focus on the Forerunners. However, that does not preclude the title from picking up where Halo 2 tantalizingly ended - with the M aster Chief returning to Earth with a mandate to kick some ***.
The project could also be aligned with the Halo movie s cheduled for release in the summer of 2007, which has Peter Jackson at the helm as executive producer. Our source tells us that he film will be based on the book Halo: THe Fall of Reach, chronicling a time leading up to the first game. If the mysterious Forerunner project is in fact related to the movie, then perhaps the video game’s title could not only refer to the civilization, but to the game being a prequel set during the early part of humanity’s war with the Covenant.

Clearly there are more questions remaining than have been answered with the information we’ve brought to light. Does this Forerunner project actually mean there won’t be a legitimate Halo 3? Could there be a game called Forerunner and an entirely other project entitled Halo 3? What if Forerunner is simply a side project meant to explorer storyline t angentswithin the Halo universe? If “Forrunner” is indeed the actual name of the game our source has seen, and not simply a temporary codename, we can’t imagine a Halo product leaving Bungie’s doors without a Microsoft marketing executive slapping the word “Halo” somewhere on the box for maximum effect.

As always in the development process, there are myriad aspects that can change at any moment. But for the time being, our source has assured as that the tantalizing snippets that have come our way are indeed true. Whether or not they point to the whole truth is something we won’t know until Microsoft pulls back the curtain on the project at E3. Bungie clearly delights in winding up the public, so we wouldn’t at all be surprised if what we know now are merely isolated pieces of a larger puzzle that Bungie has cleverly constructed. Regardless, any project from the developer is a big deal and one that’s guaranteed to get fans excited, regardless of what it’s finally called.

February 16, 2006

Bye-bye forums

The Gameweb Forums are now officially permanently closed because, for some reason, they're gone. Don't ask me why, I'm just as confused as you. Therefore, Gameweb will no longer have forums unless they are requested. In that case, I'd find another host. You'll notice the link's gone from the sidebar. Maybe it's for the best. No one used them anyway...

Bomberman's back too!

A new Bomberman game was announced a while back for the Xbox 360. Now I bring you the first ever screens of Bomberman: Act Zero. You probably expect some kiddy cell shaded quirk-fest with fuzzy little sidekicks. Well let me tell you, the series has received a complete overhaul. Only the very basic gameplay has been kept intact. In fact, you won't even recognize Bomberman. With out further rambling, I present (the now much cooler) Bomberman: Act Zero.

(Warning: May cause your eyes to explode- I know mine did. You're not going to believe it. Seriously, it's that different.)

Earthbound is back!

I present to you the first screens of Earthbound 3:











It'll be available soon on the GBA... in Japan.

News bits

Some news bits from the past weeks:
  • Shaun White is getting his own next-gen game (knew it!)
  • Lego Starwars 2 announced!
  • The DS will be getting a web browser and a TV tuner in Japan.
  • Metroid Prime Hunters will have voice chat!
  • Halo 2 has been announced for the PC. It will be available this fall, but will only run on the new operating system Windows Vista.
  • The Halo 2 Soundtrack: Volume 2 will be available first quarter this year! A new book is also in the works.
  • Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is coming to DVD and UMD April 25!
  • The New Super Mario Brothers will be available in May for Japan.
  • Mech Assault is coming to the DS!
  • DS Lite colors revealed: Dark Blue, Light Blue, and White.

February 3, 2006

DBZ PSP!!

Finally! From Dimps, creators of the first three Budokai games, comes Shin Budokai. It's basically like a portable version of Budokai 3. It'll have eighteen playable characters and a brand new level based on the new Janemba movie (he's a playable character)! Pikkon will also be playable in addition to fusions and various Super Saiyan forms. The best part? It'll be available in March!!!!!

January 31, 2006

DS Lite!

Nintendo revealed the other day that they are working on a smaller, redesigned DS. It will be known as the DS Lite. In addition to being smaller, the screen will have four levels of brightness. Some of the face buttons have been altered as well. The A, B, X, and Y buttons have all been made larger and the start and select buttons have been moved. The D-pad has also changed to the same used on the Gameboy Micro (that means it'll be less clicky and easier to control. The microphone has been moved to the center of the system and power button is now a slide-switch on the side (like the SP). The stylus will also be stored horizontally rather than vertically. Other than these improvements, the system will function exactly the same. It'll be available March 3rd in Japan and late spring in the US.

Some Tidbits

There hasn't been much to report lately, but here are a few minor news tidbits:

  • Tiger Telematics, the company responsible for the Gizmondo has filed for bankruptcy.
  • A new DOA Volleyball game is in the works for the Xbox 360.
  • Super Monkey Ball Adventure is in development for the Gamecube. More info here: http://cube.ign.com/articles/683/683752p1.html
  • Untold Legends 2: The Warriors Code has gone gold.
  • BOOTH BABES HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM THIS YEAR'S E3!!!
Some good news, some bad. We'll keep you posted.

January 26, 2006

New Gorillaz Video

One of the wierder ones, but hey, the wierder the better! Check out the new music video for Dare in Hi or Lo.

January 22, 2006

Why do the good ones always die young!?

Why is it that they always pull the good shows off the air before their time? What shows do you ask? Well, pretty much the animated shows that I watch. One of the worst cases I can think of is Samurai Jack. That was one of the best shows I've ever seen. They pulled it off the air in it's fourth season just before they aired the final four episodes. Luckily, Cartoon Network was feeling generous and finally showed the final four in s special block on Toonami. Of course, these episodes did not, in any way, end the series. I mean, the show just got an Emmy; and the next week they cancel it! And so, we'll never know If Jack gets to the past to defeat Aku. My only wish is that they produce a direct-to-DVD conclusion. Not long, just 60-90 minutes. That would make me eternally happy, and the series could rest in peace.

Another I can think of is Megas XLR, one of the funniest shows ever. Now, I don't know if this show was cancelled or just pulled of for a really, really, long time. Whatever the case, it's not being aired and I want to know what happens. Will the Glorft ever be defeated? Will Megas ever be brought back to the future? We may never know.

Teen Titans recently ended when the last episode aired Monday the 16th. While it was kind of a concluding episode, it still sucked. In fact, it raised more questions than it answered. Sure Terra is back, but how did she get there and why doesn't she remember (or want to remember) her past? What's up with Red X? Who is he? And who the hell is Slade!!?? They never answered that question. If you ask me, they ended the series too soon. They need to answer the remaining questions before this one can be put to rest.

Here's another show: Invader Zim. Why cancel Invader Zim? Everybody loved that show! Even though we'll never find out if Zim takes over the world, we can reasonably guess he never did because, well, he's an idiot. Still, it was an incredibly popular show. I think it would have lasted better on another network.

Let's all take a moment to mourn this next one. Fururama was one of the greats. In my opinion, it was much better than its older brother The Simpsons. I know I'm not the only one that thinks this way. It may not have any particular way to end, but this show still deserves to be picked back up because it was awesome. I'd love if it were picked up by Adult Swim with new episodes on Sunday nights.

Even though Family Guy was brought back after it was cancelled, it still makes me mad. Fox cancels the show then says "Oops! Those DVD sales are through the roof and so are the ratings of the reruns! We'd better get it back before someone else does." If I were Seth McFarland, I would have declined and gone to Cartoon Network. I'd be mad as hell for its cancellation in the first place. I'm sure it would have been picked up on Adult Swim. Then we could enjoy some new Futurama and Family Guy every Sunday night on CN. That would have said "In your face Fox!"

speaking being pulled off early, I hate it when they pull off a good anime right in the middle when you know it's not done. What ever happened to Ruronni Kenshin? That was a good show. What ever happened to Yu Yu hacksaws? It got right to the final battle, then they pulled it off and it never returned. And what ever happend to Justice League Unlimited and Dave the Barbarian? That's something that really steams my broccoli! I really got to stop watching so many animated shows...

Oh, and why are shows like Stacked still on the air when such good shows get pulled off?

January 13, 2006

We're All New!

As some of you may (or may not) know, Gameweb's first anniversary was December 22nd. I haven't updated in forever because life's been crazy and I've been lazy. Anyway, in honor of the anniversary, I've given the site a revamp. Hope you like it, and I hope they'll be many more to come!