Dante's Final Sin: GreedPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 11:11pm by Kotaku
Holy (foot)balls: FIFA 10 has racked up 9.7 million salesPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 10:10pm by Destructoid
While it's true that about 100 million people watch the Super Bowl every year, soccer is easily the world's most beloved and most watched sport. Madden might be tops in America, but EA Sports' FIFA series far outstrips it in overall sales -- because people outside of this country buy it. The latest iteration in the franchise was FIFA 10, which launched in early October everywhere except for North America. In the four months since its release, FIFA 10 has sold an astounding 9.7 million copies worldwide across all platforms. Let me break that down for you: on average, that comes out to more than 75,000 sales per day. That's a hell of a lot of folks in their living rooms yelling "GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!" FIFA 10 received high praise from critics -- it holds Metascores of 91 and 90 on PS3 and 360, respectively. And obviously, that has translated into a boatload of units moved, so while EA might be conservative in their forecasts for the rest of their 2010 fiscal year, they've at least got something to be ecstatic about. Darwinia+, Your Xbox Live Arcade Game Of The WeekPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 10:10pm by Kotaku
Here is some Rocket Knight artwork for youPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 9:09pm by Destructoid
With all the talk about Sonic 4, it's easy to forget that Konami is gearing its own downloadable retro reboot with Rocket Knight. Of course, that's also partially thanks to the fact that Konami's barely mentioned the bloody thing since its announcement. Fortunately, we've been given a healthy reminder today thanks to some new art assets that have dropped. It's not much to go on, but it's certainly something at the very least. Make sure you check out the pictures. Or don't, if you don't want to. We're not really telling you what to do.
Here's what Need for Speed SHIFT's Ferrari DLC looks likePosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 8:08pm by Destructoid
It wouldn't be a modern-day racing game without downloadable cars, right? Ferrari lovers will be pleased to know that Need for Speed SHIFT is about to get an all-Ferrari add-on soon. Exclusively hitting Xbox LIVE on February 16 for $10, the "Ferrari Racing Series" DLC contains the following cars:
But wait, there's more! 46 new career mode challenges and 125 Gamerpoints are also included in this fine digital package. It's been quite some time since Ferrari has been involved with the Need for Speed brand, so this is cool to see. As for the Xbox 360 exclusivity, yeah, I don't know. Seems like business as usual, though.
Rebellion tells you how to play Aliens vs. PredatorPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 6:06pm by Destructoid
function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf", "mplayer", "620", "375", "8", "#000000"); so.addParam("wmode","transparent"); so.addParam("swliveconnect", "true"); so.addParam("allowscriptaccess", "always"); so.addParam("allowfullscreen", "true"); so.addVariable("pid", "dest002"); so.addVariable("siteId", "357"); so.addVariable("videoId", "121625"); so.addVariable("file", "http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/357/3/121625/"); so.addVariable("pageUrl", document.location); so.write("flashcontent_357_dest002_single_121625"); } getVideo(); This latest trailer explains the close combat in Aliens vs. Predator. Ironically, the video only tells you the Xbox 360 controls, which already has a control layout in the demo. The demo that really needs help with the controls, the PC version, has been left high and dry. You're just going to have to guess the keys for that one. Anyway, if you've been getting hacked to pieces too many times, this video will show you how to deal with a close encounter. It's all about the block button. Yes, we didn't know there was one either until someone outside of the demo pointed it out to us. People are starting to get the hang of counters and blocking in the demo, which is starting to annoy me as it's getting harder to win matches. I don't like being challenged, least of all by smartass Predators who think they're cool just because they look like insectoid Bob Marleys. Need For Speed Shift Welcomes Back Ferrari Next WeekPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 6:06pm by KotakuOwners of the Xbox 360 version of EA's Need For Speed Shift will get a chance to get behind the wheel of 10 new Ferraris next week thanks to the Ferrari Racing Pack. The Xbox 360 exclusive, 800 Microsoft Points download also adds, in addition to the cars listed below, 46 new Ferrari-specific challenges including hot laps, eliminators, endurance races and a world tour, plus 125 new Gamerscore points. Some of the cheapest Ferraris you can buy (starting February 16) include: 1. 1996 Ferrari F50 GT
Free Mass Effect 2 DLC: Cerberus armor and a shotgunPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 4:04pm by Destructoid
Assuming you're still hooked into the Cerberus Network, you can look forward to some free downloadable content for Mass Effect 2 tomorrow. Both the Xbox 360 and PC versions are getting "Cerberus Assault Armor" and the "M-22a Eviscerator Shotgun." As far as stats are concerned, the armor increases heavy weapon ammo capacity, shields, and health by ten percent. As is the case with all of Shepard's outfits, I'm going to pass so long as the helmet stays on at all times. I'd never want to miss seeing his wide range of facial expressions. The shotgun is supposed to pierce armor and be effective even at longer ranges. What else can be said? It's a gun; you point it at people that you aren't particularly fond of. Personally, I'd rather do one-hit kills from far away with a sniper rifle than risk running up close with a shotgun for a similar effect. Still, free content is free! EA reveals release info for Dead Space 2, next Dragon Age, and morePosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
If you're an avid Electronic Arts fan and just have to have everything they own, you might want to tighten your belt for the next year. There's a lot of games, and in the publisher's fiscal earnings details released today, release windows for some major games were revealed. Of note, Visceral's Dead Space 2 is confirmed for an early 2011 release, along with a new Spore title, the Epic Games/People Can Fly shooter, a new Dragon Age game, and an unannounced action title. Yes, I meant to write a new Dragon Age. Hit the jump for a full breakdown of EA's key titles for its fiscal year 2011 (via Shacknews).
Aliens vs. Predator demo download 14,000 times on XBLPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
Some may claim that the Aliens and Predator franchises are dead, but the apparent success of the Aliens vs. Predator demo seems to indicate that there are a lot of fans left in the world. According to Rebellion, AvP has been downloaded 14,000 times on Xbox Live alone, which is pretty decent, considering it's not had a lot of major coverage. I'm legitimately surprised by this, however. I've barely been able to find a match on the 360, and when I have, it's usually some bullsh*t like a one-on-one round. The PC has a lot of healthy, full matches going, but I figured nobody was playing the 360 version at all. Still, those that are playing it seem to like it. Rebellion proudly notes that the game has a Live approval rating of 4.5/5 right now, and I know all about 4.5s! In any case, AvP is out this month, and the first review from Game Informer gave it a 5.75. I expect quite a few reviews will treat the game poorly, while a small handful will "get" what the game is really about and love it. From my demo experience, I appear be among the brave and the few. We'll get our review out there as soon as we get the game and can enjoy all the multiplayer modes. EA has two console Need for Speed titles in the worksPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
It's already been confirmed that Burnout developer Criterion has its hands in the Need for Speed franchise. But if Burnout's fast pace and twisted steel isn't your thing, don't worry -- Electronic Arts has confirmed that it has not one but two Need for Speed titles in the works. Holiday of 2010 will see the release of Criterion's Need for Speed title, referred to by EA Chief Operating Officer John Schappert on today's financial call as an action title. Early 2011 (January-March) will see the release of a second Need for Speed title, this one a simulation title, possibly a follow up to last year's Need for Speed: SHIFT. You can can play both titles, no one's stopping you. But if you had to choose, what would you prefer? A Need for Speed simulation title or a Need for Speed action title? Cerberus Ups Your Mass Effect 2 Arsenal TomorrowPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Kotaku
According to a post in the BioWare community forums, the two new pieces of equipment will be available to download free for Xbox 360 and PC players tomorrow at noon Mountain time. All that's required is an active membership in the Cerberus Network, which you should have, unless you somehow picked up a copy used, in which case you are made of magic. Here are the stats for the new equipment: Cerberus Assault Armor M-22a Eviscerator Shotgun Being a firm believer in the power of longer range shotguns, I approve wholeheartedly. You can see more shots of the Cerberus Assault Armor in action at the Mass Effect 2 arsenal page. I wonder if the helment comes off? Cerberus Armor and Eviscerator Shotgun DLC Available Tomorrow Feb 9 [BioWare Community Forums - Thanks Luke!] BioShock 2 Review: In Case Of RapturePosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 1:01pm by Kotaku
BioShock 2 puts players in the suit of Subject Delta, a hulking Big Daddy prototype who longs to reunite with his bonded Little Sister, a girl who happens to also be the daughter of Sofia Lamb, the woman now running Rapture, the underwater city somehow still as chaotic, leaky and menacingly well populated 10 years after the events of the original BioShock. Along the way, you'll be aided by Lamb's opponents and Eleanor herself on your search for your lost little Lamb, growing stronger with all new genetic modifications in the form of offensive Plasmids and passive, ability-granting Tonics. This time, you'll dual wield the power of Plasmids in your left hand, burning, electrocuting and freezing foes, with deadly new weapons for your right. Does BioShock 2 live up to the high expectations set by the original, Ken Levine directed adventure? And can it possibly be... a better game? Loved The Moral Hangover: The original BioShock didn't run with the impact of the player's moral choices—primarily whether to save the game's Little Sisters, returning them to normal, or harvest them for the extra ADAM that grants the player more power—as expertly as its sequel does. BioShock 2 not only provides a more interesting quantitative outcome to many of the player's decisions, well beyond the extra ADAM one can gain from a Little Sister rescue, it successfully makes the player question whether he's making the right decision. Without giving too much away, the player is given the option at certain points to spare characters who may rightfully deserve or even clearly express their wish to die, with the reward or punishment for each decision smartly ambiguous. For players who have completed the first, the suspicion that your character may or may not be manipulated by the voices in your ear makes those decisions all the more conflicting. Personally, I wish I'd saved the game more often so that I could revisit my behavior. A Better Harvest: The harvesting of ADAM from Little Sisters is giving substantial depth in BioShock 2. Upon eliminating a rival Big Daddy, players can choose to immediately harvest or adopt his ward. This is where it gets interesting. While watching over an adopted Little Sister, Delta can seek out ADAM resources for her to harvest. This brings a swarm of Splicers and makes use of brand new weapon traps—Trap Rivets, Mini-turrets and Trap Spears—for some of the most intense confrontations in the game. The process can become tedious after a while, but the pay off is worth it. Hacking++: Gone are the painful pipe swapping puzzles of the original BioShock, with that games hacking method replaced by something simpler, less eventually grating and ultimately more varied. Instead of suffering through more Pipe Mania, players' reflexes are tested with a rhythmic mini-game that requires precision timing. Hacking is more improved with more worthwhile genetic tonics that make the hacking game increasingly easier—just as hacking ramps up in difficulty—and the addition of remote hacking darts and auto-hacking darts. Rapture From The Outside: There are a few moments when, taking advantage of the suit that Subject Delta wears, the game lets players go outside and briefly explore the exterior of Rapture. Players can walk the sea floor between airlocks, soaking in the brightly lit organic sights without fear of attack, a chance to unwind between Big Daddy battles. These areas feel a bit under-utilized, but it's a lovely change of scenery from the dilapidated, corpse-laden halls of Rapture. Plasmid Sequels & Power To The People: Most of the genetic modifications from the original BioShock return, but the plasmids and tonics have been given powerful sequels as well. My standbys, the Electro Bolt and Incinerate, become much more interesting to use when upgraded to their highest level. Chain lightning makes Electro Bolt far more useful when taking on crowds of Splicers, with the exploding higher level Incinerate doing more than just adding damage to a single foe. The weapon upgrades performed at the uncommon Power to the People stations add similarly strategy changing tactics. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Rivet Gun so useful after gaining the ability to fire superheated rivets, setting enemies on fire while they were also being attacked by bees. For a game with perhaps too much offensive variety, the expanded plasmids and elemental additions to weapons make combat far more enjoyable than in the original. Research Redone: The ability to research your enemies with a camera is refined, wonderfully, in BioShock 2. Still photographs are replaced by moving pictures, letting the player film Splicers and Big Daddies for research rewards in the form of upgrades and tonics. The new method encourages more variety in battle tactics, helping me to learn just how effective shooting a swarm of bees at Brute Splicers then pairing that with Rocket Spears can be. Better yet, BioShock 2 offers a much more clear look at their research progress. A History Better Explained: An added chapter to a story as revered as BioShock's may feel like an unnecessary thing—except for Take-Two Interactive shareholders, of course. Whether to also shine a light on the mysterious relationship of the Big Daddies and Little Sisters is tricky. Will exploring that history in fine detail, and from first person no less, remove the allure of these monsters? Fortunately, no. While I prefer to not have every nook and cranny of fiction that I enjoy explored, BioShock 2's digging into the origins of many characters is fascinating. The addition of the nimble, screeching Big Sisters, a dangerously cheesy proposition, add a frightful new enemy to the mix. Hated Drill Disappointment: I was surprised to find just how unappealing it was to use Delta's drill, even after the various upgrades and tonics that make the gas powered melee weapon seem so much more usable. Melee combat isn't typically the draw in first person shooters, but it was disappointing to find this aspect of playing as a Big Daddy so dull. 2K Marin and the rest of the BioShock 2 team deserves credit for delivering what seemed impossible, making a sequel that not only tells a story that's greater in parts than its predecessor but making that sequel feel necessary. BioShock 2 does enough to differentiate itself from the original to make it feel new again, but it takes some time to get there. The game atones for many of the design sins of the original, making hacking more fun, deleting the repetitive noise of the original—"Welcome to the Circus of Value!! Hahaha!" is never heard—and fixing the sometimes clunky interface of the original. What BioShock 2 didn't really need, except to discourage trade-ins, was its sloppy multiplayer mode. I neither loved nor hated this bland addition to the game, as it feels playable at best, a semi-interesting distraction between playthroughs of the more refined single-player campaign. The expected stuff is there, including a leveling system with unlockable weapons and Plasmids not seen in the single-player portion, but it consists solely of BioShock themed variations on stock multiplayer modes. I liked BioShock 2 more than I expected to, perhaps more so than the original thanks to its more satisfying game play. The been there, done that feeling wears off after not too long, giving players a chance to happily get lost in Rapture once again. BioShock 2 was developed by 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K China and Digital Extremes and published by 2K Games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on February 9. Retails for $59.99 USD on consoles, $49.99 on PC. A copy of the game was given to us by the publisher for reviewing purposes. Played single-player game to completion on Xbox 360, tested multiplayer modes. Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ. Bioshock 2's Jordan Thomas Takes Your Calls During This Week's PodcastPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 12:12pm by Kotaku
Thomas will be our in-studio guest for the hour. On Wednesday at 11am Kotaku Time (that's 1pm ET, 10am PT), you will be able to call in and ask the main man behind Bioshock 2 anything you want. But please note that he is immune to hypnotic suggestion. Jordan Thomas follows the Kotaku Talk Radio guest-appearance trail-blazing of Amy Hennig, Ken Levine, Tim Schafer, Greg Zeschuk, Todd Howard, Cliff Bleszinski, Jeremiah Slaczka, Jeff Gerstmann, Major Nelson and Randy Pitchford. Look for a reminder post about the podcast at 11:00 AM mountain time (1:00 PM ET) on Wednesday. The post will include call-in info so you can ask your questions. The show will be live a few minutes after the hour. I'll expect to hear you calling our switchboard then. Regular listeners please note that our iTunes feed has changed. Subscribe to "Kotaku Talk Radio" in iTunes to continue to follow our show that way. We'll also continue to provide direct downloads of the show a couple of hours after showtime each Wednesday. You can also get us through Zune. And through RSS. A look at Supreme Commander 2's 'Bomb Bouncer' in actionPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 11:11am by Destructoid
function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf", "mplayer", "620", "375", "8", "#000000"); so.addParam("wmode","transparent"); so.addParam("swliveconnect", "true"); so.addParam("allowscriptaccess", "always"); so.addParam("allowfullscreen", "true"); so.addVariable("pid", "dest002"); so.addVariable("siteId", "357"); so.addVariable("videoId", "121291"); so.addVariable("file", "http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/357/3/121291/"); so.addVariable("pageUrl", document.location); so.write("flashcontent_357_dest002_single_121291"); } getVideo();In the first of five exclusive videos, Gas Powered Game's CEO Chris Taylor gives us a look at the "Bomb Bouncer" unit from Supreme Commander 2, the upcoming real-time strategy title for PC and Xbox 360. The "Bomb Bouncer" is one of the experimental units you'll be able to choose from when siding with the game's Cybran faction. The spider-like walker protects itself and surrounding friendly units with a massive umbrella-like shield, bouncing back incoming enemy fire. Even sweeter, as incoming fire pounds the shield, it stores charge for something called the "Mega Blast," which is exactly what it sounds like -- a mega blast that does incredible damage. The "Mega Blast" can be charged by using stored reserves before going into battle as well. As Taylor puts it, the "Bomb Bouncer" is only one of Supreme Commander 2's "over-the-top" experimental units. Watch the video above to see it in action, and check back tomorrow for a peek at another unit, The Kraken.
- How To Survive In Aliens Vs. Predator - Review: BioShock 2 - Test Drive Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - Molyneux: Fable III reveal will get you 'super pissed' - The Saga Continues With LEGO Clone Wars - THQ reveals first UFC Undisputed 2010 details - Digital Decapitations A Primal Release, Creator Says - LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars announced - Dante's Inferno not coming to Middle East (legally) - Buy two 360 Platinum Hits get one free at Amazon - Care Packages On The Way for Xbox 360 Modern Warfare - Final Fantasy XIII Case Hints at "Game-Content Download" - Alpha Protocol delayed again, this time with reasoning - BioShock 2 devs under pressure to make a compelling story - Toys R' Us all about free stuff this week |
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Introversion Software's port of the award-winning Darwinia comes to Xbox Live Marketplace this week for 1200 Microsoft Points. The abstract strategy game may not be the most graphically impressive of XBLA offerings, but its gameplay is rock solid. [
Welcome back to the beautiful city of Rapture, the dystopian underworld introduced in 2007's BioShock, a failed utopia all but destroyed by its inhabitants, a world less mysterious than when you last left it.
Into the deep we go this week as Bioshock 2 creative director Jordan Thomas joins me and Brian to take your calls live on Wednesday's live Kotaku podcast.