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Band of Bugs is coming! This WEDNESDAY!
2007-06-18 22:07:00
Xbox.com totally faked me out! Over the weekend they had Bomberman listed in the Arcade marketplace (probably coming out next week) but that spot has been replaced by Band of Bugs ! Hooray! This is one of those Arcade games I've been waiting for. Get ready for one helluva game for $10. Review will be out by the end of the week for this Live Title and you can check out the trailer below or here. Game looks sweet huh? I would like to go on the record and say: Ninjabee, don't make us wait so long for the next title.
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Bomberman Live hits Xbox this Wednesday (I think)
2007-06-18 14:04:00
Based on all previous live titles...when it shows up on Xbox .com marketplace it's coming soon...thus Bomb erman is almost definitely coming out this wednesday. A nostalgic release yes, but if they get the multiplayer right this game could be a major winner. Check it out this wednesday.
More About: Live , Hits , Wednesday

Soul Calibur IV Announced with Teaser Trailer
2007-06-13 19:04:00
That's right...Soul Calibur 4 is coming next year. I expect it will have a large E3 presence where a lot more will be shown. I have to admit that I haven't gotten much time in with Soul Calibur 2&3 but Soul Edge and the original Soul Calibur were both quite good (The Dreamcast Soul Calibur had one of the best 1player modes for a fighting game ever). This title should be a AAA experience for both PS3 and Xbox 360. Hopefully, Online will work out for both. Enjoy the trailer!
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First Storked Screens...very subject to change
2007-06-12 20:21:00
As promised, I have some initial screens from Stork ed. Yes, they lack variety but that is primarily due to the degree in which graphics/levels/and animations are complete. Both Screenshots feature, the Rockhopper penguin, who's ability is...Jumping! Shocking, I know. This guy can jump over obstacles and gaps making him the most mobile of the 4 Gwins. He's also the smallest Gwin which allows him to potentially reach areas that the other Gwins cannot.You may notice that there is the ability to build a lot of slopes...this is a key feature since the egg will roll and react to slopes and much of the game is rolling the egg to the EXIT without breaking it. Once again sorry for the very similar screenshots, but hopefully this early look will start to get people interested in this upcoming title.
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Halo 3 Beta Ends today...tear
2007-06-10 21:58:00
That's right. Sadly, the Halo 3 Beta comes to a close tonight at midnight. It's been a great ride, so get as much gaming in as you can before Halo 3 vanishes away until September.
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Storked Game Update/Info
2007-06-08 16:38:00
So if you haven't been over to the newly designed Graduate Game s, you should do so now. On our newly designed website, you will notice there are 2 games in development and one of them is really moving along. Stork ed is about 4 penguins who get stuck protecting an egg that a stork was attempting to deliver. The basic objective of each level is to get the egg from point A to point B (the exit of the level) safely. The Egg can be kicked by the penguins and rolls down slopes, and gains momentum accordingly...think Sonic when he is in a ball, only you can't do loop de loops. That's not the only connection with the 16-bit, Genesis, SNES era though. For those of you who are real old school gamers may remember a puzzle/platformer called "The Lost Vikings." This game wasn't all that exceptional, but did allow you to control 3 different vikings with different abilities, switching between them at any time. This is a key part of Storked since every penguin has a different ability to...
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HUGE NEWS....for Graduate Games
2007-06-06 15:05:00
Graduate Games has a totally revamped website. It was built from the ground up and we have all that fancy flash animation and everything. We think it's a vast improvement, but you'll have to check it out and let us know if we're delusional. Get ready for some self promoting posts because there is a lot coming down the pipeline. You'll notice that the 2 games we have in development are now featured on the website. Look for a Beta on these titles so we can work out all the kinks and fix them before they are released. Cheers!
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Shadowrun Review
2007-06-05 19:31:00
Shadowrun is the first dual platform Xbox/Vista game. Poor PC gamers have to purchase the game, a Windows Live account (the PC version of Xbox Live), and probably a gamepad. Luckily for 360 owners, you probably have everything but the game...but you may not even want that.Gameplay: 7/10Pros: Magic/Tech elements work well and being able to resurrect fallen teammates is a great addition. Using the 3 mapped abilities is easily done and it all rounds out to be a very different FPS experience with lots of depth and strategies to be worked out.Cons: Only 3 ability slots sucks because changing abilities leaves you completely vulnerable and is awkward in the middle of a match. Why not use the d-pad to hold 4 more abilities? The game is multiplayer only which is a real shame since the abilities could've made some interesting levels and missions.Graphics: 7/10Pros: Magic effects look pretty cool and all the abilities are animated really well. Different character classes, weapons are easily i...
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God of War 2 Playstation Review
2007-06-04 17:30:00
God of War 2 is a superb adventure and probably one of the last great titles for PS2. For me, the appeal of God of War has always been the story and puzzles and I would say that both are superior in this sequel.Gameplay: 9.5/10Pros: Combat is relatively unchanged from the first title, but the puzzles and locales are all the more fantastic. The new pegasus flying sequences are very good. Boss fights return and are as spectacular as ever.Cons: I still think Combat is somewhat of a button masher...context stuff is great, but I found myself wanting to get to the next boss, puzzle, or story sequence over mowing down my 1,000th generic spartan looking soldier.Graphics: 10/10Pros: An exceptional looking Playstation Game. The different locales are amazing and seeing a graphical depiction and interpretation of mythical locales is a real treat.Cons: It is a PS2 game and switching back from next gen makes you really notice a difference in quality.Music/Sound: 10/10Pros: Catchy theme, dramatic ...
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Mad Tracks LIVE Arcade Review
2007-06-01 17:09:00
Mad Trac ks is an uber casual racing game. As a result, when you first pick up and play it...it's very satisfying, but all the variety and races are very forgettable, and after a couple weeks you probably won't be playing this title unless you have a couple friends over.Gameplay: 7/10Pros: Great variety of game modes, easy controls, make a decent little racerCons: Many minigames seem to require little to no skill and are easy to master. Not a lot of depth.Graphics: 7/10Pros: Decent 3D worlds, decent car models, pretty big levels for a 45Meg download.Cons: Can't choose car color or model. The sense of being a small toy car isn't quite there...more could have been done with the concept (see Toy Commander, DC).Sound/Music: 5/10Pros: There are sound effects and music and they all work together to service the need.Cons: The music and sounds are all very generic and bargain basement.Lasting Appeal: 7/10Pros: 4 player splitscreen, Quite a few different game modes, Online MultiplayerCons...
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Tons of New Halo 3 News found Via hacking the Beta's code....thank god for
2007-05-31 14:31:00
There's a lot of great stuff that has been revealed about Halo 3...hopefully it's all true. The most important of course is the fact that the Energy Sword is back, it's tweaked and weakened, but it is back. How is it tweaked and weakened you ask? Well, it has a battery, and there's a delay (as you can see below) when you switch weapons. This next one isn't surprising...the Wraith is in Halo 3 ! but this isn't your old Halo 2 wraith as it now has a second spot for a machine gunner to protect you from hop-ons....you're definitely going to get some hop-ons. Finally, the magnum returns...the Halo 1 magnum that is and it looks to pack a mean punch but a small clip. 3 new maps have also been discovered and detailed (from an upcoming Gamepro article) along with a new piece of equipment: Radar Jammer and a new vehicle: The Brute Chopper. The 3 Map details follow:Shrine: A UNSC battle cruiser looms menacingly over Shrine's sprawling sand dunes. Shrine is the largest map ever to appear...
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Halo 3 Beta Update: ranked BTB, Double Team Training
2007-05-30 14:43:00
Bungie has changed the playlists for the Beta and has made available a ranked Big Team Battle and a Double Team Training playlist. Nothing revolutionary here since both playlists were present in Halo 2, but word is that the pistol (sans scope?) can also be spotted in some of these matches....now all we need is the plasma sword.

Worms Free Downloadable Content (DLC) Today
2007-05-30 14:32:00
As is the case with every Microsoft content release nowadays, with free content comes paid for content. Team 17 has released 3 new levels/backgrounds (space, hell, and jungle) of which only space is free. You'll be able to pick up the others for 150 MS points. You'll also be able to grab the new sound pack for free which offers a lot more voices to choose from. There's some other gamer picture stuff etc. that costs some points, but who really cares about all that stuff? Also I was right about Mad Tracks; that's out today.
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This XBOX LIVE Wednesday...Mad Tracks?
2007-05-25 20:10:00
On xbox.com, Mad Tracks has appeared on the Live Arcade games page. Mad Tracks looks to be a fast and arcadey racer with pretty decent graphics. By going to their website I found a May 15th post saying: "Mad Tracks XBLA has passed final Xbox certification and is good to go. Microsoft, D3P and Load Inc. are still adjusting a release date. Thanks for everyone's patience; the wait is soon over :-)I can't wait to get my hands dirty in those 84 leaderboards!!!" I am going to say with quite a bit of confidence that Mad Tracks is going to be released this upcoming Wednesday for Live Arcade. This one came out of the blue for me, but it looks pretty good. I'm going to download the PC version and give it a go. Have a great memorial day weekend.
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What are the next big games out there? Here are the 5 games to watch...
2007-05-24 15:23:00
Now obviously I could include Halo 3 in this list, but everyone is already watching out for that or playing the Beta as we speak, plus everyone knows it'll sell millions of copies. I'm going to leave out GTA IV as well since again, it's already a guaranteed hit so I'm going to leave some big titles out in order to delve into some others. I probably should leave all sequels but every sequel I include will have some factor why it may not be a "guaranteed" hit despite that it will surely be a great game. 1. Metal Gear Solid 4 (ps3)This guy is going to be amazing looking and will absolutely showcase the PS3's power. The big question is will anyone have a PS3 to enjoy it. Sony is surely hoping that MGS4 sells some PS3s but the title is rumored to come out sometime after Xmas in 2008. That delay is not going to help sell PS3s, plus there's a rumor (which is gathering steam) that it's being developed for Xbox 360 as well. Metal Gear is a great franchise and I'm glad Kojima is not r...
More About: Watch , Games , Big Game , There , Ames

The worst thing about the Halo 3 Beta
2007-05-18 16:29:00
Besides that it will end in June, the worst thing about the Beta is that my Halo ability has vastly deteriorated. At my best, I was ranked a 33 in Halo 2. Granted there are higher ranks, but since I played independently in Team Slayer without a team, I think it's pretty good. Well, I suck now. Even taking into account that I don't know the maps, I'm just not where I used to be. Perhaps it is the new control scheme, or the switch from an Xbox controller to an Xbox 360 controller (my Halo 2 playing suffered during that transition), but I am not nearly as good. I've only logged 8 hours or so on the Beta, and I have seen vast improvements. I guess it just takes time, but all the Gears of War, and Rainbow Six playing has taken me away from the run and gun mentality in Halo 3 . It's like riding a bike though, and there are moments when stuff just starts clicking and you're unstoppable. My best spree (8) was the last match I played on Snowbound. I'm getting away from the point of thi...
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5 Things I think about the Halo 3 Beta after my initial play session
2007-05-17 14:38:00
1. Halo 3 is going to be a damn good game- I think the graphics are a huge improvement over Halo 2 and Yes, it doesn't look like Gears of War, but it's only a Beta and there is a lot more going on in a bigger area.2. That using RB to pick up weapons and reload is going to take quite awhile to get used to. I have had a couple stumbles by pressing X....most of this revolved around dropping the powerdrain equipment onto myself.3. Equipment is a genius idea that makes combat all the more dynamic. This morning I stormed into a battle against 3 enemies who were ganging up on one of my own mates. My teammate severely damaged 2 and I was able to finish 1 off quickly before the other 2 turned on me. Luckily, I had a bubble shield, killed 1 of the 2 and then dropped it...thus saving my life. The final opponent chucked all his grenades at me to no avail and just as he entered my shield, I left him a brute grenade and backed away- BANG a 3-1 team slayer point exchange. Equipment is great! I o...
More About: Play , Halo 3 , Think

All Safe Casinos Website Review
2007-05-17 14:36:00
This is a sponsored post:The Safe st Online Casinos Website is basically a database of respected online casino gambling sites. The best part about it is that it does form a decent list of free online casino games with a lot of different sites to play with fake money aka for free. While free games are always nice, the site suffers most from 2 factors:It?s graphical appeal and layout is atrociousThe site feels like an advertisementThe first point is a personal preference, but simply visit the site for yourself and you should immediately see my point. I realize that casinos have blinking lights, and over the top, grab your attention effects, but I do not want to see this kind of stuff on a website.My second point is somewhat confusing since the website itself has an adfree banner on the bottom of every page and is completely free of any obnoxious banner ads, popups, etc. Regardless of this fact every free casino game, and link in the database seems to be sponsored by some casino or ...
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Crackdown fails to bring the Halo
2007-05-16 19:50:00
maybe fails is harsh, but the Beta is delayed if you are trying to get to it from Crack down. Hopefully, it won't be anything that takes all the long. Bungie is aware of the problem and noted that hopefully it will be only a short delay. Sucks for the people who took work off to play some Halo . I just hope they fix it before I get home ready to play.
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Halo 3 Beta went Live 8am EST...and the full game is coming in September!
2007-05-16 14:19:00
Today is the big day for all of us commoners that couldn't play the Beta this weekend. The Halo 3 Beta is out, no surprises yet. However, one other announcement was made today all the more Halo-tastic. Halo 3 is being released Tuesday September 25th...are you surprised? If you are a Halo fan or have been following this blog, you shouldn't be. I posted about this not so secret surprise announcement of Halo 3 coming in September before the Beta release was even confirmed. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself here. Microsoft is definitely a marketing juggernaut and with Sony reporting it's largest quarterly lost in 4 years, it makes you wonder if the next gen war is already over. Where's Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, etc. Sony? If Sony doesn't bring something big to E3 this summer, they are in for a hurting. I think a pricedrop or a bundle (Sonic 2 and Sega Genesis anyone?) would be real nice and help them out a lot...that would mean more PS3's and Blu-ray players out t...
More About: Live , Game

Soltrio Solitaire Coming this Wednesday
2007-05-14 22:22:00
Yawn! we're getting Soli taire this wednesday for Xbox Live Arcade. So that's not thrilling news, but perhaps a free Live title will sweeten the deal. Aegis Wing is a student shmup game (3 MS interns made it over a summer) that is to be released free to Xbox Live Arcade for a limited time only. Either way I'll be spending my time on Catan or the Halo 3 Beta. Freebies are usually worth a download though.
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Wii Game Cheats
2007-05-14 15:50:00
This is a sponsored post:Nintendo Wii Game s is a great blog for all those Nintendo Wii gamers out there (and there are a lot of you). Here we tend to focus on Xbox 360 since that is the system I play the most (PS2 just doesn?t cut it anymore), but for those Wii owners out there who need some help with their gaming Wii Game Cheats could be for you. The site has a very simple 3 column blog layout and is a calming blue/green color scheme. Site looks ok and is easy enough to navigate, but nothing really to write home about. The site focuses on helping Wii gamers beat or cheat their way to the end of the game. The primary features/links are videos, cheat codes, and guides. The best feature is definitely the video section where walkthrough videos have been compiled to help you get through that tough section of a level or that boss that you just can?t beat. Since it?s a cheat site as well, there are plenty of cheat codes, secrets, easter eggs, etc. that can be found for nearly every ...

Halo 3 Beta Fest
2007-05-14 14:52:00
Halo 3 Beta is out to Friends and Families and is coming May 16th. Prepare yourself with all the videos below (the equipment video is especially good).Equipment: Snowbound: High Ground: Valhalla: Create-a-Spartan
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PLAY89 Online Pool Review
2007-05-11 21:23:00
This is a sponsored post:Play89 is a new pool site that offers free download of the game, a variety of tournaments and information on billiards, pool and snooker.Play89 joins the online gambling pool of sites (no pun intended) much like all those online poker sites, you can download the game for free and play for free with "play money" or deposit your own money and win the big cash. However, unlike a lot of the card/boardgame adaptations, real Pool skill has little to do with this online game.The gameplay is very similar to many other online and simplistic pool games and features a guideline and a simple mouse interface and over the table view. The gameplay works and the game is a fun distraction where the skill is in one's knowledge of geometry rather than one's acuity with a pool stick. Don't get me wrong, knowledge of pool certainly helps, but if you're a pool shark who can't use a computer mouse...all the skill in the world won't help you win in this video game iteration.T...
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Crackdown Downloadable Content is sort of Free...and sort of costs
2007-05-11 15:55:00
Free Down loadable Content Keys to the City: The ultimate Cheat Mode! Enter this mirror of the main Campaign for a clean-slate game that can be fully exploited and customized for a single play session. (Note: Achievements and leaderboards will be disabled in this mode)Build a pile of 100 explosive drums at the top of the Agency Towwer -- then let rip!Spawn a ramp truck anywhere and it'll stay thereCreate an agency vehicle or one of the new Peacekeeper vehicles any time, any placePlayers can set character skills however they want them, or just activate the accelerated skill leveling feature (Crack down demo anyone?)Check out Super Agent Agility to jump ridiculous distances, swim faster than a torpedo and sprint faster than a speeding bullet (almost)Try the Super Agent Strength to toss a truck with deadly accuracy further than ever dreamt. Boot enemies into the stratosphere!Get the most out of the exciting selection of new weaponry by activating infinite ammo. Max out the selection at e...
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Xbox 360 Dashboard update today: Video Walkthrough
2007-05-09 22:10:00
This video is great for taking you through all the Dashboard updates for Xbox 360. Nothing too interesting or mindblowing, but all the updates/changes seem to make sense.
More About: Video , Xbox 360 , Today

Backgammon Masters Review
2007-05-02 15:30:00
The following is a paid review:Backgammon Mast er s is best described as Party Poker for Backgammon. It shares a lot of similarities with all of those poker game programs. You download the program for free and then can deposit real money or play with fake money only you're playing Backgammon instead of Poker. The real question you have to ask yourself is, do you like Backgammon? If you do, then Backgammon Masters is for you. It has an excellent presentation with good looking avatars and the gameplay is perfectly representative of the board game. If you are familiar with our reviews this is the part where I would typically rate gameplay, graphics, sound/music, and lasting appeal all separately. That doesnt' seem necessary for a game focused on Backgammon. As a video game, Backgammon is not on the top of my list to play digitally, though I very much enjoy the board game on a rainy afternoon. That being said, playing for money and gambling is always fun in my book and Backgammon Master...
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Halo 3 Beta Control Scheme revealed and a SWEET new marketing poster
2007-05-01 15:23:00
This poster is a vast improvement over the earlier 'HALO 3' in big letters one. The shot of Master Chief is excellent and would make a great Game Jacket.meanwhile, Bungie also released the Beta 's default control scheme. Nothing too surprising here, but I do think using right bumper as board vehicle etc. will be weird...at least at first. Dual wielding just got a whole lot better too, with independent reload.
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Eets: Chowdown Xbox Live Review
2007-04-30 20:05:00
Eets Chowdown is yet another PC indie game that has successfully made the leap to Xbox Live Arcade. You definitely get your moneys worth of puzzles and gameplay, but for the price you may be better off saving 5 cents and getting a level editor with it all.Gameplay: 7/10Pros: Gameplay is a mix between Lemmings and the Incredible Machine. Difficulty is well paced throughout the game. Being able to load the solution reduces frustration.Cons: Things get repetitive at about puzzle 70, and you just have to take a break. Game is fine in small doses, but long play sessions feel monotonousGraphics: 9.5/10Pros: This is how games should look! Great and original 2D graphics give Eets a real unique flare and visual style. Animation is top-notch.Cons: I guess it's not impressive having gorgeous 2D graphics with a solid framerate since there's never too much going on at once.Sound/Music: 7/10Pros: Sound FX are good, I especially love Eets little happy noices, scared noises, or whatever.Cons...
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3 XBOX LIVE ARCADE releases this week....sort of
2007-04-30 19:51:00
Catan is a LIVE version of the popular strategy board game and features 13 historical personas, 4 players, voice, pretty graphics, and a tutorial to learn how to play the game. There's also popular house rules available. I've never played this board game before...so....meh.The other 2 releases are combined into one Konami-tastic package: Centipede and Millipede. Just a rehash of the old Arcade Coin-op games. I have to admit that I very much like the new live schedule of 1 beefy LIVE release and 1 nostalgic release.
More About: Xbox , Xbox Live , Xbox Live Arcade , Live