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Crackdown Downloadable Content Picture
2007-04-26 15:37:00
Team Xbox got this picture from the new Crack down downloadable content. Definitely a new vehicle in the works and the possibility of 4 player co-op? I do see 4 dune buggies. I really think this content should be free since Crackdown still owes us 100 Gamerpoints. Looks like I may dust off my copy of Crackdown before the Halo 3 Beta after all.
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Devil May Cry 4- Gameplay Video
2007-04-25 18:18:00
I've always been a DMC fan. Hope the playing styles from DMC3 make it into the game...
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Best 5 Live Arcade games- Follow-up
2007-04-25 14:38:00
A reader posted a comment yesterday about the below 5 xbox Live Arcade games wanting to know why I was looking forward to them or thought they looked like promising titles. The fact that this comment came from a fellow game developer just made it so I couldn't refuse. So what makes these 5 games the most promising? Well first of all, most of the games are ORIGINAL games and new IPs made specifically for Live Arcade. I love getting a new game tailored to Xbox Arcade over a nostalgic rehash of an older game (unless it's castlevania SotN of course). It's more exciting to play a Brand New game than play one you played years ago. Most of these 5 games have these features, but let's delve into what makes some even more exciting than the others.Castle Crashers- This game IS what Live Arcade should be about- taking old school gameplay (4 player Arcade beatemups) and fusing it with unique visuals, humor, and excellent animation. Watch this game in motion and tell me you don't want to pl...
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The 5 Xbox Live Arcade Games that I think are the most promising (ranked fo
2007-04-24 22:12:00
1. Castle Crashers2. Band of Bugs3. Undertow4. Eets: Chowdown5. Wing Commander: Arena
More About: Games , Xbox , Arcade , Xbox Live , Xbox Live Arcade

New Blog Layout
2007-04-24 21:59:00
Yeah, sort of obvious for anyone who's been here before, but nonetheless...we have switched over to a 3 column blog in the hopes of adding feeds from other likeminded and excellent blogs such as ourselves. Look is pretty much the same we just have 3 columns instead of 2, but I hope everyone agrees it is for the best. I am trying to highlight our sponsored links as much as possible since they keep us going. Stay tuned this week because there is a lot in the works with our websites, and games.
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XBOX Live releases another 2 titles this week
2007-04-23 19:25:00
Eets: Chowdown and Pinball FX are both coming this wednesday for 800 MS points each ($10). Eets is a puzzle game where you control the emotions of the main character to complete each level. Pinball FX is a pinball game where you can control the flippers with the camera or the controller. Eets is actually already a critically acclaimed computer Indie game. It's just really great to see all of these indie studios seeing success and porting to Xbox Live Arcade. I also much prefer the 2 original titles that this week offers over 80s ports. Look for an Eets review later this week (definitely going to pick that one up) or check out the PC version now and judge for yourself. I still wonder where Band of Bugs has gone. I really love Ninjabee and the games they have put out so far and have been looking for Band of Bugs every wednesday recently.
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Xbox Live Content SHOULD NOT BE FREE!
2007-04-20 19:06:00
Ok, so now I have your attention and probably need to explain the title of this post somewhat. First, let me start off by saying that a lower cost on most LIVE content IS needed. $10 is pricey for some of the stuff out there for Xbox LIVE, but at the same time I would rather pay some fee for content that is actually worth playing then get a stream of free content that isn't worth my time. My feeling about this stems primarily from the free content served up for Gears of War vs. the $10 content for Rainbow Six that just came out this week. While, the Rainbow Six content is a little pricey ($5 would be perfect) it does give you a whole lot more to do in the game: 5 new maps and 2 new gamemodes with one of the new maps being one of the best yet (Doscala Restaurant). So while, I'm a little pissed about the high price, I am happy with all the new features. It's a little much for $10, but definitely deserves to cost something. Compare this major expansion pack to Gears of War's 2 free...
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Boom Boom Rocket LIVE ARCADE REVIEW
2007-04-17 20:43:00
Boom Boom Rocket has an awful name and is incredibly difficult, but is the first music/rhythm game for Xbox Live and a pretty good (not great) one at that.Gameplay: 7.5/10Pros: Classic Music rhythm gameplay where you press the buttons in time with the music. 2 game modes, and local multiplayer.Cons: The overall game is incredibly difficult?way too difficult.Graphics: 8/10Pros: The fireworks look great and the overall presentation is top-notch. Nothing beats engaging in a flashy bonus run.Cons: The city background is repetitive?it would have been nice to add some weather effects or something to up the variety.Sound/Music: 9/10Pros: The music is all remixes of classic songs and orchestral pieces. I think it fits the fireworks motif perfectly, but may not be everyone?s thing.Cons: The songs lack the catchy nature and recognizable appeal of other music games such as Elite Beat Agents.Lasting Appeal: 6/10Pros: Local Multiplayer, online leaderboards, and 3 difficulty levels give you plent...
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2 Xbox Live Arcade Games this week...WHA?
2007-04-16 20:52:00
Microsoft is releasing 2 Live Arcade Games this Wednesday. The classic Gyruss (like Tempest) for 400 points and the Sierra Online 3D MiniGolf for 800 MS points. I still hate waiting till Monday to find out what games are coming out, but I have to admit that getting 1 classic/ and 1 new game is much better than the "dud" wednesdays where we got Frogger or Root Beer Tapper for Live Arcade. This is especially good news, because I am loving LIVE arcade more and more with each release. Just one question...when is Band of Bugs coming out from NinjaBee? I love those guys.
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BattleStations: Midway Xbox 360 Review
2007-04-12 16:24:00
Battlestations midway is a mix of a strategy and action game. The strategy game aspect of the game works and plays very well, while the action can be very dependent on which vehicle you decide to pilot. This game isn?t for anybody, but is definitely a title that stands out and plays different from most of the stuff out there on the Xbox 360.Gameplay: 7/10Pros: PT boat, submarines are very exciting to control, ships are slow and are pretty fun to pilot as well. The strategy aspects of the game are very complex and make the game deep and challenging.Cons: The tutorial takes about an hour to complete and when it was done I definitely forgot some stuff. Planes are difficult to control and the overall controls can be clunky.Graphics: 6/10Pros: Battles can really pick up and look exciting, the vehicles are good looking, take realistic damage and are well animated.Cons: This is by far the weakest area of Battlestations. The game just doesn?t look like a 360 title, but instead a nice lookin...
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R.I.P. Playstation 3......20GB model
2007-04-12 14:28:00
Sony has officially announced that the 20GB wireless-less PS3 model is dead in North America. Something about the 60GB version being demanded 90% of the time. Could someone find some good Playstation news out there? I actually don't think this is that big of a deal. The 60GB Playstation featured an extra 40GB over the cheaper version, but also offered built in wireless internet all for only $100 more, so of course it would be more demanded. If you want an Xbox with a wireless adapter you'll have to spend nearly $100 right there to upgrade it. So while not a big deal per se, it's still not really a good thing to promote and talk about Sony. Geez!
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The Halo 3 Beta is Coming! Finally! May 17th
2007-04-10 16:29:00
Hurray! finally we know when we'll get to play this game. Exactly 4 weeks from the new Halo 2 maps, the Halo 3 Beta will be released on May 17th. The Beta will feature the 3 already revealed maps (Valhalla, High Ground, and Snowbound) as well as feature some of the new weapons (spartan laser, brute spiker, spike grenades) and some new vehicles (the Mongoose ATV). It's all very exciting and I am just glad the guessing game of when it's coming out is finally put to rest. Other good news is that I shouldn't have to buy a new game any time soon:Gears: New Gametype Yesterday...new maps comingRainbow 6: 4 new maps, 2 new gametypes next couple weeksCrackdown: Last 100 gamer points, new vehicles, planes? next couple weeksHalo 3 Beta: May 17th
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Gears of War Annex is here with some Tweaks
2007-04-10 15:19:00
So Anne x came out yesterday after all. Unfortunately, I hadn't heard anything before I got home so I decided to play something different, but I am looking forward to it tonight. I have looked around and found details on what has been patched/tweaked gameplay wise. Here 's my breakdown and opinion (sans playing it myself):VGA Cable Support: Monitor resolution widths greater than or equal to 1280 now render as letterbox. In particular VGA users running at 1280x1024 will now see the game in full 720p (1280x720) resolution in letterboxed form.Adjusted Assassination Multiplayer Gametype: Leader no longer has to unlock weapons and now has to be executed to die.Adjusted Boomshot: Splash damage to be more effective rendering targets down-but-not-out.Adjusted Hammer of Dawn: Aiming will be more forgiving of moving targets.Adjusted Roadie Run: Reduced frequency of accidently grabbing cover while running.Kill Message Ticker: Ticker can now be seen while down-but-not-out and spectating.Anne...
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New Gears Maps will cost ya!
2007-04-09 18:49:00
It sucks but the new gears maps are going to cost some cash. How much, I can't tell you, but it looks like the maps will cost at first and then be free later on, much like the Halo 2 map model. Here's Epic's explanation:"Quite frankly Xbox Live Marketplace isn't our store. It's Microsoft's store. Like any retailer they have the right to figure out what goes on the shelves of their store and what price they sell it at. They spend the money to operate the store and deliver the content. They've also spent billions of dollars to create and build Xbox and subsidize it's the price so you can afford it and we can make games for it. As our publisher, they also invested tens of millions of dollars marketing Gear s of War, and have done an awesome job for us, so they have a right to a good return on that investment."At least the new gametype Annex will be free...still sucks though.
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3 Xbox 360 Things...
2007-04-09 14:42:00
1. There will be a new Dashboard update in May for Xbox that will integrate Windows Live messenging with the 360. With that will come such monstrosities as this controller with an attachable keyboard so you can messege your friends and all that jazz. Isn't this controller a little too reminiscent of the Jaguar controller ? The Jaguar was an Atari system claiming to be 64bit but was really just the worst system ever. Way to bulky! Original Xbox controller anyone?2. Boom Boom Rocket (Bizarre and EA Games) Xbox Live title was said to be releasing mid-April. Since we know Live games come out on Wednesday that pretty much leaves April 11th or 18th. Sony may not be listening, but it seems that Microsoft is...that's nice. 3. Gears of War- The new Annex gametype is coming out very very soon, though it seems not today. Read somewhere that the Lancer damage is being upped as one of the tweaks..can I get a thank you! Finally, shooting a roadie running shotgunner will not result in you ...
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Gears of War New Gametype coming April 9th?
2007-04-05 14:32:00
In case you missed it, here's some details about the new gametype Annex that were posted prematurely on the official Gear s of War Page. It sounds pretty much like territories or king of the hill from Halo and other multiplayer games. Microsoft confirmed the details of Annex, but said the date: April 9th is not official and still TBD. Anyway here's more detailed description:Once the 60 points are gone, the next objective or location is chosen. Unlike other Gears of War gametypes, this one involves respawning -- players return into battle every 15 seconds. Total round scores can be set as low as 120 points or as high as 480 points. As for HUD and map changes related to Annex: " On the HUD, the current objective appears below the team scores at top left. This indicator contains several pieces of relevant information. The weapon icon inside the circle indicates which weapon-spawn location is being used as the objective. The compass along the outer edge of the circle shows the rela...
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3 Intriguing Video Game News Bites
2007-04-02 22:44:00
Nights on Wii - Yes the numerous rumors from last week have been officially confirmed and no, it is not an April Fool's Joke. Saturn and other Sega Hardcore fans rejoice! Sonic Team has confrimed working on the new Nights: Journey into Dreams, though Naka is not. Hope it isn't as awful as the next-gen Sonics have been.Gears of War is getting an Update- Along with the standard patches and bug fixes, Xbox 360 owners will get a brand new gametype called Annex. The best news...it's free! Epic will release more details on the fixes, gametype soon. The update is currently being reviewed by Microsoft.And in order to cover all 3 systems, for those of you who missed the HUGE Grand Theft Auto IV unveiling last week for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Here it is...It's really in line with expectations...all the video reveals is that it's in Liberty City and has better graphics...shocking!
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Virtua Tennis 3 Review
2007-04-02 21:31:00
Virtua Tennis 3 is just shy of being a great title. It is very approachable and a lot of fun, but there are some misses that really get under you skin and detract from the experience?most aren?t even gameplay related, but they still detract from what could be a AAA title.Gameplay: 9/10Pros: The ?tennis? games are fast and furious and are simple to play, but deep to master. If you get bored of matches there are a TON of challenging and deep minigames. Stay away from Fusion Frenzy 2 and let Virtua Tennis satisfy your minigame craving.Cons: In world tour mode, you play the same pros over and over again. Before you reach rank 200, they are awful?Federer can?t even get to a ball and hits it right back to you! He?s #1 in the world and would certainly cream #300 in the world?why not use custom created characters to fill the lower ranks? Playing against pros all the time severely detracts from the realism and allure of playing the recognizable stars of tennis. The game is a little easy unti...
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2 New Halo 2 Maps for $4! Coming April 17th
2007-03-30 21:19:00
The announcement follows:Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the upcoming release of two new, eagerly awaited downloadable maps for ?Halo ® 2.? The maps will be available as premium downloadable content for Xbox® and Xbox 360? on April 17.Fans of the original ?Halo? have long requested the addition of some of their favorite maps to the critically acclaimed multiplayer experience of ?Halo 2 .? These re-creations, developed by Bungie and Certain Affinity Inc., are a perfect way to thank fans for their support as they surpass 800 million hours of ?Halo 2? gaming on Xbox LIVE®.The two maps will bring new life to ancient battlefields and legendary skirmishes, as both are new, improved and redesigned remakes of fan favorites from the original ?Halo: Combat Evolved.? For the price of $4 for the pair, these maps bring a fresh burst of action to the seminal ?Halo 2? online multiplayer experience. Both of the maps will be available through the ?Halo 2? in-game content down...
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5 Video Game Things I think...
2007-03-27 21:31:00
That Castle Crashers (http://www.thebehemoth.com) will be the greatest Xbox Live Arcade game ever. Now when the hell does it come out? I've heard not till 2008...d'oh! Microsoft will you please tell us the Arcade Release schedule. Telling us on Monday which game is coming out Wednesday isn't good enough.That Playstation 2 has seen its last great game in God of War 2 and that God of War 3 would really help the PS3 out.That the Shotgun in Gears of War is WAY too powerful now and that there is a dominating Host advantage with the weapon, thus diminishing GOW's online multiplayer significantly. Vegas anyone?That the new bungie.net is quite possibly the best integration of webpage and game that I have ever seen and that they have taken stat tracking and game strategy to a whole new level. BTW where the hell is the Halo 3 Beta...man is that taking too long.That Nintendo DS hasn't seen a good game come out since the Holiday season and Pokemon Pearl and Diamond (or whatever) are not wh...
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Castlevania SotN Xbox Live Review
2007-03-26 14:07:00
So does the "Best Cast levania of all time" stand the test of time? Of course it does! Castlevania Symphony of the night is better than ever in $10 downloadable form. In fact, my favorite feature of the game is the ability to sit on my couch and switch to Castlevania for some exploring without having to switch my game discs or the like. This is a classic that is an absolute steal at $10.Gameplay: 10/10Pros: Classic and epic 2D adventuring! This is really the type of game for me and the type of game I am draw a lot of influence from. The gameplay is just as good as it was on PS or Sega Saturn.Cons: Is it just me or is Symphony a lot easier than I remember? Easier than the more recent DS Portrait of Ruin for sure.Graphics: 8.5/10Pros: The enhanced version really smooths out the pixels from the original. The animation is top-notch in all of its 2D glory.Cons: The enhanced version is really just a pixel filter...imagine if they had actually redrawn the graphics for HD like in Alien Homin...
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Blog really bogged down
2007-03-22 16:57:00
For whatever reason, the blog is loading incredibly slowly...or not at all. Not quite sure why, but I apologize and am looking into it.
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Halo 3...September Release!
2007-03-16 13:15:00
The internet has been all a twitter with news that Halo 3 may indeed ship 2 months early and come on some time in September . Microsoft mentioned in a talk at the Game Developers Conference that Fable saw a nice doulbe bump when it came out in the early fall and then was picked up right around Christmas too. Add to that some anonymous sources and developers confirming Halo's early release and we have a rumor that may actually end up being true. It would make sense after all. By releasing Halo 3 early, Microsoft would be able to sell some more systems early and get a head start on their competition before the holiday season. Microsoft is pretty darn good with marketing...especially of recently. This would be quite a slick move and would definitely blow the competitions assumptions of a November release. We'll have to wait and see, but I just hope that they take the time to make it ready when it is ready. I want my Halo 3 to be better than 2.
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Playstation Home- Savior of PS3?
2007-03-12 15:49:00
Sony has recently revealed one of its newest online and FREE features for the Play station 3. It's called "Home " and is basically a mix between Nintendo's Mii system, Xbox Live Achievements, and an open sandbox world. I guess it is all part of Sony's evolving online plans. The question is will anyone care? and can home help bring PS3 into the spotlight and back as the dominant console? If you know about Home already, you may want to skip a few paragraphs, but for those who don't, I'll describe its features to the best of my abilities.Home is basically a virtual neighborhood. You start off by creating an avatar (like Nintendo's Mii system) and then are immersed in a virtual world. Sony truly offers next-gen customizations over the simplistic Wii approach (as seen in the provided pictures). You navigate this virtual world with your own personal PSP (kind of lame cross promotion if you ask me). You can use this PSP to visit the central lounge, which is a major hub for socializing....
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Worms Xbox Live Review
2007-03-09 18:24:00
I have always been a fan of worms, so even though Worm s for Xbox was a game I was very familiar with, I figured I had to get it simply for the fact that it has offline competitive play and the very best: Online Xbox Live competition. While the game offers a true and genuine version of Worms, I can’t help but feel its lacking a little.Gameplay: 8/10Pros: The gameplay has been very well adapted to the Xbox Controller, and while it is a little clunky at first, the great worm-blasting action is present.Cons: The enemy A.I in the challenge mode is really slow…like the computer worms sit there with word bubbles over their head for 20-40 seconds. This makes single player matches go on way longer than needed. As mentioned before, there are some clunky controls and weapons that are sorely missed.Graphics: 8/10Pros: One of the better looking 2D Worms games. The 3D backgrounds add a lot of depth and are a good compromise: we get the classic 2D gameplay vs. the inferior 3D version, but get ...
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Webmasters Unite!
2007-03-08 22:47:00
I'm getting really fed up with all of the link directories, exchange services nonsense. In my opinion the best exchanges have been with fellow game bloggers, developers and the like, so if you happen to be one of those and are reading this drop me a line (or comment) about doing a link exchange with this blog or Graduate Games.BTW stuff is going really really well with our game and there should be news, videos, and announcements streaming in very very soon. Again sorry for the lack of reviews, etc., but hey I'm considering getting Worms on Xbox Live tonight so there's a potential review. Cheers
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Xbox Live Booms
2007-03-06 22:04:00
Xbox Live Subscribers hit 6 million...Microsoft announced this factoid and others at GDC 2007. Yes it's a little bragging and patting on the back, but still interesting statistics:2.3 billion hours (or 95 million days or 260,000 years) of 360 games played online since Xbox Live's November 2002 launch. 710 million of those hours have been spent on Halo 2 alone. Average of over 2 million text and voice messages sent over Xbox Live every day. Average of 22 friends on every gold subscriber's friends list. Total of nearly 300 million achievements unlocked by all 360 users with a combined Gamerscore of 7.5 billion. Halo 2 and Gears of War continue to hold the top two spots on worldwide Xbox Live titles based on the number of unique users to play each game. 70% of Xbox Live users downloading content on Live Marketplace AND Xbox Live Arcade games adding up to over 135 million downloads since the 360's launch. Over 5 billion Microsoft points bought/activated on Xbox Live. For those wond...
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Streaming Video
2007-03-05 17:37:00
Got this email about this player and wanted to gauge the feeling about it. Comments? Is it something I should permanently add to the blog?
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Assault Heroes Xbox Live Review
2007-03-05 16:33:00
So I was finally swayed by the positive reviews and the whole “IGN Xbox Live Arcade game of the year.� While I would not have voted Assault Heroes as the best of the year (Outpost Kaloki), it is certainly an entertaining game in a classic genre that works well on the XBOX Arcade.Gameplay: 8/10Pros: Blast-fest! Gameplay is completely reminiscent of the old 2D sidescrolling shooters. The game has a way of feeling unique despite copying off of many other shooter elements.Cons: Shooting is fun, but it’s hard to see some of the shots coming at you and they get lost in some of the environments.Graphics: 9/10Pros: Definitely one of the best looking Arcade games out there right now (besides Roboblitz) it’s a 2D game, but everything is in 3D so trees get knocked down and explosive barrels have pretty impressive physics, etc. The water level is freaking sweet!Cons: There’s always room for improvement…and in this game, the underground levels which feature a zoom in of your human gu...
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One of the Best Games You've Never Played: Shadow of the Colossus PS2
2007-03-02 19:26:00
Released in October of 2005, Shadow of the Colossus was a sequel of sorts to the cult classic, and PS2 launch title, Ico. I never played Ico, but Shadow completely stands on its own and is absolutely enchanting. Here I am 2 years later, and I am yearning to play the title all over again (the only question is where is it). Describing what makes Shadow so good is difficult because the game is more a piece of artwork and an experience than a game. It's truly breathtaking, both graphically, in scale, enjoyment etc. One of the true gems of the Play station 2 and a title that probably sold a third as many copies as the disappointing and rather abysmal Devil May Cry 2. I do not want to ruin any of the majesty and wonder of the title, but the basic premise is that to save your love, you have to defeat these colossal beasts of the land. Shadow is really just a series of Epic Boss battles and mythical land traversing and exploring. There's no real point in breaking down what makes Shadow wor...
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