Guten Tag, Konichiwa, Bienvenue, welcome and come on in. It's time once again for your semi-regular gaming round-up of the week brought to you by the Game For A Laugh Blog and KillerKeyboard.com.
It's been a strange week all told. England beat Spain 1-0 at Wembley, marking the first time that the Three Lions have beaten the number one team in the world since rankings were publicly printed, Italy has finally seen the back of the Bunga-bunga obsessed playboy prime minister Silvio "shuddupayaface" Berlusconi, and in news closer to this sites roots, MINECRAFT HAS GONE GOLD!!!
"So, yes, Minecraft has gone gold. :D" - @notch
I know, i was shocked too. I guess two years was enough time to work out all the bugs, and it's nice to see that the game is to all intents and purposes "finished", but can a game like Minecraft ever truly be finished? I foresee a long lifespan for the game punctuated by many, many updates (some big, some small) but I don't think that this Gold version of the game will represent the bulk of the finished article. Either way, it'll be fun to play.
In news that will worry no-one, it was revealed today that the Unity game engine will not support Windows 7 phones due to it being a "relatively closed system". According to David Helgason, the CEO of Unity Technologies, the company might be looking at supporting Windows 8 instead.
Not a big loss in the world of mobile gaming, especially in a world where iOS and Android dominate the smart phone market by such a great margin.
There are an awful lot of unhappy Batman fans out there right now, and almost all of them appear to be Xbox owners.
Since the launch of Batman: Arkham City players of the 360 version have complained that they are losing game saves. While some suspect it's to do with the Catwoman DLC, nothing has as of yet been confirmed. Warner Brothers, who published the sequel to Rocksteady's critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum, have acknowledged the glitch and are asking users for information regarding the circumstances under which the data loss occurred. If you've suffered the loss of Save data in your game you can visit the official forum and fill in the survey to help get to the bottom of all of this.
Talking of DLC, do you remember when games developers used to wait a couple of weeks before announcing any forthcoming DLC? I do, with great fondness. Unfortunately it's not a practice that Ubisoft agree with, since they just announced their first DLC pack for AC: Revelations entitled "Ancestors". The DLC itself is a multiplayer character pack containing 4 unique skins including the Gladiator and The Privateer, each character has their own unique skill set and animations to give more variety to your online play and doesn't go live until December 12th, so at least there's a decent gap from the games release date, but if they knew about it already why not put it in the game to start with?
Oh wait, money. Doh!
In slightly better news for Xbox 360 fans it turns out that a free avatar item is available for a short time to celebrate Microsoft's 10th anniversary in the console business. The Xbox anniversary prop fires streamers and glitter into the air and does nothing else of real worth, but since it's free you can't really complain now, can you?
It's on the avatar marketplace until Saturday, so grab it while it's free and prepare to be underwhelmed...
Staying with the Xbox theme, some news that came out of GDC China this past week after Microsoft's Brian Prince spoke about the role of Cloud gaming in video games today. He stated his belief that OnLive style systems represented the "distant future of gaming in the cloud," mainly due to the high bandwidth required to stream high quality game feeds in real time with minimal slow down. On the subject of Cloud related features coming to the "Xbox platform" Prince remained tight lipped, He did go as far as to promise cloud specific features but wouldn't be drawn further on the subject.
Is it possible that the next Xbox might have some form of OnLive style streaming component? or maybe Microsoft want to emulate Sony's move towards Cloud based game saves? Either way, only time will tell on this one (okay, maybe insider sources as well).
I downloaded the free version of DCUO recently after reporting a 1000% increase in the population in the last round-up, and while it took damn near 8 hours to fully download and install I'm happy to report that the game itself runs smoothly and is easy as pie to pick up.
Apparently I'm not the only one who downloaded the MMO recently, as it was reported at the weekend that DCUO has now attracted 1 million new players since it went F2P. Maybe this was the move they needed to make all along? Now they just need to keep hold of those players...
NINTENDO NEWS!!!
To paraphrase the great Mark Twain, the reports of the 3DS' demise may have been greatly exaggerated.
That's according to a statement from Nintendo that claims the 3DS is well on track to sell more units this year than the original DS did in its first 12 months. That isn't necessarily all good news though, as it was only when the DS Lite was released that DS sales really picked up to a respectable level and then sky rocketed into the "ridiculous-phere". The 3DS might very well sell more units than the DS did in year one, but until they re-jig the console to include a second stick as standard they're doomed to sell a disappointing number year on year.
Moving over to Nintendo's other underwhelming console, Tecmo financial results have revealed that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razors Edge will be released as a launch title for the Wii-U when the system débuts around April 2012. The game on which Razors Edge is based was launched on Xbox 360 and PS3 some time ago...
Finishing up the Nintendo news on a high note, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has revealed to GamesRadar that Shigeru Miyamoto has talked about the possibility of bringing old school 2D Zelda games up to date, by giving them the 3D treatment. Assuming the idea is to give them a 3DS or stereoscopic 3D update It's an interesting concept, and is certainly something that would work well for a top down perspective Zelda game such as my favourite, A Link to the Past.
Ban Hammers at the ready, Lock and Load!
It appears that Dice have been busy bees since they got the Battlefield servers working, identifying anyone taking advantage of cheap exploits in the BF3 multiplayer. Wielders of the sacred Hammer of Banning have taken a "zero tolerance policy for cheating," that they find on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, and so far hundreds of accounts have been deleted. A patch is in the works to remedy the more common exploits as well as common complaints such as flash-lights that are hotter and brighter than the sun itself.
You have been warned.
Would it be a round-up without the weekly look at the top ten best selling games on all platforms? No, probably not, so here it is.
WARNING: This top ten is unsuitable for Gamers with a sensitivity to Zumba Fitness being popular.
1.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 2.The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim 3.Battlefield 3 4.FIFA 12 5.Just Dance 3 6.Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 7.Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo 8.Batman: Arkham City 9.Zumba Fitness 10.Wii Party
I have no earthly idea what a Moshi monster is, but the fact it sold more than Zumba means it's okay by me. CoD:MW3 is, unsurprisingly at the top of the mountain this week after setting an all time Video Games sales record that surpassed that of 2010's MW2. Skyrim bats clean up while BF3 manages a creditable 3rd place this week.
FIFA is an unstoppable juggernaut and somehow manages to hang around in the 4th champions league qualifying spot and Batman come up a little short at number 8 on the list, just below the aforementioned Moshi Monsters.
Anyone reading this who has bought a copy of Zumba fitness should hang their heads in shame, Bad consumer, naughty consumer, did you do this?!
Right then, I'm off before I lose all hope for humanity. Maybe the Mayans were right, and it's Zumba that will end civilisation as we know it...
It's been a while chums, my apologies for not putting up a news article in a while. I'm sure you'll agree though, there's been quite a number of AAA titles launched in the past month and they all needed to be played. So, on with the show.
Best Buy Europe, a venture which is part owned by both Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse, has announced the closure of all 11 of its UK megastores with approximately 1100 jobs being affected. Most of the affected workers will be redeployed to Carphone Warehouse stores, with some of these retail outlets being re-branded as "Wireless World". The Best Buy UK experiment lasted just over 18 months but was brought to a close due to disappointing sales figures, most likely a result of the economic downturn. Plans to open Megastores across Europe as well as China have also been shelved. It's a real shame that so many people will be affected by this withdrawal from the UK but it's encouraging to see that they will be re-deployed where possible. On a positive note it would be safe to assume that when the 11 stores close at the end of the year there will be plenty of bargains to be had...
It's over a week since DC Universe Online went free-to-play but there's been some encouraging news for Sony Online Entertainment. SOE president John Smedley tweeted recently that the in game population numbers for the game have risen by 1000% compared to pre free-to-play figures. Gamers are always fond of a bargain, and free is as good a deal as you can get for a game that originally cost £40 plus a yearly subscription to play. Friend of the show Darragh O'Connor downloaded the PS3 version last night while I myself will be shortly. I'll be giving my thoughts on the F2P version of the game during episode 14 of the Killer Keyboard podcast next week.
Rockstar's Dan Houser certainly isn't backwards in coming forwards with his thoughts on the 3D revolution that's sweeping the Movie and Video games scene. In an interview with Variety magazine he said -
"I don't think anyone has solved the riddle of how you make 3D an integral part of the gaming experience,"
While this certainly doesn't mean he's not a fan of 3D, it does indicate that perhaps Max Payne 3 and GTA V might not be too heavily dedicated to the pursuit of 3D gaming perfection. In my mind that's not a bad thing either. I've yet to see a game use 3D in a way that adds to the gaming experience in a way that couldn't be achieved using a two dimensional display. Sure, Super Mario 3D comes close with it's "giant coin" puzzles, but echochrome proved that perspective bending puzzles are just as easy to achieve without the use of a 3D display.
There's something gloriously original about Takashi Miike's films. Ichi the Killer and 13 Assassins are two of my favourite films, each is very different from the other but the direction and camera work in each is spot on. This being the case, when i heard that he was behind the movie adaptation of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney i was interested to see what he'd do with it. The trailer hit Youtube recently, and even though my Japanese is just south of atrocious I could still see that it's going to be a well made movie that is extremely faithful to the source material. If you don't believe me just check out the hair and wardrobe in the trailer below..
By now you've probably heard about a promising little game that's due out soon, it's got Dragons and swords and lots of fighting in it and is apparently part of something called the Elder Scrolls series. No, it's not ringing many bells with me either...
Well if there's anyone reading this that knows what the hell this game is about, this news is for you. First up, Skyrim will receive a patch on day one that "fixes some minor stability and quest progression issues," this patch will be downloaded automatically the first time you play the game and should make the experience that little bit smoother.
Also in the news this week, Skyrim Director Todd Howard has told Wired that the game will have an unending list of quests to take part in. The "Radiant quest system" allows for random generation of quests in-game for each of the guilds, while also generating random NPC quests for you as well. So that's great news for anyone that gets through the main storyline in this years game, although you do wonder how long it will be before you get bored of "take this bag of herbs to my brother on the other side of the bandit infested woodland" or "my cart is broken, could you fetch me a fixing pin from the blacksmith?". Oh and while we're talking about Todd Howard, here's something that he told Norwegian publication Gamer.no.
"There is an unlimited number of dragons"
Is that enough to get those juices flowing a little more freely? Killing one Dragon is great and all, but killing a dozen more is better don't you think? Well done Bethesda.
An inductee to my personal gaming hall of fame is up for sale on GOG.com right now for only $6 (£4 approx.) Quantic Dream's classic title "Fahrenheit", or "Indigo Prophecy" as it is better known in the US, is one of my favourite PS2 titles of all time and served as a proving ground for many of the control and story telling techniques eventually used in Heavy Rain on PS3. The game currently on sale at GOG.com is the uncut European version, meaning that, for the first time, our American cousins can have simulated sex with a polygonal woman while Theory of a Deadman plays softly in the background. It doesn't get any better than this.
Time for my free download of the week, which this time is actually a full blown game. I haven't played this game yet, but it's getting my recommendation purely because it has, quite possibly, the greatest name in Video Games history. Ladies and Gentlemen, this weeks Free download of the week is Stealth Bastard: Tactical Espionage Arsehole. It's completely free to download and includes a level editor to boot. You can thank me later...
There's been more rumours this week regarding the next XBox console. For ease of reference i'll list them by source.
MS Nerd blog
-Console is codenamed XBox Loop -XBox Loop will run on a modified version of Windows 9 and use ARM architecture -Hardware will include a "main processor" which is supported by dedicated cores for graphics, audio, AI, physics etc -New console will be Cheaper and Smaller than 360
Paul Thurott - TWiT
-Holiday 2012 release -Microsoft will "would almost have to announce this [the new console] at CES" -Console will use the same Metro UI design as Windows Phone 7 -Next XBox will feature Embedded Silverlight -Expect integration with Windows Phone and Windows 8
The code name certainly makes a lot of sense, Loop fits with the whole 360 degree philosophy and brings to mind the idea of coming full circle. Of course that's reportedly only a code name, the same as Natal was for Kinect, so the real name is probably some horrible title with a K or a Z in place of the C's and S's. There have been multiple predictions of release dates, safe to say it will be sometime during 2012-2014. Integration with Windows is a must, especially with Windows phone being on the market from the beginning of the console life cycle. If the Console is to be more powerful than the last then it makes sense to have dedicated cores for each function, but chip technology moves so quickly that it's hard to get a real feel for what direction they'll take.
Ah, hell. Let's just wait for CES in January and see if they announce something...
Finally, it's time for the UK top ten games on all platforms for the week ending November 5th
Battlefield and FIFA 12 are non movers at numbers 1 and 3 respectively while Uncharted 3 makes it's chart début at number 2. It's a solid showing from the latest Nathan Drake game although Naughty Dog must be disappointed not to have claimed top spot for themselves, but with sales that are over 1/3 better than Uncharted 2 at the same point there's no shame in being second. Batman loses 2 places as does Football manager, and then there's Zumba Fitness. Again...
I had hoped that in a month with so many great games on sale, that Zumba might just have slipped outside of the top ten, but that dream has yet to become a reality.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, available on both PS3 and XBox 360, marks something of a departure for Namco.
Ace Combat is a franchise that has spanned three generations of consoles over sixteen years, not to mention the several iterations of the game on mobile devices including the iPhone, PSP and GBA. In all that time the console franchise has always been set in a fictional world that, although mirroring real world politics, remained somehow alien to us. The new game, however, attempts to please it's devotees while attracting a new generation of Ace's from the Modern Warfare/Battlefield market, with diversified gameplay and a real world setting.
Unlike the Belkan War, or the territorial disputes of the Usean continent, this instalment of the franchise is initially set in Africa and later visits locations such as Washington DC, Miami, Dubai and Moscow. Each location is rendered in the highest detail of any Ace Combat game, including a great number of three dimensional buildings in city settings, something that has until now been a weakness of the series.
Dubai is represented in brilliant detail
The renditions of Moscow and Dubai in particular are stunning, you instantly recognise where you are, and when looking at the ground below you really feel like you're above a real city, not just a glorified high quality Google map. The music also helps to set the mood, each location accompanied by music that really manages to bring it to life. Anyone who buys the special edition will get a copy of the soundtrack on CD, it's an excellent selection of tunes and well worth hunting down the special edition for. Less worthwhile however is the note book that accompanies the special edition. The box claims that it's a signed notebook, but quickly it becomes apparent that the "signatures" have been printed on. I am disappoint Namco!
Gameplay when flying a jet is largely unchanged from previous Ace Combat games, with the exception of the new DFM (Dog Fight Mode) system. DFM makes taking down your enemy a much more visceral experience than previous games have managed, in essence it puts the plane in auto pilot mode, allowing you to focus on shooting down your rival Ace at close quarters.
When you close in on an enemy fighter to a range of approximately 700 feet, a green ring surrounds your opposite number, indicating that you can engage DFM with just a click of your L1 (LB) and R1 (RB) buttons. After that he'll try to shake you off while you train your reticule on him in an attempt to deliver a well placed homing missile or volley of bullets.
Gameplay now includes Helicopter missions, among others
In a further attempt to diversify the game and attract new gamers, Namco have added several new types of gameplay to what was once an exclusively jet based experience. You'll take the part of a door gunner on an American Helicopter, defending your whirlybird from roof based rocket launcher attacks, You can man the weapons on a gunship, protecting and supporting a group of soldiers as they infiltrate an enemy stronghold in the mountains. You'll fly an Apache through the streets of Moscow and you'll even take charge of the Bomb bay doors on a vital bombing run in enemy territory.
These missions add a lot of diversity to the game and make a nice change of pace from the usual deluge of dogfights and bombing runs, but fail to hide the faults that plague the game.
The game feels very short. Two days playing the campaign was enough to complete it from beginning to end, and with the game woefully short of replay value there's very little left to keep you interested or playing. In fact unless you want to see your plane in a different colour there's no reason to replay the campaign. The online is solid enough but once everyone has moved onto MW3 or Battlefield 3 it will most likely be a graveyard.
Gameplay feels confused when moving from Gunship to door gunner, since the control stick inversion settings are shared between the two. I personally preferred to have inversion on when using the helicopter Gatling gun, while it felt more natural to have it off when I was operating the gunship. Admittedly these are personal preference issues and they were quickly sorted by entering the pause menu, but it would have been nice to have seperate settings for two very different areas of gameplay.
Namco have made a big thing about the fact that New York Times best selling author Jim DeFelice wrote the screenplay for Assault Horizon, and while his attention to detail shines through when dealing with the nuts and bolts of Military life, the Plot is unimaginative, stale and transparent at best. Plot twists are given as much gravitas as the opening of an envelope, while the fact that it's yet another Military Coup at the heart of everything makes me wonder if they should have just written the plot themselves and saved some money.
It very much feels like the length of the game hurt the story development, almost as soon as it got going it was all over again. The main Antagonist of the game, Colonel Markov, could have been a much more complex and sympathetic character if his motivation was explored properly. Instead we got one cut scene that not only served to show us his motivation but also made a big reveal about another character. It completely took away any emotional response that the viewer could have had by making us choose between two different emotional responses at the same time. One thing at a time Namco, please.
Affirmative action in the military, a must for any NYT best selling author...
I found it difficult to care about characters who had little to no back story and who were at best stereotypical Top Gun style Jocks. It feels like DeFelice was under orders to represent every group in his treatment, we have Hispanic, Female and African American Characters while The cover star, Lt. Colonel Bishop, is once again a White Male. We play as all of these characters throughout the game, but it only ever feels like we get Bishops story. There is zero development of any characters outside of the Lt. Colonel, and from a series that made me care as much as i did about the death of Chopper in Ace Combat 5, that's a sad thing indeed...
Conclusion
While the story is not the most original and the characters are less than two dimensional, Assault Horizon is at heart an excellent Fighter Pilot game. Graphically the Ace Combat series has never looked better, while the shift to a real world setting might tempt some of the Modern Warfare crowd to at least give it a go. Dog Fight Mode has made the game much more action orientated without taking away from it's roots. The addition of Helicopters, Gunships and Bombers has given the game more diversity but the length of the game is a real problem. This is a great game to rent, but with little more than a couple of days worth of gameplay and no replay value of note it's not really the sort of game that you'd purchase for the long term.
Rockstar confirmed what many of us had suspected from the off today, as the first trailer for GTA V was released on the official Rockstar games website. You can watch the video by clicking on the link below.
Early indications are that you might possibly play as an older and wiser Tommy Vercetti, last seen in GTA:Vice City. It would certainly be nice to re-visit the character but it would mark the first time that Rockstar reused a playable main character, and this little fact leaves me wondering if he'll be the main playable character, or even if he'll be playable at all. The voice over mentions children so that might be a possible avenue for the game to explore.
Be sure to check out the next edition of the Killer Keyboard Podcast when we'll discuss the trailer in more detail and at least one of us will come up with a ridiculous theory...
Have you ever driven home and decided to take the longer route just for the fun of it? Do you sometimes go for a drive to clear your head? Maybe you like to tinker with an engine at the weekend? For some the auto-mobile is simply a tool, a way to get from A to B in as little time as possible. For the people at Turn 10 and Top Gear however, cars are so much more than that.
Forza 4 represents their passion for the internal combustion engine in all its many forms, be it a tiny four cylinder super mini or a fire breathing V12 Aston Martin DBS, every car in the game is painstakingly modelled to be the best that it can be, and it shows.
Booting up the game, you're immediately greeted by the gruff tones of Jeremy Clarkson, one of the immediate examples of the partnership that's been forged between Top Gear and FM4. He explains that car enthusiasts are being marginalised, that we're no longer accepted in a world that values mpg over mph. Then he let's us all in on a secret, there's a safe haven for us all, and it's right here in our own living rooms.
After a quick blast around the Bernese Alps (one of the new Tracks in Forza 4) in a Ferrari, you're introduced to the main menu and given the option to load your save data from Forza 3 for a bonus gift in return. Being a Forza veteran, i was interested to see what bonuses i would get for having a Forza 3 save on my system. I was pleased to see that not only did I get some money in my pocket but I was also rewrded for my dedication to Turn 10's racing series with a few extra cars in my garage. This meant that if I really didn't want to start out in the slow as all hell Ford Ka, or equivilent small car, I could quickly jump into an Aston Martin DBS racing car and not miss a beat.
The world tour "career" mode in Forza 4 is a fairly linear affair, at least in terms of where you'll be racing. Each year of your career is broken into several race days, with later years becoming longer more drawn out affairs than your earlier ones. You'll visit tracks from all around the world in a set order and take part in special events like track days and Car Bowling. However, despite the lack of choice as to where you'll be racing, Forza 4 never makes you feel like you have no input into what you're doing.
Every race day has three seperate events to choose from and these change depending on the car you're currently in. If you're currently driving a Ferrari Italia 458 you might get some S class events and a specific Ferrari challenge, but if you get into your Fiesta the options will be altered to suit that cars class and body style. It's a fantastic way to let the player progress at their own pace in cars that they're comfortable with. As mentioned earlier, Forza 3 players are given extra Money and bonus cars in their garage, so experts in the field can race S class and above from the get go.
It isn't just career mode that's been tweaked in this years game though, the levelling system in Forza 4 has had something of an overhaul too. In the last game Driver Exp was rewarded with a new car at each level, and while that has remained the case in this game, the mantra of "choice" has once again been applied.
Wait, i get to choose?!
Anyone that's ever bought a car to compete with and then ended up being given the same car soon after will know how annoying that can be. Turn 10 seemed to realise this and so they've decided that every time your Driver level increases in Forza 4 you should be able to choose your next reward car. Each level is associated with a type of car, be it Super Minis at level 1 or Boutique Supercars at level 35, each level has at least 3 cars to choose from, ensuring that every time you level up, you get something new.
Similarly, the Car Exp of the previous game has been almost completely scrapped in favour of a new system called "Affinity". Essentially you earn affinity points based on the brand of car you drive rather than the model, so if you drive a Ka, then a Fiesta and then move onto a Focus RS, all the Exp you have earned will count towards your Ford affinity. This gives you more reason to keep using a car, instead of dumping it after reaching level 5 because you get no further bonuses.
The only criticism I have of this system is that after level 4 you have a 100% discount on all parts for the brand in question, which does rather gimp the game slightly. It would have been better, in my opinion, to give discounts at 10% increments and then financial rewards after that. We'll see how it affects the game, although in fairness i haven't had to upgrade a single car yet as the ones you win when you level up on Driver Exp are all very competitive in their individual classes.
The car Models themselves are what this game is really all about though, and with the new lighting system that Turn 10 developed for this game the cars have never looked better. It's an astonishing achievement that so many cars from so many manufacturers have been crammed onto 2 discs and yet the visual quality off all of them remains impeccably high. Where GT5 only allowed interior cabin views in a selected number of premium cars Forza have said "Sod that, they're all premium cars in our game!" It's a testament to their hard work and dedication that a Fiat Punto looks as stunningly realistic as an Audi R8 does.
Lookit! It's gorgeous out there!
The improved visuals don't just stop at the cars though, oh no. The tracks have all been given a lick of paint with the digital brush and now look even more gorgeous than they already did. New tracks like the Bernes Alps, and the sure to be fan favourite Top Gear Test Track are welcome additions to what has become a robust, if slightly too American, roster of raceways. It would be nice to see some more European and Asian tracks included, especially the Singapore Grand Prix circuit or one of the many Australian tracks used for Touring Car racing there, but perhaps there's scope for that in the DLC to come.
Every car in Forza 4 handles uniquely on the track, which once again is testament to Turn 10's hard work in getting all the details right. While lumbering giants like the Range Rover Sport are positively barge like in their response in the corners, nimble roadsters like the Lotus Elise are tail happy to the point of being nigh on uncontrollable. The difference between FWD, RWD and 4WD is easily noticeable from the off, but thanks to the raft of driver aids available in the difficulty menu even a rank amateur should be able to handle the most exotic grand tourers on offer.
Feedback through the controller is often ignored as inconsequential in most games, but in Forza 4 it's an essential extension of your relationship with the car. That Turn 10 have managed to make each rumble feel so intuitive to me is praise worthy. On several occasions I've rescued myself from a spin out thanks to the feedback the controller has given me on track.
With the tyre deformation technology introduced in the last game as well as the extra research that Turn 10 have been given access to thanks to an alliance with Pirelli, Forza 4 is the closest to driving the real thing that we've seen so far this generation, and i imagine it will continue to be for some time yet.
The rewind function that so divided the fan base last time round has made its return here, and honestly it's for the best. Players who dislike it can ignore it's existence while those who don't want to have to repeat the longer races because of a lack of concentration on the penultimate corner of the race can rewind till they're blue in the face.
Unfortunately the complete lack of night time racing and the absence once again of rain/wet track races is distractingly noticeable. It was maybe forgiveable when FM3 was released that they left these options out, after all they had put together an exhaustive new set of online features and managed to create a very solid racer around it, but with GT5 having both these features, it seems strange that Turn 10 haven't done the same.
Autovista is a function that got a lot of attention when Turn 10 announced it, especially since it allows you to explore a car using Kinect technology. Getting around the cars is simplicity itself, with just a few presses of your pad you can "explode" the car (that would be where all the doors, boot lids and engine bays open up) and when you highlight any of the marked points of interest you can have the Game narrator explain some of the technical specs for the car. Even better is the option to have Jeremy Clarkson tell you what he thinks of the car, and he doesn't hold back with some of them that's for sure. This makes for a refreshing approach to what can be rather boring facts and figures, giving you another example of how Cars can affect us on an emotional level when we look at them as much as when we drive them.There's an example of Jezza's musings below, it's a doozie.
On the Audio front, Forza 4 is an impressive beast. The number of different samples of engine noises that must be in this game is immense, every time i get in a new car it sounds completely different from the last. Exhaust notes vary from high pitch small block engines to the rich and deafening roar of the supercars and again when you graduate to the fire spitting, raw power of the race spec cars. Music has become an important part of the Racing game genre, and while the track listing in Forza 4 is probably weaker than both GT5 and Forza 3 in terms of big names, it's still highly listenable. Although why you really need music anywhere except the menu screens escapes me to be honest, especially with such wonderfully captured engine acoustics running through your gameplay experience.
Conclusion
With Forza 4, Turn 10 have created a game with the most stunning visuals, realistic gameplay and the most diverse selection of Cars seen this generation. Racing sim fans are guaranteed one of the finest examples of the genre ever to hit the Xbox 360 and most likely any current console, while newcomers to the series/genre will find it instantly accessible. While they've left out features such as changeable weather and night time racing, they've created a compelling racer that gives the player ultimate control of where they go and what they do. The Online community is central to Turn 10's efforts and can once again boast the most creatively enabling edit modes of any game in any genre. GT5 had better move over, because there's a new guy sitting on Pole position.
It's the ten year anniversary of GTA3 this year, so you'd expect a fair amount of traffic to be going through the Rockstar games website at the moment. Thing is, there's a shed load right now, and it probably has something to do with this.
This really is a genius move by the R* guys, they have a whole load of publicity for no cost already thanks to the ten year anniversary celebrations taking place on legit gaming sites like IGN, so this announcement should blow the roof off.
If you'd like to see the announcement page for yourself, head over to http://www.rockstargames.com/
A few days later than expected, and with a throat that feels like it's been coated with sandpaper, here's your weekly Video games round-up.
Starting off today's round-up there's news of two seperate legal wrangles currently making their way through the court systems. First is the news that Rocksmith's European release will be delayed into 2012 after it emerged that there is a band with the same name who aren't happy with being fobbed off by Ubisoft. According to Chris Ford, the percussionist for the UK group Rocksmith, the band even took the first step and contacted Ubisoft regarding their concerns over the naming of the new Music game, and trying to sort out a solution moving forward.
Eurogamer quote Mr Ford as saying that "there's nothing I've said that can't be backed up with absolute fact. I've got documents proving that I registered the name." Seems fairly cut and dry to me...
Next up is the news that Mojang have won an interim injunction against Zenimax/Bethesda and can continue to use the Scrolls title for their new game until the action goes to court. In a tweet on his official @notch account, Markus Persson said "We won the interim injunction! We can keep using the name "Scrolls". Zenimax/Bethesda can still appeal the ruling, but I'm very happy :D" Frankly it's ridiculous that Bethesda could even contemplate suing over any concern that the Title "Scrolls" infringes on their Elder Scrolls property, but i guess lawyers will be lawyers...
In happier news it appears that Blizzard have been raising money for charity while giving their rabid MMO fanbase a keep sake of their gaming past. On October 17th Blizzard began auctioning off server blades that used to house their long running World of Warcraft MMO. All in all, four seperate auctions were planned with all money raised going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. With around 2000 blades up for sale, each with their own special presentation case, that's a lot of money for a very deserving cause.
Good news for all UK Sony fans now, it was announced by Jim Ryan who explained "PlayStation Vita is an incredible device that offers the best possible portable gaming experiences." That's fancy talk designed to make the price sound reasonable, in case you didn't know. To be fair to Sony, the price for the PS Vita is actually reasonable compared to other tech out there right now. At £229.99 for the Wifi only and £279.99 for the 3G enabled models you get plenty of technology for your money including the now famous rear touch screen, front touch screen and massive horse power the processor affords it. February 22nd is the official release date for PlayStation's latest hand held, and with only a £50 gap in price it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of people end up going 3G.
While we're talking Portable Sony devices it would be remiss of me not to mention the ever expanding roster of double packs making their way to PSP. For $15 US gamers can pick up the Mega Man Maverick Hunter X/Mega Man Powered Up or Monster Hunter Freedom Unite/Monster Hunter 2 packs. Absolute bargain right there.
More HD remake goodness is heading our way sometime next year, with Capcom confirming that they are working on a remastered HD bundle containing Devil May Cry 1,2 and 3. Not only that, but it will be available on PS3 and XBox 360. That's right, Microsoft fans can play it on their console too. Not happy to leave it there Capcom have also confirmed a RRP of just $40 for the collection!
Everybody knows that the best kind of shit is free shit, and thanks to Zen Studios you can download Pinball FX2 absolutely free of charge between October 26th and November 2nd. Not only that but you can also get the new Paranormal table layout for free at the same time. A round of applause for Zen studios please ladies and gents.
This next item may not be free, but it is awesome. On the heels of the Portal 2 knee socks (see what I'm doing there) comes one of the cutest little plushies I've seen (at least since Kon of Bleach fame). Seriously, take a look. Turret's never looked so cutesy.
Right, we have a shed load of Arkham City stories this week. First up is the news that Gamestop might be giving away Catwoman DLC with every used copy of the game that they sell. Obviously this benefits the retailer as their overheads on used games are much lower than new software, but from the developers point of view this is the worst thing that Gamestop could possibly have done. Kotaku report that an anonymous tipster sent them an internal memo detailing plans that all used copies sold would have a code for the Catwoman downloadable content printed on the receipt. This has since been confirmed with a retail branch by the Video games site.
Fans of the Batman Beyond TV series will be able to download a free skin of the futuristic not-so-caped crusader if they drink enough NOS energy drink. Although the skin will be available as regular DLC later on, fans of the Fast and Furious styled energy drink will get the attire once they complete the single player or play any of the challenge maps. To be honest i always thought that the Beyond version of Batman was a bit lame, but then, I love impractical capes.
PC gamers will finally get hold of Arkham City on November 18th, the delay is apparently due to the team working on the PC port wanting to fix some bugs before they ship the final product. Good for them i say, patching post release is something i really detest, but it's a growing trend as developers look to meet release schedules.
While players on the console versions of Arkham City might not have many bugs to contend with they are having trouble with DLC, namely the free DLC included in the box. Reports range from codes not working at all, to doubling up on certain pieces of DLC and in some cases Code cards included being completely blank! The Warner Bros twitter account has promised news as soon as they work out a solution, with a cryptic message pointing towards Catwoman being the first to be solved, claiming that players "will get to play as the sexy thief,"
Now then, PS3 owners out there, and i myself am included among your numbers, will know only too well how annoying it can be to turn your console on for a quick session, only to be told you need to run a firmware update before continuing. Sony seem to have finally realised this inconvenience and as a result Firmware Update 3.73, which fixes software stability issues will be completely optional. No doubt other firmware updates will be mandatory depending on what they address, but it's nice to have a choice on this one at least.
What news of EA? I hear you ask, okay i didn't physically hear you, but you must be wondering surely? well the pre-order figures for Battlefield 3 are in, and they're mightily impressive. EA have stated that pre-orders currently stand at over "a couple of million" while participation in the Beta has apparently topped 8 million users according to a graphic on the Battlefield 3 blog. wowzers.
Also hot off the presses from EA is the news that they have filed 2 trademark requests for the title "Prison Kings". Trademark applications for an Online game, as well as downloadable computer game software have both been made but any other clue as to the type of game it will be aren't forthcoming at the moment. Personally I enjoyed the prison sections of Fight Night Champion, so a re-imagining of the Knockout Kings brand set in the prison system would be an interesting take on the fighting game genre. Either that or we're going to get a bully style prison game with online components.
Finally, here's your UK top ten selling games on all platforms for the week ending October 15th
Forza Motorsport 4
FIFA 12
Just Dance 3
Rage
Pro Evolution Soccer 12
Gears of War 3
Dark Souls
Zumba Fitness
F1 2011
Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge
The might of FIFA 12 has finally been vanquished! After two weeks in pole position EA's football sim has been outsold by Turn 10's ode to the motor vehicle. What makes this even more impressive is that Forza 4 was released on Friday the 14th, meaning that in 24 hours it sold more copies than FIFA did in an entire 7 day period. True enough most people that wanted FIFA would have bought it inside the first two weeks, but no other game on the top ten this week, including Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, has managed to beat EA's sales.
Good to see once again that Dark Souls is in the top ten, while F1 2011 and GoW3 also hang around the list. Surprise surprise, Zumba fitness is still selling well. I'm beginning to think that Wet wet wet had the right idea when they withdrew Love is all around from sale after they got sick of being number 1. Take note Majesco entertainment...
Right, that'll do for today, I'm going back to bed to die quietly.
It's been a strange week all told. England beat Spain 1-0 at Wembley, marking the first time that the Three Lions have beaten the number one team in the world since rankings were publicly printed, Italy has finally seen the back of the Bunga-bunga obsessed playboy prime minister Silvio "shuddupayaface" Berlusconi, and in news closer to this sites roots, MINECRAFT HAS GONE GOLD!!!
In news that will worry no-one, it was revealed today that the Unity game engine will not support Windows 7 phones due to it being a "relatively closed system". According to David Helgason, the CEO of Unity Technologies, the company might be looking at supporting Windows 8 instead.
There are an awful lot of unhappy Batman fans out there right now, and almost all of them appear to be Xbox owners.
Talking of DLC, do you remember when games developers used to wait a couple of weeks before announcing any forthcoming DLC? I do, with great fondness. Unfortunately it's not a practice that Ubisoft agree with, since they just announced their first DLC pack for AC: Revelations entitled "Ancestors". The DLC itself is a multiplayer character pack containing 4 unique skins including the Gladiator and The Privateer, each character has their own unique skill set and animations to give more variety to your online play and doesn't go live until December 12th, so at least there's a decent gap from the games release date, but if they knew about it already why not put it in the game to start with?
In slightly better news for Xbox 360 fans it turns out that a free avatar item is available for a short time to celebrate Microsoft's 10th anniversary in the console business. The Xbox anniversary prop fires streamers and glitter into the air and does nothing else of real worth, but since it's free you can't really complain now, can you?
I downloaded the free version of DCUO recently after reporting a 1000% increase in the population in the last round-up, and while it took damn near 8 hours to fully download and install I'm happy to report that the game itself runs smoothly and is easy as pie to pick up.
NINTENDO NEWS!!!
Ban Hammers at the ready, Lock and Load!
Would it be a round-up without the weekly look at the top ten best selling games on all platforms? No, probably not, so here it is.
