What games are you most looking forward to playing?

We all have that one game (or two)that just turns our brains to mush when we think about it, play it, or talk about it. Currently I have no games in hand that make me drool. Except maybe Assassins Creed 2 which I haven't even broke the seal on yet. Hey I been busy OK! I just got it a few weeks ago. Gimme a break! There are two games coming out soon that are definitely making me giddy with anticipation though, they are Splinter Cell: Conviction and Red Dead Redemption.

What's your most anticipated title? What are you playing now that you can't get enough of? Comment! Tell your friends and have them post it here!

IGN Takes Aim at Modern Warfare 2 Multi-Player Flaws

IGN posted a good article that has been commented on over 1000 times so far. It's all about making improvements to the Modern Warfare multi-player experience. They hit on a few key areas:

• Map Rotation


• Camping aka Lone Wolves


• NOOb tubes


• Connectivity Problems

They name a fifth area for improvement that basically talks about how bad the player commentary has gotten in the pre-game lobbies and such. Since I have privacy settings turned on, I don't have to hear that filth when I play. I only talk to friends. Take a look at their suggested solutions for fixing the problems. Some decent ideas.

Five Ways to Improve Modern Warfare 2's Multiplayer - Xbox 360 Feature at IGN

For you Worms Lovers

I know Valentines day has come and gone but here is something for all you Worms lovers. For those of you scratching your head, its an old-school 2D turn-based strategy game. Not the worms you see in your dog's crap after you feed it leftover hotdogs.

-Source Destructoid

According to Team 17's Martyn Brown, a brand new Worms game is coming to Steam, and the best part is that it'll be a real one, not one of those 3D abominations that I hate because I'm scared of new things. The murderous Oligochaeta are returning in a new game called Worms Reloaded.

I love playing Worms. It's one of those quirky games you don't think would be very addicting but it is and its a blast playing with a friend next to you and few beers. I am guessing that the team is going back to their roots and making a new 2D game versus the 3D crap that has come out.

When to stop playing video games.

I am attaching a video here and I want you to watch it. Then form your opinion and read my thoughts below.






Ok so what did you take away from that? Is he simply blaming games for his failures or is the person responsible and not the games? I tend to believe the latter. With all the different types of addiction out there, I just don't see videogames as a plausible form of addiction at least in the medical sense. Psychologically may make more sense, but even then videogames should not be blamed for an individual lack of willpower. Videogames, much like movies, are a form of artistic entertainment and expression. Vilifying developers for writing code is vastly different then dope dealers who sell crack or heroin on the street. Sure you can make an argument that while not as dangerous as a drug or alcohol addiction, videogames can be addicting. But blaming the videogames directly is unfair and truthfully I think it's unfounded. The guy in this video failed to realize the consequences of his actions, but he was still directly in control from the outset and while its a sad tale, I don't think placing the blame squarely on videogames is an accurate representation of his issues. I sense a deeper seated problem with videogames simply being his escape and excuse to not face it. While the same can be said about other addiction, the simple truth is that videogames don't kill you or make your body dependent on them.

The video does bring up some things I think are worth noting.

• Our society now has technology everywhere we are and for the first time we have to choose if technology simply supplements our lives, or dominates it.
• Playing video games is immensely more enriching when enjoyed with others next to you rather than playing in solitude and at the behest of human interaction.

I love to play games, but I know what's most important and when our son is old enough, he will too. Have fun everyone!

Bioshock 2 - The Review

Bioshock 2


Dev - 2K Marin, Digital Extremes (multi-player)


Publisher - 2K Games


Released - Feb 9th 2010





The first thing I think of when I play Bioshock is the city of Rapture itself. The fantastical image of an underwater city full of drama, angst, and remarkable characters. This is the legacy that the first Bioshock cemented in the mind of gamers everywhere. A dysfunctional utopia. So rich is the world of Bioshock that a sequel was inevitable. I may not be alone in thinking this, but I was very curious what the designers would come up with for a story this time around. The first Bioshock had a fantastic story and while the ending is debatable among some circles, the fact remained that the events that unfolded were crafted very well and drew gamers into the world of Rapture like few games can. I am happy to say that the story in Bioshock 2 is every bit as impressive and engrossing as the first one and then some. That's not all, the gameplay combo of guns and plasmids is back and better than ever with new plasmid powers that totally kick ass.



The Story - 9.0



Set after the events of the first game, Rapture is being run by crazy lady and former psychiatrist Sofia Lamb. Her view of a perfect society is warped to say the least and she has an agenda for Rapture that you intend to wreck. You are a Big Daddy, the very first of your kind in a series called the Alpha series. From the very beginning you are linked with a specific little sister called Eleanor who just happens to be Sofia's daughter. Because of your intense link to Eleanor and her hidden agenda, Sofia has you killed when Eleanor is just 7. The journey begins when somehow you have been resurrected and you immediately set out for revenge and to find Eleanor. Other important characters help you along the way while others who are inexorably linked to your plight will try to stop you at all costs. As in the first title, finding audio diaries hidden in each level help to fill in the gaps and give you clues to access secure areas. Goals are clearly marked on the map and an arrow at the top of the screen (which can be turned off) helps you reach it. Overall, the plot climaxes when it should and the intense portions of the story ramp up your action sequences accordingly. The effect is superb. All of the elements and loose ends are tied up fantastically in the final levels. The ending is one of the best I have seen in a long time. This is one of those slow build ups with a big pay off so hang in there! 12 - 15 hours later you will be smiling, trust me.

Presentation - 9.2

Menus are simple, sounds are amazing and the score is superb. Loading screens play 40's type music that fits right in with the atmosphere. Gun sounds, plasmids, and ambient sounds all sound great. I especially like the sounds of water plunking against your characters diving helmet when walking under a leaking pipe.

Gameplay - 8.7

The gun and plasmid formula from the original is intact here in Bioshock 2. 2K Marin has improved it all by giving your character the ability to fire a plasmid and shoot at the same time without having to switch between the two. Basically, Plasmid in your left hand, gun in your right. It also helps that you can now zoom in on most weapons, or aim down the sights. You can't fire a plasmid in this view but it is useful for hitting those splicers who are annoyingly pelting you with bullets from a distance. The gun lineup is nice with a shotgun, a mini-gun, and a launcher being the most used with different ammo types for each, but a few others like the spear gun or the rivet gun (standard Big Daddy issue) are good additions too. You will start off with the rivet gun and my new favorite weapon the drill. Nothing is more satisfying than running up to a splicer and revving up your drill inside his gullet. All of these are upgradeable too by using special vending machines called "'Power to the People." Plasmid powers and tonics are also very important in the game. With so many powers available to you its really a personal preference which ones you equip as you go. The trusty Electro Bolt and Incinerate plasmids are a mainstay, but others prove particularly useful for laying traps during defensive situations. The plasmids themselves have some new progression capabilities that differ from the first game. Like level 3 Incinerate will have you shooting a continuous flame of fire out of your hand, or Insect Swarm 3 will not only send a swarm of bees at an enemy but the bees will infect their dead body and when another enemy gets too close the bees will burst out of the body and attack. Makes for a good defensive tactic. While we are on the topic of defense, as a Big Daddy you can adopt the Little Sisters in the game (after dispatching their Big Daddy guardian) and have them gather 'Adam' for you, which is a type of bio-currency for obtaining more plasmids and tonics, but while your endearing little girls are gathering this precious commodity enemies will come from all over to attack. My favorite moments in Bioshock 2 are protecting the Little Sisters. This portion of gameplay is an absolute joy and its an absolute requirement in order to level up. Using special plasmids like Cyclone Trap (which launches enemies into the air), placing a few trap rivets (booby traps that fire rivets when enemies come near them) in a doorway, hacking some security bots that fly around and shoot at anything shooting at you, and perhaps laying down a mini-turret or two around your Little Sister, all make for great fun! Another gameplay addition that is great fun is your battle with Big Sisters. Big Sisters are the female versions of Big Daddies only they are MUCH faster and deadlier. They will attack you once you have rescued or harvested all the Little Sisters on the level and you WILL die. Often. With enough health kits and upgraded weapons though, you can kill her without dying. There is even an achievement for it if you pull it off. What's most impressive about Bioshock 2's weapons system is the variations. I didn't even use all of the plasmids or tonics available to me, and I forgot to use some of the ammo types during battles. By the way, I highly recommend that you try the 'Rocket Spear Ammo' type for the spear gun. Hilarious and effective. All in all, the gameplay is largely the same as in the first title but with a lot of refinement and a few new additions. Oh and this time you get to take some of the adventure outside the walls of Rapture and put that diving suit to good use.

Multiplayer - 7.5

Digital Extremes is the team who undertook the task of turning Bioshock's world into a multiplayer arena. They did a fine job too. The multiplayer is decent fun with plasmids and guns. Hey I just made a rhyme! Running around and shooting other players can be challenging though. Higher level players have better perks so starting off can be a bit rough. I did like that at some point during a match a Big Daddy suit appears on the map that you can wear and for as long as you can stay alive you can wreck shop with the rivet gun, proximity mines, and the stomp and gain some serious ground. I mostly played the free for all mode in multiplayer but other variants like Civil War, which is a Team Deathmatch mode, and Capture the Sister (CTF) are added to the mix along with a few others. Customizable loadouts on plasmids, guns, and tonics give you some flexibility during and before matches. Some plasmid powers are unique to multiplayer, such as Aero Dash which makes you run very fast for short bursts.

Replay Value - 7.8

Finding all of the audio diaries or unlocking all of the upgrades and tonics in single player during one play through is impossible. So playing through two or three times is plausible for those who aim for gamer score. The multiplayer adds a ton of replay value to the mix, but since Bioshock is mainly known for its single player experience I don't see this vaulting to the top of the Xbox Live servers.

Final Score - 8.9 not an average

To sum up, this is a great game with a great story. With the already unique and exciting gameplay formula coupled with the new weapons, great atmosphere, and solid multiplayer its hard to not fun with Bioshock and its quirky inhabitants. A great addition to any gamer's library.

Alan Wake Previews are Rolling in

A few websites (IGN and Destructoid) have posted previews of the upcoming Action-Thriller game Alan Wake. Due to release on May 18th the previews are very positive and I for one can not wait to get my hands on this one. Remedy is the developer behind the game and from the previous hits Max Payne 1 and 2 I can already see this one turning into a movie or spawning a book. The content described by the authors of the previews is just great and the story they describe is already pulling me in. The fact that the game is heavily inspired by TV shows like the X-Files and Twin Peaks is a plus in my book because I absolutely love the X-Files (original cast only. Mulder and Scully rule!). Stephen King novels are also a heavy influence, and lets face it that really turns this into a powerful mix of strange and frightening! Not to be left out though is the fact that Alan Wake is an action game too. From what the previews report, there is not shortage of action and that's a good thing because I don't want to watch endless cut scenes all the time. The team at Remedy has built this game for awhile and the polish shows in the screenshots. They built the Max Payne engine from scratch and this game was no different. They really stuck to their high standards. I am highly anticipating getting wrapped up in the story of Alan Wake come May. I would suggest that all GaMe ZoMbiEs give this one a try or you can wait for my review after it comes out. Have a good weekend ZoMbies!

New Splinter Cell: Conviction Story Trailer

OK if this trailer doesn't get you excited to play Splinter Cell come April, nothing will. The trailer is available via Xbox Live or through Ubisoft's official site found here. But for those of you can't wait to see it (like me) here is the video brought to you buy Machinima. Enjoy!

Battledfield Bad Company 2 Demo Hands-On

Developer DICE is probably one of my favorite game developers over the few years. Their Battlefield series has been highly regarded by gamers and their release of Battlefield 1943 for Xbox Live Arcade was a stellar addition to the downloadable games arena. Prior to that, and out of left field, they released Mirrors Edge which, in my opinion, was completely under-rated by the critics.

After that pleasant build up of good mojo I will now give you my impressions on the multiplayer demo currently available. First and foremost and what I noticed was the way the color schemes mute the intensity level. You might be scratching your head at that last comment, but from the game menus to the trees and the vehicles I noticed the contrast level immediately changed my mood from hyped-up to calm and collected. The effect continued as I chose the Recon class and was placed on the battlefield. Right away the Port Valdez map seemed to swallow the screen. It just seemed massive. Thankfully vehicles are still a mainstay in Battlefield. A few of my teammates jumped into an Apache helicopter and took off while I scoped the landscape and tried to get my bearings. From what I could tell we were on defense while the opposing team was attacking. 3 control points were easily identified as A, B, and C with the objective being to keep the enemy from setting demolition charges and blowing up the control point. This is different than past BF games where simply holding the point for a period of time garnered your team some points. Now the game has changed to make defending a control point critical. As I ran around the map the controller layout was simple and soon I had sniped my first enemy, changed to my pistol and shot another. The match lasted a while and the enemy team repeatedly attempted to drive a tank into our base. We lost one of the control points, but held on to the others. In round 2 my team was on the offensive and as I parachuted into the landing zone I saw a few vehicles waiting for our use. The ATV caught my eye first and I sped down the hill towards the enemy base. I died attempting to infiltrate a control point but on my next respawn I was the gunner on the tank and we mopped up for awhile before being blown up. When the match ended my team won and as is typical of multiplayer games these days, I was presented with XP that went towards a progression level similar to Halo or COD. All in all the experience was solid and played in classic Battlefield fashion with some new twists. I later learned that the game type I played was called Rush. Basically the Russians are attacking the Port defended by the Americans and their are 3 areas with control points. Once an area is overrun the attackers move to the next set of points. All of the action is regulated by a certain amount of respawn tickets assigned to each team. If your team runs out of tickets, game over.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 gamer reactions have been a mixed bag. What I found interesting is that a lot of people thought the game was just 'ok'. I have to say that the demo is just that, a demo. It's a preview of the final product. As demos go, I would say download it and give it a shot. No one brings you massive battles on great maps quite like the boys at DICE do. I'm going to reserve my final verdict on this until the game releases and I get a crack at the full monty.

Modern Warfare 2: After the Patch

I had a short lived strike against the glitch-happy world of Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer. Just 2 days in fact. Over the past 4 days I had a chance to vet the fixes that the patch reportedly fixed. I am glad to say that the care package glitch is indeed fixed. Also the akimbo 1887 shotguns range has apparently been fixed as well since for the first since playing the game, I saw only one player running around with them. I take that as a big sign since shotguns should be used in close range situations anyway. All in all, I am pleased with the changes. How about you? Have you noticed a more balanced game since the patch was applied? Speak my fellow ZoMbiEs!

Bioshock 2 Review Forthcoming

As promised, I expect to have a full review of Bioshock 2 up by this weekend. So far I have put about 10 hours of gameplay into it and I am nearing the end. I expected it to be about 12-15 hours and so far its living up to that. Stay tuned!

Red Dead Redemption: Rockstar's New Gem?

I just caught the new trailer of Red Dead Redemption over at IGN and boy this just keeps looking better and better. I am very excited about the possibilities of this one. Watching a good western movie is good for the soul. It always has a moral at the end and the bad guys always lose. Everyone has a favorite old western movie, mine is Tombstone with Unforgiven being a close second. Rockstar Studios of GTA IV fame is aiming to put right in the saddle of an old western world. While being a bad ass in the old west is not as glamorous as being a super soldier in the future its one of those old traditions that never dies and always comes back for more. Personally, this ZoMbiE is right at home shooting gunmen with lethal precision while riding a horse or ducked down behind some wooden barrels. I attached two videos below that are definitely worth watching. The first one is a sort of montage about the lawmen featured in RDR. The second one is about the weapons that's where I really got giddy. The gunplay looks spectacular and the physics seem so real. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think. This game is releasing for PS3 and Xbox 360 April 27th.

Zombie News Mobile Edition

I am on the road for a business trip and the hotel is cramping my Internet needs to the tune of $12 a day! So until I find a coffee shop with free wifi I am posting a bit of news from my iPhone.

Games News

Destructoid reported that the Splinter Cell Conviction demo will be hitting Xbox Live on March 18th. That's this week!!!
God of War III is headed to store shelves today. (more on this in a minute)
Alan Wake will recieve 2 DLC episodes this year.
Crackdown 2 gets a release date of July 6 of this year.
Battlefield Bad Company 2 is getting a patch today for PC. (look for the 360 and PS3 versions soon)

Aliens vs. Predator Demo is Boring

I decided to try out the AvP multiplayer demo yesterday, and honestly I was bored with it after 10 minutes. It's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. I tried playing a few matches as a Predator and as an Alien. Truthfully I didn't even try the marine because, lets face it, the AvP theme here is the draw not the puny humans. The predator starts with his claws and nothing else. I got pummeled by alien players and shot up by marine players a number of times before I finally gave up on finding a shoulder cannon some where. I did like the different vision modes the predator had and the cloaking feature was ok. In the end though, I just couldn't get into his abilities. Alien on the other hand was decent fun. They can run super fast in short bursts, and the ability to climb walls is wicked if not nausea inducing. The alien attacks were simple, light and heavy, and if you got close enough you could grab the other players and perform an instant death move. Overall I just couldn't get into the multiplayer. It all just felt really drab and lacked the oomph I was hoping for. I hope the singleplayer mode is much better than this. I know its just a demo, but the release is a month away and so far its multiplayer features are lacking. Its a shame because the AvP franchise really deserves a solid game.

Modern Warfare 2 Patch for 360 and PS3 (Finally!!)

After 2 weeks Infinity Ward's patch to fix the nefarious glitches currently plaguing MW2 online play has been released to Xbox 360 and PS3 owners.


-thanks to our friends at Modern Warfare 24/7 for letting us know





Here is the official post from @fourzerotwo at IW forums:

We've updated the PS3 & Xbox 360 version of Modern Warfare 2, including the
following fixes:

- Care Package, Emergency Airdrop, and Sentry Gun
marker grenades sprint speed normalized.
- Fix for "infinite care package"
exploit.
- Sentry Guns: Improved placement detection, preventing cases of
Sentry Guns inside geometry.
- Model 1887: Bling using Akimbo and FMJ
combination now has same range and damage as non-Bling Model 1887s.
- Fixes
to prevent various XP hacks (including the prevention of negative XP)

Looks like my MW2 strike will be ending. Just in time for the weekend! w00t!

God of War III = The reason you buy a Playstation 3.

Every console has its exclusives. But as a former PlayStation2 owner there is one exclusive I miss the most, God of War. I switched to Xbox 360 because of Gears of War and the plain and simple fact that it came out before the PS3 did and at the time I saw no compelling reason to stick with the Sony brand. Now I am sulking a little with the release of God of War III about a month away. I played the first two and I liked them so much, I never parted with them when I traded my PS2 in. I still have them tucked away in a drawer. Here is the latest trailer for God of War III and you will see why I am so bummed.



Now I'm really sulking.

News from Microsoft's X10 Event. Good stuff!!

Yesterday Microsoft held their X10 event in San Fran and a TON of news came out of it. Since I don't get invited to these events (yet) I filtered through all the news and decided to just post what I thought was worthy of noting for my fellow ZoMbiEs. So here it goes (in no particular order):

Halo Reach Beta on March 3rd - Its a multiplayer beta (of course) and anyone who owns ODST will get dibs on access to the beta. I was never really that big a fan of Halo. Blasphemous I know. But this one looks really good so far and is suppose to add some spice to the Halo formula. Anyone going to sign up for the beta? Let me know.

Left 4 Dead DLC - This is zombie related so pay close attention! Valve confirmed the new Left 4 Dead 2 DLC "The Passing" as having the old crew (Francis, Bill, Zoey, and Louis) meeting up with the new crew (Coach, Ellis, Rochelle, and Nick) for some apocalyptic fun. It will include single, multi, and co-op modes and new maps for survival, versus, and scavenge (my fav). It will also introduce a NEW co-op challenge mode to the mix. I'm not done yet! The original L4D is getting its very own DLC too! This content will follow the original cast down south to meet up with the others and will tie everything together. ZOMBIE OVERLOAD! *whew* Sorry, I just had a moment. Valve is really aiming high here. After being left for dead (pun intended) on the story elements and available DLC by fans angry about the release of the sequel, this a big turnaround. All I can say is "Pills here!" The fine folks at Destructoid are already serving up fresh screens (link) from their hands on with "The Passing." **Update** IGN is reporting an M60 machine gun as a new weapon in the game!

Dead Rising 2 New Screens - I dug through the screenshots and posted the only one that mattered. Yes. Yes those are definitely knives attached to those boxing gloves. Edward Scissorhands chopped up hair and bushes, Chuck here chops up....well....people. Your move.

Alan Wake Release Date and More -

Finally I am posting the release of the much delayed and much anticipated psychological thriller game Alan Wake. The only reason I decided to post this news was because for some odd reason, the game intrigues me. I like weird games with heavy story elements and solid gameplay. Alan Wake may just be the one that really surprises me this year. But we shall see. Release date is May 18th 2010.

Well that's it. That's what I thought was worthy of posting. I am actually quite proud of the fact that most of the news I posted is related to zombies. Yes I love zombie flicks (George Romero is a Legend) and yes there is a small morbid part of me that wouldn't mind killing zombies in the real world. Regardless, this is going to be a great zombie-filled year of gaming. In the meantime I will be playing through Bioshock 2 this weekend and if all goes well I should have a review up by this time next week. Stay tuned!

Dead Rising 2 has a release date and DLC on the way

Zombies incoming!! If all goes well we will be strapping chainsaws on the end of a pugil stick and chopping up zombies by the hundreds this fall. Dead Rising 2 is set for release August 31 2010 and 360 users get the added bonus of an exclusive of sorts in the form of a playable download called Dead Rising: Case Zero. According to the developer it bridges the gap in the story between the first one and the sequel. Look for that tasty morsel this summer.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 Demo: 2 Million People Can't Be Wrong

EA is reporting that over 2 million downloads of the Battlefield Bad Company 2 multi-player demo have gone across Xbox Live and PSN in the 5 days it has been available. That's pretty impressive. A number of MW2 fans are also Battlefield fans. I might download the demo and give it a whirl but honestly my zombie brain can only digest so much. Between MW2, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon this year I might just eat my controller. On top of that Activision just had their annual meeting and staying true to their formula announced another Call of Duty game this year by Treyarch (World at War)! So is anyone out there playing the demo for Battlefield? What do you think?

Ghost Recon: Future Solider Trailer

For those of you haven't seen it yet or don't own an Xbox 360. Here is the mouth-watering trailer for the new recently announceed Ghost Recon: Future Solider coming out late 2010.


Is it just me or do they have Harry Potter's cloak of invsibility?

Modern Warfare 2's Serious Problem

Call of Duty is a great money-making franchise and it has tons of appeal for gamers who enjoy intense FPS games with depth and emphasis on team-work. When Modern Warfare 2 released in November of 2009 it was a landmark event. Gamers everywhere clamored for a copy of the game. As a developer Infinity Ward is a great game studio overall. The initial quality of MW2 is stunning. However, to quote a famous phrase, "Houston, we have a problem." In-game glitching and some unbalanced weapons are infecting online matches and making the gameplay unbearable. At the time of this posting, I am seriously pissed off with the situation. I know IW has a patch forthcoming that is suppose to fix a number of issues, but that doesn't change my mood any right now. Let me run you through a game I participated in last night with some friends: The game type was Sabotage (first time to try this type) and the map was Terminal. 4 of us were working together to achieve the objective of placing a bomb on the enemy target and blowing it up. After just a few minutes, it was apparent that the other team had no intention of playing the game this way. They would defend their target and shoot us when we tried to plant the bomb, but they never once attempted to take the bomb and plant it on our target. Instead, the care packages started to show up. Pretty soon the map was filled with harriers, helicopters, bombers, and missiles. It was ridiculous. At one point, I hit the select button to see what the kill counts were, and almost the entire enemy team had 30+ kills. I had only been shot by an opposing player 3 times the whole match. This my friends, was the notorious 'Care package glitch' in all its awfulness. At one point 3 enemy harriers and 1 Apache were hovering above me and my team. Needless to say, once we figured out what was going on, we left the match. I was furious. From what the forums of my favorite game sites say, its not getting any better. In short, this angry gamer is not playing online anymore, unless its a private match or something set up by my friends, until the patch is released that is suppose to fix this issue and a few others (like the 1887 shotgun range). To help make my point I am embedding a video here for you to watch where Killthrash (an honorable member of 2old2play.com) shows how the care-package glitch is done and as a bonus at 7:30 in the video you will see him get killed by a player with akimbo 1887 shotguns from an absurd range. Here is to hoping that my MW2 strike is short-lived.

Older Gamers and Today's Shooters

I have found an inspiring article on Wired.com/GameLife today (Read it!). It's right up my alley. I am an avid MW2 player on Xbox Live and can relate to what the article is talking about. The good news is that if you read through all of the comments you will find that you are not alone as an older gamer. I was pleased to know that. I already have a group of older gamers that I play with every week. Guys and gals with families and full time jobs just like me. We often join up in a party and take on the public matches. We often win too. We always communicate enemy whereabouts and spawn areas. It makes the game more enjoyable. The article hits home in more ways than one. For instance it cites the fact that younger players cut their teeth on Halo2 while gamers my age and older started with Pac-man and Donkey-Kong. Big gap there. It also mentions the fact that 'free time' is a factor. Let's face it, the kids in school have no bills, jobs, wives, kids, or responsibilities like us adults so pouring in hour after hour on a game is just unreasonable. In the end though, I think things could be done by developers and manufacturers to cater to us older gamers whom they have been leeching off of for so long. Give us some dedicated servers, or better match-making algorithm's. Also, stating that PC is the platform of choice for adults is just ridiculous. I want to sit on my couch or in my recliner when I load up a game, not at a desk. This older gAmE ZoMbiE will not convert back when clearly console gaming is the wave of the future.

For all you older gamers out there, stick with it. There are sites like 2old2play.com that do cater to the older crowd and can get you in touch with others who are ready to frag.

Ubisoft Announces Ghost Recon: Future Soldier today on Xbox Live

Ok ZoMbiEs listen up! Ubisoft made it official (sooner than I thought) with their big announcement coming at 5am EST this morning on Xbox Live: Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is coming at the end of 2010! The world premiere teaser trailer is up on Xbox Live now for all to see. Details on the game are not readily available but according to IGN the same studio who did GRAW and GRAW2 will be taking the helm. Also, a multiplayer beta will be released this summer to owners of Splinter Cell: Conviction (4/13). Now that is a great marketing idea! GRAW has a fanatical following. The beta access alone will sell thousands of copies of SCC. I already planned on buying it so as Wayne and Garth would say "Party on!"

** Updated** New Ghost Recon Skull logo! Sweet!

Ubisoft Planning BIG Announcement this week on Xbox Live

The Twitter feeds are buzzing about Ubisoft's announcement of an announcement (huh?) suspected to be posted to Xbox Live on one of the channels. It appears to coincide with Microsoft holding its X10 event this Thursday in San Francisco. It was reported from various sources, that community manager at Ubisoft Kimi Matsuzaki tweeted about it late last week. A lot of us are hoping its another Ghost Recon title!!

Dead Space 2 Update

Gotta love games with the word 'Dead' in the title. The original Dead Space was a survival-horror epic and struck a good chord with critics and gamers alike.
The sequel is taking a more survival-action approach and Visceral Games is even saying that the intensity will be similar to Modern Warfare 2 and Uncharted. I gotta tell ya, this title has my interest piqued. I never played the first Dead Space and kinda wrote it off to be honest. I did follow the reviews and imagery that was released and thought "Its probably pretty decent." Why didn't I pick up a copy? Probably because I was too busy playing something else and just forgot about it. As a gAmE ZoMbiE I should be ashamed. It's not often that I miss a game with extreme gore and a horror theme. If I find some time I may just pick up a copy in a bargain bin somewhere. Dead Space 2 is slated for a Q1 2011 release. -source IGN

IGN and OXM Review Bioshock 2

More Bioshock news! Shocking! With a midnight release 12 hours away I have read two reviews of Bioshock 2 so far. The exclusive first reveiw was done by OXM and was released in their latest issue. OXM gave it a 9.5 and praised the gameplay enhancements and superb story elements. They especially liked the ending, which are rare these days. IGN also gave the sequel a good review with an outstanding 9.1 overall rating. Again IGN editors noted the story, level progression, and even gave the multiplayer a nod with its plasmid and guns warfare. I'm very much looking forward to visiting Rapture again. Look for my review coming in the next week or two.

Bioshock 2 Gameplay on Inside Xbox

For those of you with an Xbox360 and an Internet connection (what am I saying? Every gAmE ZoMbiE has that!!) there is a cool video on the 'Inside Xbox' thread called The OXM Report: Bioshock 2. It shows great visuals of what it's like to be a Big Daddy with a drill and a rivet gun. A must watch!!



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Microsoft axe'ing Xbox Orginal Games on Xbox Live

So apparently server space is being freed up for something else (Natal maybe? ) and the xbox original games are being nixed off of the downloadable content on Live. April 15th is when the hammer drops. Xbox Live's "Major Nelson" Larry Hyrb wrote:

I wanted to let you know that on April 15, 2010 Microsoft will discontinue Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox 1 games playable on Xbox 360. Our first step in this process will be to turn off auto-renewals for those members who only use Xbox LIVE on a v1 Xbox. While I can't comment on the specifics, this change will allow us to continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE community. We did not make this decision lightly, but after careful consideration and review we realize that this decision will allow us unprecedented flexibility for future features.

I personally couldn't give a hoot. Bring on the new stuff!! I wanna download ALL of my games in the future.

Horror co-op online FPS game "The Grinder" coming to PS3, X360, and PC

Us gAmE ZoMbiEs take extreme pleasure in fragging virtual enemies, be it dead or undead, and the currently in development horror-FPS The Grinder is one we will most certainly have to keep an eye on. Originally a Wii only title, developer High Voltage Softare announced recently that the title will release for PlayStation 3, Xbox360, and PC as well. Not much is known about the game except that it is 4-player online co-op and that its apparently got a lot of monsters in it. Can anyone say Left 4 Dead 2? I wasn't sure if anyone would try and cash in on the 4-player co-op survival genre that Valve has cornered with its fantastic Zombie filled titles, but it appears that formula is getting its first shot with another developer. The premise of 'hunting' monsters seems cool but time will tell. Here is the official trailer. Spooky!

Need more ZoMbiEs!! Linking up with Technorati

In my relentless efforts to gather more readers to this blog I am linking up with Technorati to make Game Zombie more accessible to the public and get some interested readers. If you are reading this, please, spread the word!

Splinter Cell Conviction gets a release date

Ubisoft has given the long-awaited next installment in the Splinter Cell series an actual release date of 4.13.10. This came as a surprise to me because up until yesterday I thought the game was releasing on 2.23. While initially I felt a tinge of disappointment at this news (This is my #1 title for 2010) I can actually get more playtime on Bioshock 2 now that the date is April. Rest assured that when SCC finally meets my Xbox I will be in full-fledged gAmE ZoMbiE mode. I can't wait to mark and execute my first terrorist!

Bioshock 2 Multiplayer Details

I am a huge fan of the first Bioshock game. With its superb story elements and unique gameplay, Bioshock won me over in the first 10 minutes. After playing the first title I was wondering what it might be like to play against another player who was also equipped with a grenade launcher and telekinesis. While the Big Daddies in the game certainly kicked my but more than few times they only used physical weapons against me. When it was announced Bioshock 2 would include a multiplayer component I was stoked and worried. If the developer didn't approach the gameplay and balance correctly it could be a letdown. Now with OXM and IGN, among others , posting their hands-on previews of the multiplayer modes, weapons, and gameplay I am looking forward to giving this a whirl for myself. Players will be able to wield guns in traditional Bioshock style and slot two plasmids into their loadout. Some plasmid powers are unique to multiplayer, like the Houdini plasmid that lets you go invisible for a short while (good for sneaking up on enemies), while others like incinerate are available in the single-player campaign. The combinations sound extremely fun. I am still cautiously optimistic on how it plays out though. While I don't expect a Modern Warfare 2 arcade-like experience I do hope its intense and smartly crafted to make strategy a requirement. Bioshock 2 releases on Feb 9th. Look for my review later this month.

Left 4 Dead 2 DLC

Left 4 Dead 2 is a dead ringer (no pun intended) for DLC and Valve is going to give all of us gAmE ZoMbiE's a treat this spring. According to OXM, a new campaign called "The Passing" will feature current zombie slayers from L4D2 and the original cast members from L4D1. I can barely contain my excitement! Finally Francis gets to let loose with a baseball bat!! Expect new modes, weapons, and enemies.


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OXM publishes list of 100 killer games for 2010

In their latest issue OXM (Official Xbox Magazine) has made a list of 100 games to watch this year. I briefly perused the list and found a number of titles that most of us may have forgotten about. I completely forgot about Fable III, Singularity, and Spec Ops: The Line coming out this year. Some titiles in the list haven't been officially announced but OXM listed them anyway. It's a good list and the 2 titiles I have my eye on are on the list (BioShock 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction) and both release this month! If you haven't got a copy of OXM I suggest picking one up. The list spans all genres and you could find yourself salivating at a game you previously had no knowledge of. That's what a good gAmE ZoMbiE does.

Microsoft will suspend Modern Warfare 2 Cheaters

Saw a post on the Xbox forums today that indicated Microsoft will be suspending cheaters in Modern Warfare 2. Looks like its primarily targeted at those who illegitamtely prestiged to level 10 in the game and those who sold the hack to others for $ or MS points. I have a question though, is it a suspension from the game or Xbox live altogether? Hmmmm....

*New* Modern Warfare 2 Patch/Update Coming

Word on the Internet is that a new patch for Modern Warfare 2 is forthcoming for Xbox360. PlayStation 3 owners have already gotten the patch as of this past weekend. No ETA on the 360 release, but it should be soon. The list of fixes are on the IW forums. Go check it out. I am looking forward to this one. The nasty buggers who run around the map with a care-package marker stabbing their foes mindlessly at break-neck speeds will finally get nipped in the bud. I'm all for some knife work during a match, but seriously its a game with a lot of guns in it. Use em.

Large Party Support in Modern Warfare 2 is shabby

A few of my fellow gAmE ZoMbiEs and myself enjoy playing MODW2 together using the party system in-game. However, last night we experienced some frustration trying to get everyone into the same lobby. This is pretty typical with 3 or 4 friends, but last night we had the whole SiR (Shot in the Rear) clan in a party 6 to 7 strong and trying to get everyone together was a nightmare outside of the pre-game lobby. So we started up a private match and toiled around a bit. That particular mode worked without any flaws. Eventually our frustrations led to us splitting up into two groups and attempting to join an existing lobby. After a game or two we eventually met with success and had a grand time. But the whole experience led me to post this complaint (which I will be posting on Infinity Ward's forums) here so all of you can comment with any similar issues. I think a patch or update needs to address this issue so that playing with your friends isn't a chore. Too often the party leader joins a game only to see someone in his party is missing. I understand connection issues can be to blame, but maybe some dedicated servers might help? The move away from dedicated servers was a big deal, especially for PC gamers, but with more people playing parties on Xbox and Playstation it has become a thorn in the side of console users as well. Another peeve I have is if your party is too large (5+) Ground War is all that is available for play. I would like to see the option for team deathmatch but with spliting the players up. We don't always have to play on the same team. At least give us the option. Anyways, its just one gAmE ZoMbIe's take on it. Still had a good time playing...just need to find out how to quit dying. :)