A must watch Splinter Cell: Conviction Launch Trailer

Love the Johnny Cash theme song!

Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package Launches along with a patch

Ok its here, the first DLC for MW2 went live early this morning on Xbox Live. No clues as to how many have dropped their $15 as of yet, but my guess is that this will end up breaking some kind of record. While there are certainly some who won't justify the purchase for some reason, I can't imagine this thing tanking. It will be bought in mass and IW and Activision will be laughing all the way to the bank. My money just might be part of their deposit! I haven't decided yet.

To my surprise, IW has managed to sneak in a patch during this release that ALL users will get today. The patch includes the following:

Support for the DLC (if you choose to purchase it)

Some tweaks to the One Man Army perk

Some matchmaking updates that will help international users find more locally hosted games thanks to how ping is now sorted,

Various other code updates that will help improve the overall quality of multiplayer on Modern Warfare 2.

Another bonus for all is the Double XP weekend which IW decided to throw the switch on today. This means that when you are online you get Double XP for all of your exploits during matches. In a sense, you are getting boosted until next Monday.

**(Latest) UPDATE** Microsoft is still working on the issues with the map pack but apparently there is a large amount of people who are now up and working. It's not 100% fixed but they are close. They did confirm that the patch is now available.

**UPDATE** Launch issues with Stimulus Pack - Some boneheads over at Microsoft released the map pack before the patch. The patch is REQUIRED in order for the map pack DLC to work properly. Major Nelson confirms problems, no updates yet.

Have fun peeps! (source - fourzerotwo)

Zombie News 8th Edition

First Slice

Greetings gamers! This 8th edition of Game Zombie News features a fine image from the folks over at ZombieTools.net. These guys and gals make expertly crafted tools and accessories, such as The Harvester. A perfect instrument for clearing a path through the un-dead. This particular image is available on a t-shirt! A perfect compliment for us gamers when playing Left 4 Dead 2 or Deadrising. So what's new this week? Well a bunch of things.

Game News

IGN posted a preview of Splinter Cell: Conviction. The most intriguing part? Hunter mode. Oh yes.
New Lost Planet 2 Screens posted at Gamespot.
From PAX East IGN gets a progress report on Red Dead Redemption. This game looks so good.
God of War 3 has a new mystery website. IGN speculates on what the site means.
The Dtoid crew gets a hands-on with a Grand Theft Auto-like MMO. It's called APB.
Dead Space 2 footage from Dtoid. Wicked stuff.
More Screenshots and info for the Halo:Reach fanboys.
Say it isn't so! Joystiq reports Left 4 Dead 2 DLC "The Passing" might be pushed back a bit. Good news is the price for the add-on will be 560 points ($7).

Cool stuff

Remember the kick-ass Ghost Recon: Future Solider live-action trailer from Friday? Yeah well Ubisoft is bankrolling a 30-minute short film. Due this fall.
A replica of the Chaos Blades that God of War's Kratos carries. I want one.

Just for Zombies!

For all the survialists out there, and the morbidly curious, this website has all the news and information you could need for the impending zombie apocalypse which is apparently happening in 2012. Enjoy.

Bloody Finish

A rainy day like today calls for ample game playing time. I have been shuffling through a few titles, biding my time until Splinter Cell's release or possibly the MW2 stimulus map pack. I know I said I wouldn't buy it, but I am fighting the urge of new maps with old friends and my knowledge of their impending purchase and eventual peer pressure on me. *sigh* On another note, I am bit saddened by the news that L4D2 content is being delayed slightly. I recently played a campaign game with a friend online and had a blast. I almost forgot how intense it was! I am still playing through GOW3 which has been a blast to play and let me tell you that this game is not for the kiddies or those who faint at the sight of blood and gore. This is one brutal game. Well on that note, its game time! Until next time!

Xbox 360 finally accepts 3rd party USB storage

Yup. The day has finally arrived for 360 owners who have stuffed their stock hard drive to the gills and are looking for a way out. The rumors going around turned out to be true and

Xbox Live's Major Nelson confirmed it on his blog. In a nutshell, on April 6th when the new Xbox system update hits, you will be able to plug in an external drive or flash drive and utilize up to 16GB of extra storage for anything you like. Games, demos, profiles, saves, etc. In fact you can plug in up to two devices at once for a total of 32GB extra storage space. Here is an excerpt from Major Nelson's site.

Since performance on flash based USB storage is usually better, I highly recommend using flash based instead of spinning media like a hard drive…it’s just going to give you a MUCH better experience.



We’ve also enhanced the memory management functions, so you’ll be able to have better control on what you want to copy or move between storage devices.



A couple of points:

You can have 2 devices connected to the console at a time, enabling up to 32GB of simultaneous storage.
The system won’t just configure the device once it is connected to the console. You’ll need to head to the memory area in system settings, select your USB Device, and choose from Configure Now (Format and Configure the Full Device), or Customize (you can choose how much memory you want configured for Xbox360 from the free space on the device.)

Jump on the Ghost Recon Train! Check this out

Sweet box art eh? Yup the Ghost Recon: Future Solider train is picking up a bit of speed as several sites have posted news and a new live action game trailer that is so badass I had to watch it more than once. I loved the previous installments of Ghost Recon and after watching this trailer it makes me want to go back and play them all over again. Ubisoft has sparred no expense in promoting its latest gem, and to see it in live-action is strikingly satisfying to watch. They had told industry journalists last year that movie production costs were in the budget for the upcoming cycle and I think we can all see where some of that was put to good use. I would watch a movie like this! The trailer has been plastered all over the net and to make it easier for my readers, I am re-plastering it here for your viewing entertainment.



You can also queue the trailer up for Xbox 360 here so you can view it in all of its HD glory. The trailer has a bunch of hints in it. According to IGN, the HUD you see in the trailer is similar to the one you will see in game, and if you pay close attention you will see classes associated with some of the soldiers (like Engineer) and Ubisoft confirms that you will be able to use these loadouts in single, co-op, and multiplayer. I don't know about you, but I just found my second most anticipated game of the year. The best part is that my first most anticipated game, Splinter Cell: Conviction, will give me access to the multiplayer beta for Ghost Recon this summer! w00t! So if you like what you saw, run out to your nearest game store and pre-order Splinter Cell: Conviction to get your invite to the beta. A good deal if you ask me.

Did you find any other clues in the trailer? What are your impressions? Comment below.

Will you buy Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package for $15

Short answer? No. The team at Infinity Ward created a great game in MW2, but it was full of flaws and reliability issues. That alone was not enough to deter gamers and the crew at IW finally came through 4 months after the release date to patch up some crippling exploits. Now this $15 map pack is being thrown out there with two of the maps recycled from COD4. Does that sound like a rip-off to anyone? Sure doesn't sound like a deal. I will be waiting for the price on these maps to come down before considering the purchase or at least I won't be spending my own money on this. If I come across a gift card or something, maybe I will push the button and pony up the 1200 points required to obtain it.

I'm not alone in thinking this price is too steep. Over at IGN there are well over a 100 comments complaining about this very thing. The article these comments are attached to is abhorrent. No mention of the price just questions tee'd up for IW to knock out of the park. Just dumb.

Are you going to fork over the dough for the new map pack? Why or why not? Speak and be heard.

Zombie News 7th Edition

First Nibble



Yeah, the picture to the left is probably my favorite zombie related picture so far. It just screams sarcasm and survivalism. It also reminds me that I need to buy a shotgun...and a pistol. Oh and plenty of ammo. I spent some more time playing the Splinter Cell demo last night. I was able to pull of some impressive stuff. I am very anxious to get my hands on the full game. I played a few matches of MW2 last night and honestly, the draw of the game has diminished somewhat. It will come back I hope with the new map pack due to be released on the 30th. Until then, I am perfectly content with other games (and demos).

Game News


The new Mass Effect 2 'Kasumi' add-on will be 560 MS points
Destructoid reviews MLB10: The Show

Just Cause 2 reviews are in. IGN, Gamespot, Joystiq. And guess what? They are pretty good.
Portal 2 has co-op. Yeah you heard that right. From what I read, Portal 2 will blow your mind.
Dtoid previews Sniper: Ghost Warrior
Valve blogged about new things in their upcoming DLC package "The Passing"
First Madden 11 Details are in at IGN

Cool Stuff

Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package Trailer on Xbox Live.
Don't forget about pre-ordering Splinter Cell: Conviction to get VIP access to the Ghost Recon Beta

Other News

Stand alone 250GB HDD confirmed for Xbox 360.
Tired of getting pittance for your game trade-ins at Gamestop? Check out Switch Games.
IGN posted an interesting article. Ever heard of an escort service? Well how about a gaming-escort service. Yeah. Would you pay a girl to play games with you?
A confusing bit of news from EA. Pay for downloadable game, like it, pay for boxed copy of game. Huh?

Last bite

No zombie love today. I would typically post something to the effect of a flash game or something but I just didn't find anything. In any case, this was a pretty full news post. I'm telling ya, as these next few months go by we all have quality games pouring out of our ears and news galore. Exciting huh?

Splinter Cell: Conviction Demo Hands-On

Sam Fisher's much anticipated return to kicking ass and taking names, all while cloaked in shadow, is close at hand. On March 13th, just 3 weeks away, you will be able to take control of this super agent and dive head first into the fray. Until then, the demo will give you a taste of things to come. This has been my top anticipated title of the year so I am really taking a close at this game and dissecting every piece that I can. So without further adieu here are my impressions of the demo.

It's pretty apparent from the onset that this demo is just a sliver of the full game. A short cut-scene prior to gaining control of Fisher is really unnecessary in my opinion, but this is because it's a demo and the gameplay here is the main draw for me. After a brief glimpse of the controller layout I am in control of my old digital friend again. A short tutorial tells you what button to press to move into cover, perform a hand-to-hand kill, and then mark and execute. In less than a minute I had taken out 3 guards with ease. Now, my first reaction to the cover mechanic was "Cool." I could move between areas of cover while relatively close to a guard. However, as I kept doing this I wanted to test a few things. I found out that timing was everything. While staying hidden is pretty easy when ample cover is available, guards are not stupid and motionless. They move their heads, and change their field of vision all the time. If I watched closely, I could slip by a guard whose stationary but looking the other way. If timed wrong, I was detected immediately and fired upon. This held true throughout the demo level. Some areas of the level don't provide the best cover, and when guards are walking about and looking in all directions, you have to start using your other skills. Which brings me to the mark and execute feature.

First off, you can't just mark and execute baddies willy nilly. You have to earn this perk. Take a guard out sneakily with a hand-to-hand move and you will earn some stripes. It's completely bad ass to watch Sam in action when you pull off some of these moves. It's important to note that the system is dynamic without being overpowered. For instance you only get 3 marks with your pistol and 2 with the MP5 or shotgun. Plus it's too easy for guards to go out of range right before you hit the execute button and since there are more than 2 or 3 guards in the vicinity, you won't always be able to clear the room in sequence. Which is great, because it makes you think in a more tactical way. There is so much variation here, that I literally played through the demo 10 + times and never once had the same exact experience. Not only that, when guards get alerted to your presence you have 1 second to take them out before their buddies take notice and come after you, and they WILL continue to look for you even if you disappear from sight. This portion of the AI is pretty impressive, because even if the guards know what area you are in some of them won't run right in to your crosshairs like mindless zombies, instead they will take cover and wait for you out of sight. If you get to impatient and go looking for them, you can get owned real quick. An advantage that Sam has to augment this somewhat is the "Last Known Position" system. If you're detected by a guard and then you move quickly, a silhouette of Sam will appear in ghost-like fashion and give you the ability to flank while they stay fixated on your previous spot. Nonetheless this doesn't last long before they start looking elsewhere.

So to sum up, I really like the demo. The guns and aiming system are solid, the controls are responsive, I dig the clever mission objectives displayed on in-game objects and walls, Sam moves and feels right during combat and stealth movement, the gadgets are really cool (especially the sonar goggles), and the replay is incredible for a demo. Some might think the game is too hard at first, and I admit I did too, but after a few trial runs I was thinking more about how differently to achieve my goal, rather than just sulking in defeat. I'm hooked on this one already and can't wait to try the full game, co-op, and deniable ops and then do it all over again. Get ready people, Sam Fisher is back.

Zombie News 6th Edition

Opening Groan

What a long week I had. Spending time away from home was brutal. I didn't have a bad trip, but I felt cut off from the world with out 24/7 Internet access. Sad I know. But I made it back in time for a relaxing weekend. On the gaming front, the plethora of games being released in the next few months is stacked with what should be fantastic games. We have Just Cause 2 being released this week. Splinter Cell, FIFA World Cup, and NIER are all in April. Then we have Alan Wake, Prince of Persia, and Red Dead Redemption in May. If you ask me, that's a pretty impressive lineup. There are some potential award winners in the mix and quite frankly, it will be difficult to keep up with these titles. I would love to review them all, but with a full time job, and a baby on the way, I might need some help. On to the news!

Game News

Left 4 Dead character will die in the upcoming DLC campaign called "Nobody Lives Forever." No! I don't know if I like this!
IGN has a hands-on for a new game called Sniper: Ghost Warrior. Looks sweet! Could be cool.

Cool Stuff

Modern Warfare 2 picture packs and new theme release to Xbox Live today.

Other News

EA will bring Mirror's Edge game to iPhone. I loved the full game. Might have to try this.
Rumor mills are churning out Xbox 360 slim re-design, but nothing is in the pipe.
No way! Xbox 360 to allow non-proprietary storage options?

From the Horde

Zombie Reader Mark asked " I was wondering how multiplayer was for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 on the PS3?" Well Mark, it's a mixed bag. Having played ample amounts on the 360 version and reading many comparisons between platforms (including PC) the multiplayer is still invigorating and addicting regardless of your system of choice. The problems that have been reported with the multiplayer have been in the code and not isolated to any one system. For the most part though the chatter has died down and things are better. That's not to say its perfect. All in all, its still a great shooter to play online and an experience not to be missed.


Last Gnaw

On my radar is a hands-on impression of the Splinter Cell: Conviction demo, and a review of God of War III. In addition, I will certainly be giving the new content for Left 4 Dead 2 and Modern Warfare 2 a whirl at the end of the month. I feel pretty busy already, and really this could be pretty difficult for me once my son is born. A little zombie will be joining us and we will have the beginnings of our very own horde! In any case, keep suggestions and questions coming in, and any volunteers to pick up the slack is appreciated. Just comment/email me about your interests and we will go from there. Until next time!

Zombie News 5th Edition

Opening Chomp

Ok so I am away on business this week and updating is tough when the internet access is scarce. I have to travel way to far to get decent access. So I have stolen some time for myself to post this latest edition of the news. I didn't find a ton of stuff worth posting, but there is some good stuff going on.







Game News

What to expect from the Splinter Cell Demo. Nothing but coolness I would think.
Perfect Dark is available for purchase from Live.
Gears of War 3 in 2011? That's the rumor.
Destructoid reports Batman Arkham Asylum GOTY in 3D coming May 11th. Complete with 3D glasses!!
IGN gets a Hands-On with new shooter Bodycount
The announcement trailer for Medal of Honor. Very cool!




Cool Stuff

If you like Porsches there is a Porsche Theme and Picture Pack on Xbox Live for free.

Last Bite

Well that's the news, but more will come later this week. I attempted a mobile update yesterday, but it was small and if you didn't see it on the site that's because it only updated the feed. To recap though, I have been blessed with a PS3 in my living room and I have God of War III waiting for me at home w00t!! So expect my review to come sometime in the next few weeks, you can go ahead and guess that the words awesome, stunning, and masterful will appear in the review multiple times. I can't imagine that this game will be anything less. I have played the demo, and so far its superb. If there are any requests for previews/reviews on games please comment below on what you might like to see. Also, don't forget to submit your suggestions for inclusion in the next edition of Zombie News.

Just Cause 2 Preview

How was the demo of Just Cause 2? In short, A BLAST! As the picture to the left indicates, explosions are a big part of Just Cause 2. Let me rephrase that, MULTIPLE explosions are a big part of JC 2. I am happy I gave this one a try. The description said I would have hundreds of weapons, 400 square miles of terrain and a parachute so hitting the download button was a reaction more than a thought. The demo weighs in around 1 gigabyte and gives you a 30 minute timer to do as much damage as you can. The first time I loaded it up I started to get that sinking feeling that this was going to be a flop because the cutscenes were so cheesy and overdone. Your character's callsign is Scorpio and the lady talking to you has a terrible accent. Seriously, do yourself a favor and blink while it plays out. After my introduction I was dropped onto a mountain island with a pistol in hand. The object of the game is to cause as much chaos as you can by destroying government property. Simple. The demo immediately introduces you to the explosions. I began shooting everything with a red star painted on it and I was impressed with the physics engine as oxygen bottles were shot up they would take off and explode a few moments later. I soon picked up a SMG and some frag grenades, but that was nothing compared to what I learned next. Scorpio has a grappling hook that shoots out of his left arm, Bionic Commando style, and can be used in interesting ways. For instance, you can quickly traverse the terrain by just shooting your hook in front of you and letting it reel you in. The best part, it latches on to everything, even helicopters and people! More on that later.

So after a short intro to controls and what not, the demo timer started and I had 30 minutes to see what I could do. This is when I realized just how big this game is. I was on a mountain side and when peering over the edge I saw everything below was tiny and a bit blurry. So at the direction of the woman's voice I opened my map/info screen by hitting select on the controller. The map was huge! There are a number of points on the map that indicate settlements or unknown areas for you to explore. So I set a waypoint and made my way up the mountain. 20 minutes later I had come across a government relay station, shot a bunch of commandos, and was about to blow up the whole place when I got my first 'Whoa' moment.

The grappling hook I had was largely unused up to this point. I did whip a few guys with it and pulled one foe off a roof, but when the mini-gun toting helicopter started laying into me I aimed, fired (LB button), and quickly found myself dangling from the bottom of the chopper. I swung my character around onto the nose of the bird and shot the passenger. Then I was greeted with an icon to hit Y to enter. Oh yes. I threw the pilot out and got behind the stick. The controls for the chopper were almost a replica of the controls in GTA IV. Quickly I began to line up the scattering baddies on the ground when out of nowhere I was being shot down by another chopper that flew in. I started to go down, but again an icon on the screen to hit A for parachute caught my eye. In short order I was free falling towards the ground when I hit A again to deploy my chute. Lazily I floated off the side of the mountain, but strangely I wasn't being greeted with a 'Return to area!' prompt. Instead, I just kind of went where the wind took me. I came across a highway, I stole a car after landing on the roof James Bond style, I drove to another spot on my map, and did the same kind of thing as before but my timer ran out before I could really make any progress.

My appetite was wet now, so a second romp through the island gave me a nice preview of things to come when this game hits the streets March 23rd. In short, I was able to commandeer a tank of sorts and cause massive damage to a military installation with its cannon and machine guns. All in all, the game was a lot of fun and reminded me heavily of Mercenaries, GTA IV, and a few other action games out there. The developers did a fine job of crafting a fun game with really no limitations on what you can do. I ran over trees in my tank, drove off of cliffs, skydived, blew up a bunch of shit, and got rewarded for doing so. But while the game is certainly fun, its only 1 player and it loses some points with me there. The camera can get a bit crazy to the point of nausea-inducing and the controls aren't always responsive, but those are minor complaints. Two things set JC 2 apart from other action titles, the grappling hook and the re-usable parachute. This and the massive scope of the game makes for tons of fun for a long while. If you haven't played any of the games this one gets its inspiration from, you will be blown away by Just Cause 2, if you have played Mercs, GTA, and the like then this will be a great addition to your library.

Till next time!

Zombie News 4th Edition

Opening Salvo

If you wondering why there is an awesome picture of a ridiculous but VERY real gun to the left then you are in luck! I got my first Zombie news suggestion from a loyal reader and its a real killer! I recently played the Just Cause 2 Demo and will be posting my impressions later today. Also on the horizon are my impressions of the new racing game Blur which I recently received my beta code for. Lots of game news coming out this week from all the usual suspects and thats largely due to the fact the GDC (Game Developers Conference) show is going on and lots of things are being revealed. Here is the news in this 4th edition!


Game Reviews

Final Fantasy has released. Here is the review - Does anyone want to submit a review for posting here on Game Zombie? Leave a comment.


Game News

Joystiq Impressions on new Medal of Honor - I read a preview in OXM and man, they are really pouring some time and money into this. I guess they want some Call of Duty money.
Bioshock 2 DLC "Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack" hits Xbox Live and PSN
Journalists get a crack at Mafia II Dtoid, Joystiq, IGN
Splinter Cell Conviction gets a nice write up from the IGN boys - I love it. This game will ROCK!
Gamspot demos SOCOM 4


Cool Stuff

Sony dubs new motion controller "Playstation Move" and SOCOM 4 will support it. - looks good!
OMG! A Ghost Recon movie?! wOOt! - Not a feature-length film kiddies. But still!


Other News

An online gaming service that streams the games to you? No gaming rig required? Hmmm..
Future Soliders are in our...well future. Paging Master Chief!


News from the Zombie horde


Zombie Gun Contest! (thanks Keith) This is where all your questions about the LCW AR-15 (gun pic above) are answered. Yes its a real gun, and yes it will totally kick Zombie ass. The article posted by Outdoor Life is a funny read, but the guns are awesome-ly real. I will take the 870 shotty and the Para .45 please. Just like Francis in Left 4 Dead.


Closing Comments

Alright readers, one of you has come through with some worthy news, now I just need the rest of you to step it up and make some submissions for the next edition of the Zombie News. Keeping that in mind, I was serious when I asked for a review of FF13. I am not much of an RPG fan, so to keep the RPG crowd happy, why not ask someone to post a review right? On a different front, I have playing around with my new Flip Video camera and I must say its a nifty piece of gadgetry. I noticed that it works well when recording a TV or LCD picture too, no flickering. Might be a decent capture device for game videos? We shall see. If that doesn't work, at least my cat will become a star on Facebook.

Modern Warfare 2 Stimlus Package March 30th

Activision officially announced the release date for the Modern Warfare 2 map pack that all of us have been waiting for. March 30th is when the Stimulus Package will be dropping to Xbox Live with PS3 and PC platforms to follow a month later. *Insert evil laugh here*

The 50th post! Here is some Zombie goodness

Maybe 50 posts isn't that big of a milestone to you, but for me its a nice accomplishment. It's funny how much Zombie content is out there though. For instance in this post, you will find out that Left 4 Dead 2 DLC is on the way this month. The Passing is a new campaign that will feature the original survivors from the first game. Prior to the release of The Passing a Left 4 Dead comic will be releasing on Xbox Live that tells how they all met. Nice. No word yet on whether or not the new DLC or the comic will come with a cost, but my senses tell me Microsoft will be charging. It would be nice if the didn't charge gamers for the content and stay true to Valve's pledge. Time will tell.

Another Zombie morsel of info is that Modern Warfare 2 has surpassed the 25 million unique players mark crushing COD4 numbers, and that the boys at IW will be releasing some info on the upcoming map pack for MW2. Stay tuned here for the latest on that.

Also, for giggles, and because it has to do with Zombies, you can now buy the Xbox Live indie game Zombie Armageddon on Live under the games channel. Queue it up for download here.

By the way, anyone infect the whole world in the Infectonator game yet? It's tough!

Zombie News 3rd Edition

Opening Scene
I decided to change the news up a tad. Not only will I continue to post up news I think is interesting, I will provide a new picture that is gaming or zombie related in each edition of the news. Speaking of editions, this is the 3rd edition of Zombie News and that number will increase with each new Zombie News post. Also, I will take news submissions from my readers that are either zombie related (guns, survival, movies, links, etc.) or game related. So if you find something cool, send it to me and I will share it in the next edition. On to the news!
Reviews

God of War III was reviewed by Destructoid. And Gamespot. And IGN. Lucky bastards!
Gamespot reviews Final Fantasy XIII.

Cool Stuff
Enter to win a PS3 and GOW3 contest. (Almost didn't post this b/c I want to win!)
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Trailer on Xbox Live

Game News
The crew at IGN take a first look at SOCOM 4
From the creator of the PS2 shooter 'Black' comes 'Bodycount'

Other News
IGN spills the beans on the Activision & Infinity Ward
Apparently Battlefield 2 isn't without its own demons post launch. Kinda like MW2....ironic no?

Just for Zombies!
"The Crazies" is a new flick out in theaters which features our favorite shambling and lifeless character the Zombie! Reviews are mixed but the website is cool which is at least something. I will give this one a whirl sooner or later. It's another George Romero remake which can't be all bad since he is the Zombie Father.

Closing Comments
It seems my quest to secure a PS3 so I can play GOW3 may not be over just yet, but I am not going to jinx myself and say one way or the other. Let's just say the pot is still brewing. I have been playing a bit of Assassin's Creed 2 lately and while the story is new, I haven't found anything substantially different from the first creed game. But, I am just getting out into the country so I will give it more time. Look for my preview of Just Cause 2 this week. Oh and before I go, thanks to Mr. S for helping spread the word about Game Zombie.

Mafia II Trailer

I have been waiting for this game since I saw the first trailer on Xbox Live. Something about the whole Goodfellas theme that just makes me want to jump into this one and be the gangster I always wanted to be. Check this trailer out and you will agree!!

Portal 2 is coming!!

Portal was an awesome game. I fondly whistle the 'Still Alive' tune once in awhile. It's just one of those games that always be a part of my gaming psyche. Valve in all of their wisdom and in legendary style made it official that Portal 2 is in development and Game Informer has all of the details in their upcoming issue. I will post particulars once I get my issue. The cake is moist people!!!

Game Zombie News

Ok zombies. I missed posting yesterday for the first time since I started this blog. Which is why I invited some friends to post here on Game Zombie but I got dissed. On with the post!

Cool Stuff
Ghost Recon Future Soldier Wallpaper
Modern Warfare 2 Mythbusters release another video


Game News
NHL 2K11 is a Wii only exclusive this year
Halo Reach Multiplayer Trailer Revealed

Awesome new Splinter Cell Multiplayer trailer. (drool inducing) Open in browser to view.

IGN gives five reasons why they are excited about Project Natal.
Gamespot is giving away 50,000 multiplayer beta keys for upcoming racer Blur. (I got mine!)
Sony's big announcement? SOCOM 4 is coming to PS3
Crysis 2 screenshots are looking so good your screen might melt. Can you say upgrade?
Just Cause 2 Demo was released for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC (via Steam). (Look for my preview)
Modern Warfare 2 Map Pack sneak peak? Dtoid boys sure think so.

Other News
Ex-Infinity Ward employees sue Activision over, you guessed it, money.

Just for Zombies
Werewolf Ninja game with a cool name! Vox Populi, Vox Dei. It's gotta be cool! It is. Try it.

Closing Comments
Well I have begged and I have pleaded but obtaining a PS3 so I can play God of War III is just looking like a bleak mission with no chance of success. *snif* At least I can look forward to playing some other games, but the reviews, videos, and screenshots of GOW3 are going to be hard to resist and will therefore make my plight that much worse to bear. So comment people! At least make this blog seem interesting enough for a comment so that my spirits may be lifted. Thanks!

Modern Warfare Map Packs on the way; Plus more Call of Duty games coming

Activision confirmed today in a press release that Modern Warfare 2 is receiving 2 map packs this year from developer Infinity Ward. They also talked more about the Call of Duty franchise as a whole and confirmed a new Call of Duty title being released this year (Vietnam?) developed by Treyarch as well as another title in 2011. All in all Activision doesn't see this cash cow drying up any time soon. 1 billion sold copies of Modern Warfare 2 can't be wrong. Makes you wonder where else they are going to take the series. As long as the single-player campaign makes a return to form in the next iterations I will be happy. Read the full press release here.

Game Zombie News

Notable New Releases
Battlefield 2 Bad Company - Xbox360, PS3, PC
Megaman 10 - Wii (Virtual Console)
Major League Baseball 2K10 - Xbox360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, PSP, PS2

Other News
Strange developments at the Infinity Ward studios and I don't mean games.
Splinter Cell gets an Xbox Bundle.
Bungie to reveal Halo Reach multiplayer soon.

Reviews
Battlefield 2 Bad Company

New Games
Blacklight: Tango Down

Zombie Time
Ok so the boys at Destructoid posted a link to a flash game that is just too much fun and is so appropriate for me and my fellow zombies. Try Infectonator! World Dominator.

I need your support readers! Give me some feedback, make comments, spread the word, and in general just give me a reason to keep going!

God of War III - Destructoid Says "You are not Ready."

Chad over at Destructoid wrote a up a great preview of God of War III due to hit store shelves on March 16th. He played the first 30 minutes of the final build. If you played the first two God of War games do yourself a favor and read his write up. Hell, if you have the gaul to call yourself a gamer, read this write up. My eyes got glossy when I was done reading. Why? Because I don't have a PS3...*snif*

-Source (Destructoid)
Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to Sony’s God of War III event here in Hollywood. At the event, under the light of those cool fake torches that blow around paper to look like fire, various members of the development team showed off the first 30 minutes of the upcoming PlayStation 3 title, in addition to answering some questions about the highly (highly!) anticipated game.

After a presentation from Game Director Stig Asmussen projecting some game footage on a huge screen, all the members of the press were led into a huge room full of stations where we could actually play the final build of God of War III. Well, the first 30 minutes of the final build, anyway.

And I am here to tell you that the first 30 minutes of God of War III is the best first 30 minutes of any videogame I have ever played.

You really are not ready for this game. Seriously.

I am on such a high from the extraordinary experience of playing God of War III, that I am ready to take you through a detailed walkthrough of every visceral, out of control second of the awesome opening. Hit the jump for more hyperbole than you can handle.

After hitting start on the now-classic, half-of-Kratos’s head title screen, God of War III starts, literally, exactly where God of War II left off. With the goal of attacking Mt. Olympus and the gods themselves, Kratos finds himself on the back of Gaia, as her and her fellow titans are scaling the side of a massive cliff.

In a gorgeous cutscene that is rendered in real-time (you are not ready!), Zeus and a few select gods (boss battles later in the game, perhaps?) stand at the edge of the grand temple and observe the titans climbing Mt. Olympus.

Immediately, Zeus orders some of his guards to jump from the temple onto the back of the titans in hope of stalling their progress.

At this point the playable game begins.

The camera swoops down from the heavens onto the moving, stone- and tree-covered arm of Gaia. On it, Kratos is perched, massive sword in hand, ready to do battle.

For fans of the series, the immediate good news is that God of War III on the PlayStation 3 controls and feels exactly like the God of War games of the past. And that is most definitely a good thing. Without any hesitation I was performing killer combos on the hordes of guards, blood and experience orbs flying everywhere.

While the initial tutorial battle with a handful of guards commences, the action happening on-screen all around Kratos is out of control. Since you are on the back of a huge, moving titan, the ground under Kratos is constantly moving. In the background, all of Gaia’s body realistically sways just out of focus. Even cooler, the other titans scattered around the cliffs can be seen ascending the mountain. Really, there is so much visual eye candy to stare at it is almost too much to handle.


After defeating all the guards, Kratos moves forward by raising a tree that has bent over Gaia’s arm, blocking his path.

At this point a new cutscene begins. Back in Zeus’s temple, the god Poseidon steps forward and dives off the top of the mountain. As he falls, he thrusts his entire body into a climbing titan, knocking him and Poseidon into the water below.

After a huge splash, the water turns into a giant whirlpool.

And then it happens.

From the whirlpool, a huge water snake with the head of a horse and crazy crab legs shoots from the water. The water snake grabs a hold of Gaia, pulling her down off the mountain. Gaia holds on, refusing to let go.

Immediately after grabbing Gaia, multiple water snakes emerge from the whirlpool, each one taking hold of a different titan.

Then the action switches back to Kratos and the player takes control again.

It’s hard to explain without seeing it in action, but you really have no idea how good the graphics are in this upcoming sequence. As Kratos moves around on Gaia’s arm, Poseidon’s water snakes are swirling around everywhere in the background. The camera spins around, showing all the attacking titans while Kratos battles multiple incoming enemies.

It is ridiculously epic.

As he moves forward, Gaia’s arm suddenly shifts and one of the water snakes jumps in front of Kratos, wrapping itself around Gaia’s arm.

Enter the first boss battle. Well, the first stage of the first boss battle (again, you are not ready).

At this point Kratos must attack the huge water snake, dodging attacks from both his horse head and crazy crab arms. Once his energy is depleted, something amazingly cool happens.

The water snake shifts and twists Gaia’s arm. With this, the entire screen spins around, throwing Kratos underneath Gaia’s arm. Hanging on for dear life, Kratos must now battle the coiled water snake while hanging from under Gaia’s constantly moving arm. It is OUT OF CONTROL COOL!

This dance continues in many different positions. As the arm spins around, Kratos finds himself alternating between standing straight, hanging below, and even clutching to the side of Gaia’s arm.

After a long battle, Kratos gets the water snake’s energy low enough to perform his legendary context-sensitive QTE finishing move. Here is a good time to mention an improvement that God of War III implements that helps things dramatically! In the two previous God of War games, QTE symbols would be in the middle of the screen, displaying whatever button needs to be quickly pressed on the PlayStation controller. It worked great, but sometimes the reaction time was so fast it was hard to hit the buttons fast enough.

In God of War III, the on-screen prompts actually appear in a section of the screen related to where the corresponding buttons are placed on the actual PlayStation controller. Meaning: the “circle” symbol will appear on the right side of the screen, the “X” on the bottom, the “square” on the left, and so on and so on. This sounds really minor, but it helps so much and allows you to not miss the incredible visuals by concentrating too hard on one area of the screen. It’s a brilliant (if subtle) improvement.

Once he finishes off the water snake, Kratos is thrown to the side of Mt. Olympus. What follows is a lengthy level, full of platforming, fighting, and puzzle-solving: all the classic elements of a great God of War game. The twist is, while traversing through the inner and outer workings of Mt. Olympus, Kratos has to deal with battling the many different water snakes at different points. The entire sequence is very similar to the opening Colossus of Rhodes battle in God of War II ... but much more visually stunning (you are not ready!).

After making it through the level (which includes a gorgeous sidetrack through Gaia’s heart), Kratos is confronted with fighting one final water snake.


But this is no ordinary water snake. As the snake coils around Gaia, trying its best to pull the stubborn, strong Gaia off the cliff, it reveals itself to be only a small piece of the main boss: the god Poseidon.

That’s right; all the water snakes are only the tentacles of Poseidon, who has grown enormous in size.

Kratos stands in front of Poseidon -- all in real-time and completely playable, mind you -- as the titans move all around him. Gaia struggles to stay on the cliff and screams in agony as the water tentacles start to rip her apart.

The battle with Poseidon begins and, I will tell right now, it is one of the most ridiculously over-the-top, awesomely designed boss battles I have ever played.

Basically, Kratos has to fight Poseidon on many different stages and levels. There are sections where he has to swing his sword and blades while dodging attacks; there are sections where Kratos has to jump around as Gaia moves and twists below him; there are even sections where Kratos swings all around Poseidon with his grappling hook, flying through the sky like he has wings (it is unbelievably cool), all of this ending in a wildly satisfying finishing move.

But that is not the best of it. Right before I was asked to stop playing in fear of revealing too much, the coolest part of the opening sequence presented itself.

Once the giant Poseidon is defeated, he becomes small again and Kratos knocks him to his knees on the cliffs of Olympus. At this point, Kratos basically beats Poseidon to death using a series of QTE moves. But here is the kicker: all of this happens FROM POSEISON’S POV. The uncomfortably long beating sequence is shot entirely through the eyes of Poseidon. It is out of control. Like, seriously out of control.

And even though I have explained everything in detail, I will keep the very last QTE move you perform secret. You need to experience it yourself without it being spoiled to fully experience its impact. It is just as clever as it is shockingly violent.

So, yeah. That was it. After defeating Poseidon my play time came to an end and I walked away unbelievably impressed. The look on face for the entire 30 minutes was priceless. My mouth was hanging open the entire time. I think I even let out a few audible gasps and “woahs”.

At first glance, God of War III does nothing new. It really feels exactly like the other two games in the series. But the core mechanics in God of War are so great, changing too much would be a bad idea.

But that doesn’t mean everything is the same! Obviously, the game is a huge step up visually from the previous games, displaying the best graphics I have ever seen in a videogame -- yup, even better than Uncharted 2. And the few new mechanics I saw implemented in the first 30 minutes of the game are original enough to feel fresh, but not too different to feel awkward.

Basically, the first 30 minutes I played was perfect. Absolutely perfect. The graphics were jaw-dropping; the gameplay was solid and already addictive; and there were more “holy sh*t!” moments in the opening sequence than some games have in their entireties.

Obviously I recommend God of War III to anyone who owns a PlayStation 3. If you own a PS3, there is no excuse to not pick this up when it is released on March 16th. Heck, even if you don’t own a PS3, get the game anyway! I bet even holding the box would be a cool experience.

Even though I only got to play the first 30 minutes of the game, I can say with confidence that God of War III is going to offer an unforgettable experience -- easily one of the best this generation.

You are not ready.

That was just the first 30 minutes!!! Ahhhhh!!!

Splinter Cell Conviction Co-op Multiplayer Inspired by Left 4 Dead

Yeah you heard that right. Ubisoft's Patrick Redding in an interview with CVG said that the co-op multiplayer in SCC was inspired by Valve's zombie shooter! This means that the mode will kick ass and take names. Let's face it, the teamwork required in L4D is legendary and one of the best experiences out there. Not too many titles can claim that. I can't wait to see what Ubisoft has cooked up on this one.