Saints Row 2

Saints Row 2 is an upcoming sandbox-style action-adventure video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Saints Row 2 is the second game in the Saints Row franchise. It is being developed by Volition, published by THQ and is due for release on October 14, 2008.

Plot

The game is set 5 years after the end of Saints Row.The protagonist barely survived a boat explosion devised by former 3rd Street Saints members, and was wasted away in a dingy prison hospital, in a trauma-induced coma. Meanwhile, the 3rd Street Saints have fallen apart, Johnny has been captured by police and awaits the electric chair, Troy has become Chief of Police and Julius has abandoned his gang and is determined to live the quiet life. Lin is dead, and Dex is missing and has not been seen by anybody. It is unknown whether he is alive or not. Three new gangs control Stilwater, who have some secret alliance with the Ultor Corporation. After this time, the protagonist wakes up and meets a Hispanic fellow inmate, who recognizes the protagonist and helps him/her escape from prison. In a bloody prison break, the protagonist and the Hispanic friend find a speedboat, and successfully escape from the island. They arrive in Stilwater, only to find that it has been completely revolutionised. As the protagonist settles in, he finds that his old friend Johnny is on death row. The protagonist helps Johnny escape his courtroom precession and the Hispanic inmate introduces them to his friends, who are very willing to work under the protagonist and rebuild the “New” Saints.

The Saints now operate underneath an abandoned hotel, determined to rise against the key factions that have since set out to eliminate them forever.

Location

Over the years, Stilwater has grown rapidly. Ultor Unlimited is a citywide corporation that has supposedly helped clean the streets of Stilwater, and has expanded the city at its own expense. Stilwater, according to Ultor, has been turned into an “urban utopia”, with many dilapidated sections of the city rebuilt. The Saints Row area, for example, was reconstructed and a booming commercial industry now stands there. Six new above-ground, and four new below-ground districts will be seen in the new Stilwater, and some new projects located around the city include a graveyard, trailer park, university, marina and a nuclear power plant. The land also features many underground segments- enormous caves, which attract tourists from all around. A prison island has also surfaced off the coast of Stilwater, completely isolated from the world, very similar to Alcatraz Island. A hidden sex cave has been rumoured to inhabit in Stilwater, and it is stated that the player may find a sex doll there and use it for a weapon. Expansion is seen in the far-west of Stilwater, which includes a trailer park, and an expansion to the Suburbs district. The new Stilwater is said to be 150% of the size it was in Saints Row.

Gameplay

The game will include additional weather effects. Pedestrians will be much more responsive to both environmental stimuli (such as opening umbrellas at the sign of rain) to possibly crowding around someone that has just been shot, allowing the player to use the distraction to get away. Alternatively, the player can attempt to use other characters in the game as human shields, and can either kill the person with a headshot, or throw them away. Saints Row was well-noted for its dark humour, and such has returned in Saints Row 2. It has also been stated that the police force will no longer use spike strips, instead relying on tactics and firepower to subdue the enemy. Car physics have been stated to be majorly improved from those seen in Saints Row. Crashing, braking, turning etc has developed, with use of the rebooted physics engine. Also, it has been revealed that the entire map in Stilwater will be revealed, except for the shops. There are roughly seventy shops to explore, and it has also been revealed that shops may be bought, allowing the player to gain income. Once the player buys an entire chain of shops, billboards around the city will have his face appearing on it.

Gears Of War 2

Gears of War 2 is a tactical third-person shooter video game in development by Epic Games and to be published by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360.It is the sequel to the critically acclaimed best-seller Gears of War, and was announced by lead designer Cliff Bleszinski during the 2008 Game Developers Conference on February 20, 2008. It is currently scheduled for release in November 2008 and will use a heavily upgraded version of the Unreal Engine 3.

Gameplay

The demo at the Game Developers Conference indicated that much of the core gameplay elements that were central to Gears of War (a third-person game that has a heavy emphasis on using protective cover rather than “run and gun” style game play) would be present in the sequel.

John DiMaggio, the voice actor of the game’s main character, Marcus Fenix, confirmed to IGN that players would be able to fight the large Brumaks in Gears of War 2. He also revealed there will be a deeper story with new characters, new weapons, and new enemies.The game will also include the ability for a player to duel with an AI or human opponent when both use the chainsaw attachment of the Lancer rifle, as seen in the 2008 Game Developer’s Conference promotional video, later confirmed in informal interviews with developers and a Game Informer preview.Epic released a gameplay video which revealed the player may now use “downed” enemies as shields. Bleszinski confirmed also that players who have been injured can crawl, as a final desperate attempt at life. Players would tap the ‘A’ Button to crawl faster etc. The level of blood and gore will also be increased, for example, when the player is close to death, wherever he moves there will be trails of blood behind him etc. This is the same for enemies, and the opponents who’ve been used as a meat shield. There will also be more ways to kill an opponent, such as punching them while they are downed, using the the sniper as a sledgehammer, or using the torque bow as an axe.

The cover story in the May 2008 issue of Game Informer revealed several new gameplay features. Players can now play on individual co-op play settings. One player may, for instance, play on Casual while the teammate plays on Hardcore. A “communal combat system” will adapt to give a player at a lower difficulty an equivalently fair challenge at the player at higher difficulty. The player will be able to maintain multiple save files that work with the drop-in/drop-out co-op features. There will also be a fourth difficulty level that is a level below Casual; senior producer Rod Fergusson admitted that — for the first game — “We overshot on [the Casual] difficulty and a game that was a little harder than we intended.” Some of the Xbox Live achievements can be completed through both play in single player and multiplayer mode, such as achieving 1,000 headshots. New enemy creatures are planned on being added, including one described by Cliff Bleszinski as one “that [makes] the Brumak look like a baby panda bear.”In a developer’s video, Cliff Bleszinski stated that Gears of War 2 would feature “drop in and out” co-op in the campaign.

Too Human

Too Human is a video game currently under development by Canadian developer Silicon Knights for the Xbox 360. It is the first installment in a planned series of three games. Its current release date is set for August 5, 2008.

Story

The player takes on the role of Baldur, one of the Aesir. In the ancient past, the Norse gods truly existed in the form of cybernetically enhanced humans. Baldur, son of Odin, is one of these gods and it is his duty to protect the human race from an onslaught of an advancing machine presence determined to eradicate all human life.

In Too Human, the story chronicles the ongoing struggle between cybernetic Norse gods, the invading machine presence and mortal men. The story features many Norse gods and characters from Norse mythology including Thor, Loki, Odin, Heimdall, Freyja, and Mimir. The story features Yggdrasil, the tree of life, as a gateway to an alternate world known as Cyberspace that is accessed through the advanced technology of the Norse gods.

The machine presence in Too Human has a sinister purpose that is ironic when considered against the actions of the Norse gods. The human gods are using cybernetic implants to supplement their own abilities, thus becoming more machine. Conversely, the advancing machine army is harvesting human blood and limbs in an attempt to become more human.

Silicon Knights is reluctant to reveal the story details due to the game’s high budget and story driven gameplay. Despite this, a message is contained in the runes on the officially released box art for the game, reading ‘Machine Of God Of Man Of Machine’.

One of the major themes of Too Human is the extent of cybernetic upgrades that the gods use. In their battles against the approaching mechanical armies, the gods must continually enhance themselves through upgrading their cybernetics to keep up with their opponents, thus they become increasingly similar to their machine adversaries. Baldur, the title character is viewed by the other Norse gods as being insufficiently enhanced, thus “too human”.

Influences

In addition to Norse Mythology, Too Human is also influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche, who wrote a book by the name of Human, All Too Human. A Nietzsche quotation, “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he doesn’t become one himself,” is shown in the beginning of a teaser trailer for the game. The same quote was also used in the introduction movie of the PC roleplaying game Baldur’s Gate.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is the ninth installment in the Rainbow Six series (not including expansions). It is a tactical first person shooter video game and the sequel to Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas. It was announced by Ubisoft on November 20, 2007. The game was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 18, 2008 in North America and March 20, 2008 in Europe, except in Germany, where the game was delayed.The Microsoft Windows version, however, was delayed until April 15, 2008.It has been released in Japan on April 24, 2008 for the Xbox 360 and on May 29, 2008 for the Playstation 3.

A world-exclusive first-look of the game appeared in the January edition of the Official Xbox Magazine. One of the biggest announcements is that Logan Keller, the lead character from the previous game, has been removed in favor of having the player create his own character to play through the campaign. The player instead assumes the role of “Bishop”, a member of the Rainbow squad with a great deal more experience and who is more deeply involved in the story.

The game, billed as “part sequel, part prequel”, has events that run both before and concurrently to the story of Logan Keller and continue after where the first game concluded.In addition to the ability to customize a character in multiplayer, the player can now customize Bishop, Vegas 2’s new protagonist. In single-player, the developers claim to have vastly improved teammate AI, so that now teammates cover each other as they advance. There are also several new commands, for example, the ability of a teammate to throw a grenade at a specific point.

Gameplay

New features include an enhanced version of the “Persistent Elite Creation” system. Players can now customize their character. Where in the first game, the player could only customize the multiplayer character, in this game there is only 1 character for single player and multiplayer game modes. This further shows itself in the fact that experience points are now achieved through all the game modes, online as well as offline, whereas in the first game, XP was only obtained by playing the online multiplayer game modes. There is a new sprint button that allows players to weave in and out of cover at a quicker pace, the pace and stamina are contingent upon the players armor level.

The campaign focuses on the seedier side of Las Vegas, with more outdoor combat and daytime missions. Also, certain missions see a real-time day/night cycle. Certain kinds of cover can be penetrated by weapons-fire, and parts of the environment are destructible. Rather than two difficulty modes, the game has three.

Patapon

Patapon (パタポン, Patapon^?) is a genre-straddling video game published for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game console combining gameplay features of music and rhythm games, real-time tactics and God games. The game is presented in a cartoonish, silhouetted two-dimensional environment designed by Rolito, and features the player acting as an immaterial deity who commands an army of caricature tribal miniature creatures by beating traditional talking drums. The game was developed by Pyramid and produced by Japan Studios, the same studio that developed and produced Loco Roco.

Gameplay

The player controls a tribe consisting of infantry, ranged troops and cavalry. Initially, the player’s warband (army) consists of only a few basic spearmen named Yaripon but as the game progresses more units, greater warriors and more powerful weapons can be obtained. The army is commanded by beating rhythm combos on four different talking drums each mapped to one of the PSP’s four control buttons (’Pata’, ‘Pon’, ‘Chaka’ and ‘Don’ to Square, Circle, Triangle and X respectively). Different combos tells the player’s group of Patapons to do various things such as advance, attack, and defend. Keeping the rhythm going and not missing a beat puts the army in Fever mode, which increases its combat abilities.

The game and story is unfolded through a number of missions of increasing difficulty. As the player progresses, new opponents are introduced and more drum rhythms are unlocked. Between missions, new troops can be spawned by spending currency called ka-ching and various resources obtained during the missions to create stronger Patapon troops. Throughout the game a player can also edit troop formations and acquire new weapons to equip their Patapons.

Story

The Patapon were a flourishing people until they were defeated by the evil Zigoton tribe. The player takes the role of their god and uses sacred war drums to direct the Patapon tribe to take back their land. As the story progresses, the Patapon also embark on a journey to Earthend to look upon “IT,” a sacred object whose appearance and purpose is unknown to the tribe. The enemy of the Patapon tribe is the evil Zigoton Empire, a powerful tribe of circular creatures with red irises (as opposed to the white-irised Patapon) that have oppressed the Patapon since their fall from power. After fighting various battles against the Zigotons, guardian creatures such as dragons, giant worms, golems, and the ultimate evil known as Gorl, the Patapon come to Earthend (the ocean) and see the rising sun, which they assume to be “IT”. However, unfulfilled by the anticlimactic end of their journey, they come to the conclusion that “IT” is, in fact, not the sun and to realize their destiny they must cross the ocean and continue their quest. The final scene shows the Patapon and Zigoton tribes working together to build an ark to cross the ocean.

Super Smash Bros.Brawl

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズＸ, Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu Ekkusu^?, lit. “Great Melee Smash Brothers X”), often abbreviated SSBB or Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by Sora and published by Nintendo for the Wii console.Brawl was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conference by Nintendo president and Chief Executive Officer Satoru Iwata.Masahiro Sakurai, director of the previous two games in the series, assumed the role of director for the third installment at the request of Iwata.When development of the game began in October 2005, various second and third party Nintendo developers collaborated on Brawl. The game was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan, March 9, 2008 in the United States, June 26, 2008 in Australia, and June 27, 2008 in Europe.

Brawl’s roster of Nintendo characters has grown in number from that of Super Smash Bros. Melee, and is the first in the series to feature third-party characters.Like its predecessors, Brawl is a departure from traditional fighting games, notably in its simplified move commands and emphasis on ring outs over knockouts. It includes a more extensive single-player mode than its predecessors, known as The Subspace Emissary (SSE). This mode is a plot-driven, side-scrolling beat ‘em up featuring computer-generated cut scenes and playable characters from the game. The game also supports multiplayer battles with up to four combatants, and is the first game of its franchise to feature online battles via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

The game was met with generally positive reviews,with critics praising the game’s entertainment value, despite issues relating to Brawl’s loading times and graphics.The game’s musical score was composed through a collaboration between 38 renowned video game composers,and was lauded for its representation of different generations in gaming history.It received an aggregate review score of 94% on Metacritic and 93.3% on Game Rankings.Brawl has sold a total of 4.85 million units as of March 31, 2008.

Ninja Gaiden II

Ninja Gaiden II is the sequel to Ninja Gaiden released worldwide on Xbox 360 in June, 2008. It was developed by Team Ninja and published by Microsoft Game Studios, marking the first time a Team Ninja developed game was not published by Tecmo. While sharing the same number as the Nintendo Entertainment System game Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, it is not a conversion of that older title. The game will not be released in Germany, due to lack of a USK rating.

Gameplay

Ninja Gaiden II keeps most of the core elements of its predecessor, Ninja Gaiden. Protagonist Ryu Hayabusa (voiced by Josh Keaton) engages the world in a third person over-the-shoulder perspective, beginning the game with basic, low-level abilities and weapons that can be upgraded as he progresses by discovering or buying items. Ryu can interact with the game environment by running along and jumping off walls, swinging from pole to pole, or running across water. Unlike its predecessor, which used a city designated as a hub, Ryu travels around the world, ranging from New York, Tokyo, the familiar Hayabusa Village, the Aqua Capital (with an environment similar to the canals of Venice), and regions of non-human origins, such as the Northern Purgatory, Lifeblood Shrine and Niflheim in a progressive stage-by-stage setting, reminiscent of the style of the original Ninja Gaiden platformers. Aside from fighting enemies, Ryu will need to find keys and solve puzzles in the various environments, so as to progress through the game.

In-game cut scenes serves as the narrative to the story, and dragon busts can be used to save player progress, permitting gameplay to be resumed at a later time. Certain busts enable the player to record films of gameplay and upload the videos onto Xbox LIVE for users to download and watch. Ninja Gaiden II uses the same scoring system, based on the player’s speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused magic spells (or ninpos) remaining at the end, and the amount of essence collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards.

Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV (abbreviated to GTA IV) is a sandbox-style action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North.It is the ninth title in the Grand Theft Auto series and the first in its fourth generation. Grand Theft Auto IV was released worldwide (except in Japan) on 29 April 2008 for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.Two episodic packs will be released exclusively for the Xbox 360, the first of which has been delayed until the first quarter of Take-Two’s 2009 financial year.

The game is set in a redesigned rendition of Liberty City, a fictional city based heavily on modern day New York City. It follows Niko Bellic, a war veteran from Eastern Europe,who comes to the United States in search of the American Dream,only to find his cousin has lied about the wealth that was promised to be awaiting him. Like other games in the series, GTA IV features “open-world” gameplay that gives the player more control over their playing experience. GTA IV is the first console game in the series to feature an online multiplayer mode, which contains fifteen different game types.

A major commercial and critical success, Grand Theft Auto IV broke sales records by selling about 3.6 million units on its first day of release and grossing more than $500 million in its first week.The game received overwhelmingly positive reviews, becoming the highest-rated video game of all-time on review aggregator sites Metacritic and Game Rankings for over a month after it was launched.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (メタルギアソリッド4) (commonly abbreviated to MGS4) is a stealth action video game. Directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa, Guns of the Patriots was developed by Kojima Productions exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console. It is the seventh title in the Metal Gear series and the first in its fourth generation. The game, designed around the motto, “No Place to Hide!”, is the last Metal Gear game developed by Hideo Kojima, and the last game in the series starring the protagonist Solid Snake.The game was released worldwide on June 12, 2008, 10 years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and 20 years after the US release of the first Metal Gear.

Gameplay

In Metal Gear Solid 4, the player (Old Snake) must navigate the game world in order to progress, using stealth and cunning in addition to traditional combat. It uses the series’ traditional third person view with full camera manipulation, but also allows the freedom to play in first-person mode, as well as an over the shoulder view which can be switched from right shoulder to left for corner maneuvering. The Close Quarters Combat system has been completely revamped. The player is also able to interrogate guards for information and supplies.

Several elements from previous titles return in modified forms. Players can also use a new form of camouflage called “Octocamo”, which replaces the camouflage system featured in Metal Gear Solid 3. Dark blue when disabled, the OctoCamo suit allows the wearer to blend in with any surface within a few seconds. The Sixaxis controller’s motion-sensing capability is utilized to reset the OctoCamo to its default color. A new monocular device called “Solid Eye” replaces the various binoculars and image intensifiers from previous titles, and a steel drum complements the series’ traditional cardboard box disguise. It is able to deflect bullets, and can be rolled to knock enemy soldiers over, but can lead to Snake being sick should the player roll around too much.

The game is filled with cut scene “flashbacks” that explain what happened in previous Metal Gear Solid games and how that relates to the events of MGS4. Players are able to choose whether to view these scenes by pressing the X button on their controller when prompted. Players also have the choice of watching the Mission Briefing cut scenes from predetermined camera angles or exploring them with the Metal Gear Mk. II.

Snake is also partnered with a robotic drone, the Metal Gear Mk. II, which allows him to communicate with other characters, in addition to the CODEC radio system from previous games. It is also capable of engaging enemies using an electric shock, as well as providing reconnaissance.This drone is reminiscent of Gillian Seed’s robotic sidekick of the same name from another Hideo Kojima game Snatcher.

Due to the lack of a rumble feature (an important part in previous titles) from the PlayStation 3 during much of the development, the game had been designed with a new feature: a white “Threat Ring,” that visibly vibrates when sound is made nearby.As a series known for extensive use of rumble, when Sony announced the reintroduction of a new DualShock 3, MGS4 was announced as one of the first major games to make use of the force feedback capabilities.

Snake’s health plays a small factor during gameplay. If injured on the battlefield, cuts and burns will remain on his skin. However, the developers wished to avoid putting the stress of maintaining Snake’s health onto the players, so he wears a muscle suit, allowing players to move in a similar fashion to previous games.

Snake has two meters that replace the stamina bar from Snake Eater. The first meter, “Stress”, is based on current fighting and climate conditions. This can cause Snake to go into a “combat high”,that increases his accuracy and reduces damage sustained. However this effect will eventually wear off and could cause Snake to momentarily collapse. Smoking a cigarette calms Snake down.The second meter, “Psyche”, slowly drops over time reducing Snake’s accuracy. Scanning the pages of a Adult magazine will increase the meter,along with ReGain Energy Drinks, noodles, and military rations.

There is also a “Baseline Map” which is a radar map with a dynamic circle based on Snake’s “presence” to the environment.Accessible through the main menu, the Virtual Range is a test facility that allows the player to access the game’s library of weapons as well as practice Snake’s CQC moves.

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the PlayStation 3, Windows, and the Xbox 360. It is scheduled for release for Mac OS X in the third quarter of 2008.It is the fourth installment of the Call of Duty video game series, excluding expansion packs. The game breaks away from the World War II setting of previous games in the series and is instead set in modern times. The game is the first in the series to be rated Mature in North America. The title and game details were announced on April 25, 2007,and the game was released worldwide between November 6, 2007 and November 9, 2007. It became available on Steam on November 6, 2007 for pre-purchase, and was available to play on November 12, 2007.

The story is centered around a fictional near-future conflict involving the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia, who are fighting against Russian ultranationalists in civil war torn Russia, and rebels that have staged a coup d’état in a small Middle Eastern country. It is told from the perspectives of a United States Marine and a member of the British SAS, and is set in multiple locations, including the Middle East, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Prypiat, Ukraine. The multiplayer portion of the game features various game modes, and contains a leveling system that allows the player to unlock additional weapons, weapon attachments, and camouflage schemes as they advance. The game was in development for two years. It uses a proprietary game engine, and includes features that include true world-dynamic lightning, HDR lighting effects, dynamics shadows, and depth of field.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare received considerable praise and has won numerous awards from gaming websites, including IGN’s “Best Xbox 360 Game”.It was the top-selling game worldwide for 2007, reaching over seven million copies as of January 2008.

Gameplay

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a first-person shooter similar to previous games in the Call of Duty series, but set in the present-day instead of World War II.

The game’s move to modern warfare introduces new weapons and technology to the Call of Duty franchise, including the M203 grenade launcher, M4A1 carbine, the AN/PEQ-2 Target Pointer for use in conjunction with night vision goggles, the MP5SD submachine gun, and the FGM-148 Javelin portable anti-tank guided missile.The player gains access to these over the course of the game, but may only carry up to two weapons in addition to grenades. Weapons from fallen foes can be picked up to replace weapons in a player’s arsenal. Players also have additional abilities, including a grenade launcher attachment, night-vision goggles, and the ability to call in airstrikes.

The gameplay of Call of Duty 4 shares several features with previous iterations of the franchise. Once again, players fight alongside AI-controlled teammates. They help during the game’s missions by providing cover fire, shooting down enemies, and clearing rooms for entry.

A character can be positioned in one of three stances: standing, kneeling, or prone; each affecting the character’s rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking significant damage, as there is no armor or health powerups. When the character has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red and the character’s heartbeat increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the character is within the blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player to either flee or toss it back to the enemy.