Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare didn't receive anywhere near as much hype leading up to its release as its sequel has. That's a given considering it was the first in the Modern Warfare franchise and the first Call of Duty game to move onto the modern battlefield. We all knew it was going to be great, taking the series to all new heights with more advanced weapons and a great online experience. But it blew up. It went crazy. Halo 2 may have defined online gaming for consoles, helping make XBOX Live the great online service it is today, but COD4 seemed to redefined it. It was able to attract an all-new market of gamers to not only the genre, but also to online multiplayer gaming.
That's why to this day COD4 is still one of the most played games online, two years after its release. That's pretty amazing considering it's had to go up against the likes of Killzone 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, Gears of War 2, Resistance 2 and Halo 3: ODST in that time-frame, all of which have strong online communities.
What's even more amazing is that even after the release of the next Call of Duty sequel (prequel?) in World at War, COD4 still stayed in the top few games with online activity. As great as WaW has been online, it always seemed to be that little step behind COD4, no matter how much content Activision threw its way.
That's not without saying that WaW has its following, and, especially on XBOX Live, you'll find that many COD4 fanatics often switch between the two because they each offer an outstanding online experience.
But why will Modern Warfare 2 stand out? Why is it so special? If COD4 was so great, why didn't WaW receive as much hype? The obvious answer is because WaW took a "step back" to World War 2, an act many gamers and COD faithful deemed to be an actual step back in quality for the franchise.
It definitely didn't lose any quality and the final product was great, but it's the brilliance of COD4 that ultimately shifts the attention to its direct sequel. Modern Warfare 2's predecessor seemed to bring gamers of all walks together, creating one unified market that has grown substantially over the past two years. The closest thing we've seen to MW2 hype this generation was Grand Theft Auto IV hype, and even that title didn't seem to generate a united front from every specific type of gaming culture.
Reports are coming in that Modern Warfare 2 is breaking pre-order records all around the world. It might be some genius PR spin, something the unified gaming heavyweights in EB Games and GameStop have conjured up to increase product awareness. But that's doubtful. If that's not obvious from the attention this game has gotten on gaming forums around the world, then it's from the fact that pretty much every person you know that owns either a XBOX 360 or Playstation probably has a pre-order for the game somewhere. If you don't believe it, go and ask. Now. We'll wait.
So now the question is put forth to you: Have you pre-ordered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2? Why? And is this game your most anticipated game ever? Why/Why not?
05/11/2009
It's been a rather slow week in the gaming world, giving you all a chance to catch up on those games you haven't finished before the end of year season is upon us.
Many of you have already finished this title, but Batman: Arkham Asylum has kept me rather busy the past week. I've really enjoyed my time on Arkham, and this is a surprise hit title for me! Still sitting on the fence after playing the demo? Why not read our feature review? Batman: Arkham Asylum.
I was one of the many lucky folks who snagged a Uncharted 2 beta code last week from EB Games Twitter give-away so I'll be waiting to get into that this Tuesday! Those who pre-order the game from EB also get access to the beta so if you can't wait to get online with this game, head down to your local EB today.
This weekend I got the chance to go through the paces of the DLC pack for F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin. Reborn runs a story parallel to that of the main game, and while it doesn't do anything to expand the story or the universe, it's a decent addition to the already great game. If you already own F.E.A.R 2 and want to extend it another 2-4 hours, then check out our review here.
So now I'm just counting down the days till Scribblenauts, Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2!
What are you guys and girls looking forward to playing?
14/09/2009
So I've decided to retire the Heller's Desk segment, mainly due to the fact I was getting hard pressed to find good desk pics! So welcome to Heller's Den, a chance for me to throw out what I've been researching, playing and looking forward to.
As many of you will know, Batman Arkham Asylum is the hot topic right now, and rightly so! It's a fantastic game and I'm only a few hours into it!. Tano is busy working on the featured review, but until then, why not check out Batman's Greatest Gaming Moments.
While I wait patiently for Uncharted 2 to be released for the PS3 I've started to play Killzone 2 online quite a bit recently. It's a little harder than your average shooter, but it is so in-depth and is a great change of pace!
On the Wii front I've been getting into a lot of Wii Sports Resort, The Conduit, Punch Out!! and I've been getting back into some Grand Slam Tennis which is great fun for local multiplayer!
So we have a huge few months coming up, with such games as Modern Warfare 2, Scribblenaughts, Guitar Hero 5, Rock Band Beatles the list is growing every day!
What are you guys and girls looking forward to playing?
04/09/2009
To be in the running, all you have to do is visit the official Sacred 2: Fallen Angel website and answer the questions on My360 and MyPS3. You can answer as many of the four questions as you like.
Don't forget to check out our review either.
The character customization is a real treat, and with 500 quests, plenty of great boss battles and a cool and nicely executed story, Scared 2: Fallen Angel is a great action-RPG. The hack-and-slash gameplay might get repetitive, but if you're a diehard fan of the genre, you're probably used to that. It's essentially what makes an action-RPG an actual action-RPG.
We have three copies on XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 to give-away. You have till 5pm on Monday, August 31st to enter.
So what are you waiting for? Head on over to My360 and MyPS3 now to enter!
20/08/2009
We visited a special Halo 3: ODST event on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour yesterday, where we got to check out a real-life Halo Warthog, as well as check out the highly anticipated Halo 3: ODST.
The Halo warthog was made by the guys over at WETA Workshop, who worked on the upcoming District 9 movie and were planning to help make sets for the Halo movie before it fell through.
We've got a preview of Halo 3: ODST, as well as a video of one of the main men from WETA Workshop talking about the Halo Warthog.
Be sure to head on over to My360 to check it out.
07/08/2009
We have three copies of Wolfenstein to give away on XBOX 360 and Playstation 3.
All you have to do is visit the official Wolfenstein page and then answer the questions on the competition pages. You can answer as many questions as you like (maximum of four per member).
Competition ends at 5pm on Friday, August 21st. Winners will be announced at 5pm on Monday, 24th of August.
Every member that enters will also get a Wolfenstein medal for their profile!
03/08/2009
Written By Stephen Heller
While the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP have been enjoying their supremacy in the handheld market this generation, Apple’s iPhone is really stepping it up. With graphics that are better than the Nintendo DS, and an easy to access App Store, one has to wonder what is next for the multi function device.
The recently released Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition from Lucasarts has found it’s way onto the App Store, and with all the features intact from it’s Xbox 360 and PC counterparts. Weighing in at a mere 350mb and a measly $9.99 you can purchase a fully fledged game that will last 5-10 hours, for less than a quarter of the price of a new release Nintendo DS game.
Other developers are really backing the platform, EA releasing hand held versions of The Sims 3 and Spore, classic games such as Uno and new unique titles such as the ever popular Tap Tap Revenge. Even classics such as Wolfenstein 3D are making an appearance on the app store.
Will the iPhone replace the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP? While the iPhone does rival such devices, it doesn’t make a sale purely as a gaming device. The fact that Nintendo and Sony tailor their experience purely as a gaming device will suit games better. What the iPhone does manage to do is open up the door to quality games for casual gamers.
What are your thoughts on the iPhone becoming a formidable force in the world of handheld gaming?
26/07/2009
Written By Ben Salter
Where is console gaming headed? In 10 years will it essentially be the same as what we play today with advanced technology, or will it be completely different? One answer lies within the advancement, and success, of motion control. It’s been a massive revelation for Nintendo with the Wii, and Microsoft and Sony are preparing to cash in on the phenomenon with their respective motion devices. Is this the beginning of the end of good ol’ fashion console gaming with the standard controller?
Motion control in gaming was the hot topic at E3 this year as Microsoft announced Project Natal and Sony revealed their new Motion control device. To be fair, neither of these are looking to take the place of the traditional controller on their respective consoles, but it would be an understatement to say they are looking to take advantage of the new audience Nintendo has found with the Wii.
Microsoft’s Natal impresses me more than Sony’s Wand as it seriously appears to be taking motion control to another level. In fact, it has forgone the controller all together by using just a camera to scan the player’s movements. It looked impressive on stage, and those who played it behind doors said it played just as well, but I think it’s best only to believe it when we experience it for ourselves. Sony’s Wand on the other hand makes use of both a camera and a remote-like controller. To me it appears to be a blatant rip off of the Wii Remote; however, it does appear to be better than Nintendo’s MotionPlus. Maybe that’s a little harsh; almost every innovation in gaming is quickly copied (and in some cases improved on) by competitors, in saying that it’s normally a little less obvious.
There’s two groups, or perhaps moods, of gamers that are going to strongly oppose motion control. First are the serious gamers who want to have complete control over everything at a touch of a button. A controller is like a key it the city, it gives you access to everything and places a power over everything in the palm of your hand. They want the accurate and complex control that motion control is yet to provide. The second is when we can’t be bothered with all those extravagant movements. That’s not to say we’re lazy, sometimes you play games to relax and moving around hysterically is the last thing you want to do. Other times you want to put in a few solid hours and would much prefer to sit back with a controller. If all three consoles start placing a greater emphasis on motion control gamers feeling these ways are going to become excluded from modern console gaming. In an effort to attract new audiences developers may be driving away their loyal fans.
What about our game genres? First person shooters are the king on the Xbox 360, and very popular on the PlayStation 3. Meanwhile they’re nowhere to be seen on the Wii. Next month’s The Conduit is the first FPS on the Wii since it launched almost 3 years ago that isn’t a port from the PS2 (that I can think of). When I compare the Wii Remote to Natal and Sony’s Wand it appears to be the best of the lot for FPS games with its IR pointer, and yet the genre has been snubbed thus far in the console’s life. Each console has its fair share of shovelware, but it’s more prominent on the Wii due to ‘casual’ games that don’t appeal to ‘core’ gamers, bad core games and bad casual games. I’m not a fan of the whole ‘casual’ or ‘core’ gamer labelling, because I would consider myself to sit somewhere in between; however, there’s a clear distinction between the two types of games and one that is needed to the categorise them. Does this mean we will get more games aimed at a casual audience on future Microsoft or Sony consoles? Will the success of motion control lead to classic franchises, such as God of War and Halo, be made easier and more family friendly so they appeal to a wider audience and to get core gamers to upgrade to motion control?
I don’t think that the standard controller is going anywhere this generation. If anything Microsoft and Sony are throwing their lines into the water to see what they can catch with the lure of motion gaming. If they are anywhere near as successful as Nintendo has been surely they’ll have no choice but to place a greater emphasis on it in the future from a business perspective. It’s that point in time that I’m worried about. Sure maybe developers will offer the option for motion or classic control, but the chance of studios putting effort into two completely different control schemes for one game seems minimal. I don’t mean to sound completely against motion gaming, because I’m not, I’m just weary of promising devices disappointing ala the Wii Remote. I was impressed with Wii MotionPlus in Grand Slam Tennis, and with that being the first game to make use of the device it’s only going to get better. But it took Nintendo two-and-a-half years to rectify their controller, and get it to the level initially promised. The Wii, and motion control, is great for social situations, it’s great for people unfamiliar with videogames, but at the end of the day I think I’ll always prefer to go back to the traditional control pad.
What do you think about the future of motion control? What impact will it have on console gaming? Before anyone says it I realise you could buy a gaming PC to avoid all of this, but there are still those of us out here who deep down are console gamers.
30/06/2009
Microsoft have been the timid performer at E3 over the past few years. They haven't exceeded expectations, nor have they disappointed. Last years expo had a few surprises - some good (like Final Fantasy XIII coming to 360) and some bad (like the You're In The Movies fiasco).
But as the current console "war" begins to heat up and hit boiling point, one can't help but have high expectations for this years expo. Everyone expects Nintendo to come out guns blazing after an embarrassing conference last year and Sony has teased and promised plenty of things. Then again, teasing and promising is just what Sony does.
Over the course of the week we’ll be looking at what Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have in store for us this year. What we expect to see, what has been teased, predicted and what we’d like to see surprise us this year.
What’s Expected
Microsoft have been steady ever since the 360 launched. It was never going to fly off shelves in Japan, but it's been a steady seller in Europe, the US and Australia. Microsoft have announced quite a few bundles over the past few weeks, including games like Halo 3, Forza and even both Gears of War titles bundled together with an XBOX 360 Pro console. Sales have never dropped or risen significantly since launch, but even if Microsoft is eventually over-taken by the PS3 in sales numbers, Microsoft really shouldn't worry. Software sales, especially in 2007, have been spectacular, and XBOX Live is the most used online gaming service in the world. In the mean time, what do they have planned for the near future?
Alan Wake
Everyone needs to see Alan WakeIt's been far too long between drinks. The highly anticipated XBOX 360 exclusive needs to be shown. If it doesn't, expect plenty of backlash. We expect it to be shown purely because it hasn't been in so long. There are murmurs that new consoles won't be announced for a few years and that this E3 will be the biggest and best as well, so what better time for Microsoft to show off their supposed "system seller".
Improved Avatar system
More of a focus on Avatar's?Not that the current system really needs improving, but Microsoft really pushed the Avatar's at last years E3. We've seen the implementation of Mii's into party games on the Wii, so we expect to see some Microsoft-developed titles that use the Avatar's shown at this years E3. Microsoft have really pushed the family aspect of the 360 over the past 12 months, releasing family-centric console bundles and increasing support for XBLA.
New RARE title
We don't know why, but buzz has increased around RARE over the past few weeks as E3 approaches. RARE have failed to impress on the 360 as they did on the N64 when owned by Nintendo, and while their titles have been consistently good, but not great, we expect something big to be announced during Microsoft's conference. Maybe a new Perfect Dark?
Forza 3 trailer
Forza 2 is without a doubt one of the best racers so far this generation. Rumours have been spreading about the development of a third and there's strong reason to believe a new trailer will be shown as well. We expect Microsoft to show off the racer during their press conference to counter any GT5 footage Sony might show.
New Lionhead project
We expect an all-new Lionhead project to be announced, although it's doubtful it will be another Fable. It's been quoted that the developer doesn't want to be known purely for one franchise and it's heavily favoured that a new game will be shown during the conference.
What's been Teased
Health and fitness games
With the (expected) showing of the motion controller, there have been murmur's about possible fitness titles also come to the 360, similar to the craze currently owning the Wii.
Motion-controller
Microsoft have teased it for almost a year now and we expect to finally see it at this years E3. Whether or not it's announced alongside some motion-sensoring compatible games is yet to be seen.
The things we won't see
XBOX 720
It won't happen. At least not this year. There's no way any of the three major players will announce a new console yet, with so many great titles still to come out. It's far too early and too many analysts have come out saying that the current generation still has plenty of years.
Metal Gear Solid 4 on 360
Let's be honest - it has just as much chance of happening as GTA has of appearing on Wii. Then again, it's not like MGS has never appeared on a XBOX console before.
Halo 4
We can't imagine a new Halo sequel coming out anytime soon with the recent release of Halo Wars and a Halo 3 spin-off coming soon.
XBOX 360 console redesign
Microsoft didn't redesign the original XBOX and while we've seen upgrades/redesigns of other Microsoft hardware, we don't expect the 360 to change in appearance anytime soon.
26/05/2009
Written By Stephen Heller
Downloadable Content has become a staple to all the current generation consoles. We have Xbox Live and PSN offering us not only patches, demos, updates and packs, we also are seeing arcade and full fledged being offered to consumers for a price to download. While these services have been offered since the current generation releases, with recent releases from Rockstar with DLC such as GTA IV: The Lost and Damned and Criterion's constant free DLC for Burnout Paradise, the bar has been raised higher than ever before.
A bit of a history lesson here. The Sega Dreamcast was the first console that featured DLC. Due to technologies and bandwith at the time, and memory limitations the quality of said DLC was lacklustre but none the less it was offered. Microsoft was the first company to charge for DLC on their Xbox console in 2002 for Mech Assault. Microsoft continued to release DLC for select titles on the console, but it wasn't until the release of the Xbox 360 that DLC became to become a standard feature in home gaming consoles. Microsoft had paved the way for DLC making the "Xbox Marketplace" and DLC an integral component of the console experience.
DLC since then has certainly evolved from arcade games and map packs. Criterion have steadily increased the life of their Burnout Paradise title for over twelve months with a slew of free DLC provided that not only added to, but completely changed the gameplay experience. Rockstar have released the stellar Lost and Damned for their Grand Theft Auto series, which includes well over 10 hours of additional gameplay, from a new perspective and feels like a stand alone title. With the release of Midnight Club LA: South Central DLC just around the corner, Rockstar are certainly proving that they are the leaders of quality DLC for their titles.
Now the bar has been raised so high, people are going to start expecting more from developers when they are served up DLC. This has been reflected recently with the public backlash towards Capcom's release of Resident Evil 5 DLC, which simply adds a more robust multiplayer functionality to the title. The public already expect more for their money, it will be interesting to see where DLC is going to head over the course of 2009.
This also begs the question is Digital Distribution the way of the future for console gamers. With services such as STEAM already operating with high success on the PC platform, and titles such as Gran Turismo Prologue, Warhawk, The Watchman all being offered as full downloads on the PSN and Xbox Live service, many would have to believe it's a real possibility. While it won't replace disc based media anytime soon, developers are going to have to investigate it as a viable option, especially considering the current global economic standpoint.
Join Heller and Tano on this weeks episode of The Voice as they discuss indepth their current views of DLC, the idea of Digital Distribution and of course the latest news and reviews.
17/03/2009