Even though we've heard rumors about trouble with the development of Red Dead Redemption, we can't help feeling that this game looks freakin' awesome. Rockstar has released a new trailer in their gameplay series titled "Weapons and Death." I don't know what people are talking about, the game looks great. Maybe we are only seeing the most polished areas of the game. Who knows. All I know is that I'm really excited for this western epic. Let's just hope it doesn't get delayed again.
EA sure surprised everyone yesterday. Without any official notice, the demo for Battlefield Bad Company 2 was available to download. In this multiplayer only demo, there is only one map available, which is Port Valdez in Alaska. Forecast calls for a lot of snow. There is also only one gametype available, which is the popular mode from the first Bad Company, "Rush Mode." You can see a trailer for "Rush Mode" in the video above. But download the demo quick. It only lasts until Feb. 25th. After we get some hands on with the game, we'll post our impressions here. Maybe it will be the first story on the new site.
It's been a while; perhaps a bit too long! However, let me assure you that we're still here and believe me when I say we have a lot planned in the next few days! Remember when I teased something was happening with the site? Well, I can now reveal to you Baxy-Z Version 3!
I've posted some sneak-peaks at what the design will look like, but as for features, they're staying hush-hush until the site launches sometime early February. We're currently aiming for a 1st of Feb launch, but, like with games, we may push it back a little to get the site at a high standard!
Not only do we have a fresh design coming into play, we're also changing a lot of things too! We're now expanding to focus on all consoles and not limit ourselves to just the Xbox. We're also going to start focusing on video content a lot more, too (some of which is on our Facebook page). Finally, we're implanting a diverse user system to help create a much more established community!
We've all been working very hard on the upcoming site update and we're super excited about sharing it with you. This will really make up for the lack of site updates. I'll keep you updated with anything else, but really, this new site will give us a fresh start and allow us to deliver much, much higher quality articles and site features!
So please, stick with us! Your loyalty WILL be paid off soon!
Are you extremely excited for Mass Effect 2 to launch next week? Watching this video may hurt a little, because it makes the wait even worse. The game is looking phenomenal. What do you guys think of the launch trailer for Mass Effect 2?
According to insiders at Rockstar games, the development of Red Dead Redemption is going as smoothly as it seems on the outside. For starters, one employee said "was a complete disaster for most of 2009 and previous ... it has since turned around a little bit, but there are huge problems with it still." Another employee has said that it will have to sell 5 million units at full price to make up the cost of the game, which has been in development for six years. The same source said that the game is basically "supposed to prove that the San Diego studio can make a great quality AAA title."
This news comes at a huge surprise to all of us at Baxy-z. We are very much looking forward to this game, and from what we have seen, it looks like it is turning out to be a great Western game, something video games lack. To hear about these problems so close to launch is worrying us a little bit. I hope that Rockstar San Diego can fix these problems before the game hits store shelves on April 27, 2010.
This week, Ubisoft announced some grim news. The highly anticipated Splinter Cell: Conviction has been delayed, again. We will now have to wait until April 2010 to play the new, redesigned Splinter Cell. How long has this game been in development?
Ubisoft also announced that the upcoming RTS game R.U.S.E has been delayed as well. They didn't really announce a release date, but hopefully it will be out before Spring of 2011. I hope this game doesn't get canceled. I love the idea behind it, and the visual style of it looks incredible. If you haven't seen any gameplay of it, go check it out.
Along with those two pieces of bad news, there was some good news out of the Ubisoft conference call. Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development, along with I Am Alive. I don't know why anyone is excited for I Am Alive, considering we have only seen a rendered trailer for it that consisted of falling buildings and a guy running. Once we have more information on all of these games, we'll make sure to keep you guys informed. Look for a Splinter Cell preview coming soon on the site.
Hello old friends. How are you doing? I feel like we haven't spoken in a long time. How was your holidays? Was it filled with a lot of gaming? I played a lot of video games this break. I played a lot of games of FIFA '10, a lot of Modern Warfare 2, and finally got Left 4 Dead 2, which is awesome. Although I am having problems with my Xbox. It is having problems reading the discs! This would be the fourth time I'd have to send my console to repair, and the last time I sent it to repair I got a refurbished console back. That was this past September, and my warranty is already expired. I think I need to give a call to Microsoft. It is really starting to get annoying. Anyway, post in the comments what you guys did this break. Make sure to stay tuned to Baxy-z, we have a lot of exciting things coming your way. I'm extremely excited about what is going on behind the scenes, and you guys should be very anxious to see what is coming with the site. I hope all of our readers had a great holiday.
In about 5 hours time, Christmas day will finally be upon us. After the long and cold winter nights, the guy with the sack in red will be dropping into our chimneys and hopefully leaving the game we want this Year.
2009 has been a great year for Baxy-Z. We officially launched in February and we've grown stronger and stronger and bigger and bigger. I would like to thank everyone that's helped with the site. Of course, first and foremost to my right hand Myles. He's obviously been there from the start and he's helped to post a great amount of content in the last 9 month. He's also a very loyal and great friend.
Another thank you goes out to Brandon, who has been with us since the early days. Brandon has stuck with us posting news, reviews, previews and even posting photos from certain Halo events. Again, it's been a pleasure having him on board and hope to be saying the same thing next year.
I would also like to say thanks to Sky Otic who helped us through the summer and attended the Gamescom convention earlier this year. Again, a great help, but sadly he is no longer with us. A great shame, but someone who we won't forget.
And finally, a great big thank you to all of you for visiting. You're what really keeps us going. Without you guys, we would be literally nothing so it's great that you rely on us for your Xbox 360 related news, reviews, preview, etc.
HOWEVER
2010 will be the start of something new. Huge changes will be happening and we can't wait to share them with you. Maybe we have an exclusive game to reveal? Maybe we have hands on impressions of a big game for the start of 2010. Or maybe we have something even better... We'll let you ponder over that for when we return on January 4th 2010 when we shall reveal the first ever details of this exciting new project!
Until then, merry Christmas and have a happy new year. Peace out!
Just after Infinity Ward patched the famous Javelin glitch in Modern Warfare 2, a new glitch has surfaced, and, in my opinion, is way worse than the Javelin glitch. This glitch allows all the members of a game to have unlimited ammo with not having to reload their weapon. The above video shows off the glitch, including an AC-130 with unlimited ammo.
I have two thoughts about these glitches. First off, did Infinity Ward test their game before releasing it? Secondly, and more importantly, why do people play with these glitches? I can understand if these were private matches and you didn't get any XP for these kills, but that isn't the case. I would be a hypocrite if I said I don't like using cheats in video games. When GTA IV got old, I started using cheats to make it fun. But that was in single player. I know some people have the mentality of "If it is in the game, then it isn't our fault if we use it." Well, yes it is. Lets hope Infinity Ward patches this glitch soon, and lets also hope no other glitches show up.
So this video came out today, and...just watch it. Did you watch it yet? Were you blown away? Holy crap, this game looks incredible. I really enjoyed the game Gun, and this looks like an amazing version of that game. Or GTA IV in the Wild West. Anyway you describe it, it looks amazing. With all of the AAA games coming out next year, this is my most anticipated game. What do you guys think of RDR so far?
EA sure surprised everyone yesterday. Without any official notice, the demo for Battlefield Bad Company 2 was available to download. In this multiplayer only demo, there is only one map available, which is Port Valdez in Alaska. Forecast calls for a lot of snow. There is also only one gametype available, which is the popular mode from the first Bad Company, "Rush Mode." You can see a trailer for "Rush Mode" in the video above. But download the demo quick. It only lasts until Feb. 25th. After we get some hands on with the game, we'll post our impressions here. Maybe it will be the first story on the new site.
According to insiders at Rockstar games, the development of Red Dead Redemption is going as smoothly as it seems on the outside. For starters, one employee said "was a complete disaster for most of 2009 and previous ... it has since turned around a little bit, but there are huge problems with it still." Another employee has said that it will have to sell 5 million units at full price to make up the cost of the game, which has been in development for six years. The same source said that the game is basically "supposed to prove that the San Diego studio can make a great quality AAA title."
This news comes at a huge surprise to all of us at Baxy-z. We are very much looking forward to this game, and from what we have seen, it looks like it is turning out to be a great Western game, something video games lack. To hear about these problems so close to launch is worrying us a little bit. I hope that Rockstar San Diego can fix these problems before the game hits store shelves on April 27, 2010.
This week, Ubisoft announced some grim news. The highly anticipated Splinter Cell: Conviction has been delayed, again. We will now have to wait until April 2010 to play the new, redesigned Splinter Cell. How long has this game been in development?
Ubisoft also announced that the upcoming RTS game R.U.S.E has been delayed as well. They didn't really announce a release date, but hopefully it will be out before Spring of 2011. I hope this game doesn't get canceled. I love the idea behind it, and the visual style of it looks incredible. If you haven't seen any gameplay of it, go check it out.
Along with those two pieces of bad news, there was some good news out of the Ubisoft conference call. Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development, along with I Am Alive. I don't know why anyone is excited for I Am Alive, considering we have only seen a rendered trailer for it that consisted of falling buildings and a guy running. Once we have more information on all of these games, we'll make sure to keep you guys informed. Look for a Splinter Cell preview coming soon on the site.
Just after Infinity Ward patched the famous Javelin glitch in Modern Warfare 2, a new glitch has surfaced, and, in my opinion, is way worse than the Javelin glitch. This glitch allows all the members of a game to have unlimited ammo with not having to reload their weapon. The above video shows off the glitch, including an AC-130 with unlimited ammo.
I have two thoughts about these glitches. First off, did Infinity Ward test their game before releasing it? Secondly, and more importantly, why do people play with these glitches? I can understand if these were private matches and you didn't get any XP for these kills, but that isn't the case. I would be a hypocrite if I said I don't like using cheats in video games. When GTA IV got old, I started using cheats to make it fun. But that was in single player. I know some people have the mentality of "If it is in the game, then it isn't our fault if we use it." Well, yes it is. Lets hope Infinity Ward patches this glitch soon, and lets also hope no other glitches show up.
With the release of Splinter Cell Conviction, Ubisoft will be releasing a special edition that we're sure some of you will be most likely will purchase. Inside the packaging you will find the following items and features:
- An exclusive Sam Fisher statue - Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction game in Steelbook case - Infiltration Mode : Eliminate all hostiles in the mission area without being detected - A special playable skin: Shadow Armor - Early access to 3 weapons: SC300, SR2 and MP5 - The official Splinter Cell Conviction Soundtrack (more than 17 tracks)
The game will be released on February 25th and you can expect to see a full preview very shortly.
It's certainly been tough times for everyone and the gaming industry isn't as "recession-proof" as it was first thought. We've seen game developers close and many shops resorting to cheap tactics with selling pre-owned games as brand new. Today, GAME chairman Peter Lewis has said that sales are still plummeting.
"Recent console price cuts from Sony and Microsoft have increases demand, though revenues from increased unit sales of these formats have not offset the overall fall in hardware revenues. Since the half year, there have been a number of major software releases including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and FIFA 10, which both broke records in their first week of launch. However, the exceptionally strong performance of these titles was in part offset by softer than expected sales of some other releases. Consequently, while the wider economic conditions and prevailing videogames market trends lead us to approach the critical Christmas period cautiously, the Board believes the Group is well positioned to deliver a solid outturn for the year."
Hopefully this decline will soon be gone, but it surely can't be easy to keep good sales in such a crowded market.
The newest trailer for the upcoming Western game Red Dead Redemption dropped last week. With every piece of media that comes out for this game, RDR keeps looking better and better. The game will be released April 27, 2010.
EA have today announced that the Medal of Honor series will be making a comeback and that it shall no longer be set in the WWII era. Instead, you can expect to find yourself in Afghanistan.
Medal of Honor will introduce the Tier 1 Operator, which is a relatively unknown entity under the National Command Authority. You will be taking on missions no one else can do.
Since the start of development, the developers have been working closely with Tier 1 Operators from the US Special Operations Community to help create the most "authentic modern war experience". Medal of Honor has been inspired by real events and promises to be an exciting and enriching experience.
EALA will be developing the single player campaign, whilst EA Dice will be taking charge of the multiplayer. EA are hoping to re-boot the series and propel it into the modern era of war games.
Ubisoft announced a new Prince of Persia today, titled Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. This new Prince of Persia will return to the Sands of Time storyline, which is awesome. The last Prince of Persia game did not really blow people away, and I'm excited to see the environments from the Sands of Time games on a next gen console. Ubisoft said that the first trailer for the game will be shown during the VGAs, and the game is set to be released in May 2010.
We can't stress this enough on how much this is simply a rumour, but we've been tipped off that the ever growing and popular streaming music service, Spotify, will be heading to "next gen consoles".
"Since Spotify has really propelled into the industry and successfully launched on all sorts of platforms, I thought it'd be best to let you know that we have something in the works for the next gen consoles", said our tipster. "We've been working on it for some time now and we can't wait to reveal it to you guys!"
"Next gen consoles" would include the Xbox 360, PS3 and the Wii, but what consoles would it be likely to developed for? No idea, but the prospect of Spotify on our favourtie consoles is exciting, and we're really hoping that this rumour is in fact true.
Our source asked to remain anonymous, but we're hoping that it can be trusted. Again, I'd like to emphasis this is just speculation, espeically before the fanboys go crazy...
How would you feel about Spotify hitting your favourite console? Would you use it?
We've contacted Spotify to see if we can get any information from it.
Remember how I told you about the unannounced Pandemic game that got canceled? Well, with all the internet buzz around the leaked trailer, EA has decided to continue developing the game. The footage we have on our site looks like the game is in very early development, so we may not see the game for a year or two, but I love the concept behind the game. Judging from the leaked trailer, it will be an online only shooter that takes place in the Mercenaries world. So this means destroying skyscrapers with more than one of your buddies this time around. The game will continue development with EALA, which is not surprising since 25 or so members from Pandemic are being moved over to the Los Angeles based studio.In case you missed it the first time around, here is the trailer again.
What do you guys think of the Mercs. Inc.?
Rockstar dropped some info about their upcoming Western game today. First off, you have some beautiful screenshots from the game to feast your eye on. They are really stunning, and are directly from the brand new trailer, which will be available on December 1. With more and more information released about this game, Red Dead Redemption is turning out to be my most anticipated release of next year. I enjoyed the game Gun, but it was full of glitches. Red Dead Redemption looks like it will be a little more story driven, and also grounded in reality a bit. The Western genre is one of the most overlooked in the video game business, and I'm glad to see Rockstar giving it attention. Anything they touch is pure gold. RDR will hit stores in April, and check back Dec. 1 for the next trailer titled "My Name is John Marston." Hit the jump for a look at some of the new screens.
So after reading my review about the single player portion of Modern Warfare 2, you are probably curious about the multiplayer part of the sixth Call of Duty game. If you enjoyed Modern Warfare 1's multiplayer, you will not be disappointed. But the same problems exist from the first game in terms of multiplayer. Does it ruin the experience? Lets just say I don't hate playing the multiplayer in Call of Duty, but I can't play it 24/7 like some people. Hit the jump to find out why.
[Editor's Note: Since Modern Warfare 2 is such an enormous game, Baxy-Z is going to have two separate reviews for the game, one for the single player, and one for the spec ops/multiplayer aspect of the game. This single player review may contain spoilers, so read at your own disgretion. But don't say I didn't warn you!]
I don't know how Infinity Ward does it, but they always out do themselves with every game they release. The first Call of Duty was amazing when it was released, then Call of Duty 2 completely blew Call of Duty 1 out of the water. Then they released Modern Warfare 1, and surpassed all expectations for the game. You will be glad to hear that Infinity Ward has once again set the standard for FPS games. Infinity Ward has taken everything from Modern Warfare 1 and made it bigger, louder, and Modern Warfare 2 absolutely incredible, and every gamer is a fan of first person shooters needs to own this game.
Hit the jump to read more about this amazing FPS...
When E3 saw the announcement of Left 4 Dead 2, many people were surprised. They were surprised because it was very sudden and unexpected, yet gamers still complained and moaned that the game was coming out too soon and claimed that Valve “rushed” the game to milk in on the franchise. While this may be partly true, fans of the franchise were upset to see that the game was going to be released as a full retail game and not as downloadable content. But, let me assure you that you have no reason to be upset. Left 4 Dead 2 really is the sequel we all expected and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Left 4 Dead originally brought gamers the chance to co-operatively play through a series of levels with up to 4 other players, which all required a certain extent of teamwork between them all. If someone was injured or required ammo, then one of your team mates could supply them with what they needed to continue with the game. The system worked incredibly well and added something not too many games had seen before. Chuck in hordes of zombies and other monsters, as well as gruesome deaths and an array of guns, and well, you have a successful formula for a brilliantly fun and brutal game. Thankfully, Left 4 Dead 2 doesn’t change the excellent structure, but improves on it to make it an even better experience.
The game is split into 5 different campaigns, each with 4 or 5 chapters. Already, this improves on the original and each level is much longer than and much more varied. For example, during the level inside of a shopping mall, you will have to collect gas canisters to fuel up a get-away car, but of course it isn’t made easy. Another level sees you walking along a thrill ride attraction trying to protect yourself from the infected. You’ll also see yourself in a town, a swamp and a hotel, so as you can tell, the game’s locations are a lot more varied and interesting. Finally, those that were worried about the fact that the game takes place mainly during the day should fear not, as the game still has a great sense of atmosphere throughout thanks to the music and eerie settings.
When a sequel is announced, gamers expect to see improvements over the original, mainly to justify the cost of the game. Of course, when Microsoft announced that Forza Motorsport 3 would be arriving on the Xbox 360 in just a couple of months, a lot of people were divided: excited and anxious. They were excited to see one of the most popular and realistic racers on the market to be updated, yet anxious to see just how much better the franchise could get. Those that are anxious should disregard any type of fear now as I can promise you that Forza Motorsport 3 smashes Forza 2 and leaves it trailing in the dust.
Let me start by saying just how beautiful the game looks. Yes, I know graphics don’t matter in the whole grand scheme of things, but Turn 10 have really made a truly beautiful piece of art. You’ve hopefully seen the screenshots, but they really don’t do the game any justice. Each car is rendered beautifully and all the interior design looks incredible. Even damage on the cars looks good, but it would’ve been great if Turn 10 had made the damage system more dynamic, as it is a little basic. However, the environments look just as great, with the game’s tracks (and there’s over 100 of them) covering locations from all around the world, each track is varied and distinctive.
Just like the cars, the tracks are very detailed, too. Every little crack on the road or every oil spillage will show up on the tarmac. Even tracks from Forza 2 look 100 times better on Forza Motorsport 3. It’s just amazing to think that the developer devoted so love and attention to the smallest details, and whilst playing, you really do appreciate it. Unfortunately, and this was quite a downer for me, there’s no weather or time feature in the game. Each race takes place during the day and it will constantly be sunny. Nevertheless, a racing game has never looked quite so stunning before, and with a steady frame-rate, you will be totally drawn into the game.
One of the main reasons people play video games is to escape reality and take on an alternate persona that you could not do in real life, like being a super soldier on a ring planet, or a roadie who gets taken away to an ancient land inspired by metal music. But sports games have the challenge of not taking someone out of reality, but trying to recreate the sport as close as possible. The past few years, FIFA has been getting closer and closer to replicating the beautiful sport of football (or soccer, as Americans call it, but I will call it football since 99% of the world calls it football). With FIFA '10, EA created the closest any sports game has come to replicating any sport. It is truly a masterpiece.
To all of those playing FIFA '10 right now, you may notice one thing. It feels a helluva lot like FIFA '09. And there is no denying that. FIFA '09 was such a good football game that EA decided to just tweak the game instead of making 250 more improvements like they did between FIFA '08 and FIFA '09. The big improvement with FIFA '10 is more realism. There are four main areas in FIFA '10 where the game has become more realistic: movement, shooting, AI, and what I like to call "off-the-field improvements." Lets explore these four areas....
There's certainly no shortage of shoot 'em ups on the Xbox 360, yet developer after developer tries to be the next Halo or the next Gears of War (if only in terms of sales). Many have come and most have failed, yet WET dares to be that little bit different. Does WET take us for a thrill or does it leave us in the dry?
Cold blooded, killing machine Rubi Malone lives the dusty and deserted state of Texas, and she will do anything for a pretty penny. The story kicks off a year piror to the main game, which sees you running and gunning everyone in Japan to rescue a precious organ. However, fast forward and the same guy you were helping before is now your next target. It's an interesting story, with some subtle plot twists in the game and it does progress nicely. And for those who would like to know, the game’s story was written by Demetrius - who’s best known for his work on the TV series 24.
As for playing the game, things get a bit dry and stale here. The main focus on the game is to shoot: shoot everything that moves. Been there; done that. However, Artificial Mind and Movement have added a slight twist to the generic genre. Jumping, sliding or wall-walking will slow the game down and you’ll be able to pick out various targets in quick time, meaning you can take down 2 or 3 enemies with one jump. It’s an interesting gimmick, but where the game really fails at being good is the fact it all feels incredibly repetitive.
After many entries in the series, Guitar Hero 5 gives Rock Band a competitor for the title of best rhythm-based music game. How does it do? Well, it does a lot of things right, but some of the missteps hurt the game. Don't get me wrong, this is the best Guitar Hero since Guitar Hero 2.
When you first boot up Guitar Hero 5, you are treated to one of its new features: Party Play. In this mode, the game selects random songs to play on the screen. At any time, players can jump into the song and start playing: any instrument, any difficulty. It is a really neat feature, and shows how accessible Guitar Hero 5 is. After rocking out in the Party Play for a little bit, I decided to check out the main menu, and I was overwhelmed. It is amazing to see how far this series has come in terms of content. I'll start off talking about career mode.
I can't remember exactly when it hit me. I know it was around the time that I was playing songs in Abbey Roads Studio. While watching a digital recreation of the most famous band in the world, I realized that Harmonix has something big on their hands. This isn't your typical Rock Band or Guitar Hero game. This game is different. This game is absolutely amazing, and every Rock Band and Guitar Hero game to come out now has huge standards to live up to. The Beatles: Rock Band is the best music rhythm game ever created. Come inside and let me tell you why.
After announcements of this wonderful Metroid-influenced side-scroller's success, I was overjoyed. It deserves all of its success and is a fantastic title to round out the XBLA ‘Summer of Arcade’ with, outmatching all of its competitors. If only all XBLA games were as deep and satisfying.
The game is essentially an exploration of a deep complex – of shadow. A guy and his girlfriend accidentally happen upon a [wait for it] secret, underground base, run by faceless cultists. The main character is played by Nolan North and he brings all his wily charms off the back of his roles in Uncharted and Prince of Persia, but he’s really the only highlight in a very clichéd storyline, but its cheesiness is still endearing.
The game plays much like Metroid – you traverse enclosed areas, water-filled areas, grassy knolls, a lake and plenty of highly tech-y places taken right out of a science-fiction novel...
After decades of being misused, Rocksteady Studios have finally cracked it and made a Batman game worthy of its namesake. I’m not one to usually give into hyperbole, but every ounce of Arkham Asylum is excellent and it is definitely the game I enjoyed the most all of the summer. There’s nothing quite like it, the exploration, the atmosphere therein and the great set pieces that roll out one-after-another for the player, it’s purely genius design.
The game starts off with you, Batman, taking Joker to Arkham Asylum upon capturing him, following him deeper into the prison out of a gut feeling that the maniacal clown is plotting something nasty. This hunch turns out to be correct – within the first ten minutes of the game, Joker escapes and Batman is forced to chase him down. This is made difficult by the villain’s control over the security systems and the release of many of the Bats’ arch nemesis’s, including plenty of the fan favourites. Although some do not appear in game as bosses or cohorts to the Joker, everyone is covered in some way and you even see glimpses of others [such as a certain frosty cell of a certain ice-bound sir]...
The day is almost here. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was one of the best shooters ever released, and gamers have been anticipating the follow up for two years. In 8 days, gamers will finally be able to get their hands on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. In this preview, I'll go over everything you need to know about the game, including new game modes, campaign, and an all new co-op mode called Special Ops. Come, have a seat, and be prepared to be wowed by Modern Warfare 2.
We'll start with the single player. As you remember from Modern Warfare 1, you had to take down Imran Zakhaev and is group of Russian Ultranationalists. As you may have guessed, they are back, and even more pissed off. The new head honcho of the group is Vladimir Makarov, who was an associate to Zakhaev. He is using Zakhaev's death as a way to garner support in Russia, and unleashes his group onto the world. You play as Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, who is a member of Task Force 141. The playable character Sergeant "Soap" MacTavish returns from the first game as a captain in the Special Air Service and the head of Task Force 141. As Sgt. Sanderson, you will get to travel the world taking on the Ultranationalists, going to places like Kazakhstan, Brazil, the Middle East, and a burning Washington D.C. I'm very interested in that level. The single player looks more intense and dramatic than the first game. I hope it is longer than 5 hours this time as well.
Let’s rewind the clock, shall we? Assassin’s Creed was revealed and everyone everywhere was incredibly interested and excited by Ubisoft’s biggest game of the year. The graphics, gameplay and the cool looking plot all got gamers pretty damn hyped for the game. Yet, when it finally was released in November, everyone was staring at it with a blank face and thinking “meh”. That pretty much summed up everyone’s feelings towards the over-hyped game. Ubisoft listened. Fast forward to the end of 2008 and Assassin’s Creed 2 will be on everyone’s mind. Will it be better than the first? Will it be more varied? Will it be more fun? Well, from all the impressions and information trickled out for the game we have three answers for you: yes, yes and yes!
The game’s premise promises to remain the same. You’re an assassin named Ezio Auditore da Firenze and you’re out to seek revenge on the person that killed your father and your town brothers. Not much is known about the plot currently, but Ubisoft have said that it will continue directly on from the original. The game is set in 15th Century Italy, meaning you’ll be visiting new locations. For example, you’ll be in and around Venice, Florence and Rome, and you can expect to see important landmarks.
Obviously, the game needs to add many improvements over the first game if Ubisoft expect it to reach the high expectations of the fans, and boy, have they added many new features to the title. What many people despised the last game for was the lack of variety in the missions and the long waits between each of them. Thankfully, this issue seems to be worked on and now accepting missions is a lot more simple. You can simply accept them on the streets of the game and some missions even have side-missions inside them, allowing you to chose different paths and ways on completing the task. Also, Ubisoft have said that there will are around 14-16 mission types in Assassin's Creed 2, which is nearly 3 times as much as the original. But with 200 missions set to appear in the final game, would that be enough variety to keep the player entertained? I sure hope so.
A year ago, many gamers were gearing up ready for Left 4 Dead, a game which was promised to be a fantastic 4 player on-line horror FPS co-op game. The game certainly delivered when it was released and many fans of the game were excited by the prospect of plentiful free downloadable content. However, 8 months later Valve made a shock announcement: Left 4 Dead 2 was coming out very soon. Many fans (and gamers) questioned the idea and presumed that Valve were cashing in on the franchise. Regardless of the controversy, Valve pushed on and argued that this game would be "bigger and better" than the first and if we know Valve, then I think we can be pretty confident that it will.
Left 4 Dead 2 won't be changing the core gameplay that was present in the first game. You play as one of four of the new characters in the game. Youď¿½â‚¬â„¢ll be able to play as either Coach (originalď¿½â‚¬Â¦) a high-school football coach; Rochelle, a news reporter for a local television station; Ellis, a mechanic; or Nick, a gambler and conman. As before, youď¿½â‚¬â„¢ll be playing from a first person prospective whilst trying to work together to escape the mutants that haunt each of the five brand new chapters in the game.
The same modes from the original also appear in the game, as well as the addition of a new mode: scavenge. Although there isnď¿½â‚¬â„¢t too much information available for the new mode, there are small snippets of information to tell. In the mode, youď¿½â‚¬â„¢ll have to try and collect as many gas canisters as possible, which are used to power the rescue houses and increase your time in the round. But whilst doing this, the infected players then have to try and stop you. It sounds like a pretty interesting addition to the game. Finally, Valve let slip of a new mode ď¿½â‚¬Ĺ“realismď¿½â‚¬ď¿½ mode, but gave no details about it apart from that itď¿½â‚¬â„¢s supposed to give skilled players a challenge.
I've been watching Brutal Legend for sometime now. After the whole Activision-Blizzard buyout, Brutal's future was in doubt. Vivendi Games was originally supposed to publish the game, but after Activision bought out Blizzard, Activision decided it didn't want the game. Then along comes the savior, EA Games. Now, being released October 13, Brutal Legend's goal is to be the most metal game ever made. Does it succeed? Yes, it succeeds hardcore.
The game is about a roadie named Eddie Riggs (played perfectly by Jack Black). He is the best roadie in the industry, and is a huge fan of metal. After an accident at a concert, Eddie's blood awakens an ancient demon that takes him to a mythical world inspired by metal music. Everything is darker, and has a big influence from music. One of Eddie's weapons is a guitar that he uses to electrocute enemies and set them on fire. His other weapon is an axe that he can use to literally rip enemies apart. This game is not intended for little children. The game curses a lot to have more authentic dialogue between roadies. Did I also mention the extreme violence? Yeah, this game is definitely metal!
For all you lucky readers in Europe, FIFA '10 is just around the corner. You will be able to get your hands on the game October 2. But for us in North America, we still have about a month for the full game to be released. That doesn't mean we can't be excited for the game, though. After getting a lot of hands-on time with the demo, I think I can safely say that FIFA '10 will be better than FIFA '09, something that I thought would be an extremely difficult feat.
Lets start off with the biggest feature of FIFA '10: 360 degree dribbling. The previous FIFA games limited the player to an axis where players could only dribble eight ways. With 360 degree dribbling, you are given more control over the players, plus it is more fluid and realistic looking. While watching videos of FIFA '10, you can see the 360 degree dribbling, but when you pick up a controller and experience it yourself, it is a whole new feeling. Everything feels more smooth, and grounded. This sounds weird, but players feel heavy when you control them. It is a huge improvement over FIFA '09.
Forza Motorsport 3 went gold this week, and I'm going to preview the three main elements of the game.
Racing
The racing aspect of Forza is one of the best I know, having played Gran Turismo on the Playstation and Need for Speed on the PC. In my early days, I was hooked on both games, but back then more realism wasn't possible.
Until now. Forza's way of racing is nice, and well thought out. You can go and race the hottest cars all over the globe with just a push on the right trigger, and the game will auto break and aid in turning. Or, for the more hardcore racer, you could turn every thinkable assist off, and drive the car like you would in real life.
The damage on cars is very noticeable, you'll even be able to see the slightest scratch on the chassis. You could flip over, land on your side and slide off the hill until you stop, and then press rewind to watch it over and over again.
The rewind fuction is great way to learn how to drive in Forza 3. If you screw something up in a turn, just press rewind until right before the turn,
and you can take the turn again, without any loss of time, but your time on the leaderboards will become unverified.
Fall is on the way, and that means that we can expect a new Guitar Hero game. Technically speaking, this will be the eighth Guitar Hero game. It is called Guitar Hero 5 because it is the fifth full game, I think. I'm not really sure anymore. Anyway, you don't care about the number or name. You want to know about the game. It is Guitar Hero, so you know what the core gameplay will be like. But Neversoft and Activision has put a lot of work into the game to make sure you aren't playing the same game you played last year. With new features, 85 songs, updated graphics, and the ability to have multiple same instruments playing at once, this Guitar Hero is looking like it could be the best Guitar Hero by Neversoft.
The biggest feature of Guitar Hero 5 is drop in/drop out gameplay. If you set the game in party mode, the game will randomly play songs from the set list. So if you are having a little get together, let Guitar Hero be your radio. But if a song comes up that someone wants to play, it would be a pain to have to go to the main menu, find the song again, get everyone ready, and start playing. Not this year. Just pick up the guitar, press start, choose your difficulty, and you automatically start playing. It is a really neat feature. Once you are done, you can just drop out of the game, or if you pass the instrument onto a less or more skilled player, you can change the difficulty on the fly. Neversoft has put a lot of work into making the game more accessible to the more casual players. There is no limit to the number of instruments you use this year as well. So if you have three people wanting to play lead guitar, or four people wanting to play drums, or two people sing, you now have that option. Guitar Hero 5 has almost no limits in the way to play.
Hit the jump for more info on this rock 'n roll game.
Over the years, Batman has had the spotlight of the cinema and comic world with its portrayals of the dark knight, but rarely has there been a good game based on our favourite hero. Now, Rocksteady Studios has stepped up to try and deliver a truly memorable experience, aiming to combine the charm of the comic books with entertaining gameplay. Judging from the latest demo [on XBL now – go play] and early impressions, it seems like they’ve been successful; could this be the first Batman game to live up to the heralded franchise?
To start, the storyline of this game is a massive departure from previous games. Covering a new arc in the series where Joker (voice provided by an emasculating Mark Hamil) escapes his guards whilst entering Arkham Asylum: he traps Batman in this creepy, gothic environment, filled with escaped prisoners, monstrous creatures that were before being kept safely in the prison. All the while, our bat is locked in a battle of wills with the Joker...
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey is the latest World War 2 airborne dog fighter game from 505 Games and Gaijin Entertainment. The game’s been on my radar (pun slightly intended) for some time now, and with the game coming out at the start of September, I thought now would be a great time to look at why a lot of us should be looking forward to it.
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey is based around large-scale and open-sky combat as well as the ground military operations of World War 2. In the game, you’ll be able to take control and fight in some of the most famous fighter planes from that era. You’ll be able to take control of battle planes and heavy bombers across an array of missions. The game will see you taking battle across Europe in five different theatres of war: The Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily and Korsun.
Gaijin Entertainment have really taken advantage of the amount of power the Xbox 360 gives them and have created a fantastic game engine, to make the experience even more realistic. Aircraft stress will appear on the plane and damage taken to the aircraft will be shown accordingly. Get a few bullets threw your wings and you’ll see the holes which have damaged you and you’ll notice that controlling your aircraft will be that much harder.
The joining of one of the most popular bands of all time and one of the most popular video games of all time is almost upon us. The Beatles: Rock Band is coming out in a little less than a month, and fans are eagerly waiting in anticipation to get their hands on the game. The Beatles: Rock Band is aiming to be the most popular music game to date, and with how the game is shaping up, it looks like it could be possible.
Beatles: Rock Band features 45 songs from The Beatles music catalog. Unlike other games that focus on one band, The Beatles: Rock Band will only feature music from The Beatles. Of the 45 songs, Harmonix has named 27 of the songs already. You will be able to play songs like "Twist and Shout," "Yellow Submarine" and one of my favorites, "Paperback Writer."
The career mode in Beatles: Rock Band is a different than the previous versions of Rock Band. You will play through The Beatles' career, and play in different venues that The Beatles played in. The career mode starts in the Cavern Club where The Beatles first started. From there, you will play on the Ed Sullivan show, then Shea Stadium, head to Japan and play in Budokan, retreat to Abbey Road Studios, and then end it all with the famous Rooftop Concert. Each song is associated with each venue, so you won't be able to play Twist and Shout at Budokan. But there is a reason for that. Each song and venue represents a different time period for The Beatles, so Harmonix thought it would be weird to make you play in random venues
In about 5 hours time, Christmas day will finally be upon us. After the long and cold winter nights, the guy with the sack in red will be dropping into our chimneys and hopefully leaving the game we want this Year.
2009 has been a great year for Baxy-Z. We officially launched in February and we've grown stronger and stronger and bigger and bigger. I would like to thank everyone that's helped with the site. Of course, first and foremost to my right hand Myles. He's obviously been there from the start and he's helped to post a great amount of content in the last 9 month. He's also a very loyal and great friend.
Another thank you goes out to Brandon, who has been with us since the early days. Brandon has stuck with us posting news, reviews, previews and even posting photos from certain Halo events. Again, it's been a pleasure having him on board and hope to be saying the same thing next year.
I would also like to say thanks to Sky Otic who helped us through the summer and attended the Gamescom convention earlier this year. Again, a great help, but sadly he is no longer with us. A great shame, but someone who we won't forget.
And finally, a great big thank you to all of you for visiting. You're what really keeps us going. Without you guys, we would be literally nothing so it's great that you rely on us for your Xbox 360 related news, reviews, preview, etc.
HOWEVER
2010 will be the start of something new. Huge changes will be happening and we can't wait to share them with you. Maybe we have an exclusive game to reveal? Maybe we have hands on impressions of a big game for the start of 2010. Or maybe we have something even better... We'll let you ponder over that for when we return on January 4th 2010 when we shall reveal the first ever details of this exciting new project!
Until then, merry Christmas and have a happy new year. Peace out!
In gaming, money is everything. Money funds the retailers, who buy from the distributor, who will be paying or be part of a publisher and they fund development of games. With this in mind, it is by no coincidence that some of gaming’s biggest releases have prolific and extensive advertising, or are hyped extensively by fans. Usually, this leads to disappointment and sometimes the follow-up to a big release is more fun than the title itself, but each build-up of unprecedented media hyperbole and usually inaccurate word-of-mouth is memorable in of itself.
So, what were some of the biggest ‘hype trains’ of this generation – so far at least – plus, how did the eventual release compare to its coverage? Here are Baxy’s own picks for the top eleven, if you just click 'full story...'
With Christmas fast approaching, parties are pretty much inevitable. Regardless of whether you’re having a party with friends or just having a bit of fun after a traditional Christmas meal, you’re bound to want to have some time to relax and have a bit of fun. With the age of technology now upon us, board games are starting to disappear in favor of gaming consoles. In case you aren’t sure what games to bring to the party this year, check out our list below for what we believe are the top 10 party games to play this Christmas.
10 – Hasbro Family Games (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
Yes, I know, not the most amazing game ever developed, but that’s not to say it doesn’t make a good party game. Hasbro Family Games combines all those classic board games compiled into one disk (or if you chose to, you can download) and can be played online or with up to 4 other players.
Everyone can get involved and most people will know how to play the game right off the bat. However, buying the console, the game and the controllers will obviously work out a lot more expensive. But if you don’t want to dust off your old board games and want easy and quick access, this is a must for any Christmas after meal party.
9 – Wario Ware: Smooth Moves (Wii)
Near to the start of the Wii’s life cycle comes a quirky and brilliant game. Probably one of the most random games you’ll ever play, but is a helluva lot of fun – especially if drunk. For those that don’t know what Wario Ware is at all, you basically have to complete quick-fire, 5 second mini games using the Wii remote in a verity of strange and obscure positions.
The mini games are completely hilarious and really do make for a fantastic experience, something you’ll probably never experience with any other game. It’s simple and easy to jump into, so anyone at your party can join in. Plus, these make great “You’ve Been Framed” clips. It’s a win-win situation!
2009 is slowly, but surely coming to a close. We’ve had a rollercoaster of a ride with game releases this year, but now that we’re at year’s end, those big hits are already here. Of course, with Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Assassin’s Creed 2 (notice anything…) out of the way, what are gamers left with for the first half of 2010? Well, from our list below, quite a lot. There’s a lot of titles you should be excited for in 2010 (Zelda Wii, PLEASE), but here’s our list of what should be high on your shopping list for the first half of 2010.
Immersion in gaming is an aspect that many developers miss, but not the developers of Resident Evil. Throughout each instalment in the zombie shoot ‘em up – whether in dimly lit hallways, in luscious outside environments or in gritty industrial plants – the cast of enemies the games pit you against are about as morbid as it gets. Perhaps not as creepy as ones found in Silent Hill, but certainly more disgusting and just as nightmarish; these creatures are truly the greatest part of immersion in the franchise, which partly claims its fame due to claustrophobic level design and awkward controls, bringing in fans time and time again only for them to stutter in shock of scares that are always waiting around each corner. Yes, they’re that good, so why not have a top ten?
Resident Evil has no limit in great enemies in terms of design, difficulty and effect, so we’re just classifying this as the ultimate or “best” list. We’ve avoided cliché spots such as the generic zombies, hounds or crows; this is the crčme de la crčme of monsters...
David Rutter, Producer of the FIFA franchise, was able to take a couple minutes out of his schedule to answer a few questions about FIFA '10.
David Rutter, Producer, FIFA Soccer 10 on Xbox 360 and PS3
Baxy-Z: FIFA '09 was not only one of the best soccer games of all time, but one of the best sports games that I've ever played. What did you guys do to make sure that FIFA '10 still feels fresh to the long time fans?
David Rutter: This year we spent a lot of times cruising the forums and talking to people. We even flew a bunch of guys over from our main fan websites and played early builds with them for a few days. Generally we find what matters most to our hardcore fans and focus on these elements. This year in FIFA 10 we added not just a heap of improvements to the gameplay based on this feedback, but a raft of features too. A practice arena and match, major improvements to manager mode being the two biggest. We also focus on innovating new features in the game so you see unexpected features like Create Set Pieces and Virtual Pro.
With the release date announced for the next Dashboard update slated as November 17th, people are starting to get excited to be able to tweet or update their status through their Xbox’s. But if begs the question, will it really benefit the Xbox 360?
Facebook, Last FM and Twitter were all announced at this year’s E3, and I admit, the ability to listen to streaming music on the 360 sounds great; and being able to view my friend’s statuses is also a pretty cool idea. But is it really helpful? I’d say no. My Xbox is right next to my computer, and to be honest, it would be a lot quicker and easier to use my PC as opposed to the Xbox. The on-screen controller (without the QWERTY keyboard add-on) is very time consuming, and conventional typing is a lot easier.
Obviously, that’s just me, but I’m sure the same can be said about the rest of you, too.
Many phones, PDAs and iPods can now access Facebook and twitter almost instantly, from pretty much anywhere in the world. You can update your status anytime, and anywhere, and probably a lot easier than it would be if you were trying to do it on the 360. Remember, the Xbox 360 isn’t portable, and in most cases, the Xbox is bound to be in the bedroom… which is likely where your computer or some other piece of technology is likely to be.
However, it’s still very cool to be able to update your status whilst in game, and be able to have the ability to access your Facebook through Live whilst ripping through locusts in Gears of War.
When Nintendo first shown to the world, back in 2005, what their ideas of what gaming should be about, everyone in the world pointed and laughed in their faces. Claims that it would be "gimmicky" and that it was quickly dismissed by many gamers. However, fast forward a little bit and gamers, as well as developers, finally saw the potential of the strange little device.
Yet, even with people now warming up to the Wii remote, developers, gamers and publishers were uneasy by the trend Nintendo had suddenly taken. Of course, being rival companies, both Sony and Microsoft bashed Nintendo for their radical change in prospective. They were all like "we have better graphics so people will hate your console" (they were very child-like about it in my opinion), yet I'm sure that both companies knew Nintendo were on to something.
The Wii was finally released, and then the potential was finally realised, and Nintendo were rolling in the cash. Sony and Microsoft both wanted in.
Fast forward about 3 years and E3 2009 took place. Rumours had been flying around about the two other companies about the direction they would take in terms of gaming, and out of the two, Microsoft shocked crowds more than Sony did with their little stick.
Project Natal was finally announced and, to be quite honest, made the world stop and listen. The new premise was something new and exciting. It may of started out looking like Sony's Eye Toy, but it soon became apparent that it was so much more.
Microsoft demoed the new device using various tech demos, and it shown gamers a brand new dimension of gaming. The idea of the Wii remote to help immerse yourself in the game by doing the actions on screen in real -life, but Microsoft went even further: they made YOU part of the game.
To help break down why I believe (remember, this is my opinion) Project Natal will be better than the competitions, I've split it into 2 sections: "Project Natal Vs. The Wii Remote" and "Project Natal Vs. The PlayStation Motion Controller".
Yes, I know all three are very different in what they do and how they change the way that we play games, but I still think that Natal will better them all.
With the release of the demo on Tuesday, I've had myself plenty of time to get to grips with the game. After tearing up the tarmac with every car and trying everything there is to do in the -limited- demo, I thought it would be great to find out my demo impressions of the game in case you're still not quite sure what all the fuss is about.
I just want to point out that I am not, in any way, a fan of motorcar racing, nor am I particularly fond of racing games in general. So there's noway I will be even slightly bias towards the game because of the genre. But anyway, I have to say what I did play left me very, very impressed.
Like I said, the demo is quite "limited" in terms of what you actually get to play. Although there are 5 cars to chose - from the 400 available in the final game - within the demo, there is sadly only 1 track you can race on. It doesn't really give a sense of how much there will be in the game, and I was slightly disappointed by the lack of choice within the demo. Demo or not, would've been nice to of seen one or two more tracks in the game - that would've really got me drooling at the mouth for the game. Nevertheless, that one track did leave me very impressed, and the demo clearly worked as it really did leave me wanting more.
Assassin's Creed was received with a mixed bag of reviews from both players and critics alike when it was released two years ago. With that in mind, Ubisoft went away with the criticisms and have tried to create the best possible game they could. In this article, I've researched 10 reasons why Assassin's Creed II will hands down demolish everything about the original.
1 - Much More Freedom -
Although the first game was pretty much free-roaming, the game did eventually limit what you could do and where you could go. However, Assassin's Creed 2 promises to be much more flexible and this time, you'll be able to swim through the canals of Venice as hiding spots. Furthermore, you'll be able to drive small boats and other vehicles.
2 - Many More Missions -
The first game had some missions which seemed very promising, but sadly gamers soon found out that they became a little tiresome a little too quick. Thankfully, the sequel promises to have a lot more varied missions and side-quests throughout the game. For example, you may be pick-pocketed and so you can now chose whether to chase them and claim your money back or leave it and continue with your main mission. A lot more variety can only mean a lot more fun.
3 - New Health System -
Some would say that the first game was easy due to the health system used in the first game. Because of this, Ubisoft have changed the way Ezio will be able to heal. You'll now have to see doctors on the side of the streets before you can be restored to full health. This makes the game that much more challenging and hopefully make the player more cautious than running into battle.
It's been a while; perhaps a bit too long! However, let me assure you that we're still here and believe me when I say we have a lot planned in the next few days! Remember when I teased something was happening with the site? Well, I can now reveal to you Baxy-Z Version 3!
I've posted some sneak-peaks at what the design will look like, but as for features, they're staying hush-hush until the site launches sometime early February. We're currently aiming for a 1st of Feb launch, but, like with games, we may push it back a little to get the site at a high standard!
Not only do we have a fresh design coming into play, we're also changing a lot of things too! We're now expanding to focus on all consoles and not limit ourselves to just the Xbox. We're also going to start focusing on video content a lot more, too (some of which is on our Facebook page). Finally, we're implanting a diverse user system to help create a much more established community!
We've all been working very hard on the upcoming site update and we're super excited about sharing it with you. This will really make up for the lack of site updates. I'll keep you updated with anything else, but really, this new site will give us a fresh start and allow us to deliver much, much higher quality articles and site features!
So please, stick with us! Your loyalty WILL be paid off soon!
Hello old friends. How are you doing? I feel like we haven't spoken in a long time. How was your holidays? Was it filled with a lot of gaming? I played a lot of video games this break. I played a lot of games of FIFA '10, a lot of Modern Warfare 2, and finally got Left 4 Dead 2, which is awesome. Although I am having problems with my Xbox. It is having problems reading the discs! This would be the fourth time I'd have to send my console to repair, and the last time I sent it to repair I got a refurbished console back. That was this past September, and my warranty is already expired. I think I need to give a call to Microsoft. It is really starting to get annoying. Anyway, post in the comments what you guys did this break. Make sure to stay tuned to Baxy-z, we have a lot of exciting things coming your way. I'm extremely excited about what is going on behind the scenes, and you guys should be very anxious to see what is coming with the site. I hope all of our readers had a great holiday.
Even though 2009 had a lot of great games come out, and a lot of great games were announced, there was still some very disappointing things that happened in 2009. I've compiled a list of what we feel is the 10 most disappointing things that happened in the world of gaming in 2009. Lets get this list started...
10: No Hitman Announcement in 2009
This one is more of a personal disappointment for me. I love the Hitman games, with the last one being released in 2006. I figured we would hear something this year, considering Square Enix announced that a new Hitman game was being scheduled for a Christmas release...Christmas of 2008. Hopefully we will hear something next year.
For those unfamiliar with the banning spree taking place in Modern Warfare 2’s online, you only had to play the game online a few days ago to pretty much fully understand why it has happened. A bug in the game allowed for players to ‘self-destruct’ with a combination of button presses, enabling cheap kills and essentially dismantling all element of strategy in tactical game modes. With such a popular game played by mainly kids, it’s also very understandable that the cheat spread like wildfire online until it became a serious problem...
It was by no means a surprise when Activision announced that the Call of Duty series would be going modern again, especially after the great reception Call of Duty 4 received. It was mainly praised by the great visuals and action-packed multiplayer, and I agree, it was a truly fantastic game. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 following 2 years later, it had a lot to live up to and of course, many people were hyped for its release.
When the reviews came out, no-one was disappointed. Everyone was enjoying it, and many cried that it was “game of the year” (even before its release!). However, the release of such a blockbuster hit meant that many other publishers were worried that the launch of the game would shadow their releases, which obviously meant that many games were delayed to –hopefully- stand a better chance at retail. So, my question: was the success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 fair on everyone else?
Yes, I know we're an Xbox 360 website (for now), but this is something I just had to share with you guys!
Those of you that have a Wii will know about the Homebrew Channel. For those that don't, it's basically a hack created to allow gamers to do all sorts with their Wiis. Of course, Nintendo were never too happy about it and released updates to block it at all costs.
A man named Erik Estavillo downloaded the latest Wii software update which obviously blocked him from accessing the channel. Because of this, he's now wanting to sue Nintendo for blocking him from using it.
He's claiming that he used to it to unlock characters in Mario Kart Wii. But he says some characters can only be unlocked by playing Super Mario Galaxy and believes that "Nintendo is forcing customers to buy another game to unlock one character in a different game.” He may be pretty pissed off, but he better have a good lawyer if he even wants to touch Nintendo.
With the holiday season fast approaching, publishers are on the attack with their latest games. With trailers, reviews and information being released every second, the publishers are trying to squeeze every last bit of attention their game can get for when it's finally released. Of course, the most amount of exposure will come from adverts. Be it on the TV, radio, in a magazine or through a website, the publishers are hoping that it will convince vast amounts of people to buy their product(s).
Publishers dedicate a huge amount of their budget for a game to their advertising, so the question is, does it work? Have you even been watching TV when an ad appears and it actually encourages you to go out and buy the game? Or have you seen the score next to a game in the advert and decided to rely on that for your purchase?
But it also raises questions on what makes a good game advert. Of course, an advert for a game such as Wii Fit wouldn't have the same appeal or impact as an ad for a game such as Modern Warfare 2. They would be aimed at totally different audiences and have different strategies to make the biggest amount of noise as possible.
Even though Baxy-Z is a Xbox 360 site, we don't turn away from other things happening in the gaming world. We know that Uncharted 2 is amazing, as Myles told us in his review. We also know that PC gamers are really mad about the upcoming version of Modern Warfare 2. Why, you may ask. Well, for starters the game is going to cost $60. Xbox 360 games cost $60, big whoop right? Wrong. Big budget PC games normally cost $50 when they are released. The first Modern Warfare was $50, Call of Duty: World at War was $50, so why this price hike? Activision really hasn't said, but I am assuming they increased the price because they can. They know a lot of people are going to buy it, so why not get $10 extra out of everybody. This is the first thing that is messed up with the PC version.
Go inside to see what else is wrong with the PC version
If I were to summarize Left 4 Dead 2's conscienceless half-measures I'd need only one word: daft. It is worth noting at the outset that if you can make any sense out Left 4 Dead 2's nasty invectives then you must have gotten higher marks in school than I did. Left 4 Dead 2 maintains that unfounded attacks on character, loads of hyperbole, and fallacious information are the best way to make a point. This is complete—or at least, incomplete—baloney. For instance, Left 4 Dead 2 fails to mention that if we take its nostrums to their logical conclusion, we see that in the coming days, it will redefine humanity as alienated machines/beasts and then convince everyone that they were never human to begin with.
Left 4 Dead 2 is a serial exaggerator. If I were to be less kind, I'd say it's a liar. Either way, if everyone does his own, small part, together we can put to rest the animosities that have kept various groups of people from enjoying anything other than superficial unity. Above all, Left 4 Dead 2 is doing more harm than good to its cause. Left 4 Dead 2 will probably throw another hissy fit if we don't let it shove the nation towards resistentialism. At least putting up with another Left 4 Dead 2 hissy fit is easier than convincing Left 4 Dead 2's drones that I've tried explaining to Left 4 Dead 2's lickspittles that Left 4 Dead 2's essays contain a farrago of extraordinary claims with little or no evidence. Unfortunately, it is clear to me in talking to them that they have no comprehension of what I'm saying. I might as well be talking to creatures from Mars. In fact, I'd bet Martians would be more likely to discern that Left 4 Dead 2 claims to have turned over a new leaf shortly after getting caught trying to provide cover for a tyrannical agenda. This claim is an outright lie that is still being circulated by Left 4 Dead 2's torchbearers.
Some videos are popping up all over the internet of people who have gotten their hands on an early copy of Modern Warfare 2. This is no surprise, as big game releases usually get leaked before release day. But one video has caught people by surprise. While it was only on the internet for a short time before Activision had it taken down, many people feel that this opening is pushing it a little to far. Since we can't host the video, I'll describe the video to you.
The opening level is the airport terrorist attack that you have seen in the trailers for MW2. But you don't take the spectator role in this level. You play as an undercover CIA agent working with the terrorist cell, and you participate in the airport massacre, mowing down innocent civilians left and right. A couple of a times a wounded civilian would be crawling on the floor, only to be shot in the back. After you make it through the airport and a couple thousand bullets, you have to square off with the police outside of the airport. It is a horrific scene, but in all honesty, I think this is the perfect way to start off the game. It is a very intense, eye opening level, and that is the kind of intensity Infinity Ward is going for. After watching the video, I'm even more excited for this game. If we find the video somewhere on the internet, we'll make sure to post it for you guys. If you have seen the video, what did you think about it?
UPDATE: We have found the video. It is after the jump. Watch it if you want, but it is kind of a spoiler. If you do watch it, tell us what you think.
UPDATE 2: It looks like Activision asked Destructoid to take the video down, so we no longer the video up.
Welcome to Gamescom 2009(19 - 23 August 2009)
Welcome to Baxy-Z's Gamescom 2009 coverage section. Here, we'll have SkyOtic updating you with all the latest happenings from the convention. He's there and will hopefully update you when it happens as it happens. Also, hopefully, he'll be able to talk to publishers and developers and bring you some exclusive content. Keep your browsers pointed here when it starts.
Here is the newest trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2. It is a humorous take on the multiplayer aspect of the game. I'm glad that the team is keeping the humor in the game. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 hits retailers in March, 2010.
On the back of a rather uneventful Microsoft conference at Gamescom, there has been some good news - a new Fable game! The theme of this new game appears to be that of conflict and morality, as the child of the hero in Fable II attempts to lead Fable's world of Albion through division. The method of which is apparently left up to the player and along with the proficient website updates of controversial leaders, it seems like Fable III will focus heavily on player choices. Alongside this, Lionhead announced that Fable II will appear on XBL episodically, with the first episode free!
It would be far from the first role-playing game to do so. In this generation alone, we have seen multiple games with similar choices. Mass Effect was perhaps the earliest, in 2007, allowing the player to choose the fate of an entire universe. Later, Bethesda, advanced upon its Elder Scrolls formula and created Fallout 3's deeper alignment system...
While our own SkyOtic is at Gamescom '09 in Germany, everyone else at Baxy-z has to sit and watch the news from the convention trickle in. But that doesn't mean we won't get to see some sweet stuff, like the newest trailer for FIFA '10. Along with having a public demo at the convention, EA has released a new trailer for the game showing a lot of the new features. The game is looking really awesome. Hopefully SkyOtic will have some time in his busy schedule to get some hands-on with the game!
Hello old friends. How are you doing? I feel like we haven't spoken in a long time. How was your holidays? Was it filled with a lot of gaming? I played a lot of video games this break. I played a lot of games of FIFA '10, a lot of Modern Warfare 2, and finally got Left 4 Dead 2, which is awesome. Although I am having problems with my Xbox. It is having problems reading the discs! This would be the fourth time I'd have to send my console to repair, and the last time I sent it to repair I got a refurbished console back. That was this past September, and my warranty is already expired. I think I need to give a call to Microsoft. It is really starting to get annoying. Anyway, post in the comments what you guys did this break. Make sure to stay tuned to Baxy-z, we have a lot of exciting things coming your way. I'm extremely excited about what is going on behind the scenes, and you guys should be very anxious to see what is coming with the site. I hope all of our readers had a great holiday. 
After decades of being misused, Rocksteady Studios have finally cracked it and made a Batman game worthy of its namesake. I’m not one to usually give into hyperbole, but every ounce of Arkham Asylum is excellent and it is definitely the game I enjoyed the most all of the summer. There’s nothing quite like it, the exploration, the atmosphere therein and the great set pieces that roll out one-after-another for the player, it’s purely genius design.
Let’s rewind the clock, shall we? Assassin’s Creed was revealed and everyone everywhere was incredibly interested and excited by Ubisoft’s biggest game of the year. The graphics, gameplay and the cool looking plot all got gamers pretty damn hyped for the game. Yet, when it finally was released in November, everyone was staring at it with a blank face and thinking “meh”. That pretty much summed up everyone’s feelings towards the over-hyped game. Ubisoft listened. Fast forward to the end of 2008 and Assassin’s Creed 2 will be on everyone’s mind. Will it be better than the first? Will it be more varied? Will it be more fun? Well, from all the impressions and information trickled out for the game we have three answers for you: yes, yes and yes!
If I were to summarize Left 4 Dead 2's conscienceless half-measures I'd need only one word: daft. It is worth noting at the outset that if you can make any sense out Left 4 Dead 2's nasty invectives then you must have gotten higher marks in school than I did. Left 4 Dead 2 maintains that unfounded attacks on character, loads of hyperbole, and fallacious information are the best way to make a point. This is complete—or at least, incomplete—baloney. For instance, Left 4 Dead 2 fails to mention that if we take its nostrums to their logical conclusion, we see that in the coming days, it will redefine humanity as alienated machines/beasts and then convince everyone that they were never human to begin with.
