Tag: Videogames

Activision Reveals Call of Duty XP 2011 Details

Activision has released details on its upcoming Call of Duty XP 2011 expo , which takes place on September 2 and 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA. It looks like a massive event that will keep rabid Call of Duty fans happy. It’s not all fun and games though. Activision was quick to point out that 100 percent of ticket sales benefit its Call of Duty Endowment charity, which helps soldiers with job placement and training after they’ve served the United States. That’s awesome!

As for the event itself, here are some details from the press release:

Total Call of Duty immersion is coming to a secure 12-acre compound in the urban confines of Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend, where more than 6,000 fans will be the first to witness the world premiere of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer. Attendees will be among the first to have the opportunity to get hands-on time with multiplayer and the new Spec Ops survival co-op mode. Also on display for the first time will be the full feature functionality of Call of Duty® Elite, the innovative new online service, built from the ground-up to support Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Supporting this epic reveal is a series of real-world Call of Duty action-experiences and gaming competitions as well as an unprecedented $1 million Call of Duty tournament by Activision and the event’s lead sponsor, Xbox 360. Through Activision’s network of global partners, fans will have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament prior to the event by showcasing their skills in Call of Duty®: Black Ops multiplayer through regional promotions and competitions. For those unable to qualify in advance, there will be select, on-site/at-large qualifications, further expanding the opportunity to compete for cash prizes among some of the best Call of Duty players in the world. For anyone that can’t be on hand, but still wants to keep an eye on the action, fans from around the world can link up for a connected experience by watching a constant stream of high-production value videos that will be available through television and the web, as well as a constant stream of photos and status updates from the event via social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter.

Be sure to check the official Call of Duty XP site for more details and ticket announcements. It sounds like an awesome event and I can’t wait to go. How about you guys and gals? Any of you thinking of making the trek to Los Angeles for an awesome Call of Duty show?

Watch My Dungeon Siege III Review (Please)!!!

While I’m continuing to battle the upgrades to the RPad.tv comment system, I’d super appreciate it if you watched my video review for Dungeon Siege III. If you have extra moments, please give the review a thumbs and leave a comment. I’m sifting through the comments now and replying to as many people as I can (mostly because I miss having a comment system that works perfectly). Thanks in advance!

Source

Fresh Batch of Final Fantasy XIII-2 Screenshots

Square Enix has sent over some new Final Fantasy XIII-2 screens. Most of them are shots of battle sequences, but there are a few images of event scenes too. Some of you will recall that FFXIII-2 was one of my top five games of E3 2011. If you need more background info on the game then check out this preview. So far, my only major issue with the game is that it doesn’t have a Reona Rewis song.

Enjoy the screens and let me know what you think (please)!

[nggallery id=64]

Xbox Live Summer of Arcade Schedule

It’s time for the summer of Bastion!!! Oops, I meant the annual Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. In case you missed it, here’s the schedule for Microsoft’s downloadable summer blockbuster extravaganza. All of the games cost…

It’s time for the summer of Bastion!!! Oops, I meant the annual Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. In case you missed it, here’s the schedule for Microsoft’s downloadable summer blockbuster extravaganza. All of the games cost 1,200 Microsoft Points, save for Fruit Ninja Kinect, which is 800.

Date Title Price (MS Points)
July 20 Bastion 1200
July 27 From Dust 1200
August 3 Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet 1200
August 10 Fruit Ninja Kinect 800
August 17 Toy Soldiers: Cold War 1200

As many of you know, I’m super high on Bastion and can’t wait to play it. I’m not too familiar with the other games (that aren’t Fruit Ninja). Do you have any recommendations? Which Summer of Arcade 2011 games are you planning to pick up?

Source

Coffee Talk #370: What’s the Oldest Game You Still Play?

What’s the oldest game you still play? I’m not talking about remakes or downloads of old games. I’m talking about a game that you still have the original cartridge or disc for. Do you even play old games like that?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Scarlett Johansson breaking up with Sean Penn, fights with CSS stylesheets, or hoping the Google Nexus Prime will be endorsed by Optimus Prime, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

What’s the oldest game you still play? I’m not talking about remakes or downloads of old games. I’m talking about a game that you still have the original cartridge or disc for. Do you even play old games like that? Or are you all current gen?

As for me, I still play Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance (2003) every few weeks or so. As many of you know, I love the FFT series and portable gaming. FFTA was pretty much made for me and I’ll be keeping my DS Lite around for years so that I can keep playing it (…or until a downloadable version is released for the 3DS).

So how about you? What’s the oldest game you still play?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There’s a trio of interesting games out this week. Fighting-game fans will want to pick up Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition to take their Capcom fighter skills to new heights. If fighting giant robots are more to your liking then Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 will do you good. Looking for a fitness game that’s more macho? Perhaps UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System is just what the doctor ordered. Just don’t go all Cheick Kongo on your TV.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’m super tempted to start The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D this weekend, but I should save it for an upcoming trip to Hawaii. If I can fend off temptation for another week, I’ll be spending most of this weekend playing Dungeon Siege III. As noted in my review, the game is full of flaws — especially the crap multiplayer — but I’m still having fun with the solo campaign.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Read My Dungeon Siege III Review (Please)!

My review of Dungeon Siege III is up at Machinima.com. Please check it out and leave a comment if you have a moment. I enjoyed the single-player mode; it’s a fun, by-the-books action-RPG similar to Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. The graphics are dated, but I still enjoyed hacking, slashing, and looting. Unfortunately, the game’s multiplayer is a wreck. It uses a limited system that doesn’t allow character importing and exporting. What the hell?!?

Anyway, here’s a clip from the review:

As a single-player game, Dungeon Siege III succeeds as a fun action-RPG. It doesn’t offer anything particularly new, but gamers that enjoy hacking and looting by themselves should have fun. As a multiplayer game, Dungeon Siege III is disappointing. Its inability to import and export characters limits the amount of fun, and the likely level of enthusiasm anyone will want to commit to the mode. Obsidian Entertainment did an acceptable job at advancing the Dungeon Siege franchise, but like the company’s other sequels, it did not take the franchise to new heights.

It’s a good game, but it could have been great.

Source

Coffee Talk #367: Hidden Coins and Smashing Barrels

I’ve been having lots of fun playing Dungeon Siege III for the last week, but some of its old-school RPG conventions are…comical. For example, I smashed hundreds of barrels and pots looking for…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the congressional bill that looks to battle bogus 4G claims, Mark Cuban buying a baseball team, or the 2011 NBA draft, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’ve been having lots of fun playing Dungeon Siege III for the last week, but some of its old-school RPG conventions are…comical. For example, I smashed hundreds of barrels and pots looking for treasure. Why do people leave weapons and coins in barrels? Why do heroes think it’s okay to smash every barrel they see? Are you given a license to smash every barrel you choose when you’re issued a sword and shield? Hell, at several points in the game I was thinking, “You know, if I lived in the kingdom of Ehb, I’d make barrels and pots. With all these a-hole heroes smashing them, there would always be a demand. I’d be frickin’ loaded!!!”

Then there’s the matter of monsters dropping coins. Whether it’s poisonous slug creatures or a giant spiders, all the monsters in Dungeon Siege III drop coins (and sometimes weapons). This was understandable in 1996. In 2011, it seems silly. Why are monsters carrying around loose change? Where do they put the coins? Do they hide them in their rectum or silk glands? Do monsters think they can walk up to local merchants and buy things with their gold?

In 2004, InXile made fun of several RPG conventions with the awesomely tongue-in-cheek The Bard’s Tale. Seven years later, developers are still using these design techniques. I wonder what year it will be when RPGs are free or barrel smashing and hidden coins in monsters? Will I live to see the day?

Are there any old game design techniques that irk you because they should have stopped being used a long time ago? Or are you content to smash barrels and pots in games for the rest of your life?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

It’s a great week for videogame releases! FEAR 3 has been getting some good reviews and is a fine pick for those longing for some atmospheric action. Shinki Mikami (Resident Evil) and Suda 51 (No More Heroes) team up on Shadows of the Damned. I totally goofed on Dungeon Siege III last week; it comes out this week. Sorry!

Last, but not least, is the first great games for the Nintendo 3DS — The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D!!! I’m so looking forward to diving into the game this weekend!

Any of you picking up new games this week?