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The Memory Card .46: Insult swordfighting!

Review:
Tomb Raider Underworld

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Get your running shoes on: we have 80 copies of Mirror's Edge to give away!

News:
Gran Turismo 5 release date still in the air, fast car devs build slow
Virtual Peace 'better than shooting 'em up'
Ken Levine likes PC gaming, would like to have it back
Square Enix expected to bid for Eidos
Character in Animal Crossing tosses out the N-word, Nintendo rescues our eyes
Harrison: Kids will soon refuse to buy discs
Research group says that consoles are the new hotness for on-demand video
Could Brutal Legend news be coming? We all hope so
Qore episode 7 is free this week at the PlayStation Store
How Sirlin struggled with Street Fighter 2 HD
Dress up your Xbox 360 avatar in new duds -- for free, no less!
Animal Crossing Wii character imports region locked: Because that's not dumb
Real bands vs fake ones: the argument goes on
WiiWare manga starts this January with Princess Ai Monogatari
Penn describes motivation behind Desert Bus minigame
Buy this PS3 for the every day low price of $736.99 [Update]
List of streamable videogame movies on Netflix

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SCEE reminds staff of their NDA after PS3 price drop talk

Offbeat:
The Daily Mail: Win a Sega Megadrive! Or ... not

Galleries:
Screenshots for Suikoden Tierkreis: Because the DS needs more RPGs
Go to Burger King for a heart attack/Nintendo toy combo

Videos:
Mirror's Edge DLC announced, looks bloody weird [update]
Banjo goes to Paris in this absurd Nuts & Bolts promo video
New 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand video displays the art of Counter-Kills

Community:
C Blogs of 12/04/08

So wait…we can’t get the original to hit the damn Virtual Console, but now you can get it on cell phones? Nintendo, come on! If you are the ones blocking the VC move, I think you need to step aside!

Link

Auction here

Video game artwork

Virtual Boy display

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong display

Link

Coming across very much like a blend of the official Classic Controller and a PSP, the Blaze Classic Wii Controller is an alternative option if you’re looking for ways to play your old GameCube games or those classics from yesteryear on the Virtual Console.

Weighing in at £14.99, however, it costs the same as the official model, and in my experience I’ve never used a third-party pad on a Nintendo console that’s bettered the official versions. Which doesn’t necessarily make it a bad purchase, but it seems as if it’ll only benefit those unable to get hold of the in-short-supply Nintendo controller. It does remind me that Nintendo should release a wireless version of their own Classic Controller, though. Will we see anything like that next year, or does Nintendo not quite care enough about the core gamer to bother? With MotionPlus on the way in the spring, it might just be an official peripheral too many for Nintendo, particularly given Satoru Iwata’s insistence that the company wasn’t planning on releasing any more new controllers.

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Virtually Overlooked is a weekly feature that spotlights games that aren't yet on the Virtual Console, but should be. Want more Virtually Overlooked? Check out the first year!

Virtually Overlooked: Arkanoid originally appeared on Nintendo Wii Fanboy on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the advantages that Rock Band has over Guitar Hero: World Tour is its ever-expanding array of fantastic downloadable songs.

As Screen Play has discovered, it's easy to get carried away and give your credit card a hammering.

Today Darryn, a 23-year-old IT specialist from Melbourne who has barely played anything else but rhythm-action games for the last nine months, provides handy tips for those who are about to rock.

And if anyone has spotted Rock Band bundles cheaply at any retailers this Christmas, please let us know where newcomers can grab a bargain.

Rock Out! - DLC tips for beginners

(Part 1 of 3)

First of all, If you have gone out and purchased Rock Band in the last week or so... I welcome you to the fold (cult!)

To those who waited for the Australian release (poor you, but it was worth it... right?) I thought I would put together a quick summary of the downloadable content (DLC) I have enjoyed so far, since purchasing the game myself some 9-10 months ago.

Of the greater than 300 extra songs Harmonix has made available to date, I have purchased a solid 120. So I feel that provides me some basis for insight.

As a preface, I think it's important to mention that I derive most of my joy from Rock Band as the lead guitarist, these days there's little I can't pass on expert difficulty, but when those challenges come along I thrive on the experience!

I am also the primary vocalist of my little rock group of regulars (sometimes simultaneously with the guitar). I'm certainly not setting the world ablaze with my voice, but I do well enough with most songs on Hard difficulty.

If you aren't familiar with Harmonix's model for DLC pricing, a quick summarization of what they generally provide:

- Full Albums - Usually 8+ tracks (R.H.C.P was 18!). Prices vary.
- 3 Song Pack - Ordered by artist, genre or promotion. (Actually, it has become somewhat of a mess).
- Single Tracks - Self explanatory.

This model will also provide the basis for which I will present my views, in 3 pieces. First up, the following covers the track packs I have enjoyed in their entirety (all 3+ songs). I will then move into individual tracks, which I will arrange out by genre so you can focus solely on those that interest you, before finishing with a piece about the full album content.

The selections I have made are based on two simple concepts, the "Drinks Friendly" tracks (which your mates probably won't fail you) and the "You Must Be Sober" tracks (where drinking probably isn't the best idea).

So before I lose your attention (already), let's begin.

Track Packs:

The first I'd like to mention is actually a 6-song pack, from legendary rockers Boston. I'm sure the first song that comes to mind is "More Than A Feeling", and maybe you like it, maybe you don't... I think it's a great song. But it's not a good indicator for the other awesomeness contained within this pack, especially for would be guitar masters.

"Smokin" is amazingly happening for those who can handle hammer-on's and pull-off's on a large scale, at times it brings on sheer terror and forces the calm guitarist within to wham wildly on the keys. "Rock And Roll Band" and "Peace of Mind" are also great fun on guitar (while being much more tame), and a great challenge for the vocalist.

Of course "More Than A Feeling" is a classic, guitar is pretty much the same as what you might have found in the original Guitar Hero .... That is spot on!

Moving on, the next finger punisher worth a mention for aspiring guitarists is the Disturbed pack, it is a sheer brutality pack. All 3 are genuinely challenging songs, and should leave you with a great sense of accomplishment if you manage to pull yourself through. Again, this is due to the healthy use of hammer-ons in the tracks.

A warning to the vocalists though: if you aren't a Disturbed fan you will probably be frustrated with the lyrical styling of the act.

Swimming into safer waters, the next pack I'd like to advise is "The Offspring". What you have here is 3 songs that would be recognisable to just about anyone in their mid teens to mid thirties. Combined with interesting, but still fairly tame guitar, drums & bass and you have a big party hit.

"Self-Esteem" provides an interesting challenge to the guitarist as it diligently changes up the tempo from a pace your most likely comfortable, to some really fast stuff that will have you grabbing the strum to keep up. The theme across this pack is definitely the double fret changes with mixed tempo, these types of tracks are some of my favourite as it won't take much to learn, but a great deal of concentration to master.

The drums in all 3 tracks remains exciting through shifting of the bass note in bars, you will need to stay sharp to notice the changes in pattern.

Of course what can you say about the lyrics, even if you aren't the biggest Offspring fan, the group's pop culture presence in the last decade should prove enough to have you catch on when the lyrics start scrolling in.

And last but not least, English melon collie rockers Oasis have a 3 pack. Of course, they also have a song that probably pops to mind immediately after digesting the name... and yes, Wonderwall is here.

Wonderwall is one of the most fulfilling songs as lead guitarist (and I'm sure any vocalist will get some kick out of it), as the track most resembles the "real" artist in action, that means a lot of chord changes and strum plucking. You will need very quick fingers to switch between those double and triple fret notes, and even if you master that... you still have the hammer-on's to contend with!

Don't Look Back In Anger, I feel, is a brilliant song. Amongst our virtual rock group, the track gets a lot of attention because it's just so damn "feel good". There's nothing here particularly challenging for the instruments, but you will have time to laugh and perhaps even point at your vocalist as he or she struggles (ok, maybe it's not so bad for girls) with the high pitched notes.

Live Forever is much the same, nothing particularly special, but endearing enough to get a decent amount of attention from our individual selections.

In closing (part 1 anyway), while Harmonix has delivered a fair number of track packs thus far, in my honest opinion not many provide 3 solid tracks to justify not otherwise purchasing separately. For the packs where I have perhaps picked up 1 or 2 of 3, these songs may find their way into my singles content wrap up.

Rock Out.

- Darryn

Screen Play readers can submit articles or ideas for consideration in Your Turn using the email address screenplayblog@gmail.com. The best blog post published on Screen Play between December 1, 2008 and January 30, 2009 as judged by Jason Hill will win a PlayStation 3 console from Sony Computer Entertainment worth $699. The next Your Turn prize winner will be announced on January 30. Only Australian residents are eligible and the judge's decision is final.

Trukz, the online trucking simulation game has a contest going on, and the big winner will get a VERY cool 8ft tall Optimus Prime made from scrap metal (and weighing a quarter of a ton).

The Giant Robot Competition, which is ongoing until December 14 has tens of thousands of drivers driving over 250 million in-game miles since the start of November, and the winner of the statue will be announced in-game on the 15th of December.

Trukz is the trucking RPG, allowing players to embark on a virtual career as a truck driver or logistics company owner. With a host of new features being added to the game throughout December including in-game achievements, Australia, and an overhauled contract system, exciting times lie ahead for the Trukz community. So if you want to have a chance to win the most awesome, 8ft robots in the world for warding off burglars, Decepticons or just to scare the bejesus out of everyone who visits your home, go sign up.

About the game: Trukz.com allows you to play the role of a truck driver, working for companies or independently delivering cargo between cities across North America and Europe. Delivering cargo on time earns you in-game currency which can be redeemed against new trucks and equipment to make your journey more successful, while avoiding speed traps, police checking your hours of service and accidents along the way. The game features dozens of routes and different types of cargo for you to haul. The game also features hundreds of companies for you to join, giving you access to additional cargo, repair and fuel discounts, and exclusive routes to work.

All this is available free to play in your browser and ove 1.5 billion in-game miles have been logged since the game launched in April 2007. Therefore it is safe to assume that it is pretty popular indeed. So, if you want in on this contest, here are the official rules and details.

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Related Articles at Gaming Today:

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• Real Transformers Becoming A Reality
• Monsters vs. Aliens Spawns Videogame
• Pre-Order Metal Gear Solid 4 to Beta Test Metal Gear Online

Okay, maybe this whole avatar thing is a little cooler than I personally expected -- after all, my Mii looks nothing like me, and at least my 360 avatar kind of does. I did expect that the avatars would be an excuse for Microsoft to create a massive virtual wardrobe and charge gamers through the ass for it, so seeing that the first new additions are free was certainly a breath of fresh air.

Male avatars can look forward to a brown snowboarding jacket and a brown beanie with flames, along with blue and white gloves and a black pair of snow boots. Females can choose from a blue ski jacket, white snow boots, pink and white gloves and a red beanie. Sure, it's no runway fashions or anything, but it is free. I wonder what we can expect to see next?

[Via Major Nelson]

Continue reading Why you should be playing EverQuest II: Crafting

Why you should be playing EverQuest II: Crafting originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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