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Archive for the ‘Xbox Live’ Category
Vanquish Demo Now Available On Xbox Live
Stop what you’re doing and download the Vanquish demo NOW! Oh you’re still at work or at school, understandable. Well you have something to be excited about on this Tuesday as the Vanquish demo is now available across Xbox Live.
Players will play as Sam in his pimped out ARS suit (this thing is SICK!) as he battles his way through the landing bay of the Providence Space Colony. The controls may initially take some getting used to but once you become fluent with Sams abilities the experience is ridiculous.
Vanquish will become available October 19 in the US and October 22 in the UK.
Microsoft Raising The Price For Xbox Live Gold Subscription
Are they serious? Well, I guess so as it has been confirmed that Microsoft will be increasing the price of Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. The territories getting hit with price increase have been listed as Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and the United States.
If you forgot, the current price for Xbox Live Gold is $49.99, however, come November 1, Microsoft will be putting their hands in your pockets for $59.99 for Xbox Live Gold. Microsoft sure has some big kahunas. It would be nice to receive some sort of generic update to ease the burn. But hey, Microsoft knows that they have us and we’ll rationalize getting screwed with statements like “It’s only $10 more and Xbox Live is still better than PSN.” Right!?…..
By the way, monthly charges will increase from $7.99 to $9.99. It’s not far-fetched to think that Microsoft will charge as much as $89.99 yearly for Xbox Live Gold subscription when the new console generation rolls around. God-forbid.
H.A.W.X 2 Demo Now Available On Xbox Live
Flight simulator fans be sure to download the latest H.A.W.X 2 demo which is now available for download over Xbox Live. If you’re still at work dying to get home to play the latest demo, don’t leave work earlier, it’s not that serious. The game will be waiting for you after work.
However, the demo is hot! You’re able to play in the shoes of an elite pilot in two single-player missions and from our demo playthrough, Ubisoft is taking H.A.W.X 2 to the next level. Again, be sure to give the demo a spin as the game looks, sounds and plays promising.
MINDJACK: New Video Showcasing Psychological Gameplay Warfare
MindJack, the upcoming digital download from Square Enix offers a distinctive experience that throws players into a revolutionary playing field where an engaging solo campaign transitions seamlessly to cooperative multiplayer gameplay. Having a relatively similar gameplay style to that of BRINK, where players can jump from a single-player campaign straight into a fragfest filled multiplayer competitive mode on the fly seems to be the new way in which developers will be bridging the gap of both modes in the future.
Seems like a great idea as long as it can properly executed.
Zombrex Dead Rising Sun Comes To Xbox LIVE
Go grab some popcorn as today the first three episodes of Keiji Inafune’s film Zombrex Dead Rising Sun are available to view on Xbox LIVE. Exclusive to Xbox owners for one week prior to going on general release, the episodes will be available to the public at www.deadrisingsun.com beginning August 11. The initial episode begins with an introduction from Inafune-san and Episode 3 ends with him explaining his motivation for making the movie.
For more information visit Capcom’s Unity site at http://www.capcom-unity.com/
Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light – New Premium Theme And Avatar Apparel
Crystal Dynamics has just announce that Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Premium Theme and Avatar are coming to Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
In Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft joins forces with Totec, The Guardian of Light, in order to fight off an ancient evil threatening to engulf the world in never-ending darkness. Players will journey through the game in a franchise first isometric cooperative adventure that aims to deliver intense action and bite-sized puzzles.
You don’t have to wait until Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is released to get started. Head over to the Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace from July 29th, 2010 for your first chance to get Lara Croft gear for your Xbox LIVE Avatar in one of the many themed outfits and accessories from the game. Whether it’s Lara’s iconic shorts or Totec’s battledress, you can experience part of the brand new adventure early by equipping your Avatar with plenty of colorful and intricate new outfits and accessories! Items range from 40 Microsoft Points to 240 Microsoft Points.
MADDEN NFL 11 Demo Now Available On Xbox Live
Madden fans don’t forget that today is the day you can finally gets your hands on the new Madden NFL 11 demo which is now available via Xbox Live. Download the demo and see for yourself how nice and smooth this new and improved Madden title plays.
Also, for the demo EA has definitely stepped up their game by offering full 5 minute quarters and the ability to create your own offensive and defensive plays – Oh yeah! So download it, check it out and let me what you think?
Kane & Lynch 2 The Demo Is Now Live – Get It NOW!
If you tuned in to our latest podcast (episode #54) you would know that after playing the recently release demo of Kane & Lynch 2, the game has become one of my most anticipated game of 2010. Now available on Xbox Live, you deserve it to yourself to experience a taste of what IO Interactive has in store for.
As I mentioned in our demo impression, forget what you know about Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. Due to lackluster gameplay and mechanics the original title was bit of a downer, however, Kane & Lynch 2: Dogs Day is one cinematic heart pounding action drama that has us counting down the days of it’s release.
Download this demo now and let me know what think?
BREACH Getting New HARDCORE Modes But Delayed Until January
Today Atomic Games has decided to delay the release of its highly anticipated title, Breach, for the Xbox LIVE.. Breach was delayed largely due to later availability of an Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 ship date from Microsoft than anticipated, which allowed the company to add in new features. Atomic is using the extra time to add in a new Hardcore mode as well as other new content. Breach will now be coming out simultaneously on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 and on Windows PC in January.
Breach introduces new kinds of destruction that haven’t been seen in any other game, has an innovative Active Cover System which allows players to take advantage of any cover even as it is ripped apart, and adds in unique, true-to-life spy gadgets which all changes the very nature of multiplayer combat. As mentioned earlier Breach will be available for download through Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 and for Windows PC this January
Check out this in-depth walkthough video of Breach from the hardcore gaming insiders at PIXEL ENEMY;
Zombrex Dead Rising Sun To Launch On Xbox Live In August
Following the announcement of Zombrex Dead Rising Sun, the full feature film based on Capcom’s popular video game, Dead Rising, will be distributed in Europe and North America, Capcom has shed some more detail on when and where fans can view Inafune-san’s directorial debut.
Split into a number of episodes that will be distributed over a number of weeks, Zombrex Dead Rising Sun, will be made available as a free download exclusively on Xbox Live from August 4th, before going live on www.deadrisingsun.com a week later. As an added bonus, certain episodes will begin with interviews featuring Inafune-san where he will provide insight into the film making process.
*Here’s the Xbox Live full schedule of episodes:
Episodes 1,2,3 – August 4
Episodes 4,5 – August 11
Episodes 6,7 – August 18
Episodes 8 – August 25
Blacklight: Tango Down – Here’s What You Can Expect
Developer Zombie and Ignition Entertainment recently released their new tactical based downloadable shooter Blacklight: Tango Down onto Xbox Live as of July 7th. Blacklight: Tango Down comes with a robust list of gameplay features and tons of character and weapon customizations to keep you busy. No, this is not a review of the game but more of a ‘here’s what you can expect overview’.
With decent graphics and a cool up-tempo soundtrack Blacklight: Tango Down is not trying to take the FPS crown for most innovative or unique shooter, however, with some quality time spent in the games various Black Ops scenarios, cool level designs and trigger happy multiplayer modes, there is a lot of fun gameplay action going on.
When I first started out in one of the games offline modes the gameplay was straightforward, basically get from one objective point to the next until you’ve eliminated all the enemies and completed all your objectives, very simple. Well not quite. There are no save options despite completing a few objectives along with eliminating over 50 or more enemies along the way. If you are eliminated you must start over and while this does make the game challenging, it can become an annoyance for some.
The games controls are smooth with an easy to pick up and play feel. Nevertheless, the controls can be too responsive for some while in a fire fight so there is the option to change the sensitivity for a more comfortable experience. When I first started playing, it felt like I was floating around the levels in race to see who could die the quickest, I was seriously looking like a noob. Shortly after adjusting the controls enemies were landing in my cross-hairs with regularity, there is nothing worse than a shooter without adjustable control settings.
Online is where the action is. When I first took the game online there was not many people playing but as word got around matches started filling up quickly. Like the Modern Warfare series it doesn’t take a lot of bullets to disintegrate your enemies online, yes I literally mean disintegrate. In Blacklight: Tango Down body parts stay intact and unfortunately there are no brain matter moments from a point blank shot to the head. After taking an enemy down there bodies dissolve with this cool sci-fi effect but this is not cool when it’s you looking for a health pack. Like most shooter after you’ve leveled up quite a few times the gameplay gets much better as you become a more capable killer with tons of customizable options. Again, Blacklight: Tango Down will not replace any of the AAA shooters that are at the top of your shooters list but for now it is definitely a cool change of pace.
For 1200 Microsoft points I definitely recommend the game for those looking for a quick fix shooter.
Xbox Live Pushes Past $1 Billion In Revenue
According to reports from Bloomberg News, Xbox Live has generated over $1 billion dollars since it’s 2002 inception. Not bad for an 8 year stretch.
IGN points out that Microsoft sees the better half of its 25 million Xbox Live members paying the $49.99 annual subscription fee to receive “Gold” status, which totals nearly $600 million in revenue. With the addition of avatar items, movies, and other downloadable content Xbox Live has reached an estimated $1.2 billion for Microsoft’s fiscal year ended June 30.
Hydro Thunder Hurricane Coming To XBLA July 28
Microsoft Game Studios and developer Vector Unit today announced that Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the Xbox LIVE Arcade-exclusive sequel to the legendary Midway speedboat racing arcade game, will be released on July 28 as part of Xbox LIVE’s Summer of Arcade promotion.
Hydro Thunder Hurricane is the first official sequel to the classic Midway hit Hydro Thunder, which splashed into arcades and consoles over 10 years ago. Rather than simply recreate the original game with updated graphics, Vector Unit has delivered an all-new game engine for the sequel, with gorgeous HD visuals and amazing dynamic water physics.
Fans will recognize favorite speedboats from the original Hydro Thunder: Razorback, Damn the Torpedoes, Tidal Blade, Rad Hazard and others return with beautifully redesigned models, multiple unlockable skins, and articulated boost animations with massive rockets folding out from hidden compartments. Race tracks are all original, but packed with the kinds of shortcuts and spectacular surprises the series is known for.
New Xbox Live Browser “Destination Arcade” Coming Next Week?
What is Destination Arcade, well for starters Xbox 360 users can expect a new recommendation engine & visual browser app which is rumored to be arriving sometime next week. From the images the new browser offers a slick new browser interface giving player the ability recommend games to friends and see which games your friends have recommended.
Not a whole lot has been explained about this new browser but again keep your eyes and ear open as we should have more intel as we get closer to next weeks announcements.
Blacklight: Tango Down Coming To Xbox Live July 7
After months of anticipation and an overwhelmingly positive reception at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Ignition Entertainment announced that BlackLight: Tango Down will be available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 tomorrow (July 7th). The futuristic shooter brings non-stop fun and an exhilarating experience to the DLC venue as it offers 12 multiplayer maps, seven game types, four co-op missions and literally trillions of weapon combinations – all for 1200 Microsoft Points. Following its release on XBLA tomorrow, the game will be arriving on PlayStation Network and Games for Windows Live in the coming weeks.
At this year’s E3, BlackLight: Tango Down stood up against the AAA retail behemoths and received numerous accolades including a Best Shooter Nomination from IGN.com, Best Online Multiplayer Nomination from Machinima.com and BitMob’s Jasmine Rae included the game in her Top Ten Games of E3.
In BlackLight: Tango Down, players are equipped with high-tech, futuristic gear that makes combat fascinating and surreal. Its weapon customization system allows for trillions of different configurations that deliver unlimited adaptability and variety of gameplay. Each player is also equipped with a Hyper Reality Visor (HRV), an advanced imaging system in the player’s Heads up Display that detects nearby enemy and friendly forces and relays the information back to players, giving them immediate battlefield intelligence.
Need more proof whether Blacklight: Tango Down will be worth your time check out some gameplay action!
New “Bug Hunt” Maps Coming To Aliens vs Predator
SEGA of America, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing) today announced that the second downloadable content pack for Aliens vs Predator will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This first newly designed Map Pack, including 4 brand new maps and new weather types will be available on July 7 2010, allowing players to prove their skills on the killing grounds of BG-386.
The Bughunt Map Pack contains two new multiplayer maps for the six different competitive online modes; Deathmatch, Predator Hunt, Infestation, Species Deathmatch, Mixed Species Deathmatch and Domination, as well as two new maps for the “Survival” mode in which a team of up to four Marines fight to survive against the increasing horde of Aliens.
The “Bughunt Map Pack” will be available on July 7 for $6.99 / 560 Microsoft Points.
Crackdown 2 Demo Launches Today On Xbox Live
The wait for the hotly anticipated Crackdown 2 public demo ends now. Starting today, Microsoft and developer Ruffian Games are giving fans around the world an early chance to bring their personal brand of justice to this summer’s most explosive action title by downloading the public demo on Xbox LIVE before Crackdown 2 launches on July 9th in Europe.
Featuring the high-flying action and entertainment that are hallmarks of the Crackdown franchise, the demo introduces players to some of the core tenets in Crackdown 2, including the single player campaign, 4-player co-op with friends and an inventive sandbox style that lets you play how you want, when you want. You’ll get a taste of power thanks to the demo’s accelerated leveling and if you’re a fan of Achievements, the ones you earn in the Crackdown 2 demo will be counted and deferred when you purchase and play the retail game. Now that is sweet!
