Gamer's Edge

This Week's New Releases (4/27/10 – 5/3/10)

2010-04-27T15:57:00.000-04:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Super Street Fighter IV (Xbox 360, PS3)

• 2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Wii)

• Dead to Rights: Retribution (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Nier (Xbox 360, PS3)

• PSP-PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe (PSP)

• PSP-Hot Shots Tennis (PSP)

• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction (PC)

• Samantha Swift Trilogy (PC)

Till Next Time, Keep On Gaming and Enjoy!

This Week's New Releases (4/13/10 – 4/19/10)

2010-04-13T13:50:00.000-04:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360)

• Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (PS3, PC)

• Easy Piano (DS)

• Ship Simulator Extremes PC (PC)

• Out of the Park Baseball Deluxe MBX (PC)

• Nancy Drew Triple Threat MBX (PC)

Till Next Time, Keep On Gaming and Enjoy!

This Week's New Releases (4/6/10 – 4/12/10)

2010-04-06T13:31:00.000-04:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Borderlands Add-On Pack: Zombie Island of Dr.Ned and Mad Maxxi’s Underdome Riot (Xbox 360, PC)

• Prison Break (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (Wii)

• Again (DS)

• Sushi Go Round (DS)

Till Next Time, Keep On Gaming and Enjoy!

TRON Legacy is Coming!! Let’s Play a Game!!

2010-03-11T14:47:00.003-05:00

While this is a new movie that is coming out December of this year and fellow Captivate blogger Justin Anderson usually covers the world of movies with his blog “I’d Rather Be Watching Movies”, I had to put this up real quick.

TRON is one of my all time favorite movies and its set in one of my all time favorite things…A VIDEO GAME!!!! I won’t go into much detail about it because like I said that’s Justin’s domain, but basically Hacker/Arcade owner Kevin Flynn is desperate to prove that the hottest videogames from a company called ENCOM were stolen from him by a former co-worker, who is now the senior executive there.

One night, while trying to hack into the system to prove his theory is true; Flynn ends up getting pulled into the virtual world by the Master Control Program (MCP) that rules the computer system. Flynn finds that the MCP is making life in the virtual world miserable for all so Flynn's only hope is to find TRON, a heroic independent security program, and help him destroy the MCP to bring order to both worlds and take down ENCOM.

If you haven’t seen it go check it out immediately, it’s awesome. Well after many years of waiting and wanting they are finally making a sequel to it and they are going all out with ultra high def graphics and sound thanks to today’s latest technologies. This movie looks as if it is bigger and better and going to have the potential to build on and improve the original. This movie is going to rock!

So below I not only am providing a look at the trailer for the movie but also a link to a video game that they have created for the new movie’s website (http://www.flynnlives.com/ ) to test your video game knowledge. It’s pretty cool. If you successfully can name all the game titles (56 of them total) you will be awarded with the opportunity to create your own custom ENCOM badge which they will mail to you within a few weeks.

Be sure that you play the game by creating a quick account and logging in, in order to make sure you get your badge. The sign up is free, quick and easy to do. Then you too will be rocking out your new TRON memorabilia.

Check it out and see if you have what it takes to beat the game. Enjoy!

Trailer:
http://program-glitch-esc.net/

Game:
http://www.arcadeaid.com/challengingstage/

Til Next Time, Keep on Gaming!!

This Week's New Releases (3/9/10 – 3/15/10)

2010-03-09T13:48:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Yakuza 3 (PS3)

• Blazblue Calamity Trigger (PSP)

• Lovely Lisa and Friends (DS)

• Pokemon SoulSilver Version (DS)

• Pokemon HeartGold Version (DS)

• Imagine Gymnast (DS)

• Command Complete (PC)

• Assassin’s Creed II (PC)

Till Next Time, Keep On Gaming and Enjoy!

Cheat of the Week

2010-02-18T14:38:00.000-05:00

Mass Effect 2 – Useful Hints and Tricks (Xbox 360, PC)

Cheat: Double Your Hacking Rewards

Occasionally, after completing a hacking mini game for credits etc. you can press A repeatedly as the window closes and cause the game to glitch out and let you hack a second time -- for another chunk of credits! This is rare, but it sometime does work -- so get in the habit of mashing.

Hint: Romancing the Yeoman

If you chat it up with Yeoman Kelly Chambers often and choose to be kind to her you can instigate an "unusual" romantic encounter. You'll eventually be able to invite her to dinner. Additionally, you cannot let Kelly die in the final mission (choose a loyal escort for the crew in the final scene). After you beat the game, talk to Kelly and you'll receive an email from her. Go to your quarters and you'll be able to invite her up using your console. She'll appear and you'll be able to watch the evening's awkward events unwind.

Easter Egg: Legion Does the Intergalactic Shuffle

Approach Legion in his quarters and highlight him but do not talk to him. He'll do "The Robot," the traditional dance of his ancestors.

Hint: Anomalies Anonymous

You can find anomalies when scanning the following planets (listed as Cluster, System, and Planet below). Anomaly = Side Quest!

• Caleston Rift, Solveig, Sinmara
• Caleston Rift, Talava, Taitus
• Crescent Nebula, Lusarn, Tarith
• Crescent Nebula, Zelene, Helyme
• Eagle Nebula, Amun, Neith
• Eagle Nebula, Strabo, Jarrahe Station
• Hades Nexus, Sheol, Gei Hin
• HourGlass Nebula, Faryar, Daratar
• HourGlass Nebula, Ploitari, Zanethu
• Minos Wasteland, Fortis, Aequitas
• Omega Nebula, Ariniarkan, MSV Strontium Mule
• Omega Nebula, Fathar, Lorek
• Pylos Nebula, Dirada, Canalus
• Pylos Nebula, Nariph, MSV Broken Arrow
• Rosetta Nebula, Enoch, Joab
• The Shrike Nebula, Xe Cha, Zada Ban
• Sigurd's Cradle, Decoris, Sanctum
• Sigurd's Cradle, Skepsis, Franklin
• Titan Nebula, Haskins, Capek

Easter Egg: Probing Uranus

Head to the Local Cluster and scan Uranus. The first two probes you launch will result in "unusual" statements from EDI.

Hint: Geth Pulse Rifle

Note: The Geth Pulse Rifle can only be found on Hardcore or Insanity difficulty. During the recruitment mission for Tali, look for the rifle in the same room you find Tali. It will be sitting on the ground next to a destroyed geth.

Hint: Slightly Faster Planet Scanning

Need to speed up scanning? Put the scanner all the way to the right or left, and rotate the planet the same way speeds it up a lot.

Hint: No One Left Behind Achievement

For this achievement, develop all the ship upgrades and keep every character loyal to Shepherd.

The crew can die and you'll still get the achievement. Just none of your teammates can die.

This one is pretty easy to get if you remember to:

1.) Remain a fully dedicated paragon or renegade.
2.) Always have full team loyalty. Just do all of their side missions.
3.) Have full/all/maximum ship upgrades. Take time out and do the mining.
4.) Get all the prototype upgrades.
5.) For the assault, use this configuration. I'll list all people you can use, and also who I used:

Tech Specialist
Tali
Legion
(I used Legion)

Leadership
Miranda
Jacob
Garrus
(I used Jacob and Miranda)

Biotic Specialist
Samara / Morinth
Jack
(I used Samara)

Crew Escort
Any loyal character
(I used Thane)

The team you bring with you to fight doesn't matter as long as they're loyal to you. I used Mordin and Garrus for my team the entire time. Good luck!

Hint: Finding Element Zero

Below is a list of the planets where you can mine the ultra-rare Element Zero. The systems for each Zero-laden planet are listed below, followed by the star and planet names.

Calestone Rift
• Aysur, Arvuna - Moderate
• Balor, Calestone - Moderate

Crescent Nebula
• Lusam, Tarith - Rich
• Zelene, Helyme - Moderate

Eagle Nebula
• Amun, Anthur - Rich
• Amun, Sekhmet - Moderate
• Relic, Preying Mouth - Rich

Far Rim
• Dholen, Gotha - Moderate

Hades Nexus
• Hekate, Asteria - Poor
• Hekate, Bothros - Poor
• Pamyat, Dobrovolski - Moderate
• Sheol, Gel Hinnom - Moderate

Hawking Eta
• Schwarzschild, Etamis - Rich

Hourglass Nebula
• Faryar, Daratar - Rich
• Osun, Erinle - Rich
• Ploitari, Thegan - Moderate

Krogan DMZ
• Nith, Mantun - Moderate

Minos Wasteland
• Caestus, Invictus - Moderate

Nubian Expanse
• Kalabasha, Yamm - Moderate
• Batalla, Nearog - Moderate
• Batalla, thunawanuro - Rich

The Phoenix Massing
• Salahiel, Ekuna - Moderate

Pylos Nebula
• Dirada, Siano - Moderate
• Satent, Boro - Rich
• Raisaris - Rich

Rosetta Nebula
• Alpha Draconis, 2175 Aeia - Moderate
• Enoch, Joab - Rich
• Enoch, Laban - Moderate
• Enoch, Mizraim - Rich

Shadow Sea
• Iera, Prospect - Poor

The Shrike Abyssal
• Urla Rast, Talis Fia - Moderate
• Xe Cha, Tosal Nym - Rich
• Xe Cha, Zada Ban - Rich

Sigurd's Cradle
• Decoris, Sanctum - Moderate
• Skepsis, Watson - Rich

Titan Nebula
• Haskins, Capek - Moderate

Valhallan Threshold
• Micah, Farlas - Moderate
• Micah, Israfel - Moderate
• Micah, Kakabel - Moderate
• Paz, Garvug - Rich

Unlockable: Alternate Costumes/Colors

Complete a Loyalty mission for a party member to unlock alternate color schemes for that character.

Unlockable: Bonus Experience, Resources, Paragon and Renegade Points

Start a new game in Mass Effect 2 using a profile from Mass Effect (1) and you'll get the following bonuses:

• Experience Points (an amount based on your previous level, basically you'll start at Level 2)
• Resources (can be used for weapon and armor upgrades)
• Paragon and Renegade Points (if you have the MAXIMUM amount of either Paragon or Renegade points from Mass Effect you'll get a bonus number in of the same points in ME2)

Unlockable: New Game + Bonuses

Mass Effect 2 features a New Game + feature which allows you to play the game a second time with certain items and stats you accumulated in your first game.

• You get to choose your Loyalty Bonus Skill from the start.
• Your retain Skill Points but can redistribute them.
• Your level and XP carry over; the max level (level cap) is 30.
• Your Renegade/Paragon points are reset to neutral.
• You keep your weapons and armor, but not the upgrades.

Hint: Bonus Paragon or Renegade Interruption Points

During conversations, you may spot a RIGHT or LEFT TRIGGER appear in the top left portion of the screen. If you hit LEFT TRIGGER when the "wings" logo appears you'll get Paragon points. If you hit RIGHT TRIGGER when the "star" appears you'll get Renegade points.

Till next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (02/09/10 – 02/15/10)

2010-02-09T14:23:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• BioShock 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• Dante’s Inferno (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Star Ocean: The Last Hope International (PS3)

• Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll (Wii)

• Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)

• Best Friends Tonight (DS)

Til Next Time, Keep on Gaming and Enjoy!

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Reviewed

2010-02-04T13:50:00.002-05:00

Release Date: September 15th, 2009
List Price: $59.99

One year before the main game itself starts Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, led by Colonel Nick Fury, are on an unsanctioned attack mission to Castle Doom in Latveria after discovering that the elected prime minister Lucia von Bardas was supplying advanced weapons to the Tinkerer, who then turns around and supplies them to the world’s worst super villains. The attack is successful and Castle Doom is reduced to rubble, with Von Bardas assumed to be dead during the chaos.

The game then shifts to present day. Ms. Marvel is reported missing after being sent to recover info on recent criminal activity in and around New York City. A team is sent to investigate her disappearance and find her being held by the super villain The Shocker. They also discover the Latverian military plans to destroy a large portion of America, led by a now cyborg Lucia Von Bardas. The group is able to stop her mid plan but many city blocks are destroyed in the process, prompting the government to ponder the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA), which forces all people with super powers or abilities to register their powers, secret identities and any other information with the government and make it public knowledge.

Three days later, during a taping of a reality series featuring the super hero group The New Warriors, Nitro (a villain being hunted by the Warriors) creates a large explosion in Connecticut, killing more than 600 civilians in the process. This causes the SRA to be put into effect immediately. Iron Man teams up with the government, while Captain America opposes the act and must go into hiding underground. At this point, the story branches into two segments; Anti-Registration and Pro-Registration, depending on the players choice. And this is where the true game begins.

First off let me say this. I myself loved the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance. I loved the ability to make a team of my favorite superheroes and see the carnage you could inflict on countless super villains. It was fun and I spent many hours trying out as many combinations of teams I could through multiple plays. I am a little bit of a comic book geek so games like this are right up my alley. I was ready for a second game as soon as I finished the first and could not wait to see what the future held.

Well, my prayers were thankfully answered and we were giving Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. Along with another addictively solid game with a pretty cool story, we were given some new functions (Fusions) and new characters that make this game even better than the first. While it does have some flaws and a few things that I wish they did differently, all around this game is top notch.

The Good:

Graphic/Animations: This game looks great, from the fine detail in the environments, down to the little details in the character costumes; they really tried to improve upon the first games look. This game is very well put together and they made sure to add as much detail and effects as possible in every scene to really improve the game. While I did notice on a few of the cut scenes which don’t look anything special, some screen tearing and pixilation appeared, as well as some movements were a little choppy in game due to the amount of things on the screen all at once, I can’t complain and think that this game looks very good. I do wish the edging was a little bit smoother on the characters themselves to really make the extra detail pop. It’s not 100% perfect or as high quality as say Batman Arkham Asylum or some other recent titles to come out but still pretty impressive.

Dialogue/Story: I was really impressed with the level of conversations in the game and how many different characters you interact with. Whether you’re having a chat with Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four, or going over mission details with Iron Man, each character had a solid story and multiple different options of conversation. It really made the game interesting to hear a little bit of back story on each character as well as how they thought and what kind of personality each of these characters had. The great thing with all these options was that it is actually a part of the game and can affect the game/story as you progress, so you need to actually stop and think about what to say next to each character because you never know it may be something that causes them to no longer trust you or cause them to turn against you. I love games that make you have to stop and think of what you’re going to do next and how it may change the very game itself. I also love the fact that they are using the SRA story line from the comic books. Making you choose to register and join the government or rebel and go underground is pretty cool and makes it one of those games you have to play through at least twice to see the different story lines pan out.

Game play: While this game is for the most part a button masher where with only a couple buttons you for the most part can punch and kick your way through it, the developers made sure not to make quite that easy. Sure you can punch and kick through chunks of the game but other times you will need to try other techniques to get past certain enemies. On top of that the game now has a thing called Fusion Powers. Fusion is an awesome addition, with it you are able to team up with another member of your team and unleash a combination of your special powers to obliterate the enemies you’re fighting such as while using Captain America you can blast away multiple bad guys by reflecting the lightning bolts of Storm, or do a double ground pound with The Hulk and The Thing. I love the Fusion powers and found myself using them on a regular basis.

Game Modes/ Extras: Not only do you have the campaign mode which lasts around 6 hours (I do wish it was a little longer) but they also included training/challenge modes which gives you the ability to go into a free for all, stand off to see how long you can last against an onslaught of bad guys in multiple different levels. Man, can this get tough but it is oh so much fun. This is a good place to learn different fusion combos and which characters you want to build your team with to make it through the game. On top of that they have included from the first game a nice trivia game that earns you extra experience points to buy character power upgrades by testing your comic book knowledge. Also the game has some extras unlockable items such as info pages, alternate costumes and a few other things that I won’t spoil for you. This game has a ton in it and unlocking everything can be a game in itself and worth trying to do.

The Bad:

Not a whole lot but there was a couple things that caught my attention.

While the game tries to change up the locations you fight in and the different super villains you face off against, the main enemies you fight throughout most of the game are all basically the same exact characters, basic henchmen/military types or a couple different robot types. There really isn’t a lot of difference between the look of each enemy and they all for the most part fight the exact same way. Not a lot of intelligence to the enemies as well, they basically run in and constantly hit you till you beat them, and that can tend to make the game quite a bit repetitive. If it wasn’t for the sheer amount of enemies on the screen at one time that can make the game feel like pure chaos, the lack of different enemies would probably make you second guess playing this. Thankfully the games story and super villains you face off give more than enough reason to keep playing to see what’s coming next.

One thing that was more of an annoyance for me was that if while playing the first part of the game you made up a team with certain heroes and you got use to playing with them and enjoyed using them, when you chose which side you were on some characters would become unavailable to play with because they were on the other choices side. Like I said a bit of an annoyance but thankfully it’s not too bad.

Another gripe I have is the lack of alternate costumes for each character. In the first game you had roughly 3 or 4 for each character which was pretty cool but in this game you only get one which I felt was a bit of a letdown, and to add to it the length of time to load the alternate costume takes forever (like 6-7 seconds) and all it really is, is nothing more than a quick change of character skin, not a crazy detailed look or anything special that enhances the game play. Like I said before it’s a bit of a letdown.

Also I had an issue with the overall look of the cut scenes. While still pretty good for a next gen game they just seemed to me very flat and under produced. They lacked a lot of extra details and background detail that probably could have made this game one of the best. It is almost like the developers got to a point and said ok that’s good enough and didn’t put any extra effort to really make the game shine as a true next gen title. I have seen cut scenes from older generation systems that at times looked better than a few cut scenes from this game. I also did notice on occasion some graphical glitches or pixilation during game play that if you were not looking for them you might not even notice.

Other than it I really can’t find much to complain about. This game is great and I had a blast playing it.

The Bottom Line:

This game is worth checking out. While it’s not spectacular or the greatest game I have ever played, it is definitely a step better than the first game and has good graphics, great story with a bit of user choice thrown in, and game play that absolutely will keep you playing and addicted to all night button mashing. It has a replay value that will keep you busy for many hours till the late hours of the night trying every combination of team powers and story choices till your fingers fall off.

I recommend this game to anyone looking for a game that will not only entertain you but also give you a bit of a challenge while entertaining your inner comic book geek. Some may love this game and others may not, I say go get this game and try it out for yourself I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, I know I wasn’t.

If still not sure if you want to pick it up, go download the demo for the game from Xbox Live or Playstation Network and try it out before you buy.

Till next time, keep on gaming!!

This Week's New Releases (01/26/10 - 02/1/10)

2010-01-26T15:21:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

• MAG (PS3)

• Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii)

• No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)

• Imagine Party Planner (DS)

• Lost Secrets Ancient Mysteries (PC)

• Zeno Clash (PC)

Till Next Time, Keep On Gaming and Enjoy!

This Week's New Releases (01/19/10 – 01/25/10)

2010-01-19T13:21:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Dark Void (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Glory of Heracles (DS)

• Bejeweled Twist (DS)

• Wallace & Gromit Grand Adventure (PC)

• Mystery 5 Collection (PC)

• Cake Mania: Main Street PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

This Week's New Releases (01/12/10 – 01/18/10)

2010-01-12T16:18:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Army of Two: The 40th Day (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Vancouver 2010 (Xbox 360)

• The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)

• Sands of Destruction (DS)

• Torchlight (PC)

• Monopoly Build a Lot Edition (PC)

• Marvel Action Pack (PC)

• Mortimer Beckett and the Time Paradox (PC)

• The Sims 2 Fun with Pets (PC)

• Twin Sector (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

Cheat of the Week

2010-01-07T15:12:00.000-05:00

Bayonetta – Cheats and Unlockables (Xbox 360, PS3)

Cheat: Xbox 360 Cheat List

After Verse 3 of Chapter 2, use one of the telephones in the plaza. The phone by the stairs can be used to input weapon codes, and the phone on the right can be used for accessories. The phone at the far end of the plaza is used to unlock characters. These codes require you to have a certain number of halos as well before they can be activated, these numbers are listed below. Use the D-pad to enter the codes.

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, LT - Bangle of Time (Accessory) / 3 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, Y - Bazillions (Weapon) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, RT - Climax Bracelet (Accessory) / 5 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, RB - Eternal Testimony (Accessory) / 2 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B - Jeanne (Character) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, X - Little Zero (Character) / 5 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, A - Pillow Talk (Weapon) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, LB - Rodin (Weapon) / 5 Million Halos

Cheat: PS3 Cheat List

After Verse 3 of Chapter 2, use one of the telephones in the plaza. The phone by the stairs can be used to input weapon codes, and the phone on the right can be used for accessories. The phone at the far end of the plaza is used to unlock characters. These codes require you to have a certain number of halos as well before they can be activated, these numbers are listed below. Use the D-pad to enter the codes.

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, L2 - Bangle of Time (Accessory) / 3 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, TRIANGLE - Bazillions (Weapon) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, R2 - Climax Bracelet (Accessory) / 5 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, R1 - Eternal Testimony (Accessory) / 2 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, CIRCLE - Jeanne (Character) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, SQUARE - Little Zero (Character) / 5 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, X - Pillow Talk (Weapon) / 1 Million Halos

• UP, UP, UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, L1 - Rodin (Weapon) / 5 Million Halos

Unlockable: Costumes

First you'll need to beat the game (all chapters, on any difficulty). After that, load the cleared game data and go to the Gates of Hell. In the Rodin's Treasure menu you can purchase the following costumes. Press RB at the beginning of a chapter to access the Costume Change menu.

• d'Arc - Purchase "Couture Bullet (d'Arc)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Nun - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Nun)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Old - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Old) at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• P.E. Uniform Type A - Purchase "Couture Bullet (P.E. Uniform)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• P.E. Uniform Type B - Purchase "Couture Bullet (P.E. Uniform)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• P.E. Uniform Type C - Purchase "Couture Bullet (P.E. Uniform)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Queen - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Queen)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Umbra - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Umbra)" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Umbran Komachi (Kimono) A - Purchase "Super Mirror" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Umbran Komachi (Kimono) B - Purchase "Super Mirror" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Umbran Komachi (Kimono) C - Purchase "Super Mirror" at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Bikini A - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Various) at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Bikini B - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Various) at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

• Cheerleader - Purchase "Couture Bullet (Various) at Gates of Hell (100,000 Halos)

Unlockable: Additional Difficulties

The following modes can be unlocked by performing the actions below:

• Hard - Beat the game on Normal

• Infinite Climax - Beat the game on Hard

Unlockable: Characters

Perform the actions below to unlock the desired character. You can select the character in the New Game menu.

• Jeanne - Get a Platinum on everything (ALL) on Normal or unlock the Eternal Marionette accessory

• Little Zero - Beat the "Lost Chapter"

Unlockable: Accessories

You must purchase these accessories in Rodin's shop after unlocking them:

• Bangle of Time - Complete the game under 3 hours on Normal or Hard

• Climax Bracelet - Get 101 Umbran Tears of Blood

• Eternal Testimony - Get 50 Umbran Tears of Blood

• Immortal Marionette - Clear Very Easy or Easy mode

Unlockable: Weapons

The following weapons can be unlocked by performing the actions listed below:

• Bazillions - Beat Hard Mode

• Handguns - Beat Normal Mode

• Pillow Talk - Beat Non-Stop Climax Mode

• Rodin - Purchase the Platinum Ticket and beat Father Rodin

• Sai-fon - Beat 100 chapters on normal or above

Unlockable: Bonus Gallery

Beat the game to unlock the Bonus Gallery featuring concept art, movies and more.

Till next time, keep on gaming and Enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (01/05/10 – 01/11/10)

2010-01-07T15:03:00.002-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Bayonetta (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Dark Shadows (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Divinity II: Ego Draconis (Xbox 360, PS3)

• My Fitness Coach 2: Exercise and Nutrition (Wii)

• Sleepover Party (Wii)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

Cheat of the Week

2009-12-10T13:54:00.000-05:00

Band Hero – Cheat Codes and Unlockable Stuff (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii)

Cheats: Cheat List

Enter the following codes with your guitar controller at the cheats menu for the desired effect:

• GREEN, GREEN, RED, RED, YELLOW, BLUE, YELLOW, BLUE - Always Slide

• YELLOW, GREEN, RED, BLUE, BLUE, BLUE, BLUE, RED - Auto kick

• RED, RED, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN, GREEN, GREEN, YELLOW - Air instruments

• GREEN, GREEN, BLUE, GREEN, GREEN, GREEN, YELLOW, GREEN - All hammer-ons and pull-offs

• GREEN, GREEN, RED, RED, YELLOW, RED, YELLOW, BLUE - Contest winner 1

• YELLOW, GREEN, RED, GREEN, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, GREEN - Focus mode

• GREEN, RED, GREEN, GREEN, YELLOW, GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Clean screen (no HUD) mode

• GREEN, RED, YELLOW, YELLOW, YELLOW, BLUE, BLUE, GREEN - Invisible characters

• YELLOW, YELLOW, BLUE, RED, BLUE, GREEN, RED, RED - Performance mode

• BLUE, BLUE, GREEN, GREEN, RED, GREEN, RED, YELLOW - Unlock all characters

Unlockable: Characters

Unlock the following characters by performing the following actions in Career Mode:

• Adam Levine - Complete Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved

• Adrian Young - Complete No Doubt - Don't Speak

• Frankenrocker - Complete Diamond Bonus Challenge on Fall Out Boy - Sugar, We're Goin' Down

• Gwen Stefani - Complete No Doubt - Just A Girl

• Shadow Character - Complete Gold Bonus Challenge on David Bowie - Let's Dance

• Taylor Swift - Complete Taylor Swift - Love Story

• Tom Dumont - Complete No Doubt - Just A Girl

• Tony Kanal - Complete No Doubt - Don't Speak

Unlockable: Extras

Unlock the following challenges and more by performing the actions below:

• Air Instruments - Complete Platinum Bonus Challenge for Aly & AJ "Like Whoa"

• HUD Free Mode - Complete Platinum Bonus Challenge for Alphabeat "Fascination"

• Invisible Characters - Complete Platinum Bonus Challenge for Filter "Take A Picture"

Till next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (12/0809 – 12/14/09)

2009-12-10T13:53:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• The Saboteur (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PS2, Wii)

• Flight Deck 6 (PC)

• Your Shape (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

The Gamer’s Edge Holiday Gift Guide

2009-12-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

Looking to buy the gamer in your life something for the holidays but unsure of what is hot this season? Don’t worry I have taken the time to compile a quick list of 10 must have items for each system that’s guaranteed to make your gamer happy throughout this holiday season.

PS3:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Assassin’s Creed 2

inFamous

Left 4 Dead 2

Resident Evil 5

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

God of War Collection

Uncharted 2

PSN Points Cards

Playstation Portable (PSP / PSPgo):

Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines

LittleBigPlanet

Gran Turismo

Patapon 2

Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier

LocoRoco 2

Soul Calibur Broken Destiny

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Dissidia: Final Fantasy

MotorStorm Arctic Edge

Xbox 360:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Left 4 Dead 2

Halo 3: ODST

Resident Evil 5

Assassin’s Creed 2

Beatles Rock Band

Xbox Live 12 Month Subscription/Messenger Pack

Xbox Live MS Points Card

Nintendo Wii:

Wii Sports Resort with Motion Plus

Lego Rock Band

Wii Fit Plus

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage

Metroid Prime Trilogy

New Super Mario Bros Wii

Band Hero

Punch Out

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

Nintendo Wii Points Card

Nintendo DS/DSi:

Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks

ScribbleNauts

Mario & Luigi: Bowsers inside Story

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Rhythm Heaven

Lego Rock Band

The Legendary Starfy

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

PC:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Assassin’s Creed 2

Dragon Age: Origins

Left 4 Dead 2

Hearts of Iron

The Sims 3

Street Fighter IV

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Resident Evil 5

Plants vs. Zombies

Still unsure of what to get the gamer in your life or trying to figure out if what you’re thinking of getting is worth picking up? Just let me know and I will do my best to research the item, review it and let you know if you need to add it to your shopping list this holiday season.

Till next time, keep on gaming and Happy Holidays!!

Cheat of the Week

2009-12-03T10:05:00.000-05:00

New Super Mario Bros. Wii – Unlockables and Useful Hints (Wii)

Unlockable: Super Guide Mode

Die in a level 8 times and the game will give you the option to turn on an "Auto Pilot" mode in which Mario completes the level on his own. This appears as a green Super Guide block (with a ! on it) in the level. Hit it to activate the mode and you'll be able to watch Luigi finish the level for you.

Note: There is no Super Guide for World 9.

Unlockable: Save File Stars

Performing special actions will award you stars on your save file. Here are the stars you can earn:

• Star 1 - Beat the game (you can use Warp Cannons)

• Star 2 - Collect all 24 Star Coins in World 9

• Star 3 - Beat every "normal" level in the game, i.e., you don't need to find Secret Goals.

• Star 4 - Collect all 207 Star Coins in the first 8 Worlds

• Star 5 - Beat every level, find every secret goal and use all of the Warp Cannons.

Unlockable: Alternate Endings

Perform the actions below to unlock an alternate ending:

• Ending 1 (The Princess says, "Did I ever tell you about the Secret World?") - Beat the game once.

• Ending 2 (The Princess says, "Oh Mario, tell me about your adventure again!") - Beat the game a second time.

Unlockable: World 9

Beat the game to unlock World 9. Each level in World 9 is unlocked by gathering all of the coins in each of the Worlds 1-8:

• 9-1 - Find all the Star Coins in World 1

• 9-2 - Find all the Star Coins in World 2

• 9-3 - Find all the Star Coins in World 3

• 9-4 - Find all the Star Coins in World 4

• 9-5 - Find all the Star Coins in World 5

• 9-6 - Find all the Star Coins in World 6

• 9-7 - Find all the Star Coins in World 7

• 9-8 - Find all the Star Coins in World 8

Hint: Mushroom Houses

In New SMB Wii, you can make a bonus Mushroom house appear on the map by saving Toad when he appears in a level. To do this, you'll need to head to a level with the white Toad marker. Release Toad from the ? Block he's trapped in -- near the beginning of a level, listen for the cries -- and run him all the way to the end of the level to make a Mushroom House spawn. The type of Mushroom house depends on the final digit of the time when you grab the flag at the end of the level.

• Green (1-Up cannon game) - Get Toad to the end of the level, hit flag when the last digit of the time ends in 0, 1, 2 or 3.

• Red (Match game) - Get Toad to the end of the level, hit flag when the last digit of the time ends in 4, 5, 6 or 7

• Gold (Star reward) - Get Toad to the end of the level, hit flag when the last digit of the time ends in 8 or 9

Note: In multiplayer, you can make a Mushroom House appear using the similar timing method. Hit the flag when the time digits end in 00, 11, or 22 for a green house; 33, 44, 55, 66, 77 or 88 for a red house; or 99 for a gold house.

Unlockable: Save Anywhere

After you beat the game (beat World 8-Bowser's Castle) you'll be able to "hard save" anywhere you'd like. The option replaces the Quick Save option.

Unlockable: Mushroom House Bonanza

Beat the game to make all the Mushroom houses in Worlds 1-8 reappear. Collect all the Star Coins and visit every Warp Cannon to make the houses reappear and stay for good.

Hint: Flower Coins

Shake the Wii Remote to spin-jump on any of the small, dancing flowers in the game to make a coin appear.

Hint: Knock Out Marauding Enemies

On the world map you'll encounter marauding enemies. To avoid these map screen enemies you can activate a star from your item menu.

Hint: Double Ground Pound (Multiplayer)

With at least two human players you can perform a special double ground pound that has the ability to kill all nearby enemies much like a POW block. You'll need to time your ground pound (press JUMP then DOWN) so both players hit precisely at the same moment.

Hint: Protect Your Head

If you press 1 and shake the Wii remote to pick up a small object, like a turtle shell (as opposed to just picking it up with 1), you'll hold it above your head, protecting you from falling Bob-Ombs, etc.

Hint: Red Mushroom House Tomfoolery

When playing multiplayer you can steal your teammates' turn in the Red Mushroom House match game by performing a ground pound on him (jump and the press DOWN).

Easter Egg: Slow Down Or You'll Lose Your Hat!

If you get 99 lives, the maximum number of lives in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Mario will lose his hat! Once you beat a level with a full 99 count, Mario will appear hat-less on the map screen and in subsequent game play. You'll regain your hat once you lose a single life.

Easter Egg: Sounds From Beyond the Grave

When you're playing multiplayer and one of the players runs out of lives mid-level, he or she can still contribute to the game from the Great Beyond. Each direction of the D-pad is mapped to a different sound effect. Hold a direction and hit the 1 and 2 buttons to trigger different sounds, including clapping, a horn, kick and snare drums, and of course cowbell. The unfortunate players waiting for the level to end can add a drum line to the music.

Till next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (12/01/09 – 12/07/09)

2009-12-01T09:51:00.007-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• MX vs. ATV Reflex (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, DS)

• James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Wii, DS, PC)

• Rogue Warrior (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero (Wii)

• Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Wii, DS)

• Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection (Wii)

• Storybook Workshop (Wii)

• Bookworm (DS)

• Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (DS)

• Safecracker (DS)

• The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)

• Treasure Island (PC)

• Twin Sector (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Reviewed

2009-11-30T14:24:00.002-05:00

Release Date: Nov. 10, 2009
List Price: $59.99

When they announced ‘Modern Warfare 2’ would hit store shelves in November 2009, I was thrilled. The first ‘Modern Warfare’ game was a flat out awesome and all-around great game. The single player campaign was great and had a solid and entertaining story and the online multiplayer took gaming to another level and set some incredible standards that a lot of new titles now utilize. I could not wait to see what Infinity Ward had waiting to unleash upon us and I hoped that it would be as good, if not better than the first Modern Warfare.

The game continues the story of the original Modern Warfare five years after the previous installment. A new counter-terrorist group, Task Force 141, must fight a Russian ultra-nationalist terrorist organization and counter a Russian invasion of the US with the help of US armed forces.

Sound like the latest action movie in theaters now? It might as well be, this game is awesome and at times feels like you are playing a big-time action movie. Did the developers answer the latest Call of Duty? Would they yet again define what online game play is all about? Does ‘Modern Warfare 2’ stand up as a solid title that is worth picking up immediately? (I will give you a hint…It sold approximately 4.7 million copies in 24 hours on its release date.)

The Good:

Graphic/Animations: WOW…. This game looks incredible, even better than the first installment. Infinity Ward polished up this game, and the amazing level of detail and little touches really adds to the effect of being immersed in the game. As I said, this game has the look of a big-time summer-blockbuster action movie. The cut scenes flow so well, and the level of character detail is photo-realistic. The smoke and fog, lighting and background effects give such a realistic and at times eerie feeling to the game, you get the feeling as if the war is really in your backyard. Infinity Ward wanted to make this game look as real and intense as possible, and man did they succeed. This game looks awesome!

Dialogue/ Story: Again WOW... Not only does the dialogue in this game make the story feel so realistic and flow oh so well, but it is also believable. Being an ex-military man myself, I can tell you the wording and way things were said are very authentic. The developers must have brought on a military consultant because they nailed it perfectly – to the point where it brought back memories of my sergeants barking out orders.

I am also quite impressed with the story itself. Working as a continuation, the developers built this game as a great way to show that things went from bad to worse real quick. If you didn’t play the first game, don’t worry: There is a quick recap, and the story does such a great job keeping you pinned to your seat that it can work as a standalone title.

From start to finish, you feel like you’re part of the war and have something at stake. You don’t want to stop playing so you can find out what is going to happen next. I won’t spoil anything, but the story is definitely one of the best I’ve seen for a game in a long time, and it has some great twists thrown in. Great job!

Game play/Modes: ‘Modern Warfare’ had two modes: a single player campaign and online multiplayer. Not too many options, but man was it awesome and worth every penny. For ‘Modern Warfare 2,’ Infinity Ward decided to do one better. Not only would we get our single player mode and online multiplayer, but the new game also comes with ‘Special Ops,’ which I will get to in a minute.

First let’s talk about the single player campaign. The main game will take you roughly 7 hours to complete. Now, I know your saying, ‘Man that’s short….’ Trust me – it will most definitely not feel like it’s a short walk through the park. This game is nuts. Not only is the story solid and written perfectly, but the game play is fierce and unforgiving. At times it will make your hands and brow sweat, and make you feel like you are really part of a war. Your nerves will be on edge, with your trigger finger twitching to fire off another round. That is what the game is meant to do and it delivers 110%.

One thing I do want to mention is that there is a level fairly early in the game that is flat out brutal, a bit much and might not be appropriate for everyone. While it does help you understand the story of the game, this particular scene is not necessary to play and, due to its graphic nature, Infinity Ward has warnings that pop up as well as the ability to skip the level all together, for which I applaud them.

After you beat the game, a special level is unlocked. While not part of the story and a bit strange, this level is fun. I can say is don’t hit the red button.

Now on to the online multiplayer game. Taking everything that was good about the first game, building it up and adding even more is what ‘Modern Warfare 2’ is all about. Infinity Ward must have sat down in a room and said how can we make the online game play even more intense? How can we make it so awesome that once you pick up the controller you’ll never want to put it down? Well they figured it out, that’s for sure.

I am absolutely addicted to this mode and have lost sleep because of it. The developers once again give you multiple different game modes like death match, capture the flag, etc., as well as a few new ones. You score points by making kills and getting objectives to level up your rankings to unlock new weapons, attachments, perks, etc…, plus in this go-round there are call signs, icons and the ability to customize your perks to your playing style.

Another great set of features are the multiple kill streak perks. In the first game when you reach a certain number of kills in a row you could unlock up to 3 set bonus perks – like the ability to call in an airstrike or helicopter. Now there are around 20 or so other perks you can unlock as you level up, and you get the ability to assign when you use them. This added customization really makes the game have unlimited options. There are new weapon sets to use during the game, and additional health/survival perks.

I could go on for a long time about all the new features and functions in multiplayer but won’t so not to spoil it for you. All I can say is that this game mode alone makes this game worth picking up.

Now let’s talk about Special Ops. Special Ops is a single player/co-op game mode where you have to play various missions with different objectives. Like running an obstacle course, saving hostages, infiltrating a safe house, etc. The faster and better you do in beating the missions, the higher score and star rating you get. To unlock new levels, collect a set number of stars.

Man, this mode is awesome whether alone or with a friend. After playing through the campaign, I recommend you jump straight into this mode. Careful though: You will definitely spend way too many hours trying to beat your score and unlock new things. And, it will challenge you. I tend to die more playing this mode than the main game, but it is so worth it.

Sound: Holy crap! This is a loud, loud game! ‘Modern Warfare 2’ is meant to be played with a surround sound system cranked to full volume. The level of sound depth is great, and the level of clarity really packs a punch. Infinity Ward really makes the sound field so intense that your speakers will get a work out. From all the extra ambient and background noise to the loud bass-driven explosions, you really get a feeling of being on the battle field. Most games have decent depth and surround experience, but not like this. I caught myself looking over my shoulder to see what was going on. I say crank it up to 11, this is how a game should sound!! AWESOME!!!

The Bad:

Not much really.

I am very disappointed on the non-ability to have two or more players on the same system go onto the online multiplayer modes. You cannot have a ‘guest’ play alongside with you (which you can do in ‘Halo 3’ so it is possible), and you can’t have another account with Xbox Live log in and play on your system. That was a big oops on Infinity Wards’ part, and I hope they patch it soon.

During game play, if you get shot and need to take cover to regain health, the screen gets splattered with a blood effect that makes it very difficult – if not at times almost impossible – to see where you’re going. I’d much rather have the old style, where the screen would just shade red as you were hurt; at least then I could actually see the cover I need to get to.

Other than these small setbacks, I really can’t find much to complain about. This game is absolutely great and the best ‘Call of Duty’ yet.

The Bottom Line:

‘Modern Warfare 2’ has great graphics and a solid, fantastic story. It is well composed and has believable dialogue and voice acting giving it the real feel of military life. And, overall, the game play absolutely can’t be beat. This game is easily one of my favorites, and with the multiple options and game modes, it has a replay value that will keep you busy for till the late hours of the night well past the core game.

‘Modern Warfare 2’ puts you in the action and doesn’t let up. It might as well be made into a full-length action blockbuster because it is that awesome. I could go on for hours about it with no problem.

I highly recommend this game to everyone. Easily my pick for Game of the Year. Go get this game you won’t be disappointed – I know I wasn’t. In fact go now and pick it up.I can’t wait to see you on the battlefield.

Till next time, keep on gaming!!

Full Length Assassin’s Creed II Lineage Short Film

2009-11-17T10:52:00.001-05:00

Before the release of “Assassin’s Creed II,” Ubisoft gave us a series of short films to give a bit of back story and work as a prequel, if you will, to the new game. I previously posted the first part of this series for everyone to check out. Well now the entire film has been released via G4TV, and since “Assassin’s Creed II” came out in stores today, I wanted to make it available to all of you to watch (it is 35 minutes long, so might want to wait ‘til lunch time to start, or even ‘til you get home). I really like what they did with this – it looks quite good and the action is impressive for a short film. With the upcoming release of “Prince of Persia” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which is based off a video game series, it might not be that bad of an idea for Hollywood to proceed with adapting this game to the big screen. Definitely has potential to be a great action movie if done at all similar to this short.

Enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (11/17/09 - 11/23/09)

2009-11-17T10:05:00.001-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

• Assassin’s Creed II (Xbox 360, PS3)

• LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Wii, DS, PC)

• NCAA Basketball 10 (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Chaotic: Shadow Warriors (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

• Planet 51: The Game (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

• Scene It? Bright Lights Big Screen (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)

• God of War Collection (PS3)

• Band Hero (PS2)

• Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s Tag Force 4 (PSP)

• Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (PSP)

• LittleBigPlanet (PSP)

• EA Sports Active: More Workouts (Wii)

• NBA 2K10 (Wii)

• Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii)

• Just Dance (Wii)

• The Princess and the Frog (Wii, DS, PC)

• Jump Start Escape from Adventure Island (Wii)

• Pop’n Music (Wii)

• Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 (Wii, DS)

• Petz Hamsterz Superstarz (DS)

• Petz Dogz Talent Show (DS)

• Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery (DS)

• Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection (PC)

• The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack (PC)

• Zeno Clash (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

Last Week's New Releases (11/10/09 - 11/16/09)

2009-11-17T09:56:00.007-05:00

Since I didn’t have the opportunity to post this, here is the list of games that were released in stores last week.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Stoked: Big Air Edition (Xbox 360)

• Buzz: Quiz World (PS3)

• PES 2010: Pro Evolution Soccer (PS2, PSP, Wii)

• New Super Mario Bros.Wii (Wii)

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Reflex (Wii)

• Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked (Wii)

• Ultimate Party Challenge (Wii)

• We Cheer (Wii)

• Team Elimination Games (Wii)

• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Wii)

• Jonas (Wii)

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Mobilized (DS)

• Petz Nursery (DS)

• Style Lab: Jewelry Design (DS)

• Dragon Ball Z: Attack of Saiyans (DS)

• My Baby: First Steps (DS)

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack (DS)

• Style Lab: Makeover (DS)

• WireWay (DS)

• X3: Gold Edition (PC)

• The Legend of Crystal Valley (PC)

• Reel Deal Classic Games (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!

Social Networking and More is here for Xbox 360

2009-11-16T11:56:00.002-05:00

In a recent press release, Xbox LIVE general manager Marc Whitten confirmed the next wave of social interaction and entertainment is coming to Xbox LIVE on November 17. Starting tomorrow, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and instant on 1080p HD video from Zune will be available on Xbox 360 consoles, making Xbox LIVE the largest social network connected to the TV, with exclusive features custom-designed for the living room and home entertainment systems.

“We’re delivering some truly exciting social entertainment experiences to our members,” Whitten said. “Xbox LIVE’s differentiator has always been our community, and we’ve already seen a tremendous response to these features in our public preview. It’s the community that drives us forward and allows us to pioneer new ways of connecting people through the entertainment they love.”

“From the launch of Xbox LIVE nearly seven years ago, to milestones like Video Marketplace, Netflix and the New Xbox Experience, we’ve continued working toward our vision of connected entertainment for everyone, I’m proud to say that next week marks another great stride in fulfilling that promise, and we’re already imagining what the future has in store,” Whitten said.

Below are a few details on the new updates that will be available to Xbox Live Subscribers:

Facebook– Update your status to share what movie, game or entertainment you’re enjoying, connect with friends and view their Facebook stream, status updates and photos right on your TV, all seamlessly integrated and custom built for Xbox 360. You can even compare your Xbox LIVE and Facebook friends’ lists to see which of your friends are on Xbox LIVE and add them to your console at that time.

Zune – Zune video offers a full experience with instant on HD in 1080p and 5.1 channels surround sound. No waiting for downloads or buffering; it’s instantly streamed to your console with a simple press of a button. You can also share the experience with up to seven friends through voice chat and Avatar integration on the TV screen.

Twitter – Stay in the know by discovering, posting and replying to Tweets right on your Xbox 360 console. You can even view friend profiles, trends and conversations, or search to see who’s tweeting about your favorite game.

Last.fm – Immerse yourself and discover more music and explore unlimited personalized radio stations with Last.fm. Skip, “ban,” or “love” tracks to create your perfect musical mix. You can also enjoy a new feature called “Gamer Stations” with game-related music selected specifically for the gaming community.

On top of those social features, Xbox LIVE will also be debuting “News and More,” a new section of the “Inside Xbox” channel. It’s a regularly updated news stream of content from MSNBC, The New Yorker and Dilbert.

On November 17, turn on your Xbox 360, log onto Xbox LIVE and your system should automatically prompt you to update. Once complete, you will be ready to go and enjoy all these new features.

Not an Xbox LIVE Gold member but really wanna check these new features out? Don’t worry about it. From November 20 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT) through November 23 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT), Xbox LIVE Silver members will have the opportunity to try out and enjoy all the latest Gold features for FREE!! – including Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm! There’s tons more to experience and do with Gold service as well, since, for that weekend, it all will be available to all for free.

While I am not a huge Twitter or Last FM fan I am definitely interested to see how these new features work and I definitely do not mind Microsoft trying to add to the all-around experience of the system. By updating this already awesome console with all of these additional features, Microsoft is making the purchase of an Xbox 360 an easy choice and worth every penny. I will be sure to update my system the first chance I get tomorrow, and I recommend you do the same.

Til next time, keep on gaming!!

Cheat of the Week

2009-11-05T11:52:00.001-05:00

WWE Smack Down vs. Raw 2010 – Useful Cheats and Unlockables (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP)

Cheat: Cheat Codes

In the Main Menu, go to Options and then enter these (case sensitive!) codes under Cheat Codes for the desired effect:

• BonusBrawl - Unlocks The Dirt Sheet and Mr. McMahon's Office as playable arenas

• The Great One - Unlocks The Rock

• SuckIT! - Triple H's alternate attire

• ViperRKO - Randy Orton's alternate attire

• BowDown - Shawn Michaels' alternate attire

• Milan Miracle - Unlock Santino Marella's alternate attire

Unlockable: Abilities

Unlock the following Abilities by performing the actions below. You can assign them via Create-A-Moveset.

• Durability - Must get Durability Attribute score of 85

• Exploder Turnbuckle Attack - Must get your speed attribute score of 75

• Fan Favorite - Must get charisma score of 80

• Fired Up - Must get your overall rating of a 90

• Hardcore Resurrection - Must get hardcore score of 90

• Kip Up - Must get a Technical score of 85

• Lock Pick - Must get a submission score of 80

• Object Specialist - Must get a hardcore score of 70

• Resiliency - Must get an overall rating of 92

• Strong Strike - Must get a strike score of 75

Unlockable: Road to WrestleMania Unlockables

Perform the following actions to unlock the Alternate Attire, matches and more listed below:

Brand Warfare

• The Hardys Entrance, DX Entrance, Morrison and the Miz Entrance - In Week 2, you must win the battle royal as either Triple H or John Cena

• John Cena Alternate Attire (Street Clothes) - Week 4, you must put Kane through a table in less than 2:30 as John Cena

• Triple H Alternate Attire (DX) - Week 6, win your match in under 3 minutes as Triple H

• Alternate Attire for Miz and Morrison (Street clothes), Dirt Sheet area for backstage - Week 11, win the handicap match as either Triple H or John Cena

• Champion of Champions Title Belt - Win at Wrestlemania

CAW RTW

• Ezekiel Jackson - Week 3, throw each opponent out of the ring at least once.

• Alternate attire for Mr. McMahon (suit) - Week 5, Spend at least one minute of the match outside the ring

• Vinces Office in Backstage match - Week 6, win your match

• Santino Marella Story Designer story - Week 11, reach 500 degrees at least four times

• Alternate Attire for Santino Marella (Street clothes) - Week 12, make a successful diving attack from the top of the ladder

• Alternate Attire for Vince McMahon (Chicken Head) - Win the WrestleMania Match

Edges RTW

• Jesse - Week 2, hit every opponent with a finisher

• Alternate Attire for Mr. Kennedy - Eliminate Mr. Kennedy from the Royal Rumble Match

• Alternate Attire for Edge - Week 6, Win in under 3 minutes

• Locker Room Backstage area - At No Way Out, drag Mr. Kennedy on top of the Big Show and count the pinfall

• Mr. McMahon (Playable Character) - Week 11, Put Triple H through an announce table

• The Rock - Complete Edges Road to Wrestlemania

Dickie James RTW

• Eve - Week 2, pin or submit Maryse

• Alternate Attire for Dickie James - Week 6, beat Michelle McCool in under 3 minutes

• Alternate Attire for Natalya - Week 9, Choose Kendrick over natalya / Week 10, win the match suffering minimal damage

• Alternate Attire for The Brian Kendrick - Week 9, choose Natalya over Kendrick / Week 12, win the match without using a signature move or finisher

• Trish Stratus - Complete Mickies Road to Wrestlemania

Randy Orton's RTW

• Green and Red (Dummies as Characters) - Week 3, refuse Codys help and then reverse three of Batista's attacks.

• Randy Ortons Alternate Attire - At No Way Out, RKO Dusty Rhodes

• Cowboy Bob Orton - Week 9, dont use any strikes in your match

• Road to Wrestlemania Event Skip Feature (?) - Week 12, Spend less than 2 minutes in the ring as the legal superstar

• Dusty Rhodes - Beat Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania and KO Dusty after the match

• Ted DiBiase Sr. - Beat Ted DiBiase Jr. at Wrestlemania and KO Sr. after the match

HBK's RTW

• Alternate Attire for Shawn Michaels - Week 4, hit both opponents with Sweet CHIN Music

• Alternate Attire for Chris Jericho - Week 6, Make Jericho Bleed

• Alternate Attire for JBL - Week 8, Win the match in under 4 minutes

• Alternate Attire for Shawn Michaels (DX) - Week 10, Accept the Retirement Match / Week 11, have your partner be the legal man longer -OR- Week 10, Decline the Retirement Match / Week 11, Execute 3 Double Team attacks

• Interview Room for Backstage - Complete Shawn Michaels RTW

Unlockable: Backstage Brawl Arenas

In Road to Wrestlemania, complete the following tasks to unlock additional Backstage Brawl Arenas.

• Dirt Sheet - Win the handicap match as either Triple H or John Cena in Week 11 at Brand Warfare

• Interview Room - Complete Road To Wrestlemania as Shawn Michael

• Locker Room - At No Way Out, drag Mr. Kennedy on top of the Big Show as Edge and count the pinfall

• Vince's Office - As a Create-A-Superstar, win your match in week 6

Till next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!!

This Week's New Releases (11/3/09 - 11/9/09)

2009-11-03T10:07:00.002-05:00

Here is the list of games that are being released in stores this week.

• Dragon Age: Origins (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• LEGO Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

• Band Hero (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – Ultimate Sith Edition (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• Hasbro Family Game Night (Xbox 360)

• Jurassic: The Hunted (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Jak and Dexter: The Last Frontier (PSP)

• Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 (Wii)

• Need for Speed: Nitro (Wii, DS)

• Barbie and the Three Musketeers (Wii, DS)

• Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom (Wii)

• Academy of Champions: Soccer (Wii)

• Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage (Wii)

• Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (DS)

• Style Savvy (DS)

• Nostalgia (DS)

• Disney’s A Christmas Carol (DS)

• C.O.P.: The Recruit (DS)

• My Baby Girl (DS)

• Painkiller: Resurrection (PC)

Til next time, keep on gaming and enjoy!