spawn622

The controls are simple and perfect. You jump with the “A” button and you sprint with the “X” or “RT” button. It’s really that simple and they work flawlessly. You can never use them as an excuse for a bad run through a level. If you die, it is your own fault. The music and sound effects are in a word, AMAZING. dBsoundworks does an awesome job yet again. You may not know these guys, but I can almost guarantee that you’ve heard their work previously. Their growth from games like Canabalt, Gravity Hook, and Steambirds is astounding and their passion for the indie games scene really shines in Super Meat Boy. I think we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future for sure. Level designs are flawless. Some may seem near impossible as you progress through the game, but that is part of the games overall charm. Once you die for the 30 or 40th time on a level you will want to give up, but once you finally make your way through to your beloved Bandage Girl, the sense of accomplishment is astounding. After completing each level, a replay of all your tries plays all at once. Showing each death and following through to your final accomplished run. It’s a small touch that is so brilliant you will smile each time you see it. There are over 300 levels in the game consisting of the main game levels, dark versions of each one that up the difficulty, warp zone levels, and free DLC from “Teh Internets”. All in all there are 300+ levels. As you progress, new game mechanics open up, as well as, new characters from other great indie games. Tim from Braid, Gish, characters from Castle Crashers, Alien Hominid, N+ and more all make appearances in the game. Each character has their own special abilities in addition to being able to perform all of Meat Boy’s acrobatic moves. If I had to make any criticism at all about the game, it’s the fact that you can’t share your level replays. Honestly, this isn’t a huge knock but would have been a very welcome feature so you can show off your skills without having to use any kind of capture card setup to do so. This little caveat doesn’t make a bit of difference in this being a perfect game. All in all, this game is pure perfection. It is great to see all the press it’s getting and it has become one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games of all time. The difficulty may turn some gamers off and Team Meat says they won’t pay for a new TV if you get frustrated and throw you controller through the screen. They will however Retweet pictures if you send them. I can easily say this is the best and most fun XBLA title I have purchased, ever. You owe it to yourself to spend the introductory $10 (Going up to $15 sometime in November) and pick this game up. What are you waiting for? Bandage Girl needs saving. GET TO IT!!

Video taken at the Firstlook gaming convention in Germany. Watch it and have a very very happy Monday. OH! By the way, not safe for work or small ears language and some sexual content, but it's Duke, what do you expect?

Unfortunately, great water effects and an engaging story can only do so much to mask the unresponsive and sluggish and unnecessarily complicated controls. Jumping over a fiery pit to a balcony should not be a complicated affair. Furthermore, it really shouldn’t send you careening in the wrong direction if you do get the button combination right. There are also issues with story and cut scene pacing, which seems to be a trend in gaming in general. I shouldn’t get a cut scene every 10 to 15 steps my character takes. The game really takes you out of the action with this tactic. It will also show you things in the cut scenes that your character should be able to do, that look really awesome, but sadly they don’t allow it. Reaction Overall Hydrophobia isn’t a bad game and really does show flashes of being a top notch Xbox Live Arcade Game, but unfortunately falls short in some very important areas. With great arcade games like Limbo and Splosion Man, lackluster controls that take you out of the action really are a no-no in today’s gaming market. Also, going overboard with the cut scenes has to stop. Hopefully if we complain enough, developers will hear us and cut back some. As the first in a planned trilogy, I think Dark Energy Digital should be able to tighten up on a few areas and put the HydroEngine to good use in the inevitable sequel and give us something really spectacular. As it stands however, I can’t really recommend spending the Microsoft Points on this first installment.

Overall, the game play remains largely unchanged from previous versions, which isn’t a bad thing at all. You’re still defending your front yard, back yard, and roof from the oncoming zombie onslaught. All the mini games from the other versions are intact as well. A new mini game that is roughly based on one of Popcap’s other XBLA titles (Heavy Weapon) brings you a super powered pea shooter to face the zombies. The addition of multiplayer and co-op is very welcome. In co-op, each player plants their own plants in the same yard. You have to work together and have a game plan or your brains will belong to the zombies. There are some really great co-op mini games as well. In the competitive multiplayer mode, one player takes control of the plants and one takes control of the zombies. This really does lead to some amazingly good times. Tips and Tricks - Always have a cheap attack plant at your disposal - Be sure buy Crazy Dave’s slot and plant upgrades as soon as you can - Use Wall-Nuts and Tall-Nuts to create a buffer for your attacking plants Reaction As a pretty big fan of almost every version of Plants Versus Zombies seeing an XBLA version come out was really great. I’ve purchased every version of the game that I could (PC and iPhone) and have played it on the iPad. While I really do prefer the controls on the iPhone/iPad, the jump to the console really does work well. Using the controller didn’t feel awkward at all and as I said above, many tower defense games should take a look at what Popcap has done here and take notes. The mini-games remain a highlight for me. Wall-nut bowling remains my favorite. There’s just something about rolling that big eyed walnut down the lanes and watching it bounce around a horde of oncoming zombies that just makes me smile. The co-op and multiplayer are unexpectedly fun, but do bring up the only negative that I can say about the game and for some this may be a big detriment. No online play, local only. While this isn’t a huge problem for me, for most gamers nowadays, online play is a must. Overall the game is a very good port of an excellent game that brings enough new features to warrant the $15 price tag.

Classic Collection of PC Adventure Games Available for One Week Only Partial Proceeds to Benefit Five Worthy Causes SAN RAFAEL, CA – September 3, 2010 – Telltale Games, the leading independent digital publisher and developer of episodic interactive entertainment, today announced the release of The Great Adventure Bundle 2010, a collection of six current and classic PC adventure games assembled into a single bundle for one low price of $19.95. Beginning September 3 and available for one week only, players can purchase The Great Adventure Bundle 2010 which includes: Hothead’s Penny Arcade Adventures, Episode 1, Daedalic’s The Whispered World, Activision’s King’s Quest Collection, Deck 13’s Jack Keane; plus Telltale Games’ own Puzzle Agent and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space. In addition, Telltale announced that 25 percent of each purchase of The Great Adventure Bundle 2010 will be set aside for five charitable causes, including: Childs Play, Electronics Frontier Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Nyota e.V. As an incentive to participate, Telltale’s will build in bonus games that will “unlock” and become available for play as soon as certain unit-goals have been met. States Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale Games: “The release of The Great Adventure Bundle signals the launch of our third-party publishing program, and is not only a great value for our fans, but also a great way to support five great causes.” The Great Adventure Bundle is available from September 3 through September 10 for $19.95 at http://www.telltalegames.com/adventurebundle/gab2010

That's right folks. Like everyone in the world is reporting, DUKE NUKEM IS BACK!! 2K Games and Gearbox are bringing Duke Nukem Forever to market, FINALLY, in 2011 to PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. After a few days of heavy hinting, Randy Pitchford from Gearbox has made it official at PAX. The game is actually playable as well. Check out the synopsis straight from the game's fact sheet: Mark your calendars, forever is nearly here. 2011 marks the launch of Duke Nukem Forever, the most anticipated game of all time. Put on your sunglasses and prepare to step into the role of Duke Nukem, whose legend has reached epic proportions in the years since his last adventure. Now the alien hordes are back and only Duke Nukem can save the world, again. Pig cops, shrink rays and enormous alien bosses won’t stop our hero from accomplishing his one and only goal: to save the world, the babes and to be a bad-ass doing it. The King of All Shooters is back with over the top weapons, massive aliens, and unprecedented levels of interactivity. Duke Nukem was and will forever be immortalized in gaming history; this is his legend. And a picture worthy of being your new background image (Click for the larger version):

Telltale Games has dropped a few details about the Back to the Future game that was announced in June. Very little is known about the game currently but below are a few tidbits from the press release and other sources: The game will include the likenesses of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as the characters Marty McFly and Doc Brown (Seen in the concept art above). Christopher Lloyd will also provide his voice for the games. Other characters from the series will make appearances, although who knows if the actors will provide their likenesses or voices. Back to the Future series screenwriter Bob Gale is working on the story. 5 Episodes are planned. It will be set in the fictional California setting of Hill Valley, and will explore 1985 and additional time periods. Hopefully we'll hear more from Telltale soon on a tentative release and more details. For those that are wondering who Telltale is, they are responsible for the stellar versions of the latest Monkey Island and Sam and Max revival. Be sure to check out the entire press release after the break and stay tuned for more information as it comes in. At 88 miles per hour, Back to the Future took millions of spellbound viewers on a high-flying voyage across the space-time continuum in a trio of wildly inventive tales that broke box-office records around the world. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning cinematic franchise that generated nearly $1 billion worldwide, Telltale Games will release a new game series this winter as part of the milestone soon after the Blu-ray debut and DVD release of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy on October 26, featuring all-new restorations of the classic films.Telltale today announced that the highly anticipated Back to the Future games will feature the likenesses of the original stars that made the characters of Marty McFly and Doc Brown legendary: Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Lloyd is voicing Doc Brown for the full game series, which Telltale will deliver in five monthly episodes. The first images showing the game depictions of Marty and Doc are now available at: www.backtothefuturegame.com. The game series is developed through a licensing agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “Creating cinematic adventures true to the source is a top mission for Telltale,” says Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “Securing Marty and Doc for the games, and presenting the experience that fans know and love, has been top on our list since we initiated development.” Co-creator and writer Bob Gale’s involvement further strengthens the links to the original series. Gale is consulting with Telltale on the characterizations and storyline for the game, ensuring it will be true to the spirit and adventure of the films. Gale elaborates: “Twenty-five years ago when I wrote Doc Brown’s line about ‘seeing the future,’ little did I realize that I would be traveling with him to work on this game. Collaborating with Telltale is an amazing opportunity to continue the adventures of Doc and Marty.” Telltale is also pleased to announce that the games will feature the DeLorean Time Machine, and to celebrate the historic vehicle’s return, it will make a guest appearance at the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle Washington September 3 through 5. Fans attending this increasingly popular gaming and culture event can re-create the iconic pose from the movie posters and capture their photos with this authentic replica of the famous vehicle in the Convention Center’s South Hall.

NinjaBee games brings us the follow-up to their 2008 XBLA hit, A Kingdom for Keflings. Slated for release during "winter" of this year A World of Keflings will be shown in greater detail at PAX. Take a look at the trailer below and a quick synopsis of the upcoming game: Build a robot, rescue the princess, make friends with a dragon and help a creepy witch get even creepier. Take your Xbox LIVE Avatar on a journey through exotic lands while you help the tiny Keflings build and customize their kingdoms! Play with a friend on the same console or with three friends over Xbox LIVE in this story-based, kingdom-building adventure.

Major Nelson released a video showing the new Xbox 360 controller that is slated for November 9th. It sports a newly improved D-Pad and new more comfortable triggers, as well as newly colored face buttons.. The D-Pad twists and becomes an actual D-Pad instead of the disc based pad of the current design. The new controller will sell in a Play And Charge Kit for $64.99. It remains to be seen how well it performs, so I'll reserve judgment until I get my hands on one. Take a look at the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on the forums. Quick edit: The video with Major Nelson doesn't show it well, so here is a closeup of the new D-Pad in both positions.

As many Xbox Live Gold members probably have, I received the following email today in reference to the new pricing structure that takes effect for new and renewing Gold members on November 1st. Amazon is offering 12 month cards for $40 right now, so stock up if you don't want to pay the new price. Take a look at the email below:

With the newest rhythm games edging closer and closer to released, Harmonix has released the full set list for the game. When the game comes out we will get the standard guitar, drum, and vocal parts but we will also have the new keyboard instrument as well. Not only that, but the 3 part vocals that were first introduced in Beatles Rock Band are also present. There are quite a few tweaks that Harmonix has made to the game as well, but most of that is window dressing for the set list. Take a look after the break and let us know what you think. 2000s: • Amy Winehouse, "Rehab" • At the Drive-In, "One Armed Scissor" • Avenged Sevenfold, "The Beast & the Harlot" • Dover, "King George" • The Bronx, "False Alarm" • The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1" • HIM (His Infernal Majesty), "Killing Loneliness" • Hypernova, "Viva La Resistance" • Ida Maria, "Oh My God"* • Juanes, "Me Enamora" • Metric, "Combat Baby"* • Paramore, "Misery Business"* • Phoenix, "Lasso"* • Poni Hoax, "Antibodies" • Pretty Girls Make Graves, "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" • Queens of the Stone Age, "No One Knows" • The Ravonettes, "Last Dance" • Rilo Kiley, "Portions for Foxes"* • Riverboat Gamblers, "Don't Bury Me...I'm Still Not Dead" • Slipknot, "Before I Forget" • The Sounds, "Living in America" • Tegan & Sara, "The Con" • Them Crooked Vultures, "Dead End Friends" • Tokio Hotel, "Humanoid"* • The Vines, "Get Free"* • The White Stripes, "The Hardest Button to Button"* 1990s: • Faith No More, "Midlife Crisis"* • Filter, "Hey Man, Nice Shot" • Jane's Addiction, "Been Caught Stealing"* • Maná, "Oye Mi Amor" • Marilyn Manson, "The Beautiful People" • The Muffs, "Outer Space" • Phish, "Llama" • Primus, "Jerry Was a Racecar Driver" • Rammstein, "Du Hast" • Smash Mouth, "Walkin' On The Sun"* • Spacehog, "In the Meantime" • Stone Temple Pilots, "Plush" • Swingin' Utters, "This Bastard's Life" 1980s: • Anthrax, "Caught in a Mosh" • Big Country, "In a Big Country" • The Cure, "Just Like Heaven"* • Def Leppard, "Foolin'" • Devo, "Whip It" • Dio, "Rainbow in the Dark" • Dire Straits, "Walk of Life" • Echo & the Bunnymen, "The Killing Moon" • Huey Lewis and the News, "The Power of Love" • INXS, "Need You Tonight"* • J. Geils Band, "Centerfold" • Joan Jett, "I Love Rock N' Roll"* • Night Ranger, "Sister Christian"* • Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train"* • The Police, "Don't Stand So Close to Me" • Roxette, "The Look"* • The Smiths, "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before" • Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" • Whitesnake, "Here I Go Again"* 1970s: • The B-52's, "Rock Lobster"* • Blondie, "Heart of Glass" • Bob Marley, "Get Up, Stand Up" • Chicago, "25 or 6 to 4" • Deep Purple, "Smoke on the Water" • Doobie Brothers, "China Grove"* • Elton John, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" • Foreigner, "Cold As Ice"* • Golden Earring, "Radar Love" • John Lennon, "Imagine" • Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Free Bird" • Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody"* • Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated" • Steve Miller Band, "Fly Like an Eagle" • T. Rex, "20th Century Boy" • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "I Need to Know" • War, "Low Rider" • Warren Zevon, "Werewolves of London" • Yes, "Roundabout"* 1960s: • Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations (Live)" • David Bowie, "Space Oddity" • The Doors, "Break on Through (To the Other Side)"* • James Brown, "I Got You" (I Feel Good) - Alternate Studio Version* • The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Crosstown Traffic"* • The Who, "I Can See for Miles"

SAN MATEO, Calif. – August 23, 2010 – Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced the appointment of Kazuhiko Abe to CEO and President of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. and CE Europe, Ltd. Abe is responsible for the overall management of North American and European business operations and will oversee the activities between the U.S. and European offices in order to promote efficient international operations. Abe joined Capcom in 2003 as General Manager of Management Planning and in 2006 became the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Capcom in Japan. Prior to joining Capcom, Abe worked for various institutions such as The Mitsubishi Bank and telecommunications service provider Hikari Tsushin, Inc. before taking the role of Executive Officer at Intuit Kabushiki Kaisha.

If Halo can do it, why can't Metroid. Watch as Samus walks through a war zone in the Zero suit and explains a little about the games plot that Team Ninja is putting together in their upcoming game for the Wii. I hope to get a better copy of the commercial later today, but this will have to do for now. Enjoy!

With a Holiday 2010 planned release, Warren Spector's Disney project has an opening cinematic that explains some of the story and shows just how devious Mickey used to be. Take a look and let us know what you think in the comments.