GetmoGames
Information About Video Games
Video Game News - February 2007
Information About Video Games
February 28, 2007
Gaming on the Big Screen
A gaming cinema has opened in Madrid enabling game fans to play in a nicely equipped theater. You don't get to play on the big screen, but theater has been transformed into a gamers heaven. There a vibrating chairs, built in plasma screens and smoke and lasers. The big screens are still there though. The big screen is used for spectators allowing them to see what the gamers are up to. This idea comes from, in my opinion a genius, Enrique Martinez, who says that he hopes to see this progress in the future with "five screens, one for the traditional Hollywood spectators and the others for screens for video halls and 3-D." This comes in response the fact that cinema sales have fallen drastically and this may bring people back to the theaters. If it comes to the US, you can count me in. Check out the Cinegames site.
Dance Dance Revolution Downloadable Music
Only one day since it's release, DDR already has ten new songs that players can download on Xbox Live. The songs can be downloaded for 100 points, or $1.25 each, or in a group for 800 points, which is $10.00. Sounds pretty cool to me. I love the new direction that technology brings to videogames.
MGS3 Online No More
Konami has announced that they will no longer support online service for Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence as of April 2nd in North America. They urge players to continue playing Metal Gear on the PSP online. So if you own this game, you better play it online while you still can or go out and buy it used for really cheap so you can say that you got that chance. I will definitely put some time in before it's gone for good. By the way, I got my version for $15 at EBGames.
February 27, 2007
Are You a Casual Gamer?
Microsoft has launched a new casual games website. You know, the games that are usually offered on the main page your isp, like Comcast or AOL. The little games that everyone usually enjoys such as Hexic or Bejeweled. The MSN games website currently has over 500 different games ranging from card and puzzle games to arcade style games. Microsoft has stated that their games are played by over 120 million people a month worldwide. The games platforms that they mention on their own site include MSN Games, Messenger Games, Windows Games (preinstalled on Windows XP), and Xbox Live Arcade. These types of games have been gaining in popularity by huge amounts and I'm sure many other companies will follow suit.
GRAW 2 Multiplayer Demo
You can now download Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 multiplayer demo for free on Xbox Live Marketplace. If you don't know what Ghost Recon is, it is a squad based action shooter. You can play the co-op campaign mission and the adversarial game options will be playable with up to 16 players, which is the same as the full version of the game.
George Lucas Suing Digg Over Forgotten Game
It turns out that George Lucas isn't happy with Digg.com using that name. He apparently isn't happy that it sort of shares a name with a point and click adventure game he made with Steven Spielberg 12 years ago called The Dig. He has filed suit for trademark infringement. What an idiot.
February 26, 2007
No More Vibrating Controllers for Sony
Sony's president of worldwide studios has stated that the vibration function of the PS2 controllers are "last generation" and that they will not be bringing it back for the PS3. He also said that motion sensitivity is the next generation function and that it offers developers much more opportunity for innovation in the future. I really like the vibrating function of the PS3 controller but I'm sure that we will all get used to not using it and that the motion sensing function will take over. Then when PS4 comes out and they use brain waves or something, we will miss the motion sensor function.
February 23, 2007
Mercenaries 2 for Xbox 360 and PC
Sony has lost several exclusive games since it's release and they just lost another. Mercenaries 2 will now be a multi-format title. During the 2007 holiday season, it is scheduled for a global release on the PS2, Xbox 360 and the PC. This game is an action adventure game where you play a series of bounty hunters and will be based in Venezuela.
A Fun Way to Lose Wieght
Research done by Liverpool John Moores University has shown that playing active games using the Wii remote can lead to losing up to 27lbs a year. The studyd included five girls and seven boys ages 13 to 15 years old. Things that were measured were energy expenditure, calories burned, and the heart rate. With a regular controller energy expenditure rose to 60% above resting values and heart rate rose to 85 beats per minute. With the Wii controller, remote energy expenditure rose to 156% and 130 beats per minute. Finally a way to get kids to get a little bit of excercise while they are in the house. Maybe adults too, since the games fun for everyone.
New PSP and Monster Hunter
Japan has swarmed all over a new bundled PSP package that contains the game Monster Hunter Portable 2nd. The bundle also included a brand new "Champagne Gold" PSP. Monster Hunter is a very popular game in Japan, comparable to Halo in the United States, so there people lined up at stores all over the place with numbers up into the hundreds. I was a beta tester for Monster Hunter for the Playstation 2 a long time ago and I really enjoyed it so I can see why the game is so popular in Japan.
Nintendo Gamecube is Dead
Nintendo of Americas, Perrin Kaplan, officially announced that Nintendo has pulled the plug on the Gamecube. She also stated that they will no longer be producing games for the console either. I have a Wii, which is backwards compatible, so I am ok with the news, but for those of you who don't own one yet, I'm really sorry. It was a great system.
New Platinum Hits for Xbox 360
Microsoft has announced that there will be eight more games added to the Platinum Hits collection beginning March 16th. They will come with new packaging and a price tag of $29.99. The games are:
- Fight Night Round 3
- Dead or Alive 4
- Burnout Revenge
- Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
- Call of Duty 2
- Top Spin 2
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
- Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis
Google To Advertise in Videogames
Google has signed its deal with Adscape for $23 million US dollars and the advertising company is now owned by the search giant. The deal is not entirely complete though and the current executive team at Adscape will remain until March.
February 22, 2007
Some Awesome Games to Check Out This Week
Virtua Fighter 5 was released yesterday for the PS3 and the Xbox 360. This is the first fighting game for the Playstation 3 and looks to be a good one. There are a total of 17 fighters at your disposal for pounding some faces in. Another game that I am sure many people have been looking forward to is Crackdown, probably mostly for the Halo 3 beta, but it still looks like a fun game. Sonic the Hedgehog is coming out for the Nintendo Wii, and users get to put the motion sensing controller to work for this one. There are also 40 minigames you can play with three of your friends. That makes four people if you aren't good at math. And last but not least, today you will be able to download flOw on the PS3.
Circuit City Selling Used Games
Other big name companies have tried this in the past and haven't been too successful, but it looks like Circuit City is going to try. I went to their website and there is now a link that goes to pre-owned games. The prices really don't look that great though. I'm sure you can get better deals at a game store. I'm sure it will get better though. Wouldn't it be weird if they started to sell used games in a brick and mortar store like Media Play did? Media Play isn't around anymore either so I guess it didn't really help much.
Wii Sales Doing Great
In an article yesterday, the console sales numbers were given by the NPD Group for last month. In the month of January Microsoft sold 294,000 units of the Xbox 360, Sony sold 244,000 PS3 units, and Nintendo sold a whopping 436,000 Wii's. I can see why too, because the Wii is amazingly fun.
Want a Say in How Games Are Rated?
If you live in the New York area, it looks like the ESRB is hiring. This is a full time position titled "Video Game Content Reviewer". Candidates should have experience with children, strong communication skills, and of course, interest and familiarity with video games. If you really want to apply for the position, you can find the job posting here.
February 21, 2007
Did You Buy Crackdown?
Because if you did, Xbox Live is now offering free content for the game already. It's not much but Gold members can download four new agent designs in what is called the Four-Play Pack. It seems that it is available all over the world except for Germany.
Surgeons Who Play Games Do Better Work
I was watching Fox News last night and they were saying that surgeons who play 3 or more hours a week on video games have a 37 percent lower rate of accidents. After doing some more research I found that surgeries such as laparoscopic surgery can be improved by videogames, because that surgery involves the use of instruments that are controlled via a television screen or monitor. In a surgical test of 33 surgeons at Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York, who have played videogames at least three hours a week scored 42% better and 27% faster. These results basically prove that playing videogames improves motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception. Also, in my own opinion, from personal experience, I also think video games improve reading skills. One thing to note though, is that another study has shown results that people who play more than 9 hours a week leads to excessive aggression and poor results for children in school. But then again, here is a more recent study that says otherwise.
February 20, 2007
Interview with Spiderweb President
It's funny when a game company specializes in making RPGs but doesn't even like them. 1up did an interview with Jeff Vogel, of Spiderweb Software, about his company and the indie hits that they have produced. One thing that he stated about RPG's that he hates is how you have to start out puny and tediously play until you become strong. I completely agree with him. He also stated that if the changing this formula for these games "just wouldn't sell well". Which I also think is true...to a point. Big hits when I was younger were games like Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, and Legend of Gaia. These games were really good RPG's and weren't turn based games. They were some of the best RPG's ever made but games like that just don't exist anymore. Maybe because when the majority of people want an RPG they just want the same old formula with new additions and story lines. Don't get me wrong, I am actually a pretty big RPG fan, but I do like some change every now and then.
February 19,2007
Raise Your Gamerscore, Get Prizes
You've no doubtably heard about the Old Spice Experience Challenge if you own an Xbox 360. If you haven't, let me give you the rundown. You have to gain as much Gamerscore points as you can in order to get free stuff like Microsoft Points, t-shirts, and games. The first challenge is to raise your Gamerscore by 1,500 points between February 12th and April 12th. If you complete this challenge you will be promoted a level if you are at level 1 or 2. This is a great way for Microsoft to make more money. A full price title can get you up to 1,000 points, but you have to play through the game at the hardest level of difficulty, and complete every part of the game. You can get up to 200 points for each casual game. If you want to make all of these points, you are going to have to buy more games and drive up the sales for Microsoft.
Chili Con Carnage
Have you played Total Overdose for the PS2? Well Chili Con Carnage is a spinoff for the PSP. I thought Total Overdose was a really fun game and this one looks just as good. This game has tons of action and has single and multiplayer modes. The plot of the game is for Ramiro Cruz to navigate through the underworld of Los Toros, Mexico in order to avenge the assassination of his father. It's your job to take on Cesar Morales drug cartel using flashy moves and crazy stunts. The first game in the series was wild and I expect this one to be nothing less. Check out the trailor for Chili Con Carnage here. This game was released in Europe on the 16th of this month and will be released on the 27th in the U.S.
February 16, 2007
ATHF Game Coming to Playstation 2
Aqua Teen Hunger Force is coming to the PS2 in extreme golf form. Dave Willis, who is the creator of ATHF, stated that "It's extreme combat golf" and that "it's also laced with violence". The plans are for a summer or fall release this year. I love ATHF and I really can't wait to see this game.
February 15, 2007
Everybody Votes Channel For Wii
Nintendo has launched a new channel to the Wii menu. You can download the Everybody Votes Channel for free. Wii owners who have their systems connected to the internet can speak their mind on a variety of topics. New questions will be posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and Global questions will be posted two times a month. You will also be able to submit your own topics for Nintendo to use.
Free Guns in Battlefield 2142
If you play Battlefield 2142, there is some good news for you. Throughout the whole weekend every unlockable weapon in the game will be available for free. This starts on Friday and will end on Monday at midnight PST. See the official post from EA.
February 14, 2007
Halo 3 Beta Phase 2 Ended
The second phase of the Halo 3 "Rule of 3" program has ended. There is only one more way to gain entry into the beta program. You have to purchase the game, Crackdown, before the beta period. Crackdown is released on February 20th in North America. It will be marked with a Halo 3 sticker. On the Bungie website, they have stated that they only have information about the Rule of 3 program for North America and that Microsoft is controlling the contest, so you will have to go to your local Xbox.com website for information about the beta near you.
Xbox Rewards Site Opens Then Closes
Microsofts new Xbox Rewards website seems to be having technical difficulties. If you went to the site you would have seen an error reading "Sorry we are very busy at the moment, please try again later." Looks like they weren't completely ready to launch.
February 13, 2007
Age Of Conan Cross Platform Play?
In late fall of 2007, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is planned for release. It is rumored to incorporate cross-platform playability between PC and Xbox 360 users. Funcom, the developers of Age of Conan, hasn't really released very much information but they have stated that if they do have cross-platform play, an option they have considered is to have some shared servers and some that aren't so that players have the freedom of choice. They said that they would release more info later once they decide on how to overcome the various challenges of mixing people on the same server.
A New Shut Up Option for Halo 3
If you have ever played an online game where other players can communicate with each other through headsets, you most likely have heard plenty of trash talking, racial remarks, and young kids constantly using profanity. Bungie has revealed that Halo 3 will have an "A-Hole Button" for this very reason. This will allow players of the game to mute any player that they want during gameplay. Of course they won't be able to completely stop this kind of abuse, but it sure is a good start.
Warriors, Come Out and.....Ohhh You Know The Rest
Warriors, the violent brawler based on the popular movie released in 1979, will soon be coming to the PSP. You will play the leader of a gang that fights to regain control of the New York streets by fighting rival gangs. Rockstar announced that the game will be released later this year.
February 12, 2007
Final Fantasy DS
Square Enix will be releasing Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the Nintendo DS. They will also be producing a customized DS to go along with the game. Now you will have two DS's, or a good reason to own one.
Twilight Princess Has Sold One Million
The first ever million seller for the Nintendo Wii is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Nintendo has sold over a million copies of the game in the Americas, according to Perrin Kaplan, who is Nintendo of America's VP of Marketing.
February 9, 2007
Some Ideas for Valentines Day
If you want, you can play a game together, pick a game where you can be teammates. It will be more fun for her. I know you would like to just find a game where you can kill her over and over, but then she'll never want to play games with you again. You can also find a game with a really good and interesting story. You better be good enough at the game though so that she doesn't get bored of you killing the same guys over and over or leveling up. If you want to compete, puzzle games are a good idea. Both parties are usually good at puzzle games and it keeps things more fair. Or if you are a female, get your boyfriend anything game related, he'll probably like it. Now for gifts. How about getting your girlfriend a Pink Nintendo DS. Or you can get your boyfriend anything game related, because he will probably like whatever it is you get.
February 8, 2007
Lucky PC Users Get Jade Empire
Previously an "Only On Xbox" title, Jade Empire Special Edition will be released for PC owners. It will have the same fighting action and Asian mythology as the Xbox version, but will contain a few extra features. There will be new monsters, fighting styles and difficulty levels. Of course it will have better graphics and resolution as well. It will be released on February 27th in North America and March 2nd in Europe.
February 7, 2007
Controversy to Strike Rockstar Games.....Again
Yesterday, Rockstar Games announced that they would be releasing a sequel to the controversial stealth game, Manhunt. The original Manhunt was about a death row inmate who was forced to try to to escape hundreds of armed killers and encouraged to kill them in sadistic and ultra violent ways. The game does not have a rating yet, but is most likely to be the same as the original, which is Mature. I actually liked the original and can't wait for the new one. Check out the official site for Manhunt 2
February 5, 2007
New PSP Game Carries The Girls Gone Wild Licence
The upcoming PSP game Pocket Pool allows players to play against attractive models in order to unlock video clips and image galleries. It isn't known how deeply the Girls Gone Wild license will be mixed into the gameplay of Pocket Pool at this time though. A representative of the company would not comment on whether or not any other games would carry the license. The game has been given an M rating with partial nudity and sexual themes as content descriptions.
February 2, 2007
More Virtual Console News
Some games that are available for download on Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console now include Bonanza Bros., Comix Zone, Contra III, and as I mentioned before, Mario Kart 64. Some good choices there. I think everybody loves Contra III, and Comix Zone was a really fun original game that I enjoyed on the Sega Genesis. Keep em coming Nintendo.
God of War 2
If you liked the first God of War, I bet you can't wait for God of War 2. Here is the official trailer for it. Doesn't show much, but cool nonetheless. If you are interested in seeing more of this game finish the video and continue through the site.
February 1, 2007
Saints Row on PS3?
THQ confirmed yesterday that Saints Row will appear on the Playstation 3 sometime this spring. The press release did not mention if there would be any additional content in the PS3 version though. They have stated that "Saints Row brings the hugely popular open-world genre to Sony's new console for the first time and will mark the first open world online experience available through the PLAYSTATION(R) Network." Exciting.
