Gaming Mojo

Sorry, been a little absent with new, news updates but even though this is still a few days late fans would not have missed it

The release of Final Fantasy XIII (13) on the PS3 and Xbox 360 long awaited and ever delayed, alas no PC release

The game is a lot more linear then other titles in the series, my opinion similar to Crisis Core on the PSP (only one I have played). The story, as always is the massive strong point in this game, juxtaposed with the stunning cinematics and down right out of this world location, will not disappoint hardcore fan boys of the series. Characters have that almost human feel, even with those funky hair styles and classic Japanese resolve.

Your direction is always clean, and the path directs you in this way removing the illusion of a free roam game and directing the player to the mark destination followed by a cut scene, Final Fantasy Production 101. The sets do change and new locations are always as imaginative and well thought out as the previous, giving the player some interest in where they actually are. There is however a massive open area further into the game, this has been dubbed the ‘grind zone’ as you’ll do most of your quest and farming here, also id you want to max out your characters this will be the number one stop.

Character development give you a ton of freedom, though characters have their specific roles in battle, the way in which you upgrade them to assist in their role is up to you. But as you near the end game it all opens up allowing you to give anyone, any job you want. Alongside is the similar gear crafting system, allowing for some tough decisions whilst you try to perfect your characters.

The combat system starts off slow, introducing each element as you go along, then you’ll gain access to the complete system. This way it allows players to get a grasp of the complex battling system that is in place, although you can ‘auto-battle’ your way through, which applies a set of techniques to your characters this will get old quick. There’s nothing like the thrill of taking down an almost invincible opponent the precise, strategic battle moves. The visuals I’ll let you see for yourself, its classic Final Fantasy moves… Amazing.

This game will divide players, those with short attention spans, that love the action quick and fast, beware. This is a game that takes its time to get to the good stuff, like any classic RPG game. Put in the hours to get there and you will be engulfed in a world of bizarre magic and wonder.

Final Fantasy Review – gametrailers.com

SOCOM 4 is a squad-based, realistic, tactical third-person shooter with this installment promising to be far friendlier to new initiates than earlier SOCOM games. Zipper wants to make SOCOM 4 “the pinnacle of tactical shooters” on the PS3, says lead designer Travis Steiner, but it also wants to build a rich narrative around it.

The events take place in Southeast Asia, but Zipper is quick to point out that you’ll see more than jungles and beaches in SOCOM 4. Expect to train your sights on mountains, small towns and massive cityscapes as well. And unlike previous SOCOM games, the single-player mission is designed to be a seamless in-the-field experience. That means there’s no choppering out to a cushy battleship in-between missions to load out your team and regroup. The weapons and supplies you have with you at the beginning of the mission are all you get from HQ. Like a true special forces team cut off from the outside world, you’ll need to requisition supplies in-theater.

The SOCOM 4 single-player campaign is built around 14 missions that unfold over about 12 hours of play time. And although Zipper is trying to make SOCOM 4 more accessible to new audiences, that doesn’t mean it’ll be a cakewalk. The team says they’ve focused intensely on artificial intelligence this time around. Don’t expect dumb enemies to present their heads to you for easy popping. They’re programmed to use suppressing fire, flanking and bounding maneuvers, and cover. Enemy commanders will even call in airstrikes on you (if you leave them alive long enough).

All the commands in SOCOM 4 are given in real-time and are issued based on what your Ops Commander can see – no bringing up full-screen maps and ordering your squad around as little colored squares and triangles. As the Ops Commander, you’ll be able to see points of tactical interest in Command Mode that you might not see in regular mode. Things will slow down slightly, and the screen will go a bit gray as you make your choices, but the bullets will still be flying. Zipper wants to keep you on the field and in the action at all times.

There will be multiplayer in SOCOM 4, but Zipper’s not talking about it yet. All we know is it will be “an all new experience” that supports up to 32 players online.

OCOM 4 is aiming for a Fall 2010 release date, will keep you guys updated.

(IGN.com)

With last day of February upon as, we have really hit the stride in 2010 with past releases. But the 3rd month of the New Year, March 2010 is proving to be a promising month once again. With 9 expected new titles on the main four consoles, plus more content to be delved into handheld, expansion, DLC’s and console cross over’s. Let’s check out the view.

March 3rd:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC, Xbox360, PS3)

Major League Baseball 2K10 (PC, Xbox360, PS3)

MBL 10 The Show (PS3)

March 9th:

Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox360, PS3)

Yakuza 3 (PS3)

March 16th:

Command & Conquer 4 (PC)

God of War 3 (PS3)

March 23rd:

Red Steel (Wii)

Just Cause 2 (360, PS3, PC)

Bad Company 2, FF XIII and God of War 3 the clear favourites for gamers this months, with prediction that God of War 3, the highly anticipated title to continue the series will take March’s most successful game. But also rejoice for PC fans as the 16th holds great promise, not only to release the new Command & Conquer, but to finally have the opportunity to take the creed to the PC, Assassins Creed will finally be released on the PC, as a fellow PC gamer this is very exciting indeed.

Indeed this year has yet to disappoint gamers, to success the mass release of grand titles at the end of 2009, 2010 has risen right from the very start and still has yet to dip. The future of gaming never looks bleak.

A post on the official Mass Effect 2 website delivers word of the new Hammerhead assault vehicle coming our way via the new Firewalker DLC pack coming to the Cerberus Network in late March.

Description of new content:

Free to all Cerberus Network members, the Firewalker pack includes 5 all new missions featuring the Hammerhead. Hovering over the battlefield at up to 120 kilometeres per hour, the Hammerhead also boasts a guided missile system ensuring accuracy even during aggressive maneuvering.

In addition, BioWare stated that ME fans can look forward to a new heavy weapon available to all Cerberus Network members very soon, although there were no details given about exactly what or when we’ll see it. Further news shall be posted asap.

EA announced today that brand new Army of Two: The 40th Day DLC is on its way to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The new content is entitled “Chapters of Deceit” and comes complete with two new campaign maps set in Shanghai where, “players stumble upon information that could lead to ending the invasion by Jonah and his 40th Day Imitative army.” The DLC will arrive April 1  and will run PS3 owners $9.99 and 360 owners a paltry 800 Microsoft Points.

This information on this DLC is vague at the moment, will keep you posted, but unless it extends the campaign from its short 7-8 hrs playthrough i doubt this i’ll be worth the money unless you love the Army of Two games and/or the multiplayer.

Xbox 360 owners will be the first to get their hands on the latest bit of DLC for Gearbox Software’s Borderlands as The Secret Armory of General Knoxx will apparently be released today via Xbox Live for 800 MS Points. This according to TeamXbox.com, who also bring word that the content is then expected to go live for both PC and PS3 this Thursday, February 25, for $9.99.

As Borderlands fans no doubt already know, the promising General Knoxx DLC ups the game’s level cap and includes new areas, enemies, weapons and more.

Really looking forward to this release, haven’t played the game since Zombie Island DLC came about, still got to get Mad Moxxi, but with the news of level cap increase, this will be a must, something to get me back to pandora and killing some skags

2K Games announced today a post-launch downloadable content plan for the game, meant to extend and enhances the single and multiplayer portions of the latest journey to Rapture.

Downloadable content will be made available soon, beginning with the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, available this March from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Games for Windows LIVE for 400 Microsoft Points and from the PlayStationNetwork for $5/£3.19. Future expansions into the world of BioShock 2 are slated to arrive over the coming months and will continue to expand on the stories of the denizens of Rapture.

First images from the DLC have also been released and are available here.

The fans who waited in the snow, rain and cold for the midnight launch of BioShock 2 have spoken and their message is that Rapture still has many fascinating stories to tell,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Downloadable content is a key part of our efforts to continue to entice the fans that have made 2K a household name – we intend to deliver single and multiplayer content that respects and expands upon one of the greatest fictional worlds ever created.

Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, the first of several planned DLC, contains a number of customization features that will allow players to further their character’s development in BioShock 2’s multiplayer modes and provide a deeper multiplayer experience, it includes:

• Rank Increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards
• New playable characters Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca
• 20 new trials*
• A third weapon upgrade for each weapon
• Five additional masks*
*Some items are only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher.

In the coming months, 2K Games will also be publishing downloadable extensions of the single player experience that provide new insight into the world of Rapture. These packages will include more narrative, new tools and new challenges that extend the lore and fiction of the failed Utopia under the sea. Personally i don’t think the new DLC will improve the multiplayer experience at all, it’ll still be something that players will pick up for a few hours then go to an old favourite.

An LA casting call for Call of Duty-related “voice over/motion capture” for an Activision “video game” has described character Frank Barnes as being part of an elite Vietnam unit, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group.

SOG was responsible for covert operations in Vietnam, and was active from 1964-1972.

The call is for motion capture and VO work for what looks like four major characters from the game. The details come from a US casting site. Activision has yet to say anything about the Treyarch title other than it’s coming this year and it’s not expected to be bigger than Modern Warfare 2.

I have been dissapointed with the Modern series as we aren’t really fighting the real enemy in the game. Nothing “modern” about that. With this one and the series with the Nazi’s it’s a real enemy your taking on and that never gets old to me.

Ubisoft has announced that the second DLC for Assassins Creed 2, Bonfire of the Vanities, will be released February 18, 2010, via PSN and XBL. Players will gain access to a new district of Florence in the DLC as well as Ezio’s new “spring jump” move as they work with Machiavelli to free the city from the grip of the mad monk Savonarola by targeting influential citizens under his control.

Its going out for $4 or 320 MS Point, or you have the option to bundle with three Templar Secret Locations for $6.50 or 520 MS Points. Not sure about PSN pricing.

Palazzo Medici – Located in Florence, the player gets to explore the house of the Medici family. It is located in the San Marco district of Florence.

Santa Maria dei Frari – Located in Venice, in the San Polo district, the player gets to explore this renowned church built in the XIIIth century.

Arsenal Shipyard – Venice was known for its Arsenal, a shipyard that was settled in the eastern part of the city. The last Templars’ Lair is located there, and lets the player explore the Drydocks.

There are a couple of new screens from the DLC here and you can check out the trailer here

(Credit to gametrailers.com for links)

For PC fans, wondering about these DLC’s coming out, Ubisoft has announced that the PC released will include the DLC’s that are issued out before release in March