Gaming News 15th-21st August

Hello and thanks for tuning in for the return of Gaming News!
This week was a great one for gaming as Gamescom took place in  Germany, producing plenty of juicy information on upcoming releases and projects.

So lets get to it shall we!?


Borderlands 2 Teaser Trailer
Very recently announced was a sequel to the much beloved title, Borderlands. Not much was revealed other than its suggested existence, but with Gamescom, came more news, screenshots and even a teaser trailer! Hurray!



As shown in the very top photo and screenshot, one of the new features incorporated with the sequel is the ability to dual wield weapons regardless of their size and type, we are yet to be shown this through first person, but the demonstration shown in the teaser trailer is pretty badass nonetheless.



Fans will be pleased to know that the game retains its unique visual style and looks even sleeker and smoother than before. With new locations and monsters, Borderlands 2 promises more of the same chaos that fans first fell in love with.

Not much has been revealed regarding the plot as of yet, however the writers have stated the narrative will steer away from the first game and will instead focus on taking down a troubling menace...

and finally, here is a teaser to wet your appetites!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNaNK1Pp1g4

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Battlefield 3 Multiplayer Trailer
This past week at Gamescom, EA spoilt fans by showcasing brand new screenshots and even an online gameplay video for the highly anticipated Battlefield 3.



Perhaps one of the most striking things about Battlefield 3 is its graphics, the stunning visuals are all thanks to EA's newly developed game engine, Frostbite 2, which is an upgraded version of what the previous Battlefield games ran on.

Having never been before used in a game, Frostbite 2 is having a very impressive debut.





The gameplay video featured a multiplayer map by the name of "Caspian Border", a vast expanse of land and crossroads in which 64 players can wreak havoc at once.

Due to the sheer size of maps in Battlefield games, vehicles are essential for quick transportation from spawn points into the heart of battle. With Battlefield 3 comes the introduction of fighter jets, a new dynamic which changes the flow of combat, as players are now able to have dogfights in the air as players secure objectives down below.

I think it'd be best if you checked out this hectic trailer for yourself..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDDfPxF3EFE&feature=channel_video_title

Your move COD..

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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Release Date



After being announced over 3 years ago, and originally being planned to be in stores by late 2010, Zelda fans can finally mark their calenders and begin counting down as Nintendo this past week finally revealed the release date for their upcoming title, Skyward Sword.

The game is scheduled to be released in Europe on November 18th, whilst American players will have to wait 2 days till the 20th.



With the Ocarina of Time remake for the 3DS meeting immense praise earlier this year, Skyward Sword's release is the perfect way to top off The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary.



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Nintendo Reveal Wii's New Look

Yep, you read that right.
In a final attempt to sell more units before the arrival of the Wii U, Nintendo have completely remodeled the Nintendo Wii, unveiling its new appearance at Gamescom a few days ago.



The newer model does feature some changes aside from is aesthetics however, with backwards capability being removed as well as all controller ports.

You could argue that Nintendo has shot itself in the foot by removing all Gamecube related hardware, but judging by the consoles new bundle, its demographic will not be bothered or even aware of its removals.

Bravo Nintendo...
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That's it for this week, but don't worry, the gaming event PAX is on next week so there will be plenty more news and details to be shared in the next post.

Thanks for reading.
TantalusTom

Random Game Review - Red Dead Redemption

Yo! It's that time of the week again.....
Time for A RANDOM GAME REVIEW!!!
This week we're looking at....

RED DEAD REDEMPTION
Publisher : Rockstar Games
Released : May 2010
Platforms : Xbox 360, PS3

Red Dead Redemption is a Sandbox Action-Adventure and despite contrary belief, is NOT the first game of the Red Dead series, with Revolver being released for the PS2 and Xbox back in 2004.

It was this unknown yet thoroughly enjoyable "Spiritual Successor" that had me wanting to pick up Red Dead Redemption upon first hearing about it, alongside it's alluring concept, which was essentially a Grand Theft Auto set in the Wild West.

Filled to the brim with a multitude of personalities, Rockstar once again delivers with its diverse range of genuinely interesting and entertaining characters. From the main character, former outlaw John Marston (pictured below), to the huge roster encountered within the narratives dynamic missions.




The games plot is both intriguing and immersive, with every mission furthering drama and tension within the story as well as offering different types of gameplay, with Shootouts and Wagon Races being some to name. Redemption also features a range of side missions and gambling mini games that can be enjoyed if the player wishes to stray from the main narrative (which I personally appreciated as I felt I was advancing through the game too quickly.)

The game is huge, with its set locations being a fair distance away from each other, even on horseback. Yet still manages to incorporate great amounts of detail, whether that be in the characters or the expansive landscapes, Redemption features some gorgeous visuals that are nothing short of postcard worthy!




Players also have the option to go online, in which they may do battle with other outlaws as a lone wolf, or join a team of players in a "Posse"  to scour territories together.

Also incorporated is a rank-up system, in which the player unlocks new weapons, mounts and titles as they level.

Coupled with numerous game modes, such as "Grab The Bag" and "Gang Shootout", Multiplayer is largely enjoyable, but can be frustrating due to poor matchmaking which may lead to one player taking on several instead of a fair group division.



To feed hungry Red Dead fans, Rockstar has released several DLC's for the game, with the most monumental release being Undead Nightmare in which players can navigate through a new and original narrative in which the dead have risen, and a multiplayer mode in which players group up and slay endless waves of zombies. Spooky...

Overall, Red Dead Redemption is near perfect, bar its sometimes annoying multiplayer, and minor glitches, it is simply a superb title that I personally believe surpasses any Grant Theft Auto game I have ever played. Can't wait for the next one Rockstar!

Hugely enjoyable, put simply, a MUST HAVE! 9/10
TantalusTom

The Top 5 Coolest Hairdos In Gaming History

Hello there!

Welcome to this weeks Top 5, as we take a look at a random list associated with gaming, compiled by myself.
This weeks edition is dedicated to The Coolest Hairdos In Gaming History, and features a variety of shapes and colours!
Things may get hairy.....

*AHEM.....Lets jump straight in shall we..

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5. Guile (Street Fighter)



At number 5 we have Guile, the all American airman who sports a gravity defying flat top.

Guile's hair varies in length with his multiple appearances within the Street Fighter series, but is always an impressive height nonetheless. Though this is not without constant maintenance as we see Guile brushing his hair upwards in his round intros, taunts, and victory poses.
"Go home and be a family man!"

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4. Lance (Pokemon)




At number 4 we have the Pokemon League Champion Lance.

With the colour and shape, Lance's hair resembles a wild blaze, highly fitting for a trainer that specializes in the Dragon type. 
How his hair retains its recently in a hurricane look is crazy, but with amazing Pokemon, must come amazing hair.

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3. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy)




The world famous Cloud Strife takes the third spot in the list.

With VII being the most successful title Final Fantasy title to date, it wouldn't be unfair to say that Cloud is the most popular character in the entire franchise. This does of course mean, that he is regularly portrayed at conventions and gatherings by adoring fans. Though they may recreate his SOLDIER outfit or carry correctly scaled replica Buster Swords, the hair of Cloud Strife will never be correctly redone, as its greatness extends the boundaries of reality.

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2. Heihachi Mishima (Tekken)



Coming in at second place is the head of Mishima Zaibatsu, Heihachi.

Nearing 80 years old, Heihachi is mostly bald. However, his remaining hair is nothing short of remarkable, with the Daddy of the Tekken series sporting two jolting upright sections above his ears. Proof that you don't need to have all your hair to have a cool 'do, this is one hairstyle I will at least be attempting when I am an old man.



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To top off the list, The Coolest Hairdo In Gaming History goes to...


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1. Seymour Guado (Final Fantasy)



Coming in at first place is Summoner, Seymour Guado.

Being a hybrid of two races (Human and Guado) Seymour is one of a kind, much like his hair. His blue mane is both striking and elegant (reflective of his personality), with two horns of hair sprouting out the top of his head and trailing all the way down his back, and a front flick that hangs directly in front of his face.

Seymour tops the list and has the Coolest Hairdo In Gaming History because it is unlike any other in the gaming universe, being leagues apart from Heihachi's two prongs in 2nd place.



Thanks alot for checking out this weeks Top 5,The next post shall be a random game review, due out Friday!
As always, hope you enjoyed.

TantalusTom

Gaming News 11th-17th July

Hello, and welcome to this week's Gaming News!
Thanks for tuning in, first off I am aware this is a day late, I have been having complications with internet recently, but all is good now. So without further ado, lets commence with the news!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Coinciding with the final film being shown in cinemas, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released this past week for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC and Nintendo DS.

Addressing complaints expressed towards the first Deathly Hallows game, EA have fixed and tweaked much of the gameplay, such as the battle system being revamped. Two spells will be assigned to a certain button, and double tapping that specified button will cause the second spell command to be used.

Also, a new feature introduced is the ability to "Apparate" in which characters are able to teleport in and out of encounters for defensive purposes.

The game has also scrapped the Xbox's Kinect after it was previously used for the side missions in the first game. However Part 2 does not feature anything outside of its linear narrative, and strictly follows the story. EA this time round have chosen to incorporate the Playstation Move instead.

Though the film series has ended after 10 quick years, Fear not!, this does not necessarily mean there will be no more games from the Harry Potter saga.



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Captain America: Super Soldier

Keeping the trend of movie games, Captain America: Super Soldier was released on Friday, for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, NDS and PSP. The game will follow near enough, the same narrative as the film, as The First Avenger infiltrates a castle to put a stop to the evil doings of Hydra, an organization dedicated to its cause, global domination.

The game features a free flowing combat system in which a wide array of attacks can be performed with Captain Americas iconic shield, taking on multiple enemies at one time.

The shield will primarily be both a weapon and an instrument of defense, but players will also use the iconic deflector to climb walls and overcome various puzzles as you advance further into the colossal castle.



It is all down to the player to ensure that Captain America, the most famous super soldier on Earth, overcomes all obstacles and enemies in his mission to take down the notorious villain, Red Skull, and to save mankind from his tyrannical plans.

If you're a fan of the Marvel games, then sit tight, as more games of this caliber will most definitely be released as the world is unveiled to the other avengers.

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Black Ops: Annihilation PS3 Date



Treyarch this week revealed the release date of their newest DLC Annihiliation, for the PS3. Come July 28th, Sony fans will be able to download and access the pack, which is comprised of 4 new online maps, Hangar 18, Drive-In, Silo and Hazard. As well as a new Zombies map, Shangri La, a vast jungle themed map riddled with traps and monkeys!

This is the third Map Pack for Black Ops released by Treyarch, and with PS3 users being given access over a month after Xbox users, one has to ask, how long must the PC community wait for their turn?

One of the 4 new maps, Drive In.

 











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Uncharted 3 Beta ends



After the disastrous PSN hack a few months back, Sony pulled out of their own pockets in an attempt at winning back their millions of disgruntled customers, offering free games and a month of Playstation Plus. It was on Playstation Plus that users were able to access the Beta to one of the highly anticipated games of the year, Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception. 

With the Beta commencing on the 28th of June and ending last Thursday, Sony reports that over 1.5 million people took part in the variety of online game modes, including Team Deathmatch, Free For All, Hardcore and Co-op Arena modes.

Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception has been given a release date of early November, and is of course, a PS3 exclusive.

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Microsoft announces South Park game
Yep you read that right! After much demand from the fans, Microsoft has shared plans to release yet another South Park game, exclusively to the Xbox Live Arcade.

The previous game, South Park: Let's Go Tower Defense Play! was met with positive feedback all round, and was a clear success. However there have been no mentions yet of what the content itself will entail. Stay tuned South Park fans!





That's it for the news this week,
Thanks for checking in, and stay on the lookout for another Gaming Top 5 tommorow!
TantalusTom

Random Game Review - Dissidia Final Fantasy

Another random game review today!
This week featuring...

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY
Publisher : Square Enix
Released : September 2009
Platform : PSP


Upon first hearing about Dissidia back in early 2008, I was thrilled with the concept, an RPG/Fighting game that featured every protagonist AND antagonist from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy X, as the forces of good do battle with evil to protect their peaceful worlds.


This delight was furthered after learning that it would be released exclusively for the PSP, which handily, I had picked up a few months prior alongside Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. After keeping a keen ear out for it and nibbling on the limited screenshots, gameplay videos were finally released, and I grew more impatient.

When I finally got my hands on the game, I immediately dived into a quick match, and wildly pressed buttons hoping to re-enact some of the impressive combos I had seen in trailers. The visuals were pretty, with lots of detail incorporated into both the characters and battlegrounds, perhaps unnecessary for a handheld console, but appreciated nonetheless. I was impressed with how well the game flowed and how smooth it remained despite the often chaotic and dazzling encounters within the game.



After playing a few hours however, Dissidia began to get boring, with the gameplay beginning to become tiresome and repetitive. The story mode within the game was predominantly multiple encounters followed by a cutscene and was uninteresting and at times, predictable.

As expected with Final Fantasy titles, the game had a great soundtrack, incorporating famous classics and remixed fan favourites alongside new and catchy tracks that provided motivation for the battles and made Dissidia as a whole, more enjoyable.

Though the game cannot be played for more than a few hours at a time, I often find myself occasionally going back on it to play through the fantastic roster of characters and unleashing their always entertaining special moves (known as EX Bursts).
I have not yet played the sequel that was released earlier this year, but hopefully Square Enix has integrated more mechanics and game types that make it less strenuous to play than its predecessor.

Overall, Dissidia is dissapointing, as its presentation is promising and it has all the makings of a good consistent game, but unfortunately what you see, is exactly what you get.

A great looking game that sadly loses it's magic after a few hours. 5/10
TantalusTom

Change of plans..

Yo! Just a quick message to let you guys know that I am reshuffling the dates for my blog posts.
Beginning next week, my Top 5 shall be released on a Tuesday, my Game Review on a Friday, and the Weekly news shall remain the same, being released on a Sunday.
Keep your eyes peeled for a game review and this weeks Gaming News coming your way shortly!
TantalusTom

The Top 5 Most Badass Dragons in Gaming History (Contains Spoilers)

Well well well...my first Top 5 List on my blog.
These lists will always be random but fairly precise on their topics.
As the gaming universe is so broad and vast, the options are endless!
So this week, I have decided to compile a list of the Top 5 Most Badass Dragons to ever appear in video games!

Lets start with number 5...

5: SPYRO

Now Spyro may not come to mind instantly when you think of "Badass Dragons" and for good reason, he is not a towering entity that can wipe out landmarks in one breath. However, with his small stature he is able to bring his own attributes to the table. Being able to pick up a huge amount of speed instantly, he is well suited for bigger and slower adversaries yet still a troublesome foe to those that can match his swiftness. Spyro is also not limited to breathing fire as he has harnessed a wide range of elements, with the most powerful ones being Ice and Electricity, and is more than capable of whipping up blizzards and thunderstorms. With his unique skills and courageous heart, Spyro is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

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4: VALOO

Valoo is a huge Dragon that rests atop the mountain on Dragon Roost Island,
so huge, you can see his silhouette even if you are a far from the isle, sailing along.
He is the both the Deity and Protector of the Rito people that live there.
Known as the "Sky Spirit", Valoo is able to fly extreme distances for long
periods of time, despite his small wings. Though he is gentle and kind hearted,
he is extremely ferocious when provoked and is easily capable of obliterating
entire structures in a single breath, such a Ganons hideout,
The Forsaken Fortress, In The Legend Of Zelda: The Windwaker. 




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3. DEATHWING 

The Colossal Deathwing is the face of the newest World of Warcraft expansion Cataclysm, where he appears as the final boss (and for good
reason!) His emergence alone from within Deepholm destroyed cities
and settlements on different continents, making multiple zones within
the game either inhabitable or wiped out forever.



His sheer size means that destruction is an unavoidable occurrence,
with lands being altered physically with him merely flying over them.
Deathwing's power is magnified with his merciless mindset and vengeful thinking. His only intent being to cause harm to those who have previously defied him, or those that now stand in his way from bringing endless chaos to Azeroth.
When his Raid is finally released and Deathwing will be able to be encountered and battled, you can bet he will be the hardest challenge to date.

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2. YIAZMAT

Now Yiazmat, is arguably one of, if not THE hardest boss of all time, with over 50,000,000 health, he is the Ultimate Boss in Final Fantasy XII and has more Hit Points than any other creature in the entire Final Fantasy series!





Described as a "Deity among Dragons", Yiazmat's immense size and health mean he is an extremely formidable opponent, and requires persistence and endurance along with maintained skill from the player as the battle has been known to take several hours AT LEAST. It's attacks are coupled with ailments that rapidly harm its challengers and can wipe out players if not dispelled or negated in time. Along with countless immunities to spells, there is no quick or easy method to downing this Super Boss.





Thankfully, Yiazmat is an optional boss, and is not a part of the main narrative within Final Fantasy XII, meaning that he must be sought out if the player truly believes himself skillful enough to conquer such a legendary boss.

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And now for The Most Badass Dragon in Gaming History...
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1. BAHAMUT 
Referred to as "The Dragon King" and "Conquerer of the Skies", Bahamut is, in my opinion, THE MOST BADASS DRAGON IN GAMING HISTORY.



Though he appears in 11 Final Fantasy games, Bahamut has always retained his intimidating draconic appearance, with his forms always dwarfing others characters and creatures in their respective games. Appearing as both a ruthless boss or much coveted summon, Bahamut is generally featured late into games as the player must train vigorously to gain or defeat him.

Bahamut, though recurringly massive in stature, is extremely fast, whether that be in his actions or fighting, he is swift in his movement and is able to generate huge amounts of power in little time at all, an explosive entity and all round powerhouse.

Bahamut's special attack, Mega Flare is a huge beam of energy that is fired from his mouth that engulfs and deals insane amounts of damage to enemies, used as a special move or last resort, it is famous for its ensuing epic jaw dropping animations.

Bahamut, charging Mega Flare. 

Though he may not be necessarily the toughest or biggest Dragon in gaming history,
Bahamut has always left me in awe after encountering him in each game. To me, the epitome of what a true dragon is, and for that reason,
he is number 1 on my list.  

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this Top 5.
Keep your eyes peeled for a random game review coming within the next few days!
TantalusTom