Rock Band 3 - now with more instruments!

Two posts in a row about rhythm games? Seems pretty odd for a guy who claims to barely play them anymore but...is that...is that a...keyboard icon up there? According to a report from Ars Technica, "Rock Band 3" not only feature a new setting called "Pro mode" but a new peripheral - a keytar to be specific. These reports remain unconfirmed by MTV Games, EA or Harmonix but that image appears to be legit.

I'm personally unsure how to feel about this situation. On one hand, adding keys to a game like "Rock Band" would serve to legitimize the series to actual musicians a little (you know, the guys who turn up their noses at the mere notion of playing music with plastic controllers) while on the other hand, I can't say that there is much music I enjoy that features the keytar very prominently. Only time will tell on this issue, though. All I can say is, Mad Katz (Harmonix's new peripheral producing partner) had better make some serious upgrades to the drum controller if they ever expect me to buy another "Rock Band" bundle again - and by upgrades I mean making them durable enough to not break within the first two weeks of purchase.

Pantera's "Great Southern Trendkill" to hit Rock Band next week

Though I haven't picked up the sticks or dusted off my axe in quite a while, I used to be pretty big into rhythm games - specifically Rock Band and the Guitar Hero games made by Harmonix. (Probably the biggest reason why I haven't played in so long is because all my drums are smashed beyond repair and my guitar of choice, the Xplorer released with Guitar Hero 2 back in 2006, is getting pretty worn out.)

If I did still play, I'd probably seriously consider picking up all of next week's Rock Band release "The Great Southern Trendkill" by Pantera. I'm a huge metalhead (and pretty big metal snob as well, but that's neither here-nor-there) and Rock Band has released some pretty great metal tracks in the past - most notably Megadeth's "Rust in Peace" in its entirety and a 12-song Iron Maiden pack entitled "Flight 666" in honor of their latest tour documentary. Though they've released plenty of great metal for Rock Band, really good metal releases are few and far between overall.

The only reason I didn't say I'd buy this album outright is because, being the metal snob that I am, I'm not a huge Pantera fan. I'm a big fan of Dimebag Darrell but I would really only say I like "Cowboys From Hell" and maybe "Vulgar Display of Power." I almost said I prefer early Pantera, which would've been pretty funny considering Pantera was a glam-rock/hair metal band until the early 90s - but those are dark days we metalheads dare not speak of.

Initial thoughts - "Red Dead Redemption"

As I wander aimlessly through the vast plains of New Austin, I stop to gather in my surroundings. Birds soar overheard, wild horses cavort across the untouched wilderness, and, off in the distance, ranchers slowly ride to the nearby town of Armadillo. As the sun slowly descends, painting the landscape in bright colors, I decide to make camp for the night. The dusty trails of the Wild West are a far cry from the bustling streets of Liberty City and, honestly, I’m starting to dig it.

The world of Rockstar’s latest open-world, sandbox adventure, “Red Dead Redemption,” stands in stark contrast to the developer’s flagship franchise, “Grand Theft Auto.” I knew, even before playing it, that I would immediately fall in love with it – but I didn’t realize how hard of a fall it was going to be.

I’ve only played “RDR” for less than a day now so I wouldn’t feel right writing up a full review, but I will share some of my initial thoughts.

-“RDR” is stunningly beautiful. The landscapes, the character models, wild animals, etc. are greatly improved from “GTA IV,” amazingly, and the bright color palette combine to give this game some truly incredible visuals.

-The controls and gameplay are improved from past “GTA” games and though they’re unique to “RDR,” they feel immediately familiar and its very easy to jump right into a new game, or even into multiplayer (more on that in a bit).

-The mission structure is a little too similar to “GTA IV,” though. You spend entirely too much time doing odd jobs or other inconsequential missions when you feel like you really oughta be getting to the task at hand.

-Speaking of the task at hand – the story. Players take control of John Marston, a former outlaw who changed his ways, settled down and started a family. The federal government needs Marston’s help to track down his former friend and gang member, Bill Williamson, and basically holds his family until he gets the job done. You run into all sorts of unsavory and hilarious characters in your travels, but just don’t expect every mission to be a showdown at the O.K. Corral.

-The multiplayer, which was a huge draw for numerous people, including many of my friends and people I know over the internet, is unfortunately quite broken right now. Though I’m sure it’s just a symptom of too many people trying to play at the same time (that time being the night of the first day it was released) but the problems my friends and I were experiencing last night felt to be stemming from a bigger problem than too many people playing. The gameplay was buggy and lagged inexplicably at times, character models, horses and weapons would disappear at a moment’s notice for no reason and in about 10-15 minutes of time trying to hunt animals, found not a single one anywhere we went on the map (which in single player, you’ll always hear birds, coyotes, horses, etc.). And we experienced these problems even when we booted up a private multiplayer session – which leads me to believe these problems lie within the game itself and not just an overworked online service. I’m hoping for a quick fix to these problems because single player is only so much fun before you start thinking about how much fun it would be to roam the plains with a posse of friends.

That’s all for now. I’d write more but the wild, untamed land is calling my name and I’m powerless to resist.

Halo: Reach beta extended until Thursday, May 20

This is some great news for sure - Bungie announced today that they will be extending the "Halo: Reach" multiplayer beta test until May 20. This is great news for everyone currently enjoying the beta - especially those who have already dove into Rockstar's latest "Red Dead Redemption." Was the release of Rockstar's newest sandbox adventure the reason for the beta extension? Probably not but whatever the reason, I'm pretty happy about it. Be sure to check back soon for my initial thoughts on "Red Dead Redemption" as well.

"Fallout: New Vegas" - now with more stuff!

Don’t you just love vague headlines? Sorry about the lack of updates this week, been busy with other projects here at the DNN. It’s also been partly because there hasn’t been anything new out, but that will all change next week with the release of Rockstar’s “Red Dead Redemption.” I won’t lie – you probably won’t see much of me once that game is released.

So with all the lost time I’m forseeing because of “RDR,” let me turn my attention to one of the best games of 2009 – “Fallout 3.” Well more specifically, its sequel “Fallout: New Vegas.” Though “F: NV” is being produced by Obsidian, rather than Bethesda, the producers of “Fallout 3,” it shares numerous similarities with its predecessor – namely the look of the game and the gameplay. But before I get into that – the stuff as promised by the headline!

Earlier this week, Bethesda announced what it has in store for the “Fallout: New Vegas” Collectors Edition. Being a person who normally never buys a special edition of a game, I gotta say this pack seems pretty f’n sweet. I suppose they were really trying to out-do the special edition of “Fallout 3,” which included an art book, a “Making Of” DVD, Vault Boy bobblehead inside of a “Fallout” inspired lunchbox tin.

“Out-do” is almost an understatement, though, considering what Bethesda is offering this time around for the same price as the “Fallout 3” Collector’s Edition. The Collector’s Edition of “Fallout 3” was the last special edition of a game that I bought and this one looks even cooler. Included in this pack are:

-7 poker chips, each one representing one of the major casinos that can be found in “Fallout: New Vegas.”

-A deck of cards, illustrated with characters and artwork from “F: NV,” that can be used to play any card game, including Caravan, a game created for the world of “F:NV.”

-A recreation of the game’s “Lucky 38” platinum poker chip.

-A hardcover graphic novel titled “All Roads.” This book tells the story of some of the characters and events leading up to “F: NV.” “All Roads” was written by the game’s creative director Chris Avellone in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics.

-A “F: NV” Making-Of DVD

-And what looks like a distressed, “F: NV” inspired box.

If you search for screen shots of “F: NV” you may become a little confused because the look of this game is extremely similar to “Fallout 3” – almost identical. But what “New Vegas” may lack in terms of graphical upgrades, it makes up for in new gameplay features and mechanics.

Before jumping into the new features of “New Vegas,” we’ll take a look at the reason you’ll be wandering the desert – the story. For the first game since, “Fallout 2,” players will not take the role of a Vault Dweller to begin the game (Vaults being underground bomb shelters a lucky few used to survive a nuclear apocalypse). After being shot and left for dead in the burning desert sand, you’re brought to the town of Goodsprings by a helpful robot named Victory who takes you to Doc Mitchell. The doctor patches you up and has you use a series of machines to determine the look of your character and your stats. Is this starting to sound familiar? Doc Mitchell’s “Reflectron” and “Vit-O-Matic” take the place of your character’s birth in “Fallout 3” but serves the same function.

While the game looks and begins similarly, new additions to the gameplay make “New Vegas” more than just an expensive expansion pack. Obsidian has stated that they realize how many people relied on V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) to play “Fallout 3” and have worked to make the first-person action smoother and more fluid for “New Vegas.” I’m very pleased to hear that work is being done on the first-person shooting aspect of “New Vegas” because it was near impossible to hit anything without V.A.T.S., let alone kill anything. But don’t think that means there aren’t any updates to V.A.T.S. itself.

In an effort to reduce what seemed to become the typical combat situation in “Fallout 3” – see an enemy, go into V.A.T.S., target their head, repeat until dead – Obsidian is adding more tactical decisions to the use of V.A.T.S. for “New Vegas.” What that means for gamers is now different ammo types and weapons will have different effects on various enemies – such as some are better suited to use against armored human opponents than against a Super Mutant or a Deathclaw. Ammo types and weapons will even have different effects on what limb is targeted in V.A.T.S. so that each enemy encounter doesn’t play out the same way.

Similarly, V.A.T.S. will offer greater choices when using melee weapons. I’ve heard you’ll now be able to target specific body parts in V.A.T.S. now, but I’m not 100% sure about that. What I am sure about is that each melee weapon will now have a unique attack that can be performed in V.A.T.S.

While on the topic of weapons, “New Vegas” is reportedly going to have a greatly expanded selection of weapons available for use. Not only will there be more weapons to choose from, but players will be able to upgrade their weapons with modifications. Scopes, extended magazines and stocks are just a few of the upgrades players can expect to find in “New Vegas.”

But perhaps the most intriguing idea being introduced in “New Vegas” is Hardcore Mode. While “Fallout 3” was an incredible game that maintained the spirit of the original games, many decried its overall ease and lack of realism – well as real as a video game series about the apocalypse can be. Though it doesn’t necessarily increase the difficulty of the game – there is a separate difficulty setting – Hardcore mode imposes various restrictions and rules on the player that won’t be found in the game otherwise. For instance, Stim-Paks won’t automatically restore hit-points but rather restores them over time. Ammunition now has weight and will need to be another consideration in inventory management. Healing crippled limbs will require the aid of a doctor or a much higher medicine skill and players will also need to drink water to stay hydrated or risk death in the unforgiving Mojave desert.

While there isn’t an official release date yet, I would assume, barring delays, that “Fallout: New Vegas” should be out sometime before Christmas. Considering I put in well over 100 hours over the course of two or three playthroughs of “Fallout 3,” a new adventure through familiar territory (both “Fallout” and “Fallout 2” took place on the west coast) will definitely warrant probably way too much of my time.

"Realism Versus" to become permanent part of Lef 4 Dead 2

Before I started this blog, I would write columns for the Life section of The News of Delaware County and one of those columns was a review of Valve’s “Left 4 Dead 2.” In that column I highlighted the fact that numerous ‘net-nerds were calling for others to boycott “L4D2” because they were outraged that Valve would update a successful game and try to sell it. Sheer madness, right? I’m pretty embarrassed because, at first, I was one of those nerds, raging about “how dare Valve try and sell us basically the same game a little over a year after the original’s release.” Once I played it for myself, I promptly took some cooking courses so I could properly eat my words – “L4D2” was/is amazing and is only getting better.

I say getting better because with the recent downloadable content pack “The Passing” also comes the addition of a weekly “Mutation” game type. These modes are welcome additions to the standard game types, but are only available for one week before they’re gone forever. Well, that was what Valve originally intended but after getting a ton of positive feedback about the first released Mutation, “Realism Versus” is going to become a permanent mode.

Versus is undoubtedly my favorite mode in “L4D” games. Playing through a regular campaign just isn’t as fun as being able to play as the Survivors and the Infected. I’ve only played Realism proper a few times since buying “L4D2,” mainly because it was near impossible to complete a campaign even on Normal and I’d rather play a regular campaign or play Versus than straight-up Realism. Something special happens when you combine Realism and Versus modes, though. Maybe it’s how much fun it is to play as the Infected in general, the ease with which the Infected team can dominate, the intense dread you feel playing as the humans (knowing supplies and teammates aren’t outlined on your screen), something else or a combination of them all. It isn’t a mode I could or would want to play all the time, but it’s definitely a nice change of pace from regular ol’ Versus.

In an in-game poll, Valve reported that 68% wanted Realism Versus to become permanent, with just 21% wanting it to stay as a one-off Mutation mode. Luckily for the majority of fans, Realism Versus will soon become an official mode.

In news about other Mutations, this week’s mode is “Follow the Liter,” a variation of the Scavenge mode. In this Mutation, the Survivors fight to reach a sole can of gas rather than being given numerous cans to collect. I haven’t played it yet, but it could be a fun variation on Scavenge that may be permanent if there’s enough love for it. Last week’s Mutation, which I can’t remember the name of, was pretty lame, though. Each Survivor started a standard campaign with their health counting down (the same as when you get picked up after being incapacitated) and no health packs to be found – only pills and adrenaline. Valve noted that the next Mutation will be called “The Last Gnome on Earth,” so you can bet someone in your group will be hauling poor little Gnome Chompsky through some pretty heinous zombie hordes.

My thoughts - Halo: Reach multiplayer beta

I wish there was some way I could accurately convey how much I would rather be playing the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta than writing about it. Unfortunately, there are no words in the English language powerful enough to describe this yearning. None.

The multiplayer beta test for what is to be Bungie’s last game in the storied “Halo” series is underway and before I get into my thoughts on the game, let me share this interesting tidbit with you. In just the first day that “Reach” went live over Xbox Live, more than one million players logged into the beta – 1,170,112 to be exact. If the magnitude of that statistic doesn’t blow you away, let me put it like this. The multiplayer beta test for “Halo 3,” which was included with the Microsoft game “Crackdown,” didn’t tally that amount of participation over its entire 3-week run. I love statistics that prove how much more popular video games are as a medium than even movies or music are in our culture and even I’m having trouble comprehending this stat.

It’s hard to decide where to start, so I’ll start from the beginning of my experience. The beta itself is just over 1 gig and can only be accessed with a copy of “Halo 3: ODST.” You can download the beta to multiple consoles using a single disc, but the beta can only be accessed through the main menu of “ODST,” so if you’re sharing a single “ODST” disc with your friends, only the person with the disc will be able to play the beta. Now that we’re down with the boring specifics, let’s get right into matchmaking.

Perhaps one of the most exciting new matchmaking features is the ability to set social preferences. Though not online for the beta, social preferences will allow matchmaking to find games/gamers who are not only equal to you in skill, but have similar playing styles. Want to play with gamers who talk and use teamwork rather than strike out on their own in team games? There’s a way to set your preferences to tell the game to seek out those gamers and avoid those whose personal objective seems to be only to annoy everyone around them.

My personal favorite addition to the matchmaking process is being able to vote on the next game to be played. Prior to each new map, each player in a game lobby can vote for one of three different map/game types – and yes, there is a “None of these” option. Rather than just vetoing the upcoming map/game type, a la “Halo 3,” players will now be able to choose what they want to play next. I was worried this might lead to people only picking straight-up Slayer (aka deathmatch) exclusively but luckily there’s been a great balance between people picking stand-by game types like Oddball, Slayer and new modes like Headhunters or Stockpile.

Both Headhunters and Stockpile are welcome additions to the stable of popular “Halo” game types. Stockpile is a Capture-The-Flag variation in which both teams battle to capture neutral flags and bring them back to their home base. Flags aren’t scored as soon as they are brought back to your base, necessitating an element of defense as enemies can snatch flags from your base that are waiting to be scored. I found this mode to be fairly fun and frantic but don’t be surprised to often end up on the losing team without solid teamwork. Headhunters is single player mode where kills don’t necessarily means points. A skull pops out of every downed opponent which can then be collected. Depositing these skulls in various spots that move during the course of a match scores your points. You can collect as many skulls as you like but be warned, the number of skulls on your person are displayed for all the see on the screen and should you be taken out, all your precious trophies go as well. Whether you score one skull at a time or go for broke and horde them for a big payday is your call. I found this mode to an interesting idea, though many people seemed content to camp at the skull turn-in spots for easy points which ruins the game more than just a little.

Being that this is just a beta, it would be slightly pointless to pass judgment on the mechanics of the game so far. Everything in the beta, from weapon stats, to movement speeds to how high you can jump, is subject to change. One area that needs work is the new assassination move. While a melee attack to the back of someone still results in a one-hit kill, holding another button while executing a melee to someone’s back now triggers a stylish assassination move. These moves feel somewhat imprecise to say the least and leave the player initiating it wide open to be assassinated himself. One of my biggest gripes, though, is with the HUD (heads-up display). In an indoor environment like Sword Base the reticule is hard enough to see and at times on the outdoor map Powerhouse, it’s near invisible. Not only is the reticule too light against the brightly colored maps, but the text displaying the action happening around the map is too small to be read on the fly – I shouldn’t have to squint to read something on my HDTV.

Even though “Halo: Reach” doesn’t release proper until the fall, the multiplayer components seem to be shaping up quite nicely. “Reach” plays smoother and faster than previous “Halo” games and the actions feels more intense and visceral than any other game in the series. I recently saw an early September release date for “Halo: Reach” while paging through a notebook of upcoming games at GameStop recently, but I wouldn’t take that as fact since literally no where else has reported a legitimate release date for “Reach” yet. News like that would be a pretty big deal on the barren, lolcat-covered wasteland that is the internet and considering “Halo” games traditionally release later in the fall, I’d wait for official word from Bungie before pre-ordering “Reach” just yet. But once I find out for sure the street date for “Reach,” Grizzly Gaming’s readers will be the first to know.

Halo: Reach - the beta

It's finally here - the Halo: Reach beta test for the Xbox 360. I just downloaded it this morning and only played a handful of games so far and will be putting up a full hands-on review of the beta in the next few days. Let me say this to anyone on the fence about playing it or unsure if seeking out a copy of "Halo 3: ODST" to play the beta would be worth it - I haven't had this much fun playing a "Halo" game since the original "Halo: Combat Evolved," widely regarded as the best game of the series. Take that for what you will but if you have access to the beta, you'd be a fool to not check it out.

Valve creates most disgustingly adorable toys since Garbage Pale kids

http://store.valvesoftware.com/index.html

Being a manly, barrel-chested, grizzled man, I do things like pull tractor-trailers with my teeth, get into fist fights with polar bears or play with action figures that definitely aren’t dolls, it’s not often I’ll comment on things as so very un-manly as plush toys. But holy crap, are these Left 4 Dead plush toys not adorable? Well, as adorable as hideous, plush, stuffed monstrosities can be, I suppose.

Released just recently on The Valve Store, the Left 4 Dead Boomer is the first of five Infected plush toys. The price is a little steep at $49.95, but it is 13 in. tall and requires 3 AA batteries to produces 10 in-game sounds from Left 4 Dead 2.

The Boomer is the first of five Infected plush toy designs. Looking at the website, the other planned toys are the Tank, Hunter, Smoker and the last could be the Witch, Spitter or Jockey but it’s hard to say. It’s hard to say just who this plush is supposed to appeal to – is there a market for products primarily aimed at scarring kids?

First play: UFC Undisputed 2010 demo

After a days worth of shenanigans thanks to THQ deciding that
"We're sending out demo codes Thursday" actually means "maybe
Thursday night, probably Friday" in addition to all day maintenance
on the Undisputed community Web site, I was able to download
the demo this morning. It probably would've been better to preface
this all by saying that the demo of "UFC Undipusted 2010" is
coming out next week and those who signed up to the Undisputed
community website got special codes to download the demo early.

Booting up the demo, the first thing I noticed was that, thankfully,
the main menu music is no longer too-loud/grating/awful metal and has
a much more epic/ominus sound. But I'm sure that's hardly what you
came here to read about.

First off, there are two modes - Exhibition and Tournament. I didn't
try tournament but I'm sure you can probably figure out what it is.
There are four fighters in this demo, Lyoto "Dragon" Machida,
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and "Sugar"
Rashad Evans. The demo would've benefitted immensely from including
a training mode since there are numerous additions to the gameplay
that you'll need to figure out on your own. There's a move list that
can be accessed during fights and changes depending on your position
but even that isn't enough at times.

Once I got into a fight, I noticed that the character models look
fairly similar to those in 2009. They're slightly more detailed in
2010, but overall look pretty much the same. But now, onto the real
meat of my preview - the mechanics. This could take a while.

If you played Undisputed 2009, you know how complicated the control
scheme was. Every button on the controller served a specific function
and 2010 is even more in-depth. Undisputed 2010 features expanded
ground grappling transitions (moving from guard, to side control, to
mount, etc.) as well as greatly expanded clinch grappling and
grappling against the cage. Thankfully, clinch grappling is now
handled by the same control scheme as ground grappling. Grappling
and transitions are now more of a chess match than ever, as choosing
the right time to try and manuever can be the difference between
better positioning or getting countered.

Transitions and submissions now seem to be more difficult to pull off.
Though I noticed Lyoto Machida seems able to transition easily and
at will, transitioning effectively seems to take more effort now
and hopefully eliminates being able to get someone in full mount
in the first few minutes of a fight. Honestly, submissions
aren't exactly my style so I didn't try many of them. Which way you
spin the stick (while attempting to lock in a sub) seems to be
important this time, but without a training tutorial, I'm just not
sure.

The biggest addition to your fighting arsenal in "Undisputed 2010"
is the ability to sway. In 2009, it was fairly dangerous to stand
and trade shots with another fighter. All you could do was block
or hope to counter the strikes thrown by your opponent and required
you to stick and move if you wanted to have a stand-up war. Swaying
changes all of that. While holding the high block button, a flick
of the left stick will cause your fighter to sway in the appropriate
direction, very much the same way you would see a boxer dodge and
weave. It's still not a good plan to stand in front of your
opponent and just trade punches and kicks, but swaying allows you
to perfect the art of counter-striking.

Joing the six fighting styles of "Undisputed 2009" are karate,
greco-roman wrestling and sambo. Light-heavyweight champ Lyoto
Machida uses karate's counter-striking style to great effect
while greco-roman wrestling and sambo will undoubtedly allow for
ridiculous throws.

The fighting and movement of each fighter looks and feels much more
fluid in this demo than in "Undisputed 2009." Movements no longer
feel or look as robotic or pre-determined and look much more natural.
The more natural movement of the fighters also allows for even
crazier/brutal looking knockouts - something I've unfortunately
been seeing a few too many of for my taste, however.

Granted it's just a demo and there is most likely some fine-tuning
that still needs to be done, but every match I've played so far has
ended in a knockout or submission - I haven't seen the judge's
scorecards once yet. It's impossible to say for sure, but I honestly
wouldn't be surprised if THQ somehow turned up the instances of
knockouts for the demo to perhaps try and appeal to the casual fan
who likes knockouts more than the ones who appreciate 15-minute wars.

In addition to the number of knockouts I've been experiencing,
I've also noticed fighters seem to get cut fairly easily now.
Hopefully this gets tweeked as well, being that matches can now end
by TKO due to cuts or injury in the same way as real fights.
But perhaps my biggest gripe is the difficulty. The demo starts you
out on Beginner, which is laughably easy, but the next level,
Experienced (I think) is way too hard. I've only managed a few wins
on Experienced, with the majority of my fights ending with me out
cold on the mat. You could chalk it up to inexperience with the new
mechanics, but with two difficulty levels above Experienced,
it's my feeling that the overall difficulty could be turned down
slightly.

With online tournament support from THQ, an expanded roster, new
fighting styles, new fight mechanics, and the ability to create
online fight camps with your friends, "UFC Undisputed 2010" is a
game I and every MMA fan should definitely have their eye on.
"UFC Undisputed 2010" releases for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and
Playstation Portable on May 25. It should be noted that the PS3
version features three exlusive fighters, Royce Gracie, Jens Pulver,
and Dan Severn, as well as a number of exclusive classic/ultimate
fights. GameStop is also offering four fighters as pre-order bonuses
- Ultimate Fighter contestants James McSweeney, Marcus Jones, Brendan
Schaub and Ultimate Fighter Winner Roy Nelson.