Xbox Live Marketplace discounts now until New Years!

Been holding off on buying that (or maybe those) DLC packs? Eyeing up a certain Arcade title? Well your procrastination is about to pay off because Xbox Live Marketplace is offering up 33-50% off deals on all sorts of games and DLC packs until New Years Eve.

The deals begin today with discounts on Red Dead Redemption DLC. The "Liars & Cheats" and the "Legends & Killers" packs are available for 400 MS points ($5) each while the "Undead Nightmare" DLC has been discounted to 600 points ($7.50) and the "Undead Nightmare Collection," which bundles all three aforementioned packs will be available for 1200 points ($15).

But wait - there's more! (Always wanted to say that) During the 11-day promotion if you watch Netflix, play Halo:Reach or Fable 3 multiplayer, you'll be automatically entered in a sweepstakes to win a prize package, featuring a 50-inch HDTV.

Microsoft has released a list of the daily deals with a clue as to what the deal will be. Here is a list of the deals, plus their best guesses, from Joystiq:

Daily Deals Clues (and Best Guesses):

• Thursday, Dec. 23: "Quiet Harmony - Get competetive or play co-op" (Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance)
• Friday, Dec. 24: "Solve a Mystery - Your best weapon is the light" (Alan Wake DLC)
• Saturday, Dec. 25: "Gotta Feeling? - Can you master the moves?" (Dance Central - "I Gotta Feeling" DLC)
• Sunday, Dec. 26: "A Secret Agent - What is your code name?" (Perfect Dark)
• Monday, Dec. 27: "Extreme Waves - It's a race to the finish line" (Hydro Thunder Hurricane)
• Tuesday, Dec. 28: "Lazarus Project - Can you shepard the elite?" (Mass Effect 2 DLC)
• Wednesday, Dec. 29: "Moneyball - Play the future Monday night sport" (Monday Night Combat. Duh.)
• Thursday, Dec. 30: "One Foe - A world of good vs evil" (Fable 3 DLC)
• Friday, Dec. 31: "Find Her - Will you wake up on the edge?" (Limbo)

Adventures in Halo: Reach

As you could probably tell by glancing at my blog even once, I play a lot of Halo: Reach. Though specific memories of battles become hazy over time, leaving only the scars on my armor and a higher rank on my gamertag, Reach's Theater mode ensures that I never forget some of the crazier things that have happened to me as I battle the Covenant and other players over Xbox Live. And so I present to you a handful of some of the best screens I've managed to snag during my time with Reach. These images are pretty small (so this blog won't take years to load) but if you check out my service record on www.bungie.net, gamertag Killface88, you can check out these images, videos as well as a Big Team Battle map I made for the Forgetacular contest (but never submitted) titled On The Edge. (Fun fact: I was going to name it "Cliffhanger" but literally the next day, Bungie released their own map in Forge World named Cliffhanger. )

"About to have a bad day"
This first screen comes from a Firefight game a few weeks ago (I think it was the map Beachhead but I could be wrong). It's a little difficult to tell from the angle of the picture, but that is a Covenant drop pod that is preparing to set down on top of me. For those who haven't played Firefight, it is you and three other players fighting off waves of Covenant troops. Most are dropped off by Phantoms which never touch down but every now and then a drop pod will come down with four heavy troopers inside of it. Where and when drop pods come down is fairly random and it's just my luck that this one came down right on top of me and killed me instantly. Oh, and it's not that first time I've been killed by a drop pod either - it's happened to me at least two other times.


"One shot - two kills"
This next shot is a bit more triumphant. This comes from a game of Team Slayer on the map Atom. In the foreground, on the left, you can see two red team members and though the screen is slightly off (it's tough to get them perfect), that sniper shot went through both of them at the same time, earning me a double kill. If you follow the bullet's trail back you can see where I am (behind the muzzle flash). I think this might have been a game of Team Snipers since I usually never pick up a sniper rifle otherwise. Luckily, my aim was true this time, netting me a double kill with one bullet.


"There can be only one"
I saved this picture (and there's a video too, I think) of this epic sword battle. I don't like using the word "epic" much since it's literally everyone uses it these days (same with "fail." Please never, ever let me hear you say "That is so fail" or something similar because I just might punch you). But after I tell the story of this screen, you'll understand how epic it really is. In the image, I'm the guy on the left and my opponent on the right lunged at me with a sword at the same time I lunged for him. The resulting clash created this spectacular light show.

This took place on the map Asylum (a remake of Sanctuary). In this map, there is usually only one sword, at the center of the map. Though n00bs are apt to rush for the sword at the beginning of a match, this screen happened closer to the end of the game. I picked my sword off of a dead enemy and managed to actually keep it for some time. So much time, it seems, that another sword spawned in the center of the map and my blue adversary picked up his own. I was pretty surprised to see another sword in the game, especially in enemy hands but that didn't dissuade me from entering the fray. After the initial clash, we both dropped to the ground, off either side of the bridge we were on. I backed off while he turned around to slice a teammate of mine as he hit the ground. Noticing he was turned around, I went for another lunge but he managed to turn and swipe without a moment to spare and we created another huge light show. Fortunately, I was the quicker one on the third strike and picked up his newer sword and we went on to win the game.


"Three Elites on a streetlight"
Yeah I know, the name of this one is less than creative but it does get right to the point. This one also comes from a game of Firefight (Waterfront, I think, on a game of Rocketfight). I am in the lower right hand corner, jet packing and launching a rocket (in vain) at the three Elite firing at me from on top of that street light. Just out of the frame (though you can still see it a little) is a Phantom dropping off a ton of Elites right on top of me. The three Elites jumped from the Phantom and landed on top of the street light, which is a little odd but even odder is that they stayed there. Three of them, on top of that tiny street light, raining down purple, plasma death on my face.

And there you have it, a small taste of some of the ridiculous battles I've found myself in during the course of my time on Reach. As I compile more screens I'll be sure to post the best of them here. And be sure to check out my service record on www.bungie.net, gamertag Killface88, for more screens, videos and my (awesome) BTB map, On The Edge.

Mass Effect 3 surfaces at VGAs

I'm a big fan of BioWare RPGs. Mass Effect 1 and 2 were pretty amazing and I'm a huge fan of both Knights of the Old Republic Xbox titles. This trailer, despite it's short length, reveals a good bit of information about the third (and presumably final) title in the Mass Effect series. The trailer shows off a massive attack by what looks like Reapers on Earth and gives off the appearance of a new, grittier direction.

Halo: Reach's first round of DLC - the Noble Map Pack

I’m a pretty fickle gamer. I usually get tired playing the same game pretty fast – which means Halo: Reach must be made out of concentrated awesome because I still haven’t gotten my fill. Whether it’s the incredibly addicting multiplayer, the silky-smooth gameplay or just because I have an unceasing desire for more credits to buy newer, more badass armor pieces (I won’t be happy until I have Emile’s helmet and Kat’s robot arm on Spartan-GR1Z), Halo: Reach is going to have a home in my 360’s tray for the foreseeable future.

Recently, Bungie released the first (of many, I’d assume) map pack for Halo: Reach, titled the Noble Map Pack. The pack features not only three new maps, but also a bunch of new achievements as well. The pack itself is 800 points and each map offers something a little different. Of the three, my favorite would probably be Breakpoint followed closely by Tempest. That isn’t to say that Anchor 9 isn’t a good map but more speaks to how well the other two were made.

Breakpoint, the largest map, is set in the same kind of area as the Firefight map Glacier (pretty sure that’s its name) or the campaign map where you defend Dr. Hallsey and Cortana (OMGZ spoilers!). It’s the largest map of the pack and is an asymmetrical, almost circular map best used in Big Team Battles. I don’t know how well objective games would work on it because of the layout, though (I’ve only ever played BTB games). There are tons of indoor environments to be found as well, though it seemed like most of the action took place outside thanks to the considerable amount of vehicles to be had. Prepare to continue being annoyed by the jerks who do nothing but wait for Banshees to spawn/blow you up with Banshees/ fly Banshees into your face since it seemed that only Covenant vehicles spawn on the map.

Next up is Tempest – an outdoor, fairly-symmetrical map featuring tons of environmental cover and huge Forerunner structures that pose as bases for Objective games. I don’t remember if this map featured any vehicles but with the map being a long, narrow map with lots of rocks and such in between the structures, there isn’t much use for vehicles. Games of CTF are pretty hotly-contested when teams work together on Tempest. The structures keep the area around the flag pretty tight and lone wolves playing against teams with balanced offense and defense will get nowhere. Watch out for Active Camo-ers when looking to steal the flag, too.

Finally, Anchor 9 takes place on a space station orbiting Reach. Anchor 9 is the smallest of the three maps released but it feels much bigger because of all the tight corridors, twists and turns you’ll run into when navigating this map. Since this map takes place on a space station, part of the map is in space itself and features drastically reduced gravity, similar to Zealot. Unlike Zealot, though, you can drift too far from the map itself and plummet to the planet’s surface. Though I haven’t played it too much, I’m not too big a fan of Anchor 9. It’s tight spaces and multiple levels remind me too much of Countdown – both levels are just too busy for my taste. I’m all for smaller maps, but it really feels like they tried to do too much with the space they had.

On top of the three maps, the Noble Map pack also offers 250 points in new achievements for Halo: Reach. And most of these new achievements aren’t tied directly to the new maps, either. The seven new multiplayer achievements offer new challenges for players, though those who have already pulled off some of these feats might be a little miffed they have to do them again. A few of the new achievements are “Both Barrels – Earn a double kill with a Shotgun,” “Poppin’ and lockin’ – Destroy a vehicle using Armor Lock,” and “Totally Worth It – Getting a double kill from the grave.”

Oh and before I go, I thought I’d mention the other two newest map additions to Halo: Reach – Atom and Cliffhanger. The two Forge World maps (made available in the title update prior to the Noble pack’s release) are free and actually really fun. I’m a bigger fan of Cliffhanger than I am of Atom, though you do have to appreciate the intricacies of Atom’s design. Cliffhanger is a more sparsely populated map than Atom, with two identical bases on either side and a structure in the center. Teleporters at each base can bring players to the structure in the center where most of the action takes place, but smart players will grab a DMR or Needle Rifle and hang back while their enemies rush them. Atom is on the more crazy designs I’ve seen for a map but even with its numerous walkways, levels, and man-cannons, Atom (built in the same area as Cliffhanger, above the Hanger) can create some really intense battles as players weave their way throughout the map.

Halo: Combat Evolved HD remake allegedly in the works

As I sit here and type up my thoughts on the first round of maps for Halo: Reach (the Noble Map Pack, released Tuesday) and page through various gaming sites, one particular piece of news caught my eye. Apparently, website Eurogamer published a quote from Microsoft implying that a High-Definition remake of the game that launched a thousand flames, Halo: Combat Evolved, is underway. And not just beginning to get underway but there’s been rumblings that Microsoft is prepping the remake to release just in time for the 10-year anniversary of the original Xbox game next November.

Microsoft responded to the hullabaloo (pretty sweet word) by simply stating, “Right now our focus is on supporting Halo: Reach. We have nothing to announce at this time.” Though it’s typical industry PR blowoff, the phrasing does interest me. If they didn’t and still don’t have any intention of remaking Halo: CE, they could’ve just said something to that effect, but instead they chose to say “We have nothing to announce at this time” which makes me think (Believe? Hope?) that there will be something to announce at a future time. Or it could all just be clever misdirection from the get go and they aren’t working on a remake at all.

A Halo: CE remake sounds like it would be a good idea – getting all that Halo: CE goodness only now using the Reach engine with a fresh coat of HD paint. But when I stop and really think about that proposition, I remember how great the engine for CE was and how much Halo 2 or 3’s engine just couldn’t compare. It was the little things like movement speed, jump speed, jump height, not to mention the lack of auto-aim/aim assist that you get in Halo game these days. I want to go back and relive the Halo: CE glory as much as any other fan of the Master Chief, but remaking a classic game just isn’t worth sullying the memory of the original.

Hear me out on this, Microsoft. Don’t waste your time remaking all of Halo: CE. Instead channel that energy/money into remaking classic CE multiplayer maps for Halo: Reach like Prisoner, Wizard, Damnation and a certain gem named Hang ‘Em High. That way us Halo fans get to relive classic CE multiplayer frag-fests in a game already using the Reach engine. You have less work to do, we fans get what we want most and you still get to charge us for something – sounds like a win, win, win to me. (That last win is the win that I get personally for successfully negotiating a mediation…I gotta stop watching so many re-runs of The Office.)

Ghostbusters to return to consoles in downloadable game

Hot on the heels of Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis letting it slip that “Ghostbusters 3” is actually going to happen sometime, I see info this morning that the spectre-busting group will be getting the video game treatment again.

“Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime,” a follow-up to the 2009 “Ghostbusters: The Video Game” by Atari, will be a four play co-op (online and offline), top down downloadable action title. Though it’s known that none of the original Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Aykroyd or Ramis) will be doing voice work for the game, it’s still unclear whether the game will feature the titular characters or a new group.

Aside from its anticipated spring 2011 release, that’s all the info I have for now.

From Joystiq