MOVIE TRAILERS!!!

NERD ALERT!!! DARK NIGHT RISES #2 TRAILER & THE HOBBIT TRAILER!!!!

WIN Sleeper Agent's "Celabrasion" cont.

So here's how we're doing it!

Listen weeknights from 7p-10p during my show (DL) and when you hear the song "Get It Daddy" by Sleeper Agent send us a tweet (mention or message) or Facebook us by writing on our wall of WHAT TIME you heard the song! That's it! The first response I see after I play the song is the person who WINS a copy of Celbrasion by Sleeper Agent!

You can "Like" us on Facebook HERE
or
You can follow us on Twitter HERE!

I look forward to getting your messages!

~DL

Modern Warfare 3 Trailer

Buhahaha! Neat!

WIN Sleeper Agent's "Celabrasion"

How goes it "Things That Rock Blog" readers!

I know it's been awhile since my last post and I apologize! No excuses! I've just been lazy!

To make it up to all of you I'm going to give you a chance to WIN the new CD from Sleeper Agent called "Celabrasion" which features their single "Get It Daddy"!

Now, if you are a reader of my blog, a fan of ours on facebook or a Twitter Follower I'll be giving you a heads up of how you can WIN this album!

Hint: It will involve listening for "Get It Daddy" by Sleeper Agent on radio...

The FIRST Real Look At: THE AVENGERS MOVIE!!!

Uh... HOLY ****! I'm sooooo there!

It's a Ramones Kind Of Day...

After hearing stories from the heyday of rock n' roll from the Reprise Records rep... I wish I was about 15 years older... That's when rock n' roll truely rocked balls! Exhibit A: The Ramones LIVE from London 1977...

Enjoy!

Foo Fighters Garage Tour Documentary

Nintendo Unveils the WiiU

5 years ago the Nintendo Wii blasted on to the scene with it's innovative control system and appeal to the causal gamer. Even the the hardcore gamers for a bit couldn't resist the novelty of a motion controller that made it feel like you were actually swinging a bat or swiping a sword! But, like all novelties they fade. In the past 2 years the Wii console lost a lot of steam and for the most part has been dead in the water. With considerably less graphic's HP than other consoles it also lacked HD which if anyone has ever played a Wii on a 42" TV or bigger, it looks terrible.

With that understanding Nintendo went out to re-invent itself again. Much like they did with Wii 5 years ago. This week at E3 Nintendo unveiled its new console set for a 2012 release, the WiiU.

Based off the presentation Nintendo did at E3 the system seems to have beefed up it's graphic output as well have HD capabilities. But the main focus of the new system is it's tablet like controller. Think of a big standard controller (D-Pad, paddle buttons, A-B buttons, etc.) but with a touch screen in the middle. A couple points they made within the presentation is that if your TV that the system is hooked up to needs to be used for say watching a television program you can continue your game using the display on the tablet controller so your gaming doesn't get interrupted. Another feature that looked incredibly intriguing is the use of the tablet controller with other peripherals such as the Wii wand. One example was the for what seemed like a golf game in which you would use the Wii wand in the way you would in any golf game for the Wii however, the tablet controller could be set on the ground to display your ball placement. Very interesting indeed!

It might be too early to say but it looks like Nintendo is ready to take back what is there's which is the family friendly gaming demo but as well compete for the more than casual gamer with the WiiU. During Nintendo's presentation they also emphasized 3rd party software companies are all if not mostly on board for this new system! A huge plus for Nintendo in cutting into Microsoft & Sony's market share in the console industry!

Needless to say, I can't wait!

Video Game History Month

Well, shame on me... I didn't know it was Video Game History Month!!!! Check out these articles/videos from gamespot.com (CLICK HERE)!

Local Band/Artist David Frank, Ben Klenz & Joseph Intile Covering Incubus' "Promises, Promises"

David Frank (Media Rio), Ben Klenz (Media Rio) & Joseph Intile (Media Rio) covering Incubus' "Promises, Promises". These guys are from Eugene, OR and it's a cover contest! First round is based on views so give it some love (by watching it)!

Great Thor Parody!

So most of you have probably caught the Super Bowl VW Darth Vader commercial, it's below in case you haven't.  Take something awesome like Darth Vader, turn him into a little kid and hilariousness ensues.  Now Marvel has put together a great parody with Thor.  P.S. I call dibs on a the Asgard license plate!

And the origional...

Call Of The Dead (Call Of Duty: Black Ops)

Um... Yes, please.

PSN & Fraggin' Withdrawls...

6 days and counting since the Playstation Network was shut down for "Maintenance" due to a network intrusion... And, about a day ago Sony released a press release that Sony will be "re-building their network to avoid future intrusions...etc."...

All I can say to that is, "ARRrrRRgggGGGGG!". Aside from my obvious frustrations about not being able to rack up some kills on Killzone 3 online I find myself attempting to play campaign modes on a few of my games from my library. What in the world did I do before online gaming?! Mundane and predictable is the only way I can describe campaign modes hence my propensity for online competition!

I remain curious of how Sony will make all of this good to their users. I've been reading some very good points brought up on a few message boards, and in particular, "What about the people who pay for Playstation Plus?". Granted, let's say PSN is off for a total of 14 days (worst case scenario I hope) and Sony offers to pro-rate your subscription based on that outage time. It would out to be only 4% of the $50 annual cost of your Playstation Plus subscription (that's only $2). We'll, I'm sure comping people $2 off their next subscription or refunding it will really not a difference to squashing Playstation user's disgruntled feelings.

Which leads me to wonder what Sony will do? Is this as bad as Microsoft's RRoD issue? Personally, I don't think this issue is as serious as MS's hardware problem but a lot of people seem to feel otherwise... My hope is that Sony will DO SOMETHING. Perhaps, not to the extreme of offering Free 1 years subscriptions to Playstation Plus, but just something. New content or features maybe? Just something. I own both systems and I can vividly recall trying to solve my XBOX 360 issues with Microsoft's customer service and becoming incredibly frustrated (let's just say I'd rather Royal Wedding coverage than ever deal with that again!).

For now, like the other 75 million PSN users I will just wait and hope for the best. In the mean time I have plugged back in the self-fixed XBOX 360 and began revisiting a few games (Gears of War series) and holding out on re-newing that XBOX Live subscription...

~DL

New Beastie Boys video for "Make Some Noise"

Holy crap... Who ISN'T in this video?!

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise - Free Music Videos - Top Songs

The Douche

An educational documentary short on... "The Douche".... From BBC America... Fan-freakin'-tastic.... and educational...

Fight For Your Right - Revisited...

Scariest Car Accident Caught On Video

As to why this individual was taking video of his leisurely drive who knows... However, he happens just to catch his "freaky" accident on camera! I've watched this video several times already and I still get startled when **** goes down! Check it out!

New Brink Trailer

For over a year we've been hearing about how Splash Damage's new shoot "Brink" was going to revolutionize the genre.  Released today is a new trailer showcasing a few of the class abilities you'll have at your disposal.  From what we've seen so far you're looking at a game that is more in tune with helping your team mates than running off rogue.  Mixing some art styling of Borderlands and Team Fortress 2, color us interested at this new prospect!

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: The Da Vinci Disappearance DLC Review

Review by: Matt Hastie

Multiple Systems, 800 Microsoft Points ($9) 

 

For those of you who have been roped in by Ubisoft's amazing Assassin's Creed series, you're in luck with the new DLC package for Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.  Featuring both single player and multiplayer elements, there's certainly something here for everyone.  To break it down for you in general terms here is what you are getting: additions to the single player campaign, one new multiplayer level, two new modes, and four new characters.  The good news is that since you get a little bit of everything you are getting your moneys worth, but it'll ultimately depend on where you stand with ACB.  Is the first piece of paid DLC worth it?  Read on!

You'll get to know these cloaked guys pretty well

First off is the single player portions.  If you enjoyed the game then it's time to celebrate because you have more to do.  Sadly you won't be doing them for long.  From start to finish you're looking at maybe one more hour of game play, but for some any reason to hop back into the Animus is a good reason.  The story picks up after the events of ACB have unfolded, Ezio has returned to Rome for a brief stint and he seeks out his old friend Leonardo Da Vinci.  Your first task is to track down Da Vinci's assistant who finds more thrills gambling and boozing than learning his master's craft.  Once you've found him you'll have your first of many encounters with the Hermetics who will pursue you along the way back to Da Vinci's workshop.  Upon arrival you'll find that they've taken your Da Vinci away and it's high time you get him back!  The game play doesn't change much here, you're tasked with tracking down five paintings that contain clues to where Da Vinci might have been taken.  Along the way you'll tail this guy, beat up that guy, and be told not to be noticed.  Hey, why change what's working?  On top of the missions you have some Templar Lairs to clear and a new dice game to check out.

Ahhh, multiplayer chaos

If the DLC pack was the single player alone this wouldn't be too great of a value, conversely if it was just new multiplayer content it probably wouldn't work too well either.  Multiplayer DLC can be a risk if it doesn't catch on, you'll have maps that most people aren't playing and it can get hard to find a game.  The new map Alhambra is a good addition, featuring a large multi-leveled,  indoor and outdoor environment.  It's a great place to get lost in the crowd.  Your new modes offer little change from the mold, but both are quite challenging to pick up.  VIP features two four man teams in hunt/protect roles.  There's multiple VIPs scattered throughout levels so the name of the game is team work and subtly, leave an unguarded VIP and the enemy team will quickly over take you in score.  On top of that, when you attack a false target you will now net the enemy team 100 points per player!  Keep those blades in check!  Assassinate is the second new mode, featuring a six - eight player deathmatch without the aid of knowing who you are supposed to kill.  You'll have a general idea where targets are but once you get there you'll have to look for someone who doesn't act like the crowd and ID them by locking on.  Only then do you get the chance to kill them.  This mode is very difficult to get the hang of once you are used to being told who your target is.  

L to R: The Pariah, The Marquis, The Knight, The Dama Rossa

So is it all worth it?  It's a tough call and that's coming from a fan of the series.  People who didn't get into the multiplayer section will likely find the price a little steep.  The new game play features only net you about an extra hour of time free running around Rome.  On the other hand it is an interesting addition to the story and has a good if cliff hanger ending.  If you have enjoyed multiplayer or need a reason to go back, the new map and modes are a good addition to a solid experience.  The multiplayer side of ACB in general takes some getting used to and when playing with high level enemies you will be frustrated more than several times.  There's a steep learning curve to all the modes, but that's what gives it some lasting power.  All in all it's a solid piece of DLC that delivers a wide array of content that will hopefully appeal to the masses.

Mass Effect 2: Arrival DLC Review

Review by: Matt Hastie

Multiple Systems, 560 Microsoft Points ($7)

So the wait til Holiday 2011 and more Mass Effect just got a bit shorter.  Launched yesterday the gaming gods at Bioware graced us with the final piece of Mass Effect 2 DLC and the bridging event to Mass Effect 3.   The Arrival mission can be accessed at any point after the Horizon mission, including once you've finished the game which seems to fit the story much better.  Similar to Mass Effect's other DLC, this pack has a great story and mission that just leaves you wanting more.  While still clearly Mass Effect content, this pack offers some changes of pace.  For one, your flying this mission solo so don't forget to make sure you abilities and biotic powers give you a wide range of tactics.  Secondly, the tasks are slightly varied as you incorporate stealth tactics and try to hold out against waves of opponents (completing both challenges will net you some new achievement points as well). 

Hint, it's kind of important

The mission deals with the imminent Reaper invasion in a sector of Batarian space.  Returning from Mass Effect 1 is the gravel voiced Admiral Hackett (played by none other than Lane Henricksen), and this time you get to put a face to the voice.  He's charging you to fly in and rescue an old friend of his named Dr. Amanda Kenson.  While working undercover for the Alliance Navy, she and her team discovered a Reaper artifact that points to invasion.  As they came up with a plan she gets captured by some angry Batarians (which is every Batarian) and put on trial for terrorism (the plan is a throw back to Mass Effect 1's Bring Down the Sky DLC, eye for an eye Batarians!).  I'd love to spell it all out for you here but I don't want to ruin some of the twists and turns.  Along the way you'll also find some new research which will certainly help those of you not playing this mission after the game is over.

Apparently there's no Geneva Convention in space

While the story plays out in a mainly linear fashion, you do have  some chances to gain Paragon and Renegade points.  It is unfortunate that when faced with a major ethical problem you don't have the usual banter of your squad, sharing points of view and experience to help you feel the gravity of what you're about to do.  The mission is sadly very short, clocking in at barely two hours.  Granted on Insanity it'll take you a little longer in some parts.  Visually, the pack looks the same as the rest of the game so it's kind of a bummer that PS3 owners still get the exclusive retextured game featuring the new engine Bioware has build for Mass Effect 3.  What still remains to be seen is whether you choices in this mission, or even partaking in this mission will have any effect on how Mass Effect 3 unfolds.  DLC and side missions from the first game are merely mentioned in passing or an email in the second game. However your choices and actions in this mission will have to play a major part in the third game due to the radical action taken.

All in all if you are a Mass Effect fan this one is a definite must, and the price isn't too bad considering other games' DLC packs are between $9 and $15.  While short, it's two more hours in the incredible Mass Effect universe with major potential consequences. 

More Battlefield 3 Action

Released today we have a new Battlefield 3 trialer.  Part 3 is called "Get That Wire Cut".  The video is pretty intense and shows some epic Battlefield chaos.  You might need to sign in to youtube to watch this clip but it's worth it!

New Mass Effect 2 DLC Trailer

If you are a fan of the series and can't wait for the 2011 Holiday season to hit so you can get your mitts on Mass Effect 3, fret no more.  Launching today is Mass Effect 2's last piece of DLC called The Arrival.  Set two days before the arrival of the Reapers you are in a solo (yeah, not squad) mission to try to put a stop to it!  Also with the DLC you'll get your first look at your old Alliance Navy cohort Admiral Hackett whose voice is supplied by none other than Bishop himself, Lance Henricksen.  Check the trailer below!

More Mario!

Check out this sweet video that has made the rounds after being shown at SXSW.

SXSW 2011 Film Bumper "Mario" produced and directed by Joe Nicolosi

Mario Brothers 2: Kong Country

Greeting fellow nerds,

I hope you can appreciate this faux Mario Brothers 2 trailer... It's nerd-tastic.

Hunter S. Thompson Interviews Keith Richards

So, based off the title of this post you can already assume that this video includes 2 awesome people being awesome. Fact.

Battlefield 3 Trailer Part 2

For those of you eagerly awaiting Battlefield 3 or had your interest piqued with the last trailer, here's part 2 with an epic sniper showdown.  Enjoy!

Star Wars Redo

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Check out this awesome video courtesy of College Humor and featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost!

More Mass Effect 2 On The Way

Bioware is set to release the highly anticipated Mass Effect 3 later this year, and between now and then it looks like we're getting some more Mass Effect 2 DLC!  If you haven't played the Mass Effect series, do yourself a favor and go pick it up now.  RIGHT NOW!  Bioware has released the following pictures below.  More are supposedly on the way given that people keep sharing and "liking" the pictures.  So help your fellow nerds out and get to BioWare's Facebook Page!  No date or information has been released so far but it looks like the new DLC will be called "The Arrival".  We could speculate on what that means, but we'd hate to ruin ME's great story.

Pics are embiggenable!

What could 304942 mean?

Tribes!

Some of you out there may remember a little game called Tribes (or more specifically Tribes 2).  10 years ago the world witnessed a massive jump ahead for first person shooters with a major focus on team work and tactics.  You probably wouldn't have your shooters of today without Tribes.  Announced today at PAX East, the world is getting a new Tribes game called Tribes: Ascend for the PC and Xbox 360.  Check the trailer below.  We are definitely interested in this one!

STAR WARS!

So while some people focus on giving us 3D versions of the Star Wars movies, some people are out there trying to give us the tech!

Well thank you very much, please add lightsabers and a flux capacitor and the world should be set to AWESOME

Homefront Multiplayer Trailer

It's trailer time again, and once again it's a shooter!  This is the new multiplayer trailer for Homefront.  Check out some of the game trailers to get a feel for the story (think Red Dawn).  On the multiplayer side it's looking to be a mix of COD and Battlefield.  As you make kills you'll earn points to purchase better equipment and vehicles.

More Homefront Videos

Video courtesy of IGN

iPad 2 Revealed

Well the inevitable happened, Mac users prepare to hurry to your nearest retailer and get the iPad 2!  

Specs:

  - 33% thinner

  - Dual-core 1GHz processor

  -  iOS 4.3

  - Optional AT&T and Verizon models

  - Front- and rear-facing cameras

  - 10-hour battery life

  - Color options: Black, White

  - Optional HDMI connector cable ($39) for connecting it to a TV with 1080p video resolution.

Price looks like it'll vary based on whether you pick up a Wi-Fi model of 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), and 64GB ($699) with the 3G models at $629, $729 and $829 respectively. So far it's set to ship on March 11, 2011. 

There also seems to be rumblings that the iPad 2 might not be all we'll see from Mac.  Cult of Mac is reporting that...

  - MobileMe is being revamped with cloud storage features

  - The iPad 2 is a ho-hum update. It’s more of a speed bump than a redesign

  - The iPad 3 is the one to get excited about, and it’s on track for release later this year

 And there you have it.  An exciting announcement and a bizarre announcement.

Welcome to Shooter Land

Some new info here. While the findmakarov doesn't have anything to do with a new COD game, it does feature a pretty cool fan video.  Check it below...

 

And for some actual shooter game play, check the new Battlefield 3 trailer below courtesy of IGN!

More Battlefield 3 Videos

Modern Warfare 3?

 UPDATE 3/1/11: Activision put the kibosh on this one.  Label it a rumor/hoax for now...

Just found these goodies around the web.  Take a look!

http://www.findmakarov.com/

 There's a countdown to something!  In 4 days check back for more!  It's looking like we'll have an epic showdown of military shooters later this year with Battlefield 3 and a new Call Of Duty game.  With so many studios supposedly attached to COD games this year it makes us wonder who is handling MW3?  Will Infinity Ward step back into the limelight?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: DRAGON AGE II

Dragon Age II (Multiplatform) March 8, 2011 (US)

2/23/2011
By: Matt Hastie

             

            Can March 8^th get here fast enough? If you are hungry for a classic styled RPG but hate dealing with the MMO world then you should check out Dragon Age II from Bioware. I’m going to go on a limb here (and get some flak for it), but Bioware creates some of the best RPGs out there and DA II will hopefully be no exception. For those of you who haven’t played the first Dragon Age game, fret not, DA II features a new hero and story so you shouldn’t feel too lost. DA II throws you in the boots of Hawke, the Champion and as with most Bioware titles the name of the game is customization. You’ll be able to pick your appearance in any way you like, male or female, and have three classes to choose from. From there every action, response, and choice is going to shape your story.

            The prologue begins with a retelling of Hawke’s general badassery as he slays Darkspawn and Ogres with little effort. Then a twist; that’s not really what happened and you play through again but without your badassery, upgrades and abilities. It’s an interesting way to show how a story snowballs and a few exaggerations are made. While people recall you as the dashing hero, you are merely a refugee fleeing with your family. Your choices will shape whether you are the benevolent hero, a ruthless warmonger, or any where between. Conversations are laid out on the conversation wheel from the Mass Effect series, but it now features a small picture next to each response so it is clear what your response will mean. Choices on the left of the wheel dig deeper into the story and characters while choices on the right move the story forward. When moving the story forward you typically have three responses to choose from; heroic/caring, sarcastic/comedic, and angry/misanthropic.  

The classes are made up of three typical RPG archetypes; the Warrior (heavy weapon or sword and shield), the Rogue (dual wield daggers or bow), and the Mage. For the most part your class choice will be a decision in how you game; up close and personal, ranged but still able to hold your own, or standing way in the back unleashing spells. While your class choice only makes combat unique to that character, the Mage’s story unfolds a bit differently, but I won’t spoil that for you. As you level up Hawke and your party you’ll once again be faced with tons of customization. You’ll upgrade your stats, learn new abilities, and be able to create a combat tactics for AI controlled characters. For example a typical Mage isn’t strong; but you can max out their strength and make a Mage into a walking tank that can also hurl lightning, but is also the party’s healer.

Combat is slick and easy to learn. You have an attack button and then can assign abilities and spells to other buttons or hotkeys. This keeps the action moving and combat feels pretty intense. You also have the choice of how combat is handed. You can create the aforementioned tactics and detail each scenario in which a power should be used. Or you can also give orders from the combat wheel to each of your characters. While the combat wheel is up the game pauses and you can have some time to think out your next few attacks. While Hawke is the main character of the story, you can control any of the characters in your party during combat, giving you a chance to experiment with all of the classes available to you. Combat can feel a bit button mashy at the beginning but soon smoothes out once you have several abilities at your disposal.

Visually the game looks great, some of the textures feel a bit flat but the character animations shine. The art for the cut scenes and loading screens really stand out and at times feature artwork similar to Samurai Jack or The Secret of Kells. The game also features an absurd amount of gore, after each battle your party is covered in blood and it can make some of their conversations quite hilarious, but all together more realistic. No one would run into the fray and come out looking pristine. The sounds of battle and mix of music come together in moments where you’ll feel like you’re in a blockbuster fantasy movie. For the most part conversations are very well done and each characters voice feels unique, but sometimes lack personality (I’m looking at you Mama Hawke!).  All in all DA II is shaping up to be a great game and I can’t wait to see the finished product.  It’s almost upon us!

TRAILER FEATURE!!!!

We are anxiously awaiting these games!

GREAT SCOTT! Back To The Future: The Game

 02/09/2011
By: DL

So, either I am not a die hard Back To The Future fan like I thought or Telltale games is the worst at marketing their games!  Back To The Future: The Game was released for PC & Mac back in late December and if I had known I'd be all over it!  Apparently though a release date for download will be availible February 15th for PS3 and XBOX360.

For us Back To The Future fans (if you look at the "Things That Rock" banner you can see the fluxicapacitor in the top right hand corner) if anyone can remember back to the NES days of the terrible games that carried the BTTF name were very poor excuses for a video game.  However, I suppose any game based on a movie in the late 80's & 90's were pretty sub-par.  Regardless if you want to remember or not, BTTF1 on NES was incredibly difficult not to mention had a bizare Paperboy like scrolling gameplay to it.  BTTF2&3 (NES) which we're packaged in one game made little to no sense in continuity with the original story with the exception of bits and pieces spliced into the games cut screens and of course gameplay was frustrating (If you got your hands on a hover board you were almost sure to get obliterated by an enemy because of your lack of control).

I actually just put in my order for the MAC version of Back To The Future: The Game and I can't wait!  Telltale Games are the same folks who resurrected Lucas Art's Sam & Max series via download in the PS3 & XBOX Live store in a series of episode games.  Now, granted I've yet to play Back To The Future: The Game I can be assured that gameplay will be much like that of the original Sam & Max or Kings Quest/Police Quest and other adventure games similar.

Though there doesn't seem to be anything spectacular in gameplay or graphics I do feel that this is redemption for the BTTF franchise in making up for those turd games that came out when I was kid.  It also helps that Bob Gale (Producer of all 3 BTTF movies) was an consultant on game & story development.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: BULLETSTORM & CRYSIS 2

01/28/2011
Review by: Matt Hastie

We got our mitts on a couple new demos for the Xbox 360 on Tuesday, and you can join in the fun as well. Head over to your Xbox Live Marketplace to download Bulletstorm and Crysis 2 (Multiplayer). Sorry, PS3ers you only get to check out Bulletstorm for now. Both Bulletstorm and Crysis 2 are high profile on the gaming radar and here’s your chance to see how these shooters are shaping up. Check out our impressions of both games below, or hop online and decide for yourself! 

Bulletstorm (Multiplatform) February 22, 2011 (US)

            From Epic/People Can Fly comes a new project to wet your appetites for Gears of War 3. The game itself is an odd mix of several games, but it is fun all the same. Featuring a mix of Duke Nukem profanity and bravado with Borderlands style humor the dialog is funny for a while, but you’ll slowly tune it out. The demo kicks off with a self promoting instructional video of one of the game modes called Echoes. It’s basically a time trial of the level Collapsed Building. The premise is simple, make it through the level causing as much hell as you can as quick as possible. You’ll receive a rating at the end based on points and time completed.

The points are racked up by kills and the way you do them. Headshots, groinshots, and environmental hazards are just a few of the colorful ways you’ll be offing the opposition. Your weapons are assigned to the Dpad like in many games, but you can cycle with Y. Sadly some of the weapons are ripped from Gears of War. The carbine is just the lancer without the chainsaw, the flailgun is just a shotgun that shoots the flail grenades. The revolver with rocket flares is one of the more hilarious guns; it’ll impale an enemy and send them flying through the air. You’ll also have access to a leash that will drag enemies to you who are far away or behind cover, if you hold the leash button down it will launch anyone attached in the air and explode. All melee and leash attacks cause bullet time on the enemy affected so you can get some precision hits in for extra points.
Levels feature a drop pod that you can access for guns and ammo that’s similar to the vending machines of Borderlands and Bioshock so rest assured you’ll always have guns, lots of guns. Heavy weapons like turrents are available for pick up, the one I found was time based instead of ammo based so there looks to be some strategy involved in their used besides holding down the trigger. You’ll be able to play through Echo levels multiple times, trying to better your score or hit a higher mark on the global leaderboards.
While it’s fun for a few while, we can only wonder if the campaign and multiplayer offerings will be enough to keep coming back for more. Oddly for a FPS, there’s no jump button. Instead you have to hit a low wall and attempt to vault over. The vault action is the same as a charging melee attack so you may find yourself stuck a few times which can get frustrating. It is still a hard call on this one; the final product is a month away so there’s not a long wait time for more. If you’re looking for a fast paced shooter that has some thrills and laughs you will want to check out Bulletstorm. The Xbox 360 Epic Edition will feature a beta for Gears of War 3 if you need some more incentive to pick this one up when it’s released.

Crysis 2 (Multiplatform) March 22, 2011 (US)

            The multiplayer demo is currently a Xbox 360 exclusive, there’s no confirmed date on when a demo will appear for PS3 or PC. Crysis 2 is like all the current FPS games out there, with a few tweaks. It’s modeled after the CoD and Battlefield series as far as multiplayer is concerned. You’ll have to level up your character to unlock new weapons and suit powers. Classes available are the standard assault, scout, heavy, and sniper classes to choose from with the option to make custom load outs once you reach rank 4. Powers available in the demo are cloak (like a Predator!), max shield, and jump slam (damn hard to pull off). Weapon modules are also available like extra ammo and the ability to detect cloaked enemies.

          

            There are six game types set for the full game but only Team Instant Action and Crash Site (unlock at rank 6) are available for play.  TIA is your standard team death match and Crash Site is a team based capture and hold objective. Players will be assigned either to the Marines or the C.E.L.L., with no real difference between the two. Both games are quick and pretty balanced so it’s up to your preference if you like the slaughter or an objective. While the core game play is nothing new, your Nanosuit is what adds some extra flavor. Use of powers can quickly mean the difference between life or death. Early on cloak is the most useful as you learn the levels and choke points. While just a standard move, I had a blast with being able to pull yourself up a ledge that you can’t quite jump to; it’s a great way to give chase to an enemy or cut time getting to the Crash Site. As you rack up kills you get new team abilities similar to killstreaks; better radar, jamming of enemy Nanosuits, and airstrikes are just a few available in the demo.

            Crysis 2 looks gorgeous; while you only get to experience two levels it’s easy to get lost in the depth of design. Skyline is on a rooftop and features many pitfalls and close quarters combat. Pier 17 is out in the open with lots of places to hide and ambush your enemies. I didn’t notice any slack in the visuals even on slower servers. The full game is supposed to support full stereoscopic 3D which will hopefully enhance the already great visuals.

            You’re likely to have some major trouble finding open servers, but this might change as more people get the demo. I had a few games drop in connection and was prompted that game drops don’t count on your record, I’m sure a few of you will be thankful for that. Connection problems aside, it’s a solid game. While still way too similar to the current swath of FPS games, what will set it apart is the strength of multiplayer and customization. If you are into CoD and the like, Crysis 2 should be on your wish list. It’s like mixing your super soldier Halo abilities with the fast paced brutal action of CoD. Frag on soldier.

SKULLCANDY SKULLCRUSHER HEADPHONES REVIEW

01/27/2011
Written by: DL
 I’ve been on the prowl for a new set of headphones and have been pretty budget conscious.  Currently, I’ve been rocking a set of Grado SR60’s with use of CMoy headphone amp and they’ve been great.  Beautiful mid-tones and crisp highs but a little lacking in the low end.  The next model up in Grado’s line is the SR80 which has better lows but for $100 it’s at the top of my budget not mention the Grado’s are an open-back design (so, if you’re blasting music, others can hear what you’re listening to with ease).

Grado SR60

The criteria I was looking for was a set of over the ear headphones with a good dynamic range as I listen to a few different genres of music, but mostly rock.   I’ve tried the Beats Solo by Monster (Dr. Dre’s signature line) but found them to have way too much bass for certain types of music.  However, the Beats Solo’s definitely get points for style and function with their built in iPod controls.

I then stumbled across the Skullcandy SkullCrushers which apparently have been available since 2008.  Now, my previous experience with Skullcandy headphones have been with their ear buds and a set of the over ear model called  the Agent.  Needless-to-say, I wasn’t very impressed with their sound quality as they lacked really any clear definition for high-tones. & had muddy mids.

Skullcandy SkullCrushers

The Skullcandy SkullCrusher’s are unique in that  have an adjustable built in subwoofer amp.  The headphones when cranked literally rattle your ears!  Again though, I was looking for something with good dynamic range and was a bit leery of what I was going to get with my previous experience with Skullcandy.

The built in subwoofer amp requires a single AA battery to power it and has an on/off switch.  The headphones are for the most part worthless without the subwoofer.  Though you can still get audio through the headphones with it off, it just sounds like pure highs.  But, once I turn on the sub I was pleasantly surprised!  I tend to listen to A LOT of punk and wanted to see how the SkullCrushers would handle it and I was pretty impressed.  For punk music I LOVE hearing the crunch of guitars and the poignant thump of the kick drum and the crack of the snare drum…  With a little tweaking of the dial on the subwoofer I got what I was looking for!  The natural high and mid tones of the SkullCrushers were good and combined with an adjustable subwoofer you can set how much bass you wanted to blast into ears. It was simple to adjust while switching genres of music.

Most rock music I found that if you kept the dial for the subwoofer around 30% it was great!  Guitars sounded crunchy, you could literally feel the kick drum, and the bass guitar was driving.  With acoustic based music I more or less pushed the subwoofer down just a little and got great performance.  I don’t listen to a lot of rap but I was curious how the headphones would do with some classic NWA and I have to say they did pretty damn good.  At one point I did max out the subwoofer to see the results...  They ended up sounding something of that of a rumbly mess.  Everything became pretty muddled sounding, but if you’re going for rattling headphones you definitely will get that.  For the most part there really is no reason to ever have the subwoofer turned up to the max.

The SkullCrushers are pretty comfortable which with a few adjustments (I have a big head).  I found the padding to more than adequate and comfortable on the ears.  Style wise they are typical Skullcandy with flashy graphics and all.  I chose to go with the subtle pin stripe design but more ostentatious designs are offered.  I suppose my real only complain with the headphones is the plastic used in the construction.  It feels a bit flimsy but I’m sure with proper care the headphones will hold up pretty well.

Sitting at a price point of $70 you get the SkullCrusher headphones that come with a satin headphone bag, quarter inch and air-line adapter and a AA battery.  In my opinion you get a very diverse sounding set of headphones that won’t necessarily break the bank.  I found that having to adjust the subwoofer from genre to genre or even album to album to be a very minor annoyance if even really any annoyance.  Once you get the SkullCrushers dialed in they are a rocking set of headphones worth your money!

Sony's NGP (PSP 2) Revealed!

Sony's NGP (PSP2) Unveiled!

 
It's been unveiled!  Sony's NGP (Next Generation Portable) or as some might refer to it as the PSP2 is more or less a throw back to the original brick style of the first PSP.  Here's kind of a run down of some of it's new features:

• A 5" OLED touch screen
• Front facing camera
• Touch pad on the back of the device
• Dual analog sticks
• Memory stick based games & downloadable games (no UMD drive)
• 3G capable

MORE INFO COMING SOON! 

Battle of the Handhelds!

1/20/2011
By Matt Hastie


             The more and more you think about it 2011 really could be the year of the geek. A huge amount of movies, comics, and games are on the horizon and the latest news is all about the handhelds. A new iPad is casting it’s shadow on the horizon but so far what’s been said is pretty absurd.  The big news right now is coming with the PSP2 (check out DL’s article on this mythical device) facing off against the 3DS. It’s not so much two companies just going after a similar device like the movement control arms race, but who has the flashiest features and what ultimately is going to sport the best games.

Well the rumors may soon be made true or squashed.  Bloomberg is reporting that Sony is poised to make announcements on Thursday, January 27, which could be the PSP2 with news on the Sony Ericsson PSP phone set to follow in February.

From Bloomberg:

Sony, the world's second-largest maker of portable game players, will also outline a strategy to use its networked entertainment services to share games, movies and music among handheld products, TVs and other devices, said one person, who declined to be identified because the plan isn't public.

With the updated portable player and the Sony Ericsson touch-screen smartphone to be shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Tokyo-based company aims to gain market share in markets dominated by Nintendo Co. and Apple Inc., according to one of the people, whose company makes mobile-phone software and was briefed on the plans.

 

Looks like Sony fans are in for a few treats over the next few weeks.  But will it be enough to smack the iPad and 3DS out of the handheld limelight?  The 3DS may seem the hot ticket with it’s no glasses 3D tech but it’s being marred by several issues so far.  Set for a $249.99 price tag it’s definitely going to hurt some wallets, let alone that you could get the Wii for less, or for a little more a PS3 or Xbox 360.  The release list so far features some new games and remakes of Ocarina of Time and Star Fox 64 in 3D. And don’t forget those reports that stereoscopic 3D will make your children blind! That’s not actually true but 3D entertainment has been in the news a lot lately since we aren’t really sure what extended viewing of 3D is doing to us.

            It’s hard to say at this point since most of the new handhelds are speculation at best right now. Add in that the PSP2 has no confirmed games or tech yet aside from its promise of being as powerful as the PS3. My money is on the PSP2, Nintendo seems to be back peddling a lot lately with games and 3D is still a total gamble (Virtual Boy anyone?). Lots of gamers also feel left out by Nintendo’s lack of focus on more mature games, and that’s where Kratos and his cohorts come in. Will all the devices play nice or will there be only one Highlander? 

PSP 2 Rumors

 01/13/2011

Written by: DL

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) wrapped up this weekend of course new mobile devices and tablets continue to be the craze.  Nearly every major company is jumping into this market if not beefing up their already established line-up of mobile gadgets.

Now with that said, it’s getting hard to ignore the rumors about Sony’s yet to be unveiled PSP2 as the more I hear about it, the cooler it sounds!  Needless to say Sony has lost a lot of ground to catch up on mobile gaming with the PSP Go going up against Nintendo’s DS & DSi and of course the app driven Apple iPhone.  Of course in theory the PSP Go was a good idea but without the support of a wireless network (AT&T, Verizon, etc) or even the ability to purchase tangible games at a retail store it just couldn’t keep with the on-demand nature of people.

Okay, now on to the rumors on the PSP2 that I mentioned…  Via MCVuk.com it’s been mentioned that Sony has been telling developers (licenses) that the new PSP2 will be as powerful as the PS3 home console.  Say what?!  I could have a pocket size PS3 that I can take anywhere?!  Yes, that does sound enticing!  Of course it’s yet to be seen.  Another rumor floating around is the PSP2 as a mobile phone.  There’s been a allegedly leaked picture of a prototype of the PSP2 that shows it has a front facing camera as well as a microphone AND will also be able to take physical media as it did in the original PSP.

So, you’re telling me the new PSP2 is as powerful as a PS3, I can bring games along with me as oppose to worry about it’s local memory being full and it’s a mobile phone that will have a mobile wireless network to support it?!  Holy crap!  That sounds super awesome right?

Now, another but kind of vague rumor floating around is that the new device might be able to basically act as a cloud gaming device.  So say you have your copy of Call Of Duty Black Ops loaded in your PS3 at home.  Well, in theory you could log on to your wireless network and play Black Ops off your PS3 and on to your PSP2.

These are all of course very fantastic rumors and if any of them are true I think Sony will definite re-gain a lot of ground in mobile gaming.  Oh, and one more rumor…  People are saying that Sony is aiming for a Q4 launch…  If that’s the case, my Christmas list has the PSP2 on it!

Game Review: Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam & X-Men Arcade

 
 I’ve got Charlie all over my living room!!!!

1/7/2011
Review by: Matt Hastie

So the holidays are over and you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket?  Or maybe you already blew all of that money but want something fun and inexpensive?  We here at NRQ have got two great solutions for you!

Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam (Multiplatform) 1200 MSP or $15

 2010 was a great year for gaming. Not only did we get epic titles but we finally got some quality DLC. One major standout is Bad Company 2’s Vietnam DLC, though it’s more of a full expansion. The four main classes of BFBC are still in place and you still have the tech tree to unlock, but other than that it’s almost a whole new game. You’ll have period weapons and vehicles at your finger tips such as the Flamethrower, M1A1, and the Huey Chopper to help you rain down some hell on your enemies. Also, due to the period weapons you no longer need to fear being sniped by a medic across the level as the recon class are the only ones with scopes. Most players are going to be forced to change their play styles a tad since long range is not an option for most classes.

The game types are still here so there’s going to be more flags to cap and MCOM stations to hit. The levels available for play are all modeled after real locations and battles that took place in Vietnam, and each is stunning. While some of BFBC2’s levels seemed a little too pristine before the action starts, all of Vietnam’s maps are already torn apart.  You’ll have trenches and bombed out fox holes to hide in, as well as plenty of brush and tunnels to wait in ambush. The destructible environments are still a great tactic to use, but with more of the action taking place in a jungle scene it’s not one you’ll employ as often.   

One of the biggest stand outs is the sound. When you are in a vehicle or on a base you will be treated to the songs of the time with tracks like “Fortunate Son” and “Wild Thing”. While the music does tend to get a bit repetitive, you’ll still have fun flying a Huey with “Ride of the Valkyries” blasting in the background. The jungle sounds alive, gun fire and explosions in every direction, the sound of grenade launchers firing near by, the VC shouting behind you. Every Vietnam movie moment is here for you to play out any way you see fit, and you’ll be full immersed from the beginning.

All in all you have a solid new game to play online with few shortcomings. Sight and sound are the real stars of this expansion since the core aspects of BFBC are still in place. While weapon balancing is mostly in check due to the fighting being up close and personal, the flamethrower at times still feels a bit overpowered. If you’ve been a fan of BFBC’s online or are looking for a more team based shooter definitely pick this up! 

Welcome to die X Chickens

X-Men Arcade (Xbox 360, Playstation 3) 800 MSP or $10

            For you nostalgia monkeys you have no where else to look that the X-Men Arcade game that is back in full glory. Not much has changed except that you no longer have to pour quarter after quarter into a machine. All of the ridiculous music, bad dialogue, and button mashing are here. Some new additions though give this classic some extra fire power. Before each play you’ll have the ability to change a few options for the game. You’ll be able to choose between a 4 and 6 player cabinet, whether it’s the US or Japanese version of the game, level, and difficulty.

            The game features drop in play for both co op and online play, keeping with the feel of playing on the original arcade machine, but now you don’t have to worry about your buttons sticking or it being out of order. The version you play only depends on whether your mutant attacks consume health first or a power up first. In the Japanese version health and power drops occur more often. Cyclopes, Storm, Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler are still here, and someone will always be complaining about having to play as Dazzler. The game is quick; you can beat it on average in 25-30 minutes depending on difficulty and how many players you have.

            Another new addition is the online play with the options of quick join, search, and host. Quick join gave me some trouble as I kept dropping into games that were already at the end or stuck at character select.  Search allows you to find the difficulty, version, level and how many players are currently in a game. Want to see the chaos of 6 players all doing their mutant attacks at once? The only thing more fearful than that is the lag. The games I dropped in on had decent latency, but the game’s quality and fun fall when you press a button and do the action a second or two later. Maybe others haven’t had the same problems online as I have but I found the best option was to just create my own game and let other users come to me.

            Though not much has changed about the game, it’s still a blast. On the other hand since only online play and a few custom options have been added, few might see this as a good buy. It’s not terribly long, but with leader boards for points and quickest completion of the game you might stay around longer. For the most part it’s a party game, whether it’s a one man or six man party. The online play is definitely fun and unique but can be frustrating at times. If you love comics and played this game in the arcades of yore then it might be right up your alley.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM NRQ!

12/23/2010

Christmas is just 2 days away and outside the NRQ studios you can smell the desperation from last minute shoppers at the Valley River Center Mall as people scramble to get whatever is left for loved ones...  Or for that annoying relative...  Whatever the case, we here at NRQ want to wish everyone an awesome holiday, BUT also remind everyone about Holiday ZOMBIES!  Generally, this is an often over looked issue around the holidays and here at 97.9 NRQ we want to remind you of this possible problem and provide a few safety precautions for the ZOMBIE apocalypse should it rear it's half decayed head this year...  Check out this informative video and don't forget get zombies don't take a day off from eating brains...

~DL

NEW BLOG!

12/14/2010
Greetings all,

Coming soon will be a brand new blog that features all sorts of good things...  Namely, THINGS THAT ROCK!  I'll be reviewing gadgets, video games, music and more!  Of course, the intent of this blog is to be MORE than just a review blog but an open forum of sharing video, articles and whatever else that just...  Well...  ROCKS...

Keep checking back as I'm aiming to get something up before Christmas!

In the meantime enjoy The Damned Things video for "We've Got A Situation Here".  Off their latest album, Ironiclast.  IN STORES TODAY!

~DL
ROCK 97.9 KNRQ