Microsoft Developing New Xbox
March 13, 2007
Microsoft big shot Peter Moore said in an interview that the production team behind the creation of Xbox 360 is already working on the next Xbox.
Moore even went as far as saying that Xbox 360’s successor could launch around 2012, as the team of tech-heads are looking into what kind of computing power would be available around that time frame.
It is also being reported/rumored that Microsoft could soon ditch the Xbox 360 Core version, the one without the hard drive and wireless pads that. We think it makes perfect sense to drop the cheaper model, as the Premium System is a bargain in its own right, so dropping the bare bones version makes good sense, no? By now, everyone that has a 360 should be online (or close to it), for which you need a hard drive. Microspft has issued no comment on this.
Hip-Hop Gaming League - Season 2
January 18, 2007
Hip-Hop Gaming League officials have announced the launch of the organization’s second season, which will include an online gaming tournament headlined by 32 hip-hop and professional sports personalities.
The Hip-Hop Gaming League competes primarily on the Xbox 360 and is headlined by celebrity players from the world of music, sports, and other entertainment media personally selected by Snoop Dogg, who also acts as sole referee and enforcer of the league’s rules. It will again be promoted by MTV.
New to this season, registered Global Gaming League (GGL) members will also be able to compete in a parallel league for a chance to go to the HHGL Finals on February 16 in Las Vegas. The players lined up for the second season include returning players such as Paul Wall, Just Blaze, Krayzie Bone (from Bone Thugs n Harmony), Major League Soccer star Cobi Jones, and the NBA’s Jalen Rose.
Joining them for this second season are Yung Joc, Rick Ross, Lupe Fiasco, Lil Wayne, Birdman, DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Malice and Pusha T of The Clipse, DJ Revolution, Xololanxinxo, Lil Keke, Hi-Tek, Big Pooh, Warren G, Jibbs, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder, the NFL’s Brandon Marshall, Darnell Bing, and Michael Robinson, and the NBA’s Trevor Ariza.
Each HHGL celebrity player will be given an Xbox 360 and EA Sports’ NCAA 07 Football, and will compete against each other in order to earn points and advance up the tournament ladder. Organizers note that additional games like Saints Row, Madden NFL 07, NFL 2K7, NBA 2K7, or others may also be added by Snoop Dogg as the competition continues. HHGL celebrities also have the option to cross over and challenge the public to earn extra points.
Xbox Live Expands
November 22, 2006
Happy Birthday Xbox 360! Today, Microsoft has broadened its Xbox Live offerings with a full selection of TV and movie rental titles to be rented and purchased, with newly revealed pricing ranging from around $2 - 6. Microsoft says that the launch of the video marketplace initiative makes the 360 “the first gaming console in history to provide high-definition TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their living rooms.” The new video marketplace is fully covered by the Xbox 360’s Family Settings feature, giving parents the ability to limit the video content available to the console.
A partial list of the TV programs offering either select episodes or entire seasons available for download includes the CSI series, Star Trek, Chappelle’s Show, Drawn Together, South Park, Punk’d, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, Space Ghost, and Wonder Showzen. TV shows are offered as to-own downloads with no expiration date, and the ability to re-download a user’s purchases should they be deleted. The pricing is 160 points for a standard definition episode and 240 points for a high definition program, an equivalent of $2 and $3 respectively.
An initial selection of 48 movies has been added to the service; notable titles include V for Vendetta, A Rebel Without a Cause, Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, The Shining, Superfly, and Natural Born Killers.
Full movie downloads are provided on a rental basis, utilizing Xbox Live’s new digital rights features, which stipulate that the downloads will expire 14 days after the date of purchase, or 24 hours past the point when a user has first played them. The pricing scale for movies ranges from 480 points ($6) for newly-released high definition titles, to 320 points ($4) for standard resolution versions of the same. Classic titles are offered for rental at 360 points ($4.50) and 240 points ($3) for high and standard definition versions. Microsoft also notes that once a user has purchased a high definition version of either movie or TV program, the standard definition version is then available for free.
Contra Comes to Xbox Live Arcade
November 8, 2006
Hell yeah!!!! Overlooked amidst the Gears of War/Resistance/Call of Duty 3 hullaballoo, the original Nintendo version of Contra has come to Xbox Live Arcade. The classic video game is going to run natively at 720p, for starters, and will offer co-op over Xbox Live. You’ll also get new visual effects, sound effects, voice communication, a Live scoreboard, and achievements. No prices have been listed yet, but the good news is that “The Code” (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right…) will still work; you won’t, however, be blowing on any cartridges this time out.
For those of you who are not familiar with the phenomenon that is Contra, let me bring you up to speed. The Red Falcon organization is plotting to conquer the Earth, and it is up to two commandos, Lance and Bill, to infiltrate their evil base. Lance and Bill are all that stand in the way of Red Falcon and their plans for global domination! Travel through eight stages in the jungle armed with a machine gun and the ability to capture upgraded weapons including a Fireball, Laser, Rapid Fire gun, and a Spread Gun.
Reservoir Dogs Preview
September 27, 2006
Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 cult classic Reservior Dogs is one of the coolest movies ever made. Now, that’s not so much my personal opinion as it is a fact. Moving on…
The movie picks up after the surviving members of Joe’s crew blasted their way through police (and some innocent civilians) to the abandoned warehouse after their diamond heist goes very, very wrong. The game, on the other hand, allows the gamer - who plays as any of the Mr. Colors, Nice Guy Eddie, or Joe – to 
play out the diamond heist, learn where Mr. Pink stashed the diamonds, and witness the kidnapping of (the soon-to-be-earless) Officer Marvin Nash. In typical Tarantino style, the game’s plot is revealed through a series of non-linear, intersecting story lines. The game has a feature that, surprisingly, rewards players for making shrewd, cunning decisions, and not for becoming a foul-mouthed, trigger-happy maniacs. The game’s “Threat System” lets you see how far you could push the police before they attack. You can use hostages as leverage, but play it cool; if your Adrenaline Meter climbs too high, your character will get anxious and jittery – not a good way to be when handling hostages and police presence. The Adrenaline Meter also comes into play during “Bullet Festival,” which is employed as a very unorthodox technique for crowd control when you’re out on the street. In addition, the game features the complete movie soundtrack and the vocal work of Michael Madsen, reprising his role as Mr. Blonde.
The Xbox version of the game was recalled in the U.K. because the appropriate rating of “18” (equivalent to our “M” rating) had not been printed on the disc. Australia, however, has banned the game entirely, deeming it “ultra-violent.” In this connection, British police officials have condemned the game for its excessive violence toward police. “Players can take police officers hostage and go on to burn out their eyes with a lit cigar, chop off their fingers with a cigar cutter, and hack off their ears using a scalpel, while [the police officers] plead for their lives and scream in pain,” reports The Yorkshire Post.
Reservoir Dogs will be available for PC, PS2, and Xbox on October 24.
Scarface: The World Is Yours Preview
September 26, 2006
Remember at the end of Scarface (the movie) when Sosa’s guys ambush Tony Montana and shot him about a thousand times? Well, Scarface: The World Is Yours picks up here. That tough bastard lived. He’s pissed off and wants everything back immediately. You play as Tony Montana, who has been recreated masterfully for this game. The voice, though not Al Pacino’s, is dead-on, and Tony is as power-hungry and fearless as ever. And no, this game is definitely not suited for the kiddies.
The game’s hidden agenda seems to be for you, as Tony, to “shoot, kill, taunt.” After blasting through an enemy gang, hit the B button and listen to Tony unleash a profanity-laden insult. This is the Taunt feature, which is not restricted to post-kill situations. Press the button at any time and Tony will have something to say. If you’re walking in the road and a car whizzes past, bumping Tony on the way, or if some slouch is looking at you the wrong way, hit B and Tony will tell set it straight. There’s also a feature referred to as Balls Points. Every time Tony’s mouth lets loose, you accumulate points. The culmination of these points is Blind Rage mode, which comes in handy when your health is low and you’re in hot water. During Blind Rage mode (not just a clever name), you assume a first-person view, you have unlimited ammo, and you go completely bananas!
Like that in the movie, success the game’s seedy drug underworld depends on respect, reputation, and all-around drug kingpin savvy. The game quantifies your reputation for your drug business dealings, and playing as Tony allows you to blow cash on boats, cars, henchmen, drivers, and assassins (who refuse to kill innocent people). And then there are the cops. The amount of heat you draw as you rise to the top of the drug game depends on your (surprise, surprise) Cop Heat meter. It’s important - and very pricy- to pay off the Vice to keep this meter down, as too much heat will anger the Feds, who will chase and shoot at you relentlessly, thus ending your game. Otherwise, a cop can be bribed or run from, which will definitely raise your Cop Heat status.
The game also features a very cool “Mix tape” feature that lets gamers create their own music compilations. You can listen to just the original film score by Giorgio Moroder, popular hits from the 80’s, contemporary songs, or a mix. Pre-made mixes are by genre and time period – rock, hip-hop, reggae, reggaeton, Latin, and country. The artists featured are awesome: Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry, Pit Bull, Rick James, Judas Priest, Grandmaster Flash, Burning Spear, Iggy Pop, Public Enemy, Run DMC, and Peter Tosh. Lending their vocal talents to the game are James Woods, Michael Rappaport, Ice T, Oliver Platt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joy Mohr, Roma Maffia, Cheech Marin, Tonny Chong, Ricky Gervais, Tommy Lee, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara from Entourage, Bam Margera, and Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog and B. Real, among others.
Originally scheduled for relase yesterday, Scarface: The World Is Yours will be available on October 8 for Xbox, PS2, PSP, and PC.
A Quick Look at “Family Guy”
September 5, 2006
2K Games’ Family Guy successfully delivers the beloved animated series to PSP, PS2 and Xbox. The game boasts the vocal talents of Seth McFarlane, Seth Green, Mila Kunis and Alex Borstein, as well as the show’s entire writing staff. As you’ll see, the writers are uninhibited by TV broadcast restraints and took advantage of it. Oh yeah, it’s on.
As part of the game’s ”interactive comedy” format, there is no single grand plot, just a series of intersecting storylines starring Peter, Stewie and Brian, each embarking on his own mission. Peter seeks revenge on Mr. Belvedere (yes, the guy from the sitcom), whom he thinks is responsible for destroying his satellite dish and therefore ruining Peter’s Mr. Belvedere marathon. From there, Peter either gobbles up or smashes pretty much everything in sight. The dish was really destroyed by Bertram, whom Stewie (equipped with his favorite laser gun and mind control helmet) battles throughout the game for control of the world. Finally, Brian must clear his name after being wrongly assuced of impregnating Seabreeze and find the real culprit.
As the game progresses, you switch from character to character, and the gameplay itself involves combat, stealth and problem-solving. Plus, over 200 characters from the show make cameos in the game, including Herbert the old pedophile, the sex-crazed Quagmire, finger-sucking Opie and the evil monkey. Family Guy will be available for PSP, PS2 and Xbox on October 23, 2006.
Xbox 360 BC Updates
August 29, 2006
Microsoft has added almost 40 games and updated support for an additional 9 to its Xbox 360 backward-compatability list, bringing the total number of BC games above the 250 mark. Backward-compatability enables Xbox games on the compatability list to be played on the Xbox 360 console. June’s update, the most recent, added just 27 games, 6 of which were Japanese titles.
Below is a list of the most recent BC updates:
Added
Aggressive Inline
All-Star Baseball 2005
Aquaman: Battle of Atlantis
Burnout 3: Takedown
Catwoman
Counter-Strike
Dead to Rights
ESPN Major League Baseball
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Director’s Cut
Freaky Flyers Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon - Island Thunder
IndyCar Series 2005
The Legend of Spyro: A Beginning
Lego Star Wars II
Links 2004
Maximum Chase
MTX: Mototrax Featuring Travis Pastrana
MX vs. ATV Unleashed
Namco Museum 50th Anniversary Arcade Collection
Outlaw Tennis
Over the Hedge
Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Richard Burns Rally
Rogue Trooper
Serious Sam
Shincho Mahjong
Smashing Drive
Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run
The Suffering
Taz: Wanted
Torino 2006 Winter Olympics
Trigger Man True Crime: Streets of LA
Vietcong: Purple Haze
Wrath Unleashed
X-Men II: Wolverine’s Revenge
Updated
All-Star Baseball 2003
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Crash Bandicoot: Nitro Kart
Digimon Rumble Arena 2
Ford vs. Chevy
Half-Life 2
The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
Kabuki Warrior
Magatama
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Sneakers
America’s Most Rented
August 14, 2006
Here is the latest top-rated title list, courtesy of Rentrak Home Video Essentials:
- NCAA Football ‘07 (PS2)
- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (PS2)
- Cars (PS2)
- NCAA Football ‘07 (Xbox)
- NCAA Football ‘07 (Xbox 360)
- Prey (Xbox 360)
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PS2)
- Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)
- Chromehounds (Xbox 360)
- Monster House (PS2)
Halo Film Details
August 11, 2006
Microsoft announced yesterday that Neil Blomkamp will direct Halo’s silver screen debut. Blomkamp is a “massive fan of the games,” as well as ”the world and universe of Halo.” In an interview with Ain’t It Cool News, Blomkamp also revealed that the film will be based on the story of Halo 1, not the Xbox sequel. The director maintains that some elements of Halo are “sacred” and not to be tampered with; he names Master Chief as an example. Nonetheless, some changes will be made (purely from a technical standpoint) to Matser Chief, as his movements will have to more strongly resemble those of humans. “I’ve been given the resources and the source material to make something awesome, so I have to really invest myself 100% in a film that I love every frame of, and for me to love every frame means it has to have something that sets it apart,” Blomkamp said. “Fans of the game should love this film, people who don’t know the game should be transported to a place that blows them away for two hours.”
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