Tomb Raider Underworld Extras for Xbox360

 

According to recent news, the Xbox360 version of the upcoming Tomb Raider Underworld seems to be the one to get. Not only will the Xbox360 game be getting additional ‘Chapters’ or mini-adventures that prolong the story after the main game, but soon after release additional exclusive outfits will be available on Xboxlive for download.

Okay, everything points to the PS3 version being the ill-favored bastard son of the TRU family, and that sucks. I’m no PS3 fanboy (I own both consoles) but man, I prefer to have a good choice with an equal battlefield. I still have a problem with relying too much on my 360 (thanks to the crappy 3RL issue), so unless those ‘extra’ outfits turn out to be bikinis I’ll still be getting the PS3 game. Mmmm… bikinis…

Delayed Apocalypse

No, this is NOT a reason to celebrate. My copy of Fallout 3 got postponed, irritatingly enough. I ordered the Asian version (which is about a thousand pesos cheaper than the US game) which got bumped back from the October 28 release to Halloween (Oct. 31). So at best I’ll be getting my copy by Saturday, or on Monday. 

On the other hand, I’m still just calf-deep in my Fable 2 adventure, so it’s not that bad. I can’t really juggle two virtual lives, two mammoth epic open-world RPGs in one weekend. So I guess it’s for the best. 

Anyway, Bethesda’s latest is making the rounds online with some pretty glowing (as in, radioactively positive) reviews from sites like 1Up, Gametrailers and IGN. Cited were the game’s immersive and impressive (albeit bleak) world and wealth of options to seek your virtual destiny. Not so cool but relatively minor where complaints of bugs and occasional glitches, and the occasional comment that Oblivion is still the mite better game. Still, Fallout 3 looks a winner, and should be enjoyed for some really mature, bloody good fun. I’ll most surely be waist-deep in mutant scum and bloody guts by next week.

Life and Times in Albion: Fable 2 Impressions

Well, after a couple of days of moderately heavy gameplay in Fable 2, I have come to the assumption that Peter Molyneux has delivered on a smashingly cool game this time around, something that many supposed wasn’t quite the case with the first game. I wasn’t able to play the original Fable, and I’m not inclined to- I’ve having a wonderful time in Albion just the way it is right now.

Comparisons to another epic, open-world, create-your-own-hero-and-destiny RPG are inevitable. There are so many things in Fable 2 that brought to mind my times in Oblivion: The Elder Scolls IV. But this is a good thing- amazingly detailed and wonderfully deep games like Oblivion and Fable 2 aren’t exactly falling from the sky, so whenever they appear, it’s a time of rejoicing. The main differences, aside from the obvious gameplay aspects, are of course the tone and style- Oblivion is more realistic and serious, in everything from visuals to the lines of dialogue, and set in a midieval, sword-and-shields world, while Fable 2 is rife with wry (and sometimes dry) British wit and humor, set in a world where gunpowder exists alongside spellcraft. It’s like living in a Terry Pratchett novel.

And so I spent the first couple of days adventuring with my created Hero- a fetching lass (I prefer my in-game avatars to be someone I want to look at for hours on end) who has a fondness for dark-hued clothing, goth-style makeup and tattoos. I have to say, even with an intriguing quest based on revenge, I have spent an inordinate amount of time just wandering aimlessly, earning money through fun (albeit repetitive) mini-game ‘jobs’ that range from bartender to blacksmith, buying property (to earn me a steady flow of cash) and finding clothing to make my heroine all the more goth-like and sexy. Combat is easy and deceptively simple, but darn- it’s FUN and makes you feel like a total bad-ass. Plowing through peons with your sword or dispatching enemies with a well-placed pistol shot is damn satisfying.

So far I have little to complain about in Fable 2- except perhaps for the somewhat difficult way to find specific places (the map isn’t as detailed as I’d want, even with a handy quick-travel feature). The best thing about Fable 2 is the immersion of the world, the myriad choices you can do, and how it really makes you feel like a hero trying to find his/her path in a gorgeous fantasy realm. Awesome stuff! A full review to come soon. For now, gotta get me back into Albion and serve some more drinks…

So Many Games, So Little Time

Man, what a traffic jam of games! Just recently, I got myself Saints’ Row 2 for the PS3. Over the weekend, my copy of Fable II arrived (and I am enjoying it immesely). With just these two games, a player should be set and busy for several weeks at least.

But noooo… this week, we’ll be seeing the release of several awesome titles- the foremost of which are Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 and Fallout 3. Man, sequels do seem to arrive in bunches, do they? A while ago, it was all 4’s (MGS4, Soulcalibur IV, GTAIV). I’m not the biggest RTS player, but I just love a good, story-and-cast-driven RTS… and damn, RE3 looks like a ton of fun. What with three factions vying it out for supremacy, each with their own cast of hilarious stars and starlets. And DARN, how can you beat controlling an Imperial Japan army complete with MECHA and a FREAKIN’ Psychic Schoolgirl? Come ON! That’s gotta be awesome.

Fallout 3 has been on my radar ever since I found out it was being done by Bethesda. Oblivion with Guns and Mutants be damned, it should be awesome. To be honest though, my plate is filled with so many open world RPGs but I don’t mind it in the least.

Bringing in the rear are games coming later next month- Tomb Raider Underworld just looks gorgeous- it seems to be the slickest and coolest Lara Croft adventure yet. Then there’s Mortal Kombat vs DC which, despite the violence being frustratingly CUT down to manage a Teen Rating, I’m still interested in getting.

Then just before Christmas, we got Prince of Persia and Streetfighter IV. Sweetness.

Darn, my poor credit card. Oh well. That’s why we work, I guess. So we can play. Heh.

Weekend in Albion

Though about last week I was running and gunning with the 3rd Street Saints, looks like I’ll be spending the time in another world altogether this weekend. My copy of Fable II arrived today, and from the looks of all the rave reviews and preview videos I’ve seen online, this latest opus from Peter Molyneux looks like it hit the mark. The ability to play a Good, Neutral or Evil Hero and build an epic life in a wondrous fantasy world isn’t totally new- Oblivion showed me a pretty good time with that- but it seems that Fable II has a thing or two that should surprise me. The story looks intriguing, the gameplay seemingly simple but engaging. This is a type of game I’d probably lose myself in, which hasn’t been seen in a while.

Anyway I’ll be sure to pass by a store for provisions and snacks to keep me on the go for the time. This should be fun.

Soulcalibur IV DLC Update

Okay, apparently Yoda is now available for the premium price of $4.99 on the PSN Network. I’ll most probably be downloading the green dwarf once I get home later. I’m also intrigued about some new outfits that seem to be implied in some vids recently posted over at Gametrailers. Hmmm. Let’s see good stuff, Namco! It’s still a long way to Tekken 6 BR, so keep us busy, darn it!

Musing about Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams

BEWARE! HERE BE SPOILERS!

By now most gamers have probably seen the teaser trailer for Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams (the spot is unlockable after beating Bioshock for the PS3). You needn’t have played the PS3 game- just hie off to Youtube and watch. The short spot shows a young woman- perhaps in her teens- standing on a beach, holding what appears to be a Big Daddy doll. As the camera zooms away from the girl, shapes of a cityscape grow out of the sand, bringing to mind the sunken metropolis of Rapture that she had left behind (thanks to the Hero of the first game, according to the ‘Good’ Ending). Aside from that, there’s little else but what can we speculate on what’s ahead for this critically-acclaimed title?

Well, for starters we know of course that the game will indeed be a return to Rapture, and at the very least it will be set after the events of the first game, unless there be flashback moments. The girl surely has a vital role. I’m thinking… Player Character?

As we have seen in the Good Ending (which apparently is canonical, since otherwise the world would be in a splicer-induced Nuclear War), the Hero of the first game took the Little Sisters to the surface world, where they were allowed to grow and have a full life. Perhaps the girl in the teaser is one of these former Little Sisters… or perhaps the daughter of one… now seeking, or perhaps compelled to seek out, her sunken past. Whatever the reason- the female heroine will return to the underwater metropolis of Rapture.

What has happened since the events of the first game in Rapture? With the vacuum of power, things can only grow worse. New powers may have risen since then, working for new goals. Though Ryan may be gone (or is he..?), his influence should still be heavy in every corridor. What of Dr. Tenenbaum? Does she still live? What will her role be? I’m thinking that while Bioshock ended with a hero saving the Little Sisters, perhaps the next time around it’s about a Little Sister returning and working to save her world. Stakes should be higher, the danger more terrifying and the rewards greater. New enemies (even more mutated splicers, mutated Big Daddies? More genetic monstrosities), more plasmids and weapons and wonderful new locales surely will be in the wings.

Bioshock 2 should be pretty awesome. It’s still a long wait till then, so for now, let’s just keep dreaming.

Revenge of the DLC

Namco-Bandai has officially confirmed a long running rumor… On October 23rd, a download will be available online that will bring Darth Vader to the 360 version, and Yoda to the PS3 version respectively! In Japan, where this news was first announced, the price of this download will be 600 Yen, which comes out to about $5. Is it worth it? Not really… but man, having a totally new fighter is a lot better than freakin’ useless Halloween get-ups. Yeah, I’ll most probably be downloading the green menace on my PS3. Bah.

Streetfighter Love

Yesterday I was able to pass by the mall to pick up my long-overdue pile of comics, and I happened on a wonderful suprise. The store saved for me a copy of the Udon Streetfighter Tribute art book. I’ve known about this book for a while but really haven’t had the opportunity to get it online. Well, thankfully my main comic store Comic Quest stocked it and despite suddenly popping in I am overjoyed at having it.
The large volume is bursting at the seams with Streetfighter artworks from artists/streetfighter fans from all over the world, from popular Udon artists to guest contributors, animators and gamers (including one piece from local artist Kriss Sison, who is coincidentally my partner in our popular local manga Ninja Girl KO!). The pieces range from the awesome to the strange, but all radiate that love for the franchise that you can’t deny. Darn, I wish I was able to give in an artwork as well… maybe next time. Hmmm…

Man, I wish I could scan a ton of the artworks and use ’em for wallpapers on my mobile phone. With the addition of the SF Tribute book, my collection of Udon Streetfighter art books (Including Art of Capcom and the Udon Streetfighter book) is now an awesome trilogy. Highly recommended if you’re a SF fan. Great stuff!

Ready for a Gang War

This morning my copy of Saints’ Row 2 for the PS3 arrived from Play-Asia. Good ‘ol fast shipping! I’ll be popping this into the Black Monolith tonight. I actually have a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV as well… as yet unplayed. Maybe after I do some rounds in the over-the-top cartoon gangbanger world of Stillwater, I’ll try out the more ‘realistic’ and serious life of GTAIV’s Nico. For now, I just wanna be a gangleader with an army of ninja. WOOHOO!