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New Fable artwork (arrrrrrrr!)
Microsoft sent out some new Fable 2 concept art today. You can't tell from this environment sketch, but the characters lead us to believe that Fable 2 will have a very heavy piratical element (and possibly gypsies). The characters practically swing out of the picture (on a chandelier, natch) yelling obscenities and obscure nautical terms. Sure, we haven't seen any actual screenshots yet, but we love the darker, grittier feel than the original. We also relish the idea of sailing the seas and visiting new continents. Hopefully, we'll hear more on the game's development soon. Check out the scurvy ridden character art after the break.
The X360F Gears Of War Play-a-thon
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, announcing the 360 Fanboy Gears of War Play-a-thon. I'll be picking up the game this afternoon and playing the eff out of it. I can only assume that the other X360F bloggers will be picking it up in short order as well. By now, I'm sure you all know that multiplayer GOW is where it's at, so I ask you all to check out the offficial X360F leaderboard at MGC and find someone to play with, whether it be co-op or versus. If you'd like to play a few rounds with little old me, send a friend request to SenseiRAM (I know, I know, number 70 on the leaderboard). And since the leaderboard only holds 100 people, anyone who isn't listed can feel free to share their Gamertags here. So, go find a buddy an rev up that chainsaw, power your way through the campaign, or lay down some punishment in multiplayer.Once we've all gotten a chance to play and get the hang of setting up custom games (if possible), we'll try and set up an X360F multiplayer frag fest later this month. Have fun and we'll see you on Live!
Metareview: Gears of War
The day has finally come, and embargoed Gears of War reviews are pouring onto the internet. In case you were wondering, Gears of War is apparently the best damned thing since the discovery of fire. The reviews so far are universally good, with an average rating of 95 on Metacritic. 1UP (10/10) "...you really need to play this visual and visceral masterpiece for yourself. When you do, you'll find plenty of minor problems, just like I did...but you can always find reasons not to give a game a 10." Gamespot (9.6/10) "Gears of War is a game that capitalizes on all of the promises made by the next generation of gaming. It looks more than a few steps beyond what consoles have been doing to this point, and the gameplay is supremely fulfilling from start to finish in all of its various modes. While there have certainly been plenty of similar shooters before it, the game's great weapons, amazing graphics, and absolutely thrilling action make it stand out from the pack in a big, big way." IGN (9.4/10) "Even with the minor faults, Gears of War is easily a contender for game of the year. The graphics, sound and presentation are nearly unparalleled. The gameplay is phenomenal and you'd be hard pressed to find a more complete package. Gears of War has shown what Xbox 360 is capable of. Now it remains to be seen what other developers can do to keep up." It should be noted that all of these reviews point to problems in the game. Most notably, they mention flawed enemy and squad AI, occasionally cumbersome controls, and very shallow multiplayer options, and yet, these universally acknowledged flaws are not enough to dip the score below 90%. We try to keep effusive, glowing praise out of our metareviews, but this game looks like it's shaping up to be the killer app it was always meant to be. Anyone lucky enough to get their copy yet? Tell us what you think.
Video break down of leaked Halo 3 info
Shatter Studios have put together two videos that summarize the leaked Halo 3 info in easily digestible bites. Using the leaked images as backgrounds, the videos point out new weapons, features, and maps. Think of it like a really awesome version of all those crappy documentaries you had (or have) to watch in high school. Our favorite part is when they point out the new spike grenade, which resembles a WWII era German grenade -- you may remember 1UP's Mark MacDonald remarking that it makes a satisfying/terrifying "whoop whoop whoop" sound as it rotates in the air. Check out both videos after the break.
Halo 3 impressions from 1UP and EGM
That issue of EGM isn't even out yet and the Halo 3 hype train keeps a' rolling. The editors of EGM/1UP have posted some of their thoughts and impressions of their visit to Bungie. Though they don't give away anything that hasn't already been leaked, they do announce that they definitely liked what they saw. Dan Hsu makes a time honored point, noting that the graphics weren't "that impressive for an Xbox 360 game," but it was so fun that it didn't matter. He goes on to say that he doesn't want to go back to Halo 2 now that he has been spoiled by this (pre-alpha) build of Halo 3. Mark MacDonald probably gives the most concrete info, giving speculators and Halo fanatics something to chew on. "I very rarely dual-wielded in the few hours we got to play Halo 3, and after some early experimentation, I mostly stuck with the Assault Rifle. I'd pick up a Battle Rifle or Shotgun if I had the chance, but unless I was super close or far from a target, the AR suited me just fine. More than fine. OK I f*king love the assault rifle. It might as well be an entirely new weapon. (I hope they don't mess with it too much between now and the final game.)"He goes on to discuss some of the new weapons, the new maps, and the overall candor of the Bungie team. Fans slavering for info would best be served to read his impressions first. The last impression comes from Luke Smith, who paints Halo as his Mario. His is more nostalgia and hope than the factual accounts of the other two. Still, if you love Halo, or hearing people wax romantic about videogames, give it a read.So, with all this pre-hyped hype, has anybody actually gotten the new EGM yet?[Via HBO]
Grab Gears at Target, get 3 months of Live
If you haven't already reserved your copy of Gears of War, Target is offering 3 months of Live Gold with a pre-order of the Gears of War collector's edition. Effectively, this means the collector's edition will net you the collector's tin, bonus DVD, art book, and 3 months of Live for 10 extra bones. Not too shabby. The offer expires November 8th, so get it while the gettin's good. If you weren't planning on the collector's edition before, will 3 months of Live sweeten the pot?[Thanks, delerious]
1UP clarifies Halo 3 info, new details
1UP has taken some of the leaked Halo 3 info and clarified a few mistranslations and speculations. First, the Spartan laser is more than an anti-vehicle weapon and can be used quite effectively as an anti-personnel weapon. Apparently, it's not as difficult to control as some sources thought it to be, though Bungie may still tweak it for balance. Second, the new Brute weapon, the Spiker, is sort of a cross between the needler and the SMG and it's more effective than both. The weapon shoots bright orange spikes at a very fast rate. We can't help but be reminded of the needler shown during a pre-release Halo 2 multiplayer demonstration ages ago. You know, the one that didn't suck. Third, the nail grenade is actually called a spike grenade and should be quite a departure from the plasma and frag varieties. Fourth, weapons not in use will be placed according to their type. For example, two handed weapons like rifles and shotguns will be slung over the shoulder, while single handed pistols will be kept at the hip. Halo fans will recognize that actually seeing a secondary weapon will dramatically change gameplay (no more hiding the sword or rocket launcher). Fifth, multiplayer will still be capped at 16. Obviously, this has worked well thus far, so why fix what ain't broke? Finally, the "Man Cannon," designed for fast air travel, is so hilariously named that many assumed it was a mistranslation. Nope, Man Cannon is the name Bungie gave it, and it's not likely to change. 1UP promises that there is even more info in the latest issue of EGM -- arriving in mailboxes shortly -- and all month long at 1UP itself. Rest assured we'll bring you more Halo 3 as it develops.[Via Bungie.net]
GOW merch madness, new faceplates, crate
Sure, Gears of War makes a great videogame, but it makes an even better lunchbox. Joystiq got their hands on the first images of the impending tidal wave of Gears merchandise (all of these are made by Mad Catz). The image above is in fact not a lunchbox, but rather a "console crate," presumably for hauling your 360 to Gears of War LAN parties. It looks like there will actually be 4 different faceplates, with 3 of them exclusive to different stores. See each faceplate after the break.
Random GOW thing: a tattoo (it's real)
This is just getting ridiculous. In a twisted version of a Klondike Bar commercial, some guy is so crazy about Gears of War, he got a tattoo. Like, a really real tattoo. The grisly design depicts a red gear emblazoned with a skull tearing its way through his flesh. According to Major Nelson (it's his Flickr account) this guy was actually flown in by MTV, claiming to be the most hardcore Gears fan alive. Let's hope the game lives up to its reputation, because this guy's arm depends on it! It's not like he'll be able to turn that thing into a heart with "MOM" in the center if the game turns out to be crap.Have any of you gotten a GOW tatoo? Done anything else crazy in anticipation of the game?[Thanks, Doc P]
Halo 3 LE images, pre-orders being taken
Just when you thought you'd absorbed all the Halo 3 info that was leaked last week, scans of the latest Famitsu are starting to hit the web. There's plenty to look at, though most of it was in the scans of Level that were leaked last week. One little bit that was not in the scans -- as far as we know -- is a picture of the Legendary edition. Taken from the Famitsu scans, the above image could be both the collector's and Legendary editions side by side, or possibly just the Legendary edition by itself. We'll leave the speculating to you. Hit the read link for the scans.In related news, GameStop has started taking pre-orders on Halo 3, with a release date of 11/07. Those familiar with Bungie lore know that 11 and 7 are important numbers in the Halo universe -- the Master Chief if Spartan 117, for example -- so the date is feasible. That, and it'll probably take that long to finish anyway. GameStop requires a reservation fee of $5 for the standard edition, $10 for the collector's edition, and $25 for the Legendary edition. We agree with Joystiq that it's insidious to play on gamers' fears with pre-orders -- the logic being that if you don't pre-order, you won't get it day one -- but at the same time, we want that helmet (at least I do). Still, with a rumored price of $100, the Legendary edition could be a serious pain in your wallet. Would you be willing to lay down ten Hamiltons for it?[Thanks, Sincere7745 and dapperdan]
PDZ gets new maps, world still turns
It's been a long time since Perfect Dark: Zero received any downloadable content. It should come as a joyful surprise to loyal fans then, that there is a new map pack available for download on Marketplace. It should come as an even better surprise that the content is free. The pack contains two new maps, Facility and Ruin. Both maps are based on classic maps from previous games. Just curious, but who's still playing PDZ? Any die-hard fans out there? Tell us what has made the game appealing for so long. Will these new maps convince lapsed fans to go back?
Halo 2 wastes lives, 4 billion games played
In all of our pumpkin carving madness, we somehow missed this little benchmark the other day. On October 30th, Halo 2 officially surpassed the 4 billion games played mark. This game hasn't even been out for a full two years yet (eight more days)! Let's do some math, just for fun. That's over 2 billion games a year, 166 million games a month. If the average match lasts 10 minutes, that's 666 million hours wasted. Wait a minute ... 666 million, just in time for Halloween ... is Halo 2 a sign of the Apocalypse? I'm scared. [Via The Xbox Domain]
Tons of new GOW multiplayer vids
The fine folks at GameTrailers are apparently having a ball playing Gears of War multiplayer matches, because they won't stop posting videos of them. Right now, they are up to twelve (!) different videos. We've picked one in particular for its chainsaw wielding, headshot making goodness. Plus, you'll get a chance to see what it's like to play as one of the Locust horde. This video, and all the others, looks like a lot of fun. Check it out after the break. Oh, and the video is age verficataion required. And don't think you can cheat just because there's absolutely nothing we can do to stop you.
Gears of War: Marketing unnecessary?
Let's face it, at this point everyone is at least curious about Gears of War. But some people ... some people are downright nuts about it. The recent trailer and its numerous remixes prove that people are really excited about this game. Seriously, these people are so excited for it that they are actually making their own commercials for it. Come on, have you ever made a commercial for anything? One could say that it's no different from wearing a Nike shirt; people are just showing their love for a certain product. Still, I'm not sure I've ever seen someone make their own Nike commercial. It's like Microsoft doesn't even have to market GOW anymore. That said, the Gears of War montage embedded above kicks ass. Bring on Emergence Day already. We're ready for it (and some are more than ready).[Via digg]
Your Gears of War questions answered
IGN has posted an article that clarifies a few things about Gears of War. The article gives the lowdown on weapon selection, the cheapness of the chainsaw (read: it isn't), multiplayer modes, difficulty, and downloadable content. The multiplayer modes sound like a lot of fun, especially Resurrection. In Resurrection, you have to finish off your opponents. Otherwise, they revive after 30 seconds. According to the article, it makes for great team work as you protect your wounded. It's also worth noting that using the chainsaw isn't as easy as it looks. Epic has spent a lot of time perfecting the balance around the chainsaw, making sure that it's not too powerful. The game has three difficulty modes: casual, hardcore, and intense. Intense is only unlocked after clearing the game on hardcore. Also, don't be surprised if Gears downloadable content hits Marketplace before Christmas.Gears is getting closer every day, and we're getting pretty excited. What should we do to celebrate its release? What do you guys think, is it time for a 360 Fanboy Live party?[Via Fraggerrock]
Some schmo already has Gears of War? [Updated]
Dutiful 360 Fanboy reader, AlexH, spotted a suspicious photo on Flickr. Uploaded by user, Brymo, the picture claims to show off his 360 game collection. No big deal there. Lots of people host pictures of their hobbies, collections, etc. There is one little issue, though. Almost halfway up the stack is a copy of Gears of War. You know, the blockbuster game that's not supposed to emerge until November 7th at the earliest. So, we have three possibilities. One, he actually has a pre-release copy of GOW. Two, he's joking. Three, he likes to steal display boxes from GameStop. In the words of Judge Judy, don't piss on our leg and tell us it's raining. 'Fess up, Brymo, if that is your real name.[Update]Brymo has spoken. He says it's just the box that came with a t-shirt when he pre-ordered at Best Buy. See our follow-up post.
Leaked H3 info is just the beginning
In Friday's Bungie Weekly Update, Frankie speaks briefly about the Halo 3 magazine scans that were leaked last week. For one, EGM has images that weren't leaked via the Swedish magazine, Level. Not only that but the folks at Bungie have one or two more Halo related surprises before the year is over. What these surprises could be is anyone's guess. We'd say that it will be a new trailer at best, and a demo at most impossiblest (not a real work). In other Bungie news, Halo 3 matchmaking tests are going swimmingly and the Halo movie continues apace, despite recent setbacks.Anyone care to hazard a guess about what Halo 3 info will be revealed before New Year's?
Gears of War trailer remixes
Many people, myself included, thought that the music selection in the latest Gears of War trailer was inspired. It served both to highlight the action and to contrast the rawk music that we usually get in game commercials. Still, not everyone liked it, and Aeropause decided to take it one step further. They took the trailer and set it to several different tracks, ranging from country to 80's ballads. In so doing they have proven an old adage: everything needs more cowbell (see above video). Watch our second favorite video after the break.
1UP confirms Halo 3 news, more to come
1UP has officially confirmed the Halo 3 info that we uncovered earlier today. What's interesting is that they reveal all the same details that we discovered. Obviously, this can't be all that there is to the EGM cover story or 1UP wouldn't spill the beans. After all, why buy the magazine if 1UP already told you everything, right? 1UP does reveal another detail or two that we didn't have earlier. One, there will actually be three SKUs of Halo 3, a standard, collector's, and the aforementioned "Legendary" edition. Two, 1UP hints that Halo 3 will include an in game recording option, allowing budding machinima creators to make their own movies, or letting vets record their best runs. 1UP promises to have three solid weeks of Halo 3 coverage. Stay tuned for all the latest info, and be sure that we'll give you the lowdown on the cover story when it shows up in our mailbox.[Thanks, hot zizzy]
New Halo 3 info, new weapons, new grenade [update 1]
It wasn't long ago that Bungie sat down with gaming magazines around the world to share the first real information about Halo 3. And it looks like Swedish magazine, Level, has the dubious honor of being scanned first. To be fair, these aren't exactly scans, but we'll take what we can get. The magazine reveals new details about weapons, vehicles and multiplayer. WeaponsSpiker - a new Brute weaponSpartan laser - a laser that tears vehicles apartNail Grenade - sticks into walls and sends nails everywhereVehiclesThe Mongoose is in! This is the ATV that was cut from Halo 2. It seats two and has no weapons. Designed from recon and quick travel.Multiplayer goodiesThe "Man Cannon" - Spartans do their best Human Bullet impersonations for some extremely rapid transport. Players can still shoot in the air, and can be shot down.ControlsThe X button has a new, still secret feature. Reloading has now been allocated to the bumper buttons. Right bumper reloads the right weapon, and the left bumper reloads the left. Genius. MiscellaneousYou can now see your secondary weapon when it's not in use. In other words, it's actually slung over your shoulder instead of magically appearing out of thin air. Also, a 4 DVD "Legendary" edition is planned that will have material from Red Vs. Blue, documentaries, and a collection of all cut scenes from the game (possibly the whole series?).Please take this info with a grain of salt, as it has all been translated from a Swedish mag that we've never heard of. If anyone has picked this magazine up, let us know. You should be able to confirm all this info when the infamous EGM story finally shows up. So, who's excited? Raise your hand.Update: 1UP has officially confirmed most of this information and has also revealed some more info. Click here for details.[Thanks to both Xboxygen and Aeropause for sending this in.]
