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January 31 Marketplace Update - 31/1Two new XBLA games - Rez HD and Chessmaster LIVE - up yesterday, and according to our resident Video Store expert lv54spacemonkey Miss Congeniality and Deep Blue Sea have both appeared in SD. I'm particulalry partial to a bit of Deep Blue Sea, mostly because of LL Cool J's title song which features the memorable lyric "My head looks like a shark fin" repeated over and over again. One for the hip-hop history books, that.
Also new on Marketplace:
Yeah, my head looks like a shark's fin... GRAW2 Co-op Collection Map Pack Available NowFor 800 MS Points you get 5 new co-op levels that continue the GRAW2 storyline, 7 new multiplayer maps based on classic GRAW maps, 2 brand new multiplayer maps, 9 new Achievements and 125 lovely new GamerPoints. You want more details? YOU CAN'T HANDLE MORE DETAILS!
Oh, okay then.
GRAW 2 Co-op Collection Map Pack Details:
Caves - (Ghost Recon)
Mission Briefing: Welcome to the mountains, Ghosts. Azcona’s squads are using the nearby caves as an operational base for raiding army convoys across the river. Detain and extract the rebel leader and recon the area for any hidden weapon caches. Railroad Bridge - (Ghost Recon)
Mission Briefing: Intel reports the rebels are moving on a command post 60 clicks southeast of here. Protect the command post, recon the local rail line, and hunt down the informant providing intel to the rebels. Battlefield - (Ghost Recon)
Mission Briefing: The last concentration of rebel troops is holed up near the village of Venta. Ghosts, you must first knockout their communication tower and then escort our armor safely through. Clear out the village and proceed to the artillery units in the hills. Swamp Airfield - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Mission Briefing: Azcona’s rebels have occupied a small island airfield. Recon the area for intel on this operation and destroy all aircraft to prevent any means of escape. The landing strip is targeted for an air strike so get out ASAP. Plantation – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Mission Briefing: Ghosts, intel shows a rebel leader’s motorcade is moving through the farms south of here. Take out his convoy and destroy all of the surrounding ADATS before Sabre Seven arrives for extraction. ADVERSARIAL Maps
Caves - (Ghost Recon)
Overview: - Rolling terrain, forest, and a cave structure tucked into the side of the mountains - Opportunities for long range combat as well as stealthy travel through woods - Suitable for 12 to 16 players Railroad Bridge - (Ghost Recon)
Overview: - A deep valley with a rail bridge spanning overhead, hilly and wooded areas nearby - Expect a mixture of CQB and medium range combat - Suitable for 12 to 16 players Battlefield - (Ghost Recon)
Overview: - Lots of open terrain with pockets of war torn buildings, under the limited visibility of black skies and pouring rain - Close to medium range combat - Suitable for 8 to 12 players Swamp Airfield – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Overview: - A bright, sunny day overlooks the plantation fields and nearby structures, including a large warehouse - All ranges of combat from CQB to snipers - Suitable for 4 to 8 players Plantation – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Overview: - Wet, foggy airfield located in the heart of a murky swamp - Lots of medium range encounters, swamp CQB, and an open runway area - Suitable for 12 to 16 players Prison - (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Overview: - This dilapidated structure has many paths in and out - Expect a lot of CQB with a small amount of medium and long range combat - Suitable for 4 to 8 players Castle - (Ghost Recon)
Overview: - The mighty castle walls and excavation within provide lots of cover and CQB, while thick wooded countryside offers ample stealth and sniping opportunities - Suitable for 12 to 16 players Business Park – (Brand New)
Overview: - Narrow alleys connect open courtyards with overlooking balconies in this concrete corporate paradise - Heavy CQB engagements - Suitable for 8 to 12 players Rooftop – (Brand New)
- Sitting on top of the world, the rooftop structure of a skyscraper with lots of cover and vertical combat - Stealthy approaches offer flank and ambush potential - Suitable for 8 to 12 players ACHIEVEMENTS
Caves (Co-Op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Caves Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty. RR Bridge (Co-Op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Railroad Bridge Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty. Battlefield (Co-Op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Battlefield Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty. Swamp Airfield (Co-Op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Swamp Airfield Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty. Plantation (Co-Op) Perfect: 15 points
Complete Plantation Co-op Mission without respawning at default or hard difficulty. 2-Point Swing: 15 points
In a CTF match with 5+ players, recover your stolen flag and score in a single run. From Downtown: 10 points
Kill exactly 3 enemies and no teammates with one grenade on a map. Clever Retort: 10 points
In a match, get a grenade kill while you are incapacitated or dead. Minimum 5 players. Kickin' it old school: 15 points Complete a Co-op Mission without respawning, hard difficulty, and the Drone off. Beautiful Katamari DemoThere's a Beautiful Katamari demo available on marketplace now, but there's been a wee mistake somewhere along the line and at the moment it's only available for Silver members. It'll be fixed soon though, at which point it'll only be available to Gold members for the next week - and then open for everyone.
Hold tight Gold members, and if you're a Silver member and you fancy rolling around in one of the funniest and most surreal gaming experiences ever, get your skates on. January 29 Halo Recut: Create Your Own Halo Movie and Win!Upset that the proposed Halo movie is nowhere to be seen? Why not make your own? Halo Recut is a new competition Xbox is running which challenges you to create your very own Halo movie featuring Master Chief! The grand prize is a trip to study at film school in New York (please note that you actually need to be a student and be able to obtain a US Student Visa to claim this prize) and there's lots of other stuff up for grabs like Xbox 360 Elite consoles.
The competition is running in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria and South Africa, and you can find its home at www.Xbox.com/halorecut/default.htm.
Press release and more deets:
SHOOT HALO’S MASTER CHIEF YOUR WAY AND WIN A TRIP TO TINSELTOWN WITH XBOX 360
Halo: Recut competition gives fans across Europe the chance to show their creativity and love for Halo
25th January 2008 – Microsoft today announced the launch of a unique European competition looking for fans across the region to help create and show the unseen adventures of Master Chief. Whether its Master Chief’s “Meet the Parents”, a Spartan high school reunion, or even break dancing to MC Hammer, the “HALO: RECUT” contest is encouraging gamers and filmmakers alike to be as creative as possible, with the lucky winner scooping a once-in-a-lifetime masterclass trip to Los Angeles.
Microsoft is looking for innovative movie makers to construct their own original video of Master Chief, which sees him taken away from the Halo universe and remixed into different scenarios. Whether created using a traditional video camera, gaming footage, old school animation or the latest video editing software, the point is just to be creative.
To enter the competition participants simply have to visit www.xbox.com/halorecut/default.htm and upload their video from 31st January until 21st March 2008. The entries will then be judged by a panel of experts from the gaming industry to find the most creative concepts. One winner from each country will win themselves an Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and a copy of Halo 3. Terms and conditions apply, please visit www.xbox.com/halorecut/default.htm for details.
Each country’s winning video will then be put through to the European final which will be judged by the creators of the game, Bungie Studios. The overall European winner will win a trip to Los Angeles to study for one month at the New York Film Academy, where they will learn all they need to know about making movies. The prize includes return transatlantic flights, accommodation, car rental and $2,000 spending money.
Brian Jarrard, Bungie Studios added: “This competition is a great way to showcase the creativity and passion that drives the Halo fan community. We can’t wait to see how people infuse their own style and personality into Master Chief and deliver a whole new take on the Halo phenomenon. May the best Spartan win!”
For more information about the project please visit www.xbox.com/halorecut/default.htm.
Notes:
If you do enter let me know - I'd love to see your movie! January 28 Rez HD and Chessmaster Live Are This Week's Arcade GamesThis week it's block-rocking beats and championship checkmates with Rez HD and Chessmaster Live. Both are priced at 800 MS Points and both definitely worth a look (unless you, er, really don't like chess, in which case I wouldn't advise Chessmaster) - more details and screens on GamerScore Blog.
And while I'm here, here's a pun I've been dying to use for ages: Ubisoft's Chessmaster is a series with a chequered history. If you're into chess you should take a rook and see what you think.
That second one was free of charge. I might actually use it on Inside Xbox... Marketplace Update - 28/1 - New Movies On Video StoreNot much Marketplace content to speak of today (although a Fable 2 Developer Diary went up at the tail end of last week) but the wonderful and observant lv54spacemonkey did bring some new Video Store movies to my attention over the weekend:
The following flicks are now available to rent on the UK and Ireland Video Stores, all priced at 540 MS Points.
And if you're in Germany you can now download:
When more movie become available I'll let you know (as long as spacemonkey lets me know January 25 Marketplace Update - 25/1Don't forget that there actually IS a new game in the shops today - w00t! Burnout Paradise is available now and it's great fun, especially in Xbox LIVE multiplayer with your LIVE vision camera hooked up. Every time you get taken out by an opponent the camera snaps a shot of you and it gets saved on your opponent's system (kind of like a wall of shame). Should be some really funny photos in there...
The GH3 Classic Rock Pack features Boston's 'Peace of Mind', Journey's 'Any Way You Want It' and Foreigner's 'Juke Box Hero'. See how they treat your ears by downloading the free trailer.
January 24 Grand Theft Auto IV Relase Date AnnouncedApril 29, 2008. Nuff said really - head to the official Grand Theft Auto IV website for more details. Well, not many more, but you can see the date up in lights...
Right, I'm off to see if I can take that day off... Devil May Cry 4 Demo Available NowIt's the first time the Devil May Cry series has come to Xbox, and you can try it out now. This demo introduces you to new character Nero and his swish Devil Bringer weapon which will let you chain together ridiculous combos. Looks more gloriously gothic and sppokily stylish than ever.
The Devil May Cry 4 demo is available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace now, and the full game is available on February 8. January 23 Turning Point: Fall of Liberty Demo Available NowNew demo up today for Codemasters' Turning Point: Fall of Liberty. It sounds pretty interesting - it's an FPS set in a terrifying alternate history where Hitler has conquered Europe, built up an array of advanced weaponry, and crossed the Atlantic in 1953 to invade the USA. Turns out that Winston Churchill was almost killed by a taxi cab in New York in 1931, and if he had died the course of history could have been totally different.
In the full game you'll play a member of the American resistance fighting to send the Third Reich packing, and the demo gives you a taste of that guerrilla combat.
Check it out and let me know what you think! Marketplace Update - 23/1 - And Undertow ReminderDon't forget - from now until 8am on Monday morning Undertow is free to download from Xbox LIVE Arcade! Get in there.
January 22 Marketplace Update - 22/1I know that it feels more like rubbing in the fact that Rock Band isn't available here yet, but have you seen the latest track pack that's available in the US? Wonderwall, Live Forever, Don't Look Back in Anger - HOW GOOD WOULD THAT BE? I don't mind saying that I am INSANELY JEALOUS that the US gets to play Rock Band and I don't... No Euro release date yet...
Burnout Paradise is available from Friday, making it the first new game of 2008. Hooray! January 21 Make Your Voice Heard in the Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards 2007!Ready to make your voice heard in the great Xbox LIVE Arcade debate? The first ever Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards are about to kick off, and it's the votes of the Xbox community that count! You've probably seen this release already, but there's something important to note - if you want to get to the site to vote you'll need to use this link, NOT the link in the copy: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/xblaawards2007/default.htm The voting site isn't going to be localised for Europe I'm afraid, but we'd love to have votes from all over the world so please get on there and pick out your favourite XBLA games! "As a way to recognize the teams of talented developers who have together created over 112 games for Xbox LIVE Arcade, Microsoft will announce awards for the top XBLA games of 2007 later this year, with several award categories decided by the community. Fans of Xbox LIVE Arcade are invited to cast their votes for the first-ever Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards – 2007 by voting at http://www.xbox.com/xblaawards. Voting begins Tuesday, January 22 at 2:00 a.m. PST (10:00 GMT) and runs through Wednesday, January 30 at 11:59 p.m. PST (07:59 GMT). The finalists in each award category were selected by a panel of consumer and video game industry journalists, and the winners will be determined by popular vote. Microsoft will announce the winners of the inaugural Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards – 2007 at the Game Developer Conference in February. Below is the list of award categories that will be open for public voting:
Other award categories include the following:
I'm going to list my votes when voting opens tomorrow morning - let's all do the same and see what comes up as early favourites! January 20 Marketplace Content - 20/1How's your weekend been? Unfortunately the might Greenford Gaints got beaten 4-1, and about my best contribution was a stinging drive from the 18 yard line that dipped, swerved, and spanked off the post (translation: It was a lucky squaff that wasn't quite lucky enough...).
Did manage to complete Mass Effect last night, although I was a wee bit disappointed that when you enter that final chapter of the game you can't go back and clear up some of the side quests. Missed out on some Achievements because of that, but I suppose I can go back and do it again with my souped-up character.
And in case you're interested, it was Liara. Sci-fi woof!
Speaking of Mass Effect, there's a really cool full-length documentary that aired last year on the Sci-Fi Channel up on Marketplace, as you'll read in a minute, which sort of makes this sentence redundant...
January 18 UPDATED: Undertow Is Next Week's Free XBLA GameYou'll remember that Marc Whitten, General Manager of Xbox LIVE, recently sent an open letter to Xbox LIVE members around the world. In it he discussed the service over the Christmas period, and promised to thank LIVE members with a free XBLA game. Well, that game is Unreal engine-powered shooter Undertow, and it will be available free of charge from 10am GMT on Wednesday January 23 until 8am GMT on Monday January 28. It's normally priced at 800 MS Points.
More details from GamerScore Blog:
"Recently, Xbox.com posted a letter from Marc Whitten, General Manager of Xbox LIVE, thanking subscribers for their patience with the service. We’ve implemented several improvements to the service, to help ensure ongoing reliability and performance. As the popularity of Xbox LIVE expands, we’ll continue to closely monitor the service and make adjustments. As always, if you are having any problems, please contact your local support (1-800-4-MYXBOX in North America) so that we can assist you.
Marc announced that all Xbox LIVE members around the world would have access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game to download free of charge. We’re pleased to announce that beginning next Wednesday, 2:00 a.m. PST through Sunday, 11:59 p.m. PST, Xbox LIVE members worldwide can download the full version of the recent award-winning Xbox LIVE Arcade game, Undertow."
You can find more details and screenshots for Undertow here.
UPDATE: Just to clarify, Undertow will be free in all LIVE territories around the world. It will also be available to both Gold and Silver Xbox LIVE members. Marketplace Update - 18/1Friday Friday Friday! The Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom demo is out today - give it a shot but remember that the full game was designed with Xbox LIVE co-op play in mind, as the game's Director Henry Lee explains in our latest Xbox Community Network interview: "Circle of Doom is an action RPG that gamers can play in co-op and just have fun without stress. It’s a co-op game you can play by teaming up with friends, so people who are tired of all those games where you have to kill each other with chainsaws in competition should just lay back and enjoy this ‘simple yet deep’ RPG." Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (or 'KUFCOD and Chips' as it has become known as around these parts) is out on February 1. This is actually the last Friday were there aren't any new games coming out - Burnout Paradise is out next week. Hooray!
January 17 FIFA Street 3 Demo Available NowAnother demo available for download today - FIFA Street 3. Taking FIFA's licensed players off the pitch and onto the concrete, Street 3 is stuffed with more flicks and tricks than a magician's sleeve. It's got a really unique visual style which I quite like, and the action is faster than the tenure of a Newcastle manager. Give it a shot and see what you think.
Dunno how they got that motion capture of me doing all the best moves...  Marketplace Update - 17/1Catching up a little bit as I've been in meetings for the past couple of days - but really good, exciting meetings. Is that vague enough for you?
New edition of Inside Xbox up on UK LIVE today aswell.
January 15 Help Create the Achievements in Ninja Gaiden 2!This is well cool - the dev team working on Ninja Gaiden 2 at Tecmo are asking for your help in creating the Achievements for the game! GamerScore Blog has the details, but be quick because the closing date for suggestions is January 24.
If you're anything like me you'll have a whole book's worth of views on what makes a good or bad Achievement, so it's time to put your money where your mouth is.
Just don't make 'em too hard, eh?
Boogie Bunnies Hops Onto Xbox LIVE ArcadeThis week's Xbox LIVE Arcade game is... Boogie Bunnies! It's a fluffy puzzler in the vein of Zuma, Puzzle Quest and Puzzle Bobble which lets you lob dancing rabbits at each other to clear groups of three or more. Tried it out yesterday and it's lots of fun, especially in two-player co-op mode.
Boogie Bunnies will be 800 MS Points and available from 10am GMT tomorrow. More details and screens on GamerScore Blog. |
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