Game Hunter reviews, talks, discusses and ponders video games, gaming consoles, technology and other related topics. Join me, Chad Hunter, journalist and gamer, as we take in-depth looks into a world that's more than just fun and games.
We Hunted - Jak and Daxter Collection
You don’t know Jak – but should you?
Jak and Daxter Collection HD review
A new trend is giving classics extended lives. Trilogies are seeing themselves revamped and repackaged - all in HD. For series such as God of War, this was a worthwhile rebirth but the question begs - just because a game can be replayed in HD, should it? And for the purpose of this review - should Jak and Daxter be the latest to see new life by Sony?
For those who don’t know, Jak and Daxter is a popular platform series from 2001. Developed by the now legendary Naughty Dog (Uncharted series,) it saw the light of day on the Playstation 2 and put gamers in the role of two adventurers on a faraway world - one is Jak, a blonde spiky haired hero and the other is Daxter, Jak’s friend-turned-talking-ferret creature. The duo travels the Old World, Haven City and various wastelands in pursuit of Eco, a legendary energy that runs their realm. You’ll be able to use various vehicles, use eco-powered weapons and run, jump and bounce on enemies left and right. The series played with different themes going from playful to darker and then to a middle ground in terms of attitude and presentation.
The HD remaster is well-done. The controls have mapped over fine to the PS3. Some of the graphics show their age but that is almost unavoidable unless the game is completely redone. However, by that point, it’s not the same game anymore and risks losing what its fans always enjoyed. The storyline is the same; twists and turns of evil generals, scientists, eco-powered robots and Krimson guards. It is nice to have to battle bosses again when we’ve lost some of that in gaming today.
Jak and Daxter Collection is a worthwhile play. One Blu-Ray disc binds all the games together nicely and frame rates have increased and stereoscopic 3D is available. Fans of the series should pick this up and enjoy the return to wild worlds of cartoonish adventures and talking weasel-otter creatures. If you enjoyed games such as Crash Bandicoot and Ratchet & Clank, you’ll find this money well-spent. In a time when platform gaming is under the barrage of FPSs and RPGs, it is good to have a jump and quest game that does it well. Go to the store and know Jak.
Do More than Play a character - Be one. Gearbox Software is looking for you.
Gearbox Software will be having a casting call for someone to be a live action look alike for one of the characters of Borderlands. Gearbox wants a “Lilith,” and if you’re the one, you’ll appear in the sequel, Borderlands 2. There may also be an opportunity to participate in promotional events and trade shows.
For more information, follow the link below:
http://casting.gearboxsoftware.com/
THE ONLY Video Game Shopping Guide You’ll Need - It’s not for you but for the people shopping for you
Gamers, you do not need another shopping guide about what’s hot, what’s not and where to buy what you want. It’s been done and you know what you want and where it is. HOWEVER, the people shopping for you, the moms, the dads, the uncles and aunts, those who aren’t gamers could seriously use some help.
You’ve seen them, bumping around in Gamestop or shambling through Target. They’re mumbling to themselves, reading a small piece of paper, trying - no - praying to get the purchase right. We know Gears of War 3 from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 but to the lost? It all sounds the same. So this is for them - the only video game shopping guide you’ll need - for them.
Consoles
Xbox 360 - Microsoft’s giant of the gaming industry, this console will run $200-$400 and can be found in any video game, electronic and department store. The 360 comes in several models each varying on hard drive size, included accessories and design (some are modeled after particular games.) The 360 is an all-in-one purchase meaning that what’s in the box is enough to get your gamer started.
PS3 - Sony’s console and answer to Microsoft’s domination of the gaming industry. The PS3 comes in a few models and offers the ability to play Blu-Ray movies and discs. This console can be purchased at any video game and department store and will run in pricing similar to that of the Xbox 360.
PSP - Sony’s portable gaming system. It has the ability to play UMD discs and movies on the same discs as well. It is in its last days as a new model of portable from Sony is due out in February. Best place to purchase is Gamestop as the store carries a wide variety of used games and movies as well.
Accessories
Microsoft Points - Also known as Xbox Live points, they are a form of electronic currency used for buying and downloading (sending directly to) games or other items to an XBox 360. Points can be bought in any store that sells games and they are about 80 per USD $10.
Sony Move - This is the Playstation’s motion controlled system. It features a single controller and a camera that is connected to the PS3 (USB cables included.) You can find this at any store selling video game equipment, especially Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Gamestop. Make sure to find out if they want the Sharpshooter which is a rifle-like controller that connects to the Sony Move.
XBox Kinect - Microsoft’s answer to the Sony Move. The Kinect is a controller-free device that is a lone camera that connects to the Xbox 360. The Kinect can be found at any gaming store. It can be purchased separately as just the camera system or it can be bought as part of an Xbox console system.
Games
* these games can be purchased from any video game or department store, keep in mind their rating as most are M for Mature
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - A big seller this holiday season, CoD: MW3 is a military FPS (first person shooter) where players span the globe stopping invasions and conspiracies. Just about any gamer will want this on their shopping list but keep in mind that it is a Mature rating due to violence and language.
Gears of War 3 - Another record-crashing game released this Fall. Gears of War 3 is the end to EPIC’s sci-fi military adventure featuring a team of grizzled soldiers fighting underground forces hellbent on death. If you’re shopping for a gamer who’s played Gears 1 and 2, then the third and best is a sure stocking stuffer. Once again, be mindful of the age of your gamer as this is a Mature rating also.
Batman: Arkham City - The Dark Knight returns in a game already being considered for Game of the Year. Bruce Wayne dons the cape and cowl to enter a city full of his worst enemies. Amazing graphics, great downloads and a plot that keeps the superhero at the edge of your seat makes Batman: AC worth buying. Make sure you get it for the right system (Xbox or PS3 - they’ll know at the store when you buy and Xbox cases are green)
Battlefield 3 -Another FPS where players sign up and jump out into a military conflict with guns blazing. Where Modern Warfare 3 lacks in vehicle control, Battlefield 3 picks up the slack. Gamers literally fall into these two camps (MW3 an B3) and never the two shall meet! Expect a $50-60 drop on this game and a smile on your gamer’s face.
Skyrim -Role Playing Games at their finest. This RPG weaves a giant world of warriors, mages, skeletons and the desperate demand to master magic against dragons dominating the world. Skyrim will consume a gamer’s life so make sure that school is on break!
Uncharted 3 - Nathan Drake’s possible final adventure on the PS3 sets him in an adventure across the world following treasure hunting, high-flying danger and the relationships of his friends and lovers. Uncharted 3 plays like a movie and a great pulp magazine.
So there you have it. Give this to those shopping for you. Save them the stress and worry. If they have any questions, send them to us!
Any gamers out there braving Black Friday?
If so, let us know - Is it worth it??????
Online Gamers battle the AIDS virus
Great article. http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle-161920724.html
We Hunted - Gears of War 3
Epic is a word often overused. It is used with big movies and best sellers. It is used with larger than life descriptions and often with video games. It’s even the name of the developer for the Gears of War series. However, there is no better word that can be used to describe Gears of War 3 than “epic.”
Picking up where the series left off, GoW3 puts players back into Delta Squad, a ragtag team of hardened soldiers as they battle the Locust Horde, an inhuman race of reptilian soldiers and the Lambent, their glowing, super-powered mutated offshoot. Fans of the series, the audience that GoW3 will be aimed at, will be on pins and needles to find out the final fate of Marcus Fenix and his fellows Cogs as the world of Sera comes to a close.
The graphics of Gears 3 are impressive. From a floating fortress to a jungle landscape, the look of the game is worthy of pausing just to appreciate. The soldiers are signature big people in big armor and they look the part. Rain slicks on weapons. Spittle from Locust beasts lands on the screen. Using the Unreal Engine 3 technology, Gears of War 3, a gritty war game, is beautiful.
The sound is dead on. Tickers, living ordinance that scuttle on flea-like legs, click in the distance. Landers rattle as they deliver firestorms in gunfights. The voice-over acting is finely turned as returning actors John DiMaggio and Lester Speight deliver some of the best lines in any game on the market. New to the series are rapper Ice-T and sci-fi favorite Claudia Black as newly added characters Griffin and Sam respectively.
The game controls as its predecessors. Any new players to the series would be wise to start with Gears 1 and 2 in order to familiarize themselves with swapping weapons, reloading and running in the realistic war-movie shake of darting to cover. Each weapon also allows for its own special execution when the Horde are on their last leg. GoW3 also features control layouts for the Loader, an exo-skeleton used for heavy lifting and the Silverback, an exo-skeleton used for battle.
The story of Gears 3 unfolds and keeps players on their seat. Time will literally melt as you keep telling yourself “one more checkpoint.” Every act opens up more questions while delivering answers. The relationship and weight of Marcus Fenix and his father Adam plays throughout the game. Additional details are given about the current condition of humanity after the fall of Jacinto and a new surprise enemy rears its ugly head. Lives will be lost. Lives will be saved. There is grief, there is hope and this is the end to the series (or at least the current story arc.)
Gears of War 3 also offers an additional gaming experience with multiplayer support that is new to the series. There is four player campaign co-operative play. There are also the Horde and Beast modes allowing gamers to suit up as the Locust battling waves of Gears or humans fighting off the inhuman barrage.
They say all things must come to an end. But not all ends are bad ones. Some things end only to begin anew and start differently. Is there life left to Gears of War? Perhaps. But one thing is for sure, that the life it has led, and the ride it has taken gamers on has been an epic one.
The edition reviewed was the Limited Edition. It contains the Gears of War 3 game, a two-day Xbox live Gold membership plus Adam Fenix download for multiplayer code, a COG flag and additional paperwork for Fenix including a will, photos and letters to Marcus. The Limited Edition retails for $79.99. Gears of War 3 is released in worldwide, except Japan, on Sept. 20, 2011. Japan releases on Sept 22.
We Hunted - Sony Wireless Stereo Headset
Maybe it’s listening to zombies swarm you
from the alley or perhaps it’s the hissing of the oncoming Chimera from Resistance 3. Either way, the best way to hear it, and the best way to tell your squad to move is the new Sony Wireless Stereo headset. This accessory for the PS3 features a USB transceiver which connects the headset to your console with relative ease.
Press the side of the headset and your good to go. The device has mute capability and also an extending microphone that lets you talk with online friends while battling the undead, the outer space or the robots gone amok. With a relative short charging time, the wireless stereo headset delivers bang for the buck, great sound and a new level for gaming. The two drawbacks are: hardcore stereo sound enthusiasts may find the surround sound level a bit sub-par and the $99 price tag can be a cost easily debated as unnecessary. The headset does mention the possibility of interfering with other wireless devices but no issues were encountered in its testing.
Can you hear us now?
We Hunted - God of War: Origins
Good god – God of War: Origins – Did We Need It?
Olympian gods, demi-gods and sex games, we’ve seen it all in Sony’s critically-acclaimed God of War series. The trilogy saw life on the PS2, the PS3 and further adventures on the PSP. Now, those recent handheld kill-filled epics of Kratos have been remastered and placed on the PS3. The question that is worthy of mythological proportions is: did we need God of War: Origins?
Yes.
God of War: Origins (GoW:O) puts both God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta onto one disc for the PS3. GoW: Chains of Olympus has Kratos searching for the missing sun as darkness plunges across the land. While he continues his quest, the ghost of Sparta will do battle with the Persephone, the powers of the underworld and decide if he will stay in the afterlife with his long-lost daughter. GoW: Ghost of Sparta sees the demigod anti-hero continue his war against mythical beasts and monsters while suffering the most harrowing of family reunions.
Fans of the series will find Origins a worthwhile purchase. If gamers already have them on the PSP, it is debatable whether or not this disc needs to be added to their home repertoire.
The collection has remastered graphics and playability in high definition and 3D support viewing. The disc also has full PSN trophy support and bonus content including a new combat arena and Kratos skin. No matter what, these grouped myths of Kratos are worth telling…and playing.
Zombies re-invade the iPhone
PopCap Releases Major Update to Plants vs. Zombies™ for iPhone®
Earn or Purchase Game Currency ‘Coins’ to Unlock Nine New Mini-Games and More
SEATTLE, Washington— September 8, 2011— PopCap Games, the worldwide leader in casual video games, today announced a major update to its smash hit Plants vs. Zombies™ for the iPhone®. The update adds nine new mini-games, all from the original PC/Mac edition, that players can access via Crazy Dave’s Store. The content also includes a new micro-game and Game Center achievements.
Players can unlock three mini-game packs (each containing three new mini-games) by purchasing the packs from Crazy Dave with coins earned during gameplay or by tending the Zen Garden. Players short of coins, or wanting immediate gratification, can purchase the Sunflower’s Golden Chest, Marigold’s Coin Pot and/or Stinky’s Secret Stash via an in-app ‘coin’ purchase of US$.99 each to unlock the new content instantly.
The new mini-games packs include fan favorites such as:
Game Pack #3
-Walnut Bowling 2: Knock ‘em dead in this killer twist to an old favorite sport.
-Seeing Stars: Unravel the mystery of the star-shaped pattern.
-Bobsled Bonanza: Melt the ice and defeat bobsledders and Zombonis in this frosty battle.
Game Pack #4
Invisi-Ghoul: Test your prowess to take on invisible zombies.
Last Stand: Not your average day at the pool!
ZomBotany 2: Hybrid zombies sport plant heads and abilities to up the challenge ante.
Game Pack #5
-Beghouled Twist: An homage to Bejeweled Twist™, this mash-up requires match-3 skill.
-Pogo Party: Crash the pogo party of your roof!
-Zombie Nimble Zombie Quick: Get ready to move faster than ever!
The update will also include more Game Center achievements to accompany the new mini-games: Shooting Star; Beyond the Grave; Peking Express; Sol Invictus; and Sproing! Sproing!.
Also featured is the new “Race to China” micro-game which is tied to Game Center achievement Peking Express: You’ve probably seen the Chinese zombies down the achievements tunnel, but how fast can you dig your way to China?
About PopCap
PopCap Games is the leading global developer, publisher and operator of casual video games: fun, easy-to-learn, captivating games that appeal to all ages across PC, mobile, social and other platforms. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000, was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2011, and has a worldwide staff of more than 500 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo. PopCap’s games have been downloaded over 1.5 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship franchise, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 50 million units.
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Can’t wait for Batman: Arkham City? This will just make you want it more!
A reason why we reviewers and VGJs (video game journalists) are in the biz!!!
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-19-uk-arkham-city-collector-s-ed-official
