The Full Circle: 360 News Report 07.17.09
Posted by Joe Roche on 07.17.2009
As the week winds to another close, and the celebration of 411's own Joe Roche's birth comes to an end it's time for the news you need to know. This week we'll be talking about Fallout 3 DLC, Mirror's Edge DLC not coming later, how to get Starscream in Transformer, and how you can be a part of Monkey Island and Serious Sam, plus much more all inside as we go around The Full Circle.
Once a year an event takes place that causes the world to stop, pause, and reflect on greatness. Most people don't even realize the day has happened but they feel better knowing that it went off without a hitch. I am of course, talking about this past Wednesday, July 15th I am speaking about the anniversary of my birth.
Ok granted that was a bit over the top, but this is the birthday column and I am your host for the evening. A newly minted year ahead of me, but I'm still turning out the fourth most popular Xbox 360 focused column written on a website that drives most of their traffic through combat sports. I didn't do much gaming this week although I am itching to pick up NCAA Football 10 so if I could get some comments about how the game is going for you the readers, it'd greatly impact my purchase. Other then that I played a lot of Fallout 3's Point Lookout DLC, and without giving too much away (my review is coming shortly) I'd like to point out that any bad trip caused by brain tinkering is welcome in a Fallout game. I think I've covered the big news, the celebration of my birth, Fallout 3 and NCAA Football 10 so without further delay buckle your seatbelts, put your tray table in the upright position and hold on as I take you around The Full Circle.
One Liner Contests Both Tales of Monkey Island developer Telltale Games, and Serious Sam HD developer Devolver Digital are holding contests challenging gamers to submit one-liners to be included in the respective games.
These two stories broke almost simultaneously so I thought I'd combine them into one piece. The basic premise is that both contests are asking you to submit a one-liner, and if it is good enough, or funny enough, the developers will include it in their game. Telltale Games is a little more focused with their challenge, as there are actual parameters that your one liner should fall into namely that main character Guy Threewood has been wronged in some way and it's up to you to find out how. To enter the Tales from Monkey Island contest just visit the contest website here. As for the Serious Sam contest, all you have to do to enter is submit your witty one liner to Devolver Digital's twitter page @devolverdigital. I know there are a bunch of people who read this column, I demand that TFC Nation is represented in this contest, so not only would I hope that you all heed my call and submit some witty remarks to both of these contests, but leave them in the comment section here so that we can follow along and root for the best quips from the loyal TFC fanbase.
Modern Warfare Uselessly Expensive Edition Infinity Ward announced earlier in the week that to coincide with the retail release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, they would be releasing a "Prestige" edition of the game. The enhanced package would include a pair of night vision goggles, a steel case, a hardcover art book, and a download chip for the original Call of Duty on the PSN, or XBLA. The cost of this package is rumored to be $150.
You have got to be kidding me right? Apparently the night vision goggles (NVG) will be fully functioning, although for a price of roughly $90 (assuming the rest of the package costs nothing) it seems like a good bet that these will not be military grade NVG. But my real question is whether or not there are actually people out there who will bypass the game at $60, spend the extra $90 to get the "Prestige Edition" and prance around their living room with night vision goggles over their head? I can promise that if I were to purchase this package, the beautiful TFC Princess would have divorce papers filed before the sun went down and I got to use the goggles once. I think it's an interesting promotion, and it does beat the extra money for a bonus map pack that will be released a week later for everyone else, or the art book and a mini weapon key chain, but functioning night vision goggles seems to be the absolute extreme of what bonus content I expect for the special edition of my games.
DLC Revenge of the Fallen It has been announced that there will be some additional DLC released for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen later this summer. The DLC is said to add ten new multiplayer characters, including G1 Starscream, three new multiplayer maps, and an Expert difficulty mode.
I really wanted to make fun of this story. I even lined up a quip about if DLC is released in a vaccum, and nobody downloads it was it ever actually released? But then I remembered that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen made like eleventy billion dollars at the theater so I bet there are thousands of people playing this game, and loving every second of it. As a matter of fact the more I think about this DLC the more I think that there will be throngs of people waiting to get their hands on Starscream to use in a multiplayer that I was going to make fun of by saying if one person downloads Starscream, but nobody else is online to play the multiplayer mode was it really worth the price of the DLC? But there is a reason that I am writing this column, and a video game about a movie, about a TV show, about children's toys is going to be downloaded by thousands of people later this summer.
The Mothership Will Land The next piece of Fallout 3 DLC, "Mothership Zeta" is set to be released on August 3rd, and carry a price tag of 800 Microsoft points ($10).
Giddy up. As I write this column I am also writing my review of the "Point Lookout" DLC and I can say here that it carries on the tradition of awesome Fallout 3 DLC. I think each piece of DLC that has been released for Fallout 3 has added some enjoyable features, and I am really looking forward to "Mothership Zeta." According to Bethesda, new weapons will include the "Alien Atomizer" and "Drone Cannon" which should aid the Vault Dweller in fighting alongside an "unexpected array of characters, including some from Earth's past." I'm not entirely sure what the aliens have returned to Earth for but I am sure anxious to find out.
No More Faith for Mirror's Edge EA told ThatVideoGameBlog that there are no "immediate plans" for more Mirror's Edge DLC.
It looks like the only DLC that Mirror's Edge fans are going to be getting will be the one map pack that was made available this past February. EA and DICE have both said that we can expect a sequel to Mirror's Edge so you'll have to wait for Faith II before you'll be able to expand your exploration into the world of foot traveling delivery women. My only issue with future Mirror's Edge installments would be the combat system, and the feeling that my head is about to spin off my shoulders and onto the floor because of the shaky camera. I maintain a high level of faith (excuse the pun) in DICE as they handle the future of well of Faith, so we will have to wait and see how this franchise moves forward before any additional DLC appears.
The Viewing Room
If you wanted NCAA Football 10 you probably already picked it up, but as I convince myself to get it here is the launch trailer for those straggling like yours truly.
In this past week's Fact or Fiction I said I didn't care about the upcoming MechWarrior, but for those of you who might be waiting for it here is the launch trailer.
So this week's Hot Button isn't really a full column but more of a question for the crowd. It's been awhile since we've had audience participation and I wanted to throw something out there to stimulate some conversation and give me a reason to bring back Reader Rants next week. With the release of NCAA Football 10 I'm wonder what you guys prefer from your football games? You've got the yearly collegiate installment that has been a rollercoaster ride during this generation of consoles (loved '08, hated '09), and then there is Madden which slipped in 2008 but was the superior title in 2009.
With the college game you have the pageantry of college football, you've got one hundred plus college football teams, you've got the chance to build a dynasty through recruitment, and you can play in bowl games as long as you win 6 games. The "Career Mode" or whatever they call it in the college game these days allows you to vie for a Heisman trophy, and apparently Erin Andrews virtual self makes an appearance this year (although rumor has it that she mailed in her performance).
In Madden you have the National Football League, and that's about all you need with the game. I love recruiting players, and trying to make North Texas University into a college football powerhouse, but I also love steamrolling teams with my beloved New England Patriots. In Madden you can play for the Super Bowl, which is way better then Ritz Crackers Auto Zone Cash Grab Bowl, and in Madden there is Tom Brady (by which I mean, there are actual player names). The Career mode in Madden is pretty similar to the college game except you're trying to make the Hall of Fame, and you get more then four years to do it.
My preference seems to flip flop on a yearly basis, not because my taste changes but because the development of these games does. In theory my favorite of the two is the college game, and if EA would go back to adding in some Division 1-AA (or whatever they're calling it now) teams into the mix it would put me over the top, no questions asked. However, I love taking low ranked teams, building them into powerhouses, getting invited to a power conference and then leaving to pursue another opportunity. My problem with the college game is the stuff that gets taken out. Remember when your players used to get suspended for violations, like alcohol, or scholastic? Remember when you could play as UMass? I mean the features that were included in the NCAA Football franchise on the PS2, were light years ahead of the stuff that we get now. Oh sure the stadiums look nicer but how realistic is it for a college football team to last twenty years without a single player having to miss a game? I haven't heard anything about this feature coming back this year, but I keep my fingers crossed every year, and I'm yet to see any payoff.
As for the pro game I think my problem is that my favorite team and the only one that I feel comfortable playing with in Madden are the Patriots. In the college game I can pick a team with a one or two star rating and make them a powerhouse, but with the Patriots well they're already a powerhouse, so some of the appeal is not there from the beginning. I also love making rookies into superstars and I feel like I have a better chance of doing that in the college game.
Push comes to shove I'm saying that my favorite game is the college football iteration, although I have been unimpressed with it for some time now. But my thoughts only count for half the battle I now throw it out to the masses, which football console franchise do your prefer?
I'm still playing Madden 09 and I haven't touched a college game since 2006, so I guess that answers your question.
And, obligatory statement, Patriots suck :P
This is the year of the Rams...right? Riggght? Please?!
Posted By: Drew Robbins (Registered) on July 16, 2009 at 11:50 PM
since the games cost 60 bones, i flip flop every year by only getting one or the other. odd yeras madden, even years, college football.
my only gripe about the most recent installment of ncaa, it was too realistic. i would use smaller, lesser name schools, go 12-0, blowing out every team by 30 for 5 straight years and then have ZERO SHOT at a national title.
Posted By: rey (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 12:05 AM
College for me to. I like being recruited to a low ranked team as QB or RB and seeing if I can make them National Champions.
Posted By: TWilliams (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Fuck Madden 10, Black College Football Experience - The Doug Williams Edition is coming out next week
oh yeah
Posted By: Guest#3832 (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 12:37 AM
I love steamrolling the NFL with my beloved Jags. I ended Brady's career in the past three games on franchise mode and look to do it again this year.
But on a whole, I do like the feel of NCAA better. It's like a saturday with the boys, BBQ'n and drinkin out back with the game on inside. Madden is like the wife that doesnt sleep with you because you forgot to pay the cell phone bill.
Posted By: S. Masters (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 02:40 AM
I love steamrolling the NFL with my beloved Steelers. I ended Brady's career in the past three games on franchise mode and look to do it again this year.
fixed
Posted By: spacefight (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 09:27 AM
Black College Football Experience - The Doug Williams Edition is coming out next week
so were talkin washington redskins doug williams? saweet
Posted By: nic (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 10:40 AM
"But my real question is whether or not there are actually people out there who will bypass the game at $60, spend the extra $90 to get the "Prestige Edition" and prance around their living room with night vision goggles over their head?"
Never underestimate the stupidity of nerds with money.
Posted By: stronelis (Guest) on July 17, 2009 at 01:51 PM
You got that right! I have a Master Chief head in my living room....
Posted By: David (Guest) on July 18, 2009 at 12:19 PM
I've always preferred Madden to NCAA. I care much more about the pro game. Madden09 was my favorite of the series, but it's had the shortest shelf life for me solely because I've bought so many more games since its release.
NCAA and its online dynasty got me to buy last year's edition, but its constant crashes and dated gameplay compared to Madden 09 led to me getting rid of it. Now Madden has online franchise, so that will satisfy me.
Posted By: Matt Young (Guest) on July 18, 2009 at 06:37 PM
Of the EA games, I prefer NCAA better, just because there's a legitimate chance every year to have a decent starting team with my alma mater (Penn State), whereas the Bengals pretty much suck, year in and year out (even after the playoff appearance of 2005, they still sucked because of questions about Palmer's knee when the game came out).
Of course, that could just be bias talking, because I never played a college game regularly until the 360, and Madden the first year (06, was it?) sucked balls. Of course, Madden still sucks compared to the greatest pro football game of all time, NFL 2k5.
Posted By: Wyatt Beougher (Guest) on July 18, 2009 at 07:38 PM
"I love steamrolling the NFL with my beloved Steelers. I ended Brady's career in the past three games on franchise mode and look to do it again this year.
fixed "
Steelers are my #2 team and the only other team I do Franchise with, at the same time I do the Jags. IT sucks tho, cause they're both AFC :(
Posted By: S. Masters (Guest) on July 19, 2009 at 05:06 AM
Madden 09 all the way will definatly pick up Madden 10
Go Cowboys!
Posted By: Jaxorz90 (Guest) on July 19, 2009 at 01:11 PM
I would like to know how people feel about NCAA 10 guerilla microtransactioms. Such as "upgrade pitch or offers by pressing a button" then screen pops up offering you a purchase. What a joke. We all know that the next thing for EA is paying for downloaded roster updates throughout college and pro seasons....especially if people pay for these "upgrades"!! That's what a monopoly gets us!
Posted By: Dman (Guest) on July 20, 2009 at 01:54 AM
Yeah, the 'buy this now' stuff is out of control. NCAA 10 has it, Tiger Woods has it for every single piece of equipment - Madden is going to have it as well, no doubt about it.
Posted By: Rod Oracheski (Registered) on July 21, 2009 at 04:42 PM
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