Ultra Combo News Report 06.12.10: New Mortal Kombat Revealed, Rock Band 3 Detailed and More!
Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 06.12.2010
Plus, Motorstorm Apocalypse Revealed, Bad Company 2 Onslaught DLC Dated and Cammy is our Gaming Babe of the Week!
Hello my dear readers and welcome to another edition of The Ultra Combo News Report! I have to admit that peer pressure finally got to me. After reading post after post after post praising how awesome Red Dead Redemption is, I went out and got it this week. I mean, if Todd Vote and every other game's writer loves the game, it has to be good. Well….it is! I have completely stopped playing everything else as I have been captivated by the tale of John Marston and the killer open-world setting created by Rockstar. I shamelessly admit to be one of the few people who did not enjoy Grand Theft Auto IV. Everybody was calling it the best game in the series, but to me it felt like more of the same. However, Redemption blows them all out of the water. There is a new standard for open world games! The wide-open plains and the vistas this game offers are second to none. Although the mission structure follows a similar format to the GTA games, the fact that you are not driving cars around busy city streets and dealing with "hip" gangsters that spew one liners every few seconds make them feel entirely different. It is a different time period and one Rockstar has expertly replicated. There is so much to do in this game that I usually play only one or two story missions a day because I find so many distractions between Point A and Point B (animals to hunt, people that need help, a good game of poker or blackjack, just causing mayhem for the sake of it) that it takes me hours to finish just one. I have to admit that lassoing a wench, hog tying her and carrying her to the nearest railroad track, placing her in the middle of said track and watching as the incoming train turns her into a pool of blood is one of the most evil things I have ever done in a game. I mean, I literally felt bad about doing it for the sake of a trophy.
Also, remember to download my ModNation Racers creations. Just search ElGranART and download my mods and karts, some based on popular characters (Guile, Jacky Bryant, Nacho Libre) and others are original creations. Now on to the news!
Keyboards, Real Guitars Debut in Rock Band 3
At the end of the Green Day: Rock Band Demo, Harmonix teased the debut of keyboards in Rock Band 3. Those rumors have now been confirmed by revealing that keyboards and real guitars will be a central part of Rock Band 3's new "Be A Pro" Mode. The new mode seeks to bridge the gap between expert rhythm game players and real musicians. But what are real guitars? Well, according to Harmonix gamers will be able to purchase a real, fully functional Fender guitar that plugs into the game. The Rock Band keyboard is a 25-key MIDI keyboard. In standard games modes, only a few buttons will be used, following the traditional color scheme of rhythm games. However, on Be A Pro Mode, all 25 keys will be used as the game displays notes shifting left and right to demonstrate the correct keys. The "real" guitars will work this way in Pro Mode as well, since they will feature six strings and touch-sensitive pads in the neck that simulate the strings, thus requiring players to play the actual notes and chords. No price point has been attached to the Real Guitar peripherals.
Other features include drop-in, drop-out play, and the return of the Vocal Harmonies introduced in The Beatles: Rock Band.
The Beatdown: Well, it seems that they are really trying to teach kids how to play a real instrument while they play a video game and if the mode is the real deal, then I am sold. I have been trying to learn guitar on and off for about a year now and so far I suck terribly. Maybe this is what I need to learn! Of course, I am still skeptical about it and I will need to see it to believe it, but if it works, this might be the biggest evolution of the music genre and something that could potentially save it from becoming a stale one. God knows Activision and Guitar Hero are doing nothing to remedy the staleness and at least Harmonix seems poised to innovate again. I have always had major respect for Harmonix since it seems every new idea comes from them. They introduced the concept of a band with vocals and drums on Rock Band, they introduced vocal harmonies, they introduced DLC songs and continue to support them to this day (contrary to the spotty at best Guitar Hero DLC), they introduced drop-in, drop-out play and to me, it has always seem like Harmonix innovates and Activision copies. Just compare the innovations that Rock Band 3 and Guitar Hero 6 are bringing this year: while Rock Band 3 seeks to teach people how to play real instruments, Guitar Hero's big innovation is an RPG-style Quest Mode that seems ripped off from Brutal Legend. Is that the way to refresh a franchise? Which innovation or new feature looks best? That my readers, is what the comment section is for! Agree with me? Hate my guts? Just let me know! Quick poll here: Which game looks better, Rock Band 3 or Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock?
New Mortal Kombat Coming in 2011….in 2D!
Ladies and gentlemen, MORTAL KOMBAT is back! A new teaser trailer debuted that showcased the rebirth of the MK franchise. The game will be titled simply Mortal Kombat, it will have the M for Mature rating people crave and it will be in 2D! Yes, going back to their roots indeed! Plus, the fatalities look as gory as ever and the game will feature 2 on 2 team play (besides the typical one on one the franchise is known for) including a new cooperative Arcade Mode! Ed Boon is promising the goriest fatalities ever and after watching that teaser trailer, I believe him!
Click HERE for the teaser trailer and click HERE for the original news article.
The Beatdown: I have to admit, I am super excited and no other news (besides maybe a new, good Shining Force) would have made me this giddy. I loved MK in 2D but I lost my love for the franchise with the 3D installments and the lack of gore in MK vs DC Universe. But seeing this new trailer my hopes are high and I am sure Todd Vote feels the same way. If they add online play (and I almost guarantee they will) it would be icing on the cake. I wonder….is this going to be a sort of sequel or are they starting the series anew? I think the tale of Mortal Kombat should be retold from the beginning. What do you guys think?
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Onslaught DLC Dated
The Onslaught DLC for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has been officially dated. The add-on, which will add objective-based cooperative gameplay, will be made available for purchase on June 22 for $10 on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. There is no word on a PC release.
Besides this announcement, EA will also make available the "Kit Shortcuts" for those gamers that can't bother to unlock everything. Each kit unlock will retail for $6.99 or $19.99 for the whole bundle. Kit Shortcuts will be available on June 16th.
The Beatdown: I still frown upon people who are so lazy they actually pay to unlock stuff that they can get for free by playing the game. I mean, $20? Really? If you get everything from the get-go, what is the purpose of playing the game then? Still, I am mighty excited about the Onslaught DLC and I am sure it will extend the life of the best online multiplayer game released this year. However, it comes out the same day as the Cooperative DLC for Red Dead Redemption. My money and my gaming time is going to be torn between the two, although Red Dead's is free.
Dreamcast Titles Coming to PSN and XBLA!
Dreamcast fans, rejoice! Sega will officially release Dreamcast games through PSN and XBLA this fall. Beginning with Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi, these new games will have updated graphics, surround sound, online leaderboards and trophies/achievements. Sega said this will be the first "two classics", which means we will see more in the future. No price point was revealed, but both updated games will be shown at Sega's E3 booth.
The Beatdown: First a new Mortal Kombat, now Dreamcast classics. A memorable week indeed! I loved both of these titles, although my time with Sonic was limited. I never had a Dreamcast, but I played one to death and I also had the PS2 version of Crazy Taxi. As for the price, I bet is going to be $20. Why? They are likely going to have a big trophy list (which means Platinum will be included), they will have updated graphics and sound and of course, online leaderboards. If other classic games sell for around $10, I am expecting Sega to up the price a bit. What other games will you like to see released? Personally, I would like: Shen Mue 1+2, Seaman, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, Virtua Fighter 3 and Sega GT. Of course, Chu Chu Rocket needs to be released ASAP! Plus, I wouldn't complain if they released Soul Calibur and other third party Dreamcast games.
Sony Reveals Motorstorm Apocalypse
Sony continues to reveal their big games before E3. The company has now officially revealed Motorstorm Apocalypse, the third entry in the first-party racing game. The game will have you race during the Apocalypse as cities crumble and chasms open all around you. This means that routes change on the fly as the landscape changes. The game also promises five new vehicle classes, over 40 races, a story mode that offers a narrative involving three different characters, 4-player split-screen and 16 player online multiplayer action and customizable vehicles. We will see more of this game at E3.
The Beatdown: Sony must have something really huge for E3, because they are already revealing their hand days before the event. Already announced are Killzone 3, InFamous 2, DC Universe Online, LittleBig Planet 2 and now Motorstorm 3. I skipped Motorstorm 2, but I really liked the first effort. However, this one sounds a bit like Split/Second. Will it be a better game? I am not sure. However, we can at least point out one good thing that the horrible movie 2012 did right: Inspire a couple of killer racing titles.
I will be back next week with more news. In the meantime, remember to suggest a Gaming Babe for next week, download my ModNation Racers creations and stay tuned for the latest gaming news as E3 draws near and honestly, I can't wait. I feel this is going to be one of the best E3's ever in terms of the games that will be revealed. Just think about all the awesome titles that have already been revealed and we are not even at E3 yet!
