Distributor: Sony Brand: Logitech Hardware: Gaming Headset Model: G35 Price RRP: $182.00 (price may vary depending on store).
[starreview tpl=16]
This is our first product review at Game Culture and hopefully the first in a long line of gaming products we’ll be reviewing for real gamers. The issue so many gamers have is that the market is permanently saturated with so many different products, it’s next to impossible to decide what is best to buy for your gaming needs. I’ve reviewed dozens of different gaming peripherals in the past, and most products if not all will come with their pros and their cons.
If you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ll be looking for a couple of things that pretty much become non-negotiable. You’ll want comfort for those marathon gaming sessions, you’ll want durability (throwing gaming peripherals around the room sometimes does happen, oh yes), you’ll want performace and you’ll want value for money. Some of these aspects are interchangeable. Some are not.
The Logitech G35 Headset has many pros, very few cons. After spending several hours using this headset on my PC, I’ve come to the conclusion that despite it’s heavy-looking appearance, it felt very comfortable to wear. Although, you might not consider wearing this headset for more than a few hours at a time (which is really the only major draw-back).
The sound quality is great but the USB sound controls could be something you’d want to consider well before purchasing. Although the headset boasts 7.1 surr0und sound ability, the USB panel may negate your epic piece of sound card hardware as a matter of design. The cool thing about the the Logitech G35 (at least for me) was the ability to morph your voice. The software you receive with the headset enables a voice morphing capability that can alter the sound of your voice through the mic – it’s gimmicky but hella fun and very handy for those female gamers who may feel like altering their voice online (try it out in vent, it’s very funny).
There are also three customisable buttons (the G1, G2 and G2 buttons respectively) that allow you to map software applications so you can launch the app from your headset. This is exceptionally handy for launching VoIP software such as Ventrilo (which comes automatically preset).
The G35 is pretty sturdy in design and extremely flexible with three adjustable head bands. Special care has been taken to mute out all excess background noise with noise cancellation as well as extra padding around the ears for both comfort and sound reduction.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a headset that is built for PC gaming, the G35 gets a tick on almost every level. Perhaps not the right headset for home theatre or audio/music specialists who love their music and movie watching but perfect for the gamer looking for a headset that (literally) does it all.
Platform: Xbox 360 Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Gearbox Software Rating: R18 Players: Single player and co-op Genre: FPS/RPG Released: 23rd October, 2009
Website: http://www.borderlandsthegame.com/
[starreview tpl=16]
The cover of Borderlands should just about sum it all up: the image of what looks to be a mutated human with his fingers pressed to his head as if to imitate blowing his own brains out. Oh and yeah, there’s also what looks like some type of brain matter splattering out in a yellow mass behind him. With a rating of R18, you just know that you’re going to be in for one hell of a freaky ride with Borderlands.
Borderlands is set on a planet called Pandora that has a very funky kind of western-type, steampunk vibe going on. You’ll see and discover elements of futuristic technology (such as weapons) but some of the environment and buildings give off a very western-like feel.
The gameplay is split between four different character types which introduces the RPG element (as each character has individual strengths and weaknesses) and in single player mode you get to choose who you want to play. Bearing in mind that the game can play out differently for each character simply due to their differences and skills. You’ve got the choice of either a grunty tank (Berserker) type, a Hunter who specialises in long-range weapons, the Siren who possesses magic ability and the Soldier.
If you’re familiar with RPGs you’ll understand how most of the game progression is structured in Borderlands. But leveling up isn’t simply a matter of just killing things. You’ll be required to complete missions (which can involve killing other NPCs, beasties etc) and strategise your way through some of the more difficult encounters.
And this is where the co-op game mode is really great. Although Borderlands starts off slow, things can get pretty difficult early on if you’re running in and just shooting everything. With group co-op gameplay, the entire dynamic of the game changes and working as a group definitely has its advantages, especially in the more difficult missions.
Borderlands isn’t all about shooting although you’ll be definitely working your way through the ammo. The gameplay is similar in style to Diablo, where you’re constantly having to search the environment for money and whatever you can get from the bodies. Killing and looting everything in sight will soon become a force of habit.
It’s difficult to determine how well a game will do when it pushes the boundaries of blending two distinctive genres like shooters and RPGs together. But Borderlands is developed with both types of gamer in mind and the missions, storyline, characters and game mechanics cater for this exceptionally well.
And If you think romping around through Pandora with your mates will be a blast in co-op mode, Borderlands has more than just oodles of weapons to acquire and fancy powers to use – you can even get mobile with vehicles.
Downloadable game content will be available for Borderlands on the Xbox 360 from the 24th of November in New Zealand so it’s well worth considering if they’re already pumping out the expansions. Fans of running and gunning might find Borderlands is something a little more challenging and RPG fans looking for a a break from the fantasy world will definitely get it with Borderlands.
Platform: Xbox 360 Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Rating: MA Players: 1 Genre: Action/Adventure Released: 20th November, 2009
Website: http://assassinscreed.uk.ubi.com/
[starreview tpl=16]
Florence Italy, 1459 during the height of the Renaissance period is home to Ezio, the latest character in the story behind Assassin’s Creed 2. Fans of Assassin’s Creed will probably know that ACII differs a fair bit from the previous game. Altair, the dark and brooding Assassin from the first game is gone and is replaced by Ezio who has a whole new background, history and timeline to discover that includes conspiracy, betrayal and murder.
I’m not a cosplayer (costume player) but I do know a few people that really get into their dressing up for certain events such as Armageddon etc. I stumbled upon these images for Bioshock characters and thought they were seriously kickass and well worth posting.
Check these out – the costumes are so well done!
Thanks to /film for the images courtesy of Dim Horizon Studio.
Platform: Xbox 360 Publisher: Activision Developer: FreeStyle Games Rating: PG Players: 2 – 4 Genre: Music Released: October 30, 2009
Website: http://www.djhero.com/
[starreview tpl=16]
Activision have had a healthy run with their ‘Hero’ brand releasing various guitar hero games to sate almost any musical appetite. But for the most part, Guitar Hero as a brand is really about rock/metal music and guitars (with the added expansion of Guitar World Tour). Enter ‘DJ Hero’ – a completely new venture into the world of hip-hop beats and dance music.
DJ Hero differs from Guitar Hero simply because it’s no longer about guitars. The focus has been taken away from the guitar riffs and rock music to the DJ’s turntable and the underground hip-hop dance scene. The music certainly reflects this as the tracklist consists of songs remixed from original tunes taken from bands old and new. It’s a brave move from Activision, taking onboard developer FreeStyle Games to offer a new type of music sim game to the loyal guitar hero masses. But will they like it?
Not to count myself out of that hardcore group(ies) of guitar hero lovers, I’ve certainly found that whilst GH definitely has its appeal and place in the genre of social gaming, there’s plenty of room for new products.
DJ Hero is fundamentally the same as GH apart from the obvious difference where you’re now using a turntable instead of a guitar. And that’s the biggest learning curve you’ll have playing the game. The buttons on the turntable work exactly the same way as the buttons on the guitar. The major exception is when you’re required to ‘crossfade’ the tracks with the crossfader and use the ‘Euphoria’ button (which replaces the Star Power control in GH). There’s also an ‘Effects’ button but that’s largely used when you advance in skill.
Tutorials are pretty much the same as GH so you can learn about the new skills and all about the turntable as you go. You can also try out some songs when you play. But the music is definitely DJ Hero’s defining asset, with tunes that have been remixed and created exclusively for DJ Hero by some very prominent artists including Eminem, Daft Punk, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grandmaster Flash.
One of the main challenges GH fans may be used to which is now absent in DJ Hero is failing songs as you play them. You’ll never fail a song in DJ Hero so you won’t be penalised exactly the same way. Which is good and bad. Without this challenge to face, it makes it alot easier to advance in skill but on the other hand, there’s quite a lot more to do in DJ Hero than just match coloured buttons to its corresponding button on screen. With the ‘crossfader’ you’ll be using the buttons to scratch as well as crossfading specific sounds in the song. There are also more advanced techniques such as adding ‘effects’ and rewinding the song back to certain parts of the song that give you extra bonuses.
So DJ Hero is still very much like GH in the sense that you’re competing for the highest score you can achieve on any particular song and that competitiveness is a fundamental element that keeps the game interesting. But on the other hand DJ Hero has very different elements not to mention the track list and music style that really does place it in its own unique arena.
The tracklist consists of the following songs remixed (taken from Wikipedia):
You’ll notice that some of the tracks have additional areas where you can jam out with someone else on guitar. This is a very cool addition to the game and is a whole lot of fun, especially if you’re at a party or having friends over.
DJ Hero may not be everyone’s idea of musical fun and there’s a very good chance that Guitar Hero fans won’t take to the product the same way they have with GH expansions. It is however cool to see Activision trying something new and giving gamers the choice to try something unique and refreshingly different rather than expanding the already exhaustive GH stable of games. There will also be DLC for Xbox 360 available as there has been in the past for GH.
Nice one Activision, thumbs up! 
An update from 2K games regarding the latest downloadable content for Borderlands on Xbox 360:
Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, (the first in a series of downloadable content for Borderlands) will be available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 starting November 24, 2009 for 800 Microsoft Points ($12.95).
In The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, get ready to square off against ferocious brain-eating zombies, carnivorous Were-Skags and face biting midget zombies as you continue your pursuit for all of that sweet, sweet loot. You’ll need a copy of the original Borderlands game in order to experience this downloadable content.
Platform: PSP Publisher: Rockstar Games Developer: Rockstar Leeds Rating: G Players: 1 Genre: Music Released: October 2, 2009
Website: http://www.rockstargames.com/beaterator/
[starreview tpl=16]
If you’ve ever wanted a taste of what it’s like to record and create your own music in a studio, Beaterator is one of the closest things you’ll get to it. And don’t at all be fooled by the fact that the game is for PSP. They say “good things come in small packages”. Beaterator is jam packed with so much to do and experiment with, you’ll be jamming out and creating music for hours on end… really.
With the tutorial presented by Timbaland, the master of mixing and producing hit music, you’ll be well on your way to creating your own in no time at all. And it’s well worth doing the tutorial because you could easily become a little ‘dazed and confused’ with all the possibilities and options in the game.
For instance, starting off with just a drum track can offer so many different opportunities to add or edit. It’s not just a matter of laying down a track in one place and repeating it (although, if that’s how you wish to create your music, there’s nothing stopping you). The music loops are set up specifically for this purpose and many popular songs today are created by doing the exact same thing.
It’s nice to also be able to choose a different genre to work with, especially if pop music isn’t your thing. You can access the different options from the main menu and choose your genre. Although I found a few of the options there a little limited, there’s still more than enough to get you started.
The one thing that really blew me away when creating the sounds using Beaterator is just how one particular aspect of a loop can change the sound dramatically when you alter it’s frequency, pitch or omit it altogether.
Beaterator has two main areas for creating sounds and loops which are ‘Live Play’ or ‘Studio’. With Live Play it’s easier to ‘dive straight in’ and start mixing tunes right away. But the learning curve for creating everything yourself may be a tad high for people who really aren’t good with alot of information and menus. Beaterator has an incredible amount of depth and options to create the music but the interface can be a little challenging if you’re intending to by-pass the tutorial.
Live Play allows you to use pre-recorded templates to create music. You can change each ‘loop’ using the R and L buttons to create even more diverse sounds. There is a variety of genre’s to choose from including Rock, Pop and House. Studio is where the true creation process begins. You can create and edit every sound in the database (of which there are dozens). You can edit tempo, length of a beat or loop, and even add your own sounds. Everything you create can be recorded and altered accordingly. The Song Crafter allows you to add in your own sounds to create your own loops – the possibilities are endless.
Beaterator is a fantastic piece of software that crosses the line between ‘game’ and utility bringing the world of digital music production to the PSP. For its size, the Beaterator software packs in a truckload of content and deserves serious consideration from all music fans. For the wee price of $49.99, you’re getting alot more than your money’s worth.
Details of the Dante’s Inferno demo follow from the official press release announced via EA:
Coming this December, the ‘Gates of Hell’ demo includes the entire opening level and gives gamers a taste of Visceral Games’ blockbuster adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy.
The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.
EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.
Gamers will get to go to hell in New Zealand on February 12, 2010 for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation Portable. The Gates of Hell demo will be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.
Dante’s Inferno has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow the Dante’s Inferno team at Visceral Games on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com where the team explores a new circle of hell, with new content and updates on the ninth day of every month.
Xbox 360 gamers in NZ are hard at it already with the release of MW2 today. If you like your shooters, you’d be kinda silly to miss out on one seriously cool game.
We’ve only played a little bit into the campaign (which by the way, picks up where you left off in ‘Modern Warfare’ ) but already we can tell you that the game is SERIOUSLY kick ass! Graphics are beautifully fluid, sound is amazing as usual but the gameplay is hardcore. We’ll be featuring our review later this week (once we’ve picked it apart for you tee hee), but rest assured, if you’re thinking of buying this game or just sitting on the fence – take it from me, it’s a game you SHOULD definitely own… like, now!!
Press release details for all you MW2 nuts:
It’s time to gear up for all-out, high-speed action and epic combat, as Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today that the most anticipated game of the year, developer Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is now available at retail stores everywhere. Following a number of midnight store openings, Modern Warfare 2 has begun to unleash a new threat upon the world, putting gamers on the front lines of an epic, global battle that has advanced onto American soil, proving that no one is safe from an impending invasion.
“From day one the goal was to bring our fans around the world the most riveting and authentic experience we’ve ever created in Modern Warfare 2,” said Vince Zampella, CEO of Infinity Ward. “Every design from the smallest detail was crafted to place gamers in the centre of their own epic, action movie – with the suspense, excitement and adrenaline as if they were starring themselves.”
Following an unprecedented number of pre-order reservations across the globe, the sequel to the best selling first person action game in history kicked-off its worldwide invasion earlier today with a series of midnight celebrations from Sydney to London, Paris to New York.
Picking up following the historic events of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2 completely immerses players in one of the most intense storylines, filled with unexpected plot twists and death-defying battles set in exotic locales across the globe. As gamers fight to save the world from annihilation, the soundtrack of Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Grammy Award and Tony winning composer Hans Zimmer sets the dark and ominous tone for a truly cinematic gaming experience. Modern Warfare 2 marks the first time that the legendary artist has scored a video game.
Delivering the complete package, in addition to the heart-racing intensity of the single player campaign, Modern Warfare 2 also offers an entirely new gameplay mode, “Special Ops,” which supports 2-player co-operative play via online or split screen dropping gamers into a surplus of time-trial and objective-based missions. As players rank-up, ever challenging missions are unlocked, including highlights from the single player campaign, fan favourites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and all new, exclusive missions. While, the all-new Multiplayer mode raises the bar even higher from the world-record setting online play from its predecessor delivering new capabilities, customization, gamestates and modes, including customizable killstreaks, accolades and new create-a-class features.
Modern Warfare 2 is rated “ R18 ” contains violence and content that may disturb by the Classification Board and is available now for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.
Gamers have numerous options to enhance the Modern Warfare 2 experience with the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Console featuring a 250GB hard drive, Xbox 360 headset, two wireless controllers and a standard edition copy of the game. Also available now for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 system are the Modern Warfare 2 Collector’s Edition packages, including the Hardened Edition, which contains a token to download Call of Duty Classic, a limited edition SteelBook™ case and the “Behind the Lines” collector’s artbook, and the individually numbered, one-time only limited quantity Prestige Edition, which includes the Hardened Edition plus a pair of fully functioning night vision goggles and an individually numbered “Soap MacTavish” night vision goggles collectors’ stand.
Also available today for Nintendo DS is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized. Developed exclusively by n-Space, the DS title delivers a unique storyline and an arsenal of handheld features. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is rated “M” by the Classification Board.
Additionally, for Wii fans Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex Edition is also now available. A port by Treyarch of the record-setting and award-winning, original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the title is rated R18 Contains violence and content that may disturb.
Modern Warfare 2 press kit assets are available for download at http://www.activision.com/index.html#presscenter|en_US. Players anxious to answer the call can visit www.modernwarfare2.com for more information and updates.
The beta for Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be available for PS3 users on November the 19th, 2009. More details follow from the official EA press release:
DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc studio announced the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer beta exclusively on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. Starting November 19, PlayStation 3 gamers will be able to experience the unprecedented action, destruction, vehicular warfare, squad play and open sandbox environments that only Battlefield can deliver. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 provides a true all-out war experience like no other modern warfare game. Beta keys will be available in New Zealand by pre-ordering the game from participating retailers.
The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer beta will feature the Arica Harbour map, where up to 24 players can compete in one of the game’s four intense multiplayer modes called Rush. This new map displays a superb balance of vehicle and infantry combat, as the American assault unit attacks the Russian army base with full force, advancing further through a beautiful desert town and towards the industrial area in a desperate attempt to overtake the Arica Harbour. Heavy vehicle warfare on the first bases gradually turns into an intense infantry fight as the level progresses, showcasing this best-in-class online war experience.
In December 2009, DICE will invite players to participate in a PC open beta. Then, early next year, all players worldwide will get to experience this premier shooter when DICE releases a Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer DEMO on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 5, 2010 in New Zealand for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC.
For more information on DICE, please visit www.dice.se. For more information on the Battlefield franchise please visit: www.battlefield.com. Or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2.
