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.
Sony have released details about their competition to promote the latest Ratchet and Clank game Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time.
To celebrate the release of Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack In Time on PS3, Sony Computer Entertainment New Zealand (SCENZ) is giving you a special chance to get your own weapon design bought to life by WETA. Would be creators must submit their designs to www.tvnz.co.nz/ratchetandclank.
Running from November 1st to November 28th, the competition provides people with plenty of time to put their thinking caps on, design their dream weapon and enter it on the TVNZ website. Â Do you think you could better the Groove-a-tron? There are two ways of submitting your entry. You can either upload your designs to the TVNZ website or post your entry to:Â Ratchet and Clank Weapon Competition, 100 Victoria Street West, P0 Box 3819, Auckland.
Entries will be judged and the winner will be picked by WETA Workshop and Brian Allgeier, Creative Director of Insomniac Games and developer of the Ratchet and Clank franchise. The winning design will then be hand-crafted by WETA Workshop into a one-of-a-kind model. WETA has worked on films such as King Kong, The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Lovely Bones and the current release, District 9.
So start cracking on with your design for this once in a lifetime opportunity Ratchet and Clank weapon competition.
NOTES:
Entry is open to NZ residents only. For a full set of terms and conditions, go to www.tvnz.co.nz/ratchetandclank.co.nz.
EA have released details of the Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition game which will be available in New Zealand from March 5, 2010:
DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio announced a Limited Edition release of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the premier first-person shooter of 2010. The Limited Edition game features six special gameplay unlocks that give players a tactical advantage on the battlefield from the minute they fire up the game. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has been recognized by critics worldwide for its uncompromising action gameplay, unprecedented level of destruction, vehicular warfare, squad play and open sandbox environments in a modern warfare game. Available while supplies last, the Limited Edition version of the game will be sold at the same price as the standard version of the game with participating retailers in New Zealand from March 5, 2010.
The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition delivers six special customizations early to give players a day one advantage in multiplayer matches. Four vehicle warfare unlocks will immediately enhance the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 best-in-class online vehicle warfare experience, delivering extra firepower, radar, and armor for the vehicles. Additionally, the tracer dart attaches to any enemy vehicle and allows RPG-toting teammates to track, lock on, and destroy their adversary. Seasoned veterans of Battlefield 1943™ will be able to immediately re-acquaint themselves with two classic and highly powerful weapons, the M1A1 submachine gun and the M1911 pistol.
The full list of six unlocks are as follows:
Four vehicle warfare unlocks
- Improved Vehicle Armor – An up-armor package is mounted on all vehicle types, decreasing the effect of both explosive and penetrating warheads, significantly improving vehicle survivability.
- Supreme Vehicle Firepower – Additional weapon packages are mounted for the driver of all armored vehicles, greatly expanding the range of targets the vehicle can successfully engage and destroy.
- Vehicle Motion Sensor – Use this electronics warfare package to locate enemy units in direct proximity to the vehicle.
- Tracer Dart Pistol – This magnetic dart attaches to any vehicle surface, allowing squad members to track, lock on, and fire rockets onto moving targets even beyond line of sight.
Two classic Battlefield 1943 weapons
- M1A1 Submachine Gun – Reliable but heavy this classic weapon is a powerful force in the hands of any Battlefield veteran.
- M1911 Pistol – Highly customized M1911 are favoured for its dependability and the power of its large .45 calibre round.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available on March 5, 2010 in New Zealand for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system 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.
Sony reveals details of the Eyepet (Press Release:)
Are your kids clamouring for a pet? Take them home an EyePet – the fully interactive and magical new creature for PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Cool, playful, and just bursting with fun and games, EyePet is your new family playmate, and he won’t make a mess or chew your TV cables! In stores today, EyePet brings endless entertainment and fun to all members of the family.
Interact with EyePet through PLAYSTATION Eye, the interactive camera for PS3. PLAYSTATION Eye will capture your surroundings and show them on your television screen, so your EyePet will appear in your very own living room. Call him with your Magic Card – a simple device that can create all sorts of fun and games for EyePet to play with – and watch as he hatches from egg and grows from a baby ball into a cub! Throw a ball and he’ll scramble after it, pat him and he’ll roll over for a tummy scratch. Use your Magic Card to select toys for him, including a trampoline, bubble-machine along with other fantastic toys to play with!
By completing daily tasks, you can teach your EyePet brand-new games to play. The more he learns – the more exciting new tasks you’ll get to teach him! EyePet is fully aware of people in the room, and will play with you and your family in your home. Poke him and he jumps, stroke him and he’ll roll over in contentment, tickle him and he’ll laugh!
Watch on as your youngsters play, learn and laugh with EyePet – just as if they would with a real-life pet. Kids and adults alike will love to customise him, dress him and see his various reactions: surprise him with a new toy, cheer him up when he looks sad or happy when you stroke him. Bring home your family the perfect pet when EyePet. Please visit www.playstation.com for news and updates.
