Warp Zoned Presents
Author: Ryan Littlefield
Mass Effect 2 PS3 re-hash looks to be ‘massively effective’
Anticipation is rising as BioWare’s highly-acclaimed Mass Effect 2 blasts its way over to the Playstation 3 next week, promising a visual successor to the Xbox 360’s version which was released early last year. Fueling the hype is the game’s launch trailer, which you can view above. And through a limited time offer, BioWare’s PS3 customers will be able to download Terminus Gear for free on the PlayStation Network. The free gear download increases in-game stats for players, offering a bonus to (possible) second-time buyers of the game.
For those who haven’t been filled in on Commander Shepard’s excursion from exclusivity, the upcoming PlayStation 3 version will be fully loaded with story content from the first Mass Effect game, with the help of Dark Horse Comics’ illustration skills. Though the first Mass Effect is not included with Mass Effect 2, the comic aims to flesh out all important story details from the first game, fully gearing players for the Q4 2011 multiplatform release of Mass Effect 3.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3
THQ introduces new logo, promises further innovation in games
In today’s economy, you have to stay current, whether it involves your products, your marketing, or your environmental concern. Today, worldwide game company THQ followed suit by unveiling a new corporate logo at the New York Gamers Event.
Brian Farrell, THQ President and CEO had this to say: “Over the past few years, the gaming industry has seen an unprecedented period of innovation. You can see it in the deep, rich storylines, in the expansion of social and mobile gaming, and in the introduction of new technologies that enhance the gaming experience. THQ is proving its commitment to deliver the best experience to gamers through internally developed original intellectual properties, creative partnerships, and new talent acquisitions in order to solidify its position as a flagship publisher of extraordinary interactive entertainment.”
Though much of their work involves creation of third-party or licensed games, THQ has recently struck a chord with modern gamers. Their work on games such as Darksiders, Red Faction: Guerilla, and the Dawn of War series has shown the potential that THQ can bring to the table. With the re-creation of the company’s logo, consumers are left wondering if they really can expect more from THQ.
In response, Farrell states: “Our new logo epitomizes the change, innovation and creative growth that are the cornerstones of the new THQ. By developing triple-A, innovative, original intellectual properties, attracting the top talent in the industry, and placing that talent first, THQ continues to redefine itself. This new logo seeks to capture that change and make it tangible.”
Posted in News
Pokémon Black and White U.S. mall tour urges players to ‘Catch a Mall’
Beginning on February 5th, 14 cities across America will be swarming with kids and college students alike. Why, you ask? Well, simply put: Pokémon is back.
For a full month, The Pokémon Company International will be hosting two-day events (on weekends) at various malls throughout the United States. At these events, players will be able to take part in mall-wide scavenger hunts, meet the three newest starter Pokémon from the Black and White games, and receive a special “event” Celebi through GameStop store distributions. Game demo areas will be available as well, where hands-on stations will allow players to explore the new world found in both Pokémon Black and White games. Every stop of the national tour will also be accompanied by a free screening of the newest movie in the franchise: Pokémon-Zoroark: Master of Illusions.
J.C. Smith, The Pokémon Company International’s director of marketing states: “We cannot wait to hit the road and give Pokémon fans an up-close and personal look at an all-new world of Pokémon in a fun, totally immersive environment.”
This year looks bright for the Pokémon franchise, promising a new step in the games’ series, a feature-length film, and new merchandise, including an expansion to the popular trading card game.
Hit the jump for the list of mall stops! (more…)
Posted in DS, News
Tagged Pokemon Black/White
Donkey Kong Country Returns Review: Swingin’ Into Greatness
Watch out! Phew, that was a close one. Who’s throwing barrels, anyway? Oh wait, is that… Donkey Kong? He’s back! This time, he’s finally not flying a barrel jetpack, playing bongos, or brawling with other Nintendo characters. Do you know what this means? Donkey Kong finally has his own full game on the Wii! Now, dodging Nintendo’s legal department, it’s safe to say: It’s on like Donkey Kong! (more…)
Posted in Reviews, Top Story, Wii
Tagged Donkey Kong Country Returns
GameFly reports 2010’s best, raises questions on 2011
Early Wednesday morning, GameFly released several Top Ten lists, documenting the rental service’s most popular titles of 2010. As expected, GameFly’s most-rented games closely match up with the most purchased games of 2010, logging titles like Take Two’s Red Dead Redemption and the latest game in Activision’s ever-popular Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Black Ops. GameFly’s co-founder Sean Spector states: “The GameFly community is comprised of active and dedicated gamers and we view their preferences, requests and favorites as a great barometer for what’s hot in gaming.”
Though the aforementioned shooters dominated consoles in 2010, GameFly’s handheld rental numbers seemed to thrive with RPG titles such as Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep and Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies. Could this predict an emergence of the RPG genre exclusively among handheld systems, leaving consoles solely for action games?
The cross-platform list and all of the platform-specific lists can be found below. (more…)
Posted in DS, News, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops, Red Dead Redemption
X-Raying the Brain Training Trend
Brain games were all the rage back in 2006, but what happened to them? Despite the great reviews and large audience appeal, players stopped caring about Brain Age and Brain Age 2 roughly a month after they were each released. Repetitive gaming is only fun for so long. What newer thinking games are worth your time and money, and, more importantly, will they actually make you smarter?
Since the beginning of time, mankind has found ways to stretch their brains. Some strive to become smarter, while others thrive on being stupid. History lessons aside, the video gaming industry has found a way to capitalize on this idea, and has fairly successfully encapsulated the trend that is “brain gaming” – gaming that totally makes you “smarter.” (more…)