Halo 3: Recon Trailer

And now, we get a slightly more proper trailer straight out of TGS for the new Halo 3 DLC/expansion/prequel/franchise-milker which was teased just a few weeks ago.

The official name? Halo 3: Recon. I find the title odd, seeing as how it’s a prequel to Halo 3 and looks to take place during the events of Halo 2. Regardless, you’re a dude, you’re alone, and there’s some epic music and thunderstorms.

Portal: Prelude Ready for Download

Portal:Prelude is the incredible fan-made prequel to Valve’s Portal, and it is now available to download. It features a chapter count bigger than the actual game, some wicked puzzles, and lots of dialogue. Best of all, it’s free for you to enjoy.

As I noted above, this game is huge, so the download won’t exactly be a short one. And obviously, it requires Portal already installed to even play it. But surely, if you’re interested, you already have that. Download it, play it, report back and let us know what you think.

Source- Portal:Prelude

Mirror’s Edge Gameplay Tastiness

Hard to really say too much about Mirror’s Edge, which drops in stores in November. Watching this game in person at PAX was incredible. There’s something about catching the design and the game in motion that is truly a unique experience. I’ve really never seen anything quite like it. Who knows how fun it’s going to actually be, but this gameplay video has me a little drool-happy. I can has?

Is anybody planning on getting this game? Is this footage not sick?

Source- Kotaku

Top 5: Video Game Binges

As you well know, the holiday season is looming, teasing us with its glowing goodness and promise of days off of work and school alike. However, there’s one other thing that the holidays bring to us every year, lumbering towards us like great Godzilla-monsters ready to trample our social lives to ruin: video games.

Sometimes, in these awesome and terrible times with nothing but free time and a pile of gaming to get through, we do things we are not altogether proud of: We binge. It’s like that inner beast takes over, a beast that isn’t satiated until we finish those games. You know what I’m talking about.

I bring you several instances where this happened in my life. Here are my top 5 video game binges:

Continue reading Top 5: Video Game Binges

Resistance 2, Trophy Style

One of my anticipated games of the Fall/Winter gaming extravaganza is Resistance 2, as I’m sure some of you have guessed. It actually seems like this installment of the franchise will have more of a story to go on, and the gameplay is just looking fantastic.

So, for you completion gurus out there like myself, the Resistance 2 trophies have been released. Browse it, dissect it, take it apart, and get more excited about the game. Also, be careful, there might be a couple of spoilers hidden with its secret well of secrets.

Trophies after the jump!

Continue reading Resistance 2, Trophy Style

Machinima: Oil’s Well

I’m not sure just how many of you are familiar with Machinima, but one of my favorite machinimakers out there is Ross Scott, who makes a little series in Half Life 2 called Civil Protection. These episodes star Mike and David, two combines who patrol the streets of City 17 and have humorous antics.

However, in the newest short, he has them talking about today’s oil crisis. I’ve always been really impressed with Scott’s camera work and manipulation of the Source engine, knowing a little about Hammer (the editor) myself. I’m pretty much in awe of some of what he pulls off here.

Bungie Introduces “BuTube”

Ok, it’s not really called that, but hey, a man’s got to dream. For those of you that play Halo 3, this will be some rather cool news. And even if you don’t, it’s kind of a crazy step forward in terms of console conline communities go, that you can look forward to seeing in your favorite games down the road.

Bungie is adding a feature on their site in the near future that will allow Halo 3 players to upload their saved film files and then render them into WMV files. That’s right, you don’t need a capture card any longer to share your video clips with the Web.

Continue reading Bungie Introduces “BuTube”

MOD Squad Weekend on Steam

Got Steam? Like MODs?

Well, this is your lucky weekend, because Valve is making a new effort to push community-created MODs. To show their undying love to you, the gamers, they are releasing, free of charge, 5 new Source MODs for anyone that already has a Half-Life 2 property installed on their computer. Also, you can grab HL2: Episode 1 for just $4.99.

All in all, the MODs look pretty great. I’m particularly interested in Age of Chivalry and Zombie Panic. There’s also Synergy, which allows friends to play through HL2 co-operatively. What are you waiting for? Go get your free games!

Source (no pun intended)- Steam

EA Cancels Tiberium, Comment Fight Ensues

Nothing like a good old fashioned blog war. In case you hadn’t heard, EA has canceled Tiberium, the sci-fi RTS/FPS that had you playing as generic space marines fighting some generic bad guys. Wait, why was this canceled again? I think there’s a market for that.

Anywho, what’s even crazier than this game getting canceled is the comment fight that erupted at Gamasutra, where several disgruntled developers have weighed in on what the real development problems were with the game, naming names and crucifying producers and execs.

Continue reading EA Cancels Tiberium, Comment Fight Ensues

CoD: World at War Co-Op Gameplay

Until recently, I mostly ignored any news about Call of Duty: World at War because the game 1) was back in WW2 and 2) wasn’t made by the same dudes that made CoD4, which is just incredible. However, I’ve started to pay more attention.

One thing that really interests me is the game’s co-op, which actually scales in difficulty depending on the skill levels of the players involved. This sounds like a total blast to me, and some new co-op gameplay footage is now out that really got me wanting this game. In this video featuring a street level, the rain effects are dazzling, and when the tank takes the building down, it just looks awesome.

Thoughts?

Rumor: Call of Duty 5 Perks?

For anyone that played Call of Duty 4’s excellent online multiplayer, you know the benefits, the joys and the struggles that come with the perk system. Do you get stopping power or Juggernaught? It’s those kinds of decisions and little abilities that made the game fun, though the martyr grenade always drove me up a wall.

Well, according to PlayStation Universe, they have a leaked list of Call of Duty: World at War perks, ready for you to look at, oggle, judge, and gasp at. I’m not sure where they got this list, and they don’t seem to be able to name their source, but nonetheless, it’s worth a look.

I’m actually really curious about the vehicle ones…

Continue reading Rumor: Call of Duty 5 Perks?

Got this PC? Left 4 Dead System Requirements

I used to try in vein to keep my PC up-to-date, but as those of you who are into this have already surmised, it is an expensive bit of business. Luckily, I play most games on consoles these days, though the dreaded Diablo III looms in the nether-distance in some far-off-but-maybe-close future.

For those of you dying to play Left 4 Dead on your PC in November, Valve has finally released the Left 4 Dead system requirements. Give it a browse and see if your specs match up.

Continue reading Got this PC? Left 4 Dead System Requirements

Need Your Resistance 2 Fix?

While I have yet to play the first Resistance game (I know, I know), what I’ve seen of the second one looks like a good time. After watching the multiplayer at PAX and seeing clips from E3 that showed off campaign mode, I’m getting more and more excited for the game.

For those of you, who, like me, go nuts over any bit of the news you see regarding your most desired games, I thought I’d post a link to 10 Resistance 2 videos released by Sony and Insomniac. It even includes the first footage of the co-op mode, which looks great. This game is dropping on November 4. Is anyone else looking forward to it?

Source- Joystiq

Halo 3 Machinima: Without Providence

Here is a Halo 3 machinima short from TheDuoGroup, who I happen to be a fan of. They also created a Metal Gear Solid animated short which circulated around the Internet a few months back, and I was very impressed by it.

This new piece is short and simple, but has some very clever visual elements that you don’t often see in Halo machinima, or any machinima at all, really. Great use of some animated elements, and it features a song by Beck, so you know it’s gotta be good.

First Person Zombies in Left 4 Dead

To me, one of the cool aspects that hasn’t been talked about in Left 4 Dead is the “Director”, an AI system that creates encounters for you as the game goes, meaning no 2 single-player (or co-op) playthroughs might be the same.

In versus mode, this changes. You play as a zombie, which makes you the “Director”, designing the campaign experience for your friends, in a sense.  You can even call other zombies to your aid to battle your human foes. A new video interview has appeared on the webz, highlighting some of these features.

Come Get Some Duke Nukem

No, not the vaporware Duke Nukem. I’m talking about the flesh-and-bone older brother, Duke Nukem 3D, which is coming to XBox Live Arcade later this month. A new trailer hit earlier this week, and man, I’m actually really pumped for the release.

I remember playing this thing on the N64 with my brother, and we would just do the deathmatch stuff with our friends all day long. Not to mention that this new version comes packed with 8 player multiplayer over XBL, but also the ability to save and share clips and even rewind it when you die, a la Prince of Persia. This is going to rule. Now if only they could get Goldeneye on XBLA…

Portal Begins

A new Half Life 2 mod is underway called Portal:Prelude, which is exactly what it sounds like. The huge mod (19 test chambers and 400 lines of dialogue) is a fan-made prequel to last year’s beloved Portal, and will be completely free to download. 

The project seems ambitious and terribly impressive. They’ve even been contacted by Valve, which is more than some of us who work with the Source engine can say… If you’ve played Portal, I’m sure you’ll be interested in this.

Source- Kotaku via Portal:Prelude

Halo Haters: 5 Things Under Appreciated About Halo

Halo is this weird kind of dividing line within the gaming community. On one hand, it’s overrated by the throngs of people who go crazy over it and swear that it could perhaps be the greatest FPS on any platform, PC or otherwise, EVER. On the other hand, there are people that just don’t seem to “get” Halo and what makes it fun, and in fact, would rather hate the game just to hate it, regardless.

For some reason, there are many hardcore gamers that have never been able to embrace the franchise or its signature character, Master Chief. Either they are blinded by the fanboy ravings, their own fanboy prejudices, or they’ve never give the game the time of day. So I thought I’d put together a little list to take a look at what makes Halo unique.

Continue reading Halo Haters: 5 Things Under Appreciated About Halo

Dark Knight Plus TF2 is Awesome

As the title indicates, there are some things that are absolutely stupendous when throw together, much like eggs and bacon. Recently, the TF2 death icon generator was released to the public, and already an Internet gem has risen from its depths.

Over at Ubercharged, someone has thrown together The Dark Knight retold as a string of TF2 kills. It’s really humorous if you’ve seen the movie, but beware of spoilers!

Personally, I loved The Dark Knight, so it’s neat to see all the little fan spoofs that keep popping up.

Source- Ubercharged