Fuzion Frenzy 2 official website

The web site for awaited Fuzion Frenzy 2 has now come to life. On it you can view the previews via game play videos. Screen shots for all you fan boys out there. A chance to learn the story/features you also get downloadable wallpapers too. Then the best for last you can download a Fansite Kit. Not going to tell you whats in it but its a surprise

Just in case you don't know

Fuzion Frenzy 2 is the sequel to Fuzion Frenzy (of course)
Is a game made up of +40 mini games made into a game.Variety is guaranteed with sports challenges and battles. This is the title to mark down on your list.

http://www.microsoft.com/games/fuzionfrenzy2/

Happy New Year everyone!

Santa in Lego starwars

LucasArts has told us that we to can unlock Santa in Lego Star wars. Using this code


Step 1: At the Mos Eisley Cantina, enter the following two codes:

CL4U5H (for Santa hat and red clothes)

TYH319 (for white beard Extra)

Step 2: Go to the Character Customizer and create the proper costume. Use a human head, the appropriate red clothing...and don't forget the red cap! Santa can wield the weapon of your choice -- we recommend the green or red lightsaber to seasonally complement his shiny red duds. (Remember, the color of his lightsaber decides whether his Force powers are naughty or nice.)

Step 3: In the Extras menu, activate Disguise 3.

Step 4: Enter the character-based level of your choice in Free Play.

Step 5: Spread holiday cheer to a galaxy in pieces.







Better be good. Ho Ho die

Xbox360 2006 - A Retrospective Look

IGN360 has just posted an exhaustive look at the past year. It's a brilliant read and covers pretty much everything: the state of the platform; the games; the big news; hot game tips; events of '06; and even a glimpse at what's coming in 2007. What do you think of what was said, fair? How do you think 2006 went for the Xbox360? Could it have done with more big releases at the end of the year? Sounds of your thoughts in the comments.

Great looking 360 screen to make yours portable!

This looks like a great product, yeah there have been a few other screens, but few have been widely available and this cheap. If you have the desire to take your 360 to places it's never been before (in which case you're very twisted...) or are just interested into how this thing works or what the spec is, then read on...

From Engadget: Ever since Sony's PSone popularized the concept of game consoles with an LCD screen on top, third party manufacturers have rushed to produce copy-cat devices for each and every console under the sun. The Xbox 360 is no exception to this rule, with JoyTech bagging the prize for being the first to make the Xbox 360 "portable", and our crafty in-house modder Ben Heckendorn undeniably creating the most effective solution with the Xbox 360 laptop. If you drew a line between these former efforts, MojoPlay's 9.2-inch, 800 x 640, MP-920XB Gaming LCD would be somewhere in the middle: it beats the JoyTech in the style and price departments, and even though the Xbox 360 laptop looks way cooler in comparison, the fact that more than one MP-920XB exists makes the decision moot. Don't worry about the problem of cooling either, because MojoPlay has seen fit to make the casing just wide enough so that it doesn't cover the cooling vents on the side of the console. MojoPlay's website says the MP-920XB should be coming soon (i.e. sometime next year) and sites are reporting that it should sell at $170. We'll leave you to go count your pennies.

Click on the top image for the high res image of this product. What're your thoughts, does it look good, tempted, or is the 360 just too big to hunk around?

'darkSector' Preview

darkSector, one of the very first games to be showcased as a high definition game for the xbox360. The initial trailer (right click, save as 65mb) showed fantastic visuals with an art style similar the that of the unreal series. The trailer showed a nice blend of sci fi, stealth, and bad ass action. But then all went quiet, and nothing was heard until recently, when they released another, also very good looking, trailer (right click, save as 5mb). However, something was wrong, it wasn't the same game it was, it looked completely different, the protagonist has remains roughly the same, but his surroundings were a far cry from what was shown in the original trailer - space. This trailer didn't get me as excited as the first had done, it didn't have that, 'whoa that's pretty cool' element to it, and people dismissed it as a game gone bad, but i thought that perhaps the trailer was just showing a different location in the game, which would be fine with me, as long as i get to play that awesome space station. There hasn't been much revealed about darkSector, other than these two trailers, until now that is...
Gamespy have a preview of the game. It gives you details of the plot line, although not too many at this point; a good description of what is 'essentially a discus, shuriken, and boomerang all in one' - the protagonist's main weapon; they talk up how visually impressive the game is; and finally, their doubts on the storyline, what with their last effort and all...Pariah.
It's a good read, and has piqued my interest in the game. However I'm still unsure whether i like the new art style. I preferred the original art style, how about you guys?

Extra Oblivion Content - Now Free!

Mehrune's Razor, a downloadable add on providing players with one of the 'most challenging dungeons in the whole of cyrodill'. When was first released it came in at 250 Microsoft Points, but now, it's free! Take a little look at the newly implemented sidebar showing the latest content available on Xbox Live Marketplace, and you'll see it listed right up there with more of the latest content such as the very late to arrive Pro Evolution Soccer 6 Demo, which I've just checked, weighs in at a hefty 1.31 gigabytes!

All Xbox360 Warranties Extended, Gamers Rejoice

That's right, and they rejoiced hard!
Well, ok, not so much rejoiced, more...gained peace of mind, that if ever they're 360 broke, even if they bought it 364 days ago, it would still be under warranty.
Microsoft has officially announced that as of today, the measly 90 day warranty of the 360 (US and Canada only boo!) has been extended to a full year, and that the warranty is retroactive also, meaning anyone who was forced to pay to have their 360 replaced after the then-90-day-warranty-period, will be fully reimbursed, with no action needed, cheques will be distributed automatically within 10 days.

This is a nice move by Microsoft, it will gain stronger brand loyalty with those who have already bought a 360 and who've been burned by the relatively weak warranty originally provided. Something which will be especially important to them as both the Wii and PS3 become more widely available at retail.

Crackdown Demo - Jan 18th

The much hyped 'Crackdown' is going to have its very own demo be released on Marketplace shortly after new year. January 18th to be specific.
It's a single player demo for starters, but wait, there's more, it has included, the highly anticipated Co Op modes for you all to try out. Mark your calenders, this is shaping up to be both a very important title for Microsoft, and also, a very decent demo for you guys.
Full game will be available at retail Feb. 20th.

Pro Evolution: My Addiction.

Ah Pro Evolution Soccer, where do I begin?

The first soccer game I ever played, that’d be a good start…

International Superstar Soccer64, possibly the most fun I’ve ever had with a football game. Naturally, being the ancestor of the Pro Evolution series (albeit not directly), it played like a dream. Although not the most realistic game in the world, it was brilliant fun to play, the thing i most fondly remember about it was how you could to a large extent control your shots after they’ve left the boot of the player, adding curl to the left or right and whatnot, providing for some amazing goals. As the N64 was phased out by newer consoles, I moved away from football games and leaned in the direction of shooters, as there were no real compelling football games, with the likes of Halo and Splinter Cell being my new series of choice. I had the odd Fifa of course, for those occasional games if friends were over, but I never got stuck into it, it just didn’t compare to ISS64.

That was until Pro Evo 4 was handed my way a few days before it hit the shelves by a well connected friend of mine. I popped it in the Xbox and was away…started a match, as England of course, it felt a bit better than Fifa but nothing too noticeable yet (how uneducated I was…), I got to the edge of the box boom, the ball goes flying over the bar…huh, that isn’t meant to happen, I check the controls and what’s this?? Shoot is X? X!? Bah, this’ll take some getting used to…so I play a few more games, the passing game is slick and really feels like football (on the path to enlightenment…), but when it came to shooting, even with the newfound knowledge that the shoot button is opposite to Fifa, I still couldn’t score. Then it came.

I have Rooney running ahead of me, making a run past a defender, I shoot a lofted through ball his way, the defender falls over in an attempt to head it clear (nice touch I think to myself), I power up the shot meter all the way in an act of frustration, expecting the ball to fly over the cross bar, but no, it didn’t, it rocketed onto the roof of the net. After picking up my jaw from the floor, I looked at the replay to see just how that happened, and I saw that it was down to the timing (timing! I was enlightened!), and from that moment on, my love for football games was reignited!

The Pro Evolution series is almost certainly the most played game series in my collection, and although this latest effort on the 360 doesn’t quite cut it in my eyes, with features being cut much alike Fifa’s latest effort, it still remains my go-to game, even with Gears of War on my shelf.

It’s the sheer depth of Pro Evolution Soccer which keeps me coming back for more, there are so many variables and different ways you can play in the game, and any subtle change you make in the team formation or attacking styles, can affect the game you play on the pitch in a big way. This is possibly what makes the Master League, the real meat of the game, so addictive. Yes you can play through the Master League just playing the games, but that’s not what it was designed for, you’re simply playing it, not experiencing it. I find that I’m forever making slight changes throughout the seasons striving for the perfect balance between attack and defence, wing and central play. It’s pure football enthusiast bliss. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up this addiction, Pro Evolution, my one and only addiction.

My Halo 3 TV Spot Remix, Simple As.

So i've been dabbling in video editing recently and have found it really enjoyable. So i jumped at the chance to do a remix of the Halo 3 TV spot, when the gauntlet was lay down by non other than xbox360fanboy. I really enjoyed crafting (too strong?) this finished product, destroyed by YouTube's crappy (read: streamable) video quality. The music it is set to is Requiem of a dream, the song which shot into my head as a perfect fit for the action sequence in the commercial. Enjoy, i enjoyed making it : )

Here is a link to Requiem for a Dream, it was requested by SRUPhil on youtube for a project he is doing, a worthy cause i thought. Here we go Phil. Requiem for a Dream

UPDATE: Apologies, it seems as though the song linked was in fact the slower version of the song, without the rocking percussion of the one used in the youtube video. So, here is the faster one, let's call it the Requiem for a Dream Remix

Now Europe Has A Chance At Halo 3.

I'm reposting this from 360fanboy:

"Fear not European Halo 3 fans of the world, we've got the dirt on how you can go about getting access to some Halo 3 beta loving thing Spring. IGN got word that the first round of beta sign-ups will be through 33 official European Xbox community websites, where each has roughly 100 betas to giveaway in various contests. Sign-ups for the contests are at each community site and is expected to last until January then winners will be notified shortly after. Remember, this is only for European fanboys who want to sign-up for the Halo 3 beta."

There you have a heads-up to all my Euro friends out there, hope you get a chance to sign up! I'll see you guys on "Pimps At Sea" in a few months... Jayman007 out.

PS. Don't miss the Halo 3/GoW video mash up along with some some Hi-Res screen shots from the Halo 3 commercial. At: Adidat.

(Via: 360fanboy)

Small Arms Review

When I first saw that YouTube video that was leaked onto the intertubes months ago, I thought, ‘Wow, I gots to get me some of that!’, and from that day on I was clinging on to hope that A) this would topple Geometry Wars as my most played Arcade game, and B) it would give me the Smash Bros. Melee style gaming I’ve been craving for ever since I got my 360 way back when. I’m thrilled to say both of those came true. Read on for the full review.

Obviously comparisons are going to be drawn from Small Arms and Super Smash Bros. Melee, but throughout this review I will bring in Smash Bros. when it’s crucially important.

The first thing which will strike you when you load up Small Arms is the graphics, the opening sequence really hits you, with a highly detailed character, explosions, the works, they look fantastic. For an Arcade game too, it’s all the more impressive, add to this the fact it’s a tiny download and you’ll be pondering how they fit something this good looking into a 50mb package. Throughout both the single player missions and the multiplayer arenas, you’ll be impressed by the art style and how detailed the environments and weapon effects are.

New to Small Arms, you don’t know how it plays? I hear ya.

This is a pure combat game, no story, nothing like that; this is all about the gameplay. Amazing gameplay at that, but more on that later. The combat takes place on a 2D arena, full of different platforms, holes, trapdoors, lifts and gas chambers. Along with the mandatory weapon and health pickups, it’s feature packed and ready to go. The aim of the game is to take down your opponent before he takes you down. Simple really, however, add to all the previously mentioned hazards and multiple opponents and we see things start to get hectic.

The scoring system is simple too, you get a point for taking down an opponent, and you lose a point for suicides (either falling off the side of the level or into a pit, or accidentally hitting the wall next to you with one of those Molotov Cocktails). That’s it, you don’t lose a point for being taken down, which was a good move because it adds to the mayhem by eliciting a ‘what’ve I got to lose’ attitude while playing the game.

If I have made it sound complicated, trust me when I say it isn’t. The controls are very intuitive, they take 5 minutes to get to grips with, and about half an hour to really get good at. That’s pick up and play if you ask me. Every weapon in the game has a primary and alternate fire functions, the latter usually being more powerful and more of a drain on the weapon’s ammo. When you’ve run out of ammo for that weapon, you’d better get looking for another weapon or an ammo pickup as melee (X) is generally ineffective. The primary and alternate fire are designated to the right and left triggers respectively. Movement is with the left analogue stick and aiming with the right. You’re prepped, soldier (read: chicken with flamethrower), get to it!

There are 8 levels in Small Arms, which each varying from the next often in dramatic ways. Last time I checked a ‘Moonbase’, ‘Tornado’ and fast moving ‘Train’ were pretty different from one another. Each level offers lots of variety within them; I’ve found that there are more than a few choke points in most. I’ll give you an example of two of the more diverse levels.

‘Waterfall’ is visually a treat, the water effects are very well done in that you appreciate the background waterfall, yet it doesn’t distract you from playing. There are several different platforms on this level with a large log in the middle which partially obstructs your vision your character; this leads to some exciting blind fire conflict in the middle with many an outcry from the loser of the feud.

‘Train’ is a dynamic level, the camera is constantly tracking across the train, so you are forced to run and gun. This can be fun, but I often found it frustrating and unfair when playing against AI. You have a few seconds after the screen leaves view of your character to get back into the picture before you die. There are often pits you can fall down on the ‘Train’ which can be difficult to get out of, and when you have no view of your character, it’s nigh-on impossible to get out, yet the AI manages perfectly, every time.

There are several characters in Small Arms, 12 to be exact. Each has their own specific starting weapon. Visually, all the characters ooze personality and each are in stark contrast to one another. As for how they play, other than their starting weapon, there isn’t much to differentiate them.

The AI is fun to play against; the mission mode is fairly lengthy, considering you’ll be wanted to go through multiple times to unlock everything. The mission mode consists of battles of increasing difficulty, be it due that they are harder to take down or that there’s more of them, providing a decent challenge.

But playing against your friends is where it’s really at. I have to confess I haven’t played online all that much, I’ve preferred to play against friends who’re sitting next to me on the couch (plus there’s always bots to fill the numbers), and there has been many a final duel between me and a friend along the lines of ‘kill one more and I’ve won!’ which has provided for some great multiplayer moments I haven’t experience since Smash Bros. Melee. Gutted there’s no Pikachu in Small Arms huh? Okay then, just me.

The game is an absolute blast in multiplayer, single player is solid also, as there are unlockables to keep you coming back for more. But this is no perfect game, there are some niggling little things which annoy me, no matter which character you choose, you can pick up any of the randomly spawning weapons, and those goes for your opponents too. This nullifies the point of having all those different characters and their individual starting weapons.

On a more personal note, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute I’ve played Small Arms, it’s a perfect complement to any get together of friends, and I’m avidly waiting getting the full four of my buddies (wait, I have more than four buddies, that’s the player limit…oh never mind…) to see who is the king of Small Arms. In terms of characters I’ve yet to find my Pikachu, but I’m working on it! My favourite level is the ‘Sewer’ as you can trap someone in a gas chamber as they selfishly go for that luring weapon pickup. Excellent level design, fantastic and tight gameplay, and the best Multiplayer of any Xbox Live Arcade title hands down.

Highly Recommended.

Whoo, Bring It On Sucker!

This. My. Kind. Of. Shit. Hell yeah! I've not has this much FUN watching ending credits for a game since, well, ever.

Private Augustus Cole, the legend to be, has pole-vaulted above the chief as my favourite video game character. Which, in it's own right, is an impressive feat, if you're familiar with my halo fanboyishness.
When i first heard the 'Cole Train' screaming out his hilarious one liners from the bottom of the stairs in Gears of War, i instantly thought, "it's Terry Tate!", which i later found out to be a good call. For those of you not familiar with him, i'll embed a few episodes after the break, don't worry, they're not too long. I love the Terry Tate videos, and still show them to the 'uneducated' to this very day. So i was overjoyed to hear the familiar voice of Lester Speight, the voice and actor behind Terry Tate and the Cole Train. Throughout the game i laughed out loud, along with my buddy playing split screen co op with me, at mostly all the one liners Cole had. And then i get this treat (embedded after the break) after completing the game, wow, thanks epic, it made my evening, and the evening after, and i think even the one after that. I've read many comments, and i think this humour is possibly an acquired taste, but i freaking love it, enjoy!


Gears of War Ending Credits, The Cole Train Way...


Terry Tate, Office Linebacker


Terry Tate, OSPN



For All Your Tech News, Visit Adidat

Halo Frickin' 3 Beta Test!!!!

Bungie released some BIG news today regarding two little games called Halo 2 and Halo 3.

First Halo 2: New multiplayer maps! They didn't say how many were to be released nor a price but, one thing they (Bungie) were very clear on is that have to have a Xbox 360 to get these maps. Right about now I can think of at least two people that will hate this bit of news so sorry guys but this wasn't up to Bungie, this was Microsoft's call and although sketchy, maybe by using just the 360 they will look a lot better...? Here's the quote right from Bungie:

"That last point is probably going to rub some of you the wrong way. And frankly, we can’t really blame you for potentially being a little upset at this news. We’re really excited that these maps are coming together and we have the opportunity to give our fans some new content over two years after the game shipped but ultimately, when it comes to pricing and timing and distribution and exclusivity, it’s not up to Bungie. We make games and in this case we’re making maps. Microsoft Game Studios is our publisher and they have the final call on the when/where/how part of the equation."

Next Halo 3: The biggest bomb to drop (This morning at 2am) was the fact that Bungie will be having a public beta test for Halo 3's multiplayer!!! This beta test will be free and will be open to anyone with a Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. I know, I know, all of this is horrible news if you're still clutching on to that ol' black box but, it's Halo frickin' 3! You're gonna have to buy a 360 to play Halo 3 anyway, so to be able to play the Halo 3 beta months before the game is released has gotta be worth something...Right?

(From IGN)

Bungie tested Halo 2 with a much ballyhooed Microsoft internal beta program. Many of the suggestions for tweaks and adjustments to Halo 2 multiplayer came from more than a thousand MS employees trying out Halo 2 on a set of private servers. For Halo 3, Bungie is expanding its testing circle significantly. Next spring, Bungie opens the Halo 3 multiplayer beta to Xbox 360 gamers, allowing fans to try out an unspecified number of maps and game modes and to help Bungie make the strongest online game possible.

"The Halo Nation has a nearly insatiable desire," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft Corp. "We hope a taste of advance Halo 3 gameplay satisfies some of their appetite as we count down to the game's launch later in 2007."

The last bit of news is that there will be a new Halo 3 trailer shown December 4th during Monday Night Football, and apparently will show a, "...unique compelling look at Master Chief and the world of Halo 3." Whatever that means... It's a Halo 3 trailer! Of course it's going to be compelling... Well, that all the Halo 3 news for today, keep checking back for all the latest info.

(Via: Bungie)

(Via: IGN)

For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech

EGM Halo 3 Summary.

My last Halo 3 post consisted mostly of speculation, based on scans from a Swedish magazine called Level. This Halo 3 post however, consists of a summary of the info in the new EGM scheduled to hit news stands very soon. The summary comes courtesy of Velez of the halo.bungie.org forums, who managed to score a very early copy of EGM at his local Quickmart.

Below are individual paragraphs (in italics) from the summary Velez so kindly posted, followed by my thoughts and, interpretations if you will. I can safely say, everything i read of the summary only fueled my anticipation for the final game in this epic trilogy...Enjoy.

The New Needler:
IT IS NO LONGER DUAL-WIELDABLE!!! Not much is explained but they do say that it is going to be made more powerful, balanced, and "usable".

I've spoken with some other long time Halo players about this and a couple of thoughts were thrown about, one of them being the possibility that it will inflict more damage per individual needle, as opposed to making a weapon with a faster rate of fire, or not, what do you think? Or perhaps, it may get an increased capacity clip, who knows?

The Brute Ghost:
The only details on the Brute Ghost were seen in the 20-second Single-Player Video (more on that later). It is summarized in the magazine as a "bulkier version of the classic hover bike" shown in the vid with a Brute climbing into it.

The Brute Ghost eh...Surely this won't differ from the normal Ghost purely on a cosmetic basis, no, that's not Bungie's style. Will it have a more substantial front gun, will it be slower accelerating, I'd hazard a guess so, but, no one can be sure until the final game ships, so what are your thoughts?

Single Player:
The guys at EGM got a 20-second video of the MC "tearing" around a huge industrial compound with gunfire coming from all types of Covenant crafts including a hulking wraith and "what looks to be a new Brute Ghost". There were "ships flying overhead, lasers everywhere, multiple enemies all around etc". Again, EGM rejects us much info on the stuff that no one else has...(More details to be revealed on Nov. 20 on the Mini-Site)

There's nothing to say on this as it's light on specifics, but, as always, sounds awesome.

SAVED FILMS:
One of the things I am most excited about is being able to record gameplay onto your hardrive or memory card. The best way to describe this is as an example: Late one night you go into matchmaking and have the best game of your life. You rack up 95% of your teams kills and attain little deaths. You were playing like a GOD. The problem is, none of yours friends were with you. Don't fear, as long as you chose to save the temporarily stored video of the match, you can share your glory! Start up a party and get all of your friends in it, then bring up your saved video and launch it! The video will automatically come up on everyone's screen and the host will be able to control play, pause, slow, rewind, etc. while everyone else can choose how they want to see it, be it First Person, Third Person, or from a "fly-it-yourself bird's eye view". All I can say about this is, WOW.

Okay, now read that again. This is perhaps the best 'new' feature to come out of the 17 page blow out. Just imagine the possibilities, Velez does a pretty great job of describing a real life application of this feature, but I'd like to add my own spin on it, which I'll do later as there are some more 'new features' I'd like to incorporate into it.

Game Settings:
No longer are certain things such as speed reserved for either one person. That's right you can give all special traits to everyone!!! And for even more fun, you can even give them to the leading/losing teams in a match! But along with the old traits come a line of new ones. My favorite is being able to make characters more visible, BY SETTING THEM ON FIRE!!! You can even turn down gravity to allow people to jump twice as high, and prevent certain people from picking up weapons. That was all that was specofied in the mag but they say there is more...

LAN Parties, that's the first thought that came into my mind when i pictured this feature playing out in my head. Often at LAN parties there is always a slightly weaker team, unless you're fantastically lucky with the teams. Usually, having unfair teams leads moving everyone around to different controllers and causing chaos every time a team change is in order. This will be a thing of the past when Halo 3 rocks your 360 thanks to these 'traits' which you can assign to an entire team. And if i have perceived the summary correctly, you can set it so when a team starts losing/winning, they receive a positive/negative trait respectively, creating a much fairer match, hopefully. Being able to change the gravity it just downright awesome.

Voting:
Have you ever been in a party and the host is putting a gametype that no-one wants to play? Well vote against it! This can allow people to override the host's power. Whatever happened to the good ol' x button?

This is common sense, and a natural progression of how Halo 2 works on Live, it's all the little things which build up remember.

Advertising Customs:
Now you can put your custom gametype or even your custom game lobby out there for everyone to see! This was Bungie's answer to custom matchmaking...

Again, another natural progression, this is brilliant news as it was often difficult getting a highly populated game of your custom gametype over Live as you has to rely on having enough friends being online, this will no longer be a problem.

Ranks:
Now you will have an actual "military" rank in Halo 3. This will be seperate from your matchmaking ranks and will include your overall stats, ranked, unranked, and even customs.

This is a nice little touch, i grew tired of the being assigned a number for how good i was, i prefer having a good ol' fashioned military rank to display how good i am. Am i alone on this or do you like the idea of Military ranks?

Ok Now More Info on the Older New Stuff:

The Brute Spiker:
I doesn't launch orange needle. It launches two foot superheated metal spike which resmble orange needles.

The Spike Grenade:
This thing latches onto ANYTHING. Covered with spikes, it will kill a Spartan if it you hit one on the head with it, but will stay embedded into it until it explodes: The explosions send out a conical volley of spikes, conical being so that if you are in a certain blind spot near the grenade, you won't be damaged.

Spartan Laser:
Can penetrate through multiple targets...

Grenades in General:
You can now only carry two of each...thats wack...

Man-Cannons:
Yes you can drive anything into these "cannons" but heavier things, such as the Warthog, won't go nearly as far...

Ok the Spiker now sounds a whole lot meatier, amiright?

I love how the Spike grenade latches onto anything and everything, as for only being able to hold 2 of each grenades, that's pretty lame, but i would imagine that's a balancing choice opposed to a design choice. Although, with all these variables you can tweak in multiplayer, i don't see why the 'infinite grenade' toggle can't make a welcome return, gotta love abusing them grenades.

No doubt they'll be an achievement for spearing more than one enemy with the Spartan Laser on Live play.

Man Cannon? Futuristic catapult? Yes please!

Earlier today i watched the latest 1UP show, and in it, they said that it's possible for someone to launch themselves in the Man Cannon, and then land and board on a speeding ghost! And this has happened in testing. Banshee's being boarded mid flight hasn't happened yet, however, sounds like a challenge to me!

The Halo 3 Gameplay Scenario:

Imagine if you will...

You're playing Halo 3, with your buddies, it's the 'OMG IVEGOT HALO THREE LETS HAVE A LANPARTAY!!' you've been dreaming of (as if anything else...). You boot up the new map, Valhalla, you create a custom game type, Team Spartan Lasers, to try out the new anti-vehicle deathbringer, you play a couple of games. It's great, it's more than great, it's fan-fucking-tastic, but one team is destroying the opposition, someone whines that the teams need changing (there's always one), 'oh no no' you say, 'no need for team changes anymore', so, you make the stronger team on fire so they're more visibible from across the map, and the weaker team invisible, it works a treat, you have several games which are as nail bitingly close as the last, before you decide to end the competitiveness and try out the Man Cannon. You start by all flinging yourselves off it, seeing who can go the furthest, then you try and land on Ghosts, Warthogs, Mongooses, by boarding them. Then, a few second before the round ends someone nails a Banshee boarding hundreds of feet in the air (you have reduced the gravity after all) to great applause by the rest of the room. “save that!” someone shouts out, so you do, with the new 'saved films' function, to watch another day. Then, it's pizza, followed by some more, you guessed it, Halo 3...

Phew, well, that does it for this exhaustive run down of just some of the new features you can expect from your no doubt most anticipated title of 2007! Hope you enjoyed it, and if you have any speculation of your own, let us know. I for one would love to hear other peoples 'Gameplay Scenarios'.

DannyOB out.

The Gears of War Review.

Buy.This.Game.
Period.

If you don't have a 360 well, buy one. Don't have Xbox Live? Buy it. Don't have an HDTV, you don't need one, this game looks amazing HD or not. The big question everyone keeps asking is, "Does Gears live up to the hype?" Well, I think I've answered that, yes Gears does. My store got Gears in on time (luckily) but, due to some confusion (On the retailers part) on when they were receiving the game and on top of that, shipping problems with major retailers some stores still don't have it. So due to my attaining a copy before some people, my Live account has been flooded with messages and voice chat requests. Most people asking how it is, but some jaded "friends" (Sorry UK!) have even sent me hate mail because they won't be getting Gears for "a while". Sorry, enough ranting...

This is the best looking game on any console to date, period. The graphics are amazing but that not why this game looks so good. The architecture and attention to detail in every, building, car, soldier, gun, water, lava, mine cart... yeah there's mine carts. But that's not all, the game sounds amazing too, Cliffy B. has been credited for spending tons of time wanting the guns to have just the right sound to them. The gun fire and explosions are crisp and not too over the top. (5.1 audio puts you right in the action) The controls couldn't be any tighter, and with really only 3 buttons that you need to use (Shoot, Reload, Cover) it couldn't get much simpler. Anyway, on to the review.

Single Player

The game starts off with our anti-hero's being freed from jail (for disobeying the Army to go save his father), to rejoin the fight against the Locust Horde in the 11th hour. Single player takes off with a bang and doesn't ever stop, every level, every scene is jam packed with suspense and action, a "Tactical shooter meets horror movie" as Cliffy puts it. The environments are varied and there is no repetition a la Halo (and most shooters to be fair) so you don't get that sense of didn't I do this already? You fight from the streets, houses, factories, back alleys, underground, and even on frigin' mine carts! Rain or shine, light or dark, this game has all the environments and it does them superb. The one grip I have with single player is the story, they never tell you anything. I learned more about the story from the manual that came with the game then I did playing it! Setting up for a sequel is one thing, but at this rate they better be making 10 games. But once you chew through the seemingly short single player, you're ready to move on to the meat of Gears:

Multiplayer

This is where you will "lose" countless hours of your life. The fast paced 4 vs 4 team multiplayer action is what Gears was made for. Gears proves that tons of options, configurations, and players aren't needed to make the most awesome multiplayer experience ever. There are only 3 game types in Gears:

1. Warzone - Basic team death match, no re-spawns, last man standing (and his team) win.
2. Assassination - Each team has a leader, and your object is to kill the other teams leader.
3. Execution - (From the manual) This game type is similar to Warzone, but instead of dying after you have been knocked down... (From me) ... You have to finish off your opponent with a classic "curb stomp" or the ol' chain saw!

Execution is by far my favorite game type, it inspires more teamwork and cooperation, not to mention sometimes a second chance. It also leads to my favorite quote from Gears lead man Cliffy B. :

"I was getting tagged by this guy, he had me down and was coming over to stomp me, and my buddy came in around the corner like, 'Here comes the cavalry' and knocked him down. My buddy intentionally didn't kill the guy, because he knew he was no longer a threat at that moment. He knew the more important thing was to resurrect me before I bled out.So he resurrected me, but not only that, he was a gentleman and allowed me to go over and stomp the guy who had knocked me down, as this kinda nice revenge. Right then, I literally was like, F*** you! as I stepped on his head. It felt so good."

As you can tell Cliffy's got a way with words... Now reviving your teammate for revenge, that's teamwork. Another huge bonus is you accually start with (arguably) the best weapon in the game, the Lancer (AKA Chainsaw Gun!). Unlike Halo, where you get a single SMG to start, in Gears off the bat you're ready to kick some ass. The only grip I do have with multiplayer is you can't go with your friends into ranked matches, bummer. MS says this is to prevent cheating, but I feel I would rather deal with some guys trying to boost so that I can play with my buddies. It's tough seeing 15 friends of mine all online playing Gears, but I can't join 'em cause they're in ranked games, and who can blame 'em? That's where all the competion is. It's OK to play the unranked games for a while, but it's plagued with people that don't care. So they quit early, or don't play right, and run around like dumbasses, you know the type. This is a must fix for Gears to stand the long haul like Halo 2. Level design in multiplayer is fantastic as well, this game shipped with 10 great maps with more promised through the marketplace, if you've got Xbox Live this game is a must have. Get ready to kick some ass and chain saw your buddies (in unranked...) Gears of War, it will blow your sock off. I'm off for some more.

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PS3 Games Slipping Their Launch Window.

Oh a great punch in the gut to every Sony fanboy out there from every Wii60 fanboy out there, I love it. While two of these titles are craptacular (NBA Live and Sonic) Oblivion and F.E.A.R. both have more accolades than I can remember off the top of my head. This is a big loss to anyone getting a PS3 at launch, yeah all 3 of you. Don't worry you'll still have Resistance and well, um, ah, oh yeah! Riiiiidge Raaaaaacerrrrrr!

(Via: Joystiq)

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Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, (select), Start.

Well, today is a big day we've got Gears of War but if you're looking for a little old school retro action tomorrow Contra, the original co-op game, is being released for 400 MS points. The Konami Code (title) is unconfirmed but let hope it's in there, that game was hard enough to beat with the code!

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High Def Movies, TV Shows, Coming To 360

So it was bound to happen, right? Of course it was. As Michael McWhertor said, Microsoft rumours are always true! On Official Announcement today let the world know that Microsoft will in fact be releasing movies over Xbox Live Marketplace, in High Definition at that! (well, most of them.)
After the jump is the press release, detailing the, erm, details, but also giving you a glimpse of the movies you'll be able to download come this November 22nd!
But before all that, there is one thing i know you're dying to know... "yes 360insight, High Def movies, that's amazing, no really, it is, but we've only got measly 20gig hard drives!!"
I hear you're cries, so i bring you this, good news on the hard drive front! There was an Xbox Live event tonight, and a quick snapper took a picture of a particularly interesting image on a screen not so far away from him(click to enlarge):


Thanks to Gizmodo for that.


Now, the press release, as promised:

On November 6, Microsoft Corp. announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of more than 1,000 hours of hit television shows and movies to Xbox 360™ consoles in the U.S. by the end of the year. Additionally, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and HD TV shows and movies to the customer via digital distribution over the Internet.

Beginning on its first anniversary, November 22, Xbox 360 will become the first gaming console in history to provide HD TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their own living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will be able to download full-length TV shows to own, and will be able to rent movies via download from the Xbox Live® network, the world leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content. This announcement also brings with it several additional firsts:

• For the first time, consumers will have an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console, including downloadable HD television programming and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360 consoles, whether they want to play games, play a movie on DVD, or watch a downloaded program in either standard or high definition.
• For the very first time CBS will offer high-definition download-to-own TV shows including CSI, Jericho, Numb3rs, and even remastered classic Star Trek episodes! Gamers can buy an episode and watch it as many times as they like.
• For the first time on any gaming platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from Race Rewind.
• Also for the first time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will make 50 of its most intense fights available for download as well as select episodes from the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

"This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it."

The initial lineup of TV shows and feature films available for download will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of what will be available before the end of the year include:

• Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force from The Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
• CSI, Survivor, and remastered episodes of classic Star Trek from CBS.
• Emmy and Peabody award-winning comedy South Park and Chappelle's Show from COMEDY CENTRAL.
• The Real World and Pimp My Ride from MTV.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
• Skyland and The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival from Nicktoons Network.
• Mission: Impossible III, Nacho Libre, and Jackass: The Movie from Paramount Pictures.
• Carpocalypse and Raising the Roofs from Spike TV.
• Race Rewind provided by NASCAR.COM.
• Select episodes of the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series and UFC: All Access from the UFC.
• Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
• The Matrix, Superman Returns, and Batman Forever from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Xbox 360 gamers can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace can be found at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.

What do you make of this announcement, good news, bad news?

Could they have done with having more movies, TV shows?

Is the hard drive big enough at somewhere over 70gigs?

Have your say in the comments.

PS. US only, something which has just been brought to my attention. You may now ignore the enthusiasm in this post...it is no more...for the time being.

Marketplace Content Bombardment

In addition to the Family Guy content previously posted, the Xbox Live Marketplace has been updated with lots of content for you to get your grubby little hands on. This directly from Major Nelson's Blog:

Saints Row: Industrial Map Pack

Name: Industrial Map Pack
Price: 80 Points
NOT Available in: Asia
Dash Details: This fast paced level takes place in an abandoned factory. Available for Gangster Brawl and Big Ass Chains.

Video: Jimmy Neutron (1-6)

Name: Jimmy Neutron Videos (1–6)
Price: 80 Points/each
Available in: Belguim and The Netherlands
Dash Details: Download this video.

Pictures: Terran 3020 Picture Pack

Name: Terran 3020 Picture Pack

Price: 80 Points
Available in: All Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: Sci Fi Gamer Pics of Terran 3020 by team DZN. “Captain Conway, Nomorian Alien Warrior, The Pilot, and Lieutenant Gunner.”

Trailer: Fifa 07 feat. The Sheer Trailer

The following content is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace:

Name: Fifa 07 feat. The Sheer Trailer
Price: Free
Available in: Belguim and The Netherlands
Dash Details: Download this trailer.

Theme: Medal of Honor Airborne

Name: Medal of Honor Airborne Theme
Price: 150 Points
Available in: All Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: A theme pack created with striking concept art featuring various Operations from Medal of Honor Airborne, the latest game in the acclaimed WWII First-Person Shooter franchise.

Pictures: Splinter Cell Double Agent

Name: Various ‘Splinter Cell Double Agent’ picture packs (see below)
Price: 60 Points/each
NOT Available in: Mexico and Asia
Dash Details: Varies

Sam Fisher Picture Pack 1
This first picture pack contains 5 gamer icons of Sam Fisher as a Double Agent.

Sam Fisher Picture Pack 2
The second picture pack containing five gamer icons of Sam Fisher as a Double Agent

Enrica Picture Pack
Contains five gamer icons of Splinter Cell's main female character, Enrica.

Multiplayer Picture Pack
Picture Pack of Splinter Cell's all new Multiplayer

Theme: Splinter Cell Double Agent

Name: Splinter Cell Double Agent Theme
Price: 150 Points
NOT Available in: Mexico or Asia
Dash Details: Customize the look of your marketplace with this Splinter Cell Double Agent theme.


Noted, some of that content is only available outside the US and UK, but who am i to deny my occasional reader from Belguim or Holland news about content only available in their country!?

Regardless of region, what do you make of this content, is it any good, better things which could have gone up? Have your say in the comments.

PS3 More Powerful? Get Outta Here!

Ever heard of the game Eternal Darkness? No, well click on it to follow through (please, no giggling) to a review of one of the best Gamecube games available, even now. And arguably, one of Silicon Knights' best games to date. What the hell has this got to do with the PS3 vs X360 debate i hear you ferociously call out, well, calm down, and let me tell you.

The head honcho over at Silicon Knights has revealed his informed opinion on which is the mostestest powerfulest super dooper next gen console, and it is...a dead heat!
Between the Wii and the 360...no, of course not, but in all seriousness...
Speaking to the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Knights president has this to say:

"The 360 and the PS3 are equal in power in my eyes," Dyack says. "Maybe the PS3 has more processing power. The 360 has more available memory. It's pretty much a net, net. The public perception of the PS3 was that it was much more powerful. To developers, they look even."

Now when i first heard this, i must admit, a little voice in the back of my head was gently whispering "Too Huuuumaaaan, he's biased...", BUT, much to my surprise, and the to shock to the little voice in the back of my head also, this is not a biased opinion. Silicon Knights is in fact developing for both the X360 and the PS3, of note is that the PS3 title is unannounced. And i'm positive no one, no less than the president, of Silicon Knights would like to piss of either Microsoft of Sony.

So there, Sony fanboys, stick that in your blunt and smoke it, yeah, i said blunt*.

For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech

*Apologies for Austin Powers reference.

Xbox Live Activity

Major Nelson, aka, Larry Hryb does this on a weekly basis. I don't always check this, but i did this week and found what i saw interested, so i thought i'd pass it on to you.

All lists are based on World Wide Unique Users on Xbox Live. These lists are based on title usage (while connected to Xbox Live.)

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles
1 Splinter Cell Double Agent
2 Call of Duty 2
3 Pro Evolution Soccer 6
4 Madden NFL 07
5 Ghost Recon 3
6 Saints Row
7 Tony Hawk's Project 8 Demo
8 Final Fantasy XI
9 Marvel Ultimate Alliance
10 Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 07

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
2 UNO
3 LUMINES LIVE!
4 Texas Hold 'em
5 Hexic HD
6 Geometry Wars Evolved
7 DOOM
8 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
9 Bankshot Billiards 2
10 PAC-MAN

Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Madden NFL 07
4 Counter-Strike
5 Rainbow Six 3 BA
6 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
7 Forza Motorsport
8 Splinter Cell-DA
9 Splinter Cell Chaos
10 Rainbow Six 3

If the Xbox 360 list and the Original Xbox list were combined, then Halo 2 would be the top Xbox Live title, followed by Xbox 360 titles.

Now i must repeat, in addition to the Major, that these are not multiplayer statistics, it's title usage, apart from the Original Xbox Titles.

Things i found interesting were that Pro Evolution Soccer 6 is on that list, even though it is only available in Europe. I think that considering it has managed to climb to an impressive number 3. And also, UNO, this game is doing much better than i personally had ever imagined it doing, but i doubt Microsoft would disagree with me when i say that no one could have predicted just how popular this would be. Just my two cents (that's the right phrase right?)

Well, I Guess Sony Is Stupid After All.

This is news to me about PS2 I mean PS3 online:

"This week, some of our deepest fears about Sony's online service were confirmed when Insomniac's Ted Price revealed in an interview that one of the biggest launch titles for the console, Resistance: Fall of Man, is set to use its own buddy list, clan registry, in-game messaging and chat services, and so on. While the game sounds like it has a very extensive and comprehensive range of online gaming options, and it runs on Sony's international network of servers to guarantee a high standard of network performance for online play, the simple fact is that the last hurdle Sony needed to jump has been missed, at least for the launch titles. The central buddy list doesn't integrate into the game; you'll need to add all your friends again to play against them in Resistance. The ball, in other words, has not so much been dropped; it has been hurled at the ground with alarming force..."

Sounds great! A different user name and friends list for every game! Awesome!

(Via: Gamesindustry)

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Best.Game.Ever

Oh boy, it's great to be the King...

(Via: 360 Fanboy)

For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech

Bad Ass Gears Multiplayer Footage.

Nothing like a little curb stomping and chainsawing... Six day and counting get your copy at midnight on Monday (In the States... Sorry ;-).

(Via: 360fanboy)

For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech

Halo 3 Scans breakdown

Ok. I've got an awful secret. I looked at the Halo 3 scans from the Swedish Magazine. Yes, I'm ashamed, but you looked at them as well, and you too. If there was a way for me to get hold of that magazine, then i would have, and paid for the privilege to do so. But there isn't a way, i don't have any contacts in Sweden, unfortunately.

So i bring you this, a post breaking down what was actually in those scans, with, gasp, smaller images cut from those scans so you know what on earth (yes, got the halo pun in) I'm talking about!

We'll start with the less obvious stuff, and probably less important also.

The Battle Rifle, in Halo 2 it was a terrific all round weapon, very effective in multiplayer.

I noticed in one of the scans that there was a Spartan quite obviously using a battle rifle, now i don't know about you, but from what i gathered from the E3 announcement, i had assumed (seems silly now, actually) that the battle rifle was not going to be making a return, apparently it is:

Next, I've read some talk about the “return of Zanzibar” which has made quite a stir, well, i can certainly see the resemblance in the pictures below, and frankly, they look beautiful, and to think this is without the bells and whistles which will be in the final game...

Oh yes, the Legendary Edition, i've seen much talk about what it's going to look like, what size it is going to be, and thus far, i've only managed to get this pic, its pretty poor, but i'm sure there will be a better picture up on somewhere official before christmas.

The Spiker, a new gun for the brutes. Now, you may, or you may not have picked up in the scans (those of you that have seen them) that these guns are in fact dual wieldable. And they each have 2 blades on the underside, BLADES BABY...sorry, but i love blades...anyhoo, here's the picture of them.(click to enlarge, as with all)

Penultimately, the Spartan Laser, a weapon which looks absolutely awesome. Similar to the fuel rod cannon in terms of size and how much it takes up of the screen. This weapon is said to be the go-to weapon for taking out vehicles, it 'tears vehicles apart'. If fires a red laser which looking at the scans, seems to go on for an infinite distance, but of course this will have to be tested and fully clarified once the full game hits...^_^

And finally, the mongoose, 'the mongoose!?' you say, ok, to put it another way, the ATV which was originally planned to be in halo 2, but unfortunately didn't fit in with the game play Bungie were aiming for, which is fair enough, as long as it makes it in the final build, I'm happy!

"Ha, screw you, you ain't getting this back"

And that's your lot, I'm done, I'm out of pictures. Hope you enjoyed the breakdown, nothing beats a good old fashioned bit of speculation about the next (gen) Halo game, am i right?!

On a final note i would like to say what you've just seen and read is entirely speculation and is not a definite to be in the final game, but, if Bungie does prove it to be true, after all nothing is confirmed unless Bungie confirms it, then i will be one VERY happy customer when Halo 3 hits next year.

Get Ready For Tech Tuesday.

Some of you know and some do not, beginning today (10-31-06) I (Jay) will be a host on a gaming/tech podcast every Tuesday. For those who don't know what a podcast is, it's basically a recorded radio show that you get from the Internet to listen to on your computer or portable media player (read: iPod... Get it "pod"cast). iTunes makes listening very easy as you can subscribe (for free) to any podcast you want to listen to, and every week, or day, or however often the show comes out, iTunes just downloads it for you. The show I'm on is called, All Games Interactive, and they have a great show that they do every weekday (live I might add) and they've asked me to be a part of it. The segment I will be doing is called, "Tech Tuesday" and every Tuesday I will have a segment in there show where I talk about the latest tech news, gadgets, and rumors. This weeks show is all about the Zune, Microsoft's attempt at de-throwning the iPod.

Just keep an eye on the blog for any updates, and please comment here if there is any tech that you would like me to cover in upcoming shows. If you want to listen to the show live (5:30 central time) go here: Link! If you would rather wait and get it on iTunes as a podcast go here: Link! But through iTunes, you'll get the show a day later... Also, I will be making a post every Tuesday when I do the show, I might even be able to post the show on my blog. Thanks for your support!

PS. If you would like to be part of the show, you can always join in through the chat client on the website. Link.

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X360 Fall Update.

From out of nowhere, comes the fall update for the Xbox 360's dashboard (read: interface). There is 85 "new" "upgrades" in the update so I am only going to cover major/cool ones. (Stuff in black font is ripped from Xbox.com...)

Software Info

Streaming Video - Previously, the Video area on the Media blade of the Xbox Dashboard only played back videos from your hard drive. No more! Stream video from a PC, portable device, or Memory Unit. So what does this mean to you? From day one of the box the 360 could always stream music and pictures from any computer (on your network) or any USB device connected to the 360. Previously, you could only watch videos if you had a Windows Media Center PC. Now videos work the same way as music and pictures; any computer or USB device will do the trick! The catch, only video encoded in WMV (Windows Media Video) or MPEG2 will play back. This is significant because these are the worst and least popular video formats. AVI and DivX are far more superior formats, but Microsoft says them won't support them (for now) because they are used mainly for "piracy" (true, but still...).


1080p - The highest in Hi Def, TV's that support 1080p are just starting to make it to the market. If you can afford one, the 360 will display your games and HD-DVD's (see below) in all 1080p Hi Def glory.


Xbox Live Arcade - Big improvements have been made here:

• The arcade games now load much, much faster (thank god).
  
• There is now an auto download feature so you Xbox will automatically download the trial versions of any new XBLA title.
  
• Now you can sort by "Recently Played" and by "Category".
  
• An achievement area just for XBLA titles, so you can look through just XBLA games.
• Check out the top ten leaderboards from your friends on any game.
• "Tell a Friend" send a message to a friend recommending a game... (Wins my vote for worst "feature")

XNA Express - Finally we come to XNA Game Studio Express, a way for all you budding game developers to create games for Xbox 360. You'll be able to access these games through the old Demos button, which has been relabeled, surprisingly enough, to Demos and More.

Random -

• Improved multiplayer host migration.
• Improved Xbox Live Vision support.
• Improved voice chat quality.
• Expanded Family Settings for unrated movies.
• New credit card validation (CCV) field in signup and purchase areas.

Accessories

Wireless Headset - Completely wire free, connects directly to the 360 via the same wireless protocol as the controllers. Headset has volume controls, mute, and four light to indicate what controller port you're sync'd to. Release date: October 31st. $60

HD-DVD Drive - Here's the HD DVD (roll your mouse over the pics) Drive for the X360, no it's not for games just for movies but hey that's ok. And for all the ppl whining that they're going to lose their USB port for the wireless adaptor, you won't; see the bottom screenshot with TWO USB ports and the section up top to hold the wireless adapter. So you actually gain a USB as a "bonus" with your HD DVD Drive. Release Date: November 7th. $200

Wireless Racing Wheel - The only racing wheel made by Microsoft. Completely wireless (not counting the wire from the wheel to the pedals) and will control any 360 racing game. It does also support force feedback but, for that it does have to be plugged in... Rumble, though, is supported wirelessly. Bonus: it uses the same batteries as the wireless controllers! Package includes PGR3 with an update for use with the wheel. Release Date: November 7th $150

Zune - Microsoft's dip into the iPod space. This is their music/photo/video player, you can wirelessly (Zune to Zune) transfer music and photo's, although music bought through the Zune Marketplace can only be listened to 3 times or for 3 days on the receivers Zune. Bonus: All your Zune content can be played on/through your 360! (but not wireless) and you can use Microsoft Points to buy songs (Same points you use to buy thing on the 360). Look for this to make a big splash until that fabled "True Video iPod" hits... Release Date: November 14th $250

(Via: Xbox.com)

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