September Game Releases

Some big titles coming out in the flood of games this month. Will they live up to the hype?
 

DS Titles
September 7
• 101 in 1 Sports Megamix
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold
• Dawn of Heroes
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

September 12
• Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

September 14
• Gormiti: The Lords of Nature
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragon's Quest
• Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Swamp

September 15
• House M.D.

September 18
• Horse Life Adventures

September 21
• Etriam Odyssey 3

September 28
• MySims SkyHeroes




PC Titles
September 7
• Aion: Assault on Balaurea
• R.U.S.E.
• The Sims 3 - Fast Lane Stuff

September 8
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent

September 10
• Recettear

September 13
• House M.D.

September 14
• Patrician IV

September 17
• Lionheart: Kings' Crusade

September 21
• Civilization V

September 22
• F1 2010

September 23
• Darksiders

September 28
• Battle vs. Chess
• Dead Rising 2
• FIFA 11
• Front Mission Evolved
• John Daly's ProStroke Golf
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
• SBK X: Superbike World Championship

September 30
• Final Fantasy XIV



PS2 Titles
September 14
• Cabela's North American Adventures
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragon's Quest
• Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Swamp

September 28
• Rapala Pro Bass Fishing 2010



PS3 Titles
September 1
• Alien Breed Impact

September 7
• EyePet
• H.A.W.X. 2
• Kung Fu Rider
• NHL 11
• R.U.S.E.
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
• Sports Champions
• Start the Party

September 14
• Cabela's North American Adventures
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragon's Quest
• Truth or Lies

September 15
• Flight Control HD

September 16
• Ferrari: The Race Experiment

September 19
• Brunswick Pro Bowling
• Playstation Move

September 21
• DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue
• F1 2010
• Racquet Sports

September 28
• Atelier Rorona: Alchemist of Arland
• Battle vs. Chess
• Dead Rising 2
• FIFA 11
• Front Mission Evolved
• Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
• MySims SkyHeroes
• Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2
• Quantum Theory
• Rapala Pro Brass Fishing 2010
• SBK X: Superbike World Championship
• Shaun White Skateboarding



PSP Titles
September 7
• Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
• UFC Undisputed 2010

September 14
• Cabela's North American Adventures
• Gladiator Begins
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragon's Quest

September 21
• Cladun: This Is an RPG

September 28
• Phantasy Star Portable 2
• Rapala Pro Bass Fishing 2010

September 30
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Predator




Wii Titles
September 7
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold
• NHL Slapshot
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

September 14
• Cabela's North American Adventures
• Gormiti: The Lords of Nature
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
• Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Swamp
• Swords
• Truth or Lies

September 18
• Horse Life Adventures

September 21
• Club Penguin Game Day!
• Family Party Fitness Fun
• Flip's Twisted World
• Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game
• New Carnival Games
• Zany Golf

September 27
• Samurai Warriors 3

September 28
• FIFA 11
• Greg Hastings Paintball 2
• Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
• MySims SkyHeroes
• Rapala Pro Brass Fishing 2010
• Shaun White Skateboarding




Xbox 360 Titles
September 7
• H.A.W.X. 2
• NHL 11
• R.U.S.E.
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

September 8
• Dance! It's your Stage
• Plants vs Zombies

September 14
• Cabela's North American Adventures
• Halo: Reach
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
• Truth or Lies

September 15
• Sonic Adventure

September 21
• F1 2010

September 22
• DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue
• Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

September 28
• Battle vs. Chess
• Dead Rising 2
• FIFA 11
• Front Mission Evolved
• Greg Hastings Paintball 2
• Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
• John Daly's ProStroke Golf
• MorphX
• MySims SkyHeroes
• Rapala Pro Brass Fishing 2010
• SBK X: Superbike World Championship
• Shaun White Skateboarding

September 29
• Hydrophobia

Xbox Live Price Increase Coming

Microsoft has announced that they will be increasing the cost for a year of Xbox Live from $50 to $60 come November 1st.

Microsoft claims this price increase is due to inflation, but the increase will only affect Canada, Mexico, the UK and the United States. It's probably also no coincidence that November is the month Microsoft's Kinect controller will be released for Xbox.

Of course, thrifty shoppers can usually find a cheaper year long membership card on various sites on the internets. Right now, Amazon is selling year long membership cards for just under $40.

Xbox Live Avatar Remake On Its Way!

It looks like Xbox Live Avatars will soon be getting a remake.

A few "beta" avatars have been already been spotted in the wild - including that of Microsoft's Major Nelson. The new avatars appear more realistic and less cartoony/bobble-head. Most theorize that this change is so the avatars will work better with the soon to be released Kinect system.

Expect the new avatar design to probably be part of Xbox's yearly fall update and out in time for Kinect's November release.

Editorial: Why Microsoft Points Don't Make Sense

Okay. Many complaints have been given about Microsoft Points for the Xbox Live marketplace. They help Microsoft avoid excess credit card transaction fees. You can only buy in batches. For some reason, 80 points equals approximately $1 US. But my main complaint - the bulk purchases don't follow typical bulk purchase mentality. Buying more in bulk actually costs you more!

I can buy 400 points for $4.99. 800 points costs $9.99. 1600 = $19.99 and so on up to 6000 points = $74.99.

These numbers make absolutely no sense. People don't typically buy the 24 pack of toilet paper because they're going to need that much toilet paper tonight(unless they are TPing some jerk's house). They buy it because bulk is cheaper and then you have it when you need it.

If I bought 6000 points at just 400 points each, it would only cost me $74.85.

Sure it's only $0.14 cheaper, but the point is that the bulk purchase should be the cheaper option!

Come on, Microsoft! Bulk should always be cheaper!

Mass Effect 2 Coming to PS3

EA has announced that Mass Effect 2 will come to the PS3 January 2011.

No word yet if any of the DLC already available for the Xbox 360/PC version will be included or available to the PS3 as well.

Launch Kinects Will Not Read Sign Language

Rumors have been floating around that the Xbox 360's upcoming Kinect will be able to read sign language, but Microsoft has officially denied such claims.

The rumors surfaced after someone found patents Microsoft had filed for a Kinect that could read sign language. Microsoft says they made add this into later models of the Kinect if they improve the camera resolution on them, but the launch Kinects will be unable to read sign language.

Microsoft dropped this feature in order to keep costs low and maintain their $150 price for the Kinect.

Fable III Not Kinect-able at Launch

Although Lionhead's Peter Molyneux has been a huge supporter of Microsoft's upcoming Kinect system he has revealed that Fable III will not be compatible with the Kinect. At least at launch.

Fable III comes out in October, about a month before Kinect will hit the markets. According to Molyneux, they were trying to incorporate the Kinect into the game but in the end had to scrap the plans because Molyneux wanted to do more with it than a side quest or two.

Molyneux has hinted that some type of Kinect addition will be added to Fable III at some point in the future. It is unclear if this will be in the form of a patch or a DLC, if it does surface.

Dead Rising 2 Webisodes Now LIVE

The first three webisodes of Dead Rising 2's Zombrex Dead Rising Sun are now available on the Xbox Live service under Game Videos. They are all free and shows a live action zombie outbreak in Japan. The full movie will be released on Xbox Live August 11th.

Personally, I love the Dead Rising series, but I found the videos pretty terrible. It uses POV shots and flash backs but in an amateurish way. The acting is also sub-par.

Of course, the first three parts are free so you can't argue with the price!

August Game Releases

Is the summer draught on games over? Let's find out!
 

DS Titles

August 3
• Monster Rancher DS
• Dora's Big Birthday Adventure

August 10
• Galactic Taz Ball
• Lucha Libre AAA Heroes

August 17
• Dawn of Heroes
• Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar

August 24
• Crazy Pig
• Grease: The Official Video Game
• Horrid Henry
• Ivy the Kiwi?


PC Titles

August 1
• Alter Ego

August 3
• Superstars V8 Racing

August 5
• Privates

August 15
• Battle vs. Chess
• House M.D.
• Xsyon

August 17
• City of Heroes: Going Rogue
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

August 21
• Star Ruler

August 24
• Elemental: War of Magic
• Horrid Henry
• Mafia 2

August 27
• Ship Simulator Extremes

August 30
• Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island


PS3 Titles

August 3
• Disney Sing It: Family Hits
• Superstars V8 Racing

August 10
• Madden NFL 11
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

August 17
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

August 24
• Mafia 2
• Shank

August 30
• TNT Racers


PSP Titles

August 10
• Madden NFL 11

August 31
• Ace Combat: Joint Assault
• Valkyria Chronicles 2


Wii Titles

August 3
• Disney Sing It: Family Hits

August 9
• Enjoy your massage!

August 10
• Madden NFL 11

August 17
• Gold's Gym Dance Workout
• Ys Seven

August 24
• Grease: The Official Video Game
• Gunblade NY & LA Machineguns Arcade Hits Pack
• Horrid Henry
• Ivy the Kiwi?
• Martian Panic
• NHL 2K11

August 30
• TNT Racers

August 31
• Guilty Party
• Metroid Other M


Xbox 360 Titles

August 3
• Superstars V8 Racing

August 4
• Castlevania: Harmony of Night

August 10
• Madden NFL 11

August 11
• Monday Night Combat

August 17
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

August 18
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

August 24
• Mafia 2

August 25
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
• Shank

August 30
• TNT Racers

August 31
• Dead Rising 2: Case Zero

1 vs. 100 Beta

So I finally got to play the 1 vs. 100 Beta tonight. I played for the entire two hour long show. Overall, I like it.

It's a little confusing at first. There were over 100,000 people playing and at first I thought I was in the Mob. But I was actually in the Crowd (which is where most people play).

In the Crowd, you can have a party of four or the game will assign you into a party of four total. This way you have a little competition within your group and it's not too overwhelming.

I actually found most of the questions pretty easy, sometimes ridiculously so. I never got to be the One or the Mob tonight, but I hear it's based on weekly stats of how much you play, your response time and percent of correct answers. Playing the Extended Play shows during the week is supposed to help increase your chance of being the One or the Mob. It seemed to me that the One was usually in the Mob right before being chosen.

For the most part, only the One or the Mob can actually win prizes(although no prizes are being awarded during the Beta(even though it looks like they are because they need to test all that stuff too)). The Crowd plays for fun and prestige.

Once Beta is over, there are supposed to be restrictions - you can only be the One once per season, you can only be in the Mob once per episode.

If you are in the Mob, you get eliminated when you answer a question incorrectly. You still answer until the end of the game but you are ineligible for any prizes.

As the One, your prizes increase for every ten Mob members eliminated. You can then at certain points choose to walk away with your prize(microsoft points) or keep playing. If you answer a question wrong, the prize gets split amongst all remaining Mob members.

The top three players in the whole game (Crowd and Mob) also get prizes.

This game is free to play for all Xbox Live Gold Members.