Halo 3 Overview
Halo 3 is the final instalment in the critically acclaimed Halo Trilogy of first person shooters. Developed by Bungie Studios and published exclusively by Microsoft for its Xbox and Windows platforms, the trilogy has been one of the most groundbreaking in gaming’s history. Halo: Combat Evolved launched for the Xbox in 2001, and was for a long time the consoles greatest hit, combining an enthralling and unique single player scenario with a thrilling multiplayer experience. Halo 2 expanded on the foundations of its predecessor, brimming with new features and depth. Halo 2 was also the greatest online multiplayer success story in console history, a feature the original lacked. Over the then-newly-formed Xbox Live system, Halo 2 accumulated a record-breaking number of man hours spent playing: the game quickly became an institution for competitive gaming around the world.
And now we have Halo 3. The finale promises to build further on what made the originals so great, and it delivers. The first Halo to be run on the next-generation Xbox360, Halo 3 looks stunning – making full use of the console’s power, Halo 3 has a level of detail far beyond its predecessors, and has been finely crafted to look incredible in standard and high definitions alike.
The single player story picks up right where Halo 2 finished, with Master Chief hurtling towards the Earth on board the Forerunner Dreadnought manned by the High Prophet of Truth and his Covenant servants. The player is immediately thrust into action, crash landing in a forest crawling in the enemy and, in true Halo style, having to shoot his way out. This sets the tone for an action-packed and extremely intense albeit slightly short single player campaign, which does a fantastic job of wrapping up the loose ends and answering the questions left by the previous games. Can Master Chief prevent the Covenant from activating the Halos, and stop the Flood at the same time?
And then comes the multiplayer. Halo 2 redefined the online gaming experience with its superb Matchmaking system, and Halo 3 sets out to refine it further, quickly cementing itself as an Xbox Live stalwart. Incorporating many gametype options across a number of levels(maps), division into ranked and social playlists, a complex and effective rank system, skill tracking, character customisation and a seamless splitscreen mode, Halo’s multiplayer remains one of the best. Furthermore, Bungie continues to provide support for the game, developing downloadable content and mixing up the gametype options to continually deliver a fresh experience. With a massive player base and a dynamic, constantly evolving multiplayer environment Halo 3 will continue to dominate the charts for a long, long time.
But that isn’t all of the new features Halo 3 boasts. Among the other main aspects of the game is the Forge, a simple and highly innovative world-editing tool that allows you customize the layout and features of a map in real-time, that is, whilst playing a game. The Forge is a mode of gameplay in which one or more of the players assumes the role of Editor, taking on the form of a Forerunner Monitor from the campaign. The editor can fly about the map, spawning and deleting geometry and weapons, and can even change such things as respawn locations and objective locations. Whilst not being able to create completely new environments, the Forge is a powerful tool for customizing the existing map options, and in some cases can leave a level completely unrecognisable from the original. Bungie continues to show support for this feature, releasing Forge functionality in downloadable content packs and integrating community map variants into its Matchmaking system.
The theatre mode is the finally main game mode in Halo 3, and it is truly revolutionary. It enables a player to revisit played games through a viewer. The player can then take screenshots, create clips, or save entire films for later viewing. This is combined with file-sharing functionality new to the series, enabling a player to share his exploits with the world. It also provides Machinima artists with a far easier means of creating their works.
WWE SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2008
WWE SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2008: Bringing the Hottest Wrestling Action to Your Home
It is a fact that WWE is indeed an entertaining show which has attracted quite a lot of people from all over the world. Featuring some of the best wrestling athletes in the world, WWE will definitely entertain you.
If you love watching WWE action on TV, then you will definitely want to get WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008. Developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and other gaming consoles, this game features some of the more famous WWE SmackDown and RAW superstars.
This wrestling game will provide you with high quality entertainment as you will now be able to control your favorite wrestler and even fight against the best wrestlers in the world.
Like its predecessors, WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 will provide great graphics quality where your favorite wrestling superstars in WWE will indeed look like them in the game.
Some of the features that have been added to this game are the two fighting style categories, which you can use to defeat the enemy. Each of the fighting styles will have its advantages and disadvantages in each type of match. Basically, there are eight styles that you can choose from. You can either be a high-flyer, powerhouse, showman, brawler, submission artist, hardcore, technical, or dirty.
The special move of the wrestler you choose however will depend on the primary style.
The struggle submission system for WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 has been greatly improved. Now, it will incorporate more analog control and you will also be able to decide how much pressure you should apply by moving the analog stick in a specific direction. The player being locked into submission will also use the analog stick to power out or get out of the submission hold.
There are several game modes that you can choose from in this game. Each mode will have different goals and options. One mode will require you to achieve a legend status. To do so, you will need to win matches, team with other wrestlers, and also gain popularity by entertaining the crowd.
Also, training, exercising, relaxing, taking part in activities aside from wrestling and other things in the game are important for you to develop the character. Each activity will have its positive and negative effects, so you must carefully balance what you let your character do.
So, if you want wrestling action, you will want to get WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008. You can be sure that you will get all the wrestling action that you want.
Recent Xbox 360 News
NBA 2K8
Live Up Your Hoop Dreams with the NBA 2K8
The gaming industry is flushed with sports games, and why not, many people love sports and some have even dreamed of becoming pros. But they never really got the chance and video games are a great consolation to these unlived dreams. Such is the case with basketball.
For many years game developers have come out with their own versions of the NBA that has been patronized by many sports gamers. For more than a decade now, many video basketball games have been developed and as years pass by, the realism becomes much closer to the real thing.
One thing though that many people complain about is that as each year pass and as each new game succeeds the previous one, there are little developments to be seen. But the NBA 2K8 is the exception to the rule. Its superiority to the previous version can be seen in many different aspects.
The game play is like no other and there are loads of features that one can use and abuse to make the game even more exciting. Some reviewers have still noted some problems with the AI but these are all just minor predicaments, the NBA 2K8 is still a game that will provide a great gaming experience for NBA hardcore fans and even to those who are just casual hoop fans.
There are many ways that you can get pleasure from playing the game. Previous versions of the NBA 2K series had a street ball feature aside from the regular season games and with the NBA 2K8 it is called the NBA Blacktop mode. There has been a complete revamp in this feature and vast improvements. The story mode has been eliminated though and you can now be able to concentrate on what you do best, play ball.
The NBA blacktop mode has now been added with the slam dunk contest. Aside from being able to play street ball, you can now pit your skills with other NBA players and legends in rocking the rim. Many features allows you to do different moves and with a little practice, you will be able to perfect each move starting from your gather of the ball, to in-air moves then to the rim rattling finish.
But the real gem here is the game itself. Playing the regular season and building yourself a great team as the General Manager can be quite fun. There are many things you have to do like negotiations, player sign ups, scheduling practices and a lot more. This results in countless hours of hoop fun.
Playing the game itself is so much better. The controls are smoother and the signature moves are more refined. With the Xbox 360’s capability to host 8 players, you and your friends will have a blast competing against each other.
Recent Xbox 360 News
Guitar Hero III
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: Knowing What It’s Like To Be a Rock Star
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a rock star where thousands of fans are cheering you while you are on stage? Do you love rock music and have you always wanted to play the guitar but don’t know how? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then you will want to get the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock music game available for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
For this game, you can use your standard controller. However, if you want more realism when playing, you will want to get the guitar controller which is readily available in stores today. With the guitar controller, you will add more realism to your gaming experience as you will really look like a rock star complete with a guitar shaped controller.
Although the concept of the game is simple, it’s really fun to play and can be quite challenging. To play the game, all you need to do is press the right button in time as they scroll on the screen. With over 60 songs to play, you can be sure that you will never grow tired of this game.
Added features include some of the biggest names in rock, such as Slash of Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver, Bret Michaels of Poison, Tom Morello of Audioslave/Rage Against the Machine and many more.
The great thing about this game is that some of the biggest rock stars even did motion capture with the game developers to record their movements which where added to the game. This means that if you see Slash moving like he does when he plays this is mainly because his movements were recorded and placed in the game.
For added realism, guitar playing in the game is very much like playing them for real. You will execute sustained notes by holding down the correct buttons, and you can also do hammer-ons and pull-offs effects.
The game also comes in multiplayer modes where you will go head to head with your friends and see who the best guitar player is.
Whether you love rock music or you just simply want to have fun with your friends with the Battle mode or coop career mode, you will see that Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat or literally off your seat as you will want to play standing up and be like a real rock star playing the guitar. So, if you have the Guitar Hero in you, then you will want to get Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
Recent Xbox 360 News
FIFA 08
FIFA 08: Letting You Experience the Thrill of European Football
Imagine you taking control of your favorite football team and your favorite superstar football players, such as Ronaldinho, Beckham, Ronaldo, Maradona, Zidane and others. As a football fan, it would be great if you could lead your favorite team to victory.
Now, you can with FIFA 08. Developed by Electronic Arts or EA, this is the latest installment of the FIFA game. This game is now widely available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and you will see that it is way better than the previous FIFA installments in terms of graphics and game play.
FIFA 08 will include 621 licensed teams, 30 leagues and more than 15,000 players. It will also include all the major European leagues, such as the Spanish Liga, Italian Serie A, English Premier League and Football League, and the German Bundesliga. It will also include other leagues, such as the U.S. Major League Soccer, Brazilian Serie A, and the Korean K-League.
FIFA 08 will also include the FAI League of Ireland, Australian Hyundai A-League, and even the Czech Gambrinus Liga.
FIFA 08 offers superior graphics, great commentators and an all new improved game engine for maximum gaming enjoyment.
So, if you love soccer or football, then you will want to get FIFA 08. You will see that not only will it provide great audio and video, but you will also feel as if you are watching the real thing. With FIFA 08, every goal will definitely make you want to scream “Goal” and run around the room as if you are the player themselves.
With the multiplayer mode, you will be able to play FIFA 08 with one or more of your friends. You can try different strategies and plays to outwit each other and score that very difficult goal.
FIFA 08 also features the latest soundtrack which will keep you entertained even when you are not playing the game. With FIFA 08, you can be sure that you will definitely enjoy playing soccer even if it isn’t real.
So, if you love soccer or football, you can try getting FIFA 08. With this game, you can be sure that it will test your strategies in football and challenge your idea of a good soccer or football strategy.
With FIFA 08, you can be sure that it will provide you and your friends with maximum entertainment.
Recent Xbox 360 News
Call of Duty 4
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare: Action Packed Game That Will Surely Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
Do you feel the thirst for war or at least a simulation of it? If you do, then you will definitely want to have the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game for your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. This game is an action packed game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision.
If you played Call of Duty before, then this is the fourth installment of the game and it is also the only Call of Duty that is not set during World War II.
This game introduces a much wider choice of game play styles with the single player mode that will surely keep you excited when playing the game. There are added features that have never been seen before on the previous Call of Duty installments.
One change that was made in the game is now removed from the regular three country specific styles and focuses more on a plot that’s like a film style. You can expect the game to be interlaced by different story lines from the main character named Paul Jackson who is a fictional character that is supposedly an element of the USMC 1st Force Recon. Another main character is named “Soap” MacTavish who is a part of the British 22nd SAS Regiment.
In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, you will also get cameo-missions where in you will play an AC-130 Spectre Gunship gunner or you can be one of the two-man sniper teams who are behind the enemy lines.
In this game, you will experience high intensity firefights and take a hold of modern weapons and technology, such as M203 grenade launchers and even the AN/PEQ-2 Target Pointer. There are also night vision goggles and submachine guns that you can use.
With the variety of missions that you can play, you will see that playing this game will keep you occupied for hours with the best action.
There are also multiplayer modes where you can play with other players and kill each other’s character. This means that you will be able to enjoy this game with your friends. You can even do a free-for-all where it is every man for himself.
With the stunning graphics and realistic sound, you will feel as if you are really on the battlefield. The environment is also very interactive as you will be able to blow up cars and even buildings.
So, if you want a realistic first person shooter game for your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, you might want to consider getting Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. With this game, you will definitely feel as if you are on the battlefield.
Recent Xbox 360 News
Xbox Fever
Xbox 360 Fever - Getting your hands on an Xbox 360
When the Xbox 360 hit the marketplace around Christmas time 2005, a rush of people were hitting every store to try and get their hands on one. But this proved to be a very difficult. There were thousands of people all over the country camping outside of stores for days in order to ensure that they would give first pick at the new Xbox 360. So if you were not one of these people you were going to have a very difficult time finding what you were looking for. At this point you were left with a couple of options; both of them being very expensive alternatives.
First off, in order to find an Xbox 360 a lot of people turned to eBay. And don’t think that people didn’t know it. Anybody who had an Xbox 360 that they were trying to unload put it up for sale on eBay. These units were one of the top sellers on the auction site during the Christmas season. People were paying close to $1,000 for a single unit, and the people selling them were turning huge profits.
If you did not want to search eBay for an Xbox your other alternative was checking the classified ads. And again, you had plenty of choices. But buying from a classified ad did not mean that you would not have to pay a lot of money for a new Xbox. The people selling through classified ads were asking just as much for these units as the people on eBay.
If you were one of the unlucky people who missed out on getting an Xbox at the store, you could have ended up having to pay a huge markup in order to get your hands on one. It is safe to say that supply was low and demand was high for the Xbox.