Halo 2 PC Servers are shutting down next month with 343 Induestries announcing that Halo 2 PC multiplayer will shut down on February 15th. In a post on Halo Waypoint, 343 noted that "We've been monitoring the population for months, and it's been peaking consistently at approximately 20 players or less. Those that own this game can continue to enjoy the Multiplayer experience but only over LAN networks.

"We love you, Halo 2 PC, and you will live forever in our hearts. "343 concluded.

Bungie· Games· gaming· halo· Halo 2· Halo Waypoint· PC

So Long, Halo 2

Halo 2 PC Servers are shutting down next month with 343 Induestries announcing that Halo 2 PC multiplayer will shut down on February 15th. In a post on Halo Waypoint, 343 noted that "We've been monitoring the population for months, and it's been peaking consistently at approximately 20 players or less. Those that own this game can continue to enjoy the Multiplayer experience but only over LAN networks.

"We love you, Halo 2 PC, and you will live forever in our hearts. "343 concluded.

Far Cry, a huge franchise, whether your platform is Xbox, PS3, or the PC. Released on the 30th of November, it was one of the most anticipated games of the year. With the monumental success of Far Cry 2, the new installment had some big shoes to fill, and it has done that and more!

Far Cry 3 is based in South Pacific archipelago (the Caribbean), when Jason Brody (protagonist) and his friends accidently come into contact with a group of enslavers, and Jason manages to escape Vaas (antagonist). Throughout playing Far Cry 3 it becomes more and more obvious that Jason, begins to dive into the depths of insanity, it seems as if every person that he kills in the unlikely attempt to save his friends, a piece of his sanity is lost. It also becomes clearer when you progress through the game, he enjoys the killing, as the insanity comes into play.

 

Far Cry 3 has to be THE most gorgeous game I have ever played, some of the landscapes that you will encounter are literally unfathomable, jaw-dropping reservoirs of water can be found, along with jungles brimming with life, whether they are pirates, or tigers… You can either take the time to plod around the gargantuan world, or jump in a vehicle and miss out on some of the unique landscape (but you will travel 10x faster). Failing that there is a third option, and that is to hand glide, which makes everything look that bit more beautiful. 

On Far Cry 3 there is also a map editor where you can test your creativeness by attempting to create the best map possible. You also have the ability to upload and download maps that people have created all over the world, you can also rate these maps to flag which ones are the best. Now I am a huge Far Cry aficionado and I do like the multiplayer, I really do, but it has been barely touched since the previous installment, and now you cannot drive vehicles online, which does seem a tad ridiculous. This is literally the only niggle I have about this game, and it’s a little niggle at that!

The Far Cry 3 story is absolutely fantastic, it is by far one of the best single player campaigns I have played, it absolutely destroys the Black ops II campaign, the only campaign that I can relate it to is Max Payne 3, which has been one of my absolute favorite single player games of all time, but Far Cry 3 comes extremely close, maybe even on level terms with Max Payne. If you are a fan of FPS games, this is a must, whether you are a hardcore gamer, or just a casual fan who enjoys roaming around the picturesque sandbox world, traipsing through the dense jungles, encountering wild tigers, rabid dogs, and various other exotic animals. Overall I would give Far Cry 9/10, the only reason for it not stealing a ten is because the multiplayer has not been touched since Far Cry 2, otherwise this game is superb, truly a masterpiece. 

3· farcry· Games· Mac· Microsoft· PC· PS3· xbox

Far Cry 3 Review

Far Cry, a huge franchise, whether your platform is Xbox, PS3, or the PC. Released on the 30th of November, it was one of the most anticipated games of the year. With the monumental success of Far Cry 2, the new installment had some big shoes to fill, and it has done that and more!

Far Cry 3 is based in South Pacific archipelago (the Caribbean), when Jason Brody (protagonist) and his friends accidently come into contact with a group of enslavers, and Jason manages to escape Vaas (antagonist). Throughout playing Far Cry 3 it becomes more and more obvious that Jason, begins to dive into the depths of insanity, it seems as if every person that he kills in the unlikely attempt to save his friends, a piece of his sanity is lost. It also becomes clearer when you progress through the game, he enjoys the killing, as the insanity comes into play.

 

Far Cry 3 has to be THE most gorgeous game I have ever played, some of the landscapes that you will encounter are literally unfathomable, jaw-dropping reservoirs of water can be found, along with jungles brimming with life, whether they are pirates, or tigers… You can either take the time to plod around the gargantuan world, or jump in a vehicle and miss out on some of the unique landscape (but you will travel 10x faster). Failing that there is a third option, and that is to hand glide, which makes everything look that bit more beautiful. 

On Far Cry 3 there is also a map editor where you can test your creativeness by attempting to create the best map possible. You also have the ability to upload and download maps that people have created all over the world, you can also rate these maps to flag which ones are the best. Now I am a huge Far Cry aficionado and I do like the multiplayer, I really do, but it has been barely touched since the previous installment, and now you cannot drive vehicles online, which does seem a tad ridiculous. This is literally the only niggle I have about this game, and it’s a little niggle at that!

The Far Cry 3 story is absolutely fantastic, it is by far one of the best single player campaigns I have played, it absolutely destroys the Black ops II campaign, the only campaign that I can relate it to is Max Payne 3, which has been one of my absolute favorite single player games of all time, but Far Cry 3 comes extremely close, maybe even on level terms with Max Payne. If you are a fan of FPS games, this is a must, whether you are a hardcore gamer, or just a casual fan who enjoys roaming around the picturesque sandbox world, traipsing through the dense jungles, encountering wild tigers, rabid dogs, and various other exotic animals. Overall I would give Far Cry 9/10, the only reason for it not stealing a ten is because the multiplayer has not been touched since Far Cry 2, otherwise this game is superb, truly a masterpiece. 

Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 TranZit

TranZit is the new zombie map in Black Ops 2, in TranZit it has a new exploration mode for Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies. It is completely different from the other maps we all have played in Black Ops 1 and also Call Of Duty 5. The first map is "Green Run" and different locations are accessible either by the bus or foot or even the teleports scattered around the map. 

TranZit uses rounds, and functions like the old zombies game, aside from the size and some of the new features. A new feature in the game includes, buildables, this allows the player to build items in game such as; Items to attach to the bus to get an advantage over the zombies such as a ladder to access the roof of the bus or even a plow to attach to the front and mawl down zombies in your path. Also you have to build the pack a punch machine that is located in the bank. Getting into the bank can be tricky if you don't know how to access it.

Also a new feature to TranZit is being able to build special equipment in which can help you in different ways, the pieces of equipment you can build are: 

• A generator- that allows you to open special doors without having to use your points.
• A shield- That protects your back and also can be used to bash zombies out of the way.
• Jet gun- this is a extremely powerful weapon that is very useful in tricky situations
• Sentry Gun- Used to kill zombies 
• Electricity Trap- Used to kill zombies hardcore style 

What We Think Of The New Map

We think that the new map is very different from what we've experienced before, someone people will love it and some will completely hate it. I love it, I love the new features to the game , it keeps it fresh and makes me wanting more zombie action. Im looking forward to seeing what new ideas the DLC's this year will bring. 

Overall I would give TranZit 8/10

Black ops· Black ops 2· Black ops 2 Zombies· Call of Duty· gaming· PC· PlayStation 3· PS3· Tranzit· Treyarch· xbox· Xbox 360· Zombies

Black Ops 2 - TranZit

Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 TranZit

TranZit is the new zombie map in Black Ops 2, in TranZit it has a new exploration mode for Call of Duty: Black Ops II Zombies. It is completely different from the other maps we all have played in Black Ops 1 and also Call Of Duty 5. The first map is "Green Run" and different locations are accessible either by the bus or foot or even the teleports scattered around the map. 

TranZit uses rounds, and functions like the old zombies game, aside from the size and some of the new features. A new feature in the game includes, buildables, this allows the player to build items in game such as; Items to attach to the bus to get an advantage over the zombies such as a ladder to access the roof of the bus or even a plow to attach to the front and mawl down zombies in your path. Also you have to build the pack a punch machine that is located in the bank. Getting into the bank can be tricky if you don't know how to access it.

Also a new feature to TranZit is being able to build special equipment in which can help you in different ways, the pieces of equipment you can build are: 

• A generator- that allows you to open special doors without having to use your points.
• A shield- That protects your back and also can be used to bash zombies out of the way.
• Jet gun- this is a extremely powerful weapon that is very useful in tricky situations
• Sentry Gun- Used to kill zombies 
• Electricity Trap- Used to kill zombies hardcore style 

What We Think Of The New Map

We think that the new map is very different from what we've experienced before, someone people will love it and some will completely hate it. I love it, I love the new features to the game , it keeps it fresh and makes me wanting more zombie action. Im looking forward to seeing what new ideas the DLC's this year will bring. 

Overall I would give TranZit 8/10

The new iTunes 11 has finally been released two months after Apple's Media Event. The new software brings a number of enhancements including a redesigned store, simplified player, and new iCloud features.


- Completely Redesigned. iTunes makes it more fun to explore and enjoy your music, movies, and TV shows. You'll love the beautiful edge-to-edge design, custom designs for each album, movie, or TV show in your library, and getting personal recommendations any time you click in the Store. 

- A New Store. The iTunes Store has been completely redesigned and now features a clean look that makes it simpler than ever to see what's hot and discover new favorites. 

- Play purchases from iCloud. Your music, movie, and TV show purchases in iCloud now appear inside your library. Just sign-in with your Apple ID to see them. Double-click to play them directly from iCloud or download a copy you can sync to a device or play while offline. 

- Up Next. It's now simple to see which songs are playing next, all from a single place. Just click the Up Next icon in the center display and they'll instantly appear. You can even reorder, add, or skip songs whenever you like. 

- New MiniPlayer. You can now do a whole lot more with a lot less space. In addition to showing what's playing, MiniPlayer now includes album art, adds Up Next, and makes it easy to search for something new to play - all from a smaller and more elegant design. 

- Improved search. It's never been easier to find what you're looking for in iTunes. Just type in the search field and you'll instantly see results from across your entire library. Select any result and iTunes takes you right to it. 

- Playback syncing. iCloud now remembers your place in a movie or TV show for you. Whenever you play the same movie or episode from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV, it will continue right where you left off.

The update is currently available through Software Update in the Mac App Store, and Apple should be updating its iTunes pages shortly.

Apple· iTunes· iTunes 11· Mac· Music· PC· Software· Software Update

Apple Releases iTunes 11

The new iTunes 11 has finally been released two months after Apple's Media Event. The new software brings a number of enhancements including a redesigned store, simplified player, and new iCloud features.


- Completely Redesigned. iTunes makes it more fun to explore and enjoy your music, movies, and TV shows. You'll love the beautiful edge-to-edge design, custom designs for each album, movie, or TV show in your library, and getting personal recommendations any time you click in the Store. 

- A New Store. The iTunes Store has been completely redesigned and now features a clean look that makes it simpler than ever to see what's hot and discover new favorites. 

- Play purchases from iCloud. Your music, movie, and TV show purchases in iCloud now appear inside your library. Just sign-in with your Apple ID to see them. Double-click to play them directly from iCloud or download a copy you can sync to a device or play while offline. 

- Up Next. It's now simple to see which songs are playing next, all from a single place. Just click the Up Next icon in the center display and they'll instantly appear. You can even reorder, add, or skip songs whenever you like. 

- New MiniPlayer. You can now do a whole lot more with a lot less space. In addition to showing what's playing, MiniPlayer now includes album art, adds Up Next, and makes it easy to search for something new to play - all from a smaller and more elegant design. 

- Improved search. It's never been easier to find what you're looking for in iTunes. Just type in the search field and you'll instantly see results from across your entire library. Select any result and iTunes takes you right to it. 

- Playback syncing. iCloud now remembers your place in a movie or TV show for you. Whenever you play the same movie or episode from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV, it will continue right where you left off.

The update is currently available through Software Update in the Mac App Store, and Apple should be updating its iTunes pages shortly.

According to WSJ (Wall Street Journal) iTunes 11 will launch today? Apple already announced it would launch iTunes 11 "before the end of November", and now there are only a couple of days left. So a launch today is pretty likely.

WSJ reported that the new version of the music software "is expected as soon as Thursday."

Delayed
iTunes 11 was originally slated for release in October, but was delayed because Apple "wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," according to a company spokesperson. 

Then apple announced the software would launch this month. Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr told CNET: "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."

Facebook and Twitter are expected to be integrated into iTunes 11. Which is interesting, given Apple has traditionally lagged behind when it comes to social media.

Apple's failed music social network Ping will also be given the boot from iTunes 11. 

Apple· Facebook· iTunes· iTunes 11· Mac· PC· Twitter

iTunes 11 to launch today?

According to WSJ (Wall Street Journal) iTunes 11 will launch today? Apple already announced it would launch iTunes 11 "before the end of November", and now there are only a couple of days left. So a launch today is pretty likely.

WSJ reported that the new version of the music software "is expected as soon as Thursday."

Delayed
iTunes 11 was originally slated for release in October, but was delayed because Apple "wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," according to a company spokesperson. 

Then apple announced the software would launch this month. Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr told CNET: "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."

Facebook and Twitter are expected to be integrated into iTunes 11. Which is interesting, given Apple has traditionally lagged behind when it comes to social media.

Apple's failed music social network Ping will also be given the boot from iTunes 11. 

GTA 5's second trailer from Rockstar has just launched moments ago showing the world the game's three new playable characters, it also shows us a few snippets from the new heist gameplay that's supposed to be the central mission mechanic.

Throughout the trailer, we are shown three new characters engaging the customary GTA action. Driving cars, fighting, drug dealing and the odd shootout.

We see the gang trying to steal cars on a highway right off the back of a truck. We seem them jumping from a train as it collides with another and we even see them stealing cars from a in-flight plane!

Rockstar said that players will be able to switch between each of the three characters during missions, ensuring players get the best view of action. What we can see of the heist missions shown in the trailer is that they'll also be highly cinematic affairs almost certainly ending with a bang. The jet fighter footage alone is enough to get GTA fans' trigger fingers itching.

Can Rockstar use the heist as a way of evolving the kind of missions we usually expect of a GTA, though? The second trailer leaves GTA fans more ambitious to try out the new type of mission structure.

Check out trailer #2 and let us know what you think:

gameplay· Games· gaming· GTA 5· heist· PC· PlayStation 3· Trailer 2· Xbox 360

GTA 5: Trailer 2 shows off the new heist gameplay action

GTA 5's second trailer from Rockstar has just launched moments ago showing the world the game's three new playable characters, it also shows us a few snippets from the new heist gameplay that's supposed to be the central mission mechanic.

Throughout the trailer, we are shown three new characters engaging the customary GTA action. Driving cars, fighting, drug dealing and the odd shootout.

We see the gang trying to steal cars on a highway right off the back of a truck. We seem them jumping from a train as it collides with another and we even see them stealing cars from a in-flight plane!

Rockstar said that players will be able to switch between each of the three characters during missions, ensuring players get the best view of action. What we can see of the heist missions shown in the trailer is that they'll also be highly cinematic affairs almost certainly ending with a bang. The jet fighter footage alone is enough to get GTA fans' trigger fingers itching.

Can Rockstar use the heist as a way of evolving the kind of missions we usually expect of a GTA, though? The second trailer leaves GTA fans more ambitious to try out the new type of mission structure.

Check out trailer #2 and let us know what you think:

Valve want's players of Team Fortress 2 to create Halloween-themed items for its next game update, scheduled to hit this October, according to a recent blog post on the developer's official website. Users can submit their designed through Steam Workshop, while those unable to to design items can still vote for the best ones. There are already many new creations available to see an vote for on the Steam community website.

Those new to model making can take a look at Valve's FAQ for Steam Workshop, and check out the Team Fortress 2 forums to share ideas.

Games· gaming· Mac· PC· Team Fortress 2· Valve

Team Fortress 2 Halloween Update

Valve want's players of Team Fortress 2 to create Halloween-themed items for its next game update, scheduled to hit this October, according to a recent blog post on the developer's official website. Users can submit their designed through Steam Workshop, while those unable to to design items can still vote for the best ones. There are already many new creations available to see an vote for on the Steam community website.

Those new to model making can take a look at Valve's FAQ for Steam Workshop, and check out the Team Fortress 2 forums to share ideas.

Borderlands 2 season pass will give users an amazing deal of all four upcoming DLC packs for just $30. This was revealed during the Gamestop press conference, and later confirmed to Kotaku by developer Gearbox Software.

There have been additional details leaked, one regarding that the season passes will be expected to launch in the near future, and with PAX just outside our front door, it seems likely that information will be made sooner rather than later.

Borderlands 2 is scheduled to launch on PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 on September 18th.

Borderlands 2· DLC· gaming· Gearbox Software· PC· Season Pass· xbox· Xbox 360

Borderlands 2 season pass gets you all four DLC packs for $30

Borderlands 2 season pass will give users an amazing deal of all four upcoming DLC packs for just $30. This was revealed during the Gamestop press conference, and later confirmed to Kotaku by developer Gearbox Software.

There have been additional details leaked, one regarding that the season passes will be expected to launch in the near future, and with PAX just outside our front door, it seems likely that information will be made sooner rather than later.

Borderlands 2 is scheduled to launch on PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 on September 18th.

Today Angry Birds Space has been updated with an awesome new episode tied to NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover. NASA and Rovio have partnered extensively on marketing for Angry Birds Space, using the game to promote NASA's educational scientific discoveries.

The new update sees the piggies hijacking the Curiosity Mars Rover and introducing 20 new levels on Mars for the Angry Birds.

NASA is helping pigs and birds explore the Martian terrain and shed light on the agency's missions to the Red Planet in the latest update to the game Angry Birds Space. Rovio Entertainment, creator of Angry Birds, announced the update Thursday, complete with a cast of agency rovers and landers. 

Earlier this year, millions of gamers were introduced to concepts of microgravity in Angry Birds Space, which was supported through a partnership with NASA and includes links to a variety of education information. 

"Rovio is teaching huge new audiences about NASA's missions to Mars thanks to this collaboration," said David Weaver, associate administrator for communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "It's a great way to introduce both kids and adults to the wonders of the planet in a fun and entertaining way."

Angry Birds Space is available on the iPhone, iPad and the Mac

Angry Birds· Angry Birds Space· Curiosity· Curiosity Mars Rover· Games· iOS· iPad· iPhone· Mac· Mars· NASA· PC· updates

Angry Birds Space Updated With Curiosity Mars Rover Content

Today Angry Birds Space has been updated with an awesome new episode tied to NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover. NASA and Rovio have partnered extensively on marketing for Angry Birds Space, using the game to promote NASA's educational scientific discoveries.

The new update sees the piggies hijacking the Curiosity Mars Rover and introducing 20 new levels on Mars for the Angry Birds.

NASA is helping pigs and birds explore the Martian terrain and shed light on the agency's missions to the Red Planet in the latest update to the game Angry Birds Space. Rovio Entertainment, creator of Angry Birds, announced the update Thursday, complete with a cast of agency rovers and landers. 

Earlier this year, millions of gamers were introduced to concepts of microgravity in Angry Birds Space, which was supported through a partnership with NASA and includes links to a variety of education information. 

"Rovio is teaching huge new audiences about NASA's missions to Mars thanks to this collaboration," said David Weaver, associate administrator for communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "It's a great way to introduce both kids and adults to the wonders of the planet in a fun and entertaining way."

Angry Birds Space is available on the iPhone, iPad and the Mac

Yes you heard it, Borderlands 2 will feature a 58 hour-long campaign, based on a recent play-through with one of the four playable characters available in the game, developer Gearbox Software confirmed.

Gearbox marketing VP Steve Gibson reasoned why the length of Borderlands 2 campaign is 58 hours long. He stated that it is the studio's perception of Borderlands as "a hobby."

"We look at it as a hobby, and that isn't even counting the new Badass Points system and how that'll affect every character you do. We want it to feel like you get more for your money. We're happy for people to pay their money once and feel that they get ongoing value."

A few guide guys just played through the Borderlands 2 campaign and they reported back that it takes 58 hours to play through the campaign. Remember though, that is only with just ONE playable character.


Borderlands 2 will be released September 18th in North America on Xbox 360, PC, and Playstation 3.  


Source: Gamerzines

Games· gaming· Headlines· PC· PlayStation 3· Software· Sony· sony playstation· Xbox 360

'Borderlands 2' to feature a 58 hour-long campaign

Yes you heard it, Borderlands 2 will feature a 58 hour-long campaign, based on a recent play-through with one of the four playable characters available in the game, developer Gearbox Software confirmed.

Gearbox marketing VP Steve Gibson reasoned why the length of Borderlands 2 campaign is 58 hours long. He stated that it is the studio's perception of Borderlands as "a hobby."

"We look at it as a hobby, and that isn't even counting the new Badass Points system and how that'll affect every character you do. We want it to feel like you get more for your money. We're happy for people to pay their money once and feel that they get ongoing value."

A few guide guys just played through the Borderlands 2 campaign and they reported back that it takes 58 hours to play through the campaign. Remember though, that is only with just ONE playable character.


Borderlands 2 will be released September 18th in North America on Xbox 360, PC, and Playstation 3.  


Source: Gamerzines

Sam Raimi is no longer directing the upcoming film based on one of the leading MMORPG games 'World Of War Craft, it was revealed to Crave Online at this year's San Diego Comic Con.

 regardless of being attached to the project since 2009, Raimi stated that his exit from the WoW project is due to scheduling issues with his current directorial project, Oz: The Great and Powerful. 

"Actually, they don't have me directing World of Warcraft anymore because when i took the Oz job, they had to move on to another director. They had to start making it."

Raimi did not reveal who is now directing the movie.

World of Warcraft film is being developed by Blizzard and Legendary Pictures, and is being produced by Blizzard's own Chris Metzen and Charles Roven.

Sources: Crave Online / IGN

Blizzard· Films· Games· gaming· Headlines· News· PC· Rumours· World of Warcraft

'World of Warcraft' Film No Longer Headed By Sam Raimi

Sam Raimi is no longer directing the upcoming film based on one of the leading MMORPG games 'World Of War Craft, it was revealed to Crave Online at this year's San Diego Comic Con.

 regardless of being attached to the project since 2009, Raimi stated that his exit from the WoW project is due to scheduling issues with his current directorial project, Oz: The Great and Powerful. 

"Actually, they don't have me directing World of Warcraft anymore because when i took the Oz job, they had to move on to another director. They had to start making it."

Raimi did not reveal who is now directing the movie.

World of Warcraft film is being developed by Blizzard and Legendary Pictures, and is being produced by Blizzard's own Chris Metzen and Charles Roven.

Sources: Crave Online / IGN

Halo 4



Halo 4 begins a fresh new game in the Halo saga, it begins where the last one left off. 343 Industries is now the ringleader of production in the Halo series since Bungie decided to leave Microsoft after the last halo. Since 343 Industries announced the confirmation of the making of the new Halo 4, the team immediately returned to work in continuing Spartan's story. The teaser trailer (Link Below) reveals that the Spartan is starting where he was left at the end of Halo 3. This will make us wonder, what has 343 Industries got on offer to us in this epic game? I for one can not wait for this.

Overall, Halo 4 will pick up where Halo 3 ended. Rumour has it that Halo 4 will be completed and released by fall this year.

Link to trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iQiHNXgMU

Link to gameplay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWzhpjS62I

2012· E3· Games· halo· Halo 4· Microsoft· must have· PC· PlayStation 3· PS3· rumoural· xbox· Xbox 360

Halo 4

Halo 4



Halo 4 begins a fresh new game in the Halo saga, it begins where the last one left off. 343 Industries is now the ringleader of production in the Halo series since Bungie decided to leave Microsoft after the last halo. Since 343 Industries announced the confirmation of the making of the new Halo 4, the team immediately returned to work in continuing Spartan's story. The teaser trailer (Link Below) reveals that the Spartan is starting where he was left at the end of Halo 3. This will make us wonder, what has 343 Industries got on offer to us in this epic game? I for one can not wait for this.

Overall, Halo 4 will pick up where Halo 3 ended. Rumour has it that Halo 4 will be completed and released by fall this year.

Link to trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iQiHNXgMU

Link to gameplay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWzhpjS62I

Elder Scrolls, originally developed by Bethesda Game Studios, creators of the well renowned games 'Oblivion' and more recently 'Skryim' have announced on May 3rd that they will be releasing an MMORPG (Mass multiplayer online role playing game) in 2013 titled 'The Elder Scrolls Online'. This could go one of two ways in my opinion. It could be a gargantuan success if it is made correctly and Bethesda and ZeniMax Online Studios take their time and address criticisms of previous games and make no school boy errors in making it an MMORPG. By that I mean, they will need to stick to the fundamentals of what makes an MMORPG and MMORPG. I think that if they do everything correctly, they could be the new rival to World of Warcraft, and SWTOR (Star Wars The Old Republic).

One of the most interesting aspects that have been announced is the fact that you can now venture across the whole of Tamriel, this is the first time that you are able to do this since the Arena. This is incredible, if the graphics are half as good as they were for Skyrim, then it will be a pleasure roaming around Tamriel, seeing the provinces of Skyrim, Cyrodill, Hammerfell, etc. I have no doubt in my mind that we will have to pay a subscription for this game, the majority of MMORPG's you have to pay a monthly subscription, but I believe that if ZeniMax either make the subscription cheaper or completely disregard it and the quality of the game rivals World of Warcraft, then I believe that WoW would lose a substantial amount of subscribers unless they countered this by lowering their prices.

I am looking forward to finding out more information about this game, it has the potential to become great, but it does depend if the developers cut corners or not. What I mean by this is if they go all out on the detail like they have for the game, and ensure that the quests that are featured in the game are of the highest quality. I have a certain confidence in this game, purely because Bethesda are helping create it, they have been responsible for games such as Fallout 3, New Vegas, Oblivion, Skyrim, etc. More information will be released on this game throughout the year. If you haven't seen the trailer for the game Click here (Yes that voice is Michael Gambon from Harry Potter).

elder scrolls· Games· Mac· MMORPG· Oblivion· Online· PC· skyrim· Zenimax

Elder Scrolls Online, Yay or Nay?

Elder Scrolls, originally developed by Bethesda Game Studios, creators of the well renowned games 'Oblivion' and more recently 'Skryim' have announced on May 3rd that they will be releasing an MMORPG (Mass multiplayer online role playing game) in 2013 titled 'The Elder Scrolls Online'. This could go one of two ways in my opinion. It could be a gargantuan success if it is made correctly and Bethesda and ZeniMax Online Studios take their time and address criticisms of previous games and make no school boy errors in making it an MMORPG. By that I mean, they will need to stick to the fundamentals of what makes an MMORPG and MMORPG. I think that if they do everything correctly, they could be the new rival to World of Warcraft, and SWTOR (Star Wars The Old Republic).

One of the most interesting aspects that have been announced is the fact that you can now venture across the whole of Tamriel, this is the first time that you are able to do this since the Arena. This is incredible, if the graphics are half as good as they were for Skyrim, then it will be a pleasure roaming around Tamriel, seeing the provinces of Skyrim, Cyrodill, Hammerfell, etc. I have no doubt in my mind that we will have to pay a subscription for this game, the majority of MMORPG's you have to pay a monthly subscription, but I believe that if ZeniMax either make the subscription cheaper or completely disregard it and the quality of the game rivals World of Warcraft, then I believe that WoW would lose a substantial amount of subscribers unless they countered this by lowering their prices.

I am looking forward to finding out more information about this game, it has the potential to become great, but it does depend if the developers cut corners or not. What I mean by this is if they go all out on the detail like they have for the game, and ensure that the quests that are featured in the game are of the highest quality. I have a certain confidence in this game, purely because Bethesda are helping create it, they have been responsible for games such as Fallout 3, New Vegas, Oblivion, Skyrim, etc. More information will be released on this game throughout the year. If you haven't seen the trailer for the game Click here (Yes that voice is Michael Gambon from Harry Potter).

Minecraft, since it was released as an alpha version in May 2009, there have been over 5 million purchases (based in February 2012). On May 9th 2012 it was released on the Xbox marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points (equivalent to £13), currently it is the most purchased game on the marketplace followed by Trails Evolution. If you wish to view the trailer for the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft Click here. I have both versions of Minecraft (Mac, Xbox) and currently there are advantages and disadvantages for both. Firstly, depending on the specification of your computer (the stuff inside that makes it work) determines whether it runs smoothly or slowly. I have a 2010 13 inch MacBook Pro, and it runs fairly smoothly if I have all of the settings on medium, but once I put them all on very high quality, thats when things start to go wrong. So when I realised that my battery was only lasting 1 hour 30 minutes (usually lasts 4 hours watching a video) I decided not to play it as much.

When I downloaded the version on Xbox, two things hit me, one it was unbelievably smooth, there was no lag whatsoever, and also the graphics were in a different league compared to the capabilities of my Mac. Obviously this will be different for everybody, if you have a top spec Mac, or any computer with a superior processor and graphics card, then the graphics will not be as different. Also the version on Xbox has some differences to the computer version. Firstly the map on the game is only limited to 1024x1024 blocks, as apposed to the computer version where the computer version has a map which is unlimited. The crafting is also different on the Xbox version, when you have the items necessary to make another item, you do not need to place them into a specific area on the crafting table like you have to in the computer version. Minecraft 360 is several versions behind the current 1.2.5. update on the computer, although 4J studios have said that in due time they will release updates for the Xbox so that it will have all of the features that the most up to date version on the computer has such as clay (which is currently not available on the Xbox version).

Minecraft is extremely popular, within the first week of its release on Xbox, 1 million people downloaded it, and on the first day there were reportedly 400,000 users playing it. I think that Minecraft, whatever platform you play it on, is a fantastic game, there is only one fault that I have found with the Xbox 360 version, and that is eventually, you will come across a world hole, this is where the path in front of you is a sheer drop when it shouldn't be there. If you just stand there it will eventually load, but I would imagine that the next update will remove this problem. Overall I think that it is a fantastic game, and in my opinion it is better on the Xbox for several reasons. The ease of using an actual controller, the fact that you can play with 8 people via Xbox live, the graphics, and also the endless fun that you can have on any platform.

2012· 4J studios· Games· Mac· Minecraft· Mojang· PC· xbox

Minecraft Xbox vs PC

Minecraft, since it was released as an alpha version in May 2009, there have been over 5 million purchases (based in February 2012). On May 9th 2012 it was released on the Xbox marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points (equivalent to £13), currently it is the most purchased game on the marketplace followed by Trails Evolution. If you wish to view the trailer for the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft Click here. I have both versions of Minecraft (Mac, Xbox) and currently there are advantages and disadvantages for both. Firstly, depending on the specification of your computer (the stuff inside that makes it work) determines whether it runs smoothly or slowly. I have a 2010 13 inch MacBook Pro, and it runs fairly smoothly if I have all of the settings on medium, but once I put them all on very high quality, thats when things start to go wrong. So when I realised that my battery was only lasting 1 hour 30 minutes (usually lasts 4 hours watching a video) I decided not to play it as much.

When I downloaded the version on Xbox, two things hit me, one it was unbelievably smooth, there was no lag whatsoever, and also the graphics were in a different league compared to the capabilities of my Mac. Obviously this will be different for everybody, if you have a top spec Mac, or any computer with a superior processor and graphics card, then the graphics will not be as different. Also the version on Xbox has some differences to the computer version. Firstly the map on the game is only limited to 1024x1024 blocks, as apposed to the computer version where the computer version has a map which is unlimited. The crafting is also different on the Xbox version, when you have the items necessary to make another item, you do not need to place them into a specific area on the crafting table like you have to in the computer version. Minecraft 360 is several versions behind the current 1.2.5. update on the computer, although 4J studios have said that in due time they will release updates for the Xbox so that it will have all of the features that the most up to date version on the computer has such as clay (which is currently not available on the Xbox version).

Minecraft is extremely popular, within the first week of its release on Xbox, 1 million people downloaded it, and on the first day there were reportedly 400,000 users playing it. I think that Minecraft, whatever platform you play it on, is a fantastic game, there is only one fault that I have found with the Xbox 360 version, and that is eventually, you will come across a world hole, this is where the path in front of you is a sheer drop when it shouldn't be there. If you just stand there it will eventually load, but I would imagine that the next update will remove this problem. Overall I think that it is a fantastic game, and in my opinion it is better on the Xbox for several reasons. The ease of using an actual controller, the fact that you can play with 8 people via Xbox live, the graphics, and also the endless fun that you can have on any platform.

Microsoft is busting out version 1.5 of its Kinect for Windows runtime and SDK that includes a bunch of new features for the xbox-lacking hoi polli.

This new update includes 10-joint skeletal tracking that'll work even when seated. Face following capabilities and joint orientation. It's also gaining four extra languages for speech recognition which are:
French, Spanish, Italian and finally Japanese. Kinect Studio, will help developers record and play back your movements to fine-tune their applications. Redmond is also offereing language pacts to ensure the sensor will play harmoniously with your local dialect.

Kinect· Microsoft· PC

Kinect for Windows SDK reaches v1.5, now works when you're sitting down

Microsoft is busting out version 1.5 of its Kinect for Windows runtime and SDK that includes a bunch of new features for the xbox-lacking hoi polli.

This new update includes 10-joint skeletal tracking that'll work even when seated. Face following capabilities and joint orientation. It's also gaining four extra languages for speech recognition which are:
French, Spanish, Italian and finally Japanese. Kinect Studio, will help developers record and play back your movements to fine-tune their applications. Redmond is also offereing language pacts to ensure the sensor will play harmoniously with your local dialect.

When you enter the magical world of Skyrim you awake on a horse and cart traveling to your destination where you are about to get decapitated, but lucky enough you are interrupted my the main dragon of the game (Alduin) that burns down the town of Helgen. After you've completed this mission that leaves you on the edge of your seat, wanting more action you travel to River Run that is a small friendly town. This is where you learn the basics of the epic game, smithing, talking to locals and much more. 

After you have the basics nailed you make your way through the extraordinary thrilling game play of Skyrim; by battling Dragons, Elf's, Orks and many more that is thrown at you or exploring dungeons or caves searching for rare treasures in their unique location. If the main missions are not your thing you can do side quests or even just upgrade your character by doing; alchemy, alteration, marksman, block, conjuration, destruction, enchanting,  heavy amour, illusion, light amour, lockpicking, one handed weapons, pickpocket, restoration, smithing, sneak, speech craft, two handed weapons. If you've played the former game from the Elder Scrolls collection; Oblivion you will remember the Dedric Princes. In Skyrim you come face to face with them again and fulfill their exciting quests they have on offer. 

This game is brilliant if you want a game that you do not want to put down. There is something for everyone in this game from quests to cooking. The actual map of the kingdom of Skyrim is huge you are bound to get lost every now and then, but this adds to the epicness of the game. 


But there is no such thing as a perfect game, with this huge map that is offer to you to explore there are a few glitches/bugs when you are exploring places that you shouldn't be, this consists on walk through rocks and walls. But hopefully Elder Scrolls sort this out with a new patch.


Overall the team at Rumournal give this epic game 9.5/10

elder scrolls· Games· gaming· PC· Review· Reviews· rpg· rumoural· skyrim· sony playstation· Xbox 360

Skyrim Review

When you enter the magical world of Skyrim you awake on a horse and cart traveling to your destination where you are about to get decapitated, but lucky enough you are interrupted my the main dragon of the game (Alduin) that burns down the town of Helgen. After you've completed this mission that leaves you on the edge of your seat, wanting more action you travel to River Run that is a small friendly town. This is where you learn the basics of the epic game, smithing, talking to locals and much more. 

After you have the basics nailed you make your way through the extraordinary thrilling game play of Skyrim; by battling Dragons, Elf's, Orks and many more that is thrown at you or exploring dungeons or caves searching for rare treasures in their unique location. If the main missions are not your thing you can do side quests or even just upgrade your character by doing; alchemy, alteration, marksman, block, conjuration, destruction, enchanting,  heavy amour, illusion, light amour, lockpicking, one handed weapons, pickpocket, restoration, smithing, sneak, speech craft, two handed weapons. If you've played the former game from the Elder Scrolls collection; Oblivion you will remember the Dedric Princes. In Skyrim you come face to face with them again and fulfill their exciting quests they have on offer. 

This game is brilliant if you want a game that you do not want to put down. There is something for everyone in this game from quests to cooking. The actual map of the kingdom of Skyrim is huge you are bound to get lost every now and then, but this adds to the epicness of the game. 


But there is no such thing as a perfect game, with this huge map that is offer to you to explore there are a few glitches/bugs when you are exploring places that you shouldn't be, this consists on walk through rocks and walls. But hopefully Elder Scrolls sort this out with a new patch.


Overall the team at Rumournal give this epic game 9.5/10

Today, I purchased the first instalment in the Walking Dead game series (Episode 1 of 5). I am a huge fan of the TV series, so this was a must buy for me. Although before I purchased it, I looked around on the Internet to find out the general feeling towards the game. And just from looking at some of the gameplay that was on YouTube, and my initial thoughts weren't great. I just thought it would be another attempt for a company to try and make money from a successful TV series, but I couldn't have been more wrong.

This game is absolutely fantastic! It is so different from any other zombie game out there, you can truly interact with the characters who you are controlling, and the decisions that you make through the game have an effect on how people view you as a person within the game. The Walking Dead game was released to all platforms on the 26th of April apart from iOS, which will be released during the summer period. The delay is to ensure that the game is on par with the quality that is available on all other platforms.

Overall I think that this is a fantastic game, do not judge just because the graphics are not up to the standard of games like Left 4 Dead, the budget for this game was extremely limited, and the results that Telltale games have achieved are outstanding. Although only the first episode is out now, the rest will follow on a monthly basis. There is an option to pay for all 5 of the episodes at once ($20) or pay for them one at a time which will be $5 each, so in the long run it would be worth purchasing all 5 episodes at once. Because I wouldn't want to spoil what happens in the first episode, you can Click here to view the trailer on Gamespot.

Games· iOS· Mac· PC· The Walking Dead· xbox

The Walking Dead Game, It's Dead Good!

Today, I purchased the first instalment in the Walking Dead game series (Episode 1 of 5). I am a huge fan of the TV series, so this was a must buy for me. Although before I purchased it, I looked around on the Internet to find out the general feeling towards the game. And just from looking at some of the gameplay that was on YouTube, and my initial thoughts weren't great. I just thought it would be another attempt for a company to try and make money from a successful TV series, but I couldn't have been more wrong.

This game is absolutely fantastic! It is so different from any other zombie game out there, you can truly interact with the characters who you are controlling, and the decisions that you make through the game have an effect on how people view you as a person within the game. The Walking Dead game was released to all platforms on the 26th of April apart from iOS, which will be released during the summer period. The delay is to ensure that the game is on par with the quality that is available on all other platforms.

Overall I think that this is a fantastic game, do not judge just because the graphics are not up to the standard of games like Left 4 Dead, the budget for this game was extremely limited, and the results that Telltale games have achieved are outstanding. Although only the first episode is out now, the rest will follow on a monthly basis. There is an option to pay for all 5 of the episodes at once ($20) or pay for them one at a time which will be $5 each, so in the long run it would be worth purchasing all 5 episodes at once. Because I wouldn't want to spoil what happens in the first episode, you can Click here to view the trailer on Gamespot.

AppleInsider reports that Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) took a visit to the headquarters of Valve, the video game firm behind the Steam digital distribution platform and the creator of famous games (Team Fortress 2). Steam is a very popular for making games for Mac and Windows operating systems. We do not know why Tim Cook paid a visit to the headquarters but the company's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington suggests that it may have been relating to collaboration between the two companies.

Earlier this year, Valvue released an iOS app allowing users to browse the Steam marketplace to buy games for later to download or play them on a PC or Mac.

We do not know what Steam and Apple have come up with but hopefully it will be interesting and awesome. I personally don't think that Steam and Apple with disappoint us.

Apple· Mac· News· PC· Valve

Apple CEO Tim Cook Visits Headquarters of Video Game Firm Valve

AppleInsider reports that Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) took a visit to the headquarters of Valve, the video game firm behind the Steam digital distribution platform and the creator of famous games (Team Fortress 2). Steam is a very popular for making games for Mac and Windows operating systems. We do not know why Tim Cook paid a visit to the headquarters but the company's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington suggests that it may have been relating to collaboration between the two companies.

Earlier this year, Valvue released an iOS app allowing users to browse the Steam marketplace to buy games for later to download or play them on a PC or Mac.

We do not know what Steam and Apple have come up with but hopefully it will be interesting and awesome. I personally don't think that Steam and Apple with disappoint us.

Windows 8 loading screen

It has been a few years since Microsoft released the popular Windows 7. And with figures released on the 20th of January 2012 showing that over 525 million licenses of Windows 7 has been sold, people are starting to wonder if Windows 8 will live up to Windows 7's level.

Windows 8 Desktop

I for one has seen Windows 8 and is a bit reluctant to decide if I will upgrade to it or not. Microsoft have decide to change their approach to their products as they have used the same look for most products such as Xbox 360, Nokia Windows 8 Tablet, Nokia Lumia and many more.

Windows 8 Commercial Preview has been released and is completely free to download and try it for yourself just by clicking this link.

Firstly lets take a look at the minimum requirements of your PC to run Windows 8:

• 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Now lets look at 8 new features Microsoft has brought in to Windows 8:


Support For Both PC's and ARM Tablets: Windows 8 is the first Windows edition that will operate on both ARM Tablets and PC's.   


Tile Based User Interface: Although Windows 8 might look like a new design, Microsoft has just created a new user interface on top of a somewhat updated Windows 7. The Windows 8 start menu offers a mosaic look and allows customisation of the home page metro style applications. Windows 8 allows you to view information from applications without actually clicking on them. and still offers the original desktop but without the start menu button. 


Charm Bar: This is a new implementation of the traditional Windows start bar. The Charms Bar can be used to quickly change individual application settings. It is accessed by dragging your mouse to the bottom or top right hand corner of the screen, or pressing the Windows button + C. There are 5 options located in the charm bar, which are Start, Search, Share, Devices and Settings.  


Snap Multi-Tasking: This is designed to allow make it easy to run two or more applications side by side, to re-size them and to switch between them. However Windows 8 does not allow you to view all of your running applications on one page.

Windows 8 Control Panel

New Control Panel: Microsoft has re-designed the control panel by adding new options such as Personalise, Users, Wireless, Notifications, General, Privacy, Search and Share. Personalise allows you to choose what applications you have on your start screen. 


New Web Browser: The new Internet Explorer 10 is built into the new Windows 8 and is designed to offer faster browsing and easier web navigation. 


USB 3.0 Support: Windows 8 offer compatibly for USB 3.0, which offers 10 times more speed than USB 2.0. Microsoft will provide native USB 3.0 drivers something that is not available on Windows 7, however on Windows 7 there are third party drivers for USB 3.0.   


Better Support For Multiple Monitors: Windows 8 will also bring better support for multiple screens. The preview allowed you to extended the tool bar across two screens, extended the desktop background across two screens and have the start screen on one monitor and the desktop on another without the use of any third party applications.   


I believe Windows 8 will take time to kick off and will take time to get used to as they have changed it dramatically.  



See What Windows 8 Looks Like Here
Find Out More About Windows 8 Here

                            

                       

Microsoft· Operating System· PC· Review· Reviews· Software· Windows· Windows 7 Retail Sales· Windows 8

Windows 8, is it Great?

Windows 8 loading screen

It has been a few years since Microsoft released the popular Windows 7. And with figures released on the 20th of January 2012 showing that over 525 million licenses of Windows 7 has been sold, people are starting to wonder if Windows 8 will live up to Windows 7's level.

Windows 8 Desktop

I for one has seen Windows 8 and is a bit reluctant to decide if I will upgrade to it or not. Microsoft have decide to change their approach to their products as they have used the same look for most products such as Xbox 360, Nokia Windows 8 Tablet, Nokia Lumia and many more.

Windows 8 Commercial Preview has been released and is completely free to download and try it for yourself just by clicking this link.

Firstly lets take a look at the minimum requirements of your PC to run Windows 8:

• 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Now lets look at 8 new features Microsoft has brought in to Windows 8:


Support For Both PC's and ARM Tablets: Windows 8 is the first Windows edition that will operate on both ARM Tablets and PC's.   


Tile Based User Interface: Although Windows 8 might look like a new design, Microsoft has just created a new user interface on top of a somewhat updated Windows 7. The Windows 8 start menu offers a mosaic look and allows customisation of the home page metro style applications. Windows 8 allows you to view information from applications without actually clicking on them. and still offers the original desktop but without the start menu button. 


Charm Bar: This is a new implementation of the traditional Windows start bar. The Charms Bar can be used to quickly change individual application settings. It is accessed by dragging your mouse to the bottom or top right hand corner of the screen, or pressing the Windows button + C. There are 5 options located in the charm bar, which are Start, Search, Share, Devices and Settings.  


Snap Multi-Tasking: This is designed to allow make it easy to run two or more applications side by side, to re-size them and to switch between them. However Windows 8 does not allow you to view all of your running applications on one page.

Windows 8 Control Panel

New Control Panel: Microsoft has re-designed the control panel by adding new options such as Personalise, Users, Wireless, Notifications, General, Privacy, Search and Share. Personalise allows you to choose what applications you have on your start screen. 


New Web Browser: The new Internet Explorer 10 is built into the new Windows 8 and is designed to offer faster browsing and easier web navigation. 


USB 3.0 Support: Windows 8 offer compatibly for USB 3.0, which offers 10 times more speed than USB 2.0. Microsoft will provide native USB 3.0 drivers something that is not available on Windows 7, however on Windows 7 there are third party drivers for USB 3.0.   


Better Support For Multiple Monitors: Windows 8 will also bring better support for multiple screens. The preview allowed you to extended the tool bar across two screens, extended the desktop background across two screens and have the start screen on one monitor and the desktop on another without the use of any third party applications.   


I believe Windows 8 will take time to kick off and will take time to get used to as they have changed it dramatically.  



See What Windows 8 Looks Like Here
Find Out More About Windows 8 Here