Review: Mortal Kombat (360)

If you’ve read our ‘First Impressions’ on the game, you already know that my first look at NetherRealm’s newest  Mortal Kombat was a positive one. After spending more time with the game, all I can say is that the quality and experience that I enjoyed so much from the onset has only been reinforced by repeated and prolonged play.

It’s very easy to get bored of a fighting game. I’ve mentioned many-a-time that I’m not particularly fond of the genre in general. Part of that stems from my fat, slow fingers and the fact that I’m horrible at them. The other issue I have with fighters is that they tend to be extremely repetitive. There’s very little room for variation in game play aside from a usual assortment of gimmicks and “mini games” that hardly ever feel welcome.

Even when I made up my mind to buy Mortal Kombat I knew that whatever excitement I had for the game probably wouldn’t last. I was just hopeful that the game would be fun and that it would bring back fond memories of staying up all night with a few friends as we tried to experience every fatality, babality, stage-specific death, and ‘toasty’ secret level.

Even if the new game was able to do those things, I thought that after a few dozens fights I’d get bored. I still wanted to give it a try, but I wasn’t expecting the game to become one of the favorites in my collection. What a nice surprise it’s been! I’m not ready to change direction and call myself a fighting-game fan, but Mortal Kombat has easily been one the most fun games I’ve played in the last year.

Mass Effect 3 Delayed Until First-Quarter 2012

Bioware has announced that Mass Effect 3, will now be expecting a first-quarter 2012 release. The game had initially been announced with a holiday-season 2011 target date. It seems more and more companies are willing to forgo the holiday rush in order to put in some extra time with their big-budget titles. I won’t complain too much; it gives me a reason to continue to endure those post-holiday months and the crappy Ohio weather that comes along with.

Bioware also stated that the reason the game is being delayed is to give them more time to work on the as-yet unnamed Wii-2 port, which will be revealed at E3. This is a complete and utter lie on my part, but hey, it sounds interesting.

Bioware may also be waiting until the projected date that the PSN will come back online.

Another possible reason for the delay is that the team needs more time to un-generic-ify game locations after the debacle that was Dragon Age 2? Sorry, that’s still a sore spot with me even if I still enjoyed the game overall.

Okay, so no real reason has been given, but we’ll assume the game will turn out better for the extra time being put behind it. And “The game has been delayed until x date” isn’t really fun to read. You’re welcome for the extra bit of brain candy.

(Source: Giant Bomb)

Get Classy with Brink’s Latest Get SMART Trailer

Another in the line of Get SMART videos has been released, and this one previews the classes and class mechanics that will be available when ‘Brink’ hits shelves next week. Check it out:

‘Brink’ is a first person shooter that blends character progression and customization across both it’s single and multi-player modes. The game also boasts the ‘SMART’ button, which allows quick traversal across the obstacles scattered amid the battlefield, lending itself to fast-paced, frantic action. Look for it on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on May 10th.

Heads Up! Brink’s Latest SMART Trailer talks HUD

The latest installment in Brink‘s “Get SMART” series of videos discusses the game’s heads-up display (HUD). Honestly? I thought it was unnecessary as the HUD is self-explanatory, but it did provide another opportunity to watch the game in action. And besides, a HUD should be self-explanatory and easy to read. That’s the mark of a good HUD.

Trio of Fallout: New Vegas DLC Packs Detailed and Dated

Bethesda has detailed plans for three new add-ons for their post-apocalyptic open-world RPG Fallout: New Vegas. The expansions will release simultaneously on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, and will each carry a $9.99 USD (or token equivalent, thank you MS points . . .) price tag.

Cowboys and robots! Note: Not from the DLC. I just like Cowboys and robots.

Honest Hearts will be the first to release when it drops on May 17th. After being ambushed while exploring Zion National Park, you will find yourself in the middle of a savage tribal battle, as well as a conflict between a New Canaanite missionary and the mysterious Burned Man. And, in typical Fallout fashion, the choices you make and the sides you chose to ally with will decide the fate of the region.

Old World Blues is scheduled for a June release. With this pack, you’ll play the part of an unwilling lab-rat as you discover the origins of the regions mutated monsters. Pre-war research centers will provide clues to the technology you’ll need to either turn against your captors, or side with them as you face off against a bigger threat.

The last of the three, Lonesome Road, comes in July and introduces you to the original Courier Six; a man named Ulysses who plays an important role at the start of the New Vegas story. He promises to give you answers for his actions, but not until you complete one final task. The earthquake-ravaged and storm addled canyons of The Divide will provide the backdrop for this adventure, and will take you to a place that few have dared tread, and none have ever returned.

The content seems to carry on the strong theme of New Vegas’ gritty, western-wasteland. Certainly sounds like something to be excited about for fans of the series.

Source: Bethesda Softworks

Duke Nukem Forever PC Specs Released

2K Games has released the minimum and recommended system specs for the PC edition of the supposedly soon-to-release Duke Nukem Forever. The good news is that I don’t see any mention of quantum thermite-core CPUS, Multi-deck holovid cards, or any other technology that won’t be available for another couple of decades, so that bodes well for those who are ready for the game to actually release.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.0 Ghz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 @ 2.0 Ghz
Memory: 1 Gb
Hard Drive: 10 Gb free
Video Memory: 256 MB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon HD 2600
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.4 Ghz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 @ 2.6 Ghz
Memory: 2 Gb
Hard Drive: 10 Gb free
Video Memory: 512 MB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS / ATI Radeon HD 3850
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

(Source: 2K Games’ blog)

Catherine US ‘Delux’ Items Revealed – Limited Availability

I’ve mentioned before that I feel the hype behind the Japanese release Catherine was more than the game deserved. Not that I could claim that from experience; rather, it’s based on deep seated and ill-founded personal bias and a strong dislike for a certain online gaming community.

Fans of the game were very happy to learn that Atlus would be bringing the game State-side. Today, Atlus announced that they will be offering a ‘Delux’ edition of the game (now subtitled ‘Love is Over’.) The delux edition will be ‘built to order’, meaning that unless you pre-order it, it’ll likely be difficult to get your hands on a copy. So, what do you get for your trouble? Take a look:

BIT.TRIP to get BIT.TRIPPIER with BIT.TRIP SAGA for 3DS

Aksys Games has announced that the acclaimed BIT.TRIP series will be coming to Nintendo’s 3DS, re-worked to incorporate that added dimension.

BIT.TRIP SAGA will be a compilation of the BIT.TRIP games released this far:

BIT.TRIP BEAT
BIT.TRIP CORE
BIT.TRIP VOID
BIT.TRIP RUNNER
BIT.TRIP FATE and
BIT.TRIP FLUX

I haven’t played any of these titles in their original form, but I have to admit that I do like saying “BIT.TRIP”. If I planned on ever having a 3DS, it looks like this would be a great opportunity to check out the series. I don’t, however, plan on owning a 3DS, and instead will likely check out the original(s) whenever I get around to getting them off Steam.

Need for Speed Has the Runs in Newly Announced Title

Poop jokes? Yeah, we go there. EA has officially announced Need for Speed: The Run as the next game in the arcade-racing franchise.

Described as an action-packed story-driven racer, the game will see players racing through environments ranging from dense urban streets, to mountain passes and narrow canyons. They also mention that you’ll be racing to outrun more than “just the fuzz”, further hinting at a story-driven game.

Perhaps the most exciting news is that they are  taking advantage of the Frostbite 2 engine for use in this game. You know, the same one responsible for the stunning visuals in that little war game known as Battlefield 3.

Hector: Badge of Carnage – EP1 PC Review

When you follow as much news as I do, it’s easy to forget about things. Release dates can be particularly troublesome due to their sheer number and tendency to be changed again and again. So when a tweet announcing the availability of ‘Hector: Badge of Carnage’ via Steam popped up in my feed, it was a great surprise.

You think these pros look scary? Well Hector isn't wearing pants when the game begins . . .

I’ve never played the iPhone/iPad version, but it took nothing more than a quick view of the trailer to see that the game was full of both the usual Telltale charm, and a level of crude adult humor that I hadn’t expected from the company.