After escaping the belly of the mighty sarlacc, I was forwarded the following cast list.

“The Voices of Bioware’s Star Wars the Old Republic”

• Jennifer Hale (voiced Bastila in KOTOR and female Sheppard in Mass Effect) will be voicing Satele Shan(descendant of Revan) and others…
• Lance Henriksen (Bishop from Aliens) will voice Master Gnost-Dural.
• Raphael Sbarge (voiced Carth Onasi in KOTOR and Kaidan Alenko in Mass Effect) will be voicing “Smuggler Companion”.
• John Cygan (voiced Canderous Ordo in KOTOR) will be voicing “Madalorian Companion”.
• Kristoffer Tabori (voiced HK-47 in KOTOR) will be voicing HK-47 and “HK Companion Droid“.
• Courtenay Taylor (voiced Jack from Mass Effect and Serina A.I. from Halo Wars)
• Juliet Landau (voiced the little sisters in Bioshock and played Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire slayer)
• Laura Bailey (voiced Jaina Proudmoore and many anime voices such as Dragonball and Full Metal Alchemist)
• Catherine Taber (voiced Mission Vao in KOTOR and Padme in the Clone Wars TV series)
• Nan McNamara (voiced Anya in Gears of War)
• John DiMaggio (voiced Bender in Futurama and Marcus Fenix in Gears of War)
• Keith David (voiced Anderson in Mass Effect and the Arbiter in Halo)

Keep in mind these are just the “major roles” and just the notable actors. There is also a star studded list of cameos that includes Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Claudia Black, Adam Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Seth MacFarlane, Simon Pegg, Samuel L. Jackson, Stephan Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Chris Jericho, and Kevin Smith.

Don’t forget to email us your questions, comments and reviews to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

This Week In Gaming

• (kotaku) Guess Which Three Games Help Keep Activision Afloat [Industry]

For example, it points out that in fiscal 2009, which ended in December, that their top three franchises, Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and World of Warcraft, accounted for about 68 percent of their net revenues for the year.

• (kotaku) God of War III Sex Scenes Almost Cut [PS3]
• (Gamesindustry.biz) News: Sony acquires Media Molecule (makers of LIttle Bog Planet)
• (gamesindustry.biz) News: THQ ICE: Players need to be encouraged to switch MMOs

His comments come as the company launches its Side-Scroller Showdown incentive for its recently launched free-to-play MMO Dragonica. The incentive challenges MMO players to try out Dragonica Online and then decide if they prefer it to their existing MMO game. If they choose to switch, they’re rewarded with in-game cash, and if they decide to stick with their current game they’re also given cash to spend in that game.

• (gamasutra) NPD: Online Gaming Hours Rise 10 Percent In U.S.
• (evil avatar) Call of Duty: World of Warcraft Version
• (kotaku) EA Shows Off Mirror’s Edge, Skate-It, And World Adventures On The iPhone [EA Mobile]
• (ps3 fanboy) Bioshock 2 has shipped over 3 million units

Take-Two has revealed in its latest fiscal earnings report that Bioshock 2 has managed to ship more than three million units worldwide since releasing on February 9. The report also says the first game has now sold over four million copies worldwide across all platforms, “bringing the total sales of the franchise to 7 million units.” Of course, the important distinction here is that “shipped” does not equal “sold,” as Take-Two infers above.

• (joystiq) Ousted Infinity Ward founders file suit against Activision
  Former Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West are bringing a lawsuit against Activision for breach of contract and other claims, after Activision terminated their employment on March 1. The press release announcing the suit claims that Activision was scheduled to pay “substantial royalty payments,” but fired them before the date of the payment.
  “Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public,” attorney Robert Schwartz said, “last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual ‘investigation’ into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of ‘insubordination’ and ‘breach of fiduciary duty,’ which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1st.”
  In addition to compensation, the suit seeks to return the contractual rights Zampella and West previously had to the Modern Warfare brand.
• (Gamepro) Take-Two confirms NHL 2K11 just for the Wii… for now
• (shacknews) Tomb Raider Lara Croft’s Next Adventure Announced (not Tomb Raider title)
• (kotaku) On Mar 4:Ten years ago today, the PlayStation 2 launched in Japan. That makes the PS2 ten years old.After launching worldwide, the console has gone on to sell over 140 million units globally, making it the best selling home console. Ten years in, the console is still alive and kicking. There are still video games being released on it!
• (joystiq) Rock Band Network live on Xbox 360, 105 songs available
  The Rock Band Network has gone live on Xbox 360 with a catalog of 105 songs. With over 4,000 registered authors and peer reviewers registered to participate in the program, we’re guessing a lot more tracks are coming.Prices range from 80 to 160 ($1 and $2).
  Players will be able to download RBN samples if they wish to try tracks before they buy. Songs will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 for 30 days, after which “a selection of standout tracks” will become available on PS3 and Wii.
• (shacknews) Xbox Live Now Allows ‘Gay’ and Other Orientation Terms in Gamertags, Online Profiles
• (shacknews) QuakeCon 2010 Announced
  id Software’s annual celebration of fragging, friendship and sharing pornography, QuakeCon, will return to the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas this year from August 12 to 15, id’s fellow ZeniMax Media subsidiaryBethesda Softworks has announced.
• (IGN PS3) GDC 10: This Year’s Big GDC Announcements ??
• (shacknews) Steam Coming to Mac in April, Portal 2 This Fall
  previously Windows-only digital distribution platform Steam to the Mac in April 2010.Said the company: “Steam and Valve’s library of games including Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, Portal, and the Half-Life series will be available in April.”

  Future Valve games will hit PC and Mac simultaneously, beginning with Portal 2.

  Both PC and Mac versions will be bundled together, meaning that buyers get both editions of the game for the price of one–a feature that Valve calls Steam Play. Furthermore, games with support for Steam Cloud server-side save storage can be started on one platform (say, PC) and continued on the other (in this example, Mac).

• (shacknews) Scribblenauts Sequel Officially Announced
• (shacknews) Mafia 2 Gets In-Game Playboy Magazine for ‘Sophistication and Classic Imagery’

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. Microsoft Store takes 30% off a selection of Xbox 360 games via coupon code “CLR-MSFT-Games-30%” Coupon expires March 31. Notable titles include Dead Space, Overlord 2 and the awesome DJ Hero.
2. Walmart offers the Nintendo Wii Game Console bundled with Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus for $199. Shipping adds $6.97, or choose free Site-to-Store.
3. Once again, Atari.com takes 50% off almost every video game via coupon code “atari50″(This offer excludes preorders, Puzzler World, Star Trek Online, Flashback 2+, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, EVE Online, Sam & Max 2, and Project Runway.) Games like rollercoaster tycoon, champions online, chronicles of riddick and more.
4. JR.com cuts up to 85% off a selection of video games, in its clearance section. Additionally, add this 1-Year Warranty Service Plan to your cart for $1.79 and receive free shipping. (Without this item, shipping adds $2.95.) Enemy Territory: Quake Wars for PC (pictured) for $1.99
5. UncleVic.com offers dealnews readers the refurbished Microsoft Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Game Console for $189.99. Apply coupon code “DEALNEWS” to drop it to $179.99.

From: Fade
To: Illusive Man
Subject: The audio data you wanted.

This is all I could salvage from the data. Most of it was unusable but I did get one piece of audio. Whatever tech this Kasumi is using it fried the C-Sec security data at its source. Oh and thanks for the heavy mechs you sent with the payment for Sidonis. Don’t plan on using them but I’m sure I can find plenty of buyers for such high grade tech.

*transcribed audio data from C-Sec security system ZW27-9*

Operations Chief Gibbs: Now this, recruits, is the M57 Hammerhead. This beast is a heavy assault vehicle with speeds that can reach up to 120 klicks per hour. On top of that, it features a guided missile system ensuring accuracy even during aggressive maneuvering while in combat. That means, you Homo habili, that in this monster you will not only be the deadliest thing planet-side but you will also be the fastest. Plus, with the upgraded element zero hovering system there are very few environmental obstacles it can not overcome. Now, Serviceman Chung, dare I assume you know how to repair a hull should you idiots manage a breach?
Serviceman Chung: Sir! I use the reserve Omni-gel to apply a patch, Sir!
Operations Chief Gibbs: And what exactly is Omni-gel, maggot!
Serviceman Chung: Sir! I…um…
Kasumi: Omni-gel, soldier, is a compound composed of common reusable industrial plastics, ceramics, and light alloys kept in a semi-molten state. That way it has all the proper attributes to repair both armor and electronics.
Operations Chief Gibbs: Serviceman Chung how can you even stand being you. Now thank the lady for providing your worthless ass with the correct answer!
Serviceman Chung: Ma’am! Thank you, Ma’am!
Kasumi: My pleasure Serviceman.
Operations Chief Gibbs: Serviceman Chung! Where are your manners? Offer the lady your assistance!
Serviceman Chung: Ma’am! Might I be able to assist you, Ma’am!
Kasumi: Perhaps you would be a sweetheart and help a girl find a place to get some food?
Serviceman Chung: Ma’am! Right after you pass through the C-Sec office take a left and you will be in front of Zakera Café. Best food on the Citadel, Ma’am!
Kasumi: How’s their noodles?
Serviceman Chung: Ma’am! I don’t believe they serve noodles. Mainly burgers, stew, and salad, Ma’am!
Kasumi: Darn, I’ve had this craving for ramen for the longest time. Well thank you Serviceman Chung, I’ll try the café on your recommendation.

*security system ZW27-9 to ZW27-13 experienced unexplained data corruption for the next 00:01:24*

As many of you know Infinity Ward and Activision are having some “family” troubles. Infinity Ward wants to do things their way because they’ve proven they can do things on their own and they’re not children anymore. Unfortunately Activision will always see Infinity Ward as its little boy and is having trouble seeing them in a adult role. Here’s a quick rundown of the events that have transpired between Activision and Infinity Ward this week. There was a meeting held Monday between Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West and Activision executives. That night plain cloths security showed up at Infinity Ward to secure the building. Later Vince Zampella and Jason West announced via twitter that they no longer had their jobs. Then they held a press conference announcing their lawsuit against Activision. Activision has since released a statement saying they’re moving in a new direction with Call of Duty. Hopefully I can shed some light on the matter.

Activision has always been seen as a bit abrasive to put it politely. My friends at G4 and Bioware have called them “The Mafia of Gaming” on several occasions. And I can tell you from personal experience that Bobby Kotick(CEO and President of Activision) is a complete and total douche-bag and most people in the gaming industry will agree. On the other side, Infinity Ward is pompous and have on multiple occasions told off the media and their investors as to what content they make. What we’re seeing here isn’t two intellectual entities parting over creative differences. In reality it’s closer to two 5 year olds angry cause they weren’t getting their way and Activision just happened to have more power in the situation. I believe Tim Schafer put is best with “Being mad at Activision for this kind of thing is like getting mad at an ape for throwing feces. It’s just how the beast communicates.”

No one is really sure about what will happen next because we aren’t privy to the legal department of Activision. What will most likely happen is a court will determine whether or not Vince Zampella and Jason West were wrongfully terminated and if that is the case they won’t have to follow the criteria set up by the contracts they’ve signed with Activision. Also, the franchise Modern Warfare is a separate from Call of Duty. It was actually Infinity Ward that brought Modern Warfare to Activision and if the court finds against Activision the creative rights will go back to its original owner.

So let us review what we’ve learned today.

1. Neither side of the situation is innocent.
2. We don’t know what will happen until the lawsuit is settled.
3. Activision is a large and powerful company that happens to have “many friends”.
   And
4. Bobby Kotick is a complete and total douche-bag.

Don’t forget to email us your questions, comments and reviews to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

This Week In Gaming

• (Kotaku) Heavy Rain Banned In The United Arab Emirates
• (VoodooExtreme) Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War II – Chaos Rising Goes Gold
• (VoodooExtreme) Aliens vs. Predator The Fastest-Selling Game Of 2010, In The UK
• (VoodooExtreme) God Of War III Goes Gold
• (Joystiq) Bioshock 2 DLC kicks off with ‘Sinclair Solutions Test Pack’
• (Shacknews) Valve Launches Public Beta For New Steam UI
• (Shacknews) Supreme Commander 2 Demo Arrives on Steam, Steamworks DRM Confirmed
• (Shacknews) Super Mario Galaxy 2 Release Date Announced
  Today, at a Nintendo Summit event held in San Francisco, Nintendo of America revealed that Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) would be released in North America on May 23, 2010
  Additionally, details were revealed for one of Nintendo’s other flagship franchises. Metroid: Other M, Nintendo’s collaboration with Team NINJA (Ninja Gaiden series), said to be releasing mid-year. While no concrete release date has been set for this title, multiple sources are reporting that it should be ready to go halfway through 2010.
• (Shacknews) Blizzard, NCsoft Veterans Head New MMO Publisher
  Blizzard and NCsoft alumni including former vice-president of R&D at Blizzard and ArenaNet co-founder Patrick Wyatt are heading a new online game publisher named En Masse Entertainment, announced today by owner and developer Bluehole Studio.
  En Masse will be “focused on selecting high quality online games and adapting, refining, and positioning them so they are perfectly suited for audiences in Western markets,” according to a press release, the first of which will be Bluehole’s own TERA.

• (MTV Multiplayer) ‘Mass Effect 2′ Hover Tank DLC Coming In March
  BioWare promised us that we’d be getting a lot of post-launch DLC for “Mass Effect 2,” and it looks like they’re true to their word. Apart from ides, March will bring with it the “Firewalker” DLC pack, which focuses on a vehicle known as the Hammerhead hover tank. Fancy! Here’s hoping it doesn’t control like the MAKO tank from “Mass Effect 1″!

The “Firewalker” pack will be free to all those clever people that registered for the Cerberus System, the in-game DLC delivery service in “Mass Effect 2.” If you bought the game new, the package should’ve included a code, but if you bought it used you’re gonna have to pay up to get access.

• (gamesindustry.biz) News: Wii passes 10 million sales in Japan
• (gamesindustry.biz) [UK Charts] News: Heavy Rain becomes Sony’s first No 1 since Killzone 2
• (gamesindustry.biz ) news: Bug cripples original PlayStation 3 models

Supposedly a bug in the firmware on anything but new slims. Based on a leapyear issue of some sort. Don’t even get on your PS3 until you hear the all clear (this is editorial content by mike)

All fixed now.. !

• The Warhammer Online steins are available now for pre-order at a special introductory price here: http://www.warsteins.com. Along with the Epic Collection steins, a limited number of Legendary Collection steins signed and numbered by the respective artist and limited to only 500 of each design worldwide are also available exclusively at http://www.warsteins.com.Every stoneware Epic and Legendary Collection stein will also include an exclusive in-game item** for players with a valid subscription which can be redeemed on Warhammer Online:

  ·      Destruction The Raven Host Ale Stein A coveted gift from the

  great hall of the Warlord Tchar¹zanek. Drinking from this stein will grant a

  +15% bonus to Experience, Renown, and Influence for 120 minutes.

  ·      Order The Order of the Griffon Ale Stein A treasured gift from

  the great hall of the Emperor Karl Franz. Drinking from this stein will grant a +15% bonus to Experience, Renown, and Influence for 120 minutes.

Rumor Mill

• http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/702911/security-appears-unannounced-at-infinity-ward-studio-heads-missing-staff-freaked-out-.html (By Patrick Klepek)

Something’s happening at Infinity Ward right now.

A source close to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 developer just informed me that a “bunch of bouncer-types” just showed up outside of the Infinity Ward offices unannounced. When approached by employees, the non-uniformed “bouncers” were unwilling to disclose why they were there.

“Everyone is on edge,” said my source.

Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West reportedly met with Activision this morning and have not been seen by Infinity Ward staff members since. My source did not delve into specifics, but described the relationship between Infinity Ward and Activision lately as “tense.”

The mood around the Infinity Ward offices is currently described as “freaked out” and “confused.”

“We just wanna make our games,” said my source.

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. As part of its latest Madness Sale, GoGamer.com offers deals on several video games, PC games, and more. Plus, apply coupon code “SHIPFREE25″ at checkout to bag free shipping. Two notable deals include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for PlayStation 3 for $39.90 and Mass Effect 2 for Xbox 360 for $44.90
2. Amazon.com offers the Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite Game Console Holiday Bundle, model no. 52V-00088, bundled with a $50 Amazon Gift Card for $299. This bundle includes the Xbox 360 Elite system with HDMI, 120GB hard drive, wireless controller, HDMI and component HD AV cables, headset, Ethernet cable, Xbox LIVE Silver Membership, LEGO Batman: The Video Game, and PURE and of course the 50 dollar giftcard.
3. Everyones favorite price, FREE has shown its head this week, Mail.com offers downloads of Dream Vacation Solitaire for Windows for free. It features 30 solitaire games and 35 levels. The perfect surprise gift if you have a mom like mine who only uses the computer to play card games, and click every internet popup imaginable so you have to reformat the computer every 3 months.
4. gohastings.com is still at it with their huge used game clearence sale, with unheard of prices starting at $1.38 for xbox 360 titles and  $2.76 for ps3 titles. Be sure to check out the pre-owned copy of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for Xbox 360 for $7.58
5. Walmart.com is sticking its head out with another great bundle deal across ALL platforms. Selection does vary but the prices are rock solid.
   • two Xbox 360 games for $20
   • two Nintendo DS games for $20
   • two PlayStation 2 games for $20
   • two Nintendo Wii games for $25
   • two Nintendo Wii games for $30
   • two Nintendo DS games with accessory kit for $30
   • two Xbox 360 games for $30
   • two PlayStation 3 games for $30

Max shared what it’s like working with a committed team of developers to overcome the challenges of starting over from scratch and just what is in a name. We discussed the influences and decisions that went into developing Torchlight and its accessibility for players. If playing Torchlight as a single player game has whet your appetite for a Torchlight MMO, you’ll be excited to hear the hints and tidbits Max shared of what’s to come. Could there be a co-op in the works? Never want to give up your pet? You’ll want to listen in on this fantastic interview.

We suggest that, like Andy, you sit and listen to this one over and over. Thanks again Max and Runic Games for this opportunity to drag out this information, kicking and screaming.. If you can’t tell that we are big fans, then you just didn’t listen close enough.

If you HAVEN’T played Torchlight yet, what are you waiting for? (It even works on Netbooks!)

The first thing you’ll notice upon entering the world of Rapture is that it is, well, still Rapture.  Bioshock 2 takes place in a different section of the underwater city, but it has all the charm of the first game.  The game world is rendered in the same art-deco, 50’s era style.  The major details of the environment are the same right down to the security systems and vending machines.  (Am I the only one who finds it odd that Andrew Ryan, in creating his “utopia”, thought it was a good idea to put ammo vending machines everywhere?  He had to know that would be BAD.)  In terms of level design, it gets off to a slow start, but by the mid-game some great set pieces start to pop up, like a ruined amusement park and a giant water tank with a nefarious inhabitant.  Overall the look of the game is great and just as detailed as the first, yet I didn’t find the world nearly as haunting this time around.  It’s most likely just a case of “been there, done that.”  I’ve seen the spider slicers, the Big Daddies, and the creepy Little Sisters – at this point I’m largely desensitized to the denizens of Rapture.

A hallmark of the entire “shock” series (and there are more, try to find yourself a copy of System Shock 2 sometime if you can) is fantastic sound design.  Bioshock 2 is no slouch in this area, featuring the same spooky sounds from the Big Daddies, Little Sisters, and more.  They also utilize the same retro music style, that some love and some hate (I am in the former camp).  The voice work here is also very well done, and the story is propelled again by various audio diaries scattered throughout the levels.

In terms of game play, Bioshock 2 features some genuine improvements.  The idea of using both superpower-like plasmids and classic weaponry has always been great, but its implementation in the first game came up a little short.  In theory, using the two together could make for some great combo attacks, but the limited way you could only use a plasmid OR a gun, and the janky way you switched between them made pulling off fancy combos difficult.  In Bioshock 2, you can thankfully wield a gun in one hand and a plasmid in the other.  It works very, very well, and makes Bioshock 2 a far superior pure shooter than the first game.  At one point, I set a splicer aflame and immediately nailed his still-burning body to the wall with the spear gun.  It was one of the coolest combos I ever pulled off in a video game, and it made me giggle like a Catholic school girl.  I almost wish they could do some super special edition of the first Bioshock with the combat engine from Bioshock 2.

Aside from dual wielding, the way hacking works has also been vastly improved.  The fluid and pipes mingame from the first Bioshock is gone, replaced by a simpler and more efficient system.  The new hacking system consists of a meter with a moving needle, and in order to hack a machine you need to stop the needle in a special green or blue area.  It’s a much more streamlined implementation, but just as challenging.  Besides the actual act of hacking, Bioshock 2 also includes the ability to hack machines from afar with the remote hack tool.  You no longer need to constantly zap machines long enough to hack them, but can now do it from a safe distance, which is particularly beneficial with the nasty turrets.

The selection of plasmids and weaponry is tweaked in mostly minor ways.  The available plasmids are mostly the same, with some minor changes, but as you buy the more powerful versions, they have more significant effects.  The third level of telekinesis, for instance, will let you pick up and throw smaller, live enemies.  The weapons list has been tweaked as well.  Gone is the wrench, replaced by the drill – it can be used as a simple melee weapon or spun (if you have the fuel) for extra gory damage.  I enjoyed the addition of the rivet gun, which is a very accurate, fast firing weapon, and the spear, which can do a LOT of damage if you can hit with it.  One of the biggest improvements in the area of weaponry is the dedicated melee button.  You no longer have to switch to your melee weapon to bash enemies over the head in the absence of ammo.

Another change in Bioshock 2 is the way you collect Adam.  In Bioshock you simply needed to kill a big daddy, harvest or save his little sister, and profit.  Well, those salad days of easy Adam are gone.  In Bioshock 2, you also need to carry the little sister around with you and gather the Adam from corpses.  Well, you know what happens when little sisters are gathering Adam, the junkies come out of the woodwork to try to take her.  Your job, of course, is to keep them at bay.  This proves to be quite difficult early on, as your arsenal is fairly limited, and the splicers come from every angle; but it gets easier as you collect more powerful weapons and plasmids, along with nifty toys like the mini turret.  These gathering events are white-knuckle exciting, and a great addition to the game play.

The difficulty of Bioshock 2 is a bit on the erratic side.  I played through the game on normal, and found it just shy of frustratingly difficult in some of the earlier sections, most notably during the gathering missions.  By the game’s midpoint, though, the difficulty subsided dramatically; this change is most likely due to an increase in weapon and ammo selection as well as ever more powerful plasmids.  I found myself feeling nigh unstoppable in the game’s climactic final battles, and approached each new area with reckless abandon.

Now, you can’t talk about Bioshock without discussing the story.  I won’t spoil anything here, but the fact is that the story is excellent, but not on the same level as the story of the original.  It doesn’t have the same crazy dramatic turn to make your jaw drop, but twists like the one from the first Bioshock are few and far between.  Heck, M. Night Shyamalan has been trying to recreate the mega-twist from The Sixth Sense for over a decade with little success.  The story still provides plenty of twists and turns, and provides a good deal of insight into just HOW things went wrong with Rapture.  The problem with the story in Bioshock 2 is that it has so much to live up to; if it were to be taken on its own merits, it would garner much higher praise.

One surprise with Bioshock 2 is the inclusion of a multiplayer mode.  I had doubts about it, but I found myself pleasantly surprised by its quality.  It isn’t a hackneyed, at the last minute addition, but a full-featured multiplayer experience.  It has ranks, loadouts, unlockable weapons, plasmids and boosts, and a multitude of maps and modes.  It’s obviously not as complete as Modern Warfare, for instance, but it certainly holds its own.  It also manages to fit the multiplayer into the greater context of the Rapture universe in a believable way.

I came into Bioshock 2 with fairly low expectations.  The first Bioshock is one of the greatest gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and I had my doubts that a different studio could continue the story in a worthwhile way.  While not on the same level as its predecessor, Bioshock 2 is a brilliant game in its own right.  The uniquely beautiful, broken world of Rapture is a place I could visit again and again.  The developers may not have gone in any original directions with the story or the world, but they got the most important elements just right.  The environments are well-laid out and detailed, the audio is top notch, and the improved game play elements make for potent and enjoyable gaming experience  The addition of a solid multiplayer mode only enhances the overall value.  So while I don’t believe Bioshock 2 is a GOTY candidate, I enjoyed every moment I spent under the sea, and look forward to going back again soon.

Score: 4.5/5 Stars

Review by PartTimeDruid the author/creator of The Invisible Eyeball, a blog about Movies, Games and More! This review is reposted with the permission of PTD. You can find the original post of this review at The Invisible Eyeball.

The opinions of all reviews on Polygamerous are not necessarily the opinions of Polygamerous or the other Authors/Editors/Podcasters of Polygamerous.

Don’t forget to email us your questions, comments and reviews to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

This Week in Gaming

• (Massively) BioWare releases fansite kits for Star Wars: The Old Republic

“it’s packed with all sorts of useful goodies like high-res concept art and game logos.”  (Darcy ponders…Doesn’t it seem early to release this? How does one keep a fansite going a year before the game is released?)

• (Massively) City of Heroes panel and meet ‘n greet for PAX East

“The event schedule hasn’t been added to the PAX site yet, but City of Heroes released an exciting piece of news today. They’ll be hosting a panel titled Re-Inventing A Super-Heroic MMO,where they’ll discuss keeping their game interesting and fresh after all this time, and delve deeper into Going Rogue.”

• EVE Online’s next expansion announced: “Tyrannis” – explore planets, build industrial infrastructures to obtain resources – another step closer to DUST 514
• (Gamasutra) Microsoft says Alan Wake will not be released for the PC, Xbox 360 “The Right Platform”

“Microsoft confirmed it will not publish a PC version of Remedy’s upcoming Alan Wake, claiming the Xbox 360 is “the most compelling way to experience” the psychological thriller.  “Some games are more suited for the intimacy of the PC, and others are best played from the couch in front of a larger TV screen,” Microsoft told consumer website CVG.”

• (Gamasutra) Microsoft adding Xbox Live to Windows Phone 7 devices

“Microsoft has announced the Windows Phone 7 Series, a new set of smartphones running a drastically reconfigured Windows OS and including Xbox Live-compatible avatars, achievements, and games as part of the new system.”  The new phones are supposed to come out in time for the 2010 holidays.

• (Joystiq) (Thanks Samo for pointing this out…) Farmville has surpassed 80 million players/users
• (Games Radar PC News) Borderlands at 3 million Sold
  “Gearbox’s Borderlands, aka the fastest-selling new intellectual property of 2009, has reached 3 million copies sold, CEO and president Randy Pitchford has said. Take-Two’s financial results released in mid-December showed that the role-playing shooter had reached the 2 million mark by the end of October, meaning the extra million was generated in about three and a half months, if Pitchford’s data is recent.”
• (Shacknews Games) Civilization V is announced.
  Civilization V will charge players with once again leading and shaping a civilisation all the way from the dawn of society through to the space age, now backed by an all-new graphics engine and boasting “unprecedented modding capabilities
  An “entirely new combat system” which includes ranged bombardment is promised. Civ V also makes the jump to hexagon-shaped tiles, which 2K says will take the series “in new directions”
• Assassin’s Creed II: Bonfire of the Vanities & 3 Templar Secret Locations DLC Now Available (Assassin’s Creed II) (gamesradar)
• Further EA Server Shutdowns Announced (shacknews)
  A dozen EA games are scheduled to lose online multiplayer support over March and April when their servers are shut down, the video games colossus has revealed, including The Godfather on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and Mercenaries 2 on PC.EA states that the games on the hitlist “represent less than 0.3% of all peak online players across all EA titles”–no doubt seeking to avoid a repeat of the upset following the last round of shutdowns, which hit Madden NFL 09 and Facebreaker among others.

• (Shacknews) Plants vs. Zombies iPhone Hits at $2.99
  Sporting an impulse-friendly $2.99 price point, the mobile version includes the same fifty levels, twenty-six zombie types, and forty-nine perennial varieties as the PC version
• PSP GO Offer : For a limited time, we’re offering an incredible value to all of you PSP newbies. Now through Sunday, March 21, 2010, U.S. and Canadian consumers who purchase a new PSPgo system can download one of our top PSP titles from the PlayStation Store at no additional cost. How you ask? In short, this limited-time offer combines the PSPgo system with a PSPgo In-game Promotion Code, which entitles you to a digital download of eitherLittleBigPlanet (PSP) or Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines. (from Playstation blog)

Rumor Mill

• (GoRumors) Sony recently filed a patent for a universal game controller …. one controller to rule them all?
• (GoRumors) A few days prior to the game controller rumor posting there was a vague (i.e. not from an insider or official source but speculations) that the PS4 could come with flexible TouchScreen capabilities.
• (GameSpy) Nintendo DS successor now in developers’ hands

“In January, Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun interviewed Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and asked him about a successor to the DS handheld. Iwata replied that the DS successor would include an HD display and motion-capture capability. After the article was published, Iwata quickly claimed he was misquoted. It now appears that he actually let the Pikachu out of the bag early.  According to CVG, DS2 kits have been given to select developers in Japan, including The Pokemon Company. Citing an unnamed “insider at a third-party studio,” CVG says the DS2 does include a motion-sensing functionality – tilt.”

• After making the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs I was told simply.

Dragon Age Awakening.

Characters of note: The fallen King. The Void Smith. The defiler of the Golden City.

This next part is a reveal and not a rumor. And potentially a spoiler.

New Rogue Class Specializations: Legionnaire Scout- bonuses to strength and constitution, resistance to damage and knockdown. Shadow- allows use of decoys and special poisons to disorient foes and open them up for more damaging attacks.

New Warrior Class Specializations: Spirit Warrior- augment attacks to bypasses armor, boosts movement and attack speed, and gives spell resistance bonuses. Guardian- the warrior will be more adept at keeping other party members alive at the expense of personal health.

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. Gamestop is offering a $7 coupon for any PS3 game over $39.99 with the code “Play2″
2. At GameStop, purchase one video game and get a second video game (of equal or lesser value) at 20% off via coupon code “FEB20″. Even better, purchase three or more video games and take 36% off each additional game after the second. Combined with free shipping on all orders over $25.
3. eForCity.com takes 25% off select accessories for Sony PlayStation Portable, PSP Go, or Nintendo Wii via coupon code “PSPWii25EF”. Including docking stations, Wii recharging stations, cases for psp’s, ethernet adaptors and more.
4. Best Buy Reward zone is at it again! with $5, $10, and $20 coupons for select gaming titles. Pickup Brutal Legends on the Xbox 360-PS3, or Deadspace extraction for Wii for only $19.99. Even $20 off Modern Warfare 2 Hardened edition and Tekken 6. (see all games eligible for $5 off, $10 off, or $20 off after coupon)
5. Amazon.com offers LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo Wii for $29.99 with free shipping.

Luckily, I’m here to help you with that with two tips that should improve your experience.

Tip 1: Manage Your Expectations

Did you play Fahrenheit (aka Indigo Prophecy)? If so, you might know what you’re in for with Heavy Rain. If not, I’ll break it down for you: David Cage and Quantic Dream don’t make traditional games. If you like playing a game solely for the story, this is the production company for you. Quantic Dream games place a lot of value on the plot, the setting, and the characters – not always so much on the gameplay. Some segments of Fahrenheit were basically glorified games of Simon, while others were quick-time events of the “Press X to Not Die” type.

Heavy Rain appears to have fixed this a bit, with its gameplay seeming to fit better with David Cage’s intention of having motions on a controller mimic the actual actions on-screen. However, the reason this is such a big step is because this really isn’t just a standard game. From day 1, Heavy Rain has been promoted as a “Hollywood-level film noir experience.” Notice the key word there: experience. You’re going to be making decisions and using a controller like you’re in a game, but what Quantic Dream really wants to do is draw you into the world of Heavy Rain. Connect with the characters. Really get into it.

The problem, which you might have read in other reviews, is that Heavy Rain starts out really, really slowly. I mean really slowly. Brushing-your-teeth, taking-your-kid-to-the-mall slowly. Don’t give up! This is all part of the experience of drawing you into the world that QD has created to set their story in, and helps you connect to Ethan Mars, Scott Shelby, and the rest of the cast. Which leads me to step 2…

Tip 2: Don’t Spoil Yourself

I think Ars Technica’s Ben Kuchera put it best: “It may also be a good idea to become something of an Internet monk until you buy and finish the game.” A lot of sites have been throwing spoilers around willy-nilly with regards to Heavy Rain (Ars has one of the spoiler-free reviews) and you can end up ruining the experience for yourself if you’re not careful. Stay away from Heavy Rain spoilers. Every movie’s better if you don’t know what’s going to happen in advance.

Further Reading

The above linked AT article on playing Heavy Rain has more good ideas, including picking an appropriate difficulty level – that way you guarantee that the story you’re seeing is based on your decisions and not the PS3 “going easy on you” or keeping you from ever succeeding – and not reloading because you make a decision you don’t like the outcome of. I highly recommend reading it.

So who out there is going to be picking up Heavy Rain? Let us know what you think of it (but, please, spoiler-free)!

Remember the editorial I wrote about videogame movies? Well I have recently had an extraordinary and insightful look into the future of videogame movies. This last Monday I was invited to a dinner party in lovely Burbank California(well as lovely as anything can be that’s located 12 miles from downtown L.A.) by a friend and former co-worker. I won’t get into the specifics but in attendance were people from: IGN, G4, Warner Brothers, Legendary Pictures, EA, Microsoft, Insomniac Games, Bioware, and CBS.

A good part of the dinner was spent talking about Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, Heavy Rain, and World of Warcraft. But about half way through the dinner(it was pizza and buffalo wings if anyone was curious) the topic changed to videogame movies, specifically ones that are planned on being developed. I was truly amazed at the list of “probably gonna be made” and “working on getting made”. What was a surprise to me was how many animated movies are being planned. Here’s a list of some of the animated movies discussed.

• Ratchet and Clank feature film to be released. It is being intended as a children’s movie in the style of a Pixar film.
• Crackdown Anime. To be intended as a straight to DVD release.
• God of War Anime. Another straight to DVD.
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Anime. This one really got my attention. Right now the plan is for it to be released co-siding with the release of the Old Republic MMO. It is likely to be released as two separate movies covering the story of Revan. Their idea is to have the character of Revan be a bit morally ambiguous, sometimes making a “bad” choice but doing it for a greater good. The first movie would be covering the start of KOTOR to the first fight with Darth Malak and the second covering the rest of the game. The emphasis of the movies will be about story telling with short bits of fighting and light saber fights in the style of the original trilogy(more character interaction and less leaping from one lava bucket to another). Needless to say the entire dinner party simultaneously nerdgasimed.

In all honesty animated movies make a lot of sense for videogames. Most of the cannon and imagery for videogames will have to be either animated or computer generated. Recently Dante’s Inferno released a animated film to co-side the game and it has done pretty well. Also, a movie with computer generated models to go with real actors can take 2-3 years to make while an anime can be made in about 6 months if you have a few studios working on it at the same time. Which brought the dinner conversation to it’s next topic, planned live action videogame movies.

• Halo. This one has been around for a while but Bungie has the creative rights and won’t start production until they have a great script and director.
• World of Warcraft. This is another one we’ve known about and is actually in development.. The main character is set to be a new hero described as a "kick-ass Human" and "Anti-Thrall". With Sam Raimi as the director and Charles Rovan producing, it’s being set up to be a blockbuster.
• Gears of War. It will follow delta squad and keep all the same characters but the plot may change from that of the game.
• Bioshock. This one actually surprised me. The talk there was to have it be about the fall of Rapture but keeping the character Jack and the “would you kindly” plot device.
• Fallout. The “current” plan is to have it set in the world of Fallout 3 with the main character being a vault dweller but not necessary have the plot from Fallout 3. However until they’re sure they can’t be sued by Interplay they won’t do anything.
• Mass Effect. They want to have it set up as a movie trilogy being almost identical to the “good” Sheppard storyline of the three games. However some characters may have a less important roles or be cut from the script altogether. One of the characters mentioned being cut was Kaidan Alenko and having just Ashley. Also Sheppard will be male and be modeled after the “default Sheppard“.
• Legend of Zelda. Apparently they plan on taking their time making it, some 3 years and it’s story will be unique, not following any of the games. Although Link will be rescuing Zelda and Ganondorf will be the villain. They want it to have the “feel” of a Lord of the Rings movie but have it be less of an epic.

It should be noted that most of the live action movies have been put on hold while they wait to see how the World of Warcraft movie fairs. The only problem with waiting to make a live action movie is videogames can be the flavor of the month and live action takes a long time to make. But fortunately these franchises have had a big enough impact that they will have a good 5 year span to start production of the films. And it should all be noted that there are MANY A-list actors interested in being in these films. One that really surprised me was Robert Downey Jr. expressing interest in playing either Atlas or Jack in Bioshock.

So basically the success or failure of the World of Warcraft movie will greatly influence videogame movies to come. If it does poorly plan on seeing many of these titles lose their funding. And be expecting a lot more animated movies about videogames to come. But all in all this appears to be a really good direction for gaming media. After all, almost every good sci-fi and horror media to come out recently have been videogames. And the consensus of the discussion is that videogame movies are being set up to be the next “superhero” movies.

Oh yeah I should probably note that all of this took place at a unofficial dinner party and can/should not be taken as what will be happening in either the movie or videogame industry. It is all subject to change and I do not speak on the part of any of the companies or products mentioned. And you can’t sue me now because I gave a disclaimer. KOTOR movies woot!

Don’t forget to email us your questions, comments and reviews to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

Remember NEXT WEEKS SHOW will be on SATURDAY 2/20 @ 7pm PST/10pm EST with Samodean from MassiveNerd.net

Interview with CCP Manifest and CCP Jasonitas from CCP Games

Darcy and Russell had the opportunity to talk with CCP Manifest (PR Associate) and CCP Jasonitas (Content Team) from CCP Games, the developer of EVE Online.  They provided us with some great information regarding the unique sandbox game world of New Eden as well as some of the challenges of running the universe on a single shard.  CCP Manifest and CCP Jasonitas discussed their current roles and how they got started with CCP Games.  CCP Jasonitas shared which mission he wrote is his favorite, and what their favorite aspect of the game is.  We also took a look at the relationship between the developers and the player community, especially in regards to the Council of Stellar Management (CSM), which gives elected players a chance to meet face-to-face with developers to discuss issues, concerns, and suggestions.  We lightly touched upon the highly anticipated Incarna expansion and the console MMOFPS DUST 514 which are currently in development.  Of course, we confirmed they have been Polygamerized as well.  Oh! And we even asked CCP Jasonitas about the Mothman.

For more information about EVE Online you can visit their website and check out a 14 day trial.

This Week in Gaming

• http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/02/10/a_new_era_for_video_games/
• Everquest 2 Expansion!
• (GameProNews) Developer Red Eagle Games announced today that Obsidian Entertainment would be joining the production efforts on a PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 Wheel of Time game to be published by EA.
  http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/213998/obsidian-joins-wheel-of-time-team/
• (Games Industry.biz) News: PSP continues to lead Japanese hardware chart
• (GamesRadar) Uncharted 2 closing on 3 million; MAG over 500K copies sold (MAG)
• (GamesRadar) Layoffs, Loss of ‘Guitar Hero’ at Neversoft (Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock)
  According to sources at both Activision and Neversoft, the next ‘Guitar Hero’ will be the last one Neversoft does before the franchise is handed over to Vicarious Visions. Vicarious Visions has been the studio who has ported all the prior ‘Guitar Hero’ games to the Wii
• (GamesRadar) Dead Rising 2 dated for September 3 in Europe (Dead Rising 2)
• (GamesRadar) No Final Fantasy XIII system bundle for PS3 (Final Fantasy XIII)
  Microsoft says that the Xbox 360 will be the only system bundled with Final Fantasy XIII outside of Japan.
• (GameIndrusty.biz) News: NCsoft experiences 11-fold profit increase in Q4NCsoft’s net income soared in the fourth quarter of 2009, increasing 1009 per cent on last year.According to the South Korean company’s latest results, net income grew to KRW 71.22bn ($61.5m / £39.3m) for the three months ending December 30, compared with KRW 6.42bn ($5.5m / £3.5m) a year ago.

  Sales almost doubled year-on-year, from KRW 87.32bn ($75.4m / £48.2m) to KRW 197.28bn ($170.4m / £108.9m).

• (Gamasutra) EA: Rock Band Deal Ending, But EA ‘Hopeful The Business Will Continue’
  Electronic Arts’ distribution deal with Viacom-owned MTV Games, which has seen the two companies co-publish Harmonix’s Rock Band games since 2007, comes to an end this March — but EA says it is “hopeful of continuing a relationship with Viacom.”
• (Gamasutra) Layoffs Hit Activision Studios, Radical, Luxoflux, Neversoft Affected
  Layoffs have apparently hit Activision studios — over 50 percent of the staff at Prototype creator Radical Entertainment has been let go, Guitar Hero developer Neversoft has seen an unspecified number of staff cuts, and licensed game studio Luxoflux is to close, our sources claim. Gamasutra sources confirm reports at consumer weblog Kotaku that some 90 employees have been let go at Radical.
• (Edge) Activision Closes Red Octane Red Octane is the original Guitar Hero publisher and creator of the franchise’s plastic instruments. Kotaku has reported that Red Octane had been completely shut down with those employees responsible directly for the series’ hardware to report straight into Activision. The website estimates that about 30 to 40 people were shown the door.
• (Gamasutra) NPD: U.S. January Retail Video Game Sales Sink 13 Percent
  As widely expected by analysts, U.S video game retail sales during January were down for the year, as New Super Mario Bros. Wii outsold January’s epic RPG, Mass Effect 2 from BioWare. (goto article for more info)
• (Gamasutra) Bejeweled Sales hit 50 Mil.
  PopCap’s classic match-three gem puzzler, Bejeweled, is 10 years old today — and to date it’s sold 50 million units, the company says.
• (Gamasutra) Rent-By-Mail Service GameFly Files For IPO
  Video game rent-by-mail subscription service GameFly has announced its filing for an initial public offering, with the intention of making its shares available for the public to buy for the first time since the company’s 2002 founding.
• (GamePro) Research firm: Mass Effect 2 outsells other games in January 6 to 1
• (GamePro) Activison Blizzard plans new Spider-Man, StarCraft II, & Cataclysm expansion in 2010
• (Shacknews) StarCraft 2 Beta Launching This Month, Final Game Still Targeting Mid-2010 Release
• The fate of Dead Space 2 on PC apparently still hangs in the balance, according to EA.com editor in chief Jeff Green on Twitter, as plans for a PC version are not outright scrapped–as had been as had been thought–but are only “under consideration.”
• (Gamasutra) Dragon Age: Origins Sells In 3.2 Million Units
  BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins has shipped more than 3.2 million units worldwide since its Fall 2009 release, publisher Electronic Arts announced
• (GameSpy) The Old Republic Won’t Launch Before April 2011
• (Shacknews) Free EverQuest II: Battlegrounds Update to Arrive Alongside ‘Sentinel’s Fate’ Expansion
  The free add-on, called Battlegrounds, enables up to forty-eight questers to engage in player-versus-player combat matches that can be joined from any server. When the free update launches on February 16, players can duke it out in three new zones in an attempt to unlock a new Chaos armor set.

Rumor Mill

More info we have intercepted in the Mass Effect Universe:

To: Ratch
From: Charr
Subject: Weekly Update

Ratch! How are things back on Tuchanka? Isn’t it pyjak mating season right now? Oh that’s right it’s always pyjak mating season HAHA! Anyway as I said in my last message my Blue Rose and I have been having trouble. She thinks I don’t know that our children will be asari but I don’t care. When we first met I knew right away that she was the one for me. I saw some turians bugging her, damn turians don’t they have any damn manners. It’s the female that makes the mating requests! But you should have seen my Blue Rose in action. After I took down three of the turians the last one pulled a gun on me, but my Blue Rose lifted him into the air with her biotics and threw him half way across the hangar. Just imagine how strong our children will be. But it’s more than that, I love her Ratch. I’d do anything for her and I want to be with her till the day I return to the soil.

But look at me ramble like a whelp talking about their first varren pack kill. I think I figured out a way to get my Blue Rose to take me back. While I was at Eternity(local bar here, I like the bartender, her father was krogan) I met this human female named Kasumi. She overheard me talking to the bartender and told me all I need to do is be romantic. She borrowed my omni-tool so that she could upload some poetry and songs to it for me. Probably shouldn’t have let her borrow it since I have a lot of security clearance codes but she had it back to me the next morning and nothing seemed tampered with. Humans are funny like that, always need to see or do something themselves to make sure it gets done right.

This is what I’ve wrote so far, hopefully my Blue Rose will see how sensitive I can be and take me back.

Blue rose of Ilium,
You have blossomed in a tower of glass and plastic,
But beauty under glass is untested and weak.
Where are your honored dead to fertilize the ground that you might grow strong?
On the rocky plains of Tuchanka,
I will build you a garden from the bones of my ancestors.
Blue rose of Ilium,
Let your roots dig deep into the hot soil of Tuchanka!
Let our scorching sun and sheeting rain turn your supple beauty into strength!
For if our love is to survive,
It must grow thorns to pierce the hand of any that would uproot it!
Blue rose of Ilium,
Leave eternity unembraced and grapple with the glorious struggle that is us,
Here and now!
I am speechless, not with blood rage but with love,
And I stand here humble and mute, to offer you a home.
Come with me Blue rose of Ilium, let our three hearts beat as two.

I’ll let you know how things go. If she takes me back I’ll bring her to Tuchanka so you can meet her. And who knows maybe our children could take the Rite one day. I know they’ll never be accepted as part of the krogan people but maybe they could be a part of an Urdnot krantt while they take their Rite. I know they’ll always be seen as asari but I want them to be proud of their father’s heritage too.

To: Charr
From: Ratch
Subject: Re:Weekly Update

Charr I know the Clan Leader made me promise to look after you and you’ve always been like a bloodbrother to me, but I don’t know anyway else to tell you this.
I DON’T CARE!

….but even if it doesn’t work out come visit. Urz misses you.

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. GoHastings.com wants to be rid of its used games and pass the saving to YOU. Xbox360 games start at $1.38, PS3 games at $2.76. Tons of titles like Guitar Hero 3 for less than 5 bucks, and Project Gotham Racing 4 for only $7.58. Oh and did I mention if you buy 2 used games you get a 3rd used game for $1. Yeah its that good folks.
2. Electronic Arts (EA) is offering all Command and Conquer games for FREE download, 5 command and Conquer games in total all available for dowload. They are giving you the complete ISO image so make sure you have the software to burn those to a disk or a virtual drive to load them on. Cant get much cheaper than that.
3. Gamestop is taking 15% off preorder Wii games plus Free shipping with online coupons. Games like the upcoming metroid or Zelda projects can be had for $42.49 by entering the coupon code (LUVNU) after that snag free shipping on all items with the coupon code (SAVER)
4. MacMall.com is offering refurbished xbox360 20 gig hard drive consoles (Like the one I have) for $138.00 and $12 dollars shipping. Most of us who owned those original models are all playing on refurbished consoles anyway due to the Red Ring Of Death, so even the poor people can now annoy their friends with endless achievements.
5. THQ Complete pack via Steam.  18-game bundle. It includes Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, Frontlines: Fuel of War, Full Spectrum Warrior, Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, Red Faction, and more. If you bought these individually it would cost $354.82 so your saving alittle over 300 dollars! (Although steam does offer the package deal itself for $99)

There are 4 basic steps when making a movie: get a director, get a script, get the funding, and film it. Well those are the steps towards making a good movie. For most of the video game movies that have been released the studio gets the funding then a script then the director. The problem with doing that is the director won’t have any influence on who the producers are and they will have a lesser understanding of the script. Also, the writer and director of the movie should have played the game and enjoyed it. Robert Zemeckis had read and loved Forrest Gump before he directed the movie.

Which brings me to my next point, for all the directors and studio executives out there you don’t need to have the movie be identical to the game it’s based on. To Kill a Mockingbird only covers a portion of the novel but is a great movie. I personally believe you should never compare a novel and a movie. They need to be treated as individual works(this should also imply to video game movies). The key is to preserve the essence of the characters and story that has been told. For example if I was to make a Bioshock movie I would keep the initial shock of seeing Rapture and the plasmids but I’d drop every character but Dr. Tenenbaum, Ryan, Atlas, and Jack(with a few supporting characters for plot progression). Bioshock is a horror/psychological thriller and shouldn’t be made into a hero or redemption film. Yes fan boys are going to be pissed that not every aspect is preserved but what makes a great game doesn’t make a great movie.

Finally, take your time with the movie. I know that while filming there is always a limited amount of time and money you can spend. What I’m talking about is take the time to write the script and cast the actors. Make a good movie, not a good movie based on a video game. But let’s face it no one that is in that position is going to read this (or are they?).

So back to the original question. Video game movies, why do they suck? They suck because studio executives don’t understand the media the movie is based on and think they know best. The producers will always be the strongest force behind the movie with the director guiding it along, so then studio executives need to trust them to do their jobs. The World of Warcraft movie is going to be a big make or break for video game movies. It is the first video game movie to not start casting while the script is being written and it has an experienced sci-fi/fantasy director and producer. So here’s hoping the next video game movies don’t suck because right now the most successful videogame is Professor Layton and that was a puzzle game.

Don’t forget to email us your questions or comments to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

This Week In Gaming

• Dante’s Inferno had a Superbowl Ad..
• Mass Effect 1/2 NOT coming to PS3
• THQ Announces Darksiders/Red Faction Sequels
• (Shack News) Torchlight 1.15 Update released
• (Shack News) PlayStation Store Update Brings Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Aliens vs. Predator Demos
• (Shack News) Xbox Live for Original Xbox Shutting Down
• (Shack News) PlayStation 3 Hardware Sales Up over Last Year, Lifetime Sales Pass 30 Million
• (Shack News) New Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Trailer and Screens: Please, Think of ‘The Children’
• (1up) Alpha Protocol Possibly Delayed to Summer, Sega Explains
• Nippon Ichi Software, creators of (among other things) the Disgaea SRPGs, posted their financials on Friday, revealing that their operating profits were down 97.5% during the first 9 months of this financial year. (Source: http://kotaku.com/5464948/nippon-ichi-software-this-cant-be-good ) However, after that, their stock fell so fast – essentially falling 7000 yen per share ($78/share) almost immediately, leading the JASDAQ to freeze their stock price so that it couldn’t fall any further. (Source: http://kotaku.com/5466549/nippon-ichi-software-this-cant-be-good-part-ii )
• (MTV Multiplayer Blog) ‘BioShock 2′ Big Daddy Gets Plushy With NECA New Bioshock Bigdaddy “doll” and Syringe “toy”
• (MTV Multiplayer Blog) Walmart and Best Buy may have followed GameStop and Toys”R”Us and given the pre-owned games market the old college try, but it looks like they’re going to bow out due to disappointing results. E-Play, the company responsible for exchange kiosks placed at the retail locales has now suspended operations, according to E.Play.com, and Walmart and Best Buy will probably not be looking for new and better alternatives to replace them. http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/02/02/walmart-best-buy-duck-out-of-used-games-market/
• News: Final Fantasy, Batman boost Square Enix profits 48%
  from GamesIndustry.biz – News
  Square Enix has reported a rise in profits of 48.2 per cent, off the back of strong Batman: Arkham Asylum, Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy XIII and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days sales.
  For the nine months ended December 31, net income was ¥7.7 billion (£56m / $87.2m), nets sales totalled ¥135.4 billion (£972.8m / $1.5bn), a rise of 30.9 per cent.
  Operating income was ¥21.4bn (£153.8m / $239.5m), a rise of 67.7 per cent. Net sales in Square Enix’s Games segment, rose 97 per cent from the same period last year, to ¥72.9bn (£524.1m / $816.3m).
• (Shacknews) A revamp of NES classic Blaster Master is the star of this week’s batch of North American Wii and DSi downloadable releases, joined by a port of popular tower defense Field Runners and games with such fabulous names as Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom, Hubert The Teddy Bear Winter Games and Extreme Hangman.
  • Oscar in Movieland – $8
  • Link ‘n’ Launch – $5
  • Fieldrunners – $5
  • Sudoku 4Pockets – $5
  • Extreme Hangman – $2
• Dr. Pepper promo with EA? (ME2, Sims, Spore, Battlefield 2) Giving away ingame items on caps.
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars Announced
  from *Shacknews* Games
  Traveller’s Tales and LucasArts today announced the latest fruit of their long-running plastic platonic relationship, the cartoon-inspired LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars.

Rumor Mill

• Splinter Cell: Conviction Coming Apr. 13

The following come from our super-secret undercover triple-double latte half-caf with a twist of lemon agent..

• Dante’s Inferno: first DLC for it, called the Trials of St. Lucia, Included is Co-op missions and the other part is REALLY interesting: a level editor. apparently EA wants people to make their own levels of Hell for others to play through (Destructoid, which links to NeoGAF: http://www.destructoid.com/dante-s-inferno-dlc-details-leaked-mission-maker-co-op-162340.phtml)
• Visceral Games, the makers of Dante’s Inferno (lot of Dante’s Inferno news this week…), have already found their next literature candidate for a game – one they’ve been wanting to do for years: Macbeth
  source: http://www.destructoid.com/visceral-wants-to-make-a-macbeth-game-162437.phtml

5 Deals in 5 Minutes

1. P.C. Richard & Son Slect title clearence. Games like Brutal Legends, Ghostbusters, Guitar Hero Metallica and more for $19.99 and $2.99 shipping. Link went down so you have to search for titles hopefully they get the link back up and working.
2. Amazon jumps on the platinum hits train with a buy 2 get 1 free deal on xbox 360 hits and dont forget free shipping.
3. Gamefly is offering 50% off HUNDREDS of used games, some come with free shipping and games begin a $7.99
4. HOT deals on Logitech equipment including a mice, ps3 controllers and laser keyboards. Including more than 50% some gaming mice.
5. For those who like to shop in actual stores, Best Buy rewards zone is offering printable coupons for $5, $10, and $20 off select console titles, including $20 off coupon for Resident Evil 5, and a $10 coupon for Prototype.

Twitter Question of the Week

Why do you play video/computer games? (as opposed to sports, kitting, art, sleeping, etc)

• TheLouG : I play because it’s a form of entertainment that keeps me safe and lets me interact with people from far away
• Ninthbatter: Well I do both but I think it’s because it’s harmless competition/ a deep puzzle, and it’s fun…
• Bryterside: I play to relax 2 kids under two can be stressful. That and I’m too lazy to do anything else.
• Wowcynwise: I play to blow off stress from a full time job and parenting 2 small kids.
• Stoppableforce: I game because I have been gaming since I was 6, and it connects me to a lot of other people who share the same interests.
• Dechion: I play as fairly cheap entertainment. I also get to have my fun while still being availible to my wife and kids (ie. at home)
• Tartdarling: I play because I love the stories. And the people. Gamers are some of the best people I know <3
• Onekyfemme: because i need to be doing something with my hands and mind – i can’t just sit and stare at a box.
• Valkyrierisen: I play cuz it’s cheap entertainment. Going out I spend way more $. Hours of entertainment. Social MMOs too!
• TheMightyGresh: I game ’cause it’s been my hobby since I was a kid, and it takes my mind off of real world things for a few hours.
• Rhoelyn: Sometimes, I ask myself the same question. 1) For the friends I love that are across the world. 2) Because games are way easier and more straightforward than real life. Goals and the paths to reach them are so much more clear in games.
• Demeternoth:  I play them as well as other things, but instead of watching TV of an evening mainly.
• Tami_moore: Video games are a way for my husband and friends and myself to socialize. Cocktail parties are for sissies, give me a dungeon run!
• Anafielle: I like the community aspect of playing wow and working towards a common goal (raiding) with lots of other people.
• PartTimeDruid: I play games due to their interactive nature. I also get a sense of accomplishment that I can’t get from watching TV or movies.

Voicemail

Marty Google Transcription:

Hello, this is lucky and I have a quick simple call. We can lease we still pull us to see of being, we’ll, Buck would you play. If you can see I will shoot because that’s really that was telling their phone from the white could see if they need to see if you know. PG yet. We sure do, which is be too much. So with so good billions, or should we be between games by. Hopefully i’ll, or how much I need to take up. Thank you.

Actual Question:

Hello this is Marty and I have a question for polygamerous. With the philosophy of bang for your buck, would you play a 60 hour shooter? Because that really doesn’t sound that fun to me. While I could see playing a 60 hour RPG a 60 hour shooter would be too much. So what’s a good balance, should it be about how fun they are or how much time they take up? Thank You.

Swedish Chef Voicemail Transcription:

Bur skirt or or or street well afternoon early ring wanna wanna wire I bring him. Peter Hammerstein’s other postal horse, any. We are for phone starting to cover G Ridge you do. If you could. Ohh and if you could feel pretty sure that all error command or anything that’s going year no wrong.

Actual Quesion:

With BioShock2 coming out you will be saving or harvesting little sisters

From: Specter Blasto
To: The Council
Subject: The Thief

This one has been investigating the theft on Illium of an omni-gel converter prototype. This one has tracked a human known as Kasumi to the Citadel in hopes of recovering the prototype. Unfortunately this one is unable to pursue Kasumi at this time. Regrettably, this one has been called to a hearing about the extranet film this one is portrayed in. This one does not use such phrases as "Enkindle THIS." The only occasion this one has ever used such language is when this one was fighting a human named Zaeed Massani and this one merely stated "Proceed with removing its weapon from its holster, make this one’s planet cycle."

-Blasto

Don’t forget to email us your questions or comments to info@polygamerous.com OR
call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

This week in Gaming

• (Gamasutra) Valve: Steam Broke 25 Million Active Users In 2009 http://bit.ly/bMFzFn

• (Gamasutra) Mass Effect 2 Sells In 2 Million Units http://bit.ly/anYWKq
• (VG247) Heavy Rain Has Gone Gold in US – Demo 2/11 (release 2/23)
• (1up) Telltale Offers Free Episodes for Taking Survey Sam & Max
• Direct2Drive has Red Faction Guerrilla for $5 as their Deal of the Week.
• Nintendo confirmed their next Pokémon project in Japan, according IGN. The currently title-less release will reportedly include new breeds of the title critters and feature a new setting along with previously unseen play mechanics. (is this rumor?)
• White Knight Chronicles for the PS3 comes out this week in the US.
• VisualBoyAdvance hits webOS (Emulator for GB, GBC, and GBA). Play Gameboy on your Pre
• (Shacknews) StarCraft 2 Beta System Requirements Revealed (Update: Not Accurate, Says Blizzard)
• (Gamasutra) Developers React: The iPad’s Future
• (Gamasutra) Game Developers Conference 2010 Reveals Online Preview Guide
• (Gamasutra) Japanese Hardware: Sales Slide Week-On-Week
• (Game News HQ/Game Pro) 15 Under The Radar Games for 2010 “We take a look forward at several promising new video games releasing this year that are keeping a low profile. From first-person shooters to iPhone games, here are fifteen upcoming titles you might not know about.”

(No particular order)

1. WiiWaa
2. The Grinder
3. Shank
4. Enslaved
5. Metro 2033
6. Naughty Bear
7. Super Meat Boy
8. Warp Gate
9. DeathSpank
10. Data East Arcade Classics
11. The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
12. Okamiden
13. Animales de la Muerte
14. Closure
15. 3D Dot Game Heroes

Rumor Mill

• (Gamasutra) EA hints at more social gaming acquisitions
  “You’re seeing a focus in our [mergers and acquisitions] activity being on companies that will enhance our digital strategy,” said EA Sports’s Peter Moore in an interview with Reuters. “It allows you to go out and go get more friends, get more people involved. You’re building a labor force quite frankly that helps you build your game and be more powerful or more relevant in that game environment.”  (Compensates for loss revenue of packaged console games, marketing tool, source for new ideas)

• (Gamasutra) 10 PS3 Wand controller games on the way… “Sony will release “around 10 or so” titles for the motion controller within the year, including sports games and pet-raising games.”
• (GamePro) An announcement on Media Vision’s Japanese website indicates that the company known for creating the Wild Arms series will be collaborating with Square Enix on a new RPG for the iPhone. ??
• Ninthbatter:after having a total protonic reversal, I was informed that we may see an announcement for new mass effect DLC as soon as next week or the week after. And we should keep our eyes out for the next land shark “Hamerhead”. This land shark will hover though…

The following come from our super-secret undercover triple-double latte half-caf with a twist of lemon agent.. and no, I don’t know what a lemon agent is.. maybe it’s something you clean with? Like oxyclean maybe…

• rumors of a new Twisted Metal; David Jaffe refuses to confirm or deny, but says that if they *were* making a new Twisted Metal, it’d be a franchise reboot
• Sega wants to make a Shenmue III but they have admitted it’d be financially risky, because none of the previous games made anywhere near what they cost to distribute – but they’ve reportedly said they’ll make it a console-exclusive if one of big 3 console makers finances it
• More Sega news: rumors has it the so-called “Project Needlemouse” is the long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog 4.. Which will be a Mega Man 9-style reboot of the Sonic franchise – which it sorely needs
• BioWare is, unsurprisingly, already hard at work on Dragon Age 2 – and is pushing the graphics engine to its maximum to make it look better than DA:O
• Q Entertainment is trying to gauge, via a Twitter message last week, if PS3 owners would pay $15 for a PS3 version of Rez HD. No indication it’s happening, they’re just researching feasibility. They need there to be enough demand to do moer than just break even on recouping development costs.

Mail

Google Voice Transcription:
Hello, this is not the and back with you. Hope all week in the lease easy. We specific to coming at 1:50 AM, E he is. He must be blaming. Hey, you will be able to pull all society’s problems, this is 612. The at alcohol ways and with why did you guys who uses. Thank you.

Question: With Masseffect 2 coming out.. Media is again blaming gaming on all societies ills like sexuality and alcoholism why do you guys think this is?

Also: Next week we have a special Guest! Nicole from Ladies of Leet podcast! It’s an awesome podcast so go check em out (after you listen to ours first.. of course)

Don’t forget to email us your questions or comments to info@polygamerous.com OR call in to our voicemail at 407-584-POLY (7659)

News

• Mass Effect 2 coming out tomorrow (already out by the time you listen to this..) .. Ok.. That’s it.. Not really sure any other news matters.. does it?
• (gamasutra) Buy new to get free DLC for Mass Effect 2
• (gamasutra) Sims 3 Top Selling PC Game in 2009 – yes, it even beat out WotLK.
• (gamasutra) The end of SpamVille? Facebook is reworking notifications to keep apps accessible, but trying to stop them from overwhelming news feeds.
• Harmonix says the music game market has NOT peaked
• (gamasutra) Rock Band Network accepting registration for open beta, which will start “soon.”
• Interplay says the Fallout MMO enters beta in 2012
• Tetsuya Nomura has said that Square-Enix will NOT be making an FFVII remake, which is surprisingly given how much Square loooooooves to milk the remake train for money, but that we should expect Cloud to cameo in stuff
• Casey Hudson, ME2’s project director, has said there’s a tremendous amount of interest in a Mass Effect movie, but that they’re holding off on it until they’re sure they can do it right
• http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1063174p1.html – If you were anxiously awaiting those nifty preorder bonuses companies were offering for Mass Effect 2, it looks like there’s been an online error in your favor – nine in-game bonuses are currently on Xbox Marketplace’s online site for free.
  UPDATE: Sorry, folks. Microsoft has removed the content. If you didn’t download it by now, you’re screwed.
• (Joystiq) Crispy Gamer Editorial Staff Laid Off, CEO Resigns In Protest

Rumor Mill

• (Bio Break/Moon Over Endor) Rumor: Oblivion MMO in the works
• (gamespy) Rumor: New Zelda is Majora’s Mask Sequel
• (gamespy) Rumor: EA Working on Apple’s Tablet Device
• Sony registered a domain for the PlayStation Arc (probably the name for their motion control thingymabbober), the PS3 is purportedly finally hacked (by the same guy who hacked the iPhone 3GS)
• OnLive has finally gone into beta; verdict: laggy
• with the announcement of the dragon age origins expansion, bioware has stated you will have 5 all new party members and one returning from the original game. After destroying something beautiful at my local fight club I heard from a reliable source that the only returning party member will be Oghren! So in march be looking forward to having the drunk red head berserker making a return.
  ~NinthBatter

Reviews / Discussion

Twitter Question of the Week: Do you Preorder games? And, If you do, Do you get them from a Brick and Mortar or Online?

• Starmike: Always, and the collector’s edition if it has something valuable. Always from Gamestop b/c too many times shipping is delayed vi UPS
• Gnomaggedon: I preordered once… TBC.. 18 hours before release. I wasn’t even 60 on Gnomeaggedon then
• Zideshow: It depends. For console, I usually pre-order via Gamestop or Best Buy. For PC, a lot of times I pre-order and d/l digitally.
• Lougagliardi: I preorder, especially the wow xpacs or Castlevania. Brick and Mortar
• GettingWorse: I never preorder games. I’ve yet to come across a game where they sold out on launch. Plus I’m not a special edition collector
• Nibuca: Preorder, noun alias for “here, hold my money, I don’t need it. No really, get interest on it.. you deserve it.”
• NinthBatter: i don’t pre-order most of the time, but now that i’m back in LA i’ll probably pre order more, brick and mortar

Voice/Email

Voicemail from Marty.

Google Translation: Andrew muggy here again and that me for this is is that I think he realizes to remove the maybe unique and with the show. Hey, I just seeing you. Love it. And I just have these people question if necessary to coming out. Are you good with one with Quest are you guys going to be paying and true, all you guys going to be pal gone or when you get a head.

Real Question from Marty: with mass effect 2 coming out.. what class are you going to be playing? and Paragon or renegade?

Story

You are Sean Devlin, Irish race car mechanic turned race driver, just before the German invasion of France. Sean loves the good things in life – hard liquor, fast cars, and faster women – but when a prank in retaliation for a fixed race goes wrong and the Nazis kill his best friend, Sean finds himself down on his luck in a Nazi-occupied Paris.

Through chance, Sean is recruited by the French Resistance, and has only one goal in mind: make those Nazi bastards pay for killing his friend, by doing what he does best – blowing @#$@ up. Along the way, Sean meets a variety of characters in the Resistance, while evading the SS and keeping the people he loves safe and alive.

Gameplay

The Saboteur steals some of the best elements from other games and combines them into one solid whole. You’ll find suspicion meters like Assassin’s Creed, stealth and infiltration elements like Metal Gear Solid, driving elements like Grand Theft Auto (specifically GTA: San Andreas), and third person combat with a cover system like a stripped down … well, any of the above. The combination is very satisfying, but some of the elements could use some tightening up.

For example, the driving – one of the most-called out elements of the game. The cars perform decently well, and anyone who’s played GTA: San Andreas will recognize the driving system; however, there’s not a lot of differentiation between the cars besides top speed and the occasional cannon, and anytime you’re in a tank, it handles about as well as trying to drive a slippery piece of bologna controlled by two strings across the tundra in January. (It’s still better than Mass Effect 1’s Mako, but not by much.)

The suspicion/alarm meter is another element that isn’t QUITE as good as the games it’s cribbed from, namely Assassin’s Creed. Sometimes it’s far too easy to do suspicious things and NOT around suspicion, other times it just seems how unrealistic it is to not be suspicious just because you’re five feet away from a dead Nazi wearing his uniform instead of six feet away in your ordinary clothing.

If you accept that the elements of The Saboteur are not as fully-fleshed out as the games that originally spawned them, though, you’ll find yourself having quite a good time. One thing that does work very well are Perks. These should be familiar to anyone who’s played the Modern Warfare series of games, and they work much the same way. Blow up enough Nazi outposts, you get to carry more dynamite.

Blow up the REALLY good stuff, and suddenly planting explosives while wearing a Nazi uniform doesn’t raise anyone’s suspicions.

The actual structure is pretty typical for an open-world sandbox game:

you have mission-based gameplay, interleaved with things to do on your own. It’s up to you whether you want to go perform some missions for the French Resistance, or just go out and find a village occupied by the Nazis and blow up their radar towers and gun emplacements.

Completing missions or blowing up what the game calls ‘ambient freeplay targets’ – radar towers, tanks, fueling stations, and so on – yields contraband, the currency of The Saboteur, which you can use to purchase new guns, upgrades, and more.

Presentation

The most-hyped element of The Saboteur’s presentation has to be the black and white game world, and it lives up to its expectations. You won’t see it right away (you get a brief glimpse during Sean’s first mission, then lose it during the entire playable flashback sequence that follows), but it’s pretty great once you do, and effectively sets up the "film noir" feel of The Saboteur. In areas of Paris still heavily occupied by the Nazis, the world is shown entirely in black and white, except for primary color elements – the red of Nazi armbands or spilled blood, the yellow of light coming out of an upstairs window. In these areas, the citizens of Paris are oppressed and hopeless, and Nazi patrols are more numerous. Through the story and side missions, Sean will inspire the people of Paris, returning color to the city and encouraging them to fight back. If he gets into a scuffle with an SS officer in these areas, he can usually count on the people to step in and throw a punch or two as well.

The soundtrack is made up of period-appropriate jazz and big band numbers, and help immerse you in the wartime Paris setting of The Saboteur. It’s a mix of original pieces composed for the game as well as licensed music, and it is completely criminal that EA has not made this soundtrack available for sale. Many of the new pieces are just as good, if not better than, their licensed counterparts, and you’ll hear them everywhere – from driving a car to getting a burlesque show in the basement of La Belle Nuit. It’ll get stuck in your head, even if you’re not a fan of the music in question.

Speaking of La Belle Nuit, this is definitely not a game for kids. The Saboteur earns that M rating, with lots of blood, foul language, alcohol use, and – if you’ve got the Midnight Show downloadable content installed, which every copy of the game comes with a code for nudity as well. It’s never gratuitous, though, and it really enforces the ‘booze, broads, and murder’ attitude that Sean exemplifies.

Summary

There’s a lot to like about The Saboteur. If you felt like picking apart each piece of the gameplay, yes, there are flaws. However, taken as a whole, it’s a fantastic example of how to do an open-world game well, and it’s worth at least renting just to see the style and try it out for a while. The characters, no matter how rough around the edges, are likable. The missions never get monotonous, which can make or break an open-world game like The Saboteur. I highly recommend you check it out ASAP.

Incredible.

No other word could be used to start this review but incredible, anything else would not do Mass Effect 2 justice. Many will try to classify this game as either a shooter or a RPG but neither is correct. Mass Effect 2 is a true shooter/RPG that has managed to deliver great shooter game play with all the options and depth or a RPG and also gives truly remarkable cinematic story telling.

The Story

Bioware’s Mass Effect 2 puts you back in the shoes of Commander Sheppard as you prepare for a suicide mission against the Collectors. I kid you not, if I told you what happens in the first 10 minutes of the game I would feel bad for spoiling it. Instead I’m going to just say you end up working for Cerberus which you may remember as bad guys from the first Mass Effect. Cerberus is led by Illusive Man (voiced by Martin Sheen) who realizes that the Collectors are the biggest threat to the galaxy and if they wait around for the Council of the Alliance to act it will be too late. He sends you out to recruit the best of the best in order to defeat the Collectors.

Characters

The characters of Mass Effect 2 are the true driving force behind the game. Featuring an all-star cast including: Martin Sheen, Seth Green, Keith David, Tricia Helfer, and Michael Hogan; Mass Effect 2 delivers both diverse and deep characters. Whether it is the emotionally torn assassin or the psychopathic biotic you feel real emotion for these characters. Each once is deeply developed and are honestly the most intriguing characters I have ever seen in a game (hell if it was a movie some of these characters should be nominated for best supporting). All of them have side quests and one in particular has a very grim reality to it. After all, not every story has a happy ending.

Gameplay

Mass Effect 2 is a fast pace shooter/RPG that has both a very impressive shooter component and has deep specialization trees for 6 different classes. The combat is amazing, enemy AI will try to flush you out and flank you. Your companions will also have their own unique play styles that will show. While your Krogan is running around like a drunken buffalo your assassin will be taking out the enemies legs so that the buffalo can run over them. Yes that’s right, you shoot someone in the legs and they’ll crawl around. Shoot them in the arm and they’ll nurse it. Plus instead of just swapping out armor for the one that’s better, you’re able to upgrade your gear and customize it.

Exploration

Are you sitting down? Trust me you’ll want to be seated for this. Ok ,are you ready? No more mako. That’s right no more seizure tank. Instead when you travel to a new planet you’ll be able to rotate the planet until you find a point of interest then you’ll land right at that point. Another new addition is your ship has a fuel gauge now. You’ll be exploring the traverse and you’ll need to watch that fuel gauge or else you’ll have to burn precious resources that you went out there to get in the first place.

The Cons

The main story is a bit of a disappointment when compared to the companions’ side quests, but I understand that when writing the second part of any trilogy you can only give away so much without spoiling your third installment. Also mining still sucks but then again I’m pretty sure mining isn’t very fun in real life either.
That’s it, out of everything I could only pick out that as the cons and they as so minor it’s ridicules to consider them as facts that would stop you from buying this game.

The Verdict

Mass Effect 2 is a masterpiece that delivers amazing gameplay with a immersive world. When all is said and done and you have explored every world and done every quest you feel a little sad knowing that it’s over. But take solace my good gamer for there will be a Mass Effect 3. So for having a amazing cinematic presentation, having excellent combat, and having a supporting cast of truly remarkable characters and a dynamic lead; Mass Effect 2 gets 5 Krogan testicles out of 5. Seriously 5/5 go buy a copy.

Thanks for your support!

Instead of bombarding all of you with yet another list of anticipated games of 2010 on the podcast, I thought I’d post ‘em up for you to take a look at, ponder, and discuss.

In Episode 7, we talked about Gamasutra’s list of anticipated games for 2010.  If you wish to reference those lists, you can find them in the show notes here.

Since that episode, I’ve come across Wired’s 20 most anticipated games for 2010.  And you know what? All the lists are not the same!

*gasp*

I know!  Crazy, right?

Here is Wired’s list…

1. Alan Wake
2. APB
3. BioShock 2
4. Crackdown 2
5. Epic Mickey
6. Fez
7. God of War III
8. Halo: Reach
9. Heavy Rain
10. The Last Guardian
11. The Legend of Zelda
12. Love
13. Mass Effect 2
14. Metroid: Other M
15. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
16. Red Dead Redemption
17. StarCraft II
18. Star Wars: The Old Republic
19. Super Mario Galaxy 2
20. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction

Let us know what you think! Are these your 20 most anticipated games for this year? Any that you would never think would make the list? Any you think are missing?

This week in Gaming

• December NPDs: http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103994

1. 1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, Nintendo) 2.82M
   2. Wii Fit Plus (Wii, Nintendo) 2.41M
   3. Wii Sports Resort (Wii, Nintendo) 1.79M
   4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360, Activision) 1.63M
   5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3, Activision) 1.12M
   6. Wii Play (Wii, Nintendo) 1.01M
   7. Mario Kart Wii (Wii, Nintendo) 936.1K
   8. Assassin’s Creed II (360, Ubisoft) 783.1K
   9. Left 4 Dead 2 (360, Electronic Arts) 728.5K
   10. Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (DS, Nintendo) 656.7K

1. 1. Wii 3.81M
   2. Nintendo DS 3.31M
   3. PlayStation 3 1.36M
   4. Xbox 360 1.31M
   5. PSP 654.7K
   6. PlayStation 2 333.2K

• Popcap releases free community Levels for Peggle Nights: http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177615
• DA:O Ostagar DLC .. It’s out.. But wait.. It’s not… http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177608
  Issues with the DLC caused them to pull it back off of XBLM
• Little has spilled out regarding BioWare’s DLC plans for Mass Effect 2 but yesterday, via Twitter, the studio indicated there will be launch-day DLC and it won’t cost anything.
• STO: Lifetime Subs…

Advantages to purchasing a lifetime sub other than monetary. You will get a playable Borg as a race, and two additional character slots – all for $239.99. If you pay annually, it will run you $119.99 which is $60 off a year, and it nets you two additional character slots. A normal monthly sub will run you around $14.99 a month.

• From Gamasutra: EA Confirms NBA Jam Wii Revival
• From Massively: Bioware Confirms 2011 SW:TOR Release (Spring 2011)

Rumor Mill

• From Gamasutra: DS Successor To Hit In Next 15 Months?

“We believe that due to the aging technology, the possibility of new competitors in 2011, [and] a decline in publisher support and piracy, Nintendo will launch a successor to the DS within the next 15 months, and likely announce such in the next eight months,” the analyst concludes.”

• The New York Times reports that Microsoft has “held in-depth discussions” with the Walt Disney Company to stream ESPN programming through Xbox Live. According to anonymous sources, ESPN would provide live streams (like it does with the titularly similar – though unrelated – ESPN360) to subscribers for a fee. There is also the possibility that Microsoft may “create some interactive games in association with ESPN” … as compared to non-interactive games? (joystiq)
• The online world of Hellgate: London experienced its apocalypse (or, judging by the game’s ruined, lifeless environments, its second apocalypse) almost one year ago, only remaining open in Korea as a free-to-play title. Today, HanbitSoft, the company responsible for keeping the game on life support in Korea, announced it had secured worldwide publishing rights for the title, and would revive the game in Europe and the U.S. later this year.
  The MMO, which has appropriately been remonikered Hellgate: Resurrection, has adopted a universal free-to-play model during its downtime. It’s also acquired a few new features, thanks to developer T3 Entertainment. Hopefully, the studio didn’t succumb to the crippling waves of depression which hampered the game’s original creators.

Email

Voicemail from Marty:

Google Translation

Hello How We Can. Burley’s listen naughty hi failed interesting statistic the other day and His they will be 12 and then moves released. The. If you need to resend. Ed and typically we VPs dive and then those in development, delivery seemed if they didn’t know if it will play a base to make so it’s a graves and the movie scheme. Could you seeing it move, so you just going to fail of this is if you think you know exactly at number at 9. Thank you.

Real Translation

Hello polygamerous, this is Marty. I found an interesting statistic the other day that says there will be 12 mmos released this year in 2010 and there are currently 35 mmos in development. do you think there is enough of a player base to make such a grand mmo scheme or do you think most of these are just going to fail and publishers are banking on the fact that MMOs make a lot of money

Polygamerous featured on This Week in Podcast : http://blahcreations.com/twip/?p=220

Polygamerous is a group of game enthusiast’s that talk about everything from games to gaming platform news to even scrabble and crosswords…check them out at http://www.polygamerous.com/ Mike, Andy Russle (on dail-up) and eddie bring you all the cool things going on with gaming.  The episode I am playing here for you today features Darcy and Jack, Eddie is out for the week due to the holidays.

You’ll notice how much influence of games like God’s Hand and Devil May Cry have on this game, but to say this is a complete rip off of DMC wouldn’t do this game justice. Bayonetta is an arcade adventure first and foremost and takes the tried and trusted formula of DMC and given it a 360 polish and shine.  The controls are well laid out, combo attacks and dodging enemies will become second nature in no time. There are lots of enemies onscreen at any given time, but the game mechanic is such that you never feel it’s unfair and you always feel it’s your own fault for getting hit.

The enemies will drop the in game currency called Halos, these can be collected to upgrade your weapons and accessories in the Gates of Hell. Scattered throughout the game are these secret portals you can jump through. This opens up Alfheim stages to earn you more Halos and some special bonus. These are some of the hardest fights to pull off in game because of the restrictions you have for each individual stage. But it’s also a good place to practice your moves.

The game also caters for those button mashers with the help of Very Easy Mode, the game will perform complex combos and devastating moves with a single button. This will make you look like some Korean crack gamer on speed in front of your friends, providing they didn’t see you select very easy mode of course. Another cool fight mechanic is Witch Time mode, this is achieved by dodging an enemy attack at the very last possible moment, when activated, the game will run in bullet time giving you a short stint of time to string together some outrageous attacks to take down the enemy. However this Witch Time attack doesn’t work on every bosses in this game. Torture Attacks is triggered by having enough magical energy, when unleashed, these are some of the coolest looking attacks in the game, the guillotine move is esepcially satisfying.

The game will generally last between 8-10 hours for each playthrough, but the replay value is surprisingly high as you will need to beat the game in normal mode before the hard mode is unlocked where your gaming skills will be tested to the limit, and you can keep playing over and over till you have your hands on all the weapons and upgrades available to you.

With some of the best looking graphics and creative combats,  I haven’t had so much fun playing a video game for a long long time. This game is a must for all video gamers out there, although we’re only a couple of weeks into 2010,  it’ll take something special in this coming year to beat this game for it’s sheer exuberance and panache. 10/10 and 3 thumbs up from me. Don’t ask about the third thumb

GettingWorse

This week in Gaming

• Opinionated: When is a Game Not a Game? (from Gamasutra)
• Most Anticipated Games for 2010 (from Gamasutra): PC/MMO, Xbox360/PS3, DS/PSP
• 5 Remakes Gamers would pay extra cash for : http://www.gamesthirst.com/2010/01/10/five-remakes-gamers-would-pay-extra-cash-for/
• Return of Irrational Gaming: http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103607
  Sherman, set the WayBack machine! gameinformer has the good word that 2K Boston has returned to their roots and become Irrational Games.

After being acquired by Take-Two and before the release of BioShock, Irrational Games’ name was changed to 2K Boston. However, after repeatedly being referred to as “2K Boston (formerly Irrational Games),” the team members recognized a value in the previous identity and the legacy that was tied to it. So, the name was changed again; 2K Boston is no more, and Irrational Games is back.
This return to its roots is more than just a new name and logo for Irrational Games. It represents a renewed commitment to the studio’s fans, which you can see for yourself at the new irrationalgames.com. The site is currently just a countdown timer, but soon you’ll experience an array of cool community features, insight into the game creation process, and never-before-seen tidbits about games like System Shock 2, Freedom Force, and BioShock.

Rumor Mill

• From Gamebunny – Call of Duty and Halo MMOs?
• From Massively – Rumor: Blizzard’s Next MMO to be an MMOFPS
  • Mixture of Wow and Team Fortress 2 leaning more toward tf2.
• Infinity Ward (MW, MW2) might be developing a MW MMO..
• Logitech making a UMD drive for the PSP Go? (PSP Go has no UMD and Sony doesn’t have a way to transfer UMD games you already own to the GO)
• Despite no announcement of release in the west, the ESRB has rated Ninety-Nine Nights II (Rated M)
• The January 10th issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine believes Killzone 3, Resistance 3 and Infamous 2 will be announced at this year’s E3, however none of them will be available until 2011. Another big surprise is the Magazine’s belief that there’s an 85 percent chance Metal Gear: Rising will be available this coming Christmas.

Email

In Darksiders you play as one of the four horseman a true badass. If you want to play a game with great graphics and a really cool story this game maybe for you. Zelda like puzzles God of war like creatures. If this game lacks anything at all it would be that Darksiders doesn’t have a signature kill, if you can get past that you’ll find this to be a great game and a lot of fun.

…Skaryn Sent from my iPhone

—

You said you wanted a review of a game well I’m going to give you my review of an old board game. My wife thought it would be great to get Chutes and Ladder for our three year old.  After my experience with the game I rated F.B.B. Frustrating and Blood Boiling. First off I’m not a board game fan. My wife convinces me to sit down and play this game with our 3 and 2 year old. I figure what the heck haven’t played it since I was like 7 so how bad can it be. We spend the first 10 mins fighting over what color guy my son will use. Then the phone rings my wife just ups and leaves us. I try to show my sons how to use the spinner and move their pieces so many spaces well they want none of it the oldest just wants to go to the end because that how you win according to his mother forget how you get there and the 2 year old first just wanted to spin the spinner then wanted to throw it finally leaving us without one because he took it to his mother who is still on the phone. Well

our game is now over. I’m frustrated with both boys and realized that playing board games still suck and video games is the only way to go. If you where thinking of buying this game don’t waste your money go out buy the Lego star wars used for the same price and you and your kids will have hours of fun just like we did that night after I told my wife we were done .

Hope you got a laugh out of it. The real reason I’m writing you is I have used gamely in the past and liked there service this past month I resigned up and hated it took like 10 days to get one game they blame it on my queue I have 27 games in the queue there is no reason I should have to wait 3 days before they ship out another. My question is I know there are a few other companies out there that offer game rentals by mail have you tried and of them  and what did you think? Gamer rang, gotta play, rent zero, game mine are a few I heard of. Blockbuster store or Hollywood is not an option for me.

Thanks

Bill

—————-

Google Voicemail Translations

From Ninth”Batter”:

Hey polymers, this is 9th, this is 9th inning. Yeah, sure, why not worth that. Anyway, I was just gonna ask the process for you guys think about game such has been that dark centers for using 80 more controversial take on good evil where what we’d normally view as evil. Being the protectionist and what we know Hewitt is good being the bad guys. Anyway, thanks.

From “Marty”:

Ever everyday moving basically employee it’d be easy. Saint erratically and just room Yates to dream. Nanny and the in advance and whenever you get this going. They Christian coming using the moving to who do soon. Moving that’d be debating which will include a fast moving funding this, it’s a test wouldn’t. Thank you. We can keep. If you can google and resume week we do and looking forward to. We need to confirm.

• Polygamerites : People who listen to Polygamerous
• Polygamerized/Polygameration: Having been or the process of being turned into someone who plays more than 1 game.
• Polygameria: The condition of playing TOO many games (is this possible?)
• Polygameritis: Sick of playing more than 1 game.
• Polygamerology: The study of playing more than 1 game (or the study of people who do so)
• Polygamologist: An expert in Polygamerology (maybe they got a phD?)
• Polygamery: The process of playing more than 1 game.
• Polygamerable: Someone who has the potential to play more than 1 game (but maybe currently doesn’t?)
• Polygamerist: Someone who plays more than 1 game.
• Polygamerator: A machine that turns someone into a Polygmerist (is it evil? is it good?)
• Polymer: Has nothing to do with Polygamerous, but it starts with Poly…

Got any more? Comment here and let us rejoice in your Polygamerantics … (Clowning around whilst/about playing more than 1 game)

The human models are a bit odd and creepy, but the environment is awesome. Also it’s not alot of blood and guts if you’re the type that doesn’t like those things, however there are some periods of adult language and suggestion

Head over to The N00b Review: Half Life 2 for the rest of the review!

Since we talked about Wired Magazine’s most anticipated games of 2009 (yes, 2009) last week, Darcy thought it would be cool to go over their 15 most influential games of the decade (yes, we know it’s not really over) and she was right. We also went over what hopefully will be a regular feature and that is the upcoming games of the week.

Listen and be amazed! Oh, and don’t forget to catch us live every Monday (rain or shine or lack of hosts or not) at 8pm PST and call in questions or reviews into our voicemail at (407) 584-POLY (7659). You can also email questions or reviews to info@polygamerous.com .

This week in Gaming

Wired’s 15 Most Influential Games of the Decade
“Our list of the most influential games of the past decade includes, therefore, many games that made big leaps and defined what would come to be traditional aspects of the big-budget grand adventure, and others that pushed the reset button on game design.”
15. Portal
14. Happy Farm
13. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
12. Half Life 2
11. Silent Hill 2
10. Metroid Prime
9. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
8. Wii Sports
7. Bejeweled
6. Halo
5. Brain Age
4. World of Warcraft
3. Guitar Hero
2. Grand Theft Auto III
1. The Sims

This week’s US Releases c/o Gamespy

Animal Puzzle Adventure
DS
Puzzle Adventure
January 4, 2010

Fast Draw Showdown
Wii
Shooter
January 4, 2010

Final Fight 3
Wii
Action
January 4, 2010

Hell’s Kitchen Vs.
DSi
Simulation
January 4, 2010

Heron: Steam Machine
Wii
Puzzle
January 4, 2010

Pub Darts
Wii
Board
January 4, 2010

Trajectile
DSi
Action
January 4, 2010

Bayonetta
X360
Action
January 5, 2010

Bayonetta
PS3
Action
January 5, 2010

Darksiders
PS3
Action
January 5, 2010

Darksiders
X360
Action
January 5, 2010

Divinity II: Ego Draconis (i think 360 too)
PC
RPG
January 5, 2010

Dragon Age: Origins — Return to Ostagar
PC
RPG
January 5, 2010

Dragon Age: Origins — Return to Ostagar
X360
RPG
January 5, 2010

Dragon Age: Origins — Return to Ostagar
PS3
RPG
January 5, 2010

(Of Course, It was Delayed [the DA:O DLC that is] )

Fable 2 Platinum Hits
X360
Action RPG
January 5, 2010

Fast Food Panic
Wii
Simulation
January 5, 2010

Fast Food Panic
DS
Simulation
January 5, 2010

Learn Chess
DS
Board
January 5, 2010

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
X360
Action
January 6, 2010

Borderlands: Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot
PS3
Action RPG
January 7, 2010

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
PS3
Action
January 7, 2010

Alien Zombie Death
PSP
Shooter
January 9, 2010

—
http://xbox360.gamespy.com/articles/105/1057794p1.html
An update to Electronic Arts’ online service FAQ reveals that the mega-publisher has plans to shut down online servers for a further 25 of its older videogames on February 2nd. According to the new list which can be read here, owners of the games will be able to continue to play online up until the date noted above, but certain community programs may begin to close sooner.

February 2, 2010 Online Service Shutdown:
UEFA Champions League 07 PC and x360
Facebreaker x360 and PS3
Fantasy Football 09 x360 and PS3
FIFA 07 PSP, PS2, PC
Fight Night Round 3 PS2
Madden 08 Wii
Madden 08 PC
Madden 09 Xbox1
Madden 09 Wii and PSP
March Madness 07 x360
NBA 07 PSP, x360
NBA 08 PS2, PSP, Wii
NBA 09 Wii – Europe only
NBA Street (2007) PS3 and x360
NCAA Football 08 PS2
NCAA Football 09 PS2
NASCAR 08 PS2
NASCAR 09 PS2
NASCAR 09 PS3 and x360 – Europe Only
NFL Tour PS3 and x360
NHL 07 PSP and x360
NHL 08 PC
Tiger Woods 07 PC
Madden 09 x360 and PS3
Madden 07 Xbox 360

Since he couldn’t make it to the Episode 5 recording, Russell sat down in his chambers on the Deathstar and took some time out of his busy schedule blowing up peaceful planets to record his thoughts on 2009! Give it a listen!

We’re moving the time of the show back to 8pm PST! Still Monday nights.  Our first show of the new year will be on January 4.

Gaming News (This week C/O Shacknews)

Left 4 Dead 2 PC Mod Tools, Support Arrive

The optional “Add-on Support” and “Authoring Tools” downloads are now available to owners via Steam’s “Tools” tab, respectively weighing in at 350MB and 20MB. The “Add-on Support” download allows Left 4 Dead 2 to run “ANY map, including custom maps made for the original Left 4 Dead,” according to Valve’s Yasser Malaika.

To enable custom content creation, both “Add-on Support” and “Authoring Tools” must be downloaded.

—

3DR Teases ‘Numerous’ Duke Nukem Games, ‘Looking to Bring Duke into Casual Gaming’

While it’s been a rather tumultuous year for Duke Nukem series handler 3D Realms–the company laid off its internal development team in May, leading to a messy legal feud with publisher Take-Two over Duke Nukem Forever–CEO Scott Miller still envisions a bright future for the ass-kicking, gum-lacking action hero.

“The next few years should see a strong resurgence in Duke,” Miller states in the first printed issue of Gamesauce. “There are numerous other Duke games in various stages of development, several due out this year. We are definitely looking to bring Duke into casual gaming spaces, plus there are other major Duke games in production.”

“Almost all of these [projects] are unannounced,” he added.

Likely among those projects are the two remaining Duke iPhone games previously promised by Miller, the handheld Duke Nukem Trilogy coming to Nintendo DS and PSP via Frontline Studios, and the rumored Xbox Live Arcade Game..

—

Year in Review

Wired’s Top 11 most anticipated games of 2009.. How do they stack up? – http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/01/top-10-most-ant/
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Infamous (PS3)
GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned (360) –?
Resident Evil 5 (PS3/360)
The Beatles Game (Rock Band : Beatles)
Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War 2
Bioshock 2 (didn’t come out.. )
Dark Void (not yet)
Starcraft 2 (not yet)
Killzone 2 (PS3)
Rhythm Heaven (DS) ??

–

Favorite Games of 2009 – From Twitter:
Runy: Dragon Age Origin, Assassin’s Creed II, AION, Borderlands (although the PC version was horrifically done).
Also, my husband would add Arkham Asylum and Red Faction: Guerilla.
Syrana: WoW, Dragon Age, and Sims 3!
Pagga: without Any doubt “dragon age origins”. I have got both my brothers hooked during the christmas holyday.
Mullets: the only games that comes to mind is Dragon age origins, and Modern Warfare 2.
Dechion: Well, considering I have only played Wow and Farmville I think I would have to say Wow is more fun…
JamesLangrill: Has to be Torchlight, and Uncharted 2. I’m still playing them both on a regular basis.
GettingWorse: fav game of year. Assassin’s creed 2. also street fighter 4 took up most of my time on xbl in early part of the year

NinthBatter here with my favorite games of 2009.
Halo ODST: While it was short and had a lot to improve on, I really enjoyed it while I was playing it.
Brutal Legend: A game that’s a RTS and Beat-Em-Up with a kick ass sound track, what’s not to love?
Batman Arkham Asylum: For once they made a good superhero game and with the voice acting talents from the animated TV show (although imagine Adam West doing it) there was just so much that was right about the game.
Fallout 3 DLC: regular and engaging DLC that kept me more than occupied.
Dragon Age Origins: Because; Redcliffe NPC: “We’ve been fighting for days, we’re under attack. People have been dying.”
Shale (deadpan):” Is anybody surprised? Anybody?”
Inspector Gadget: A platforming adventure game that works sorta like scriblenaughts. Inspector Gadget fights his arc enemy Dr. Claw in this— Wait, what do you mean there isn’t a Inspector Gadget game!?!?! Why hasn’t anyone done anything about this?!? I’m going to take the fox news approach here and blame the liberal media.

Two announcements!

1. Syrana from Sideshow and Syrana will be joining the show permanently.. She’s never leaving.. Muahaha haha haha.. *cough* *cough*.. Anyway, you’ll get to listen to her dulcet tones balance out the testosterone-fest that Episodes 1-4 were from here on out!

2. We are on Facebook !!! You can follow us at our FAN PAGE there.. Not really sure why, but just do it!

Did you notice the cool toolbar on the bottom of the page? Let us know what you think about it.

Also, we’ve got a super special guest tonight on the show! It’s Syrana from Sideshow and Syrana. The creator of the name of our podcast! She’s taking Eddie’s spot and joining Mike, Andy and Russell LIVE! Be there or be … um.. not there.. but we hope you are there! Let your friends know and if they (or you) can’t make it to the live show there is always the recorded podcast you can pick up on iTunes or right here in a few days.

This week in Gaming

Guitar Hero Van Halen should be at North American shops by Wednesday December 23–the same day that the downloadable 0 Day Attack on Earth hits Xbox 360–with Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers hitting stores Saturday, December 26.

—

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/61684
Despite the cinematic nature of Mass Effect 2, in comparing the dialog systems of the two games BioWare co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk told me that Dragon Age: Origins packed over twice as many dialog options.

and

Mass Effect 2 To Carry over your Romantic Decisions as well

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/701449/Yes-Even-Your-Romantic-Decisions-Carry-Over-Into-Mass-Effect-2.html

3 Days ago BioWare Co-Founder and CEO, Ray Muzyka confirms your romantic choices in Mass Effect will carry over to Mass Effect 2

—

The First Decade’s 10 influential Games.

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/701459/The-First-Decade-Ten-Influential-Games.html

The Sims

It was the first game to involve living in a virtual world and doing menial day to day tasks. Also brought alot of “casual” gamers and first time players into gaming.

Madden 2001

EA released this game as a launch title exclusively to the PS2 adding alot of punch to the launch lineup.  Madden today is still one of the strongest sports franchises to date.

Halo: Combat Evolved

This launch title for the origional Xbox really made the industry think of first person shooters as a completely viable game style.  While xbox live was not up and running yet networked games were common.

Grand Theft Auto III

This title for the PS2 introduced us to the “open world” of gaming.  It changed and defined the sandbox gaming genre for years to come.

Half Life 2

Valve puts the player into the game and allows you to openly interact with the environment.  Instead of just watching the cinematics, the character became part of them.

World of Warcraft

Blizzard makes the first M in MMO really mean something.  Releasing an MMORPG based on the popular Warcraft RTS Games.

Brain Age

Nintendo releases a game that proves other things can be done with a gaming system than just playing games.

Guitar Hero

Red Octane releases a rhythm game that allows you to “embrace your inner rock god”

Wii Sports

Nintendo releases a full motion sensing gaming platform aimed at getting people off the couches.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Infinity Ward pulls the curtain down on the WWII world and releases a game set in today’s world with modern technology and equipment.  While pushing the genre with a few industry firsts in the single player campaign, its multiplayer is where the game really stood out.

Honorable Mentions:

Phantasy Star Online: The first serious instance of multiplayer gaming on a console

Devil May Cry: Defining 3D Action Games for years to come

Battlefield 1942: What GTA III was to single player sandbox games, BF 1942 was to multiplayer.

Animal Crossing: Nintendo was WAY ahead of the “social gaming” curve.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved: a strong statement for small downloadable games

Join us for the lively discussion and don’t forget to give your feedback here, on iTunes, on the Forums or even Email or Voicemail! We want to know what you think of the show. Also, tell your friends you found this great gaming podcast! Thanks for your support.

This week in Gaming

VGAs:
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/61614

• Game of the Year – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Studio of the Year – Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham Asylum)
• Best Independent Game – Flower
• Best Xbox 360 Game – Left 4 Dead 2
• Best PS3 Game – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Wii Game – New Super Mario Bros. Wii
• Best PC Game – Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Handheld Game – Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
• Best Shooter – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Fighting Game – Street Fighter IV
• Best Action Adventure Game – Assassin’s Creed 2
• Best RPG – Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Multiplayer Game – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Individual Sports Game – UFC 2009 Undisputed
• Best Team Sports Game – NHL 10
• Best Driving Game – Forza Motorsport 3
• Best Music Game – The Beatles: Rock Band
• Best Soundtrack – DJ Hero
• Best Original Score – Halo 3: ODST
• Best Graphics – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show – South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
• Best Performance by a Human Female – Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes
• Best Performance by a Human Male – Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
• Best Cast – X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition
• Best Voice – Jack Black as Eddie Riggs
• Best Downloadable Game – Shadow Complex
• Best DLC – Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
• Most Anticipated Game – God of War III

Spec Ops: The Line has also been revealed at the VGAs through a teaser. There’s a shakycam version of the clip on the YouTube showing this to be the modern shooter set in Dubai teased by 2K Games, but the game features combat against some form of monsters. Update: A direct-feed version of the clip is now on GameTrailers.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 was revealed on the Spike TV awards via another gameplay-free teaser trailer. Presumably more info is to come. Kotaku reports getting a tip saying the Star Wars action sequel is due next year. The teaser clip is on GameTrailers.com.

Tron Evolution is announced through a teaser trailer at the Spike VGAs. The clip is on the YouTube teasing a holiday 2010 release and Propaganda games as the developer. Update: A better clip is now posted on Game Trailers.

Batman Arkham Asylum 2 has been announced. As Geoff Keighley tweets: “The sequel to arkham asylum just announced at VGAs 09.” A teaser trailer, which is sure to be online soon, mentions arkhamhasmoved.com/, which is sure to be online soon. this clip is now on YouTube. Update: The site is now online, offering that clip, which is also on GameTrailers.
—

Mac news!!!
The official Mac-compatible release of Dragon Age: Origins will arrive as a digital download next Monday, December 21, original developer BioWare and “portability technologies” studio TransGaming announced today.

—

Temporarily expanding the previous seven-day free trial, developer Funcom is offering an “unlimited free trial” for its PC MMO Age of Conan, which the company is now billing as “the most savage, sexy and brutal MMO ever created.”

—

The first downloadable add-on for zombie shooter Left 4 Dead 2 is slated to hit PC and Xbox 360 in the “early spring,” developer Valve announced today.

A crossover of undead proportions, “The Passing” sees the original Left 4 Dead survivors meet up with those of Left 4 Dead 2, with players taking control of the L4D2 crew.

The download will include a new campaign, set in a rural Georgia town after the events of L4D2’s Dead Center campaign, along with a new firearm, a new melee weapon, a new type of “uncommon common” foe, and new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge plus “a new co-operative challenge mode of play.”

—

Crafting Coming to Team Fortress 2 : http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177297
The new system will let users put duplicate items to good use, destroying them to get raw materials for crafting. Blueprints will be either provided or found, and give players the ability to create weapons from the materials.

Some of the Games Talked About

• Assassin’s Creed 2
• Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time
• Gyromancer
• Dragon Age: Origins
• New Super Mario Wii

(Thanks to Nevik for the really cool Album art featured on this post.)

We’re also moving our live show time to 8:30pm PST, still on Mondays, but you can join us in the chat room around 7:30pm PST for the “preshow” (which generally consists of Andy playing some music for you and chattin it up).

Again, we want to mention that you should spread the Polygamerous word! Let your friends know about us and get the word out! Do you have a blog or other internet site? Put up a review of our show! Thanks again for being a loyal listener (sure, 2 shows is loyalty, darnit!)

Again again, we are still/always looking for those 1-2 minute reviews! New/Old/Future games. Rant/Rave/Speculate for 1-2 minutes in audio (any format is fine) and send it to info@polygamerous.com or you can call and leave a message (not sure the max length it can be) at 407-705-3161 (yes, it will say something about Fimlys and Twisted Nether Blogcast, we’re co-opting that line for now.. Don’t tell Fimlys.. )..

Show Notes

This week in Gaming
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26234/Gamasutras_Best_Of_2009_Top_5_PC_Games.php Gamasutra’s Top 5 PC Games of 2009:
5. Torchlight
4. Empire: Total War
3. Left 4 Dead 2
2. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
1. Dragon Age: Origins

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26399/EA_Visceral_Games_Confirm_Dead_Space_2.php Yes, there will be a Dead Space 2

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26381/Childs_Play_Charity_Surpasses_1_Million_Mark.php – Child’s Play Surpasses $1m mark

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177224 – Star Trek Online Preorder Incentives Outlined:
Cryptic Studios and Atari announced a number of preorder incentives for Star Trek Online this afternoon, including access to the beta, a head start program, and exclusive in-game items.

Preordering the sci-fi MMO guarantees a spot in the game’s open beta test, which is set to run from January 12 to January 26. Beyond that, these players will also be able to access the game’s live servers starting Friday, January 29 — the weekend before Star Trek Online’s official launch on February 2.
—
This week’s Xbox Live Arcade release will be retro remake Qix ++.

Originally released in arcades by Space Invaders creator Taito in 1981, Qix involved boxing off sections of the screen to capture them while avoiding roaming enemies.

Qix ++ will arrive on December 9 for 800 Microsoft Points ($10).
—
Following last week’s reveal of Mass Effect 2’s biotic Adept class, BioWare has unveiled the revamped Engineer in its sci-fi RPG sequel.

The tech specialist now takes on a more active role through combat drones, damaging fire and freezing ice attacks, and improved hacking which properly turns mechanical opponents into allies, as well as heavy pistols–such as the X-3A Predator–and submachine guns.

So, enjoy the show.. If you want to send us email you can do so at info@polygamerous.com or you can call us at 407-705-3161. If you missed us recording LIVE, you can catch us most Monday nights at 8:30pm PST on the Gaming Studio Network USTREAM Channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gaming-studio-network.

This week in Gaming
Popcap launches first Nintendo DSiWare: Bookworm..
550,000 Wiis were sold over thanksgiving weekend.. That is more than 2.5 every second. .. Wow…
Mass Effect 2: Coming in January!! Boxed version will not require online authentication.
Call of Duty Classic is coming to XBLA and PSN this week
Some new starwars game is going to premier at the Video Game Awards in a few weeks..
Diablo 3 won’t be out in 2010 according to Blizzard.

Reviews / Discussion

Mike: Dragon Age: Origins, Assassin’s Creed 2, Quick hit on Torchlight and Borderlands
Andy/Russell: MW2.. Airport controversy in MW2?

Mail
From NinthBatter: Whats the one game/franchise we would like to see remade?

We are a member of the Gaming Studio Network, a community for gamers!

Oh wait.. Who are we? Well, we consists of Mike “Fimlys” from the Twisted Nether Blogcast, Andy “Daewin” and Eddie “Brigwyn” from the Hunting Lodge Podcast and Russell “Rustee” from the Slash 2 Podcast.

Our plan at this point is to record on Mondays. Not necessarily EVERY Monday, but we will definitely post the schedule as soon as we have it ironed out. We WILL be having our first episode recording LIVE (as all will be) at 8pm PST on 11/30/2009. If you can show up in the Gaming Studio Network USTREAM room at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gaming-studio-network . Join us! It will be a fun time.. Especially since we still aren’t exactly sure what we are doing. The hosts are all “seasoned” podcasters, but it’s a new show.. So check us out!

We will be available on iTunes as soon as we get one episode up, so you will be able to subscribe to us there, but you can also subscribe to our RSS feed over there in the top right corner.

Oh.. And we have to say thank you to Syrana from the WoW blog Sideshow and Syrana for our name!