Week 3 is over and the sometimes infuriating X-Men table saw some varying scores. Galford again won supreme with XxSTEVIECEExX re-finding form in second. Pinball Padwan Clubb8r Land made his mark in 3rd perhaps indicating a pinball champion in waiting.

1) GalfordDWeiler – 579,757,328 – (30)
2) XxSTEVIECEExX – 201,744,928 – (29)
3) Clubb8r Lang – 190,932,814 – (28)
4) Charlton Valley – 105,873,949 – (27)
5) mrc1501 – 99,157,767 – (26)
6) dhaunsch – 98,649,779 – (25)
7) Cinema Dan – 89,612,677 – (24)
8 ) Pinballpeebs – 86,641,959 – (23)
9) FunkyM0nk – 85,045,159 – (22)
10) MJ2KILLER – 83,606,577 – (21)
11) Stewbed – 75,935,152 – (20)
12) hotwheelsdavid – 65,963,897 – (19)
13) LordOfLetterbox – 51,893,896 – (18)
14) JED BARTLETT – 32,907,907 – (17)
15) CheshireTomcat – 32,476,211 – (16)
16) TCV – 29,153,993 – (15)
17) H34DCA5E – 25,369,150 – (14)
18) GuNsLiNgErX1983 – 25,367,650 – (13)
19) mobeast666 – 22,336,350 – (12)
20) COOPSTER18 – 189,686,900 – (11)
21) alexmcampbell – 16,822,450 – (10)
22) g ham ox14 – 4,446,700 – (9)

Next week is the final week and it’s the turn of Ghost Rider to enter the fray. Start playing this once you read this post up until midnight next Friday / Saturday.

Here’s a sneak peak:

Okay, the lines have been drawn in the sand. The league went topsy turvy somewhat this week following some impressive performances from dhaunsch, Clubb8r Lang & mrc1501. Can XxSTEVIECEExX secure 2nd? Will Galford forget how to play pinball? Will Peebs beat Cinema Dan in the league? Tune in next week to find out!

1) GalfordDWeiler – 90 points
2) Clubb8r Lang – 85 points
3) XxSTEVIECEExX – 80 points
=4) FunkyM0nk – 75 points
=4) Charlton Valley – 75 points
5) dhaunsch – 70 points
6) mrc1501 – 69 points
7) Stewbed – 67 points
=8 ) LordOfLetterbox – 65 points
=8 ) MJ2KILLER – 65 points
9) “Pinball”peebs – 64 points
10) Cinema Dan – 62 points
11) hotwheelsdavid – 53 points
12) JED BARTLETT – 49 points
13) H34DCA5E – 46 points
14) GuNsLiNgErX1983 – 42 points
15) mobeast666 – 38 points
16) TCV – 40 points
17) Cheshire Tomcat – 37 points
18 ) alexmcampbell – 28 points
19) g ham ox14 – 27 points
20) COOPSTER18 – 24 points
21) BestestMates – 18 points
22) W00PR SAN – 16 points
23) All Purrdy – 13 points
21) xXKrOnTrAiNXx – 10 points

Level design and layouts are fluid and fast paced do not expect epic battlefield scenarios with mechanics being more focused on close quarters gang battles in the favelas of Brazil and the gritty streets of Jersey. The server’s operated very well for a day one launch migrating maps without repeat, and a voting system is implemented offering three maps for the player’s to choose from much like the Halo series. DLC content maps where released with retailer specific sales, but this does not affect lobbies due to those maps only being selectable at the multiplayer menu.

The character and weapon upgrade system initially unlocks at level four of gameplay with the first three levels offering standard load outs for each low level player. The load out you select is weight specific much like Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mechanic was earlier this year. The more gear you carry the less health and stamina will be regenerate. Support players that are going to be less mobile will want to select heavy load outs with heavy body armor, and ranged riles while players looking to run and gun will want to select light sub machine guns or pistols enabling them to roam the map with no stamina penalty. These light loads also have a more lasting effect on time spent in bullet time. Bullet time is only accessible by increasing you kill count, and it may be used as a defensive or offensive weapon. If you are rolling with your crew (Join the 360G crew through the Rock Star social club search 360GamerCast with an all types search) and enter bullet time all crew members in your area will also enter bullet time so you may take advantage of clearing entire opposing crews with only one member exhausting their meter. Conversely if you are retreating to you crew members providing covering fire you can enter bullet time so they may have a greater chance of providing you that saving grace.

Parties entering the lobby may be split up initially if you are joining an active game; however once the match has ended the servers did a great job of matching you with your crew upon entering the next match. This is by far the best multiplayer that Rock Star has produced, and that is why they have implemented the crew mechanics moving forward into Grand theft Auto V. Communication is crucial just like any other multiplayer game. The teams that coordinate and direct each other are going to be successful while those that just run and gun are going to suffer defeat after defeat.

The multiplayer does not come without faults with the most poignant being the kill cam that does not exist. While the kill cam in Call of Duty may be embarrassing at times seeing yourself being owned by twelve year old American brats. It is also educational by assisting you to find camping players and areas that you may exploit the future. This kill camera you only see your body being pumped full of lead as it falls to the ground in an elaborate mess. Also a few game glitches where experienced during our time in multiplayer. Once I dove into bullet time, and became trapped in the geometry of the level and was almost invisible. Enabling me to take out multiple opponents without them realizing I was there. Sure this problem will be remedied soon, but the kill cam issue will hopefully be addressed in GTAV.

Overall Max Payne’s multiplayer is more than I expected and look forward to checking out the remaining game modes with the 360GamerCast community. Private lobbies can be established and this is where I see the Multiplayer having the most legs in the community, but the crew vs. crew mechanic of open lobbies will be great fun as well. With the lack of current multiplayer titles Max Payne is sure to have staying power for the time being and with the Rock Star season pass being back in effect for Max Payne there are sure to be updated maps keeping it fresh for Rock Star’s loyal community.

7/10 Fresh Twist on multiplayer, good leveling mechanic, and better than expected experience

Thank You to INNSOMKNEEACK and Lord of Letterbox for joining me in multiplayer for this review.

MineCraft is a mystery from the outside, oldschool 16 bit graphic style and lack of game structure seems to either appeal to people instantly, or immediately send them running back to pown more “noobs” on Call of Duty. Not being a PC gamer the XBLA release was my first taste, and it was love at first crafting table for me. MineCraft is a different game for every player and that is a large part of the appeal. It is the antithesis of a community game. If you are not the creative type jump into a friends world and play practical jokes on them, if you are an artist craft awe inspiring 16 bit art, want to lend a friend a helpful had sculpting their world then be so kind. MineCraft offers endless possibilities outside just mining blocks and building.

The only downside to the release could be the initial netcode work that must be improved for stability and the price point. At 1600 Microsoft pointsthe casual consumer may not see enough appeal to make the investment, butthe market has already proven the price point was justified so those wanting to stand on the other side of the fence may have a long wait until Minecraft is reduced to the standard price point of 1200 points. The netcode or RAM problem the game is experiencing if hopefully just a growing pain. Latency issues are rampant in the 360G community on this title with the community being spread across the globe this issue may persist, but hopefully is improved over the coming months. Also the game had multiple complaints of freezing Xbox’s. I have experienced this issues more times than any Bethesda title has ever froze my console, and “one mans” opinion is that the poor little Xbox’s RAM just can’t handle the constant loading the MineCraft requires. Hopefully some behind the scenes addressing of these issues will clean the cat poo out of this sandbox, and offer a great experience that many of us now will not be able to do without.

If pure inspiration is the heart of MineCraft then cooperative play is its soul, and Myjonghave delivered by offering both online play and couch cooperative play that is lacking from almost all AAA titles of the past few years. Hearing fathers and sons play together and husbands and wives enjoying time together is what makes the MineCraft community a great addition to the XBLA marketplace, and the online multiplayer is fantastic as well community members that don’t share mutual game interest historically are coming together building and playing in this sandbox, and that is why gamers game this day in age. They want to find new friends to enjoy gaming together. Gone are the days of locking yourself away questing, cooperative play in where Minecraft spreads its wings and fly’s.

Combat in MineCraft while simple is varied at the same time both ranged and up close and personal combat are present, or may be disabled all together by setting your game world to a peaceful setting. The combat is always challenging enough that you will learn quickly to be afraid of the dark. Enemy AI will find any dark corner to close in of you at you shelter so well lit safe zones are required to stay safe through the night. Community leaderboards are present so you may compare you kill count to others on your friends list further the gamey nature of MineCraft. While those who just want to produce beautiful vistas, or 16 bit art can take advantage of the peaceful setting. Those looking for a risk and reward mechanic can set there worlds to an east, normal, or had difficulty. Knowing that a Creaper could ruin hours of work at any time is an added twist that some will find gratifying and others will find an exhaustive grind. You will not know where you fit in until you try the multiple settings.

MineCraft is a title for the entire family from young to old, new gamer to seasoned veteran all will find some form of enjoyment from this quality XBLA tile. If price is your only concern then the trial will more than likely not sell the game to you all you can do is put your trust in the words you read on the internet and the opinions from friends that you trust. It will only give back what you put in at the end, so if you are committed then make the investment if not then just be jealous of all your friends stories and hopefully that will be enough for you. Minecraft is exceedingly addictive so also be sure  you are well nourished and rested prior to a session, because if not you many end up like a Korean StarCraft player stewing in your own nappy ruining your Union Jack man blanket.

8/10 indie darling that has made the premier

The character’s populating the villages and surrounding areas are varied and complex. In Act II depending on the story arch you choose Geralt could end up partying the night away with a group of dwarves that love to downed their sorrows in mead, and discuss plowing the fairer sex of dwarf society. These are some of the funniest and most well-acted cut scenes in current console gaming. There may possibly be some G-spot hunting that occurs in certain scenes that many or may not be so well acted you need to go visit your Miss. in the other room, or force some of us to crack open the laptop…. No, No No, that would never happen… OK, back to it, yes the characters voice acting may be the only point of contention with AI design, but this seems to be the case with many developers that escaped to Eastern Europe for less expensive operating costs. Nevertheless CDProjekt has delivered a varied and wonderful cast to compliment Geralt on his quest.

Combat is refined and varied with four separate skill paths you many choose to craft your character around training, swordsmanship, alchemy, and magic are all present but with Witcher’s game play being focused, and story driven you do not have the time to max level your character as you would in a game like Skyrim. The swordsmanship tree seems to be the easiest to simplify brutal combat early in the game. Not to say that any of the other two main skill tress are lacking interesting gameplay; however a small investment in magic can yield huge bonuses to your combat mechanics. Withcer 2 may appear on the surface to be a button mashing dive into battle RPG; although if you practice this technique your copy will end up in Game faster than Duke Nukem did last year. Instead it is better to focus your battle tactics around pulling single foes into one on one combat, or setting traps to range your opponents. Crafting traps and armor enhancements are also key components to excelling at combat, and while this may all seem like a time suck and complicated once you get the hang of the menu, and the crafting mechanics it all becomes very organic near the end of the first chapter.

Some of the flaws in Witcher 2 are very evident from the beginning of the game. The map system if near impossible to understand even after spend hours with the game. I often found myself misguided even in the third and final chapter of the campaign. This is the same old flaw that many other RPG’s have suffered for years. With no floor system in the menus you have no idea if your objectives are above, or blow your current location making much of your time spent wandering aimlessly seeking your current quest objective. This could have been easily rectified by adding a quest reticle to the HUD; however with the Witcher being so heavily dependent upon not holding your hand this may have been an addition by subtraction scenario.  The menu system and crafting mechanic can also be a bit daunting all RPG’s need to simplify menus so that items may be compared easily without having to mash over details for every item in inventory. Many times you compare and see it is rated better overall, but the item you have equipped gives you a specific bonus that the new lacks. If all items, weapons, and armor where capable of equipping mods this would make an inventory system much more streamlined.

The Witcher 2 is no doubt one of the best PC to console ports that has migrated over to the Xbox 360 in this generation, and for that matter one of the better games released thus far in 2012. While it does not evolve the genre The Witcher does prove that games can succeed in being mature in nature while not segmenting the base of gamers. It may have been released at a poor time however with so many titles during the past twelve months focusing on the fantasy genre, but that is just my opinion since sword and shields have historically not been my genre of choice for blockbuster releases. If you have the patience for intense combat you are in for a fantastic story that is delivered via several different methods throughout what is sure to be an epic tale that will last your average gamer twenty-four plus hours of game time, and lasting memories of a great game that has crossed over to the mass market of console gaming.

9/10 great graphics, complex combat mechanics, mature story content

This time around the top 10 was chock-a-block with 100,000,000+ scores as people upped their game. Clubb8r Lang stormed the second spot behind Galford (only 3rd in the world this week) and a smidgeon in front of current pinball champ XxSTEVIECEExX.

Big pops also to MJ2KILLER and Charlton Valley who are showing their mettle in this their first tournament. Mention also to hotwheelsdavid who was in last place for the Thor table and has found form this week inside the top 6.

Then there is “Pinball”peebs. Like a stick of dynamite in a vat of M&Ms, he knocked it out of the park this week. Keep it up sir.

1) GalfordDWeiler – 556,650,853 – 30 points
2) Clubb8r Lang – 193,439,979 – 29 points
3) XxSTEVIECEExX – 191,540,742 – 28 points
4) MJ2KILLER – 128,492,067 – 27 points
5) Charlton Valley – 124,875,165 – 26 points
6) hotwheelsdavid – 105,471,037 – 25 points
7) FunkyM0nk – 104,284,400 – 24 points
8 ) LordOfLetterbox – 102,681,150 – 23 points
9) “Pinball”peebs – 100,414,408 – 22 points
10) Cheshire Tomcat – 96,743,261 – 21 points
11) Stewbed – 86,363,424 – 20 points
12) dhaunsch – 73,161,091 – 19 points
13) mrc1501 – 67,152,319 – 18 points
14) Cinema Dan – 57,882,440 – 17 points
15) W00PR SAN – 44,910,168 – 16 points
16) GuNsLiNgErX1983 – 42,941,560 – 15 points
17) JED BARTLETT – 42,344,155 – 14 points
18) COOPSTER18 – 39,743,316 – 13 points
19) H34DCA5E – 35,550,569 – 12 points
20) mobeast666 – 33,309,945 – 11 points
21) xXKrOnTrAiNXx – 28,091,610 – 10 points
22) TCV – 23,969,535 – 9 points
23) alexmcampbell – 16,691,249 – 8 points
24) g ham ox14 – 7,164,780 – 7 points
25) BestestMates – 1,903,080 – 6 points

Next week we shall be playing on the X-Men table. Play from Monday until Friday 23:59. Video preview below.

If you fancy joining in then simply add the Xbox Live gamer tag CinnamonDan 360 and I shall do the rest once you start posting scores.

Okay the moment that you (should) have been waiting for – the current standings in the Pinball League:

1) GalfordDWeiler – 60 points
2) Clubb8r Lang – 57 points
3) FunkyM0nk – 53 points
4) XxSTEVIECEExX – 51 points
5) Charlton Valley – 48 points
=6) Stewbed – 47 points
=6) LordOfLetterbox – 47 points
7) dhaunsch – 45 points
8 ) MJ2KILLER – 44 points
9) mrc1501 – 43 points
10) “Pinball”peebs – 41 points
11) Cinema Dan – 38 points
12) hotwheelsdavid – 34 points
=13) H34DCA5E – 32 points
=13) JED BARTLETT – 32 points
14) GuNsLiNgErX1983 – 29 points
15) mobeast666 – 26 points
16) TCV – 25 points
17) Cheshire Tomcat – 21 points
=18 ) BestestMates – 18 points
=18 ) g ham ox14 – 18 points
=18 ) alexmcampbell – 18 points
19) W00PR SAN – 16 points
=20) All Purrdy – 13 points
=20) COOPSTER18 – 13 points
21) xXKrOnTrAiNXx – 10 points

I have a feeling that this will be going down to the wire…

360GameCast Pinball FX2 Tournament – Week 1 (Thor) Results

Well it’s end of the now (in)famous 360Gamercast Pinball FX2 tournament’s first week and  our top runner GalfordDWeiler, posted the best score IN THE WORLD on the weekly tables. How do you do it sir?

Elsewhere a massive influx of top scores in the last 24 hours chopped up the top pecking order with Clubb8r Lang, mrc1501 & Charlton Valley stamping their mark with impressive 100 million+ tallies.

Below who will find the points scoring which will carry over subsequent weeks. Next table is MOON KNIGHT which we will be playing up until 23:59 Friday 11th May GMT

Video preview:

 
1) GalfordDWeiler – 997,228,000 – 30 points
2) FunkyM0nk – 142,809,000 – 29 points
3) Clubb8r Lang – 122,051,000 – 28 points
4) Stewbed – 120,103,000 – 27 points
5) dhaunsch – 119,208,000 – 26 points
6) mrc1501 – 113,884,000 – 25 points
7) LordOfLetterbox – 109,500,000 – 24 points
8 ) XxSTEVIECEExX – 105,515,000 – 23 points
9) Charlton Valley – 103,859,000 – 22 points
10) Cinema Dan – 89,470,000 – 21 points
11) H34DCA5E – 73,676,000 – 20 points
12) Pitbullpeebs – 61,592,000 – 19 points
13) JED BARTLETT – 43,380,000 – 18 points
14) MJ2KILLER – 43,380,000 – 17 points
15) TCV – 30,546,000 – 16 points
16) mobeast666 – 28,745,000 – 15 points
17) GuNsLiNgErX1983 – 25,858,000 – 14 points
18) All Purrdy – 24,797,000 – 13 points
19) BestestMates – 24,758,000 – 12 points
20) g ham ox14 – 16,124,000 – 11 points
21) alexmcampbell – 11,366,000 – 10 points
22) hotwheelsdavid – 8,824,000 – 9 points

Thanks to all who took part.

If you still would like to take part then simply add the gamertag CinnamonDan 360 and play the correct table within the allotted time. Typically we play between Monday & Friday. The order for this tournament is Week 1 – Thor, Week 2 – Moon Knight, Week 3 – X-Men and Week 4 – Ghost Rider.

I will be posting updates as the weeks progress in the 360G forums so keep an eye out there.

Questions below or shoot them over via twitter – @cinemadan

Allow us then to welcome to a scrap book of thoughts, photos and edited highlights from the 360GamerCast trip to PAX East!

This was in fact my first trip the the USA. I am in my mid-thirties and for whatever reason had never exited Europe and its bevy of continental breakfasts, proper football and crazy accents. Therefore when the chance to go to the US presented itself on the forums last year I took the plunge and what a way to do it. PAX East 2012 in Boston was a truly memorable experience – well Friday night was a semi black out but you’ll have to listen the podcast for that story…

Joining me for the convention were TripMcnealy and LordOfLetterbox (aka Jared & Tim) and you hear about the games we played again on the podcast.

Spectacle

Let’s just say that The Boston Convention Centre is HUGE. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if you could fit 2 – 3 Earl’s Courts inside it. The main area is basically two massive ground floor halls which have escalators that lead up to two further levels and a whole host of hidden away theatres, rooms and eateries. It was easy to get lost on day one.

The show floor itself was divided clearly into areas dedicated to console gaming, PC gaming and table top gaming. Surrounding these on the outskirts were gaming merchandise tables, industry people and independent developers. Big guns present included Sega, Ubisoft, Harmonix, Rockstar, Take2, Nintendo and Microsoft. Booth of the show? Borderlands 2 without a shadow of a doubt.

What also took me by surprise was the amount of space that was given over to people so that they could table top game. I never realised how big such a hobby was.

Queues

It’s a fairly sure assumption that if you go anywhere with isolated attractions that there will be queues as its no different at a gaming convention. PAX however is queue crazy. Where at Eurogamer you may hear folk moan about a 30 – 45 minute queue expect to line up for over 2 hours at PAX. Yes our 10am start in line for Aliens: Colonial Marines ended at 12.30pm.

Whilst we didn’t have to wait long for the majority of the smaller games we didn’t even bother with Steel Battalion (3 hours) and Borderlands 2 (4 hours). BUT queuing at PAX is fun. Yes fun. Talking with fellow geeks alongside us, playing on the Kindle, 3DS & PS Vita we brought along and people watching made the time fly by. Yes, people watching…

Cosplay

This was the first time I had experienced the phenomenon of cosplay (costume play) in any significant form. Yes I have been to Eurogamer and seen my fair share of rubbish home-made Links but PAX attracts the professionals who get treated with constant, deserving compliments. Below are some highlights of people we saw.

Panels

I only attended two this time around – Epic and X-Com which were truly enjoyable experiences. Cliffy B from Epic hinted in particular at additional incoming Gears 3 DLC, a potential future for Bulletstorm whilst giving tips in getting into the industry and answering some truly obscure gaming related questions. X-com of the otherhand was pure fan service in selling the new X-com game. To be honest having never played a X-com game I was somewhat confused but the new game looks cool as and I’m sold!

Elsewhere across the weekend there were appearances by Bioware, Gearbox, Giant Bomb and Irrational Games.

Swag

Penny Arcade and its exhibitors spoilt the fans this year chucking a massive goodie bag to all you attended. Likewise there were various goodies given out for playing certain games and attending certain panels. Top items we got a hold of included an inflatable Assassins Creed 3 tomahawk, a red Hitman business tie, Jet Set Radio pin badges and XBL download codes. See below for a competition to some of this stuff!

Merchandise Stalls

Putting Eurogamer to shame is all I can really say. I could have walked out with a shit-tonne of obscure Japanese shooters. I almost spent $140 on a Street Fighter X Tekken fight stick. I saw some really rare video games for sale. Retro heaven. There were many independent developers out in force such as Half Brick, Team Meat, Ninja Bee and Behemoth who by my reckoning made an absolute killing over the weekend selling directly to fans.

Above: Behemoth’s booth was one of the best of show.

I therefore came away with several really, really cool gaming t-shirts – Catherine, Street Fighter, Castle Crashers and er.. Fruit Ninja were all in my suitcase come the trip home.

Over to Jared…

For my second trek into the heart of Geekdom the Penny Arcade Expo 2012. I found prior to the event I was less excited initially for the expo itself, and more excited to meet two gentlemen I have grown to call my friends not my Xbox Live friends, but friends I enjoy spending time with outside of the virtual space as well. CinemaDan and LordofLetterbox did not disappoint both are great gentlemen and it was a true please to meet them both. I only hope that more of the community have an opportunity to spend time with the friends that they have made by attending Euro gamer, or making the trip across the pond to PAX.

The expo itself again did exceed my wildest expectations with big showings by Rock Star and 2K games. My highlight of PAX would have to be however Lollipop Chainsaw due to the fact it is not in my “wheelhouse” at all. Having never been a huge fan of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta this title would not have traditionally appealed to me at all, but after giving Shadows of the Dammed a fair chance earlier in 2012 I was excited to get my hands on the next Sudo 51 title, and it has exceeded all of my expectations. Hopefully if these types of titles are not usually your “cup of tea” the community will open themselves up, and give this excellent title a fair chance to charm you as well. Other excellent games included Assassins Creed 3 which sounds like much love and care has been put into this next proper iteration to the series. Spec Ops the Line was my surprise of the show being that I had not even heard anyone hyping it at all. The gameplay is as solid if not more so than Gears of War and the story if you have not checked it out is very intriguing for a modern military shooter. With both competitive and “Horde” based multiplayer options this game has the potential to be a community hit! Xcom: Enemy Unknown by Firaxis seems to be in excellent hands with Sid Meyer’s “A” squad taking the lead. This has been a treasured title to many of the employees of Firaxis for years, and from everything that was shown this game seems to be in development at the right time and by the right people. I am now widely anticipating a release date for this sure to be RTS hit!

Overall the convention and community meet up was a great time and again hope that more of the community takes advantage of meeting each other outside of gamer nights. 360Gamercast has to have one of the most outgoing and kind communities on the internet, and I am very excited to meet more of you when I make my trip to the UK this summer. If anyone has any questions after listening to the podcast please feel free to either # the show with a question, or hit myself up on twitter.

Competition Time!

Win. Yes win one of two really cool swag bags fresh from PAX East on stuffed with:

Posters! Including A3 Devil May Cry HD, Dragons Dogma, Max Payne 3, Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City.

*Max Payne 3 Stickers

*Rockstar Stickers

*Rift on PC – complete game with 30 days subscription complimentary

*Magic The Gathering Card Deck

*Jet Set Radio pin badges

*Joe Danger pin Badges

*PAX East chunky programme

*PAX East Day Pass laminate (pretend to friends that you were there!)

*SEGA lollipop

*Assassins Creed 3 inflatable tomahawk

*2 x different Aliens Colonial Marines doo rags

*Sonic Avatar costume – US accounts only but hey – it’s cool

* Various leaflets with codes for games on Steam

* Magic The Gathering draw string bag

* Assorted nonsense – lucky dip as there are some single items in there… INCLUDING a Xenoblade Chronicles & Bioshock Infinite posters, a wired XBL headset, Virtua Fighter zip tag, SEGA magnet, Hitman tie, stickers etc…

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO WIN???

All you have to do is tell us who you would possibly cosplay as at Eurogamer 2012 in the comments section below.

T&Cs – Two goodie packs up for grabs but contents will not be identical due to some single items. If you’re after a specific item or items shown above please specify what if you win – no promises though. Closing date is Friday 27th April 2012 and will be announced on the podcast recorded for Tuesday 1st May 2012.

Good luck!

And now for some assorted snaps.

Dan & Jared with Major Nelson & Laura Lollipop – photo by Tim

Vincent & Kitana face off on Dance Central 2

The award for the most messed up cosplay picture of the weekend perhaps?

Raccoon Mario plays Sega’s Jet Set Radio

How cool? Power loader vs Alien. This battle will feature in Aliens: Colonial Marines we are led to believe.

Award for funniest cosplay of the weekend – Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker’s very own Mr. Tingle!

Kid Icarus’ Pit in case you didn’t know. 

The first entry into the Assassin Creed costume competition on Friday morning – look what he did to the stage climbing up!

“Ouch! My sides are splitting!”

Official – table top gaming sends you to asleep…

The Ferrari 458 Italia Racing Wheel is the first ever of its kind that is officially licensed by both Ferrari & Microsoft XBOX 360.  In addition to built-in controls for the Xbox 360, and a set of pedals, they’ve also included a Ferrari Manettino dial to modify in game options and features while mid race.  The wheel itself measures 11-inches in diameter, is coated in a non-slip rubber, has dual metal flappy paddle gear shifters and includes a “Bungee Cord” automatic centering system that provides resistance over a 270-degree angle.  And to complete the feature set, there are 8 action buttons, an Engine Start D-pad, an Xbox 360 Guide button and a connector for the Xbox 360 headset and microphone.

The wheel itself is easy to set up on any table. Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend using it on your lap as it really needs to be connected to a table of some sort. I tested the wheel out on Forza 4, Test Drive 2, NFS Hot Pursuit and Midnight Club L.A and the wheel worked flawlessly on all those games but my only annoyance is the lack of rumble / force feedback. As a gamer who is used to my controller having a rumble when I’m slightly going of the track or turning my car hard this felt slightly dead to me. The wheel does a good job at offering resistance when you are turning it but I just feel that if you are going to purchase a wheel of this standard it should really have force feedback.

The wheel looks amazing and is a complete replica of a Ferrari 458 Italia Wheel and all the buttons do something. The engine start button actually works as a D-Pad and the gear paddles work like a dream.

I had some issues with the pedals at first as they do feel a little flimsy and there is no way of sticking them to the floor so sometimes when I take my foot off the accelerator to brake it sticks to my foot and the whole block comes up with it. I’m not a hardcore racer with wheels so my set up probably wasn’t ideal. The wheel was stuck to the table with the excellent bracket supplied whilst I was sitting on my sofa with pedals on the floor which isn’t the most comfortable experience but I still very much enjoy using the wheel with my racers from time to time.

Overall the Ferrari Italia Racing Wheel gives you a driving experience with a very sexy looking wheel at a good price but that price comes with the lack of force feedback which is a big seller for me. If you are racing on a budget then this is the wheel for you but if you can afford a little more for a wheel then I would recommend one with force feedback.

Rating 6/10

The wheel was supplied by Ideal0.co.uk and a link to the wheel can be found here http://www.idealo.co.uk/compare/2954122/thrustmaster-ferrari-458-italia-wheel.html

In an era of “occupy” everything, oil shortages, bread lines, high street retailer closures, and a certain trilogy concluding with collective fan outcry.  I took time to reflect on games as “Art”. Entertainment should be as defined an amusing experience.  Gaming is a hobby that myself, and hopefully anyone who is reading this enjoys; however over the previous years I have received less enjoyment from games that in the past would have left me in awe. Does this steam from a “mojo” issue… for a long time that seemed to be a plausible scenario; however when a franchise that I have adored concludes, and the only feeling it evokes is apathy…. I took pause to reflect, and concluded this is not a loss of “mojo”, or a reflection of my age; rather that art reflects society, and our society has begun catering to the lowest common denominators leaving the majority of the population less than satisfied by the experiences “Artists” are creating.

My roots date back to the NES glory years when home console entertainment was in its infancy attempting to obtain a foothold. Game developers did not concern themselves with marking budgets, public relations, or even consumers. They made games.  As the industry has matured these are all factors companies must plan and prepare for, but in doing so our hobby is under siege by the “casual consumer”.  Design seems to be stripped down to the point that anyone willing to make the investment and purchase a console will be able to consume all content appropriate for their age group. This strategy has left the “hardcore” lacking for most if not all of the current console cycle. While incredible experiences have been delivered year in and year out they have been designed for all users, and those who seek a more robust experience are forced into playing an increased difficulty not an increase in cognitive experience.

I am not implying that developers should only cater to those that are most passionate for their products, but rather craft an experience that is not necessarily mature in content, but mature in nature. As the great “Indiana” Jones once said “In archeology X never marks the spot”, yet as gamers we must follow the mystical gold line, set a way point, or fast travel to our next adventure. All of these handicaps are developers sitting around a table planning strategies to assist casual gamers into the market. Films are rated based on tone and content, but games seems to be rated purely on content.  It’s slightly absurd to say a game is “mature” based on dialogue, violence, or an awkward embrace sequence intended to mirror the sexual fortitude of a teenager. It should not take an act of congress or a petition to express to developers that we are fed up with substandard plots and writing. I began gaming as a child, and did not continue to relive my childhood, but rather to experience the advances in technology, content, and design. If developers wish to posture the experiences they create are “ART” then craft an experience that is emotional and branching, but stop inserting ambiguities, or slightly differing dialogue to satisfy every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Be proud of your blood, sweat, and tears trust your consumer’s imagination to deliver them an experience that evokes the desired emotional response, and assume they have the emotional maturity and cognitive ability to grasp the narrative.

Role Playing games have historically been the hardcore gamers last bastion untainted by the casual market; however the present is taking shape as a totally different scenario. Developers are shoe horning RPG mechanics into almost every title released. If this is the impression that gamers have mistakenly passed to developers or publishers let me be the one to say “We are not happy”. Halo is a classic for is simplicity, and gamers return to it often for that reason. Halo redefined the console shooter by crafting a simple and precise way to control your character with a controller as opposed to mouse and keyboard. That is good enough!  Design a shooter with easy to use controls, an entertaining narrative, and vibrant environments. Stop forcing gamers to level up the faceless nameless “character” holding the gun, and craft an exciting experience instead. You save development cost, and deliver an entertaining experience that players continue to return to long after release.

A game as “Art” has always been a stretch for me. I agree that they evoke an emotional response, are beautiful, and entertain their audience; however if you are going to create the final title in a treasured trilogy that has spanned the current generation, and then tell consumers that they do not NEED to have experienced the first two editions….. Your “art” was a failure.  I have to imagine if you spoke to Francis Ford Copula and inquired.  Should I just catch Godfather III, or should I experience part I and II first? He would be offended by the question as an artist. Mass Effect has become the series of a generation, and the fact that it was designed for new comers and old tells me this title is not art. Any game development company is a business, and by so they are in business to generate a profit. If you are developing art to turn profits then you producing mass prints, and passing them off as “art”, not true original creation.  Almost all art is not fully appreciated until long after it was developed, and game developers are not in business to wait for their products to be appreciated as art. They are in the business of entertainment and profiteering. If the desire is to have mass marked games depicted as art then stop asking the player to make decisions that detract from your artistic inspiration. Craft an experience that may stand on its own merit, and then leave it to the consumer to interpret your creation.

I love gaming and will always have fond memories of the time I spent with the Mass Effect series. If BioWare and other innovative developers wish to have their products affectionately referred to as “art” then the pick you own adventure approach to development needs to end. My largest feeling of disappointment came in the final moments of Mass Effect 3. With the realization that all my choices in the series have no effect on MY outcome, all I had was the same three choices everyone was presented with. Was I foolish to assume that this series had been tracking my decisions over the previous titles? No, I was not!  This series of 1’s and 0’s knew that I betrayed the Illusive Man by destroying the Collector base. It knew that I had sacrificed Kaiden on Vermire. These where gut wrenching decisions I and many others agonized over for years. Did I do the right thing? How is this going to change my Shepard and his crew? I know you all asked yourselves the same questions, and to be left with a conclusion that did not tie off what happened to the galaxy or at the very least your crew is to say the least a disappointment. If this narrative will be sold via downloadable content then I cry foul. This was to be the finite conclusion in Shepard’s space saga.  For consumers to be provoked into downloading a footnote just to understand how their decisions “Mass Effected” the galaxy post Reaper invasion is laughable.

Designers and Publishers must come to the decision as to if they are in business to create art or to entertain their customers. Very rarely are you able to have media widely accepted both ways due to art’s subjective nature, and a very fine line must be traversed for entertainment to achieve a public opinion that it is true art. Mass Effect 3 achieved blockbuster sales as expected; however they faltered in my opinion by crafting an experience intended for new players of the franchise and the loyal established fan base. My only wish for the future of gaming is that developers stop treating their back catalogue as forgotten passable experiences. If they truly want to craft experiences that are artistic and span generations then be proud of those accomplishments and require players to have experienced your previous artistic creations.

Operation Raccoon City suited and booted itself up for a March 23^rd release date, and sought to be pure fan service for early Resident Evil lore; however Slant Six studios forgot that looks are not everything. Operation Raccoon City has great character design for the Umbrella Operatives deployed in Raccoon City set to eradicate the dreaded T virus, devastating citizens converting them into rabid zombie hoards, and that is the only compliment I can extend. Inspiration behind the title was sound; tie in plot lines, offer fan service to a loved franchise, and tweak key Resident Evil game play for added depth and customization. I was sold from inception Raccoon City appeared to be a solid title in early 2012, what was delivered was a title with lazy game design, sloppy mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and generally an abysmal experience.

Character design must have taken the spotlight in early development. Lupo is the team lead for the ensemble of U.S.S. (Umbrella Security) sent to Raccoon City to lay waste to all that know of Umbrella’s involvement with the T-virus, and its circulation to the city’s population. All of the playable characters look great very detailed and vibrant this shows more in the female cast due to details being added by facial features lacking in the males due to their masks. All that work was wasted due to the fact that you rarely see much of your character. The dark third person gameplay does not accommodate a pause to appreciate the art assets put into character design. Instead what you notice are dark corridors cluttered by random cardboard boxes, or those wonderful green herbs that harken back to all Resident Evil titles.  

Level design is unstylish, bland, and illogical each encounter with the opposing Special Forces is set up behind cardboard boxes or rubble. These encounters are lazy and unvaried five to ten SpecOp soldiers are camped out waiting for you to arrive at the next check point…. They begin firing…. You kill all who stand in your way then, rinse and repeat. The hordes of zombies don’t offer much of a change either. They will either trigger a quick time sequence or randomly infect you with the T virus. Once infected you lose control of you character and are sitting on the sidelines until you co-op buddies dispatch you. Once you expire simply re-spawn at the next rally point your team reaches. This would all be fine if the levels where designed with defendable check points, or if the game was not so easy that there is no need for cover to begin with. Most battle sequences last mere seconds unless you run out of ammunition which happens very often. Your character has access to two weapons that may be upgraded from the menu via in game credits earned from round performance. Resident Evil’s design is most easily compared to SpecOps from Call of Duty. Each scenario is approximately 20 minutes, and gives the impression that you could complete every level without firing a single shot… Just run through the game collect your 20G per mission and return to your rental company would be my advice…    

Gun Play is very lose and inaccurate for a third person shooter. If you are accustomed to the tight responsive control Gears of War offers then stay as far away as possible from Resident Evil. There is no tactile response from controller to gun; Pin Ball FX offers more responsive controls than Raccoon City.  Ammunition restraints also are terrible your 150 rounds will last all of two minutes, and once they are depleted your second best option is run until you discover more, because you side arm pistol is about as useful as “tits on a bull”, and melee attacks do little to no damage against opposing soldiers; however seem to be the best option to beat back a zombie gangbang. You also gain some helpful equipment including grenades, infection resistance, and health supplements.

The repetitive game play is what drags Raccoon city down most at the time of writing this article I have yet to complete Raccoon City, but have had my fill from the three areas in the campaign, and about two hours in multiplayer. The campaign may be played with up to four online friends, and same may be said for the competitive multiplayer. Campaign is straight forward you play each mission through what could be a single player with AI experience or played cooperatively. During my time I left the lobby open for others to join two random players did, and one AI joined us. Other reviews have bashed the AI for being nothing more than a sprite on the screen, but from my time they seem quite helpful. Each time I needed a quick heal, or to be unzombiefied the AI was the first to offer assistance; however that is no surprise with the talent often discovered by open lobbies with random players.

Overall I could not recommend Resident Evil Raccoon City to anyone. One saving grace seems to be that the achievements pop often at the end of each encounter, and for events triggered through game play. Other than that Raccoon City is a major disappointment and should be avoided by most who were interested. If you are seeking a third person shooter try Gear of War 3 from last year or at a bargain pick up a copy of Ghost Recon Future Solider 2 to prepare yourself for the next title due for release later this summer. If you are dead set on a Resident Evil title for 2012 begin praying the Resident Evil 6 lives up to the previous excellent catalogue.

Resident Evil Raccoon City 5/10