Apocalypso's Atomic Arcade: 5/23/10

2010/05/29

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City Discount at Amazon

I bought Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City along with Metro 2033 the other weekend. I finished Metro 2033, but I’m finishing up with Mass Effect 2 before uninstalling it to make room for GTA: EFLC on my computer.

I came across some post on Joystiq thought that said that the game has been reduced on Amazon to $29.99 for the console versions, and $19.99 for the PC version. That’s $10 off all versions of the game.

Now, I should hurry up and finish the side quests of Mass Effect 2 that I haven’t done yet so I can put this on…

Update: The Xbox 360 version deal is still going, but the PS3 one has jumped up to $32.54, and the PC version up to $27.99. So if you want the Xbox 360 version for $10 off, you can if you hurry.

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Source: Amazon [via Joystiq]

Sega Classics Coming to PC Through Digital Distribution in June

The Sega Genesis is regarded as one of the ultimate classics when it comes to gaming, and recently Sega has said that a number of the greatest hits to appear on the console are going to make an appearance soon on digital distribution outlets like Steam, and probably others too, like Direct2Drive.

One of these games will be Golden Axe. Hell, I remember playing that game a lot years ago. Others include Ecco The Dolphin, Sonic 3D Blast and Comix Zone – I remember that one too!

The PC versions of these games will arrive in early June this year [June the 1st actually], and will sell for as low as $2.99 each.

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Source: Sega Genesis Classics Coming to PC [Sega]

Mass Effect Movie is Coming – Take Cover

I finally got round to finishing Mass Effect 2 the other day. I got side-tracked and started playing other games over the past few months, but I eventually got around to completing the main quest for Mass Effect 2. Now there’s just the side quests that I haven't done yet.

Wait! What’s this? A Mass Effect movie is coming? Yes, the rights to the Mass Effect movie have been snapped up by Legendary Pictures, and scriptwriter Mark Protosevich is going to… well, write the script for it. He’s previously worked on films such as I Am Legend.

Some say that Mass Effect, considered one of the greatest science-fiction series ever created, could potentially become the new Star Trek or Star Wars. It feels more like Star Trek to me, actually.

But, then again, like the title suggests: it might not be that great, considering the quality of most game-to-movie adaptations.

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Source: Mass Effect video game on way to movie screen [heatvisionblog]

2010/05/28

Singularity Pre-order offer at Amazon: Get a Free Comic

Raven’s Singularity is set to arrive this year in June, and GameStop has a pre-order offer for the game where those who buy it will get an exclusive multiplayer character to use in the game.

Amazon has countered and says that those who buy it from them will get a free comic book based on the game. This is for all versions of the game: PC, Xbox 360, and the PS3.

Oh, and don’t forget that there’s another pre-order offer for the Xbox 360 version of Singularity, where you get a free full game, Prototype, free. This offer only comes into affect upon the game’s release, apparently, according to the Amazon game detail page.

So, it’s either one or the other: Prototype, or the comic? Can’t have both…

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Source: Amazon.com offers up free comic book for Singularity pre-orders [Big Download]

MTN’s “Uncapped” Broadband: The 24 Hour Rush

Last month I started seeing these adverts on TV, advertising MTN’s new data option: pay R50 and get a whole day’s worth of broadband access.

In addition to this, there’s also a R25 option which gives you three hours of unlimited “uncapped” broadband. And there are also new pricing options when it comes to broadband, with 75 MB and 300 MB data bundle options now available. They’ve also done away with out of bundle rates, which meant if you didn't either buy a once off or subscription bundle, you paid a lot more out of your airtime.

But I think more than anything, it was this R50 uncapped access that got everybody talking, and it made me think about what I could get in 24 hours.

Now, my Nokia E90 isn’t top of the range – it puts out a connection at about 115 kbps, which at least trumps dial-up, for sure, and I’ve seen it go up to about 70 kbps while downloading. On a good day it can download 4 MB in one minute, compared to dial-up which would take about 20 or 30 minutes to do the same. Now take 4 MB and times that by 60 and you get 240 MB in an hour. Then times that by 24 [hours] and you get 5760 MB in a day.

I don’t know if this is at all correct. Like I said, it’s just in theory. I’ve read others’ calculations and they think you might be able to get 1 – 1.5 GB in 24 hours, and they have better broadband connections than mine, likely, with one guy saying he can get 150 MB in 6 minutes! That’s about 25 MB per minute, but this is at 4 mbps or something.

The only thing is that there’s a bit of a lie when it says “uncapped”, which you’ll notice I’ve put in inverted commas almost everywhere in this post. This is because you can download up to 150 MB with unlimited speed – as much as you can go. But after 150 MB, it is limited to 128 kbps. But this isn’t a problem for me, because like I said – my E90 doesn’t put out that much anyway.

But consider that MTN’s normal 1 GB data bundle is nearly R300, and the 2 GB one is nearly R400 - a 1-Day R50 option doesn’t sound too bad. In fact, it’s less than what you’d pay for a 100 MB data bundle: R80. And those data bundles also have to last 60 days now, or two months. Before it was just 30 days, but people complained.

I think what I have to do is try and prove the theory by downloading 1 MB and seeing how fast it downloads, do my calculations, and after that, try out the R50 option and see how much I can get in 24 hours. I reckon I could download The Dark Mod in 24 hours, seeing as NAG won’t put it on the Cover DVD.

Leon Schuster’s Latest Movie, Schuks Tshabalala’s Survival Guide to South Africa, Shows Today

Leon Schuster is a big name, known to most South Africans, and probably some abroad as well. Today is the day that Schuks Tshabalala’s Survival Guide to South Africa shows in cinemas country wide.

And with the usual political satire featured in his films, this time Schuks and Shorty are told to produce a film that will act as a guide to tourists and foreigners alike as they come to SA for the 2010 World Cup.

From the trailer I’ve seen, it looks as though in addition to playing his usual characters, he’ll also be taking on the likes of Helen Zille. Schuks is up to his usual stuff, and claims he’s going back to a more political take in this film, unlike some of his others.

I don’t think I’ll actually be going to see it at the cinema, as I loathe those places, especially in winter. It'd be a good place to go to get sick – and I don’t want that at all.

Anyhow, today, the 28th of May, is when Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro theatres will be showing the film.

2010/05/27

Fable III For PC, Collector’s Edition, Pricing Details

There was a rumour around for the past week or two that suggested that Fable III would be available for PC as well as Xbox 360 when it’s released. Those rumours ended up being true, for once, and there’s also some news on the pricing of the standard game as well as a Limited Collector’s Edition.

Fable III standard for the PC and Xbox 360 will sell for $49.99 and $59.99 each respectively, and the collector’s edition for $79.99.

What’s in the collector’s edition? A new quest, a new location, a new breed of dog – the Boxer, a new outfit, some Fable III trading cards, which have every character from the game printed on each, and a Guild Seal Coin, that has a blue and red side. Blue is good, red is bad.

The PC version won’t get a collector’s edition as that is an Xbox 360 exclusive, but it will be available for download off of Games for Windows LIVE. The content that is present in the collector’s edition for the Xbox 360 version will be available to purchase and download for the PC version as well.

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Source: Epic Fable III journey expands to windows this holiday [Lionhead]

Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project Arriving on XBLA Soon

Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project recently celebrated its eighth birthday last week – not that anyone really noticed.

Up until now the game was only ever released on the PC, but that’s set to change as Microsoft has officially announced, after months and months of speculation and hints, that the game will be arriving on Xbox Live Arcade soon. No date or price has been given, but it will likely be soon.

The original Manhattan Project for Windows was released back in 2002. It was a kind of spin-off title, not in the main universe of Duke Nukem games, developed by Sunstorm Interactive, which has since gone out of business. It was still good fun though, as you controlled the Dukester in a side-scrolling 3D adventure spanning several environments, in what was essentially a tribute to the first two Duke Nukem games from the 90’s, before Duke Nukem 3D.

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Sources:

http://www.xbox.com/
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project Confirmed for XBLA [Shacknews]

NAG Magazine June 2010 Issue Delayed

There I was. It was Wednesday, and I thought hmm, the new NAG out to be out tomorrow. Then I checked the official website to see if a post had been made with the usual forum thread concerning the June issue.

I only discovered that the issue has been delayed for one week. That means it will only be out next week on Thursday – June the 3rd. Even the cover and the contents page aren’t able to be previews until Monday next week.

So if you were looking for the NAG, knowing that the last Thursday of the month is when it should appear, now you know why you more than likely didn’t find it. And no, the one with the Red Dead Redemption cover is last month’s issue.

The explanation for this is that because of that stupid bloody volcano in Iceland, the Cover DVDs, which I think NAG has printed overseas instead of here nowadays, aren’t able to come over this week and play. And not only that, but that bloody stupid 2010 World Cup nonsense also has something to do with it.

“The June issue of NAG, which you might have been expecting to see on shelf tomorrow, has been delayed until next week Thursday, the 3rd of June. Unfortunately, due to a combination of volcanic ash blah blah and the tons of FIFA World Cup stuff coming into the country, getting our cover DVD in on time has been impossible. We apologise for this delay, but rest assured that this issue will be well worth the wait. Check in on Monday for all the details.”

You see? It’s not just international, but national stuff that’s screwed it up. That’s why I can’t wait until it’s all over. I’ve had to listen to this 2010 stuff for the last six years. And no: I have little national pride, and I don’t like soccer either. So shoot me.

Rant over. Anyway, it’s just one week. If it was a month, I’d have been pi$$ed.

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Source: Delayed! NAG Online - [NAG Magazine] Delayed! [NAG Online Forums]

2010/05/26

The Ultimate F.E.A.R. Collection now Available at Direct2Drive: 3 Games-in-1

A few days ago, something hit Steam – and that was the entire original F.E.A.R. collection. This consists of F.E.A.R., F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point and F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate. All of these bundled cost just $9.99.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin and the Reborn DLC are not featured in this pack.

But I’ve learnt that this bundle isn’t exclusive to Steam anymore. You can also now get the “F.E.A.R. Ultimate Shooter Collection” over at Direct2Drive, for the same price too. The download size is over 16 GBs though.

For the price, it’s worth it just for the first game. The expansions aren’t bad – especially Extraction Point - which was quite good actually. Of course these weren’t developed by Monolith like F.E.A.R., but Timegate Studios, so the storylines encountered in them aren’t canon, but then again, F.3.A.R, coming this year, isn’t being handled by Monolith either.

By the way, when I last played Extraction Point, it requires F.E.A.R. to be installed, but Perseus Mandate is a standalone expansion. Don’t know if this still applies in this pack.

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Source: Direct2Drive

Video Game Deals on Amazon [May 26, 2010 Edition]: Avatar, Rise of the Argonauts

Yo, yo, yo! We got some hot deals in the hizzle here dog! Seriously, check some of these deals out. I’ve been collecting them for the past few days.

Avatar for the PC, both the standard and special edition downloadable versions off of Amazon are $30 off each – saving 50% off in both cases. Rise of the Argonauts for the PS3 is also more than $30 off. There’s some great deals for almost every console here.

VGDs feature on AAA once or twice a week with deals at least $7.00 [R50] or more making the big list. Deals which are more than $10 make the best deals list.

Links go to game detail pages at retail and digital distribution outlets like Amazon and Steam, etc. You can also check out my Amazon aStore for the latest and greatest games released this year.

Best Deals:

$30 off or more:

Rise of the Argonauts - $18.77 - Save $31.22 [PS3]

James Cameron's Avatar: The Game [Game Download] - $19.99 - Save $30.00 [PC]
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game (Special Edition) [Game Download] - $24.99 - Save $30.00 [PC]

$20 off or more:

Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $21.65 [Wii]
Commandos Strike Force - $8.02 - Save $21.55 [PC]
Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $20.00 [360]
DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable - $59.99 - Save $20.00 [Wii]

$10 off or more:

Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic - $24.99 - Save $18.22 [PC]
Guitar Hero Van Halen - Software Only - $19.99 - Save $18.38 [Wii]
Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $17.01 [PS3]
Yakuza 3 - $39.99 - Save $15.00 [PS3]
Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard Bundle - $59.99 - Save $12.55 [Wii]
Domination: Massive Assault - $11.44 - Save $12.13 [PC]

Dark Void - $14.55 - Save $12.00 [360]

The full list [anything more than $7.00]:

[PC]

Silent Hunter 5 - $24.99 - Save $18.22
Domination: Massive Assault - $11.44 - Save $12.13
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game [Game Download] - $19.99 - Save $30.00
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game (Special Edition) [Game Download] - $24.99 - Save $30.00
Commandos Strike Force - $8.44 - Save $21.55

[Xbox 360]

Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $20.00
Dark Void - $14.55 - Save $12.00
Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard Bundle - $69.99 - Save $10.00
Split / Second - $49.99 - Save $7.00

[PS3]

Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $17.01
Yakuza 3 - $39.99 - Save $15.00
Dark Void - $16.19 - Save $9.00
Rise of the Argonauts - $24.64 - Save $21.35

[Nintendo Wii]

DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable - $59.99 - Save $20.00
Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard Bundle - $59.99 - Save $12.55
Guitar Hero Van Halen - Software Only - $19.99 - Save $18.38
Guitar Hero 5 Guitar Kit - $59.99 - Save $10.00
Cabela's Monster Buck Hunter with Gun Peripheral - $29.99 - Save $10.00
Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues - $19.99 - Save $21.65
EA Sports Active More Workouts - $19.96 - Save $10.03

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Sources: Amazon - Nowinstock

2010/05/25

Apocalypse Then: Motocross Madness 2

Ten Years of Motocross Madness 2

On this day in gaming, in 2000, Motocross Madness 2 was released.

It’s no doubt the sequel to Motocross Madness, developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Microsoft. It was only ever released for the PC.

Some improvements over the first one included better textures, and not to mention the addition of foliage which was strangely absent from the original.

Another new addition was that of a level editor which allowed you to create your own tracks. Not only this but there licenced motorcycle brands, customization of bikes and riders, and the soundtrack was done by non other than Incubus.

Also in the game were several different game modes which ranged from racing against other motocross riders to just playing around in freestyle mode, doing stunts and usually bailing a hell of a lot.

I fondly recall playing Motocross Madness 2 years ago with my gamepad, passing the time while recovering from sprained ankles – injuries incurred from skateboarding years ago. It’s not only one of Microsoft’s best games put out over the last decade, but one of the best motocross simulations ever.

Doom II: Hell on Earth Coming to Xbox Live Tomorrow

The old id classic, Doom II: Hell on Earth, or Doom 2 for short, has been ported by Nerve Software and will end up on Xbox Live tomorrow, the 26th of May – joining its predecessor, Doom.

This Xbox 360 version of Doom II will have all the levels from the original, as well as a new episode made by Nerve.

The game was leaked onto XBLA in Japan earlier on in the week. The price is said to be set at 800 Microsoft Points.

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Sources:

This week on arcade: Voodoo Dice [Major Nelson]

XBLA: DOOM II XBLA Available Right Now… In Japan [GamerBytes]

The Verge Going off the air at the end of May

If you watched the live broadcast of The Verge last night, you would have heard Pippa Tshabalala say at the end of the show that The Verge is going off the air.

Not to worry too much though, seeing as it’s a temporary break which will last for two months. The May 31st edition of the show, next Monday, will be the last one, only to resume again in August.

The other shows such as PlayR, The Ginx Files, and GameFace will continue to be broadcast.

Reasons for the hiatus weren’t really given, but one could speculate that The Verge is possibly undergoing a change of format. The Verge has all ready been pushed back to a later time slot on Vuzu [22:30 instead of 21:30], and was also dropped from four days a week to two [Mondays and Wednesdays]. It’s also, as I mentioned, a live show, whereas PlayR is taped. The Verge has been showing since the 1st of December, 2008.

Anyway, this is just pure speculation on my part. I’ve checked the official website and the Facebook page to see if any word has been put out, but nothing at the moment.

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Source: The Verge

2010/05/24

Tonight: Chuck Norris’s World Combat League [TV]

First it was Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling which cropped up on SABC 3 earlier this year, and now we get to see the legendary Chuck Norris with his show, World Combat League.

It’s a full contact sport, where two teams, each consisting of five men and one woman, take on each other, with various disciplines included - basically like mixed martial arts like UFC, minus the cage. The only thing out of bounds is, ironically, wrestling – seeing as it goes against the idea of a fast paced match.

The team who gains the most points wins.

The WCL was originally founded by Chuck Norris back in 2005, and the television series came about later. Season one was strictly an American affair it seems, but season two is said to be airing worldwide.

It’s destined to be a major hit here in SA, seeing as ETV in particular goes nuts over anything to do with wrestling, fighting, and Chuck Norris.

For those of you who are interested, Season One of World Combat League is available to own on DVD, along with the special edition, called “Greatest Knockouts and Knockdowns”.

Let the corny Chuck Norris jokes commence.

World Combat League debuts on ETV tonight, May 24, 2010, at 20:00.

How to Fix it: Metro 2033 [Problems, Glitches etc.]

After experiencing some problems with Metro 2033 post-install and in-game, I googled some of these errors and so on to see if anyone else was experiencing them. And I did find some ways to overcome them. I thought I would post a collection of methods to overcome them in a post as part of a potentially new series for the blog.

I’ve dealt with Quake II and Deus Ex in the past, though.

Okay, so the problems likely start after the install, like with most people.

The first error I came across was this one that reads: “This application has failed to start because X3DAudio1_7.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.”

How to fix this? Update your DirectX drivers. With Windows XP you’d obviously need DirectX 9.0, and with Vista, DirectX 10; Windows 7, DirectX 11.

So, you then start the game and it crashes. I would have taken a picture of this but I forgot. What to do? Install Nvidia PhysX drivers which the game needs.

Okay, now the third problem I encountered with the game was a glitch in the game. You’ll encounter this in the one Market place with Bourbon. He tells you to buy some filters for your gasmask, and when you come back, he starts to talk to you, and afterwards, turns his back and just stands there.

This doesn’t happen to everyone, as my brother, whose also played the game, didn’t encounter this glitch. If you do, what should do is walk up to Bourbon, and as he starts talking, stay close to him and move around him so his body follows you and he is facing the other direction. If you move to far away from him, then he will stop talking and just stand there.

The aim is to get him to face the area with the turnstile, and get him to walk over there so he can chat with the one guard and eventually the both of you go through the big doors and up to the surface.

There may well be more errors, glitches, and so that will crop up. If I experience any more, I will post them here. If you experience any, then post them in the comments, and I will follow it up after trying to find a solution, and add it to the post as well as possibly in the comments section.

2010/05/23

Video Games Coming out This Week [May 23-29, 2010]: Super Mario Galaxy 2, UFC Undisputed 2010

Not much in the way of titles that I would be interested in getting this week. Yeah, you’ve got Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Wii which some are raving about. By the way, you can can listen to the original SMG’s orchestral score here on YouTube [via 1UP]. And there’s UFC Undisputed 2010 which features ex-wrestler and football player, Brock Lesnar.

Me? I’m happy playing Metro 2033, which I got yesterday, and I’m liking it a lot.

Links go to game detail pages at retail and digital distribution outlets like Amazon and Steam, etc. You can also check out my Amazon aStore for the latest and greatest games released this year.

[PC]

Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers [Download]
Blur
EVE Online: Tyrannis
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans
Making History II: The War of the World
Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection

[Xbox 360]

Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers
Blur
SBK Superbike World Championship
UFC Undisputed 2010

[PlayStation 3]

Blur
ModNation Racers
SBK Superbike World Championship
Soldner-X 2: Final Prototype [PSN]
UFC Undisputed 2010

[PSP]

Hexyz Force
ModNation Racers

[Wii]

City Builder
Enclave: Shadows of Twilight
Art Style: light trax [WiiWare]
Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans
Kid Adventures: Sky Captain
Let's Paint
Let's Play Garden
Let's Play Ballerina
Manic Monkey Mayhem [WiiWare]
Pirates Plundarrr
Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earrings
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Tetris Party Deluxe
Viral Survival [WiiWare]

[Nintendo DS]

Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers
Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force: Herbert's Revenge
Color Cross
Dawn of Heroes
Little Bears
Let's Play Garden
Let's Play Ballerina
Let's Play Flight Attendant
Metal Torrent [DSiWare]
Monster Frenzy
River City Soccer Hooligans
Tetris Party Deluxe
Witch's Wish

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Sources:

The Release List of 5/23 - 5/28: Super Mario Galaxy 2 [Shacknews]
New Releases Week of May 23, 2010 [Gamespot]

Apocalypse Then: Daikatana

10 Years of Daikatana

On this day in gaming, Daikatana was released. It was developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos. The game was released on PC, N64, and Game Boy.

The brainchild of John Romero, who previously co-founded id Software and worked on classics like Doom and Quake, Daikatana was a FPS that used the Quake II engine, and is also known as one of the biggest flops of the video game industry. It was technologically outdated way before its release, which was delayed several times over a period of three years. And not to mention numerous team members working on the game quitting while still in development.

John Romero recently, nearing the ten year anniversary of the game, commented on the controversial ad for the game, which had the slogan: “John Romero’s about to make you his bitch.”

"I knew it was risky, and I didn't want to do it. It didn't make sense. I mean, there's the whole culture of smack talk that goes with games and especially an FPS, and that was something I was known for. You know, I never wanted to make you my bitch, not you, not them, not any of the other players and, most importantly, not any of my fans.

"I should have stopped that ad. I didn't, and I'm sorry for that. Our head of marketing tells me that they spent a lot of time working on it, and ... all these other things. I should have said fucking no. I've looked back on that three minute meeting a hundred times."

"Up until that ad, I felt I had a great relationship with the gamer and the game development community and that ad changed everything.The game insulted nearly everyone who read it. It was a terrible marketing decision. I apologize for letting it loose in the first place."

"It's a miracle it was released at all. There were issues on the inside and the outside. Half the team left. ... that's not the best way to make a game."