Review: Front Mission Evolved


Platform: PS3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: Double Helix Games

Publisher: Square Enix

# of Players: 1 (online 2-8)

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+

While there have been a handful of action-based Front Mission games on older consoles, the long-running franchise is primarily known for its solid turn-based gameplay, large cast of characters and near infinite customization options. Taking the series into the current generation, Front Mission Evolved hits the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC as the most accessible FM to date, provided you don't mind the big switch to faster-paced mech action reminiscent of Armored Core with a dash of Mechwarrior for good measure. The game manages to take familiar locations, mechs and gear from the series, ditch the more tactical grid-based strategic play in favor of offline and online combat while being quite a blast to play in either mode. The campaign isn't anywhere as lengthy as any of the turn-based games (that's a given when you're blasting away at enemies in real time as opposed to planning out your moves), but the game looks and controls great overall. Online play has a few hitches, but is quite a bit of fun when you find the right group of folks to play with.

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TRON: Evolution Multiplayer Preview Video

Multiplayer disc battles or light cycle races, anyone? As long as the game is fluid and actually fun to play, I can see this being a staple as well as a nice change of pace from the usual FPS for some core gamers.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham City


Hmmm… And I always imagined Harley Quinn as some emo chick with black hair and bangs under that funny jester hat and pancake makeup she sports in the animated series. Then again, I can see the crazed blond cheerleader look she's sporting in the Batman: Arkham City render to the left catching on with the fans and those cosplayers that don't mind squeezing what they can into a custom made outfit. Two pieces of production artwork and a few early screens below the jump. If the new open city direction works well enough, this just might be the Spider-Man 2 of Batman games (little in-joke there)

More on the game as news comes in.

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Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare To Be DLC AND Retail Release (YES!)

In a great (and very common sense) move, Rockstar Games has announced that gamers will be getting the upcoming Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare as not only a digital release, but a stand alone expansion that doesn't require the original Red Dead Redemption to play. Not only that, but the retail release will include the single and multiplayer expansions to the game, a move that will most likely get those who haven't yet played the western-themed action game yet to give it a try. Anyway, while I celebrate Rockstar's being smarter than some publishers and not abandoning users who still crave physical product, don't have the hard drive space on their consoles for the DLC or hell, don't yet have broadband access, go read the press release below the jump.

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Splatterhouse Cover Art = Simple But Effective

That cover art practically screams “Hide the kids, the wife and any nearby pets.” Hell, you KNOW what you’re in for based on the image, that’s for sure. November 23, 2010 is the release date (so the game misses Halloween – big deal!). New and insanely gory screens going up on my other blog later today, by the way.

Spare Parts Hands-On

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

One of the cooler surprises at EA's Naughty or Nice event was Spare Parts, the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade and PSN release developed by the company's Guildford-based bright light Studios (Create, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and set for launch later this year. The download-only single or two-player co-op action/platformer stars a pair of super likable robots (Chip and Mar-T) that crash land on a faraway planet and need to locate 100 ship parts scattered around the planet in order to escape. They both can find and use a number of nifty gadgets throughout the adventure to defeat alien enemies, locate hidden items and a pull off number of other special abilities. I spent a nice long time with a build of the game and came away really impressed at how much fun the game is and how well the co-op feature is coming together.

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EA Fires Up Dead Space Ignition For Free (sort of…)

So, does EA love you or what? The good thing about the prequel (Dead Space Ignition) in my book is it's a multi-platform download. No Dead Rising Case Zero stuff here, folks. Er, then again… PS3 owners are getting their hands on an HD remake of Dead Space Extraction, as part of Dead Space 2 Limited Edition (or on PSN as DLC) but heck, you really don't want to play that game hands-free anyway, right? Press release below, by the way…

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Update: Tron Evolution Hands-On (NYCC)

Wow. The last time I played a build of Tron Evolution, the game looked Ok, but definitely needed a bit more visual polish. In the time since, Propaganda Games has indeed buffed up the game to a super-shiny finish, adding reflective surfaces, tons of detail along with a bit of motion blur and depth of field effects. The light cycle portion I tried at NYCC from a good part into the game was fiercely challenging, but focused and very fun to play. Between the tons of stuff dropping from the skies and the many jumps and cures along the roadway, expect to feel that adrenaline pumping away as you try and make it to the next checkpoint.

Also tightened up were the parkour-based platform sections and the fast-paced combat. The same layer of visual shine exists in these stages and the already tight action areas feel even more fluid. Interestingly enough, Disney only had the game and Epic Mickey playable on one station each, making it the smallest game-related booth at NYCC. The rest of the Disney booth was set up for books and a few films, which was surprising 9well, at least to me). Both games definitely had crowds gathering around to ogle or try them out. Not as HUGE crowds as the Capcom, Square Enix, Rockstar or Sega booth, but still…

Overall, this is yet another licensed game that’s going to surprise those who think ALL movie-based games stink. I say those ladies and germs that fall into that particularly negative camp just need to play more good licensed games. Anyway, short and sweet update this time. back later with more on the game shortly.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Teaser Trailer Preview

Here’s a teaser for the brand-new Call of Duty: Black Ops Single Player trailer set to debut Monday night on ESPN during the Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets game. Activision continues to roll on with the solid lineup, that’s for sure…

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Hands-On


Adding zombies to any game seems to be the one way to assure interest and indeed, reasonable sales once gamers get wind of the undead aspect creeping into their favorite games. Rockstar Games has something wicked this way coming for Red Dead Redemption fans this winter with the release of the Undead Nightmare expansion for the PS3 and Xbox 360. At this year's New York Comic Con, thousands of gamers got the chance to go hands-on with the upcoming DLC and walk away with a cool poster and a chance to score a pack of extremely limited edition playing cards. UN will feature a solid single player campaign plus yet to be announced multiplayer features, some amazingly creepy zombies of different speeds and a number of missions to tackle set in and around familiar locations from the main game.

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