12.22.2008

skate. 2 achievements listed!

Listed here:



On Top Of The World: Perform an invert on one of the highest points in the city in career mode
Skater Evolved: Get off your board in career mode
I Like To Move It: Move your first object in career mode
That's the Way: Beat all of Danny Way's film challenges
GVR Champ: Win the GVR Contest
Big Air Champ: Win the San Van-a-Slamma
Still Alive?: Win a Deathrace in career mode
Race Hero: Win all races in career mode
Where's my TV show?: Beat all Rob Dyrdek challenges
Meet Slappy: Meet Slappy
New San Van Hero: Call Mikey 10 times
Pull the Plug: Drain every pool and fountain in career mode
Real Estate Mogul: Purchase all property in career mode
Fully Sponsored: Obtain all sponsorships
The Architect: Upload a created spot
The Critic: Rate 10 community videos and photos
Pwn some n00bs: Win an online ranked match
Amateur Skater: Achieve Amateur Rank Online
Graphically Extreme: Add a custom graphic to your skater
Dethrowned: Download and own a community-created spot
Skater's Choice: Win the Skater's choice award in an online ranked match
Juggling Chainsaws: Wipeout at high speed in career mode
Skitched Up: Skitch for 1000 meters or 3000 feet in career mode
Make it Big!: Use Big Black's service 10 times in Career Mode
Running Man: Escape a chase off board in career mode
DIY: Spend 30 minutes moving objects in career mode
Good Samaritan: Knock down a security guard chasing another skater in career mode
Need for Speed: Maintain maximum speed for 5 seconds in career mode
Sandbag: Break at least 15 bones in a single wipeout in career mode
Gender Bender: Change your skater's gender
Grasshopper: Perform one grass gap of at least 10 meters or 30 feet in career mode
Stairmaster: Perform one stair gap of at least 12 meters or 36 feet in career mode
Uninsurable: Break 100 bones in career mode
Playing Nice Together: Complete your first online freeskate activity with your created skater
Cooperation is key: Complete 50 online freeskate activities with your created skater
SBM Cover: Get the cover of The Skateboard Mag
Thrasher Cover: Get the cover of Thrasher
How you like them apples?: Acquire all phone numbers for the pros
Anyone Else?: Beat all the pros at Throwdown challenges
Spare Parts: All Hall Of Meat paths complete
Urban Legend Too: Own all spots in career mode
Active Skater: Successfully complete all online freeskate activities with your created skater
Online Pro: Achieve Pro Rank Online
Perfectionist: Complete all paths in career mode
Online Legend: Achieve Legend Rank Online

Secret Trophies

Taste The Mongo: Mongo Push 5000 times in career mode


No clues as to the worth of each as it was found on a PS3 site, but it gives us an idea of some of the fun to ensue!

Thanks to Basic Elite over at the skate. 2 XBL forums for the find!

12.16.2008

Arcade oldies, still goldies?

Arcade games of old, are they still worth it?

I'd be one to argue you they are never worth it. Recently I purchased a few arcade games, because I had never wanted to try them, as I figured my money was better spent at the local Blockbuster or Gamestop picking up a used game that I'd enjoy for much longer. I still think I was completely correct in my assumption. Sure games like Geometry Wars, Puzzle Quest, and PowerUp Forever are fun for a little while, but for those 800 MS points you spent on them, you could have three new maps for Gears 2 which your sure to get your use out of.

Parents, don't buy your children MS point cards unless you just want to give them the 360 equivilant of coal in a stocking. Just get them the AMEX Gift Card.

12.15.2008

Gears of War 2 DLC available

The new Gears 2 DLC: Combustible map pack is out on the marketplace for 800 points today.

Only 79 MB though? That's a pretty small size for 3 maps, hmm sounds like some recycled gameplay may be being used.

  • Flood - "Features a rising flow of Imulsion that drives the fight into close quarters."
  • Gold Rush - "Infiltrate an Imulsion factory, where multiple levels and volatile materials guarantee memorable encounters."
  • Fuel Station - "Delivers a dangerous battle around an abandoned refueling facility."

12.09.2008

skate. 2

Skate 2: New San Vanalona
Pre-review

'Disaster too gnarly to be named.' That's what they're calling this disaster that's hit San Vanalona in this newest rendition of EA's skate. franchise. Some people are already assuming that perhaps the game itself that is going to be a 'disaster too gnarly to be named skate.'

In skate. 2 a 'Megacorp' has come into to destroyed San Vanalona and built everything up from scratch but made everything unable to be skated. (More unlocking things? Think Tony Hawk.) So now we've got museums with quarter-pipes, beaches with bowls, and streets with 15 ft. kickers. Definitely keeping the realistic front, aren't we EA?


How about the new 'Hall of Meat' system? I really want to touch on this because as biased as I'd like to stay... this new feature makes me want to slap Blackbox in the face. So now some of you are wondering, "What is Hall of Meat?"



Basically Hall of Meat is a new feature of gameplay in skate. 2 where as you're bailing you can control your body and try and rack up points for getting the 'gnarliest' bail possible. Obviously people who fall want to hurt themselves more, right? This is just one more step away from the realism factor that hooked so many players to EA skate.

So I really just wanted to touch on these two main subjects here. The fact that everything has been taken over by a monster corporation, we get to shred in museums, and now you can rack up points for breaking bones. While possibly only a few small factors in a giant release from EA coming up on January 21st, we will have to wait and see what comes out of Blackbox's studio for the sequel to skate.

12.04.2008

Ben Heck releases his newest Xbox 360 Mod

Ben Heck, crazy, ingenious, and pretty far out on a limb. He's created his newest Xbox 360 mod of the Xbox Portable series.

New Xbox 360 Portable


It differs from my past Xbox 360 laptops in several ways:

  • Removable standard Xbox 360 hard drive for easy profile/data swapping
  • Both memory card slots accessible, same reason.
  • No keyboard! Really, they have those chat pads, what’s the point? (Besides looking cool)
  • Simplified layout of ports and buttons.
  • Internal wi-fi module, no external antenna. Antenna is strung out inside unit like other consoles/laptops.
  • Beveled edges! Countersunk screws!
For more information about Ben Heck's new Portal Xbox visit his website.

12.03.2008

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Well it's been some time since I've made a post here, but it seems the right time to start updating this once again!

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Or perhaps Star Wars: The Story too Short?

Controls:
Left Trigger - Block
Left Trigger + B - Force Repel
Left Trigger + X - Saber Throw
Left Trigger + Y - Force Lightning
Right Trigger - Force Grab
Right Trigger + X - Force Grab Saber Impale
Left Bumper - Force Dash
Right Bumper - Lock Target
Left Analog - Move
Right Analog - Camera Controls
R3 - Center Camera
DPAD - 'Action Camera'
Y - Force Lightning
X - Saber Control
B - Force Push
A - Jump
Back - 'Player' Options
Start - Options

The Force Unleashed (TFU) is all in all a great bash 'em up, throw 'em around, and make sure they end up dead sort of game, but does it have the story we've come to expect from the Star Wars Franchise? I believe not. While you do play a pivotal role in the Star Wars universe in TFU, it doesn't give the feel that you're doing anything significant. You bash up some baddies, save some good guys, and earn a few Achievements along the way.

You start your adventure as Darth Vader in the prologue mission. You can earn an easy five achievements here by killing 15 Storm Troopers along the way, and sitting on the wooden bridge killing two hundred Wookies. You can also earn your frenzy bonus achievements by simply letting the Wookies pile up and continually using your saber attack with some Force Repel.

The prologue mission is pretty straight forward, run through a settlement on Kashyyk, kill some Wookies, and then kill little you's Daddy. That's about it. No grand story here, you kill an old Jedi who is running away from the Empire and find the Apprentice.

After this you get a cut scene where you're supposedly 18 to 21 and ready to kill some Jedi. Basically the entire game is kill a bunch of little guys, get to the boss, and then win. There is no puzzle solving, no real story during the missions, and nothing that really screams "Wow! I'm doing something of importance here!"

While it was fun for a few hours (It only takes about 5 hours to beat this game on the Medium difficulty,) it definitely gets old just using your super force powers and leveling up.

Over all the game has great graphics even in stretched 1080p, and has some really cool effects when you mess with the environment due to the Euphoria engine. Alas there is no great story telling and and no great feeling of the massive Star Wars universe.

Graphics: 9/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Replay Value: 4/10
Sound: 8/10
Controls: 8/10

Overall Score: 7.2 out of 10.

madlulz out until next time.