Author Archives: Matt

An Open Letter to Microsoft: Thoughts on the New Xbox Console

Posted on by
Reply

Last week, there were some rumblings about Microsoft’s next console that will replace the Xbox 360. Some of the rumours and whispers floating around include: Microsoft’s next console will be six times more powerful than the current Xbox 360; Kinect tasks will be handled on the circuit board; Microsoft will incorporate technology to prevent the new console from playing used games. In the lyrics of theatrical rock star Meat Loaf, “Two out of three ain’t bad.”

The first two rumours sound like legitimate early product info-drops, but the third rumour concerning used games made me sit up and take notice. Of all of the things to get people talking about the sequel to the Xbox 360, why would you risk getting your user base up in arms? There are two reasons in my mind why MSFT would do this: One, to get feedback on the issue of a “no used games” console; two, to get the word out that the next generation of Xbox won’t play used games so that in a year’s time, it’s old news.

Let’s just chat for a minute about the significance of used games. In the world of video games, “used games” are a bane and a boon. Used games are a bane for the people who make your favorite video games as they receive $0.00 on every used game that is sold. They are a boon for game retailers because the sale of used games is how they make a significant amount of their money.

There are arguments on both sides of the used game issue. Game makers say that it is not fair that they don’t receive any money when a used game is sold. Other people use the resale of furniture as an example of the manufacturer not getting paid when their item is sold on the secondary market. There is merit that can be found on both sides of the issue. Let me just tell you about my experience.

I am what you would call an “average gamer.” I do own an Xbox 360 and 75% of the games in my collection I have purchased used. There is a lot of thought that goes into purchasing a new game. I have to be “all-in” before I slap down $60 on a new release. But when we’re talking about $10 to $20 for a used game, I am more inclined to try new things. Here are two examples of how used games were able to convert me into buying new games, “Mass Effect” and “Assassin’s Creed.” When these two games were fresh on the market, I looked them over but because they didn’t have the words “Halo” or “Madden” in them, I was hesitant to buy them new. Fast forward a year and both of these titles were just under $20. Combine the used price with recommendations from my gaming friends and these two games were added to my collection. After playing through “Mass Effect” and “Assassin’s Creed,” it sold me on their respective franchises and I have purchased their sequels new the day they are released. There were other titles that I purchased used that were not as rewarding. But I don’t feel resentment because I’m not out a full $60. These are just my personal experiences but I know that others have shared them too.

There is a third reason that the rumour of a no-used-game console was leaked. This could be a warning “shot across the bow” to game retailers to give game makers a slice of the used games pie. This could be just the first of what could be a very big power shift in the video game realm.

The Game Room’s Video Game Music of the Year Awards for 2011

Posted on by
Reply

As in movies, music is a key but often times overlooked part of video games. Music is what sets the mood for us and helps the storytelling process along. And if a video game soundtrack is well crafted, it can be enjoyed many times over outside of the confines of the game.So now it is time to announce the Game Room’s winners of the 2011 video game music of year.

Best Video Game Song – Winner:

“Now I Only Want You Gone” by Jonathan Coulton

This category has only has one nominee as the writer and performer of this song nailed it and hit it out of the park.

Best Video Game Soundtrack – Nominees:

“Batman: Arkham City” by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish
“Battlefield 3” by Johan Skugge and Jukka Rintamaki
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” by Brian Tyler
“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” by Jeremy Soule
“Star Wars: The Old Republic” by Mark Griskey and Company

Best Video Game Soundtrack – Winner:

       

(Tie) “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” and “Star Wars: The Old Republic”

Now before you scream, “Cop-out,” this was a tough decision to try and pick which one was better. Both soundtracks provided hours of thematic music. “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim” provided a rich Nordic chorus that pushed the player along their Dragonborn quest. “Star Wars: The Old Republic” used, but didn’t rely too much on, familiar music cues. The various songwriters came up with new themes that blossomed within the Star Wars framework.

As of the posting date of this article, both of the full soundtracks are only available bundled with the collector’s editions of their respective video game releases. Here’s hoping that at some point in the near future, they will be made available for digital retail.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” Xbox 360 Review

Posted on by
Reply

“All Hail the King of Video Games” by Matt Davenport

To say that the “Call of Duty” franchise has made Activision money is like saying the Grand Canyon is kind of big. It is a sentence using sarcasm to state the obvious. “Modern Warfare 3” is the third in the wildly successful first person shooter series by Infinity Ward (this time with assistance from Sledgehammer Games) which includes “Modern Warfare 2” and “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.” For the purposes of this review, we will split it up and talk about the single player and the multi-player campaigns.

This bird is down*

Single Player: The single player campaign picks up right after the events of “Modern Warfare 2.” After killing General Shepard, what’s left of the now disavowed Task Force 141 make their way to a safehouse to regroup. Captain John Price is hauling a critically injured Captain John “Soap” MacTavish to safety. Meanwhile, World War 3 is unfolding all around them as Russian forces are being repelled from Manhattan. From there, the player is transported around the globe to various flash points in the storyline to twart the plans of the main antagonist, the Russian rogue Vladamir Makarov, as he attempts to get the nuclear launch codes from the Russian President. With of the military hardware being bandied about as superpowers collide, “Modern Warfare 3” is able to bring the focus to the single soldier level. The story is linear and involves a lot of “fight your way from point A to point B to point C,” but the developers throw in spectacular set pieces and create a few “Oh wow!” moments. Composer Brian Tyler picks up right where Hanz Zimmer left off and does a superb job of capturing the right tone and mood for the music of the game. Not much new is added to the various global missions. You’ll shoot bad guys, operate mounted weapons, provide overwatch support, infiltrate a villain’s diamond mine underground lair and smoke a cigar. After the success of “Modern Warfare 2,” you don’t want to change too much for fear of alienating your core players. The single player campaign didn’t carry the same weight as the first two parts of the story but it did provide about six hours of an action-fueled conclusion to this “Call of Duty” trilogy.

Single Player Score: 7 out of 10

Coming this fall to the CW*

Multi-player: This is where the “Call of Duty” franchise earns its stripes. This is why the game is a popular as it is. The developers have taken everything that works from the prior games and add a few tweeks. Multi-player in the “Call of Duty” world involves the player being rewarded for their time and skill playing the game. The more you play, the better you get and the more options you have for your online soldier. Along with leveling up your character, you can now level up your weapons. The more you use a particular weapon, the more options you have to outfit it with. Killstreaks are another way the developers have tweeked the online play. You now have the option of Assault killstreaks or Support killstreaks. Assault killstreaks work like before, your kills add up until you are killed and then reset. The Support killstreaks don’t reset when you die and (aptly named) the rewards are meant to support your team in objective based games. Along with the multi-player games of Free-for-all, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Domination and Sabotage, the developers have added a new mode called Kill Confirmed. Kill Confirmed is a team based mode where when you kill an opposing team member, dog tags appear over the body. Pick those up and your team is rewarded, but if an opposing team member picks up the tags before you do, it denies your team the points. Another new addition to the multi-player experience is Survival mode. This compliments the Co-op mode with a game format that sends wave after wave of enemy troops at you. As you survive the waves, you are able to purchase upgrades, ammo and support.

Multi-player Score: 8 out of 10

I have you now!*

Final Word: Action movie single-player, lots of re-playability in multi-player. What “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” does it does well and deserves its crown as the King of Video Games.

Final Score: 8 out of 10

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” is available for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC and Nintendo Wii. This review was played on the Xbox 360 with a review unit provided by Activision.

The Game Room Review scoring system is based on the 1 through 10 model with 1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest.

*Screenshots were taken from the PC version of the game.

For the “Call of Duty” Player on the Go.

Posted on by
Reply

According to the official Call of Duty Facebook page and the OneofSwords.com blog, the mobile app for the Call of Duty: Elite service will be released on Tuesday, January 10. This release will be for iOS devices with an Android version to be released the following week. This will be a scaled down version of what you can do on the Elite website but it will allow you to keep connected to the Call of Duty universe while you’re on the go.

One of the key features of the app will be the ability to create new loadouts and push them to your character. This will be the primary way that I’ll utilize the app as I’m the type of player who only changes my loadouts in the thirty second intermission between matches.

Reading the responses to Infinity Ward’s announcement, there are a lot of ungrateful and torqued people out there. From complaining to the delay of the app to the Apple/Android fanboy flame war, just calm down. I guess I just don’t understand how life changing this app will be to understand all of the complaints. You know, since it will be a FREE app. I don’t mind being in the minority of people to say, “Thank you,” to Infinity Ward and the developers for their hard work.

Get in Touch with Your Inner 80’s Child

Posted on by
Reply

If it’s been a while since you put on those leg warmers or that Members Only jacket (with the sleeves pushed up), rejoice! On January 10th, Rock Band will release the Hall and Oates Pack. This pack contains three solid gold classics, “Private Eyes,” “Maneater,” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).”

You can buy the songs individually or in a pack. Mustache not included.