Game Previews Blog

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Single Player Hands-On Preview

8 Comments Posted January 25, 2010 - By Andrew Pfister

I took a quick trip up to San Francisco about a week ago to check out Battlefield: Bad Company 2's single-player campaign, which is turning out to be far more substantial of an experience than I previously thought.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Follow on through to the full preview! >>

Tags: Game Previews, PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360

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BFBC2>MW2, I can't wait for this game to release

Posted: January 25, 2010 by redsoxfan67

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Mass Effect 2 Extended Interview: Combat And Gear

13 Comments Posted January 20, 2010 - By Jeffrey Kanjanapangka

Okay, seriously, by now you've got to be satisfied with all the Mass Effect 2 coverage that's been tossed your way. You couldn't possibly want anything else to do with next week's BioWare RPG. Right? Psh. Of course you want more, and no one would blame you.

Feed the need for more of Shepard's pie, as Mass Effect 2's project director Casey Hudson sits down to discuss the game's combat, gear, and research systems in this extended interview.

Mass Effect 2 Extended Interview: Combat & Gear »

Tags: Game Previews, PC Gaming, Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360

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I'm really looking forward to this game, the days can't pass quick enough. The only thing I have seen that does not excite me now is having to use the armor locker before each mission, though I suppose it makes sense,after all what would a smart soldier do? Take his best or most versatile equipment, or lug everything he owns into battle, including rifles, pistols, shottys, armor, recliners, soda, a pillow, nuclear bombs, and sharks with lazer beams attached to thier heads.

Posted: January 21, 2010 by titan4710

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Updated Super Street Fighter IV Impressions - Ultra II's In The House!!

12 Comments Posted January 8, 2010 - By Brian Leahy

My favorite part of CES 2010 is the fact that Super Street Fighter IV is playable. I've managed to put a good amount of time in with the game at this point so I think it's ready for some impressions. Won't you join me?

Before we get going, however, how about you watch all of the great video I shot off the screen at Capcom's SSFIV Fight Club last night?

CES Super Street Fighter IV Fight Club Part 1 »

For 2 more videos (35 minutes of footage!), check out this blog post… all caught up? Good!

Revealed at CES 2010, every character will be able to select from two different Ultra Combos. A lot of these are situational or useful for specific match-ups. Blanka, for example, has a new 2-in-1 Ultra, with one version that can be used as an anti-air/anti-cross-up and the other used for countering fullscreen fireballs. Chun-Li grabbed a non-charge fireball Ultra that can easily be setup after an EX Lightning Legs, which should help her rise up the tier list a bit.

Balrog has gained a 720-degree command throw Ultra, but I don't know where I stand on that yet. I primarily play Balrog so I have a vested interest in this. Zangief has one of the hardest Ultra setups in the game and Balrog's new attack uses the same motion. This means the new Ultra has to be buffered in a jump, Focus Attack, or on a whiffed dash punch. Compare this to Balrog's original Ultra, which is one of the easiest to hit in the game. The grab also has some start-up, so quick players can easily jump away, unlike Zangief's.

For more impressions, including how the new characters stack up and gameplay details on Ryu's awesome new Metsu Shoryuken Ultra, click the break.

Tags: CES 2010, Game Previews, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360

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Is it me, or did the Zangief/El Fuerte fight look like a scene out of Ultimate Muscle.

Posted: January 12, 2010 by dabos90

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Hands-On With Mass Effect 2 At CES 2010

30 Comments Posted January 8, 2010 - By Brian Leahy

A new section of Mass Effect 2 was playable at CES 2010 and was also (sadly) my first time playing the game. Although my time was brief, I got a good sense of all of the improvements BioWare has made to the franchise.

I won't go over all of the new gameplay mechanics and changes as Patrick Klepek has already written an excellent preview, but I can give some details on the new quest I was able to play.

Mass Effect 2 Miranda Profile Trailer »

Shepard and two new teammates, Miranda and Jacob from Cerberus (vagueness intentional to avoid spoilers! Read Patrick's preview if you'd like to know more), have arrived at a medical facility to seek the help of the doctor in charge. To make matters more complicated, however, the facility seems to be suffering from a plague to which humans have a convenient immunity. This causes a bit of distrust among the aliens suffering from the plague. Many are not willing to accept help from Shepard.

Keep reading for more on Mass Effect 2.

Tags: CES 2010, Game Previews, PC Gaming, Videogames, Xbox 360

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the E3 gameplay, the city looks exactly like the planet couresant on star wars

Posted: January 13, 2010 by robberdobbs

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Splinter Cell: Conviction Deniable-Ops "Hunter Mode" Hands-On Impressions

30 Comments Posted January 8, 2010 - By Brian Leahy

Splinter Cell: Conviction Deniable-Ops

Almost one month ago, I traveled to San Francisco to play some of Splinter Cell: Conviction's prologue, which takes the form of a co-op story leading up to the events of Sam Fisher's story. I was extremely impressed and you can read my full impressions here in this preview.

Here at CES 2010, I was able to get some hands-on time with the Deniable Ops mode, which is the game's non-story-based multiplayer component. There are several modes, but I played through the first map in the "Hunter" game mode. This mode is a simple terrorist hunt mode that moves the player through several levels, eliminating a set number of enemies. If seen, enemies will call for reinforcements and the number of targets increases significantly.

Even on Normal difficulty, your character can only take a few bullets so stealth is definitely the way to play. This does not mean that the game is slow-paced. Far from it, in fact. With a bit of careful planning, marking targets, and using the shadows to confuse the enemies, it's quite possible to dispatch upwards of five enemies within seconds.

Tags: CES 2010, Game Previews, PC Gaming, Videogames, Xbox 360

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hey guys....good time to randomly find a 360 on my front porch covered in snow....with the RROD and fix it with the X-Clamp fix? Seems like it to me....now i got a PS3 and a perfectly fine FREE 360........id get a wii..but you know..

Posted: January 14, 2010 by Lyr1c

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Heavy Rain Hands-On Impressions

10 Comments Posted December 14, 2009 - By Brian Leahy

Heavy Rain

One of the most anticipated games of 2010, Quantic Dreams and Sony's Heavy Rain, is a unique project. We've had the pleasure of speaking with director David Cage on numerous occasions, but our hands-on time with the game has been brief. No longer!

Armed with a preview build, our own Andrew Pfister "played" through the first 11 chapters of the game. Why do I put quotes around "played"? Andrew explains:

I’ve completed the first eleven scenes of Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain, and I’m not entirely convinced I should be calling it a “game.” Don’t take that as effusive pre-release praise about games being some form of higher art; it’s just that Heavy Rain, thus far, makes me feel like I’m an actor more than a player.

Click here to read the full preview.

Tags: Game Previews, PlayStation 3, Videogames

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little big planet 2 this is.

Posted: December 17, 2009 by Nerdpunk

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Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Gameplay Videos Explore New US Characters

9 Comments Posted December 8, 2009 - By Brian Leahy

Earlier today, I published my hands-on impressions with the US version of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. Sure, reading is fundamental, but who wouldn't rather watch some gameplay?

Here now, three videos for your viewing pleasure. First up, Frank West and Zero team up:

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom US Gameplay - Frank West & Zero »

Hit the jump to see two more videos.

Tags: Game Previews, Videogames, Videos, Wii

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I was kinda hoping for Soul Taker and Komugi Nakahara to make appearances... but perhaps that would really cost too much to license or something.

Posted: December 11, 2009 by lightningsabre

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Star Wars: The Old Republic Hands-On Preview

11 Comments Posted December 3, 2009 - By Brian Leahy

BioWare has just released Dragon Age: Origins... Mass Effect 2 is on the horizon... but there's a third game in development at the RPG mega-studio and it is none other than Star Wars: The Old Republic, the company's foray into the MMORPG genre. X-Play's Matt Keil recently got to check out the game's final two classes, the Jedi Consular and Sith Inquisitor, and was kind enough to write-up his impressions:

"While the Jedi Knight is patterned after characters like Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Consular is more of a Qui-Gon Jin or Yoda type of Jedi. Whereas the Knight is melee oriented, the Consular is much more focused on Force abilities and will play a support class role more easily. However, unlike previous game incarnations of the Consular, The Old Republic version will be able to function as an offensive character as well as a healer and controller."

Click here to read Matt's full preview.

Tags: Game Previews, MMO News, PC Gaming, Videogames

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hopefully this game is not as bad as the KOTOR series.

Posted: December 3, 2009 by ObSoL33tSNiiPer

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Beta Hands-On Impressions

8 Comments Posted November 23, 2009 - By Jake Gaskill

TGS 09: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Hands-On Preview

Our resident multiplayer madman Brian Leahy recently sunk some time into DICE’s PlayStation 3 exclusive beta for next year’s Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and while he could have just kept his impressions of the game to himself, he decided to share his thoughts with you. Aren’t you special?

Here's a tasty snippet:

“I couldn’t stand Battlefield: Bad Company. The entire multiplayer experience, to me, felt sluggish and unsatisfying. I’ve always loved the Battlefield games, but I just couldn’t get into BF:BC. This is not the case with the sequel. After a few hours in the beta, I’m putting this on my watch list for 2010.”

Check out the full preview to find out what’s new and improved in DICE’s anticipated sequel.

Tags: Game Previews, PlayStation 3, Videogames

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I think that it is the best online shooter I have played it is super intense. And is more realistic and a lot harder than COD so it is more hardcore. I love how much it encourages you to play in a squad

Posted: December 14, 2009 by alextheawsome

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ModNation Racers Hands-On Preview

7 Comments Posted November 20, 2009 - By Jake Gaskill

ModNation Racers Hands-On Preview

You may or may not be familiar with United Front Games’ racing title ModNation Racers for the PlayStation 3, but after checking out our hands-on preview of this unique and ambitious kart racing game, your engines will be appropriately revved. Here’s a taste of what awaits you on the fully customizable roads of ModNation Racers:

“There are few game genres more timeless than racing. The goal is as self-explanatory as they come: get to first place. One of the greatest barriers for racing games to withstand the test of time is that, sooner or later, the tracks are bound to get old. United Front Studio's ModNation Racers seeks to fix that with its intuitive level editor adding "the deepest customization ever seen in a racer,” according to Dan Sochan, the game's producer.”

Read the full hands-on preview right here.

Tags: Game Previews, PlayStation 3, Videogames

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i have the demo code that came with LBP GOTY but it does not work. maybe il try it once more today.

Posted: November 21, 2009 by brsterkens

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Morgan Webb Goes Hands-On With Star Trek Online

1 Comment Posted November 11, 2009 - By Andrew Pfister

Morgan is a known MMO fiend, but you might not have known that she's totally into Trek. That's why X-Play sent her on an away mission to Cryptic Studios to check out Star Trek Online. Here's what she had to say about her hands-on time with the game:

"The ground combat is pretty fast-paced. You have a variety of weapons depending on class and preference, and some special and secondary attacks if the right opportunity presents itself and your enemy is open. Your bridge officers happily fight alongside you, blasting away at the Klingon scum (or Federation scum, if you're a Klingophile). If you are familiar with MMOs, you can think of your AI bridge officers as being similar to pets in other games. They help you on your battles and give you advantages both on and off the ship. Your crew is so important that Star Trek Online is mostly based around 5-man instances."

Click here to read the entire preview, and check out Morgan's interview and gameplay footage!

Tags: Game Previews, MMO News, PC Gaming, Videogames

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Andrew continues the magic with YET another post (two in a row!! OMGZ) about something other than... THAT! This is awesome. I wish I wasn't so jaded and scarred/abused against MMO's after my 6mos stint at WoW. I love Trek, but I just can't ever allow myself to ever play an MMO again. They waste time and money, but most importantly that feeling of real accomplishment, like more than loot drops, is missing forever. That sucks. I want to BEAT a game, not keep doing more fetch missions.

Posted: November 11, 2009 by darkhadden

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Exclusive Left 4 Dead 2 Walkthroughs, Scavenge/Survival Mode Explained

6 Comments Posted November 4, 2009 - By Jeffrey Kanjanapangka

If you thought Abbie Heppe's Left 4 Dead 2 Realism Mode Walkthrough was stellar, you'll be stoked to know she had time to do some exclusive, direct-feed walkthroughs for both the Survival and brand new Scavenge modes as well.

First, check out the fast-paced 4 vs. 4, gas can-gathering extravaganza in the Scavenge Mode walkthrough, where you'll be tasked to run like the dickens gathering can after precious can of gasoline in the fastest time possible.

Left 4 Dead 2 Scavenge Mode Walkthrough »

Then, Ms. Heppe gives you the lowdown on laying out your best chance at a time you can brag about in the returning Survival Mode. You'll have to hit the jump to see it, though!

Tags: G4 Web Exclusive, Game Previews, PC Gaming, Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360

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I'm just happy that the zombie killing saga continues! I can't wait for this game to come out! Damn dirty zombies!

Posted: November 4, 2009 by TXVinylJunkie

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Mike Laidlaw Talks Dragon Age: Origins With Adam Sessler

22 Comments Posted November 2, 2009 - By Brian Leahy

Dragon Age: Origins will be released tomorrow for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. While you wait one more excruciating day, watch this interview between Adam Sessler and Mike Laidlaw, lead designer on the game at BioWare.

Adam and Mike discuss the game's 5-year development, lessons learned from previous BioWare games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, and how the dev team specifically wanted to help players that may not be familiar with the company's previous titles that relied on the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset get right into the action.

"Moving away from things like round-based concepts and things that were very tabletop-heavy and moving to elements, talents, and abilities that make sense and are, ideally, very visceral. So you can actually see them play out. That's the thing about tabletop gaming. It's abstract by nature. It's a bunch of friends and a bowl of chips. The bowl of chips have no part in combat, but they're there! So, you have to get past that "it's all in your imagination". With a game, you can create animations and models. When you 'Shield Bash' someone, even if you aren't quite sure what effect that has and then [the enemy] goes ass over tea kettle... well, it's pretty obvious what just happened."

Extended Dragon Age: Origins Lead Designer Interview »

Are you picking up Dragon Age: Origins tomorrow? For which platform? For me, it's PC all the way. I need that isometric viewpoint.

Tags: Game Previews, PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360

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360 here, been slacking on keeping my PC updated and gotta get that gamerscore up!

Posted: November 3, 2009 by leobot29

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BioShock 2 Hands-On And X-Play All-Access Previews

13 Comments Posted October 29, 2009 - By Jake Gaskill

BioShock 2 All Access Preview »

Take a deep breath, folks. It’s time to dive back in to the world of Rapture, and it ain’t going to be pretty when you see what’s happened to Andrew Ryan’s undersea utopian nightmare over the past decade. Seriously, there’s so much I’ve wanted to tell you about 2K Marin’s BioShock 2, but I just haven’t been able to…until now!

Here’s a little taste of what awaits you in my hands-on preview:

“When my destination came into focus, I discovered that I had arrived in a Disneyland-ish area called Ryan Amusements, a now dilapidated shell of what was once used as a place to terrify Rapture’s children into never wanting to venture to the surface. I quickly found out that my mission was to locate the Incinerate plasmid so I could melt a frozen door blocking the progress of the train I was using to move between areas of the city.”

Would you kindly check out the full preview located right here? And definitely watch that X-Play all-access preview to find out even more about what awaits you in the twisted world of BioShock 2.

Tags: Game Previews, PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Videos, Xbox 360

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i have original game on both xbox360 & ps3 just awesome game. does anybody know if theres going to be exclusive dlc like there is for ps3 orig. game? thanks.

Posted: January 30, 2010 by giddymedal

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Writer On Being Disturbed By Writing Process

16 Comments Posted October 27, 2009 - By Jeffrey Kanjanapangka

Say you're an accomplished entertainment veteran credited with projects like the 2003, Oscar-winning feature film Monster (story editor) and television drama staple N.C.I.S. (writer). You're minding your own business when highly regarded game development house, Infinity Ward, comes knocking on your door. They ask you to create a story from scratch having no consideration for any financial restrictions whatsoever, to explore the dark recesses of the modern day terrorist mind.

"...some of the things that we would come up with as fictional ideas, basically, started happening. So you start feeling like... okay, we've got our finger on the pulse a little bit, we're starting to think like terrorist... and that's, disturbing."

Find out more, as Adam continues the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 interview train with veteran writer Jesse Stern.