When you’re a suave ladykiller playing bass in a band with your best friends then you’ve got it made right? What could possibly through a wrench in the smooth machine that you call life? Well when you fall for that hot babe and inadvertently become entangled in a fight to the death against her “7 Evil Exes” then let’s just say that your life needs a little maintenance. It’s a great thing that you happen to be Scott Pilgrim and you come “tailor made” to deliver well deserved ass kickings wherever they’re called for. This is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Based on a series of comic books written by Bryan Lee O’Mally, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World presents the story of Scott Pilgrim a 22 year old bassist in the band Sex Bob-omb. After a grueling break up months before the start of the movie Scott is now healing his heart with the attention of a 17 year Chinese schoolgirl by the name of Knives Chau. However, his world is flipped upside down when he sees the girl of his dreams (literally) Ramona Flowers, but he soon realizes that winning her heart will not be the easiest task he’s ever undertaken. In order to win the heart of Ramona Flowers and to preserve the right to date her he must fight AND defeat her 7 evil exes.

Ready…Fight!

The main allure of Scott Pilgrim vs the World lies in it’s over the top presentation. It’s a hyper active, schizophrenic, chaotic experience from start to finish. From the minute the movie starts you realize that the world of Scott Pilgrim is a videogame brought to life. Words and sounds spring to life in vibrant colors and textures throwing subtlety into the face of the unprepared. Everything about this movie is excessive, designed to incite laughter with its inane and often slapstick humor. But at the same time it all holds together extremely well. It is genuinely funny without feeling worn out over the course of the story and this is a big feat considering its taken six digest sized comics (each about 160 pages) and truncated them into about a two hour movie. This movie would have been a complete shock to my system had it been a videogame movie, but fortunately (or unfortunately if you wanted the shock) it’s actually based on a comic series which actively parodies videogames.

One of the major highlights from the movie comes from the fights that Scott must undergo with Ramona’s evil exes. The fights themselves are just extremely random and really show off the comic book/videogame style that makes the movie so animated. It also makes you wonder why everyone who dates this girl seems to have some form of super power or skill. During the very first battle Scott is caught off guard by Ramona’s very first ex, but instead of this being an awkward encounter strewn with confused stares and unprepared banter, he rises to the challenge and greets his first opponent with a forearm block and a punch to the face! All accentuated by an awesome videogame-esque perspective and animation.

One thing I learned while watching this movie; Vegans are just better than everyone else.

Outside of all of the action and comedy strewn seamlessly throughout the movie there is also a rather interesting romantic element that runs beneath it all. It’s not so pervasive that the movie becomes a love story, but it really adds perspective and gives the main characters a little more personality beyond the, “I must defeat this person for the sake of” type of personality. As a result a lot of the characters seem a lot more relatable. The hot chick that you would fight to keep, the crazy girl who stalks you wherever you go, the best friends that seem a little off but are always there for you, and the crazy vegetarian guy who can put wholes in the moon and knock highlights out of people’s hair. It really runs the gamut of character types and successfully flushes them out adding some layers to what would otherwise be hollow, stock characters.

All in all, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is an amazing adventure. It’s a story of love held together by a lot of action, comedy, and awesome artistic approach. Its probably more relevant to the younger crowds, I’m sure all of the videogame references would fluster a more “mature” person, but at the same time it has more than enough redeemable qualities to keep it entertaining for everyone. This is a must see at any time in any crowd because if it doesn’t cause excessive laughter for its entirety, then its awesome fights and romantic tale will keep you entertained for the rest of the time. Maybe this is the movie that will finally get Michael Cera out of those teen drama movies that he keeps getting cast for. But I digress. It’s out in theaters now! Go watch it!

KO!

(And for reviewing sake this movie gets 5 out of 5 stars and a 94 out of 100, it’s just that good)

Once you go black…you go white?

The Japanese are always one step ahead when it comes to optimizing the PS3. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that they will be the first to get the PS3 in its newest configuration. On July 29^th, Japan will officially stop selling the 120 GB and 250 GB PS3 systems and begin selling their new 160 GB and 320 GB units. These new units will be marketed in two color schemes, the current black color and what they are calling “classic white”.

Currently the price point for this system has been set at such that “the 160GB model will cost ¥29,980 (USD$340), while the 320GB version will retail for ¥34,980 (USD$400).” Will this new color and HDD be gracing the shores of North America and Europe anytime soon? Honestly your guess is as good as mine but all in all Sony will be the ones with the last word in the matter.

-Source: www.Kotaku.com

Dead Space 2 is being released on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on January 25^th of next year. But EA has plenty of mind games to keep players on their toes until the release of the game. Like this one.

DeadSpaceHiddenImage.jpg

EA posted this picture on their facebook page and stated that “If you look closely you might find that there’s a hint hidden in here about a big announcement we’ll be making this week”. So what could EA be showing us in this picture? A new character, some new enemies, Co-op!? Take a look and see if you can unravel the mystery.

There is a saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I personally think that there is a point that we have to stop and question the motives of a person/thing that wants to be exactly like another. Individuality sets us apart from one another and establishes greatness as more than a superficial visage of people who have preceded; it becomes a mirror of one’s self. This is my main gripe with 3D Dot Game Heroes.

3D Dot Heroes is probably the single most unoriginal game I have ever played, by no means am I saying that it’s bad, but at the same time this game is clearly impersonating Zelda: A Link to the Past. From the story told before gameplay, to the premise, to enemies, and even the overworld; everything chimes with the feeling of the Legend of Zelda. It cannot be disputed that A Link to the Past is probably one of the greatest games ever made, but to completely mock its existence by making a clone by another name, is in a way not showing the game the respect it deserves. Over the course of the game it becomes evident that 3D Dot Game Heroes may actually be some sort of parody of the Legend of Zelda action style but again, its blatant rip of the franchise is a little extreme.

Either way, 3D Dot Game Heroes was created by developers Silicon Studios and published by the videogame company Atlus is America. The game takes place in the Kingdom of Dotnia where an evil sage has stolen the orb of the Dark King Onyx with the intention of awakening him to gain his power. In this time of peril a hero must rise up and conquer the obstacles of the land and reclaim the orbs of the sages in order to defeat evil and return the land to peace. This basically introduces your character to the action as the “hero of legend” that must save the kingdom from peril. You have a choice of what type of character you would like to be, whether that be a knight, a ninja, a warrior, or even a tank. The blocks that make up everything throughout the game are very malleable and can be used to sculpt many different creative objects. You even have the choice to construct your own hero.

One major element that really drags the game down is that even though it’s stealing from one of the greatest stories around it doesn’t really have one itself. It attempts to establish a story reminiscent of Legend of Zelda but it lacks almost all of the substance that made the series memorable. After the beginning cinematic that introduces the “tale of the land”, reminiscent (by which I mean exactly the same) of the ancient story that is passed down through Hylian legend, there is practically no forward at all. At the very beginning of the game, as if by divine will, the character steps forward before the king who proclaims you to be the chosen one (honestly you could have been delivering his pizza). At that point he tells you that you should go get the sword of legend. Once you get the sword he tells you to go to the Forest temple, then go to the Earth, then go to the Desert temple. There is no filler in between your travels and it really makes the game feel hollow. Temples can be completely raided in a matter of 20 minutes or less and there is no incentive to return (unless you want to fight bosses that you’ve already beaten once before).

Even the weapons of 3D Dot Game Heroes are completely ripped TLOZ. You have the boomerang, the sword, the bow, bombs, and a hookshot/rope for climbing across gaps. The one noticeable difference with the sword in this game is that it’s huge! Given that your character is at full health, swinging your sword generates an enormous blade that stretches out in front of you and catches everything in its path. However, even though it seems a little excessive, after battling enough enemies you soon realize just how useful the upgrade is, especially when you’re battle with a normal sized sword.

The enemies in the game are much more aggressive than in other games of the same genre. Many will attack you merely because you’re breathing the same air and this tends to make survival a matter of speed and reflexes. Another thing that also ramps up the challenge is directly reflected in the fact that game is “3D”. Because you are no longer playing on a flat plain, enemies are able to fly, jump, perform many annoying actions that will safely remove them from danger. This also adds another element to the game, most notably to the bow. Now that you are in 3D you have to be completely wary of trajectory as the bow no longer flies straight but instead has an arch that the arrow will follow before landing to the ground. Really in the long run, the 3D environment tries its hand at adding a unique perspective to gameplay but it does little more than adding a façade that is easily overshadowed by the actual frustration that it brings.

As you may have figured at this point the game attempts everything that was attempted in the TLOZ. However, some things have become dated and don’t really reflect well in a modern game like this. Notably the box dialogue. Though Zelda still continues to force you to read, its presentation has definitely improved and though we still don’t have voice work we are still pining to get other characters talking even if link won’t say a word. I personally believe 3D Dot Game Heroes should have foregone this attempt at humor in order to take the initiative to add dialogue to its characters.

On a graphical level the game looks unique with its 3D block structure. Everything from the ground to the enemies is completely composed of these tiny square blocks and for the most part the style really stands out. However, this style does make it very difficult to create more minor details such as a person’s facial expression or features. In addition to that you would think that this style would serve to make rather unique characters and enemies but there are so many repeated characters that it feels like the artistic style has really gone to waste.

Besides that the game has an entertaining, if outdated, soundtrack. Music plays characteristically for each area that the hero ventures into. There is desert music, forest music, castle music, dungeon music, and even evil boss music. They really reflect on the musical styles of TLOZ games and they sound really familiar. They are polyphonic but still bear a great resemblance to the midi soundtracks of other series.

As I stated before the game attempts to some degree to be a parody of the genre, however, it’s very subtle about it. Many elements are almost identical but at the save it mocks many of the established conventions of the series. If you are really a die-hard Zelda fan then you’ll probably notice a lot of the references and even laugh a little. Some things blatantly take you out of the realm of the game to deliver you some random innuendo or some interesting fact that games like Zelda would never tread on. One instant in particular involves your character walking into a room. When you walk into the center of the room a text block pops up to reveal that “the hero has just stepped in some sticky white stuff” which then results in the player performs that weird achievement spin as if you had just claimed a new item in the game. Then when you talk to a woman standing next to the same spot she remark, “eww there is something sticky in my hair”. I know I have been known to over analyze but am I really imagining this? There is even one scene where a woman offers the hero “poof poof”. If you accept, the lights go off and the woman makes lewd sounds (all demonstrated by texts bubbles) and asks if you are enjoying her “poof poof”. When the lights are turned back on it is revealed that a man is giving you “poof poof” which is subsequently revealed to be a back rub. I know a few of these scenes are rather subjective but at the same time they are blatant mockeries of other games of the same genre.

Probably this is where the game is strongest, when the player realizes the comical element in the gameplay. All those irregularities that we were left with in games like TLOZ are question and joked on in 3D Dot Game Heroes. It really puts into perspective just how submissive we were to the doctrines established in these previous games. All of the internal jokes really make the game interesting and despite the fact that it’s a rip-off of a well established game it does at least rip it off well and with enough “originality” to make an interesting adventure. So if you are on the wall about buying this game then you can settle in the fact that it’s a good game, but you should probably wait for a price drop. That would definitely make it a little more valuable as a clone.

Loneliness has been such a prevailing element in so many games to incite that sense of fear and desperation in players. Perhaps the misconception that this idea brings about is that loneliness is reserved for the survival horror genre, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the original Lost Planet the player controlled Wayne, a young snow pirate who, after being attacked by an enormous alien creature known as an Akrid, is frozen solid in a block of ice for 30 years. When he is thawed by another band of snow pirates they realize that Wayne has no memory of his past except for a few jarring memories of his father, his name, and the Akrid that caused the destruction of his last team, the Green Eye. The most notable part about Lost Planet was its overbearing sense of loneliness. Though Wayne made contact with others over the course of the game, the enormous levels took him through massive snow covered terrains filled with enemies and little else to lighten the atmosphere. This made the players sympathize with Wayne; he had witnessed a horribly traumatic experience that wiped out his only family and he didn’t even have the memory to consolidate that fact. It was a lonely road he traveled on. This sense of fear and desperation is made ever the more potent by the fact that everyone that Wayne crossed was an enemy as well as the fact that some of Wayne’s adversaries measured stories high and could, in the most literal since, swallow him whole. But the fight continued.

Lost Planet 2, however, takes this sense of loneliness and casts it windward. You are not alone in this game and to the best wishes of the developers you will never be alone. Everything is based on a sense of co-op and teamwork and for the most part it’s almost impossible to traverse the game on your own without the companionship of either the AI or of other players online. For this reason the entire game is built around a cooperative epicenter. Everything from the campaign to the multiplayer can be played online and it is heavily encouraged that you do so; the AI isn’t always the smartest or most useful bunch and can quickly become a burden when you have to traverse a dangerous area quickly but everyone is too busy staring at a recently painted wall to care. If there is any consolation/incentive to playing with the AI it’s that they are the epitome of cannon fodder and when you need to take care of VSs throughout the game they do a good job of whittling away at its health.  

But anyway I’m getting ahead of myself. Lost Planet 2 takes place on the same planet as the first game, EDN III; a hostile world that is both a frozen tundra and a grave for the snow pirates that have begun to call the planet home. However, after the results of the first game EDN III has begun to thaw and reveal different locales ranging from tropical jungles to dessert wastelands (it’s rather amazing how entire forests and jungles have grown in a matter of ten years). In this game you take on the role of various no named snow pirates (though at this point the name has become rather discriminatory, perhaps we should call them “pirates” instead). This is done essentially to take the focus off of the single character and instead instill a group dynamic that will help and encourage players to be more effective in assisting one another. Each of the pirates that the player controls is part of a different unit and for the most part each pirate serves to show off the different locations of the game, whether that be an urban city, a snow covered battlefield, a dessert village, or a jungle paradise. However, despite the constant change of character there is little else going on with the pirates that affects gameplay. All actions are performed exactly the same whether you are a snow pirate, sand pirate, or a jungle pirate.

As a pirate there are a few notable elements of Lost Planet that set it apart from standard third person shooters (TPS). For the most part the perspective of the camera gives a very far view of the character which allows the player to see a substantially greater degree of information at any given time. This is important because generally the player has to be aware of several different enemies as well as his teammates and weapons while at the same time trying to tie his shoes and recite his ABCs backwards.

Some of the major elements that define Lost Planet’s gameplay stem from the game’s powersource known as T-ENG (thermal energy). The entire game is based off of this orangish liquid and ultimately without it there would be no way for the pirates to survive on the planet EDN III (not to mention the fact that there wouldn’t be much of a plot to the game). T-ENG is necessary for the player to restore his life as well as control some of the larger equipment in the game. Whenever enemies are defeated, whenever structures are demolished, or when vehicles are destroyed there is always a little T-ENG left behind. Through destruction (and data-posts hidden throughout levels) the player can collect extensive supplies of T-ENG which serve to support his survival on such a non-hospitable world.

One of the most important elements of the Lost Planet is the games VS (Vital Suit), T-ENG represents the all important fuel source for these mechs. These relatively large machines allow you to fight enemies that would otherwise seem too large or plentiful and give you that necessary “upperhand“ to keep the game from feeling cheap or unfair. In addition to that VSs offer the player a few unique moves that make utilizing them fun and entertaining.

One of the strongest points of Lost Planet 2 is its extensive diversity of weapons. There is an enormous stockpile of weapons that makes gameplay a pretty mixed bag. Generally along the course of the Campaign you’ll probably be experimenting with several forms of armaments, finding the weapon that matches your personality or just provides that explosive umph that you’re looking for. I believe that all weapons from the original have returned in this sequel but at the same time there are so many more. It would take way too long to mention them all but there are new laser weapons, a new pistol, a new battle armor, a shield, and even some new VSs to play with.

One thing that feels like a letdown in this game is the fact that the character still has that eerie “walking in snow” feel. It’s a minor gripe that was a basis in the first game primarily because the character spent his entire time trudging through the winter wonderland, but with all of the new terrain you would think that the player would have the ability to walk like a normal person who does not slam their feet into the ground as if angry at the Earth with every step they take. Again its minor, but its there and its pretty noticeable.

On the note of mobility the character this time around has been given the ability to dash. By holding the “B” button (The “O” button on the PS3) the player can “sprint” across the field instead of walking. Though it does alleviate that trudging feeling, it doesn’t really feel like you’re going anywhere any faster than if you just walked normally; the need to hold a button to perform the maneuver just seems to make it a nuisance. In addition to that it seems that people at Capcom have been enjoying a little bit of time playing Gears of War, or at least watching and taking notes. This is evident in the dash maneuver. Whenever the character enters a dash the camera zooms in and begins to shake from side to side as if to simulate the Gears “roadie run”. It’s interesting, but it doesn’t seem nearly as effective as it does in Gears of War. Another important element along the line of mobility, perhaps the most important, is the pirate’s grappling hook. This tool is used to pull the character toward any surface that he points at, assuming that surface is a secure wall of sorts. It’s very similar to Rico Rodriguez’s (Just Cause 2) grappling hook in that it allows you to take large bounds with little to no effort. However, one major caveat to using the grappling hook is that it is very dangerous. I mean this because there is always the chance that you will grapple to a place that you cannot pull yourself up from or that you cannot return from. There is only one grapple hook so wherever you grapple to, you have to make it work which means you either climb or fall. It also has a tendency to get the player snagged on game obstacles. Remember though the grappling hook is small and can latch onto many different objects, it can’t necessarily pull you through other stage items such as rails, barricades, boxes, or even the entrances to doors. I have died many times trying to grapple to a location only to be forced off of the grapple in mid air causing me to plumet to my doom. It’s very frustrating.

In Lost Planet 2 death is treated rather meagerly. The AI characters can die indefinitely with no consequence to the player, but your death is a different story. Whenever you die, either by succumbing to much damage or losing health because of T-ENG depletion your character will be forced to restart either at the beginning of the level or at a previously activated data-post. This is generally done without worry without taking the player out of the action for too long; however, it does come at the price of “battle points” from the players “battle gauge” located beneath the player’s health. This gauge starts off with 3500 points and every time the player dies the gauge deducts 500 points. This gives the player 7 lives so to speak, but at the same time each data-post that is activated awards the player 500 more battle points.

Ultimately Lost Planet 2 boils down to its combat. Though the story in the first game was rather abrasive and hard to follow, the story in this game is practically nonexistent. The game is divided into Episodes which are divided into chapters which are divided into areas. The game only allows the player to save after completing a chapter which generally takes about a half an hour. Where normally there would be story, Lost Planet 2 merely feeds the player with objective after objective that serve to fill in the time from one location to another. It is in no way a bad idea but it feels like this sequel is merely exploiting one of the strong points of the first game, its multiplayer, for its own benefit.

Just like the first game each level is concluded by defeating an enormous Akrid boss. Known at Category G Akrid these bosses are generally several stories long and equally tall. They tend to trace a rather nonsensical pattern but at the same time they seem to be out for the player’s complete and utter destruction. Each of these enemies is about the size and difficulty of the final boss from the first game. My main argument when it comes to fighting these enemies is the fact that they generally take a significant deal of time to defeat. This isn’t always a problem but when you’re fighting the same enemy for a good thirty minutes only to have the enemy perform some unblockable maneuver that completely saps the last of your battle gauge and forces you to restart the battle from scratch; now that grinds my gears.

In the end Lost Planet 2 is an enormous game, not just in length but in depth. It provides the players with many tools to go about the plans and a lot of freedom to choose their paths and make points doing it. However, for all of its freedom Lost Planet 2 suffers from many problems that were present in the first game. The character spends too much time on the ground when knocked down, certain enemies will spam attacks, and generally without a vital suit or some particular weapon you will find yourself at your wits end ready to impale some with your controller. Its best to take the game in moderation, but for the most part despite the change of scenery, the game is exactly the same as it once was. If you hated Lost Planet then the developers didn’t make this game to get you hooked on Lost Planet 2. The only difference in the games is that the second is Lost Planet 1’s multiplayer squared. That doesn’t stop it from being a joyful experience but it definitely limits the joy for people who aren’t connected to an online gaming network. So maybe the best way to put it is that it’s Lost Planet 1.5, that aching sequel that has foregone “quality” for “quantity” and to some degrees it works but in other departments it doesn’t really set itself any higher than the first. A nice try best, but there’s always next time.

This Review will also be located in the Review Section

It’s funny how advancement seems to take us full circle. We were once at a point where the greatest desire of any developer was captivating his audience with enthralling graphics and gameplay that were not only unique but advanced and superior to anything that came before (That’s what developers wanted us to believe anyway). But time makes fools of us all. Where we once thought that style and flash would pave the way to the future, we are now enthralled and captivated by the antiquated and retro. Games have sprung forth from the abyss, but instead of flashing their new mechanics they are flaunting their old school aesthetics and gameplay. But we like it; we accept the updated Pac-man game, the new Galaga, and even the new Super Metroid (though we preferred to call it Shadow Complex). They don’t carry that staleness that you would expect from games that predate our parents, they are fresh, new, and dare I say…fun. Bring on the Retro-revolution!

Zatacka 360 is a remake of a classic DOS computer game by the name of Achtung Die Kurve or, for everyone else, it is more familiarly referred to as Zatacka. Zatacka is a basic game in all its rights. It does nothing too exceptional and at its core is a bare bones experience that offers as much enjoyment as you are willing to take from it. Juxtapose it to games like Tetris and Centipede and you realize that you need to want to have fun in order to feel the joy behind Zatacka 360. But rest assured, if you’re looking for it you’ll find it in no time.

The game has a meager start screen with all the components you would expect from any Xbox Live Indie Game. We get a “Start Game”, “Help”, and various other menus that can be accessed from the start before going any further into the game. One of the primary lures of the game is that it is completely multiplayer (The game allows upwards of 6 players, I still don’t quite understand how). It cannot be played single player so in the case that you only have one controller or that you are an introvert and dislike hanging out with others, then this is not the game for you; don’t waste the 80 Microsoft points in change. However, if you are a party animal and love to throw your friends into random fits of gaming goodness then be my guest, its an experience that you can get into with the right mind set. One noticeable problem is the fact that there is no CPU for the game. Maybe it would take a little bit of the personality from the game but at the same time it would definitely add a bit more accessibility to those that don’t have 4 friends on the ready whenever this game springs into mind. I only had a friend ready because I stay in college dorms and my roommate was lounging about. Its just a thought in case an update ever decides to intrude into this game, I would definitely appreciate being able to outsmart a CPU just as well as I can my friends.

The objective of Zatacka 360 varies with the mode that the player is currently on. One game mode involves players trying to trap each other with elaborate designs that they create with their “snakelike” trail that they carve along the playing field. The players can control their trails with the left and right triggers which allow them to move left and right respectively throughout the playing field creating very long and rather random figures, unless of course they have an artistic eye, which does not serve them at all in the long run. Another game mode has the player attempt to capture the most squares of the playing field while attempting to avoid and trap their enemy at the same time.

Alongside the different gameplay modes the player also has access to a variety of different options that augment gameplay. Some of the modifiers increase the number of characters allowed, some increase the speed of the trails created, some increase the speed of item generation. Oh, but how can I forget about items. There are several items throughout the course of any given match, many of which are designed to achieve nefarious goals and torment your friends resulting in them flinging curses at you as you elegantly trail your “snake” to victory; the crowd goes wild…though possibly with anger at this point. These power-ups do things like cause you and your opponents to switch places, cause you to speed up, cause your opponents to stop in their tracks, and various maladies that really make the game pretty fun, especially when you take advantage of larger parties to play with.

Most of the game really is a matter of personal preference. If you are more into the new and robust style of games today then the presentation of Zatacka 360 will grind your nerves rather quickly. There really isn’t much to look at. Everything is pretty static, the colors may stand out, especially when the character moves from square to square causing them to highlight, but for the most part they do little to make the game look really spectacular. The sound is repetitive as we have come to expect from retro games but at the same time it would have been a little bit more welcoming had they added a little more of a soundtrack for the players to work with.

In the end Zatacka 360 is just standard fare. It’s nothing that’s going to make you gasp in utter amazement or shudder with delight. It is a game that can provide endless hours of enjoyment or a game that is repetitive and monotonous. It’s all about the mindset. If you like this type of game then its 80 point price tag isn’t going to make anyone cry in anguish. I recommend it for the lovers of the retro, and multiply this recommendation times the number of friends that you have on the ready. It’s just a matter of taste. Though a little bland, it just requires your own personal seasoning.

A little bit of persuasion never hurt anyone. Well, at least not anyone who didn’t deserve it right? The life of a Mafia man has never been chivalrous, timid, or lighthearted. It’s a dark dank world that they just know how to take advantage of. That’s where the player Vito Scalletta comes in. With your arsenal of guns, cars, and brute strength you can “persuade” people to pay up, “tempt” them to give in, or just club’em and dispose of them in the truck of your car. This newest DevDiary (#2) shows players some of the tricks and tools of the trade. In order to be a wise guy you gotta get wise to the world around you and that means that you can’t always be the nice guy. Check out Mafia 2, they’ll show ya how it’s done.

Kane and Lynch are creeping up on us with their newest title Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days, but surprises are for the more medically sane and stable. For these two, its all the more fun to take the front door, and that’s what it’s all about in this newest trailer for the game’s multiplayer mode “fragile alliance”. In this game mode you have to cooperate with your teammates to break into a vault, steal 4 million big ones, and make it out alive in 4 minutes. The stakes are high as you bust in while avoiding the cops, grab the cash, and dash, before time runs out. It sounds like its going to be one intense romp, but it also sounds like teamwork is the key to victory. This game emphasizes the importance of sticking together and completing objectives, so if you like to betray your friends then this is not the game for you. For starters if you betray someone you’re actually marked as a target (bonus points) by all other players. Their serious about this! It’s a game of all for one and one for all, and with four players it’s sure to keep everyone on their toes.

Has Rapture become tinged in that stale color that we call boredom? Have you scraped the sea floor in search of Adam? Have you returned to the surface over and over again? It seems that even the life of the big daddy, the gargantuan guardians of those Adam sucking girlies called little sisters, begins to where thin with age.

But Fret not because 2K has not left your side in your time of need. Consider this that courtesy gift you get for saving all of those little sisters (unless you’re a jerk that did nothing but harvest their poor defenseless little bodies, shame on you). For their second installment of DLC, 2K offers up its Rapture Metro Pack.

This pack costs 800 Microsoft Points ($9.99 PSN) and gives players access to several added levels to the multiplayer experience, 6 maps to be exact. This add-on also gives players access to a higher level cap, level 50, and gives players the ability of a “rebirth” feature (many of us are more familiar with its COD name, prestige) that allows the player to return to level 1 at which point they receive a “special mask”. The Add-on also gives players access to 3 more multiplayer achievements/trophies.

In addition to this, 2K has also created two more DLC’s to be released at the same time (Available now). The first is the Kill’em Kindly DLC, which will be a free download for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and will add a new multiplayer mode of the same name. This mode will be a completely melee driven experience that will allow players to combat one another with golf clubs to determine a winner.

And finally, the last update may be a little more familiar to players of the Bioshock 2 multiplayer. This update, called simply Character Pack give the player access to the two characters Zigo and Blanche, once only available by pre-ordering the game from Gamestop. However, unlike the wonderful freeness of the Kill’em Kindly DLC this one is going to cost you 160 points ($1.99 PSN). Hey if you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Either way, 2K is looking to keep you wrapped up in their enchanted world for as long as it takes them to make another, or get you hooked on their next work of art. At least while you are out their traversing the undersea world of Rapture, beating in the skulls of splicers and stealing poor little sisters from their daddies, you have a nice bit of scenery to take in. Ahhh, smell that undersea air and feel the water rushing in between your toes…wait, what!