Alienware is known primarily for their gaming technology, always pushing what we can do with PC gaming to the edge and their new TactX gaming mouse and keyboard are no different. For hardcore gamers out there, having the best mouse and keyboard can be the difference in smoking your competition or getting powned like a noob. Alienware wants to help you on your road to gaming greatness and offers you two new tools to assist you in your efforts with the TactX gaming mouse and TactX gaming keyboard.

The TactX gaming keyboard is a full-size keyboard that comes with 6 customizable macro keys and all 6 keys have three different modes giving you up to 18 different keys. Each key can be programmed to replicate individual keys, launch applications or even perform multi-key macros. On top of that, the keyboard features a game mode switch which disables your windows and context menu keys. Along with the 6 customizable keys, the TactX features WASD gaming cluster and anti-ghosting technology. Customization is a big thing with Alienware so its not a surprise to see some customization options on the TactX. The keyboard comes with removable palm rests and color lighting options for two different zones on the keyboard with 20 different color choices thanks to AlienFX.

The TactX gaming mouse has just as many features as the keyboard. It comes with FTM features which help to enhance your MMORPG games and also a differentiator for Alienware gaming systems. The mouse comes with an on-board memory which allows you to setup, customize and save macros to your liking. The mouse has a dual mode scroll wheel allowing for both vertical and horizontal scrolling. The TactX also gives you the option of storing up to 5 different mouse settings profiles to the on-board memory. On the bottom of the mouse is a Profile Selection button which allows you to easily switch between profiles. This mouse also has a 5000 DPI Laser Engine complete with on-the-fly DPI switching as well as 9 customizable buttons. Like the TactX keyboard, the TactX mouse also comes with AlienFX, allowing you to fully customize it with a multitude of colors and effects.

To get a truly unique gaming experience on your PC, check out the new TactX gaming mouse and keyboard from Alienware. You can also make it a full package by adding on the TactX gaming headset for the full on TactX experience. Both the mouse and the keyboard come with a 6-foot USB cable and both support USB 2.0 and have Windows 7 compatibility. You can pick both of these great gaming tools for $100 a piece.

By: Zack Duncan

It seems that post-apocalyptic worlds ruled by legions of outlaw gangs is something many people are into these days. People love the lawlessness, the gun play, the gangs and everything that goes along with it and that is exactly what Borderlands delivers. This game is first and foremost a loot hunting game, much like Blizzard’s huge hit Diablo. This game doesn’t ease you into it either, right off the bat you are thrust into this open world environment with a handful of quests and mass amounts of gang members that are trying to keep you from killing their beloved leader.

When you start off, your weapons are, to put it nicely, less than desirable. They are old, rusted and don’t work too well. But they don’t last long as you find new weapons that have better functionality, better fire power and a better appearance. The farther into the game you go the better weapons you get like shotguns, handguns, sub-machine guns sniper rifles and even rocket launchers that glow with an elemental fury like fire or lightning or even ones that shoot a corrosive substance that literally eats your enemies alive! And that’s only the human weapons, there are crazy alien weapons later on in the game that are even more insane. The more you use a weapon the better your character becomes with it, allowing you to better become a more intense fighter blasting, shattering and burning your way through any obstacle that obstructs your path.

This game is an action RPG which means you will be leveling up and upgrading your character the entire time. each time you level up you will want to swap out gear and weapons for better ones so you are always outfitted with the best stuff. There are four different character classes and each class gets one and only one primary action skill. The soldier class can drop down a sentry turret to assist in a firefight, the Berserker class can charge forward and smash foes with fists of fury, the Hunter Class throws out a bird to attack from a distance and the Siren class can enter a temporary state of invisibility. As you level up your selected character, you will earn points that are attributed to your skill tree. Your skill tree changes how much damage you can do, how much damage you can take and helps make your action skill even deadlier, and they mean deadlier. The Siren has a phasewalk ability that can be upgraded with shock damage and can also drastically shorten the abilities cool down period or turn into a contagious inferno after every kill made.

While the skills and level progression are great, this game’s true call to glory is the weaponry. This game feels, plays and moves like an FPS and you spend most of your time shooting people and experiencing fast-paced gameplay. You have a variety of different enemies to fight against and dispose of in your own sick and demented way. When you begin you will face off against your typical, low-class bandit type enemies who bounce between cover and shoot back at you. Then you will come across some bruiser characters, some of which carry bigger, badder weapons and others you just charge straight at you, sometimes while on fire, trying to take you out with blunt, rusty weapons. Some of the smaller bandits, who carry shotguns, get thrown on their back with each shot and some snipe from a distance. Others have shields and then again some do not. The way all the enemies move around during a firefight is frantic and chaotic which makes it exciting to be a part of. Sometimes, however, the fighting can be unrealistic, especially when you are standing toe-to-toe with a group of enemies unleashing head shots galore and not taking down a single one. But that’s what you get when yuo take health bars over realism.

If you get bored of taking down the crazy humans in the game, then you can take a stab at taking out the crazy, spiky skags, dog-like creatures that jump, spit, slash and overall make your life difficult. There are also winged beasts that soar high above the world before swooping down to gauge your eyes out. In addition to these there are worms that burrow underground as well as armored insects that hurl projectiles at you and roll across the battlefield at high speeds. Overall there is a very nice mix of enemies in Borderlands. They also have a tendency to attack in large groups, which makes defeating the lot of them by switching weapon types and activating action skills in one all out charge extremely satisfying. If, by now, you are thinking that fighting these little humans and weird creatures is going to get old then slow your role because there are some pretty intense boss fights in this game as well. The bosses are totally monstrous and include things like a gigantic, lumbering quadruped and even a flying, fire-breathing behemoth. These fights serve as a welcome change of pace in the game and some of the bosses even drop unique loot that you can’t get anywhere else in the game.

Some of the environments feel similar to each other but then you come up on a boggy swamp, dockyard or clustered urban environment which gives you a nice sense of variety. There is a nice transportation system that has quick-spawn vehicles or a rapid transit system to help you traverse the world better. The vehicles in the game do help you travel faster and some can be outfitted with rockets or machine guns to help kill annoying foes but running over or into things is much easier. Two people can man a vehicle, with one driving and the other manning the turret. Which brings us to one of the best features of Borderlands, the multiplayer.

While you are completely capable of exploring the game, finishing quests and fighting off enemies alone and have a great time doing it, you receive some of the best entertainment by playing with other people. As more players join your game, your enemies get stronger and drop more valuable loot. This makes you want to bring in as many of your friends as possible so you have a better chance at getting better stuff. Praise needs to be thrown on Gearbox, developers of the game, because they created it so that all of your quests you completed, items you received and experience gained from playing in a friends game is carried over to your game when you switch back. Assuming you and the person you are playing with are at the same point in the game, it is possible to do the same quest together. Up to four of you can go out and venture the game world together. Players should give the four player scenario a try due to the mass chaos that ensues when playing. It is suggested, however, that you play with people you know and trust because there are no looting rules in Borderlands. Any item that drops is free game to whoever can get to it first. A statistical pop-up appears whenever you pan over an item in range showing you how it rates according to your skills and other weapons. If you get a weapon you don’t want, then you can always sell it at one of the games many vending machines or just drop it back on the ground for another teammate to acquire.

Gearbox took replay value into great consideration with this game. After you complete your first play through, you will probably be in your mid 30’s with character level out of a possible level 50. You can start a new game with your current character with everything other than quest progression carrying over. The best part is that your starting enemies will be upgraded to fit your character’s level, so you are not just going through slaughtering ridiculously weak enemies. After you and everybody you know has maxed out to level 50, it will be time to see which of you is better. The game gives you the option of melee attacking a teammate and trying to initiate a duel. After that it is possible to head to special dungeons for some player on player combat. This mode is strictly for fun and adds a nice mechanic of seeing how your weapons and armor stack up against another actual player.

Borderlands is a surprisingly accessible game although gamers who are not familiar with loot drop games may need to take a little extra time to get used to the game’s mechanics. There isn’t a punishment system either for when you die. Before you die, you enter a bleed-out-state where you can kill your attacker and then come back to life. On the other hand, if you are playing with other people, they can simply come over and revive you with no need of special healing skills. However, should you actually bleed out and die, the game restarts you at a convenient respawn point and only deducts a small amount of cash from your inventory. You do not lose any skills, weapons or armor. Some other great features of this game include the visuals. The sharp and stylish visuals make the gameplay interesting and entertaining. However, the framerate on the console versions can be a bit jittery with large scale fights. Enemies also react realistically when being shot. Their head snaps back, the get sent reeling and occasionally trigger some nice elemental deaths. The large open, environments have very nice detail as well as the large variety of weapon designs. The game also has a nice humorous aspect to it. Some of the recurring characters in the game offer witty and snappy remarks which make for an enjoyable experience.

This game plays like a shooter but is built on statistical progression, character customization and holds item acquisition high above everything else. Borderlands doesn’t lack in content with four player co-op, four different classes, an insane amount of weapons and around 20+ hours of content with the ability to restart your game after completion with stronger weapons and enemies. Convenient and accessible, Borderlands offers action-RPG gamers a solid title to sink their teeth into. A definite game to try this year. Borderlands is available now for the PC, Xbox 360 ans PS3.

By: Zack Duncan

The Sims 3 may still be relatively new to the game world but that hasn’t stopped Electronic Arts from announcing the game’s first expansion pack: Sims 3 World Adventures.  The EP will ship to stores on November 16.  For the first time, in the world of Sims, your game will go international. 

They will be able to explore new fictional cities based on real-world destinations.  Learn martial arts in Shang Simla, discover a romantic getaway in Champs Les Sims, France, or explore ancient tombs in Al Simhara, Egypt.  Your Sims take part in various adventures along the way.  Accept challenges to find secret treasures, learn new skills, look for personal opportunities,  meet new, unique Sims personalities and Sims of different nationalities, discover new styles and of course share your Sims’ adventures with photographs, movies and stories. 

One revelation is the appearance of mummies that will be playable in the game.  The mummies can awaken from their sarcophagus and curse your Sims, causing the Sim to die in two weeks’ time if you do not perform a certain ritual.  Sims can also become mummies, but the details on what their abilities would be have not yet been released. 

It also looks as though the EP will come with 1,000 SimPoints to use for downloading exclusive content from the Sims 3 store, if you register your game.  The Sims 3 store is filled with a variety of hairstyles, outfits, furniture, home decor and architecture which can be downloaded by the item or in sets such as Steampunk, Jet Set, or UltraLounge.   In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to check out secret hints and clues to adventures, and download new, exclusive Explorer’s Loot content.  

The game will also feature new music in Simlish (the game’s language) by some fairly well-known artists including Nelly Furtado, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, LeAnn Rimes, Matt & Kim, Pixie Lott, Katie Melua, Manchester Orchestra, Evan Taubenfeld, Young Punx, and Borken Hearts Club.

After creating The Sims, SimCity, and Spore – some of the most successful and best-selling PC games of all time, you would think 49-year-old Will Wright would be sitting back and taking it easy.  Not so fast.  The Atlanta native, who has become something of a legacy in the PC game world, has a new project up his sleeves.  According to an interview with the LA Times, he wants to “build things that people would want to play with.”  So what is Wright’s latest project?  Well, he wouldn’t say, but he did drop a few hints that are sure to get wheels spinning in the tech world and maybe even the toy world?  

First of all, the new project is a toy, though Wright says calling it a toy exactly makes it too specific.  “All of our projects have crossover elements,” he tells the LA Times. In February, Wright will deliver a speech entitled “The Evolution of Entertainment: A Toy’s Place” at Engage! in New York City.  He will also be bringing his new concept along.  According to the Times, Engage! is a “conference on the convergence of toys, the Internet, virtual worlds, games and social media.”  

Not surprisingly, the new concept involves games – something Wright knows a little bit about.  His games (The Sims, Sim City, and Spore) have generated over $1 billion for his previous employer, Electronic Arts.  In the spring of 2009, Wright broke away from EA and started his own company, Stupid Fun Club, of which EA is a principal shareholder.  

Wright also says the project will have robotic components, something Wright has been fascinated with since childhood.   It will also have online components.  This is not unusual for today’s world as many popular toys also have virtual worlds where kids (and grown-ups) can play. 

Wright let a few more hints slip – you can read mor here: Will Wright, creator of The Sims, talks toys | Technology | Los Angeles Times - but the hints were elusive and it’s really hard to narrow his new project down.  Even so, with a creative genius like Wright behind the wheel, the new project will most likely be just as popular as his past ones, and probably just as anticipated!

In most games, a superhero wearing lime green spandex with bunny ears and a huge butt picking up cars and and throwing them at bad guys and then ripping the ones left limb from limb may seem like an odd occurrence to say the least. However, in Champions Online it is something you will see everyday. It is also a good representation of one of the craziest MMO games out there.

Champions Online may seem like a straight follow up to City oh Heroes, the first MMO by developer Cryptic upon first glance. But oh how your assumptions are wrong, very wrong. In fact, the only thing these two games have in common is the fact that you get to create a custom superhero and fight villains. But that’s about it. As opposed to randomly generated maps like the ones in City of Heroes, Champions Online centers a majority of the action in overworld areas. City of Heroes also offered fast-paced MMO combat. Champions Online offers all-around superhero action which is constructed around the stats and level progression you would typically find in an MMO.

There are alot of pros and cons you will face while playing this game. First of all, the user interface is a bit fiddly and the tutorial is, well, horrible. The point of the tutorial is to let you meet some of the games main characters, letting you try out a majority of things and then foil an alien invasion. Sounds fun right? Well in reality you are stuck in an area with a mass of non-playable characters set with quests that technically help you learn what you need to know so the first few hours of gameplay are less than stellar.

But, once you get the hang of it the game really takes off. The combat is great and is the best thing to come about that makes the MMO feel like an action game. There isn’t any of this standing across from your opponent and trading blows crap. Instead, you are constantly on the move lining up enemies, dodging attacks and countering critical strikes. The action is explosive and dying isn’t unnecessarily painful with virtually no downtime between battles. But the best part is that you are awesome from level one.

While action is fast paced, the game does have a tendency to over-complicate things. There are no character classes so you can basically pick whatever combination of powers you want. But once you get your powers, you find out that they are all based on a combination of 8 different statistics which are boosted by in-game inventory items and upgrades. Your character can carry up to 9 different items which have their own unique slot. Items are split into 3 different crafting disciplines. Some of these disciplines add bonus power while others change the color of the power. The concept that a majority of items have no bearing on your costume or your powers makes the stat boost not feel like rewards. It also doesn’ t help that you are given a lot of items you can not even equip at your current level. The system is a bit ridiculous and could be better if simplified with a few core stats.

Your character will spend the first 30 out of 40 levels restricted to three semi-small zones: a city, the Canadian wilderness, and an irradiated desert with two additional zones being unlocked in the final levels. But don’t fret, it isn’t as bad as it first appears. Each map is like a world in its own right. Each is packed with tons of quests for all character levels and getting around is pretty simple if you get a power like flying or swinging. The world design is a little boring but it is made up for with spiced up individual areas taking you to villainous night clubs, zombie infested graveyards and theme parks with crazy cowboy robots.

The majority of missions are “kill this many of these” and “use this on that so this happens” but they are done well. Unique dialogue per character is prevalent for each section of gameplay. Most major areas have a strong theme while the indoor areas are more short and to the point. There are also public quests like those seen in Warhammer Online. With these quests, any hero in the area can band together to complete a task. Many people will be happy to know that kill stealing is not a problem. Typically whoever lands a good hit on the enemy will receive credit for the kill. However, this isn’t the case for item collecting and escort missions. This typically leaves you waiting for item respawns and seeing another player run off with your guy after you rescue him. Teamwork is also potentially problematic due to the fact that you can not easily see another player’s quests, objectives or waypoints.

For an MMO, you level up pretty fast. But it is an MMO so this still means it is pretty dang slow. There isn’t a lot of high level content, the player vs player mode is basically boring and simplistic arena fighting and duels, and there isn’t a whole lot of social activity. A feature that has real potential is the Nemesis system, which allows you to create your character’s arch-enemy. However this feature is currently a little lacking. Your Nemesis design tool is given to you at level 25 and your control doesn’t go much past your enemy’s visual appearance and broad power-set like “Fire” or “Munitions” as opposed to “Fireball” or “Assault Rifle”. The opening mission where you first get to fight your nemesis is wonderful. However, it is quickly burned away when you get repeatedly attacked by packs of your nemesis’ generic minions while trying to go about your everyday business. A cool thing that gets really old really quick.

Champions Online is a good MMO that has it’s share of problems. But give it a chance and it will quickly grow on you. It is in desperate need of more areas and better endgame content. Yet it is a refreshing break from the typical MMO RPG and is still worth taking a look at. Champions Online is available now for the PC.

By: Zack Duncan

The third expansion for the extremely popular World of Warcraft game has just been announced. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, as it has been named, offers tons of new content to the game including new races and class combinations as well as an extended level cap, new characters and new events. Dark and forgotten threats which have been out of sight for a long time have resurfaced on the shores of Azeroth unleashing a cataclysmic event upon the lands and are now preparing more nefarious plans to take it back.

One of the first changes that people will notice to the game is that the level cap has been increased from 80 to 85. Some players were expecting a little higher raise but everything has a reason. Putting the level cap at 85 suggests that Blizzard wants to add more expansions before reaching the 100 level cap. Having such a small level cap raise should be a somewhat big deal. It makes that when you gain a level it actually means something other than being one step closer to level 85.

While there aren’t any new classes Blizzard has added new class combinations to the mix. Some of these class combinations have been datamined from the 3.2.2 Test Realms and the “An Injured Colleague” quest along with it’s Night Elf counter-part help introduce these new combinations. The new class combinations are as follows:

Human Hunter
Orc Mage
Night Elf Mage
Dwarf Mage
Blood Elf Warrior
Dwarf Shaman
Undead Hunter
Tauren Paladin
Tauren Priest
Gnome Priest
Troll Druid

Due to the cataclysm, two new races have been forced to seek out new allies. The two new races in the expansion are the Goblins, which belong to the Horde side, and the Worgen, which belong to the Alliance side. Deathwing sought the services of the Goblins to use them as slaves as he had done in the past. The Goblins could not refuse the offer and became his slaves once again. However, a large group of Goblins resisted and fled to an island off the coast of The Barnes. Once on the island, the Goblins come across an Orc being held prisoner on an Alliance ship. The Goblins free him only to realize that the Orc is, in fact, Thrall himself. To show his appreciation, Thrall offers the Goblins a place in the Horde. The events take place in a quest line allowing players to experience why the Goblins shifted from neutrality to the Horde.

The cataclysm has cracked open the Greymane Wall and in doing so has revealed the fate of the kingdom of Gilneas. The worgen curse has taken hold of the citizens, transforming them into werewolf-like creatures. The citizens of Gilneas have found a partial cure to the curse which allows them to keep their human mind and free will while transformed. The citizens venture to Azeroth for help from the Alliance and decide to join them. Much like the starting area Death Knight, Gilneas will extensively use the phasing system to show you what happened from the time when the kingdom was cu off to the time you start. While playing as a Worgen you will have two forms, Worgen form and Human form, both of which will be fully customizable.

Blizzard has also added s few new characters to the game. These characters are as follows:

Dethwing the Destroyer/ Neltharion the Earth-Warder – Deathwing will play a major part in Cataclysm. Driven mad by the Old Gods whisperings, Deathwing turned on his own kind only to end up failing. Deathwing has sunk into the shadows and while the Horde and Alliance have been occupied fighting back the Burning Legion only to be best upon by the Scourge. All the while Deathwing has been planning and putting his pieces in place. Deathwing succeeded in creating a Twilight Dragonflight where Lady Sinestra failed. As seen in the Obsidian Sanctum, Detahwing has created the supreme Dragonflight and plans on unleashing it upon the world.

Azshara – Azshara will play a major role in Cataclysm as well. Unknown by many, forgotten by others and thought dead by her own people, Azshara has been dormant in Maelstrom. She has had the Old Gods transform the creatures around her into Naga after she failed in the War of the Ancients. She has become more powerful than ever before and seeks to reclaim power and region once again.

The Cataclysm – It is still unknown who the end boss is in Cataclysm. The cataclysm itself seems to have been caused by Deathwing and Azshara using powerful incantations in an attempt to summon extremely powerful beings. Both Deathwing and Azshara are extremely powerful but the cataclysm suggests a much more powerful being which could possibly be influenced by Deathwing and Azshara’s shared past of Old God influence.

The Guardian of Tirisfal – Returning to Azeroth is Malfurion Stormage. Malfurion will be aiding in the creation of the new Guardian of Tirisfal Thrall.

The New (New) Horde – Thrall hands over leadership of the Horde to Garrosh so Thrall can coordinate the Horde and Alliance forces in their fight against the Naga and Black Dragonflight. Garrosh, being unchecked by Thrall, declares open war on the Alliance.

The new content looks really good as well. Cataclysm is the first expansion to not feature a new continent. Instead, it gives you access to previously unreleased zones within the game as well as revamping some of the old ones as follows:

Classic Azeroth Revamp – Cataclysm will take the form of a revamped Azeroth, taking advantage of some of the newer things in the game like daily quests and phasing. Also getting a redesign are most of the mobs and quests in the classic zones which, hopefully, will make leveling up a little less painful. Some zones and dungeons will change dramatically in this expansion. The Barrens will be split into two separate zones of two different level bands. Azshara will become a low-level, 10-20 level zone. Some zones will be flooded, like the Thousand Needles. Orgimmar could face destruction and Durotar is completely wrecked. Over the course of the expansion you will see a new Orc city built. Gnomeregan has been added to the expansion with the proposition that gnomes may be able reclaim their capital however this is unconfirmed. as a result of the Druid’s magic, Wailing Caverns will become a lush, tropical area. Ragnaros, allegedly, will return and the Blackrock Spire will erupt creating a new version Blackrock Mountains.

You will now be able to fly in Azeroth. As part of the redesign in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor Blizzard is introducing the ability to fly to the two continents which gives you access to new areas and quicker traveling. Onyxia’s Lair from patch 3.2.2 is being revamped. Most of the leveling up will take place in the revamped areas of Azeroth and also in the dungeons, which will allow players to use them to level up as well.

There is also a few new unreleased zones and dungeons as well. With the help of the flying mounts and the redesign of many areas in Azeroth, a lot of the previously unreachable or incomplete zones are available to players. Thses areas is where most of the leveling up from 80 to 85 will take place. Some of these areas include Hyjal (present), Gilneas (The Worgen starting zone) and Uldum. It is unclear, however, if old Goblin locations, like Kezan and Undermine, will be in Cataclysm. However, several new islands have been risen from the depths of the sea as a result of Cataclysm. Some of these islands are on the backs of giant sea turtles and whales and there are also several underwater zones.

Needless to say, this expansion is massive and offers a ton of new content to the already massive game. To get all the details and to watch a trailer of the new Expansion, go to the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm website.

By: Zack Duncan

We all remember the days of the classic side scrolling games. Taking our character across the screen, avoiding traps and enemies and fighting our way to the next stage. It was games like these that shaped the way we now play games. Most game developers today were heavily influenced by these types of games and it shows in the works they produce, especially in the newest title from Chair Entertainment and Epic Games.

Shadow Complex is a new game coming from developers Chair Entertainment and Producer Epic Games. Shadow Complex is a side scrolling game that takes the genre one step further. The first and foremost difference in this game is that you can’t buy it in stores. Shadow Complex is a downloadable game for the Xbox Live Arcade and the PC. The next biggest difference is the look of the game. Side scrolling games are typically made with 2-D graphics, however Shadow Complex is completely 3-D.

Shadow Complex combines the best of both worlds. You get the great classic side scrolling old-school style mixed with the gameplay mechanics of today’s top games. The gameplay is centered around exploration with fast-paced combat. Throughout the game you can acquire game-altering power-ups as well as a huge arsenal of futuristic weapons that provide you different means of getting around obstacles. This game is bigger than your typical downloadable or XLA game. To start, there are 17 unique power-ups for you to find in the game. In addition there is more than 100 different items and modifiers for you to discover and use to your advantage.

The combat in Shadow Complex is also intense. There is a huge number of different types of enemies for you to fight. In addition to the large variety of enemies there are also many enemies that you will fight at one time. But probably the coolest thing about the enemies is the boss battles. Most of the boss battles require you ta face off against some giant mech or assult weapon that adds a “David and Goliath” aspect to each battle.

Shadow Complex is also very easy to pick up and play. The controls are super tight which are both simple and highly intuitive. They are simple enough for a novice gamer to pick up and learn easily yet complex enough to allow more experienced gamers to enjoy additional depth and precision. There are many big names behind Shadow Complex. Chair Entertainment are the creators of Official Xbox Magazine’s Downloadable Game of the Year with their title Undertow and Producer Epic Games has made a big name for itself with the incredibly popular Gears of War franchise. The other big name in the game belongs to the script writer. Peter David, one of the most popular comic book writers of all time, is writing the script and the game itself is based upon the best-selling novel Empire by Orson Scott Card.

This game isn’t even out yet and it is already generating some crazy buzz about it. This title is building up to not only be the best and most popular downloadable game this year but could very well outshine some games that require a disk. We can only wait and see how it does when it is released. You can get this game on your PC or on your Xbox Live Arcade. It will cost you 1200 Microsoft points on Live which is roughly around $15. The game will be released on August 19th, 2009.

By: Zack Duncan

Gamers were blown away with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare when it debuted back in 2007. The game took players out of the traditional and familiar World War 2 setting and placed them in a modern day conflict. It appeared to be a winning formula as Call of Duty4: Modern Warfare went on to sell 13 million copies becoming the best selling game in 2007. Jump forward two years and the next installment, simply titled Modern Warfare 2, is about to be released to the hungry hands of the gaming public and fans of the game are going crazy with anticipation.

But before you run out to the store to buy your copy, you have to ask yourself which version you want to get. Don’t know what I mean? Like the first installment in the series, Modern Warfare 2 will be shipping with three different editions of the game: the Normal Edition, the Hardened Edition and the Prestige Edition. Now you may be asking yourself “What’s the difference?” and the answer is, a lot. Depending on which edition of the game you buy depends on which of the cool goodies you will get along with your game, and how much you are going to pay for it.

If your not much into other stuff and you just want to play the game, then you will be o.k with getting the Normal Edition. The Normal Edition comes with the game, traditional plastic box and instruction manual all for the typical price of $59.99. Not exciting enough for you? Well the Hardened Edition, which will run you $79.99, comes with the game and instruction book as well as a limited edition metallic game case and art book which holds concept drawings of character models, vehicles, weapons, levels and more. But the real prize comes with the Prestige Edition. If you are fan enough to go for this version of the game you are to be well rewarded. The Prestige Edition, like the others, comes with the game and instruction manual, the Hardened Edition metallic case and art book, and the big prize, a pair of fully functioning night vision goggles! Yeah, I said it, night vision goggles. The goggles are branded with the Modern Warfare logo as well as the Infinity Ward (the developers of the game) logo. You will also receive a ticket with a code that will allow you to purchase the original Call of Duty which came out for the PC via Xbox Live and the Playstation Network. Buyers of the Prestige Edition will also get a sculpted model head of “Soap” MacTavish, the main character from the first Modern Warfare game, to display your goggle on when you are not using them. Wondering about how much this little bundle of goodies is going to cost you? The price for all of this comes in at a mere $149.99.

The game itself isn’t set to hit store shelves until this November but I wouldn’t recommend waiting around until then to get your copy, especially if you are interested in getting the Hardened or Prestige Editions of the game. If you really want either of these editions I would recommend pre-ordering your copy as soon as possible. There is only going to be a limited number of each edition and you are almost guaranteed to not find a single Hardened or Prestige Edition of the game on store shelves this holiday season. If you are willing to fork over the extra cash for the Prestige Edition then you are going to be well rewarded. Pre-orders are available now for all three editions and you can expect to pick up your copy of the game in November 10, 2009.

By: Zack Duncan

The immensely popular online MMO RPG game World of Warcraft has a bigger fan base and player count than any game around. Since the games release in 2004, the developers at Blizzard have created a plethora of different services for WoW players that lets them modify their gaming experience, for a fee that is. Some of theses services included paid, and even free, server transfers, name changes, the option of editing your character’s physical appearance and gender. But there is one change that many fans have been begging for and it seems that Blizzard is finally going to give it to them.

One of the biggest things some players didn’t like about WoW was that when you started a game, chose your class and character and starting gaining rank, you were stuck with that character. Well, you weren’t stuck with that particular character forever. If you desired to switch up what you were playing with you could, with one little defect. Switching your character in a game required you to restart at a level one player. So, if you got tired of being a level 65 Blood Elf and wanted to switch to something like Dwarf, you would have to start with a level one Dwarf, loosing all the time and effort you put into your previous character. But now, it seems, that Blizzard wants to change that for you and allow you to switch from one class to another(Horde to Alliance, Alliance to Horde) without losing all of your rank and other things.

A poster for Blizzard named Nethaera claims this about Blizzard adding faction switching to WoW: We wanted to give everyone a very early heads-up that, in response to player requests, we’re developing a new service for World of Warcraft that will allow players to change their faction from Alliance to Horde or Horde to Alliance. There’s still much work to do and many details to iron out, but the basic idea is that players will be able ti use the service to transform an existing character into a roughly equivalent character of the opposing faction on the same realm. Players who ended up creating and leveling up characters on the opposite factions from their friends have been asking for this type of functionality for some time, and we’re pleased to be getting closer to being able to deliver it.

As with all the features and services we offer, we intend to incorporate the faction-change service in a way that won;t disrupt the gameplay experience on the realms, and there will be some rules involved with when and how the service can be used. The number of variables involved increases the complexity of implementing this service, but we plan to take the time needed to ensure that it lives up to expectations before officially rolling it out. We’ll go into much more detail on all of this here at www.WorldofWarcraft.com as development progresses. In the meantime, we wanted to let you know that because of this type of functionality requires extensive internal testing well in advance of release, you may be seeing bits and pieces of the service in the test builds we use for the public test realms moving forward.

The development of this service is going to take time due to things like faction specific quests, achievements, and items that will take longer to implement. The idea of a faction switching service is getting mixed responses from the gaming community. Some people love the idea, stating that they can easily change to the faction most of their friends are playing on without losing progress. Others are against asking what the point of choosing sides is if you can just change it willy nilly? But it has been stated that this service will cost gamers a fee to use, though no specific charge has been announced. But what do you think? Is faction switching for WoW a good idea or not?

By: Zack Duncan

Thanks to Electronic Arts, the RPG development teams from Bioware (Mass Effect) and Mythic (Warhammer) have been combined into one big happy RPG team. EA has completely restructured the design team and has placed co-founder and general manager of Bioware, Ray Muzyka, in charge. Current Mythic General Manager Marc Jacobs has officially left the company as of yesterday.

In a statement from the company regarding Jacobs, they had this to say, “We thank Marc for his contributions at Mythic and we wish him the very best going forward. Marc played a major part in the success of Mythic with his contribution as General Manager and Lead Designer of WAR.”

Ray Muzyka is now the group’s creative officer. Co-founder of Mythic Rob Denton has taken the position of general manager previously held by Jacobs. It has not been exactly said why the two teams are being pushed together but it is clear that EA has named Bioware as their internal RPG and MMO-related projects leader. This combo could be a result of resources or could be the advantage of shared knowledge, due to the fact that Warhammer continues to grow in the MMO category.

By: Zack Duncan