For Ask X3F this week, we tackle the tough issues. We won't allow this feature to be dragged into the mud where there is nothing substantive to offer. No sir. This week we talk about the Vision camera, the Red Ring of Death warranty, and downloadable games. Finally, we discuss Microsoft's most devious creation, the digital crack known as Achievements. Honestly, we don't know what they put in 'em, we just know we can't stop unlocking 'em. Get your weekly dose after the break.
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Taking a page or two from GTAIV's playbook, THQ just announced the eleven radio stations that'll be featured in the upcoming Saints Row 2 as well as all 170+ songs that are aired.
If you believe in variety being the spice of your Saints Row 2 life, then you're in for a treat, because there's quite the mix of songs and genres to be listened to. With radio station names like 99 Underground, 89 GenX, Four20, 102.4 Klassic and Ezzzy 105, you can expect to be jamming to Young Jeezy one moment, Paramore another and then another moment Beethoven. Make the jump to view the complete list of Saints Row 2's expansive, yet diverse soundtrack.
Are you aware of the seven deadly sins? No, no, not those deadly sins, we're talking about the SevenEight Deadly Sins of Gears of War 2's Horde mode, which our OXM pals just posted.
OXM's list of Horde deadly sins was formed after recently getting a chance to try out Gears 2's four player co-op Horde mode and each sin comes across as sound advice. Horde mode advice that not only will save you from being called a "n00b" or "bag of loser dust", but advice that could potentially aid in your team's Horde mode success. You can read all eight deadly sins after the jump, but we just have to point out our two favorites. Number two "Thou Shalt Not Hang Around In The Spawn Zones Like A Douche" and number five "Thou Shalt Not Go All OCD And Take Every Ammo Box" sound spot on to us.
Video games and politics aren't strangers to one another. Since the days of the crusades against Mortal Kombat -- pretty tame nowadays -- and extending into the storied and humorous career of one Jack Thompson, video games have lingered in the halls of politics (let's not get into all the unsuccessful and costly legislation attempts). We think this is, however, the first time that claiming a political opponent plays Halo has been used as a smear tactic. And yet, there it is. In a politcal fact sheet produced for Arizona's Maricopa County District 1 Supervisor race, the fact that 26-year-old Ed Hermes is an avid Halo player is used in an effort to defame him.
"Skilled player of the popular video game Halo," the flyer reads, opposite a more politically relevant statment about Fulton Brock -- Hermes' 56-year-old opponent. It continues with a quote from Hermes made in a university newspaper: "I am addicted to Halo, and play almost every night."
We find ourselves wondering if a young Fulton Brock was once accused by an elder statesmen of "Watching the boob tube," or "Reading the Devil's picture books."
Today, Spark Unlimited released a new set of screenshots for Legendary The Boxas well as a complete list of game achievements. You can take a gander through the new and improved Legendaryscreens including a gelatinous looking werewolf, a dude's face and some on screen text that looks eerily similar to X3F's witty image commentary text. Just saying.
According to video game sales analyst Jesse Divnich of Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), the Xbox 360's North American sales for September were impressive, 31% better than August's NPD weekly sales numbers.
Mr. Divnich just released a report estimating September's NPD sales and claims that Microsoft's 360 price cut spurred console sales in the region to the tune of 320,000 units for the month. If true, September would be the first time in 2008 where the 360 sold over 300,000 units in a month. Even better news is that September's PS3 sales are estimated to be around 215,000 units or less. Official NPD sales numbers release October 16th, so here's hoping that the 360 reaches or eclipses these sales estimates.
Just barely stopping short of confirming downloadable content for Fable II, Lionhead ... um ... head Peter Molyneux told VideoGamer.com that it would be "pretty dumb" not to have DLC planned. Declining to officially detail what that DLC might be -- it doesn't officially exist, remember -- he did say what it might be if Lionhead was planning something. What it shouldn't be, according to Molyneux, is "just a whole load of new weapons and armour." Molyneux states that the content should be "a bit more tangible," adding, "it would be nice if you didn't have to wait months and months for it as well."
Just what is the mysterious and unofficial DLC? More missions perhaps? New locations to explore (the Limited Edition comes with an extra dungeon, after all)? A racecar bed?
[Via Joystiq. Thanks to Stuart Harper for the image]
Friendly reminder to all Halo 3fanboys who are on a mission to unlock all the new achievements, today is the first chance you have to earn Halo 3's "Vidmaster Challenge: 7 on 7" achievement.
To unlock this 0 Gamerscore achievement, you have to enter a matchmaking playlist with exactly 7EXP on the 7th of the month. Seeing that today is October 7th (your next chance will be November 7th), all you have to do is make sure you have 7EXP in any Halo 3 playlist. It's that simple. And for those of you who have earned over 7EXP on all the playlists, Bungie setup a special one day only 7 on the 7th matchmaking playlist called "Icy Treats". Here, you'll start out with 0EXP and play in Cold Storage until you win seven games and earn your 7EXP. Happy unlocking!
Today, Microsoft announced that the sequel to Lights, Camera, Action, Scene It? Box Office Smash will be releasing to North American stores on Tuesday, October 28th.
Box Office Smash and its trivia based on 250+ movies will be available in two flavors, bundled with the four big button controllers for $59 or without the controllers for just $39. Microsoft also announced that Box Office Smash will be the first retail game to support Avatars in-game, but will only be available once the New Xbox Experience rolls out later this year.
After spotting a rather pricey ($240) Guitar Hero: World Tourbundle on the Red Octanes website, Activision has clarified to Joystiq what the normal price of the World Tour bundle will actually be. For those looking for the standard package on the Xbox 360 (game, drums, guitar, and microphone), Guitar Hero: World Tour will cost $190, which seems fairly standard in the recently birthed full band rhythm genre. Should you desire to pick up the game with only the guitar, it will set you back $100.
So, what's up with the $240 bundle? This special bundle -- along with the game and all the instruments -- comes with a T-shirt, battery charger, key chain, and (cloth) guitar case. For an extra $50. Make of that what you will.
Posted Oct 7th 2008 11:30AM by Dustin Burg Filed under: News
Heading into the weekend festivities that is this year's Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft just officially revealed their lineup of games that will be available to play, see and experience at their TGS booth. The list (posted after the break) includes the standard assortment of MGS games including Nuts & Bolts and Fable 2, (but no Gears 2, sad face) as well as Japanese favorites Star Ocean: The Last Hope (first time playable) and The Last Remnant.
In total, Microsoft has 23 games listed, but conveniently left out any mention of a Bungie title. We're sure the secret Bungie title/DLC will not be on the show floor, which is why it isn't on the list, but some acknowledgment of its TGS appearance would be nice. You can't fool us Microsoft, we know you have some secret Halo TGS plans ... oh, we know.
Update: According to the Harmonix crew, the Offspring tracks should be available, so it looks like it's an error on Microsoft's side. Still waiting for answers ...
It's Rock Band DLC Tuesday today, and that means all the new musical DLC that was announced last Friday releases today. Or so that's how it usually goes, today is the exception though, because the Offspring tracks have gone missing.
For whatever reason, only six of the promised nine Rock Band DLC tracks are available for purchase off the XBLM. The six tracks from bands including Against Me!, Free, George Thorogood, Harvey Danger, Screaming Trees and Static-X are all available, but the highly anticipated Offspring three pack is nowhere to be found. And we aren't exactly sure why they aren't available, because both Major Nelson and Harmonix are nowhere to be found. Let's just hope that there's a bug in the system and all nine tracks release later today, because denying us our Offspring is NOT a way to make friends.
Posted Oct 7th 2008 10:15AM by Dustin Burg Filed under: News
There's a newly new Call of Duty: World at War trailer making the internet rounds this morning and, truth be told, it's both destructive AND flammable. We guess that's why the Activision folks decided to call this latest trailer "Fire and Destruction." Makes sense. You can watch the latest trailer in the embedded area above to witness rockets rain down on evil doers, flame throwing tanks ignite buildings and watch as the enemy burns to a blackened crisp. It's World at War, enjoy.
Update: Swedish retailer Webhallen.com has the rumored Arcade, Pro and Elite holiday bundles for sale and pictured on their site. It's more proof, but we still have no "official" word from Microsoft. Thanks Dirty Whirlwind.
Just as was done last year, Microsoft may be looking to release special Xbox 360 packages that are bundled with a few free games to entice holiday console purchasers. And according to our insider Gamestop tipster, this holiday Microsoft will be bundling family friendly games with all three major 360 consoles.
We've been informed that the Xbox 360 Arcade model will come packaged with SEGA Superstar Tennis and both the Pro and Elite models will come bundled with Kung Fu Panda and LEGO Indiana Jones. Sadly, we don't have any picture proof of the new bundles or a solid release date, but we'll keep digging to see whether or not the holiday game bundling is legit. For now, we advise being optimistically skeptical.
Capcom has announced that the first wave of downloadable content for Mega Man 9 will land on XBLA this Tuesday, not even a week since the game debuted on the service. The content available will include a playable Proto Man and a new gameplay mode called Endless Attack (you can probably guess how that one works). Official prices haven't been announced, though Proto Man and Endless Attack cost $2.00 and $3.00, respectively, on Nintendo's WiiWare service. Of course, we can't properly gauge what it costs to convince yourself that Capcom isn't screwing you by charging for modes that should have been included with the game in the first place.
The remaining bits of DLC are expected to arrive the week of October 20.
According to video game sales analyst Jesse Divnich of 
