Some would hardly consider this news, but there’s been a lotof hype regarding the upcoming Modern Warfare 2 map packs. On top of the recenthappenings at Infinity Ward, some doubt was cast as to whether they would release on time (if at all). News today from Robert Bowling (Infinity Ward’s Community Manager) is that details for the first DLC will be released later this week. Following up to other Twitter users, he also mentions that a release date will likely be the first thing announced.
On another note, Bowling also announced that Modern Warfare 2 has surpassed 25 million unique users (on all platforms), an absolutely staggering number. Props to the guys at Infinity Ward for creating such a successful title.
We’ll be online for an official Xbox community playdate on Wednesday, March 24, starting at 8:00 P.M. ET (5:00 P.M. PT) playing Modern Warfare 2. If you’re a Gold Member, send a friend request to one of these gamertags, and we’ll add you to the list! (You’ll also get a friend request from Xbox 360 Digest confirming your interest.)
We can help. We’re giving away codes for the multiplayer beta, which launches on March 8th.
All you need to do is follow us on Twitter @Xbox360Digest and retweet the following:
Want to win a code for the Blur beta? RT and follow @Xbox360Digest to win! Details: http://tr.im/QFiR
The code is only valid on the Blur website (http://www.blurgame.com/beta), NOT Xbox.com (or the dashboard). An exclusive invite will be sent to you on Monday the 8th, in addition to a 48 hour Gold trial. The full game will be releasing May 25th in the US.
Allen touched on the developments earlier this morning, and now Activision has sent out an official press release detailing their “New Plans for the Call of Duty Franchise.” I’ll let you interpret this one how you want, so read the full press release below.
Activision Publishing Reveals New Plans for Call of Duty(R) Franchise
–Company to Establish Dedicated Business Unit to Focus on Product Excellence and Brand Expansion –Company Confirms New Call of Duty Game To Be Released in 2011 –Activision Publishing Plans to Launch Call of Duty in New Genres and Asia
SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 2, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced new strategic plans for the Call of Duty(R) franchise, one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.
Earlier today, we had the opportunity to sit in on a conference call with the producer and developers of MLB 2K10. The newest game in the series packs several new features and upgrades from last year’s version, including MLB Today and My Player, not to mention a challenge. Look for it on Tuesday at retail for $59.99.
Late last year, we showed you a trailer for Disney’s new racer, Split/Second. Originally slated for a Q1 release this year, it has been officially dated for May 18th. Look for a full review here when it does release.
Disney Interactive Studios announced today that Split/Second, the action racing game from Black Rock Studio, will be released in North America on Tuesday, May 18. The European release date is May 21. Set within the world of a fictional reality TV show, Split/Second players don’t just try to race to the finish line – they trigger explosive events that alter the track to take out opponents or create short cuts.
Split/Second is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. The game will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC. Winner of the prestigious Game Critics Award as Best Racing Game of E3, Split/Second has a SRP of $59.99 for Xbox 360 and PS3 and $49.99 for Windows PC.
This morning, Bethesda released the first teaser-trailer for Fallout: New Vegas. They also confirmed that it would be releasing later this fall. In a year already loaded with releases, hopefully this game doesn’t experience any setbacks.
From the press release,
February 4, 2010 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that Fallout®: New Vegas™, the next chapter in the critically-acclaimed Fallout franchise, will be available in Fall 2010. The game is currently in development at Obsidian Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows. The first trailer, which provides new insight into the game, is now available at fallout.bethsoft.com.
Fallout: New Vegas, the follow-up to Fallout® 3 – the 2008 Game of the Year – brings this beloved franchise to a location only Fallout could do justice: Vegas. Fallout: New Vegas takes all the action, humor, and post-apocalyptic grime and grit of this legendary series, and raises the stakes.
As you may have noticed, the video game industry is rapidly growing. Accordingly, Xbox Live just surpassed 23 million paying gold members. With that being said, there is an increasing amount of news to post and games to review. We need your help to keep up!
Do you enjoy writing as much as you do playing video games? Our team would love to have you on board. Just click the contact link, include some information about yourself and an editor will be in touch with you. As with our other sites, there are no commitments necessary, just a passion for writing. If you want more details, just ask.
As always, if you have anything you would like to see on our site, let us know! We’re here for our readers and want to bring you relevant content. Whether it be a specific game or something general, we’re open to suggestions. Simply click here or the contact link above.
Premiering earlier tonight on the Jimmy Fallon show, this new trailer shows you 3.5 minutes of what’s to come in BioShock 2 when it releases next Tuesday.
For those interested in BioShock and familiar with the series, Xbox 360 Digest is going to be participating in a conference call with the developers later this week. If you have any questions to ask the team, now’s your chance. Just post a comment on this article or contact us and we’ll pass your question along.
Be sure to look back in the coming weeks for a full review of BioShock 2!
We’ll be online for an official Xbox community playdate on Wednesday, March 24, starting at 8:00 P.M. ET (5:00 P.M. PT) playing Modern Warfare 2. If you're a Gold Member, send a friend request to one of these gamertags, and we’ll add you to the list! (You’ll also get a friend request from Xbox 360 Digest confirming your interest.) Pkort BillyK128 FlashAK TNT82 Teh Emo Penguin RZAN0L0GY Zayden1620 ...
Review: Toy Soldiers
The Digest: Signal Studios brings gamers back into the muddy trenches of World War One, promising a unique blend of classic RTS elements and real-time control of individual units. Mustard gas, flamethrowers, heavy artillery and even biplanes are all part of your arsenal as you face the enemy in wave after wave. Combined with solid multiplayer, Signal Studios delivers an arcade title that’s perfect for everyone.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2010
PUBLISHER: Microsoft Game Studios
DEVELOPER: Signal Studios
GENRE: Action
ESRB RATING: "T" for Teen
PRICE: 1200 MS Points
Review: Greed Corp
The Digest: A unique turn-based strategy game that will either thrill you to the core or make you want to jam freshly-sharpened pencils in your eyes. To put it right out there - Greed Corp is not a game for those new to the strategy genre. While the premise of the game is rather simple, it has many elements that will drive an unseasoned TPS player to madness without a lot of hesitation.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: February 24, 2010
PUBLISHER: Xbox LIVE Arcade
DEVELOPER: Valcon Games LLC / W!Games
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Strategy & Simulation
PRICE: 800 MS Points ($10)
Insane Mass Effect 2 Class Guide
The recommendations in this guide are geared toward the Hardcore/Insanity difficulty. Since almost all enemies have an extra layer of protection or two (Armor/Barrier/Shield), this takes into account which combinations are most effective at stripping away an enemies defense. On the lower level difficulties, where you don’t need to worry about extra defensive layers, then feel free investing points into other abilities such as Pull, Throw, Cryo Blast, etc. When you mainly only need to take into account enemy health, then that’s where classes such as the Adept and Vanguard, shine.
Review: Bioshock 2
The Digest: 2K Marin dives back into the depths of Rapture to experience life like never before, as a Big Daddy. As a giant walking through the depths of the unknown, 2K Marin and Digital Extremes deliver all of the excitement from the original game, while improving it, and add a great multiplayer that will be sure to keep you playing this game for months.
The Fact Sheet
RELEASE DATE: February 9, 2010
PUBLISHER: 2K Games
DEVELOPER: 2K Marin, 2K Australia, Digital Extremes, and 2K China
ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature
GENRE: Shooter
Review: Bayonetta
The Digest: Somewhere in some secret lab, someone decided to combine the DNA of Dante from Devil May Cry, Ryu Hayabusa of Ninja Gaiden and Kratos from God of War. The result had to be the creation of one bad ass... Witch. I wouldn’t normally picture a witch carrying guns, but carrying guns on her boots? Yeah, only a witch could pull something like that off.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: January 5, 2010
PUBLISHER: Sega
DEVELOPER: Platinum Games
ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature
GENRE: Action
Bioshock 2 Collector’s Edition Review
The Digest: I'd like to note right away that I won't be talking about the game at all in this review - one of our other team members is taking care of that soon. This review is specifically about the contents of the Collector's Edition set for Bioshock 2 and whether or not it justifies the additional $40 price tag.
In short, the answer is yes. Read on to find out what all it includes, how it is packaged and see photos of the items. This isn't your normal junky bunch of plastic action figures and gimmick items, ...
Indie Review: Creed Arena
The Digest: Like all Indie games, Creed Arena uses a basic premise for the game. This works well as the focus is solely on game play. The dual shooter views come in handy, but they usually cater to the particular weapon you’re wielding. While it is a solid first attempt by developer Safari Studios, there are certainly improvements to be made.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: January 1st, 2010
DEVELOPER: Safari Studios
Platform: Xbox LIVE® Indie Games
GENRE: Shooter
PRICE: 400 MS Points
Review: Mass Effect 2
The Digest: Mass Effect 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece. The days of Square Enix ruling this market are long gone as BioWare continues to set the standard for future RPG’s. Improving upon all facets, while fixing many of the problems that plagued the first, the second chapter is leaps and bounds ahead. Using a combat heavy focus with a plethora of new weapons and powers, I can safely move this into one of my all time favorite games. THE FACT SHEET RELEASE DATE: January 26th, 2010 PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts ...
Review: Konnet Power Pyramid (Controller Charging Station)
Hello All! Today I’ve got another Xbox360 accessory review for you, this one though is for your controllers. Buying the charge and play kits can be expensive, and it’s cheaper to just buy a battery by itself as we know. The problem here is that you’ll need at least one charging cable, and then if you’ve got four controllers you have to share that cable with all of them so charging can take quite a while. Konnet has sent me over the Power Pyramid Xbox360 Controller Charging Station for review today. The Power ...
Review: Alien Breed Evolution (Episode 1)
The Digest: Famously known for their Worms franchise, developer Team 17 has gone back to their roots. This remake of the Amiga classic does what the title suggests. While improving upon the originals top-down view with an isometric camera angle and improved graphics and sound, Alien Breed Evolution will have you wishing Ripley was right by your side.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: December 16th, 2009
PUBLISHER: Team 17
DEVELOPER: Team 17
ESRB RATING: T (Teen)
GENRE: Action
PRICE: $10 (800MSP)
Most Anticipated in 2010
With 2009 having wrapped up a strong year in gaming, you can expect more of the same in the next 12 months. While there are a plethora of other games that will garner plenty of attention and praise, here’s a list of what we here at Xbox 360 Digest are most excited for.
In chronological order of release date (Confirmed & Expected), hit the jump to see the list.
Review: Xbox 360 Starter Pack
Most of the reviews we’ve done here are games, but I think it’s time we got started with some accessory reviews as well. MobileFun is a company based out of the UK and they carry mobile stuff like phones and accessories. They also carry game related products so they sent me over a nice little, inexpensive starter kit for the Xbox360 for review. It’s aptly named the Xbox 360 Starter Pack and it includes a nice long HDMI cable, full sized headset and a remote that is similar to the Xbox one but only smaller. The price is about $30, ...
Review: Assassin’s Creed II
The Digest: Assassin's Creed II creates a phenomenal sequel, while incorporating the most lethal Italian on this side of the Mushroom Kingdom. The improvements made to the formula established in the first Assassin’s Creed are what will bring new fans into the fold. Now, me writing this review and you reading this review is robbing us of some valuable AC2 time!! THE FACT SHEET RELEASE DATE: November 17th, 2009 PUBLISHER: Ubisoft DEVELOPER: Ubisoft Montreal ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature ...
Review: Borderlands
The Digest: Borderlands has to be one of, if not THE sleeper game of the year. If you’re not prepared, you’ll see the wrong game coming. This is a game that I felt took inspiration from the original Xbox title Deus EX with its brand of RPG/FPS gameplay or as those in the “know” call it, RPS (Role Playing Shooter). I’m not in the “know”, but it says it on the back of the box.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: October 20th, 2009
PUBLISHER: 2K Games
DEVELOPER: Gearbox Software
ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature
GENRE: RPS (Role Playing Shooter)
PRICE: $59.99
Review: Forza Motorsport 3
The Digest:
After much hype and promise, the Microsoft gem, Forza, has returned for another generation of simulation goodness. Turn 10 has been hitting hard from the very first Forza, and with this latest release, I can assure you that they’re not showing any signs of slowing down.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: October 27, 2009
PUBLISHER: Microsoft Game Studios
DEVELOPER: Turn 10 Studios
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Racing
PRICE: $59.99
PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
Review: Left 4 Dead 2
The Digest: Alright, fine... I'll put down my controller long enough to type a review...
Today was a prevalent day for Xbox 360 owners, showing us the release of two heavy-hitting sequels. Assassin's Creed 2 was launched, the follow up to the ever-popular and ever-repetitive Crusade action game. Hopes were high that the sequel would retain the joyous elements of the first title, while fixing the things that made it a tedious punch in the face after a few hours.
But alas, I am poor, so I am only here to comment about the other big-time release for today: Left ...
Review: Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
The Digest: Another amazing performance from Rockstar. Grand Theft Auto as usual, with a brand new storyline, weapons and vehicles all set in the massive, detailed Liberty City. For the $39.99 price tag, definitely a must-buy.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: October 29, 2009
PUBLISHER: Rockstar
DEVELOPER: Rockstar
ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature 17+
GENRE: Action
PRICE: $39.99
PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
Review: NBA 2K10
The Lowdown: The King is back. Several new layers of realism have been added to create the best basketball experience to ever make it to the console. While some minor technical issues hold this title back from reaching it's full potential, this 10th anniversary edition is the basketball game to own.
THE FACT SHEET
RELEASE DATE: October 6th, 2009
PUBLISHER: Visual Concepts
DEVELOPER: 2K Sports
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Sports Simulation
PRICE: $59.99
Earlier today, we had the opportunity to sit in on a conference call with the producer and developers of MLB 2K10. The newest game in the series packs several new features and upgrades from last year’s version, including MLB Today and My Player, not to mention 
