The Myths & Mavericks pack features new fan-favorite multiplayer characters from the single-player story, as well as new multiplayer locations including Cochinay, Nekoti Rock and Beecher’s Hope, plus new Stronghold games in Armadillo, Tumbleweed, and Chuparosa.

Here’s the official list of Multiplayer Maps & Modes, new additions are bolded.

Cochinay – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout, Stronghold

Nekoti Rock – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout

El Presidio – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout

Plainview – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout

Gaptooth Mine – Shootout, Gang Shootout

Pike’s Basin – Shootout, Gang Shootout

Rio Bravo – Shootout, Gang Shootout

Perdido – Hold Your Own, Grab the Bag

Benedict Point – Hold Your Own, Grab the Bag

Beecher’s Hope – Stronghold

Torquemada – Stronghold

Armadillo – Stronghold

Chuparosa – Stronghold

Tumbleweed – Stronghold

New Multiplayer Characters

Landon Ricketts

Vicente DeSanta

Drew MacFarlane

Deputy Eli

Deputy Jonah

Javier Esquella

Nastas

Uncle

You can look for the Myths & Mavericks pack on Xbox Live starting September 14th.

The Digest:

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: June 29th, 2011
PUBLISHER: ZEN Studios
DEVELOPER: Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Sports & Recreation
PRICE: 240 MS Points ($3)

New Additions:

Captain America swoops in to save the day and continue his fight against Baron Zemo and the Red Skull while also creating a nice setting for the pinball table. The WWII-based theme is obvious from the very start thanks to the small but effective changes in music, sound effects, and color scheme. Like always, ZEN Studios has paid more than enough attention to the small minute details which include spreading war medals throughout the pinball table.

Captain America won’t be alone on his fight against evil- he’ll be routinely joined by the Howling Commandos as they make their appearances on the pinball table and in voice-overs with each member of the team having their own unique lines. From neutralizing the threat from Zemo’s Death Ray and the Red Skull’s Cosmic Cube, there is more than enough action to provide for hours of pinball enjoyment.

In addition to a wide array of characters and unique pinball-missions, the Captain America table offers 3 additional achievements totaling 50 Gamer Score along with the usual ability to play a local split-screen match.

Conclusion:

Maintaining their strong relationship with the community by continuing to release high-quality thematic tables, ZEN Studios has provided another great option for those looking to purchase new tables. Captain America certainly doesn’t fail to deliver and provides those who download this table with a fun single- and multi-player experience.

Special thanks to Microsoft Game Studios for providing us with a copy of the game for review.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: May 18th, 2011
PUBLISHER: ZEN Studios
DEVELOPER: Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Sports & Recreation
PRICE: 240 MS Points ($3)

New Additions:

A very blue looking table greets you once the loading screen finishes, and like always the attention to detail doesn’t disappoint. All four members of the Fantastic Four are alive and kicking on the tabletop, and they aren’t just there for decoration. Each of them has a unique ability and can influence the pinball in some way. For example, The Thing is able to smash the pinball and the table while Invisible Woman can set up force fields to stop a pinball from going out of play. These abilities are a nice touch and can prove invaluable during a game to help squeeze those extra points out.

Each character has their own set of dialogue which brings life to the tabletop, and they’ll make their respective comments upon racking up bonuses or letting the ball fall out of play. ZEN Studios claims there are twice as many lines of dialogue as any previous Marvel table, which could explain why each character has so much to say.

As any superhero would, the team’s goal is to save the world. This time, it’s an evil and dastardly Dr. Doom and Galactus who face the quartet and pinball bonuses offer a wide array of missions to stop them. As always, these missions are very detailed in animation, design, and graphics so once you get the pinball in the right place to start them you’re in for a treat.

Conclusion:

Once again, ZEN Studios masterfully brings the world of the Fantastic Four to life with brilliant attention to detail. Containing more, high quality and immersive dialogue and having the characters all interact with the pinball and table itself, playing the Fantastic Four table will provide a wonderful and enjoyable experience each time you load Pinball FX 2.

For the low, low cost of 240 MS Points ($3) you can snag yourself the Fantastic Four table, along with 3 additional achievements which total 50 G.

Special thanks to Microsoft Game Studios for providing us with a copy of the game for review.

Get ready of head out to the wastelands of New Vegas once again, as Bethesda has just announced all the DLC that’s set to be released throughout the rest of 2011. Sadly, there aren’t any screenshots or trailers, but feel free to read the official descriptions for the content packs!

Available on May 17, Honest Hearts takes you on an expedition to the unspoiled wilderness of Utah’s Zion National Park. Things go horribly wrong when your caravan is ambushed by a tribal raiding band. As you try to find a way back to the Mojave, you become embroiled in a war between tribes and a conflict between a New Canaanite missionary and the mysterious Burned Man. The decisions you make will determine the fate of Zion.

In Old World Blues, releasing in June, you will discover how some of the Mojave’s mutated monsters came to be when you unwittingly become a lab rat in a science experiment gone awry. You’ll need to scour the Pre-War research centers of the Big Empty in search of technology to turn the tables on your kidnappers or join forces with them against an even greater threat.

Lonesome Road, available in July, brings the courier’s story full circle when you are contacted by the original Courier Six, a man by the name of Ulysses who refused to deliver the Platinum Chip at the start of New Vegas. In his transmission, Ulysses promises the answer as to why, but only if you take one last job –a job that leads you into the depths of the hurricane-swept canyons of the Divide, a landscape torn apart by earthquakes and violent storms. The road to the Divide is a long and treacherous one, and of the few to ever walk the road, none have ever returned.

As it says, Honest Hearts is get to release on May 17th! Get your Microsoft Points ready!

Do you happen to remember that fry cook from the Black Ops TV spot back in November? He’s back, serving up a new trailer for the Escalation Map Pack, set to hit Xbox 360 first May 3.

The Escalation Map Pack contains the multiplayer maps Zoo, Hotel, Convoy and Stockpile, along with one amazing looking zombie map, Call of the Dead, and will cost 1200 Microsoft Points.

The Digest:

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: April 20th, 2011
PUBLISHER: ZEN Studios
DEVELOPER: Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Sports & Recreation
PRICE: 240 MS Points ($3)

New Additions:

As always, ZEN Studios has created another amazing looking table with its own special and unique theme. Taking place on Mars, the mini-games of this table revolve around establishing a colony on the moon, among other things. Once you’re finished gathering samples (pinballs) for the Space Shuttle, launching satellites, and even re-establishing gravity you can sit back and enjoy pinball itself, which takes place on a detailed table. The rails look futuristic and the lights match those that would be found on a space ship.

The environment around the actual playing field has also been worked on, with a moving asteroid field in the background and the interior of what appears to be a space ship. All around the table is graphically pleasing, and the audiovisual goodies that come with the new theme blend in smoothly.

The Mars table can be played in both local and online multiplayer and also comes with three new achievements, totaling to an additional 50 G.

Conclusion:

The Mars table for Pinball FX 2 launches the pinball experience into the deepest corners of space, or at least to Mars. The new environments, props, and mini-games make this table definitely worth the miniscule price tag of 240 Microsoft Points ($3).

If you’ve been holding out on purchasing any tables and are waiting for the pinball table, your wait is finally over. For those who are considering on getting a new table and have some leftover Microsoft Points, it is definitely worth the price tag. As always, there is a trial version available to download before actually purchasing.

Special thanks to Zen Studios for providing us with a copy of this content for review.

The second map pack for the hit game Call of Duty: Black Ops has been announced. It will feature 5 new maps, including four multiplayer maps and a brand new zombie map. “Battle it out in Hotel, on the roof of a Cuban luxury hotel and casino against the vivid backdrop of old Havana; Convoy delivers intense, close-quarters combat at the scene of an ambushed US military convoy; Zoo takes you on a wild ride in an abandoned Soviet Russian Zoo, with danger at every turn; Stockpile pits players in a remote Russian farm town housing secret WMD facilities.”

The new zombie map promises all new never before seen characters and will feature a “unique experience.” Look for Escalation to hit Xbox Live on May 3rd.

Source: Major Nelson

The Digest: The Arrival DLC is the last piece of DLC for Mass Effect 2 that we’ll see. Bridging the gap between Mass Effect 2 and the final game in the trilogy, Arrival gives you one final ride in space. The final DLC mission is not as good as some of the other DLC packs; it’s all over in about 2 hours, and doesn’t offer anything new, but it’s an add-on that almost any Mass Effect fan should appreciate.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2011
PUBLISHER: EA
DEVELOPER: Bioware
ESRB Rating: “M” for Mature
GENRE: RPG

Product Overview: : In Arrival, Sheppard is tasked with the mission to head to Batarian space and rescue an Alliance operative Dr. Amanda Kenson who is held captive by Batarians. Days after reporting conclusive evidence of an imminent Reaper invasion, Shepard must travel to the edge of the galaxy, rescue the Alliance agent, and discover the truth behind the Arrival.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

• 3 new achievements
• About 2 hours of gameplay

Mass Effect 2 has been great with its support for DLC post release. There was of course the Cerberus Network included with all new copies of the game, but later we saw DLC for: Kasumi – Stolen Memory, Overlord, and then finally the much praised and best DLC out of the bunch in The Shadow Broker. Arrival unfortunately doesn’t do nearly as much as some of the DLC released before it, and I enjoyed most of every set of DLC more than I did “Arrival”. There isn’t anything new here. No new weapons or vehicles to use, you’re stripped of any squad that you can use, and it’s all over in about 1-2 hours which may be extended a little longer with the added 3 achievements – two of which can be missed on your 1st playthrough.

Your mission in Arrival is to infiltrate an underground prison base where an Alliance operative Dr. Amanda Kenson is being held captive. This underground prison located on the planet Aratoht is a colony which boasts several batarian military installations. This colony is a little too close to the confines of human space which perhaps is what leads the Alligiance to this mission. It starts off with Admiral Hackett disclosing the mission to you in your private quarters. He insists that the mission must be Shepard and only him. He tells Shepard that this operative who was on a secret mission in Batarian space had discovered evidence of “an imminent Reaper invasion”.

The artifiact that was found by this operative reveals that the Reapers are days away from invading the planet, and so reveals a countdown which was recently teased to us by Bioware with a screenshot days before this DLC arrived.

This stealth mission is nothing new for this Alliance Spectre armed and ready with a cloaked Normandy SR-2 that was designed for these stealth missions. Though this is meant as a stealth mission, you can go in full guns blazing if you desire. The 1st half of the mission you don’t have to fight anyone if you choose the stealthy approach, but after that the action picks up and you’ll have to fight if you like it or not.

One of the 3 achievements “Covert Action” promotes a stealth approach, although it does pinpoint how bad some of the A.I is. This achievement requires you to get into the batarian base without alerting any of the guards. The only problem with this; you can look directly at some of the guards walking by, you can even go through a door and the A.I amazingly doesn’t hear the loud titanium door opening and closing that would wake me up in my sleep.

Arrival is all about long range combat. Your soldier and infiltrator class will get through without any issues. I don’t suspect any of the classes will have much difficulty; Although if you’re not a soldier or infiltrator class you wont have access to a sniper. I was a Infiltrator and I had no problems relying on my trusty sniper, and rotating with my Incinerate ability as well as using the Assassination ability which proved useful in certain situations.

Without spoiling any of the story, some choices are made that will have an impact on how Mass Effect 3 gets started. You get an idea of this as it’s brought to your attention via a conversation you have with Admiral Hackett once you’ve completed your mission. There was a little twist in the story, although I wasn’t too shocked to see it happen.

Although Arrival doesn’t add anything new,  I guess some fans (I know, I did) expected much more to close out Mass Effect 2. It’s still worth the price of admission for most fans I think. Some of the environments seem recycled and there isn’t any new weapons and enemies, but if what you want is more Mass Effect, then I think you’ll find something to like in here.

Conclusion: Arrival is 560 points. Although it’s a disappointing end to the DLC that could have been better, I do believe it was worth the price of admission. You do get 3 new achievements and one of them did offer a decent challenge. There also is a significant event; one that will likely clue you in on how Mass Effect 3 will start. In terms of value it has about as much content and value as probably something like the Overlord DLC, but not quite as good as the others.

The countdown could hint at the release, or perhaps the next news update. The timer reads: 2 days 3 hours 25 minutes 26 seconds. There also seems to be possibly a logo that is partially cut off on that elevator.

This will be the final DLC released for Mass Effect 2. The DLC released so far for Mass Effect 2 was a way of bridging the story of Mass Effect 2 towards the final game in the trilogy that releases later this year. Taking a guess here that Arrival gets a little closer to the plot of Mass Effect 3 where Earth is attacked, and it’s the Arrival of that reality for our planet Earth.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2011
PUBLISHER: Microsoft Game Studios
DEVELOPER: Certain Affinity/343 Industries
ESRB RATING: “M” for Mature
GENRE: Shooter

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PRODUCT OVERVIEW: The Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack introduces three stunning new battlefields for the most critically acclaimed shooter of 2010, and includes all-new Achievements worth a total of 150 Gamerscore. With maps set on a giant orbital station high above the burning surface of the planet, hidden inside the forest of a military wilderness training facility, and dug into the remnants of a civilian mining site, the Defiant Map Pack brings awesome new environments for Firefight matches and all competitive multiplayer modes.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

• Two new competitive multiplayer maps
• A new Firefight map
• Three new Achievements

Each Halo player has a multiplayer map which they’ll always remember. Whether it’s the classic Blood Gulch, the most publicized Halo 2 map known as Zanzibar, or Valhalla, the very first map to make usage of mancannons. In Reach, most of the “memorable” maps consist of Forge World maps that all look the same, like Hemorrhage, The Cage or Paradiso. Maps designed for Invasion (Spire and Boneyard) aren’t the best for just about any other gametype. The Defiant Map Pack perfectly fills in the gap in Reach with Condemned and Highlands, with Unearthed trailing along as a much needed addition to Firefight.

Condemned

The smallest of the Defiant maps, Condemned takes place up above Orbital Station Gamma, orbiting Reach in it’s final moments. Condemned brings with it a strong Halo 2 vibe, with feelings of the classic map Elongation present throughout.

Now, just because it’s the smallest of the Defiant maps, doesn’t mean it’s that small. Condemned is one of, if not the largest close quarters maps in Reach. Navigating the hallways of Condemned may be pretty confusing for first time players, since, to be honest, they all look similar. While each of the four sections of the map are color coded, it still took me a few plays to start knowing where I was exactly.

The low gravity area in the middle of the map is a much better location for low gravity combat than the outside of Anchor 9. Anyone who’s played Anchor 9 knows how frustrating it can be when you barely miss a jump and gently fall off of the edge, knowing you just made a huge mistake and not being able to stop your demise. Condemned’s low gravity area is indoors, completely eliminating that aspect out, which is definitely for the better.

Highlands

Comparable to maps such as Blood Gulch and Waterworks, Highlands is a huge map set in a abandoned Spartan training facility. Those who have read The Fall of Reach will be happy to find out that the facility in Highlands was actually described in the novel (Condemned was, too!).

Unlike the map Tempest, whose visuals remind you of Halo: Combat Evolved, Highlands feels as if the layout of the map was strongly inspired from Halo: Combat Evolved, as well. The massive canyon is friendly to both vehicles and people on-foot, something that Hemorrhage and Paradiso have a few issues with. The map itself has dedicated red and blue bases, which was also something that I personally miss dearly in Reach’s map selection. And no, Forge maps with red and blue lights don’t count. I’m talking about real maps that look like they were designed strictly for multiplayer, and not maps that were thrown into campaign, such as Powerhouse and Sword Base.

Because of the buildings and cave tunnels around the edges of the map, Highlands actually has cover for a team who’s being bombarded by a Banshee, unlike, well… almost every single other map in Reach. A welcome addition, if I do say so myself.

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Unearthed

The very first downloadable Firefight map, Unearthed immediately solves an issue the rest of the Firefight maps have: not having any space for true vehicle usage. As an avid Firefight player, any new addition to Firefight is already a huge plus, but being a vehicle friendly Firefight map is even better when playing with friends who want to truly cooperate with each other rather than two Spartans standing in different locations and shooting wildly.

Unearthed takes place in an abandoned Titanium mine right in the civilian sector of Reach, just before the initial Covenant invasion. The Spartans start with a Rocket Hog, which is actually much more useful than the Rocket Hog on Beachhead. It’s just about the same size as Beachhead, there’s plenty of dirt roads for your Warthog (or Ghost, or Wraith) to circle around, surrounding the facility, as well.

As for the Achievements, they’re pretty, um… uninspired. Is taking two flags from the enemy base to your own base in Stockpile really worth 75 Gamescore? There’s also an Achievement for returning a flag in Capture the Flag, which is done in almost every single CTF match, and another Achievement to kill three people with the Oddball in a match. The latter one, admittedly, may take some cooperation with a friend to know where the opposition is coming from, but it’s not really exciting to do. Getting a Double Kill from the grave from the last map pack? That was fun. These Achievements aren’t.

Conclusion: When I heard that Bungie wouldn’t be making the Defiant Map Pack, I felt a bit worried. Were Certain Affinity and 343 Industries really able to keep up the impeccable quality and polish that Bungie is known for? Turns out, they have. The Defiant maps rank up among the best maps in the Halo franchise to date. You’ll be reminiscing about your time you got a Spartan Laser Killtacular on Highlands years from now.

Halo is definitely in good hands. 343 Industries just proved it.

Special thanks to Microsoft Game Studios for providing us with the content for review.

Second Opinion

By: Christian Davis

Halo: Reach’s second map pack, the Defiant Map Pack, is going to be released very shortly. Lucky for us, we’ve got our hands on them early and had a nice run through of the two multiplayer maps, Condemned and Highlands, and the new Firefight map, Unearthed. With the new maps, Halo’s matchmaking will now have 18 maps and Firefight will have 9 maps. There is no reason to be bored while playing Halo: Reach.

The two multiplayer maps are completely different from one another. One is more of a close quarters area with winding corridors, while the other is more open and is peppered with lush foliage. Both are very fun to play on and gamers will love them.

Condemned takes place on an orbital space station that hovers above planet Reach. As soon as you load into the map, the high-tech locale lets you know that you’re under attack from the Covenant. In the background, ominous explosions from the constant space battles that happen outside of the playfield. It’s really easy to get distracted and watch Banshees and Space Ships engage in intense firefights.

That’s one thing both Condemned and Highlands have in common, the backdrops are exciting and are more than your typical mountain top view. Particularly on Condemned, you get a view of Reach and you can tell that the planet is already lost. Half of the surface is covered in fire and is an eye popping sight. The interior of Condemned is riddled with explosions, broken technology, and Covenant blood.

There are several areas of the map that will contain a lot of the combat. Generator rooms, repair bays and especially the maps “Center Core” which is a low gravity room with a rocket launcher in the center. The map is primarily close quarters but also has some long range elements such as hallways and elongated corridors that snipers will spend a lot of time around. Condemned is a great action packed map and will be a favorite to a lot of gamers.

The next map Highlands is located in a top secret military base on planet Reach. It’s calmer and more peaceful then Condemned, but Covenant ships are closing in on the map. The background activity again is something to be admired. Watching the ships grow closer to the preserve you’re fighting on while they obliterate everything in their path.

Highlands has a main red and blue base that’s indicated by the colored flags. Both bases are symmetrical but what’s to either side of each base is the difference. To the left of the blue base, you’ll run into a smaller, elevated, multileveled bunker that provides a great over look at the center of the map. There’s a gorgeous industrialized waterfall, flowing river and a passage that leads under the waterfall.

Take the path straight ahead of the blue base you’re provided with a couple different options. There’s a green lit tunnel that takes you above near the waterfall and the passage underneath the waterfall that you can see from the elevated bunker. They both lead to the same communications bunker but it provides some welcomed alternative paths. You could also run straight through the center of the map, which doesn’t seem like the brightest idea, but there is enough cover to shield yourself from sniper fire.

The bunker then leads to a cave which is directly connected to the red base. Highlands is the larger of the two maps and definitely will contain the most people. It’s got nice elevation, several places to take cover behind, and will also provide some nice pathways for a quick getaway on a mongoose. If you’re a fan of Big Team Battle, then you’ll love Highlands.

The final piece of the Defiant Map pack is the latest edition to Firefight, Unearthed.  Players will have to fend off wave after wave of Covenant in this abandoned titanium mine.  Unearthed is a combination of  open desert and close quarter combat. If you stay within the confines of the mine, you can hold off forces fairly simply. Run out into the desert and you’re open to all sorts of pain.

To aide in the Covenant onslaught, you’re also provided a rocket mounted Warthog that you can drive through the map in a racetrack fashion. The Warthog can definitely help get you out of some tight spots through sheer power. The best part about this level, is how bright the level is. A majority of the Firefight maps are darker and take place in doors. This map takes place primarily outside and it’s a bright sunny day. A welcome change to the selection of levels and my personal favorite.

The Defiant Map pack will cost you 800 Microsoft Points and will be available March 15th.