On March 9 (just 2 days away), retailers will have a new Xbox 360 Elite Bundle available. Packaged with the sleek black 360 is a copy of Forza Motorsport 3(X360D Rating: 10/10) and Halo 3:ODST(X360D Rating: 9/10). A 120 GB HDD ($130 value) is also included, making this is a great deal for those of you out there looking to finally get a 360. Priced at $299.99, this is certainly better than any other bundle that has been released in the past.
Eric Rudder of Microsoft gave the opening keynote at Tech Ed Middle East in Dubai and demoed an Indian Jones game on both his Windows Phone 7 Series device and an Xbox 360. Surprisingly the game was developed in Visual Studio as a single project but runs on a PC with a keyboard, a Windows Phone 7 Series with an accelerometer/touch screen and an Xbox 360 with a controller. As an added bonus, when you finish playing on 1 outlet, the game saves online and lets you finish the level on another platform like your Xbox. Does this mean achievements will be available on your phone too? Only time will tell. Check out the video below for the complete demo.
The 2K Games blockbuster sequel to Bioshock has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and now will have new DLC. The Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack consists of only multiplayer aspects and will release on March 11. The DLC is set to include:
A rank increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards
New playable characters – Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca
20 new trials
Athird weapon upgrade for each weapon
Five additional masks
*Some of the items are only available after level 41. See the entire press release after the break and once you’re done reading that why don’t you read our review?
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.)
In the latest issue of GameInformer, the cover story was devoted to the upcoming Portal 2. Portal 2 is set to release this holiday season as a full retail game which means it will be retailing for $60. In order to fit the $60 price tag, a two player co-op was announced alongside the campaign which is set to include new characters and, “brand new areas of Aperture Science Labs.” Notably, by looking into the orange portal on the cover, a glimpse into the outside world is seen. This article falls just days after Valve updated the ending sequence and inserted the radio update for Steam users. The updates are just on Steam but Portal 2 is coming to the Xbox 360. View the updated ending after the break.
You should be fine with those 100 songs for a good month or tw-
What’s that? You want more? You’re in luck! Along with a new, constantly updating stream of Rock Band Network DLC, Rock Band Music Store DLC will still be updated on a weekly basis, while Guitar Hero still gets it’s (now rather flimsy looking) 3 songs per week. So… what’s comin’ next week?
The crew over at The Tech Game supposedly got their hands on leaked screenshots of the upcoming Stimulus Package DLC set to be released by Infinity Ward. You can see some old favorites from COD4 will be making a return along with some new locales. This seems to affirm the story we broke in January about possible new maps.
Here is an exclusive sneak peek at the brand new modern warfare 2 ’stimulus package’(DLC)slated for release around spring this year. Make sure you watch until the end of the video for somthing special.Keep an eye on thetechgame.com for more gameplay videos from the new maps . The video and images are all recorded on an xbox360 console. This is footage of the actual dlc.
UPDATE:All the videos we found and posted have been removed (per Copyright claims by Activision).
TECMO KOEI AMERICA recently announced the release of Tecmo Bowl ThrowBack coming to Xbox Live Arcade in Spring 2010. And I say it is about time. Anyone who had a NES or an SNES can remember the hours wasted playing your friends or families and the trash talk of who was the best Tecmo Bowl player of all time. I know I have a few personal scores to settle with my brothers. Here is the overview from Tecmo:
TECMO BOWL THROWBACK brings back the gameplay you loved, and stays true to the Tecmo Super Bowl legacy! Challenge friends in online multiplayer mode in either the classic 2D style or in the new, modern 3D graphics. Local and online multiplayer mode is up to two players.
Some of the features included in the new Tecmo Bowl Throwback:
Online Multiplayer
2D and 3D Graphics
Customizable Teams and Rosters
Online Leaderboards
Classic Game Modes
So save up your MS Points and get ready to click and clack your way to victory when Tecmo Bowl Throwback hits Xbox Live Arcade this Spring.
According to IGN, Atomic Games has confirmed the highly-controversial Six Days in Fallujah is complete and soon-to-be-published. Of course they have not released the name of the purported publisher, nor a release date, so we’re still filing this story under “rumors” for now.
Six Days was under Konami’s purveyance until last fall when the controversy over the Iraq War simulator proved too much for the publisher. Since then, Atomic has has been seeking a new publisher. Outside the Iraq War controversy, Six Days is also notable for having built it’s own game engine, rather than use the popular Unreal 3 or CoD4 underpinning.
It’ll to be a while before EA drops a new FIFA game, and Ubisoft is banking on enough interest in soccer…er, “football”… to sneak a lead title of their own in. Ummm… okay, Ubi, let us know how that works out for you. Pure Futbol releases May 31. .
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: 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 fans of the series playing while bringing 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
GENRE: Action
PRICE: $59.99
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