ModNation Racers Beta First Review

I have been playing the ModNation Racers Beta for a couple of days now and here is what I have to say thus far about the game.

The game itself has ENORMOUS potential and a ridiculously high replay value.  The game can best be described as Little Big Planet and Mario Karts love child.  The kart racing is very fun, drift around corners, jump huge gaps in the track, attack other racers with action items such as tracking missles and time warps, increase your boost and race your way to first place.  The game drops you directly into the ModSpot which is your "home-base" where you can meet up with friends, make new ones or view, rate and download the top rated Mods, Karts and Tracks.  From there, you can also enter the Create Station where you can customize your Mod, your Kart, Shop for DLC, access the Share Station and build your own tracks.  You can also access the Race Station where you can play online, quick play (instant racing action), split-screen race, play career mode, play Hot Lap (time-trial) and play the other custom maps created by the community and test drive upcoming content.

The customization of your Mod (your racer) is very detailed, there are literally millions of combinations and you can get very detailed on your characters look.  I would have to say it is one of the better games for customizing your character than I have seen in a very long time.  Not only can you choose your clothes and accessories, you can change the color of anything to any color on the color wheel in any shade.  You can add stickers to your clothes and recolor stickers as well.  Customizing your kart is also similar, millions of combinations from import tuners to monster trucks to cardboard karts.  Choose your engines, body, driver seat (you can even choose to sit on a thrown and by thrown I mean toilet seat), suspension, spoiler, etc.

Building your own racetrack is super easy and very detailed.  You can get as deep into it as you'd like by building everything from scratch and putting in every single element yourself or you can simple lay your track and then use the systems auto-populate feature which automatically puts all the scenery, boost pads, sharp turn signals, rails, action items, etc. into your track for you.  You literally can create your own racetrack in less than 5 minutes or you can spend hours on one track making it mod-tastic! 

The beta includes three maps from the full game; Farm Frenzy, Market Run and Sandstorm (see below, in order from left to right).  The beta includes full access to the Create Station including building and sharing your own tracks and a couple of race options including playing online with up to 12 players or compete in time trials in the Hot Lap.  My only complaint thus far is the game has frozen on occasion, getting online has been difficult and loading screens are frequent and long... hopefully all to be solved before the full game releases in Spring 2010.

ModNation Racers Beta Starts Today

If you were one of the lucky few who managed to score a beta code for ModNation Racers (I happen to be one of them, woohoo), you likely received an email yesterday or today with your beta voucher code valid for redemption today Dec 18 2009.  The beta is only available to North American residents and ends on Jan 10 2010 so take advantage while you can.  You also should have recieved a limited ModNation Racers Theme code for your PS3. 

ModNation Racers is a mix between Little Big Planet and Mario Kart, with cart racer characters that resemble Sackboy and utilize the "Create, Play, Share" concept while racing around crazy, inventive tracks.  You can race or build your own racetracks and customize everything from your character to your kart.

No DLC for Halo 3: ODST?

Bungie's Curtis Creamer took some time out during the VGA's and answered the questions on many gamers minds, Was there a decision made to have no DLC for Halo 3: ODST? Here is what he had to say, "Well, that was something that we didn't really think we could do for ODST because traditionally all of our DLC has been about competitive multiplayer. That's something that we had the systems in place for. But, since Firefight is more based on the co-operative campaign mode, that was a technology that we hadn't built up to a point where we could add DLC to the game. It would have been too much of an investment to make that happen." It's a shame because Firefight was really fun, but after playing the maps a couple times at a few hours each session, you really want a change of scenery and it doesn't look like that will ever happen.

Would you like to blow it up with me?

Ruffian Games, the developers of Crackdown 2 have decided to not only let you toss cards, scale buildings, incinerate pedestrians and blow up everything in site, they are also including mutants for you to blow up as well.  Watch the trailer.



Video courtesy of That Video Game Blog.

It's Official, Mark your Calendar for Dec 22 2009

Tuesday, Dec 22 2009 is the official release date of the Pirates of the Caribbean Premium Level Kit and the addition of water to Little Big Planet. In this DLC, you receive the ability to add water to your levels, 5 Pirates of the Caribbean-themed levels to play, a cannibal costume, 4 new music tracks, a new level background, 8 new materials, 14 decorations, 27 objects, 133 stickers, 11 new trophies and a partridge in a pear tree (okay, you get everything but the partridge). 

The Pirates DLC is $5.99 USD and will be available from the PlayStation Store.  You can also purchase the Pirates Costume Pack for $5.99 USD which includes Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, Davy Jones, Barbossa, Will Turner and Tia Dalma.  Each costume is available individually for $1.99 USD.

Pink and Blue Nintendo Wii Remotes Ships Feb 14 2010

If you are tired of your same old white Wii remote, there is good news.  Pink and Blue Wii remotes are coming on Feb 14 2010.  The bad news is they are bundled with the Motion Plus accessory so expect to pay for the new colors.

VGA Premiere of Halo: Reach

Bungie kept their word and during the VGA's premiered their new trailer for Halo: Reach.  Not much shown here other than introducing characters, including a female spartan and the crew getting ready for a fight.

Video Courtesy of That Video Game Blog

New Features of BioShock 2

For those of you wondering how the BioShock 2 development team is moving along without most the original team, here is what they have been up to. BioShock 2 is going to include a playable Big Daddy that is taken through the Journey to the Surface, a section of the Ryan Amusements Theme Park that is used to show children born in Rapture what it is like on the surface. While in this section of the game, the player also has the option to adopt Little Sisters who can be used to harvest ADAM. Like they say, "With risk comes reward" because doing this will put you at the risk of attracting enemies.

Other cool features include dual wielding guns and plasmids, new less time consuming hacking systems and advanced AI systems that utilize cover. BioShock 2 releases Feb 10 2010.

Topatoi: The Pillar of Skies Coming Early 2010

Sony has announced that the second episode of the Topatoi saga, Topatoi: The Pillar of Skies is expected to release in early 2010, probably January or February, but no official date has yet been released. The Pillar of Skies is going to be longer and a bit darker in tone than the original The Great Tree Story. It will also include new enemies, a new environment with light as one of the main gameplay elements and a new extended arcade mode which includes 10 bonus levels that can be played co-op or solo. Watch the trailer below.

On a side note, Sony has listened to our plees for a playable demo of Topatoi: The Great Tree Story and it is now available in the PlayStation Store. Why there wasn't a demo originally baffles me considering their competitor, XBOX, has trial games of ALL their Arcade games. In any event, I played the demo last night and it was quite fun and inventive. A solid platformer with simple mechanics, hidden treasures (stars) and fun, colorful levels.

Water and Pirates of the Caribbean DLC

Sony has just told CVG that the Little Big Planet DLC that will bring water into the game and the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed pack will arrive shortly. Sony told CVG, "We're expecting it to launch just before Xmas."

The ever anticipated water feature (click here for trailer) seems to pair perfectly with the Pirates DLC so it makes sense they are coming out together. The Pirates of the Caribbean DLC includes new levels, new costumes for your Sackboy and new trophies to be earned. You can swin into the action as early as next week according to rumors but definately before Christmas.

Borderlands Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot Official

The second downloadable content for Borderlands, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot has just been announced. The new DLC will include "three new Riot Mode arenas where players will endure an onslaught of Pandora's baddest enemies. Working together, players will fend off the masses as they fight for fame, honor, and more importantly, loot. Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot also adds a new featre, which allows players extra storage capacity... and the ability to acquire two additional skill points as quest rewards." Sounds like it will be something similar to ODST Firefight and Gears of War Horde mode with additional quests.

The DLC will be hitting the XBOX360 on Dec 29 2009, PS3 on Jan 07 2010 and PC a few weeks later.

ModNation Racers Beta Hits PS3 December 18th

Sony and United Front Games have announced that the ModNation Racers beta will hit the PS3 on December 18th, 2009. The trick now is getting your hands on one of the codes to gain access to the beta. You can follow the PlayStation blog where codes will be given away or get one by purchasing the Little Big Planet: Game of the Year Edition. I have also recently found if you register here before Dec 13 2009 you can be one of the randomly selected winners of a code. ModNation Racers is a mix between Little Big Planet and Mario Kart, it is an extremely customizable kart-racing game with drivers that closely resemble Sackboy from Little Big Planet. The karts and drivers can be customized using hundreds of pieces of clothing, stickers, decals and a wide selection of facial features and hair for your driver. Then you can race arounds tons of exciting tracks and custom community tracks since the title is expected to feature an extensive track editor, similar to Little Big Planets Create Mode. Watch the games customizable features and racing gameplay here.

The beta starts Dec 18 2009 and ends Jan 10 2010, this is a PlayStation 3 exclusive title expected to hit retailers Feb 02 2010.

Not really Achievements?

1 vs. 100 is a free game show style trivia arcade game where you play as your avatar. Most days you can play extended play during specific times of day to earn sweepstakes entries and a chance to be a part of the mob or The One and there are also live shows (a couple times a week) with an actual host where you can win prizes such as Microsoft Points or XBOX Live Arcade games.

Since the game is officially out of its beta testing and starting it's new season, it now has 12 achievements. I was looking through the achievements list and found one that really caught my attention, Low Rider. To achieve Low Rider you must answer instantly and incorrectly three times in a row. Now, since this is the opposite of the point of the game (you want to answer as many questions correctly as possible) why is this an achievement? It seems it is a lack of an achievement because let's face it, if you get this achievement you suck at this game - on a side note I did go throught the minimal button smashing effort to get this because I am a sucker for gamer score and this was too easy not to. It seems more and more achievements aren't really much of an achievement. What games have you played and found achievements that you thought were ridiculous?

LittleBigLand Crown Competition #2

The LittleBigLand Crown competition is back! For those of you that don't know what this competition is, you create your own Little Big Planet level based on the required theme (this time it is A Little Big Land Fairytale) and submit it for the community to vote on. If you get into the finals you have a chance to win a one of a kind gold crown costume for your Sackboy and other great prizes. I myself placed 6th last year with Sacky's Adventure, hopefully this year I can do better. The competition opens on December 8th, 2009 and judging begins January 12th, 2010.

How to enter? Visit the link below and select your fairytale, create a new level and name it LBL:fairytale-yourlevelname and publish it. Make a post on the LBL thread with your PSN-ID and the fairytale you have chosen.

For complete rules and prizes visit LittleBigLand.com for the official details.

Halo: Reach, Reaching?

The hugely announced upcoming game Halo: Reach (set to release in 2010) will be showing a never before seen trailer this Saturday during the VGA's. This trailer is not the pre-rendered trailer we have all already seen but actual in-game footage but not live action. Let's hear what Major Nelson had to say about it in his latest podcast, "It's all going to be in-game stuff. This is not CG, this is not live action, like all the kids on Twitter are speculating. You'll get a first glimpse of the world of Reach, which is phenomenal. I think it's going to be the biggest game of next year by far. Folks loved ODST and thought it was great, but when people see the huge leap forward Bungie is taking with Reach... Everyone that I've talked to that's been on the team and seen it is incredibly excited about that game."

So is Halo: Reach really going to be as great as it sounds and the Best Game of 2010? It is going to be up against games such as BioShock 2, Mass Effect 2, Super Mario Galaxy and Fable III, just to name a few titles expected to release in 2010. What do you think?

Assassin's Creed II Costume

In the PlayStation Store you can now download your very own Assassin's Creed II costume for Little Big Planet. The costume will allow you to dress up like "Ezio".

Also, the new "Online Create" mode is now available for Little Big Planet so you and your sackboy friends can build levels together online.

Free Santa Costume for LBP

Media Molecule will be re-releasing the Christmas DLC again this year. For those of you that didn't pick it up last year, this includes the free Santa costume. You can also purchase the Festive Goodies Level kit for $2.99 USD in the PlayStation Store. This kit includes;

• Sackboy Gift Costume
• Christmas Tree Head Costume
• Material: Wrapping Paper
• Object: Sleigh
• Decorations: Festive Bauble, Bell, Gift Wrap Bow, Candy Cane, Card and Stocking
• Stickers: Red Nose Reindeer, Elves and Turkey
• Lights: Holiday Themed Light

Borderlands Zombieland DLC

Borderlands has released it's first DLC (hopefully of many), Zombieland. The DLC titled "The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned" is available for download for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft points. In the release, players will have to work with Dr. Ned (no relation to Dr. Zed from Fyrestone) to cure the inhabitants of Jakobs Cove. The release includes new enemies, new quests and rare loot.

Star T-Shirt for LBP

Media Molecule has released a limited time only, never to be released again costume to celebrate the launch of Little Big Planet PSP. The costume, a gold star t-shirt, is now available on the PlayStation Store for $4.99 USD. The costume will be available for one week only and then never return so get yours before its gone.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Gameplay

New Super Mario Bros. Wii comes out next week, watch the E3 gameplay video below and get ready to suit up your favorite plumbers. The New Super Mario Bros. Wii also features something Mario titles never have before, multiplayer for up to four players. The video also includes footage for Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid.

LIttle Big Planet Turns 1

Little Big Planet will be turning 1 and in honor of their 1st birthday, Media Molecule is releasing a free birthday cake costume that will be available in the PlayStation Store on Thursday, November 5th. You will have to get it soon though because this costume is a one week limited edition.

In addition, Media Molecule is also going to be releasing the Space Suit costume on Thursday for free as well. Once only available to those who bought the game at launch, it will now be available to everyone.

Pumpkinhead Costume for LBP

Today, Media Molecule confirmed that the Pumpkinhead Halloween mask/costume will be available starting this Thursday, October 28th 2009 as a free download from the Playstation Store. They did not confirm how long the item would be available but it is safe to assume it will at least be available through Halloween.

Fight Like a Girl

This weekend is the 4th annual "Fight Like a Girl Tournament ("F.L.A.G." for short)". For those of you that don't know, the tournament is held every October over XBOX Live to raise money for Breast and Cervical Cancer Research. All money raised during the tournament goes towards finding a cure for diseases that affect thousands of women every year. F.L.A.G. is hosted by The Cavegirls and is organized by TheDonWan and Zoom Demon. Festivities include Halo 3 FFA, 2v2 and 4v4.

If you already signed up for the tourney or made a donation, thank you and we will see you today and tomorrow on XBOX Live. If you didn't sign up, registration is now closed but you can still donate here.

Topatoi Now Available on PS3

Topatoi, a puzzler platformer, is now available online in the PlayStation Store for $9.99 USD. In Topatoi, the player controls a small explorer vehicle that works like a spinning top. The spinning top needs to be controlled carefully, as it effects the players movement and behavior. Watch the gameplay video below to see more.

Little Big Planet Music DLC

Media Molecule has just announced the release of the very first Little Big Planet music pack with three new interactive tracks. The music pack will be released on this Thursday, October 8th, 2009 for $2.99 USD, available in the PlayStation Store. To get a sneak preview at the music included in the pack, watch and listen to the video below.

LBP PSP to Release 11.17.2009

Little Big Planet PSP has been announced for a November 17th, 2009 release (a downloadable version will likely be added to the PlayStation Store two days later). Sony has also just released the first full-length trailer for the game, as seen below.

Developer: Media Molecule ESRB: Everyone

New DLC for Nintendo Wii

This week, Nintendo has released a new bunch of downloadable content for the Wii console. New WiiWare titles include Arkanoid Plus! (1-2 player arcade; 600 Wii points) and DRiiFT Mania (1-4 player top-down racing; 800 Wii points). New Virtual Console titles include Altered Beast (1-2 player arcade originally released for the Sega Genesis; 1,000 Wii points) .

Nintendo also announced that this month the Wii will be reduced to $199.99 and if your order it from Amazon.com you can receive a free $25 gift card.

Watchmen DLC for Little Big Planet

This Thursday, October 1st, 2009, Little Big Planet will feature DLC costumes and stickers from the recent movie and acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen, Alan Moore's classic story of fear, nuclear war, moral absolutism and insanity.

No pricing details have been announced but the pack will contain costumes of Nite Owl, Rorschach, Silk Spectre and Ozymandias (costumes can also be purchased individually). Stickers from the graphic novel will also be available. You can watch a short teaser video here on YouTube released by Media Molecule.

Halo 3 ODST Audio File Locations

There are four seperate achievements for Halo 3: ODST for finding the audio logs hidden throughout the New Mombasa streets. (achievements unlock at 1, 3, 15 and 30 audio logs found for 125 points total) To find all of the audio log locations, I found this really helpful interactive map with videos showing each location, click here for the map and videos courtesy of Achievement Hunter.

On another note, there are 29 audio logs in New Mombasa. The 30th audio log is available only after you have collected the other 29. Once you have all 29, if you are in solo campaign you can save and quit and then replay the Data Hive mission to gain access to the final audio log. The marine will unlock a secret room where the final audio log is located.

Tips for Using the Thermometer

Media Molecule has posted a new tips video focusing on the thermometer in Little Big Planet's 'Create' mode. Those of you, who probably just like me, have had the thermometer overload and put a stop to your creativity will definately want to watch this video.

Vidmaster Challenge: Classic

The easiest mission to unlock the achievement, Vidmaster Challenge: Classic (which is one of the seven Vidmaster Challenges you need to complete for Recon armor) is Uplift Reserve. To complete the challenge, you cannot shoot or throw any grenades. In addition, you cannot get any wheelman assists either.

Start the game on Solo, mission Uplift Reserve on difficulty, Legendary. At the start of the challenge you will need to help marines secure the warthog that is flipped over. Walk right over to it, get it (don't let any Marines on board) and drive to the left. Follow the road and pass the Wraith and Chopper coming out. There will be a meridian before some doors with a unoccupied Ghost, leave the Warthog and get into the Ghost. You can splatter enemies and turrets but do not fire. At this point, it is simply a matter of keeping your Ghost and driving past all enemies to the finish. It shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes from start to finish to complete.

Complete all Vidmaster Challenges, Unlock Recon Armor

Everyone has long awaited the chance to get the exclusive Recon armor and now is your chance. There are two sets of achievements, the Vidmaster Challenges, for Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. To unlock the Recon armor, you must complete all the Vidmaster Challenges and have an account with Bungie.net that links to your gamertag. I have outlined all seven Vidmaster Challenges and what each challenge entails, if you have the skills, you could have Recon by Tuesday morning (unless you don't already have the 7 on 7, then you will have to wait till the 7th of October).

Vidmaster Challenges Halo 3:

• LIGHTSWITCH: Achieve the rank of Lietenant in any matchmaking playlist.
• ANNUAL: Complete the campaign mission 'Halo' on four-player Legendary co-op with the Iron skull activated. Everyone must complete the mission in Ghosts.
• 7 ON 7: A player must enter a ranked or social playlist with 7 exp on the 7th day of any month.
• BRAINPAN: Find all the hidden skulls on the Mythic maps (this includes the mythic maps that come with Halo 3 ODST) - Worth 25 points.

Vidmaster Challenges Halo 3: ODST:

• CLASSIC: Complete any level solo on Legendary, without firing a shot or throwing a grenade - Worth 25 points.
• DEJA VU: Complete 'Coastal Highway' on 4-player Legendary co-op with the Iron skull activated and not using the Warthog or Scorpion - Worth 25 points.
• ENDURE: Play Firefight on any mission and pass the 4th set (the 12th round and 60th wave) on 4-player Heroic co-op live - Worth 25 points.

Little Big Planet PSP Screenshots

Little Big Planet is coming to the PSP (Playstation Portable) and while it may lack some of the features the original PS3 version includes, it hasn't lost any of its fun or charm. I found some screenshots from some of the different levels, to see them click here.

Release Date and Price have yet to be officially announced, but it is rumored to be around mid - late October 2009.

ODST Launch Party

If you live in Seattle Washington you are in luck. Bungie and Microsoft are hosting an ODST launch party on Monday, September 21st, 2009 for the midnight release of Halo 3 : ODST. The party is being held at the EMP (Experience Music Project) in Seattle Washington and the first 200 people will receive a limited edition Halo 3 : ODST t-shirt and Bungie will be there to sign your stuff and hand out free swag. In addition, there will be a Firefight tournament. The launch party starts at 6 PM. For more information, visit Bungie.net

Halo 2 Statistics Removed

I have removed my Halo 2 Statistics from the RedLace.us website in anticipation of the release of Halo 3 : ODST.

Halo 3 : ODST "Terra Incognita"

Only 7 days remaining before the release of Halo 3 : ODST! Today, Bungie released a new ViDoc "Terra Incognita" which gives us an inside look at the creative process behind ODST straight from the staff at Bungie. Watch the video for a brief on the vision, technology and tactics it took to bring the city of New Mombasa to life along with some of the cool new features that change the gameplay from Halo 3 to Halo 3: ODST.

Video Courtesy of Bungie.net

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time is scheduled to release on October 27th, 2009 exclusively for the PS3. Developed by Insomniac Games, it is the sequel to Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and also Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty and is the conclusion to the future trilogy. Watch the GamesCon 2009 game trailer below.

Video Games - E3 2009 - Video Game Trailers

Batman: Arkham Asylum Bane (Hard)

Most the boss battles on Batman: Arkham Asylum are tough on Normal difficulty but on Hard difficulty, things get interesting and your life meter seems to disappear with just a couple hits. Bane is one of the hardest bosses even though he appears in one of the first battles. I found this video which shows some good technique on how to beat Bane on Hard. I recommend avoiding hitting Bane and only using your Batarang on him until he starts swinging in the air, then go in for the hit. Another key is to avoid the henchmen and try to take them out as quickly as possible while avoiding Bane's charges.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Gadgets

Video Courtesy of Games Radar

Shadow Complex Golden Guns

There is a secret unlockable room in Shadow Complex that contains a golden version of all the guns you collect during the completion of campaign. Once you have unlocked this room, anytime you start a new game or continue an old game, this room will be available giving you access to the golden gun of your choice. The beauty of it, this room is located right at the start of the game in area B5.

To unlock the golden gun room, collect all 12 Gold Bars hidden throughout campaign. Once you collect the final gold bar, the room will unlock and show on your map as a gold star.

Shadow Complex Achievements

Shadow Complex is a side-scroller shooter for the XBOX360 Arcade. Below is an overview of how to get some of the more difficult achievements and 1 of the master achievements.

1. Minimalist: Complete the game with less than 13% of the items (10 points): Set the difficulty level to 'Casual' and you cannot collect ANY items other than what the game gives you during cut-scenes. Once you reach 13% of the items, go straight to the final battle.


2. My Head A-splode: Get 50 headshots (20 points): Equip the pistol. Using the right thumbstick, set your laser sight on your targets head, shoot.


3. Status Update: Single: Leave Claire to her fate (MASTER achievement): Anytime after you first enter the Shadow Complex but before you rescue Claire, return to where the Jeep is parked, stand in front of it and press B.

Halo 3 : ODST "Welcome to Firefight"

Bungie released a new ViDoc for the upcoming Halo 3 : ODST. "Welcome to Firefight" has Sergeant Johnson explaining the new features of the four-player firefight mode with actual gameplay footage. Watch it now.

Pre-order your copy of Halo 3 : ODST and unlock Sergeant Johnson for use in firefight mode.

Vera Bee Sticker Pack Trailer

The downloadable Vera Bee sticker pack for Little Big Planet will be releasing in the Playstation store tomorrow. Media Molecule released a trailer today showcasing the stickers.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Released Today

Batman: Arkham Asylum released today for the XBOX360 and PS3 for $59.99 USD and the PC version for $49.99 USD. Incentives to buy the PS3 version include the ability to play as the Joker. Current reviews expect it to be one of the best games of the year and has been receiving reviews of 9.4 by users thus far. Watch the game trailer below for more information.

Video courtesy of GameTrailers.com

Complete Shadow Complex in 1 Hour

One of the Master Achievements in Shadow Complex is to complete the game in under two hours on any difficulty. My first time through the game, it took me around six hours however, I did a lot of exploring and had 100% of the items. Even so, two hours seemed impossible. Then I saw a video showing the Shadow Complex and it's BIG SECRET. Watch the video below to learn how to drastically reduce your game time, should put you at around 1 hour for completion if you keep a quick pace and use the secret passage.

Video courtesy of GameTrailers.com

The Burlesque Stylings of Vera Bee

Media Molecule just announced a new sticker pack for Little Big Planet that will be available on Thursday August 27, 2009 in the Playstation Store. The new sticker pack featured is "The Burlesque Stylings of Vera Bee". This is the second of a series of sticker packs that Media Molecule will be releasing (the first was the "Jon Burgerman" pack). This photo shows what stickers will be included in the new pack by Vera Bee.

Fable 3 Coming in 2010

Gamescom's Peter Molyneux announced today from Germany that Fable 3 will be coming in late 2010 - likely the holidays - to the XBOX360. The story takes place about 50 years after the first. You will play as the son or the daughter of your Fable 2 hero and start a journey to becoming the ruler of Albion. Some of the new features in the upcoming game include "judgement and touch" where you can decide how certain situations will unfold, more character interaction and more focus will be on the story itself. During the story, you will have to make promises to factions and then later you will have to decide to keep or break those promises. All your decisions will effect what kind of kingdom you will have; poverty/greed, tyranny/compassion or progress/tradition. One of the biggest things mentioned is that after you complete the story, there will still be many things to do - unlike in Fable 2 - however, those details have not been released. Watch the teaser trailer below.

Saints Row 2 on Demand

Today, Saint's Row 2 was made available for direct download to the XBOX360 hard drive via Games on Demand. Games on Demand is the new digital download service for the XBOX360. Saint's Row 2 is listed at 3000 Microsoft points which translates to $37.49 USD, much more than the game is actually worth. To put it in perspective, you can buy the game on Amazon.com new for $27.99 or buy it used for even less. However, for 3000 Microsoft points you don't have to leave your couch or pay for shipping.

Water coming to LBP

Ever feel like something was missing from your Little Big Planet levels? Well, something was... WATER! Water is one of the most requested features of fans in Little Big Planet. Most level creators have come up with inventive ways to make things look like water and sound like water using sound objects but you could never really swim. Media Molecule, the developers of Little Big Planet, are adding water support in a future downloadable add-on kit. Date and price are yet to be announced. Watch the trailer below.

BioShock Secret Achievements

In BioShock for XBOX360 there are ten secret achievements. I have outlined what they are and how to get them. For those of you BioShock fans, unfortunate news... BioShock 2 has been pushed back to a release date of Holiday 2010, almost a year later than originally estimated.

Secret Achievements:

• Defeated Dr. Steinman - 15 points: Defeat the crazed Dr. Steinman
• Defeated Peach Wilkins - 15 points: Defeat Peach Wilkins
• Restored the Forest - 15 points: Restore the forests of Arcadia
• Completed Cohen's Masterpiece - 30 points: Complete Sander Cohen's great masterpiece
• Defeated Andrew Ryan - 30 points: Defeat Andrew Ryan
• Fontaine's Mind Control - 30 points: Break Fontaine's mind control
• Defeat Atlas - 100 points: Defeat Atlas
• Become a Big Daddy - 30 points: Become a Big Daddy
• Irony - 10 points: Take a picture of Sander Cohen's corpse
• Found Cohen's Room - 10 points: Enter Sander Cohen's personal quarters

Sharpshooter Running Riot

This was in ranked Team Snipers on Halo 3. I got a sharpshooter running riot with mostly headshots on Construct. A sharpshooter is 10 sniper kills without dying and a running riot is 15 kills in a row without dying.

"Sharp Riot" by RedLace_v2 Watch it on YouTube

How to get a Killionaire

In Halo 3 for the XBOX360, there is a medal you can achieve called a Killionaire. To acheive a Killionaire, you must kill 10 opponents within four seconds of eachother. I currently have four Killionaire medals, three from Grifball and one from Zombies. I have found that Killionaires are easiest to obtain in Grifball since the spawn points are so predictable and spawn times are quicker than normal gameplay, hence more enemies to kill within four seconds of eachother. Below is a video of my third Killionaire in Grifball.

"Killionaire #3" by RedLace : Watch it on YouTube

"Elite Bowling" Video

Double splatters can be common for those that drive around on a Mongoose, Ghost, Chopper, etc. However, a double splatter with a frag grenade and a mongoose while you are not driving... well, thats when it gets interesting. The below video, "Elite Bowling" shows me (RedLace) going into the base on High Ground and then tossing a frag grenade from around the corner, hitting the mongoose in mid field and then this amazing thing happens.

"Elite Bowling" by RedLace : Watch it on YouTube

History Kit Coming for LBP

Today Media Molecule, the creators of Little Big Planet for the PS3, accounced that the History Kit will be available in the PS3 Store on Thursday August 13, 2009. The History Kit will cost $3.99 USD and the History Costumes will cost $2.99 USD.

For those of you that don't know what the History Kit is, it is a giant pack (like the Monster Kit that released early 2009) which will contain 140 stickers, 5 new materials, 13 decorations, a new sound, a new background and new music.

The historic eras/regions included in the kit are Eqyptian, Roman, Gothic, Asian, Celtic, Arabic and Native American. The 4 new History Costumes will include Ada Lovelace, Genghis Khan, Boudica and Mozart (see right).

If you want to see before you buy, watch the below video released by Media Molecule which shows an overview of what is to be included in the History Kit and a closer look at the four new costumes. The music you hear in the video, is the music track that will be available with the kit.

Halo Reach Trailer

So far, not much has been released or announced regarding the upcoming Halo Reach for the XBOX360 developed by Bungie. What we do know, is that the beta for Halo Reach will be available to play with purchase of Halo 3 : ODST which is set for release on September 22, 2009 which will hopefully tell us all what the game is really about. Halo Reach is rumored for a Holiday 2010 release. Here is the Halo Reach video trailer from E3 2009.

Halo 3 : ODST "Desperate Measures"

Bungie released a never before seen ViDoc of Halo 3 : ODST "Desperate Measures" yesterday, here it is.

inFamous Costumes for LBP

Media Molecule just announced that they will be releasing inFamous costumes next week on Thursday, August 6, 2009 for Little Big Planet on the PS3. They will be releasing a 'good' and 'evil' costume of the protagonist/antagonist from inFamous, Cole MacGrath. No sticker packs were mentioned.

What is Halo 3 : ODST?

Halo 3 ODST is a standalone expansion to the ever so popular Halo 3 for the XBOX360. It is being developed by Bungie, the same creators of Halo, and will star a rookie Orbital Drop Shock Trooper - the series paratroopers - as he searches the ruins of New Mombasa for his missing squad mates. Don't expect to see the Master Chief in this game and since the ODST rookie does not have the enhanced physical attributes or the armor of the Master Chief, he is much more vulnerable to attack. As the ODST rookie, you will have to utilize cover and be more stealthy that in previous Halo games. ODST will also have an open-world environment and give the player more choices in which route he/she will take.

There are rumors the campaign for ODST will be even shorter than the Halo 3 campaign, which many players finished before the morning following the midnight release... lets hope these rumors aren't true. However, if you are a fan of Gears of War Horde mode, you can look forward to multi-player which is set to include a varient of 'horde'. Also, there will be three new multi-player maps for Halo 3 included on the ODST title, Heretic, Citadel and Longshore.

Halo 3 : ODST is set for release on September 22, 2009 for the XBOX360. If you preorder the game, you will receive a special code that will allow you to play as Sergeant Avery Johnson in multi-player. The game will be available for $59.99 USD or a collector's edition for $99.99 USD which includes a limited edition UNSC-green wireless XBOX360 controller.

One Million Levels on LBP

ONE MILLION LEVELS have been published by the community on Little Big Planet for the PS3 based on a report Sony recently sent Media Molecule (the developers of LBP). Here is what Media Molecule had to say, "Reports sent to us from our friends at Sony indicate that we just recently passed one million player created levels on Little Big Planet! That means you have created and published a level every 21 seconds since we launched the game last year! Apparently, those million levels have been played more that 224 million times in total, wowee!" - Media Molecule Rep. Please enjoy the below video put together to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Unlocking Trial Galaxies

In Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii, on the observatory between Rosalina and The Garage you will notice an outline of a green launch star. To use this launch star and unlock the Trial Galaxies you must find all three Green Power Stars. I have outlined the locations of the Green Power Stars below, please note that you will have needed to complete Luigi and The Haunted Mansion level in the Kitchen dome before you can start your hunt for the Green Power Stars.

• Kitchen Dome - Buoy Base Galaxy, The Secret of Buoy Base: Use the green underwater pipe to find the secret Green Power Star.
• Fountain Dome - Battlerock Galaxy, Battlerock Barrage: At the end of the level, you will see the regular Gold Power Star, do not collect it. Go underneath it to find Luigi trapped. Get a Bullet Bill to follow you to Luigi to break open his cage and collect the secret Green Power Star.
• Bedroom Dome - Dusty Dune Galaxy, Blasting Through the Sand: After the 1st Red Spiky battle, use the launch star and go underneath where you land. Feed the Hungry Luma the required Star Bits to reveal a secret Launch Star that takes you to the Green Power Star.

After finding all three Green Power Stars, return to the outline of the Green Launch Star on the Observatory. You will notice three Green Lumas hanging out around it, talk to them and they will transform and activate the launch star. Congratulations, you have unlocked the Trial Galaxies. Trial Galaxies Unlocked:

• Rolling Gizmo Galaxy
• Bubble Blast Galaxy
• Loopdee Swoop Galaxy

Ghostbusters DLC on LBP

Finally, Media Molecule has confirmed that they will be releasing a Ghostbusters downloadable content pack for Little Big Planet. The pack will include the full cast Ghostbusters costume set (4 costumes total) and a sticker pack based on the 1980s legendary movie series, Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters costume kit and sticker pack will be available in the PSN store on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 (price has yet to be announced).

UPDATE: The Ghostbusters pack includes four costumes and a set of stickers and is priced at $5.99 USD or you can purchase individual costumes for $1.99 USD.

Halo 3 Map Review: Quantum

Mario Kart, Halo Style! If you love racing around in your Mongoose in Halo 3 and if you love Mario Kart, you definately have to give this map a try. Quantum is a community created map forged on Sandbox in the skybox arena specifically designed for Mongoose racing, think of it as something similar to Rainbow Road from the Mario Kart franchise. It is by far the best racing map I have played on Halo 3. Currently, there are two versions of Quantum circulating, the video shown is on the more challenging, first version.

Players: RedLace (purple armor), Boss Player 54 (green armor), Milden (white armor)

"Mario Kart" by RedLace Watch it on YouTube

Heretic, Citadel and Longshore

Bungie has finally released screen shots of the three new multiplayer maps to be included in Halo 3: ODST, Heretic, Citadel and Longshore.

Heretic

Fans of Halo 2 will recognize this map as 'Midship' with symmetrical spaces and close combat.

Citadel

It's small, symmetrical confines with two opposing bases will prove to be a challenge.

Longshore

Designed for large scale combat but also well suited for smaller game types.

Ghostbusters on Little Big Planet?

Media Molecule has added a teaser to their blog regarding a possible new DLC for Little Big Planet. They don't mention any specifics, they only show this image which reads 'Who ya gonna call?' with a picture of a sackboy dressed like a ghost. It would only be logical to assume that at the very least, Media Molecule will be releasing a Ghostbusters costume and hopefully a level pack as well.

Unlocking Tiptron the Pixl

In Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii, there are 13 Pixls (Tiptron is the only one that appears after beating the game) and all of them have important functions.

SPOILER ALERT: After beating the game Tippi will disappear forever with Count Bleck, which means you no longer have the capabilities of using the functions Tippi provided. In order to get these functions back, you will need to unlock Tiptron the Pixl who functions and works just like Tippi.

After beating the game, Go to the Flipside Tower and return to Chapter 3-4. Pay a visit to Francis and purchase Tiptron for 999 gold coins.

Unlocking Dashell the Pixl

In Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii, there are 13 Pixls (one of which appears only after you beat the game) and all of them have important functions. While Dashell the Pixl is not necessary for beating the game, he is useful. With Dashell equipped, you can hold down the 1 button and move at double speed.

As soon as you have Luigi in your party, attempt the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials. After finishing the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials and defeating Wracktail, you will unlock Dashell the Pixl.

Unlocking Piccolo the Pixl

In Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii, there are 13 Pixls (one of which appears only after you have beat the game) and all of them have important functions. You will need to find these Pixls throughout the game and you will need specific Pixls to solve certain puzzles to get you through the stage.

Piccolo's powers are most obviously related to the game's music and sound effects but she also has healing powers. If your character is inflicted with a status effect, simply play Piccolo's song to remove the ailment. In other areas, you will need to play Piccolo to gain access to secret treasures (hint: there is one of these areas in Flipside on level 3F).

To get Piccolo the Pixl, you will have to go on a moderately lengthy side quest and you will need to have already placed the sixth Pure Heart. Follow the steps below.

1. Go to Merlee's House of Charms, located on the second floor of Flopside. Hop over her crystal ball and speak with her, she'll ask for help, accept her offer.
2. Go to Merluvlee's Fortune Teller's Fortress, on the second floor of Flipside. Hop over her crystal ball and speak with her.
3. Go to Flipside Tower and through the red door to Chapter 1-1.
4. Visit Bestovius, he lies at the end of the first area in Chapter 1-1, speak with the flip wizard.
5. Use the Return Pipe, then re-enter the red door and select Chapter 1-2.
6. Head to Yold Town and visit Watchitt, he'll give you a paper.
7. Use the Return Pipe, then re-enter the red door and select Chapter 1-4.
8. You will need to replay Chapter 1-4 in its entirety, when you reach the Star Block, stand underneath it and wait for Merlumina to appear. Listen to her talk (it will last a while), she will then sign the paper and it becomes an autograph item.
9. Use the Return Pipe, then re-enter the red door and select Chapter 1-2.
10. Head back to Yold Town and visit Watchitt, give him the autograph. He will give you the You-Know-What.
11. Use the Return Pipe, then re-enter the red door and select Chapter 1-1.
12. Head back to Bestovius, give him the You-Know-What. He will give you the Training Machine. Use the Return Pipe.
13. Head back to Merluvlee on the second floor of Flipside, hop back over her crystal ball and give her the Training Machine. She will give you a Crystal Ball.
14. Head back to Merlee on the second floor of Flopside, hop back over her crystal ball and give her the Crystal Ball. She will give you a charm and a Random House Key.
15. Take the key to the locked door on the first floor of Flopside and unlock the door to find the secret Pixl, Piccolo.

Bungie Pro Freeloaders

If you are one of the two million players who received a Bungie Pro subscription as a bonus for downloading the Mythic Map Pack, your Bungie Pro will end tomorrow, July 4th, 2009.

You can renew your Bungie Pro for 750 Microsoft Points which upgrades your file share from 6 to 24 slots plus extra Megabytes for sharing for one year. In addition, Bungie Pro Video rendering will also be included for Bungie Pro subscribers, set to launch on Bungie Day (July 7th). If you already are a Bungie Pro subscriber, you will have access to Bungie Pro Video.

Bungie Pro Video is a new service that will let you take your film clips from Halo 3 and turn them into videos on the web, add them to your blog, your website, share away! Unfortunately, Bungie is only allowing us five render minutes each month...