Dam and blast!
Aug 8th
So Operation Flashpoint Red River has just been announced! A sequel to last years somewhat rather notorious tactical shooter by race kings Codemasters. The past is the past, so we shall say. “Let bygones be bygones!”
The Dirt, Race Driver and F1: 2010 developers have a real uphill struggle to restore faith in a great deal of people and without focusing on the events of Dragon Rising and the £40 scars which are still smarting lets look at what Red River can offer. First of all we know that the game is due sometime in 2011 and the location for Codemasters second FPS outing is Tajikistan. A place steeped in bloody hard fought wars and mindless oppression. A rugged, mountainous country, with lush valleys to the north and south.
***Extract taken from the Super Sticky on Codemasters Official OFP: Red River Forum***
In’s
- Join in Progress [Quote]
- Checkpoints [Official Xbox Magazine]
- Larger Urban Environments than the previous game [Official Xbox Magazine]
- 3 Act’s storyline [Official Xbox Magazine]
- FTE/Co-Op Challenges [Official Xbox Magazine]
- PLA to return along with Insurgents [Official Xbox Magazine]
- Radial Menu System [IGN]
- Weapon Assists [IGN]
- Weapon Loadout [Quote] *NEW*
- Weapon/Equipment Customisation [Quote] *NEW*
- XP reward system *NEW* [Quote]
- Heavily Improved Damage Model System [Gamespot] *NEW*
- CO-OP MODE – ‘Last Stand’ (Defensive) [Gamespot] *NEW*
- CO-OP More >
Red River Redemption!
Aug 2nd
Operation Flashpoint. What do we say, what can we say? The name has some history to it, most of which is very acrimonious and utterly sad. On one side you have the Operation Flashpoint players who fly the flag of Bohemia Interactive Studio’s ArmA 2 and everything Takistani in Operation Arrowhead, especially the British forces that are being deployed. Whilst on the other side you have/had the Operation Flashpoint players who once flew the flag for Codemasters and Dragon Rising! That quickly came to an abrupt end within hours of Dragon Rising hitting the shelves.
We all know what happened next! An onslaught of profanities from a mob of more than a million strong! Codemasters, had they simply released Dragon Rising as soon as possible knowing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was gearing up to obliterate everything in it’s path, and this was their only opportunity to make a quick buck?
Most people would agree this is the case, and swore never to buy a Codemasters game ever again! I was one of them, when they were developing Dragon Rising Codemasters said so many things, which in the end turned out not to be true.
“WELCOME TO SKIRA, A 220 KM2 OPEN More >
Frogs, Lions and Fables!
Aug 1st
Peter Molyneux OBE, Creative Director of Microsoft Game Studio’s, Europe. What do you say when you see a such a robust title like that? Overwhelming, overabundant, overpaid, over-the-hill, obnoxious, on-thin-ice! The Microsoft and Lionhead man has come along way since he and Les Edgar founded Bullfrog Productions, a development studio solely responsible for such classics as, Populous, Syndicate, Theme Park and Dungeon Keeper, but his journey to a nice rosy (see me through to retirement) top spot at camp Microsoft is not without criticism.
He has acquired a wide-ranging reputation for issuing overenthusiastic descriptions of games under development which are found to be somewhat rather less ambitious when released. Consolevania portrayed him as a dull, uninteresting character, harsh words indeed by the Scottish patriots and on the whole gamers alike always find time to scorn him whenever he has something to say.
Way back in 1987, MCMLXXXVII, the year Margaret Thatcher won the general election for a third time in a landslide victory and U2 released the album The Joshua Tree, an album cited as one of the greatest rock albums ever released, Les Edgar and Peter Molyneux were already involved in an enterprise called Taurus Impex Ltd. when they formed Bullfrog Productions. Bullfrog’s legendary name More >
Real-time strategy!
Jul 29th
Real-time strategy games, most enthusiasts of the genre simpy know them as RTS games. Brett “Command & Conquer” Sperry, founder of Westwood Studio’s is credited with coining the term to market with DUNE II, published in 1992 by Virgin Interactive. The good old days of 3.5″ floppy disk’s, DOS and sadly the remaining months, weeks, days of the simply awesome Commodore Amiga’s reign!
“Cough, cough, Amiga 600!” An Amiga without the bulky A520 TV modulator sticking out it’s rear like a dodgy spare part. I bought one, don’t as me why? Because I simply don’t know. Was this the very early stages of what could be now described as my former PC upgrading mentality, because there was nothing wrong with my 500 model, and… I won’t even begin to talk about the CD32 bought through the catalogue my mother use to run, it cost me a bloody fortune! God knows what the APR was back then?
Back on topic, after a brief crazy tangent. RTS games have a long and successful history on the PC, but the roots of RTS gaming dates back to 1980 with a game called Cytron Masters, developed by Danielle Bunten Berry and his company Ozark Softscape. It More >
Grand Theft Auto 5: Hollywood Homicide?
Jul 28th
So the rumourmongers have once again set blogs and forums alight! Grand Theft Auto, commonly abbreviated GTA! The criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. It’s a series that has gunned it’s way to infamy with some and greatness with others! Controversy seems to follow GTA around like an obedient pet and with each instalment, Rockstar Games, the developer, the antagonist’s of the computer and videogame world seem to be able to create more anarchy and much more anticipation single-handedly. That’s the creative genius of Rockstar Games, whose shear willingness to create over-the-top enthralling games that push the boundaries and ignore the skulduggery of politics, even if it means upsetting the minority along the way. This philosophy has propelled them to the pinnacle of development. The tip of the sword? A of hail of bullets which they shoot and the press returns, tenfold!
The games themselves have come along way since the days of the top down, action, adventure, racing game that David “Realtime Worlds”Jones first created way back in 1997, MCMXCVII. The year two heavily armed bank robbers battled with officers of the LAPD in what would come to be known as the North Hollywood shootout! More >
