Monday, July 30, 2007

What’s New for Blizzard?


Blizzard Entertainment, the publisher of Warcraft games announced that the players will be using the latest 2.2 Word of Warcraft (WoW) patch for the 5v5 WoW Arena Global Finals that will be held at the BilzzCon 2007 event early this August. The 2.2 patch is still being tested on Blizzard Test Servers. The 2.2 patch comes with numerous enhancements and some other changes to WoW's Arena play.

According to Blizzard, "The BlizzCon global finals will be using World of Warcraft Patch 2.2. The actual patch may not be released to the live realms by BlizzCon, so we suggest that you take some time and go to the Public Test Realm to preview the upcoming changes."

Meanwhile, the BlizzCon 2007 will be also the stage for Blizzard to release its newest and 2nd expansion version for the World of Warcraft, according to some sources. Although this was not confirmed by Blizzard, the speculations was based on a music sheet from Video Games Live orchestra that leaked on the internet. Three scores was named Northrend 1, 2, and 3.

Well, let us just wait if Blizzard will really introduce a new expansion for WoW. While waiting for that, why not upgrade your auto parts like Jeep replacement parts and Jeep seat?

Thursday, July 26, 2007

The Top Games That Can Make You... Dumb


There are games that can make your mind work and make you smarter. Here are their top 10 counterparts.

Robert Workman, a gaming expert working on Game Daily (www.gamedaily.com) compiled the list of games that could somewhat make you "stupid", as he described those game. Check them out along with Workman's comments.

10. Board game-to-video game adaptations
Primary example: Ultimate Board Game Collection
"People shouldn't plunk down $30 for a virtual collection of board games when real things cost roughly the same price. "

9. Under-utilized brain training games
Primary example: Brain Boost, Mind Quiz DS
"Playing a brain training game that doesn't even tap into the inner cerebellum can be insulting kind of like going into a Baskin Robbins and only having a choice of garden salads."

8. Game show-to-video game adaptations
Primary example: Family Feud
"If players want to compete on a game show, they should fill out an application, get a TV-friendly profile down (hide that Mohawk haircut) and pray for the callback. It's better than trying to play a round of Family Feud or any game show-licensed video game for the PS2. "

7. Crappy sports games
Primary example: Rapala Tournament Fishing
"Rapala Tournament Fishing's poor excuse of a gameplay system doesn't make catching fish rewarding whatsoever. You roam around the water for 20 minutes trying to find a spot."

6. Sad puzzle-themed games
Primary example: Myst
"If done correctly, puzzle games can stimulate the mind. However, on the other side of the spectrum lie the games that leave players wondering why they bothered."

5. Pointless shooting games
Primary example: NRA Gun Club
"NRA Gun Club seems like a waste of ammunition. Players shoot their way through a series of scenarios, trying to earn their way into the National Rifle Association. "

4. Action games with no redeeming value
Primary example: The Shield, Crime Life: Gang Wars
"The Shield, based on the hit FX series, and Crime Life: Gang Wars, Konami's poorly executed gangster saga."

3. Quickly produced handheld games
Primary example: Devilish, Elf Bowling 1 & 2
"It shouldn't surprise anyone that companies exist just to make a quick buck from quickie handheld game releases."

2. Superman games
Primary example: Superman 64, Superman Returns
"Everyone should get a chance to be DC's Man of Steel but not like this. Both Superman 64 and Superman Returns fail to justify why the hero even exists. "

1. Low-level gambling games
Primary example: High Rollers Casino
"Everyone loves to gamble and not lose real money. So it shouldn't be a surprise casino simulators hit the market."

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

NBA Live 08 Preview


The latest and the much-awaited sequel of the NBA Live game series, the NBA Live '08 is coming to your nearest game shops this October.

What are the game's new features? Well, the publisher, EA Sports did not yet released the full details of this new NBA Live game. But browsing the publisher's website, I found this "Go-to Moves" featured in NBA Live 08. The Go-to Moves are different ways for star players to have a clear shot and win the game, according to Brian Ullrich, the producer of NBA Live 08.

Oops... I almost forgot. Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards is the cover player of NBA Live 08. Gilbert Arenas is also a game fanatic of NBA Live series.

GameDaily (www.gamedaily.com), one of the major websites for the gaming industry made a recent interview with Gilbert Arenas about his involvement in the game. Check out some of them.

So how’s it feel being on the cover of NBA Live?
"It’s a great feeling, and I hope I feel like everybody else did when they realized they were on the cover. It’s amazing, especially for me, coming up non-ranked and reaching this level. It’s an honor."

What other games do you play?
"I play Halo and Bomberman."

What’s different about this year’s NBA Live?
"It’s a big, big improvement. I mean, I was surprised just now. They told me last year’s game ran at 30 frames, and now they have 60. You can tell the difference. It’s a lot smoother than the older ones. I haven’t been able to stop playing it."

Growing up, what games did you play?
"My first game was NBA Live 95."

Any other sports games do you play?
"Madden, Tiger Woods…I love hockey, but I haven’t gotten than one yet."

Anyway, watch out this coming October to get the NBA Live 08. Cant wait? You can pre-order the game in EA Sports website at www.easports.com/nbalive08. I might get few copies of this game rather than purchasing Husky floor mats for my car. LOL!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

UPDATE: More Unlockable Cars in GT4


Whew! I almost forgot to bring you guys the other unlockable cars in Grand Turismo 4 (GT4) for the PlayStation 2. Anyway, here are some of the rare cars that you can unlock in the three Condition Halls in GT4. Check out how to unlock them!

Unlockable Cars in the Easy Special Condition Hall

CADILLAC CIEN '02 Win Rally d' Umbria
TOYOTA RSC Rally Raid Car '02 Win Rally d' Capri
FORD RS200 '84 Win Grand Canyon
TOYOTA RSC '01 Win Ice Arena
INFINITI FX45 Concept '02 Win Chamoni
ALPINE A310 1600VE '73 Win George Paris
MITSUBISHI CZ-3 Tarmac '01 Win Swiss Alps
RENAULT 5 Turbo '80 Win Tahiti
MAZDA RX-8 Concept (Type-I) '01 Win Tsukuba Circuit
LAND ROVER Range Stormer Concept '04 Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail I)
HYUNDAI HCD6 '01 Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail II)

Unlockable Cars in Normal Special Condition Hall

LANCIA Delta HF Integrale Rally Car '92 Win Rally d' Umbria
SUBARU IMPREZA Rally Car Prototype '01 Win Rally d' Capri
MITSUBISHI CZ-3 Tarmac Rally Car '02 Win Grand Canyon
MITSUBISHI Lancer Evolution IV Rally Car'97 Win Ice Arena
SUBARU IMPREZA Rally Car '01 Win Chamoni
RENAULT 5 Maxi Turbo Rally Car '85 Win George Paris
TOYOTA CELICA GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST205) '95 Win Swiss Alps
FORD Escort Rally Car '98 Win Tahiti
MAZDA Atenza Touring Car '02 Win Tsukuba Circuit
SUBARU IMPREZA Rally Car '99 Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail I)
TOYOTA CELICA GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST185) '95 Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail II)
MAZDA 6 Touring Car '02 Win Tsukuba Circuit ( U.S Version)

Unlockable Cars in Hard Special Condition Hall

LANCIA Delta S4 Rally Car '85 Win Rally d' Umbria
FORD RS200 Rally Car '85 Win Rally d' Capri
MITSUBISHI STRAION 4WD Rally Car '84 Win Grand Canyon
NISSAN BLUEBIRD 1600SSS Rally Car (510) '69 Win Ice Arena
LANCIA STRATOS Rally Car '77 Win Chamoni
PEUGEOT 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 Rally Car '86 Win George Paris
NISSAN SILVIA 240RS Rally Car '85 Win Swiss Alps
MITSUBISHI PAJERO Rally Raid Car '85 Win Tahiti
FORD GT Concept '02 Win Tsukuba Circuit
SUZUKI ESCUDO Dirt Trial Car '98 Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail I)
MITSUBISHI PAJERO Evolution Rally Win Cathedral Rocks (Trail II)

[credits: GameSpot (www.gamespot.com)]

By the way, the last time I played GT4, I joined the Rally d' Umbria and I only finished 2nd. Damn! I should have unlocked the 2002 Cadillac Cien with Cadillac catalytic converter by now.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Transformers The Game: IGN Rating and Review


Remember the post I made last June 27th about the Transformers: The Game released by Activision? Well, IGN (www.ign.com), one of the leading news and reviews website for the gaming industry has released their verdict about the Nintendo Wii version of the game.

Unfortunately, the game is not that impressive for IGN reviewers. Anyway, just check out below for the game's rating in the 5 major categories.

Presentation: 7.0
"There’s a full range of VO, but lousy video compression hurts the experience. The characters are on-model, the frame rate holds, and there’s decent Transformers bonus content."

Graphics: 7.5
"It’s one of the better visual experiences thus far on Wii, as smoke and fire effects blend with bloom lighting and generally commendable environments. A bit sparse at times."

Sound: 6.5
"A few generic songs mix with the movie voices. A bit too basic, but better than most Wii licensed games. No Wii speaker usage or advanced audio options."

Gameplay: 5.5
"Transformers mixes decent combat with sketchy IR and some cool robot/vehicle missions. Level types get old too quick though, as does the focus on hand-to-hand combat."

Lasting Appeal: 5.5
"There are nearly 200 unlockables (mostly images and art), but the Generation 1 characters are a nice touch for long-time fans. Missions/combat can get old fast though."

OVERALL: 6.0 (out of 10)
"Passable"

Meanwhile, take time to read this comment about the Transformers: The Game for Wii by Bozon, one of the editors at IGN. And me? I'll check the web and look for high performance Honda racing parts for my old Honda sports car.

"Across each of the available platforms, Tranformers: The Game has some serious issues. Combat is too one-dimensional, focusing mainly on melee, as your firearms do nothing against enemy shields. As an "open world" game, Tranformers can also feel fairly closed off because each area dispenses only one mission at a time, making for an entirely linear experience wrapped in a relatively void and underwhelming world. IR isn’t perfect, causing quirky camera issues and annoying lock-on problems. Still, Transformers isn't a total wash, and we can see the potential for entertainment. Doing battle, while shallow, is still good for some basic entertainment. The game offers a ton of unlockables, so the average player will unlock something new (even if it’s just a piece of promo art from the Dreamwave comic series) every few minutes, and the scenarios do a decent job of making use of both robot and vehicle modes. A fully-destroyable environment makes for a ton of collateral damage during fights, and nearly any piece of the environment can be picked up and used as weapon should the need arrive. It’s simple, shallow, but still entertaining at times. This may not be the Transformers game we were hoping for, but it has its moments."

Monday, July 2, 2007

The Street Racing Syndicate


If you are into hot cars and sexy ladies, this particular car video game is just the right game for you. Combined with a few snippet of violence on a street car racing action all into a one great video game, the Street Racing Syndicate will definitely blow your head.


The game starts with the conventional profile making. You will have to create your profile first before you can experience that ride. There are modes to choose:

The Street Mode: In this mode, you will build a career buy either losing and gaining money or girlfriends. The Arcade Mode: this mode will make you race like you are playing an arcade game.
There are also 2 player options---The LAN player mode and the online play. But I am sure you will enjoy playing the Street mode. Because like any other online games, you are free to explore the world. And race with the racer you want to play with. You will earn both respect and cash, these cash are used to upgrade your rides and imagine a virtual reality game that you can even upgrade your car. Amazing isn’t it?

It is for PS2, XBOX, GC.

I found this list of cheat on topspeed.com. Here have a few moments reading them and try to memorize them also:

Press Up, Down, Left, Right at the main menu to enter the code entry screen. Then, enter one of the following:

FIXITUP - Free car repair
GORETRO - Pac Man Vinyl
GOTPOPO - Police Car
IGOTGST - 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T
LETMEGO - The first three times you are pulled over in street mode, you will be released with a warning.
MYTCGTS - 2004 Toyota Celica GT-S Action Package
RENESIS - Mazda RX-8
SICKGDB - Subaru Impreza Sti
SICKJZA - 1996 Supra RZ

Go play in Arcade mode and choose Iron Man. Finish in first place in all races and you will unlock the following.

Subaru STi - Finish first in all 3 levels of the Street Revolution Crew Meet in street mode
Nissan Skyline V-Spec II Nur - Finish in first place in the Los Angeles checkpoint mission in arcade mode.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR Finish in first place in the Los Angeles checkpoint mission in arcade mode.
Mazda RX-7 Bathurst - Have all first place finishes in the Los Angeles Iron Man challenge in arcade mode.
Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed - Have all first place finishes in the Miami Iron Man challenge in arcade mode.
Toyota Sprinter Trueno - Have all first place finishes in the Philadelphia Iron Man challenge in arcade mode.
Mitsubishi Evo VII GSR - Win the Los Angeles checkpoint mission in arcade mode

The car racing Hints:
Police get away:
You can get away from a car police chase by going into the showrooms. Hide your car on that area. The police patrol car will be circulating the area but it won’t find you. Then wait until your meter reaches the “Evaded” phase then you can go out on a clear surrounding.

Wagering:
Wagers in this video game are also available. When you place wagers on the race, you can use each wagers into three of your races. It doesn’t matter what the amount of wagers are but it stays all through out. For example your wager amount is $2,000 it stays on the game through out.

Find easy money:
Try doing a desert sanctioned race and start at level one. On your screen you will see the last wager and select it, accept it and start gaming. You have to do it in every racing game you enter. This will let you earn the least $12,000 on every game you enter easily. Keep doing it and earn a lot of money.

If you think you have enough money to buy an upgrade, get at least 330 horsepower after all the upgrade the try buying the Venom 2000 nitrous kit. There are a lot of upgrades available, it am not sure if car parts like Chevrolet oxygen sensor and Daihatsu oxygen sensor. But after you purchase the kit, enter the Boulevard Sprint by going to the street challenge menu. Keep on entering the race but make sure you have enough nitrous kit so you can do it in ease. If you go to the crew meet, keep on going to the last wager. By this effort, you’re wagers will be doubled. And if you keep doing it, you will double your cash as well.

Body kits:
In the game, you can purchase the right body kit for your car even if your car is not an aero-dynamic. However, you have to realize that this can slow down the total performance of you car. you need to have your car repair over and over again. In real life, only the real aero-dynamic cars are the ones that are capable of receiving body kits. These kits will make your car heavier, so it will reduce the speed capability of your car. A speed of as little as 10 mph or a larger 25 mph is lost.

Refill NOS:
Your car will start at a low end mode. You can got to the shop and have your car refill with NOS more than what you already has. Then you have to re-install your original NOS on your car then exit. You will have it for free. You don’t even have to spend ever a dollar for it.

Now there you have it guys. These are the tactics that will make you easily win in the battle on the Street Racing Syndicate. So follow these tips and win.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Get Some Gaming Action on the Formula One Championship Edition


Are you familiar with Formula One? Oh sure, everybody is aware of this racing event. Now if you are going crazy over the hot cars and the superstar drivers on the Formula one, you can experience the heat, the fire and the competition on the race track as the Psygnosis brings you, the Formula One Championship Edition. Now, the new car racing role playing is filled with more thrills and more drama as brought to us by Studio Liverpool. The game is developed by the Sony Computer Entertainment Studio Liverpool and was specifically made for the Sony PlayStation 3


On the Gameplay:

I found this great list of the teams and the drivers on wikipedia.org. Now, the new championship edition is filled with 11 teams and 22 drivers on 18 different race tracks. Here is the list of the team and the drivers as well as the race tracks.

Teams and Drivers:
Renault F1 - drivers: Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella
McLaren Mercedes - drivers: Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya
Ferrari F1 - drivers: Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa
Toyota F1 - drivers: Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli
Williams F1 - drivers: Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg
Honda F1 - drivers: Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button
Red Bull Racing - drivers: David Coulthard and Christian Klien
BMW Sauber - drivers: Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve
Midland F1 - drivers: Tiago Monteiro and Christijan Albers
Scuderia Toro Rosso - drivers: Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed
Super Aguri - drivers: Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide
The circuits are:

Race tracks:
Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir
Malaysian Grand Prix - Sepang
Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park (Melbourne)
San Marino Grand Prix - Imola
European Grand Prix - Nürburgring
Spanish Grand Prix - Barcelona
Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo
British Grand Prix - Silverstone
Canadian Grand Prix - Île Notre-Dame (Montreal)
United States Grand Prix - Indianapolis
French Grand Prix - Magny Cours
German Grand Prix - Hockenheim
Hungarian Grand Prix - Budapest
Turkish Grand Prix - Istanbul
Italian Grand Prix - Monza
Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai
Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka
Brazilian Grand Prix - Sao Paulo
Test Track - Jerez


The game was just the same as the previous ones however, the new Champ edition is filled with more action and suspense. The first F1 was programmed for the PS2 but this new game is programmed for the latest PS3. The new game is also packed with more details, real sound effects, more precise car designs and new wet weather effects. It feels like you’re on the real race track when you play the role playing car racing game.

Almost everyone can play this Formula One Championship Edition. The video game maker have reduced the violence on the games so even kids can play without causing possible game trauma. The new game also has this particular AI system almost famous by the name "Live Action Racing". This game also runs like a real time racing car. With little mistakes on control, you’ll find yourself crashing on another’s car. So the game is more complicated than the previous games making it more fun and more challenging.

I feel sad because Mazda is not included on the racing cars. Anyway, I found the Mazda Hub Cap and Mazda Intermediate Pipe online so I can fix my Mazda car later.