Previews

Gears of War has been given our Best of E3 award and I think we've just found the next killer app for the Xbox 360. Gears of War stole the show at this year's E3 with a single player presentation inside Microsoft's theater. I was also able to play in an eight person multiplayer match behind closed doors at the Microsoft booth.

During the single player campaign, you play as Marcus, a buffed up human with heavy duty armor and weapons. You're fighting a war against an evil race of alien invaders. In an effort to kill the aliens and save humanity, men have destroyed much of the Earth by their own hand. Your task is simple: stop the aliens and win Earth back--what's left of it at least. Although we've seen this kind of story before, the game play in Gears of War leaps far beyond what we're used to. It looks, feels, and plays genuinely next generation.

Gmrblogs gets some details about Too Human from the game's producer.

[image:522 align=left hspace=5 size=medium]The original Full Spectrum Warrior took a new approach towards military style games. It combined the excitement of an action game and the logic of a strategy game to create a title that was quite unique and authentic. Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers will build upon the best elements of the first game to create an even more realistic combat experience.

[image:330 align=left hspace=5 size=medium]I sit at my desk, furrowing my eyebrows because I really don’t know how to start this preview. The few words that come to my mind are words like, "Wow", "Unbelievable", and "You were The Chosen One!" Well that last one was from Obi-Wan, but he is right. LucasArts is coming out with a brand new game that can only come from a galaxy far, far away--Star Wars: Empire at War.

[image:329 align=left hspace=5 size=medium]If you are a lucky person, somehow you managed to get an Xbox 360 by now. But, considering most people aren’t lucky, we have to rely on the kindness of strangers. Today, that stranger is Konami. Konami recently has announced that they are releasing Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence for the PlayStation 2.

[image:260 align=left hspace=5 size=medium]Have you ever wanted to play as the bad guy? Have you ever wanted to kill without mercy or be in gang? GTA has thoroughly covered that as well as other things. But, 25 To Life by Eidos lets you either live the life of a Criminal or of the life of a Law Enforcement Agent. The new game has many features for both sides.

[image:236 align=left hspace=5 size=medium]Get ready to move out! Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers is the sequel to the popular strategy and action hybrid, Full Spectrum Warrior. The original game blended an intense feeling of urban combat with the brain-bending task of strategically placing soldiers into a game that sent players on a unique campaign. Ten Hammers will continue in that tradition but will also lend some improvements to the young series. The game will feature more multiplayer options, new resources, mechanized units, and exciting interior environments.

[image:234 hspace=5 align=left size=medium]King Kong, the game based on Peter Jackson’s new film, is truly a wonder to behold. The game is split into two different scenarios, each with a different feel to it. In one of these scenarios, you play as Jack, the main character from the film, in a first person shooter mode that puts a new twist on the genre. What sets this portion of King Kong apart from all other FPS games is the lack of a health bar or an ammo count on the screen. All you see is your weapon and raw action unfolding in front of you. The game's clever audio, instead, keys you into how much health and ammo you have remaining. Jack will say something out loud like, "I have about 40 bullets left in this clip." This makes the game seem incredibly dramatic and adds an unprecendented level of realism to the game.

I know what you’re probably thinking. "Another racing game? They're all the same, who cares?" Well, hold on one second, especially street racing fans. Need For Speed Most Wanted (NFSMW), is a continuation of the Need for Speed street racing series. Gamers can purchase visual upgrades, performance upgrades, and enter races in an effort to build the ultimate rap sheet. The performance and visual upgrades, although similar to those of the previous Need for Speed games, will be more diverse.

Where does this game differ from the previous Need for Speed Underground games? The main answer to that question is the presences of cops. Cops will often pursue you during the race and you must utilize the environment, your ride, and your wit to outsmart them and make your escape. There is not only a stress on being the fastest racer, but also the most notorious and (henceforth) 'most wanted' street racer.

Bet on Soldier is a unique game that brings a new style to the first person shooter genre. The game takes place in a futuristic war-burdened earth, and you are an elite soldier fighting along side other soldiers. In this futuristic world, there exists a new form of gambling known as bet-on-soldier, in which people whom you do not get to see, bet on the outcome of your "boss fights". There are a bunch of missions that you go on, and in each misson, you must manage money, buy weapons, constantly pay for repairs of armor, recruit mercenaries, and earn money for each soldier of the opposing team that you kill. The money system was a nifty addition that the gaming world hasn't seen in a very long time in a game like this and the "boss fights" present a challenging addition to the game. Each mission, you have the option of fighting two or more "bet-on-soldiers" in one-on-one fights. These fights last only 60 seconds, so you need to move quickly. The game is a new approach to a cluttered genre, and gives a new twist to the traditional FPS games. The money system, boss fights, and unique look to the game make this a game worth checking out. Bet on Soldier is out now, as are the single, and multiplayer demos.

Advent Rising is what promises to be an amazing game trilogy. When I first heard about the game, I was a bit speculative. The screenshots available were reminiscent of Halo and seemed to have a recycled theme. However, being the stereotypical pasty white gamer, I did see a lot of TV advertising in favor of advent rising. I was intrigued enough to give it a second glance.

While the movie may only last for 2 hours and 36 minutes, Star Wars fans will be able to enjoy geeky culture and fun outside of the theater for hours. Star Wars Battlefront II is the sequel to the best-selling Stars Wars game ever. According to LucasArts, it will provide fans with, “playable Jedi and content from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.”

To the delight of racing game fans everywhere, Sony plans to release a fourth edition of their popular Gran Turismo series in the winter of 2004. The game will feature many features that appeal to today’s gamers including real world physics that vary between cars. Realistic specifications such as weight, speed, friction, wind, ect. that allows the game engine to process realistic handling and movements for each of the 500+ cars featured in the game.