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ILego Bats 2 is a decent game but like most of the lego series it's the collection of items characters etc.. that makes the game last. My little ones managed to beat it in less than a week.
Guardians of Middle-earth is a new multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Monolith Productions, set to be released in fall 2012 exclusively for Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network. The console-based MOBA offers more than 20 iconic guardians including Gandalf, Sauron, Gollum, Galadriel, Legolas and many more for players to control in PVP arena battles. Gamers will have the ability to connect with other players via an in-game voice communication system, as well as access to a comprehensive online stat and leader board system where they can track friends’ victories and defeats, and more.
Namco Bandai announces Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard’s Edition
Namco Bandai Games announced that it will be releasing a limited-run Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard’s Edition alongside the standard version of the game on January 22, 2013 in North America exclusively for the PlayStation 3. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, an epic tale of a boy name Oliver travelling between two worlds on a quest to save his mother, is developed by the critically acclaimed Japanese development studio, LEVEL-5. The game features animations and cut-scenes produced and supervised by the legendary Japanese animation company, Studio Ghibli, and features music scored by the world-renowned composer Joe Hisaishi.
The Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard’s Edition will include a 300+ page hardback physical copy of the Wizard’s Companion, the spellbook Oliver uses throughout his journey in the game. The full-color Wizard’s Companion contains a bestiary of all the creatures found in the game along with in-depth item descriptions, spells and history of the other world. The limited-run Wizard’s Edition will also contain a plush doll of Drippy, Oliver’s guide through his adventures, as well as exclusive “golden mite” and “golden drongo” DLC familiars. The Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard’s Edition has a MSRP of $99.99 and is available for pre-order now, exclusively at www.clubNAMCO.com for a limited time.
Garnering over a dozen Best RPG of E3 2012 award nominations Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a heart-warming tale of a young boy named Oliver, who embarks on a journey into another world to become a wizard in an attempt to bring his mother back from the dead. Along the way Oliver makes new friends and tames many of the wonderful creatures that inhabit the world, raising them to battle other creatures on his behalf as he takes on formidable enemies. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch will be available January 22, 2013 in North America and will include both English and Japanese voiceovers.
Nuketown reimagined for Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Nuketown, the most popular multiplayer map in Call of Duty: Black Ops, is being reimagined for the hotly anticipated release of Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops II, published by Activision. The Nuketown 2025 multiplayer map will be available with launch units of Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Anyone who pre-orders the game at participating retailers worldwide will get their copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II at launch, which will include the Nuketown 2025 downloadable bonus map.
"Multiplayer fans of Call of Duty: Black Ops LOVE Nuketown," said Mark Lamia, Studio Head of Treyarch. "Flat out, Nuketown was a blast to play before, and we're excited about the reimagined Nuketown 2025 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. We can't wait to play with everyone come this November."
On November 13th, Activision and Treyarch will deploy the sequel to the universally acclaimed Call of Duty: Black Ops, which set the record for the biggest entertainment launch in history following its release in 2010. Call of Duty: Black Ops II catapults players forward into an epic near-future warzone rooted in today's headlines. The title represents an unprecedented leap for the franchise, delivering a groundbreaking single-player campaign with branching storylines, advanced weaponry, new graphics technology, a deep multiplayer experience featuring a greater emphasis on eSports and match customization, and the most expansive Zombies action yet, now running on the multiplayer engine.
New Company of Heroes 2 Trailer
It is 1941 and the beginning of what will become the most brutal conflict of World War II, as Germany launches a full-scale invasion of the frozen tundra of the Soviet Union which would result in over 14 million military casualties. Take command of the iconic Soviet Red Army in brutal frontline warfare to free Mother Russia from the invading Nazis. Your strategic skills and tactical expertise hold the power to tip the very balance of this conflict in the sequel to the critically acclaimed and multi award-winning Company of Heroes. Engage in visceral tactical combat that will define you as a military leader and challenge you to wield the might of the Soviet Empire as you smash your way to Berlin.
DUE OUT NEXT WEEK
NCAA FOOTBALL 13 (EA Sports) Rated E PS3, Xbox 360
NCAA Football 13 is an American college football game in which players are given the ongoing opportunity to enjoy the collegiate game in multiple ways. Experience the rise to dominance of a young, up-and-coming gridiron star hoping to make his way to a college superpower of choice and eventually a national championship. Experience the pride and pageantry of gameday Saturday like never before as you go from high school superstar, to top college player, to head coach in Road to Glory and Dynasty modes. With a new passing system, new team-specific traditions, and the Heisman Challenge, make an impact by leading your team to the National Championship with NCAA Football 13.
Sights and Sounds
Revel in the pageantry of college football game days with NCAA Football 13. Featuring new team run-outs, mascots and pre-game traditions along with significantly enhanced audio and new trophy presentations, NCAA Football 13 delivers the passion and excitement of college football to fans across the nation.
Gameplay
With a new passing system that changes the way quarterbacks and receivers play and respond, combined with a new read and react defensive AI system, NCAA Football 13 delivers greater realism on the virtual gridiron.
Dynasty
Game days come to life with mid-game updates featuring a new studio analyst, plus enhanced commentary from NCAA Football veterans Kirk Herbstreit and Brad Nessler. Recruiting now goes deeper than ever with the addition of dynamic grades and the ability to scout players. Plus, there are even more ways to interact with your Dynasty from the web.
Heisman Challenge
There are familiar faces on the field in NCAA Football 13, which now features a selection of former Heisman Trophy winners. With the new Heisman Challenge mode, fans have the ability to utilize the skill set of a legendary Heisman Trophy winner in a quest to match his award-winning historical performances and win the Heisman trophy once again.
Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (Sega) Rated E 3DS
What hidden past motivates this strange young man? And how does he connect to a broader secret buried beneath the city's sparkling appearance? Get ready to experience Paris like you never have before as you follow the beat toward hidden clues and curious riddles on a rhythmic quest for the truth.
Tap, swipe and move to the music to maneuver through Raphael's mysterious world in Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure. Put your detective skills and your ear for rhythm to the test in order to solve the beat-based riddles that lead to the truth behind the mystery. Unearth clues scattered throughout the treasures of Paris to start piecing the puzzle together, then challenge your friends to even more toe-tapping challenges and build an adoring fan base among the Parisians. Immerse yourself in the streets of Paris as its world-famous landmarks, colorful characters and beautiful scenery burst to life in 3D on this wild, high-tempo adventure.
Ice Age: Continental Drift (Activision) Rated E Xbox 360, Wii, DS, 3DS
Ready to get wet, wild and wooly ? Team up with your favorite Ice Age characters in a continental competition of glacial proportions! Battle for treasure with the Herd and the Pirates in their craziest adventure yet!
REVIEWS
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Warner Bros.) Rated E,PS3, Xbox 360, PSVita, 3DS, Wii, DS
The latest entry in the LEGO series is aptly named because Batman gets to team up with several of his friends from the Justice League including Green Lantern, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman, along with Robin and Batgirl, to help take down the Joker and his own band of villains featuring Penguin, Riddler, Harley Quinn, and Two-Face. In all the game will offer some 50 playable characters and as in previous Lego games, part of the attraction is to discover all of the various characters in the game.
Those familiar with other Lego games whether it was Batman, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Star Wars will be familiar with the style of gameplay that has you battling villains, solving puzzles, and building objects to meet your goals and advance in the game. However, this time around, developer Traveller’s Tales has added a new wrinkle to the game. This time the game features actual voice acting as opposed to the usual mime acting and mumbling dialog of previous Lego games. What’s more is that the game features voice actors who fans of animated TV shows and films will be familiar with like Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor; Steven Blum as Bane; Rob Paulsen as The Riddler; and Fred Tatasciore as Clayface and Killer Croc.
For comic book fans Lego Batman 2 might be a throwback to the Batman/Super Friends cartoons of the 1970s although much hipper and with far more intentional humor. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and this fact plays out especially well in the many funny and hugely enjoyable cut-scenes. Another welcome addition to gameplay is mid-level save points which come in handy during some of the very lengthy stages.
The basic plot finds Lex Luthor busting the Joker out of Arkham Asylum along with several other super villain inmates. The Joker devises a special mind-influencing gas that Luthor intends to use to force people to vote for him as President. That becomes the impetus to explore a totally open-world Gotham City. Unlike the sort of Hub world-based previous games, Lego Batman 2 gives you all of Gotham City to explore. You have the usual stock of items to collect: red bricks, gold bricks, and all of the additional characters…and getting to these items is part of the game’s main challenge and its one weakness.
Navigating your way through the much sought after items can occasionally be a real pain in the backside cape. A buggy camera and screwy vehicle control and hard to pinpoint min-maps can be frustrating at times but this is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. The puzzles are never overly taxing and if you’ve played previous Lego games you’ll find yourself right at home. It’s a lot of fun just to fly around the city as Superman, spotting the well-known sights of Gotham as well as collectible items. Supes really is the star of the game even though it’s named after Batman. In all there are 15 stages to explore and the game should take a solid 10 – 12 hours to finish depending upon how much you choose to explore.
There have been a lot of games in the Lego franchise with more on the way but Traveller’s Tales proves that they are not going to let things get stale. An open-ended world with actual voice acting breathes life into the series and I cannot wait until Lego Lord of the Rings. Grade B+
Tim Janson is a columnist and reviewer for Mania Entertainment. He writes Level Up, the weekly look at videogames and the horror dedicated column, Tuesday Terrors. Tim has written for Fangoria Magazine, Newsarama, City Slab Magazine, Twitch Film, and Cinefantastique. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA). Be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter
ILego Bats 2 is a decent game but like most of the lego series it's the collection of items characters etc.. that makes the game last. My little ones managed to beat it in less than a week.
My biggest complaint with LEGO Batman 2 is story length. You only get 15 playable levels. Batman 1 had 30 (15 hero, 15 villain). Harry Potter 1 and Pirates of the Caribbean had 24. Even LEGO Harry Potter 2 had 18 levels (6 per movie).
And yes, wandering all of Gotham City trying to get ALL the gold bricks is a pain. The "Ping" system helps, especially with red bricks and citizens in peril, but the 250 gold bricks is a pain in the @$$. And I don't count hunting those down as part of the "game" - it's an extra that is often more tiresome than it's worth.
The voice acting is great (glad to be rid of the "mumble, mumble" stuff of older games), and I loved hearing both the Batman score and John Williams' Superman theme. But that wasn't enough, IMHO, to overcome the game's limits.
I give it a B-.
Just picked up Lego Batman 2 last night. We started playing and we lost power. So back at it tonight. It comes with 2 DLC codes for 5 hero's and 5 Villans. I have to say playing alot of the Star Wars Lego and the previous Batman it is strange to have dialogue now. But it is a welcome change. Especially with some of the familiar voices.
Oh and the driving controls are terrible now.