Here's a pretty thing: LoTR Online gets a Mithril
Edition

post from Destructoid on 08 October 2011 11:06:44 PM. © Destructoid

Here's a pretty thing: LoTR Online gets a Mithril Edition screenshot

Back in the summer of 2010 Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine announced that they'd be taking their flagship MMOs on a trip to the increasingly popular free-to-play model. It was, and still is, all the rage and so far it's worked quite nicely. Alongside that business model however, a new retail edition has been announced with some pretty nifty goodies.

The MMOs Mithril Edition, retailing for $29.99, will include a starter guide, install discs, a keyboard map, a set of bonus quests, 2000 points to spend in the in-game store, and an exclusive mount, the Steed of the Horse-lords. With the recent launch of the new Rise of Isengard expansion, this seems like a pretty stellar way to get started with one of the better free MMOs on the market.

Mithril Edition of Lord of the Rings Online now up for grabs [Massively via VG247]

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DICE: There's a market for Mirror's Edge 2

post from Destructoid on 08 October 2011 09:05:49 PM. © Destructoid

DICE: There's a market for Mirror's Edge 2 screenshot

Parkour platformer, Mirror's Edge, might have a shot at getting a sequel. DICE producer Patrick Liu believes that people are ready for a second game. The original was a critical success, but unfortunately not a commercial one. However, Liu seems confident that a sequel is viable.

We see that there's a huge fan following, it's almost like a cult! And we know what strengths we had, and what weaknesses we had in that game. If we were to release a new game, we'd know what to improve and how to reach a broader audience. So I definitely think there's a market there.

The stylish dystopia and exciting parkour sequences of the original endeared it to me, but the combat felt tacked on. It was a game with a lot of potential and really deserves another chance. There were reports of a sequel being in the works up until February this year, but EA postponed it indefinitely. EA hasn't indicated it's changed it's mind, despite seeing the franchise as important.

DICE: Gamers Are Ready For Mirror's Edge 2 [Spong]

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TtWaV teaser: Sony's online sucks now

post from Destructoid on 08 October 2011 08:05:58 PM. © Destructoid

TtWaV teaser: Sony's online sucks now? screenshot

video details and more

The next episode of Talking to Women about Videogames went long; 40 seconds too long to be precise. Those 40 seconds had to be cut, but that doesn't mean you don't get to see them. We slapped this all important deleted scene into a video of its own, sort of like a 40 minute, less funny version of Wake Up Ron Burgundy. I hope you like it.

The topic of next week's post will be Sony's ever evolving online practices, specifically the potential for all of their future games to require online passes, and the the PS Vita 3G model's chances for daily download caps. Sony has quite the history of inspiring vengeful consumers to strike back at their attempts to control how their consoles and games are used post-purchase. With these online passes and data caps, it looks like that history might be bound to continue. In fact, people are have already found a brassy work around for the PS3's new no-sue agreement. I wonder how long it will take for them to get around Sony's other attempts to control how their consoles are used?

And how about you? Are you planning to rise up against download caps and online passes, or are you ready to jam with Sony's controlling ways?

Past Episodes:

Talking to Women about Videogames: 3DS 2nd nub panic

Talking to Women about Videogames: Gears 3 isn't perfect?

Talking to Women about Videogames: Sexy vs. sexist?

Talking to Women about Videogames: What makes you want?

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Review: Worms Ultimate Mayhem

post from Destructoid on 08 October 2011 07:06:43 PM. © Destructoid

Review: Worms Ultimate Mayhem screenshot

The Worms series has worked well as a downloadable franchise, finding a good home on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. Fans of turn-based strategic combat have enjoyed the simplicity and fun of the series, and as such, the titles have sold well.

For its newest iteration, Team17 has taken a step forward by adding a slew of new options, while simultaneously taking a step back.

Worms Ultimate Mayhem (PC, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade [Reviewed])
Developer: Team17 Software Ltd.
Publisher: Team17 Software Ltd.
Released: September 28, 2011 (PC, XBLA) / Q4 2011 (PSN)
MSRP: $14.99 (PC) / TBA (PSN) / 1200 Microsoft Points (XBLA)

For the uninitiated, Worms is a turn-based, pseudo-strategy title in which one faction tries to take the other out with a variety of terrain-destroying weapons and maneuvers. Most previous entries have been presented in a 2D side view, but some, like this one, are in 3D.

The first time you boot up the game, a bizarre video begins, explaining the world of Worms but not quite how you play. The tutelage is instead left to a very lengthy tutorial mode, which is thankfully separate and optional from the main game, as it tends to last almost as long as some of the actual story missions. Though the tutorial usually only provides you with one or two team members, the story mode gives you a few more.

To call Worms Ultimate Mayhem a new game is a bit of a misnomer. The title is actually a re-packaging of both Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem from the PS2/Xbox/GameCube days. There is a lot of material here, but for most fans of the franchise, not a lot of it is new. All of the story missions from Worms 3D (and most from Worms 4) are here with no enhancements or anything. Not that anyone plays the Worms titles for the single-player mode, but it is of note in this situation.

In fact, there are six different modes for single player -- quick match, two story modes, two challenge modes, and a tutorial. While they offer a variety of mission types, the controls take all of the fun away from them. You have missions where you're set to steal tools or destroy enemy bases, but the slow, plodding manner in which worms maneuver, coupled with the turn-based style of gameplay, makes for very long, boring missions.

The 3D is the game's biggest hindrance. The camera view, even in first-person mode, doesn't allow for careful lining up of shots; once a shot is made, sometimes the view restricts you from seeing the impact of your hit or how much damage your foe has taken. Likewise, the terrain destruction is greatly reduced, which eliminates any of the tunneling aspects of the previous entries, as well as the fun of creating huge craters in which to lose enemies.

Speaking of enemies, I know they are worms, but do they really have to have the same brains as those creatures? The enemy AI in single player is terribly inconsistent. Either the worms have perfect aim, taking you and your team out with the ease and skill of master trick shooters from the cast of Wanted, or they turn into Ernest P. Worrell and blow themselves up.

But like I said, no one plays Worms for the single-player mode. Multiplayer is where it is, with plenty of new maps and weapons to try out locally or over Xbox Live. About the only real addition to the game is the well-done variety of maps upon which to terrorize your opponents, but again, the camera and pacing prevents any real sense of accomplishment beyond "wow, I finally hit them."

There's a decent amount of customization involved, allowing you to deck out your team in your own style of outfits, accents, and the like, with more options earned by completing missions or buying more materials with coins. While they ultimately serve no real purpose other than to distinguish the players, they do offer the opportunity to create worm teams completely unique from any other.

Worms Ultimate Mayhem is truly a strange beast. As a fan of the series, I really wanted to enjoy myself, but the constant fighting with the camera, poor enemy AI in single-player, and terrible pacing keep this one from the top of my list of strategy shooters. It's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination... it's just not very good, either.

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Skyrim avatar items coming to Xbox Live

post from Gaming Nexus on 08 October 2011 06:24:00 PM. © Gaming Nexus

by: Travis Huinker
NEWS - Most of the avatar items released on Xbox Live are overpriced and not worth a mention. However, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim shirts and Dragonborn helmet will be the exception when their released on October 13. I've always wanted my avatar to be a Dovahkiin from the lands of Skyrim.

Dragonborn Helmet (male or female): 240 Microsoft Points
Skyrim logo t-shirt (male or female): 80 Microsoft Points
Skyrim logo baseball cap (male or female): 80 Microsoft Points

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http://www.gamingnexus.com/FullNews/Skyrim-avatar-items-coming-to-Xbox-Live/Item2
4367.aspx

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Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter
Impressions

post from Gaming Nexus on 08 October 2011 05:18:00 PM. © Gaming Nexus

by: Travis Huinker
NEWS - I've always been in in slight disapproval to the casual genre of games that have been appearing on Facebook. My experience with past games released on Facebook have been fairly grim because of their addiction with free-to-play gameplay. This model often depends on the sale of in-game items that make the experience less difficult or allows for uninterrupted spans of gameplay. In the case of Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter, it trades enjoyment of gameplay for the abuse of Facebook's microtransactions. Read on after the break to discover how much of an impact the free-to-play model has on the actual gameplay experience in Heroes of Neverwinter.

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ssions/Item24356.aspx

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Algebraic! Pokemon spoof video by Adventure Time
crew

post from Destructoid on 08 October 2011 05:06:14 PM. © Destructoid

Algebraic! Pokemon spoof video by Adventure Time crew screenshot

Do you like Pokémon? Do you like Adventure Time? Do you like Pokémon in your Adventure Time? Do you like Adventure Time in your Pokémon? Do you like peanut butter in your chocolate?

Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward and series artist Natasha Allegri got together to make this cute little Pokémon parody, which was posted on Pen's YouTube page. It's cute, it's short, it's an immature fart joke... and I love it! Who wouldn't love to see a Pokémon reboot done in this style?

Flix for Short: Pikapew Poop Chu [Flixist]

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World of Tanks coming to stores in UK, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Nordic countries, Benelux, Spain, Portugal, Greece and France

post from Daily video game news on 08 October 2011 04:51:07 PM. © Daily video game news

This retail edition will contain bonus content: Additional in-game currency and Gold, the...

Read the full post at www.gamezplay.org use the search option if there is no link above...

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f-tanks-coming-to-stores-in-uk.html

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Of Orcs And Men, Orcs And Goblins Take Arms
Screenshots! - PC PS3 X360

Of Orcs and Men is a big role playing game jointly conceived by Cyanide, overseeing concept and...

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-and-men-orcs-and-goblins-take.html

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The Testament of Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock &
Watson Continue The Investigation Screenshots! - PC PS3 X360

The greatest of all detectives is still on the case, but the mystery stays whole! The Testament of...

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