Mass Effect 2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published byElectronic Arts. The game is a sequel to Mass Effect, and the second game of the series. The game was released on PC and Xbox 360 in January 2010, and on PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011.^[9][10]

After the events of the original game, Commander Shepard is killed in an ambush by a mysterious alien species called the Collectors. Shepard is revived two years after the attack by a pro-human extremist organization called Cerberus, and is tasked with finding out more about the Collectors and why they are abducting entire human colonies. Shepard must recruit and gain the loyalty of a diverse team in order to accomplish what seems to be asuicide mission. Many elements and locations from Mass Effect return, in addition to ones new to the series.

A critical and commercial success, Mass Effect 2 had shipped over two million copies worldwide within a week of release,^[11] and has also received highly favorable reviews.^[12] It is ranked third on the Xbox 360 according to GameRankings, and is, overall, the fourteenth best reviewed game of all time.^[13] The game holds over 30 perfect scores and has an average of 96 for the Xbox 360 and 94 for the PC and PS3 on Metacritic.

New features

According to Casey Hudson, BioWare tried to improve every part of Mass Effect 2 from the firstMass Effect, especially combat.^[17] The game feels like a precision shooter with accurate and powerful weapons, and there are also physics-based special abilities that can be fired in real time.

In combat, players have regenerating health, but cannot heal themselves with medi-gel like in the first Mass Effect; however, medi-gel can still be used to revive downed squad mates.^[18] The ability to fire a weapon no longer relies on an overheating system; instead, ammunition is used.^[19] Ammunition is universal across most standard weapons, unlike in most other third person shooters where different weapons require specific ammunition.^[20]

The galaxy in Mass Effect 2 is more in-depth than in the original Mass Effect. Uncharted worlds, which the player could only explore for "cheap thrills" in the first game, are now smaller but much more detailed.^[21]

During conversations with the A.I., camera positioning has been improved. Previously static, the camera now moves around to provide a cinematic touch.^[22] Another new feature during conversations is a context-sensitive interrupt system; in addition to neutral, Renegade and Paragon dialogue options, Shepard is now able to interrupt the conversation when prompted with on-screen controls.^[23]

The Mako - used for planetary exploration in the first Mass Effect - was not included in Mass Effect 2.^[24] A drop shuttle is used instead, directly transporting the player to areas of immediate interest.^[25] Long elevator rides, used to disguise loading times in the original Mass Effect, were removed entirely, replaced by loading screens.^[26]

There are 19 different weapons divided into 6 types in Mass Effect 2, which is considerably less than in the first Mass Effect.^[27] Grenades from the first game have been replaced by heavy weapons,^[28] and sub-machine guns have been added as a weapon class. Characters are no longer required to invest in weapon skills; instead, they are given class-specific weapons from the get-go and can easily upgrade them fully. Research can be done for damage upgrades, ammo capacity upgrades and weapon accuracy upgrades. Armor restrictions have been removed^[29] and players are able to upgrade different armor components through purchases and individual components.

Mass Effect

Mass Effect


is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and then ported to Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Windows version was released on May 28, 2008, published by Electronic Arts.

The game takes place in the year 2183, with the player, assuming the role of an elite human soldier named Commander Shepard, setting out to explore the Galaxy on a starship, the SSV Normandy. The titular mass effect is a form of inertia-suppressing technology, allowingfaster-than-light travel.

A sequel, Mass Effect 2, was released on January 26, 2010, and takes place two years after the events that transpired in the first game. Mass Effect 2 also directly uses players' completed save data from the first game to influence events and storylines within the second game, basing certain events and narrative threads on decisions and actions that the player made in the first game.

In addition to the sequel, and a third in development to complete the trilogy, BioWare plans to release episodic content online to fill in the story between each game, though these episodes are not essential for understanding the main plot line. The first downloadable content package, Bring Down the Sky, was released on March 10, 2008 (with a PC version released on July 29, 2008) The second downloadable content package, Pinnacle Station, was released on August 25, 2009 for the PC and Xbox 360.

Player creation and character classes

Although most of the game's screen shots and concept art show the same "default" male Commander Shepard, it is possible for the player to fully customize his or her character's appearance, gender, abilities and even military background.

The game includes six character classes. Each class contains several "talents"; as each talent is leveled, the character either gains stats (extra health, stamina, etc), unlocks new abilities (for example leveling the Shotgun talent unlocks the "Carnage" ability, which allows the character to fire a concentrated explosive blast from the shotgun), or unlocks other talents. Each class also possesses a unique talent with the same name as its respective class; the characters may also have talents tied to their background. Characters who have reached level 20 will unlock a "Rogue VI" side-mission on Luna (Earth's moon) in the Sol System, upon the completion of which the player is allowed to choose a new specialist class, which in turn unlocks a new talent bar. The specialist class the character is offered depends on the base class.

When characters are first created, six classes are available: Soldier, Engineer, Adept, Infiltrator, Sentinel, and Vanguard. Soldiers are the most skilled with weaponry, Engineers make the most use of the omni-tool and tech-abilities, and Adepts are the best at using biotic powers. The other three classes are combinations of the first three: Infiltrators are a combination of Soldiers and Engineers, Sentinels are a combination of Engineers and Adepts, and Vanguards are a combination of Soldiers and Adepts. While the combination classes don't have the focus of the main classes, they are versatile and offer unique game-play opportunities. (Vanguards, for example, have access to half of the soldier skills and half of the Adept skills).

Players also have some control over their character's back story. They are able to choose to have been either a "spacer" (born and bred in space), a "colonist" (born on one of Earth's extra-solar colonies), or "Earth-born" (hailing from the streets of one of Earth's cities). They also choose whether they have been the sole survivor of a terrible battle, a war hero, or a ruthless soldier. These backgrounds have only a small effect in the game, although many characters will reference the player's chosen background when talking to Commander Shepard. The character's background can also affect whether some side quests are available or not. With only a few exceptions, the character's background does not directly affect the player's dialogue choices.

Combat and abilities

Combat in Mass Effect takes place in real time, but the player can pause at any time to change the squad's weapons, select different abilities for the squad members to use, or to give general squad orders. The player and his allies use firearms (modifiable with various upgrades throughout the game), Tech abilities (to interfere with enemy equipment and abilities), and biotics (similar to magical attacks orForce powers in other games) to fight their enemies. Players directly control their character's actions as well as their squadmates' attacks, but cannot take direct command of their squadmates. They can, however, issue commands using the directional pad, allowing the player to tell other characters to get behind cover, regroup, attack a specific target, or to scout ahead. Weapons and abilities of the squad members are selected via the use of two "wheel" interfaces: one for the weapons at the squad's disposal, and the other listing the available powers of each squad member and their respective recharge times. The command interface was reworked for the Windows version into displays on either side of the HUD for each squad member.

The abilities and special powers that characters have at their disposal are determined by the skill sets assigned to them at the beginning of the game and how further earned experience points have been allotted since then. Some special abilities include a biotic lift that can be used to pick up objects and enemies, and a tech ability that reduces the shields of enemies. Two other abilities, Charm and Intimidate, are dependent on points, storyline progression, and the amount of Paragon or Renegade points the player attains; raising the levels of these will not unlock any attacks, but instead open new dialogue options within the game.

Special abilities that the player can use in the game are tech abilities and biotics. Tech abilities are support powers used against enemy weapons and technology, as well as biotics. They are activated through the omni-tool, which three of the main classes can use: Engineers, Infiltrators, and Sentinels. These abilities include destroying enemy shields, sabotaging enemy weaponry, and hacking robotic enemies to fire on their own squad. Tech abilities also have passive uses, such as the Electronics talent, which allows the party to open locked crates or salvage components from wrecks. Biotics are powers accessed by the characters using implants that enhance natural abilities to manipulatedark energy, with mass effect fields. These abilities include hurling enemies around with the mind, raising shields that are resistant to enemy fire but still allow the player to fire through them, and creating small singularities that cause enemies and destructible parts of the environment to swirl about. Three of the main character classes are able to use these powers: Adepts (the main biotics class), Vanguards, and Sentinels.

Weapons and equipment

Mass Effect features four classes of conventional firearms (pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, and sniper rifles) and grenades, along with a variety of weapon and armor upgrades. The player can pause the game at any time and change the equipment used by the members of the party. This is a major strategic aspect of the gameplay, as choosing the correct equipment can mean the difference between a quick victory and defeat. Equipped items are visible on the characters; the armors have different appearances and all weapons fold up into compact versions that are stored on the character's back. Weapons can be retrieved by using a weapon wheel similar to the talent wheel.

Ammunition is unlimited; instead of needing to reload, a weapon will build up heat until it overheats, and cannot fire until it has sufficiently cooled down. In-game, the reasoning for this is that weapons are loaded with "blocks" of ammunition material, and each round fired is sheared off from this central supply of ammunition. The rounds themselves are described as being the size of a "grain of sand" and are launched through mass accelerator technology at extremely high speeds. Firing a weapon continuously or using a weapon that one is untrained with will result in decreased accuracy, represented by an expanding targeting reticle. The more Talent points that are spent on a weapon type, the greater the weapon type's accuracy and damage.

The characters wear dual layer hardsuits which serve as combat and EVA suits. There are three classifications of hardsuits: light, medium, and heavy armor. These suits provide a limitless supply of oxygen, as well as temporary protection from many planetary hazards like heat and radiation. Heavier suits are vulnerable to fewer hazards, but cause characters to move slower. The suits also come equipped with kinetic barriers, which act as shields against incoming fire. Aside from Liara, who is able to wear human armor, each non-human character requires a different type of armor corresponding to their race. Biotic- or tech-wielding characters can also upgrade their biotic amps or omni-tools to give bonuses to their attacks or reduce their cooldown periods.

The equipment found by the player generally increases in both stats and cost as the player levels up, denoted by a class marking from I to X. Higher class weapons and armor also have more upgrade slots than their lower-class counterparts. Upgrades found in the game fall into one of four categories: weapon upgrades, armor upgrades, ammo upgrades, and grenade upgrades. Weapon and armor upgrades add to certain stats of the item they are put in, such as accuracy or shields, while ammo and grenade upgrades grant such things as fire damage or reduced speed when shot or thrown at enemies.

Wheel Man

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wheelman 


is a driving game developed by Midway Studios - Newcastle and published byUbisoft and Midway Games for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows.


Game play

The game is set in an open world modeled after Barcelona, full of destructible objects, alleyways, shortcuts through office blocks and a total of 31 story missions and 105 side missions. While most missions are driving-oriented there are also foot missions which are played from a third person and incorporated a crouching system similar to the one used inGoldeneye. A wide variety of guns are preserved for the player including pistols to RPGs.

Among the vehicles used by Milo Burik in the game is the Pontiac G8,^[2] shown in released trailers for Wheelman. Reports^[3] also indicated that the Opel Astra is a drivable vehicle. In the demo, his license plate says MRTL KM8T which is a reference to Mortal Kombat, Midway's popular fighting game.

Plot

The protagonist, Milo Burik (a digitized Vin Diesel), is an undercover agent whose assignment is to work along with a gang in Barcelona planning the biggest heist of their career. He turns out to be one of the most effective weapons in the business.


Developement
The video game Wheelman was first announced in February 2006 by publisher Midway Games as the second of three titles in a joint collaboration between Midway and MTV Networks.^[4] Midway Games collaborated with Tigon Studios to design the game.^[5] After multiple delays over the course of around 3 years, Wheelman was finally released in many "major territories" including the United States, Australia and the biggest European countries on March 24.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Call of Duty: Black Ops 


is a first-person shooter video game^[6] developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, 2010 for Microsoft Windows,Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,^[5] Wii consoles,^[10] with a separate version for Nintendo DSdeveloped by n-Space.^[1] Announced on April 30, 2010, the game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series, and the first to be set in the Cold War and the fifth to be set inWorld War II. It is the third in the series to be developed by Treyarch, and is a sequel to the developer's Call of Duty: World at War.^[11]

Within 24 hours of going on sale, the game sold more than 7 million copies, 5.6 million in the U.S. and 1.4 million in the UK, breaking the record set by its predecessor Modern Warfare 2by some 2.5 million copies.^[12][13] A subtitled version was released in Japan on November 18, 2010. A Japanese-dubbed version was released on December 16, 2010. After six weeks on release, Activision reported Black Ops had earned $1 billion in sales.^[14]

Overview

Black Ops is a first-person shooter. The player assumes the role of a foot soldier who can wield various firearms, of which two at a time can be carried; throw grenades and other explosives; and use other equipment as weapons. A player close enough to an enemy can kill with one knife blow. A character can take three stances: standing, crouching, or prone; each affects rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. The player can dive prone from a standing position when running. The player can momentarily sprint but will then grow tired. The screen glows red to indicate damage to a player's health, which goes away over time. When the character is within the blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player to flee or throw it back. Among the game's weapons are crossbows with bolts and explosive ammunition, Dragon's Breath rounds andballistic knives.

Campaign

The player assumes the role of various characters during the single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the story. The playable characters are special forces operatives conducting black operations behind enemy lines. In this way, the player's characters have their own traits such as voices and shadows.^[11] Each mission features a series of objectives that are displayed on the heads-up display, which marks the direction and distance towards and from such objectives. The player is accompanied by friendly troops throughout the game. Although primarily a first-person shooter, the player pilots a Hind helicopter and guides friendly troops from a SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft.^[15][16][17] The campaign features several scripted cinematic moments. One of them is a bullet time effect during the "Victor Charlie" level, activated when the player fires toward the last enemy of a Viet Cong squad.^[18]

Left 4 Dead 2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Left 4 Dead 2


 is a cooperative first-person shooter game. It is the sequel to Valve Corporation's award-winning Left 4 Dead. The game launched on November 17, 2009, forMicrosoft Windows and Xbox 360 in the United States and November 20 in Europe; in 2010, Left 4 Dead 2 was made available to the Steam client for Mac OS X.^[6] It builds upon the cooperatively-focused gameplay of the original and uses Valve's proprietary Source engine, the same game engine used in Left 4 Dead. The game made its world premiere at E3 2009with a trailer during the Microsoft press event.^[7]

Like the original, Left 4 Dead 2 is set during the aftermath of an apocalyptic pandemic, and focuses on four survivors fighting against hordes of the infected, who develop severe psychosis and act zombie-like. The survivors must fight their way through levels, interspersed with safe houses that act as checkpoints, with the goal of reaching a rescue vehicle at the campaign's finale. The gameplay is procedurally altered by an artificial intelligence engine dubbed the "Director" that monitors the players' performance and adjust the scenario to provide a dynamic challenge. Several new features have been introduced: new types of infected, melee weapons, and a story-arc that connects the game's five campaigns together.^[8]

When it was announced, it received a combination of positive and negative critical and community reactions. It also attracted an unusually high volume of pre-release controversy about the game's graphic content. In response, alterations were made to the cover art^[9] and both Australia (due to having no R18+ rating) and Germany refused to rate the unmodified edition.^[10]

Left 4 Dead

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Left 4 Dead 

is a cooperative survival horror first-person shooter video game. It was developed by Turtle Rock Studios, which was purchased by Valve Corporation during development. The game uses Valve's proprietary Source engine, and is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360. Development on the game was completed on November 13, 2008, and two versions were released digitally: A downloadable digital version, released on November 17, 2008, and a digital retail disc version, with a release date determined by region. The digital retail disc version was released in North America and Australia on November 18, 2008; and in Europe and Japan on November 21, 2008.

Set during the aftermath of an apocalyptic pandemic, the game pits its four protagonists—dubbed the "Survivors"—against hordes of the infected. There are four game modes: a single-player mode in which allied characters are controlled by AI; a four-player, co-op campaign mode; an eight-player online versus mode; and a four-player survival mode. In all modes, anartificial intelligence (AI), dubbed the "Director", controls level pacing and item placements, in an attempt to create a dynamic experience and increase replay value.

Left 4 Dead was well received by the industry media upon its release, with praise given for its replay value, focus on cooperative play, and movie-like experience. Several criticisms were aimed at limited level selection and the lack of a narrative. The game has won several publication awards, as well as distinctions from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciencesand British Academy of Film and Television Arts. As was done with Team Fortress 2, Valve plans on supplementing the game with free downloadable content. The first of these, called the "Survival Pack", was released on April 21, 2009. The second piece of DLC was charged for via Xbox Live and came in the form of a new Campaign entitled "Crash Course," released for both the PC and Xbox 360 on September 29, 2009.

The popularity of the game led to the development of a sequel, Left 4 Dead 2, which was released November 17, 2009. Left 4 Dead 2 was released on Mac OS X via Steam on October 5, 2010, and the original Left 4 Dead was released for the Mac soon after on October 28, 2010. The Mac version of Left 4 Dead 2 incorporated a new map for both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, called The Sacrifice, as well as No Mercy being imported into Left 4 Dead 2, allowing for cross-platform support between PC and Mac versions.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (abbreviated as Call of Duty: MW3 or simply MW3) 


is an upcoming first-person shooter video game currently in development by Infinity Ward with assisted development from Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software co-developing multiplayer development.^[3] It will be the third installment in the Modern Warfare series, and the eighth Call of Duty installment in total.

Characters

The game will see the return of Task Force 141 Captain John "Soap" MacTavish, former SAS Captain John Price and Russian informant Nikolai who are on the run after killing the rogue U.S. Army Lieutenant General Shepard. Russian Ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov will also reprise as the game's primary antagonist.^[10] Several new playable characters have been added, including Derek "Frost" Westbrook and Sandman, a pair of Delta Force operatives in New York City; Marcus Burns, a Sergeant in the Special Air Service fighting in London; and Yuri, a Russian federal security agent.

New non-playable characters that have been confirmed so far include Truck and Grunt, who form part of the Delta Force fire team alongside Frost and Sandman.^[11]

A character named Grinch was announced, with Tobey Maguire voicing. ^[12