Warhammer 40K: Space Marines + Jon’s Last Post

So for those of you who might care, this is in fact, my last post on Secondary Fire. I’ve been drafted into the ranks of the few, the proud, the mighty. I will be running off to make video games instead of writing and talking about them. Where I’m going, I cannot say. When I’ll be back, you cannot know. Okay, actually, I’m going to Koei Canada. When I’ll be back, well, that is hard to say. I’m going to see if I can come back to do other media reviews and opinions, but it is a slippery slope and a very sticky mess to boot. But I digress.

I’ll be leaving this blogsite in the capable hands of none other than Mr. Amrit Maharaj, whom I’m sure will continue to share his love of all things gamey (that sounds kinda gross, actually), and all those of nerd-dom.

When I first spied the Relic logo at the start of this video, I immediately assumed and prepared for another strategy game, something Relic does in spades. However, as I watched the video, I realized two very important things:

1. While there’s no real gameplay shown, this looks very little like a strategy game.
2. This is a console game - Relic has cut their teeth developing strategy for the PC.

So I’m not sure what to expect - but I can leave you with several of my buzzword expectations. Four Player Co-op. Weapons-based Combat. Epic Story. Enjoy the video.

More Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Info

I’m out. Game On. One Love … and so forth.

- Jon Chan

Joker Will be a Playable Character in Arkham Asylum…

… but only on Playstation 3. Eidos has announced that the Joker will be a playable character on the PS3 version of the title. Though not shipping on the physical disc, he will be available as downloadable content, and can be used through the challenge modes in the game. There’s no word yet on what the counterbalance will be for the Xbox360, but if it’s Harley Quinn, I’m gonna be PISSED.

Arkham Asylum - Silent Knight Challenge Gameplay

I shan’t think I need comment any further.

Skate 2 Hall of Meat Guide

Before you start hurting and maiming yourselves, there are a few things to note:

Do the challenges in the sequence they are listed in the Hall of Meat in order to unlock the locations and spawn points that you’ll need for later challenges. While this isn’t necessary, it will make the process a lot less frustrating later on down the line, and we’ve written this guide assuming you’ll complete the challenges in sequence.

You can jump ahead to any of the four sections by clicking these links below:

SECTION 1 - Intro to Hurting yourself
SECTION 2 - Check Yo’self … then Wreck Yo’self
SECTION 3 - Posing will get you Hurt
SECTION 4 - Objects n Stuff …

Actions:
Intentional Wipeout (aka AUTO BAIL) - Right Trigger + Left Trigger + Left Stick + Right Stick
Cannonball - Right Analog Stick UP
Spread Eagle - Right Analog Stick DOWN
Torpedo - Right Analog Stick LEFT
Judo Kick - Right Analog Stick RIGHT

Session Marker - Left Bumper + Dpad DOWN

1.1 - 5000 Points @ GED High School Location: GED High What you’ll need: Nothing Description: Get to the top of the ramp leading into the courtyard. Gain speed, aim straight, and a general bail with a roll or two should get this rather simple challenge. What you get: $100

1.2 - 10,000 Points @ Upper Stacks Location: Upper Stacks What you’ll need: Nothing Description: Jump through any of the large circular openings in wall at the upper stacks and bail immediately. The combination of height, and falling damage should do the rest. If not, try to roll a couple rotations when you hit the ground. What you get: $200

1.3 - 15,000 Points @ Sunset Heights Location: Sunset Heights What you’ll Need: Nothing Description: After spawning at Sunset Heights, blindly bail over the left side, which should be a fairly high drop. Do a few tweaks, try to land spread eagle or judo kicking, and you’ll get the 15,000 you need. What you get: $300

1.4- 17,500 Points @ Mini Mega Location: Mini Mega Redux OTS What you’ll Need: Nothing Description: The key here is rotation and speed. Launch off the mini mega, and try to grab as much speed and air as possible before bailing. After a good launch, bail, spin and spin some more. A good tweak like judo kick or spreading eagle will also help deal some damage. What you get: $400

1.5 - 20,000 Points @ Dueling Snakes Location: Dueling Snakes What you’ll Need: Description: From the spawnpoint, head left up the hill toward the small grouping of apartment buildings overlooking the park. At the top of this hill, you should see a break between two railings that open up over a concrete block. Back up a short distance from the edge of this hill and set your marker. When you bail off the hill cannonball into the top of this concrete block. With enough momentum, you should be able to continue rolling off this block and either hit the glass awning right below, or just land smack dab on the concrete. Either way should do enough damage, but this one still might take a few attempts. What you get: $500

1.6 - 22,500 Points @ Lighthouse Park Location: Lighthouse Park What you’ll Need: Description: As tempting as it might be to shoot off the ramp after spawning, there’s an easier way to get this challenge. Immediately to your left and right, you’ll notice a set of red stairs leading to the bottom of the park. Set your marker at the spawn point, and skate over to the top of either stairway and ollie. Bail off the ollie and roll down the stairs, cannonballing and torpedoeing to maximize your time on the stairs. If you’re over 10,000 points by the time you’ve hit the bottom, you’re on the right track. This one takes some tweaking. What you get: $1000

1.7 - 25,000 Points @ The Boneyard Location: Boneyard What you’ll Need: Description:From the spawnpoint, look toward the blue half pipe near the center Boneyard. To the left, you should see an abandoned building. Head for the building, and keep your eyes peeled for a set of metal steps at the corner of the building. At the top of those stairs, you’ll see another flight of stairs, follow that, and go up as high as you can. You’ll find yourself in a semi-demolished room overlooking the rest of the park. Set your marker here and ride off the opening opposite to the half pipe, bail, spin, and spread eagle. What you get: $2000

1.8 - 30,000 Points @ Mega Compound Location: Mega Compound What you’ll Need: Description: This will probably be the easiest 30,000 bail points you’ll ever earn. Hit the middle ramp - be careful though, to properly land the downramp, you’ll have to hop from the crease right before the drop. Ride the ramp down and bail where the boards meet the green, spinning and nailing as many tweaks/gestures as you can before hitting the ground. Roll down the landing ramp to earn some bonus points. What you get: $1,500

1.9 - 35,000 Points @ Cougar Bridge Location: Cougar Bridge Via Cougar Mountain — Past the SV Dam What you’ll Need: Description: Coming from the top of Cougar Mountain, you’ll see a ramp to the left when you arrive at the bridge. You’ll also notice this ramp leads right over the side of the bridge. Set your marker and follow your instincts by using the ramp to fly off the side. As usual, bail at the peak of your jump, spinning and tweaking for bonus points. What you get: $1750

1.10 - 40,000 Points @ the Dam Location: SV Dam What you’ll Need: Description: This one requires a little attention to detail. From the top of Cougar Mountain, you’ll see the entrance to the Dam, guarded by a traffic pole gate. Slip under it, and stop at the circular court immediately to the left. Note the cabling that descends the side of the hill/dam. Follow the one of the right with your eyes, and you’ll also spot what appears to be a to be a scenery-scope, mounted on a pole. From the center of the court, place your marker, and ride off the edge, following the cable on the right, but staying to the left of the scope. You don’t need speed for this one - if you just roll right over the edge, you’ll hit the hill and continue rolling to the bottom of the dam. Remember, spin and tweak. What you get: $2000, Hideki Tower

1.11 - 45,000 Points Anywhere Location: Hideki Tower What you’ll Need: Description: Now that you’ve unlocked Hideki Tower, it’s time to have some real fun. Teleport to the Spawn Point, and just bail over the ledge in front of where you spawn. Let nature take its course. If you want a sure thing, go over to the left, you’ll be able to hit a few things to add a few thousand bonus points. What you get: $5000

1.12 - 46,000 Points Anywhere Location: Hideki Tower What you’ll Need: Description: SEE ABOVE. What you get: $6000

1.13 - 47,000 Points Anywhere Location: Hideki Tower What you’ll Need: Description: SEE ABOVE. What you get: $7000

1.14 - 50,000 Points Anywhere Location: Hideki Tower What you’ll Need: Description: SEE ABOVE. What you get: $8000

1.15 - 55,000 Points Anywhere Location: Hideki Tower What you’ll Need: Description: SEE ABOVE What you get: $10,000, Hideki Tower OTS

Review: Skate 2

Title: Skate 2
Developer: EA Games / Black Box
Version Reviewed: Xbox 360
Words: Jon Chan

I still remember the first time I laid my hands on Skate. After a little fumbling around with the then-fangled trick stick, the rhythm finally came to me and I immediately realized how obsolete the Tony Hawk series had become. The organic controls required delicate, but confident flicks and twirls - a most welcome contrast to the rigid and static button combinations of the hey-day. But we gamers quickly came to believe that this was merely version one point oh.

We envisioned enhancements, all agreeing with each other. “We should be able to get off our boards.” We demanded. We wanted to do hand plants. We wanted to move that encumbering dumpster bin. We wanted to bail through a mailbox.

We waited a long time, but someone up there (by that, I mean, someone at EA Games / Black Box) heard and answered our prayers; almost every one of them. At first play, Skate 2 seems to be more of the same – what might even be deemed ‘Skate 1.5.’ But then you sit around with friends, and go into the competitive multiplayer modes, or make repeated attempts to record that perfect line, and next thing you know you’re howling and hooting and cheering for the top line scores, bails, and crashes. Skate 2 manages to be just as exciting and entertaining to watch as it is to play, provided that your turn is coming up next.

It’s rather hard to imagine where Skate can go from here. The obviously evolutions have been made, and from this gamer’s perspective, its subtle adjustments and elements are implemented very well. Grinding seems to require a hair’s precision more. And getting off one’s board is useful and sometimes necessary, but it is definitely not the preferred method of transport. These conditions feel deliberate - sharpening the skills of the player, and promoting the joys of the skateboard. They are very subtle but, if truly deliberate, immediately flags Black Box to be a developer to keep your eye on [edit – Would have been, if EA didn’t lay the shut down on them].

In-game graphics and processing are also areas of improvement, with lighting, texturing, animation, and ragdoll physics making appropriate advancements alongside the state of today’s standard technologies. Art and sound direction have also received a makeover; the game’s intro feels a lot like a Beastie Boys music video featuring all your favourite skaters, in-game symbols and interfaces have been further modernized and polished, and the all around soundtrack is much more appealing over the partially sound music compilation of the original (Though Sister Nancy IS a rude gyal).

There are still some minor irritants though. Like many three dimensional games, quirky follow-camera issues make it difficult to skate as freely as one would like, while the inability to walk backwards just make most seasoned gamers scratch their heads. These two issues alone manage to break immersion, and when combined, are incredibly frustrating.

However, these irritations are rare, and Skate 2 does manage to satisfy the skater’s soul. Many sequels are drastically changed from their predecessors, sometimes to a fault. Skate 2, while not a vast difference from the original, sticks to a winning formula, and is a must play for all Skateboarding fans — but you already knew that didn’t you?

Collectors’ Edition: Street Fighter IV PS3

A sneak peak at what you get when you order Street Fighter IV’s collectors box for the Playstation 3. It looks like you get:

• Ryu Figurine In Hadouken Stance (doesn’t look very poseable)
• Street Fighter: The Ties that Bind Animated Movie Blu Ray
• Collector’s Hint Book (wtf?)
• Street Fighter IV Game (duh.)

I’m a little curious to see what’s inside the “COLLECTOR’S HINT BOOK” … it’s a fighting game, not the latest Tomb Raider, or Final Fantasy. What kind of HINT could there possibly be? “Press Down, Down/Right, Right + Strong Punch to shoot a fireball?” Until I see what it actually is, I think it’s just something cheap that they could print to extend their Collectors’ Edition list by one point.

As a grown man who loves toys, I’m also excited to see whether or not they’ll release various figurines for the different consoles a la … well … just about everyone else. Possibly Ken for the 360? Akuma for the PC?

Prince of Persia Redux Impressions

I think I’ve played enough of Ubisoft Montreal’s latest Prince of Persia iteration to understand the core mechanics and style of the game. And really, I think they’ve milked their last cow. Let’s call it Prince of Persia Montreal Edition, because fuck, there are so many iterations of this god damned franchise.

I was really surprised to find that Prince of Persia Montreal Edition (or POP ME) was receiving an average 85% on both Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles. I didn’t think this game was incredibly innovate or unique, or even had that short term play-itch that tends to get me from title to title.

It’s not that the game is poorly designed or developed. In fact, quite the opposite. I really like the writing style and art direction that this game has taken. The Prince’s sarcastic but whimsical tone, combined with vibrant colours and a balanced combination of mechanical and natural environments makes It feel like I’m playing an Aladdin action movie. But I don’t know if that’s good or bad. The adult  in me doesn’t really appreciate this style anymore. It feels rash and immature. On the other hand, the Michael Jackson in me absolutely loves it.  Where the fuck is my genie? Oh right. Elika. I have a hot genie. Awesome.

However, this is only aesthetic. While I completely agree with Alison Haislip’s brilliant observation that the writing is good, and the graphics are good, I really don’t think the “play of the game” will keep you coming back any time soon. If anything, it’s the writing and the graphics, and even then, I crave something more.

Are Counter-Terrorism and Wall Running the only things that Ubisoft knows? Are they really milking their cows down to the last drop? Will it only be a matter of time before we see Prince of Vegas: Recon Assassin? Actually … that would be pretty fucking sick.

Let us know what you think…

IGN REALLY loves Call of Duty World at War!!

Now, I haven’t really given Call of Duty World at War a fair chance just yet. I’ve briefly played the intro, but that’s about all I can say about the game at this point, so I’m definitely not in any position to dispute the score awarded to the latest CoD game by IGN.

Amrit was already questioning the 9.2 awarded to CoDWaW (pronounced … well, cod-waw.), so I went to IGN.com to check it out myself. This is what I was greeted with:

No biggie, didn’t phase me at all. Then I continued to the main page, and was punched in the face by this:

Where the fuck do I click!? I don’t know if that’s a god damn advertisement, feature piece, or if Activision just smashed a dump truck full of money through the wall of an IGN boardroom and yelled “Eat dick and love it mothafaggaaaaaaaz!!!!” and the Fox/IGN folks went down on their knees and said “MmMmm it tastes rape-a-licious!” But I digress.

At least the review page didn’t wasn’t plastered with CodWaW banners. THAT would have been tacky.

I’m not debating whether or not the game is any good, or worthy of the 9.2. I am making note however, that a game’s review becomes highly suspect when you realize the advertising dollars going to a particular source of unbiased information. Just something to think about.

The Fallout 3 Survival Guide

Jon’s Note: I’ve been perusing the net, and have noticed a lot of Fallout 3 Survival Guides being published. I get the feeling this will be a title of great interest to people, as everyone hunts for all the bobble heads and tries to complete every quest. As a result, I’ll be expanding this guide, tipping as a matter of opinion, and not so much fact. I’ll try to steer clear of “PLAY-THE-GAME-LIKE-THIS” recommendations that several of my peers have already employed, and just note the things I think some players will/might overlook. Cheers!

So you’ve received your Pip Boy 3000, punked off Butch and the Tunnel Snakes, and, possibly with a murder or two in tow, have made your way out of Vault 101 and into the Capital Wasteland. It’s a dangerous world out there. If the Raiders don’t rape and mug you, the Super Mutants will tear your limbs off. If the Super Mutants tear your limbs off, then the Yao Guai will probably eat your ass. If the Yao Guai doesn’t eat your ass, you’ll probably get radiation poisoning. You see where I’m going with this.

The world in Fallout 3 is so vast that it might be a bit overwhelming to traverse. Here are some tips that’ll help keep your shots deadly, yours limbs connected, and your pockets lined with bottle caps.

Trash now, treasure later
One of the first things you’ll notice in the Capital Wasteland is the overwhelming number of odds and ends you’re able to pick up and keep in your inventory. Some of it’s obvious, 9mm ammunition, Talon combat armor. But Abraxo cleaner? Turpentine? Steam gauge assembly? Pressure Cooker?! Who needs all this junk? Well you might later on. If you’re not going to take it with you, at least make a note of where it is, in case you’ll need to come back and find it.

Pair and Repair
Don’t be afraid to double up on similar types of weapons or armor in your inventory. You can combine them into one single item of the same type using your repair skill. This will increase the durability and damage of the weapons, and keep your armor from breaking in the middle of battle. This is also a good way to make some quick caps when the need arises. The shops love guns in good condition. Bling bling. Don’t forget that your intelligence attribute will also boost your repair skill, so Mentats come in VERY handy and bringing a Utility Jumpsuit wherever you go will give you that little boost when you need it.

Strong back shit liftin’ it up
Your strength is what determines the amount of weight you can carry. If you’re gonna be well stocked, you’d better have the muscles to lug around all your weapons, armor, and all those toy cars. If you don’t want to go that route, at least pick up all the ammo for the weapons you’re not using. These take up zero weight, and can add up to a pretty penny… whatever the fuck a penny is.

Take a look, it’s in a book …
It’s reading rainboooooow. If a book has a title, be sure to read it instead of pawning it off for some quick cash. Books like the DC Journal of Medicine, Guns and Bullets, and Dean’s Electronics all boost your skills, depending on the subject matter. And if you’ve got the Comprehension perk, you’ll gain an extra skill point each time you read.

You stop growing at 20!
It sounds like a fantasy for some, but in this game you cap at level 20. Be sure to plan out your skills or perks before you hit the big 2-0.

Action Jackson
You can target multiple body parts on multiple targets in a single VATS attack. If you’re confident in your skills, try taking out multiple targets in a single swoop.

Better than Ikea
It never hurts to have a place to rest your head. Especially if that place is stocked with all your spare guns, armor, and supplies. Getting a place is an incredibly advantage as it allows you a place to stash the valuables that are weighing you down. In addition, you can furnish your place with all sort of useful appliances. Might I recommend getting the Nuka Cola Machine first? It lets you turn all your Nuka Cola’s ice cold… go ahead, give it a whirl.

*note* I should warn you that there is one piece of furniture without any real use, and that’s the Jukebox. Only buy the jukebox if you want to achieve the next tip. See Below.

Pimpin’ ain’t Easy

Well, actually it is. Always be ready to pimp it out.

Shoot, Duck, and Cover!

Believe or not, you’re able to detonate grenades mid-flight by shooting them. If you don’t have the reaction time of the Flash, and the accuracy of … I don’t know … Harold my tax accountant … then you’ll want to go into VATS to do this. If you can pop the nade before it leaves your enemy’s hand… all the better.

Keeping the Goods

If you’ve got a place of your own, you’ll notice you have at least four storage locations (ie. a dresser, desk, fridge, or whathaveyou). You’ll also notice you have four categories of inventory - Weapons, Apparel, Aid, and Misc (Ammo doesn’t count because it weighs nothing). It might help to designate specific items to specific crates.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Review

I spent my first 30 minutes of Spider-Man Web of Shadows cursing my expectations and frustrated at the PSOne-worthy tutorial Shaba Games had implemented into what was supposed to be the ultimate Spider-Man game (no pun intended). In strict and regimented try-and-try-again segments, an all-too-stereotypical Luke Cage instructed me to learn my basic combos, walk on walls, and eat my vegetables, and there wasn’t gon’ be no dessert if I didn’t eat mah veg’tibles, knaw’mean??.

So I conceded. Enslaved to the ebonical demands of a Luke-Cage-cum-Soccer-mom, I followed every order. I played along with every little mission. I jumped through every hoop, I scaled every tower, I swing-kicked every thug to which he ordered me. And then, like a child with a box of crayons and blank white-washed wall, I was set free. I got to roam the city in any direction I wished. I got to swing to my heart’s content. I got to be Spider-Man. The veggies Mama Cage fed me were terrible, bland, and flavourless. They reeked of old generation musk. But the dessert, the dessert was delicious and decadent, and so, so, so worthwhile.

Web of Shadows is to Spider-Man games as Skate is to other skateboard titles, which is completely ironic in its own regard since developer Shaba Games has hand their fair share making Tony Hawk titles in the past. However, they’ve managed to produce a Spider-Man title that, aside from the tutorials and minor gameplay flaws, is fun and refreshing from typical Spider-Man titles. Web of Shadows does a lot right. The swinging mechanic of the game feels natural. That is to say, the swinging in this game actually feels like swinging. In the past, web-swinging was an automatic and nearly passive mode of movement, a simple button press. In Web of Shadows however, swinging requires timing, depth-perception, and rhythm. A conscious effort must be applied, since Spidey’s web must actually connect with a surface, so say goodbye to swinging from the sky. Players must be aware of and adjust their virtual speed and trajectory in order to zip through New York City precisely, a mechanic that has obviously been refined through many Tony Hawk iterations.

Another nod to the Tony Hawk games is the combat system. As Spidey levels up, you can purchase and unlock longer combos, combo-variants, and chains, allowing you to customize your combo strings, not so dissimilar to riding a unique skateboard line. With both classic and symbiote suits to switch between, the permutations multiply. I could feasibly jump into the air, web-strike an opponent, pulling myself to him, flip him off the ground, throw him into the air, switch to my powerful symbiote suit, leash a tendril to my now airborne victim, and slam him into the ground. That’s just one of the combos I’ve devised, and the damage and pain I’ve put this poor thug through matches my Spider-Man personality to a tee.

What’s my Spider-Man personality? Like most next-gen games, I’ve got the choice between being good or evil, or in this case, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man or dark and vengeful Spider-Man (I refuse to equate Symbiote Spider-Man to a longhaired, tap-dancing, emo-fool-ass-hat). Throughout the game, I’m presented with forks in the road. The dark path, or the light path. Whichever I choose changes my mission objectives and pushes me closer to a respective side on the karmic spectrum. It sounds a bit black and white (or Black and Red/Blue) at this point, but it’s not so simple.

If you’ve ever read a Bible or have had the power of God threatened upon you, you’ll know, or at least have heard, that the path of evil is tempting one. I noticed myself falling into the dark path without even trying. I was ignoring helpless citizens, leaving them to the fates. I found myself using my black suit, and enjoying all of its power. I found myself using excuses to beat someone up if they so looked at me cockeyed. It all goes back to my childhood, as I’ve always had a thing for the Symbiote Suit. There was no Spider-Man more badass than that. But I digress.

To call Web of Shadows the best Spider-Man game ever would disservice past titles who have clearly paved a path for this very game to exist. Instead, I’d call this is an evolution of those Spider-Man games. Web of Shadows is definably “next-gen” in a lot of aspects. It’s very good looking, both Visually and physically. You can swing as far as the eye can see; buildings, cars, and newspaper stands are damaged with every hit; and the animations, textures, and poses are truly comic book-worthy. The game’s control scheme is a shining example that one needs not a gimmicky motion controller to attain that natural and organic feel. And while the game’s writing is a bit hokey, it’s easy to forgive, seeing that comic book writing is pretty cheesy in itself. But most of this stuff is icing on the cake. What we have here is a Spidey game that is as addictive to play as Skate, and imaginative as Amazing Spider-Man issue #300. But ultimately, what we have is the first chance to really feel like Spider-Man, and isn’t that what we all secretly want?

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