GameLife MAGAZINE
CHECK OUT ALL THE L ATEST RELEASES
STARCRAFT II
Blasts on the Scene T H E P RO M I S E O F AN EXPANDED PSN
MICROSOFT’S P R O J E CT X
GameLife MAGAZINE
4
STARCRAFT II
Blasts on the Scene
MORE CONTROL
6
WII SPORT RESORT
8
7
12
MICROSOFT’S MYSTERY PROJECT
AION TAKES FLIGHT IN US
ALL-STAR SPORTS
10
THE PROMISE OF AN EXPANDED PSN
13
NEW RELEASES FOR EVERY PL ATFORM
STARCRAFT II
Blasts on the Scene Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you know that StarCraft is the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game, a kick-ass clash of civilizations as three powerful races do battle across the galaxy. Now comes the sequel, StarCraft II, a dynamic trilogy of games that continue the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. StarCraft II picks up just where the legendary original left off, presenting an awesome cast of new and familiar heroes in an edgy and eye-popping sci-fi extravanga. The scope is broader: each game includes 26-30 campaign missions focusing on one race at a time. The scale is extreme: the army units are massive and the battles colossal. The competition more intense: speed and responsiveness have been pumped. But at the core, StarCraft II drives forward the same elemental tale that made its namesake a hardcore classic: three valiant races fight for their very survival.
FEATURES Fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay. Three distinct races, with new units and mechanics to further distinguish each one. Groundbreaking singleplayer campaigns, plus a new emphasis on full multiplayer support. Better Battle.net, the way cool ladder system that matches players of equal skill for extreme confrontations. Ridiculous 3D-graphics engine supporting dazzling visual effects, massive unit sizes, stunning landscapes. Powerful tools for customizing and personalizing the battlefield experience. Concurrent release for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS.
CHECK OUT STARCRAFT II Official site includes screenshots, artwork, trailers, and news.
MORE CONTROL Spend more time with your Wii than your girlfriend, but sometimes wish it were a little more responsive? Wish granted. Nintendo’s new Wii MotionPlus accessory for the Wii Remote controller totally redefines the notion of game control. Introduced this summer, the Wii MotionPlus accessory more quickly and accurately captures complex motions in a 3D space. It attaches easily to the end of the remote and, combined with the accelerometer and sensor bar, closely tracks arm position and orientation. Every slight movement is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in game play. Wii MotionPlus can be bought separately, and right now is also bundled with Nintendo’s Wii Sports Resort (see next page) and with EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 and Grand Slam Tennis.
ORDER W I I MOTIO NP L U S
MORE SPORTS + MORE CONTROL =
MORE FUN AT THIS RESORT With over 50 million Nintendo Wii consoles sold worldwide since the system’s launch, it is safe to say that Wii Sports is one of the most played games on the planet. Now Wii Sports Resort comes along, whisking players away to a tropical island for a dozen resort-themed activities and a nevera-dull-moment attitude. Add the Wii Motion Plus for fine controls and you can see why this resort is rockin’. Among the new games included in this Wii Sports sequel are Golf (use the Wii MotionPlus to draw or fade a golf shot), Table Tennis (apply top spin), Frisbee (fling that sucker just where you want it) and Fencing (precise lunges and parries). Players can compete solo or against other. Pina Colada, anyone?
CHECK OU T W I I SPORTS R E S O R T
ALL-STAR SPORTS GAMES
MLB 09: THE SHOW
Score! This is very possibly the most realistic baseball simulation ever. The name of this game is simplicity: even the most casual fans can pick up a controller and enjoy themselves. One button batting and a three click pitching process bring things back to basics and keep the focus on the field. One strike against The Show: it's exclusive to the PS3, so Xbox 360 owners are rained out. BUY N O W
NHL 10
EA Sports’ hockey franchise gets better every year. This time around, an advanced engine allows for bone-crunching one-on-one battles along the boards where a player’s size and weight factor in who rules. Players can even kick the puck to get it out of the corner and back onto open ice. A first-person viewpoint for fighting makes you want to rip off your helmet and start swinging.
TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR
The best video game golf franchise gets even better. The gameplay in Tiger Woods 10 remains steady, and the developers have concentrated on updating many other features: new modes, new golfers and new courses. An all-new Live Tournament makes daily and weekly tournaments available. Wii owners get the Wii MotionPlus accessory bundled in. BUY NOW
SKATE 2 Had enough of Tony Hawk? Skate 2 continues where the totally excellent original game of the same name left off, and offers a great alternative to the Tony Hawk series. One downer: there’s a steep learning curve. But once you get the innovative scheme, it is soooooo rewarding when you actually land a trick. Solid multiplayer action and new modes like Hall of Meat — wipe out central — make this game a winner.
Here’s an editor’s selection all-star lineup of top video games for 2009, so far. One thing is clear: if you love games, no matter what your sport of choice, the options are growing and the game is on.
FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4
NCAA FOOTBALL 10
BUY N O W
BUY NOW
FNR4 hurts so good. The fourth installment of this legendary boxing franchise sets the bar higher than ever. This version has the smoothest, most real fighting in any boxing game. Ever. Punches land square the opponent’s face, blood and sweat fly, blows glance off the arms, head and chest, fighters tangle up, and defense is raised to an art form for a change.
GRAND SLAM TENNIS
EA Sports' Grand Slam Tennis has everything you love about Wii Sports tennis. And much more. The 2009 version serves up an ace, captures the signature moves and traits of some the world's most famous tennis players — from McEnroe’s quirky serve to Sharapova’s gross-out groans. With the new Wii Motion Plus accessory bundled, controls are fast and accurate.
NCAA Football 10 builds nicely on its solid predecessor. New modes include Team Builder, an intriguing option that let’s pigskin fans create their own school’s team from scratch online via a web browser, and then download it to an Xbox 360 or PS3. For a nice touch of realism, each team’s virtual schedule coincides with the school’s actual schedule.
UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED Fighters look and move just like their real-life counterparts. Blood realistically splatters after crushing blows. The fighting system brilliantly replicates every stage and segment of a video game fight. As an extra topping, UFC 2009 Undisputed adds great in-game commentary so authentic you feel like you’re watching a match on pay-per-view.
THE PROMISE OF AN EXPAN DED PSN There’s been buzz about Sony’s “expanded Network” for years, and now it seems the magic moment may arrive sooner rather than later. JOIN PL AYSTATION NET WOR K
As its nearly 25 million members know, PlayStation Network is a free-to-access multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service from Sony for use with PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles, as well as PlayStation.com. Text, voice and video chat service round it out.
A massively expanded version of PSN is reportedly on track for Spring 2010. The new and improved online platform would incorporate electronics outside of the PS3 and PSP, supporting instruments like Sony digital televisions, mobile phone handset and other gadgetry. Sony President Kaz Hirai recently dished to Fortune that the upcoming expansion is being built around the backbone already running through the existing network. The idea, says Hirai, is to create a more open and wide-ranging platform making content sharing among friends, image transfers between digital cameras and televisions, and the display and editing of video free and easy. Sony’s CEO Howard Stringer has also dropped hints about the expansion, noting that a goal is to make Sony devices of all kinds “talk to each other efficiently.” Feeding the flames are reports that Sony looking at some big and interesting acquisitions to help it pick up the pace.
TIME TO GO HOME
While we’re onto PSN, don’t forget PlayStation Home. As those of you who’ve been there since it open in 200, this virtual community-based service for the PlayStation Network can ratchet up your gaming experience. Home is the host to avatars, a virtual economy, personal spaces and clubs. It features places to meet and interact, dedicated game spaces, developer spaces, company spaces, and events. Sony’s all over it, with regular maintenance and frequent updates. Xi, a notable feature in Home, is the world’s first console-based Alternate Reality Game. Adventures, puzzles and spaces are set up to continuously puzzle those searching for clues. The meaning of Xi and the mysterious character “Jess” are part of the mystery and the fun.
AION TO TAKE FLIGHT IN US
MICROSOFT’S MYSTERY PROJECT We known that Microsoft’s Project Phoenix is the code name for the next-generation Xbox. But what’s up with the rumors about a mysterious X-Engine that goes with it? Here’s what we’ver heard: Microsoft has not only sent out a new Xbox 360 development kit to developers, but has also included the X-Engine to make the most out of the system. What is it? Our sources tell us it’s a collection of powerful software optimization tools, developed in secret, that maximize speed and visual quality — and provide an in-your-face answer to the succesful Sony PlayStation 3 Edge toolkit for developers. Among the early reported improvements from the tools: increased anti-aliasing and anastropic filtering, a higher framerate, and generally improved performance. The upgrades are also said to allow the next Xbox to run Xbox 360 games, and to greatly improve their performance and graphics. Perhaps most significantly, the X-Engine will let developers to get a jump on games for the next-generation Xbox earlier. Sweet!
It’s finally here.
Or at least will be on September 22. Aion, the long-anticipated massively multiplayer online roleplaying game — with unique flight features — is landing in America. One of the most popular games in Asia, U.S. gamers have been drooling over word of a visually stunning world where users fight an epic celestial war between winged beings. A big plus: player-controlled flight can be used for both transportation AND as aerial combat. How great is that? Supremely detailed character-appearance customization rounds out the exciting picture. NC Soft is the developer and the platform is PC.
NEW RELEASES
SPORE GALACTIC ADVENTURES PC
CALL OF JUAREZ: BOUND IN BLOOD
The first PC add-on pack for Spore lets you create customizable adventures for your space-stage civilizations.
Release Date: Jun 30, 2009
Release Date: June 23, 2009
X360, PS3
This prequel takes you from ravaged Civil War-era Georgia to the Aztec ruins of Mexico.
X360, PS3, PC
Release Date: Jun 9, 2009
An open-world game set in NYC, starring a shapeshifting man who can copy the skills, and powers of anyone he meets.
WII, DS, PC
MONSTER HUNTER FREEDOM UNITE PSP
The 18th-century exploration and settlement sim comes to the Nintendo Wii.
This upgraded release of Monster Hunter features new monsters and quests.
FUEL X360, PS3, PC
DAWN OF DISCOVERY
Codemasters’ postapocalptic racing game comes to the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Release Date: Jun 23, 2009
Release Date: Jun 23, 2009
PROTOTYPE
Release Date: Jun 22, 2009