Nearly 10 minutes of Prince of Persia gameplay and interview(off-camera)!

The TrueGameHeadz crew had a chance to check out UBISOFT’s new Prince of Persia game at their 2008 NYC preview line-up event. I think it’s safe to say the game will be triple A wholesome goodness! Check out the nearly 10 minutes worth of video of the game in action. The Prince is back!

GET OVER HERE! over 8mins of new MK vs. DC footage.

Still think the upcoming MK vs. DC fighting game from Midway is gonna suck? Check out this video with over 8 mins of new footage showcasing some cool ass moves, destructible environments/clothing, brutalities,fatalities, and new combo system. Plus an explanation of just how much control you have over your character even while being grabbed or thrown! Midway has stated time and time again about how they’re going back to their roots with this latest iteration of Mk and it’s apparent from this video. Check it out below and peep the scene were old Bats gets burned by fan favorite Scorpion…GET OVER HERE!!!

Preview Impressions: An Hour With Fallout 3

It’s always interesting to throw yourself into the middle of a game where you don’t know exactly what’s going on. That’s what I did last week at a demo for one of the years most anticipated games - “Fallout 3.” I had one hour to explore as much of a post apocalyptic Washington D.C. as possible, and trust me, you need a lot more than an hour to really sink your teeth into “Fallout 3.”

The demo started off at the exit Vault 101 as my character (who was pre-created) was headed into the outside world for the first time, ever. As you emerged on to this desolate wasteland you could tell that something very, very bad happened to our nation’s capital. Armed with only a handgun and my stat-managing PIP-Boy 3000 I exited the vault, and set forth to find out about my father. Unfortunately, I’m not able to talk about the main quest of the game any more than that, so, instead, I set forth to find out about some side quests.

In a previous demo I was shown what was to the right when you exit your vault, a city called Megaton, so I decided to head left, and see what I could find. Using the game’s navigation system, the first point of interest I encountered was Springvale Elementary School - a wonderful place for a child to get an education, or get shot by the Raiders that now roam the hall. As I opened the front entrance to the school I was greeted with a barrage of bullets from the balcony above (consider yourself warned, for when you play). Luckily I survived, and took out the Raider. Prior to this encounter all I really needed to shoot were the mole rats that roam the hillside, and taking down a human always feels a little bit different. [Read more]

Preview Impressions: Vin Diesel’s Wheelman

I never thought that I would be impressed by anything Vin Diesel would ever do. In my mind, his track record isn’t that great; “The Fast and the Furious,” “xXx,” “Boiler Room,” and as the list goes on and on, I get more and more unimpressed. Like I said, I never thought that I would be impressed by anything Vin Diesel did, but then I saw “Wheelman,” his upcoming game from Midway, and honestly, I was a bit impressed.

“Wheelman” is a Hollywood inspired, open world game set in Barcelona that aims to make players feel like they are immersed in a movie, while giving them control of the big guns, and by that I mean Vin. Mr. Muscles plays an American getaway driver (a.k.a. a “wheelman” - get it?) that uses his driving skills, and a well stocked arsenal, to survive the mean streets of Spain.

The game starts off the way all games should - by throwing you right into the action - behind the wheel as you speed away from a bank heist with a female accomplice, doing your best to evade the police and make it to your safe house. As you navigate the streets of Barcelona in a high speed chase, you car takes damage as you crash into things, and you run the risk of not making it to your destination. If something gets in your way, there’s always a way to get around it, or at least through it, and if you can’t crash through it, there’s a good chance you can shoot your way through.

Sounds a bit familiar right? Well, it is, but “Wheelman” has done a great job of marrying the best parts of three of four other great games together to create a unique experience. The car crashing, that’s from “Burnout,” but in “Wheelman” you get to see the cops go flying from their cruisers - a level or realism yet to be seen in that franchise. While you’re taking out those cruisers, your car is bound to take a little bit of damage crashing in to things at 100 MPH (or 160.93 KPH), but it’s okay, you can steal any car on the road (”GTA”), but, the best part is, you can do it without stopping. Jumping and jacking from car to car as you speed down the highway may have originated in “Pursuit Force” but it never really gets old.

While “Wheelman” may take borrow from some other great games, it also takes a lesson or two from some of the great car chase movies of the last few decades. While your burning rubber you have the ability to pull of stuntman-esque super moves that increase your chances of getting away. The easiest of these moves is simply a take down of a car adjacent to you, but they range to a full 360 spin that allows you to gun down the cars behind you. These “attacks” make getting from point A to point B significantly more interesting.

I spent a few minutes playing through the opening level of the game, and I walked away convinced that the gameplay (which was entirely driving based) was, for the most part, pretty solid. The car in the first mission was uncharacteristically durable, and allowed for you to complete the tutorial without really needing to worry about your car crapping out. As you might expect for a game called “Wheelman” tight turns and narrow escapes are constantly present, and that’s what make the game challenging, but it’s the over-the-top explosions, and cinematic take downs that bring the flare of a Hollywood summer blockbuster to the game.

Unlike some of Diesel’s past projects, there’s hope for the story. I was told that the game was designed in tandem with the screenwriters that Vin brought in from Hollywood. Yes, Vin Diesel helped develop the script, and had some of his friends help write the game. On the plus side, I have faith that it will have a more satisfying story than “Gears of War,” but how hard is that?

All in all, “Wheelman” is shaping up to be good action-driving game, which is to say that it will be distinctly different from an action or driving game. Plus, there is the added fun of staring at the back of Vin Diesel’s bald head any time he isn’t in the car - it’s next-gen shiny. After all, it’s not like he hasn’t brought anything but class to everything he’s ever done.

TrueGameHeadz: Afro Samurai the game video preview

Here’s a little something something for all you folks out there who can’t get enough of the Afro sportn’ samurai himself. I had the pleasure of attending Namco Bandai’s 2008 press tour here in NY. I was able to get some hands on time with the game and I have to say things are looking up for this title as the controls feel on point and the look and feel of the series has been translated well. And the music doesn’t disappoint either! Take a look at the video preview as I think you fans of the show will be very pleased with what ya see! AYO AFROOOOOOO!

And if you haven’t seen already, the video below is a good indication of how much the TGH crew are fans of the series. Enjoy!

Preview Impressions: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

Do you remember when “Mortal Kombat” used to be awesome? The last few games have been fun, for the most part, but thing back to a time when it was the most amazing game your parents wouldn’t buy for you? Ever reminisce about the first time you ripped someone’s head off with Sub-Zero, or their heart out with Kano? Remember the first time you saw Reptile, heard about Ermac, or convinced your friends that there was a code to play as Sonya naked? Yeah, it’s been a while since “Mortal Kombat” was at the top of a lot of people’s must play list, but all that’s about to change with “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.”

Midway knows how you feel about “MK” - how you liked it better back before the days of cyborgs, Mokap, and online play. They are throwing (almost) everything you know about the franchise out the window for their first-ever crossover title. They are going back to their roots for the upcoming game staring 10 classic “Mortal Kombat” mainstays duking it out 10 beloved comic titans from the DC archives.

In order to make the game more accessible, and make it feel more like the older titles in the series, Midway has made a few changes. The match-ups have been simplified back to what is essentially a 2D battle in a 3D environment. The controls are back to the D-pad, and off the analog stick (take that as you will 360 owners). The combos are easier. The weapons are gone, unless they belong to a superhero (Baterangs are in). Multiple fighting styles are gone. “Mortal Kombat” is going back to the way you remember things best - and they’re doing it with Superman.

I recently had the opportunity to take a few of the new characters out for a test run, and I was quite surprised at how things went. First on my list was Batman. I immediately noticed that the dev team had taken the characters into consideration when working on their mechanics. In other words, Batman felt slow, and kind of heavy. It was surprising because thinking back to most of the other “Mortal Kombat” games, all the characters, pretty much felt the same. An uppercut as Liu Kang felt the same as an uppercut as Shao Khan, but within the first few seconds, you could tell that Batman’s speed and controls had been specifically tailored to him. Comparing Batman to Catwoman, the old man’s age showed - Catwoman felt much faster and more nimble. I was more than a bit interested to see how someone like the Joker handles, but I was told everyone would have to wait until Leipzig to find out.

Midway has also put some thought into changing the actual pacing of matches. They have added in mid-match opportunities to beat the snot out of your opponent to fill in the “dead” spaces. For example, as you are flying from level of the arena to another, you get to beat up your competitor instead of just animated falling. At the same time, they have the opportunity to counter, and turn around all the accumulated damage on you.

As I watched and played the game demo, there were a few interesting tidbits that I picked up:

• Although Shang Tsung was playable, they are still working out whether or not he will be able to change into DC characters yet. It was suggested that he might be able to do a “move steal” as opposed to a complete transformation.
• Downloadable content is being considered, but there was nothing to confirm.
• Fatalities (the most important part of the “MK” experience) will be able to be performed by all the “MK” characters, and DC villains. DC heroes will only be able to perform brutalities - brutal beatings that don’t kill their opponents.
• The game will be rated “T”
• You’ll be able to play as either side (”MK” or DC) in the story mode. More on that at Leipzig.

It was one of the biggest surprises in gaming this past year; the head-on collision of the “Mortal Kombat” and DC universes. We are, only a few months away from, what are shaping up to be, epic battles between Scorpion and Superman, Sonya and Catwoman, and even Sub-Zero and The Joker. While there is a lot of potential here, and it is pretty great, in theory, a little bit of the “Wow” factor has been taken away by the fact that Capcom did do this more than a few years ago. “Marvel vs. Capcom 2″ currently reins supreme in my book as the best fighting game ever made, and, as good as it looks, it is doubtful that “MK vs. DC” is going to knock it out of the top spot. However, I’m always open to a new number 2.

Preview Impressions: Tom Clancy’s EndWar

If you’re like me, you’ve shunned strategy games since the first day you picked up a controller. I never expected that to change, but then came “EndWar.” I don’t know if it’s possible to convey how amazing of an experience “Tom Clancy’s EndWar” is here because it’s just one of those games you have to play to really appreciate just how innovative it is. I never thought I would be so impressed by a voice controlled strategy game, but it is one of the most immersive gaming experiences I have ever had.

The basic premise of the game is that World War III is immanent, and you are in control of one of the warring factions, and just like every other war game, the goal is to win. The first ten missions of the game you play as the three warring factions; the United States, Europe, and Russia, alternating between the three in the events that lead up to WWIII. At the end of this first set of missions (which essentially serve as the tutorial) you then pick which side you want to be in the final fight, the “EndWar” if you will. While Tom Clancy games are never short on a compelling story, the in-game action is where this game really shines.

After four years of development Ubisoft Shanghai has completed an entirely voice controlled battlefield, where your movements are only limited by how quickly you can spit out your commands. For example, if you want your gun ships to move to target bravo, all you need to say is “Gunships move to target Bravo,” and they’ll be on their way. It may sound a bit complicated, but once you get into it, it is all very easy to get the hang of. Just in case you aren’t entirely familiar with battlefield lingo, there will be an ample amount of tutorial levels that walk you through the specific command chains that need to be said to complete your actions.

I’ve never really experimented too much with any kind of strategy game in the past, the closest that I’ve come is the “Advance Wars” series, and I realize that is in an entirely different category, but “EndWar,” much like “H.A.W.X.,” has convinced me that there is another genre out there that I might enjoy. Maybe I should give one of his books a shot, who knows, that might change my feelings on “reading.”

Preview Impressions: Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.

I didn’t crash. That’s all I really need to say about “Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.,” I didn’t crash.

Over the last few years, I’ve tried many flight simulation games, and they’ve all ended the same way; within the first two minutes of the training mode my plane crashed and burned, and I was done. I gave up pretty quickly, because I was convinced it was just going to happen over and over again, but not this time - I didn’t crash. Not since Top Gun on the NES have I stayed in the air this long.

I spent a solid ten minutes in the air, reaching my objectives, and taking them out, all thanks to the thought and care that is going into Tom Clancy’s newest title. “H.A.W.X.” single handedly gave me hope as soon as I breached the two minute mark - maybe this is a flight sim that I can actually enjoy. [Read more]

Welcome to “Damnation” enjoy your stay!

Evolving the shooter genre with its unique and exhilarating combination of fluid action and combat, Damnation will feature huge, open environments, frenetic combat, daredevil acrobatics and high-octane vehicle-based stunts. Presenting players with an intense test of reflexes, quick thinking and rapid-fire conflict, Damnation will feature vast, breathtaking landscapes, each covering miles of distance and thousands of vertical feet.

In addition to the single player experience, Damnation comes complete with a unique set of multiplayer options that take full advantage of the game’s expansive levels.

Preview Impressions: Shaun White Snowboading (Wii and 360)

Shaun White looked great onstage at Nintendo’s E3 press conference showing off his upcoming game for the Wii, but just because the red-headed pro snowboarder looked good on stage, doesn’t mean that the game was necessarily good. Fortunately for the gamers out there who love a good snowboarding game (and haven’t had a good one to play for quite some time now) there is a bit of hope in “Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip” for the Wii. I recently had a chance to spend a bit of time with my feet on the Wii version and my hands on the Xbox 360 version, and you might be surprised which one I actually preferred.

I was able to play two different modes of the Wii version of the game; once down the mountain in a timed race, and a couple trick-heavy trips through the half-pipe. All the runs were completed with my feet on the balance board controlling my speed, direction, and balance control. I also had the Wiimote in my hand to control grabs and a trick-triggered power boost.

Ubisoft Montreal is doing their best to make the Wii version more accessible for the whole family, and because of that making my way down the hill was easy, and intuitive - lean forward to go faster, and lean back to slow down. Pulling off tricks was just as easy with a simple shift of weight midair to either the front or the back to perform an assortment of moves, and if you wanted to hot dog it a little more, hold down the A and B buttons to throw in a little extra flare. Fortunately, the controls are a bit forgiving and natural feeling, which means that even on your first run down the mountain you won’t be crashing into the walls (too much). [Read more]

New story trailer for Spiderman: WOS

This is truly looking to be the best Spiderman game made. This new trailer show cases the story mode of the game and it looks to be an epic one. The alien symbitoe every spiderman fan is familiar with is back but this time its taking over the entire city. So how is one man suppose to save a whole city from an full scale invasion such as this, well peep the trailer you’ll see one of I’m sure many heroes who will aid old web head in this mission to save new york.

Xbox 360 New Dashboard update

Xbox is giving their current dashboard a major overhaul this coming fall complete with avatars. This new design is a lot easier to navigate and now supports Netflix movie rentals. Thats crazy what’s next ordering take and some live entertainment.

Microsoft also revealed that the dashboard update will have new option to allow you to install DVD games onto the hard drive, which could cut down 30% of access time than directly loading data from DVD. For example Devil May Cry 4 only takes 10 minutes to install onto the hard drive. Do I see hope for a certain Solid Snake after all on the 360 in the near future!

This is the new Avatar system which is included for the new Xbox update. Now the first thing that comes to mind is wtf they copied off of Nintendo with their Mii’s, well this is true and Im sure Microsoft had that in mind extactly what people are going to say. So hey if you can’t beat them join them and make what they make 10x better!

Alpha Protocol

Alpha Protocol is played from a third-person perspective, allowing the player to see Thorton and his surroundings at all times. As Thorton is a trained CIA operative, the tools at the player’s disposal include numerous firearms, close-quarters combat, and spy gadgets.

In addition to the action elements, though, players also earn Advancement Points, which can be placed into any of the ten different skills in the game. These skills will increase Thorton’s ability to use certain weapons and grant different abilities to him. These abilities are free to use, but require a “cooldown” period before they can be used again. One ability that has been mentioned in previews allows Thorton to scan a group of enemies in slow-motion before popping out of cover and shooting each of them more rapidly than he would be capable of normally.

The player can choose which skills to advance, allowing them to reinforce their play style. Examples include making Thorton more capable of stealth, more deadly in hand-to-hand combat, or better at gunplay.

Sonic going beast mode in this new trailer

Sonic Unleashed begins at the end of an untold story which sees Sonic confronting his nemesis, Doctor Eggman. Watch as, Sonic bounds around a fleet of spaceships and transforms into Super Sonic, using the Chaos Emeralds, in order to stop him. However, Eggman manages to trap him using a powerful new ray weapon which corrupts the power of the emeralds. He then uses the Emeralds’ energy to unleash a powerful beast from the center of the planet, which has devastating consequences, shattering the planet into pieces; it is up to Sonic to solve the crisis by traveling the world, finding shrines that will fix the Emeralds, in order to return the world back to normal.

In addition, Eggman’s ray also causes an unexpected transformation to Sonic’s state. Sonic’s progress will be made even more difficult as the ray, and transformed Emeralds, will have unforeseen side-effect on him, transforming him into a werewolf. There are benefits from this though. He will gain greater strength and abilities at night perhaps bringing something new to the gameplay for long running series.

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