RipTen Videogame Blog » Epic

Devolver CFO Fork Parker Presents His Own Insane Serious Sam 3 Trailer

Dave Oshry — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:35:48 +0000

There is only one thing more serious than Serious Sam 3, and that’s Devolver Digital CFO Fork Parker.

Fork Parker is a man of the people. The people who like to kill things.

Every other trailer for Serious Sam 3 can officially get Forked, because now the man has made his own.

CUE THAT EPIC MUSIC, BITCHEZ:

Stay tuned for the RipTen Review of Serious Sam 3, I’ll write it when I motherfucking feel like it. (Sunday)

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Launch Trailer is Epic

Garrett Hartman — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:30:19 +0000

EA‘s The Lord of the Rings: War in the North launch trailer is Epic in that it recreates much of what made the movies so special. You’ll see epic battles, heroes, monsters and giant flying eagles.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North releases on November 25 for PS3, 360 and PC. Watch the launch trailer below.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

Gears of War 3 ‘RAAM’s Shadow’ DLC Announced – Available Dec 13th

Garrett Hartman — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:44:59 +0000

Epic has announced a new set of Gears of War 3 DLC titled “ RAAM’s Shadow” which will be available December 13th.

Differing from the Horde Command Pack which is available at the first of next month, RAAM’s Shadow brings an additional 3 hour campaign mission, six new multiplayer characters, the Chocolate Weapon Set and an additional 250 Gamerscore. As a special treat, gamers will be able to play as the legendary General RAAM to “storm the human stronghold”.

RAAM’s Shadow takes place in Gears’ storied past and will feature a few familiar faces including Lt. Kim and Tai Kaliso. The story from the press release:

“RAAM’s Shadow drops players into the events of Sera post-Emergence Day, as Zeta Squad is enlisted to evacuate Ilima City and protect the citizens against a Locust Kryll storm. Taking on the infamous Locust leader from Gears 1, General RAAM, Zeta is led by Michael Barrick (from Gears comics fame) and comprised of familiar faces such as Lt. Minh Young Kim (Gears 1) and Tai Kaliso (Gears 2), and also includes a new female comrade, Alicia Valera.”

RAAM’s Shadow will run you 1,200 Microsoft Points, unless you own the Gears of War 3 season pass which includes the first four DLC at 30% off. Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski made a few comments about the season pass and what will be included in this batch of DLC:

“When we announced the Gears 3 Season Pass, we immediately started getting hundreds of questions from fans about what the game add-ons would be. We’re really excited to be lifting the curtain on the first two releases, first with the Horde Command Pack and now with RAAM’s Shadow, which gives fans a new perspective on the Gears universe and is also the biggest DLC release we’ve ever made.

“We’re really excited to be lifting the curtain on the first two releases, first with the Horde Command Pack and now with RAAM’s Shadow, which gives fans a new perspective on the Gears universe and is also the biggest DLC release we’ve ever made.”

“RAAM’s imposing size and strength, along with his Kryll shield, make him one of the most powerful and daunting foes in the Gears’ universe. We think fans are going to have a blast unleashing hell upon the poor humans for the first time in a campaign setting.”

I don’t know about you, but extra campaign DLC definitely piques my interest.

Infinity Blade 2 Officially Announced (Trailer)

Aaron Alexander — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:10:50 +0000

Infinity Blade was arguably the finest gaming experience to be had on the iOS platform. Stunning visuals, responsive combat and mad loots.

It was one of those pick up and play type of games, that easily induced addiction. Minutes become hours, hours become days and so fourth. So, prepare for another journey on your i-thing as Epic Games has announced that Infinity Blade 2 will be releasing December 1st 2011.

Epic promises improved gameplay and visuals, which if true, will be mind-blowing considering how good the game looked running on an iPad 2. No word on the pricing yet, but they did present a swanky trailer which features dual wielding;

Now that’s all well and good Chair, but put out Shadow Complex on iOS already!

Gears of War 3 Horde Command Pack DLC Deploys Nov 1st

Garrett Hartman — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:30:53 +0000

Epic Games and Microsoft have announced an upcoming DLC Pack for Gears of War 3 scheduled to launch on November 1st.

The Horde Command Pack contains three additional maps, three new playable characters, two new weapon skins, additional achievements worth 250 Gamerscore points, and new fortification upgrades.

It will be available for 800 MSP as a download.

Here are the details courtesy of Major Nelson:

Maps

Blood Drive – The Jacinto Medical Plaza was overwhelmed by evacuated citizens after the government-sanctioned Hammer Strikes, and the ensuing riots quickly turned this safe haven into a dangerous inferno. An abundance of high ground and funneled choke points make this map a returning favorite to Horde.
Rustlung – Once the pride of the Royal Tyran Navy, the foredecks of this decommissioned battleship are now riddled with bullet holes. Any team with the fortitude to hold the exposed central torpedo bay will find that the ship’s Loader has been replaced with a battle-ready Silverback mech suit.
Azura– This island resort was once the exclusive domain of Sera’s educated elite, but the tranquil water gardens and lush foliage have become a hotly contested combat zone. Dual snipers overlook a powerful explosive weapon, while the defensive central platform may be your last resort of retreat.

Fortification upgrades

Command Center – A brand new type of fortification that allows you to call in fire support from sniper teams, mortar strikes and even multiple Hammers of Dawn.
Decoy Upgrade – A new fortification level that turns your decoy into an Onyx Guard bot that will fight in your defense.
Sentry Upgrade – This upgrade adds a fire bolt sentry that deals much more damage and is very effective against Berserkers.
Silverback Upgrade – This advancement allows you to upgrade your Silverback exo-suit with devastating rockets and extra levels of repair cost reduction.

Characters

Onyx Guard
Big Rig Dizzy
Bernie

Weapon Skins

Team Plasma
Jungle Camo

The Horde Command Pack will also be playable in Beast mode and privately hosted vs matches.

Gears of War 3 – Epic Secrets and Easter Eggs Guide

Garrett Hartman — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 06:04:32 +0000

Ah, the Epic conclusion to one of the greatest gaming series of this generation has arrived! Read our Gears Of War 3 review. If you are looking for the secrets and Easter eggs found in Gears of War 3, we’ve got the guide for you.

Guide will be updated if more secrets are discovered. If you have found some we don’t have, feel free to share in the comment section.

Other Ripten Gears of War 3 Guides

Secrets and Easter Eggs:

Talking Cole Train Thrashball Table

You can find a few of these arcade tables throughout the game. The first one is in Act 1 Chapter 1 in the lounge. Simply press the X button to hear the Cole Train Yell a few of his more famous quotes. Wooooo!

Free Candy

After walking past the Thrashball machine, a cut-scene will introduce Jace. The scene shows Jace hitting a vending machine, trying to get the final chocolate bar to fall out.
When play resumes, simply walk up to the machine and press X to kick it. The candy drops out and Marcus will say “Mine now.”

Dancing Pimp Wretch Easter Egg and Fire Extinguisher
Follow these Steps:

Initiate a private match with two players on Checkout. (Note, one player must commit to holding the Extinguisher while the other does all the shooting. If the extinguisher is put down it disappears)
Pull one of the 3 fire Alarms – Opens gate to electronics section
There is debris blocking door. You will need to shoot the other side of the door (please watch video).
Grab Fire Extinguisher that appears. Doing this sets the fire alarm in pharmacy on fire.
Put the buring fire Alarm Out. Doing so makes a cart with a red pimp hat appear outside the bars.
Shoot the red pimp hat in cart and the hat explodes then suddenly appears behind a window.
Shoot pimp hat behind the window until it explodes and a car near the ‘Closing Down Sale Everything Must Go’ sign catches on fire. Griffin’s cane appears near the exit .
Extiguish the car fire and the cane now appears in the bathroom. Shoot it until it disappears and bleeds.
Go to electronics area and extinguish an electrical box which is on fire. This will burst open a door in the section where you first grab the extinguisher. Look and you will see a Pimped out wretch dancing while wearing the red hat and holding the cane.

Slide Down the Playground Slide as Cole

On Act 1 Chapter 3, Cole Train can use the slide in the children’s playground. Wooo!

Cole Train Hanover Cougar Hat and Talking Cereal Display

Cole’s Cougar hat can be found in two places both during Act 1 Ch 3 (You can only wear one and only Cole can wear it). The two locations are shown in the two videos after the descriptions.

One is found before right before the playground in the back of a pick-up truck. You can wear the hat backwards or forwards.
The second is after you have passed the checkout section in the grocery store area, you will find some sports goods on the right side and see the smaller Cole Train Cereal display between two vending machines. You Can make the Cole display say his cereal advertisement and after a few times it will say his intercom message to the Locusts from Gears 2.

Ticker Fight Hidden Cutscene

On Act 2 Chapter 4, Trench Run, when you enter the area with all of the Tickers in cages (the ‘Pet Store’) clear out all of the enemies and then look for a boarded up area with a Ticker painted on it by the entrance door.
Near this is a yellow light. Approach it and hit X when prompted to see a hidden cutscene.

Gridlock Pigroast

Head up the stairs in the tower area and look through the boards and chains and you’ll see a fire.
Shoot the Ash People in the foreground and the fire will be revealed — it’s a pig roast! Shoot the handle to rotate the spit.

“Mad World” Song on Gridlock

Load up a Game of Execution or Warzone (The Game mode does not matter as long as it is a Multiplayer varient) with one A.I Bot
Kill the Bot without any of the Ash statues being destroyed
NOTE: Destroying any of the ash statues will stop this Easter Egg from triggering
Enjoy.

Dom and Maria Photo and Audio Clip on Mercy

Set up a multiplayer game on Mercy (preferably with friends )
Head to the chapel in the south.
Along the back wall, there is a platform with a few books and unders stained glass widows. When the chapels bells ring a photo of Dom and Maria will appear.
Shoot the photo and you’ll hear Dom crying

Other Ripten Gears of War 3 Guides

Gears of War 3 – Epic Achievement Completion Guide with Video

Ripten Staff — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:47:05 +0000

The Gears of War series has thrilled gamers for more than five years ending on a crescendo with Gears of War 3. Read our Gears Of War 3 review. Those who wish to improve upon their gamerscore and find the hidden achievement will find everything they need in this guide.

Other Ripten Gears of War 3 Guides:

Achievements:

Marcus, It’s Your Father ( 5G) - Story Progression in Prologue (Standard or Arcade).
Swimmin’ in Glowie Gravy (10G) - Story Progression in Act 1 Chapter 2 (Standard or Arcade).
We Struck Gold, Son! (10G) - Story Progression in Act 1 Chapter 3 (Standard or Arcade).
My Turf! Cougars Territory! (10G) - Story Progression in Act 1 Chapter 5 (Standard or Arcade).
Putting it Scientifically… (10G) - Story Progression in Act 1 Chapter 6 (Standard or Arcade).
Okay, Now We Find Hoffman (10G) - Story Progression in Act 2 Chapter 1 (Standard or Arcade).
Oh Yeah, It’s Pirate Time (10G) - Story Progression in Act 2 Chapter 5 (Standard or Arcade).
Thanks For Flying GasBag Airways (10G) - Story Progression in Act 2 Chapter 7 (Standard or Arcade).
Anvil Gate’s Last Resort (10G) - Story Progression in Act 3 Chapter 1 (Standard or Arcade).
Was it Good For You? (10G) - Story Progression in Act 3 Chapter 2 (Standard or Arcade).
Lost Your Good Driver Discount (10G) - Story Progression in Act 3 Chapter 3 (Standard or Arcade).
Brothers to the End (10G) - Story Progression in Act 3 Chapter 5 (Standard or Arcade).
Think You Can Handle That? (10G) - Story Progression in Act 4 Chapter 3 (Standard or Arcade).
Baird’s Favorite Kind of Toy (10G) - Story Progression in Act 4 Chapter 5 (Standard or Arcade).
Welcome To -redacted- (10G) - Story Progression in Act 4 Chapter 6 (Standard or Arcade).
Look at That, Instant Summer. (10G) - Story Progression in Act 5 Chapter 2 (Standard or Arcade).
Ok. Faith. Yeah. Got It. (10G) - Story Progression in Act 5 Chapter 5 (Standard or Arcade).
You’re Dead! Now Stay Dead! (10G) - Story Progression in Act 5 Chapter 6 (Standard or Arcade).
Ready for More (50G) - Complete all campaign Acts on Casual or Normal Difficulty (Standard or Arcade).
Ain’t My First Rodeo (50G) - Complete all campaign Acts on Hardcore Difficulty (Standard or Arcade).
That’s Just Crazy (75G) - Complete all campaign Acts on Insane Difficulty (Standard or Arcade).
Collector (5G) - Recover 5 Campaign Collectibles (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade).
Pack Rat (10G) - Recover 20 Campaign Collectibles (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade).
Hoarder (15G) - Recover all 42 Campaign Collectibles (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade). In our Gears of War 3 – COG tag and Collectibles Location Guide
Remember the Fallen (15G) - Recover all 15 COG Tags during the Campaign (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade). In our Gears of War 3 – COG tag and Collectibles Location Guide
My Fellow Gears (50G) - Complete all Campaign Acts in Co-op (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade).
We Few, We Happy Few… (50G) - Complete all Campaign Acts in 4 player Co-op (any difficulty, Standard or Arcade).
Level 5 (5G) - Reach Experience level 5.
Level 10 (10G) - Reach Experience level 10.
Level 15 (15G) - Reach Experience level 15.
Level 25 (25G) – Reach Experience level 25.
Level 50 (50G) – Reach level 50.
Judge, Jury and Executioner (10G) - Get a kill with every possible execution finishing move (any mode).
Wreaking Locust Vengence (10G) - Get a kill with every Locust monster in Beast mode (any difficulty).
Enriched and Fortified (10G) - Complete all 50 waves of Horde mode (any difficulty, any map).
It’s All About the Loot! (25G) - Earn the Bronze “Loot Courtesan” medal.
All for One, One for All (10G) – Earn the Bronze “Force Multiplier” medal.
First Among Equals (25G) - Earn the Silver “Number 1″ medal. – Need to achieve the highest score in Arcade Mode 60 times. It can be done with two controllers. From Video: This is a great way to earn progress towards most of the Arcade medals in Gears of War 3, plug in a 2nd controller and play split-screen to get credit for beating the other player. I did the video solo so it will be easier to see but I always farm this with a 2nd controller plugged in.
Award Winning Tactics (25G) - Earn at least one Onyx medal.
Seriously 3.0 (100G) Reach level 100 and earn every Onyx medal.
Welcome to Versus (10G) - Kill 10 enemies in Team Deathmatch (Standard or Casual).
The Versus Sampler Platter (10G) Complete one match of all six Versus game modes (Standard or Casual).
Welcome to Horde Mode (10G) – Survive the first 10 waves of Horde mode (any difficulty, any map).
Welcome to Beast Mode (10G) - Survive all 12 waves of Beast mode (any difficulty, any map).
Welcome to Arcade Mode (10G) – Complete 5 Arcade Campaign chapters in co-op (any difficulty).
Welcome to the Big Leagues (0G) – Demonstrate your skill in Casual Versus multiplayer.
Wait, What Time is it? (10G) – Earn the maximum Consecutive Match Bonus in Versus multiplayer (Standard or Casual).
Lambency (50G) – Execute an Epic employee, or someone who already has Lambency, in Versus multiplayer (any mode). – This is easy because you just hasve to execute someone who executed someone who executed an Epic employee.
Socialite (70G) – Earn the Onyx “War Supporter” medal. – Achievement requires you to participate in 30 events, that will be coming up in the gears of war 3 event calender.

Secret Achievements:

Respect for the Dead (5G) -Your respect for the dead earned you access to Griffin’s special weapons stash.In Act 4 chapter 1 (Ashes to Ashes) do not destroy (touch or shoot) any dead ashes people along the way to griffin’s building. It’s ok if it broke up by ashman traps or polyps explode.This is just after you get permission to see Griffin on your right side. The room is blocked by a barred fence. When you move close enough and have shown respect for the dead, the women in the room will open it for you. Inside are some good weapons.

Gears of War vs. Resistance – An Epic Rivalry Concludes and Everybody Wins

Garrett Hartman — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:00:16 +0000

In early November 2006, one of the greatest franchise fights of this console generation began: Gears of War vs. Resistance. It started as a battle between exclusives to showcase the capabilities of each respective console. Surprisingly, both series had many parallels and further cemented the rivalry by releasing each successive game in the same month, with release dates often less than two weeks apart. Two Sci-fi shooters designed by respected studios featuring characters fighting for humanity’s survival against far more powerful mutated alien invaders. While there is no doubt that the Gears of War series proved more dominant, the Resistance series has more than held its own in many respects as one of the PlayStation 3′s standout franchises.

The rivalry has included six games, three from each studio: Gears of War, Gears of War 2 and Gears of War 3 from Epic vs. Resistance: Fall of Man, Resistance 2 and Resistance 3 from Insomniac Games.

Origins

Back in November 2006, the Xbox 360 had been basking in the sun for a year as the only “next gen” console. This was soon to change with the coming release of the of the Nintendo Wii and PS3. Out of the new contenders the PS3 was considered the more likely rival with expected greater computing power and graphical capabilities.

Prior to the PS3′s release, two major exclusives were being trumpeted to showcase the system’s prowess : one being the now infamous Killzone 2 “gameplay” trailer and the other being Resistance: Fall of Man. Both were hyped to be superior to anything found on the Xbox 360.

ORLY?!

At the time, Microsoft had not released a console defining game. Halo 3 was still in development and would not debut until 2007. Microsoft knew they needed a champion – a showcase title to release as a counter to the PlayStation 3. Luckily a young and ambitious developer from Epic games named Cliff Bleszinski had an idea for a 3rd person shooter which involved using cover and tactics. It was a new approach Cliff came up with after enjoying paintball outings with friends. Rather than a simple backstory, the ambitious Cliffy B created a complex sci-fi adventure featuring inhabitants of the earthlike planet of Sera in a desperate situation fighting for existence against a recently emerged overwhelming menace – the Locust. As the first Xbox 360 game using Epic’s propriety Unreal 3 engine, early in development Gears looked amazing and after it won several “Xbox 360 Game of Show” awards at E3 2oo5, Microsoft was sure they found their champion.

Sony was also in a desperate position. The PS3 launch needed marquee titles and as the launch date came closer more than a few expected titles would be delayed. Luckily Insomniac’s Resistance: Fall of Man would be ready. Resistance was developed as a “Halo Killer”. Insomoniac looked at the popular FPS’s of the time: obviously the console king Halo and World War 2 shooters such as Call of Duty. What they created was an alternate timeline sci-fi shooter which took place in 1950′s England. This world, while similar to ours, never experienced the second World War. Instead they faced an alien invasion which extended beyond simple miltary conquest with futuristic weapons, as the enemy Chimera could spread by virus. The focus would be entertaining and innovative weapons. Sony had found its first “killer app”.

The stage was set for battle with the success of each competing title tied at least some part to the success of their consoles. The two Sci-fi shooters with more than a few similarities debuted just a week apart.

This is 'Slightly' More Scary A Nazi Invasion

Resistance: Fall of Man vs. Gears of War

Gears of War debuted first on November 7th, 2006 to universal critical acclaim with an aggregate score of 94% on Metacritic. Critics praised the game for its graphics, solid gameplay, innovative cover system, multiplayer and reload mechanics. Resistance released ten days later on November 17th as the most celebrated launch title for the PS3. Fall of Man received generally positive reviews from critics. The game received an average score of 86% on Metacritic as reviewers enjoyed the game’s setting, story, variety of weapons and 40 player multiplayer.

Although Gears of War outscored Resistance by an average 8% points, many critics were divided as to which exclusive was superior. Furthermore, Gears lead in sales which could easily be attributed to the higher install base at the time of Xbox 360s.

Screw You Major Nelson!

Head to head, both had their strengths and weaknesses. Critics praised the story in Resistance while many described Gears as being “shallow” and a “missed opportunity”. Clearly, Gears had better graphics and distinguished itself with a excellent cover system, but Resistance had more interesting and varied weapons. Both games had excellent but far different multiplayer components however.

All in all both titles could claim victory because both had accomplished their individual goals. Gears of War raised the bar for console graphics proving that Microsoft’s console would be able to compete, while Resistance gave the the PS3 the killer app it would need to sell consoles in the first place.

Like with any good fight, the first round ended, both combatants had gotten a feel for each other and adjusted their tactics for round two.

RipTen Review: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)

Chad Lakkis — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:00:25 +0000

As I prepared to dig into Epic Games‘ third and final installment of the Gears of War franchise a few days ago, I couldn’t help but feel as if it had been forever since I reviewed Gears of War 2. In fact, it seems like forever since I’ve done much of anything these days besides prepare for my upcoming wedding, gather paperwork for my banker to help close on my house, and count down the final days of bachelorhood (T-minus 19 days and counting).

The original Gears of War hit store shelves just about five years ago. That’s roughly six months before I launched RipTen.com and nearly one year after I met my soon to be wife. My relationship with her, the site, and the game itself have all evolved since then.

Diligence drove me (literally) to pick it up the moment it became available, and the rest was history. Marcus, Dom, Cole, and the cover-based combat, quickly became as familiar to me as a basement full of childhood toys. Like a cardboard box, Gears of War 3 metaphorically tucks the franchise away, keeping it safe and dry up on a shelf between my He-Man action figures and my treasured comic book collection.

As far as sequels go, Gears 3 is more of a gradual change from Gears 2 – refined not reinvented. It’s got enough new features to help it feel fresh without all the unnecessary alterations that would otherwise leave it feeling foreign. While there are a slew of new weapons, playable characters, and levels to blast your way through, story is king in the the third and final installment, thus ensuring that the Gears trilogy wraps up with a gratifying and fitting ending that fans will be proud to replay for years to come.

In breaking the game down, one aspect at a time (spoilers aside), I’d have to say that outside of the plot evolution, the addition of four-player co-op makes Gears 3 the perfect game for your man cave … especially if your man cave is equipped with four 60 inch flat screens and just as many 360 consoles. It adds diversity along with my personal favorite, “strategery” to the campaign, boosting its replay value when paired with the multiplayer component. It’s like multiplayer for the guy that doesn’t want to get sniped by the same eleven year old kid over and over again.

Regardless of your age and/or skill level, Gears 3 multiplayer doesn’t disappoint. All of the traditional mutliplayer versus modes are back and ready for camping. The addition of barbed-wire defenses and decoys spice up the return of Horde Mode, helping you divert and slow the opposition in order to stay alive just a little bit longer.

If speed is your thing, you can try your hand at the new Beast Mode, which puts you behind the wheels of various Locust characters in a race to kill as many COGs as you can before the clock hits zero. Your gameplay experience and bottom line contribution in Beast mode varies drastically based on the type of Locust you pick. Familiar entities such as the Ticker gnaw through defensive roadblocks, while newer additions such as the Serapede quickly slither around the level like Barry Sanders in his prime.

The voice acting in Gears 3 is top notch as far as video games go, and the cast behind the Delta Squad once again does an amazing job delivering the sometimes cheesy yet always funny one liners that make Gears the third person gold standard experience that it is. From Cole’s child-like charm to Fenix’s grizzled focus — the cinematic dialogue and in-game call outs are always character appropriate and on point. One scene in particular (which I won’t spoil) features a very fitting musical tribute that adds just the right amount of emphasis to the moment without going overboard.

The overall graphics, gameplay experience and presentation of Gears 3 is what we’ve come to expect, with a few enhancements spliced in to keep things on the up and up. The addition of ammo swapping proves that giving is not always better than receiving, as I often found myself ignoring the “I’m out” calls echoed by my squad members. Campaign level design and transition from one area to the next is no doubt fun and fast paced, with more than enough variety to keep you busy, though I personally give a slight edge to Gears 2 in this department.

New toys like the Digger Launcher and Incendiary Grenade are thrown into the mix of more than already sufficient artillery options, and while I did use them from time to time (mostly situational), I shamelessly admit to sticking to the combination of Lancer and Shotgun whenever possible. Then again, I fell in love with my turkey sub being made a particular way at seventeen, and I’m still eating it the same way nearly sixteen years later. Sporadic? No. But it tastes good.

From a purely visual standpoint, the contrast between the rich detail you experience in third person perspective and the pixelation you see when the in-game cinematic bring you up close and personal (as they seem to do more often than ever before in the dramatic conclusion) work against each other. It’s not broken by any means, it’s just a far better experience visually from a third-person perspective. At the end of the day, if Gears 3 was a girl, you wouldn’t kick her graphics out of bed in the morning, but you might roll over once in the opposite direction to distance yourself from the morning breath.

Gears 3 also introduces playable female characters, as well as a few new strapping young lads to gaze upon. Unfortunately, while the pacing and focus of the third installment gets us to a fitting end with no shortage of memorable and sometimes moving moments along the way, the writers could have added a little more back-story to flesh out and familiarize us with the newer faces without straying too far off the main course. That said, I applaud the team for not going with the “let’s have them all meet up in a metaphorical church” type ending (see LOST if you’re lost.)

Considering how much I loved Gears 2, there was one aspect of the second installment that left me feeling a little jipped in the end. As noted in my review at the time, I felt that the final encounter between you and the primary villain could have benefited from a slightly clearer establishing shot. That said, Gears 3 does a far better job of making sure there is no doubt in your mind that the battle you are about to take part in is epic in relevance and proportion. In fact, all of the boss battles are extremely gratifying.

Minor nitpicks (and I do mean minor) aside, I absolutely loved Gears of War 3 from start to finish, and will most certainly be playing through it again once I am settled into my new home, and the craziness that is my life at the moment settles down in a few short weeks.

If you are a long time fan of the franchise like myself, or a newcomer on the market looking for an action packed third-person shooter, rest assured that Gears of War 3 will meet or exceed your expectations, and maybe even leave you reaching for a Kleenex when it’s all said and done.

Here’s the Rundown:

+ Fitting conclusion
+ More of the same ‘can’ be a good thing
+ Extremely gratifying Boss Battles
+ Jam packed with love for the Cole Train
- Not so jam packed with love for the Jace …Train?
– When did we start hating pre-rendered cinematics?

Learn more about the RipTen scoring system and what this score means. Visit our review scoring page

Gears of War 3 was developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft. It was released on September 20th, 2011 for $59.99 exclusively for the Xbox 360. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review. The campaign was played to completion and multiplayer was played with developers who were much better than Chad. He shed a tear as the credits rolled and he’ll continue to weep until another Gears project is announced.

Epic Releases Official Statement Concerning The Gears of War 3 Leak

Chris Carlson — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:08:19 +0000

Just yesterday we reported the the full but unfinished version of Gears of War 3 was leaked online. Then today we showed you a ton of videos that flooded the internet, and now Epic Games have made an official statement.

Dana Cowley, head of PR for Epic Games had to say this:

We have seen the reports of Gears of War 3 content being propped on the Web and working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. This content is not from a final build and is not representative of what fans will enjoy when the game launches worldwide on September 20, 2011.

Epic Games is already attempting to take down the leaked version from various torrent sites as we speak. Of course when something like this is spread onto the internet, there’s almost no chance of completely removing it. So make sure you do your part as a gamer to support Epic Games and purchase Gears of War 3 when it hits shelves September 20th.

Gears of War 3 Epic Media Blowout – Videos, Gameplay and Much More

Chris Carlson — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:26:52 +0000

Epic Games has just announced……wait they didn’t announce anything. Unless you were out partying all weekend you would know the full version of Gears of War 3 has been leaked online.

Following the leak, tons of videos have made their way onto Youtube showing tons of footage from the game. Now of course we’re going to keep this spoiler free but that doesn’t mean there’s not a shit ton of content to share with you. Keep in mind these videos may be the full game but it’s still unfinished and bugs will be present.

This video confirms that Gridlock will be making an appearance in Gears of War 3. It also got a huge make over and looks even grittier than before. Wether or not this will be a shipped map, or if Epic will offer a “Flashback Map Pack” code with copies of the game similar to how they did Gears of War 2 is still unknown. Just knowing this classic Gears map is making a return is good enough for me.

This next video showcases a new outfit for Marcus titled “Civilian Marcus” and shows off boat load of additional unlocks. Players will receive exclusive weapon skins for playing Gears of War on PC, Bulletstorm, and all three Gears of War campaigns. Avatar items is also listed which suggest the game will feature Avatar Awards which is nice because many games don’t support this feature. Last but not least the infamous Seriously 3.0 is a confirmed achievement, but we really didn’t need to tell you that right? Seriously……..we didn’t need to right?

Previously noted in the last video was certain exclusive unlockable skins for your arsenal. This video displays quite a few of the weapon skins but no details on how to unlock them. The skins range from a beautiful nice set of flowers to a blood red covered Lancer. Then there’s your classic camos like urban, jungle, pink etc.

One of the new weapons announced was the Vulcan Cannon, however Epic didn’t go into much detail at all. So now I present you with this beautiful fucking beast of a weapon and just how dangerous this baby is. Words can not describe this beauty, just watch.

Was that not enough for your blood pumping Gears of War veins? Check out some actual gameplay from some of the new maps not playable in the beta below.

Mercy

Azura

Dry Dock

Hotel

Overpass

Rustlung

Sandbar

Gears of War 3 is set to release September 20th, exclusively on Xbox 360.

Gears of War 3 Gets Leaked Online

Chris Carlson — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 20:51:21 +0000

According to sources, the full -but unfinished- version of Gears of War 3 has been leaked online. Sigh…

The user explains the full game is present including all single player and multiplayer modes, but is very buggy. The video below is this so called “leaked” version and shows the player setting up and playing Beast Mode (Ignore the title, it’s not the campaign) in the comfort of his own home. From the looks of the video it appears the game is only playable on a JTAG system which means it wont be widespread and in the hands of possibly millions. Regardless of the situation at hand, Epic Games can’t be too happy about this, unless they leaked it on purpose… we hope not.

Epic Games Teases New Foliage System In Unreal Engine 3

Chris Carlson — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:02:40 +0000

Epic Games has just released a screenshot showcasing exactly what the Unreal Engine 3′s new foliage system can do.

PR brand manager at Epic Dana Cowley Tweeted this screenshot along with the this message: “Here’s a shot of our new foliage system in Unreal Engine 3. Shout out to our devs at Epic Games Korea!”

You can view the full size version by clicking the image above. Unreal Engine 3 has came a long way over the years and if this screenshot is an indication of what to expect in the future, Epic Games is pushing it to the limit harder than Scarface.

Gears of War 3: Looks Better, Plays Better, Is Better Than The Rest

Bryce Wilson — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:27:58 +0000

Jacinto has fallen, the Gears are on their back feet and on the run from a never ending enemy, but it’s only getting worse.

The Cog, humanity’s last chance at survival, has been disbanded and after the fall of Jacinto, the imulsion that once powered Sera’s cities has now infected the Locust, turning them into a vicious and deadly enemy; Lambent.

The story sounds, and will definitely be “epic”. Epic Games has worked tirelessly on turning the third and final game into something of such a high caliber that it almost feels like a brand new game.

Currently running on the Xbox LIVE service is the multiplayer beta, allowing players to sample gameplay across a number of new maps and game modes, with access to a number of new weapons as well.

Having played close to 20 hours on the first week of the beta I was extremely impressed by the fresh new feel to the gameplay. As an avid fan of both the first and second series entries, the heaviness and purposeful feel of turning and movement was almost overbearing and annoying, but it feels like the gravity and friction in Gears of War 3 has been heavily lowered, allowing the gameplay to take on a newer and more frantic feel.

But that’s where Gears of War has always shined. Those moments of panic, whether they be told through the always great Unreal engine, sound or storylines. Gears of War 3 once again has that awesomely gritty vibe, and Epic Games has captured perfectly the feeling of desperation as you fight against the Locust as the last defense between our salvation and annihilation.

This gritty vibe is projected like never before with new weapons and animations allowing you to see the conflict up close and personal, one on one. Numerous times during combat, the sheer reality of “I kill him or I die” inspired me to charge into the open, gunning the enemy down, before giving them a brutal execution at the courtesy of my enlarged fists. I’ve always found Gears of War to pump me up, and the third installation is certainly no different.

The graphical presentation looks brilliant, with the color palette appearing to be a lot more varied as opposed to the browns and greys that we saw quite a lot of in the last title. The player ducks, dips, dives, ducks and dodges bullets while running towards cover. Everything appears to be a lot more crisp, with the animations having a new found purposefulness to them. The character models are also vastly improved… for the win.

As I mentioned earlier, the gameplay feels a lot smoother and also seems to play a lot better. Moving around the environments was meddlesome at times in Gears of War 2, and it seems that Epic Games has refined the experience to make navigation feel a lot more natural whilst still making the cover system as intuitive as ever before.

Check out the new gameplay in action below.

Searching for matches has also been made significantly easier due to the new and improved netcode, plus built in search filters and game mode filters. It’s a system very similar to the one Bungie has been using since Halo 3, but it’s a welcome addition none the less.

Although the currently running multiplayer beta only offered Team Deathmatch to start off with, the game types themselves haven’t changed much. Team Deathmatch is still great to play with a party of friends, working tactically to annihilate your enemy, but the recently introduced King of the Hill is great fun to play on your own. Epic appears to have done a brilliant job of balancing the weapons online, too, with each having its owns pros and cons.

For example, the Retro Lancer is a weapon of mass destruction up close when fired from the hip, but trying to use it accurately over range and at speed is a futile effort. The new sawed-off shotgun is devastating when fired up close and from the hip, but lacks the ability to be used in drawn out engagements like the Gnasher.

All of the numerous gameplay changes might seem insignificant and minute when displayed on their own, but when viewed as one giant collage, they all culminate to create one of the finest examples of attention to detail I’ve ever seen in a game.

Quite frankly, it’s all good! Epic is a company that clearly has tried to improve upon each sequel and Gears of War 3 is no different. Gears 2 was better than Gears, and if what I’ve played and seen is to be believed? Gears 3 will be the best in series and may very well be a serious Game of the Year contender.

Warner Bros. Signs 3 Year Agreement to Be “Powered by Unreal Technology”

Matthew Sims — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:36:44 +0000

Warner has signed a licensing agreement with Epic that will allow them to use the Unreal Engine for any games they develop until the contract expires in 2014. NetherRealm and Rocksteady Studios are apparently going to use the engine exclusively for all their games published between now and 2014.

This is a huge agreement as Warner owns several major studios that include NetherRealm Studios and Rocksteady as well a few smaller studios like TT Games, Surreal Software, WB Games Montreal, as well as the majority stake in Snowblind Studios.

We’re very excited that the talented production teams at NetherRealm and Rocksteady will continue to make Unreal Engine 3 their exclusive core technology for the next few years to create the exceptional titles they are so known for,” said Epic Games VP Mark Rein.

“We look forward to seeing how the engine will contribute to the upcoming games from these teams and potentially other Warner teams and external developers who develop or publish with Warner.”

[Source: Develop]

Gears of War 3 – New Beta Info with Dates and Details

Garrett Hartman — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:44:19 +0000

Epic games has finally given definitive info on how to participate in the Gears of War 3 Beta. Essentially, pre-order the game from Gamestop and you can participate in the beta when it begins on April 25th and runs until May 15th.

Those who purchased the Bulletstorm Epic Edition will get access one week earlier on April 18.

As mentioned before, participants in the Beta will have access to all sorts of unlockable goodies. The Gears of War 3 Beta Unlockables include:

Beta Tester Medal – Complete one match in the beta to unlock the Beta Tester medal, which will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game. The Beta Tester title will be featured in the “Gears 3″ multiplayer lobby as well.
Thrashball Cole – Complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock the Thrashball Cole character variant in the beta. Once unlocked, complete 10 matches as Thrashball Cole during the beta and the character will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game.
Gold-Plated Retro Lancer – Show your ultimate “Gears of War” fandom by unlocking the Gold-Plated Retro Lancer. Complete 90 matches in any game type to unlock it for the beta, and score 100 kills with it once unlocked to carry the exclusive weapon skin over to your gamer profile in the final game.
Flaming Hammerburst – Complete one match by Sunday, April 24 and unlock this weapon variant.
Flaming Lancer – Complete one match during the week of April 25 and unlock this weapon variant.
Flaming Sawed-Off Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of May 2 to unlock this weapon variant.
Flaming Gnasher Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of May 9 to unlock this weapon variant.

So what are you waiting for? Pre-order Gears of War 3 now to participate in the Beta!

For more Beta info click Here.

Bulletstorm – Nom Juice Bottle Location Drunk Guide

Ripten Staff — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:04:51 +0000

Anyone that has played Bulletstorm knows there’s nothing better than to kill with skill after throwing back a few nice refreshing bottles of Nom Juice. Nom, nom, nom. Looking for all 42 bottles to collect the Straight Edge and Space Pirate Achievements and Trophies? Follow this video and text guide.

Other Ripten Bulletstorm guides:

Watch video below and if you still need help, read the text.

Video courtesy of TrophyGuru

Act 2

Chap 1

Located on the table by the entrance when you first enter the the nightclub.
In the dry dock building before you fight the flailbombers.
In the hall after fighting with first group of bombers.

Chap 2

Next to the dropkit near the warehouse.

Act 3

Chap 1

In observation lounge at the dam.
In reactor room by the elevator.

Act 4

Chap 2

On the bench before first set of stairs.
On bench near banshee crash site.
After final set of stairs on bench near the dropkit.

Chap 3

On the ground after you slide down the long slope.
In bathroom area of the collapsed building.

Act 5

Chap 1

Exit the elevator and it is on a bench.

Chap 2

On the wooden structure after you slide through a moving door.

Chap 3

On a table you’ll find after you surface.

Act 6

Chap 1

In a broken elevator before the dropkit.
Behind an inverted table in a room with lightning outside.
On a table on to the right after climbing down using the stone pillar.
On a table to the left after using the stairs to the lounge.

Chap 2

Located behind rocks that lead to an open area.
Pass a dropkit and stand on a circular grill to look to the left to find.

Chap 3

In a damaged wooden drawer of the destroyed building.

Act 7

Chap 1

On first of the three windows to the the right after climbing down stairs.
On a table in the cafe.
On a table just outside the cafe.

‘Killzone Extraction’ Fan Made Short Brings Killzone 3 to Life

Garrett Hartman — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:25:54 +0000

Killzone 3 is by all accounts a visually stunning game. YouTube user Pwnisher has taken it to the next level with a stunning live action short ‘Killzone: Extraction’. Finally, Killzone in full 1080P HD! (joke)

Killzone Extraction follows a squad of ISA troops as they try to reach the extraction site. It ain’t going to be easy.

Truly a must see for any Killzone fan. Epic doesn’t describe it. Watch and enjoy.

Source: HBG, thanks Kreyg!

Bulletstorm – Electrofly Swarm and Newsbot Location Guide

Ripten Staff — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:54:17 +0000

Dicktits! So you are looking for all those damn Electrofly Swarms and Newsbots for the Pest control, Insecticide, Major Malfunction and Total Malfunction Achievement/Trophies?

We’ve got all their locations for you here!

Other Ripten Bulletstorm guides:

Videos courtesy of XCVii007r1.

All Electroflies Swarm Locations

Chapter and where demonstrated on video. Most locations are obvious, a few are difficult
2-1: 0:03
3-1: 1:00
3-2: 1:45
4-1: 2:20
4-2: 2:35
4-3: 3:55
5-1: 4:14
5-2: 4:37
6-2: 4:57
7-1: 5:13

Pest Control (20G) – Destroy all Electroflies in the Single Player Campaign

Insecticide (10G) Destroy 50% of the Electroflies in the Single Player Campaign

All Newsbot Locations

Chapter and where demonstrated on video. Most locations are obvious, a few are difficult.
2-1: 0:03
2-2: 0:41
3-1: 0:54
3-2: 1:36
4-1: 2:18
4-2: 2:43
4-3: 3:41
5-1: 4:16
5-2: 4:45
5-3: 4:54
6-1: 5:21
6-2: 5:45
7-1: 6:08
7:2: 6:37

Major Malfunction (10G) – Destroy 50% of the Newsbots in the Single Player Campaign
Total Malfunction (20G) – Destroy all Newsbots in the Single Player Campaign

Bulletstorm – HD Video Walkthrough Guide

Ripten Staff — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 04:20:47 +0000

Epic Games has once again created another hit new game. Bulletstorm delivers it’s action hard and crass. Looking for a nice little walkthrough to help you through the game?

Other Bulletstorm RipTen Guides

Here you go…Dicktits!

Videos courtesy of RydarGames and XCVii007r1.

Prologue On the Road to Hell

Act 1 Chap 1: Just Like the Old Days

Act 1 Chap 2: Last Train From Explosion Town

Act 1 Chap 3: Whatever It Is, It’s Pissed

Act 2 Chap 1: Damsel In Distress

Act 2 Chap 2: Worst Family Fun Vacation Ever

Act 3 Chap 1: One Sniper Means A Dozen

Act 3 Chap 2: A Dam Fine Mess

Act 4 Chap 1: The Only Way Through

Act 4 Chap 2: Maneaters Prefer Tight Spots

Act 4 Chap 3: Itchin’ To Crumble

Act 5 Chap 1: Crash Resistant

Act 5 Chap 2: How Do We Solve That?

Act 5 Chap 3: I See We’re All A Bit Upset

Act 6 Chap 1: Daddy’ll Get You Out

Act 6 Chap 2: Bad trouble a knockin’

Act 6 Chap 3: Ponderin’ them bodies

Act 7 Chapter 1: That thing is leaving without us

Act 7 Chap 2: I don’t hold you accountable

We’ll add more videos as they come.