RipTen Videogame Blog » Xbox

Call of Duty Elite Releasing Third Xbox 360 Map, PS3 Owners Still Waiting for First

Rick Givens — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:46 +0000

Modern Warfare 3 players REJOICE! But only if you have Call of Duty Elite, and only if you play the game on the Xbox.

On February 21st, Premium Members will be able to access the third map, Overwatch, which is next in the line up for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3′s Content Season for Call of Duty Elite. This third map will be available to Xbox Live Members with the Premium subscription a full week before PlayStation 3 owners even get the first map. PC? No word on that; nor when Call of Duty Elite will be available for that platform, so uncross your fingers and exhale, otherwise you will get arthritis and die.

Overwatch will be set at a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. Featuring two levels and a near symmetrical layout, a central bridge and side routes will allow players to approach from multiple angles, while the lack of safety barriers will make it easy for you to belly flop onto the pavement if you don’t watch your step.

While Xbox Premium members are getting what looks to be all the content first, Activision states that PS3 Premium members will get the content before non Premium members. Somewhere down the road, those that didn’t sign up for the service, or who are PC gamers will get the content, maybe, one day….Okay, so no one really knows when the hell that will be, but the standard has been about a month apart for each platform. So, sometime in March PC gamers might expect the DLC, at full price.

Forza 4 “American Le Mans Series Pack” Available Today

Sam Naylor — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:30:49 +0000

A new DLC pack for Forza 4, the “American Le Mans Series Pack”, is available from today.

The car pack focuses- as you might expect- on Le Mans cars, but there are some others in the mix too. A modified luxury car, an “E3 award winner,” and some proper old fashioned muscle are also in the lineup:

·         2011 #2 Audi Sport North America R18 TDI: Featuring a closed cockpit design (the first such Audi Le Mans car fielded in more than 10 years), the R18 is a marvel of modern racing design. Featuring a lighter materials and a premium on aerodynamic efficiency, it’s little wonder the R18 TDI brought home top honors during the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans.
·         2011 Panoz #050 Panoz Racing Abruzzi: A five hundred horsepower engine that will feel right at home tearing down the straights of Le Mans, the Panoz Racing Abruzzi’s tusk-like front end marries unique styling with impressive performance.
·         2010 Dodge Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Challenger SRT8: Owned by UFC fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, this 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is one of the most aggressive-looking cars ever seen in the Forza Motorsport series. With red and black rims that need to be seen to be believed, this Challenger will turn heads in Forza 4 the moment the race begins.
·         1991 Mazda #55 Team Mazdaspeed 787B: One of the most unique sounding cars in Forza 4, the Wankel rotary engine-equipped 787B is also legendary for its performance. It won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the model was soon retired after FIA rules changes subsequently banned the use of Wankel-type rotary engines.
·         2011 Bentley Platinum Motorsports Continental GT: This Bentley Continental GT features a widebody construction that was custom created by Los Angeles-based Platinum Motorsports. The Continental GT looks great and features some serious power underneath the hood—two factors that contributed it to being selected as Forza Motorsport’s “E3 2011 Car of Show”.
·         1986 #2 Audi Sport quattro S1: Introduced in 1985 as a Group B rally entrant, this was the car that put Audi’s rallying program on the map. One of the most powerful Group B cars ever made, the quattro S1 held multiple hill climb world records in its day and is still widely regarded as one of the most incredible race cars Audi has produced.
·         1992 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4: A “compact executive” with the heart of a touring car, the 155 Q4 features a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine capable of 187 horsepower and an all-wheel drive drivetrain.
·         1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R: Long sought after by Forza’s Mustang fans, the 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R is big and beefy American muscle at its finest. Its SVT-modified 5.8 liter Windsor V8 pumps out 300 horsepower and plenty of torque. The car’s legendary status is further enhanced by its rarity—just 250 Cobra R models were produced.
·         2011 Holden HSV GTS: More power, better handling, and new technology are all hallmarks of Holden’s 2011 HSV GTS. The car’s MRC suspension brings a responsive ride in the corners that, when coupled with the 6.2 liter V8, makes the GTS a joy to drive.
·         2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI: A great-looking hatchback with surprising grit underneath the hood, the 2011 Polo GTI packs a 1.4 liter twin charged engine combining both a turbocharger and a supercharger, belting out an impressive 177 horsepower in a compact size.

The pack is available from Xbox Live for 560 Microsoft Points.

RipTen Review: AMY (XBLA)

Gavin Bard — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:30:59 +0000

The Reviewer

(not) by

Edgar Allan Poe

To you the gamer pessimist, I ask you honor one request;
My credibility and past you might not know,
But I promise I write not in jest, heed my words about this mess.
Regarding AMY I attest, no matter your opinions on game journos
Trust the reviewers, this game blows

You might think we’re mostly wrong, every review same dance and song,
our arguments so rarely strong. It makes you skeptical of scores this low.
You start to think “it can’t be as bad as this, can’t trust them further than I can spit,
Besides Jim Sterling hated it. What the hell does that guy know?”
Look- trust the reviewers, this game blows.

For ten dollars it might tempt, but cheap doesn’t make its quality exempt
I hope your purchase I preempt, take that wallet and keep it closed
There is nothing worth your money here, a survival horror game without fear,
controls so bad you’ll shed a tear, the gameplay needs much NoDoz.
Trust the reviewers, this game blows.

It must be said- AMY isn’t lacking heart, but that is where compliments and I must part
This game marks a trainwreck as its start, an opening so apropos.
Like a child’s plate with spinach, I don’t think this game is finished.
At no point do glitches diminish, but your frustration will sure grow.
Trust the reviewers, this game blows.

Graphically it may seem decent, but not for gaming eras recent.
The animations are malfeasant, look at how she holds that phone!
AMY’s strength is its aesthetics, but they’re still as clear as Dianetics
Even with flawless cosmetics, it wouldn’t cover up what we know
Trust the reviewers, this game blows

Just playing AMY is energy sapping, three hours in and you’ll be napping
I’d rather listen to Randy Savage rapping. The more you play the more time slows.
You’d think your thumbs had the plague, with controls that feel like you have stones for legs,
No solace in a plot so god damn vague- AMY has far more cons than it has pros.
Trust the reviewers, this game blows.

In the loosest sense it is like Ico, except a direct comparison would be psycho,
the difference too far to be be seen by Tycho. For arguments sake lets juxtapose.
AMY’s puzzles are simplistic, each one solvable by methods heuristic.
Did I mention Amy’s autistic? Probably not, I’m bad at aping Poe.
Still- Trust the reviewers, this game blows.

AMY also suffers from awful combat, every attack is inaccurate and flat.
Lana has Johnny Bench fingers but needs his bat. Is that a crowbar or a pillow?
The game’s design flaws are massive, and more obvious when your character is active.
It’s an Occupier with a Gene Sharp book forcing you to be passive, a strategy I oppose.
Trust the reviewers- this game blows.

It isn’t so bad its good its just terrible, playing AMY as an experience is unbearable.
It’s so bad I had to rip off Poe for this parable. There are no highs in AMY, just lows.
I know we reviewers aren’t always right, and you may want to play AMY just for spite,
but playing this was a true bleak plight. It drove me crazy and it shows.
Seriously, just this once, trust the reviewers- this game blows.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ It doesn’t look terrible.

+ Flashback was an awesome game.

+ There are some decent ideas buried under all of the things that don’t work. A sequel would probably end up being okay if they hear the near universal criticism and adjust accordingly.

+ It is still way better than Rogue Warrior.

- Just one enormous escort mission/fetch quest. Should have made it timed just to get the unholy trifecta. Even then, it could have worked if it wasn’t so technically broken. At least you could stuff Ashley in a trashcan.

- Checkpoints are as rare as unicorns and as reliable as vertically oriented economic systems. AMY embodies the idea of fake difficulty

- I couldn’t find rhymes for “generally terrible voice acting.”

- Ten dollars more than I would pay for an unfinished beta.

- It gives Shaq Fu a run for the money as Paul Cuisset’s most puzzling mistake.

1 (RIP) to 4 are varying degrees of a bad game. A 1 (RIP) being a game you would actually pay money to not play, and a 4 is something that just barely fails to be mediocre. Read more about our scoring system in detail here.

AMY was developed by VectorCel and published by Lexis Numérique. It was released on January 11th, 2012 on XBLA for 800 MSP and January 17th, 2012 on PSN for $10. I think that’s the same, I was never good at converting fake currency into real currency. Haha, I’m just kidding, all currency is fake! Death to capitalism! A copy of the game was actually purchased for the purpose of this review, seriously. I’m a starving artist and I bought this thing for you people. The game was played until chapter 5 and wasn’t completed because life is just too fucking short. And yes I know Ico doesn’t rhyme with psycho before you say anything, I’m banking on most of you not realizing that.

Rumors Say The Next Xbox Will Play Blu-rays, But Not Used Games

Todd Schlickbernd — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:30:57 +0000

We just heard about Kingdom of Amalur‘s online pass content, and have been hearing about online passes for years now. People are pretty not-down with online passes, but the industry has a bone to pick with used games and Microsoft may have a strategy which, if successful, will reduce the used game industry to nothing but, well, bones. According to Kotaku, the next generation Xbox might be implementing a system which prevents used games from being played. Now what this means is rather specifically unstated, whomever informed Kotaku doesn’t know how Microsoft plans to do it. However, we do know what it means if they do implement it, sadness. Or at least that’s the immediate reaction. Let’s explore something here.

Most people were pretty shell shocked holiday 2011 with the impressive lineup of AAA titles being released from September to December, and we eventually realized one thing: we can’t buy them all. Not without selling organs, and even then some people probably had to take other people’s organs if they wanted all that the holidays had to offer. However, this crazy lineup of full price games didn’t stay full price for long, Need for Speed: The Run, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, and many other AAA games went on sale rather soon after their release because they had to compete.

Now, imagine that there was no way to buy those games used. Well now people are really pinching pennies (which is very rude to penny-kind, by the way) and only buying the games they really, really want and sometimes having to avoid even those games for a time. There’s no “I’ll buy this one now, and get the other one used later”, because there will be no used! So instead the logic might follow, “I’ll have to wait until they both drop in price”, and when an entire group of consumers thinks that way, prices will start dropping. At least in theory. Also it’ll mean the end to online passes because there would be no point. Scary as this all sounds, it’s important to consider that while the industry will (hopefully) be making all their intended revenue, there’s give-and-take and when gamers and non-gamers alike can’t afford games like they used to, the industry will have to respond.

Beyond that controversial bit, included in the rumors was the fact that the Xbox 360 will play Blu-rays, a noticeable 15 – 35gb size limit increase over that of DVDs. Yay, Blu-rays, higher graphical quality, Blu-ray movies, and… oh wait, remember what happened with the PS3 and backwards compatibility? Uh oh. Well let’s hope that plays out favorably. I didn’t pay $600 for a console six years ago and I won’t do it two years from now. I’ll just duct tape my 360 to my 720 or whatever the new console will be calling itself. I’m thinking… the Ybox. Or the Wbox, depending on the perspective.

Lastly, there are apparently features planned for the new Xbox which will better accommodate the Kinect and allow it to detect users more accurately. There’s a rather good chance the new device, if there is one, will be called “Kinect Movement Extra” and will be a small cube rammed somewhere into existing Kinects. All of this is speculation, but along with the recent news of the possibly super amazing graphics, the next Xbox may be able to land at a late 2013 release.

Gears 4? Epic Hiring Technical Artist to Prototype for Next-Gen Hardware

Catherine Cai — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:33 +0000

According to an Epic Games job posting on LinkedIn, the studio best known for their Unreal Engine and a little thing called Gears of War you may or may not have heard of is prepping, as expected, for the next generation of consoles. The job listing, calling for a technical artist, states:

“Your goal will be to attack the more complex issues that arise when we push the technology envelope, both in production on current hardware, and prototyping for next-generation hardware.”

The Wii U (or whatever it ends up being called) is due to launch sometime between E3 and the end of this year, and new hardware announcements will probably come pouring in come end of 2012, so it’s not a surprise that Epic’s already prepping for its move onto new consoles. After all, fans will be expecting Gears of War 4 to look as lifelike as possible.

Next Xbox Could Have Radeon HD 6670-Like Chipset

Sam Naylor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:11 +0000

The next Xbox will reportedly have six times more graphical power than the current model, using an AMD 6000-series chipset.

According to sources close to IGN, production of the Radeon HD 6670-like hardware will begin at the end of 2012 with a view to the console’s release in the 2013 holiday period. Developers will be able to access the new hardware in August.

Aside from the 600% power increase, the new chipset allows DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output. Expect Microsoft to try to get us to ignore that the 6000 series is already outdated in the PC market. Still, it’s nice to have a little more proof that there’s a new Xbox coming along soon enough.

Rumor: Microsoft to Allow Real Money on Xbox Live this Year

Sam Naylor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:30:56 +0000

Rumor has it that Microsoft will be phasing out their silly points system by the end of the year.

A source close to the company told Inside Mobile Apps that the points system for Windows Phone, the Zune marketplace and Xbox Live will be gradually removed, with MS telling developers for each platform to change their plans accordingly.

Instead real money will be the currency of choice, meaning that we no longer have to buy stuff in Magic Spacebux™ and have stupid tiny amounts left over in our accounts. Points left in accounts will be converted to your local currency, said the source.

Of course, a Microsoft spokesman said “we do not comment on rumours or speculation.”

Inside Mobile Apps via Joystiq

Xbox Dashboard Update Takes Color Out of Your Life; Microsoft Working on Fix

Catherine Cai — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:15:43 +0000

The recent Xbox dashboard update has reportedly washed out color from videos for some users. No, Microsoft isn’t throwing back to the days of old black and white TV.

Microsoft’s Major Nelson, via his Twitter, stated that Microsoft is on the case for the fix, although there’s still no ETA for when the fix will actually come about.

If you’re one of the unfortunate souls whose Xbox dashboard is currently spectrum-challenged, stay tuned. We’ll let you know as soon as there are any updates. For now, just pretend that you’re playing a videogame on a really old TV set.

[Via Joystiq]

U.S. Patent Shows Next Xbox May Have DVR Functionality

Catherine Cai — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:09:00 +0000

The US Patent Office granted Microsoft a patent for a console that would have DVR functionality. The patent was originally filed back in 2007. Its abstract reads:

An integrated gaming and media experience is disclosed, including recording of content on a gaming console. A digital video recorder (DVR) application running alongside a television client component allows users to record media content on the gaming console. The DVR application also integrates itself with the console menu. Once integrated, users can record media content while playing games. Alternatively, users can record content when the gaming console is turned off. The recorded content can include television programming, gaming experience (whether local or online), music, DVDs, and so on. When in the recording state, users can also switch between various other media modes, whether gaming, television, and so on.

Currently, the Xbox only has streaming functionality. Having DVR integrated into the Xbox 720, or whatever you’d like to call the next Microsoft console, would be great and would really make the Xbox Live membership cost worth it. I know I’d use the hell out of that DVR functionality, especially for making gameplay videos. Otherwise, I guess I could use it for recording episodes on Hulu or Netflix for whenever Internet access isn’t handy.

Still, there’s no knowing for certain if Microsoft will integrate this into the next console, or even ever take advantage of the patent.

[Via Eurogamer]

Xbox Live Now Has An Official iOS App

Brandon Fenty — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:00:55 +0000

While there have been many apps that have similar functionality in the past, Microsoft has finally released an app for iOS that allows you to access your Live Account. The app coincides with the launch of Microsoft‘s latest version of its dashboard.

Microsoft’s new app allows you to do many of the same things you could do from your Xbox console. For instance, you can view your games and achievements, message your friends, and even edit your avatar. Those Xbox community videos also show up on the main page, completing the Xbox experience. You can set up and use the new beacons feature to show your friends what games you’re itching to play when you get home from work.

All in all, the new app is a worthy download and better than any of the other, “unofficial” apps that are out there. On top of that, it’s a free download, so check it out!

Is a New Xbox (“Xbox Next”) Coming in 2013?

Dave Oshry — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:00:25 +0000

Develop seems to be on a roll today. Just earlier they reported that the PS4 was in the works, and now we have news of a new Xbox that may be titled the ‘Xbox Next‘.

Multiple sources across the industry, from processor chip manufacturers to middleware firms, have told Develop they expect the console to be fully unveiled at E3 2013, months before its release. The collection of data points to a 2013 launch for the system across all main regions, though early 2014 remains a possibility.

They’ve also reported that Lionhead is working on a project named ‘Fable Next’, which will launch alongside the new console. Reports also say EA already has next gen xbox dev kits in house, but everyone has so far denied these claims… obviously.

Microsoft has refused to comment so until we have anything more solid, this is another one for the rumor mill.

Did you expect a new Xbox or Playstation by 2013? I’ll reserve my judgement for now.

Micosoft to Sell 320GB HDDs for $130 Later This Month

Garrett Hartman — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:45:13 +0000

Longtime 360 owners with overburdened hard drives may soon have relief in the form of 320GBs to be released later this month.

In an announcement by Major Nelson the new 320GB HDD will cost $129.99 and will also include a download code for a full copy of Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. Unfortunatly for owners of older 360′s (like myself) the hard drive will only be compatible with the Xbox 360s model.

Nonetheless it’s good news as Microsoft finally eases up the price a little on their otherwise overpriced hard drives.

Borderlands 2 Will Be 1/3 Bigger Than the First Game

Matthew Sims — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:00:06 +0000

Gearbox has officially confirmed the scale of Borderlands 2 saying that it will be about a third larger in terms of playable space, and will feature differing locales rather than 25 hours of an endless desert.

“It is definitely a bigger world this time around. I’d say we built about a third more space than we had in the last game,” art director Jeremy Cooke told Destructoid.

Gearbox is also touting a few new features such as a persistent mini map featuring blips abound to help you find your way through the varied landscapes. The blips are apparently intended to cause some sort of loot lust, causing you to run after it like a manic.

“To me, when you see that little blip on the distant mountain peak, I gotta get over there now! There’s gonna be a gun there for me. That’s what I want.”

Perhaps the most technologically impressive addition is the removal of the hub system, and that the environments are 100% continuous. No word on if there will be some loading screens in there yet, but by the talk of it we can assume not.

“It’s all very seamless and we worked very hard to connect each space to the others in a logical way…For instance when you’re seeing the top of the dam in the demo, you’re looking off into the deserts in the South, and if you look to the other side you’re gonna see the frozen wastelands on the other side. It’s all totally connected.”

Cooke also was nice enough to tease some locations that players will be traveling to, and explain the complexity of the geography of Pandora.

“We just decided okay well we need to go out and explore the rest of Pandora. So you get grass, you get ice, you get volcanoes…You were basically in the mid-West of Pandora before, and now you’re gonna head North, and also South-east a little bit. We actually worked really hard on the world map, the level design really loves this stuff, really takes care of it. So we locate every map in a real spot on the continent of Pandora.”

There you have it folks. I’m excited. Borderlands 2 is set to hit store shelves sometime in 2012.

Carmack: RAGE Install On 360 Requires 22 Gigabytes

Matthew Sims — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:22:23 +0000

Before you ask, that isn’t a typo. According to Id’s John Carmack, players who opt to install RAGE onto their Xbox 360 hard drives will find themselves waiting a long time to install the 3 disc game.

“On the 360 we don’t have a partial install option; it’s all or nothing, which is kind of unfortunate,” he said. “It means you have to install 21/22GB of stuff which takes a long time but if you’ve got it and you play it on the 360 that’s the way to go.”

So if you’re still clinging onto your launch 360 with that 20Gb hard drive, you won’t even have enough space to install RAGE. It really puts things in perspective. Only time will tell if the install is worth it. At this point, I’m just tempted to pick up the PC version where my hard drive space isn’t as scarce.

RAGE hits store shelves October 4 for PS3, PC, and Xbox 360

True Crime Comes Back To Life!

Aaron Alexander — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:15:14 +0000

Remember the short-lived “True Crime: Hong Kong”? It was a reboot for the somewhat broken series, set to be published by Activision. It was cancelled by the gargantuan publisher, and promptly swept under the rug. Square Enix however, has decided to pick up development rights for the abandoned game, though they won’t be putting it out under the “True Crime” brand, as Square Enix doesn’t own the franchise.

So it’s good news for any True Crime fans out there, and it’s definitely some positive buzz for Square Enix. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, and keep checking RipTen for the latest in gaming news.

[Via Giantbomb]

Xbox 360 System Update Coming Tomorrow

Chris Carlson — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 01:33:19 +0000

Starting tomorrow, July 19th, Xbox 360 owners will be prompted to download a mandatory system update. The update will be sent out throughout the day and if you’re already connected to Xbox LIVE, you may get disconnected from the service and be asked to download the update.

Major Nelson insisted that no new features will be added and the update is simple preparation for the additional system enhancements coming to Xbox 360 later this year. Rest assured, we’re going to look for hidden features anyway. Just because we can.

NY Jets QB’s Xbox 360 Red Rings, Sony Tells Him to Get a PS3

Aaron Alexander — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:00:31 +0000

While some people send their Xbox back to Microsoft for repair, others ask Twitter for advice. NY Jets QB Mark Sanchez did the latter this morning, and luckily, Playstation’s Jeff Rubenstein saw the tweet and told him this;

Can’t argue with that advice. Stay classy PlayStation, stay classy.

Editor’s Note: J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS!

Microsoft Launches New Service For Xbox LIVE “My Stats”

Chris Carlson — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:14:44 +0000

Microsoft has just launched “My Stats”, a new stat tracking website where Xbox LIVE Gold Members can view various different stats and compare them globally.

If you’ve opt-in to Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Rewards program and are currently a gold member you can view all of your latest stats by visiting your Xbox LIVE Rewards page. Upon entering the site, you’re greeted with a nice message:

“We love giving stuff back – and as a loyal Xbox LIVE Rewards Gold member, you can enjoy a great new feature we’ve added to your Xbox LIVE experience: your very own MyStats page that collects your Xbox LIVE usage. Check it out and see how you measure up against the global Xbox LIVE community.”

There’s also a box to the right where you can submit your own stat tracking idea for future use. This new site tracks a numerous amount of statistics over the course of the last six months; These range from your top 6 games played, achievements, time spent playing single player & multiplayer games, and entertainment use. It also compares your stats to the rest of the Xbox LIVE community.

The greatest part about the new upgrade to Xbox.com is you can now -finally- turn off that god forsaken Auto-renewal which previously required you to call up Xbox support in order to cancel. Woo hoo for stat tracking!

First F1 2011 Developer Diary Peels Rubber Across Your Face

Murray Hibble — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:25:13 +0000

Fans of last year’s F1 2010 might well ask what could be different just a year later. It’s understandable to be concerned given the patching process that drives certain sports games. But how does online championships with 16 people sound? Maybe split-screen is more your thing? With more cinematics, more vehicle-options and smarter AI, you’ll be able to “Be the Driver, Live the Life, Go Compete”.

With the future of Bahrain still somewhat in doubt, I really hope that we’re given the option to try classic F1 tracks. It might be too soon for the F1 Roadshow to return to Imola, but I’d love to check that track out… and maybe even in a 1300 BHP tank like the days of yore. Advertising and the ruthless death-grip of Ecclestone pretty much killed off hopes of classic match-ups but as the popularity of the series grows, fan pressure might get these past qualifying in future titles. Regardless, I look forward to another 7 seasons (on Xbox and PC, god bless gamerscore) from the cockpit view, no assists, no HUD. You’re all lucky I haven’t made the game as the new motto would be “Go Hard, Or Bugger Off”.

F1 2011 is set for release on PC, Xbox and PS3 in September, like every other goddamn game on the calendar.

Batman: Arkham City Adds Robin As Playable Character

Murray Hibble — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 05:41:23 +0000

A UK fansite has uncovered a pre-order bonus for upcoming Rocksteady game Batman: ~~San Francisco~~ Arkham City. Initially spotted in an advertisement, Best Buy was offering an exclusive pre-order that allowed you to play as fancypants boy-wonder, Robin.

The offer has since been taken down from the site but as Google Cache shows, pre-ordering gave you access to Robin for two challenge maps. As is the fashion these days it may mean that different retailers will offer different characters for challenge maps as pre-order bait, followed some time later by a DLC offering with all characters. Challenge maps were a great part of Rocksteady’s 2009 smash-hit Arkham Asylum and the ability to play through with characters with different abilities is a welcome one (and could lead to a slew of character-specific levels).

There seems to be a fashion of sites leaking details for upcoming games and then taking them down. Is it guerrilla-marketing or just stupidity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or batarang me on Twitter, @DarkMellie.

Batman: Arkham City is coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox in October ’11. Make sure to check out our RipTen review (once we’ve all beaten each other to death for the right to write it).