360 Rant Rave Forums

As previously mentioned, Final Fantasy XIII has been hyped on Twitter with xbox.com’s mystery promotion, promising a surprise that would only be discovered when enough fans espouse the game via the popular social networking site. That threshold has been crossed, apparently, and xbox.com made good on their word.

Thanks to an unannounced number of Twitter users following the promotion, now anyone who has signed up with a gamertag at xbox.com can register the preferred contact email address in order to receive a code in December. What will this code net you? Why, nothing short of a Chocobo!

That’s right, the famous livestock/steed/accessory can be yours with minimal duty, even if you (unlike the author) did not help fill the Tweet Progress meter. It is currently up for speculation what can be done with the Avatar item, whether it will be worn in the hair of your Avatar or if it simply “warks” happily at your side. The item codes are due out in December, but the game itself arrives in the states on March 9th, 2010.

So I loaded up the early access demo to Bayonetta and was greeted with a very nifty intro sequence (i.e., “the story thus far”). After just enough plot to get you thinking, you are whisked to the title screen that reads Bayonetta – First Climax (giggidy spoiler?) and whispers the name of the protagonist.

I stifled a snicker and pressed the start button. Much like most of the storyline, my options here were also showcased on a rolling film reel. Tutorial, The Falling Clock Tower, and The Angel’s Metropolis were ready to play. Since it looked pretty linear I decided to tackle this from the ground up – Tutorial mode first.

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The 2009 Video Game Awards will air December 12th on Spike TV, but before the awards can air the winners must be selected. 

So what do you think was the best shooter?  The best racer?  The best RPG?  Game of the year?  Now is the time to go and cast your vote and have your say in who wins what.

VOTE HERE

Game on!

The highly anticipated Xbox 360 Fall Update arrives tomorrow (11/17/2009).  This is the update that will provide access to:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• last.FM
• Zune Marketplace with full 1080p streaming

Facebook®—Facebook and Xbox LIVE join forces to connect you with your friends as you interact with the largest entertainment and gaming network on TV. Share real-time status updates and photos with your friends on Facebook, or share your favorite gaming moments on Facebook right from your television.

Twitter™—Keep connected to your friends and family by reading and posting “Tweets” on the Twitter service from the comfort of your living room via your Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE. You can quickly and easily read, reply, and post updates online right from your Xbox 360.

Zune® on Xbox Live—Zune comes to Xbox LIVE to deliver instant-on 1080p HD streaming video on your Xbox 360 console. It delivers the selection of a video megastore, in the highest possible clarity and with the convenience of cable. Watch the movies and TV shows you want, when you want them, with instant-on 1080p streaming video and 5.1 surround sound with no downloads and no delays.

Last.FM® on Xbox Live

• Unique, personalized music discovery Powered by millions of passionate fans
• New Gamer Channels -Curated tag stations filled with game-inspired content
• Watch and Listen
• Photo slideshows to enhance your listening experience
• Connect with other players previewing Last.fm on Xbox LIVE and join the official group.

This update will occur automatically when you start up your Xbox 360 system on 11/17/2009.

Game on!

In a video posted yesterday, details on Ubisoft’s UPlay have begun to take shape.

Ubisoft’s brand-specific feature is currently in beta testing, but it appears to get a leg up on the award systems of both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Instead of offering a vague description of what must be done in order to, for example, unlock an article of clothing for one’s Avatar, a player is instead able to set after more detailed objectives in order to accumulate points that can be exchanged for awards on the UPlay site.

The player must first sign up before he or she can access the UPlay site via Ubisoft games played on the console. After a brief registration process, the online UPlay channel can be accessed through Ubisoft’s games with a mere button press. The aforementioned video notes that Ubisoft will utilize UPlay for all of their titles, but it is unspecified whether previous titles will get any special treatment.

Though the true revelations are brief and appear at the end of the video, it is shown that Assassin’s Creed 2 will be compatible with UPlay. As the clip reveals, objectives such as “Welcome to Animus 2.0″ and “Old Friends Return” can be met, granting points that can be exchanged for the theme, additional throwing knives, Altair’s outfit, and an exclusive map. R.U.S.E. and Splinter Cell: Conviction appear to also get the special UPlay treatment, the latter game presenting the opportunity to unlock “Merchant Market” and “Weapon Upgrade” awards.

GameStop’s Paul Raines is reported to have indicated that the video game retailer should be selling downloadable content (DLC) in-store as early as next year. Instead of engaging in the conventional method of purchasing the DLC through home consoles’ online networks, GameStop will present an alternative option. This option will allow the consumer to purchase the DLC and game disc at the same time, making the new content available once the buyer next goes online with his or her console.

Introduction:
The original Modern Warfare (AKA Call of Duty 4), was the first title in the CoD series to stray from the battles surrounding WWII. It was also the first CoD title to receive a ‘Mature’ rating from the ESRB (rather than Teen, like the previous iterations). It was a welcome change of venue, and the arrival of Modern Warfare 2 has been eagerly anticipated. Does it live up to the hype? Let’s take a look.

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Per UK site MCV, new Project Natal details have found their way to the internet. Thanks to a secret Microsoft tour of publishers and studios, knowledge regarding intended release schedule, packaging and pricing has been posted around the web.

Microsoft has plans to send out 5 million units in the first worldwide batch at the end of next year, manifesting as both solo and console/Natal packages. The UK site reported that its sources are suggesting a solo retail price of up to 50 pounds, or approximately $80. With the Tokyo Game Show announcements of heavy hitters the likes of Bethesda, Capcom, and Square Enix on board, it’s no wonder that Microsoft aims to release the Natal with 14 compatible titles at launch.

How will this fare against Sony’s PS3 wand peripheral, a device to be used in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye camera? Though the Eye is already available, the PS3 kit is scheduled for a spring 2010 release, giving it plenty of time to either impress or upset. And what of the Wii, the console that has already had a healthy and uncontested reign in the “motion-sensitive wand” category? Some believe that Nintendo has already worn out the novelty of this field. It seems that Sony’s wand/camera hybrid borrows too much from the Wii and Natal, respectively, and may simply come off as too clunky at best or too late (remember the Dreamcast?) at worst.

Natal is set for a release date of November 2010, right in the thick of next year’s holiday season. While new titles such as Borderlands, Dragon Age, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are pushing units worldwide, it will be interesting to see how the controller-free camera will make waves next year.

Xbox LIVE members will find that the Avatar wardrobe just got a little bigger. It turns out that Microsoft has filled the virtual closets with a veritable shopping bag full of swag from Assassin’s Creed 2 and DJ Hero. Not only does your Avatar have the option of dressing like an assassin from the Renaissance days or a mixmaster from the 80′s and up, but you also have access to nifty items like Da Vinci’s ornithopter and a DJ Hero turntable.

DJ Hero’s assortment seems to be the more affordable batch, costing 80-240 MS points, whereas the Assassin’s Creed 2 selection reaches even higher, topping off at 400 for the assassin suits. If you’ve got a few points on your account and your Avatar is still wearing Halloween effects, take a look at the fresh skins.

Though a bit later than the November 3rd release initially leaked by GameStop, the new Xbox 360 wireless adapter will appear in stores this week with the previously announced $99.99 suggested retail price. The Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter will be capable of WiFi-n network range and speed, which is essentially double and up to seven times (respectively) the power of its predecessor.

Though the n network is optimal for support of video streaming and online multiplayer gameplay, the device is capable of connectivity on the older networks of 802.11a, b, or g. That said, the now outdated 802.11b/g model will supposedly be available for $80 for a limited time.