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Next Wave Of WoW Figures On The Way

DC Direct's fine line of World of Warcraft figures continues this fall with another five characters getting the toy sculpt treatment. Series 7 includes the human paladin Judge Malthred, the orc (technically half-orc) rogue Garona, and the worgen spy Garm Whitefang. Series 3 of the premium set expands as well to add in orc warrior Garrosh Hellscream and troll hunter Taz'dingo. All five figures are set for release on October 27th of this year. Listings for all the new characters can be seen at DC Direct's website.
If you can't wait to nail down your own personal set, the figures are already available for preorder over at bigbadtoystore.com. The regular figures are listed for 20.99, and each of the premium figures runs $29.99.

Do you have any DC Direct figures in your collection? Which of these new figures is the coolest?

D&D Player's Handbook 3 Early Review

It’s been nearly two years since the launch of the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and the game continues to grow. We’ve got the details on the biggest expansion to the game this year.

Wizards of the Coast has done a stellar job steadily advancing and growing its latest edition of D&D. Two major campaign settings, dramatic expansions to the existing character options, and strong new rule systems have all strengthened the lean, streamlined system that exists at the game’s core, even while offering a wealth of new options for both players and DMs. The new Player’s Handbook 3, releasing on March 16th, continues the trend, with a host of great new options, dramatically expanding the existing roster of classes and races, and adding some intriguing new alternatives to the rest of the game. I’ve read through the final book, and am stoked about the possibilities.

If the core of the new PHB3 is the section detailing six new classes, then the featured stars of that chapter are the long-awaited psionic characters. Wizards has done a fine job carrying over some familiar elements of earlier editions with the psionic classes, including everything from individual power names (far hand, mind thrust, intellect fortress) to the inclusion of power points and augmentation.

The psionic power source’s titular class, the psion, is a solid and well-balanced controller that can specialize in either telekinetic or telepathic abilities. Psions have no encounter powers, but instead can augment any of their at-will disciplines with power points to beef up the effects. It’s a neat variation on the established character formula, and it should offer players a chance to flex their approach to varied scenarios and enemies.

The ardent is a sort of psionic counterpoint to the clinical might of the psion. A leader unit that uses the same augmentation formula as the psion, the ardent’s powers flow from an emotional core – inflicting pain and anger on enemies, and bolstering allies with encouragement and euphoric feelings.

The battleminds are front-line defenders, wreathed in heavy armor and powerful weaponry, but with potent mental abilities that let them stand up to heavy assault and quickly navigate the field.

Of the three, the psion is certainly my personal favorite upon first glance, both because of its iconic place in the game and the breadth of its battlefield abilities. I’ll be interested to see if the battlemind and the ardent can carve out an identity of their own – after my initial reading, it’s hard for me to nail down exactly how they distinguish themselves.

The last psionic class handles a good bit differently from the others, but I have little doubt that it’ll be the most popular addition to the game to come out of this handbook. The monk makes a triumphant return to D&D, and brings some extremely fun class features that should delight players that have been waiting for the meditative ascetic to arrive. The monk maintains unarmed superiority on the field, but can alternatively adopt a small selection of weapons without hurting effectiveness – a legacy issue for the class that seems to have been largely resolved this time around. Now, every power can utilize either unarmed attacks or weapons, at the player’s discretion. Beyond their weapons, monks can channel their psionic energy into a “ki focus,” such as a wooden practice sword or a set of prayer beads, and thereby add that item’s bonuses to attacks and damage. My favorite feature of the class is the “full discipline” powers. These abilities combine a unique move action with a particular attack. One high-level move, “Heart-Sundering Strike,” sends you hurtling across the field at an increased movement rate – you strike any one opponent along the way with a lethal touch that dominates him. These movement/attack combinations have a lot of potential for standout moments during combat.

Though psionics will steal the spotlight this time around, I think my favorite new class in the book is the runepriest, a new divine leader with some dramatically different mechanics from the cleric, its conceptual sister class. Harnessing ancient runic languages of the gods, the runepriest acts as both a healer and front-line melee warrior. What I love about the class is the concept of rune states. With nearly every power you enact, you choose which state you enter into, destruction or protection. In every case, this choice alters the nature of how the power unfolds. In effect, it’s almost like doubling your number of powers. Stack on a particularly cool concept behind the class, and the runepriest is a standout addition to the game.

I’ve had a hard time grasping the final new class in the set. The seeker is a new primal controller that combines the elements of mysticism and hunter. Focused on ranged combat, the seeker’s thrown weapons and arrows transform into primal spirits and fierce natural forces on the way to the target. It’s a cool idea, but it’s hard to draw a clear line that separates the class from the martial ranger. I’ll be interested to see if the class grows on me after I see it in actual play.

While the bulk of the Player’s Handbook 3 is devoted to these new classes (about half of the overall page count), those are by no means the only new additions. Four new races premier as well. The extra-planar githzerai are conceptually and mechanically built to be monks, but they still have plenty of flexibility if you wanted to take them a different direction. Minotaurs fulfill the requisite big and beefy role this time around; their Goring Charge racial power is simple but fun, and the race has a cool fascination with labyrinths that tie them back down to their roots in Greek mythology. Shardminds are a brand new creation, and a cool one at that. They are crystalline beings animated by concentrated psionic energy. In fact, their racial power lets them break apart into a storm of shards to confuse foes before reforming nearby. Comparisons to the equally cool warforged of the Eberron settings are to be expected, but I personally really like the shardmind. The race has just the touch of otherworldly strangeness needed to match up with the psionic focus of the book. The wilden round out the new racial options. Taking a cue from a little-known 3rd edition race called the killoren, the wilden are a plant-based species with deep natural ties. An interesting hive mind mentality governs the race – they don’t recognize individuality among themselves, and refer to themselves as “we” rather than “I.” Mechanically, they’re the most compelling of the new races, since they get to choose between three drastically different racial powers at the beginning of every day.

Scattered throughout the remainder of the book are a fine selection of new paragon paths, epic destinies, feats, and equipment (including the new superior implements). However, two distinct rules additions stand out. The first is the concept of hybrid characters; some will undoubtedly claim that this is Wizards’ attempt to “fix” multiclassing in 4th edition, but this new book goes to great pains to point out the differences and advantages of each system. Essentially, the new hybrid system lets you adopt two distinct and equally important classes from the very beginning of play, sacrificing focus for flexibility. Multiclass characters, meanwhile, take a long time to integrate the second class, but keep your character strong in his or her core role in the party. Regardless of these distinctions, this new hybrid system is certainly easier to understand. Basically, you take half of one class, half of another, and jam them together. Wisely, Wizards of the Coast has included “suggested combinations” with each hybrid entry, so that you don’t end up with some totally gimped character that sounded cool in concept, but can’t tie his shoes once the fighting starts. It ends up being a less mechanically sound system than the original multiclass system in the first 4th edition Player’s Handbook, but it certainly should give players what they’ve been asking for – an easy to understand combination of two classes. Still, it would be hard to recommend the hybrid system to a beginning player – even with its ease of use, it’s too easy to screw up your build.

The last new addition that really caught my eye is skill powers. At any level that a character would be allowed a new utility power, they can instead take a skill power. However, you must be trained in the designated skill. For instance, playing a rogue, you may find that your DM has a propensity for throwing locked doors at you during high stress encounters. Being trained in thievery, you might decide to pick up “Lock Tap” at 2nd level, which would let you complete an unlock attempt with only a minor action. I love the flexibility this brings to the overall skill system. I also like the way it fleshes out non-combat encounters, a small peeve I had in the early days of this new edition.

For anyone who has been following the line of new books for the D&D game, it should come as no surprise that the production values, art, and presentation of the Player’s Handbook 3 are top notch. The writing and descriptions remain strong, clear, and concise, while layout is helpful and easy to understand. I love the way 4th edition color codes different powers, and not for the first time, I found myself wishing that Wizards would extend this approach to other elements in their books. That said, the book is well organized and accessible.

This is the first time I’ve felt like psionics were both cool (which has never been a problem) and functionally balanced (perpetually a problem). And though I didn’t go into it much, the book also has a nice intro that introduces the concept of psionics into the mythology of the game, and helps to provide context for inserting the concept into an existing campaign. If the options on display in this year’s big expansion seem a little complicated, it’s because they are. The new classes, races, hybrid options, and nearly everything else in the book are geared to a slightly more experienced player who wants to have more options during play. Because of that, I can’t label the book as a must-have for every player out there. But if you’ve dug into 4th edition and you’re ready to broaden the scope of your characters and game, it’s hard to complain about this latest expansion to the core game. Plus, let me tell you, you’re going to want this book in hand when the painfully awesome Dark Sun campaign setting re-releases this summer.

Scattered throughout the remainder of the book are a fine selection of new paragon paths, epic destinies, feats, and equipment (including the new superior implements). However, two distinct rules additions stand out. The first is the concept of hybrid characters; some will undoubtedly claim that this is Wizards’ attempt to “fix” multiclassing in 4th edition, but this new book goes to great pains to point out the differences and advantages of each system. Essentially, the new hybrid system lets you adopt two distinct and equally important classes from the very beginning of play, sacrificing focus for flexibility. Multiclass characters, meanwhile, take a long time to integrate the second class, but keep your character strong in his or her core role in the party. Regardless of these distinctions, this new hybrid system is certainly easier to understand. Basically, you take half of one class, half of another, and jam them together. Wisely, Wizards of the Coast has included “suggested combinations” with each hybrid entry, so that you don’t end up with some totally gimped character that sounded cool in concept, but can’t tie his shoes once the fighting starts. It ends up being a less mechanically sound system than the original multiclass system in the first 4th edition Player’s Handbook, but it certainly should give players what they’ve been asking for – an easy to understand combination of two classes. Still, it would be hard to recommend the hybrid system to a beginning player – even with its ease of use, it’s too easy to screw up your build.

The last new addition that really caught my eye is skill powers. At any level that a character would be allowed a new utility power, they can instead take a skill power. However, you must be trained in the designated skill. For instance, playing a rogue, you may find that your DM has a propensity for throwing locked doors at you during high stress encounters. Being trained in thievery, you might decide to pick up “Lock Tap” at 2nd level, which would let you complete an unlock attempt with only a minor action. I love the flexibility this brings to the overall skill system. I also like the way it fleshes out non-combat encounters, a small peeve I had in the early days of this new edition.

For anyone who has been following the line of new books for the D&D game, it should come as no surprise that the production values, art, and presentation of the Player’s Handbook 3 are top notch. The writing and descriptions remain strong, clear, and concise, while layout is helpful and easy to understand. I love the way 4th edition color codes different powers, and not for the first time, I found myself wishing that Wizards would extend this approach to other elements in their books. That said, the book is well organized and accessible.

This is the first time I’ve felt like psionics were both cool (which has never been a problem) and functionally balanced (perpetually a problem). And though I didn’t go into it much, the book also has a nice intro that introduces the concept of psionics into the mythology of the game, and helps to provide context for inserting the concept into an existing campaign. If the options on display in this year’s big expansion seem a little complicated, it’s because they are. The new classes, races, hybrid options, and nearly everything else in the book are geared to a slightly more experienced player who wants to have more options during play. Because of that, I can’t label the book as a must-have for every player out there. But if you’ve dug into 4th edition and you’re ready to broaden the scope of your characters and game, it’s hard to complain about this latest expansion to the core game. Plus, let me tell you, you’re going to want this book in hand when the painfully awesome Dark Sun campaign setting re-releases this summer.

Replay: Turok

We always check our comments to see what games you'd like to see featured in Replay, and this week's selection is one that's been requested many times. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was released on February 28th of 1997, and was met with critical and commercial success. At this early point in the Nintendo 64's life, games were scarce and shooters even moreso. The 64-bit FPS crown was handed over to Goldeneye later that year, but many gamers still have fond memories of raptor murder and awkward platforming. Take a look at the newest edition of Replay below to see how Turok has stood the test of time.

Space Ark Hands-On

By Brian Ekberg, GameSpotPosted Mar 4, 2010 11:05 am PT

How do you save a planetary system from a rampaging black hole? By collecting crystals and fruit, naturally.

With its obvious nods to Arkanoid, the upcoming Space Ark--from UK developer Strawdog Software-- wears its influences on its sleeve. There's definite brick-breaking homage here--albeit wrapped around a cutesy story starring animal heroes known as arkonauts and their quest to repair a series of planets ripped apart by a roving black hole. In fact, with its anthropomorphic characters, abundant fruit bonuses, and loopy, colorful aesthetic, Space Ark owes just as much to early Japanese arcade games as it does anything else. Strawdog Software recently came by GameSpot HQ to give us a first look at the game, which is due for release this spring.

Strawdog Studios' Dan Marchant takes us through Space Ark.

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The basics of Space Ark are simple: You bounce your arkonaut on a bounce pad and look to collect crystals of various colors that are suspended midair. Collecting crystals will earn you points and collecting more than three crystals at once will earn you combos, a certain number of which you will need to collect in order to finish a level. At first, that number is relatively low; as you progress through levels that become more complex in design, the number of crystal combos you'll need to collect will increase as well. You can also collect fruit that will give you a multiplier to your score on each level--certain fruits are worth more than others and these point multipliers become crucial to your success.

Each level you play has a different layout of crystals, fruits, and other objects that can affect your actions on the level. For example, jumping onto a switch might bring forward a layer of crystals that were previously hidden. A series of treadmills will help you reach higher spots on a level while fans suspended midair will push you in the direction they are blowing. There are also clouds that you can use to leap off of to reach higher areas. Finally, there are the occasional power-ups you can grab that will change the properties of your bounce pad. For example, a machine gun will let you quickly grab crystals and fruits simply by shooting with the right trigger. There's also a shield that will prevent your arkonaut from dying should he or she hit the ground (rather than your bounce pad).

There are several modes to choose from in Space Ark--the main mission mode is where you'll start off, playing through each of the five worlds that comprise multiple levels with different arkonauts. Playing through the mission mode will unlock additional modes, including Time Trial, where the goal is to get through a series of levels as quickly as possible. Survival mode gives you a certain amount of time to exit a level before it's game over, and picking up a certain number of combos will add time to what you have left.

Fruit frenzy, indeed.

Perhaps the best part of Space Ark is the game's split-screen local multiplayer. Here, two people play on the same level, fighting to collect as many crystals, combos, and fruits as possible. It sounds simple enough, but there are some dirty tricks you can play on one another. For example, should a player miss his or her arkonaut and hit the ground, all of his or her combos will be on the ground and ripe for stealing. You'll earn bonus points for exiting a level first or for collecting all items on the level. But as a result, it's not always clear who will win a level until the final point score screen tallies up the results of all the multipliers and bonuses.

As an Xbox Live exclusive, Space Ark will let you play either with the arkonauts or with your Xbox Live avatar. The game will have more than 140 levels to play through and will be available this spring on Xbox Live Arcade. The game's price has yet to be announced.

Supreme Commander 2 Updated Q&A - Closing Thoughts

By Staff, GameSpotPosted Mar 1, 2010 4:33 pm PT

Gas Powered Games frontman Chris Taylor shares his final thoughts on this ambitious strategy sequel.

The original Supreme Commander took the huge, ambitious vision of Total Annihilation and combined it with state-of-the-art technology that let the game render enormous battlefields contested by huge armies in real time. The sequel, which ships tomorrow, attempts to improve on everything in the original game while operating on a streamlined engine that lets the game run well on the Xbox 360 and even on scaled-down PCs. Gas Powered Games' creative director Chris Taylor explains.

Supreme Commander 2 is finally here on the PC.

GS: Now that development on Supreme Commander 2 is complete, how do you feel the game turned out?

CT: I'm very happy with the game, as we set out to accomplish a huge and diverse set of goals, and we hit most all of them out of the park.

GS: Given that Supreme Commander was always about strategic thinking and smart decision making over tactics and micromanagement, how do you feel the sequel further pushes strategy over tactics?

CT: Well, we've balanced this quite a bit more, meaning that we actually wanted to draw the player into those moment-to-moment decisions. But at the other extreme, we don't want the game to be a clickfest, and I think we've struck a nice balance here. And with the introduction of the [research] tree, we've further increased the strategic potential of the game but have done it in a way that still invites new players and keeps the veteran real-time strategy players engaged.

GS: Supreme Commander 2 has a lot of impressive new tech. What new additions do you feel make the most impact on the game?

CT: The new rendering engine will be the first thing to hit you, as the visuals are absolutely stunning. Some of the things we've been able to do with the new global illumination model and point clouds are really mind blowing…especially when you realize that this will run on a huge range of video cards. Next is the pathfinding technology that we call flow fields. This makes moving huge armies a breeze and keeps players immersed in the game.

GS: We understand that the PC version of the game was developed with the intent of supporting a highly scaled-down computer. What did the final minimum spec end up being? How was such a low spec accomplished?

CT: Well, the game uses less memory and is generally more efficient; we think people will be able to play on a broad range of systems. And those who have the latest and greatest new hardware can crank the game visuals right up to the max and have an eye-popping, dual-monitor experience with all the bells and whistles.

GS: Give us your thoughts on the console version of the game. Because Gas Powered Games was able to develop the Xbox 360 version in-house this time around, how has the console version ended up? Aside from the smaller multiplayer matches, what differences did there end up being between the two versions?

CT: Not too much at all. In fact, once you settle in with the controller, it becomes very natural to play. When I lose a match, it's not because of the controller; it's because of my strategic choices, and that's really saying something! I think there are a lot of skeptics out there, and they are right to feel that way, but once players learn the controls, I think we're going to see a revolution of RTS gaming on the console. We're breaking out!

GS: The original game was supplemented by an expansion pack. Now that the sequel is on a console that is known for post-release support with downloadable content, what does the future hold for Supreme Commander 2 post-launch?

CT: I can't provide an official answer yet, but I can say that we'll make an announcement as soon as we can. And we are definitely getting the message: PC and 360 gamers love more content!!

GS: Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add about Supreme Commander 2?

The sequel will also be headed your way soon on the Xbox 360.

CT: Well, there are a couple of things I'd like to say. Most importantly, we hope the fans know that we appreciate all the support we've received throughout development. Without you all, it wouldn't be worth it. So a big shout-out to those wonderful supporters of Sup Com, Gas Powered Games, and Square Enix! Also, we just released the demo on Steam and feel it's a great way for those not familiar with Sup Com 2 to see how intuitive the controls are and general gameplay works. It's obviously not a reflection of the map sizes and overall epic-ness of the full game, but hopefully you'll enjoy the introduction!

GS: Thanks, Chris.

Fired Infinity Ward execs sue Activision

[UPDATE] Jason West, Vince Zampella charge Call of Duty publisher with breach of contract, wrongful termination; seek unpaid royalties, control of Modern Warfare-branded games; Activision calls claims "meritless."

When Activision fired Infinity Ward president Jason West and CEO Vince Zampella on Monday, the Call of Duty publisher mentioned its expectation of litigation in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. It's unsurprising, then, that Los Angeles-based legal firm O'Melveny & Myers announced today that it has filed suit against Activision on behalf of the two executives, seeking unpaid royalties, as well as "the contractual rights Activision granted to West and Zampella to control Modern Warfare-branded games."

Modern Warfare 2 generated a healthy return for Activision.

According to Activision, Zampella's and West were booted following "an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination." In a statement released today, the two Infinity Ward executives claim they were fired "weeks before they were to be paid substantial royalty payments as part of their existing contracts for Modern Warfare 2."

"Activision has refused to honor the terms of its agreements and is intentionally flouting the fundamental public policy of this state [California] that employers must pay their employees what they have rightfully earned," attorney Robert Schwartz said in a statement. "Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public, last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual 'investigation' into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of 'insubordination' and 'breach of fiduciary duty,' which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1."

West went on to note that he and Zampella were "shocked" after being informed that they had been terminated. "We poured our heart and soul into that company, building not only a world-class development studio but assembling a team we've been proud to work with for nearly a decade," he said. "We think the work we've done speaks for itself." Zampella continued: "After all we have given to Activision, we shouldn't have to sue to get paid."

Claims in the suit include those for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and declaratory relief. Activision had not responded to a request for comment as of press time.

Released in 2009 to critical acclaim, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brought in $550 million for Activision within its first week of availability and $1 billion within two months. According to Zampella and West's suit, the Call of Duty franchise has brought in $3 billion since 2003--the same year Activision acquired Infinity Ward.

Following the Infinity Ward executives' dismissal, Activision announced a massive expansion to the Call of Duty franchise. Beyond the previously indicated Treyarch-developed Call of Duty title due later this year, Activision also plans to release an action adventure spin-off developed by Sledgehammer Games and an Asia-targeted massively multiplayer online installment, neither of which have a confirmed release date. In 2011, Activision plans to release yet one more Call of Duty-branded game, which is in development at an unnamed studio.

[UPDATE] Activision has since responded to West and Zampella's lawsuit, and as could be expected, the publisher believes the game designer's case is without grounds. Activision also made a point to affirm its claim of ownership to the Call of Duty franchise.

"Activision is disappointed that Mr. Zampella and Mr. West have chosen to file a lawsuit and believes their claims are meritless," the publisher said in a statement. "Over eight years, Activision shareholders provided these executives with the capital they needed to start Infinity Ward, as well as the financial support, resources, and creative independence that helped them flourish and achieve enormous professional success and personal wealth."

"In return, Activision legitimately expected them to honor their obligations to Activision, just like any other executive who holds a position of trust in the company," the statement continued. "While the company showed enormous patience, it firmly believes that its decision was justified based on their course of conduct and actions. Activision remains committed to the Call of Duty franchise, which it owns, and will continue to produce exciting and innovative games for its millions of fans."

Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow Screens Contain Man-Skirt

Vampire hunters lusting for some new pictures of the Kojima-supervised 3D Castlevania game are in luck. Konami has provided us with a host of new screenshots and art for the upcoming action game.

Cast your eyes downward to the media gallery to check out the new Belmont-addled images. Do you think this God of War-esque title will have what it takes to pull the 3D installments of the classic Konami series out of the gutter?

Respec Radio Ep. 5: Facing The Lich King And Cataclysm Changes

The world may be ending, but one thing is certain to stay the same: We've been playing some World of Warcraft. Game Informer editor-in-chief Andy McNamara joins me as usual to discuss what we've been up to in World of Warcraft and what's happening in WOW and general MMO news. This week, we discuss the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV closed beta, stat changes on the way for the Cataclysm expansion, the strategy for defeating the Lich King, and fellow editor Dan Ryckert's predilection for farts. Trust me, it totally makes sense.

Listen to the full podcast below or subscribe on iTunes, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments.

Activision's Future Plans For Call Of Duty Call For New Developer

Activision and Infinity Ward have made headlines over the last few hours starting with the sudden departure of IW studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West later followed by claims of insubordination and talks with rival publishers. With all the chaos that's ensued, the question on everyone's mind is: What's going to happen to Call of Duty?

We have finally received official word from Activision that details future plans for the franchise. It has been confirmed that Zampella and West are no longer with the studio. Activision's chief technology officer Steve Pierce and head of production Steve Ackrich will lead the studio on an interim basis. In addition, a new Call of Duty game has been announced for a 2011 release with no word on Infinity Ward's involvement. Sledgehammer Games, led by Glen A. Schofield and Michael Condrey of Dead Space fame, will develop a new action-adventure title in the Call of Duty franchise.

In addition, Activision has announced a new Treyarch-developed Call of Duty title to release this fall. Finally, the long-awaited DLC for Modern Warfare 2 is currently under Infinity Ward's development with no set release date.

"2010 will be another important year for the Call of Duty franchise," stated Mike Griffith, president and CEO of Activision Publishing. "In addition to continued catalog sales, new downloadable content from Infinity Ward and a new Call of Duty release, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the franchise to new geographies, genres and players."

What are your thoughts on the future of the franchise?

In case you missed all the events prior to the announcement, catch up here.

Activision and Infinity Ward have made headlines over the last few hours starting with the sudden departure of IW studio heads Vince Zampella and Jaso

Nothing improves competition like a great rivalry. After years as the kingpin of military multiplayer, Battlefield creator DICE found its title in jeopardy as FPS gamers abandoned PCs in favor of consoles and Call of Duty became the gold standard. At the core of Infinity Ward’s world-beating shooter was the Battlefield blueprint. The studio borrowed the persistent rankings and unlockable weapons concepts from Battlefield 2, refined them to unprecedented levels, and matched its robust online offering with an expertly crafted single-player campaign featuring thrilling scripted sequences that put action flicks to shame. Not content to settle for second place, DICE throws down the gauntlet with Bad Company 2, delivering its best multiplayer package since Battlefield 2 and a remarkably improved single-player campaign that openly mocks its rival while cribbing from them at the same time.

As with all Battlefield titles, a phenomenal multiplayer mode serves as the heart of Bad Company 2. The game successfully blends many innovations from the series’ past with impressive new features to create a robust experience that rightfully challenges Modern Warfare for the multiplayer crown. All the Battlefield staples return – player progression, rankings, squad groupings, unlockable weapons, and huge maps that allow players to attack via land, air, and sea. The deep progression system constantly dangles the carrot of achievement in front of you, offering a wealth of unlockable weapons, gadgets, and specializations with nearly every round. An impressive array of pins and insignia document your battlefield prowess, and the dog tags return as boast-worthy incentives to knife unsuspecting enemies.

Conquest and Rush still serve as the multiplayer pillars, but Bad Company 2 also introduces two new change-of-pace modes. Squad Rush places a four-player team in the role of attackers who must best the four defenders by destroying two crates. Squad Deathmatch, on the other hand, pits four teams of four against each other in a battle for kill counts and bragging rights. Both modes feature more intimate maps and take much less time to complete than the standard Rush mode. Teamwork and coordination are stressed to new degrees as well. Keeping close proximity to your squad is essential for reviving fallen teammates, which can spell the difference between successfully defending a crate and losing it while half your squad waits to respawn.

The multiplayer modes are complemented by a fantastic array of maps. Many pay homage to great maps from Battlefield’s past, and the diversity in locale and terrain assures every battle plays out differently. Some concentrate on vehicular combat, where controlling the air with choppers or mounting an assault with tanks are the keys to winning the war, while others stress infantry tactics in tighter urban locales. These expertly crafted environments are a far cry from their cramped and frantic counterparts in Modern Warfare 2, giving players room to orchestrate coordinated assaults.

A pair of useful new tools bolster the team tactics. The spotting mechanic helps improve communication by allowing players to mark enemy positions as they identify movement on the battlefield. In addition, the overpowered artillery from Bad Company has been removed in favor of a player-guided UAV that allows you to track and mark enemy movements from above between missile barrages.

DICE made many logistical changes to the multiplayer experience, but failed to address some other minor hindrances. You can finally kick unwanted players from your squad to make room for a buddy, but large groups will gripe when their party gets split by the sometimes unaccommodating matchmaking system. The sketchy statistics updater still takes awhile to post the results from your most recent match (a legacy problem that’s plagued Battlefield for years), and the annoying kill cam is sure to anger players using the recon class because it gives away sniping positions. Snipers also won’t be pleased that DICE once again doesn’t allow players to go prone. Thankfully, you can ditch the kill cam in the new Hardcore mode, which also turns off many HUD elements and increases the damage to deliver a more realistic war experience.

As great as the multiplayer is, DICE takes its biggest strides forward with the drastically improved solo campaign. The follow-up to the Swedish studio’s first attempt at a crafting a meaningful single-player experience finds success in mimicking some of the best games to date – keen gamers will notice borrowed elements from Call of Duty and Uncharted 2 sprinkled throughout the campaign. The most drastic improvement comes with its renewed sense of pacing. By ditching large open-world environments in favor of a more linear path, DICE is better able to craft memorable scripted sequences that the first game sorely lacked. Amazingly, DICE pulls this off without sacrificing the player’s sense of freedom – the levels are still big enough to offer several tactical options for players to explore.

The jokers from B Company resume their role as the loveable heroes, but DICE trades in the humorous Three Kings storyline of the first game in favor of a more somber mission. When the U.S. learns the Russians are after a secret WMD the Japanese developed during WWII, a routine mission turns into a globetrotting escapade that takes B Company from the jungles of South America to the peak of the Andes mountains. Though the stakes are higher, that doesn’t stop Sarge, Sweetwater, Haggard, and Marlowe from cracking jokes at each other’s expense. The comedic dialogue shines throughout the game; these eccentric soldiers have more personality than all the protagonists from Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Medal of Honor combined.

A number of subtle improvements keep the campaign moving along with the clip of a Hollywood blockbuster. DICE ditched the health syringe from the first game in favor of a regenerative health system, the forgiving checkpoint system doesn’t punish players, and you never have to babysit your more-than-capable squad during the intense firefights. The only thing the campaign lacks is co-op; since four heroes are already fighting side-by-side throughout the game, this was a missed opportunity for DICE to one-up the competition.

Though the campaign doesn’t top the brilliant set pieces found in Modern Warfare, the drastic improvements bring it near the level of Infinity Ward’s juggernaut. Placed in tandem with the exceptional multiplayer, Bad Company 2 is a memorable shooter that should be a favored destination on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for much of 2010.

Final Fantasy XIII North American Box Art Revealed

There's been a virtual explosion of Final Fantasy XIII news out of Square Enix lately. First a release date, now box art. What's next, the announcement that there will be final weapons that you have to beat annoying minigames to acquire? Details on how the bad guy is a sociopath? Perhaps a reveal that there's a certain spunky girl who thinks she's a good cook – but in fact, her food is terrible?

If there are airships in this game, consider my mind blown. What kind of, ahem, surprises do you foresee in FF XIII?

See high-res versions of the PS3 and 360 boxes in the media gallery below.

Final Fantasy XI Still Expanding

Most of the Final Fantasy talk these days is focused on Final Fantasy XIII, but Square Enix isn't neglecting the stalwart fans of the series' MMO entry, Final Fantasy XI. Later this year, the game will receive three new add-ons.

The three-part expansion will be available across all FF XI platforms (PC, Xbox 360, and PS2), adding new areas, items, and encounters for high level characters. It will also require the game's previous expansion packs, Rise of the Zilart and Wings of the Goddess. The first new episode, entitled Vision of Abyssea, will hit early this summer and cost $9.99. The remaining pieces, Scars of Abyssea and Heroes of Abyssea, don't currently have solid release dates, though the press release claims all three will "launch throughout 2010."

It's a little tough for me to get excited about new FF XI content with Final Fantasy XIII coming out next week and Final Fantasy XIV slated for later this year. Then again, I don't actively play FF XI anymore, so I may just be out of the loop. For those of you still roaming around Vana'diel, how pumped up are you about the upcoming expansions?

Halo-centric Xbox 360 Bundle Announced

If you're one of the Halo fans that bought the "helmet edition" of Halo 3, a new 360 bundle has been announced that you're probably the target demographic for. Granted, you probably already have an Xbox 360 if you're that big of a Halo fan, but this should be the perfect intro package for those who haven't yet made the leap to the current gen. The package includes a 360 Elite, a wireless controller, and copies of both Halo 3 and ODST, plus access to the Halo Reach beta. It's priced at 280 Euros for PAL versions. No U.S. version has been announced yet, but it's hard to imagine it won't be coming stateside in the near future.

More Valkyria Chronicles DLC Available Today

Last week, Sega announced that the final DLC pack for Valkyria Chronicles would be hitting the PlayStation Store today. It isn't up quite yet, but Sega assures us that we'll see it before the end of the day.

The downloadable mission pack is entitled "The Challenges of the Edy Detachment," and will feature one new mission for each of the game's six unit types (tanks included). If you want to know more about what to expect, check out the spotlights on Sega's blog focusing on the challenges for Jann (ugh) and Marina (the best unit in the game, if you ask me).

Valkyria Chronicles was a fantastic game. If you own a PS3 and haven't played it, you should. Seriously. Then you can join the club of gamers anxiously waiting for the release of Valkyria Chronicles 2 this summer.

Risen Cinematic Trailer Released

Publisher SouthPeak sends along this trailer (below) for the RPG epic. The trailer showcases cinematics interspersed with actual gameplay scenes, and stresses the player choice aspect of the game – which is just as well, since the just-released Xbox 360 port comes up short in the combat and graphics arenas. Still, the world is a blast to explore and player choice isn't just a marketing tagline.

Risen released to critical acclaim last fall for PC, while the 360 version dropped yesterday (links go to my reviews of each platform's release). Argue with me on the game's merits in the comments below!