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Gamehelper's 2007 Holiday Buyer's Guide

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:47:27 GMT

This week we recap our personal picks for the year's best titles by platform, including downloadable content (DLC), so you can make an informed buying decision this holiday season – just in time for these last two shopping weekends - or for after you've raked in that holiday cash from grandma. We also take a look at Digital Extremes upcoming shooter Dark Sector, and catch up with two down and out guns for hire named Kane & Lynch who just can't seem to get a break. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for next week when we announce the next Gamehelper Giveaway as well as our Year End Awards where we recap the year's best happenings, announcements, personalities and events. Happy Holidays!

Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007
Celebrate good times (c’mon), or just celebrate a great holiday filled with awesome games. Whatever your reasons may be 2007 isn’t over yet, but it’s produced some of the most original concepts this industry has ever seen. So many in fact that we’re sure you’re perplexed just staring down the shelf at your local game shop. To make the decision making process a wee bit easier we thought we’d share what we felt are the top must haves for your holiday shopping list.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/buyers-guide-2007

A Sector Darkly
Today we take a look at the current state of Digital Extreme’s own epic, Dark Sector, with commentary from Steve Sinclair, Game Director at Digital Extremes, and Producer Josh Austin of D3P. “The concept was originally, Jack Bauer (24) goes to Russia and becomes Wolverine”, explains Josh “There’s a little bit of the Bourne (Bourne Identity) character in there too, [Hayden’s] a bit of a tortured soul”, adds Steve.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/a-sector-darkly-preview

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Walking?
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men is a mess of a game that squanders its potential slowly. For each step forward it tries to take, the result is four or five steps back.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/kane-lynch-dead-in-the-water-rev

Catch Up On All The Latest Trailers and Videos!
Visit the GamehelperTV for all the latest trailers, dev diaries and more!
http://www.youtube.com/gamehelper

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:14:37 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper

So, if you're anything like us - you're a bit overwhelmed this holiday season. There are so many titles on the shelves at your local shop it's becoming difficult to make that quick decision on which game deserves your hard earned skrilla. Well, we're going to help you out with that next week by offering a couple simple suggestions, per platform, as to which games we think absolutely deserve your attention. This week we feature one of those titles that, without a doubt, is at the top of every Gamehelper editor's holiday wish list - Rock Band from Harmonix is that game!

Rock Band manages - at a $170 it better manage a lot - to recapture the spark of it's predecessor - Guitar Hero - once again bringing even non-gamers into the fold for hours of nonstop fun. Speaking of which - I think I just heard the doorbell - excuse me but I've got to run for band rehearsal. Meanwhile, check out our review below and we'll see you on the flipside.

Rock Band On the Run
If you can afford the $170 bones for the box – hey man, get your mates to split the cost and share one – just like that practice pad – you won’t be disappointed…that is unless your drum set stops working. DOH! But seriously, with downloadable content (DLC) set to stun, (Rock Band will feature three new songs per week!), a deep song list out of the box, and a group experience that outclasses most multiplayer games, Rock Band is the FireStarter of the holiday season. Turn it up to 11 man, and get ready to Rawk!
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/rock-band-on-the-run-review

Uncharted Fortunes
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is an excellent blend of high-adventure ala Indiana Jones, action-oriented combat ala Gears, puzzles and exploration ala Tomb Raider and a great story that all adds up to one hell of a ride. Look out Lara, there’s a new gun in town!
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/uncharted-fortunes

Conan
For most of us knuckle dragging simians, Conan will be a “mostly” fun but also completely forgettable experience. Even with a surprisingly satisfying combat system, Conan lacks any real “wow” factor.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/conan

Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
Although point and click adventures seem to have gone the way of the dodo, Zack and Wiki is a quality investment for anyone who’s ever enjoyed solid puzzle design and a penchant for waggling controllers.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/zack-and-wiki-reviewed

Catch Up On All The Latest News
Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:12:26 GMT

It's the most wonderful time of year...well, at least that's the impression I get from wandering around any of the local retail establishments. It's been Christmas around here for the last three weeks already! If you're like me at all then this crushing sensation of mismashing our Holidays together for consumer benefit has sapped any and all of the love and special fuzzy feelings out of this time of year for you. Luckily, there are a lot of great games hitting this year that should help to remove some of the pile from your downtrodden fuzz. This week in particular we take a look at Assassin's Creed, Virtua Fighter 5 and Gears of War for PC. Rock Band should be darkening our doorstep any moment so I'll have to cut this short. But do come back next week for a little pre-Turkey Day look at Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and our initial reactions on Rock Band. Bon Appetit!

All Geared Up for More?
If you can get around the bugs and the fact that you still have to struggle to get used to the games clever ‘cover-system’ Gears of War for PC is is quite simply gorgeous, linear, controlled shooter action at it’s very best –the inclusion of the professional Game Editor simply seals the deal.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/all-geared-up-for-more-review

Valve Interview Series Part IV
This fourth and Final (We Swear!) entry focuses on our discussion with David Speyrer, Project Lead on Half-Life 2: Episode Two, as he shares with us their lessons learned in moving to an episodic format, the decision behind the game's surprise ending and what's next for the series.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/valve-interview-series-part-iv-d

Living By the Creed
Ambitious. A word that best describes the Ubisoft Montreal project entitled Assassin’s Creed. A game so complex and ambitious in scope that most critics - and some of the development team themselves - believed would it would not see the light of day this year. The reasons for its early arrival are unclear; call it divine intervention, sheer tenacity on the part of the developers or a mighty mandate from on high within Ubisoft’s finance department. However you choose to explain it, Assassin’s Creed has arrived – and though it is a little rough around the edges – this game suffers not.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/living-by-the-creed-review

TimeShifted
Against all odds, TimeShift has persevered and crawled its way to release, wanting nothing more than to please eager gamers. You gotta give the team credit for trying!
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/timeshifted-review

The Virtuous Fighter Five
The Xbox 360 build offers the latest revision of the arcade: Version C – a rebalanced update that tweaked the beloved fighter for frenetic arcade fighting fans -, more unlockable items and accessories in Quest mode, and the highly anticipated Online Vs. Mode over Xbox LIVE – a first for the venerable franchise.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/the-virtuous-fighter-five-review

Catch Up On All The Latest News
Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 23:29:02 GMT

We game journalists know more about games than the average gamer right? We get the game’s first, we have access to the developers making said games and we have spent years fine-tuning our analytical prowess, poring over NPD sales statistics and otherwise decoding the tabula of the games industry all so we can tell you – Joe gamer (don’t take offense – my name is also Joe) what’s good for you. Well guess what – I’m ‘man enough’ to say it – sometimes we’re just plain wrong. Like any critic we’re guilty of falling victim to believing that our insular world is a reflection of yours. We forget what it means to spend our hard earned pay on a game since… they’re often given to us. We complain about sequels and rant about the need for the industry to innovate. And we are often so jaded that in our desire to push the industry forward – we’re quite simply incapable of spotting great entertainment – even when it’s right under our turned-up noses.

It is with this in mind that I present my take on the most recent entry into the Ratchet & Clank franchise entitled 'Future Tools of Destruction'. The game has been getting a fair share of bad press - and I feel this is due to the aforementioned defects of our trade. Give my review a read below and then let me know what you think HERE.

Ratcheting Up The Action
With the majority of titles for the PS3 to date being made up of ported versions of action titles – often released a month after their Xbox 360 counter-parts – Insomniac’s delivery of Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction provides the platform with a much needed shot of ‘exclusivity’ and a title that any owner of the platform should not be without. Trust me when I tell you that, “lack of innovation” plus “identity Crisis” equals yet another fun-filled romp with two of my new favorite videogame heroes.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/ratcheting-up-the-action-review

Gears Wages War on the PC Front
The Locust Horde gear up to lay waste to PC hard drives the world over with the release to retail of Gears of War PC. Our initial verdict? It's worth it for the LIVE experience on PC alone!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/11/gears-wages-war-on-the-pc-front

Cryptic - City of Heroes + X360 = Console MMO?
With Cryptic's rather cryptic sale of the City of Heroes and City of Villains franchise to the series publisher NCSoft - the rumor mill has begun churning - is Cryptic trimming down to focus on an MMO for the Xbox 360?
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/11/cryptic-x360-console-mmo

Call of Duty 4: Best Cheat Mode Ever!
Call the Cops! The Keystone Kops that is! Call of Duty 4 offers up one of the most hilarious cheat modes ever, complete with sepia tone coloring and piano accompaniment. Find out how inside.
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/11/call-of-duty-4-best-cheat-mode

Trend Micro to Secure Your...PS3!?
Sony's latest firmware update also includes a new offer to try Trend Micro's Web Security for PS3 free through April 2008. Now if Sony can just get the browser to work by then we'll be in good shape!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/11/trend-micro-to-secure-yourps3

Catch Up On All The Latest News
Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:00:35 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper

I get this question a lot from our readers, “So, what are you playing right now?” Well, I’m actually digging the rather short, but satisfying Guitar Hero III demo on XBOX LIVE. I just love rawkin' out to 'The Metal' by Tenacious D! That should tide me over until Sunday’s release ;) I’m working on a review for Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction and as a preview – I’m going to show this game much love. It’s a blast and would seem that if the PS3 has something going for it – it’s Insomniac! I’ve also been loading up Gears of War on my PC – but you didn’t hear that here ;) What all this means is – I still haven’t finished Halo 3 – DOH! I know, lame, lame. But as you can see from this week’s list of updates – we’ve been busy!

OH! Crysis Demo tomorrow! W00t! Sigh…never going to finish Halo now…

Valve Interview Series – Part Two - Portal
As the second part of our Valve Interview Series we take a look at Portal’s contribution to The Orange Box in our Portal review and we sit down with Kim Swift and Jeep Barnett, of the Portal team, to discuss the game’s development and their path from college seniors at DigiPen to Valve Superstars ;)
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/valve-interview-series-part-ii

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue: Japanese Demo Impressions
It must be great to be Japanese. While the rest of the videogame world waits with interminable anticipation for Gran Turismo 5, the Japanese gamer is downloading the demo as you read this! (well, sort of ) Released this past week to the PlayStation Network Store (of Japan!), the demo to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue stands as the most visually impressive racing sim ever released (if we don’t count the Gran Turismo HD demo). While virtually unmatched in photo-realism and physics design, the demo still points to one major flaw in the midst of its packed 16 car field. We take a look under the hood!
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/gran-turismo-5-prologue-japanese

Sandio 3D Game O - 6 Degrees of Freedom Review
Our man SecretAsianMan makes it back - complete with name change - as he tackles Sandio's attempt at innovation under the SwollenOstrich pseudonym...sigh...we won't ask SAM. he leaves us with this, “Innovation is the fundamental flaw in 99% of new products.” You can quote me on that.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/sandio-3d-game-o-6-degrees-of-fr

Sonic Rush Adventure Review [DS]
If the developers had put a lot less effort in trying to create some kind of fantasy-inspired story and a little more on some original level design, this game might’ve been something special. Instead we have a classic title given some new bells and whistles to keep players interested, and that is not a bad prospect at all.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/sonic-rush-adventure-reviewed

NBA 2K8 Reviewed [X360]
NBA 2K8 should easily appeal to basketball fans. The full season option gives players all the tools they could want for managing their favorite team. While, the game involves a fair amount of micro-managing, its stellar visuals and easy to pick-up play (mini-games aside) help to make NBA 2K8 a solid title.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/nba-2k8

Dewy’s (Not So Great) Adventuere Reviewed [Wii]
What we’ve got here is a game made for children but lacking any gameplay features that might draw in an older crowd of players. Add to this recipe a frustrating and imperfect control scheme with an unbalanced increase of difficulty over the first couple of levels, and our triptych from hell is complete.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/dewys-not-so-great-adventure-rev

Catch Up On All The Latest News
It's been a busy week with Zenimax netting $300million in investment, more Fallout 3 details being dropped and yet another barrage of PS3 bashing to spread a grin across the face of all your X360 fanboys out there. Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:02:10 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper
This week we picked the first winners in our Gamehelper of the Month giveaway for the Halo 3 Edition ZUNE and copies of the Halo 3 game itself. Congratulations go out to Lawrence of Bakersfield, CA and Tim of Orlando, Florida! We’ll have details on November’s giveaway just as soon as we can grift someone for some good swag!

Valve Interview Series – Part One
This first of three interview segments focuses on our discussion with David Speyrer, Project Lead on Half-Life2: Episode Two, and covers Episode Two specific topics ranging from the decision behind the inclusion of Doctor Magnussen, to the origins of the Hunters to preference of the AR-3 over the AR-2. ;) Warning! Spoilers abound in this series so DO NOT read if you haven't finished playing!
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/features/valve-interview-series-part-i-da

Tony Hawk Holds His Ground
So should we even care about Tony Hawk anymore? Does he still have what it takes to keep us coming back for more after all these years? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” when confronted with Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground. It is a testament to Neversoft’s commitment and creativity that a franchise with this many gray hairs can still knock our socks off. While a bit daunting to the newcomer, there is plenty here to keep skaters of all ages satisfied long after release and it is this mixture of depth in content combined with Neversoft’s continued dedication to carving out new terrain that enables Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground to cement itself as the most innovative installment in this popular franchise.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/tony-hawk-holds-his-ground

Sony Drops the Hammer on PS3 Pricing
Sony, in a bid to gain some market leverage for the holiday season, follows in the footsteps of Microsoft and takes a sledgehammer to PS3 pricing.
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/10/sony-drops-the-hammer-on-ps3-pri

Jack Black and The Pick of Brutal Legend
Tim Schafer and the bad boys at Double Fine (Jack Black included) reveal, sort of, some key details of Brutal Legend - their follow-up to the criticially acclaimed, if not sales challenged, Psychonauts.
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/10/jack-black-and-the-pick-of-bruta

Catch Up On All The Latest News
Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

This Week On Gamehelper

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:00:28 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper

The big news around the GH cubes this week is the sad situation unfolding for the folks at Perpetual Entertainment as the company dissolves along with any clear hope for Gods & Heroes or the Star Trek Online title they had in development. Foundation9 has made some indication of picking up the pieces but this remains to be clarified.

And in what should be happy news - I suppose – EA has bought up Bioware and Pandemic, much to Microsoft’s chagrin, though we’ve been assured this will not affect the release of Mass Effect in any way…and some are speculating a move to the PS3 – though it’s not clear if the contract would allow Bioware and EA to make such a move.

Well, on that note – I’m off to leap through Portals and frag a few folks in the UT3 demo ;) Happy Friday!

Call of Duty 4: Going Deeper, Going Harder
All indications are ‘GO' for a Call of Duty comeback – with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare the franchise is “going deeper and harder” than ever before!
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/call-of-duty-4-going-deeper-goin

Thinking Out of the Orange Box
The score listed here reflects our thoughts on the value of The Orange Box as a whole. We've chosen to visit each of the individual products separately for a proper review beginning with our take on Half-Life 2: Episode Two (score: 9.5). Over the coming week we'll be releasing some spoiler-filled interviews with David Speyrer, Project Lead on Episode Two as well as Kim Swift and Jeep Barnett of the Portal Team.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/reviews/the-orange-box-review

Universe at War: Earth Assaulted?
Universe at War: Earth Assault has some pretty serious balancing issues that cripple, what should have been, a great RTS title. If Sega and Petroglyph could give this one a little more polishing time, or ensure a patch is ready at launch - UaW could still be a compelling sell.
http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/universe-at-war-earth-assaulted

Portal Offers Easter Eggs for Breakfast
Those crazy technicians at Aperture Labs have left us a little Easter Egg in their latest Portal software application. Many Bothans died to bring us this information!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/10/portal-offers-easter-eggs-for-br

Catch Up On All The Latest News
Visit the Gamehelper Newswire for the latest news that matters including Gabe Newell's dismissal of the PS3 as a viable platform, the release of the Call of Duty 4 Single-Player Demo and news on turning your Wii into a DS download station!
http://gamehelper.com/newswire

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

Halo 3 Giveaway at Gamehelper.com

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:31:51 GMT

We Stole Master Chief's Halo 3 ZUNE!
We were like, Look! There goes Samus, she totally ripped off your faceless spacemen shtick! What? Are you not man enough to call her out on it? And as the big MC was marching off to beat her up, we lifted it... So anyway, it is just a tad too hot for us to handle. Yours for the low, low price of FREE!
Grand Prize: 1 Halo 3 Edition ZUNE and a copy of Halo 3
First Place Prize: 1 copy of Halo 3
Enter Here: http://gamehelper.com/community (registration required)

Pachoey
Editor in Chief
Gamehelper.com

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:57:02 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper

It’s difficult for me to get excited about games that carry the ‘family’ moniker. More often than not ‘family’ implies – get ready to be bored out of your skull as you watch your children run around in some tv cartoon inspired pointless Fed-Ex mission-laced social experiment chock-full of mini-games and references to characters you know nothing about. Occasionally, as with most things in life, we are presented with pleasant surprises.

Viva Pinata, from Microsoft Games Studio – developed by those blokes at Rare, was one such surprise for me. And while in some respects, Lucas Art’s Thrillville: Off the Rails may be too complex for its target demographic – it does deliver depth for those who want it – alongside quick doses of fun for the ADD set- yep, that’s me. OH! What's that shiny thing over there?

Halo 3 hit the office today – so get ready for Otero’s full report once we pry the controller from his hands Sunday night - as well as a kick-ass giveaway that we think you Halo 3 fans won’t want to miss!

Crysis Hands-On with Core
This week we take a look at the second of two level Cevat Yerli (CEO, President – Crytek) showed off on his recent trip to San Francisco. Core gives us a sneak peek deep into the bowels of Crysis and Crytek’s attempts to establish an identity for the game’s visual look that would be ‘all its own’.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/crysis-hands-on-with-zero-g

Thrillville Goes Off the Rails
We take a look at Thrillville: Off the Rails, the latest installment in a new Lucas Arts franchise that, while certainly no Full Throttle, has been moving ahead full steam at the ‘box office.’ Can the release of more non-Star Wars IP like Thrillville mark a return to the ‘glory days’ of the studio? Time will tell – but first we’ll need to see more biker gangs, fast motorcycles, islands and monkeys. ;)
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/thrillville-off-the-rails-previe

Crysis Demo Delayed Until October
In an open letter to the community Crytek's Cevat Yerli announces the delay of the Crysis single-player demo until Oct 26th. But he promises goodies for the wait...
http://gamehelper.com/newswire/2007/9/crysis-demo-delayed-until-octobe

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief

This Week on Gamehelper.com

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:16:43 GMT

This Week on Gamehelper

It's been a crazy couple of weeks filled with press events, travel, pre-release builds and more. Here's a sampling of what went up this week for your reading - and viewing pleasure. Next week we'll have more Crysis and PGR4 hands-on impressions.

Dice Goes for the Gold
First off we’ve got an interview with Karl-Magnus Troedsson, Executive Producer on DICE’s Battlefield: Bad Company, in which he discusses the core concepts behind the team’s approach to their second console title in the franchise – and how the Frostbite engine is changing the way we’ll play.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/dice-goes-for-the-gold

Crysis Hands-On ICE
Cevat Yerli walked us – and a dozen other press folks – through two environments unveiled at last week’s EA Summer Press Event. We take a look at the ‘ambient-storytelling’, environmental detail and audio design that set Crysis apart from the pack. Next week we’ll have video and a look at the second of the two levels.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/crysis-hands-on-with-ice

Team Fortress Too?
With the Orange Box landing next month we take another look at Team Fortress 2 and the road from its original announcement at E3 in Los Angeles in 99’ to its current incarnation. We pulled a few choice quotes from last year’s interview with Doug Lombardi in which he talks about the redesign process and demand for classic maps.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/team-fortress-too

FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage
After some long delays we finally got our hands on a preview build last week – and somehow, with everything else going on – we found time to play it! And we’re glad we did. While not quite as polished as some of its competitors (MotorStorm, Burnout), it harkens back to the days of the PS1 and Demolition Derby and delivers quite solidly in the fun category.
http://gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/flatout-ultimate-carnage-hands-o

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review
So we finally caught up with Samus and got a chance to see what all the fuss was about. It was worth the effort. ;)
http://gamehelper.com/games/wii/metroid--3- corruption

Enjoy,

Joe Markert aka Pachoey
Editor in Chief
http://gamehelper.com/forums/index.php

Live from PachoeyLANd

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:36:10 GMT

So, as you can see I decided it was time for another change. The Fight Night newsletter name needed to go out the window - so for now I'm back to my long time companion - PachoeyLANd. In the end we don’t fight anymore – and hardly at night – though – that is the best time to play this week’s release from 2KGames – Bioshock!

I’m still working away on the review – but then – I missed the pre-release PR event since I was in Italy on vacation (ACK!) so while I will ultimately post one – it’s all been said already. This game definitely must be played at night – in the dark - preferably with a good surround system or kick-ass headphones (we recommend Ultrasone.) If I could – I’d give this game 11 out of 10.

PAX kicks off today as well – and I’m wishing I could be there – but for the second year in a row I’ll have to live vicariously through the content posted by Altmann and FlyingMaiden. Keep your eyes peeled on the PAX 07 Landing Page for updates – Altmann is sure to dig up more hits like ‘Crazy Chick’!

As if PAX and Bioshock weren’t enough to keep us tied and bound for the week – Activision dropped us a little love with an invite to the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Multiplayer Beta (say that ten times really fast) on Tuesday am – so, ahem, I’ve logged a few rounds in that game. You’ll have your chance to lay the smack down starting next Monday on CharlieOscarDelta.com – so mark your calendar soldier!

In other news – we’ve got a hands-on preview of Singstar for PS3 up on the homepage for you. Saria took a trip out to Chicago a couple weeks back to give the game a spin and well – party like a RockStar™ at Lollapalooza. Yeah – sounds like hard work to me too. :P

Finally – rounding out the week’s updates on the Newswire – I posted up Ubisoft’s hilarious Rabbid’s clip from the Leipzig GC as well as a link to Kojima’s latest MGS4 trailer – Dude, sick – that’s all I’ve got to say bout that!

Have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week!

Pachoey aka Joe Markert
Editor in Chief
Gamehelper.com
Gamertag: Gamehelper

A PAX 06 Retrospective

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:39:45 GMT

Did you miss PAX last year? Didn't get to see 'Crazy Chick'? No chance to get your juiced squeeze by FruitF*$ker? So you missed the 'Wives of PAX' as they told all about the crazy reality that is being married to Gabe and Tycho? Well we've just opened The Vault for you...
Digg It!

PAX 06 Vault

Pachoey
Editor in Chief
Gamehelper.com - Now w/BETA Magiks!

A Return to the Ring

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:21:27 GMT

The Fight Night Newsletter took its first bout in the ring quite some time ago when our focus was almost purely on PC-based shooters – long before the Xbox 360 was even a twinkle in M$’s eye. It was mostly a tool I used here at Gamehelper to disseminate information to the troops regarding our usual Friday Night multiplayer bouts in Counter-Strike or Half-Life DM (original – not that STEAMed up stuff ;) ) and eventually – as time wore on – I brought back the label for our weekly newsletters meant to update all our readers on the happenings at Gamehelper.

Well, there’s been a lot happening – and a lot NOT happening as you may, or may not, have seen! Gamehelper is definitely NOT what it used to be – we’re sporting an all new look thanks to a kick-ass team of folks whom we’ll be highlighting in future blogs and articles – and we’ll be ramping things up over the next few months as we work toward our official launch next month and our first feature upgrade in November.

This week’s been a busy one – most cause for the last three weeks I’ve been on vacation so I basically did nothing – and we’ve got a ton of new content for you including the first Feature and Preview from our new contributor Jeb Haught from HardCore Gamer. He’s delivered us some hands-on thoughts with Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare multiplayer and a first-look at Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction.

Next week we make our return trip to PAX and Adam Alessandrini will be taking you deep into the depths of the industry’s coolest games event with his video blog and updates. But he’s not going in solo – he’s got our faithful reporter Brittany Aubert who you may recall as “the girl who got proposed to at GDC” and who’s had the fortune of becoming one of this year’s Omeganauts! We’ll be rooting for you Britt!

Be sure to come by the site – check out the latest content – and let us know what you’re looking forward to at PAX on the forums!

Now to load up some Bioshock and get ready for some Rapture!

Regards,

Pachoey aka Joe Markert
Editor in Chief

Gamehelper for Windows

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:55:32 GMT

Yeah - We are for Windows!

We always have been. Had it not been for Windows Gamehelper simply would not exist. The core founding group of Gamehelper were all hardcore PC enthusiasts who wanted to create a resource for others - who, at the time - were having as many technical issues with getting their games to run as we were. Let's face it - games were much harder to run then and any developer you stop on the street will quickly offer up how much of a pain it is to have to QA (quality assurance: the process of testing a game to catch bugs before it's released) a PC title. What with all the hardware and driver variables involved it can quickly become a nightmare.

This is why we're excited about Microsoft's new Games for Windows brand. The proof will be in the pudding - or Vista actually - as most of what makes up the Games for Windows concept is ideology. Oh yeah, there's some tech in there too in the form of the new Vista OS and it's DX10 under-pinnings but behind the concept was the idea to make games easier to play. Easier to install. Easier to keep track of. For simple starters - how about having all your game executables and save games all in one neat location right off your Start Menu? Check.

Yesterday Microsoft unveiled their Games for Windows brand to the media in San Francisco at their "Elevate Your Game" event and we walked away quite impressed with what was on show - the ideas behind the brand - and most of all - the people representing Microsoft. These folks were not corporate suits - they were gamers like you and I. And these gamers at Microsoft are driving some very exciting change in the market that has 2007 looking like a good year to be a PC gamer.

So - without further adieu I give you our Gamehelper for Windows blog where we'll be tracking anything and everything related to the Games for Windows brand and we'll kick this all off by giving you PC gamers - yeah, those of you who've been ridiculed into hiding by your fellow console owners for the last 12 months - some very cool bragging points to send those PC detractors heading for the Iron Hills!

Pachoey aka Joe Markert
Editor in Chief

Welcome to 2007

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:23:34 GMT

Hey All!

Been away on holiday break until this last week so things have been quiet around here - Thank God! Hit up some amazing skiing in Italy while visiting family and friends so it was a very relaxing and fun break. You can check out the place we skied here:

http://www.dolomitisuperski.com/crontour/

It's one of the world's most amazing ski locations - three valley's connected by one mountain and some runs of over 4km!

Just getting my feet under me and the year - even without the looming presence of an oncoming freight train known as E3 - is already taxing our behinds. Here's a little snapshot into our world here at Gamehelper.com:

1) GDC lands March 5th-9th - if you're in San Francisco - you must attempt to attend: www.gdconf.com

2) We're co-producing the Choice Awards show that takes place at GDC yearly - it's one of the most important awards shows of the year for the industry - yeah, Spike is hollywood but.... - as the awards are giving based on peer selection. So it's developers choosing who amongst them should receive the honors.

3) We're on the verge on landing another huge deal as part of our consulting and production arm -GH Productions - which will be separate (completely) from the site but would be fun for us. If it goes through I'll mention it on my personal space but not here for legal reasons :)

http://www.myspace.com/joemarkert

4) We're working towards our launch of Gamehelper Version 4 (yeah, there's been three other version!) and it's looking like Beta in April-May timeframe. Seriously - we're moving forward but damn does it take a lot of work! Be sure to stick around as we'll want to get your feedback when we hit beta and we'll have some cool stuff for those who get onboard early.

Aside from that the year is loaded with question marks. What will take the place of E3 - something must arrive in the May-July timeframe. Word has it there will possibly be two events. One for the media - much quieter and focused. And one for the public at large which will be more akin to the loud racuous event we all know and love - albeit with a ticket price! If word is to be believe mark your calendars for July kids - that will be when E3 becomes yours!

Aside from that we'll be staring down the usual events: Tokyo Game Show, X07 (Microsoft's private event), Leipzig Games and Penny Arcade Expo which last year cemented itself in the list of annual events that must be attended - if you missed it you can catch up here: http://www.gamehelper.com/pax06/index.html

Well - let me know what you're most looking forward to this year! Hit me back with some comments - and stay tuned - we've got a lot of preview events coming up and will be giving you some first looks at this year's upcoming titles.

Meanwhile - check out the lines that formed for this week's World of Warcraft unveiling: http://newswire.gamehelper.com/common/default.asp?App_Module=SITE&ID=51#News8248

See you in the box!

Pachoey-

WiiS3 Coverage at Gamehelper.com

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:15:22 GMT

We've updated our WiiS3 Luanch Portal with all kinds of new content from screens, to hands-on feedback to a video tutorial walking you lucky PS3 owners how to change out your internal HD for a larger storage capacity!

Come check us out HERE!

Pach-

Zelda: Twilight Princess Reviewed at Gamehelper.com

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 05:51:27 GMT

Warning: Sara wrote this review in the aftermath of four days with little sleep, ungodly amounts of caffeine and a manic eye twitch that has developed (with a vengeance) due to the aforementioned combination. This hazardous schedule had nothing to do with a timeline folks it was simply near-impossible tfor Sara to put my dang controller down. ;)

Quote:
Link, our favorite non-Scottish skirt-wearing male, is bringing in the Wii with the biggest, most engaging Zelda title to date. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is simply an accumulation and honing of every element that has made the Zelda franchise so indelible. Twilight Princess is justification enough to shell out your console dollars this weekend.

Read the ARTICLE.

Pachoey

Oblivion: Knights of the Nine Add-On Previewed

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 01:37:19 GMT

Fans of Oblivion can rejoice once again as Bethesda gears up to release yet another add-on for their best-selling RPG.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Oblivion Plug-in
by: DoctorDoom9
From the article:
Knights of the Nine is a bit more expensive than the other add-ons have been ($9.99 compared to the next-most-expensive add-on at $2.99), but is definitely worth it for the amount of new, unique loot and the 15-hour quest that can be played by meek heroes-to-be or muscle-bound demigods.

Read the article HERE.

PS3'd Off

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 01:33:36 GMT

PS3’d Off
What a sad, sad day for gamers everywhere. As Sony kicks off the launch of it’s PS3 nationwide and gears into party mode – many gamers are bruised, beaten, harassed, accosted and even shot as they waited in line or attempted to return home with their shiny new PS3. One man was shot for refusing to hand over his money. Another was beaten and robbed of his PS3 and here locally a group of hooded men robbed a Gamestop at gunpoint this morning making off with four PS3s and four X360s. Luckily no one was hurt in this last event – and the robbers forgot to make sure they grabbed copies of Resistance and Gears of War from eyewitness reports – ha! Doom on you bad guys.

In all seriousness what does this say about society? Oh shut up Jack T. We don’t want to hear your crap today. These people weren’t shot because they play Doom. And the folks doing the beating and shooting were just plain thieves and hoodlums. Not digital ones depicted in Rockstar’s latest ‘rattle the politicians’ cage’ release but just Hoodlums, Ne’er-do-wells of whom not even Johnny Cash songs should be sung. Is it Sony’s fault? No. Is it our fault for being gamers? No. Who’s fault is it then, you ask?

Come On Down – You’re Our Next Contestant
Blame can’t be placed in any one location – but rather – spread across many potential candidates. Sony surely could have worked harder to find a more fair and reasonable way to dispense of the handful of units available. I mean, some stores had so few units that by the time the store’s own employees bought their units – there was nothing left to sell the customers!! Meanwhile Nintendo Wii’s are plentiful and another wave is set to hit stores shortly after launch this Sunday. I doubt we’ll see many Wii bashings this weekend.

Another handful could be placed at the feet of the retailers. You need to plan ahead for a console launch and you have to take charge as the manager. Folks are waiting in line after all to give your establishment their hard-earned cash – I some cases for more than 40 hours! You are in a unique situation in that your outlet sells game consoles. There just so happens to be a major launch this week. So I would like to suggest that perhaps you take charge and manage the waiting list. Don’t let a bag of chips hold someone’s place in line (yeah, that really happened and a fight ensued) – take down folks’ names and register an official line list on a date/time to be announced previously. First come, first served of those who have prepaid – period. And yes, you must be present to Win. And sorry guys – I know this sounds rude – but store managers should be selling units to the kids outside – not themselves. Corporate should be setting aside units from the main pull for internal sales – not at the store level. Making these minor steps would go a long way to cutting down on the fighting and arguing which inevitably lead to fisticuffs but it doesn’t stop the aforementioned ‘ne-er-do-wells’.

For us to solve this issue we need to look at the store or mall security and local police. Where appropriate the police should be involved. In large Metropolitan areas one officer outside a Sony Metreon could go a long way to thwarting thugs. At smaller strip malls the mall management should provide a security presence with local police being seen – at least on patrol. Just a presence of the law is often enough to thwart this level of thug.

Do Unto Others…
The final piece of the puzzle falls clearly in our laps as gamers. We just need to plain think. You can’t leave a bag of chips in line Chuck and head back to your Miata for a nap. Sorry man. That’s just plain common sense. You’ve got to sit your backside out on the hard concrete like everyone else if you want to get yours. Now – if Johnny Manager had taken your name down on my list suggested above – you could have napped all you wanted until your name was called. Hey, that would have been sweet huh? Then you could have eaten those chips.

Nuff Said! Be nice to one another kids – after all – they’re just games!

Gamehelper Battlefield 2142 Server:
We’ve got a new server up – come join in the fun – details are on our FORUMS

Pach-.

PS3 | Resistance: Fall of Man Reviewed - 9.3

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:15:00 GMT

Resistance: Fall of Man – Review [PS3] : http://consoles.gamehelper.com/articles/1023.htm [score: 9.3]

By: Joe Markert aka Pachoey

From the article:

Twelve hours and countless missions later I have emerged victorious from the battlefields of Great Britain, where all of Resistance’ action is focused, and I’m ready to dive right back in for another go round. This says quite a lot about a “console shooter” which herein has historically meant ‘a shooter which resides on a console platform and is therefore inferior in gameplay mechanic and visual beauty to those found on a PC and as a result not worth your bother.’ Let me be the first to say, “ Resistance is no ‘console shooter’”. No, Resistance is, quite simply put, “One of the best-damned shooters to grace any platform.” And you can quote me on that.

Enjoy-

Pachoey-

Photo Album: After Burner: Black Falcon

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 07:09:06 GMT

After Burner: Black Falcon

Photo Album: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter 2

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 06:59:59 GMT

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter 2

Photo Album: God of War II

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 06:53:06 GMT

God of War II

More Photos...