There’s good news and better news.  Tiger Woods announced that he will make his Golf debut in April.  He will compete in 2010’s Masters Tournament.  In other news, EA sports has now announced the release date for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 is June 8,2010. Now they have upped the ante with the Ryder Cup. Get ready USA, Europe is coming to take the title. See if you have the skill to make the Ryder Cup team and lead your team to the win. Rory Mcilroy will lead Europe to try and take back the title from the US. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Cup will be played at the Celtic Manor. A course designed originally for the Ryder Cup.

Now the cover for the first time, will not just have Tiger on it. He will be partnered with Europe’s own Rory Mcilroy. A nice touch by EA sports, to have someone other than the star player. Rumor has it that there are a couple of perks. Hit the pin on the second shot of a par 4 and the ” Pole dancer mistress” trophy. Get a whole in one and you unlock the ” A ho in one” trophy.

All jokes aside Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 has stepped up their “A” game with better graphics, new Wii controls, and harder gameplay.  You can be sure this guy will be picking up a copy for the PS3.

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Ever wondered what Life was like in the West? Crossing valleys, deserts and rivers are all possible in Rockstar’s upcoming Western game called Red Dead Redemption. The fast speed of the west are taken into account during this Western open sandbox game. You’ll explore all different types of regions including forests, snow and hunt big game including bears. Hunting was vital in the west so not only was it a source of food, but shelter and clothes. Playing the reformed outlaw, John Marston, you’ll be able to skin buffalo and cash them in for money. Just keep the damn buzzards away ater your kill!

Everyone knows what GTA IV was capable of so imagine Niko Bellic in the wild west. Red Dead Redemption will allow you to take up the activities most cowboys went through. Drinking, playing cards or keeping ranches safe from rustlers. Need a new wild horse? Well, you’ll be able to lasso yourself a new white stallion. Free of charge of course.

The vast, sprawling world of Red Dead Redemption hides unique challenges in every area, with wild bears and snow in the North, bandits and cattle rustlers in the West, to unrest and revolution in the South.  Hundreds of characters populate each of the three areas, each with a distinct personality, and every area has its own unique ecosystem with a variety of animals and plant life.
 
The rich diversity of each area offers several types of challenges and rewards.  Hunting allows reformed outlaw John Marston the opportunity to skin and sell the skin in town, while a bloody battle attracts vultures, who if shot, unlock sharp shooting challenges.  Full of possibility and activity, the world of Red Dead Redemption reflects the immensity  that was the Wild West. 

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Back in the year 2000, Nintendo published a title from Rare, developers of Goldeneye 007, that became the staple of FPS games from then on.  Nowadays, an FPS game on console has become the norm, but back in 2000, the genre reigned supreme on PC.  Goldeneye 007 was a very good first attempt, but it wasn’t until Perfect Dark’s release that we could see how fun an FPS could play on a console with its original and lengthy campaign, and insane amount of customization in its multiplayer mode.

After years of speculation, Perfect Dark has finally returned to this current generation of consoles on the Xbox LIVE Arcade.  The question is: Can a game that was released 10 years ago still be fun?

In Perfect Dark you play as one of the Carrington Institute’s top agent, Joanna Dark.  As Joanna Dark, it’s your mission to infiltrate the Carrington Institute’s rival corporation, dataDyne, who is attempting to sabotage the Carrington Institute.  The single-player campaign features 17 missions and for the most part has been untouched.  There are no new campaigns, nor new objectives to tackle.  Instead, Perfect Dark’s single-player campaign is a carbon copy of the N64 campaign.  The only addition is online leaderboards, which allows players to compare their completion times with their friends and others over Xbox LIVE.

The first thing you’ll notice when you start Perfect Dark is its new HD graphics.  The game supports 1080p running at a constant 60fps and its pretty impressive considering the source material.  Character models look less blocky from their N64 days due to the updated graphics, but their faces still have a pasted on look.  Enemies react to you as they originally did in the N64 version, ducking, rolling, and hiding behind cover as they try to take you out.  Perfect Dark certainly shows its age through the character animations and its audio.  The sound quality, music & voice acting sound like they’re straight from the N64 version, which isn’t too pleasing when Perfect Dark’s MIDI-like soundtrack is blaring through your 5.1 surround sound system.

There are 3 different control schemes in Perfect Dark that will please most FPS gamers.  There’s the original Perfect Dark control scheme, as well as two control schemes based on Call of Duty & Halo control schemes.  If you’re a fan of either title, then you’ll easily get a hang of these control schemes.  The auto-aim also makes its return from the N64 version, which I found to be helpful as turning it off can leave you to rely on aiming with the Left Trigger, which can be more miss than hit at times.  Overall, the controls translate very well on the Xbox 360 controller.

One of the major updates to this title is the ability to play over Xbox LIVE.  Up to 8 players can play through various multiplayer modes across all of the original Perfect Dark multiplayer maps.  All of the customization you remember from the N64 title are all here.  Want to play a deathmatch game with Rocket Launchers for 5 minutes with no radar? How about a one-hit kill game with fast movement and no weapons?  It’s all there and ready for you.  Aside from being able to play online, you can still play with 4 players on one console, just how we all experienced it in the original Perfect Dark.

If you’re the kind of person who prefers to play with your friends instead of against, two-player co-op is available both through split-screen and over Xbox LIVE which the entire campaign can be played through.  There’s also a “Counter Op” mode which puts one player in the role of Joanna Dark, while the other assumes the role of enemies to attempt to stop her from carrying out her missions.

FINAL THOUGHT: Nostalgia certainly carries Perfect Dark on the Xbox 360 a long way. Everything you loved about Perfect Dark is here, along with some very nice enhancements to its graphics and support for online play.  When you factor in its price (800 MS Points / $10), it’s easily recommendable given how many hours of play are possible in Perfect Dark.  Those who never played Perfect Dark might not get its appeal, but that’s alright, because this is a game that’s specifically directed at those of us who used to play Perfect Dark until 4 in the morning with our friends while trying to keep the noise down less we get a whoopin’.

8.5/10

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It looks like one of the Xbox’s heavy hitters, Crackdown 2, has just received an official release date.  July 6th is when you can expect to get back into Pacific City to assume the role of the Agent once again.

Along with today’s release date reveal, a new ViDoc titled ‘Fun with Friends’ was released focusing on how Crackdown 2 improves on the co-op from Crackdown to support 4-player co-op.  Developer Ruffian Games promises a more seamless drop-in / drop-out multiplayer co-op experience.  Aside from the improvements to co-op, Crackdown 2 will also support 16 player online multiplayer games across 3 different game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, & Rocket Tag, which judging by the video looks like it plays similar to Halo’s ‘Oddball’.

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Just a word to the wise from everyone here at PerezStart.com:  when buying a 360 ask for the list of different bundles they have in stock, unless of course you have an undying love for Kung-Fu Panda.

Source

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UPDATE: Through a podcast over at Major Nelson’s, the price was confirmed at 1200 Microsoft Points or $15.  For that $15 players get five maps, three new ones and two remakes from COD4. The new maps are Bailout (overrun apartment complex, wide map), Salvage (snow-covered junkyard, it’s a smaller map), and Storm (raining, abandoned warehouses). The remakes are from Call of Duty 4: Crash (urban environment with crashed helicopter in the central square) and Overgrown (dry river running through a village).

Thanks to the folks over at Activision for helping the economy with the great news that will bring FREE MW2 multiplayer Maps this month.  Coming March 30th to Xbox LIVE, Infinity Ward and Activision present Modern Warfare 2: Stimulus Package.  This is the first DLC currently announced.  Amongst the rumored maps, Crash has been mentioned to be on the list of the Stimulus Package DLC.  Behind MW2’s Terminal, Crash may be the 2nd best map in the Modern Warfare series.  It was a great map for Team Deathmatches, Search and Destroy and Sabatoge.  Snipers can pick people off from atop the chain link roof tops or rifleman can battle it out near the Helicopter Crash site near the center.  And of course the broken down building where rocket launchers and grenades were constantly hitting.

Players on the PS3 will have to wait one full month due to negotiations with Microsoft and Activision that gave Xbox 360 players one exclusive month of the maps.  Sony PlayStaion owners will have to quietly sit back until April, when they’re scheduled Stimulus Package will arrive on the PSN.  Additionally, Xbox 360 Silver Live members will be able to try out Modern Warfare 2 through the “Multiplayer Unlock event” running from March 12-15.

Of course, since the PSN service is FREE $15 for all members, the Stimulus Package will not require any additional prerequisites.

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Spring training is finally here and it’s time to strap up your batting gloves and pine tar your bats because it’s Baseball Season for MLB 2K10. In their 10th year, 2K Sports revamped their fielding system and improved on their pitching mechanics then they previously used in MLB 2K9 only keeping the “hold and gesture” for pitching accuracy and quality of pitches. Developed by Visual Concepts, a new hitting system called Total Control Hitting is used flicking the right analog stick.  This means your swing controls become more timed than ever. For the first time, you’ll be able to create your own ball player in the “My Player” mode and groom yourself into a future first ballot Hall of Famer making your way up through your farm team of choice.  The noticeable enhancements from MLB 2K 9 are great.  But should you draft MLB2k 10 and let it try out for you?

Total Control Pitching. I’ve always questioned precise timed pitches.  The ones where you press a button to start your power meter then again for your release.  I applaud MLB 2K10 for creating this new style of pitching because it works.  It’s called Total Control Pitching (TCP).  Throwing a fastball this year is easier and fun.  Pulling your right analog stick down then flicking it up produces a fastball.  Pushing the analog stick to the right then moving it clockwise to the 9 o’clock position creating a “U” shape will throw a slider.  You get the picture, move the analog stick similar to how you throw it mimics that type of pitch.  You’ll find yourself in a pitching situation where you’ll need some baseball knowledge and when you get yourself out of 2nd and 3rd with two outs, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief.  But with rewards there are risks.  You won’t cross every pitch over the plate for a strike and that’s when TCP can become challenging.  If you do not move your analog stick in accordance with the pitch, the result is a wild pitch.  Throw enough of those and your pitcher will get rattled.  With Pitch analyzer you’ll be able to view your stick movements on a graphic and that should show you what you did wrong.  Another improvement is the Inside Edge scouting system that can help you decide what pitch and where against that batter gives you the advantage.  It can slow down the flow of the game, but it is helpful at times.  Remember, be sure to visit the mound to improve the pitchers performance and calm him down.  Just don’t visit him if you going for the $1 Million, it’s one of the rules.

Batting the cage. While I wasn’t a fan of MLB 2K10 hitting style, it was manageable with three types of swings.  Using the analog stick, flicking upwards produces the swing of the batter with a contact swing.  Power swings are performed by pulling your analog stick back and flicking it forward at the right time.  And last are the defensive swings moving the stick right or left.  Defensive swings just prolongs an at bat and it’s a bit annoying since it can fouled off almost any pitch.  I hope they fix this.  I did enjoy the batting assistance letting me know if I was too early or too late on a swing.  Good thing I didn’t hear “good cut” cause every knows that just means you swung and missed and now, embarrassed.  Directional hitting is also possible using the left analog stick.  Pull it to third with a movement to the left; hit it on the ground with a pull down on the left analog stick.

Graphics could be better. Graphically, MLB 2K 10 is better than 2K 9.  But it’s not quite there yet.  Jagged lines, empty spaces and hats not sitting correctly on heads all contribute to the OK graphics.  The stadiums were scaled correctly and were the best graphics ok MLB 2K10.  I visited both Fenway Park and Camden Yards last year and I was impressed with most of the accurate depictions in the game except the Gulf sign behind the green Monster was missing.  Advertising or lack there of most likely contributed to that.  Come on Gulf!  The facial expressions and excitements after a pitch were nice compliments.  The copy and paste crowd made for a visual nightmare.

Play with “My Player”. Want to know what it’s like to audition for an MLB Club?  MLB 2K 10’s newest feature “My Player” does just that.  I created two separate players; a Catcher and Pitcher and of course favored the Pitcher due to the fun factor of staying involved.  You first begin your stint in the Minors A, AA or AAA of the desired ball club you choose.  I selected to be random and it landed me in the Cubs farm system.  My first player, the catcher, was only called on when I selected “Sim to next appearance”.  Most of the time, it involved me batting while on offense for 3 or 4 at bats or catching a pop out in foul territory behind the plate.  As a Pitcher, you get to experience all the fun.  I chose the role of Closer to experience the tight jams over the calmness of starting a game.  Challenges will be addressed before every batter you face, and they vary from “Get a first pitch strike” to “Get a groundout”.  I failed several times after I induced a double play on the first pitch which to me is a first pitch strike.  Your goal is to make it to the Majors and I found that after several successful appearances my MLB call up meter increase and changed from red to blue.  After the first season I was called to Spring Training and made the club.  I maintained an ERA of 1.79 but had a high WHIP of 1.75 with 36 strikeouts.

MLB Today = Live Play. Playing today’s match ups is now possible thanks to MLB Today.  Upon starting the game you’ll see the list of games that are slotted for play today.  I couldn’t figure out out to advance the day to the next, but I don’t think that’s possible.  Which brings me to the MLB 2K 10 menu.  The cumbersome navigation to view game type, options, or even play Home Run Derby games is not fluent.  Same when trying to exit a game.  They tried too hard by offering the right analog stick as a convenience, but it surely backfired and made looking for things more difficult.

Online Play. At the time of this review, many have complained of the inaccessibility of online play.  I was able to login and search for an opponent but did not play a full game to notice any glitching.  As a matter of fact, I did not see a problem with the innings I did play.

Comparisons to MLB 10 The Show. See here how MLB 2K 10 matched up against MLB 10 The Show in our Pros / Cons.

Game commentary – adv. MLB 2K 10 – Gary Thorne, Steve Phillips and John Kruk fill up the booth for MLB 2K 10 MLB games.  They give accurate and detailed play-by-play calls and keep the game entertaining to listen to.

Graphics – adv. MLB 10 The Show – I’ve mentioned the OK graphics that needs a bit more cleaning up and polishing compared to The Show. Jagged lines for infield grass or waves of people in the stand means MLB 2K 10 still needs work.

Pitching – adv. MLB 2K 10 – By far, Total Control Pitching dominates over The Shows “sweet spot” pitching.  Pitches that resemble the arm movement add to the realism and fun factor.

Batting – adv. MLB 10 The Show – Total Control Hitting (default) was not my hitting preference.  Much easier to time a pitch pressing a button (precision) than flicking the analog stick.

Crowd/atmosphere – adv. MLB 10 The Show – Sounds of the game have to go to The Show.  Realistic enough that when hitting a foul ball, some fans will even fall into the field trying to get themselves a souvenier.

Menu navigation – adv. MLB 10 The Show – The simple things in life are easier and MLB 2K 10’s right stick menu navigator is a deterant.  Not only did I forget where things were, but I found myself stuck not knowing to hit “return” or “exit”.

RTTS or My Player – slight adv. “My Player”. In My Player, your goals are relevant to your player’s position.  For example, if you’re a pitcher you’re asked to maintain an ERA below 4.50 and WHIP below 1.50.  In RTTS you’re asked to improve your hitting, drag bunting etc. Making some goals unattainable complex.

Keyboard typing – push – MLB 2K10 and MLB 10 The Show both disapointed me when it came to typing.  On the PS3, MLB 2K 10 does not use the classic PS3 keyboard and does not use a Qwerty keypad.  MLB 10 The Show also decided to use their proprietary keyboard which prolonged typing.  Both should feature their respective console’s keyboard.

Final Thought: Playing MLB 2K 10 before MLB 10 The Show allowed me to play all the features that MLB 09 The Show boasted last year and were used in this game including “My Player”.  Total Control Pitching alone makes this game stand out and propels MLB 2K 10 into the right direction for the baseball game genre.  Some in game decision glitches and visual blunders still keep this game far from perfect.  It’s a good baseball game for those who like baseball games and know baseball. For 360 fans it’s a must buy.  For PS3 fans it’s a good comparison game to compliment MLB 10 The Show.

8/10

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Hopefully you all have kept your copies of Halo 3: ODST in tact as Halo: Reach’s May 3rd multiplayer beta is fast approaching.  A trailer showcasing some of the awesomeness we’ll soon be experiencing in the beta has recently hit the net by way of one of the last places I’d expect: a Taiwanese gaming site.

In the video, you’ll see some new game modes, new attacks, and even a jet-pack or two.  Only two more months until we all get to experience the next evolution in the Halo series.  Two long, long months.

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Some fresh downloadable content from Gearbox Software is now available for everybody’s favourite cell-shaded sci-fi shooter, Borderlands. The Secret Armory of General Knoxx brags new enemies, bosses, missions, guns, and landscapes. As expected, the level cap has been bumped up, but by a very curious amount: 11, making the new cap level 61. There’s also a new vehicle that looks like some kind of ATV or Jeep. Personally, I just wrapped The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, and am sniffing around Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot, but considering the reviews I’ve read were less than stellar, I may just skip it and go right to Knoxx. The general consensus about this DLC so far is that it is the biggest and hardest to date.

Those who have maxed out their characters in Borderlands will be happy to pick up The Secret Armory of General Knoxx for the extra levels-worth of loot and gameplay – you can grab it from Steam for $9.99.

Video trailer after the jump!

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is getting ready to be released this Tuesday and you can be sure you’ll be facing some stiff competition online, thanks to EA offering a beta on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

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