Killzone 3 on PS3

Game Review

Game review

In the single-player, relentlessly firing enemies of considerable intellect keep the paranoia high and require the viewer to use a keen eye, scrutinising where the enemy might be firing from. The single-player also offers up a welcome share of diversity; there are sections accommodating stealth, sniping, vehicles, on-rails shooting, and of course, balls-out firefighting. 

There are also even less sections than the previous game where you’re on your own; your hand is held for 90% of the game as you’re with teammates who can revive you several times if you’re downed. The multi-player offering is back and better than before; while there is a local co-op mode and the opportunity to practice with bots, the real allure is the online multiplayer, which is a huge improvement on the previous game, both because the tighter controls make it less frustrating, and because Guerrilla Games have taken more than a few pages out of the infallible Call of Duty playbook. There are three principal modes.

Guerilla Warfare (simple deathmatch fare, playing until the time runs out), Warzone (random mission-based team matches, with objectives involving protecting something or someone usually), and Operations (where controlling an objective is paramount, and in a masterstroke, this mode has cut-scenes which actually feature yourself and the other players). 

Simply, this is a far more concise and rewarding component than the previous game, and with the comprehensive leveling system, there’s a lot that’ll keep you coming back for more, largely compensating for the single-player’s brevity. The frame-rate gets a bit dubious during busy scenes, but for the most part, the odd glitch aside, it stays fluid despite the jaw-dropping level of detail and scope.

The performances are variable – professional thesps like Winstone and MacDowell chew through their dialogue with delicious vigour, while the rest are mostly forgettable. There’s the genuine hope that there’s a longer break between titles next time, but on the whole Killzone 3 affirms and justifies its stature as one of 2011′s premium titles.

This week, the PS3 160GB Killzone 3 Bundle ranked as the No. 1 Customer Favorite item at Toysrus.com. The PS3 160GB Killzone 3 Bundle will include the PS3 160GB hardware SKU and a copy of Killzone 3 $299.99. Killzone 3 will be sold in a standard SKU and a Helghast Edition SKU.

Amazon.com Inc. is offering a access to 3 Unlock Points to be used on a weapon or ability and the Killzone 3 Retro Map Pack with the pre-order purchase of the Killzone 3 standard or Helghast Edition SKU. The PS3 is sold in a 160GB SKU at $299.99, 320GB SKU at $349.99.

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Soundtrack Collaborations for Dragon Age 2

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Game Review

As you know, the Dragon Age: Origins soundtrack is, in my opinion, one of the most epic and beautiful pieces of music recently composed. Part one of the Dragon Age II soundtrack* will be available for purchase on March 8, 2011 at all digital music service providers worldwide for $3.99.

· Dragon Age II Main Theme
· Hawke Family Theme
· Qunari On The Rise
· Templars
· Love Scene
· Arishok
· Tavern Music
· Viscount
· Mages
· Fenris Theme
· Kirkwall Nights
· Rogue Heart

The song choice is interesting, because “I’m Not Calling You A Liar” is probably one of the most low-key songs on the sometimes bombastic Lungs (for example “Drumming Song” seems like it could be adapted quite easily to epic fantasy). Dragon Age 2 composer has this to say about the inclusion on G4 TV.

People are being familiarized with RPG mechanics in droves, whether they realize it or not. “For me, I guess, fundamentally, there are more people who are ready to play RPGs than realise it,” Mike Laidlaw told Gamasutra. “These are people who will play FarmVille. These are people who have shot enough people in the head that they’ve leveled up in Medal of Honor.

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Animals and Apps - Your iPad and Your Pet

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Game Review

Many games currently available to advance our generation, one of the games are quite interesting and much-loved is a Petpet Park. Not only for fun but this game is also claimed to contain a great education, so the children do not know that they are playing and also learn.

The majority are games or educational ( lots of kids games and cute wallpapers), but there are some interesting and potentially useful ones that pet owners might be interested in. Free apps are the best...Life for iPad, Humane TV and Daily LOL pets are just a few of the free ones I found.

On the paid app side, your preschooler can dress up cartoon cats with Dress Your Cat HD, or feed play and accessorize a puppy (Pet Puppy). Your whole family can enjoy great animal photos on LIFE for iPad or take the breed quiz on the I know Dogs Breed Guide and quiz game. Pet related apps run the gamut: cute, fun, useful, or strange.

The Barking Dog Home Security App can do that.  For the more organized pet owners among us, there are several options to track your pet’s medical history and vaccination records. Check out Dog Medical Agenda for iPad, I pet Care, or My Dog. Horse owners may like Horse Medical Agenda for iPad.

Om Nom? Can my dog eat it? (or OMG my dog ate it!) It stores client and pet info and automatically moves appointments into the iPad calendar. Very handy! If you have an iPad and pet(s), check out the pet and animal apps. 

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Killzone 3 "gaming tips"

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Game Review

The latest installment in the Killzone series, Killzone 3, picks up right where the previous first-person shooter's action left off. Hermen Hulst, the mangaing director of Guerrilla Games, humbly admitted he might not have discovered all the secret nooks in the game, but he gave us some tips on how he plays it. Slide Tackle.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Weapon Crouching can also help reduce the spread of your weapon while firing. Pay Attention To Class. All the classes are unlocked from the beginning of the game, but each class has its own distinct advantages in each level. Tacticians are awesome at capture-and-hold levels. Search The Scrapyard.

For those of you Killzone 2 fans, you might be able to find a familiar weapon from the previous game. Warning: Nuclear Petrusite Hazardous To Your Health. The Nuclear Petrusite Gun can zap multiple enemies at once. Also, if you're trying to complete the level on the oil rig, blowing things up can help. 

There's no shortage of stunning visuals in Killzone 3, but unfortunately that's where the interest ends. Aside from the occasional jet pack levels and jungle environments, Killzone 3 is irritatingly repetitive. Also, the issue of clunky controls remains present; the analog sticks just feel sluggish in game, something other PS3 shooters do not suffer from.

Sony is pushing the Sharp Shooter Move accessory as an alternative way to play the game as well.  Playing Killzone 3 with Move alone proved to be slightly more enjoyable, but we'd be surprised to see hard-core gamers abandon the DualShock 3. To call Sony's latest shooter, Killzone 3, a serious graphical achievement is an understatement. 

While Killzone 3's universe is far different, you might say that both Gears of War and the Killzone franchise are becoming two very equivalent summer-blockbuster-style action movies that are growing ever-closer together. 

As an actual interactive experience, Killzone 3 can best be describes as rigorously competent. If you've played Killzone 2 (which was one of the first must-play PS3 games), then this is more of the same, plus a small amount of flying around on jet packs. Unfortunately, the implementation of 3D in Killzone 3 isn't perfect.

At first glance, you might dismiss Sony's epic first-person shooter franchise as another title that pairs shallow gameplay with a bland "lone gunman saves humanity from an alien species" plot. Well, "Killzone" is neither. 

Since the launch of the series, players have been treated to deep artificial intelligence, stunning graphics, and a complex plot filled with political intrigue, character development and frantic combat. As time passes and technology evolves, Sony is taking the opportunity to offer fans a more immersive look at the war on Helghast with their long-awaited sequel "Killzone 3." 

"Killzone 3" is a first-person shooter that uses state-of-the-art graphics and programming coupled with rich storytelling to offer the ultimate bullet-slinging experience. Great sound effects and music aside, the game also brings immersion to the next level with the use of full stereoscopic 3-D compatibility.

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Bulletstorm on PS3

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EA's New Victory Games to Focus on Strategy

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Game Review

A revamp of the Command & Conquer website went up last night before mysteriously disappearing revealed several details about Victory Games and its mission. The new studio has built bases in Los Angeles, Texas and Shanghai, China, and is committing all its Tiberium into forging a new AAA Command & Conquer game. 

The newly-appointed general manager of Victory Games is Jon Van Canegham, who previously worked on the Heroes of Might and Magic series at Ubisoft. "We're not just working on a game, though. Electronic Arts hasn't really been focusing on PC strategy games of late. 

EA seems to be opening a new studio titled "Victory Games" dedicated to strategy games like the Command & Conquer series, if an apparent website flub is any indication. Voodoo Extreme reports that a new Command & Conquer site went up announcing the studio and a new game, but was quickly pulled.

According to the report, the new site announced that the company had appointed Trion Worlds alum Jon Van Caneghem as the general manager of Victory. Caneghem revealed that the new game is a PC Command & Conquer, but couldn't share more details. He did say, however, that the studio's focus is to update "a lot of the core technology to create a stable base for future development," to assure a healthy future for the C&C series.

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3D and motion controls in Killzone 3 well done

Game Review

Game Review

The motion control in Killzone 3 is implemented by connecting the optional Playstation Move controller and navigation controller to a specially-made casing called the sharpshooter (see picture). The gun took a little while to get used to, it’s certainly harder to use than the old-school orange light gun that came with Duck Hunt. Every aspect game is tuned slightly differently when using the gun, which reduces a lot of the frustration.

The 3D additions to Killzone are a bit more straightforward than the Sharpshooter. From a technical standpoint the game is a marvel. Within the game, environments popped in 3D and the game has enough instances of stuff flying right at the player to show off the effect. 

Video games serve as perfect 3-D bait because gamers are not only early technology adopters but also are constantly searching for new ways to dive deeper into rich game environments. The electronics maker sells 3-D Bravia LCD TVs, as well as PlayStation 3 video game systems. Its game studios also have several 3-D-compatible video games in the works.

This space combat game pits the player as part of a squad of humans combating an alien force called the Helghast. "Gaming is certainly one of those key content areas that will help the 3-D industry." Sony isn't the only TV maker betting on 3-D games. While Microsoft hasn't been playing up that its Xbox 360 can also play 3-D games, the system is 3-D-compatible. Call of Duty: Black Ops and Avatar The Game, released in 2010, are playable in 3-D on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

For now, games do not need 3-D to sell well, says Geoff Keighley, host and producer of GameTrailers TV on Spike. Sony's consumer electronics and game divisions collectively "felt like we could make a big splash by updating the (PS3's operating system) to handle 3-D and making sure that we have a bunch of gaming content lined up to sync with the launch of 3-D TVs," said Sony's Scott Rohde.

Other upcoming Sony PS3 games in 3-D include Motorstorm Apocalypse, available April 12, SOCOM 4 due April 19 and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception on Nov. 1. In 3-D, the game plays "much more natural and organic," says Cevat Yerli, CEO of the game's Frankfurt-based developer, Crytek. "I believe (3-D) can work for many other games, too. "Sports games and racing games are a great application for it, too. But not all games need to be in 3-D."

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Test Drive Unlimited 2 "A Return to Arcade Escapism"

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Game Review

“Test Drive Unlimited 2,” the Atari racing simulation series for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and Windows operating system, hit the streets in early February. Over the next month, Sam Schembari — our resident racing game aficionado, and a son of James Schembari, an editor for the Automobiles section — will unravel the layers of the game.

“Test Drive Unlimited 2,” the 10th entry in a “Test Drive” game franchise that dates back to 1987, was released earlier this month after more than four years of development. Eden Games, working here with Atari, is entrusted with keeping the franchise fun and challenging, and with “TDU2,” Eden’s developers do just that.

The upside, however, is that all of the game’s cars demand to be driven. In “TDU2,” the objective is to work through different levels and types of races, earning cash to spend on newer and faster cars, as well as Ibiza real estate and properties like nightclubs. As the game progresses, the driver can change clothes and hairstyles. Among driving modes, the free-roam feature is my favorite. A downside to free-roaming, though, arises on long-distance drives. 

While Gran Turismo strives to recreate the perfect car model, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is all about imitating fantasy racing culture. It’s built around indulgent escapism: expensive cars, snazzy haircuts, tropical islands and designer clothes. Whilst utterly materialistic, TDU2 is daftly addictive. Some players will balk at the game’s peripheral activities, but its character development core is what separates it from its peers.

At its core, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a role-playing game more than it is a racing game. Test Drive Unlimited 2 is not just another pseudo-simulator in an saturated genre, it’s a journey of social interaction, character development, and, yes, a little bit of racing.

Starting out in Ibiza (and eventually opening out into Hawaii), developers Eden Games give you the run of a full island to explore, race and, well, get your in-game avatar’s hair styled. Unfortunately, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is not too hot on working.

We’ve held off reviewing Test Drive Unlimited 2 for a good week or so now as we’ve been unable to test some core elements of the experience. Despite the issues though, developers Eden Games deserve credit for their blunt ambition. When the servers are online, TDU2 manages to marry its virtual world with racing emphatically well. There’s a loose narrative depicting the action. 

Of course, the peripheral stuff is just a distraction to the game’s core, which is obviously the racing. With a world reliant on twisty-turny roads and dodging traffic, TDU2’s handling model is a little unusual. Competitive racing is all about the game’s single-player and multiplayer racing action, while collection encompasses the materialistic activities like buying clothes, cars, properties and haircuts. It’s brilliantly in-depth, if a little convoluted in places.

While the game’s hokey handling and peripheral activities will split players down the middle, we’re also convinced there’s a small niche itching for a game like Test Drive Unlimited 2. The game’s enormous sand-box environment and ingrained character development properties offer something that’s both unique and engrossing.

Even from the start screen, Test Drive Unlimited 2 looks like a massive game. This sets up the game like most other racing games — you start at the bottom and must work your way up. None of the characters have much depth, but that’s to be expected from a racing game.

The character customization is vastly improved from the first game. The game now allows you to buy furniture for your properties, haircuts, and plastic surgery. You can also add stickers to customize your car, and these vinyls are much easier to place on your car than in many other racing games.

The game is centered on exploration. Off-road driving is arguably the most satisfying part of the game. Bouncing around on dirt roads is a welcome change from the long stretches of pavement in most racing games. The championships feel much easier than the races in the first game; the largest challenge is mostly the roads themselves.

The game is constantly connected, so the in-game world is populated with other racers on the streets. This gives the game significant depth and makes up for the low difficulty of single-player play.

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Deep Silver shoots down Dead Island

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Game Review

Publisher Deep Silver's fired a Shotgun blast at the head of rumors pointing to a movie adaptation Dead Island, though assured if the zombie romp were to make the jump to the silver screen it'd be a top notch affair.

Rumors of a flick based on the survival horror outing – which finally crawled out of the woodwork last week after a three-year hiatus – have been flooding the net lately, prompting the publisher to set the record straight

You have probably seen the Dead Island trailer if you are not reading this from under a rock or the Planet Zaed. 

My first impressions were, “Wow, this is captivating. Not, “This is outrageous, that little girl is dead”. OK, it is a little risky showing a dead kid in your opening shot, but in the context of the video, it is justified. There is no controversy to be had here, this is not a game about killing kids, zombie or otherwise. 

In regards to the game itself, can this be anything more than Left 4 Dead, on an island? Guardian UK – Dead Island: will it be the most controversial trailer ever made?The dead kid technique has been used in films and games for quite a while now, this is no new thing. 

In Dead Rising 2, the main character Chuck Greene has a daughter, Katy, she has been bitten and is on the verge of becoming a Zombie and it is your side-task throughout the game to get a chemical called ‘Zombrex’. Also, the F.E.A.R game series has a spooky little girl as their poster child for their title. Alma, an 8 year old girl in a red dress. Alma’s appears in the game at random intervals and make you want to turn the lights on. No controversy there.

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Game Design Reducing PC Piracy "Inflating Identity Theft"

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The PC Gaming Alliance president says that game design is reducing piracy, while also increasing the instances of online identity theft. New PC Gaming Alliance president Matt Ployhar recently spoke to Gamasutra about the current state of the PC gaming industry. Ployhar points out that MMOs and free-to-play games are much harder to pirate than single-player titles. 

The increase in these kinds of titles and bonuses is actually decreasing PC piracy, Ployhar believes. "So what's happening is game design is shifting and as a result of shifting game design, piracy, at least on the PC side, is actually declining as a result," he says. 

The PC is the most famous format when it comes to videogame piracy. "There are stats that do corroborate that," claimed PCGA president Matt Ployhar. For example, you get a game like Crysis that got hit hard by piracy. "So even if you pirate the game you're still not getting the bragging rights. I think the use of Achievements and in-game content has definitely been effective in battling piracy to some extent, and it's something I applaud. 

Just days after the PC version of high-profile shooter Crysis 2 was leaked onto the internet, forcing developer Crytek to issue a statement that said "piracy continues to damage the PC packaged goods market and the PC development community", one group has claimed PC game piracy is actually on the decline. 

"In some cases the crack was done days before the game ever even hit retail shelves. You can't really pirate free to play. So what's happening is game design is shifting and as a result of shifting game design, piracy, at least on the PC side, is actually declining as a result." 

Following Crytek 2's leak online the game industry made its anti-piracy stance clear. The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) told Eurogamer piracy "poses a very real threat to the UK's games industry". 

For example, you get a game like Crysis that got hit hard by piracy. "So even if you pirate the game you're still not getting the bragging rights. Digital rights management is one method game publishers use to try to protect their games from piracy. 

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‘Bulletstorm’ PC Demo Finally Coming

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Game Review

PC fans might have a bone to pick with Epic Games, as the release of a PC demo after the game goes on sale could be seen as more of an insult than a service. Once again, it’s bad news for the PC gaming crowd. Let’s put it this way: now would not be a good time to be filtering through Epic Games‘ fan mail. 

The announcement came via Twitter, as Vice President of Epic Games informed the public that the “Bulletstorm PC demo is in the works! “BULLETSTORM DEMO COMING TO 360/PS3 JANUARY 25th. In other news, PC gamers are grumpy about this.”

PC developer Crytek starts things off by saying Epic’s engine couldn’t handle their game, and Epic fires back by implying that PC gamers are a little excitable and easy to anger. The truth is, there probably couldn’t be more of a poster child for the cockiness and unabashed confidence of the modern console market than Epic Games and Cliff Bleszinski. Hopefully, Epic telling PC owners that they’ll have to wait if they want to try out Bulletstorm before purchasing the game is just the beginning of the showdown. Entering comment threads proclaiming that “console gaming is dead LOL,” or that “PC games are for nerds” isn’t entertaining anybody but the flame warriors. 

PC gamers could accuse consoles of keeping graphics from advancing, and of living in the gaming stone age, but console owners could just as easily snap back by breaking it to PC owners that the most successful games are designed for the console market, and PC gamers just pirate games anyway.

Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein used social-networking site Twitter to make the bittersweet announcement. Meanwhile Epic Games is inviting video game players to a live chat with design director Cliff Bleszinski.

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Pokemon Black and White

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Game Review

With many new features and new Pokemon, Nintendo is releasing the fifth generation of their hit franchise, Pokemon Black and White version. Pokemon Black and Pokemon White are the brand new Pokemon games that were released in Japan on Sep. 18, 2010 and will be released in the U.S.A. Team Plasma isn’t evil like the old Team Rocket, they are trying to stop the slavery of Pokemon. 

Pokemon Black and White is arriving in early March with a brand new area, Unova, and lots of new pokemon to catch and train. Black players will have access to the legendary pokemon, Zekrom, while White players will see Reshiram in their game.

Unlike previous pokemon games, which were set in Japan, Black and White puts you in a replica of New York, including the famous Brooklyn bridge (which is called Skyarrow Bridge in the game). Battle animation is more dynamic and cool and you can have double battles against wild pokemon too! As Pokemon Black and Pokemon White near their March 6 release date here in North America, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are trying to generate buzz by throwing another character distribution event, this time for Celebi.

By receiving this special Celebi in one of the older, already-released versions of Pokemon, you can transfer the creature into either of the new, forthcoming versions and have a chance to capture the tricky fox Pokemon, Zorua. 

The Pokemon Company recently ran a similar giveaway event in which players could acquire the Legendary Trio Pokemon - Raikou, Entei and Suicune, which was how you could collect Zoroark from Pokemon Black and Pokemon White.

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Feeling lucky "Powerball jackpot" Reaches $126 Million

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Are you feeling lucky? Cross your fingers this weekend and a take a chance at the Powerball jackpot! The Arizona Lottery Powerball jackpot is at an estimated $126 million for Saturday night’s drawing, according to Lottery officials.

Last time the Powerball jackpot reached above $126 million was June 2, 2010 when a winner in Ohio won an estimated $260 million, according to Jennifer Adler of E.B. Lane public relations. Adler said the last Arizona winner was a woman from Fort Mojave who won an estimated $95.3 million jackpot in December.

The jackpot for Saturday night's Powerball drawing has reached $126 million after no tickets matched all the winning numbers on Wednesday. The cash option is worth $61.9 million. The winning numbers selected in Wednesday's drawing were 9, 13, 21, 23 and 48. The Powerball was 48 and the Power Play number was 2.

Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday nights at 10:59 p.m. on New Jersey Network. Meanwhile, tonight's Mega Millions drawing jackpot is $52 million with a cash option of $32.1 million. Two tickets sold Tuesday matched five numbers, but not the Mega Ball. Those tickets were sold in Arizona and Texas.

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'Dead Space 2' Review

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Game Review

I don't think two simple words have ever accurately summed up the experience of playing a game quite as apt as those two. Dead Space 2 is the sequel to the hit horror game Dead Space (duh!). The game, much like its predecessor, does an amazing job with the atmosphere. The controls play the same as the first game did, with very little in the ways of improvement. The HUD has a slight redesign to some elements, so for those who played the first game more recently, jumping into DS2 will have about zero learning curve.

It's also interesting to see the ways the technology in the game world has changed. The game runs a good lenght, with most finishing the game somewhere between seven to nine hours. The games conlcusion is fitting as well, both closing the chapter of Clark's adventure and leaving things open for a follow up (as all games these days must do).

With so few horror games out, this series still does a great job balancing the intense action with creepy atmosphere that the genre needs to maintain. Three years after the first game, "Dead Space 2" reacquaints you with engineer Isaac Clarke -- who has apparently lost his mind. Players then control Isaac's straitjacketed body and flee the asylum as its residents turn into horrible monsters and take chase.

In "Dead Space," Isaac was essentially his companions' slave as they'd send him off to do every little errand while they sat in a cozy control room somewhere. Fans of the first game will either be annoyed or thrilled to find that "Dead Space 2" has changed quite a lot of gameplay mechanics while sticking to the core gameplay that initially attracted fans. The levels are darker, the flashlight is brighter, and most of the annoying mini-games (like the asteroid shooting game from "Dead Space") are gone.

While "Dead Space 2" is golden when compared to its predecessor, it's still the same game in many fundamental and unpleasant ways. "Dead Space" wanted to be a spooky horror title like "System Shock 2" and it failed miserably. "Dead Space 2" though, has come to terms with the fact that it will never be a suspenseful or scary game and has opted instead to go with the action horror/gorefest genre. 

Dead Space 2" sticks with the "Resident Evil" system of forcing tension by artificially restricting weapon usage. In terms of plot, "Dead Space 2" makes no sense whatsoever. If you're interested in playing a good, mature game and you're a fan of "Resident Evil"-style survival horror, then "Dead Space 2" might be perfect for you. 

It's not often that a video game played with a controller can be physically exhausting, but it seems that the crew at Visceral Games has made it their mission to bring that level of intense game play to consoles, and that they've succeeded. Say hello to the best survival/horror game to date.

It's a game you have to play in small doses because, as I mentioned before, it's incredibly tiring. The developers did a fantastic job never giving you a sense of security. There's not a moment in gaming more satisfying than plowing through alien opponents and being the catalyst for victory in a Dead Space objective game. If you're looking for an extremely well-constructed scare-fest, buy Dead Space 2.

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This is PlayStation phone price

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Game Review

With Sony’s PlayStation expected to come out in April, further details about the device have gradually appeared. Like the company’s forthcoming NGP, the gaming mobile appears to have dropped the PlayStation moniker, and Sony are keen to push their machine as the Xperia Play instead.

Essentially a touch-screen smart phone with a slide-out control pad, the Xperia Play is, understandably, less powerful than Sony’s forthcoming NGP, with a 1GHz processor and a screen resolution of 854x480 pixels.

The PlayStation Phone price may have been revealed by a Sony Ericsson competition giving ten of the devices away. The competition carries the following message, which was helpfully translated by 'lefantome' on NeoGAF: "Prize: Xperia PLAY; amount 10; one item value (without italian tax IVA) 499,00 €; total amount: 4999,00 €."

After seeing the mobile gaming market invaded by smart-phone makers in recent years, Sony Ericsson has now launched the first "Playstation phone," called the Xperia Play. Smart phones have encroached on the mobile gaming market in recent years—in 2009, revenue from iPhone games surpassed revenue from Sony's mobile PSP device, according to figures from research firm NPD and Flurry Analytics, a mobile analytics company. 

The Xperia Play's hardware matches that of any high-end smart phone. Games can be downloaded via the Android Market. 

In a time when many phones are focused on multitouch and motion control, the Xperia Play's slide-out keypad, featuring Sony's trademark gaming controls, may seem slightly retro. "It's almost like a step backward," says Daniel Ashdown, a mobile gaming research analyst with Juniper Research. EA Games, which released its first games for the Android platform last October, has released two new titles for the Xperia Play: Fifa 10 and The Sims 3. Accessories could allow other Android handsets to play those games.

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A Classic Tag-Team Duo Returns Primed for an Epic Bout

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Game Review

Capcom shaved the amount of "Street Fighters" down in favor of newcomers like Arthur from "Ghosts 'n Goblins" and Amaterasu from "Okami." Fans upset that "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" features only 36 characters (20 less than "MvC 2") should relax. I had no problem transposing skills I learned in "Super Street Fighter IV" into "MvC 3," removing the steep learning curve that accompanies some new fighters. 

Character endings consist of art stills with text overlays, a huge disappointment considering "Super Street Fighter IV" had fully voiced and animated conclusions (and only one less character). Fans expecting the suite of online features accompanying "Super Street Fighter IV" should regulate their excitement, because "MvC 3's" virtual arcade only has the basics like ranked and player matches, plus custom lobbies to recreate the "winner stays" arcade experience. 

"SSF IV's" successful tournament mode and multiplayer team battles are inexplicably absent. Small gripes aside, you shouldn't miss "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" if you have even a passing interest in Capcom, Marvel, the fighting genre or good games.

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Crysis 2 "Hands-on"

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Game Review

I thought I'd fall in love with Crysis 2 at first sight. The new shooter packs serious graphical punch, developer Crytek's intricate, intertwining lighting systems and rich textures little hurt by the move to console hardware. Not the voice of a certain General Hargreaves, your radio handler on this particular bullet-flecked tour of ruined, alien-riddled New York. The powered Nanosuit that garbs player character “Alcatraz” is happy to provide.

“Tactical options available,” it whispers as I take in my dusty surroundings at the outset of the new, underground Hive level, a mechanical purr originating somewhere around the mid-part of my spinal cord. Hoarse yet smooth, emotionless yet pregnant with menace, the Nanosuit doesn't so much sound like death warmed up as death deep-frozen, cooled to optimum operating temperature.

Tactical ones. The Crysis version tops off a catalogue of robotic attire that runs from the towering rigs of Armoured Core through Halo 3's gaudily pigmented all-in-one to the absurd, jet-powered hyperactivity of Vanquish. The Nanosuit can make you undetectable, bending light round the player like cling-film. I have bigger fish to fry.

Like the Nanosuit, Crysis 2's bad guys are multi-layered, adaptable threats. Some are built for close-quarters combat, bowling Alcatraz over with vicious, Wolverine-esque claw swipes. We're a long, long way from Call of Duty's Pop-up book goons, people. 

The two available modes include Team Instant Action, where two teams face off against each rake up as many kills as possible and Crash Site, where teams battle for control over crashed alien pods. Crysis 2 is out on March 22 on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

There's fire pouring out of a nearby pipe, chunks of rocky debris littering the floor and a strong sense of foreboding. Emerging in a bigger, slightly less cramped space, I notice platforms and train tracks - I'm in a subway. Lumps of rock and the odd bit of metal are sent flying across the room, the odd spark illuminating the otherwise dank station.

Jump - no, reload - no, change weapon - no. Ah, a thermal tracker - or Nanovision as the game calls it. Perfect. Soon the cramped corridors and low hanging ceilings are replaced with the vast war-torn expanse of the outside world. The contrast in level design is striking.

The d-pad actually plays host to another three 'modes': Infiltration, Power and Armour. The game allows you to tailor the suit to your own style of play. Pressing the back button brings up your Nanosuit upgrade screen; a gloved hand with holographic options sprouting from each finger. 

By spending Nanocatalysts collected from alien corpses, you can unlock new skills and abilities for each of the suit's modes. Before spending some time with the game first hand, I had no idea this side of the game was so in-depth. Anybody moaning that 3D doesn't offer anything to the gaming experience should don a Nanosuit and see the world of Crysis 2 in 3D. 

Whereas most films and games pop out of the screen, the environments in Crysis 2 pop in. When you boil it down, Crysis 2 is a game about a guy in a suit shooting aliens. Purely based on the one level of the game I played, it seems there's little to worry about with the sequel. If Crysis 2 can nail plot, pacing and throw in a multiplayer mode with longevity to boot, EA could have a winner on its hands.

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'Prince Of Persia' HD Trilogies Coming To 360

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Game Review

Ubisoft confirmed late last year that a high-definition remake of the "Prince of Persia" trilogy was coming to consoles in Europe and North America. The newly updated ESRB listings include all three "Prince of Persia" games and all three "Splinter Cell" games with "HD" appended to the end of the title and both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 listed under the consoles the games will be available for. 

Sony already released HD-ified collections for "God of War" and "Sly Cooper," and has another one coming for Team Ico's beloved games, but those have always been Sony exclusives. Nope. 

According to a ESRB listing (the equivalent of Europe's PEGI) in the U.S. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time HD, Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within HD and Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones HD have all been listed for release on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Also noticed, by website GamerXchange, are listings for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell HD, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow HD, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory HD - again all for both formats.

Here's what's included in these HD Collections: Splinter Cell Trilogy HD will consist of Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow, and Chaos Theory. Prince of Persia Trilogy HD will consist of Sand of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones.

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Duke Nukem Forever to use Steamworks, Ready pre-order

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Game Review

Gearbox have announced that Duke Nukem Forever will be using Steamworks. Whether you buy the game digitally, or on a disk, your game will have to be tied to a Steam account. Duke Nukem Forever is now available to pre-order from retailers as well. Pre-order bonuses include access to an in-game big head mode, T shirts and a trucker hat. The Balls of Steel edition is also available if you fancy getting your hands on a great big bust of the Duke. The game’s due out on May 3.

2K Games and Gearbox Software have taken it to the forums to spread news of Duke Nukem Forever's PC version using Steamworks as its back-end suite of choice. For retail customers, that fancy disc can double as a dangerously sharp, makeshift Frisbee.

If you're rabidly pro-Steam, on the other hand, the news should be a boon. "Steam is stupid." "Steam is a lot better than any retail [G]amestop or EBgames," writes a Steam advocate, adding that "Steam saved PC gaming."

"Steam was a minor annoyance at first," writes another, admonishing anti-Steam users for "overreacting" and continuing "At least say you hate Gearbox and 2K for legitimate reasons, like that atrocious box cover at...I'm going to go play Team Fortress 2 right now, and I'm pretty sure Valve isn't stealing my information and using my PC resources for their dirty schemes."

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Pacman Google Doodle Game Remains Hot and Impressive !!

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Game Review

Google has come up with the best method to bring home the message of Jules Verne - often called the father of science fiction. Verne studied law and his father was a wealthy lawyer. Verne earned his living initially as a stockbroker, but his love always remained writing. In the 77 years of his life-time, Verne initiated and enriched the genre of science fiction. 

or those who missed yesterday's Jules Verne Google doodle, the search giant has set up a standalone Web site that allows users to interact with the ocean scene from the doodle. The image is available at www.google.com/logos/verne_hd.html. The doodle was placed on Google's homepage Tuesday in honor of author Jules Verne's 183rd birthday, who wrote "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," among other classics.

The success of that doodle also prompted Google to create a standalone version of the playable logo, available at www.google.com/pacman. Today, the new Google Doodle has been transformed into an underwater vessel to celebrate Jules Verne’s 183rd birthday, the author of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Google Doodle changes for different holidays and events. Google Doodler Jennifer Horn posted on the official Google Blog that, the decision to honor Verne as someone who sparked her imagination as a child.

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Public Test Realm Patch 4.0.6 Notes

Game Review

Game Review

The first World of Warcraft: Cataclysm patch of the year is in development and now available for testing on the Public Test Realms. This minor patch includes several updates that we were unable to apply via hotfixes, including the recently discussed class balance changes, assorted bug fixes, and more. Below you'll find the preliminary PTR patch notes.

Guilds

            We have redefined the definition of a Guild Group for 5-player dungeons.

           

Dungeons & Raids

            Level-85 players can now choose any normal dungeon via the Dungeon Finder.                                     Foe Reaper 5000's health has been reduced slightly. It is now a stacking buff that increases damage dealt, size, and attack speed, and stacks up to 40 times.               Valiona's Devouring Flame damage has been reduced by 20%.

           

           

                        Anraphet's Nemesis Strike now does 75% of weapon damage, up from 50%. In addition, the damage-over-time effect applied by this ability does 15,000 damage every 2 seconds, up from 9,000.

                                    Toxic Catalyst now deals less damage over time.

                       

                       

           

           

                                    The warning time for Thrashing Charge has been increased by 1 second.                                    The ground phase lasts longer and has fewer stalactites.

                       

                       

                                    The cast time of Shatter has been increased to 3 seconds, up from 2.5.

                                    Shatter damage is now reduced by armor, but has been increased by 33.3% (repeating, of course) as a result.

                       

                       

                        Bug Fixes

                       

                        Gilgoblin Poisoned Spear impact damage has been reduced slightly.

                        Tainted Sentries Swell damage has been reduced.

                                    Desperate Speed cast by Temple Adepts has had its duration reduced significantly.

                       

                       

                                    Static Cling has had its cast time increased to 1.25 seconds, up from 1.

                       

                       

PvP

            Battlegrounds

           

                                    A PvP duration flag has been added to Battleground Demolishers.         Tol Barad

           

                        The weekly PvP quest "Victory in Tol Barad" now awards 200 Honor Points and 3 Tol Barad Commendations.

            The dwarven racial trait Stoneform now reduces all damage taken by 10%, rather than increasing armor by 10%. Death Knights

            Death Coil damage has been reduced by roughly 10%.

            Necrotic Strike's absorption effect is now reduced by the target's resilience.       Talent Specializations

           

                        Blood

                       

                                    Improved Death Strike now increases the damage of Death Strike by 30/60/90%, up from 15/30/45%.

                        Frost

                       

                                    Howling Blast now deals 40% less damage to all targets other than the primary target of the spell.

It increases all Shadow damage by 2.5% per point of mastery.

                                    Dark Transformation now increases pet damage by 80%, down from 100%.

                                    Rage of Rivendare now increases strike damage by 12/24/36%, down from 15/30/45%.

                                    Shadow Infusion now increases pet damage by 8% per stack, down from 10%.

                                    Unholy Might (passive) has been reduced to a 5% Strength increase, down from 10%.

It now grants 10/20/30% additional disease damage.

                       

                       

           

           

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Death's Embrace no longer refunds Runic Power when self-healing via Lichborne.

           

           

                        Swordbreaking and Swordshattering now reduce disarm duration by 60%, up from 50%.

           

           

Druids

            Barkskin is no longer dispellable.

            Entangling Roots now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

            Hibernate now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

            Lacerate damage has been reduced by approximately 20%.

            Mangle (Bear Form) weapon damage (at level 80+) has been reduced to 235%, down from 300%.

            Mangle (Cat Form) weapon damage percent (at level 80+) has been increased to 460%, up from 360%.

            Maul damage has been reduced by approximately 20%.

            Moonfire mana cost has been reduced from 18% to 9%.

            Rake damage has been reduced by 10%.

            Rip damage has been reduced by 10%.

            Shapeshifts: Entering or leaving a shapeshift no longer cancels root effects.         Shred weapon damage percent (at level 80+) has been increased to 450%, up from 350%.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Fungal growth duration has been increased to 20 seconds, up from 10.                          Moonkin Form now grants 15% damage reduction instead of increased armor.                             The Shooting Stars buff duration has been increased to 12 seconds, up from 8 seconds.

                                    Sunfire mana cost has been reduced from 18% to 9%.

                                    Total Eclipse (Mastery) benefit from mastery increased by approximately 33%.

                                    Typhoon mana cost has been reduced by 50%.

                                    Pulverize weapon damage percent has been reduced to 80%, down from 100%.

                       

                       

                                    Natural Shapeshifter has been reduced to a 3/6-second increase to Tree of Life's duration, down from 5/10.

When the druid has Rejuvenation on 3 or more targets, the cast time of Nourish is reduced by 10/20/30%.

                                    Symbiosis (Mastery) benefit from mastery increased by approximately 16%.

                                    Wild Growth healing has been increased by 30%, and the cooldown has been reduced to 8 seconds, down from 10.

                       

                       

           

           

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Entangling Roots redesigned. It now reduces the cast time of Entangling Roots by 0.2 seconds, rather than making it instant cast.

                        Glyph of Wrath now increases damage done by Wrath by 10% and no longer requires Insect Swarm on the target.

           

           

            Aimed Shot weapon damage has been increased to 200%, up from 150%.        Arcane Shot damage has been increased by 15%.

            Concussive Shot duration has been increased to 6 seconds, up from 4.

            Kill Command's damage has been increased by 20%.

            Kill Shot's attack power scaling has been increased by 50%.

            Talent Specializations

           

                        Beast Mastery

                       

                                    Chimera Shot's overall damage has been increased by roughly 50%.

                                    Wild Quiver (Mastery): Chance for this to trigger per mastery has been increased by approximately 17%.

                       

                       

                                    Black Arrow damage has been reduced by 15%.

                                    Explosive Shot damage has been reduced by 15%.

            Pets

           

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Concussive Shot redesigned.   Bug Fixes

           

                        Cobra Shot now properly increases the duration of the Serpent Spread Serpent Sting.

           

           

            Arcane Barrage mana cost has been reduced by 8%.

            Arcane Blast mana cost has been reduced by 12%.

            Counterspell lockout duration reduced to 7 seconds, down from 8.

            Fireball mana cost has been reduced to 9% of base mana.

            Frostfire Bolt mana cost has been reduced to 9% of base mana.

            Mage Armor now reduces the duration of magic effects by 35%, down from 50%.

            Molten Armor, Frost Armor, and Mage Armor no longer cost mana.

            Polymorph now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Slow now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

                       

                       

                                    Flashburn (Mastery) benefit per mastery has been increased by 12%.

                                    Living Bomb mana cost has been reduced by 22%.

                       

                       

                        Frost

                       

                                    Deep Freeze damage done has been reduced by 20%.

                                    Fingers of Frost can no longer be dispelled and now also increases Ice Lance damage by 15%.

                                    Frost Specialization now only grants 2 base points of mastery (instead of 8), reducing all Frost damage to frozen targets by 15% from previous values. However, Frost Specialization now increases base Frostbolt damage by 15%.

                       

                       

           

           

            Bug Fixes

           

Paladins

            Crusader Strike weapon damage percent has been increased to 135%, up from 115%.

            Divine Light mana cost has been increased by approximately 10%.

            Flash of Light mana cost has been increased by approximately 10%.

            Holy Light mana cost has been increased by approximately 10%.

            Holy Wrath no longer counts nearby critters when dividing damage among its targets.

            Inquisition is no longer dispellable.

            Talent Specializations

           

                        Holy

                       

                                    Aura Mastery: This ability no longer increases the benefit granted by Crusader Aura.

                        Protection

                       

                                    Vindication no longer allows Hammer of Justice to interrupt stun-immune targets.                                   Divine Storm weapon damage percent increased from 80% to 100%.

This Mastery now grants a 2.1% increase to Holy damage per mastery, down from 2.5%.

                                    Repentance is no longer broken from damage done by Censure (Seal of Truth).

The Sacred Shield absorbs X damage and increases healing received by 20%.                           Zealotry is no longer dispellable.

                       

                       

           

           

            Glyphs

           

            Bug Fixes

           

Priests

            The mana cost of Power Word: Shield has been increased by approximately 31%, but its effect has been increased by 208%.

            The mana cost of Renew has been reduced by 24%.

            Mind Control now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

            Prayer of Healing effectiveness has been reduced by 15%.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Grace is no longer limited to one target at a time.

                                    Pain Suppression is no longer dispellable.

                                    Penance mana cost has been increased by 7%, but healing has been increased by 20%.

                        Holy

                       

                                                Binding Heal, Flash Heal, Greater Heal can now trigger Chakra: Serenity.

                                    Circle of Healing effectiveness has been increased by 30%.

                                    Lightwell's health has been increased by 50% (for PvP purposes).

                        Shadow

                       

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Mind Flay no longer requires Shadow Word: Pain to be on the target.

            Talent Specializations

           

                        Combat

                       

                                    Restless Blades now also reduces the cooldown of Redirect.

                                    Vitality now increases attack power by 25%, up from 20%.

                       

                       

                                    Executioner (Mastery) has been increased from 2% to 2.5% per point.

                                    Preparation no longer resets the cooldown of Evasion.

                                    Shadowstep's cooldown has been increased to 24 seconds, up from 20 seconds.

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Garrote now increases the duration of Garrote by 1.5 seconds, down from 2.

           

           

            Chain Heal's effectiveness has been increased by approximately 10%.

            Flametongue Weapon procs now deal roughly 20% less damage.

            Hex now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

            Spiritwalker's Grace duration has been increased to 15 seconds, up from 10.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Earthquake damage has been increased by approximately 10%.

                                    Lava Burst's damage has been increased by roughly 10%.

                       

                       

                                    Flametongue Weapon damage now scales from attack power instead of spell power (for Enhancement shaman only).

                                    Purge no longer has its mana cost reduced by Mental Quickness.

                       

                       

                                    Deep Healing (Mastery) has been increased to 3% per point, up from 2.5%.

                                    Earth Shield can no longer be dispelled.

                                    Greater Healing Wave mana cost has been increased by 10%; healing done has been increased by 20%.

            Glyphs

           

                        Glyph of Hex now reduces the cooldown by 10 seconds, down from 15.

           

           

            Demon Armor and Fel Armor no longer cost mana and last until canceled.

            Devour (Felhunter) cooldown has been increased to 20 seconds, up from 8. Devour is no longer able to be auto-cast.

            Fear now has a PvP duration of 8 seconds.

It now surrounds the caster with fel energy, increasing spell power and causing the warlock to be healed for 3% of any single-target spell damage he or she deals.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Demonic Aegis now increases the healing effect of Fel Armor by 50/100%.

It now increases the critical strike chance of all non instant cast Destruction spells by 30%, rather than increasing critical strike damage. Duration reduced to 20 seconds.

                                    Felstorm (Felguard) damage has been reduced by 20%.

                                    Immolation Aura damage has been reduced by roughly 30%.

                                    Inferno no longer increases the radius of Hellfire, but instead increases the duration of Immolate by 6 seconds in addition to its existing effect.

                                    Master Demonologist (Mastery) benefit from mastery increased by approximately 33%.

                       

                       

                                    Burning Embers damage has been reduced by 15%.

                                    Fiery Apocalypse (Mastery) benefit from mastery increased by approximately 8%.

                                    Improved Soul Fire now increases Fire and Shadow damage done by 4/8%, rather than 7/15% spell haste.   Cleave damage has been reduced by 20%.

            Heroic Strike damage has been reduced by 20%.

1-minute cooldown.      Slam weapon damage percent (at level 80+) has been increased from 125% to 145%.

            Talent Specializations

           

                                    Juggernaut no longer increases the cooldown on Charge, but instead increases the duration of the Charge stun by 2 seconds.                                Mortal Strike cost has been reduced by 5 rage.

                                    War Academy no longer buffs Heroic Strike or Cleave.                                     Bloodthirst damage has been increased by approximately 30%.

                                    Raging Blow weapon damage percent (at level 80+) has been increased from 110% to 120%.

                                    Single-Minded Fury bonus has been increased to 20%, up from 15%.

            Glyphs

           

                        Enchant Off-Handed - Superior Intellect now increases Intellect by 40, down from 100.

           

           

                        New meta gems have been added: Agile Shadowspirit Diamond (Agility/3% critical damage), Reverberating Shadowspirit Diamond (Strength/3% critical damage), and Burning Shadowspirit Diamond (Intellect/3% critical damage). Items

            Daybreaker Helm stats have been reallocated, lowering Strength and increasing parry rating.

            Left Eye of Rajh: Chance of triggering increased.

                        Normal PvE helms (item level 359) no longer have a chance to drop from Nefarian or Cho'gall on Heroic difficulty. It now reduces the cast time of Steady Shot and Cobra Shot by .2 seconds.

                        The PvE warlock 4-piece set bonus (Fel Spark) now increases the damage done by the next 2 Fel Flame spells by 300%, rather than increasing the critical effect chance of one by 100%.

                        The PvP priest 4-piece set bonus has been redesigned.              The PvP warlock 4-piece set bonus has been redesigned. It now reduces the cooldown of Death Coil by 30 seconds.

                        The PvP warrior 4-piece set bonus has been redesigned. It now reduces disarm duration by 60% (does not stack with any Weapon Chains).

           

           

            Right Eye of Rajh: Chance of triggering increased.

            Weapon Chains now reduce disarm duration by 60%, up from 50%.

            Players can now individually remove raid world markers.

            Character Info Window

           

            Guild Interface

           

            Bug Fixes

           

Quests & Creatures

            Tol Barad Peninsula

           

                        Quest turn-in NPCs have been added to Baradin Base Camp and Hellscream's Reach in Tol Barad Peninsula for the Tol Barad bonus quests. This will allow players to turn in these quests if the original quest givers in Tol Barad are not available.

                        Spawn rates at Rustberg Village have been increased.

                        Bug Fixes

                       

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