Limbo Review - Simplicity At It's Best



See the fog up in the air there?
Somewhat creepy.



When I put Limbo in my download queue, I noticed that it was only 105 mb, which is very small when put up against the big games of XBLA, but if you played just a small portion of Limbo, you'll know that it's all goodness compared to most XBLA games which just squeeze in under 2 GB limit. But in Limbo, everything is so simple. Limbo's black and white backgrounds are as powerful as Unreal Engine 3's. Limbo's silence is as tension filled as an orchestra by Martin O'Donnell. It's this simplistic nature that gives Limbo a certain, quality to the protagonist and the world around him.

Trials HD, Splosion Man & Limbo Getting Packaged For Retail

It seems that slowly, the downloadable and retail market walls are merging constantly, and this is no exception. This triple pack of arcade goodies will be at retail for $30 (which also includes a 48 hour xbox live trial & 160 microsoft points), which is $5 cheaper if you was to buy them individually. Unfortunately, this collection will only reach stores in Japan and the US. Sorry Europe, better luck next time. But let's not end on a low note, instead on a high one; the compilation will be sold at retail on April 19!

Portal 2 Achievements Unlocked

Valve have released the achievements for the sequel of the first person puzzler, Portal 2. Said achievements were produced by x360a.org, and the achievements are, as you'd expect from a Valve game, fun and rewarding, with references to past Valve games; the 'Bridge Over Troubling Water' achievement being a prime example, references to other games; the 'SaBOTour' achievement & other references; 'Stranger Than Friction' for example. You can get the achievement list here. 

The first Portal got many game of the year awards, and is packaged with The Orange Box; which is really cheap now. Portal 2 is coming out April 19 & April 22 for US and Europe respectively.

Goodbye Call Of Duty. Theres a new kid in town!

Long story short: Bulletstorm>Call of duty:Black ops (:

To be honest,I dont think I am alone in saying that, up to now, the call of duty franchise is getting old,tedious and downright boring.

MW2 was the last"oor-rah" in the franchise with the innovative pro perks,customisable killstreaks,more attachments, need I go on? However with black ops?

Diving and remote control cars? Seriously?.

Different maps and guns as is compulsory with any CoD.

Now, I've been an avid CoD fan and gamer since the CoD 4 days with my accumlative Call of duty prestiges about 30 but after double xp I just cannot be bothered with turtle beaches, RC-XD spammers etc.

Now Bulletstorm on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air in the whole concept of gaming.If you could dream of an explosive concept, chances are,you could do it. What between the explosive barrels, man-eating plants and charge shots on EVERY weapon including the leash's thumper.

*To the tune of the mcdonalds advert*

You want to shoot someone in the balls, and kick his head off? Theres a skillshot for that

You want to feed an enemy to a man-eating plant along with an explosive barrel? Theres a skillshot for that

You want to shoot a drill into a boss' stomach and kick it, shoot his helmet and leash his head clean off?! Theres a skillshot for that!

Basically, if you want to do what 90% of everyone has been doing for the last so many years and shoot, get points,killstreaks,dead and rinse and repeat for a year until the next game. Be my guest. However, if you want to actually enjoy every single individual kill, not get mad when you get owned, and kick people off cliffs then pick up a copy of Bulletstorm. I promise you wont regret it.

Besides, its good for Gamerscore/Trophies :L

Gears Of War 3 Box Art Revealed

Whilst we edge closer to the Gears Of War 3 multiplayer beta, Epic Games; the developer of the Gears Of War series, have released the final box art for Gears 3. The multiplayer beta will start sometime in April, with the full game set to rev up chainsaws on September 20th. Epic have (along with People Can Fly & EA) made the kill-tastic Bulletstorm which released yesterday (or 4 days ago if in the US), and if you buy the epic edition of Bullestorm you get early access to the Gears 3 beta.

Gears Of War 3 box art courtesy of CVG.

Coming Soon To Xbox Live Marketplace - February 21st - March 2nd

Another bi-weekly update from Major Nelson, with lots of savings on Tom Clancy games and 2 new XBLA games, a long awaited HD-ified update of Beyond Good & Evil and neat little arcade game Bejewled Blitz LIVE. Here's the list below:

Deal Of The Week:

Week of February 21 – Tom Clancy:

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection, 200 points (50 percent off)

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection 200 points (50 percent off)

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction Deniable Ops: Insurgency 400 points (50 percent off)

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Chapter 2, 300 points (50 percent off)

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. Air Supremacy, 400 points (50 percent off)
Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 All-in-one Pack, 400 points (50 percent off)
Tom Clancy’s EndWar Escalation, 200 points (50 percent off)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, 600 points (50 percent off)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction Outfit, 200 points (50 percent off)
Week of February 28:
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX, 400 Points (Save 50%)

Avatar Marketplace:
February 22:
Homefront Collection

Xbox Live Arcade:

February 23:

Bejewled Blitz LIVE - 800 Microsoft Points
March 2:

Beyond Good & Evil HD - 800 Microsoft Points

Dirt 3 Dated For May 24

Dirt 3, the off-road racer by Dirt 2 & F1 2010 developers, has been dated for a May 24 release date via EuroGamer. The May 24th date is also apparently worldwide. Back in November CEO for Codemasters Rod Cousens told Eurogamer "I don't think it does any good to publish in a congested period when everyone's putting out their shooters,". Rod also stated that Operation Flashpoint: Red River will also release in the 2nd fiscal quarter of 2011. Not much is known about Dirt 3, apart from the new Gymkhana mode & better graphics.

Black Ops First Strike Preview By Inside Xbox

With less then 3 days until the First Strike DLC is released for Black Ops, Inside Xbox talked with some Treyarch dudes (using fancy kinect video chat) about the new maps with gameplay garnished inbetween. Me personally, my favourite maps will have to be Discovery or Kowloon, due to the interactive enviroments.The First Strike DLC for Black Ops will launch on Xbox Live on February 1st for 1200 Microsoft points.

Bulletstorm Achievements Unlocked

More achievements, this time from 360joypad's baby (it's an adopted child which we didn't make but love it soooo much...) Bulletstorm. x360a got the list, which doesn't have any secret achievements, a few collectibles but does have some cool skillshot completion achievements for Gamerscore whore in all of us...

Now go and play with a small portion of our adopted child, in a non-sexual way. *cough* awkward.*cough*

Here's the link.

Bulletstorm kills with skill on February 22nd for the US & February 25th for Europe.

Black ops Patch 1.06. 11mb update

Just a quickie, i thought i'd address my loyal fans ( if any ) about the recent 11mb update on Black ops.
This update did quite a bit including something that angers me but makes so many others ecstatic!
The update did:
Supports the First Strike Maps.
New Contracts.
Better Connection, host selection and more efficient host migration.
Fixed a number of glitches including the counter-spy-plane is negated by a jammer. ( That i didnt know about until it was patched -_- )
Second chance - You will now, if you did not before, get the full points for the kill when the second chance victim dies.
Adjustment to the PSG1.
Silenced sniper rifle adjustments,
RC-XD adjustments.
Removed hit markers when shooting friendly equipment.
And lastly and THE MOST IN-FURIATING. LESS DAMAGE AND OTHER DEGRADING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AK-74U :@.
( 45 minutes of screaming later )
*ahem*, now you already know about the zombies achievements so i shan't post them.
Its nice to know that treyarch care about and listen to the community.
Off topic slightly, if you are bothered about Activision being in legal topic follow this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pam1-IDWAE. I think, as blogger wont let me paste, if not just search youtube for NGT (Next Gen Tactics ) Black ops under legal fire.
I highly recommend Next Gen Tactics if your a " serious gamer ".
But, I digress. So stay posted, watch this space etc. for any more updates.
( P.S, after see-ing my co-blogger post the zombie achievements I now rate the DLC at 7/7!!. Insta-BUY! : ) :D )