Rod Oracheski
E-Mail: rod@altgn.com
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Web Page: http://www.altgn.com
Registered Since: 2007-09-19 08:19:59
Profile: While zombies would seem the perfect housepet (they don't eat much, they're generally quiet, and they won't poop everywhere) they really aren't.
Posts by Rod:
ALTGN’s One Minute (or less) Reviews: Alone in the Dark
July 20th, 2008Alone in the Dark is Atari’s revamp of the classic series, adding in all kinds of suck to a franchise that really didn’t need any. If you like firefighting, this is the game for you!
Note: at no point in this game are you ever really ‘alone’ or even in the ‘dark’ at all.
ALTGN One Minute (or less) Reviews: Alone in the Dark (Xbox 360) from ALTGN on Vimeo.
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ALTGN’S One Minute (or less) Reviews: Haze (PS3)
June 10th, 2008By watching this, you’re in on the ground floor of ALTGN’s newest feature - reviews of games in one minute (or less).
And not just any reviews…VIDEO reviews.
ALTGN One Minute (or less) Reviews: Haze (PS3) from ALTGN on Vimeo.
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In the Shit: Success in the Desert
April 9th, 2008DELTAZULU BASE CAMP, Sal Kari desert — Over a week after leaving camp on a mission to rescue the pilot of the LooSeMeaT Hound, the squad has returned triumphant. For more on the story, we go to embedded reporter Rod Oracheski, who led the successful mission.
“It was a mission,” Oracheski says in a flat tone. “We got our man out, that’s the main thing. Our intel from Morskoj sources was bad - that’s something that FlatTopFoley needs to deal with.”
Oracheski glances over towards the command tent, where Foley’s shadow is doing an animated dance on the wall as he gestures wildly. “Looks like he’s taking care of that right now, actually. I’ll have to continue this from the truck, I think we’re moving out…”
Oracheski trails off as the silhouette of Foley stops moving suddenly, the sounds of arguing coming to a halt. After a second’s hesistation, the shadow shows Foley draw his weapon and fire a single shot into the head of the Morskoj officer in charge of the camp.
“Yep,” Oracheski laughs. “We’re moving out. Heading to Tarakia, I think. Come on, let’s continue this in the truck.”
With his gear packed into the trucks and a rifle by his side, Oracheski relaxes in the back of a personnel carrier to tell the rest of the story. With the convoy of trucks surrounded by lumbering Hounds there’s no need to be on watch, and it’s a long drive to the nearest Tarakian outpost to declare the Squad’s intent to join Tarakia.
“Intel indicated that our man was being held in Bijar, a small city near the spot he was capture,” Oracheski says. “That was pretty much the only thing they got right - the key to the ‘discussion’ Foley had with the camp commander. We felt we were set up from the start, someone in Morskoj wanted us dead.
“The enemy knew we were coming…”
… … … Nine Days Earlier … … …
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The six-man squad arrived at the south side of Bijar in the early morning hours, surprised to find a concertina wire barrier between the stone walls that marked the outer limits of the city’s expansion.
“The fuck?”
The epithet came from Hound pilot Skippy LeBeef, the first man to hit the entrance. He backpedaled along the wall the way he’d come, returning to the group hiding in the darkness of an alcove.
“Stow that,” Oracheski hissed. “Quiet or not, voices carry. Something’s up - hand signals only from here…until the shooting starts.”
The squad, accustomed to constant radio chatter, had learned the basics of silent communication during their transport to the dropoff two miles outside city limits. LeBeef, embarrassed to have been the first to slip, nodded in silence.
Looking to boost his ego and prevent the embarrassed man from becoming dead weight, Oracheski signaled LeBeef to hit the corner and check for enemy troops. He angled his fingers up, to make sure LeBeef remembered to check balconies.
The chef-turned-Hound pilot nodded back, then slipped forward along the wall again. He dropped his night vision goggles into place, scanning both sides of the street intently before returning to the group.
“Three possible routes,” he said in a barely audible whisper as he sketched the street layout, noting vehicles, cover opportunities, and troop locations, in the dirt. “Street runs straight about 60 feet, then doglegs right. No cover aside from some wrecked cars, and troops are stationed spots here, here, and here.
“On the left there’s a broken cinderblock wall, clean entry to an open door but we’re exposed for most of the trip. On the right we’ve got some cover behind parked cars to start, and we can get into the building there with minimal exposure.”
Oracheski nodded, comparing the hastily sketched layout to a printout of a days-old satellite scan, then pointing to the buildings at the far end of the street. “A sniper here, think he’d still have covering position on the street?”
LeBeef shrugged, “No way to know from here. There’s a bus on the far side of the street that wasn’t there when that sat scan was done, but I don’t think that would cover the buildings on that side from a sniper the second floor.”
Oracheski nodded, then glanced again at the troop locations. “Sniper needs to take up position here,” he said, tapping the building on the left side of the street. “You’ve got two, maybe three guys to take out on the way - and silently. You won’t have a spotter, so watch your back with whatever you’re carrying. You OK with that?”
Porkfry simply nodded, sliding his pistol out of its holster and affixing the silencer.
“OK,” Oracheski said, addressing the rest of the group. “We move to cover on the right - Porkfry takes left and we’re statues until he’s in the building. Pistols only, silencers on. Keep the boomsticks handy, when we need to go loud I want to raise hell.”
He cast his eyes around the group, getting a determined nod from each, then patted Porkfry on the shoulder. “Give em shit.”
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Porkfry led the way through the concertina wire, cutting off the restraining clip and slowly allowing the wire to pull back from the wall. He shuffled off to the left in a half-walk, half-crouch that provided both silence and speed - leaning up against the cinderblock wall for an instant to check the corners, then crossing to the doorway of the building. He gave a quick thumbs up to the group, then vanished into the darkness.
With Porkfry safely inside, the group moved to the building on the right side of the street, two taking up position by the windows and scanning the interior to clear the room before a nod sent the other three inside.
After clearing the first room, a laundry facility that reeked of bleach, the group moved into the second room - the office area for the business. Two men stood, sharing a cigarette, but a quick shot from Biz’s pistol put one soldier on the ground, with Oracheski’s shot silencing the second man before he could react to his comrade’s death.
After clearing the laundromat, the group moved to the corner building, a two story with a walk-out basement area. Oracheski had the other four members of the group clear and hold the main floor, checking out the upstairs on his own - finding a single careless sniper and knifing him the back for his lack of attention.
Dropping his night vision into place, Oracheski scanned the building to the northwest for signs of Porkfry - finding him on the second floor, already in position and flashing the thumbs up once again. Oracheski gave a small smirk in reply, then signaled a query on enemy position. Porkfry gave him the reply quickly - indicating multiple targets on both sides of the street.
Returning to the main floor, Oracheski drew the men in tight. “Porkfry’s perched,” he whispered. “These stairs go down to a walk-out room, with an entranceway on the right. There’s a dumpster on the right as you hit that entrance, and a stairway to the next building’s second floor on your left. Both are possible ambush spots - so be wary. Biz and Cherno take the stairs - clear the building, claymore it and get out. The rest of us are continuing around the corner to take up firing positions on the building they have him in.”
Both Biz and Cherno nodded, checking their pistols, and moving to the front of the group. Oracheski led the way through the entrance, popping a shot into the head of a soldier relieving himself behind the dumpster, and continuing to the half-wall - crouching alongside LeBeef and Foley to wait for Cherno and Biz.
Less than a minute later, the pair returned to the group. Cherno indicated three down, with Biz showing another two. Oracheski nodded, then pointed towards the final objective. “Time to raise holy hell,” he whispered, pulling his G3 into firing position.
The group nodded, unslinging rifles and moving into position to breach the final building. A bank of windows allowed easy firing lines into the first room, with an explosion-widened doorway granting access to the second room as well. It was LeBeef who spotted the first enemy inside, pinning the man to the wall with a burst from his assault rifle.
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The group dashed into the second room, with Oracheski spotting a ladder, still moving from recent activity, through another doorway. Whistling to Cherno, he pointed up to the second floor. Cherno winked in reply, racing to the ladder and flipping a pair of grenades upstairs, then holding his hands over his ears as the double explosion rocked the building.
“What the fuck!” Foley yelled. “What if our guy was up there?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Cherno laughed as he pointed at a nearby doorway. “He’s over here. Only closed door around.”
With a grunt, Foley kicked in the door, catching the Sal Kar soldier inside the room by surprise, flattening the man first with the door - then with a hail of bullets.
“It’s about fucking time,” Loosemeat snorted. “And LeBeef, we got some shit to talk about when we’re outta here.”
The loud crack of Porkfry’s Barrett drowned out LeBeef’s stammered reply, with another crack coming as the echoes of the first still rebounded. The group scrambled to the windows on the north side of the building to provide support fire, with Loosemeat grabbing a rifle from one of the downed enemy troops, but were able only to watch as Porkfry finished decimating an enemy squad trying to cross the street.
The sniper rifle fell silent as the last of the group hit the street, and Oracheski scanned the still-dark street for signs of more enemies.
“Anyone got anything?” he barked. “Call out.”
A series of negatives came down the line until LeBeef, with a start, pointed to the rooftop. “Movement there,” he said. “I…I think it’s Porkfry.”
Oracheski looked up, spotting a small figure jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
“How the fuck did he get up there?” he asked, then shook his head. “Never mind, doesn’t matter. Let’s get moving, he’ll catch us at the end of the street.”
The group moved across the street quickly, keenly aware that their long-range cover was now skipping merrily along the rooftops above them, and sought the shadows on the other side immediately. Arriving at the end of the street, they found Porkfry standing over another body, cleaning his knife.
“Sniper,” he said with a shrug. “He wasn’t very good.”
… … … Present Day … … …
Oracheski’s voice trails off as the trucks slow. It’s time for a fuel stop, a perfect time for enemy troops to launch an ambush, but he still hasn’t explained why it took so long for the squad to return to camp.
“Yeah, there’s more to the story,” he said. “Tell you in a bit. Better get back on watch.”
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In The Shit: Week Three - The Rescue
March 25th, 2008DELTAZULU BASE CAMP, Sal Kari desert — It’s now being reported that a hand-picked squad of Hound pilots from DeltaZulu left camp in the middle of the night, without their Hounds, heading to a small city that’s the rumoured location of their captured comrade - the pilot of the LooSeMeaT Hound. Their mission - to free their man and eliminate anyone in their way.
Embedded reporter Rod Oracheski received permission from DeltaZulu commander FlatTopFoley to accompany the squad on the raid. As a one-time Rainbow Six operative, Oracheski’s presence was not seen as a detriment by FlatTopFoley.
“The guy was in the world’s top anti-terrorist organization,” he snorted. “He’s saved Las Vegas what…two times? He should probably be leading the raid.”
The raid was timed to coincide with the early morning religious rituals of the Sal Kari people. The group is expected back within the next few hours.
More as it becomes available.
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In The Shit: CODE RED PRIORITY FAT FLASH UPDATE
March 20th, 2008DELTAZULU BASE CAMP, Sal Kari desert – The camp is a frenzy of activity today, after the interception of a Sal Kar radio transmission that seems to indicate the pilot of the LooSeMeaT Hound, presumed Killed In Action during a recent skirmish, may be alive.
“Yeah, our Radio Ops guys intercepted a signal about an hour ago,” Skedoozy, another DeltaZulu squad member, commented. “They relayed it on to Command, and they’re putting together an action plan right now. The message said the captured Morskovian Hound pilot would be transported to a nearby city for interrogation. Obviously that’s our guy.”
Skedoozy, who seemed to know intimate details about the transmission, is not a member of the Radio Ops team in the base camp. Asked how he knows so much information, he just shrugged.
“Oh, I pretty much know everything,” he said. “Ask anyone.”
At this time it’s unclear what DeltaZulu’s response to the intercepted transmission will be. Skippy LeBeef, also involved in the skirmish in which the LooSeMeaT Hound was destroyed, urged caution.
“We should probably take our time,” he said. “Plan out different approaches, make sure we’ve covered everything - even if it takes days and days. It’s better to do it right the first time instead of having to ’send the chili twice’ as we always said in the kitchens. It’s an old Morskovian saying.
“We should definitely be prepared before heading out. Give him time to cool down…uhh…I mean resist the torture.”
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In the Shit: Week Two - Tragedy Strikes
March 17th, 2008DELTAZULU BASE CAMP, Sal Kari desert — Though the squad has yet to return from the night’s sortie, garbled communications have established one tragic fact - the squad has suffered a loss in their battle against Sal Kari forces, with a Hound destroyed and its pilot lost and assumed dead.
At this time it’s not known what happened during the battle, which took place during a raging sandstorm, or even who the casualty was. Embedded reporter Rod Oracheski was not with the squad during the battle, but has been unreachable due to the weather conditions.
More details are expected to become available as the day progresses. The squad is scheduled to return to base camp within four hours, though they may have been delayed by the battle and resulting fallout.
2:50 a.m. — We’ve established a tenuous connection with reporter Rod Oracheski, who confirms that a DeltaZulu Hound has been destroyed. It’s unclear at this time whether early reports of the Hound’s pilot being killed were accurate, and the identity of the Hound and pilot are still unknown.
Oracheski relayed that he was able to connect briefly with DeltaZulu commander FlatTopFoley, as well as with Skippy LeBeef - neither man’s Hound suffered more than minor damage during the skirmish that claimed one of the unit’s Hounds. Weather conditions continue to play a role in the mystery surrounding the incident, as sand storms pound the region.
More as it becomes available.
10:30 a.m. — DeltaZulu arrived back at base camp, more than four hours past their scheduled arrival. The camp is a flurry of activity as mechanics assess damage and prepare ammunition resupply. A quick survey of the Hounds in the camp shows only one missing - the striking pink and blue Hound known by the callsign LooSeMeaT.
A quick conversation with FlatTopFoley, who had the best view of the skirmish from his Commander Hound, reveals the shocking details of LooSeMeaT’s final minutes.
“Yeah, I saw it,” FlatTopFoley sighed with a shake of his head. “We were approaching a COMBAS on a dune and you couldn’t see shit because of all the sand, right? I get a reading of a Hound taking off down the other side of the dune, relay that to the guys and Skippy goes left around the dune, LooSeMeaT takes it right - classic pincer movement, they’ve done it a million times.”
FlatTopFoley paused, as if giving it some more thought.
“Well, I guess LooSeMeaT’s done it a million times,” he clarified. “Skippy’s normally more of a recon guy, he’s off by himself blowing the shit out of buildings and civilians and crap - you know, instilling fear in the local populace to stave off rebellion. It’s effective as fuck, having a Hound come stomping through your front yard and stomping down your fence, and Skippy’s good at it.”
Wiping sand from his face, FlatTopFoley goes back to the battle description.
“So they get around the dune and the other Hound has booked it, he’s fucking gone. I radio in to tell them they’ve lost their target and LooSeMeaT answers back but Skippy…well, Skippy doesn’t hear so good sometimes. It’s all the spacers, you see, they’re a double whammy - all the metal blocks the radio frequencies and they transmit vibration like crazy so he can’t hear half the time anyway.
“So yeah…Skippy didn’t hear the call-off. He swung around the dune and saw a Hound, so he engaged. His first rounds caught LooSeMeaT in the side of the cockpit, and we figure those knocked out his radio and lights. Without the ability to flash his lights to warn Skippy off, he had no chance. Skippy pounded the shit out of that Hound before realizing who it was, and by then it was too late.”
FlatTopFoley sighed…then brightened a bit.
“Gotta give him credit though, that was a hell of a job. He’s really improved his targeting.”
As for the fate of the Hound’s pilot, FlatTopFoley said that’s still unknown.
“Skippy and LooSeMeaT were off in their own sub-squad for the COMBAS capture,” he explained. “Skedoozy was our closest Hound, and by the time he arrived on the scene, the Sal Kari response forces were rolling in. We were outnumbered 2:1, and that was just the Hounds showing on radar at the time, so we had no choice but to surrender the position and book out of there.”
Asked if their man could still be alive, FlatTopFoley shrugged.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I guess it’s possible, but he was alone in a desert during a sandstorm with enemy forces closing in, so I don’t think the odds are in his favor.”
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Final Harry Potter book = two movies
March 12th, 2008Is there a better way to make twice as much money off one book than to split it into two movies?
If there is, someone tell David Heyman, who’s the producer of the Harry Potter line of films. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two separate films.
The films, cleverly titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, will apparently be released in November, 2010 and May, 2011.
David Yates will be on board as the director once again. He was the man behind the camera for Order of the Phoenix, and is the vision behind the upcoming Half-Blood Prince.
I won’t say who killed Dumbledore, but I think it’s pretty fucking obvious who’s soaking millions of Harry Potter fans for all the money they can before their license to print money is done for good.
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In the Shit: Week One - The Search
March 10th, 2008I arrived in Morskoj on Monday, flying in to the heavily-damaged airport at Ostrov shortly after noon, local time. Perfect timing according to the locals, who say the Tarakian shelling stops at daybreak and won’t resume until some time after midnight.
Tarakian Hounds might have sizable racks of rockets to go with top-of-the-line night vision modules, but they’re neither swift nor suited for lengthy engagements. Playing to their strengths, they arrive in the dark, fire their rockets and move to a new firing location (shots are taken in roughly 20-minute intervals so their Scout Hounds have time to survey damage and report new target assignments) only leaving to refuel and resupply when the sun threatens to rise.
These Tarakian artillery Hounds often shell the capital unopposed, with the bulk of Morskovian Hounds currently fighting on the front lines and the few defenders left behind woefully unprepared for tracking in the dark. A quick check of the active duty roster revealed none with working night-vision modules.
As for the city itself, the people here are the typical Slavic nationals: quiet, hard-working, and willing to talk about whatever you want for only a few Isra - the local currency. It’s no wonder they make such good mercenaries - and it’s the mercenaries that I’m here to find.
It’s a testament to the independent and secretive nature of the Morskovian people that it takes me three days, and several thousand Isra, to track down solid leads on one squad of Morskovian mercenaries.
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Six days later I arrived at the base camp of DeltaZulu, deep into the Sal Kari desert and remarkably close to Qara, the capital city of the kingdom. My timing is perfect once again, with the squad arriving back to camp just as I finished unpacking my camera gear.
With several Hounds requiring heavy repairs, I took the time to get to know Sgt. Skippy LeBeef and uncovered the first of many secrets this “Morskovian” mercenary group holds - few of them are actually from Morskoj.
LeBeef is one of the squad’s few Morskovians, at one point working as an apprentice COMBAS repairman for MLR (Morskovian Land Report), one of Morskoj’s top tech companies. LeBeef said that career just wasn’t to be, however.
“Yeah, I lasted two, maybe three days,” LeBeef said with a chuckle. “I wound up fired for not answering my superiors ‘in a timely manner’ when they addressed me. It’s just as well, though. Fixing COMBAS units would never have led to the cockpit of a Hound.”
After leaving MLR, LeBeef transitioned into a military life - but not into a Hound quite yet.
“I started in the kitchens for the Morskoj army,” he remarked. “We didn’t have much to work with - some fish heads and scabs mostly - but I found that I made it work. It was like the ingredients just talked to me, like I knew what to add to make something good…no matter what it was.”
LeBeef said one of the keys is proper storage.
“This food we’re making, some of it is for the guys here but there’s a lot shipped out to the field,” he said.
“You can’t just throw that shit into a baggy and ship it out, it has to be properly packed and frozen. We get a lot of idiots in here who just don’t get that. One guy tried to ship my fan-favorite Fish Head Chili in a bunch of cups wrapped in saran wrap. We transferred that idiot to the infantry and shipped him to the front lines. By now he’s either dead or an Admiral or whatever they call it.”
LeBeef’s obvious distaste for, and lack of knowledge of, the military life makes his current occupation as a mercenary seem a puzzling choice. I make a note to try and explore that topic in the future, as he’s eager to get working on some modifications to his Hound’s chassis. His eyes gleam as he talks about a big idea he has involving spacers in some way, but calms down when asked about today’s offensive.
“After days of death and destruction in the Sal Kari desert, we’ve made it to the capital city,” he said with a sigh. “Many civilians will die needlessly. Their government should have evacuated them but failed to do so.”
A mechanic pulls LeBeef away, and talk of spacers erupts as the two head back to his Hound. So many questions left unanswered, but at least I’ve found them - and found some level of acceptance by the squad.
“Get yourself a Hound,” LeBeef yells back at me. “You can come see what it’s like, out there in the shit.”
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New feature, starting Monday
March 7th, 2008 |
What is it? Well maybe you know what this image is from. Maybe you don’t.
OK, probably you don’t.
Starting Monday though, you will. Because that’s when the shit hits the fan.
Tanks? Bridges? What else could there be? Jews?
Maybe. You’ve gotta have someone to blame, after all.
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Gears of War: the official figures
January 17th, 2008 |
NECA (maybe you know their Castlevania stuff?) has announced a series of figures based on Gears of War, the popular third-person shooter for the Xbox 360 and PC.
There have been some unofficial figures in the past, including some rather nice ones, but these are the real deal - as licensed and official as it gets.
For more on the release, check the press release here on NECA’s website.
The figures have an incredible level of detail, and if you’re a big Gears of War fan I’d imagine they will look pretty good on your shelf next to all those pictures of past sexual conquests.
Or maybe your bowling trophies.
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Kreuk tapped for Street Fighter flick
December 21st, 2007 |
According to ComingSoon, Kristin Kreuk, perhaps best known for her role as Lana Lang on TV’s Smallville, will be taking on the role of Chun-li for the upcoming Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li.
Kreuk seems a decent fit for the role in terms of looks, being smoking hot and all, but can she fill the bill when it comes to the physical nature of the role?
I’m assuming, of course, that they’re going to make a Street Fighter movie that has fighting in it and not go all “Incredible Hulk” and make it a movie about how she’s feeling.
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Warhawk: now with stats!
December 21st, 2007 |
With the expansion hitting, I guess Incognito decided it’d be a good time to update the website - adding in stat tracking and the ability to compare your stats to those of your friends.
It’s kind of interesting, especially as it lets you see how much people have (or haven’t) played. Definitely a good way to get more attention for your product, as people just love them numbers.
To check out the site and compare your kill ratio to that of your friends, just go here and start entering names.
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More DLC for 360 version of GTA IV?
December 19th, 2007As part of a conference call that I shamelessly skipped out on, Take-Two made some financial disclosures that shed light on video game related news, namely downloadable content (DLC) for Grand Theft Auto IV on the 360.
No doubt you already heard about the pair of exclusive episodes, slated to hit Xbox Live Marketplace as DLC at some point in 2008. What the call revealed was more content, scheduled for 2009.
You can read more about it here, at GamesIndustry.biz. Here’s the pertinent part:
“In fiscal 2009 we’ll also be offering additional episodic content for Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360,” confirmed Ben Feder, CEO of Take-Two.The publisher also reiterated the full game will be released next year, with two exclusive episodes due before the end of 2008.
If the talk of DLC is actually stuff that’s in addition to the already-announced exclusives, then the 360 package looks a bit stronger yet. You have to wonder if the PS3 version is going to be getting something of its own though, as Rockstar probably wouldn’t turn down Sony’s money either…
Update: According to Rockstar, the content in fiscal 2009 is simply the second of the expansions for the game. Crisis averted, PS3 fans!
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EA going FPS with C&C
December 18th, 2007 |
Electronic Arts is looking to mine a little more life out of Command & Conquer with Tiberium. Get it? Mine…Tiberium? Man, I’m dying here.
Anyway, like they did with Command & Conquer Renegade umpteen years ago, EA will be taking the C&C series in a different direction - a tactical FPS they’re currently calling Tiberium.
Not much is known about the game, though it’s apparently been in development for two years already and is slated for release sometime in autumn of 2008 on the PS3, 360, and PC platforms.
EA provided a few details, along with a screenshot that’s not very informative - looks like part of the gameplay involves worship of an ED-209 statue.
Here’s the press release:
CHERTSEY, UK - December 18, 2007 – Electronic Arts today revealed it is developing Tiberium™, a new game that brings a rich, original fiction to life through intense tactical action and visceral first-person shooting. Set in a stunning sci-fi world with spectacular visual effects and dramatic environments, Tiberium takes players on an adventure through a devastated Earth and places them in the heart of an epic battle for control of a powerful energy source.Tiberium is a mysterious extraterrestrial crystal that shatters the energy output of traditional fossil fuels. It has the power to save our civilization; it also has the power to destroy it. For eleven years, an alien tower has stood dormant, looming like an unholy mountain over a wasteland once known as the Mediterranean Sea. The tower was thought to be a relic of the Third Tiberium War; a devastating war fought for control over Tiberium crystal. It is not a relic. It is not dormant. Deep within the tower, plans are in motion for an alien invasion. This is where the Tiberium adventure begins.
Players step into the shoes of Forward Battle Commander Ricardo Vega and will assemble an assortment of elite squads to combat the global crisis. Armed with an arsenal of weapons including a transforming personal weapon system, multi-launch homing missiles, capital ship bombardments and tactical ion cannon strikes, Vega will lead the fight from the front lines.
Featuring a unique blend of first-person shooting and tactical squad combat, players will control multiple infantry, armour, and air squads as the fight escalates. In Tiberium, Vega is the most powerful presence on the battlefield, and the squads are his most decisive weapon. Players can take multi-squad control combat into single-player or bring the action into online multiplayer battles.
Chris Plummer, executive producer at EA Los Angeles, said: “After two years of pre-production, it is exciting to finally reveal this game and its rich fiction to the world. We’ve put a lot of effort into evolving the tactical shooter experience by taking core gameplay compulsions like commanding, choice and dominating your enemies and delivering them in first-person. Some of the weapons and mechanics are truly innovative for a first-person game. We’re very proud to be part of a project that has the potential to really make a mark on the canon of sci-fi fantasy fiction.”
Mike Verdu, VP and General Manager at EA Los Angeles added, “EALA has a long history of developing groundbreaking real-time strategy games with the Command & Conquer series. That series also originally introduced the Tiberium universe to gamers worldwide. Now, we are growing Tiberium from a simple backdrop to a fully realized universe with its own unique, hybrid squad-based shooter gameplay. This is the birth of a new franchise - we couldn’t be more excited.”
Developed at EA Los Angeles, Tiberium will be available worldwide in autumn 2008 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, and PC. The game has not yet been rated by PEGI.
I recall killing quite a few hours in Renegade’s multiplayer system, back in the day. I might have to give this one another look when it gets closer to release.
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Grand Theft What? Saints Row 2 shaping up nicely.
December 18th, 2007Given the amount of people who find ALTGN while searching things like “transsexual” or “fetish” or even “put it where it doesn’t belong” - I can tell that at least some gamers are going to appreciate the new features found in Saints Row 2’s character customization.
Trannies.
That’s right, the “is that a dude?” crowd makes an appearance in games at long last. Well, besides all those Final Fantasy heroes…and I’m pretty sure at least one or two of those were actually chicks. You can be a transsexual, in a game where you kill cops and innocent bystanders with wild abandon and can even crash planes into buildings.
Jack Thompson, better get yourself some new lines about murder simulators and the degradation of America’s youth - you’re going to be busy when this one hits shelves.
Here’s more on the game, from GamePlayer:
While the original Saints Row may have lacked the expertly executed satire and originality of the GTA series, it certainly made up for it with its mostly excellent controls, hilarious side missions and dazzling visuals. Saints Row 2, due sometime in 2008, builds on the original Xbox 360 crime sim and packs in some exceptional new features not yet seen in the genre. It’s aiming to be a serious threat to GTA IV’s world conquering plans.Firstly, Saints Row 2 is packing a lot of elements that should have been included in the first place, namely aircraft. Fixed wing aircraft and helicopters are in, as are motorbikes, jet-skis, speedboats and more, and most of them will have performance upgrades available. The addition of aircraft in particular is handy given that the Stilwater location in SR2 will apparently be 45% larger than that of the first game.
If what little we have seen so far can be believed, you’ll also be able to fly right through a building! How cool is that? We can’t wait to cleave right through skyscraper penthouse to take out an enemy drug lord, and mutter something deadpan like, “Sorry to crash the party”. Entire buildings won’t be destructible – this isn’t an Al-Qaeda training simulator – but flying aircraft through windows certainly opens up a lot of cool new gameplay possibilities; a dogfight in and out of buildings with an army jet or police chopper would be particularly awesome.
Character customisation, which was already quite deep in the previous game, has been enhanced to the point where you can customise your character’s sex, or in the words of the developers, “you can play as a man, a woman or anything in between”. Yes, your dreams of controlling an Uzi-toting transsexual are about to come true (you sicko).
Co-op play in the story mode, stacked on top of a slew of improvements to a game that was already challenging GTA - at least in terms of gameplay? Sounds good to me.
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