The Post Game Report - Episode 179

We are joined by VenomousFatman: Community Manager for Shifted2U.com

JVB warns us that the ACTA bill is a real danger to our internet, and the SOPA, and PIPA bills are not dead.

We discuss the - rumored - new Xbox, Mega Man, Pac Man, and the PS Vita.

Soldier gives you a great tip on how you can gain an Onyx medal achievement in Gears of War 3.

There is a new segment that is introduced by Soldier called: What the Tweet?

Post Game Report - Episode 179

If you would like to send us some feedback our email address is pgr@talkingaboutgames.com and be sure to follow us on twitter @PostGameReport.

Posted on 27 January 2012 | 6:46 am

Resistance 3 last in franchise for Insomniac

Posted on 26 January 2012 | 1:05 pm

Rumor: Next-gen Xbox won't play used games

Along with the unsurprising announcement that Microsoft's next-generation Xbox console will support Blu-ray DVD technology, Kotaku has reported a rumor that the unannounced-but-inevitable future console will somehow eliminate gamers' ability to play used or previously-purchased games.

Exactly how this alleged anti-used technology would work is unknown, but such a feature would effectively take away the service that used-game companies like GameStop rely on, condemning them to an almost-certain doom.

If true, this measure is guaranteed to cause controversy, but it nevertheless represents the next logical step for video game publishers' ongoing feud with the used-game market. Publishers have already begun dissuading gamers from buying used titles with things like online passes and similar content that is only available to customers for free if they buy their games new. However, that content typically costs only a fraction of the game itself when purchased separately, while a full-blown anti-used feature would require every gamer to pay the full market price for every video game they own. That's a drastic escalation on the publishers' part.

Posted on 26 January 2012 | 10:03 am

TAG Member Podcast of the Week: The KNOXbroadcast Family Show Episode 2

Hello and welcome back to The KNOXbroadcast Family show. This is Episode 2 of the complete KB crew with special guest Lakeidea, our young and always chipper, smiling, college sorority creating cousin. We go deep into some of our TV shows we’ve been watching along with a couple suspect kiddy shows that the entire gang isn’t afraid to divulge. We also discuss many situations faced by Christian college/workplace goers in today’s social climate. Speaking of social we touch on smart phones and the ability to gain instant access to social networking outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, Google plus and how these outlets have the infectious ability to allow people to show who they really are.

We round out the show with listener reviews and appreciations for our community along with a bevy of other topics. Please remember to go to our Facebook page subscribe and become a part of the KNOXbroadcast family at KNOXbroadcast.com or on iTunes, the Stitcher app, Zune marketplace and the always reliable direct RSS feed Knoxbroadcast.libsyn.com

We thank you so very much for listening, any questions, prayer request and or feedback can be sent to KNOXbroadcast@gmail.com. If you would, spare a moment and leave us an honest review on iTunes it would be greatly appreciated. Follow us on Twitter @KNOXbroadcast

Direct Download: HERE

Posted on 24 January 2012 | 8:13 pm

Rumor: Microsoft Points on the way out

Microsoft Points are an oft-hated system by many gamers. Many have called for an end to the system and a move to a simpler purchasing system like PlayStation Network has. Most just want buy what they want with real money, not some fake currency where they are forced to spend more than they want when items don't fit within multiples of $5.

If rumors are to be believed apparently Microsoft, too, has grown tired of Microsoft Points. InsideMobileApps is reporting a source has told them that Microsoft Points are set to be phased out by the end of 2012. By then all purchases will be made with real money based on the region of the account. In addition to changing how Xbox Live will work this will also affect the Zune Marketplace and Windows Phone.

Microsoft has yet to confirm the validity of this rumor so we'll have to see how it goes. Personally I don't see why they can't just allow both real money and Microsoft Points to co-exist. They already allow you to purchase Games on Demand using a credit card, it can't be that hard to extend that to other areas.

Posted on 24 January 2012 | 12:59 pm

PSA: Modern Warfare 3 maps now available for Elite members

I have some good news, some bad news and some worse news for fans of Modern Warfare 3.The good news: two new maps have just been released for download. The bad news: these maps are available only to subscribers to Call of Duty Elite. The worse news: if you are a paid subscriber but play on PlayStation 3, you'll have to wait.

If you match the requirements set by Activision then today you can get your hands on the two new maps: Liberation and Piazza. To download your new maps just fire up Modern Warfare 3 and get them from the "Download Elite Content" section inside the in-game store. You can then play the maps in a special Elite-only playlist.

These first two maps are just the beginning of Activision's planned 20 content drops for Elite members over the next year. PlayStation 3 Elite subscribers can expect these two maps at a later date. Non-subscribers will see these maps folded into a normal downloadable map pack once Activision has enough maps to create one.

Posted on 24 January 2012 | 12:47 pm

XBLA's House Party games priced and dated

A couple weeks ago Microsoft announced the titles that would be released for their spring Xbox Live Arcade promotion, House Party. The four games are Warp, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Nexuiz and I Am Alive. Today they have announced the price for each game and when they will release:

• February 15 - Warp (800 Microsoft Points)
• February 22 - Alan Wake's American Nightmare (1,200 MSP)
• February 29 - Nexuiz (800 MSP)
• March 7 - I Am Alive (1,200 MSP)

Posted on 24 January 2012 | 12:35 pm

Rumor: Twisted Metal to implement PSN Pass

Despite statements to the contrary by creator David Jaffe, it seems like Twisted Metal may indeed receive the controversial PlayStation Network Pass after all. Sony's brand of the online pass has already been witnessed in games like Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3 so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that the latest PlayStation 3 exclusive will also fall in line.

The Gamers Hub broke the story when they spoke with QA Lead Justin Trease about the subject at CES. He answered "yes," when asked about the inclusion of the PSN Pass. Previously Jaffe had spoke up saying that he ideally didn't want the PSN Pass inside Twisted Metal, which he feels still has "a mountain to climb in terms of gaining people’s good faith." If the PSN Pass takes the same form as previous Sony games it will block access to multiplayer modes unless players input a code that came with their brand new game or pay $10 to purchase one if they either rented or bought the game used.

Twisted Metal is set to release on February 14 exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

Posted on 21 January 2012 | 9:57 am

You Might Have Missed: Shadows of the Damned

Last June saw the release of an interesting title with a ton of ambition and plenty of big names to back it up. Shadows of the Damned comes from the creative minds of Suda 51, the man behind off-the-wall titles like Killer7 and No More Heroes, and Shinji Mikami of Resident Evil fame. The game features egotistical Mexican demon-hunter Garcia Hotspur and his wise-cracking sidekick Johnson, a floating skull who can transform into a variety of weapons. Hotspur's girlfriend, Paula, is captured by the demon-lord Fleming and the pair must enter the underworld to rescue her.

This bizarre set up leads to a game that is equal parts hilarious, irreverent and disturbing. It also stands as one of the most stylistically original titles in recent memory. On top of the crazy setting is a solid third-person shooter with interesting weapons, cool boss fights and plenty of crazy mechanics, like shooting goat heads to light up an area.

Hit the jump to hear why Shadows of the Damned is a title that you might have missed.

Posted on 21 January 2012 | 12:47 am

Alan Wake launching on Steam this February

Alan Wake was definitely one of the better games of 2010 but it was also one that was incredibly overlooked. Its poor marketing and short length led to low sales for the Xbox 360 exclusive. Luckily Alan Wake is set to get another chance with an appearance on PC next month.

Alan Wake is launching on Steam during February, with no further date announced at this time. As a nice bonus for PC players the Steam version of Alan Wake will include the full game as well as The Signal and The Writer DLC packs for no extra charge. The game can be played using mouse and keyboard or an Xbox 360 controller. Most surprising is that Alan Wake is not Games for Windows Live enabled and is instead taking full advantage of the Steam platform, meaning Steam achievements and cloud saving.

If Alan Wake is a game you overlooked when it hit consoles, or if you just want an excuse to revisit the game, it sounds like the Steam version will be the best version available. We'll keep you posted when we hear a solid release date and any pricing details.

Posted on 20 January 2012 | 11:44 pm

Resident Evil Revelations Demo Now Available

In other Resident Evil news, a demo for Resident Evil Revelations is now available through the eShop for all Nintendo 3DS owners. The demo can be started up to thirty times. Once you've done that, no more demo for you!

Revelations is set to introduce brand new storylines, characters and locations to the franchise. It promises to "return to the classic survival horror style with infected enemies lurking in dark confined corridors." Playable characters include BSAA members Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield and Keith Lumley with their partners Parker Luciani, Jessica Sherawat and Quint Cetcham.

It's nice to see Nintendo FINALLY offering up demos for their games. Let's hope that this becomes standard procedure as more high-profile 3DS titles like Kid Icarus Uprising and Luigi's Mansion 2 are on the way.

Resident Evil Revelations will be available on February 7 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

Posted on 19 January 2012 | 1:25 pm

[UPDATE] Rumor: Resident Evil 6 leaked, coming this November

If recent rumors are to be believed, we'll ge getting a brand new Resident Evil game this fall. According to IGN, photographs have taken of promotional posters sent to GameStop. According to the signs we can expect Resident Evil 6 on November 20, 2012. The images certainly look real although Capcom is refusing to comment.

A viral site linked to Capcom, www.nohopeleft.com, has inferred that something will happen today at 2:00 PM PST. Chances are that this Resident Evil 6 leak is set to be announced later today. We'll keep you up to date as this story continues.

[UPDATE] It's now official. Check out the Official Trailer for Resident Evil 6 below.

Posted on 19 January 2012 | 1:12 pm

Mass Effect 3 Demo PC Requirements Listed

PC gaming is not dead. But you do have to make sure your rig is up -to-date if you wanna keep the gaming going. If you like your Commander Shepard all keyboard-and-mousey then heads up. Bioware has revealed the specs needed to enjoy the upcoming Mass Effect 3 Demo when it's available on February 14.

Minimum Spec:

• OS - Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1, Win 7 *Supported chipsets: NVIDIA 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 9300, 8500, 8400, and 8300 are below minimum system requirements, as are AMD/ATI Radeon HD3200, HD3300, and HD4350. Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required.
• CPU - 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
• RAM - 1GB for XP / 2GB RAM for Vista/Win 7
• Disc Drive - 1x speed
• Hard Drive - 2.5 GB of free space
• Video - 256 MB* (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support)
• Sound - DirectX 9.0c compatible
• DirectX - DirectX 9.0c August 2009 (included)

Recommended Spec:

• OS - Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1, Win 7
• CPU - 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (equivalent AMD CPU)
• RAM - 2GB for XP / 4GB RAM for Vista/Win 7
• Disc Drive - 1x speed
• Hard Drive - 2.5 GB of free space
• Video - AMD/ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB or greater, NVidia GeForce 9800 GT 512 MB or greater
• Sound - DirectX 9.0c compatible

Posted on 19 January 2012 | 10:19 am

Bioshock Infinite to Include Tougher '1999 Mode'

2K Games has announced that Bioshock Infinite will include a tougher, more old-school way to play called 1999 Mode.

This mode is for you guys who would like to be punished (videogame wise, that is) by the brutal difficulty level of gaming past. You will also face permanent consequences from your gameplay decisions. One such example is by picking a specialization and sticking with it.

"We want to give our oldest and most committed fans an option to go back to our roots," said Ken Levine, Creative Director of Irrational Games. "I'm an old school gamer. We wanted to make sure we were taking into account the play styles of gamers like me. So we went straight to the horse's mouth by asking them, on our website, a series of questions about how they play our games. 94.6 percent of respondents indicated that upgrade choices enhanced their BioShock gameplay experience; however, 56.8 percent indicated that being required to make permanent decisions about their character would have made the game even better."

1999 Mode will also force the player to carefully keep track of their weapon, power and health levels. If you die during 1999 mode with no resources to bring you back to life, its GAME OVER for good. Seems this mode will truly be for the hardest of hardcore Bioshock players.

Posted on 19 January 2012 | 9:26 am

The Big 3 in 2012

The past year has been full of successes and failures. In 2012 Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft will continue to try to balance both the casual and more dedicated gaming crowds in an economy where every penny counts. What do these 3 giants need to do to gain momentum in 2012?

Hit the jump to find out...

Posted on 18 January 2012 | 7:26 pm

Post Game Report - Episode 178

On this episode of the Post Game Report JVB talks about his session with the downloadable title AMY. We discuss the dangers of SOPA and PIPA. We also talk about our feelings on Uncharted 3.

The Post Game Report - Episode 178

If you would like to send us some feedback our email address is pgr@talkingaboutgames.com and be sure to follow us on twitter @PostGameReport.

Posted on 13 January 2012 | 2:31 pm

Talking About Games to join SOPA/PIPA Blackout on January 18

Posted on 12 January 2012 | 9:57 pm

My Top Ten of 2011

Posted on 12 January 2012 | 9:19 pm

Talking About Games Writers Choice Awards 2011 - Game of the Year

We’ve finally arrived at the end of our Writers Choice Awards. It was no easy task to simply decide on a single Game of the Year, so each of our writing staff decided to say a few words about their favorite games before deciding on our Game of the Year.

We appreciate all of you readers who have taken just a little bit of time to read our content over the past few days and we look forward to doing this again next year (this assumes that the Mayans were wrong about 2012).

So hit the jump to see our Game of the Year for 2011.

Posted on 12 January 2012 | 8:42 pm

Talking About Games Writers Choice Awards 2011 - Day Four

Posted on 12 January 2012 | 8:22 pm