GEN
Podcast: Kombo Breaker: Episode 2 - Screw Games, Let's Do Chores!
by Dan Johnson | 07/04/08 | 6:19 PM PST



The Kombo Breaker Krew (I'm pretty sure I'm joking about that, but I also just might be that lame) returns to give you more talk on the latest news and games. In contrast, though, Sean details his first experience with World of Warcraft and fails to find it a labor of love, and more just a plain labor. Phil picked up Brawl this past weekend in-between his Kid Icarus concept-drawing time (Editor's note: That's a joke) and Dan walks like an aggro-ing Egyptian in the little-known MMO A Tale in the Desert.

The guys also discuss the Dyack debacle and Rock Band 2's announcement with plenty of speculation on whether Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero: World Tour will reign supreme this fall. Give it a listen and, as always, let us know any feedback you have for us.

Episode 2 [1h:8m]

GEN
My Game This Weekend: Why Am I Still Playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2 -- What's Yours?
by Nathan Grayson | 07/04/08 | 2:24 PM PST

I am completely and utterly perplexed as to why I'm still playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2.

Sure, on its own merits, it's a fine piece of work -- deep as a hole through the center of the earth and frighteningly lengthy for those who seek out its intricacies. But games aren't created in an air-tight bubble, and thus, they're held up against standards we've developed from playing other games.

And that's the problem with FF Tactics A2. When compared to its series brethren (FF Tactics and FF Tactics Advance), it comes up woefully short. I could bore you with every little detail, but we already reviewed the game, and that's not why I'm textually here. Instead, I'll sum it up: FF Tactics A2 attempts to appeal to a casual audience using gameplay systems that are inherently hardcore. Thus, Square Enix crafted a gray, chilly no-man's land. Hardcore gamers will find the game to be sleep-inducingly easy (note: FF Tactics A2 does not actually cause narcolepsy) as well as an inferior retread of the Tactics games before it, while casual gamers won't be able to easily wade into its depths.

But, for some reason -- some illogical justification of my actions that not even my lithe, young gigantic superbrain can decipher -- I'm still playing.

So that's what I'll be playing: "Figuring out why I'm still playing FF Tactics A2." Also, when I'm not straining my gray matter, I'll probably be watching UFC 86.

With that said, what will you be playing this fine holiday weekend?

360
"Reliable Sources" say Halo 4 will be Announced at E3
by Nathan Grayson | 07/04/08 | 1:46 PM PST

Bungie Day may be looking nice, but if Sarcastic Gamer's source is correct, it'll be topped a mere week later.

The source delivered a two-fold revelation, saying that 1) Halo 4 is in-development at Bungie and 2) that we'll likely hear Marty O'Donnell's blaring score at some point during Microsoft's E3 press conference -- I'm betting that it'll happen when Halo 4 is announced.

CVG, meanwhile, says that everyone's favorite ring world-themed series will be present at E3, but that it won't be starring Master Chief. (How about Mister Chief instead? Pretty please?) Odds are, then, that this Halo is the collaboration between Microsoft and Peter Jackson that we've heard so much about, yet seen none of.

So, what's your take? Do you think Master Chief will be dancing around on stage during the Microsoft press conference at E3? Or do you think Microsoft should focus on Halo Wars this year? Or, further still, are you just sick and tired of Halo?

GEN
Have a Happy 4th of July!
by Phillip Levin | 07/04/08 | 1:41 PM PST



For those of you that celebrate it, have a happy and safe Independence Day! As you can already tell, today will be a slow news day. The industry has basically shut down for the day, and we're all busy BBQing, trying to set off fireworks without killing ourselves and of course gaming. If you knew what was good for you, you'd be doing the same thing (after you're done reading the site, of course). Enjoy the calm before the storm. E3 is just over a week away.

Happy 4th of July, and thanks for reading!

GEN
Denis Dyack: NeoGAF is Hurting Video Game Industry
by Tanner Smith | 07/04/08 | 1:17 PM PST

Woah boy. Turns out that Denis Dyack may be a little crazier than he initially let on! Speaking on the latest 1UP Yours podcast, Dyack explained just why he went after the NeoGAF community for talking trash about Too Human:

I was basically calling out people who had no way of assessing the game... All I wanted to point out to people is that this is so ridiculous... I went through all of this for two reasons.... If you're going to look at the NeoGAF forum as a non-profit organization, if it does not reform itself, it's eventually going to crumble. There's going to be a point where they step over the line where someone's going to shut them down.

That would be a loss for everyone.... The question I have to ask the moderators of GAF: Are you going to follow your own rules? With people making GIFs of myself that are, I would say, attacking me.... Why haven't 180 people been banned now? If I wanted to move in and shut that place down, do I have grounds under their own forum policy?

NeoGAF and other forums like this that don't have good management are not only hurting society and hurting the videogame industry, they're in decline, and they need to reform quickly before people stop listening to them... If the moderators and people who run the site think they aren't doing any damage, they are sorely mistaken, and it's only a matter of time before something bad happens.

NeoGAF, as you can imagine, hasn't exactly responded in the nicest of ways.

360
Another Naruto to the 360?
by Joey Davidson | 07/04/08 | 1:11 PM PST



XBox 360 Fanboy has recently listed an article that points towards the possibility of another Naruto title for Microsoft's Box.

This one is set to be called '[Broken Bond,' and will deal with Naruto and Sasuke's relationship. Fans of the series will likely be looking forward to the entirely epic fight sequences that are sure to ensue from the Ninja brethren.

More from Kombo as it develops.

360
Microsoft Dabling in 3D Gaming
by Joey Davidson | 07/04/08 | 12:56 PM PST

Well, I guess the first question for all of this is whether or not you'd be willing to wear headgear to play incredibly intense video games. Me? If a game involves some 3D slaughter and all I have to do is make a fool of myself in order to get in on that action then, well, sign me up.

Microsoft has been experimenting with 3D gaming recently, but have seen the headgear factor as a potential party pooper. I don't know why.

XNA General Manager, Chris Satchell, recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz about 3D gaming and its future, or lack there of.

Here's what he said:

This is a very interesting area of graphics technology. We have done experiments with this at Microsoft and the results are extremely interesting. However, the current systems that work well require wearing active shutter glasses and I think it is hard to be mainstream with asking people to wear headgear to play games.

There is some very interesting technology being developed that can overcome this obstacle and it will be interesting to see where this leads. So, some way to go yet. I love that some developers are experimenting along this path. It is a great way to move industry technology forward.

360
Criterion Delays Latest Burnout Paradise on 360 by 4 Days
by Tanner Smith | 07/04/08 | 12:10 PM PST

Criterion Games has announced a delay in the Cagney update for the Xbox 360 version of Burnout Paradise.

They didn't give a reason for the delay, leaving only the following notice on the Burnout website:

Xbox 360 Codename: Cagney
We're sorry to announce that the Codename: Cagney update for Xbox 360 has been delayed by 4 days.

The update is currently with Microsoft and is now on track to be released on 14th July.

PlayStation 3 Codename: Cagney
The PlayStation 3 version of Cagney has been approved by Sony in the USA, Europe and Japan. We currently await approval by Sony in Korea.
This means that the PlayStation 3 version of Cagney should release on July 10th.

The update looks to add 3 new FreeBurn multiplayer modes along with custom soundtracks.

GEN
Top 6 Most American Video Game Characters
by Kombo Staff | 07/04/08 | 12:07 PM PST


Ah, the Fourth of July, Independence Day. A day for fireworks, apple pie, and barbecues... to celebrate being an American, while at the same time trying to keep the effect of gas and oil prices on the local economy well out of your mind.

Oops. So much for that.

In any case, what better time to reflect on our favorite national pastime-- no, not baseball, video games! Unless you crank up the ol' Wii for some Wii Sports Baseball, anyway.

Here, we look at six of the most American video game characters throughout the ages. And no licensed characters, either; to make this list, you need to come from a video game, not simply appear in one, so guys like Captain America or GI Joe are out.

Wii
Media: First Ever Wario Land: Shake It! Gameplay Footage, Intro
by Tanner Smith | 07/04/08 | 10:59 AM PST

Premier footage of Wario Land: Shake It! for the Wii has hit all across the net, so I thought it may be a good idea to post it here, too. The gameplay variety looks nicely rich, not to mention the fluid animation. Check out some gameplay footage below, plus the game's intro after the break!

PS3
Sony: Home Beta on Track for Fall, Will Be A Fully Functional Service
by Tanner Smith | 07/04/08 | 10:12 AM PST

Sony has come under a good bit of fire from the gaming community over the numerous delays surrounding the PlayStation Home beta. An occasional reminder that delays oftentimes help produce a better product than what would have otherwise been an incomplete experience wouldn't hurt, however.

That's just what Sony PSN boss Eric Lempel echoed in a recent interview with Next Gen. According to him, the Home beta is still slated to release this fall season. Even more importantly, we'll be getting a product with a very complete feature set, minus a few additions to be added at a later date. "The reason we've been delaying [Home] is so that we can deliver a high quality service that the users will enjoy," he noted. "Even though it will be in beta, it will be a fair representation of what the service can be and its potential, so it won't be a 0.5 release, it will be a fully robust service."

He also touched on the upcoming movie download service for the PS3: "I don't have any more specifics right now, but like Kaz [Hirai] said, it will go live [in the US] this summer and I think it will offer consumers everything they're looking for from us. It will offer everything they expect from us and probably a little bit more."

Honestly I'd rather have me a hard disc copy of a movie rather than a digital version, for versatility reasons if nothing else. Glad to hear that Sony's finally catching up to Microsoft in this department, though.

360
Banjo Kazooie and Viva Piñata 2 Sporting $39.99 Price Tags at Gamestop?
by Nathan Grayson | 07/03/08 | 9:40 PM PST

Now, plenty of games are well worth their $60 price tag, but given the chance to save $20, we don't complain. Good thing, then, that two of Microsoft's flagship holiday titles are sprinting out of the gate at $39.99 -- at least, according to a listing on Gamestop's website.

As Xbox 360 Fanboy notes, this could be an attempt by Microsoft to sell copies of their games to kids, who lack the disposable income needed to make high-priced game purchases. On the flipside, however, Gamestop is the only site currently advertising this low, low price point, so it could simply be an error. Who knows?

DS
Review: Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 is Good, but the Series Needs New Ideas
by Kombo Staff | 07/03/08 | 9:37 PM PST

What the Game's About
Doctor Stiles, paging Doctor Stiles, please report to the ER immediately for emergency surgery. That's right; Dr. Stiles and Nurse Angie are back in all new surgical adventure for the DS. After exploring the home console frontier on Wii, Atlus is bringing the series back to its roots on the DS -- where it has always seemed better suited. The medical world is once again in turmoil as bioterrorism strikes civilian lives and infects them with deadly viruses. The only way to save the patients is with the unequal guidance of the incredibly hot Nurse Angie and the unparallel surgery techniques of Dr. Stiles. Scrub up, because it's surgery time.

360
Bungie Offers Free Map and Other Goodies on 7/7
by Nathan Grayson | 07/03/08 | 9:01 PM PST

This year may not be the greatest Bungie Day ever (shame 7/7/07 only happens once a millennium or so), but that doesn't mean we won't partake of what Bungie's dishing out this year.

According to the latest Bungie Weekly Update, highly anticipated Halo 3 map Cold Storage will be sitting pretty on Xbox Live on July 7 -- for exactly zero Microsoft Points. But that's not all. Halo 3's Legendary map pack will be dropping from 800 Microsoft Points to 600. Last, but still cool, free one-day-only gamerpics and a dashboard theme will also be available on Bungie's favorite day.

So, will you be hopping on Live to celebrate Bungie Day? Don't be ashamed. We all have cat helmets in our closets.

Also, make sure to check out the Halo 3 "Sev7th Day" vidoc after the break.

360
Media: 22 Damn Screens of Damnation
by David Oxford | 07/03/08 | 5:55 PM PST



"Look out! It's the Hamburglar, and he's packing heat!"

This, and 21 other damn screens of this damn game await you in our damn gallery.