Portal 2 is a unique first-person Action-Puzzle-Platforming game that tests player’s ability to think and act creatively as they use the game’s ingenious wormhole creating portal gun to produce their own paths through otherwise sealed surfaces and across the open spaces of the game.

Sequel to the original Portal game, the surprise add-on hit included in Valve Corporation’s 2007 release The Orange Box, Portal 2 continues the storyline from the first game, featuring both new and returning characters, and poses a range of new challenges making for a much deeper game. Additional features include a new two player co-op mode and an original soundtrack.

 

Portal 2 Release Date April 19, 2011

Portal 2 Features

• Extensive single player game featuring next generation gameplay and a wildly-engrossing story
• Complete two-person cooperative multiplayer game featuring its own dedicated story, characters, and gameplay
• Advanced use of physics allow for the creation of a whole new range of interesting challenges, producing a much larger but not harder game
• Original soundtrack
• A massive sequel to the title named 2007′s Game of the Year by over 30 publications worldwide.

Portal 2, Playing With Science, You Monster

Gears of War 3 beta will iron all the issues prior to the full release. Microsoft had delayed the release of Gears of War 3 from April 2011 to the holiday season to ensure that they would have a big release ready for Christmas. This is great for gamers because it allows Epic Games to have an extra few months with Gears of War 3 beta to iron out any kinks in the software. They are adding the multiplayer feature and using complaints from prior releases to fix anything that might be undesirable in the player’s eyes.

Are you interested in joining Gears of War 3 beta?

Joining up to Gears of War 3 beta is easy. You will need to buy the Bulletstorm (Epic Edition) game. It automatically comes with a code that you can use to enter into the Gears of War 3 beta game.

If you’re a fan of Gears of War, you will probably like Bulletstorm. It has a very close feel to Gears of War, so you will most likely enjoy it right away. The biggest difference is that has a more “arcade style” or game play that requires skill shots that give points. The game is made for those leader board types who enjoy playing the same level again and again to have the highest score around.

Pre Order Gears Of War 3

Are you anxious to get started?

The Gears of War 3 beta game will be available as of April 2011. Again, this is when the full release was supposed to come out before it was moved back to the holiday season. The Gears of War 3 beta will last at least a few weeks, but the exact length can’t be determined. Once Epic games receives enough feedback, they will kill the Gears of War 3 beta and make the required changes to the game.

Shop For Gears Of War 3

Check out the Gears of War 3 Beta Multiplayer Gameplay Video

The final outing in the Gears of War trilogy has a release date – and Xbox 360 players will get their hands on it from 20 September.

Gears of War 3 is officially the grandiose end to an award winning and loved trilogy of video games. Created and managed by Epic Games for the Xbox 360 platform, Gears of War 3 will take you by the hand and drag you through an intense story of hope, kinship, and endurance.

~~Unedited Gears of War 3 press release~~

LONDON – 4 March 2011 – Get ready to jump back in the action with Delta Squad beginning this April by pre-ordering Gears of War 3 at GAME or gamestation. Available in three distinct Gears of War 3 editions — Standard (£49.99), Limited (£59.99) and Epic (£99.99) — those who pre-order the Limited and Epic editions with GAME or gamestation will gain access to three weeks of multiplayer beta action on Xbox LIVE, beginning 25 April.

Over the course of the beta program, three new competitive multiplayer modes and four exclusive maps will be rolled out, all running on dedicated servers and providing fans with the opportunity to help shape the biggest blockbuster game of 2011. Two of the four multiplayer maps, “Trenches” and “Old Town,” were selected by Gears fans through a Facebook poll that generated thousands of votes.

The Gears of War 3 public multiplayer beta kicks off 25 April and runs through to 15 May. Bulletstorm: Epic Edition customers will get early access beginning 18 April through the Bulletstorm disc.*

Key Beta Dates:

· Bulletstorm Preview, 18 – 24 April

Owners of “Bulletstorm: Epic Edition” are eligible for a one-week beta preview period featuring the new Team Deathmatch mode on four new maps (Thrashball, Checkout, Trenches and Old Town).

· Gears of War 3 Beta, 25 April – 15 May

The full public beta period begins 25 April. Players can look forward to special events and playlists throughout the beta period. Two additional competitive game modes, Capture the Leader and King of the Hill, will be added during the final week of the beta.

· 15 May

Beta concludes.

Not only will fans who participate in the beta have the opportunity to get an early taste of the year’s biggest game, but they’ll also have the opportunity to unlock exclusive content they can carry over to their retail copy of “Gears of War 3” when it launches on 20 September.

Unlockables:

· Beta Tester Medal – Complete one match in the beta to unlock the Beta Tester medal, which will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game. The Beta Tester title will be featured in the Gears 3 multiplayer lobby as well.

· Thrashball Cole – Complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock the Thrashball Cole character variant in the beta. Once unlocked, complete 10 matches as Thrashball Cole during the beta and the character will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game.

· Gold-Plated Retro Lancer – Show your ultimate Gears of War fandom by unlocking the Gold-Plated Retro Lancer. Complete 90 matches in any game type to unlock it for the beta, and score 100 kills with it once unlocked to carry the exclusive weapon skin over to your gamer profile in the final game.

· Flaming Hammerburst – Complete one match by Sunday, 24 April and unlock this weapon variant.

· Flaming Lancer – Complete one match during the week of 25 April and unlock this weapon variant.

· Flaming Sawed-Off Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of 2 May to unlock this weapon variant.

· Flaming Gnasher Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of 9 May to unlock this weapon variant.

For additional details on “Gears of War 3” and the public multiplayer beta, please visit gearsofwar.xbox.com.

Published by Microsoft Game Studios, the “Gears of War” franchise has won more than 50 “Game of the Year” awards, sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and redefined the third-person shooter genre this generation. One of the bestselling Xbox game series of all time, “Gears of War” is exclusive to the Xbox 360 and its riveting multiplayer action makes it one of the most popular titles on Xbox LIVE.

*Beta tokens were shipped with each retail copy of Bulletstorm: Epic Edition. Customers will need this token and have their copy of Bulletstorm to access the Gears of War 3 beta. An active Xbox LIVE Gold membership is required to participate.

~~End of Gears of War 3 press release~~

Gears of War 3 release date September 20, 2011

In Gears of War 3, you will play as the war worn hero and head of the Delta Squad, Marcus Fenix. The war continues against the Locust eighteen months after the fall of the last human city. A new threat, however, is growing deep underground that may threaten the planet in a whole new way. Marcus and his team are fighting against time to find the human survivors that are scattered throughout ruined civilizations in order to fight and save the human race.

The controls feel less floaty than Gears of War 2, and there are light touches throughout that smooth everything along. The X button needs to be held down to pick up weapons in Gears of War 3, eliminating the classic I-was-going-to-revive-you-but-I-picked-up-a-pistol-instead phenomenon. Sticking to cover is less ambiguous, and character models interact more naturally with the objects around them. Even the player models themselves are much improved. The animations bring the characters to life like never before.

Although Epic is still holding back some key Gears of War 3 beta details, there is one more nugget worth mentioning. Gears of War 3 has a robust leveling experience and unlocking system, and it will be part of the beta. Although beta participants will lose most of their progress when the retail game launches, they will have the opportunity to unlock and keep a couple cool badges of honor. One is the Gold Retro Lancer, which is unlocked in the Gears of War 3 beta after a player completes 90 matches. Get 100 kills with it after that, and it’s yours for use in the retail game. Thrashball Cole, dressed in full Hanover regalia, will also be unlockable in a similar fashion.

So, if you want some closure to an epic video game series, you need to check out Gears of War 3. Epic Games is releasing the beta version in April 2011, so you will have a few weeks to preview the game prior to its full release next holiday season. The new online multiplayer feature is something that you won’t want to miss. Of course, there will be plenty of fun that you’ve come to expect from the Gears of War saga.

Get Gears of War 3 Early access with Bulletstorm…

Pre Order Gears Of War 3 Now!

Sims 3 cheats for xbox 360 and PS3

The Sims 3 console version does not let you cheat like the Sims 3 PC/Mac version does. You have to use Spoot the llama which only gives you some Sims 3 cheats. To get the llama, load up your Sims 3 saved game and hit start. Hold down LT,RT,LB,and RB (L1,L2,R1,R2 for PS3) together and the Sims 3 cheat screen will come up. Follow the directions on how to get the llama from the buy/build menu under misc. decor. Cheating does disable your challenges and achievements so make sure you save before cheating like it asks you to.
 

More info about Sims 3 here. Sims 3 Cheats For Xbox 360 and PS3.

After the disbanding of Infinity Ward, Call of Duty hopefuls schooled in Modern Warfare feared the worst for the franchise. Treyarch had never been a particular memorable Call of Duty developer, and their last attempt, “World at War” was met with mixed reception from fans of the series. However, anticipation soon spiked when Treyarch first showed their next foray into the series – Call of Duty: Black Ops. With Black Ops, Treyarch finally chose to do what Infinity Ward did in 2007, and nixed the World War II back story for a more modern first person shooter in the vein of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare series.

Modern Warfare 2 set records at retail when it was launched in 2009, selling around 5 million the first day. Indeed, this popularity helped pave the way for Black Ops a year later, when it shattered the record held by Modern Warfare 2 just a year earlier by selling over 7 million copies its first day. With Call of Duty Black Ops breaking the record set by its Infinity Ward predecessor just a year ago, the COD series has become the first entertainment franchise in history to set sales records back to back for two consecutive years. Treyarch finally has their own memorable Call of Duty, and the Infinity Ward name has since been reduced to a whisper.

However, Activision has recently bragged about patching up Infinity Ward, and getting the development company ready to do what it does best – make video games. Will the revitalized Infinity Ward once again be able to claim their COD master developer title? Or is Treyarch the new champion of the series? I’m sure we’ll find out next year, as a new COD game is almost as certain then as a 2011 Christmas.

Check out Amazon for Call of Duty Black Ops.

• Covers Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, AND Wii.
• All career ladders revealed with strategies to succeed at any career path!
• Accelerate skill development with our essential tips and tricks!
• Fall in love—and stay in love—with our relationship tips!
• Object catalogs reveal the hidden properties of every object in the game!
• FIND EVERY HIDDEN COLLECTIBLE!
• Complete lists of every Achievement, Trophy, Opportunity, Challenge, and Karma Power!
• Mood-boosting strategies for keeping Sims happy and productive!

There are some good factors about the Sims 3 Console Official Prima Guide. There are detailed listings of the community lots and what you can find in them, along with details about the personality traits, aspirations, ingredients for recipes, etc. There are also in-depth looks at each of the careers, along with the available Career Opportunities for each.

However, I rated the Sims 3 Console Official Prima Guide 3 stars for several reasons:

1. As many people have commented, the Sims 3 Console Official Prima Guide is poorly indexed. It’s difficult to find the information you’re searching for unless you flip through the whole thing. I resorted to putting Post-It flags on the pages I used the most often.

2. There were A LOT of inaccurate personality traits and cheats (I could probably count the number of correct cheats on one hand). It seems like the guide was written off of an earlier beta version of the game.

3. The writing style of Catherine Browne is REALLY annoying at times – personally, I don’t care what she thinks about the game. I just want the facts and ACCURATE tips.

Check out more details and reviews on Amazon for The Sims 3 Console Official Prima Guide.

25 days after its launch, Microsoft said today that it has sold 2.5 million motion-detecting Kinect devices. Granted, that includes sales over the Black Friday shopping holiday, but reviews of the device have been positive. Apple took twice as long to sell its 2 millionth iPad. These seem to be the days of the radically new interface.

Kinect Sales
2.5m in 25 days = 100k per day
$150-$399 each
iPad Sales
2m in 60 days
3m in 80 days
4.5m every 90 days = 50k per day
$500-$830 each

In May of 2010, Apple announced that it sold 2 million iPads after two months of availability. At a base price of $500 each, that meant that Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe’s prediction that the iPad would become the fastest consumer product to hit $1 billion in sales in history was proven correct.

ReadWriteWeb’s Audrey Watters reported in October that the iPad kept up a torrid pace for months. “The iPad sold 3 million units in the first 80 days after its release in April, and its current sales rate is about 4.5 million units per quarter,” she wrote. That pace of sales, according to analysts at Bernstein Research, made it the fastest growing consumer electronics device of all time.

Now this. The Kinect sells for substantially less than the iPad ($150-$399 at Best Buy vs. $500-$830 for the iPad) but more have been sold in the product’s first 25 days than were sold in the first 60 days after the iPad launched.

Can the Kinect sustain that rate of sales? Only time will tell, but early adopters appear likely to spread positive word of mouth about the product – as will Microsoft’s massive advertising machine. For context (and to put a grain of salt in play here), the Wii has sold 75 million units in 4 years. That’s a little bit more than 50k per day, on average.

For now the Kinect is focused on game play, but some people believe it’s only a matter of time until it becomes the interface for many other tasks, from browsing the web to controlling various devices around the home. If Microsoft learns as well from the nascent Kinect jailbreaking community as Apple has from the iPhone jailbreakers, the Kinect could soon gain official support for all kinds of different uses.

[Source for Kinect is Selling 2X as Fast as the iPad]

Ben Heck has made home systems into portable “laptops” before, but the Xbox 360 Slim Portable is a bit different in execution. For one, it is about one and a half inches narrower on the left and right sides, and one inch narrower on the front and back; the power supply is internal; it uses the stock Xbox 360 S fan; and it heralds touch sensitive buttons from the Slim design.

Other features that make this portable Xbox 360 Slim stand out are: push button control audio amplification; Gateway 1775W 17 inch wide screen LCD display @ 1280×720; a fan grate for optimal cooling; and a PVC plastic routed case.

The Ben Heck Show will air six episodes covering the construction of the portable slim Xbox 360 if you want to learn how to make one yourself. However, if you’re lazy then you can also win this very same 360 portable as part of Ben Heck‘s contest. If you don’t win the contest, then fear not, there will still be two more models available to buy. But don’t expect to pay standard Xbox 360 prices, as this puppy is going to have a lot of takers.

One thing I do not like about the xbox live network is that whatever content you buy for your gamertag, it can only be used for that gamertag and if you buy Microsoft Points, they cannot be gifted either. Because of those restrictions I think it makes a gamertag the target of numerous frauds which can result in you devoid of your Xbox live account.

A while back, my son got conned into giving out 1500 Microsoft points to access the 10th Prestige Lobby for COD Modern Warfare 2. He is just a kid and he did not know any better. I am often working on my laptop in his room so I can most often hear what is going on while he is playing. Some random kid came into the chat party offering those the 10th Prestige Lobby in exchange of 1500 Microsoft Points and let me tell you, some of them sound very convincing. Within the hour he was offered the 10th Prestige Lobby 3 times!

My son was upset about losing his points for nothing so I decided to give a call to xbox live customer support and report the person who took the Microsoft points. I was advised to post a review.

Whenever you come across anyone carrying out on xbox live you can simply post a game player review that will give rise to getting these individuals eventually suspended. Whenever a sufficient amount of individuals post reviews, steps will be performed by Xbox 360 Live’s employees. The issue with the review system is that it’s made up of pre-made answers and you have to chose one only. None of the answers apply to fraud and you cannot add any personal comments which to me it makes this system useless.

I argued the case for an hour on the phone. The xbox live staff told me not to worry as everything was tracked on the xbox live network. Well that kid still has an active profile and for all I know he probably conned 100s of other kids to give him points since no one could actually report him.

Now, we have another issue. My son has several gamertags and has spend quite a fair bit of his pocket money on them. One of them has just been stolen after he just added a 3-month xbox live gold membership to it. So here I am again on the phone with Xbox live customer support to try and solve the issue. I have to admit, after the first incident I did not think it was even worth calling but I did and they seem to take the incident serioulsy and the call has been escalated to a full investigation.

My advice as a parent, because after all we are the ones paying for it, make sure you kids have a not so easy to guess password and explain to them  to not give it out even to their best buddies.  Check out the option of their email address to make it difficult to recover the password with hard to guess answers and to expire every 72 days. You also have the options to buy prepaid memberships and Microsoft points from leading stores so there is no need to store your credit card details on the console.

Xbox live is fun but play it safe.

The games are the real star of the show here. Microsoft is bringing some big names to Xbox Live for Windows Phone 7, including Crackdown, Guitar Hero 5, Uno, and Castlevania. There will also be a bunch of indie games covering just about every genre you can imagine. Just like on the Xbox 360, each game will have a demo version that can later be unlocked if you choose to buy the game. Each XBL for WP7 game will include achievements, allowing you to add to your gamerscore right from your phone.

Unfortunately, there won’t be any real multiplayer gaming on XBL for WP7 at launch. The best Microsoft will have to offer will be turn based multiplayer. Microsoft seems confident that true, real time multiplayer gaming will come to mobile phones in the not too distant future, but it’s not in the cards for launch titles.

XBL for WP7 will feature a lot of great social functionality. You’ll be able to message your friends and see what they’re doing online at any given time. You’ll also be able to take a look at their avatar, and compare your gamerscore and achievements to theirs.

The features and games Microsoft is currently showing off look great, but it’s hard not to feel a little underwhelmed. For years now, Microsoft has been talking about what Xbox Live could be like on mobile phones. Back in 2006 at E3, Microsoft showed off a demo of Xbox Live that showed many of the features present in XBL for WP7, as well as a few features that seem to have been left behind. For example, Microsoft showed off a feature where an in game car could be passed freely between an Xbox 360, a phone, and a computer so that it could be edited and tweaked, and then placed back into the game.

Xbox Live for Windows Phone 7 looks like an excellent service, but it’s still hard to forget about all of the unfulfilled promises Microsoft has made about mobile gaming over the years. Still, with a rich feature set, and a solid library of games, Xbox Live for WP7 is poised for a strong launch.