XBOX LIVE NEWSBEAT: VOL. 8, April 21, 2010
Fans of “Gears of War® 3”
(Microsoft Game Studios) who want to share their excitement on Xbox
LIVE will be able to choose from new Avatar items, available on Avatar
Marketplace starting April 20, including the new COG
armor introduced in “Gears of War 3.” And on April 22, “Left 4 Dead 2” (Valve) releases an all-new game Add-on:
“The Passing.” Be warned: This isn’t your average Survivor reunion.
Get the retro arcade
party started in your new “Game Room” and participate in the biggest
multiplayer event of the year!
Hot off the heels of Xbox
LIVE Arcade Block Party and launch of capstone title “Game Room,” Xbox
LIVE delivers seven more original arcade and console classics to add to
your retro arcade starting April 28. From “Pitfall!”
(Activision) to “Night Stalker” (Mattel Electronics), next week’s
line-up marks the start of a steady stream of arcade hits releasing
every Wednesday, exclusively for “Game Room” on Xbox LIVE. Check out the
titles below and invite your friends to your growing line-up.
· Super Breakout (Atari)
· Pitfall! (Activision)
· Megamania (Activision)
· Night Stalker (Mattel
Electronics)
· Rack ‘Em Up (Konami)
· Realsports Volleyball (Atari)
· Basketball (Atari)
New games will release
every Wednesday alongside Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, making Xbox LIVE your
one-stop-shop for digitally distributed games.
The definitive Xbox LIVE
event of this spring is poised to sweep the world on May 3. In
less than two weeks, millions of gamers will have the unique opportunity
to test and help refine the biggest blockbuster game of 2010 in the “Halo: Reach” (Microsoft Game Studios) multiplayer beta.
Representing the best-in-class multiplayer elements that have become
the hallmark of the “Halo” series and fused with a range of new content
and features, “Halo: Reach” offers the most robust, action-packed
multiplayer experience yet. With new game modes, battlegrounds, weapons,
armor abilities, player investment, customization systems, social
settings and more, the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta introduces a wave
of new innovations that will take the award-winning “Halo” multiplayer
experience on Xbox LIVE to the next level. Players will be able to
access the beta through the extras menu of the “Halo 3: ODST” game disc.
Embrace your
love for the undead – namely Zombies, Vampires and Mummies…
Now through
May 12, enjoy your favorite gory games, Avatar Marketplace items,
music and movies during “30 Days of the Undead” on Xbox LIVE. Get your
hands on killer Game Add-ons for hits like “Left 4 Dead 2: The
Passing” (Valve) or gather ‘round the tube for discounted
flicks each week like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Jeepers
Creepers.” Don’t miss
out on your chance to win a spot to see the Prince of Darkness himself,
the legendary Ozzy Osbourne, at his annual metal festival, Ozzfest 2010,
in the “30 Days of Undead” sweepstakes, running until May 12.
One hundred first prize winners will also have the chance to win 400
Microsoft Points. Enter to
win by downloading or logging in to your existing Xbox LIVE Facebook or Last.fm account. For more information, please visit: www.xbox.com/30daysoftheundead.
Finally, get ready for “The Guild” Season
4! Creator and recent Streamy Award recipient, Felicia Day, is already
starting prep for the new season of your favorite web series about a
group of online gamers. After three successful seasons, “The Guild” is
one of the most popular shows on Xbox LIVE. Stay tuned – More details
coming soon.
AVATAR MARKETPLACE
Starting April 22, upgrade your
pseudo-saintly avatar wardrobe with selected gear from “Saints
Row 2” (THQ, Inc.). Diesel, one of the world’s
premier denim and apparel brands joins the ranks of Roxy, Quicksilver
and Adidas in Avatar Marketplace on April 29.
XBOX LIVE ARCADE
From cryptic puzzles and heroic quests, to old-school
arcade classics, Xbox LIVE Arcade delivers hot new downloadable games at
a great value.
Puzzle Chronicles (Konami)
April 21 | 800 Microsoft Points
Enter the dark and savage lands of the
Ashurin Empire as you battle to avenge the mayhem the Empire brought
upon your fellow tribesmen in “Puzzle Chronicles.” This isn’t your
typical puzzle – On your heroic quest to topple the Empire, fight fierce
beasts and hardened warriors in the new puzzle/role-playing hybrid game
from Konami. Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB and available
worldwide (except Japan and Korea).
After Burner Climax™ (SEGA)
April 21 | 800 Microsoft Points
The classic arcade game returns for a new
generation of gamers. “After Burner Climax™” delivers fast and frantic
action, putting you in the cockpit of the world’s swiftest fighter jets.
Dodge planes, rockets, and bullets while trying to target multiple
on-screen enemy aircraft. Built for all skill levels, everyone can take
to the air and blaze through a branching storyline and over 20 stages.
Earn your wings by unlocking achievements along the way to win exclusive
avatar awards. Rated E10 for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB and available
worldwide.
Tecmo® Bowl: Throwback (Tecmo)
April 28 | 800 Microsoft Points
The legend is back! “Tecmo Bowl®:
Throwback” is a remake of the classic “Tecmo Super Bowl,” with the same
rules and fast-paced gameplay as the original, but with the option to
play it in brand new high definition 3D graphics. Switch it back to old
school in real time with the same graphics and music from back in the
day! “Tecmo Bowl®: Throwback” brings back the gameplay
you loved, and stays true to the “Tecmo Super Bowl” legacy! “Tecmo
Bowl®: Throwback” is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB
and will be available in the US and Canada.
DEAL OF THE WEEK
In celebration of “30 Days of the
Undead,” Deal of the Week delivers discounts on slaying zombies and
adventures as a samurai dishwasher.
The Dishwasher: Dead
Samurai
(Microsoft Game Studios)
April 26 | 400 Microsoft Points
An undead samurai dishwasher in a
dystopian universe is on a quest for revenge against the evil cyborg
army. To dispatch hordes of zombies, cyborgs, and robots, you, as the
Dishwasher, have at your fingertips a devastating array of attacks using
ancient skill blades, disturbing machinery and screen-obliterating Dish
Magic. Huzzah! Compete with the rest of the world in a variety of speed
run and high score challenges to become the most formidable Dishwasher
yet! “The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai” is rated M for Mature by the ESRB
and will be available worldwide (except Korea).
Zombie
Apocalypse (Konami)
May 3 | 400
Microsoft Points
This action-packed,
arcade-style shooter takes you into a world where a zombie infection has
spread uncontrollably and the undead outnumber humans. You and a small
band of heavily equipped gunslingers have set out to destroy as many
zombies as you can and attempt to save any of the remaining survivors in
“Zombie Apocalypse.” Up to four players can vie
to stop the zombie apocalypse by employing an arsenal of deadly weapons:
from assault rifles, to flame throwers, to grenade launchers and more.
When ammo is low, a chainsaw will be your last line of defense against
becoming one of the undead. This action-packed, arcade-style shooter
will test your dual analog stick shooting skills and ability to survive
55 days of relentless zombie attacks. “Zombie Apocalypse” is rated M for
Mature by the ESRB and will be available worldwide (except Germany,
Japan and Korea).
GAME ADD-ONS
Check out upcoming Game Add-ons that
extend the life of blockbuster hits like “BioSchock® 2” (2K
Games) and will have you singing rock hits like “We Got The Beat” until
the sun comes up.
Lips (Microsoft Game Studios)
Throughout April|
440 Microsoft Points each
Xbox LIVE’s Lips Music Store has something special for
all pop lovers this month, whether you’re a fan of new wave, romantic
ballads or 80s synth. Look out for the debut of The Go-Go’s Song Pack
on April 30, featuring their smash singles, “We Got The Beat,”
“Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “Head Over Heels.” With each Song Pack
downloadable for 440 MS Points, it’s never been easier to serenade your
sweetheart or start dancing to the beat! If that’s not enough, we’re
breaking out the feathered hair and leg warmers for a selection of 80s
songs from hit artists like Duran Duran, Men Without Hats, Modern
English, The Cars, Animotion, Donna Summer and more throughout the month
of April. For a complete list of “Lips” Game Add-ons for the month, check out lips.xbox.com. “Lips”
is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and available worldwide.
April 22 | 560 Microsoft Points
"The Passing" offers more than just a
friendly Survivor get-together between Ellis, Coach, Rochelle, Nick,
Bill, Francis, Zoey and Louis. It adds an "uncommon common" infected
type, new weapons and a fresh co-operative challenge mode of play. The
campaign is playable in Survival, Versus and Scavenge modes. Rated M for
Mature by the ESRB and available worldwide.
April 28 | 80 Microsoft Points each, 240
Microsoft Points for all three
With three new Add-ons, you can now
attack endlessly and take on two more special stages as Mega Man. The
“Endless Attack” mode for “Mega
Man 10” has you challenging maps old and new. Watch out, though. There
are two new special stages in “Mega Man 10” and each features a “Mega
Man Killer” as the stage boss, uniquely designed to bring down Mega Man
himself. In “Special Stage 2,” the
Mega Man Killer is Punk whose special attack is a rapid spinning
tackle. Ballade attacks in “Special Stage 3.”
Be sure to watch out for this robot’s high-jumping assaults. This stage
requires smart decision-making skills: a series of conveyer belts and
diverse traps will challenge even the most masterful Mega Man pro. Rated
E for Everyone by the ESRB and available worldwide.
BioShock® 2 Game Add-on: Rapture Metro (2K Games)
April 29 | 800 Microsoft Points
Featuring six new maps, “Rapture Metro
Map Pack” ups the ante with a multiplayer rank of fifty and a new
Rebirth feature, two new multiplayer masks and three new achievements.
And grab your nine iron for the bonus Kill ‘Em Kindly melee mode! Rated M
for Mature by the ESRB and available worldwide (except Japan and
Korea).
Just Cause™ 2 Game Add-on: Black Market
Aerial Pack (Square
Enix, Inc.)
April 29 | 160 Microsoft Points
The “Black Market Aerial Pack” opens up your world to a
jet-sized set of new items. We have lift-off with the F-33 DragonFly Jet
Fighter, which boasts quad-mounted miniguns and double missile
launchers – this agile bird is the definite ruler of the skies, and
packs a serious punch to land-based targets. Dual Parachute Thrusters
allow you to take to the air longer. When mounted to the parachute rig,
the Dual Parachute Thrusters provide bursts of forward momentum to
extend airtime. Last, but certainly not least, the Multi-lock Missile
Launcher allows you to lock up to four targets and unleash a barrage of
homing missiles to destroy your enemies and rule victorious – in high
skies style. Rated M for Mature by the ESRB and available in most
markets worldwide.
GAMES ON DEMAND
Games on Demand delivers the titles you want 24x7,
straight to your Xbox 360. Get your hands on one of the biggest
blockbusters in the “Halo” trilogy today, along with
pulse-pounding action hits and more in the coming weeks.
Halo® 3 (Microsoft Game
Studios)
April 20 | Releasing worldwide
We told you about it in Volume 7 and it’s here today!
The epic saga continues with “Halo® 3,” the third
chapter in the highly successful and critically acclaimed “Halo” franchise. Master Chief returns to finish the
fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and
the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax. A HERO MUST
RISE. Will it be you? BELIEVE. This game is rated M for Mature by the
ESRB.
Saints Row (THQ, Inc.)
April 20 | Releasing in limited European
countries
Welcome to Stilwater, an open-world city with attitude, a
city controlled by rival gangs, a city you are about to invade in
“Saints Row.” As a low-level thug in the Third Street Saints, you must
do what it takes to get the money and build the power and respect you
need to muscle your way to the top. Be careful. Your actions have
consequences and around every corner lurks a new threat. Rated M for
Mature by the ESRB.
Sonic The Hedgehog™ (SEGA)
April 20 | Releasing in Europe, Australia and New
Zealand
When video game icon “Sonic The Hedgehog™” debuted on
the SEGA® Genesis in 1991, he shook up the action-platform genre with
his signature speed and rebellious attitude. More than 44 million units
later, Sonic celebrates his nineteenth anniversary and blazes his way
onto Games on Demand for an epic adventure that delivers the most
intense sensation of speed experienced to date. Set in the beautiful
lagoon city of Soleana, this story follows our hero as he works to save
Princess Elyse from the evil Dr. Eggman. Featuring the very first
appearance of Silver the Hedgehog, and the return of Shadow; players
can follow the adventure from three unique perspectives. This game is
rated E10 for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB.
Shrek the Third™ (Activision)
April 27 | Releasing worldwide
(except Japan)
Play as your favorite characters including Shrek®,
Donkey, Puss in Boots, Princess Fiona, Arthur or Sleeping Beauty in “Shrek the Third™.” Experience the adventure through 20
levels from the movie and beyond. Defeat fierce villains, including the
huge Ice Dragon and the devious Prince Charming. Play with or against
your friends, in fun multiplayer mini-games. That'll do, Donkey. That'll
do. Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB.
Far Cry® 2 (Ubisoft Inc.)
April 27 | Releasing in North
America
“Far Cry® 2,” the next-generation first-person shooter
from Ubisoft, takes you deep into the most beautiful but also most
hostile environments in the world—Africa. A true open-world shooter,
every decision you make affects the outcome of the game. Caught between
two rival factions in the war-torn country, you are sent to take out
"The Jackal," a mysterious character who has rekindled the conflict
between the warlords, jeopardizing thousands of lives. In order to
fulfill your mission, you must play the factions against each other,
identify and exploit their weaknesses, and neutralize their superior
numbers and firepower with surprise, subversion, wiliness and, of
course, brute force. Rated M for Mature by the ESRB.
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men™ (Eidos, Inc.)
April 27 | Releasing in North America
Enter the violent and chaotic journey of two men—a
flawed mercenary and a pill-popping psychopath. This volatile
partnership, combined with innovative technologies, allows for an
unparalleled gaming experience. The intense shooter experience features
single and co-op play, a crew-based combat system where players lead and
control the actions of their crews, and a groundbreaking online
crime-based multiplayer mode for four to eight players. Rated M for
Mature by the ESRB.