Two Guys on Gaming, Tech, and the World
There has been a lot of impatient waiting for Windows 8 to be released for PC and mobile devices. The new style and functions are creating a buzz for Windows lovers. Now Microsoft is trying to attract gamers to their new OS. They have announced Xbox games to be available on Windows 8 for PC and mobile devices. By integrating Windows 8 on multiple devices, Microsoft is attempting to allow cross platform gaming with many of the functions already used by Xbox. [Read more…]
I’m brand new to Steam. I’ve been playing Valve games for years, but always on a console. It wasn’t until Blogcritics gave me a download code to review The Walking Dead that I joined the Steam party. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to play the The Walking Dead on Steam. [Read more…]
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Infinity Ward and Activision (once again) keep the campaign short and sweet. Following the precedent set by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2, the 10-hour single player story in Modern Warfare 3 won’t keep you away from the multiplayer or Spec Ops action for too long.
But if campaign completion and achievements are important to you, here are some campaign strategy tips to keep your efficiency at a maximum.
When I buy video games, I like to move through them quickly. The fastest, most efficient way to complete Modern Warfare 3 — while also keeping an eye on achievements — is to play on Veteran difficulty. As the hardest of the four difficulty settings in the Call of Duty games, the Veteran gameplay will be more of a challenge than the easier settings, but it will allow you to unlock more achievements.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Achievements requiring Veteran Difficulty:
- The Big Apple – 25G: Complete “Black Tuesday” and “Hunter Killer” on Veteran difficulty.
- Out of the Frying Pan… – 25G: Complete “Persona Non Grata”, “Turbulence”, and “Back on the Grid” on Veteran difficulty.
- Payback – 25G: Complete “Mind the Gap”, “Goalpost”, and “Return to Sender” on Veteran difficulty.
- City of Lights – 25G: Complete “Bag and Drag” and “Iron Lady” on Veteran difficulty.
- The Darkest Hour – 25G: Complete “Eye of the Storm”, “Blood Brothers”, and “Stronghold” on Veteran difficulty.
- This is the End – 25G: Complete “Scorched Earth”, “Down the Rabbit Hole”, and “Dust to Dust” on Veteran difficulty.
- The Best of the Best – 100G: Complete the campaign on Hardened or Veteran difficulty.
While completing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 campaign on Veteran difficulty, you will unlock all of the non-difficulty-specific achievements as well. This means that you can complete the entire campaign one time instead of completing the game once on an easier setting and then coming back to play through the entire campaign again.
When you play through MW3 the first time, your objective is to complete the campaign. Some of the achievements in Modern Warfare 3 require attention of their own. Rather than trying to get all of the achievements at once, it can be more effective to come back for the smaller achievements on an easier difficulty. Unlike other console games — like Halo 3, where you have to play at least on Regular difficulty to unlock the achievements — you can get the smaller achievements in Modern Warfare 3 single player even on the Recruit difficulty.
Modern Warfare 3 — smaller achievements for your second play through:
- Jack the Ripper – 20G: Melee 5 enemies in a row in Single Player or Special Ops.
- Informant – 20G: Collect 22 Intel Items.
- Scout Leader – 35G: Collect 46 Intel Items.
- This Is My Boomstick – 20G: Kill 30 enemies with the XM25 in “Black Tuesday.”
- What Goes Up… – 20G: Destroy all the choppers with only the UGV’s grenade launcher in “Persona Non Grata.”
- For Whom the Shell Tolls – 20G: Destroy all targets during the mortar sequence with only 4 shells in “Back on the Grid.”
- Kill Box – 20G: Kill 20 enemies with the Chopper Gunner in a single run in “Return to Sender.”
- Danger Close – 20G: Take down a chopper with an AC-130 smoke grenade in “Bag and Drag.”
- Ménage à Trois – 20G: Destroy 3 tanks with a single 105mm shot in “Iron Lady.”)
- Nein – 20G: Kill 9 enemies with A-10 strafing runs in “Scorched Earth.”
- Flight Attendant (secret achievement) – 20G: Kill all 5 enemies during the zero-g sequence in “Turbulence.”
Breaking the Modern Warfare 3 Xbox 360 achievements (or PlayStation 3 trophies) into two groups like this will give you a huge boost in single player efficiency. With only one complete play through and a little cleaning up afterwards, you’ll be back to your Spec Ops and multiplayer gaming pownage in no time, and with more gamer points to brag about.
The first half of November has been history-making in the video game industry.
This is certainly a tough couple of weeks for lesser-known titles to follow, but follow they must. Here are some of my pre-order picks (that is, you should buy these video games):
WWE ’12: Release Date 11/22/11
If you pre-order from Amazon, you get Pre-Order Price Guarantee and the Release-Date Delivery option. Xbox 360 and PS3 pre-orders also qualify for a $10 promotional Amazon Credit. Click here to claim yours.
In addition to the standard Pre-Order Price Guarantee and Release-Date Delivery, gamers who pre-order this title from Amazon also get 4 CDs of music spanning the legendary KOF series’ 15+ year history. Pre-order your copy here.
This PS3 exclusive, is chock-full of gaming goodness:
The standard price guarantee and delivery options apply, but sadly, Amazon doesn’t offer any other promotions for this pre-order. You can order your package of Tekken goodies here.
This month PC gamers finally get a chance to get their hands on Assassin’s Creed Revelations. The Windows 7 release date is 11/29. Pre-order from Amazon and get pre-order price guarantee, release-date delivery, and two exclusives: “Altair outfit” single player skin and the Best Of Assassin’s Creed digital soundtrack download.
Pre-order Assassin’s Creed Revelations for PC here.
If these deals aren’t enough, be sure to keep an eye on Amazon’s Black Friday Video Games campaign
*By ordering through any of my referral links, you help me continue producing gaming content. Get something you were going to anyway, and help me at the same time: everyone wins at this game!
Pros: Dynamic choice and consequence system, multiple play-through options, interesting plot, great soundtrack and graphics, and high replay value.
Cons: Lackluster enemies, less than stellar stealth and combat mechanics, and an upgrade system that’s too easy to overpower.
Rating: 8.5/10 [Read more…]
Last week I reminded you to pre-order Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. At the time, Amazon was advertising several bonuses for gamers who pre-ordered — some credits for gaming music and a headset, a free avatar download code, and a wallpaper for your computer.
Compared to other pre-order bonuses, the MW3 launch appeared to be rather lackluster. Or so I thought until I checked my email this morning. There was a secret pre-order bonus for MW3 that Amazon didn’t announce, or at least didn’t make a big deal about it. [Read more…]
My wife and I just moved. In the process something must have happened to my Xbox 360 because when I went to turn it on today, the tray was stuck. Immediately there was fear and worry. Who wants a stuck Xbox 360 tray? Not me! How will I ever play games again? And what will I do when my pre-order from Amazon shows up and I have a stuck Xbox 360 tray?
I pushed the eject button… nothing.
I pushed it again… still nothing.
I pushed and held it… yet again, no tray movement.
Thankfully, I already had my internet hooked up, so I googled the issue and found this simple solution. [Read more…]
Amazon usually does a great job with promotions for video game pre-orders (meaning you get great deals for buying something you were going to get anyway). With less than a week until the release date of Modern Warfare 3
This walkthrough for Duke Nukem Forever Chapter 7: “The Duke Dome” will show you how to complete the seventh chapter of Duke Nukem Forever and get your ego cap reward.
In the last chapter, Duke escaped Vegas in Ruin through a sewer, which is where you find yourself at the beginning of this chapter; to get to the Duke Dome you must find your way through this sewer pipe. When you get to the end of the sewer pipe, continue through the path of rubble. Avoid the electrified puddle by jumping from the bank to the pallet in the middle of the puddle, and from the pallet to the other bank.
When you get to the end of the rubble path, your progress is blocked by a fire. On the left side of the fire is a corpse hanging from a piece of rebar. On the corpse’s back is a fire extinguisher. Shoot the fire extinguisher to put out the fire, then continue into the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is a ladder. Climb up the ladder to continue to the Duke Dome.
When you get to the top of the ladder, you will see two construction workers standing on top of some crates talking about ridiculous things. They notice you and tell you to get on the crane to get out of the area that they are trapped in.
When the crane comes over, jump inside the box that it’s carrying. Notice that it has a resupply crate; you’re going to need that very soon. As the crane starts to take you away, an Assault Commander comes and kills the guys you first saw in this area. The crane then takes you over to a parking structure that is infested with aliens. Use whatever fire power you can find to kill them.
After each wave of aliens, the crane moves you a little bit further where you have to take on another wave. Remember to use the resupply ammo crate to keep well-stocked with ammo. Also be sure to use the metal sheet on the left side for cover when you need it. After a few of these waves, the aliens run a car out of the parking structure that collides with the box that you are being carried around in, and it will drop you to the ground below.
When you are on the ground, hope over any obstacles in your way, and find the gate with the glowing lock. Punch the lock off and go through the gate to the plaza in front of the Duke Dome. There are a handful of Pig Cops here that you have to take care of. Remember to hold on to your pistol if you are trying to unlock the Duke Nukem Forever Gunslinger Achievement.
When all the Pig Cops are dead, you need to figure out how to get out of the plaza. On the side opposite of the one you came in, there is a red, explosive barrel. If you haven’t shot it already, shoot the barrel to destroy some boxes that are holding up an open crate. When the crate is low enough for you to jump into, can climb through it to get to the next area.
After you jump out the other side of the crate, you see a construction trailer directly in front of you. The door to the trailer is locked, so you have to find another way in. Go around the back of the trailer and climb up the ladder to the roof. You can then go through any open skylights or punch one out and jump through it to get into the trailer.
In this room is a copy machine. Walk up to the copy machine and press “X” to open it and again to make a copy. This is your one and only ego cap reward at the Duke Dome for a whopping +1 ego point.
After stroking your ego, walk into the next room and on your left is a telephone. This is the next message in the Duke Nukem Forever Call Waiting Achievement.
There is glowing switch next to the door. Flip the switch and then an alien drop ship shows up. There are several weapons lying around inside the trailer, and it is a pretty easily defended location, so I recommend killing as many aliens as you can through the windows in the trailer, taking cover as needed. After you kill several waves of aliens, some berserking pig-cops show up and turn the trailer over. Escape through the skylights and kill any pig-cops you see.
When all the aliens are dead, find the gate in the chain-link fence. There is a spotlight shining on the switch to open it. Hit the switch, but the gate doesn’t open. Follow the on-screen instructions to force open the gate and proceed forward to trigger part two of the Duke Dome.
Walk into the crate directly in front of you. It will tip forward, allowing you to go out the doors on the other side. Follow the path around to an area with a lot of other crates. There is a flickering spotlight on a dark red crate directly in front of you as you approach.
The goal in this Duke Dome crate puzzle is to get that crate to tip forward so that you can jump on top of it and get to the scaffolding on the other side. To accomplish this feat, you have to load the crate full of barrels to weigh it down. There is a barrel visible on the crate to your left. Grab it, walk around to the back of the dark red crate, and throw it in to the far end. Then walk back around and shoot the the red barrel that’s visible in the crate behind the one you got the first barrel from. This will cause two more barrels to fall out the back side of this crate. Walk around to get these barrels and throw both of them into the dark red crate.
When you have all three barrels loaded in the crate, walk back around and climb up the ladder on the side of the crate you got the first barrel from. Then jump from that crate onto the top of the dark red crate and continue across to the scaffolding. Follow the scaffolding and jump down into the next area.
You see two aliens flying the twins to the Duke Dome, and they cry out, “Duke, save us!” On some more scaffolding close to where the twins are taken in, two other aliens who seem to be keeping guard notice you and start to attack. Kill them and continue around to the crane. Try to use the crane, and Duke says, “Hmm, needs juice.” You have to find a battery to power the crane.
Get out of the cockpit of the crane and climb on top of it. Walk to end of the crane boom and jump onto the scaffolding at the end. The top level collapses, dropping you onto a lower level. Jump down from there to the next level and from that small platform onto a lower one that has a room in it. You can find at least a pistol in that room. (If you are working on the Duke Nukem Forever Gunslinger Achievement, you should already have a pistol, and this will just be additional ammo for you.) Use your pistol to shoot the red barrels in the crate that is suspended in front of you. Then jump into this crate and continue to the other side.
When you get to the other side, find the ladder up to the next level. Then go up the planks and up the cinder blocks into the top level. You find the battery you need and an RPG launcher in a room on the top level. Pick up the battery and the RPG launcher. An alien ship shows up and destroys the room you were in, dropping you down a level. You must fight the alien ship with the RPG launcher. Use the EDF ammo resupply crate in the corner of this area to get more RPG’s as needed. When you damage the ship to a critical level, it will destroy the wall that is retaining you and fly off into the distance.
Go through the hole the alien ship created and turn left. Go through the gate to get back to the path to the crane. Take the path to the right and back around to the crane. The battery area of the crane is glowing, showing you where to put the battery you just collected. Follow the on-screen instructions to insert the battery, and then go back to the crane cockpit.
Your goal here is to make a hole in the side of the Duke Dome so that you can get it in. Grab the crane controls and swing the wrecking ball into the side of the Duke Dome. The scaffolding will collapse and some aliens will show up. You don’t have to worry about shooting the aliens. Just keep slamming the wrecking ball into the side of the Duke Dome, and the collision will take care of the aliens. Continue slamming the wrecking ball against the side of the building until it falls off. Then move the crane boom as far left and as far down as you can.
Exit the crane cockpit and climb on top of it and across the boom again. Jump down through the hole you just made. Kick open the door and go through it to end Duke Dome.
I hope you liked this walkthrough for Duke Nukem Forever Chapter 7: “Duke Dome.” Continue to the next walkthrough for Duke Nukem Forever Chapter 8: “The Hive” or go to the Duke Nukem Forever Walkthrough Table of Contents.
Did I forget anything? Are you having trouble with something? Leave a comment below.
Ubisoft has just released a new trailer for the upcoming fitness title, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012
Here are some details from the official Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 press release.
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 will take players into a stimulating world showcasing an array of visual effects and an environment that will transform just as their workouts evolve in the game. The upgraded extraction system scans the player’s full body during the training session so players are able to see themselves in the Your Shape universe and monitor every step of their progress.
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 introduces a variety of new activities that allow fitness gamers the opportunity to customize routines to fit their individual workout goals. Players can choose from a collection of fitness dance classes and targeted workouts including martial arts, boot camp, Zen sessions and fun mini-games including jump rope. In addition, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 also includes a brand new dynamic and interactive feature called Run the World. This activity virtually simulates interval running along the streets of a 3D rendition of your favorite city, such as New York and Paris.
The enhanced feedback system not only tracks what you are doing wrong, but now offers suggestions on how to adjust your moves to achieve the optimal workout. Using Ubisoft’s innovative Player Projection technology, Your Shape is one of the only games that can track floor movements, allowing the development team to expand on the list of available activities and incorporate push-up and sit-ups into the routines.
The online fitness portal, Your Shape Center, is a community where players can monitor their fitness and wellness goals, challenge their friends and see how they compare against players from around the world on the global leaderboards. Players will be able to motivate each other and praise friends’ accomplishments on Facebook, and engage with other users to share fitness challenges and stay inspired and engaged throughout the workout campaign.
While a official release date was not included in the press release, Amazon
The game is currently available for pre-order from Amazon
