March 2007 Archives

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter INQUIRER.net Editor's Note: Thanks to hackenslash reader Bisugo for tipping us off about the rumors, which we've now confirmed. ONLINE game publisher ABS-CBN Multimedia (a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Interactive) has announced that it will introduce its second premium online game title in the Philippines called War Rock. Unlike ABS-CBN’s first premium title, the online fantasy role-playing game Tantra, War Rock will be set in the present and will primarily be a first-person shooter similar to the Counter-Strike and Battlefield series. Players in the game would basically be part of one of two rival teams, equipped with modern-day weapons such as pistols, rifles, grenades and shotguns. There are also fixed weapons such as machine guns, artillery cannons and anti-aircraft guns. Players can also ride different types of vehicles such as tanks, motorcycles, helicopters and fighter jets but they are also vulnerable to high-powered weapons such as bazookas and rocket launchers. The game is developed by Korean firm Dream Execution and has already been published in the US and Japan. In a telephone interview with hackenslash, ABS-CBN Multimedia head Mitch Padua said they will start registration for players for the closed beta testing period in May. An open beta test will also be held in June while the commercial launch of War Rock is set for August this year. Padua said they have been testing the game on the US and Korean servers for about a year but will be waiting for the local testing as soon as the servers that will host War Rock arrive. He noted that War Rock will require a broadband connection and will not run on dial-up. "War Rock is also the first of three new games that we will be introducing this year. One is a highly successful premium game in Korea and the other is a casual game," Padua said. Having been quiet for the last three years, Padua said ABS-CBN Interactive is gradually building its online game business amid the noise created by their competitors. He said the company is also putting up a new online game portal called Amped.ph. "This site will host all of our gaming content, mobile and music downloads and even Flash-based games for the very casual gamer and female audiences." Padua said the official launch of Amped.ph will be sometime in May or June.

OK, we won't spoil the stunning ending of Marvel's "Civil War" for you, but in aftermath of that event, Spider-Man is now "Back in Black."

Here are the covers to the second printings of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #17, Sensational Spider-Man #35, and Spider-Man Family #1 courtesy of our friends at Marvel, which feature the first reappearances of Spider-Man in his black costume. SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #35 Second Printing Variant Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Pencils by Angel Medina Cover by Clayton Crain FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #17 Second Printing Variant Written by Peter David Penciled by Todd Nauck Cover by Adi Granov SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1 Second Printing Variant Written by Sean McKeever Penciled by Terrell Bobbett Cover by Leonard Kirk And here's a checklist that Marvel provided so that you can be sure to follow the "Back in Black" saga. March AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #539 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #18 NEW AVENGERS #28 * SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #36 April AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #540 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #17 GRANOV 2ND PRINTING VARIANT FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #19 MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: SPIDER-MAN NEW AVENGERS #29 * SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #35 CRAIN 2ND PRINTING VARIANT SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #37 SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1 KIRK 2ND PRINTING VARIANT SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #2 SPIDER-MAN: BACK IN BLACK HANDBOOK May AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #541 FALLEN SON- THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA: SPIDER-MAN * FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #20 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 NEW AVENGERS #30 * SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 June AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #542 AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #3 * BLADE #10 * FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #21 NEW AVENGERS #31 * SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #38 July AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #543 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #22 NEW AVENGERS #32 * SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #39 * Issue not branded as "Back in Black" So Spidey's "Back in Black" in time for the upcoming "Spider-Man 3," huh, hehe :)

THERE is still growth and innovation in the global massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) industry despite overcrowding by large and small development and publishing companies. A recent report by video game researcher DFC Intelligence said the MMOG business is as much a cutthroat business as other areas of game development. Citing historical data, the group said only a handful of games, usually less than five, make it to the top-tier market, commanding over 85 percent to 90 percent share of MMOG subscribers. Second-tier gamers usually end up with 25 percent of the market. Now, however, the market has seen a surge in potential MMOGs, driven by the success of Blizzard’s World of Warcraft. Some companies are pouring in huge sums to capture the still-growing online gaming company. MMOG development is also on the rise in Asia, particularly in China, Taiwan and Singapore. Even now, the number of online game subscription continues to increase, with small-scale games having about 50,000 subscribers instead of 5,000, while mid-level games have 150,000 subscribers instead of 50,000. "If history in this industry is any indication, most of these games will disappear, to be replaced by other passionate optimists. The track record of small, independent efforts with MMOGs has not been good. The track record of large, corporate efforts in the online game realm might even be worse," DFC Intelligence said. The research group told developers that MMOGs have long development cycles and usually notorious for missing initial release dates. Likewise, there is a great deal of money to be lost when getting into this business, with developers not knowing if their creations would become hits. The group also stressed that some games end up as failures due to inexperience, bad customer service and poor hardware and bandwidth maintenance.

By Relly Carpio, hackenslash Contributor INQUIRER.net I SAW my men writhing on the ground, dying, bleeding from wounds given to them by the machine gunners hidden behind a small pile of rubble I commanded them to take out. The ground around them gave out little puffs of dust as gunfire once again erupted around them. The medics couldn't get to them as they too were pinned by the chattering barrage. I saw one of them reach an arm up at me, begging for help as the rest tried to crawl to what little cover they could find. I urged the Sherman Tank I sent to provide covering fire for the ranger team to hurry. No use, by the time it got there, four men were dead. I called for a retreat. The Sherman arrived just as the two remaining rangers rounded a corner of a shattered building to safety. The Sherman's first salvo ripped directly into the gunner team killing one. The other was torn to shreds as the mounted 50-caliber machine gun gave them a taste of their own medicine. The third ran but a second salvo threw him into the air. He landed like a rag doll hurled by an angry child a few feet from my men. The medics ran in and began checking my wounded. One was still okay and was carried to the field clinic. I told the Sherman to hold the area and wait for the next ranger team to secure this point, I warned him of the Tiger tank spotted in the area before heading back to the base to replace the lost men. Three for three. This is going to be a long day. It isn't everyday that a real-time strategy game gives you this much detail. True, other games have been more historically accurate (but c'mon, we all knew who won) while others have also allowed you to get this close and personal. But I have to be honest here -- this was more like directing a film than actually playing a game. During those little rare moments that I could actually zoom-in during battle it was fantastic! It was like watching "Band of Brothers" or "Saving Private Ryan." But these were your airborne troops, these were your rangers. But yes, those were still Hitler's Germans and yes it's your fault everyone is dying. But you have the comfort of knowing that it's a game, though at times you tend to forget. It's that detailed. It was pretty confusing at first, looking at the minimum specs of the new game from THQ (famous for the daunting Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War series) and Relic Entertainment (of Homeworld fame). I had to double check that yes, it needed a system that would give Half-Life 2 a run for its money. I even thought that it was a first-person shooter from the stringent requirements! When I got into the game I understood why it was so. Not all real-time strategy games demand this much from a computer. I said that this game better be worth it or I will nuke the disks and send them back to the developers in a show of disgust. But just as when I first encountered Homeworld long ago, Company of Heroes brought me where no real-time strategy game has ever had. This same 3D environment is the reason the game eats so much performance and which makes Company of Heroes an incredible game. True 3D terrain and buildings and real-world physics make this real-time strategy game a must for any RTS fanatic. How real is it? When a landmine takes out a vehicle, the vehicle swerves the right way. When it blows up, parts of it fly in the direction as the blast dictates. Same thing with the detail of the debris, the buildings, the people. The time that was dedicated to making out the details can be seen when one zooms in to look at the stubble on a soldier. Or the dents and dings of battle damage on the vehicles -- even the mud tracks made by the tanks as they churn towards the enemy bunkers. Details that are usually seen in simulations, not real-time strategy games. The missions are straight out of the history books, and are the basis of much of the amount of work you put out in the missions. The equipment available also is authentic and the way they are used in the game is interesting to watch. Though the men and equipment available is simple due to the era of the setting, it's pretty complicated when you need to think of strategy missions, and situations can either be tackled using small arms skirmish or armored onslaught, or a mix of the two. The rub lies in the lack of tactical control. You tell the men and the tanks and the artillery where to go, but the combat is all their own. They're the ones who duck and choose where to find cover once the firefight begins. The tanks don't maneuver enough unless you tell them to and artillery tends to go askew, killing you instead of them. Which, though it brings the realism of Murphy's Law into the game, does make it annoying at times. Best laid plans and all that. Specific units would ease the overcoming challenges. Airborne units are better at demolitions, but Rangers are better versus armor. Jeeps can handle snipers better, anti-tank trumps tanks, etc. But it's no simple rock-paper-scissors game. Because of the 3D environment, the biggest problem in any encounter is the specific terrain on which it occurs. Higher ground advantage is a must! And cover, that ever elusive cover, is such a big factor. All in all, Company of Heroes truly has pushed the envelope. Kudos to Relic Entertainment once more for coming out with a fantastic game. Editor's note: hackenslash Contributor Relly Carpio is a freelance journalist who covers the information technology industry and writes game reviews. Company of Heroes Genre: Real-Time Strategy Developer: Relic Entertainment Publisher: THQ ESRB Rating: Mature (M)

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter INQUIRER.net

WHY is it that every game that is loosely based on a movie, which was also loosely based on a comic book character, almost always fails miserably? There must be a curse of sorts that makes a comic book-to-video-game movie tie-in such a commercial failure (think Superman Returns and Fantastic Four, also for the PlayStation S2). Not even the great writers of the original material could save the game from becoming video game trash. The latest comic book character whose good name has been tarnished by bad development is Ghost Rider, which is based on the latest Nicolas Cage starrer of the same name. Ghost Rider fans have always longed for a movie based on the character. Unfortunately, it was a terrible bomb that did not do that much justice to the Vengeful Flames of Justice. The game doesn’t help the movie, either. Just as in many other video game-movie tie-ins, the developers of Ghost Rider have done a haphazard job of coming up with a video game in the hopes of whetting the appetites of the character’s fans. But then, poor game reviewers like myself have to suffer through the game and write an article, and so to give justice to the game, I have to finish the entire thing. Thank goodness it only took a mere seven hours to get through levels that ended almost as quickly as they began. The game revolves around the life of bike stuntman Johnny Blaze, who has sold his soul to the Devil in the hopes of saving his father from death. Unfortunately, his father dies and the younger Blaze is left to do the Devil's bidding, in the form of a vengeful bike-riding demon with a flaming skull for a head. In the video game, Blaze becomes Ghost Rider and he goes from one adventure after another but his main goal is to hunt down and kill the armies of Blackheart, the traitorous son of the Devil. Ghost Rider must stop Blackheart from fast-forwarding the end of the world. The Devil, Mephisto, wants to maintain the balance of power between him and Heaven. If Blackheart takes over, complete chaos would reign. So you as Johnny Blaze burst into flames and into action. Oddly, Ghost Rider mixes the hack-and-slash attacks of both God of War and Devil May Cry, also for the PS2. Ghost Rider uses a chain that stretches out to kill different types of demons, and the combos are surprisingly similar to Kratos’ chain attack in God of War. Likewise, Blaze, as Ghost Rider, can collect the souls of the demons that he kills and as such, increases his Life Gauge and Spirit Gauge. The Life Gauge is obvious enough as it’s already used in many games but the Spirit Guage is unique. If it is filled up, Ghost Rider would go into Retribution mode and he becomes faster and his hits are more powerful. He can also do his special Penance Stare, which is fancy to look at but becomes too boring to do after a while. The Spirit Gauge is reminiscent of a similar gauge used by Dante Sparda in the Devil May Cry video game series. Some special missions in the game would also have the player ride on the Hellcycle, Ghost Rider’s hellish motorcycle. While riding, Ghost Rider can shoot down other demons in both the ground and those that are also in vehicles. The developers tried to make this part of the game challenging by having Ghost Rider jump over obstacles or slide under fallen walls or pipes. But there is nothing fun in here because the player can almost always finish a bike-riding level without even dying. Where’s the challenge in there? Visually, Ghost Rider is a letdown. It tries to mix the styles of both DMC and GOW but fails in both aspects, especially with the ugly camera movement and lack of environmental damage. Ghost Rider’s flaming head and chains are often a distraction. Even the monsters do not look as fearsome as they should be. Playing the game requires knowing certain attack combinations and defense but once you know two or three types of combo attacks, you wouldn’t find any more reason to use the block (which is a weird blue-and-white kind of light that extends out from Ghost Rider’s arm). In the six or seven hours needed to finish game, a player would be glad to just get it over with. But then, the developers tried again to spice up the game by adding hidden playable characters, in particular, Blade, his partner in the nocturnal Marvel team called Midnight Sons. Blade’s attacks are shorter but faster than Ghost Rider and are less fancy to look at. Nevertheless, he shouldn’t have a place in the game, even if he is Ghost Rider’s partner from the comic book. It’s a deliberate attempt by developer 2K Games to give the impression that Ghost Rider does not ride alone. Overall, Ghost Rider for the PS2 fails in all aspects of gaming, from the visuals, to the gameplay, to the storyline (take note that the story was written by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti, two of the most well-known Marvel writers). It would be a total waste to buy this game and play it till the end. In fact, you may want to exact vengeance on the shop where you bought it, even by accident. It may be the end of Ghost Rider’s life in the movies and hopefully, he will never rise again in a video game. Ghost Rider has already used his Penance Stare on this one -- and his victim is himself. Ghost Rider Genre: Action Adventure Developer: Climax Group Publisher: 2K Games ESRB Rating: Teen (T)

By Joey Alarilla, hackenslash Editor INQUIRER.net MEET Sarah Catindig, one of the four lovely models I interviewed in Plantation Bay, Mactan, Cebu last week during the 2nd RAN Online Global Conference. You've already met RAN Calendar Girl Jonah, so now say hello to Sarah. Sarah took up Journalism in college -- watch the video interview I conducted to find out why she shifted careers from writer to model. Here's a pic of Sarah in her RAN Online schoolgirl costume taken by Terence Ver Angsioco of IP e-Games during the RAN Online Global Conference. And here's a pic of Sarah and me taken by Sheila Rada of Dominguez Marketing, the PR firm of IPVG/IP e-Games, using my Nokia N90.

ALEX VILLAFANIA (left) kneels before the mighty Gabby Dizon, who is using the +9 sword of the "Father of hackenslash," Leo Magno, heh. :) Gabby, the chairperson of the International Game Developers Association Manila Chapter and co-founder and president of FlipSide Games, jams with the hackenslash crew in Episode 7 of hackenslash: the podcast. Plus, have a bite of our first Hero Sandwich as we spoof "Heroes." Hosted by Joey Alarilla, Jayvee Fernandez and Alex Villafania. Special guests Longwinded Sorry-Ass, Miki Sandman, Hiro Nakatempura, Peter Vermicelli, Nathan Vermicelli and Sando Masasushi, with cameos by Dare Bendit, I Suck Mendez, Jessicka and Psy War. Warning: Parental guidance is advised due to mature themes and some profanity. Subscribe to the hackenslash: the podcast RSS feed. INQUIRER.net, the online home of the Philippine Daily Inquirer Group of Publications, has partnered with Creativoices Productions to launch the INQUIRER.net Podcasts service, with different podcasts to be rolled out over the next few months. For more information, comments and suggestions, readers may e-mail hackenslashpodcast@inquirer.net

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter INQUIRER.net PHILIPPINE online game publisher Digital Media Exchange (dme) has recently made available a local payment gateway for the massively multiplayer online game EVE Online, which is played on international servers. Philippine players of EVE Online would be able to pay their monthly subscription through dme’s payment gateway MobiusGames.net. Likewise, players from other Southeast Asian countries would also be able to pay through MobiusGames.net since prepaid cards are also available outside the Philippines. DME new media, creatives and research manager Eric Roceles told hackenslash that the monthly subscription fee is pegged at P750. He said users can purchase game loads using mobiusonline’s universal currency called ePoints, which can be loaded with credits from prepaid cards bought at Internet cafes and other prepaid card kiosks. He noted that dme acquired the payment rights for the Philippines due to EVE Online’s popularity in the Philippines. Roceles, however, did not give any specify how many players are located in the country. He added that while dme would not distribute the game on CD or DVD in the Philippines, they would forward potential new players to the EVE Online so that they can download the game client. EVE Online was created by Iceland-based developer CCP Games. It is a futuristic space adventure game but instead of controlling one character, the player controls spaceships, each with different characteristics and purposes. Instead of the usual level-up system, EVE Online features a training system wherein it takes a player a certain period of time to achieve a certain skill. These skills will augment the type of ship chosen by the player who could choose to be a combat pilot, a captain or a commercial ship. Players can also buy ship equipment ranging from hull parts, modular equipment and weapons to customize their ship. EVE Online plays similar to starship-type games such as Homeworld and Star Strek: Starfleet Command series. Incidentally, dme rival Level Up! Inc. opened up a payment gateway a few weeks back for another internationally-hosted game called Silkroad Online.

PLANTATION BAY, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines--Here's a video I took of IP e-Games marketing director Ed Pasion a.k.a. Captain Passion recounting how the RAN Calendar Girls project was conceived. This was taken on March 23 during the 2nd RAN Online Global Conference, which the Philippines hosted this year.

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter INQUIRER.net UPDATED: Macromedia Flash is of course now known as Adobe Flash. Thanks to anomalous_underdog for the heads up.--Joey Alarilla A STARTUP video game development firm called Skyrocket Interactive Inc., a startup video game development firm, is eyeing to entice large corporations to use video games as a marketing tool, instead of fully focusing on creating original games. In an interview with hackenslash, Skyrocket Interactive president and CEO James Ronald Lo said the company’s development approach would be on "advergaming," a concept wherein a video game has a direct or indirect reference to a popular consumer brand. Advergaming provides major brand names to extend their marketing reach to either a niche of gamers or an existing community of video game players. Likewise, advergaming can also use games as an interactive value-added service to their existing customers. Three versions of advergaming exist: in-game placement advertising wherein brand logos are posted somewhere within a video game; online advertising, with a video game referring to the brand being played on the company website; while the third is direct reference of the brand, with the main mascot or product endorser becoming a playable character. Lo, who started out the company with five other business partners, said Skyrocket is barely nine months old and is still gradually building its portfolio. Despite the company's relatively late entry into the video game business, they are already making headway in producing some games for local brands. For now, all the games will be developed using Macromedia Adobe Flash, a graphics tool that can create interactive websites or games. Lo said they are developing at least five games, all for popular consumer brands. He hopes that all the games will be launched sometime within the year. Lo emphasized the value of advergaming for the company and also for its customers. It extends their market reach and provides an interactive method for customers, who may want to learn more about the brand. "Besides, it’s fun to play a game with the brand present and there’s easy brand recall," Lo said. Lo said the demand for advergaming could rise exponentially as more people go online. However, Philippine firms have to slowly understand the benefits of using the Internet as a marketing tool prior to putting their name as a video game.

By Joey Alarilla, hackenslash Editor INQUIRER.net IN A WORLD exclusive, South Korean developer Min Communications has presented a new title based on the RAN Online story, but which is a completely new game that offers cute characters and more accessible gameplay. P.B. Kim, producer of Min Communications, who spoke through an interpreter, said the working title of the game was RAN AS (Another Story) but it is now known as OS Online. OS stands for "One with the Space," and Kim said the idea is to take different stories from all over the world, including monsters from different cultures, and place them in one massively multiplayer online game. Kim declined to say when the game would be launched, though it is now undergoing testing in South Korea. The use of cute characters is expected to broaden the appeal of the game. "It is a game the whole family can play," Kim said through his interpreter. OS Online will feature two schools and six grades. Kim said the idea is to take advantage of the RAN Online storyline that has already won the loyalty of hundreds of thousands of gamers across the region, and introduce it to a new set of gamers and even people who might not consider themselves gamers through by using cute characters. During his presentation, Kim also showed an in-game clip from the game in a world-exclusive sneak peek at OS Online. Here's a copy of the video clip on our YouTube channel.

PLANTATION BAY, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines--IP e-Games president and chief operating officer shares the company's experience in making RAN Online a success in the Philippines. Tsao cited the need to keep coming out with new content to keep players interested in an online game. "Our perspective of the market here is -- it's almost like television. If what's on TV right now is say 'Three's Company' or 'Gilligan's Island,' shows from 10 to 20 years ago, the number of people watching TV wouldn't be as high as when you put in 'C.S.I.,' 'NBA' and such. "We believe with quality content such as RAN Online, we will drive up the user base in the Philippines. We will be the leader and the catalyst thatwill drive the industry and the market," Tsao said. Here's a video clip of part of Tsao's presentation.

PLANTATION BAY, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines--IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzalez greeted the delegates attending the 2nd RAN Online Global Conference, the regional summit of all Asian publishers of the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game, which the Philippines is hosting this year. Dubbed as "Global Success, Global RAN," the conference features the RAN operators from the Philippines, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand sharing their experience and best practices in making RAN the leading MMOG in different countries. Watch this brief hackenslash TV clip on YouTube of Gonzalez exhorting attendees to unite and make RAN a truly global phenomenon. Listen to Episode 5 of hackenslash: the podcast as the former number two RAN Online player in the Philippines shares his experience in reaping online success in this virtual world.

PLANTATION BAY, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines--What can I say? I love this job! After our "barrio fiesta" welcome dinner for the representatives from different Asian countries who are attending the RAN Online global conference, I got to talk to four gorgeous models who have been tapped for the event, including RAN Calendar Girl for the month of April, Jonah. Since it was noisy in the dining area because of the traditional Filipino dances that were being performed for the guests, I asked the four models to go with me to one of the gazebos so that I could interview them. Here's the first video interview, featuring Jonah. And here are pics of Jonah from the RAN 2007 calendar. And here's a pic of me and Jonah taken by Sheila Rada of Dominguez Marketing, the PR firm of RAN Online Philippine publisher IP e-Games, using my Nokia N90. Jonah wanted to do the V sign, heh. Stay tuned for the next video interview.

WITH the oversaturation of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) in the market today, it has become a challenge for most companies to establish a niche in an industry where its consumers are quick to change games when an MMO no longer has the initial innovation and creativity that attracted them in the first place. No longer content with the usual hack-and-slash, rinse-and-repeat formula, most gamers are constantly in search of that one game that caters to their oftimes demanding prerequisites: an ambiguously enjoyable plot, gameplay that differentiates itself somehow from the monotony of the level grind, a certain amount of customization for character individualization, unique player versus player/clan versus clan features, and a host of interesting in-game challenges, among others. In terms of originality, Granado Espada, perhaps, comes closer out of all the other games out right now in the running for the title. While most MMOs have pseudo-fantasy and magical settings, Granado Espada is instead a historical RPG. Characters wear clothes reminiscent of a mock Elizabethan/Victorian turned baroque age, with perhaps more bare skin than would have been approved of in that prudish era. There is an old European feel to the towns and cities that players are invited to explore for their daily health supplements, and battle arsenal -- possibly an attempt to encourage Brave New World attitudes of exploration and curiosity in the same spirit of a Magellan or a Columbus. Dungeons and other areas where monsters lurk are a stark contrast; enemies spawn in damp caves and mountains, or in abandoned gothic ruins. In fact, monsters spawn fast, and you won’t want for monsters to fight despite the presence of other players in the area. Granado Espada is a beautiful world to wander in, but that's not everything it has to offer.

Three heads are better than one

Family is a key feature in GE, and is possibly inspired by the Florentine de Medici family, or even by the more modern Corleones. Every player starts out with one barrack, which is composed of four characters at the onset, with an option to add up to nine characters per barrack as you progress. With a maximum of four barracks, this means every player can acquire 36 characters per server total -- nine times more than regular MMOs. Every character is created under one family name of the player’s choice, used as their surnames. Factions are Granado Espada’s version of guilds. A rich Faction can declare war on another, which increases colony war and player killing opportunities. The player versus player system is in the form of duels, where both parties are transported to the mission room to engage in fights. The winner also has the option of sending the loser back to the nearest city, or allowing them to graciously remain in the same location prior to their fight. Family points can be earned through successful duels or accomplishing certain mission quests, and these can be used to increase or expand character barracks, and create Factions. What ultimately sets Granado Espada apart, however, is its Multiple Character Control (MCC) system -- players may control up to three characters at once, allowing for an eclectic mix of strategy and techniques, and encouraging players to choose their classes wisely (musketeers, fighters, wizards, elementalists and scouts). Stat points are permanent no matter the level; characters instead grow stronger depending on the level of their skills and the weapons they have on hand, from guns, swords, daggers, magic spells and even a combination of long range and melee. Characters have unique Stances where these skills can be learned; they can be earned through accomplishing certain quests, or buying skill books from select shops.

Botting?

It seems like it at first glance, as certain hotkeys allow your trio of characters to fight oncoming enemies without the need to do the necessary point and click yourself. In this mode, characters can either remain where they are and engage incoming enemies in combat, or attack enemies within the area all through the Granado Espada AI system. While this seems to be a gift come true for gamers who do not wish to glue themselves to their monitors for hours at a time, it does not come without some restrictions. Characters cannot gather items monsters drop in this mode, and are susceptible to duel challenges from other players in the area if left unsupervised, resulting in lower family points. And while the AI system is fairly intelligent, it isn’t perfect; a sudden mob of monsters can easily kill off your characters and experience points. All in all, this feature seems to be a fixture in the game simply for a chance for gamers to relax and stretch their fingers, but not for gamers to leave their characters alone to do the levelling for them -- at least, not without some of the repercussions mentioned above.

Non-player characters now playable

NPCs no longer just stand around ordering you to carry out quests or providing you with weapons and items for sale; accomplish certain missions and quests they ask for, and you can even include them in your party in lieu of your actual characters. Each NPC possess unique stances, from the doll-throwing Catherine to the martial artist Gracielo, and can be levelled up in the same way. Like other games, though, Granado Espada still has its downsides. For now, detailed character customization is not an option until level 100, so most characters are going to wind up looking like carbon copies of the other, and armor aesthetics tend to repeat after every certain level. More missions are unlocked with every higher level, which can take awhile after hitting the mid 50-60s. Granado Espada has more hotkeys and a bigger interface available given their multi-character conrol, so familiarizing yourself with the keys may take awhile. Granado Espada can very well contain some of the more unique music and sounds in any MMO, like some surprising number of discotheque tunes or slaw haunting melodies in monster-overrun dungeons, but these tend to be repetitive after awhile. Fortunately, GE does offer an option to select add your own favorite music into their "jukebox," replacing the game sounds.

Guns and Glory

Granado Espada is a refreshingly good game to start out the new year. Aside from its fun three-character fighting system and overall intense graphics, veterans to MMORPGs might not find anything too groundbreaking in terms of gameplay, but later game patches could probably rectify that. Casual players and game addicts on the other hand, will find this worth their time to play, given the numerous and compelling opportunities for character-centric exploration, good monster-player ratio, and faction wars. Check out this in-game video clip of a Granado Espada boss fight on hackenslash TV. Editor's Note: hackenslash contributor Erin Chupeco writes for HardWare Magazine Philippines. Listen to IP e-Games president Steve Tsao talk about Granado Espada in Episode 2 of hackenslash: the podcast. Granado Espada Genre(s): Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game Developer: IMC Games Publisher: IP e-Games/IP Interactive (Philippines) ESRB Rating: Teen (T)

ARE you a fan of all things Pokemon? Then check out PKMNph - Pokemon Philippines, a site that covers the Pokemon phenomenon in the country. PKMNph recently switched to WordPress.

Here's the latest PKMNph blog entry.

After almost a year of covering the Pokémon phenomenon here in the Philippines we are very glad to say that we’ll be doing it for at least one more year. We started the year bad with a server crash but the staff of PKMNph worked hard to bring back all those fans to the community, site, and forums. Since mid January of 2007 we have already gathered 535000 hits. As part of our plan to improve the PKMNph site, the staff of PKMNph have decided to switch to WordPress from CuteNews. This move will hopefully attract more fans to the site. A very special thanks to Patrick Abarquez, a PKMNph staff, for designing our current layout. We will continue on improving the layout but rest assured that the following updates on the layouts will be based from what we have here now. All PKMNph news from the past are being kept by the staff for future use. The PKMNph forums will be the target of our next grand makeover. Thank you for waiting and we do hope you enjoy the new layout.

FEW really know about Microsoft’s computer peripheral business since it is mostly centered on gaming, such as mice, keyboards, steering wheels and joysticks. But those who have bought their products know how good a Microsoft gaming device can be. Microsoft took a step further in its gaming peripheral business, especially for its prized Xbox 360 game console. Aside from selling detachable hard disks and wireless joypads, the company is now also offering its first wireless steering wheel, which surprisingly does not even have a fancy name (all of Microsoft’s game controllers have the Sidewinder prefix). It’s just simply sold as the Microsoft Wireless Steering Wheel. But be wary, you may fall in love with it. Looks At first glance, the MWSW (let’s give it a short name, shall we?) is the biggest external game peripheral the company has ever made. Not even its PC brethren, the Sidewinder Force Feedback Steering Wheel, could match this in size and weight. In fact, the MWSW doesn’t even have a match among the rest of the gaming peripherals in its class. It is solidly constructed, about two feet long, a foot in depth and as wide as the dashboard of a real car’s driver side (the box containing the MWSW is three times the size of an Xbox container). It is as heavy as it looks, about 3.5 kilograms -- and that doesn't even include its gas/break foot pedals. The unit and its foot pedal are colored white just like the Xbox 360, with gray trimmings. The body itself has a wide girth but this is to allow a user to place the unit on his or her lap if tables are not available. The bottom side has a few rubber stoppers to prevent slipping. If there is an available table, the MWSW has a thick plastic C-clamp that can be snapped underneath the unit. Meanwhile, the steering wheel is designed just like a professional rally racing car’s steering wheel but turns about 240 degrees. The top side of the wheel is covered in hard rubber, also to prevent slipping. It is connected to the center axle with three spokes to its sides and below. The ABXY buttons are on the right spoke while the four-way D-pad is on the left. Too bad there are no representations of the left/right trigger and bump buttons from the Xbox 360 controller on the MWSW but what it has are two European-designed paddle shifts. There is no up/down stick shift normally found in racing steering wheels. The gas and break foot pedals, which look like genuine car pedals, are also uniquely designed. Instead of a flat heel, you'll find a big hole right in the middle. But its purpose is functional rather than aesthetic: the heels of the user will have an anti-slip function and avoid the inconvenience of constantly re-adjusting the pedals, especially during intense races. This is a common problem with racing wheels, even those with rubber padding underneath. However, one problem with the foot pedals is that they are too close together and is seems to be best fitted for kids no older than 13 years. Perhaps a little tweaking in the space between the two pedals would have been more convenient for larger individuals. Gameplay: is it worth it? So after describing the unit, one question remains: does it work? It’s both a yes and a no. Upon purchasing the unit, it comes with a force feedback version of Project Gotham Racing 3 for the Xbox 360. The DVD game contains the software driver, allowing it to run on the Xbox. This version of PGR3 is also specially designed to completely utilize the features of the MWSW, in particular, its force feedback. FFB and vibration feature is especially noteworthy on PGR3 as it highlights every vibration in the game, including slides, jumps, bumps, oversteer and understeer. The FFB forces the wheel to lock a bit if a car oversteers or understeers but it can be pulled back to center with a stronger tug. It takes a while to get used to the feel, especially with its much smaller dead center. First-time drivers would find difficulty controlling their cars since a slight turn could get their vehicles into a spin. But this can be overcome with more practice, and frequent users would find out later that the MWSW responds differently with each car. Ferraris in PGR3 are fast on a straight line but are hard to control in turns while some drift cars such as the Viper and Mustang can be controlled well with the MWSW. Patient drivers can eventually control their cars well with the MWSW. Check out my video review for hackenslash TV. PGR3, however, is the only game best played with this steering wheel. A test of the new Need for Speed: Carbon reveals the only single, albeit the biggest problem with MWSW and that is its small, nay, tiny, dead center. An ever-so-slight turn will force any car in the game to lose traction and even an expert Need for Speed player has to worry about countersteering apart from finishing a race. Even the game Test Drive: Unlimited (TDU) has a similar problem using the dead center and that is because the cars have almost the same effects despite their differences in engine power.However, there is an explanation to this: both NFS: Carbon and TDU were not co-developed with the MWSW. PGR3 was one of the only two racing simulations that were co-developed with it, the other being the ultra-realistic simulator Forza 2, which is set to come out by May this year. Moreover, Microsoft seems to be forcing developers to create games that will have to be controllable with their new steering wheel. New racing games should have the MWSW’s unique logo on their boxes for compatibility. Hopefully, all of the next Xbox 360 racing games would fully utilize this. For now, fans would have to enjoy PGR3 until Forza 2 comes out. Racing simulation fans would be happy with the MWSW but may have to get past the cost issue: it is priced at P7,000 (approximately $150) and is currently the most expensive racing wheel ever built. Fanatics may also want to buy a specially made racing seat just to fit this controller’s looks. Despite its good looks and full utilization on PGR3, it is best suggested that buyers hold of from purchasing this until Forza 2 comes out. Only if it works well in this game should buyers think of getting one.

FINALLY, the new hackenslash is online, and surprise, surprise, it's the latest site in the growing INQUIRER.net Blogs network. With the hackenslash relaunch, we're making history as the first INQUIRER.net site to be transformed into a blog. As the gaming and multimedia editor of INQUIRER.net, one of my responsibilities is to be the Final Boss a.k.a. editor of our hackenslash gaming site, and I felt that the blog format would be perfect for our needs and the needs of our readers. Not only that, but we can take advantage of the synergy and drive more traffic to our fledgling blog network, while also bringing together our newly launched services such as our video channel, podcasts and Flickr pages to offer a true multimedia experience. We now have sections for hackenslash: the podcast and hackenslash TV, which is one of the offerings from INQUIRER.net's video channel. We've also expanded the scope of hackenslash, as you can see from my earlier post where I announced that Republic of Comics and Anime Culture will now be part of hackenslash. We've also introduced new sections such as Arcade, which will showcase different arcade games, and Flashback, where we take a look at oldies but goodies. We have a lot of new sections  which we'll unveil over the next few days as we complete the transition, so we hope you'll enjoy what we have in store for you. Just remember: Everyone is a gamer. They just don't know it yet!

YUP, Republic of Comics, which we soft-launched in our YOU youth site, is now part of hackenslash, along with Anime Culture. We love comics, and we know that many of the people who like video games also enjoy reading comics and watching anime, so I think it just makes sense that we're now all one big happy family :) First up, here's news from our friends over at Marvel, who regularly send us details and images of their latest releases. Thanks, guys! Are you a fan of the new Mighty Avengers? Well, looks like a lot of other people, are too, 'coz the first issue has sold out and garnered rave reviews, according to Marvel. Here's an excerpt from Marvel's announcement.

The first issue of Marvel’s newest title has sold out at Diamond and Marvel is going back to press with a new cover featuring one of artist Frank Cho’s stunning splash pages from the issue. Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho are the superstar creative team behind this all-new, all registered Avengers team in Mighty Avengers #1. The pair has brought back the old-school team feel within a very different Marvel Universe, taking on the big threats only the Avengers can handle. Luke Handley from Silverbulletcomicbooks.com said "this is without a doubt the best, or at least most fun, Avengers issue I’ve read in a good time." Ambush Bug over at Ain’t it Cool News admits "that this is one very strong issue -- one worthy of the MIGHTY tagline in the title.” Richard George of IGN.com believes that "when you mix Brian Bendis with Frank Cho and an inspired roster of characters, you're bound to get something interesting." Comixtreme.com’s Adam Chapman agrees, saying that "the writing by Bendis is strong" and "Cho is an excellent artist." And as Troy Brownfield at Newsarama succinctly explains, Bendis "knocks it out of the park."

MIGHTY AVENGERS #1 Written by Brian Michael Bendis Pencils and Cover by Frank Cho

MOST online surfers who play Flash-based games would be quite familiar with Alien Hominid, a two-dimensional side-scrolling action game featuring a bug-eyed yellow alien. Those who played the game when it was still in its beta Flash version would remember the nameless alien who lost his spaceship to FBI agents. This game was first played over Newgrounds.com and it spawned an underground fan base who found fun playing as the little alien who shoots, throws grenades, stabs with a knife and, most amusingly, eats the heads of enemies. The game later found its way to the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and mobile phones. Now, Alien Hominid developer The Behemoth is back with a downloadable P500 Xbox 360 game on Xbox Live. Dubbed as Alien Hominid HD, the game has been slightly expanded from the original and previous console versions but it still sticks to the original side-scrolling formula that made it extremely popular. Longtime players of the original game would notice a stark difference in graphics; the game uses a modified cel-shading brush technique giving it a comic-book look. Also, it can now be played on widescreen TVs. Most importantly, the game now features a two-player option similar to classic games such as Contra and Metal Slug. Alien Hominid HD becomes twice as fun when you play with a friend cooperatively to shoot down FBI agents, robots and bosses. The bosses have a specific pattern, which the player has to find and exploit. The single-player game starts with the anti-hero alien’s spaceship crashing to earth. But unscrupulous FBI agents captured his spaceship and, of course, he has to regain it. Armed with a plasma gun, grenades and a military-issue army knife (how he got these weapons is still a wonder), he’ll go through about 16 levels to get back his spaceship and get out of the planet but not before he fights FBI agents, KGB agents, American soldiers, a group of obese humans (ostensibly called Fat Kids), robots and a muscular clone of the Alien Hominid created by scientists from Area 51. For the weapons, the plasma gun is the staple of the Alien Hominid and it has unlimited ammo. Holding down the A button would charge up the plasma gun for a more powerful effect and this is useful against minibosses and more powerful bosses, particularly the last boss. The Alien Hominid can collect power-ups through out the game to increase the firepower of the plasma gun ranging from larger bullets to a hail of plasma globules similar to the spread gun in Contra. The grenades are especially useful against a group of clumped enemies while the knife is best used in close quarters. However, when the Alien Hominid is struck, it dies reflecting the game’s arcade approach. The most fun to use but difficult to execute attack is the head-eating one where the Alien Hominid would jump on top of an enemy and bite off its head. This causes nearby enemies to be shocked and run away. The alien also has another type of attack and that is a grapple move where it carries around an enemy and throws it at the others. The fun factor with this game is the hilarious non-verbal interaction between the Alien Hominid and his enemies and the in-game cutscenes where the FBI agents try to come up with weapons to stop the Alien Hominid. The game can be finished in about three hours but can be saved somewhere in the middle if the player isn't able to finish the game in one sitting. There is a problem with the save feature, however, which becomes notoriously annoying. However, if you’ve saved more than once, at least you’ll have a chance to finish the game without starting. Overall, Alien Hominid HD is fun and is worth more than its retail value ($10 on Xbox Live). It’s a quick realization for game developers that not all games on the Xbox 360 (and perhaps even the PlayStation 3) have to be all about jaw-dropping graphics and difficult gameplay. Comedy, simple gameplay and cool cartoon-like graphics are all the necessary ingredients to make a great game. Alien Hominid HD Genre: Shoot-em-up Developer: The Behemoth Publisher: The Behemoth ESRB Rating: Teen (T)

EVER wonder how a medieval field general feels prior to a battle? Or how a medieval king should amass wealth, armies and influence over most of old Europe? Medieval II: Total War is the right game for you as it combines many aspects of turn-based strategy similar to Civilization, as well as epic battles in 3D reminiscent of more traditional real-time strategy games. In fact, players of Medieval II would essentially be buying two games: one for the diplomatic leader and another for the general who wages battles in rolling hills or flat terrain. Medieval II is an offshoot of the Total War series developed by Creative Assembly. It covers the ages 1080 AD to 1530 AD when Europe was dominated by several historical kingdoms. Of course, the main goal of the game is to conquer all the other kingdoms stretching from the Irish islands, England, Germany, Poland, France and Italy, to as far as away as the Middle East. There are about 40 kingdoms in all and each one has to submit to your chosen kingdom, either as a nation or a territory. Take note that there are two parts in the game and the first one is the turn-based Civilization-like map of Europe. For most RTS players, this would be the most boring type of game as it requires a lot of strategic planning to expand a kingdom. It only shows a flat two-dimensional surface with occasional 3D videos and all actions are presented as scrolls and windows. However, players must remember that Medieval II’s turn-based strategy mode is one of the most complex in the genre, possibly matching even Sid Meier’s Civilization series. In the turn-based mode, a player has to grow the kingdom by managing Settlements, divided into towns and castles. Within these territories the player has to build his army by recruiting infantry units, cavalry and artillery units. Likewise, the player has to manage all of the economies of each territory, which includes taxation, food supply and other facilities. It should also be noted that players would have to build different types of non-battle related characters such as priests, diplomats, spies and merchants who would provide the necessary support to maintain different needs to run a kingdom. For example, priests are necessary to lessen religious unrest and prevent entry of pagan priests roaming the land (a common occurrence in medieval Europe), while merchants are those who look for resources (silver, iron, gold, textile, oil, etc.) outside the boundaries of a territory. Meanwhile diplomats and spies are best suited when dealing with other kingdoms; diplomats carry the weight of ambassadors to make deals with other kingdoms while spies are best used to check on the military and economic capabilities of both allied countries and enemies. Diplomats are also necessary to prevent going to war with more powerful kingdoms while spies help in creating problems within any kingdom to weaken it. However, both diplomats and spies can be bested by rivals from other kingdoms if they have little experience. The player also has to ensure that there is peace and order in all of the territories by placing governor-generals, intellectuals, royal personalities and religious magistrates. The placement of the leadership, as well as management of the local economies, has a direct impact on how each town could contribute to the kingdom’s power as well as creation of armies necessary for battles. Not surprisingly, wars in medieval Europe were waged because of religion and the most powerful at that time was the Catholic Church. Medieval II: Total War has a unique place for religion and that is when the Pope is influenced by Cardinals that come from a powerful kingdom. The more Cardinals that kingdom has in the Vatican, the more it is favored by the Pope and more power is bestowed upon it, either economically or in terms of military might. But as the kingdom grows, so does the complexity of managing each of the Settlements as well as those that were captured through sieges. Not surprisingly, playing the turn-based mode of Medieval II would be a major challenge even for veteran turn-based RTS players. Most RTS players will be familiar with the siege battles of Medieval II. This is where the entire game changes from turn-based to regular real-time 3D skirmishes. These can be started when your troops lay siege to an enemy castle, or by encountering enemy troops in open fields. However, the number of units that can be mustered for battle depends on how many troops were recruited from the different Settlements during the turn-based mode. If not properly managed, you could either end up with a small retinue of spearmen or an entire battalion that’s right smack in the middle of nowhere with no enemies in sight. But assuming you’ve built your economy and army properly in the turn-based mode, you’ll be rewarded with a superior army that can face up to any enemies. But the battle system in Medieval II is itself very complex as it does not follow the traditional attack patterns in other real-time strategy games. Prior to the start of a battle, players will be given the chance to have the correct placement of units. For instance, infantry units are at the front of the battalion, behind them are the archers and flanking the infantry are the cavalry. At times, a regiment of mounted knights would try to flank their enemies and come out of their covers to engage enemies at either side or at the rear. Take note that the game has different types of infantry units, artillery and mounted units. Likewise, a number of siege weapons are at your disposal, such as ballista, cannons, ladders, siege towers and ramrods when attacking enemies hidden within the high walls of towns or cities. At the start of the battle, either it would be the player who would approach the enemy or the other way around. One of the most common strategies, even in real battles, is to use the archers to reduce the number of approaching enemies within range. When these are reduced to a few, the infantry would make their approach. But this would make them vulnerable to the enemy archers. So the next wave of attack should be done by the player’s horsemen who would run down enemy archers who are ill-equipped against mounted spearmen. But these horsemen might also be attacked head on by enemy horsemen who may be able to take advantage of the melee as they approach other units. This is where strategy becomes critical and it all depends on how the player utilizes his units properly as well as using the terrain to his advantage to win the battle. Battles can last from five minutes to almost 15 minutes depending on the number of units available in a game and about 1, 000 units from each side could be playing onscreen.In battle mode, the camera can be toggled to move up to see the entire formation of a player’s army and the enemy’s or it can be brought down to eye level to see the battle up close. Noticeably, the movements of each troop are not synchronous with the rest and they move as if they were really hacking and slashing in a real battle. The battle can be intense at close range and players can often do this if they have strategically placed their units to attack specific enemy sides. After a battle, the winning battalion has to return to a nearby Settlement to recuperate and refresh its ranks. As they keep winning battles, their experience becomes higher and their skills in weapons become better. Likewise, captains of winning battalions can increase their nobility and they could head Settlements, their presence lessening any chance of being subjected to attack. Overall, the game is one of the most unique and most complex games in the RTS genre but it rightly deserves its place. Players of Medieval II have to be either well-rounded in the RTS genre or be big fans of medieval battles. On the other hand, this game requires a robust system to be enjoyed. No less than a PC with Intel Core Duo processor, 1 gigabyte of memory and a 256 megabyte video card is necessary to fully utilize the game’s features. Medieval II: Total War Genre(s): Real-time tactics, turn-based strategy Developer: Creative Assembly Publisher: Sega ESRB: Teen (T)

JAC TING LIM (second from right) and Rod Andres (second from left) were our guests in Episode 6 of hackenslash: the podcast. Here they are striking a pose with me and INQUIRER.net events coordinator and hackenslash image model Claire Chan. Photo taken by Jayvee Fernandez. Jac and Rod talked about comic books, cosplay and life as a girl gamer. OK, Jac talked about being a girl gamer, and Rod obviously talked about being a guy gamer, heh. Plus it was Claire's first time to co-host a "Hot Seat" segment, and boy did we roast each other! Co-hosting this podcast episode with me and Claire was hackenslash reporter Alex Villafania, the Romeo of Gaming Mojo. Subscribe to the hackenslash: the podcast RSS feed. INQUIRER.net, the online home of the Philippine Daily Inquirer Group of Publications, has partnered with Creativoices Productions to launch the INQUIRER.net Podcasts service, with different podcasts to be rolled out over the next few months. For more information, comments and suggestions, readers may e-mail hackenslashpodcast@inquirer.net

NOW on its third go-round, everybody’s talking about how EA’s Fight Night franchise has indeed redefined the boxing game genre. But because it’s a boxing simulation and tries to approximate the real thing as much as possible, it’s not something that everyone can enjoy right away. It does have a Total Punch Control gameplay system that you need to learn first. Videogame boxing wasn’t always like this, though. Early boxing games were simply more of the pick-up-and-play, button-mashing arcade types, especially back in the day when Atari consoles ruled our homes. But it wasn’t until Nintendo came out with its Punch-Out!! franchise when the boxing games started to come into their own. With the exception of Mike Tyson who appeared on one Punch-Out!! game for the NES in all his jagged glory, the series featured fictional sluggers with colorful personalities complete with matching swagger and signature moves worthy of the World Wresting Entertainment. Needless to say, Mike Tyson felt very much at home with the likes of Soda Popinski, Bald Bull and Mr. Sandman. It was a lot of fun while it lasted. Sadly, we haven’t heard from the franchise after the release of Super Punch-Out!! for the Super NES. So when EA Sports failed to score a knockout with its more realistic but less than stellar Knockout Kings and its sequels for both the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64, Midway answered the bell with their own version of Punch-Out!!, only this time in 3D. In this corner, enter Ready 2 Rumble Boxing. While versions for other consoles were also released, the definitive version of R2R was for the then awesome 128-bit wonder that would later turn out to be Sega’s last (hardware) hurrah, the Dreamcast. As one of the DC’s launch titles, R2R showed off the console’s graphical capabilities with gorgeous-looking models of the largely cartoonish characters that can you can still marvel at even today. At the same time, it also had many other things going for it, including its engaging gameplay, tight and responsive controls and tongue-in-cheek humor. With no less than ring announcer Michael Buffer (Mr. "Let’s Get Ready To Rumble" himself) introducing the fighters, the original game has you starting out as an unheralded boxer working your way up to that coveted title shot. You can’t create your own character, though and have to choose from R2R’s roster of fighters that includes the lean and mean and Chris Rock-sounding Afro Thunder from New York to the seemingly Eddie Guerrero-inspired Angel "Raging" Rivera from Mexico to the Dolph Lundgren-deadringer Boris "The Bear" Knokimov from Croatia to even Brazilian hottie Selene Strike. You start fighting in a near empty arena that gets bigger and more crowded as you rack up more victories until you finally win it all. Form the word RUMBLE as you connect with more powerful punches and you are transformed into an unstoppable force of nature that knocks the other boxer out cold. That’s about all there is to it in R2R, though. The game is not that hard to beat since it’s pretty much a button-mashing affair. Sure, it has a Championship Mode that’s essentially the same as its Arcade Mode except for some required training mini-games in between matches that aren’t really interesting enough for the most part. Among the unlockables, only four are extra characters and none of them is anything to write home about. Fortunately, Midway was more than up to the task of improving the game’s shortcomings with the release of Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 two years later. It’s still pretty much the same game, only bigger, better and certainly a lot funnier. Round 2 brings back the best of the first R2R and adds several more interesting characters (most of them unlockable) to the fold including Afro Thunder’s brother, G.C. Thunder who looks a lot like Prince, punk rock livewire Freak E. Deke (a personal favorite), robot Robox Rese-4, who mimics the moves of other fighters just like Mokujin in the Tekken series and five real life personalities namely basketball superstar Shaquille O’ Neal, the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, then White House tenants Bill and Hillary Clinton and in a surprise Jekyll and Hyde transformation, announcer Michael Buffer himself. If that’s not enough reason for you to bid for a used DC at Bidshot and eBay and hunt this gem down, then perhaps the three levels of RUMBLE will. Getting the final level of RUMBLE will reward you with the power to deliver a punch strong enough to send, say, Michael Jackson, flying out of the ring. Yes, it’s that satisfying. For the most part, R2R Round 2 is still an arcade boxing game for the most part and has therefore limited replay value for single players after all the characters have been unlocked. But you can probably say the same thing about other fighting games for that matter. The real strength of games in this genre lies in its multiplayer replay value in Round 2 is pretty high in this area. What this game lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in sheer attitude and laugh-out loud fun. If you have a DC, round up your best buds and schedule a bout with Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2. Your idea of Fight Night may never be the same afterwards. Editor's Note: hackenslash contributor Edwin Sallan writes for Manila Bulletin.

UPDATED:  The first Mario Kart game appeared on the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)/Super Famicom, not the NES/Famicom. This game was Super Mario Kart. Thanks to jayz_a of Pinoy-N.com for pointing out this error -- we really appeciate it.--Joey Alarilla I REMEMBER playing the first Mario Kart on the [Super] Nintendo Entertainment System (that’s the Family Computer to young folks) and it was among the most enjoyable racing games I’ve played on a console. Since then, the Mario Kart series has been among the most prolific titles on all Nintendo platforms, from the Game Boy Advance, N64, GameCube and DS. Now for the first time ever, Nintendo finally introduced an arcade version of perhaps the most popular Mario-type game. Mario Kart Arcade GP is the first Mario Kart version that was not fully developed by Nintendo. The company partnered with Japanese game firm Namco, a company known for its Tekken and Ridge Racer series. Obviously, Nintendo wanted an expert to create an arcade version of Mario Kart. Mario Kart Arcade GP seems to be a direct port of the GameCube version (Mario Kart Double Dash) but only on the graphics side. The gameplay comes from the Mario Kart DS version and lets you play against six other players. Although the machines seem to cater to children who play simple, straightforward racing games, MKA is anything but. Fans of the original MKA series in other Nintendo platforms will surely have a lot more fun playing MKA now with a controller, pedals and action buttons. The game features 11 playable characters, including Mario, Wario, Donkey Kong, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, Toad, Yoshi and Bowser. Namco added its own characters Blinky, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, into the game. It has a total of six stages representing the environments of six of the playable characters with four tracks each. As in all titles in the Mario Kart series, the objective of the game is to beat your competitors to the finishing lines and do damage to them or slow them down by using various items strewn all over the race tracks. These items include the favorite Turtle Shells, Boo, Square Wheels, Lighting Rod, Bomb, Banana Peel and Mushroom. These can be launched using the Blue button on the steering wheel, which also has force feedback functions to make it look like a real Namco racing game. The game is very fast and very cute. Steering the virtual karts is a breeze and you quickly get used to the controls. It’s a straightforward racer and there’s no need to use gear shifts. It’s as simple as stepping on the gas and shooting Turtle Shells at your enemies while trying to pass or overtake them. The races are just about five minutes long but those minutes are spent screaming with glee at your competitors. What’s more, Nintendo has added a save card system for MKA, similar to the Initial D and Maximum Tuner racers. This means that players can win awards points to buy items in the game. One of the niftiest features of MKA is a digital camera at the top of the machine. Snapshots taken of the players will flash above a racer. But the snapshots of the players can also be cut up and superimposed with distinctive images from the characters they choose. For instance, your mouth and ears would be covered with Donkey Kong’s own or Mario’s hat and moustache. Overall, MKA is a fun addition for fans of quick arcade racers and Nintendo players. It’s not close to Namco’s Ridge Racer but people will play it, if only for its novelty as the first arcade incarnation of one of the longest-running game series. To better enjoy the game, it’s best to play it against another person since the AI is quite easy to beat.

CLAIRE CHAN with (l-r) Joey Alarilla, Jayvee Fernandez and our mystery guest. Photo taken by Jesse Delima. Who is our mystery guest? Who are Master Cheese, Cortina, The Rock of Doom, Max Payne-in-the-Ass and Dark Vader? Why am I asking all these questions? Check out hackenslash: the podcast, Episode 5 and find out for yourself. Warning: Parental guidance is advised due to some profanity. Hosted by Joey Alarilla, Leo Magno, Jayvee Fernandez and Claire Chan, with Brian Mathew Ligsay of Creativoices Productions as one of the characters, replacing the missing link Alex Villafania. Here's behind-the-scenes footage from our podcast recording session. Subscribe to the hackenslash: the podcast RSS feed. INQUIRER.net, the online home of the Philippine Daily Inquirer Group of Publications, has partnered with Creativoices Productions to launch the INQUIRER.net Podcasts service, with different podcasts to be rolled out over the next few months. For more information, comments and suggestions, readers may e-mail hackenslashpodcast@inquirer.net

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IT'S official. Level Up! Inc. will launch Perfect World, a Chinese-made massively multiplayer online role-playing game, around second or third week of May, just in time for the Philippine midterm elections. Level Up! has just purchased 30 new Intel-based Dell servers to house what the local game publishers believe to be the next biggest online game. Perfect World is a free-to-play, item-based online game that offers a buffet of experiences. It will appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, Jane Walker, chief executive officer of Level Up!, said in an interview with hackenslash. "We're betting that it will be the biggest game in 2007," Walker added, as she disclosed that the company has just invested about $150,000 to $200,000 for the purchase of the 30 Dell servers. Perfect World has about 300,000 concurrent players in China, and 150,000 in Taiwan. Level Up! chief technology officer Christopher Syling expects to add about 15 computer servers every quarter. "This will depend a lot on the growth of the online population," he added. The Perfect World closed beta was originally set to start on March 19 but has been moved to March 28, followed by an open beta on April. The commercial launch is slated for May. Walker said the "whole development process," which included the Chinese-to-English translation of the game and testing, took around three months. Meanwhile, Walker disclosed that Level Up! International is also publishing Perfect World in Brazil. The commercial launch will happen a month after the Philippine debut, she added. Perfect World has won numerous awards, including the Golden Feather Award, Best 3D Online Game 2005, Golden Feather Award and Most Original Online Game, 2005 Golden Feather Award Three Most Important Online Game Awards in China, and the Golden Palace Award for 2005 from NetEase. It was also listed as among the top 10 Most Anticipated Online Games in 2005. The game was developed in Beijing, China. For more information, listen to Episode 4 of hackenslash: the podcast as Level Up! chief operating officer Sheila Paul and marketing services manager Jake San Diego talk about Perfect World.

A CATHOLIC multimedia development agency is taking "God mode" a step further as it begins using video games as a teaching tool for values education in schools. Jesuit Communications, a multimedia production outfit for Catholic learning materials, is currently in development of a series of video games that will highlight Catholic values, which will be taught in Catholic schools nationwide. There would be nine video games to be created, along with nine other interactive animations. These would be part of a four-part interactive CD-ROM project aimed to revolutionize catethical work by sharing truths of the faith using the latest in digital technology. In an e-mail interview with hackenslash, Jesuit Communications head Father Aristotle Dy, S.J. said the creation of interactive animation and video game content complements and expands the agency’s other works in publications, TV and radio. The project has been ongoing for some years and has, in fact, produced the first CD-ROM called X-Treme that covers the life of Jesus Christ. This CD-ROM has been purchased by Catholic priests in some schools. Father Dy said the target students would be in third and fourth year high school and the common or recurring themes in the animations and games would be freedom, family, conscience, life, law, sexuality, truth, justice, sin, faith and prayer. Father Dy also said they have tapped Emmanuel and Roy Dadivas, a father-and-son team, who would develop the games. In a separate online chat session with the two Dadivas, the senior Dadivas, who teaches film at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said he and his son are currently working on Super Tsuper (Super Jeepney Driver), the first game among the nine. He said it is already half way finished but he expects all nine to be done by September. Meanwhile, Roy Dadivas, who is surprisingly just 16 years old, explained that Super Tsuper is a 3D racing game and uses a Filipino-made passenger jeep as the main vehicle. The basic plot is for the jeep to take a route and avoid kotong or bad cops. Despite the game's minimal development, its system requirement is particularly medium-rate: 1.5 Gigahertz processor and 256MB memory. The young Dadivas said he has not had any previous experience in developing video games but is confident that he would be able to finish the games in time.

THAT'S Level Up! Inc. chief operating officer Sheila Paul (4th from left) and Level Up! marketing services manager Jake San Diego (3rd from right) with (l-r) Pocholo Gonzales, Alex Villafania, me, Claire Chan and Leo Magno. Photo taken by Jayvee Fernandez. Sheila and Jake talked about Ragnarok 2, Perfect World and why Level Up! won't just be an online gaming company anymore. It’s Ragnarok and Roll in Episode 4 of hackenslash: the podcast. Hosted by Joey Alarilla, Leo Magno, Jayvee Fernandez, Alex Villafania and Claire Chan, with special guests Ike Entiendes, Erap Espada, Market Roxas, Danton Ajinomoto and Gloria Labandera. Subscribe to the hackenslash: the podcast RSS feed. INQUIRER.net, the online home of the Philippine Daily Inquirer Group of Publications, has partnered with Creativoices Productions to launch the INQUIRER.net Podcasts service, with different podcasts to be rolled out over the next few months. For more information, comments and suggestions, readers may e-mail hackenslashpodcast@inquirer.net