Commander Fury

Announced last week, the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/06/killzone-trilogy-joins-playstation-collection-on-october-23rd/">Killzone Trilogy</a> box set combines Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 with a high-definition <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> remaster of the original Killzone. Today we take a closer look at Killzone HD, and the challenging new trophy set that comes with it. Originally released for PlayStation 2 in 2004, Killzone tells the story of Jan Templar, an ISA Captain whose home planet comes under attack from a Helghast invasion army. Together with a hot-headed sergeant named Rico, a deadly Shadow Marshal known as Luger, and the half-human, half-Helghast spy Hakha, Templar must attempt to reactivate the Orbital Defense Platform and drive the invading forces from his planet Vekta. This rip-roaring introduction to the Killzone universe has been remastered in HD for inclusion with the Killzone Trilogy bundle. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/psn-play/">PSN PLAY 2012</a> provided a ton of great new <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> games; from <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-sound-shapes.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Sound Shapes</a>, to <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/papo-yo-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Papo & Yo</a>; but when it came to sales, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/counter-strike-global-offensive-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Counter Strike: Global Offensive</a> emerged as the victor. Valve’s hit franchise debuted with a powerful shot of multiplayer-centric action, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, download it today and get on the battlefield. Representing more of the PSN PLAY 2012 lineup, Sound Shapes debuts on this month's top sellers list, coming in at No. 4 on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and No. 1 on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>! Congratulations to Queasy Games and Santa Monica Studios on another hit. More...

Jet Set Radio is returning in glorious HD on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PlayStation Network</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> as part of Sega’s Heritage Collection! Originally launched in the year 2000 on Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio has always been regarded as a true SEGA classic – bringing a genre-bending mix of rollerblading, stylish graffiti, and a soundtrack that people are still talking about to this day. Set in Tokyo-to, Jet Set Radio is the name of the pirate radio station that fuels the local street gangs called ‘Rudies’. The game follows a group of Rudies called The GG’s, as they challenge the rival gangs for control of Tokyo-to. Powered by magnetically enhanced in-line skates, they grind, jump and tag their way while avoiding the ever present and increasingly ruthless police force. Our goal with Jet Set Radio (and indeed all the Heritage Collection titles) has been to deliver the closest experience to the original product and, when possible, improve on it. Wait – I know the chill you get when the word ‘improve’ is mentioned in the same breath as your favorite game, and I can assure you that the core of the game is completely unchanged. The levels are just as beautiful as the original, just more so when displayed in full HD, 16×9 resolution. More...

<a href="http://facebook.com/HomeTycoon">Home Tycoon</a> is the first 3D city-building game where you can create your dream city from the ground up, explore it at street level as your own avatar, and share your metropolis with friends – and it’s coming soon, exclusively to <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a>. We’ve been hard at work on Home Tycoon for quite some time here at Hellfire Games, and we can’t wait to get the game out to the Home community. Featuring a robust city-building simulation, tons of story-driven missions and activities, vehicle driving (complete with turbo-charged cars and stunt ramps), and over 50 avatar rewards to unlock, Home Tycoon is unlike anything you’ve seen in the genre before, and the first game of its kind in PlayStation Home. More...

Hi everyone! After a long journey navigating the sometimes-challenging waters of new IP development, we’re proud to reveal Fuse. Fuse, formerly known as Overstrike, is a third person, four-player cooperative game that centers around a volatile energy source that has fallen into the wrong hands. The substance, called Fuse, has been acquired by a terrorist organization known as Raven and Overstrike 9 has been hired to track down and stop it from setting off a deadly arms race. You can play with up to three of your friends, and each member of Overstrike 9 has its own signature Fuse-powered weapon. Play as Dalton Brooks, an ex-mercenary who has a Mag-shield that acts as portable cover and unleashes a devastating blast that liquefies opponents. Take on the role of Naya Deveraux, who can cloak to flank enemies and fire out mini-black holes that implode its victims. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/10/playstation-plus-update-free-double-dragon-neon-and-scott-pilgrim-early-jet-set-radio-access/">As previously announced</a>, both Double Dragon Neon and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game are now part of the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection, so get downloading. Besides the side-scrolling beat ‘em ups, Plus members also get early access to Jet Set Radio (it officially debuts next week) and at 10% off. Get it fast, because the discount is only during this early access week. If you aren’t a Plus member, you can check out both Double Dragon Neon and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World via their demos to see if you like them. A couple PS3 Full Games hit the Store today -- you’ll now find that both Max Payne 3 and FIFA Street are available, and that’s great news if you like shooting guns or soccer. Plus members also get a nice 33% discount on Max Payne 3, or 10% off of the Max Payne 3 bundle, which includes a Rockstar Pass. As always, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. You can also chat about this update in the <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation Community Forums</a>. More...

Great news for Canadian gamers - the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available in Canada on October 2nd. We're putting together a great bundle to launch the 3G/Wi-Fi Vita. It includes a download voucher for two exclusive PS Vita games - <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-gravity-rush.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Gravity Rush</a> and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-unit-13.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Unit 13</a> - and will be on-sale for $299. Rogers data packages will be available on a month-to-month basis. The addition of 3G-network access is the perfect pairing for the gamer who wants convenience, community and connection on the go. PS Vita systems with an active Rogers data package can use software functionality developed specifically for the 3G-enabled model, including turn-based, asynchronous multiplayer gameplay, instantly updated rankings and leaderboards, immediate access to the latest downloadable add-on content, and real-time community news. More...

At this year’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/gamescom12/">Gamescom</a> press conference, we announced that Online Game Save Storage will be upgraded to 1GB for <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> members, and I’m happy to report that the increase will be available soon with PS3 system software update (v4.25)! After you’ve installed the update, simply go to the Saved Data Utility under the Game column of the XMB. From there you can access the Online Storage folder and find any existing game saves already uploaded, as well as the increase in space to 1GB. So set your automatic download to upload every game save for every compatible game you play and enjoy the additional breathing room. You can also continue to use this feature to selectively upload game saves you specify. Stay tuned to PlayStation.Blog for the latest info on future updates. More...

This Wednesday, September 12th, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a> gets another global platform update to version 1.7, bringing with it some exciting new possibilities, subtle changes to improve the user experience and more. In other news, LOOT shares some cute freebies, Lockwood has a wonderful selection of items and new Gift Machine items, the Ca$h Carnival continues and more! <strong>Application of the patch</strong> If you are upgrading from an old version of Home (1.40 or earlier) then when you attempt to apply the 1.70 patch please wait for the orange “hard drive activity†light to stop flashing on your PS3 before commencing the patching process. <strong>Camera</strong> The camera has been added as an Action to the Emotes menu. This means you can now take pictures in Home while you are using a companion or other portable item. More...

Being our first, exclusive, collaboration with Sony, we are extremely proud to bring you Let’s Fish! Hooked On, the first full-scale fishing game on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>, coming this autumn. So, being given the opportunity to speak directly to real gamers, we decided to share the game's first screenshots and artwork here. Let’s Fish! Hooked On, which was originally released in Japan, is developed by renowned Tokyo-based studio SIMS, whose games include SEGA Bass Fishing and PSP launch title Ape Escape. If you hadn’t guessed already, Let’s Fish! Hooked On also has beautifully illustrated anime style artwork - designed by well-known Japanese artist Poyoyon Rock (whose most recent character design artwork was used for the manga series The World God Only Knows). The game combines realistic fishing action with fast arcade-style gameplay and comes complete with a full story mode, which aims to make fishing fun for everyone. Choosing between four different characters, each with their own storyline and unique skills, players are challenged to improve their skills and become World Champion by competing in a host of progressively more difficult tournaments on the World Tour. More...

Hello, PlayStation fans. We at Codemasters are happy to announce that the F1 2012 demo will be available later today on PSN! The demo contains a taste of two awesome new F1 2012 features. First, we have the Young Driver Test, a real life event that can determine your F1 career. We also have Season Challenge mode’s first race at Monza -- let us know your fastest lap on that one. If you race <a href="http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/9/13780.html">like Perez did last weekend</a> we’ll be impressed! One small note: the game’s toughest A.I. difficulty does not feature in the demo. The Legend A.I. option can be accessed in the Career and Quick Race modes, both available in the main game. Let us know how difficult you find Season Challenge on hard. Of course, the demo is just a taste of what’s to come – F1 2012 offers a host of improvements over F1 2011, including fully localized weather, lap tutorials, season challenge, and the mighty Champions Mode. More...

It’s been two years since <a href="https://secure.hulu.com/plus/ps3promo">Hulu Plus</a> first launched in living rooms across the U.S. via <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> – but we haven't stopped there. Since then, we’ve kept our promise to never stop innovating. Our team of passionate engineers in Hulu’s Seattle office has been hard at work, taking your feedback to build the latest entertainment experience for your living room. I’m excited to announce that the new and improved Hulu Plus experience rolls out today on PlayStation 3. Designed to help you get to the shows you watch faster than ever before, the new experience includes larger, more vivid artwork and is easier to navigate. We’ve implemented a tray-style format that allows you to scroll through recommendations based on your viewing history, or check out popular shows and movies, the top 100 clips on Hulu Plus, movie trailers and more. We’ve also included a “Shows You Watch†feature that highlights the content you regularly enjoy, and lets you jump straight to the latest episode. More...

Hi, this is Djamil Kemal at Lexis Numérique, I’m glad to introduce our upcoming adventure/puzzle/investigation game: Red Johnson’s Chronicles — One Against All. Those of you who already know Red, one of the best private investigators in Metropolis, will enjoy this new installment. For everyone else, don’t worry; you don’t need to have played the first one to fully enjoy this new adventure. <h4>Adventure</h4> One Against All is an adventure game, indeed. If you like deep storylines, strong characters and fierce dialogue, then you should give it a try. In One Against All, you will discover a world in which everything is dark, even humor. This time, Red will have to try and save his kidnapped brother and won’t let anyone stop him -- not even tough guys like Duncan the bartender or seductive girls like Abbie, the mysterious waitress. In addition to the main storyline, you can also take on missions proposed by a very special maid… More...

We’ve got a lot cooking for <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> members this week with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/31/double-dragon-neon-lighting-up-psn-in-september-new-gameplay-video/">Double Dragon Neon</a> and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world-the-game-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</a> joining the Instant Game Collection, among other great perks. Read on to learn more! <h5>Double Dragon Neon</h5> <strong>Free for PlayStation Plus Members (Regular Price: $9.99, PS Plus Price: Free)</strong> After 25 years, the original beat ‘em up is bringing pure over-the-top baditude to PSN, and it’s free for PlayStation Plus members on its first day of release! In Double Dragon Neon, Billy and Jimmy are kicking butts and taking names as they search for their girlfriend Marian (she seems to have a habit of getting kidnapped). More...

We start this week with an incredible contribution to the community from John Holtkamp, known to most by the name <a href="http://lbp.me/u/amazingflyingpoo'>http://lbp.me/u/amazingflyingpoo">amazingflyingpoo </a>. Last week he released his brand new and totally free LittleBigHub App, which is a rather nifty little tool that will allow you to follow creators, queue levels and keep up-to-date with all the latest activity on <a href="http://lbp.me/">LBP.me </a>! To check out this amazing application for yourself, <a href="http://www.littlebigland.com/littlebighub-now-available/">head on over to LittleBigLand.com</a> to see what LittleBigHub can offer you! This isn’t the first time that we have featured amazingflyingpoo in Sack it to Me, in fact he’s contributed so much to the community that he has already been awarded both the Rare Prize Crown and the Awesomesauce Pin! So due to his continued contributions to the LittleBigPlanet community and the fact that he is already Awesomesauce approved; I instead gave amazingflyingpoo the opportunity to nominate a fellow community member for the <a href="http://lbpwiki.org/AwesomeSauce">Awesomesauce Pin</a>… More...

<p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> this week, the highly-anticipated sequel to 2000's legendary Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is being brought to home consoles with all of the action seen in the arcades along with unique content and features that can't be seen anywhere else. Also on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>, EA Sports NHL 13 delivers an innovative new gameplay experience, accurately capturing the speed, creativity and strategy of today's NHL action.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> as full digital downloads, prepare for full-scale war with Battlefield 3, the third major evolution of the long-running online battle franchise. Max Payne 3 continues the tale of former New York City detective, Max Payne. Still haunted by the memories of his traumatic past, Max begins a new life working private security protecting a wealthy industrialist and his family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fight as twin brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee on an exciting adventure to save their shared love interest, Marian from the evil Skullmageddon across 16 brawling levels filled with elaborate missions, malicious enemies and over-the-top battles.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy this week’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-drop/">The Drop</a>.</p> More...

Videogames are great - I'm sure we can all agree on that, and there are a couple dozen stories below to support that. But it's Week 1 of the NFL, so I'll understand if you don't get a ton of gaming in this weekend. BTW, this is probably a good time to remind those of you who root for teams in other cities, that <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/29/directvs-nfl-sunday-ticket-returns-to-ps3-launches-in-september/">DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket</a> is back on PS3 this year. As a <a href="http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a> fan in California, I'm not just a pitchman, I'm also a client. And as a fantasy football devotee, I do love that Red Zone channel. Before kickoff, if you only have time to read one story, head on over to the <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/08/borderlands-2-skill-tree-calculator-now-online/">Borderlands 2 skill tree calculator</a>. <em>My Siren will own</em>. <strong><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/nfl/game/Eagles_Browns/2012/9/9#preview">E-A-G-L-E-S!</a></strong> More...

Not a bad post-PAX week, all in all, with a solid <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/04/playstation-store-update-255/">PlayStation Store lineup</a> and plenty of announcements to keep everyone on their toes. I've recently gotten some hands-on time with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/tekken-tag-tournament-2/">Tekken Tag Tournanment 2</a> (out next Tuesday). Based on what I've played, it's not surprisingly the biggest and most comprehensive Tekken yet. I particularly enjoyed the Fight Lab mode that enables you to mix and match moves to build the ultimate Combot (combat robot) character. Good stuff! Don't miss Sony Santa Monica Studio's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/06/pax-2012-god-of-war-ascension-panel-highlights/">God of War: Ascension PAX panel highlights</a> (and a new HD video showing off the first <a href=" ">Fury</a>), the new dev diary and release date for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/06/wonderbook-book-of-spells-coming-to-ps3-november-13th-watch-the-dev-diary/">Wonderbook: Book of Spells</a>, new Sound Shapes community-made <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/06/pull-shapes-sound-shapes-community-picks/">level picks</a> from Queasy Games, new details on the freaky <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/06/littlebigplanet-karting-meet-the-hoard-pax-recap/">Horde</a> enemies in LittleBigPlanet Karting, a new chance to win big with the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/05/ea-sports-challenge-series-returns-to-ps3/">EA Sports Challenge series</a>, and first details on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/07/gt-academy-2012-finalists-battle-at-silverstone-series-begins-on-spike-tv-november-1st/">GT Academy 2012's Spike TV series</a>. More...

Sat-ur-day, Sat-ur-day, Sat-ur-day is my favorite day. It’s time for another <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/psn-spotlight/">PSN Community Spotlight</a>. For the unfamiliar, this is where PlayStation gamers tell their unique stories/experiences/thoughts, as submitted to this section in the <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PSN-Community-Meets-the-PS-Blog/bd-p/22802">PlayStation Community Forums</a>. Those that make it all the way to the PlayStation Blog will receive a $50 PlayStation Store voucher. Last week, the only writing requirement was that the story be related to PlayStation. Gamer <a href="http://us.playstation.com/publictrophy/index.htm?onlinename=heathenamerico">HeathenAmerico</a> wrote in to tell us about his happiest moments with the brand. More...

Nearly 400,000 gamers across the United States entered the second iteration of Nissan and PlayStation's innovative gamer-to-racer competition this year. The top 32 gamers faced off in July at the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/17/gt-academy-top-16-drivers-advance-to-silverstone/">National Finals at Comic-Con in San Diego</a>, and only 16 advanced to Silverstone Circuit in August for the one-week challenge at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/gt-academy/">GT Academy</a> Race Camp. After seven days of intense challenges, racing Nissan 370Z and GT-R race cars, a new U.S. Champion now joins the ranks of the 2011 GT Academy Champion, Bryan Heitkotter. Want to know which of the top 16 is the new 2012 GT Academy Champion? Be sure to tune into <a href="http://www.spike.com/shows">Spike TV</a> starting November 1st, as every moment of the week-long competition will be aired as a six-part reality show. Be sure to keep your eyes glued to the official <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GTAcademyNA?ref=ts">GT Academy Facebook page</a>, as we’ll have daily updates on GT Academy Race Camp -- including behind-the scenes videos of various challenges -- and interviews with the Top 16. More...

Every God of War fan remembers the first time they unleashed the Blades of Chaos. Amidst a catastrophic storm on a ship sailing on the Aegean Sea, players led Kratos toward the Gates of Athens, where he would begin his journey to seek out and destroy the God of War, Ares. It was in these first minutes of the original God of War that Kratos encountered the Hydra -- a gargantuan sea serpent that explodeed through the ship, wreaking havoc for Kratos with every step. Not on this day. Kratos utterly beat the crud out of the Hydra in a series of epic clashes, culminating with a journey into the Hydra's throat to retrieve the Captains Key. That’s God of War, and that… was the first of many unfathomably epic moments experienced in the God of War franchise. We recently asked our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/godofwar">God of War Facebook fans</a> <em>“What is your favorite God of War epic moment of all-timeâ€</em>, in an effort to establish God of War's top five epic moments, as determined by the fans of the series. More...

The second entry in our <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/behind-the-classics/">Behind the Classics</a> series is a real lost gem – SCE Cambridge Studios’ wild, wacky supernatural adventure MediEvil. First released on PSone back in 1998, it put you in the shoes of Sir Daniel Fortesque – an undead knight unwittingly reanimated by the evil sorcerer Zarok who embarks on a quest to liberate the kingdom of Gallowmere. A sequel followed in 2000, with a PSP remake also popping up on PSP in 2005, however, it’s the original game that remains most embedded in the memory. With Sir Dan soon to enjoy a comeback of sorts <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/31/playstation-all-stars-nariko-and-sir-daniel-join-the-fight/">as a playable character</a> in <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale</a>, we sat down with original designer Chris Sorrell to find out more about the game’s development. <strong>PlayStation.Blog: What was the original concept for the game? Did you draw inspiration from anywhere in particular for the game's look and feel?</strong> <strong>Chris Sorrell, Game Designer, MediEvil</strong>: The first design proposal for the game had the working title 'Dead Man Dan' and described a game that was a fusion of Capcom's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghouls'n_Ghosts">Ghouls'n Ghosts</a> with the art style of Tim Burton - especially the look and feel of The Nightmare Before Christmas. More...

This week, the <a href="http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/music-unlimited/why-music-unlimited/">Music Unlimited</a> service features <a href="http://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/09/04/new-releases-on-the-music-unlimited-service-9412/">new releases</a> from Matchbox Twenty and Imagine Dragons, as well as new albums from Melissa Etheridge, Animal Collective, Cat Power, Deerhoof, Two Gallants and Propagandhi. Speaking of music, if you haven’t tried the Music Unlimited service, you’re in luck – check out our new 14-day free, no credit card, Premium service trial offer for new customers. Just head over to the SEN Blog for more details. On the <a href="http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/video-unlimited/">Video</a> side, check out our <a href="https://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/09/04/new-releases-on-the-video-unlimited-service-9412/">New Releases</a> including Cabin in the Woods and Safe, and The Five-Year Engagement, which is available in Rent Now. More...

Before I get into the “meat & potatoes” of Medal Of Honor: Warfighter, and my experience with the game during the PAX 2012 Medal Of Honor: Warfighter Community Event…I should give you a little background intel about myself. I am not just a fan of the Medal Of Honor franchise. I am a battle hardened [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zpOzmPnr8Fc4b_FONmb434C1ztU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zpOzmPnr8Fc4b_FONmb434C1ztU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zpOzmPnr8Fc4b_FONmb434C1ztU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zpOzmPnr8Fc4b_FONmb434C1ztU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=5j1GceUZRVk:u0F7gyIcLEY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=5j1GceUZRVk:u0F7gyIcLEY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=5j1GceUZRVk:u0F7gyIcLEY:Ly1H5S7uc7A"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=Ly1H5S7uc7A" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/UrgentFuryUnleashed/~4/5j1GceUZRVk" height="1" width="1"/> More...

Before I get into the “meat & potatoes” of Medal Of Honor: Warfighter, and my experience with the game during the PAX 2012 Medal Of Honor: Warfighter Community Event…I should give you a little background intel about myself. I am not just a fan of the Medal Of Honor franchise. I am a battle hardened veteran of almost every Medal Of Honor “battle space” ever made available to me from the fine folks at Electronic Arts. I was part of the team that destroyed “Railgun Greta” (I always thought that would be a great name for a band). I was there with the French Resistance, when they put a stop to the V-1 menace. I survived the horror of “Panzerknacker Unleashed“. I experienced the tragedy & triumph, of both D-Day & Pearl Harbor. And of course, I was there when Mother, Preacher, Voodoo, & Dusty all said goodbye, to one of their own. But enough about me, let’s talk about Medal Of Honor: Warfighter. I just thought that it was important for you to know as you read this, that the opinions expressed here, are not those of some casual gaming blog writer, or some detached industry media guy who could really care less about the game. These are the opinions of a guy who knows this franchise, and has come to expect a certain something when he plays Medal Of Honor. Flash forward to Seattle, Washington. The “Jet City“. Friday, 31 August, 2012. Westin Hotel. 1900 hours. 20 or so Medal Of Honor community members fill the lobby, and you can feel the sheer anticipation pulsing throughout the room. After signing in, we are finally led upstairs to a huge meeting room filled with food, fun, & fireteams. As we started the gameplay portion of the evening I was instantly caught off guard, by just how good the game looks. I play Battlefield 3, so I know what the Frostbite 2 can do. But you could immediately tell that Danger Close has a firm grasp on the engine’s real capabilities. The second thing that I noticed was the sound design. It was even a topic later in the night, during a Q&A session with the DEV team. The ambient audio in general is superb. But the gunfire in particular, is simply stunning. Each weapon has it’s own distinct sonic personality. You can almost “feel” the difference between weapons, based solely on how each one sounds. With regard to the essentials, Warfighter’s basic gunplay and control interface, remain relatively unchanged from the game’s predecessor. All in all, to this point, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about everything I’ve experienced so far. But, keep in mind that 2010’s Medal Of Honor was a hybrid endeavor. With Danger Close developing the Singleplayer mode (on a heavily modified version of the Unreal Engine 3), and DICE (EA Digital Illusions CE) developing the Multiplayer mode on the Frostbite 1.5 engine. In fact, that may have been the only thing wrong with the 2010 iteration. You could tell that the two modes were somehow related, but were also distant cousins at best. So, as I blazed my way into Warfighter’s Multiplayer mode, I was a bit apprehensive about what I might find. However, I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised to find that Danger Close had re-imagined the Multiplayer mode, and has aptly transplanted it’s DNA into the mode’s fabric. Unlike 2010’s game, you can tell that Danger Close developed this mode. It didn’t seem like I was playing someone else’s version of Medal Of Honor. The HUD, and player icons were well thought out, and unique. I didn’t notice the usual visual clutter on the screen like you see in some shooters. And thanks to the technology of the Frostbite 2, player movement was smooth, and very natural. The Spec Ops mode was interesting, though I rarely found myself using it. It gives you a very quick “IR” peek at your environment when you need to amp up your situational awareness a bit. Some players may complain about it, but as I mentioned, it’s not something you can “lean on” during the course of the game. It really is something that you’d only use if you find yourself in a “tight spot“. There is also a “suppression” effect that occurs when you find yourself taking enemy fire. It’s similar to the Battlefield 3 suppression mechanic, but is toned down enough to distract & disorient you, more than it disables you. I like the execution of the effect overall, and I think most players will agree. Other elements from the 2010 game make a return to Medal Of Honor: Warfighter. Offensive & Defensive Support Actions are back, and have been tweaked a bit. They seem more useful and balanced, but must be used strategically in order to achieve any real results. I also love the way a player must think before he deploys one of these actions. For instance, if you launch a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). Your player actually stops, and literally “launches” the UAV by hand. If you call in an A-10 “air strike”, your player must again stop, and actually “lase” the target for tasking. It makes the player vulnerable, which means you have to use discretion when deploying any of the support actions. I also love the revised melee mechanic. At one point, I jumped off a raised position to engage an unsuspecting foe below, dispatching him with a well placed tomahawk. If I could have, I would have “high-fived” myself. And although we only played on two maps during the event (Somalia & Sarejevo). It seemed like we played on 3 or 4 different maps, due in large part to the unique map design Danger Close implemented. Depending on which game mode we played, we’d find ourselves fighting on a different portion of the overall map. Sarajevo, is set at the Kosovo Olympic Stadium. What was once a proud structure that represented something glorious, is now just a shell of rubble & untamed vegetation after years of civil unrest in the region. I can’t put into words how dense, and cluttered the terrain is on this map. Be advised, there won’t be any “Run & Gun” here kids. To properly navigate this AO, you almost have to “move & shoot” the “Tier 1” way. I think the saying goes…”slow is steady, and steady is fast“. A “bombed out” bobsled track snakes it’s way throughout most of the map, and provides hundreds of vantage points from which to engage the enemy. In addition to the many man-made structures that litter the map, rocky perches and natural terrain also provide players with a plethora of tactical options. The three game modes we experienced were “Sector Control“, “Hot Spot“, and an e-sport game mode called “Homerun“. SECTOR CONTROL- This mode is exactly what is sounds like. It’s very similar to Battlefield 3‘s “Conquest” mode. Players must capture & defend designated “nav points” on the map, to push the enemy back and ultimately control the AO. It should also be noted that because of the nature of the game modes we played, the infantry combat is fierce at times, and will really test a team’s ability to work together & communicate. In other words…team work is essential. HOT SPOT- Next up is “Hot Spot“, my personal favorite of the three game modes we saw during the event. In this mode, players are tasked with either planting or defusing a bomb that will destroy a designated tactical target if it isn’t defused in time. The cool thing is that you don’t choose where to plant the bomb if you’re attacking, HQ does. Similarly, players on the defending team will have 2 or 3 “potential” target sites to defend, but won’t know which site is actually being attacked, until the bomb is planted. It makes for a mad scramble at times. And the fire fights that ensue are epic to say the least. HOMERUN- Finally, we come to the “e-sport” game mode that was named by the Medal Of Honor community at-large. Homerun is a fast paced, no respawn, “Capture The Flag” game mode, that almost always comes down to a “last man standing” scenario. The fact that you only get one life per round (10 rounds in all), cranks up the stakes considerably, and was the only game mode that evoked cheers from the community players in the room. It sucked to die, but it was actually fun to watch the match unfold from the “dead lobby“. Overall, I’m glad that Danger Close seems to understand the importance of innovation with regard to the Multiplayer mode. The Fireteam feature alone, proves that they are at least conscious about getting players to work together to achieve the objective. But with that being said…there is one aspect of the Multiplayer mode that I’m concerned about. Honestly, I’m still a little skeptical about the clan support options that we’ll see with Medal Of Honor: Warfighter. When asked about it, we were told that clan management would take place via Battlelog (like Battlefield 3). I firmly believe that developers have neglected the demographic of players who prefer a “team first” gaming experience. Most Multiplayer shooter titles today, seem to have forgotten those of us who want to be part of a team. A group of like minded gamers, who share a real collective identity. We want the ability to create and manage private matches, and to manage our clan down to the last shooter. We want the ability to achieve an actual online presence. But sadly, most titles focus on the individual. A players rank or KDR seem to be more important than the greater good of the team these days, which I think promotes a selfish “me first” type of dynamic. We’ll see how Danger Close chooses to handle this, but I’m not 100% sold on the idea of using Battlelog to manage my clan. After all, most of us already have a “friends list“. Regardless, I’ve got my fingers crossed. All I know is that for about six and half hours in Seattle, I was Tier 1. Danger Close has clearly found it’s identity, and has put it’s stamp on the franchise. And without question, I left Seattle with an excitement I haven’t felt in a while. Medal Of Honor: Warfighter seems to have everything a grizzled Medal Of Honor veteran like me would expect, or want. We’ll find out soon enough if that’s enough to compete in a somewhat crowded genre/market. Medal Of Honor: Warfighter from Electronic Arts & Danger Close (PC, PS3, & Xbox) goes loud, on October 23rd. Until then shooters. Watch those corners….and Stay frosty. View the full article