Commander Fury

There are a lot of big games coming out over the next year but the one I am personally looking foward to the most is the PS3 exclusive *Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception on November 11th. The Uncharted series has always been renowned for it’s single player storylines an game play but in the second installment Naughty Dog Studios took some extra time and incorporated a pretty fun array of multiplayer options and it looks like they expanded on that for Uncharted 3. Uncharted 3′s Multiplayer game modes and game play are revealed for the first time, including split-screen, co-op multiplayer, customizability and more! Check out this quick montage of what awaits us (Please ignore the “music” unless you are into to it, then by all means rock out!). One of my favorite aspects of the new multiplayer is it allows splitscreen (something that I find severely lacking in most big releases these days) and the kicker is something that other gaming systems (Xbox) have been doing since the begininning. Namely players will have the ability to sign in with their own individual Playstation Network I.D.s while playing split screen. About friggin’ time! Here is a list of some of the new multiplayer game types and gimmicks to look forward too: Free-for-All: Classic you versus everyone else, now with 8 players total Power Plays: Gives the leading team more moolah but the losing team gets more chances for kills, something of a balancing system Medal Kickbacks: When you find treasure on the map you have the ability to use it to buy temporary boosters Overtime & Sudden Death: If a match is ridiculously close an additional minute may be added, but if it still ends in a tie it is last man standing who gets the win Buddie Boosters: Playing co-op? Now there are special perks built specially for the duo that loves destruction! Customizability: In the video you caught a glimpse of this but you will have hundreds of options from characters to wardrobe, weapon load outs and modifications, variety is the spice of life! Cinematic Multiplayer: Uncharted games are known for being cinematic, but with new 2-player co-op gaming options that movie-like experience is coming to multiplayer. You saw the runway map in the video? That is what this is all about! Highfives: Yup, i know I will have fun with that! Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

A Microsoft representative has issued a statement to Electronic Theatre regarding the ongoing PSN issues, which are plaguing users worldwide. The representative of Microsoft’s distribution network said they felt bad for gamers, but at the same time, expects it to be of some benefit to Xbox Live. “Of course it’s regretful that Sony is encountering issues at such a busy time, and Microsoft takes no joy in the problems gamers are having playing their favourite games online,†said the representative. “That being said, we are expecting Microsoft’s robust online network to see an increase of traffic from those gamers who own both systems. Being able to play their games via the Xbox Live network could make all the difference for some gamers, and the Xbox Nations event will allow all of them to do just that – whether they have a Gold subscription or not.†When asked if Microsoft would see an increase in sales of the Xbox 360 console or game titles, such as the recently released Portal 2 or Operation Flashpoint: Red River, due to the issues faced by PSN users, the representative refused to offer comment. Microsoft’s launched its*Xbox Nations online event yesterday, which brings along a free Xbox Live weekend, and has various games, music and movies and avatar items on discount. The Playstation Network has been down for more than 48 hours now, with Sony recently issuing a*statement, which confirmed it has taken it offline due to an “external intrusionâ€. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Those who haven’t played previous versions of the F.E.A.R. series and are confused as to what the hell is going on with Alma and her dysfunctional family, should check the video and get verses in this strange, and screwed up universe. For the rest of you, who have played previous titles devoted to Alma and her psychotic ways, consider it a refresher course. F.E.A.R. 3 is out next month for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC from Day 1 Studios. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Suprised to see an update come across today, but Travis Steiner, Lead Designer at Zipper Interactive for Socom 4 changed his Facebook Status today. He is now with a startup.*We can only assume*that it is with a gaming community, Travis is sure to bring some great experience to the table. His work history also includes Sierra Entertainment working on one of my favorite PC games growing up, Police Quest: SWAT. Good luck Travis. This comes as bit of a shock less than a week after the release of Socom 4 though. There have been mixed feelings amoungs Socom veterans about the game. Many are just not liking it, while many say if a few things are fixed it will be great and then there are the many that are very happy with Socom 4. We do agree there are a few things to tweak, but overall, the Urgent Fury community is once again addicted to another Socom release. Now if we can only get PSN up and running, we can get back to playing the Shooter that started it all on consoles. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Ubisoft largely swapped core for casual last year, but the European juggernaut is bringing it back in FY2012 with a new Assassin’s Creed, Ghost Recon, and a number of delightful surprises. Despite a quiet release schedule, last year the French publisher saw significant performance, with a 21.2 percent year-on-year increase during the holiday quarter. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood was a major factor, but the real stars of Ubisoft’s FY2011 were Just Dance, Michael Jackson: The Experience, and Dance on Broadway. If Ubi can pull performance like that in an off year, just imagine what it can do when it cashes in on its massive, lurking IP potential. Even better, don’t – I’ll just tell you. Here’s what’s going on in Ubisoft’s fiscal 2012. The line-up The first two Ubisoft titles of the year demonstrate the publisher’s commitment to backing a diversity of projects. The Next Big Thing, which releases on April 21, is a point-and-click PC adventure. Despite oodles of charm, it’s not a sure bet by any means, but Ubi will probably never drop fringe PC support. Unusual platformer Outland will hit console networks right at the end of April, too. In mid-May we’ll see a pair of licensed titles, SBK World Championship 2011 and National Geographic Collection!, both multi-platform releases. At the end of May, expect another dancing title, although with slightly narrower appeal than Ubi’s big music titles – Let’s Dance with Mel B. On June 17 we’ll finally get our hands on Child of Eden, the beautiful on-rails successor to Rez. Only the Xbox 360 release is confirmed as yet, with and without Kinect support, but the PlayStation 3 version is slated to turn up before the end of the second quarter. Another reliable licensed performer trots out for its regular airing – Might & Magic: Heroes VI. We can expect it to be bought by the same group of PC RPG fans who bought the previous five. It’s out June 24, along with platformer Cubic Ninja. Sometime in the summer morass, Ubi will let free the recently-revealed PowerUp Heroes, a Kinect-based fighting game with online or local multiplayer and character progression. Mining the back catalogue, Ubisoft adds to its PlayStation Classics HD collection with the Splinter Cell Trilogy. No word on date for this, or for Call of Juarez: The Cartel, beyond a vague “summerâ€. In August, we’ll see The Smurfs on Wii and DS, a tie-in with the upcoming film. As the year cools down, we start to see some real action. Driver San Francisco reboots the classic series in September on major platforms. It’s accompanied by Driver Renegade as one of Ubi’s few original titles for 3DS, although it’s not locked down beyond a third calendar quarter. Speaking of the 3DS, James Noir’s Hollywood Crimes is due around the same time in the Christmas wind up. The fourth calendar quarter brings us Anno 2070, the latest in a long and successful series of PC-exclusive city building sims. Ubisoft’s BlueByte studio is partnering with Related Designs – of which Ubi owns 30 percent – on development. The biggest confirmed Ubi title for the rest of the year is without doubt Ghost Recon Future Soldier for PS3 and Xbox 360. It’s possible this will slip to early 2012, but it’s unlikely: Ubi pushed this out of FY2011 along with Driver, and it’s the IP’s tenth anniversary this year. Expect the publisher to make a lot of Ghost Recon-related noise at E3. Into vaguer territory now, sneaking (ha!) in somewhere before the end of the year, we’ll get another Assassin’s Creed game. We know MMO specialists Ubisoft Massive and Brotherhood contributors Ubisoft Annecy are in on the act, and that Ubi expect the game before the end of FY2012, but that’s about it. Ubi promised a reveal in May during its Q3 financials, so we’ll no doubt see it at E3. Assassin’s Creed is Ubi’s major core IP: we will see this in the calendar year. And the rest That’s not a bad year’s lineup, especially in comparison to the previous twelve months, but Ubi’s in push mode now. E3 and gamescom will almost certainly see some shocks. Rayman Origins, an episodic remaining of what was once Ubi’s most iconic series, has been strongly teased for E3. We know Nadeo is set to give a decent showing of TrackMania 2 at last, and we can certainly count on a number of dancing-related reveals and announces on top of the usual experimental fun, but little birds tell me we’re in for more than that. Take a glance over Ubisoft’s portfolio and you’ll see a number of names in need a good dusting off. If we don’t get several major action announces at E3 there will be a worldwide shortage of hats as everyone eats theirs. In the less certain but even more hopeful category, this must be the year Ubi draws the curtain back on Beyond Good & Evil 2. Unless the console network re-release has utterly panned, it’s the impetus the publisher needs to declare that this is the time. We’ll probably get another look at Eric Chahi’s From Dust, too, and don’t forget about Far Cry 3, although a reveal this year isn’t likely. Alas, Ubi Shanghai’s I Am Alive has vanished into the mists for the moment; I wouldn’t count on any more information this year. And the next Splinter Cell? Not yet. Just watch E3. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

The PS3 version of Sniper: Ghost Warrior may still be coming “soon,†but at least there’s a video of it below with people’s heads exploding. The 360 and PC versions of the City Interactive shooter managed 1 million units between June 2010 and February this year, so keep an eye on it, PS3-only super warriors. Check it out. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

The PlayStation 3’s motto is “It only does everything,†but since last night, when the entire PlayStation Network went offline for some as-yet-unknown reason, it might be more accurate to say “it only does some things.” So which things can you still do with your PlayStation 3? The PlayStation 3 Can Still… Access The Internet: Although the PlayStation Network is borked, your PS3 console should still be able to access the internet as if nothing is wrong. Play Single-Player Games: As far as I am aware, there are no single-player games that require a functioning PlayStation Network in order to work. You should still be able to play single-player games you downloaded in the the past as well. Play Local Multi-Player: This is the perfect opportunity to get a friend on your couch and re-experience the joy of couch co-op. Earn Trophies: Although you won’t be able to show off your accomplishments to your pals, you’ll still be able to earn ‘em. Presumably, when the PlayStation Network is back up, (which could take as long as two days), your friends will be able to see your new single-player trophies. Play Blu-Ray Discs And DVDs: You’ll still be able to watch Monsters Inc. on BlueRay, don’t worry, and that’s almost as good as playing Portal 2′s co-op, right? Stream Media From Your Computer: If you use your PS3 to watch movies or play music stored on your PC, you’ll still be able to enjoy it. The PlayStation 3 Can Not… Play Any Games Online: As far as I am aware, any game that features online play cannot work without the PlayStation Network, rendering some online-only games like MAG totally unplayable. Access Steam: With the launch of Portal 2 earlier this week, Steam access has been added to the PSN, but because you can’t access the PSN, no Steam for you. Access the PlayStation Store: You won’t be able to buy new downloadable games or content until the PSN goes back up. Access “Cloud-Saved†Games: Portal 2 for the PS3 allows users to store their games in the proverbial clouds, for retrieval on any PS3 that’s connected to the PlayStation Network… which means no PS3 on Earth, at this second. Enter PlayStation Home: Not being able to sign on to the PlayStation Network means not being able to visit your fake virtual Home home either. Play Netflix Movies: You won’t be able to watch Netflix without logging into the PSN, and don’t try to get clever and access Netflix with the PS3’s web browser; it won’t work. You’ll be told the PS3 browser doesn’t support streaming. Bummer, man. Play Hulu Content: Ditto Make Toast: This is the case whether the PSN works or not, but it still makes me mad. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

This week’s PlayStation Home update is more than just a new content pack. Version 1.5 adds in recently promised back-end tech to power multiplayer games within the virtual world. The US PS Blog reports the new tech should allow developers to create peer-to-peer multiplayer titles inside Home, including shooters and racings games. From the user end, the most visible changes are increased Avatar saves, better chat logs, more face customisation options, and simpler management of your home base. The service will be back online Wednesday morning, US time, with new features in place. Further patch notes are available on the PlayStation forums. Since launching in late 2008, Home has been downloaded 19 million times. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Activision has sent over information and assets for the Escalation map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops, which is out next month on Xbox 360. The maps are described as follows: Hotel – Set on the roof of a Cuban luxury hotel and casino against the vivid backdrop of old Havana. Convoy – Close-quarters combat at the scene of an ambushed US military convoy. Zoo – An abandoned Soviet Russian Zoo, with danger at every turn. Stockpile – pits players in a remote Russian farm town housing secret WMD facilities. Call of the Dead – Zombies experience with more details to come. Enjoy the trailer below as well as the screenshots. Escalation will be released on May 3 on XBL for 1200 Microsoft points. It will be released later on PC and PS3. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

New York, NY – April 19, 2011 – BradyGames is pleased to announce its new “Call of Duty: Black Ops MP Map†App, the first officially licensed Call of Duty®: Black Ops app on the App Store, is now available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. A recently released update includes the First Strike Map Pack at no extra cost. The app, developed in conjunction with Treyarch and Activision, allows gamers to get the drop on their enemies through the use of detailed, interactive layouts of all 14 original multiplayer maps and the four multiplayer maps from the First Strike pack, including overlays for every game mode. For the millions of Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer fans worldwide, this app delivers unprecedented, “at-your fingertips†strategy, whether they’re running Sabotage Mode in Grid or Search and Destroy in Summit. The multiplayer maps, illustrated by expert gaming guild Sea Snipers, feature customized icons and map keys so players know immediately where to find every bomb site, CTF flag, spawn point and ladder. It also includes pop-up points-of-interest that cover sniping points, hot areas, and typical player routes, as well as map-specific equipment and player load-out advice. Call of Duty: Black Ops MP Map app is now available for $2.99 from the iTunes App Store on the iPhone or iPad. Created by Treyarch and published by Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), Call of Duty: Black Ops is rated “M†(Mature) by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language. For additional Call of Duty updates and information, visit us on the web at www.callofduty.com/blackops, www.facebook.com/codblackops, and also via Twitter @Treyarch. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

On behalf of everyone at Zipper Interactive, we’re pleased to announce that SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs and the limited “Full Deployment Edition†are available for purchase in North America starting today! Expect to see it released in other territories all over the world throughout the remainder of the week. In the SOCOM 4 solo campaign, players will guide the Operations Commander and his combined squad of U.S. Navy SEALs and Korean Special Forces across 14 missions set in war-torn Southeast Asia and a country on the verge of civil war. But S4 doesn’t stop there – fans can also expect exciting competitive multiplayer with all-new maps, original gametypes and numerous modes of play in addition to user-defined custom cooperative campaigns that change every time you play them! Check out our launch trailer below to see what we’re talking about. Outside of the game itself, we’re also offering fans a number of other goodies to celebrate SOCOM 4’s release. Log on to PlayStation Home, for example, and you can find up to five unique (and free!) SOCOM 4 shirts for your Home Avatar, as well as a special Bomb Technician outfit for $2.99! We’re also introducing a number of SOCOM 4 PSN Avatars starting today and will have a free SOCOM 4 theme for your PlayStation 3 next week. Before we go – we do want you to play SOCOM 4, after all – we wanted to leave you with the patch notes for the update you’ll be prompted to download upon booting SOCOM 4 up for the very first time. Included within the patch are a number of updates from our S4 beta trial and a number of other changes that reflect the feedback we’ve received over the past month. Thank you once again for all your support and feedback, we hope to hear from you some more on our official forums at SOCOM.com. Now go have some fun! SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs v1.02 April 19, 2011 | TPPS: 41 MBs, DLS: 57 MBs Gameplay More...

On behalf of everyone at Zipper Interactive, we’re pleased to announce that SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs and the limited “Full Deployment Edition†are available for purchase in North America starting today! Expect to see it released in other territories all over the world throughout the remainder of the week. In the SOCOM 4 solo campaign, players will guide the Operations Commander and his combined squad of U.S. Navy SEALs and Korean Special Forces across 14 missions set in war-torn Southeast Asia and a country on the verge of civil war. But S4 doesn’t stop there – fans can also expect exciting competitive multiplayer with all-new maps, original gametypes and numerous modes of play in addition to user-defined custom cooperative campaigns that change every time you play them! Check out our launch trailer below to see what we’re talking about. Outside of the game itself, we’re also offering fans a number of other goodies to celebrate SOCOM 4’s release. Log on to PlayStation Home, for example, and you can find up to five unique (and free!) SOCOM 4 shirts for your Home Avatar, as well as a special Bomb Technician outfit for $2.99! We’re also introducing a number of SOCOM 4 PSN Avatars starting today and will have a free SOCOM 4 theme for your PlayStation 3 next week. Before we go – we do want you to play SOCOM 4, after all – we wanted to leave you with the patch notes for the update you’ll be prompted to download upon booting SOCOM 4 up for the very first time. Included within the patch are a number of updates from our S4 beta trial and a number of other changes that reflect the feedback we’ve received over the past month. Thank you once again for all your support and feedback, we hope to hear from you some more on our official forums at SOCOM.com. Now go have some fun! SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs Beta v1.02 April 19, 2011 | TPPS: 41 MBs, DLS: 57 MBs Gameplay More...

Other video games may connect to Facebook, but upcoming PS3 title Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is headed into uncharted territory by bringing Facebook and other social media connections directly into the game. Game developer Naughty Dog is working with Facebook and YouTube to expand the ability to share experiences from within Uncharted 3— sequel to the 2009 title named Game of the Year by multiple outlets — without the need for external tools. At the start-up menu, players can view a “feed” that shows which Facebook friends on the PlayStation Network are currently playing and whether they’ve posted updates or videos. Clips can be viewed without leaving the game. Previously, videos had to be handcrafted and exported for uploading to YouTube. While PlayStation Network and Xbox Live let players send automated updates to Facebook, “I don’t think anyone else has gone to that level to bring Facebook within the game. People usually do it the other way around,” says Christophe Balestra, co-president of Naughty Dog. “We are the first ones who are doing this.” None of these social-media upgrades affects the single-player story mode, an adventure starring Indiana Jones-ian franchise hero Nathan Drake. But when players get the game, due Nov.1, they can opt in to Facebook connectivity. The developers hope that the changes make the multiplayer game environment less intimidating and more familiar. “Our goal for Facebook is to really make sure you can interact with your Facebook friends the way you interact with your PSN friends,” Balestra says. “You can talk to them (and) you can invite them to your party. You are going to see icons of people’s faces and their real names. So right away it is going to feel bigger.” Players can post screen shots and video clips that show off their customized characters and team emblems. After a game finishes, a player might send out a post that he found a treasure during the game. The first five friends who “like” the post could get an in-game gift. Players also can post videos of multiplayer game action of up to 90 seconds. “We’re trying to create unique stories every time you play, to continue this feeling of a familiar and close-knit community, sort of like how Facebook already operates when friends upload photos and videos of their travel or parties,” he says. “We’re not just updating your wall with basic things happening in the game.” Those who want to tinker with their videos will have a battery of new in-game post-processing tools. Each multiplayer session is stored on the hard drive of the player’s PS3. You can go into that video file and direct the scene to your liking, moving the camera around, adding voice to a character and even sharing the video so a friend can help edit. “You can create your own movie and tell a story,” Balestra says. Past games such as Halo 3 have included filmmaking tools to make scripted videos, but Uncharted‘s direct link for uploading videos to YouTube is unique. The best uploaded videos might wind up on “Uncharted TV,” which will play in the bottom right corner of the pregame menu. “People can watch the best plays that we selected,” he says. “We want to give you access to all the media being generated by Uncharted within Uncharted.” Uncharted 3 will have some new multiplayer game types, too. A new Deathmatch mode pits three teams of two against one another, and Free-for-All lets eight players compete until the last player is standing. And for the first time, players can sit side by side and play on a split screen. “If you watch a football game, you talk about it the next day because everyone watched the same game,” Balestra says. “This is (to) get people who play to have a better experience.” Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Siliconera reports the ESRB has rated Dino Crisis 2 for PlayStation 3 and PSP. With SCEA as publisher, it looks like we’ll see a US PlayStation Network release of the PSOne action horror game. The first Dino Crisis is already available on the US PSN, along with other Capcom classics such as Resident Evil 2 and 3. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

In a new video released for BF3, EA gives us a taste before the 12-minute video they’ve been pushing to get Facebook approval for… but what’s the deal here? Apparently the company has over-estimated the reaction its fans would produce on the huge social network (go figure – gamers opposed to supporting the mainstream fad). The new video gives us a taste of what the 1,000,000 “likes” will uncover, but EA also placed in the video description: “Head on over to facebook.com/battlefield and “like” it to unlock the full 12 minute trailer with producer’s commentary! http://urgentfury.com/blog/rtY7“ Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

A Battlefield 3 trailer is posted below. It hits around the one minute 32 second mark. Short, but full of gameplay footage featuring jets and base jumping. DICE is readying another video featuring 12 minutes of gameplay footage, but you will need to “like†the game on Facebook in order to unlock it. As a matter of fact, it needs 1 million “likesâ€, and as of this post there are 675,135 – so get to liking it here. If for some reason 1 million “likes†are not accumulated soon, it will be released on Monday, but you don’t really want to wait that long. Battlefield 3 will be released on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 later in the year, with rumors putting it at retail November 2. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">We’ve been keeping a secret here at Zipper Interactive – a hush-hush special bonus that players who purchase new copies of SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs are entitled to the moment they first play the game. We call it “SOCOM Pro,†and you’ll first see mention of it when you open a brand new copy of SOCOM 4 on the back of the instruction manual. On that SOCOM Pro call-out, you’ll find a redemption code for use on the PlayStation Network that gets you… well, it gets you a whole bunch of super-cool things, really. SOCOM Pro shows its benefits immediately on launch day, April 19, as any player who purchases a new copy of SOCOM 4 receives exclusive access to all “Pro†Custom Game queues. Not only will these queues be ranked, but they’ll also be updated regularly over the entire lifespan of SOCOM 4 – so it’ll be the gift that keeps on giving for quite some time. Moreover, the first set of “Pro†Custom Game types will be the same fantastic rule sets that our diligent fans tested during our SOCOM 4 beta period. If you missed them in the beta, here’s what they are now: More...

One thing that the SOCOM franchise has been known for is fantastic map design, and SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs keeps that tradition alive and well by delivering a slew of awesome battlegrounds for up to 32 players to wage war on. To give you a look at the spots that you'll be able to play in just a few short days, we've put together video flythroughs of every map included with SOCOM 4, including the GameStop pre-order bonus map, "Abandoned". And, as an added bonus, we've included comments from the designers and artists behind their creation. Click on the map names or thumbnails watch the videos. Cesspool Cesspool takes place in a Southeast Asian slum and surrounding urban decay. We drew inspiration from the campaign mission Means to an End (and a scene or two from the Incredible Hulk film), and especially wanted to incorporate the almost maze-like layout most real world slums seem to have. This was actually the second multiplayer map built for SOCOM 4 (the first map built will sadly never see the light of day). - Christian Sadak, Designer Collision A salvage yard in the middle of a slum, flooded by a broken sewer main, forms the backdrop to this classic meat-grinder. A mound of burning tires brackets one side, while the other is dominated by a poorly-illuminated warehouse full of explosive chemicals. Evidence of a failed UN mission is hidden throughout the area. On this map battle is channeled into a labyrinthine junkyard overlooked by a handful of critical vantage-points. The fighting over these strategic locations tends to get pretty intense, with a lot of tight corners and blind spots. - Chris Donovan, Artist Sacrifice Sacrifice is a map that was assembled with a lot of verticality in mind. Towards the end of production we had a review of all of our multiplayer maps. Sacrifice was about 70 percent complete at that point and originally took place in a large valley. It felt too similar to our previous ruins map “Abandonedâ€, and overall the map was quite flat. After multiple tests we decided that it just wasn’t working, and we needed to do a full reset. With a fresh start we decided to mix it up, and try to push the vertical aspect for the new layout. After a few weeks of re-assembly we arrived with the level playing out on the side of a cliff. Adding this vertical element really changed up the gameplay; it not only keeps players on their toes, having to watch their flanks, but they have to watch for bullet fire from above as well. Gaining the high ground and defending it is the key to victory on this map. - Chris Miller, Artist Bale Out A temple courtyard in this jungle village is host to a make-shift supply depot, flanked on either side by streams and clusters of stilted huts, windmills and rice silos. A stalled convoy of trucks winds its way through the village along a dirt road. Strangely desolate, the deserted trucks and abandoned livestock anticipate the impending struggle for control. Fighting on this map will often be confused with much back-and-forth, but the central temple will always be hotly contested for its resupply opportunities. - Chris Donovan, Artist Outpost Outpost takes place in a military forward operating and supply base, based off of the campaign levels "Uninvited Guest" and "Countdown". This map was initially much larger and included more military complex elements (airfields, artillery batteries, etc), but was scaled down when we wanted to ensure SOCOM 4 included smaller, more intimate maps (in the same vein as Desert Glory or Night Stalker). A favorite at Zipper is to play this map with only shotguns and grenades and let the chaos ensue! - Christian Sadak, Designer Von Heine Express Von Heine Express is the largest environment-based map in SOCOM 4, primarily created for players seeking medium- to long-range combat. The train tracks passing through the center of the map create the shortest route between spawns, while the large areas on either side of the tracks are great for flanking enemy positions. However, the wide-open spaces and long sight lines in Von Heine Express create the ideal playground for snipers, so be sure to stick to the rocks and vegetation as you don't want to be caught out in the open in this mission. - CJ Heine, Designer Assault & Battery Assault & Battery really takes players into the jungle. Its dense nature and overgrown aesthetic encourages players to stalk their prey from the brush; mastering this play style for this map will definitely give you the edge. In some game modes players can risk climbing the center tower to gain access to BXM 500 sniper rifle -- a great reward for anyone willing to expose themselves to a 360 degree threat. The open layout of Assault & Battery can be taxing on new players, but taking the lower routes, hiding in brush, and staying behind tall cover is key to being successful on the battlefield. - Chris Miller, Artist Rush Hour Set on a heavily-damage elevated freeway, Rush hour is a fast map with clearly defined routes that always lead to the hotly contested center. The daring and skillful can push right up the crumbled overpass smack in the center of the road. Sweeping overpasses provide elevated flanking routes for strategic approaches. Shattered windows and crumbled concrete give access to building interiors perfect for defensive stands or methodic room-to-room clearing. - Chris Brockett, Designer Port Authority Port Authority takes place in and around a shipyard dry dock. We drew inspiration from the shipyards and dry docks in New York City (especially one photograph in particular). This map in particular has lots of good sniping and overwatch areas that can only be reached via climbing, jumping, or vaulting. - Christian Sadak, Designer Abandoned Abandoned shouldn’t be a stranger to anyone who has been playing SOCOM since the beginning. This MP map has been a staple since the beginning of the franchise, and it’s now been re-envisioned for SOCOM 4. While it looks different than you may remember, great efforts were taken to ensure the layout remains completely intact. Originally released on SOCOM 1 it became a fan favorite, and then returned in SOCOM 2 in the cover of nightfall. Now we’ve taken it back to its roots and over the top. It’s been a while since players have had their hands on this map, so during that time the natural elements have encroach upon it. It’s really overgrown and thus “abandonedâ€. - Chris Miller, Artist More...