Halo Wars Rating

OVERALL RATING:9.0/10

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Ensemble Studios

Category: Action

Release Dates

N Amer - 03/03/2009
Gameplay: 9.0
A highly action-oriented RTS game, Halo Wars gets huge props for creating a control scheme that proves that RTS games can be done comfortably and intuitively on a console.

Graphics: 8.0
The game features some pretty cool effects and brightly colorful environments, and the unit models take on some impressive amounts of damage. Unfortunately, the choppy framerates are a problem when the action gets hairy.

Sound: 9.5
The soundtrack is on par with the rest of the Halo games, which is a big compliment. The voice work is also great and the sound effects are appropriately huge.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.5
Halo Wars is a great entry to the series, and also introduces a lot of story elements that provide some great insight to the Halo universe.

Multiplayer: 9.0
The 6-player skirmishes that allow you to choose between Covenant and UNSC are a great touch and a lot of fun online.

Overall: 9.0
A solid RTS on the Xbox 360, Halo Wars may not break the mold, but it does provide an impressive entry to the series and one that finally makes the genre feel at home on a console.

Halo Wars Review

If you’re a gamer, you’d have to have been living under a rock to have never heard of the Halo franchise. The flagship series behind Microsoft’s console efforts, Bungie’s Halo series has been among the most successful across two different console generations, first appearing on the original Xbox before finishing the fight on the Xbox 360. 2007’s Halo 3 marked the end of the initial Halo trilogy of games, as well as provided a bookend to the adventures of the Master Chief, leaving many gamers to wonder what the future had in store for the hallowed franchise.

Fortunately for Halo fans, Microsoft is not one to rest on their laurels, as 2009 is set to bear not one but two titles from the Halo universe, including a standalone expansion titled Halo 3: ODST launching this fall and a new prequel set before the events of the first Halo title, Halo Wars. However, in a departure from the previous titles in the Halo series, Halo Wars is a real-time strategy game instead of an action title, giving players the opportunity to command several units across the game map from a top-down perspective instead of a first-person one. While consoles and strategy games have seldom mixed in the past, developer Ensemble Studios (the highly-capable team behind the great Age of Empires games on the PC) has taken great strides to make sure that Halo Wars lives up to the Halo name, providing tons of action while staying pretty accessible for gamers of all skill levels.



Halo Wars takes place roughly twenty years before the events of the very first game in the series. Without giving anything away, the storyline and characters in Halo Wars are as deep as anything a fan of the series would hope for, revealing plenty of plot twists and elements from the series, as well as some pretty big revelations here and there.

As far as the actual mechanics of the gameplay, Halo Wars is a lot more action-oriented than most PC RTS titles. You won’t spend a lot of time building up your structures and units, as you’ll instead focus more on exploring the sections of the map and eliminating the threat of your enemies.

While Halo Wars does seem to focus more on the action element of things, there are still some pretty substantial unit creation functions. You’re able to create new structures and buildings capable of improving your current technology as well as build units as you play. The game also employs the use of Hero units that have special abilities and functions, setting them apart from other units on the map.



One of the elements that seem to be a hotbed for frustration when it comes to console RTS games are the controls. While several games in the genre have taken great strides to make the experience comfortable and accessible, none have come close to matching the mouse/keyboard configuration on the PC. Halo Wars also puts its own unique spin on controls, and while it still doesn’t quite hit the mark to matching the overall comfort of PC strategy games, it comes pretty darn close. 

The controls in Halo Wars are quite solid and benefit from being built from the ground up for console gaming. The thumbsticks allow you to look around the map and zoom in on your units, while the A button is used to select units that are highlighted by your cursor. The X button is your main interaction button, allowing you to move units around the map and interact with other units or attack enemies with your primary attack function. Pressing Y when targeting an enemy unit allows you to perform a secondary attack function, like throw grenades or run enemies over if you’re in a Warthog. The secondary attack function is a nice addition that helps keep the game in its action roots while still making it deep and compelling for hardcore strategy fans.

Additionally, aside from the basic functions of the face buttons, the game also streamlines the controls to allow you to select the units you want a lot more easily. Using the bumper buttons, you can select all of your units or all of the units currently on-screen with a simple button push, or you can use the right trigger to switch between different unit types. Additionally, the D-Pad is used to utilize any Heroes that you may have, using their special abilities, as well as cycling through your Bases, Armies and any Alerts that may come up. Halo Wars uses every button on the controller, but fortunately never feels overwhelming or cluttered.



The game also features some cool online abilities, allowing players to participate in six-player skirmishes over Xbox LIVE. Online, you can play as either UNSC or Covenant forces, utilizing each of their respective technological advances and specialized units.

Graphically, Halo Wars is a pretty solid looking game. The unit models are nicely rendered and take on realistic damage as they see combat, and the environments are colorful and feature some great details that fans of Halo games will get a kick out of. The one main issue with the game’s aesthetic are the framerates, which can be very choppy when the action is in high gear.

The game’s soundtrack is very well done, with a great score that punctuates the on-screen action very well. The sound effects are crisp and the voice work is also spot on.

While PC gamers and hardcore RTS enthusiasts probably won’t be able to see what all of the fuss around Halo Wars is about since their platform has put out much more groundbreaking RTS titles in the past few years, console gamers and Halo fans who have yet to experience a truly great RTS game on a console will now have their chance.

Hackers target Xbox Live players

Xbox Live is being targeted by malicious hackers selling services that kick players off the network. 

The booting services are proving popular with players who want a way to get revenge on those who beat them in an Xbox Live game. 

The attackers are employing data flooding tools that have been used against websites for many years. 

Microsoft is "investigating" the use of the tools and said those caught using them would be banned from Xbox Live. 

"There's been a definite increase in the amount of people talking about and distributing these things over the last three to four weeks," said Chris Boyd, director of malware research at Facetime Communications. 

Attack tool 

"The smart thing about these Xbox tools is that they do not attack the Xbox Live network itself," he said. 

He said the tools work by exploiting the way that the Xbox Live network is set up. Game consoles connecting to the Xbox network send data via the net, and for that it needs an IP address. 

Even better, said Mr Boyd, games played via Xbox Live are not hosted on private servers.  
The tools mean anyone with a few dollars can boot rivals off Xbox Live


"Instead," he said, "a lot of games on Xbox Live are hosted by players." 

If hackers can discover the IP address of whoever is hosting a game they can employ many of the attacks that have been used for years against websites, said Mr Boyd. 

One of the most popular for the Xbox Live specialists is the Denial of Service attack which floods an IP address with vast amounts of data. 

The flood of data is generated by a group of hijacked home computers, a botnet, that have fallen under the control of a malicious hacking group. 

When turned against a website this flood of traffic can overwhelm it or make it unresponsive to legitimate visitors. 

When turned against an Xbox owner, it can mean they cannot connect to the Live network and effectively throws them out of the game. 

"They get your IP address, put it in the booter tool and they attempt to flood the port that uses Xbox traffic," said Mr Boyd. "Flooding that port prevents any traffic getting out." 

Skill set 

The hard part, he said, was discovering a particular gamer's IP address but many malicious hackers had honed the skills needed to find them. 

Some interconnect their PC and Xbox and use packet sniffing software to hunt through the traffic flowing in and out of the console for IP addresses.  
The hackers target the way Xbox consoles connect to the net


Others simply use con tricks to get the target to reveal their net address. 

The technical knowledge needed to hunt down IP addresses was quite high, said Mr Boyd, but many of those who had the skills were selling their expertise to those keen to hit back at their rivals on the Xbox Live network. 

For $20 (£13) some Xbox Live hackers will remotely access a customer's PC and set up the whole system so it can be run any time they need it. 

Some offer low rates to add compromised machines to a botnet and increase the amount of data flooding a particular IP address. 

Defending against the attack could be tricky, said Mr Boyd: "There's no real easy solution to this one." 

Although IP addresses regularly change, people could find it takes hours or days for their ISP to move them on to a new one. 

In response to the rise in attacks, Microsoft said: "We are investigating reports involving the use of malicious software tools that an attacker could use to try and disrupt an Xbox LIVE player's internet connection." 

It added: "This problem is not related to the Xbox Live service, but to the player's internet connection. The attacker could also attempt [to] disrupt other internet activities, such as streaming video or web browsing, using the same tools. 

In its statement Microsoft warned: "This malicious activity violates the Xbox Live Terms of Use, and will result in a ban from Xbox Live and other appropriate action. 

It urged anyone falling victim to such an attack to contact their ISP to report it and get help fixing it. 

In January 2009 Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had more than 17m members.

killzone 2 trailer

SCEA and Guerrilla have a nice new year’s treat in store for first-person shooter gamers who also happen to own the PlayStation 3 console system. One of the more anticipated titles of 2009 is merely months from release and Killzone 2 (slated to hit store shelves in February) is easily a strong visceral treat that will keep gamers on their toes.

SCEA sent along a preview of the game, and right from the opening level, it is apparent this is a full-throttle shooter that will leave gamers little time to relax. Now don’t expect this game to release on any other platform but the PS3. Why? Because it will be coming out on a Blu-Ray disc, which is the only storage device capable of holding this massive game. And massive even seems like a bit of an understatement.

There are eight maps, a robust multiplayer element, and customization features that will enable players to define not only the role they play in the conflict, but how that role plays out.In many regards, Killzone 2 trots the well-tread path of other shooters. You start out with a weapon, are thrust into the heart of the conflict – the opening level takes place in what appears to be a water-side factory complex – with your shooting skill and wits to sustain you. There are objectives, and – in the single-player campaign – NPC teammates that will help ease you along the path you need to take. The NPCs in this game are not dumb. The enemy will use cover, will lean out to shoot, and seem to coordinate attacks.

You start out with a weapon that will run out of ammo. You need to scrounge up new weaponry from the enemies you take out. Yep, pretty standard there, but weapons, and how they are used depend largely on the class of the character you are. There are seven different classes: rifleman, scout (can stealth), medic, engineer (can set up automated turrets), tactician (can set up spawn points in multiplayer), saboteur and assault (ready to get up close with the enemy).



The game takes place on Helghan in the battle between the ISA (the side you are on) and the Helghast. This is a fast and furious battle on the enemy’s home planet. Expect atmospheric conditions to come into play.

One of the more compelling elements of this game is the visuals. Not only does the dynamic lighting and environmental texturing produce some truly tasty bits of eye candy, but the animation of the characters in the game is truly impressive. It’s always nice to shoot an enemy from a high platform, and then watch the body fall – with full-on rag-doll physics – bouncing off protruding bits of the structure upon which he was originally stationed. Playing out in high-definition, the game also features full screen anti-aliasing, motion blur, internal lens reflections, and depth-based color grading. In short, this is one of the more visceral FPS experiences yet to hit the PS3.

The sound is just as impressive. The game supports 7.1 surround sound with location specific audio. That means if you hear a noise off to the right, chances are there is something either worth investigating or avoiding.

Killzone 2 is positioning itself to not only be a dandy FPS, and ample reason to welcome the new year, but to immerse players into a world that is vibrant and feels alive.

Killzone 2 Rating

OVERALL RATING:9.4/10

Gameplay: 9.5
The game plays off the disk (unlike some PS3 titles that load a lot of data to the hard drive), and so rather than out-and-out load times, you may encounter a few slow-downs. Still this is nothing to fret about. The controls are tight and well realized.

Graphics: 9.4
The particle effects are excellent and the animations are well done. This is a game that assaults the eyes with as much enthusiasm as the ISA attacks on the Helghast.

Sound: 8.9
Some of the voice work could have been better, but the game uses 7.1 surround sound and if you crank the volume, you will find this as much an aural treat as a visual one. 

Difficulty: Medium/Hard

Concept: 9.0
The first foray into the PS3 uses a solid storyline, some familiar themes, but inserts an intensity that makes for a solid gaming experience. 

Multiplayer: 9.5
SCEA set up multiplayer sessions and these were a lot of fun. Challenging? Yes, but not only is this a reflexive exercise in some regards, but the dev team took care to make certain the environment was a factor. 

Overall: 9.4
This is quite a ride on several fronts – visually, aurally and in intensity. You will be challenged, but more importantly, you should have a lot of fun. Killzone 2 was one of those games that have been highly anticipated and the product that is heading for release lives up to expectations.

Killzone 2 Review

The past several months have certainly see its share of high-profile first-person shooters for the next-gen console platforms, but one of the titles that high expectations surrounded was the SCEA/Guerrilla release Killzone 2. 

Well, the game has released and while Killzone 2 does follow some familiar trends in terms of multiplayer (which is robust settings), this is one of the more visceral titles to release. 

For those who have not indulged in the franchise (which includes the original PlayStation 2 title and the PSP release of Liberation), Killzone follows the war between two factions – the ISA and the Helghast. Up until Killzone 2, most of the action has taken place on the ISA world of Vekta. But in a Quake-like move, with Killzone 2, the ISA has decided that enough is enough and have taken the fight to the industrialized world of Emperor Visari and Helghan.

It is into this setting that players are plunked and right from the get-go, you will feel the intensity, be drawn in by the harshness of the environments – which are destructible to some degree – and feel totally immersed in the action of the game.
You start the game as a member of a four-man team, dropped into a hot zone and working along a linear path, from point to point. 

There are eight maps, a robust multiplayer element, and customization features that will enable players to define not only the role they play in the conflict, but how that role plays out. There are seven different classes: rifleman, scout (can stealth), medic, engineer (can set up automated turrets), tactician (can set up spawn points in multiplayer), saboteur and assault (ready to get up close with the enemy).

In many regards, Killzone 2 trots the well-tread path of other shooters. You start out with a weapon, are thrust into the heart of the conflict – the opening level takes place in what appears to be a water-side factory complex – with your shooting skill and wits to sustain you. There are objectives, and – in the single-player campaign – NPC teammates that will help ease you along the path you need to take. The NPCs in this game are not dumb. The enemy will use cover, will lean out to shoot, and seem to coordinate attacks. 

You start out with a weapon that will run out of ammo. You need to scrounge up new weaponry from the enemies you take out. Yep, pretty standard there, but weapons, and how they are used depend largely on the class of the character you are. 

The game begins with the landing on Helghan, and the game sets the tempo right from the cut scene onset. Riding a lander to the planet, you see another lander blown out of the sky. That pops the intensity level and will have you landing and finding cover in a hurry. Helghast troops are on platforms with crossing fire on the invading forces. Particle effects are amazing, and the explosions are very well done. Snipe an enemy from a platform and you will be treated to a rag-doll physics that is not as silly as some games, but treads more toward reality. The body will fall, hit protrusions on the structure, be redirected and land with a sickening thud. As visceral as the graphics are, the audio supplements that with a great sense of urgency. Orders are barked, and the sound pouring out of the system borders on chaos, but really reflects the battle scene well.

The campaign is strictly single player, but you work as part of a team, with an AI that is rather well done. The team you are part of will take cover, give support and generally take up positions that are smart. The enemy will also use cover and not charge at you as though they are bulletproof. Different tactics are used depending on the type of soldier you are facing. 

The control scheme for the game is well done. The SIXAXIS motion controls come into play for certain in-game actions and these feel natural rather than a forced usage of the scheme. You can carry a primary weapon, and a secondary weapon. You can snipe, and even melee with your rifle. There are also grenades available. However, your grenades and primary weapon ammunition are finite and you have to replace them or restock. 

In addition to the single-player game, there is a Skirmish mode that allows players to enter the multiplayer settings offline against bots. There is a great selection of maps to play on (eight total), though the formats for the multiplayer follow familiar themes – there is a team deathmatch called Body Count, a Search and Retrieve (Capture the Flag) and a game where you grab control points and try to hold them. As you progress through the multiplayer, you can achieve ranks and move up from private status. This is all based on kills and multipliers that come into play if you are on the winning side at the end of the multiplayer session. There are also rewards that can be unlocked and trophies.
The campaign is strictly single player, but you work as part of a team, with an AI that is rather well done. The team you are part of will take cover, give support and generally take up positions that are smart. The enemy will also use cover and not charge at you as though they are bulletproof. Different tactics are used depending on the type of soldier you are facing. 

The control scheme for the game is well done. The SIXAXIS motion controls come into play for certain in-game actions and these feel natural rather than a forced usage of the scheme. You can carry a primary weapon, and a secondary weapon. You can snipe, and even melee with your rifle. There are also grenades available. However, your grenades and primary weapon ammunition are finite and you have to replace them or restock. 

In addition to the single-player game, there is a Skirmish mode that allows players to enter the multiplayer settings offline against bots. There is a great selection of maps to play on (eight total), though the formats for the multiplayer follow familiar themes – there is a team deathmatch called Body Count, a Search and Retrieve (Capture the Flag) and a game where you grab control points and try to hold them. As you progress through the multiplayer, you can achieve ranks and move up from private status. This is all based on kills and multipliers that come into play if you are on the winning side at the end of the multiplayer session. There are also rewards that can be unlocked and trophies.

Mirror's Edge Rating

Gameplay: 8.2
Learning the ropes is a little challenging, but once you get it, the game can play very fluidly and exciting. 

Graphics: 7.8
Pretty good, the white city gives an illusion that all is well, but as you know, once you scratch below the surface then all sort of other things come into view.

Sound: 8.3
I like how the sounds all work with one another. During conversations you can hear the sounds of the city and the wind in the background. It makes for a cool addition to the experience.

Difficulty: Medium
There are some challenges, but it never is so tough you can't get through it. Learning how to move to the rhythm can be rough.

Concept: 9.0
Years ago the Gizmondo game system was making a game based on freerunning, it never happened. I'm glad somebody decided to pick up where they left off.


Overall: 8.3
This is well-made, well-developed title. The end result isn't the new gold standard, but the idea and implementation sure are good.

Mirror's Edge Review

Freerunning is the sport that has been slowing working its way into mainstream culture. It's that exercise where men and women run around urban areas, leaping over walls and jumping incredibly far distances. You know, that Ford commercial features a couple of them and the really cool movie District B13 also features many, cool scenes of action in this vein. Well, Mirror's Edge is a game where the main heroine uses this gift of agility to move information around the city after an all-encompassing bureaucratic entity decides that any and everything needs to go through it. Basically most of the human race has given up their rights and you play a courier who moves this sensitive information to the people who don't much care for big brother.

Ok, now this title was also released on the PS3 and 360. The game moves at a breakneck speed (literally) and you will want/need a pretty hot system to run it on - not that it is so graphically demanding, but rather because of the movements of a quick-footed woman who leaps around the rooftops of a very big city. This movement is dictated by your customizable control scheme and various red objects that pop up as you run, letting you know that it is an item you may need to use. Want to jump to the next building? That red ramp will help you do it. As you run, you may need to slide or roll under that steam pipe; good thing it is red. The city is stark white and the red cues stand out easily amongst the backgrounds. 

Learning to freerun does take some effort as you will eventually need to learn how to find a running rhythm. Hopping from ledge to ledge while climbing up onto platforms and dodging gunfire takes some practice. And learning how to link all these movements together to form cohesive movements that keep your rhythm flowing is a pretty slick idea. But mastering it takes some real effort. I thought the developers did a good job of making the game feel like it had some real feel to it. Choosing to make it a first-person perspective literally can affect your stomach as some of the leaps can cause your stomach to flutter. It's really cool. 

The audio is better than your average game and the almost-futuristic techno beat of the soundtrack makes things move crisply. I felt the upbeat tempo of the music kept in line with the upbeat tempo of the game. Voice work was also really well dialed in. The voice acting along with the background noise of a busy city really brings you into the game. A well-scored, well-acted game.

Since our girl "Faith" has about the same amount of suicidal tendencies as a lemming, you can expect all sorts of crazy stunts and learning how to use the quick 180-degree button is essential for survival. Sometimes, you must jump across to a ledge, hit the 180 and then leap across to another six-inch-wide platform. The game is absolutely crazy and I really enjoyed the heck out of it. Some may liken this to the Prince of Persia games but I think it goes a bit further with the first-person perspective. You actually feel the excitement when you are attempting an almost impossible jump. I haven't sweated a game so much since Dead Space.

Now the visuals of the game do come in a bit higher than many other games. The design makes you see a city that is almost clinical in its appearance thanks to the almost gestapo-like regime. Buildings are accurate looking and even the physics of the game seem to fall into place, albeit a little stretched since you do make some leaps that are probably not possible. Either way the seamless way the city is put together, coupled with a smooth framerate and interesting looking character design makes the game come in a bit higher in the graphics dept. Its not phenomenal by any means, but rather, well done.

Mirror's Edge seems to find its strength in the actions that you do rather then the killing that is featured in many FPS titles. You will get your opportunity to dish it out, don't think you are helpless by any means, but the game is through and through an action title that makes you want to get out there and jump over concrete walls and across chasms 20 stories high. Do not, repeat, do not try this crap at home. Leave the crazy stunts to the digital action heroes.

The game also has some off-topic games for practicing and playing. A time trial mode really helps hone your moves and makes the game have a little more something to it. Sadly, there is no multiplayer mode, which stinks because it would be cool to race against others around the city, or even a really crazy version of tag may have added a bit more weight to the game. Seriously, if the sequel has tag in it I am going to want a cut, or the GameZone lawyers will be coming.

Lastly, the story is above par; the game does a good job of drawing you into the character's plight and then throwing some legitimate twists at you. Many of the levels are recovery missions and you are forced into action to help get your framed sister out of the jam she has been set up in. I won't go into too much about it because I don't want to ruin it for you. Much like a movie, there is some clever things going on in Mirror's Edge.

SAINTS ROW 2 TRAILER

Features:
Bring vengeance to all those who wronged you and restore the Saints as the rightful kings of Stilwater
Play as fully customizable characters that are male, female or something in between
Customize vehicles, cribs and gangs for an environment shaped to your specifications
Experience seamless integration in a co-op full story campaign that lets one player drive while another shoots
Immerse yourself in a living Stilwater environment fully populated with police, innocent bystanders and rival gangs
Pilot planes, helicopters, motorcycles, boats and cars and use them as weapons in yourquest for vengeance
Explore more missions, activities, diversions, races, weapons, vehicles, cribs, city districts and interiors than ever before
Inflict vengeance with new combat options, including melee, fine aim and human shield

SAINTS ROW 2

Publisher: THQ

Developer: THQ

Category: Action

Release Dates

N Amer - 01/05/2009

Also available on: 360 MB PS3

Hardware Requirements:

• Windows XP / Vista
• 2.0 GHz Dual-Core Processor (Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2)
• 1 GB Available System Memory
• 15 GB Available Hard Drive Space
• 128 MB 3D Video Card w/Shader Model 3.0 Support (Nvidia GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X1300)
• DirectX Compatible Display Capable of 640x480 16-bit Color Resolution
• DirectX 9.0c Compatible 16-bit Sound Card
• Broadband Connection for Internet Multiplayer

Recommended Requirements:

• 3.2 GHz Dual-Core Processor (Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2)
• 2 GB Available System Memory
• 256 MB 3D Video Card with Shader Model 3.0 Support (Nvidia GeForce 8800 / ATI Radeon HD3850)
• DirectX Compatible Display Capable of 1024x768 in 32-bit Color
• DirectX 9.0c Compatible 16-bit Sound Card
• Recommended System Requirements Required for 2-12 Player Multiplayer or Co-Op

Features:

• Bring vengeance to all those who wronged you and restore the Saints as the rightful kings of Stilwater
• Play as fully customizable characters that are male, female or something in between
• Customize vehicles, cribs and gangs for an environment shaped to your specifications 
• Experience seamless integration in a co-op full story campaign that lets one player drive while another shoots
• Immerse yourself in a living Stilwater environment fully populated with police, innocent bystanders and rival gangs 
• Pilot planes, helicopters, motorcycles, boats and cars and use them as weapons in yourquest for vengeance
• Explore more missions, activities, diversions, races, weapons, vehicles, cribs, city districts and interiors than ever before
• Inflict vengeance with new combat options, including melee, fine aim and human shield

Some scenes in Saint's row:

Saint's Row blasted its way onto the Xbox 360, giving Grand Theft Auto clones everywhere – and the real GTA – a reason to be fearful. The new guy in town came with features and scenarios the others didn't have, which proved to be a big hit with many gamers. Now that Saint's Row 2 has arrived, we wanted to get the developer's take on this exciting open-world shooter.

"The Saints Row 2 team draws from a lot of film, games, and TV for overall inspiration, but our opening escape sequence wasn’t modeled or mirrored after any one particular source," said James Tsai, Lead Designer. "Overall, we just thought of all the cool stuff we’d love to see in a prison break and worked to integrate it into an exciting mission. Stealthy, sneaky prison breaks aren’t nearly as exciting as ones with spotlights, shootouts, alarms, machine guns, helicopters, and a boat chase back to the city of Stilwater."

While the original Saints Row featured your expected array of cars and trucks, in Saints Row 2 we’re giving the player a full complement of vehicles to explore the world in. Motorcycles, speed boats, dirt bikes, assault helicopters, fighter planes, jets, monster trucks…it’s all in there this time around. You’ll have the means to go anywhere you want in Stilwater.

mechanic in Saints Row 2 will allow you to customize all kinds of visual aspects of your car, as you’d expect – there’s a whole array of rims, spoilers, paint styles, window tints, decals, bumpers, and other stuff to personalize the look of your vehicle. But you can also add things like nitrous, stronger tires, a reinforced frame, and a beefier engine to enhance the performance of your car as well.

several melee fighting styles the player can use throughout the game, each of which has its own set of combos and finishers. Aside from adding that nice visual flourish to finishing off opponents after a flurry of strikes, the finishing moves and counters are used heavily in our fight club activity, as well as some cool sword fighting boss battles. You’ll have to time and counter attacks and follow up with strikes of your own rather than just pummel away.

The weather in Saints Row 2 adds a lot to the game. For example, we have some cool chase sequences that happen out in the open waters of the ocean and through Stilwater’s harbors. If the weather is stormy, you’ll be dealing with large swells that toss your boat around a lot, making for a far rougher ride than if the day was clear and sunny. It’s really exciting to be gunning down boats and helicopters while cutting through large waves and dealing with the risk of getting capsized. 

We also use weather for cool visual effects as well, whether we’re setting the mood in a dramatic cutscene or to using it to make the atmosphere of a mission brighter or darker. Players will see a full range of rain, from a light drizzle up through powerful thunderstorms in the game.

Saints Row 2 is a story about gangs and criminals – as you’d expect, it has its violent elements. There is still plenty of humor and there are funny moments throughout the game, but there are also some undeniably brutal happenings in some of the missions and cutscenes. At the end of Saints Row, your character was blown up and left for dead, so understandably there are a lot of revenge themes going on in the plot. But while the story we’re putting forth is compelling, we never take ourselves so seriously that it conflicts with the extreme, over-the-top feel the game has. We have an activity about shooting human excrement on people, for goodness’ sake!

 Saints Row 2 has lots of chaos and crazy moments, but it won’t have the unrestrained destructive capability that Red Faction: Guerrilla features. The player can wreck tons of things in Stilwater such as fences, mailboxes, park benches, market stands, et cetera, but not entire buildings. Our game engine specializes more on the complex interactions of a living, breathing city – we have pedestrians that go about their daily lives, complex traffic patterns, realistic police response and ambient gang life. Introducing destruction to the mix would be building a very different game from what Saints Row 2 is all about.