All About Game

The Microsoft Xbox 360 has been a hot item in the gaming world for awhile. Recently, with increased success of the sort PlayStation 3 it’s gotten less hard to find the Microsoft Xbox 360 for cheap. With a tiny hard work, time, and knowing where to look here are a few tips for locating yourself an cheap Microsoft Xbox 360.

How I Found an cheap Xbox 360

All the first obvious place online to look for an cheap Xbox 360 would be eBay, you need to be cautious here. if you’re not an experienced eBay shopper. Make sure you check out the seller through all the information offered on the eBay auction site. Finding his fellows got lovely feedback is likely to increase your chances of doing the product promised. No guarantee, but a better chance. A positive feedback score of 100% is ideal, but not necessarily a dealbreaker. A seller with plenty of transactions is likely a lovely choice as well. It means they’ve been around eBay for some time, and value their reputation.

First of all, familiarize yourself with the different packages accessible, otherwise known as bundles. Pay particular attention to what comes included with the bundle. Humming controllers, and how plenty of games of any are included in the package? After seeing sizable difference in prices between different bundles, this is likely the reason why. thinking about her you’re purchasing for, can select what bumblebee appropriate for you. A relatives used machine will need more controllers, and likely a different variety of games. Spend a tiny time checking around on this, other can save you currency in the long run.

Be sure to look around a tiny more, and some lovely deals may take a tiny more digging.be cautious, and the tiny skeptical when purchasing items online, if the cost is lovely to be true, well . . . you know the answer to that.

Ebay is not the only place to look though, Craig’s list often has cheap Xbox 360 is on the market as well. Craig’s list works best in the event you live in a sizable city, as you can then check out the item in the seller in person. That way, if things go wrong along with your purchase at least you know where to turn to. When purchasing from somebody on Craig’s list, try to receive a receipt of some kind detailing the transaction. Craig’s list provides very tiny protection for the consumer, and very tiny information on the seller and the way that eBay will.

Next week, Bungie and Microsoft are letting a test version of Halo: Reach’s multiplayer matchmaking out into the wild. For the full rundown of everything it includes, check out our in-depth Halo: Reach Beta Hands-On. That’ll get you all caught up on what to expect from Bungie’s behemoth of a beta.

But if you want to go further (I thought you did), there’s even more Reach madness to nerd out on. So IGN is hosting a week of hardcore Halo hotness with the Beta Breakdowns series. These articles will take you further inside the Halo: Reach beta, doling out details on the new modes, loadouts, armor abilities, weapons and more. Today we focus on the four maps you’ll be playing in the beta.

In the beta, what you’re playing will determine where you play. Some maps are fairly flexible, but the objective-based game modes are specially tailored for certain areas. And you won’t be able to go where you want when you want in the Reach beta. Microsoft and Bungie will be switching certain modes on and off during the 17-day-long test period, so enjoy ‘em while you can. Things will kick off May 3 with a grab bag of a few new and classic gametypes. But the first map on our list probably won’t roll around until May 7, when the Invasion playlist starts.

Boneyard
This is where starships go to die. Loosely modeled on an aircraft boneyard, this map is massive, complicated and altogether impressive. It’s the only map in the Reach beta where you can play Invasion, a new objective-based mode that pits Elites against Spartans. There is a ton of elevation in Boneyard, so snipers will have a field day. Oh, and if you like vehicles, you’ll definitely want to hang out on this map. Invasion is a multi-tiered tug-of-war between Elites and Spartans.
Every time the aliens manage to push past the humans and hit a particular objective, new loadouts and vehicles open up. So what starts out as a simple infantry assault can turn into all-out war by the end of the round. Two words of caution: fall damage.

Overlook
Overlook is another map you might not see until later in the beta. Bungie is set to test the Generator Defense game type on May 14, and that’s the mode specifically suited to this map. It’s one of my favorites, too. I’m a big fan of smallish outdoor areas complemented by close-quarters indoor sections. Yeah, I’m one of those people who like Snowbound. Anyway, that’s a good description for Overlook, too, although it’s prettier. Then again, everything in the Reach beta is prettier than everything in Halo 3. Elites start off in a grassy area, across a wooden bridge from the Spartans, who are guarding an outpost powered by three small generators. Can you guess what the goal of the Generator Defense mode is? Keep those mandible-havin’ jerks from destroying your stuff. Every so often a Longsword will fly by and drop off some supplies, so Spartans will want to own that area (just over the bridge from the Elites). Because if the enemy gets a hold of that Spartan Laser, it’s lights out.

Powerhouse
Every multiplayer beta needs a classic all-purpose map, and this is it. Powerhouse is a ton of fun, and it’ll probably end up being a fan favorite. It’s based on a hydroelectric plant, and there’s something for everyone here: lofty heights, tight corridors, sneaky spillways, deadly inclines and more. Jet Packers will have a blast on Powerhouse because the sight lines are tricky, and it’s easy to get the jump on people fighting below you, clueless. Like all the Reach beta maps, it’s a real looker, and the water effects are a nice touch. Speaking of water, make sure you poke around at the bottom of the dam. There’s a rocket launcher down there that’s perfect for swatting people out of the sky.

Swordbase
Like all the multiplayer areas in Halo: Reach, Swordbase was developed as a multiplayer map first and handed over to the single-player team to incorporate into the campaign. That’s a big change for Halo, and Bungie hopes it will make the competitive portion of the game feel more closely tied to the story elements. Also, it looks cool that way. You’ll see Swordbase – an abandoned Office of Naval Intelligence building – in the campaign, but Bungie hasn’t said exactly when or where it will show up. Regardless, it’s a fun one. Super vertical and really tight, it’s packed full of gravity lifts and death opportunities. In the rounds I played during the preview event, there was an assassination every 30 seconds as people Jet Packed or grav lifted through gaps in walls to sneak up behind people and stab them in the back. This should be a nutty map once the beta gets underway.

A public videogame beta is a beautiful and powerful thing. It’s the point when a development studio blows the airlock on a multi-million-dollar years-long project and delivers it for testing to a fan base both ravenous and skeptical. Part demo and part research project, a beta brings players and creators in closer contact than at any point in a project’s development cycle. I’m a big believer in public betas as the best way to create a stellar multiplayer experience, and Bungie is planning to go big when it opens Halo: Reach up for a public test next month.

I recently dropped by Bungie Studios to take an early look at what’s in store for Halo fans next month, and I’ll fill you in on what I’ve seen in just a bit. But first, a quick primer on what Reach is and what’s involved in the beta. The madness starts on May 3 for those with a copy of Halo 3: ODST, the standalone Halo 3 expansion that was released in September 2009. When the magic date rolls around, you’ll see the Halo: Reach beta option pop up in ODST’s extras menu. Download it, launch it through ODST, and you’re in.

Through matchmaking, you’ll have four multiplayer maps to explore when the beta launches. In addition to classic Halo multiplayer game types including Slayer and Free-for-all, Reach introduces a number of new modes, four of which will be playable in the beta. Some of what you’ll see will be instantly familiar, but make no mistake – a lot has changed.

The world of Reach is brutal and unforgiving. Just ask the millions of people who died there when the Covenant attacked it in 2552. Actually, you can’t ask them, because they’re dead. And fake. But you get the idea. In the Halo universe, Reach was humanity’s most important colonial outpost. In some ways it had, in fact, become more important than Earth itself. The Spartan program was born there, and Master Chief John-117 grew up there. When it fell, it fell hard, under gargantuan glowing spirals of overheated plasma. At the end, Reach was a mean, dangerous place. And so is the Halo: Reach beta.

Consider the Covenant Plasma Launcher, one of the new power weapons available in Halo: Reach. Picture a hammerhead shark, squeezed and molded into a streamlined armful of metallic alien polymer. Its cartilaginous protuberances have been repurposed into trigger, stock, scope and muzzle. It’s missing the shark’s organic glisten, but it’s just as dangerous.

Fire the trigger once and it launches a sticky plasma grenade at its target. Hold the trigger down, and more grenades (up to four) will be added to the launch queue. Let them fly, and they’ll gently track to the poor sap caught between its crosshairs. It’s a gun you’ll want to keep your eye on. And it’s not the only one. The Covenant Focus Rifle is equally nightmarish. A cross between the Beam Rifle and a Forerunner Sentinel laser beam, it fires a stream of pink death across the map, slicing and dicing as it goes.

But the Covenant aren’t the only ones with deadly new toys. Spartans go into battle with the Grenade Launcher, a new addition to the UNSC arsenal that hurls, well, grenades. But there’s a twist. Hold down the trigger and the projectile will stay dormant where it lies, primed for explosion. Release the trigger at an opportune moment and it goes blammo at your beck and call, throwing out an electromagnetic pulse blast for good measure.

In addition to new weapons like these, the Needle Rifle, and others, there are also re-tooled blasts from the Halo past making their appearance in Reach. The Designated Marksman Rifle is the UNSC replacement for the Battle Rifle (thank the Ancients), and it’s a headshot magnet in experienced hands. The Magnum is also back, and it’s better than ever. Five steady, well-timed body shots with this little hand cannon will get you a satisfying kill. It’s deadlier than it looks. Respect it.

With all these new boomsticks lying about, you’re going to need some protection. But rather than armor your Spartan up even more than he was in Halo 3, Bungie has gone back in the Halo: Combat Evolved direction. That’s right, health packs are back. In Halo: Reach, when your shields get whittled down to nothing, your health bar will start to chip away. The only way to restore it is to find a wall-mounted health pack (similar to Halo 3: ODST) and shake it off, Marine.

There are two bright spots in the health-and-wellness realm. First, your shields are still regenerative and they’re a bit heartier against melee attacks than in Halo 3. A smack from behind will still net a kill so long as your target’s shields are down. Second, the armor you take into battle is imbued with special characteristics, depending on which loadout you choose.

About this Game

In Halo: Reach, players experience the fateful moments that forged the Halo legend. It’s the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers, and their final stand on planet Reach, humanity’s last line of defense between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. This darker story is echoed by grittier visuals amid a backdrop of massive, awe-inspiring environments. Characters, enemies and environments are rendered in amazing detail by an all-new engine designed to deliver epic-scale encounters against the cunning and ruthless Covenant.

Once the campaign is over, the battle continues online with an unparalleled multiplayer experience that expands on the award-winning suite of features that helped define the Xbox LIVE experience.

Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bungie Software
Online Play: 4 Versus
Release Date: Q3 2010
MSRP: $59.99
Exclusively on: Xbox 360
ESRB: RP-M+

DICE, today announced that two massive, all-new multiplayer maps for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be unlocked on March 2nd when the game launches in North America and in the UK on March 5th. This map pack features the Laguna Alta map playable in Conquest mode and Nelson Bay map playable in Rush mode, bringing the total number of multiplayer maps up to 10.

Later in March, DICE will release yet another map pack at no extra charge, giving players a chance to experience the Arica Harbor map in Conquest mode and Laguna Presa map in Rush mode. These content packs are unlocked by simply inputting a VIP code which is included in the box upon purchase.

It hasn’t yet been confirmed if the extra content packs will be placed on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace at a value. This could be a kick in the teeth towards the pre-owned market where those buying 2nd hand will not get access to the content packs – or they may have to pay extra to download them, when the content was already included for the original buyer.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 2, 2010 in North America and March 5, 2010 in UK

First released on the Mythic Disc that came bundled with ‘Halo3: ODST’, the 2nd part of the Mythic Map Pack containing: Heretic, Citadel & Longshore will now be due for release on the Xbox Live Marketplace, February 2nd for 800 MS Points.

This will finally enable those without ‘Halo3: ODST’ to now obtain all the achievements for ‘Halo3′ for a complete 1750/1750 Gamerscore. Despite being able to complete all the VidMasters on Halo3 you will not be able to unlock the in-game Recon Armor which still requires further VidMasters from the ‘Halo3: ODST’ game itself. (just to clear up any confusion)

Brief descriptions of the final Mythic Maps:

Heretic returns players to familiar ground as the Halo 2 arena “Midship” makes its long-rumored debut in Halo 3. The stark interior of the Pious Inquisitor might appear austere on first glance, but Heretic’s symmetrical spaces require players to execute complex strategies in order to outplay their opponents.

Citadel may be a long abandoned Forerunner stronghold, but its small, symmetrical confines are far from secure. Two opposing bases offer little safety for players looking for solace. Instead, Citadel forces small squads to stay in constant communication, keep their heads on a swivel, and be prepared to adjust combat tactics in close quarters.

Longshore lacks the commercial ships that once made it a lucrative port for Old Mombasa, but it still bustles with activity. Designed for large scale combat and well suited for smaller affairs, Longshore’s multitude of industrial buildings, elevated walks, and open inlets conspire to create a complex battleground tailored for multiple combat scenarios.

This has been confirmed by developers, Bungie to be the final ever Map Pack for ‘Halo3′

Way back a few months ago, Dorito’s announced that their Unlock Xbox competition was to return, but this time bigger and better! From the thousands of ideas submitted to be created into an Xbox Live Arcade game the judges have nailed it down to two of the best to go head to head in an Unlock Xbox competition showdown.

First up is a racing game idea called Harms Way by Justin – OGDEN, UTAH

Harms Way is a fast paced, action packed race with both drivers and snipers pairing up. As the sniper, help your driver win by any means necessary. Destroy the opponents, block their path, pick off their sniper, or even create shortcuts and earn nitrous for your driver! As the driver, you will want to be aggressive and ram the other cars. Don’t stick too close for too long though, or your sniper won’t have many options. There are various game modes so everybody can find a mode that is right for them! The sniper campaign has you trying to help your driver through various scenarios. You will need to have fast reflexes and a steady aim to complete the later missions. In singled out, everybody is a sniper except for one target car. If the target finishes the race, they can earn upgrades like bulletproof windshields. If somebody stops the target, they get to be the target next round. Call your shot mode is only racers, but allows you to call for race changing shots. There will be four player splitscreen, online play, and plenty of explosions!

Next comes Avatar Crash Course by Jill – RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Avatar Crash Course is high-energy, crazy, and full of comical mishaps and fun for you and your friends. Maneuver your way through ruthless obstacles and crazy levels as your avatar as you battle to be #1! Level up to get sweet power-ups, such as shoes to run faster and a belt that improves your balance. Either play solo through the campaign fighting to achieve the best time and get the gold, or play with up to four of your friends. As you move through each obstacle, you’ll need to press buttons, wiggle sticks, and jump up and down to survive. Be careful not to fall unless you like seeing your avatar get smashed! Avatar Crash Course is great played as a party game, or through the campaign as you try to level up and beat your best times. You even win an awesome avatar track suit after beating the game! Endless fun awaits in Avatar Crash Course.

Now that two finalists remain and will fully develop their games with the help of a pro-gaming studio. These two will go head-to-head in a final clash where gamers everywhere get to play the games first-hand and vote on who wins the ultimate prize: a $50,000 game consulting gig with Doritos® Brand. Voting for the best game will take place on the UnlockXbox website where the creation of both games will be heavily documented.

Both titles will be Free to download this Fall, but from the two pitches, which one are you most looking forward too?

Doritos presents Unlock Xbox – the competition where your game idea can be made a reality is back and bigger than ever! This time around there will be not one, but two winners where each will see their game turned into a real project. Finally a fan-selected grand prize winner will receive a $50,000 gaming consultant project for Doritos.

Last years winner was Dash of Destruction, a game where a hungry T- Rex is chasing a fast moving truck carrying a load of Doritos through a complex, roaming metropolis. The player could play as the dinosaur or the truck driver. Crap as it was – at least it was free!

This year hopefully the competition is tougher, the designers more talented and so long as you live in the US then you can enter.

Taken from the Entry Website:

The chance of a lifetime starts with your brilliant idea for an Xbox Live™ Arcade game. Simply send us a two-minute video pitch (less than 20MB) promoting your idea for the greatest Xbox Live™ Arcade game ever. Don’t worry, it’s easy and we’ll walk you through the process – just remember, have fun. Go crazy with drawings, photographs, props, costumes, sound effects – whatever it takes to get your game idea across in a fun and energetic way. Remember, we’re looking for creativity. It doesn’t have to be Doritos® branded. It can be about anything, so long as it falls into one of TEN GAMING CATEGORIES. All we ask is that you take the essence and intensity that is Doritos® and bring that out in your break through game concept.

If you have an idea which can only be an improvement on last year! Entries for the competition are open until October 4th 2009 by submitting a video through the official UnlockXbox website (no game design experience necessary, it’s all taken care of)

Using Doritos and a little imagination, what would you create?