Looks like this is the closest that we will get to playing Goldeneye 007 on the Xbox 360, given that game is tangled up in all sorts of copyright ownership problems (i.e. Nintendo probably own it as it was a N64 exclusive).

When Perfect Dark was originally released on the N64 in 2000 it was just too ambitious a game for the hardware available at the time. Rare enhanced the GoldenEye 007 game engine (more gore, better lighting, higher screen resolution and various other enhancements) to a point arguably beyond what the N64 could cope with. This resulted in shockingly bad frame rates at frequent intervals through out the game. This tarnished what was otherwise an excellent game.

So now that Microsoft has announced that it has updated the original game with HD visuals we might now be able to see the game that Rare wanted us to play 10 years ago. Hopefully, Microsoft will have left all the hidden cheeses for us to find, just like in the original Perfect Dark.

Features:

• Remastered full HD visuals:1080p at 60 frames per second and upgraded 3D models (characters, weapons) and locations.
• Action-packed and authentic. Based on the original code. There are nine missions across 17 levels in solo, co-op and counter-op modes available.
• Multiplayer modes. Battle online with up to eight players on Xbox LIVE over six different multiplayer scenarios across 16 levels.
• Microsoft staff faces to replace the Nintendo staff faces featured in the original (e.g. Shigeru Miyamoto).

Screenshots:

Trailer (via Joystiq):

Perfect Dark will be released on the Xbox 360 (for 800 MS points) on the 17th March 2010.

Finally, following on from the MAG sabotage, suppression and acquisition tips here’s some more for the domination game mode. This time provided by Nate Klee (Chief Software Architect). So watch the video below and then read the tips:

Basic Tips:
The goal of the attackers in Domination is to destroy a rival PMC’s oil facility in 3 phases. Each attacking platoon first needs to simultaneously grab control of two burn-off towers. Once these are both held, they are destroyed and can’t be repaired. Destroying these towers also unlocks a pair of cooling towers which operate in a similar fashion. Once those are taken out, the attackers move in to take over oil pump controls and destroy the facility. The more pumps that are held, the faster you can damage the facility. The goal for the defenders is to keep the facility from taking too much damage before the attackers run out of reinforcements.

• Try to stay near to your squad. Not only do you receive leadership bonuses but you are more likely to be resuscitated quickly.
• Come in prepared with a loadout that has a repair kit for defending and a rocket launcher for attacking.

Advanced Tips:

If you are attacking:

• Focus on taking out the defender bunkers and possibly the AAA before you go for the burn-off towers.
• Make sure that you take out the bunker turrets from behind cover before you rush in to plant charges on the bunker.
• You can damage the bunker turrets with rockets, grenades, APC turrets, and even small arms fire.
• Make sure that your squad leader puts down FRAGOs on each objective.
• Lead objective assaults with grenades.

If you are defending:

• Keep your bunker turret repaired. You can repair it faster with multiple people repairing at once, though there are diminishing returns.
• Repairing the AAA is a great stall tactic since it can push back the attackers. You can often grab a motor pool vehicle and drive up to repair it with some protection.
• You can force offensive Helicopters to fly off by damaging them, forcing attackers to spawn further away from the front lines.
• Repairing the doors around the objectives can prevent the attackers from flooding in.

Via MAG blog
MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3

Following on from the MAG sabotage and suppression tips, here’s some more tips and tricks this time for the acquisition game mode. This time provided by Joe Maris (designer). As before, watch the video below and then read the tips:

Basic Tips

• Unofficially, the Acquisition Maps have two main phases: the bunker phase and the extraction phase. In the bunker phase, the attackers will attempt to break through the frontlines of bunkers and destroy the anti-air batteries, allowing them to spawn closer to their final objective. In the extraction phase, the attackers will attempt to steal the prototype vehicle and drive it to safety. Generally speaking, it is best for the attackers to complete the bunker phase before attempting the extraction phase.
• For an attacking squad, there are three basic strategies for taking out an enemy bunker: smoke grenades, smoke grenades, and smoke grenades. The smoke grenades are a cheap way to neutralize the turret and confuse the defenders. For extra credit, the attacking squad can hit the turret with weapon fire while it is encased in smoke. Defenders will often give away the turret’s location by firing wildly in the smoke.
• During the extraction phase, attackers should select an evacuation route and then assign squads to remove any obstacles along that route. Once the obstacles are removed, keep the squads near the obstacles to prevent the enemy from repairing them and to provide cover fire once the enemy vehicle is stolen and evacuated by the lead squad.
• Defending squads should spend the first phase of the game concentrating on three main goals: 1) Keeping the bunker turret repaired, 2) keeping charges off the bunker, and 3) keeping charges off the anti-air battery.
• Not only should defenders work to keep gates and tank traps repaired, but they should use their regular vehicles to block important evacuation routes.
• Defenders, you don’t need a rocket launcher to damage or destroy a prototype vehicle. If you see a vehicle race by, fire at it. If you see it take damage, keep firing. Every little bit helps.

Advanced Tips

• If the attackers are having a hard time getting through the front line, platoon leaders should coordinate their platoon on a single point in the line. Once one bunker is down, the next bunker’s flank will be exposed, making it more vulnerable. Work on down the line until all bunkers are down.
• Attackers, try to keep a Precision Strike in reserve as soon as your team attempts to extract the vehicle. The defenders may unexpectedly repair a road obstacle, and a Precision Strike is a quick and appropriate counter.
• If possible, the attacking faction’s platoon leader should help steal the vehicle, because his passive repair ability automatically repairs the prototype vehicle without anyone needing to get out and use the repair gun.
• Bunkers are most effective when supported by other bunkers. A defending squad should prioritize protecting its own bunker, but when a neighbor goes down, it should send a few soldiers to help get it back up.
• During the Extraction Phase, the defenders should jealously guard the mortar battery as if it were the prototype vehicle itself. If the enemy manages to steal one of your vehicles, the mortar battery is a quick way to both destroy and demoralize the enemy attackers. However, if your area is secure, don’t let the battery go to waste. Use it to help the other platoon, if necessary.
• Once the bunkers have fallen, if a defending squad has a soldier or two who insists on being a lone wolf, the squad leader should encourage the loner to sneak behind enemy lines and start repairing bunkers. As long as the defending team doesn’t waste too many resources, this is a nice way to knock the attackers back on their heels.

Via MAG blog
MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3

Following on from the MAG suppression game mode tips, here’s some more tips and tricks for the sabotage game mode. This time provided by Alan Van Slyke (producer). As before, watch the video below and then read the tips.

Basic Tips

• Squad cohesion is important. There are multiple approach routes as an attacker, so talk to and follow your squad leader and steamroll the opposition as a unit.
• Having problems getting your squad to A or B objectives? Two or three medics per squad can pick up any fallen teammates along the way, which keeps the squad together on approach.
• The faction that typically prevails in Sabotage is the one that’s willing to make a focused charge at the objective. Sustained firefights at 100 meters from the objective as an attacker may give you a nice kill/death ratio, but will more often than not, result in your loss.
• If you have a headset, let your squadmates know about the guy under the stairs or in the church tower (yes, I hate that guy too). If you don’t have a headset, listen for callouts from your team.
• FRAGOs mean double points. They’re set by your squad leader as a mechanism to give the squad a unified goal and provide double XP when you’re in the FRAGO’s vicinity. If you’re interesting in getting more points, these will get you there fast.

Advanced Tips

• On approach as an attacker, drop smoke grenades about 80-100 meters from A or B. This will get your full squad to within striking distance where you can regroup and make the final push to the objective.
• All final C objective buildings have front entrances (attackers) and rear entrances (defender). A few attackers can often flank C towards the back to disrupt the defender’s spawn into the final objective building. This provides a critical opportunity to secure the final objective. 10 seconds of spawn wave disruption can often result in an Attacker’s victory.
• Poison Gas and Frag grenades are great ways to clear Sabotage objective buildings of enemies. Poison does nasty proximity damage over time and Frag grenades can insta-kill if they’re too close – this provides a huge additional bonus in that fragged enemies can’t be revived and must travel back to the objective from the spawn point.

Via MAG blog
MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3

One of the MAG developers (lead designer – CJ Heine) has posted some tips for the suppression game mode. Given that this is one of the first game modes you get to play, its a useful place to test out your new skills (and earn some quick XP). Check out the video and then read the tips.

Basic Tips

• Wins and losses in Suppression do not count in the Shadow War, but you may also find Suppression missions less stressful because you don’t have to worry about impacting the war as you learn the game.
• Remember to stick with your squad. You will improve your survivability while learning how to fight alongside your team.
• There are no vehicles or objectives to repair in Suppression, so modify your loadout appropriately (no need for the Repair Kit or Anti-tank Mines).
• Learn the locations of the Resupply Points as they’ll refill your health and ammo, so knowing the way back to these quickly will keep you alive longer. They also tend to be player magnets, and can often become the center of combat.
• Most default loadouts contain a First Aid Kit, so practice using this on yourself when your health gets too low. If you have upgraded to the Medical Kit or have the Resuscitation skill, seek out wounded allies and try healing them.
• Don’t bleed out if you’ve been killed! Get familiar with the incapacitation and bleedout mechanics in Suppression, and see if there is anyone available to revive you before you choose to respawn.

Advanced Tips

• Go easy on the low level guys! They’re in Suppression trying to learn and gain their first few levels. You are all in the same PMC, and taking the time to help them and answer their questions could make the difference down the road in a Shadow War mission.
• Suppression is a great place to experiment with your new skill unlocks. The Suppression missions are small and time to combat is quick, making them a great source for practice targets. Use this closed environment to experiment with things like anti-personnel mines, items from the Electronics skill tree, new weapon upgrades, etc.
• Right on the edge of your next player level but short on time? Often times, it’s faster to play a quick Suppression match instead of a full Shadow War mission for that last bit of needed experience.

Via MAG blog
MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3

The MAG launch event that I attended earlier on this month is featured in the latest Eurogamer TV show.

For those eagle eyed TAG readers, you get to glimpse me playing MAG at 2:56mins and 3:05 – 3:07mins in the Eurogamer TV video as well as the following MAG players: flamingcarrot and FlecheMe (these are their PSN IDs).

What is a little more obvious in the video is my tweet which was projected onto one of the walls at the event. Check it out at 4:40 – 4:44mins:

It kinda summed up just how useless Team IGN were on the night ;-)

MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3

Here is the MAG launch trailer for your enjoyment for those of you who haven’t played the game yet. I was fortunate enough to get to play it just over a week ago at the Eurogamer MAG tournament. Full review coming soon, when I’ve clocked up some more hours with my brand new S.V.E.R character.

If you want to join me in MAG my PSN ID is: thefluffyfist

I had a fun time last night playing for Team Eurogamer in the MAG Tournament in central London. The most important part of the night was stuffing team IGN 2 games to 0 on MAG. However, our overall cockiness was to be short lived when it came to playing the developers Zipper Interactive. We got our asses well and truly kicked!

Although the overall event was well organised with a pretty awesome with 128 PS3s set-up in the shape of 256 (256 players per game!), I couldn’t hear a damn thing through my headset, making team orders redundant. So I just tried to kill everything. This worked well until we played the developers, who blatantly cheated by using tactics. Rubbish.

The night was nicely finished off with a free copy of the MAG collectors edition. Unfortunately, I can’t play it until the 29th Jan as the game servers aren’t live yet!

The game itself it was fun. I especially like the 256 player battles. They were just mayhem and the game maps were massive too. I recommend checking this game out later on this month. Now for some pictures from the event.

Waiting in the freezing cold outside the event location:

Entrance to the MAG bunker:

The awesome 128 PS3 set-up (yes, it does spell out 256):

You could get your tweet projected on the wall:

Dinner. Tasty:

Pudding. Even tastier:

Busy killing evil Team IGN:

MAG is released on the 29th Jan 2010 only on the Playstation 3

I’ve actually managed to win something from a Eurogamer competition! Tomorrow evening Eurogamer is hosting a 128 player MAG Tournament in central London. The event is also doubling up as the official launch of MAG, following hot on the heels of the public beta. I’m one of the recently announced 110 people who get the opportunity to play as part of the 64 person Eurogamer team against some other, presumably “evil” online games site.

If anyone else got selected, see you tomorrow!

MAG is released on the 29th Jan 2010 on the Playstation 3

Lets get this out of the way first. I absolutely, totally, unreservedly suck at this game. I didn’t think I could be so bad at a game until I played this. I’m much better at Warhawk on the PS3, honestly.

Right, so Battlefield 1943. In short, it’s a World War II shooter, with some nice island environments and lots of blue sky. It’s like being on holiday, only you get to shoot people, drive tanks and blow stuff up. Awesome.

There are 4 maps, maximum of 24 players per map and 2 different game modes. The 2nd game mode is called air superiority which is plane-only combat essentially. The island environments look lovely, as you can see from the screenshots. Lots of palm trees huts, bunkers, cluster of petrol barrels and gun installations. The fun part (for me) of the game is blowing things up. Almost all of the environment can be blown up to some extent. The palm trees and buildings mostly bear the brunt of the destruction. It is really, really satisfying to hop in a tank and trundle down the road to blow up a building full of the enemy (helped by the maps on the HUD showing everyone’s location).

There is some some added variation to the game as some of the respawn points are on aircraft carriers so you can either fly a plane, use the carrier guns to bombard the islands or get in one of the boats with your mates and attack the coastlines. I did enjoy being driven around the coast line whilst machine gunning the beaches. I killed a lot of trees and buildings but not many people.

One thing I did seem to have in abundance, was the ability to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was always in the building that got carpet bombed (when you fly the planes you can bomb stuff too). Or I’d be driving a jeep with my team member in the back as a gunner, whizzing down the road, over a hill… and straight into an enemy tank. Dead, again! Not only was I a danger to myself but my team mates too. Oh, and flying. Well, let’s just say I have much better control of a real plane (as I’m currently learning to fly) than the ones in Battlefield 1943. They aren’t the easiest things to control, which is probably for the best as they are really destructive with their quite awesome bombing capabilities. I did end up losing points for my plane “suicides.”

What’s not so good in this game is the small number of maps and the limited weapons available. I did get a little bit bored of playing the same maps after a while. Hopefully, this will be addressed in future downloadable content (no idea if this is planned). However, the are lots and lots of people playing it at the moment, so you almost always get a 2 full teams and tonnes of action.

Overall is it worth the 1200 MS points? Yes if you are into first person shooters and aren’t quite as useless at them as me!

Screenshots:

Battlefield 1943 is now available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 1200 MS Points (and the PlayStation Network)