Lego Indiana Jones 2 Demo Available Now

Even though the game has already been out for a while, LucasArts thought it'd be a good idea to put a demo up on both the Playstation Network and the Xbox 360 Marketplace. (exclusive for Gold members) 

Why did they do this? Well it's possible that the game is selling pretty bad and they figure if people try it they will want to buy it and I can understand that. I own the first Lego Indy game and It really wasn't all that bad to be honest. Sure it was extremely childish but it was still humorous.

Here is the description that is featured on the official product page over at Xbox.com.

"LEGO Indiana Jones is back in his biggest adventure yet! Now you can whip, battle and build your way through all of Indy’s action-packed movie adventures, with a uniquely funny LEGO twist. Play ALL-NEW levels from The Original Adventures & your favorite new moments from The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull... Or for the first time, create your own levels to play with friends! New characters, abilities and modes like two-player drop-in, drop-out split-screen gameplay, lets you play together with your friends and family like never before!" 

12/24/09 Colton West

First Impressions: Army of Two: The 40th Day Demo

One of 2010's most anticipated games has finally gotten a demo, so just like with Divinity II, I figured I'd share my own opinions on what I thought of it.

The demo is only multiplayer so don't be expecting to try the solo experience quite yet. You have the ability to play in either a split-screen multiplayer or online multiplayer.

The visuals are pretty good but not mind-blowing but Army of Two really shines in it's gameplay. The only issue I had with the demo and I think the final game will probably have the same problem is that during online play, the game will constantly stop and wait for the other player's connection and if they decide to abort the match, the whole demo ends. I also don't care much for the controls since it feels a lot like Resident Evil 5 and is extremely touching making some of those pinpoint shots harder to make.

From what I experienced, The 40th Day has a cinematic flair to it the likes of which only Michael Bay could create. Buildings get blown to pieces and collapse all over Shanghai and I kid you not, a full-sized jet liner smashes into a building directly underneath your character's feet in real-time. It's really quite something to behold.

The demo also gives you a taste of the vast weapon customization options allowing you to alter and edit basically any part of any gun you happen to have by using currency that you collect through completing objectives and killing foes.

Army of Two: The 40th Day will be released this January and I am most definitely putting this one at the top of my anticipation list.

Hype Level: 5/5

12/22/09 Colton West

First Impressions: Divinity II: Ego Draconis Demo

The demo for Divinity II: Ego Draconis has recently been released onto the Xbox Live Marketplace so I figured I would download it, give it a playthrough and give my opinion on what I thought of it.

The game seems to play almost exactly like Dragon Age: Origins and I don't mean similar I mean basically exact. The demo is pretty lengthy as far as demos are concerned but there is just one big problem. It's not fun to play.

The framerate is constantly messing up even when you're just walking around, the voice acting is pretty much just average and filled with pointless one-liners and the graphics are just so bland it isn't even funny. They actually look like something you'd see on the original Xbox system.

Now is it possible that these issues just exist because of the fact that it's an unfinished product? Maybe, but the game comes out next month so I'm thinking this is basically the finished product meaning this could very well be the next "Two Worlds."

If you are a fan of Dragon Age: Origins then it's possible that you may actually like D2 but if you haven't then just trust me and go grab Dragon Age instead because it's far superior.

Hype Level: 1/5

12/22/09 Colton West

First Impressions: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Demo

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is the newest handheld iteration of the popular series and the full game will be released in 2010. But how well does it fair against the other titles in the franchise?

The demo doesn't last very long but one of the most notable things about it is that the visuals are actually quite stunning and on par with the PS2 versions of the Metal Gear Solid games, which is truly impressive for a handheld.

All of the basic MGS trademarks are here as far as gameplay is concerned except now, 4 Snakes can play at once thanks to the game's messed up storyline and the multiplayer function which this demo does contains.

You have access to a few missions that will test just how well you can sneak and it's always fun catching a faceless bad guy and tossing him off a bridge. Good times I must say.

Does the demo have flaws? Yes but there isn't very many of them. The cross-hair when you are manually aiming is a total pain and extremely touchy and the camera has a tendency to be irritating as well sometimes.

If you're a fan of the MGS franchise then you should definitely give the demo a shot as it is only around 100MB in size and pretty fun to play.

Hype Level: 4/5

12/22/09 Colton West

Bayonetta Demo Review

I recently got hold of the Bayonetta demo, played through it a few times just to bring you the best review possible, hint, it's good, great even.

I'll start by saying that the version of Bayonetta I was playing was on the Xbox 360 so my entire experience stems from that system. The demo isn't very long as it only took me around 10-15 minutes to play through it to the end but to be perfectly honest, I enjoyed every minute of it.

The first section you play is a simple tutorial which I would consider to be self explanatory. All you need to do to complete it is follow the button commands and instructions that appear on-screen and it can be skipped if you don't feel the need for it but if you want to get the full experience of the demo, it would be best to finish the tutorial and learn how to pull off Bayonetta's large variety of moves.

Speaking of her moves, let me explain a little bit about her various attacks. I'm sure that I wasn't able to use her full attack list considering it was just a demo but what I was actually able to use impressed me. Every one of her attacks is very well animated and easy on the eyes, especially the ones that make use of her hair because the stronger ones. The 'Y', 'B', and 'X' buttons can be used together to unleash some unforgiving combos that will quickly turn your enemy into nothing more then a cloud of red mist and feathers.

Controls can either make or break a game and I'm pleased to say that they are very smooth, fluid, and responsive, allowing for precise movements which come in handy when you have to avoid constant enemy attacks from all directions. The camera is also not an issue on the Xbox version unlike many other games. I never came across any moments where it would go wonky or obscure the action, but I've heard that the camera has some issues when it comes to the Playstation 3 version.

The demo takes place over 3 small sections, most of which were seen in the E3 2009 footage we saw earlier this year. Aside from the tutorial, you have to battle a legion of angels while you're on a piece of free falling rock, while something which looks like a demonic dragon creature is launching balls of fire at you. Yeah, it's impressive and quite epic. After that section, you are placed in a cathedral where you have to battle it out against a horde of angels followed by a boss battle.

At the end of each area, you are shown a points screen where you are awarded medals depending on how well you did, basic stuff. I managed to unlock Platinum, Pure Platinum, and Gold. I'm sure these points can be used for either unlockables or upgrades in the full game which is a nice feature and very similar to Devil May Cry.

Overall, I can see why this game is getting praise from so many video game reviewers because it does look and play fluently. I'll admit that I was a little bit skeptical about this game because I originally saw it as nothing more then a female Devil May Cry rip-off; but after getting to experience it myself, I am convinced.

11/08/09 Colton West

Any Xbox 360 owners want early access to the Bayonetta demo?

Sega announced that 40,000 Xbox 360 owners will get extremely early access to the Bayonetta demo through what would appear to be a random draw.

To be eligable to be chosen for participation, you must sign up for a free Sega Pass which is essentially the company's newsletter, then on Monday, November 9th to Friday, November 13th, you may enter for a chance at the demo on it's official page by clicking this link.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

There'll be no Assassin's Creed 2 demo

The first Assassin's Creed title did not have a demo which really ticked off a lot of fans and disappointment spread all around. Well get ready for more reasons to be upset..

At today's EuroGamer Expo, interviewers from Connected Consoles were told by a Ubisoft representative that there won't be a public demo released for Assassin's Creed 2 outside of exhibitions.

This comes as a shock to me because from what I heard about the original game, it's sales numbers were lower because of this very reason, but if Ubisoft sees this as the right choice then more power to them I suppose.

Source

10/31/09 Colton West

New CryEngine 3 Demo: Light us up!

Crytek, the makers of the best looking shooter to date, "Crysis" is not afraid (and rightfully so) of demonstrating it's awesome new engine at the SIGGRAPH 2009 conference in New Orleans. Though the demo's not flashy with guns and the like, it shows how beautiful lighting can make a game look, and Crytek as always is right on point.

08/12/09 Ernice Gilbert

via kotaku

Batman Arkham: Asylum Set For August 7

A demo of Batman: Arkham Asylum is heading to PSN and XBLA marketplace on Friday, giving gamers a taste of what's to come when it finally drops on August 25 in North America and August 28th in Europe.

In the demo, you’ll play as Batman through the intro of the game as you and the commissioner (Gordon), escort the Joker back to Arkham Asylum. But escorting such and elusive villain won’t be child’s play. The joker suddenly gains the edge and spring forth a trap, setting those who occupy Arkham against the Batman.

The demo will let you unlock character bios and give you a sneak peak at some of the foes you’ll be facing in the full game. It'll also display the game’s “FreeFlow” combat system aiding you to land combos seamlessly. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one; from what I’ve seen, the game should perform beautifully.

08/04/09 Ernice Gilbert