United Front Gaming

Game Breaking Bug In Diablo III!

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/15/12

One of the worse things to happen to a gamer is getting a new game home and it doesn’t work. If it was one of the biggest titles in the last few years, the feeling of dread could be overwhelming. That’s probably what PC gamers are feeling right now if they’ve come across Error 3006!

Kotaku posted that gamers are reporting that there is a game breaking bug in Diablo III. Apparently it’s triggered by interacting with the Templar follower. Giving him your equipped shield BEFORE accepting him as a follow will cause the game to boot you from Blizzard’s servers. Seeing as how you have to be online to play this game, that…well, really sucks!

We’re sure that Blizzard is looking into this. Hopefully, it’ll be fixed soon. If you haven’t got to the Templar part yet, tread carefully!

Original Source: Eurogamer

Diablo III

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00

Yingpei Games Announces Closed Beta for Mercenary Ops!

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/14/12

Yingpei Games (formerly Epic Games China) announced today that applicants are now being considered for the closed beta for their upcoming free-to-play title, Mercenary Ops. The first group of gamers will be allowed to do battle in six different games modes starting on June 20th. They’ll get to check out the competitive online mode as well as the cooperative mode; putting eight players against deadly AI controlled enemies and bosses!

“Balancing is always a major concern when it comes to online shooters, especially when they are free-to-play,” said Mercenary Ops Producer, Jason Sharp. “Because of this, we have committed heavily to testing the game internally and have even invited some of the world’s best professional gamers for their invaluable feedback. With the launch of our closed beta we will have the chance to garner even more feedback, this time from general shooter fans."-Press

Created using Unreal Engine 3, Mercenary Ops is set in the near future where powerful corporations have led to the downfall of humanity. In order to gain control of the earth’s remaining wealth, each corporation hires Mercenaries to wage war with one another. The game will allow gamers to unlock and customize their weapons and equipment through special upgrades. These upgrades are acquired via the game’s loot system. That said, Mercenary Ops will feature a microtransaction system just like most free-to-play titles. No word on what you’ll be buying or if bought items will be solely cosmetic or not. We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, feel free to like their Facebook page for chance to get a beta key!

Mercenary Ops will be released this summer by Kalends Publishing.

Risen 2 Gets Patched!

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/10/12

I love being connected to the internet when it comes to game. Besides being able to game with friends who live far away, I’m able to get game fixes via download. This wasn’t possible back in the day, unless of course you were playing on a PC. The newest game to get the “patch” treatment is Risen 2: Dark Waters. The patch will address several balancing issues, fix some bugs, add a new dodge move, and more. Nice!

Check out the complete patch list:

New Features:
- Most monster attacks can be now blocked
- Player has the ability to dodge during combat (activated through pressing the direction keys twice)

Tweaks:
- Improved vegetation rendering
- Improved object draw distance
- Improved terrain rendering

Balancing:
- Maximum amount of automatic saves limited to 10
- Improvements in monster combat AI
- Improvements in character AI if they get attacked from behind
- Simplified cannon sabotage in Puerto Isabella
- Merchant on Sword Coast now also sells rum and grog
- Removed exploit for shooting game
- Mara's health increased
- Stealbeard's hat can't be sold anymore

Bugfixes:
- Fixed issue with flickering trees in far distance on Nvidia graphic cards
- Fixed crash with 7.1 sound system configuration
- Fixed issue with SLI graphic cards
- Fixed rarely occurring crash during climbing
- Fixed issue within return to ship option
- Fixed an error with rain in interiors
- Crew members can't be killed by monsters anymore
- Player will get the cunning potion after crafting
- Fixed issues with skill teachers
- Fixed several exploits

Risen 2: Dark Waters is an action RPG that's currently avaible for PC, with the console verison coming out later this summer!

Serious Sam HD DLC/Free to Play Announcement!

Tue, 8 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/08/12

Croteam and Devolver Digital announced today that new DLC for Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter will drop on May 15th. Called The Legend of the Beast, this new content will consist of new campaign missions in which Sam will have to track down the mysterious ram-god of The Great Obelisk. Sounds like fun!

“Our team is very excited to extend the world of the classic Serious Sam: The Second Encounter and we think the fans will really enjoy the news areas and scenarios we’ve put into Legend of the Beast,” said Davor Hunski, Chief Creative Guy at developer Croteam. – Press

For $4.99, gamers will get three new campaign missions, three new survival mode maps, and three new versus mode maps. Also, starting on May 15th, the versus and survivor multiplayer modes will be made free-to-play via Steam.

It’s great that this old game not only got the HD treatment but also new content. Even without the updates, it’s defiantly a game worth revisiting!

Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

Tue, 8 May 2012 12:00:00

New Gameplay Footage of Primal Carnage!

Tue, 8 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/08/12

Lukewarm Media and Reverb Publishing posted a gameplay of Primal Carnage, the game that puts humans vs. dinosaurs in online death matches, on their youtube page. This alpha footage gives a brief look into what is to come once the beta is launched. Check it out!

Bethesda Announces Elder Scrolls Online!

Thu, 3 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/03/12

Bethesda announced something awesome a few minutes ago. No…no, it’s not another Fallout (although that would be cool too). No, Bethesda announced a new MMO called The Elder Scrolls Online. I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in…

The Elder Scrolls Online is being developed for PC and Mac under the leadership of Matt Firor, industry vet when it comes to online game development.

“We have been working hard to create an online world in which players will be able to experience the epic Elder Scrolls universe with their friends, something fans have long said they wanted,” said Matt Firor, game director ofThe Elder Scrolls Online. “It will be extremely rewarding finally to unveil what we have been developing the last several years. The entire team is committed to creating the best MMO ever made – and one that is worthy of The Elder Scrolls franchise.” – Press

More info will be coming in the exclusive cover story in Game Informer’s June issue (luck dogs). I can’t wait to see what this game has in store. Will it be free-to-play or subscription based? Will it be ported to consoles? Most likely not to the Xbox; Sony has done this in the past though. We’ll have to wait and see. Be sure to check back as we continue to cover this awesome title!

The Walking Dead Episode 1: A New Day

Wed, 2 May 2012 12:00:00

Reviewed By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
System: PC (Also on Xbox 360, PS3, Mac)
Genre: Adventure
Rate: M
Players: 1
Cost: $24.99 (for full season)
Release Date: 04/25/2012
Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games

I’m a big fan of, what is now, The Walking Dead franchise. I own majority of the comic book series, both seasons of the show, and will soon be giddy over owning some of the action figures. The reason I’m such a big fan is that Robert Kirkman, the writer who created the comic series, focuses on the effects of a zombie plague on humanity. He knows that the best zombie stories have to do more with the experiences of the living and not just the presence of the living dead. Telltale apparently agrees as they’ve created an awesome game to accompany the comic!

Unlike the TV series, Telltale’s The Walking Dead coincides with the comic book’s universe. Although you won’t actually be playing as characters from the comic; this story is told from a different perspective. Think of it as a side story that happens before and during the events of the comic. Gamers will take on the role of Lee Everett, a man convicted of murder on his way to prison. The game opens with Lee being transported out of Atlanta via a police car. While having a conversation with the cop, Lee spots someone walking out onto the highway. Before he can get the cop’s attention, the car slams into the person and both Lee and the cop go careening off the road. A few hours later, Lee wakes up in the back of the wrecked car still hand cuffed and badly injured. I won’t spoil what happens next; just know that this is the beginning of Lee’s struggle for survival.

Again, Telltale’s title is all about Lee Evert and his interactions with other characters during the zombie outbreak. From the start of the game, the choices gamers make will not only decide the fate of Lee, but also of the people he meets. A lot of games claim to give players a choice when it comes to the outcome of a story. Most of the time while playing a game I tend to pick the choice that I would in real life and I’m usually satisfied with my decisions, good or bad. For this reason, I rarely replay the game to choose a different path. In The Walking Dead, the choices presented are more realistic in nature. There is no good or evil, right or wrong path like what we’ve seen in other games of this nature. There aren’t even shades of gray half the time; there are plenty of times where I thought that all of the choices available made sense. Would I try to save a child from being eaten by zombies? Yea. Would I save a man about to be eaten alive? Yup. What if I could only save one or the other? It might be easier to say that you’d go for the kid; but what if it seemed like you could save them both?

In the back of my head, I realize that this is a game and that I will probably only be able to save one person. At the same time because there are other characters close by, I feel like if I pick the right person the others could come to the other person’s rescue. On top of that is time’s limiting nature. Sometimes the game will require you to make a quick decision, eliminating your chance to think things out. Like in real life, you’ll act on impulse and go for what seems to be the right thing. While I might be able to save the boy, I’d still be upset that I couldn’t have saved the man and vice versa. It’s harder to make a choice when the problem seems so real.

The cool thing is that the more critical choices aren’t the only ones that can change the course of the story. Your interactions with the other characters are equally important; characters remember the things you say or do. For instance, one story changer had to do with Lee’s traveling companion, Clementine. Early on in the episode Lee will bump into a little girl named Clementine. Her baby sitter hasn’t been “herself” lately, forcing her to hide in her tree house. Apparently her folks were on vacation when the apocalypse started and the only person she’s seen alive recently was Lee. Over the course of the game, characters will assume that you are her father. Lee will of course correct them. This leads them to asking how you know the girl. You can lie and say you are her babysitter or you could tell the truth and say you just found her. Again, there is no right or wrong answer. Telling the truth my cause some characters to become concerned for Clementine’s safety. On the other hand, it’s possible that lie you told could come back and bite you if the others find out the truth. Over the course of the game characters can go from being helpful to hostile and everything in between. A person who hates you might be the very one to save your life in the end; they remembered you doing something good for the group and returned the favor.

The developers knew that you would feel regretful after making a tough decision and they show this by having Lee act it out on screen. His dialogue will go from being enthusiastic to depressing due to prier events. It’s a good thing that the voice acting and script is top notch. It would be hard for players to feel the weight of their choices if the characters weren’t believable. Even though it’s very unlikely that this type of thing would actually happen, it still feels real in The Walking Dead. The same can be said about the gameplay mechanics. While this is, at its heart, a point and click adventure game Telltale made sure to streamline the experience. You’ll still find objects that will help you solve puzzles. That said, once they’re found, they are set aside till needed; no more scrolling through menus to check each item like in other adventure games. You won’t find yourself trying a bunch of random items on puzzles to no avail. Instead, when you click on an object (like locked door) you’ll be given options on how you want to proceed. If you have an item that could be useful (like an ax that could break down the door) you’ll be given more options, even if the object you have isn’t right for that particular puzzle. What’s great here is that, even though the item might not work, you won’t be wasting time. The scene will play out with the wrong item and you’ll get another hint of the puzzle’s solution. Everything is in put into proper context; you’ll never need use an object in a weird way.

Another cool gaming element is the action segments. There are times when Lee will need to fight off zombies, rescue someone, or flee for his life. Again, everything is put into proper context. When a zombie is attacking, holding the curser over the zombies face and left clicking will cause Lee to punch or kick them. If he picked up a usable item, the options will change, allowing him to use that weapon or object. You could be fighting a zombie, look over at a 2x4, pick it up and crack it over the head of your attacker. Adding to the tension is the screen glowing red to indicate how close you are to dying. Taking too long to take down a zombie or missing your cue to defend yourself will normally lead to a violent death. Altogether, it makes this adventure title feel more like a third person survival horror before going back to pointing and clicking.

So far the Walking Dead is shaping up to be a great game. Graphically, it looks like a living comic book. It’s not quite the Darkness II; it has its on flavor. The Walking Dead is grittier, darker, and at the same time more expressive. A bright sunny day in a cul de sac is a haunting sight in this title. It may look safe, but the lack of movement gives off an uneasy feeling. It’s much worse when you walk into a home that’s been ransacked with blood splattered on the floor. Basically, the visuals sell the horror of The Walking Dead quite nicely. My only complaint here would be the characters’ eyes. Sometimes a character will look up and their eyes would roll a little too far back making them look dead. It can be distracting; pulling me out of the story and placing me back in my computer chair at home.

Like I said, The Walking Dead aims for greatness. Together the action mechanics and streamlined item collection system help to keep gamers in the story and at the same time, they offer some genuinely tense moments. It’s visually pleasing and the sound quality is top notch. The well written dialogue and the choice elements really sell the weight and emotion of Lee’s story. Not only that, with so many nuances that can change the course of the story it begs to be replayed. After completing the episode, the game will show you the percentage of people who made the same choices you made. Again, it begs to be replayed. All and all, I have high expectations for the rest of the season. Telltale added a nice touch by letting gamers preview the next episode. What’s cool is that the preview will differ depending on the choices you made during the previous play through. The consequences of your actions (good or bad) will ripple through the rest of the episodes. Awesome!

Gameplay: 10
A great, emotion-filled story and gameplay to match!

Graphics: 9
I love the way it looks. Some of the weird eye rolling is rather creepy though.

Sound: 10
The voice acting and sound effects were great!

What’s New: 8
The streamlined gameplay mechanics and action segments help this title to stand out amongst other adventure games.

Replay Value: 9
With multiple choices that really affect everyone involved, it would be hard not to want to go back and see what happens!

Final Score:

9.2

Check out MechWarrior Online's Catapult!

Wed, 2 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/02/12

If you haven’t been following Piranha Games upcoming MechWarrior Online title…well, you should be! This game is looking more and more awesome as time goes by. Speaking of good looks, we got some in-game images of the Catapult mech.

This indirect-fire mech excels at LRM (long range missile) fire. Best used with a spotter, this unit can fire on enemies without being in visual contact with them. While it isn’t the best choice for close range combat, it does have medium lasers that offer decent counter-fire. It also has jump jets, allowing it to quickly move around the battlefield. Basically, it’s a good unit to have during a fight!

It’s hard to go wrong with giant, customizable mechs. Hopefully it will be released soon; so far only a vague “2012” release has been announced. Whether it comes out next month or next year, be sure to check back as we continue to cover this title!

MechWarrior Online is an upcoming free-to-play, mech game being developed by Piranha Games.