Features Archive

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Xbox Kinect Fans is going on hold

By
Nick DePetris
– October 22, 2012Posted in: Features

Hello everyone,

I’d like to take a minute to thank all of you for reading Xbox Kinect Fans. Since we re-launched the site in January we’ve grown in leaps and bounds to become one of the premier sources of Xbox Kinect news on the internet. Without all of you, that wouldn’t have been possible.

So it is with sadness in our hearts that we announce that Xbox Kinect Fans is going on hold indefinitely. Kinect is great for a lot of things – dance games, exercise games, arcade games – but those types of games simply don’t lend themselves to providing us with a source of consistent, interesting news and features. At this point we feel that until Kinect 2 details begin coming out we’ve already covered the best of what Kinect has to offer over and over again.

Although we here at Xbox Kinect Fans are signing off, the Involved Fans network is stronger than ever. XBLA Fans, PSN Fans, Game Music Fans, and Windows Phone Fans are still pumping out the high quality news you have come to expect from our sites, and discussions are raging over on our recently launched forums. Who knows, maybe an exciting new site will be launching soon ;)

Thank you all so much for being part of our incredible journey.

Nick DePetris
Managing Editor

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What we are playing: September 30

By
Ryan Reynolds
– September 30, 2012Posted in: News, What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to. Keep up with the rest of our writers’ chatter by following each individual staff member on Twitter. Do us a favor and follow us @XKFans while you’re at it too.

Sean Prideaux- I’ve only really played Resident Evil 6 this week which is under embargo until tomorrow. I can talk about the demo though. Leon’s scenario (the only demo level I played) was pretty good but it does leave out some of the initial set up scenes. You can sneak a peak at them in Conan O’Brien’s Clueless Gamer review of the game.

Nate Hubler- I played a tad more of Warp and Stacking on the Xbox front. Although Warp is getting pretty annoying, Stacking was still great fun. On the PC side of things I played Torchlight, yes the first and yes I know I am late to the party but hey this is one spectacularly fun party.

Ryan Reynolds- This week I dove into one of the PlayStation 3′s biggest cult classics, Heavy Rain. It took a while to get into, but once you get used to it, it’s really enjoyable. You really do get pulled into the story and the intensity of what’s happening. Now I’m just hoping that the story ends well for me. So much has gone on that I’m scared to see how this thing ends for these characters. I also played a few rounds of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on XBLA and gave Leon’s scenario in the Resident Evil 6 demo another run.

Andy Tran- I got a hold of the Indie Humble Bundle 6 and played one amazingly fun and beautiful game called Dustforce. The soundtrack alone was worth the money and you only had to pay above the average of six dollars to get it. It’s a great platformer that has combo attacks that rival the likes of classic games like Strider.

Scott Waldyn- I played absolutely nothing all week long. What kind of self-professed gamer goes that long? Believe me when I say this hunger strike wasn’t planned. A few of my old games have been giving me the longing, saddened eyes. “Come play with us, Scott.”

Now that you know what we are playing, we want to know what you are playing! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below. Then head on over to our forums and join in on all the discussion over there!

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What we are playing: September 23

By
Ryan Reynolds
– September 23, 2012Posted in: News, What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to. Keep up with the rest of our writers’ chatter by following each individual staff member on Twitter. Do us a favor and follow us @XKFans while you’re at it too.

Andy Tran- I’ve been really getting into Borderlands 2. The game is such an improvement from the previous installment. I have the PC version along with an Nvidia GPU. The PhysX is a great addition and just a small thing that makes the game that much more amazing.

Ryan Reynolds- Well, for starters, I finished Rage. And discovered that it had an extremely disappointing ending and the whole game’s story goes no where. Then I played the Resident Evil 6 demo. While Leon’s scenario was entertaining enough, Chris and Jake’s were dubious messes. Some serious questions need to be asked about some of the game’s mechanics and design choices. I’m hoping the final game holds up better when everything is pieced together.

Sean Prideaux- Torchlight 2 released this week. Its certainly Torchlight but with new classes and with friends. Single player is decent and worth getting into, if only to play with your friends. I hit 80 in Guild Wars 2 and stopped playing a day or two after. I will go back to it but I got a little burnt out.

Ryan Fennel- My time was equally split between XBLA and Borderlands 2. Borderlands 2 is exactly what I thought it would be. The game is incrementally better than its predecessor in about every single way. On the XBLA front, I split my time between Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Minecraft, and Joe Danger 2. I fear that the community surrounding CS:GO may already be dieing. It is sad since it is a great game. I highly encourage all of you to go out and support this title. You will always have me to team up with!

Nate Hubler- This week I barely had to game at all. But when I did I progressed slightly farther in Warp. I also picked up the Humble Bundle 6 which I can’t wait to get in to even though my backlog is still filled with Xbox games and Android Humble Bundle 3 titles.

Scott Waldyn- I was superbly busy this week, but I managed to snag Dragon’s Lair (on sale) and give it a go. I tried it Kinect-style, and I realized I may be a little too slow to the punch for helping Dirk Daring save the princess. It’s fun if you’re looking for a quick adventure, but it feels a bit repetitive too.

Now that you know what we are playing, we want to know what you are playing! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below. Then head on over to our forums and join in on all the discussion over there!

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What we are playing: September 16

By
Ryan Reynolds
– September 16, 2012Posted in: What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to. Keep up with the rest of our writers’ chatter by following each individual staff member on Twitter. Do us a favor and follow us @XKFans while you’re at it too.

Ryan Reynolds- More of the same for me this week. Just bits and pieces of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rage. I’m really looking forward to playing the Resident Evil 6 demo this coming week. As a big fan of the series, I’m interested to see if Capcom can get things back on track with RE6.

Ryan Fennel- I was able to try out the Armored Kill DLC for Battlefield 3. The new levels are far too large and boring for my tastes. If you are not in a vehicle you will not last long. Thus far, I prefer the Close Quarters DLC compared to this latest offering.

Other than Battlefield 3, I also started Joe Danger 2. The game is an enormous leap over the original. The mechanics and backgrounds regularly change in order to keep everything fresh. I saw one review identify it as Trials Evolution meets Super Mario World. That is a surprisingly accurate comparison. If you enjoyed the first, absolutely give this game a try!

Sean Prideaux- Mark of the Ninja and a little Guild Wars 2 for me. If you’ve seen any reviews of either, you know that they’re worth your time. Mark of the Ninja and it’s side-scrolling stealth mechanics are nearly perfect and I haven’t been this invested in a story in an MMO since the original Guild Wars.

Scott Waldyn- Finished a second playthrough of Mass Effect 3 with another character – James Tiberius Shepard. In particular, I played that new Leviathan DLC, which was a nice addition to the story of the Reapers.

Andy Tran- I’ve been able to spend some time playing Skyrim between my Guild Wars 2 sessions. It’s very easy to get distracted in this game just like GW2. Then I also dove back into StarCraft 2 to get ready for the Heart of the Swarm expansion. Just like getting back on a bike, but very punishing when you fall.

Now that you know what we are playing, we want to know what you are playing! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below.

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Editorial: How Minecraft helped me see the light

By
Ryan Reynolds
– September 10, 2012Posted in: Features, Weekend Rant

The last year of my life has been one filled with a tremendous amount of change, challenges, and learning. I’ve reached a plethora of major life milestones. I’m a new home owner. I’m an elected official, trusted by my peers to make the right decisions for our community. Things at my day job have been going very well and I may be looking at another promotion in the not so distant future. And I’m in the best shape of my life. To say the least, things have been going well for me. And I’m absolutely proud of everything that I’ve accomplished in my life thus far.

Every once in a while however, something comes along and it makes you take a step back and think about things. You know what I’m talking about. It’s different from everybody. Nonetheless however, things change in life and we often find ourselves at crossroads. We meet new challenges, learn new lessons, and grow as human beings. A combination of two things recently made me step back and take a look at my outlook on life. One is a girl, who is quickly becoming very special to me. The second is Minecraft.

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What we are playing: September 9

By
Ryan Reynolds
– September 9, 2012Posted in: What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to. Keep up with the rest of our writers’ chatter by following each individual staff member on Twitter. Do us a favor and follow us @XKFans while you’re at it too.

Ryan Reynolds- I just returned from a wild week at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, so I didn’t have a whole lot of time to game this week, but when I did, I played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rage. And I totally feel like the Dos Equis guy with the way that sentence came out. I also played through The Walking Dead: Episode Three right before I left for the DNC, in one sitting. Telltale is doing a great job capturing the core feeling and conflicts of the comic series. Can’t wait for Episode Four.

Scott Waldyn- I started a new job this week, so I was very preoccupied. However, when I was able to sneak in a bit of gaming, I played through The Walking Dead: Episode Three some more. Man, that series just keeps getting more and more intense as each episode comes out. Love it!

Andy Tran- I finally had time to beat Sleeping Dogs, yet again a great game that I highly recommend checking out. And then I spend most of my time playing Guild Wars 2. That MMO has changed a lot about other MMOs and I’m so glad I picked it up. My friends wanted to join me after seeing all the features it has and all physical copies were sold out and they stopped selling digital ones.

Sean Prideaux- I couldn’t resist any longer so I nabbed Guild Wars 2 when I saw it. I still hold the original trilogy as one of my favourite games and this is a worthy sequel. I’m loving every minute of it and the WorldvWorld is surprisingly fun. This is the first time I’ve enjoyed PvP in a long time. I also managed to play the trials for both Rock Band Blitz and Mark of the Ninja; both are also excellent and I’m looking forward to picking them up.

Nate Hubler- This week I picked up Warp and Stacking in the Back to School sale and I am still playing through Bioshock 2 which is a blast. Unfortunately returning to school this past week has consumed most of my free time.

Now that you know what we are playing, we want to know what you are playing! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below.

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Weekend Rant: Annual iterations of shooters

By
Andy Tran
– September 8, 2012Posted in: Features, Weekend Rant

 

Hello fellow gamers, I’m here to talk about a disturbing trend in video game development. Like nearly everyone else in the gaming world, I’m sure you’ve played your fair share of first person shooters, be it triple-A blockbusters, one hit wonders, or free-to-play. But there’s a certain shooter trend that I’m not too fond of and is quickly watering down my experience. It’s the annual iteration model that is growing so popular within the genre.

Some would call the first-person shooter space oversaturated right now. Call of Duty, Battlefield, Counter-Strike, and Medal of Honor are just a few big names competing for your attention alongside a multitude of free-to-play titles.  Each year, depending on the sales figures of the previous entry in a given triple-A FPS, many studios get a bigger budget for the sequel. This cycle – in theory – is a great thing. Players get more of what they want and developers get to make the next title even stronger for the fans that love to play it. Unfortunately there’s also something called the marketing department. They determine the best way to use money and collect data as to see where money can best be used to make more money.

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What we are playing: August 26

By
Ryan Reynolds
– August 26, 2012Posted in: What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to. Keep up with the rest of our writers’ chatter by following each individual staff member on Twitter. Do us a favor and follow us @XKFans while you’re at it too.

Ryan Reynolds- All my designated “gaming time” was spent on three games this week; Minecraft, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rage. In Minecraft I finished my replica of my real-life home. Aside from that, I dove into the newly release CS: GO on XBLA with the majority of my free time. I’m thoroughly enjoying being “back in the game”. And then I played about eight hours of Rage‘s campaign, which is far from perfect and fails to do anything new, but is still relatively enjoyable. We’ll see how the rest of the game progresses.

Scott Waldyn- I spent some time with my old games this week – mainly Civilization: Revolutions. Wrapping up some achievements, I proved I was master at every civilization. With that said, I noticed most opponents fight in the same manner. Though their leaders are different, they all show the same tactics and aggressions. It makes it kind of weird when Gandhi keeps threatening to roll over your cities with his mighty armies.

Andy Tran- I was going to write a bit about Sleeping Dogs, but that game is already a gem. Now that I’ve experienced Guild Wars 2 in its early access weekend – I must say that I am impressed. I wasn’t so amazed by the first game, but this one takes it up way more notches than there is space on the scale. I highly recommend checking it out, my server is Tarnished Coast; name: Philivox.

Ryan Fennel- My hours of gaming this week were split between a pair of XBLA titles, Dust and Counter-Strike: GO. I think very little needs to be said for Dust, the game is simply fantastic. I’m approximately 60% complete and do not want it to end. The gameplay is tremendous and only trumped by the breathtaking art style! As for Counter-Strike: GO, I have really enjoyed the game. I still say Gotham City Impostors is the best XBLA first-person shooter, but Counter-Strike gives it a run for its money. If you are a fan of the previous entries in the Counter-Strike series, GO will be very familiar. That is not to say it is dull or dated, but there just are not a lot of surprises.

Nate Hubler- Well I beat Fallout 3 this week and while the ending was awesome I’m disappointed that I can’t keep playing. I also started Crysis 2‘s campaign and I’m having a great time. Playing it like a stealth game is the way to go.

Sean Prideaux- Not a whole lot this week, I’ve played the opening to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and a little Dust 514. Skyward Sword is looking more impressive to me than Twilight Princess was, right off the bat. As for Dust 514, it’s best described as half spreadsheet, half shooter. And covered in an intensely 80s/90s sci-fi vibe.

Now that you know what we are playing, we want to know what you are playing! Make yourself heard by leaving a comment below.

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What we are playing: August 19

By
Ryan Reynolds
– August 19, 2012Posted in: What we are playing

What we are playing is a weekly column published every Sunday in which various members of our team let the world know which games have had them hooked over the past week and which ones they’re looking forward to.

Ryan Fennel- This week I once again split my time between my Playstation Vita & Xbox 360. For the Vita, I completed & earned a platinum trophy in Sound Shapes. That game is amazing and in the top 3 games for the handheld. I adore it. Additionally, I went back to attempt to complete Gravity Rush.

On the Xbox 360 I played some Full House Poker, Wreckateer, and Dust. From the couple of hours I have invested in Dust, I can safely say it is the best Summer of Arcade release this year. It really sits in a league of its own. Wreckateer would reside in second with Deadlight in third. Overall, I just was not that impressed with any of the titles outside of Wreckateer and Dust. It doesn’t sound like I’m alone, but I’d like to hear others thoughts in the comments below.

Ryan Reynolds- One word; Minecraft. I’ve really been enjoying the change of pace compared to the stuff I “usually” play. I’ve decided that I’m going to build a replica of my real-life house and I’m about to start it right now. I’m really looking forward to what lies ahead for the Xbox 360 Edition and I’m hoping we get some news on the promised Kinect integration at Minecon this fall.

Nate Hubler- Nearly my entire week was occupied by Fallout 3. Simply put, the game is awesome and I am continually stunned by the things I have done in it. For example, I have a perk called “Sandman” that grants the ability to instantly kill people in their sleep. Or try this one; I was wandering the Wasteland with no real goal in mind, when I discover a relay that was off. I proceeded to turn it on and hear a radio signal from a father begging for help for his sick son. I mean even the quest “Tranquility Lane” (which completely changed the game for a little bit) really made me think about was going on. If you have not yet played Fallout 3, I highly recommend it to everyone. Additionally, I played some Crysis 2 in honor of the free gold weekend and that was also a blast.

Sean Prideaux- Dust: An Elysian Tail is what I played most of this week; it’s easily the best of Summer of Arcade release this year. If you haven’t already bought it, go get it now! I also played more Natural Selection 2 Beta, which is shaping up nicely now that a few of the problems were fixed in the last patch.

Scott Waldyn- I was a bad gamer this week. That is to say, I didn’t play much of anything. I’ve just been busy with a lot of writing and other projects lately, so the most I’ve done on Xbox this week is the background Netflix noise off and on. Then again, maybe I’m just saving myself for when The Walking Dead Episode 3 finally hits?

Andy Tran- I’ve been almost completely immersed in Sleeping Dogs. This game brings me back to my childhood when I used to watch Hong Kong action films, and now I get to actually relive them in a game that has excellent combat, graphics, and story. I’ve also had some time with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012 with some friends and it’s a great Kinect title that I highly recommend to golfing fans. I’ve had plenty of time with real golf courses but being able to play at Pebble Beach without the real costs is great – especially with the Kinect.

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Xbox Kinect Fans Most Wanted: Pictionary

By
Andy Tran
– August 17, 2012Posted in: Features, Most Wanted

Since the dawn of online gaming, millions of gamers have found new ways to connect with their friends. Online gaming has made it possible to “hang out” with your friends, without being in the same room, building, or even country. On top of this advancement, a new wave of casual games have attracted new and different audiences to videogames. To continue building the user base of Kinect, Microsoft can and should take advantage of these trends by seeing that classic and instantly recognizable experiences make their way to the Xbox platform, with Kinect functionality. Many modern families enjoy playing videogames together, but there are those that have long time traditions of playing other things, like board games – one such classic board game is Pictionary.

No matter how fun Pictionary is, not all families can stay at home all the time to enjoy each others company to play it. Be it college, vacation, or a job away from home, the fact is, the modern family probably isn’t able to be “together” all the time. That means they can’t enjoy classic boardgames like Monopoly, Scrabble and of course, Pictionary. The solution is simple: play it on the Kinect! Not only can it simply be played on the Xbox 360, but also over Xbox Live where we can use beacons to set up play dates that work for everyone and help bring families “together”.

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