Fuse

Overstrike 9 strikes back...

There's nothing quite like being told that you can't have something.

Some people just submit when they've been told they can't have something they want.  Some (like a few very young kids I've seen at the mall) throw themselves on the ground and scream like a howler monkey on steroids.

And then there are people - like those in the Raven corporation - who say "Well, yeah, boo, sucks to be you," steal most of your high-tech alien weaponry, and attempt to blow you up multiple times.

That's the basic premise of Fuse, a new shooter from Electronic Arts and Insomniac Games: leading four elite agents of contact team Overstrike 9 in reclaiming the high-tech weaponry stolen by the Raven corporation before they obliterate everything.

According to IGN, Fuse is a "story-driven, cooperative action [in which] players must thwart a rogue paramilitary organization called Raven from stealing the deadly alien energy source known as Fuse.  Your team -- Dalton Brooks, Izzy Sinclair, Jacob Kimble and Naya Deveraux -- will pursue Raven around the world, from the fortified desert facility to underwater bases, island strongholds, icy mountain peaks, palatial hideouts and beyond."

Even though the game is mainly centered on co-op play, there is also a solo player option.  When playing solo, players use "the game's LEAP feature to switch between the four characters at will during combat," so much like a similar ability employed in the LEGO video games.  Each agent has his own set of skills and specializations that are unique from all the others in the group, and you're also given access to some pretty sweet experimental Fuse weapons that make gameplay even more interesting.

Besides solo and co-op options, Fuse can also be played online or offline and characters can "level up along unique character paths, allowing players to unlock more powerful Fuse-driven abilities as the game progresses.  In addition, the game's progression system is unified between different play modes, allowing players to continue improving their agents regardless of how they play," (IGN).

All in all, it really seems like EA and Insomniac are doing their very best to give their players the most options they possibly can, which is always good in my book.  What's really interesting is that the game is being described as "Bringing the best bits of Ratchet and Resistance together," and that sounds pretty fun.


Fuse will be releasing in the U.S. on May 28th (May 31st in the UK, May 30th in AU, and at a yet to be determined date in Japan) for the XBox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

DISCLAIMER!: Fuse has not yet been rated the ESRB, though the target rating is T for Teen and above.


Get out the magnum, ladies and gents.  You've got a corporation to stop.




 - Edessa, signing off

Lost Planet 3

Ah, the first upcoming video game post of 2013. This will be a fun year... at least, if the movie and game lists have anything to say about it.

This week we're highlighting Lost Planet 3, the sequel to Lost Planet 2 which, in turn, was the sequel to Lost Planet. As though that was not very obvious... =)


Lost Planet is a sci-fi Action trilogy that takes place on the planet E.D.N. III.

And, of course, whenever a planet is called "Eden" it's always everything but a Garden of Eden.

Developed by Spark Unlimited and Capcom, and published by Capcom, "Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim, a rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III working for Neo-Venus Construction (NEVEC.) NEVEC's existing Thermal Energy reserve is running low, and the fate of the Coronis mission depends on the natural source of the energy supply being located. Realizing the opportunity for a huge pay-off and early ticket home, Jim braves the risk of the treacherous enviroment and threat of the indigenous Akrid. Acting as a home away from home and boasting an array of tools that can assist Jim on the field, the utility rig provides Jim's safety and is essential for not only his contract work but also his protection against the ever-changing climate" (IGN).

It's basically a survival game. Stay alive long enough to get the rare whatever and try really, really hard not to get blasted or eaten alive or frozen to death in the proccess.

According to IGN, Lost Planet 3 is not only a survival game. It also serves a secret-leaking function, revealing "new truths about the forboding planet and the colonial history of E.D.N. III." Players are also warned that the climate conditions on E.D.N. III are much harsher than they were in the last two Lost Planet games.

But even with the harsher conditions, Lost Planet 3 has much to offer both new and returning gamers.

The game is a mixture of both first person combat within Jim's utility rig and third-person shooter when he's running around on the surface of the planet. The Akrid - E.D.N. III's original alien species - are also "bigger and angrier and demanding a more tactical approach during combat" (IGN). For those who don't like to solo, Lost Planet 3 also offers a wide assortment of different multiplayer modes. And since the game was developed using the Unreal Engine 3, you can expect that the cutscenes and the in-game graphics will be beautiful to behold.

Plus Jim looks like a mix between Tim Allen and Nicholas Cage. I kid you not. I leave it up to you to decide whether or not that's a good thing.


DISCLAIMER!: Lost Planet 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB, though the target rating is T for Teen or above.

Lost Planet 3 will releasefor the XBox 360 on January 15th in the U.S. The exact date for the Australian, United Kingdom, and Japanese releases have not been confirmed yet, though it will also occur this January.




 - Edessa, signing off

Skylanders Giants

Bring on the Giants!

There are some days when I just really, really wish that I had a PlayStation 3 or an XBox 360 instead of my PSP.

True, my PSP is smaller and lighter with a built-in screen, so it's much more portable than a full-sized console. So that's a win there.

But there are quite a few games - like LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, for instance - whose PSP editions are very watered down, so you don't get all of the levels or all of the content (which is all available on normal-sized consoles, by the way). That, and then there are a number of games that are only available on the larger consoles.

Like Skylanders Spyro's Adventure.

I've heard so many good things about this game, and I love the way it looks. The unfortunate thing is that I don't have a PS3 or an XBox or even a Wii, so I can't play it.

It's a big, fat bummer, and it's even more of a bummer when I find out that the new Skylanders sequel is releasing later this month.

I really gotta buy myself a full-sized console...

But for everybody else who does have a normal console, you really might want to check out this new game. It looks like it's just as much fun as the original!


Published by the ever-famous Activision and developed by Toys for Bob and XPEC, Skylanders Giants takes off where Spyro's Adventure left off.

The synopsis (courtesy of IGN): "The follow-up to the blockbuster Skylanders Spyro's Adventure, Skylanders Giants builds upon the breakthrough fundamentals of the first game, once again merging the physical and virtual realms with an innovative line of cross-platform toy figures that have 'brains,' which players everywhere can magically bring to life in the world of Skylands. This second installment of the franchise features a variety of new characters, new challenges and a thrilling new story-driven adventure."

I'm hooked. How about you?

The game introduces eight new playable characters (which are also toy figures), and they're twice the size of every other previous Skylanders character. It's called Giants for a reason, right? According to IGN, these giant characters' "in-game powers and abilites [also] reflect their colossal scale."

I'm thinking crushing and stomping are both going to have some part to play in these new characters' abilities. Skylanders, SMASH!

Some of the new Giants figurines are also coming with built-in lights that light up when they're around the Portal of Power. These characters also have some in-game benefits that the others don't and, best of all, they don't require batteries!

Besides the eight giant characters and the light-up figurines, the game is also introducing eight other regular-sized Skylanders that are all playable.

In addition to all of these figurines, Giants is one hundred percent compatible with the original Spyro's Adventure with all of your previous stats and customizations intact, new arenas, a new mode called Battle Mode, enhanced Elemental Zones, new Hero Challenges, and a bunch of other related features (information from IGN).

DISCLAIMER!: Skylanders Giants has been rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and older by the ESRB for Mild Cartoon Violence.

Giants releases to the U.S. on October 21st - October 19th if you live in the U.K. - for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and XBox 360.

And here's the official trailer from E3:

Oh, and one quick little thing before I'm done for today: if you follow HNED and like what we do, please consider showing your support by Liking us on Facebook! Not only can you show your support in this way, but you also get access to a lot of other film, game, Star Wars, and media industry news that I only post of Facebook (mainly because there's so much of it that I don't want to clutter up the blog). I update the HNED page every day with not only breaking news, but also contest news from other companies (mainly IGN), every HNED and Holocron post is linked on the page, and I also have special tidbits like Song, Picture, and Question of the Day. Click on the little Facebook icon over there to check out HNED's official page! *points to the left sidebar*

And to those of you who have already Liked HNED, thank you soooo MUCH! You're all so very awesome, and I really appreciate your continual support. You guys rock!




 - Edessa, signing off

Borderlands 2

A monster from "Borderlands 2"

Sometimes I wonder what the world would look like if there was no such thing as sequels.

Would such a world cultivate more original, creative ideas?

Or would that same world just fall prey to parodies?

It's an interesting issue to think about. Either way, sequels have been around for a long time, and sometimes they even surprise us by being even better than the original.

Whether Borderlands 2 will be such a game has yet to be determined, but considering the hype going around the Internet a lot of gamers are hoping that it will be just as good - if not better - than the original Borderlands.


Borderlands 2, like its predecessor, is a role-playing shooter, an action game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K games. According to IGN, "Borderlands 2 is the epic sequel to the ultimate four-player role-playing shooter loot fest. Combining incention and evolution, Borderlands 2 features all-new characters, skills, enviroments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which come together in an ambitiously crafted story. Players will reveal secrets, and escalate mysteries of the Borderlands universe as they adventure across the unexplored new areas of Pandora."

One thing I find incredibly interesting (or maybe annoying, I'm not sure yet) is that "Pandora" seems to be a favorite name for a lot of fictional places. Pandora was the name of the Na'vi planet in Avatar, for instance, but I digress...

According to the game's official IGN wiki, Borderlands 2 sports five distinct classes for players to choose from: Gunzerker, Assassin, Siren, Commando, and Mechromancer. All of these classes are very similar to the ones offered in the original Borderlands, and playable characters from the first game (Lilith, Brick, Mordecai, and Roland) all return as non-player characters (or NPCs). For more information on the classes, characters, vehicles, and equipment available in this sequel, you can visit this link: http://www.ign.com/wikis/borderlands-2

There are three versions of the game that will be available for purchase on the same day.

The Standard version is, of course, standard.

The Deluxe Vault Hunter Edition (one of two special edition packages) includes a Marcus Kincaid bobblehead, a copy of Inside the Valt: The Art and Design of Borderlands 2, a collectible sticker set, a map of Pandora, a digital comic download code, and downloadable in-game content. This set is selling for $100 U.S. dollars. Be aware that this particular version is reportedly on back-order from most suppliers, but I haven't checked to see if this is still the case.

The Ultimate Loot Chest (the second, and more expensive, special edition package) includes all of the items listed in the Deluxe Vault Hunter Edition, plus a collectible scaled replica of the red loot chests found throughout Pandora, a steelbook case, a Creatures of Pandora wide-format ID chart, a lithograph postcard set, field notes from Sir hammerlock, a cloth map of Pandora, and a numbered certificate of authenticity. This version is selling for $150 U.S. dollars

DISCLAIMER!: Borderlands 2 has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol.

Borderlands 2, in all three editions, will be available for purchase on September 18, 2012. You can also pre-order through stores such as GameStop or through online retailers like Amazon and eBay. The game will be available for the XBox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and possibly the PlayStation Vita.




 - Edessa, signing off

Halo 4

Master Chief is back in the new Halo sequel

Halo is one of those types of game that even if you've never played it you've most likely heard of it. In fact, the futuristic First-Person Shooter is one of the best video game franchises out there. Even people who don't particularly like or play Shooters or Mature-rated games will admitt that Halo is one of the most iconic, highest grossing franchises of all time.

Coming soon from Publisher Microsoft Game Studios and Developer 343 Industries is the newest installment in the Halo series: Halo 4. The synopsis (courtesy of IGN): "Master Chief returns in Halo 4, part of a new trilogy in the colossal Halo universe. Set almost five years after the events of Halo 3, Halo 4 takes the series in a new direction and sets the stage for an epic new sci-fi saga, in which the Master Chief returns to confront his destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe."

It seems as though there's always some ancient evil or another threatening the universe, not just in Halo but in many different books, games, and movies.

One of the newest options available to Halo 4 players is the Halo Infinity Multiplayer. "The hub of the Halo 4 multiplayer experience is the UNSC Infinity - the largest starship in the UNSC fleet that serves as the center of your Spartan career. Here you'll build your custom Spartan-IV supersoldier, and progress your multiplayer career across all Halo 4 competitive and cooperative game modes" (IGN).

Two editions of this game will be available: the Standard for $60.00 and the Limited for $100.00 (all U.S. currency).

"The Limited Edition includes early access to six Specializations, the UNSC Infinity Briefing Packer, which includes an armor customization schematic, a blueprint of the massive ship itself, and insight into what it means to be one of humanity's finest warriors: the Spart-IVs, bonus digital content and access to nine maps - three future competitive multiplayer map packs, each including three locations" (IGN).

Both of these editions will be available on the same release date - November 6, 2012 - and Halo 4 will only be available for the XBox 360.

Speaking of XBoxes, GameStop is offering a Limited Edition Halo 4 320 GB XBox 360 console. The package includes a custom designed console, 2 Custom Halo 4 wireless controllers with blue LED lights and a D-pad, 320 GB HDD, Halo 4 Standard edition, XBox LIVE code for bonus Halo 4 downloadable content, wired headset, and custom sounds when the console is turned on and when the Eject button is pushed (GameStop). If you pre-order the console today, you will also recieve the customizable Forest armor skin. For more information on this limited edition console, please visit http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/consoles/xbox-360-320gb-limited-edition-halo-4-console/103352

DISCLAIMER!: Halo 4 has not yet been rated by the ESRB, though it is targeted for the M for Mature rating or higher.




 - Edessa, signing off

Resident Evil Umbrella/Darkside Chronicles

Resident Evil is a special kind of franchise, a popular video game series that spawned equally popular film adaptions. Not many video games can boast a good film adaption (The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time couldn't) or vice versa. But Resident Evil can, and Capcom's not done churning out more and more sequels and prequels to their hit shooter.

In this post, we'll look at the two newest Resident Evil games coming soon.



The evil returns with two new "Resident Evil" games from Capcom

First up is The Umbrella Chronicles, a games that "reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from past Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella's stronghold" (IGN). This first-person shooter boasts a 2 player co-op option and a 3D mansion for players to explore. The game will be in stores on July 17, 2012, for the PlayStation 3. DISCLAIMER!: Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Violence.

Secondly, we have The Darkside Chronicles. The synopsis, according to IGN: "Arm yourself against the horrors of the city in this sequel to the gun shooting game Umbrella Chronicles. Darkside Chronicles takes place in Resident Evil 2's Racoon City. It's September 29, 1998, and the city has turned to hell due to the effects of the T-virus. Players take control of Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy to deal with the undead. Only this time, the enemy is not the Umbrella Corporation... instead, players venture into the unexplored areas of the Resident Evil story, along with the darker passages of the characters' histories." Like The Umbrella Chronicles, The Darkside Chronicles supports a 2 player co-op, and also has different difficulty settings that "will adjust automatically based on the player's skill level so that both old and new fans can have a fun and challenging experience" (IGN). The game will be released on July 17, 2012, for the PlayStation 3. DISCLAIMER!: Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language.

For fans who would like to have both games but don't want to buy them individually, Capcom has bundled both Chronicles into the Resident Evil HD Collection, which has been available since June 26, 2012. The HD Collection combines both Umbrella and Darkside into one box for $27.00 (US dollars). Both ratings still apply.




 - Edessa, signing off