Tuesday 29 July 2008

Go Shopping!

COD WAW is coming soon, so why not go and play with some guns!
Click here for all your shopping needs!

Getting better!


A Happy shot!


Now...that's all good but when the hell is AFTERBURNER CLIMAX coming to 360?????

Monday 28 July 2008

What really goes on inside a Nintendo Wii


Thanks to ready-up.net for the funny pic

Friday 25 July 2008

Lichtenstein


what's not to love....?

Wednesday 23 July 2008

THAT'S HIM....

OK all, I'm pointing at the PS3 owner! 'comment' your best insults!!!!!

Another Hard days art directing....



Had a top opportunity to art direct a 5 day shoot on the tiny island of Carriacou in the caribbean a while back, found this photo, so I thought I'd blog it.

Go on son!!!!

Traffic Hero



his fat mate really makes me laugh....

Monday 21 July 2008

BIKINI HERO!

Is there an achievement for this?

Top Spin 3

Wimbledon is over and Tennis Games are nicely reduced in the shops, Picked up Top Spin 3 at the weekend for £20, really good game and worth a lash if you find Virtua Tennis a bit too 'arcadey'.

Friday 18 July 2008

The Lovely Frag Dolls have a new home!

...well not the frag dolls anymore...but this is where you can find them if ya want to.....

http://ready-up.net/

More info from E3....

Music, movies and megahits. No matter what kind of game makes your heart race, the world of Xbox 360® has become bigger, broader, and more exciting than ever with the game announcements made at the E3 Media and Business Summit (E3) in Los Angeles. Included are new titles for music lovers such as Lips and the exclusive launch of Rock Band 2, family-friendly games from the B-movie maker You're in the Movies to next-generation game shows such as 1 vs. 100, and even surprise announcements to make the hardest-core gamer weak in the knees, such as the reveal of Final Fantasy XIII.


"Xbox 360 delivers entertainment choices so broad that it now rivals what people can find on television and at movie theaters," said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of strategy and business development with Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "Whether it's sports, music, movies, game shows, or great games you crave, Xbox 360 is home to the biggest and best out there. From those new to games and eager to jump in, to the hardcore gamer looking for the most intense games experiences, this is truly the year to own an Xbox 360 system."

The New Game Show Experience
Xbox LIVE® Primetime is a groundbreaking channel on the new Xbox experience, a new generation of games and entertainment experiences that will be available this fall. The world's biggest virtual game show stage, Xbox LIVE Primetime, is a place where content is always fresh, play is global, live, and massively multiplayer, and prizes are plentiful. A first-of-its-kind phenomenon, this new generation of interactive game shows lets Xbox LIVE members challenge friends and choose to compete against people from across the globe in real time. Xbox LIVE Primetime launches in the fall with:

* 1 vs. 100 (Endemol):
From the makers of Deal or No Deal, Endemol, the world's largest independent production company, brings the popular television game show 1 vs. 100 to Xbox LIVE Primetime. The exclusive game pits one Xbox LIVE member against 100 others from around the world with a live host and great prizes. The goal of "the One" is to eliminate all opposition by correctly answering questions, hoping opponents will answer incorrectly and be eliminated from the game. And stay tuned for 1 vs. LIVE, where one lucky winner will have a chance to compete against the entire Xbox LIVE community.

Bringing Music Games to Life

Whether you're an aspiring groupie, songbird or big-haired rocker, Xbox 360 transforms your living room into a thrilling soundstage for you and your friends. No other system connects you with all the music you love:

* Lips (iNiS/Microsoft Game Studios):
An all-new music franchise exclusively for Xbox 360, Lips is the only singing game that offers wireless motion-sensitive microphones and the ability to sing from your own music collection. Start channeling your favorite pop star, because it's you, your friends and, most important, your music that makes this the world's ultimate party experience this holiday.

The Music Studio from Guitar Hero World Tour allows players to share their own created music.

* Guitar Hero® World Tour (RedOctane/Activision):
When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of axe shredders, drummers, and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment from the number one best-selling video game franchise of 2007, this game will transform music gaming by marrying exhilarating guitar gameplay with a cooperative band experience, combining the most advanced wireless instruments with revolutionary new online and offline gameplay modes. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar, a genuine electronic drum kit and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator letting players compose, record, edit, and share their own rock-and-roll anthems, along with online Band Career and eight-player Battle of the Bands.

* Rock Band 2 (Harmonix/MTV Games):

Debuting exclusively on Xbox 360 this September,Rock Band 2 is the next evolution of the franchise allowing you to virtually step into the shoes of your favorite bands as singer, guitarist, bassist, or drummer. This next iteration of the best-selling franchise allows access to all the great songs purchased on Xbox LIVE for the original game, and features new online capabilities and instrument options.

Xbox 360 Is the Life of the Party
Xbox 360 truly gets the party started with a wide-ranging portfolio of exclusive games for the whole family, including the following:


* You're in the Movies (Codemasters/Microsoft):
Get ready for your close-up. You're in the Movies brings the cool factor to kitsch as you live out your dreams of becoming a scream queen, zombie, or kung fu fighter. Premiering exclusively on Xbox 360 this holiday season, You're in the Movies is the first and only game of its kind to literally transport players into a magical world of cinema mixed with the hilarious world of improvisation. Using the Xbox LIVE Vision camera, players' actions are captured and placed into short, riotous films. Performances never end up on the cutting-room floor, and are never the same.

Make your own movies with You're in the Movies.

* Scene It?® Box Office Smash

(Krome Studios and Screenlife/Microsoft Game Studios):
Ignite your game night this holiday season with totally new questions, movie puzzles, and more high-definition content from real movies including some of Hollywood's latest blockbusters. Trivia night goes global as players challenge each other online over Xbox LIVE, customize their own characters, and access extra questions and localized content from films around the world.

* Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios):
Available exclusively on Xbox 360 in November from the creative masterminds at Rare, this action-adventure game breathes new life into a franchise that has entertained people of all ages for a decade. In a platform genre first, players create their own abilities by building vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, sea, and air in a variety of challenges where choice of vehicle and tactics determines the course of the adventure. Test your customized vehicles against other players' creations online, or simply compare and share inventions with friends. The original Banjo-Kazooie also debuts withStop 'N' Swop on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this year.

* DanceDanceRevolution® UNIVERSE 3 (Konami):
Celebrating its tenth anniversary,DanceDanceRevolution UNIVERSE 3 dances its way to you with fun new modes—including DJ Mode and Quest Mode—and settings for players of all skill levels. In addition to one of the biggest soundtracks—more than 70 songs from the 70s to some of today's hottest tracks—you can bring friends together from around the world via Xbox LIVE. Character customization features more than 400 options of clothing, faces, skin tones, and hairstyles, allowing players to create the ultimate dancer.

* UNO RUSH™ (Microsoft):
Developed by the same team that brought the original, best-sellingUNO®to Xbox LIVE Arcade, this challenging and exciting party card game for up to four players boasts a wide range of gameplay and social features—multiple variants, house-rule options, local and Xbox LIVE multiplay, camera support, avatar support, and more—plus fast-paced gameplay to keep the party going. UNO RUSH is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.

* Viva Piñata®:
Trouble in Paradise (Rare Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios): In this sequel debuting in September, venture outside the boundaries of the ever-changing garden to retrieve exotic piñata species from two new lands, the Dessert Desert and the Piñarctic. Developed by Rare, the game allows up to four players to work together to create the ultimate online garden via Xbox LIVE. Race your favorite piñata or enter them into the P-Factor, Piñata Islands' very own talent show and beauty pageant, online against friends, or against other gardeners from the island. Use the Xbox LIVE Vision camera to drop a new piñata right into your garden, change the weather, or share your custom piñatas with others.

Biggest Blockbusters of 2008 and Beyond
With the most blockbuster million-selling games and the most anticipated titles of 2008 and beyond, Xbox 360 is the pre-eminent place to play all the big titles gamers thirst for, including the following:

* Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix):
This eagerly-anticipated title from Square Enix takes full advantage of the superior power and technology in Xbox 360, providing intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics. Using the latest in cutting-edge technology, this latest addition to theFinal Fantasy series is worthy of the title "next generation."

* Galaga Legions (NAMCO BANDAI Games):

The legend lives on with Galaga Legionsdebuting exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008. Featuring table-turning game dynamics, updated graphics, and vast waves of ferocious enemies, Galaga Legions was created by the same team that developed the best-selling PAC-MAN Championship Edition™for Xbox LIVE Arcade.

* Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 (Bizarre Creations Ltd./Activision):
The latest version of the frenetic retro shooter, and debuting exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008, newcomers and pros alike will be blown away by the screen-melting intensity and insane new features, including six action-packed gameplay modes, new enemies, scoring strategies, and a diverse list of exciting Achievements. The game also supports multiplayer mayhem for up to four players, with versus or co-op modes, and features razor-sharp 1080p graphics and new, pulse-pounding music.

* Portal™: Still Alive (Valve/Microsoft):
Portal: Still Alivefeatures the full award-winning Portalsingle-player game from Valve plus a new challenge mode. Designed to change the way players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in any given environment, Portal has earned more than 70 industry honors for its innovative gameplay, with more than 30 Game of the Year Awards. Solve physical puzzles and challenges by opening portals to maneuvering objects, and yourself, through space. The game debuts on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2008.

* South Park (South Park Digital Studios/ Doublesix/Microsoft):
Based on the Emmy- and Peabody-award winning show, a South Park game (title TBA) is coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2009.

* Fable® II (Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios):

This Xbox 360 exclusive action role-playing game offers players an epic storyline and an unprecedented level of freedom and choice. Every decision defines who the player becomes and influences the evolving world around them. The game features an innovative dynamic cooperative mode, allowing you to invite a friend on the same couch to play or over Xbox LIVE to experience the world together. The journey begins in August with a first-of-its-kind exclusive Xbox LIVE Arcade title, where you can get a head start on earning gold to transfer to the rich world ofFable II when it arrives at stores in October.

* Gears of War® 2 (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios):
Epic Games' design director Cliff Bleszinski gave a stunning new look at the Gears of War 2 campaign during E3, and confirmed the ability to ride the fearsome Brumak. Also detailed was the all-new five-player cooperative mode Horde, where players unite to battle a seemingly endless onslaught of Locust Horde forces. This most-anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive title releases worldwide November 7.


* Grand Theft Auto IV™ (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games):
Continuing its blistering pace on the Xbox 360 platform, the first of the Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable episodes for this record-breaking game will be available this fall—the only console with new Grand Theft Auto IV content available this holiday season.

* Halo Wars™ (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft Game Studios):

Microsoft expands the Halo universe with Halo Wars, the blockbuster strategy game designed exclusively for Xbox 360. A piece of the Halo Wars story is revealed through "Five Long Years," a trailer from Ensemble Studios and Microsoft, showcasing the brutal struggle for control of Harvest early in the Human-Covenant wars. Halo Wars puts gamers in command of the entire battlefield, leading both UNSC and Covenant forces.

* Infinite Undiscovery™ (Square Enix):
In the newest fantasy role-playing console game from Square Enix, experience a real-time world woven of countless threads where player choices spin untold discoveries, and only on Xbox 360. Players are confronted with a variety of dramatic situational battles, such as executing a daring escape while a gigantic ogre follows in hot pursuit, or waging battle amid towering tidal waves. Dynamic environments change and respond in real time, creating an entirely new experience never before seen in the genre. The title is scheduled to release exclusively on Xbox 360 in North America on September 2, 2008.

* The Last Remnant™ (Square Enix):
A new role-playing game crafted using the finest artistry and technology Square Enix has to offer, The Last Remnant is set in a fantasy world, war-torn, and scarred by years of conflict. Gameplay revolves around mysterious artifacts—Remnants—that possess magic powers. Groundbreaking graphics possible only on Xbox 360 bring the intensity to a whole new level. The game launches worldwide on November 20 exclusvely on Xbox 360.

* Resident Evil 5 (Capcom):
Destined to bring new fans to the series, Resident Evil 5 is the sequel to one of the highest-rated video games in history (according to Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com). Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and control, Resident Evil 5 unleashes an unprecedented level of fear for the next generation. New technology developed specifically for the game, as well as incredible changes to both the gameplay and the world, make this a must-have game for gamers across the globe.

* STAR OCEAN®:
The Last Hope™ (Square Enix): The long-awaited continuation of the celebrated science fiction and fantasy role-playing game series is slated for release on Xbox 360 in spring 2009. This prequel set during the aftermath of World War III spans multiple planets and the vastness of space itself to recount the origins of the STAR OCEAN universe. Exhilarating combat expands upon the franchise's famous real-time battle system, introducing the amazing graphics and visual effects possible only on Xbox 360.

* Too Human™ (Silicon Knights/Microsoft Game Studios):
An epic action game with integrated role-playing game elements, Too Human will be available in North America August 19 and in Europe August 29. The game features a rich storyline with deep character development, both hallmarks of Silicon Knights' legendary tradition of video game development.

Thursday 17 July 2008

New Blog Graphics are go!

Hope you like em'.... Tough shit if ya don't!

Hot from E3 2008!


A VERY bright green controller, personally I still prefer the black one!

Hot from E3 2008!



Rock Band 2 Box art and song list - Can't wait for this one!!!!!

"Ace of Spades" Motörhead
"Alabama Getaway" Grateful Dead
"Alex Chilton" The Replacements
"Alive" Pearl Jam
"Almost Easy" Avenged Sevenfold
"American Woman" The Guess Who
"Any Way You Want It" Journey
"Aqualung" Jethro Tull
"Bad Reputation" Joan Jett
"Battery" Metallica
"Bodhisattva" Steely Dan
"Carry On Wayward Son" Kansas
"Chop Suey!" System of a Down
"Colony of Birchmen" Mastodon
"Come Out & Play (Keep 'em Separated)" The Offspring
"Cool for Cats" Squeeze
"De-Luxe" Lush
"Down with the Sickness" Disturbed
"Drain You" Nirvana
"E-Pro" Beck
"Everlong" Foo Fighters
"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor
"Feel the Pain" Dinosaur Jr.
"Float On" Modest Mouse
"Girl's Not Grey" AFI
"Give It All" Rise Against the machine
"Give It Away" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac
"Hello There" Cheap Trick
"Hungry Like the Wolf" Duran Duran
"I Was Wrong" Social Distortion
"Kids in America" The Muffs
"Lazy Eye" Silversun Pickups
"Let There Be Rock" AC/DC
"Livin' on a Prayer" Bon Jovi
"Lump" Presidents of the United States of America
"Man in the Box" Alice in Chains
"Master Exploder" Tenacious D
"Mountain Song" Jane's Addiction
"My Own Worst Enemy" Lit
"New Kid in School" The Donnas
"Nine in the Afternoon" Panic at the Disco
"One Step Closer" Linkin Park
"One Way or Another" Blondie
"Our Truth" Lacuna Coil
"Painkiller" Judas Priest
"Panic Attack" Dream Theater
"PDA" Interpol
"Peace Sells" Megadeth
"Pinball Wizard" The Who
"Pretend We're Dead" L7
"Psycho Killer" Talking Heads
"Pump It Up" Elvis Costello
"Ramblin' Man" The Allman Brothers Band
"Rebel Girl" Bikini Kill
"Rock'n Me" Steve Miller Band
"Round and Round" Ratt
"Shackler's Revenge" Guns N' Roses
"Shooting Star" Bad Company
"So What'cha Want" Beastie Boys
"Souls of Black" Testament
"Spirit in the Sky" Norman Greenbaum
"Spoonman" Soundgarden
"Tangled Up in Blue" Bob Dylan
"Teen Age Riot" Sonic Youth
"Testify" Rage Against the Machine
"That's What You Get" Paramore
"The Middle" Jimmy Eat World
"The Trees" Rush
"Today" Smashing Pumpkins
"Uncontrollable Urge" Devo
"We Got the Beat" The Go-Go's
"Where'd You Go" Mighty Mighty Bosstones
"White Wedding Pt. I" Billy Idol
"You Oughta Know" Alanis Morisette

Clan in OXM Magazine again....

Thanks to Ben at OXM for the spot in the mag! Cheers Mate!

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Yet more outstanding album covers...




Russia Gets New Military uniforms

Something tells me they're not really focussing on the uniform but the "fit-as-a-butchers-dog" recruits.....

Gorgeous......

Tuesday 15 July 2008

Xbox Experience Trailer (New Xbox 360 Dashboard)

E3 2008: 360 Fall update detailed

In what was probably the least surprising reveal of Microsoft's conference, the 360 is going to be getting an interface update this fall.
The news originally leaked last month thanks to some lackluster security by a marketing firm and some investigative work by those crafty gamers at Neogaf.
Now officially confirmed by Microsoft, the fall update will include a variety of new features including an 'Xbox Live Primetime' channel, avatars, and 'Live Parties'.
The Xbox Live Primetime channel is being created in partnership with Endemonal, originator of shows including 1 vs. 100 and Deal or No Deal.
In what sounds like a somewhat surreal version of interactive television, gamers will be able to watch and play online for the opportunity to win prizes.
No details were provided about regional launches, bringing into question whether or not the channel will ever make it to Australia, much like most digital media content available elsewhere on Live. Gamercards are also due to be refreshed with 'Avatars', a clear nod to the Wii's Miis.

Avatar penetration is apparently set to pervasive, with the Avatars planned to show up on Gamercards, the Dashboard, in games, and on Websites.
It's exceedingly likely that Microsoft will be taking advantage of Passport platform integration in some way.
Avatars will feature clothes and multiple customisation options. Sharing is apparently also caring, with Microsoft announcing the creation of 'Live Parties' where up to eight friends will be able to chat and, should you be so lucky as to have access to digital media, share Netflix movies.

However, the huge news hit shortly after the conference, with Major Nelson revealing additional detail.
In what will simultaneously frustrate current 360 owners while also making them squeal with glee, the Fall update will also include an option to install the full game to your drive, eliminating disc noise and avoiding read errors.
Much like the genie in Aladdin's lamp, extreme speed and power, but only a teeny living space.

Microsoft giving the Xbox 360 a totally new Dashboard

Microsoft just announced at E3 that they'll be giving the Xbox 360 a total software overhaul this fall. "When people turn on their Xbox 360s this fall, they'll get an entirely new interface and Dashboard, an entirely new Xbox through the magic of software," said John Schappert, head of Live services. New features will include those fancy new Mii-like 3D Avatars, a new emphasis on community with IM, video chat, and photo sharing, along with a brand new 3D slide interface for the main Dashboard screen. Avatars will be integrated into your GamerCard, but you can also create a "Live party" and invite your friends, with as many as 8 of your three dimensional homies hanging out at once -- though you're not hanging out in an actual 3D environment. You can use your avatar in certain Live Arcade games like Uno, and even in third party titles such as the upcoming Scene It? title. It sounds like Microsoft is taking cues from the Wii, Sony's Home and Facebook all in one fell swoop, not bad at all




Monday 14 July 2008

We all know Halo is for 3 year old americans...

... so why not do this with 3 year old americans?

Vote now!!!!


Hands up who wants Shatner as an unlockable character in Call Of Duty: World at War?

Friday 11 July 2008

He works in mysterious ways!

Thursday 10 July 2008

We rock!

The king of the FPS genre!

Right... anyone who's anyone who claims to be a gamer WILL still have their copy of goldeneye! Post your pic with the cart!!!!! Whoever has the most pristine box will get a prize
(offer subject to availability of some old piece of crap i can find under my desk)


GOW 2

Now then, everyone drop your trousers and be happy!

Will the multiplayer be as good as Goldeneye on N64...

...Well considering COD4 doesn't even quite match the absolute delight that was 4 player Goldeneye, we can only hope and dream. Have a look at the vid, the game is based on the COD4 engine, which sounds promising.

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Girl clan members MUST wear uniform!

Very sexist, I know, but what the hey.... anyone else think that we need girl members with uniforms?

Brilliant and Horrible!

BRILLIANT: Downloaded Boston: More than a feeling for Rock Band last night, really really really good track for the guitar section, not tried the drums yet....

HORRIBLE: Downloaded the free Guitar Hero 3 track they were dishing out for Independence Day.... The theme from Top Gun.....Fuck me what a fucking horrid nightmare, those bastards tempted me with free stuff, only to feel shit about the fact there's 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back again....

Don't waste good bandwidth on digital turds!

and.....rant over.

Monday 7 July 2008

Call of Duty: World at War (thanks ben at oxm)

This is a scarier Call of Duty than we've ever seen," announces the head of Treyarch, Mark Lamir. "The direction for the team was to make the best game they could, and as they were doing this they created a grittiness that quite frankly made some people very uncomfortable.

"The developer behind Call of Duty 3 intends to explore some of the darkest corners of WWII with the fifth game in the series.
According to creative lead Rich Farrelly, taking the series to the terrifying battle for the Pacific gives the game more in common with the survival horror genre than traditional war movie influences.

Infinity Ward's COD4 brought the series into the modern age and saw phenomenal success, shifting over eight million copies. Now, by tackling darker themes and pitting you against a new, seemingly alien fighting force, Treyarch hopes to defy suggestions that the WWII genre has had its day. "We've had some great success working on WWII, but we knew there had been a lot and people didn't want to play the same game again," says Lamir. "We've been making these games for a long time now, but the team is going to settle for nothing less than creating the best work of our lives".

One of the biggest cards in its favour is a two-year development cycle, in contrast to COD3, which was completed in just 11 months. At that point in time, Treyarch also felt the burden of having to not only port the game for Wii, but also create an entirely separate version, COD: Big Red One for Xbox and PS2.

Realising that was too much to repeat, the developer now has separate teams for every port, with the Xbox 360 version acting as lead. Lamir also talks of the benefits and graphical fidelity offered to them by working with the COD4 engine.

The game certainly has a sharper look and visceral edge than any WWII game to date. As one of the few areas of the war not previously covered in a COD title, the Pacific conflict might seem an obvious choice, but there was more to the decision than just different looking environments.

"We figured out early that the Imperial Japanese fought in a different way that was full of suspense," says Farrelly. "From that point we started to skew the game in that direction, in every detail from the music to the way we set up encounters.

"Our first demo of the game, a level titled 'Maken Raid' spells this out with a bullet. The scenario begins with the particularly brutal torture and execution of a US POW by a Japanese officer. We're not spared any of the horrors of war as the man has his throat slashed with a katana blade as the player is tied up and powerless to help his friend.

It's shocking stuff, and immediately shatters our expectations of the relatively gore-free series. Moments before the player shares a similar fate, a squad of US Marines intervenes on a secret rescue mission. The squad known as Carlson's Raiders cuts the player free before going on a vengeful rampage through the Japanese camp.

There are some similarities with the first mission of Modern Combat (the cargo ship) not least because both take place under cover of darkness and both explode from near silence into all-out carnage in an instant. As the Raiders launch their attack, a couple of the game's new features are brought to the forefront.

First, the game expands on the concept of being able to shoot through cover by forming visible holes in the bamboo huts. With enough bullets, the player causes enough damage to one of the walls to create a hole big enough to walk through. This pales in comparison though, compared to another of the game's most notable new features - flamethrowers with propogating fire. As the marines torch the village, you can see scenery crumbling and an impressive lighting model, which almost makes the devastation look beautiful.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that once the raid was over and the bodies lying cold on the ground, the tension would free up a little. It doesn't. The survivors are forced to beat a path through the dense tropical undergrowth. The player seems to become enveloped by his surroundings, thanks to some incredibly detailed graphics and close to 96 channels of audio, many of which are ambient jungle noises. The sensation is geniunely frightening because you're never sure where the enemy could appear from.

According to the game's military advisor Frank Kearsey, a Gulf War Veteran and advisor at West Point, the Japanese were masters of guerrilla warfare. Although they started the campaign using volatile tactics like the Banzai charge, huge losses made them swing dramatically toward the element of surprise. "The Imperial Japanese were unlike any fighting force in modern times. You had to completely throw out the old rule book," says Lamir. "The traditional combat seen in Europe did not apply here."

As Carlson's Raiders break out into an open area, the grass is already strewn with corpses, although that's at least the way it seems. It was a common tactic for the Japanese to play dead and lie in wait for unsuspecting marines. "This scene was actually inspired by the movie Aliens. We wanted to make you feel completely surrounded," reveals Farrelly.

While marines were taught to deal with surprises, nothing could prepare them for the heavy psychological toll levied by their enemy. "Their bizarre bushido code, which was honour to them, stopped them from surrendering," says Kearsey with a heavy voice. "They had a tenacity, a viciousness... there's never been a sense of reconciliation with the veterans we spoke to.

Blow 'n' screw
One of the most fascinating revelations is that many first-time players have been seen adopting the real-life tactic of 'blowtorch and corkscrew' without realising this was common practice with real US Marines. This technique involves setting fire to undergrowth and grenading foxholes to eliminate hidden foes.

Although the life expectancy of a flamethrower operator was shockingly brief, it's a weapon you won't want to be without in this game. It's based on the flamethrower design and handling from Return to Castle Wolfenstein, a game on which Farrelly was lead level designer. As previously mentioned, the weapon is excellent for toasting the scenery, but it works even better against enemy infantry.

In another demo level, Treyarch demonstrates its power by torching a field full of camouflaged soldiers. The cacophony of screams that follows is truly horrible, and this scene is made more shocking as you watch the enemies' skin melt off. "The only thing you don't get is the smell of burning flesh," says Kearsey.

Depicting this level of violence couldn't have been an easy choice to make. Lamir responds: "The team felt from a game perspective they needed to approach these themes and they didn't shy away. Activision has supported us. It's scary for everybody to do something different, but that's what we're doing. Redefining it.

"We are very mindful of being respectful when it comes to portraying that," adds Farrelly. "It's not just gore and violence for its own sake, but reflects what veterans have told us and the actual history.

Squad tactics
This game is full of surprises. We already knew that multiplayer would be a big factor, but Treyarch is also adding a four player co-op mode. This can be played using four consoles over Xbox Live, or two consoles each with split-screen.

"Co-op is something people have wanted in Call of Duty for a long time," says Farrelly. "We've been waiting for the technology to be able to handle that. It's just a natural fit to have three guys alongside you playing as a squad.

" The co-op campaign looks to be identical to the single-player game, although will include a similar scoring system to the Modern Combat metagame. This means that you'll be constantly earning points which can be used to unlock special co-op perks. Alternatively, you can transfer the points over to multiplayer and unlock perks and weaponry there instead.
Of course, classic tactics such as distraction and flanking work brilliantly too.

In the demo level we see one player attracting the attention of a tank while the other player climbs on top and throws a grenade down the hatch. Frag grenades and incendiaries have a different damage effect on vehicles like this. Much like COD3, vehicles do play a big part in both campaign and multiplayer, although it's much more focused. In multiplayer, there are vehicle-specific levels and game modes, meaning that you can opt out of them altogether if you prefer to keep your boots on the ground. In the campaign, certain vehicles have entire levels dedicated to them, most notably the PBY Catalina search and rescue plane and a dramatic aerial raid on some Japanese aircraft carriers.


Enter the Russians
The battle for the Pacific wasn't the only defining moment of the end of WWII. The invasion of Germany by the Soviet Army was of equal importance, and Farrelly tells us that this will also be a major chapter in World at War. "The themes of brutality in the Russian campaign hit on how war brings out the darker side in people, the good guys or the bad," he says. "We show what that deep sense of revenge and hatred motivates them to get to Berlin.

"While we played as the Red Army before in COD2, this time the Nazis are on the back foot and fighting with more ferocity. They're desperate to defend their final strongholds like Seelow and Berlin at all costs. This could mark the first time in the series characters are fighting for bloody vengeance rather than honour.

With two extraordinarily hard-fought campaigns in the mix, World at War easily has the potential to be the most devastating Call of Duty yet. It's certainly the most shocking and suspenseful, which is no small achievement. For Treyarch, it's foremost about making a great game, but in doing so they're learning that WWII still has tons of potential, and some of the most brutal and intense battles of all time. In Lamir's words: "That was actually the kind of scary shit they encountered."

Wednesday 2 July 2008

MGB DUDE gets a new motor!

Check the road legal Porsche race car!!!!!! Alarmingly fast and dangerous.... brilliant!


Tuesday 1 July 2008