Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Breaking down the Black Ops 2 reveal trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/breaking-down-the-black-ops-2-reveal-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/breaking-down-the-black-ops-2-reveal-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/breaking-down-the-black-ops-2-reveal-trailer/#comments Image
Now that Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is officially out there, we can examine the game's reveal trailer and offer some further insight beyond the bombast.

We've compiled a handful of screen grabs from the trailer after the break, with notes about the game's locale, features, and more. For even more, make sure to read our detailed campaign preview and details on the game's new, story-altering 'Strike Force' missions.

Continue reading Breaking down the Black Ops 2 reveal trailer

JoystiqBreaking down the Black Ops 2 reveal trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 May 2012 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBreakdownCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-black-ops-2microsoftpcplaystationps3TreyarchxboxWed, 02 May 2012 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The 10 best Xbox exclusives (no spartans allowed)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/the-10-best-xbox-exclusives-no-spartans-allowed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/the-10-best-xbox-exclusives-no-spartans-allowed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/the-10-best-xbox-exclusives-no-spartans-allowed/#comments We're happy to remark on the tenth anniversary of the original Xbox, but it gets a little weird when Microsoft barges into our solemn vigil with a birthday cake.

This is the company that couldn't pull the plug on its muscular and costly console fast enough -- and not just because the cord was about to incinerate your house. Microsoft's rapid prudence allowed it to rein in the hardware for its next system, and to successfully transplant Xbox Live into a body now recognized for its sustainability, if not its fragility.

It worked out for the business, but didn't leave much time for less popular system-exclusive games to flourish or to be found. Ironically, the Xbox commercial that drew the most ire, after it crudely launched a baby through a window and into a cemetery, proved that there can be some truth in advertising after all. "Life is short," it said, "play more." We wrongly figured it was talking about us.

After the break: A list of our favorite, often overlooked Xbox games.

Continue reading The 10 best Xbox exclusives (no spartans allowed)

JoystiqThe 10 best Xbox exclusives (no spartans allowed) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakdownbuffy-the-vampire-slayergunvalkyriejsrfmicrosoftotogiotogi-2-immortal-warriorspanzer-dragoon-ortaphantom-dustquantum-redshiftrallisport-challenge-2voodoo-vincexboxxbox-1Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect teardown: two cameras, four microphones, 12 watts of power, no controller]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/kinect-teardown-two-cameras-four-microphones-12-watts-of-powe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/kinect-teardown-two-cameras-four-microphones-12-watts-of-powe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/kinect-teardown-two-cameras-four-microphones-12-watts-of-powe/#comments So what exactly goes into making a controller-free experience with Kinect? A lot of technology, apparently. The folks at iFixit have broken down a Kinect unit, revealing a bevy of chips and parts inside the new peripheral.

Kinect features not one, but two cameras to capture various information about the user. One camera, combined with an infrared emitter (the third "pinhole" on the front), provide the 3D information necessary to create the "depth map," while an additional camera captures the standard visible spectrum at 640x480 resolution. With the proper lighting and space, the combination of these cameras allows Kinect to see you in 3D.

Perhaps more surprising than the number of cameras hidden in the sensor is the number of microphones. In addition to three cameras, the device features four downward-facing microphones, three on the right side and one on the left side, integral to the Kinect's voice recognition capabilities. Considering the sheer quantity of power-hungry parts hidden inside the Kinect, it's no surprise that its power demand (12 watts) is so much greater than what a standard USB port can offer (5 watts) -- that's why you'll need a separate power adapter for using it with original Xbox 360 consoles.

JoystiqKinect teardown: two cameras, four microphones, 12 watts of power, no controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakdownifixitkinectmicrosoftteardownxboxThu, 04 Nov 2010 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 trailer analysis hints at perks, locations, teddy bears]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/27/modern-warfare-2-trailer-analysis-hints-at-perks-locations-ted/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/27/modern-warfare-2-trailer-analysis-hints-at-perks-locations-ted/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/27/modern-warfare-2-trailer-analysis-hints-at-perks-locations-ted/#comments
If you've been straining your eyes and ears over the recently released "soundwave trailer" for Modern Warfare 2, you may want to give your weary senses a rest, and turn your attention to one of two comprehensive breakdowns of the trailer that recently appeared in our inbox. The first is a video analysis from YouTuber d4v1dm0rt, which is embedded after the break. The second, a compilation of zoomed in screengrabs from the trailer (broken down by Binge Gamer's Mike Murakami), can be viewed here.

They probably spotted a few items you might have missed out on -- such as the brief image depicting five perk icons, four of which appear to be entirely new. Maybe you didn't catch the flash frame of O Cristo Redentor, which could be hinting at Rio de Janeiro as a possible in-game locale. Perhaps your keen gaze overlooked the momentarily visible teddy bear, which could symbolize ... cuddlier enemies? Yeah, we're still not too sure about that one.

[Thanks, David and Mika!]

Continue reading Modern Warfare 2 trailer analysis hints at perks, locations, teddy bears

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 trailer analysis hints at perks, locations, teddy bears originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbreakdowninfinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2perksteddy-beartrailerXbox-360Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GameDaily estimates Halo 3 sold 2.48 mil units day one]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/gamedaily-estimates-halo-3-sold-2-48-mil-units-day-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/gamedaily-estimates-halo-3-sold-2-48-mil-units-day-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/gamedaily-estimates-halo-3-sold-2-48-mil-units-day-one/#commentsFiled under: ,


And now a reading from the book of GameDaily, who presents their breakdown of the Halo 3 sales. Using the knowledge of $170 million made figure by Microsoft and checking with retail sources, they used some fancy arithmetics to get themselves statistics. According to their source for "every four standard copies sold, two limited edition copies and one legendary edition is sold." Meaning the percentages are 14% Legendary, 29% Limited (or Scratched edition) and 57% Standard. They figure the breakdown is:
  • Standard edition: 1,600,000
  • Limited edition: 694,000
  • Legendary edition: 187,000
GameDaily concludes that 2.48 million units sold on day one. Hopefully we'll get the full numbers from Microsoft in the near future for those who love themselves some statistics. So, who wants to start poking holes in the estimates first?

[Thanks NJkid1]

JoystiqGameDaily estimates Halo 3 sold 2.48 mil units day one originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakdowneditionhalo3salesXbox-360Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Orta, Mercenaries, JSRF join 360 compatability list]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/19/orta-mercenaries-jsrf-join-360-compatability-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/19/orta-mercenaries-jsrf-join-360-compatability-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/19/orta-mercenaries-jsrf-join-360-compatability-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Microsoft has supplied 33 more compelling reasons to finally stuff your old friend the Xbox in the closet with their new backwards compatibility update for the 360. How compelling, you ask? How about Jet Set Radio Future and Mercenaries? How's that grab you? No, still not enough? How about Panzer Dragoon Orta? The BC update doesn't seem to be working just yet, but we hope that'll be rectified soon.

The full list is available here with all the new additions, like Return To Castle Wolfenstein and Breakdown. When asked to comment on the update, a Microsoft spokesperson wrote "We're continuing to work hard to certify as many original Xbox games to work on Xbox 360 as possible," and don't think we don't appreciate it. In fact, we're so grateful, we're not going to wonder aloud how NFL Fever 2004 snuck on to the list. We're rising above.

Still conspicuously absent from the updates: Your Favorite Game that No One Else Liked. But chin up, we hear it's a lock for the next update. You can see a full list after the break.

[via Snackbar Games]

Continue reading Orta, Mercenaries, JSRF join 360 compatability list

JoystiqOrta, Mercenaries, JSRF join 360 compatability list originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Actionbackwards-compatibilityBreakdownJet-Set-Radio-FutureMajescoMercenariesMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPhantom-DustReturn-to-Castle-WolfensteinStrategyUnreal-Championship-2-The-Liandri-ConflictXboxXbox-360Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:04:00 EST<![CDATA[The Wiimote as a Power Glove]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/05/the-wiimote-as-a-power-glove/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/05/the-wiimote-as-a-power-glove/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/05/the-wiimote-as-a-power-glove/#commentsFiled under: ,


From the hey, that's a great idea department comes a conceptual rendering of what it would be like to throw caution and embarrassment to the wind and strap a pair of wiimotes to your arms. The full ad depicts a guy with a Wii controller on each punch-capable limb next  to some screenshots of the Xbox titles, Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, Breakdown and Fight Night Round 3. The connection between dual wiielding action and Super Punch-Out should be obvious in your mind, though we recommend you swiftly move on to the conclusion we reached:

Namco Bandai should port Breakdown to the Wii. Immediately. The game (which had a really fun story) was critically undone by unwieldy controls and unfair combat, problems that could very well disappear when given the opportunity to beat up those pesky T'lan warriors (or hallucinated cats) by flailing your own, more reliable fists. Oh, and let's not forget the joys associated with consuming magically restorative soda and protein bars.

[Via 4cr. Kudos to zaiten.]

JoystiqThe Wiimote as a Power Glove originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakdownChronicles of RiddickChroniclesOfRiddickNamco BandaiNamcoBandaiNintendo WiiNintendoWiiPower GlovePowerGlovePunch-OutWiimoteWed, 05 Jul 2006 17:17:00 EST