GunZ 2 - EU CBT Impressions

At long last, MAIET Entertainment is finally giving the English speaking world a taste of their long-awaited TPS title: GunZ: The Second Duel (GunZ TSD). "ProSiebenSat.1 Games", the same publishers that host Alaplaya, has recently launched their second closed beta test back in Novemeber, and this time with very little signs of IP blockage. While I could have waited for the upcoming Steam version that’s set to be released this December, I rushed for the nearest beta key I could get and hopped in, because as some of you know, I’m a complete and total GunZ fanatic.

For those that have been living under a rock: GunZ: The Second Duel, sequel to the original GunZ: The Duel, is a third-person shooter that’s all about doing things with style. While it may look like just your average third-person shooter, GunZ TSD throws in a bunch of its own unique mechanics that will make you feel like acrobatic action hero, such as being able to climb and run along walls, knock enemies into the air and then gun ‘em down all Devil May Cry-style, and plenty of other neat tricks that come straight out of a Hollywood popcorn flick.

One of the biggest changes to GunZ: The Second Duel compared to its predecessor, however, is the removal of K-Style: A popular playstyle that significantly changed the overall flow of gameplay by allowing players to jump, dash, block and shoot all at the same time. While this made the gameplay a lot more intense and exciting, it also brought weapon imbalance, made latency issues more apparent and even brought about health concerns from prolonged performance of K-style techniques, such as Carpal Tunnel.

MAIET thought long and hard about wanting to bring K-style back for the release of GunZ TSD, as shown in the game’s alpha footage: Players were able to perform moves including shotslashes (rather than slashshots), light steps and more. But in the end, MAIET came to the conclusion that it was too much of a hassle to bring it all back if they were going to achieve a more balanced shooting game.

So now, GunZ TSD lives on as a game that’s (literally) sticking to its guns to provide a TPS experience that’s fast and accessible to all gamers, but will it be fast enough for hardcore fans of the original?

Warframe - CBT Impressions

A unique F2P title is coming at us this year, and its being brought by some long running pros in the industry. Digital Extremes, developers by behind the original “Unreal” series is now working on a new third person shooter called ‘Warframe’. In this game, you play as ancient galaxy warriors called Tenno, which have been re-awaked to take down several different factions that have been wreaking havoc all over solar system. With katanas and alien firearms, you’ll invade several enemy ships and complete several different objectives as quickly and/or as silently as possible.

In simpler terms: You’re a freaking space ninja and will do whatever a space ninja can to save the day.

GunZ 2 - 2nd VIP Test

Today, MAIET Entertainment held a second VIP test for a selected few to test out some new features before they launch another closed beta. The client has been updated with some tweaks here and there, but it more or less plays the same as it did in the last version.

They've redone the tutorial a bit and made it shorter so players can breeze through it easier while learning all the game's core mechanics. Another noticeable change is with the Z-point system: They've now included lesser skills and attacks that can be performed, and players now have three bars that can be filled up by attacking enemies or collecting Z-point canisters. Lesser skills and attacks with Z-point can be performed from using up one bar (activated by pressing the E key), but the more powerful skills and attacks require three full bars (activated by pressing the Q key)

From one Z-point bar:

• Silent Avengers can perform a quick kick that will knock enemies on the ground (can be performed with any weapon)
• Gunslingers can perform a scan that will temporarily show enemies that are hiding anywhere on the screen (only lasts for a two seconds.)
• Shield Troopers can perform a jumping smash attack (can only be performed using a riot shield)

The more powerful Z-point attacks also no longer have cinematic cutscenes with them, so they no longer break the pacing of gameplay to a screeching halt.

Other than that, they've made some changes to the UI, added an item shop, player stats/ranking info, one new map for DM/TDM/TDM-E and three new missions along with some briefing videos that play at the start of every mission.

That's as much as I could make from my time spent playing in the VIP Test. I couldn't get any decent footage with some PvP action, because they've made some hefty changes to the netcode that makes my lag issues more prominent than before, and I didn't want to record footage of players flashing and disappearing all over the screen due to my 300+ ping, so I sure hope someone else out there will have something recorded.

Also: Engrish.

Ghost Recon Online - OB Interview

Now launching into open beta, Ghost Recon Online is set to bring a new winter-based expansion called the “Artic Pack” which includes new weapons, new equipment and a brand new map, all created with the community’s suggestions and assistance.

I got another chance to speak with the creative director of GRO to get some insight on the game’s current status and the new Arctic Pack update.

GunZ 2 - Impressions (Video)

I finally finished my impressions video on GunZ: the Second Duel! I really wish I could have gotten this out sooner, but college started so I really was pressed for time.

As a quick summary: I had a lot of fun trying out GunZ 2, but it’s clear to me that MAIET Entertainment is trying to appeal to veteran players, old generation players and newcomers to the series, and while I feel that some veterans are probably not going to be digging on this because they have a lot to look past in GunZ 2 with the removal of K-style, anyone that hasn’t played the original and is looking for an alternative to their everyday third person shooter will find a lot to like about this.

GunZ 2 - More gameplay videos

I've been kinda busy this week due to the start of a new college semester, so I haven't been around to get some new videos on GunZ 2 up in a timely fashion. Since the weekend just started, I figured I'd get a few up now before I have to get some more work done.

Here's a couple of matches of me playing as a Gunslinger in both TDM and FFA. I did pretty damn well making use of the Blade & Revolver combo and totally dominated in that FFA match, though I was kind of wondering whether or not I was really playing so much better than my opponents or I was just lagging badly enough to trip them up.

GunZ 2 - KR CBT Gameplay Videos

After re-configuring my system locale, re-downloading patches and dealing with 15+ error messages, I finally got into the GunZ 2 closed beta test for South Korea. As soon as I logged in, I wasted no time and recorded some footage just to show you guys how GunZ 2 looks in its current state. I got plenty to show and tell, but for now I have some early footage of the game's tutorial mode and first playthroughs with different classes.

Keep your eyes peeled on this post and/or my YouTube page as I'll be uploading GunZ 2 gameplay footage throughout the day, as well as my initial thoughts on the game once all my videos are up.

GunZ 2 - First CBT Test

MAIET is finally ready to unleash their stylish action shooter for the world to enjoy, and when I mean 'for the world', I mean South Korea only. GunZ: The Second Duel will be going into closed beta testing this month.

As preparation for the upcoming test, the official GunZ: TSD website is now live on Netmarble KR. The website showcases new screenshots and character demonstration videos of the latest build.

I took the liberty of re-recording the demo videos off the website and uploaded them onto YouTube for those that can't access them on the official website.

In regards of what's to be expected from CBT: They're planning on including a new duel and matchmaking system, as well as some interface changes from the VIP test build.

Closed beta sign-ups for GunZ: The Second Duel are currently going on now, with selected applicants being revealed on the 29th. Closed beta starts on August 30th and will be ending on September 2nd, with the game server being accessible from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m (Korean Time)

Official website: http://gunz2.netmarble.net/

Ghost Recon Online - Impressions (Video)

Last week, I spent my time trying out Ghost Recon Online, a F2P third person shooter developed and published by Ubisoft. The game is apart of the Tom Clancy series, best known for series of novels and books based on military and science action.

and a lot of people are saying that Ghost Recon Online is considered to be the ‘poor man’s version” of the recently released Ghost Recon Future Solider which is available on the PC and Consoles… And for the most part, they’d be right, because both games seem to share some similarities between them.

GunZ 2 - VIP Test

MAIET recently held their first (public access) test for GunZ: The Second Duel in South Korea, and according to them on Facebook:

It went off without a (major) hitch. Players got to try out two different game modes (FFA and Team Deathmatch) on five different maps, including the revamped Mansion map from GunZ 1. The test lasted for five hours.

Overall response from VIP testers was positive, with much praise for the game's fast but accessible gameplay. There was, of course, a few previous GunZ 1 players stating that the pacing of the gameplay still needs work.

I was more than ready to get caught up in this, as I registered for the VIP test and even got selected. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't ready for the UPDATEWIZARD_CANT_OPEN_URL errors and the 2 to 3 hour download of the client, which made me miss the entire event. 

I'm really bummed out that I missed the test, but the least I can do is show you all some gameplay footage curiosity of MAIET on Facebook and the people that participated in the event:

http://blog.naver.com/peblue/70138960481

It might take awhile for users outside of South Korea to view this video, so I may be putting it up on YouTube later on (with a link back to the original source, of course.)

(Screenshots taken from user 'peblue' from VIP test message boards)

UPDATE: WELP. Looks like someone beat me to the upload! Check out peblue's gameplay video here, showcasing the revamped Mansion from GunZ 1. The video also shows a noticeable new gameplay function: being able to perform recovery attacks while on the ground. No longer do you have to suffer eating bullets for screwing up your aerial recovery.

War Inc. Battlzone - Interview

Currently in Open Beta and showing lots of promise, War Inc. Battle Zone is a free-to-play third person shooter. Set in a not so distant future, War Inc. Battle Zone promises to include a ton of features you would not find in any retail war shooter, but without the retail asking price.

I got a chance to chat with the fellas at Online Warmongers Group Inc. to find out more.

Age of Guns - Full-on ripoff action!

Now here's something that I found incredibly amusing: While checking out cinderboy's MMO Culture Facbook page, he made a news post regarding a new third-person shooter being published by Tencent Games (China). From the concept art that was posted with the news post, many of us thought it was from MAIET's upcoming GunZ: The Second Duel, which wouldn't have been too surprising since Tencent Games has many high profile titles on lock, including Blade & Soul, ArcheAge and many others.

Later on, Cinderboy revealed that the game was in fact NOT GunZ 2, but instead it was a new "original" IP created by Chinese game dev studio 'Jade Studio". He also mentions that the game also contains MOBA elements and looks more like TF2 than GunZ. Curious to learne more about this, I did a bit of searching and this is what I found:

Well... It sure does look like GunZ, as well as many other things. From this teaser trailer alone, I spotted more ripped off action scenes from several other games and movies. How many can YOU spot?

Super MNC - Steam Invite Giveaway (CLOSED)

EDIT: Well that was quick. Four users have already posted their requests for a Super MNC invite and will receive them shortly!

Well I was fixing to start this giveaway at the start of the week, but I got sidetracked by a few things. For those that don't know: Super Monday Night Combat (SMNC) is a Third Person Shooter turned MOBA style mutliplayer game. Uber Entertainment is planning for Super MNC to be a free-to-play title on Valve's Steam platform, but the game is currently in beta testing. Only way to get into the beta is by signing up on the official website or by receiving an invite.

I'm not a huge fan of the original MNC or MOBA games in general, but I figured I should give these invites out instead of letting them rot.

So here's the deal: If you want an invite, simply post your email address and a reason why you want to play. Simple as that!

I only have four invites to give out, so it's first come - first serve.

APB:Reloaded - Review

It’s time to once again visit the mean streets of San Paro for a live and reloaded look at the infamous All Points Bulletin. APB: Reloaded is a GamersFirst re-release of the original APB, originally created by the now defunct developer “Realtime Worlds”. What the original APB promised was a completely online, GTA style action game filled with instance third person shooter and driving mechanics along with fun faction on faction competition with criminals against enforcers.

Unfortunately, what all players got was laggy driving mechanics, unbalanced gunplay and a truckload of empty promises. Now the game has been revived as a free-to-play title. It’s time to see if all the tweaks to this refurbished machine will finally turn this APB into the high action online game we’ve all been hoping for.

War Inc. Battlezone - Impressions

Back in July of 2011, a little company named Online Warmongers Group Inc. released an ambitious new third person shooter title called “War Inc. Battlezone” with the promise of an AAA shooter experience that’s easy on your wallet. Unfortunately, with a sea of other free-to-play shooters all competing for a spotlight, it was quickly swept under the rug by most of the gaming masses. War Inc. is currently available as a downloadable title on Steam and with a standalone client. At around 1.70GB, it decided to give it a go.

GunZ 2 - 1st Promo Video

The flow of news for GunZ 2 isn't quite over yet, folks. Recently, MAIET released their first promotion video, showcasing many of the game's features, including new revamped mechanics, such as being able to fire single-handed firearms while hanging from walls. This video also shows a glimpse at the game's PvE, with players fighting against enemy NPCs and scaling the giant mechanical "Gustavus" while searching for its weak points. Check out the new promotion video right here:

Bloody awesome. (And speaking of bloody: The blood effects are now shown in red instead of white from the previous G-Star 2011 build.) Still no confirmed beta date for South Korea, but I can't wait for this game to hit US shores.

Ghost Recon Online - Interview

Ever since the late 90s, The Tom Clancy series has always been synonymous with military and espionage action. Most specifically: Ghost Recon is a well-known squad based shooter series, and now the series plans to go online as a F2P title. Sounds like this change of pace with Ghost Recon Online is set out to put all other F2P shooters to shame. I got to chat with the guys at Ubisoft to find out more.

GunZ 2 - G-Star 2011 Interview

More news for GunZ 2 keeps on rolling in, and I just have to post it all because I can't wait for this game to come out. Recently on MAIET's official Facebook page for GunZ 2, they've posted an interview with GameShot.net. The interview was poorly translated and (once again) posted as a comment rather than a new post, so many people may not notice it once more comments roll over. I took the liberty of posting the interview here while fixing some of the bad grammar.

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Q: When did you start development of GunZ 2?
A: We started back in 2007.

Q: It's a sequel, but it looks very different from the previous one.
A: We've rewritten the whole story of the GunZ universe.

Q: Please introduce the three playable classes.
A: The Assassin class is focused on close combat & sniping. Fighter class is a "jack-of-all-trades" type and will be useful in multiple situations. The Heavy class is primarily designed as a tanker for PvE mode, but can use wide area attacks for massive kills.

GunZ 2 - Live gameplay videos

I grew a bit tired of waiting around for some more gameplay videos of GunZ 2 to show up, so I decide to look for some myself. I searched around THISISGAME.com and found some live cam footage. It took me awhile to figure out how to download the video since there wasn't any direct links, but I got it anyway! Check it out:

As a quick breakdown of the video:

• All three character classes (Assassin, Fighter, Heavy) were playable.
• As with the original GunZ, players are free to dash as many times as they want, although the dash distance seems a bit shorter.
• Tumbling with ranged weapons is no longer possible as dashing is used for all weapons.
• The crosshair changes depending on what weapon you're using, including a shield icon whenever you're in a guard stance using a melee weapon.
• Wall running and wall climbing is now much easier to perform while giving players more freedom to move around.
• All character classes are capable of dashing, wall running, etc.
• In team battles, players are distinguishable by a small red/blue light underneath them.
• The gauge meter next to the HP and armor bar can be filled up by killing enemies or by collecting gauge bottles around the map.
• Earning an assist kill does not fill the gauge meter.
• Filling the gauge meter to max allows you to perform a "Kill move". The meter will turn red and slowly depletes itself, giving players roughly 20 seconds to perform a kill move on an enemy player.
• Kill moves can only be performed with a melee weapon.
• Your gauge meter will be depleted completely whether the attack connects with the enemy or not.
• Kill move animations CANNOT be interrupted.
• Seen from previous footage, it's possible that the gauge meter will be use for attacks other than single-hit kill moves.
• Melee weapons can once again be used to deflect enemy bullets
• Stun moves are still possible, but it is uncertain whether players will able to recover from stun attacks.
• Heavy types with shields can fill up a small amount of their gauge meter by successfully blocking enemy bullets.
• Guard stance can be broken from certain melee attacks and from deflecting too many bullets.

Well that's what I managed to pick out from the video. Still no sign of any sort of animation cancelling (K-style, D-style, etc.) but the gameplay looks just as chaotic and fast paced as it the original. If there's anything you've spotted worth mentioning, you should probably leave a comment or something.

Update 11/14/2011 - More gameplay from G-Star 2011 showed up. Gameplay in this video was primarily focused on the Assassin class.

• While using melee weapons, players can perform swipe attacks while side stepping
• All character classes can fill up their gauge meter by blocking bullets with their melee weapon
• Players emit a green gas whenever they've maxed up their gauge meter
• Players gain a yellow outline during respawns and kill moves to signify their invulnerability to enemy attacks
• Along with dashing, players can perform dodge and side steps on the ground while using ranged weapons.

Gameplay still looks sweet, but I have to say the player in the video seemed to be trying REALLY hard to perform K-style moves or some kind of variant. Is K-style going to be ditched completely in GunZ 2? Well there's no solid way of telling, but it sure is starting to look that way.

SDGO - CB Impressions

Gundam fans! The wait is finally over! SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online (SDGO for short) has finally reached North America. SDGO is a multiplayer online third person shooter featuring SD (Super Deformed) versions of mobile units from many different Gundam eras, including Gundam SEED, Mobile Fighter G Gundam and many others.

Since its initial release in South Korea, the game is about four years old and has had a lot of content built up over those years. Players that got to participate in the closed beta were granted with 1,000 astros (OGP currency) to test out the shop and play around with as many functions as they wanted. I nabbed a closed beta key and got to try out all these Gundam goodies for myself.