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Welcome to the PDG JULY 2010 Video Game Previews

By PDG Staff

Crackdown 2 (Xbox 360)

Crackdown 2, the sequel to the award-winning 2007 blockbuster Crackdown, is the ultimate open-world action experience developed by Ruffian Games exclusively for Xbox 360. Featuring over-the-top action, a massive living world, stylish graphics and unmatched online capabilities, Crackdown 2 is the most complete action experience on Xbox 360.

In the vertical, free-form world of Pacific City, tensions are high and escalating exponentially between the Agency and its opposing factions, the Cell and the Freaks. Returning to Pacific City as an advanced Agent, you are judge, jury and executioner as you reclaim the city and eliminate all threats, either solo or with friends on Xbox LIVE.

Building upon the groundbreaking success of its predecessor, Crackdown 2 elevates the open-world genre to unprecedented levels with the ultimate cooperative and competitive multiplayer experiences. Friends around the world will be able to sweep the streets of crime and lawlessness with the complete freedom to explore, destroy and restore justice to Pacific City—by any means necessary.

* Complete freedom: A spectacular sandbox experience, Crackdown 2 is an explosive tour de force that invites you to explore, experiment, and navigate through objectives with complete freedom to do what you want, when you want. With unprecedented levels of open-ended gameplay in combat and story progression, Crackdown 2 redefines the sandbox style of play with a gripping narrative and more ways to engage in the explosive action than ever.

* In a league of its own: With unparalleled cooperative action and multiplayer, the sandbox experience gets more exciting! Evolving the way open-world games are played, Crackdown 2 introduces never-before-seen multiplayer features that will take the genre to new heights. With the ultimate four-player co-op mode, 16-player multiplayer experiences, and an all-new party system, Crackdown 2 ushers in the most exciting open-world experience ever, offering unlimited ways to play and share Pacific City with friends around the world. Engage in dynamic competitive and cooperative multiplayer for double the carnage, action and intensity, only made possible on Xbox LIVE.

* Sky's the limit: Serving justice, by any means necessary, Crackdown 2 continues the over-the-top action with ever-expanding skills, more dangerous enemies, and no safe zones. Strategies and tactics will be even more inventive with new weapons and agent skills that grant the abilities to scale buildings, orchestrate massive explosions, and engage in bone-crushing combat with obliterating force. Hit the road, take to the sky or explore underground -- the experience is limited only by your imagination. Whether chasing down enemies on rooftops or dropping from sky-high to ground zero in a matter of seconds, Crackdown 2 is the perfect adrenaline rush for action fanatics.

* Sprawling environment: The sprawling metropolis that was once Pacific City is now divided between the Agency, the Cell and the Freaks in a contentious battle between order and anarchy. Divided and expanded with new environments in every direction, the city has never been more perilous. From the rooftops to the sewers, utilize their surroundings to the fullest to take back Pacific City.

Blacklight: Tango Down (Xbox Live, PlayStationNetwork, and PC)

Blacklight: Tango Down is a fast-paced, action-oriented first-person shooter that marks the first release of what will be a multi-platform entertainment franchise. Beyond the video game, a Blacklight feature film from Twentieth Century Fox and comic book series are currently in development. Designed to bring a fun, absorbing, and high quality AAA multiplayer experience to DLG venues, the game exists in a future between contemporary and sci-fi shooters – part Blade Runner and part Call of Duty.

Developed by Zombie Studios, Blacklight: Tango Down takes place 25 years into the future. The player takes control of an elite covert ops team that is sent after missing American Colonel Klein and his personal Blacklight team. The game will feature four single player/co-op levels that support up to four players at once, 12 multiplayer maps, seven game types and literally millions of weapons customization combinations. As the team advances through regions that consist of old world architecture over laden with ubiquitous modern holographic advertising, the trigger based dynamic AI offers an intense and varied experience every time the game is played.

NCAA Football 11 (Xbox 360, PS3)

* An All-New Locomotion System- All-new authentic running mechanics: Explosive first step and the ability to stop momentum on a dime, rebalance yourself after an over-pursuit, and feel what it's like to cover the field

* Play the Way the Schools Do-Run the "no-huddle" spread, triple option, wishbone, wild hog, or pistol offenses the same way as your favorite schools.

* All-New ESPN Broadcast Package Integration-ESPN broadcasters Kirk Herbstreit and Brad Nessler offer insights and commentary while breaking down your game, and reporter Erin Andrews provides injury reports and updates from the sidelines.

* Real Assignment AI-From new running lanes to double-team blocking, experience the most realistic authentic offensive performance like never before!

DeathSpank (Xbox Live, PlayStationNetwork)

Charming. Intelligent. Enigmatic. These are just a few words you won’t be using to describe DeathSpank. He doesn’t stab first and ask questions later. He doesn’t realize there are questions. Created by Ron Gilbert, the legendary mind behind Monkey Island, DeathSpank is the rarest of the rare: an honestly funny, fun video game.

Described by top scientists (and most reviewers, some of them scientists) as Monkey Island meets Diablo, DeathSpank is an exciting hack and slash action RPG set on a massive, dangerous, curvy world. In between hacking and slashing, DeathSpank solves puzzles and explores an epic story. DeathSpank will vanquish evil and be a hero to the downtrodden; he will collect loot, level up, collect loot, acquire new abilities and collect loot.

As you probably just guessed, DeathSpank is filled to bursting with hundreds of weapons, armor sets, witty dialog, improbable scenarios, unexpected villains, and challenging bosses. The action is easily accessible for short bursts of unsupervised fun, but the story is revealed over ten to fifteen hours of gameplay. And there’s more! DeathSpank does not fight alone but with the mighty wizard Sparkles, letting your real-life flesh friends play alongside you in two-player local co-op as DeathSpank quests for the mysterious Artifact called…the Artifact! DeathSpank is the high quality, low priced romp for XBLA/PSN your parents hoped you would grow up and marry one day.

Holy Crap! Bullet Points!

* Massive seamless world!

* Hundreds of pieces of armor!

* Hundreds of weapons!

* A real story…not a lousy video game story!

* Mind numbing -yet completely fair -adventure game puzzles!

* A mysterious thing called The Artifact!

* A beautifully hand crafted Quest Log that tracks important and unimportant things to do!

* Stuff that blows up!

* Stuff that doesn’t blow up!

* The most interesting and eccentric cast you’ll ever see!

Quantum Theory (PS3, Xbox 360)

Quantum Theory is a futuristic third-person shooter starring a hulking, battle-scarred soldier named Syd and a lithe warrior named Filena. Together they will fight for the survival of the human race, as a deadly material known as Erosion makes its way across the post-apocalyptic land, infecting everything in its reach. The source of the Erosion appears to be emanating from a "living" tower, so the heroes vow to destroy it no matter what the cost. Quantum Theory is notable for featuring a shapeshifting battlefield that will create obstacles or hazards in real-time. Players will take control of Syd, with Filena joining the action as a computer-controlled teammate. The duo can perform combos and various other actions together, allowing players to combine forces to defeat giant boss characters and other alien-like enemies. Online support is also included in four distinct play modes.

Features:

* Shape-Shifting Battlefield: Navigate through a dark fantasy world where the intense battleground surprises you with new and challenging obstacles by changing its form in real-time

* Two-Character Combination Actions: Syd and Filena perform actions as a pair—in some instances, that is the only way to overcome hurdles.

* Strategically perform combos for a more powerful, fierce attack against colossal enemies

* Online Play: Continue your adventure with your friends in Team Battle and Battle

* Royale modes

* Aesthetically Pleasing Gameplay Environment: Radiant colors and the mixture of organic elements complements both action and technology

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