In just one week, DiRT has managed to exceed the expectations of many by selling 500K (500,000) units globally for Codemasters. That’s a lot of dirty racing and it bodes well for the genre to debut with such strong sales. The playable demos for the Xbox 360 and the PC have been downloaded over 500K times worldwide.
“This success with DiRT is a text-book case of our product development, marketing and distribution efforts all working together to ignite consumer interest and drive sales,” said Rod Cousens, CEO, Codemasters. “Nearly half of our first week’s sales are from the U.S. alone, which means momentum behind this series is taking hold in new territories.”
Have you gotten a little dirty with DiRT? If so, how is the game? I know you’re loving the menu interface as Unscripted 360 was the first to praise its shine.
So often in the world we forget to ask the simplest of things to those we consider friends and often to our own families. Doing a podcast show and being in somewhat of a position that makes me openly available to many people, I wanted to take some time to ask those of you who follow the site and listen to the show a question. “Hey, is everything alright?”
In light of many tragedies, I thought to myself how a simple question could help someone and quite possibly prevent something tragic from happening. Doing what I do here at Unscripted 360 and being an Xbox MVP browsing the message boards at Xbox.com, I felt a level of responsibility to the community in which I spend quite a bit of time. I figured a break in “news” wouldn’t hurt to simply check on the communty.
Many of you I call friends and I’m sure there are hundreds more who consider me (because of what I do) to be someone they “know” judging by the dozens of messages and emails I get. Some of us game with each other and interact with each other more often than we realize. So I wanted to challenge everyone to take some time to just ask a friend or family member if everything is alright.
So, I’m asking the community “Hey, is everything alright?”. If you don’t want to respond because there are some things on your mind, then email me or send a voicemail (214) 306-9459 to air it out. Or feel free during Saturday’s live broadcast to address this article and let me know if everything is okay with you. I know sometimes an open ear from a complete stranger helps when you can’t turn to those closer to you. I don’t want to read or hear any tragic news involving someone from the community especially if this simple question could have helped.
I challenge every site owner that visits U360, to take some time and ask your respective communities this same question. And I also challenge you guys and girls to take some time to ask your fellow gamers if everything is okay. Ask your friends, family or that person you see everyday but never speak to. I’m not trying to start a crusade but rather take some responsibility with the position I’m in to check on you guys and gals.
“Hey, is everything alright?”
Whenever the Xbox Live Marketplace opens for business today, fans of Load Inc.’s Mad Tracks will have a treat. (except for the boys and girls in Korea) The Encore Expansion Pack doubles the challenges and extends the fun of Mad Tracks by offering nine (9) additional nail-biting races and six (6) action-packed mini games where players bolt down looped Victorian stairs, barrel across the skyline on rooftops, and speed over rickety wooden ramps in a German castle.
Excited? Ofcourse you are. Want a little hint of what Load Inc. has planned for their next Xbox Live Arcade title?
How much: 350 Microsoft Points.
I know it’s a ways off but I’m a big fan of Bourne and to get a chance to play the character is excellent. Sierra Entertainment is bringing Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy to the Xbox 360. I just hope this game doesn’t suffer the same fate as all movie-to-game adaptations often do.
Screenshots: The Bourne Conspiracy
Being developed by High Moon Studios, one of Sierra’s internal developers, the game combines seminal moments from the best-selling novel and hit film The Bourne Identity with all-new content developed in conjunction with Ludlum Entertainment. Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy makes the highly anticipated jump to PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system in summer 2008.
“This videogame represents an entirely new way to expand on the prolific storytelling of Robert Ludlum” said Jeffrey Weiner, the Executor of the Ludlum Estate and CEO of Ludlum Entertainment. “By allowing the game to explore new story elements, we have allowed this property to take on a life of its own, going beyond the books and movies.” More details about this game can be found in the next issue of OXM as well as this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo E3.
There’s a lot of discussion going on all over the internet about Shadowrun - the newest FPS for the Xbox 360. FASA Studio, known more recently for their work on Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf for the Xbox, has unleashed Shadowrun to what at least one of their developers deems highly unfair reviews. It received an 8.0 here at Unscripted 360, so that has to count for something!
So what’s the deal with Shadowrun and why is there so much disdain aimed at it? If it was good, why are so many reviewers trashing it? For the gamers out there that have no idea what’s going on and why it’s causing such a stir, I delve into some of the reasons as to why it’s such a hot topic.
Hello. My name is Deacon and I am an impulse Marketplace buyer. Yes, I admit to being one of those people who purchases things from the Xbox Live Marketplace on impulse. If I see a nice picture pack, I dish out the points to grab them or I grab a quick bundle if more points are needed. More often than not it’s usually the latter as I’m always usually left with an odd # of points that don’t seem to be enough. Are you an I.M.B.? If so, then you’ll probably agree that something must be done with the current increments of points you’re allowed to purchase.
Current Bundles:
500
1000
2000
5000
Proposed Additions for I.M.B.’s:
20
50
100
200
There are times when I only need or want just enough points to finish a picture pack purchase but instead I have to dish out a quick $6.25 for a 500 Microsoft Points bundle. Will I use the extra points? Eventually, sure. But at that moment I just didn’t need that many or want that many. (sure as heck would’ve rather spent for what I needed)
Being an I.M.B., I know I set myself up for the same situation over and over but perhaps having more bundle choices could save me from this behavior. Ok, maybe not save me from the behavior but maybe it would save me some money in the long run. Why not have an option for 100 Microsoft Points? 50 Microsoft Points? A sale is still being made isn’t it?
I’ve heard a lot of comments about this issue. I’m sure the day will never come that allows users to simply input whatever amount they want, so why not throw a bone and add these choices?
Ok, I know time goes by without a Midweek Marketplace rundown and you all get upset with me. (thanks for the reminder JTR J Bird) Hey things happen, I get sidetracked and before you know it months have gone by. I’m human…what can I say.
Well it’s back and it’s here now for you to scan through some of the hottest items on the Xbox Live Marketplace. For those who don’t know, the Midweek Marketplace is a gathering of a week’s worth (ok sometimes more) of content that hits the Marketplace. I decided to do it this way to make it easier for you guys to search and find what you may have missed to download. I’ll list recent stuff because I’m not going back to search since the last Midweek Marketplace.
Don’t forget to send Midweek Marketplace tips to me if you come across new entries.
Demos
The BIGS - Coming Soon
Overlord
Shadowrun
Tenchu Z
Project Sylpheed
DiRT
Surf’s Up
Vampire Rain
There are several titles that could’ve made it as this week’s Play of the Week but I chose The Darkness. This might be a wise choice considering the hundreds of searches going on for the differences between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. I almost went with Overlord especially considering that I’ve learned there is some form of camera control but I stuck with old Jackie Estacado to deliver some fun for us all this week.
Look for me online if you’re not afraid to step into the dark with me. I just hope the multiplayer experience isn’t the afterthought that I’ve heard ramblings of. But then, I’m a single campaign kind of guy so it wouldn’t bother me much.
I don’t know a thing about this board game. I suppose it doesn’t matter as I knew nothing about Catan either. Now that you know I know nothing about Carcassonne, I’ll continue on with pointing out that you’ll be playing it soon.
Named after the medieval fortified town of Carcassonne in southern France, famed for its city walls, “Carcassonne” starts with an empty landscape and a single square tile. Using strategic tactics and a little luck, one to four players take turns selecting from 72 tiles displaying various features of a city including roads, the walls of a castle or fields. The medieval countryside thrives as players and their opponents place tiles and complete towns, roads, and farms while competing to accumulate the most points.
When: Wednesday, June 27 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific)
How much: 800 Microsoft Points
Developer: FASA Studio
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Rating Guide: How I Review Games
Review:
Here it is. You’ve read the majority of the reviews and heard the majority of the opinions about Shadowrun, its price and its lack of a true single, offline campaign. But it’s time you read what’s really going on. This is the only Shadowrun review that you need to pay attention to!
FASA Studio had a huge burden when creating this title. Shadowrun was to be one of the first games set to tear down the walls between PC and console play as both Xbox 360 owners and PC owners would be able to battle each other in Shadowrun. That wasn’t the only obstacle FASA faced. Shadowrun has forever been a role playing experience yet they were tasked with creating that universe in a first person shooter mold.
I point out all of this to help you understand some of the factors that may have gone into Shadowrun’s lack of single campaign and its focus on multiplayer. (no I won’t mention Multiplayphobia) Being a single campaign guy, I was very frustrated knowing that my enjoyment with this game would be left to multiplayer only. But then the time came to play the game. Let’s begin.
