Busy Gamer News

Hackers, no doubt taking advantage of the extended holiday, broke into Hexic HD for the Xbox 360 - altering the code and using it to unlock achievements without playing. Speculation is that this security hole might lead to further exploits, so it's not a huge surprise that Microsoft shutdown online leaderboards for all games on New Year's Day. Some stats were reset at least temporarily, and gamers reported some general online wackiness. Offline play was unaffected. Microsoft says it has resolved the issue with all games except Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, which should be fixed soon...

So, you want to unlock the lady Spartan (aka Nicole) in Dead or Alive 4? Just play through the story with all characters, including one mystery fighter who is unlocked at the end. After that, there is one more hidden fighter to be found; simply play through time attack with every available character to get him. Announcer voices are unlocked by playing exercise mode, and additional costumes can be found by repeating story mode or, with Spartan-458 and three other story-less fighters, time attack. Just to get all of the costumes, you'll need to complete these modes 44 more times after beating the game. Or you could go online and use Zack dollars earned fighting real people on Xbox Live to unlock them. Just watch out for the secret zero point achievements you'll get if you lose five or more matches in a row. Ouch...

[BONUS: Checklist for DOA4 costume unlockables]

The media likes to paint gamers as an antisocial bunch, but once in awhile a story comes along that shatters this stereotype. First Child's Play, founded in 2003, raised more than a million dollars in games and toys for sick kids who need a little comfort and distraction. Now comes word that videogames really may have healing powers, or at least the ability to help a child visualize a chronic illness and face painful treatments head on. Ben's Game was created by Ben Duskin, an 11-year-old leukemia patient who told the Make-A-Wish Foundation he wanted to play a game that would let him hack and slash cancer cells "with like swords and all that stuff." The game became a reality, thanks largely to Ben's vision and the donated development talents of LucasArts software engineer Eric Johnston, probably best known for his work on Star Wars: Rebel Assault. Available for PC and Mac, Ben's Game is a free download at makeawish.org...

Console news is streaming in from the International Consumer Electronics Show. First, the bombshell: Microsoft will offer HD-DVD support for the Xbox 360 not with a new version of the console as previously rumored, but via an external drive. No word on pricing or how the thing will mount to the 360, but it's due sometime in 2006... Sony's announcements so far have focused on its competing Blu-ray high-def DVD format, due in March, and the PlayStation Portable's support for wireless LocationFree Portable Broadband TVs. These devices, due in September, can stream live programs over the Internet to your PSP. There's also a Connect movie download store launching in March that will offer downloadable feature films, for those who don't like UMD and find ripping DVDs too much trouble. Oh, and Sony said it won't break any PlayStation 3 news at CES, no doubt concerned it would overshadow its other announcements... Not much from Nintendo, except a little nugget about the Visteon Dockable Entertainment System: an in-car DVD/CD player that plays GameBoy Advance games...

[BONUS: Updated Blu-ray/HD-DVD Movie List]

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories did so well on the PSP, it's now being ported to the PS2 for release this spring - and Rockstar is also working on another GTA game (to be named later) for the PSP, too... Xbox 360 sports fans twitching for some boxing action can now download a free demo of EA's Fight Night Round 3 from Xbox Live Marketplace. And if the 360 demo selection leaves you wanting more, someone has figured out how to access demos from other regions, such as Wrestle Kingdom in Japan. Just create a free Xbox Live Silver account and tie it to a Passport for that country; if you get stuck, there's a walkthough at gamersreports.com... And if you're just too cool to play anything but old school, there's a new Sega Genesis title due in a few months. Yes, really. It's actually a localization of a 10-year-old Taiwanese RPG called Xin Qi Gai Wang Zi, or Beggar Prince. You won't be able to pick it up at Wal-Mart, but it is available for preorder at dfg.the-underdogs.org...

Reports that Hexic HD on the Xbox 360 had been hacked were apparently overstated. While it is possible to unlock unearned achievements using an altered kiosk demo, they're not recorded to Xbox Live so they'll never be added to anyone's online gamer score. All you really get for your trouble is the nifty "Achievement Unlocked" animation. Microsoft actually answered this rumor, stating that "the folks above you [in Hexic] earned their way to the top"...

Fans of the original Sony videogame console can relive their glory days with Kevin Bryan's book, PSX: The Guide to the Sony PlayStation. It explores the genesis of the machine and includes a comprehensive listing of games, details on peripherals and plenty of pretty pictures. Download a free reduced-resolution PDF or pay $29 for the more traditional printed format at lulu.com...

Tecmo confirmed a bug in Dead or Alive 4 could cause you to lose many hours of saved progress, including unlocked characters, costumes and even achievements. An online patch is in the works, but in the meantime you should always start the Xbox 360 with the disc ejected. Once your profile is loaded and you're fully logged in, go ahead and start DOA4. Team Ninja made a big deal about delaying this game beyond the 360 launch for quality control, but it looks like they still rushed through testing to meet a 2005 release goal...

Subscribers to Official Xbox Magazine have already begun receiving the February issue, which includes a free beta test version of Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360. You'll need an Xbox Live gold account and a free beta code from www.playonline.com/betaus. Once you have the OXM disc, you'll download the game itself (which takes about an hour) and then some in-game updates (another 45 minutes). Memo to Microsoft: We should get an achievement for just installing this thing. Oh, high def graphics aren't yet implemented, and you'll probably want a USB keyboard to simplify text entry. Hey, nobody said beta testing would be pretty or easy. After the beta, you'll pay $13 per month - although it will be possible to use a free Xbox Live silver membership if that's all you want to play online...

Looking for that perfect Valentine's Day gift, the one that finally propels your sweetie into gaming? Try Bliss, which plays somewhere between a board game and strip poker. You tell the computer what you're both wearing and select your favorite activities, and it does the rest. You can even add your own MP3 music to really set the mood. The game costs $30, though the action editor (for more complex customization) and kinky expansion packs are extra. The good news is you can download a 30-day demo that'll play up to 10 games - though it does have those mood-killing nag screens. Get it on at gamesforloving.com...

OK, admit it. You've always secretly yearned to be a deer: roaming the forest, rubbing up against trees, sniffing stuff, hopping and doing other deer-type things. Well, you're in luck. The Endless Forest is a free online multiplayer game that lets you create a human-faced stag and frolick with other creepy, anthropomorphized deer. Available for download at tale-of-tales.com, this wildlife simulator is actually a non-commercial art project, hence the lack of goals - although there is apparently a subplot wherein you convert pagan souls that collect around a crumbing ruin. But you get no points for it, and the game's creators even discourage it...

If you're wondering what's next for Xbox Live Arcade, there are some new games in the pipeline. Garage Games' Marble Blast Ultra is a multiplayer marble racer, complete with powerups. The classic '80s shooter Crystal Quest is being updated with new graphics and enhanced sound. RoboBlitz is an odd mix of weapons, action and puzzles. Finally, HoopWorld is a three-on-three multiplayer trickshot competition dubbed "basketbrawl." No dates yet for any of these, though they're expected by spring. If you need a new arcade fix now, Microsoft has add-on scemarios for its sole strategy title, Outpost Kaloki X. Bounty Hunter is free, but you'll pay $2.50 for the 5-part Love Story...

The new trend for 360 games may be game bundles with faceplates. EBGames.com is offering a Full Auto faceplate to anyone who preorders the title, due in mid-February. And this week, Best Buy advertised a limited edition Call of Duty 2 faceplate, though only a handful were promised for each store. Predictably, they're already going for $10-15 on eBay, with some sellers asking $40-60. Now, where are the Dead or Alive 4 and Project Gotham Racing 3 faceplates? People would pay cash for those. Then again, almost anything is better than paying $20 for wood grain...

Can't wait for the next Kevin Smith flick? Try Disaffected!, Ian Bogost's take on bored Kinko's clerks available at persuasivegames.com. Free for PC and Mac, this 2006 Slamdance competition finalist promises fast action as the player struggles to fill customer orders while navigating around confused, incompetent and apathetic coworkers. Bogost calls it an "anti-advergame" meant as a backlash against in-game product placement. He also clearly labels it a parody, no doubt a sly attempt to dodge legal action...

Test your old-school arcade game IQ with a sound effects quiz from PBS.org. If you really want a challenge, click the yellow Play Sound button while ignoring the white text, which gives a not-so-subtle hint. And if you're really a fan of sound in games, Namco is now offering cell phone ringtones with effects and music from its classic and new titles, including Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Tekken and Katamari Damacy. They'll set you back $2 each, less if you buy in bulk - but only selected phones from Alltel, Verizon and Western Wireless are supported at this writing. Take a listen at arcade-corner.com...

A forthcoming Xbox 360 dashboard update is rumored to fix headset problems, game freezes across multiple titles and achievements that don't unlock while adding support for the forthcoming webcam accessory and unspecified new dashboard features. This Xbox Live downloadable fixfest is expected "soon." Microsoft may not be officially discussing its patch plans, but it is crowing about its top 10 Xbox Live Arcade sellers:

1. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
   
2. Gauntlet
   
3. Smash TV
   
4. Bejeweled 2
   
5. Zuma
   
6. Bankshot Billiards
   
7. Outpost Kaloki X
   
8. Mutant Storm Reloaded
   
9. Joust
   
10. Wik: Fable of Souls

Sam Fisher is looking a bit like 24's Jack Bauer in Splinter Cell: Double Agent. First, he loses his family. Then, he gets nabbed during a bank robbery so he can infiltrate a criminal organization while doing fake time in the pen. The game builds on the choose-your-own adventure style of past installments: Depending on the choices you make, you'll reach several possible endings. The Xbox 360 version is being developed separately from prior-gen versions to ensure it takes full advantage of the new hardware. And multiplayer fans will enjoy expanded 3-on-3 spies vs. mercs and all new Spy vs. Spy action, plus a Challenge mode that offers cooperative team training...

Alienware, maker of popular high-end gaming PCs, is getting into the digital distribution business with popular games, Prima strategy guides and even Play magazine's Girls of Gaming PDFs for purchase and download. Its launch line-up includes 25 to Life, Brothers In Arms: Road to Hill 30, City of Heroes, Civilization 4, EverQuest II, Evil Genius, F.E.A.R., King Kong, Singles 2 and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Games can be downloaded multiple times and backed up locally since Alienware does a server check each time you launch your game to ensure you only play the number of copies you purchased...

Devotees of the Silent Hill survival horror series can have a small influence over the film adaptation starring Radha Mitchell and Sean Bean by voting for the best fan-created movie poster at sonypictures.com. Early buzz is that the Christophe Gans film, penned by Pulp Fiction's Roger Avary and due in theaters on April 21, might be one of the few movie versions of a videogame that doesn't totally suck...

The first of the next wave of Xbox Live Arcade games is out: the $10 Marble Blast Ultra. (If you're in a downloading mood, you can also get a free demo of Full Auto and a movie trailer for Annapolis.) More games, due in coming weeks, include Astropop, Crystal Quest, Feeding Frenzy, Jewel Quest, Street Fighter II and a freebie, Texas Hold 'Em Poker. The multiplayer card game represents an interesting experiment by Microsoft: It's free because it's sponsored by an online casino...

After weeks of rumors, Nintendo revealed the DS Lite: a thinner, sleeker and, naturally, more lightweight version of its dual-screened handheld reconceived in iPod white. Due in March in Japan and in the U.S. eventually, it also boasts brighter, adjustable screens... Meanwhile, if you're playing Animal Crossing: Wild World over Wi-Fi, be wary of letters bearing tulips and passing out your personal information to strangers. The tulips may arrive after you visit someone via the Internet - just avoid dropping them inside your house, or you won't be able to reclaim the space they inhabit. The bigger concern is that hackers who know your friends code can lock you out of your own village. If this happens, Action Replay can fix it, or you can simply restart...

24 for the PS2 diverges from its TV counterpart, sacrificing the popular show's real-time premise to the gods of game balancing. But the developers at Sony's Cambridge studio (known for Primal and Ghosthunter) hope to make up for this with the typical reversals, bluffs and overlapping storylines you've come to expect from the series. Since the game took two years to make, it's set right after Season 2 and fills in some missing details, such as how Kim and Chase landed at CTU. It features the show's original talent - including Kiefer Sutherland, who apparently refused to deliver some dialogue until it was rewritten to his high standards for Jack Bauer. Expect it in early March, as Season 5 nears the halfway point...

The rumored Xbox 360 dashboard update is now available, though Microsoft is mum on most of its features and fixes. One observable benefit is that the blades flip faster. Also, error messages offer more detail and saved games can now be preserved if you delete the profile they're tied to. But the true reason for this speedy release seems to be hack prevention: a demo disc used to break into the system no longer works. There are also some unlisted bug fixes: Players report that Project Gotham Racing 3 has stopped freezing up, but Call of Duty 2 bugs remain (a separate update is apparently on the way) and no one is certain whether the Dead of Alive 4 save-zapping bug was corrected. Also, there is no webcam support nor background download for Marketplace files...