Author - Jerry Paxton

Rocksmith 2014 Tracklist

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – October 16, 2013 – Today, Ubisoft® revealed the complete tracklist included in Rocksmith® 2014 Edition™ made of 55 songs ranging from the latest hits to classic rock songs. Ten more tracks are revealed today including “Everlong” by Foo Fighters and “Every Breath You Take” by The Police.

Players already owning the previous version of Rocksmith (released in 2011) will be able to further enjoy their rock experience in Rocksmith 2014 Edition by importing the songs that were included in the first version (an extra cost will apply). Each song from the first version has been revamped to support all of the new features including Automatic Tone Switching, Articulation, Timing and Instant Riff Repeater. Additionally, the DLC bought for Rocksmith will be compatible with Rocksmith 2014 Edition at no extra cost.

Rocksmith 2014 Edition’s complete track list

  •        Aerosmith – Walk This Way
  •        Alice Cooper – No More Mr. Nice Guy
  •       Alice In Chains – Stone
  •       Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine
  •       Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country
  •       Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
  •       Boston – Peace Of Mind
  •       Bush – Machinehead
  •       B’z – ultra soul
  •       Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me (2012)
  •       Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove It)
  •       EarlyRise – Wasteland
  •       Fang Island – Chompers
  •       Foo Fighters – Everlong
  •       Gold Motel – Brand New Kind Of Blue
  •       Green Day – X-Kid
  •       Iron Maiden – The Trooper
  •       Jack White – Sixteen Saltines
  •       JAWS – Stay In
  •       Joe Satriani – Satch Boogie
  •       Kiss – Rock And Roll All Nite
  •       La Sera – Love That’s Gone
  •       Magic Wands – Black Magic
  •       Mastodon – Blood and Thunder
  •       Minus The Bear – Cold Company
  •       Monster Truck – Sweet Mountain River
  •       Muse – Knights Of Cydonia
  •       Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box
  •       Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
  •       Pantera – Cemetery Gates
  •       Paramore – Now
  •       PAWS – Sore Tummy
  •       Queen – We Are The Champions
  •       Radiohead – Paranoid Android
  •       Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
  •       Ratt – Round And Round
  •       Red Fang – Wires
  •       R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
  •       Rise Against – Savior
  •       Rush – The Spirit Of Radio
  •       Screaming Females – Rotten Apple
  •       Slayer – War Ensemble
  •       Splashh – All I Wanna Do
  •       System Of A Down – Hypnotize
  •       Tak Matsumoto – GO FURTHER
  •       The Dear Hunter – Stuck On A Wire Out On A Fence
  •       The Kinks – You Really Got Me
  •       The Police – Every Breath You Take
  •       The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
  •       The Shins – For A Fool
  •       The Smashing Pumpkins – The Chimera
  •       The Who – My Generation
  •       Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Mary Jane’s Last Dance
  •       Weezer – Say It Ain’t So
  •       White Zombie – Thunder Kiss ‘65

Rocksmith 2014 Edition allows players to plug any real guitar or bass with a standard ¼” jack directly into their Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Sony PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, PC or Mac® to begin their musical journey. Rocksmith 2014 Edition will hit shelves on October 22, 2014 in the US.

For the latest information on Rocksmith 2014 Edition, please visit: www.rocksmith.com

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Video Game Announced

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Minneapolis, MN – October 12, 2013 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), and Marvel Entertainment, LLC today revealed The Amazing Spider-Man 2™ video game is planned to launch next spring, alongside the Sony Pictures Entertainment feature film of the same name. Developed by Beenox, the same game studio behind 2012’s original hit The Amazing Spider-Man™this all-new third-person action-adventure video game builds on the story of the previous game with an alternative take on the events of the upcoming movie, while also giving players an enhanced, free-roaming web-slinging experience through a greatly expanded New York City.

“The first The Amazing Spider-Man game gave players their own beautifully animated, free-roaming city of Manhattan to traverse and explore – a playground of majestic scale in which to live out our common hero fantasies,” said Thomas Wilson, Co-Studio Head of Beenox. “And the overwhelming message from fans was: ‘MORE!’ That’s what our team is working toward with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – we’re giving gamers more abilities, more upgrades, more challenges, and more freedom to progress. And with the game launching alongside the new movie, offering an expanded interactive experience beyond the film, fans of the franchise won’t want to miss playing it.”

In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, players once again assume the role of the iconic Super Hero in a unique side-story inspired by the feature film but set in its own continuity. Throughout his journey, Spider-Man will encounter a number of new foes as well as some old friends, as he confronts a new threat to his beloved city. The narrative will give Peter Parker, Spider-Man’s nerdy photojournalist persona, a greater role in the spotlight, as he investigates the complicated motivations and unique personalities behind the menagerie of Marvel menaces threatening Manhattan.

As Spidey, players will be able to free-roam through a greatly-enhanced Manhattan cityscape, one set to offer livelier, more engaging opportunities with which to put his sensational skills to use. Central to the expansive depth and detail being poured intoThe Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game is the new “Hero or Menace” system, which incentivizes Super Hero behavior by rewarding the web-slinger’s crime-fighting efforts, and adds consequences for letting criminality fester. Spider-Man’s personal brand of web-swinging and up-close-and-personal combat will see a variety of new features as well.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game is planned to launch alongside the feature film next spring for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system and Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii U™ system and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system, and Windows PC. The game is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. For more information on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game, please be sure to visit www.TheAmazingSpiderManGame.com and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheAmazingSpiderManGame.

Trailer

Party City and the Hub Network Bring Halloween Factoids

THE HUB NETWORK HALLOWEEN BASH

LOS ANGELES – Each year, North America’s largest Halloween retailer, Party City, analyzes pop culture, the latest fashion crazes and Hollywood blockbusters to determine the year’s biggest costume trends. Together with “Hub Network’s First Annual Halloween Bash,” which will be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 26, 8–10 p.m. on the Hub Network, they are bringing you the top 13 costume and holiday-related facts for a spooktacular Halloween in 2013.

Read on…if you dare…

1.             According to Party City, princesses and flutter fairies are among the top most popular costumes for the 2013 season. Coordinating accessories at Party City and www.partycity.com allows consumers to create a personalized, one-of-a-kind costume look.

2.             Halloween spending in the United States this year is estimated to reach $8 billion, up significantly from 2011’s $6.86 billion.*

3.             Consumers are projected to spend $79.82 per person on Halloween, with an average of $28.65 on costumes. An estimated $1.04 billion will be spent on children’s costumes, and $1.22 billion on adult costumes.*

4.             15.1% of the country will dress up their pets. Top pet costumes include: pumpkin, devil, hot dog, cat and bee.*

5.             When it comes to inspiration for costume ideas, one-third (32.9%) will search for costume ideas online; another third (32.8%) will look for new ideas in a store, and one-fifth (20.8%) will seek advice from friends or family. Additionally, 14.1% will check Facebook for inspiration and 3.8% will review blogs.*

6.             The most popular (human) costumes in 2012 included: witch, vampire, pirate, Batman character and zombie.*

7.             In 2011, there were just under 2,000 costume rental and formal wear establishments sellingHalloween costumes. Party City has more than 800 stores across the country. (via U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 County Business Patterns)

8.             An estimated 51.4% of Americans will decorate their home or yard this year, and 45% will wear a costume.*

9.             More than 47,800 acres of pumpkins were harvested in the United States last year, with a total estimate production value of $148.9 million. (via U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service)

10.          The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2012 (ages 5 to 14) across the US, was 41.1 million. (via U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Population Estimates)

11.          A few of the places across the nation that may put you in a Halloween mood, are: Tombstone, Arizona; Sleepy Hollow, IL; Kill Devil Hill, NC; Casper, WY and Scarville, IA.

12.          Americans will buy more than 600 million pounds of candy this year, adding up to $2.4 billion spent on sweets in the weeks leading up to Oct. 31. The most popular candy is Snickers. (via National Confectioners Association)

13.          The word Halloween is an abbreviated version of the phrases All Hallows’ Eve and All Hallows’ Evening. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

*via National Retail Federation

Hosted by Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), the “Hub Network’s First Annual Halloween Bash,” will feature the first-ever nationwide Halloween costume competition. Fifty semi-finalists representing each state in America will win a trip to Los Angeles to be a part of the televised costume competition to be judged by Halloween-expert Martha Stewart, actor Hal Sparks (“Spider Man 2”), and actress, singer and dancer Coco Jones (“Holla at the DJ”). One lucky winner will take home $25,000 and will have a chance at a walk-on role on the Hub Network’s Daytime Emmy® Award-winning series, “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: The Series.” The star-studded, two-hour special also includes a performance by pop-star Cody Simpson and teen-girl pop-group Fifth Harmony. Presenters include Bailee Madison (“Trophy Wife”), Rico Rodriguez (“Modern Family”), Nolan Gould (“Modern Family”), Zachary Gordon (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid”), Keean Johnson (“Spooksville”) and Todd Newton (“Family Game Night”), among others.

The “Hub Network’s First Annual Halloween Bash” will take place at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. Bob Bain serves as executive producer and Paul Flattery is producer for Bob Bain Productions. Viewers can visit hubworld.com/halloween to view all of the Halloween-costume submissions and learn more about the special.

Sponsors of the “Hub Network’s First Annual Halloween Bash” include Party City, Activision’s Skylanders SWAP Force, Hasbro’s Furby Boom!, and Sparkle® Paper Towels.

Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations Review (PC)

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Some of you older PC gamers might remember a naval strategy title called Larry Bond’s Harpoon. The Harpoon franchise began back in 1980 with a tabletop wargame and then transitioned over to a PC game. The series has been tossed around over the years to various developers and publishers – with the final nail in its proverbial coffin being the cancellation of Harpoon 4 back in 2007. Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations from Matrix Games and Warfare Sims is a new warfare simulation much in the same vein as Harpoon.

The game can be best described as a real-time strategy title with pausing and time scaling. However, simply calling it a strategy game is downplaying the micro-management heaven to be found within. Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations comes already with a number of scenarios for players to engage in as well as a full-featured editor with which to create their own. Players of Harpoon will have a leg up over most new players, but new players should not let the learning curve discourage them.

While the wargame simulation aspect of Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is fantastic and you can get lost for days in playing it, the game needs to work a bit more on its presentation. One of the most visually-pleasing parts of the Harpoon PC series was seeing missiles and other projectiles narrowly miss or hit ships in a cheesy little graphic. Also, cruising through Harpoon’s database viewer always yielded either a photo or cool graphic of the platform being inspected. In a game where graphics is not the priority – these little splashes of visual panache were incredibly enjoyable. Command does not feature these little touches – instead, always minimizing its visual flair. My hope is that Command gets a little of this minor eye candy in future updates.

*Update (10/13/13): As it turns out, you can add some (not all) database images to the game with an additional download located at the game’s official website. The update is optional and weighs in at 151MB. Hopefully, they add more images to get all of the platforms fleshed-out as a great deal still have no associated image.

The game unfolds in real, or accelerated time and players also have the option of pausing the game to issue orders. Unlike Harpoon, launching aircraft is not very quick as aircraft have to undergo a stepped take off process. Rolling from their hangars to runways or hooks, setting up, then launching. The realism of seeing your aircraft go through these steps is nice but, unfortunately, there is no way to cancel a take off order in mid-sequence.

Now, there is a learning curve to Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations, but it really isn’t as bad as one would think. Setting up orders is fairly straight forward – a combination of menu clicks. Its simple visuals lend more credence to its wargame/simulation-ness and that alone could be too daunting for daring gamers playing with the idea of picking the game up. Don’t let that stop you – if you are interested in war games, I think you will be pleasantly surprised just how quickly you pick up the various options and commands.

Overall, Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is an excellent warfare simulation and more than a worthy, spiritual successor to the Harpoon franchise. It features an incredibly-detailed game engine in which to wage war and a huge database of platforms, ordinance, and more with which to do it. Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations retails for $80 dollars for a downloadable edition and $95 dollars for the boxed version over at the Matrix Games official website.

[easyreview title=”Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]
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Screenshots

Official Game Trailer

Converse Star Chevron Collection On Your Mark Sunglasses Review (Misc)

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Every so often, I get offered the chance to review a product that we at the site usually don’t evaluate. In this case, it was a pair of the Converse Star Chevron “On Your Mark” sunglasses. While not the most fashionable of gamers, I always enjoy keeping the sun out of my eyes – whether I am prepping for an airsoft game out in the desert or just hanging out on the patio of a local coffee shop, reading a book on my Kindle. So, I was excited to check these new sunglasses out.

The Converse Star Chevron “On Your Mark” sunglasses feature a textured frame, 100% UV protective lenses, and cool carrying pouch. I used these sunglasses out at the previously-mentioned coffee shop as well as around town in my general, day-to-day travels. I was even wearing them during the daytime, prior to the start of the LA Haunted Hayride which I recently reviewed as part of our Halloween column. My biggest complaint about these sunglasses is that I am not a big fan of the gritty texturing on the frame. It reminds me a lot of sand paper or grip tape on a skateboard and just didn’t “feel” right on a pair of shades.  This is more of a preference issue as my sister who tried them on really dug the frame surface. I suggest you try them on prior to buying just to see where you fall on the subject. Also, pragmatically-speaking, the textured frame does provide excellent grip so they don’t slip out of your hand. The frame of these sunglasses is very strong and the lenses do have some excellent UV protection – both important features for a pair of sunglasses to have.

Despite this, the sunglasses performed their monumental job of protecting my eyes from the Sun’s harmful rays and were also effective at keeping glare down so I was safer on the roadways. The Converse Star Chevron “On Your Mark” sunglasses retail for about $70 dollars. You can find them at online sunglasses e-tailers as well as brick and mortar stores.

[easyreview title=”Converse Star Chevron Collection On Your Mark Sunglasses Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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Los Angeles Haunted Hayride 2013 Review

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After attending the LA Haunted Hayride’s “black” carpet VIP event, we got the chance to attend the attractions as a guest would. Last year, the LA Haunted Hayride was our favorite event of the season for its refreshing take on bringing what seems, at first glance, a traditional Midwest Halloween carnival/hayride to the hyper-modern world of big-budget Southern California haunted attractions. Somehow, the event manages to pair this Halloween carnival atmosphere with great special makeup effects, excellent monster talent, and technically-impressive practical effects and gimmicks.

The hayride itself took about 25 minutes in total once we were seated and departed through the large, ominous stone archway. Along the voyage of our slow-moving tractor and hay cart were several scenes of gruesomeness and fright. I have to give special attention to the “burn costumes” of some of the monsters haunting the hayride. The costumes utilize an ingenious lighting gimmick that I FULLY expect other haunts to try and duplicate during the 2014 haunt season – good job, gang! The only point of contention I had with the hayride was a slight bit of scene/set re-use from last year’s incarnation. While I think recycling is great when it comes to ecology, I was hoping to be treated to an entirely fresh, new assortment of scare-scenes. Despite this very minor issue, I found the experience to be thrilling and applaud the energy levels of the talent working it. We rode several times during the night and got the same experience at the start of the evening as well as the end.

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Over the course of the evening, we spent a lot of time just milling about “The Purgatory” side show area. This concourse features several interesting attractions, from Jack’s Carving Shack where, for a small up-charge, you can get professional coaching and the chance to carve a pumpkin, to the “Scary-go-Round” and a cool house of mirrors. Additionally, the stage area was home to a duo of paranormal investigators talking about their various, frightening experiences throughout their adventures. This is really cool as the event didn’t try to put on a show of their own or bother with scripts, jokes, or gags. Instead, they just let these two guys talk about their experiences. The raw, realistic re-telling of these stories helped to sell the uniqueness of the LA Haunted Hayride.

Another area where the LA Haunted Hayride excels is its stable of characters, monsters, etc that roam the grounds. ALL of the ones that I witnessed stayed in character for what seemed to be the entire evening. I never once saw any of them alter from their in-character personas. It was refreshing to see and I applaud them for their efforts. Even better is that, while there don’t seem to be many monsters roaming the grounds, the ones that were are memorable and iconic. There is a bloodied and creepy-as-hell “ice scream” man with a whip smart wit, a large zombie clown that towered over everything, an insectoid monster, and even a medical experiment gone-awry featuring some truly disturbing and gruesome wounds. One character that I don’t think I will forget anytime soon was a small in-stature Witch who seemed to float about the grounds with a graceful, hunched gait and a characterization/expression that was a cross between absolutely endearing and wholly sinister – a very effective and hard to achieve combination.

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The LA Haunted Hayride’s walk-through maze, “The In Between”, was back again this year, sending guests into the darkness armed with only a low-voltage lantern. The maze had plenty of dead ends and twists-and-turns to keep us guessing and it is nice to have to work a bit to find your way through it. It should be known that those of you who are claustrophobic may need to use one of the maze’s emergency exits as the walkways get can pretty narrow. Along with the strobe and fog effects, it reminded me a lot of going through “The Further” mentioned in the Insidious films.

Obviously, it wouldn’t be a Midwestern Halloween carnival without great food and the LA Haunted Hayride accomplishes this feat in spades. The horror-themed grub was delightful and I highly recommend hitting the snack cart up early as the hot chocolate and apple cider sold out within a couple hours of the evening! My favorite eats on the menu were “Carrie’s Caramel Apple Donut Holes” and the “Candyman Apples”. I was not a huge fan of the “Psycho Sloppy Joe” sandwich, but I am happy to report that is the only dish I can say that about. You will not be disappointed in waiting to eat until you get to the event.

Another cool attraction within the event is the “Death Row” photo opportunities tent, which features a plethora of well-designed sets for attendees to take photos in. Many haunted attractions in Southern California charge for photo ops like these – the LA Haunted Hayride has just put them out for guests to enjoy at no extra cost. Normally, this wouldn’t be worth mentioning but the quality of the sets within the Death Row tent are excellent!

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Overall, I am happy to award the LA Haunted Hayride a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Thus far, it was the most near-perfect Halloween event I have been to this season. If I didn’t have to trek from Orange County up to LA County, I would be coming back a lot more in the next few weeks. For ticket information and more, checkout the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride’s official website.

[easyreview title=”2013 Los Angeles Haunted Hayride Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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LA Haunted Hayride Photo Gallery

LA Haunted Hayride 2013 Black Carpet Event

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On October 10, 2013 we were able to cover the VIP “Black Carpet” event at the LA Haunted Hayride. Among the celebrities to grace the step & repeat were Kristen Ritter, Bridget Marquardt, and more. Check out the full photo gallery below. Also, stay-tuned for our official review of this year’s Los Angeles Haunted Hayride very soon!

Black Carpet Event Photo Gallery

The Next Great Starship Competition Announced for Star Citizen

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AUSTIN, TEXAS, October 11, 2013 — Legendary computer game designer Chris Roberts and his company, Cloud Imperium™ Games (CIG), have announced yet another way for fans of Star Citizen™ to be involved directly in the development of the highly anticipated space sim. The Next Great Starship™ is a modding competition for teams to design, model and rig a spaceship that will be integrated into Star Citizen. Teams of up to three people are eligible to enter the competition which carries a grand prize of $30,000. Sponsors for the competition include Alienware, AMD, Autodesk, Crytek, Cologne Game Lab, Wacom and YouTube. The contest was officially unveiled last night at the one year anniversary celebration for Star Citizen in Austin.

Teams can register for The Next Great Starship October 31 through December 31. A preliminary challenge involves the making of a fully designed wave particle cannon, submitted via a YouTube video to a nine member judging panel including Chris Roberts and other members of the CIG design and art team, Crytek and even some to-be-named celebrity judges. Those initial entries will be narrowed down to a final 16 and one of the 16 will be voted on by Star Citizen backers. Then those 16 teams will embark on making their Starship entries. Beginning January 31, 2014, episodes of The Next Great Starship will air once a week on the Roberts Space Industries™ (RSI)YouTube channel with each team providing a work in progress update to the judging panel. Judges will eliminate teams down to a final two which will compete live in front of the judging panel and the community during the final episode that takes place June 8 in Los Angeles.

“Our fans have been clamoring for a way to get even more involved in the making of Star Citizen and I think we’ve found the ideal solution,” said Chris Roberts. “What better way to become part of the game than to create a spaceship that you and your friends can actually fly and take into battle. The winners of this contest will have to travel through an amazing process to get to the end, but there will be no doubt after navigating the weeks and months of tough competition that these three individuals will deserve the crown as designers of The Next Great Starship.”

Prizes:

  • GRAND PRIZE: $30,000 in cash for the team members. Your Great Starship is included in Star Citizen and each member of your team receives the first production models off the press!  As well as Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite, Maya Premium and one high-end AMD based system with Radeon R9 290X (for each team member)
  • SECOND PLACE: $10,000 in cash for the team members. Alienware laptop, Autodesk Maya 2014, AMD Radeon R9 290X (for each team member)
  • THIRD PLACE: $5,000 in cash for the team members. Autodesk Maya LT, AMD Radeon R9 290X (for each team member)
  • SPECIALTY PRIZE: (to the most valuable player out of the remaining contestants among the final three teams voted on by the judging panel): One Cintiq Companion, the new Windows 8 “Make the World your Studio” tablet from Wacom
  • FINALIST TEAMS 4 THROUGH 16: $250 in RSI Credits (non-transferable/non-refundable)

For more information about The Next Great Starship and to enter the competition (beginning October 31) please go to www.RobertsSpaceIndustries.com.

Star Citizen is a crowd funded game that officially launched on October 10 of 2012. Since that time Roberts’ company has raised more than $21 million from backers all over the world making Star Citizen the top ranking crowd funded project ever.

Competition Video