Video Gaming Blog

Microsoft’s Project Natal has been the subject of much speculation since its first announcement at E3 2009. The technology is being developed with hopes that it will eliminate the need for a controller in future generations of consoles. Bits and pieces of information being released occasionally reveal that, in addition to removing controllers from games completely, Project Natal is also working to blur the line between the games and real life.
With the eventual release of Project Natal the Xbox itself will take a completely new turn as well, adding features such as “Image Importing,” where you can scan an object onto the Xbox for use in certain applications and games. Facial and voice recognition create a more personal link between you and your system, revolutionizing the way we look at our Xbox Live accounts.

Outside the gaming spectrum, the new Xbox 360 is shown with other perks that are sure to please anyone. Among these features is a communication channel, complete with voice and video. Many smaller software is included that will turn your Xbox from a gaming console into an advanced networking hub.

This is all made possible with the Project Natal sensor bar, a piece of hardware that includes an RGB camera and depth sensor for motion capturing and a multi-array microphone for voice recognition. The technology is powerful enough to track four people simultaneously, keeping the multiplayer experience at its best.

The hardware, according to Microsoft, will be compatible with all preexisting Xboxes, so there is no cause for worry about having to buy an entire new console. Microsoft VP Shane Kim asserted that Microsoft believes that Project Natal will extend the Xbox 360’s lifespan well past its Sony and Nintendo counterparts, expecting the next full console release in 2015, if not later. Hopefully Microsoft’s expectations are met and Project Natal will be more than enough in lieu of a brand new system.

Project Natal is believed to be released sometime in late 2010. However, Microsoft has given no official release date for the new hardware.
For more information, visit Xbox’s official Project Natal page: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/,
or Project Natal’s Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/xboxprojectnatal.

Eric Hudson

Following is a list of the Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of 2008
This list is compiled through purchasing popularity and consumer feedback at HCG

1. Gears of War 2
   Gears of War 2 is the eagerly anticipated sequel to the 4.5 million selling blockbuster third-person tactical action game that became one of the most popular Xbox 360 games in history. Gears of War 2 continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad, locked in an increasingly desperate battle against the nightmarish Locust Horde for the survival of humanity. It is an epic saga of survival, loss, and retribution. Gears of War 2 raises the bar with the amazing technological advances of Unreal Engine 3, delivering a bigger, badder, and more intense experience.

   Party system and skill-based online matchmaking – form a full or partial team with friends and continue together from match to match without the need to reform after each game. A skill-based online matchmaking system groups players of similar skill level together in competitive multiplayer matches

2. Grand Theft Auto IV
   Grand Theft Auto IV is a brand new adventure in the GTA universe following the experiences of Nikolai “Niko” Bellic, a new immigrant from an undisclosed eastern European country whose troubled past and the persuasion of his cousin Roman have brought him to the fictional Liberty City. Unfortunately, Niko’s search for the American Dream and a much needed fresh start, hits an immediate snag when the rags to riches story Roman spun to pique Niko’s interest is exposed as not only a complete fabrication, but a ploy to enlist Niko’s well-known skills as a tough guy against the ample list of enemies clamoring for Roman’s debt-ridden blood.
3. Fable 2
   Fable 2 provides players with a truly immersive experience where a virtually limitless number of choices can be made, all of which have their own consequences, making each game unique. When you start the game, you choose either to play the role of a boy or girl, and depending on your choices, the hero will grow up to be tall or short, good or evil. Players can get married and have children; female player characters will become pregnant, which will then be reflected by their physical appearance
4. BioShock
   BioShock is the “genetically enhanced” first person shooter that lets you do things never before possible in the genre: turn everything into a weapon, biologically mod your body with plasmids, hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques in an incredible and unique underwater city. You are a cast-away in Rapture, an underwater Utopia torn apart by civil war. Caught between powerful forces, and hunted down by genetically modified ?splicers” and deadly security systems, you have to come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way. BioShock is loaded with some of greatest, most modifiable weapons to ever blast their way into a shooter. But guns alone won’t be enough to defeat the devious AIs of Rapture. There are literally hundreds of other strategies players can use to take out his enemies. Here’s just a few things you can do a foe: Brainwash Him to Become Your Personal BodyGuard Invent your own Ammo Types to Prey on his Vulnerabilities Turn his own Security System Against Him Light Him on Fire and Launch Heat Seeking Missiles At him Torment Him with Plagues of Insects Take Research Photos of Him to Learn his Weaknesses Send Him Flying into the Ceiling to Knock him Senseless
5. Halo 3
   Halo 3 is the third game in the Halo Trilogy and the thrilling conclusion to the events begun in Halo: Combat Evolved. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax. The Covenant occupation of Earth has uncovered a massive and ancient object beneath the African sands – an object whose secrets have yet to be revealed. Earth’s forces are battered and beaten. The Master Chief’s AI companion Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind – a horrifying Flood intelligence, and a civil war is raging in the heart of the Covenant. It’s all been building to this — a desperate, final war that leads to a soul-shattering climax of epic proportions. Take control of Master Chief to defeat the Covenant and destroy the Flood to prevent the annihilation of the human race
6. Mass Effect
   Set 200 years in the future in an epic universe, Mass Effect places gamers in a vast galactic community in danger of being conquered by a legendary agent gone rogue. A spectacular new vision from legendary developers BioWare, Mass Effect challenges players to lead a squad of freedom fighters as they struggle against threatening armies to restore peace in the land. Mass Effect is the first in a trilogy of games with an overarching story, where the real conflict between organic beings and artificial intelligence comes to life in startling clarity. Intense, in-depth story where the fate of life as you know it depends on you Features six character classes, along with six more unlockable ones – each class contains several talents As each talent is leveled, the character either gains stats (extra health, stamina, etc) or unlocks new abilities. Players can fully customize their appearance, gender, abilities and even military background. Four classes of conventional weapons ESRB Rated M for Mature
7. Tales of Vesperia
   A new generation of tales unfolds! A power struggle begins in a civilization dependent on an ancient technology, the blastia, and the Empire that controls it. The fates of two friends traveling separate paths intertwine in an epic adventure that threatens the existence of all. Tales of Vesperia marks the first Tales RPG release in HD with detail and graphics never before seen in the series. Now, real-time battles are more exciting than ever with over limits, the ability to unleash fatal strikes, combinations and burst artes. The next evolution of the revered role-playing series comes to the Xbox 360
8. Ninja Gaiden II
   Ninja Gaiden II makes its long-awaited debut on Xbox 360 as the blockbuster action-packed sequel to Ninja Gaiden. Ninja Gaiden II features a new and improved game engine, developed from the ground up exclusively for Microsoft and Xbox 360 by Team Ninja and legendary game developer Tomonobu Itagaki, creator of the famed Dead or Alive franchise.

   Guide Ryu Hayabusa on a mission to avenge his clan and prevent the destruction of the human race. Armed with an assortment of ninja weaponry, help Ryu to skillfully maneuver through a world fraught with peril and danger. Ninja Gaiden II features an all-new gameplay engine, new auto-health regeneration system, levels, adventures, enemies, and thrilling combat with an extensive assortment of ninja weaponry, representing a true evolution of the highly popular franchise

9. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
   Take on the world as both a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S. Soldier. Travel across the globe, relying on your wits and weapons to launch all-out assaults and accomplish stealth missions. It’s the most up-to-date collection of firepower, machinery and military vehicles in the Call of Duty series. Prepare to experience the sophisticated technology and unbelievable graphics of an incredibly realistic warfare experience.

   Experience tomorrow’s war today in an immersive series of land and air strikes. Get the job done using 70 new advanced weapons. Make it to the next skirmish via choppers, jets and gunships. Conceal yourself and lie in wait with night-vision goggles and ghillie suits, then bust through enemy strongholds in a display of powerful weaponry

10. Dead Space
    Set in the far future, Earth’s appetite for natural resources has become a major motivator for deep space exploration. Immense, privately-owned and operated mining ships called “planetcrackers” orbit planets and use sophisticated equipment to carve out entire city-sized chunks of rock, reducing them to component elements and raw ore. When communications go dead on-board the USG Ishimura, a famous planetcracker — systems engineer Isaac Clarke — is sent in to fix the problem. Once on-board the vessel, Isaac discovers that the crew has unearthed an ancient and malevolent alien presence far beneath the planet’s surface and brought it on-board. Weaponless, alone and terrified, this lone engineer is burdened with much more than simple survival — he must seal the alien horror back into the dark rock

You can find all of the Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of 2008 at HomeComputerGames.com at discounted prices. Take an extra savings of up to 90% by purchasing Used Xbox 360 Games from HCG.

Ken