PixlBit

Does Treyarch’s new look offer a breath of fresh air to the franchise or just a flashy paint job?

Earlier this month Treyarch released the surprising official reveal trailer of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Fans and Critics alike commended Treyarch’s futuristic vision. No longer pitted in the cliché recesses of historic conflicts, Black Ops 2 looks to share its vision of the future, and it’s one loaded with lethal robots! However, while the change of scenery certainly is refreshing, I can’t help but wonder – Is it really that different?

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Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Why so serious? That’s what the Joker would ask us if he’s listened to our last few podcasts. So this week we decided to take a step back, get off our pedestals and just talk about games. We take a look at some recent titles such as Diablo III, and some older ones as well. Esteban also talks about how he finally gave in and played League of Legends (and you should too!). In addition we take a quick look at what’s in store for gamers in the future discussing; the Elder Scrolls MMO announcement, God of War’s heresy with adding multiplayer, and the strange amalgamation of PlayStation characters known only as PS All Stars.

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Is DLC a benevolent force in the game industry or its biggest obstacle?

Downloadable Content has been a mixed bag for the games industry. There are instances where it’s implemented beautifully into the game, helping to expand our favorite experiences, while at other times the games themselves have been compromised to make way for DLC. When is DLC a good thing? When is it dangerous to gaming? Find out this week on PixlTalk.

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My love for you is like a truck, Gunzerker!

With Borderlands being the critical and commercial success that it was, I didn’t think we’d see much deviation in Borderlands 2. However, after getting a chance to play the game for myself I can safely say that Borderlands 2 looks to add a lot more than new equipment – though they’re sure to add a staggering amount of that as well.  Focused on character design and strategy, Borderlands 2 offers a stronger dynamic between weapon and class choices. You can still expect the same hectic, loot-filled gameplay that the series has become known for, but the experience is refined this time around. As Jeramy Cooke Gearbox’s Art Director told me, “This is definitely Borderlands 2.0, not 1.5.”

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Digital/non-traditional business generated almost half of retail games earnings last quarter.

Last week I wrote a blog which covered my take on Ben Cousins’ GDC presentation “When the Consoles Die, What Will Come Next?” In his presentation Ben went on to explain how he believes that the console era is near an end and mobile gaming will be the new platform of the future. While I agreed with Ben’s remarks, in my response I stated that some form of digital gaming will act as an intermediate between mobile and console gaming. Well, after taking a look at the some of the statistics from last quarter, it seems that we both may be right.

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