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Nintendo Interested In A 3D Remake Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

In a recent interview, longtime Zeda producer Eiji Aonuma brought up the possibility that Nintendo might release more 3D updates of classic Zelda titles to follow-up its Ocarina of Time remake for 3DS. One possible title was brought up: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Speaking with Gamesradar, Aonuma said, "Mr. Miyamoto himself has been talking recently about going back to the 2D Zelda games," he said, "in particular the ones that were designed with multiple levels to the world like A Link to the Past, and taking those 2D graphics and recreating them in 3D so that you could get a sense for the depth of those worlds. That's something that might be interesting to do, so I would say there might be a possibility of something like that in the future."

While this shouldn't be interpreted as an official confirmation of the project, it's an intriguing possibility. What Zelda game would you like to see remade in 3D?

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Harry Partridge Sings A Song Of Skyrim

Animator Harry Partridge is known for creating some very funny Youtube videos based on nerd culture icons, most notably his "Saturday Morning Watchmen" parody. As a big fan of Bethesda's Skyrim, he's now used his talents to create a new video entitled "Sony of Skyrim."

It's extremely well done, as is his earlier Skyrim-inspired video, which we've posted below as well.

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DC Universe Online Gains 1 Million Users As Free-To-Play Game

Sony Online's DC Universe garnered generally strong reviews, but failed to achieve success as a subscription-driven massively multiplayer game. To jumpstart  the game's player base, Sony made a decision to change DCUO to a free-to-play business model. So far, it looks like the move is a success.

Today, Sony Online revealed that one million new players have signed up to play since the game went free-to-play.

"DC Universe Online's transition to free-to-play has been welcomed by the community and gamers with heroic enthusiasm. In just one week alone, 1 million new players have joined DCUO with a 50/50 split between PC and PS3."
Have you tried DC Universe Online since it went free-to-play? What do you think of the game so far

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Game Informer Show 88: Skyrim, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

The headline speaks for itself. Two of the biggest, most anticipated games in history have arrived, and we're here to talk about them.
The first segment features reviewer Andy Reiner, Joe Juba, Matt Miller, and Phil Kollar telling host Matt Helgeson just how epic and amazing The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim is. Oddly, the segment later devolves into a debate about the "correct" and/or "cheating" way to fight a dragon. Things get quite tense.
Despite the warlike game that inspired it, the second segment is more placid, with Reiner and Matt Bertz discussing Infinity Ward's ultra-blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. From what we understand, the game might have sold a couple dozen copies this week.

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Reiner And Phil Play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

As hardcore Bethesda fans, Reiner and I have been eager to check out the developer's latest epic, open-world fantasy ever since it appeared on our cover at the start of the year. Skyrim is finally here, and we've been whittling away hours in its massive landscape. Join us for a brief tour.
In this 35 minutes of Skyrim, we drop in on an unsuspecting family of bears, show of one of the game's most intriguing secret areas, and, yes, go toe-to-toe with a dragon.
SPOILER WARNING: This video was recorded at end-game and does contain some areas, creatures, and abilities that some viewers may consider spoilers. We don't reveal any major storyline stuff, but watch at your own risk.

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Saints Row Penetrator Altered In Japan

Saints Row: The Third's release in Japan got a little less amusing.
A THQ representative told Game Informer that, due to stricter guidelines, the publisher had to remove the veins and physics from the in-game Penetrator weapon for its release in Japan. The Penetrator is a melee weapon comprised of a three-foot long purple phallus attached to the handle of a baseball bat.
Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain any images of the changes made to the Japan version.
Saints Row: The Third releases on November 15 in North America and Europe and November 17 in Japan.

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Steam Database Hacked, Valve Investigating Possible Theft

Valve said today its Steam database was hacked last weekend and that personal information, including names, e-mails, and encrypted credit card information may have been compromised.

A message from Valve president Gabe Newell says the company learned of the intrusion on Sunday and originally believed only its forums were breached. Valve eventually learned intruders accessed the database in addition to the forums.

The company said that while it has not seen any misuse of credit card information, members should monitor their credit activity closely.
Below is the full letter from Gabe Newell:
Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users,

Our Steam forums were defaced on the evening of Sunday, November 6. We began investigating and found that the intrusion goes beyond the Steam forums.

We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. We do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked. We are still investigating.

We don't have evidence of credit card misuse at this time. Nonetheless you should watch your credit card activity and statements closely.

While we only know of a few forum accounts that have been compromised, all forum users will be required to change their passwords the next time they login. If you have used your Steam forum password on other accounts you should change those passwords as well.

We do not know of any compromised Steam accounts, so we are not planning to force a change of Steam account passwords (which are separate from forum passwords). However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change that as well, especially if it is the same as your Steam forum account password.

We will reopen the forums as soon as we can.

I am truly sorry this happened, and I apologize for the inconvenience.

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THQ Introduces Saints Row: The Third DLC Season Pass

If you're amped for gangsters in space, clone battles, and the prospect of wearing an altar boy costume in Saints Row: The Third, this season pass is for you.
For a mere $19.99, fans will receive all three Saints Row: The Third DLC mission packs, plus the Nyte Blayde vampire hunter content. In total, this will save you 15 percent over what you would spend if you purchased each mission pack individually. We don't have a lot of details on these DLC packs, but this is how THQ describes them:
Genkibowl VII (January 2012)
"The Wide World of Genki takes over Steelport for a sporting tradition totally and utterly unlike any other."

Gangstas in Space (Winter 2012)
"The Saints go intergalactic in this science-fiction misadventure."

The Trouble With Clones (Spring 2012)
"Copy-cat killing at its finest."

The bonus Nyte Blayde DLC Pack (pictured in the screenshot above) includes a vampire hunting sports car, the altar boy outfit, a bloody canoness outfit, and a bloody canoness bike.
Saints Row: The Third ships for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC next Tuesday, November 15. You can watch the introduction to the game

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Zelda 25th Anniversary: Remembering Link’s Awakening

When the Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening came out, I was doubtful. The Game Boy was a cool system, but my favorite games had a habit of losing something in the portable transition. Mega Man lost entire stages. Mortal Kombat was an indecipherable mess. Even Mario wasn’t immune. Through the Game Boy’s monochromatic lens, the mascot was transformed into a submarine-driving munchkin who threw rubber balls at giant insects. I had a hard time believing that the little plastic rectangle could be a suitable home for my beloved Zelda. I used my skepticism as a shield, hoping to protect myself from being disappointed in the game the same way Zelda II let me down.
Oh boy, was I ever wrong.
Link’s Awakening is one of my favorite games of all time, portable or otherwise. It magnificently captured what I loved about the series, while simultaneously playing with its still-evolving formula. The dungeon designs are still some of the best to date, with puzzles that are as elegant as they are difficult. Best of all, it’s really weird.
The game opens with Link washing ashore on a beach after his ship is ruined in a storm. He’s nursed back to health by a girl named Marin, one of the many residents of Koholint Island. It’s immediately clear that this isn’t your typical Zelda game. One of the first things you do is walk past a Chain Chomp in the village. At the time, seeing a Mario character so clearly out of its element was stunning. That wasn’t the only unusual cameo. SimCity’s Dr. Wright makes an appearance, as does Yoshi and the Goombas. The whole experience feels like playing through a fever dream – with good reason, as it turns out.
I spent the better part of the summer of 1993 with my face pressed against a tiny screen. If there was a light source nearby, I was aiming my Game Boy at it like a solar collector. When it was all over, I was more than a little sad. Link’s Awakening made me laugh, with silly characters and situations. Its puzzles – particularly the Eagle’s Tower level, with its collapsing pillars – made me want to tear my hair out. But still, more than anything else, I was just bummed out that I finished one of the best games I’d ever played. I think even then I knew just how special it was

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Call of Duty Elite Memberships Extended 30 Days

Due to the ongoing launch issues with Call of Duty Elite, Activision said it will extend premium memberships by 30 days at no additional cost.
"If you’re still considering becoming a premium member, we’re going to extend Founder eligibility until the end of the month, and you will also receive the additional 30 days of access," the publisher stated.
An update was posted today on the official website provided the latest on Elite. Activision reaffirmed gameplay data from both Black Ops and MW3 is safely stored, and it will all be available once these issues are resolved.
"Many of you are trying to get in and unfortunately, you can’t right now. You’re frustrated, we know it, and we know we need to fix it," the publisher said. "Our teams have been working non-stop to identify issues and resolve them as quickly as possible. Again, these issues have no impact on the performance of the game."

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Limbo Sells Over One Million Worldwide

The sales of Playdead's haunting puzzle-platforming title still haven't slowed down.
Today the developer announced that Limbo has sold over one million copies worldwide. The impressive sales aren't surprising considering that the game, which came out on Xbox Live Arcade in July 2010, still holds on to the top spot in XBLA sales charts and has also expanded to the PC and PS3 platforms. With Limbo heading to Macs in the near future, look for these sales to keep skyrocketing.
The success allowed developer Playdead to eventually purchase itself back from investors. I can't wait to see what Playdead has in store for its "weird" follow-up.

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EverQuest II Going Free-To-Play

Sony Online Entertainment announced EverQuest II is going free-to-play next month.
A letter published online today by producer Dave Georgeson explains the reason behind the decision. SOE says it's combining both EverQuest II and EverQuest II: Extended into one service with a single membership.
Additional changes include:

• Gold membership in EverQuest II will provide access to all races and classes (except the Freeblood race and the Beastlord class) and is identical in all ways to the current subscription status on EQII Live servers.
• The free membership level will be called "Free" instead of "Bronze."
• Silver membership now costs 500 Station Cash instead of 1,000 Station Cash. (If you purchased a Silver membership in EverQuest II: Extended within the 60 days before the launch of this change, 500 Station Cash will be refunded to your Station Wallet.)
• Players can no longer purchase a Platinum membership. Existing Platinum memberships will continue until they expire.

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Watch Seven Seconds Of The New Alan Wake Game

Spike TV is sharing a sneak peek of the new Alan Wake trailer appearing in full at the 2011 VGAs.
Judging from this brief glimpse, Alan still has short hair, still has full use of both legs, and still loves to wander the world with a flashlight. If you want more intel than that on the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game, tune into the Video Game Awards on December 10 on Spike TV, MTV2 And Spike.com at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Alan Wake ReturnsGet More: Alan Wake Returns

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Uncharted 3 Ships 3.8M Units

Sony said today it shipped 3.8 million copies of Uncharted 3 to retailers globally in the first day. The company has not provided actual sales numbers to consumers at this time, however.
It's worth noting that while shipped numbers give a good indication of excitement for the game at retail, it doesn't give a full picture. Electronic Arts announced last month it shipped 10 million copies of Battlefield 3 in the first week it, yet the publisher actually sold about half of that.
“Uncharted 3 is a blockbuster and these incredible sales figures reflect that," said Nick Caplin, Head of Communications at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "Consumers are clearly as eager to play the game as critics were to heap praise upon it, and the team at Naughty Dog deserve this fantastic reception at retail."
[Update: A SCEA representative reconfirmed to Game Informer these sales are shipped, not sold.]

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Star Trek Online Free-To-Play Transition Date Announced

The Trekkie game is not-so-boldly going where many MMOs have gone before sooner than you'd think.
As we previously reported, once Perfect World acquired developer Cryptic Studios, it decided to transition Star Trek Online to a free-to-play business model supported by micro transactions. Today on the Star Trek Online blog, executive producer Stephen D’Angelo announced the transition is taking place on Tuesday, January 21.
To appease the faithful subscribers of the service, Cryptic plans to grant them 400 free Cryptic Points, the in-game currency, each month starting December 1. Rather than distributing these points at the same time to every user, instead Cryptic is doling them out on the subscribers' "anniversary day" each month, a.k.a. the day they created their accounts.
I'm curious to see if the new business model helps Star Trek Online live long and prosper.

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Gotham City Imposters Gets Release Date & Beta Info

Warner Bros.' Gotham City fanboy battle royale now has a release date. Gotham City Imposters is set to hit the streets early next year.
The PS3, PC, and Xbox 360 downloadable title comes out on January 10, but no exact price has been given just yet. The first-person title features 12-player online multiplayer mayhem where dressed-up street super heroes battle it out.
An open beta for the game is planned in December. To register for your chance to get in, head over to the game's official site.
For more on the game, check out Jeff's write-up of the game's Fumigation mode.

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Assassin's Creed Revelations

Assassin's Creed: Revelations' Launch Trailer Promises Answers

Up until now, the Assassin's Creed series has piled on the mysteries. With Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Ubisoft promises some long-awaited answers.
As this launch trailer shows, players aren't the only ones getting impatient – after 30 years in power with the Assassin's order, Ezio is making it clear that he's on an information-gathering mission. We'll only have to wait a few more days to find out what he uncovers. Assassin's Creed: Revelations is shipping November 15.

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Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Land Review

The 3DS has a couple of great games from Nintendo. The problem is that they’re remakes of N64 titles. Gamers were glad to experience classics like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Star Fox 64, but no one buys a new system to play games over a decade old. That all changes with the excellent Super Mario 3D Land, an all-new adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom – that mixes in plenty of entertaining references to Mario’s back catalog.
3D Land takes level progression all the way back to the original Super Mario Bros., with eight linear worlds to beat one by one. Every stage ends with Mario jumping onto a flagpole, and when he takes damage he shrinks down rather than losing a slice of pie from a circular health bar. All levels include three hidden star coins to collect, which you’ll eventually spend to gain access to later areas. At first you may be concerned that each world only contains five or six levels, but don’t worry. After you complete the main career, there’s more than enough content to keep you busy for quite some time.
Just looking at screenshots, it can be tough to determine what kind of platformer 3D Land is. The simple answer? All of them. Sometimes it feels like 2D platformer New Super Mario. Bros. Other times the camera will follow behind you like Mario 64 or Galaxy. You’ll also see isometric views and a top-down perspective inspired by classic Zelda games. The camera often changes multiple times during a single level, but it’s done so smoothly that you’ll hardly notice. I always felt like I was in complete control of Mario no matter what the theme of the level, and the camera is always in the perfect spot for the situation.
The controls are spot-on and easy to pick up right away. I initially questioned why 3D Land needs a run button in addition to the analog controls of the circle pad, but I was thankful during later tricky sections that require a deft touch. I eventually played 3D Land like a 2D Mario game, with my thumb covering both the run and jump buttons. The left shoulder button rounds out the arsenal making Mario crouch so that he can get into small tunnels and toggle long and high jumps.
Power-ups blend the classics in with a few new ones. Fireballs provide an offensive boost while the Tanooki Suit (not seen since Super Mario 3) grants an infinitely useful floating ability that’ll help you past more difficult areas. You can store an extra power-up on the lower touchscreen and tap it anytime to access it. The old item then goes down to the bottom screen so you can easily toggle back and forth between the two. The new boomerang ability fits right in with these classics, and you can purposely dodge the returning projectile to keep it flying around and destroying enemies. Mario can also climb inside propeller blocks for some extra vertical flying power similarly to the propeller helmets from New Super Mario Bros.
The level designs are as clever as ever, and provide plenty of new Mario memories. You stomp koopas in green fields, walk along tightropes, hit the gas on a controllable platform, and swim away from a giant sea serpent. I loved navigating the many ominous airships and taking down Bowser by running under his jump and hitting a switch to make him fall into hot lava just like in the first game. Few things are more satisfying than crushing a goomba underfoot after falling several hundred feet.
What surprises me most about 3D Land is how well the 3D effect is handled. I kept the 3D slider up most of the game, since the levels pop to life with added depth and plenty of effects. Massive spike pillars thrust toward the screen on airships, Mario looks like he’s swimming around in a tiny handheld fish tank during underwater scenes, and the heights feel even more staggering when you have to jump off a massive cliff and navigate small platforms on the way to the flagpole far below. Rest your arms on a table to keep the 3D screen in the sweet spot and you won’t be disappointed.
Super Mario 3D Land isn’t perfect, but the few complaints I have (like the lack of variety in boss fights and some re-hashed levels) can’t bring down this entertaining mix of nostalgia and innovation. It lives up to the level of quality set by previous entries and is easily the best reason to own a 3DS.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Review

It would be easy to dismiss Modern Warfare 3 as just another iterative update to the massively successful shooter series. After attending a preview event this summer, I left with concerns that the Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer Games collaboration shelved the multiplayer innovation Treyarch introduced with Black Ops in favor of more minor, underwhelming updates. Some of my early concerns proved valid, but many of the incremental tweaks are smart additions to the multiplayer experience. Modern Warfare 3 does little to fundamentally change the well-known franchise formula, but it offers enough enhancements to recommend it to any fan.
On the surface, this Call of Duty experience is similar to the other Modern Warfare games. If a casual fan sat down for a few rounds of team deathmatch or domination, it would be easy to forgive them for mistaking this for a map pack. Its visuals are familiar, most of the weapons are recycled from previous games, the tight gunplay feels similar, maps are still fairly cramped affairs for the most part, assembling a party operates the same, and many of the killstreak rewards return. Modern Warfare 3’s most noteworthy tweaks may be smaller changes, but they add up to contribute in a big way.
Custom classes are as crucial to online play as always, and players can choose between three new strike packages for their loadouts. Assault is for offensive-minded players, as its rewards are mostly death-dealing instruments like remote control assault drones, devastating air strikes, and the proximity-based I.M.S. (Intelligent Munition System). If you’re outfitted with this package, your killstreak progresses as always – it builds as you rack up kills, but resets to zero once you’re taken down. Considering I’m usually heavy on offense, I stuck with the assault package for my first few hours of multiplayer.
The Support package killstreaks are defensive in nature, like SAM turrets, recon drones, and counter-UAVs. They don’t have the flash of the deadly assault rewards, but they’re still helpful. Unlike the assault package, this package’s killstreak count doesn’t reset upon death. You wouldn’t normally reach one of the crazy 18-kill assault rewards without dying, but now it’s feasible to earn the most valuable support items in a single game. This package was even more appealing to me when I unlocked a few offensive rewards, like the remote sentry turret, the B-2 bomber, and the recon juggernaut suit. Once I realized the value of this package, it became my default for the majority of my future rounds.
The final package, Specialist, is for tacticians who strategize formulas for specific game types. Specialist allows you to unlock a specific order of perks as you rack up kills. For instance, let’s say you want to create a specialist package for use in Domination. You start with whatever three perks you normally have available, but you could then unlock Extreme Conditioning after a few kills to help you sprint from flag to flag. If you live long enough to capture a few flags, you’ll probably be running low on ammo. Not a problem – you can set your specialist package to unlock Scavenger to help you pick up more ammo. To reap the rewards of this killstreak package, you have to analyze how you play and where you’d benefit from the unlocked perks most. For the hardcore crowd, this is an ideal pick.
The Specialist package isn't the only addition that the hardcore crowd will love, as the new Call of Duty Elite service is an overwhelmingly in-depth feature with many different tools. The team at Beachhead has created a performance tracker that is equal parts comprehensive stats database, clan management system, loadout customization tool, social networking site, and improvement guide. You can see graphs of how your kill/death ratio is trending, customize your clan’s callsign and tag, analyze the map locations where you die the most, add friends directly from your XBLA/PSN/Facebook accounts, and even push a new custom class to your console from a free app on your phone. All of the uproar about a premium membership fee seems to be misguided after seeing the final product, as the large majority of the content is free. Members of high-performing clans (of which you can only be a member of one at a time) may want to consider the premium membership, as they make you eligible for prizes like cameras and a free trip to Paris if you’re good enough. If you’re a casual Call of Duty fan, you can still have a fun time in multiplayer without ever touching Elite. However, this new feature is a boon if you’re the type that likes to prestige multiple times.
Strike packages and the Elite service are the biggest additions to online play, but smaller multiplayer features contribute to overall mode improvement as well. Completing objectives like flag captures adds to your killstreak count, and players can cycle through killstreak rewards with the d-pad and select them in the order they wish. Prestige mode counts for something now, as players earn coins to spend on new custom classes, double XP time, or special callsigns. Leveling individual weapons unlocks proficiency abilities like reduced kick or faster fire rate. Customizable private matches allow for absurd and entertaining variations of Juggernaut, Infected, and Gun Game. You won’t respawn in the middle of a massive air strike nearly as often, either. Players won’t notice many of these changes if they’re just popping in for a quick round, but those who spend a lot of time in multiplayer will appreciate them.
Call of Duty’s bread and butter has always been its deep multiplayer, but the campaigns deliver their fair share of memorable moments as well. Modern Warfare 3 doesn’t stray from the oft-emulated Call of Duty 4 formula. This large-scale, linear, global, and sometimes controversial campaign can be finished in less than six hours.
For the first two or three hours, the game hurries from country to country with a jarring narrative that doesn’t succeed in getting much information across. All you know is this Makarov fellow is a bit unsavory, and he wants to kill a lot of people. In your efforts to find and kill him, the game finds excuses to have you shoot up the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, protect the Russian president on a jet, attempt to stop a chemical attack in Paris, and watch a supposedly offensive scene that’s essentially a less effective and less necessary version of Modern Warfare 2’s “No Russian” mission. These early scenarios are more concerned with topping the big set piece moments from previous entries in the series than with putting forth a coherent narrative. In one scripted sequence that’s awesome, terrible, and hilarious at the same time, I was even forced to shoot a hyena multiple times in the head while I was in a church.
My concerns with the early portions of the campaign have as much to do with gameplay as narrative. It’s a constant “run here, trigger the enemies, now click between the trigger buttons until everyone is dead” experience. As much as the first few hours disappointed me, it gets its act together around the halfway mark. You learn some more about your primary character and his motivations, and the latter half of the campaign isn’t filled with the convoluted double-crosses of Modern Warfare 2. Setpiece moments become more intriguing from a gameplay perspective, with one mission involving an approaching sandstorm and an air assault mission that switches perspective back and forth from the ground to the air. By the time the credits roll, the globetrotting ordeal meets a satisfying conclusion.
If you’ve wrapped up the campaign and want a break from the standard multiplayer, Spec Ops serves as a great third pillar. This mode is broken into two distinct sections now, with one dedicated to co-op missions like those seen in Modern Warfare 2 and another that’s essentially a Horde mode variant. This survival mode is a blast with soldiers, dogs, and vehicles that are far more engaging than plodding zombies. Plus, it has its own in-game economy and ranking system.
When it comes down to it, Modern Warfare 3 meets expectations. The core elements of multiplayer and the campaign remain fundamentally unchanged, but the game serves as a great example of how many subtle tweaks can add up to an improved overall product. Even with the recent turmoil at Infinity Ward, the remnants of that team (in conjunction with Sledgehammer) have put together a worthy sequel to one of the most successful franchises of all time.

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Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins Review: No Rabbids Required

When I started playing Rayman Origins, I didn’t have any particular fondness for the character or the series in general. I always felt that, amiable as he might be, Rayman was a junior varsity player in a league of professionals. Call me a convert. After putting down my controller for the last time, I can’t wait to see what else Ubisoft has in store for Rayman, Globox, and the rest of the crew.
Rayman Origins is an undeniably beautiful game, with vibrant environments and richly defined characters. The graphical fidelity is astounding, even when you scrunch your face against the TV screen. Characters kick up eyelash-sized tufts of grass when they land, and the backgrounds are layered with loads of tiny details.
Ubisoft Montpellier didn’t just create a pretty game, though. Rayman Origins holds its own with the best platformers out there. I was a little concerned about the game when I saw the intricate animations; while I appreciate how nice they can look, I also know that those lovingly crafted frames of animation can translate into imprecise controls and generally mushy-feeling action. Ubisoft managed to hit a sweet spot here, creating stunning characters that are also responsive.
That level of quality is present in the traditional platform-hopping stages and bleeds into more exotic areas, such as the mosquito-piloting shooter sections. Whenever I died (which wasn’t an infrequent occasion), I usually had only myself to blame. Aside from a section with a cannon-blasting pirate ship, the game skillfully teeters on the edge of being fair but difficult.
One of the things that I appreciate about Rayman Origins is how it constantly shovels new things at the player. Whether it’s a new ability, new gameplay styles, an unlockable character, or another breathtaking level to discover, Rayman doesn’t stick to the same old path too long. And even when Rayman delves into themes and areas that seem to be mandatory for platform games in general, Ubisoft puts enough of a twist on the norm to make it seem fresh again. I never thought I’d look forward to playing underwater levels, but between the exceptional diving controls and the sea anemone backdrops that approach photorealism, I was absolutely hooked.
One of the only big problems I had with the game is how it blocks the end-game content until you’ve collected enough Electoons to pass. These smiling orbs are the game’s currency, earned by finding hidden stashes and picking up a variety of collectibles scattered throughout the world. If you don’t make collecting them a priority from the start, you may find yourself grinding earlier levels like I did. There are certainly worse ways to pass the time, but it feels like a chore, particularly when the final area is as lackluster as can be.
If you only know about Rayman from his affiliation with the now-ubiquitous Rabbids, that probably wasn’t the best introduction. Rayman Origins is the proper way to catch up with the character, who finally has a game that puts him squarely in the majors

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Getting Started In Skyrim

Skyrim is an incredibly large and complex game. How big is it? We’ll leave that for you to figure out. However, the game has so much to do that you can easily get overwhelmed, especially in the first five to ten hours.

After multiple Game Informer editors spent dozens of hours apiece in the game, we’ve come away with some simple tips to help ease your path onto the snow-lined paths of Skyrim.

Your Own Personal Hero

PROBLEM: I’m worried about making a crappy character.

SOLUTION: Skyrim doesn’t utilize a traditional class system to determine your abilities. That means picking perks is the main way you’ll shape your character’s abilities, so they’re kind of a big deal. The first time you level, take 5 or 10 minutes to peruse the Level Up screen, and try to pick three of four skill trees you’re especially interested in. For instance, for a strong melee character you might try One-Handed (Weapons), Block (Shield), Heavy Armor, and Restoration magic, just so you can do some healing. You’ll undoubtedly venture out into perks on other skill trees, and that’s fine. However, focusing on leveling the abilities you utilize regularly, and then adding perks to those skills, will go a long way to shaping a powerful hero.

Within your chosen skill trees, think carefully about which perks are the most valuable, and which you will actually use – it’s rare that you’ll want to acquire every available perk in a skill tree. For example, taking dual-casting magic perks won’t do you any good if you regularly use a weapon in one of your hands.

When you level, you’ll also have the choice to assign a boost to health, magicka, or stamina. The easy way to decide is to recall your recent time in the game, and determine which of the three you ran out of the most, and then boost that stat. For instance, if you found yourself constantly running out of the ability to cast more spells, you need more magicka.

Use Your Favorites

PROBLEM: I hate going into the menu every time I want to change my sword.

SOLUTION: This one is a must, but it might be a little confusing without an explanation. Any item or power in your inventory can be set to your favorites menu, and you should put your most commonly used weapons, spells, shouts, and potions into your favorites right away. Enter your inventory, find the item/power, and press the button to “Favorite” that selection. Back in the game, you can press up on the d-pad to call up your Favorites list, and an alphabetized selection of the items you’ve set will be available. You can press either the left or right triggers to assign any item in your favorites menu to one of your hands.

Don’t set every potion or spell you get into your favorites, or the whole system will get unwieldy and slow.

Finally, note that you can set two abilities or items to the left and right taps of the d-pad, respectively. Save these for the two things you find yourself switching between most often. While in the Favorites menu, hold down left or right on the d-pad for a few seconds to set these quick switch options. We recommend at least one of those two d-pad directions for a healing effect – either a Restoration spell or a healing potion.
What’s Your Sign?

PROBLEM: I didn’t choose my birth sign, like I did in Oblivion. Am I missing something?

SOLUTION: Yes. You’re missing something. Birth signs from previous Elder Scrolls games have been replaced by a more flexible system called standing stones. At any one time, you can have the effects of one active stone. These stones are scattered around the world for you to discover, and each have unique and powerful effects, so you should assign one as soon as you get into the action.

Three of these stones are together in one place near the beginning of the game. After exiting your first dungeon, continue to follow your fellow survivor on his way to Riverwood. Don’t make the mistake of striking off alone, even if your companion suggests that you can part ways. Keep following him. On the path, (by Falkreath Hold) you’ll come across three Stones of Power: Warrior, Mage, and Thief. They grant a 20% bonus to leveling skills related to those character archetypes. Choose one. You can always change it later.

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