Anders Behring Breivik, has been been arrested, for being the suspect of killing of 93 innocent civilians in Norway last week. Anders wrote in his manifesto about his “training program” which included consisted of using Modern Warfare 2 for strategy, and World of Warcraft as an alibi for loaner behavior. Meaning being locked in your room for extended periods of time, and not answering any calls or messages. Not only has he killed people and forever ruined countless lives, now he has further bastardized the topic of video games leading to violence, and put it as a topic the media and government set their sights on.

[Source IGN]

It was exactly one year ago where Onlive were just getting their foot in the door and showing the world what cloud gaming looked like. With TV, blu-ray player deals and a Micro-Console they have pretty much blown the doors right open for the service. One of their next entries was the Onlive app running on tablet devices unveiled at their booth at E3. LVLONE got a chance to sit down with them and get some hands on to find out what it was all about.

To note this isn’t the same app on the iPad which is just a viewer but will be an update in the future. We were given a demo of how the new app works on the iPad 2 and like the desktop version of the software this one works just the same. Like the desktop version you can view, purchase and play Onlive right on your tablet device.

We were first treated to an example of how it played by checking out Lego Batman. The buttons are laid out on the sides of the tablet and can be configured in anyway. They went as far as to say if a dev had certain button layouts that was beneficial, it would come pre-customized to suite it. While we noticed some connection drop, that had to do more with the congestion of networks in E3.

The second demo was Assassins Creed Brotherhood, showcasing that even some of the most graphically intensive games can run on a tablet device because of the Onlive software. The game looked great and the only lag noticed was almost about the same amount from the desktop version. They are currently look at the best ways to map complex games of this nature with touch pad. While they do have the universal blue tooth/wifi controller some will not have this option if they don’t want it.

Other plans like having the service running a cloud based browser which would essentially enable the ability to run flash on the iPad 2 and touch pad sensitive games were also shown. Along with making games have touch capabilities. Onlive has certainly impressed me on how far they have come in a short amount of time. I’m really excited in the direction the platform is going, who knows maybe we’ll see MMO support in the future?

The Super Monkey Ball series is known for giving players a fun puzzle experience with several mini games. The previous games have been on the Gamecube and Wii and now Super Monkey Ball is on the 3DS.

Super Monkey Ball 3D is one of the launch games for the 3DS, the main part of the game Monkey Ball is a puzzle game where you move your monkey through levels. The game starts off easy but gets difficult towards the end, there are about 80 levels in total, and though that might sound like it is shorter than previous games.

The two mini games in Super Monkey Ball 3D are Monkey Race and Monkey Fight. Monkey Race is a basic kart racing game similar to Mario Kart. Players drive around courses while collecting items, it’s a decent game but by itself it doesn’t offer much. The physics in the game feel off, it’s not bad but it is noticeable. Monkey Fight is a basic fighting game like Super Smash Bros. but not at all as good as it, the fighting is a very basic style and just comes across as boring.

The graphics are average, it looks very similar to the Gamecube and Wii games which is good, the environments are colorful and have plenty of style to them. The graphics aren’t the strongest in the 3DS launch games but they aren’t bad either. The sound is also average the music is a typical cutesy style, and the sound effects are basic. There’s a few sounds from the monkeys and the environment but like the graphics its not very strong but not bad either.

The 3D effect in Super Monkey Ball 3D is pretty good if you play around with the 3D slider until you find what’s best for you. The 3D effect does look good but it can get distracting during the main game Monkey Ball because environment is moving so much.

Overall Super Monkey Ball 3D is an average 3DS game, it’s not bad but the game is very basic. The main game Monkey Ball isn’t very long and the mini games aren’t very interesting. It’s a safe game to buy for younger kids but gamers who are looking for game that has more to should try another game.

Overall = 7.0

This last week Spike hosted the Video Game Awards. Along with a great show, a plethora of games were announced that are making gamers look forward to sequels in the worst way possible. If you missed the VGA’s don’t worry, I’m here to re-cap what was shown and a small break down of each game, so let’s get started.

inSane: Due out in 2013, Guillermo del Toro’s sick and twisted world is coming to consoles. Planned to be a trilogy, del Toro, wants to give gamers a game where decisions that they make in game will question their own morals. Not much else is known yet about inSane yet but as soon as we find out more, we’ll definitely inform you.

Thor: Sega’s bringing out the hammer, Mjolnir to be exact, in Thor the video game. The god of thunder will be exploring the Norse mythological world battling legendary foes like Ulik, Yamir, and forest giants, and trolls. Due out Summer 2011, Thor will be lighting up the Xbox 360, Wii, DSi, and Playstation 3.

SSX: Deadly Descent: EA’s resurrecting a old favorite SSX. From what we saw the SSX series is stepping away from the animated style and going with a more serious feel. Winged suits and helicopters seemed to be introduced into the game to help players dominate the numerous and fierce mountain ranges.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Bethesda and Gamebryo dropped a huge sequel bomb. Elder Scrolls V will be a direct sequel to 2006′s Oblivion. Skyrim, home of the Nords that was mentioned in past games will now be playable come November 11, 2011.

Protoype 2: Murder your maker… That seems to be the big theme in Protoype 2. You play as infected Sgt. James Hellen, who’s out for Alex Mercer’s head. Scour the infested New York streets in search of your maker, while doing so become the ultimate weapon.

Batman Arkham City: Professor Hugo Strange, warden of Arkham City, knows a dirty little secret about Batman, but the Dark Knight has other worries at hand. The walled off city within Gotham is restless with the criminals of the old asylum along with new ones entering all the time. Behind the curtains of convicts, Two Face plots hes devious plan to execute Catwoman somewhere in the lovely little town of Arkham City.

Uncharted 3 – Drake’s Deception: Nathan Drake is back and this time around he’s looking for the lost city of Iram. With the help of Sully, they’ll travel through the Arabian peninsula and the Rub’ al Khali desert searching for treasures come November 1, 2011.

Forza Motorsport 4: A new year comes with new innovations and new cars. Xbox 360′s kicking it into gear with Forza Motorsport 4, giving fans a deeper look into cars that they dream of driving with the power of Kinect.

Resistance 3: The world is fighting to survive the invasion. Four years after Resistance 2 dishonorably discharged Sentinel Joseph Capelli jumps back into battle against the Chimeran to protect his family from the alien onslaught.

Portal 2: It may have been delayed but we all know a good game should be released in it’s entirety to make it worth your wild. Portal 2 takes players back to the Aperature Science Labs to face GLaDOS a few hundred years after the first Portal game. Let’s just hope the cake isn’t as old as the lab.

Mortal Kombat: Mortal Kombat is back with a huge twist. The story of MK I, II, and III will be retold and replayed differently. How you ask? Moments before being killed by Shao Kahn, Raiden sends a message back in time to himself warning him of a disastrous event. Doing so changes the path that was originally laid out in the MK series and some how introducing Kratos into the mix.

Mass Effect 3: The Earth is in trouble and Commander Shepard is the only man that may be able to take on the important mission of rallying civilizations around the galaxy to defend what’s left of Earth.

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So at Comic Con we also had the chance to play Megaman Universe, lets just say it was different. Megaman has come a long way since the 1987. The ugly suited Megaman was thankfully not playable in the very first game, instead we got the little blue suited fighting robot (thank the lord of games). Even though the ugly suited Megaman was never playable for for almost two decades, he some how found a cult following as little as it may be. The guys over at Capcom thought that it might be funny to finally see what the yellow suited fighting robot can do. Along with the ugly Megaman, other custom Megamen can be made, with different parts of different characters that give custom Megaman different attributes to jump, speed, blaster power, and not to mention overall look. Be sure to keep your eyes out on this for download on the Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.

News of Black Ops have been flying left and right the past few days of what Black Ops will have to offer, and I must say it is all pretty overwhelming. Originally I was semi impressed of what Treyarch was offering us in their rendition of the Modern Warfare franchise, but as more information is getting released to us the more and more appealing the game is turning out. So here’s a list of what we know so far for the Multiplayer part of the game, keep in mind nothing is set in stone and things may change.

COD Points: In game currency used to purchase upgrades, outfits, killstreaks, emblems, customization for weapons, customization for looks, and is also used in “betting” for competitive Wager game mode. More on Wager mode later.

Killstreaks: This is one of the more important aspects of the game play. From what we hear kills from killstreaks do not count towards the next killstreak. Meaning to get up to the 11th kill streak kills must be made manually with loadout weapons. Current killstreaks are lined up as shown:

* 3 kill streaks: Spy Plane, RC-XD

* 4 kill streaks: Counter-Spy Plane, SAM Turret

* 5 kill streaks: Care Package, Napalm Strike

* 6 kill streaks: Sentry Gun, Mortar Team

* 7 kill streaks: Attack Helicopter, Valkyrie Rockets

* 8 kill streaks: Blackbird, Rolling Thunder

* 9 kill streaks: Chopper Gunner

* 11 kill streaks: Attack Dogs, Gunship

Combat Training: This is something new and innovative to the COD franchise. Training will be either single or co-op and give players the ability to practice games off-line to get accustomed to the levels. Bots are available within training to get a semi-realistic game play. Treyarch hopes that this mode will get gamers who don’t play online a chance to practice before jumping into a real online game so they aren’t as humiliated.

Replay System: You read it right, Treyarch has given braggers an easier way to upload and record their game winning kills in a “Halo Forge” styled system. Players can review each game through the point of any player and through any angle.

Contracts: Contracts is another way of making COD Points. Pay for a contract, complete the task assigned to the contract such as getting 10 kills within a game within an allotted amount of time and gain more points in return. Fail and well… there’s no returns on failed tasks.

Wager Matches: A way to put your COD Points where your mouth is. Think you have what it takes to make money and rack up kills at the same time? Wager matches gives players a way to put COD Points on yourself in a game. Top three players get paid, and everyone else… Well they don’t quite really matter since only the top three get paid. Within Wager matches are different game modes.

“One in the Chamber” pits players against each other armed with just one pistol and one bullet. Killing someone else earns you an extra bullet, but missing leaves you with just a knife.

“Sticks and Stones” gives everyone a tomahawk, a ballistic knife and a crossbow, and hitting an opponent with a tomahawk automatically bankrupts them.

“Gun Game” has players progressing through the various gun tiers, a kill moves you up to a stronger weapon, but dying drops you back down.

“Sharp Shooter” gives everyone a series of random weapons, with everyone switching to the next randomly selected one after a certain amount of time that has passed.

Care Package Weapons: Care package only weapons in the game so far include Death Machine: a gatling/mini gun, and Grim Reaper: a four incendiary round rocket launcher.

Regular Weapons:

Assault Rifles: AK-47, AUG, Commando, G11, M16, FAMAS, Galil, M14, Enfield, FN FAL

Submachine: Guns MAC-10, MP5K, AK-74u, Skorpion, Spectre M4

Light Machine Guns: RPK, HK21, M60

Sniper Rifles: L96A1, Dragunov, WA2000

Shotguns: SPAS, KS-23, Stakeout/ Ithica, Olympia

Pistols: M1911, Python, Makarov, ASP, CZ75

Launchers: China Lake, RPG-7, M72 LAW

Grenades: Frag, Smoke, Concussive, Gas

Miscellaneous Weapons and Equipment: Ballistic Knife, Camera Spike, Crossbow, C4, Flamethrower, Knife, Tomahawk, Tactical Insertion Extended Mag, Dual Mag, Masterkey Shotgun, Flamethrower, M203, Suppressor, Snub Nose, Speed Reloader, Flashlight, Grip, Swarovski Scope, Red Dot Sight, Infrared Scope, ACOG Sight, Reflex

Apache: Air Assault features more than 16 multi-stage missions involving air and ground strike operations off the coast of Africa, the mountains of the Middle East and the jungles of Central America, each meticulously created using high resolution map data from real-world satellite photography. Apache helicopters are some of the most sophisticated combat aircraft on the planet. Players get a chance to fly multiple variations of them, each with their own extreme firepower and highly-detailed damage modeling. The game can be played based on the player’s tastes – Arcade Mode allows players to easily pick up the controls and jump right into the combat. The Realistic mode showcases the real depth of the title, where the dedication to realism and precision shines through. The local Co-op Campaign Mode lets two players team up in the same Apache with one as the pilot and the other as the co-pilot in a joint effort for a truly authentic combat flight experience. For those that want to go even further, Apache: Air Assault includes competitive online multiplayer matches such as Team Deathmatch, Ground Attack, Capture the LZ, and Ground Strike.