Well fans, we’re coming in to just under two months until Red Dead Redemption is released, and I couldn’t be more excited.  If you’re not, well, I’m going to damn well bombard you with movies and screenshots proving how awesome it is until you submit.  Don’t believe me?  I’ll prove it!

Ok, so you loved the video?  Now I’ll treat you to some new screenshots.

Finally, if that wasn’t enough, you can go across here and check out part of the game map, New Austin.

Now, the following is my impressions of the demo which will be available for download in the upcoming weeks, no firm date has been set, but once it comes out, I definitely think it’s worth the gigs of your download limit (or your time if you’re not Australian), but you will be playing the exact same thing that I have played, so you can go make your own choices and conclusions about the game.  The demo took me around ten or fifteen minutes to run through, and I did so on both the Normal and Realistic difficulties, so I could get a feel for how challenging the game may be.

First thing I noticed when I started the game was the visuals; they look amazing.  The use of the environment to show the Ubisoft logo, the current mission and various other information is really interesting.  Whilst it can sometimes be hard to read up close, from afar (like I assume it is meant to be seen) it’s very easy to spot, but does look a little out of place.

The first scene is an interesting one; it’s solely based around story telling.  You assault a man in a run-down urinal in an effort to extract information.  Using the B button, you throw him into various things.  I experimented a little, smashing him into a urinal and breaking it on his face, smashing him into a mirror and cracking his head on the sink, and throwing him against a cubical door, making it open to a very frightened man inside.  Once you’ve got the information, the actual game starts.

The next thing I noticed was the controls.  Now, as my first time playing the game this makes me either able to make this judgment, or unable as the controls are the same as previous, I don’t know.  My main problem with the control is how different they were to other games I had played.  It took me the first few minutes of my play through to get used to them.  Admittedly, once you do, you’ll feel fairly natural.

The very first thing the game teaches you is how to duck and move between cover.  Left Trigger keeps you hidden behind cover, selecting another piece of cover via target and pressing the A button moves you to the next.  As Right Trigger is shoot, you may expect to spend time holding down both triggers.

Once you’ve learnt about the cover system, you’ll have the chance to use a close quarter take-down on an enemy.  These are pretty straight forward.  Sneak up behind the baddie, press B, and he’ll go down.  The addition to this system is ‘mark and execute’, which is gained each time you do a take-down stealthily; with this system you can ‘mark’ enemies with the Right Bumper and press Y to instant kill them with your weapon.  This can be done for up to three enemies at a time, so if you do it all correctly, you can pre-mark three targets, stealth kill another, then quickly assassinate the others.  This will be key in the ability to stay undetected.

On the subject of stealth and detection, should an enemy see you then lose sight of you, a rather ominous white outline of your last known position will be shown on screen.  At first this confused me quite a bit, but you will quickly get used to how handy it can be in distracting enemies.

The only weapons I has to play around with was the MP5 and a silenced pistol, and in truth I only used the pistol to take down my enemies.  In the heat of battle you won’t last long, so I never got around to using the actual Mp5 for a firefight.  On top of the weapons though are various ‘toys’ you can play with; frag grenades, flashbangs, EMP grenades (I only used these once, for stopping an enemy for calling for backup via radio), and sticky cameras (for distracting enemies).  Flashbangs will be your best friend, naturally, and you’re provided a few more over the course of the demo.

In keeping with the stealth mechanic, I used as many bullets taking out lights as I did taking out enemies.  This allowed me on my Normal play-through to keep undetected, which is exactly what I was aiming for.  You’ll also need to make good use of your sonar goggles, which highlight enemies in white whilst you’ve got the goggles on.  Something I found out, which now makes a lot more sense than it did in my head then, you can’t use the sonar goggles whilst moving.  Oh sure, it makes sense when it’s explained, but it sure confused me when I was playing!

I also very much enjoyed using the environment to assist me in killing my foes.  Whether it was dropping explosives on enemies to take them out, dropping from pipes and ledges to do a silent take-down, or even just understanding the environment to best work out which paths to take to keep out of enemy sight, it all needs to be taken into account when you’re playing.  This is especially true for the places you wouldn’t think of getting to; the catwalk above, the pipes hanging from the roof… they’re all there to assist you in some way as an optional help when taking out bad guys.

As I mentioned early on, the demo isn’t terribly long, around ten or fifteen minutes, but I did have a good deal of fun with it, and when it comes out on Xbox Live Marketplace in the coming weeks, I hope you’ll have just as much fun.

AVATAR MARKETPLACE

In the mood for a little luck o’ the Irish? Charm your friends and enemies alike in an array of St. Patrick’s day offerings in the Avatar Marketplace, beginning March 11. Once the jigs come to a halt and leprechauns head back to their pots of gold, kick off House Party with a bang by getting your avatar to strut their stuff in gear from “Scrap Metal™” (Microsoft) and “Perfect Dark™” (Microsoft Game Studios) before each game. The “Scrap Metal™” collection will be available March 11 with “Perfect Dark” following suit on March 18. Partied out? Don’t worry – the “Alan Wake” (Microsoft Game Studios) collection on March 18 will have you clamoring to be a part of the action.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

Get ‘em while they’re hot! Deal of the Week delivers an eclectic mix of blockbuster games and game add-ons this month including:

“Fable®” Originals” (Microsoft Game Studios)

March 15 | 800 Microsoft Points

Peter Molyneux’s groundbreaking role-play/adventure game allows you to create your life story from childhood to earthly departure. Will you choose the path of righteousness or succumb to the devil on your shoulder? Every action changes the world for-ev-er and, as dramatic as it sounds, its fate is in your hands. So, who will you be? Rated PEGI 18+.

“Fallout® 3” Game Add-ons (Betheseda Softworks)

March 22 | 400 Microsoft Points

Enter the expansive world of “Fallout 3” that will have you battling super mutants in a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world. The shockingly realistic visuals and oodles of player choice will keep you coming back to this game again and again, and so will the game add-ons: “Operation: Anchorage”, “The Pitt”, “Broken Steel”, “Point Lookout”, and “Mothership Zeta” for half their usual price! This game is rated BBFC 18.

XBOX LIVE ARCADE

Xbox LIVE Arcade delivers quality downloadable games at a great value and the Xbox LIVE Arcade House Party has officially started! Get “Scrap Metal” and “Perfect Dark” while the party is hot!

“Scrap Metal™” (Microsoft)

March 10 | 1200 Microsoft Points

In this fast-paced, top-down racing game, you’ll be taking corners at a swift drift with guns blazing. Take out the competition and fight your way through explosive, action-packed missions to defeat wily bosses to add vehicles to your garage. Cars are customizable and friend battles are at your fingertips when you play this game on Xbox LIVE. Let the pulse-pounding action begin! This game is rated PEGI 12+.

“Perfect Dark” (Microsoft Game Studios)

March 17 | 800 Microsoft Points

Galactic conspiracies run amok in this epic tale set in 2023 America. Now on Xbox LIVE Arcade, the classic shooter game that made its mark on the N64 console has been remastered—greater definition and detail support a silkier framerate than ever before. The Dark returns this month, so fire up your Farsight and prepare for some action. This game is rated PEGI 18+.

GAME ADD-ONS

“Forza Motorsport 3 Jalopnik Car Pack” (Turn 10 Studios)

March 9 | 400 Microsoft Points

Collect, race, and customize the world’s latest and greatest cars in the “Jalopnik Car Pack”! This DLC contains ten cars selected by the teams at Turn 10 and Jalopnik.com, one of the world’s largest automotive enthusiast communities. The car pack features the 2008 Mazda Furai, 2010 Jaguar #33 RSR XKR GT, 2009 Ford #40 Robertson Racing Ford GT Mk7, 2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage, 2010 Porsche 911 Sport Classic, 1992 Bugatti EB110 SS, 2011 BMW Motorsport Z4 sDrive35is, 2010 Audi TT RS Coupe, 2010 Aston Martin Rapide, and 2010 Honda Mugen Civic Type-R 3D. In-game credits are required to purchase these cars in Season Play. For more information, visit http://forzamotorsport.net/en-gb/default.htm.

“BioShock® 2 Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack” (2K Games)

March 11 | 800 Microsoft Points

Step back into the unforgettable world of Rapture in “BioShock® 2” and expand your BioShock 2 multiplayer experience with a rank increase to 50, new weapons upgrades, 20 new trials, and 2 new characters. This brand new add-on will also be available on Games for Windows – LIVE. This game is rated BBFC 18.

“Dragon Age: Origins Awakening Expansion Pack” (Electronic Arts)

March 16 | 3200 Microsoft Points

Rebuild the Grey Wardens and battle terrifying new creatures utilizing all new specializations, spells, and talents. This game is rated BBFC 18.

“Lips” (Microsoft Game Studios)

Throughout March | 160 Microsoft Points – 440 Microsoft Points (listed below)

Grab a friend and harmonize to the beat with “Sexy Love” by Ne-Yo, croon to the soothing melody of “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones, or sing until you’re “Breathless” with The Corrs. Each track is available for 160 Microsoft Points each through the Xbox LIVE “Lips” Music Store. To get your retro groove on, the Commodores Song Pack is now available, featuring a trio of their top hits including “Brick House,” “Three Times a Lady” and “Easy.” Later this month, jazz fans are in for a treat with the debut of the Norah Jones Song Pack, which includes “Don’t Know Why,” “Come Away With Me,” and “Sunrise.” As Song Packs are downloadable for 440 Microsoft Points each, it’s never been easier to get sing-along hits from your favorite artist! For a complete list of “Lips” Game Add-ons for the month, check out www.xbox.com/lips. Don’t forget to check out “Lips: Party Classics,” the latest title in the “Lips” family, available in stores worldwide now.

GAMES ON DEMAND

Games on Demand delivers the titles you want, whenever you want them, straight to your Xbox 360. The upcoming Games on Demand lineup includes Xbox 360 Platinum Hits from some of the biggest franchises on Xbox 360 :

“Guilty Gear 2 Overture” (Aksys Games)

March 9 | Japan

At the height of their powers, mankind created biological weapons called “Gears,” whose energy source came from what was known as “Divine Power.” However, one of these Gears turned on its masters and led an army of its fellow Gears in a bloody war against humanity. Humans responded by creating an order of knights whose sole purpose was the destruction of the Gears. At first, it seemed that they were successful, but the truth had yet to be revealed…until now. Learn the truth in Guilty Gear 2: Overture, exclusively on XBOX 360! Join with friends in team battle, or go at it alone in free-for-all with up to four players on Xbox LIVE®! Guilty Gear 2: Overture is rated PEGI 16+.

Treat yourself to new, lower priced Games on Demand titles too, including:

• “Kameo™: Elements of Power™” (Microsoft Game Studios) | Europe

• “Mass Effect™” (Microsoft Game Studios) | Europe

• “ Perfect Dark Zero™” ( Microsoft Game Studios) | Europe

• “Viva Piñata™,” “Viva Piñata®: Party Animals,” and “Viva Piñata™: Trouble in Paradise” (Microsoft Game Studios) | Europe with “Viva Piñata™: Trouble in Paradise” also reduced in the US

“Since the beginning, Microsoft has made an investment in the security and safety of Xbox LIVE and created tools and monitoring practices to ensure it is a fun and welcoming entertainment experience for people of all races, nationalities, religions and sexual orientations,” said Xbox LIVE GM Marc Whitten.

“The Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct are designed to create a place where people can safely enjoy all of the ways to interact on our service, be it online multiplayer gaming, photo sharing, Netflix parties, or social games such as 1 vs. 100, without fear of discrimination or harassment. As the service evolves and our customers provide us with feedback, these rules evolve to incorporate new features or changes in how people wish to interact.

“With that in mind, I’d like to announce an update to the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct which will allow our members to more freely express their race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation in Gamertags and profiles.”

So now you are able to “express your relationship orientation in your profile or Gamertag” with either of the following statuses:

Straight
Gay
Lesbian
Bi
Transgender

“I truly believe that our diversity is what makes us strong: diversity in gaming and entertainment options, and diversity in the people that make up this amazing community. I look forward to seeing you on LIVE soon.”

It still remains unacceptable to either “insult, harass, or any other pejorative use against other users” regarding their relationship orientation. So if you get reported, then it’s your own fault.

So, I mentioned in my previous preview from a couple of weeks ago that the game was looking pretty damned good. Being the VIP like I am (let’s face it, I’m awesome) I was allowed access to play the game for four hours over at Microsoft HQ. As I rocket my way to stardom (I’m joking, my ego isn’t that large, but it works for the humour, dammit), I made a list of demands. I demanded pickup via stretch hummer, Russian beer to get me in the mood, and a smattering of scones and egg pie (quiche for men); all of which, surprisingly, were met. Well played, THQ, well played.

Now, I’ll say this first. The atmosphere is still amazing, and I can’t say that enough. There were times I quite literally looked around due to thinking someone or something was behind me, only to find that the sound in the game had tricked me to do so, or the atmosphere had sucked me in to such a stage where that was possible.

The addition of the native language for the game, Russian, as a spoken language is a guilty pleasure for me. Assassin’s Creed 2has taught that games are really meant to be played in their original language with english subtitles, much like anime. The only problem I had with the subtitles is their consistency. Sometimes what characters were saying in the background didn’t come up in the subtitles, which isn’t a game breaker, but it’s certainly not ideal.

The game is fairly linear, unlike a game it will be compared to, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Is this a bad thing? No, not at all, it’s a semi-classic first person shooter with psychological elements. Trudging all over the map was a pain in S.T.A.L.K.E.R, so I’m glad it was swapped for the more linear approach; this gives the players a lot more chance to be immersed in the atmosphere and really enjoy the game for exactly what it is.

There’s a good amount of weapons in the game, giving people plenty of ways to kill baddies, whether it be man or beast. If you want to be all stealthy and use throwing knives in people’s faces? That’s cool (it is). If you want to ‘duplet’ your enemies in the face with your shotgun? Go nuts, LT and RT are assigned to each barrel, double down for double fun! My personal favourite was ‘the bastard’, an SMG with one hell of a kick. But hey, you can see its clip, so that’s cool, right? All of these weapons have their own upgrades, purchased with ‘pre-apocalypse’ bullets (military grade rounds).

There’s a few issues with hit detection on enemies, but I was playing on Hardcore, so these may not happen in the standard difficulties. Also, when you see a weapon on the ground and go to pick it up (which is quite uncommon in itself), there’s no description of whether the weapon is better or worse, or what upgrades it has on it, so you may spend some time guessing or really analysing the visual cues. Ammo is also hard to come by, I understand that it’s post apocalyptic, and the use of bullets as currency is an awesome addition, but you will spend a lot of time with your knife. Which is awkward, because it has zero stealth capability and doesn’t feel like it could cut paper. In fact, I’m more likely to cut the enemies with paper than I am the knife you’re given.

When on the surface, you’ll need a air mask and filters. Whilst some people have complained of motion sickness due to the blurring on the mask, I did not suffer it myself, but it is worthy of a mention. What I must ask though, what’s the purpose of being able to change your air filter early? I mean, it may save you a few seconds in battle, but usually if you don’t know a battle is coming up before you’re already in it. If you get hit a lot in combat when you have your mask on, it will slowly crack and break, leaving you gasping for air, about fifteen or twenty seconds away from death unless you find a new one.

I do offer some advice for the game. In chapter 2 when offered the chance to ‘follow’ and ‘enjoy’ a hooker? Don’t do it man. Don’t do it. I did, and well, the outcome wasn’t good. That’s my advice to all of you, and I hope you take it.

Now, despite my nit-pickings about the game, I’m still massively pumped for the game, and when it comes out on March 18th, I’ll damned well be playing it, because this is still shaping up to be a great title.

Enjoy.