SYSTEM WARS MONTHLY GOTY EDITION (December Issue) (Comics, LBP, SSBB, RE4)

Letter from the Editor - Willy105

I love you guys.

Well, to be honest, there are times where you make me want to smash a real hammer into my skull because of your stupidity, but blame it on me because I still am here, working on a magazine for System Wars. So no matter what a bad idea it is to keep coming to System Wars is, you can always count on us to try to make it all better.

This month is the last issue we will make this year.

We will make one in January, but we just wanted to make sure you knew. Of course, with every year, there is the time of year we declare Game of the Year. By the time this issue gets posted, Gamespot would have already chosen their Game of the Year (NHL 08?), but whatever the winner is, there will be somebody that says it doesn't deserve it. Like us.

THEY DON'T DESERVE IT.

So we made our own Game of the Year special to show OUR picks for Game of the Year! Plus, we have new comics, articles, sentences, and all that stuff that legally qualifies this as a "magazine". We also come with a new graphical styIe, thanks to our brand new graphic designer (say hello), and to celebrate, we made him make wallpapers for all you guys! Enjoy!

You don't deserve it either...this...is...SYSTEM WARS MONTHLY!!!!

Hello SW! I'm Tsug_Ze_Wind, and I'll be your weathersheep as usual.

I hope you all had as good a holiday as I did, and by that I mean I hope you all did nothing but sit around and curse everything for not being open on Christmas.

Christmas was delivered to the lemmings in the form of a chainsaw to the gut, which is still preferable to underwear and socks. The new Metal Gear game that was hinted at on the official website turned out to be on Apple hardware, which any upstanding lemming has burned all they've come in contact with. Not only that, the war continued between Gears 2 and Resistance 2, with Resistance being nominated for GOTY and Gears 2 very strangely absent. I've decided to name this sequence of events "Gearsistance 2: This Time It's Bias."

It's not all bad for the lemmings though, as their community has been cleared of all charges of being the only racist, sexist jerks that exist. PS Home launched earlier this month, or the beta launched, or the beta became public, or some other nonsense, and beta testers/people trying out the feature came upon a startling discovery. IDIOTS EXIST THAT OWN PLAYSTATION 3S. As sightings of racist gangs and droves of stalkers became more common, the world's most idiotic argument was finally put to rest.

As for Home itself, it'll be interesting to see if it actually becomes a valuable feature for the PS3, or if it remains as Penny Arcade described it.

Sheep got a bit of Christmas cheer from Square Enix, who announced Dragon Quest X for the Wii. Then they all decided to become Atheists, as they weren't getting anything under the tree anyway. Q1 '09 does not look to be the savior sheep had hoped for, so...Let's go Q2!

In closing, I'd like to have a moment of silence for the devs that closed their doors this month: Free Radical and Factor 5. This month was just not a good one for devs that began with F and developed bad games on the PS3 recently. I'd also like to have a moment of silence for Gamespot's credibility, but if we had a moment of silence for every time GS killed it, we would be a very quiet board. 'Til next time, Merry Festivus to all.

Halo: A History - Fabz_95

For those of you who are new to the series (if you are then you shouldn't even be on this site) here's a little info on what the series is actually about. Halo is a science fiction FPS created by Bungie and is owned by Microsoft. The series consists of the same main character, who is the Master Chief who has an AI companion called Cortana. The actual title of the game Halo is talking about the megastructures in the game, which are large halo shaped "planets" which are habitable. People have hailed halo as one of the best FPS series ever and was considered the original Xbox's killer app.

Halo CE

The original Halo, known as Halo Combat Evolved, was released as a launch title for the Xbox on the 15th of November, 2001. As the game sold so well ( by November 2005 the game had sold 5 million copies) the game was ported to PC and to Mac in 2003. The game was then released again as an Xbox originall on Xbox Live.

During the game you were accompanied by Cortana who would help you out during the game. The game did brilliantly as many game magazines praised Halo as one of the best and one of the most important games in history, magazines like Edge even gave the game a 10/10. The gameplay was like other FPS's, the game took place at the Master Chiefs eye view and could move around while aiming like any other FPS game. There were quite a few vehicles in the game such as the banshee, warthog, scorpion etc which switched players to a 3rd person camera angle when they occupied one. Some things that made Halo great and unique from other FPS games were its arsenal. It was praised for having an arsenal where each weapon had its own unique purpose.

Overall the game did fantastic getting 9.7 from Gamespot and Ign and even getting IGN GOTY. It also got 96% on gamerankings.

Halo 2

The sequel to Halo CE, again made by Bungie Studios, was released on November 9th, 2004 and was then released for Windows Vista in May 2007. After its release Halo 2 was the most popular video game on Xbox Live. It held this title until Gears of War was released on the 360 almost 2 years later. Halo 2 was the best selling Xbox game selling 8.46 million copies worldwide.

The game featured a brand new engine and also made use of the new Havok physics engine. The game had many more vehicles and weapons and also had a lot more multiplayer maps. The games plot, which was set in the 26th century, was about the future humanity fight a war against the Covenant. The games story was famous for the ending which was a huge cliffhanger. Reception for the game was very positive scoring 9.4 at GS and scored 9.8 at IGN and was hailed the best Xbox game of all time at IGN.

Halo 3

Halo 3, obviously being developed by Bungie, was made exclusive for the Xbox 360. The game is the third game in the Halo series and the game concluded the story of the game. The game was released on 25th of September 2007 and was released in 3 versions, Normal versions, limited edition and legendary edition. One day before the game was released, 4.2 million copies were ready in retail stores worldwide which shows how popular the game was.

The game did so well that it grossed $300 million in its first week! It was so popular that 1 million people played Halo 3 on Xbox live in the first 20 hours. The game featured even more vehicles, weapons and maps then the last game game modes which did not feature in the previous games. You were able to save gameplay movies, share files and were able to edit multiplayer maps using the forge map editor. As usual you controlled Master Chief and were assisted by the human marines. However in this game you were also assisted by an alien race called the Elites.

You can already tell what I'm going to say this time. The reception of the game was brilliant. It got 9.5's from both IGN and Gamespot and scored an average of 93% and 94% for Game rankings and Metacritic.

Other

Although the main series is over ( or is it? ) there are still some Halo games in the work. One of them being Halo wars, an upcoming RTS (real time strategy game) that is set in the Halo world. The game is being made by Ensemble studios and is said to be the last game being made by the company. The game is taking place 20 years before Halo Combat Evolved and 5 characters have been revealed so far. These characters are Captain Cutter, Professor Anders, Sergeant Forge, an unknown arbiter and another AI companion called Serina. The game is said to be released on February 26 2009 for EU, February 27 2009 for JP and March 3 2009 for NA.

Another game being made in the Halo Universe is Halo ODST (formerly known as Halo Recon) is a standalone expansion for Halo 3 and is a prequel to the game. People will take on the role of a UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Trooper and the game is set during the events leading up to Halo 3. Although the game looks similar to the other 3 games, players will be playing in New Mombasa in Kenya. The game will include stealth gameplay and will also include open world gameplay.

Well we've come to the end of another fantastic addition to the "A history" series and I hope you guys enjoyed it!

I'll see you guys next time!

System Wars: The Comic #2 - Nintendo_Tom and Hanky_Panky

This is Issue 2 of System Wars: The Comic, which is the last issue Nintendo_Tom and Hanky_Panky (the original creators) made before they were banned.

Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition Review - Fabz_95

Isn't Leon looking a bit festive today? :P

So Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition... A remake of a 2 year old game...

What's the point? Complete rip-off right?

That might be your initial thoughts, but once you play the game you'll be eating those words...

So what's new with this version?

Well if you only owned the Gamecube version then there's a lot of new things in this version.

Of course there are the Wii controls but we'll talk about that a bit later. First of all there are all the extras that the PS2 version had. Not only does it have all the new weapons that the PS2 version had but it also has extra modes such as Assignment Ada, Separate ways and Mercenaries. Assignment Ada and Separate ways are both brand new missions that are played using Ada, so you can know find out what Ada was doing all those times you were playing as Leon. Mercenaries is a mini-game of sort where you can choose up to 4 different characters. This mini-game is pretty fun, especially as there are a lot of high scores people have made online which are pretty tough to beat.

Ok so what about the people that owned the PS2 version? Is there any reason to buy this version?

Well apart from the new wii controls not much... But the game is worth it just because of the wii controls. Yes they are that good. The controls in the game are brilliant. When shooting, you hold B to take out your gun and you press A to shoot. The controls here are very tight and extremely responsive and are perfect for making those vital headshots. If you were a big fan of the PS2/GC version, the controls in this version will be a breath of fresh air. Motion controls are also used for slashing people with your knife. Even though this is a simple mechanic as you literally just slash the air with your wiimote, as it is a perfect representation of how you would slash someone in real life, it makes slashing someone a lot more satisfying. Motion controls have also been added into the Quick time events. Usually during cut scenes, when one of these came up you would tap a button. In the wii version you peform a certain motion with the wii remote. Although this isn't particularly big it is rather fun shaking the wii remote to make leon run from a boulder :P .

Even though there is no extra content for the wii version is it still worth it?

Yes. Yes it is! The controls make such a difference in the game that it is definitely worth it. The reception the game has recieved is proof of this! And even if you think that you won't think the controls will make that much of a difference, trust me, it will. And plus, this is Resident Evil 4 we're talking about. It's such a brilliant game that don't you just want an excuse to play through the game again. Don't you want to headshot ganados, take out El Gigante, kill ashley for fun, wet your pants when the Novistadors jump out at you all over again?

Whether you're a die hard Resident Evil fan or you've just owned Resident Evil 4 or even if you only have the slightest interest in this game it's worth getting.

The game was brilliant in 2005 and it's still brilliant now and deserves to be in your wii collection.

Download Link

GOTY SPECIAL

System Wars: The Comic #23 - Willy105

System Wars Monthly Game of the Year Nominees- Willy105

The Nominees Are:

GEARS OF WAR 2

The sequel to the 2006 recipient of Gamespot's Game of the Year is here, and it does not disappoint. The game returns with even more violence, a better storyline dealing with love and revenge, a faster pace for levels, and great music. What's even better, although the last Gears of War was technologically advanced, it certainly wasn't pretty, coining the term of "Grey Shooters". But Gears of War 2 fixes that by not only being technologically impressive, but also good looking, with the first in the series with actual color. This game is probably one of the best looking, if not the best looking, console game out there.

So says Marcus Fenix at the start of the sequel to what became one of the biggest names on Xbox 360 following holiday 2006. Gears of war went on to become almost worthy of standing next to godlo 3 and made EPIC, Cliffy B. and chainsaw bayonette household terms. While not without its flaws (unlike godlo) GeOW became one of Microsofts heavy hitter franchises, adding yet another bat to the beating that Snake and Mario are taking from the 360. Gears was breakthrough for its realistic portrail of a firefight, awesome graphics and slick weapons. Gears of war 2 does nothing but improve upon this with several added weapons, enemies and graphics. not to mention tuned up controls and enemy interaction. you are equal to your enemy in all respects but one. numbers. if you can curb stomp than they can do so to you. this game is a drastic overhaul from its predecessor, worthy of the name sequel in every aspect and my personal GOTY.

9.5 Darkspineslayer

LITTLE BIG PLANET

A new IP by Media Molecule, when it was first demonstrated at GDC 2008, it took the world by storm. It was a risk, by making a game that is fully user-created, and having an art styIe that seemingly went opposite of what could sell well on the PS3. Even opposing fanboys, some of them actual Sony ones, called the game kiddy. At one point, most of the people that hyped the game were actually sheep and some of the more mature cows. But the game was released and it was all it was cracked up to be, a fantastically fun experience. This is the best game on the PS3, hands down.

SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL

Originally supposed to be released December of last year, then in February, then in March, the third installment of the critically acclaimed and best selling Nintendo fighting series was one of the most hyped games of the decade, almost tied with Halo 3. While Halo 3 did not deliver in the eyes of many of who were hyping it, Super Smash Bros. Brawl delivered more than what even the developer's daily blog was promising. Even with issues with lag in the first few months of it's release, Brawl became the best multiplayer experience on the Wii, and a game that supporters of opposing consoles envied without end. It did not sell as much as Halo 3, due to Nintendo not bothering to advertise it (and that it wasn't released in the rest of the world until months later), the series have been known to actually sell more as time moves on, and could once again be another game that would define a generation.

SO THE WINNER IS:

LITTLE BIG PLANET

Why, you ask? There are plenty of reasons. For one, Little Big Planet doesn't concentrate to exploiting violence for fun, but instead, it exploits creativity. Making a level that you could not only be proud for, but also share online with others (something Super Smash Bros. Brawl did only halfway there, and something Gears of War 2 didn't even try). The possibilities were endless, and it brought laughs and joy to those who were mature enough to look past it's colors and buy it. In my opinion, this is the best PS3 game ever made, and it is the best game of 2008.

Runner Up: Sonic Unleashed

This is a joke.

Of course Willy should win GOTY. GS just doesn't recognize a true game when they see him.

That Oscar comic about MGS4 had me laughing hard. Good job like always Willy.Hockey_Slayer

MGSIV is just so good it can curb stomp The Dark Knight. :lol:

I still find it absolutely ludicris games like Burnout and NHL 09 got the nod over LBP, Gears2, and SSBB on Gamespot. Nice job guys.

That was one good edition! Nice job everyone!

I really enjoyed the comics! :P

whats with the fabz quote box around my gears 2 bit?darkspineslayer

LOL wow you guys put alot of effort into this. Keep it up.jakarai

I find the effort displayed here is a disgrace to humanity....hip-hop-cola2

it was me from the start...faz never had anything to do with it...darkspineslayer

[QUOTE="jonnyt61"]Hmmm... I normally enjoy your threads. But to be so openly ignorant about MGS4 is just... wrong? Go go for fun tho?Willy105

[QUOTE="AgentA-Mi6"][QUOTE="Willy105"] Not anymore. I played thru the first act and into the 2nd a couple days ago.Willy105

[QUOTE="Willy105"][QUOTE="AgentA-Mi6"] THATS great, Beat it Willy, its a masterpiceHockey_Slayer

Nice new cover!angelkimne

GUYS!

The GOTY section is supposed to be fanboyish. We just picked our favourite games for each console this year and reviewed it in a complete fanboy manner.

The main reason I didn't choose MGS4 is because that would of been too obvious. Plus these 3 games didn't actually get into the GS nominations which adds to the joke.

whats with the fabz quote box around my gears 2 bit?darkspineslayer

[QUOTE="darkspineslayer"]whats with the fabz quote box around my gears 2 bit?fabz_95

Maybe it was because of this:

*Gasp*

Crazy, How could you get me mixed up with DSS!

But wow Willy, once you put all the articles together everything looks fantastic!

The GOTY look brilliant too.

Haha, and you were worrying that we wouldn't have enough articles this issue Willy :P

Great Work guys!

fabz_95

Damn this thread is kewl, i like the comic with sheep lemming and cow...and the...thingy...Al3x_n90

Subrosian

good job as always willy Dante2710

MGS4 is better than LBP. MGS4 is an experiance. I got bored of LBP so quicly. Many people online made medioce levels. Making a level is kinda boring. Omni-Wrath

[QUOTE="Al3x_n90"]Damn this thread is kewl, i like the comic with sheep lemming and cow...and the...thingy...Willy105

Subrosian