Bungie Goes Mobile with iOS App

For some time now, Bungie has been at the forefront of implementing social features into their games. The developer's Halo series may have been the first to successfully implement extras such as replay, image and video sharing, and advanced stat tracking that not only worked, but it looked damn good as well. Bungie has beaten Call of Duty Elite to the punch by sneaking out an iOS app which affords you some of these luxuries on the go. 

Bungie Mobile allows you to ogle a model of your Spartan, view current challenges, and check commendation progress. If you want deeper stats, the app will thoughtfully redirect you to Bungie.net's mobile site, where you can do just about anything you're able to do on the full-fledged portal. Bungie Mobile also allows you to search for other players, so you can creep on their model and stats. To keep you up to date with the latest Bungie news, there's also a section of the app dedicated to Bungie's tweets and recent news. Finally, linking your Bungie.net account to Bungie Mobile will net you a few sweet freebies, such as the 'All-Star Nameplate' to proudly display in-game, and the Blue Flames helmet effect. You jealous? 

All in all Bungie has done well with this mobile application, which for now only works for Halo: Reach. You bet your Spartan ass that Bungie's next game will use Bungie Mobile to the nth degree. Just hope that their first game published by Activision won't have the soul-sold Kotick seal of Devilry emlazoned into it's fibers.

Weekend Time Killers

Here's the once a week section for the site, dedicated to some quick and dirty game images, videos, and miscellaneous links found out there on the interwebs. Mainly interesting stuff I'm too busy to write about, or one offs that aren't worthy of their own post, but still worth your time. Enjoy this weekend's Time Killers.

Former Bungie VP tears Activision chief Bobby Kotick a new one

Stallone is rip Bobby Kotick a new one too

Andrew Bynum doing his Jesus Christ Pose in EA Sports' NBA Elite 

Master Chief leads a Spartan army across the Delaware

The Official Sport of Halo, Grifball, comes to Reach

Armor Lock is handy in Halo: Reach, not so much in the real world

8-bit Megaman Deathmatch with 50 plus weapons? Sweeeeet

Airbrushed Dreamcast's are art on top of art

Review: Halo Reach

As their time with Microsoft neared it's end, Bungie had one last chance to create something great for the Xbox 360 and it's army of devout Halo fans. Off the heels of the entertaining yet disappointing Halo: ODST, Halo Reach attempted to capture the glory and mystique of the first three Halo games, and build upon the marginal story with a prequel, in attempt to make the story's first chapter the best of the bunch. It's awesome trailer was able to Deliver Hope, but does Halo Reach deliver results?

Click to read more ...

Deliver Hope, Deliver Bombs, Deliver Great Live Action

Whether you're a hardcore who owns every Halo title ever released and was one of the last guys forced off Halo 2's servers, or you swore to never touch the series again after being engulfed by the vibrant pink death of needles, both sides of the spectrum have to agree on at least one thing: Halo be marketing. 

Halo ODST's live action trailer was perhaps the best of the bunch, feeling more like a trailer for a Hollywood blockbuster than a mediocre game. The next entry in the series, Halo Reach, has followed it's predecessor with a bunch of live action spots ranging from "damn, dope" to "bland, nope." 

Deliver Hope, Reach's latest and possibly last big ramp up to the release, delivers indeed. It's a great mix of flawless graphic effects, immersing action, and a tale being told to hook us into buying the game. And buy we will.

Halo Reach drops on September 14th. 

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Gushes Over Itself

Ubisoft has released another killer Assassin's Creed Brotherhood multiplayer trailer. This tells you, in quotes, how awesome it's own multiplayer is. Can't argue with it, because it does look good. And like the previous ACB multiplayer trailer, it's very well done. One thing that bothers me, is that assassinations are supposed to be performed quickly, quietly, and mysteriously right? This multiplayer assassinating thing has dudes backflipping, drop kicking, and slitting throats with a flourish in broad day light. Assassination FAIL! 

Halo Reach, In Space! (part 2)

In a previous post, which we discussed Halo Reach's E3 trailer, my pants felt a little funny after seeing the clip of a space fighter battle from the game's campaign. Good funny. While that isn't the only reason why I'm excited, it's a pretty big contributing factor. The multiplayer demo was solid enough to sell me on a buy, but the space fighter battle might be a section of the campaign I'll have to play over and over.

It reminds me of good old air combat games on the systems of yesteryear, a genre which I feel hasn't been explored and built upon on these latest gen consoles. There have been a few releases which try to recreate the fire old flying shooters had, such as Snoopy Flying Ace, the H.A.W.X. series, Warhawk, et al, but I'm waiting for a very intense and deep space shooter. Until then, here's the Halo: Reach excerpt.

E3: Halo Reach, In Space!

Say what you will about the Halo series.. The story sucks. The improvements from game to game are marginal. The multiplayer isn't as good as Modern Warfare. Blah blah blah. Some of these detracting facts I have no choice but to agree with. Others, I'll argue with you until you're out of breath. 2010 brings another Halo game, and with it, it brings hype and excitement for some, cautious optimism or straight up doubt for others.

Consider me in the latter. I'm ready for Reach! I've always been a supporter of the Halo Series.. Except for Halo Wars, fuck that game. And maybe ODST, that was kinda disappointing. But Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 were sick. And now, the series expands with.. Ready for this? Wait for it.. SPACE BATTLES! Hell yeah.