These VIP maps are nice bits of content for those who purchased the game first-hand. Second hand users don’t get in on the VIP stuff. However, we’re still waiting for the big update – a vietnam DLC pack!

v1.07 will update Supression mode, to remove the faction dominance in some maps. Furthermore, the update will introduce “Happy Hour” which will dish out double XP for the first hour you play every day. A good way for people to be re-introduced with the title, for sure.

Visuals will also be improved as well as exploits found on two maps in the game – much to the delight of the community.

The update is due in “late August”.

Rather then battle to the death, setting up 100% natural defenses in the way of the Jackson estate lawyers, PopCap have decided to remedy the issue by doing an update which removes the dancing zombie. Be warned, though, the update apparently makes the iPhone 4 version crap out.

There is a storyline, two opposing men, one a bird looking thing and the other a spider looking thing, want to woo the new woman thats in the area. The good bird guy sings sweet symphonies while the evil spider sings heavy metal! Surprisingly she chooses the good guy (terrible decision I know) and they serenade each other. In a rage of jealousy, the evil spider concocts a poison that steals all the music from the world. You, as good Mr Bird guy, have to get it all back!

So lets jump into the game play. You have to collect items that are spread out through each level. You do so by running along a variety of strings. As you run along, you can strum from top to bottom to jump up and strum from bottom to top to fall onto a lower level. Each item generates a sound to go along with the song belonging to that level. This is the easy part. Throughout the levels there are strings that you have to hit at a specific time! This is done in sync with the level music. These generate a sound also.

The early levels are easy enough. Each level is some classical music. You start off playing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony which is awesome to say the least. But as the levels progress, you get more difficult additions. Spiders (the percussion section of the symphony) jump at you. Just as they begin to fly towards the screen, you have to hit them. This is a lot harder than it sounds! You have to make sure to do everything in sync!

Every bridge of difficulty is met with a boss fight. The evil spider dude plays a beat with his minions that you have to match perfectly to hurt him. This was my favorite level of the game to be honest. It was the same with Guitar hero boss fights (VS Tom Morello in GH3).  As you win, you gain followers and a crown! If you lose, you get angry red notes that overwhelm you if you do too badly.

All in all I really liked the game, it was a simple concept but leads to a challenging layout. Playing classical music is a plus for me. Games will always appeal to me if they are a bit more unique than the norm. Like the appeal of the GH/Rock Band games you feel more involved with a game when you feel you are playing the music. An enormous amount of portable games cannot pull off the attention grabbing addiction that you need to succeed on a portable platform. I feel Maestro! Green Groove does. Word of advice, play with earphones. Enhances the experience. Keep up the good work guys! Hope to see more additions of the game.

I will give it a decent 4/5 because it managed to fully grasp my attention. It is a good game for the platform I felt.

Bungie, this is fucking awesome.

Check out the latest Vid Doc Forge World.

See what you think.

Straight from gametrailers

Well, funny you should ask – because EA are launching Darkspore. Not Spore 2. It won’t be the bright, friendly game that Spore was, but will use the mechanics Spore built and hopefully the lessons learned.

“Darkspore is inspired in part by the award-winning creature editor tech of Spore, but also in large part from the team’s own passion for gaming and prior experience,” said Lucy Bradshaw, General Manager of Maxis Studio. “The team has combined these inspirations to produce a unique take on the action RPG genre.”

Darkspore will feature dynamic, fast-paced action as players battle across alien worlds to save the galaxy from the mutated forces of Darkspore in a four-player co-operative and full single-player campaign, as well as intense multiplayer battles. In order to defeat the malicious Darkspore, players will need to collect an arsenal of living weapons – genetic heroes with different combat abilities – and upgrade them with tens of thousands of collectible body parts and armor.

Basically this is Spore, but aiming at a Starcraft II generation. Expect to see it early 2011.

Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix is on sale for €6.99 is a pretty good deal, not much point to it though unless you’re the one person in the world who’s sick of SF4.

Pick of the week? Mortal Kombat 2 for €2.99.

Special Offers

(Available until the 4th of August)

• Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
• Revenge of the Wounded Dragons (was – £6.29/€7.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Mortal Kombat 2 (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
• Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic Time Savers Pack (was – £1.19/€1.99 now – £0.79/€0.99)
• Street Fighter IV Complete Alternative Costume Pack (was – £9.99/€12.99 now – £4.79/€5.99)
• Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (was – £11.99/€14.99 now – £5.49/€6.99)
• Final Fight: Double Impact (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)

Permanent Price Reductions

• Obscure: The Aftermath (PSP)
  (was – £23.99/€29.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)

Downloadable Games (PS3)

• Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Episode – Beyond the Alley of the Dolls (free with Season Entitlement)
  Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: All locales

Downloadable Games (PSP)

• Gravity Crash (£6.29/€7.99)
  Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All locales

PSP Essentials

(Availability may differ in some locales)

• Street Fighter Alpha Max 3 (£7.99/€9.99)
• Petz: My Baby Hamster (£7.99/€9.99)

minis (PS3/PSP)

• Young Thor (£3.99/€4.99)
  Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All locales

• Arctic Adventures: Polar’s Puzzles (£3.49/€3.99)
  Rating: PEGI 3

Availability: All locales

Demos (PS3)

• Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days (Single/Multiplayer Demo)
  Rating: PEGI 18

Availability: Not available in Germany

Add-On Game Content (PS3)

• LittleBigPlanet
  • Marvel Costume Kit 2 (£4.79/€5.99) (contains the following costumes which are also available separately)
  • Elektra Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Human Torch Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Thor Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Spider-Man Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Ghost Rider Costume (£1.59/€1.99)

• ModNation Racers – Sheriff Sirloin Pack (£1.39/€1.75)
  Rating: PEGI 7

• Zen Pinball – Mars Table (£1.59/€1.99)
  Rating: PEGI 7

• Rock Band
  • ‘The Stooges Pack 01’ (£3.49/€5.29) (contains the following tracks which are also available separately)
  • ‘1969’ (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘New Dark Ages’ (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘No Control’ (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘No Fun’ (£0.99/€1.49)

  Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: Not available in Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates

• Rock Band Network
  • ’50,000 Unstoppable Watts’ by Clutch (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘Approach the Podium’ by Winds of Plague (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘How we Roll’ by Plushgun (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘Indigo Friends’ by Reverend Horton Heat (£0.99/€1.49)
  • ‘Stand for Something’ by Skindred (£0.59/€0.79)

  Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: Not available in Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates

• Guitar Hero 5
  • Disturbed Track Pack (£4.39/€5.49) (contains the following tracks which are also available separately)
  • Down with the Sickness (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Indestructible (£1.59/€1.99)
  • Stricken (£1.59/€1.99)

  Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: Not available in Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates

Add-On Game Content (PSP)

• LittleBigPlanet
  • Fruit Salad Costume (free)
  • Fruit Salad Level Kit (£2.39/€2.99)

Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All locales

• Buzz! Quiz World – Celebrities Quiz (£3.19/€3.99)
  Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: Not available in Czech Republic, Greece and Russian Federation.

FirstPlay (PS3)

• Episode 016 (£0.99/€1.20)

Availability: Ireland and UK only

Videos (PSP)

• Piyotama mini Trailer
• Armored Core 3 Trailer
• Armored Core Last Raven Trailer
• Armored Core Silent Trailer

Wallpapers (PS3)

• Fat Princess: Fat Roles Wallpaper 1 & 2 (free)

Avatars (PS3)

• Crash Commando – (£0.20/€0.25 each)
  • Jarhead Avatar
  • Maid Mayhem Chaos Avatar
  • Nuke ‘m Ninja Avatar
  • Reggae Rasta Avatar

• PAIN – (£0.20/€0.25 each)
  • Brock Avatar
  • Cookie Avatar
  • Ed Avatar
  • Ginger Avatar
  • Hung Avatar
  • Jarvis Avatar
  • Kenny Avatar
  • Le Toot Avatar
  • Scurv Avatar
  • Tati Avatar

Additional Locale Releases

• Toy Story 3 – Alien Escapades
  Rating: PEGI 3