EA to add replacement officials to Madden 13

In a shocking yet perhaps unsurprising bit of news, EA has announced a future update for Madden 13 will add replacement officials to the game. This will NOT be a form of DLC and will instead be instituted via a mandatory update that cannot be avoided. We reached out to EA for more information on a move that will surely spark a wildfire of abhorrence. Whether the hate was focused more toward the actual replacement officials or EA is still up for speculation.

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan DLC review

For better or for worse, Mass Effect 3 is one of those games that's pretty difficult to forget. Despite garnering heavy criticism from its rabid fan-base for its questionable end, ME3 still retains one of the best narratives of the year. Leviathan, the game's first piece of paid DLC, not only expands upon an already riveting storyline, it contains information that will likely make die-hard fans explode in a cloud of gore and joy. That's a good thing.

Kotaku, Angry Joe, Gamefront and why we all owe BioWare an apology

Endings are a funny thing. Being the very last piece of the overall package, it's often this final bit will leave the longest lasting impression of your entire adventure. It's the one point where everything you've done, all the decisions you've made, the places you've gone, the relationships you established, the nations you spared, all coalesce into an emotional tidal wave that brings a sense of closure to your experience. For some, Mass Effect 3's ending defied these core principles and in doing so rendered itself incapable of bestowing an appropriate finale upon its fans. Should BioWare submit to those demanding for immediate change or is the ending fine the way that it is? We sound off within.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article contains massive spoilers for Mass Effect 3 as well as Half-Life 2. If you wish to preserve the integrity of the story for yourself, please do not read further. You have been warned.

Mass Effect 3 review

What do you consider the greatest game you've ever played? When this timeless question is asked, well-deserving titles like the original Super Mario Bros., Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda are often mentioned. It then, of course, sparks a perpetual debate about what sort of prerequisites must be met to be considered among gaming's most elite. However, sometimes an anomaly approaches with substance and quality that are simply unmatched in virtually every category of contemporary gaming. Sometimes a game just needs to be experienced to be fully understood and appreciated. That's the kind of game BioWare has delivered with Mass Effect 3.

Kingdoms of Amalur and why it needs your help

Can you remember the last time that a brand new intellectual property got you excited? For me that was Demon's Souls, back in 2009. The truth is that every single year there's a plethora of new brands, like Demon's Souls, that appear on the market. Unfortunately, few truly make it, and even if some get that taste of success, oftentimes the game will soon after quietly fade into obscurity.

Kingdoms of Amalur is hoping to break this formula with its audacious attempt at melding several genres. What kind of fate awaits 38 Studios' first title? That's up to us. And I'm here to tell you why you need to care.

Dead Space 2 review (with video review)

Sleeper hits like the original Dead Space are proof that the horror genre, inadvisably, is undead. Complete with satisfying shooting, space curb-stomps and legitimate scary moments, Dead Space 2 is more of the same with some augmentations. It isn't a reinvention of the wheel, but the original Dead Space formula was already a sound enough one, which didn't require many tweaks to its already commendable horror/shooter setup. Throw in some new competitive online action, and there's something for just about everyone in Visceral's little monster.

It's been about three years since the game's protagonist, Isaac Clark, last combated the parasitic Necromorphs that riddled the dark corridors of the first game. Having been out of commission for unknown reasons, Isaac awakens on a moon orbiting Saturn, just as the Necromorphs begin their rampage of terror... again. Fortunately, he'll have some new toys and friends to help him along the way.

What if EA's Online Pass goes universal?

You might have heard about EA’s new system for purchasers of used games. Not only does this bring downloadable content to a whole new level, but it explores the idea of universal implementation

Starting with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, EA will make an “Online Pass” mandatory to participate in any online component of their sports titles. If you buy new you’ll have nothing to worry about. However, any consumer who buys used will have a seven-day trial period before being prompted to purchase the pass. Basically it’s downloadable content that’ll cost you $10 if you’re really into the idea of taking your game online.

Frankly, the idea behind this is ostensibly gross. Being strapped for cash, people working with a very limited budget definitely look to used games as a saving grace. It allows for an experience at a lower price as long as you’re willing to sacrifice physical quality and the shrink wrap. This is the way it’s always been. Games already cost a lavish amount and adding on an exclusive $10 fee to a discounted game seems pretty sleazy, but the thing is I definitely see where EA is coming from. That used game revenue goes straight to retailers and with how high production costs are, maintaining servers, etc it makes sense that a company like EA would want their consumers to buy new in order to gain the direct revenue.

Arguably, the more important part about all of this is whether or not the online pass will transition to other games beyond EA Sports titles. Obviously it’s much too early to tell if it’ll happen, but with all the security out there already I wouldn’t put my money on never seeing this “Pass” system implemented throughout the industry. 

If, however, it did manage to eke its way through then this whole debate would get a load more troublesome. Sure it might be okay now since it only affects sports games, but how would you react if you were prompted to purchase a $10 pass to play the next Battlefield game you borrowed from a friend? I think it turns the tables a bit.

I certainly understand the predicament companies have with the used games industry, but charging for something that has always been free doesn’t seem like the right way to do it. Sports games recycle faster than most conventional titles, so maybe the sting won’t be as bad as it could be.

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