BIOSHOCK UPDATE AND PLASMID PACK NOW AVAILABLE

Just a quick note here for those of you with BioShock for either Windows or the Xbox 360 – an update for the game is now available via the Xbox Live Marketplace (Xbox 360 version) or your favorite file download site (Windows version).

This update not only fixes several issues with the game, including the game's "widescreen" issues (it will now play in true widescreen), but also adds new plasmids and tonics to further enhance the experience that is the City of Rapture. It's a free download, so be sure to check it out!

• BioShock – Official website
• The Cult of Rapture – 2KGames

DIGITALLIFE ‘07 – HANDS-ON: GEARS OF WAR (PC)

Those of you who’ve been coming to the site for awhile have probably guessed that one of the games I was hoping would make an appearance at DigitalLife ’07 was the Windows version of Gears of War. While many of the titles I was hoping to get a chance to play were no-shows, I’m glad to report that Gears was indeed playable on the show floor.

Perhaps the best place to start is with this statement… it’s Gears of War. The section of the game I had the chance to play through took me from Marcus & Dom’s escape from Jacinto Penitentiary, through the meeting with Colonel Hoffman and into the battles in the ruins. Through that part of the game, the Windows port offered the exact same gameplay experience as the Xbox 360 original.

So what is going to make this version of Gears worth purchasing? Well, naturally if you don’t have an Xbox 360, this will be your first chance to play Epic’s masterpiece – and Gears remains an experience that should not be missed. In addition, the PC version will contain five new campaign chapters not found on the 360 (and, according to Epic Games VP Mark Rein, due to changes made to Unreal Engine 3 since the 360 version of Gears was released, these chapters will never be coming to the 360)

Beyond those five chapters, there is one other truly stunning difference between the two versions… the graphics. Simply put, if you thought the Xbox 360 version of Gears was a thing of beauty, you haven’t seen anything yet. The game looked absolutely amazing running on the kiosks in the Microsoft Games booth. Everyone I spoke with playing or watching the game could not get over just how good Gears looked. While I’m sure reaching that level of graphics at home is going to take a monster of a system, if you’ve got it, you’re going to see details that truly make the game a visual treat.

Control wise, the game was set up to be played with keyboard and mouse, and after a bit of trial and error, I was able to easily perform the same maneuvers I could pull off using the Xbox 360 control pad. The only place I noticed any kind of issue was when attempting to take cover from a standing position (as opposed to getting under cover using roadie-run). To be honest, I’m pretty sure that problem was more tied to my unfamiliarity with the keyboard controls. Beyond that one complaint, the default scheme worked quite well – though I will admit that should I decide to pick this one up, I’ll probably find myself using an Xbox 360 controller for familiarity’s sake.

So, what else is there to say? The game seemed extremely stable on the demo PC provided and there were no signs of slowdown or glitches evident. All signs seem to point towards Gears of War being a standout title.

In summing things up, my advice to those who have a system that can handle the game – and haven’t had a chance to play through Gears on the 360 – is to immediately add this one to your “must have” list. As I said earlier, Gears of War truly is an experience you should not miss. However, If you’ve already played the game to death on the 360, you’ll need to judge whether or not the five new chapters will justify the $49.99 price tag the game will carry.

The Windows PC version of Gears of War is scheduled to release on November 6th, 2007.

• Gears of War – Official website

GAMES FOR WINDOWS LIVE LAUNCHES MAY 8TH

Microsoft has announced that their Games for Windows – Live service will be launching on May 8th and, as with Xbox Live, will be available in 2 flavors – Gold and Silver. For those of you who missed the memo, Games for Windows – Live is Microsoft’s attempt to bring an "Xbox Live" type experience to PC gamers. Before we talk about just what GFW – Live is, let’s first talk about the biggest issue that’s been floated about on this one, and that’s the subject of PC gamers having to pay a fee in order to play games online.

Despite rumors to the contrary, it would appear that Microsoft is not expecting PC gamers to pay for the privilege of playing their purchases online. According to the press release, the ability for PC gamers to play against other PC gamers will be included in the free Games for Windows – Live Silver membership. Based on the information available, it would appear that pay "Gold" level membership (priced at $50 per year) is geared towards those who want to use custom online matchmaking tools or those who wish to play the upcoming cross-platform PC/Xbox 360 titles against Xbox 360 owners. In addition, Microsoft has also advised that the two services (Xbox Live and GFW-Live) are part of a unified service. If you have one, you have both – so there are no additional fees involved for Gold members of either service. Gamertags will also be linked across the two services, so existing Xbox Live members won’t have to stress over having to use two different identities between the services..

So what do you get with each service? Well, according to yesterday’s press release the following features are included with the two levels of service;

• Silver (Free) Membership Features
  • Single gamertag
  • Common gamer profile
  • Common gamerscore
  • Single player achievements
  • Private chat via text and voice
  • Common friends list and online presence
  • PC only multiplayer including browsing a list of active PC games

• Gold ($50 per year) Membership Features
  • All Silver membership features
  • Multiplayer matchmaking with friends
  • TrueSkill™ matchmaking
  • Multiplayer achievements
  • Cross-platform gameplay

While I for one would certainly welcome a simple, universal way to play PC titles against friends, I really do wonder just how Microsoft plans on pulling this one off. Unlike the Xbox brand, Microsoft really has little control over the PC game market, so the idea of them being able to control a universal service for online PC gameplay seems a bit far-fetched. Rather, I see this as becoming more of a service that PC developers will be able to use as an additional advertising tool for their titles. Further, with the direction Microsoft seems to be taking Games for Windows (using it to push games that will only run under Windows Vista), I really do have to wonder just how much of a benefit the service will be in the near future.

For those of you who want all the juicy details about the upcoming service, check out the full press release at this link. If that’s not enough for you, check out this FAQ on the service over at the Games for Windows site. For those of you who don’t, you may now return to your regularly scheduled internet surfing.

• Microsoft Unites Xbox and PC Gamers With Debut of Games for Windows — LIVE – Gamerscore Blog
• Games for Windows – Live FAQ – Games for Windows

MICROSOFT MAY SHUT DOWN BOOTLEG COPIES OF WINDOWS

ArsTechinica has a report on the rumor going around that Microsoft may be expanding their Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program to lock out pirated copies of their Windows XP operating system.

For those unaware of what WGA is, Microsoft recently made the software a mandatory download for anyone seeking Windows XP updates, and the product simply checks that the user has a legal copy of Windows installed. In the event the user does not have a legal copy of Windows, the program simply asked them to purchase Windows and would restrict the downloading of some non-critical updates. Of course, after release it was also revealed that WGA also reports back to Microsoft periodically with it’s findings and updates how the software displays the piracy warnings.

It seems the rumor is now that Microsoft plans on changing the warning from just a nagging reminder to buy a legal copy of the operating system along with a few download restrictions, to a potential full shutdown of the operating system within 30 days of the first notice if the user does not comply.

While I fully understand Microsoft moving to protect their interests, I have to wonder how many cases of mistaken shutdowns this could cause. Despite whatever text Microsoft may throw into the EULA, I’m quite sure the lawsuits would be flying should people lose access to their PC’s due to an error on Microsoft’s part.

Check out ArsTechnica’s report on the WGA rumors here and ask yourself if Microsoft is watching you right now…