Late Winter Gaming Industry Round Up

And we’re back…

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The Sims 2 Hacks Disperse Like Plague
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The Sims 2, perhaps the most popular Simulation franchise, is now a target of uninvited and joy killing hacks. What is most shocking about these hacks, is that they ‘pull off a virus’ in order to disrupt your gaming experience. Basically, the hacks install themselves into your computer. Although the hacks are not really lethal to the game itself, it does take a chunk of the challenges and unpredictability of The Sims 2.

These are the most common hacks:

- Pregnant women always give birth to twins
- Always get abducted by aliens when looking into telescope
- Same-gender marriages and same-gender ‘love-making’ allowed.
- Men getting pregnant without Alien abduction.

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SEGA purchases Creative Assembly
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Creative Assembly, known most for their accomplishment in the ‘Total War’ series has just recently been purchased by SEGA. Following this, a new action-adventure game had been announced. This coming game is named “Spartan: Total Warrior.”

Judging the book by its cover, people have already been led to believe that the ‘Total War’ series is now over. SEGA reps have been denying this, however. In fact, they even sent a representative to the ‘Total War’ forums in order to see what they can do in order to help the community.

Either way, even if SEGA did not send a rep, the community is still doing well. Many modifications are being produced to change the Roman theme of “Rome: Total War” to a Hellenic or a Napoleonic theme.

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Shadow the Hedgehog
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In the recent ‘Walk of Game’ ceremony, Sonic Team had unveiled it’s next project based on something NOT Sonic. Yep, Shadow is getting his own game – not only that, but he’s packing heat for it too.

Trailers released about the upcoming game, due for release next fall, showed Shadow wielding and actually firing two guns. Like SEGA’s purchase of CA, many are beginning to believe a turn for the worst for Sonic Team. Either way, we can only find out at the game’s Fall release if the game is truly a folly of Sonic Team…

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Closing Words
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These recent events are beginning to make me think. Hardcore gamers who have been playing classics since NES are now having doubt toward what was their favorite franchise or franchises. However, all is not lost…

[Okay, so I lied about the closing words…]

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The Legend of Zelda Franchise returns to N-64 Days
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Cell shading died…

Yup, a new Zelda game had been announced, and clearly, from its trailers and screenshots, it has dropped its Windwaker ways.

It is due late this year or early 2006. Either way, many ‘Legend of Zelda’ fans who enjoyed the N-64 games will not at all be disappointed with the coming game.

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Closing Words (Real deal)
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Only the first three months into this New Year and the gaming industry has been going through a large roller coaster ride. Who knows what we have in store for the latter of the year?



Reference:

Realistic New Zelda! [Zeldaguide article:]
http://www.zeldaguide.com/zeldae32004.htm

Sega announces Spartan: Total Warrior [Gamespot article:]
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6120019.html?part=rss&tag=gs_news&subj=6120019

Sega unveils Shadow the Hedgehog [Gamespot article:] http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6120012.html

Sims 2 hacks spread like viruses [SecurityFocus article:]
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10232