Four and a half years later, the Playstation 3 exclusive “Killzone 2″ could be considered “‘The Gears of War’ killer,” because the two games are eerily similar in several ways.

In “Killzone 2,” you take the role of Tomas “Sev” Sevcheniko, a member of the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance in an invasion of Halghan, home of the Helghast, the villains from the game’s predecessor.

Likewise, “Gears of War 2″ features an underground invasion to assault the Locust Horde, former antagonists of the original “Gears of War.”

The controls of “Killzone 2″ are straightforward first-person shooter with the added option to take refuge behind structures, rubble, pillars, and anything you can find in the environment. This allows you to peak and shoot enemies from cover – a common gameplay element in “Gears of War 2.”

Nevertheless, the game’s controls take some time to hone even after tweaking the game’s sluggish analog stick controls.

“Killzone 2″ and “Gears of War 2″ both feature the same visual element of a shaking and focused camera behind the character as the player runs.

Additionally, the gritty, disaster ridden environments of both games are strikingly similar, with characters that wear the same gear with nearly identical artistic design. Both games even feature a prominent character that wears a bandana over his head and has a similar facial hair.

“Killzone 2″ is “Gears of War 2″ for the Playstation 3. That is not to say that “Killzone 2″ is not its own game.

“Killzone 2″ features the best visual design of any console game to date. Everything from the detail in environments and character design to lighting to general ambience is breathtaking and truly highlights the visual capabilities of the Playstation 3.

It almost impossible to understate – “KIllzone 2″ is beautiful.

The single player campaign is a thematic experience completed by brilliantly rendered cinematic sequences and a storyline that can be expected from a futuristic first-person shooter.

The relatively short campaign progresses quickly thanks to minimal loading times between sections, which are hardly noticeable aside from a slight pause in action

You quickly find yourself pacing through the game like an enthralling novel as the relatively minute, yet satisfyingly innovative option to push up on the directional pad displays the exact location and distance to the next objective location.

The game’s online content is similar to other first-person shooters. Online “missions” include death match, king of the hill, and capture the flag modes and are usually consolidated together, where a team scores points by winning each “mission.”

There is also a leveling system in online play, where players earn experience for completing matches that ultimately lead to more weapons and higher ranks. Although it does provide an incentive to play online, it is in no way as encompassing as “Call of Duty’s” online experience.

“Killzone 2″ is a solid shooter with an unparalleled visual presentation although it does little to create a memorable game experience slightly above par. Despite its semblance to “Gears of War 2,” “Killzone 2″ is a game Playstation 3 owners can be proud to have in their library.

4 stars out of 5

features@cm-life.com

“Aniero” and “Kallo” may not be as well known at Central Michigan University as names like “Rao” or “LeFevour,” but they are celebrities in their own right.

Limit Break Radio, a podcast and Web site produced in the basement of Merrill Hall, has gained a following of between 70,000 to 120,000 regular listeners worldwide, making it one of the most popular “Final Fantasy XI” podcasts in the world.

“It came to us as a total surprise – a good surprise, but a total surprise,” said Troy senior Nathan Bender, who is known to the online community as, “Aniero,”

“Final Fantasy XI” is the latest incarnation in a seven-year-old series of online role-playing video games, set in the fantasy world of Vana’diel.

Limit Break Radio was created two and a half years ago. Bender and Oakley sophomore Robbie Pollock, also known as “Kallo,” created the podcast with the help of two other friends after enjoying the community-based game and hearing similar “Final Fantasy XI” podcasts.

Limit Break Radio also has been featured in a newsletter from “Final Fantasy XI” publisher Square-Enix Co. The co-hosts discuss gameplay mechanics, strategies, news and humor within the “Final Fantasy XI” community.

“Nate called me up one summer and said that we do the same thing just sitting around,” Pollock said. “So, why not do it?”

Since then, 40 episodes of the podcast have been published, each lasting anywhere from two to four hours long.

Bender and Pollock have become quasi-celebrities within the Final Fantasy community, and were warmly greeted with fans at the 2008 “Final Fantasy XI” Fan Festival in Hollywood.

“It’s so weird to have strangers – just out of nowhere – come up and know who you are, by voice, even in this case,” Pollock said.

Bender said the popularity was unexpected and he never thought Limit Break Radio would have this large of an impact.

“The show is, to some people, very instrumental in the way that they either play the game or the reason that they still play the game,” Bender said. “To me, that’s very touching.”

Because of this popularity and exposure, Bender and Pollock have created the Limit Break Radio Network, which features content from members of the “Final Fantasy XI” community ranging from Holland to Japan, creating a global phenomenon.

“It’s additional content that is still related to ‘Final Fantasy XI,’ yet inherently unique from what we do on ‘Limit Break Radio,’ but also has that same production quality” Bender said.

Matthew Randall, a Limit Break Radio fan from England, said he listens to the podcast for the entertainment value.

“The entire team always works together so well and you can really see the commitment made by every last one of them to put out a really good show,” Randall said via e-mail.

Matthew Andrew, a fan living in Australia, said he was surprised by the number of friendships he has gained within the “Final Fantasy XI” community because of Limit Break Radio.

“The amount of planning, background research and effort that is put towards such an entertaining show pays off extremely well,” Andre said via e-mail. “The production and sound quality is second to none, and Nate does an excellent job with his editing skills.”

Bender and Pollock used the Web site’s wide reaching audience for a larger cause last October when Limit Break Radio supported “Extra Life,” a national gaming marathon where gamers collected donations for the Texas Children’s Hospital while playing video games for 24-hours.

This past October, Limit Break Radio teamed up with other popular “Final Fantasy XI” Web sites and raised about $11,000, with $9,345 of the total donation coming directly from “Limit Break Radio” supporters.

Those numbers surpassed event organizer, Sarcasticgamer.com, and was second place in total money raised for the event. Bender and Pollock broadcast all day and all night to rally support for the cause.

features@cm-life.com

High-profile franchise games and heavily-anticipated sequels dominate the store shelves, with few original titles getting a heavy holiday push.

For those shopping for a gift for a video game-crazed loved one, the following games may include the perfect one – or the perfect “2.”

“Call of Duty: World at War” (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

Following one of last year’s greatest games, “Call of Duty: World at War” returns to the roots of the series: World War II.

Although widely criticized for looking a little too much like its predecessor, “World at War” focuses on the Pacific Campaign as you play as American, British and Russian soldiers. Look for “World at War” to feature the industry’s premier online multiplayer experience for a game that is sure to be a must-have for first-person shooter fans.

“Gears of War 2″ (Xbox 360)

This Microsoft Xbox 360 exclusive is claimed to look, play and sound very close to its predecessor – which is fantastic when it is the sequel to one of the most widely acclaimed games in recent years.

In “Gears of War 2″ you reprise your role as the hardened killing machine of a man named Marcus Fenix, who, with the help of his Delta Squad soldiers, takes the war with the “Locust Hoard” deep into the Earth.

“Gears of War 2″ adds new weapons, new environments and new multiplayer features to culminate in a package that is easily equal to the 2006 classic. Xbox 360 fans will not want to miss the opportunity to play this gem of a game.

“Resistance 2″ (PS3)

“Resistance 2″ is another sequel that is bigger and better than its predecessor.

“Resistance: Fall of Man” was an original and notable launch title for the Sony Playstation 3 because of its stellar visuals and engaging environments. The original game had you play as Sergeant Nathan Hale as you battle through Britain after an invasion by an alien race called the “Chimera.”

“Resistance 2″ looks to take that experience further for Playstation 3 owners by taking on the persona of Sergeant Hale once again, but this time the invasion comes stateside. Featuring an eight-player cooperative mode and online multiplayer modes with up to 60 players in one match, “Resistance 2″ is a behemoth of a title.

“Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe” (Xbox 360, PS3)

The holiday season’s only high-profile fighting game is also possibly the most absurd premise in any game on store shelves.

The universe occupied by the characters of the “Mortal Kombat” series is being smashed together with the universe of DC comic book characters.

It’s Batman versus Subzero, Catwoman versus Sonya Blade, and The Joker versus Shang Tsung in this bizarre mashup of popular properties. Featuring tightly tuned, combo-heavy gameplay and next-gen production values, “MK vs. DC” is bound to be full of beat-downs and crack-ups.

“Rock Band 2″, “Guitar Hero: World Tour” (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii)

The rhythm/music genre is nothing new. And with both “Rock Band 2″ and “Guitar Hero World Tour” featuring guitar, drum and microphone peripherals, it’s hard to go wrong with either one.

Both games feature a killer track list with plenty of modes of play to keep you busy. However, “World Tour” will allow you to record songs you create and share and share them with friends online.

On the other hand, “Rock Band 2″ compatible with all songs released for the original “Rock Band.”

lifeline@cm-life.com

Just two years after the console’s release, it looks like Nintendo’s innovative gaming platform may be running out of steam with an abysmal holiday lineup of games.

It’s downright pathetic when major gaming Web sites list games that have been released for more than seven months as part of their holiday gamers guides for Wii owners.

It seems to say to the only good games for the Wii this year have been “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” and “Mario Kart Wii.”

Although the Wii will feature popular multiplatform game, its exclusive support follows the same mistakes Nintendo has made with its previous three consoles.

The Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube and now the Nintendo Wii have all only featured one “Super Mario” title and usually lose support from game developers in the waning years of the console.

Nintendo owners love their consoles because of the fantastic first-party games developed by Nintendo, such as “Mario,” “The Legend of Zelda” and “Metroid” titles.

What new games do Wii owners have to look forward to this year?

“Animal Crossing: City Folk” and “Wii Music.”

That’s right, Wii owners can either enjoy a cutesy game for 8-year-olds where all you do is collect and sell items or play a slightly innovate music game that is easily overshadowed by more expansive and established franchises.

Sadly, no major Nintendo franchise games are available this fall for the Wii, which is all too familiar for Nintendo fans who have now crossed over to Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Playstation consoles for this specific reason – no longevity.

The Nintendo Wii is a gaming console that is banking on the innovation of its unique control scheme, and it has been very successful in doing so by attracting alternative audiences such as older individuals and women who are weary of traditional gaming.

Furthermore, Nintendo initially supported this curiosity with games that showcased the unique abilities of the Wii with titles like “Wii Sports” and “Wii Fit.” However, Nintendo’s classic franchises were not designed with the Wii’s unique controls or Nintendo’s new audience in mind.

Therefore, Nintendo is focusing more on innovation and exploiting its new audience than appeasing the fans they have had for years.

But who can blame

Nintendo?

This new strategy is a business decision. Nintendo had to change its philosophy because of its decline in support from gamers who also own competing consoles.

However, the company originally lost that support by not supporting its console with games Wii owners truly want.

So get your Wii owner

something he or she can really enjoy this holiday season – another console.

lifeline@cm-life.com

“You have to come to a stop and yield to the person on the right,” said Commissioner Jaclyn Conrad.

The refresher in basic right-of-way driving procedures was part of the commission’s regular meeting last Wednesday, where they approved a new official policy to respond to blackened traffic lights.

Public Weighmaster Clare Fox suggested during a work session that the commission establish a written policy to avoid any potential lawsuits from drivers involved in an accident.

According to the new policy, in the event of a blacked-out traffic signal, the road commission supervisor will contact the local power company to determine whether the outage is the utility’s fault, and not an equipment malfunction.

If a utility issue, a police officer will direct traffic, or the commission will take no action and drivers will follow standard right-of-way procedures.

Michigan right-of-way rules state that a driver approaching an intersection must yield the to a vehicle crossing the intersection from another roadway. If two vehicles arrive at the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right.

For a long-term outage, the commission argued the legal and safety issues surrounding the placement of temporary stop signs near the intersection.

Commission Manager Tony Casali said the commission will not place temporary power generators at failing lights because it would be cost-prohibitive.

Casali said the lights must be switched to flashing red because the traffic signals will automatically default to normal “stop-and-go” functions within seconds of receiving power, which could create confusion by conflicting with posted signs.

“When the lights come on unexpectedly is when I lose the court case,” he said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathie Elliott said the policy should be more about broadening public safety and eliminating confusion, rather than protecting the commission from legal trouble.

“If someone gets into an accident in an intersection, we may have a policy in place to save our butts, but what about the person who gets hurt?” she said.

Elliott said drivers have to yield the right-of-way in a blackened intersection regardless of the size of the conjoining roadways.

news@cm-life.com

Ubisoft wants to change that.

The company’s newest title for the Nintendo Wii, “Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party,” utilizes your glutes to sled on a yak, surf in space, break it down on the dance floor and enjoy all the pleasures you never thought you could have in the self-proclaimed “first game in the world that you can play with your rear end.”

“TV Party” is the third game in the classic “Rayman” series to feature the Rabbids, hilarious rabbit-like creatures.

However, this time the Rabbids have found their way into your television set, where you can play a plethora of mini-games based on television spoofs. You will partake in activities from shooting zombie chickens on the “Cult Classic” film channel to cooking burgers to feeding them to a giant whale creature on the “Raving Channel.”

Featuring more than 60 mini-games to be unlocked by playing through the game’s short single-player mode, “TV Party” is clearly a party game at its heart.

With the possibility to play with up to eight people, “TV Party” challenges Wii owners to hone skills ranging from dexterity and balance to precision and speed, while shaking the Wii Remote. Coupled with gameplay modes that utilize the Wii Wheel and Wii Balance Board, “TV Party” finally allows you to dust off those unused peripherals to create a complete Wii experience.

The Wii Balance Board is used to its full potential by allowing players to sit, stand and dance while applying pressure on the device as a gas pedal. However, the entire game can be played without using the Wii Balance Board, which is actually less frustrating and easier.

Trying to shift your body weight by sitting on the Wii Balance Board to sled down a mountainside is much more difficult than simply moving the Wii Remote and Nunchuk right and left.

Another issue with “TV Party” is the lack of variety in gameplay modes. Many additional mini-games are rehashes of the same music, racing and/or shooting format.

The most repeated sequences are the dancing and instrument modes.

Featuring licensed songs like Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” the instrument mini-games are played by shaking the Wii remote to play the drums, guitar, piano and sing the vocals.

Although these are fun sequences, it seems unusual that the drums and vocals are performed the same way. Also, the controls are not entirely responsive, meaning players will lose more points than they should.

The dancing games have you make movements and motions on the Wii Balance Board in synchronization with music to make this a refreshing addition to the game. However, this mode has similar drawbacks, with unforgiving and unresponsive controls that make you look not only silly, but frustrated as well.

As for online content, you can use accessories you receive for high scores in single-player mode to dress your Rabbid and share photos with your friends online.

There is much unrealized potential here, as many of these games would translate well online.

Nevertheless, “Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party” is a hilarious game that will guarantee a fun evening with friends despite repetitive mini-games and technical glitches.

lifeline@cm-life.com

The New York Times reported the rule would prohibit hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and drugstores that receive federal funding from discriminating against employees who will not perform tasks involving abortion and sterilization procedures if it is against their religious and moral beliefs.

Gaylord graduate student Rachel Jones said the proposed rule is unnecessary and may do more harm than good.

“Under the Civil Rights Act, employers already have to make reasonable accommodations for employees’ religious practices, so it doesn’t seem like we need these harsher regulations that could negatively impact women’s rights,” she said.

Jones is afraid the rule could lead to employees refusing services that are a part of their job, meaning a pharmacist could refuse to fill orders for contraceptives if it is against his or her religious or moral beliefs.

Pastor Jonathon Bakker of Christ the King Lutheran Chapel said it would be unwise for a pharmacy to refuse to fill

orders for contraceptives because the pharmacy will lose business.

“If they want them, they can get them,” he said. “They’ll just go to a different pharmacy.”

Bakker said the rule appears to try to broaden rights, but he is neutral on the issue.

“I would be more weary of something that was in the opposite direction,” he said. “If it’s something that you didn’t expect reasonably going into it, and all of the sudden you are finding that this is a conflict of your values, then you shouldn’t be punished for it.”

Vice president of VOX and Kalamazoo senior Amy Holysz said it is the patient who is going to be punished.

She said religious perspectives should not interfere with access to health care.

“A woman should be able to make informed and educated decisions about her body without the interference of religious doctrine that she does not subscribe to,” Holysz said.

She said institutions should establish a protocol to exempt employees from performing duties they are morally opposed to, but those exemptions should not interfere with a person’s right to access those services.

Another concern of this proposed rule is the access of health care for low-income individuals using Medicaid.

Licensed practical nurse and Clare resident Amy Huovinen said physicians can opt out of receiving federal money as a Medicaid doctor if they are not willing to perform procedures because of religious or moral reasons.

She said Medicaid patients should not be turned away because of a physician’s personal beliefs. Instead, other physicians should be able to treat them.

“They wouldn’t be turned away; they would be told, ‘Here are your other choices’,” Huovinen said.

Although she supports the proposed rule, Huovinen said personal beliefs should not interfere with patients’ rights.

“I don’t believe in abortion, plain and simple. Am I going to treat a patient any differently? No, I’m not,” Huovinen said. “But I think that a physician that is going to be asked to perform it, and have Medicaid pay for it, he should have that choice to say, ‘I will not participate with this’.”

She said if doctors felt strongly about a certain aspect of their position conflicting with their religious or moral beliefs, they would not work there. However, they should still have a right to religious expression.

“I think that a person has a right to exercise, to a point, their personal beliefs,” she said.

news@cm-life.com

“There’s not a separate policy dealing with elections any more than with a death in a family or anything like that,” he said.

Attendance policies will be based on individual instructors, Owens said.

“It’s at the discretion of the instructor whether or not they will excuse the absence,” he said.

Students who have not already cast their vote with an absentee ballot will have to travel home or visit their local precinct on Election Day to vote.

Many professors appear to have class scheduled as usual.

Associate Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Kent said Central Michigan University employees are allowed to leave to vote under three circumstances.

They can vote on non-work time, on a break or lunch hours or during a requested break from their supervisor, she said.

“Most all have personal time and vacation time they can use to cover the time,” she said.

History Department Chairman Timothy Hall said no one in his department is planning on canceling class, but this is the first year he has ever had students ask to leave to vote.

Although students appeared to manage in previous election years, Hall said more students are involved with this election.

“What this signals is a higher-than-usual interest in voting,” he said.

Hall said he is not penalizing students for missing class on Election Day, but students should have planned ahead.

“The best thing for people to do, if you are out of your county, is to vote absentee,” Hall said.

Breckenridge sophomore Jamie Franklin is voting absentee this year because he is unable to return home for Election Day since his parents now live in Oklahoma.

However, he feels that classes should be canceled on Election Day.

“It’s really important with such a crucial election,” Franklin said. “We’re trying to get the college vote up and that really hinders it.”

Political Science Chairman Rick Kurtz said Election Day has never proven to be a conflict for students.

“I assume they can make arrangements and get to the polls,” he said.

He was unaware of any professors in any department making special arrangements for the day and the question of canceling classes was new for him.

However, Berkley freshman Jeffrey Vail said his HST 111: United States to 1865 professor is making a special exception for voters.

“I have a test that day, and if you bring your voter registration card, you can opt out of taking it until next Tuesday,” he said.

Vail is registered to vote in Mount Pleasant and said students should be given the extra time to cast their ballot.

“Since we promote it so much, we should get a break,” he said.

news@cm-life.com

“Little Big Planet” is one of the most basic, yet oddly complex, titles in video game history.

At its heart, “Little Big Planet” is a game of creation and customization.

You begin the game as a character named Sackboy, moving across a 2D side-scrolling environment only to realize that you are actually running through the game’s opening credits as pictures of the developers take the place of the game’s physical structure.

Later, you are taken to the wonderfully vibrant world of “Little Big Planet,” where you are guided through a tutorial of the basics by a charming narrator. It is easy to learn the game’s basic controls, such as jumping and grabbing, and more in-depth functions, like being able to control waist and head movement by physically moving the Sixaxis controller.

Although gameplay involves two-dimensional stages, you can move from the foreground to background to give each environment depth. This becomes the games biggest technical fault as you will often be caught under objects or awkwardly trying to jump between the two.

“Little Big Planet’s” realistic physics accounts for momentum, weight distribution and gravity incredibly well to help craft a world that is both realistic and challenging.

These qualities are a useful tool to contrive memorable puzzles that are entertaining during the game’s story mode.

The different stages in the game’s story mode act as drastically different environments that are beautifully textured and have a certain glow to make them feel even more like fantasy worlds. Each environment has a different theme, such as the African Sahara or a European village.

Sadly, the game’s seven environments only have three to four stages a piece, which leaves the story mode feeling short.

Throughout the game’s story mode you will collect a mind boggling amount of additional content, such as stickers, decorations, music tracks and clothing you can use to customize your character.

You can take this additional content and use it in what is the most revolutionary aspect of the game – user-generated content.

After finishing the initial stages of the game, you are given the role of game developer by creating your own “Little Big Planet” stage using a function called “MyMoon.” This is your personal space to use any and all materials in gameplay to create your very own 2D environment and share it online via the Playstation Network.

The level of customization is truly astounding and unprecedented. Any object found in the game can be rotated, resized and flipped. Plus, gamers can control all aspects of the environment including lighting, music, fog and coloring.

The possibilities are nearly endless.

However, the most annoying aspect of level creation are the tutorials required for every one of the game’s developmental abilities before you can do it for yourself. This requires a hefty time commitment.

You can then share your creation and engage in a wide variety of other multiplayer activities to create an interactive community with nearly limitless replay value.

Having played an early version of the game, I was unable to fully experience this community that appears to be the crowning glory of this incredibly unique title.

However, with the fantastic gameplay already in place and the promise of online sharing of custom levels, “Little Big Planet” is well worth the purchase.

Five out of five stars.

lifeline@cm-life.com

This Saturday marks the first “Extra Life” 24-hour gaming marathon hosted by sarcasticgamer.com. The global event asks gamers to create teams, collect sponsors and rally donations for pediatric cancer research.

All proceeds will benefit the Texas Children’s Hospital, which specializes in pediatric cancer treatment and research.

Two events are taking place in the Mount Pleasant area to support this event.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be table-top role-playing and card games at the Hall of Heroes, 316 N. Mission St. From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. GameGo Computers, 710 N. Mission St., will host PC and console LAN parties charging $6 per hour with all proceeds benefiting the Texas Children’s Hospital.

Bloomfield Hills senior Nathan Bender is the host and lead producer of “Limit Break Radio,” a “Final Fantasy XI” podcast that is co-sponsoring local events this Saturday.

Bender is also one of the head organizers of both events.

He said “Extra Life” is similar to other cancer charity events like a walk-a-thon, but is an opportunity for gamers to have a positive impact in the same way.

“Here’s an event that really speaks to a certain section of the population,” he said.

Bender said he was enthusiastic to host the event because it supports a cause that he personally believes because his mother and grandfather are both cancer survivors.

His team, “Team Limit Break Radio,” has already raised $3,129 for the event and is the third-highest in the country.

“We have been floored and flabbergasted by the generous support we’ve received for this,” he said

In addition, he and other podcast sponsors will be hosting a 24-hour streaming radio event online through the “w00t Studios” Web site, and he will be broadcasting at both events.

Broadcast and cinematic arts professor Jeffrey Smith is a former disc jockey for the Web site dedicated to covering massively multiplayer online role-playing games. He is helping with the technical aspects of the Webcast.

He said “w00t Studios” offered to let the program coordinators use the stream for their 24-hour broadcast spanning 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.

“We’ll be doing live coverage of whatever part of the event we’re involved in,” he said. “We’ll also be playing independent rock.”

Smith said listeners can tune into the event by visiting wootstudios.net/radio.html.

Overall, he said “Extra Life” is an event that will legitimize gaming.

“You have walk-a-thon, run-a-thon and things like that, but this is the first time that gamers are actually trying to get people on board with what they do and actually make a difference,” Smith said.

However, Port Huron freshman Tyler Gostinger said there might be a small turnout given this Saturday’s football game against Western Michigan University.

“I think a lot more people won’t go since it’s Central/Western Weekend,” he said. “Most people will go party instead of playing video games.”

Livonia freshman Kyle Boyd disagrees.

He said people might be more social and hyped up for the event after the football game.

“Playing video games for a cause is a pretty good idea,” he said.

lifeline@cm-life.com