[Review] FPS Freek EPIC

When it comes to online shooters, people try to obtain every advantage they can in order to have an edge over their opponents. Headsets are perhaps the most sought after product in this case, as having a rugged headset will allow players to hear, with precision, an enemy's footsteps, and in some games, even their breathing.

Kontrol Freek is adding another tactical advantage to the online shooter market with their FPS Freek controller attachment--a pair of analog nub extensions that are designed to provide extra comfort and more precise maneuverability through a wide variety of games.

FPS Freeks have been on the market for a while now, and the latest of the lot was designed specifically with Gears of War 3 in mind. Dubbed, "FPS Freek EPIC," these crimson-colored nubs also sport Gears' skull omen right in the center, reminding you that you are indeed fighting the good fight for the COG.

A different set of Battlefield 3 fundamentals

With the Battlefield 3 beta demo being live now, people all over are getting their hands on one of this year's biggest shooters. A lot of people are returning to the series, while others are green on the frontlines, and may not know what to expect. The official Battlefield 3 blog did a great job breaking down some of the known fundamentals to succeeding in Battlefield 3, but here are some other tips that I feel have not been given the recognition they deserve.

• The D-pad is your best ally- Get to know the directional pad on your console's controller, because you'll be using it for your entire tour of duty in Battlefield 3. Pressing both left and right on the pad will bring out your class' unique abilities. For instance, pressing left with the Assault class will bring out your medkit, which offers the ability to heal both yourself and your team, while pressing right will bring out the defibrillator (once unlocked). You can see your class' unique items in the loadout menu, and remembering to use them to their full potential is a vital part to winning the game.
• Switch your firing mode- Going back to the directional pad, pressing down plays a huge role in any firefight, as it toggles between your weapon's firing modes--full auto, burst shot, single shot. Knowing when to use which mode will help you become a better player, and also help you stay alive that much longer. If you do use full-auto mode, remember to be light on the trigger for improved accuracy.
• Don't forget to tag your enemies!- Tagging is a must in Battlefield 3. Aiming at an enemy and pressing the select button will mark, or tag an enemy with a red icon over his head, allowing the rest of your team to see exactly where he is. If you know the position of a pesky sniper, or someone making a run toward the objective, mark him and let your team know ASAP.
• Don't disregard pistols- Contrary to what you've seen in other shooters, pistols in Battlefield 3 are very, very deadly, and are quite capable of taking out multiple enemies in one clip. Don't live under the impression that these sidearms are just there for show--if you run out of ammo in your primary slot during a firefight, switch weapons at once! The results may surprise you.

Have any other tips? Post them down in the comments and help out your brothers in arms.

Impressions: Bodycount has no shortage of explosions, red barrels, or chaos

After all the screenshots, developer diaries, and trailers we've seen for Bodycount throughout the years--or, year...whichever--the game is finally releasing at the end of the month, with a demo newly released on the Xbox 360. After treading and shredding through its short presentation of what's to come, I must admit that I am both interested yet, a tad perplexed.

As you may or may not know, the story in Bodycount is...there. There's you, there's bad guys, there's more bad guys, and then there's a head honcho bad guy, all of whom are aiming to kill you before you kill them. That's roughly the grand scope of the story, with the mission in the demo sending you to Africa to take out bad guys led by a bigger bad guy holding a mini-gun. It's more or less "Summer Blockbuster Film 101," but in some cases, like here, it works.

You're a Medic, no need to rush

All too often in a class-based multiplayer game I see players utilizing the Medic wrong. I tend to play as the Medic religiously in multiplayer games and I too have found myself making the dumbest of dumb mistakes on the battlefield--be it Bad Company 2 or Killzone 3.

The most important rule all aspiring Medics should know is that your class is not designed to be a rusher. Have you ever noticed that your gun is roughly twice the size than that of say, an Engineer or Scout class? You know, the ones that are meant to be in the heat of every battle? That's because you, as the Medic, are specifically constructed to give support fire to the rest of the team, and just squeeze that trigger to no end while sitting in the back somewhere. You have about 100 bullets in your magazine, and the purpose is to spread them across your sightline so that the rushers can pursue an objective.

Yeah, I'll Head to No Mercy Again

After a long, hard week of work (and blogging), my girlfriend Gina and I spend the weekend together, doing the usual boyfriend/girlfriend type of things. Ultimately, this ends up in a nonstop barrage of, "I dunno, what do you wanna do?" While we can hardly every agree on what to do, there's always a certain question that ends up with the same answer no matter how many times it's asked.

"Hey, you wanna play Left 4 Dead?"

Blacklight: Retribution: An Interview with Jared Gerritzen [Part 2]

In Part 2 of our interview with Jared Gerritzen, we discuss the introduction of "mechs"--better known as Hardsuits--into the world of Blacklight, what the team plans to do with post-launch support, and we also answer a few of your questions from Twitter. 

Gear up, turn on your HRV, and get ready--we're goin' in!

[Review] Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D

The drought of playable games on Nintendo's revolutionary 3DS handheld is slowly coming to a close, and next up is Capcom's Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, a $39.99 title based around the series' highly popular mini-game. Is it worth the price-tag to slay zombies against the clock, or should you conserve your ammo (and money) for something else?

Blacklight: Retribution: An Interview with Jared Gerritzen [Part 1]

Jared Gerritzen and the rest of the crew at Zombie Games are hard at work creating Blacklight: Retribution, the sequel to last year's downloadable first-person shooter Blacklight: Tango Down. Having found the first game to be quite intriguing, I just had to see what the studio was up to for the game's sequel, so I contacted Mr. Gerritzen and got the 411, as they say.

A Tactical Shift in Gears

After playing the Gears of War 3 beta for the week it's been available (for Bulletstorm owners, that is), I have to say that I am completely shocked by the "end" product. "End", meaning that I know the game is still in beta phase, but this is roughly what will be delivered come release time. Nonetheless, Gears of War 3 finally brings the "tactical" back to the game's genre of third-person tactical-horror, as Cliffy B described it during the first game's release.

I'll admit it, going into Gears 3 I was not expecting much. After my letdown of the second iteration's online component (constant lag, weapon choices, core gameplay), I jumped into my first beta match fearing the worst. What I got, however, was something completely different.

Hawken: An Interview with Adhesive Games

We've covered the upcoming first-person mech-based shooter Hawken quite a bit on RespawnAction before, but today I am pleased to announce that we have conducted our first ever interview and it just so happens to be with Adhesive Games!

Chris Lalli, one of the founders of the indie team, was kind enough to give the time to answer some of our questions about their first project. We find out about destruction, customization, and...2D fantasy games?! Yep, it's all in the interview after the break, so hop in the pilot seat and check it out!

A Quick Gears of War 3 Beta Boot Camp

The Gears of War 3 beta kicked off today for code winners and Bulletstorm owners. However, there are a ton of people still unable to play the Gears 3 beta until next week when GameStop pre-order codes are eligible. To those people, and even some current players who are unsure about certain things, hopefully the following post will give you a head's up for your Gears 3 beta outings.

After Eight Months, The Bacon is Still Crispy

With last year's Xbox Live "Summer of Arcade" special we were treated with the tower-defense title Monday Night Combat from Uber Entertainment. It brought with it a witty and sometimes dark sense of humor, gorgeous visuals, and a surprisingly great online experience.

After the Gears 3 Beta, Farewell Bulletstorm?

As with many games that come packed-in with some sort of bonus, a lot of gamers decided to pick up the recent first-person shooter Bulletstorm for one reason, and one reason only--early access to the Gears of War 3 beta. While some may have actually opened the initial game and found it to be quite a thrill ride, others probably still have their copy of Bulletstorm sitting in its shrink-wrap, and are waiting anxiously for April 18.

As I've stated before, I too fell victim to picking up Bulletstorm for the Gears of War 3 beta. Although I was interested in the game since its first announcement trailer, boiling down to the release day I was still unsure if Bulletstorm would warrant a $60 price-tag. The single-player looked cool, but with the absence of co-operative campaign play and an iffy online mode, I was starting to feel like I should wait for a price drop. It was only when I found out that the game came with early access to the Gears of War 3 beta did I start to think, "hm, maybe I should pick it up on release day..."

Hawken--'Mechs' Piloted by Indie Developers

Last week, we were treated to the gameplay premier for Hawken, the upcoming first-person shooter from independent developer Adhesive Games. What sets this F.P.S. apart from the rest of the crowd is one huge feature: mech-based warfare!

Multiplayer Is Taking a Back Seat, and I Love It

The first-person shooter genre has grown in popularity over the years, more so than with the release of past games like DOOM, Quake, and Goldeneye. Halo: Combat Evolved revitalized the genre on consoles with its release on the original Xbox in 2001. It brought an intuitive dual-analog control scheme, something which has been a staple in shooters ever since, as well as the birth of the series’ household multiplayer suite. 

The '3DS First Impressions' from Joe Average

The Nintendo 3DS comes out a week from today and while many of the high-end gaming sites have received their systems already, I, along with most of the world, have to wait until March 27 to finally purchase my own. However, as luck would have it, my recent trip to my local Best Buy granted me access to experiencing the mysterious new handheld for the first time...saving me from having to trek to Grand Central Station to one of Nintendo's 3DS Demo Pods.