We just got ours this week so that means subscribers will start getting them this week too. Among the high points of a rather jam-packed issue:

- Cover story on Mass Effect 2. We went to BioWare and talked about a lot of stuff. Consider this your E3 primer to the tune of 10 pages.

- Interview with Cliff Bleszinski about what it's like to simultaneously be the most hated and loved man in gaming. We rarely do straight Q&As but this was worth it. Cliff was very honest and open and gave us a great interview. If you think you know him...this might show you something. (He also answers the question "are you a douchebag" striaght up.)

- First hands-on with Tony Hawk: Ride, the rebirth of the franchise with a new wireless skateboard deck peripheral, a new developer (Robomodo, ie what happened to most of EA Chicago after FNR3), and a new focus.

- Absolutely everything you need to know about 1 vs 100 in plain English

- The 10 Most Soul-Crushing Achievements
- The Peripheral Hall of Shame
- Gaming cocktails you can make and get loaded on at home

- Reviews: Ghostbusters, Fuel, Sacred 2, Fallout 3: Broken Steel, Bionic Commando, Wolverine, many more
- Previews: ACreed 2, Dead Rising 2, Saw, Front Mission, Red Dead Redemption, KOF 12, MvC2, MUA2, Rogue Warrior, more

As always, once you get it, let's hear about it!

---

Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

Great!  Looking forward to it!

My subscriptions ends on the 99th issue, which means I won't be getting #100 in the mail because I've ended my subscription... :(

Hope these two last ones will be worth it.

Can't wait!!! I can't believe I'm ready to read this one. And... "Saw" as in the the movie sort or another spin?

To EPiC: Just buy the 100th... or extend your subscription.

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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. -DL

at least cliffyb acknowledges GOW 2's MP was trash

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R.I.P. Midway games

Very good issue. great reviews at the end

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My life be like ooh ahh

On my SIXTH xbox

Put up the peace sign put the index down

3/7 of the trl audience

Was the article about the game-inspired cocktails taken straight from OXM UK? There is an error on the "Parental Advisory Panel", in the U.S., the legal age to buy alcohol is 21, 18 in the UK.

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Let us reply to ambition that it is she herself that gives us a taste for solitude.

Looking forward to the issue.
Will post my thoughts once I have some time to look through it. Have a really busy week...

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|Tweet @Silvercube|
~ Xbox Care Bear ~

This weekend's funniest moment: How several online sites spotted a discussion about this issue on NeoGAF, where a subscriber repeated many of the details from the cover story, and reported it as news, calling it "leaked information" that could not be verified. Uh, what? Is it a leak if it's a giant red and silver image on our cover with 10 pages to support it? Where do they think detailed information comes from anyway? I'm starting to suspect print is not dead; it's just that online does not know how to read.

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Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

 Ares925 wrote:

Was the article about the game-inspired cocktails taken straight from OXM UK? There is an error on the "Parental Advisory Panel", in the U.S., the legal age to buy alcohol is 21, 18 in the UK.

Yes, stupid mistake, with a correction next issue. (FWIW, it's 18 or 19 in Canada, so our readers up north may not even notice the error!)

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Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

 Dan OXM wrote:

This weekend's funniest moment: How several online sites spotted a discussion about this issue on NeoGAF, where a subscriber repeated many of the details from the cover story, and reported it as news, calling it "leaked information" that could not be verified. Uh, what? Is it a leak if it's a giant red and silver image on our cover with 10 pages to support it? Where do they think detailed information comes from anyway? I'm starting to suspect print is not dead; it's just that online does not know how to read.

Nice. :)

Btw, got the mag this weekend. Almost 1/3 through it. I like the preview to Assassin's Creed 2: got me hyped up more than I was before (which wasn't much to begin with). Can't wait until I get to the ME2 feature.

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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. -DL

18 here, so it'll look all good on my end.

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DownWriteFierce - 31 reviews in 31 days during May!

Only thing I've been able to check out so far was the cover story. Mass Effect 2 is probably going to own my life for the next year or more so I loved it. Answers alot of questions but asks so many more.

Also glanced at the reviews to see what was upcoming and noticed that there were quite a few games out or coming out getting a 8.0 or there abouts. Not a shabby start to summer gaming.

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When I die, I want to go like grandpa, peacefully while I'm asleep. Not screaming like the other people in his car.

The Broken Steel review was a bit spoilery (at least I think it was, I'm in the middle of it now because I don't have time for long games like that until summer). I don't mind you guys addressing endings, but it's nice when there's a warning on it. Maybe I'm the only one who doesn't get around to playing big name titles in their first 6 months, but I'm guessing that's not the case. Otherwise, I'm excited to read about ME2 and AC2!!!

Cover story was great, and very informative.  I like that pic of the geth with ripped open chest.  I think it's going to rock!!

Interview with Cliff?  I don't know.  He is who he is.  You either like him or you can't stand him.  As for me..I don't know him so I can't say much about it.  I thought the interview was good, and the questions were pretty good.  I would like to see this kind of thing more often.  Sit down and talk to some of the developers, and get to know them a bit. 

Tony Hawk.  Not interested. 

1 vs. 100.  Good stuff there.  I think you provided a lot of great info on that one, and it looks like a lot of fin.

Soul Crushing achievements article was funny.  I didn't know that FF achievement was that difficult.  That's insane. 

It seemed like Dan's review of Ghostbusters was very positive, and if I had just read the review and tried to guess at the score I would have said he would give it an 8.5 or a 9. 

Gaming cocktails was funny.  I'd like to see some more recipes.

Peripheral Hall of Shame.  Funny thing about that one is I own the guitar, and the wireless headset and both of them sucked.  I completely agree with that article. 

No Brutal Legend news?

 Dan OXM wrote:

We just got ours this week so that means subscribers will start getting them this week too. Among the high points of a rather jam-packed issue:

- Cover story on Mass Effect 2. We went to BioWare and talked about a lot of stuff. Consider this your E3 primer to the tune of 10 pages.

- Interview with Cliff Bleszinski about what it's like to simultaneously be the most hated and loved man in gaming. We rarely do straight Q&As but this was worth it. Cliff was very honest and open and gave us a great interview. If you think you know him...this might show you something. (He also answers the question "are you a douchebag" striaght up.)

- First hands-on with Tony Hawk: Ride, the rebirth of the franchise with a new wireless skateboard deck peripheral, a new developer (Robomodo, ie what happened to most of EA Chicago after FNR3), and a new focus.

- Absolutely everything you need to know about 1 vs 100 in plain English

- The 10 Most Soul-Crushing Achievements
- The Peripheral Hall of Shame
- Gaming cocktails you can make and get loaded on at home

- Reviews: Ghostbusters, Fuel, Sacred 2, Fallout 3: Broken Steel, Bionic Commando, Wolverine, many more
- Previews: ACreed 2, Dead Rising 2, Saw, Front Mission, Red Dead Redemption, KOF 12, MvC2, MUA2, Rogue Warrior, more

As always, once you get it, let's hear about it!

Can't say I liked the wireless board. Looks clumsy to use and not very practical, I'll stick to mah thumbs.

ME2 on the other hand made me mess my pants.

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GamerLoft.net: A great spot for casual gamers.

 Plat4rmr wrote:

It seemed like Dan's review of Ghostbusters was very positive, and if I had just read the review and tried to guess at the score I would have said he would give it an 8.5 or a 9. 

I was actually caught between 8 and 8.5.

I really have been talking about a game almost exactly like this for 10 years now, saying "You know what movie game I'd like to see? Ghostbusters, where you walk through the halls of the Sedgewick with PKE meter, sniffing out ghosts and blasting everything in sight." So when it finally arrived...it was actually an important professionalism check. I was the target audience for that game, completely. And as a Ghostbusters fan, as a piece of licensed franchise fun, I would say it's a 9.5 of fan service OMG love. But when I started thinking about "what if this wasn't Ghostbusters -- would I still feel that strongly about it? Are the mechanics solid, is there innovation in the gameplay mechanics, does it go somewhere new?" And I thought...well, it's good and it's fun, and the new mechanic is novel...but I have played similar games before, and I need to write this for the person who thinks Ghostbusters is a 25-year-old movie and not a way of life, the way it is for me.

So it was a tough one to write, and I didn't want to over-score it as an unrepentant GB fanboy. It's definitely a good game, made better by its license, and well executed. But 8.5 was discussed.

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Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

Just got it, havent read anything except for the letters but im interested in a lot of the stuff in the mag. Real spiffy cover also, lots of color lol.

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COOOBBBBRRRRAAA!!!!!!!
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Don't forget to read the end column.  I heard a real cool chick wrote it this month! 

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Post provided 'AS IS'; confers no rights, dude!
twitter.com/kikikat
www.breakingthegame.com

^^ Yeah, I wonder who. Can't remember the name. Obviously must not be important.

 impalblackcar wrote:

^^ Yeah, I wonder who. Can't remember the name. Obviously must not be important.

Oh whatever!

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Post provided 'AS IS'; confers no rights, dude!
twitter.com/kikikat
www.breakingthegame.com

 kiki kat wrote:

 impalblackcar wrote:

^^ Yeah, I wonder who. Can't remember the name. Obviously must not be important.

Oh whatever!

That's a great article, kiki. That's kinds creepy with mygamercard.net; never heard of it til I read it 10 minutes ago.

But that's this age now, with facebook, myspace, twitter, and more. Not only younguns, but everyone is getting into exposing themselves (by legal means, of course). Guess my favorite cat's name? What was the high school mascot of my cousin thrice removed. Who is the one person I aspire to be if I want to be in basketball? It's all meaningless information that can lead to some serious questions: what are your four favorite numbers? What is your grandfather's surname? What rivers intersect near you? I don't think many would be as blunt as what's your credit number, but there are some stupid people out there.

Still, stupid people should reap their rewards. They still have the right to be warned, but after the tenth time someone tells you to be careful, that one mistake really was stupid to begin with. It's pretty much 2005 all over again: be careful on the Internet (which is Live, btw) and think before you say/type/do anything on it.

Btw, I didn't know you were into forensic psychology, kiki. That's really cool. :)

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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. -DL

I think you shoulda just written about awesome pre-PAX parties.

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DownWriteFierce - 31 reviews in 31 days during May!

I'm really curious to see that Saw game.  Hopefully it will be as stressfull and exciting as the movies. Also I'm freakin' pumped for AC 2.  I loved the first one. Even though it got repetitive. And excitment for ME 2 is through the roof!

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Signature??

Great issue, I loved the content(can't wait for ME2!).  Just one thing:  I was a little bummed when I saw the bit about the gamer cocktails. Bummed because me and my gamer buddy BL1STAH had come up with some cool halo3 based cocktails almost a year and a half ago, which we posted on a blog:

http://halococktails.blogspot.com/

We were planning on greatly expanding our selection of drinks, taking pics of all our creations and creating a bunch of cocktails for other popular xbox titles and then spreading the link around to places like the forums, around the net, and both of us being loyal OXM subscribers, here too of course. ;)  But, like many other things in life, matchmaking and generalized laziness got in the way.

Dan OXM: any chance of getting a shout out in the next issue?  lol.. me and BL1STAH are kicking ourselves for not following through on our libation creations.


P.S.: The 'Rusty Grav Hammer' is REALLY good, and the redbull in it makes it a good drink to sip on while evening gaming... just don't be surprised if your k/d ratio drops significantly after a couple of refills. ;)

dharmaduke

The Q&A with Cliffy B was really great.  I would really like to see this in every issue.  It wasn't a PR thing where he had to be careful with his answers, he just answered truthfully and in an entertaining way.

Do more of this.

kthxbai.

 dharmaduke wrote:

me and my gamer buddy BL1STAH had come up with some cool halo3 based cocktails almost a year and a half ago, which we posted on a blog:

http://halococktails.blogspot.com/

We were planning on greatly expanding our selection of drinks, taking pics of all our creations and creating a bunch of cocktails for other popular xbox titles and then spreading the link around to places like the forums, around the net, and both of us being loyal OXM subscribers, here too of course. ;) 

The article we ran came from our UK brethren -- they came up with those drink ideas with their local bartender, independent from your drinks far as I know. You were ahead of your time, I guess....but he who hesistates is lost, right? Less drinking, more writing.  :)

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Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

 TheH2s wrote:

The Q&A with Cliffy B was really great.  I would really like to see this in every issue.  It wasn't a PR thing where he had to be careful with his answers, he just answered truthfully and in an entertaining way.

We approached him with that in mind. I said, "I'm not going to ask you about Gears of War 3. I'm not digging for rumors. I just want to talk to you, your weird celebrity, and the misperceptions that go with it, and sort of do a 'meet Cliff again for the first time' thing." And he was totally down for it, right down to a photo shoot at our offices. We talked for an hour (and he talks fast) so I had to cut a lot of stuff, but the best bits are there.

I'm really glad to hear you liked it, because I haven't heard too much on that piece, and it was seen as a bit of a risk, especially at eight pages. 

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Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com

I also enjoyed the Interview with Cliff. Very nicely done.

I do have a question for you. Why do you say that 1 vs. 100 is a game changer? I have played the live game as well as the extended play games a couple times now and here are my thoughts.

First game was a blast. It was something new and fun, but I hated that it started so late. I was dead tired by the time the 2 hour game ended.

Second time I played was not nearly as fun and I found myself getting bored quickly. I see no way for any normal human being making it into the Mob let alone as the One. I watch the stats and even when I get all the question correct, I am way behind the top people as they seem to buzz in within .01 of a second. I don't see how people can continue to buzz in that fast every time and be correct each time.

So it feels like it will be nothing but people playing for free achievements and I think this will lose its luster pretty quickly.

Plus the fact that you have to play the game at a set time seems backwards to me. TV is moving away from locked in times with DVR, shows on demand, web replays, etc. So why would a console game move to an old "you must be here at a set time to play" format? I see that as the reason this game will not survive.

I do think it is a good idea, but I don't see this as a "game changer" as you guys stated in the latest issue. So I was just curious by why you said that or rather what you meant. How is it a game changer?

Thanks for the great magazine and I love your podcast. Hope you guys keep it going.

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Listen to this podcast for some great Xbox related discussions. This Xbox Life

 TheH2s wrote:

The Q&A with Cliffy B was really great.  I would really like to see this in every issue.  It wasn't a PR thing where he had to be careful with his answers, he just answered truthfully and in an entertaining way.

Do more of this.

kthxbai.

Didnt read it till after my first post but I thought that it was really good also.

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COOOBBBBRRRRAAA!!!!!!!
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