This month's cover is Aliens vs Predator -- and you will see not one, not two, but three different covers out there. One's an Alien, one's a Predator, and one's a Marine. Inside, the same nougatty OXM goodness.

- Feature: Aliens vs Predator first look
- Feature: BioShock 2
- Feature: The ignorant things non-gamers do that we HATE
- Feature: The XBLA games you should be playing -- and the things MS needs to do in the meantime
- Hands-on with multiplayer Ghostbusters, plus an interview with Harold Ramis
- An entire Halo 3 campaign level got cut?! We have the concept art evidence and full details
- Previews of FFXIII, Fight Night Round 4, Diner Dash, Saboteur, more
- Reviews of GH Metallica, Ninja Blade, Fallout 3 The Pitt, Uno Rush,
- Very small look at Kodu, the game-making tool for normal people. More to come.
- The Ten Most Influential People in Xbox Gaming -- I expect you will disagree...
- Gaming on the cheap in these trying economic times
- A huge giveaway of all those Street Fighter IV peripherals you cannot find. And yes, we mean ALL of them.
- James Silva on what he learned from making The Dishwasher

Subscribers may start getting it shortly. When you see it, as always, we wanna know what you think.

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

I haven't seen the mag yet obviously but I already know what MS needs to do with XBLA..... how about putting those millions you spent on Rare to use and put Killer Instinct on XBLA ALREADY!!!! Would it really be that hard? We got Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Soul Caliber, why not this one?

I just got mine, and just skimmed it over going straight to my favorite sections including the Crystal Ball.   Anyone know what 3 red lights at E3 means?  I have an idea of the classic games coming to XBLA including "Rise From Your Grave."

Cripes, I really need to finish up with my school work so I can catch up with my FAQs...

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What? Already? Thank God I finished the last one this weekend.

"-Bioshock 2 Feature"
^Caught my eye in a second. CAN'T WAIT!!!

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

 Dan OXM wrote:

This month's cover is Aliens vs Predator -- and you will see not one, not two, but three different covers out there. One's an Alien, one's a Predator, and one's a Marine. Inside, the same nougatty OXM goodness.

- Feature: Aliens vs Predator first look
- Feature: BioShock 2
- Feature: The ignorant things non-gamers do that we HATE
- Feature: The XBLA games you should be playing -- and the things MS needs to do in the meantime
- Hands-on with multiplayer Ghostbusters, plus an interview with Harold Ramis
- An entire Halo 3 campaign level got cut?! We have the concept art evidence and full details
- Previews of FFXIII, Fight Night Round 4, Diner Dash, Saboteur, more
- Reviews of GH Metallica, Ninja Blade, Fallout 3 The Pitt, Uno Rush,
- Very small look at Kodu, the game-making tool for normal people. More to come.
- The Ten Most Influential People in Xbox Gaming -- I expect you will disagree...
- Gaming on the cheap in these trying economic times
- A huge giveaway of all those Street Fighter IV peripherals you cannot find. And yes, we mean ALL of them.
- James Silva on what he learned from making The Dishwasher

Subscribers may start getting it shortly. When you see it, as always, we wanna know what you think.

Alieve vs. Predator preview increased my interest.  I will keep an eye out on this one.
BioShock 2  Nothing new there.  I pretty much knew all of that.  Definitely interested.
Ignorant things non-gamers do was very entertaining, and I enjoyed that a lot especially waiting for a save.  Very very important.
XBLA games-Interesting.  I have enjoyed some of those games.  The suggestions seem good.
Ghostbuster coverage was appreciated.  Looking good
Halo 3 level cut.  Interesting.  Be nice to see what you could have done with that eye.
other previews were good.  Not much new on FFXIII.  I did like t he FNR4 preview. 
Nothing to interesting to me in the reviews this month.  Not many releases coming out right now. 
Influetial people in XBox was good.  I think that could have been expanded a little and would have been nice to have over the next few issues interviews with those individuals.
 Still don't know what the 3 red light are at E3.

BF 1943 going 2 be XBLA

hard to imagined

From this issue ... "a prominent Japanese publisher will be opening its valuts ... three red lights arranged in a familiar pattern shining in the dark .."  Who is that?

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

I got to read this cover to cover the other day at work.  Bioshock 2 and AvP have me amped.  I can't believe there is going to be new AvP.  That game was so awesome. 

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 Bill wrote:

Pills here!

 Heinrich wrote:

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

Not sure what you mean by that. Do you HAVE to have every cover? Are they forcing you to buy every cover?

Will you not be able to survive if you don't have all 3?

Guess I don't get how it is reader unfriendly and how it is shameless. Many many many magazines do this. And OXM has done it before.

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 The Dagda Mor wrote:

 Heinrich wrote:

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

Not sure what you mean by that. Do you HAVE to have every cover? Are they forcing you to buy every cover?

A fan of Aliens / Predator will want and be tempted to buy multiple magazines.  This is a cheap and sleezy way to boost sales.

 The Dagda Mor wrote:

Will you not be able to survive if you don't have all 3?

Extreme hyperbole that is irrelevant.

 The Dagda Mor wrote:

Guess I don't get how it is reader unfriendly and how it is shameless. Many many many magazines do this. And OXM has done it before.

The fact that many magazines do this and that this one has done it before is also irrelevant.  It's cheap and sleezy for any magazine and apparently this one has participated multiple times in this cheap and sleezy business practice.

I hope I hit the right chord when I ask Heinrich: aren't you watchin out for the hyperbole by asking that question? Tell me how many hardcore avp fans are out in this world, then tell me how many of them would catch a glimpse, or even know about OXM, then tell me how many would know that there are three covers for this issue, then tell me how many of them would pay $40 for all three of the same mag. If you get more than fifty, you're giving to much credit. And even if it hit the fifty mark, how much of an impact is that compared to the ... 10s or 100s of thousands who read it? Idk, you seem to be making this a bigger issue than it shouldn't be.

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

 Heinrich wrote:

From this issue ... "a prominent Japanese publisher will be opening its valuts ... three red lights arranged in a familiar pattern shining in the dark .."  Who is that?

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

Really who cares about multiple covers, and if it does get OXM a few more sales than so be it.  Doesn't bother me.  Does it bother you that they might make a little more scratch?

Saw the Pred. and the Marine cover at Blockbuster last night, haven't seen Alien cover yet.

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mrtonguetwista@dubcnn.com

www.dubcnn.com

 Heinrich wrote:

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

I agree with you there, esp. since they've seem to have stopped putting the demo discs in the thin cases w/ artwork, yet continue to charge the same amount.

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mrtonguetwista@dubcnn.com

www.dubcnn.com

I had to look up hyperbole (comes from ancient Greek "ὑπερβολή" (meaning excess or exaggeration) and is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is rarely meant to be taken literally.).

And now you know. And knowledge is power!

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 DennisB407 wrote:

Saw the Pred. and the Marine cover at Blockbuster last night, haven't seen Alien cover yet.

My issue has an Alien on the cover, pretty badass.

 The Dagda Mor wrote:

And now you know. And knowledge is power!

I thought, "Knowing is half the battle!"

Anyhooooo... Just got my issue yesterday and had a few minutes to skim through. FF XIII, Ghostbusters, Fight Night Round 4, cool, cool, and cool. Bioshock 2, skeptically cool. I was more looking forward to the Alien RPG so I'm a little cool on AvP. I liked the story on Xbox Live Arcade and am also wondering why the pricing structure is so rigid. Retail games rarely stay at full price after a couple of months on the shelves, why do digital games?

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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.

 Ezilylost13 wrote:

 DennisB407 wrote:

Saw the Pred. and the Marine cover at Blockbuster last night, haven't seen Alien cover yet.

My issue has an Alien on the cover, pretty badass.

 The Dagda Mor wrote:

And now you know. And knowledge is power!

 I liked the story on Xbox Live Arcade and am also wondering why the pricing structure is so rigid. Retail games rarely stay at full price after a couple of months on the shelves, why do digital games?

This has been discussed a few times. Look at the GTA cover Aug '08 Letters to the editor titled "It's New to Someone" there was also a discussion started on these forums a while back.

http://forums.xbox.com/14535038/ShowPost.aspx

Now I am not a big fan of the thread starter, but he did make some decent points as the marketplace was starting to evolve. It also helps to show how the marketplace was and how it has evolved a little bit since then, with the deals of the week at least. Perhaps more full blown price drops are imminent eventually. Not much has gained full blown permanent drops, Halo 3 legendary maps come to mind but that cost the loss of Bungie Pro to offset it.

I know it's fashionable to hate him but if I search forums by Author he made some good posts before he disintegrated himself. I had to check because of all the hate I read on here, but he is not the Hitler you guys make him out to be.

*Flame suit on*

 Dan OXM wrote:

This month's cover is Aliens vs Predator -- and you will see not one, not two, but three different covers out there. One's an Alien, one's a Predator, and one's a Marine. Inside, the same nougatty OXM goodness.

- Feature: The ignorant things non-gamers do that we HATE
 
- Previews of FFXIII

got my Alien cover yesterday....it looks friggin sweet....the ignorant article was hilarious, especially the "ARE YOU WINNING?" one in reference to playing an RPG...i don't know how many times ive heard this. it drives me INSANE!!!

oh and I <3 FFXIII

great issue.

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LK's 5 I cant wait to play:

1) Mass Effect 2 2) FF13 3) Modern Warfare 2 4) Dragon Age: Origins 5) Tekken 6

Sounds like a bunch of great stuff. Can't wait to get my copy!

I am guessing that the Alien cover is what subscribers get. The other two are on shelves.

Just guessing from what others have posted haven't looked in stores yet but I am sure I will pick em all up for my collection.

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 The Dagda Mor wrote:

I am guessing that the Alien cover is what subscribers get. The other two are on shelves.

Just guessing from what others have posted haven't looked in stores yet but I am sure I will pick em all up for my collection.

as long as no one is forcing you.

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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.

So glad to see the discussion is all about the cover, and not about its contents.

We are not the first magazine to do a "split cover run" nor will we be the last.  Entertainment Weekly does it all the time (six covers for Watchmen, anyone?) and Edge just did a 200-cover split. We had the good art, and we wanted to get a little buzz, get people talking -- it's not this evil moustache twirling thing where we go "aha, now we will prey on the ignorant and get them to spend cash on something they've already bought! Now, to the train tracks so we may tie up a fair maiden!"

The split cover is a little mini-event in itself since it's done infrequently. We don't expect people will buy all three unless they're serious collectors...which means these issues will go alongside their Slurpee cups and Happy Meal toys. Is that really going to make us big money from those folks? No. But is it fun for us to do things like this, make multiple covers when we have a franchise where it makes sense? Yeah. Will people say "Hey, which cover did you get" to their friends? Yeah, some will. Is that worth getting upset about and calling us names? I didn't think so, but I'm proven wrong again.

The innards are what matter, and they are what you are not discussing. Surely there's a review score that will have you seething with rage or something.

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

Dont have mine yet Dan or I would be discussing the guts.

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I still want to know what 3 red lights at E3 represent.

 Dan OXM wrote:

The innards are what matter, and they are what you are not discussing. Surely there's a review score that will have you seething with rage or something.

i'd love too, but honestly there was not a single game reviewed that i was interested in buying...aside from FO3: The Pitt, which im waiting to get my hands on Broken Steel first.

BUT....i did read the article on FF13 numerous times. one thing that i noticed...the "Resistance fighters" mentioned on the side bar do have a few names to them. Gadot and Lebreau accompanied Snow in his romp.

Dan did u get any hands on time with the demo? i'm dying for more input from people who have played the new battle system, and if they liked it? I was bidding on the demo for ps3 on ebay but once the price hit 24.50, then shot up in one day to $47, i bailed.

your explanation of Pulse and Cocoon really cleared up the dire Situation of XIII's game world for me...there didnt seem to be much info on the world and moon-world before i read it in OXM, and what i could find just didnt make any sense to me.

one more thing......on the bottom note "Gears of Final War Fantasy" on pg 20, you guys totally blew my mind. I can not wrap my brain around the fact that we live in a world where the same voice of the awesome Marcus Fenix is the same voice that breathed annoying life into uber ball-throwin hawaiian Wakka....wakka...wakka. more info on the super talented John Dimaggio

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LK's 5 I cant wait to play:

1) Mass Effect 2 2) FF13 3) Modern Warfare 2 4) Dragon Age: Origins 5) Tekken 6

I am paid in full till Oct 2011 so I will be reading these for a while and have been this issue dosent have alot of games I am interested in.  this is my first feedback for the mag I killed the universe but those posts are gone (sorry if I hurt anyones feelings)

Bio Shock was OK a better article in Game Informer IMO***
Halo Ill never play was great*****
Loud Dumb and out of control was really good I only wish I could make ppl read the whole thing*****

now on page 8 there was a hint of what I may be wishing to be a Mech game I reeeeeeeeealy miss my mechassault.  I didnt thing that Square Enix had anything to do with that game and the hints with the rhyming is not cutting it for me.  there must have been some confidentiality agreement with SE and OXM for them to tease me.
Rhyming with a japan only title I have no idea can anyone tell me what they mean or do I have to wait until E3??  this is the article that brought me to this forum. ****

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"Go complain about it on the internet" Brian Griffin

 Plat4rmr wrote:

I still want to know what 3 red lights at E3 represent.

Yes Yes me too please

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"Go complain about it on the internet" Brian Griffin

 Heinrich wrote:

From this issue ... "a prominent Japanese publisher will be opening its valuts ... three red lights arranged in a familiar pattern shining in the dark .."  Who is that?

Second comment - multiple covers in an attempt to get multiple sales is pretty shameless and reader unfriendly.

are they talking about the aiming reticle of the predator?

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"Go complain about it on the internet" Brian Griffin

 JMAS wrote:

now on page 8 there was a hint of what I may be wishing to be a Mech game I reeeeeeeeealy miss my mechassault.  I didnt thing that Square Enix had anything to do with that game and the hints with the rhyming is not cutting it for me.  there must have been some confidentiality agreement with SE and OXM for them to tease me.
Rhyming with a japan only title I have no idea can anyone tell me what they mean or do I have to wait until E3??  this is the article that brought me to this forum. ****

"Brunt Fission"
"Stunt Kitchen"

Existing IP???


It is Front Mission.

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