Let’s start with the hardware. The new iPad with its quad core GPU is already capable of powering a display that is even higher in resolution than a full HD display. So it is safe to say that that the next version of Apple’s SoC, the A6, will be a fairly capable piece of silicon that should be able to deliver at least the same quality of games that the 7 year old Xbox 360 and 6 year old PS3 currently do. Apple is already using a cut-down version of the A5 CPU on Apple TV so upgrading to a full A6 SoC on the next version of ATV won’t be much of an issue.

The next thing Apple needs is a gaming controller which they obviously don’t have at the moment. However, one of the articles from Anandtech suggested that Apple is indeed working on a gaming controller for iOS. While many people might start thinking in the direction of an iPad or iPhone, remember Apple TV is also based on iOS. Apple can easily utilize Bluetooth for pairing up the controller to Apple TV- maybe even use the latest low powered 4.0 standard already present on the iPhone 4S.

Last and certainly not the least, you need a gaming ecosystem. Guess what? You already have that in the form of App Store- much like Microsoft has Xbox Live and Sony has SEN. Games like Infinity Blade and Epoch are pushing non-casual gaming on the iOS further and further and with studios like EA and Ubisoft, Apple already has support from the gaming industry. In fact, there are rumors of Blizzard entering the iOS market; and then a supposed visit by Tim Cook to Valve adds fuel to the fire, even though Gabe Newell denied it.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who can see all the pieces of the puzzle coming together. At $99, the Apple TV is even more affordable than a $160 Nintendo Wii and becomes an impulse purchase. Games on the App Store are also much cheaper than their console counterparts- yes, I know they are cut-down or alternate versions but last-year devices can play games like Max Payne so imagine what next year’s silicon will bring?

So don’t be surprised if Apple repositions the Apple TV as not just a multi-media player but also a full blown system capable of playing games that are as good as the current-gen consoles games.

1. Huge open world

The world of Dragon’s Dogma, while not as expansive as Skyrim, offers plenty to explore. The vast terrain and variety in locations available presents great sense of exploration and adventuring. The same drive that had you striving to reach every area in Skyrim is similarly available here, and will play a key factor in how attached you become to the game.

2. Day/Night Cycles

Dragon’s Dogma’s world operates on a full 24-hour Day/Night cycle. This means that the game has an internal clock that changes and affects the world. The Day/Night shift is not for mere aesthetic purposes but it rather plays a huge part in the game’s system. It’s always recommended for you to accomplish your quests while the Sun is still up whenever possible. This is because when night time arrives things get real nasty. Different much more powerful creatures appear at night, ones that you will often have a very hard time fighting against. This cycle system creates an interesting spin on how you would manage your in-game time to accomplish your quests as efficiently as possible while avoiding the night.

3. The Pawn system

The Pawn system is something that is quite unique to Dragon’s Dogma. Pawns are basically servants that can be hired by the main character of the game to aid you throughout your adventures. Your main Pawn is the one you create yourself at first, tailoring him/her to your own liking from appearance to personality. While this may sound at first like a regular companion found in other Western RPGs, Pawns actually have their own personalities and often speak or give advice to you on your journey. To top that off, your main Pawn can be shared with other players online so that he/she can explore different areas and come back with stories and information that can aid you in the game. While Dragon’s Dogma is solely a single player game, the Pawn mechanism offers the ability to connect with different people in a unique and fresh method.

4. Mix of Strategic and fast paced combat

The combat in the game offers the best of both worlds. In other words, while the combat feels fluid and it also offers enough depth making sure what you do actually matters rather than it being mindless hack and slash. The combat feels similar to the one found in the Souls series, but is less punishing and much faster in terms of speed. Dragon’s Dogma also introduces the ability to actually jump on creatures you fight and hang on to them. For example, while fighting a Griffin in the demo I was able jump on its back while it was ascending to the air. This made the combat experience very different than regular ground fights as you were struggling to keep hanging on while trying to bring down the creature at the same time. All of these different elements shape Dragon’s Dogma idea to demonstrate its own take on how combat is supposed to be done in Action-RPGs.

5. Tons of content available

In order to finish the main game it’s going to take you 40-50 hours of playtime. While if you want to complete more side quests and explore the whole world of the game then you are looking at 100+ hours of playtime. This means that the game has a ton of content to offer and will keep you engaged for a long period of time.

The demo of Dragon’s Dogma is currently out on both XBL and PSN, while the final game comes out on May 22nd in NA and May 25th in EU. Be sure to check it out and tell us what you think in the comment section!

The downloadable content will be a timed Xbox 360-exclusive and is scheduled to release this Summer. Bethesda has promised more details at E3.

A recent patch contained files that hinted at potential content in the upcoming DLC, such as crossbows, snow elves and a character or a pet called RF.

If you weren’t lucky enough to play the original game, there is a ‘Prototype Recap’ option available which talks you through the events that unfolded in the first game. You originally played as Alex Mercer, who was infected with the Blacklight Virus and set out to get to the bottom of things. In Prototype 2,you play as Sergeant James Heller, who lost his wife and daughter to what became known as the ‘Mercer virus’. His emotions in turmoil, he is discharged from duty but quickly reinstated and sent to the Red Zone, one of the most infected areas of New York City. It is there he meets Alex Mercer, and tries his best to enact his revenge for the loss of his family. But you soon learn that Mercer isn’t the real enemy, and thanks to a little slip of the virus from Mercer, things soon start to get interesting.

While the general population has been cornered off into sections for their own supposed safety, they are in reality just being used a test subjects for Blackwatch’s various biological experiments. Heller then sets out on a rampage to get into Blackwatch and find those responsible for the chaos ruling the city.

From that point onwards, you’re eased into Heller’s new abilities, such as increased attack speed and strength, and of course the ability to mutate your hands into claws to shred your enemies into pieces. As you progress through the game you can of course unlock various new abilities in a number of ways. Completing main story missions will unlock new DNA for you to evolve further, while attacking and absorbing certain experiments or key targets upgrade current combat skills or provide new offensive tactics. You can also locate lost Blackwatch agents in the city who carry vital tidbits of information – find enough of these and you’re granted an upgrade.

Once you’ve settled into the story and met a few key characters, the gameplay juggles around a bit to try and keep things interesting. Your missions start off being simple ones where you hunt down a particular target and absorb them for snippets of information (which then lead you to further targets) or sneaking into enemy bases undetected. One of Heller’s abilities is that he can absorb any person in the game and then immediately take on their disguise – this is essential if you want to sneak into enemy bases undetected or use terminals to obtain classified information, which you have to do quite frequently.

The story does try to pace itself as best as possible, but in some areas the cutscenes and dialogue are just so drawn out that you’re almost itching to get back to the gory action. Heller’s swearing also tends to get a bit irritating after a while, but thankfully the brute doesn’t talk for very long before you can get back to mauling tanks and terrifying civilians. Speaking of tanks, as with the first game you have the option to hijack military vehicles for your own amusement or to use in various missions. You can quickly rip off weapons or destroy the vehicle entirely, but there are several instances where hiding in a tank when under assault is a good idea. For the most part the game doesn’t try to pigeonhole you into just following the main story – there are enough side missions and extra things to discover to keep you occupied for a good portion of time.

The graphics on the game look fairly decent, with cutscenes animating well and character models looking somewhat realistic at times. The live-action flashback sequences are a nice touch and help distract you from the game’s occasional texture clipping that always seems to happen when you’re jumping from a building onto the streets below. The background score isn’t obtrusive and for the most part goes unnoticed until you are spotted by enemies and the music changes to a fast-paced score to compliment the frantic escape.

Prototype 2 is a fair follow-up to the original and fixes some of the combat and targeting issues that plagued the first game. While a lot of fun can be had rampaging around the city, you ultimately have to decide if you really care enough about Heller to pursue his former captors and seek revenge or just roam around the city causing mayhem. Thankfully with a vast city to explore, that choice is up to you.

Armored Core V is still the same mech-combat title diehard fans are familiar with, although is clearly influenced by the movement into a more multiplayer-focused medium. Once you start the game, you’ll be connected online and asked to create/assemble your own team in order to jump right into the missions or join an online session. But here’s the problem, for an installment that prides itself of being a team-based multiplayer mecha-combat title, the online portion is barely functional. It was painful to sort out an online session, if not impossible. Despite this, the very few chances I had to enter a multiplayer lobby were wholly compelling, albeit could be hard to stand a chance against enemies whom mostly are AC veterans. The thing is, the absence of enough players online is a concerning matter, especially after I have found that the single-player won’t keep me hooked for a long time.

About the story in Armored Core V, well nothing here screams this will garner prizes for having the finest, most ambitious plot of the decade. No, in fact, it’s quite the opposite; ACV prods a storyline that is tediously generic. Set in a future that endorsed the development of such machineries, there’s a conflict between two corrupt factions, and you serve as a mercenary for the resisting group, and… well that’s it. The story then develops at a very stagnant pace, and doesn’t progress anytime sooner. Don’t blame yourself if you didn’t grasp a meaningful understanding of the storyline, I somewhat lost interest in knowing more about it thanks to the dull, badly-paced narration from one side, and due to the missions becoming more monotonous as you keep advancing.

Speaking of missions, they can be as simple as clashing with these opposing, mad futuristic looking machines. No puzzles or mind games are involved; just good old blowing the living hell out of them fools – and boy the explosions can be wicked! The missions, however, are divided between story and order chapters, but unfortunately, the story is not engaging enough and often feels unimportant – as mentioned before, mostly due to the vague explanatory of objective and because of it being plagued by a bland, uninspiring introductory narration, which becomes quite daunting by time. The cutscenes are boring and lack a rational sense of what is really going on.

Despite all this, for players whose only concern is engaging in unmercifully, unthought-of rigorous difficulty levels, as well as a bounce of repeated trial and error, the next story missions in Armored Core V are perhaps what you have been long seeking after. Sadistic is the term I would use for the baffling rise in difficulty. Not even the epitome of customized mechs would transpire through the heaps of floating missiles and gunfire. In between story chapters, you’ll be facing cool bosses, gigantic ones (of course). One of the mechs gave me a slight deja vu that I’ve been in this fight before – turns out it was an imagery of a real-life equivalent of Mega Man, but a giant, mean one with bigger hands, posing in an even more futuristic outfit, and yes, can rely on powers other than just a Mega Blaster arm cannon. I won’t spoil more! As for the order missions, bare of any story elements, this is the perfect break to collect money and garner Team Points, although the chapters could become quickly wearisome due to the very basic form of objective.

What made things even worse is the lack of a proper tutorial system. I do understand that simplicity doesn’t have a place in-between From Software’s self-punishing motto, but it’s clearly ACV was meant to be stuck in the past in terms of presentation, for a reason I don’t really grasp. To make my argument valid, I don’t believe defining a hardcore title should solely rely on creating unnecessary sophistications, especially if you put into concern a franchise that has always been molded upon the niche foundation. Something ought to be carried over to Armored Core V, but unfortunately could fail by deterring newcomers. Simply put, yes, the learning curve of the game is incredibly steep and the lack of tutorials doesn’t make things any better.

Understanding the controls scheme is equally confusing and consumes quite a lot of time to memorize the entire combinations and their right executions during the-so-many-different-clashing-situations. For example, when you run out of energy, it doesn’t give you even one clue on to how to restore it back. At the beginning, during one mission, it pissed me off really bad that I almost punched my frog, but I didn’t! Luckily, I reminisced over the blessing that is called Google; and turns out it was as simple as switching into Scan Mode – a function will turn your TV into an ugly arctic color graded HUD scene. Nonetheless, it helped me get a swifter recharge, save some energy… oh yeah also guided me to the objective! Basically, figuring how these robots operate whilst diving into the middle of the battlefield can be quite frustrating, especially if you’re new to the mecha war business.

Don’t get me wrong, the fun will start flowing (sluggishly) right after you achieve a respectable level of time investment. Good thing, the response of your robot is as accurate as it gets, and can be quite rewarding when part of mastery is attained. It’s also worth noting that the game boasts a lavish, highly-detailed customization workshop, giving us extensive selections to build an unmatched mechanical beast. Existence of varied patterns and color pallets as well as the ability to mix and match any color are just the tip of the iceberg. The most intriguing chunk of the game was the ability to create my own Armored Core while throwing piles of customizations onto that thing. The Custom Workshop can be that fun and presumably is a place many will find themselves tinkering with for hours.

Visually, Armored Core V is repulsive, and looks incredibly outdated. If it is to be compared with recent console titles, I’m sure this will be mistaken for a PS2-developed title, except perhaps for that HD bump, which doesn’t really help much in providing a subtle detail to the already bland urban environments. Then again, the Armored Core franchise was never popular for having breathtaking visuals.

What you’ve been reading thus far was me mostly criticizing the formula From Software consented to the game. Even so, for a lot of players, especially to those whom acquainted with the series, the majority of the listed issues won’t be a substantial breaking factor, or even hinder down the level of enjoyment they’re bound to absorb. Yes, for newcomers, Armored Core V is a difficult game, frustratingly difficult. Yet it can be rewarding to those willing to put their precious hours not into learning a new language, or a skill, but to master a mech-combat videogame.

Here are the patch notes:

Kazuya Restand glitch infinite combo has been removed.

Kuro cr.MP infinite has been removed.

Xiaoyu QCB MP infinite has been removed.

Pacman Hit back on LP and LK has been changed so infinite has been removed.

Jin Chop Kick Glitch on mid air opponents has been fixed. When first hit of Kazama Style 6 Hit Combo is a counter hit, Jin is at +2F now.

Ogre Damage properties of cr.HP have been changed so follow ups are now not possible.

Juri Senpusha’s frames on block have been changed to below:

- L ver. stand block -5F
- M ver. stand block -10F
- M ver. crouch block -10F

       Shikusen causes opponents to be pushed back less far when blocked.

Rufus Falcon Kick (dive kick) properties have been changed:
- Hurt box added to his feet and the move no longer crosses up easily.
- Frames on block have been modified to -4F

Zangief Last hit of Quick Double Lariat (3rd hit) will no longer hit crouching opponents.

M.Bison 5th hit of his Super Art (Knee Press Nightmare) can now be blocked normally.

Jump/lever input bug Addresed issue where diagonal inputs/jumps did not come out properly.

Throw/Character Change glitch Fixed a bug for certain characters that allowed for them to get thrown when initiating a character switch.

Quick Combo Priority of command inputs has been changed so glitches that came from activating quick combos in the air have been removed.