If you want more visuals, there are two additional gameplay vids for BioShock 2 over on GameTrailers – deathmatch and the harvesting choice.

BioShock 2 Videos [GameTrailers]

And now it’s priced at $AU80.

A 2K spokesperson explained the change:

“Unfortunately due to an internal error, Borderlands was briefly available for download on Steam for Australian users at an incorrect price. We have since reposted the game for the discounted price of AU$79.95 and apologise for the inconvenience.”

Discounted? Hmm. Sure, in store it retails for $AU89.95 RRP. But I’m not really sure how the new Steam price is a discount on the old Steam price…

UPDATE: Looks like we’re still waiting on the Steam Store to update. Shouldn’t be too long. It’s up.

Pre-loaders of the PC version over Steam found the file “borderlands_low_violence.ncf” in their download; it’s not a part of the North American version. When contacted about the file, 2K Australia said:

We have been talking to the US 2K team via email and working out how this happened/ what the next steps are to amend this via Steam. They’re working on clearing this up with Valve right now and know to ask how they will handle those people who have already d/l’ed the wrong version.

So, bottom line for Aussies: No content changes were made to receive classification, but this file does make the game “a wrong version”. 2K promises to have this cleared up by October 30 — three days after October 27, the game’s original unlock date for Europe and Australia.

Whew! Glad they’re hot on the case. Because, for real, seeing a level-18 bruiser’s face melt off, and his eyeballs pop out and roll down a flight of stairs after a critical shock sniper attack, is simply not to be missed. Not that I’m rubbing it in or anything.

Borderlands Accidentally Censored for Aussies on Steam [Ausgamers]

“All the guys will play on the plane actually,” he tells USA Today. “Travel with a flat screen and hook up the console. It gets pretty competitive.”

But… is a flat screen a carry-on? Does it fit in the overhead compartment? So many questions, so much time. Must be nice to fly in private jets!

Kobe Bryant talks ‘NBA 2K10′ – Game Hunters: In search of video games and interactive awesomeness [USA TODAY] [Pic]

Or rather, let’s get Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford to explain.

“Whenever I’m asked what is the game I’ve spent more time playing than any other, the answer is Nethack. And whenever I’m asked what is my favourite game, it’s Doom II.

And Borderlands is really just Doom II plus Nethack. Or you can say it’s Halo plus Diablo… but Halo’s just an iteration of Doom II and Diablo is a graphical interface for Nethack.”

The critical and commercial succes of Brothers In Arms allowed Randy and his team at Gearbox to take a risk with their next project. Like any hardcore gamer thinking of their dream game, Randy had wanted to make this Nethack/Doom mash-up for years. Now he had the opportunity to make that dream a reality.

I asked Randy how his team designed Borderlands to cater for the shooter guy who doesn’t understand RPGs and for the RPG guy who doesn’t understand shooters.

Pitchford told me he’s thought about this “a hell of a lot:”

“We’ve done a lot of testing, recruiting people from local game stores and colleges and put them together into what we call the Truth Team.

From that we know here’s a guy whose gaming experience is Call of Duty and that we can give him the controller and, without a single sentence of instruction, he can start having fun. I can put this controller in your hand and I don’t have to say a damn thing to you and you’ll know how to move and how to shoot and the controls will feel really good.

Meanwhile, you can take a role-playing guy who goes “Hey, that loot’s purple, I bet that’s an epic.” He knows what that means because he’s familiar with the language of a role-playing game. We needed that, because we’re inventing so much in this game, we needed the fundamentals to be something you’re comfortable with.”

Borderlands plays like a shooter in that you’re moving around a fast-paced environment and viewing it from a first-person perspective; you need to aim well to hit your targets, you need to dodge their fire and you need to seek out and take cover.

Quests, loot and experience form the basis of the RPG tropes you’ll encounter. NPCs act as mission kiosks, tasking you to go there, do that, and then report back to claim your reward. Safes, trashcans, toolboxes, corpses and even toilets can all be searched for extra ammo, health pickups, guns and plain hard cash. Finally, every enemy you kill and quest you complete brings experience, ultimately levelling you up and unlocking new branches of your character’s skill tree.

Pitchford maintains that if you’re familiar with either genre, Borderlands will feel natural and make sense. “The fundamentals are bulletproof, they’re solid,” he says, “and we needed that because so much of the rest of it is just crazy.”

At times, Borderlands feels like an action-heavy MMO instance while at other times it feels like an open world shooter with skill and weapon stats influencing – if not determining – your success. Ensuring they strike the right balance between the two genres is a factor that has weighed heavily on the design.

From my experience, having spent around 5-6 hours with the preview code, what’s remarkable is how well Borderlands caters to your choices. Whether it’s those moment-to-moment choices to, for example, strafe left instead of right or toss a grenade now at that guy or whether it’s those meta-game choices of which weapons you buy and equip or which skills you upgrade, Borderlands convinces you that those choices matter.

Why choose between Nethack and Doom II, RPG and shooter, when you can have them both?

To continue the metaphor, NBA 2K10 delivers both. All sports titles face a justify-your-existence question of what to offer every year beyond a roster update. NBA 2K10 has been such a clear leader that it’s almost exempt from such what-have-you-done-for-me-lately questions, and has the luxury of refining its visuals and presentation. That’s not to say the game doesn’t add new ways to deliver, and experience, the performance art that can happen any given night in the NBA.

Loved
Where Basketball Happens: So much of a sports game review fixates on what’s new in a game, but the guts of it still have to be there, and NBA 2K10 shows restraint in its gameplay tinkers. This year’s update focused more on nailing down animations for players’ signature moves and even facial expressions, rather than how you manipulate them. But the most conspicuous control is how your speed burst works. You have a finite supply of it, and not only can it run out over a single play, going to the well too often will deplete his overall stamina. You cannot sit on the trigger in this game and expect to get away with it for long. This brings some useful balance, especially to run-and-gun multiplayer games. Shot selection is more of a key this year as the game seems to have tightened up on on the ease of shooting. That could also be because of changes in shooting animations, as your point of release means everything to whether the ball goes in. Otherwise, the control scheme remains solid and caters to your preferred style, whether that’s set plays versus a more freelancing approach, or basic player manipulation vs. more advanced shooting and post play. If you prefer to make things up as you go along, you can still have a great time in NBA 2K10. My only gripe is that players seem slow to get open on their own, meaning you’ll need to do so at least through a quick play from the menu or draw the defence and kick it out yourself.

This is a presentation of the NBA: I halfway expected to hear a 4th quarter announcement that any rebroadcast without the express written consent of the NBA is prohibited. Out of the box, the commentary of Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg and Cheryl Miller is much stronger and less repetitive than the competing title from EA Sports. Although the season has not started yet, when it does their remarks, supported by on-screen graphics, will reflect what’s taking place in the league, such as recent big performances, slumps, etc. I’m assuming. The point is that the game will serve you up – even if it’s just for a one-off matchup – more than the current rosters but the current state of the league and its players. This may not as technically detailed as NBA Live 10’s Dynamic DNA, which will break a player down to his tendencies, not just his skill strengths. Gamers who can make use of that information will have to make the choice for themselves; what 2K10 has done here is good enough for me.

That’s My Player: This is a compelling mode of play, one that really makes you want to be a better player and learn the game. But you really have to know what you are getting into because you will be judged very strictly in it. In My Player, you are starting off with a rookie rated near the bottom in everything and only slightly better in some core positional attributes. Then, through conditioning drills and scrimmages in a summer league you build yourself into a draftable talent. Or not. Most everyone will head through the NBA Developmental League first. I just don’t see how you can accrue the points necessary to make an NBA roster right off the bat and even then, I’m not sure what good it would do because your playing time would be minuscule. But back to the development – your success will depend upon knowing your position and how it contributes to a game. And I mean, if you have no organized basketball experience and are only a casual spectator of the game, it will be rough on you. You need to pay attention to your teammates if someone’s calling for a pass. You’ve got to proactively set picks. You’ve got to call for the ball only when you’re open and even then, you’ll be bitched at for doing it too often. You need to do these things more than you need to score, because the development places a premium on being a good teammate. Even burying an spot-up jumper will get you tsk-tsked for taking one too soon, with an attendant reduction in teammate grade. All this said, I know I am a bad baller, so even if I was frustrated I didn’t feel like I was being judged unfairly. And I can see that for someone who knows and loves basketball, how the challenges offered and won by My Player stand out not only for this sport, but among all career modes of pro sports gaming. If you’re not 100 percent sure you know what you’re doing in the game, you should stick to the team mode, unless you are really committed to using My Player to teach yourself video game basketball in a very granular, intensive way.

Multiplied multiplayer: The first two days of the release I could not connect to the 2K servers at all. As of the weekend, the problems appeared to be solved, but this was still an unfortunate black mark against a game going out the door packed to the gills with multiplayer modes. The most intriguing of these is the Team-Up, where you can form or join a crew and run ball in a virtual league against teams comprised entirely of other users. If you don’t want to commit to that you can create a pick-up game for a single instance only. My preference trends strongly to singleplayer in sports titles and getting my arse kicked online in this game definitely reinforced that. But the game’s deep multiplayer offerings, along with its season simulation, once again make it this year’s winner.

Hated
Fritzy framerate: Certain shots during cutscenes, or certain gameplay sequences – especially going into heavy traffic with everyone breaking back to the rim – dropped the framerate quite noticeably on my 360 version. It may be, unfortunately, because of the superior character modelling combining with the crowd animations and background to overwhelm the console. 2K says it’s working on a patch, but others have noted that even 2K9 still had its own framerate stutters in some of the same situations.

Information overload: The game triples the number of plays you can call this year, breaking them out by the five positions on the floor plus a menu for calling quick picks and isolations. Unfortunately, the menu deals in floor positions, not which player’s number is being called. So if you’re running automatic substitutions and don’t know everyone on the floor by name and position, you might find yourself in the dark about who you’re dialing up. It’s petty to gripe about greater options, but it can feel like a big one when you’re getting run out of the gym by a superior opponent and trying desperately to think of something that will work.

(No) thanks for the advice: I did not care for the Stephen A. Smith-esque cartoon figure who appears in your season sim and who pretends to be a mentor in My Player. No, his voice isn’t as obnoxious as Screamin’ A, HOWEVAH, I found him to be condescending to the point of discouragement in My Player, and I could have just taken the pointers in a bullet-point text box. For someone who’s pretending to have a close relationship to your player, he needs to have a real face, or at least a more recognisable voice. I’d respect what this guy says a lot more if I knew who it’s coming from, instead of someone who passes off another player’s quotes as inspiration.

The little things that NBA 2K10 does right could fill a review twice as long as this, but of course they should get a nod here, for pushing the whole enterprise over the top and again delivering this year’s NBA choice. Your crowd will chant MVP! when a star player on a hot streak comes to the line for his and-1 free throw. When this happens in the playoffs, it just feels right. The off-ball players’ animations, usually where you see forced or sped-up repositioning when the AI has to move them, are very refined and build that overall sense that you’re watching an NBA telecast. The players and the coaches’ features are mesmerizingly accurate – I loved any cutscene with George Karl in it and could instantly pick out Stephen Curry – a straight-up rookie – from the standard camera angle.

NBA 2K10 represents the brand of choice among hardcore ballers and reputation counts for plenty in both real-world professional basketball and its virtual counterpart. Outside of My Player and the multiplayer modes, the game delivers more subtle changes than profound to your experience. When it’s in control of a game, a winning team maintains that lead, and focuses on execution. That’s NBA 2K10.

NBA 2K10 was developed by Visual Concepts published by 2K Sports for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, PSP, PC and Wii. Retails for $US59.99 (PS3 and 360) and $US49.99 (Wii and PC) in the US and AU$99.95 (PS3, 360), AU$69.95 (Wii), AU$49.95 (PC, PSP) and $29.95 (PS2) in Australia. A copy of the game was given to us by the publisher for reviewing purposes. Played all singleplayer game types and tested multiplayer quick play mode.)

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

Many have complained of bad framerate issues that some say render the game almost unplayable, although I myself have not encountered it. That said, some of the problem may involve multiplayer games – which I and many others have found difficult if not impossible to connect to over the past two days. The problems seem mostly to involve the Xbox 360 version.

“We’re diligently working on a game update for NBA 2K10. Our primary focus is on addressing the framerate issues and online concerns that are being reported,” says 2K Sports forum admin SimBaller. “In addition to this, we are planning to address a number of other issues that you have reported to us.”

The patch 2K Sports plans to roll sounds like it will be available by the end of next week, as that’s when SimBaller says he will “be publishing a full list of all the issues fixed in the patch. I’m confident you will be more than satisfied with the changes we are making to every aspect of the game.”

Players have complained of black screens and freezes. Some complain of a framerate degradation that renders the game almost unplayable. Others say the it drops noticeably during cutscenes and spots in the game where a lot of players are clustered together.

I’ve been playing the game this week and find the framerate drops noticeably – but not to an unplayable degree – when I get into camera angles with a ton of people on the screen – crowd shots after timeouts, huge traffic jams in the lane, that sort of thing.

As far as multiplayer, that is its own set of problems. Pasta Padre’s sports blog has mentioned troubles on the 2K server involving very problematic lag or the inability to connect to the 2K Sports server which some have experienced over the past two days, myself included.

If any of this concerns you, head on over and make yourself heard. But it’s definitely not the kind of forum post 2K Sports would rather read in this games launch week.

NBA 2K10 Game Update – READ POST 1 and 2, REOPENING TOMORROW [2K Sports Forums]

We’ve gotten tips from a reader as well as Network 23, so far the only ones to post a picture of their delivery boy. All scenarios played out this way: Speedy Brothers showed up, asked the recipient to sign for a package, and then left behind a box wrapped in brown paper and string.

What was inside the box? A splicer mask.

The masks appear to vary. Reader Kevin L. received that one above. Network 23’s (below) looks like a standard thuggish splicer mask.

The mask was accompanied by this letter:

Dear Friend:

Phil Isidore (of N.U.F.O.S.) has vouched that you are a trustworthy individual. Please – closely guard the contents of this package. I have sent it direct via courier out of concern that gov’t personnel or unknown individuals may attempt to intercept it.

As you may know, I have been investigating anomalous phenomena related to the disappearance of my daughter. In the past, you’ve provided information that has helped my research. Now I need your input in a matter of utmost urgency.

I discovered the enclosed item in basement workshop owned by Orrin Oscar Lutwidge. I am desperately trying to uncover more regarding it’s origin, manufacture, etc. Please examine it and let me know what you make of it.

Any information could help me find my daughter.

Thanks,

Mark Meltzer

I think this concludes 2K Games’ masterfully executed roleplay marketing. I have no idea how many of these were delivered – for such personal service, it can’t be that many, but who knows? I’d love to know if anyone puts these items up on eBay anytime soon. There’s no way I’d part with one, were it mine.

Bioshock 2 Telegram: Part Two [Network 23]

That telegram above was sent to reader Andrew B., and also to three friends who comprise the Network 23 blog. If you can’t read that, the text says:

ISIDORE VOUCHES THAT YOU ARE TRUSTWORTHY BE ON LOOK-OUT FOR A PACKAGE FURTHER EXPLANATION FORTHCOMING YOUR HELP URGENTLY NEEDED

=MARK G MELTZER=

Now, here’s where the mystery begins. Why them, exactly? I spoke to Network 23’s Colt Gauvreau, who said it may have something to do with the Rapture Record that all of them figured out how to order from the BioShock 2 hype site (and which Totilo received back in July.) Long story short, the Network 23 guys deduced that the site was strongly hinting that they should write to a PO Box — the same shown on this letter. That letter also wink-nudge asked people to submit pictures of the beach events. So it appears the records and/or the telegrams are premiums for accomplishing one, the other, or both.

A wife of one of Network 23’s guys managed to snap a picture of the delivery boy:

After verifying the recipient’s name and delivering the telegram, the messenger “jumped on his Pee Wee Herman-looking bike and rode away.”

What does all this mean? What package may they expect to receive? Do we all get one if we hurriedly write a pretty-please to that PO Box?

Bioshock 2 Telegram [Network 23]

Yes, I know it’s a shameless marketing exercise. But I figured you’d be interested to see a glimpse of what goes on when the Australian games media gather to check out a new game.

And in the case of Borderlands, we turn up to a dark inner city bar, listen to a presentation from the charismatic Randy Pitchford, then spend a few hours playing the game. I also had a good chat with Randy and will be posting extracts from that next week.

The only thing this video doesn’t show is the beer we drank afterwards.

Oh, and see if you can recognise some of the journos…

Borderlands – Exclusive Australian preview event [2K Youtube]