Video Game Freedom Reaches 100,000 Unique Hits

It took about 2 1/2 years, but Video Game Freedom has finally made it.

Today, VGF reached more than 100,000 unique hits!

Since its launch in October 2007 VGF has seen numerous transformations including multiple redesigns, renaming, rebranding as well as some experiments with podcasts, reviews, features and news.

Last October, VGF launched "VGF Magazine" as a print supplement to Video Game Freedom. The March issue of "VGF Magazine" will be active shortly and will feature a cover illustration by graphic design student Scott Daly.

You can view some of his work at scottdaly.com.

Here's to many more hits and with your help we might be able to break 1 million some day.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves steals 10 awards at the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

2009 will soon be remembered of the year when everyone announced they were jumping aboard Nintendo's ship with both Microsoft and Sony announcing motion controllers.

However, it should also be considered the year of "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves."

Taking home a whooping 10 awards from last night's 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards hosted by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

The Playstation 3 exclusive and follow-up to the 2007 action-adventure series swept every technical award the academy could provide as well as adventure game of the year and overall game of the year beating out "Assassin's Creed II," "Batman: Arkham Asylum" and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" in that category.

This is the second consecutive year a Playstation 3 exclusive title has won the overall game of the year award.

Developed by Naughty Dog, Uncharted 2's 10 awards is the most ever awarded to a single game with two more awards than last year's "Little Big Planet" and one more than "Half-life 2" which was awarded nine.

You can check out the winners of the 2009 VGF Awards in the next issue of VGF Magazine heading to MagCloud.com next month.

Check out the full list of winners from the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards below:

Overall Game of the Year:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Portable Game of the Year:

Scribblenauts

Casual Game of the Year:

Flower

Fighting Game of the Year:

Street Fighter IV

Racing Game of the Year:

Forza Motorsport 3

Sports Game of the Year:

FIFA Soccer 10

Role-playing/Massively Multiplayer of the Year:

Dragon Age: Origins

Action Game of the Year:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Adventure Game of the Year:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year:

Brutal Legend

Family Game of the Year:

The Beatles: Rock Band

Social Networking Game of the Year:

FarmVille

Outstanding Innovation in Gaming:

Scribblenauts

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design:

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design:

Scribblenauts

Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance:

Mark Hamill as The Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack:

Brutal Legend

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story:

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Outstanding Achievement in Original Story:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Animation:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Microsoft Xbox Consoles Losing Xbox LIVE Support

Xbox LIVE general manager Marc Witten made a surprising announcement today for gamers still clinging to their giant black box known as the original Microsoft Xbox.

As of April 15 - tax day - Microsoft will eliminate Xbox LIVE support for all Xbox games played on the Xbox and Xbox 360. Meaning the days of yore fragging on "Halo 2" will soon be a thing of the past.

In the posted press release, Witten said those still using the service on the Xbox will be notified of the change:

And as we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360.

No word on any other changes that are in-store of the 23 million strong community such as any mention of a free alternative outside of a Nintendo Wii or Sony Playstation 3.

However, by whipping the slate clean, this could make way for further Xbox LIVE integration for the NATAL this Fall:

I believe we’ll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we have in store with “Project Natal” and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it’s because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.

"Sonic the Hedgehog 4" racing to consoles this summer

Sega made a surprising announcement today that everyone's favorite fast-paced marsupial Sonic the Hedgehog is finally returning to where he belongs - in two-dimensions.

This summer "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1" will launch on Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3 consoles as well as one unnamed platform as a download-only game.

16 years after Sonic's last 2D appearance in "Sonic and Knuckles," the same gameplay full of spin dashes and rolling attacks will make its way into the all-new game returning to the Genesis-era.

Details will slowly be released at the game's official web site, but the mere title implies that this may be the first of many installments of the game.

What the Apple iPad Means for Gaming

When Steve Jobs announced the new iPad touch-screen tablet device today, it came as a shock to no one.

After weeks of speculation Jobs, the Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., revealed the device that looks like an overgrown iPod Touch or iPhone and pretty much is.

The iPad will feature a 9.7 inch LED-backlit, IPS touch screen display, Wi-Fi (and 3G on some versions) internet access, 10 hours of battery life and all of the other snazzy features you would come to expect from Apple in a 0.5-inch thick and 1.5-pound package.

Pricing for the device ranges from $499 to $829 for 16 GB to 64 GB storage versions of Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi/3G versions of the new iPad.

Amongst Apple's glorification of the device is a photo of gaming on the device.

With access to thousands of apps already available in Apple's arsenal - many including video games - the new iPad could certainly be considered a potential threat in the handheld gaming market.

The iPad's 9.7 inch screen blows the Sony Playstation Portable-3000's 4.3-inch screen and Nintendo DSi's two 3.25-inch to make the new Apple gadget the largest screen of any handheld device on the market.

Certainly a large screen and multi-touch capabilities would allow for customizable controls for any game developed for the tablet or enhance the already existing library of video game titles.

The X-factor will be the iPad's 1GHz Apple A4 processor and graphics capability. Although Apple is calling the A4 "revolutionary" and "energy saving" it might not pump out the necessary juice to compete with Nintendo and Sony if Apple wanted to position the iPad in direct competition with the next generation of handheld devices from both companies.

Also, the iPad is slated to display only up to 720p HD visuals at 30 frames-per-second. Once again, that is ahead of the curve, but maybe not far enough when the handheld gaming standard is likely to reach 1080p at 60 frames-per-second in the near future.

Nevertheless, the iPad will certainly become another huge seller for Apple and technology phenomenon and possibly a formidable adversary if Apple decides to take its current gaming library in a new gear.

Dante's Inferno Demo Review

Oddly, a stroll through Hell is nothing new for video game fans.

I'm not talking about the dark ages of the Nintendo 64, I'm talking about the various video game incarnations of the dismal abyss mostly notably the "Devil May Cry" series.

Electronic Art's will soon release "Dante's Inferno" a very loosely-based video game translation of Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" written in in the 1300's.

The demo release of the game places protagonist not too surprisingly named "Dante" in a quest to reunite with his slain wife Beatrice - similar to the epic poem.

However, what ensues is an all-too-familiar camaraderie of hack-and-slash action, combo upgrades, magic, and command-based finishing moves.

Basically "God of War" in nearly every way.

A static, yet constantly repositioning, camera work is nearly identical to the popular Sony-exclusive series as is the overall visual flurry of blood splatter and weapon flinging fan fare.

It's certainly not a bad thing to mimic one of the most popular video game franchises as of late, but "Dante's Inferno" is almost exactly "God of War" in every possible way.

In fact, if you mix "God of War" and "Devil May Cry," plus you take a little polish off of each, you have "Dante's Inferno."

Certainly not a bad first-apperance in the free demo, but it feels like more of the same.

Video Game Statistics at a Glance

Source: Online Education

VGF does not confirm or deny the accuracy of this information. Enjoy!