But in all seriousness, we did look at the whole OnLive vs. GameStop debacle, and how a company could get away with taking something from the customer.  Yes, GameStop is going to have a Cloud Gaming service, but right now, it is barely into Alpha testing, so why hit OnLive in the mouth with this dick move.  We also look at the XBLA policy of if a game is exclusive somewhere else, it will never be available on XBLA, showing off another dick move.

Keeping up the theme, our own Joe Haygood pulled a dick move as well, as he has hung up his podcasting hat with this podcast.  For those that may not be aware, he has been presented with a new opportunity that he felt he had to take.  The nerve of that jerk feeling that he is bigger than this whole Aeropause thing.  In all seriousness, he will be missed, and his contributions have been huge over the last four years.  Hit him up on Steam, Xbox Live, PSN, etc to get the 411 on what he is doing in the future.

The podcast was mixed, by Stephen “Please Don’t Go” Munn, and features “Droid Girl”, performed by Lazyitis.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below. Also make sure to review us on iTunes and now, the Zune Marketplace. If you have not yet, make sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page.

Yes, this podcast is a week and a half old, and I apologize for putting it up so late.  However, it is rather entertaining, and you should want to listen to it.

Also, as a note, we did not record a podcast last week, as things have been in transition, but we should be recording one this Friday, and it will be a hell of a show that you do not want to miss.

The podcast was mixed, by Stephen “I sent it to Haygood on time dammit!” Munn, and features “Droid Girl”, performed by Lazyitis.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below. Also make sure to review us on iTunes and now, the Zune Marketplace. If you have not yet, make sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page.

I have always been a skeptic for attachments that go on the top of your controller sticks.  I could never see how something like that could give anyone better control over their game.  The people at Kontrol Freek must have heard my complaints from the podcast, as they sent over one of their newer products, the Rcade Freek.  The Rcade Freek attachments look like old school joystick balls that go on top of your controller sticks, with the idea that they will give you more grip when playing games that you would normally play with a joystick.  Would the Rcade Freek stand up to the test?  Surprisingly, the answer is yes, but it will depend on the controller that you are using.

The Rcade Freek comes with two, ¾” diameter rounded joystick balls, with one being attached to each stick on your controller.  The bottom of the two attachments have little clips that snap on easily to the controller and give you more grip for those games where you are going to need to move the stick in many directions, quickly and with much force.  Looking at the controller with these two attachments sitting on top made the controller look a bit awkward, but if it works, aesthetics are small price to pay.

I decided to load up a couple of fighting titles, like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter IV to give these attachments a run for their money, and to my surprise they do work as advertised.  I definitely felt more accurate with my control Pad, and for anyone that has used a 360 gamepad, you know that the D-Pad is not to be trusted for fighting games like these.   I also tried out some arcade titles like Pac Man Championship DX and even opened up Game Room to try out an old favorite of mine, River Raid, and again, I felt that I was getting extra grip to execute quick movements on-screen.

The other thing that you don’t get from these attachments, and it is a blessing, is the dreaded D-Pad thumb.  You know that feeling where your thumb slowly starts to turn red and feel like it is forming into a blister due to putting way too much pressure on the D-Pad.  These attachments alleviate a lot of that stress from the one pressure point on your thumb.  It also helps that the sticks are very smooth, with no seams on any of the contact points, making them feel silky smooth on your thumbs.

I never had an issue with the Rcade Freek coming loose, or snapping off at any point, as they do attach very firmly to the sticks.  I did have one issue with them, and that was on the PS3 controller.  While the offset layout of the 360 controller makes these things feel like a dream, on the PS3 controller, the two stick attachments will come into contact with one another.  While it does not happen often, it could be an issue for those that are playing dual stick shooters and have to move the sticks towards one another in an extreme fashion.  Also, while the attachments are a good alternative, anyone that is serious into fighting games will still want to get a professional stick, as they are not a permanent replacement for that option.

But after several hours of play with the Rcade Freek, I felt that for the low price point, they do give players a solid alternative to the current D-Pads on the controllers.  They do seem to be better suited for a 360 gamepad, but they will work out okay on a PS3.  If you are looking to compete hardcore on the professional circuit for fighters you might be inclined to look elsewhere, but for those that are looking to get a little more advantage in their twin stick shooters, arcade titles or fighting games, you will find it in this little $10 package.  The Rcade Freek gets 4.5 out of 5 Aeropausonauts.

As for the actual content for this week’s podcast, we cover all sorts of crazy stuff including the idea of whether pricing for downloadable games should drive the price of games downwards, the new Sony Play event and yes, how Fourhman wishes to be swaddled in a comfortable baby bjorn nested on Haygood’s chest.

Wait, that may not have come out as well as it could have, but that is the Aeropause crew for you.  Always making your day more uncomfortable for an hour at a time.

The podcast was mixed, by Stephen “Needing some Baby Bjorn Swaddling” Munn, and features “Droid Girl”, performed by Lazyitis.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below. Also make sure to review us on iTunes and now, the Zune Marketplace. If you have not yet, make sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page.

And the lucky winner is Michael Marquez.  Yes, Michael has won this full sized coffee table styled art book that is full of great looking design work for The Witcher 2.  Michael can respond to Joseph Haygood on Facebook with a message containing his address, and we will get that Art Book sent out to you pronto!

For those of you that like their Rock Band 3 with a lot of Aqua Net, this is the week for you as legendary rock band, Def Leppard, makes a return trip to the franchise with a six track pack.  The DLC pack includes many of the band’s greatest hits, including such titles as “Rock of Ages”, “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph” to name a few.  All six of the tracks in the DLC pack also include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass tracks for an extra price.  About the only down side is that a couple of the tracks are Live versions, which I am never a fan of, as they tend to take weird twists away from the original recording.

All tracks can be purchased separately for 200 Wii Points, 160 MS Points or $1.99 depending on platform or can be bought at a discount in one bundle for 1000 Wii Points, 800 MS Points or $9.99 based on platform.

Check the jump for the full track listing and European pricing.

DEF LEPPARD BRINGS AN OUTSTANDING 6-PACK TO ROCK BAND THIS TUESDAY!
IN A ROCK BAND FIRST, ALL 6 TRACKS HAVE PRO GUITAR UPGRADES AVAILABLE

Cambridge, Mass. – August 5^th, 2011– Harmonix today announced that a 6-pack of tracks from rock icons Def Leppard will be available beginning August 9^th in the Rock Band 3 Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Wii^™.

Rock Band provides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 900 artists and more than 3,000* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch Nov. 20, 2007.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii
One of the most requested bands on RockBand.com, Def Leppard make their first appearance as downloadable content in Rock Band this week, and what an appearance it is! SIX iconic tracks from the 80s superstar group land in the Rock Band Music Store this Tuesday.

With epic guitar parts that helped shape a generation of musicians, it’s no surprise that Harmonix chose to break new ground with Def Leppard, authoring additional Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades for every track in this stellar six pack. Rock Band 3 Pro players will be able to learn their favorite Def Leppard tracks starting this Tuesday!

“We are thrilled to be a part of this Rock Band 6-pack release. It’s almost like releasing a new album. We’re psyched to be out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii,” added Phil Collen, guitarist for Def Leppard.

The amazing tracks span the Def Leppard catalog, including 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry (“Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”), 1983’s Pyromania (“Photograph”, “Rock of Ages”) and “Undefeated”, a new cut from Def Leppard’s recent album Mirrorball: Live & More. Also from Mirrorball: Live & More are two amazing live versions of mega hits from 1987’s Hysteria, “Animal (Live)” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me (Live)”.

As always, songs available as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 feature five-button guitar and bass parts, drums, Pro Drums, and keys, Pro Keys and harmonies, where applicable. Some songs also feature Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available for an additional $0.99 upgrade download.

Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (August 9^th, 2011):

• Def Leppard – “Animal (Live)”^X
• Def Leppard – “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”^X
• Def Leppard – “Photograph”^X
• Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar on Me (Live)”^X
• Def Leppard – “Rock of Ages”^X
• Def Leppard – “Undefeated”^X

(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system August 10^th)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “Def Leppard Pack 01” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.

Price:
$9.99, £4.99 UK, €7.99 EU (800 Microsoft Points, 1000 Wii Points^™) for “Def Leppard Pack 01”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00USD (200 Wii Points^™) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.

Website Links:
For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website
Def Leppard Website

Rock Band 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content.

Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.

The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library. The complete list of tracks can be found at www.rockband.com/songs.

Rock Band 3 is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band 3 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. 

In this new trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, we get to see all the pillars of action at work, as well as an extended look at the gameplay that will be found in the game.  Up til now, we had seen each of the pillars at work – stealth, action, hacking and social – but this is the first time that all of them have been combined, showing a focus at tailoring the focus of Deus Ex: Human Revolution not only to your specialty, but also allowing players to modify their behavior on the fly to a specific situation.

The other fact that I gleamed from this new trailer was the idea that the world areas will change based on your actions and the methods you use to solve each situation, or more importantly, the situations you do not fix or solve.  I knew that you actions had a cause/effect relationship with other people, but I was unaware about the environmental changes.

Check out the new trailer after the jump.  Deus Ex: Human Revolution is set for release on August 23rd, 2011 on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 from Eidos Montreal and Square Enix.

This week on the Aeropodcast, Fourhman, Haygood and Stephen discuss what might have been behind the recent decision from Nintendo to cut the price of the 3DS by $80.  Did they feel the pressure of the Vita shipping at the end of the year at the same price, or could it have been due to slow sales for the device after four months.  Or is it the pains of having to compete against the likes of the Android and iPhone devices that are selling us games for a $1.00 a pop.  We look at all of those avenues, as well as answering a question from Harshy about whether it is wiser to buy a 3DS now and get all the free games Nintendo is offering, or just wait for the price cut to get it.

The podcast was mixed, by Stephen “Guaranteed Low Prices” Munn, and features “Droid Girl”, performed by Lazyitis.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below. Also make sure to review us on iTunes and now, the Zune Marketplace. If you have not yet, make sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page.

Trying to put together a review for Catherine has been one of the most challenging things I have done in four years of writing.  It is a rare breed of game, and yet its base game mechanics are as simple as they come.  It asks compelling questions, but mixes it up with bizarre puzzle sequences that seem so out of place.  I found myself enjoying Catherine more every time I played it, and yet, in the back of my mind, I feel as if a bait and switch has been done on my expectations.  Catherine can be a lot of fun to play, and does as some great questions about love, relationships, marriage and more, but the core puzzle game and daunting difficulty will end up turning more people off then winning them over.

Catherine tells the age old story of how we as humans look towards relationships, monogamy, love and more with our main hero Vincent.  Vincent has a decent life with a good paying job, a loving girlfriend of five years and a great hangout with his friends.  Katherine, Vincent’s girlfriend wants to see them move forward, with marriage, children and more, but he is conflicted.  It is not that he is not in love with Katherine, but he likes the status quo, feeling that marriage would stifle him as a man.  Putting his love to the test, he ends up meeting up with another woman in the bar one night by the name of Catherine, and in a drunken stupor, finds himself in his own bed with this strange woman, turning his world upside down.  He is challenged with questions about his current happiness with Katherine, or the freewheeling love without long term commitment to Catherine.

Coming from the creators of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, I thought that this idea of exploring relationships in that atmosphere would be a fantastic idea, and for most of the advertising campaign, this is what we thought Catherine would be about, but while it does have some great philosophical moments about these concepts, they are more bookends for the actual game which resides as a puzzle game, where you are delved into a nightmare world each night, having to move blocks to ascend a tower, with each night corresponding to a level of the tower.

Yes, you read that correctly, Catherine is mostly about moving blocks as you try to escape a horror each evening in this nightmare world.  And while I was a bit blindsides at how integral this puzzle mechanic is to the main game, it is a surprising amount of fun, albeit challenging.  Actually, challenging is a bit light, as the later levels are devious in their cryptic nature.  Many times, you will find yourself repeating sections over and over as you find a good solution to make it to a top of a level.  Levels also introduce new block concepts that add more danger to the mix, like blocks of ice that will have you sliding off edges, or explosive blocks that will blow themselves up and weaken others around them.  It is not all bad, as you do find helpful items scattered throughout the level, like the ability to create a new block, or one that will change all the blocks in current view to standard blocks.  However, you can only carry one power up at a time, so you have to weigh out which ones to pick up and which ones you can miss.

Each phase of the tower is broken up by landings where you can meet other “sheep” (everyone in this nightmare world are viewed as sheep by the person having the nightmare), and discuss their dilemmas, learn new techniques, and occasionally meet up with a merchant where you can buy power ups with the coins that you earn from completing levels.  Talking with the other sheep on these landings is very entertaining, as you get a glimpse into what other people have to fear in their nightmares, and no one nightmare is the same.  You hear about crazed mothers, cheaters, liars and more despicable acts that have lead them to this horrifying world.  When you get ready to leave the landing, you enter a confessional booth where you are asked a question that will affect your moral meter.  The meter can swing between True Love and True Freedom, but the questions are great to have to sit and answer, especially when you are sitting with a significant other.  Some of the questions I encountered asked about “Who is at fault when someone is a cheater?” or “Does Life Begin with Marriage or End?”   Better still is the fact that you get to see a pie chart of where others have answered while the next level loads, finding out if you are in the minority or majority.

While I did like the puzzle sections, even when they ran on a bit long, I was a bit disappointed that we were not given more freedom when in the real world.  Beyond the cut scenes that place you at various locations, you are normally only allowed freedom of movement at the main hangout, the Stray Sheep.  Sure, you can walk around the bar, change the song on the jukebox, drink and interact with other patrons, it seems so constrained.  I mean, I enjoyed it, but the animation is so beautiful in these interaction sequences, and I wanted to see so much more with the presentation.  It is a beautiful world, and you get to interact with so little of it most of the game.  It just seems like a missed opportunity.

The other problem that I encountered would be the unforgiving nature of the puzzle sequences.  There were nights where I spent a good 45 minutes getting past one segment of a level in the later stages of the game.  The puzzles become incredibly difficult, and a lot of my time at the end became a frustration gesture of trial and error.  I love a good challenge, but after an hour, the pure frustration you feel makes you just want to shut it down for the night.  You can undo things to a certain point, but sometimes, you error could have happened much farther down the tower, leaving you to bite the bullet and restart the section.  All of this frustration came on the normal difficulty level, and I was easily scared off trying anything higher than that, as I was already losing my patience at points on normal.

Even with the cascade of words in this review, I still find myself tripping over the idea of whether I enjoyed Catherine.  I loved the story, and I did like the challenge most of the time with the puzzle sections.  I thrilled in my genius when I finished a section that kicked my butt.  More telling is the fact that I would put the game down after becoming frustrated, and yet, I would find myself dreaming about the different ways I could move the blocks.  Catherine is a polarizing game, and I would suggest trying the demo on the consoles before picking it up, but I have to say that I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.  It is not for everyone, but if you give it a chance, Catherine might just grow on you.  Catherine gets 4 out of 5 Aeropausonauts.

Flying Wild Hog is continuing its fast paced media whirlwind for Hard Reset with a new gameplay trailer that shows off some of the weapons that you will use while attacking enemies in the PC exclusive shooter.  The graphics really look amazing in the proprietary engine, but we still do not know much about the underlying story.

I do like the path that Flying Wild Hog has taken with this title, announcing it two months before it is set to release at digital and retail.  Cuts down on the year long hype train that most games go through, and gamers get to play something relatively quickly after launch.  Win-win for all.

Check out the new trailer after the jump.  Hard Reset is set for a September 2011 release on PC.