Saturday, June 26, 2010

Carmen Kass Teeth

Carmen Kass Teeth

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Carmen Kass Teeth



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Friday, June 25, 2010

Start Attracting What You Want...

Dear ETR Reader -

Here's something really special... something I know you'll enjoy a great deal and something that will catapult you to success in every area of your life... and best of all, it's FREE!

It's Karim Hajee's new program, Activate the Law of Attraction and he's giving it away.

Now I've known Karim for quite some time and when he told me about his new program I asked him to do something special just for our Early to Rise members. After a little bit of arm twisting, Karim agreed to give you his NEW Activate the Law Of Attraction program, his powerful 7-Steps to Success program, e-course and CD... all complimentary. All you have to do is visit here to get started today.

Karim is a renowned author who has helped hundreds of thousands of people improve their lives and achieve their goals. Over the years I've seen Karim help more and more people achieve significant goals and dramatically improve their lives. Karim delivers on all levels.

Now you may have tried to apply the law of attraction in the past and if you haven't been able to get the results you want, then you really should consider Karim's program. He'll walk you through the process so that YOU activate the law of attraction... and attract even more of what you want and deserve.

Karim shows you how to:

  • Apply simple steps to get the law of attraction working for you

  • Turn on an internal switch that will make you a magnet for attracting what you want

  • Direct the law so you actually get what you want (this is where most programs fall short)

  • Apply 2 simple but powerful steps - that dramatically increase your results

  • Continually get the law of attraction to work for you for as long as you want (it will be on autopilot)

Plus much, much more...

And when you register today, Karim is including his 7-Steps To Success e-course, Mp3 and CD... these programs have already helped over 100-thousand people improve their lives in as little as 7-days... now you can enjoy the same success.

Karim takes you by the hand, walks you through the process and teaches you how to create the life you want by applying his simple and effective techniques. I know you'll enjoy his program a great deal.

To register and get your Activate the Law of Attraction program, his 7-Steps To Success Mp3, CD and e-course simply visit here and register today.

I know you want to live a better life.

I know you want to enjoy success.

I know you deserve to have more and be more.

There are no strings attached, no hidden fees - this is completely FREE.

Activate the law of attraction and start living the life you want today.

To Your Success,

Jessica Kurrle
Associate Publisher
Early To Rise

PS: Remember - when you sign up today you'll get Karim's incredible Activate the Law of Attraction program, his 7-Day e-course, his 7-Steps To Success Mp3 Download and the CD FREE (a small shipping fee applies for the CD) - by visiting this link. Karim can only handle a limited number of people so make sure to sign up early.


You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise.


Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice.

We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation.

Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

_____

To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here

To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at:

Order Processing Center
Attn: Customer Service
PO Box 7835
Delray Beach, Florida 33482

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Retire Overseas!

You look out your window, past your gardener, who is busily pruning the lemon, cherry, and fig trees...amidst the splendor of gardenias, hibiscus, and hollyhocks.

The sky is clear blue. The sea is a deeper blue, sparkling with sunlight.

A gentle breeze comes drifting in from the ocean, clean and refreshing, as your maid brings you breakfast in bed.

For a moment, you think you have died and gone to heaven.

But this paradise is real. And affordable. In fact, it costs only half as much to live this dream lifestyle...as it would to stay in your own home!

Dear ETR Reader,

I'd like to send you a FREE copy of a unique--and invaluable--report.

It's called How to Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day. And it tells you about the best places in the world for retirement living.

In one of the places detailed in this report, gentle sea breezes keep the climate nearly perfect, with mild temperatures year-round.

You'll find cliffs, hidden coves with secluded beaches, rolling hills, and high mountains nearby dotted with picturesque villages.

In this place, a two-story, traditional house with five bedrooms on 2.5 acres, with lots of fruit trees and a fresh water source, recently sold to an International Living reader for just over $60,000.

Where you can rent a three-bedroom apartment for as little as $245 monthly, and your monthly electricity and water rates cost $27...where you can buy an attractive two-bedroom house for less than $50,000.

Where you can find seaside apartments for less than $80,000...a beautifully restored stone house with a lush garden courtyard, and emerald green paint-work for $173,600...or an unrestored house for $74,500... A delicious three-course meal with wine, for two, costs $20, and there are many options for becoming a resident.

In short, paradise does exist...where $1,000 a month will buy you a comfortable home in a beautiful setting, pay for your food and utilities, a housekeeper, a gardener, country-club dues...and even leave you with money left over for entertainment and travel!

Details on this and other retirement edens around the world are included in a valuable report called How to Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day. If you've ever thought of living overseas...or of owning a second home abroad...this report can turn your dreams into reality.

And this report is yours FREE simply for taking a look at INTERNATIONAL LIVING...

...a magazine that will help you discover and benefit from the many opportunities the world has to offer.

INTERNATIONAL LIVING will introduce you to...

...parasailing in Thailand...bungee jumping in New Zealand...bicycling in the Highlands... bicycle tours in Britain and France.

...first-class travel opportunities for less than half the usual fare (it's all a matter of understanding the angles used by savvy travelers the world over).

...secluded hideaways in Bali...castles for sale in Ireland...villas on undiscovered islands in the South Pacific...affordable ways to travel in the world's most expensive cities, including London, Paris, Tokyo, and New York.

No other magazine covers the world like INTERNATIONAL LIVING.

It brings the entire world, with all of its rich, rewarding, exciting opportunities, to your door every month.

And these are opportunities you can use. After reading an article in INTERNATIONAL LIVING, you can pick up the phone and arrange to...

...travel to exotic, foreign lands...learn new languages...invest in booming overseas stocks ...profit from foreign bank accounts...start your own international business...get a job overseas...retire to a tropical paradise...buy a piece of prime real estate in the world's few remaining profitable property markets...

...these and many more exciting opportunities are available to you every month in the pages of INTERNATIONAL LIVING.

A Different World

You read about one side of the world in your daily paper, you see it on TV newscasts. Murders. Wars. Airplane crashes. Politics.

But there is another side of the world...one you can't find out about by reading the paper, certainly not by watching TV.

It is a world of delightful opportunities...opportunities for fun...pleasure...financial security and profits...romantic discoveries...adventure...

It is a world full of things you can do to make your life more fun--and more profitable.

You can...

  • Sail away to the islands of the Caribbean...chartering a boat can be an affordable, as well as exciting and luxurious, family holiday.
  • Spend a summer in the Lakes District...or actually buy your own cottage in Ireland or chalet in the Alps...do it right and the property will almost pay for itself. (I'll explain how in just a moment.)
  • Make big profits on international stocks and bonds...overseas investments in fast-growing countries offer high returns as well as the safety of diversification.
I must emphasize that this world of international opportunities is available to anyone...not just the rich and famous. That's one of the major reasons we publish INTERNATIONAL LIVING...to show you how to benefit from the rich rewards of an international, jet-set lifestyle without spending a fortune.

Consider these items:

In February of 1985 we published an article explaining how to fly around the world for less than $1,000. At the time, that wasn't even half the regular fare.

In fact, it was so low that some subscribers didn't believe it was possible. One actually put us to the test. David Hendrickson and his wife followed our instructions and actually flew around the world--with stopovers in London, New York, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, for less than $1,000!

But that was back in 1985. What about today?

We told readers recently about an around-the-world airfare for $1,200. That's still less than half the regular fare.

Let me give you another example.

When we first started publishing INTERNATIONAL LIVING, we wrote that you could 'buy an apartment on Spain's beautiful Costa del Sol for as little as $15,000.' Here again, many people just didn't believe it could be done.

One of our readers decided to find out for himself. In 1985 he purchased a one-bedroom apartment in the Malaga area--with a view of the Mediterranean from one side of the terrace and the mountains from the other.

The price: $13,100. Not bad...especially when you consider that for the past 22 years he has been renting that apartment during the summer months, most recently for more than $500 a month...which means the place pays for itself just by renting it out in June, July, and August--months when he didn't plan to use it anyway!

INTERNATIONAL LIVING has been called the 'ultimate travel magazine.'

It's that...and more. It's a magazine for anyone who wants to broaden his or her horizons, visit foreign countries, make overseas investments, and save money.

Yes, save money. INTERNATIONAL LIVING will tell you:
  • how you can pay for your travel expenses (and then some) to many places simply by shopping for bargains--electronics in Taiwan, clothing in Hong Kong, leather goods in Morocco, gemstones in Brazil and Colombia, antique furniture and paintings in Great Britain, horses in Ireland, blankets in Mexico, leather goods in Uruguay, watches in Switzerland, the list goes on and on. Some people not only pay their expenses this way...they make a living at it!
  • about almost unbelievable ways to cut your travel expenses. Save hundreds of dollars by purchasing tickets from consolidators and bucket shops...Get discounts--and even commissions--by being your own travel agent.
  • about retirement havens where you can stretch your money beyond all recognition. Live like a king on a tradesman's pension. If you look beyond your own shores, you'll find that many countries around the world offer far greater benefits and advantages for retirees than does your own.
  • about which overseas stock markets have been the best-performing over the last few years. And because past performance is not always an indication of future performance, INTERNATIONAL LIVING makes sure its readers know which markets are the best investments right now.
  • about one of the best--and still largely undiscovered--retirement havens in the world, where the cost of living is low and the standard of living is high. In this undiscovered, peaceful, charming country, you can hire a maid and a gardener for about $30 a week. A visit to a doctor in a state-of-the-art office costs just $25. And this is one of the few places in the world where property is still a good investment - and still cheap; you can buy a large house right on the beach, with incredible views, for $105,000.

Real Estate

  • The best property buys in one of the least discovered (and most beautiful) spots in the Caribbean. The sand is just as white as anywhere else in this part of the world. The sea is just as emerald. But the real-estate prices are unbelievably lower. We'll tell you where to look for beachfront acres for less than $30,000.
  • How to restore an ancient farmhouse in Perugia...for fun and for profit.
  • Discover some of the cheapest beachfront properties in the world. This stretch of Pacific coastline boasts spectacular crimson sunsets...world-class surfing...and a laid back lifestyle. Yet real estate prices remain up to 70% cheaper here than California--at least for now.
  • How you can own your own Irish pub. What visitor to the Emerald Isle, after spending long evenings in local pubs drinking hot whiskeys and listening to ceilidh bands, hasn't dreamt of owning one? The good news is that it is easier--and less expensive--than you might imagine to turn this dream into reality.
  • How to make a sure-fire investment in rental property in the South of France...Brazil...or any one of a dozen other countries in the world with an active holiday rental market.
  • How to arrange a trade--your house or apartment for a place in a foreign country...and get a home abroad for free. We'll detail who to contact...what to look out for...how to protect yourself...every-thing you need to know.
  • Where to go for the best crayfish and clotted cream in the world. This tiny completely unspoiled South Pacific island also happens to hide some tremendous property buys. A home with a magnificent sea view from the East Coast would cost you less than $25,000.
  • With the Channel Tunnel open, now is the time to take advantage of property buys in both England and northeastern France, where affordable properties will steadily skyrocket in price. We'll tell you where to look, how to buy, and how much to spend.
  • How to find an apartment you can afford in London, Hong Kong, New York, and all the world's most expensive cities.

Travel

  • How to find a bed and breakfast for less than $80 a night in London...a double room in a hotel in central Paris for $78 a night...or an affordable place to stay in any of the world's other major cities.
  • How to make sure that you never--ever--pay full fare for an airline ticket again. (We'll show you how to save 50% and more every time you fly.)
  • Where to find the most gorgeous (and inexpensive) white-sand beaches in the Caribbean...and the world's beautiful people who return here year after year.
  • The best way to get the lowest hotel prices in Greece. (This simple little secret can be found in no guidebook.)
  • When not to tell your travel agent where you're going. In some cases, this little travel trick can save you hundreds of dollars.
  • How to take a world-class, luxury cruise for less than half the regular cost.
  • South America's answer to the Riviera--without the crowds or the ridiculous prices.
  • The top 10 adventure-travel opportunities in the world.
  • The greatest travel bargain of the decade...a delicate unspoiled place.
  • Europe's attic...where you can shop for the world's finest antiques at flea-market prices.
  • The advantages and disadvantages of using automatic teller machines abroad--and how to make sure your bank card will work in the country you're visiting.
  • Travel clubs are mushrooming these days. Can they really save you money? Yes, but with some very important exceptions.
  • Ritz-style luxury in Madrid for no more than the cost of a regular hotel room.
  • Travel where tourists can't go. Obtain an independent visa for travel inside Myanmar. Make your way through the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union without once contacting Intourist. Travel safely in Peru. Travel alone in China or Vietnam.
  • How to gain entrance to the world's most exclusive, most private clubs and casinos...the kinds of places you thought only the rich were allowed to go.
  • How to take your kids to Europe--and still enjoy the trip.
  • A well-guarded industry secret: How to book yourself on a Mediterranean cruise at no charge.
  • Eight easy ways to guarantee an upgrade.
  • Why you should never refuse dessert in Finland...pat a Thai person on the head...or eat fish with your hands in Russia.
  • Not all discount travel agents are trustworthy or reliable. We review the top discounters and steer you right.
  • The 3 finest hotels in London...and the 5 best for your money.
  • The best way to see Africa. You'll spend three months exploring the Dark Continent--for as much as most people spend on three-week package tours.
  • The best place in the world to plan your honeymoon, your second honeymoon, or just a romantic tryst.
  • The safest country in the world...the cheapest country in the world...the healthiest country in the world...and the sunniest country in the world. (We also tell you about the most dangerous, most expensive, most unhealthy, and most dreary places on earth. Our findings may surprise you.)
  • One simple thing you can do to keep fit and minimize discomfort on long haul intercontinental flights.
  • One simple thing you can do to make sure you're never ripped off in a travel scam.
  • Which airports have the best security--and which ones you should avoid.
  • The best guesthouse along China's Silk Route. Plan to stay at least several days.
  • The cheapest tickets--to the world's hottest shows.

Taxes, Currencies, and Investments

  • How to earn $80,000 overseas tax-free.
  • Learn how tax havens work--and how they can be made to work for you.
  • The world's up-and-coming tax haven. You've probably never even heard of this tiny, far-off paradise.
  • The world's most user-friendly tax haven. Ensure the privacy of your financial affairs within an hour--and accomplish the entire thing by fax.
  • An easy and fulfilling way to make your next trip a tax write-off.
  • How to avoid double taxation on your foreign earnings.
  • Cut your taxes 95%--by living in paradise.
  • Enjoy regular currency forecasts from a world-respected expert. They can help you best plan your travel--and make sure you get the most for every dollar you spend in a foreign country.
  • Learn how to avoid 'official' exchange rates and take advantage of more favorable rates on the open market.
  • Why Switzerland is not the only--and perhaps no longer the best--place to have an anonymous bank account.

Retirement

  • How to enjoy a million-dollar retirement--without touching your savings.
  • Where you can enjoy free medical and dental care.
  • Learn how to double your retirement resources--and live as though you had twice the income.
  • Cut your grocery bills by 30%.
  • Nine countries where you can retire in comfort and style on $1,000 per month, including a nice home, groceries, utilities, country club dues, even entertainment and travel.
  • Where you can find dinner for two at an excellent restaurant for $15, including wine.
  • Where health care is very inexpensive...an eye examination costs less than $10, and you can have a cavity filled for $15 to $25...and in one of the places we have in mind membership in the national health care system is as little as $40 a year.
  • Where you can take a taxi across town for $1.50...get a sandwich and a coke for $2 ...and catch a first-run movie for $3.

And Much, Much, More...

We have only skimmed the surface of the opportunities...adventures... money-making and money-saving strategies presented in each and every issue of INTERNATIONAL LIVING. And for every topic covered, INTERNATIONAL LIVING surveys the best information available...from government agencies, from private firms, from independent analysis...and, critically, from our extensive network of roving contributors and correspondents, who report back to us daily on their discoveries.

And as part of your subscription you'll get to hear from our contributors through FREE email updates. These illustrated email “postcards” are also a refreshing break from your daily routine and the result is immediate, timely information and insight that would cost you thousands of dollars annually--and take weeks of your time to compile--if you had to arrange it all on your own.

We put you in touch with a network of, literally, more than 500 correspondents throughout the world. Writing from Great Britain, the Greek Islands, Hong Kong, North America, France, Ecuador, Belize, Ireland, the South Pacific, and dozens of other areas around the world, these correspondents make sure you have the firsthand, unbiased information you need to benefit from your international travel or living experience.

Special Introductory Subscription Offer

And remember, when you take advantage of this special offer to subscribe to INTERNATIONAL LIVING for one year (that's 12 information-packed issues) for only $69 $49, you'll also receive:

  • A FREE electronic copy of How to Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day which will introduce you to the most attractive and exciting retirement options and opportunities in the world.
  • Here's an even better deal. Try a two-year subscription to INTERNATIONAL LIVING for just $138 $89. That's a savings of 36% off the regular price. And you'll receive a second FREE BONUS--How to Get the Best Deal Every Time You Travel. Never again pay face value for an airline ticket...your report tells you dozens of ways to cut the cost of air travel in half.
Plus you are covered by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. You can cancel anytime and get
a full reimbursement for all remaining issues. And all INTERNATIONAL LIVING reports are
yours to keep, FREE.


INTERNATIONAL LIVING can change your life. By giving you more options, more alternatives in the way you live...and where you live.

And even if you never take advantage of any of the exciting ideas in each issue of INTERNATIONAL LIVING, you'll still find your subscription well worth the price. You see, INTERNATIONAL LIVING is entertaining as well as informative. It can bring you the excitement and glamour of living and traveling in foreign countries even if you never leave your armchair.

INTERNATIONAL LIVING is your passport to a brighter, more exciting, more adventuresome future. Take advantage of this special opportunity to become a subscriber.

Arrange your subscription reservation immediately by simply clicking on the button below.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Sincerely,

William Bonner
William Bonner
Founding Publisher, International Living


P.S. INTERNATIONAL LIVING will show you how to live the sort of life that used to be available only to the very wealthy. Try it yourself. If you're not completely satisfied, simply cancel your subscription. We'll promptly reimburse you for all the issues remaining in your subscription, no questions asked. And no matter what, all of the free INTERNATIONAL LIVING reports are yours to keep.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise.


Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice.

We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation.

Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

_____

To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here

To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at:

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Attn: Customer Service
PO Box 7835
Delray Beach, Florida 33482

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival



Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival image

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival



Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival pic

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival



Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival photo

Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival



Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival





Sophie Marceau Cannes Film Festival




Monday, June 21, 2010

Unless you've been under a rock...

Dear ETR Reader,

Unless you've been under a rock I'm sure you've heard the buzz surrounding Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula 3.0.

You see a few years back Jeff started working on a system to launch products and make more money in his small home business. It took some work, but he says the system he refined allowed him to make a whopping six figures in seven days.

What's really exciting is this strange method has been working for years, and Jeff tells us its been bringing in money month after month in all types of businesses and industries.

According to Jeff, this program has been so well refined his original six figure launch seems small in comparison to what's happening today.

Now, Jeff has put together an amazing video about "Product Launch Disasters" -
but there's so much more.

If you've ever wondered what Internet Marketing can do for you and your life... well, just go watch the video.

(You have to opt-in to see the first video. But it is SO worth it. And you can always unsubscribe.)

In this video, Jeff also talks about "The Most Important Launch Ever"... one of the craziest "Case Studies" that he has ever discussed.

It's about how his first client started without an email list, a website, technical skills or a merchant account. This is a story that will definitely open your eyes to what is possible.

Just go watch the video, and you'll see what I mean.


Regards,

Jessica Kurrle
Associate Publisher
Early to Rise

P.S. Not only do we use his formula here at Early to Rise but because of his personal experience, he is able to help teach others who are just starting out.

Do yourself a favor and watch Jeff's video here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise.


Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice.

We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation.

Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

_____

To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here

To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at:

Order Processing Center
Attn: Customer Service
PO Box 7835
Delray Beach, Florida 33482

Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Force Unleashed II: Attack Of The Other Clones

By Mike Fahey

The Force Unleashed II: Attack Of The Other Clones

The Force Unleashed II: Attack Of The Other Clones The Force Unleashed II opens with Lord Vader informing Starkiller that he's a failed clone. When will LucasArts stop ripping off the Spider-Man clone saga?

I am being facetious, of course. No one would consciously rip off the Clone Saga. It just sounds a little similar.

Spoiler alert, which is more than we got!

At the end of The Force Unleashed, Vader's apprentice sacrificed himself to save something from something. I'm a little unclear on the particulars, but it still counts as a spoiler.

So how is he alive now?

The Force Unleashed II opens on the rainy planet of Kamino, proud manufacturers of the original clone army. Vader informs his apprentice that he's done his job well, but he is no longer needed. He leaves the room after ordering eight Stormtroopers to kill him.

You may have seen the trailer. It's completely silly. One could argue Vader meant for him to escape. One could also argue that Starkiller should have figured that out, being an intelligent young force of nature.

Our demo opens with that trailer, showing just how much of a badass Galen (Starkiller's real name) can be, before turning it over to the player to try and live up.

We quickly shifted to a new sort of gameplay for the series: the controlled free fall, seen above. Galen leaps out of a window and plummets down the side of a tower, smashing through platforms, avoiding Tie Fighters, taking out Stormtroopers, and generally moving in a downward direction, very fast.

Until he smashes through a window and lands, of course.

He winds up in glass corridor, water coursing down the glass in spectacular fashion, at least until a fighter ship start shooting through it. Galen charges down the corridor, avoiding gunfire, while Stormtroopers die in droves, as they should.

Once through the corridor he faces the ship out in the open, crumpling it like a tin can with the power of his mind.

As he wanders out into the pouring rain, his outfit gets soaked. I love little touches like that. Like the first game, The Force Unleashed 2 is filled with amazing physics. Cloth gets wet, glass shatters naturally, and Stormtroopers die as one would expect.

Then comes a new enemy, the Imperial Riot Trooper, filling the role of annoying enemy that always blocks. Starkiller must use force powers to get past their defenses, weaving them together with blows from his new dual lightsaber setup. The combat has been revamped completely to suit the new weapons. Interesting.

More Stormtroopers show up to die, and Galen makes use of the new Force Power, Mind Trick. At low power, it'll make enemies turn on each other, or leap into environmental hazards. At higher levels, it'll explode their minds.

"These are not the droids you are loo...oops."

Force powers are also used to solve environmental puzzles. Grabbing a passing Tie Fighter (the new targeting system looks extremely easy), Galen crumples it into a ball and tosses it at a nearby tower. The tower falls, opening up a new path. convenient!

The last big battle in the demo is against a large Carbonite War Droid, which comes equipped with a carbonite freeze cannon and a large shield. Kiting it about the stage results in a mass of frozen Stormtroopers. Galen force pulls the shield away, beats the living hell out of the droid, and then finishes it by slicing off the nozzle of its weapon, freezing it solid.

Spotting Vader's Tie Fighter Advanced, Galen has finally too many Stormtroopers. A button activates force rage, enhancing the power of his abilities a great amount for a short period of time. Now his force push tosses enemies off the platforms, and his saber swings take off heads and arms.

Echoing the scene in The Empire Strikes Back when Vader watches the Millennium Falcon leave Hoth, Vader watches his own ship leave Kamino. Turning, looking back thoughtfully, and moving on.

It's a fitting beginning to The Force Unleashed's version of Empire.

Let's just hope Ben Riley doesn't show up.

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The New Mortal Kombat Cuts Deeper Than Ever Before

By Michael McWhertor

The New Mortal Kombat Cuts Deeper Than Ever Before

The New Mortal Kombat Cuts Deeper Than Ever BeforeMortal Kombat is back, sans DC Universe heroes, loaded with much of the blood, gore and cruel violence the series is infamous for. But Mortal Kombat for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is also worth discussing for its deeper fighting engine.

Yes, there will be horribly painful fatalities, which developer Netherrealm Studios showed off at E3 2010 today, but there will also be gameplay changes. The game, simply title Mortal Kombat, is a 2D fighter. The characters are, of course, rendered in 3D, but like MK games past, players are locked into a 2D plane.

Mortal Kombat borrows a feature from other series, like Street Fighter, adding powered-up EX-style moves with a new meter. That meter, at the bottom of the screen, fills as players brutally smack each other around. Not unlike the Pro Moves of Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, those powered up moves make attacks more deadly, harder to avoid. To pull them off, players must pull off a special move, like a fireball, plus tap the block button.

In the case of a fighter like Sub-Zero, his trademark icing of the floor extends from a small puddle to a much longer stretch, making it almost unavoidable. For someone like Reptile, his acid spit becomes more of an acid vomit. (Speaking of vomit, that's one of his fatalities. In the finishing move montage we saw, Reptile opened up the mouth of his dazed foe, then proceeded to puke forth huge volumes of green acid, eating out the insides of an unlucky Johnny Cage.)

Super meter moves also modify attacks in other ways. In the case of Reptile's force ball move, not only did it make it much bigger, it popped Reptile's opponent higher, adding more frames of attack opportunity. These moves are key to expert level combos and play.

Those super meter moves eventually add up to a brutal combo move now known as an "X-ray Move." If it connects, the X-ray Move will lead to a sequence of uppercuts, groin punches and elbows to the back. The scene desaturates, and the camera zooms in to show internal organs bleeding, bones being shattered and blood and teeth flying.

The gore in Mortal Kombat is all physics based too. Blood splatters more realistically, attaches to players dynamically and darkens over time.

There's also a new Tag Team mode coming to Mortal Kombat, similar in style to King of Fighters and Capcom's Vs. titles. Players can tag in allies one of three ways, with a simple swap, an attack swap or a special attack swap. The last swap technique in that list drains the player's Super Meter one bar, so it can't be spammed.

We saw the expert class designers of Mortal Kombat pulling off amazingly deep and long-chained combos using a combination of all these super moves, X-ray moves and player swaps, something frame-counting fighting game freaks will likely appreciate more than your casual MK fan.

We got a chance to play the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Mortal Kombat, playing with the available characters Scorpion, Mileena, Reptile, Sub Zero, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Nightwolf and Sektor. Those classic kombatants, like the classic arenas Dead Pool and Living Forest, were all rendered with great detail. The cybernetic Sektor, in particular, was impressively modeled. Mileena? Well she was impressively minimally clothed.

You'll get a close look at each of them with custom intro and outro animations, like Scorpion's descent to hell and Mileena's grabbing and gnashing of her teeth at the camera.

Oh, those fatalities. The one's we saw featured Sub Zero ripping out someone's spine through their torso; Nightwolf lobbing a green axe into someone's head, then decapitating him; Reptile liquefying someone's insides and Mileena faking a kiss, then ripping off a head and chowing down on it.

Mortal Kombat's reboot isn't out until spring of next year, but Netherrealm already has big plans for the game. There's a roster that appears to be more than two dozen deep, with a spot dedicated for downloadable content—that may include classic character skins, downloadable fatalities and add-on arenas. All appear to be under discussion.

Mortal Kombat feels like a solid return to form, a gory, bloody bash, full of what made fans fall in love with the series, a few smartly borrowed mechanics that could make non-fans appreciate what it has in the fighting department.

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