By: M. Antonio Silas
—
Since its introduction in 1996, the Soul series has enjoyed a successful run as one of Namco’s flagship fighting game series, alongside Tekken. A successor to Namco’s Soul Blade series, SoulCalibur is known for its impressive soundtrack, breath-taking visuals, and a weapons-based fighting system that focuses less on combos and more on precision. One of the series’ traits is definitely consistency; this can be a good or a bad thing depending on who you ask.

With the latest incarnation of the series, SoulCalibur V, Namco sticks with what made the series memorable: a wide variety of unique fighting styles, colorful characters, and flashy special moves. The games all have a production quality similar to that of a movie, and SCV is no different.

As with the other games of the series, SCV focuses on the Soul Blade, a soul-stealing sword that most of the characters in the game are after. The possession of this possessed blade sets the stage for all of the fights that take place during the game’s campaign. Since SCV takes place 17 years after the events of SCIV, several characters that are well-known in the series are nowhere to be found; they have been replaced by new characters with similar move sets. Many favorites are still present, however.

So how does SoulCalibur V measure up? Here is our evaluation of  Gameplay, Controls, Graphics, Sound and Replay Value. Let us know if you agree or disagree with these scores!

Gameplay  - Score: 6.5 out of 7

SCV does not disappoint when it comes to gameplay. The game is flexible enough to appease both newbies and hardened veterans alike. Each of the characters has their own unique back story that immerses you further into the game.

While Namco didn’t touch the fighting engine too much, there are a few new changes. For instance, the fighters now have super moves, similar to those found in the Street Fighter series. The thing that previously separated the SoulCalibur series was actually the lack of elements like this. While super moves may make some fans weary, they do not hinder the game. With enough skill, you can set up and combo into these moves, taking away a large amount of your opponent’s health if done properly.

In terms of game modes, SCV takes a different approach to the typical Arcade Mode found in most fighting games. The “Story” campaign found in this game has expanded substantially on the Story mode found in SCIV. It’s a refreshing alternative to the typical ladder progression you find in most fighting games.

SCV also includes other fighting modes, including Online Play, Arcade Battle, and Character Creation.

Controls – Score: 7 out of 7

The controls haven’t changed at all, and that definitely is not a bad thing. By alternating and combining the horizontal slash, vertical slash, kick, and block buttons, players have a wide variety of moves at their disposal. Since the game is in 3-D, players have an “8-way run” at their disposal, allowing characters to strategically position themselves for special moves or sidestep incoming attacks.

As always, the controls are tight and responsive. While many of the moves can be performed fairly easily, many of them require precise inputs. Luckily, the learning curve for the majority of the characters’ moves is not too steep.

Graphics – Score: 7 out of 7

The combat flows smoothly at 60 frames per second. Namco always ensures that the characters have the highest quality of detail. For example, when armor is broken, you can see shrapnel flying from the characters’ body. The start-up animations of super moves are accented with colorful graphics. You can see the characters wincing as they are struck with a blow and a bright animation when weapons clash with one another.

The various arenas you will fight in also tell their own stories, including a battered pirate ship that falls apart as you do battle, and villagers doing battle with a giant ogre. It was difficult to believe that Namco could surpass the graphics that were present in SCIV, but once again they outdid themselves.

Sound – Score: 6 out of 7

The sound for SCV is high quality, sporting Dolby Digital Audio. The game allows you to set your sound preferences according to the abilities of your sound system. Even on a flatscreen television with default speakers, the game sounds superb. The voice acting is spot-on for the most part, but sometimes the characters sound somewhat generic or uninspired in their dialogue.

If you would like a more genuine feel to the characters, you have the option of changing all of the dialogue from English to each of the character’s respective languages.

Replay Value – Score: 5.5 out of 7

This is one of the only areas that the game even remotely struggles in. Aside from the things you would expect to be in a fighting game, there isn’t much else. There’s no Team Battle Mode, no Tag Team Mode, no Endless Fight Mode. These modes aren’t required, but variety is always a plus.

The modes that the game does have are being done extremely well, however. The “Character Creation” mode is likely one of the most robust ever featured in a fighting game. By fighting in various modes, you earn additional garments and accessories that your custom character can sport. If you don’t have the creative genius to design your own fighter, you can select one of the game’s various fighters and change the color scheme however you see fit. There are endless possibilities within this mode, and unlocking everything for the characters will likely take you quite a while.

“Online Mode” is where the action is. Putting your skills to the test against another player online has never been more fun! You can set your preferences to find an opponent and then go to war. The lobbies are well-crafted, allowing you to watch other players battle while you wait for your turn. There are too many positives about the nearly-lagless online mode to list; it’d be in your best interest to experience it yourself.

The Bottom Line

Soul Calibur V is worth your money if you are a fighting game fan or if you just want to try something new. With a robust fighting system, gorgeous graphics, an ease of accessibility, and a modest amount of well-done game modes, SCV is a worthy entrant to a great series.

Total Score: 32 out of 35
UrbLife.com Rating: 91.4%

For updates on Soulcalibur V, go to SoulCalibur.com

By: Isha “Ice” Cole
—
Are you ready for the sequel!? Yes, it’s that time of the year when football fanatics everywhere are anticipating the big game. After a great regular season and an exciting playoff, the stage is set for Super Bowl XLVI. On February 5, 2012, the NFC Champions the New York Giants will go up against the AFC Champions the New England Patriots at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Who will reign supreme this Sunday? Sure, we could have asked all our man friends about who they’re betting on, but to shake it up a bit, UrbLife.com gathered up some football-loving Gen-X women for straight pigskin talk!

Who can forget the last big match-up between the Giants and Patriots four years ago in Super Bowl XLII, which ended in a thrilling victory for the boys in blue! But this is a new year! The Giants are on fire and have the momentum, while the Patriots have their superstar quarterback Tom Brady at the helm of a great offense.

In the post-season the Patriots and the Giants are ranked number three and four in passing yards, respectively. Defensively the Giants have the upper-hand in rushing with 120.3 yards per game compared to the Patriots 130.0. The Giants have been on a revenge streak during their playoff run. They lost to both the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers during the regular season, but these are the two teams they beat leading them to the Super Bowl.

Most would agree that the Patriots are out for Giants blood this time around. Of course the previous Super Bowl loss is still vivid in their minds, but they took an L to the Giants earlier this season as well.

Let’s meet the ladies we brought in for this chat! Read on as they discuss who they think will win the Super Bowl XVLI, final scores, and more, then let us know your thoughts!

– Trina Smith – Amusement Games Licensing Supervisor, New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs

– Anne Torres – Director of Communications, City of Newark

– Diana Cotoroi – Personal Chef and Event Coordinator

– Terri Bloomer – DIMACS Workshop Coordinator, Rutgers University

– Eb the Celeb – Digital Content Producer and Marketer

– Spantaneeus – Entertainer, Model, and CEO of Pleasure Life Music Publishing, Inc.

– Dawn Jackson – Medical Records, University Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

– Liris Crosse – Model, Actress and Event Host

Who will win Super Bowl 46, and what is your prediction for the final score?

Trina Smith:  31-28 – New York Giants

Anne Torres: 28-21 – Do you have to ask? Big Blue of course!!

Diana Cotoroi: 17-7 – Giants, of course!

Terri Bloomer: 14-10 – New England Patriots – revenge!

Eb the Celeb: 28-10 – I really really hate both teams, but being a Cowboys fan, the disgust for the Giants is more then my disgust for the Patriots. The Patriots will win solely because they are coming for blood. This will not be a repeat from the Super Bowl in 2007 where a fluke play with seconds left in the game ended in a Giants win. Because of that, the Patriots aren’t even going to let it be a close game. They are going to blow the Giants out!

Spantaneeus: 34-24 – I think New England Patriots.

Dawn Jackson: 31-28 – Really?! Is that a legit question to ask one of the biggest Giants fans?!

Liris Crosse: 28-22 – My NY Giants of course! We’re ready to give Tom Brady more Super Bowl lost nightmares!

What does the team that you chose have to do in order to win?

Trina Smith: [Giants] Put pressure on Brady, with his favorite tight-end Gronkowski probable (high ankle sprain) it will be interesting to see who he will throw to.

Anne Torres: [Giants] Giants defense will have to put the pressure on Brady fast to shut down the passing game. Keep the running game strong and let our “big 3″ – Cruz, Manningham, and Nicks do their thing.

Diana Cotoroi: [Giants] I would think stay focused.

Terri Bloomer: [Patriots] Protect Brady– he can’t take the sacks!

Eb the Celeb: [Patriots] They just have to have Tom Brady on point. Every time the offense is on the field they have to score either a touchdown or a field goal. Their defense has a lot of loop holes in it so the key to winning this game is going to be the offense just making it so extremely hard for the Giants to match.

Spantaneeus: [Patriots] Both quarterbacks need to focus under pressure especially if it’s a close game going into the 4th quarter.

Dawn Jackson: [Giants] The Giants have to do the following in order to win the game: a) Block your quarterback!  I can’t say that enough!  b) No interceptions c) No fumbles d) Run the ball into the end-zone!

Liris Crosse: [Giants] We have to get our running game going from the start!

What is one thing that each quarterback should or should not do the night before the Super Bowl?

Trina Smith: Both quarterbacks should talk to the offensive lines those guys are key to keeping you off the ground! Look at highlight reels and see where you can expose the defensive coverages.

Anne Torres: Avoid hanging with Cundiff and Williams the night before.

Diana Cotoroi: Don’t drink alcohol, but drink lots of water!

Terri Bloomer: No partying! Stretch, warm up and relax.

Eb the Celeb: Well, players have a curfew so they won’t be able to do anything anyway.

Spantaneeus: They should not listen to the media!

Dawn Jackson: Eli needs to attend all practices, relax, have a clear head during the game, and don’t party. Save that for after we win the game!

Liris Crosse: They should get a good night’s rest, pray, and they shouldn’t stay up late on Twitter or on their phones! They need to block all friends, family and media out and focus. Get your eyes on the prize!

Any more comments or trash talking you want to add?

Trina Smith: I’m proud to be a New York Giants fan, been one since ’84! By any means necessary Big Blue bring the Lombardi trophy back home!

Anne Torres: I said the Giants would make grilled cheese in Green Bay, Rice-a-Roni in San Francisco, and now we’ll be making clam chowder out of New England. I mean, really, would you trust a quarterback who posed in Uggs ads?

Diana Cotoroi: Devin Thomas is gorgeous, the Patriots will lose, and I am baking 300 delicious blue cupcakes for the game.

Terri Bloomer: Looking forward to the game, but I would have liked to see some other teams in it.

Eb the Celeb: Win, lose, or tie, Cowboys fan till I die! I have a bet on this game where if the Giants win I have to buy and wear Giants gear head to toe, and take a picture – so go Patriots!

Spantaneeus: Let’s go Eagles! Make my birthday gift a reality and be in the Super Bowl for 2013!

Dawn Jackson: I just want to say congrats to the New York Giants!! I am extremely ecstatic that you’re in the big game! I have won six bets on your games this season, and I must say that I’ve had a lot of people delete me from their Facebook friends list! Go Giants!

Liris Crosse: My Giants will once again show why we’re number one, and send the Patriots back with the same empty feeling from our last Super Bowl meeting! They can come party in New York with us next week, drinks on the champions! If your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, don’t fret! Come join us next season and cheer your favorite team on at Football Le Femme:  For the women who love football and the men who love both!

The ladies have spoken! So who do you think will win Super Bowl XLVI?

By: Terrence Nelson
—
It’s that time of year when the grass is frozen, the wind is blistering and most people’s TVs get more of a work out than they do. Now, escape with me to the smell of freshly cut grass, deeply inhale the 75-degree air and walk carefully so you don’t spill your favorite over priced draft beer of choice! It will soon be Spring in the gaming universe with the March 6, 2012 release of MLB 12 The Show for Playstation 3 and Sony Vita.

MLB The Show has been the flagship baseball gaming franchise the last 12 years. The Sony Computer Entertainment team has continued to innovate both the animation and game play each year without skipping a beat, and 2012 is no different as several new features have been added to an already ridiculously detailed gaming platform.

MLB 12 will feature the primary source of MLB bloopers and near-bloopers in player collisions all over the field. Each player will have a new rating attribute called “collision awareness” that will dictate their aversion ability in regards to on field collisions.

For example, in terms of defense, collision awareness will dictate whether Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano will collide when fielding a fly ball over 2nd base. Offensively, it will enable savvy base runners such as Jose Reyes to avoid collisions by sliding around tags and even spiking (a.k.a. taking people out). Having a low collision awareness rating will have its down sides, such as players dropping fly balls, runners missing bases and fielders missing tags.

Developers have re-worked the “ball physics” in order to make gameplay more realistic. This enhancement will result in increased ball speed off the bat, more topspin on groundballs, and more movement in high motion pitches. Yeah, that’s a lot to swallow, but it seems as though the new ball physics will not favor offense or defense, so all things will remain even. You may have to become more instinctive and quicker to react as a result, so the jury is still out on how it will affect your gameplay.

For the mobile gamer, Sony has also added one of the greatest enhancements in sports gaming history. Gamers will be able to share all games, seasons and stats on their Sony Cloud, which means gamers will be able to share games between their home-based PS3 and Vita. You will be able to play seasons or online games from any location without using different profiles for each platform. Vita users can sign into their profile from any Wi-Fi connection and pick up games where they left off on their home PS3.

Check out the MLB 12: The Show reveal trailer and gameplay action below!

For updates on the MLB 12 The Show, go to TheShowNation.com and follow them on Twitter @Playstation

Resident Evil has historically been defined by the various frightening enemies you encounter during a play-through of the game, ranging from zombies to giant creatures with claws known as hunters. With the more recent entries, notably Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, the series has progressively departed from being a genre-defining survival horror title to more of a hybrid between an action and puzzle–solving , which has met both praise and criticism.

To start 2012 with a bang, Capcom whets salivating RE fans’ appetites with a brand-new trailer for the newest entrant to the series, Resident Evil 6. The trailer starts out by showing flashbacks of Leon Kennedy, the protagonist of RE2 and RE4, pointing a gun at an unknown assailant. He then begins having flashbacks of conversations with an old friend that seems to be a government official.

The conversations quickly take a turn for the worst when it’s revealed that Leon’s old friend has mutated into a zombie. Leon tells his former friend several times to stop walking towards him, but the zombie then lunges and the screen goes black. We then hear a gunshot and Leon screaming, “Mr. President!”

It can be gathered from the trailer that the T-virus, a virus developed by the Umbrella Corporation that is responsible for the mutation of humans, has spread outside of the United States. Chris Redfield, the protagonist from RE1 and RE5, is shown battling various monsters in China.

It seems that Resident Evil 6 will also have new gameplay mechanics, including using various items for melee combat and a duck-and-cover system similar to the one made popular by the Gears of War series. Parts of the trailer also suggest that the series may go back to its terrifying survival horror roots, at least for some part of the game.

A recent statement from producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi offers some insight:

“From the outset the team’s intention was to create an experience that delivers a gripping storyline, tense single-player and co-op action all set against a constant theme of horror. We are calling this fusion ‘dramatic horror’ and are confident it will resonate with both existing fans of the series as well as newcomers.”

While the trailer is exciting, it seems that fans will have to wait a while until they are actually able to get their hands on the final product. Resident Evil 6 is due out November 30, 2012 for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.

For more information on the game, go to ResidentEvil.com and follow updates on Twitter @RE_Games

By: Dove
—

When strikingly handsome actor Gunner Wright got the call to be the face and voice of EA Sports Dead Space 2 video game, it didn’t seem out of place at all for his career. Given his many years racing motorcycles, and his roles in the action series Fastlane and films like GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra and The Losers, Wright is actually a natural fit for the crusading DS2 leading man Isaac Clarke.

Currently enjoying critical acclaim at the box office for his dramatic roles in the sci-fi Love and Clint Eastwood’s presidential biopic J. Edgar as Dwight Eisenhower, Gunner Wright is also enjoying the love of gaming fans around the world.

We got on the phone recently with Gunner to discuss his virtual role in Dead Space 2, the ways he avoids stereotyping in Hollywood, why gaming moms may be his biggest fans and much more!

How much input were you able to give on Dead Space 2 as far as game or character development?

Gunner Wright: You know it’s amazing. That’s one of the reasons I’m here at EA today, I wanted to cruise up and get a chance to meet everybody who worked on Dead Space 2 and learn more about what they did to make the game happen. I just got the chance to meet one of the girls, an amazing talent, she basically built me in game.

It’s an amazing process. They took photos of me at different angles and input them into the computer system, but there’s basically an artist that’s bringing all of that to life in game. I didn’t have a lot of say, and rightfully so. There was a tone and look that they wanted, and they used me as a base template. They tweaked me here and there and made Gunner Wright their own. It’s amazing to see.

In 2009, I took the photos, I went to EA in Los Angeles and they did the 360 picture graph. It wasn’t until that next year that we began to shoot. After just cruising today and seeing the different departments, I had no idea. It’s unbelievable to see each department. One person is working on Isaac’s movement, the other person and his teams are working on the worlds. One person and their team are working on the look of the game, the characters.

Have you actually done hands on with your character playing the game since it was released?

GW: Yeah, a little bit. That was the coolest thing during filming, a lot of times Chuck and Kate and Ian of EA would show me the game and certain sequences and watch like a movie. Or they would be like, “Hey we got some of the game working, why don’t you play a little bit and get a feel.” It was just awesome to see.

I remember seeing some scenes where like the fire wasn’t yet built, or certain aspects of Isaac Clarke weren’t put in. Four or five months later, that exact same scene all of the different layers had been put in, and you could just see the details, the newspapers flying off of the ground because the wind is blowing, and all of the little finite things that make it so breathtaking when you see it.

How do fans of your action films feel about you being in gaming now?

GW: What’s pretty rad is that we are all geeks of the lifestyle, in some ways it’s the same person. I was in Santa Barbara back in February right after Dead Space 2 had come out, but I was there promoting Love. I got a bunch of kids coming up with Dead Space 2 games going, “Hey man, can you sign my game?”  That’s just so awesome to see.

I was in Sweden to promote Love a few months ago, and I walk into a game shop and one of the producers of Love was talking to the guy like, “This is Gunner Wright, he plays Isaac Clarke” and the guy freaked out and I signed a dozen copies! To me, you just don’t beat that, it’s so cool.

We’re all fans of something, no matter who you are. The first time I went to Comic-Con… I grew up with Star Wars and a lot of the comics… and you’re seeing things when you were 9-years-old and you would completely freak out. I was walking through Comic Con, my first trip, and obviously my love of motorcycles and being around bikes, they had on display after Batman Begins the Bat-motorcycle. I was like ‘Mr. Professional’, but as soon as I saw that motorcycle I went from a grown man to an 8-year-old kid in no time.

Then when the guy told me that there is like one guy in the world after all of these stunt guys basically auditioned to ride this bike. Only one guy out of France who could really ride it, I’m like, “Oh that’s just way too cool.” We’re all fans of something.

How have you been able to overcome that stereotype of not being the action flick guy?

GW: I’ve been blessed, because for the most part of my career I’ve been able to live and breathe under the radar. Once you get known for something, it can in some ways stereotype you. I would love to be a part of anything that [EA Sports] has in the future. It was such a process that was so unique, to do motion capture.

I was really educated with actors like Andy Serkis, who is extremely talented. To do what they’re able to do utilizing the motion capture technology, it’s just awe inspiring. To be a part of that process, I enjoyed it, it was a great, a lot of hard work, and it was different than being on a typical movie set. I’d love to do more for sure.

EA Sports “Your mom hates Dead Space 2″ campaign was a little controversial when it launched [even though the moms in the campaign look more like grandmas]. The average gamer is in their 30′s, so have you had much interaction with older gamers any hot moms who love that their son gets to meet you at Comic Con?

GW: It’s great, it’s so cool. We’re all closet gamers no matter who you are, and I have met a lot, especially in Hollywood, men and women that work on set or that are in the movie business. They love the game or there’s a particular game that they are into.

I was in France last week promoting Love, and one of my new heroes Greg Broadmore who works at Weta Workshop has done District 9, King Kong, this guy is amazing. He’s a huge gamer and he was like, “You’re Isaac Clarke from Dead Space 2?! I have that game in my house! It’s so awesome.”

I obviously have my Facebook and Twitter, I have a lot of fans that are family moms. They have young kids, but when they have time they love to play games or through their kids or husband. They have different games that they’re all into. They really connected with the Dead Space franchise, especially with Dead Space 2. It’s nice to see those tweets and comments that come through.

What do you having coming next, and where can we look for you?

GW: At this point, there are a couple of things that’s coming up, a potential film and a few other things but nothing set in stone. Hopefully I’ll be able to Facebook and Tweet the news in the next couple of weeks. Really just coming off of Love and getting back from Europe.

I want to take a couple of days off and get on the motorcycle. I want to say thanks to all the folks here that worked on Dead Space 2.

Follow Gunner Wright on Twitter @splitlane and follow him at Facebook here or here

Find out more about Dead Space 2 at YourMomHatesThis.com

By: Dove
—
The sports nation is aflutter with basketball talk today (Sept. 26, 2011) as a very dapper Jay-Z took to the airwaves on Good Day New York to announce that the New Jersey Nets, which he co-owns, are being renamed the Brooklyn Nets! The change is in keeping with the team’s move to the rap mogul’s hometown. Check out the video interview and full story from MyFoxNY.com below!

Are you excited about the move and/or the name change for the Nets? Let us know!

Jay Z: NBA Nets Renamed ‘Brooklyn Nets’
BY KATHY CARVAJAL

MYFOXNY.COM – When hip-hop mogul Jay Z has something to say, fans listen.
On Monday morning, the Brooklyn native announced that the NBA Nets would have a new name once they take the court at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in approximately one year.

“We’ve decided that the final name would be the Brooklyn Nets,” said the rapper who grew up only minutes away at the Marcy Houses and later at 560 State Street. “I’m giddy right now.”

The Center which has seen its share of controversy from local residents who opposed its development will host a wide range of events from NBA games to college basketball to major concerts.

“I’m going to open the building with a couple of concerts… maybe like eight,” said Jay Z.

“This is something for everybody. This will have something in all price ranges. I think it’s going to be the most beautiful arena in the world,” added developer Bruce Rattner.

The rapper, music industry titan, husband of singer Beyonce and soon-to-be-dad, will now have plenty of reason to come back to his old borough. He told Good Day New York’s Rosanna Scotto that he was proud of his involvement with Barclays.

“It’s already created so many jobs… there are lots of vendors,” added Jay Z speaking from the plaza at Atlantic Terminal overlooking the Center.

‘When you’re from Brooklyn there is a certain moxie you have… a certain confidence,” said Rosanna Scotto.

“I like that. You know what it is, it’s deep love. Biggie had a line ‘spread love that’s the Brooklyn way. It’s a deep love we have for our heroes. We walk around with that,” added Jay Z whose real name is Sean Carter.

As for any surprises yet to come from the mogul and NBA heavy-hitter, “the Nets will have new colors, but we’re not ready to announce that yet.”

The 18,000-seat arena will have luxurity suites designed by Jay Z.

“We’re about 50 percent sold,” said Brooklyn Nets CEO Brett Yormark speaking with Good Day New York.

Read more at MyFoxNY.com

By: Isha “Ice” Cole
—
Player: Brett Favre
Born: October 10, 1969
College: Southern Mississippi
Pro Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings
Years Pro: 20 (1991-2011)

Watching superstar quarterback Brett Favre in action on the field was always inspiring. He broke many records and had a number of firsts including: the first quarterback to lead his team in wins over all 32 NFL teams, and in 2009 he became the first quarterback to win a playoff game at that age of 40.

Favre was a very poised and confident leader, who fought through injuries during big games. The countless achievements, and  his ability to take control and rally his team when they were down is what makes Brett Favre a game changer!

Favre started out his career as somewhat of an underdog. His senior year in high school, he wasn’t bombarded with tons of scholarships from top ranked colleges from around the nation, but he did receive one scholarship to attend Southern Mississippi. Although he started his freshman year as the seventh string quarterback, he was resilient and ready when the opportunity came for the starting position.

In the 1991 NFL draft, Favre was the 33rd overall pick in the second round, signing a three year $1.4 million dollar contract with the Atlanta Falcons, but the relationship was unsuccessful. It wasn’t until the following off season that Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

In the years to come, Green Bay, Wisconsin would become more popular for producing one of, if not, the best quarterbacks in football history. In 1997, Brett Favre helped the Green Bay Packers win their first NFL title since 1967, and the team made it back to the Superbowl the following year.

Brett Favre has an extensive and impressive resume, which includes winning the Associated Press Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times (1995, ’96, ’97), and becoming an eleven time Pro Bowler. He was a six-time first or second-team all-pro selection, was named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and selected as the 2007 Sport Illustrated Man of the Year.

Of course with football success came new businesses outside of sports for Favre, including the family owned Brett Favre Steakhouse, located in Green Bay. In 2004, Favre and his mother became authors with the release of the updated biography Favre, which sold over 200,000 copies.

At one point, it was hard to escape the Brett Favre madness. His face was everywhere – on posters, movie cameos, billboards, and even action figures. He was given numerous endorsement deals and named the spokesman for a plethora of companies including Right Guard, Sprint, Nike Golf, Pennzoil, Pepsi, Sunny Delight, and Visa.

Favre became the face of Wrangler Jeans, a perfect fit for the country boy, who starred in commercials and assisted in making the Wrangler brand popular again.

Favre has also always been active in the community. In 1996, he founded the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation. The organization has donated over a million dollars to charities in his home state of Mississippi and in Wisconsin.

During the last few years of his career, Favre went through a retirement roller-coaster. He retired from the Packers in 2008, and then returned to play with the New York Jets. After one year in New York, Favre was going in the direction of retirement again, but he wasn’t done yet!

The tenacious baller signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 where he finally ended his stellar career. His 20 year career stats include an impressive 508 touchdowns, a 62 completion percentage, and 71, 838 passing yards. Yes, Brett Favre is retired for now, but who knows if he will get another urge to put that famous number 4 jersey again!

Click here to find out more about Brett Favre at OfficialBrettFavre.com!

By: Dove
—
NFL pro Terrell Owens is on the verge of big things. But then again, he’s been doing big things for a while now, and as anyone who follows him knows, he doesn’t wait for opportunity. While sports fans anticipate T.O.’s next post-injury NFL move, loyal viewers of his self-titled reality show are looking forward to the VH1 season 3 premiere on August 22, 2011.

While sports analysts and bloggers speculate on where T.O. will land on the field in the new football season, there is no doubt that we’ll be seeing more of the spirited baller in Hollywood. With the assistance and support of his good friends and The T.O. Show co-stars Monique Jackson and Kita Williams, Owens is taking on more acting roles, including a spot in the season finale of the USA Network’s Necessary Roughness in September.

UrbLife.com took a few moments on the sidelines of Terrell Owens‘ busy life to find out more about round three of The T.O. Show, his thoughts on the 2011 NFL season, how he feels reality television has affected his life, and why he thinks it’s so important to stay connected to his fans.  Read on…

Do you feel as if the show has been therapeutic for you? How do you see the show in terms of your life?

Terrell Owens: I think the show has pretty much been an eye opener for a lot of fans that may think that celebrities, football players, entertainers and the like feel that we’re invincible, that we don’t go through the same things that they may go through. I think with my show, I’m constantly in talks with production to really show the realness and authenticity of what goes on in one’s life.

I can only speak for myself; I know that a lot of celebrities, people with fame and celebrity status, we all go through hardships. We all have good times and bad times. I think for myself, I have the avenue to do VH1 and to be able to let people in on what’s going on in the life of Terrell Owens. I think that’s what has been so key and refreshing to a lot of fans, is that regardless people may see you as this larger than life football player or celebrity, but I actually go through the same things that they go through.

With all of that has come with my celebrity status, before all of that evolved, I grew up in a small town of Alexander City, probably less than 17,000 people. If I didn’t have the celebrity status that I have, I would probably be just like them, looking into everybody else’s life like the Kardashians and Housewives of Atlanta. All of these reality shows that are going on that you get to see what’s going on on an everyday basis. Again I think it allows people to see and kind of humanizes the celebrity status of myself.

You have gotten new acting roles too. Your friends/publicists Mo and Kita were working hard to get some new things rolling for you last season. How is the transition of exposing your personal life to getting new acting opportunities?

TO: The thing is, at one point in time [Kita and Mo] were my publicists, but to clear it up, they are more my friends moreso now than acting as my publicists. There’s not really any titles attached to us aside from friends and our friendship. At the same time, we’ve gone through our ups and downs.

Throughout the show you’ll be able to see that they reach out to people considering some of the things that I’m interested in, which obviously [includes] acting… Trying to transition into that after football. These are some of the things that I’ve been doing, and I think that it will unfold throughout this season.

Are you excited about your role on Unnecessary Roughness coming up?

TO: Yeah, I’ve met with the casting director a couple of weeks ago and the writers. I’m excited! In a couple of weeks or so I’ll be filming that. Other than that, it’s definitely something that I’m looking forward to. I’m trying to make my way into the acting world. Definitely another avenue to consider until my football playing days are over.

After sit ups, what is the number one ab exercise someone can do to get where you are with those abs?

TO: I think the number one thing that people are misinformed about is that you can do all of the abs exercises… I can give you a list of abs exercises to do in the world, but that’s not going to make you have abs if you’re not dieting or eating right.

If they’re not eating right, they can do abs for a year but you just can’t see them. If you don’t shed the excess fat, you can be strong in that area, but you won’t be able to see them.

You’re very interactive with your fans on Twitter. Why do you feel that it’s so important to connect with your fans other than the television show and appearances that you do?

TO: Whoever started these social media network stream avenues to interact with fans are geniuses. Talking about Twitter, Facebook, and it initially started with MySpace… I think its genius. Fans want to know what you’re up to, and I tend to get on there and engage with my fans because sometimes I take a hiatus. At the same time, I skim through a lot of my fans questions and pages.

They are obviously loyal fans out there that are my everyday fans, and there are fans that like me because of some of the things that I’m a part of and I do. My fan base has grown year after year. It’s refreshing that they keep up to date with me.

What are you looking forward to in the new NFL season as far as players, teams… anything you’re kind of anticipating that would be exciting for the fans?

TO: It’s going to be really exciting, considering. Obviously there was a lockout, and a lot of people didn’t really get the whole offseason to train with their teams effectively. I don’t think it’s really going to change the quality of football being played this year, but I will say that if you’ve been paying attention to the injury reports, there have been a lot of injuries thus far. We’ll see how all of that goes as the season unfolds.

It’s going to be an exciting year. It’s a good thing that football is finally on its way!

Tell us a little about what we can expect to see on this upcoming season of The T.O. Show from you.

TO: I think that a lot of people just got wind of my knee injury probably like a month and a half ago, so they’ll see how all of that unfolded, and where I am now and what’s been going on in between that time. There have been a lot of personal things that have gone on since the end of the season last year in Cincinnati.

I think that the fans will enjoy the show. I think they will see that I probably have one of the realest shows out there. There are a lot of highs and lows, not just on the show, but in life in general. I think that’s what my show emphasizes.

Find out more about Terrell Owens on his official site at TerrellOwens.com and follow him on Twitter @TerrellOwens

Watch The T.O. Show trailer below!

By: Adam Thomas
Courtesy of The Gamer Studio, in conjunction with RadioPlanet.tv
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When things go to trilogies, there is usually an unsaid expectation of a letdown. We have all seen Terminator 3, no need to expound here. Videogames are no exception to the rule, as short of Super Mario Brothers 3, many games experience at least a little bit of disappointment.

This isn’t the fault of the game as much as it is the fault of the medium. Visiting the same world three times often leaves little to the imagination. That is why it is that much more difficult to create a game that engages the third time around.

This is where Epic plans to deviate with the third entry in the Gears of War series. After a triumphant beginning with Gears of War, and once again outdoing itself with Gears of War 2, the third title in the series has a heavy shadow behind it. After about an hour of play with Gears of War 3, however, there is a chance that we might be seeing another title that can improve the third time out.

The first impression of Gears was one of fluidity. The controls feel very tight and very instinctive. Small improvements to the controls make the game feel even tighter to those who are used to shooters on Xbox 360. Also, you won’t be just in control of Marcus and Dom, the ability to use six other characters, such as Cole and Baird. Also, the option for four-player co-op adds a little bit more spice to your solo campaign.

The multiplayer is where the game improvements shine. Those who got a chance to play the multiplayer beta already got to experience the improvements. More may come, such as some of the new weapons that will be available, but more things are hinted in the full game, such as better squad command and maps that will be resurfacing.

No one wants to play experts when they just start. For those who fear jumping into insane competition, fear not. Casual mode makes an appearance. This will be a competition lock to ensure that you are playing against proper competition to make the game fun.

Horde mode, a favorite of many gamers who loved cooperative gameplay, has been restructured into Horde 2.0. You have the ability to gain points and build defenses to help you protect your outposts. Team work will be essential as bosses will appear much more often, and things will be that much more difficult with defenses to help you. If it helps, think of Horde 2.0 as tower defense FPS.

One of the more interesting modes to come around is Beast mode. This will give the anti hero lurking inside the ability to play the locust. Your goal will be to take out as many humans as possible over 10 rounds. After firing against them for so long, it’s going to be an interesting change of pace to get ahead of them.

For those who have something to prove with their solo gaming prowess, arcade mode may be for you. The premise is quite simple: beat a level as fast as you can for points. You get more for killing effectively, you get less for dying. Your points go up on a leader board for all to see. There will be ladders for the most competitive amongst us.

With the improvement of new modes of gameplay to explore, the maximizing of multiplayer options, both head-to-head and cooperative, and subtle yet interesting improvements to solo gameplay, there is much for gamers to like here. We will get a chance to see the full thing in September, but for now, while things aren’t looking good for Marcus, Dom and company, it is looking great for gamers.

By: Adam Thomas of The Gamer Studio

Is there any better way to stay cool than a cold class of liquid and some video game trailers? We think not! This week we have videos of Marvel Super Hero Squad, League of Legends, Homefront and Deus Ex: Human Revolution! Check out the new trailers below!

Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat | Announcement Trailer

League of Legends | Demonblade Tryndamere Trailer

Homefront | The Rock Map Pack Trailer

Deus Ex: Human Revolution | Four Pillars Of Gameplay