Latest News
SEGA Releases first Yakuza 4 Gameplay Video Created for Western Markets
PS3 09/02/10SEG of America has released a new gameplay video for the upcoming Yakuza 4. Created specifically for western markets, you can view it right (188mb). In addition to the video, they have also released some new screenshots. Yakuza 4 is due out in Spring 2011 for the Playstation 3.
Thanks go out to SEGA for sending us this news via their press release.
Creative Assembly Releases New Video for Shogun 2
PC 09/02/10Shogun 2 Total War has a new video out today. Taken from pre-alpha footage, the 'Battle Report' showcases some of the new graphics technology that they are using for the game with the Land Battle Programmer, Ingimar Gudmunsson, and Studio Communications Manager, Kieran Brigden, talking us through it. Check it out below!
Activision Ramps Up the PR Machine for Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer
360 PS3 Wii PC 09/02/10In addition to Ron's Hands-On posted earlier, Activision has released some new videos showcasing MP gameplay for Call of Duty: Black Ops. The first is a showcase of the multiplayer aspects of the game, while the second focuses on the new Wager Match, and they can both be viewed below. Black Ops is due out on November 9th.
Square Enix Releases Three New DLC Packs for Kane & Lynch 2
360 PS3 PC 09/02/10Square Enix and IO Interactive have announced the first three DLC packs for Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days are now available. Focusing on multiplayer and the Arcade Mode, they are The Doggie BAg Pack, Alliance Weapons Pack and Multiplayer Mask Pack. Here is a brief description:
Three download packs are set to release today and will provide new maps and content playable in all three of the critically acclaimed Multiplayer modes as well as the single player Arcade mode. Increase your wealth and unlock new Achievement points with three new maps, powerful new weapons and stolen masks to conceal your identity.
You can check out the full details, including more info on each pack and the pricing, here in this press release. They have also sent over some new screenshots for the DLC as well as a new trailer (58mb, you must be over 18 to view it).
EA Relases Second in Series of Medal of Honor videos
360 PS3 PC 09/02/10EA has started releasing a series of videos for the upcoming Medal of Honor. The videos will showcase uncut and unedited pieces of the single player and multiplayer gaming experience. Check out the second video, titled 'Gunfighters', below.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Hands-On
360 PS3 Wii DS PC 09/01/10Ron is currently out in California where he is getting a hands-on with the multiplayer portion of Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Sitting in the California Science Center in the packed IMAX theater, we await the worldwide debut of the Treyarch-powered Activision title Call of Duty: Black Ops. AC/DC’s Back in Black fills the hall as the demo kicks off with a trailer of the game in action. Team Deathmatch kicks off the fun. The map has a large space shuttle launching in the background as the player earns rank for stabbing an enemy in the back, spearing an enemy with the crossbow, and even uses the RC vehicle as a mobile explosive. Executive Producer Dan Suarez takes the stage to talk about the game. Before we get started on the new features, we do a bit of thank-yous to the press from all over the world, as well as thanking Microsoft for their partnership in bringing the map packs to the Xbox 360 platform first. With the ground rules and thank-yous out of the way, we finally get back to the presentation.
Want to find out more details? You can read his full preview here.
New Add-On for Mafia II is coming soon
360 PS3 PC 09/01/102K Games has announced that the second add-on for Mafia II, Jimmy's Vendetta, will be released on September 7th for all platforms. Available for 800 MS Points on Xbox Live or $9.99 on PSN or PC Download, the add-on will feature more than 30 new quests, leaderboards and more action than you could shake a cannoli at:
Jimmy’s Vendetta takes players into an alternate perspective of the mob through the eyes of Jimmy, the guy the other guys call when they need to finish the job. Players will get their hands dirty helping Jimmy clean up other people’s messes as they deal with the Italian and Irish mobsters that reside in Empire Bay. As players progress, a slew of new quests are unlocked, including assassination and timed vehicle pursuits ending in dramatic shootouts and explosive car chases.
You can check out the full press release for all the details.
Capcom Releases Dead Rising 2: CASE ZERO via XBL.
360 09/01/10Capcom has released the prologue to Dead Rising 2, titled Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, exclusively to Xbox 360 owners. Available for 400 MS Points. Experience and various other collectibles found will carry over to the main game, which is due out on September 24th for the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 and September 28th for the PC.
Blizzard Announces First Month's Sales Figures for Starcraft II
PC 09/01/10Lightning has struck yet again for Blizzard Entertainment with their latest game, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty officially passing the 3 million mark in its first month of release. With those amount of sales Starcraft II is both the bestselling PC game of 2010 and the fastest selling PC strategy game of all time. Congratulations to Blizzard on their success!
You can read the full press release about this here.
Bioshock 2 Minerva's Den Add-on Dives Into the Sea Today
360 PS3 08/31/10If you are looking to add some more single-player goodness to your Bioshock 2 campaign, you will be happy to hear that 2K Games announced a new add-on that delves into a never before seen district of Rapture.
2K Games announced today that Minerva’s Den*, the final installment of single-player focused downloadable game add-on for BioShock® 2 is now available for download from the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and from the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system for $9.99. Minerva’s Den is a self-contained narrative experience that introduces new characters, locations and mystery to the fiction-rich world of Rapture. The game add-on puts players in the role of an all-new character who has teamed up with Brigid Tenenbaum to unravel a megalomaniac’s stranglehold on a key district in the distinctive city under the sea.
Sounds interesting and all, but where is the PC love? I guess it will more than likely be released later on via a Bioshock 2 Ultimate edition or under some other moniker. Even with this little bit of a hiccup, I am looking forward to hearing all about this new content on the forums as I think the city of Rapture is an amazing place to explore! The content is available today in either PSN or on LIVE for either $9.99 or 800 MS points respectively.
Enjoy!
Hydrophobia Relase Date Details
360 08/31/10Dark Energy Digital announced today the release date for their XBox Live Arcade title Hydrophobia is September 29th, 2010.
Hydrophobia is a new 3rd person action / adventure title using HydroEngine, a true fluid dynamics engine for games. Features of Hydrophobia are:
Hydrophobia will be available as part of Microsoft Game Studios' promotion 'Game Feast'.- Unique "flow combat" delivers incredible emergent gameplay unlike anything you have experienced before
- Unleash the flow to wipe out enemies
- Combine floating oil fires, electricity and HydroEngine water to devastating effect
- Engage the enemy above and below the waves seamlessly
Unlock the power to manipulate water itself - Utilise Kate's flexy-screen MAVI (Mobile Automated Visual Interface) to outwit the dynamic AI
Sonic Kinect News
360 08/31/10Sega has announced that Sonic Free Riders for the 360 will be priced at $49.99:Sonic Free Riders is the third game in the successful Riders franchise and offers an extreme fast-paced boarding game, developed to take full advantage of Kinect’s unique control opportunities. For the first time ever in a SEGA game, full-motion body control will allow players race through a range of visually stunning courses in an action-packed Sonic experience unlike any other! Kinect’s unique motion sensor means Sonic Free Riders will see family and friends controlling their favorite Sonic characters and their fully customizable hover boards or bikes by twisting, turning and jumping in an exhilarating race to be the first to cross the finish line! Players can reach out and grab a variety of pickups along the course, and by throwing, shaking, or swinging their arms to launch their items; they can gain the competitive edge over their rivals in high octane single or multiplayer races.
Sega is saying that the game will be released this Holiday season, but in all likely hood it will be really close to the Kinect's launch date.Samus Returns in Metroid: Other M, Available Today
Wii 08/31/10For all of the Metroid fans out there, Nintendo has announced the availability of Metroid: Other M as of today in your favorite video game outlets.
Samus Aran, protagonist of Nintendo’s Metroid™ series, is already known as one of the most iconic heroines in video game history. Now, with the launch of Metroid™: Other M for the Wii™ system today, players are about to discover more about this enigmatic bounty hunter than ever before. Combining crisp action, immersive graphics and multifaceted controls, this latest entry in the legendary Metroid franchise marks a return to classic form that will captivate fans and newcomers alike.
We covered this game at the E3 and were very happy with the results of TeamNinja's work...the only issue we had was with the switching between the first person and third person views, but other than that, the game was pure Metroid bliss. I will be picking up my copy today and cocooning myself away from the world for a while as I explore every nook and cranny.
Valkyria Chronicles 2 Ships
PSP 08/31/10Sega has released the PSP exclusive Valkyria Chronicles II today. This is a true sequal to the fan favorite PS3 original:Valkyria Chronicles II takes place two years after the conclusion of the original game and takes players back to the epic adventure set in 1930’s fictitious Europe. In the sequel, players take on the role of a group of young Gallian Military Academy cadets who find themselves plunged into a bitter civil war when the newly formed Gallian Revolutionary Army stages a coup. The CANVAS engine originally developed by SEGA Game Studios Japan for Valkyria Chronicles has been fully redesigned for this latest installment in the franchise. This engine powers over 20 new distinct and visually stunning environments where players will have over 200 different missions to explore. The BLiTZ battle system has also been redesigned to offer players the freedom to strategically move around the environment and attack enemies using real-time controls, something never before seen in the tactical role-playing game genre. And for the first time in Valkyria, ad-hoc Versus and Co-op multiplayer gameplay is also available.
There is a demo available on the Playstation Network and judging by that demo this is going to be a must buy for PSP owners. Check out our collection of recently released screen shots right here. The game looks good to me.Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions Hands-On
360 PS3 Wii DS 08/31/10It might seem to be a bit ambitious to try to capture four different Spider-Man universes in one game, but that's what Beenox is doing with Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. I recently got a look at all four universes.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions follows the Amazing, Ultimate, Noir, and 2099 universes. The story they have created to tie it all together works well. Mysterio is attempting to steal the Tablet of Order and Chaos from the local museum. Of course Spider-Man is there to save the day and prevent its theft. While in the process of fighting Mysterio he ends up shattering the tablet into four pieces. Madame Web shows up to scold Spider-Man for his foolishness and sends him through the four different dimensions to retrieve the four tablet pieces. It's a great way to bring all four universes into one cohesive story without creating a new character.
So now you know a little bit of the story. How is the rest of the game? Take a look at my full preview.
Aksys Games Bringing 999 to North America
DS 08/31/10Listings are popping up online for a new DS game titled 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. 999 is an adventure game where the player will have nine hours to solve various puzzles and escape a booby trapped cruise ship. Eight other people will accompany you as you try to escape, and your actions will uncover multiple endings. 999 is currently slated for a November 21st release with a retail price of $29.99.
