I’m going to go out on a limb right now and tag this review with “Game of the Year, 2010″…even if it is only June. Keep that in mind as you read on – I may not be as impartial as I should.

First up, the plot (of which you’ll notice I don’t get into much; this is purposeful). Long story short, Alan Wake (not italicised; I’m talking about the character) is a best-selling author who travels to a small town with his wife to try to get over a bad case of writer’s block. As he struggles to come up with a new novel, his wife goes missing and Alan blacks out only to wake up a week later, finding mysterious goings-on occurring all around him. As Alan travels through the small town trying to find his wife, he comes across manuscript pages he’s apparently written that describe macabre acts and murders that play out before his very eyes minutes later. Alan is forced to continue his rescue in the pitch-black night, fending off aggressors with the power of light (thanks Energizer batteries and conveniently placed flashlights!) while investigating if he’s responsible for the dark turn the town has taken.

The cool: Where open-world game environments are becoming the norm, Remedy (of Max Payne series fame – look out for references all throughout Alan Wake) went out on a limb and made you play through a story exactly as they crafted it. There’s no choice between good or bad and you won’t get a different ending the second or third time. You absolutely will travel in a straight line all game towards the next objective that will forward the plot…and all of that doesn’t matter because the twists and turns of the plot don’t let the game feel linear. Without spoiling anything, the story is insanely good and you should play this game simply to experience it if nothing else.

This game has been in production for years, and really feels like it. The environments were researched in painstaking detail — Remedy is based in Finland, but you’d be convinced they’re from a small logging town in the USA — and are reproduced so well that you can’t help but be immersed in your surroundings. The supporting characters in this game are amazing and further help build the world. Barry Wheeler is a character you will either loathe, or want to marry; it’s that simple. Fans of Twin Peaks will certainly get a kick out of the Lady of the Light, this game’s version of Peaks’ Log Lady.

This is Twin Pe...I mean, Bright Falls.

Alan Wake is an everyman. Whilst he does have freakishly good aim with a gun for a writer, he does play in every other way as a regular guy. He can run for a bit, then gets tired, and then needs to slow right down, wheezing in attempts to catch his breath. He doesn’t do flips around the environment, or spout bad-ass one-liners…he just freaks out as the inhabitants of Bright Falls descend into darkness around him and try to take off his head with axes or train cars (yes, train cars) – just like I did.

Barry is cool. He's wearing Christmas lights!

The combat at Normal and Hard levels is enjoyably challenging; gamers shouldn’t find too much trouble with Normal and will have fun learning when to use the flashlight to take out a bad guy’s darkness shield before pumping him with bullets, or when it’s just easier to take groups out with a flare gun shot or flashbang. Just like he’s not a marathon runner, Alan isn’t a superstar fighter either; it feels like you’re just getting by through dodging, running, and blindly firing your pistol through the night. When you manage to pull off a superhuman feat with your everyman, the world will go slo-mo and make you feel VERY cool.

The meh: There is none. I told you I’m not that impartial for this game — it’s either great, or in big need of improvement.

The shite: Facial animations of the characters are creepy and wrong, and really prove that the game has been in production for five plus years – they look old and sloppy. While this is apparently being fixed via future DLC, I don’t think Remedy can do much about the ugly and plastic-looking models of the supporting characters; sure, they’re rich and three-dimensional, but they look like crap.

The game’s hardest mode, Nightmare, is essential to 100% complete this Xbox 360 exclusive game. The mode is a bitch. Whereas Alan’s shortcomings make the game challenging in lower modes, his failings make portions of the game extremely frustrating. Fighting multiple super-enemies with limited resources and half the light sources that you were used to in other modes means you will be loading up the same check point time after time after time. Be warned.

The calm before the storm. Darkness vs light.

Some didn’t like finding out what was going to happen in the game via the manuscript pages, but I became anxious and unsettled when I read what I was about to face, almost deciding to turn off my Xbox at times because I didn’t want to have to do what the pages described. As you start playing the game and read through the first couple pages, I’d make a conscious decision then to either collect the pages, or not. It’s that simple.

Finally, product placements completely throw you out of the rich game world, and harshly and abruptly at that. If you can make it twenty minutes without noticing a reference to Energizer or Verizon, I salute you.

As far as the bad goes, that’s it. This game is rewarding as hell to play and finish (yes, even on Nightmare), and the ending does provide resolution while leaving the door wide-open for a sequel. You WILL want to talk about the ending for days on end as well, as it is VERY to interpretation. Just like King attests, there really is no fun if everything’s explained to you.

Do yourself a favour and pick up this game – it’s definitely a Cool Plus. Before you start playing however, go and check out the 6-episode webseries Bright Falls (at http://www.brightfalls.com). That, plus the game, make for a truly unique game experience and left me desperately wanting more. Thankfully, anyone who purchases the game gets a free code for the first DLC available in late July, and a second DLC pack shortly after that. Until then, I’m left to watch Twin Peaks – a series I had never had any interest in before – to get my fix of well-written, WTF-style psychological thrillers.

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

Red Dead Redemption is an open-world title set in a large area that encompasses California and Mexico, circa 1911. Gamers play as John Marston, a former gang member who has seen the error of his ways and is now on a quest to bring his former comrades to justice. Released in May and available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, the title is already the highest-selling game of 2010. Is that because of solid gameplay mechanics, amazing storylines, and likeable characters, or a HUGE marketing campaign by Rockstar that brought the game into mainstream attention? Read on and find out.

The cool: It IS fun to hop on a horse, ride around town, and shoot people where the sun don’t shine. That’s the whole point of an open-world game; you get to do what you like, when you like. Expanding upon this is the “Free Roam” multiplayer mode. Instead of being forced to participate in a player vs player or team vs team scenario, you can just ride around the countryside, taking out gang hideouts, perhaps with the help of other real gamers who happen to be around. Or, as is frequently the case, you may be riding to a gang hideout and be forced to slow down as another character approaches; will the player ride past quietly, or try to shoot you and your horse? It’s actually quite tense when those scenarios pop up, and they really make you feel a part of the world.

Rockstar games aren’t known for amazing visuals, but that could all change with Red Dead. You’re forced to ride around the countryside a lot (more on that later), and as you do, you can’t help but notice the amount of detail in the world around you, from panoramic sunsets, to abandoned farms dotted around a harsh landscape. The world truly is breathtaking at times.

I'll admit it -- the game looks stunning.

Finally, the actual single-player arc and its missions are really fun…when you actually get to play them. I was drawn into the story, but found myself wishing I could just play through the arc in a far quicker fashion rather than having to spend hours upon hours riding to the next mission point.

The meh: As I’ve mentioned, I liked the story…but even so I was quite frustrated with the pacing of it. I found myself skipping a majority of cutscenes in the end because it was faster and more satisfying figuring it out from my current mission objectives. What you can’t skip frustrated me the most: upon accepting a mission, you’ll find yourself teamed up with a supporting character, and spend five minutes walking/running/riding to a destination beside the non-playable character (NPC) as they spew out exposition. You can’t skip it. You can’t escape it. You can’t ride faster than the NPC to try to speed it up…you just have to take it.

The morality system of the game borrows liberally from Grand Theft Auto, and in doing so confuses me. The Old West to me is a fairly lawless place where a man had to get by on his wits and with a gun always at hand. There could be lawmen about, but justice was in shades of grey rather than the black-and-white, “you can do wrong, but watch out – here come the cops!” setup of GTA. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what you get in Red Dead. This black-and-white mentality gets frustrating, especially if you clip someone with your horse by accident, or try to mount your horse but end up wagon-jacking someone around you instead…a whole town can turn on you in an instant. Prostitutes included.

I’ve heard a brilliant story to summarise this feeling: you can take part in sub-missions involving random Strangers throughout the game; you complete the sub-mission by to helping them out. In one, a gamer came across a Stranger out in the desert, near death, and decided it was far better to kidnap her and take her into a doctor rather than just buying her medicine and carting it back out to her. Because the player deemed the Stranger unable to care for herself and tried to do a better thing, the game punished him by putting a bounty on his head when he got into town. Lame.

The shite: First off, I bought one copy so my partner and I could play multiplayer…imagine my surprise when I found out I’d need two Xboxes and two copies of the game to accomplish this (that’s for the save, GetGaming!). I am hating this current trend by titles (Battlefield: Bad Company 2, I’m looking in your direction too!) to remove couch co-op.

The controls of the game are stiff and old-school: NO ONE WANTS TO MASH A BUTTON TO RUN ANYMORE, let alone mash the same button on a horse,wanting it to go faster. Of course, if you mash the button too much, you get bucked off the horse and have to climb back on only to better monitor your button mashing the next time around. What’s more frustrating about that whole scenario is that you have to ride everywhere and your horse-riding escapades easily make up 60% of your entire gameplay experience. There are fast travel points, but even then…get used to long commutes.

If you press 'A' to make me run ONE MORE TIME...

The thing I hate the most about this GTA-styled game is that you can be 95% through a mission and die. That means you’ll respawn clear across the game map, and have to find the NPC who’s assisting on that particular mission. Then, with NPC in tow, you’ll ride to the start point of the mission, all the while having to suffer through the same exposition again, to FINALLY start where you left off. Futhermore, if you can’t afford to buy the little save houses (another GTA remnant) around the world, be prepared to have to ride halfway across the map to get back to your starting Ranch, JUST so you can save your game.

Basically, I was being nice on the morality system by putting it in the ‘meh’ column; what I want to stress here is that the environment and the characters actually do make you feel like you’re in the Old West…and when you’re really getting into it, inappropriate gameplay mechanics (hell, that don’t work even in the GTA series) just end up frustrating you.

All in all, I may sound very harsh but I will admit that the game is good with friends. The new (and free) co-op DLC will keep you entertained for hours – just don’t all die at once or you’ll get frustrated with having to replay the mission over…and over…and over. If you’re a GTA fan, you’re probably used to the mechanics and you can ignore the bad and have a great experience. I’ll give this game a rating of Cool on the provision that gamers who hate Grand Theft Auto should downgrade it to a simple Shite.

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

It wouldn’t be Wii without party game compilations. Add Namco’s Pac-Man Party to that list. Think Mario Party with Pac-Mac characters…plus the added bonus of playable versions of Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug.

Don’t have a big enough Wii Sports fix from the original title or Wii Sports Resort? Pick up Mario Sports Mix in 2011 then. I’d expect more of the same. Same thing for Wii Party.

Surprise hit Just Dance will be cashing in on a sequel…did you really think we wouldn’t see a Just Dance 2 this quickly? This time around, they’ll be support for up to 8 players at a time, a new “Just Sweat” mode, and “dance crew face-offs.”

Epic Mickey would have to be the first Wii game I’ve been excited about in a good long time. Controlling Mickey Mouse, you run around the game world, using paint or paint thinner on objects and enemies; paint changes enemies to friends, and thinner destroys them. Neat, eh? Epic Mickey will be out some time in 2010.

Epic Mickey looks...well, epic!

The rest of Nintendo’s Wii news was all about sequels. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword continues the Twilight Princess world, Kirby’s Epic Yard marks the first time the Wii gets a taste of that little…pink…thing, and Donkey Kong Country Returns gives us a new chance to play with Donkey and Diddy Kong. Release dates range from months away, to Christmas 2010, to 2011.

Remember GoldenEye for the Nintendo64, Golden Guns and all? Get ready for a new dose with GoldenEye…um, for Wii. Good title. Originality aside, this game features Daniel Craig as 007, and is due out in time for Christmas. Exciting!

Daniel Craig as 007, you say?

Nintendo’s big reveal was the new DS, called 3DS — with my favourite gaming convention of the moment — 3D graphics! Whoo…

The device boasts a 3.5 inch wide-screen top display, with a standard 4:3 aspect ratio DS bottom screen. The bottom screen is still touch sensitive and requires the DS stylus we’ve all come to love, and wi-fi access remains a feature of the unit. The graphics appear improved over the latest DS model, however specs have not yet been released.

Say hello to the Nintendo 3DS.

A slider on the left of the main unit can change the top display from 2D to 3D, and the 3D dispaly does not require glasses. Says Nintendo, the top screen is capable of “displaying 3D Hollywood movies”.

As far as 3DS games go, Nintendo featured a new Kid Icarus game, Kid Icarus: Uprising, which appears to feature the Kid Icarus model used in the latest Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

A new Pilotwings will be available on the 3DS, for the first time since 1996.

Finally, mention was made of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D: The Naked Sample, though the mention was about it. Still, pretty decent titles for the new 3D portable device.

That’s the big three, everyone — what do you think of Nintendo’s showing? How does it compare to Sony or Microsoft? Let us know in the comments!

Just like Microsoft, Sony was keen to show off its new motion-sensing system, called PlayStation Move. Since most of the titles Sony revealed at E3 have Move-support, it makes sense to look at the system first. Consisting of a camera and controller device, the camera, called PlayStation Eye, will retail for $49.99 US; the controller, Move, will be available for $30 US. A bundle, consisiting of Eye, Move, and a copy of Sports Champions will sell for $99.99 US. An additional bundle consists of a PS3, Move, Eye, and (presumably) Sports Champions will go for $399.99 US. The system is availble for purchase almost a full month earlier than Microsoft Kinect, on September 19.

This is Move. The Eye? Not shown.

The control system itself is fairly close to the Nintendo Wii in that the PlayStation Eye utilises the balls on top of the Move controllers to track gamers.

Taking a step back, Move with 2 controllers is looking to cost the same price as Microsoft’s Kinect — around $150 US. Translate that price into Australian dollars…and I’m having difficulty seeing a huge uptake on these pricey peripherals. What do you all think?

Anyways, moving on…

Sony introduced a slew of titles with Move-support. Killzone 3, availble in February 2011, will feature Move-functionality and full 3D…providing you have a 3D television (I think they’d recommend Bravia), and glasses. Can you see this new way of gaming becoming quite costly?

On the 3D front, Sony announced twenty 3D-enabled titles by March 2011, listing ten: Super Stardust HD, Motorstorm: San Francisco, Killzone 3, Gran Turismo 5, NBA 2K11, Sly Cooper Collection, Mortal Kombat, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, EyePet and Tron.

Other Move-supported titles of note include a new Time Crisis game and a port of Nintendo Wii’s Dead Space: Extraction on-rails shooter bundled into the upcoming Dead Space 2.

If you’re into Harry Potter-esque gameplay, then the exclusive Sorcery is for you. Using the Move controller, players perform specific motions for a variety of different spells; the spells change the spherical end of the Move controller to let you know you’re on the right track. No word on when Sorcery will be released, unfortunately.

It's Harry Pot..I mean, Sorcery.

Non-3D and non-Move games? Sony has those too. My personal favourite: a new addition to the Twisted Metal series! New to this iteration? Flight. So cool! A tentative release date of 2011 was announced.

TWISTED METAL!

Joining Twisted Metal are more sequels: SingStar Dance and Echochrome 2. Not much else was said on them…so if you like the originals, you’re presumably excited.

Though developer Valve and Sony aren’t the best bed-fellows, they sure do craft some good deals: get ready for Portal 2 in 2011, alongside Steam Cloud support. The only console that will offer it, the PS3 will offer “auto updates, community features, downloadble content, and more” as part of the cloud support. Gabe Newell, head chief of Valve and a known PS3-naysayer, claims that the PS3 version of Portal 2 will indeed be the “best version.”

As far as exclusive content goes, Sony has also scored with Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, citing unspecific exclusive add-ons and early access to the multiplayer beta. Medal of Honor will also get a remastered HD version of Medal of Honor: Frontline, originally released in 2002.

Have you been waiting for Gran Turismo 5 for what seems like a lifetime? A release date of November 2 has been issued…so that wait is almost up!

There wasn’t much on the PSP front, but if you’re a Patapon fan, get ready for Patapon 3…to be released, in Sony’s words, “between now and December.”

Last but not least, it looks as if the rumors of a subscription-based PlayStation Network were true. Say hello to PlayStation Plus.

PlayStation Plus: elevate your game.

Whilst online play via PlayStation Network will still be available, and free, the Plus subscription will give you access to the following extras:

• Exclusive in-game DLC and other content
• Free full games, changing each month
• Early access to demos and betas
• Auto-patching feature, which will detect, download and install updates

The service will cost $49 US annually, or $18 US for three months…so about half the price of an Xbox Live Gold membership. The differences in service are readily apparent, however — I notice there’s still no offering of in-game chat as part of Plus. Subscribers will also get Wipeout HD, a demo for inFamous, Fieldrunners, Age of Zombies, Rallycross, and various avatars and themes for free  in the month of July.

So there’s Sony’s offerings…what do you think of them? I’ve given you my own thoughts, but I’m very curious about yours. Do comment!

Ignoring that an Italian subsidiary of Microsoft accidentally leaked some BIG news a bit too early, Microsoft started off their keynote announcing an exclusive deal with Activision to release all Call of Duty: Black Ops map-packs and game add-ons before any other console. While it was not said how long the window of Xbox 360-exclusivity would last with each piece of new content, the deal itself will run from 2010 to 2012.

Next up, teaser trailers! Microsoft showed off a new trailer for Metal Gear Solid: Rising and also debuted Codename Kingdoms, an exclusive-to-Xbox-360 action game developed by Crysis developers Crytek. While not much was shown, Codename Kingdoms sure seems to take a page from 300 with its rough-and-tumble Spartans.

Peter Molyneux was up next to announce the release date for Fable 3. While the game takes place five decades after the events of Fable 2, you certainly won’t have to wait that long — look for the game on October 26.

American Xbox 360 owners delighted next over the annoucement of a partnership with game channel ESPN to deliver exclusive sports programming to the console. Featuring more than 3,500 separate sporting events, most in high-definition, the partnership will also offer polls, trivia, and other content with the actual broadcasts. It’s already been confirmed via Twitter that we won’t get this in Australia, but don’t forget that a partnership between Xbox and Foxtel was just announced here so we could get similar content.

With all the small stuff out of the way, Microsoft then turned the spotlight on the two worst-kept secrets of its keynote: the newly redesigned Xbox 360 (should we start to call it the Xbox 360 Slim?) and what’s next for Project Natal.

First off, say goodbye to Natal as Microsoft announced the official name for the body tracking, speech recognising wonder-camera (cameras?): Kinect.

Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360.

A release date of November 4 was also revealed, though pricing details have not been disclosed (though that hasn’t stopped American-based retailer GameStop from tacking on a $149.99 US pre-order sale amount). The Kinect unit looks identical to the prototype images we’ve been seeing all year, and retains the sexy black colour we’re also used to…mostly because the new Xbox 360 itself has the same colouring.

Kinect boasts 15 launch titles, as follows:

• Kinect Adventures (Microsoft Game Studios)
• Kinectimals (Frontier Studio/Microsoft Game Studios)
• Kinect Joy Ride (Big Park/Microsoft Game Studios)
• Kinect Sports (Rare/Microsoft Game Studios)
• Dance Central (MTV Games)
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (Ubisoft)
• EA Sports Active 2 (EA)
• Deca Sports Freedom (Hudson)
• Dance Masters (Konami)
• Adrenalin Misfits (Konami)
• Zumba Fitness (Majesco)
• Sonic Free Riders (Sega)
• The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout (THQ)
• Motion Sports (Ubisoft)
• Game Party: In Motion (Warner Bros.)

My personal favourites? Kinectimals looks like hilarious fun for all ages, and Joy Ride looks to be avatar-powered racing goodness. The rest? Mini-game nightmares and sports-themed flailing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re worried it’s all a gimmick, you haven’t heard the best Kinect news by far: a freaking motion-controlled STAR WARS GAME! Kinect will also work with Forza Motorsport in some way, but the announcement wasn’t clear on whether the Kinect support would be in Forza 3 or a new title.

As previously mentioned, the Xbox 360 itself got a facelift in line with Kinect’s launch, though the new 360 is available from next week in America. The new Xbox 360 comes in the Kinect sexy black (I’m sure that’s the colour’s official name), has a built-in 250GB harddrive and 802.11 wireless N (FINALLY), and has angle after angle in its new design. I love it.

The new Xbox 360 Slim.

Here’s a list of specs from Kotaku:

• Touch Sensitive Buttons – turn the Xbox 360 on or off and eject a disc with the swipe of a finger
• Whisper Quiet – Whether you’re playing a DVD disc or from the hard drive or navigating the dashboard, with the all-new and much quieter Xbox 360, the only noise you’ll hear is your own laughing, cheering and playing
• Wi-Fi – Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi for fast, easy connection to your friends and entertainment on Xbox LIVE.
• Hard Drive – 250GB internal, swappable hard drive for even more storage. To access, remove the bottom panel by pushing the small tab toward the front of the console.
• Kinect-ready – Custom Kinect port on the back of the console that directly hooks up to the Kinect sensor for controller-free fun.
• USB Slots – Five USB ports, three in the back and two in the front.
• Power Supply – Smaller and more efficient. Xbox 360 250GB and Xbox 360 Original power supplies are not interchangeable.
• Wireless Controller – The award-winning Xbox 360 Wireless Controller matches the console in all black with color-matched thumbsticks and directional pad with a touch of gloss and chrome to complete the look.
• Backward Compatible – Your favorite accessories and games will work with Xbox 360 250GB. Xbox 360 external hard drives and Memory Units are not compatible.

Check it out: the old and the new. Sexy!

Check out an Engagdet unboxing video here. Shiny.

“Kinect-ready” doesn’t mean that the new units will be the only ones to work with Kinect, though the new units will power Kinect without the need for a separate power cable. Reports from Joystiq are already coming in that the new Xbox will be priced at £199 in the UK and will be available on July 16. While I’d expect a similar release date and equivalent price in Australia, Xbox Australia’s Jinx has commented that official Australian details are not yet available.

The whole sha-bang.

All-in-all, I’m excited! I’m already deliberating whether or not to trade in my old unit straight away to pick up a new Xbox 360 Slim, or if I should just wait until I can buy Kinect. Decisions, decisions!

Check back tomorrow for more E3 news — how are Sony and Nintendo going to top this? What do you think of this Microsoft news? Are you excited for Kinect or thinking it’s a Wii-like flailathon gimmick? Let us know in the comments!

Multiplatform news

GetGaming.com.au — 50% off your 1st month with Australia’s new postal mail game rental service! – Stevivor.com: This *may* be one of the reasons I’m so behind on life. Aussies, take advantage of our country’s first GameFly-esque service!

Study Finds That “Extreme Gamers” Play 48 Hours a Week – Slashdot: “Think you’re a big gamer? According to a new study from market research firm NPD Group, to be considered among the real hardcore you’ll need to play an average of 48.5 hours a week — nearly seven hours a day. This group of gamers is, on average, ‘29 years old, and — perhaps surprisingly — one-third of them are female. They’re more likely to play on consoles than on the PC, and on average they’ve purchased 24 titles in the past three months — a bill that could easily run over a thousand dollars. But dedicated though they may be, the Extreme Gamers are just a small minority: a mere 4% of the US’s 174-million-strong gaming public.”

1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die – Kotaku: “Coming this October from Universe Publishing, 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die sounds like the sort of book that could seriously chew up your free time from now until you die.”

Get the book. Play the games.

WB’s new ‘Mortal Kombat’ tests our might in 2011 – Joystiq: “Warner Bros. announced a new Mortal Kombat game this morning, and Seven of Nine is nowhere to be found. The game, called simply Mortal Kombat, appears to be a return to the classic Mortal Kombat 2/3 style of gameplay — extremely quick, 2D fighting — which has been given a fresh coat of 3D paint and a very noticeable 60 frames-per-second framerate. It also features a man being sliced open at the groin with a spinning hat.”

Capcom hopes to ‘heat up’ Resident Evil series to coincide with next film – Joystiq: “While the undead are typically characterized as being cold & clammy — not to mention their whole penchant for eating the living — Capcom COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto says he hopes to “heat up” the zombie-fueled Resident Evil game franchise to coincide with Resident Evil: Afterlife’s arrival in theaters this fall.”

Is This Shattered Dimensions’ Spider-Man 2099? – Kotaku: “A series of screenshots has slipped onto the web, showing off what looks like confirmation of Spider-Man’s 2099 alter-ego Miguel O’Hara’s appearance in Activision’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. While we were expecting a big reveal of the third of four dimensions featured in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, it looks like someone might have jumped the gun. All Games Beta posted these four screens, showing off the Spider-Man of Marvel’s 2099 universe, where Ghost Rider is an A.I. inside of a skull-headed robot.”

SO cool. Spiderman 2099 in Shattered Dimensions.

Portal 2 delayed until 2011 – Joystiq: “In another cheeky press release, Valve has announced that Portal 2 has been delayed until 2011. The sequel to 2007’s innovative (and tardy) first-person disorientation dissertation was originally scheduled to arrive on Xbox 360 and PC this holiday — and we all believed it. Still, there are worse fates to befall the industry, as Aperture Laboratories correctly notes that “all life on earth won’t instantaneously stop as every molecule in your body explodes at the speed of light, which is what would happen should a rip ever appear in the fabric of Valve Time.”

Rock Band 3 keyboard revealed, looks like a keyboard! – Engadget: “We’ve been wondering how a keyboard would look in the Rock Band universe: a row of colored buttons would make it hardly different than the guitar peripheral, while a real keyboard would… be just as hard to play as a real keyboard. Well, it looks like someone smarter than us has tackled the problem, implementing a Hannah Montana-style “Best of Both Worlds” solution.”

Xbox 360 news

One Year Later, Did These E3 Xbox 360 Promises Come True? – Kotaku: “Let’s separate the Xbox hype from the Xbox reality. Every year’s massive E3 gaming event includes big press conferences that promise gamers awesome things. One year past last E3, let’s see what Microsoft and friends said would be in our Xbox future — and what did or didn’t come true.”

Alan Wake spotted in live-action teaser – Joystiq: “Remedy has released a creepy, cryptic video for Alan Wake. So, it’s a lot like every Alan Wake video, but it’s especially like the Bright Falls prequel series in that it’s composed of live-action footage. The only thing that looks unrealistic, really, is the imperiled author’s jacket-hoodie combination.”

More live-action Alan Wake? Yes, please!

Playing Project Natal Sure Is Embarrassing – Kotaku: “Nobody looks good playing Project Natal. Nobody.Microsoft’s upcoming motion controlled Project Natal is controller-free. When the system was first showed at last year’s E3, it was assumed that Project Natal will involve flailing.”

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

One Year Later, Did These PS3 and PSP Promises Come True? – Kotaku: “The PlayStation people promise a lot of things. They did one year ago. Now those promises and plans are being checked, by me, to see which elements of their E3 2009 Sony hype came true and which did not.”

Stereoscopic 3D coming to PS3 – Joystiq: “What’s up, June 9th? It’s your buddies from Joystiq, coming to you direct from the future: June 10th. It’s incredible here, what with all the Floatshoes and the Hoverplanes (long story) but the best innovation? Stereoscopic 3D gaming on the PS3 kicked off today, with WipEout HD, PAIN, Super Stardust HD and the MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo all going three-dimensional.”

It'll look like this...but in 3D!

Nintendo Wii and DS news

VI Fit Is Wii Sports For The Blind – Kotaku: “Wii Sports can be a big factor in getting sedentary children moving, but what about blind children? A video game research project at the University of Nevada, Reno, is creating Wii Sports-based PC games that don’t require eyesight to play.”

VI Fit: neat!

EA Sports Brings NHL Slapshot, Mini-Hockey Sticks, to Wii – Kotaku: “The Toronto Sun reported today that EA Sports’ upcoming NHL game for the Wii will be called NHL Slapshot, and it will be completely different from the main game. It will also ship with a mini-hockey stick peripheral.”

PC and iPhone news

Doctor Who: The Adventure Games now available (and free) in the UK – Joystiq: “Brilliant! Folks living in the land from whence the time-traveling, sonic-screwdriving adventurer originated can now download the first episode in Sumo Interactive’s Doctor Who: The Adventure Games for free. Titled “City of the Daleks,” the game sees the Doctor and his companion, Amy Pond, in an alternate version of London in 1963, where the nefarious Daleks have taken over the city and are baking cakes for everybody. (Just kidding! They’re murdering everyone. That’s what Daleks do.)”

Alas, no word on when we get this.

What Will The Next iPhone Mean For Gamers? – Kotaku: “Gizmodo has a nice rundown of what they expect to be happening at the BIG show come Monday, and they tend to nail this sort of thing. But what will it all mean to mobile gamers?”

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Multiplatform news

GetGaming.com.au — 50% off your 1st month with Australia’s new postal mail game rental service! – Stevivor.com: I’m leaving this first and formost for a bit…Aussies, take advantage of our country’s first GameFly-esque service!

Halo developer Bungie enters 10-year partnership with Activison – Joystiq: “Just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder at Activision. Bungie has just announced that it has entered into a ten-year publishing agreement with Activision, which will receive exclusive, worldwide rights to publish all games based on Bungie’s “next big action game universe.”

Two rich people who are bound to become richer.

Bungie’s Grand Plans For Their First Post-Halo “Action” Game – Kotaku: “The game Bungie makes after Halo: Reach will be huge, on multiple platforms — won’t be Marathon-related — and is under Bungie’s control, the studio’s Brian Jarrard told Kotaku today. With Bungie’s future clarified, we learned some new details.”

Dead Rising‘s Frank West passively in Left 4 Dead 2′s ‘The Passing’ – Joystiq: Left 4 Dead‘s eerie atmosphere was made exponentially more engrossing by the warnings scrawled on the walls of each safe house by other survivors.

Taking photos was my least favourite bit of that game...

Left 4 Dead 2‘s new Mutations explained; Francis and Rochelle find a common interest – Joystiq: You don’t just stumble upon a kindred spirit every day. In a new promo video for The Passing — Left 4 Dead 2′s new chapter available today on the Xbox 360 and PC — it takes an apocalypse to bring Francis and Rochelle together.

NHL 11 to Feature Canadian Hockey League? – Kotaku: “Sports radio in Calgary and a team’s marketing employee are saying EA Sports’ NHL 11 will feature teams from the Canadian Hockey League, the top tier of junior hockey in that country.”

‘Mega Man Universe‘ trademark filed by Capcom – Joystiq: “Capcom just wrapped up its Captivate 2010 showcase, but it appears the publisher skipped mention of one planned project: “Mega Man Universe.”"

Dead Space 2 trailer leaked, then pulled (… so that’s what Isaac looks like) – Joystiq: “We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Mr. Isaac Clarke, the oft-masked engineer (and protagonist) from the first title.”

The face behind all those severed limbs...

The History of Gaming Through Manuals – Kotaku: “Website Replacementdocs.com has collected and scanned nearly 9,000 gaming manuals with the help of 465 enthusiasts. The manuals come from an amazingly diverse selection of platforms including the 3DO, Amiga, Jaguar, CD-i and PC. Though it appears there are no TRS-80 manuals.”

Xbox 360 news

Live-action Alan Wake prequel premieres on Xbox Live April 25 – Joystiq: If Alan Wake‘s TV show-like presentation isn’t, well, enough like a TV show for you, here’s some good news: next week, the first episode in a six-part live-action Alan Wake series will be available on Xbox Live.

Go watch; this is cool.

Jet Set Radio Coming to Xbox Live Arcade? – Kotaku: “Someone named “Xbox360 Leaker” dropped a screenshot of a French-language Xbox Live Marketplace that shows the Dreamcast classic Jet Set Radio available as a demo. The picture, of unknown provenance, adds weight to rumors that other Dreamcast classics are inbound.”

No New Titles For Game Room Until Further Notice – Kotaku: “According to a Tweet from Microsoft’s European Xbox Live editor, the next round of content for Microsoft’s virtual arcade Game Room has been delayed “until further notice.”"

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

We Can Mod This ModNation Racer – Kotaku: “Sent with a review copy of ModNation Racers for the PlayStation 3, because, you know, this game is about modding cars and figures.”

Cutest mod EVER.

Sony Can Update PS3 Firmware Without Permission – Slashdot: “Sony’s latest firmware update comes with a revised End User License Agreement which allows the company to change any part of the console’s operating system without notification or permission. You might think you own the console you paid for, but Sony has a very different idea.”

Early 3D Games On PS3 Feature Downgraded Graphics – Kotaku: “So, the PS3 is now ready for 3D gaming. But are PS3 games ready? It appears, hrm, maybe, with the first batch of 3D-capable titles needing to have their graphics scaled back a touch.”

PlayStation Store Updates Move To Tuesdays – Kotaku: “North American PlayStation 3 owners won’t have to wait as long for their downloadable content, as Sony is bumping up its weekly PlayStation Store digital releases from Thursdays to Tuesdays.”

Nintendo Wii and DS news

How Nintendo’s Mario Got His Name – Slashdot: “In 1981, tiny Nintendo of America was getting ready to release Donkey Kong. When the company’s landlord, Mario Segale, demanded back rent, Nintendo staffers named the game’s barrel-jumping protagonist after him.”

Why The Conduit 2 Will Be Better Than The Conduit – Kotaku: “In a message to Sega fans posted at the company’s European blog, High Voltage chief creative officer Eric Nofsinger explains why The Conduit was a muddled, uninteresting jumble, and why the game’s sequel won’t be.”

The gun reminds me of Halo's needler.

PC and iPhone news

Ubisoft ‘always on’ DRM hated, hacked - circle of life continues – Joystiq: “Ah, the circle of life. Here’s how it works: Game developers claim they’ve created some sort of unbreakable DRM that will lock pirates out, and then the pirates break their way in, leading to even more repressive forms of DRM.”

Bad-ass. Or something.

The Man Who Beat Bejeweled 2 – Kotaku: “The people who made Bejeweled 2 bring us what they say is the true tale of the first person to conquer Bejeweled 2. 2,200 hours. 2,147,482,575 points. Max score possible. Meet Mike Leyde [Bejeweled official site].”

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Multiplatform news

GetGaming.com.au — 50% off your 1st month with Australia’s new postal mail game rental service! – Stevivor.com: Okay, so this is what I was talking about. Aussies, take advantage of our country’s first GameFly-esque service!

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3‘s Bombastic Trailer Reveals 16 Characters – Kotaku: “Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is official, with at least 30 characters and a 2011 release date for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, Capcom confirmed last week.”

Some obvious MvC3 reveals, plus some guesses. Excited?

Retailer-backed pro-R18+ petition draws over 72K signatures in Australia – Joystiq: “Though new South Australian Attorney General John Rau seems to be straddling the fence on the prospect of introducing an R18+ rating for mature games in the land down under, a large force of gamers are attempting to pull him over to their side.”

Roger Ebert’s latest column posts ‘games can never be art’ – Joystiq: “Ebert’s latest volley in the long-running discussion is a piece published on the Chicago Sun-Times website in response to thatgamecompany prez Kellee Santiago’s TED talk at USC last summer.”

The Art of Resident Evil 5 book coming in July – Joystiq: “The Art of Resident Evil 5, the book is being released by Udon and contains loads of content from the game, including “3D models, character designs, environments, storyboards, and promotional art.” It also includes “never before seen concept art and unused designs,” creator commentary and interviews with the development staff.”

I'm buying five copies.

Lost Planet 2 getting guest characters from Dead Rising, Monster Hunter – Joystiq: “A handful of Lost Planet 2 screenshots from Famitsu have revealed the game will borrow the stars of two more franchises: Frank West from Dead Rising and the Scaly Knife-Gun Dude from Monster Hunter, the latter being exclusive to the PS3 version of the game.”

Two Voice Actors Out Arkham Asylum 2 Villains – Kotaku: “Mister Freeze and Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra’s (Ra?) will be foes in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, according to two voice actors’ comments on a podcast and via Twitter.”

Ubisoft getting greener by ditching paper manuals – Joystiq: “Ubisoft will cease including paper instruction manuals inside its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 boxed games, starting with this holiday’s Shaun White Skateboarding (as revealed in an announcement that quietly confirms the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Shaun White Skateboarding).”

Xbox 360 news

Dead Rising 2 Case Zero is a Prologue with a Purpose – Kotaku: “Dead Rising 2 prequel, Case Zero, is much more than a glorified demo you have to pay for. The game bridges the gap between the first and second titles and gives gamers a taste of everything new Dead Rising 2 has to offer.”

Halo: Reach Multiplayer Preview: A New Game, But Not Unfamiliar – Kotaku: “In 10 days, Halo: Reach gets its multiplayer beta – and consider that last word. With four different game types, new abilities and weapons, this isn’t some preview of the rest of a new game. It is a new game.”

Jet packs. JET PACKS!

Earthworm Jim HD trailer introduces snazzy t-shirts – Joystiq: “Rather than posit that, yes, we are obviously the biggest non-arthropod invertebrate fans out there, we’ll just point out how neat we think these “I love Jim” shirts are.

Rumor: Mass Effect 2 files could point to Liara T’Soni DLC – Joystiq: “Swallow this information with the same caution one would a drink served by a Batarian bartender, but it appears that Liara T’soni may return to fighting form in future Mass Effect 2 DLC.”

Project Natal spotted in the wild, user manual and all? – Engadget: “Since the day we learned that PrimeSense was behind Microsoft’s Project Natal, we’ve been under the impression that the 3D camera hardware would be a cute little face with three eyes. So why are we staring at another hammerhead shark?”

I wish Natal would be spotted in my living room...

What Gets You Banned From Xbox Live Until The Year 9999? – Kotaku: “A concerned parent has apparently taken to the official 360 forums, looking for an explanation as to why his son had been banned from Xbox Live until the Year of our Lord, 9999. Microsoft was only too happy to oblige.”

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

Kick-Ass The Game Might Not Live Up To Its Name – Kotaku: “Reminding us that the movie based on Mark Millar’s award-winning comic book Kick-Ass hits theaters on Friday is one of the few good things to come from this trailer for the PlayStation Network video game.”

On another note, did you know that Kick-Ass‘ cute-AS hero, Aaron Johnson, is engaged to a woman 20 years older than he is? And they’re expecting a child? Disappointing, eh?

Nintendo Wii and DS news

Super Mario Galaxy 2 introduces ‘Cloud’ power-up – Joystiq: “No, this new power-up won’t give Mario spiky blond hair and a giant sword. Instead, the Cloud power-up from Super Mario Galaxy 2 appears to give Mario the magical ability to walk on clouds.”

I still think he needs a ridiculously-sized sword.

Woman Falls Off Wii Fit, Becomes A “Sex Addict” – Kotaku: “According to a suspiciously brief newswire report, 24 year-old Briton Amanda Flowers has become a “sex addict” after falling off her Wii Fit board.”

PC and iPhone news

‘Doctor Who: The Adventure Games‘ premieres June 5, teaser revealed – Joystiq: “The Doctor Who adventure game will premiere on June 5, 2010, according to the BBC. In the first of the four free interactive episodes, the new Doctor and his companion find themselves in a destroyed version of 1963 London, battling (shock of shocks!) the Daleks.”

I've never seen a single episode. Make your own caption up.

Blizzard Bans 320,000 Cheaters From Warcraft, Diablo – Kotaku: “Blizzard, the company behind the Warcraft and Diablo franchises, does not screw around when it swings the banhammer, booting 320,000 online accounts tonight from some of its most popular games.”

Cop Who Made Video Games Dies at 83 – Kotaku: “In the mid-1990s Daryl Gates was like the John Madden of law enforcement. His name appeared above PC games made by Sierra. Better known as the Los Angeles police chief during the Rodney King crisis, Gates died Friday at 83.”

The iPhone Game That Will Wreck Marriages – Kotaku: “Football Manager, Sega’s famous sports strategy sim that’s renowned across Europe for being so addictive it destroys marriages, is now available on the iPhone.”

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Multiplatform news

Now Playing: March 15-21, 2010 – Joystiq: Notable this week: Metro 2033 and some DLC…

BioShock 2′s First DLC Already On Disc – Slashdot: “Trouble is brewing in Rapture. The recently released Sinclair Solutions multiplayer pack for BioShock 2 is facing upset players over the revelation that the content is already on the disc, and the $5 premium is an unlock code.”

Haven’t we already been through this? BAD 2K! You should have learnt from Capcom’s error with Resident Evil 5!

Battlestar Galactica Gets Its Own Massively Multiplayer Game – Kotaku: “The battle for the fate of humanity continues this fall, when NBC Universal and Bigpoint launch Battlestar Galactica Online, a massively multiplayer browser-based game set in the universe of the award-winning Syfy television series.”

I wonder if they’re only going to let 12,000 or so people play it?

This could either be really cool, or really bad...

Lady Gaga Must Be A Command & Conquer Fan – Kotaku: “A deadly cocktail of nerd poisons, featuring the toxic element from EA’s Command & Conquer series combined with a few equally sly Dune and Star Wars references, as seen in Lady Gaga’s (slightly NSFW) “Telephone” video.” Neato!

Kneel Before The Hardcore Gamer’s IQ Test – Kotaku: This is the coolest thing EVER! Prove your worth as a hardcore gamer by identifying all of the characters and/or games in the cool image accessible in large format via the link.

Use the DeviantArt image to try to ID things, or your eyes will start bleeding...

Dead Space 2 Asks Fans to Plan the Perfect Kill – Kotaku: “The makers of Dead Space 2 have put out a call for gruesome dismemberment ideas to be included in the game. The top submission not only will be rendered in the full release, its creator will be, too.”

You have til March 26 — get crackin’!

Crysis 2 Footage Looking As Nice As Expected – Kotaku: “Crysis 2 is at the Game Developers Conference, seemingly there not just for its own ends, but to help developer Crytek shill its engine, CryEngine 3. It’s doing a very good job.”

Is Crysis 2. Is CryEngine 3. Is pretty.

Monkey Island 2 Special Edition Hits this Summer – Kotaku: “Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge is coming to the iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this summer.”

Xbox 360 news

Rumor: Gears of War 3 in April 2011 – Joystiq: “Edge says a source has put a pin in April 2011 as the release window for the third entry in Epic’s series — and we should expect the first teaser trailer next month, on April 8, with a full-on reveal at E3 in June.”

AWESOME! Can’t wait — I love a bit of chainsaw gun.

Microsoft’s Game Room for Xbox ‘rewinds’ the hits in our hands-on demo – Engadget: A virtual environment on your 360 where you can relive retro classics…and rewind mistakes. Perfect!

“Not only does it nicely emulate inserting coins and even entering in codes on a virtual keypad, but when playing games in the non-ranked classic mode there’s a “rewind” function accessible at any time with the tug of the left trigger. The screen gets those VHS-style wavey lines and you can mend your errors instead of losing a valuable life or having to start from the beginning.”

The Games Room rewind in action. Die no more!

Zune HD2 Will Be Like iPod Touch for Windows Phone 7 (Read: Apps! Also, Zune HD Is For Suckers) – Gizmodo: “Sorry, everybody who bought a Zune HD! You screwed up. It won’t be a part of the XNA Game Studio 4.0 party—meaning it won’t play those new mobile Xbox Live games for Windows Phone 7—unlike the Zune HD2.”

Gaming on Windows Phone 7 – Joystiq: “We already broke out the news you’re looking for: Each of the Windows Phone 7 Xbox Live-infused games will offer its players 200 Gamerscore points. You’ll be able to boost your Xbox rep in significant chunks without having to hunker down in front of a big screen for long stretches. You’ll never again have to go so long without hearing that satisfying “Achievement unlocked” sound. The world, as you know it, has changed.”

I might have to abandon my BlackBerry…

Windows Phone 7 Achievement Unlocked. I need a tissue.

Bungie Promises Teabagging Support for Halo: Reach – Kotaku: “I’m disappointed they caught it now. I would have much rather written about the game lacking teabagging support, hordes of angry gamers vowing boycotts and reprisals, flopsweat half-apologies and then, finally, “Teabagging patched into Halo: Reach.”"

John Cleese Voices Fable III‘s Butler – Kotaku: “Cleese will play the role of a butler that you encounter when you press the start button in the game. In Fable II you’d take that action and get a 2D menu. In Fable III, your character will appear in a room full of his clothes, potions and a table representing the world map. Cleese will be in there to add some humor.”

Meet your new butler.

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

PlayStation Move: Everything You Need To Know – Kotaku: “Yesterday, Sony took the wraps off the PlayStation Move, which some people will call Sony’s next big thing in video gaming, and others will call a shameless Wii Remote rip-off. Here’s everything you need to know about it.”

Did I say this was going to be called Arc? Oops! Meet Move.

The Must-Play Magic Of PlayStation Move Involves… A Foam Finger? – Kotaku: “Don’t snicker at Move Party. It is the game most squarely targeted at families among the motion-sensitive games showcased today at Sony’s PlayStation Move event. It is the most magical game here.”

PlayStation Move Gets Its First Wii Port – Kotaku: “Warner Bros let us know today that The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest, a game previously headed for the Wii (and DS), will now also be making an appearance on the PlayStation 3, “with full support for PlayStation’s upcoming motion controller technology”.”

Clearly, the best usage of motion controllers I've seen yet.

Gran Turismo 5 ‘Nights’ trailer is appropriately unlit, pretty – Joystiq: “It’s been a while since we last saw images from Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 5 — at least ones that were capable of moving whilst being accompanied by high-octane trance music. Such moving pictures were released earlier today, likely in an attempt to remind us just how pretty the game really is. (Here’s a refresher course: It’s super pretty.)”

Rumor: Final Fantasy XIII PS3 Has Freezing Issues – Kotaku: “In the West, role-playing game Final Fantasy XIII is a multi-platform game, getting a release on the Xbox 360 and the PS3. While the PS3 version might look better, individuals are claiming that there are freezing issues.”

Oh noes! Say it isn't so!

Nintendo Wii and DS news

Metroid: Other M Might Have Been On-Rails, If Not For Team Ninja – Kotaku: Or, this article could have been titled “Don’t Let Nintendo make their own business decisions”.

“Yoshio Sakamoto, the Metroid co-creator and WarioWare producer, says that his latest game, Metroid: Other M, was originally planned to be an on-rails adventure. If that sounds like Metroid sacrilege to you, thank co-developer Team Ninja for changing Sakamoto’s mind.”

Free roam in Other M? Yes, please!

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Here’s what’s making gaming news this week.

Multiplatform news

Now Playing: March 8-14, 2010 – Joystiq: Check out an amazing list of titles available to buy this week. I’ll give you a hint: there’s Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition, some game called Final Fantasy XIII (never heard of it, have you?), and not much else.

Report: FFXIII On 360 “Isn’t Anywhere Near As Impressive” As PS3 Version – Kotaku: The gist of it? The gameplay looks the same, the framerate is better on the Xbox 360, but the cinematics on the PS3 version are far superior.

Which is which? I can't tell the difference...

Aussie ratings board to discuss an R 18+ rating at April meeting – Joystiq: “Adelaide Now says that the Australian National Classification Scheme could finally take a look at the ratings issue when it meets in April of this year.”

The problem with this? If Attorney-General Michael Atkinson keeps his job after the SA elections this month, the meeting will serve no real purpose. He’ll block changes.

NHL 2K11 skips Xbox 360 and PS3, only coming to Wii – Joystiq: Take it from (Cool) Shite’s resident hockey fanatic: you’re not missing anything. EA’s NHL series is infinitely better.

Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition not coming to North America – Kotaku: For once, Australia gets something cool and joins Europe and Asia as the only countries that will get a neat new 3D-compatible GOTY edition of Arkham Asylum.

First Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Screens, Details – Kotaku: Tomb Raider it ain’t! Check out the first screens from Lara’s latest adventure here. It’s retooled and looking good!

Ooh, Tomb Raider-y! BUT NOT TOMB RAIDER!

Ex-Infinity Ward heads claim “Orwellian” moves by Activision – Joystiq: Where to begin with this one? Activision releases the two heads of Infinity Ward. The heads claim they were released unfairly. Let the legal drama begin!

Portal 2 confirmed for Mac, most likely also for PC and Xbox 360 – Gizmodo: After changing bits and pieces in Portal, including the game’s ending, Valve went ahead and announced its sequel will be on Mac. Also, Steam will be fully supported on Macs as well. Friggin’ cool!

Xbox 360 news

Halo: Reach Beta Footage Looks Like A Blast – Joystiq: Halo: Reach. Do I need to say more? Check out the video in the link.

Heavy-handed assassinations. Cooool.

ESRB outs ‘Lips: I (Heart) the 80s‘ – Joystiq: As if you didn’t have enough add-ons already, the ESRB have confirmed that Microsoft will soon bring out the fourth title in the Lips series.

Microsoft demos platformer across Xbox 360, Windows Phone, and PC – Joystiq: Imagine playing a game on your PC, saving, then heading to your Xbox 360 and playing from the exact point you left off. Now, transfer that game to the PC or your Windows 7 Series phone and keep going. Sound cool yet?

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

God of War III Review: Olympic Glory- Kotaku: “Bombastic, titanic, brutally imaginative and even occasionally subtle, God of War III is the latest, best reason for a gamer to save money and skip action movies. The better thrills are on a disc on my PlayStation 3.”

It's not a God of War clone because it IS God of War!

Happy Birthday PS2! – Joystiq: Can you honestly believe the PS2 has been around for 10 years and is still going strong?

Nintendo Wii and DS news

With The Help of Friends, Blind Man Beats Legend of Zelda – Joystiq: If you can only read one story this week, read this one. It’s so heart-warming you’ll be smiling for hours.

Game on, dude.

PC, iPhone, and other news

Portal updated with extended ending – Joystiq: If you can’t be bothered going to Steam and replaying the game, the link has the original the new endings. Just sayin’.

Is Portal. Is ominous.

Rumor: Ubisoft’s New DRM Scheme Already Torpedoed By Pirates – Kotaku

Ubisoft’s New DRM System Falls Down, Locks Out Paying Customers – Kotaku

Denial of Service Attack Kills Ubisoft DRM, Your Assassin’s Creed II Playtime – Kotaku

What a circus. Read through the above three articles and draw your own conclusions as to how Ubisoft’s latest DRM scheme is working.

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Multiplatform news

Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010 – Joystiq: Check out an amazing list of titles available to buy this week.

How Australia’s Proposed Internet Censorship Will (And Won’t) Affect Video Games – Kotaku: “While the lack of an adults-only rating for video games hogs all the headlines when it comes to gaming and Australia, there’s a far more sinister threat lurking on the horizon: internet censorship. But how does this affect gaming?”

Bioshock 2 DLC Begins With Sinclair Solutions Test Pack – Kotaku: “2K Games bolsters the multiplayer experience in BioShock 2 next month, with the release of the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, bringing new trials, weapon upgrades, playable characters, and a rank increase to our second dose of Rapture.”

Now It’s Aliens: Colonial Marines‘ Time To Shine – Kotaku: “It’s been a long, long time since we saw (or heard) anything meaningful from Gearbox about their promising shooter Aliens: Colonial Marine. So you’ll be happy to know that, with Borderlands out of the way, it’s good to go.”

With AVP out of the way, Aliens: Colonial Marines is on the horizon.

Resident Evil 5: Lost In Nightmares Micro-Review: Less Fighting, More Frightening – Kotaku: “The brief new downloadable episode for Resident Evil 5 isn’t very scary, but it does show how a Resident Evil 5 can be more terrifying than the original game Capcom released in 2009.”

There Are Secret Messages On Your BioShock 2 Posters – Kotaku: “A 2K forum poster holding a random blacklight session with his friends discovered scrawled secret messages on the three BioShock 2 posters that were packed in his special edition. Creepy!”

Warner Buys Batman: Arkham Asylum Devs – Kotaku: Looking to lock down one of the most promising developers in the business, Warner Bros. has purchased a majority stake in Rocksteady Studios, the developers behind Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Xbox 360 news

‘Xbox Effect’ Cited in Chick Flicks’ Rise – Kotaku: “More crap blowing up on the small screen = less crap blowing up, more talking about feelings on the big screen. Ergo, Modern Warfare 2 is the reason Twilight‘s such a big hit. Thanks, Infinity Ward!”

Microsoft ‘actively working to improve’ 1 vs 100 prizing process – Joystiq: “With the conclusion of another 1 vs 100 season on Xbox Live, it appears Microsoft still has some kinks to work out of its grand (and fun) online game show experiment. After receiving several tips and reviewing forums, it was made clear that some players were having problems obtaining their awards.”

Buy The Forza 3 VIP Car Pack, Help Haiti – Kotaku: “Microsoft has unlocked the Forza Motorsport 3 downloadable content previous exclusive to new copies of the game, and developer Turn 10 have unlocked their hearts, donating $10 towards earthquake relief in Haiti for every VIP Membership Car Pack sold.”

Download some cool tracks and help out Haiti.

Project Natal’s Lag Timed at 1/10 of a Second – Gizmodo: “We’ve been shamelessly excited about Project Natal…except for one key piece: The slight but undeniable lag. And now, MTV has actually put the difference between your movement and onscreen response to a stopwatch.”

Breakdancing Is No Match For Project Natal’s Sensors – Gizmodo: “It’s possible that you’ve been reading reports of Microsoft’s body-capturing Project Natal with some skepticism, wondering, ‘how well can this cockamamie setup possibly work?’ Well, going by this video of it perfectly tracking a guy breakdancing, pretty damn well.”

Borderlands DLC Getting Retail Release – Kotaku: “Borderlands, Gearbox Studios’ surprise hit shooter of 2009, will soon be bundling its downloadable content into a single package, which will be released in a box for retail shelves.”

Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News

PS3s Suffering From Global Network Lockdown – Kotaku: “Around the world, PlayStation 3 consoles simply aren’t working like they’re supposed to, with an error — Error: 8001050F — preventing people from not just going online, but from playing some PS3 games offline as well.”

Error 8001050F: Why the 10-Year Delayed Millennium Bug Brought Your PS3 To Its Knees – Gizmodo: “Remember December 31st, 1999? The lines of people at supermarkets, stockpiling tins of baked beans and bottled water, convinced the millennium bug would strike at midnight? Turns out the PS3 Error 8001050F was a millennium bug 10-years in the making.”

‘PlayStation Arc’ trademarked in Japan – Joystiq: “Another round of evidence suggesting that Sony will call its ball-and-stick thingamabob “PlayStation Arc”: A Japanese trademark for the name has been spotted by Siliconera. The “Arc” name has seen rumored since the beginning of the year — and has been dropped by execs like THQ boss Brian Farrell.”

Are you looking at the PlayStation Arc?

When PlayStation Meets Hurt Locker – Kotaku: “A recent Fox News report has shown that while video game controllers can sometimes be used by US and British forces in combat, they can sometimes be used against them as well.”

Play Heavy Rain On Your PC – Kotaku: “With the PS3 having some, ahem, problems today, you may not be able to play Heavy Rain. Ah well! You may as well kill some time by playing it on…YouTube.”

NSFW: Heavy Rain Glitch Brings Playable, Accidental Nudity – Kotaku: “Reader kuroner says that while playing Heavy Rain the other day, he stumbled on a little glitch. One that leaves one of the game’s stars, Madison Page, completely naked.”

Nintendo Wii and DS news

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Hits North America May 23 – Kotaku: “Super Mario Galaxy 2 hits North America on May 23, Nintendo of America’s Cammie Dunaway told a group of writers gathered in San Francisco for the Nintendo Summit this morning.”

Metroid: Other M rolls into North America June 27 – Joystiq: “The galaxy is at peace, now that we know we’ll be able to demand our copy of Metroid: Other M from the patient retailer of our choice on June 27. The date for the Nintendo and Team Ninja collaboration was just announced at the Nintendo Media Summit event.”

Metroid: Other M. COOL!

The Wii’s Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Is Not a Ported Prince – Kotaku: “Ubisoft’s made it very clear that Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, being released alongside the Jake Gyllenhaal-starring PoP film, is not another lame movie-to-game adaptation. It’s also not a lame port of a superior 360 or PS3 entry.”

PC, iPhone, and other news

Fallout 2‘s Rejected ‘Childkiller’ Icon is, Uh, Whoa… – Kotaku: “The artist who drew the perk images for Fallout 2 recently revealed his deleted concept for the game’s “Childkiller” status. “Even the designer who requested it realized it was a bad idea,” he writes.”

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Fallout perk FAIL.

Final Fantasy I & II Available Now on iPhone – Kotaku: “For those of you chomping at the bit for Final Fantasy XIII, here’s a fun little surprise to tide you over: Both Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II are now available on the iPhone for $9 a pop.”

iPhone Street Fighter IV has eight characters, will cost $10 – Joystiq: “GamePro has dropped some details on the iPhone version of Street Fighter IV, which is due out in March. The site has word that Capcom will sell the game for $9.99 on Apple’s App Store, and that it will feature a total of eight characters.”

It looks cool, but how are you REALLY going to control it?

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

As part of their support, both retailers have agreed to keep all games rated R18+ in a separate section of their stores. Additionally, they stated they’ll package these mature games in blank cases, “so as not to offend the delicate sensibilities of nearby shoppers,” reports Joystiq’s Griffin McElroy, likening the packaging as that found “in that certain section of your local BlockBuster Video…that only creeps go into.”

What McElroy might not know is that the plain-cased model is already one that has been made mandatory for R18+ rated films in South Australia (so goodbye cool packaging for movies like Mad Max or Fight Club). Maybe it’s a move designed to get to the softer side of SA Attorney General Michael Atkinson’s dead, old heart?

Barry and Rebecca make it into Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition

Resident Evil fans rejoice, because two old favourites have been confirmed as playable characters in RE5: Gold Edition‘s “Mercenaries Reunion” mode. Developer Capcom has acknowledged that both Rebecca Chambers (Resident Evil Zero) and Barry Burton (REmake) will be playable.

Barry Button: ass-kicker.

The characters should be part of the DLC pack due in February; a second DLC pack will become available in March.

School shooting massacre prevented by the power of Xbox Live (and a good ol’ Canuck!)

A Texan teenager has been arrested before he could follow-through on plans — boasted over Xbox Live — to gun down classmates at his high school. Authorities were tipped off to the teen’s plans by a fellow gamer who overheard them on the popular online service. The British Columbia-based gamer who overheard the comments immediately reported the incident to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who with the assistance of the Microsoft Law Enforcement contacted local authorities in San Antonio.

WOAI-TV in San Antonio has reported that “the suspect had planned to obtain weapons from a friend in the Marine Corps, and considered tactical details like how long he would have before S.W.A.T. would arrive and intended to shoot a pregnant classmate and his best friend. According to a police report, he wanted to shoot up the school so that he could “make the headlines so that people would remember him forever”.”

The teen in question is currently facing charges and has been suspended from school indefinitely.

“The Passing” comes to L4D2 in March, L4D DLC to follow

Left 4 Dead 2‘s first batch of downloadable content,  “The Passing,” is due out in March and features the four survivors from Valve’s original Left 4 Dead.

In addition to highlighting Zoey, Francis, Louis, and Bill, the DLC also stars a new special infected type called “the Fallen Survivor.” Says Kotaku, “These new zombies, humans who erroneously believed themselves to be immune to the infection, will sometimes drop items when killed, like health kits or ammo.” Whether or not the new special infected and the original characters from L4D are one and the same is anyone’s guess.

About a month after “The Passing” is released, Valve also plans to add new DLC to the original Left 4 Dead. The as yet unnamed episode will chronicle the original four survivors’ journey from the events of the original game up to “The Passing” itself.

Both DLC packs will be available for Xbox 360 and PC.

PS3 to get 3D firmware update this summer

To correspond with the release of 3D Bravia LCD sets sometime around July, Sony is planning to release updates to turn the PS3 into a stereoscopic 3D console and Blu-ray player.

Is anyone else already getting sick of 3D? I’ve had a commenter on Twitter reply back to this news with “I’d still prefer cross game voice chat over a 3D update anyday. That and a better PSN catalogue for PAL users.”

I’d tend to agree.

Getting sick of Hero games? Activision heard you!

Activision CEO Mike Griffith has seemingly heard the cries of all those gamers out there sick of constant releases of the Guitar Hero, Band Hero, and DJ Hero franchises, saying “fewer [Hero] SKUs will service a broader audience.” That basically means fewer titles in a gaming market currently oversaturated with rhythm games and their accompanying plastic peripherals.

“In 2009 we released 25 music SKUs, and in 2010 we plan to release less than 10,” Griffith said. Joystiq, meanwhile, counted 26 SKUs from “each console version of Guitar Hero Metallica, Guitar Hero Smash Hits, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero Van Halen, Guitar Hero On Tour Modern Hits, DJ Hero, and Band Hero — not counting various instrument bundles or special editions, and not counting cell phone versions” so you can see that Griffith might be trying to play-down that aforementioned over-saturation.

No more PS2 versions of Hero games and a reduction of Band Hero bundles — only leaving standalone discs for that brand — will account for the reduction in SKUs. I personally think it’s still about 7 SKUs too much – one game and one only for each console would be perfect, don’t you think?

A short time from now, at your local game store: Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars

Having covered all major Star Wars films, the Lego Star Wars franchise is returning with a sequel based on the animated Clone Wars series. The game will be released in Autumn 2010 for Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Nintendo DS and Wii.

From their press release, developer TT Games says to expect “brand new battle modes, giving players unique, head-to-head combat.” There’s a revamped level editor, allowing gamers the ability to construct their own “customized bases and in-game battlefields,” and new tactics in gameplay that will allow for “Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups.”

Colourblind hacking FAIL in Bioshock 2

An interesting tidbit emerged from Kotaku this week as self-proclaimed “Pissed-Off Colorblind Gamer” Owen Good showed the world just how colourblind gamers see the hacking mini-game in Bioshock 2.

Bioshock 2's hacking screen, seen with deuteranopia

The picture above demonstrates hacking as seen by a colourblind person with deuteranopia; the blue bars for a reward are clearly visible, but the red and green – basically huge win or huge fail (in that order) – appear as one and the same.

At this time, there’s no word from 2K, the developers of the game, over whether or not a patch can be released to remedy the situation. A patch for the same type of scenario was released for Modern Warfare 2, so there is hope!

DLC for Final Fantasy XIII? Maybe…

Whilst not confirmed by Square Enix at this stage, screenshots of the back of the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII have the ‘game content download’ label affixed to them. This is being taken by hopeful fans as the only evidence needed to prove downloadable content will be made available for the title.

The 'back of box' in question

No current shots of the PS3 version of the game have turned up on the internet, so it’s all speculation at this stage – this could mean Xbox 360 gamers could download FXIII-themed avatar clothes rather than traditional DLC for all we know.

Art Director Isamu Kamikokuryou has commented in the past that the FXIII team has cut out enough from the game to make up a whole other game entirely, so you never know. More on this as it develops!

Microsoft’s X10 and what it means for Xbox 360

Microsoft’s annual media event, this year called X10 (any guesses what next year’s event will be called) highlighted the company’s big plans for this year. Who better than to take us through the key items than Xbox’s Major Nelson?

“Here, in no specific order, are 10 things you need to know coming out of X10 today:

• The Halo Reach multiplayer beta will kick off on May 3. You will be able to access the beta via the Halo 3: ODST game disc.
• Dead Rising 2 will release in North America on Aug. 31, Japan on Sept. 2 and Europe on Sept. 3.
• Dead Rising: CASE ZERO an exclusive download only on Xbox LIVE, will launch prior to the full game and provide a playable prologue that bridges the story between the two titles.
• Alan Wake will launch May 18 in North America and May 21 in Europe. Players can pre-order the title to receive the Bright Falls Bonus Pack, which includes exclusive content like Avatar gear, an Xbox LIVE theme, and a “making of” video.
• The Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition Bundle will release starting March 9 for $399, and include a 250GB Hard Drive, two Wireless Controllers, exclusive downloadable avatar items and a Standard Edition copy of the game.
• Toy Soldiers will kick off the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party on March 3.
• Perfect Dark, Scrap Metal and Game Room will launch this March as a part of the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party.
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction will release at retailers starting April 13 in North America, April 16 in the United Kingdom, and April 28 in Japan.
• Lost Planet 2 will launch in North America and Europe on May 18.
• Fable III will be available this holiday.”

Notable game releases this week

• Art of Balance (Wii)
• Becky Brogan: The Mystery of Meane Manor! (PC)
• Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (DS)
• Aliens vs. Predator (PC, PS3, 360)
• Chicken Riot (Wii)
• Crime Scene (DS)
• Data East Arcade Classics (Wii)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce (PS3, 360)
• Everquest II: Battlegrounds and Sentinel’s Fate (PC)
• Free Running (Wii)
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 (PSP)
• Triple Crown Snowboarding (Wii)
• Tropico 3 (360)
• WarBirds: Dogfights (PC)
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (360)
• Deadly Premonition (360)
• Ghost Pirates of Voojoo Island (PC)

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Original Xbox to be removed from Xbox Live service

April 15 will mark the end of Live service to those dedicated (or cheap?) gamers who use an original Xbox for their online matchmaking needs. All Xbox original titles – most notably, Halo 2, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and Counter-Strike – will lose online capability on that date.

In a notice to Live members, Xbox Live general manager Marc Written said,, “I want to start by saying this isn’t a decision we made lightly…but after careful consideration, it is clear that this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox Live community.”

Microsoft has stated they will shortly be in contact with those Live gamers who utilise original Xbox titles for online play. If you are one of those gamers, keep an eye on your associated email address or your Xbox messages via the console.

Iron Man 2 tie-in game not to suck. Honest!

Kotaku’s Stephen Totilo was…lucky…enough to sit down with the developers of Iron Man 2 to find out, in Totilo’s words, why “[it] won’t be dreadful.”

Iron Man 2 -- promised to be less sucky.

Kyle Brink of Interactive Entertainment goes into great detail here about key changes in this title as compared to the original tie-in game. Notably, enhanced controls, a unique story, better environments and destruction effects, and War Machine seem to be the reasons why you won’t want to throw this game through the nearest window.

My favourite bit about the interview? Brink honestly says he tried to make Iron Man‘s combat system more like Batman: Arkham Asylum. Let the DC vs Marvel war begin.

To boldly go where one million have gone before…

After less than a week, new MMO Star Trek Online can already boast over one million players.

In related news, the massive multiplayer title is already offering microtransactions: be willing to part with more cash (aside from what you already dropped buying the game AND for your monthly subscription) if you’re looking for a Starfleet officer with a Klingon or Ferengi background.

I personally won’t be delving in to this game, despite my love for Star Trek, as I like games where THERE IS AN ACTUAL ENDING AND/OR POINT. What about you? Have you played it? Do you love it? Let us know.

Sonic 4, please do not suck.

Are you excited or scared?

Not a company to be discouraged after several thousand failed attempts at a decent Sonic game, Sega has recently announced they’re trying again…and this game might actually be good!

Abandoning the 3D look and feel of most recent Sonic games, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be a direct sequel to the GOOD (read: 2D) titles in the series, the last being Sonic and Knuckles in 1994.

Not only is the series going back to its roots, it also promises that Sonic will remain the only playable character in the game.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be available on Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 around July. Logic dictates that further episodes in the sequel will be released at regular intervals thereafter.

Sony stops A-grade downloadable titles for PS3

In a move that Gizmodo’s Mark Wilson calls “Sony’s latest PS3 mistake,” large downloadable titles like Warhawk will no longer be able to be lazily grabbed off of teh interwebs via the PlayStation Network straight to the PS3 console.

While it is believed Sony has made this decision due to ever-shrinking space on the PS3′s internal HDD (as most Blu-ray games require hefty installs to the HDD before they can be played) or large download files (average PS3 games can weigh in at 50GB and would be tough to download), Wilson can’t help but compare Sony’s revised downloadable game model to Microsoft’s and laugh.

“Microsoft has assembled an impressive library of $20 titles on the 360, and they’re intelligently slapping games like, say, Mass Effect on there before Mass Effect 2 comes out. This kind of strategy is good for the game studios, sure, but more importantly, it’s convenient for the consumer,” Wilson said.

Sony’s ‘The Tester’ is way cooler on paper

Or, "Would you Like to Open a Drive Tray?!?"

Sony ‘s new original PlayStation Network reality series, called “The Tester,” debuts on February 18.  Eleven gamers will compete over 8 episodes to become an actual PlayStation game tester and pick up a $5000 signing bonus in the process. Sound good? Those in the industry think not.

My favourite ACTUAL piece of reality about the show comes from Tycho of Penny Arcade fame, who describes what the show’s winner could look forward to:

“We know a lot of testers.  Testing is an umbrella term in the gaming industry, and isn’t entirely sufficient as a descriptor. My friend Clinton did “testing” at Microsoft on the original Xbox, and this testing involved him opening and closing the system’s drive tray all day. He just got back from Iraq, but if I were to ask him what the most unrelenting and psyche abrading job he ever held was, I know he’d have to pause a moment before answering.”

Here’s hoping “The Tester” gets to preview…I mean, test…Resistance 3 or something as opposed to Barbie’s Horse Adventures 4: The Clydesdale!

Bits and bobs

Microsoft confirms Game Room rating ceiling — Joystiq

250GB Xbox HDD headed to Japan in March – Joystiq

Online Multiplayer Assassin’s Creed 2 Coming to the iPhone – Kotaku

Kojima considers Japanese Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker delay a “crime” — Joystiq

This week’s notable releases
Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun (Wii)
Data East Arcade Classics (Wii)
Bioshock 2 (PC/Mac, Xbox 360, PS3)
Scene It? Twilight (DS)
Dante’s Inferno (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP)
Star Ocean: The Last Hope International (PS3)
Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll (Wii)
Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy (PC)
Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)
World Cup of Pool (DS)
Stargate Resistance (PC)

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

So, rather than applying some sort of scientific process to set all consoles and games on a level playing field, we’re splitting it up this year; say hello to your top games of 2009, plus a ton more notable runners-up!

Best Multiplatform game of 2009

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Best Multiplatform Game -- Batman: Arkham Asylum

Runners Up: Assassin’s Creed 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Resident Evil 5

Big loser: Terminator: Salvation – The Video Game

Batman: Arkham Asylum almost lost this very close race for game of the year. In 20 years of gaming, this title holds the distinct honour of being the only game I’ve ever had a save file go corrupt on. Needless to say, my first thought when considering the game was how I was forced to replay a game after getting through 79% of it beforehand.

My second thought? I barely noticed I’d played through most of the sequences before! Two words on why: Mark Hamill. Or, Kevin Conroy. How about Arleen Sorkin? Or simply, “HOLY NOSTALGIA, (Batman!)”.

The plot is stellar, the voice actors are literally ripped from our childhood – come on, you know Batman: The Animated Series is a total classic – and…finally…it’s a Batman game that actually makes you feel like Batman. Moreover, it’s a superhero game finally done right. With a sequel recently announced, Batman fans cannot be happier right now.

Runners-Up -- Best Multiplatform Game

Arkham Asylum narrowly beat out Assassin’s Creed 2, though the two share strong plots and simple controls that are easy to learn and hard to master, and Ghostbusters: The Video Game which relied on a ton of nostalgia itself. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was almost up there due to addictive multiplayer modes and a non-stop (though short) single-player campaign. Dragon Age: Origins gets a nod purely for its gay sex option* in my book, and since I’m being biased, Resident Evil 5 also gets tipped for finally tying together all the series’ loose plot threads. Mostly.

The big loser of the year? Terminator: Salvation – The Video Game. Hands down. If you want to learn how to very loosely tie a game to a film franchise, and then rush it out the door so quickly a first-year game developer could have done a better job, look no further. Avoid it all costs unless you’re looking for some relatively achievements/trophies.

Best Xbox 360 exclusive game of 2009

Halo 3: ODST

Best Xbox 360 Game -- Halo 3: ODST

Runners Up: 1 vs 100, Forza Motorsport 3, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, Shadow Complex, Trials HD

Big loser: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

The problem with console-exclusive awards this year is that there weren’t too many exclusives. THAT IS A GOOD THING. Still, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all need their exclusives, so let’s start the awarding. From the Microsoft camp, Halo 3: ODST gets the gong. It’s  another Halo; not particularly innovative in its single player campaign, but still a lot of fun. The multiplayer, however, is why this award is being issued; if you haven’t played the Firefight mode yet, you’re missing out. It’s fun with a partner, and even better as 4-player co-op. Throwing Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin (all from Firefly), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), and Nolan North (every single video game on the planet, it seems – most notably Uncharted, Assassin’s Creed, and Prince of Persia) into the mix surely didn’t hurt either. The star power and replayability just put it past the post when compared to Forza Motorsport 3.

Runners-Up -- Best Xbox 360 Game

The Xbox Live Arcade beats the PlayStation Network and its offerings hands down. The best of the crop this year? 1 vs 100 looks like a hoot; it’s shame Australians don’t get to find out, first-hand. Trials HD is another easy to learn, hard to master puzzle game – you’ll lose hours on it before you realise – and Shadow Complex is an old gamer’s side-scroller brought into the present. On the DLC front, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is literally a standalone game and shouldn’t just be considered DLC; hopefully we’ll see more of that type of content rather than extra costume packs and other money-wasters.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was the big loser; a celebrated game series simultaneously reintroduced and brought back fifteen steps. A decent start was crushed by a crap 3D world and the unnecessary inclusion of VEHICLES (yay, vehicles!) and shows you just how wrong Rare got it.

Best Sony PS3 exclusive game of 2009

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best PlayStation 3 Game -- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Runners Up: inFamous, Killzone 2, God of War Collection, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Big loser: EyePet

If only Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull was handled by Naughty Dog; we might have gotten something closer to what Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was and less (spoiler alert!) aliens.

The gameplay is solid, there’s a very rich multiplayer mode that doesn’t feel tacked on, and we have a chauvinistic, cocky, pigheaded bastard of a main hero…who you will LOVE. As a fellow reviewer has pointed out, “Uncharted 2 is a 10/10 game after two minutes of the first level.” Much like Modern Warfare 2, you’re constantly running, jumping, and fighting with zero let up; it’s an action movie that you get the privilege of controlling.

Runners-Up -- Best PS3 Game

To summarise: this is the game that makes me want to buy (or at least borrow) a PS3. No other game will ever make me say that.

inFamous was solid, but releasing it at the same time as Prototype drew too many comparisons to make this a contender for Sony’s exclusive prize. Killzone 2 is a solid shooter, and Sony’s answer to Halo; well worth picking up. Hitting up that familiar (especially this year!) sense of nostalgia, the God of War collection is worth a purchase if you’re new to the series and getting drawn-in by the marketing for God of War III; the updated graphics make it appealing to old fans as well. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time delivers another solid sequel the addictively fun series.

I know the Blonde Lusty Team loves it, but the big loser for Sony is EyePet. Imagine what that game could have been if released with Sony’s motion controller/camera bundle, codenamed Gem, next year…

Best Nintendo Wii exclusive game of 2009

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Best Wii Game -- New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Runners Up: House of the Dead: Overkill, Mad World, Dead Space: Extraction

Big loser: Nintendo in general. Can we move on now?

I’ve already admitted to being biased, so I’ll flat out say it: the Wii is useless. An SD console in this day and age is enough to warrant that claim; the introduction of Microsoft’s Project Natal and Sony’s Gem systems next year is the icing on that cake. The amount of party games and other shovelware is beyond ridiculous and Nintendo’s ever-slipping market share is starting to show that consumers are clueing into that fact.

That gripe aside, a lot of games are riding the nostalgia wave this year, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the most unashamedly so. This is Super Mario Bros. 3, but with 4-player multiplayer!

…and that’s all I got. I don’t need to sell this game, do I? You’ve already bought it.

Our runners up? House of the Dead: Overkill is perfectly tongue-in-cheek and extremely fun and funny to play. Mad World seemed to get lost amongst party games and didn’t get the respect it deserved (try putting it out for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Sega!), and Dead Space Extraction is another solid on-rails shooter that has spectacular graphics; forget you’re spazzing out with motion controls for a second and you might think you’re playing an HD console.

The big loser? I think we’ve already covered that. To conclude: Nintendo, this isn’t 2006. A vitality sensor isn’t an innovation, it’s pointless. How about an HD console in the very near future, and less gimmicks in general?

Best handheld game of 2009

Scribblenauts

Best Handheld Game -- Scribblenauts

Runners Up: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Canabalt, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Big loser: Every single app on Facebook that doubles as a game.

For all the loathing I focus on Nintendo for the Wii, I’ll throw them praise for their handheld ventures; the DS is actually pretty cool. Most of our handheld entries come from that console, but Scribblenauts takes the prize this year very easily. Sure, it might be a bit rough around the edges at times, but the concept is unbeatable. Just try to find a word in the dictionary that doesn’t have an in-game model. You won’t. Fans of puzzle games and those with great imagination will lose themselves in this game.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars gets a mention purely because any game that gives you an updated version of Drug Wars is a-ok in my book. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story gets a nod for its creative setup, as does Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box.

If you can’t tell, by this point of our proceedings, I’m (i)Phoning it in, so the last nod goes to Canabalt – go grab it from the App Store and you will not be sorry. It’s simple, but hilariously fun – check it out online first if you don’t believe me (and Merry Christmas! Don’t say I didn’t get you anything.).

The big loser? Technically not a handheld device, but accessible on mobiles, I’m lumping together every single “game” on Facebook and giving it one huge raspberry. I’m looking specifically at you, Farmville!

–

So that’s it for 2009. I’m by no means an expert when it comes to Nintendo or Sony, or arguably Microsoft or video games in general, so if you thought I got it wrong (or right!), let’s hear why in the comments. I’m also very keen to see your own personal top 5 and bottom 5 games for the year, so what are you waiting for? Put ‘em up!

*And nope, I wasn’t kidding. Here’s Jimmy Kimmel to explain and provide you with yet another Christmas pressie — probably NSFW, but not too bad.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You gotta hand it to John Riccitiello, head of Electronic Arts: he gets pirating and how to work with it.

Rather than flat out shun those who pirate EA games, Riccitiello is acknowledging it happens and trying to incorporate that into his business plan, all via post-release downloadable content (DLC).

“They can steal the disc, but they can’t steal the DLC,” he said. “There’s a sizable pirate market…and we want to try to generate revenue in that marketplace.”

Games that include bonus retail purchase DLC include Sims 3, which offers a new town, or recent game The Saboteur, which gives you the chance to see CGI breasts.

From top: Massive EA logo, Riccitiello.

EA has also highlighted post-release DLC purchases of Dragon Age: Origins hit over one million downloads its first week of availability.

“The consumer wants more, and when you give them more or sell them more it seems to be extremely well received,” Riccitiello said.

He continued by stating the music industry had made the mistake of “demonizing” its consumers rather than attempting to work them into their business models. He believes that EA can embrace pirates by making it enticing for people to play games legitimately, through services like EA Sports’ community hub or the BioWare social site that links into Dragon Age.

I’m interested in reader comments on this story: were you recently part of the Xbox 360 ban wave? Were or are you a game Pirate, but a big-spender when it came to DLC? Has Microsoft’s banhammer wave discouraged you from gaming, or turned you legit? What about PC users? Let us know!

Get your English Gran Turismo 5 fix soonish

Ah, localisation – I hate you! It’s your fault that the Japanese will get games like Final Fantasy XIII and Gran Turismo 5 so early, and we English folk so late.

If you’ve got a PS3 and you don’t speak Japanese, you can look (very far) forward to a North American (and I’d assume PAL as well) release around June 2010.

Star Trek geeks destined to buy 15 copies of Star Trek Online

See this pretty ship? It's not an exclusive pre-order bonus. Yet.

Pre-orders bonuses. Would you like a liberated Borg (read: a blonde hottie in a catsuit, perhaps?) on your Star Trek MMO bridge? How about the Constitution class U.S.S. Enterprise? That’s two copies you’ll need to buy, right there.

In what is becoming common practice, major retailers are competing for your Star Trek Online purchase by using exclusive pre-order content; as a result, you ultimately lose out.

Pre-order bonuses (granted, mostly in North America) include:

• GameStop: Exclusive ship: The classic U.S.S. Enterprise
• Best Buy: Pet Tribble or Targ (based on faction)
• Amazon: “Liberated Borg” Bridge Officer with “unique nanotechnology augmentations”
• Direct2Drive: Multi-Spatial Personal Shield (regenerates itself and player health)
• Wal-mart: Bonus Skill Points (bestows additional skill points)
• Target: TR-116 ground weapon (micro-transporter beams projectiles to target, no line of sight required)
• Steam: Chromodynamic Armor, improves critical hits and damage of energy weapons

Kinda makes you reminiscent of the old days, when you actually got a FULL game when you bought it, eh?

More kinda-cool, kinda-lame Alien vs. Predator news

The kinda-cool bits? Lance Henriksen is reprising his role as Bishop in Rebellion’s Alien vs. Predator game. Says Henriksen about his inclusion, “I might score from this game!”

The kinda-lame bits? It’s not the awesome, milky-blood spewing android Bishop from Aliens (and, technically, Alien³), but the lame, quasi-canon co-founder of the Weland-Yutani corporation, Charles Bishop Weyland. Or his descendant. Or something. It was all in the AVP series of films.

Human Bishop, in all his...glory.

Australia doesn’t get the game anyway. Pardon me while I go pout some more.

Screen Actors’ Guild versus video game makers

This week saw SAG reject a voice acting contract with major video game publishers (over 70 of ‘em, in fact) largely due to what’s been classified as “atmospheric” work.

The new work classification, “atmospheric voices,” means that one voice actor could be responsible for up to 20 incidental characters – all for a fee of $800 for 4 hours.

The SAG, largely due to union vote, shot down the new contract over fears that actors would have far greater “vocal stress.” The potential stress is due actors being required to come up with so many different voices in such a short period of time.

The Los Angeles Times has a full story on this issue, which you can read here.

At the moment, members of SAG account for 25 percent of all video game voice acting.

Spike VGA winners…and losers

It’s hard to take the VGAs seriously; I mean, they made special categories, “Best Performance by a Human Male” and “Human Female” in some weird attempt to try to lure celebrities to their function. I wasn’t aware that those poor SAG voice actors weren’t considered human unless they had appeared in a feature film like Hugh Jackman or Megan Fox. Even then, Jack Black was still lumped with the common voice actors and not the big famous movie-makers…he must be crying into his big piles of cash right now.

Nonetheless, the big winners of the VGAs were as follows:

• Game of the Year: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Studio of the Year: Rocksteady Studios
• Best Independent Game: Flower
• Best Xbox 360 Game: Left 4 Dead 2
• Best PS3 Game: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Wii Game: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
• Best PC Game: Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Handheld Game: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
• Best Shooter: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Fighting Game: Street Fighter IV
• Best Action Adventure Game: Assassin’s Creed II
• Best RPG: Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Multiplayer Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Individual Sports Game: UFC 2009 Undisputed
• Best Team Sports Game: NHL 10
• Best Driving Game: Forza Motorsport 3
• Best Music Game: The Beatles: Rock Band
• Best Soundtrack: DJ Hero
• Best Original Score: Halo 3: ODST
• Best Graphics: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Game Based On A Movie/TV Show: South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
• Best Performance By A Human Female: Megan Fox (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
• Best Performance By A Human Male: Hugh Jackman (X-Men Origins: Wolverine)
• Best Cast: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Best Voice: Jack Black (Brütal Legend)
• Best Downloadable Game: Shadow Complex
• Best DLC: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
• Most Anticipated Game of 2010: God of War III

Game reveals at the VGAs

We had some good ones, folks! Why talk about them when their trailers can do so much more?

Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Transformers: War for Cybertron (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tron: Evolution (Xbox 360, PS3)

Click here to view the embedded video.

True Crime: Hong Kong (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Click here to view the embedded video.

This week’s notable new releases

• MX vs. ATV Reflex (PS3, PSP, Xbox 360)
• Tekken 6 (PSP)

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Previously published by Microsoft on the Xbox 360 platform with titles Lights, Camera, Action and Box Office Smash, the Scene It? series has branched out to include the PS3 and Wii with Bright Lights! Big Screen! (like in most forms of media, we’re just plain ignoring the Twilight). With previous Xbox titles receiving rave reviews and being quite enjoyable, does this newest, multi-platform edition maintain the same level of quality?

Straight up? No. As to why, read on.

The good: The game’s core elements, essentially untouched, are perfect for movie buffs. Trivia questions — and lots of them – are presented in a variety of different puzzle blocks such as Movie Clips, Anagrams, Celebrity Ties, Pictograms, and Songs & Slogans. Boasting 3,000 unique questions, dealing with movies as recent as the schlockfest 2012, the title is pretty good at ensuring you won’t get bogged down with the same stale questions over and over again.

Bonus points to the game for having very up-to-date questions.

Fans of previous Scene It? titles know that the announcer gets very annoying, very fast. Bright Lights! Big Screen! is quite successful in reigning the host in. Additionally, previous titles are notoriously bad for loading screens and gaps between question blocks; these timings have also been greatly improved.

The meh: You know you’re dealing with a crap game when you single out a less-annoying host and improved load times as big wins. To be frank, all of the game’s attributes are executed lazily and all deserve to be in the ‘meh’ column. That wouldn’t make a very good (or size-appropriate) review, though, so on we go to…

The shite: The previous Scene It? title, Box Office Smash!, was a great Xbox 360 game. It was one of the first titles to support the new avatar system launched beside the console’s NXE program. A majority of the title’s fun came from the competition you could generate via its online multiplayer mode. The title, simply put, did what a trivia game AND a next-generation game should – made an enjoyable and varied game that used online features to keep it fresh.

This new title takes many backwards steps from what made the series great – in one fell swoop, avatar integration AND online multiplayer were removed. Choosing from one of the twelve pre-rendered avatars doesn’t draw you in like seeing your own crafted representation had in the past. Worse, you will get sick of the pre-rendered character’s sobs when you get a question wrong. Continually. Take my advice and turn the avatar sound off. Additionally, other absent aspects like online leaderboards would have served to at least maintain some sort of competitive aspect to the game.

Some of the pre-rendered avatars. They suck.

The long and short of it? The game is okay, but not great – truly deserving of a “Meh” rating because of its multi-platform nature. If you have an Xbox 360, pick up Scene It? Box Office Smash! instead. If you’ve already played that previous game, just let this new one go – it’s shite. For those who haven’t experienced Scene It? on another platform, you might consider picking this up; it’s good only because you don’t have another choice.

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

Another game bites the dust

First up: keeping it close to home, more news on the Australian lack of an R18+ rating for video games. The latest game to be banned in our fair country is none other than Aliens vs. Predator, the newest instalment in the popular series published by Sega.

Unlike Left 4 Dead 2, which was recently released to Aussies in a watered-down format, Sega has announced they “will not be releasing a sanitised or cut down version [of AVP] for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices.”

Previous Aliens vs. Predator games have received ratings of M or MA15+ in Australia.

This is as much as Australians will get to see of AVP.

Industry backlash against Michael Atkinson

Michael Atkinson

This week has seen the industry lash out at South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson as he is solely responsible for the lack of an R18+ rating in the country.

The Interactive Gaming and Entertainment Association’s Ron Curry was quick to dispute Atkinson’s claim that the Attorney-General has “done nothing to impede [the] release” of an R18+ classification.

Curry has released a statement, which you can read in full here, saying “the debate [over the proposed rating] has been largely hijacked by Atkinson whose invective, in my view, is full of moral panic, misinformation, and factual inaccuracies.”

Paul Hunt, a former member of the Office of Film and Literature Classification Board, also fought back after the Attorney-General accused the Board of doing “everything [they could] to get games in under the radar.”

Whilst denying this vehemently, Hunt affirmed that “extremely violent, sexually depraved and drug use games are not permitted under the Refused Classification category in the guidelines. Creating an R18+ classification will not change this.”

God of War creator David Jaffe, attending the Asia Pacific conference in Melbourne, also expressed his frustrations with Australia’s lack of an R18+ classification. “There’s a government board and if they say it’s too offensive, in that case there’s no fight to fight — it is what it is,” he said. “There’s not much you can do if you’re making games aimed at a mature audience. We never like to cut it, but what are you going to do? You’re dealing with governments.”

A Dead Space sequel with 100% less on-rail shooter elements

While you may have enjoyed Dead Space: Extraction on the Nintendo Wii, let’s face it – you enjoyed Dead Space on PS3 and the Xbox 360 MUCH more. If you agree with that last statement, rejoice — a true sequel to Dead Space is on the way, appropriately titled Dead Space 2.

“We’re thrilled to jump back into the series, making the next chapter in Isaac’s journey,” says Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of the limb-dissecting survival horror sequel. “The infection continues to spread throughout space and our hero Isaac Clarke is the only person able to contain it. There are still loads of Necromorphs that need killing. In Dead Space 2, not everything is exactly as it seems. Expect plot twists that will surprise you and a huge cast of twisted, disgusting monsters that are sure to scare the daylights out of you.”

For those who never want to set foot in an elevator again

Whilst Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 was a brilliant game, it was best known for one annoying feature: enormous loading times, represented by your characters sitting around in an elevator.

Waiting.

Endlessly.

BioWare, developers of Mass Effect 2 have heard you complaining, and have decided that the elevators are out. Says BioWare, “a completely new system” will be used that’s “part of the game experience.” The studio will be implementing “loading screens and movies” but will try to avoid “show[ing] boring loading screens.”

How they’ll feature loading screens without loading screens is beyond me. My best guess? Movies of escalators. That’ll teach you for whinging.

Loving Assassin’s Creed 2? Beware this game-breaking glitch

Without giving too much away spoiler-wise, gamers currently in the midst of Assassin’s Creed 2 should take note of a particularly nasty glitch on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

If gamers shut off their console directly after the autosave triggered after completing DNA Sequence 11 and regaining control of Desmond, they will find themselves unable to continue on in the game.

Lucy and Desmond in Assassin's Creed 2 with a fully-loaded Animus.

For some reason, the autosave at that point in the game will corrupt. Future attempts to load that autosave will fail to fully load the Animus, meaning Desmond will essentially be stuck in a room with nowhere to go and no way to delve into Ezio’s next memory.

Publisher Ubisoft has acknowledged the glitch and is working on a patch, but my advice to gamers? Save manually once you get to that point, and then keep playing on through until you regain control of Ezio.

Then save again. Twice.

Best. Banhammer. EVER.

For those PC gamers out there, I’m not technically saying you should try to get banned from Aion, but still, you might want to just to see how cool it is.

Not content on simply booting cheaters from their game, developers have created a giant flaming squirrel or bunny (no idea how they decide which spawns to get you) to utterly decimate unruly sorts from their game world.

See below for a video illustrating the squirrel in all his death-dealing glory.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Multiplayer Tomb Raider?

Crystal Dymanics, responsible for a whole ton of (crap) Tomb Raider games of late, have put up a job listing for developers who are “able to effectively create and lead the multiplayer vision and design effort” in an upcoming “AAA title”.

Joystiq’s put their money on this multiplayer developer role being in the Tomb Raider franchise, and I tend to agree. One is left to wonder if it will reinvigorate the franchise, or drive it further into the ground. Time will tell!

NHL 10’s third jersey code is out!

I’m a hockey fan. Sue me.

This will be short but sweet. Since all of the NHL teams have revealed their third jerseys for the year, EA Sports have released the corresponding third jersey code for their hit title NHL 10.

If you’ve got the game, fire it up and input rwyhafwh6ekyjcmr to make jerseys available for the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, and the Minnesota Wild.

This week’s notable new releases

• Blood Bowl (Xbox 360)
• Buzz Quiz World (PSP)
• Colin McRae DiRT 2 (PC)
• Empire: Total War – Elite Units of America (PC – Steam)
• James Cameron’s Avatar (PSP)
• The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo DS)
• Rayman (Nintendo DSiWare)
• The Saboteur (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Street Fighter Alpha 2 – (Nintendo WiiWare)
• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Nintendo Wii)
• Qiz++ (Xbox Live Arcade)

The fine print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Then, you unlock 24 out of 25 achievements in a game and think, “well, why not try to finish it?” Two hours later, you’ve grinded away to unlock that last achievement and geek out from a swell of pride that comes from deep within. You find yourself boasting (repeatedly) to your friends that you’ve got the maximum 1000 gamerscore in the game…and log in to your console just to bring up the screen that proves it.

Oddly enough, your friends don’t seem to care.

The next day at work, you spend an hour researching the best ways to kill enemies, gather collectables, or glitch to make it easier to unlock more achievements in your next game. You continue to tell yourself you’re still in control.

Next, you find yourself taking a day off work just to try to boost a game online; after all, you can’t finish it off without those pesky multiplayer achievements!

It’s at this point that you need to own up to your problem – you’re an achievement addict.

However, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone – Xbox 360 players have collectively unlocked over one billion achievements in the lifetime of the console (and that number was reported back in 2008!).

So don’t lose heart – embrace that inner addict! After you’ve reach some sort of acceptance, here’s some tips from self-acknowledged addicts to maintain that Xbox 360/rest of life balance.

First, understand your class

There are MANY types of achievement addicts, but to simplify things, you will eventually identify with one of three main types: gamerscore addicts, completionist addicts, or hybrid addicts.

The gamerscore addict is focused on the (admittedly useless) amount of gamerscore points they have unlocked via their Xbox 360 gamertag. They generally don’t care how many points they get in a single game, but how many points they have overall; getting 1000 out of 1000 possible points isn’t necessary if you can get the same amount of points quicker from several.

The completionist addict is more about finishing off games and getting their game library achievement completion as close to 100% as possible. These players will spend as much time as is necessary on one game to ensure they’ve unlocked every achievement possible, and won’t play a game if they can’t get 100%; after all, it’d wreck their stats!

The hybrid addict is somewhere in the middle – they’ll aim for completion, but won’t be too stressed if they don’t get it…so long as they can unlock most achievements in a relatively quick time. If games require two or three playthroughs to unlock all possible achievements, they’ll go through the game once and set it aside for a second attempt later on (but won’t lose sleep over it).

Gamer Stallion83 knows his class, and rightly so – he holds the distinction of having the highest gamerscore of any other Xbox 360 gamer, currently sitting at 360,645 at the time of writing. Stallion83 says his gamerscore addiction began in January 2006: “I can thank Call of Duty 2 for that,” he muses. “My achievement hunting began the very first day the 360 was released in North America. I reached 100,000 in March 2007, and 333,333 gamerscore in July 2009.”

Stallion83’s current goal, to reach 1,000,000 gamerscore, began last fall (he’s aiming to have it done by December 31, 2014), and his website at www.1milliongamerscore.com chronicles his efforts. He identifies as a Hybrid addict: “I have different cycles that I go into during the course of a year,” he says. “My main cycle is to get the most out of a game and then move on to another game. I usually come back months later and top a lot of those off.”

He continues, “I believe it is much harder to score a huge amount of gamerscore points over a few months than going for a few pesky achievements. It wears your brain out a little bit more. I consider my completion cycle my chill period.”

Use all resources at your disposal

Hands down, there are two amazing websites that achievement addicts should have bookmarked: www.trueachievements.com and www.xbox360achievements.org. Both sites are excellent resources for gamers, and the achievement guides featured on each are unparalleled. TrueAchievements also takes the unique step of allocating each proper achievement a “TrueAchievement” score – which is higher than the proper score allocation and rises or falls depending on how many other gamers have successfully unlocked it.

For example, the difficult “EA Sports Hockey League Legend” in NHL 09 is 100 gamerscore, but has a TrueAchievement score of 526 because a scant 4% of that game’s players have unlocked it. In addition to providing tips to get those hard to unlock achievements and helping you pair up with others who can help you out, you’ll also get a huge ego boost by winning those that others can’t.

Another great service is called Raptr; it will tweet your gaming successes, and at the very least will connect you with other gamers for boosting partners or other game recommendations.

Get some quick, cheap fixes

No matter which addict type you associate with, there are tons of games that can provide instant gratification in the form of easy achievements or easy full completion. Some are good, some bad, and some bad but totally worth playing regardless. This author’s personal suggestions include:

The good: Early 2K sports games NHL 2K6, NBA 2K6, and College Hoops 2K6 can be picked up cheap second-hand and have 5 achievements each which can usually be unlocked in an hour or so each for the full 1000 gamerscore. Another decent game with easy gamerscore from the 360’s launch is Condemned: Criminal Origins, which can get you a full completion on one run through. Doritos: Dash of Destruction is a free Xbox Live Arcade game that’s decent to play and a sure-fire 200/200 gamerscore (Arcade games are limited to that amount).

Bully: Scholarship Edition is a bit painful to play through at times, but should get you a decent score just through playing through the story. For those looking to get some nostalgia, Sega Mega Drive: Ultimate Collection will net you big scores over a variety of classic Sega games. If you’re a trivia buff (or you’re good on Google), Trivial Pursuit and Scene It: Box Office Smash come highly recommended.

More recent games include XMen Origins: Wolverine and Batman: Arkham Asylum, which will give you a lot of gamerscore quite easily, but have some challenges in them that keep you from getting too bored while playing.

The bad: Eragon and Terminator: Salvation are an easy source of gamerscore, but are ridiculously painful to play through. On the flipside, Avatar The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth is such a poorly-designed game that you can get a full 1000 gamerscore in about five minutes, repeatedly mashing the “B” button – it’s totally worth renting at your local video store.

In addition to some of the games listed above, Stallion83 also recommends “Disney and kids games.” He adds, “I think it really depends on how little or how much you enjoy a certain game to determine how hard it may be for you. I think a 6 hour game that I hate is harder than a 10 hour game that I enjoy. For me, not much beats online co-op games.”

There are dozens more games that could be recommended here. Remember to help other addicts out by posting your suggestions in the comments!

Keep it fun!

Above all else, video games are supposed to be FUN! If you find yourself scouring over achievement guides carefully plotting out every virtual move you make – basically treating your gaming experience like a second job — it might be time to take a step back and remember why you started gaming in the first place.

In his long quest to reach 1,000,000 gamerscore, Stallion83 keeps his gaming fun in a variety of different ways. “Gamerscore leagues for the most part have kept me going and have given me some extra motivation over the years. Instead of gamerscore being just for yourself, it becomes this team thing and I become ultra competitive during these leagues.”

“I also like to make up certain goals in my head. Recently, I’ve been trying to unlock at least 1 achievement in every state in the USA,” he continues. “I just try to keep it fresh.”

Holding a high gamerscore can also attract some haters. “I get a lot of hate messages for sure,” says Stallion83. “I got this the other day: ‘You will die alone’. Most people think I am some fat dude, but that is not the case at all. I guess I sort of break the stereotypical mold. People can and will think whatever they want.”

Let the insults roll off your back, and definitely don’t retaliate on over Xbox Live. Getting into a flame war via voice chat or console messaging could lead to a gamertag ban (either permanent or for a week or two) if you violate LIVE terms of service and are reported. On the flipside, report those gamers that get a bit too personal with you if you are being harassed (but make sure they’ve violated something first!).

Always remember: they’re just games. Stallion83 puts it in perspective with his closing comment: “People of Xbox Live, don’t go overboard with the avatar clothing purchases! We can’t have our virtual selves looking better than some people that roam this earth. Get something nice for a child in need!”

No other addict could have said it better.

So fair enough, this game is good – but why? Read on to find out!

The good: Batman, one of DC Comics’ big three iconic characters, is a brilliant detective and crime-fighter, but has had a rather lacklustre video game career (still, he’s done much better than poor Wonder Woman or Superman). 8- and 16-bit Batman games basically had you running around using a batarang to take out enemies. Next-generation outings didn’t change much either; the best Batman game before Arkham Asylum was Lego Batman, which probably tells you something straight away. Arkham Asylum does a brilliant job to showcase the full arsenal of Batman’s skills; there’s just as much stealth and detective work as there is combat.

Batman: so cool he looks THROUGH walls.

It’s neat to track down a fingerprint, or a specific chemical, and configure your cowl to pick up instances of that clue in the environment via detective mode. That same mode also allows for unobtrusive fan-service – fans can go and track down references to Catwoman, Penguin, and others; those who aren’t as interested can just move along with the story. As for stealth — seriously, you will find yourself screaming “I’M BATMAN!” as you hang upside-down from a gargoyle, silently zipping down to take out an enemy.

The character design is inspired – the Scarecrow and Poison Ivy stand out as the best examples of this. The Scarecrow is terrifying, and his portions of the game certainly make for tense gameplay. Poison Ivy is the best evidence that this game isn’t just for the kiddies – I’ve never seen a Bat-character so sexualised…and I like it!

Hamill and Conroy back together again. AWESOME.

As someone who grew up watching the Batman animated series on TV, I was excited that the original voice cast was reunited for the game. You might scream it in-play, but Kevin Conroy really IS Batman; Christian Bale eat your heart out. Arleen Sorkin has made Harley Quinn such a success that DC actually introduced her quirky character into the Batman comic books (did you know that she first appeared in the cartoon?), and it goes without saying that Mark Hamill’s Joker truly makes the game. The nostalgia alone would make this game great if it had nothing else to fall back on.

There’s far too much to mention about this game’s good bits, so let’s round it off and give bonus points for a lack of multiplayer. Game developers take note: games do not have to multiplayer modes tacked on simply for the sake of it.

The meh: As much as it’s amazing to be a fully-rounded crimefighter, the actual fighting is a bit hard to master. Rocksteady calls it freeflow, and it’s frustrating as all hell until you master it (read: upgrade first, then practice for about ten hours). There are nine unique moves you can integrate into your fighting via simple button presses; the finesse comes into play as XP points are maximised by chaining those moves together in one freeflow combo string. When it works, it really works, and you can feel the power behind Batman’s punches, flips, and takedowns. When you’re going for a 40 hit combo (because it’s all about the achievements) and Batman randomly punches to the left when you’re CLEARLY holding your control-stick to the right, you will get frustrated. That feeling will become repetitious. You’ve been warned.

Poor old henchman, did he sign up for this? really? Batman you bully!

To the game’s credit, you can use the excellent Challenge Rooms in an attempt to refine your skills. Doing so helps two-fold: you get achievements in the Challenge Rooms, and the skills you need to build to get those successes can be used in the main game to help out in some of the tougher boss sections.

The shite: The last boss fight, hands down. Whether this is because of the overall quality of the last boss, or because the bosses preceding it are excruciatingly harder is anyone’s guess.

Overall, this game is deserving of its accolades and receives a Cool Plus from this reviewer. The gameplay is addictive, there’s room for DLC packs with new Challenge Rooms alone, and the possibility of a sequel (maybe actually in Gotham this time?) seems high. Bring it on, I say! I can handle anything – I’m Batman.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (this review)

Developed by: Rocksteady Studios

Distributed by: Eidos Entertainment

Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin, Tom Kane

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

Well, that’s if you live in a PAL-format country like Australia, and you play your video games on an Xbox 360; the newly released Ghostbusters: The Video Game has been released in such countries by Sony Computer Entertainment and they’ve held back any PAL release that isn’t on a Sony console. But I digress.

No matter how you get a hold of your copy (you lucky North Americans out there!), Ghostbusters is a third-person shooter (think Gears of War with ghosts) that instantly finds its place in the two movie-strong Ghostbusters universe, casting you as a rookie working alongside heroes Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman, and Winston Zeddemore ” each voiced by the same actors that played the characters in the films. While clearly hoping on purchases by fans, is there enough in the game to keep other gamers interested? Read on.

The good: Come on! You’ve ALWAYS wanted to use your own proton pack, haven’t you? The traditional pack from Ghostbusters and the slimer pack from Ghostbusters II both are featured heavily in the game, and are joined by the “stasis” and “proton shotgun” (for lack of a better description) packs; each has a primary and a secondary fire mode. The multiple weapons are all great fun to use and switching between them is a must when dealing with the many unique ghosts you encounter.

To find the secret artefacts scattered throughout the game, using your own PKE meter is a must and further cements you into the world. Scanning your ghostly enemies is very Pokemon-esque, and helps in determining your foe’s weaknesses. Catching the ghosts is also hilarious fun as you slam apparitions into traps thrown by yourself or the other Ghostbusters (just don’t look directly into the trap!).

On that last note, the names of the achievements/trophies are simply gold; fans of the films will find themselves chuckling when certain accomplishments are unlocked. It’s a small, yet GREAT throwback celebrating Ghostbusters in its 25 year anniversary. Cameos by Annie Potts (Janine), William Atherton (Peck), and Brian Doyle-Murray (Mayor Mulligan) also help to provide fan-service.

The meh: Dan Ackroyd (Ray), says this isn’t a movie tie-in, but [it's] essentially the third movie “ so much so that Dan penned the game’s script with fellow Ghostbusters movies co-writer Harold Ramis (Egon). I’d disagree with Dan’s statement and instead say that this game is the two movies merged into one; without too many spoilers, Slimer, the Grey Lady, Vigo, the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, and several movie locations all make reappearances. While they do serve to progress the game’s plot, they help to make the title feel like a rehash of things you’ve already seen in the movies (but still just as funny!).

If you have the choice between a copy for PS3 or Xbox 360, go for the Xbox copy “ an animated image from Joystiq.com clearly shows why. This, however, might not matter to you if you’re Aussie and don’t want to go about importing the title.

Additionally, the appeal of the rookie character that you play was lost for me after I’d learnt that he was modelled after the game’s Associate Producer, Sierra’s Ryan French. The baby-faced rookie just fit the part for me when I first saw him, and learning that it was just some fan living out his dream of essentially being a Ghostbuster just cheapened it for me¦it could be that I’m just jealous.

The shite: Difficulty spikes. On Casual, you can basically watch the Ghostbusters handle the bad guys, and as the game says itself, just enjoy the story. On Professional, be ready to tear your hair out “ I’m looking directly at you, Attack of the Stone Angels checkpoint! At some stages, the game simply becomes an exercise of reviving a computer-controlled Ghostbuster only to be knocked down to be revived yourself, to then having to revive the AI that just revived you, and so on and so on in an endless loop until one of you isn’t quick enough and you get the Mission Failed screen.

While there is a great online multiplayer mode, it’s deathmatch style and you can’t do the main story mode in any kind of co-op. It’s nice to be able to play as Ray or Egon in multiplayer (I’m not a Peter fan and I still don’t really understand why Winston’s around “ token, much?), but why not in the game itself? A Gears of War style co-op story mode would have been great and would have ensured that cheap Ghostbuster by himself deaths would not happen.

All in all, this game deserves a solid Cool rating. The gameplay, not without its frustrations, is a Cool Plus, and the repetitive (yet cool for nostaligia reasons) storyline deserving of a Cool Minus. Fans will definitely want to pick this up, and other gamers can’t go wrong if looking for a decent third-person shooter that’s not the standard shotgun and sniper rifle fare.

• Ghostbusters: The Video Game
• Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (this review)
• Developed by: Terminal Reality, Threewave Software
• Distributed by: Atari, Sony Computer Entertainment
• Starring: Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Brian Doyle-Murray, William Atherton

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

• Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforrest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig, James Doohan, Majel
  Barret-Roddenberry
• Created by: Gene Roddenberry
• Format: 7-8 DVD Box Set (depending on season)
• Genre: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Let’s be honest, fellow (Cool) Shiters “ and more specifically, fellow Aussies “ I’m cheap. The allure of the new Star Trek: The Original Series Remastered box sets wasn’t really over the fact that the original Trek series had been reworked, it was because it cost about 1/3 the price of those original (and ugly) plastic-riddled sets. Instead of $200, I ended up paying $60 per season for original Star Trek goodness on DVD (though you can also pick up the more expensive Blu-ray option). Because the show only ran three seasons before it was axed and eventually made the transition to films, the remastered sets became a justifiable expense.

I’m a massive Trekkie, but I’d have to say that The Original Series doesn’t rate high on my list of favourites for the franchise. Part of that may be due to my age — this 1960′s series tends to be a bit slow for me at times, and seems even slower when compared to the new Star Trek feature film with the same characters. Add to that the fact that this pioneering science-fiction show was made at a time when models and green screens were the best way to show ships in space, and combine that with scripts so heavy-handed with messages of tolerance and understanding that they seem unnecessary in today’s day and age¦and the show might lose some appeal. So how does this box set fare?

The cool: Despite what I’ve said above, we can’t look at Star Trek from today’s standpoint and do it any justice, can we? We’re talking about a groundbreaking series! Star Trek was the first television show to air an interracial kiss (Plato’s Stepchildren, Season 3), and when Martin Luther King, Jr. heard that Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) was looking to quit the show, he urged her to remain as a cast member simply to serve as a continuing inspiration for persons of African decent worldwide. Sure, its messages may seem heavy-handed now, but they were perfect for the time, rebelling and challenging societal norms.

My second gripe with the series is non-existent. While it wasn’t my reason for purchase, you can clearly see that the CGI has been improved from what was presented on the original episodes aired on CBS long ago. The Enterprise looks amazing, phaser effects look crisp and (again, relatively) clear, and even the title sequence of the episodes has been remastered to look prettier whilst maintaining the feel of the original.

The meh: Whilst I understand that they’ve redone the special effects to maintain that original Star Trek feel, more could have been done. Exterior shots of the U.S.S. Enterprise could have been updated to contain more detail “ the smooth, model-like feel is traditional, but not realistic. If you’re going to remaster something, you might as well go whole-hog. In the same vein, the remastered effects shots use the originals as reference, and as such are basically shot-for-shot. The problem with that is that most of those shots were taken from specific angles simply because the model-work made it a necessity “ now that CGI has removed that limitation, why not be original and artistic with some sequences?

Special features are also quite common on box sets, and this set is no exception. The prevailing feature on each season’s offerings is called Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest and is basically a series of home movies taken by a production member/sometimes extra on the show. They’re entertaining at first, but there’s only so many times you can take an old man waxing lyrical about a show where he played Ensign Ricky Redshirt whilst being treated to an image of a young William Shatner waving at the camera. The Season 2 set does provide some wonderful insights into the Trouble With Tribbles, and the Season 3 disc does give you access to the unaired pilot, The Cage; apart from that, you’ll watch the features once and then ignore them.
The shite: Few and far between really, though purists might want to steer clear if they prefer the traditional model-work. On that note, they may be pleased to know that some effects like the transporter fade-in/out haven’t been touched.

It’s hard to find much fault with a science-fiction classic that is making itself available to a whole new generation of fans; the remastered effects might be enough to keep younger viewers watching. For those who grew up with the series, you now have an accessible price-point to revisit a cherished old friend. For those in between (ie, me: A huge Trekkie who has seen a couple episodes, but not the entire series in its entirety), this box set is a great way to solidify your love for your chosen sci-fi ship. Final rating for this product would sit at a solid Cool “ go check it out!

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]

Available as four separate issues or a collected trade-paperback, Star Trek Countdown is set eight years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis in the classic Trek timeline and concludes just before the beginning of Star Trek XI. The story starts with Nero on his humble ship Narada, which differs greatly from the behemoth seen in Star Trek; as the story unfolds, you uncover exactly why. Nero is characterised in a completely different light, clearly in his element as a proper miner with a full head of hair, devoid of tattoos, smiling and planning his family’s future with his very-pregnant wife. Shortly afterward, we are reintroduced to (Old) Spock, who is continuing his efforts to unify Romulus and Vulcan, though now as a legitimate Romulan citizen. Nero and Spock are thrown together with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E in what will (obviously) become a futile attempt to save Romulus.

First, the cool: simply put, Star Trek: Countdown addresses pretty much all of the questions or concerns posed by movie-goers. Nero’s motivations are expanded and the character is fleshed-out more than his 2D film representation (so much so that my friend Victor recently tweeted that he’d run into Eric Bana buying Countdown in what could have been an attempt to understand his own character). Red matter is (more adequately) explained (though is still pretty much a MacGuffin), and die-hard fans are given supreme fan service in a passing of the torch from Picard, Worf, LaForge, and other core Star Trek: The Next Generation icons back to the Original Series(ish) crew. Fans will also delight in several subtle nods to previous things Trek: the tactical interface used in the PC game Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Final Unity makes a comeback on the bridge of the Enterprise-E, for instance.

The meh: movie-goers really shouldn’t have to track down a prequel comic for elements of a feature-length film to make sense. However, the need to expand on the film’s exposition using some of the comic’s story seems to reflect more poorly on the film than on this work. While some efforts were made to push this comic to the general public — it is the first to be released for purchase in traditional print format as well as for digital consumption on the iPhone on the same date– the keyword in either case is still purchase. Translated into Paramount speak, that means cashing in on the potential success of a time-honoured, now JJ Abrams fuelled summer movie. While the plot of this comic is predictable (even before you’ve seen the movie), it’s solid enough to avoid much criticism.

Finally, the shite: putting aside the whole prequel for the sake of cash thing, the shite is few and far between with this comic. The main gripe with the book is that a bigger marketing push would have meant this comic was read by more fans before the movie, rather than later¦though this could also have been marketing genius in that most die-hard Trekkies will not be able to resist the lure of the film a second or third time with this prequel knowledge firmly in head. Whilst the visual style of the book is consistent, and the characters’ likenesses are spot-on, it does get simple at times; the lack of details in some areas reminds me more of the 60′s Star Trek rather than the clean Next Generation or Star Trek XI Apple Store styles this book has been modelled after.

All in all, definitely one to read; die-hard fans should definitely consider a purchase to add to their collection, and everyone else might want to hit up their nearest Trekkie for a read-through or two. If it’s not considered canon, it damn well should be.

Star Trek: Countdown

• Writers: Mike Johnson, Tim Jones (Script); Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman (Plot)
• Artist: David Messina
• Letterers: Chris Mowry, Neil Uyetake
• Colorists: Paolo Maddaleni, Giovanna Niro, Ilaria Traversi
• Editor: Andy Schmidt

• New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii kicks off the keynote, and looks COOL! Four player multiplayer is injected to the old-school Mario style most grew up with on the original NES console. Single player is also available, and controls match the common wiggle-waggle of Wii games. Look for it around Christmas time.
• Wii Plus Fit is introduced next, and takes the popular game/exercise program to another level with a counter of calories burned in-session, new games, and new activities. Look for it in Fall 2009.
• The Wii’s answer to 1:1 motion control, Motion Plus, is again shown and is demonstrated using Wii Sports Resort. Not really new news here, but it’s still neat. Wii Sports Resort arrives on June 26 and features new events like kayaking and archery.
• Also for use with Motion Plus: Tiger Woods ’10 and Red Steel 2. Same release period as Resort.
• Nintendo has more RPGs than you can shake a stick at: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (aka Mario and Luigi RPG 3), and Golden Sun DS are all paraded out. The Mario and Luigi game looks kinda cool, and takes place INSIDE Bowser’s belly. Cute.
• More DS content: Women’s Murder Club (with a tagline of “Why join a book club when you can join the Women’s Murder Club” – maybe people don’t feel like killing and would prefer a good book instead, I dunno?) Style Savvy, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, WarioWare: DIY and Cop: The Recruit are shown. Cop looks like a free-world RE4 clone. Kind of cool.
• In other DS news – photos will now be able to be taken and uploaded straight to Facebook from your DSi.
• The Wii Vitality Sensor is introduced. If you ever wanted to pretend you were a patient at the hospital from the comfort of your own living room, now you can! You stick your finger in a sensor and it monitors your heartbeat. Okay…
• After nearly falling asleep, the Vitality Sensor might get a workout after Super Mario Galaxy 2 is revealed. The excitement is MOSTLY over the fact that Yoshi is back in the series. Kick-ass!
• Two new third-party titles are shown off: The Conduit, a decent looking FPS, and Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles and Dead Space: Extraction, both on-rails shooters.
• Last but not least, the best thing of the Nintendo keynote by far: Metroid: Other M. An action game by Nintendo and Team Ninja. Not an FPS. Pure gold. I want more information on this, Nintendo!

The vitality sensor might be able to tell you that I can’t garner up enough energy after Nintendo’s offerings to even make a decent joke OR some closing thoughts. See what I said about Sony’s…and times that by about twelve. Better luck next year, Nintendo – it’ll be interesting to see what happens to your market share now that you’re not the only ones with wiggle-waggle tech.
Will Mario be enough to keep Nintendo in the top spot, sales-wise? You tell us!

• An Uncharted 2 sneak peak was given after a series of boring PlayStation stats -Sony, you’re lagging behind in next-gen sales, and spending time at E3 trying to convince people otherwise with stats, stats, and more stats is counterproductive.
• MAG was demoed and looks quite cool; if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a 256-player online FPS deathmatch type game. No release date was mentioned for the PS3.
• Dissidia Final Fantasy will be released for the PSP on August 26; Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines on November 10, and a Hannah Montana bundle…at some point.
• Kaz Hirai, President of Sony Computer Entertainment reveals the self-proclaimed “worst kept secret of E3″: the PSP Go. 40% lighter than the original PSP, it’s not meant as a replacement to the PSP or the UMD media format, but as a…friend? The PSP Go will connect directly to the PlayStation Network and Store and will use a program called MediaGo to transfer content between a PC and the new device. The PSP Go launches in North America on October 1 and will retail at $249US.
• In addition, all new PSP content will be available as a download rather than a UMD retail purchase.
• Gran Turismo PSP announced; expect more of the same, plus sharing cars with other PSP friends via the PlayStation Network. Joystiq, seeing the PSP Go in action live, mention that it easily looks as good as GT4 did on the PS2.
• Metal Gear. Again? This time it’s Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for (you guessed it) the PSP Go. It’ll be released the same time as the new device, on October 1 and the main character appears to be Big Boss.
• Resident Evil Portable is teased for the PSP. No demo, no trailer, no details (boo.).
• Now on to the PS3; again, lots of numbers and statistics seem to bore the E3 crowd. *yawn*
• RockStar North is brining Agent as a PS3 exclusive. No other details as of yet.
• Assassin’s Creed 2 is highlighted; for both PS3 and PSP (and Xbox, and iPhone, but I digress). Apparently the PSP version can be used to unlock items in the PS3 version…so get ready to shell out double-dollars for the same game!
• Final Fantasy XIII is displayed, and Final Fantasy Online XIV is introduced as a PS3 console-exclusive (look for it on PC). Both games will be released in 2010.
• The PlayStation motion controller (again, shock surprise, eh?) is announced; it’s a wand-type device that offers 1:1 motion tracking. While it’s definitely beating what the Wii has to offer, it pales a bit in comparison to Project Natal. What else does Sony have up their sleeve?
• ModNation Racers is far more impressive than the motion controller: think Little Big Planet and Mario Kart rolled into one. EVERYTHING is customisable (cars, tracks, players, etc), meant to be shared, and experienced by the online PlayStation Network community. Impressive. Look for it in 2010.
• New IP The Last Guardian is teased. Looks like an RPG to me, but it’s anyone’s guess.
• Gran Turismo 5 is also displayed via a very decent looking trailer. You can crash this time!
• A VERY pretty God of War III demo is offered next; it looks like more of the same (though, it’s a great game so that’s okay!) and will be released in March 2010.

I may be biased towards the Xbox 360, but Sony’s conference seemed to be more of the same…and with little innovation. The motion controller is the closest looking rip-off to the Wii I can imagine, and while I’m looking forward to games like Gran Turismo 5, God of War III, and will be itching to test the PSP Go, I’m not really that excited for what was shown. New IP is a good thing, Sony!

Do you agree or disagree with my opinion? Post in the comments section and let us know, and be on the lookout for the Nintendo wrap-up!

From Ubisoft:

• “UPlay” was announced as an “online destination” for “building [bridges] between all sorts of created types, including those in the film industry,” reports Joystiq, and will support future titles such as Splinter Cell: Conviction. I personally have no idea what any of that means.
• Ubisoft will be working with Steven Spielberg (who also made an appearance at the Microsoft keynote) and Peter Jackson on a Tintin game to be released alongside the Paramount Pictures film of the same name.
• Ubisoft is also working with James Cameron on an Avatar game (the film, not the animated series!). The game will centre around the film’s main character, Jake Sully, as he explores an area called Pandora in an avatar body (hence the title). Expect to see the game released alongside the film in December 2009.
• Red Steel 2 was revealed for the Nintendo Wii. Expect it to suck less than its predecessor as a Samurai/Western/FPS with (hopefully) one-to-one motion controls.
• RUSE, a strategy title, was teased with a trailer.
• Casual titles, casual titles, casual titles. Oh, and a new Rabbids game. *yawn*
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mania! Expect to see Turtles in Time released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network soon, and fighting game Smash Up released on the Nintendo Wii in September.
• Assassin’s Creed 2 was again teased and a release date of November 17 was announced for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Now, from Electronic Arts (EA):

• Trailer time! The Sims 3 and Dante’s Inferno trailers were used to kick off EA’s keynote.
• EA can do casual games too! Little Pet Shop Online looks to be…riveting. Watch for it in the Fall.
• Need for Speed: Shift looks like it actually might reinvigorate the failing franchise. The key idea to the game? Levelling up via your personal driving profile. Shall we go as far to say it’s a driving RPG? Probably not. Look for it in Fall 2009 on Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, PC, and the iPhone.
• Sex, blood, and violence = Dragon Age Origins. Available for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 on October 20, the trailer showed off a decent-looking action game.
• Mass Effect 2 will be released in early 2010 for PC and Xbox 360; a Nine Inch Nails soundtrack in the trailer makes it seem kick-ass.
• Fight Night Round 4 was revealed to release a week early – look for it June 25 and go and play the demo right now on Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network!
• EA Sports Active is a direct competitor to Wii Fit on the same console and is heavily endorsed by “The Biggest Loser USA” host Allison Sweeney. Look for it to be released by Christmas time.
• The Saboteur, an open-world stealth game (competing against Assassin’s Creed, anyone?) is set in Paris and looks fairly decent. No word on a release date, but it will be available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
• The Jack Black vehicle Brutal Legend was shown off…again. I want this game NOW! Especially now since Ozzy Ozbourne has been confirmed as an in-game voice talent in this multi-console release!
• PC fans can get their Star Wars MMO geek on (Dion?) with Star Wars: The Old Republic. The game looks pretty and maaaaaay be released on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the future. Here’s hoping!

That’s it for this wrap-up! Keep checking back for more big scoops!

For those not in the know, E3 stands for “Electronic Entertainment Expo” and is the annual gaming industry’s version of show and tell – most BIG gaming news items are held in reserve to be announced amidst celebrities, game girls (and bois), and flashing strobe. Basically, E3 week means we’ll have more gaming news to fill an entire room of (cool) colostomy bags with. Those with the gaming gene will find it hard to sleep as visions of motion controllers, new killer apps, and leaked sequel information dances about in their heads. (Cool) Shite on the Tube is proud to provide a wrap-up of the most important E3 news, direct from press conferences and the show floor.

First up, a recap of news revealed at the Microsoft media briefing:

• Sure, this one was pre-E3, but important nonetheless – the Zune HD will be released to directly compete with Apple’s iPod touch and will feature integration with the Xbox 360 through the renamed Zune Marketplace (formerly known as the Video Marketplace on Xbox 360). With a touch screen, a rumoured HDMI port, and rumoured possibility of transferring videos and Xbox Live arcade games for play between your Xbox 360 and the Zune HD, this may be one Zune that’s actually taken seriously!
• Rock Band: Beatles will be coming to Xbox 360 September 9, 2009.
• Final Fantasy XIII was demoed on the Xbox 360 and a release date was revealed to be Spring 2010.
• Splinter Cell: Conviction is coming in Fall 2009 as an Xbox exclusive.
• Forza 3 was revealed as an Xbox exclusive.
• Halo: Reach was revealed as an Xbox exclusive for release in 2010.
• Alan Wake won’t go down the path of fabled vapourware Duke Nukem Forever – expect to see it released within the next year, perhaps as episodic content.
• Left 4 Dead 2 was revealed for Xbox 360 as an exclusive alongside a PC release. The sequel arguably the best new IP of 2008 will feature four new characters and a proper story arc that progresses through each of the campaigns. Expect to see melee weapons, including the mighty chainsaw (groovy, baby!)!
• Crackdown 2 was revealed for Xbox 360 as another Xbox exclusive.
• Live Sky TV will be available for UK Xbox owners (what about us Aussies? No Netflix OR Sky?)!
• Felicia Day’s The Guild has confirmed season three of the popular webseries and got to play a part in announcing some big NXE/interwebs integration news…
• …such as Facebook, Twitter, AND Last.fm all being accessible through seamless integration into the New Xbox Experience interface.
• Three words: METAL. GEAR. SOLID. Development is currently underway on Metal Gear Solid Rising, featuring Raiden of MGS2 and 4 as the main playable character. While exclusivity was hinted at, it was never confirmed.
• The rumours were true: the Xbox 360 is entering into the motion controller game (pun intended) with its “Project Natal” – a motion sensing camera with Minority Report-esque full-body controls, voice and facial recognition, and the ability to scan real-life objects for insertion in-game! If the true experience is truly as its promo video shows, the Nintendo Wii will be facing some fierce competition.
• Several Project Natal games were demoed, including Paint Party, and Milo. I’m personally more impressed with Milo, being developed by Lionhead (Fable 2), which looks to be mixture of The Sims and Tamogotchi as Milo develops through interaction with a player via the new Project Natal camera.

What a great first big-corporation press conference! Expect to see more big news ahead from Nintendo, Sony, and big publishing companies like EA – all here on (Cool) Shite!

I am an Xbox 360 achievement whore.

There’s no denying it; I literally spent my hard-earned cash on Avatar: The Burning Earth because I read you could get the full 1000 gamerscore for the game in five minutes. It proved to be true and I’m embarrassed to admit it was the best $70 I’ve ever spent.

Returning readers will already know of my love for the Resident Evil series, and Resident Evil 5 itself. The fanboy in me, combined with the achievement whore, drove me to play through the title no less than five times to receive a perfect 50/50 achievement score and the 1000 gamerpoints associated with that success.

Then Capcom released downloadable content. Multiplayer, online downloadable content (DLC). Worth 10 more achievements and 200 gamerpoints.

I’d love to say I downloaded the content because I’m in love with Resident Evil 5 and I was itching for the chance to play online with 13 year old boys who enjoy throwing slurs at one another almost as much as they enjoy cancelling out of games they’re losing. Alas, I really bought it because I was NEVER going to settle with having an incomplete achievement listing in one of my favourite games!

I regret my purchase.

For starters, the 400 Microsoft Point Xbox 360 purchase, or US$4.99 on the PS3, may seem reasonable, but not after you pony up your cash to discover the downloadable content weighs in at a whopping maximum of 1.8MB. Compare that to the latest DLC on Tomb Raider: Underworld or Fallout 3, both of which sit around the 300MB. Capcom’s denying it, but it’s hard to believe that you pay for anything but a key to unlock content that was already on the original game’s disc (that you’d already paid for).

I shrugged that lack-of-value off and loaded up the DLC, entitled Versus, to sit around for 10 minutes trying to find a hosted multiplayer game. Instead, I found a plethora of cancelled games, games with player limits already reached (so why still appear on a list of available games?), or games I simply couldn’t connect to for unknown “network reasons.” I double-checked my network connection with another online game and it worked fine. Still, I shrugged all of that off too.

When I finally connected to a game, I had a choice of two main game modes: Survivors, which pits you up against a maximum of 3 other human players as you run around in-game stages attempting to kill one another, or Slayers…which is basically the same. Except you’re supposed to leave other players be (a bit, at least) and focus on killing computer-controlled Majini enemies. I think.

I may have gotten the order of those games backwards. The thing is, it doesn’t matter: the two modes play the same. In Survivors, you get points for killing your human competitors and the Majini simply serve as cannon fodder for more equipment. In Slayers, you get points from both Majini and human competitors, but your points multiply with combo-kills (think Mercenaries mode on the main game disc). Logic dictates that Slayers would call for a different style of play; a player should, in theory, focus more on the computer-controlled characters to chain bonuses, get a higher score, and resort to target other players on an as-needed basis.

Nope. Xbox Live players run around in either mode, trying to get as close to one another as possible in order to let human-controlled brains fly with a shotgun. There’s no strategy involved in four-player games where you’ve never met your competitors before. Especially in a Team Survivors or Team Slayers game, where you’re teamed up 2-on-2. I manage to find a team-mate who’s happy running off on his or her own to get killed before any type of strategy is made, with headset on or not.

Heaven help you if you happen to stumble onto a game with a group of competitors who are friends with one another; they’ll group up and pick you off so frequently you’ll be tempted to take the route many players did when I actually was kicking their butt – turn off the power on the console so the game doesn’t get recorded and the victor gets no credit.

Long story short? I hate online multiplayer not just in Resident Evil 5 but in general. Achievements on Xbox Live or Trophies on the PS3 that revolve around online play are guaranteed to be the ones I’m missing out on. When they’re inserted in single-player games, or local play co-operative games, they suit me just fine; they serve as a testament to a player’s skills and capability and I’m personally quite proud that I was able to earn every single one possible in the retail version of Resident Evil 5. For the new DLC and the associated achievements, I’m forced to find four friends that bought the same content, that can play at the same time that I do, and then constantly play with them to work co-operatively (ie get them to let you kill them, help you get kill-combos, etc) to gain a set of achievements. Then repeat the process three more times for the co-workers so they have the same “success”.

Key word there? “Co-workers.” The downloadable content isn’t fun, it’s work. Even if you’re not playing for achievements or PS3 trophies, the hassle in finding games to join, then having to put up with the majority of immature online players is too much.

It pains me to say it, but the RE5 Versus DLC gets a Shite from this reviewer. Avoid at all costs, unless you’re a sad achievement whore like me and you simply must sell your soul to Capcom for the right to call yourself the ultimate Resident Evil fanboy.

(And if you do, let me know – maybe we can play online and boost one another…)

Resident Evil 5 is now available to purchase at Amazon.com

Resident Evil 5, released by Capcom, follows Chris Redfield of Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Code: Veronica fame, now working on behalf of the Biohazard Security Assessment Alliance (or BSAA) on-mission in Kijuju, Africa. Teamed with Sheva Alomar, a member of the BSAA West African branch, Chris and his partner are ordered to investigate a new bioterrorism threat, which largely has come about to the fact that many viral creations of the now defunct Umbrella Corporation are being sold to and used by the highest bidder for their own self-serving purposes. Chris and Sheva soon find that this latest threat has far larger implications than originally thought, as Chris begins to uncover the real origins behind Umbrella and their assortment of macabre creations.

What’s good about the game? What’s bad? Read on:

Thanks, partner!

In the past, fear in the Resident Evil series has come from its survival element; largely, you’re left to fend on your own whilst battling grotesque creatures. Whilst remaining terrifying, Resident Evil 5 avoids cheap scares (dogs breaking through windows, anyone?) and instead relies on new tension, largely created as a result of your new partnership with Sheva.

The introduction of your nubile yet deadly partner means players can team up with a friend and play the game co-op, or choose to play alone and let the game’s AI assist. Either way, Sheva’s presence makes you aware of how little ammo and healing items you initially possess, and more importantly, how dependant you are upon one another when you find yourself cornered and in “dying” status. Partnerships are a huge theme, not only in the game, but in the entire Resident Evil series; you’ve never truly been able to survive entirely on your own, and you certainly can’t survive without one another this time around.

While the computer AI isn’t too shabby, it’s not perfect; you’ll find yourself yelling at Sheva as she runs around in circles during boss-fights (which are varied and fun…the boss fights, not Sheva’s glitchiness), or uses too many healing items on herself as she repeatedly walks into oncoming streams of bullets in later levels. However, an AI-controlled Sheva can also prove to be invaluable as she can assist in difficult sections that you might not be able to figure out on your own (I’m largely referring to the last level here).

Playing with a human teammate can also increase the more mature, tension-inspired fear; if you stray too far apart, you may find yourself cornered by a huge number of enemies and not have the support you’ve unknowingly grown accustomed to, or you may not be able to make it back to your partner before he or she dies from a prolonged “dying” status.

The new inventory system builds upon the partner dynamic as well; it’s purposefully hard to use and frustrating to begin with until you realise the genius in how it affects your game. Inventory work is done in-game in real time, meaning you’ll have trust your partner to watch your back as you’re left defenceless choosing a new weapon to defend yourself, or pulling out a healing mix to keep both you and your partner alive.

Gears of Resident Evil, this ain’t

There have been limitless complaints about the controls of the game; many argue that Capcom’s decision to continue in the series tradition of having to stop to be able to shoot should have been abolished in today’s Gears of War-geared (pun intended) gaming. To those “hardcore gamers”: are you able to shoot a gun in real life whilst running with any precision? No; neither can our Resident Evil heroes. By Capcom forcing players to run to a position, set up shop, and then shoot, they’ve added a level of realism to the game that other titles cannot match.

Another source of tension and fear comes from this mechanic; by stopping to shoot at the enemies coming from you at all angles, you’re constantly aware that a single Majini (the new African Las Plagas-infected) coming up from behind you, unseen, could mean your undoing.

The negative to balance out bias in the review? Easy: knife combat should allow for freedom of movement instead of the stop-and-fight gaming the series offers. Knife fighting should be fluid and is instead clunky and easily-abandoned in the course of gameplay. A word to the wise; you’ll find that melee combat is much easier (and very fun) to master: shoot enemies in the legs and kick them in the face to your heart’s content!

Two words: FAN. SERVICE.

Die-hard fans will love this game; sensing that fans weren’t too impressed with the off-screen demise of Umbrella in Resident Evil 4, Capcom has used this instalment of the game to tie together and resolve most of the series’ over-arching plot points. The scale of the story goes above and beyond epic proportions, and I found myself outright squealing through many of the game’s cut-scenes (another note: don’t squeal too much, or you may find yourself missing the loved-or-hated random button-presses required to keep you alive in some scenes).

On the topic of cut-scenes, and of general production values: Capcom has spared no expense. Voice actors were fitted with motion sensors to record facial movements whilst delivering dialog; those movements were then mapped to the CG characters for usage in-game. New 3D cameras were used to add a set of post-production tools never before seen to a video game, and the Twentieth Century Fox orchestra was used to record the game’s score. If you’re a true fanboy and want the full experience, make sure to pick up the Collector’s Edition of this game for a great behind-the-scenes making-of DVD.

Still, you may feel that these grandiose production values moved focus from a redefined Resident Evil experience that Resident Evil 4 truly was. Resident Evil 5 has come into homes today with a lot to live up to; 4 took the “survival horror” genre the series was so famous for and introduced many different gameplay mechanics that it was thought of as an “action horror” title instead. The series was flipped on its head; old fans either loved it or hated it, but a new group of gamers found the series for the first time and fell in love.

It’s true: instead of another revolution to the game series, Capcom has treated Resident Evil 5 simply as an evolution. Everything is beautifully rendered in next-generation console HD fashion, and with the exception of the new co-op dynamics, it’s a case of elements from 4 being improved or expanded upon. Fans of 4 will love this game because it’s familiar; fans of the series should find enough from the fan-servicing alone to be more than happy.

Is that enough? Is this appealing to the general public? Yes. There’s enough substance in the co-op alone to warrant a purchase, and with the series as strong as it is, a love for the game may mean a casual gamer gets drawn in and gets to discover the series through its vast library of past games and films. Replay value is also quite high with four levels of difficulty and a treasure trove of costumes, collectables, and a separate mini-game to unlock. Capcom has also announced different multiplayer game modes as downloadable content available in the coming weeks.

In short, Resident Evil 5 gets a solid Cool Plus rating. Give it a try on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Resident Evil 5 is available to buy from Amazon.com

Resistance 2

The biggest issue with the PlayStation 3 is most definitely the price. The 80GB version retails at $699.00, and comes with one limited-motion, rumble-ready DualShock 3 controller, and an HDMI cable for high-resolution gaming. A 40GB version is also on offer with similar add-ins (replace the DualShock 3 controller for an inferior Sixaxis one – meaning no rumble in your games, my friend!) for $599.00. Be on the lookout for bundled game packs, usually at great value; packs in the past have usually included second controller plus a bundled game. Games in the past have included Singstar, Heavenly Sword, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction, or NBA 08. For the extra dosh (ranging upwards to $100), you’ll typically save $10 on the regular price of a game, plus the entire cost of the second controller.

While the retail price of the PS3 has dropped from $1,000, each decrease has come with a reduction to its overall power. The biggest drop came with a cut to hard-disk space from 60GB to 40GB. More importantly, backwards compatibility – the ability to play PSone or PS2 disks – was also removed, making the console the only one of its generation without the functionality.

Enthusiasts are quick to offset the PS3s high cost with its features, including HDMI capability, 7.1 digital surround sound, and 1080p high-definition support – all of which pessimists can quick dismiss as features that can also be found on most versions of the Microsoft Xbox 360. However, there is one feature that actually sets the PlayStation 3 apart: its ability to play high-definition Blu-Ray discs – now officially the disk format of the future — without any further add-ons.

Sony Home

Online features on the PlayStation Network are also similar to the Xbox 360, but with one major difference – PlayStation Home. In development since early 2005, Home is a community-based service which essentially mimics functionality seen in the “Sims” series of games. Each user gets an avatar with their own apartment (aka their “Home”), which can be utilised to interact with others, and adorned with trophies received through in-game achievements. Officially announced for a September 2007 release, Home was finally released in time for Christmas 2008 – with lukewarm reviews. Apparently, Home will be in Beta stage for a long, long time, experts warn.

Most games on offer for the Xbox 360 can also be picked up for the PlayStation 3, but at the elevated price of $110 — $10 more than their counterparts. Exclusive games like Metal Gear Solid 4 and racing game Gran Turismo 5 are sure to sell consoles, as have past exclusives like Resistance: The Fall of Man (keep an eye out for the upcoming sequel Resistance 2). Speaking of items selling consoles — Sony recently increased the number of PS3s in Australian homes by offering a free console with the purchase of a Sony Bravia high-definition television. If you’re looking for a new LCD, it might not be a bad idea to hold off a bit and see if the offer reappears.

Metal Gear Solid 4

In short, the PlayStation 3 is more of the same; graphics are enhanced from the PlayStation 2, but gameplay is largely identical. It’s not hard to understand why the console is last in the current console war, or why the much cheaper PlayStation 2 is currently outselling its big brother. However, if you’re looking for next-generation gameplay, but more importantly, a cheap yet quality Blu-Ray player, this console is definitely for you. Buying Resistance: Fall of Man, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction, Devil May Cry 4, and Metal Gear Solid 4 will get you a good set of the console’s best. Since backwards compatibility isn’t supported in new models, make sure to keep that PlayStation 2 handy…you may find yourself falling back upon it quite a bit.

However, it still manages to hold its own by delivering solid, straight-forward gaming. In this second installment of Cool Shite’s console beginner’s guide, we’ll set the record straight on what the Xbox 360 has to offer – and which version may be best for you – before you decide whether or not to purchase Microsoft’s pride and joy.

Microsoft offers three Xbox 360 packs to shoppers in what may be seen as a help or hindrance, depending on one’s technical know-how.

Xbox Experience

At $299.00, the Arcade pack is the cheapest of the bunch, packaged with a 256MB memory unit and bundled arcade classics like Pac-Man and UNO. The only problem: you won’t be able to fit much downloadable content or game saves on such a small memory unit.

The Core pack (sometimes simply referred to as the ‘Xbox 360′) sorts out space issues with a built-in 20GB hard-drive. At a suggested retail price of $399.00, it also features a superior A/V cable than the Arcade pack, and can usually be found at your local gaming store with a two-game bundle included.

The Elite pack, best of the three, comes with a 120GB hard drive and HDMI A/V cable for high-definition 1080p resolution. As with the Core system, you can usually find a package with a two-game bundle, however the suggested retail of $549.00 is sans game.

While the Core and Elite packs are able to store lots of downloadable content, it all comes at a cost. A gold membership on the popular Xbox Live service – allowing access to online multiplayer capability – is $80 for a year. All packs come with silver access to the system, but that only provides the chance to download extra content (like extra songs for Guitar Hero 3…at a price) and demos of other Xbox 360 games (which are free). Where Australians really lose out is in lacking the Xbox Live Marketplace; we cannot stream Hollywood movies and premium content (think iTunes) as North Americans can. Wouldn’t you love to give Netflix a spin on your console?

Halo 3

Also on offer is an impressive back-catalogue of over 200 games. Exclusive title Halo 3 held the record for the highest grossing opening day in entertainment history for quite some time, Fable 2 has proved to be a great success by combining RPG elements with straight-up action, and Gears of War 2 shows off the console’s graphics power while introducing a solid plot into a first-person shooter. Upcoming titles such as the highly-anticipated Resident Evil 5 and exclusive Halo Wars ensure that the console can satisfy gamers now and in the future. If that wasn’t enough, the console supports what’s fast becoming a staple in the industry: backward compatibility for original Xbox games.

For those looking to grab a dirt-cheap high-definition player no longer supported by any movie studio in existence, the now-defunct HD-DVD drive add-on is only an eBay search away. The format has gone the way of Betamax, losing out to Blu-Ray as the medium of the future. While rumours are suggesting Microsoft may be releasing a Blu-Ray attachment soon, it seems more likely that Microsoft will embrace the movement of downloadable content – here’s hoping Australian internet accounts can keep up with demands on bandwidth and download limits!

Gears of War 2

Despite some solid games in other genres, the Xbox 360 is fast becoming synonymous with the first-person shooter genre; great if you’re a fan. Kudos to Microsoft for catering to those of varying budgets and intents with their various packs…providing shoppers can understand the differences between each. Picking up Gears of War 2, Halo 3, Assassin’s Creed, The Last Remnant, Viva Pinata, and The Elder Scrolls III: Oblivion will get you a nice cross-section of the console’s best. Sticking to what the original Xbox did and improving upon that, the Xbox 360 is the least innovative of big three consoles, but with the power of Microsoft behind it, you know the console will be supported for quite a while.

Current Australian sales figures list the Nintendo Wii as the highest-selling home console of ‘the big three’ – which also includes Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 – but does that mean it’s the right buy for you?

Wii Remotes

You’re most likely familiar with the Wii’s big selling point – Nintendo has done away with the traditional controller scheme and replaced it with the ‘Wiimote’. A motion-control device, the wiimote can be turned on its side to emulate a traditional controller, or innovatively used as a variety of tools, including a tennis racquet, a scalpel, a light-gun, or a serving tray.

The innovation certainly carries over to the games. The console comes with Wii Sports, which is an excellent showcase of the wiimote’s versatility as a bat, bowling ball, tennis racquet (to name a few variations – look out for the upcoming Wii Sports 2 for more!). Trauma Centre: New Blood (finally released in Australia) allows the player to become a rookie surgeon in an addictive medical-simulator. Old icons like Mario have been reinvigorated with games like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario. Wii Fit, advertised as an alternative to a personal trainer, features a balance board used for activities like push-ups and yoga.

Those looking to relive past glory days can take advantage of the Wii’s Virtual Console channel, allowing one to download and play old classics from retired consoles. Virtual Console games range from 500 to 1000 Wii points; points roughly cost $1.50 for 100. The Wii is also backwards-compatible, meaning it can play last-generation’s Nintendo Gamecube games. Other channels offer online functionality, such as ‘Everybody Votes’, where you can put your opinion up against that of other Australian or Global Wii owners.

Online play begins and almost ends there, sadly. For every rip-roaring-fun Mario Kart Wii Aussies receive with legitimately online play, they also get a Medal of Honour Heroes 2. The latter sports a 32-player online deathmatch feature available in everywhere except Down Under. Annoying Wii console codes are required to play friends, and each big game usually comes with its own specific code as well, making it hard to get online and playing in a hurry.

The Wii’s innovation can only go so far; the system is currently flooded with party-games such as WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Mario Party 8, or Rayman Raving Rabbids 2. The games are great in groups, but are very repetitive otherwise. The console is still seen as a child’s plaything by some game developers, and relatively new titles like Grand Theft Auto 4 are not available for the console – if not for the console’s reputation, then certainly due to its graphics capabilities. Dead Rising, which proved to be a great success on Xbox 360, has been literally gutted graphics- and features-wise to make a watered down appearance on the Wii this year. For those less tech-savvy, the Wii has graphics that look great on a normal TV, but not-so-great otherwise (especially when compared to a competitor).

Wii Fit

Graphic limitations mean game exclusives are mostly limited to Nintendo first-party releases, though they are strong; Super Smash Bros. Brawl was one of the latest (albeit a very late title for Aussies) sure-fire top-sellers. However, many third-party developers simply take advantage of the console’s popularity and flood the market with copies of games originally designed for last-generation’s PlayStation 2. The result is an inundation of graphically unimpressive games with wiimote controls added on purely for novelty. In the same vein, those graphical limitations mean the Wii doesn’t support DVD or Blu-Ray playback.

The Nintendo Wii is not just for kids, but may not satisfy all with its games. However, at a suggested retail of $399.95, the cheapest of the big three by far, the Wii is a great starting-off console for new gamers looking for simple to learn and addictive games. For some of the console’s best, pick up Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Play (if for the extra controller if nothing else), and Disaster: Day of Crisis.

I love Resident Evil. Not so much the movies, but the games (really¦the third film was so over the top it’s not even funny, and yet they’re still talking about a fourth even with the army-of-Alice ending¦). I don’t care if the zombies are actual zombies, if they have parasites instead of an infection, or if you can’t decide if the series’ genre is Survival Horror or Action Horror. No, the reason I like the Resident Evil series so much is because of the story. It’s a classic underdog scenario; a small group of dedicated people risk life, limb, and teeth marks on their extremities to fight an evil, deceitful, money-hungry bioweapons company. This love of this narrative is what drove me to track down Resident Evil: Degeneration with the same fervour as Wesker trying to get a sample of the latest bioweapons threat, and that same love that has left me disappointed with Capcom’s first game tie-in film.

Following the game series and disregarding Sony’s three live-action films, Resident Evil: Degeneration picks up seven years after the zombie outbreak in Racoon City, featured in the Resident Evil 1, 2, and 3 games, and one year after the events of Resident Evil 4. Umbrella, the bioweapons firm disguising itself as a family-friendly pharmaceutical company, is no more and a new company is discreetly moving in the shadows to take its place under the direction of original baddie Albert Wesker.
Degeneration features a reunion of two characters introduced in Resident Evil 2: Claire Redfield, also featured in Resident Evil: Code: Veronica¸ and Leon Kennedy, the main protagonist of Resident Evil 4.

With a total of six core games in the series, the Resident Evil world is continually expanding. After the Racoon City outbreak and the city’s subsequent destruction, it only makes sense that Umbrella’s deception would come to light. The fall of the evil company was necessary to push the series story forward, and so too was the loss of the beloved underdog angle. Capcom has done a wonderful job in evolving the story in this manner; as Umbrella has fallen, so too have their secrets and their research. Degeneration follows this path and explains to us that their bioweapons technologies have been leaked to many research organisations and terrorist cells. To combat this new threat, government departments, such as the one Leon Kennedy is employed by, have been set up to respond to bioterrorism incidents. Claire Redfield takes a different path then Kennedy, instead opting to join a private humanitarian group called Terra-Save. So far so good “ we’re treated a logical progression of character and general story development. Unfortunately, this information was almost better suited for the liner notes of the next actual game.

What happens next is stock-standard Resident Evil: Claire arrives at the airport of a small town that just so happens to also have an HQ of a threatening pharmaceutical company in it, to meet up with friends. The T-virus from the original games is released, zombies ensue. Leon jumps in with US Marines in tow to save the day, only to find out that the threat was far more severe than originally thought. Claire, who is respected by fans of the video game series for being an independent, strong woman, injures herself and is regulated to the background as a mostly helpless victim (I mean, come on! She’s the only one in the series now without the benefit of formal combat training who has walked away a veteran survivor!), while Leon and a new character, Special Response Team member Angela Miller, head to the pharmaceutical company’s hi-tech atrium to combat the latest monster-of-the-game.

It looks like a game; the CG even looks like it’s been lifted from the aforementioned Resident Evil 1, 2, or 3 games. The problem is, this isn’t a game and the stock-standard game formula doesn’t cut it. With a game, you can slowly develop a story around solid gameplay; this film forgets that viewers can’t pick up a controller and fill in the gaps with a couple headshots. There are scenes near the ending of the film that do act as a set-up for the upcoming Resident Evil 5, but they could have been created and packaged with the new game as a 5 minute prologue story. Surprisingly, super-baddie Albert Wesker has been used by Capcom in teaser trailer after trailer to promote the new game, but isn’t even mentioned in passing in the film.

Those accustomed to the live-action films will struggle to understand what’s going on¦or if they do get the plot, they’ll struggle to care, as the ultimate threat that Leon and Claire face isn’t that elaborate. Die-hard fans of the game series will make as many allowances to love what’s being presented, but will come out of the experience a bit jaded. Blu-ray editions of the film feature clips of the latest, soon to be released game, which only reinforce that Resident Evil 5 looks FAR prettier than Degeneration does. The CG in the film looks like it was made about seven years ago, with waxy characters and stiff movement that you’d expect from a last-generation game. Fans are also treated to scant new details relating to the series overall story arc “ you basically walk away from the film with the name of the new company that’s set to torment the series’ main characters, though true fans already would have known that from Resident Evil 5 tidbits.

All in all, this game is truly deserving of a Shite-minus. Viewers are treated to a boring plot, bad CG, and long-waiting series fans will be astounded at how such a cool idea (reuniting Clare and Leon) could go so badly. Avoid at all costs and pick up Resident Evil 5 in March (or download the demo now!) to truly walk away satisfied.

Screencaps from: http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/10/review-resident.html

Trailer

[See post to watch Flash video]