Review: Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Having only barely played the beginning of the original Deus Ex three or four times, I had little knowledge of what to expect from Deus Ex: Human Revolution. All I did know was that in terms of PC classics, the original is up there with the best of them and being an RPG nut I had high hopes for the rebirth of this franchise. I think most people who have been gaming for a certain length of time have lived to see franchises come back after ‘x’ amount of years only to spurn the hopes and expectations of the fans. It’s great to see then that the folks at Eidos Montreal have managed to create a game that is genuinely a lot of fun based on its own merits.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution tells the tale of Adam Jensen, head of security at Sarif Industries in the year 2027, 25 years prior to the events of the original game, where mega corporate companies are focused on creating and advancing ‘human augmentation’ (think cybernetic limbs etc). The story kicks off with a bang as Sarif Headquarters comes under attack and after a brief tutorial-esque segment of gameplay Jensen is severely injured and must undergo extensive rebuilding that fuses him together with multiple augmentations. It’s here where the game really starts as Jensen is fuelled by the desire to find out the truth behind the attack and who was responsible.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Reveals El Jefe

Meet the super villain of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, El Jefe, a cigar smoking wild cat that apparently took over a country with just three blind mice and explosives. Impressive.

Thieves in Time is in development at Sanzaru Games, the folks behind the recent Sly Collection and Secret Agent Clank. The game is due to hit us next year with no solid date set down by Sony.

Five Against All - Gears of War 3 Horde 2.0 Trailer

A new trailer for the revamped (and mighty awesome looking) Horde 2.0 mode for Gears of War 3 has been released entitled 'Five Against All'. It showcases all the crazy action you can expect to be involved in when playing as well as showing off the fortifying and boss aspects of the mode.

In addition to that you can also hear the song written for the game by Ice-T and his old band Body Count which we heard about at E3. Let us know what you think!

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Not to Recycle Content

For those fearing that the sequel to Final Fantasy XIII will be full of recycled cut content from the original need not worry according to director Yoshinori Kitase.

Speaking with Xbox World 360 magazine, he explains:

"I think those comments have been really badly misinterpreted. The fact is that when making any game you need to come up with lots of different ideas and designs that you weigh up against each other before picking the best one. Obviously in that process a lot of ideas and designs have to be discarded,"

"We have never knowingly picked up these kind of ideas and recycled them. That's not what we do. It's natural for anyone making games to throw away ideas but the scenario of FFXIII-2 is completely newly written and has no connection to anything we didn't use for FFXIII"

There we have it, although it was said enough content was cut from FFXIII to make a new game in and of itself it seems the team is headed for fresher ideas with the sequel.

Sucker Punch Acquired by Sony

Sucker Punch, the studio behind critically acclaimed series such as Sly Cooper and inFamous has been acquired by Sony for an undisclosed fee. So as you'd imagine all future titles from the developer will be a PlayStation exclusive, no questions asked.

Here's the announcement:

"Sucker Punch Productions is one of the most highly acclaimed development studios in the industry and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the company for over 12 years. We are delighted to officially welcome them to the SCE family," said SCE Global Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida.

"The addition of Sucker Punch to SCE WWS reiterates our dedication to developing world class gaming experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform. With one of the strongest exclusive software lineups in the PS3′s history, combined with the diverse, innovate content in the works for PlayStation Vita, consumers have a lot to be excited about this year."

As for what title Sucker Punch are making next, that's unknown for now, but we do know that it's going to be a fresh IP for developer and console alike.

[Source - CVG]

True Crime Hong Kong Saved by Square Enix

So it was announced a while ago that Activision had cut and cancelled True Crime: Hong Kong even though the title was pretty much a finished product and playable from beginning to end. It's good news then that Square Enix has decided to save the project and publish the game themselves albeit under a different name due to Square not owning the IP rights.

While no date has been set or any other information given, Square Enix London Studios general manager Lee Singleton had this to say:

"When we first saw and got our hands on the game we fell in love with it," "It's one of those games where you don't want to put the controller down; it's what we call 'sticky'," "When we met the team at United Front Games, it was a done deal in our eyes - we instantly recognised the huge potential in the game and the team."

It's nice to see that United Front Games will get to see their game finally see the light of release now that Square has stepped in.

[Source - Gamasutra]

Itching to try Battlefield 3 Early?

DICE has outlined it's plan for Alpha and Beta testing of the highly anticipated Battlefield 3 on the game's official website.

The Alpha testing stage is a closed invite only affair while the Beta will be open to those of you out there who bought a copy of Medal of Honor that had a beta label on it. Here's how it's going down straight from DICE:

How can I get into the Alpha Trial?

It is a highly tech focused test period where the main purpose is to do a number of server related tests in preparation for game launch requiring a set amount of players online to ensure the final experience is as much fun and easy as possible.


Is this the Beta promised to buyers of Medal of Honor: Limited Edition?

No, this is an Alpha Trial, meaning this software is still not at the "Beta" development milestone. The Open Beta will start in September. The exact date for when Medal of Honor: Limited Edition players can join the Beta will be announced at a later date.


Can I join the Battlefield 3 Closed Alpha Trial?

The Alpha is a closed test and by invitation only. If you'd like to have a chance to be called upon make sure to register for our newsletter and ensure your Veteran status is up to date.
We are also not giving away keys to the Alpha Trial on any of our social networking platforms.


Recently a Medal of Honor: Limited Edition Beta newsletter went out to users. What is that all about?

Well, that newsletter says you are entitled to play the beta in September. It is however not a ticket or a code. If you purchased a copy of Medal of Honor with the Battlefield 3 Beta sticker on it, you are eligible for the Beta. If you have not received the newsletter, make sure you opt in on your EA Profile to receive them. Also, if you havent received the newsletter and own a copy of Medal of Honor: Limited edition, you are eligible to play in the beta.

So get registering folks if you wanna have a chance of being in the Alpha.

Trio of X-Men Destiny Behind the Scenes Character Trailers

X-Men Destiny is shaping up to be an interesting title to say the least, although not a great deal has been shown since announcement apart from the odd trailer here and there. However Activision have released three behind the scenes videos focusing on the different characters of Silicon Knights upcoming title.







Hold any hope or excitement for this game? Let us know!

Lack of Multiplayer for Darksiders Explained

Darksiders was a game screaming for multiplayer with its plot and gameplay set around a hack'n'slash adventure style with the four horsemen of the apocolypse as the focus and yet it was missing from the original title. With Darksiders 2 also set to launch with multiplayer being absent you may be wondering just why that is.

What it comes down to is data and animation, game director Marvin Donald explains:

"You've got completely different animation sets. It's 800 to 1,000 animations for Death alone and they're all unique. One thing great about working with Joe [Madureira] is that he comes up with awesome characters but they have completely different proportions, so you can't share any of the animations across them."

It's not just animating the characters but balancing their powers that would also take time. "Of course there's balancing with the different abilities. We're going to want them to play differently, so we wanted to spend some time developing each of the characters individually."

He was keen however to reiterate the desire that multiplayer is indeed something the team want to do at some point, it's just a case of when.

[Source - Shack News]

Call of Duty 4 Star Wars Mod - Galactic Warfare Released

By Mark

Star Wars Mod: Galactic Warfare has been released by German modding outfit Black Monkeys, the project has taken over two years but a final release is now available.

The mod is a total overhaul and conversion of CoD 4's multiplayer and pits players as an Imperial Forces Trooper or a Rebel Alliance Soldier, in addition to the skin changes there are seven playable maps and even killstreaks such as the Airstrike and Viper Droid. These use the Y-Wing and Tie-Bomber starfighters.

It looks great in all honesty and it's available here - ModDB

Battlefield 3 Mod Tools? Fraid Not

By Mark

Back in February executive producer of DICE Patrick Bach let us know that they were still undecided as to whether or not mod tools will be implemented into Battlefield 3 when it releases later this year.

Now it seems we have the answer and that is unfortunately for some, no. When speaking to German gaming magazine GameStar, EA's Senior VP Patrick Soderland had this to say:

"As of now, we are not going to make any modding tools." "If you look at the Frostbite engine, and how complex it is, it's going to be very difficult for people to mod the game because of the nature of the set up of levels, of the destruction and all those things. It's quite tricky. "So we think it's going to be too big of a challenge for people to make a mod."

A blow to some no doubt who were chomping at the bit to see what they could come up with when messing around with the buffed up Frostbite 2.0 engine that's being used for the game.

[Source - GameStar]

Tribes: Ascend Gameplay Ahoy

By Mark

Tribes: Ascend may not be known to everyone, especially the franchises PC origins that were massively popular from a multiplayer standpoint. Watching this video it's incredibly easy to see the similarity to certain other games but remember, Tribes has been around for a loooooooong time.

Another huge bonus this game has going for it is the fact that it is going to be a free to play title on both Xbox Live Arcade and PC this fall. Gameplay after the break!

Bodycount Sets a Date

By Mark

Bodycount, an upcoming FPS published by Codemasters and developed by Guildford Studio has set a solid release date for you to note in your calendars should you choose to do so. Some are saying it's the spiritual successor to Black that released on PS2 and the original Xbox in 2006 with some of the same staff working on the game.

The news comes by way of the titles official Facebook page in a statement that said:

Great news everybody! Bodycount will be coming out on the 30th August in North American and 2nd September in EMEA

For those of you unaware about the game or want a refresher here's a trailer for the game, just head past the break.

Skyrim: Less But Bigger DLC?

By Mark

Bethesda's DLC planning and releasing has always been a bit haywire and with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim the company is planning to rectify this by releasing less packages but more substantial ones instead. 

In an interview by AusGamers, game director Todd Howard stated:

"We would like to do DLC; we don't have any specific plans yet, but they've been really successful and we like making them," "So right now I can say that we'd like to do less DLC but bigger ones - you know, more substantial."

In regards to the Fallout 3 addons and Skyrim DLC direction (after the jump):

Uncharted 3 Multiplayer Beta Video - 11 Minutes

By Mark

Itching to see some footage of the multiplayer side of things from Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception? Now you can, eleven minutes in fact. It's all based on someone playing as Sully and located on the 'Airstrip' map.

It's interesting to see how cinematic Naughty Dog seem to have made the experience, at least on this map shown as you can see from the start of the round; players are jeep hopping around alongside a plane on a runway, it's different to say the least. Check out the video after the jump.

Achievement List revealed for Deus Ex: Human Revolution

By Jonny

The complete achievement list for Deus Ex: Human Revolution has recently been revealed and for you completionists out there it looks like multiple playthroughs will most likely be needed to snap up all of them. All story related achievements are secret achievements so be warned if you do not want any possible story spoilers, check out the full list after the break.

Binary Domain Release Date Revealed

By Mark

Binary Domain, the upcoming third person squad based shooter from Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has received a solid release window of February 2012 according to the latest trailer released by SEGA.

As for what else is in the trailer, it's focused on the narrative aspect of the title where a breach in the Geneva code has spurned a turn of events that leads to machines turning on the human race.

Wii U Won't 'Dramatically Outperform' Current Competition

By Mark

There's been a lot of rumours recently as to whether or not the entry of the Wii U will force Microsoft and Sony to release new hardware as well or at least force them to speed up with their 'next gen' schedule.

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has somewhat quelled these however when speaking to GameSpot. He states, regarding balance between price and technology, that:

"when you look at what we're trying to do this time, which is I think maybe to a certain degree somewhat reckless, because we're trying to include this somewhat kind of tablet-like device - this controller with the screen. We're trying to do that by finding the right balance between the CPU and the GPU, the graphics processor, and bringing all of that together with the ability to take advantage of the HD capabilities of the system, and wanting to do the most that we can on that front as well."

In reference to competitors he said:

"We're very sensitive, of course, to trying to do all of this at an appropriate price. So I don't know that we would be able to sit here and say that it's going to necessarily dramatically outperform the systems that are out now. It's part of the balance that we strike in terms of trying to find entertainment that is new and unique."

Regardless of whether or not the console has the ability to 'outperform' the 360/PS3, things are looking good for Nintendo as they have again brought a different perspective to the playing of games and even landed strong third party support this time.

As for Nintendo's actual price plan, there has been very little said other than the fact that it's unlikely to be 'cheap', whenever anything does roll out regarding price we'll be sure to let you know.

[Source - GameSpot]

CD Projekt Senior Producer Parts Ways

By Mark

CD Projekts senior producer Tomek Gop has parted ways with the company according to the business social networking site LinkedIn.

The studio has just recently enjoyed success with the recently released The Witcher 2: Assassin's of Kings on PC which is also now scheduled for an Xbox 360 release toward the end of the year.

[Source - LinkedIn]

BioShock Infinite Skyline Gameplay Trailer

By Mark

A new video released by 2K showcases Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine explaining the 'Skyline' transportation vehicles seen in BioShock Infinite and how they were changed to suit vertical combat.



It's a fairly short affair but we do get to see some more ingame footage which is still looking as fantastic as always.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River DLC Announced

By Mark

Codemasters have revealed the first DLC addition to FPS title Operation Flashpoint: Red River that will be entitled 'The Valley of Death'. The pack is due for release at the end of June for 560 Microsoft Points or £4.79/$6.99/€5.99.

But what do you get in the addition? Quite alot it seems, there will be 8 new Fireteam missions, 2 Combat Sweep, 2 CSAR missions, 2 Last Stand missions and 2 Rolling Thunder missions. The synopsis for the pack is:

"Players will fight through the warehouses and factories of a former Soviet Manufacturing town and carry out operations in a riverside mudbrick village set beneath foreboding hilltop ruins,

For the price, it certainly seems like good value if you enjoy the title and Codemasters are also set to release a title update for the game although no details on when it will release or what it does have been revealed.

LA Noire Rockstar Pass Detailed

By Mark

Rockstar has detailed the 'Rockstar Pass' for L.A Noire which is now available and will be bringing a multitude of DLC with it.

It comes as a "a new way to pre-order DLC" and allows players to snag seven pieces of content already (pre-order bonuses etc) as well as some upcoming additions. For a more indepth rundown of what you actually get and how much it is here is the information straight from the Press Release:

All seven pre-order DLC options will be available to purchase from Xbox Live and PSN starting today, with The Badge Pursuit Challenge and the Sharpshooter/ Broderick detective suits to download for $2.00/160 Microsoft Points and $1.00/80 Microsoft Points, respectively. "The Naked City" Vice case and "A Slip of the Tongue" Traffic case are also launching today. Both cases will each be priced at $4.00 (PlayStation Network) / 320 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

Two brand new cases, the "Nicholson Electroplating" Arson case (June 21, 2011) and the "Reefer Madness" Vice case (July 12, 2011), will also be available for download later this summer, each priced at $4.00 (PlayStation Network) / 320 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE). Inspired both by famous noir fiction and real-life crimes taken straight from the headlines, these downloadable cases will provide unique experiences for players independent of the game's primary storyline. All of the DLC will be available for purchase through the L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass, priced after the limited discount period at $12.00 (PlayStation Network) / 960 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE)-a 40% discount off individual DLC pricing.

• Chicago Lightning Detective Suit (Social Club only) - May 17;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (limited-time discount price) - May 31;
• "The Naked City" DLC case - May 31;
• "A Slip of The Tongue" DLC case - May 31;
• Broderick Detective Suit and Gun - May 31;
• Sharpshooter Detective Suit and Gun - May 31;
• The Badge Pursuit Challenge - May 31;
• Chicago Piano Machine Gun (free community unlock) - May 31;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (standard price) - June 14;
• "Nicholson Electroplating Disaster" DLC case

It seems to be a pretty sweet deal from Rockstar and with the inclusion of free upcoming content it seems like we'll be hanging on to our copies of the title for some time to come. 

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - First 10 Minutes

By Mark

It seems the first ten minutes of Deus Ex: Human Revolution has found it's way onto the net albeit with a foreign fellow talking non-stop over it.

The video isn't necessarily ruined by this however as the game has subtitles enabled and the in game audio is low so you can just mute it and enjoy that way. As for the game itself, it's looking rather good and will almost certainly raise your hope for the title when it finally releases in August this year.

You may be confused initially by the intro but.. just bare with it.

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm Gameplay and Details

By Mark

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm is undoubtedly on the radar of a lot of PC gamers out there and with good reason. It's not a great deal but Blizzard have released a short gameplay trailer for the upcoming title as well as revealing some details that you can expect to see upon release.

In an excerpt from PC Gamer, the following was revealed:

• Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm features Kerrigan as a hero character in nearly all of the missions. She's able to swap between four ability types. The first two shown include a Zerg style corruption form, and a Ghost style Spec Ops form
• In single-player, you'll be able to upgrade every unit in the Zerg arsenal, eventually splitting each of them into brand new unit types.
• Examples shown so far include Zerglings that can spawn immediately, or leap at their enemies like raptors, Banelings that split apart or turn their kills into minerals and gas, or Roaches that heal themselves with every kill, or can move when burrowed.
• There will be new units in multiplayer for all the races, but Blizzard have yet to confirm what they'll be.
• Kerrigan has a new haircut. 

I'm sure it's that last detail that you were most interested in, as for a release date for Heart of the Swarm, Blizzard have said that it's unlikely to appear in 2011 but fans of the series should know by now that it'll come eventually. For now, here's the gameplay.



Source - PC Gamer Via - CVG

E3 2011: Head Tracking With Forza

By Mark

Let's kick Wednesday's posts off with an Inside Xbox video showcasing Forza Motorsport 4's head tracking Kinect feature.

It's a short affair only clocking in at 1:24 but shows Xbox's Major Nelson (Larry Hryb) playing the game alongside Turn 10 creative director Dan Greenawalt. Forza has been a regular at E3 recently so you can expect to see plenty more during the convention itself.

Western Release for The Last Story?

By Mark

It seems that The Last Story could finally see a western release after all, Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator and Mistwalker lead) has supposedly told the French games press that localisation on the Wii title will be done for Europe.

Aside from that nothing else has been reported, no word on a US release although one would expect it to happen as the localisation will have been done. There was also no dates given or any other relevant information so be sure to check in with us to see if anything else unfolds.

Source - GoNintendo

3DS: Square Enix Officially Reveals 'Heroes of Ruin'

By Mark

Heroes of Ruin has officially been revealed by Square Enix for the 3DS, the game will follow "four unlikely heroes brought together to form a fearsome alliance" and is set to feature seamless online play similarly to the companies other recent DS RPGs.


As well as the expected drop-in, drop-out co-op capabilities, it's said that the StreetPass feature of the 3DS will be used to enable a 'Traders Network' that allows players to buy and sell items that they have found in battle. Aside from that, SpotPass and Wi-Fi Hotspots will also be used to obtain unique items and challenges. 


We'll be sure to let you know of a solid release date and more information as and when it comes.

Free Brink DLC Detailed, Patch Released

By Mark

The first piece of DLC for Brink has been detailed by Splash Damage and Bethesda, the free offering is entitled 'Agents of Change' and comes with the usual additions including new maps, weapon attachments, outfits and abilities. Agents of Change will be releasing sometime in June.

The full rundown of additions are:

New Maps

• Founders' Tower - The revolution finally reaches the island's iconic spire and takes the battle for the Ark to dizzying heights.
• Labs - Venture into the depths of the Ark's original research and development laboratories, a submerged high-tech facility so far untouched by the civil war.

New Player Abilities

• UAV - This stealthy and lethal device allows Operatives to automatically mark nearby enemies on their radar. For more explosive fun, they can even take direct control of the UAV and detonate it near unsuspecting foes.
• Napalm Grenade - Soldiers can use this new grenade to cover an area in a sea of deadly flames.
• Pyro Mine - Engineers can plant these mines and leave enemies in the epicenter of a massive napalm explosion.
• Field Regen Unit - Medics can deploy these units to increase the health regeneration of any nearby teammates.
• Tactical Scanner - This universal ability allows players to reveal the active buffs of their opponents, allowing them to pick off enemies more strategically.

New Weapon Attachments

• Bayonets - Gain the edge in melee combat and cause extra damage with these deadly blades.
• Weapon Shields - Take cover from enemy fire and prevent headshot bonus damage behind riot-style shields.

New Character Outfits

• The Sad Punk - Add a touch of Steampunk to your Resistance character.
• The Limey - Bring order to the Ark with this outfit inspired by traditional European police.

Aside from this information reveal, Splash Damage has also released the patch that is aimed at fixing game stability and online play. 


Source - CVG

Dead Island Gameplay - A 20 Minute Medley of Zombie Melee

By Mark

Dead Island, currently in development at Call of Juarez studio Techland is undoubtedly one of the more anticipated titles that's on the way and being slated as a first person open ended zombie title why wouldn't it be? To show us what you can expect from the game when playing, a 20 minute video has been released that is solely focused on gameplay.

Aside from the obvious bashing loads of zombies with blunt instruments you get a real look at the vistas that the games tropical island setting has to offer as well a look at how vehicles play in the game among other features.

Dead Island is set to release this autumn and after watching this footage, has it raised or dashed your anticipation?

Homefront: Xbox 360 Update, Ability Pack and DLC Unveiled

By Mark

Kaos Studios have revealed that the first piece of DLC for Homefront is entitled 'Fire Sale' and will be bringing two new multiplayer maps for players to experience and that on the day of release, June 7th, the 870 Express Shotgun and a Homefront theme will be free to download.

The Xbox 360 update which is now available is targeted at the "overall game stability and network connectivity", among other features whereas the 'Ability Pack' that is also available now aims to spice up the gameplay.


The Ability Pack will bring:

• Ice Cold: Invisible on thermal views and airstrike sensors
• Situational Awareness: Enemy gamertag appears when shot
• EMP Tactician: Deal more damage vs EMP'd vehicles
• Short Fuse: Reduced cook time on frag grenades
• Bomb Suit: Take less damage from explosives

The title update fixes:

• Assist points for vehicle kills
• Rank Resets
• Game returns to MP menu instead of Main Menu after leaving a match
• Max ping limits for server connections (prevent connections to distant servers)
• Game freeze & hitching
• Joining Friends feature
• Beacon errors
• Party Connectivity
• Various other fixes

Source - Homefront

Don't Expect to see Metal Gear Solid 5 at E3

By Mark

If you had any hopes of seeing a Metal Gear Solid 5 at this years E3 then let them fade away, speaking in the latest Kojima Productions podcast the Metal Gear father has answered many questions in relation to this years show and about the franchise in general.

The folks over at Andriasang have translated some of the questions for those of us unable to speak Japanese and here they are: 

Will you appear at the Microsoft E3 press conference? <-- NO
 
Will you announce Metal Gear Solid 5? <-- NO
 
Will MGS 3D be released at the end of 2011? <-- YES
 
Is Doctor Lautrec the new title from the Metal Gear staff? <-- NO (with a laugh)

Did Kojima Productions Not Work on Metal Gear Arcade? <-- YES
 
Is Gray Fox the main character in MGS Rising? <-- NO
 
Will MGS Rising's multiplayer be shown? <-- NO
 
Is MGS Rising's release date November 1, 2011? <-- NO
 
Will MGS4 be ported to NGP? <-- NO
 
Are you planning something big for Metal Gear's 25th anniversary next year? <-- YES

So there it is, some kind of insight into what Hideo Kojima has planned and what you can expect (or rather can't expect) to see for now.

Resistance 3 Dated, Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions Revealed

By Mark

The release date for Resistance 3 has just been officially confirmed for the US, UK and Europe and with it come the pre-order incentives and special editions of the game. The title will be launching on September 6th in North America, the 9th in the UK and the 7th in Europe.

As for pre-order bonuses here is what the US can obtain from various stores:

Gamestop - A replica necklace of Chimeran teeth and a multiplayer booster pack that allows you to start at level 5, also enabling to to create custom classes right from the word go.

Wal-Mart - A set of five custom online titles including 'The Sentinal'

Amazon - The No. 60 Air Fuel Grenade that sticks to just about any surface while deploying a cloud of flammable vapour which can then explode.

Best Buy - A multiplayer skin for Lt. Nathan Hale and exclusive taunt ability.

Canada and other US Retailers - SRPA Soldier multiplayer skin.


While the bonuses are the same for UK and Europe, what bonuses are tied to which retailers haven't been released yet so keep a look out.

As for the editions of the game apart from the standard one, there is the Resistance 3 Special Edition which comes with a steelbook case and a voucher for all of the aforementioned bonuses and to make it more special the edition will also have a special 'vinyl effect' bluray disc for the game complete with ribbed vinyl feeling on the surface.

Lastly, there is the Resistance 3 Survivor Edition which will contain:

• Canvas Satchel
• Chimera Firing Range Poster
• Fight for Freedom Toy Soldiers
• Joseph Capelli's Journal
• SRPA Hip Flask
• SRPA Playing Cards

As well as all that you still get what comes with the special edition and as for prices on these we still don't know but they're definitely packing alot in. Let us know what you think of these in the comments below!

Source - EU Playstation Blog/US Playstation Blog
 

First Gameplay of BloodRayne: Betrayal

By Mark

While the 3DS title BloodRayne: The Shroud has been put on hold by publisher Majesco, there's good news for series fans as we'll be able to see and play BloodRayne: Betrayed this summer on XBLA and PSN.

The game will be the first outing for Rayne since her last appearance in BloodRayne 2 way back in the days of PS2 and with developer WayForward at the helm and a new 2D artstyle to boot, the game is looking pretty slick. It's a side scrolling hack 'n' slash and while there are a shedload available already, this one is still looking good enough to compete.

As far as the narrative goes, Majesco have said: "Begrudgingly recruited by the vampire hunting Brimstone Society for one final mission, Rayne teams up with a mysterious new friend to stop an evil vampire massacre,.

Deathspank Set to Return in 'The Baconing'

By Mark

Hothead Games, the team behind the Deathspank games is set to return and is bringing it's hero back in a game eloquently entitled 'The Baconing'.

So what's it about? Players will once again take control of Deathspank who is out to find the legendary 'Fires of Bacon'. Being described as a "Monkey Island meets Diablo experience" by developers falls in line with previous titles so fans shouldn't worry about any huge change to the game. 


A more in depth description comes straight from HotHead themselves:

"Battle four all new bosses like the Minorque, fight alongside a new sidekick named Bob from Marketing, tame an all new insane level of difficulty and visit all new locations such as The Forbidden Zone, The Forest of Tomorrow, Barnacle Lake and others as you seek out to find the locations of the infamous Fires of Bacon to once and for all destroy the evil power of the thongs."

The Baconing is set to release on XBLA, PSN and PC this summer and here's a trailer for those who can't wait to hunt for the Fires of Bacon.

Soundtrack to Portal 2 Now Free for All

By Mark

When playing through Portal 2 did you love the music that accompanied it? If so then Valve have pieced together a 22 song soundtrack that is available to obtain via its website.

This is the first of three 'aural stimulation packages' (or albums) and features all of those electro beats that you'll remember hearing when solving the many puzzles of the game and while the soundtrack wasn't a masterpiece in its own right, it's still pretty decent and free so worth a download. 

Aside from the album, there are also six ringtones for Android and iPhone that are free to download as well, so get yourself over to Think With Portals

First DLC for LA Noire News Coming Next Week

By Mark

More news that has come from the land of Twitter now, Rockstar are set to release the first proper news about the initial DLC package for crime-thriller title L.A Noire.

As far as we know it will be titled 'The Nicholson Electroplating Arson Case' due to a listing from Best Buy which said it was due to hit on June 21st.

I'm expecting there to be quite a lot of DLC for this game due to what was said to be cut, not to mention the fact that there were several 'departments' that we didn't experience in the original title. If you're still on the fence about the game check back for our review which will be up fairly soon.

Source - Twitter

No Lead Platform for Modern Warfare 3 - Infinity Ward

By Mark

Does knowing what lead platform a game is being developed for interest you? If so, you might be interested to know that Infinity Ward are saying that for upcoming Modern Warfare 3 there isn't a 'lead' for development.

What with the all the hullabaloo that has gone on in the past with some PS3 users claiming that the Xbox 360 iterations of the Call of Duty franchise tend to get preferential treatment, Robert Bowling (creative strategist at IW) has said that both versions are monitored closely for performance.

Speaking on Twitter he said that: "We don't have lead platforms, we develop each version alongside each other," and that the "Xbox 360 is running at same as PS3."

As far as the PC version of the title is concerned he had this to say: "is the one platform that receives unique optimisations", he also noted that the game will be"locked at 60 FPS which means it will never go below it, its can always go above 60 FPS".

Good to know for those fans worried about a somewhat inferior version arriving on their console of choice, time will tell though to see if this is the case.

Source - Twitter 

Shadows of the Damned pre-order incentive revealed

By Jonny

EA has just revealed the pre-order bonus for Shadows of the Damned and they're pulling out the big names for this one. With every pre-order, well every pre-order from Amazon or Gamestop, you will get access to the Shadows of the Damned soundtrack for digital download.

The soundtrack features 12 songs and as many of you may know, come from the critically acclaimed composer Akira Yamaoka, who did the fantastically creepy soundtracks for the Silent Hill games.

Shadows of the Damned is being developed by Grasshopper, who have some very big names in the industry on board including Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. The game was recently delayed for two weeks by EA, which means the new release date will be June 21 in North America.

Next Three Fallout: New Vegas DLC Packs Revealed

By Mark

Following the original DLC pack 'Dead Money' will be three more entries each entitled: 'Honest Hearts', 'Old World Blues' and 'Lonesome Road'. These expansions will be launching simultaneously across all three platforms Bethesda has revealed.

The first package, Honest Hearts, sees the courier travel to the unspoiled wilderness of Utah's Zion National Park. However as things go inevitably wrong, the player is caught in a standoff between two tribes as well as two figureheads; these being a New Canaanite Missionary and the mysterious Burning Man. Decisions you make here will determine the fate of Zion. Honest Hearts will launch on May 17th for Xbox 360 and PC and May 18th for PS3.

Old World Blues will see the courier unwittingly become a lab rat in an experiment gone haywire, through this experience you will learn how some of the mutated creatures of the Mojave came to be. In addition to this there is an even greater threat described as you can turn on your kidnappers or help them defeat this unknown threat. Old World Blues is set for a June release.

Finally, in Lonesome Road, it all comes back to the beginning of New Vegas and the platinum chip the courier was tasked with delivering. The player is contacted by the original 'Courier Six' who is in fact a man named Ulysses; he promises to tell you the reason why he refused to take the chip in the first place provided you take on one last job. He wants you to go to the Divide, a place ravaged by hurricanes, severe storms and earthquakes. This DLC will be available in July.

All of these packages are priced at 800 Microsoft Points or £7.49 on the PSN or Steam/Direct2Drive. After Dead Money, I think Obsidian need to prove something with these next additions and they certainly sound promising enough. Once any other information/media comes our way we'll be sure to share it for now though, anyone excited?

Shadows of the Damned Dev Diary - 'Journey Through a Demented Underworld'

By Mark

Shadows of the Damned, the latest title being developed by Grasshopper Manufacture is shaping up to be an interesting title to say the least. The game follows the story of Garcia Hotspur, a demon hunter who heads off to hell to in order to take on the evils within to save his true love.

A noteworthy point about the title is that it's a collaboration between Resident Evil legend Shinji Mikami and Goichi Suda (Suda51) best known for titles like Killer 7 and No More Heroes. 

In this newly released dev diary we see the pair explaining the narrative and key features of the game, albeit with a strange choice of narrator. Aside from the usual game feature descriptions, there's plenty of gameplay to look at too so it's worth a watch if you're interested in the title.

The Last Guardian and HD Ico Collection Delayed

By Mark

It's not terrific news that I bring here, Team Ico head Fumito Ueda has announced the delay of both The Last Guardian and the upcoming HD re release of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico.

No new dates have been given but The Last Guardian was supposedly going to hit toward the end of this year, so we can only assume that there'll be no sight of it until 2012.

Over on the EU Playstation blog, Ueda has issued an apology:

"I announced at last year's Tokyo Game Show that the release timing of The Last Guardian which is currently being developed would be holiday 2011.

However, to provide more challenging and better quality of content to users and to fulfill First Party Studio's obligations, I decided to postpone its release timing.

All the members of my production team are working together at a fast pace to develop and release the game in First Party Studio quality.

I sincerely apologize to all the customers who have been waiting for "The Last Guardian" for so long, but I beg for your patience. I will also announce the new release timing at a later time.

In fairness, if the delay means the finished product will be all the better for it then we can't really complain. The Last Guardian is already shaping up to be a beautiful looking game and once we have more information it'll be here so stick around.

Source - EU Playstation blog

Capcom: Resident Evil 6 to be 'complete renovation'

By Mark

It's no surprise that Capcom feel the need for a bit of a change with the next numbered installment to the Resident Evil franchise and producer Masachika Kawata has further expressed this when speaking to spanish website MarcaPlayer.


Kawata stated that:

"The series will see a complete renovation with the next entry on every level. But we can't forget about all the previous entries that have led to the creation of many possibilities for the franchise. I can’t say if we’re going to make it (Resident Evil 6) survival horror or a shooter, but I can say that it’ll be totally different."

The interesting bit there is that they're unsure on what direction to take with the franchise, do they push on with the more action based style of game or return to the roots and do survival horror. I know which one I'd rather have but what about you?

Source - MarcaPlayer Via - Relyonhorror

SSX Dev Diary Explains Tricks

By Mark

The latest developer diary for upcoming SSX title has been released and focuses mainly on the tricks of the game. In the words of the dev's the tricks are going to be 'awesome and easy' in comparison to most trick based games that can be frustrating to play.

In addition to the usual insight from the team, you also get to see some concept art and the game itself in action somewhat, check it out.

Bioware - A Mass Effect MMO 'Makes Sense'

By Mark

Unsurprisingly in this day and age all developers are looking at how to get into the multiplayer scene in a successful way and Bioware are no different. Speaking with Game Informer, the executive producer Casey Hudson has shed some light on the thoughts of the team.

While as of yet, there are no solid ways that they are going to do it, Hudson wants to be clear that multiplayer is definitely a part of Bioware's future plans whether in the Mass Effect series or not:

"We haven't yet come up with a way to do that, so we don't have anything to announce at this time. But, obviously, multiplayer is something we want to do more of in the future as a company."

He states that in regard to fan feedback, an MMO is what is most talked about when it comes to implementing multiplayer into the Mass Effect universe.

"A lot of people say that they want to see an MMO, I think that kind of makes sense for this universe.

"I think Mass Effect has that quality to it. If you get rid of the Reapers and win that, wouldn't it be amazing to just live on the Citadel or just take a ship to Omega? That makes sense."

It's hard to disagree and say that an MMO wouldn't work, but how many of you out there that enjoy the RPGs that Bioware craft actually want them focus some development time on multiplayer too?

3DS Title 'BloodRayne: The Shroud' On Hold

By Mark

Announced last year at E3 but with no word on the game since, it's no surprise that BloodRayne: The Shroud has been put on hold by publisher Majesco. The news came by way of the game's official Facebook page when a fan asked about the title and a rep responded:

"The 3DS title is currently on hold. We'll be sure to share any news when it's available"

So there you have it, don't expect any more news on the game for a while.

Rage Can Be Conquered In 'Around 15 Hours'

By Mark

Speaking in an interview with OXM, Tim Willits the creative director behind the upcoming post apocalyptic Borderlands meets Fallout has said that the campaign of Rage can be wrapped up in around 15 hours.

Now. There are a few things to point out, while the game may be spanning two discs for the 360 version it could seem like 15 hours may not be all that, but that's not taking into account any side quests or exploration. I mean games like Fallout can be finished pretty quickly if you just gun straight for the ending but that would be missing the point of the game; not to mention lessening your own experience by default.

For all we know Rage could be absolutely stuffed with extras and let's say for a moment it isn't, 15 hours is still pretty decent when compared to that of other FPS' to come out in recent times that last around 4 or 5 hours. What do you folks think? Anyone stoked for iD's latest shooter?

Hunt Ghosts In Your Own Home With New 3DS AR Game

By Mark

1st Playable Productions are currently hard at work on a new AR (Augmented Reality) title called The Hidden. The game will be published by Majesco and will see players hunting for entities in their home environments this October.

As far as a synopsis for the game goes we have this, you are:

"a member of the elite G.E.I.S.T. squad, Ghostly Entity Investigation and Strike Team, and must work with your team to track, capture, shoot and eliminate evil spirits, including fast-moving Kamikazes and Tanks, solid phantoms armed with claws."

The Hidden will take advantage of the the 3DS' rear facing twin cameras so that you can search around your very own real world environments and Majesco's CEO Jesse Sutton points out that it uses key features of the new handheld such as "gyroscope and Wi-Fi capability--to deliver a rich 3D adventure with multiple layers."

Source - CVG

140 Levels Added to Super Meat Boy

By Mark

Those of you that have Super Meat Boy on the PC (via steam) can now gain access to a further 140 levels courtesy of the addition of 'Super Meat World'.

To gain access to the extra world all you have to do is collect 20 bandages in game and the level portal will appear. The extra 140 levels were created by other users and developers. Team Meat, developers of the indie hit, have asked that players "bare with us as we work out the kinks" and that the feature is still work in progress. 


Even further additions to Super Meat Boy are planned as well in the form of a new level editor and also an all new chapter called 'The Unknown' which will feature a selection of the very best user created levels. 


Source - CVG

Battlefield 3 - Fault Line Episode 3: Get That Wire Cut

By Mark

The third episode in Battlefield 3's 'Fault Line' series has now been released this one dubbed 'Get That Wire Cut'. Before jumping into any action this little synopsis is given:

"The squad has located the missing patrol and notices a suspicious wire leading into a basement nearby. Suspecting an IED, Sgt. Black is tasked to follow it..."

Aside from the usual gunplay and lovely visuals we've come to expect with these videos, we're also shown a small quick time event as the player disposes of an enemy melee style.

Limbo, Splosion Man and Trials HD Triple Pack Dated

By Mark

Microsoft's retail offering of Splosion Man, Limbo and Trials HD has gotten a UK release date and price to go along with the previously confirmed US and Japan dates. The pack is set to hit stores on May 18th in the UK, May 19th in Japan and April 19th in North America.

With the three XBLA titles you'll also be getting yourself a 48 hour Xbox Live trial and 160 Microsoft Points for your troubles. The only price so far is the US price of $29.99 with others not yet confirmed.

So that's three awesome Xbox Live Arcade titles in a single retail package? Sounds great right.

Source - CVG

Dust 514 'A Future Vision'

By Mark

Fans of long running MMO title EVE Online will no doubt be interested to see how Dust 514 does once it's released. For those among you who are unclear on the relation let me explain.

Dust 514 is an upcoming MMOFPS developed by CCP, the same folk behind EVE, which will directly impact said MMO in terms of who controls certain planets and areas. In addition to just a 'zonal' effect, players from the EVE side of things on the PC will be able to hire console folk to capture specific areas therefore gaining them ingame money.

It's a pretty interesting idea to connect an MMO title on PC to an online FPS on console in more than just name. As for how it will fare once it's out and about we'll have to wait until launch.

First DLC characters for Mortal Kombat unveiled

By Jonny

Netherrealm Studios have confirmed the first batch of DLC for Mortal Kombat, and you will be glad to hear that two new fighters will be joining the Kombat shortly after the game releases next month. In an interview with CVG, Mortal Kombat producer Hans Lo announced that the two new characters will be Kenshi, who fans will recognise form previous MK games and Scarlet, who is a bit more interesting as you will soon find out.

"Anyone who knows the history of Mortal Kombat will tell you that back in the days of the arcade - when they did just palette swap characters to come up with multiple fighters in the game - there was a glitch in one of the old arcade machines that caused the Jade/Katana/Milena female ninja to glitch and turn red.
"People always thought it was a hidden unlockable character and it wasn't, it was purely a programming glitch. They've always speculated and in fact it was the fans who named her Scarlet to begin with. She's no longer a glitch - she's an actual character, and she'll be coming pretty soon post-launch."

Hans Lo also stated that these characters will not copy the move set of existing characters, but will have their own unique fighting styles and fatalities.

Source: CVG