Gaming Addict

Dead Space Extraction has been revealed as a “guided FPS experience”, and while there has been no elaboration by EA as to exactly what that means, I’m guessing now we can expect some sort of a cross between Myst and House of the Dead, and that just sounds awful for a legitimate Survival Horror title.  I mean it’s fine if you’re just playing a game that doesn’t take itself seriously like House of the Dead.  But a guided FPS experience doesn’t really allow for those great horrific moments that the first Dead Space had in full, during the course of the story.

Now Extraction sounds as though it’s going to be much too pre-scripted to really even get your blood pumping the way you would expect, especially after you were scared to death by the first game.

Grand Theft Auto IV’s first DLC The Lost and the Damned is apparently ridiculously successful.  LatD sold more than anything that’s ever been released on Xbox Live previously, and apparently spiked GTA IV’s online community to see a greater increase than ever before.  And why shouldn’t it, LatD is probably one of the best DLC packs I’ve ever played, probably only second to Shivering Isles, but that’s because Shivering Isles was the biggest and best DLC pack ever put out for a console.

Which all means it goes without saying that you really should download LatD if you haven’t yet, despite the lofty 1600 ms points it will cost you, the pack is completely worthwhile.  And if you’re a one of those poor PS3 owners that are going to miss out on this DLC pack, you should probably rethink your purchasing decision, especially considering that Xbox has everything good from PS3, with the added bonus of better console exclusives.

Xbox Live Arcade just keeps getting better and better, and now with today’s news of the upcoming availability of Sam & Max seasons 1 and 2, XBLA is even better.  Telltale today announced that both seasons of Sam & Max will be available in their entirety as two separate downloads through the XBLA service, a price point hasn’t yet been announced, but considering you have to pay about $9 per episode to download Sam & Max for your computer, I don’t imagine the XBLA full season packs will be relatively cheap.

No details on when Sam & Max will release, but both packs will undergo a slight name change, season one on XBLA will be called Sam & Max Save The World, and the second season will be renamed Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space.  And no matter how many Microsoft points you’ll have to shell out on these, trust me. . .they will be completely worthwhile.

The Halo universe is being expanded upon again with a new series of videos to be released on Xbox Live.  The first of which,  Genesis:  The Halo Universe Expanded-Act 1.  The video will feature interviews and insights from series creators and other game developers, and will range from the recent Halo Wars to the first three Halo games, and Master Chief himself.  Colour me intrigued.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest is getting it’s first DLC pack called the Heroes & Maps pack, at 800 ms points, or alternatively $9.99 on PSN, this pack is fairly worth the price point.  For the money you’ll get two new multiplayer maps, the  lava filled fields of Battle of the last Alliance and the forest territory of Amon Hen.  Two new Hero Arenas are also included, Weathertop and the bound to be completely fantastic Minas Tirith.

But perhaps the most exciting part of the pack is the inclusion of three additional heroes, Arwen, the Gothmog, and Boromir.  I’m most amped up for the three additional heroes, mostly because Boromir was my favourite character from the books, and now his inclusion in the best LotR game to date is just rewards for a fan of the franchise like me.

And finally today, a Ninja Blades demo has been announced for release next month, March 9th to be exact, which will finally actually reveal if this oft-hyped title is actually worth said hype.  The premise sounds cool, a group of highly trained ninjas trying to take down an infection that has been turning people into hordes of crazy monsters.  But the premise for Too Human also sounded intriguing, and we all know how that turned out.

Today is a good day to be a PSP owner, as Sony has announced a slew of fantastic games upcoming for their often neglected handheld console.  The first, and most intriguing of those has to be the announcement of Rock Band Unplugged which will be a portable adaptation of the popular music title, and will feature full support on Playstation Network to ensure, like the home console editions, that you always have new songs to download and play.

Details on how this new Rock Band will actually be converted to the PSP format and remain true to the original Rock Band experience are yet to be released, but I have complete confidence that Harmonix will bring us a fantastic portable adaptation.

Probably the second most exciting in the list of upcoming PSP titles, is the announcement of an Assassin’s Creed game in development exclusively for PSP.  Again details are scarce as to the actual nuances of where the game takes place in the Assassin’s Creed storyline, and exactly what the gameplay will entail, but the main thing here is that portable Assassin’s Creed is coming like you’ve never seen it before, and I’m betting it will be awesome.

Another really cool announcement is the upcoming LittleBigPlanet adaptation for the console, which will feature the same great features of the PS3 release.  Which means you can look forward to creating your own levels and sharing them with others on PSN.  I don’t imagine a lot will change from the portable version, besides probably the grandeur of the levels and graphics.

And finally as far as PSP upcoming stuff goes, yet one more cool announcement was made, and that is the upcoming MotorStorm adaptation that will release later this year.  I love MotorStorm, again not that big of a racing fan, but MotorStorm is another of those games that transcend the racing barrier and remain ridiculously fun to me like DiRT or Test Drive Unlimited.  This new MotorStorm will take place in the arctic, which is where the game’s name comes into play MotorStorm: Arctic Edge which Sony is promising to be the series’ most extreme location yet.

Now they just need to release a little mini driving wheel attachment for your PSP and you’ll be set.

And finally today, rounding out the new game news of the day, is Volatile Games announcement of a brand new re-imagining of the Dead To Rights series, called Dead to Rights: Retribution.  The game will release on Xbox 360 and PS3, and will feature noir storyline in which you see protagonist Jack Slate take more of a tragic hero role.  But you’ve never played an action game like Dead to Rights for the story, so forget that and let’s focus on the awesome new engine Volatile is promising for the new DtR.

Volatile Games has said that Retribution will feature a revolutionary mechanic for seamlessly combining third-person gunplay, melee combat and the integration of your AI dog companion Shadow.  Although Volatile also announced the addition of action sequences in which you’ll need to take control of Shadow to accomplish your goals, which doesn’t really interest me, because sequences like those that are designed to break up the gameplay to make things more ‘entertaining’ always seem tacked on and too lame for me to care.  I hate playing through them in most cases, matter of fact.

I want to play a third-person shooter to third-person shoot things, if I want to play as a dog I’ll go play Dog’s Life.

Microsoft is offering a pretty awesome bundle for the upcoming release of Resident Evil 5, by announcing a limited edition red Xbox 360 elite console.  Apparently in a move to celebrate the first time that the Resident Evil series has made an appearance on a Microsoft console, these new Xbox 360s are apparently very limited.  Which means if you want one, you probably need to pre-order now, and even then you just might need a little luck to ensure you’ll actually get one.

Although to be honest I don’t really see the big deal.  I don’t get the whole special edition console market, mostly because in this economy who has the extra cash to burn on buying a new console for no other reason then it’s red?  But I guess if you either didn’t have a 360, or if you were contemplating upgrading to the elite system from your old 360 anyway, this bundle makes perfect sense?

Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena has officially been given a release date, meaning we can all finally play this new Riddick opus on April 24th on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.  Assault on Dark Athena features the all new Athena campaign, as well as the excellent Escape From Butcher Bay remastered to appear in full 1080p HD, which means if you are in any way an FPS fan, or a fan of gorgeous graphics, this is a must buy.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures continues to spiral out of control, with the most recent subscriber count reportedly under 100,000, down from the previous high of 700,000.  So I guess if you’re an Age of Conan fan you need to get all your MMO-ing in now, because there’s no way the game is going to survive at this rate.  It’s just not fiscally intelligent to keep an MMORPG alive if nobody is paying to play the thing.

And finally, Killzone 2 has released the most random minigame type thing I’ve ever seen in anticipation of the full game’s actual release at the end of the month.  Sony Computer Entertainment announced the release of an internet browser plug-in for Killzone 2 that will allow you to battle Helghast as you surf the web.  So I guess you’re just minding your own business, going to any random website, when all of the sudden Helghast will attack you on screen and you’ll have to defeat them to progress to another webpage?

Sounds fairly cool though, I’m all about more cool things to do with my Firefox plug-ins, especially if it involves shooting up some baddies in between watching Youtube videos.   If you want to try out the new Killzone 2 minigame, head over to killzonewebgame.com and give it a try.

BioWare released their first Mass Effect 2 teaser, which is really exciting because Mass Effect was pretty much the greatest game ever made, and also because of what the trailer reveals as a possible plot setup for the next game.  The big twist being. . .wait for it. . . .Commander Shepard is K.I.A., presumably meaning you will take on the role of a different character entirely, or that Shepard is actually alive only meant to be thought dead as a result of a Geth tactic.

But at the notion of the game possibly having an entirely different turn, such as the involvement of a new protagonist, BioWare has warned us all not to delete our saved games, suggesting that how you finished the first game will play a vital role in Mass Effect 2’s plot.  And that’s the coolest thing I’ve heard all day.

The first Mass Effect redefined the notion on how interactive plotlines within a game could be, but if the next two games in Mass Effect’s proposed trilogy keep true to the consequences you have created through your journeys, that will be an unprecedented amount of personal involvement in a videogame’s outcome like we’ve never seen from a console game before.

Also announced today is Codemasters pick up of the new Leisure Suit Larry title, Box Office Blast, previously in videogame  limbo after having been dropped by Vivendi a few months ago.  Box Office Blast will be available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, but whether the game will be a true Leisure Suit Larry title remains to be seen.  Sony is notoriously gun shy on the amount of nudity/sexual content found in it’s games, and the Leisure Suit Larry series is famous for the gratuitous nudity and raunchy humour that can be found throughout.  Leaving me to wonder how much editing Box Office Blast will require, especially considering the rampant censorship found in the series last console release, Magna Cum Laude.

Give us a real Leisure Suit Larry Codemasters. . .some games are for adults and not children, and the LSL series is one of them, so how about allowing adults to play a game that’s aimed towards them uncensored?

Bethesda has detailed what you can expect from the next Fallout 3 DLC pack The Pitt, and I’m actually intrigued.  Which is saying a lot, considering how I still feel burned by the travesty that was Operation Anchorage, this new DLC actually looks fairly promising.  This pack will take place in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, hence the title The Pitt, where the city has become a staging ground for a huge battle between Raiders and their slaves.  You’ll have the opportunity to infiltrate either side, if you like, by either disguising yourself as a slave to join their rebellion, or joining the Raiders in their bid to quell the uprising.

Bethesda promises somewhat of a twist ending to this new section of story, as well as some badass new weaponry.  Like the AutoAxe, which is sort of like a half axe half chainsaw weapon that looks really fun to use on some unsuspecting foes, or some suspecting ones. . .either way blood fuelled mayhem.  Meet your new best melee weapon friend:

Hopefully Bethesda will actually deliver this time, I’m putting my trust in them once again, mostly because I refuse to believe that the studio responsible for the fantastic post-release content that was developed for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, could screw us over again.  I’ll never forget the money I wasted on Operation Anchorage, but I’m willing to give Fallout 3’s DLC another try.

Remember how completely awesome the first DiRT was?  Well I do, and quite fondly, as I’m not much of a racer fan, but there was something ridiculously entertaining about DiRT.  And there’s good news if you happen to be a fan, as developer Codemasters has announced DiRT 2 which will be released in September on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PSP.  Promising a bigger World Tour mode, and more fantastic race tracks based on real-world environments, DiRT 2 is going to be everything you loved about the first game, with the enhanced graphics and controls that come with a sequel.

Speaking of games by Codemasters, the developer has just announced that June is going to be the month of Overlord, as three games in the franchise will be released throughout the month.  Overlord II for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, Overlord: Dark Legend for Wii, and Overlord: Minions for the Nintendo DS.

I loved the first Overlord, and if Codemasters has sorted out the issues with combat/control of your Overlord character, then I can see myself buying Overlord II and even Dark Legend on Wii.  I am after all, very intrigued to see how the Overlord concept of minions translates into the motion control format.

Remember the original American McGee’s Alice, and how brilliant a concept it was, not to mention how interesting exploring a twisted Wonderland can become?  You should, because Alice was probably the best, if not most original and rewarding play of 2000.  And now, all us fans of the original are getting a brand new American McGee’s Alice game, straight from EA.

While no formal announcement has been made as to which consoles the new game will be available to, or even when we can expect a release date, EA has confirmed that a new Alice is well into development, and that the new game will be a sequel, not a remake of the original game.  I’m wondering if this is just a movie tie in with the upcoming film adaptation of the old Alice game, to which I’m hoping not, because I can’t imagine a movie based on the subject matter will be anywhere near as good as actually exploring Wonderland yourself, and the film probably won’t retain the integrity of the original release.

But at least we can look forward to the knowledge that sometime either this year or next, we can look forward to another adaptation of just how dark and sordid Wonderland can be, and that’s a good thing.

Skate 2 already has DLC, and pretty cool DLC at that, the pack is called Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Plaza, and will feature the same skate park as seen in the MTV show Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory as well as more skating ground in the surrounding LA area.  But the coolest part is that the pack is only 400 Microsoft points.  $5 for a brand new kick ass skating area in the best skateboard game available. . .yes please!

Mirror’s Edge seems set to become the new N+ the way developer EA is supporting the game’s time trial feature.  A new DLC pack has just become available featuring nine new races that are designed to challenge even the most talented purveyors of parkour.  Although if your cash is stretched a little thin and you have to choose between this DLC pack and Skate 2’s pack, buy the Skate 2 one.  Nine new time trial races is cool and all, but a new skate park and downtown area for Skate is just way more fun, and half the price of the Mirror’s Edge pack which is up at 800 Microsoft points.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is set to be the first cross platform multiplayer game, at least according to Square-Enix.  Echoes Of Time will offer an up to four person multiplayer experience, and each of those four people can play Echoes of Time on either their DS or Wii, and that’s pretty cool.  The notion that you can be at home playing the new FF Crystal Chronicles with your friends, or on the go with the DS’ Wi-Fi feature is fairly revolutionary, and something Sony should really employ through the use of their two consoles PSP and PS3.

The brilliance in this concept is pretty much enough to get me to try the new Crystal Chronicles.  I liked the last game, and will need something to play on my new DSi when I purchase one on April 5th, so I can continue being a slave to Nintendo’s technique of re-releasing the same console with like two new features every time, and always for a higher price point than the last game.

But the new DS might actually be worth a higher price, considering the addition of DSiWare, which will allow you to download games and applications straight to your DS.  Kind of iPhone clone-ish? Completely, but how is that  a bad thing?

There’s a new Dead Space game being developed exclusively for Wii, and it’s apparently going to be a prequel to the first game called Dead Space Extraction.  Taking place on Aegis VII mining colony, located in deep space, you’ll have to attempt to escape a horrific infection, in first-person view, with Wii motion controls.  Everyone with a Wii should be excited because Dead Space Extraction will bring the series’ trademark massive amounts of gore and violence, to the almost exclusively family friendly console.

That’s what keeps me interested, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the first Dead Space.  The game was scary as hell, and gory as hell, two things you want from a survival horror game.  As long as the Wii version remains true to the series, and offers plenty of crap your pants/wince at the blood moments, I’m willing to give Extraction a try.

Remember the long rumoured Sin City game?  You know, the one based on the Frank Miller graphic novels, opposed to the film?  Well Red Mile Entertainment announced that unless they can receive $10,000,000 to keep the studio open, we may never see Sin City: The Game’s release.  And I guess that sort of bums me out, I did love the graphic novels, but I don’t know that Sin City would translate well to the videogame world.  Sin City seems more like a great story driven read for anybody with a high plot standard that’s also interested in comics, but I just don’t think the series has the massive amount of action a video game would require.

And finally, the last list of WWE wrestlers to be featured in the upcoming Legends Of Wrestlemania game has been announced, and is as follows:

• Ric Flair
• Arn Anderson
• Undertaker
• Paul Bearer
• Mr. Perfect
• Big Bossman
• Michael P.S. Hayes
• Ultimate Warrior
• Koko B. Ware

Once again, not a wrestling fan, but if you happen to be, go nuts.

Love Naruto?  Big fan of the whole bad anime game with hit show licensing, so that you get a by the numbers fighter starring familiar faces?  Well good news then, there’s yet another new PS2 Naruto game, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja 4.  Like the million Dragonball Z Budokai games that have been released in the genre before the Naruto craze, this is the same fighting game you’ve already played, just with updated graphics and environments.

So if you’re into making donations to your favourite anime series’ with little to nothing in return, Naruto Shippuden may just be the new PS2 game for you.

Speaking of more interesting and original martial arts based videogames, Xbox Live and Playstation Network is getting a new one in the form of Invincible Tiger: The Legend Of Han Tao, which will release sometime in the coming months.  The whole concept of the game centres around the easy to play, hard to master school of thought.  Featuring a crap load of combos, and a crap load of ways to counter said combos.  And I have to say I’m intrigued.

You take on the role of Han Tao on his quest to reclaim the Star Of Destiny from the Evil Overlord.  Based on the style of the great martial arts movies of times passed, the almost not there story just means the martial arts action should come fast and furious, and as long as the graphics are great, should be a must download.

Speaking of Xbox Live Arcade games, upcoming is yet another clone of a game you’ve played before, this time in the form of Death Tank.  Death Tank is a combination of Worms and the iPhone game iShoot, which is also a clone of Worms, meaning if you liked either of those and want to buy the same game again only with updated graphics/effects and using a tank instead of a worm, then this is the game for you.  As for me, I already have Worms, and I love it, and I have iShoot on my iPhone, so I’m going to pass on Death Tank.

And finally, Microsoft announced what the next Xbox Original will be to be released on Xbox Live in the coming weeks. And. . . .wait for it. . . .Grabbed By The Ghoulies is it.  You know that horrifyingly horrible game that you passed on the first time it came out on the Xbox?  Well now you have the chance to pay for it again, and also not enjoy Ghoulies all over again.

Microsoft really missed the mark this time, and I can’t believe that there’s anybody out there clamouring for Grabbed By The Ghoulies to have been released over Xbox Live.  How about something good like Doom 3 or Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic?

Whoooo, we finally have a release date for the awesome looking Watchmen videogame, Watchmen: The End Is Nigh will be released over Xbox Live and for PC on March 4th, with the Playstation Network version to release the day after.  I’m completely amped up for this, just as I am for the Watchmen movie.  Watchmen is the greatest comic of all time, just as Alan Moore is the greatest graphic novel writer in history, if you haven’t read Watchmen yet for some reason, please do so now, because you won’t be sorry.

Seriously, even if you’re not into comics, because Watchmen is just a good story, it transcends those story barriers that would keep out the people normally opposed to the superhero thing, because it’s just the most amazing and original take on the genre there’s ever been.

And I’m especially excited for the game considering Patrick Wilson, who will be playing Nite Owl in the film, has lent his voice talents to the game, as well as Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.  And I’m so glad they’re doing Watchmen justice, by making the film rated R, and by making a game that will no doubt garner an M rating, because that’s the way it should be.

I just hope in the game Rorschach’s inkblot mask constantly changes, like in the comic.

Also today, developer Codemasters has come up with one of the greatest contests in history for their recently released Jason And The Argonauts videogame.  Codemasters is offering a contest that will see the winner receive a copy of every Codemasters release for an entire year, and all you have to do is send over a birth certificate as proof that you named your son Jason in honour of Jason and the Argonauts.

Considering how bad Jason and the Argonauts was, and considering how Codemasters hasn’t made anything really remarkable that I can recall quickly, I don’t think it’s worth naming your kid Jason, unless of course you were going to do so anyway.