Gaming News October 2007

Crysis Demo ‘Very High’ Settings Hack
NGO HQ :: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
If you are stuck with a DirectX 9 GPU or you are too lazy to install Windows Vista, then here is a nice tweak for you. Apparently, you can enable some cool Crysis DirectX 10 features without having a DirectX 10 GPU, DirectX 10 or Windows Vista, all you have to do is to edit the configuration files inside Game\Config\CVarGroups. You have to modify all files and replace the Very High variables [4], with the high [3] variables. If you find it too hard, then I have done it for you, just download this file and extract it the CVarGroups directory and pick ‘High’ settings inside the game. Credit goes to LennyRhys for the great discovery.

Company of Heroes – Opposing Fronts Review
Game Pyre :: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The more I’ve played Opposing Fronts the more I’ve loved it. Honestly, at first, I hated it (by comparison to the original). Yet for review purposes I had to play enough so I can write about it accurately. That right there did me a favor; now it is one of my favorite games. When debating purchasing this game ask yourself this question: do I enjoy playing WWII RTS games? If the answer is YES or even a MAYBE then this is a must purchase for you. If you enjoy strategy and hate the zerg aspect of RTSs, then once again this is a game for you.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (PC) Review
Gaming Illustrated :: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Final Word: For non-team FPS people, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars just might be for you. For you BF2 fanatics, this is a must-see game.

Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask Of The Betrayer
Driver Heaven :: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
If you take a look back at the original Neverwinter Nights youll probably notice that while the vanilla version of the game wasnt bad, it lacked polish and had a campaign that was mediocre at best. Its expansions however ended up fixing pretty much all of the shortcomings of the original and brought forth singleplayer campaigns which are amazing even by todays standards. Fast forward a few years Neverwinter Nights 2 came out and although a solid game it suffers from a poorly optimized engine and a decent, but slightly boring story. Can Mask of Betrayer repeat the success of the originals expansions and be what NWN2 should have been from the get go?

LOTRO wins best PC title at The Golden Joystick Awards
YouGamers :: Monday, October 29, 2007
“For 25 years, the Golden Joystick Awards has been UK’s premier award ceremony, giving praise to everything to do with video gaming. We’ll have a full report on the event very shortly but this brief news post is just to point out that the winner of the best PC title is Codemaster’s The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.”

Savage 2 Initial Impressions
Gamepyre :: Monday, October 29, 2007
Savage 2: A Tortured Soul is looking like they will have a great product that will hopefully catch more publicity than the original. The original was a great game, despite its flaws. S2 seems to be going at things a bit better this time, despite some humps in the road along the way. Here’s to hoping this game gets more polished and to a bit of balancing of the teams to make this game make an impact. So far it seems pretty fun, we’ll get back to you with more information as things go along. Keep checking bbck for more Savage 2 info.

The Battle For Wesnoth
Phoronix :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
“The Battle for Wesnoth is not your typical run-of-the-mill TBS game. The genre turn-based strategy, or TBS, is very self-explanatory. It is, simply put, a game where-as the game flow is broken down into turns or rounds and the game plays from there on. Although there are many other fantasy-themed titles floating around the Internet, this one does stand out of the crowd with its many intriguing features. For starters, the game offers nearly 200 forms of units along with 16 variations of races and six factions to choose from. The game allows the users to become creative and embark on their own personalized journeys. From conceiving your own units and characters to forging the worlds you dream of being in, the Battle for Wesnoth is a must-have download for any gamer out there.”

The Witcher review
YouGamers :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
“Fixed cells can often give the impression in a game of a lack of things to do or a world with life, beyond the standard quests, but The Witcher enlivens the adventure by offering several mini-games to try in the main locations: drinking competitions, fist-fights in pubs, dice gambling almost anywhere and sleeping with women. Yes, that’s right, no deep love affairs for monster hunters who fire blanks: just rampant nookie at every possibility. Honest, the game actually “rewards” successful… ummm… ahhh… “conquests” with a heavily blurred movie, furnished with what can only be described as a Top Trump set of semi-naked women. And don’t just think skimpy tops: this is an 18 rated game for a very good reason. One does have to assume that Witchers are particularly resilient to all forms of STDs, given some of the ladies one can entertain, but could you imagine Nintendo doing such a thing in a Zelda RPG?”

Portal Songwriter Jonathan Coulton on ‘Still Alive’
Primo Technology :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
We caught up with the writer and creator of Portal’s legendary end-game credit track, geek troubadour extraordinaire Jonathan Coulton, who filled us in on conceptualizing ‘Still Alive,’ what it was like working with Valve, and his fine appreciation of cake.

Portal PC Review
Tweak Town :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Portal for the PC. This apparent small and minor addition to The Orange Box package just may end up being the best part.

Super Nade interview
YouGamers :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
“YG: Do the results generated by the overclocking and benchmarking community have tangible value to hardware companies? If so, do companies recognize that value and are they appreciative of the community?

SN: Things are changing. From a niched group of enthusiasts,now, even Dell is offering overclocked computers! Are they appreciative? I believe so. Companies like ASUS are giving the enthusiasts what they want, be it excellent motherboards or server core PSU’s [power supply units] from Ultra and Silverstone. Quality of products that matter to enthusiasts has risen across the board. Now is the best time to get into the mix of things!”

Half-Life 2: The Orange Box (PC) review
YouGamers :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
“There’s no question that Valve packaged Team Fortress 2 and Portal with the initial release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2 to counter the long wait and brevity of the saga’s continuation. Although they’re all available as individual releases, it’s quite frankly not worth it. Just by the darn thing and enjoy! Valve’s biggest problem now is how the heck to they top this or even equal it?”

Crysis demo performance in-depth
Tech Spot :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
Crysis is a highly anticipated first person shooter developed exclusively for the PC by Crytek, the makers of the award-winning Far Cry. The demo offers PC gamers a quick look at what will possibly be the most advanced FPS ever created, you just have to swallow the huge 1.8GB download first. I’m sure many will agree that the demo is well worth the download though, offering the entire first level of the game which represents “roughly 45 minutes” of pure gameplay.

Today we are going to see how the various mid-range and high-end graphics cards handle this new and exciting first person shooter. There will also be some brief visual quality comparisons along with some CPU scaling and DX9 vs. DX10 performance charts. The single-player demo supports both DX10 and DX9 rendering in Vista while Windows XP users are limited to DX9. While the game has been said to include 64-bit support, the demo can only be run in 32-bit mode, so there are no 32-bit vs. 64-bit comparisons just yet.

Saling The World: Ratchet & Clank Future Rockets to Top of U.S. PS3 Chart in Debut Week
Gamasutra Columns :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
Gamasutra’s “Saling The World” covers the top five sellers for every available platform in the United States, Japan, and Europe, with this week’s charts showing Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction leading in PS3 software popularity in North America, while Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 dominates multiple platforms in the UK.

Critical Reception: Sony’s/Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Gamasutra Columns :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
This week’s edition of Critical Reception examines online reaction to Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction a PS3 franchise debut that has been praised as “the best game in the Ratchet & Clank series thus far.”

High School Musical: Sing It!
Sony Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
Published by Disney Interactive Studios, High School Musical: Sing It! PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system is the all new karaoke videogame based on the phenomenally successful Disney Channel original movie, “High School Musical.” Allowing fans to interact with the movie’s characters for the first time on any gaming console, High School Musical: Sing It! extends the “High School Musical” experience by offering players the chance to immerse themselves in the world of the hit movie. Fans show off their creativity and skills by mixing together their favorite characters, songs and scenes as they sing their way to stardom. Featuring motion-captured-choreography from the original movie’s dance routines, the games provide hours of fun for the entire family as they get to interact with some of their favorite movie stars. Featuring three play modes, Story, Party and Quickplay, fans choose their character with either their favorite cast member (Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad or Taylor). In Story Mode, players live the movie through song and dance, performing “High School Musical” and “High School Musical 2” songs, from “Start of Something New” to “We’re All in this Together,” solo or as a duet. In Party Mode, friends compete against each other. Players can also choose their favorite backdrop and belt out hit songs from other popular tunes sung by familiar Disney Channel stars. In Quickplay mode, players can jump into any song and pick from any characters, outfits, and environments they’ve unlocked.

Dancing with the Stars
Sony Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007

EyeCreate™
Sony Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
EyeCreate™ is the first video editing software for the PLAYSTATION®3. Using EyeCreate™ and the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera, you can capture video, audio and even photos which can then be edited into a movie. An extensive list of special effects such as Color Filters, Distortions, Art Filters and Motion Trails can give your video a professional touch. There are even advanced features such as Time Lapse and Stop Motion to experiment with. Once you’re done creating and editing your masterpiece, Export it to watch it on the Video folder of the XMB. EyeCreate™ will let you express yourself and get creative!

Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary Prima Guide
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
A Prima Guide sample for Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary is now available for download from Xbox.com.

Party Animals: Viva Party Time
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
Viva Piñata: Party Animals is a veritable party in a clamshell case, from the antic-filled races to the dozens of different mini-game challenges.

NARUTO: Rise of a Ninja Prima Guide
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 28, 2007
A Prima Guide sample for NARUTO: Rise of a Ninja is now available for download from Xbox.com.

Orange Box 360 Update Available Now
Valve Software :: Friday, October 26, 2007
Orange Box 360 Update Available Now A major update for The Orange Box (360) is available now. This second update for the Box primarily includes enhancements for Team Fortress 2. Here’s a list of what’s included:

The Settler 6 Rise Of An Empire
Technic 3d :: Friday, October 26, 2007
“The Game “The Settler 6 Rise Of An Empire” from Ubisoft comes into the Editorship from Technic3D. In The Settlers – Rise of an Empire, players build lively, bustling towns in a medieval world. Everything in this richly detailed, realistic world is visible and lovingly animated. Each Settler figure has his or her own daily routine, with a range of different actions and behaviors that can be observed at all times. The ultimate objective of the game is to expand your empire and become a legendary ruler. Spur your settlers on to ever greater efforts, develop a flourishing economy, satisfy the needs of your citizens, and protect your people from danger! We will clear in this Review: so good how the “old” Settler Parts (Anno 1701)?”

Race 07 – Official WTCC Game review
YouGamers :: Friday, October 26, 2007
“Veterans of past SimBin titles may notice some changes in the controls, specifically gamepad controls. Both RACE and GTR are geared towards the hardcore set, and those who have the luxury of a wheel – particularly a Force Feedback-enabled wheel – are treated to the same exacting handling as in previous SimBin games. But for the masses, gamepad input code has been tweaked, offering a more forgiving and natural experience when steering with a gamepad (these same handling tweaks apply to drivers using a mouse and keyboard, but that’s an option of last resort).”

SKATE Xbox 360 Review
Tweak Town :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of SKATE for the Xbox 360. EA have gone for a more realistic approach than this genre is used to, but with mixed results.

Metal Gear Solid 4
Primo Technology :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
I was escorted into a small room for the presentation. There was camouflage netting on all the walls, and I was shown to my chair, a large sandbag in front of a projector. Immediately one of the designers gave me a brief rundown of some of the controls and the situation in which I was about to be dropped. From there on, it was just me, a monitor, and Solid Snake.

Enemy Territory Quake Wars Review
Motherboards.org :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
For the first game to be reviewed on Motherboards.org, Id Software’s Enemy Territory Quake Wars is a great choice. This product easily wins itself and Editor’s Choice award for being one of the best team-based shooters that I have played since the original Battlefield 1942. Quake Wars easily lives up to the standards set by its spiritual successor, Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, and moves beyond those standards set. This game is worth picking up, and any Quake fan won’t want to miss these bonus features in the Limited Edition Box.

Medal of Honor: Airborne PC review 
TechConnect :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
“With up-to-date graphics, physics, music, AI and complex maps, the motivation provided by MOHA can keep even a long-time gamer glued to the screen and in the end compliment a game series that is already 8 years old.”

Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 Reviewed
Futurelooks :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
Whether you are a massive Halo fan or someone who doesn’t see what all the fuss is about, it has been pretty tough to miss the hype with the release of the third installment in the epic series. Master Chief is back, and is on a mission to finish the fight. Does Halo 3 live up to the hype and silence the critics? Let’s find out!

Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts review
YouGamers :: Thursday, October 25, 2007
“DirectX 10 rendering in Opposing Fronts, however, is a disappointment. For the very minor visual changes and quality improvements, the performance plummets to unplayable levels, even with the most powerful and expensive setups on the market today. It’s also a case of misleading marketing: although DirectX 10 didn’t make it into the game’s original release, much of the post-launch hype has been about DX10 improvements. While early reviews of the DX10 patch to the original game expressed excitement about the changes, they did so after taking a magnifying glass to the game’s cutscenes and the built-in benchmark.”

Folklore (PS3)
Driver Heaven :: Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Believe it or not, even RPG aficionados such as me get tired of slaying dragons and rescuing princesses. Most of the time this means we have to give a WW2 shooter or something similar a spin, but sometimes there comes a game that strays away from the tried RPG formula to sate our tastes while at the same time giving us a chance to have a break from standard fare role playing. And more often than not these games appear pretty much out of the blue, and leave us all speechless. Folklore might not be the most advertised PS3 title on the market, but it sure fits the tag when it comes to unconventional fantasy gaming.

Saling The World: Orange Box, FIFA Head Cross-Platform U.S. Sales
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
In the latest “Saling The World”, this week’s charts feature big debut sales numbers for The Orange Box and FIFA Soccer 08, while Project Gotham Racing 4 cleans up in Japan and the UK.

Unreal Tournament 3 Beta Demo performance
Maxit Mag :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Despite inconviniences typical of a beta, this Unreal Tournament III demo must be enough, for the time being, to get an idea of the requirements of this game. An important point to remember is that, although the final version will be more polished , the frames per second we see in this Anandtech article (http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3127) are probably higher, because it’s not testing with high quality textures and the scenarios are devoid of characters. Among the most relevant conclusions we can come to, let’s say that cache size brings up to a 20% performance increase for the Core 2. Another element to take into consideration is the number of cores the processor has, which can translate into a 60% gain (when going dual) and a 13% one (when going Quad). On the other hand, raising the frecuency of a Core 2 Duo from 2 GHz to 3,33 GHz only gets us a 28% boost. And what of the graphics cards? nVidia wins, although AMD keeps pace at the same price range (Radeon HD 2900 XT and X1950 XTX vs NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra, 8800 GTX, 8800 GTS 320MB and 7900 GTX).

Review: Saitek Cyborg Rumble Pad P3600
Dragonsteel Mods :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
With the popularity of console gaming it some find it hard to switch between using the mouse and keyboard or using a gamepad. I myself am one of those people, I have been using the mouse/keyboard combination for so long it’s like second nature to me, and when I pick up a gamepad I’m just all confused and it takes quite a while for me to get accustomed to the controls. I’m sure for some, you have the opposite problem I do, those that play console games can’t quite master the keyboard/mouse combination and it feels awkward to them. Saitek has introduced a new addition to their Cyborg line of products, this one is a gamepad that attempts to solve some of these problems, at least for those moving from console to PC gaming. It’s aptly named the Cyborg Rumble Pad, obviously it’s a rumble pad from the name, but it has a few other features as well. With the Cyborg Rumble Pad, Saitek has attempted to make a gamepad that it truly compatible with every FPS game out there by the use of a button on the pad labeled FPS, when pressed it automatically programs the pad with the most common FPS game functions.The pad is like other Saitek pads essentially, but the ‘Cyborg’ naming comes in with a part of the controller they call the ‘Cyborg Module’, the left side of the pad features a section that pops out, it includes the analogue stick and the d-pad, the whole thing can be rotated 180 degrees so the user can decide where the stick should be. The Cyborg Rumble Rumble pad has quite a few other features as well, so read on to learn more about them, this is truly a very cool gamepad…

Release This: UK Gets PES 2008, Ratchet, Dracula X Make U.S. Debut
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Gamasutra’s latest “Release This!” examines the cross-platform UK debut of Konami’s Perfect Evolution Soccer 2008, as long-awaited titles like Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles make their way to U.S. shores.

Saling The World: Orange Box Still Tops, PS3 Cuts Spark Sales
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
This week’s “Saling The World” sees the PC port of The Orange Box dominating even Halo 3 in the cross-platform charts in North America, hardware price cuts sparking a jump in PlayStation 3 software sales, and Beautiful Katamari making a respectable debut.

Critical Reception: Namco Bandai’s Beautiful Katamari
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
This week’s edition of Critical Reception examines online reaction to Beautiful Katamari, an Xbox 360 exclusive entry in the Katamari Damacy series that critics describe as “predictable and generally unaltered,” yet still “quite a bit of fun.”

Release This: Tony Hawk, Katamari Sequels Anticipated in U.S.
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Gamasutra’s latest “Release This!” finds Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground leading gamer anticipation in the U.S. while The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass prepares for a strong UK debut – exclusive IGN GamerMetrics stats inside.

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Sony Computer Entertainment introduces a new concept in trading card games with THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ developed exclusively for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Utilizing Hasbro® and its Wizards of the Coast subsidiary’s trading card expertise, the immense power of the PS3® system, and the PLAYSTATION®Eye, Sony’s groundbreaking next-generation USB camera for PS3, THE EYE OF JUDGMENT provides a visually stunning experience that adds a third dimension to the trading card game genre. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, JAPAN Studio, THE EYE OF JUDGMENT presents a new style of gameplay where collectable trading cards, embedded with a CyberCode, are brought to life in the 3D game through use of the innovative PLAYSTATION Eye. Players compete by selecting a card and placing the coded card in front of the PLAYSTATION Eye for their respective creatures to come to life and battle on screen. Players take turns placing cards as they jostle for control; the winner is the first player to conquer five of the nine squares of the “9 Fields” battle mat. The gamers task is to conquer the board by deploying their cards more skillfully than their opponent. Players have four ways to play THE EYE OF JUDGMENT, single player against their PS3, against an opponent in two-player mode, against an opponent online, or letting the PS3 play out a round with the cards the player owns. THE EYE OF JUDGMENT comes with a starter deck of 30 character and spell cards manufactured by Hasbro. Pre-constructed decks and booster packs, sold separately in stores, can be purchased to strategically build the perfect deck using the 110 cards unique cards available. KEY FEATURES A revolutionary new way to use the PS3 system, based on traditional trading card games and given a new dimension in 3D by next-generation technology. Developed in collaboration with Hasbro and its Wizards of the Coast subsidiary that produces MAGIC: THE GATHERING. Four ways to play – player vs. PS3, player vs. player offline, player vs. player online, PS3 vs. PS3 using players own deck. High Definition 3D animated characters and vehicles come to life seamlessly into the on camera view of your tabletop. THE EYE OF JUDGMENT will be bundled with PLAYSTATION Eye, 9 Fields mat, stand, a starter deck of 30 cards, and a booster pack of 8 cards. More than 100 different characters and spells will be offered via additional booster packs and pre-constructed decks, available at major retail chains. THE EYE OF JUDGMENT is a socially engaging title that will appeal to gamers of all ages and abilities.

Napoleon Dynamite
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Step into the moon boots of Napoleon Dynamite and relive some flippin sweet movie moments like dancing to Z-Kwon, throwing the pigskin a quarter mile with Uncle Rico, smashing piñatas with Pedro and many more! Napoleon Dynamite brings 30 mini games that really need you to use all your good skills to pass… even your bow-hunting skills for when you’re hunting Wolverines with your uncle in Alaska! So hurry up and play already and all your wildest dreams will come true. Gosh!

Warriors of the Lost Empire
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Luxor: Pharaoh’s Challenge
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The King of Fighters XI
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The world has been rocked by two major events – Mukai has stolen the Orochi seal and the theft of the Yata Mirror by Ash Crimson. Just as the dust had settled, a new King of Fighters tournament was announced – a tournament which brings together some familiar faces, as well as new comers to the world of King of Fighters. Not all is what it seems in this new tournament. There are too many unanswered questions. Too many mixed objectives. Who are the group ‘Past Coming People’ and what do they really plan to do? Where would Orochi’s force finally land once the seal is finally open? Will Chizuru and his friends still be able to seal Orochi? And just what is Ash Crimsons’ true plan? Total of 11 teams; 47 Characters, including 3 all new characters to the franchise. Exclusive PS2 characters: Mai Shiranui, Mr Big, Geese Howard, Tung Fu Rue, Robert Garcia, Hotaru Futaba, and EX Kyo Kusanagi. 7 Playable Boss Characters â€â Adelheid Bernstein, Gai Tendo, Sho Hayate, Jazu, Silver, Shion and Magaki

MotoGP 07
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
As an officially licensed MotoGP title, MotoGP 07 for the PlayStation®2 will feature all the riders, bikes, teams and tracks from the 2007 season. Players can faithfully re-create the excitement and passion of the sport and experience the rivalries and competition synonymous with the world’s premier motorcycling championship, as they ride for glory. Compete in a full season, create your own customised season, or select a one-off race either on your own or against a friend.

Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The evil Professor Calamitous is at it again! But this time he’s gone too far. He has created evil robots that look just like our Nicktoons heroes! Now, SpongeBob, Jimmy Neutron, Danny Phantom, Timmy Turner, and Tak must stop them and the Professor no matter what it takes. By using new attacks, and awesome mech suits, now you can help our heroes stop the evil professor before he wreaks havoc everywhere!

Conan
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Conan is an all-new action combat game featuring a story of adventure, true evil, and brutal, visceral combat. The game follows the journey of Conan the Cimmerian as he fights an epic battle against a variety of enemies and an elusive evil power that threatens to consume the world. Using anything and everything at his disposal, including hand-to-hand weapons, objects in the environment, and powerful elemental magic, Conan takes the fight to his enemies across the massive continent of Hyborea. Features: Intense Action Combat: Playing as Conan, players utilize an incredibly deep and gratifying combat system that provides a variety of fighting styles to battle enemies. Utilizing multiple movement trees, players can string together combos and fight foes using grappling moves, hand-to-hand combat, sword-play and dual-wielded attacks. Over 20 swords, axes, halberds, shields and spears can be picked up off of enemy corpses. Interactive Environments: Highly interactive combat locales and a real-time physics engine allows players to pick up any weapon, shield or torch in sight. Players can use the environment to their advantage in combat, crushing foes with falling pillars or throwing them on to spikes. Uncover the Truth: One Piece at a Time: In order to prevent evil from destroying the world, Conan seeks a magical suit of armor that has been scattered across 8 unique realms within the world of Hyborea. Each boss monster Conan defeats will surrender a piece of the armor, giving Conan an expanded variety of earth-shattering magic attacks, including the ability to incinerate enemies with fire and the power to raise fallen soldiers from the dead to fight by his side. Cinematic Gameplay Experience: Thanks to the power of next-generation hardware, the game takes advantage of next generation cinematic graphics, special effects, lighting and shaders – and can place dozens of independently acting AI enemies onscreen at once.

World Championship Paintball
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Sims 2: Castaway
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Help your Sims build a new life, after washing ashore on a deserted tropical island. Watch them overcome the forces of nature and survive in style as the ultimate survivors. Build shelters, craft unique items, and discover many treasures and ancient mysteries hidden within the deep jungle environment full of plants, fruits, and wildlife. Create a new life for your Sims on an uncharted island in The Sims 2 Castaway.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The legendary action game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is reborn on the PSP® system with incredible 3D graphics and timeless side scrolling gameplay in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. The first time Rondo of Blood has been released outside of Japan, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles lets gamers take up the Vampire Killer whip as Richter Belmont as they seek to destroy the maniacal Dracula once and for all in this pivotal piece of the ongoing Castlevania saga. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles also includes unlockable versions of the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night games, delivering incredible gameplay and value while updating two of the most beloved video games of all time for a new generation of gamers. The classic action game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood re-imagined for the PSP® system with 3D graphics, enhanced gameplay and new music. Includes unlockable versions of the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night games, optimized for the PSP® system. Old-school side scrolling action through more than 10 gothic stages and additional hidden areas. New song collection system adds additional depth to classic gameplay. Complete special event to unlock an additional playable character. Return to previously completed levels to explore over and over.

The Sims 2: Castaway
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Help your Sims build a new life, after washing ashore on a deserted tropical island. Watch them overcome the forces of nature and survive in style as the ultimate survivors. Build shelters, craft unique items, and discover many treasures and ancient mysteries hidden within the deep jungle environment full of plants, fruits, and wildlife. Create a new life for your Sims on an uncharted island in The Sims 2 Castaway. Stay Alive! – Help your Sim meet the basic needs to survive. Discover Diverse Islands – Explore a variety of new environments: beaches, caves, lagoons, jungle, plains, and volcanic mountains. Craft Everything – Create a new life from scratch. Develop tools, build shelter, craft furniture, create clothing, and even make art & entertainment. Gather and Collect – Gather fish, trap animals, raise plants, collect shells, scavenge and decode treasure maps. Flourish or Escape – Build your life comfort on the island or find a way to escape back to civilization. Create a Crew – Choose from a wide range of Sims: Auto Mechanic, Chef, Doctor, Musician, Teacher, Executive, or Park Ranger. Each one brings a unique Sim humor and quirkiness to your crew. Reunite members of your crew and build a thriving community.

Clive Barker’s Jericho™
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Clive Barker’s Jericho sets you somewhere in northern Africa, in a walled city which is not just a walled city but walls within walls within walls. Like Russian dolls, spaces within each other, and trapped inside each space is a slice of time where the warriors of good have gone against ultimate evil and have lost. The first battles encountered on the quest are against relatively modern imprisoned soldiers, while further in are World War I infantrymen, Crusaders and other warriors, each drawn from an earlier historical era than the last.

Ratatouille
Sony Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Players relive the film’s most thrilling moments as they assume the role of Remy, a young rat who dreams of becoming a great French chef, despite the obvious problem of being a rat. From the underground sewers to the bustling streets of Paris, players dash, glide and slide through 6 action-packed worlds filled with dangerous enemies, heists and perilous missions. Players can go head-to-head with their friends in multiplayer mini-games or navigate their way through a sensational rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Puzzle Quest: A Marriage of the Puzzle and RPG Genres
Xbox 360 Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Games Editor Denny Atkin brings you all the latest in what’s going on this week on Xbox.com.

Clive Barker’s Jericho Prima Guide
Xbox 360 Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
A Prima Guide sample for Clive Barker’s Jericho is now available for download from Xbox.com.

Hollywood, Sci-Fi Stars in Mass Effect
Xbox 360 Games :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Seth Green, co-creator/executive producer/star of the Emmy-nominated “Robot Chicken,” who also stars on “Family Guy,” will voice the role of Joker in the upcoming epic space saga Mass Effect.

Xbox 360 Arcade console
Xbox Hardware :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The Xbox 360 Arcade System is everything you need to hit the ground running. Plug in the console and connect the wireless controller and you’re playing. Five full Xbox LIVE Arcade games included.

LG Action Sports Gamer Pics
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
A dozen new picture packs are available now on Marketplace.

Grab the free Need for Speed ProStreet multiplayer demo
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Grab the free Need for Speed ProStreet demo from Xbox LIVE® Marketplace and take the wheel for two of the four racing disciplines included in the full game.

Unreal Tournament 3 (PC) preview
YouGamers :: Monday, October 22, 2007
“Even at the lowest and highest of the multiple bot difficulty settings, bots behave in a manner that’s believable and unpredictable (though the most difficult settings are unforgiving to the point of insanity). Bots are refined enough to act as competent teammates during the vehicle CTF matches, and didn’t appear to have any problems navigating the various flying vehicles through tight quarters. As always, though, bots are single-minded creatures, so don’t expect the most advanced team tactics from a group of AI-controlled players.”

Half-Life 2: Episode 2 (PC) review
YouGamers :: Monday, October 22, 2007
“The thing that has advanced the most is the scripting of the game world – it’s clear that the familiarity of the engine and the development tools has helped here, and Episode Two feels much less artificial in the scripting of the actions triggered by your progress. It just flows smoother while a level is in progress. The addition of physics to scripted events also creates some truly impressive sequences. Some rough spots remain, and the long loading pauses between sections are bit annoying, but I guess it can’t be helped – the engine just isn’t set up for constant streaming of content. Puzzles, while fairly rare and sometimes optional, are also exceptionally well done – not immediately obvious, yet not so hard as you’d have to alt-tab for a solution off a spoiler site to proceed.”

World in Conflict PC Review
Tweak Town :: Monday, October 22, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of World in Conflict for the PC. The PC RTS genre is hardly lacking quality or quantity right now, but World in Conflict still seems to find its niche.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (Wii)
Gaming Heaven :: Saturday, October 20, 2007
The Donkey Kong series is most renowned for being a platformer, aside from the popular Diddy Kong Racing on the N64. While Barrel Blast was originally intended for release on the GameCube using the DK Bongos, the Wiis motion capabilities pose as a worthy alternative. Although the racing here doesnt offer the same adventure as Diddy Kong Racing did, its still worth checking out if youre interested in an unorthodox racing game.

World in Conflict – PC Review
Gamepyre :: Saturday, October 20, 2007
know this game has gotten a ton of praise from every possible reviewer, but I have a hard time giving a game blind praise because the graphics are pretty (which they most certainly are) or they add supposed “innovation” to a type of gaming by more or less taking all the rules of Real Time Strategy and throwing them out the window. I guess what it all boils down to is that I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that a game which oozed with potential and with such promise of immersive, realistic and destructive strategy game play, boiled down to nothing more than a rather visually stimulating way for me to take orders from my computer.

X-Arcade Tankstick Dual Joystick Controller Review
Futurelooks :: Saturday, October 20, 2007
This thing is built like a friggin’ tank — hence its name — and it’ll be able to suffer the worst of beatings just like its sibling, the X-Arcade Trackball Mouse Controller. Yes, even when you play a hardcore button mashing game like Metal Slug or an intense fighting game like Mortal Kombat, the TankStick will not only hold its own… it’ll take the beating and it’ll like it.

MotoGP 07 (PC) review
YouGamers :: Thursday, October 18, 2007
“The modelling of off-track material is also inconsistent, sometimes having glue-like tendencies, other times pulling you across (which only happens in four wheeled vehicles…). It’s not a major issue but it’s made worse by the fact that if you place any fraction of your tyres off the track or rumble strips, you automatically incur a time penalty. “Err, hang on! So not only do you physically slow me down if run onto grass, you then artifically stick on extra seconds!” This is another example of the developers not knowing how to (or choosing not to) correctly model traction and grip.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Following the second season of the Avatar animated series, this game will find Aang ‘n’ the gang defending the Earth Kingdom against the sinister Fire Nation.

Backyard Football 2008
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Now in its 6th season, Backyard Football is the best selling kids’ football video game of all time. Combine realistic 7 on 7 action with wild arcade style power moves and check out the new gameplay, graphics, and environments. Play all 32 NFL teams, 10 wacky Backyard teams, or create your own. Backyard Football comes loaded with top NFL Superstars as kids–Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Urlacher, Reggie Bush, Michael Strahan, Shaun Alexander, Frank Gore, and more.

Thrillville: Off the Rails
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thrillville, the videogame where players create and experience the theme park of their dreams, will open its gates for a whole new season in Thrillville: Off the Rails. Featuring some of the most outlandish roller-coaster concepts ever imagined, as well as enhanced socialization and a new array of carnival and arcade games, this fall release amps up the family-friendly mix of gameplay that made Thrillville the best-selling original children’s intellectual property of 2006.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® – Game of the Year Edition
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Oblivion Game of the Year Edition presents one of the best RPG’s of all time like never before. Step inside the most richly detailed and vibrant game-world ever created. With a powerful combination of freeform gameplay and unprecedented graphics, you can unravel the main quest at your own pace or explore the vast world and find your own challenges. Also included in the Game of the Year edition are Knights of the Nine and the Shivering Isles expansion, adding new and unique quests and content to the already massive world of Oblivion.

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground features deeper customization than ever before, including a Video Editor with full-featured editing tools and visual effects for creating epic skate videos, and a fully customizable online Skate Lounge where players can skate with friends in the ultimate pad. In addition, players will have the freedom to skate from single player to online seamlessly, as well as utilize new gameplay mechanics such as skateable terrain altering and building, and Bowl Carving, delivering the most empowered skating experience ever. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground also features even more Nail the Trick moves such as Nail the Grab and Nail the Manual intensifying the thrill of pulling off big tricks.

Everyday Shooter
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Developed solely by Jonathan Mak, Everyday Shooter won three awards at the Independent Gaming Festival at the 2007 Game Developers Conference. Unlike traditional arcade shooters, the sound effects in Everyday Shooter play in musical harmony with the game’s background music. Throughout Everyday Shooter’s album of games, typical arcade sounds of destruction are replaced with guitar riffs harmonizing over an all-guitar soundtrack. KEY FEATURES Album of Shooter Games – Each of the 8 ‘songs’ or levels has a completely different visual vibe and chain system. Vector-Based Graphics – Graphics are created from mathematical equations celebrating the beauty of geometry. Stunning, Evolving Synaethesia – Every shot, hit, or explosion creates a visual and musical inspiration that produces a note, chord or riff that harmonizes into the song for each level. Full HD at 1080p – In addition to the fluid music, enjoy the brilliant colors and stylized visuals.

Thrillville: Off the Rails
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thrillville, the videogame where players create and experience the theme park of their dreams, will open its gates for a whole new season in Thrillville: Off the Rails. Featuring some of the most outlandish roller-coaster concepts ever imagined, as well as enhanced socialization and a new array of carnival and arcade games, this fall release amps up the family-friendly mix of gameplay that made Thrillville the best-selling original children’s intellectual property of 2006.

Crash of the Titans
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
In Crash of the Titans, players fight a nefarious plot hatched by Crash’s arch nemeses Neo and Nina Cortex to mutate the local creatures into titanic abominations. Using Crash’s legendary mix of outrageous antics and daredevil bravado, players “hijack” enemies to take control of their action and use their fearsome powers against all manner of enemies.

Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Sega Rally Revo
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
With dynamically deformable terrain,realistic physics, and competitive bumper-to-bumper racing, Sega Rally Revo is a high-tempo driving experience that is every racing fan’s driving fantasy. Vehicle selection affects driving strategy in Sega Rally Revo, as race course surfaces dynamically deform upon repeated contact with vehicle tires and changing weather effects. Sega Rally Revo features a variety of fully deformable surfaces, from gravel-littered tracks and smooth tarmac roads, to snow-covered mountain passes.

Sega Rally Revo™
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
With dynamically deformable terrain, proprietary next-generation graphics, realistic physics, and competitive bumper-to-bumper racing, Sega Rally Revo is a high-tempo driving experience that is every racing fan’s driving fantasy. Vehicle selection affects driving strategy in Sega Rally Revo, as race course surfaces dynamically deform upon repeated contact with vehicle tires and changing weather effects. Sega Rally Revo features a variety of fully deformable surfaces, from gravel-littered tracks and smooth tarmac roads, to snow-covered mountain passes.

FIFA Soccer 08
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The FIFA Soccer 08 next-gen gameplay engine, built to maximize the power of PLAYSTATION®3, delivers animations and ball control that is so responsive you feel like you are actually on the pitch. Players in FIFA Soccer 08 now benefit from A.I. so smart, it features a 35-point decision engine which enables players to process multiple decisions and reactions in real-time. Players are now aware of their surroundings, reacting authentically to threats and opportunities to make intelligent football decisions. Be A Pro: Online Team Play is the evolution of a new play mode featured in FIFA 08 called Be A Pro that locks you into the role of a single, fixed player the entire game and challenges you to master the same disciplines as a real football player—from positioning and tackling to reading the field and passing. Users receive real time feedback and analysis on the fly and a unique camera angle keeps both player and action in focus, zooming in when you’re on attack. Now in Be A Pro: Online Team Play, up to five friends on different consoles will be able to select and take control of their own individual players on the same team, supported by AI teammates, to play against up to five rivals of another team. Alternatively, online users can select to play with free roaming players, and teams can have a combination of both. In addition to Be A Pro: Online Team Play, the online feature set in FIFA 08 includes the award-winning Interactive Leagues, where you represent your club online against your rivals throughout the season in the F.A. Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division and features weekly in-game pod casts by the development team, and Online Leagues, where you create and organize your own multiplayer Friends Leagues and tournaments with all the tools in-game.

Spider-man™ 3
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Experience an all-new combat system, two exciting ways. Redesigned from the ground up, a unique combat system empowers both Spider-Man and Black-Suited Spider-Man to perform suit-specific powers and abilities. State of the art animations, combos and finishers make punch, kick and web attacks more super-heroic than ever. Battle 10 of Spider-Man’s most infamous enemies from the movie and Marvel universe, including Sandman and Venom.

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron is the previously untold story of a ragtag ensemble of battle-hardened rogues and scoundrels assembled by Han Solo. Gathered to execute some of the most secretive operations in the Rebel Alliance’s war against the Galactic Empire, the Renegade Squadron participates in battles spanning the galaxy. From the Valley of the Sith on Korriban to a dogfight in space through the remains of Alderaan, Solo directs the team on missions of sabotage, rescue and retrieval.

Folklore™
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Two strangers are drawn to the mysterious town of Doolin, where it is said that the living can speak to the dead. They soon learn the town serves as a gateway to fantastic worlds that exist beyond our own, realms full of creatures, fairies, spirits, and monsters. In order to solve the mystery of the town, the pair must journey through these worlds to discover their secrets. Will they have the courage to survive the adventure that awaits them?

Jackass™: The Game
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Johnny Knoxville and the Jackass crew are knee deep in their latest series of ill-conceived stunts, pranks and acts of indecency, and this time you’re in the director’s seat. An onslaught of absurd situations lowers the bar and ups the ante for the self-inflicted injury, degradation and low moral caliber you’ve come to love and expect from this special group of idiots. Dozens of kick ass stunts deliver the Jackass gang’s most extreme and unsanitary hijinks. Dynamic physics, detailed ragdoll modeling, and rich, populated levels for truly emergent gameplay, no two stunts will be the same! Prove you’re a real Jackass – from broken femurs to ruptured spleens, endure the pain and dish out the punishment to crank up your high score and your hospital bill. A host of multiplayer features allows you to duke it out with your cronies, and prove once and for all who is the biggest degenerate. No shemps or posers here – hours of voice acting and disturbingly accurate likenesses of the real Jackass crew, including: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, Preston Lacey and the indomitable Jason “Wee Man” Acuna. Unlock some of the greatest stunts and pranks from the Jackass TV series and view exclusive behind the scenes footage. Save, edit and upload your most painful moments with a fully realized replay engine. Trade and share the best of your clips and replays via PSP® system WiFi.

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground features deeper customization than ever before, including a Video Editor with full-featured editing tools and visual effects for creating epic skate videos, and a fully customizable online Skate Lounge where players can skate with friends in the ultimate pad. In addition, players will have the freedom to skate from single player to online seamlessly, as well as utilize new gameplay mechanics such as skateable terrain altering and building, and Bowl Carving, delivering the most empowered skating experience ever. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground also features even more Nail the Trick moves such as Nail the Grab and Nail the Manual intensifying the thrill of pulling off big tricks.

FIFA Soccer 08
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
FIFA Soccer 08 challenges players to master the skills required to play like a pro soccer player. Fans around the world can experience the same highs and lows of real-world players and tackle the challenges they face on a daily basis. FIFA Soccer 08 puts you on the pitch to defy the odds, perfect your skills, elevate your game and rise up to win glory for your club.

FIFA Soccer 08
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
FIFA Soccer 08 challenges players to master the skills required to play like a pro soccer player. Fans around the world can experience the same highs and lows of real-world players and tackle the challenges they face on a daily basis. FIFA Soccer 08 puts you on the pitch to defy the odds, perfect your skills, elevate your game and rise up to win glory for your club.

SWAT: Target Liberty
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Penned by script writer Scott Rosenbaum (The Shield), SWAT: Target Liberty is set in New York City where the SWAT team is tasked with thwarting an ever increasing number of international terrorist threats. Player’s will take on the role of Kurt Wolfe and his New York City SWAT Team in the only true Tactical Squad-Based Shooter on the PSP® system. Life and death decisions is the norm faced everyday by real-life SWAT teams and gamers are faced with an elite terrorist group that is planning to detonate a nuclear weapon in New York City.

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS®: THE WAR OF THE LIONS™
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Originally released in 1998 on the PlayStation® game console, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, the first tactical RPG in the legendary FINAL FANTASY® series, enthralled fans around the world with its unique artistic style and intricate storyline. Shipping more than 1.1 million copies in North America, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS opened the genre to legions of new fans. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS, reborn and enhanced exclusively for the PSP system, introduces never-before-seen cinematic sequences, an entirely new English translation, 16:9 widescreen presentation and multiplayer features that will reintroduce this classic to a new generation of gamers.

Halo 3 Original Soundtrack Announced
Xbox 360 Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Official Halo 3 Original Soundtrack, created by award-winning composer Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, offers you the chance to experience the sounds of Halo® 3 and relive your battles as Master Chief.

This Week in Xbox: October 10-17, 2007
Xbox 360 Games :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Games Editor Denny Atkin brings you all the latest in what’s going on this week on Xbox.com.

Rockin’ Holiday Pack for Lumines Live!
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A new holiday pack of skins for the game Lumines Live is available for 400 Microsoft Points through Xbox LIVE® Marketplace.

Call of Duty 4 preview
YouGamers :: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
“Combat itself is a harried affair. The constant barrage of fire from the enemy, who are holed up in civilian buildings, heightens the level of anxiety and leaves little room for error. Getting hit isn’t a pleasant experience; depending on the severity of the injury, the screen turns red with blood and your vision is impaired for a short period of time, after which you automatically return to full health. By keeping it simple in Call of Duty 4, Infinity Ward ensure that the focus can remain on the situation at hand. Again, a nod toward the console market, with a definite preference to offense over defense.”

Portal (PC) review
YouGamers :: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
“Portal introduces the game concepts gradually and with great care. The game actually feels too easy early on as you zoom past the early test chambers, but if you go back and listen to the Valve’s customary commentary track, the reasons become obvious – the game keeps introducing so many concepts and twists along the way, that to keep the game accessible, it has to start from the basics, and slowly work its way up. Don’t worry – eventually you start facing problems that twist your brains until it hurts. Then, just as it seems that you have mastered everything, Portal tosses you another curve ball… and there will be cake.”

Medal of Honor Airborne PC Review
Gamepyre :: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
This game does not cater to gameplay or sound or theme. It caters to graphics. If you own some of the latest WWII titles out there all you have to do is ask yourself this question: Is state of the art graphics worth buying yet another WWII game? On the other hand, although not new per say, this game was a lot of fun. I ended up beating the game, even though I was really stressed for time. Weather you think that Medal of Honor – Airborne is a worthy purchase or not is entirely up to you, but this is by far the best Medal of Honor up to date.

Halo 3 Xbox 360 Review
Tweak Town :: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Halo 3 for the Xbox 360. The series of ‘must have’ 360 titles continues on with the console’s biggest release yet.

Escape from Paradise City Review
YouGamers :: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
“The general game mechanics are quite simple. Each map is an area of the city with several neighbourhoods, that are each owned by a rival gang. The player has to conquer these districts by duking it out with each neighbourhood’s boss, until he or she admits defeat and “convinces” everyone running some sort of a business in the area that you are the new boss now. This also means that rival gangs can come onto your area and beat the living hell out of the neighbourhood boss that is now on your side, thereby taking your area away from you again. Keeping a neighbourhood gives the player a lot of advantages, by being a steady income of money (depending on the number of businesses), by offering stores selling weapons, armour or other useful accessories, or by allowing the player to train his/her avatar in various skills that can be useful in conquering even more territories.”

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars PC Review
Tweak Town :: Monday, October 15, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars for the PC. The much loved ET style of MP FPS teams up with the Quake franchise to create a must have title for any PC FPS fan.

Portal Review
Steam Friends :: Monday, October 15, 2007
Your name is Chell and you are a test participant at the ‘Combine Portal User Training Facility’. Your objective is to clear rooms by putting cubes on buttons, firing yourself through the air and navigating small balls of light towards their goals. Sound odd?

Secrets of Portal Revealed
Steam Friends :: Monday, October 15, 2007
For a long time a website of aperturescience.com has baffled the Steam community. Now finally, the secrets have been revealed via a login username and password found scrawled on a room in Portal.

Homeland Security Raids on Console Modding
Bona Fide Reviews :: Monday, October 15, 2007
Ok guys when you think of things you’d want to put on your top ten list for problems America has to deal with, what would they be. No not terrorism. No… not education. Not poverty. Not homelessness. Not zombies. In fact, if the actions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) have anything to say about it, the biggest threat to our American way of life is console modding. Yes console modding.

Impressions of the Seattle World Cyber Games 2007 Grand Final
Futurelooks :: Monday, October 15, 2007
The World Cyber Games 2007 Grand Final in Seattle was both depressing and eye opening all at the same time. It reminds us that at some point in our adolescence, we’ve all tried to convince ourselves (and our parents) that playing video games was a viable career choice. While most of us decided to grow up, get a job and move out of our parent’s basements, some lucky buggers get to travel around the world and compete in video game tournaments for prize money and glory.

Two Worlds (PC) review
YouGamers :: Monday, October 15, 2007
“Combat is not only challenging to the point of frustration; it’s also mindless. There are no active defensive moves, and no skill involved in wielding a weapon. Since you’re always inevitable swarmed by enemies, you’re left to click the left mouse button until death or victory. Targeting is never accurate, even with a melee weapon, but it doesn’t appear to be typical roll-if-the-dice hitpoint depletion either. The lack of consistency had me stepping away from the game after a few attempts at attacking the same bandit encampment, and I nearly lost a keyboard in anger. To make matters worse, the AI has two settings, one for melee enemies – swarm and swing – and one for archers – shoot and run. You’ll spend more time chasing cowardly archers across long distances than actually swinging an axe.”

Half-Life 2: Episode 2 – performance scaling
Maxit Mag :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
¿Do you have an old PC? ¿Any intention to play Half Life 2: Episodio 2? Then you won’t want to miss this review where Anandtech (http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3122) takes a look at a good deal of processors and graphics cards to see how they handle both indoors and outdoors situations. The processors: they chose basically among dual core offerings, which is good given their current price point. From a Pentium E2140 to a Core 2 Duo E6750, from an Athlon 64 X2 4000+ to a 6400+. Several quads (QX6850, Q6700 and Q6600) are also included. Aside from the fact that, once again, Intel tops all the charts, it’s interesting to see the Core 2 distributed in groups that relate to cache size. Over the weeks prior to it’s release, there was quite some controversy regarding Conroe’s dependency on L2. Now that we have 1, 2 and 4 MB models, we see that Half-Life 2 is affected by it. So it is by FSB, quite a benchmarking tool, this game. The graphics cards: they didn’t come short on them, neither. We get entry level, mainstream and performance segment representatives from both nVidia and ATI. All of them are tested at different resolutions, under indoors and outdoors scenarios and even with some AA benchs.

Half Life 2 – Episode 2
Driver Heaven :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Half Life games are quite possibly amongst the most revered PC titles of the recent years. And how could they not be? Both the original and its sequel pushed forward the boundaries of FPS story-telling, making players experience the story first hand, not through directed cinematics. That was not all they did however! With great AI, graphics engines that were amongst the prettiest of the generation and some of the most memorable scenes in gaming the two defined what PC gaming was all about. As if all of this wasn’t enough, Valve decided to push the boundaries in content delivery as well, bringing forward Steam and inevitably episodic games. HL2 Episode 1 was not amongst the longest games of last year, but it was without doubt one of the best shooters we had the pleasure of playing. Valve are also well known for learning from their mistakes, so let’s see what Episode 2 has in store for us!

Dave Mirra BMX Challenge – Wii Review
Driver Heaven :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX for the PlayStation One was an all around solid game. Gamers were set to roam free in order to complete a list of objectives at areas ranging from Mirra’s backyard to professional arenas, and although the game bared striking resemblances to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series it was still loads of fun. Unfortunately, Acclaim went bankrupt so the series was taken under the wing of Crave Entertainment. It’s tragic to see one of your past favorites be absolutely slaughtered, but the developers at Crave had no mercy when they created the abomination known as Dave Mirra BMX Challenge.

Nintendo Goes Green With Enviornmental Game and 500 Trees
Nintendo DS :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol Shows Kids How to be…

Nintendo Invites Everyone to Spend Some Time with Deep New Zelda Game
Nintendo DS :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Zelda Debuts on Nintendo DS

Nintendo’s Popular Brian Age 2 Pops Up in Unlikely Places
Nintendo DS :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
People Find the Brain-Training Game Engaging

Want to Play Galaxy and Brawl? Visit Nintendo’s Booth at E for All
Nintendo News :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Visit Nintendo’s Booth at E for All

FATAL FURY, WORLD HEROES and ART OF FIGHTING Now Available on Wii Shop Channel!
Nintendo News :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Three New Classic Games Announced.

Nintendo Goes Fashion Forward with New Crimson/Onyx Nintendo DS
Nintendo News :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
The coolest DS yet, is on sale now.

Nintendo and Future US Team to Publish Nintendo Power Magazine
Nintendo News :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Nintendo and Future US in Publishing Deal

Nintendo Announces New Wii Remote Jacket Accessory
Nintendo Wii :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Free Accessory Enhances Grip, Adds Cushioning

Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal
Sony Games :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
The Evil Mad Scientist is fed up with the Looney Tunes and plans to get rid of them once and for all. Using his homemade time machine and giant ACME eraser, he will travel through time and erase the ’Tunes and their ancestors from existence. Little does the Mad Scientist know, Bugs Bunny and Marvin the Martian have stolen the designs to the time machine and built one of their own. Now, it’s up to the entire Looney Tunes gang – with the help of each other and their zany arsenal of ACME weapons – to chase the Mad Scientist through the ages…defending their past, present and future! Seven playable ’Tunes: Play as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, The Tasmanian Devil, Foghorn Leghorn, Marvin the Martian, Gossamer and a secret character. Two modes of gameplay: Battle enemies on your own in single-player story mode or team-up with a friend for twice the action in two-player co-op arcade mode. Vehicle-based action: Race a jet scooter across the surface of Mars or wage battle in a side car motorcycle. Fight in the past to defend the future: Chase the Evil Mad Scientist and his minions through the ages; take-on the baddies in Camelot, Ancient Egypt, Mars, the Wild West, World War I and more! An arsenal of ACME weapons: Command a collection of pick-up-and-play projectile weapons scattered throughout the game or rely on an upgradeable, character-specific melee weapon always at your side. PlayStation®2 system exclusives: Explore an extra Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner chase level and unlock an exclusive Daffy Hood character skin available only in the PlayStation®2 system version of the game.

Mountain Bike Adrenaline
Sony Games :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Straddle your mountain bike and ride the adrenaline as you hurtle down the world’s most spectacular slopes. Speed, dexterity and daring are the three ingredients that will turn you into an exceptional rider. Are you ready to ride out of your skin?

Mass Effect Alien Races Revealed
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Get an advance look at the races you’ll encounter during your epic adventure, as you face a grave threat that may destroy all of civilization in Mass Effect.

Oblivion: Fighter’s Stronghold Download
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
In this new expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, live the life of a noble warrior in this expansive castle with private quarters, grand dining hall, and a wine cellar. The Fighter’s Stronghold is available as a free download for a limited time.

Yaris Gamer Pics
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Preview the new Yaris gamer pics available on Marketplace.

Adult Swim Gamer Pics
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Check out all the new gamer pics from Adult Swim!

F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate Demo Preview
Gamepyre :: Friday, October 12, 2007
The game itself looks every bit as good as F.E.A.R. has in the past. While this game doesn’t necessarily sport the best graphics around, they are still very nice to look at when playing this game. They also set the mood very well with the lighting, and their use of it. The creators of this franchise seem to know the perfect time to flicker those lights on and off to make you jump. But making you jump and sending a chill down the spine is what this game is for, being a horror-themed FPS. If you are easily scared, or blood isn’t something you look for in an FPS, then this won’t be one for you. I know personally I am anxiously awaiting the release of this title so I can pick it up and see what else is in store. If it’s as good as the last two parts, gamers will be in for a nice chilling game, start to finish.

Crysis Hands-on Preview
YouGamres :: Friday, October 12, 2007
“You can also forget about playing Rambo and running into an area, leaping around like Nureyev, guns akimbo. Crytek have made the game in such a way that one has to use the nano-suit features, and as frequently as possible. This is actually a good thing because it encourages you to think before moving – do I enable the cloak, sneak in slowly (because running will drain the energy very quickly) and lob a grenade or two into the masses? Or do I perform zippy speed bursts, nipping back and forth, picking them off one by one? Or do I super-jump my way to a higher location and nobble them with sniper fire?”

Team Fortress 2 (PC) review
YouGamers :: Friday, October 12, 2007
“All in all, each of the nine classes have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Some are best in defense, some excel in offense, some can do both depending on how they are played, and all nine feel useful without any obviously overpowered classes. Class balance is the most important factor in a game like this, and I must say that Valve has got it so close to being just right that it’s clear they’ve really played their own game over and over again, polishing things until every class feels useful, yet fair. A rare achievement.”

HL2 & Source Engine Tweak Guide 
Tweak Guides :: Friday, October 12, 2007
Over two years since its original release, with the coming of HL2: Episode 2, I’ve completed a major revision of the Half Life 2 & Source Engine Tweak Guide. The guide is now fully up to date with the latest build of the Source Engine; I’ve retested and documented a range of existing and new settings, including several new advanced tweaks, and even updated all the screenshot comparisons. Give it a read through if you run any Source-based game.

ArmoryTech Controller Rack review
Icrontic :: Thursday, October 11, 2007
“It works. It holds all types of controllers. I even have a 360 Controller with a Chatpad on there, and I thought for sure it wouldn’t hold it – it does.”

Medieval Total War: Kingdoms
Driver Heaven :: Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Total War series has created a whole new genre of its own, mixing board game-style turn based strategy on a grand scale with real-time battles using massive armies drawn from the annals of history. The latest incarnation, Medieval 2: Total War is still camping the tail end of many PC sales charts, almost an year after release, proving a wide appeal far beyond the usual hardcore gamer. As with the previous Total War games, an expansion was inevitable – enter Medieval 2: Total War Kingdoms.

The Official WTCC Game PC Review
Tweak Town :: Thursday, October 11, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Race 07: The Official WTCC Game for the PC. SimBin Studios are back again with their brand of PC racing that sim freaks and casual racing fans alike can really enjoy.

X-Arcade Trackball Mouse Game Controller Review
Futurelooks :: Thursday, October 11, 2007
The 1980s were a golden age for arcade games and now you can relive that entire generation with the X-Arcade Trackball. Like everything else that X-Arcade produces, this thing is built like a tank and feels very arcade authentic. It’s like you standing in front of an ancient Missile Command machine all over again.

Critical Reception: EA’s FIFA Soccer 08
Gamasutra Columns :: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
This week’s edition of Critical Reception examines online reaction to FIFA Soccer 08, the newest entry in EA’s long-running soccer series that critics claim is “a football game that’s going to stick with you all season.”

This Week in Xbox: October 3-10, 2007
Xbox 360 Games :: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Games Editor Denny Atkin brings you all the latest in what’s going on this week on Xbox.com.

UT3 – odd system requirements
Maxit Mag :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Minimum System Requirements • Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista • 2.0+ GHZ Single Core Processor • 512 Mbytes of System RAM • NVIDIA 6200+ or ATI Radeon 9600+ Video Card • 8 GB of Free Hard Drive Space

Recommended System Requirements • 2.4+ GHZ Dual Core Processor • 1 GByte of System RAM • NVIDIA 7800GTX+ or ATI x1300+ Video Card • 8 GB of Free Hard Drive Space Those are the requirements, where’s the oddness? As GPUReviews (http://www.gpureview.com/official-unreal-tournament-3-system-requirements-are-here-and-odd-article-558.html?PHPSESSID=21f3715b7fc888f858e67782796165e5) points out, this is a The Way It’s Meant to be Played game, so it should favor nVidia hardware. But it doesn’t. Unless they’ve found some serious problems with Geforce cards, there’s no way a 9600 can catch up with a 6200 (128 bit?). And mixing in the same bag a 7800GTX with an X1300 is simply hilarious. Again, maybe there’s something wrong with the game, but even if their internal testing suggests these kind of pairings, they should ask a little bit more from the ATI camp. I’ll believe they are actually recommending those requirements when I get one copy of the game from the selves and turn it around.

Game Review: Zamby and the Mystical Crystals
Dragonsteel Mods :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Everyone loves to play games and there are tons of them out there, but not all games are suitable for everyone, especially children to play. I myself have children and I try not to let them watch me play violent games, I try and steer them towards educational type games or just basic fun games where they can enjoy themselves and have fun at the same time without exposing them to a lot of violence. There are lots of companies out there making games that aim to fill this niche, that are fun for everyone but yet children can play and enjoy as well. One such company is Kristanix, and they’ve sent me over their latest game called Zamby and the Mystical Crystals, yeah I know the name sound a bit hokey, but it truly is a fun game, it has quite a few features, with many levels and I actually found the puzzles a bit challenging myself as I progressed in the game. I installed it on my children’s computer and they love it, they’ve spent many hours guiding Zamby along on his quest, and I didn’t have to worry to much about what they were being exposed to…

The China Angle: Online Games in Shangri-la
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
In the latest of Gamasutra’s regular China Angle columns, Pacific Epoch’s Shang Koo investigates the local rural gaming culture in Shangri-la, and looks at rumors that Netease’s MMO Westward Journey 3 might not be the massive hit of its predecessors.

Release This: The Orange Box Ships Worldwide; U.S. Receives Folklore, FF Tactics
Gamasutra Columns :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Gamasutra’s latest “Release This!” details the worldwide debut of The Orange Box and the U.S. arrival of Folklore and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions – exclusive IGN GamerMetrics stats inside.

Fallout 3 Design a Perk Contest
Xbox 360 Games :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Design a perk for the game Fallout 3 and win great prizes offered by Bethesda Software.

Third Fable 2 Video Diary Released
Xbox 360 Games :: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
See highlights of the tenth Anniversary party, and check out the game in development in this new video from the developers of Fable 2 at Lionhead Studios.

TwoWorlds Xbox360 Review
Gamepyre :: Monday, October 08, 2007
I want to say good things about Two Worlds. Despite the mostly mediocre execution of many of the elements in the game there are some things that work. I can’t say that all my time with Two Worlds was a waste. I did get some entertainment out of it; you just have to work hard to find it. I would just let you know to keep your expectations low. Please keep in mind that this is the first major release from Reality Pump; and that is saying a lot. Just think about what they could do with more money and a long development cycle. I look forward to their next release because this game shows lots of promise.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Sin & Punishment Now Available on Wii Shop Channel!
Nintendo News :: Sunday, October 07, 2007
Two New Classic Games Announced.

NBA 2K8: Follow-up to a Classic
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 07, 2007
From the blacktop challenges to signature animations, NBA 2K8 shatters expectations and builds on the success of its predecessor.

Microsoft and Bungie Studios to Evolve Relationship
Xbox 360 Games :: Sunday, October 07, 2007
Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the Halo franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company.

3DMark Texture Competition
YouGamers :: Saturday, October 06, 2007
“Have you ever dreamt of being part of the team who creates the wonderful graphics for the world-famous 3DMark series? Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have YOUR name in the credits of 3DMark? Well now is your chance to have it all! The creators of 3DMark want you to design and produce a texture for the upcoming 3DMark for Windows Vista.”

Blazing Angels 2 (PC) review
YouGamers :: Saturday, October 06, 2007
“We get a quick flashback to World War 2 and the story of your secret squadron begins. The first “real” mission comes up simple – deliver a spy to France undetected, using a fighter. Sounds plausible, let’s just fly over there below radar and quickly put the plane down on some field and take off before the Germans can catch you, right? Nope. The mission expects you to fly over a train, and keep the plane there for a good while as the spy jumps off your Hurricane on top of the train. Reality Check: Failure. Not to mention after delivering the spy you are expected to blow up piles nearby ground troops, including their anti-aircraft batteries, which somehow were sound asleep while you pulled off silly stuff over the train.”

Rise of an Empire (PC)
Gaming Heaven :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Town/City building games were very popular back in the day with titles like SimCity, Caesar (and later Zeus and Pharaoh) getting a new sequel every year or two. Yes, those were really the times for us strategists who prefer to count the coins in our treasury and make tax cuts instead of sending troops into the fray. The Settlers have been a classic since the early days, combining a cartoonish look with a very deep, often mind-numbing resource system where entire chains of resources were needed for some of the final products. The new Settlers games left most with a sour taste in their mouths, so expectations weren’t too high. On the other hand Blue Byte promised to make a return to their roots, simplifying things in the process. The result, although not quite like the old Settlers games, might just be what it takes to bring the series back on the map.

Ohio LinuxFest 2007 
Bios Level :: Friday, October 05, 2007
“Several members from BIOS_LEVEL attended the Ohio LinuxFest on the weekend of October 3rd. The trip in was easy–Columbus traffic didn’t get us down. Read on to find out about the speakers and booths at the event.”

Halo3 Xbox360 Review
Gamepyre :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Now that that is all done I can continue gushing about Halo 3. I loved almost every minute of Halo 3 save for a few small complaints; its one of the highpoint of the year for me. Even if you spend the $60 just for the multiplayer side of the game you will not be disappointed. If you think of the campaign as an extra and the online elements as the meat of the game you will love Halo 3. However if your only reason for buying the game is the story’s ending you’re going to be upset. I know that Halo’s success is guarantied. Everyone I have talked to that has played multiplayer has said that it is better and more fun the Halo 2.

Microsoft sets Bungie Free
Xbox 360 Games :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the Halo franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company.

Fanatec and Porsche Unveil Racing Wheel For PS3/PC
Maxit Mag :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Have you ever dreamed of owning a Porsche 911 Turbo S? Well, I know most of us can only dream but if you want to feel what its like sitting behind the wheel of this wonderful machine, Fanatec got you covered!

Fanatec, the German company who brought us the ultimate headshot Controller, are now teaming up with Porsche to deliver on of a kind racing wheel thats compatible with both the PC and the Play Station 3. This wheel is licensed by Porsche and is based on the original Porsche 911 Turbo S steering wheel design.

Unlike racing wheels from other manufactures, this one from Fanatec is the best when it comes to design. Its so closely based on the original steering wheel. An authentic metal Porsche logo on wheel, hand stitched leather wheel manufactured according to Porsche quality standards, 6+1 Speed H-pattern gear stick with realistic shifting feel, realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance, pressure sensitive brake emulation with soft-stop, interchangeable gear sticks that can be mounted on the left or right side – these are just a few features that will make you want to play the next Need For Speed game with this wheel!

Other features include additional exchangeable sequential gear stick, wireless pedals with 100+ hours battery life time (low battery warning on display and optional power supply cable for simulators), turning angle adjustment in the wheel to 900°, 360° or 180° or in 1° steps by software, strong table clamps with quick release, special non-slip rubber pads, and Velcro strips on the pedals keep everything in place (for PC), integrated nuts to allow the strong fixation on a gaming cockpit, attachable lap wings and the attachment of the gear sticks to the wheel allow comfortable game play in the living room without the use of a table (for PS3), powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars to deliver extra strong ForceFeedback effects, additional 2 Force Feedback actuators in the wheel to simulate motor vibrations, extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone, high resolution wheel sensor, TUNING functions with LED display, ability to save up to 5 wheel set-ups, ForceFeedback strength adjustment during game play, independent sensitivity adjustment from the game.

Enough of this never ending feature list, now on to more important things – availability and pricing. The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel will be available on 13 December according to Fanatec and pre-orders are currently underway at their site (http://www.fanatec.de/html/index.php?id=110 lang=en). The price you pay to go racing with this wheel – 300EUR ($350). If you pre-order now you will actually receive the Nordschleife Edition wheel with a 1GB Porsche USB stick included.

Saling The World: PGR4, Ash Square Off Against Halo 3
Gamasutra Columns :: Friday, October 05, 2007
This week’s latest “Saling The World” charts document continuing worldwide dominance for Halo 3, as titles like Ash: Archaic Sealed Heat and Project Gotham Racing 4 face an uphill battle in its wake.

Go! Sports Ski™
Sony Games :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Go! Sports Ski™ is a skiing simulator that harnesses the SIXAXIS™ wireless controller to twist, turn and pull off tricks. The easy and intuitive motion control allows you to fly down visually stunning slopes right out of the gate. Supporting various single player modes, including slalom racing, a split-screen versus mode and several online battle modes, Go Sports Ski features two distinct courses. Other online features include downloading the top online player’s ghost data to race against and a global ranking system. KEY FEATURES Various Gameplay Modes – Includes 3 offline practice modes, split-screen battle, 2 online single player leaderboard time trials, and 4 player online battle mode. SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller – Fully controlled by the SIXAXIS motion sensors to simulate realistic ski slopes. Collect up to 27 Emblems – Unlock emblems with gameplay success and display them to your online records. Global Online Ranking – See how you stack up against other skiers worldwide.

Too Human Video Diaries Begin
Xbox 360 Games :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Silicon Knights is giving you unprecedented access to the development team and production on Too Human with the kick-off of the studio’s Too Human video diary series.

Halo 3 Records More Than $300 Million in First Week Sales
Xbox 360 Games :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Halo 3 has officially become a global phenomenon, garnering more than $300 million in sales in the first week alone. The critically-acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive is the fastest-selling video game ever and one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

Meet Nihlus Kryik in Mass Effect
Xbox 360 Games :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Nihlus Kryik in Mass Effect is one of the Citadel Council’s most decorated Spectre agents, with an uncanny ability to find an enemy’s weakness and exploit it.

Join the Carnival with the Thrillville Demo
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Friday, October 05, 2007
Don’t miss this exclusive demo of Thrillville: Off the Rails on Marketplace. Jump on any of the outlandish, death-defying roller coasters including a couple that actually crash!

Carcassonne: King and Baron Expansion Pack
Xbox Live Marketplace :: Friday, October 05, 2007
For only 300 Microsoft Points, this new download for Carcassonne is a five-tile expansion that gives a bonus to the player who has the biggest city, and the player that has the longest road.

Need for Speed ProStreet preview
YouGamers :: Thursday, October 04, 2007
“Enter Pro Street, EA’s interpretation of street racing in the not-too-distant future. The outlaw vibe is gone, replaced with sanctioned and sponsored street races. In fact, an entire international street racing series has sprung up, and as a driver you’ll be traveling the globe to pit your skills against the world’s best. Illicit racing may be a thing of the past, but Pro Street is still steeped in the series’ trademark over-the-top attitude. In other words, don’t expect the game to compete with the likes of GTR, Forza or Gran Turismo for the title of “Most Authentic Simulation”. While the racing has changed, there’s still plenty of cool to be had.”

Blue Dragon Xbox 360 Review
Tweak Town :: Thursday, October 04, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360. Released first in and designed for the gaming market of Japan, will this traditional style turn based RPG appeal to the Westen gaming markets?

Newegg LANfest2K7 This Weekend in Ontario, CA
Motherboards.org :: Thursday, October 04, 2007
This year’s event will be held at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California. The event happens from October 5th through the 7th. Newegg is serving up a 400 person – 24 hour BYOC, bone-smashing tournaments, creative new contests and the latest exhibitions from your favorite hardware and gaming companies. Unlike LAN events of yesteryear, LANfest2K7 is hosting tournaments on the latest game consoles and allowing them into the BYOC area. You can even rent your own high-def display if you prefer the Wii, Xbox 360 or PS3 over PC gaming.

Resident Evil 4 Wii
Bona Fide Reviews :: Thursday, October 04, 2007
Resident Evil 4 is back. For the 4th time. Originally released on the GameCube, then ported to the PlayStation 2 and PC, the question that most Wii owners will be asking themselves is not “Should I buy Resident Evil 4?” but “Why should I buy Resident Evil 4 again?” Read on for a brief overview of the game’s predecessors, so that newcomers can appreciate just how groundbreaking Resident Evil 4 was when it was first released, and then continue for a detailed comparison of every version of it, so that you can decide if the additions to the Wii Edition make it worth buying again – or which one to buy in the first place.

BIOSHOCK Xbox360 Review
Gampyre :: Thursday, October 04, 2007
Everything about Bioshock is done well, from the moment you first crash by that remote lighthouse in the middle of nowhere, all the way up until you finish the game. Xbox360 games may be more expensive than PC games usually, but this is one game that is worth it. Bioshock easily wins itself a Gamer’s Choice Gold Award. Welcome to Rapture, enjoy your stay.

Starcraft 2 Video Game Preview for PC
Benchmark Reviews :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Many RTS gamers across the world, including the staff at Benchmark Reviews, consider Blizzard’s Starcraft as one of the best RTS titles ever created. After almost 10 years, Blizzard’s Battle.Net servers are still hosting thousands of dedicated players who still battle against each other and enjoy every second, despite the poor graphics and low resolution. Blizzard keeps updating and improving their servers, which is a great and rare thing for such an aging game, but it won’t be long before Starcraft 2 arrives for PC.

This Week in Xbox: September 26-October 3, 2007
Xbox 360 Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Games Editor Denny Atkin brings you all the latest in what’s going on this week on Xbox.com.

NBA Live 08
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
NBA Live 08 introduces hot spots, where real NBA shot data is used to illuminate the locations on the floor where your players are most effective. Quickstrike Ballhandling, a new intuitive gameplay mechanic, gives you the direct responsiveness you need to perform a full repertoire of ankle-breaking ball-handling moves that let you dominate on the perimeter. Couple this with all-new signature go-to moves that capture the essence of the NBA’s best, and you can now play the game on a console like you see it from the stands.

Meet Nihlus Kryik in Mass Effect
Xbox 360 Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Nihlus Kryik in Mass Effect is one of the Citadel Council’s most decorated Spectre agents, with an uncanny ability to find an enemy’s weakness and exploit it.

Free Nintendo Wii ‘Jackets’ Fight Sweaty Palms
Extremetech :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
On Tuesday, Nintendo Wii owners were greeted with a pulsing blue light to alert them to the “Wii remote jacket,” a cushioned glove that fits around the Wiimote to keep it soft if it happens to hit something… or someone.

Tiger Woods 08 (PC) review
YouGamers :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
“Just like real golf, perfecting a swing in Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’08 takes time. EA’s True Swing technology, which mimics a golf club swing with mouse movements, requires some time spent in Practice mode before any consistency in shots can be attained. Setting the profile difficulty to Novice or Intermediate is a must when using a high-DPI optical mouse – the Advanced setting is far too sensitive with a fast-tracking mouse. Using a mouse with adjustable sensitivity, I found it necessary to turn the sensitivity down to an extreme degree using the mouse’s driver software.”

Medal of Honor Airborne
Technic 3d :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
“The Medal of Honor: Airborne Game from Electronic Arts arrived Technic3D. New gameplay in the First Person Shooter with Unreal 3 Engine? All better than in the last Parts? See you in the following Review.”

Warhawk Review (PS3)
Bjorn 3d :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
It is no understatement that the Sony Playstation 3 has had a rocky start. Competing the with Xbox 360 with its excellent selection of games and the Nintendo Wii with its impressive sales, the PS3 has found itself in some kind of limbo – neither having the games nor the sales that you could expect from a new Playstation.

Luckily for Sony the solution to one of the problems, the lack of games, is now slowly being rectified. Over the next few months we will see the release of a series of high profile games like Lair and Heavenly Sword and the onslaught is being led by the game Warhawk from the developer Incognito.

Sega Rally Revo (PC)
Driver Heaven :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Let’s face the facts; not everybody has what it takes to make it as a professional rally racer. Sure an elite few can kick back with their spot-on physics racing on actual locations around the world, but some of us out there desire a fast-paced, unrelenting experience that pumps adrenaline nonstop. In steps SEGA Rally Revo, a reincarnation of one SEGA’s oldest franchises that is purely about arcade racing. While the concept of keeping the pedal to the metal nonstop seems like it could be loads of fun, unfortunately for this game’s case racing seems more like a chore than anything else.

BFG Ageia PhysX Card 
techPowerUp :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
BFG is one of two companies offering the Ageia PhysX card in form of a retail product. The PPU – physics proccesing unit – is an additioal processor to the GPU and CPU. It enables real life physics and interactivity within supporting games. While the first games and a high price tag upon launch did not live up to expectations, the brand new Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 and a very affordable 120 USD price tag makes this a great addition nowadays.

Thrustmaster T-Wireless 3 in 1 Rumble Force Gamepad
Hard H2O :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Gamepads and joysticks manufacturers have followed a common line in the last times: they tend to create multiplatform products. While it is quite difficult to have an only controller for all video consoles and even the PC, now it is possible to control most of them by means of only one device.

The T-Wireless is a Thrustmaster gamepad which we will be able to use in PS2, PS3 and PC. It has wireless technology and an astonishing grip.

Critical Reception: Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Gamasutra Columns :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
This week’s edition of Critical Reception examines online reaction to The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a stylus-driven sequel to The Wind Waker that critics call “one of the best experiences, casual or hardcore, available in gaming today.”

Release This: Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Project Gotham 4 Make Anticipated U.S. Debut
Gamasutra Columns :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Gamasutra’s latest “Release This!” sees The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Project Gotham Racing 4 compete in another big week for U.S. releases – exclusive IGN GamerMetrics stats inside.

Hot Wheels: Beat That
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Sometimes, the biggest action comes in the smallest package! Get behind the wheel of any of 30 cars pulled straight from the Hot Wheels lineup. Race on 12 tracks built to scale – corkscrews, loops, shortcuts and hidden paths, chokepoints, and interactive elements – then battle on four different battlegrounds. Put the pedal to the metal in five different gameplay modes, including Race, Eliminator, Rampage, and Battle.

Crash of the Titans
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007

NBA Live 08
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
NBA Live 08 introduces hot spots, where real NBA shot data is used to illuminate the locations on the floor where your players are most effective. Quickstrike Ballhandling, a new intuitive gameplay mechanic, gives you the direct responsiveness you need to perform a full repertoire of ankle-breaking ball-handling moves that let you dominate on the perimeter. Couple this with all-new signature go-to moves that capture the essence of the NBA’s best, and you can now play the game on a console like you see it from the stands.

MLB Power Pros
Sony Games :: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
MLB Power Pros delivers an original visual style to America’s favorite pastime. Every MLB player is represented in the “Power Pro” character style – a miniature toy-like figurine model. Gamers will recognize their favorite Baseball stars through comic usage of facial expressions, facial hair, and hair styles.

Genius MaxFire Pandora Pro 
Techware Labs :: Tuesday, October 02, 2007
A lot of gamers use laptops these days and may have the need for a portable gaming controller that is small and yet usable. Genius has come up with a tiny USB controller that will appeal to the console gamer in each of us. We test out the Genius MaxFire Pandora Pro and let you know if this little device can stand up to bigtime gamers.

World in Conflict – Performance
Bjorn 3d :: Monday, October 01, 2007
A week ago the game World in Conflict was released and this is yet another RTS that offers excellent visuals with lots of effects that all work together to bring your computer to its knees. I decided that it would be fun to see how different components in your system are affecting the performance in this game, possibly making it a bit easier to figure out what to upgrade if the game runs like a hog on your current system.

Review: Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
Driver Heaven :: Monday, October 01, 2007
When a game generates over $170 million in the first 24 hours (USA alone!) there is clearly something exceptional about it. Some might disagree when I call the Halo franchise one, if not the most important hallmark in gaming, but Bungie’s games up until now never failed to impress. Is Halo 3 the great game it was supposed to be, or are the incredible sales all due to Microsoft spending millions on marketing? PC zealots will undoubtedly go with the second option while the Xbox360 fans are already lighting the torches and sharpening their pitchforks to defend the title. As usual the truth is somewhere in between …

Monster Hunter Freedon 2 PSP Review
Tweak Town :: Monday, October 01, 2007
TTGamer have today posted a review of Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for the PSP. This is a hugely successful series in Japan, but does it have the appeal to attract the attention of Western gamers?

World in Conflict (PC) review
YouGamers :: Monday, October 01, 2007
“As a single player experience, World in Conflict has one major flaw. The game’s control mechanism and perspective matches poorly with the story – the player is portrayed as an officer actually commanding troops on the ground, but there’s no actual avatar unit that interacts with the game world. Your forces can get wiped out, but as the disembodied Lt. Parker, you can still call in for reinforcements and win the day. Having a command post on the map would have detracted from the game’s no base building ideology, and an avatar unit would probably have posed major level design challenges, but I found my suspension of disbelief hanging by a thread during certain missions.”

Stranglehold (PC) review
YouGamers :: Monday, October 01, 2007
“While parts of the destruction is still “faked” with normal tricks such as decal work and sprite-based debris clouds, the developers have been very creative in the dark art of visual trickery. The cheats are mixed in with real breakup of objects and predetermined parts of the level and the combined effect works very well. And it’s not just a couple of specific parts and objects – the engine actually supports the deconstruction of almost every object and big parts of the level geometry, with large chunks actually staying around. It’s entirely possible to redecorate whole rooms in all kinds of creative ways while blowing away piles of bad guys.”