GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

Dead Space Preview

This little beauty should be a great game for any fan of survival horror games.  Dead Space basically smashes Resident Evil 4 into System Shock and Bioshock for a freaky experience.  It’s already drawing a lot of controversy for its violence, so you know that’s going to be good.  The basic story has you exploring the remains of a navy ship overrun by…something.  It’s basically just a standard sci-fi story, but it is a good excuse to kill some stuff.  the best part so far is the promise of strategic dismemberment (also causing the controversy).  Zombies don’t die from headshots.  A number of the monsters have to be crippled by shooting and damaging their limbs to weaken their abilities.  Throw in some special powers and a few no gravity sections and you should have a fun survival horror game.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Wario Land: Shake It Preview

This looks like a fun little title from Nintendo.  Wario is back for some old side scrolling adventures and they are all centered around the Wii’s shake ability.  You basically do just about everything in the game by shaking or turn the wiimote.  Movement is still standard side scroller action, but Wario’s special moves are all shake-based.  The one really interesting aspect to the gameplay was the alarm system.  You grab a special being at a point in each of the five main levels and then have to race back to the start and beat an alarm.  It was a bit of a nice twist on the genre.  There’s also zany levels and bosses but that basically goes without saying in a Wario platformer.  If any of this sounds cool just keep an eye out for it’s release in a few days on the 22nd.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

Star Ocean: First Departure Preview

This new PSP title should be a nice boost for starved fans of action RPGs.  This new addition to the Star Ocean line should be a pleasant addition to the PSP’s lineup.  There isn’t anything too groundbreaking.  The combat is standard real time fighting with a mix of button mashing and special attacks.  The party system should be interesting though since you can switch into any character at any time in the fight.  The skill system also seems to be well made with tons of options for minor character specializations as cooks or smiths.  if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll want to watch out for its release next month on October 21st.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Preview

Well, any fan of the original probably knows that this sequel is about to have its main release in America on the 15th.  Some lucky people already have their pre-ordered version and the comments look pretty good.  If you haven’t looked at the game before, it basically added a bunch of features to the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.  The biggest of these is the battle for the zone between the various factions.  This seems to have been pulled off well with various early release players confirming different accounts of the war on the sidelines based on AI decisions.  A lot of bugs have been reported though, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for a quick patch.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

Star Ocean: First Departure Preview

This new PSP title should be a nice boost for starved fans of action RPGs.  This new addition to the Star Ocean line should be a pleasant addition to the PSP’s lineup.  There isn’t anything too groundbreaking.  The combat is standard real time fighting with a mix of button mashing and special attacks.  The party system should be interesting though since you can switch into any character at any time in the fight.  The skill system also seems to be well made with tons of options for minor character specializations as cooks or smiths.  if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll want to watch out for its release next month on October 21st.

Wario Land: Shake It Preview

This looks like a fun little title from Nintendo.  Wario is back for some old side scrolling adventures and they are all centered around the Wii’s shake ability.  You basically do just about everything in the game by shaking or turn the wiimote.  Movement is still standard side scroller action, but Wario’s special moves are all shake-based.  The one really interesting aspect to the gameplay was the alarm system.  You grab a special being at a point in each of the five main levels and then have to race back to the start and beat an alarm.  It was a bit of a nice twist on the genre.  There’s also zany levels and bosses but that basically goes without saying in a Wario platformer.  If any of this sounds cool just keep an eye out for it’s release in a few days on the 22nd.

Dead Space Preview

This little beauty should be a great game for any fan of survival horror games.  Dead Space basically smashes Resident Evil 4 into System Shock and Bioshock for a freaky experience.  It’s already drawing a lot of controversy for its violence, so you know that’s going to be good.  The basic story has you exploring the remains of a navy ship overrun by…something.  It’s basically just a standard sci-fi story, but it is a good excuse to kill some stuff.  the best part so far is the promise of strategic dismemberment (also causing the controversy).  Zombies don’t die from headshots.  A number of the monsters have to be crippled by shooting and damaging their limbs to weaken their abilities.  Throw in some special powers and a few no gravity sections and you should have a fun survival horror game.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

HMV: Games to trump music sales

HMV has been devoting increasing amounts of shop space to selling games lately as it believes that game sales will soon trump music sales, according to comments given to The Sun recently.

HMV Executive Simon Fox said that games sales already made up about 20 percent of all sales from the HMV chain, with a steady rise of 4.1 percent over the last three months. This trend has driven the company to devote more and more store space to the sales of games, while less and less space is being used to sell music.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Preview

Well, any fan of the original probably knows that this sequel is about to have its main release in America on the 15th.  Some lucky people already have their pre-ordered version and the comments look pretty good.  If you haven’t looked at the game before, it basically added a bunch of features to the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.  The biggest of these is the battle for the zone between the various factions.  This seems to have been pulled off well with various early release players confirming different accounts of the war on the sidelines based on AI decisions.  A lot of bugs have been reported though, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for a quick patch.

Will Wright discusses the future of mobile games

Will Wright is big news right now, what with Spore being released tomorrow and all, but now the developer is setting his sights elsewhere - namely on mobile and handheld games, which he thinks will be an increasingly powerful section of the market.

Apparently ol' Will is a big fan of handheld gaming and can regularly be found scraping away at the touch screen of his DS - most likely playing the DS version of Spore, but he thinks that mobile games may have to change a little in the future.

Adobe Flash to deliver NFL games in full

The National Football League, NBC Sports, and Adobe have announced their collaboration on Sunday Night Football Extra -- full-length live streams of NFL Sunday night football games.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Madworld Update

Madworld has certainly been picking up a lot of controversy, despite the lack of gameplay footage.  We now have a good look at what we’ll be getting.  It looks amazing.  Everybody around the gaming world should know the basics.  You are a man fighting in Running Man style matches to please the masses in the cel-shaded universe.  Some new gameplay footage really shows off the extra bits that separate this from Manhunt or Mortal Kombat.  You can use your mix of punches, kicks, and chainsaw slashes to fight through the levels, but you can also pick up and switch to various other weapons besides the basic environmental stuff.  One basic runthrough showed the pace.  You kill off some goons and get into a chainsaw duel (which should be particularly good use for the Wii control) as a cheesy announcer cracks jokes.  The really impressive bits were the bonuses for environmental weapons.  You don’t just smack people with signs.  You can do some fairly inventive things for extra reputation and points.  One instance showed the ability to trap them in a tire and throw them into the water.  Basic vehicle fighting sections and non-fighting levels were shown.  These little extras should serve as a nice way to break up the gameplay.

Backbreaker Preview

This little treasure almost slipped past me.  The developers released a new teaser demo for this new football game.  It showed off this game’s star feature.  The tackle system is entirely physics-based.  There are no animations.  Any and all tackles will be carried out by the robust physics engine.  That’s actually about all they’re talking about so far.  It isn’t clear how they’re working around the EA monopoly or how the actual football will play out.  All that is clear is that the tackle system looks amazing and the running play looks great.  The testers said that the AI was unrelenting too, so fans of the genre should enjoy a nice challenge.  It’s at least a serious change from the Madden dominated market.

Valhalla Knights 2 Preview

This sequel is probably one of the biggest dungeons crawlers scheduled for release on the PSP.  Several writers from the Final Fantasy XII crew were picked up by the development team, so you can expect one big game.  Early estimates are that it will take more than 135 hours to beat every single side quest in the game, with 80 dedicated to the main quest.  The rest should be pretty standard for the series.  There is a lot of character customization with two jobs per race and seven races to chose from.  The party can be built or picked up along the way.  Battles are the same action sequences as before.  Overall, there it’s just a fun sequel for the PSP.  If you like action-RPGs, then you should love this one.

Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine

This new title for the Wii doesn’t need a big explanation.  It is basically just a more serious verious of the other cooking games available for the Wii.  The first demonstration was just at PAX and it was only a minor presentation.  That said, there have been plenty of statements concerning the features.  You will be able to pick your own secret ingredients for quick battles against friends through the multiplayer, or you can choose to fight your way to the rank of Iron Chef.  Your skill in the minigames is ultimately judged when you present the finished dishes to the panel.  The cooking looks fairly realistic with over 300 minigames promised in the finished game.  If you like this genre, then it should be an enjoyable addition to the Wii.  Keep an eye out for it when it’s released on October 21st.

Jumpgate Evolution Preview

This game’s release is far off in the future, but some nice details were released at PAX.  Jumpgate Evolution takes a view of space simulations similar to Freelancer.  You have a standard command system with a whole lot of options for combat.  The difference is that it will be an MMORPG with all the blessings, such as a complex economy and plenty of room for missions and combat.  The nicest touch seems to be a fully explorable environment.  Comets and asteroids have openings that allow for fairly free adventures for the interested pilot.  If nothing else, it should give EVE a good run for its money.  Keep an eye out for more developments on this new space simulation.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Madworld Update

Madworld has certainly been picking up a lot of controversy, despite the lack of gameplay footage.  We now have a good look at what we’ll be getting.  It looks amazing.  Everybody around the gaming world should know the basics.  You are a man fighting in Running Man style matches to please the masses in the cel-shaded universe.  Some new gameplay footage really shows off the extra bits that separate this from Manhunt or Mortal Kombat.  You can use your mix of punches, kicks, and chainsaw slashes to fight through the levels, but you can also pick up and switch to various other weapons besides the basic environmental stuff.  One basic runthrough showed the pace.  You kill off some goons and get into a chainsaw duel (which should be particularly good use for the Wii control) as a cheesy announcer cracks jokes.  The really impressive bits were the bonuses for environmental weapons.  You don’t just smack people with signs.  You can do some fairly inventive things for extra reputation and points.  One instance showed the ability to trap them in a tire and throw them into the water.  Basic vehicle fighting sections and non-fighting levels were shown.  These little extras should serve as a nice way to break up the gameplay.

Backbreaker Preview

This little treasure almost slipped past me.  The developers released a new teaser demo for this new football game.  It showed off this game’s star feature.  The tackle system is entirely physics-based.  There are no animations.  Any and all tackles will be carried out by the robust physics engine.  That’s actually about all they’re talking about so far.  It isn’t clear how they’re working around the EA monopoly or how the actual football will play out.  All that is clear is that the tackle system looks amazing and the running play looks great.  The testers said that the AI was unrelenting too, so fans of the genre should enjoy a nice challenge.  It’s at least a serious change from the Madden dominated market.

Valhalla Knights 2 Preview

This sequel is probably one of the biggest dungeons crawlers scheduled for release on the PSP.  Several writers from the Final Fantasy XII crew were picked up by the development team, so you can expect one big game.  Early estimates are that it will take more than 135 hours to beat every single side quest in the game, with 80 dedicated to the main quest.  The rest should be pretty standard for the series.  There is a lot of character customization with two jobs per race and seven races to chose from.  The party can be built or picked up along the way.  Battles are the same action sequences as before.  Overall, there it’s just a fun sequel for the PSP.  If you like action-RPGs, then you should love this one.

Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine

This new title for the Wii doesn’t need a big explanation.  It is basically just a more serious verious of the other cooking games available for the Wii.  The first demonstration was just at PAX and it was only a minor presentation.  That said, there have been plenty of statements concerning the features.  You will be able to pick your own secret ingredients for quick battles against friends through the multiplayer, or you can choose to fight your way to the rank of Iron Chef.  Your skill in the minigames is ultimately judged when you present the finished dishes to the panel.  The cooking looks fairly realistic with over 300 minigames promised in the finished game.  If you like this genre, then it should be an enjoyable addition to the Wii.  Keep an eye out for it when it’s released on October 21st.

Jumpgate Evolution Preview

This game’s release is far off in the future, but some nice details were released at PAX.  Jumpgate Evolution takes a view of space simulations similar to Freelancer.  You have a standard command system with a whole lot of options for combat.  The difference is that it will be an MMORPG with all the blessings, such as a complex economy and plenty of room for missions and combat.  The nicest touch seems to be a fully explorable environment.  Comets and asteroids have openings that allow for fairly free adventures for the interested pilot.  If nothing else, it should give EVE a good run for its money.  Keep an eye out for more developments on this new space simulation.