new xbox360 features on the horizon

It's been a big year for game and game hardware development and all of the major developers have interesting and cool new stuff up their sleeves for the coming year in gaming. Even with its groundbreaking Project Natal motion-control system in the works, Microsoft knows it needs to keep up with the Joneses (or in this case Nintendo and Sony) when it comes to exciting upcoming offerings from its Xbox360 system. BloodyDisgusting.com, an excellent source for news on horror and scary games, takes a pretty in-depth look at the 360 and what it will have to offer in the near future. Personally having gotten acquainted with my PS3 at this point it's hard to see a lot of these ideas as anything but direct-response competition with Sony but still, turning the game console into a more varied multimedia machine in my opinion is a very good direction to be going in.

On a side note since I've tagged this post with Microsoft, am I the only one seriously hating on Bing and its retarded commercials where someone asks someone else a question and the person goes into a zombie-like state of rattling off quasi-related web hits supposedly from Google? I'm sorry but if you Google "foods you can't eat while pregnant" literally every single hit on the front page is relevant and useful. Try again, Microsoft. At right: everyone's favorite red ring of death.

brutal legend embroiled in legal battle

Brutal Legend is an upcoming game which stars Jack Black in the hero role of Eddie Riggs, a roadie who gets pulled into a mythical Age of Rock (not unlike the scenes from Heavy Metal featured in a South Park episode). Unfortunately for the actor and the game's release, it is now the subject of a bitter legal battle over who actually owns the game between Electronic Arts and Activision, who claims to still own the rights to releasing the game. Fans of the game are even calling for gamers to boycott Guitar Hero due to Activision's actions against Double Fine, who made the game. I've actually heard good/interesting things about Brutal Legend, especially after E3 this year, so it would be a shame to have the title's release launch screwed up by legal issues.

Jack Black Video Game in a Legal Tug of War

e3 showcases bloody upcoming games

Have you felt like the gore level in your video games has been lacking lately? Well, good news for you because there are several highly anticipated upcoming title releases that feature no shortage of carnage, violence and blood-spilling. Though this list is far from complete as far as scary and violent upcoming games go, it's enough to whet any hardcore gamer's appetite. Get your IDs out and ready for these ultra-violent M-for-mature releases including God of War III and Left for Dead 2 (oh yeah, and Wii Sports Resort, LOL) on a variety of console systems to suit any gamer's thirst for blood.

IGN: E3 2009's Most Violent Games

project natal has people all astir

New games and hardware price drops are always nice to hear about but the lasting effect from this year's E3 is definitely the buzz surrounding Microsoft's Project Natal for the Xbox 360. The possibilities it offers do seem pretty revolutionary (although some of the ideas floating out there certainly walk the line between innovative and gimmicky) and I think we've only seen the tip of the iceberg thus far. Check out this interview about Project Natal with Shane Kim, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Xbox.

Project Natal will "reinvent the industry" - Microsoft

e3 shows industry's devotion to hardcore gamers

Many outspoken gamers like to criticize the video game industry and major game developers for pandering in recent years to the growing market for casual games and family-oriented gaming. However, this year's E3 convention told a different story with regards to future game development as many of the revealed projects and titles were shooters and action games aimed at the hardcore gaming contingent. Companies may make a lot on "novice gamer" titles but nothing sells units by number like a well-made online multiplayer shooter, as evidenced by the success of game franchises like Call of Duty, Halo and Killzone. So, fans of "traditional" video gaming need not worry as the games they like are still top priority to many developers.

Video Game Makers Keep Focus on Core Market

project natal is pretty cool!

Motion controls are all the rage these days and everyone's got something in the works, but the one that really has people talking after E3 this week is Microsoft's Project Natal, a camera-based motion control system (unveiled by Stephen Spielberg!) whose tagline is "you are the controller"! This thing is cool. Project Natal lets you control your on-screen character with.. well, just you. You move around and a camera senses your motions, and also appears to be able to recognize your voice and face. I'm pretty curious to see this thing take off commercially and I can't wait to see the games available with this technology! Natal is clearly a major innovation to look forward to in the video game industry. Watch Peter Molyneux's E3 presentation on Project Natal with Claire and "Milo" below. Crazy stuff!

final fantasy VII on the playstation network!

If you've always wanted to play Final Fantasy VII but aren't looking to spend collector's prices on a PSX copy, you're in luck: one of Sony's major E3 press conference announcements was the release of the game title for download onto its Playstation Network online community. Widely considered one of the best games ever (ever!), Final Fantasy VII was intended for the SNES originally, then for the N64, but was moved to the Playstation during development due to the lack of size on Nintendo's cartridges. Now you can download it for $10 on the PSN and play it on your PS3 or PSP. Enjoy!

e3 roundtable debut of new wii zelda

There are few franchises that old-school gamers get more excited about than the Legend of Zelda series and of course E3 has brought news of development of a new Wii title starring the green-tighted hero Link. The game will use the Wii's new MotionPlus controller add-on and may even require it. Shigeru Miyamoto (also known as the brain behind Nintendo's greatest masterpieces) wanted to show off the game in an actual press conference at E3 but he and fellow developers decided their time was better spent working on the game's concepts at a roundtable discussion rather than putting together an early demo. Hey, anything that helps this game be as magical/wonderful/perfect as it is destined to be is good in my book.

E3 2009: Miyamoto Reveals New Zelda for Wii

mario galaxy 2 revealed at e3

We all knew a new Mario game for the Wii was on its way and now we can all get worked up over a trailer and screenshots! Sounds like the new Super Mario Galaxy title will bring everyone's favorite adorable green dinosaur Yoshi into the picture as well as giving Mario some kind of drill tool that will no doubt provide hilarity when the lil' plumber uses it. I'm sure there will be some familiar themes along with hopefully some cool new innovate Mario gameplay features. Nintendo is really bringing out the big guns this year so if you don't have a Wii yet you should really consider it. Not to mention that it's now pretty much the only console that really encourages playing TOGETHER in the same room rather than over network connections on multiple machines/copies of the game. Sorry, got a little sidetracked on a rant there but anyway, yay for new non-handheld Mario!

Kotaku: Mario Galaxy 2 Screens and Trailer

playstation 3 price cut at e3?

Seems like you can't read anything these days without mention of the economy and coverage of this year's E3 convention is no exception. Some of the major announcements are expected to be hardware price cuts, including the Playstation 3, which currently sells for $399 for the 80GB system (or $499 for the 160GB, which currently comes bundled with Uncharted, apparently). This article does claim that the PS3 currently sells for "over $600" but I assume the purported price drop will place the PS3 in a little easier competition price-wise with the Xbox 360. Still glad we got our backwards-compatible PS3 because I'm loving my PS2 games.

Video Game Industry Fighting Fit For E3

exciting wii fit news

One of the (many) exciting upcoming presentations Nintendo is expected to give at E3 2009 this week is the unveiling of a new, more precise Wii Fit balance board! The Wii Fit Plus will come out in Japan first of course and will feature an improved balance board accessory plus an updated game with new and more varied exercises. This is pretty cool and I am fairly sure I will spring for a new Wii Fit when this one comes out.

Nintendo Wii: Wii Fit Plus Details Revealed Ahead of E3

E3 2009 is almost here

Next week marks the start of E3 2009, also known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo, held annually to showcase upcoming console and computer video games that we gamers can look forward to over the next year. Whether you want the scoop on Nintendo's big plans for the Wii, Sony's exclusive game titles or you just can't wait for all the awesome game trailer action that will ensue, E3 gives us all hope that even in these troubled economic times, great new games are just around the corner. Check out this article for a good breakdown on what to expect from the giants of the game industry at this year's E3, and this one for a photo list of some of the game titles that have people everywhere most excited.

wii motionplus this spring?

Nintendo got everyone excited at E3 2008 with the announcement of Wii Sports Resort and the new Wii MotionPlus controller add-on that will maximize the motion controls and accuracy of the Wiimote. Unfortunately, there has been no new news on the subject since, despite many other exciting revelations from Nintendo at GDC. In this interview with Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo North America, he claims that the Spring 2009 lineup simply hasn't been announced yet. So, kind of revealing, but not really. With many cool MotionPlus-compatible Wii games on the horizon one can only assume that the MotionPlus won't be too delayed in its release.

2009 is the year of the wii

With so many Wii games to be released in the near future, one can only hope that at least a few of them will be serious blockbuster hits that will rejuvenate everyone's favorite little white console. Along with the latest news that Electronic Arts has set its sights on a whole line of Wii games and ports (including Dead Space!), 2009 should be a strong Wii year. Here are a few of the upcoming game titles for the Wii that I'm most excited about:

Deadly Creatures. Scorpion and tarantula team up to battle snakes and other creepy-crawlies, all amidst a noir-style plot going on high above their heads in the world of men around them. If there's one thing I can say, it's that I've never played as a protagonist insect, at least not since SimAnt anyway!

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins. This one just came out this past week and looks pretty sick. Leaping around in the shadows, lurking about to find the perfect moment to attack, and the graphics even look pretty cool. Click here for the IGN review - they gave it an 8.0 which is pretty damn good for a Wii game.

Pikmin. If you never played this wonderful game on GameCube, make sure you pick up the upcoming port for the Wii, due in March. Rumors are swirling about since last year's E3 of the potential of an actual Pikmin 3 title new for the Wii due out sometime in the future but until then, revisit the fun of directing your little dudes around with a whole new set of sweet Wii controls. The first game port in the GameCube Masterpiece/Play for Wii series.

Little King's Story. Apparently a "Pikmin-like strategy game", the animation looks adorable and this game is made by Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada and the music is by the same guy who did the Kingdom Hearts series. Due out February 17th.

Wii Sports Resort. This sequel to the game that ultimately sells the console more than any other (studies show that many Wii buyers never even purchase a game to play other than Wii Sports) is doubly exciting because it will ship with the new Wiimote MotionPlus add-on. The MotionPlus is supposed to revolutionize the motion controls of the remote and take the Wii's unique control system to a whole new level of accuracy.

Dead Rising: Chop till you Drop, House of the Dead: Overkill & MadWorld. Three awesome-looking games with the M-for-mature rating we all want and need from Wii game developers. Yes, it's true, people over 17 do play the Wii. Keep the blood, guts, gore and zombies coming on the Wii and I'll be a happy girl.

Fragile: Fairwell Ruins of the Moon. 2008 saw some pretty fantastic RPG titles come out, and Fragile is one of the ones people are discussing for 2009. Another game featuring ghosts and demons as enemies, Fragile is by RPG titans Namco Bandai, and looks to use the Wiimote's pointer for much of its controls.

Fatal Frame IV. Not much is out about this one yet but it sure sounds cool. While I'm not familiar with this franchise, this new one will be a Wii exclusive and sounds like it will use some pretty innovative controls to help you fight hostile ghosts while studying/photographing nice ones. Also it apparently will push the limits of the Wii visually and boasts no load times to suffer through.

Between the GameCube ports, EA's new efforts and the M-for-mature renaissance, 2009 should be a grand year for the Wii. Fingers crossed!

oh my god this shiz looks awesome

I may have to break habit and actually play Resident Evil 5 myself just because it looks sooo cool. Who am I kidding, I will probably just watch my boyfriend play. Still, it looks totally amazing. The Africa setting looks to provide a unique and new backdrop for zombie strife and the zombification looks scary as hell. Check out this E3 trailer and also the links below for some awesome IGN HD preview vids from the Japanese PS3 demo of the game:

Electrifying Mr. Chainsaw

Snipe Those Suckas

Click here for more

left 4 dead out today

Survival horror first-person shooter Left 4 Dead is available in stores today for the Xbox 360 and on PC-DVD. It sounds pretty awesome and got a 9.0 on IGN; full review linked below. Check out the E3 trailer as well, which shows some of the environments as well as the extremely fast-moving Infected! Love the cornfield scenes, and the fatty zombies. Sounds like the real important features in what makes this a cool game are the cooperative gameplay mode which allows up to four players to control the team of Survivors, and the interesting cinematic style given to the levels requiring completion:

Each scenario is presented like a movie, which is a nice touch. At the beginning there's a movie poster showing the cast. If you survive, the "credits" display the statistics for the game, like who killed the most zombies, who inflicted the most headshots, who delivered the most friendly fire, and the like. The final credit shows how many zombies were killed in the making of the film, and a nice touch I really like is that if only some of the survivors make it to safety, the film is dedicated to the memory of those who didn't.

IGN: Left 4 Dead Review

wii motionplus everything the wiimote was supposed to be

With all the criticism of Wii games and the poor use of motion controls, it's no wonder people are getting psyched about the Wii MotionPlus remote add-on that will be released for 2009 games. This article from E3 2008 on IGN goes into interesting detail about the technology behind the motion sensor capabilities of the original Wii controller and how the MotionPlus thing will revolutionize it and, hopefully, make the Wii's motion controls into the truly awesome game innovation that they should have been when they came out originally. I find it funny the way the Wii seems to be beta testing its products on its consumers and perhaps will not really reach its true potential until Wii 3.0 or so! Also, sucks that pretty much every game from now on will need these things so in addition to the one that comes with the Wii Sports Resort, most fans will probably need to pick up at least one more. Boo-urns to that, but I'll still probably do it.

A battle between the Wiimote's response in Wii Sports Baseball and a MotionPlus Wiimote in Wii Sports Resort makes the case easy to decide, as while the original Wii Sports Baseball did its best to judge the angle of one's baseball bat before a scripted swing animation, thanks to the MotionPlus, Wii Sports Resort can capture the user's full input motion in eccentric detail. Suffice to say, supporting games will know exactly how you're holding the Wiimote and the exact direction in which you're swinging it, not just left-right and up-down, but in-and-out as well. We know the standard Wiimote has an extremely tough time judging in-out motions, yet with the MotionPlus, forward sword thrusts are easily discerned by the hardware, and in our tests, rarely confused as a different motion.

IGN E3 2008: Wii MotionPlus Hands On

more wii sports, sweet!

One of the cuter games debuted at this year's E3 this summer was the bigger, more badass sequel to the Wii Sports that came with the console: Wii Sports Resort! Similar to Wii Play being packaged with a remote, this new title will come with the Wii MotionPlus accessory, an add-on for the remote that I guess makes the motion sensitivity even more sensitive. Anyway, I heart Wii Sports and love to bust it out when company is over. It will be great to have another game with similar light and fun activities. Plus the jetskiing looks totally cool.