- The PSP version of Need for Speed ProStreet is finally shifting into retail gear this week, on February 22. Time for another NFS soon, eh?... *sigh*... What a drag racing.

- Also on February 22, the PS3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 will be released in Europe. Other releases this week include Dragon Quest Swords (Wii), The Club, Dynasty Warriors 6, and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (DS).

- The Witcher Enhanced Edition was announced for May 2008, bringing changes in the game's mechanics, better graphics, a MOD editor, and two new adventures (comprising 8 new quests). In other words, they're trying to sell us a fucking patch.

- Second Life goes mobile, by "[reformatting] the online world to fit on mobile phone screens while mapping the keys on handsets to commands in-world". World of Warcraft should take a cue, instead of experimenting with shitty mobile chat features.

- JoWooD and World Forge (Sparta: Ancient Wars) announced a new strategy game called The Golden Horde, which "takes you back to a place in time where the heirs of Dschingis Khan were ready to fight for their honor and glory". Dschingis Khan?! What the fuck! Somebody fire that PR idiot who can't even spell Genghis Khan right. FAIL.

- THQ and Blue Fang Games (Zoo Tycoon) are banding for a new game, in development for the Wii, DS and PC. More zoophilia?

In a bit of a contradiction to this week's press release announcing the PC version of Mass Effect - which credits no other studio except BioWare - it appears that indie developer Demiurge Studios is actually the one doing the dirty work of porting this Xbox 360 RPG to PCs. As spotted on FiringSquad, the Massachusetts-based developer has revealed on its blog that it "began working with BioWare during the final stretch of development for the Xbox 360 version", adding gameplay and performance enhancements for the PC version. And they also let slip a few specific details.

"Mass Effect for the PC features a third command wheel so players can access squad members separately, a new inventory system, customized key mapping and a brand new minigame. Extra attention was focused on visuals, offering higher resolution graphics for an enhanced gaming experience for the PC."

Don't forget to check out the first screenshots from Mass Effect PC, if you haven't yet.

One thing that keeps me from hyperventilating at the sight of this new adventure game called Goin' Downtown (other than my WoW addiction), is the discouraging fact that it's being developed by the makers of Simon the Failure Sorcerer 4, Everlight (likewise a sub-par adventure), and that buggy (but otherwise ok) post-apocalyptic RPG, The Fall. Yep, it's ze Germans from Silver Style Entertainment, backed up by their compatriots from TGC - The Games Company.

One thing that would otherwise fill me with hype hope is this first batch of screenshots from Goin' Downtown, that you'll find by goin' a bit down. The mildly cel-shaded graphics look pretty cool, and the game also promises to have a "thrilling story with black humour and fascinating characters" - over 30 of them, throughout more than 40 locations. A "revolutionary puzzle system for newbies and pros" is also listed among its generic features, and if you want to know more about the story, you'll find that, too, by goin' even furhter down. The game should be released this spring in Germany, but I have no idea about the rest of the English-speaking world.

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 Continue reading 'Goin' Downtown Adventure Comin''...

We won't have to dig like madmen for any scans of some Hungarian preview, after all, because Electronic Arts have just announced Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 in a nice big press release, complete with screenshots and a trailer. The first surprise we get is that EA's Los Angeles studio is developing this RTS sequel not only for the PC and Xbox 360, but also for the PlayStation 3. Next up, Red Alert 3 boasts a fully co-operative campaign set in "a breathtaking alternate future spawned by time travel run amok", while adding "an astounding new faction that will shake-up the Red Alert universe as we know it", and "bringing naval combat into the heart of the game design". Not to mention they're already hinting at the beta! But let's take them one at a time, right after these pics.


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 Continue reading 'Red Alert 3 Details, Screenshots And Trailer'...

- Red Faction 3 is no more... But relax, nothing is fu... cancelled, dude. They just renamed it to Red Faction: Guerilla, apparently.

- Likewise, the Aliens FPS announced by SEGA at the end of 2006 finally has a title - Aliens: Colonial Marines, "invading consoles and PCs in 2009". The devs from Gearbox had better make aliens playable as well, at the very least in an expansion. Or else!

- NCsoft has "something to announce - not only announce but to show - by the second half of this year"... their very first console (PS3?) MMO game. They're "pretty psyched" about it. I'm not. Not yet, anyway.

- Epic's CliffyB loses faith in PC games, thiking that "the PC is just in disarray". So right now they're focusing on making Gears of War 2 console games. Can't say I blame them.

- Speaking of Epic, their Unreal Engine 3 also got licensed by Korean MMO maker Devroot Studio, for a new game codenamed "BK Project". They're a division of SONOV Corporation, who made that MMO with hot chicks, Shaiya: Light and Darkness.

- The Xbox 360 fails at a rate of 16.4% (give or take), while only 3% of the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles fail. Should be interesting to see some sales figures for Microsoft and Sony's consoles in actual working condition!

- Wii hacked once again (and once again without much use), this time through an exploit in The Legend of Zelda. Great, wake me up when there's something worth seeing.

- Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the DS is being released tomorrow in the UK (and presumably the rest of Europe). We got the latest trailer here, in case you missed it.

- The Witcher, CD Projekt's debut RPG, has sold over 600,000 copies in 3 months. They're still aiming for 1 million in the first year, and at this rate they're going to shatter it. Grats!

While every game producer and their mother is dreaming a wet and juicy plan of becoming rich over night, eventually not investing absolutely no effort at all into this, some of the old big houses still hold up to their standards. And I’m talking big standards here, like BioWare and their flawless RPG history. As true as it may be that those brave descendants of Terrence and Philip have gotten themselves into a big brown pile of shit right now, being under the fine “tutelage” of Electronic Arts, we certainly CANNOT expect bad things from them. No, sir.

OK. Now, we all know that BioWare is developing a MMORPG at the moment. And that’s about it, no scoops regarding its story, universe, number of farming bots per server, or other insightful information has been leaked. Many of us suspected, initially, that it would be a Star Wars inspired MMO, based on the Knights of the Old Republic francise. Well... apparently not. According to EA’s analyst report, BioWare is kinda busy right now, with much stuff to do on their hands. Some Mass Effect for the PC, the yet unfinished Dragon Age, the said MMORPG and, the nicest thing I’ve heard recently, a new Knights of the Old Republic title.

Rumor as it may be (yet), we can just hope it is another single-player role-playing game. Other internet sources are busy right now trying to get a confirmation from EA, and while they are at it, we’re just gonna rape Bastila one more time, for old times’ sake.



Kotaku scoop.

Quake 2 was, and will always be, one of the best shooters out there. It doesn’t matter that it’s older than my grandma, or that its graphics are not powered by CryEngine 2 - the sheer amount of gore and fun that it provided was (and still is, mind you), enough to keep me busy time and again.

A good news for those of us meddling with a pink Nintendo DS is the fact that Drunken Coders have finally managed to finish their Quake 2 homebrew port, after being busy with it for quite a while. This version contains all the single-player missions, also retaining some graphical goodies that can be found in the original PC game, like particle support, or ARM7 sound effects system.

As a warning though, the game cannot run on your handheld unless you are the proud owner of some RAM expansion, since Quake 2 has some memory requirements that make the DS bleed. Other info, downloads and pictures with naked asian girls can be found on Drunken Coders’ website. Enjoy the hyperblaster, kids.

I distinctly recall Mark Skaggs (ex-Westwood / EA Pacific) dropping the bomb in late 2004, that work on a new Red Alert game had already started at that time, so let's not call this an "announcement". Rather, it's something even better: an unexpected details blowout, incoming very soon in the printed press around the world! So far, the Hungarian PC Guru (going on sale tomorrow, February 14) and the American PC Gamer magazines are the first to have their covers invaded by the red army, paving the way for the moment we've been waiting for, ever since EA "blew it" with Westwood.

Tick-tack...

... the bomb is ticking.

Freshly served with today's announcement of a PC version, here are the first eight Mass Effect PC screenshots we yanked from BioWare's website.


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 Continue reading 'Mass Effect PC Screenshots'...

Along with the expected confirmation of a "re-designed" PC version of BioWare's sci-fi role-playing game, Electronic Arts announced today that they'll be releasing Mass Effect on the PC in May 2008, after having struck a publishing agreement with Microsoft. Great news, certainly, even though the rest of their press release isn't exactly inspiring. Among the cutting-edge optimizations listed below, those "fully customizable controls" are an epic wonder of PR stupidity, much like rest of the so-called features. Bravo, EA, you have outdone yourself once again! What's next, telling us we can actually play it with a mouse and keyboard?

Optimized for the PC, Mass Effect for the PC incorporates the following features:
- Optimized controls designed specifically for the PC.
- High resolution visuals - Mass Effect for the PC features highly detailed textures, characters and environments.
- Fully customizable controls - PC gamers can re-map the control scheme any way they like.
- Run & Gun Control - Players can assign biotic powers or skills to 'hot keys' allowing them to play Mass Effect with a heavier focus on action.
- New decryption mini-game.
- New inventory screen GUI and functionality - The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for players to equip and modify their weapons and armor.

The only real novelty there is that "new decryption mini-game", which they're not elaborating on at this point. Probably just a cheap, worthless gimmick, anyway. Still, great news.

Update: We now also have the first screenshots.