Iron Brigade: Rise of the Martian Bear Review: Mustaches and Mechs and Bears, Oh My!

You’ve got to love Double Fine. Combining customizable mech combat with tower defense and a hilariously quirky sense of humor, Trenched was an absolute delight when it was released in June 2011. Now known as Iron Brigade thanks to a European trademark issue, the game had you battling the evil and very mustachioed Vlad in an alternate 1940s setting. It was silly fun, but with great gameplay that could challenge even the most hardcore strategy player.

About the only criticism was that the game was a little short, leaving gamers wanting more. But fear not, because Double Fine has just given us exactly that: more action, more weapons, more, uh, bears on Mars. Because, well, who doesn’t want that?

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Posted in Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360 |

XBLA Today: Gotham City Impostors, Shank 2

Today’s Xbox Live Arcade update will look very familiar to anyone who scoped out yesterday’s additions to the PlayStation Store. While Xbox owners won’t be able to throw down with the Jak and Daxter Collection, two other cartoony action titles are on the menu.

Gotham City Impostors puts you in the cape and cowl of a caped crusader (not The Caped Crusader) as you attempt to rid Gotham of Jokerz, a particularly dumb brand of criminal who’ve patterned themselves after the Clown Prince of Crime. It can be downloaded for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), along with hundreds of dollars in optional DLC:

A 6 vs. 6 first person shooter, Gotham City Impostors is a multiplayer game unlike any other, giving players the opportunity to rebel against conformity as they customize their own characters. Posing as amateur vigilantes or villains, gamers create their own Bats and The Jokerz characters using unprecedented customization options including insane costumes, homebrewed gadgets and a wide range of traditional and imagined weapons.

Also available today is Shank 2, which stars a crazed brawler in a crazy brawler. It can be yours for 800 Microsoft Points ($10):

The fan-favorite 2D brawler is back in action with Shank 2. Shank is forced on the offensive wielding his trusty arsenal of weapons and combo moves to protect those close to him. Shank 2 raises the bar from the original, creating an amazing comic book visual style and combat system which redefines the 2D side-scrolling brawler.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Eat Sleep Play downsizing, Jaffe leaving

Eat Sleep Play, the video game company David Jaffe co-founded, has laid off eight employees, and announced that they will be shifting their focus to mobile games. Jaffe himself is leaving the company to “also pursue casual games,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

This surprising announcement comes a week before the company is releasing Twisted Metal, their first – and last – triple-A title. Hopefully Jaffe has something crazy up his sleeve.

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Complex picks “The 25 Best Video Game Coffee Table Books”

Complex made an awesome list of the 25 best video game coffee table books. The list includes novels based on video games, art books, and even guides. It’s got my favorite novel based on a game, which is Ico: Castle in the Mist, and another I’ve been meaning to pick up: all of Valve’s Dark Horse comics, collected together in Valve Presents: The Sacrifice and Other Steam-Powered Stories.

Two more I’d love to get my hands on are The Art of Uncharted 2 and the whimsical Valkyria Chronicles Design Archive. Be sure to check out the article at Complex for the full list of all the books I wish were on my coffee table.

Posted in Etcetera, News |

Kinect Stars Wars/R2-D2 Xbox 360 bundle coming April 3

Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for – or at least, the moment I’ve been trying to patient wait for. Microsoft’s Major Nelson has announced on his blog that Kinect Star Wars and the R2-D2 Xbox 360 bundle will be released on April 3.

Microsoft also released some more details about the game itself. In addition to the three previously announced modes – Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, and Rancor Rampage – there are also two new modes, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate. The Galactic Dance Off mode has me nervous, because it’s described thus: “loaded with Star Wars-themed pop tunes where those still honing their Jedi skills can take a break to battle Darth Vader on the dance floor or bust a move ‘Solo style.'”

I don’t know what Solo style is, and I don’t want to know. I do know that the system bundle will include an exclusive unlockable C-3PO for Galactic Dance Off mode. The game will have full 3D support, and you can get a sneak preview of it at select AMC theaters on Saturday, February 11, to coincide with the 3D release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

I don’t want anything to do with any of that. I just want the system and the controller. Sorry, Han – I just can’t handle your solo style.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

PSN Today: Simpsons Arcade, Gotham City Impostors, Jak & Daxter Collection, More

Sony has pulled out another of their patented “kitchen sink” updates of the PlayStation Store. This week sees the release of three major PSN games (the long-awaited Simpsons Arcade Game, hitman game Shank 2, and multiplayer shooter Gotham City Impostors) as well as all three games from the Jak and Daxter Collection.

Speaking of the Jak and Daxter Collection, the complete package is available from the Full PS3 Games section as well as the sexually charged Catherine, tennis sim Top Spin 4, and the bricktastic Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.

Rounding out the new releases is the PS2 Classic SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie. And don’t forget that The Simpsons Arcade Game is free to PlayStation Plus subscribers (as well as Final Fantasy V). Oh, and the first episode of “The Tester” season three is now available.

Yup, kitchen sink time. You can find out more about all these new releases after the break. And for a complete listing of all of this week’s new game add-ons, head over to the PlayStation Blog.

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CoD Modern Warfare 3 Elite update: Overwatch map comes to Xbox 360 on February 21

Yes, the third Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 content drop has a February 21 release date. But remember, that date is only for Call of Duty Elite subscribers. And only for Elite subscribers who own an Xbox 360 copy of Modern Warfare 3.

This drop consists of a single map, Overwatch, which is set in New York City and not for those who are scared of heights:

Shots break out on a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. Battle takes place along two levels in a near symmetrical layout, with the central bridge and side routes open to attack from multiple angles. Watch your every step, as a lack of boundaries surrounding the perimeter leaves nothing to prevent you from falling far to the ground below.

It’s likely that Overwatch will be made available to PC and PS3 players in March, as part of the first “Modern Warfare 3 Content Collection.”

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Microsoft Flight launches on February 29

Microsoft’s free-to-play flight simulator, Microsoft Flight, will take off from MicrosoftFlight.com on February 29.

Also available on February 29 is the Hawaiian Adventure Pack, the first expansion pack for the game. Priced at $20, the pack will add hundreds of miles of more terrain with the rest of the Hawaiian island chain (only the Big Island is included in the free-to-play version), new challenges, five new job types, 20 new missions, and a new plane (the Vans RV-6A).

While some people may gripe about “day one DLC,” you could also say that Microsoft is bringing back the old shareware model. Which is actually kind of awesome.

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