From Dust added to XBLA today

Posted on July 27, 2011 by John Scalzo

The 2011 Summer of Arcade rolls on with Ubisoft’s From Dust, a god game from Eric Chahi, the famed creator of Another World (better known as Out of This World in America).

From Dust can be yours for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15). More information about the game can be found below.

From Dust
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Publisher: Ubisoft
Discover a unique Modern God game where nature is the star: From Dust, the latest original concept by Eric Chahi, visionary creator of Another World. Behold the beauty of a primitive world pulsing with life and face the might of nature. Beware the danger of a world that is constantly changing under your command. Control the destiny of a tribe struggling to survive and help it recover its ancestors’ lost powers. Immerse yourself in a world as exotically beautiful as it is dangerous. A universe where Nature reclaims what is Hers; and you are your people’s only chance of survival.

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Section 8: Prejudice, Deadliest Warrior 2 added to PS Store

Posted on July 26, 2011 by John Scalzo

Sony has performed the weekly update on the PlayStation Store and PS3 owners can look forward to four new games today.

First person shooter fans might want to look into Section 8: Prejudice while fighting game fans may want to examine Deadliest Warrior: Legends. This week also sees the release of the final episode in Telltale’s sequel to the Back to the Future films, Back to the Future: Episode 5 – OUTATIME. Finally, Sega is bringing the arcade classic Golden Axe to the PSN.

Also available this week is Move.Me, an application that will help developers build their own PC games that make use of the PlayStation Move controller.

Head on over to the PlayStation.Blog for more details on all these titles and a complete listing of this week’s entire update.

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InFamous 2 Review: InFamous Harder!

Posted on July 26, 2011 by John Llewellyn Martin

It’s good to be bad. But sometimes, it can also be badass to be so good. Sucker Punch’s sequel to 2009’s InFamous delivers on all fronts with its spectacular graphics, gameplay, and story. Gone is the original voice actor for Cole, the one who eats gravel for breakfast, lunch, and presumably dinner. We have a new Cole who sounds closer to a gruff version of Jay from Kevin Smith’s Askewniverse. Perhaps coincidentally, Cole’s new character model also happens to look a lot like a battle-scarred Jason Mewes. Once you’ve taken in all of the graphical and audible changes, the game bounds through the introduction and pulls a Samus Aran, wiping you clean of all but your most rudimentary powers. While this was a big annoyance, regaining powers helped me make the push through the game, dangling a carrot of electro-destruction in front of my face.

Press Start to Continue →

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Redesigned Xbox 360 headset and remote coming in November

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Xbox 360 has a big holiday season coming up, and it’s only appropriate that new accessories are on the way. This year, Microsoft will be shipping a redesigned Xbox 360 headset as well as remote controller. In addition to sporting new, super-shiny designs, they’ve also got some new features to brag about. The headset comes with different ear pieces and sports “Blue Tooth Mode.” While the headset uses the standard radio frequencies to communicate with your Xbox, putting it in Blue Tooth mode allows you to use it with other Blue Tooth devices, such as cell phones, computers, and… wait, what was that other thingy? Oh, right, PlayStation 3s. The remote controller is your standard device, but it will be compatible with Microsoft’s vague Live TV services coming to Xbox Live.

For more information and some sweet shiny pics, head over to Major Nelson’s blog.

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The Lord of the Rings: War in the North “Fellowship” trailer is kind of emotional

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Despite featuring a stereotypical fantasy narration, the latest trailer for The Lord of the Rings: War in the North really goes at the heart of what friendship and courage are all about. Although completely rendered in CGI, it gets you amped for the story and excited for the co-operative gameplay.

War in the North will hit PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on August 24. You can get an arrow quiver if you pre-order it.

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Choose the official female Shepard for Mass Effect 3

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Fans and critics alike praised Jennifer Hale’s portrayal of the female version of Commander Shepard in the highly acclaimed Mass Effect games. As the feminine version of the protagonist garners more attention, BioWare wants to shine more of the spotlight on her with an official rendition. Fans may go to this Facebook page to let their voice be heard and “Like” their choice for the official, standard version of Commander Shepard for Mass Effect 3. Right now, contestant number five, featured left, appears to have a clear lead, with an alleged 2,300 votes. As the only blond of the lot, it would appear fans are subconsciously associating Mass Effect with Metroid, or there’s a strong Aryan demographic amongst Mass Effect fans.

Personally, I applaud BioWare for letting fans have a say in the development of the game. We’ve all seen how well that’s worked out in the past.

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Level-5 North American subsidiary now open for business

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Japanese power-house developer Level-5, known for the Professor Layton and modern Dragon Quest games, opened the doors for Level-5 International America, Inc., as well as its website and community presence. This is a big step forward for the developer, with CEO Akihiro Hino stating, “Level-5 IA will not only release games developed in Japan, but we are also planning to create original content for the U.S.”

While many Japanese developers and publishers stumble while trying to break into the “Western” market, I have a feeling the geniuses at Level-5 will find creative ways to utilize the new studio and bring unique experiences to gamers.

White Knight Chronicles II, the latest console game from the studio, will release in September for the PlayStation 3.

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Mortal Kombat: Legacy concludes with Sektor & Cyrax

Posted on July 26, 2011 by John Scalzo

The ninth, and final, episode of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy webseries has finally arrived. Director Kevin Tancharoen’s wild ride, from the self-funded Mortal Kombat: Rebirth short to the Cyrax & Sektor-focused finale, is finally over.

There was a nearly two month gap between Episode 8 and Episode 9 and the fantastic special effects used to bring the two cyborgs to life was clearly the cause of the delay. This episode actually takes places before the Jax/Sonya/Kano showdown of Episode 1, so it’s hard to call the cyborg shenanigans of Episode 9 an “ending” for Mortal Kombat: Legacy. But maybe that just means Tancharoen, NetherRealm and Warner Bros. are looking to create a second season or a new feature-length film.

And maybe it’ll have a Freddy Krueger cameo.

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