For you non-hardcore Halo fans out there, you may not have known that the Halo: Reach beta is kicking off in the next week, May 3rd to be exact. Perhaps you did know because of the mighty inter-webs. In either instance, Bungie wanted to ensure that everyone knew that there was a Beta on the way. They want you to know so much that they have placed an ad to inform the uninitiated and give you hardcore fanatics something to get all moist over. Here it is, submitted for your approval. Oh, and if you are confused a bit on what you are seeing, look below the clip for Bungie's explanation as to what is going on here. Read More...

I've never tried to hide the fact that I was not the biggest Splinter Cell fan. The exploits of one Mr. Fisher never struck me as the most engaging, no matter how polished the series might have been. There was nothing about the character that made me want to be a part of the world, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that what made me want to explore the game’s mythology was the dehumanization of Sam Fisher. I think the cover definitely serves as a metaphor for the changing of style and approach with this title. Fisher has lost his daughter and along with her, he’s lost his fragile grip on the world around him. Read More...

It's an exciting time to be a gamer because there is definitely a lot of pivotal stuff going on in our industry right now. Today I want to go on about a reasonably new development of an old concept. Expansion packs have been around since the mid 90's in the PC world. Back when the PC dinosaurs ruled the video game landscape (and just about any game could be played on any computer without a video card that costs more than a PS3), if there was a successful game, a half a year or so later we would see an expansion pack. People who enjoyed a game could purchase more content for around $20 to $30-ish. Don't quote me on this, but the first expansion in my memory was the level add on pack for Doom II released in 1995 called "Doom II Master Levels. Read More...

The Sengoku period. The land is severed by war and political turmoil. The people are forced to endure heavy taxes and heavier labor under the rule of a feudal lord who overthrew their superior. Three factions find their way at the crux of this great conflict, the Ouka, the Takatane, and the Fujimori. Who do you help find victory in this time of strife? Will you rise and become a hero? Read More...

Now it is on, 505 Games and Naughty Bear. Not once or twice, but thrice now have you plagiarized a rule from the book "How To Be More Like Hades™" and I won't stand for it. This is the exact steps in Chapter 8, Communication. The chapter that has Rule #562 titled the same as your rule #162, "Smoke Signals." In the rule from "How To Be More Like Hades™" it states: Rule #562:For effective communication over great distances and to rid yourself of an enemy or innocent bystander, take their face and shove it into a fire pit until it gives off puffs of smoke. Your allies should understand what you mean. Read More...

Well now that the film has come and still kind of around in theaters, some of these screen shots (below) for Namco's video game version of the game have begun to make a little more sense. Although there were still no frog people in the film, some of the updated and altered creatures and scenes fit in a little better. With that said, some of the in-game character models look a little bulkier then their film counter parts. The insane cult leader is a perfect example. Read More...

A new collectors edition as been announced by Bungie for Halo: Reach, which will be available in standard, Limited and Legendary editions when the game launches this fall. Both the Limited edition and the Legendary edition will have content that is based on the fiction of Halo: Reach and the Halo universe. The Legendary edition will be produced in very limited quantities and is designed for fans who have to have it all. What do I mean by that? Read More...

So thanks to Joystiq for pointing out that Ubisoft will no longer be including printed, physical manifestations of user manuals with their games starting with the recently announced "Shaun White Snowboarding" title. This is done under the guise of "going green". I am glad that Ubisoft has made such a great and undying commitment to preserving our beautiful Earth by not spending money (which in America is also green, ironically) on printing user manuals. Guys I appreciate the sentiment but call a spade a spade. If you need a little better profit margin then just say so. Read More...

You can not follow game industry news and not have noticed the countless reports of the drama currently going on between publishing giant Activision and successful Call Of Duty developer Infinity Ward. Even legitimate news sources have covered the huge lawsuit frenzy that has been going on. Today, industry analysts have suggested that as many as 20 more Infinity Ward Employees are projected to no longer be employed by the company in a month's time (source Gamespot). Even though strong sales of the Modern Warfare 2 map pack DLC suggest a short term financial positive for Activision, the stock has continued to go down. I may not be a business tycoon or an expert economist, but I do know this Activision. Read More...

Wow, 505 Games is really trying to throw out these Naughty Bear clips like there is no tomorrow. Like they are truly trying to rewrite the book of "How To Be More Like Hades™" hard core. First with the rip off of Rule #324 and now with Rule #56, Always eat or trick others into eating the corpse left behind victims. It's the perfect crime. Don't believe me. Read More...

I don't know about you, but I am starting to get a little tired of these Naughty Bear videos that 505 keeps pumping out. Not that I don't enjoy them. Not that I don't find humor in them. It's just that I want to know what this game is all about and see some actual gameplay or purpose. To me it is like they are trying some kind of viral marketing plan that really was not well planned out. I mean, if I didn't know better, these videos would make me think that there is a new show coming to Adult Swim and not a video game. Maybe it is just me. Read More...

SEGA, according to Eurogamer, has reported its intent to make use of the Uniloc DRM for its PC release of Alpha Protocol, despite past issues regarding the software. SEGA will be joining the growing group of publishers who have begun using intrusive authentication software in the name of protecting their PC releases. Since the inception of PC gaming publishers have been trying to find effective ways to balance protection against theft and unobtrusive gameplay experiences. How many people remember the funny picture wheel with older Lucas Arts games, or the frequently used “what’s the 4th word on the 9th line of page 36 of the manual” chestnut? Read More...

In an interview with Edge magazine Max Beland, new (as of 2008) Ubisoft Montreal executive describes how many people found the stealth based gameplay of previous Splinter Cell titles, mainly Chaos Theory and Double Agent, too much for the casual crowd. Despite high critical praise of past entries in the series, Beland feels that the way to more people's game libraries and to expand the Splinter Cell brand is to focus more on brutal action sequences and less on specific stealth, which he referred to as "good and fun stealth gameplay, but its hardcore." Refresh my memory but when did exciting, intense stealth based action games start being marketed to the Guitar Hero crowd? I enjoy my casual titles as much as the next person, but it sets a very dangerous precedent when major developers and publishers begin changing proven, unique, and popular gameplay mechanics to try and take a "hardcore" property to a more "casual", mainstream crowd. Read More...

If you somehow missed Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night, then you missed one of the hottest trailers to grace your television screen. It is no secret what Cliff Bleszinski and the rest of the crew over at Epic Games are working on with the pre-mature announcement over on XBL (way to go Microsoft to blow that news). Well it was time to showcase to the world, or the few that could actually stayed up to watch Jimmy Fallon, the new trailer for Gears of War 3. “When we released Gears of War more than five years ago, we set out to tell the world an unforgettable story of bravery and sacrifice in the face of insurmountable odds, and a year from now, players will get the chance to experience the final chapter in the story of Marcus Fenix and his companions in Delta Squad,” said Cliff Bleszinski, Design Director of Epic Games. Read More...

Not long ago Activision "let go" the co-founders of Infinity Ward, Jason West and Vince Zampella. Well it looks like these two guys have decided to start a new gaming company and get a new publisher. Jason West and Vince Zampella are two industry leaders who brought the amazing Call of Duty franchise to homes everywhere. Now brushing off the dust from a rumor filled departure, Jason and Vince have founded Respawn Entertainment. The website is up and running, and probably the simplest website in the world. Read More...