Quick Updaaaaaate (I've Been Busy)

Miss me? Good. Anyway, been working on clearing out a HUGE stack of games here and getting some other personal things taken care of, BUT I've also been playing a bunch of games, so reviews are coming this week. What else... um, the 3DS launched in Japan over the weekend, sort of sold out (but didn't). Things bode OK for the US launch it looks like. I'll need to keep bugging the hell out of Nintendo PR so I get an invite (bastards keep ignoring me... and NOBODY puts Baby in the corner!).

Anyway, off to do some good. Expect a few surprises when I get back.

Oh yeah, Brink and Hunted: The Demon's Forge ROCK, dammit. GO pre-order both, please.

Bulletstorm TV Spot Pokes Fun At The Classics...

Duty Calls, indeed! February 22nd is (*BOOM!*) right around the corner and Epic, People Can Fly and EA have a nice kick in the, er, you know where for you shooter fans. Fun and funny stuff here (screw the Faux news fake "reportage" about the game, folks) - pick it up (er, provided you're of age).

SHIFT 2 Pagani Huarya Trailer (Try Saying THAT Three Times Fast)...

Some folks don't like the direction the SHIFT series took with its focus on more realistic aspects instead of tons of "street" style customization and nitrous overdosing races. ME, I say just calm down, "shaddapyuface" and perhaps play the darn game when it comes out or I'm turning this car around NOW. Damn kids. There's room at the inn for ALL types of NFS games, and if you KNOW where the franchise originated, you'd actually appreciate ALL the different games, not just whine for the same stuff year in and year out. That is all. Release date, by the way: March 29 in North America, and April 1 in Europe. See you on the road!

Portal 2 VGA Co-op Trailer (+ a gentle reminder...)

Rumor had it that the PS3 version of Portal was to have Move support. Valve has officially gone on record to say nope, it does NOT. Heck, according to the company line, it's already the best version of the game, so packing anything else into it would probably make the game disc rupture and your PS3 very unhappy. HOWEVER, you can still attempt to balance that retail copy on your Move wand and take a photo or record the act in progress (feel free to send Valve a pic or post the video on YouTube), thus "supporting" the PS3 version with your Move controller.

Oh - That gentle reminder? Go pre-order the game already.

Bizarre Creations Farewell Video

It's a damn shame Bizarre is gone for good. One of the key studios of the last 15 years shuts down due to a business decision as if it's a TV show that got bad ratings. Anyway, ths guys I've met at the studio as a few press events were some of the nicest folks and ALWAYS proud of their work. Best of luck to you all in finding new work out there...

thanks to YouTube user XG247 for posting this!

Killzone 3 "Dear PlayStation" TV Spots

Awesome and hilarious stuff - the game is in stores next week, so go grab it. The SharpShooter Move peripheral rocks, by the way (Go get one and a Move controller set if you don't have one yet)

Alice: Madness Returns Teasers

She's baaaaaaaaaaack and a bit more off-kilter than ever in Spicy Horse's upcoming PS3/360/PC game. No release date yet (other than "2011"), but two more (and earlier) teasers (in descending order, down the rabbit hole and all that!) are below the jump - enjoy!

Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel Official Trailer

Gust's PS3 RPG is inching closer to its release date - here's a peek at the trailer of this intriguing final entry in this fan-favorite franchise. Between this and Hyperdimension Neptunia, Nippon Ichi's going to be keeping a LOT of folks indoors for a while.

Xperia PLAY Gameplay Footage, Barcelona Style

Six more videos featuring four different Xperia PLAY launch titles in action in the hands of folks who've worked on them in some way or another. Nice way to see how the unit plays and how nice the games look. I'm a bit of a RPG nut, so Trendy Entertainment's rather nice-looking Dungeon Defenders could be my "go-to" game for the launch lineup. I also want a REALLY good rally game, of course. It'll be interesting to get some actual hands-on time with all of these myself just to see how they've turned out, that's for sure...

A Little Gifting Idea From Valve...

Er, Happy Valventine's Day (har har), Some hints from Valve on what and how. BTW, pre-orders for Portal 2 have started up all over the world (Yikes). Time to add your names to the list, I'd say...

Okamiden "Deities & Environments" + "Astroidean" Trailers

Two super-cute trailers from Capcom's guaranteed DS hit. With a March 15, 2011 release just around the corner, games such as this show Nintendo's popular portable system is FAR from dead. I'd say it's worth a but just for Chibiterasu's sheer cuteness alone...

Sony Ericsson Announces Xperia PLAY DK300 Multimedia Dock

Of course, the first accessory for Sony Ericsson's upcoming phone was also announced in Barcelona, so here's a look at a few images plus more specs (this one's shorter - put down the baseball bat!). I like the simplicity of the design and how well it compliments the phone while not taking up a bunch of desk space. Like the PLAY, price is TBA (hey, that rhymes!)

Anyway, to the jumpmobile!

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Tech Specs (Warning: Reading Required!)

Yeah, yeah - some of you want tech specs, right? Well here you go, a ton of letters and numbers that add up to what's under the skin of Sony Ericsson's upcoming phone/gaming handheld. Just to sate the appetites of those who care and not leave a single stone unturned, I'm running the entire press release (minus some minor stuff you don't need to read about as it doesn't concern the product, games or services it'll offer)

Warning: Sheer Geek Overkill Alert below the jump... pull up a chair and grab a drink - it's a novella.

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Barcelona Videos (Part Four): The Long & Short Of It...

Got half an hour or so to spare? Good. Check out these two chunks of footage from the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY event at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from earlier today. Spring has sprung and even some of the former haters are liking what they see. Well except those negatively creepy clowns who can't seem to realize that gameplay footage from a press event or trailer isn't 100% representative of the FINAL code. Geez, grow up already!

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Barcelona Videos (Part Three) + WIN One on Facebook!

Four more Xperia PLAY videos from the event earlier today. Full details (and that contest!) below the jump (except specs - those are coming), but my quick take on all this excitement: Pre-loaded with the Sims 3, Tetris and four other games, 50 titles at launch (or within the launch window). Loads of developer support from small to large studios. At this point, I won't even be making a single phone call, have ZERO time for Facebooking nor using that 5.1 MP camera - I'll be to darn busy playing all those new GAMES. Verizon, huh? Well, in terms of coverage and service, it's a hell of a lot better than AT & T, that's for sure...

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Barcelona Videos (Part Two)

More footage and interviews from Barcelona. Everyone's definitely psyched at the possibilities and capabilities of the new Play, huh? Sure, I was skeptical for a few months... Now I want TWO* of them... Hell, maybe it'll get me to lose that death grip I still have on my N-Gage QD!

*(Ok, THREE)....

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Barcelona Videos (Part One)

Two excellent videos straight from Barcelona showing off the upcoming Xperia Play and what it can do. Could Sony have a home run here amongst core games that's got appeal for casual users? I certainly think so. More videos to come - stick around...

Knocked Out Loaded.. But Still Going!.

Ugh. Hadn't been feeling too well since last week (note the lack of frequent updates for a few days?) - woke up bright 'n early (around 5:30) to hit Toy Fair, but pretty much keeled over thanks to a bit of stomach flu. Not pleasant at all, folks. Packing in the fluids, a bit of spicy stuff and trying to sweat this out all day today and tomorrow so I can at least make it on Tuesday or at latest, Wednesday. Crap. Well, the GOOD news was I got to watch most of the Xperia PLAY conference Ericsson put on in Barcelona at the Mobile Games Congress between trips to.. well, you know. Ooof... I'll post the videos in a bit...

Review: Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Omega Force

Publisher: Tecmo Koei

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+

If you're a big fan of hack & slash action RPGs and happen to own a PlayStation 3, Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll is going to be right up your alley. Omega Force's latest is a solid dungeon hack with a few splashes of familiar genre influences (both Eastern and Western) from Diablo to Demon's Souls. If that puts a grin on your face, you're all set for many hours of quality monster slaying, loot grabbing and quests galore. The game's non-linear structure allows for enough freedom that the main plot of a half-elf's revenge against the evil overlord that killed his family almost takes second place to the sheer amount of rescue/escort missions, fetch quests, arena challenges and other RPG staples. I say almost because while the story does pick up as the game goes on, the simple, yet challenging gameplay is the star when it needs to be. While it isn't perfect, Omega Force deserves a ton of credit for making such a fun to play experience that's guaranteed to steal many hours from those players that fall under its spell.

inFAMOUS 2 "Good Decision/Evil Decision" Trailers

Two slick trailers showing off how your choices to use Cole McGrath's powers can get you raves from the citizens or send the citizens raving for your head. Good Cole! Bad Cole, Bad! BOOM! This one's getting really interesting as it nears completion. Now about that Sly 4... we're waiting, Sucker Punch... (starts holding breath)...

Activision Shakes Up The Toy & Gaming Scene With New Spyro This Fall

I've seen plenty of cool "interactive" toys before (most of which I recall from a few trade shows over the years) mainly geared towards kids that could be connected to PC's for online gaming. Then there were a few oddball Japanese toys I can also recall that could sync to game consoles which failed to take off outside of that country. This year, It looks as if Activision has taken that formerly nascent technology to the next level by blending old and new elements and taking the idea to the Wii (and eventually 3DS) starting this fall. Skylanders - Spyro's Adventure is a unique collaboration between Activision and it's Novato, CA-based studio Toys For Bob that looks to give kids a great reason to collect and hang on to a really cool set of figurines. What's here is being touted as "a wholesale change in the interaction between toys and video games, opening up new possibilities and revenue streams for both industries." A bold statement, no doubt... but it just may be correct. This has been tried previously in gaming, but I'll surprise you all with that in a feature I'm planning in a few weeks.

Full press release, screens and an event video below the jump - Toy images to come in a separate posting. I'll get some hands-on time at Toy Fair over the next few days and get back to you folks with a report.

L.A. Noire "Orientation" Trailer (Yes, MORE Stunning Visuals)

Team Bondi's hard work is bringing a new level of cinematic and visual punch to the crime game scene. As noted earlier, I'm thinking a lot of folks will be surprised at this one in terms of overall plot and some of the gameplay. I'm thinking it's not going to be a mere GTA, 1940's version at all, but we'll see...

Duke Nukem Forever "Balls Of Steel" Edition Revealed

Yikes. 2K Games is rolling out The Man Himself in style with a big ol' "Balls of Steel" limited edition that's ONLY going to be available at GameStop and Amazon. I'm usually not to crazy about some of these premium packs, but this one has some pretty cool stuff that's worth a look (and a read, in the case of that hardcover book). Daddy want. Pore over that pic above (click to make it grow!) and scope out the contents list below.

* Collectible bust of the greatest alien ass-kicker of all-time
* Numbered, limited-edition certificate of authenticity
* 100-page hardcover book: The History, Legacy & Legend: Duke Nukem Forever - Art from the Vault
* Duke Nukem Forever postcard series
* Duke Nukem Forever radioactive emblem sticker
* Duke Nukem Forever collectible comic book
* Duke Nukem Forever foldable paper craft
* Duke Nukem Forever poker chips
* Duke Nukem Forever mini-card deck
* Duke Nukem Forever radioactive emblem dice

The release date is May 3rd, by the way... To paraphrase Sir Duke: "Go Get some..."

Hunted: The Demon's Forge "It Was Found" Trailer

Hunted is looking to be an excellent co-op focused action/RPG and another winner for Bethesda. InXile is cooking up a gorgeous mix of visuals and gameplay that should satisfy fans of multiple genres. I'm in, for sure - what about you?

PlayStaton Move Heroes Story Trailer

Nihilistic's Move action game is going to be a really cool treat for fans of some of Sony's key mascot characters - check out their moves (ha ha) in this trailer (and get a Move on if you haven't already!)...

Hudson Entertainment Shuts Down, Activision Slays Guitar Hero, True Crime

In a double shot PLUS of depressing industry news, it looks as if the current recession plus gaming trends split down the middle toward bigger-budgeted or smaller indie "casual" games has taken down the US offices one a fan favorite middle range publisher and a couple of major franchises by a major publisher. Of course, the real story is how companies see games (and the creativity behind them) as commodities and simply chop product lines and jobs based on under-performance (among other things) rather than shift jobs around to other projects. Fan favorite Hudson Entertainment is shutting down its US offices by the end of this month, according to multiple reports including a blog post by Morgan Haro, Hudson's US Brand Manager.

Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Trailer Is A Hoot & A Half...

Nippon Ichi's upcoming PSP super-enhanced "remake" of the classic PS2 strategy RPG is looking sweet and hilarious as ever in this trailer. I'll need to go see if pre-orders have started on this one at the NISA online store, as I want my UMDs coming this way for as long as they still being made, grrrr!

Gallery Update: Knights Contract - More Bosses!

Here are some nice renders and art (below the jump) of three more of the big ol' witches you'll get to face off against in Namco Bandai's twisted action game, set to hit the PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 22, 2011. Hard-working developer Game Republic is doing its best work to date, I'd say. Love that bizarre artwork and in motion, the game looks quite nice. Check out the cool behind the scenes trailer on the other blog for more details...

Marvel vs Capcom 3 "Enter Galactus" Trailer: Run For The Hills (or Hell, Another Galaxy)!

I figured the big guy was going to be in here somewhere, but holy mackerel in a handbasket. Er, good luck beating him. Maybe that magic team of (rolls dice) Sir Arthur, Jill and Thor can take him down? It's your call. Maybe just hit your TV with a baseball bat and try to trap him in a corner if you start sucking at the fight too many times...

Review: Plants vs. Zombies

Platform: Nintendo DS/DSi

Developer: PopCap Games

Publisher: PopCap Games

# of Players 1 - 2

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site

Score: A-

If you're like me and you've somehow managed to miss the whole Plants vs. Zombies craze on every other platform it's appeared on and happen to own a Nintendo DS or DSi, you NEED to buy and play PopCap's excellent and hilarious strategy/puzzle game. Easily one of the best DS games to date, period, PvZ takes the tired Tower Defense genre and makes it fresh as a daisy with a more modern theme, the always popular addition of zombies to the formula and addictive gameplay that starts out simple and gets supremely challenging as the game progresses. Yes, the smaller, lower resolution DS touch screen makes things a bit crowded in terms of controls and less spectacular in the visual presentation. But again, if you've never seen or played the game previously on an HD console, PC, iOS or other device, you really won't care.

2K Announces The Darkness II

Veteran developer Digital Extremes (the under appreciated Dark Sector) takes over from original developer Starbreeze Studios for this sequel, set to hit PC, PS3 and 360 this fall. My thoughts and more on this news later today, as I'm practically falling off my chair from being up all night writing stuff... and this game announcement. Wow.

Er, hey wait... is that Mario in that screen shot? Nah... couldn't be. I'm off to bed - back in a few hours! Press release below the jump - 'nite! er, morning!

Update: Warriors: Legend of Troy "Blood" and "Conquest" Screens

Two folders called "Blood" and "Conquest" were in the latest file I got from Koei Tecmo's press site and yes, that's exactly what you're getting in these latest Warriors screens. I was wondering if there was going to be a playable female character in Koei Canada's upcoming hack & slasher and *bam!*, wish granted - here you go. Penthesilea is her name, smashing fools in the jewels is her game (and she does look good doing what she does best).

Achilles gets more screen shot time in this post with a set of brutal images including what looks like a pretty mean boss battle. Ladies first, below the jump.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution "Become Adam Jensen" Trailer

Square Enix has a number of key titles coming out this year, but the one I'm most interested in (in terms of their console releases) is this one. This latest Deus Ex: Human Revolution trailer mixes in game footage and some cool CG as it introduces the lead, his life and love all in under two minutes. The team at Eidos Montreal is making a surefire hit, I'd say. The series is in good hands and I'm keeping an eye peeled for any opportunity to get some hands-on time, that's for sure....

Sideshow Collectibles Wants YOU to WIN One Big-Ass Boba Fett Bust

Feeling psychic and lucky? Well then, boogie on over to Sideshow Collectibles and enter their Oscar picks contest. Win big, and the next time you're watching Return of the Jedi and reciting the dialogue, when you get to Han Solo's "Boba Fett? Boba Fett, Where?" , you can turn, point at the life-sized character bust that showed up in the post and commence with the cracking up. Yeah, it's pretty damn cool, huh? Anyway, go pick a few winners and keep those fingers crossed. One runner up nets a nice Whiplash figure from Iron Man 2, by the way. Your chance to win is a few clicks away!

MLB 11: The Show "Yankee Killer" Trailer Rubs It In...

Yeah, yeah yeah, click play to see The Yankess blow it all over again. Thanks Sony... now I have to read email from folks pointing me to the same trailer I just posted as they chuckle away gleefully at all that payroll going down the drain last year. Feh. We'll see what happens this year (hell, if anything, a virtual roster might be a better team in terms of the weakened pitching that's plagues the club for a while) - just you wait...

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Super Bowl Ad: "Ah-Ha!" Meets "Ewwwwww"

No, I didn't watch the Super Bowl (yes, I had better things to do.) So, I missed this funky new ad until I got a call saying the video was up on YouTube. My response: "Ah-ha!" followed by "Well, what the... ewwwwwww!" Yeah,yeah, that other BIG secret Sony was clinging on to (ha ha) that wasn't so secret is out. There WILL be a PSPhone. It's the Ericsson Xperia Play (the same model you probably already saw over at Engadget) and yup, it'll be coming your way soon enough. Android enabled, PS Suite packed and ready for your gaming needs. Oh, and it's got a phone in case you feel the need to call someone and ask for directions because you totally missed your train stop while engrossed in that portable version of Killzone or whatever.

Er, who won the game anyway?

Ridge Racer Unbounded Trailer: Let Bugbear Be!

And here we go again. Last year, when EA unveiled SSX: Deadly Descents, the Internet descended on them in a rather deadly decent into all sorts of nasty name-calling and threats based on the trailer that showed the new installment was headed in a more action flick direction, something many die-hard SSX fans didn't want at all. Now, Namco Bandai is facing the same sort of crankiness based on a trailer that also doesn't even show any gameplay at all. Worse, some of the comments directed toward the game's dev team are at best, ignorant and at worst, more than a tiny bit racist.

Gallery Update: Anarchy Reigns

Six more knockout screens and some excellent character art/renders from PlatinumGames' upcoming online brawler. Yes, I'll keep mentioning that I absolutely want to see single-player AND offline versus modes until I hear officially that they're in or out. Trust me, Sega (you too, Platinum!), it'll help the game sell a few more copies to folks who want to have that full arcade experience at home and hate playing against jerks and cheaters online. Er, not that everyone who plays online are jerks and cheaters, mind you...

Ace Combat: Assualt Horizon "Close Range Assault" Trailer

Holy cats, this game is looking even more spectacular each time I see it. Especially with the new camera angles that make you feel as if you're in the cockpit AND a Top Gun film simultaneously. Wait... that sounded kind of dumb, huh? Oh well - I'm just too amazed at the visuals and overall sense of flight to write more coherently... enjoy the trailer anyway.

Namco Bandai's Big Game Announcements Continue (Ridge Racer Fans Burning Out On Forums Worldwide...)

This weeks winner and new champion of cool game announcements (at least for a day or so more), Namco Bandai, continues to shake things up with even more new (and slightly surprising) game announcements. In addition to the one-two punch of Dark Souls and Armored Core V, expect to see Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions on the 3DS, two all-new separate titles on one 3DS cart. The company is also set to produce a totally new current-gen Ridge Racer that's already been a huge source of controversy amongst some hardcore fans of the franchise. (More on that in a separate posting).

In other 3DS news, the oddly (yet precisely) titled DualPenSports looks to train players in dual stylus wielding in a series of mini-games and sports-based challenges that offer, according to the press release, "a stimulating mental workout and improved hand eye coordination". Sound like a mix of the DS games Brain Training, Left Brain/Right Brain and one of the company's Active Life titles on the Wii, so it should be fun for all.

Namco Bandai has also acquired the rights to publish Power Rangers titles in North America for consoles and handhelds, which means we'll be seeing those characters start popping up on a regular basis in a bunch of slickly produced Power Rangers Samurai games. Given Bandai's long pedigree of generally high quality Mobile Suit Gundam, Naruto, InuYasha and many more franchise titles geared toward younger gamers, I'd say the Power Rangers are in pretty good hands.

Speaking of Gundam... two words: Omega Force. Two more words: Tecmo Koei. Yup, that means we'll also be seeing Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 (Gundam Musou 3) hit the PS3 and Xbox 360. While some folks hate the Musou franchise for its seemingly simple hack & slash combat, I'm a longtime fan and happy about this news. I'll be running updated info, trailers and screens on these new games as they come in.

Battlefield 3 Trailer Shows DICE Is a Big Teaser

Not that I was expecting much in a mere teaser, as the game isn't hitting until this Fall, but gee, DICE... some color, next time? Ah well... here's a cool image I grabbed just to make this post a bit more exciting. Of course, when you see a trailer this dull, that only means the actual game is going to blast you out of your shoes. If anything, based on the beta included with Medal of Honor LE, B3 should be pretty damn insane no matter what console or up-to-date PC rig you play it on.

Armored Core V Trailer Shows FromSoftware's Power At Full Force

I'd have to say FromSoft's mechs and art direction in this franchise are some of the best I've seen in games and thanks to the endless customization options over the years in the AC series, everyone else who's tricked out a custom mech can probably agree. Anyway, screens are going up this weekend, as I'm poring over them the same way I did the Dark Souls shots. This one's going to be a killer of a game, that's for sure...

Okami Plush/Pillow Set Is A One-Two Combo of CUTE!!!

Today's "D'awwwwwwwwwwwww, CUUUUTE!" moment is brought to you by Capcom, publishers of Okami, Okamiden and now, NEW:

Okamiden Chibiterasu Plush and Pillow!

...And now, a word from our sponsor:

Feeling sad and droopy, ladies and gents? Well, just let OKAMIDEN get you peppy in seconds! Just apply to your Nintendo DS or DSi and just like THAT, that gloom is all g-o-n-e! It's like MAGIC!

That's OKAMIDEN - available March 15 2011 in the US and March 18 2011 in Europe at a store near you!

YES, I want that darn cute pillow and plushie! I'll sit up, play dead roll over and beg for that set, Woof!! Er, details to follow soon on how to get one from Capcom, but I'll guess pre-ordering the game or some other semi-heroic actions MAY be involved. You readers might want to poke about on the Official Okamiden Facebook page and see what's up...

Off to bug Capcom PR and see if we can give some of those away... THAT would be awesome, methinks... "D'awwwwwwwwwwww!"

Anarchy Reigns Character Profile: Jack

Another day, another shot of PlatnumGames spectacular-looking multiplayer online fighter. Every new image and trailer I see gets me all the more thrilled. I STILL want my single-player mode, though... (he typed, fingers crossed). New screens going up this weekend once I have a bit more time (he said, trying to finish a few reviews with fingers crossed)...

Some Friday Night Frights From WBIE...

Um.... Hmmmmm. ONE of these promo images from WBIE I got this week scares the hell out of me and one doesn't. I'll leave you to decide which one. Let's hope I'm all wrong for being a bit jittery... Maybe it's all that caffeine or lack of sleep (one leads to another and next thing you know... you're all wacky about the littlest things)...

Rockstar Games Celebrates The Year of the Rabbit With A Little iOS Sale...

Pssst - hey, buddy. yeah, you... get over here. Keep it quiet, but it's the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese Calendar and like the header says, Rockstar Games is putting the iOS version of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on SALE. Got an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch? Well, Starting today, February 3rd until midnight on Sunday, February 6th, you can grab this amazing little gem for 50% off in the iTunes App Store. Got it? Good. Now go slink on over to that App Store... you know what to do when you get there...

Anarchy Reigns Character Profile: Big Bull

He's big, bad and can beat down tall buildings in a single bound. Probably not, but I wouldn't want to try and stop him, that's for sure... Here's the third character profile video for PlatinumGames' upcoming online brawler. While I'm loving all these movies and I think the game looks amazing... I really STILL want a single-player offline mode (whine, complain, nag, nag nag...). Anyone one else think a fighting game like this could use one?

Dynasty Warriors 7 English Trailer

Here you go - complete with an all-new graphics engine, stereoscopic 3D support and that always controversial English dub. Not to mention the dozens of hours of hack & slash gameplay, too many playable characters to keep track of and plenty of real estate to romp around in. An acquired taste for sure - but hell, sometimes that sort of consistency can be a good thing.

Gallery: Dark Souls (Featuring the Scariest Sewer Rat In Gaming)

Although I've known this since the days of King's Field and the first Armored Core on the original PlayStation, FromSoftware is quite the powerhouse studio, developing a wide variety of games across many different genres for nearly every major game console since 1994. The upcoming hardcore Action/RPG Dark Souls is looking to be their best work to date, as you'll see in this stunning collection of production art and screen shots. After poring over these screens and art for a few hours, I'd bet real money that Namco Bandai pretty much has an instant Game of the Year contender that's probably going to crush the souls of some players expecting every game to come with a gentle learning curve as standard issue. If Demon's Souls was any indication, I'm betting the new game will be even more unforgiving.

Anarchy Reigns Character Profiles: Zero & Sasha

POW! PlatinumGames is pretty much making an instant smash with their upcoming online multiplayer fighter for Sega and these two character profiles show off the highly stylized brawlers and a lot of gorgeous animation in a few brief seconds of in-progress gameplay. I still very much want an offline single player story mode, but we'll see what happens as the game progresses. If there's a company that follows its own drummer, it's Platinum, so I'm not holding out hope for a solo mode...

Dark Souls Trailer is 3:05 Of "I Want This... NOW" Brilliance

Man, this year is totally NUTS (nuts, I say!) in terms of killer games releases. Between Dark Souls, Skyrim, Hunted, the Divnity II remix, all the PSP RPGs from Xseed and other companies and a ton of other stuff in all sorts of genres that I want to play until my eyeballs fall out, I'm not only going to need a damn time machine, but an army of clones and a bunch of HDTV's and game consoles here. Anyone want to lend me a few million dollars? I'll pay you back, eventually...

Namco Bandai To Publish Dark Souls, Armored Core V (The Plot Thickens...)

“FromSoftware has an excellent pedigree of producing remarkable fan-favorite games that have made a huge impact and invigorated their respective categories,” said Kenji Hisatsune president and CEO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “The two upcoming games will exemplify this heritage while yet again introducing exciting new ways for gamers to experience these genres.”

“Combining the development power of FromSoftware with NAMCO BANDAI Games’ global publishing expertise will greatly benefit our upcoming projects,” said Eiichi Nakajima, studio head, FromSoftware, Inc. “We look forward to a successful partnership and delivering new revolutionary titles for gamers around the world.”

In the words of the great philosophers: Oh hell, yes.

Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Limited Edition Box Announced

Xseed Games is determined to keep PSP and UMD-loving owners as well as JRPG fans like me happy, happy campers. While their upcoming release of Falcom's The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky will be available over PSN as a download and as a standard edition retail release for $29.99, the lovely Limited Edition will be the way to go for those who want the always cool bonus items included in these packages. Trails' omake items are shown in the pic to the left and include the game, soundtrack CD, 13 x 19.5 inch poster and a metal "Bracer Guild" badge, all in that over-sized box for $39.95. March 29, 2011 is the release date which means you should have enough time to finish Ys I & II Chronicles, right?

As a big Falcom fan, I can't wait... but I really need to stop procrastinating and get to work on that time machine (this year, there's just not enough time to play EVERY game I like that's coming out! No fair!). And yes, you can pre-order the game online through Amazon or GameStop just so you don't have to hoof it outside in this terrible weather we're having.

Game info, box art and screens below the jump.

Ridge Racer 3DS "New Generation" UK Trailer

Sure, 3D is the "latest" gimmick hitting the gaming scene (again, like it or not), but it looks as if this generation's consoles has finally gotten the effect right (even though I expect those play sessions to be not much longer than they were back in the Master System 3D days). Check out this cool trailer for the upcoming 3DS racer - yeah, it's good ol' Ridge Racer, but with a few new tweaks to the formula that should make it a decent enough hit for Nintendo and Namco Bandai.

Project Dark Isn't Demon's Souls II, Set for PS3, Xbox 360 (Atlus Not Included...)

I figured as much, but waiting for confirmation before rambling on and over-speculating is usually a really good idea. From Software has indeed been toiling away on a follow up to Demon's Souls, the huge hit for the developer that featured some truly hardcore difficulty as well as an innovative online mode. According to Japanese games magazine Famitsu, the upcoming RPG Dark Souls (formerly Project Dark) is NOT a direct sequel to Demon's Souls, but explores and expands upon the gameplay found in the first game. Dark Souls will feature a larger, seamless game world with "more complex geometry", a deeper character creation feature and what's looking like enhancements to the online play.

Shockingly (well, for some folks), Atlus won't be localizing or publishing the new game in North America (or anywhere else for that matter). Namco Bandai has the US and European publishing rights, which may mean we'll see the game on a press tour at some point here in NYC. Additionally, the game will be 360-bound in North America/Europe and a PS3 exclusive in Japan (which is sort of a big "ouch!" to the much smaller Japanese 360 user base). I'd say they could use the instant worldwide sales Dark Souls will no doubt bring them, as a few of their releases from last year didn't do too well critically. No release date has been announced, but the game is expected to launch before the end of this year.

More info on this as it comes in... stay tuned.

Moto GP 10/11 Teaser Trailer

Capcom gets rolling with this brief taste of the upcoming motorcycle racer which looks to be a nice mixture of real-world tracks, bikes and riders with a mix of arcade and simulation gameplay. The release date for the Monumental Games-developed title is March 15, 2011 on the PS3 and Xbox 360. I'll see if I can dig up some cover art and post it shortly...

Ratchet & Clank All 4 One Oktonok Gameplay Footage

Insomniac is certainly living up to its name, cooking away on two solid PS3 releases (plus a few other projects we'll no doubt be hearing about come E3). Here's a look at gameplay footage from Ratchet & Clank's upcoming multiplayer-centric action game, plus two earlier introductory trailers below the jump. Er, Sony? I'll take a dozen to go, thanks... or at least some beta codes to give away to the readers if that's going to happen...

Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Video Bonanza (Part One of Many...)

I'd say pretty much anyone who can hold a controller (or, arcade stick if you're a REAL fighting fan) is interested in Capcom's soon to be released instant classic. The ages old "Who'd win in a fight?" question will absolutely be answered many, many times come February 15 on the PS3 and Xbox 360. So, without further adieu, here are six gameplay footage trailers packed into a single post with more to come over the next week or so as I make time to compile them all. Just don't try to watch all of these at the same time as your computer will probably explode.

Sony's NGP In Action x 3, UK Style!

Three neat UK trailers featuring the NGP's sexyyyy new features, the unit humming along doing its thing, plus the first UK reveal ad. I may have to sell a damn body part to get one, but I have to get my grubby paws on the darn thing thanks to all the exclusives being cooked up for the system. My Slim and 100+ UMD's aren't going anywhere anytime soon, by the way - nice try, though Sony!

And HEY! Where are the US ads like this? Get the train going on the promotion already just so you shut all the haters up and down, already - don't wait for Butler to finish his coffee break either...

MLB 11: The Show "In a Jam" Trailer

Can you believe it's almost baseball season? Man, time just flies, we're in for a BIG snowstorm and hell, the Super Bowl hasn't even taken place yet! Anyway, here's a look at Sony's baseball game in this new trailer. Now I want a hot dog, a cold beer and a bag of peanuts...

Evil Controllers Marks February As Girl Gaming Month With New Camo Mod, Contest

Evil Controllers, makers of some pretty awesome custom modded Xbox 360 controllers is kicking off this month as Girl Gaming Month with a new custom Pink Camo Xbox 360 controller imaging, a Girl Gamer Evil Bundle and a pretty cool contest for the gaming gals out there who want to show off their skills. Even better, a portion of sales from each controller purchased through the site will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in support of breast cancer research.

It's really great to see companies such as Evil adding a more socially aware vibe to what they do, so definitely support them with a purchase if you're a 360 owner looking for a top of the line controller mod.