Matt Hazard trailers put out-of-work characters back in the game
It must be tough being a video game character. They always have to be "on" -- ready to go should we boot up our systems or pump more quarters into the machines. But what happens when we stop turning them on? A two-part trailer for the second-chance Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond (now a side-scroller!) explores the more desperate side of the digital beings we've so carelessly abused and sold back to GameStop.
Head past the break for the two trailers and see if you can spot all of the cameos! (You know it's hard times when even a certain mustached plumber can't find any work.)
Head past the break for the two trailers and see if you can spot all of the cameos! (You know it's hard times when even a certain mustached plumber can't find any work.)
Uncharted 2 exceeding sales expectations, DLC coming 'before the end' of 2009
With all the resounding critical praise that Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2 has received thus far, it's good to see creative director Amy Hennig speaking up on the possibility of DLC for the game. "We're working on that now ... there will be DLC available before the end of the year," she told IndustryGamers today. Though she's not yet revealing very much on what exactly the content will entail, she did say it may include, "new maps, new characters, things like that ... some of it will be free of charge and some of it will be purchasable."
She wouldn't directly quote sales of the title thus far, but she did allow that the title is "exceeding expectations" and outselling the original game "by many, many times" -- a fact no doubt aided by the PlayStation 3's primary position among consoles on last month's NPDs. Hennig seems to embrace this head-on, referring to the confluence of events that lead to the current success of Uncharted 2 -- a hardware price drop, a handful of games being pushed back, and critical acclaim for the game -- as "serendipity." That doesn't mean the game ends in an expensive ice cream shop, right?
She wouldn't directly quote sales of the title thus far, but she did allow that the title is "exceeding expectations" and outselling the original game "by many, many times" -- a fact no doubt aided by the PlayStation 3's primary position among consoles on last month's NPDs. Hennig seems to embrace this head-on, referring to the confluence of events that lead to the current success of Uncharted 2 -- a hardware price drop, a handful of games being pushed back, and critical acclaim for the game -- as "serendipity." That doesn't mean the game ends in an expensive ice cream shop, right?
Gallery: Uncharted 2
SCEA ad campaign continues with Ratchet & Clank (with bonus montage!)
Insomniac Games launching new site with R&C: A Crack in Time stat-tracking
Our own Kevin Kelly attended a panel at Insomniac Games' Community Event today, where Insomniac community architect Corey Garnett dropped word that the Insomniac Games site is getting a bit of an overhaul planned to go into effect later today.
The update will add stat-tracking for the upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. The new site will cull data from 30-40 different categories, including how long you've played the game, how many times you've died, your favorite weapon and how many enemies you've turned into monkeys with the Chimp-O-Matic -- the only stat anybody really cares about.
The update will add stat-tracking for the upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. The new site will cull data from 30-40 different categories, including how long you've played the game, how many times you've died, your favorite weapon and how many enemies you've turned into monkeys with the Chimp-O-Matic -- the only stat anybody really cares about.
Cable arrives from the future as a playable Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 character
Video game fans might know Cable best as one of the cheapest characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. For the sake of this game, let's hope he's a bit less powerful now.
New Final Fantasy XIII screenshots reintroduce Oerba
We're still dumbfounded by the fact that -- after years of endless CG teases and countdowns -- Final Fantasy XIII is actually coming out. While still pegged with a vague "Spring 2010" release, Square Enix has made good on its promise of a hastened localization. Already, the HUD sports English text, and the characters have been dubbed in English.
The latest batch of screenshots released by Square Enix focus on Oerba Yun Fang, a character introduced at Tokyo Game Show as a traitor working for the government. She may start out as a villain, but it seems one way or another, she's bound to join your party: these screens show her (and her summon) in actual gameplay screens, proving there will be some interactivity between the hours of cutscenes FF13 is bound to have.
The latest batch of screenshots released by Square Enix focus on Oerba Yun Fang, a character introduced at Tokyo Game Show as a traitor working for the government. She may start out as a villain, but it seems one way or another, she's bound to join your party: these screens show her (and her summon) in actual gameplay screens, proving there will be some interactivity between the hours of cutscenes FF13 is bound to have.
Gallery: Final Fantasy XIII (10/23)
Aksys localizing Mimana Iyar Chronicles for UMD, PSN

Mimana Iyar Chronicles is a traditional 2D JRPG from Kogado Studios and Premium Agency, featuring anime cutscenes and a real-time battle system. It's currently scheduled for a Spring 2010 release, meaning we're bound to find out more about the game closer to release.
Gallery: Mimana Iyar Chronicles
Cho Aniki Zero making PSP more manly in Spring 2010

Exaltation. Oiled up and ready to thrust. Epic struggle. Muscle-bounded forces. Manliness. Another dimension of sights and sounds. Heightened experiences of rhythmic action. Man-rageous. Brotherly love. Muscle-on-muscle madness. Man-tastic voyage. Man Protein. The greatest bromances of all time. (Snaps.)
Gallery: Cho Aniki Zero (PSP)
Get a free episode of Naruto Shippuden Uncut
Time for another PlayStation Video Store freebie. You can get the first episode of Naruto Shippuden Uncut on your PS3 or PSP for zero dollars. The "Shippuden" story takes place a few years after the events of the first Naruto series, and covers the latter half of the manga's story. Note: the free episode is presented dubbed in English and presented in 4:3.
PS3's Dragon Age: Origins back on track for Nov. 3

European PS3 owners, however, still need to hang on until "a bit later in November." Don't worry, that brief disappointment will make eventual platform parity feel like something amazing again!
Nippon Ichi teases new Prinny platformer
Are you ready to lose another set of 1000 lives? If so, then Nippon Ichi has a new Prinny game for you. Unfortunately, Nippon Ichi has decided against releasing any information on the game, even obscuring its lengthy title. After playing the first game, can we suggest Prinny 2: This is Going to be a Really Hard Game?
[Via Andriasang]
[Via Andriasang]
LittleBigWorkshop reveals a handful of LBP PSP costumes
Though LittleBigPlanet's customizable protagonist, Sackboy, may have lost a bit of his highfalutin' texture rendering in the jump over to the PSP, he's managed to retain all of his original adorability factor. This unbridled cuteness can be seen in a recent LittleBigWorkshop blog post, which includes a batch of images previewing a few of Mr. Sack's new garments.
The most intriguing of these duds are referenced in a section of the post discussing "preorder incentives and upcoming DLC packs" -- a moon buggy and a tank, seen above. We imagine these are just articles of clothing and not actual vehicles (a "moon buggy belt", if you will), but if you think that makes us less interested in them, then you must not know us very well.
The most intriguing of these duds are referenced in a section of the post discussing "preorder incentives and upcoming DLC packs" -- a moon buggy and a tank, seen above. We imagine these are just articles of clothing and not actual vehicles (a "moon buggy belt", if you will), but if you think that makes us less interested in them, then you must not know us very well.
Rock Band Weekly: Rob Zombie, Wolfmother and ... 'Daisy of Love'

Also, we have to raise a very important issue: How can you have a Halloween music store update with no "Monster Mash?" How is "Monster Mash" not in the Rock Band Store right now? And whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?
Uncharted's Amy Hennig 'thrilled' by Nolan North's newfound success
Chances are, you recognize Nolan North as Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series. However, ever since the debut of the first game in the franchise, North has gone on to play a number of leading men, including the titular Prince of Persia and Jason from Shadow Complex. Uncharted creative director Amy Hennig admits that she's "thrilled to see people recognizing Nolan's talent and to see him getting all of the work that he can get and all of the recognition he can get." However, she tells Bitmob that she's "a little possessive" of North because "we were the ones with Uncharted who tapped into that talent in a way that I don't think anyone had recognized and done yet."
North will undoubtedly continue to find success as the charming "everyday" man (who happens to be gifted with extraordinary acrobatic prowess). Hennig admits that "Nolan's going to get typecast because that is his persona. He's a funny guy and has that easy-going, roguish charm." Yeah, charming -- until he throws you off a cliff.
North will undoubtedly continue to find success as the charming "everyday" man (who happens to be gifted with extraordinary acrobatic prowess). Hennig admits that "Nolan's going to get typecast because that is his persona. He's a funny guy and has that easy-going, roguish charm." Yeah, charming -- until he throws you off a cliff.
GameTrailers TV drowns us in BioShock 2 footage
Like all good things in life, there's a steep price to pay for watching last night's Bioshock 2–centric episode of GameTrailers TV (posted after the jump). That price is your everlasting soul.
Okay, all it actually costs you is exposure to a few spoilers for the game -- but isn't that just as bad? Remember that sense of wonder the first time you stepped foot into the murky waters of Rapture? Aren't you afraid you'll ruin whatever semblance of that emotion that might still appear in the sequel by filling your ... you're already watching it, aren't you? You're a fiend, you know that? A fiend.
Okay, all it actually costs you is exposure to a few spoilers for the game -- but isn't that just as bad? Remember that sense of wonder the first time you stepped foot into the murky waters of Rapture? Aren't you afraid you'll ruin whatever semblance of that emotion that might still appear in the sequel by filling your ... you're already watching it, aren't you? You're a fiend, you know that? A fiend.























