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Atlus has proven to be the distributor of some of the funniest press releases we regularly receive. The party responsible for a majority of that humor, PR manager Aram Jabbari, recently stopped by Playstation.Blog HQ to give a brief video demonstration of 3D Dot Game Heroes, which you'll find posted above.

The video shows a walkthrough of one of the game's Zelda-esque dungeons and, appropriately, includes a number of irreverent jabs at 8-bit classics. Though legal reasons prevent Jabbari from naming specific games the title lampoons, he was more than happy to show off his homemade Vampire protagonist's massive sword, remarking, "I'm sure Bella will find that impressive." Oh, Aram. Don't ever change.

Multiplayer first-person shooters are a dime a dozen lately, meaning Lead & Gold: Gangs of the Wild West has a lot to prove for itself. The gameplay is definitely fun, but it's clear that its main selling point is the format. As a downloadable game (confirmed for PC, planned for XBLA and PSN), it's one of the most polished multiplayer shooter experiences available in the space.

Priced at $15, Paradox Interactive's shooter is competing against the likes of Battlefield 1943. Like DICE's shooter, the production values are impressive and highlight by colorful, animated visuals. The style is reminiscent of Team Fortress 2, with the characters donning an almost psuedo-cel shaded look. Combined with the Wild West theme, it can oftentimes look identical to Valve's shooter.

Of course, there are far worse places to look for inspiration. In many ways, the gameplay is also similar to Team Fortress 2. There are four classes for players to choose from, and each features distinct and valuable traits. The primary difference between the four classes is their range: some classes are equipped with shotguns, best for short range fighting, while the requisite sniper is obviously equipped to handle long distances. Beyond their weapons, each class is equipped with a special ability. One can throw dynamite, while another can "mark" an enemy. (Marked enemies take twice the normal rate of damage.)

Though it seems like we just got back from Shanghai, it appears we're going to be booking another flight soon. Square Enix has announced that Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days will kick off "48 hours of hell" for its duo of miscreant protagonists on August 24 in North America and August 27 in Europe.

If you'd like to spend the interim months preparing for the sequel, there's a new trailer from IGN available directly after the break. (Side note: How weird is it to see the Square Enix logo at the beginning? Totally weird, that's how weird.)

Based on all the movies and old shows we've seen, we feel like we know exactly how it was in the old west: people sat around all day, drank whiskey from unmarked bottles, hit up the brothel when they had some spare cash and did their best not to get in Clint Eastwood's way. Pretty cut and dry, right?

Well, Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption paints a different picture of the west, one filled with picturesque landscapes and small towns, where clusters of folk tried to earn a living and make a life. A place in the grip of the Industrial Revolution, an uncertain time of transition from the old lawless ways of the west to the modern comforts and progress enjoyed by Americans in the east.

This recreation of life back then isn't just for show, however, as players will be able to go all Ted Nugent on it and hunt and skin animals, selling their hides to merchants for valuable goods or services. There's also the job of ranch protector, should you wish to guard the land from potential night-time rustlers. You can even herd cattle and fight a mountain lion or two, if the idea of mowing down countless NPCs puts a hitch in your giddy-up.

Want to understand what Nier's all about, you know, besides yelling at books? Square Enix is giving us all a chance to study the backstory of Cavia's action RPG, with a Nier comic series produced by DC's Wildstorm Studios. The three-part series will tell three separate, but overlapping, stories in the Nier universe before the game's April 27 release date.

In addition to introducing the main characters -- including Nier himself, his "disease-stricken" daughter, Yonah, a "conflicted" companion in Kaine, and the talking book "with an attitude," Grimoire Weiss -- the comics will reveal what caused the "Black Scrawl" disease and the cataclysmic event that led to the condition of the world (as it is in the game).

The Nier comics will be available on the Nier website, and through the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store. See the cover of the first issue after the break.

Hey, you remember when Infinity Ward released that unbelievably offensive "Fight Against Grenade Spam" video starring Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels to promote Modern Warfare 2? Yeah, we were trying to forget it too (sorry to remind you!), but Battlefield developer DICE just released its own variation of the video (found after the break) starring New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia to explain why grenade spam isn't so much of an issue in Bad Company 2.

According to CC, due to the variety of other gameplay options (destructible environments, a handful of different vehicles and "adrenaline pumping weapons"), grenade spam isn't the same problem that it is in "competing games of this particular genre." (It probably helps that each class only starts with one grenade too, huh?) Rather than being sponsored by the notorious acronym that closed out Infinity Ward's ad, this one ends with: "Friends Really Against Grenade Spam."

Oh, and for those of you playing along at home, this is at least the second advertisement for Bad Company 2 that directly parodies Modern Warfare 2 promos. We're still holding out hope that all this culminates in a cage match between Robert Bowling and Patrick Söderlund.