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Splinter Cell Conviction demo drops March 18

by JC Fletcher { Mar 15th 2010 at 6:35PM }

Last week, we brought you the incredibly exciting news that a Splinter Cell: Conviction demo was confirmed for release on Xbox Live. That thrilling news just got too awesome to bear: the demo will be out this week. March 18, in fact, according to a new Inside Xbox video.

If you're not worried about spoiling the demo for yourself (which, we suppose, would lead to spoiling a very tiny portion of the game by extension), you can see some of the gameplay the demo covers in the video. Or you can wait until you get to put yourself into Sam's goggles for yourself. Oh, did we say Sam's in it? And that there would be goggles? Whoops, spoilers!

[Thanks, Daniel!]

Ubisoft confirms demo for Splinter Cell Conviction

by JC Fletcher { Mar 12th 2010 at 2:00PM }

In a video answering fan questions, Splinter Cell Conviction Creative Director Maxime Béland revealed the existence of a demo for the highly anticipated sneaking-guy game. "Yes, there will be one. I can't tell you what map or when it's going to be released yet. My lips are sealed." Warning us in advance of the demo's release date would run counter to the whole 'stealth' theme, we suppose.

We first heard of a demo for Conviction from an Ubi employee known only as "Adam," and before that had only a guess that there would be one based on the common-sense fact that it's a really popular game. Splinter Cell: Conviction is currently due for release April 13.

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Ghost Trick possesses Japan June 24, Capcom releases demo

by JC Fletcher { Mar 11th 2010 at 3:45PM }

Capcom has announced the Japanese release date for Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi's supernatural puzzle adventure game, Ghost Trick. Japan will be able to put Sissel's spirit into a bicycle on June 24. Capcom has yet to offer a date for North American or European releases beyond simply 2010, but if the game is in a complete state by June, that bodes well for localization sometime in the fall.

However, if you can't wait that long, and you don't mind clicking through a bunch of Japanese text, you can play the TGS demo right now! Capcom posted a flash demo to the Ghost Trick site.

Gallery: Ghost Trick (TGS 2009)

[Via Andriasang]

Dead or Alive Paradise demo on Japanese PSN this week

by JC Fletcher { Mar 10th 2010 at 6:15PM }

Those of you who have Japanese PSN accounts will have your own private paradise on the PlayStation Network this week. Sony announced that a demo of Tecmo's Dead or Alive Paradise -- which is precisely the kind of game you'd want to try out by downloading, without having to make eye contact with anyone -- will be available for download in Japan this Friday, March 12.

We're now on the edge of our seats to find out which girls we'll get to interact with in the demo. Will it be the supposed martial artist with the ridiculous proportions, or the other one?

8-bit Left 4 Dead guy's latest project: Mega Man 9 HD Remix

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 6th 2010 at 10:00PM }

Eric Ruth, an independent developer who more than proved his prowess with Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead, recently showed off the fruits of his latest labor: A completely renovated, high-definition version of Mega Man 9. Ruth managed to recreate every single character, enemy and background by hand, programmed the game, and used a number of fan-made remixes of the original game's tracks. You can check out a video demonstration of Galaxy Man's stage just past the jump.

Ruth has decided not to complete the game for a number of reasons; the fear of a C&D from Capcom being a substantial one of them. He's already working on his next project -- and after making an HD game into an 8-bit game, and then an 8-bit game into an HD game, we can't wait to see what he does next.

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Reminder: Just Cause 2 demo grapples XBLM

by Richard Mitchell { Mar 4th 2010 at 3:45PM }

As promised, the Just Cause 2 demo is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. While this post was written as a reminder of that fact, the game itself also serves as a reminder. You see, it reminds just how incredibly handy grappling hooks are. Watching the various trailers released for the game thus far, it's kind of hard to imagine starting a revolution without one. Just remember to bring your parachute.

Shortcut: Add the Just Cause 2 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com]

Sony puts together Patchwork Heroes demo for March 4

by Randy Nelson { Mar 3rd 2010 at 6:30PM }

Known as Million Ton Barabara in Japan and the work of ~~Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman!~~ What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! dev Acquire, Patchwork Heroes is hands-down the coolest-looking PSP game about sawing up giant airships we're ever seen. Okay, so it's the only game of the type we've ever seen -- viva la originality! Sony has announced that we'll all get to experience the (we hope) joys of dismantling flying war machines tomorrow, Thursday March 4, when a demo of Patchwork Heroes hits PlayStation Network as part of the service's usual weekly update. It all goes well, it should fulfill our weird 'n wacky gameplay needs through the entire weekend.

MotoGP 09/10 demo does wheelies on Xbox Live, PSN this week

by David Hinkle { Mar 3rd 2010 at 4:14PM }

Click image to embiggen

If March 16 is too far away and you need to partake in some motorcycle madness right now well, you're still out of luck. Capcom informs us that a demo for MotoGP 09/10 will be available for you to download on Xbox Live and PSN this Thursday, if you can manage to wait that long. You'll be able to race in one of three modes: Championship, Time Trial and Arcade. The first two are kinda self-explanatory, while the third mode is new to the series and incorporates the quarter-munching arcade racer model of olde, as you'll need to perform stunt tricks in order to extend your time and keep yourself in the race.

So who's ready to relive their favorite moments from Biker Boyz?

Gallery: MotoGP 09/10

Just Cause 2 demo drops in March 4

by David Hinkle { Feb 26th 2010 at 11:21AM }

Just as promised, operative, you'll soon get your chance to bone up on your rocket car skills before entering the field, as the Just Cause 2 demo has been set for release next Thursday, March 4. The demo will arrive on Xbox Live, PSN and Steam and will grant access to 35 square miles of the Lautan Lama Desert -- one of the islands making up the game's promised 400 sq. miles of explorable Panau archipelago. So oil up that grappling gun and get your best black ops duds off to the dry cleaners. We want Rico looking mucho suavé out there!

Just Cause 2 is set to dive into retail on March 23 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Games for Windows platforms.

Supreme Commander 2 demo now available on Steam

by Mike Schramm { Feb 26th 2010 at 1:00AM }

As if you didn't have enough to play this week, RTS fans, with Starcraft II in beta and Command and Conquer 4 about to drop, here comes the Supreme Commander 2 demo, now available for download over on Steam. The demo features 4GB (!) of complex Gas Powered Games RTS goodness, in which you'll be able to try two levels of the tutorial, as well as play through two missions as the United Earth Federation faction. You'll also get to see some of those new units at work, and, we presume, do some supreme commanding. No peerless or incomparable commanders here -- supreme only!

One of those new units you can try out is a sea-based experimental submarine for the Cybran faction that's modeled and named after a legendary sea monster. So what are you waiting for? Go download the demo and get kraken!

Monster Hunter Tri demo disc will be available to all

by David Hinkle { Feb 25th 2010 at 3:25PM }

Capcom's Monster Hunter Tri was a big focal point at yesterday's Nintendo Media Summit, but there seems to be a bit of confusion surrounding the demo disc shipping March 8. It turns out, that isn't the GameStop pre-order incentive it was made out to be. Instead, the demo disc will be free for all -- a GameStop pre-order will net you a card with 500 Wii Points on it.

As for getting the demo disc, you'll be able to walk into any GameStop location and grab one starting March 8.

Reminder: Hefty Darksiders demo out today

by Richard Mitchell { Feb 25th 2010 at 1:45PM }

A quick note for all the apocalyptic adventure-seekers out there: The promised Darksiders demo is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. As previously announced, this is no ordinary demo, either. No, this sucker contains the game's first dungeon in its entirety, a chunk of gameplay that should take approximately 90 minutes to complete for the "average player." It's not often that publishers give away that much game for free, so be sure to give it a go.

Oh, and don't forget to post your completion time here in the comments. We're curious to see how close to the mark THQ's estimate is.

Shortcut: Download the Darksiders demo to your Xbox 360 [Via Xbox.com]

Monster Hunter Tri releases April 20, will be free to play [update]

by David Hinkle { Feb 24th 2010 at 1:31PM }

Update: Capcom sent word that the Monster Hunter Tri demo disc will be freely available to any GameStop patron starting March 8. If you pre-order the game, you'll also get a 500 Wii Points card.

Original post: At today's Nintendo Media Summit, Nintendo dropped some pertinent details about Capcom's very successful and Wii Speak-compatible hunt-em-up, Monster Hunter Tri. The game will release on April 20 in North America as two versions: bundled with a Classic Controller Pro for $59.99 (while supplies last) and as a standalone game for $49.99. The game will also ditch the pay-to-play model for online play, as used in Japan, in favor of free online functionality. ~~Additionally,~~ ~~GameStop~~ ~~pre-orderers will receive a demo disc on March 8.~~ Additionally, GameStop will offer free demo discs starting March 8 and those who pre-order will get themselves a card with 500 Wii Points on it.

Considering Capcom was beating itself up over whether or not to charge for online play, we're glad the publisher finally came around and went with the option that requires us to spend less money. Just imagine -- with all the money we'll save, we can import even more delicious ramen!

Gallery: Monster Hunter Tri

MLB 2K10 demo available on Xbox Live, coming to PSN next Thursday

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 23rd 2010 at 5:00PM }

Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of ludological interpretations of America's pastime, you should really plan on grabbing the demo for MLB 2K10. See, you're going to need as much practice as you possibly get in order to pitch a perfect no-hitter once the game's released, effectively netting yourself a cool million bucks.

However, though the demo is currently available on Xbox Live, PS3 owners won't have access to it until March 4 -- two days after the full game is released. By that time, the 360-owning populace will have had over a week to turn their pitching arms into Randy Johnson-esque baseball cannons. Depending on how you look at it, that's either a huge handicap, or the makings of a fantastic underdog story.

Over 3.5 million people have downloaded the Bad Company 2 demo

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 20th 2010 at 8:30PM }

Ever noticed how you rarely place bullets into the same dude during two consecutive games while playing the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 demo? There's a darn good reason for that -- according to a recent tweet from EA, over 3.5 million people have downloaded the sneak peek on 360 and PS3.

We weren't sure Bad Company 2 would gain a ton of traction while sharing an audience with MAG and Modern Warfare 2, but apparently we were wrong. Maybe there's a special portion of the market set aside for multiplayer shooters/preposterous ATV stunt simulators.