The only problem is that the developers at Codemasters failed to retain any bit of what made these games enjoyable, and instead gave us a miss-mash of tired clichés that misses even the fundamental elements of the genres it tries so hard to combine.

Set in ancient Greece, Rise of the Argonauts takes much of its storyline directly from those mythology stories you thought you forgot after you graduated. Players will assume the familiar role of Jason the Greek King, whose wife has been murdered.Like any true mythological king, Jason sets forth for vengeance and kills the assassin and searches for the golden Fleece, believed to harness the power of resurrection and thus the only way to bring his Queen back.

On your quest you’ll recruit your Argonauts and do battle with everything from mortals to mythical creatures and even the gods of Olympus themselves.

When you’re basing a game on a widely known series of stories that have been around for centuries; you better be damn sure you’ve got them right. I understand the developers taking a few liberties for the sake of storytelling and pace, but Argonauts seem to get lost in its own story from time to time – taking part of one tale, and adapting it so it fits into Jason’s quest. It may be something that only those truly familiar with the source material may notice, but if you’re going to base your title on something – shouldn’t it be accurate?

Much of your time in Argonauts will be spent conversing with the towns folk and mythical figures you encounter, which is a shame as there isn’t one character you’ll actually enjoy talking to–every line of dialogue reeks of cheese and over the top voice acting. You’ll be able to influence each conversation via a Mass Effect like tree of responses, but more often than not you’ll find yourself painstakingly just hitting the first response to get to the end of the segment. Games heavy with dialogue work well when done right–this is a textbook example of how things can go wrong.

When not listening to mythical figures go on and on about such and such island or whatever they’re blabbing about (I found myself tuning out quite early into most conversations), you’ll be taking part in the combat system–one of the game’s few redeeming qualities. At all times, Jason wields a sword, spear, mace and a heavy duty shield. Each one of these weapons controls the same, and while that may seem dull, it’s a welcome gameplay mechanic as you’re going to need to switch between them very frequently to deal with multiple enemy types.

You’ll need to have a strategy, as the combat is fast paced and responsive (not to mention bloody), but if you get into a rhythm and get too comfortable with the controls, you’ll have visions of Dynasty Warrior like repetitiveness as much of the combat can boil down to simple button mashing combos – a shame when combat is otherwise enjoyable.

Undercover offers players the freedom to cruise around the game’s world–the fictional city of Palm Harbor freely. In theory, the sandbox style gameplay should be a welcome change from the tried and true, point A to point B track race formula, but the developers seem to have missed the point entirely.

Other than driving from mission to mission, there doesn’t seem to be much of incentive to explore the city. There are no hidden missions, no way to hunt down opponents–everything happens in a linear fashion in Undercover. A number of the missions almost scrap the open gameplay by sectioning off an area of the map you’re allowed to go. The true allure of these open world games is to explore, and it seems like Undercover is more interested in a leisurely drive. Palm harbor is an immersive setting, it’s just a shame that the developers at Blackbox didn’t go the extra mile and take advantage of the setting — especially when Burnout Paradise did just that in amazing fashion earlier this year.

That’s not to say that Palm Harbor is void of all life. Yes, the cops are back in Undercover — and yes they’re pissed. While the AI starts off easy going and fun, that quickly changes, and it becomes aggressive and frustrating. In fact, about halfway through, the AI becomes so obnoxiously aggressive that players, especially those new to the series may be tempted to put down the controller.

It’s not like the game is hard either. Apart from the enemy AI, it’s a safe bet to assume that this Need For Speedtitle was aimed at the casual market. It’s not unusual to beat a slew of high performance cars, with a much lower rated car. It’s understandable that with the success of movies like the Fast and The Furious and the incredibly hot street racing scene, the developers would want to open their game up to a wider audience, but the uneven difficulty levels distract from the overall experience.

It would be nice to say that using the game’s new RPG like leveling system helps deal with the horrid AI and uneven gameplay, but in reality, it manages to do the exact opposite.  This new system, which borrows heavily from games like World of Warcraft, rewards players for completing missions and races with stat points which can in turn be used to better your driving skills. These stats are also used almost as a rep system; the higher your stats, the more cars and missions are available to you.

While upgrading your “driver level” seems like a logical way to get on an even field with your opponents, the game’s AI seems to ramp as your stats do the same. This tactic of games adapting to the level of players has been done successfully in games like Zelda: The WindWaker, Resident Evil 4 and even this year’s Madden; Undercover’s system comes off as unfair and frustrating.

Naturally, the success of Sands of Time paved the way for two sequels; Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within and Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones. Sadly, the sequels were similar in name alone, and seemed to focus more on blood, gore and button mashing combat than any of the elements that made Sands of Time so special.

When Ubisoft Montreal decided to revamp the series completely, it took on an immense challenge — create a new Prince of Persia title that went back to the series’ roots, yet was good enough to make players forget about The Sands of Time.

They succeeded — for the most part.

The newest chapter in the Prince of Persia series is a fun, innovative and rewarding experience that nods back to the franchises early days, yet takes a big step towards rewriting the rules of the entire platformer genre. Sadly though, a few slight hiccups in the design of the Prince’s world will hinder its chances of joining the ranks of The Sands of Time.

More often than not when developers use cell shading for their titles, the ends result comes off as little more than a hokey gimmick, but in the case of PoP, it works, and it works well. From the start, the developers wanted to make players feel like they were in a storybook throughout the entire PoP experience, which the cell shading achieves tremendously. The incredibly detailed characters stand out well against the vibrant backgrounds. Incredibly, as you progress, the game’s visuals only get more stunning — playing through each completed area brings new life, and new color to an already vibrant landscape. Prince of Persia has every right to be considered along with Fallout 3 and Metal Gear Solid 4 as one of the year’s best looking games.

Unlike the two most recent sequels, PoP is less about combat, and more about platforming, though it’s unlike any platformer you’ve ever played. Though you’ll be doing plenty of running and jumping, thanks to a few minor gameplay tweaks, it feels so different than anything you’ve played before. PoP is not about jumping to one ledge, slowing down and looking for your next platform, like Mirror’s Edge earlier this year, you’ll have a much more rewarding experience if you’re able to keep the Prince in a constant state of motion. Each world is setup so players are able to string together lengthy combinations of acrobatic maneuvers (it doesn’t hurt that most of the animations are simply phenomenal) to advance through them. There is a definite rhythm to PoP’s gameplay, and when you actually take a step back, and allow yourself to move along with it, the feeling is incredibly rewarding.

Featuring a brave, bold and truly open three dimensional world where players could come and go as they please; and their actions had deeper consequences then a game-over screen, coupled with innovative graphics and an incredibly deep branching storyline, one thing was evident – the gaming industry was growing up.  Now, nearly a decade later, the series is rewriting everything we thought we knew.  From the massive size of Liberty City, to its strikingly gritty, yet gorgeous visuals – everything about GTA IVis truly an achievement.

Fresh off the boat from Eastern Europe, Niko Bellic, GTA IV’s protagonist, is looking for a fresh start and his shot at “the American Dream.” However, the visions of an endless supply of money, women and fame his cousin Roman promised quickly fade and reality sinks in as Niko finds himself in the middle of a gang-war that will grip Liberty City by its core. Of course you’ll be stealing, shooting and killing like in previous installments of the series, butGTA IV manages to make even these series standards seem new and exciting.

Sure, Niko is the game’s poster boy, but undoubtedly GTA IV’s main character is Liberty City itself.  Yes, you’ve been to Liberty City before, but not like this – not even close. More than ever, Liberty (clearly based off New York City), is alive. From the bums in the back alleys to the suits in the financial district, Rockstar has done a great job creating a  believably rich and populated environment that seems like it could go on even without you there. You’ll get stuck in traffic, watch construction jobs go from start to completion, even establish relationships with your fellow city folk, but remember – this is GTA, and most people you meet aren’t the type to bring home to mom and dad.

Truly, GTA IV is the deepest title of the franchise, if not the entire industry has ever seen. Think of it as the love-child of The Godfather and The Sims. Like Vice City and San Andreasbefore it, GTA IV gives players the freedom to truly explore and enjoy the city around them. Feel like hitting up the local bowling alley, but don’t want to leave the house? GTA IVfeatures its own fully functional bowling-alley complete with bowling mini-game and purchasable snacks. You can go out to nightclubs (and yes, that includes those nightclubs), restaurants, amusement parks and even famous landmarks like the Statue Of Happiness; Liberty’s version of the Statue of Liberty.

Even with all of its functionality, Liberty City looks amazing. In the game’s opening moments, we’re treated to a cinematic opening that rivals that of most major Hollywood productions, and things just keep getting better from there. The city and the characters (especially in the superbly acted cut scenes), the entire world that GTA IV pulls us into is covered in a brilliantly gritty art scheme that seems to combine real life with the seedy side of New York City we see in the movies. It’s hard not to marvel at certain moments in the game – watching the sunset over the river or standing in the middle of Times Squa…excuse me, I mean Star Junction… is nothing short of breathtaking.

It would have been easy for Capcom to release yet another reboot of the Mega Man series. Instead, Mega Man 9 is a frustrating, pixelated adventure that looks like it’s been sitting in out game collection for the past 15 years.

It’s everything Mega Man should be.

Available for download from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live and Wii-Ware, Mega Man 9 is a retro treat that brings us back to a time seemingly forgotten by the industry. Everything you remember from the classic Mega Man games is here, from the blaster to the series trademarks disappearing blocks. Somehow though, after all these years, the series still holds up, not just to nostalgia buffs — but as genuine, satisfying game experience.

Borrowing mostly from the original Mega Man and it’s sequel than any of the more recent titles (ie, no charge shot or power slide), MM9 stays true to the game’s true origins though the story does take a radical turn. After yet another robot rampage, Mega Man’s arch nemesis Dr. Wily presents a video of famed scientist and Mega Man’s creator Dr. Light claiming responsibility and plotting world domination. It’s up to Mega Man to not only defeat clear his mentor’s name, but stop yet another robot revolution.

The formula stays the same here – battle your way through a slew of eight themed robo-bosses in any order, obtaining a new signature weapon after defeating each. There-in lies the secret; planning out your course to use your weapons effectively on each boss. While there is no definite right answer, finding a winning combination can prove to be quite taxing. What it comes down to — in most cases, is mere trial and error, very very frustrating trial and error.

Yes, Mega Man 9 is difficult, in fact, at times certain stages will seem damn near impossible.You’ll die often, and odds are you’re going to go through quite a lot of controllers in fits of rage as the game doesn’t forgive failure very easy. Each of the eight stages only features two checkpoints — one around the stage’s halfway point, and the other at the very end boss battle. Luckily, as in previous games in the series, the masochistic difficulty never seems to deter one from playing — it’s a good, frustrating challenge that if you’re willing to stick with, feels incredibly rewarding when finished.

Undoubtedly, playing Mega Man 9 on the Wii feels the most comfortable. Gamers familiar with the series will feel right at home with the sideways Wii remote control scheme (used frequently for other NES era games ported to the Wii), while the PS3 and Xbox 360 version do their best to map out the control’s in a similarly easy way, but it just plain doesn’t feel right, and the Xbox’s clunky and unresponsive d-pad will only add to the frustration.

Mega Man 9 plays like a love letter to not only the world Keiji Inafune created so many years ago, but to the golden age of gaming in general. Proof that even today, games don’t need hi-def graphics and cinematics to be a worthwhile experience — gamers of all ages should pick up Mega Man 9 — if you can take the frustration.

It was announced on G4TV’s X-Play this week that Democratic Presidential Nominee Barrack Obama and Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin will be part of the next wave of downloadable content for Pandemic’s Mercenaries 2 as playable characters. No further details, including price or launch date were given, but it’s a safe bet that the studio will aim to get it out by Tuesday, November 4 — Election Day.

 

 

God Bless America…

Sony filed a patent on October 23 for “a method by which a system could track the movement of one or more controllers, with video tracking the position of the controllers and ultrasonic frequencies used to determine their distance from the console.” In the most likely scenario, as depicted in images found alongside the filing,  the controller will use the Playstation Eye, along with its built in microphone to track multiple controllers movement and distance.

The filing shows a oddly shaped controller with  a retro-reflective sphere area at the end. The sphere seemingly gives off it’s own light source and changes color to indicate data being sent or received. An additional image also shows two of the controllers being hooked together to form a longer bow and arrow shaped controller.

Sony has issued no official statement on the controller or patent, stick with Blast as this story breaks.

In a teleconference Apple Corps Ltd., Harmonix and MTV Games announced an exclusive partnership to bring the music of The Beatles to the world in a new interactive form sometime in 2009. The currently unnamed title will take players through the band’s storied career, from first album to last. Though it has been confirmed that the title will use interactive instrument peripherals, it was stressed during the teleconference that it is not a Rock Band title.

“Introducing the genius of The Beatles to a whole new generation of music lovers through original and inspired ways is extremely exciting to us at Apple Corps,” stated Jeff Jones, CEO, Apple Corps. “We are truly pleased to be working with the innovative forces at MTV and Harmonix as they embody our mutual passions for music and creativity.”

The new partnership marks the first time that either Apple, EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, or Sony/ATV Music Publishing have agreed to present the normally highly protected Beatles music license in interactive format. The game was creatively conceived with input from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, and enjoys their full blessing. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE project, will provide his expertise and serve as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

“The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out,” Sir Paul McCartney said

“It gives me great pleasure to be part of The Beatles / Apple and Harmonix / Rock Band partnership,” said Ringo Starr. “The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of time and how wonderful that The Beatles’ legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in. Let the games commence.”

Zombies.

Fear not fans of the undead, on the most recent edition of Game Trailers TV, Developer Treyarch revealed that the upcoming WWII shooter will indeed feature a 4-player co-op mode simply called “Zombie mode.” Unlocked only after the original campaign is finished, Zombie Mode puts players up against limitless waves of Nazi undead, and will feature it’s own “economy system” where making barricades, and upgrading weapons created specifically for zombie slaying (and yes, flame throwers are included) cost money.

“This game is all about the strange and insane world of New Arcadia and the Penny Arcade-style humor to be found in it,” said Hothead CEO Vlad Ceraldi. “With the cool gameplay additions we’ve made, including longer gameplay, completion tracking and difficulty settings; extra Lovecraftian overtones in the world and music; and the perfect time of the year, everything just came together.”

Players who may have missed the first episode can start a new quest, with a completely new character, while returning gamers will be able to use the data from Episode 1. Expected to being gamers anywhere from 6-10 hours of gameplay, Penny Arcade Adventures 2 also features new difficulty settings, bringing bigger, badder enemies to do battle with.

Along with dropping word on the game’s release, developer Hot Head Games released the game’s full list of achievements for the Xbox 360. The game’s 11 achievement, along with one secret achievement are as follows:

- Millionaire – Collect one million dollars in cash (15)

- Moving On Up – Collect the Wealth key (15)

- Arsonist – Burn down the Riverbrook Apartments (15)

- Endgame – Collect a ticket for the World’s Fair (15)

- Can’t Nobody Hold You Down – Defeat the Game’s final Boss (15)

- Steel Cannibal – Spend robot parts to upgrade all weapons (20)

- Lab Assistant - Complete Dr. Stripe’s and Dr. Whimple’s missions (15)

-  Reluctant Hero - At the beginning of the episode, refuse to join Gabe and Tycho 5 times (5)

- The Strength to Rule: Kill enough enemies to earn the XP needed for all party members to reach Level 30 (20)

- POWER SURRRGE! - Block enemy attacks and get one party member’s hit counter up to 40 (25)

- Pack Rat Strikes Back - Only use items to win a fight. No attacks or counter attacks allowed (25)

“Fallout 3 has been the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken,” said Todd Howard, game director for Fallout 3. “It’s been a long journey and we’re really happy with how it turned out. We can’t wait for everyone to get a chance to play it.”

Fallout 3 was Blast’s Best Game of E3 2008.

Rated M by the ESRB, Fallout 3 tells the story of a post apocalyptic United States, with the player assuming the role of a member of Vault 101 — a Washington DC based shelter in search of his father. The game features open-ended and customizable gameplay — including an estimated 200 versions of the end cutscene.

For more information on Fallout 3, visit the game’s official sites at http://fallout.bethsoft.com and http://www.prepareforthefuture.com. Stay with Blast as the game release comes closer for more coverage.

“We are finding ourselves in an unprecedented stage where one of every six people (in Japan) has the DS,” Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told a news conference on Thursday. “We will strive not only to appeal to those households without the DS, but to promote a shift to ‘one DS per person’ from ‘one DS per household’.”

The new unit will also give users access to an online store, similar to that found on the Wii. Nintendo has also promised that the DSi will feature an SD card slot to alleviate any memory concerns and allow players to view their own photos on the system. The new DSi, launching November 1 in Japan and expected mid 2009 in North America is no doubt an attempt by Nintendo to compete with Sony’s PSP and Apple’s iPod, the company’s main competitors on the portable entertainment front.

Also at the conference, Nintendo made every gamer who grew up in the NES era happy when they announced that a new version of Punch Out! will be coming to the Wii in 2009. No further details are known on the game, but it’s expected to use an advanced version of the engine seen in the boxing stages of Wii Sports and Wii fit.

“Take-Two’s recent performance demonstrates our potential to create value for the long term,” said Take-Two CEO Ben Feder, adding that the company has no debt and an undrawn $140 million credit facility.
There are some in the industry who believe that the announcement is a mere formality. Pointing to the fact that no smaller company would be able to match EA’s bid (which was called “inadequate” by Take-Two), analysts believe much credit can be given to the fact that Take-Two has grown as a company since EA’s initial bid and that what happens from here will be strongly contingent on what happens with Grand Theft Auto developers Rockstar games, whose contract expires in early 2009.

While not much is known regarding the new console,a few minor details have managed to slip through including the fact that it is expected to retain the Wii name. As evident by the consoles tentative name, the new Wii will feature high definition, cutting edge graphics similar if not more impressive than that of the PS3 and Xbox 360.

An interesting note is that the company is looking to put more of an emphasis on user created and digitally distributed content, similar to what is seen on services like the Wii store and Wii-ware. Putting more of an emphasis on downloadable content also almost assures the new system will include some form of hard drive. Unsurprisingly, the new Wii is also expected to be an nontraditional gaming experience, putting more of an emphasis on user interaction like the original.

Normally, Blast wouldn’t report on mere rumors and speculation — but this one has some weight. While requests for comment from Nintendo were met with a predictable “Nintendo does not comment on rumors or speculation” response, Nintendo’s annual financial reports speak volumes. The company is currently spending over $370 million on research and development, a steep hike from $103 million in 2006 and a modest $34 million in 2003.

Nintendo isn’t expected to make any form of comment or announcement regarding a new console anytime soon, stay with Blast for more on this developing story.

The heart of the previous Lego games comes from the fact that the story-lines are ripped directly from the films. Half the fun comes from watching developer Traveller’s Tales comically recreate some of the most memorable scenes from movie history in block form. Though the cut-scenes are completely void of any sort of dailauge or captions, they’re done so creatively that the emotions portrayed by the Lego characters are enough. Rather than base the story of Lego Batman on the films, the title features an all new story based more on comics. Though it’s a novel idea, it does cause the game to lose some of it’s heart, becoming just another run of the mill platformer. Sure, you’ll crack a smile at some of the antics, but that charm that made the earlier games great is notably gone.

There have always been two sides to the Batman mythos. Theres’ the family friendly, Saturday morning cartoon like Caped Crusader that kids love, and then there’s the dark, vengeful Batman as seen in this Summer’s blockbuster; The Dark Knight. Though technically the same character, the two worlds couldn’t be more different. Unfortunately, Lego Batman suffers from a bit of an identity crisis as it attempts to create a Batman world with influences from both ends of the spectrum. While the villains, supporting cast (especially Robin — who’s role is nothing more than blundering comic foil) and story feel like they could be from a lost episode of the campy Adam West television show, the protagonist is a complete contrast. Lego Batman’s main character is a stone faced, brooding hero — who is a complete and utter bore to play. While Batman’s rouges gallery has always featured some of the most interesting characters to ever grace the funny books, it’s a problem when it feels like a chore to play as a game’s title character. Though, it is a nice touch that the developers didn’t take the easy way out bu only including the well-known Bat-villains; as names like Hush and The Mad Hatter are not only represented, they’re playable.

Gameplay wise, Lego Batman is solid —  even if it’s all been done before. Though the game follows the same run, jump and collect formula as those before it; it’s still quite fun — especially for the younger crowd. For those new to the series, you control two characters from the Bat-world, as they traverse a Lego themed Gotham city. Some of the levels are incredibly puzzle heavy, which can be good, but also can be downright annoying as some of the puzzles border on annoyingly frustrating. Often times you’ll spend hours trying to solve one, and end up banging your head on the wall once you find out how easy the solution was. 

There’s no doubt that Lego Batman will sell like crazy, it’s the kind of game that kids will flock to and those in the market for a quick, light-weight platformer will find much to like about Lego Batman, but anyone looking for something more will want to stick with previous installments.

This week, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that everyone’s favorite anti-game activist Jack Thompson will be permanently disbarred as of October 25.

According to a report on Game-politics, Thompson’s well-known history of public misconduct, as well as official recommendations given by Judge Dava Tunis, who presided over Thompson’s 2007 ethics trial, led to the decision.

According to the official court order, which can be obtained here in it’s entirety, Thompson has also been ordered to pay restitution of more than $43,000.

Though he considers himself an advocate for conservative Christian moral standards, most will remember Thompson as one of the video game industry’s toughest critics. Among other high profile cases, Thompson brought forth suits against a number of high profile game developers, including id Software and Capcom after he linked numerous school shootings to the violent content in games along with leading the charge against Rockstar Games during the “hot coffee” scandal.

Never one to stay quiet for long, Thompson has filed a request with the U.S. District Court for an emergency meeting to debate the Supreme Court’s decision, as well as issued a press release, claiming that the decision was merely “in retaliation for Thompson’s Tyndale House book Out of Harm’s Way, published in 2005, which blew the whistle on the Florida Supreme Court’s earlier efforts in the 1990’s to literally pathologize his faith-based and successful activism against the American entertainment industry.”

Stay with Blast for more on this developing story

In a story written by Paul Dini, Asylum will take place in and around the it’s namesake — Arkahm Asylum; the home for Gotham’s worst of the worst, which has been taken over by the Joker. Game Informer Magazine describes the game’s action as similar to that of BioShock or original Xbox sleeper hit The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay in the sense that the action takes place in one consistent location, rather than numerous sprawling areas.

The folks at Rocksteady are aiming to make the game deeper than most recent superhero games by focusing on more than just combat. In true Batman fashion, players will be presented with detective-like puzzles and investigative work.That’s not to say that combat won’t be used at all though, as the developers are putting a heacy emphasis on stealth and speed, using a control scheme that utilizes only three buttons (attack, stun and throw) — a fine departure from the hack and slash style of recent games.

Recently, a set of in-game images were released to the net, showcasing a new, dark, yet realistic art style by the Team at Wildstorm comics. These images were promptly removed. Be sure to stay with us for more information on Asylum as it becomes available, same Blast Time, same Blast channel.

You now have your chance.

EA, announced this week the development of Celebrity Sports Showdown for the Nintendo Wii. Being developed by EA Canada, responsible for last year’s EA Playground and features 10…ahem…celebrities including Fergie, Avril Lavigne, Keith Urban, Reggie Bush and Sugar Ray Leonard. The “celebrities” will compete in 12 outdoor themed sporting events including beach volleyball, canoeing, archery and of course — dodgeball.

Celebrity Sports Showdown, scheduled to ship this Winter will be the first title developed under the new EA Sports Freestyle line, a perfect fit according to Dave McCarthy, the game’s executive producer. “We feel that this game is the EA SPORTS Freestyle answer to a great Wii party game. It explores the lighter side of sports and pulls inspiration from the entertainment spectacles that are so prevalent in pop culture today,” said McCarthy. “Celebrity Sports Showdown will bring people to the party with a collection of games and celebrities that appeal to everyone.”

This week, Sony Online Entertainment released details on its upcoming DC Universe Online in the newest issue of Edge magazine. While the PS3 and PC game was officially announced earlier this year, little was known about it besides the fact that it would be the first online title to be set in the fabled universe home to Batman and Superman, even though players will not be able to directly control the legendary heroes.

Much like long running action title City of Heroes; gamers will create their own hero or villain from scratch, setting everything from your character’s look to his superpowers. Much like any other RPG, players will level up as they progress through the game but unique to DC Online – leveling up will give players access to new moves and abilities based on their original choices. Choosing flight as your ability will give you immediate access to the skies, but only through leveling up will you be able to pull off unique acrobatic maneuvers mid-air.

Although you won’t get to actually control any of the DC heroes or villains, they will show up – and play a major role in the game’s events. Wannabe heroes could end up teaming up alongside one World’s Finest, while a villain looking to make a name for himself may be able to force a showdown with big blue by causing enough carnage.

With an ever expanding and changing universe, DC Comics is well aware of the marketing potential it has on its hands. “We can tie-in future DC tent-pole events and translate the stories for the gaming world, and have them occur simultaneously,” said executive creative director Jim Lee. “The possibilities are numerous and very exciting.”

While no release date has been set for the superhero sim, it’s widely believed that gamers will have take to Metropolis, Star City and Gotham sometime in 2009. DC Universe Online is expected to be on display at this year’s E3.

“The Wii platform and the Wii consumer are looking for a very unique sports experience,” said Peter Moore, president of EA SPORTS.  “We’re excited to take five of our most popular franchises and develop them from the ground up exclusively for the Wii, with unique controls, unique presentation, unique modes and even unique packaging. Whether you’re an EA SPORTS veteran or a rookie gamer, EA SPORTS All-Play levels the playing field and delivers a fresh new gaming experience.”

All-Play will kick off mid next month when its first title, NCAA Football 2009 All-Play ships. Featuring the new simplified All-Play controls (as well as the traditional set-up for returning players), and a multiplayer experience that evolves based on skill sets, EA Sports taught NCAA Football 2008 All-Play as the most realistic college sports experience on the Wii.

Four additional titles will be released on the All-Play line between now and the end of 2008 including Madden NFL 2009 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. Each title will retail for a MSRP of $49.99. More information on EA Sports and the All-Play line can be found at www.easports.com/eaallplay.

Connecticut State Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford) is concerned over an apparent rape scene in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 4. The only problem — it doesn’t exist.

The Senator, who admittedly has never played a single mission of the Grand Theft Auto series wants confirmation of the supposed scene from Rockstar’s parent company Take2, fears that it will corrupt the youth.  In an interview with The New Haven Advocate newspaper, the apparently gullible Slossberg hints that she’ll introduce legislation in the upcoming legislative session that will call for a overhaul of the way the ESRB rates and labels games, adding that she’s unsure of what would be a sufficient label for the game. “Maybe, ‘this game will make you a sociopath,’”  the Senator scoffed.

A quick google search for the terms “GTA 4 rape” brings up nothing but curious message board posters asking about the rumors validity and a single Youtube video titled “GTA 4 Rape” that doesn’t deliver, but does serve to show off some sick pretty sick crashes around Liberty City.

 Take2 has not commented on the rumors, and don’t expect them to.

Speaking to Shacknews this week, Valve’s head of marketing Doug Lombardi talked about the status of the apocalyptic thriller.

“So the game is pretty much playable all the way through right now. As we’ve done with most of our games, we get to a point where it’s playable all the way through. There are some [minor] issues that we need to work on, and we try to add more time to the schedule to have as many people as possible play the game, to make sure that it’s approachable to players of all skills,” he said.

Lombardi went on to detail what was next in the development process for the game, which puts players in the shoes of one of four humans in a zombie apocalypse and gives players the chance to take control of the living dead.

“We want to make sure that all the game that we’ve built gets played, not just be like, ‘Okay, it’s complete, let’s ship it,’” he said, while comparing the current status of the game to that of Half Life 2 which followed the same development pattern of being mostly finished in the spring and released in the fall. “We’re in a pretty similar state right now, with it being, what, early May, and we’re looking at the same time frame — November — for shipping.”

Upcoming and expected PlayStation 3 blockbuster Metal Gear Solid 4 is about to help us find out.

Reportedly, Hideo Kojima’s highly anticipated epic contains cut scenes that approach the 90 minute mark.

Let that sink in for a bit.  

Ninety minutes – the length of some feature films – and that’s cut sceneS, as in plural.

“MGS4’s story is massive. The videogame equivalent of all three Godfather movies on one disc,” reports PSW magazine. “As you’d expect, you’ll spend a lot of time watching cut scenes, so if you found previous games’ story exposition laborious, then you’d better find yourself a nice cushion and plenty of teabags in readiness for MGS4’s.”

While these cut-scenes can be skipped, the magazine doesn’t recommend it, proclaiming that some of the later scenes contain what they call “some of the most finely crafted examples of FMV footage anywhere in gaming.”

Metal Gear Solid 4 is scheduled to hit store shelves on June 12.

This month’s edition of UK Magazine PSM3 drops what they are calling official confirmation that BioShock, last year’s critically and commercially acclaimed Xbox 360 blockbuster, will be heading to the PlayStation 3 by year’s end.

While neither Sony or 2K games has released any kind of information on the title going multi-platform, CVG – who publishes the magazine is standing by their cover story, promising multiple pages of exclusive previews and screenshots. Curiously, the cover-blurb hints at more content for the re-release, reading “Why Xbox’s best shooter is better on PS3.”

The new issue of PSM3 is scheduled to hit newsstands in the UK (along with select shops stateside) on June 4. Expect some kind of official word soon after.

A Sony Computer Entertainment America spokesman had no comment, calling the news rumor and speculation.

John Guilfoil of the Blast Magazine staff contributed to this report

However, the most successful of Mario’s side jobs is that of professional go-kart racer. Debuting on The Super Nintendo in 1992, the Mario Kart series has always been a guaranteed moneymaker for Nintendo. Built on a steady structure of deceivingly simple yet incredibly strategic and fun gameplay, the series is still thought of by many as one of the company’s premier franchises. But will Mario Kart Wii, the first for Nintendo’s motion sensing sensation, be able to continue the tradition set forth by its predecessors?

Yup.

While it still does suffer from some of the problems of the older games, Mario Kart Wii takes the simple and accessible formula set by it’s predecessors and tweaks it enough to make it feel fresh and fun, creating one of the most entertaining and rewarding gaming experiences in quite some time.

The biggest addition in Mario Kart Wii is in the introduction of the Wii-Wheel. There was understandable doubt leading up to the game’s release regarding the wheel after last year’s “Monster 4×4″ came packed with a wheel that controlled horribly. But rest easy. Those fears have no foundation with the new Wii-Wheel.

Controlling with The Wii-Wheel is incredibly comfortable and feels so natural. In a change from past Mario Kart games, the “go-button” has been mapped to the 2 button on the Wii-mote which will throw veterans of the series off, but this new system makes more sense when taking the Wii’s face button layout into account.

At the heart of Mario Kart is the Grand Prix mode. Sticking true to the original formula, Grand Prix pits racers against 11 AI opponents in one of three (more are unlockable) race circuits. A total of 32 new and old tracks are available, and most are quite fun. A lot of the returning tracks feel quite tame compared to the brand new ones. It’s not much, but it can make going through these courses feel like more of a chore than the enjoyment they were meant to be.

For the first time since the series’ inception, players are not limited to racing karts. Mario is bringing a brand new toy with him: a motorcycle.

Each racer has multiple bikes and go-karts to choose from, each with different pros and cons, adding to the game’s less-than-obvious yet deep strategic aspects.

The addition of bikes leads to one of the most useless, yet fun additions to this generation of Mario Kart in the form of a midair stunt system. By flicking the Wii-mote in any direction as you leave the ground, jumping off any of the game’s makeshift ramps and obstacles, your character will perform X-games style tricks. It’s really a nice aesthetic touch, but it really clashes with the basic gameplay of Mario Kart. Plus, some of the tricks keep you in the air for a while or throw you off the course.

Of course, it just wouldn’t be Mario Kart without the trademark question mark box items. Boxes marked with a question mark are littered throughout each course. Running into these boxes gives the player a random item that they can use to help them get ahead in the race. All of the fan favorites from the past are back, including the shells, mushrooms and banana peels, along with a few new additions including a mega-mushroom that makes you super-size.

While the item/weapon combat is an institution in the Mario Kart universe, its part of what could be the game’s biggest flaw. Take a spin around the course and go through, say, six of the item blocks. Odds are most of the items you get will be of the less powerful variety like the aforementioned mushrooms, banana peels or green shells. Sure, you’ll get some of the bigger, more powerful items but not nearly as much as it seems the computer controlled racers get. Far too often when in first place and especially toward the end of races, you’ll find yourself getting hit by multiple red shells or be hit at just the right second that you can’t recover in time to get back into the top spot. Sadly, cheap gameplay like this will cause you to enjoy the game less at certain times, but then again any veteran Mario Kart player should be well accustomed to this by now.

Kart has a very robust multiplayer suite. Returning, of course, are the time tested multiplayer race and battle mode – but this year, the race finally goes online. While the Wii’s Wifi support has been lacking since the system’s launch, the quality of the online support in Mario Kart almost makes up for it. Sure, there’s the expected online match-ups and leader boards, but it’s the extra features that really make Mario Kart online so special. Someone completely smoke you online? Download their ghost to see exactly how they did it. Besides a few small setbacks and connection dips, actual online races were amazingly well done with little to no lag.

Last month, Nintendo released the amazing Super Smash Brothers Brawl, an amazingly deep game aimed to rope in the hardcore gamers that felt ignored by the company’s new system. With Mario Kart Wii, the Nintendo releases another Triple-A title. This one not only caters to a wider range of gamers, but creates the most solid, accessible and fun experience console gaming has seen in some time.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
Players: 1-4
Launch Date: April 27, 2008

Playability: 5 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound: 4 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars Editor’s choice

If recent comments from an Activision exec hold true, you may have trouble telling the two apart when Guitar Hero 4 launches.

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick was interviewed in the May issue Conde Nast Portfolio Magazine and talked about the future of the multi-million unit selling music simulator and pop phenomena, which includes more instruments and local content based on a user’s location.

“It’s not just about guitars,” said Kotick. “We’ll include a lot of other instruments and vocals. It will help us expand internationally. It’s the first game we’ve had in which we can use local content and local bands.”

Keep your eyes on this one.

Blast has learned that recently retired Green Bay Packers Quarterback Brett Favre will be the cover boy for Madden NFL 09.

While selecting a non active player may sound like an interesting choice, this year’s edition of the gridiron goliath celebrates the franchise’s twenty year anniversary, and it’s evident that EA was looking for an athlete that could match that legendary status. It shouldn’t be hard for the 3-time MVP and 9-time Pro Bowler

While EA has been advertising Friday as the date of the official cover announcement, odds are we won’t have to wait that long. Last year, Vince Young announced that he would be on the cover of Madden 08 on an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show the night before EA’s broke word. Tonight — in a rare appearance — Favre will be the second guest on The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS.

Madden 09 is scheduled to be released for all major platforms on August 12.

Sony Computer Entertainment announced Tuesday that it will extend their Playstation Home Network closed beta until at elast the fall. Sends the public release date back to sometime in 2009 by all estimates.

“We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a bit longer, but we have come to the conclusion that we need more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today,” said Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of SCE. “Our overarching objective is to provide users with new gaming experiences that are available only on PlayStation Home, spending more time on the development and on the closed beta testing reaffirms our commitment to bringing a quality service, maintaining the PlayStation tradition.”

The Home network, being called a mix between Xbox Live and Second Life, lets players customize avatars and interact with other gamers while downloading and exploring a virtual world, is no stranger to delays. After its initial announcement in March 2007, it was supposed to be released late that same year but was pushed back to spring of 2008.

This is a setback for PlayStation 3, which has been on a surge since the Toshiba conceeded the HD-DVD versus Blu-ray format war.

Sony has sold about 10.5 million PlayStation 3 units, fewer than the 20 million Nintendo Wii consoles and 17.7 million Xbox 360s sold worldwide.

Yes, its official, the much teased, and rumored eighth Mortal Kombat game will feature the superheroes from the DC Comics universe.

Midway officially announced MK VS DC at it’s Gamer’s Day press event, with new art and the first official in game movie. While only Sub-Zero, Scorpion and Batman were the only characters officially announced, it’s largely expected that many of the major (along with a few obscure) characters from each universe will be playable.

While crowds at the press event reacted to the video with cheers and excitement, the reaction on the internet has been less enthusiastic.

“Mortal Kombat is something I have taken with me from my childhood since I grew playing (Mortal Combat 1) at the arcade. I didn’t enjoy deadly alliance or the following games and was hoping this could be MK’s rebirth, since Boon was talking about it being very dark and gritty,” said one fan on the game’s official message board.

“Well, goodbye Mortal Kombat. At least the trailer made me laugh. Batman flying through the air in his tights fighting Sub-Zero? Yeah, that’s the rebirth the series needed. Congrats, my MK faith is officially gone!” said another.

“Every console generation we like to wipe the slate clean with Mortal Kombat,” said Ed Boon, one of the creators of the game series. “With this generation we’re starting new with both the new fighting engine, and as you can see, the story mode. We’re very excited about the new fighting mechanic that marries the intense brutality of Mortal Kombat with the signature moves from DC characters like Batman and Superman.”

Perhaps what is getting gamers more angry than anything else is the fact that DC Comics management will not allow the game to include fatalities — the gory and over the top finishing moves that made the Mortal Kombat series famous. I guess there’s something about seeing Batman ripped limb from limb, or the Green Lantern with his skull ripped off the doesn’t sit well with their plans.

You know the kind — they obsess over the smallest statistic, tracking their team’s every move, feeling personal jubilation at each victory and pain at each loss. In “rebuilding years” they always flex their arm chair muscle, knowing that they could have done a better job.

EA Sports has heard your pleas.

When the 20th anniversary edition of Madden NFL 09 hits shelves later this year, it will come packed with NFL Head Coach 09, a completely retooled version of the strategy and simulation game we last saw in late 2006. Listening to fan and critic reaction the initial release, EA hopes to strike that delicate balance of accessibility for new comers to the series and depth.

This year’s title does away with the cumbersome and clunky menu interface that both drove and stalled the original NFL Head Coach in favor of the new “Coach’s Clipboard” feature. Acting as everything from your calendar to your playbook, the clipboard is your window into all of the major events in an NFL season. The clipboard moves the action from out of the office into one centralized interface.

One of the major goals of the Head coach 09 development team, which is completely different than that of the original, was to take away some of the day to day tasks that plagued the 2006 version. Rather than feeling like a one-man franchise, you can now delegate certain tasks to your staff, like scouting and handling draft preparations. Most interesting is that since your staff is now made up of actual NFL personalities who you put on certain tasks will actually make a difference.

Even better — these tasks are now instantly skippable,

Aiming to create the most realistic football sim ever, NFL Head Coach 09 features a number of new features centered on individual playbooks. A new, more in depth in-game play creator let’s wannabe coaches take their creations from scribbles in the sand to NFL stadiums worldwide. Is your opponent exploiting a weak spot in your defense? Make a quick change and plug up the gaps. These new playbooks can then be imported into Madden NFL 2009 to use in game or to Gamernet to share with the world.

Building a deep game isn’t just about revising the play calling and menu system. NFL Head Coach 09 aims to capture the real life drama and emotion that comes along with running a multi-million dollar organization. While your team anxiously awaits your next move as it paces the sideline, you’ll be faced with what the development team is calling “defining moments.” Say it’s 4th and inches with 10 seconds left on the clock. How you handle the situation will result in your approval rating, and your team’s morale. Similar to the user controlled touchdown celebrations recently announced for Madden NFL 2009, players will be able to control how their coach reacts to their team’s play. Cool and collected or frustrated and yelling – it’s your choice.

While not much has been seen of the new NFL Head Coach, it’s definitely showing improvement over 2006’s version. Stay with Blast up through the game’s release for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this fall for more info.

DTS-HD is a lossless audio format capable of eight discreet channels. It is one of the, if not the best surround sound format available in consumer home theater systems.

While this may not mean much to the average consumer, critics are hailing the move, some going as far as to say that it makes the PS3 the “perfect Blu-ray player.”

Essentially, the inclusion means that games and movies can now feature an even more dynamic soundtrack; which will in turn take up less space on the disc due to a unique coding style. This leaves room for more visual and gameplay data.

The first titles to take full advantage of the new DTS-HD components are expected to hit shelves later this year, but for now PS3 owners can brag over the fact that their system, dogged by so many, can be considered one of the most technologically advanced products in the market.

Like last year’s title, 2009 will be available on most platforms, including Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PSP and DS, each with more than its fair share of new features and content.

Heavily touted for this year’s PS3 and Xbox 360 edition is the new focus on tag teams.  Players will now be able to team up in the new “Road to Wrestlemania” career mode — a first for the series and wrestling games in general.  New tag-centric finishers, momentum systems and storylines have all been teased.

Also announced is the new create-a-finisher mode. Long on the “wanted” list for years, the new mode will allow players to choose between more than 500 animations to create their dream finishing move.

Expected to tie in to this mode is the newly announced downloadable content, another first for the series.

Smackdown VS Raw 2009 will be the series second go-round on the Wii, and this year THQ plans to learn from last year’s lowly rated game and take full advantage of the systems capabilities. Promising more match types and the debut of online play, the Wii will feature a slimmed-down version of the aforementioned “Road to Wrestlemania” mode along with exclusive features including interactive entrances and victory celebrations.

Gamers looking to take their grappling skills on the road will be proud to know that the series will be returning to the PSP and Nintendo DS. The same team behind last year’s Dragon Quest Heroes is developing the DS version: Rocket Slime and is said to feature a RPG like season mode, and feature a new create-a-wrestler mode.

“The ambitious cross-platform launch of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 last year yielded tremendous growth for the franchise, as we delivered multiple gameplay experiences across seven platforms and greatly expanded our audience of WWE videogame fans,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president for worldwide marketing at THQ in a report by IGN. “With dynamic new features and the extension of our gameplay experience through downloadable content, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 will bring more console, handheld and wireless gamers together to enjoy the virtual world of WWE.”

WWE fans can expect all of their favorite grapplers, from HHH and John Cena to Chris Jericho and Batista to be included as well as the now standard WWE legends. Stay with Blast until the game’s release this fall for continued coverage!

In a web posting, Sony warns that some users could be victimized, their personal infomration viewed and games and downloads charged to their credit cards.

“We have investigated the extent of unauthorized access and possible alteration of passwords that could have occurred before corrective measures were taken, and are directly contacting customers who may have been affected by this incident,” Sony said in a statement Thursday. “In order to verify that your account is intact, we strongly suggest that PlayStation Network users sign in to the service. If you can successfully sign in with your pre-set password, your account is not affected by this incident.”

It is important to note that while the Playstation Network does store user credit card information for purchases, this data is not visible to anyone (including the user) after entered.

So, presumably,the hackers can’t use people’s credit cards for anything other than PlayStation Network downloads.

While Sony has said that they will be contacting users effected by the breach directly, they encourage anyone who believes they might be experiencing problems that can not be resolved from the methods listed on the website to e-mail them directly.

Gamers from arcades to living rooms would spend hours trying to best the score of those who came before them by any means necessary. Yes, it was a much simpler time.

Enter The Club, Bizarre Creations new run-and-gun action shooter harkens back to these golden days, mixing modern day shooter elements with an old school, points-first system.

But sadly, once the nostalgic rush wears off, it will become painfully evident just how thin of a package The Club is. Imagine one of those akward moments where everything suddenly just stops, and you’re left with a big, dumb grin on your face that slowly fades away.

The premise is simple. Compete in the aforementioned club, existing only as an urban legend to most, where a small group of rich contestants competes to see who can rack up the most points by killing off criminals paid to try and off them. Points are awarded based on kills, with bonuses for style, accuracy, what kind of opponent you killed and the weapons used.

It’s a simple system, but it can also be highly addictive. You’ll find yourself replaying entire contests just to see what scores would be if you approached different situations from different angles and using different methods.

The key to The Club is to not look at the game as a shooter. It can more aptly be compared to a racing game — you know, with guns instead of cars?

In all seriousness, making this comparison allows you to see just how hectic the game can be.

Your goal is to score as many points as possible by quickly going through a very linear course, while picking up power-ups and hitting special targets for bonuses. In this sense, The Club relies heavily on strategy. What’s the clearest way to clear a room while still garnering the most points?

Sadly, the single player game can be completed in roughly 3-4 hours. While The Club was never meant to have the massive scope of a title like Mass Effect or Lost Odyssey and a bit of forgiveness can be given for the replayability, that’s still a ridiculously short time. This is made all the more disappointing that the game’s advertised five different single player game modes are all quite similar and can fairly be brought down to two or three original modes that aren’t complete retreads of the others.

Something about The Club just feels so uninspired. Even the characters come off as mere stereotypes of characters from other games or action movies. There’s Finn, the hard on his luck southern gambler being chased by the mob. And there’s Adjo, the former Nigerian gangster who is looking to repent for the horrible things he’s done in the past.

While The Club’s visuals are quite solid — minus a few frame rate issues when the action becomes increasingly hectic — it still feels like a dated game. Characters move rigidly and get stuck behind invisible walls, a real issue when you take into account just how much timing plays into the core gameplay. Perhaps the developers were merely trying to level the playing field as the enemy AI is quite lacking. Sure, they’ll duck behind cover, but they don’t seem to stay there for long and you won’t have much trouble adding them to your kill count, even on the higher difficulties.

Those still obsessed with getting the highest score (I’m looking at you achievement point junkies) could find The Club to be entertaining enough for a few go-rounds, but with an amazingly short single player experience and no real story to speak of, The Club will offer little more than a diversion to most gamers.

While the original idea was executed in a passable fashion, there’s simply not enough secondary content to support it.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Shooter
Players: 1-4
Launch Date: February 19, 2008

Playability: 3 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Sound: 3 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Sierra Online, the studio behind a number of Xbox Live titles including Switchball and Assault Heroes 2 announced Monday that it would be bringing popular card game Lost Cities to the Xbox Live Arcade this spring.

Designed in 1999, Lost Cities places players in the shoes of explores as they lead expeditions to one of the game’s five “lost cities” (The Himalayas, The Brazilian Rain Forrest, The Dessert Sands, The Ancient Volcanoes and Neptune’s Realm).

Lost Cities is widely known as a fast-paced game, with anywhere from 2-4 participants playing and discarding cards representing each of the expeditions. When a player or team decides to undertake an expedition, it garners points by playing a series of increasing value.

Lost Cities won the 2000 International Gamers Award, given to the best in strategy board and historical simulation games. More information on the rules of Lost Cities can be found at Funagaingames.com

A producer at Sega recently told me: “In the gaming community, there will always be complaints – you just have to do your best to put out what you feel is a quality game.”

For the last few years, no game has seen as much hype as Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the latest chapter in Nintendo’s long standing fighter series.

So does it deliver?

For those unfamiliar with the world of Smash Brothers, think of it as a way to relive some of those arguments you had back in grade school. It’s a 2D, action-centric fighting game that pits legendary and recluse Nintendo universe characters against each other in mortal cartoon combat.

But it’s more – oh so much more.

Brawl plays and feels like a love letter to the Nintendo universe. Sure, there are the expected mainstays like Mario, Link, Peach and Zelda, but much credit has to be given to the developers for including names that the mainstream might not get, but that dedicated gamers will freak out over.

Look for names like Olimar from Pikmin, Meta-Knight from Kirby and Sheik from Zelda. Fancy a trip back to the 80s? Try not to smile too much as you unlock characters like Mr. Game and Watch and even R.O.B the gaming robo.

For the first time ever, characters from non Nintendo titles enter the fight. Solid Snake, complete with cardboard box and rocket launcher from the famed Metal Gear Solid series sneaks in, as does everyone’s favorite hedgehog, Sonic.

While these are great additions, it also begs the question: if this is the final Smash Bros. game, as stated by producer Sakurai, why not push for more outside characters? Who wouldn’t love to see Cloud from Final Fantasy VII take on Link, or Mega Man go head to head with Samus? Producers have gone on record as saying that they only included characters from companies that approached them, but imagine if they took a more aggressive approach.

Brawl’s in-game environments are amazing in their own right. Based off Nintendo games past and present, each stage has interactive environments that directly affect the outcome of each battle.

For instance, the Mario Kart stage has two different levels on which to fight, each with shy-guy’s racing full speed towards you get in their way and you can expect to be swept right off your feet. Some of these stages are not what you’d expect, like Pictochat, which places fighters literally in a message created on the Nintendo DS chat program while objects and terrain are being drawn all around them.

Even cooler scenes include a 3D creation of the first 2 levels from the first Mario Brothers and a Wario Ware stage.

These small touches really make Brawl shine. Sure, it was delayed countless times during it’s development cycle, but when you get a title with so much depth and replay value, it makes it worth it.

Brawl isn’t like most games, where it can be completed within a day or two of purchase. From mastering move sets to unlocking trophies and characters, this is a deceptively deep game.

Of course, at the heart of Brawl — like the other Smash Brothers games before it — is the actual combat. Damage taken by each character is represented as a percentage at the bottom on the screen. Matches, especially those featuring more than two characters and items, are incredibly frantic, so much so that players new to the franchise might be a bit overwhelmed at first.

However, the real beauty of Smash Brothers is that for a game adopted by the hardcore crowd, it’s incredibly accessible. The control scheme is intuitive and simple. There’s the jump button, a block button and two attack buttons. Which way you move the control stick governs your move choice, making it easier for new players to discover new attacks without having to worry about long button combinations.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl is controllable through four different control schemes; Wii-mote and Nunchuck, Wii classic controller, holding the Wii-mote sideways and yes, even the sturdy old Gamecube controller. This ensures that everyone can be comfortable right from the start.

Each character and each stage comes with its own strategy and play style. Brutes like Donkey Kong and Bowser may not move very fast but they are incredibly strong, while Link and Mario’s attacks may not pack the most power but they’re quick enough to deal a lot of damage quickly. There are characters who can fly, who are better with projectiles, even ride motorcycles and … fart. Half the fun is playing around with each character and seeing just what they can do.

Ask any seasoned Smash Brothers player what’s best about the series and odds are they’ll say the same thing: multiplayer. For the first time ever, multiplayer isn’t limited to your console, as Brawl takes the fight online with the Wii’s Wifi service. It’s a nice touch, using a democratic voting system for players to chose match types and stages, but to fully open up the vast array of customization options, you’ll have to connect via the hated friend codes.

For the majority of matches played online, we experienced quite a bit of lag, which admittedly happens to many games upon their release, especially ones with so many players online at one time.

Capping off the already robust customization, Brawl features a Stage editor screen where players with a bit of patience and dedication can create their own arenas to use in game. You start off by choosing the size, background (only three sadly — has there ever been more of a case for Nintendo to introduce downloadable content?) and music you’d like to use. You’re then taken to a grid like screen where you’re able place terrain, and items anywhere as well as change the position of already placed elements. Though the choices are admittedly a bit lacking, it’s extremely rewarding to battle your friends on your own creation.

You can exchange stages you’ve built with friends and even submit then to Nintendo, which will pick the best ones and make them available to players all over the world.

Brawl is more than multiplayer. Gamers looking for more of a solo experience will find plenty to love as well. There’s a classic mode, which is your basic win and advance gameplay. There is also event mode which presents a rather robust series of challenges that deal with performing special moves at certain times or defeating enemies in a certain time frame. You can chose to put your fighters through training against customizable enemies and environments or try your hand at stadium mode, a retooled version of the bonus target breaking stages from classic mode.

The greatest draw for solo players is the Subspace Emissary mode, where each of the characters come together to fight a mysterious enemy (it’s a Nintendo game – is there any other kind?) An adventure mode that harkens back to the days of previous Smash Bros games, Emissary plays like an eclectic mix of Brawl and platforming game as each new level manages to channel the spirit of the source material while still maintaining the feel of Brawl. For instance, the level you play as Donkey and Diddy Kong, you feel like you’re playing a retooled version of Super Nintendo classic Donkey Kong Country. Emissary will take most players a good eight or nine hours to complete, even if they take advantage of the cooperative mode.

With it’s incredibly accessible and addictive gameplay and insane amount of replay value that will keep even the most fickle gamers coming back for quite some times, it joins Super Mario Galaxy and Twilight Princess as games Wii owners need in their library.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl delivers.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Wii
Genre: Fighter, Action, Platforming.
Players: 1-4
Launch Date: March 9, 2008

Playability: 5 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound: 4 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars Editor’s Choice

The movie, being developed by Film Roman — also behind the animation on the Simpsons and King of the Hill — is expected to be released before the game comes out on Halloween.

“We are really excited to be working with Film Roman to create an animated feature that will tell the portion of the Dead Space saga between the comic and game,” said Glen Schofield, Executive Producer for Dead Space. “With the video game, comic book and now animated movie, Dead Space has become a true multimedia brand. Each of these elements delivers the story to new audiences and tells it from different aspects and perspectives.”

The script for the Dead Space animated movie, focusing on the events of an alien infected, futuristic mining ship, picks up where the comic book left off and leads directly to the beginning of the game.

“Due to the richness and complexity of stories that have evolved for video games, they have become a type of entertainment that can span generations and provide fantastic inspiration for other forms of media; especially in the realm of animated features,” Film Roman President and COO Scott Greenberg said. “We’re particularly thrilled to be starting off with Dead Space.”

Dead Space, which will be the first of at least three features based on EA titles, will first air on the Starz network, then be released via DVD and digital distribution.

Monolith Games’ first person, dark, noir shooter was everything highly advertised games like Kameo and Project Dark Zero were not.

It would be easy then, for the team at Monolith Games to simply update the original game for this spring’s sequel: Condemned 2: Bloodshot, but thankfully, producer Constantine Hantzopoulos and team have created what can only be described as an entirely new experience.

“Condemned was a sleeper hit, a lot of people thought it was a really good game,” Hantzopoulos told BLAST in a recent interview on their home turf. “We were a launch title though, and that can be very difficult. We sort of had to make sacrifices. Are we proud of it? Sure, but it wasn’t exactly the game we set out to make in terms of the combat, the world being flushed out.”

“I think the big thing we’ve tried to do with Condemned 2 is basically try to answer every complaint, and create something worthwhile. This is not a 1.5, this isn’t even a 1.0 – it’s kind of a new game all together.”

One of the gaming communities main complaints with the original Condemned was just how linear the gameplay was — a non-issue with Bloodshot. “We now have primary, secondary and tertiary objectives, which is something entirely new to the series,” said Hantzopoulos.

Of course, the game’s primary objectives are those dealing with the game’s main plotline, which advance the story of Agent Ethan Thomas and his downward spiraling life. The secondary objectives deal with finding, and often times destroying objects (like meth labs and sonic emitters that mess with Agent Thomas’ brain) throughout the twisted world.

The tertiary objectives are all about creating a constantly changing game experience from moment to moment. Take the new user-initiated emotional responses. “They’re kind of like the mini cut scenes in Mass Effect, except this is Condemned so you’re whipping some guy the finger or confronting someone most of the time,” Hantzopoulos said.

The best part about Condemned’s new open style is that if you just feel like going through the story, the game let’s you make that choice, but will also reward gamers who take the time to complete each objective. At the end of each mission, players are scored and given either a bronze, silver or gold medal depending on how much they accomplished. While the medals may seem like just another notch on the belt for achievement whores — the system is tied directly to weapon upgrades (bronze medal = level 2 tazer, gold = level 5 tazer)

At the heart of Condemned is the weapon heavy combat system. Agent Thomas is able to grab items from the environment like 2×4’s and electric conduits (even toilet seats) to fend off crazed maniacs and thugs. As in the original, each weapon is classified based on factors including speed, strength and reach, but the biggest improvement to the game’s combat system is built on something that Hantzopoulos felt was a no-brainer.

“You could never fight with your fists in Condemned 1. How does that make sense? Build on top of that, fist fighting through the use of combos-one-two punches, roundhouses and so on and so forth-that cause more damage,” said Hantzopoulos.

Truth be told, Bloodshot’s combat system feels miles ahead of that of it’s predecessor. Built on “four layers,” the combat system can be quite deceptive. While most FPS type games make it easy for players to simply spam or go in and wildly attack their enemies – this tactic won’t get players far in the Condemned Universe as the system is based on parrying and timing. The left and right triggers act as your hands, and you have to time your blocks and strikes with your enemy’s attacks. Think of it as a twisted version of Fight Night Round 3.

Further more, the game goes even deeper with it’s new combo system. “You’re throwing punches and as long as you don’t get hit while you’re combo meter is on screen; that next punch will give you three, four even five times more damage.”

Gamers familiar with the first Condemned will remember that when they defeated an enemy, they would drop to their knees and be prone to a violent death. Originally limited to just four choices, Bloodshot gives players’ the ability to use much of their surroundings in their kills. We were witness to everything from broken necks, to bodies placed in fire – even a head slammed into a toilet or two. “There are about 35 environmental finishing moves that are very unique to each level, (and) these are tied to achievements. We want you to try them all,” said Hantzopoulos.

Undoubtedly one of the coolest parts of the Condemned series is the forensic science aspects.

Rather than present players with the same old puzzles, Condemned asks them to use authentic forensic science tools to investigate crime scenes and gain clues to the levels and the game’s storyline.

In the portion of the game shown to Blast on our exclusive preview, we were asked to answer a few questions regarding a body found in an old abandoned apartment building. The questions asked are surprisingly deep and require some actual investigation. I was asked everything from how the victim died, to the nature of the crime. Each question is met with multiple choice answers and is scored similarly to how the objectives in the mission are,

“For us it’s really about creating compelling gameplay. Is there something cool to do, interesting to see or fin to interact with? If we’ve answered all of those questions, then I think we have a success on our hands,” said Hantzopoulos.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot is shaping up to be a spectacular gaming experience that’s miles ahead of its predecessor in terms of both presentation and content.

“The past 15 years at Sony Computer Entertainment has been the defining journey of my life so far,” said Harrison. “I am grateful to all the PlayStation family for their incredible support, guidance and friendship. It has been a privilege to serve as part of the team and be inspired by them on a daily basis. I am so proud of everything PlayStation has achieved and will continue to support its future in every way I can.”

Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc will take over for the departing Harrison, as well as keeping his additional duties.

“As one of the founding members of SCE, Phil played a key role in the development and growth of the PlayStation business and our industry,” Hirai said. “It is sad to see him departing from SCE, but I wish to express my gratitude for his many invaluable contributions and also wish Phil the very best of luck in his future endeavors.”

Sony Computer Entertainment America would not comment on Harrison’s departure.

No reason was given for Harrison’s departure, but that hasn’t stopped the internet rumor mill from turning. One theory is that Harrison had become frustrated when Sony Japan became unwilling to change their business strategy and adopt a more “casual gamer” approach.

It is also being reported by Gameindustry.biz that Harrison is leaving Sony for a job with the Infogrames American brand, Atari — which is undergoing a major restructuring to try to return to glory.