Sony releases a Lego Batman PS2 bundle. Or is it a BatBundle?

The PS2 refuses to back down in the midst of its graphically superior successors. Many game companies are still bringing out an ample amount of PS2 titles for the remainder of 2008 including a new bundle for the just released title LEGO Batman: The Video Game.

This limited edition bundle is selling for $150 and will include the slim PS2 console, LEGO Batman: The Video Game, DUALSHOCK 2 controller, and Justice League: The New Frontier on DVD. This bundle can be found at retail or online but don’t debate the virtue of bundles for too long since there aren’t too many of these to go around.

While we’re on the topic of Sony products refusing to fade away, why not check out some UMD movies we all know and love?

Read [Electronista] Also Read [Ubergizmo]

Gaia Online to include in-world instant messaging

I just received a message from Gaia online today that asked a strange question: “Hi Lucy, What do Neopets, MapleStory and Habbo all have in common?”

Out of curiosity I logged into my Gaia Online account to see what Kate Pietrelli, an account manager for TriplePoint (Gaia’s PR agency), is typing about and, sure enough, along the top of the page is the option to send an instant message my fellow Gaians.

Pietrelli wrote that the GIM (Gaia Instant Messenger) is “the latest interactive feature to launch on Gaia Online. GIM will enable Gaia’s virtual world community of more than 7 million active members to stay constantly in contact within Gaia. In a trial launch to its members on September 18, 2008, audiences sent over 1 million instant messages in just 6 hours through the GIM feature on Gaia. GIM will fully roll out to the Gaia community this week.”

GIM is cute and very easy to use. It does not require any programs to download and, if your like me, there’s nothing more annoying than having hundreds of programs on your desktop just to say “Hello” to one person.

Once you log in you can move it to either side of the window or, if you don’t want to be seen, you can set your availability icon to Invisible or Away with your own customizable away messages.

The messenger will automatically have all your Gaia friends on the buddy list when you first log in and, by using GIM, users can earn up to 200 Gaia gold pieces a day that they can use to buy items for their avatars. They can also teleport to any friend’s location and share a game, watch a movie together at the cinema, post in the threads, etc.

Just like regular chat programs, you are able to block or remove users from the buddy list as well as add new buddies to it. You can use it almost instantly by clicking on the link at the top of the pages.

According to Pietrelli, the GIM uses the same technology as America Online’s instant messenger and was created to allow Gaia users to talk to other Gaians either person-to-person or in group chats without having to stop the game they’re playing to check messages. They can send messages to their friends regardless of where they are located within Gaia and even make new friends while watching a movie, playing a game or exploring other areas.

Site [Gaia Online] Read [Gaia]

Warhammer Online Age of Reckoning goes live

On September 18, 2008, the servers for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) went live in North America, Europe and the Oceanic territories. Now that the game is out of the beta stage and is open for public consumption, players are invited to join in the mayhem.

WAR is the grim MMORPG version of a gothic world that has literally gone to Hell. Some parts of the world may have once been a paradise. However, wars between anyone who can fight and the forces of Chaos have essentially put the world on a path raging toward ruin.

As shown to those who participated in the beta version of WAR, it will be played like a mixture of the miniatures strategy game Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (essentially Warhammer’s answer to Dungeons & Dragons).

It utilizes Realm vs. Realm (RvR) gameplay where each individual character constitutes a soldier in the army of one side of the battle. In other words, when you band together, life or death will depend on two things: how well your unit works together and how well the opposition’s unit works together.

While the beta version was free, Mythic Entertainment is shifting to a pay-to-play system. They are offering different subscription deals to gamers. For one month the cost is US$14.99. A 3-month subscription costs $41.97 (which comes out to $13.99 per month) and a 6-month subscription costs $77.94 ($12.99 per month).

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is now available in stores for PC for $49.99 and is rated “Teen” by the ESRB. Prepaid Game Time cards are also available at most game stores.

Enjoy the ensuing wartime Chaos.

Read [Gamertell] Site [Warhammer Online] Site [Electronic Arts] Site [EA Mythic]

Megadeth’s entire breakout album available on Rock Band 2

Harmonix and MTV Games added Megadeth’s influential breakout album Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying to the Rock Band catalog of downloadable content on September 16, 2008, for the Xbox 360 and September 18, 2008, for Playstation 3.

The title track to the album is included on the Rock Band 2 disc but the other seven songs were unavailable (until last week, that is). The price for the full album is $10.99 (880 Microsoft Points) or you can get individual tracks for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) each.

With the addition of Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying, there are more than 300 tracks currently available through disc and download purchase.

Megadeth was formed shortly after Metallica’s first album Kill ‘Em All was released. With some of the songs on Kill ‘Em All written by ex-Metallica lead guitarist Dave Mustaine and used without his consent, Mustaine formed Megadeth as retribution.

Their first album, Killing is My Business...And Business is Good, made some pretty big waves critically. It was Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying, however, that thrust Mustaine and the rest of Megadeth into the limelight. Megadeth has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and still manages to keep their audience’s attention with ripping guitar styling and vocal styling. Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying sold more than one million copies nationally.

Megadeth’s remaining in the forefront of metal is partially due to Dave Mustaine’s life experiences, which in some cases is the inspiration that fuels the songs he writes. These experiences include having an abusive alcoholic father, getting kicked out Metallica, going through rehab 13 times for heroin addiction and in one case literally dying from a drug overdose.

Read [Shack News] Site [Rock Band] Site [Megadeth]

Farscape saga continues via comics this November

Fans of the excellent, super-creative sci-fi series Farscape, rejoice! The story of Astronaut John Crichton, Aeryn Sun, and the rest of the randy band of misfits will continue in a comic series to be published by Boom! Studio. SFX reports that the new run begins in November, and it’s coming straight from series creator Rockne O’Bannon. The story will also pick up right where the series finale ( the Peacekeeper Wars miniseries) left off.

Comic Book Resources Has the full scoop, which gives a few more story details. The original announcement of the comic series came last spring, so dedicated fans are already in the know. But it’s quite exciting news nonetheless.

Ok, full disclosure time - I’ve been a ‘scaper for forever - it’s literally my favorite series of all time. I’ll keep the gushing limited to this sentence: it was hilarious, genuinely creative and thoughtful, dark as can be and endlessly fun to watch. So I just might pick this up come November. Maybe.

Read [Comic Book Resources] Also Read [SFX]

Musical video games outselling digital music

3News has a little blurb up on the extreme popularity of music games ( like Guitar Hero, Rock Band and their knock-offs) - and their impact on the music industry and musicians. Basically, it’s a mainstream publication taking a look at how one genre of videogames has erupted and is now changing the business model for an entirely other (and formerly larger) industry.

It’s always fun to see how mainstream publications treat videogames - but 3news does a good job getting the details right (I would’ve laughed if they said something like “Band Hero” or “Guitar Rock” or some other ridiculous misnomer). It’s also incredibly cool how games - well, rhythm-music games - are revitalizing the staid music business. Who would’ve thought?

Read [3News]

GTA: Chinatown Wars details revealed by Nintendo Power

The latest game in the Grand Theft Auto universe has been shrouded in mystery just like its predecessors since it was first revealed at E3 2008. The only thing we knew about the game was that it would have something to do with Chinatown and it’s exclusively for the Nintendo DS.

Today (September 19, 2008) scans from an upcoming issue of Nintendo Power magazine give more insight into what this game will include.

According to Neogaf GTA: Chinatown Wars will be a cell-shaded adventure taken from an isometric viewing angle. The somewhat top-down perspective is reminiscent of the earlier GTA titles that first appeared on PC in 1997. The game will stay true to its roots by offering an open-world environment with a Mature rating to boot.

Other details include a full day and night cycle, touchscreen minigames, a PDA that will keep track of contacts and serve as a GPS unit and a good number of radio stations to jam to.

GTA: Chinatown Wars is designed around quick bursts of gameplay that has come to be expected from a handheld title. So far no details were given about the possibility of multiplayer matches, though statistics from the game will be uploaded to the Rockstar Social Club website through the DS Wi-Fi connection.

Read [Gamekyo] Also Read [Nintendo Everything]

Free LittleBigPlanet content for early adapters

Media Molecule announced today (September 19, 2008) that LittleBigPlanet has officially gone gold which means the game is complete and is in the process of packaging. The game will come out on October 21, 2008, in North America and Latin America with a European release coming later in the week. Media Molecule was kind enough to give out goodies to those who PlayStation Blog states that anyone who picks up LBP during the first week will receive a free spacesuit costume for Sackboy to prove you were there when the game launched. Another rare piece of clothing named the “I was there Week One” T-Shirt will also be available. The post wasn’t clear on whether this shirt will be free or if it’ll be premium content for those who like to brag.

Read [Mik 2121] Via [PlayStation Blog]

Gamertell Review: The Horus Heresy: Flight of the Eisenstein by James Swallow

Title: Flight of the Eisenstein
Author: James Swallow
Publisher: The Black Library
Release Date: 2007
Price: $7.99
Rating: Two thumbs up, 90/100, B+, **** out of five.
Pros: Quick pace with stronger writing than False Gods and Galaxy in Flames, gives a new view to the events of Horus’s betrayal, develops most of the major characters wonderfully
Cons: The writing a bit awkward in some points. It could do a better job developing all of the major characters equally.
Overall: It’s a good read. When the writing isn’t awkward it’s also a surprisingly quick read.

Flight of the Eisenstein is one of the better written parts of a truly epic series of game based fiction. Being the first book in The Horus Heresy that follows a legion other than Warmaster Horus Lupercal’s Luna Wolves, it is also one that manages to keep things fresh by adding a new perspective.

The Heresy Continues

In Flight of the Eisenstein, the legion in direct focus is the Death Guard. Much like the Luna Wolves, Horus’s betrayal of the Emperor will shape their fate in the coming war. The book still focuses heavily on some of the Luna Wolves, who have to still play an important role, but that’s in the latter half of the book. Some of the Emperor’s Children legion show up in this book as with the World Eaters legion. The people who play a major role in the book are predominantly in the Death Guard legion.

The Luna Wolves are lead specifically by the Warmaster and their tactics are to adapt to circumstance, in other words their art of war is to kill the enemy by learning from them. The Emperor’s Children are lead by Primarch Fulgrim and are obsessed with perfection in all things, including war. The World Eaters are lead by Primarch Angron, a former slave, and are generally looked down upon because of their brutal tactics. Their strategy is “if you can’t win with force, you’re not hitting hard enough.” The Death Guard are lead by Primarch Mortarion and just do their duty to the Emperor stoically, until they commit treason.

Nice Middleground

This is one of the richest books in the series in terms of action. It takes you from combat on xenos hive ships to planetary combat all the way up to naval battles. It’s still rich in detail and does a great job at character development. However, it doesn’t develop all characters equally like Horus Rising did. It doesn’t make the same mistakes as False Gods or Galaxy in Flames either. It’s a healthy middle ground between the problems.

Some of the major characters don’t get quite as well developed as you’d wish while others you may find yourself wishing for them to pull the description punch. Some of the times when descriptions should be helpful they can be awkwardly written so you need to read through some descriptions two or three times to put them into context. Then again even with these problems the story is well written, bordering on poetic.

A Flight Worth Taking

There’s a lot of good to this book. Since it’s a new view of on the events brought up in the first three books, it works as both a part of series but also a standalone storyline.

It’s also enjoyable while not falling to the same issue as some of Swallow’s past work for The Black Library. It’s worth the $7.99 cover price.

Site [Flight of the Eisenstein] Read [Lone Pilgrim] Also Read [LEXICANUM]

Japanese Import: World Destruction: Michibikareshi Ishi for DS

September 25, 2008, marks the beginning of the end as Sega’s newest Nintendo DS role-playing game, World Destruction: Michibikareshi Ishi (WD), invades store shelves everywhere in Japan.

World Destruction takes place in a fictitious world where a young man, Kyrie Irunisu, has the power to destroy the world. This magical world of ruin lies subject to the jurisdiction of hominoid animals that have enslaved all humans and becomes the catalyst to the birth of the terrorist group known as the “World Destruction Committee.” The Committee’s main objective is to destroy the world as an act of rebellion. The preternaturally pernicious power that dwells within Kyrie quickly makes him the indispensable subject of interest for the World Destruction Committee.

World Destruction boasts designs contributed by key members of Square’s original Xenogears’ development team as well as former staff who worked on games including Grandia and Etrian Odyssey. Those who have played Xenogears may find WD’s battle system very familiar because it is rumored to utilize similar button mechanics. Each button on the DS will play an integral part of combat within the turn-based attack system.

In order to promote the success of this game, both an anime and a manga series launched early Summer 2008, including World Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokunin , an anime adaptation of the game that began airing July 8, 2008, in Japan. Many famous seiyuu (voice actors) have been hired for the anime and, likewise, reprise their roles in the game. The most notable of the bunch would arguably be Mamoru Miyano (Light from. Death Note) who plays Kyrie and Maaya Sakamoto (Hitmoi from Vision of Escaflowne) who voices Morte. The manga, titled World Destruction: Futari no Tenchi, also began its serialization in July 2008 and is currently running in the Japanese publication Dengeki Maoh.

A limited edition version of World Destruction is available for pre-order here and will cost enthusiasts about US$140 (including shipping). Items in this special package include:

• World Destruction: Michibikareshi Ishi game for Nintendo DS
• Original pocket watch
• Telephone card
• Premium Soundtrack CD Sand Sea Version

Site [World Destruction] Read [RPGamer]

Konami reveals its Fall, Winter 2008 line up

Konami is gearing up for the 2008 holiday season by releasing its list of upcoming games for every major platform.

To Konami’s credit, it has a wide variety of genres to choose from this winter. Most of them are music based titles such as Dance Dance Revolution titles, Karaoke Revolution, and its newest entry into the plastic instrument playing universe, Rock Revolution. Just try to find something in this list that doesn’t interest you. My guess is that would be a difficult task.

Konami’s Fall/Winter line-up is as follows:

Title: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Genre: Platformer
System: Nintendo DS
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Price: $29.99

Title: Castlevania: Judgment
Genre: Fighting
System: Nintendo Wii
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Price: $49.99

Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Genre: Sports
System: Wii (2009), PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, PC
Release Date: November 11, 2008
Price: $29.99-$49.99

Title: DanceDanceRevolution Hottest Party 2
Genre: Music
System: Nintendo Wii
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Price: $69.99

Title: DanceDanceRevolution Universe 3
Genre: Music
System: Xbox 360
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Price: $69.99

Title: DanceDanceRevolution X
Genre: Music
System: PS2
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Price: $49.99

Title: Rock Revolution
Genre: Music
System: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Price: $29.99-$129.99

Title: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2
Genre: Music
System: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Price: $49.99

Title: Winx Club:Mission Enchantix
Genre: Action
System: Nintendo DS
Release Date: November 4, 2008
Price: $19.99

Title: Lost in Blue Shipwrecked
Genre: Action Adventure
System: Nintendo Wii
Release Date: September 23, 2008
Price: $29.99

Title: Silent Hill: Homecoming
Genre: Survival Horror
System: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Price: $59.99

Title: Elebits: Adventures of Kai and Zero
Genre: Adventure
System: Nintendo DS
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Price: $29.99

Read [PTD Magazine] Also Read [Video Game Playerz]

Warhammer Online gets novel treatment with Empire in Chaos

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) left the beta stage today and is now open to the public. Just before WAR’s official opening to the public, The Black Library, publishers of all fiction Warhammer and Warhammer 40k related, released a new novel titled Empire in Chaos.

While the game is supposed to be a condensed visual representation of the franchise’s rich lore and play style, Empire in Chaos looks to answer questions concerning events in the game.

The storyline follows a refugee of war as she flees from the forces of chaos that destroyed her village. She meets up with a High Elf that was injured in the never-ending war with chaos as well as an Imperial Witch Hunter and a Dwarven Ironbreaker on their mission to push back the legions of Dark Elves, Orks, Chaos and daemons that have besieged the alliance of order.

This is fairly accurate to the plot of WAR. You have the choice of three classes for the game in each of the factions. While the Alliance of Order and the Alliance of Destruction are obviously warring with each other, everyone still has the chance of fighting against the other factions of their alliance. This is fairly obvious because it’s Warhammer-based. Everyone fights everyone and sometimes not even for good reasons.

The game, when patched at a later time, will probably be incorporating more aspects of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay experience by adding in basic starting jobs rather than limiting you to the prestige classes most noted for each faction, going off of the information given by the WAR website, which is included down below.

The book is written by Anthony Reynolds. His past works in the Warhammer universe(s) are Dark Apostle, Knight Errant and Mark of Chaos. Having read his other work, Empire in Chaos should prove to be an interesting story. Look in the near future for a review of the book.

Site [The Black Library] Site [Warhammer Online] Read [Gamertell]

Atlus decides to spoil fans this season

Atlus has just announced that all three RPGs released by the company this holiday season will come with soundtrack CDs and have artbook preorder bonuses. Atlus had previously that soundtracks would accompany Eternal Poison, Luminous Arc 2 and Persona 4, and now has decided to offer 60-100 page art books as well. GameStop/EB Games, Amazon.com and Game Crazy are the four retailers specifically mentioned for the deal, but other stores should offer the artbook preorder as well.

Eternal Poison a strategic RPG for the PS2, comes out first on November 11, 2008. It comes with a 100 page artbook full of art from the game. Next, Luminous Arc 2, a strategic RPG for the DS, comes out on November 18, 2008. Its artbook is a bit smaller, at only 60 pages, but includes art from both Luminous Arc 1 and 2. Finally, Persona 4, a PS2 RPG, comes out on December 9, 2008, with a 100 page artbook to accompany it.

It really is a wonderful promotion, and I’m sure it will drive Atlus fans to the nearest game store to preorder. I know I’d love a Persona 4 or Luminous Arc artbook. The soundtrack alone was a nice tidbit, I wonder why more companies don’t include one with the game.

Read [WorthPlaying] Site [Atlus]

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning to work with Switchblade

When Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning comes out tomorrow (September 18, 2008), players will be able to play the Windows MMORPG with an Xbox 360 controller thanks to SwitchBlade. SwitchBlade is a free program from Blue Orb Inc. which allows owners of Xbox 360 controllers to use them to play games on their PCs.

To make things even easier, Blue Orb is offering a SwitchBlade for Warhammer Online download. This option comes with the buttons and controls already mapped to the Xbox 360 controller, so players can jump right in tomorrow. If you’re unhappy with the controls already set up in SwitchBlade for Warhammer Online, you can always change it to suit you. Its a small, 8.2mb download, and only requires Windows XP with service pack 2 (SP2), .NET 2.0 and DirectX.

SwitchBlade also works with quite a few other MMORPGs, so PC gamers with an Xbox 360 may want to check the program out. Some of the other titles it is compatible with are World of Warcraft Guild Wars and Call of Duty 4. In addition to SwitchBlade for Warhammer Online, there are general SwitchBlade v3.0.6 and SwitchBlade for Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures downloads.

Read [GamersHell.com] Also Read [Ten Ton Hammer] Site [SwitchBlade]

The Virtual Boy lives on, in Dubai

I must say this is quite an interesting find indeed. Nintendo’s infamous failed experiment known as the Virtual Boy has turned up in Dubai. In August of 2008, a group of persons were merely cleaning out a warehouse when they stumbled upon 100 Virtual Boy consoles sealed away in boxes for over a decade. It’s appearance now is almost as baffling as how it wound up in Dubai in the first place.

Vijay Chandrabota, the purchasing manager for Geekay Games spoke with The National about the find saying he didn’t even know the Virtual Boy even existed until he and his colleagues found the boxes.

Even though the Virtual Boy was responsible for creating migraines and dizziness in any individual who was unfortunate enough to witness its red and black landscapes, some game enthusiasts such as Mohammed Omran made sure he got a couple Virtual Boy systems under the impression it would sell for far more than its worth. The National reported he was chasing after the elusive Virtual Boy all over Dubai, and he insisted it’s not easy to find one these days.

The remaining Virtual Boy consoles could possibly make it’s way across the internet for a pretty penny. What better gift to give than the videogame system that bares Nintendo’s shame?

Read [The National] Via [Wired] Also Read [Game Argus]

Accessorizing - rented purses come with matching DS units

Nintendo has just announced that it is teaming up with the purse rental site From Bags to Riches to promote the DS. From Bags to Riches customers visiting the site to rent a Coach, Gucci, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton, Prada or Tory Burch bag may take advantage of a free, 30-day DS rental. Once the rental period is done, you return the purse and bag to From Bags to Riches. The promotion has just begun, and will run until the end of 2008.

There are some limitations. The company isn’t going to allow you to choose any DS and any purse. You first visit the promotion page to look over the DS combination packages - metallic silver and New Super Mario Bros, metallic rose and Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir, crimson and black and Brain Age 1 & 2 or Crosswords DS, cobalt and black and Nintendogs or onyx and Mario Kart DS. You then go down and click on one of the six purse brands featured below. When you choose a purse, there will be an option to select your DS rental.

It really isn’t a bad deal. The purse rental fee for the featured bags range from $34.95 to $299.95, depending on the brand and style. Imagine how nice a cobalt and black DS would look in a Prada Tessuto, and then getting to play and use it for only $34.95.

Read [Geek Sugar] Also Read [Ars Technica] Site [From Bags to Riches]

Ignition Entertainment to release Blue Dragon Plus outside Japan

Many people speculated that Blue Dragon Plus, the DS sequel to Blue Dragon, would be released outside of Japan. They were right - Ignition Entertainment has officially announced that it will be bringing Blue Dragon Plus to both North America and Europe in March, 2009.

As mentioned previously on Gamertell, Blue Dragon Plus is a direct sequel to the original Xbox 360 title Blue Dragon. Once again, Shu, Jiro, Kluke, Marumaro and Zola are the heroes, trying to explore a strange cube world and defeat a new villain - a dragon shadow known as Balaur. Like Heroes of Mana or Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, Blue Dragon Plus is a real time strategic RPG. You send your Blue Dragon characters off into battles with enemies in the newly discovered cube world.

Slowly but surely, the DS is building an RPG catalog that might one day rival the PSP’s. At the very least, it’s real time strategic RPG division is a match for Sony’s handheld. When it comes to standard strategic RPGs, the PSP still has a head start. The DS needs more titles like Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Luminous Arc, Hoshigami and Disgaea DS before it can even think about facing the PSP on that front.

Read [TVG] Also Read [Siliconera] Also Read [Gamertell]

Nintendo holding special events for Kirby Super Star Ultra

A cryptic Nintendo press release has revealed a special event for this Thursday (September 18, 2008). Nintendo is going to be at Kirby Middle School in Birmingham, AL, Kirby Historical Mill in Medford, NJ, Kirby Park in Kingston, PA and Kirby Gate Shopping Center in Memphis, TN for a “Celestrial Event.” Of course it’s talking about Kirby Super Star Ultra, the remake of the SNES game Kirby Super Star.

Nintendo hasn’t discussed what kind of goings-on will be happening at any of the four locations. The press release just states that at 8:30am-12:30pm Central time and 9:30am-1:30pm Eastern time, something special will be going down. Also, it states that someone from Nintendo will be giving interviews at Kirby Middle School. Since it says Nintendo authority, it could be an official representative, or maybe even Kirby himself. If it was a guy in a Kirby suit, I’d so be there - I want a picture with Kirby!

I’m sure that, since this is some sort of launch event for Kirby Super Star Ultra, there will be plenty of Kirby themed items. There will also probably be copies of Kirby Super Star Ultra and DS demo stations where people can sample the game. Maybe even a contest? If you live near Birmingham, Medford, Kingston or Memphis, it might be worth checking out. Kirby Super Star Ultra comes out September 22, 2008.

The event locations, as taken from the official press release:

• Kirby Middle School
  1328 28th Street
  Birmingham, AL
  35234
• Kirby Historical Mill
  275 Church Road
  Medford, NJ
  08055
• Kirby Park
  301 Northampton Street
  Kingston, PA
  18704
• Kirby Gate Shopping Center
  6548 Quince
  Memphis, TN
  38119

Read [Kotaku] Also Read [Business Wire]

Spore fans react to DRM fiasco with creativity

The release of Spore has been one of great fun and perhaps even greater frustration. The game itself has been getting favorable reviews from many outlets largely due to its robust creation tools and emphasis on indirect community interaction. Ironically enough, EA has come under fire due to Spore‘s digital rights management (DRM) system.

The Spore community has responded the only way they know how- by creating anti-DRM creatures in Spore. This community may be comprised of the same individuals that helped give Spore one of the lowest ratings on Amazon ever. We’ve seen a certain game company buckle under pressure from unhappy consumers before with the cancellation of Battlefield: Bad Company‘s pay-for-weapons program and Mass Effect‘s ten day authentication requirement. Ironic that all these games were published by EA.

DRM works by only allowing a player to install Spore up to three times on any computer. If you exceed that number, EA would have to hear your story as to why you need more than three installs. If EA empathizes with your situation it’ll give you more installs.

Read [Game Culture] Via [Game Politics]

Price Drop: Call of Duty 4 for PS3 $39.99 on Amazon

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2007 and its influence continues to spread over the gaming world. Millions of people have already purchased the game, but for those who have been meaning to, Amazon is selling CoD 4 Game of the Year Edition on PS3 for only $39.99. It is also eligible for free shipping if you don’t mind waiting a few extra days to receive the game.

There are a couple things that are strange about this deal. First off it’s not listed for the new low price after doing a basic search for the game. It’s listed under the Featured Merchants section of Amazon even though you’re getting the game from Amazon in the first place. Secondly, the game is listed as taking 4 to 7 weeks to ship. It seems the game will be delivered in almost two months at the latest. By that time Call of Duty: World at War should be close to its own release date.

If you don’t mind potentially waiting a long time to get CoD 4 then this deal is a no brainer, but it’s a good thing to be aware of that fact before placing your order.

Read [PS3 Fanboy] Product Page [Amazon] 

EA gives Tomb Raider:Underworld the mobile treatment

Hot off the heels of its botched attempt to acquire Take-Two, Electronic arts has teamed up with Eidos to publish one of its biggest franchises.Tomb Raider: Underworld will make its way onto consoles in November of 2008, but it will also make an appearance on mobile devices as well.

Unlike the console versions, which are being published by Eidos Interactive, the rights to publish the mobile iteration of Tomb Raider: Underworld sits solely with EA Mobile. EA signed an agreement with Eidos giving it the right to publish Underworld, alongside mobile versions ofJust Cause 2, California Games X, and Minesweeper.

With this agreement, EA will also publish other undisclosed titles in Eidos Interactive’s catalog for the next three years. A specific release date, potential carriers, or gameplay characteristics for Tomb Raider: Underworld mobile have not yet been released.

Read [Pocket Gamer] Also Read [Gamers Daily News] 

Press release confirms Suikoden: Tierkreis is coming

Today (September 16, 2008), Konami released an official press release providing initial information on the first DS entry in the Suikoden series,Suikoden: Tierkries. You know what this means - localization. Suikoden: Tierkries hasn’t even been released in Japan yet, but already Konami wants to confirm the title for a stateside release. The latest entry will be a traditional Suikoden (not like Suikoden Tactics) and will revolve around collecting the 108 Stars of Destiny. A US release date was not provided.

There are two diferences in Suikoden: Tierkries. The first, is that you begin the game with the final three Stars of Destiny, and you must resurrect 104 more to defeat the One King. If you don’t, the whole universe will be destroyed - typically Suikoden games’ villains only affect the planet they’re on. The second addition is Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection compatibility - you can send you characters to friends and have them complete quests when you aren’t playing. That way your characters level up and your friends get stuff done.

Originally, fans speculated that Suikoden: Tierkries would be released in the US due to Konami trademarking the title for use in the US, and began wondering which console it would appear on. Shortly after, the game was announced in Japan, only for the DS. Perhaps this press release from Konami means that Suikoden: Tierkries will be one of those games with a nearly simultaneous, worldwide release. Or maybe they just want to let US Suikoden fans know they haven’t been forgotten.

Read [MCV] Also Read [Gamers Platform] Site [Genso Suikoden Tierkries (Japanese)]

Drugged out classic games

1Up posted a very fun feature today about the essential drugginess of many classic games. It’s a countdown of the top five, everything from the munch-centric antics of Pac-Man to the mushroom use of Super Mario Bros. all the way to the blatant pill-popping of Dr. Mario.

You know, they’re missing a few classics. Like Space Invaders (paranoid fantasy?) and Yoshi’s Island (remember those trippy “fuzzies”?) and evenSonic the Hedgehog (speed - it’s not just about velocity). Check out the post for the usual (1Up writer) Scott Sharkey humor. And post in the comments if you have other good suggestions!

Read [1Up]

Wii Virtual Console/WiiWare update for September 15-21, 2008

Do my eyes deceive me? Do we actually have a third week of strong content on the Wii’s downloadable services? Yes, in fact we do, with the second episode of the hilarious Strong Bad adventure game and Bubble-Bobble-esque puzzler Potpourrii on WiiWare, with phenomenal classicMega Man 2 on the Virtual Console. Time to clean out that fridge (and get on the storage solution, Nintendo!). As usual, all titles are available on the Wii Shop channel, with a fresh batch arriving every Monday at 9 AM Pacific time. Wii points can be purchased at a rate of $1=100 points.

Nintendo’s descriptions:

WiiWare 

Strong Bad Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, Use of Alcohol, 1,000 Wii Points): Strong Badia the Free is the second of five monthly episodes starring Strong Bad—the self-proclaimed “coolest person ever”—and the rest of the cast from the popular Homestar Runner Web cartoons. When Strong Bad fails to obey the King of Town’s totally unfair e-mail tax, he’s placed under house arrest. Once freed from his wrongful imprisonment, Strong Bad goes on a mission to unite the local warring factions under the Strong Badian flag. Is Free Country USA ready for such an awesome ruler? Strong Bad Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free also has the Videlectrix arcade classic “Math Kickers Featuring the Algebros,” plus all-new achievements, collectibles, costumes and Teen Girl Squad comics. You can even use Strong Bad’s Lappy to send e-mails and pictures to your Wii Friends. So what are you waiting for? Fire up Strong Badia the Free and get ready to kick some doughy King of Town butt.

Potpourrii (Abstraction Games, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): In the puzzle game Potpourrii, everything revolves around the seasons. For centuries, the seasons have followed a set pattern. But then things start to go awry in the forest. Suddenly it’s snowing while the sun shines and flowers bloom while leaves are falling. Then a strange purple goo appears. The leprechauns are stunned. Even worse, the magic oak of life loses its power. It all turns out to be the fault of an evil wizard. You must help the leprechauns defeat him and restore natural order. To do this, you need to collect seasonal spirits. Pick them up with the spirit cannon, shoot them at the center of the screen, group them and make them disappear. But watch out—they get faster and faster. In short: Potpourrii is a puzzle game that keeps you hooked with its colorful visuals, beautiful effects and easy-to-use controls using the Wii Remote controller. Play alone or with a second player, and even use your Mii character.

Virtual Console 

Mega Man 2 (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Widely regarded by fans as one of the greatest action games of all time, Mega Man 2 is the second title in the seminal NES series. With even more stages and robot masters than the previous installment, its sheer size and scope are enough to get any action gamer’s heart palpitating. The year is 200X. Dr. Light’s super-robot, Mega Man, has succeeded in smashing the evil ambition of the nefarious Dr. Wily, and peace reigns over the planet. However, Dr. Wily proves to be a hard man to keep down and has returned with a new army of robot masters in tow to challenge our hero. Can Mega Man save the world again?

Read [Wii Nintendo] Also Read [WiiWare World]

Browser-based Golemizer lets players be mad, or sane, scientists

MMORPG fans who don’t like downloading clients may want to sample Golemizer, a new, free, browser-based MMORPG from Dave Toulouse. In Golemizer, you get to be a scientist and create monsters. You can also build your own homes, craft your own items, learn skills, chat with other players and form guilds. Golemizer may look low-key, but offers an astonishing number of options for players.

The golem portion of Golemizer refers to the monsters that players create. These golems act as pets, loyal to their creator or owners’ every command. You tell them what you want them to do, and they’ll step up - even if you’re not logged into the game and playing. Golems are also used to engage in battles. If your golems are strong enough, your character or guild will move up in the rankings and become more famous.

Golemizer is also very accessible. The official website offers a bit of introduction for beginners. The forums have a guide section to help get people started, a page explaining golem commands and a golem list. The game works with Firefox 2.0+, Internet Explorer 6.0+ and Safari 3.0+, so everyone who wants to play, can.

Read [Multiplayer.ro] Also Read [MCV] Site [Golemizer]

wipEout HD drifts onto PSN September 25, 2008

The PlayStation Blog announced today (September 15, 2008) that the highly anticipated high definition remake of the wipEout franchise will be available exclusively for the PlayStation Network next Thursday (September 25, 2008). wipEout HD will feature many new technical and gameplay advances for the relative low price of $19.99.

wipEout HD will be capable of delivering full 1080p graphics complete with Dolby 5.1 surround sound support. It will also be one of few games to run at a constant 60fps. These features are usually a milestone for retail titles so seeing it available in a downloadable purchase speaks volumes of the dedication the developers put into the game. You can play wipEout HDoffline or online with up to 8 players at once. If you choose to stay offline, there will be 5 different game modes to choose from with 8 reversible tracks to compete on.

wipEout HD takes advantage of the latest PS3 firmware update by allowing in-game custom playlists and Trophy support. The playlists will be enabled at launch, but the Trophies will come in a future patch.

Read [PlayStation Blog] Also Read [Exophase] 

Playstation Store Update for the week of September 11-17, 2008

This week brings more slim pickings at the Playstation Store.  But everyone who bought a subscription to Qore or last week’s episode can now download the demo of Motorsport: Pacific Rift.  Also, the Rock Banddollar discount returns this month for the All That Remains pack, which will go up to $2 next month.

And now, the list. 
Full Games 
Jeopardy ($15)

Demos 
Motorsport: Pacific Rift (only available with purchase of an annual subscription or the fourth episode of Qore) 
FIFA 09 
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith

Add-on Content 
Rock Band All That Remains pack, including “This Calling,” “Chiron” and “Two Weeks” ($1 per song for this month, $3 for the pack) 
Guitar Hero III/World Tour: Metallica’s Death Magnetic album ($18) 
PAIN Amusement Park ($6), Yeony, Tati and Kenneth characters ($0.99 per character)

Game Videos 
Golden Axe: Beast Rider Trailer 2 
FIFA 09 Trailer 
NHL 09 Teaser and Defensive Sizzle Trailers 
Blitz: The League II Trailer 2 
Saints Row 2 Uncle Gary Sticky Bombs and Throwing People Trailers 
Need For Speed Undercover Launch Trailer 
Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway Brutality of War Gameplay video 
Legendary Behind the Scenes Episode 3

Wallpapers & Themes 
Mirror’s Edge Theme 1 
PAIN Amusement Park, Yeony, Tati and Kenneth Themes and Amusement Park wallpaper

Read [Playstation Blog]

Train dogs in Dog Whisperer DS - Cartman not included

Ubisoft, the game company which brought us the Petzand Imagine game titles that litter the DS aisles, has something new planned - a pet game based on Dog Whisperer. Before the end of Fall 2008, DS owners will be able to get inside their dog’s head with the a DS game that uses Cesar Millan’s methods.

Parents looking for a traditional pet sim for their child probably won’t want to pick up the Dog Whisperer game. The gameplay sounds more in line with one of the Imagine titles, as the player actually acts as a dog behavior expert, like Cesar Millan, and learns how to handle problem dogs. Ubisoft’s information on the title states that there will be 40 dog problems to deal with, and that Cesar Millan will be acting as a mentor to players, guiding them through it.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this is that “Tsst” episode of South Park. You know, that’s the one where Cartman gets so unruly that Nanny 911 and Super Nanny can’t save him, and the only alternative is to call in Cesar Millan to reign him in. If Ubisoft’s Dog Whisperer game has Cartman as an unlockable, trainable character, then I’m in. Since that announcement wasn’t made (and the game has an “Everyone” rating), you’ll only be able to train dogs.

Editor’s Note: This is fake box art created for Gamertell. The real box art does not have South Park‘s Cartman, Cartman Edition or an M-rating on it.

Read [The Clarion-Ledger] Also Read [Kotaku]