Today THQ announced that it will handle publishing 4A Games’ post-apocalyptic shooter Metro 2033. In celebration of this news, 4A released three new screenshots and a trailer.

For those of you who don’t know, Metro 2033 is a “horror/action/survival FPS” with a few RPG elements. The game is based on Dmitry Glukhovsky’s novel with the same name.

To find out more about Metro 2033 and to see the new media, read on. Read more… »

Perhaps one of the biggest problems regarding the critical reception of games is the preconceived notions of what any particular title is “supposed” to be. From the moment a game is announced, the public is swept away by the undertow of an overwhelming promotional stream that often serves to skew our perceptions.

In the case of Brütal Legend, one can’t help but compare the reality of its RTS elements to the more traditional action/adventure fair found within its demo and promotional content.  Certainly these concepts are present in the final product, but many players will be turned off by the increasingly prominent “Stage Battles” throughout the campaign.

In that way, Brütal Legend is a bit of a mixed bag. Though it offers its fair share of brilliance and ingenuity, it suffers from a hodgepodge of conflicting gameplay mechanics that bar its admission into gaming excellence. Read more… »

Borderlands on the PS3 has been the source of many complaints lately, with the latest news reporting that the co-op mode is a complete mess. Problems include friends not showing up on the in-game friends list, game freezes of up to 30 minutes when attempting to open the public games list, and a lag-filled session if anyone does manage to connect at all.

Thankfully however, Gearbox Software has stated that “they’ve identified the problem and are working on a fix.”

Read more… »

The original Uncharted was one of the first games that really showcased the power of the PS3.  Combining Tomb Raider style adventure elements, a Gears of War inspired cover and shoot system, and a colorful cast of likable characters, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune managed to capture the hearts of millions.  Unfortunately, like any new franchise, it was hindered by a list of nagging problems.

Well it has been two years since the first game, and Naughty Dog has finally released the much hyped sequel: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.  Not only have they attempted to solve all the problems from the original Uncharted, but they added an entirely new multiplayer mode as well.  With such a tall order, you have to wonder if the developers were really able to pull it all off without losing any of the magic that made the first title so great.

The answer to that question, and much more awaits you after the jump. Read more… »

Do you like pointing and clicking? Got an inkling to go on an adventure like no other? Well you’re in luck as Amanita Design has given us three copies of Machinarium to give away.

All you have to do to get a copy is state what your “all time favourite point and click adventure” is.

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In a fairly lengthy statement Robert Bowling, at Infinity Ward, has described why the matchmaking system in Modern Warfare 2 (known as IWNET), will be beneficial for PC gamers. It’s a fairly detailed explanation, so take a deep breath before jumping in:

I recently broke news on a PC community member’s podcast that Modern Warfare 2 would be introducing a completely new backend infrastructure called IWNET that would allow matchmaking for multiplayer games on PC. The news, by default, means no more browsing through a Server List for a server with the settings / ping you want among other things, and sent shockwaves through the hardcore PC community, leading to many more questions than answers as to ‘HOW’ this would work, and if it would really be better for the PC community as a whole.

Hit the jump for the rest.

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Today developer Tripwire Interactive announced that a large update for its zombie-tastic shooter Killing Floor will arrive tomorrow, October 22. In celebration of this news, Valve’s Steam service is hosting a free weekend.

Dubbed the “Level Up” pack, this bit of DLC will add three new maps, one new monster, a new “Demolition” class, and seven new weapons including: an automatic shotgun, a healing gun, two rifles sporting grenade launchers, and proximity mines . Read more… »

Around the inter-web, we see videos and hear stories of people throwing their Wii Motes at their TV screens due to “Slippery Palm Syndrome” (not an actual disease).  Well, Sony Australia has taken the concept much further and has used a modern day slingshot to catapult a PS3 into a Sony Bravia.

I’m no psychologist, but I like to categorize this as a classic case of “Fashionable Excessive Behavior.”  While the video will have you sitting there in awe, at the same time you’ll also be thinking in disbelief.

I’m not exactly sure what the scientific purpose is, and I’m sure there are hundreds of other options to go about effective advertising, but nonetheless this is pretty damn cool.   Hit the jump to get your eyes splattered

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What do you get when you combine the depth of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with the accessibility of Fable?

You get Piranha Bytes’ new fantasy RPG Risen. Following in the footsteps of Piranha Bytes’ other RPG franchise Gothic, Risen offers gamers a unique blend of challenging combat, accessible crafting, and rich environments to explore. Read more… »

When it comes to sports simulators, usually one development company will control a major sport.  For example, Sony controls the baseball market whereas EA dominates the NHL and NFL franchise.  On the other hand, when it comes to the NBA, the dominant title isn’t as evident.

Over the past decade, the rivalry between 2K Sports and EA for the better NBA game has gone back and forth. A few years ago, 2K Sports finally edged ahead and has been steadily gaining distance ever since.  In fact, the PC hasn’t seen a NBA Live title since 2008, so 2K Sports’ only rival is itself.

Thus it begs the question: is NBA 2K10 for the PC a much improved simulator over last year? Read on to find out. Read more… »

Releasing a trophy or achievement list long before a game ships is a great way to generate some hype amongst hardcore achievement/trophy hunters out there.  A recent p0st on TheSixthAxis outlines Dark Voids trophy list, although not confirmed, many are far too specific to be fake.

Hit the break for the complete list along with ‘how-to’ descriptions of each trophy.

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Q-Games, the developer of the hugely popular PixelJunk series on the PS3, have recently commented that they’re not happy with the amount of piracy happening on the PSP. Having only just released PixelJunk Monsters: Deluxe on the PSP three weeks ago, they stated that “they don’t think they’ll be porting anything else” as there is a “lot of piracy” cutting into their sales.

While there is still hope for Q-Games releasing further games on the PSP, at this point in time the future looks grim.

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