You know it’s been a slow week when the only release that piques your interest involves Snoopy.

But that’s okay, because who doesn’t have a ton of games in their backlog that need some lovin. And no, not in that way. I refuse to be responsible for any hospital visits involving cartridges, discs, or controllers. Systems on the other hand… well, send me a picture first. If it’s horrible enough, maybe I’ll send a few bucks your way to help out.

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Activision’s long running Guitar Hero series is set to further shred the saturated market this September with the release of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, the direct sequel to Guitar Hero 5. The game will feature an all new story-driven Quest mode, narrated by Gene Simmons from KISS, that will have players trek from New York clubs to molten lava fields in a bid to save rock and roll from “The Beast” – this is already sounding a trifle familiar.

A new gameplay mode entitled Quickplay+ has also been announced, which will feature 13 new challenges for every song including Band Streak, High Score and Power Challenge. A brand new guitar peripheral is also said to be in the works, and is said to reflect the game’s art style with an emphasis on shredding.

90 songs will feature in the final setlist, with a focus on more rock-centric tracks than in Guitar Hero 5, making it the largest collection of tracks to be found on disc to date. A listing of the songs that have been confirmed for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock so far can be found after the break.

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Former Gamer Limit writer Nick Simberg led me to a magical kingdom where a game within one of the most revered series was transcribed from its RPG roots into a FPS.  I proceeded to joke around with him that his words were spoken like a true idealist and that his blasphemy is slightly offensive.   That his claims made him look like a modern day Juan Ponce de Leon searching for the Fountain of Youth.

Let’s just say, when he sent me the link, for a split second, I actually thought I drank from the fabled Fountain of Youth.  Non-believers get ready to believe, because I deliver you the legendary Zelda II FPS. Read more… »

Today publisher Warner Bros. and developer Turbine announced that their literary MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online will follow in the footsteps of fellow Turbine title Dungeons & Dragons Online by shifting to a free-to-play model this fall. While the basic game will be free, gamers looking for “[e]xpansions, quest packs, items, and account services” will either have to earn them though in-game points or pony up some cash via microtransactions.

Gamers will still be able to subscribe to “VIP” accounts that grant them access to all premium content, however, Warner Bros. has yet to announce the price for these subscriptions. This “VIP” subscription model mirrors Dungeons & Dragons Online‘s, which seems to have been quite the success considering Turbine reported a 40% rise in subscriptions following the free-to-play switch. Read more… »

It’s very difficult to call Alan Wake a horror game. In fact, categorizing Remedy’s long-awaited Xbox 360 exclusive is as much a struggle as it is to categorize The Twilight Zone, with which Alan Wake shares many similarities. It is at times horror, dark humor, mystery, and psychological thriller. The game never really falls into one category, as its tonal shifts keep the player wondering, “Just what am I playing?”

Everything weird that Alan Wake does contributes to its greatest draw: it is an experience that by the end feels truly new, unlike any games that have come before it. And, while the game does not always fully embrace the creative and the weird, it provides a wealth of impressive moments, making it a largely rewarding and entertaining game to play. Especially so for those crazy enough to care about things like game structure.

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Following the official announcement of Killzone 3 last week, Guerrilla Games have posted a new teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel to one of the PlayStation 3′s biggest shooters on the new Killzone website.

As you can see from the video above, the trailer primarily serves as a sneak peak of the new melee combat system, as protagonist Sev demonstrates by pummelling waves of Helghast soldiers before, intriguingly, donning a Helghast helmet.

It’s a beautifully made video that is sure to get tongues wagging – don’t forget to post your reactions in the comments below.

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Today Real-time Strategy giant Relic announced that it will be bringing a free-to-play version of its WW2 title Company of Heroes to PCs this fall. Originally made for Asian markets, the free-to-play version, dubbed Company of Heroes Online,  features eight player multiplayer, “Specialization, commander customization, and persistent progression.”

In this version, each online win you achieve will earn you points. These points then can be used to purchase upgrades and “special units.” For those of you who don’t have the time to rack up enough points, there will also be the option of buying these upgrades and “special units” though microtransactions. Read more… »

Ten years after the Total War series launched with Shogun: Total War, Creative Assembly has come full circle.  After bringing the series’ trademark to medieval Europe, ancient Rome, colonial Europe, and Napoleonic Europe, Creative Assembly today announced the development of Shogun 2: Total War to be released in February of 2011.

Shogun 2 will return players to the Sengoku period during 16th century Japan, the same chronological setting as the first Shogun.  As a Daimyo, players will be tasked with handling all diplomatic and military matters to unite Japan under their reign.

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Anyone would be hard-pressed to argue with the assertion that gaming has changed over the years. Once regarded as the flagship hobby of the social outcast, it has been interesting to see gaming grow into a mainstream entertainment medium, encompassing anyone from “professional” tournament players to children hardly old enough to read.

But, as with anything we dedicate our time to, the question must inevitably be asked: How is it going to change?

In this feature, I’d like to explore what awaits us in the near future, and share with you what I hope we will see in the years to come. Read more… »

In a rather random turn of events, the iPhone version of Robot Unicorn Attack is now officially available on iTunes for $2.99, basically launching in the middle of the night. I literally bought it the minute it hit the market, and I’ve been enjoying it up until I took the time to make this post.

RUA started off as a simple flash game, in the vein of the already successful Canabalt, and quickly turned into so much more – let’s just say it involves T-Shirts, 22 million plays, this epically ludicrous song, and highly unsafe for work furry fanfiction (the best kind).

Buy it here, or play the free online Flash version here!

The Wild West: a time in American history when gangs roamed the streets, when the law was as good as the deputies who backed it, and when women were filthy whores.  It was a time and place where you could claim a piece of land, and if anyone tried to take it from you, you could shoot him on the spot.

Yes sir, those were the good ole days.  Actually, on second thought, that sounds a lot like Los Angeles today.

Anyhow, Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West is a third-person shooter that combines multiplayer strategy with fast-paced gameplay to deliver a rich and exciting game.  Therefore, I reckon y’all oughtta read on for a hog-killin’ time.  Yee-haw! (Proceed to throw ten-gallon hat in the air) Read more… »

Today, in an effort to draw attention to its EA SPORTS Active line of fitness titles, EA sent out word of a “scientific study” that claims it “proves [the] efficacy of EA SPORTS Active digital fitness programs.”

The study, which was commissioned by EA, was carried out by University of Wisconsin’s Dr. John Porcari. Dr. Porcari tested sixteen “physically active adults between the ages of 25 and 45 to determine the relative exercise intensity and caloric expenditure of two pre-set EA SPORTS Active workouts: Afterburner and Legs & Lungs.” Read more… »