Having won the hearts of just about everyone some 15 years ago, the original Toy Story film needs no introduction. Since then, it’s taken literally half of my lifetime for Toy Story 3 to finally arrive in cinemas after the acclaimed sequel, which has been a long and laborious wait. No other animation series has left such a lasting impression throughout my childhood, and yet its heartfelt legacy still lives on as I tackle the pitfalls of arduous adulthood. It’s a series that never ceases to tickle the inner-child found within us all.

When we think of Toy Story licensed games however, nothing of endearing quality particularly springs to mind. From what I recall, there was a side-scrolling platformer for the original film on the Mega Drive, followed by another equally average tie-in for the sequel in the PlayStation era. This was followed by some sort of kart racing cash-in and the Toy Story cast even made an appearance in Disney Extreme Skate Adventure, but I won’t go into that.

Given the everlasting reputation of movie tie-in games, it’s therefore with a degree of pessimism that I timidly open the lid of the toy box – can Toy Story 3 reach for the sky and capture the enchanting buzz of the films?

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Today publisher THQ announced that Relic’s upcoming third-person action/RPG title Warhammer 40K: Space Marine is coming to the PC alongside the Ps3 and Xbox 360 release.

Slated to hit sometime early 2011, Space Marine puts gamers into the shoes (or rather powered armor boots) of a Imperial Space Marine defending a Forge World from an Ork invasion. As “one of humanity’s elite warriors,” you are considered the “last line of defense.” For those of you who don’t know anything about the Warhammer 40K universe, essentially you play as a super-human decked out in the latest, most badass equipment. Expect to be jump-packing into the fray, unloading your bolter, and cracking some skulls with your chain sword. Read more… »

This may sound strange, but some of my fondest childhood memories come from the little arcade closet at my local movie theater. No matter how bad the dates went, or how cheated I felt by a movie, I could always rely on the flashing lights and the *Plunk!* of a quarter to make me feel at home.

One of the staples of the movie theater arcade, at least in my town, was the over-the-top aquatic racer Hydro Thunder. Well, some years and several cities later, I’m back to playing Hydro Thunder, except this time it’s rocking the subtitle Hurricane and it’s in my living room on my Xbox 360. Read more… »

Capcom announced yesterday at Comic-Con a brand new fighting game that will bring two of the most beloved video game franchises together for the very first time. Street Fighter X Tekken, being developed for the PS3 and Xbox 360, will use the same technology behind the über successful Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV, bringing the Tekken fighters into a 2D world with the same highly detailed and stylized artwork we’ve all come to love.

Excuse me for a second as I need to pick up my jaw from the floor real quick. In the mean time, hit the jump to learn more. Read more… »

Whether it is Bobby Kotick wanting to raise game prices even further, trying to take the fun out of making videogames or even driving away one of the most popular studios in the industry, one thing is for certain: Activision has been a PR nightmare lately. While Activision is attempting to improve its public image, Electronic Arts seems to be taking advantage of Activision’s growing unpopularity amongst gamers. During a recent interview, EA Chief Operating Officer John Shappert took the opportunity to make backhanded comments towards Activision when asked about the rival company.

When asked about Activision, Shappert noted that “… stories of late [regarding Activision] haven’t been very positive. And we couldn’t be happier to have Jason [West] and Vince [Zampella] as part of our EA Partners program, or Ted Price of Insomniac”. In addition to rubbing salt in Activision’s wound regarding the loss of  Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward, the interview allowed Shappert to differentiate his company from the likes of Activision.

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If there is one genre of games that is criminally underrepresented in the current generation, it is the shoot ‘em up. Shmups provide an incredible thrill: charging forwards, guns ablaze, weaving through a torrential cannonade of oncoming enemy fire where the slightest of mistakes means instant death. They are one of the oldest and most venerated genres in the medium of videogames. Unfortunately, outside of Japan this type of game also happens to be something of a rarity.

Luckily, publishers like Los Angeles-based Rockin’ Android are keen on bringing them stateside. The Gundemonium Collection, a trilogy of Doujin shmups, have recently made their way from the Japanese indie scene and onto the PlayStation Network and PC.

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Everybody take a good, deep breath… it’s Friday. Yes, the weekend is within reach and it’s time to waste as much of it as possible with some good old fashioned videogames. Especially ones that are free! Like, Alien Swarm, for instance.

I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with Ben10 but since I haven’t had time to play it yet, I guess I can’t be sure. What I’d suggest doing is watching as much of the TV show (and the made for TV movie) while downloading the game from Steam, then play the game only once you’re finished. So, other than watching Ben10 and playing Alien Swarm, what are you playing!?

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They’re everywhere in video games right now, it seems. A recent email alert from the iTunes store linked me to a page that must have had 20 zombie iPhone games ready for purchase. Call of Duty: World at War’s Nazi Zombies practically drove map pack sales for months, and I’ve thought about picking up a used copy of the game explicitly to have access to it again. The speculation that the zombies are returning in Black Ops consistently pops up in gaming news.

Age of Zombies is the top selling PSN Mini. Borderlands had a zombie-themed DLC add-on. Crackdown 2 tossed some zombie-like creatures in for good measure. Red Dead Redemption is going to have zombie DLC. Fat Princess is rumored to have a zombies mode coming, for chrissakes. Is enough enough?

Not for me. Zombies and video games are the perfect mix. Among other reasons, zombies work in video games generally for the same reason that Nazis will always make the best opponents for first person shooter titles: you don’t have to feel bad for killing them because, hey, they’re  zombies. You don’t have to take anyone’s crap because you enjoy slaughtering thousands of them. You’re not engaging in violent behavior. You’re training to ensure the survival of your species, ladies and gentlemen.

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Does Blizzard make movies or computer games?  That’s a question I honestly can’t answer anymore after watching the new Starcraft 2 trailer that was released yesterday.  If I didn’t know better I would think the company was about to launch one of the biggest blockbuster movies of the summer.

While some might scoff at this trailer and say it has nothing to do with the gameplay itself, I would argue they are completely wrong.  Starcraft is just as much about the story as it is about the RTS gameplay, and if there is one thing Blizzard does extremely well, it’s integrating both elements together in perfect harmony.

As for the trailer, it has to be seen to be believed. There are simply no words to describe it, so hit the jump to watch it now. Read more… »

Some dismiss it as mere myth; others believe it was part of an elaborate conspiracy fabricated by Sony to improve the credibility of its inaugural console. Well, allow me to let you in on a little secret, friend: the Sega Saturn did exist. And it was good!
Yes, it may have been the ginger kid of the console world, but the unpopular system saw some fantastic exclusives that have sadly been relegated to the dusty space beneath our memories along with the console itself. Well, I’m here to grant one such title a final encore before the curtain closes on it for good: allow me to introduce Mr. Bones (stop giggling in the back). Read more… »

This week on PSN: the Kane and Lynch 2 demo finally makes its way onto the store for those who didn’t take the plunge and splash out on a subscription for PlayStation Plus.

Continuing with the theme of dastardly duos, the latest chapter in Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Episode is now available and fighting fans are in for a treat in terms of special offers, with Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Mortal Combat 2 and Street Fighter IV DLC all up for grabs at a discounted rate.

A full listing of this week’s PSN Store update can be read in full after the break.

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The online PSN service has long been heralded as one of the PlayStation 3’s greatest assets, principally because, unlike its arch-rival the Xbox 360, it is available without the need to pay for the privilege of online gaming. Imagine, then, the faces of bewilderment as SCEA President Jack Tretton announced with enforced enthusiasm PlayStation Plus, a new premium service available exclusively for the charge of a subscription fee.

The idea is that hardcore PSN users will be showered with a stupendous supply of freebies, discounts and early demo and beta privileges, which sounds jolly spiffing on internet paper. But is it such a tantalising prospect in practice?

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