Over the past few weeks Irrational Games has been teasing gamers with a website asking, “What is project Icarus?” Well, yesterday the developer finally let us in on the secret.

Project Icarus turns out to be the code name for a new BioShock title. Dubbed BioShock Infinite, the new game seems to have nothing to do with Big Daddies, Little Sisters or even Rapture. According to an interview with series creator Ken Levine, “We felt like we said what we wanted to say about Rapture. Not about BioShock, not about the gameplay motifs, not about the narrative motifs. But we said what we wanted to say about Rapture, and that kind of space and the kind of combat you have there, and some of the kind of experiences you have there.”

Apparently, BioShock Infinite takes place in 1912 (making it a prequel?) in some sort of steampunk-ish floating city. Unfortunately that’s all we know. On the bright side, Irrational Games was good enough to release the gnarly trailer shown above. Read more… »

[We Need to Talk is a weekly feature that puts you in the driver's seat of the discussion. Got something to say? Hit up the comments and keep the discussion alive. Got a lot to say? Register for a Gamer Limit blog and write a response.]

Last year, I played H.A.W.X. for something like three hours. It was an experience that I have to struggle to remember, buried amongst the many superior experiences I had that year. I found myself impressed more by the graphics on the ground than the action in the air, which was far more uninteresting than I ever imagined flying a fighter jet could be. For me, it was the final straw. Air combat was over.

However, a trailer emerged just a few days ago that changed all that, rekindling the flame of excitement that I felt was lost forever. The short announcement trailer is full of visceral action, enormous explosions, and even helicopters! I want to play the game I saw in that trailer, and I want to play it now.

The question is, will I ever play that game, or will I just play the lifeless, tired game that the trailer is meant to conceal?

Read more… »

The glory in making a game with copious references to bacon is that, no matter how many games have done it before, it never fails to be entertaining. Even if other games have made the bacon references more unique, more hilarious, or simply more insane, it’s hard to turn your nose down at a game and say, “You there! How dare you make bacon references at me?”

The same could be said of the online shooter, a taste that is perhaps not as widely loved as bacon, but is becoming nearly as common. Monday Night Combat, the latest bacon-obsessed, comedy-infused online multiplayer shooter, fits perfectly into this situation. Its basic mechanics have been done better elsewhere, but who are we to say, “You there! How dare you give me hours of riotous enjoyment?”

Read more… »

Ninja Theory’s upcoming title, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, has a new trailer and holy shit, is it awesome. The game is loosely based off Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. Not only does Enslaved: Odyssey to the West have gorgeous visuals and excellent source material, but it also appears to be shaping up to be a very impressive game in its own right.

Giant robots, explosions, platforming, fierce battles, dialog that will pull at your heartstrings, large bolded words and epic narration await you after the break. What are you waiting for? Hit that jump. This trailer is epic.

Read more… »

Last week Sega producer Takashi Iizuka made the bold claim that Sonic Colors would not fall victim to the dreaded Sonic Cycle. With an exciting trailer, gameplay seemingly ripped straight from the brilliant Sonic Unleashed daytime stages, and a bright, cheery aesthetic reminiscent of Super Mario Galaxy, it was easy to believe Iizuka’s words. However, maybe someone at Sega should quiet the guy down before his mouth jeopardizes the title’s success.

In a recent interview Iizuka told British retailer GAME that Sonic Colors is not for core gamers, and has some pretty interesting ideas about who plays Sonic titles. His startling words await you after the break.

Read more… »

The problem with most third party video game accessories these days is they all feel like cheap pieces of plastic that were made for kids.  This makes little sense when close to 75% of all gamers are over the age of 18 and the average age is 35.  These sensible adult gamers demand a higher quality product, and that’s where the new premium brand CM4 steps in.

CM4′s mission statement is to create a line of video game accessories that they themselves would use in their everyday lives.  I’m talking high quality sophisticated accessories that not only do the job they’re designed for, but do so with style.  Their first batch of products is the Catalyst line, a collection of soft cases for the WiiMote, Nintendo DSi/XL, and PSPgo.

I’ve recently gotten my hands on the PSPgo slim cover and I’m here to tell you all why this is the only case you need for wherever your travels take you. Read more… »

Now I’m all for special editions, but this is getting a little ridiculous. Today Activision revealed two tiers of special editions for Treyarch’s upcoming shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops.

First off, there is the “Hardened” edition. This box includes “a custom Black Ops limited edition medal, exclusive Black Ops Avatar outfit, as well as four playable cooperative maps.” Not too shabby, if I do say so myself, but wait for it. Things get pretty crazy with the “Prestige” edition. Read more… »

Disappointing news for racing fans: the expansive open-world racer Test Drive Unlimited 2 will be off the road until Q1 2011, consequently missing its intended September release. The developers are citing a need to apply “a few extra months of polish” in order to ensure “that we deliver a robust and reliable online service from the day we go live”. First Driver: San Francisco and now this.

Still, if it’s any consolation there are still more than enough high profile racing games to look forward to this year: Gran Turismo 5 and Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit are the obvious frontrunners, along with Codemaster’s F1 2010 and WRC 2010 from Black Bean Games.

Read more… »

There’s no two ways about it – gaming isn’t a cheap hobby. Luckily, the creeping rise of the digital distribution market is giving many budget-conscious gamers a break these days. XBLA, PSN, Wii-Ware, and others are all playing with how to offer alternatives to AAA titles, both in terms of content and cost. However, the pricing model for this market is still in an experimental, Wild West phase.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Apple App Store. There’s a ton of games out there, and separating the wheat from the chaff can be an arduous task. Even when you do find the good games, there’s no consistency with pricing versus quality. A poor game can run you upwards of ten dollars, but the good news is that you can often find extremely well-designed and fun games there for next to nothing.

If there’s one thing I like more than a good game, it’s a good game that’s also cheap. If you’re of like mind, then read on! Gamer Limit’s got your back with four great titles that will only cost you a buck.

Another Wednesday is upon us which of course means the latest PSN Store update is ready and waiting. While there isn’t a truckload of must have content, this week’s standouts are nice and clear-cut: there’s the multiplayer Red Dead Redemption and a sterling playable demo for Mafia II, due out later this month.

Elsewhere, PlayStation Plus gets a last minute update with Pixel Racers 2nd Lap, a few new minis for sale and the usual batch of DLC for a certain pair of overworn music games.

A full list of this week’s PSN Store update awaits you after the jump.

Read more… »

["Stop It" is a weekly feature which serves as a forum for me to express my opinions on things in the video game industry or community that need to stop. Despite the fact these things may never stop, this will, at the least, fuel discussion. Got something to say? Hit up the comments and keep the discussion alive. Got a lot to say? Register for a Gamer Limit blog and write a response.]

Gather around gamers. Yes, I am especially looking at you whores of all kinds – selfish gamers if you prefer the more socially acceptable term. Pick your poison: achievements, trophies, points, kills? What will it be?

Whatever your choice is, I am sure it makes you feel uber leet. Multiplayer games are both collaborative and competitive, and the former is being ruined by the likes of you. All so your epeen can be slowly stroked. Stop it!

Read more… »

After Tim Schafer had confirmed that Brutal Legend 2 had been canceled in favor of working on four new indie games, the gaming community could only imagine what Schafer’s creative mind would bring us next.   The first indie game Schafer is working on will be Costume Quest, a so-dubbed adventure RPG due for an Xbox Live/PlayStation Network release in autumn.

Hit the jump for more information behind Tim Schafer’s latest. Read more… »