The Last of Us Is Looking Like Naughty Dog's Best Work On the "Aging" PS3...

Okay, okay... I was a bit wrong about Game of Thrones being a great, grand epic from what I've been hearing (the story is solid and meorable, but the presentation and gameplay seem to be suffering. I'll see for myself in a bit, though), but Naughty Dog won't disappoint me at all. Here's a look at a cinema from their upcoming survival action game set to hit the PS3, The Last of Us, which not only looks fantastic, it's bound to be one of the best PS3 exclusives ever made. Expect to see a lot of this at E3, as I'm expecting Sony to come out swinging (rather than go down fighting) at this year's show. I can't wait to see what else is on the way...

Game of Thrones "Behind The Wall" Trailer: Cyanide Studios Shows Its Dedication To Detail And Then Some

Well, well, well... you learn something new every day! I had no idea that Cyanide Studios started working on their own game based on the popular books seven years ago with the blessings and assistance of creator George R.R. Martin, long before the TV show was set to go. That means anyone worried about this being some rush job made to cash in on the series is a bit dead wrong. I'm even more intrigued now, especially with the two playable characters and the storyline adding to the rich world Martin has already created. I'm also liking the element of choice, which will hopefully add to the replay value as well as perhaps get a few people still on the fence to want to see how everything fits together. Color me wanting to review this one after it hits stores on May 15....

Hitman: Absolution Sniper Challenge - Pre-Order & Play Early, Play Often...

 

Square Enix and IO Interactive have whipped up a really cool way to get in some Hitman action as well as get IN the upcoming game, provided you've a Steam, PSN or Xbox Live account and want to pre-order. While Hitman: Absolution isn't out until November, starting May 15 for PSN and XBL users (and August 1 for PC users, sorry!) you can go play the cool Hitman: Sniper Challenge game, a stand-alone experience only available to fans who pre-order a copy of HA. Leaderboards and being at the top are key here, as winners will get monthly prizes and the top sniper gets packed away on a jet to Copenhagen, Denmark to meet with the dev team and get his or her likeness in the game. Or maybe a future Hitman game, as the press release was a bit vague. I'm gathering the team isn't going to delay the game just to get some smug winning mug in there for all to see as a playable character, but hey, I'm not going to stop them from trying. You'll probably be some random victim of Agent 47's anyway, so be proud that your virtual corpse will be stuffed in a closet somewhere in a level and your clothes taken for a disguise, I say!

Anyway, stop reading this, do some clicking, polish up your sniping skills before you hop online to play and good luck!

Max Payne 3 Launch Trailer: He Shoots, He Scores!

May 15 is right around the corner, and yes, indeed, Rockstar has been getting the word out about Max's new adventure for a bit now, keeping the entire story under wraps save for some basics. In true Rockstar fashion, I expect this one to be big on solid dialogue, offbeat humor that makes for quotable lines and plot twists where least expected that make an overall memorable experience worth playing a few times through. I'm sure the multiplayer modes will be a smash as well, given the new Social Club aspect to things and enough changes to the formula to keep things fresh for a decent enough chunk of time. Is GTA V coming out this year? Maybe, maybe not. All I care about is what's hitting stores next week...

Lollipop Chainsaw Double Trailer Smack. Juliet's Got Sisters (!) Plus A Chat With Suda 51 & James Gunn

 

There's not much else to say here other than to ask if you've pre-ordered this yet. The teaming of Suda 51 and James Gunn is sheer genius, and the results are bound to become a cult classic that NEEDS to move in large numbers in order to succeed (and hell, I want to see this become as big as Buffy did on TV, maybe as a cable movie or even animated series for a season or two). Being biased against this game because you don't play games with female characters (you're a sexist dolt), think there's too much cursing (what, you're an altar boy or something? It's not a kid's game - grow up!, want a PC version (if you can afford a rig to run this game on, you can also afford to also own a PS3 or 360, silly) or not enough medically accurate gore (Um, OK... is that why you have no pets and fewer friends?) are all lousy reasons to overlook all this happy, funny well-made insanity.

Just a thought...

 

Hitman: Absolution Gameplay Trailer #1: IO's "Oh, Wow" Engine Shows Off Its Greatness...

 

Well, "Oh Wow" was the first reaction I had to IO's engine and the first reaction I heard when a friend of mine saw some footage, so that's what I'm calling it from now on.The team is definitely doing its best work to date here and yes, as they've tweaked the Hitman formula a bit since the last few games, whiners on assorted message boards are going haywire on what they haven't seen yet in a game NONE of them have even played. One of these days, some dev team lead with a pack of talented folks working on something really cool is going to snap and let these disrespectful dopes have both barrels, but I don't thing it'll happen anytime soon. Yell at a baby and it''l just cry louder, I hear. GO, IO!

Mortal Kombat Vita Arrives At Retail: New Modes Keep It Fresh And As Bloody Good As Ever.

 

"FINISH HIM! Expect to hear that coming out of Vitas on public transportation for the next few weeks or so, as MK is finally in stores and packing all the fun and gore of the console versions PLUS more content. The NetherRealm team has done a stellar job with this "port" and the all-new mini-games that take advantage of the Vita's features also show off the dev team's sense of humor, as a few of the games are riffs on popular casual mobile titles. Right now, it's definitely the best 3D fighter on the handheld, so make sure you check it out if you're a Vita owner looking for something to keep you busy for a while...