GTA V Trailers 1 & 2: Yeah, You Know You'll Be Playing This One For A While...

As usual, Rockstar is set to impress gamers worldwide with another incredible Grand Theft Auto experience. As usual, it's hard to take your eyes off of the amazing visuals (feel free to pause the videos to check out the hilarious signage the art team is putting up all around. As usual, the game is still in progress, so don't expect to play this until next spring. That said, as usual , expect awards galore, some fantastic voice acting and a soundtrack absolutely packed to the max with some great and varied music and talk radio chatter we'll all be grooving to. It's going to be a fine 2013, that's for sure...

Hitman Absolution "Introducing The Kill" Trailer: Making An Assassin For The Masses...

 

I've been quietly keeping an eye on Agent 47 for a while now and his latest bit of not quite silent but deadly antics are very slick indeed. Developer IO Interactive has been taking some flack from the uber-core fans who want everything the same as it was in the earlier games down to almost no innovations or breathing room for newbies. While that may work in keeping sales down to that base who wants a game only they can play, this IS a business and all the people working on the game would probably want to see it do well among more types of gamers. Sure, it's "catering" to the masses on an epic scale, but hell, if you're bitching about this, you're not a REAL assassin anyway and if you are, you're certainly not sitting on your ass playing a game all day, right? That said, some new players with zero attention spans and no idea about how to dive into a game that's not telling you how to do everything will be left staring at the crowds and crying because they haven't a clue what to do or where to go (even after the briefing and otherwise well-done hint system).

Feh, you can't stop those folks from gaming at all - you can only hope they snap those unused areas of their brains into action with a great game like this.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Interactive Trailer: Decisions, Decisions....

Firaxis has pretty much silenced anyone doubting they could bring XCOM back as a solid tactical reboot, and this "Interactive" trailer is just a brief taste of what's in store for the hardcore RTS/RPG fan looking for a good reason to camp out in front of the PC for too many hours at a time. I'd actually LOVE to see this get onto the Vita at some point, as that console needs a much better class of strategy game than what's currently available for it. Army Corps of Hell? Yuck - give me this game and I'm a happy camper (as will be a LOT of other Vita owners.

Dead Space 3 Eudora Gameplay: Almost 17 Minutes of Pure Hell (In A Good Way, Silly!)

I'm absolutely NOT one of the whiny crowd crapping on Visceral's decision to add OPTIONAL co-op play to this sequel. I'm a fan of all the Dead Space games (yes, even Dead Space Extraction on the Wii and PS3, which did an excellent job at making an on-rails game really compelling, thrilling and scary). Hell, it will make me a lot less freaked out If I know I can have someone else to hind under the damn couch with when things get a wee bit too frightening. Anyway, this one's on track to be a big smash, provided the dev team can overcome the hurdle of dealing with that pissy part of the fan base that just doesn't like anything changing in their favorite games. Granted, if multiplayer is shoved in and makes for a bad time for all, then yes, you can indeed bash both SA and Visceral all you want - I'll be one of the first to wave the flag if they blow it.

TGS 2012: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Trailer: A Few Too Many Cuts Above The Rest

 

Fan favorite developer Platinum Games has really gotten the hang of making anything they do quite the killer experience, but Revengeance looks to take them to new levels of action and excitement. With not a Snake in sight, this might be one of those games that convinces some of the Raiden haters out there that he's not just a throwaway joke character. I still remember laughing for too long at the grand joke played on us back when Metal Gear Solid 2 went from Snake's story to the Raiden show (to interesting results, to say the least!), but unlike a lot of die-hards, I gave Kojima a break because it was clear what the man was up to. In any event, I'm looking forward to diving into this plsu the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes when that one gets some sort of showing here in NYC. Hey, Konami... don't forget about me this time!

Sleeping Dogs Gameplay Updates: Don't Mess With Mrs. Chu + More Action Stuff

 

Here are some more peeks at United Front's upcoming action game set to hit stores on August 14. As you can see, that Mrs. Chu is no lady to trifle with on any level, that's for sure. While I'm really liking the level of polish the developer has put on their baby, I'm not thrilled with the whole "Gun Fu" thing used as a terminology, as it reminds me of that awful movie Equlibrium (sorry, kids, it really stinks despite all the action scenes) and the stupid "Gunkata" that reminded me too much of the even more awful film, Gymkata, but with a hell of a lot more swords and firearms. Fortunately, it looks like the game will defy the silly stuff an old fart like me remembers too much of, so yeah - you should probably buy it no matter what I say. Just avoid those movies I mentioned and you'll be all right...

E3 2012: Dead Space 3 Trailer: Frozen Properly, Keeping It Fresh Works...

It's hard as hell to keep a franchise going after a second installment because there's a damn good chance you've used up ALL your best ideas in coming up with the sequel. That said, the team at Visceral Games seems to have done a decent job in mapping out a timeline for their sci-fi horror franchise, and here you go. Co-op play (drop in/drop out) is the deal this time out, as is a frozen planet (which means outdoor environments!) and more Necromorphs than you can shake a stick at. Not that shaking a stick will do any good, mind you... 2013 is going to be a killer year for gaming, so you better hope those Mayans were way off in their "prediction". Me, I don't believe in that stuff, so I'll be waiting patiently for the release date so I can jump in and enjoy the ride being cooked up by Visceral and EA.

E3 2012: Ubisoft's Watch_Dogs: Prepare To Get Paranoid And Be Thrilled At The Same Time...

During Ubisoft's fantastic press conference, they had my jaw bouncing off the floor at least four times, but then Watch_Dogs was unveiled, it dropped and stayed down for the duration of the outstanding demo. The game starts off as one type of game and turns to something entirely unexpected, with a twist at the end that sent my hard spinning. While I initially wasn't sure about the "lead" character and his motivations (he's "obsessed" with violence and loves to pore into people's lives by hacking into their devices to reveal personal details), the way the demo ended made me wonder just where this game will go, meaning yes, I want to see MORE. I love it when new IP does what it should: surprise and shock while it innovates and moves a normally generic genre forward. I'm not at all sure what the mobile or social content will be, but I'm SO glad I don't have a smartphone or use a device that has all my personal info on it. I got more paranoid watching this than I did the Far Cry 3 demo!

Inversion Multiplayer 101 Trailer: Another Angle On The Usual MP Modes...

 

Did you get that pun in the title? No? Ah well, I tried. Anyway, Saber Interactive wants you to flip out over Inversion's genre-bending gunplay and level designs, so check out this developer diary for what to expect in this upcoming shooter. It's definitely NOT what some of you are expecting, but I'm betting once the game is out, it'll be getting a lot more appreciation from the skeptics. I liked what I saw from the first demo a while back, so I'm sure that things have gotten a lot better in the time since. Namco Bandai is putting out some really fun titles and like a few other publishers, stretching their wings where it counts...

E3 2012: Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition PC/DLC Announce Trailer: From Brings It To Everyone!

I figured after all the fan flames and rage about the PC version of Dark Souls getting "exclusive" new content we'd see that same content show up on consoles, but I'd also bet that Namco Bandai and From Software had this planned from the get-go. Granted, I'm one of those folks who hopes the PC version does well even though I won't be buying it because I prefer my games simple to drop in and play as opposed to dealing with potential trolls mucking up the online experience. That said, I'm also hoping we get a Game of the Year RETAIL disc with the original game PLUS all that new content in the Artorias of the Abyss expansion just for those of us who can't access DLC, but I guess we'll see how smart the publisher is, I guess. Anyway, it's coming out August 24 for Windows via Steam and sometime this winter in North America for consoles. And yeah, I'd buy the whole game again just to get the new stuff if it's not going to be released as an expansion disc...

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...

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!

Max Payne 3 Weapons: The M1911 Is In. "You're Welcome," Says Rockstar...

 

Although Max's go-to guns in the original game were twin Berettas, the more punchy power of the M1911 should please fans of the original game who happen to want to swing a heavier shooting iron about as they blow away the bad guys. Rockstar is really showing of that game engine to its fullest (the 360-degree renders here are amazing) and I expect MP3 to be dissected by the more core (and sane) gun-owning gamers out there who can talk your ear off about every type of firearm imaginable. You guys are fun to have a few beers with, but I'm not going to get you mad about anything regarding sports, women, politics or even where to get good BBQ, that's for sure...

Spec Ops: The Line: 2K Games' Answer To The Usual Suspects In the Military Shooter Genre.

 

Like Rebellion's Sniper Elite V2 (being published by 505 Games), Yager's spectacular-looking Spec Ops: The Line (headed your way in June from 2K Games) aims to bring a fresher face to a genre packed to the gills with blockbuster first-person games that some feel are going for the motions in terms of delivering a solid single player campaign. The team at Yager (responsible for the underrated Xbox game call Yager - go look it up, it's a pleasant surprise) has done a superb job at making a game where the story and environment are as important as the gameplay. Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (itself the inspiration for Apocalypse Now), Spec Ops' story puts you in control of a small squad as they infiltrate a sandstorm ravaged Dubai in order to take down a rather not so nice former ally. The game also has a multiplayer component that looks pretty solid and from what I can tell, won't detract or distract from the story's overall impact. Of course, the true test is getting the jaded gamers out there who only judge new titles against their favorites rather than on their own merits to get up off their asses and give this one a shot. I'll try my best to do my job and promote this potential game-changer, but at the end of the day, it's all up to you folks reading this to TRY something new that might throw you for a loop in a good way once in a while...

MORE Dragon's Dogma Gameplay? OK, Got An Hour And A Half To Spare?

 

So, you wanted to see how the game looks and plays in a more extended session? Well, here you go, thanks to Capcom Unity at PAX last weekend. I'm even more impressed with it and while I'm not crazy enough to run around screaming "It's Game of the YEAR!!!" all over the internet, it's pretty clear that Capcom has a winner here that's going to please a few different types of gamers. Hopefully, not one of them will be nuts enough to sic the Better Business Bureau on them if they dislike the ending or feel that any DLC that MAY or may not be on the disc violates some rights they think they have that aren't in the EULA...

Dragon's Dogma Captivate 2012 Videos: It's Getting Better And Better...

Capcom REALLY isn't playing around here with all these lovely Dragon's Dogma videos. Sure, they're going more for a "western RPG" look and feel rather than just making a Monster Hunter clone (like some crazed fans are wanting). But for me, that's a good thing, as I intend to explore every nook and cranny of that game world and get the most bang for the buck rather than blow through it for a quickie review that's going to miss all the fun stuff. Provided it's not packed with showstopping bugs and there's enough land to travel to keep me dialed in, this looks like the action/RPG of the summer once I finally get through with The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings on the 360. It's going to be one big, fat indoor party for me, that's for sure. Sunlight? What's that again?

Max Payne 3 Design & Technology Video Update: Stop, Bullet Time!

 

The latest MP3 D & T video shows what it's all about when it comes to Max' signature time-stopping gunplay. I like that from the beginnings of the series, there's never been a logical explanation for his talents (he's a mutant, I tell you!), but it's all good because it's done so well (and has been copied multiple times since in other games). Yeah, yeah, The Matrix sort of did it first, but as far as games go, it's been Max who was the pioneer.

Resident Evil 6 Captivate 2012 Trailer: Capcom Loves It More When You're Frightened Than When You're Cranky...

 

As usual there; some absolutely lovely stuff here, but Capcom can't seem to catch a break from some haters who continually knock them for one thing or another. I have to wonder if some of the louder voices out there actually buy any of the games the company publishes given their penchant for threatening boycotts, living in the past and generally being completely unhelpful to any innovations that the series tries for. Granted, not EVERY change the franchise has gone through has been for the better. But I'd rather have Capcom's dev teams go all out and try new things rather than keep shoving the same thing out the door year after year so all the zombies can go through the motions of playing and enjoying the same old thing year in and year out. Say YES to change, ladies and gents - your gaming life will be all the better for it...

Max Payne 3 Weapons Update: Shotguns, Anyone?

 

Rockstar is really making sure fans know that Max is on point and on target to become a huge hit, so you'd better be respecting all this hard work they're putting out. I'm in for the story, the amazing attention to detail and the refined gameplay more than any multiplayer antics, but I like that the dev team is making the MP mode a bit evolutionary in a few respects. Keep it up, guys and you'll have some Game of The Year nominations from a few places and maybe even win a few more awards. We shall see...