Here’s what they want us to know. The fact that they’re likening it to a SNES game of old does give me hope, but I just hope it’s not a cheap ripoff of ‘Splosion Man’.

LONDON, ENGLAND: PlayStation 3 owners! Hide your treasured possessions and cover your pets in bubble wrap, because Explodemon! will be hitting PlayStation Network with a bang this Q4.

Explodemon! is a 2.5D platform action game brought kicking and screaming into the HD era. Influenced by classic Japanese games from the golden era of the SNES, players use Explodemon’s self-destructive nature to combat enemies and fly through the air, all the while solving a huge variety of physics-based puzzles (and, naturally, causing incalculable collateral damage).

When the peaceful planet of Nibia is attacked by the malicious Vortex forces, the fate of the star system is thrust into the one pair of hands it shouldn’t be: the malfunctioning Guardian robot Explodemon. His comic quest to repel the onslaught and restore peace will take him across three distinct planets over twelve levels, with new abilities and gameplay mechanics introduced throughout.

“We’re really excited to finally be able to reveal Explodemon! to the world,” explains design director Jonathan Biddle, from a blast-proof bunker somewhere below the surface of Nibia. “The game is chock full of gameplay nuggets carefully mined from the greatest titles ever to grace our joysticks. Whether you’re experiencing its intense combat, head-scratching puzzles, or classic platforming, you’ll find we’ve combined all of these elements into an addictive and elegantly balanced package.”

Explodemon! is unrelenting, hard-core brain-tickling action for those who grew up playing platformers, as well as those who’ll discover just how awesome they were.

THE SKINNY (OR TL;DR)

Explodemon! is a 2.5D-styled platform game with a physics-puzzle twist
It’s out Q4 2010
It’s influenced by the classic Japanese games of old
It’s more than a little bit funny, or so our mums said
It’s really rather special and you want to write nice things about it
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News Release:  2K Games announced on July 22nd that its upcoming epic action crime game, Mafia® II, will have a downloadable demo available worldwide on August 10 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.  Set in the fully realized and immersive 1940’s and 1950’s American urban cityscape of Empire Bay, soon all gamers will be able to experience the decadent and meticulously crafted atmosphere, intense shooting and driving gameplay, and character narrative in Mafia II that is set to be released on August 24 in North America, August 26 in Australia and August 27 internationally.

 
The Mafia II demo invites gamers to dive into the “Buzzsaw” level, where Vito and his buddies, Joe and Henry, are sent to take out a mobster known as “The Fat Man”. While the epic game spans two decades, the Buzzsaw demo takes place during the summer of the ‘50s – a time considered the “Birth of Cool”, and with it, rock ‘n’ roll, hot rods, and rebellious attitudes. The demo showcases the type of vibrant edge-of-your-seat action, as well as a slice of the expansive city of Empire Bay in the colorful era.

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New York, NY – July 7, 2010 – 2K Sports today revealed the official cover art for NBA® 2K11 featuring Michael Jordan as the face of this year’s iteration of the top rated and top selling basketball simulation franchise*. The art style, featuring a highly-stylized, three-panel, iconic image of Jordan, represents a departure from previous NBA 2K titles to reflect the significance of having the greatest player of all time grace the cover.

“We knew as soon as we signed Jordan that we needed to do something special for the cover,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “This could possibly be the most highly anticipated cover art in the history of sports games and we think the image we came up with delivers on every front. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised at how Jordan is actually used in game, as NBA 2K11 will pay homage to ‘His Airness’ in many ways, but the cover art represented our first chance to stop and honor him along the way.”

“Its exciting to see it all come together,” said Michael Jordan, a recent Hall of Fame inductee. “I am looking forward to seeing the final product, but my kids might have to give me some lessons.”

NBA 2K11 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available October 5, 2010. To view the cover, please visit www.2ksports.com/nba2k11.

2K Sports is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

*According to 2008 – 2010 Gamerankings.com and The NPD Group estimates of U.S. retail video game sales through April 2010

To be honest, if this requires PlayStation Plus, I may have to get it. I would love to have Hulu on my big screen. If it costs money, it had better be ad-free though!

Press Release:

“June 28, 2010 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) LLC today announced system software update (v3.40) for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system will be available soon, adding the PlayStation Plus subscription service package, enhancements to the connection between users’ PlayStation Network and Facebook accounts and other new features. Additionally, system software update (v6.30) for the PSP system will launch simultaneously with PS3 system software update (v3.40), adding PlayStation Plus compatibility as well as other minor features.

Main updated features from PS3 system software update (v3.40) include:

* PlayStation®Plus: A new subscription service package on PlayStation®Network, PlayStation Plus offers gamers exclusive services and content on June 29, 2010, worldwide. PlayStation Network users will be able to purchase membership* to PlayStation Plus, providing members with new options to enhance their gaming experience and enable them to gain a special set of features and content. All PlayStation Network users will continue to have free access to its unmatched and expanding suite of new and exclusive content, services and community focused tools – including online game play – while PlayStation Plus subscribers will gain access to an exclusive and expanding set of evolving features, content and functionality.

* Photo Gallery: A new network based photo sharing feature is now available on the Photo Gallery. The enhancement allows PS3 users to upload, browse and comment on photos on sites such as Facebook and Picasa Web Album. PS3 users can also opt to share their photos between their PlayStation Network friends.

* Video Editor & Uploader: Video Editor and Uploader is a new function found on the XrossMediaBar (XMB), which enables users to edit, save and upload video files stored on the PS3 system to sites such as Facebook or YouTube.*

* Five Star Rating Support: Users can rate PlayStation Store content they have purchased with one to five star ratings.

* Power Save Settings: The default setting for PS3 System Auto-Off will be set at two hours, providing users with additional power save options and further improving power save features on the PS3 system.

Additional Facebook Enhancements

In addition to the latest features introduced in PS3 system software update (v3.40), a separate, new PlayStation Network application will be made available on Facebook Platform. This builds upon what was previously launched with Trophies and the ability to share purchases from the PlayStation Store. Users can further integrate their PlayStation Network and Facebook accounts with this new application. The application allows them to display their PlayStation Network profile on Facebook, find out which of their Facebook friends have a PlayStation Network account and send them a PlayStation Network friend request, view the PlayStation Network friends’ online status, and add the PlayStation Network application tab on their Facebook Profile. More information will be available at: http://apps.facebook.com/playstation/

Continued system software upgrades and the evolution of PlayStation Network ensure that the PS3 and PSP systems remain compelling offerings for years to come, with no additional investment from consumers. Further details and instructions on how to update the system software for the PS3 and PSP systems are available at http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Features/SystemUpdate and http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/psp/“

Publisher- Square Enix
Expected Price- $59.99
Expected Release Date- August 24, 2010

To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the first Kane and Lynch. I thought it was a cool idea, but the game itself was pretty boring to me. So my expectations for the second one were pretty low. I wasn’t able to touch on the single player in number 2, but if the multiplayer is any indication, Kane and Lynch 2 may end-up being a game worth having. Many of the MP modes that were found in the original are again included here, but with a lot of refinements. The only mode I was able to play was the best from the first game, Cops and Robbers. They’ve done a great job with balancing straight team gameplay, but by adding the twists of becoming a traitor to your team so you can grab a fallen comrade’s loot is where the fun comes in. Also, if a traitor takes you out, you can then spawn on the opposing team so that you can exact your revenge on the traitor, and of course get your loot back (along with whatever else he had in his possession.) It’s a great take on the team dynamic, and was a lot of fun to play.

Visuals are pretty unique this time around, as IO Interactive purposely applied a new visual style that is set to mimic that of a Flip-cam or a video you may see on Youtube (kind-of a grainy, semi washed-out look.) Also, and it can be disabled, they’ve added a unique take on the handicam or “shaky cam” look while you run. Standing as close as I was in the demo, it was a bit off-putting, but when I watched someone else run, the effect was excellent.

Overall I am quite interested in Kane and Lynch 2, but I won’t pass any judgment until I can get my hands on the full game.

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

I’ve never made it a secret that I am a total id Software fanboy. I own every game they’ve ever made, and I still play Quake 3 & 4 on a regular basis. My friends and I still talk about the tech demo that was “leaked” for the first Quake, which had no enemies, but allowed you to roam around a map and fire the Nailgun (the sound was SO COOL!) So to say that I am highly anticipating “Rage” is a huge understatement. We were ushered-in to a theater to view a 30-minute demo of the game running on a 360, and from the first moment that the world appeared on the screen, I was hooked.

The story, at least so far, is that a meteor struck the Earth, killing most of the population. You are a part of the “Ark Project,” and were hidden away before the meteor struck. The details after that were not revealed, and the demo started pretty far into the game. The first thing that caught my eye were the beautiful visuals. All of the terrain is “touched by an artist” instead of being created artificially by the engine. The animation is excellent and the visuals are insanely clean, with an amazing color palette. he was attacked by a few mutants, which is where we got our first glimpse of combat. Not only is it the typical FPS, but you also have a throwing weapon of sorts, which we saw our presenter use with great skill as it chopped the head off of one of his attackers. After the mutants were dispatched, he hopped into a dune-buggy type of vehicle and drove off into the canyons, this is where the car combat was demonstrated.

Car combat is quite well done so far, and very streamlined. I did seem to notice that it was closer to dog-fighting than anything else, with everyone trying to get on an opponent’s six. Parts fly in grand explosions, and mines can be dropped if an opponent keeps tailing you. This mechanic excites me quite a bit, as it will definitely break-up the monotony of a straight FPS.

He then arrived at a town, which acts as one of a couple of “hub towns” for different missions and events. There’s an Old-West feel with newer technology, and again, the visuals are very fitting. By the way, this entire demo ran at a silky-smooth framerate, and really showed-off what we can expect from “id-tech 5.” They showed a minigame to show one of the ways you can earn extra cash, but then it was straight to the caverns for an FPS mission. Some of the mechanics you’ve seen in other games before, including firing an electrified projectile into water to take multiple enemies out. But the subtle nuances don’t take long to emerge as any reaction by your enemies to being shot etc are all procedural. So if you shoot him in the leg, the leg flies back from the force and he’ll start limping, that sort of thing.

The release won’t be in 2010, but judging from what I’ve seen already, “Rage” has become one of my absolute most anticipated titles. Keep your eyes here for more info if it becomes available, as this one is definitely on my radar!