Crispy Gamer has received word from THQ that the publisher is putting Big Huge Games, responsible for the Rise of Nations series, up for the sale, and that the studio will be closed if a buyer is not found.

Also, two other studios, Heavy Iron Studios and Incinerator, will become independent companies as a result of THQ's latest moves to cut workforce and reduce financial losses.

THQ, who acquired Big Huge last year, released this statement:

“As part of THQ’s previously announced business realignment and related headcount reduction plans that targeted cost reductions of $220 million, including a reduction in workforce of 600 people worldwide, THQ today notified the staff at two of its development studios that they will be spun out as independent companies: Heavy Iron in Los Angeles, CA, and Incinerator in Carlsbad, CA. In addition, THQ informed the staff at its Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, MD, that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the near future. These actions were unfortunate but were necessitated by the difficult economic environment.”

Big Huge, who also developed the popular XBLA title Catan as well as an expansion for Age of Empires III, has two unnamed titles, one for the Wii and another for the 360, PS3, and PC, in development. They have a good track record with their RTS games, so hopefully THQ won't have much trouble finding someone to sell them to.

Though details are rather scarce, Joystiq has discovered that the latest issue of Game Informer's cover story on Bioshock 2 has confirmed that the game will feature multiplayer.

We'll be on the lookout for more details once someone has gotten their hands on the issue. Stay tuned.

Epic has released a new patch for Gears of War 2 that fixes various multiplayer glitches and gameplay bugs. Included with the update is a list of new achievements involving the Combustible and Flashback map packs. They are listed below as follows:

• Skeletons in your Closet (20G) - Complete waves 1 through 10 on all Flashback Map Pack maps in Horde (any difficulty)
• More Mystery, Less History (15G) - Win a multiplayer match on each of the 5 Flashback Map Pack maps (any mode except Wingman)
• Bound by a Shared Past (15G) - Win a Wingman match on each of the 5 Flashback Map Pack maps
• Trial by, and on, Fire (20G) - Survive first 10 Horde waves on Combustible Map Pack maps as a team
• The Roof! The Roof! The Roof... (15G) - Win a multiplayer match on each of the 3 Combustible Map Pack maps (any mode except Wingman)
• Forged in the Fire (15G) - Win a Wingman match on each of the 3 Combustible Map Pack maps
• Annex: Now With Execution Rules (75G) - Win an Annex match on each Flashback and Combustible Map Pack map (public only)

Gears 2 continue right after the original shooter; following General RAAM's defeat and the light mass bombing. Marcus and Dom fight with fellow COG soldiers fatally wounded defending the city after subsequent Locust attacks. It is there on the hospital grounds we meet the rook, Benjamin, brother to his sibling Carmine who died from an infamous sniper shot and Tai, a militaristic but calm leader. They quickly learn that the Locusts have quietly regrouped underground and have launched attacks in endless numbers. Entire cities have been sunk underground as the Horde employs powerful forces and tactical equipment and that's not all; they've brought grotesque and far deadlier creatures this time around. Epic has placed a strong emphasis on the story behind the war that sheds light on Marcus Fenix's history and Dom's continued search for his missing wife, Maria.

As expected, the returning weapons are the Lancer, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, Torque Bow, Pistol and the Hammer of Dawn. New weapons added to your arsenal include the Hammerburst Rifle (enemy weapon), Gorgon Pistol, Ink Grenade (emits poison), Mortar (distance artillery weapon), Mulcher (turret gun) and the fan-favorite, the Scorcher Flamethrower. Grenades can be stuck to walls and used as proximity mines to destroy enemies lurking around. If you are pinned in battle, you can crawl while bleeding to try to reach your teammates to be revived. The new weapons are available in the latter half of the game and can be found by looting Locust corpses. Each weapon is distinct and allows you to perform unique executions on fallen enemies crawling away. You can also grab a dying Locust for use as a meat shield to flank your enemies. Be warned that using the corpse for cover lasts for a very short time -- limiting you to the use of a pistol. The shield will either explode into bits under heavy gunfire or be disposed of after breaking the Locust's neck.

The original Gears saw players destroying their opponents with a chainsaw attack; granting them temporary invulnerability to gunfire or melee attacks. Pulling the attack off was often based on luck between two players with the one who revved up his chainsaw just a split second earlier winning the fight; which was infuriating. Epic has addressed the Chainsaw attack complaints with a new Chainsaw duel feature. Two players that rush one another with the Lancer will be thrown into a mini-game; quickly mashing the B button ensures victory. If a third player approaches two people engaged in a Chainsaw duel, the poor guy or gal on the receiving end will instantly be overpowered. 

Both single player and coop campaigns allow you to finish the game by yourself or with a friend. The option to play at your own pace is simplified as campaigns can be played with two separate difficulty settings. An extra difficulty setting Normal can be selected with the Insane difficulty unlocked after the game has been completed. You can invite your friends with the "What's Up" feature that lets you see the status and progress of your Gears' friends online. Personally, I found the friendly menu list to be useful in keeping tabs with other online players.

The all new Horde mode is one of the highlights of Gears 2. In Horde mode, you join a team of five players collaborating to destroy Locusts waves on various maps. Eventually, your enemies grow stronger with more health, better weapons and increased numbers. A total of 50 waves are featured in Horde mode for which the difficulty level rises considerably after the tenth wave. Fighting together in groups, reviving teammates, giving cover fire and using key vantage points is crucial for your survival. Linked achievements play a big role in the Horde and multiplayer modes. Gears fans will be happy to hear that specific achievements (completed from the original) unlock new playable characters such as Anthony Carmine, Minh Young Kim (former Delta squad leader) and General RAAM. Your progress ultimately dictates your rank; which is used for matchmaking purposes. Horde mode is tough as nails but is easily the most satisfying and rewarding to play with everyone.

A War Journal is a handy tool that tracks your listed achievements, unlocked characters, and collectables. Rather than using COG tags, Epic has placed hidden files, newspapers, memos and personal letters throughout the game. They comprise a total of 41 collectables that provides a side story to the events surrounding the war. A magnifying glass signifies the item is found and is easily picked up by pressing the X button. You don't need to guess how close you are to an achievement as the journal displays your progress towards obtaining it. This is a welcome change for fans wishing to complete the game in its entirety.

Multiplayer modes feature seven maps: Warzone, Execution, Annex, King of the Hill, Guardian, Submission and Wingman. Epic's gift to its fans is a code for the Flashback Map Pack for those with preorders and for those buying Gears 2 at launch. This map pack includes five maps: Subway, Canals, Tyro Station, Gridlock and Mansion. While it doesn't sound like much, each map is considerably different from the original Gears. The Subway is less dreary, Canals have been hit by a frozen icy spell, Tyro Station is more industrialized, Gridlock is filled with foliage and the Mansion has better lighting. A new Training Ground mode gives casual, novice and veteran players a brief tutorial on the basics of multiplayer controls and combat.

Gears 2 is a graphically intense game. Buildings, air-borne dust, the underground caverns and the city landscapes are very polished. Special effects ranging from hailing fire on your enemies with the Mortar to poisoning the enemy with Ink grenades are visually gratifying. The frame rate takes a severe hit at numerous checkpoint locations that could have used some tweaking. There is also a tendency for Locust corpses and weapon spoils to fall and to defy natural physics in its environment. Otherwise, Gears 2 is a game detailed to the core that manages to exceed the best visuals of the original Gears. With respect to audio, the soundtrack is top-notch and a great accompaniment.

Many of the flaws from the original Gears have sadly crept into Gears 2. The A.I. teammates tend to block your shots, run straight into enemy territory without cover, and get hopelessly pinned in a far corner amongst a group of Locusts. Regrettably, the vehicle stages are the most irritating part of many campaigns; especially on the higher difficulty settings. Despite its shortcomings, Gears 2 is an exciting game full of blood, action and suspense for anyone that enjoys a solid third person shooter.

• Windows XP SP2
• Dual core processor (Intel Pentium D or above)
• 2GB of RAM
• 18GB of hard drive space
• 512MB Direct 3D 10 compatible video card or Direct3D 9 card
• DVD dual-layer drive

Harmonix has just issued a press release containing the full list of songs for Rock Band 2 that was first shown at Microsoft's E3 conference.

The biggest news besides the contents of the list is that you'll be able to export all your tracks from Rock Band into Rock Band 2, which, combined with the latter's setlist and planned DLC, will give you over 500 songs to jam out to by year's end.

As for the list itself, there's a ton of different artists ranging from Bob Dylan to AC/DC to Blondie and more. There's a total of 84 songs that will be on the game disc.

Hit the jump for the full list of songs.

1. AC/DC - “Let There Be Rock” 1970s
2. AFI - “Girl’s Gone Grey” 2000’s
3. Alanis Morissette - “You Oughta Know” 1990’s
4. Alice in Chains - “Man in the Box” 1990’s
5. Allman Brothers - “Ramblin’ Man” 1970’s
6. Avenged Sevenfold - “Almost Easy” 2000’s
7. Bad Company - “Shooting Star” 1970’s
8. Beastie Boys - “So Whatcha Want” 1990’s
9. Beck - “E-Pro” 2000’s
10. Bikini Kill - “Rebel Girl” 1990’s
11. Billy Idol - “White Wedding Pt. I” 1980’s
12. Blondie - “One Way or Another” 1970’s
13. Bob Dylan - “Tangled Up in Blue” 1970’s
14. Bon Jovi - “Livin’ on a Prayer” 1980’s
15. Cheap Trick - “Hello There” 1970’s
16. Devo - “Uncontrollable Urge” 1980’s
17. Dinosaur Jr. - “Feel the Pain” 1990’s
18. Disturbed - “Down with the Sickness” 2000’s
19. Dream Theater - “Panic Attack” 2000’s
20. Duran Duran - “Hungry Like the Wolf” 1980’s
21. Elvis Costello - “Pump It Up” 1970’s
22. Fleetwood Mac - “Go Your Own Way” 1970’s
23. Foo Fighters - “Everlong” 1990’s
24. Guns N’ Roses - “Shackler’s Revenge” 2000’s
25. Interpol - “PDA” 2000’s
26. Jane’s Addiction - “Mountain Song” 1980’s
27. Jethro Tull - “Aqualung” 1970’s
28. Jimmy Eat World - “The Middle” 2000’s
29. Joan Jett - “Bad Reputation” 1980’s
30. Journey - “Anyway You Want It” 1970’s
31. Judas Priest - “Painkiller” 1990’s
32. Kansas - “Carry On Wayward Son” 1970’s
33. L7 - “Pretend We’re Dead” 1990’s
34. Lacuna Coil - “Our Truth” 2000’s
35. Linkin Park - “One Step Closer” 2000’s
36. Lit - “My Own Worst Enemy” 1990’s
37. Lush - “De-Luxe” 1990’s
38. Mastodon - “Colony of Birchmen” 2000’s
39. Megadeth - “Peace Sells” 1980’s
40. Metallica - “Battery” 1980’s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones - “Where’d You Go” 1990’s
42. Modest Mouse - “Float On” 2000’s
43. Motorhead - “Ace of Spades” 1980’s
44. Nirvana - “Drain You” 1990’s
45. Norman Greenbaum - “Spirit in the Sky” 1960’s
46. Panic at the Disco - “Nine in the Afternoon” 2000’s
47. Paramore - “That’s What You Get” 2000’s
48. Pearl Jam - “Alive” 1990’s
49. Presidents of the USA - “Lump” 1990’s
50. Rage Against the Machine - “Testify” 1990’s
51. Ratt - “Round & Round” 1980’s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Give it Away” 1990’s
53. Rise Against - “Give it All” 2000’s
54. Rush - “The Trees” 1970’s
55. Silversun Pickups - “Lazy Eye” 2000’s
56. Smashing Pumpkins - “Today” 1990’s
57. Social Distortion - “I Was Wrong” 1990’s
58. Sonic Youth - “Teenage Riot” 1980’s
59. Soundgarden - “Spoonman” 1990’s
60. Squeeze - “Cool for Cats” 1970’s
61. Steely Dan - “Bodhitsattva” 1970’s
62. Steve Miller Band - “Rock’n Me” 1970’s
63. Survivor - “Eye of the Tiger” 1980’s
64. System of a Down - “Chop Suey” 2000’s
65. Talking Heads - “Psycho Killer” 1970’s
66. Tenacious D - “Master Exploder” 2000’s
67. Testament - “Souls of Black” 1990’s
68. The Donnas - “New Kid in School” 2000’s
69. The Go-Go’s - “We Got the Beat” 1980’s
70. The Grateful Dead - “Alabama Getaway” 1980’s
71. The Guess Who - “American Woman” 1970’s
72. The Muffs - “Kids in America” 1990’s
73. The Offspring - “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s
74. The Replacements - “Alex Chilton” 1980’s
75. The Who - “Pinball Wizard” 1960’s

Bonus Songs

76. Abnormality - “Visions” 2000’s
77. Anarchy Club - “Get Clean” 2000’s
78. Bang Camaro - “Night Lies” 2000’s
79. Breaking Wheel  - “Shoulder to the Plow” 2000’s
80. The Libyans - “Neighborhood” 2000’s
81. The Main Drag - “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter” 2000’s
82. Speck - “Conventional Lover” 2000’s
83. The Sterns - “Supreme Girl” 2000’s
84. That Handsome Devil - “Rob the Prez-O-Dent” 2000’s

• Big Bang Mini
  
• Brave: A Warrior's Tale
• Brave: Shaman's Challenge
• Igor The Game
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger
• Ninjatown
• Raven Squad
• X-Blades

A simple glance at the cute-yet-frightening boxart of Plushees for the Nintendo DS and you might be tempted to group it with the multitude of low quality kids' games that have suffocated Nintendo handhelds for years. However, despite its appearance as a stuffed animal themed minigame collection, it manages to overturn poor expectations with simple and light goal-oriented gameplay. Plushees, despite its inadvertently unsettling exterior, is actually a solid choice for the right age group and may very well captivate budding gamers of the eight-and-below set.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Plushees' premise is simple: through the power of imagination or dark magic, stuffed animals have come alive and are naturally in need of love and companionship that only you can provide. To do this you must purchase plushees carnival-style with tickets earned from the game's two main modes, Arcade and Plushee Play. It will take a lot of play, as the 25 plushees you can purchase in the Plushee Store cost anywhere between 200 and 1000 tickets and run the gamut from monkeys to dragons.

Once you earn the plushee of your dreams you can use it in the game's other major mode, Plushee Play. Plushee Play includes four games: Simon Says, Jump Rope, Hide-n-Seek, and Butterfly Catch. Simon Says is like the memorization game of its namesake, only in this iteration you select which plushee acted out the correct command that either you or the computer selected. In Jump Rope you can make your plushee hop in time in two ways, either by tapping it in time or by drawing prompted patterns on the touchscreen, the latter of which is more frantic and fun. Hide-n-Seek might be more accurately likened to a game of tag and features your plushee as it runs around trying to hug other plushees by choosing the correct icon of the other plushee on the touch screen. Butterfly Catch is somewhat broken, as it is very difficult to perceive the depth of the butterflies your plushee is chasing around the screen; luckily, the game is lenient and you don't have to be too close to catch them. You earn points instead of tickets in this mode, but earned points can be converted into tickets, so these games still have incentive to be played. While the games in Plushee Play are a bit deeper than the arcade games, the arcade games still have a simple, general appeal that these lack.

Plushees' presentation is adequately cute. The stuffed animal cast isn't overly sweet, but certainly sport a classic soft, rotund look. When the game uses 3D environments, such as the one used in Hide-n-Seek, it's very simplistic but adequate. Special mention must be made of the techno track in the music selections: this trance-like tune is catchy but seems hilariously out of place given the game's context. The game also features a multiplayer option should you find another player with a Plushees game card.

Of course, given that Plushees is about earning stuffed animals and playing games with them, it certainly won't be appropriate for an older child who has already been introduced to a franchise like Pokemon. While some of the games are generally fun and somewhat addictive, such as Alley Ball or Ka-Plinko, the subject matter of the other modes might only be appropriate for children age eight or younger. But, given the straightforward goal-based nature of the game, Plushees still manages to stand out in a kids' market overcrowded with licensed games of questionable quality - and at only $20, Plushees is even easier to recommend to parents confused by the overwhelming mediocre choices available to young gamers.

1. Include your position in the subject line, either: staff writer, general contributor, programmer, editor, or graphics designer
2. In the body of your email, include: any prior writing experience, your favorite game (and why!), your owned hardware, your preferred company (if you have one), how you heard about GameBump, what you think you can bring to the table, and why you're just dying to work here.
3. Attached, please include: at least one-two writing samples; this can be anything, but don't let it be less than 500 words. We want to get a feel for your style more than anything. And no viruses, please.
   

Microsoft and Epic Games has officially announced, in their keynote speech at this year's GDC event, that Gears of War 2 is slated for a November 2008 release for the Xbox 360.

Check out the teaser trailer after the jump.

Following the latest issue of GamePro magazine displaying a customized Gears 2 logo, Epic Games VP, Mark Rein has shot down rumors of an expected Gears of War 2 announcement by declaring the reports to be "complete nonsense."

Mark Rein has issued this comment in the official forums:

"We have not announced a sequel to Gears of War to GamePro or anyone else for that matter."

Much speculation has arisen regarding the possibility of the unannounced sequel making an appearance at this year's Game Developers Conference.

• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
• Pursuit Force
• wipEout PULSE
• Burnout
• NFL Tour
• Demo of AOL Shoutcast for PSP

• A huge co-op component featuring eight player story-driven campaigns over PSN (two player local) alongside single-player campaigns.
• Sixty player competitive modes with a focus on squad-versus-squad combat set in huge United States landscapes.
• New enemies including Chameleon and Stalker with total cloaking ability
• Multiplayer class system. Three basic templates - tank with heavy weaponry, special ops for distance (bullseye modified with zoom) and medic.
• Online matching - standard difficulty discarded for scaled challenges for team skill.
• Partially randomised geometry making levels different with each play through.
• Insomniac have been listening to players complaints about the first game and are also further tapping the power of the PS3 to give more enemies onscreen and improved AI. They are also working on a solution to the long checkpoints and health system.

1. Include your position in the subject line, either: staff writer, general contributor, programmer, editor, or graphics designer
2. In the body of your email, include: any prior writing experience, your favorite game (and why!), your owned hardware, your preferred company (if you have one), how you heard about GameBump, what you think you can bring to the table, and why you're just dying to work here.
3. Attached, please include: at least one-two writing samples; this can be anything, but don't let it be less than 500 words. We want to get a feel for your style more than anything. And no viruses, please.
   

• Alone in the Dark by Atari
• Bionic Commando by Capcom
• Conflict: Denied Ops by Eidos Interactive
• Empire: TOtal War by SEGA
• LEGO Indiana Jones by LucasArts
• Microsoft Train Sumulator 2 by Microsoft Game Studios
• Sins of a Solar Empire by Stardock
• Space Siege by SEGA
• Tomb Raider: Underworld by Eidos Interactive

1. Halo 3
2. Gears of War
3. Call of Duty 4
4. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
5. Call of Duty 3
6. Crackdown
7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
8. Guitar Hero II
9. Forza Motorsport 2
10. Lost Planet

1. TMNT 1989 Arcade
2. Worms
3. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
4. UNO
5. Bomberman Live
6. 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
7. Sonic the Hedgehog
8. Pinball FX
9. Geometry Wars Evolved
10. Texas Hold 'em

1. Halo 2
2. Star Wars: Battlefront 2
3. Counter-Strike
4. Battlefield 2: MC
5. Doom 3
6. Forza Motorsport
7. Madden NFL 2007
8. Conker: Live Reloaded
9. Call of Duty 3
10. Rainbow Six 3

Sega has published new screenshots of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for the DS. The game will also be released for the Wii and is scheduled for 2008 release.

Hit the link to view more images.

Q: Why was the Kane & Lynch review text altered?

A: Jeff's supervisors and select members of the edit team felt the review's negativity did not match its "fair" 6.0 rating. The copy was adjusted several days after its publication so that it better meshed with its score, which remained unchanged. The achievements and demerits it received were also left unaltered. Additionally, clarifications were made concerning the game's multiplayer mode and to include differences between the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

Q: Why was the Kane & Lynch video review taken down?

A: Both the text and video reviews of Kane & Lynch went up on Tuesday, November 13. The morning of Wednesday, November 14, the video was taken down due to concerns of quality. Specifically, its audio was deemed inferior due to a faulty microphone. There were also concerns about the limited amount of footage, which was unrepresentative of the game in the review.

Q: Why wasn't the video immediately reposted?

A: Due to the crush of high-profile games being released the following week, there were insufficient resources to reshoot and re-edit the video review.

A: It has been confirmed that Eidos representatives expressed their displeasure to their appropriate contacts at GameSpot, but not to editorial directly. It was not the first time a publisher has voiced disappointment with a game review, and it won't be the last. However, it is strict GameSpot policy never to let any such feelings result in a review score to be altered or a video review to be pulled.

Q: Did Eidos' disappointment cause Jeff to be terminated?

A: Absolutely not.

Q: Did Eidos' disappointment cause the alteration of the review text?

A: Absolutely not.

Q: Did Eidos' disappointment lead to the video review being pulled down?

A: Absolutely not.

Q: Why was GameSpot "skinned" with Kane & Lynch ads when Jeff was terminated?

A: Due to design and development considerations, media buys on GameSpot are made weeks in advance. The timing of said ads was extremely unfortunate but was purely coincidental and determined solely by the game's release date of November 13, 2007.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men has a lot of promise, but nothing in this game works out nearly as well as you'd hope.

Following the news of the Activision Blizzard merger, the company has confirmed that, in fact, Call of Duty 5 and Guitar Hero IV are both in development. There are no other details for these upcoming titles at this time.

In addition, other titles in the works include a new James Bond, Tony Hawk, new Dreamworks and Marvel titles and a racing title from Bizarre Creations.

Those who wish to visit the official site can do so here.

Activision is one of the largest publishers of video games, owning the Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and Tony Hawk licenses. Vivendi Gamess games is one of the smaller, less awesome publishers but owned by Vivendi Universal, a gigantic media company. Vivendi Games owns Blizzard, developer and creator of such cash-factories as World of Warcraft, Warcraft, Starcraft, and has nothing to do with Witchcraft. Vivendi Games also currently owns the rights to not-as-good-as-they-used-to-be Crash Bandicoot and Spyro.

After looking over the press release (linked in PDF format), it appears that this isn't exactly a straight merger.

• “Ride the Lightning” – Metallica
• “Blackened” - Metallica
• “And Justice for All” - Metallica

• “Can’t Stand Losing You” – The Police
• “Synchronicity II” – The Police
• “Roxanne” – The Police

• “3’s and 7’s” – Queens of the Stone Age
• “Little Sister” – Queens of the Stone Age
• “Sick Sick Sick” – Queens of the Stone Age

• “Ride the Lightning” – Metallica
• “Blackened” - Metallica
• “And Justice for All” - Metallica

• “Can’t Stand Losing You” – The Police
• “Synchronicity II” – The Police
• “Roxanne” – The Police

• “3’s and 7’s” – Queens of the Stone Age
• “Little Sister” – Queens of the Stone Age
• “Sick Sick Sick” – Queens of the Stone Age

• “Fortunate Son” as made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival *
• “Juke Box Hero” as made famous by Foreigner *
• “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” as made famous by T-Rex *
• “My Sharona” as made famous by The Knack *
• “Cherry Bomb” as made famous by The Runaways *
• “Joker & The Thief”- Wolfmother

• “Moonage Daydream” – David Bowie
• “Heroes” as made famous by David Bowie *
• “Queen Bitch” as made famous by David Bowie *

• “N.I.B.” as made famous by Black Sabbath *
• “Sweet Leaf” as made famous by Black Sabbath *
• “War Pigs” as made famous by Black Sabbath *

• “Rockaway Beach” - Ramones
• “I Fought the Law” - The Clash
• “Ever Fallen In Love” as made famous by Buzzcocks *

• “My Iron Lung” - Radiohead
• “Buddy Holly” - Weezer
• “Brass in Pocket” as made famous by Pretenders *