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Chinese Democracy Headed to Rock Band This Spring

Zach Lott — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:08:20 -0600

It took over fifteen years and millions and millions of dollars, but Chinese Democracy, Guns N' Roses' newest album, finally hit store shelves last year, and now it seems like the folks at MTV are planning to bring it to Rock Band.

In an interview with Billboard back in December, lead singer Axl Rose said that the release would be at the end of this month, but MTV has now changed that to "spring."

Rose mentioned that Harmonix "felt the record - based on the nature and complexity of the depth of instrumentation - deserved a bit more attention and some more involved elements than they've generally dealt with. I have no idea what that means but it's my understanding they were very enthusiastic."

Well, we don't understand what that means, either, but be on the lookout for the release in the next couple of months.

Rockstar Releases Second GTA IV PC Patch

Zach Lott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:29:27 -0600

After facing harsh criticism over the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV's bugginess at launch, Rockstar has put together a second patch that, among other things, offers graphical and crash fixes while correcting errors with the first patch.

You can grab the patch at Rockstar's website or by signing into Games for Windows Live. Follow the link to check out the patch notes.

GTA Chinatown to be "Far Bigger" than PSP GTA Titles

Zach Lott — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:47:52 -0600

The Grand Theft Auto games have been known for their massive worlds, and according to Rockstar Leeds president Gordon Hall, that isn't going to change with Chinatown Wars, the upcoming portable GTA title for the DS that is going to be even bigger than the PSP's Liberty City and Vice City Stories games.

Chinatown Wars is much bigger than anything we have ever done before [in terms of scope]: more odd jobs, deeper missions, and more moments of over-the-top action," Gordon said in a recent issue of Nintendo Power according to Nintendo Everything. "We have a huge interaction with the Rockstar Social Club, a massive [narcotics trafficking] game that would stand alone on its own. The list goes on and on; this thing is huge. We are very proud of all of the PSP games we have made, especially the two GTA games, but this game is far bigger.

It's also worth noting that the game's map is supposedly as large at that of GTA IV's, which could easily make this the largest handheld game yet. It'll be hitting retail shelves on March 17.

GB Review: Midnight Club LA Remix (PSP)

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:48:26 -0600

Midnight Club LA Remix is a competent racer with few niggling issues and annoyances. The portable version holds up well to its fully featured console cousins and for an arcade style racing game on the go you're unlikely to come across a better example of the genre at the moment, but it's far from a must have title if you're not really in the market for a portable racing game. It's worth a buy if you're interested in a racer that's not tethered to a television.

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

Every once in a great while, in every field, in any genre, there is a title that exemplifies, redefines, and generally leaves everyone else involved in the business both gob-smacked and flabbergasted. Midnight Club LA Remix for the PlayStation Portable is not such a title, but it is a competent arcade racer spread across the cities of Los Angeles and Tokyo where you can pop parking brakes and bust nitrous boosts to your heart's desire. While it exhibits a few issues it ultimately proves itself to be a fun title.

Launch Gallery: Midnight Club LA Remix

(15 images)

As with any arcade style racer, realism takes a backseat to outlandish physics, over-the-top crashes, and general mayhem. The gameplay is flawed at times, but ultimately enjoyable. The game engages you by using the city as a glorified menu system allowing you to chose races and upgrade your car at your will once you unlock the features. While this is enjoyable to an extent, it feels like a chore after a while -- considering how you're forced to endure at least two healthy loading screens merely to accomplish any task. Once you arrive at your destination you can look forward to a one to five minute race followed by some more loading screens. Repetition of races is also a minor gripe that should be considered.

The racing itself is a blast, the sense of speed is very real, and the turning on most cars feels just right once you get a hang of how to handle each of your cars. The AI controlled races vary from laughably pathetic to fiendishly difficult. While this is not a bad thing it's difficult to find races where there is a definite sense of being in just the right spot for an exciting finish which is somewhat of a let down. On a related note, which explains the lack of exciting finishes to a degree, the AI does not resort of "rubber banding" their way back up to you when you're in the lead or vice-versa. The car modification system is exceptionally robust and the number of modifications available for each individual car is nothing short of astounding.

The game's sound is difficult to quantify. The racers and main character all feature voice acting that's subpar across to board, and the dialogue is beyond poorly written unless you consider 2 Fast 2 Furious to be the apex of screenwriting prowess. That being said, there is a certain campy value that the dialogue and voice acting adds that makes the game endearing or at least mildly amusing the first few times you hear the insults that are thrown about by the other racers. The music is a standard faire of rap, electronic, hip hop, and rock songs. Featuring nearly 100 musical tracks the selection is anything but constrained, and the long list of artists should almost guarantee that there is at least once act that you're interested in listening to. Unfortunately most of the races are shorter than the songs included in the game so the music is often cut short by the lack of a continuation feature.

The graphics are generally sharp with minimal pop up when moving. Upon closer inspection the textures are rather drab and lack much in the way of definition, but this is hardly a deal breaker since this is really only noticeable when you're stopped and looking directly at an object (which really isn't the point of a racing game, is it?) The cars themselves look as if they were recreated with care and the cities seem as if a great deal of forethought was put into their design. Each city has defined districts that differ in appearance from the rest of the city, and the streets seem to flow comfortably in such a manner that doesn't punish the player too badly for making a wrong turn. All things considered it's an attractive visual package for a portable racer.

Midnight Club LA Remix is a passable effort at an arcade racer that while falling short on a few points manages to create an enjoyable casual experience for a portable racing title. The loading screens sort of detract from the pickup-and-playability of the title, but if you've got an extra moment or two it may just be worth your while to put rubber to the streets of LA and Tokyo during your free time. Far from redefining the genre the game offers an experience that is generally pleasing and engaging.

Sony talks portable LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:20:01 -0600

Rumors that LittleBigPlanet is getting a PSP iteration have been around since April and were recently strengthened by a rumor found within the pages of the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), so MTV's Multiplayer Blog asked Sony's John Koller about the rumors during a phone interview yesterday.

Koller's comments from the story:

"'LittleBigPlanet is so expansionary. I think the developers really concentrating on right now making sure that the launched product is everything it could be and can be. Were watching the UGC [user generated content] and seeing how thats playing out. But for the future, I think certainly, wed look at a wide variety of opportunities. Whether thats the PSP or not, I cant really say. We certainly look at LittleBigPlanet franchise as a going forward franchise for us, and that speaks to the PlayStation brand overall.

Multiplayer also asked Koller about the possibility of Rock Band or Guitar Hero hitting the PSP, as well:

Its of huge interest to us. Thats something youd really have to talk to the developers on that side [if] its going to happen or not. For us, we look at the music area as being critical for PSP and the social area of interest as well. PSP is a lot different than your traditional handheld product and music is the number two use on the PSP, behind gaming. So, the marrying of those two concepts is of huge interest to us, and if theres that opportunity to launch a title like that or even a new title that utilizes music in some way, then obviously were very interested.

Sounds like there may be something to these rumors. Stay tuned, we'll let you know if anything is announced.

DLC For Wii Version Of Rock Band 2 Confirmed

Zach Lott — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:48:39 -0500

Good news for you Wii owners who missed out on DLC for the original Rock Band: Kotaku is reporting that a USA Today story has confirmed that the Wii version of Rock Band 2 will receive the same DLC support as the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.

"While unannounced, MTV Games has confirmed that the upcoming Nintendo Wii version of ``Rock Band 2'' will offer the same online functionality i.e. song downloads and Internet multiplayer modes as the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 versions. The PS2 version, however, will not include online connectivity," says the article.

While this is certainly a good thing for Wii owners, it is still uncertain about whether or not the full array of DLC for the original Rock Band will ever be made available on Wii, though a select number of DLC songs were packaged and released through retail back in July. Keep your fingers crossed.

They are in! GTA IV PC Specs Unveiled

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:54:16 -0500

For those of you who have been waiting for the PC specs on Grand Theft Auto IV--well, they are now in!

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

It appears the staff who handle the Games for Windows website jumped the gun today because they posted the PC specifications, but were removed soon after. No word from Rockstar Games regarding as to why it was taken down.

Rush DLC Delayed Due To "Technical Difficulties"

Zach Lott — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:22:07 -0500

After promising the release of the Rush album Moving Pictures for this week's Rock Band DLC, Harmonix has announced that they have run into some "unforeseen technical difficulties" that have sidelined the release for at least a couple more weeks.

However, they promised that there will still be DLC for this week and that "exciting news" is on the way from this weekend's PAX event, presumably related to Rock Band 2. We'll let you know what happens.

Rush Album Coming To Rock Band

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:17:44 -0500

The first edition of Harmonix's new Rock Band newsletter hit the 'net today, and with it comes the news that Moving Pictures, perhaps the most popular album released by Canadian prog-rock trio Rush, will be hitting Rock Band as next week's DLC.

The seven-song album features GH2 favorite YYZ, which should prove to be tough challenge for all three players, along with the original version of Tom Sawyer. Check out the track list below:

"Tom Sawyer (Original Version)"
"Red Barchetta"
"YYZ"
"Limelight (Original Version)"
"The Camera Eye"
"Witch Hunt"
"Vital Signs"

Left 4 Dead Headed To PS3?

Zach Lott — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:11:01 -0500

If you're bummed that Left 4 Dead hasn't been announced for the PS3, here's an interesting bit for you: Joystiq is reporting that the Official Playstation Magazine's latest issue claims that the game is hitting the PS3 but will be developed by EA instead of Turtle Rock Studios. However, the mag doesn't disclose its source for the information, so you might not want to get too excited until an official confirmation is made.

If true, EA will be under pressure to deliver a strong port, as their PS3 port of the Orange Box angered many PS3 owners because of its numerous bugs, framerate issues, and other technical mishaps. Let's hope that this one turns out better.

E3 2008: Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:05:20 -0500

The folks over at Rockstar Games today announced the development of Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS.

"This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense 'Grand Theft Auto' experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo's handheld platform," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive."

The game is set to be released in Winter of this year.

E3 2008: Rock Band 2 Setlist Revealed

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:03:19 -0500

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.

Main Setlist

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

Bonus Songs

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

Left 4 Dead Coming On November 4

Zach Lott — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:58:09 -0500

After enduring numerous delays, Left 4 Dead, the survival-horror FPS from Valve's Turtle Rock Studios, is finally coming on November 4, according to Big Download.

Left 4 Dead is built around four-player co-op in which gamers fight off hordes of zombies throughout several scenarios while also having the chance to play as zombie bosses. The game also features an A.I. "director" that changes the spawn points for enemy zombies with each play-through and controls the flow of the action.

You'll be able to pick it up on the Xbox 360 and PC.

Q Entertainment, Harmonix Prep Rock Band For Japanese Release

Zach Lott — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:14:42 -0500

MTV, not satisfied with the mountains of cash that Rock Band has earned them in North America, recently released the game in Europe, but they aren't stopping there. Today they announced that Harmonix plans to partner with Q Entertainment to release a "heavily localized" version of the game in Japan.

GameDaily has reported that MTV revealed a trailer for the localized edition at the 2008 Japanese MTV Video Music Awards in addition to making the American version available at the afterparty.

A release date hasn't been made public yet, but we'll keep you updated.

Grand Theft Auto 4 Passes $500 Million

Tim Grube — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:25:21 -0500

Take-Two Interactive Software and Rockstar Games announced early this morning that Grand Theft Auto 4 has sold 6 million units of its criminal action game in its first week, with estimated retail sales exceeding $500 million.

Rockstar Games put $100 million dollars into the development process and quickly made all that money back and then some. Quite crazy how much game development is nowadays. It's pretty much the same amount of money to develop a hollywood movie.

The game is still selling at a whopping $60 a pop.

Wii, PS2 To Receive Track Pack For Rock Band

Zach Lott — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:48:41 -0500

If you're playing Rock Band on the PS2 or planning to pick up the Wii version in June and are bummed about not having access to DLC, then don't worry - Harmonix feels your pain. GameDaily has reported that Harmonix and MTV announced today that they will release a collection of the game's downloadable tracks, entitled "Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1," as an individual retail product on Wii and PS2 on July 15. The box will cost $29.99.

MTV told GameDaily that they currently have no further plans to release track packs. "In terms of the possibility of future releases - we are leaving our options open," said a MTV representative.

Hit the jump to view the list of songs included in the pack.

30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill
All American Rejects - Move Along
Blink 182 - All the Small Things
Boston - More Than a Feeling
David Bowie - Moonage Daydream
Faith No More - We Care A Lot
Grateful Dead - Truckin'
The Hives - Die, All Right!
KISS - Calling Dr. Love
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme' Three Steps
Nine Inch Nails - March of the Pigs
Oasis - Live Forever
Paramore - Crushcrushcrush
The Police - Synchronicity II
Queens of the Stone Age - Little Sister
Ramones - Teenage Lobotomy
Smashing Pumpkins - Siva
Stone Temple Pilots - Interstate Love Song
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Wolfmother - Joker & the Thief

PlayStation Store Update: Dark Sector, Echochrome

Solomon Lee — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:37:03 -0500

Sony has updated the PlayStation Store today, with the Dark Sector demo and echochrome, the mind-boggling puzzle game, leading the way. Highlights include Karaoke Revolution songs, Rock Band Songs and an all new Kung-Fu Panda trailer. The full list of additions is available after the jump.

Downloadable Games

echochrome ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content

Rock Band
- "Zero" - Smashing Pumpkins ($1.99)
- "Time-Sick Son of a Grizzly Bear" - The Mother Hips ($1.99)
- Red Tandy The Mother Hips ($1.99)
Karaoke Revolution presents: Americal Idol Encore downloadable songs ($1.49 each)

Game Demos (free)

Dark Sector demo

Game Videos (free)

echochrome trailer
Battlefield Bad Company Redford Blog
Kung-Fu Panda trailer
Dead Space Announcement Trailer
Turok - "Kane" Gameplay Trailer
Turok - "Bring It" Gameplay Trailer
NBA Ballers: Chosen One TV Spot
Wyclef's "Fast Car" Music Video

PS3 Wallpaper

echochrome wallpapers (x4)
Kung Fu Panda wallpapers (x4)

PSP Wallpaper

echochrome wallpapers (x4)

Rock Band's First Downloadable Albums Set For Release

Zach Lott — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:22:41 -0500

After months of waiting, fans of Rock Band will soon be jamming to full albums, as Harmonix announced today that Judas Priest's "Screaming for Vengeance," which features classic heavy metal tunes like "You've Got Another Thing Comin," will be released on April 22 for the 360 and April 24 for the PS3. The download will cost $14.99, and gamers will also have the option to download the tracks seperately for $1.99 each.

Two more albums were also announced, with The Pixies' "Doolittle" being set for June and The Cars' eponymous debut album arriving in May.

Rocky, Commando 3 Coming To XBLA

Solomon Lee — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:58:55 -0500

CVG has reported that Rocky and Bullwinkle and Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 are amongst a list of titles making its way to Xbox Live Arcade in the next few weeks.

The highlights of the titles includes Assault Heroes and Doom that are both available for the reduced cost of 400 Microsoft Points each.

Hit the jump for the full list.

Excerpt:

· Assault Heroes (Sierra Online). Become the only surviving member of an elite special forces unit searching for a secret underground lab. Play the mission alone or fight side-by-side with a friend in the two-player cooperative mode. The winner of IGNs Xbox LIVE Arcade game of the year for 2006, Assault Heroes will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

· DOOM (id Software). Originally released in 1993, DOOM introduced millions to the white-knuckle excitement of the first-person shooter (FPS). Relive the classic demon-blasting action with up to four players over Xbox LIVE*, complete with 5.1 surround sound and smoother graphics. Doom will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

· Rocky and Bullwinkle (Zen Studios Ltd.). Heres something youll really like! Based on the highly popular US cartoon series of the same name, Rocky and Bullwinkle on Xbox LIVE Arcade is a fast and fun party experience packed with over 100 micro-games and decked out in authentic retro art style. All your favourite characters are coming straight out of Frostbite Falls and into your living room: Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and many more. Plus, players with an Xbox LIVE Vision camera can control 25 of these games using fun gestures. Gee whiz, Rocky!

· Shotest Shogi (AI Factory Ltd. and Rubicon Development Ltd.). Experience a new kind of shogi, Japans top board game, which encourages complex tactical play and strategic sacrifices. Set in an elegant Japanese room, this beautifully rendered game features 16 challenging artificial intelligence opponents as well as an online multiplayer mode*. For beginners, Shotest Shogi on Xbox LIVE Arcade also offers an advanced tutorial that guides and tests players as they progress through the game.

· TiQal (Slapdash Games). An addictive new puzzler, TiQal takes players on an epic journey to save an ancient Mayan village. Players demolish enemy block walls by matching squares of the same colour and building them up to unleash massive combo points and mind-blowing power-ups. Partner with a friend over local or Xbox LIVE* co-op play to rescue the village, while enjoying sumptuous graphics, exciting sound effects and an awe-inspiring musical score.

· Wits & Wagers (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC). Party and trivia fun! Even if trivia isnt your thing, the first trivia and party game to hit Xbox LIVE Arcade is one in which players can win by making educated guesses, playing the odds or just knowing the interests of other players, whether they are local or online. Break out the Big Button Pad controllers or play couch vs. couch on Xbox LIVE for a trivia party extravaganza.

· Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 (Capcom Entertainment Inc.). Xbox LIVE Arcades Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 revives one of the most popular arcade shooters with an all-new adventure. Battle solo or recruit two other specialised commandos to conquer the evil tyrant, General Ratiev. Players can play as Codename Wolf, Coyote or Fox to take on waves of soldiers, rescue POWs and blow up armoured vehicles through a variety of dangerous battlefields.

New Grand Theft Auto IV Screens: the writing's on the wall

Shiva Stella — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:40:00 -0600

Three new images of Grand Theft Auto IV surfaced yesterday, and if you're interested in giving this measly offering a glance you may do so at the link.

I must say, though: that's some mighty detailed graffiti, which is obviously an indicator of the fantastic graphical beauty the game's got in store for us.

Cross your fingers.

Grand Theft Auto IV Dated, Special Edition Offers Up

Shiva Stella — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:11:29 -0600

And the Grand Theft Auto IV updates just keep rolling in, headlined today by Rockstar's confirmation that the game is expected to release on April 29 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Special Edition bundles are already being offered for $89.99 (shipping April 28) on both systems and include:

Safety deposit box
"Special" packaging
GTAIV art book, "featuring never-before-seen production artwork from GTA IV"
Selected soundtrack
Rockstar keychain (for the safety deposit box keys)
Rockstar duffel bag

The regular title's MSRP is the usual $59.99. You can take a peek at the special editions at the link.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles Box Art Unveiled

Tim Grube — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:04:58 -0600

Hot off the press this morning from Rockstar Games is the box art of Midnight Club: Los Angeles for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Enjoy!

Hit the read more for the larger images.

New Grand Theft Auto IV Screenshots, more previews

Shiva Stella — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:00:00 -0600

I bet it's a body.

Just in case you haven't had your fill of Grand Theft Auto IV today, here are some new screenshots now circulating the Wonderful Web. Take a gander at the link.

CVG has also posted a new preview of the game, if you're interested. Looks like the media is lining up at the trough (ourselves included).

60 Minute Impressions With GTA IV

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:31:08 -0600

Unfortunately, GameBump has not yet been able to get our grubby little hands on a preview of Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar, we're waiting for our invite, just shoot me an email!), but our friends over at GameTrailers.com got a chance to go head on with this massive title. Below are a few excerpts from their preview.

The build on display seemed close to finished with the full world realized and missions in-place. Another big aspect of this franchise is traversing whichever city its set in. This time its a return to Rockstars homage to New York, Liberty City. Its an absolutely massive environmenta network of boroughs attached by a series of waterways.

Carjacking has been made a little more involved this time. If you try to take an empty ride Niko will put his elbow through the drivers side window and hop in. Once inside the car, you work the right trigger attempting to hotwire it.

We won't paste the entire preview, but head over to GameTrailers website to get the full thing.

Valve Acquires Turtle Rock Studios

Solomon Lee — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:50:29 -0600

Valve has announced they have acquired Turtle Rock Studios, the developer behind the survival horror title, Left 4 Dead. The developer had previously partnered with Valve in crafting several maps for Counter-Strike: Source and assisted them in the production of the FPS title, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero.

"Left 4 Dead fills a long-standing demand gamers have had for a coop first-person action experience, and it will also help Valve's expansion into the console market," added Doug Lombardi, Valve's VP of marketing.

Left 4 Dead is scheduled for 2008 release for the PC and Xbox 360.

OXM, Harmonix to Give 360 Owners Free Rock Band Songs

Shiva Stella — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:13:45 -0600

If you're a Rock Band owner and happen to enjoy the 360 version then you might be interested to know that the next issue of the Official Xbox Magazine (US) is offering three exclusive Rock Band tracks. The goodies include:

Freezepop - "Sprøde"
Bang Camaro - "Rock Rebellion"
Count Zero - "Shake"

You can find the issue on store shelves (or in your mail box...) on January 15.

No GTAIV for Wii, Exclusive DLC for 360 Version in 2009

Shiva Stella — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:37:48 -0600

This guy has scary big hands.

Rockstar has taken some time off from its Manhunt 2 rantings to grace us with some interesting screenshots for its Grand Theft Auto IV. All screens are viewable at the link.

In more pertinent GTAIV news, Gamasutra is reporting that there will be no GTAIV release for Nintendo's Wii console due to the game being "ill-suited" for it (yet Bully is apparently a go, explain that one to me).

In this same fourth-quarter results announcement, Rockstar also confirmed that it will be bringing fresh, exclusive downloadable content to the Xbox 360 version in 2009.

EA Offers a Good Apology

Akshay Masand — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:40:07 -0600

Were you one of the many people who got a defective guitar with your Rock Band bundle? If that was the case, it really does suck to be you, but on the bright side, Electronic Arts is trying to do the right thing by promising customers a free game. When the news was first heard, everyone imagined this "free game" to be one of the less successful games made by the company, but little did we know!

EA released the news of what is to be offered as the "free game" and guess what? It isn't a bunch of crap titles! Unsatisfied customers can now choose from most of EA's 2007 catalogue of games. Amongst the list are games such as Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Skate, and Fifa Soccer 08.

If you were one of the many who opened your bundle to find a broken guitar, you are in luck. Hit the link to see a full list of games available and get your copy if you are one of the unsatisfied Rock Band customers.

Tired of Paying For Microsoft Points You Don't Need? Get Used To It

Akshay Masand — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:12:49 -0600

Have you ever purchased a bundle of Microsoft Points so you can get something you want only to find out that you have an obscure number of points leftover? It has been a common thing for a while on the Marketplace and even more so recently thanks to DLC from games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3. With the newly released single song downloads for the following games, many of the users find themselves having an odd number of points leftover and then having to purchase another bundle of points for future purchases.

The aggravation had risen to the point where 1up editor Patrick Klepek decided to speak to a product manager Aaron Greenberg about the issue. Greenberg mentioned that the reason Microsoft does this is because they don't want to "burden" the consumers with the publishers, themselves, or transaction fees. He mentioned that they bundle the points to keep infrastructure costs down even though it is frustrating at times.

Regardless of whether we like it or not, we're stuck with these bundled Microsoft Points as Greenberg had mentioned that there is no future plan to change this process. We're going to have to put up with the issue unless for some odd reason you don't want any DLC, Xbox Live Arcade Games, or anything else the Xbox Live Marketplace has to offer.

New GTA IV Trailer Doesn't Disappoint

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:39:25 -0600

A new trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV has arrived and is featured in full HD glory over at GameTrailers (linked). If you prefer an embedded version, simply hit the jump.

The video seems to be entirely cutscene footage (no gameplay), but reveals a lot about the tone and themes of the game's plot.

Grand Theft Auto IV Box Art Video, Next Trailer Dec 6

Shiva Stella — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:20:00 -0600

Move over all you traditional companies who fill up my in-box with .jpgs and .bmps showcasing your title's hot box art, as Rockstar has published a video of its Grand Theft Auto IV's box art in creation. Yeah, take that Mr.jpg.

The video is below and details the date and title of the next GTAIV trailer: "Move up, Ladies" for December 6. Someone has mastered the art of timely propaganda.

David Bowie Rocks You in Rock Band, New DLC

Shiva Stella — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:06:39 -0600

Rock Band fans rejoice, as the game has received its David Bowie goodness in the form of another downloadable content update. Gamers can purchase the David Bowie song pack for $5.49 (that's 440 MS points) or shell out a mere $1.99/track (that's 160 MS points). The songs include:

David Bowie Pack

Moonage Daydream David Bowie
Heroes as made famous by David Bowie (cover)
Queen Bitch as made famous by David Bowie (cover)

As usual, the pack should be available on Xbox Live today (if it's not already) and will launch for the PlayStation Store on Thursday. You can view a full listing of impending songs here.

Rockstar Pissed Off at BBFC's Rejection of Manhunt 2

Shiva Stella — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:40:01 -0600

I suspect it must suck if you're a member of the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) today, as Rockstar and the BBFC have engaged in a heated discussion regarding Manhunt 2 and the BBFC's refusal to certify the title - allowing it to release to gamers in the UK - at Rockstar's appeal of the decision.

Eurogamer has the full scoop and details Rockstar's defense of the BBFC's rejection of Manhunt 2 as delivered by Geoffrey Robertson, who suggested that the BBFC be renamed to the "British Board of Videogame Censors" (oh, snap).

Stated Robertson, "There's no evidence that playing interactive videogames leads to a propensity to act them out in real life. We wonder why Manhunt 2 has been singled out for special treatment."

He continued, addressing the Video Appeals Committee, "There you are, seven of you - not one of you has experienced, I'm told by the chairman, computer games, or are a gamer." In response one member of the panel did admit to having played computer games before and the panel did acknowledge that they had played Manhunt 2 (I'm curious as to if one of them has killed anybody yet).

Robertson concluded, "We [Rockstar] say [Manhunt 2] has been banned not because of any likelihood it will harm gamers, but because of the likelihood it will harm the reputation of the BBFC."

I must say, though, that Rockstar can't be surprised at the BBFC's rejection, as the ESRB had reacted to the material in almost similar fashion, at first rating the title Adults-Only until Rockstar made some "adjustments" for a Mature rating. You can read up on Manhunt 2 here.

Free Halo Theme Song Goes Live for Guitar Hero III Thursday

Shiva Stella — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:20:00 -0600

Get your groove on with the Master.

If you're a Halo and a Guitar Hero fan, you might be interested to know that Neversoft, Bungie, Activision/RedOctane, and Microsoft have teamed up to bring the Halo theme (MJOLNIR Mix) to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for the Xbox 360.

The song is free and launches on the Xbox Live Marketplace on Thanksgiving day, Thursday November 22.

Here's some info on the theme if you're a music buff:

The Halo theme was written, composed, and performed by Martin ODonnell and Michael Salvatori; and the MJOLNIR Mix features guitars performed by the Grammy Award winning guitar hero, Steve Vai.

"Its a real pleasure to hear one of the best loved and most iconic themes from Bungies Halo Universe in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," said Marty ODonnell, Composer and Audio Director for Bungie Studios. "As longtime fans of the Guitar Hero franchise, it was great to collaborate with Neversoft and Activision/RedOctane to offer this exciting free download to our fans."

Harmonix Publishes Rock Band's DLC Song Listing

Shiva Stella — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:10:16 -0600

Harmonix has published a listing of its downloadable content song packs soon to be available for its Rock Band. The game is set to launch on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles on November 20 and follows the successful release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, its prime competition at release.

The company will sell three-song packs for $5.49 (440 Microsoft points) a piece or $1.99 (160 MS points) a track. Other tracks will carry the $1.99 cost/per with additional music to be released on a weekly basis with some costing a mere $.99 (80 MS points) to $2.99 (240 MS points) a track, though the company states that most will carry the $1.99/per cost.

The three song packs releasing November 20 at $5.49 each are:

Metallica Pack

Ride the Lightning Metallica
Blackened - Metallica
And Justice for All - Metallica

The Police Pack

Cant Stand Losing You The Police
Synchronicity II The Police
Roxanne The Police

Queens of the Stone Age Pack

3s and 7s Queens of the Stone Age
Little Sister Queens of the Stone Age
Sick Sick Sick Queens of the Stone Age

Hit the jump for a full listing of individual tracks/song packs from Nov 20 - Dec 18.

Full DLC listing, week starting Nov 20:

3-Pack for $5.49 or Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points per track and 440 per pack for Xbox 360)

Metallica Pack

Ride the Lightning Metallica
Blackened - Metallica
And Justice for All - Metallica

The Police Pack

Cant Stand Losing You The Police
Synchronicity II The Police
Roxanne The Police

Queens of the Stone Age Pack

3s and 7s Queens of the Stone Age
Little Sister Queens of the Stone Age
Sick Sick Sick Queens of the Stone Age

Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360)

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

Week of November 27, 2007

3-Pack for $5.49 or Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points per track and 440 per pack for Xbox 360)

David Bowie Pack

Moonage Daydream David Bowie
Heroes as made famous by David Bowie *
Queen Bitch as made famous by David Bowie *

Week of December 4, 2007

3-Pack for $5.49 or Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points per track and 440 per pack for Xbox 360)

Black Sabbath Pack

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 *

Week of December 11, 2007

3-Pack for $5.49 or Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points per track and 440 per pack for Xbox 360)

Punk Pack:

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

Week of December 18, 2007

Individual Tracks for $1.99 Each
(160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360)

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

*This is a cover version of a song made famous by the artist indicated. All others are original master recordings.

New Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Song Packs

Shiva Stella — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:46:17 -0600

Activision has launched two new song packs for its popular Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for the Xbox 360. The packs are available online through the XBL service and cost 500 Microsoft points a pop. Here's a song list for each pack:

Velvet Revolver Pack

"She Builds Quick Machines" Off of the "Libertad Allbum"
"Slither" Off of the "Contraband Allbum"
"Messages" Off of the "Libertad (deluxe version)", as performed by Velvet Revolver.

Content: Foo Fighters Pack

"The Pretender" Off of the "Echoes Silence Patience & Grace"
"All My life" Off of the "One by One"
"This Is A Call" Off of the "Foo Fighters (self titled)" as performed by Foo Fighters.

[Edit] The PlayStation Store has also been updated with the same content, so I guess everybody's covered.

So... Grand Theft Auto IV When?

Shiva Stella — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:06:22 -0600

Just in case you missed out on some interesting Grand Theft Auto IV news yesterday, Take Two's Strauss Zelnick, chairman, has commented that the company will not announce a firm (read: specific) release date for Rockstar's next GTA hit until it's "utterly convinced" that the title can make the date. However, as GameSpot and other sources have pointed out, this does not mean that the game will not make its Q2 2008 release (we just don't know the exact date to expect it in Q2).

That's a bonus for fans who want a completed, quality product, no doubt, but the main question the company is considering is whether missing out on holiday sales will prove a serious mistake.

Explained Zelnick, "I think there was a concern initially when we slipped (on the October 16 date) that we missed the boat in terms of Christmas but I think that concern has been alleviated... because this is a must-have title it's probably okay that we're not selling it in the Christmas season."

Sounds logical. You can hit the jump to view the full question and answer.

Excerpt:

Analyst: "You guys have talked about Grand Theft Auto IV being February 1 to April 30. Obviously, there's been rumors that it could be later, and then, recently, the gaming communities have said that it could be earlier. Just help us understand when we should expect a firm date on when that release could be..." [Emphasis added.]

Zelnick: "It's a fair question, I think, given that we weren't obviously able to stick our firm date the last time. We're gonna give the firm date when we're utterly convinced we have it. And that isn't right now. You know, we do feel that the way the title is being developed so that it's going to be fantastic, we know it's highly anticipated. I think there was a concern, initially, when we slipped, that we sort of missed the boat in terms of Christmas, and I think that concern has been alleviated. I think most people are--even though, obviously, it wasn't the intent--are saying, 'Hey, that's OK. You know, the hardware penetration is going to grow over Christmas, and this is gonna be a must-have title, it's probably ok you're not selling it during the Christmas season.' So I think right now, our view is to put out a really high-quality title. Obviously, we're not in the business of disappointing investors, and we're certainly in the business of doing what we say we're going to do, so we'll give a firm release date when we know we can stick to it." [Emphasis added.]

In happier news, Zelnick has also commented that any downloadable content for the game would not "play a very significant role in generating revenue for the company in 2008" (source: GamesIndustry.biz). I don't have a problem with companies releasing downloadable content to enhance the general gaming experience, but I'm not a fan of paying for content that should have been included in the full game at release, buy hey, that's just me.

Manhunt 2 Hack Not Rockstar's Fault, Says ESRB

Aaron Dunlap — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:26:52 -0500

As we mentioned earlier, some crafty hackers figured out how to unlock the edited content from the PSP version of Manhunt 2 using modded software. People began predicting this would be a repeat of the Hot Coffee... incident wherein the sex scene in GTA: San Andreas could be unlocked through equally devious means.

Maybe not. ESRB head Patricia Vance quickly stepped up and released a statement acquitting Rockstar of any wrongdoing in this Manhunt 2 hack.

"Once numerous changes to the game's code have been made and other unauthorized software programs have been downloaded to the hardware device which circumvent security controls that prevent unauthorized games from being played on that hardware, a player can view unobscured versions of certain violent acts in the game," Vance said. "Contrary to some reports, however, we do not believe these modifications fully restore the product to the version that originally received an AO rating, nor is this a matter of unlocking content."

Basically, she says, Rockstar never intended for people to unlock this content so they're in the clear.

One could infer from this that Rockstar also did nothing wrong with Hot Coffee, since it's virtually the exact same situation. For now, I'm going with that being the case.

You have to wonder how many times this can happen before it stops being not-Rockstar's-fault and starts becoming a trend.

Surprise! Protesting Video Games Only Makes Them Sell More

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:37:34 -0500

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Manhunt 2, Bully, all three of those games have three things in common: first, they're all made by Rockstar (which makes the motivations for the second point a little transparent); second, they all had considerable uproar and protest around their release due to their violent or offensive content; and third, they sold (or probably will sell) around three hundred and forty five trillion copies.

It seems rather obvious, that all the continual media coverage given to the outrage over a game is nothing more than free advertising. The people protesting the game are actually increasing its exposure, defeating their own purpose.

Wired has a great article about this, following the trend back to games like Mortal Kombat and beyond.

Sociologists and psychologists will tell you that boycotts rarely work because the phrase "Don't buy _____" includes the words "buy _____" -- but protesting a game because of titilating content worsens the situation because the titilation is what most people want.

Imagine if there was an unmarked store on a street and as you were walking past it somebody grabbed you and said, "Don't go inside there, they have low priced pornography!" If that protester hadn't said anything, you would never have known about the cheap porn in that store and would have walked right by it. In the same way, people complaining about all of the sex and violence in these games just lets more people know that, hey, here's a game with sex and violence they can buy.

The real debate is whether Rockstar makes their games so prone to protest on purpose, knowing it's a great business model. If that were the case, would that be cheap or brilliant?

Manhunt 2 Available in NA Market and Nowhere Else

Shiva Stella — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:12:08 -0500

Rockstar's Manhunt 2 for the Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP is now officially available at North American retailers.

The game is the successor to the incredibly gruesome Manhunt and is no doubt yet another expression of Rockstar's rebellious nature and its desire to test the social boundaries of the gaming industry. UK gamers, however, are going to be (legally) out of luck in getting their hands on this title as the BBFC has denied the game's release in that region, though a download version might be made available at a later date.

Hit the jump for more info.

Excerpt:

"Manhunt 2 has gone through much to reach this day," said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games. "We are very excited that fans will finally get a chance to experience the magnificent horror experience we've crafted with Manhunt 2."

The sequel to the critically acclaimed, best-selling franchise, Manhunt 2 is a dark and disturbing psychological story revolving around the sinister events of a secretive research project called The Pickman Project.

Plunging into the depths of human psychosis, terror and paranoia, the twisted plot and brutal gameplay conspire to create the most atmospheric gaming experience ever, with GamesRadar.com stating, "Manhunt 2 looks to be a deeply, horrifyingly unsettling experience, and we mean that as the highest possible compliment."

The title is rated Mature by the ESRB, however that follows an initial Adults-Only (AO) rating that the ESRB and Rockstar worked together to adjust.

Rock Band Track List Now Available

Shiva Stella — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:07:00 -0500

Harmonix, in collaboration with MTV Games and Electronic Arts, has announced the final song list for its Rock Band, set to release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (both on November 20), and PlayStation 2 (December 18) consoles this holiday season. Hit the jump to view the entire track list.

Below you'll find the 45 tracks readily available in the game. Additionally, 13 unlisted songs will be included as unlockable content.

1960s
Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"

1970s
Aerosmith "Train Kept a Rollin'"*
The Who "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Boston "Foreplay/Long Time"
Mountain "Mississippi Queen"*
The Police "Next to You"
David Bowie "Suffragette City"
Black Sabbath "Paranoid"*
Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear the Reaper"
The Ramones "Blitzkrieg Bop"
Deep Purple "Highway Star"
KISS "Detroit Rock City"
Molly Hatchet "Flirtin' With Disaster"
The Outlaws "Green Grass & High Tides"*
Sweet "Ballroom Blitz"*

1980s
Rush "Tom Sawyer"*
Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive"
The Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
Faith No More "Epic"
R.E.M. "Orange Crush"
Iron Maiden "Run to the Hills"*

1990s
Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly"
Metallica "Enter Sandman"
Nirvana "In Bloom"
Stone Temple Pilots "Vasoline"
Weezer "Say It Ain't So"
Smashing Pumpkins "Cherub Rock"
Radiohead "Creep"
Beastie Boys "Sabotage"
Hole "Celebrity Skin"
Garbage "I Think I'm Paranoid"
Soundgarden "Black Hole Sun"

2000s
The Hives "Main Offender"
Queens of the Stone Age "Go With the Flow"
The Strokes "Reptilia"
Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
OK Go "Here It Goes Again"
Nine Inch Nails "The Hand That Feeds"
Pixies "Wave of Mutilation"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California"
Coheed & Cambria "Welcome Home"
Fallout Boy "Dead on Arrival"
The Killers "When You Were Young"
New Pornographers "Electric Version"

* Indicates a cover song, all others songs are original master recordings

Activision Announces Guitar Hero 80's Edition

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:25:00 -0500

Activision has officially announced a sequel to Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 80's Edition.

No details have been given on the songs to be included in the game. It is however scheduled to release on June 13th for the PlayStation 2 for $39.99. Hopefully we'll see this also release for download on the Xbox 360 after Guitar Hero II comes out in early April.

Originally written by Brian Mohr

Dragon Quest Heroes Oozes Into Stores

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:01:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.The original author is Evan Lahti.

On sale today is Square Enix's first DS title ever to hit North American shores, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Retailing at $34.99, the title represents a unique platformer with multiplayer battle modes, and a different take on the lore from its long-running Dragon Quest series. Instead of filling the shoes of a young adventurer, players take the form of Rocket Slime, usually a common enemy within the franchise, but a smiling, well-intentioned protagonist in this case.Check out our hands-on E3 preview of the title, or head over to the official North American website for the game, as well as the official fansite for more information.

GH Preview: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS)

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Fri, 12 May 2006 02:57:00 -0500

This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

In traversing the neon-lit corridors of E3's South Hall, one of the titles that caught my eye immediately at Square-Enix's booth was Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Having played through Dragon Quest VIII on the PlayStation 2, I arrived harboring a few curiosities as to what the developer had planned for extending the franchise onto the DS, but left feeling extremely excited about this upcoming title.

Usually one of the first enemies players encounter in the DQ games, players fill the proverbial shoes of Rocket the slime for the portable diversion. While not the sword-sporting hero we're accustomed to, Rocket's beaming smile and gooey physique carry an immediate appeal for fans of the series, or anyone susceptible to cute characters.

"Tanks For The Memories," was the first game mode I hopped into. The setup between the dual screens was honestly one of the most fun divisions of the gameplay I've witnessed on the DS. Two towering, brightly-colored tanks anchored at each side of the DS' top screen faced each other: one shaped like our friend Rocket himself, and the other a castle-ized version of our platypus foe. The bright, colorful aesthetic that runs through the Dragon Quest series was present here as well, though injected with a bit more cartoon appeal.

While the top screen served as a view of the field of battle, the bottom display was where all the action took place. Here, we had a top-down view of our ooze-textured friend, and we free-roamed around the top deck of our castle/tank alongside two cannons. Both of the artilleries were pointed in different directions: one arced upward, and the other pointed straight at our duck-faced enemy. As items trickled down a slide on the top deck, I'd pick them up by stretching Rocket thin by holding the A button and a direction in unison. Letting go, Rocket sling-shotted towards the objects, bouncing them into the air to land atop his pointy head for carrying. Quickly, I'd deliver them towards the cannon and load them in. Seconds later, they'd launch across the top screen, swirling slowly towards the opposing fort. It was a surprisingly rewarding little minigame load the cannons, and sit back and watch them do the damage all by themselves.

Of course, my enemy put up some defense of his own. As boulders and bullets hurtled towards my tank, I had to begin using my weapons defensively as well and moving more quickly. If my foe fired an arced shot, I could counter it with one of my own, neutralizing the blast. If I saw an opening for a straight attack, I could load the other cannon to try and deal damage there. Even further, characters can hop into the guns themselves, launching across the map and into the enemy fort to lay down some close-range hurt. If you can make it across without getting picked off by incoming fire, landing in enemy territory means you can tear up their home turf, destroying computers and attacking your opponent directly using Rocket's ecto blast attack. It was uncertain exactly how breaking the enemy's equipment had an effect on their battle capabilities, but it added a disruptive quality to the gameplay that made things a little more strategic.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime seems like it'll bring a fun, uniquely-crafted title to the DS library when it released. Though the game didn't seem to feature any stylus control support, and we'd like to know more about the multiplayer, the one game mode we played was a highly-addictive but simple concept. Comedy-drenched visuals, in combination with the familiar Dragon Quest universe and fun gameplay should make this title a solid buy on the DS when it's released later this September.