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If the video above is any indication, and it appears to be genuine, then some stores didn’t get the memo that Grand Theft Auto IV isn’t to go on sale until April 29. It seems that one Tony Warner was able to purchase his copy a couple of weeks early. In the video, Tony shows off the GTA IV case, the disc itself, as well as the game’s intro. If you are completely wanting to get your hands on the game early, we suggest getting out there and looking around. Skip the Gamestop’s of the world and head straight to places that are clueless about these things, like your local Wal-Mart. Let us know if you have any luck. Rockstar isn’t gonna be too happy about this one.

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It was just announced this morning by Microsoft during their GDC keynote - Gears of War 2 will be hitting Xbox 360 consoles this November. That’s right kids - November 2008. You ready for this? Here is the word from Microsoft:

Providing a dramatic close to Microsoft’s GDC keynote address, Epic Games Inc.’s lead designer Cliff Bleszinski announced that the epic saga of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad continues exclusively on the Xbox 360 this fall with “Gears of War 2.” This highly anticipated sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster “Gears of War” delves deeper into humanity’s struggle for survival against the nightmarish Locust Horde, and promises to take high-definition visuals to a whole new level.

Check out the trailer, at the top of this post.

Read More | Gears of War product page

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The game that nobody thought would actually come out this year is officially done and on its way to be pressed, boxed, and shipped out to game stores.  Yes, that’s right.  Assassin’s Creed, the long-in-development Crusades sandbox epic has gone gold for production. 

“We’ve been working very hard for nearly four years to make Assassin’s Creed a reality and now there is a confirmed date when players will get to experience the results of our efforts,” shared Jade Raymond, producer of Assassin’s Creed. “This is a huge event for the team. Our biggest reward will be everyone having a lot of good solid fun.”

Assassin’s Creed hits the Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 13th.

Read More | Ubisoft

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My mission was clear.  Behind a barbed wire facade and slew of No Camera signs lurked one of the few worthwhile E for All offerings: a playable Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots demo.  The official word was that this short demo was the only taste we Americans would get of the latest Solid Snake outing before its release next year, so Konami’s booth was naturally my first stop at the show.  The line snaked around the entire booth.  I queued up and waited.  And waited some more.  Finally, we were led into a makeshift theater (appropriately outfitted with sandbags and cargo netting) where a company representative gave us a crash course on the game’s controls.  Afterwards, the door opened and we were unleashed upon the demo kiosks.

Click to continue reading E for All: Metal Gear Solid 4 Demo Impressions

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Sometimes you see a game trailer that just renews your faith in the industry.  Such is the case with this teaser for Brutal Legend, the latest from Tim Schafer and his Double Fine Productions.  Yes, I know it’s a CG trailer, but the insane genius on display here cannot be denied.  Equal parts God of War, Guitar Hero, and Heavy Metal, Brutal Legend promises to be one of the most hilarious and imaginative games of next year.  Toss in the voice talents of actor/comedian Jack Black and a horde of heavy metal rockers, remind yourself that Schafer is the guy behind PC classics Full Throttle and Grim Fandango, as well as last generation’s underplayed platforming gem, Psychonauts, and you have the recipe for a truly special gaming experience. 

Brutal Legend is slated to hit the Xbox 360 and PS3 next year.  Inexplicably, the game’s Wikipedia entry is the only place online that has some solid info on the game, so check out the link below.

Read More | Brutal Legend's Wikipedia entry

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Remember Bionic Commando?  The classic NES side scroller, which introduced a grappling gun to the system’s action-adventure slate, blew us all away with its sheer difficulty when it debuted in 1988.  Popular with gamers and critics, Bionic Commando pretty much disappeared, only to resurface as a GameBoy and GameBoy color game.  Gamers were left to pray to the Capcom gods for a sequel.

Well, Capcom has answered, announcing that a new Bionic Commando is on the way to the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.  Little is known about the game except that it will be developed internationally; indeed this new iteration is being produced by Capcom America, creatively advised upon by Capcom Japan, and actually developed by a Swedish studio called GRIN.  Oh, and fear not...the game’s storyline will be as ridiculous as ever.

Read More | GameSpot

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The developers of Assassin’s Creed have always boasted of their game’s high level of environmental interaction.  They claim that every wall, object, or person in their highly anticipated Xbox 360/PS3/PC action-adventure game can be scaled, moved, or shoved.  And now here’s the video to prove it.  Watch Altair (the game’s featured assassin) try to escape the city’s guards by running, climbing, and jumping all over this Middle Aged playground, and kindly ignore the futuristic glitches and flashes that hint at a more mysterious storyline that Ubisoft will not divulge.  Gape at the mind-boggling geometry that for once actually does permit the level of interaction promised by its enthusiastic creators.  Raise an eyebrow at the anachronistic Hans Zimmer-esque musical score.  Breathe a sigh of relief that this long in development game looks like it could conceivably hit that once nigh-unhittable November release date. 

Read More | IGN

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Tecmo has announced that the next installment of its Fatal Frame horror series is in development for the Wii.  The earlier games didn’t sell especially well upon release but have amassed a sizable cult following, or so I gather from the growing number of GameStops that have been unable to sell me a copy over the years.  Now, with the burgeoning Wii phenomenon upon us, Tecmo has seen a way to give its underexposed franchise a second chance.  You can certainly see where Tecmo is coming from, as snapping photos of ghosts is a staple game mechanic of the series, one that seems like a perfect fit for the Wii’s motion controls.

Interestingly, Tecmo has enlisted Grasshopper Manufacture to produce the game; Grasshopper is the studio behind Killer 7 and next year’s sure-to-be-bizarre Wii actioner, No More Heroes.  Tecmo has remained mum on the subject of release dates, but for now just add Fatal Frame to the growing list of promising third-party Wii games.

Read More | 1UP

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THQ announced that sequel to the GTA-style next gen game Saints Row is in the works. Saints Row was an Xbox 360 exclusive that followed the criminal underworld/open world model of Rockstar‘s key franchise pretty closely but included a character generator and several minor improvements that made it a hit with early 360 adopters.

Saints Row 2 takes place years after the original in the same city (Stillwater), but things have changed with the passage of time. As described in the press release, “Saints Row 2 has a much darker and more sinister story that leads your character down a path of betrayal, revenge and redemption against the city that has left him for dead.”

Unlike the original, which was a 360 exclusive, Saints Row 2 will be released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2008.

Read More | Business Wire via GamerNode

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Konami has announced that the PS3 game the whole world wants will be playable on the showfloor of this year’s Tokyo Game Show, which kicks off later this week.  That’s right, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will make its playable debut to the tune of fifty demo kiosks at Konami’s booth.  Knowing the history of the franchise, you have to wonder if a PSN demo isn’t too far behind.

Drool over impressions of Metal Gear Solid 4 in the next week.  Finally break down and buy the game and that damned PS3 (it’s exclusive, kids) when the game is released next year.

Read More | Kotaku via Gamefront

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