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Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, WiiWare all get release dates

Mario Kart WiiFinally, after a long period of silence, has finally made release dates public for a few of their more anticipated products: Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and the WiiWare channel. First up is Mario Kart Wii, which will launch in Japan on April 10th, and Europe the following day on April 11th. No word yet on the US launch date.

The WiiWare channel, which will be a portal to downloading original games to the Wii, will be available on North American units on May 12th. No word on Japan or European launches for WiiWare just yet.

Lastly, Wii Fit, which has been flying off of shelves over in Japan since it’s release back in December, will launch in North America on May 19th. If you are in Europe, Wii Fit will be available in your neck of the woods on April 25th.

Gallery: Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, WiiWare all get release dates


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Gears of War 2 drops in November 2008, check out the trailer

It was just announced this morning by Microsoft during their GDC keynote - Gears of War 2 will be hitting 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

Gallery: Gears of War 2 drops in November 2008, check out the trailer


Lost Odyssey Review

Epic scope


It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I have a deep appreciation for games in quirky, niche, genres, and also intelligent stories.  Frankly, it is rare that I get to find both of these needs met in a single game, but Lost Odyssey manages to do it.

But wait!  I thought Lost Odyssey was a Japanese-RPG and thus not really niche?  Sadly (in my opinion), the gaming landscape has changed so profoundly over the years that the once thriving JRPG is now increasingly a rarity;  One with high-production values, so much the more.  Several early reviews would have you believe that Lost Odyssey does something fundamentally wrong simply for being true to its genre.  Mercifully, you are reading this review so at the very least let me try to paint a slightly different picture of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s latest opus.

Click to continue reading Lost Odyssey Review

Gallery: Lost Odyssey Review


Mass Effect Review: Bioware’s latest masterpiece

Mass Effect Review

Not to rest on the laurels provided by Baulders Gate and Knights of the Old Republic, has created another instant hit: . Mass Effect is in many ways the spiritual successor to the Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) series although it goes far beyond the capabilities and offerings of its predecessor.

Mass Effect is a third person shooter/space exploration game set in humanities future when alien discoveries have catapulted human technology ahead centuries and given our race a place among many in the galactic empire. Click through for our full thoughts on this stunning game.

Click to continue reading Mass Effect Review: Bioware’s latest masterpiece

Gallery: Mass Effect Review: Bioware’s latest masterpiece


Manhunt 2 Review: The Good, The Bad and The Grisly

Manhunt 2 for Nintendo WiiAlong with the release of “” and the unfortunate postponement of “GTA IV”, one of the biggest video game stories of the year is the saga of ’s “Manhunt 2”.  First, it was banned in England due to its graphic violence. Then it was given the kiss-of-death “Adults Only” rating here in the US by the ESRB. Sony and Nintendo do not release games with that rating—and they’re not carried by Blockbuster and Walmart. Undaunted, Rockstar made some revisions, and eventually the game received a “Mature” rating.

So now “Manhunt 2” is available in stores for Nintendo , Playstation 2 and PSP. Having followed the saga, and very curious about the game’s content (plus I’m a huge fan of previous Rockstar games), I made it my business to rent the Wii version and play it. Having never played the original “Manhunt”—and not being a fan of stealth games—I had little idea what to expect. After completing the tutorial of Wiimote and Nunchuk moves (which includes some very funny, if grisly, sound effects), I dove in.

Click to continue reading Manhunt 2 Review: The Good, The Bad and The Grisly

Gallery: Manhunt 2 Review: The Good, The Bad and The Grisly


Unreal Tournament 3 For PlayStation 3 Delayed Until 2008

Unreal Tournament 3

Midway announced today in a press release that the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3, originally scheduled to release with the PC version this November as a timed console exclusive, isn’t expected to be released until the first quarter of 2008. David F. Zucker, president and CEO of Midway, said he regretted having to lose the holiday sales from the delays but said, “[W]e remain confident that our technology strategy and product plan position us to grow both revenue and market share as we move into the heart of this console cycle.”

Developer Epic Games’ Mark Rein said in a forum post that the press release included UT3 as an obligation to investors and said that he was still optimistic about a 2007 release, but that they wouldn’t ship until the game was ready and “the best game (they could) deliver.” He also confirmed that the PC version, due out in November, was still on schedule to ship as planned.

Read More | Midway Press Release via Joystiq

Gallery: Unreal Tournament 3 For PlayStation 3 Delayed Until 2008


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