My Game Center

The PlayStation Vita is just a few months away from its release date, but the PSP still has one last holiday in the West as Sony’s primary handheld. The console maker today announced a new bundle that will include two very different takes on two very different sports.

The details of the new bundle were revealed via the PlayStation Blog. Hitting on November 15 in the US, the new $160 PSP Entertainment Pack will include a UMD copy of FIFA 2012, as well as a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo and a voucher for a downloadable copy of Disney Interactive Studios’ Cars 2: The Video Game.

Cars 2: The Video Game is finally seeing a release on Sony’s portable after receiving a positive critical reception on a myriad of other platforms this summer. The PSP version is set for a November 8 release at retail and the PlayStation Network for $30; FIFA 2012 is available now for $40. The stand-alone PSP-3000 system has been selling for $130 with no games or memory card since a price drop in February.

I am not a fan of motion gaming, waggle, touch screens, or other so-called “casual controls.” It’s not that I write them off the moment I see them. I just have yet to see a game that uses those control options to make the experience better to gamers like me, who are well accustomed to a standard controller.

Just recently though, I saw a game that’s finally change my mind, and its name is Modnation Racers: Road Trip. Using the touch screen and back touch pad of the PlayStation Vita, the team at SCE San Diego have created a game that streamlines the creation tools that we know and love while maintaining all of the depth that we expect. 

Modnation Racers: Road Trip (PlayStation Vita)Developer: SCE Studios San DiegoPublisher: SCEARelease: February 22, 2012

For those unfamiliar, Modnation Racers is a the Sony exclusive kart racer with a heavy emphasis on creation and customization. Since the series’ launch last year, there have been over 2,000,000 creations available and shared, with approximately 500,000 of those being tracks. Fans of the series will be pleased to know then that Road Trip will be able to access all of those creations, day one. you can’t upload Road Trip creations for use on the PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable, though.

The experience of playing a handheld game versus a console game is distinguished most notably by the fact that handheld experiences must be quick bursts of fun that are as immediately satisfying as they are deep. For a game like Modnation, this can prove a challenge as you can conceivably spend hours building and perfecting a custom track. For Road Trip, SCE San Diego is making smart use of the PS Vita touch screen functionality to lessen the amount of time spent building from hours to mere minutes.

It starts with you choosing from a preset list of environments: jungles, island resorts, deserts and the like. after that, you simply draw the shape of the track from an overhead view of the environment. just touch down on the screen to draw and you have a track designing in literally seconds. It’s that simple.  from here, you can select the placement of finish lines, weapon drops, and boost pads just by selecting the option from the menu and touching the spot you want to place them at. or you can use the auto-populate feature if you don’t care to go too deep. There is also an option to use the Vita camera to make tracks out of what you’ve photographed. This was not demoed though, so I’m not sure how it works.

Once you have a track laid out, you can manipulate the surrounding environment with touch fairly simply. so when I wanted to lay out a lake, I simply selected the option from the menu, traced onscreen the area that I wanted to place my lake in, and watched the terrain form in an effect reminiscent of from Dust.

Road Trip also makes use of the back touch pad during track customization. when creating mountains for my track, I place my fingers on the back touch pad and rose the terrain with corresponding spots onscreen. when you have all the touch features working together, what you get is the ability to make complex and creative tracks in minutes. creating tracks in Road Trip is streamlined, amazingly intuitive and easy to use all while retaining the richness and depth that the series has built its name upon. 

While the touch controls shine the most in the track editor, they are also featured in the avatar and kart editor. Relegated mostly to Minority Report-style drag and drop, touch in the kart editor allows you to zoom in close and swap out kart components such as tires, suspension, spoilers, etc. in the avatar editor you use the touch controls in a similar manner, swapping out clothes and accessories. one cool feature though is Modnations’ use of the the Vita’s gyroscope. At anytime when customization a kart or avatar, you can shake the Vita to randomize your creation. It’s not the most fascinating feature ever, but it’s there and it works.

Our demo of Modnation Racers: Road Trip also showed off the game’s career mode, complete with over thirty tracks and events. If you like the series’ take on kart racing already then you will feel at home here. Drifting and drafting are back and intelligent use of them is as important as managing your boost, shortcuts, and weapons.

As I’ve said, I have never been interested in the whole motion/waggle/touch control craze of late. If every Kinect and move controller suddenly vanished tomorrow, the evil leprechaun on my shoulder would probably break into a river dance. Road Trip, though, uses touch to great effect that further elevates the core gameplay of the series. Handhelds are about quick fun, and Modnation is about creating cool stuff. Road Trip’s use of touch control supports both these design mantras and comes out the better for it.

The PlayStation 3 version of FIFA 12 sold more copies in Europe from January to September 2011 than any other game, according to GfK sales data extrapolated by Nintendo.

As seen on Gamasutra, the chart, which formed part of Nintendo’s recent bi-annual financial report, sees Wii Sports Resort at two, followed by Pok

Hi Everyone -It’s a special day for movie lovers as the Video Unlimited – preview app is now available to everyone! Check out this new and improved way to browse, watch, and discover movies and TV shows on the network.

This week sees the release of an amazing PSN exclusive: Sideway: new York. part of only on PSN and featuring some of the most breath-taking artwork to hit the 2D world; Sideway: new York follows Nox, a graffiti artist in NY, who’s found himself sucked into the world where he lives alongside his own art. with a fantastic use of color and eye-popping HD visuals, you won’t want to miss this PSN exclusive. PlayStation Plus subscribers can also get this title 20% off as part of only on PSN.

While we’re on the topic of Only on PSN, don’t forget that as part of the celebration of PSN exclusive titles hitting throughout this month, if you spend $60 or more in the PlayStation Store through the month of October, you’ll get $10 back in November. For more details, visit the Only on PSN page to check out the other upcoming titles that are coming soon to PSN.

Most Resistance 3 players may have already finished the amazing single player campaign, but are still finding a lot to love in multiplayer. The new Survival Pack DLC allows you to take back a piece of your homeland from the Chimera – or conquer new territory as a Chimeran soldier – with the Invasion multiplayer game mode, along with four new character skins and an exclusive static theme.

PlayStation Plus awesomeness continues the scheduled October content with new discounts and brand new themes as well. Classic SNK titles are getting new releases with versions on both PS3 and PSP in the form of Metal Slug 2 and The King of Fighters ’96. Subscribers can get these new releases 20% off in the Store, starting today. You’ll also notice some new Themes and Avatars, with some exclusive to PlayStation Plus. Friendly reminder, this is your last week to pick up Costume Quest free; grab it today!

That’s all for now, check out the full list below for updates, additional DLC (including some Little big Planet 2 love) and much more. Drop your comments below, or jump into the Official PSN Store Update thread hosted by PSN Community Manager, Morgan Haro.

Here is the weekly PlayStation Store update:

PlayStation PlusExclusive Discounts:Sideway: new York – 20% off Metal Slug 2 – 20% off Metal Slug 2 (PSP) – 20% off The King of Fighters ’96 – 20% off The King of Fighters ’96 (PSP) – 20% off Free Themes:Bane of Yoto Dynamic Theme Dragon Dynamic Theme (PS Plus Exclusive) AvatarsResident Evil Code Veronica 5 Avatar Bundle ($0.49) Pre-Order

inFAMOUS Festival of Blood ($9.99, PlayStation Plus price $7.99)InFAMOUS Festival of Blood is a brand new single player DLC for download via PSN. Vampires swarm new Marais, and revered superhero Cole MacGrath has been bitten. to save his soul and city, he as just one night to find and kill the head vampire.Rated: RPFile Size: N/A

Downloadable Games

Sideway: new York (Exclusive) ($9.99)Battle your way through a twisted graffiti world where your prowess in puzzle solving makes the difference between life and death! Jump into one of the most unique and visually compelling 3D game worlds ever created. Follow the journey of Nox, through a fast-paced 2D adventure set in a 3D world.ESRB rated E10+File size 1.63 GB

Metal Slug 2 ($8.99)MARCO and TARMA return to the battlefront accompanied by two new recruits, FIO GERMI and ERI KASAMOTO, to thwart the new coup attempt by General Morden. Fight alone or with a buddy, on foot or aboard a tank, and deliver prisoners to freedom in this masterpiece of run-and-gun from SNK!ESRB rated TFile size 88 MB

The King of Fighters ’96 ($8.99)Play with your favorite characters and newcomers in this third installment of the popular “3-on-3″ versus fighting series from SNK! with its cast of 27 characters, and over 2,900 possible team combinations, KOF’ 96 promises fights of anthology on NEOGEO Station!ESRB rated TFile size 80 MB

Game Demos (free)

Sideway: new York DemoDownload this FREE Trial of SIDEWAY NEW YORK and find out if you have got what it takes to battle your way through a twisted graffiti world! Jump into one of the most unique and visually compelling 3D game worlds ever created. Beware, in Sideway new York, you’re in a world where your favorite color might just kill you!ESRB rated E10+File size 1.63 GB

Stardrone StarDrone Demo is a high-speed action thriller with a mix of arcade action, pinball, breakout, physics and collect-the-objects. cause your attackers to crash with rapid speed while collecting gems and power-up enhancements. Explore the level to find key power-ups and earn more points that will ultimately let you compete against the world on the StarDrone leaderboard.ESRB rated EFile size 87 MB

NBA Jam: on fire Edition DemoHE’S ON FIRE! NBA JAM: on fire Edition from EA SPORTS is heating up and now available for download. The Trial Mode is only a sampling – download the full version today!ESRB rated EFile size 859 MB

The Cursed Crusade DemoSet against the backdrop of the Old World, two adventurers will quest across a Western Europe ablaze with the turmoil of a newly begun Fourth Crusade. Denz, a holy Templar, and Esteban, a roguish mercenary, may have different origins, but their motivations are the same: amidst the danger and despair of a new Crusade, to find the means to deliver themselves from a terrible curse that threatens to consume their immortal souls.ESRB rated MFile size 740 MB

Add-on Game Content

Resistance 3 – Survival Pack ($3.99)Take back a piece of your homeland from the Chimera – or conquer new territory as a Chimeran soldier – with this Invasion multiplayer game mode, along with four new character skins and an exclusive static theme. You Are The Resistance to use this download, you will need Resistance 3.File size 103 KB

LittleBigPlanet 2 Add on Costumes ($0.99 – $2.99 each)Various costumes for LittleBigPlanet 2.File size 110 KB (each)

Duke Nukem Forever – Hail to The Icons Parody Pack ($9.99)Cocked and Reloaded, Duke Nukem Forever’s First Add-On Content, Hail to the Icons Parody Pack, parodies some of gaming’s most iconic battlegrounds and includes four all-new multiplayer maps, each with its own unique weapons and three new game modes.File size 144 MB

Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition – Character Color Pack 2 ($2.99)Fight in style by unlocking a new set of seven colors for every character.File size 1.79 MB

Dragon Age 2 – mark of The Assassin ($9.99)Embark on a thrilling adventure of deception and intrigue alongside a mysterious assassin. Infiltrate an estate far from Kirkwall and battle deadly new enemies with the help of Tallis, a new party member voiced by Felicia Day.File size 924 MB

No more Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise Motorbike 4 Add-On ($0.99)For the first time ever, check out the Motorbike Add-on! Play as Travis Touchdown as you fight to become the world’s #1 Assassin! Ride down the streets of Santa Destroy and begin your meteoric rise to the top!File size 129 KB

No more Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise Tsubaki Mkiii Katana Add-On ($0.99)For the first time ever, check out the TSUBAKI MkⅢ OD Beam Katana Add-on! Play as Travis Touchdown as you fight to become the world’s #1 Assassin! Use this ultimate weapon in a battle to the finish!File size 129 KB

No more Heroes: Bundle 4 ($1.49)Check out the Motorbike and Beam Katana Bundle! Play as Travis Touchdown as you fight to become the world’s #1 Assassin! Ride down the streets of Santa Destroy and begin your meteoric rise to the top!File size 258 KB

Ace Combat Assault Horizon Compatibility Pack 1 (free)This additional data (free of charge) is required for online matchmaking. once this data is downloaded, matchmaking with players who have downloaded items in Downloadable Content 1 will be made possible.File size: 622 KB

Ace Combat Assault Horizon: F-15C (free)The F-15C “Death Rider”: the winning F15C design from the Skin Design Contest is available free of charge!File size: 2.16 MB

Dynasty Warriors 7 – Costume Pack 4 ($0.99)Use costumes from DYNASTY WARRIORS 3 for all 39 characters who appeared in the game. 4 BGM tracks from DYNASTY WARRIORS 4 and DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 are included in this pack too.File size 98 MB

Dynasty Warriors 7 – new Stage And BGM Pack 3 ($2.99)This pack features a brand new stage for Conquest Mode: Jianye! Three distinct scenarios are available to be played out on this stage. Additionally, 8 BGM music are included, featuring tracks from DYNASTY WARRIORS 3, DYNASTY WARRIORS 4 and DYNASTY WARRIORS 6.File size 56 MB

Dynasty Warriors 7 – Stage Pack 4 ($3.99)Play the ‘Yiling’ and ‘Wuzhang Plains’ stages in CONQUEST MODE, with 3 scenarios remastered from DYNASTY WARRIORS 2 for each stage. The ‘Yiling’ stage includes the ‘Battle of Yiling’, ‘Assault at Yiling’ and ‘Defend Yiling’ scenarios.File size 67 MB

Rock Band 3 Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit RockBand.com.

• “ Rock The Casbah” – The Clash ($1.99)
• “Stay Together For The Kids” – Blink-182 ($1.99)
• “The Party Song” – Blink-182 ($1.99)
• “Up all Night” – Blink-182 ($1.99)
• Blink-182 Pack 03 ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: Blink-182 Pack 03. This pack includes “Stay Together for the Kids,” “The Party Song,” and “up all Night” by Blink-182.

File size: 15 – 32 MB (singles), 68 MB (track pack)

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “Alaska (2X Bass Pedal)” – Between the Buried and me ($1.99)
• “City of Corruption (2X Bass Pedal)” – Amberian Dawn ($1.99)
• “City of Corruption” – Amberian Dawn ($1.99)
• “Doppelgänger” – Freezepop ($0.99)
• “Morte Et Dabo (2X Bass Pedal)” – Asking Alexandria ($1.99)
• “Soy Bomb” – Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives ($0.99)
• “The Space For This (2X Bass Pedal)” – Cynic ($1.99)
• “The Space For This” – Cynic ($1.99)
• “Your Troubles will cease And Fortune will Smile Upon You” – after the Burial ($1.99)
• “Your Troubles will cease And Fortune Will… (2X Bass Pedal)” – after the Burial ($1.99)

File size: 13 – 40 MB (singles)

Updates

Digger Hd – Sale (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)Breakquest – Sale (PS3/PSP) (now $1.99, original price $3.99)Normaltanks – Sale (PS3/PSP) (now $1.99, original price $2.99)Djmax Portable 3 Digital – Sale (PS3/PSP) (now $19.99, original price $39.99)Car Jack Streets – Sale (PS3/PSP) (now $2.99, original price $4.99)King of Pool – Price Change (PS3/PSP) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)Strikers 1945 Plus – Price Change (PS3/PSP) (now $4.99, original price $11.99)NBA 2K10 PSP – Price Change (PS3/PSP) (now $19.99, original price $29.99)Borderlands – Digital – Price Change (PS3) (now $19.99, original price $29.99)

Avatars

Dead Rising 2: Off The Record Frank West Avatar ($0.49)

Dead Rising 2: Off The Record T.I.R. Frank West Avatar ($0.49)

Hyperdimension Neptunia – Nisa Avatar ($0.49)

Game Videos (free)

Starhawk Space Combat Trailer

Need For Speed The run Jack is A marked Man Trailer

Syndicate Announce Trailer

The Sims 3 Pets Trailer

Yakuza: Dead Souls – Announcement Trailer

Deus ex: Human Revolution Trailer De Lanzamiento (Mexico)

Saints Row The Third – Deckers.Die Trailer

UFC Undisputed 3 – UFC Contender Fighter Pack Trailer

Assassin’s Creed Revelations Multiplayer Trailer

Jeremy Mcgrath’s Offroad 2Xl: Gameplay Trailer 1

PS3 Themes

inFAMOUS Festival of Blood Dynamic Theme (free w/ pre order)

Sci Fi: Alien Witness Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

The Baconing Wallpaper

Sideway new York – Spray Wallpaper

Sideway: new York – Nox Wallpaper

Sideway: new York – Nox Wallpaper 2

Sideway: new York – Wallpaper

PSone Classics

XS Junior League Football ($5.99)File size: 32 MB

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Metal Slug 2 ($6.99)MARCO and TARMA return to the battlefront accompanied by two new recruits, FIO GERMI and ERI KASAMOTO, to thwart the new coup attempt by General Morden, leader of the Rebel Army and main antagonist of the “METAL SLUG” series. Fight alone or with a buddy, on foot or aboard a tank, and deliver prisoners to freedom in this masterpiece of run-and-gun from SNK!ESRB rated TFile size 36 MB

The King of Fighters ’96 ($6.99)Play with your favorite characters and newcomers such as the mysterious Leona and the legendary Geese Howard, Wolfgang Krauser and mr. big in this third installment of the popular “3-on-3″ versus fighting series from SNK! with its cast of 27 characters, and over 2,900 possible team combinations, KOF’ 96 promises fights of anthology on NEOGEO Station!ESRB rated TFile size 48 MB

The common argument when reviewing sports video games is that the titles provide the same thing every year, only with updated rosters.

While this is true, diving deeper into the game and looking at the little things that have been tweaked is where you find the subtle nuances which make NHL 12 from EA Sports a whopping success.

Focusing on game-play and features, here is a review of the hockey’s worldwide best-seller available on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Gameplay

Controls are the same as they have been for years, and they still rock. For those new to the game, this basically means that the left analog stick controls where your player will move on the ice and the right analog controls your players stick.

While navigating skaters around the playing surface, it’s obvious that loads of work went into fine-tuning the physics and graphics of NHL 12. Players travel so realistically that it makes even last year’s NHL 11 seem prehistoric.

Noticeably pickier than its predecessors, passing in NHL 12 requires pinpoint accuracy. this new feature will call for a slight adjustment for seasoned players, but may be frustrating to first-time users.

If a pass is guided with poor aim, you could end up mistakenly icing the puck or causing a turnover. it makes the game harder, but also simulates real hockey.

Another new aspect of realism is that goals are more likely to go in if there is traffic in front of the net.

In the past, point shots often ricocheted off of players and into the corners.

Now pucks change trajectory with slighter variation, going through screens and allowing for a lot more quality scoring chances on unsuspecting goaltenders.

For the fans of Don Cherry’s Rock ’Em Sock ’Em videos, you’re going to like the fact that you can crash the net and, should you feel especially aggressive, get into goalie fights.

More hard-hitting features include glass-shattering bodychecks and the ability to send a player over the boards and into the bench with a big hit.

Lastly, being able to score on an empty net from the defensive side of centre ice is actually feasible in NHL 12.

In earlier versions, clearing attempts often seemed magnetized to the glass for some reason, but now shooting a puck into the empty net from your own end is as easy as it sounds.

Features

A key trait included in this year’s title is the fact that you can unlock, yes I said unlock, NHL legends and put them on your favourite team in “Be a Legend” mode.

Starting as Jeremy Roenick, you can work your way up a list of phenoms including Chris Chelios, Borje Salming, Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux and, the great One himself, Wayne Gretzky.

To unlock the greats you must reach performance milestones within the “Be a Legend” section of the game.

After a huge marketing campaign hyping the fact that you can use NHL legends, the reality in which you have to unlock them is quite disappointing.

Also, I would’ve liked to see Bobby Orr, Mark Messier and Joe Sakic included as legends, but I digress.

“Be a Pro” mode is back this year where, starting at the CHL, AHL or NHL level, you can build the career of a custom player by climbing the ranks in hockey’s hierarchy.

Responsible for controlling your player exclusively, at ice-level, this option offers a different look for those tired of standard game-play.

For the first time ever female characters can be made in the custom player sections and included in “Be a Pro” mode.

The groundbreaking addition was made possible thanks to a 14-year-old girl from Buffalo, N.Y., named Lexi Peters, who wrote EA representing the voices of all girls frustrated by the lack of female inclusion.

Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field is a newly offered setting for games when feeling the need to get your Winter Classic fix. any teams can suit up and compete on a dark and snowy football stadium, a feature that at the very least is really cool.

Overall, NHL 12 is a whopping success for the EA Sports hockey franchise.

With improved graphics and realism, the title offers the most authentic hockey experience gamers have ever seen. Though maybe initially difficult for beginners, there are countless options to choose from in order to polish your skills.

Through the array of new features and visual improvements, coupled with replay ability that comes naturally to sports games, NHL 12 provides an excellent option for gamers this fall.

If rated out of 10, this game deserves a solid nine.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is a puzzle platformer video game due for release on the 18th of January exclusively on PlayStation 3 (the UK and Ireland can expect to get their hands on the game from 21th of January). The video game is developed by Media Molecule and centres around users being able to create their own mini games and not just levels only.

The game is a sequel to the original title LittleBigPlanet released in 2008 and is backward compatible so that all your hard work in LBP are not lost. As a result LittleBigPlanet2 will retain most of the 3 million levels created by the LBP community.

You also will be able to download content you have previously bought for your LBP as well as import trophies or awards you have earned by playing LBP through its pin system.

LittleBigPlanet 2 centers around an inter-dimensional vacuum cleaner that suddenly appears over LittleBigPlanet and begins to suck up the inhabitants. The alliance then comes to the rescue of Sackboy and his friends delivering him and craftworld from the destruction of The Negativitron.

In terms of its interface design Media Molecule has taken the effort to make the tools interfaces cleaner, consistent and user-friendly. This will certainly help soften the blow of making your transition from LBP (LittleBigPlanet) to LBP2. Also instead of giving you a large number of tools, LittleBigPlanet 2 focuses on giving you a small number of tools that can be used in a variety of ways.

So what are some of the new creative tools you can expect to lay your hands on in LBP2?

One of such new tools (perhaps the greatest in my opinion) is the controllinator formerly called the Control Direct Seat. The tool allows designers to map any object’s actions to a controller button in their gameplay. you can also use the controllinator to program your own controls and applied it to your Sackboy character.

Another great improvement is the ability of players to create non-player characters called Sackbots whose behaviour and appearance can be customised by the level designer.

A music sequencer has been added to LiitleBigPlanet 2. This will allow you to choose an instrument, compose a track and add it to your own designed levels. other tools that make an appearance in LittleBigPlanet 2 are: the Grabinators (use by Sackboy to grab, carry and throw objects), a Creatinator (that can be programmed to fire any object) and a grappling hook.

Level designers are bound to be delighted with the inclusion of these new tools and the capability of the tools to take you far beyond the limits of LBP. if you loved LittleBigPlanet, you will love LittleBigPlanet 2 more. It’s time to get cracking and bring your dreams to reality. This video game has been rated 7 and over by PEGI.

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 9:20 am Category: Batman, News, PlayStation 3, Video Games

Hi everybody! And welcome back to VGQH. while I’m sure no one actually missed me, I took last week off to hunt antelope. which, I’m happy to announce, was a success. Seems all of that time I’ve spent behind a virtual sniper scope has finally paid off. I also enjoyed spending time with family, seeing Adam Warrock and MegaRan perform Wednesday night (where I finally met Dagobot in person), and running around Capitol Reef National Park. but now it’s time to get back to some serious gaming… and passing on all the latest bits of news. because I’ve been out of it for a while, some of this will probably be old hat to some readers. but I’ll try to skim over most of the early stuff.

First up: despite not having a confirmed release date, just Add Water has announced that the HD remake of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath has been delayed. The developer has apparently reached the bug fixing part of the beta phase and decided they need more time. this doesn’t bode well for the game. Having to delay a game just to work out bugs you found in beta is not a good sign. That’s sort of like adding $10million more to a film’s effects budget a month before it releases.

Felicia Day has a new role in Mark of the Assassin, the new story DLC for Dragon Age II. The add-on, scheduled for October 11th, has Hawke and company seeking a precious jewel, the Heart of many. Naturally, the jewel is protected by traps, Orlesian soldiers, and monsters. but why am I excited about this? It’s not the story. It’s Felicia Day, one of the sexiest nerds around and best known for The Guild and Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. you may also recognize her from other Whedon projects (Buffy and Dollhouse), myriad TV roles, and the voice of Veronica in Fallout: New Vegas. Yummy. Loves me a ginger….

I’m quite certain this is old news for many of you, but it’s about Batman Arkham City, which means it’s too cool to pass up. Episode 421 of GTTV has a great feature on the game, highlighting new gadgets (including some stolen from mr. Freeze) and the reveal of a new villain, Deadshot. Apparently Batman will be investigating murder scenes to learn who’s next on Deadshot’s kill list. Sounds like side missions, but still sounds good. And his look fits the game perfectly.

Just to mix it up, let’s take a break from the awesome news and switch to “huh?!?” in a bizarre piece of self-serving marketing Saints’ Row: The Third will have developer Tomonubu Itagaki as a preset character in the creation screen. What? Why? sure the guys got a signature look, with his leather jacket and “sweet bro” shades, but does anyone want to swing around a purple dildo sword while dressed as a Japanese hipster? this is typical THQ inside marketing. Itagaki’s Valhalla Studios is currently creating Devil’s third for the publisher. Frankly, this game looked too ridiculous to play anyway, so I don’t really care, but I do have to wonder if THQ has any self-respect left.

Have you been playing Deus ex: Human Revolution and loving virtually every minute of it? If you’ve loved the stealth based action but hate the clunky boss battles, you’re like everyone else who’s played it. So why do the boss fights break up the flow so badly? And why are they so unintuitive? it turns out that Eidos Montreal actually outsourced the boss fights to GRIP Entertainment. this is a common practice in game development. Often the game’s scope is so massive that certain elements, like multiplayer or puzzle levels, get made by a different developer. Ultimately, Eidos chose to include the levels so the blame is squarely on their shoulders. in GRIP’s defense, the boss battles aren’t necessarily inherently flawed, they just break up the flow and rhythm of the rest of the game. It’s clearly too late now, but maybe Eidos should consider handling such key elements personally on their next game.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of FPS or competitive online multiplayer, so Battlefield 3 (October 25th) doesn’t hold much appeal. but I also know I’m in the minority on that topic, so let’s check out the details on the game’s multiplayer modes:

• Team Deathmatch: Two teams, 12 players each, tight maps, no vehicles
• Squad Deathmatch: four squads of four, needs a good Engineer to maintain your Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• Rush and Squad Rush: Similar to Bad Company‘s mode, M-COM stations can only be armed/disarmed – not destroyed, infinite defenders, tickets for attackers
• Conquest: Frantic but strategic, capture and hold flags
• Nine maps, five modes each. all levels can be played without vehicles in “Infantry Only” mode. “Hardcore” mode also available in each map/mode.

Well, as long as we’re in FPS mode, might as well mention something about Call of Duty: Elite while I’m at it. The beta was opened last week. The full version should be launching on November 8th, with Modern Warfare 3. If you want in on the beta, better sign up here.

Also worth noting in the battle of the FPS between Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 is that the console fight has been extended. Activision has a strong relationship with Microsoft that has led to an exclusive window on CoD DLC. DICE and Sony have now teamed up to create their own exclusivity deal, bringing all Battlefield 3 content to the PS3 a week before XBox 360.

Have you missed out on the Assassin’s Creed series so far? are you some sort of mental defect? You’ve got some catching up to do. If you just missed the first game, and picked up the series as Ezio, Ubisoft is giving you a chance to get up to speed. Exclusively to PS3, if you buy Assassin’s Creed Revelations when it releases on November 15th, you’ll get a free, downloadable copy of the first game. that first game can be a little clunky and repetitive, but it set a strong foundation for what is now one of my favorite franchises. And it will definitely be a good idea to refresh yourself on Altair’s story. The finale of Ezio’s tale will have you controlling his ancestor at times as he searches for Altair’s lost secrets.

Yet another game with strong potential but a weak beginning, Homefront is looking to become a franchise as well. THQ has contracted Crytek to develop the sequel. The first game had solid concepts that just didn’t get off the ground due to some weak elements in an already crowded FPS market. Crytek has a good track record with Crysis though. this may be the Assassin’s Creed of FPS, turning good concepts into a great game with the second outing. You’ll have to wait to find out though, it’s current listed for the 2014 fiscal year. [BTW, Crytek's first Crysis game will be hitting your console download service on or around October 4th.]

If there’s one thing Capcom is good at, it’s wringing every last cent out of a property. Beginning with the 924 different versions of Street Fighter II, the company has learned how to gain revenue while adding very little of value. this became quite clear with the announcement of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Apparently a $60 version of the game wasn’t enough, they now have to make a bigger version for $40. How’s that middle finger look to you, early adopters? Adding insult to injury though, is the fact that this still isn’t the “Ultimate” version. sometime after release, the new iteration will be getting a costume add-on pack, as well as DLC that includes a whole new mode. Seriously, why even consider buying this one? just wait three months for the Ultimate Extra Special Awesomized addition that has this DLC and the extra characters, Spider-Ham and Arthur’s Shorts.

If you still don’t own a PS3 by now, you probably aren’t getting one. which makes the new bundle Sony has created for Uncharted 3 seem pretty silly. It’s a 320GB PS3, in a pretty Nathan Drake box, with one controller and a copy of the game. it also includes one free month of PlayStation plus. but why? It’s not a special deal, it doesn’t look any different. And if you haven’t played the first two Uncharted games (which are awesome), why would you suddenly decide on a new system for the third one? Maybe Sony’s just marketing to recent YLOD sufferers, giving them a reason to come back to the console after their first one has failed?

Bethesda is pretty good at getting all-star voice casts, and it appears Skyrim‘s 60,000 lines of dialogue amongst 70 actors will be no exception. Joan Allen (some Bourne films, Pleasantville), Max von Sydow (Bond’s Blofeld, Ghostbusters II‘s Vigo, and Emperor Ming), Christopher Plummer (General Chang, The Undiscovered Country), Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman), and Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica, Mass Effect 2, Fallout: New Vegas) are just some of the names my fellow nerds will love to see.

I don’t want to ignore one of the biggest pieces of news from the last week, but CitizenBot already has a thorough story on the changes at Netflix/Qwikster, including the addition of video games to their mailing service. If you haven’t left them behind already, this could be a good move for you. Frankly, most games are probably still a better value at Redbox. And if you really play a lot, you should already have Gamefly. At this point, I’m sticking with GameFly. They’re knowledgeable about, and dedicated to, games. Netflix/Qwikster’s missteps lately don’t give me enough hope to transfer my gaming dollar.

I know this has been an extra long edition of VGQH, so I’ll skip the final editorial and leave you with this video. What is Sony up to? Seriously, please head over to YouTube and give me your theory on what this is advertising. We’ve got two more editions of VGQH to discuss it before their reveal date of October 5th.

Since the release of LittleBigPlanet on the Playstation back in October this year, its been slowly taking the world by storm with its wacky fibre based world and strange looking characters.

Are there any Official Sackboy Dolls?

There are some original Sackboys which were release at the same time the game hit the market place, but the majority of these dolls where given away as free gifts with the release of LittleBigPlanet.

Will they be release to the general public to buy?

After spending dome time looking into this, I have discovered that the LittleBigPlanet merchandise will be available to the general public, but this is only rumours and sources say that it won’t be this year.

Eventually the Official Sackboy will be available to buy, but there is no set date as of yet, and with everyone wanting one now the demand is very much out weighing the supply.

So can you get any Sackboys anywhere?

There is a small supply of Official Sackboy Dolls but they are slowly dwindling as they are being snapped up faster that you can say LittleBigPlanet.

Are all LittleBigPlanet Sackboys Official?

No. be careful when buying a Sackboy as there are tones of unofficial Sackboy dolls floating round the market at the moment. Some of which you can tell from a mile off that they are not the original, but some are very well made and look almost identical.

How do you know if its an Official Sackboy doll?

As mentioned, you can tell from a mile off which Sackboys are the true originals from the rather inferior Sackboy replicas, but a good tell tail sign of a copy is by looking at the particular shape of Sakboys head. on the Official Sackboy dolls, they hold the shape very well and don’t look misshapen. Also look at the zip down his belly, it should not show any seam and will be quite a chunky zip in comparison to the Sackboy copies.

So your thinking of buying a Sackboy Doll?

Along with everyone else, it feels like Sackboy is here to stay as Playstations new Mascot, and the popularity of the game only suggest that the LittleBigPlanet trend will only continue into 2009 with more and more popularity. The demand for Sackboy dolls has gone through the roof and with no official release date for when we will see them in the shops only adds to the persistent online demand.

With no Official release news on Sackboy Dolls and only rumours, I suggest you try getting one of the limited supplies out there at the moment..

Having trouble finding an Official Sackboy Doll?

I have spent sometime looking into the demand for Sackboys and I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the limited stock available online are unofficial copies of the original. it looks like the true official Sackboys, being sold online at the moment where free gifts from the official release date and for some reason have become surplus to requirement.

The article was written by me after searching high and low for an Official Sackboy Doll and making a foolish mistake in buying an unofficial Sackboy only to find that the quality was inferior to the true official Sackboy. since then I have managed to get my hands on an Official Sackboy Doll and thought I would share my experience and hope that if you’re on the Sackboy hunt, you might come across this article in the hope that it might shed some light and help you in the quest for an Official Sackboy doll

If you’re curious about which games your children will be playing this Christmas, the Lego Batman game is still popular. Children love Lego and the fact they can combine their favorite toy with their number one superhero is really a recipe for success. This Lego game comes in numerous editions appropriate for a Nintendo Wii, DS or Playstation so you need to order the right one depending on the console you already have.

So what’s the Batman Lego game all about? regardless of the medium used i.e. Wii, DS or Playstation, the fundamentals are the same. the game is set in Gotham City where Batman and Robin are struggling to return the villains to the asylum. They struggle through the ocean, land and air in various Batmobiles such as the stealthy Batwing. You must build some things and solve a variety of puzzles to unlock special powers and so on. There’s no need to be knowledgeable on the Batman story either. This particular game, unlike Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones doesn’t keep to the movie script.

Each and every level is required to be played two times, once in story mode and again in free play. In story mode, you’re able to unlock a variety of personas which you then use to play during the free play mode. Once you are in free play you’re able to work out puzzles and release bonuses. It’s also possible to construct vehicles and weaponry to use to fight your foes.

The characters have unique actions and there’s a variety of elements to the game so you and your kids wouldn’t become bored playing. Young kids could have difficulties a little using the techniques although with a little help they will be fine. Many will appreciate that compared with other Wii games you won’t start again if you ever die but merely drop coins.

Whilst we like to believe children love the goodies, it is fair to say that they’ll love being the baddies equally as much or even more. with this video game you are able to play from either side i.e. they might be Batman or Robin or they may choose to be one of the many villains such as Joker, Catwoman or Penguin.

The Lego Batman game can be played either by yourself or with other people for added fun. If you are stuck on a level and just can’t find your way out there are movies online with answers. It is enjoyable trying to work out the puzzles by yourself but often it gets a little frustrating. Obviously if you would like cheat your way through the Lego Batman game you can get plenty of clues to help you do this but that actually spoils the pleasure of this great game.

College Football fans, it’s time to get excited! NCAA Football 12 is releasing soon and the EA SPORTS team is inviting you to join them for a blowout launch party.

We’ll be live with the NCAA Football team on Monday, July 11th from 9am-3pm PT/12pm-6pm ET for six exciting hours of NCAA Football 12 gameplay! this event is a full day before the official launch of the game, so if you’ve been craving some college football action, now is your chance to get your fill.

As a special gift to our fans, the hosts will be giving a copy of NCAA  Football 12 away every hour of the show, but you must be tuned in to win. That’s six great chances to win your own copy, absolutely free!

with the new collision based tackling system, improved zone defense, and upgraded in-game graphics, gameplay in NCAA 12 has been given a serious upgrade. if you’re still not convinced, check out the free demo on Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network where you can play in two mammoth matchups and unlock five free uniforms for the full version of the game.

NCAA Football 12 comes out July 12th for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Order your copy today on Origin.