In case you haven’t seen it on Xbox Live, check out the exciting new multiplayer trailer!

…Playstation Network Demo scheduled for February 4th.

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 console demo and PC beta will feature Port Valdez, a new vehicle focused map where up to 24 players (32 on PC) will compete against each other as either the US or Russian armies in the game’s Rush multiplayer mode. Players will have access to five land and three air vehicles where the Russian side can use everything in their arsenal including Main Battle Tanks as well as the fast-moving Quad Bikes and Mobile Armored AA. The fight will also be packed with plenty of infantry combat fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains.
Have you played the demo?  What did you think about it?  Leave a comment.

According to the keyboard-clacking monkeys at Kotaku, the Dreamcast classic Sonic Adventure may be coming to Xbox Live Arcade in the near future. A port of the game that some consider to be the last decent Sonic title popped up on the gaming press incarnation of XBL on PartnerNet, but was promptly removed when word began to spread. Sega remains silent on the issue.

What say you? I’m not afraid to drag out my Dreamcast and fire up Sonic Adventure whenever I’m in the mood, so this news doesn’t light any fires in my mind. You readers, however, might be jumping for joy at this news for all I know. If so, looks like Microsoft and Sega are about to hook you up. If not, well, there’s always Modern Warfare 2 to keep you busy.

You folks will no doubt think that is Captain Obvious’ Article Title of the Day when you check out the latest gameplay trailer for the Xbox 360 exclusive, is-it-ever-coming-out mystery/thriller game Alan Wake.

Not much to see here, but at least developer Remedy Games isn’t holding out anymore. The use of light in particular is very well done, and I for one can’t wait to see more. The story is said to be of a Twin Peaks sort (i.e. creepy and weird), following a writer and many strange occurrences in a small town. I wish writers’ lives were really so intriguing.

I think we can all agree that the PlayStation  Home arcade is lame. Standing in line, waiting to play a game—that wasn’t much fun in the golden age of arcades, and it certainly isn’t fun doing so in a virtual space. So what can Microsoft do differently on Xbox Live that will attract people who are dissatisfied with Home’s lackluster arcade?

Enter Game Room, a free downloadable virtual arcade (say that three times fast) for Xbox 360 and PC. Players will be able to arrange arcade cabinets in their own personal space and show off their custom arcade to friends on Xbox Live or Games for Windows Live. Avatars will explore these spaces and tackle arcade classics like Centipede, Tempest, Gravitar, and many more. (more…)

When Nintendo Power announced the upcoming Mega Man 10 for WiiWare, they neglected to mention that the retro 8-bit sequel will also grace Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Makes sense, given that it is a Nintendo publication.

Anyhoo, I just thought you XBL and PSN folks would like to know. If you’re hankering for more punishing old-school gameplay that makes Demon’s Souls look like a Disney game, but you don’t have a Wii, Capcom still has you covered. Capcom has plenty of Sheep Man to go around.

As a huge fan of all things zombie and the first Left4Dead it was only natural that I purchase Left4Dead 2 even if was released soon after the first game.

The premise of the game is the same, you and 3 other survivors are trying to move from one safe house to another while destroying onslaughts of zombies one right after the other.  In this respect the game plays out the same way as the last but the devil is in the details with Left4Dead 2.  Valve has introduced melee weapons, which at first don’t seem to make a huge difference but as you come to find out in the game melee weapons are in fact necessary.  If you run out of ammo (which you will) you will be forced to either use a pistol or your melee weapon such as an axe, frying pan, chain saw or baseball bat etc… The melee weapons not only kill zombies but ultimately will replace your need to constantly shove the zombies away since there is a limiter on your shoving.  The more you use the left bumper to shove, the longer you will have to wait until the shoving option reloads leaving you vulnerable for a period of time.

Another drastic difference in the game is that you actually have objectives in the maps aside from the normal “wait here for a hoard and then run” scheme from the first game.  Now you may have to fend off a hoard while one of your teammates looks for some gas cans in order to refuel your getaway car or you may have to travel all the way through a map only to turn around and make your way back to the beginning.  The scenarios have changed and it’s for the better.

(more…)

Edmonton, Alberta (December 10, 2009) – BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today revealed the voice actors performing in Mass Effect 2, the second act of the award-winning science fiction trilogy. The game features Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Martin Sheen (“The West Wing”, “Apocalypse Now”), 2009 Emmy Award-winner Shohreh Aghdashloo (“House of Saddam”), comedic actor Seth Green (“Austin Powers”), “Chuck” stars Yvonne Strahovski and Adam Baldwin, Keith David (“Crash”) and sci-fi favorites Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”), Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Carrie-Anne Moss (“The Matrix”).

“Emotionally engaging narrative is a key design pillar for BioWare, and the top-notch voice talent in Mass Effect 2 helps drive this goal,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “Credible, powerful personalities are vital to delivering a compelling story experience in BioWare’s games, and we have assembled an amazing ensemble cast that surpasses the very high bar set in the original Mass Effect!”

Description: Brink is an immersive first-person shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character whether playing alone, with your friends, or against others online. You decide the combat role you want to assume in the world of Brink as you fight to save yourself and mankind’s last refuge. Brink offers a compelling mix of dynamic battlefields, extensive customization options, and an innovative control system that will keep you coming back for more.

(more…)