After several days of headaches brought about by trying to get into matches, I can now confidently review EA and DICE’s Battlefield 1942 download-only sequel, Battlefield 1943. I wish I was joking about the online issues, but sadly they were quite real. Getting into a quick match was incredibly difficult, and playing with friends was all but impossible. DICE stepped up though, adding several additional servers and ironing out most of the connection wrinkles prohibiting gamers from getting into matches.

These issues seem to have largely existed on the Xbox Live side of things, as there are far fewer reports of connectivity issues from PlayStation Network users. I played the Xbox Live Arcade version of Battlefield 1943 for review purposes, but the PSN version is identical in form and function, so PS3 owners may feel free to use my review to aid in their buying decisions.

So, after all those headaches, was the game worth waiting for? The answer to that question depends largely on what kind of gamer you are. If you’re a fan of Battlefield 1942, the answer is an enthusiastic “yes.” Although the DICE team behind 1943 did not develop the original, they paid great homage to the PC classic, and even improved upon the already-stellar gameplay with a few tweaks. Ammo is now infinite; snipers can’t go prone; teams are limited to 12 players; and so on. (more…)

Rockstar just announced the next downloadable Grand Theft Auto IV episode: The Ballad of Gay Tony. No, I didn’t just make that title up.

Players won’t take control of the titular character, however, but rather Luis Lopez. Players will guide Lopez on his duties for night club owner Tony “Gay Tony” Prince. Lord only knows what kind of misadventures Lopez will get into in the midst of Liberty City’s glitzy-but-dangerous night life.

We know this next episode will hit sometime in the Fall, but not the precise date. The episode will cost you $19.99 on the PC side of things, and 1600 MS Points on Xbox Live. So save your money, boys and girls, and get ready to be fabulous.

Upon completing Episode 2 of Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures (the PC version), I wondered how I could possibly write a full review. After all, the game’s mechanics are precisely the same as its predecessor, Fright of the Bumblebees. It struck me that perhaps I need only write a mini-review detailing what’s different in this particular episode, and direct readers to the review of Episode 1 if they wish to know more. That review can tell you fine folks all you need to know about mechanics, graphics, and so on — like I said, nothing gameplay-wise has changed.

What has changed? Well, we’ve got a new story, of course. Our heroes Wallace and Gromit are heading out to soak up some sun on the beach when news of bad weather ruins their plans. Never the one to let weather ruin everything, Wallace decides to build a seaside resort in his basement. Of course the cost of building and maintaining such a thing becomes an issue, so Wallace and Gromit welcome townsfolk into their home — for a price. Being English, they naturally moan and complain about every little thing nagging them, so its up to Wallace and Gromit to decipher their needs and supply them.

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