Rockstar Games,  is proud to announce plans for an ongoing series of downloadable content for the highly acclaimed open world game, Red Dead Redemption. Four packs of add-on downloadable content will be released for the PlayStation^®Network for the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox LIVE^® online entertainment network* over the next few months, starting with the Legends and Killers Pack at the beginning of August 2010, and culminating with the Red Dead Redemption ‘Undead Nightmare’ Pack this fall. The packs follow the recent release of the free Outlaws To The End Co-Op Mission Pack, which is currently available on PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE.

“We want to continue to provide Red Dead Redemption’s fans with a steady supply of innovative new content,” said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. “Our goal is to continue to pack as much entertaining gameplay and as many surprises as we can into the massive world of Red Dead Redemption over the coming months.”

The upcoming downloadable content for Red Dead Redemption includes:

Legends and Killers Pack

New active map locations, characters and more:

• Release date: beginning of August 2010;
• 9 new multiplayer map locations — more than doubling the amount of territories in the multiplayer competitive modes;
• 8 new multiplayer characters — play as characters from Red Dead Revolver;
• Introducing a new projectile weapon: the Tomahawk, with corresponding challenges for single-player and multiplayer gameplay;
• New achievements and trophies;
• Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

Liars and Cheats Pack

New competitive modes, multiplayer mini-games in Free Roam, and more:

• Release date: TBC;
• Attack and Defend multiplayer competitive mode and challenges;
• New multiplayer horse races, complete with mounted combat;
• Play as the heroes and villains of Red Dead Redemption, as well as 8 additional multiplayer characters;
• Multiplayer versions of Liars Dice and Poker from the single-player game;
• Introducing a new weapon: the Explosive Rifle, with associated challenges available in single-player and multiplayer gameplay;
• New achievements and trophies;
• Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

Free Roam Pack

Delve deeper into the world of Red Dead Redemption with new modes, challenges and gang hideouts to discover:

• Release date: TBC;
• Additional Free Roam challenges;
• New action areas and defensive placements;
• Posse scoring and leaderboards;
• New anti-griefing measures in Free Roam;
• Pricing: TBC.

Undead Nightmare Pack

Ghost towns and cemeteries come alive in a West gone horribly wrong:

• Release date: TBC;
• Brand new single-player adventure, challenges and quests;
• 8 new multiplayer zombie characters;
• Additional animals unleashed in the world;
• New dynamic events and more;
• Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

More details on these upcoming packs and other updates will be revealed closer to each release.

Red Dead Redemption employs Rockstar Games’ signature high production values and open-world approach to create the experience of life as an outlaw on the frontier during the dying days of the American West. Alongside an epic single-player story, Red Dead Redemption’s multiplayer delivers a massive world full of ambient challenges to participate in with friends, limitless freedom, constant unlockable awards for gameplay progression and a wide range of competitive game types that are perfectly matched to the game’s Western setting. From Free Roam challenges to hardcore competitive playlists, Red Dead Redemption’s multiplayer is fun for players of any skill level.

For more news and information, visit the official Red Dead Redemption website:
(www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption); become a friend of Rockstar Games on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rockstargames); or follow Rockstar Games on Twitter (twitter.com/rockstargames).

As promised, here’s a quick rundown of games I’ve recently played. Some were reviewed here; some were not. I won’t write a full review for the unreviewed games, but I’ll try to be as specific about what I liked and didn’t like as possible.

Mass Effect 2

Though I was knee-deep in homework at the time of Mass Effect 2‘s release, I couldn’t pass up the chance to play the sequel to one of my favorite games of this console generation. I’m glad I did, as ME2 ups the ante in every possible way, making for the best sequel to any game. The control is tighter; the combat is more focused and a lot smoother; the AI is smarter; the story is longer and more character-driven; and the graphics will blow you away—and without any texture pop-in to boot. The DLC leaves something to be desired, but that’s a minor complaint. I can’t to see where Commander Shepard and his crew go from here. (more…)

Well, looky here, folks—a new rootin’ tootin’ trailer for that there Red Dead Redemption. This’n here learns ya a thing’r two about them there Old West guns. Tarnation!

OK, enough with the cowpoke voice. It’s nice to see the Dead Eye mechanic make a return in the sequel. Hopefully it is refined and easier to use this time.

Anybody else as excited for this game as me?

Check out the gameplay introduction trailer for Rockstar’s upcoming open-world Old West sequel, Red Dead Redemption. The original game, Red Dead Revolver, was OK I guess, but the sequel looks like it will blow the original’s brains out. Red Dead Revolver was very linear and not at all open-world. Red Dead Redemption, however… Well, you’ll see, so just check out the trailer.

It seems delaying BioShock 2 until the first half of 2010 wasn’t enough for publisher Take-Two Interactive. We now know that in addition to the aforementioned title, Take-Two has delayed Mafia II, Max Payne 3, and Red Dead Redemption until 2010.

Take-Two wasn’t as specific with these three titles as they were for BioShock 2, so we can’t say if this a delay until fiscal year 2010, or just plain ol’ 2010. If it’s the former, these games could still come out in 2009. If the latter—which is the most likely possibility, given the glut of titles already confirmed for late ’09—then who knows when we’ll see them.

As some of you folks commented on the previous delay article, this is largely a good thing for gamers. We’ll have far less stacked on our plates so that we can savor every bite. And is anyone really surprised? Take-Two did the same thing in 2007, pushing Grand Theft Auto IV back until an unspecified time in 2008, only giving us a firm date further down the line.

Of the three additional titles being delayed, the only one that bothers me is Red Dead Redemption. I was disappointed by Red Dead Revolver, but the sequel is shaping up quite nicely. It looks like the game the original should have been. What about you folks? Any of these delays got you down?