“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.

Dante’s Inferno

If I had to describe this game in one word, I would probably use the geek’s favorite mediocre descriptor: “meh”. There are plenty of reasons for a Christian to take offense from the game, and little for any serious gamer to enjoy. The combat is straight up God of War, with little to nothing unique or interesting to differentiate it. The story, a loose (at best) adaptation of Dante’s famous poem, holds no surprises, predictable to the very end. Even if the game didn’t have such offensive aspects, I’d still say most gamers should avoid it. Just play God of War III instead.

God of War III

Did you enjoy the first two God of War games? Do you want to play another one? If you can answer “yes” to both of those questions, you’ll love God of War III. This is one of the few cases of more-of-the-same being okay. The series’ trademark combat is at its best here, tighter and more fluid than ever, with great boss battles and some of the best visuals of any current-gen title. The ending is a bit of a let-down, mostly because it virtually promises more God of War games when this was promised as the end. Still, this one is more than worth your time.

Super Street Fighter IV

Yo son! Did ya like that Street Fighter IV game? Word? OK, so, look, you’ll like this one too, yo!

Goofy voice aside, dedicated Street Fighter players need to buy this, and probably already did. Anyone even remotely interested in fighting games should pick this one up too. The fighting mechanics haven’t changed, although there was a bit of balancing work to make all things fair and equal (for the most part), and the online code is better and smoother. The new characters are fun to play, and everybody is unlocked from the beginning—no more playing through single player and getting destroyed by Seth. Of all the new characters, Juri is my fave. She’s a beast.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Hey, it’s another 2D Mario game. What’s not to love? You get an ice flower, dude. An ice flower. Think about that.

3D Dot Game Heroes

I’m still working my way through this one. It’s marketed as an homage to the original Legend of Zelda; but, for all intents and purposes, this is that game. You can even create your own character that looks and moves just like Link did, only with a 3D upgrade (though he’s still a blocky sprite). If you enjoyed that NES classic,  you’ll dig this. If not, skip this game.

Final Fantasy XIII

I liked the story. I really did, folks. I did not like it enough, however, and that’s a shame. The game takes too long to get interesting or compelling, and by that time most people will check out. Those that stick around may get frustrated with Chapter 11, where the previously linear gameplay suddenly opens up into a MMO-like experience that takes seemingly forever. This is the point at which I gave up on the game. I may go back to it someday, but I doubt it.

Red Dead Redemption

Now this is something special. I consider this game to be Rockstar’s magnum opus. Forget about the Grand Theft Auto games, folks—Red Dead Redemption take’s the winner’s cup by a long shot. Playing RDR is like playing a post-modern western. The game’s protagonist, John Marston, is easily my favorite character of this generation of games. He isn’t the stereotypical good guy hero, but he’s also far from evil. He, like most folks, is a sinner hoping to redeem himself. In the end, he does so, but only by paying a terrible (but necessary) price.

I know that Drew had problems with some of the material presented in RDR, and many of you will too. Thus I must warn Christian gamers to proceed with caution. I didn’t encounter half as many f-bombs or g-nukes in this game as in any previous Rockstar title, nor as much filth, but there is a bit here and there. Unlike other Rockstar games, however, none of it comes from the player character if you don’t want it to. When John passes a prostitute who offers her wares to him, he’ll automatically refuse, stating he is a happily married man. John constantly makes it clear to those employing him that he’s done with his old ways, ready to settle down with his wife and son and live a normal life as a rancher. Never has Rockstar created as humble and honest a character as John Marston, nor one as inherently good.

James, Drew and Jeff talk more about Red Dead Redemption.

Alan Wake and it’s Ending.

An email from a stalker

Voicemails and more.

Download the MP3 here.

Check out our sponsor on the front page “PlayOn”.  You can click straight to the site by clicking the banner.

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?