Chances are high that if you have some sort of DLC code for BioWare’s newly released sci-fi RPG epic, Mass Effect 2, you’re probably pulling your hair out right now.

According to Kotaku, there are myriad issues plaguing players’ experience with the game. For instance, there are reports of GameStop codes not working, activation issues on the Cerberus Network (BioWare’s in-game DLC launching pad), and an inability for many players to even connect on the PC version’s Cerberus Network. There are also reports of Blood Dragon armor issues, the helmet in particular being a thorn in some gamers’ sides.

Have any of you fine folks run into similar problems? My course load prevents me from diving into Mass Effect 2 until the semester ends, so I can’t say I’ve experienced any troubles—or the game, for that matter. I might just cry. But if you’re experiencing download troubles, don’t fret, because BioWare handyman Chris Priestly (sorta) has you covered.

The next DLC for EA and BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins, a heart-warming tale of revenge and ogre massacre called Return to Ostagar, hits Xbox Live and the PC on January 5. PSN will see the DLC pack sometime later. If you want to know what to expect in the pack, catch a glimpse below, courtesy of Gamerfuzion and Youtube.

Chances are very good that most of you that will give this review a glance already purchased Infinity Ward’s sequel to the massively successful and well-received Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Heck, a lot of you probably bought it early from one of the many retailers who broke the street date. This review is not for you folks. Nope, this is for those of you still on the fence. Still unsure about dipping your toes into this particular pond?

Don’t be. Speaking as a man who is just about sick of first-person shooters, and also as someone who doesn’t often enjoy multiplayer, I’m happy to report that Modern Warfare 2 is worth every bit of hype. The single-player story is more outrageous and Tom Clancy-esque than the original, but still nail-bitingly exciting from start to finish. The multiplayer is built on the same core as the original Modern Warfare but with several additions and upgrades. These upgrades will seem subtle to most, but they aid in increasing the multiplayer’s replayability for new players and veterans alike. There’s also a Special Ops mode which acts as the game’s co-op component, allowing two players (or you can play solo) to blast through special missions to earn stars. This mode doesn’t have an over-arching story like single-player; just objectives to complete. Even so, it’s a fun mode, best played with a friend who you trust on the battlefield. (more…)

**EDIT**

Because a few people were offended by the language in the Left 4 Dead 2 trailer I posted—which is kind of silly considering how ridiculously gory it was—I took it down. Never let it be said I’m not a man of compromise. I will however leave a link to the video here. The original warning still applies: salty language and gruesome violence abounds.

And remember: Left 4 Dead 2 hits store shelves on November 17, available in Xbox 360 and PC flavors. Buy it. I command you.

If for some reason you have yet to play Assassin’s Creed, have a PC and a Steam account, and/or don’t mind blowing a small wad of chump change, this is the deal for you. The wonderful folks behind PC gaming client Steam slashed the price of Assassin’s Creed to a measly $5. The reason? Who knows. Maybe they want to get the five people that didn’t play the original excited for the sequel.

If you’re one of those five people, and you have a PC capable of running a current-gen game (unlike mine), why not plunk down five ham bones? Assassin’s Creed didn’t shake the game industry up or do anything noteworthy, but it’s definitely worth more than $5. Heck, I might just take advantage of the deal, regardless of my crappy computer. Just in case.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: the sale ends tomorrow, October 22nd. So, um, buy it now. Or nowish. Whenever you get the time; no rush.

Hey PC Gamers! There are some shiny deals on Steam this weekend.

First off, Fallout 3 can be had for the wonderful price of $25, a steal for the hundreds of hours of entertainment available to you.

Secondly, and not just for this weekend, 2K have bundled together 20 of their games into the Huge Game Pack. Individually, these games would cost you $229.80. Get them all together, and you only have to spend the amazing lost price of $60. And this weekend, it’s 10% off! So only$54. The games in the pack are as follows:

• Sid Meier’s Pirates!
• Shattered Union
• Prey
• CivCity: Rome
• Sid Meier’s Railroads!
• Railroad Tycoon 3
• Railroad Tycoon II Platinum
• X-COM: Terror From the Deep
• X-COM: Apocalypse
• BioShock
• X-COM: Interceptor
• X-COM: UFO Defense
• X-COM: Enforcer
• Freedom Force
• Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich
• Sid Meier’s Civilization III Complete
• Sid Meier’s Civilization IV
• Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
• Civilization IV Warlords
• Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization

Yes, “wussified” is a technical term.

Many of you no doubt caught a glimpse of the box art for the forthcoming Left 4 Dead 2 during E3 a couple weeks ago. The original art looked much like the cover for the first game, but with the zombie hand holding up two fingers instead of four.

Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. The ESRB asked Valve to tone down the gore for the final Left 4 Dead 2 box art. The image above is what you can expect on the new cover. It’s quite similar, but the pinky and ring fingers are no longer torn off.

Personally, I feel the original art was fine. This is a Mature-rated game, after all — not meant for consumption by children. If parents don’t want their children to see a not-terribly-gory-to-begin-with zombie hand, then they simply need to steer their children clear of such art. End of story.

Valve’s first DLC expansion for Left 4 Dead is now available via Steam on PC and Xbox Live on — duh — Xbox 360. You really have no excuse to not download it, as it is the wonderful price of free.

Now you can play “Death Toll” and “Dead Air” in Versus mode, or try your hand at the new Survival mode. Survival puts your gang of survivors in a central location in various points from all current maps, fending off a ridiculously large horde of zombies for as long as possible. Medals are awarded to players who make it past the four and seven minute marks. There might be more, but nobody seems to have survived past that point just yet. There are seven new achievements in the PC version to fight for as well (no new ones on the Xbox side).

Well L4D fans, what are you waiting for? Fire up the ol’ PC or 360, download the pack, and get to killin’!

Finally, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix comes to Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday, April 8 (that’s next week for you slow folks). It will hit the PlayStation Network sometime this spring.

If you have yet to play the original Puzzle Quest, stop reading this right now. Go ahead, stop. You missed out on one of the most fun and addictive puzzle games in ages. The Xbox Live Arcade version of the first Puzzle Quest was the definitive one, with better multiplayer options than its brethren. I have no doubt that Galactrix on XBL Arcade will the be the one to get.

No word yet on a price for the game, unfortunately. I would guess it will be priced somewhere in the neighborhood of 800-1200 Microsoft Points. I’m hoping for 800, but Microsoft seems to be on a hey, those suckers will pay more, so make ‘em pay more! kick lately, so 1200 or so seems more likely.

Here’s your public service announcement for the week.

Valve’s Steam service is currently running a sale on nearly every game they carry. The discounts are running until this Friday, January 2nd.

BioShock is currently running for $5. The expansions to the original Half-Life, Opposing Force and Blue Shift, are priced at 99 cents. The Valve Complete Pack is currently at $75, as opposed to $99 normally. The classic Beyond Good & Evil is $7.50 right now. Grand Theft Auto IV is selling for $45.

There are a ton of savings going on right now, so use this opportunity to stock up on the games you missed out on, and get some newer games at a good price.