Yakuza: Kenzan! New Videos

GameTrailers recently uploaded a batch of new Yakuza: Kenazan! (Yakuza 3) videos showing some battle gameplay. The ancient style seems to be present.

Warhawk Update 1.2 Coming December 19, 2007

Dylan Jobe gave us an update on the official PLAYSTATION boards about the upcoming Warhawk 1.2 update.

The new update is going to be available on December 19, 2007 at 10:00 GMT, with a maintenence rolling out from 10:00 to 16:00 GMT to bring out the patch. That means, no Warhawk during that time.

He also gives us a hint that the update 1.3 is in the works, and saying it has something to do with troops. Hmm.

Remember, the Omega Dawn Booster Pack is coming out December 20, 2007, a day after the patch.

[Via US PLAYSTATION Boards]

Final Fantasy XIII & Versus XIII Extended Trailers

Thanks to N4G, the moment we've all been waiting for is here. The new Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailers from the CLOUD DVD. Is it just me, or is that teleportation stuff just great? You can download a high quality version of the Versus XIII trailer here, and a high quality version of the XIII trailer here.

Official Site for CLOUD Book Opens

The official site for Square Enix's CLOUD artbook and accompanying DVD has opened today.

The site lists all the trailers on the special DVD such as Final Fantasy XIII & Versus XIII. It has a preview of some of the pages in the book, including one Fabula Nova Crystallis page.

Check out the site at the link below.

[Visit CLOUD Official Site]

Dark Mist: English PLAYSTATION Network Trailer

Dark Mist is a PLAYSTATION Network that was released on the Japan store nearly a month ago, and not much has been said about this artistic looking shooter.

Well, fear not, as a new English trailer was posted on GameTrailers today meaning its making it's way to the US and EU PLAYSTATION Stores. Enjoy the trailer.

Guitar Hero III: New Patch Now Live

A new patch for Activision and RedOctane's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, just went live tonight. The update contains the following.

- Improve Online Quick Match results and reduce "Failed to Connect to Server" messages.
- Introduce calibration screen improvements, helping users with high lag AV systems, and Playstation 3 users with Dolby Digital enabled.
- Add the Co-Op Quickplay mode for Playstation 3 users.
- Enable the Hyperspeed cheat to work in online games.
- Include various stability improvements and fixes.

Nice update, now we just need to have Activision allow the Rock Band update, darn them!

[Via Guitar Hero]

Valkyrie of the Battlefield: Nine New Screenshots

Sega has released some new screenshots of their upcoming action RPG, Battle Field Valkyrie: Gallian Chronicles. These new screenshots display some of the characters, menu options, and battlefield options. Enjoy.

Valkyrie of the Battlfield: Two New Famitsu Scans

The latest issue of the Japanese Famitsu magazine contains new scans of Sega's upcoming action RPG, Battle Field Valkyrie: Gallian Chronicles. The new scans reveal some new artwork, as well as gameplay. Enjoy!

Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway: Four New Screenshots

GearBox has released some new images of their upcoming shooter, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. Enjoy the screenshots, enjoy the war.

Eric Lempel Talks In-Game XMB, PSN Features

In a new interview that Shacknews has with Eric Lempel, head of the PLAYSTATION Network operations, he acknowledges the thing we've all been asking for, in-game XMB.

"We are looking at a number of enhancements related to accessing some of the XMB features during gameplay, including messaging your friends. While there's no timeline to announce at this point, we've heard loud and clear from consumers that in-game XMB access is one of the most requested PS3 enhancements."

It's coming, only a matter of time.

[Via Shacknews]

Soul Calibur IV: 18 New Screenshots

Namco Bandai has released some new screenshots of their upcoming fighter, Soul Calibur IV for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360. It's cool how nice their clothes stay when they battle it out. Enjoy!

PlayStation: Official Magazine's Top 10 of 2008

The latest PlayStation: The Official Magazine has a top ten list for the upcoming games of 2008. Is it good? It certainly does list the games most of us are excited for, including Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Killzone 2. The list below.

10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
9. Grand Theft Auto IV
8. Ghostbusters
7. The Agency
6. Dead Space
5. FallOut 3
4. Gran Turismo 5
3. Killzone 2
2. Little Big Planet
1. Metal Gear Solid 4

Although, I do suggest games like The Agency be replaced with something like Naruto: PS3 Project. The Agency seems great, but probably not an AAA title.

[Via Killzone Unit]

Tomb Raider Underworld to Be Revealed In Next Issue of PLAY

The next issue of PLAY will feature a little treat. The cookie? The unveiling of the Crystal Dynamics developed Tomb Raider Underworld. The issue features a world-exclusive including screenshots and an interview with Eric Lindstrom and can be purchased online and downloaded right now.

PLAY writes "Lara's adventure takes place after the events of Tomb Raider Legend. Her adventure will be a thrill ride for anyone new to the franchise. The emphasis is on bringing Lara's world to life, a lush, vast interactive world that reacts and remembers. It's pure woman versus wild."

Commenting on one of Lara's locations, PLAY says, "In the level where Lara explores Southern Mexico, she leaves footprints in the mud, but it's raining so they wash away. The bodies she leaves behind in combat encounters will stay, however, as will the debris from any destruction she causes."

On an immersive and epic environment and weather system, Eric Lindstrom says, "we developed a hybrid lighting model that combines dynamic lights with carefully created light maps to make our world look stunning in ways that none of the available methods could achieve alone."

Crystal Dynamics have also given Lara full motion capture "to bring a more natural fluidity to her movements, with proper weight and secondary motion." Moreover, when Lara kneels on a muddy outcrop, only her knee will be covered in dirt and this will gradually dissipate as she continues on her journey.

The game has been tentatively pencilled in for a 2008 release and is expected to court Xbox 360, Sony PS3 and Windows PC. Stay tuned for more info soon.

[Via TRC]

Bionic Commando: Smash & Throw

If the screenshots we posted yesterday weren't enough for you, then we have a video demonstration of the Smash & Thrown technique in the Capcom's upcoming Bionic Commando. Enjoy!

Race Driver: GRID Set for Release Mid-2008

In a new press release from Codemasters, it reveals we should be seeing one of the best racing games ever created, Race Driver: GRID, mid-2008.

The press release is below.

Coming mid 2008, Race Driver: GRID is set to capture every moment from the starting grid to the chequered flag and concentrate those moments into an intense and dramatic race experience. Race Driver: GRID is being developed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.

“Race Driver: GRID is all about the race.” said Gavin Raeburn, Executive Producer at Codemasters Studios. “The next iteration of our DiRT engine combined with a decade of experience in developing driving games enables us to put the player at the centre of the action like never before. Damage, packed grids, intelligent opposition and unprecedented race day atmosphere will combine to deliver an experience like no other.

Says Ralph Fulton, Chief Game Designer. “GRID focuses on everything that happens between the start grid and the chequered flag: the drama, the rivalries, the aggression and the crashes. This is not a game about collecting cars or spending all of your time in the front-end tuning suspension settings or designing liveries. We want to make racing exciting again.”

Race Driver: GRID will take players to beautifully realised and dramatic race locations over three continents to compete in an unprecedented variety of racing events. Packed with the most powerful race cars - new and classic, circuit and drift - players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races.

In Europe, race gamers will compete on the greatest official tracks in prestige Marques including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani.

Iconic cities across the U.S. - including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit and each with their own atmosphere and events - play hosts to diverse street races. Here, high-performance V8 muscle cars set the pace in aggressive closely fought pack competitions.

In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads. There is also the opportunity to compete in races that operate on the fringes of legality in the back streets and industrial areas of Yokohama.

Race Driver: GRID is coming mid 2008 for the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Games for Windows. To register for future driver briefings and get a place on the grid, be sure to visit http://www.codemasters.co.uk/grid.

Race Driver: GRID is coming mid 2008 for the Xbox®360, PLAYSTATION®3 system and Games for Windows®.

Confirmed: Metal Gear Online Bundled With Metal Gear Solid 4

Since Metal Gear Online was announced for the PLAYSTATION 3, it was unsure whether it would be released as a standalone package or if it would be bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Now, thanks to the latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, we know now. Read the scan for a smile.

[Via VGBlogger]

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Sells 50K First Day

According to the latest game selling charts, yesterday, the first day of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's release in Japan, the title sold nearly 50,000 copies. This is good news to hear for the game. It should be out in North America early 2008.

[Via N4G]

Burnout Paradise Demo: PLAYSTATION 3 vs. Xbox 360

GamerSyde has done another of it's PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 side-by-side comparisons. This time, it's Burnout Paradise, running at 60fps. Can you tell which is smoother?