Fans of Brian Michael Bendis’s groundbreaking superhero investigation cop comic “Powers” have reason to rejoice. The series, which had previously been in development hell at various networks, even going to pilot over at FX, is going to see the light of day exclusively to Playstation Network users, who will get 10 hour-long episodes starting in December. PS4 owners will all get the first episode for free, and subscribers to Sony’s Playstation Plus service will be able to stream all ten episodes as part of their subscription.

Here’s the announcement from E3:

I’m glad Sony has the balls to do this, as Fox obviously did not. And now, please allow me to blatantly plaigairize myself on what I’d previously written about Powers’ development over at FX:

So what is Powers and why is it so cool? Powers is a police procedural. . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  NO!!! Don’t doze off!! Yes, another cop show, but the cops investigate superpower-related crimes. 

The two partners, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, have their own brushes with superpowers. (minor spoilers ahead) Walker was once a power himself, and still keeps contacts in the superhero community. Pilgrim accidentally contracts powers and… has problems controlling them, leading to her accidentally killing her abusive boyfriend in self defense, which she then covers up from Internal Affairs.

Powers was always among my favorite books to pick up outside of your basic Spiderman, Superman, X-men set. Bendis is well known for his creator-owned comics as much as his work on mainstream books like. . .2/3 of everything Marvel currently releases. I kid the prolific Bendis, but he seriously writes a lot of books. Other stuff of his to check out: Alias / The Pulse and Scarlett.

It’s great to see Sony marching into this market. With Microsoft bringing a Spielberg-helmed Halo series to XBox Live subscribers, Sony is bringing out their own big guns. And with original shows making a big splash over at Hulu and Netflix, and even a live action Marvel series planned for the big red N streaming service, this makes a lot of sense.

You know what else makes a lot of sense? Sony’s other intellectual property that Bendis has some hand in. I’m not saying we should expect a cameo from your friendly neighborhood wallcrawler in “Powers,” bu if they’re smart they’ll find a way to seed some of these things in as catnip for fanboys. (And yes, I know “Powers” isn’t set in the Marvel 616 universe, but I’m just saying this makes sense from a “corporate synergy” perspective. Ugh, and now I need to go shower to wash off how dirty I feel for uttering those words.)

If you’re a Playstation owner and PSN subscriber, congratulations. “Powers” should debut in December. Everyone else? You might want to consider subscribing or getting a used PS3 just to watch this. Or one of their newly announced Playstation TVs. I have confidence it’s going to be that good. 

Your move, Microsoft. Tell us you’re adapting Ed Brubaker’s and Sean Phillips’s “Incognito” or “Criminal” and we’ll talk.

Kirby’s Triple Deluxe – Nintendo – 05.02.2014 – Nintendo 3DS — $39.99

“Kirby Triple Deluxe” is everything I loved about the original Kirby games stacked with even more content. The game modes alone make the game an incredible buy. If you’re into fighting games like “Smash Bros.” you can jump into Kirby Fighters that lets you pick one power and battle differently powered Kirbys on challenging maps that can be controlled by CPU, another Kirby owner, or a friend via download play. Dedede’s Drum Dash is also a fun new take on the series that allows you to test your rhythmic abilities while guiding Dedede through various musical levels. There is also an un-lockable Arena mode that pits you against the games bosses to test the speed at which you slay them. My favorite mode was Dedede Tour, which allows you to replay the single player campaign as Dedede with harder baddies and more challenging bosses. This mode is only available once you have finished the main story.

The game mechanics are similar to any classic Kirby title you’ve played before. You can double jump to fly, release an air bullet as an attack, and suck up various enemies in the world to clone their abilities. The previously mentioned feature is what makes Kirby addicting and also uniquely fun. Whether you prefer to use the Ninja ability to focus on throwing daggers and executing enemies with your mad sword skills, or jump over them while on fire with the new Circus ability, the moves make level tactics different and can generate funny situations.

I’m still giggling from the first time Izuna dropped a circus clown.

Trees can only be inhaled in Hypernova mode… you know, like in the real world and stuff

.

The new Hypernova mode begins whenever you find a special seed and gives Kirby the ability to inhale larger objects as he is creating a vortex of immense proportions. This vortex allows for interesting puzzles in different levels that involve anything from snowmen heads to cars and also introduce a unique element in fighting baddies. Bigger baddies can be presented in Hypernova mode since your ability to inhale their attacks is also enhanced. The game also makes incredible use of the 3D elements by allowing you to move between the background and foreground while exploring the world, this can be part of your normal route or contain hidden secrets for Kirby to unlock.

I don’t know why I like hunting key chains, but this shark one is so rad.

The tag mode mechanics allow you to send and receive key chains from other players. Key chains can also be unlocked with coins from your systems sleep mode. Key chains are also awarded in the end level game and found hidden throughout various courses. To unlock boss battles you have to find a minimum number of the hidden sun stones, but can aim for that 100% completion by finding all of them throughout the worlds.

Key chains are oddly addicting to collect, so you folk best be Street Passin!

Boss fights are about timing and catching on to the bosses tells before counter-attacking or simply dodging the assault. The game actually felt more challenging when I was using another baddies ability to fight. Sucking up dropped debris from the boss and shooting the star back did more damage, and made the battle easier to manage.

The game is visually stunning as well as phenomenal sounding, and the use of 3D is something that doesn’t strain the eyes but adds to the game environment. Levels remain two-dimensional but are divided into the background/foreground and you transition between the two by riding stars. Enemies in the background can launch attacks into the foreground and abilities you unlock also allow you to fire attacks into the background, or the other way around. This depth of field also adds a new dimension to the puzzles you are solving when trying to find key chains, sun stones, or even hidden portions of levels.

This is a mandatory addition to any platformers library and something Kirby fans have been waiting for, for far too long. You’ve got until May 2 to sell enough of your bodily fluids to pick this one up. You won’t regret it. 

Tuesday’s edition had the Microsoft highlights from Gamescom in Germany. Today is Sony’s turn:

Gran Turismo 6 has been confirmed for release in December.

The LittleBigPlanet Hub will launch for free on PS3 later this year. This is basically a place for LBP creators to congregate, collaborate, and challenge somewhat independent of the LBP games.

Borderlands 2 is coming to Vita. No word yet on the date. Speaking of the Vita, it’s dropping to $199. A “significant” price drop on memory cards is also coming.

Sony is not letting up on their push for Indie Games. Here’s a list of what you can expect coming soon to your Sony devices:

• The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth – PS4, Vita – early 2014
• Fez – PS3, PS4, Vita
• Volume – PS4, Vita
• Rogue Legacy – PS4, Vita – “console exclusive debut” in 2014
• Wasteland Kings – Vita, PS4 – 2014
• Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture – PS4
• Rime – PS4
• Helldivers – PS3, PS4, Vita – crossplay
• Resogun – PS4 and Vita
• Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number – PS4, Vita – timed console exclusive
• Minecraft – PS4, PS3, Vita – PS4 at launch, later for the others
• N++ – PS4
• Murasaki Baby – Vita

PlayStation 4 releases in the US on Friday, November 15th, 2013. Europe will be waiting until November 29th. The console will come with a 14 day free trial for PS+. That means everyone will get the PS+ version (whatever that means) of Evolution Studios’ Drive Club at launch.

So what games are you getting when the PS4 launches? We don’t have exact dates on everything yet, but here are 33 PS4 Games launching by the end of 2013:

• Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag (Blu-ray/digital)
• Basement Crawl (digital)
• Battlefield 4 (Blu-ray/digital)
• Blacklight (digital)
• Call of Duty: Ghosts (Blu-ray/digital)
• Contrast (digital)
• DC Universe Online (digital)
• Doki-Doki Universe (digital)
• Drive Club (Blu-ray/digital)
• FIFA 14 (Blu-ray/digital)
• Flower (digital)
• Hohokum (digital)
• Just Dance 2014 (Blu-ray/digital)
• Killzone: Shadow Fall (Blu-ray/digital)
• Knack (Blu-ray/digital)
• Lego Marvel Superheroes (Blu-ray/digital)
• Madden NFL 25 (Blu-ray/digital)
• Minecraft (digital)
• N++ (digital)
• NBA Live (Blu-ray/digital)
• NBA 2K14 (Blu-ray/digital)
• Need for Speed: Rivals (Blu-ray/digital)
• Pinball Arcade (digital)
• Planetside 2 (digital)
• Pool Nation Extreme (digital)
• ResoGun (digital)
• Skylanders: Swap Force (Blu-ray/digital)
• Super Motherload (digital)
• The Playroom (preinstalled)
• Tiny Brains (digital)
• Warframe (digital)
• War Thunder (digital)
• Watch Dogs (Blu-ray/digital)

You’ll note that inFamous: Second Son, one of Ps4’s most anticipated titles, is conspicuously absent from that list. Launch window is generally considered to be within three months of a console’s launch, so Sucker Punch’s February 2014 announcement just makes the cut.

Also coming at launch are two colored versions of the DualShock 4, Magma Red and Wave Blue. I’ve got one extra controller on order, and I think I might make it the Magma (Utes) Red just for fun. They look a little weird, but I like weird.

That was a lot of Sony heavy stuff, but don’t let a few paragraphs fool you. Microsoft is still strong and looks to be getting stronger. Phil Harrison told XBox News Wire that there are more XB1 exclusives on the way:

I left our showcase event with same thought I always have: what next? We haven’t even launched yet but rest assured we’re already planning more great stuff to ensure that Xbox continues to raise the bar.

So expect more mega franchises like FIFA, with Xbox exclusive content. Expect more exclusives titles like “Titanfall.” Expect more epics like “Halo” and “Call of Duty.” Expect more games reimagined for Xbox One such as “Fable Legends”. And expect the most immersive, new generation gameplay with multiplayer and innovations like Kinect and SmartGlass which make your experience way more fun and authentic than it could have been before.

Tactical games were a genre that passed me by when the original XCOM was entertaining the PC crowd. So I didn’t think much of XCOM: Enemy Unknown until the reviews started raving. I played it when it became free for PS+ back in June. For me, this was a surprise hit from last year and I loved it. So I’m excited for the upcoming “Enemy Within” DLC coming November 12, 2013. 2K Games has revealed what we can expect with that expansion: New Soldier Abilities (Gene Mods, Mechanized Exoskeletal Cybersuit (MEC)), New Weapons, New Equipment, Two New Alien Classes (including the Mechtoid), New Strategic Resource (MELD allows new research and upgrades), New Tactical Challenges, and 47 New Maps. And that’s just the single player stuff. Multiplayer is also getting new maps, units, and abilities. The only drawback I see to this add-on is that it’s coming three days before I get my PlayStation 4.

Beyond: Two Souls had me hooked as soon as Quantic Dream announced. That studio is excellent at pushing the medium. David Cage made a few reveals at Gamescom that make me even more interested. First, Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe are scoring the game. Which is great, but what about the gameplay? There will be a free iOS and Android app at launch that will let you use your mobile device as a controller for the game. I don’t really know how this one’s going to work, but I can’t wait for details. But what if you just want to sit on your couch and use a controller? And what if have a friend that wants to help? They’ve got that too. I still need more details, but a second player will be able to control Jodie’s spirit friend. Aiden will be tethered to Jodie, but he can pass through walls and fire energy blasts. October 8th on this one and that can’t come soon enough.

It’s clearly no shock to anyone that Grand Theft Auto V has received an “M for Mature” rating. But are you curious what earns it that stamp? The ESRB’s detailed evaluation explains about the smoking of a bong, exposed genitalia, and necrophilia(?!?!?):

In this open-world action game, players assume the role of three criminals whose storylines intersect within the fictional city of Los Santos. Players can switch between each character to follow his storyline, completing missions which often include criminal activities (e.g., stealing cars, executing heists, assassinating targets). Players use pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles, and explosives to kill various enemies (e.g., rival gang members); players also have the ability to shoot non-adversary civilians, though this may negatively affect players’ progress as a penalty system triggers a broad police search. Blood-splatter effects occur frequently, and the game contains rare depictions of dismemberment. In one sequence, players are directed to use various instruments and means to extract information from a character; the sequence is intense and prolonged, and it involves some player interaction (i.e., responding to on-screen prompts).

The game includes depictions of sexual material/activity: implied fellatio and masturbation; various sex acts that the player’s character procures from a prostitute-while no nudity is depicted in these sequences, various sexual moaning sounds can be heard. Nudity is present, however, primarily in two settings: a topless lap dance in a strip club and a location that includes male cult members with exposed genitalia in a non-sexual context.

Within the game, TV programs and radio ads contain instances of mature humor: myriad sex jokes; depictions of raw sewage and feces on a worker’s body; a brief instance of necrophilia (no nudity is depicted).

Some sequences within the larger game allow players to use narcotics (e.g., smoking from a bong, lighting a marijuana joint); cocaine use is also depicted. Players’ character can, at various times, consume alcohol and drive while under the influence. The words “f**k,” “c*nt,” and “n**ger” can be heard in the dialogue.

Konami has confirmed the release date for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, February 25, 2013. This will conclude MercurySteam’s run as developer on the franchise. If you missed the first game you’ll have a chance to catch up on the same day. That’s when the Lords of Shadow Collection releases as well. This bundle will include the first game, the “Reverie” and “Resurrection” DLCs, and the HD version of Mirror of Fate.

Zenimax Online has finally revealed the business model for the upcoming The Elder Scrolls Online. There was plenty of reason to believe this would be a free to play model, but that is not the case. The game will require $15 monthly subscription fee. This may disappoint some fans, but I think Director Matt Firor makes a good case for the model: “The Elder Scrolls games are all about allowing the player to go where they want, be who they want, and do what they want. Just having one small monthly fee for 100% access to the game fits the IP and the game much better than a system where you have to pay for features and access as you play.” Firor also said that “putting pay gates between the player and content at any point in game ruins that feeling of freedom.” He has a valid point, but it’s undermined by the fact that the game will also have microtransactions. You will be able to purchase items, name changes, and other peripheral stuff with real money. Firor did specify that “The items are not necessary in order to play the game and experience points will not be sold.” Your initial purchase of the game will give you an unlimited 30 day trial; playing beyond the trial will require a subscription; microstransactions are available but not required. I’m not sure the modern MMO economy will accept the model. We’ll find out when the game hits PS4 and XB1 in 2014.

I’m still waiting for more details on how exactly the XBox One’s Project Spark is going to work, but if you’re an amateur game creator you’ll want to keep a close eye on it. The “game” will allow you to create your own games, including cut scenes, by utilizing the next-gen Kinect for motion capture (including face and body) and voice recording.It will also utilize SmartGlass in some way. I’m looking forward to more information on this one, as it could drastically change the field of user-generated content and independent development. I also assume it will be used for porn.

That’s all for this week’s Friday edition. There may be a few more announcements coming from Gamescom today. You’ll see that in next week’s Tuesday edition. Otherwise, next week will likely be slow, as post event weeks tend to be.

With Shonen Jump’s 45th anniversary on the way Namco is making a Jump character themed fighting game.

The current line up is

– Goku (Dragon Ball Z)

– Luffy (One Piece)

– Ichigo (Bleach)

– Naruto

– Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)

– Toriko

– Gintama

– Kochikame

With possibly more on the way. All I wanna know is what a brother gotta do to get some some yusuke urameshi DLC!

No word on any release dates outside of Japan. I’ll be posting updates as they come.

Sony just announced the lineup for their huge summer sale, and there are a TON of games to be had at some insanely good prices! All games can be purchased for up to 60% off their normal price, and PS+ subscribers can up that to 80% off!

Almost all of us at BSR have talked about the benefits of investing in a PS+ membership, and if you’ve been on the fence about whether or not to try it out, now would be the time since any games you purchase with your discount are yours to keep even if you let your membership lapse (unlike the free games which require an ongoing subscription).

Here’s what you can expect over the next two weeks:

July 2-9

Call Of Duty Black Ops II (PS3) – Regular Price: $59.99 Sale Price: $41.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $37.79
The Amazing Spider-Man (PS3) – Regular Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $29.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $20.99
Batman Arkham Asylum (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest (PS Vita/PSP) – Regular Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $4.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $2.50
Mortal Kombat (PS Vita) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
Mortal Kombat – (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $7.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $4.00
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game (PS3) – Regular Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $3.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $2.00
Shadow of the Colossus (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
Ratchet & Clank Collection (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $14.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $7.50

July 9-16

Fast & Furious Showdown (PS3) – Regular Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $31.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $23.99
Star Trek (PS3) – Regular Price: $54.99 Sale Price: $43.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $32.99
Men In Black: Alien Crisis (PS3) – Regular Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $29.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $20.99
The Simpsons Arcade Game (PS3) – Regular Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $6.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $4.89
X-Men (PS3) – Regular Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $6.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $4.89
Hitman Trilogy HD – (PS3) – Regular Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $19.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $15.99
Lord of the Rings: War in the North (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
Silent Hill: Book of Memories (PS Vita) – Regular Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $14.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $7.50
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3) – Regular Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $14.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $7.50
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS Vita) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
The Adventures of TinTin: The Game (PS3) – Regular Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $19.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $10.00
Star Wars The Force Unleashed II (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $5.00
Just Cause 2 (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $7.99
Prince of Persia Classics Trilogy (PS3) – Regular Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $15.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $8.00
Tron Evolution (PS Vita) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $7.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $4.00
Alice: Madness Returns (PS3) – Regular Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $7.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $4.00
Fight Night Champion – Full Game (PS3) – Regular Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $11.99 PlayStation Plus Price: $6.00

Launched this morning, Zombietron is going to knock out some game play and talk about his thoughts. He must love you because PS3 doesn’t support HDMI streaming with his capture card, and we’re still knocking this out! Prepare for the Big Shiny Podcast tonight!!!

Watch live video from bigshinyrobot on TwitchTV

When you make an adventure game that becomes a bit of a surprise hit, taking home more than a few game of the year awards for 2013, what should Telltale do next? Well, make a second season, of course. Which is in development. In the meantime, the next best thing is to port the hell out of it and get it on every device possible. Having already released on PC, iOS, PS3, 360, and probably a few lesser known areas, what’s left for Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season One. I suppose there’s Android if that hasn’t already happened. There’s also PlayStation Vita. It will be coming to Sony’s handheld, sometime in 2013. No word yet on a specific date, whether it will be a full release or episodic, retail or download only, or whether it will have a cross buy to give people like me a Vita version for free, having already bought it on PS3. It seems like an obvious port, but I have to wonder about the target market. How many people own a Vita that haven’t already played this one? Is it just another shot at a platinum for trophy hunters / whores?

On a similar note, Limbo is also coming to PS Vita. The game was a hit on XBLA back in 2010 and came to PSN in 2011. Now it’s planned for Vita sometime in 2013. I have all the same questions for this one as I do for The Walking Dead? Who wants to play this but hasn’t?

Plenty of add-on information has been revealed for Borderlands 2. The sixth playable character has been revealed as Krieg. He’s a “psycho” class, an escaped lab experiment with a buzz axe. He’s coming in May for $10. The long-awaited level cap increase is scheduled for April 2nd, upping your players max level to 61 for $5 (or free with Season Pass). This will also include the Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, essentially adding a whole new playthrough. Also, the fourth expansion campaign was teased at PAX East, showing Tiny Tina playing a board game, Bunkers & Badasses, in the Sanctuary with the Vault Hunters. This is purportedly the largest add-on to date and is coming in June.

If you’re a developer that’s cozy with Sony and releasing a new game today, what’s the best way to promote your new characters? The answer should be obvious, as it clearly was to Ken Levine. LittleBigPlanet is getting the BioShock Infinite Costume Pack in today’s store update for $5.99. This isn’t the first time Irrational has released Sack versions of their iconic characters. The original BioShock‘s Big Daddy and Little Sister are being joined by Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth, Songbird, Handyman, and Armored Patriot. Why do evil creatures all look so cute when they’re made from burlap?

Also coming to Littlebigplanet Vita is the Marvel Arcade Pack. This won’t come with any of the Marvel costumes, though they are still available separately. You will play as the featured heroes even if you don’t have the separate costume content. The add-on includes three new game modes: Hero Rush, Avengers: Ultimate Escape, and S.H.I.E.L.D. – Interceptor. Hero Rush sounds a bit like Jetpack Joyride with Sackvengers. Avengers: Ultimate Escape is a puzzle mode with a maze that changes depending on the character you choose. S.H.I.E.L.D. – Interceptor gives you a Quinjet and the weapons to gun your way through waves Chitauri invaders. The add-on will, of course, come with a plethora of stickers and other objects for use in your own LBP adventures. This one launches with next week’s store update for $4.99.

We reported last month that the long-running weekly DLC releases for Harmonix’s Rock Band would be coming to a close. At an event the night before PAX East opened, Harmonix revealed the final DLC for the game. A single song will be coming with the final update on April 2nd, Don McLean’s American Pie. The song, inspired by the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper in a single plane crash is a notable one to end this long story of over 4,000 songs in 275 consecutive weeks. It is, after all, about “the day the music died.” While I no longer plug in my plastic instruments on a weekly basis, my wife and I still tend to bust down a Tangled Shamrock jam session occasionally. I think I’ll be picking this up for old time’s sake and to say thank you to Harmonix for the ridiculous number of hours and dollars I’ve spent on my fake band. Well, that and I love the song. Plus I have to see if I can sing Weird Al’s Star Wars version about Anakin Skywalker.

I haven’t been too vocal about my distaste for the “new” PSN Store on PlayStation 3, but suffice to say that I hate it. Since converting the access to the store into an app that takes far too long to load (not to mention loading the individual pieces of it once you’re there) I try to avoid using it as much as possible. For a portal to spending money, that’s probably not the goal Sony had in mind. Thankfully, they released a web version of the store shortly after that allows me to browse and make purchases from a PC. This means I only have to load the clunky app to access my download list instead of wasting time navigating it. An even better improvement will be coming in May that finally catches up on a feature XBox 360 has offered for years. You’ll actually be able to select items to download from the PC store as well, ideally meaning you’ll never even have to launch that broken app. The groundwork for this addition is included in the recent v4.40 firmware patch and the v1.04 update for the store. It should be noted that this is only specified in the patch notes for the EU; I’m imposing my own hopes that it will apply to the US as well.

Much like pirate’s booty, there apparently are never enough special editions to go around. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has no less than four versions already announced. The Uplay exclusive Black Chest Edition seems to be the gold standard, including a diorama of Captain Edward on the Jackdaw’s bow (almost two feet tall), steelbook case, artbook, official soundtrack, two lithographs, two canvas prints, all existing unlockable in-game content (single player missions, skins, and weapons), collector’s box, parchment world map and an original Black Flag replica. The next level down will be the Buccaneer Edition, expected to be a GameStop exclusive. This includes an Edward Kenway figurine, artbook, official soundtrack, two lithographs, in-game content, and a collector’s box. For those who like a little extra stuff but don’t need dioramas and figurines and aren’t looking to spend a lot of money, there’s the Skull Edition (steelbook case, artbook, lithographs, the soundtrack and DLC). The Special Edition looks to be the standard preorder version as it comes with just the downloadable content. Prices have not been announced on any of these bundles but I’m willing to venture a few guesses. For current-gen versions it should be the obvious $60. Probably upping to $70 for Skull Edition, $120 for Buccaneer, and somewhere in the $150-200 range for the Black Chest. All versions are set for release on October 30th, but you should get your order in soon if you want a fancy version.

The latest casualty of falling profits in the gaming industry appears to be Yoichi Wada, CEO of Square Enix. Wada joined Square in April 2000, becoming CEO with the Enix merger in 2003. Wada will be stepping down due to the company’s recent financial numbers (revenue will be approximately $175 million below expectation). Yosuke Matsuda, currently the Representative Director, will take over the CEO’s duty temporarily until a permanent replacement is named at the shareholders meeting in June.

It looks like the PlayStation 4 will have no lack of first-person shooters. In addition to the already announced Killzone title, GDC has revealed two more FPS for the next-gen console. Zombie Studios is bringing the free-to-play multiplayer action with Blacklight: Retribution and Lukewarm Media is bringing Primal Carnage: Genesis on Unreal Engine 4. Primal Carnage has dinosaurs. Lots and lots of dinosaurs. It will also blend open world and linear gameplay. No release dates were announced obviously, as we still don’t have a date on the PS4.

Gamers will soon be able to sneak, explore and assassinate unsuspecting targets once again within the streets and buildings of Dunwall.

Bethesda announced Wednesday that it is releasing a new add-on pack called The Knife of Dunwall on April 16, the second downloadable content expansion for its popular Dishonored game.

Here’s a description of the DLC from Bethesda and be warned, there are spoilers for the main game’s plotline if you haven’t played it yet:

“In The Knife of Dunwall you take on the role of Daud, the legendary assassin who killed the Empress, and access his weapons, gadgets, allies and supernatural abilities. After assassinating the Empress, and forever changing the fate of Dunwall, you embark on a search for redemption.”

A screenshot from the forthcoming Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall DLC, shipping April 16.

The Outsider reveals the key to your atonement—Delilah. But who or what is Delilah, aside from a classic Tom Jones song? But I digress.

“Accompanied by the Whalers, your loyal band of mercenary assassins, your search will take you through never-before-seen districts of Dunwall as you face off against new and terrible foes. Employ a unique arsenal of new weapons and powers that enhance Dishonored’s dynamic combat, mobility and stealth systems. In the struggle to hang onto the last shred of your humanity, the choices you make will ultimately determine your fate.”

Dishonored was one of my favourite titles of 2012, an absolute gem of a stealth-combat game and I can’t wait to dive in once again. It looks as if you will cross the main storyline in some fashion based on an early screenshot Bethesda has released, but it also promises to fill in some more of the tale of Dunwall and its dark, often twisted inhabitants.

The game was highly regarded, garnering more than 100 ‘Game of the Year’ awards, as well as being named the best action/adventure game of the year at the SPIKE TV Video Game Awards and best game of 2012 by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts video games awards.

Visit www.Dishonored.com for more info.

The Knife of Dunwall will cost $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points and will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

* Wayne Chamberlain has been covering the gaming industry since 2002 and is the co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast on iTunes. He is a contributing columnist at Canada.com and an editor for Postmedia News. You can follow him on Twitter @chamberlainw. 

So how’s about that PlayStation 4 announcement. My apologies for the kind of lunacy that came through in my initial thoughts. I was excited and having internet troubles. Having about a week now to process the event, I have a little bit different view on the device. First, where was the hardware? It’s not that big of a deal, it’s clearly running, but I like to see the physical design. It helps to know some idea of the dimensions. Second, if I don’t care about social media, not only is the Share button kind of meaningless but is there anything really new for me? It’s a safe bet that most of our questions will be answered at E3, including hard drive sizes, SKUs, prices, etc. My predictions is that we likely won’t see a hard drive smaller than 500GB. We might see one as big as two terabytes, but I’m doubtful. There’s an idea that Sony might release a discount system with no hard drive that’s open for customers to add their own external media in any size they like. Seems unlikely, but it would be useful for certain consumers.

In the aftermath of the event we’ve also gotten a little more detail on the DualShock 4 and new PlayStation Eye. The DS4 measures 162mm wide x 52mm tall x 98mm deep. It weighs around 210 grams. In contrast, the DS3 is 160mm x 55mm x 97mm and 192 grams. Contrary to my first indication, the Start and Select buttons do seem to gone. In their place is a monospeaker, a two-point touch pad, a Share button, and an Options button. It also features six-axis motion control, a headset jack, and a light bar presumably used in conjunction with the new Eye. Very little is known about the new Eye, but it does seem to borrowing from the Kinect’s profile.

It’s also worth noting that Sony will not be following Nintendo’s example of utilizing your existing controllers with their new toy. The DualShock 3 will not be compatible with PS4 in any way. During the press event, Media Molecule did display Move controllers working with the new console. Shuhei Yoshida stated explicitly that PS4 won’t “support DualShock 3 but it does support PS Move.” When pressed about whether other Bluetooth enabled devices, such as headsets, would make the jump to next-gen a PR rep interrupted with a standard “I don’t think we’re addressing additional peripheral support at this time.” To which Yoshida responded, “That doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work.” Curious.

The PS4 will not require an always-on internet connection according to Shuhei Yoshida. “Yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don’t want to connect to anyone else, you can do that.” He also elaborated on a few reasons why you may want to stay connected, “The system has the low-power mode – I don’t know the official term – that the main system is shut down but the subsystem is awake. Downloading or updating or you can wake it up using either the tablet, smartphone or PS Vita.”

Another major concern for next-gen is backwards compatibility. As most console manufacturers can attest, the feature is in high demand but low use. In the first stages of a new console, when the game library is small, this allows players to continue using the new device with older games. But very few people actually take advantage of it. As explained at the press event, the PS4 will not have backwards compatibility built in, but the future of Gaikai’s technology is such that any PlayStation game from any era may eventually be playable on the system via streaming. But what about PSN games?

Personally, I don’t like to think about how much money I’ve spent on PSN content over the last few years. Sure, way too much of that was extra content for Rock Band, but I’ve also purchased a lot of classic games, HD remakes (Super Puzzle Fighter), time wasters (Peggle), and a huge amount of content from PS Plus. Surely that will transfer, right? No! This comes once again from Shuhei Yoshida. But, it sort of makes sense. PS3 era content is designed to run on the system’s unique cell processor. PS4’s architecture is much more similar to a PC. The tech just isn’t compatible. Although Sony does say they will attempt to make older games playable on the system “in some form.” Again, this is probably related to their ownership of Gaikai.

The lack of backwards compatibility for physical and digital media is a bit of a blow to Sony die-hards. It has taken some of the wind out of my sails. However, the official line on PS Plus is that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. So I would expect we’ll see more information about how that will incorporate into the next-gen, but it’s doubtful to come anytime soon. The next big step for the PS4 is expected to be E3 in June. Stay tuned for more information until then.

[Update: According to Shuhei Yoshida speaking with the PlayStation Blogcast, the PS4 will come bundled with a head set. The PS4 will also feature cross-game chat for the first time.]

The Unfinished Swan is an entirely unique game that is friendly for all ages.

Follow the tale of Monroe, a young boy recently orphaned, left only with the unfinished paintings that of his late mother. Discover his story by following the unfinished swan from one of the paintings into a new world. By painting your surroundings, Monroe discovers what is there. The adventure game is akin to finding your way through a huge maze.

Beautiful architecture makes up the shapes seen most often

The game begins as a blank white canvas, where you shoot black paintballs to paint the world around you. This reveals shrubbery, decorations, and eventually a pathway to the next area. Later levels introduce more colors and a deeper story, but the essential gameplay style of painting an empty canvas remains the same. Painting each area is necessary to find your way through the level, this is one of the many reasons it feels like a maze. Relatively simple puzzles accompany each level as Monroe learns the history of the world he has entered.

Controls are very simple: look around, move, paint and jump. This helps in making the game friendly for younger audiences since the difficulty is fairly easy. The graphics are also simple – you usually see blank canvas around you, or simple shapes standing out of the white. Beautiful architecture makes up the shapes seen most often – and often times Monroe only sees the buildings from afar. Rarely does the game show Monroe himself or any other character. The unfinished swan is seen occasionally, just long enough for Monroe to see which direction he needs to head next. The sounds that accompany Monroe’s adventure are ominous and mysterious. They compliment Monroe’s actions but there aren’t any songs that play throughout.

The plot of the story is revealed through pages of text that are uncovered throughout the world. Each page explains a part of the world’s history, and the specific area that Monroe is discovering. It explains exactly why the world is the way it is, and also helps Monroe to discover what led him there. The story is simple, easy to follow and touching.

A narrator reads aloud the story as pages are revealed, eventually the moral is revealed, “life is the journey you make it.” – it’s not about what happens in the end but what you did along the way. The moral is also introduced through an interesting twist – which is revealed by playing the final mission of the game.

By painting your surroundings, Monroe discovers what is there

Rated E10+, this game is definitely family friendly – although it can be disorienting for those watching who are not playing. Because the world is revealed through painting certain areas, the player controls what is being painted and where. This often means quickly spinning in circles to see what is around you. As an onlooker, you may not be expecting the sudden movements or nauseating spinning which can lead to watchers becoming dizzy. Other than this side effect for onlookers, the game is friendly for younger audiences playing or watching.

The collectibles that can be found in this world consist of colored balloons, which are used to buy toys. Toys that can be unlocked include a hose (shoot paintballs ridiculously fast), a balloon finder, and other items useful in replaying different missions.

There are only 4 chapters throughout this game, making for a short playthrough. Each chapter has its own style, however, and because of the collectibles that can be found, it makes for a replayable game.

The Unfinished Swan is available on the PlayStation Network, downloadable for $14.99. For a unique gameplay experience that is cute and fun for all ages, The Unfinished Swan is a splendid choice.