The first gameplay trailer for the highly anticipated Star Wars 1313 video game is here! Taking on the role of a bounty hunter, players will traverse the underground world of Coruscant which serves as home to the planet’s dangerous criminal element. Unlike many Star Wars games in the past, in this game you will play just a normal bounty hunter – no Force to help you out this time.

No release date has been announced as of yet, and so far the only platform that has been confirmed for this game is PC, but there is speculation that this may be one of the first titles available on the next generation of Playstation and XBox.

Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think in the comments!

I learned a rough lesson this weekend. Video games are safer than small town fairs. Do you ever watch cartoons and see someone get blasted clean off their feet by a fire hose? Did you ever wonder if that could really happen? It can. Those firemen hit me right on the shins and knocked my feet off the ground, then hit me in the chest and flipped me completely over backwards before I hit the ground. Then they just kept on it, pushing me across a baseball field about thirty feet before they let me up. And you know what they did then? Knocked me down again. Of course. By the way, that pressure is strong enough to leave bruises. But, they’re the really twisted kind of bruises that don’t actually show up on the skin. They just hurt. Deeply. Coming home I couldn’t be happier to be back in my nice, safe basement where I led a minifig Batman and his Justice League friends to a platinum trophy.

On to the news:
Two separate preorder bonuses have been announced for James Bond: 007 Legends. You can get the Legendary Alternative pack from Amazon. This one includes alternate costumes for Jaws (Moonraker Spacesuit) and Baron Samedi (Live and Let Die‘s Skeleton) in the Classic Conflict mode. Over at GameStop, you can get the 007 Pack. It has an extra costume, Bond’s Walther PPK, and an upgrade to your weapon switch speed. Regardless, it’s still coming October 16th.

Still looking for a release date on the HD upgrade for SEGA’s Jet Set Radio? It’s next month. September 18th & 19th on PSN ($9.99) and XBLA (800 MSP), respectively. There’s some extra news for Sony players. PlayStation Plus members get access a week early. There is also a Vita version planned, but it’s coming a little later, on October 16th.

We got a first look at the planned fifth character for Borderlands 2 a long time ago, but nothing has been forthcoming since. A few details have finally surfaced, most notably that she’s coming about 60 days after launch and she’ll be free. The mechromancer is still currently unnamed, but she can summon a robot named Deathtrap. The robot is basically a tank that can divert some fire away from the player(s). Internally, Gearbox refers to her skill tree as “girlfriend mode” since it’s designed for those who aren’t traditionally players of FPS titles. For example, one perk called “Close Enough” will allow the bullets fired in an enemies general direction to still make contact even if they shouldn’t. Lead Designer John Hemingway is considering a secondary tree for the character to balance the simple one. If it happens, the hardcore mode will be more suited to those really looking to refine their experience. A potential third tree, focusing primarily on defense, is also in the works. The game is planned for September 18th, meaning the extra character should be expected November 13th or 20th.

Warner Bros. Interactive, DC Comics, and NetherRealm have announced Catwoman for Injustice: Gods Among Us. She’ll be joining the already announced cast of Batman, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Solomon Grundy, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman when the game launches for XBox 360, PS3, and WiiU in 2013. The press release also stated there will be “many others.” That should sort of go without saying when we’re talking about such a vast universe. Joker, Lex Luthor, Green Lantern, Sinestro, Aquaman, and others should be obvious additions. Just for the fun of it, can I predict one of the ultimate villains? Darkseid.

Sony has delayed PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale by about a month. Previously set for late October, it’s now coming November 20, 2012. Naturally they haven’t said anyhting specific, but they did mention the private beta they’ve been running [full disclosure: I’m in the beta] and the indication is that the two things are connected. According to Chan Park, SuperBot Entertainment’s president, “This will enable us to spend more time polishing, tuning and incorporating some of the great feedback from the current limited beta to ensure we are creating the best possible fighting game experience. While it is our greatest desire to put this game into the hands of our fans as soon as possible, we do not want to do so at the sake of quality. We feel the additional time will be well worth the wait, and are excited to know that our fans will have the ultimate brawler in time for the holiday.”

In the meantime, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD finally has a PSN release date, after already launching the Summer of Arcade on XBLA. Sony gamers should be looking for this one in two weeks, August 28th. After already being part of Microsoft’s promotion, doesn’t this one just scream PS+ freebie?

Square Enix hasn’t been shy about embracing the culture of DLC, but they haven’t necessarily done a great job with it from a fan’s perspective. They’re looking to change that with an extensive six month plan for Sleeping Dogs. The first bundle is “the 80s-inspired Retro Triad Pack, a killer old school outfit with its own player buffs and funky kung-fu van.” It should be launching today along with the main game. September is set to bring “a high-speed Racing Pack and an explosive SWAT Pack.” According to Square Enix’s Lee Singleton (General Manager, London Studios), “The game launch is just the beginning. We want to create something to suit everyone’s play style from cool cars and high-speed missions to outlandish outfits and game-extending mission packs.” After the most recent Final Fantasy outing disappointed fans by only releasing a few outfits and bonus characters, rather than additional story content, Square Enix is going to need to get much more aggressive with their expansion strategy. Sleeping Dogs could be the right first step.

Gamescom is kicking off this week in Cologne, Germany and that likely means we’ll see a healthy influx of gaming news this week. Capcom has fired the first salvo with a pre-show press conference. Here are the highlights:

• The Devil May Cry reboot (1/15/13) does include Dante’s brother, Vergil. He has white hair. The two are estranged.
• Residentevil.net is Resident Evil 6‘s (10/2/12) answer to CoD: Elite and Battlelog. Free and available at launch.
• New sci-fi IP, Remember Me, from French-based Dontnod Entertainment was announced. Involves memory alteration a la Total Recall and Dollhouse.
• Showed video of PS3-exclusive Okami HD (Fall 2012). It’s Okami. It’s in HD. Cool, but a disappointing end to the conference.

Check back on Friday for more from Gamescom. And keep tabs on the main Big Shiny Robot page this week as major stories will be posted immediately. The organizers of the show mentioned Half Life 3 and Dragon Age 3 will be premiering, but they’ve since announced those statements were incorrect. Could be a red herring, or it could have been a mistake. Also Lucasarts has been showing off the E3 trailer for Star Wars 1313 again. Maybe we’ll see something more from them? Or at least an announcement for platforms?

Here I was ruminating on Tuesday that summer is slow enough I should maybe kick this column down to weekly and then I get some hot news to finish up the week. Batman, Mass Effect 3, free games for PS+… it’s a good week for news. Read on!

Let’s start with a little sad news to get it out of the way. Despite reporting a fairly positive quarter, THQ has axed their plans for the inSANE trilogy. On the plus side, according to CEO Jason Rubin, they have returned “all of [their] IP rights to Guillermo Del Toro.” This means the Hellboy director could still make the game with a different publishing partner. Rubin did well with his former company, Naughty Dog, so I’ll trust his judgment when he says this isn’t the right fit for THQ right now. But Del Toro’s a badass and I want to see his game. Hopefully we’ll see a new publishing partner soon.

Assassin’s Creed III has a couple of interesting announcements. First, despite having one for Brotherhood and Revelations, the game will not have a multiplayer beta. The time spent on the beta will instead go directly to polishing the final game. That final game, by the way, will be different depending on your platform. We knew back in June that the PS3 was getting exclusive content. Based on the cover art, we now know that is adds up to 60 minutes of extra gameplay. The extra content is expected to come in the form of four missions, but we have no details on what that will include. We’ll find out October 30, 2012

Mafia III rumors are leaking out of 2K Czech, and they’re inadvertently revealing something even bigger. Apparently the third in franchise was planned as a launch game for next gen consoles but has now been pushed back to late 2013, early 2014 due to staff and budget cuts. The series cool, for what it’s worth, but the big reveal here is that it clearly indicates the next gen consoles (particularly PlayStation 4) are planned for some time before “late 2013.” It’s all rumor and conjecture, but this seems to strengthen plenty of other whispers I’m hearing – including the rumor that Thief 4 has been pushed to neXtBox (as I choose to call it) late next year.

The name Paul Dini should mean something to you. If your only hobby is video games, just know that he wrote that fantastic stories for both Batman: Arkham games. Unfortunately he won’t be writing the next one for Rocksteady, currently planned as a Silver Age / JLA story. There doesn’t seem to be any hard feelings on either side and he’s not ruled out for future work in the franchise. According to a blog post from Dini he asked about writing the third about the time Arkham City released. Rocksteady wasn’t ready for that planning yet and politely let Dini know that he shouldn’t turn down work waiting on them. So, he didn’t. His schedule is now booked through summer 2013, and Warner Bros. Interactive is looking to get the story rolling now. I’m sad to see Dini off the project, but there are a lot of other writers that can handle it. And as long as Dini has work, there will be great content rolling out somewhere.

Some time ago Crytek’s CEO, Cevat Yerli, put feelers out on his blog to gauge fan interest in TimeSplitters 4. He says the results are in, and they indicate a review of what they’re doing with the franchise necessary. But, interest simply isn’t high enough for the fourth game yet. That “deeper evaluation” is likely to yield “some surprises” soon, but it apparently won’t be the next sequel.

I’ve been fortunate enough to play some of the LittleBigPlanet Karting beta recently. I obviously can’t say much, but I will admit to being an awesome racer and a terrible creator. Others are making some seriously cool things. You’ll get your own chance at it soon as Sony has revealed it’s coming November 6, 2012. They’ve also announced the preorder incentive, the Game Maker Pack. This includes three Sackboy skins with accompanying karts: the race car driver (shouldn’t that be the default), the UFG mascot, and Sony VP of Random Weirdness Kevin Butler. They are also planning a special edition with a lenticular cover and other, unannounced goodies.

It’s no secret I’ve been a Shepard junkie since March so I’m devouring anything I hear about the upcoming DLC for Mass Effect 3. Additional dialogue options unearthed in the Extended Cut ending indicate “Leviathan” could introduce you to the Reapers’ creators. Incidentally, they are also the first to be reaped. Catalyst Child is likely their creation as well. This also hints that you may see new scenes in the ending after completing the DLC. Further exploration also mentions “Omega,” hinting at extra DLC that my be planned for taking Shepard back through the Omega Relay from Mass Effect 2‘s ending and reclaiming the area from Cerberus. Still no details on a release date, but they have announced a $10 purchase price.

The free games just keep on piling up for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Earlier this week I downloaded The Walking Dead, but still haven’t had a chance to play them. Now Sony has announced three independent games coming at no extra cost. Riptide Games’ Knytt Underground, Big Sky Infinity, and an unnamed title will all be free at launch for eight weeks. All three titles are set for this year. The free period is for PS+ subscribers only, and there’s no word yet on how much they’ll be for everyone else. [Note: My source for this information is in the UK, so this may be regional and not applicable to US subscribers.]

Things over at Irrational Games are shaking up. Regarding Bioshock Infinite, the planned co-op multiplayer segments have been cut. This doesn’t seem a big deal to Ken Levine, who summed up the move by saying they “are experimenting with things, and only if they are good enough will we put them in the game.” Fair enough. I’d rather see them cut it now than waste time producing sub-par elements. Behind the scenes, two key elements of the staff, director of product development Tim Gerritson and art director Nate Wells, left the company on Thursday. Moving the other direction, Gears of War executive producer Rod Fergusson has joined the team. The in and out changes do not appear to be related.

On the subject of gaming staff, things definitely seem to have taken a weird turn at Bioware Austin, or is that EA Austin? According to the official line from EA, Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk is taking a vacation. His LinkedIn account looks like it’s more along the lines of no longer working for the company. He claims he left the studio in charge of the latest Star Wars MMO in May. Zeschuk and fellow co-founder Ray Muzyka were both conspicuously absent from a recent leadership meeting according to a source inside the meeting. This is highly unusual for the pair. Rumor is the studio will be renamed EA Austing as Matthew Bromberg, CEO of Major League Gaming, takes over Zeschuk’s role.

That’s it for the week’s news. I know it’s hot out and there are great games inside, but get yourself some sun this weekend. I’ll be spending the weekend at mom’s in central Utah where I’ll probably get way too much of it. Something about drinking beer in the desert always leaves me sunburned and amnesiate.

My apologies for missing last week’s late edition. The vitals are still here, and it’s a slow time of year for news anyhow. I’m actually pondering a shift to a once a week format through the end of summer. But some of this news is already late, so let’s get to it:

Things have been shifted around a bit with the Max Payne 3 DLC. The “New York Minute” co-op pack is being rolled into the “Deathmatch Made in Heaven.” The “Trickle Down Economics” pack is fitting into one of the remaining packs, but not the first one. I’m not clear on where it will end up right now, but I’ll clarify if/when the information comes. According to the new schedule:

• Disorganized Crime Pack: August – FREE
• Hostage Negotiation Map Pack: September – $9.99
• Painful Memories Map Pack: October – $9.99
• Deathmatch Made In Heaven Mode Pack: October – $9.99

Left 4 Dead 2’s “Cold Stream” DLC that was delayed from July 24th has a new release date, last Friday. This is where it sucks to have missed the late edition. If you check your download service regularly you already knew about this. If you only check it once a week like I do, this still news. Yay. It’s 560 MSP.

Capcom has announced a new mode for Resident Evil 6. “Agent Hunt” will be unlocked after you’ve completed the single player campaign. In this mode, you’ll spawn as one of Umbrella’s hideous mutations to hunt down the game’s heroes, Leon, Chris, etc. Players in the “Mercenaries” match will be notified that a player controlled monster is in the field, but they won’t know which one it is. The monsters will have voice chat available, which seems a little far-fetched for virus-mutated zombies. On a related note, the Ada campaign previously thought to be DLC has been confirmed as an unlockable within the game. Hopefully it won’t be as ridiculous as unlocking Hunk’s mission. Release is still scheduled for October 2, 2012.

Despite rumors that it’s moving next-gen, and no release date announced at a recent investor call, Grand Theft Auto V is still “in full development and showing substantial progress” according to Strauss Zelnick (CEO, Take Two). 2012 was mentioned when the game was announced, but a lack of detail to date makes this a doubtful time frame. If you’re hungry for more news from Rockstar’s twisted parody of the world, check out the spoof religious site for Epsilon Program. You can also subscribe to their Twitter feed. It looks like a great religion with some solid tenets: “Trees talk, but only some people hear them – FACT!”

Speaking of Grand Theft Auto, you may be wondering what happened to Grand Theft Auto III‘s release on PSN. turns out things weren’t so smooth as we thought. One song in the game’s soundtrack, we don’t know which one, apparently has some licensing issues. They’re reviewing it now to determine the best solution. I assume that means either pay the license (possibly expensive) or delete it from the game (probably more difficult than it sounds). VGQH will get the update as soon as I do.

Speaking of in-game music, I’m a big fan of crossing media. A Doctor Who video game? The Avengers as a movie? E.T. as a video game? All good ideas. Except the E.T. thing. That was terrible. What I’m not sure about is video games cross breeding with the music industry. Sure, a good soundtrack has always been a part of a good game. The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater comes to mind. So does the PS2 era of SSX. But does that mean we should have Jay Z as an executive producer on NBA 2K13? That role has him handpicking the soundtrack for the whole game. It might be apropos, both are about as culturally relevant as the other, but it just seems odd. Also, isn’t is a little self-serving to have six of the 24 tracks be songs from your executive producer? Kanye West is the next most-represented artist with three of the 24 tracks. Here’s the full list, the game releases October 2, 2012:

• The Hours – Ali in the Jungle
• Too Short – Blow the Whistle (Main)
• Eric B. and Rakim – I Ain’t No Joke
• Phoenix – 1901
• JAY Z – Pump it Up (Freestyle)
• Puff Daddy and the Family – Victory (feat. Notorious B.I.G. & Busta Rhymes)
• Daft Punk – Around The World (Radio Edit)
• Santigold – Shove It (feat. Spank Rock)
• Kanye West – Amazing
• JAY Z – Run This Town
• The Dirty Projectors – Stillness is the Move
• Nas – The World is Yours
• Coldplay – Viva La Vida
• Roy Ayers – We Live in Brooklyn, Baby
• Justice – Stress
• JAY Z – The Bounce
• Kanye West – We Major (feat. Nas & Really Doe)
• Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Pt. II
• Meek Mill – Ima Boss – Instrumental
• Kanye West – Mercy (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz)
• U2 – Elevation
• JAY Z – On To The Next One
• JAY Z – Public Service Announcement
• JAY Z – H.A.M. (Instrumental)

If you’re looking for a reason to dust off your PS Move, Lights, Camera, Party! has been announced for release on August 28, 2012. The game show set up, featuring the Funzini family, is a lukewarm attempt at throwing some story into the 24 (out of 50 total) minigames you can play over five rounds. Story mode will allow up to four players, while other modes can get up to eight. Looks ridiculous, but min-games can be fun, especially for family play.

THQ’s announced a survival arena mode for Darksiders II. The mode includes up to 100 waves of challenges. After each set of five you’re given the option to quit and receive your reward. Going further increases the value of the reward, giving the ultimate prize at the 100th wave. They’ve also confirmed a New Game+ mode to carry your leveled up Death into a new campaign and a reward for anyone who also played the first Darksiders on the same console. While you should probably keep your save file around just in case, don’t think you can download one and load it up to get the bonus. Apparently the sequel will be reading your trophy / achievement information to reward your bonuses. Merely having played the first game will unlock the level five Pauldrons of the Horsemen for Death. If you beat the first game, you’ll also get the level one Chaos Fang scythe, loosely based on War’s Chaoseater sword. If you haven’t quite passed that first game get on it. The sequel releases August 14th.

SEGA has confirmed a “bonus edition” available for pre-order of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Looks like it’s a free upgrade for early adopters and nets you a bonus track (with time trial and challenges) and character. Pre-order now so you can race Metal Sonic with his levitating kart down the Outrun inspired track. The bonus edition will also unlock some of the in-game rewards early. It’s out November 20, 2012.

Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel has been confirmed as the third entry for the series and it’s under development at Visceral Games. This is sort of a reset for the series, letting two players take control of Alpha and Bravo, agents for Tactical Worldwide Operations (T.W.O), as they drop into a Mexican drug war. Online and split screen co-op will, of course, be returning. Customizable characters will make your Alpha or Bravo more unique. It’s scheduled for March 2013.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale then keep your eyes and ears open for the public beta announcement coming this fall. No official date yet, but it is offcially announced. As for the leaked roster you saw last week, Superbot’s president, Chan Park, says “We’ve enjoyed reading all of the fan reaction and are thrilled that so many of you are excited to learn more [of] our character roster and level mash-ups, however we are still in development and the leaked content does not fully represent the final product nor the incredible efforts that were made to make these elements truly spectacular. This will be evident in the coming weeks as this content is officially revealed, beginning with our next character announcement at Gamescom in a couple of weeks.” I can’t help but notice he simply referred to it as a leak, not an inaccurate one. It sounds to me like the information is correct, but not complete. All will be answered when the game’s release comes October 23rd.

More DLC is coming for Mass Effect 3, story and multiplayer. Bioware has confirmed that “Leviathan” ($9.99) is coming this summer. This new single-player chapter takes place during the course of the main game, sending players to new areas of the Citadel as well as new areas of the galaxy. Shepard and company will be on a mission to locate a mssive weapon, thought to be powerful enough to take down any reaper. Naturally, the Alliance won’t be the only interested party. The add-on will feature new cahracters (possibly squad members?) and at least two weapons, the AT-12 Raider shotgun and M-55 Argus Assault Rifle. On the multiplayer front, check your store today. The “Firefight” weapons pack is available today for 160 MSP ($1.99).

Been itching to get a little Sackboy on your vita? Well, despite how dirty that sounds, at least we now know when it can happen. LittleBigPlanet Vita will be coming September 25, 2012. Preorder now for Knights of the Old Republic and Bioshock costumes. LittleBigDaddy on a LittleBigScreen? Does it get any better? Probably not, but the concept is definitely better than my awful puns.

Are you a fan of good voice over work? This one’s for you. Bethesda has revealed a star-filled cast for Dishonored (October 9, 2012). I don’t follow v/o work very heavily, but this list changed the game from a maybe to a very likely:

• Susan Sarandon as former aristocrat, Granny Rags
• Michael Madsen as Daud, an assassin
• Brad Dourif as the inventor, Piero
• Mad Men‘s John Slattery as Admiral Havelock
• Carrie Fisher, who needs no introduction, broadcasting propaganda
• Chloe Moretz as Lady Emily, daughter of the Empress
• Lena Heady as Emily’s caretaker, Calista

One of the biggest stories of the week is sort of a non-story. Microsoft’s General Manager, Brian Hall, let slip the words “new XBox” when discussing upcoming products with The Verge: “We’ve had Hotmail and operated Hotmail for about 16 years, we obviously have Exchange, and Outlook, that people use at work. We just decided it was time to do something new and bring the best from each of those and put them together and release it right in time for the new wave of products that we could have coming out with Windows 8, with the new version of Office with the new Windows phone and the new Xbox.” The idea that Microsoft has nothing in the oven for a new console is absurd, so mentioning it shouldn’t be big deal. But they’ve yet to reveal it and seem to have been hiding the concept by shutting their own eyes instead of ours. This is the first real mention of the product coming, and even ties it to the new Windows 8. Rumors of a 2013 release are still rumors, but this does validate them a bit.

God of War is getting a third HD collection on PS3 this month. This one comes with the remastered PS2 titles, the HD versions of the Origins collection, and God of War III. There will also be some “exclusive bonus content” and a voucher for one free month of PS+. It’s a bit overkill to have a new package, but five triple-A games for $29.99 is a great deal. If you’ve skipped the franchise, or haven’t upgraded the older titles, you’re kind of insane not to do it on August 28th.

Also releasing August 28th is another Sony collection. The inFamous Collection will bundle both of the reatil titles and the downloadable Festival of Blood with new missions, costumes, power-ups, and weapons. This one’s also only $29.99. Again, if you’ve skipped the series, do yourself a favor! Both games were strong contenders for game of the year in their respective years and Festival of Blood more than earned that title in the downloadable category. You know you’re looking for something to kill time until October anyway.

EA has revealed a few details about their 2013 season ticket program. It’s not cheap at 2000MSP ($24.99) but it reportedly includes over $100 in content. To get the full benefit, you’ll need to be an avid sports gamer with the intention of purchasing multiple titles in EA’s sports franchises. In addition to the included DLC packs, you’ll also get 20% off any extra add-ons. Some of the content includes 1 Legendary Pack and 24 Pro Madden Packs ($30+), 24 NHL Premium Gold Packs ($30+), and 24 FIFA Premium Gold Packs ($30+). Additional content for Tiger Woods 14 and NCAA 14 will be announced soon. The season ticket begins with Madden NFL 13 on August 28th.

Looks like that’s it for Tuesday’s edition. For now it looks like there should be a late edition this week. So check back on Friday for more of the latest gaming news.

Releasing August 14th, the good folks at THQ and Vigil Games have given us more information relating to Darksiders II with which to spread to the internets. The game will ship with codes for Crucible Mode, which is an arena-based combat mode pitting Death against groups of enemies pulled from the story line. After 5 waves players can choose to accept their reward, or continue one. It goes without saying that the longer you stay in the better the reward. The full set of Crucible levels will be available upon completion of the game, so it’s something you can do while playing bit by bit, or something to do after you’ve finished up.



Darksiders will also feature New Game +, where the player can take everything they earned during their first completion of the game into their second play through. Bosses and baddies will of course become harder so you can continue to level. That second play through will also be crucial in collecting quest items, gaining those ever so important achievements, and of course give you more bang for your buck.


I cannot wait to see August 14th hit, if you haven’t played the Darksiders games, or simply want to replay the first before this new gem graces shelves, you can find the original used for around $17.99 at most local game stores. I highly recommend giving it a go.

Check back August 14th for our full review and video content.

Upon first look there isn’t a whole bunch you’d want to be excited about with Bunibon. Unless you’re into 8 bit skill-based bunny bouncing. If you don’t think you are, try this one out, I think you’ll find that you are. The premise is quite simple, you’re in a weird universe filled with levels for an unknown reason, and you have to either tap right to bounce your Buni to the right, or tap left to bounce him/her to the left. While doing this you must avoid the baddies, spike traps, pit falls, or fireballs.




The game has a very minimal soundtrack, aside from sounds of bouncing, winning and, dying. With or without music it quickly sweeps you into the strategy and begins wasting your time like any well put together app should. The worlds change in theme and style as you progress past different boss fights, or as you map out “the Buniverse” on your own. I’m four hours into this one now, and I can’t tell you how addicted I truly am. The game is a scant $.99. Bill it to mobile, dig through your couch, clean out your cars ash tray, and buy this game.

I’m still slaving away to hit the “something extra” when you finish all levels. Let me know if you beat me to it.

The trailer doesn’t quite do it justice but… here it is anyway:

Last week, Telltale Games announced the arrival of their episodic Walking Dead games on iOS devices. Not being one to leave anything alone, I stayed up til midnight to ensure that I was one of the first to download…at least in my time zone..and I may have dozed off a little….I wasn’t first, or even close I’m sure.

Let’s keep in mind that I’ve already played the game on Xbox, and some of my colleagues here at BSR have played it on PC. But the idea of playing a point-and-click zombie adventure on a touch screen seemed to great to pass up. I’ll avoid re-reviewing the entire game, which is simply fantastic for the record. Instead I’ll highlight the differences that the touch screen brings to the game, and what they did right and wrong.

First things first I played the game on an iPad 2, nothing super fancy I do feel that playing on an iPhone would bring additional challenges with the smaller display. The game was much easier utilizing a full touch. Movement was controlled by dragging your finger across the screen to pull Lee in the direction you preferred. Not one for touch screen movement (especially when it utilizes an invisible, or barely visible joystick) I was surprised at how natural the movement felt, and how little I had to adjust. Instead of clicking the icons to begin an event or examine something, you simply tapped them, and all of the quick motions like pushing a zombie away or stomping it’s face in were performed by quick swipes across the screen or madly tapping the action icon. Thinking it could be over simplified I was again surprised at how fluid everything felt.

The game ran just as smoothly as it did on Xbox and PC, but I did notice some of the backgrounds were a bit more static than before. Where you may see a tree moving in the wind, or grass shuffling it was instead a still image. Character animations and any interactive item, however, were still just as good as the PC.

The story stayed the same, so I can’t really complain at all. Solid writing with the different characters remember your choices, comments, and overall demeanor which could lead to different effects throughout the game play.

If I had to pick a complain it would be the price. $4.99 per episode puts the entire series in line with the PC and Console versions. The entire series will cost the end user $25.00, and unless you snagged it on sale through steam this summer, that is pretty much the going rate. I realize that mobile devices are moving towards being considered a legitimate form of gaming, and should compete right along with PC’s. They simply haven’t hit that point yet. Maybe a slight price cut to say…$2.99 would ease iOS owners into the idea of playing some of their PC or Console content on their mobile devices.

My cheapskate personality aside this is a great play through. If you haven’t picked up the Walking Dead series by Telltale yet, this is a great opportunity to jump on and see a great story set in the Universe. Let’s not forget that Frank Darabont is overseeing the production side to keep everything in canon, and though the art style may look it. This game is not for kids, is not family friendly, and quite frankly I’m not sure it has a happy ending coming.

What’d you folks think?

July is at an end. While San Diego Comic-Con is over, convention season is still in full swing. We still have Germany’s Gamescom, Star Wars Celebration VI (where I hope to get a little more information on Star Wars 1313), and Dragon*Con. The NFL preseason starts next week, the end of August will also see the beginning of the NCAA football season. Of course, NCAA Football 13 is available now, and Madden NFL 13 can be pre-ordered (August 28th). All of that just means we’re getting awfully close to the annual holiday game glut. With all the great games coming this Fall, what are your priorities? Assassin’s Creed III is definitely at the top of my list. LEGO Lord of the Rings isn’t far behind. But, until then, we’ll have to stick to news. Even if there isn’t a whole lot of it.

007 Legends is shaping up to be the epitome of Bond games, covering portions of six films in the franchise. Activision is holding back on the voice talent either. Daniel Craig is the obvious choice for the titular hero. But other, not so recent, cast members will also be chiming in. Rory Kinnear will be back as Bill Tanner. Naomie Harris from the upcoming Skyfall will be voicing her character. Hugo Drax and Jaws will be voiced Michael Lonsdale and Richard Kiel in the Moonraker portions. Which means Kiel will be at least doubling his quotable 007 lines; he only had one in two movies. This is another one of the hot Fall games, scheduled for October 16th.

Love it or hate it, Kinect doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The familiar “Better with Kinect” banner has most recently been spotted on the cover of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. What that Kinect functionality will be hasn’t been addressed by Criterion and EA, but previous attempts at camer based steering have been a complete flop. It’s doubtful they’ll be trying it such an anticipated game. There may be a use for voice commands, and the Forza 4 head tracking could be nice addition. don’t be shocked, but this one’s also set for Fall, October 30th.

Capcom started talking about Dragon’s Dogma 2 recently, mostly because the first game had “exceeded expectations” in Japan. It’s still struggling in the west, but it’s been well-reviewed. After crossing the one million copy mark in Japan, it definitely seems well-suited for a sequel. Especially when compared to another Capcom franchise; Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City sold only 450,000 in Japan. According to the game’s creator, Hideaki Itsuno, there’s already enough content to begin work. Itsuno says the first game is only 60-70% of what he had envisioned, and much of what was cut will be incorporated into the follow-up. Of things left on the cutting room floor, you may see a quest creation feature and the ability to run on top of enemies. Depending on how much of the existing framework can be utilized, a sequel could possibly be seen in the next 12-24 months.

This should technically be filed under rumor until we get official confirmation, but the roster and stage leak for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale has all the right air of legitimacy. For the most part, nothing is surprising. I do think it’s a little strange that Evil Cole McGrath is a separate character from Good Cole Mcgrath rather than a skin, but the power sets are pretty different. Also, the announcement of Toro was kind of implied when they announced Kuro. The leak apparently springs from files discovered in a beta for the game, so none of it is set in stone and the list isn’t necessarily complete. While Sony doesn’t “comment on rumors or speculation,” I wouldn’t be surprised to see an official announcement soon that just happens to corroborate this reveal. The game is scheduled for October 23, 2012 and here’s the full list from the leaked files:

• Characters
• Big Daddy
• Colonel Radec (Killzone)
• Dante (DMC)
• Evil Cole
• Fat Princess
• Good Cole
• Heihachi (Tekken)
• Jak
• Kratos
• Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
• Nathan Drake
• Parappa the Rapper
• Raiden (Metal Gear Solid)
• Ratchet
• Sackboy
• Sir Daniel Fortesque (MediEvil)
• Sly Cooper
• Spike (Ape Escape)
• Sweet Tooth
• Toro (Sony Mascot)
• …
• Stages
• Aiden’s Tower (inFamous)
• Black Rock Stadium (Twisted Metal)
• Columbia (BioShock Infinite)
• Dojo (Parappa the Rapper)
• Dreamscape (LittleBigPlanet)
• Franzea (LocoRoco)
• Hades (God of War)
• Invasion (Killzone)
• Metropolis (Ratchet and Clank)
• Paris (Sly Cooper)
• Sandover (Jak & Daxter)
• San Francisco (Resistance)
• Stowaways (Uncharted)
• Time Station (Ape Escape)

I also spotted some power-up items and “minion” characters that can be summoned with special moves, but I couldn’t really corroborate enough of it to publish. Suffice to say, ancillary characters like Athena (God of War), Zeke (inFamous), and Captain Qwark (Ratchet & Clank) will have limited roles. Power-ups included things like Sackbot (LittleBigPlanet), Sonic Rift (ModNation Racers), and Murder of Crows (Bioshock Infinite).

As you probably suspected, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD‘s launch was successful by Activision’s standards (120,000 downloads). Also as you may have suspected, its very existence had ulterior motives. Josh Tsui, CEO of Robomodo, has explained the “lower risk” of a downloadable game “allowed [them] to take some chances, which benefits both developer and publisher.” He went on to state “the prospect of a fuller game is definitely on the table — it’s just a matter of when and how.” Reviews on the game are mixed. Praise comes for the title sticking so closely to its roots, while the criticism reads almost identically. For what it’s worth, Tsui recognized they would have detractors because the game relied so much on subjective nostalgia, but “had we changed it up and modernized it, we would have gotten the same criticism from the other side.” Sounds like a new retail entry is just what the franchise may need. Regrounding the series in its origins, while incorporating more of the later entries’ exploration elements could be the billion point combo they’ve been after all these years.

The August update to PlayStation Plus’s Instant Game Collection is right up Big Shiny Robot’s alley. The first two episodes of Telltale’s The Walking Dead will be free for subscribers beginning August 7th. This is on top of the ten other games currently in the rotation. I’ve been a little ashamed to admit I haven’t gotten on board with this adventure title yet. I’ve been busy, but not so busy I couldn’t make the time. I just had a feeling my patience would pay off with a promotion like this one. Other updates for PS+ include 20% off The Expendables 2 with today’s release, and 20% off SoundShapes next week (pre-orders open today). Next week also opens pre-orders for 20% off Papo & Yo, releasing on August 14th.

There’s another nice update to XBox Marketplace and PSN Store today, especially if you like big shiny robots. Big shiny shapeshifting robots! The demo for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is ready for your download queue, three weeks ahead of the retail release on August 21st. The demo includes two single player missions, multiplayer character customizing, Team Deathmatch, and the online Conquest mode. The first mission sees Bumblebee holding off Megatron’s Decepticons while evacuating the planet. The second mission puts you in the role of Vortex, a Combaticon that allows shifting from helicopter to jet to giant robot. I haven’t always beena big fan of Transformers games but descriptions like that are bound to set your heart a flutter.

That’s it for July and this week’s early edition. Looks like I’ll be playing up that Transformers demo and some LittleBigPlanet Karting beta while I wait for The Walking Dead next week. What are you playing this week?

As we near the end of July I’m quickly coming to realize summer is ending far sooner than I’d like. Though with the heat we’ve had the last few weeks I almost don’t mind. July’s been fairly slow but August will keep me so busy it will surely be over too soon. The upside? The Utes get back to the gridiron on August 30th, at home against the Northern Colorado Bears. Oh yeah, there’s also this small side trip to Florida for Star Wars Celebration VI. It was 1999 when I took the Greyhound bus to Denver for the first Celebration. I never expected that would lead me to five more of them. I also didn’t realize that the guy I met on that blizzard-y bus ride would one day become my editor, Swank-mo-tron. If you’re headed to the event this year, be sure to sign up for the Bounty Hunt. While I won’t be defending my win from the Friday competition in 2010, you’ll definitely see me there. But let’s get on to the game news:

If you were savvy enough to pick up Quantum Conundrum when it recently released to your download service you’ve certainly been enjoying your fair share of physics puzzles. If you’ve already finished, you may be wanting more. You’re getting more. Two DLC packs, “The Desmond Debacle” and “IKE-arambe!,” are scheduled for release August 15th and September 12th, respectively ($2.99/ea). Each pack will introduce a new wing of Quadwrangle Manor. The first pack will focus on the bird, Desmond. The second will see you trying to rescue IKE, the Interdimensional Kinetic Entity.

All of the innovation promised for the Kinect has actually resulted in only three things: tacked on additions for games that don’t need it, mini-games for children, and interactive exercise videos. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re like me, you probably spend half of your gaming time shouting at the TV anyway. And kids like games too. Not to mention, you could probably use a little aerobic exercise. Look at Mass Effect 3 or Skyrim for the first example. For the children (and the kid in you), two new games have been announced for September 18th: Kinect Nat Geo TV and Sesame Street TV. Each will have eight interactive episodes available (400MSP per episode or 2400 for all eight, full “season” also available on disc). For the fitness minded, Nike has a new addition scheduled for October 30, 2012, Nike+ Kinect Training. You’re heading to the game store for Assassin’s Creed 3 that day anyway. Might as well get yourself the modern day version of the Jane Fonda workout tape to help burn off the excess Halloween candy at the same time.

Do you remember Capcom’s 2005 PS2 release of Haunting Ground? Based on sales figures, you probably don’t. Reviews weren’t great, but they weren’t horrible, resulting in a current score of 67 on Metacritic. Why do I ask? Because the ESRB recently rated the game again, indicating a potential release on PS3. It does have a significant niche following, even for a mediocre title. Whether you’ll be helping Fiona and her German Shepherd escape a haunted castle as a PS2 Classic release or an HD remaster isn’t yet clear. As soon as I hear something official from Capcom I’ll include it in a later edition of VGQH.

Based on Matthew Lourdelet’s community campaign, the “Cold Stream” DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 has been released on Steam. It was scheduled for XBLA on Tuesday, but was not included in the update. According to Valve, it’s been delayed, but they “are working with Microsoft on a release schedule. [They] don’t have an ETA yet but… hope to have it out soon.” Expected price is 560 MSP when it releases. Blood Harvest, Crash Course, Dead Air, Death Toll, and No Mercy maps should be included along with some “surprises.”

I am not the biggest Resident Evil fan, my experience really begins and ends with the second game. The release of Resident Evil 6 doesn’t have me excited in any way. But, being so immersed in gaming culture, I can’t help but love the limited quantity pre-order incentive Capcom recently announced. It’s an Umbrella umbrella. This bonus is only available from the Capcom Store and in very limited quantities. Even better, it’s also available as a separate item for only $16.95. Maybe I should try jumping back in to the series, or maybe I should just buy me a new umbrella. The game is set for October 2, 2012 but you can preorder now.

Like so many games in a crowded market, the Worms franchise has always interested me, but I never seem to get around to it. Several titles have released to PSN and XBLA since the remake of the 1995 original showed up in 2007. If you’re not sure where to start, but would like to give it a go, maybe you should wait until the Worms Collection is released. This retail bundle will include Worms, Worms 2: Armageddon and Worms: Ultimate Mayhem (which is a collection itself, combining Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem). It also includes six DLC packs for the various titles. No pricing was announced and it’s currently only listed for Europe, but I expect more details and a US version soon.

Are you excited for Sleeping Dogs? Do you still have a Just Cause 2 save? It seems to a be bit of a random combination, but that save game will immediately unlock a set of Rico gear for Wei Shen in your first safe house. Not only does the gear look cool, but the zipline will allow you to action hijack vehicles from a much greater distance. So keep that save a little longer, Sleeping Dogs is out on August 14th.

Many of you have already preordered Transformers: Fall of Cybertron from your favorite retailers. Others have been waiting to find the best incentive. Do you want bonus skins and weapons? A free copy of the previous game? Or do you just want to save some money? Activision has finally given us a breakdown:

• GameStop: G1 Optimus Prime Skin (SP/MP), G1 Megatron Gun and Shockwave Blast Cannon (SP only)
• Amazon: G2 Bruticus Skin (SP only)
• Wal-Mart: Download code for Transformers: War for Cybertron ($20 value)
• Best Buy: $10 off and 15% off the strategy guide

The game is set for release August 21, 2012 but a demo is scheduled for July 31st. Expect two single-player missions, competitive multiplayer, and character customization in the demo.

Can’t say I actually know anyone eagerly awaiting Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2, but it’s delayed again. It was originally slated for August and recently slipped back to October. Now it’s headed for 2013. Did they heed my warning and decide not to oppose the juggernauts of fall/holiday gaming? Or does it still need “further polish?” Namco Bandai and City Interactive have both confirmed the delay, but the reasoning is still vague. The most official response so far simply says they want it to be successful and they love the engine. They did say the level of polish needs to be high, but didn’t exactly cite it as a reason for delay. Maybe they’re afraid to admit they don’t want fight Call of Duty for retail space. I see nothing wrong with that, it’s just savvy marketing.

Square Enix first mentioned a version of Final Fantasy XIV for PS3 back in October but has been very silent since. Though very little was revealed, they’ve recently broken their Mute spell with the announcement of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Playing off of the core concept of rebirth, this “2.0” version includes the new world Hydaelyn. According to Naoki Yoshida, Producer/Director, “Since announcing our plans for the future of the title last October, we have been working tirelessly to include all of the elements that we have promised in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn…. This new title not only becomes a symbol of a completely new Final Fantasy XIV, but also marks the beginning of a new stage as the latest title in the Final Fantasy series.” Release date, cost, and fee (or free) to play were not announced. Normally I’d follow this up with a “stay tuned for details soon” kind of statement. But this Square Enix talking about Final Fantasy, this might be the last we hear about it for years.

CDProjekt Red is looking for a Multiplayer Programmer with “experience in developing RPG games,” “physics in a multiplayer environment,” and “creating gameplay systems in a multiplayer environment.” Further requirements are “at least one shipped multi-platform, multiplayer title,” and experience “with matchmaking solutions on different platforms.” The position is for two RPGs, one in a “dark fantasy world” and the other in the cyberpunk genre. In response to the immediate rumors that started over this ad, the marketing head, Michal Platkow-Gilewski, clarified. He stopped short of confirming the “dark fantasy world” is The Witcher 3, as that game hasn’t been announced. But that was clearly the message. Cyberpunk is their previously announced adaptation of the 1980s pen and paper game from Mike Pondsmith. According to Platkow-Gilewski’s statement, “We believe that there’s still a lot of space for innovation in the RPG genre. At this stage of our games’ development, we want to explore all possible directions, check what would be cool, what’s feasible and – always the most important for us – what suits our games the best.” What I’m reading into this is that there will certainly be a multiplayer component to the two games and that at least one, possibly both, will be multiplatform. It’s good to remember that a multiplayer component doesn’t necessarily mean a horde mode or big arena battles. Technically, Dark Souls had a multiplayer component; as did inFamous 2. Neither of them fit the traditional view of multiplayer.

Still playing Battlefield 3? Want details about “Aftermath,” the upcoming fourth DLC expansion? Of course you do. It will apparently include four new maps set in war-ravaged Tehran. The maps will encourage vertical and horizontal combat. Also planned are modified troop transports and civilian vehicles that have been adapted for combat. It will be free with Battlefield Premium and is coming in December.

There are a few games you can point to throughout each generation that really pushed the medium forward. You probably had two or three jump into your head just now and I’m betting at least one was a Zelda game. One of the most important in my eyes is the original “system seller” for PS2, the one that introduced the modern concept of an open world game, and the one that made Jack Thompson a household name: Grand Theft Auto III. The top down games on PS1 were great, but really laying waste to Liberty City (and killing hookers for a refund) started with the franchise’s first entry on PS2. This game eventually led to a retro-romp through 1980s Florida in Vice City and the zenith of the generation, San Andreas. When I first noticed the game had been recently re-submitted for rating I wondered what new form it would take. It’s already on iOS. Could we be getting an HD collection? No, but it is coming to PSN on July 31st. Which, ultimately, is actually a disappointment. The game’s 12 years old. As fun as this was, it’s not going to hold up. No motorcycles, no multiplayer, no HD upgrade, no trophies, etc. This could be a fun nostalgia title, but the price point for that attraction is $2.99, not $9.99. Vice City was also included in the rating submission, but it was not announced for release. If it were a dual pack for ten bucks I might consider it. But I actually still have a functioning PS2 and both discs. If Rockstar wants me to revisit this one on PS3 it’ll have to be a freebie for PS+. An HD trilogy, on the other hand….

That’s all for the week. If you’re in the Salt Lake area, come to Brewvies on Sunday to watch Sylvester Stallone ruin the future. Geek Show Movie Night’s free double feature this month is Judge Dredd and Demolition Man. We know the movies are terrible, that’s why we have beer.

Telltale games announced yesterday via The Telltale Blog and Twitter, that the first episode of “The Walking Dead” will be available on iOS starting Thursday, July 26 (tomorrow) for $4.99. Even if you’ve already played this on consoles, or PC. It’s still worth spending $4.99 to try it with a new experience, and on the go! In their official announcement Telltale also said that Episode 2 is being touched up rapidly for release as soon as possible. The game will run on the following devices. iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, The New iPad, iPad 2, and 4th gen iPod touches and above. The screen shots look quite crisp, and the control interface should be perfectly polished. Players will also gain full control of Lee Everett during exploration sequences. This will be a universal app so one purchase will spread it across all of your devices ( no stressing about buying one for your iPhone and one for your iPad ). The big hope from here on out is that the games will begin releasing the iOS version right alongside their console and PC counterparts, so that we can simply pick our platform and stick to it. I’ll be replaying this for iPad for sure, and getting you good internet folks a review as soon as possible. Let us know, will you be jumping on board?