Video Game Quick Hits 3/1/11

Let’s start a new month with some fast gaming news.

Painkiller-Redemption is now available from DreamCatcher Games and JoWood Entertainment. The game is best categorized as a standalone sequel and is under $5.00 from plenty of PC download platforms. Redemption furthers the story of Daniel and Belial as they team up to battle more than 6000 enemies in all new maps (up to 1000 monsters per map) to end the conflict between heaven and hell.

The highly anticipated Mortal Kombat reboot has been effectively banned in Australia (sorry Pas). This is essentially due to the country’s rating system being unable to categorize a game as unfit for children but acceptable for adults. Yes, Mortal Kombat is graphic and bloody, but that’s not a reason that responsible adults should not be able to play the game. According to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s official press statement, they “understand that not all content is for every audience, but there is an audience for mature gaming content and it would make more sense to have the R18+ classification in Australia.” I applaud the stance. It would be unfortunate for all gamers if the studios chose instead to kowtow to Australia’s lowest common denominator regulations and remove the adult elements.

If you’re getting excited for The Da Vinci Disappearance DLC coming for Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood next week you’ll be pleased to hear the details. The DLC is available for $10 on March 8, 2011. It adds eight new missions, two new locations, and ten new achievements/trophies to the single player experience; as well as a new map, four new characters, and two new match types to the multiplayer.

In an attempt to make someone give a shit, it appears Activision is teasing a hoax announcement of Modern Warfare 3. Actually I don’t know that for sure, but several credible video game news sources were sent bloody dogtags with a link to findmakarov.com. It’s basically a countdown clock that should reach zero sometime Wednesday morning. Activision says they have nothing to say about the next Call of Duty and that any reports to the contrary are a hoax. Sounds like marketing to me, but we’ll know for sure tomorrow.

Speaking of hoaxes, it looks like Rockstar is at it again with their spoof websites. While they all take you to what appears to be a simple Domain Tools website builder the following sites have been registered to Rockstar Games: lifeinvader.com, cashfordeaddreams.com, sixfiguretemps.com, hammersteinfaust.com, and stoppayingyourmortgage.net. Could this somehow be connected to Grand Theft Auto V recently being listed on Gamestop’s reward member website? Knowing Rockstar’s history, I’d count on it.

THQ has released a new trailer for WWE All Stars. While the video itself isn’t special, it does give out some more roster information. HBK, Stone Cold, Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig, “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka (a childhood favorite of mine), CM Punk, Undertaker, Kane, The Miz, and Drew McIntyre all now seem to confirmed for the game. In addition, Ted DiBiase Jr. and Sr., Dusty and Cody Rhodes, Hawk and Animal (LoD!!!), Big Boss Man, Jerry Lawler, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry will be coming as DLC after release.

And that completes your early week quick hits. Come back Friday for more from the rest of the week.