What you see above is the new special infected, The Spitter. You are forgiven for looking away, as it’s one of the strangest things I’ve seen come out of Valve’s art studio. the gallery below shows some new features of the game off, including some new weapons, the new types of zombie, and generally just the bleak looking swamp level. I can;t wait to get my hands on this game, if only just to shoot the monstrosity that is The Spitter right in the face with a shotgun.
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Kotaku reports that the next DLC for Grand Theft Auto IV, ‘The Ballard of Gay Tony”, will be releasing on October 29 this year. The DLC will be available for download, or it will come in a retail box entitled ‘Episodes from Liberty City’ which contains both sets of DLC. The download will set you back 1600 MS funbux, and the retail disc will cost you $39.99.

Before I go, here’s a silly blurb made up by the PR man: “players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.”

In a recent speech at the NAACP 100th anniversary event, President Obama encouraged parents to “put away the Xbox.” Microsoft took the President’s slight condemnation and spun it into a positive. Read more…

In an interview with Kombo, PopCap Games’ PR director Garth Chouteau has noted that the highly acclaimed Plants vs. Zombies will follow its cousin Peggle onto other platforms: XBLA, PSN- even the DS and iPhone. Chouteau is quoted by Kombo on the matter:

…Peggle for XBLA is a good example of a game that we took that was popular on the PC and we spent probably twice as long as anyone else would have figuring how to make that game really good for Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade, and I think you will see that with Plants Vs. Zombies–I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next…

Since PvZ was such a success, both commercially and critically, it can only be good news that it can come to a bigger audience. I only hope that they make a DS version as good as Peggle DS.

In answer to an Q&A question on the Ubisoft forums, a Splinter Cell Conviction developer has noted that the game will not be released on the PlayStation 3. “Splinter Cell conviction is a true Microsoft exclusive title and there are no plans to have Splinter Cell Conviction on other platforms,” he writes. “There are several reasons behind this choice. First of all, Splinter Cell games are historically linked with Microsoft platforms… The second reason behind this choice is purely linked to production. Having a single target platform means that we can optimize the game even further, because we only have one type of – console – hardware to support.”

There you have it, folks. That game that you saw and loved at E3 will be unavailable to you if you do not have an Xbox 360. Therefore, you will be unable to buy the game and give Ubisoft your money.

For a couple of years now, we’ve been hearing rumors of Capcom and Marvel rereleasing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 online, but had never heard anything substantial, due to Capcom keeping a tight leash on any info they had. Well too bad, Capcom- an hour ago, in one fell swoop, Marvel announced Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes for XBLA and PSN, and even post a trailer to go with it.

While the original Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for the Xbox and Dreamcast are considered rare because of their extremely limited print- even used copies in stores can run you upwards of $80- fans have been waiting for a reprint of the game for five years. As one of the most popular crossover fighting series of all time, people have even been holding their breath for a MvC3 announcement, even though Capcom has promptly shot down those dreams. Well they can’t shoot down this one- Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is back this summer, with the same menus, characters, fighting styles, that so many of us maybe a few of us know and love.

That’s right folks, this weekend you can play on Halo 3’s multiplayer totally free. To celebrate the release of the Mythic Map Pack, Microsoft have allowed all of their loyal customers, even the ones who don’t pay extra money to them, to play Halo 3’s multiplayer. So, if you’re one of the few people who has Halo 3 but no Gold account, dig out that disc!

Report from Famitsu that the sequel to Dynasty Warriors Gundam, cleverly titled Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 or Gundam Musou 2 in Japan is getting five new scenarios to download on February 12th.  One is even themed!

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I’m sure you’re all as sick of these “Gamer assaults family member for stopping games” stories as I am, but this one has a twist. Rather than using an actual weapon or engaging in fisticuffs, Zachary Moir of Orlando, FL chose to assault his mom… with a taco. Read more…

Shacknews reports that Fallout 3’s first downloadable content pack will be available on 27 January. Operation: Anchorage (the name of the pack) will allow players to liberate Anchorage from China, and you can play in the snow it will take about 4-5 hours to complete. The pack costs 800 MS points on 360 and PC, and nothing on the PS3. Seems like a good deal, but when you factor in that Microsoft’s exclusivity arrangement, your $0 will get you nothing. Still no love for PS3 owners, I suppose. The next packs are coming in February and March, if you’re not a snow fan.

[Update] Patch details after the jump, comes with free PC download link.

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Shacknews reports that Capcom are releasing a demo of Resident Evil 5, the next in their line of acclaimed horror games (more recently: zombie shooters) on December 5. The demo is unfortunately restricted to those with a Xbox Live Gold Account- no signing up for a Silver account for a sneaky go at the demo for you, you cheeky rascal. The demo is reported to feature two stages, playable offline or online with a friend. There’s no word on a US or European release, or even a PS3 version. Still, it’s nice to see a demo this early; the full game doesn’t release until March 5 (JP) and March 13 (US). Those of you who just can’t wait to find out what the game is like, you’ll just have to read our preview.

For our readers in the US, rejoice! The demo for Dead Space, EA’s recent horror shooter, will hit the Playstation Marketplace and the Xbox Live Marketplace service on the 25th of November. For our European readers, rejoice slightly less! The demo for Dead Space is heading to Xbox Live Marketplace on the 25th as well, but the PSN release is set for the 27th. Still, it’s better than nothing, eh? Speaking of which, our readers in Asia may now begin not rejoicing- there is no date set for the demo on either marketplace, at least as far as Shacknews reports. PC gamers should also note that there hasn’t been any word of a demo for said platform.

Dead Space is a game that tends to garner mixed reactions; a demo is the perfect way to have a go at the game before you decide to buy. Roly’s review is another safe bet for those of you who need even more persueding. In any case, how do you feel about the game, or even the demo? Worth full price, or not?

It looks like people have already found an easter egg within the NXE avatar feature. While not a huge find, those of you that would like to give your avatar pink hair would do well to keep reading. Read more…

I guess it just depends on whether you’re a pessimist or an optimistic pessimist. Speaking with CVG, Microsoft’s Jerry Johnson said “Half the things we wanted to do [in NXE] we cut out of the service.” Although consumers may not have to wait an exorbitant amount of time to see them come to fruition. Read more…

I know that when my 360 hits me it’s only because I provoked it.

These stories are getting a bit stale, aren’t they?  Not stale enough, apparently, or maybe it’s just not important for Microsoft to fix their shit.  You see, my latest Xbox 360 is dead.  I purchased a new Arcade version in January after my then current 360 was assassinated.  I’ve been using it since then until it started freezing, at which time I moved it to the other television and used it solely for movie-watching.  Less than eight months later, it does nothing but blink red and laugh at me. Read more…

I’ve been playing Bionic Commando Rearmed on the 360, and let me tell you, even with the relatively superior (emphasis on relatively) d-pad on the wired controller, it is a serious pain: when I crouch I get spun around, when I want to fire my grappling hook diagonally it fires forward – we all remember how horrible Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting was? Yeah, it’s still just as bad.

So it comes with great, great relief and welcome that reports from the Leipzig show floor are coming of a new, redesigned 360 controller with an improved d-pad. The rest of the controller seems to be look the same, but the d-pad has been re-engineered to have eight-way input (hello shoryukens), and in general just feels smoother, more responsive, more tactile – better in every way. Read more…

This “news” comes straight from the angry father files. A Virginia family was having problems with their three children acting up as they played their Xbox, so the father took things into his own hands. Here is my guess as to how things went down.

The kids were arguing about which child was to blame for their parents forcing them to play games on a seven year old discontinued console. Just as they were about to point to the youngest one in curls, their father (lets go with a classy name like Jethro) walked in on them with beer in hand, belching words of encouragement as he ripped the black and green beauty from its trailer park wall.

Enraged that he would now have to put his beer down, the father grabbed a hammer, coughed up a few nails, and proceeded to smash Microsoft’s first attempt at console greatness into an unsuspecting and undeserving tree. Read more…

With just a few short weeks until E3 ’08, it looks like Microsoft has another trick up its sleeve.  Spurred from a few snapped photos of a K-Mart add for July 6th, it would appear that Microsoft is planning on dropping the Xbox 360 Pro Bundle from $349.99 to $299.99. Read more…

While the Playstation was once home to all the greatest Japanese RPGs, the Xbox 360 has recently been stealing some of that star power. Read more…

If you need something to tide you over before the June 29 release of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, this might be the ticket. Activision has announced that five song packs will be released throughout this month. Starting on yesterday, two of the five packs are from Motörhead and three headline acts from the 2007 Isle of Wight festival. Read more…