Gears of War 2, Lips, and Banjo-Kazooie are out the door and Halo Wars won’t be coming until March. So, what will Microsoft bring to Xbox 360 owners between now and Halo Wars?



Maybe Ninja Blade.



From Software will have their “dramatic action game” ready for Japan on January 29. Microsoft will be publish it in other regions sort of like how they handled Tenchu Z and Project Sylpheed. An official date has not been announced, but Gamestop says Ninja Blade will be in stores on February 3. While this is just a retail rumor it’s plausible since February 3 is a few days after Ninja Blade launches in Japan.

Ninja Blade is an entirely different beast from Ninja Gaiden. Unfortunately, the two games sound a little too much alike. Ninja Gaiden is known for its brutal difficulty and in the future Ninja Blade will be remembered for its sluggish enemies, mutant spiders, and quick time events.

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/12/11...h-ninja-blade/ ...

Rangarok Online DS is squeaking into stores next Thursday and the game is in a bad spot. Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Tales of Hearts, and Suikoden: Tierkreis come out on the same day. The following week Sega will release Phantasy Star Zero, which unlike Ragnarok Online DS, supports online play for most of the game. Despite the title, the only part of Ragnarok Online DS you can play online is the Tower of Mirages.

Gungho Works seems more focused on delivering a single player experience set in the Ragnarok Online universe. Ragnarok Online DS introduces some new features like two classes: a Dark Knight and Shaman plus a cast of original characters shown in this trailer.

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/12/11...s-media-burst/ ...

Sales of the Nintendo DSi on its home turf were way up this week after dipping into "just awesome enough" territory the week prior. Nintendo moved another 126K, according to Media Create.

Wii was up. PSP was down. PS3 was down. Nintendo DS Lite was down. Xbox 360 was down. PS2 was up. Look, that's all the color you're gonna get, guys. Sorry. Writing about hardware and software sales all day is mind-numbing. I'm going to go look at pictures of puppies or something while you enjoy this week's hardware chart.

• Nintendo DSi - 126,648
• Wii - 56,702
• PSP - 54,782
• PlayStation 3 - 30,309
• Nintendo DS - 12,096
• Xbox 360 - 9,988
• PlayStation 2 - 5,743

http://kotaku.com/5108037/nintendo-d...boost-in-japan ...

Sales of the Nintendo DSi on its home turf were way up this week after dipping into "just awesome enough" territory the week prior. Nintendo moved another 126K, according to Media Create.

Wii was up. PSP was down. PS3 was down. Nintendo DS Lite was down. Xbox 360 was down. PS2 was up. Look, that's all the color you're gonna get, guys. Sorry. Writing about hardware and software sales all day is mind-numbing. I'm going to go look at pictures of puppies or something while you enjoy this week's hardware chart.

• Nintendo DSi - 126,648
• Wii - 56,702
• PSP - 54,782
• PlayStation 3 - 30,309
• Nintendo DS - 12,096
• Xbox 360 - 9,988
• PlayStation 2 - 5,743

http://kotaku.com/5108037/nintendo-d...boost-in-japan ...

The Washington Times didn't take the news of Sony's poor Playstation sales well. They're calling the sales fumble internal sabotage, and they're hopping mad about it.

Sure the Playstation 3 didn't do so well last month, selling 378,000 console sales in November, down from 466,000 last November. And the PS2 also saw a drop in sales, with the company moving less than half what they did last year.

But sabotage?

XBox 360 has made serious inroads by dropping the price of its core system to $199. So how did Sony respond?

By releasing a new version of the PS3 ... that's $100 more expensive. Yes, it comes with a game, and yes, it has more hard-drive space, to which I respond: Who cares? Was the marketplace clamoring for more memory from the PS3? Is that why its market penetration is so low compared to its predecessors and competition? What were the Sony execs thinking?

Times' Sonny Bunch goes on to talk about the PS3's lack of Netflix support, what he calls Sony's poor marketing of Blu-ray, his point seems to be that "Sony seems bound and determined to do everything in its power to hinder the market penetration of the system in particular and Blu-ray in general."

The column begs the question, is the Playstation 3 destined to be the Gamecube of this generation of consoles? Maybe there is some truth to the old adage that you can't really have three successful consoles on the market.

http://kotaku.com/5108372/npd-figure...t-the-ps3-hate ...

Newly released today



features
Balance your double life – Beyond intense battles, Persona fusion, and new weapon creation exists a normal high school life of friends, classes, and part-time jobs. The way you manage and integrate your activities within each day will determine how you progress through the game.
Unprecedented team control – With a greater emphasis on developing bonds in the fight to solve the mysterious murders, strong friendships are key to your success. Directly control teammates in battle, earn greater party support for combat, and master individual Social Links to unlock your party's true potential.
Find the true ending – 60+ hours of gameplay thrusts you into a deep mystery where midnight television leads to serial killings. You must investigate murders, rescue those who can be rescued, and unmask the culprit behind it all—or risk being forever shrouded in the fog of doubt.

description
Shortly after an urban youth begins a year-long stay in the countryside town of Inaba, the rural town's peace is shattered by a horrific murder that leaves no clues or suspects. As the lone incident develops into a series of bizarre crimes, he discovers that only he and his friends have the power to solve the baffling case, bring those responsible to justice, and restore harmony to his new home.

The element of suspense is vital to the fourth installment of this contemporary RPG series. To clear the game, the players need to solve the string of mysterious murder cases that are happening in town and figure out the real enemy.

To ensure that that best visual and audio qualities are achieved, the art director Soejima Shigenori and sound director Meguro Souji from the last installment teamed up again with the game director Hashino Kei to create an intricate system that spots a multi-ending system, smooth and polished graphics and music that are both stylish and modern.

SPECIAL EXTRAS

Every single copy of Persona 4 is a special two-disc set. In addition to the game disc, customers will receive a soundtrack CD featuring selected music from Persona 4.

A deluxe color art book featuring the work of character artist Shigenori Soejima is available in limited quantities as a preorder incentive. Preorder now to ensure receipt of the artbook!

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2vto.html ...

Newly released today



features
Balance your double life – Beyond intense battles, Persona fusion, and new weapon creation exists a normal high school life of friends, classes, and part-time jobs. The way you manage and integrate your activities within each day will determine how you progress through the game.
Unprecedented team control – With a greater emphasis on developing bonds in the fight to solve the mysterious murders, strong friendships are key to your success. Directly control teammates in battle, earn greater party support for combat, and master individual Social Links to unlock your party's true potential.
Find the true ending – 60+ hours of gameplay thrusts you into a deep mystery where midnight television leads to serial killings. You must investigate murders, rescue those who can be rescued, and unmask the culprit behind it all—or risk being forever shrouded in the fog of doubt.

description
Shortly after an urban youth begins a year-long stay in the countryside town of Inaba, the rural town's peace is shattered by a horrific murder that leaves no clues or suspects. As the lone incident develops into a series of bizarre crimes, he discovers that only he and his friends have the power to solve the baffling case, bring those responsible to justice, and restore harmony to his new home.

The element of suspense is vital to the fourth installment of this contemporary RPG series. To clear the game, the players need to solve the string of mysterious murder cases that are happening in town and figure out the real enemy.

To ensure that that best visual and audio qualities are achieved, the art director Soejima Shigenori and sound director Meguro Souji from the last installment teamed up again with the game director Hashino Kei to create an intricate system that spots a multi-ending system, smooth and polished graphics and music that are both stylish and modern.

SPECIAL EXTRAS

Every single copy of Persona 4 is a special two-disc set. In addition to the game disc, customers will receive a soundtrack CD featuring selected music from Persona 4.

A deluxe color art book featuring the work of character artist Shigenori Soejima is available in limited quantities as a preorder incentive. Preorder now to ensure receipt of the artbook!

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2vto.html ...

Newly released today



features
Experience layered, primal storylines based on the legendary tale re-imagined
Dedicate deeds to the gods to win their favor. Their powers shape your future and the fate of the world itself
Fight alongside Hercules, Achilles and Pan with other fable heroes, each gifted with their own extraordinary powers
Travel to unique island environments filled with strange and wondrous denizens
Battle awesome mythological foes and gargantuan monsters
Develop and upgrade multiple weapons and specialized killing techniques
Unleash deadly force with finishing moves, parries, team combos and more
Revolutionary dialogue system dictates choice, upgrades and story with unprecedented speed and depth
Breaktrough real-time combat system with dynamic animations and visual damage modeling
Visual character leveling and inventory management in real time

description
In Rise of the Argonauts you take on the role of Jason, King of Iolcus and powerful, battle-hardened warrior. As the story begins you have everything - a prosperous kingdom, the respect of your citizens and the love of Alceme, your beautiful bride to be. This charmed existence ends when Alceme is killed by an assassin s arrow on your wedding day.

Overcome with grief you vow to do anything to restore her. You hear of the Legendary Golden Fleece, on the lost Isle of Tartarus, which is said to bring the dead back to life. In order reunite with your beloved you must now prepare for the greatest voyage of all.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2w2k.html ...

Newly released today



features
Experience layered, primal storylines based on the legendary tale re-imagined
Dedicate deeds to the gods to win their favor. Their powers shape your future and the fate of the world itself
Fight alongside Hercules, Achilles and Pan with other fable heroes, each gifted with their own extraordinary powers
Travel to unique island environments filled with strange and wondrous denizens
Battle awesome mythological foes and gargantuan monsters
Develop and upgrade multiple weapons and specialized killing techniques
Unleash deadly force with finishing moves, parries, team combos and more
Revolutionary dialogue system dictates choice, upgrades and story with unprecedented speed and depth
Breaktrough real-time combat system with dynamic animations and visual damage modeling
Visual character leveling and inventory management in real time

description
In Rise of the Argonauts you take on the role of Jason, King of Iolcus and powerful, battle-hardened warrior. As the story begins you have everything - a prosperous kingdom, the respect of your citizens and the love of Alceme, your beautiful bride to be. This charmed existence ends when Alceme is killed by an assassin s arrow on your wedding day.

Overcome with grief you vow to do anything to restore her. You hear of the Legendary Golden Fleece, on the lost Isle of Tartarus, which is said to bring the dead back to life. In order reunite with your beloved you must now prepare for the greatest voyage of all.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2x47.html ...