Sega's videogame tie-in with forthcoming movie The Golden Compass has drummed up plenty of interest and today we're getting our latest in-game look via three new screenshots. Go ahead and take a look.

The game and the movie are based on the first book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, Sega's sticking closely to the screenplay adaptation of the novel for its title.

You'll get to play as the trilogy's main character Lyra as well as Iorek Byrnison, a warrior polar bear whom Lyra befriends during her adventure, with events kicking off when Lyra goes in search of a friend kidnapped by a feared and mysterious outfit that children call The Gobblers...

Major environments from the film will feature in the game and the movie's key actors will be reprising their roles in polygon form.

Sega's The Golden Compass game is due out at the end of the year on - deep breath - PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP, PS2 and PC.

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Out of the blue, Midway has released a demo of its forthcoming first-person shooter Blacksite: Area 51 on Xbox Live.

We're currently downloading so what's in the demo will be a surprise, but Major Nelson has offered some background in his blog: "Modern day fears come to life in a familiar, yet extraordinary setting: A small American town swarming with alien life. The government is desperate, struggling to contain secrets so terrible they can no longer be kept.

"Everything hinges on the actions of Aeran Pierce, a former Special Forces assassin thrown into one of the most explosive moments in American history."

Midway has made some big claims about Blacksite: Area 51, saying it'll "redefine the first-person shooter genre" and that it "takes next-gen gaming to an all-new level integrating cutting edge technology, game design and story writing to create the ultimate entertainment experience." Wow.

The game is also in development for PS3 and PC and is expected in Q3 this year.

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SEGA Studio producer, Takashi Iizuka, has expressed his wish for NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams to utilise Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection when it hits Wii later this year.

"Currently, we are investigating a number of features that will utilize the Wii network capability," Iizuka told IGN, "but, at this time we have not decided on any specific functionality yet."

On a still vague but more encouraging note, he goes on to say: "Ultimately, we would like to have multiplayer functionality as well as a way to tap into the Nintendo network where players could share their game experience on a world-wide level."

Whether this means some sort of online scoreboard or full-blown online multiplayer is left to speculation, but we obviously hope for the latter.

He also revealed that work started on the new nights last year, and went on to talk about the challenges encountered with developing controls for the Wii Remote.

"Initially, we envisioned using the Wii remote as sort of a "magic wand", where NiGHTS could be directed simply by movements of the controller," he revealed.

"But with any new input device, we were finding some limitations using just the remote. That is why we are also designing the game to be played using the remote with the Nunchuk for a more "traditional" control configuration."

Look out for more on NiGHTS in the next couple of weeks.

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We're already excited about Sonic Rush Adventure - the sequel to what is arguably the best Sonic game ever - and these new screens are further proof more 2D platforming glory is on the way.

During action stages you'll uncover artefacts and items that Tails will use to build new vehicles that allow Sonic to explore the seas.

You then take control of a submarine, water bike, or hovercraft with the stylus in 3D stages, before taking on bosses, also in 3D.

There will be 14 missions to speed through, as well as a two-player offline versus mode that lets you race with a friend.

Sonic Rush Adventure is speeding to shops this autumn.

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Saints Row 2 has been confirmed. In development at Volition, the sequel is heading to PS3 and Xbox 360.

Unveiling the successor to the 360's GTA-style game during a conference call with analysts following a financial report yesterday, THQ said it will ship simultaneously on both platforms in 2008.

The publisher also revealed that it's canned Saints Row on PS3, CEO Brian Farrell explaining, "We think the most important thing for the Saints Row franchise is to have a simultaneous ship into a larger installed base next year. We think the bigger opportunity is a multiplatform launch."

On the sequel, Farrell said it's been in development for "some time" and that it will "utilise Volition's proprietary open-world engine and deliver an all-new cross-platform gaming experience."

Meanwhile, it was additionally revealed that THQ plans to launch its PC and console shooter Frontlines: Fuel of War in January 2008. Battlefield-style Frontlines is being developed by THQ's internal studio Kaos Studios. Kaos Studios' team includes staff that have formerly worked on Battlefield 2 and Desert Combat (Battlefield 1942 mod).

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Virtua Fighter 5 will look great on 360 too, and just in case you're in any doubt, Sega has unleashed another two screens of the technical fighter running on Microsoft's hardware.

PS3 owners are already able to experience the joys of the supremely hardcore fighter, it having been released alongside the console back in March.

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Sega AM2 is bringing its counter-terrorist light-gun arcade game, Ghost Squad, to Wii early next year.

The game will have you using the Wii Remote as a "multi-purpose tool" as you take charge of an elite counter-terrorist unit in missions, defusing bombs, taking out enemies and rescuing hostages in the light-gun-type stages.

You play as the Global Humanitarian-Operation and Special Tactics Squad (Ghost Squad for short), set up by the government as the world becomes overrun with terrorism.

Gary Knight, European marketing director of Sega Europe said: "Ghost Squad utilises the Wii Remote perfectly as a light gun, resulting in the game being a total blast."

Training, arcade, special and multiplayer modes will be included, as well as the ability to track your personal performance against other players via the Wii's online functionality. That's sounds like online scoreboards to us. Let's hope Sega adds online multiplayer too.

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Sega has unveiled the recently rumoured sequel to its brutal 360-horror launch title, Condemned: Criminal Origins.

We reported back in March that a sequel was rumoured but Sega refused to comment. There aren't any screens yet but the first few details have been released.

Bloodshot will feature new fighting mechanics and online multiplayer functionality, as well as players having to use their detective skills to hunt down and catch "sadistic serial killers". Bloodshot is again developed by Monolith and a release date of "early 2008" has been given.

Once again you assume the role of Ethan Thomas, former Serial Crimes Unit investigator, who gets called back to duty to track down his missing partner. Events from the first game left Ethan a broken man but he has to dig deep to face up to what's round the corner.

Extreme combat is again the main feature and you'll be able to use a variety of firearms, blunt instruments and "an all-new fighting system" complete with defensive and offensive combo chains, as well as grapples and holds. There will obviously be a new set of high-tech forensic tools and murders can be solved in a number of different ways.

The online multiplayer will feature a deathmatch mode, which Sega promises will deliver the "most brutal hand-to-hand combat experience the first person genre has ever seen". It's a million miles away from Sonic...

"Condemned 2: Bloodshot will keep gamers on the edge of their seats," said Scott A. Steinberg, VP of marketing at Sega. "Experience all the tension, psychological terror, and a variety of first-person hand-to-hand fighting mechanics in this innovative atmospheric thriller gamers have been longing for."

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Funcom is beefing up its already meaty online portfolio with yet another MMO. Taking place on our earth, in our times will be The Secret World, "inspired by history and mythology, modern conspiracy theories and ancient mysteries" says the publisher.

"We started envisioning this contemporary online world more than ten years ago, and as the years passed the ideas grew and improved," said producer Ragnar Tørnquist. "We always wanted a different kind of online world, something scary and contemporary, something deeper and closer to our reality. Our goal now is to create a detailed world where players feel empowered and part of something big, something mystical and epic."

Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas added, "We believe there are millions of gamers out there who want to explore something beyond traditional fantasy and sci-fi games. The Secret World is just that - a fantastic new setting that will fuel the imagination of online gamers, and keep players busy for years. We have a golden opportunity to bring something fresh and exciting to the genre, and we firmly believe the game is an ideal extension of Funcom's MMO portfolio."

The Secret World has been in development since last summer and the game is in a "playable state" while being produced at Funcom studios in Oslo and Beijing. A release date has not given. ...