via Eurogamer


Five schools in Worcestershire have been using the Wii in physical education classes to encourage youngsters to get active.

The initiative is being lead by the Droitwich and Worcester City School Partnership, which boasted positive heart rate-quickening results to UK newspaper the The Daily Mail.

"The use of computer games to increase physical activity levels and raise attainment to some would seem contradictory, but with rigid structures in place and by using specific games students soon found themselves being active and engaged almost without realising it," enthused a spokesperson for the Partnership.

But not everyone sees the benefit. The Mail claims a recent study proved playing a game on Wii only expends 2 per cent more energy than playing on traditional consoles.

And Nick Seaton from the Campaign for Real Education is worried it will encourage children to play videogames instead of doing conventional exercise.

"I think most sensible parents will think this is surrendering to the laziest pupils, it cannot possibly be any replacement for serious games and competition between peer group," said Seaton.

As we all know videogames are often cast as villainous in the mainstream media, blamed for causing children to eat less healthily and burn less calories and attack old ladies and play quiz games.

Slightly ironic that Nintendo should come under fire for moving away from a seated gaming environment then, particularly as its new Wii Fit product quite literally tells you how fat you are before making you bob around and head footballs.

"We now want to turn the living room into a fitness centre for the whole family," said Nintendo UK marketing mouth Dawn Paine. "Perish the thought, but video games can now make you fit."

Apparently as many as one in five boys and girls will be obese by 2020. Hover boards to follow. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Until now we've only seen scans of Resistance 2 - but here we have the first seven proper screenshots from the PS3 sequel.

Recent info on the game revealed the Chamelion and Stalker, beasts that have stealthier tactics than the Chimera, with the ability to cloak themselves invisible and sneak up on you. Insomniac has apparently listened to feedback from the first game, and focused on improving the enemy AI, checkpoints and health system in the new game.

The sixty-player multiplayer gameplay will take on a new focus on squad-based gameplay. There will be three main classes of player, a Tank class who have the big guns, Special Ops handle the long-range sniper action, and the Medic to patch up the n00bs.


Screenshots ...

via Computer and Video Games




Three new screenshots from Grand Theft Auto IV have found their way onto the internet.

Last week Rockstar confirmed the massively anticipated sequel will go on worldwide release on April 29, while admitting that PS3 contributed to the game's delay to this year. News that like writes itself.

We recently tripped over the Rockstar's UK HQ for a new look at GTA IV, and in case you missed it you can read our MASSIVE in-depth report here. ...

via Eurogamer


Korean developer Blueside is teaming up with Phantagram to create a Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders sequel.

It will take the series back to its tactical roots after upcoming action RPG spin-off Circle of Doom, and will be a self-confessed pioneer of the MMOARTS genre (massively multiplayer online action real-time strategy).

This, ambitiously, means you and thousands of others can siege castles and wage war online, as any one of three factions: Human Alliance, Dark Kingdom and mysterious new addition.

There will be a single-player campaign to romp through as well, promising a deep storyline and lots of drama between characters. Like Neighbours.

On top of all of that are boasts of spectacular graphics which, judging by the first batch of shots, sounds reasonable.

Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders appeared on Xbox in 2004 and blended action with RTS. It was well received and followed by KUF: Heroes a year later.

Kingdom Under Fire II is due out on PC and consoles in 2009. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Several "anonymous sources" have this weekend emerged from the woodwork to spread news of the 80GB PS3 being pushed aside to make giving way to a new larger SKU.

Stories suggest that the 80GB SKU currently on sale in US is due for the chop, with a 120GB version set to replace it.

This would go hand-in-hand with a previous statement from SCEE president and CEO, who hinted last year that a 120GB PS3 could be possible.


Sony UK, however, dismissed this weekend's reports as "rumour and speculation".

If the rumours turn out to be true, the 80GB console will be the third SKU axed in just over a year since the console's release. But does Sony really need to release another new PS3 so soon? It might be a different story once PlayTV is up and running. ...

via Eurogamer


Author Cooper Lawrence has apologised for publicly attacking the EA over the sexual content in Xbox 360 title Mass Effect.

She admitted jumping to conclusions when she slammed the game on Fox News. Having now seen the offending content, Lawrence admits it's no worse than the kind of sauciness you'd see on TV.

"I recognise that I misspoke," Lawrence told the New York Times. "I really regret saying that, and now that I've seen the game and seen the sex scenes it's kind of a joke.

"Before the show I had asked somebody about what they had heard, and they had said it's like pornography. But it's not like pornography. I've seen episodes of Lost that are more sexually explicit," she confessed.

However, Fox News is refusing to budge - sticking to its claim EA was invited onto the channel to tell its side of the story.

Jeff Brown of EA previously wrote an open letter to the news channel to refute an ignorant stance made from misinformation.

Ray Muzyka, boss of developer BioWare, added: "We're hurt. We believe in video games as an art form, and on behalf of the 120 people who poured their blood and tears into this game over three years, we're just really hurt that someone would misrepresent the game without even playing it. All we can hope for is that people who actually play our games will see the truth."

Cooper Lawrence originally accused the role-playing game of portraying female characters as sexual objects in a storyline that has the male lead "deciding how many women he wants to be with".

Lawrence later laughed and said "No" when asked if she had actually played Mass Effect.

Subsequently angry fans of the game found her book The Cult of Perfection: Making Peace With Your Inner Overachiever on Amazon and decided to apply the same logic, resulting in its user rating plummeting from hundreds of negative reviews.

By Friday it had 472 reviews, 412 of which were one star. Most had not read the book. ...

via Games Industry


Toshiba has told GamesIndustry.biz that it is disappointed that High Street retailer Woolworths has decided to drop the HD-DVD movie format from its stores this March.

The retailer said today that it will be backing the rival Blu-ray format exclusively following a Christmas sales period that saw HD-DVD movies outsold by ten-to-one.

But Toshiba has stated that in the UK at least, HD-DVD movies account for 60 per cent of high-definition movie sales, and that a proliferation of cheap hardware means HD-DVD should not be ruled out as a successful new format.

"While we're disappointed by Woolworths' decision, it is extremely early to spot which format will eventually win," commented Oliver Van Wynendaele, euro assistant general manager of Toshiba's Consumer Products Division.

"We have been hugely successful in expanding the number of consumers owning HD-DVD players. UK consumers can now pick-up an HD-DVD player for less than GBP 150, around half the cost of other HD formats.

"Even before pricing reached this level, HD-DVD represented more than 60 per cent of the overall standalone high definition market," he said.

Van Wynendaele also stated that figures show that the attach rate of HD-DVD movies to their hardware is higher than that of Blu-ray with its respective players.

"HD-DVD has always enjoyed greater software sales per player than any other HD format. In fact, HD-DVD owners have already bought around 3.5 movies each, compared to less than one movie sold per Blu-ray device," he said.

Woolworths will continue to sell the HD-DVD format via its website.

The ability to play Blu-ray content is an integral part of Sony's PlayStation 3 console, while Microsoft has been backing the other format by selling a HD-DVD peripheral for its Xbox 360 player. ...

via Gizmodo




With Blu-ray destroying the competition, the availability of cheaper units is going to be a big part in the future success of the format. That is why Sony's recent success in shrinking the basic Blu-ray reader/writer module is a turn for the better. The new modules will pave the way for thinner drive bays and cheaper players.

The units are only 3mm thick, and Sony is confident that the smaller size will allow Blu-ray functionality to become mainstream in standard 9.5mm laptop drives. Sony are further hoping that this move towards greater ubiquity is secured by the end of this year.

The cost effectiveness will be due to a simpler manufacturing process, and the 3mm modules will also be able to read dual layered BDs with organic dye in the recording layers. Such discs can be produced from traditional DVD production lines, again driving down the costs. Sure, this may all sound like great news, but do you not recall the movies, people? The hardships that were faced by a tiny Thomas Brown still bring a tear to my eye. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Earlier in the month Ascaron revealed a delay to September for its RPG sequel Sacred 2, but in the meantime here's a bunch of new screenshots to look at.

Out on PC and Xbox 360, Sacred 2's a Diablo fan's cup of tea. There are goblins, a crap-load of items and a massive, seamless world that Ascaron says will take you more than six hours to run across. Crikey.

Toward the end of last year the company granted us a glimpse of the hack 'n' slash game, so you can read all about it here.


Screenshots ...