via Computer and Video Games


An employee of comic publisher Top Cow Comics - which produces The Darkness comic series - has apparently let slip that a sequel to The Darkness game is in the works.

According to reports, developer Starbreeze Studios is currently hard at work on the second moody horror quest, said to be for Xbox 360 and PS3, for a late 2008/early 2009 release.

No further specifics were leaked, although the sequel is said to follow on directly from events in the first bloodbath of a game, which we enjoyed very much.

2K Games dismisses the chatter as "just a rumour", refusing to comment further on the matter. ...

via Kotaku


A year year has passed since the Nintendo Wii first burst onto the scene, becoming the simultaneous joy and frustration for gamers around the world, as huge numbers were sold and even bigger numbers of frustrated parents and fans began a year-long struggle to obtain one of the elusive white boxes.

While those who didn't get one continuously called game stores asking the question that many clerks still have nightmares about, waking up suddenly in a cold sweat screaming, "We don't have any Wiis, okay!?", we proud owners have been waking up every Monday to a new set of classic games to enjoy.

Now fickle Nintendo punishes us for our pride by releasing Sonic 3D Blast. One of the first bad Sonic games, 3D Blast (800 points) was technically neither, featuring pre-rendered sprites and a definite lack of fun. While we also get Super Air Zonk for the TurboGrafx16 CD (800 points) and Wrecking Crew (500 points), one of the few Mario games not named Mario-something, nothing can wash off the stink of Sonic 3D Blast. Happy Birthday Wii! Please don't hurt us anymore.


More info here ...

via Computer and Video Games


Sega has confirmed last week's rumours that old House of the Dead games will be coming to the Wii.

The second and third instalments of the zombie shooter will indeed be bundled together and released on Wii next spring. A perfect excuse to pick up the Wii Zapper then, which will be in the shops bundled with Link's Crossbow Training before the year's out.

Arcade and Time Attack modes will both be available, says Sega, along with single-player and co-operative antics. It'll be interesting to see if the earlier game is an Dreamcast port or straight from the arcade.

Sega's also bringing its current arcade shooter Ghost Squad to Wii.


After a quiet few years it looks like we're finally in the middle of a lightgun revival.


Screenshots here ...

via Games Industry


The latest videogame sales data released for Germany and Spain shows Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare making a strong debut.

In Germany, Activision's first-person shooter captured the top three spots, with the PC version at number one, followed by the Xbox 360 version and the PS3 version in at number three.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was slightly less popular in Spain, but still managed to capture three of the top ten spots. The PS3 version debuted at number three, followed by the Xbox 360 version at number four and the PC version at number eight.

THQ's WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2008 took three spots on the Spanish sales charts; Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 took the top spot (PS2 version) and the number six spot (PS3 version).

The official console and PC software charts for the week ending November 11, courtesy of Media-Control GfK International, were as follows:

Germany:
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)
2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360)
3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
4. Hellgate: London (PC)
5. WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2008 (PS2)
6. Fussball Manager 2008 (PC)
7. Singstar: Apres Ski (PS2)
8. Dr. Kawashima's Gehirn-Jogging (DS)
9. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)
10. Singstar: Rock Ballads (PS2)

Spain:
1. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (PS2)
2. WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2008 (PS2)
3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360)
5. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (PS2)
6. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (PS3)
7. WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2008 (PS3)
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)
9. WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2008 (PSP)
10. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) ...

via Games Industry


Microsoft's Robbie Bach has dismissed Sony's PlayStation Network, saying he doesn't believe the console rival offers an online gaming service comparable to Xbox Live.

The company is currently celebrating five years of Xbox Live, with over 8 million users signed up to the service.


As well as Arcade titles, demos and TV and movie downloads, Microsoft announced last week that it will begin offering original Xbox games via Live, including hit titles Halo, Fable and Crimson Skies.

...

via Computer and Video Games


Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 on Xbox 360 has quickly moved into second placed in the Xbox 360 Top Live Titles top ten, according to stats on Major Nelson's blog.

It means the FPS is biting at Halo 3's heels, which currently holds top position in the rundown. And it's sitting above Gears of War, which is now residing at number three.

Meanwhile, an update for the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 4 is reportedly in the pipeline, which will add a couple of new features to the game and do a bit of tweaking and optimising. Here's what's said to be coming (a date for the update has yet to be set)...

Additions / New Features:

• Added Kill cam to Airstrike bombs and Claymores
• Addition of Host Migration so if Host Leaves auto-chooses next best host

Tweaked the following Oldschool Mode settings

• based on feedback:
• Added Unlimited Sprint
• Increased Magazine Size
• Added Ragdoll Cam

Optimizations / Tweaks:

• Identify party by background color (in Lobby)
• Optimized server selection for first match for better connections
• Improved network performance for 18 player games
• Optimized 'Chase Cam' when Spectating
• Fixed Playlist error when attempting to join from other games
• Handle Corrupt Create A Class data instead of kicking player

...

via Computer and Video Games


It looks like we know what Bungie's big news is all about then; semi-official blog Gamerscore reports that a Halo 3 map pack will be hitting Xbox Live on December 11.

800 Microsoft points (£6.80) gets you three maps - Standoff, Rat's Nest and Foundry. A bit pricey but we're sure plenty of you will hand over the cash regardless.


Rat's Nest meanwhile is described as a vast, labyrinthine of passages, "an indoor vehicle paradise, strongly influenced by the Campaign mode, ideal for big team battles."

Finally, Foundry is "the ultimate Forge map, players can edit every single object in this voluminous industrial warehouse, place stairways, walls, bridges and tunnels to create an entirely new play space and build almost any kind of map they can think of".

There you go then. Look out for it on December 11. ...

via Eurogamer


Infinity Ward is planning to patch Call of Duty 4 for Xbox 360 in the relatively near future to take care of various online issues.

Speaking on the game's official forum, IW's community relations manager explained that the update will optimise things like match-making and host-selection, among other tweaks.

These include the addition of host-migration, so if the host leaves a game it automatically chooses the next best host, as well as a new control scheme, improved network performance in 18-player games and other tweaks detailed on the thread.

Elsewhere, IW said that a separate update will solve an issue relating to corrupt profiles.

Neither update has a deployment date, but we'll let you know when they're out there.

Not that their absence seems to be doing Call of Duty 4 much harm. It's top of the UK sales charts, and Major Nelson's latest Live activity charts reveal that it is now second only to Halo 3 in terms of popularity, displacing Gears of War. ...

via Eurogamer


US publisher Atlus has shaken hands with Microsoft to become an official third-party publisher for the Xbox 360.

The first titles it will publish will be localisations of Japanese tactical role-playing games Operation Darkness and Spectral Force 3 sometime next year, and teaser sites for both are already up and running.

Operation Darkness puts a supernatural spin on World War II and sees you battle none other than moustached maniac Hitler as he sweeps through Europe.

Spectral Force 3, on the other hand, puts you in the boots of a mercenary commander and asks you to amass an army of around 40 characters to battle the baddies.

Atlus has been responsible for bringing critically celebrated games like Trauma Center and the Shin Megami Tensei series to western audiences in the past.

And while Atlus doesn't publish games in Europe, its catalogue has been picked up by the likes of Ghostlight, Ubisoft, KOEI and Nintendo previously - so we should see both new 360 games here. ...