via Eurogamer


Lionhead has a title update for Fable II in testing and waiting for finalisation, and has said everything is "coming along nicely".

That's according to the community website, which has also supplied a list of bugs being addressed in the patch.

The Ritual/Monk's quest no longer presents an unresponsive Abbot if you run out of the region before he finishes talking, which is quite a rude thing to do. Still, part of the main quest and that, so even those with no manners ought to be able to continue.

Rescuing Charlie shouldn't prevent interactivity with objects any more, and the Guild Cave Chest should properly reward Limited Collector's Edition, website or Chicken Kickin' items.

The second part of the Spire quest should present a talkative ship's captain, and there will be less getting stuck during Bloodstone quests The Hero of Skill (Pirate King) and T.O.B.Y./Trouble in Bloodstone.

Brilliantly, your children are no longer chosen as assassination targets, and the Furniture Shop in Bowerstone now always has something for sale. In addition, there are a number of unspecified nips and tucks.

Lionhead recently unveiled a whole new island of content for Fable II, which will be here in just over a week, on 12th December.

Knothole Island will add lots more things to do and cost 800 Microsoft Points (GBP 6.80 / EUR 9.60). ...

news via french site jv247:

The disappearance of the PS2 backwards compatibility of the PlayStation 3 had caused the dissatisfaction of a number of players. It appears, however, it has not been completely abandoned. Indeed, according to our sources at a publisher of games, backwards compatibility should be part of a recent firmware update for the PS3. Withdrawn at the last moment, it could still be contained in a forthcoming updates. This addition would aim to facilitate the arrival of PS2 games on the PlayStation Store. Stay tuned ...

http://www.jv247.com/console.php?con...=8&news_id=192 ...

Just a couple of days after the release of the Japan-only fortune telling Channel, Nintendo has given Japanese Wii owners a first chance at a Channel that will definitely be making its way overseas: the WiiSpeak Channel. Japanese Wii owners can now download the free channel from the Wii Shopping Channel.

As previously announced, the WiiSpeak Channel allows four Wii owners to hook up for chat sessions. In addition to chatting, users can trade pictures off SD, make voice tone adjustments and mute certain parties. The Channel is also compatible with Miis and can display up to six Miis from your Mii family.

Unlike most channels, this one is limited to a specific set of Wii owners. To download the channel, players need to input a code that's included with Animal Crossing WiiSpeak sets and with the solo release of the WiiSpeak peripheral (released just today in Japan). This basically means that only those who have the means of chatting can chat, which doesn't seem like such a terrible idea.

Those who can't get a hold of WiiSpeak will still be able to take their Wii to the new dimension of aural communication. Users of WiiSpeak can record 10 second voice messages and send them to other players. Anyone, including those without the WiiSpeak hardware, can listen to these messages.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/935/935589p1.html ...

via Kotaku


DICE plans on keeping Mirror's Edge players on their toes next month with the January release of a downloadable Time Trial Map Pack, featuring seven new maps for your running enjoyment.

Players will be able to strive for the fastest times in nine races spread across the seven maps, all for the low price of $10 or 800 Microsoft fake monies. As an added bonus, PlayStation 3 owners will be able to download an additional map for free, because DICE loves them more.


The Time Trial Map Pack will be available in late January for the PS3, Xbox 360, and the PC version of the game, which ships on January 13th in North America. ...

via Kotaku


DICE plans on keeping Mirror's Edge players on their toes next month with the January release of a downloadable Time Trial Map Pack, featuring seven new maps for your running enjoyment.

Players will be able to strive for the fastest times in nine races spread across the seven maps, all for the low price of $10 or 800 Microsoft fake monies. As an added bonus, PlayStation 3 owners will be able to download an additional map for free, because DICE loves them more.


The Time Trial Map Pack will be available in late January for the PS3, Xbox 360, and the PC version of the game, which ships on January 13th in North America. ...

Months ago we reported Sunsoft, a subsidiary of Sun Denshi, was working on a manga delivery service for WiiWare. On January 6, 2009 it goes live with Princess Ai as the first title. The first three chapters cost 500 Wii Points ($5) and every two chapters afterwards cost 200 Wii Points ($2). Princess Ai has fifteen chapters which brings the total price for the entire series plus the viewer to 1700 Wii Points ($17).

While Sunsoft’s service is only announced for Japan the copy of Princess Ai being distributed over Japan’s WiiWare service has Japanese and English text. The English version of Princess Ai is based on Tokyopop’s localization. Since the audience for English manga in Japan is small it seems like Sunsoft is planning to release their digital manga viewer overseas. Tokyopop has a number of titles they could put on WiiWare too, but will anyone in North America be interested in buying them?

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/12/04...ish-subtitles/ ...

In the US we have been enjoying downloading videos over Xbox Live for about two years now. Parts of Europe and Canada got access to it last year, but not Japan. Considering the size of the user base it’s easy to understand why Microsoft hasn’t released the Video Marketplace over there either.



This year games like Tales of Vesperia made the Xbox 360 explode in Japan and Microsoft is having a change of heart. Sometime in 2009 the Xbox Live Video Marketplace will launch in Japan with movies and anime. No specific titles have been announced and even if Microsoft made a killer partnership with Aniplex it would mostly be meaningless since video content is region locked. Such a shame too since it would be fantastic to use Microsoft’s digital video rental service to watch films that aren’t coming out in the US.

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/12/04...pan-next-year/ ...

Dodonpachi Daioujou Black Label Extra won’t be coming home for Christmas. 5bp announced a last minute delay changing the Japanese release date from December 25 to a vague “this winter”.



Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Taichi Extra is sort of being delayed too. Ketsui, like Dodonpachi Daioujou Black Label Extra, is slated for “this winter” instead of January 29. I said “sort of” being delayed above since 5bp never sent out a formal press release marking January 29 as the day Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Taichi Extra would be in stores. However, they sent out marketing materials to retailers which ran with the date. Not all is lost for Japan’s shmup crowd they have other games like Raiden IV, Otomedius Gorgeous, and soon in the future Shooting Love 200X to play. Meanwhile, the only Xbox 360 shooter we’re 100% sure that’s coming to North America in the future is R-Type Dimensions.

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/12/04...5pb-this-year/ ...

Welcome to this week's Games Update, our weekly summary featuring all new product arrivals from the last seven days.

Releases this week is a little calmer than last week, but still there is a number of sensational products. The true classic Chrono Trigger DS US version is released a week after the Japanese one.

For those who have played the game in the SNES era, you can now play it on your favourite portable system again and relive the fun, and for those who has never played it, you are missing out a lot and is in need of a quick remedy to that.

The decadently glamourous and dangerous place, Liberty City is expanding its territories into the PC landscape. While the English versions are out already, to allow more people to enjoy Grand Theft Auto 4, Simplified and Traditional Chinese versions are coming out within these few days. For more information, please see this special news entry.

Besides the ultra modern cities like Liberty City, ancient cities has its charm and its fair share of danger. Explore Persia in Prince of Persia on your third generation console. Neither the action nor the plot is linear this time round.

By exploiting the graphical capabilities of systems and the creativity of the script writers, the developers bring the hordes of monsters, landscape and plot alive before you.

While Prince of Persia weaves a labyrinth out of Ancient Persia, 428 Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de is an intricate network of plots that surrounds a case of kidnapping. Scoring a 40 out of 40 in Weekly Famitsu, this visual novel is a must see for all those who enjoys deep plots and have the tendency to delve into the bottom of things.

Enjoy some light hearted action after playing the nerve wreakingly exciting visual novel. Kaze no Kuronoa is a game for everyone. Explore the dream world and find out about nightmares. Jump, skip, run and throw, the simple controls and wholesome nature of the game ensures that your whole family can enjoy it.

Play a game of baseball with your family via Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 [PlayStation3, PlayStation2 vers.] and your favourite baseball stars from the comfort of your living room. The newest data and records on this season's matches are all collected and incorporated to produce this game, giving you a feeling that the national matches are carrying on.

As 2008 approaches an end, Dragon Ball Z announced their last game, Infinite World on the PlayStation 2 platform. This game incorporates all the coolest elements of the series on the last generation platform and is a must have for all fans of this manga/anime converted fighter.

The simple and innovative controls and the smooth, cheerful pastel graphics won Loco Roco many fans when it first came out in 2006. Inheriting the interface, Loco Roco 2 [Asian & JPN vers.], the second installment of the rolling platform game comes with more songs and action. Roll and bounce through this holiday season as a cheerful blob.

As usually, here's a summary of all new releases from this week, followed by a quick preview of what is expected to be hot next week.

Xbox360™
Fallout 3 JPN US$ 78.90
Naruto: The Broken Bond ASIA US$ 49.90
Prince of Persia ASIA US$ 49.90
Saints Row 2 JPN US$ 68.90
Sonic Unleashed US US$ 64.90

PlayStation3™
Assassin's Creed (UBI the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Brain Challenge ASIA US$ 39.90
Prince of Persia ASIA US$ 59.90
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 Kanzenban [First Print Limited Edition] JPN US$ 79.90
Saints Row 2 JPN US$ 64.90
The Eye of Judgment: Biolith Rebellion Set 3: Booster Pack US US$ 4.90

Nintendo Wii™
428: Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de JPN US$ 64.90
Cooking Mama 2: Taihen! Mama wa Ooisogashi!! JPN US$ 59.90
Hori Classic Controller (Light Blue) JPN US$ 29.90
Kaze no Klonoa: Door to Phantomile JPN US$ 49.90
Skate It US US$ 54.90
Ultimate Band US US$ 54.90
Wii Speak JPN US$ 39.90

PlayStation2™
Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World JPN US$ 64.90
Hisshou Pachinko * Pachi-Slot Kouryoku Series Vol. 11: Shinseiki Evangelion - Magokoro o, Kimi ni (Special Price) JPN US$ 34.90
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 Kanzenban [First Print Limited Edition] JPN US$ 68.90
Real Rode JPN US$ 68.90
Real Rode [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 89.90
Suzumiya Haruhi no Tomadoi (PlayStation2 the Best) JPN US$ 34.90

Nintendo DS™
Age of Empires: Mythologies US US$ 34.90
All Star Cheer Squad US US$ 34.90
Blazer Drive JPN US$ 48.90
Boku to Sim no Machi Kingdom / MySims Kingdom JPN US$ 48.90
Chou!! Nep League DS JPN US$ 39.90
Chrono Trigger DS US US$ 44.90
Custom Battler Bomberman JPN US$ 48.90
Drawn to Life: Kamisama no Marionette JPN US$ 48.90
Eiyuu Senki Leavadein JPN US$ 48.90
Gokuhou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou: Mecha Mote Days, Hajime Masuwa! JPN US$ 54.90
Hajime no Ippo The Fighting! DS JPN US$ 48.90
Hello Kitty Daily US US$ 34.90
Hisshou Pachinko*Pachi-Slot Kouryaku Series DS Vol. 3: Shinseiki Evangelion - Yakusoku no Toki JPN US$ 48.90
Hisshou Pachinko*Pachi-Slot Kouryoku Series DS Vol. 1: Shinseiki Evangelion - Magokoro o, Kimi ni (Special Price) JPN US$ 29.90
Itouke no Shokutaku DS JPN US$ 39.90
Kageyama Hideo no Hanpuku Ondoku DS Eigo JPN US$ 39.90
Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! DS: Mafia Daishuugou Bongole Festival JPN US$ 48.90
Kikiite Hajimaru: Eigo Kaiwa Training - KikiTore ...