I had some places to get to today and had the opportunity to try out the newest beta 1.2 of xGPS for turn by turn directions with voice navigation while driving to my destinations. It was a pleasure to use and I got where I was going on time without issue. If you haven't jailbroken yet this is yet another reason why you need to. TomTom and TeleNav haven't been able to get the turn by turn voice nav out the door (presumably because of Apple's restrictions) but for jailbreakers a public version of xGPS with both turn by turn and voice nav will be out via the MMi Cydia repo later this month -- maybe even as soon as February 20th!

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-...not-rumor.html ...

SEGA's just put word out that it's to publish an all new Aliens vs. Predator game. Rebellion, creators of the revered 1999 PC title, are on development duties.

It joins the Gearbox developed Aliens: Colonial Marines and an Obisidian developed Aliens RPG as part of an all-out franchise assault from SEGA. A SEGA spokesperson revealed to IGN that the newly announced Aliens vs. Predator game will actually see the light of day before either of those titles, a fact alluded to in SEGA West CEO Naoya Tsurumi's official statement.

"The innovative new AvP game presents an exciting opportunity for us," said Tsurumi. "It represents a fantastic addition to our growing Aliens franchise and the reinvention of one of gaming's most cherished iconic titles. By adjusting the release of our other Aliens titles to accommodate it, SEGA will ensure that every title lives up to the high expectations of Aliens and AvP fans."

SEGA wouldn't divulge which platforms the game would be coming to, though confirmed that Aliens Vs Predator is scheduled for release early in 2010. The original Aliens vs. Predator games were met with great critical acclaim, with the first earning an 8.0 when reviewed back in 1999.

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/953/953312p1.html ...

Next month, Capcom resumes scaring gamers with Resident Evil 5, the latest entry in the survival-horror series that helped define a genre. The Resident Evil series turns 13 this year, too, making it a perfect time to ring in a new installment of this storied franchise. Chances are, if you've been gaming for the last decade, you have at least dropped one or two (or 500) zombies infected with Umbrella's sinister T-Virus.

We asked readers which of the Resident Evil games was the best. Over 21,000 thousand logged their opinion of the ten options we offered. Here's how the votes break down:



Resident Evil 4: 59%

Resident Evil 2: 17%

Resident Evil: 11%

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis: 5%

Resident Evil: Code Veronica: 4%

Resident Evil Zero: 1%

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles: 1%

Resident Evil Outbreak: 0%

Resident Evil Outbreak 2: 0%

Resident Evil: Dead Aim: 0%


It should come as no surprise that Resident Evil 4 topped the list. The 2005 release was a critical and commercial smash, winning a number of awards. What is interesting to see, though, is how the main games in the franchise steamrolled over the off-shoots. The two Outbreak games for the PlayStation 2 cratered in this poll, as did the light gun shooter Dead Aim. True, these games did not necessarily grab the best reviews or the most sales, but it says either Capcom should just concentrate on the main games in the series since fans like them the most or that Capcom needs to pay better attention to the quality of the off-shoot games. Or maybe it's a combination of two.

Which game did you vote for? And if you didn't vote, which of the Resident Evil games do you believe deserves the top spot? Hit the comments section below to let us know!

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/953/953231p1.html ...

Description (by the original author and allegro.cc)
Alex the Allegator 4 is a true jump'n'run, just like the old classic ones. Guide Alex through the jungle in order to save his girlfriend Lola from evil humans who want to make a bag of her.

Alex the Allegator 4 is a very small game. It runs in a very low resolution with only four colors and will not provide you with any real time video or 3D effects. Nor will it snare you with a compelling storyline. It's only a short platform game with a few tricks up it's sleeve. We're sure you'll like it.

R2 Update Notes
After playing through all original levels and collecting every cherry and every star in them, you are able to enter a bonus game (on the PC by pressing F1). This wasn't possible in the R1 PSP port, so here is the R2 update. Press the Square Button in the stage selection menu to enter the bonus game.

Screenshots


Main Menu


In-Game


In-Game Boss fight


In-Game another Boss fight

Download
via mk2k.net (including sources)

Notes
Read the readme_psp.txt for installation notes and button configuration.
Alex the Allegator 4 PSP comes with an extra menu for choosing custom level packs, read readme_psp.txt on how to install new custom packs (there are already four custom packs included).

Visit www.mk2k.net ...

So, Nintendo is releasing Rittai Picross (Solid Object Picross) in Japan on March 12. That’s a month away and we know next to nothing about the game. Rittai Picross is essentially 3D Picross. Players chip away at a giant block and rotate the camera with the stylus.

I scouted around for more details and discovered Rittai Picross has 350+ puzzles. Beat those and you can make your own in edit mode similar to Picross DS. User created puzzles can be traded with friends wirelessly, but not necessarily over Nintendo Wi-Fi. No word on downloadable puzzle packs either which were an awesome feature in Picross DS.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/02/10...s-information/ ...

Is Persona PSP is remake? An enhanced port? Look at the additions and decide for yourself. The first thing I noticed was the new battle interface. It looks more like Persona 3 with the character portraits on the bottom and moon icon in the top right hand corner.

Japanese retailer Rakuten also has a list of revised features for the PSP version.



New animated movies done by studio Kamikaze Douga.
Rearranged soundtrack done by Shin Megami Tensei composer Shoji Meguro. Yumi Kawamura who sang in Persona 3 will do vocal tracks for Persona.
Supports 16:9 widescreen mode with a new user interface.
Additional dungeon floors have been added to the Sebek Chapter (main story) and Snow Queen Chapter. Watch out for new elements and tricky gimmicks.
Rebalanced gameplay with a tweaked encounter rate.
Considered to be more “user friendly” since players can pick the level of difficulty.
Battle loading times are 2/3rds faster compared to the original. During enemy encounters animations can be skipped. Sounds similar to Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.
Extra save points are added as well as a quick save feature.
A revised city map with a top down view and highlighted landmarks. The original Persona had a simple 3D over world map similar to Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/02/10...rsona-for-psp/ ...

After sitting down with the game for a few minutes early in the show, the folks at Rockstar Games gave me a more in-depth look of their upcoming massive title for the Nintendo DS.

Original I only got a chance to spend about 10 minutes with this game on Comic-Con floor, but that's clearly not enough time, nor an adequate place, to really dig deep and see what it has to offer, especially one as large as this.


What We Saw
I saw roughly five missions from the game while also seeing how the GPS/PDA system works. I also checked out early parts of the story. This demo took place in the Rockstar press van at the Comic-Con, which allowed me to hear and see the game much more clearly than on the show floor.

What Needs Improvement?
Cut Scenes: With the exception of the opening of the game, the mission-start cut scenes I saw weren't very riveting. They mainly consisted of motionless, nicely hand-drawn profile shots with subtitles, which is certainly a step down from the console versions. While no one should have expected a fully voiced game on a DS cart, I'd like to see just a bit more going on in terms of action and emotion to keep me more engaged. Hopefully the missions I didn't see provide that.

Radio: While the music in this game is completely original and sounds pretty good coming from a DS, it's mainly just repeating beats and notes. No lyrics.

What Should Stay The Same?
Scale: This game is enormous. All the touches you've come to expect from a GTA game are all here. Each building and neighborhood was closely examined and given it's own personality. There's not a lot of repeating textures or copy-and-pasting going on either. Besides being massive in size, it's still a living, breathing city. Pedestrians have their own active A.I., there's some nice physics going on with the cars and environment, and a full day/night cycle.

Connectivity: This game not only allows you to upload an insane amount of stats to the Rockstar Social Club to see where you stand with the rest of the world, but you can also trade items and information with your friends, such as drugs, weapons and way points and chat with them in-game on your instant messenger.

Makin' Money: Just like today's economy, money is tough to come by in Chinatown Wars. No longer will you be a billionaire halfway through like in previous GTA games. Any expensive item you wish to purchase is going to have to be earned the hard way. Don't worry; there are plenty of extra ways to make some dough besides completing missions, such as selling six different kinds of drugs to neighborhood dealers.

Touch Screen: There are a variety of touch screen interactions that you'll come across. These range from filling up bottles at a gas station to make Molotov cocktails, paying a road toll, and even hot-wiring select cars. For one mission I had to actually assemble the sniper rifle I used to assassinate someone, while another time I had to complete a short "Simon Says" mini-game to arm a bomb. They don't seem to be forced on you all the time, either, and they helps break up the gameplay a bit.

Final Thoughts
I'm glad I got a lot more time to sit down with Chinatown Wars. I knew this game was big, but not this big. It's an ambitious title for the DS, and one Rockstar seems to be taking very seriously. While I nearly spent two hours with the game, I still didn't feel like I even scratched its surface.

http://kotaku.com/5150542/90-minutes...chinatown-wars ...

iPhone game developers seem to be working through the genres in record speed. We've already seen action, shooters, racers, casual and now kids.

Atlantis Treasures brings SpongeBob to the iPhone and iPod Touch. The game includes five themed rooms and a bevy of characters from the Nickelodeon show.

Spin the 3D game board to match up falling jewels in the Treasure Room, explosive mines in the Weapons Room, molecules in the Science Room, paint blobs in the Art Room, and colorful bubbles in the Oldest Bubble Room. Earn points and amulets, but always stay on the lookout for special pieces - Color Blasts, Wild Cards, Row Blasts, and much more – they can help or challenge along the way. Keep matching skills honed and the treasures of Atlantis could be yours for the taking!

http://kotaku.com/5149855/spongebob-iphonepants ...

Subscribers to the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine have suffered a momentary delay in monthly Nintendo news, possibly in the interests of exclusive new game info, which could hit as early as Friday.

According to subscriber communication passed on to a GoNintendo reader, the Official Nintendo Magazine staff apologized for the long wait between issues, noting the "delay is due to some great exclusive content that has resulted in us having to send out your subscription copy slightly later than planned." The mag is now planned for "on or around" February 14th.

http://kotaku.com/5150985/nintendo-m...ve-game-reveal ...