Tropico 3 for Xbox 360 will feature user-created content, no mission editor
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ 58 minutes ago } 
"Some of the top rated missions created with the challenge editor for the PC version will be made available to Xbox 360 players," a representative explained. "There is no mission editor for the 360 version." Now that makes more sense. There's still no word on cost or when the DLC will release -- but we kind of need an official release date for the Xbox 360 version before we start worrying about such things.
Behold StarCraft II's Zerg Brutalisk
by Richard Mitchell { 1 hour ago } 
To be clear, we can't be certain that the massive creature seen above is actually called a Brutalisk. We're just assuming so, based on the image's filename. That said, look at that thing. It's humongous. The StarCraft II Twitter account implies that the massive creature is a "custom" unit from the single-player campaign. Given that the first installment of the game, Wings of Liberty, will focus on the Terrans, we get the feeling that players won't be controlling this bad boy. Our suggestion for dealing with the insectoid pest? Two words: Yamato cannon.
[Via Big Download]
iPhone version of Audiosurf put 'on hold' due to music library restrictions
by Griffin McElroy { 2 hours ago } 
We contacted Fitterer to find out exactly what he meant by this -- he explained, "Apps can play songs, but they can't get at a song's bits (needed to analyze it and build a matching rollercoaster + traffic pattern)." He added that there were workarounds -- for instance, a player could upload a song to the App or through a central server, which would create a level for them. However, he said that system felt inconvenient, and that he doesn't "want to put Audiosurf on iPhone until it can really let you ride your music - all of it."
There's still a chance the game could end up on an Apple product -- though Fitterer negotiated directly with Microsoft to get his game on the Zune HD platform, the two parties came to no form of exclusivity agreement. "I'm ready for Apple to call," Fitterer joked.
Investigate a Flash demo of Miles Edgeworth's new game
by JC Fletcher { 3 hours ago } 
It doesn't take a brilliant deductive mind with excellent taste in cravats to puzzle out that this demo contains spoilers, since it reproduces the first scene in the game. However, we suspect that you won't be able to resist, after almost two years of no Ace Attorney games.
Nintendo takes the fun out of discovery with New Super Mario Bros. Wii tips video
by Ben Gilbert { 4 hours ago }
Though our old, embittered brains remember those days fondly, you kids today with your shiny electronics and worldwide exchange of information get the not-so-secret tips straight from the horse's mouth (in sorta high-resolution, no less) on New Super Mario Bros. Wii. After watching the video you see above, we came to a scary realization: there are people out there who might not have any 2D Mario strategies already embedded in their brains. Folks, if you don't have any sort of tactic worked out for red coin collection, we're not sure this video can help you. Or if anyone can, for that matter.
Thankfully, we have a much cooler video after the break.
Gallery: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
A tour of Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayer
by JC Fletcher { 5 hours ago } 
In the G4 video after the break, producer Gordon Van Dyke provides a running commentary of direct-feed multiplayer footage, demonstrating the kind of gameplay you'll be able to help tune (and also enjoy) in the PS3 multiplayer beta. Or, to put it a different way, there's thirteen minutes of direct-feed Bad Company 2 footage after the break. Hardly needs any more dressing up than that, does it? Enjoy it -- no tips required.
PSN Thursday: 'Braid' Dita Von Teese's hair
by Alexander Sliwinski { 5 hours ago }
Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
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(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Splinter Cell Conviction to feature in-game advertising during torture scenes
by Andrew Yoon { 6 hours ago }
This is actually the pitch Ubisoft delivered at Microsoft Advertising's Gaming Upfront presentation in New York this evening. In-game advertising is rapidly growing, but has typically been relegated to sports and racing games. Splinter Cell Conviction breaks convention by being neither. Expect both static and video ads to appear throughout the environmentt -- including during the game's lengthy torture sequences. Perhaps they should take it one step further: Sam Fisher should grab a Coca-Cola bottle, smash it, and use the broken glass to kill a guy. Talk about refreshing!
In addition, Ubisoft showed potential advertisers the "heat maps" they created whilst developing the game. These maps highlight likely places players will go while playing. Advertisers will be able to place their ads in high-density areas, in order to ensure maximum exposure to their brands while in the game world. Considering Splinter Cell is a stealth game, don't be too surprised to see ads inside of the conveniently accessible (not to mention remarkably roomy!) air ducts.
October NPD: Uncharted 2 takes top spot while hardware sales slow down
by Christopher Grant { 6 hours ago } 
On the software side of things, the exceptionally well-received PlayStation 3-exclusive Uncharted 2: Among Thieves took top honors, selling 537K units in just the second half of October. Of course, Sony told us earlier today that the title has broken the coveted million mark (worldwide?) with November sales factored in. The multiplatform Borderlands makes a similarly impressive showing, taking third on Xbox 360 with 418K units sold; however, when you factor in the 113K units sold of the not-top-ten PS3 version (data provided graciously by NPD), you find an impressive 531K in cumulative sales, just missing the top spot.
NBA 2K10 had a strong showing with 524K in cumulative sales, "outselling last year's NBA 2K9 by 60% in its launch month" reports the NPD, while last month's champ, Halo 3: ODST, dropped to sixth with 271K in sales. With just four days on shelves in October, Forza Motorsport 3 made a strong showing at #8 with 175K. Slightly less strong was Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days' ninth-place showing despite a full month on the shelf. And in last place is the worldwide phenomenon known as FIFA 10 (or, in North America, FIFA Soccer 10). While FIFA 10 may be the "fastest selling sports game ever" in Europe, selling 1.7m in its first week, over here we bought up just 156K copies in a little over a week.
-Wii: 507K
44K (+10%)-DS: 458K
66K (-13%)-PS3: 321K
171K (-35%)-360: 250K
103K (-29%)-PSP: 175K
15K (-8%)-PS2: 118K
28K (-19%)Check out the software sales chart after the break.
Conundrum: Xbox Live tops 2 million simultaneous users
by Richard Mitchell { 7 hours ago }
We just don't know what else it could be.
PSP Go hacked and homebrew-enabled, becomes Sega CD Go
by Griffin McElroy { 7 hours ago }
A YouTube video by "Neon" from "Team Typhoon" (is that some sort of gang?) appears to prove that on some PSP Go, somewhere in the world, one can play Sonic CD. Don't get your hopes up -- the video's annotations repeatedly promise that the hack will not be released to the general public, so for the time being, you're going to have to keep playing that old copy of Wirehead on your clunky, Voltron-esque home console. Still, our heart swells knowing that our wildest dreams are possible -- if not slightly out of reach.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Metareview: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Reflex
by David Hinkle { 8 hours ago }
- Nintendo Dpad (85/100): "Overall, the game is just what you would expect from an HD game like Call of Duty 4 being ported to Wii. Everything is there, from the great multiplayer and single player modes, to Wii specific controls that really trump those found on other consoles. The only real bad part is that the graphics needed a major step down for the port, and we would have liked WiiSpeak support for those who prefer that, though it is not necessary."
- ONM UK (80/100): "Given the extra two years Treyarch had to squeeze every last drop of polish from the Wii, this is underwhelming visually. It looks okay for a Wii game - that's the dreaded caveat - but it's not even up there with Metroid Prime: Corruption. Having said that, Modern Warfare is still an excellent shooter packed with options and it should be a big player online so we can welcome it to the Wii family."
- IGN (70/100): "Unfortunately, Reflex Edition on Wii just doesn't cut it as a Call of Duty branded game or as a top-tier Wii first-person shooter. The framerate is jumpy, the pointer tracking needs some serious polish, and while most of the elements of COD4 are included, none of them are given enough fine-tuning to truly excel."
Gallery: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Wii)
Xbox 360 passes 10 million consoles in Europe
by Richard Mitchell { 8 hours ago }
Microsoft also cites an internal study, which found that 60 percent of Xbox 360 consoles are now housed in a "family living room." Furthermore, the study found that women now account for 35 percent of Xbox owners, and that 64 percent of Xbox owners are over the age of 25.
If that's true, we're guessing that the majority of Xbox Live headset owners make up the remaining 36 percent.
Artist's resume lists work on 'R3' for Insomniac Games
by Ludwig Kietzmann { 9 hours ago }
Though Insomniac's PlayStation 3 release pattern -- oh, and a massive billboard -- would seem to unfurl "R3" as Resistance 3, a third outing for Chimera crusher Nathan Hale has not been officially announced. A bigger, better sequel would undoubtedly provide a good opportunity to counter the negative feedback that the previous game incurred in hardcore fans.
[Via Game Guru]
Empty Clip Studios composing a Symphony with your music
by JC Fletcher { 9 hours ago }
It's also much less abstract than Mizuguchi's masterpiece, as sound is translated into visible waveforms, which then become patterns of enemies. It's a lot easier for us to tell you to just watch the video after the break than to explain it.
Empty Clip plans to release the game sometime next year. No specific platform has been mentioned.
