Developed by Ocean Interactive, The War of the Worlds is now available on Xbox Live Arcade today. The game is narrated by the great Sir Patrick Stewart. The War of the Worlds is one of the most awe-inspiring and well known science-fiction stories of all time.

“We set out to make a classic cinematic platforming adventure game like the ones we all grew up playing and loving,” said Mike Mika, head of development with Other Ocean Interactive. “Couple the game’s nostalgic feel with one of the greatest stories ever told and The War of the Worlds is a game we’re proud to have developed.  We can’t wait for gamers and fans of one of gaming’s golden eras to get their hands on this game.”

The game is a 2D action adventure created originally in novel form by H.G. Wells and is also a single player title. Set in London, the gameplay narrative parallels the timeline and events from the 1953 movie adaptation, but introduces a new story arc, characters, locations, and sub-plots. With gameplay paying homage to classic cinematic platformers such as Flashback, Out of This World and Prince of Persia, the game follows the exploits of an unknown everyman struggling to escape the Martian invasion of London and rescue his family. Forced to think through insurmountable odds, players will outsmart an army of alien tripods, spiders and drones as they make their way through a landscape of total devastation.

The game is available for 800 Microsoft Points ($10.00). Look for our full review soon.

MonkeyPaw Games announced the new release date for their upcoming title, BurgerTime World Tour to be released first on Xbox Live Arcade this November 2nd.

The game will be afford-ably priced at 800 Microsoft Points. The new BurgerTime experience introduces fresh and meaty additions to the franchise. With challenging platforming elements, online multiplayer, avatar support and boss characters, this is a BurgerTime experience unlike any other. BurgerTime World Tour will be affordably priced at 800 Microsoft Points.

“MonkeyPaw Games has always believed that classic gaming experiences should transcend their original space and evolve into a larger world for the current gaming generation,” said John Greiner, President of MonkeyPaw Games. “We’re thoroughly excited to bring a maturation of a classic game like BurgerTime and give fans a taste of our recipe for retro evolution.”

BurgerTime World Tour is also releasing on PlayStation®Network, the Nintendo® WiiWare service and PC later this year. For more information, check out www.burgertimeworldtour.com and www.monkeypawgames.com.

Toy Soldiers: Cold War is well built for a tower defense title and houses a rather convincing house room backdrop and diorama feel, nothing feels too out of place. This manages to emphasize the games grand scale in many ways. At the start of each level, players will have to place torrents at different locations to defend against the constant onslaught of the communist armies as you do whatever it takes to defend your toy box. Your ability to jump in and man the torrents along with a unique assortment of remote controlled vehicles only adds more to the fun of the game. With responsive controls and proper action game mechanics, including the ability to control missiles through a first person view, provide the game with an extra spark to keep you around.

Another interesting feature of note is the barrages. These are earned through ranking up big combo strikes and destroying enemies with a red star. These equalizers give you the opportunity for boosters like Bombing runs, and even Rambo (looks like Rambo) himself or rather Commando, as he is known in the game. The game overall is simple in design and for committed soldiers, shoulder take just under a day to complete the main campaign. With limited torrent types and simple gameplay, Signal Studios was able to smartly craft challenges and feats within the gameplay to give you that extra challenge. There are bonus modes like high score challenges, and bonus maps in addition.

As for multiplayer, players will be able to compete in entertaining competitive matches. You’ll also be able to invite friend whether online or on split screen co-op and take on the commie Russian army in this what-if scenario. Toy Soldiers: Cold War certainly boasts top quality in terms of presentation and polish. It’s fun and interactive style lends itself to hours of replayability and should be able to help pass the time on a slow afternoon or rainy day.

Bottom Line: Toy Soldiers: Cold War is essentially a title you should have in your library. For history buffs you’ll get a kick out of the historical context the game is in presented in and will certainly appreciate the level of detail Signal Studios provided the game for its time period. There is a lot of fun to be had here if you remember the good old days in your childhood playing with your toy soldiers.

Microsoft revealed a new Xbox Live Arcade title coming from ThinkFlowGames. The game seems to draw influence from titles like Geometry Wars and Pacman.

It appears Blocky is a 2D arcade style game with a reward system and long term goals to keep inviting players to come back and play. It appears the game has two modes, Retro and Waves mode. Retro mode is a survival style mode where players have one life to live to try and last as long as they can. Waves mode is a selection of levels that have different goals for the player to complete to move onto the next level. At the heart of the game is the reward system, the unlockables include: stat increases of Blocky’s powers, items, Retro (gamemode) unlocks and stylish hats, to customise Blocky.

Looks like Blocky will be releasing in September (no specific date was mentioned) for 80 MSP.

NBA Jam: On Fire Edition will release this fall on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

SEGA has today announced that Virtua Fighter 5 will see a major update and expansion in the form of a standalone title on both the XBLA and PSN. This standalone release will be called “Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown”.

SEGA is claiming that the game will offer a “full overhaul” of Virtua Fighter 5’s mechanics, balance and animations. Also expect new game modes, new dynamic fighting arenas, new customisable character items and two all-new characters. Final Showdown will be released in Summer 2012 (a full 9-12 months from now by the sounds of it).

Today is Xbox Live Wednesday folks and that means a slew of new Arcade games and map packs join our update. Leading the way is the launch of the Annihilation Map Pack for Call of Duty Black Ops. The map pack will cost 1,200 Microsoft Points to the equivalent of $15 bucks. the content brings in 4 new matchmaking maps and 1 new zombie map. The maps included are Hangar 18, Silo, Drive-In, and Hazard and the zombie map is Shangri-La.

Next up we have 3 new titles hitting Xbox Live Arcade today. First off is Backbreaker Vengeance (1,200 MS Points) developed by NaturalMotion. While the original Backbreaker focused on simulation this title will have included arcade elements. Another title debuting today is the action role playing title; Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax for 800 MS Points and finally we have Namco Bandai’s Galaga Legions DX also for 800 MS points.

TimeGate Studios, the original developers behind the first Section 8 have returned to give the game its sequel. This time around, the game has managed too be released at a more attractive price point and offer more features then its predecessor. Is it enough to make it worth the full download? Keep reading to find out.

The first Section 8 didn’t exactly set the first person shooter market on fire. Its pure focus on online multiplayer was ultimately its demise. It was certainly a notable effort into making a decent title despite that it was doomed as soon as it hit the store shelves, especially being immediately priced at 60 bucks. TimeGate Studios has returned and brings us a more budget priced title at $15 and is a game that is a bit more robust.

Section 8: Prejudice actually places two feet firmly on the ground this time around with the addition of a single player campaign. The game easily improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. The campaign is filled with everything from cringe worthy voice acting to a cliché written plot but that’s only a fraction of the miscues the game takes as you delve deeper into the title. Just a little forewarning you might encounter some difficulty spikes throughout the single player. You’ll also find unresponsive enemy AI at times that won’t respond to your many rounds of bullets you’ll pump into them before destroying them.

Section 8: Prejudice does come into its own though with its multiplayer options. This is also complimented by the endlessly fun re-spawn method. To explain further; every time you start a match or are re-spawned you’ll be flow out of a hanging aircraft and get to choose which point on the map you land on. This’ll make it less frustrating during matches and make camping less of a hassle. One of the biggest multiplayer options in the game is Conquest versus mode. Here you’ll find yourself and another team battling for control over four nodes scattered across the map. Another multiplayer feature is Swarm mode, which has you defending a single control point against many waves of enemy attackers for fifteen minutes.  The multiplayer is then made even further to keep your interest with character/weapon upgrades. Along with that you’ll find that each match will earn you cash and if you save enough you’ll be able to purchase items to further frustrate your opponents. Aside from that you’ll also be able to complete any of the various 9 combat missions for additional points and bonuses.

At times during the single player and multiplayer experiences I did experience the game crashing. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, it starts to become a bit of a recurring inconvenience. Graphically speaking, this downloadable title is certainly acceptable if compared to other titles in the same genre. Because, if you remember the first Section 8 was way too dated in terms of graphics capability to be even be taken a nod at other first person shooters on the market at the time. There are certainly more rewards given to gamers who continue to delve more into the sci-fi first person shooter, and the ability to keep up with your achievement progress. The character design looks great and can easily grab you into albeit cliché storyline.

The Bottom Line: Section 8: Prejudice certainly improves over its predecessor in almost every way and is in a more acceptable price range. It certainly has an old fashioned feel to its gameplay mechanics and Halo-style graphics. Overall, if you like the first Section 8 or don’t mind delving into a fancy and traditional first person shooter, Section 8: Prejudice might be just up your alley.

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime has officially hit the digital world today on Xbox Live Arcade, PSN and PC. The 4 player off and online co-op title has a brand new cast of Ghostbusters and some familiar returning faces as well. We have here a brand new launch  trailer for you to feast your eyes on. We’re doing our best to acquire the game for our review.

Xbox Live Arcade’s House Party kicks off the spring season with it’s first release. Hard Corps: Uprising releases on Xbox Live Arcade today for 1200 MS points. Here’s a description of the game courtesy of Major Nelson.

Thrilling retro run-and-gun action is back with a vengeance in Hard Corps: Uprising, a new 2D side-scroller developed by ARC System Works that pays homage to classic Konami action series. Play as the soldier Bahamut as he begins to write his legend. Battle in the grueling trenches of Arcade mode, where only the best-of-the-best can survive to the end, or the all-new Rising mode, where a life bar and point system allow you to purchase items and upgrades to build your soldier up and achieve ultimate victory. Need help? Partner with a friend to lay down some serious carnage.

In other words, a title like this worth $15 USD. You can always download the demo attached with the game if your hesitant on spending the 15 bucks.

Via Destructoid and Major Nelson

Team Meat has finally rolled out a patch for Super Meat Boy on the Xbox Live Arcade. It’s a paltry 1MB update that fixes a few faults and the auto-save glitch. With the patch out, Team Meat will carry on pushing new content to the in-game level download hub that has free downloadable levels.

Ubisoft’s Jade Raymond has confirmed that survival disaster game I Am Alive has been shifted from a retail release to an Xbox Live and PlayStation Network downloadable title. It will be released this year. Other than that, we don’t have any more info about it yet.

SEGA has today announced SEGA Rally Online Arcade. It’s a new title based on SEGA Rally Revo and SEGA Rally 3. It will be released on the PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Arcade, with both versions supporting online multiplayer with up to five others.

“We’ve blended our hit arcade racing series with the best elements from the console versions to bring our fans the SEGA Rally experience in compact, downloadable format,” said Haruki Satomi, Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA. “Whether they’re new to the SEGA Rally series or they’ve participated in countless races over the years, we’re confident everyone will enjoy the wide variety of features included in this fan favourite.”

Also expect the Championship Battle mode and Time Attack to return. There will be 14 rally cars to choose from as well as online leaderboards. A release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but SEGA was adamant that it will be released this year.

Oddworld Inhabitants has announced a HD remake of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. UK developer Just Add Water will be handling development duties. “It’s basically Abe’s Oddysee being redone in a 3D physics engine as a 2D side-scrolling platformer,” series creator Lorne Lanning said.

“So the way Just Add Water wants to approach it, we thought was very smart; they are not trying to reinvent any wheels. It’s like, ‘Can we make that experience in a new engine, with new tech, in the old way?’”

A release date and platform haven’t been announced yet. Abe’s Oddysee originally came out on the PS1 and PC back in 1997. There were a few sequels afterwards and the series did pretty well. Recently, all the games have been put into a bundle that’s available to download from Steam in a collection entitled “Oddbox”.

A HD remake of Stranger’s Wrath will be released on PSN later this year. Lanning believes that Microsoft is blocking an Xbox Live Arcade version of the game being released. “We have Stranger all ready to go on XBLA, but the answer keeps being no,” he said. “We’re still talking to them and we’re hoping to work it out.”

Breach developers Atomic Games have unveiled that the game will be released on 26th January on the PC and Xbox Live Arcade. It will cost 1200 Allards on the 360 and £15 on PC. The game is a multiplayer FPS that features destructible environments. Apparently, no cover is safe thanks to the game’s Destruction Toolbox. Regardless, Breach has the usual array of multiplayer modes: Team Deathmatch, Infiltration, Convoy and Retrieval. There are also gadgets and perks to earn the longer you play.

Ilomilo is a weird game. It comes across as this odd cutesy thing with bizarre-looking characters an odd gameworld and nothing more. The presentation is muddled up in its own rubbish and it doesn’t offer the best of first impressions. Despite this, what lurks beneath the ridiculous aesthetics and the “plot” (one dude wants to meet another for some afternoon tea) is a cheeky little puzzler.

Ilo and Milo are two thumb-shaped dudes that like meeting together every day in the park for a brew and a biscuit. Apparently, they get upset when they have to go home. The game follows their progress as they try to meet each other in each of their world’s levels. It’s not exactly a lightening plot, and macabre individuals like myself will scoff at the lack of blacks.

However, the gameplay is something quite lovely. You have to switch between Ilo and Milo (or play as just one if you want to do online co-op) to make them meet in the middle of a level. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, as both are on different paths and you have to solve a variety of puzzles to get them on the same one. The puzzles may seem simple, but there’s a pleasant amount of exploration on offer here that always serves to complicate matters.

The puzzles may include creating bridges, rising platforms, directing animals to eat away parts of a level and even some naughty gravity-changing. It’s an effective mix that can get tough, but you will never rip your controller to bits like with a tricky Japanese game. What can be annoying though is that some levels will force you to restart due to some glitches. These are mainly created by the gravity-changing elements, where sometimes it can be impossible to get to another/the same gravity pad to get back to your previous state.

The problem with Ilomilo is that it is too simple and basic. There just isn’t a whole lot to do in order to keep you interested. In a world when we can get instant gratification anytime we please, our entertainment needs to do more all of the time to keep us plugged in to the action. What’s on offer here is great for simple puzzle folk, but people wanting a bit of fire to their games will be left disappointed. Coupled with the presentation, it is fair to assume that core players just won’t feel connected to what’s going on here.

Verdict: Ilomilo is technically entertainment and looks pleasant enough, but the presentation is just too weird. We can’t connect to the experience and that lets down a game that could have been so much more. Puzzle fans will enjoy what’s on offer here if they can really get into the game, but even that’s a challenge.

Capcom has slapped a date on Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. It will be released on the PlayStation Network on 1st February in the US and on the Xbox Live Arcade on 2nd February. The PSN version will cost $14.99 and the XBLA release will set you back 1200 Allards.

Microsoft has announced that the 2011 Xbox Live Arcade House Party promotion will be starting on February 16th. It will include the new Beyond Good & Evil HD revamp, Hard Corps Rising, Bejewelled Blitz, Full House Poker and Torchlight.

Atari has announced Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale for the PC, XBLA and PSN. It will be released in spring 2011 and is currently under development at Bedlam Games. Expect lots of the usual fantasy stuff (Realms under attack by some evil dude) and a multiplayer mode that has a “riveting” narrative apparently.

Dark Energy Digital has announced that they will be dropping a big update for Hydrophobia tomorrow (21st December). The update coincides with a permanent price drop from 1200 Allards to 800 Allards. They have also extended the trial if you want to play a bit of it for free. The new patch adds improved button mapping with better controls alongside stronger combat, cover and camera systems apparently.

There will also be clearer damage feedback and objectives, according to the developers. DED read 250 reviews of the poorly-received game to figure out where they went wrong and they believe the update fixes the main problems. Will it be a case of too little too late?