Today is finally the day that we all get to venture onto Columbia and witness the story of Elizabeth and Booker DeWitt. The above trailer is our official launch trailer for the game which is now available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

BioShock Infinite puts players in the shoes of U.S. Cavalry veteran turned hired gun Booker DeWitt. Indebted to the wrong people and with his life on the line, DeWitt has only one opportunity to wipe his slate clean. He must rescue Elizabeth, a mysterious girl imprisoned since childhood and locked up in the flying city of Columbia. Forced to trust one another, Booker and Elizabeth form a powerful bond during their daring escape. Together, they learn to harness an expanding arsenal of weapons and abilities as they fight on zeppelins in the clouds, along high-speed Sky-Lines, and down in the streets of Columbia, all while surviving the threats of the air-city and uncovering its dark secret.

Which version are you getting? Keep a look out for our full review soon!

Been looking forward to Persona 4: Arena for those of you in Europe? Fear not! Atlus has finally announced an official release date for Persona 4: Arena. The game will officially make its way to store shelves on May 10th, 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Following along from Persona 4: Golden, Persona 4: Arena continues the story from the critically acclaimed fighting game of 2012. Persona 4: Arena is a combined effort coming from ATLUS and Arc System Works to bring in high definition 2D art and storytelling. You can pre order the game now in your local retailer. Check out some of the features of the game provided by ATLUS.

Persona 4 Arena features:

·         13 playable characters, each with their own individual story campaign.
·         A story mode comparable to the JRPG series with over 30+ hours of story gameplay – which continues the events from where the PS Vita Best seller, Persona 4 Golden, left off.
·         Innovative fighting system, where players battle with both their chosen character and their Persona simultaneously.
·         Exceptional suite of tutorials and challenges, as well as an innovative and easy to use combo system – making Persona 4 Arena one of the most approachable fighters of this generation.

Please look forward to more exciting announcements surrounding Persona 4 Arena in the coming weeks.

2K Games recently released this video showing Irrational Games Studio Head Ken Levine speaking at the BAFTA Awards titled “From Shodan to Big Daddy to Elizabeth: The Evolution of AI Companions”. Levine discussing some aspects of BioShock Infinite as well, the next BioShock game in the series.

The next trailer/video we have up our sleeves is for GRiD 2 debuting the first part in the ‘World Series Racing’ series of videos. The video is narrated by, no not Patrick Stewart unfortunately but Patrick Callahan, the founder of World Series Racing, the fictional cross-discipline motor racing championship that runs throughout GRID 2.

The video describes how the new motorsport series and debuts two key racing clubs as he introduces the American locations in GRID 2 featuring street racing in Chicago and Track Racing at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway and finally Road Racing at the California Coast. As you begin to race in GRID 2 you’ll begin your adventure to recruit new racing clubs and their drivers to compete in various new traditional events. The world of GRID 2 will reflect on your progress in the game as you will be able to track your progress, increase your fan base, earn fame  and with GRID 2′s XP be able to access other events, sponsors, cars and more. Codemasters is also partnering with ESPN to allow players the ability to create in-game ESPN SportsCenter live action videos that will chart the rise of World Series Racing as it grows.

Look for GRID 2 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on May 31st. Check out the latest screenshots below.

The above trailer reveals the gameplay for the upcoming game in the Call of Juarez series titled Gunslinger. It appears it’ll be the bloodiest title yet and reminds me a bit of the Quentin Tarantino films as well. Bloody and a lot of violence and a different art style that can be compared to Borderlands.

The game is based in the Wild West with plenty of cowboys to be had including the infamous Jesse James, don’t forget there are explosions too, plenty of explosions. Look for it on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Nintendo has announced the newest game starring Mario’s much more lovable brother Luigi in Luigi’s Mansion 2. The game will launch on March 28th, 2013 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems as Luigi returns to help his mad scientist friend Professor E. Gadd by sucking up ghosts in a haunted mansion that are filled with puzzling contraptions that you can use to proceed through the game. You’ll also be armed with a torch and the Poltergust 5000. Check out some of the new feature’s you’ll encounter in the game from the press release provided by Nintendo.

As you explore, keep a close eye on your surroundings and investigate every nook and cranny to bring the secrets of the mansions to light. Experimenting with the Poltergust’s functions to either suck things up or blow them away will often be key to making your way: rolling up a carpet may reveal a concealed switch, while peeling off loose wallpaper can expose a secret doorway. As you come up with different ways to use your tools, you’ll also uncover fiendishly hidden gems for your collection and gather stacks of cash to gain equipment upgrades.

The adventure is brought to life with rich, cartoon-like graphics in immersive auto-stereoscopic 3D. Each mansion has its own characteristics and equally the variety of ghosts roaming the mansions’ halls and rooms are full of personality, fun and mischief, lending a light-hearted touch to the exploration of the haunted houses.

In addition to the solo adventure, up to four players can get together locally or online to venture into the Thrill Tower in the multiplayer mode, where each controls a differently-coloured Luigi to tackle three varied challenges awaiting on its floors. In Hunter mode, work together to hunt down ghouls and clear each floor before the clock strikes zero. In Polterpup mode, chase the adorable ghost dog with your Dark-Light Device in tow to catch him. In Rush mode, frantically hunt for the escape hatch that allows your team Luigi to climb up to the next floor.

The game will first be released on March 27th, 2013 for Spain, Portugal, Norway, Denmark and other selected countries.

Konami Digital Entertainment have announced that there are free VR missions available now for download for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Free for a limited time, the VR Missions add 30 all new missions with the classic VR look from the original Metal Gear Solid.

Along with this announcement Konami will release two additional missions pack in April with the first DLC pack titled Jetstream that is a side story featuring the character Sam as a playable character. The second pack will let players take control of Blade Wolfe in his side story. Both DLC packs will be featuring extended hours of gameplay along with unique abilities as well as characteristics for each character.

For more information on the game be sure to check out http://www.metalgearsolid.com.

Bethesda Studios have just announced an official release date of the second add-on pack for Dishonored, the first person action game created by Arkane Studios. The downloadable add-on pack will be available for download worldwide on April 16th, 2013 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points. Here is a synopsis of the single player add on pack provided by Bethesda.

In The Knife of Dunwall you take on the role of Daud, the legendary assassin who killed the Empress, and access his weapons, gadgets, allies and supernatural abilities. After assassinating the Empress, and forever changing the fate of Dunwall, you embark on a search for redemption. The Outsider reveals the key to your atonement, but who—or what—is Delilah? Accompanied by the Whalers, your loyal band of mercenary assassins, your search will take you through never-before-seen districts of Dunwall as you face off against new and terrible foes. Employ a unique arsenal of new weapons and powers that enhance Dishonored’s dynamic combat, mobility and stealth systems. In the struggle to hang onto the last shred of your humanity, the choices you make will ultimately determine your fate.

Dishonored has received many high accolades and rightly so, it is a well made first person game with a gripping story that has excellent character development. What do you think? Sound off in the comments!

Already booked and ready to go to PAX East this month? If you’re into video game music and the inner workings of composition, you may want to add this panel to list of things to do while your in Boston, MA. On Saturday March 23rd, 2013 from 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm in the PAX Naga Theater, Tomb Raider composer Jason Graves (also composed Dead Space games) will be speaking on the panel.

Graves has composed and recorded his live orchestral scores at Abbey Road Studios, Air Studios London, Capitol Records, FOX, Paramount Pictures and Skywalker Sound. He most recently conducted Tomb Raider at the SpikeTV Awards. Here’s some info from the press release:

Crystal Dynamics entrusted Graves with their innovative reboot of the iconic Tomb Raider franchise, giving him creative freedom to infuse atmosphere, emotion and authenticity to Lara’s origins story through his score. The end result combines found sounds, authentic percussion and a truly unique custom instrument interwoven with orchestral themes and textures.

Jason was also responsible for creating a unique soundtrack for Dead Space, hailed by critics as “truly original” and “the best score of the year.” It was recognized with a myriad of worldwide nominations and won two BAFTA awards – one for Original Score and one for Use of Audio. For the latter, the Academy stated, “It’s the music soundtrack that boasts horror and tension.”

PAX East is taking place from March 22nd – 224th, 2013 in Boston Massachusetts.

Ok, maybe that sounds a bit too far fetched for our tastes. But Ubisoft’s latest downloadable content for The Tyranny of King Washington also grants Connor with new abilities. The ability to become invisible and take out enemies with a bit more stealth in your arsenal. The “Power of the Wolf” power will give players the ability to stalk your enemies in a new fashion and even call in wolf packs to kill your enemies from a distance as you fight to take out the newest threat against freedom.

All episodes of the Assassin’s Creed DLC will be available through the Assassin’s Creed III Season Pass for $29.99 (PSN) or 2400 Microsoft Points. You can also purchase the single player episodes individually for 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99. The second episode of the DLC will be released on March 19th, 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The newest downloadable content for Dead Space 3 titled ‘Awakened’ is available for download starting on March 12th, 2013 on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and PC. The newest chapter extends the ending to Dead Space 3 and give us a little more story into what we end with in Dead Space 3. Here is a brief synopsis provided by EA on what the newest DLC is all about.

Left for dead on Tau Volantis, Isaac Clarke and John Carver face a daunting journey. As madness takes hold, they find they can’t trust their eyes or each other. The trek leads to the ship Terra Nova, now home to a sadistic cult of Unitologists. The horror continues as the Dead Space saga enters its darkest chapter.

Dead Space 3 is now available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have worked together to bring you Tomb Raider: The Final Hours app now available for iOS, Steam and Android. The app is priced at $2.99 and is also available on PC as well as Amazon (Kindle-Fire edition) for the first time. Tomb Raider: The Final Hours gives players a behind the scenes look at how Crystal Dynamics spent the final hours of development time in creating Tomb Raider and how they encountered the highs and lows of developing a highly anticipated game.

The app was a project started over 5 months ago back in July 2012 with a web documentary series hosted by actor and gamer Zachary Levi with the first of episodes.

Tomb Raider is now available on store shelves for Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.

To check out where you can get the app click on any of the links below.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-final-hours-of-tomb-raider/id607740958?mt=8
Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/233410/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Final-Hours-Tomb-Raider/dp/B00BK8AOI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1362669073&sr=1-2&keywords=tomb+raider+the+final+hours

Ubisoft has given us a brand new trailer for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, the latest chapter in the Call of Juarez story. As downloadable content the DLC will be launching on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and PC. The full reveal trailer will be debuting online on March 14th, 2013.

From the dust of a gold mine to the dirt of a saloon, Call of Juarez® Gunslinger is a real homage to the Wild West tales and era.  Players will live the epic journey of Silas Greaves, a ruthless bounty hunter who spent his life on the trail of the West’s most notorious outlaws.  Now it is Silas’ time to tell his story, which is linked to the history of the Wild West era: a mix of myths and historical facts.

Made of memorable encounters with some of the West’s most notorious names such as Pat Garret, Jesse James and Butch Cassidy, the game blurs the lines between man and myth. Call of Juarez® Gunslinger lets players live the greatest legends of the Old West.

Ubisoft has announced the release of a new patch today for Far Cry 3 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC versions. The patch will fix issues in the single player campaign and multiplayer. Check out the features below provided by Ubisoft.

SINGLE PLAYER:
-       Outposts reset: after the end of the game, players can choose to reset the liberated outposts to face the challenge to take them over again.
-       A new difficulty setting: Players who have completed the campaign can restart the adventure on MASTER difficulty, with more challenging enemies and dangerous wildlife.
-       New HUD/UK settings: allowing most on-screen information can be toggled on/off in the settings.

MULTIPLAYER
-       Map Beta Test: Players who upload a new map can now publish it as a beta test to monitor how it is played and improve it before releasing to other players.
-       Maps by author: Players will be able to search all the maps created by an author.
-       Idle kick: The feature that kicks out idle players during a MP match is removed from custom and private matches.
-       The Skip map voting system has been improved with more visibility and time to cast the vote

Far Cry 3 is now available for purchase. Check out some screenshots below regarding this latest patch update.

Capcom has officially confirmed the release date for Lost Planet 3, the latest title in the Lost Planet series. Lost Planet 3 will be launching on store shelves on June 25th in North America and June 28th in Europe. Check out the latest trailer above for the game as it will launch on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Here is a brief look from the press release at what the new trailer delves into.

The trailer continues the story of Jim Peyton’s time on E.D.N. III as a NEVEC employee seeking out further sources of the planet’s energy supply T-Eng. During one of these missions, Jim comes under attack from E.D.N. III’s indigenous Akrid, causing his Utility Rig to fall down an icy fissure, leaving him unconscious and injured. Jim wakes to find himself in what appears to be a secret base, hidden beneath the planet’s frozen surface. On discovering he was rescued by one of the base’s inhabitants, Mira, the daughter of Snow Pirate leader, So’ichi, Jim realizes that NEVEC are not the only human inhabitants of E.D.N. III.

Check out quite a few screenshots below Capcom sent along for the announcement.

Ubisoft recently announced that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is in the works and will be coming this year. We’ve been bombarded with a lot of information in just one press release and we’re here to break everything down for you so you can get an idea of what’s coming and what to look forward too for Assassin’s Creed IV.

The Plot

Now, we’ve all seen the cinematic trailer by now, if not you should definitely check it out. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is based in new location in the West Indies. You’ll be visiting the West Indies set at the dawn of the 18^th century. You will play as a pirate trained by Assassin’s named Edward Kenway (????-1735) who is a young British man that finds himself embroiled in the ancient battle between the Assassin’s and Templar’s. He is the grandfather of Connor. You will encounter some of the most feared pirates of the time period including the infamous Blackbeard (who is seen narrating the trailer) and Charles Vane.

Edward Teach who is better known as Blackbeard (1680 – 22 November 1718) is one of the fiercest pirates to roam the seas in the 18^th century. He primarily toured through the West Indies and the eastern side of the American colonies. After capturing a French merchant vessel he renamed her, Queen Ann’s Revenge, and with her 40 guns began to terrorize the waters. Will we learn some of Blackbeard’s history? The trailer only shows Blackbeard sitting in a pub as he explains who our main character is to a group of on lookers of what he seems to be holding some grub. It is possible we will encounter Blackbeard at some point during the campaign, though it is too early to tell if he will be a target or not.

The other pirate that isn’t touched on or seen in the trailer is Charles Vane (c.1680 – March 29, 1721). With his flagship named the Ranger, he mostly preyed on British and French shipping with a pirate career that only lasted 3 years (1716-1719). He was very active in the southern east coast of the United States as well as the Caribbean. Very little is known about Charles Vane and it will be interesting to see what we learn about this pirate.

The Gameplay

It appears Ubisoft have been working on this game for nearly two years with support from development teams in Ubisoft Montreal and from Ubisoft studios in Annecy, Bucharest, Kiev, Quebec, Singapore and Sofia. What can we expect to see from this large combination of studios working on the project? Assassin’s Creed III wasn’t exactly a prize game in the series when compared with AC 2 for example and had many flaws which I expect Ubisoft to address when it comes to IV. Let’s analyze what we notice in the trailer that relates to gameplay as well new combat experiences.

We see Edward holstering 4 single-shot flint lock pistols (a common weapon of the time period) as well as two swords. For a brief sequence Edward and his crew raid a ship and board it as well for close counter combat, and it appears if timed right a combo move to use two of the pistols (Instant kill?) as soon as you board. You also see Edward using environmental props for strong tactical melee combat. Briefly through an AI controlled crew member, we notice the hook makes a return! There could be a use for it in Assassin’s Creed IV, but that is yet to be revealed officially. The hook blade was originally used back in Revelations. For our brotherhood AI we also notice them performing various environmental and prop kills as well, could AI crews be given fighting capabilities to help when raiding ships?

An underwater scene is portrayed as Edward swims towards a sunken ship. This could either mean we have side objectives to search for sunken treasure or these are new Assassin hideouts. The classic Assassin perch that we’ve come to be familiar with is seen as we are on top of Port Royal.

Towards the end of the trailer we notice Edward taking out a clearly marked Templar in the middle of the street and immediately continue to walk with a woman through the street. This could be a new version of the stealth gameplay to go completely unnoticed during a mission.

Also of note is that Ubisoft promises the game will be much like a Skyrim, an open world adventure with more than 50 navigable locations and with combat that uses the ancient Assassin trained techniques with the weapon armaments of the era. The multiplayer experience wasn’t shown in the trailer but it appears will continue what we are already familiar with in the current games.

Overall Thoughts

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be an exciting new game to add to the long running series and stays true to Ubisoft’s promise of a new AC game every year. As long as Ubisoft can keep up the quality of story in the game and improve the gameplay issues from Assassin’s Creed III then we might have ourselves a wonderful title to satisfy our AC needs. The game will launch on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on October 29th as well as all next-gen consoles. Look for more details on the game as we inch closer and closer to E3 in June. What are your thoughts on this new title? Sound off in the comments below!

Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix have officially announced that a new Thief game that will be coming to PC and next-gen consoles (PlayStation 4 and next Xbox). The new Thief game is being developed by Eidos-Montreal (Deus Ex: Human Revolution). The game is the new cover on Game Informer which you can see above and will be on store shelves for the April issue. You’ll be able to read exclusive interviews, see screenshots and concept art as well. Thief will be available in 2014, but no specific release date was revealed.

Time has moved on. Power has shifted. New greed replaces the old.But to remain free in The City of chains – that is still the greatest prize.First I stole to survive… then I survived to steal.I am one man; I hear your secrets, see your hidden truths.I am the shadows, the dark and deadly, the velvet night. You will not see me coming.I am Garrett….What’s yours is mine.

There is a rising tide of fear in The City. Hatred saturates every stone and whilst the rich prosper, the less fortunate face misery and repression. Ravaged with sickness and famine, they wait for something to change.

Into this shadowy world steps Garrett, THE master thief in a first-person adventure featuring intelligent design that allows players to take full control, with freedom to choose their path through the game’s levels and how they approach and overcome each challenge.

Look out for more details on the game as we get closer to E3. Do you think we’ll see a full demo of the game? Sound off the comments below!

Have you been wanting to live the University life in The Sims 3? Well, now you can with the launch of The Sims 3: University Life available now on Mac and PC. You can now leave home and attend a university of your choice as you go off to explore the college life with crazy parties, earn your degree and meet new people along the way. Here’s a break down of what university life will be like in The Sims 3.

The Sims 3 University Life will give players an opportunity to leave home and attend university, where they will enroll in classes, earn degrees and discover the crazy antics and hijinks that go hand-in-hand with the college lifestyle. From juice-keggers to new social groups, to protests in the quad and young love, there’s much more to university than time spent in the classroom. Sims will explore an all-new college town filled with new locations to visit such as the bowling alley and SimBurger and discover hidden talents through an array of extra-curricular activities, including spray painting murals, playing games of kicky bag in the quad and so much more!

The Sims 3 University Life opens a new chapter for young adult to elder Sims and anyone in between. Once a Sim is enrolled in university, they will pick from one of six majors and work towards earning a degree. From class activities to major-specific objects, The Sims 3 University Life will poise Sims for multiple benefits in their careers, including accelerated pay, higher career entry, new opportunities and more.

Activision is kicking off the license it gained for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) to announce it’s new game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. The license had previously been held with Ubisoft. The downloadable game will be heading to Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and PC. It is loosely based on the new CGI-animated cartoon currently airing on Saturday mornings on Nickelodeon.

We see a tiny bit of gameplay here in the trailer and it looks like a pretty decent beat em up. The art style is a bit grainier then the cartoon is and appears to have a more serious tone then the new show as well. No other details of the game have been announced so far. Look for more details about the game soon!

After it leaked through the many channels of the internet, Ubisoft has lifted the curtain on Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag today with the first information about the game. As we can clearly see in the trailer it appears Blackbeard will be making an appearance in the game, will he be one of the main villains? Is he a Templar? We’ll also encounter another vicious pirate by the name of Charles Vane as we travel through the West Indies.

Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag will be releasing on Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo WiiU, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on October 29th, 2013 (North America) and October 21st, 2013 (UK). Expect to see more gameplay when E3 rolls around in June. Here’s some info from the press release as well as a set of screenshots and concept art.

“With the new hero and new setting we are creating the boldest and most unique Assassin’s Creed game yet, while still respecting the pillars of the franchise that have made it such a fan favorite,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is based on a true, harsh and exciting part of a legendary era and will thrill longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, a young British man with a thirst for danger and adventure, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major Empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th Century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time later to become known as the Golden Age of Pirates.

Gameplay in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is based upon the franchise’s proven tenets. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag features a vast open world with more than 50 navigable locations. Combat combines the weaponry of the Assassin’s Order with armaments of the era, and rewards both daring and stealth. And the series’ acclaimed multiplayer experience is more varied and ruthless than ever in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.

Customers who purchase Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag on PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4 can download 60 minutes of additional gameplay via the PlayStation Network after the game’s launch.

Customers who pre-order Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag at GameStop® will receive a Limited Edition collectible poster (while supplies last) featuring artwork created by legendary, award-winning artist Todd McFarlane.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag can be pre-ordered at Uplay shop by visiting: http://shop.ubi.com/AC4BF