The Latest RAGE Trailer Gets Me Angry!

The latest trailer for id Software's racing-FPS with a splash of RPG elements is still looking good. Seems we've been hearing about RAGE for years now.. What's that? Oh, I guess we have been. Well, the light at the end of the blood-stained tunnel is not just the flaming wreckage of an scrapped battle-buggy, but also the North American release date of September 11. 

Urge to slaughter hostile deformed mutants rising! 

Dead Island Ruins the Idea of a Tropical Vacation

Zombies, zombies, zombies. They're everywhere, and frankly, I'm getting tired of them. Zombies in space, zombies in the old west, zombies in the Red Light District, and now, zombies in paradise! Oh noes!

As much as this whole walking dead craze is wearing on me, I have to admit this trailer for Dead Island -- a new IP in which you brutalize the undead on a tropical island paradise -- is fucking insane. Incredibly well made, hauntingly beautiful, and a total mindfuck. All positive signs that this, another zombie game in the pile, could be something special. 

Of course, trailers can look as amazing as they want, but it wont matter a damn if the game itself sucks. Though it's been in development for quite some time, Dead Island has few details. What has been confirmed is that it's a first person shooter with RPG elements, focused mostly on melee combat, with multiple characters and four-player coop. Sounds like a Left 4 Dead mod to me, but I'll reserve judgement until I have a little more to base my biased opinions on.

If you're not much of a thinker, and the original trailer is too Memento for you, here it is played backwards, which is actually forward. 

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 DLC Shows New Costumes, Teases New Characters

If you have yet to purchase Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I ask you this: what the hell is wrong with you?! While you're busy lollygagging on possibly 2011 most anticipated release, Capcom is making moves on the DLC tip. They got schedules, schedules of DLC that detail what you'll miss if you haven't copped Marvel vs. Capcom 3 yet, and what date you'll miss it. 

Landing on March 1 is the first of many costume packs, which re-outfits 6 of your fighters in stylish new duds. Ryu gets thrown back to his Street Fighter gear, complete with terrible slippers. Dante gets ladies with his fathers features in his Sparda outfit. Chris Redfield gets hooked up in his duds from the original Resident Evil, though unfortunately he doesn't bring his stroke face with him. On the Marvel side of things, Thor rocks his tried and true 80's suit that I grew up with. It's not quite Beta Ray Bill, but it will have to do for now. Iron Man gets all TSA on your ass with his Iron Patriot gear that was worn by Norman Osborn for a hot minute. And saving the best for last, Captain America lets his locks hang, with the maskless Steve Rogers look, complete with the sweet freakin' shield. This pack runs you $5 on PSN, or 400 MS points if you're using funny money.

Also dropping March 1 is the first Shadow Mode DLC pack, which allows you to play against AI controlled characters who are programmed to fight in the style of several notable Capcom staffers; producer Ryota Niitsuma, along with assistant producer Akihito Kadowaki and a namless "QA team leader". Bet he's the worst of the bunch! 

And finally, news from the rumor mill. Everybody who's anybody knows about the first two downloadable characters, Shuma Gorath and Jill Valentine. Now grain of salt, but a eagle-eyed reader of Destructoid did some digging in Marvel vs. Capcom 3's coding and found two things of interest. Namely Frank West and Doctor Octopus, who either will be added as DLC or are left over code as character that didn't make the final cut. It was already said that Frank West was in an early build of the game and cut at the last minute, but fuck it, keep fingers crossed these guys get added in. I would love to whoop some ass with Doc Ock.

Pitchers and Catchers and Gamers

Written by Jimmy Donofrio

With the Super Bowl firmly behind us (though dreams of hellscapes filled with Black Eyed Peas music still haunt me at night), it’s time to finally turn all of our sports-related attention towards baseball. Spring Training is fast approaching, which also means the latest offerings from 2K Sports and Sony Entertainment are stepping into the batter’s box to once again vie (probably not on the same competitive playing field) for our money.

MLB 2K11 has released its second developer’s diary, dedicated to a side-by-side comparison of graphics of this year’s entry to 2K10. The results are clear: player models (at least on these specific players), uniforms (at least with these specific teams), and stadium lighting (at least at AT&T Park) have all been improved.

What should concern Xbox baseball enthusiasts is the return of the not-so-jumbo jumbotron. Sony to the rescue! PlayStation.Blog posted the updates to MLB 11: The Show’s stadium realism and ambiance yesterday, and they're pretty fantastic. The Show will boast stadium-specific jumbotrons, out-of-town scoreboards, dynamic weather, and fan interaction (including cowbells and rally towels!). Could be another long season of 2Kers looking up from the bottom of the division.

REVIEW: Dead Space 2

In 2008, Dead Space was released to great critical and commercial success. The seamless blend of survival-horror, action, and cinematic beauty offered an experience that many games before it attempted to create, and many after attempted to emulate. Fast forward to 2011, and the release of the long awaited Dead Space 2. Eager to prove the series has staying power, does Dead Space 2 hit its Marker, or will it be torn apart by its inner demons?

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The Darkness II is Coming, Jackie

God damn, all these years later and I still can't get the God Mike Patton's rendition of the Darkness out of my head. Aside from the amazing vocals of Mr. Bungle, The Darkness was actually a solid game. 

That's why it's such a pleasant surprise to hear, seemingly out of no where, that The Darkness II is on it's way. Shadow abilities, twisted storylines and visuals, all that good shit. Jackie and friend are sure to have learned some new tricks, like fucking quad-wielding weapons. Holy shit, that's a game changer. Rogues, berserkers, and Chow Yun Fat can suck it with their lame-ass ambidexterity.

No word yet on whether or not Mike Patton will be reprising his role as the Darkness, but he damn well better. We've shot a missive to the proper folks and hope for a reply soon. Until then, embrace The Darkness, and enjoy the following screenshot. Singular screen, quadruple arms. 

Hard Metal Meets Cold Steel in Hunted: The Demon's Forge

Did you ever wonder what a dungeon crawler mixed with a third person shooter and the essence of heavy metal would look like? Me neither. Thankfully, inXile Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks has tackled the unthought notion, and the answer to the question is a resounding "awesome".

Hunted: The Demon's Forge looks to borrow heavily from Gears of War's play mechanic at its face, but it places an emphasis on co-op play. Control the burly Caddoc to slice and dice all sorts of nasties, and have your friend play the svelte E’lara for more of a spell-weaving, arrow-shooting experience. It's like two games in one! But wait, there's more! She casts magic, he follows up with hard slashes, creating a level of dynamic dual techniques between the two. Rad.

Are you a total hermit with no friends and no connection to the interwebz? No problem ya bum, pick your favorite of the two and let the AI control the other, but feel free to switch between the either of the mercenary alliance at any time! Methinks Hunted: The Demon's Forge is on the right track. Confirmation will come on the stateside release date of June 1 for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. Now, back to headbanging. 

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Makes Death at Mach 1 Look Good

I've always been a sucker for the Ace Combat series. Something about majestic metal birds soaring above the clouds at 1195 kilometers per hour, shredding the bloody hell out of each other with various high tech armaments floats my sails, man.

Though the story is never very riveting, the franchise has dog fighting down to an arcade art form, and that fact is just grossly exaggerated in this Ace Combat: Assault Horizon trailer, which focuses on close range combat. Laying back and locking on is a bore. Why let the missiles do all the work? Wouldn't you rather put your nosecone up a fighter's afterburner and pump the damn thing full of 30mm depleted uranium armor-piercing shells at a cool 3,900 rounds per minute? Of course you would.

Buildings taking damage from errant missiles, damaged aircraft splintering to oblivion as your vulcan viciously rips their fuselage apart, close calls, and the camera work! Whew, I'm feeling faint. No release date yet, but you can expect Namco Bandai's high-flying adrenaline rush sometime in 2011.

via VG247

Galactus Celebrates his Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Reveal with 185 Hits

Galactus is a busy man. When he's not eating planets, or being a douchebag, he makes appearances frustrating the shit out of gamers, most recently in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. 

He appears, talks a whole lot of mess, creates Cosmic infused clones of Marvel and Capcom villains, then takes off, presumably to feed his cat. After you're done with the clones, who happen to have the ability to consistently double team you, Galactus returns and casually laces you with 185 hits of finger lasers, before he hammer-fists, and subsequently KOs the Earth. Good times!

The encounter looks like a stressful affair for sure, but taking on Balrog, Vega, Sagat, and M. Bison at 8 stars was no cakewalk either. Totally ready for Galactus and his cheap tactics.

Kaiyodo's Revoltech Figure Line Flirting with Samus

I try to squeeze in some talk about Kaiyodo's Revoltech figures whenever I can. The line outputs awesome, high quality, inexpensive, insanely articulated figures that wont make you feel like a complete lame for blowing your cash wad on a toy.

A few weeks ago, pictures of a protoype Jehuty from Zone of the Enders was leaked. Hot damn, Revoltech getting it on with video games? Too good to be true, right? Apparently not, as the silhouette teasing an upcoming figure uncannily resembles Metroid's Samus Aran. Of course this is pure rumor, as that chalk outline with the words "Revoltech 2011 Lineup" emblazoned in Japanese is all we got to work with but come on, did you see the header image? 

This could be the start of something big; Samus, Jehuty, and even Iron Man Mark VI. If Kaiyodo cotinues to use the Revoltech brand to release US comic and gaming characters, their market could balloon in the west.

My Figure Collection via Tomopop