Portal 2: Peer Review DLC Announced

Grabbing our attention this afternoon, Valve Software has announced that they're working on a new DLC pack for their critically-acclaimed puzzle game, Portal 2. Due out on October 4th, "Peer Review" will offer a new co-op test track, along with a new singleplayer/co-op Challenge Mode and leaderboards. To celebrate this news, Valve has released the final installment of the Portal 2 soundtrack "Songs to Test By". Grab it while it's hot! :D

Persona 4 anime heading stateside soon, available on home video in 2012

For those wondering if Persona 4 the Animation will ever show up in the U.S., we've got good news for you: Sentai Filmworks has acquired the rights to distribute Persona 4 in North America. Various digital outlets are set to premiere Persona 4 soon while DVD and Blu-Ray releases hit retailers in 2012. Persona 4 the Animation covers the same plotline from the PlayStation 2 game, retelling the story of several teenagers investigating a string of murders and kidnappings that are linked to a strange world found within televisions. Japanese voice actors from Persona 4 PS2 reprise their roles in this 25-episode series.

Fallout: New Vegas pre-order content now available as DLC

The Courier's tale wrapped up with Lonesome Road last week, but if you're still running around the Mojave Wasteland, Bethesda has additional content that might help you in your New Vegas travels.  The first is the Courier's Stash, available off Xbox LIVE, PSN, and Steam for 160 MP or $2.  This pack bundles together pre-order goodies from the Caravan Pack, Classic Pack, Mercenary Pack, and Tribal Pack, which includes weapons, armor, and other useful items.  Double that price at 320 MP or $4 is the Gun Runner's Arsenal, which introduces a new line of weapons, mods, ammo types, and recipes to New Vegas.  For a more detailed look at the GRA content pack, check the official blog.  Bethesda released a number of previews over the last week showcasing some of the new guns, including the GRA Tri-Beam Laser Rifle and Li'l Devil 12.7mm pistol.

Orcs Must Die! Video Dev Diary

Giving us a peek behind the scenes tonight, Robot Entertainment have released a new video developer diary for their upcoming Action-Strategy title, Orcs Must Die!. Clocking in at just over seven minutes long, this video gives us a general overview of the game. Check it out:

The above stream is courtesy of YouTube. Mirrors are also available at GamersHell and the FileShack.

Orcs Must Die! is scheduled for release on October 12th.

Diablo 3 Slips to 2012

Initially expected to appear for the holidays in 2011, Blizzard has now officially announced a delay - Diablo 3 will not ship in 2011 and is instead now targeted for early 2012. This also means that the beta test that started on 20th September will be extended and more people will be invited later this year.

This is not completely unexpected as the initial feedback over the beta seems to have been more harsh than on any previous Blizzard title - no, don't get me wrong, Diablo 3 (based on the current beta) isn't a bad game... it is just that it lacks some of that polish Blizzard is known for and features a couple of questionable design decisions that could still get tweaked with some extra time. It definitely looks already like a game that could have shipped this year, but it would have meant some compromises in quality.

2K Marin explains XCOM remake and origins in first developer video

Developing XCOM hasn't been easy for 2K Marin.  When the game first debuted at E3, the reception was unfavorable -- to say the least -- and the studio had to completely redo what they had already accomplished.  What we saw at E3 2011 was solid, but in July, the project's lead designer and art director left 2K Marin to form their own studio.  Yeah, talk about terrible luck.  Fortunately, the game is still going through, and the team has released the first in a series of developer diaries explaining the XCOM reboot.  The new XCOM is meant to be an origins tale, dropping in on the agency before it went international and recruited all those amazing agents of theirs.  The year is 1962, and the United States is being overrun by a terrifying enemy that seeks to completely transform Earth in an effort to colonize our planet.  These aren't the kind of aliens we typicall see in shooters these days, either. The terraforming process is a sight to behold, really.  On one side, you have Earth, organic and vibrant, but over time, the terraform spreads and morphs our world into something distinctly alien.  Dark crystalline formations pop up everywhere, and the result is a feast for the eyes.  The video also delves deeper into the strategic and somewhat RPG-esque gameplay elements of XCOM as well.  Definitely worth a look, whether or not you're familiar with the original. Sections: Microsoft Consoles, Console Games, PC Games, Sony Consoles

Red Orchestra 2 Patched

Also available for download today is a small patch for Tripwire Interactive's recently-released first person shooter, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. This latest update features a handful of bug fixes, gameplay tweaks, performance optimizations and allows you to enable webadmin through the commandline. You can find the full changelog right here or just launch the game's auto-updater to start downloading. Cheers!

Payday: The Heist Screenshots

Fresh out of the oven, OverKill Software have released six new screenshots from their upcoming squad-based first person shooter, Payday: The Heist. These latest screenies feature a street shootout. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payday: The Heist is scheduled for release on October 4th.

Call of Duty: Black Ops - Rezurrection DLC Released

Kicking things off today, Treyarch has announced that their Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection DLC is now available for purchase/download through Steam. Priced at $14.99 USD, this latest add-on features a new "Moon" level, along with four remastered classic zombies maps, new weapons, equipment, and perks. Here's the official word:

London, UK – 22nd September, 2011 – Call of Duty®gamers lock and load in low gravity today with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection, the fourth downloadable content pack for the best-selling first-person-shooter, Call of Duty®: Black Ops. Rezurrection’s top-secret cargo features the massive Zombies frag-fest Moon, as well as four re-mastered levels from Zombies past, an enhanced soundtrack and new Moon theme.

Moon features all-new weapons, futuristic gear and hordes of low-gravity loving undead, delivering Black Ops’ deepest and most intense Zombies experience yet. Meanwhile, strengthened with the firepower and visual splendor of Black Ops, players can relive the nightmare of “Nacht der Üntoten,” escape the zombie madness in the asylum of “Verrückt,” battle back the undead Imperial Army of “Shi No Numa,” and pull the plug on “Der Riese,” the zombie factory that started it all.

“The enthusiasm of our incredibly loyal Zombies community is infectious,” said Treyarch Studio Head, Mark Lamia. “With Rezurrection, we are delivering to our fans the most comprehensive Zombies content package so far, with four critically acclaimed Zombies experiences, plus our latest creation Moon, the biggest and most elaborate Zombies adventure yet.” For our fans who purchased the Black Ops Hardened or Prestige Editions for the PlayStation 3 system, and have already downloaded the Classic Zombies Pack with re-mastered maps, Rezurrection can be downloaded via the in-game store or through the PlayStation®Store for free. This includes Moon, the Zombies Soundtrack and the Moon Theme.

Treyarch is also delighted to announce that they have once again partnered with hardcore Call of Duty fans and rock superstars, Avenged Sevenfold, featuring their classic track, Nightmare, in Rezurrection’s Moon level.

To mark the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection on the PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC , the team will host Double XP from Friday, 23rd September through Monday, 26th September.

Developed by Treyarch and published by Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Call of Duty: Black Ops is PEGI rated 18. PS3 players who purchased the Call of Duty: Black Ops Hardened or Prestige Editions can download Rezurrection in its entirety for free by going to the in-game or PlayStation Store. For full details on download options, please visit http://www.callofduty.com/intel/492 for in-depth instructions.

For additional Call of Duty updates and information, visit us on the web at www.callofduty.com/blackops, www.facebook.com/codblackops, and also via Twitter @Treyarch.

Grab it while it's hot! :D

Unstoppable Gorg Beta Signups!

Keeping the good news coming today, Futuremark Games Studio has announced that they are now accepting applications to beta test their highly anticipated tower-defense title, Unstoppable Gorg. Word is the beta will begin "within the next couple of weeks." So if you're interested in helping the devs track down bugs and balance the gameplay, head over to this thread to sign up! :D

Battlefield 3 Open Beta Starts Sep. 29th

Spreading the good news today, Electronic Arts and DICE have announced that the upcoming Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta will be kicking off on Thursday, September 29th. Those of you who pre-ordered the digital edition of BF3 through Origin will gain early access to the beta starting on September 27th. Early access will also be granted to those who pre-ordered the Limited Edition of Medal of Honor. Here's the official word:

Guildford, UK. – September 20, 2011 – DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio(NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the Battlefield 3™ multiplayer beta will open to all gamers on September 29, 2011. Players from around the world will have a chance to experience the game that industry critics have hailed as the ‘Best Online Multiplayer Game’ before itships on October 28, 2011. The beta is set in Paris on the Operation Metro map, where players work their way from lush parks on the outskirts of the city to a dark, bombed-out metro station, to the vibrant streets around the Paris stock exchange. Two elite tactical units square off in the series’popular Rush Mode. One side takes the offensive by attacking M-COM stations while the opposing squad defends and protects. For more information about the beta, players should visit www.battlefield.com/beta or follow @Battlefield on Twitter.

The Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. Gamers who pre-order the digital PC version of the game at Origin (powered by EA) will be granted early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011. In addition, all customers that pre-ordered a Limited Edition of Medal of Honor™ will also receive early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011.

Gamers in the beta can also log onto Battlelog, the game’s free social media network that allows gamers to communicate and compete with friends, track their stats and share their progress. Battlelog extends the in-game experience to be accessible anywhere, whether on a PC, console or handheld device.

Players are also invited to join the EA Gun Club for the latest shooter news, and to receive in-game benefits including access to the M1911 pistol and distinct badges in Battlefield 3. The M1911 pistol will also be available to registered Battlefield veterans.

Battlefield 3 is one the year's most anticipated games, having won over 50 illustrious awards at all of the gaming industry's major tradeshows. The game recently earned the coveted “Future Game Award” at the Tokyo Game Show, a prize that follows the honor of “Game of the Show” at GamesCom and “Action Game of the Show” at E3. Lauded by game critics for advancing the state of the art in gaming, Battlefield 3 is the only shooter that can deliver the physicality and emotion of being on the battlefield. It is thanks to the expertise of the development team at DICE and the power of the Frostbite™ 2 engine that Battlefield 3 delivers a massive sense of scale, best-in-class audio, completely destructible environments, hyper-real graphics and animation, and lets gamers pilot a whole range of vehicles from trucks and tanks to choppers and jets. Gamers that pre-order the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition will receive the Back to Karkand post-launch digital expansion pack at no extra charge.* This themed multiplayer pack features four highly celebrated maps from Battlefield 2™, each now boldly re-mastered using Frostbite 2. Completing the package are classic Battlefield 2 weapons and vehicles, unique rewards, new achievements/trophies, and more. Pre-order the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition now at http://store.origin.com/battlefield3.

Battlefield 3 hits retail stores on October 28, 2011 in the UK. For more information on Battlefield 3, please visit www.battlefield.com, and for the latest news on Battlefield please visit http://www.facebook.com/battlefield or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/battlefield.

*Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://store.origin.com/battlefield3 for details.

Can't wait! :D

Street Fighter X Tekken DLC will be shared between PS3 and Vita

So Street Fighter X Tekken will be released for more than one PlayStation brand platform.  Fine, but how will the DLC for PS3 and Vita versions work?  If Capcom gets their way, then DLC between Sony's two platforms will be shared. While no DLC has been announced, we all know it's coming.  Lots of it.  But sharing DLC means that if you buy the content for either PS3 or Vita, you will have it unlocked for the other platform.  Pretty neat. Street Fighter X Tekken producer Yoshinori Ono stated that they are currently working with Sony on getting this feature implemented. "Yes, they're different hardware, but they're part of the same PlayStation family, so to speak, so we're already talking with Sony about ways to sync things together. As long as you're using the same PSN account, things you've purchased on the Vita version will work on PS3 and vice versa." SFxT K will be out some time in March 2012.

Katamari Damacy Vita announced with teaser, debut screenshots

Been some time since we saw any movement in the Katamari Damacy franchise, but that's all about to change.  Namco Bandai revealed at TGS this week that a new Katamari Damacy title was in the works and would be making its way exclusively to the PlayStation Vita platform. Not much has been revealed about the game, except that it will utilize the Vita's touch screen and rear touch pad.  We do have a teaser and some debut screenshots, at least, which show the ball being manipulated through fingertip control.  This does not amuse the Prince. Even the name Katamari Damacy is a working title, meaning it'll probably be changed once the developers can think of something better.  No date has been confirmed. Image Gallery Sections: Sony Consoles, Handheld Games

PlanetSide 2 Screenshots

Finally tonight, Sony Online Entertainment has released two new screenshots from their upcoming free-to-play MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2. These latest screenies feature some odd-man shootouts. Check 'em out:

 

 

PlanetSide 2's release date is still TBA.

Steam Weekend Deal: 50% Off Star Wars Collection

Getting us geared up for the weekend, Steam is offering a 50% discount on the Star Wars Collection from now until 10AM PST on Monday, September 19th. This bundle includes the Jedi Knight series, The Force Unleashed series, Knight of the Old Republic, Republic Commando and more. It's a pretty sweet deal. So don't miss out!

 

 

Guild Wars 2 'Asura Week' trailer tours Rata Sum

We're a few days into Asura Week now, and you know what that means: video tour!  As with all the races, the asura have been given a trailer detailing their place of origin, the marvelous city of Rata Sum, located deep in the Maguuma Jungle. The city is massive despite the tiny size of its inhabitants.  Ziggurats and geomystical generators dot the landscape, guarded by the asura's golem constructs, who more than make up for their creators' diminutive forms.  Still, asura weren't always so adorable and intelligent. Asura are perhaps the most technologically advanced race in Tyria, rivaled only by the charr and their weapons of war.  The asura know this, of course, but in the end, the greatest threat to the asura is other asura.  The Inquest, a group formed by ambitious, like-minded asura, has since arisen.  They guard their secrets with a passion and see themselves above moral reproach.  Their ultimate goal?  To rule all of Tyria, including the Elder Dragons. To learn more about the asura, check the ArenaNet Blog all throughout this week.  The Rata Sum video can be found here in 1080p. Section: PC Games

Wasteland Angel Demo Released

Moving right along, Octane Games have released a demo for their latest top-down shooter, Wasteland Angel. Weighing in at 331MB, this demo includes three tutorial missions and Stage 5 of the full game. You can grab this bad boy from any of the following websites:

GamersHell FileShack FilePlanet

Wasteland Angel is in stores now!

Bunch of Heroes Release Date Announced

Pinning down an exact release date for us tonight, NGD Studios have announced that their upcoming cooperative top-down shooter, Bunch of Heroes, will be available for purchase/download through Steam and Gamers Gate on September the 21st. To celebrate this news, the developers have released a new teaser trailer. Enjoy:

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes 'B-Roll' Trailer

Keeping things interesting this weekend, BioWare Mythic has released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming free-to-play Action-RPG, Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes. Clocking in at just over a minute long, this video gives us a sneak peek at a couple classes in action. Enjoy:

Thanks to GamersHell for the above stream.

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes is scheduled for release this Fall.

White PlayStation 3 Slim spotted through EU, AU retailers

Remember that pretty white PlayStation 3 Slim that was released in Japan last summer?  Looks like Sony is sharing the love with other parts of the world.  The gaming community has spotted the 320GB Ceramic White PS3 on GameStop and EB Games websites in Europe and Australia, pegging the console for November release. The prices shown for each region is €300 (around £250) and AUD $448.  That's roughly $400 USD, though it doesn't look like North America is getting this PS3 model.  Not yet, anyway.

August 2011 NPD Crunch: Madden NFL 12 absence leads to meltdown

EA may not be able to count on Battlefield 3 lighting everyone's tires later this year, but the industry sorely missed the publisher's annual NFL game entry last month.  Madden NFL had come to be an August fixture the industry could rely on to bring in the sales, but Madden NFL 12's August 30th release this time around meant it missed the NPD Group's reporting window for last month. As it turns out, with Madden NFL 12 barely missing the NPD's deadline, the research firm had no choice but to report a 23 percent year-on-year decline in sales for the North American gaming industry. The total $669.9 million USD reported for August proved even lower than the low $707.7 million USD scored back in July. Recall that July 2011 was already considered the worst month for the industry since October 2006. Software sales alone plummeted 37 percent on the lack Madden NFL 12 sales.  On the other hand, that allowed Square Enix and Eidos' Deus Ex: Human Revolution to rise to the occassion.  DXHR claimed the top spot for software sales in August, much to the delight of series fans hoping for franchise vindication.  Mainstream and licensed titles padded out the rest of the list, though the 3DS remake of Zelda: Ocarina of Time managed to land back into the software top ten. Console hardware sales similarly saw year-on-year decline, though the blow there was softened largely through price cuts for the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PlayStation 3.  Indeed, Nintendo boasts that 3DS hardware sales leaped to 235,000 units during August, a 260 percent increase, following the official price cut which Nintendo president Satoru Iwata himself saw fit to apologize for. August 2011 US Games Industry Summary Total Industry Sales - $669.9 million USD (-23%) Console Hardware Sales - $249.4 million USD (-12%) Console Software Sales - $264.8 million USD (-34%) Total Software Sales - $285.9 million USD (-37%) Accessory Sales - $134.7 million USD (-1%) August 2011 Software Sales    Game   Publisher   Platform   Release   1.   Deus Ex: Human Revolution  Square Enix  PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC  08/2011  2.   NCAA Football 12  Electronic Arts  PS3 / Xbox 360  07/2011  3.   Call of Duty: Black Ops  Activision  PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC / Wii / DS  11/2010  4.   Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension  Disney Interactive Studios  PS3 / Wii / 3DS  08/2011  5.   Cars 2  Disney Interactive Studios  PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC / Wii / DS  06/2011  6.   Just Dance Summer Party  Ubisoft  Wii  07/2011  7.   Just Dance 2  Ubisoft  Wii  10/2010  8.   LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean  Disney Interactive Studios  PS3 / Xbox 360 / Wii / DS / 3DS / PSP / PC  10/2010  9.   The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D  Nintendo  3DS  06/2011  10.   Zumba Fitness: Join the Party  Majesco  PS3 / Xbox 360 / Wii  11/2010  Source: GameSpot Sections: Microsoft Consoles, Console Games, PC Games, Sony Consoles, Nintendo Consoles, Handheld Games

Guild Wars 2 'Asura Week' begins September 12

Okay, so ArenaNet has shown us the humans, norn, charr, and sylvari.  Who does that leave?  Right, asura, those pompous, overgrown rodents.  To be fair, asuras are the most technologically advanced race (next to the charr) and they've done just fine for themselves with the aid of their golems.  Size really doesn't matter when you have the ability to create your own giant servants. So on September 12, ArenaNet will be kicking off Asura Week, during which we'll learn more about these doe-eyed, big-eared rodent folk.  The "Hey Bookah" asura advice column will also launch during that week.

Star Trek Online's free-to-play features detailed

If you haven't heard the news, Star Trek Online is going free to play by the end of the year. PC users wanting to run their own virtual starship crew will find there's plenty to do in STO without having to spend a dime. All free players have access to every mission and zone, reaching the same maximum level cap paid players can reach, unlocking Klingons, and the ability to join guilds. Paying the $14.99 monthly subscription fee opens features and bonuses like guild creation, larger inventories, unlimited mail storage, and access to Star Trek Online's custom mission creator tool. The paid perks are nice but ultimately the subscriptions are suited for those who want to run a guild or make missions. The full list of free and paid features can be found in the source link.

Rage System Requirements Revealed

Spilling the beans this afternoon, id Software and Bethesda Softworks have announced some official system requirements for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Rage. So what kind of setup will you need to run this bad boy? Here's the skinny:

Minimum

OS: Win XP SP3, Vista, Win 7
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or Equivalent AMD
Memory: 2GB
Hard Disk Space: 25GB
Video Card: GeForce 8800, Radeon HD 4200

Recommended

OS: Win XP SP3, Vista, Win 7
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad or Equivalent AMD
Memory: 4GB
Hard Disk Space: 25GB
Video Card: GeForce 9800 GTX, ATI Radeon HD 5550

Rage is scheduled for release in North America on October 4th and Europe on October 7th.

Update: You can check if your PC meets these requirements using our Game-o-Meter service. Note that the requirements provided by Bethesda are very odd - the minimum ATI card (HD 4200) has roughly one quarter of the performance of a GeForce 8800 series card. Even the recommended ATI card (HD 5550) performs below the listed minimum NVIDIA card while the recommended NVIDIA card (9800 GTX) handily beats the recommended HD 5550. Game-o-Meter has these requirements as-is but I would suggest being cautious if you have a low end ATI card.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 'Multiplayer' Trailer

Getting our adrenaline pumping this afternoon, Activision has released a new gameplay trailer for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Clocking in at just under four minutes long, this video gives us a sneak peek at the game's multiplayer in action. Pretty hot stuff! Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Mirrors are also available at GamersHell and the FileShack.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is scheduled for release on November 8th, 2011.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Free Weekend Begins!

For those of you who don't already own Call of Duty: Black Ops, Activision is holding a free weekend event on Steam from September 1st-4th. During this event, you can download and play the entire multiplayer portion of the game free of charge. They're also offering a 50% discount on select Call of Duty titles, along with a 33% discount on Call of Duty: Black Ops from now until 10AM PST on Monday, September 5th. So if you enjoy your time with the free trial, be sure to grab the full game while it's cheap! :)

Rise of Immortals Launch Dated Announced

Pinning down an exact release date for us tonight, Petroglyph has announced that their upcoming free-to-play MOBA, Rise of Immortals, will official launch on September 12th. Here's the official word:

LAS VEGAS, NV – September 1, 2011 – Petroglyph® today announced that its eagerly anticipated, free-to-play Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game, Rise of Immortals™, will be commercially available Monday, September 12, 2011.

Rise of Immortals, an online PC game that expands on the hit MOBA genre with new, innovative features, is currently in the final phases of an open beta test. Players still have a chance to be part of the test and receive the exclusive gifts that testers will receive: 1,000 Petroglyph Coins at commercial launch (worth over $10), and an exclusive Immortal skin. The Immortal skin, a dazzling gold version of the robot-suited Psychozen, named “The King of Bling,” will be available exclusively for open beta testers to enjoy both during the beta test, and as a complementary add-on to their account at launch.

Anyone interested in participating in the open beta test can register at http://www.riseofimmortals.com, and will be immediately invited to download the game and start playing.

“The Rise of Immortals development team is a passionate group of battle arena fans, and we are all eagerly awaiting the game’s official launch on September 12,” said Steve Wetherill, executive producer of Rise of Immortals for Petroglyph. “Throughout the development process, we’ve worked internally and with our fans to create a MOBA game that adds all kinds of exciting new features to the genre, and we can’t wait to open it up to the world.”

In addition, Petroglyph also announced today that it is extending its online giveaway of two NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ prize packages, each valued at more than $650. The packages each include a 23" 3D ready monitor, a Superclocked GeForce GTX 560 GPU, and 3D Vision glasses. Anyone wishing to enter the giveaway must register for Rise of Immortals, login to the game, and optionally “Like” the Rise of Immortals Facebook page (www.facebook.com/riseofimmortals), or follow the Rise of Immortals Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/riseofimmortals). The giveaway, original scheduled to end on September 2, has been extended until the Rise of Immortals release date of September 12. Details can be found in the official rules at: http://www.riseofimmortals.com/events/3D_Vision_Giveaway.

Rise of Immortals is a free-to-play, micro-transaction-based online game that will be available via direct download. The game features the popular action-strategy gameplay of traditional MOBA games, but adds enhanced socialization features, along with persistent character progression – a first for the MOBA genre. In addition, Rise of Immortals features a social hub where players can show off their enhanced Immortals, chat, emote, browse leaderboards, shop, manage friend and guild lists and more. Players also have the option of taking their Immortals through cooperative Player versus Environment (PvE) scenarios to learn the game, try out new abilities, and earn persistent experience before jumping into Player versus Player (PvP) matches online.

Features of Rise of Immortals:

Free-to-play 12 unique Immortals at launch with additional Immortals released on a regular basis Persistent per-Immortal level progression and skill trees Persistent artifacts for stat enhancements Player versus Environment instances with collectable items Player versus Player instances with up to 5v5 multiplayer Persistent experience and leveling in both PvP and PvE instances Account and Immortal statistics tracking Player hub instances for socialization Collectible pets for combat and vanity (post-launch feature)

Links:

Rise of Immortals Website:

Assassin's Creed: Revelations 'Encyclopedia' Trailer

Kicking things off today, Ubisoft Montreal has released a new behind-the-scenes trailer for their upcoming Action-Adventure title, Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Clocking in at just over five minutes long, this video focuses on the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia and how they use it to make sure everything fits together. Pretty interesting stuff! Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. A mirror is also available at GamersHell.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations is scheduled for release in November 2011.

Modern Warfare 3 will overhaul Killstreaks, Premium COD Elite benefits revealed

Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games isn't just trying to make Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 the biggest Call of Duty title ever made, they're also putting effort towards refreshing and improving multiplayer. Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling and Sledgehammer Games' Michael Condrey took the stage at last night's multiplayer reveal to detail new and revamped multiplayer features Modern Warfare 3 is bringing in. The Killstreak system is being overhauled with Strike Packages, which are a series of perks and Killstreak rewards suited to a particular playing style. There are three Strike Packages available: Assault - This is intended for players who just want to head out into battle and kill as many enemies as possible. Only offensive Killstreaks and perks are available. Support - Perfect for anyone that prefers to stay back and help their team in any way possible. Your Killstreak count does not reset when using Support. Specialist - This style offers no Killstreak rewards. Instead, more perks are enabled for you mid-match as you rack up larger Killstreaks (if you are lucky enough to stay alive for a long time, you can have every perk enabled at once). Getting killed resets the amount of perks enabled. Specialist is described as a "test of individual skills." More scoring opportunities besides just killing opposing team players will be available. Performing actions like assists and completing objectives will give small boosts to your team's overall score, which should encourage team-oriented gameplay more often this time.  Besides the usual weapon customization, weapons can now be leveled up as well. By using a weapon often, you can further customize it in various ways such as reducing sway or recoil, changing ammo type, and adding extra attachments. A few attachments have drawbacks to using them (for example, having added ammo capacity can increase reload time) so pay attention to the changes you're making. Modern Warfare 3 is debuting a new mode called Kill Confirmed that forces players to go one step beyond killing enemies. In Kill Confirmed, the only way to score is to pick up dog tags dropped by fallen players. Should a teammate be killed, you can pick up your partner's dog tag to deny the opposing team from increasing their score. This is one mode where you'll definitely want to roam around in groups to improve your chances of success. Call of Duty Elite also got time in the spotlight by having its paid benefits revealed. Previously announced features can be used for free and managed in-game, through the Elite website, or on mobile applications that will be available for iPhone/iPad and Android devices. To receive Premium Elite benefits and features, you must pay an annual fee of $49.99 or pick up the Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition to receive a year of complimentary access and granted Lifetime Founder status. Here's what you'll get with Premium Elite: Priority access to all DLC released within one year of starting your membership Participate in competitions for all skill levels to win real-world prizes (iPads are one such prize) Leveling up your clan Eight times more capacity to store replays Gameplay analysis from expert players Access to Elite TV, featuring original content made by major Hollywood talent such as Ridley and Tony Scott On the matter of Elite TV, the Scott brothers are creating a show called Friday Night Fights that pits two groups with particular interests in Call of Duty matches. There will also be a weekly show called noob tube that showcases gameplay highlights from amateur players with humorous commentary. For you big spenders out there, a limited edition Modern Warfare 3 Xbox 360 bundle should be available for pre-order soon. This bundle features an Xbox 360 console sporting unique sound effects for startup and tray ejection along with a gray color scheme, two Special Edition controllers (the ones where you can raise the D-Pad), 320GB hard drive, and a copy of Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition. Update: Hardened Edition content has been confirmed.  Read about it here.

New Testament of Sherlock Holmes Screenshots

Fresh out of the oven, Frogwares has cooked up five new screenshots from their upcoming Adventure title, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. These latest screenies highlight the game's detailed characters and environments. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes is scheduled for release in late 2011.