The Cliffster has it rough, real rough. He makes big games like Gears of War 2. With big games comes big pressure and a big spotlight. What does The Cliffster think about that?

If I had a nickel for every time I was called a fag on the internet, I could retire. It's just the way the fans are sometimes; you do a good job and they'll hold you up in a chair and carry you through the streets. You screw up once and they'll be the first to tart and feather you, and that's the risk I take when I stick my neck out there.

That's The Cliffster, takin' risks, stickin' his neck out there, livin' on the edge. Dude.

The Cliffster Interview [CVG] [Pic]

Okay! Make-believe time. Let's say that Microsoft had a lot of money to burn. No wait, start over. Let's say that Microsoft was able to convince Square Enix to give it Final Fantasy as an exclusive. Like, Final Fantasy XIII is only on the Xbox 360 and wouldn't be on the PS3. Would large numbers of Japanese consumers break down and buy an Xbox 360? According to Microsoft's Shane Kim:

I know we're talking about Final Fantasy here, but you really have to question, is it really enough to overcome people's reservations about Xbox 360 in Japan? I don't know. But I know that it would have to be a heck of a lot of money and it would be very risky to do that.

In short, no. Kim does make a good point, saying that success in the Western market is forcing companies to be more open about developing for the Xbox 360. Nice to have that in your back pocket when you're so fucked on their home turf.

Shane Kim Interview [Kikizo] [Pic]

Some Lost Odyssey DLC was released in Japan last month. For 400 MS Points, they got a new dungeon with one new boss and one new item. Nothing to really set your goodness gracious great balls on fire, then, but it's better than nothing. Good for them. So when do we get it? Yeah, the headline gave it away. It'll be available this Friday, May 23. Same stuff, same price.

If you're not keeping up with the Hulk comic book series, Bruce Banner's angrier alter ego has become so enraged, he's turned red! Or something. It may not be Bruce Banner. Who can keep up?! Yes, Marvel is pulling the old Hulk changes color for a while gimmick, turning the traditionally green (and sometimes gray) Hulk into something more crimson. In an attempt to push more copies of the Xbox 360 version of the multiplatform Sega-published video game, someone's seen fit to create an exclusive red-hued Hulk. He's only available at GameStop and only available for Microsoft's console.

That's right! Red. On your Xbox 360. You can see how fantastic of an idea this was.

Red Hulk Smashes Xbox 360 [Marvel.com - thanks, Joshua!]

Xbox 360 owners with a burning desire for fantasy RPGs will be infinitely thrilled to learn that the Square Enix published, tri-Ace developed Infinite Undiscovery will hit on September 2, 2008. You know the drill—young man with cool hair adventures with a group of like-minded heroes, wearing dandy outfits on a journey to save a planet from certain doom. Should be fun, as team members from the Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile series make real-time battles pretty on 360 hardware.

Full press release, with additional details from Square Enix, follows.

SQUARE ENIX ANNOUNCES SHIP DATE FOR INFINITE UNDISCOVERY
INFINITE UNDISCOVERY is Unchained on Xbox 360: September 2, 2008

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that INFINITE UNDISCOVERY™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will ship September 2, 2008. The first in a completely new lineup of Square Enix titles for Xbox 360, this fantasy RPG (role-playing game) is a collaborative project with fan favorite development studio tri-Ace Inc. (STAR OCEAN® and VALKYRIE PROFILE®).

“With the simultaneous release of INFINITE UNDISCOVERY, Square Enix is entering an exciting new period of delivering great gaming experiences to our fans all around the world at the same time, creating new global communities,” said John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix, Inc. and Square Enix, Ltd. “This is something that we have aimed to do for a long time and we look to continue to deliver worldwide gaming experiences across all platforms well into the future.”

INFINITE UNDISCOVERY envelops players in an engaging real-time world where every decision you make leads to a myriad of discoveries and affects every encounter. The developers that set a new standard for RPGs by fusing exploration with battle in the STAR OCEAN series establish a new benchmark for the genre, perfectly integrating traditional tri-Ace elements with the technological power of Xbox 360. The experience is enhanced with a soundtrack by composer Motoi Sakuraba from the STAR OCEAN and VALKYRIE PROFILE series.

GAMEPLAY: DISCOVERY & IMPACT
Every discovery and action that players make has an instant impact on the world, creating an unpredictable gaming experience.

Situational Battles
As players are faced with a variety of episodic situational battles, they will discover that they may have to try various methods to defeat the enemy, where the most obvious solution is rarely the right move. Players can assemble parties from a pool of 18 characters, choosing those with the best combination of abilities for the job. Snipe distant enemies with the help of a bow-wielding ally or skilled magic user. Based on each player’s decisions, the intricate environments will offer a variety of experiences, presented in a way never before seen in RPGs.

A Seamless World and Real-time Action
Players are drawn deeper into the world as each act becomes more crucial to survival. To make careful decisions and advance, players will need to rely not only on sight and sound, but also scent. Combat, exploration and other actions will all take place within the same environment, seamlessly shifting between each game facet.

STORY
Known as the throne of the gods, the moon rested peacefully in the heavens. Man enjoyed great prosperity by harnessing the power of the celestial body.

Until one day...
A sinister force ensnared the moon with chains and fastened them to the surface, bleeding the life from the planet. The enchained lands were transformed into withering wastelands, and their once carefree inhabitants now lived in fear. Behind the world's plight were the Dreadknight and his menacing horde, the Order of Chains.

Deep in a forest, in one of the Order's prisons, a young boy named Capell was being held captive. His captors called him the "Liberator," though he had no clue as to what they meant. On the third day of his imprisonment, he was rescued by a spirited young woman named Aya. She was a member of a small band of brave warriors who had gathered under the banner of Sigmund the Liberator to free the world from the iron grip of the Order.

Upon meeting Sigmund, he was surprised to find a man who shared his very face and appearance. This meeting would change Capell's life forever and shake the foundation of the world itself.

The brand new trailer can be viewed exclusively today on GameTrailers.com at: http://www.gametrailers.com/game/5501.html. Additionally, starting this Thursday, the new trailer will be available in full HD on the Square Enix members site at http://member.square-enix.com/na/.

INFINITE UNDISCOVERY is not yet rated by the ESRB. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. INFINITE UNDISCOVERY will be available at North American retailers for the suggested retail price of $59.99(USD). The official website can be found at http://www.infiniteundiscovery.com/.

What do you get when you combine the two great tastes of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warrios together on the PS2, PSP, Xbox 360 and PC? A hell of a lot of product leaving the warehouse according to Koei, who today announce that the crossover title has shipped over 1.5 million units worldwide since the game is released, and while those aren't exactly sales numbers, they wouldn't supply if there wasn't demand. That would be silly.

To celebrate the landmark, KOEI has decided to go ahead and announce a sequel to the game, cleverly titled Warriors Orochi 2. The game, scheduled for a fall release on the Xbox 360 and PS2, continues the story of the original title, with a mysterious new alliance threatening to bring the Serpent King back to life. Along with the story mode comes Orochi Mode, which revisits events in the first game to uncover secrets, and Dream Mode, which features an entirely different storline that the main mode. There's even a 2-player versus mode with four-different games including one-on-one fighting.

Boasting over 90 playable characters this time around, Orochi Warriors 2 lloks to top the original in ever way. Hit the jump for more details!

KOEI SHIPS OVER 1.5 MILLION UNITS WORLDWIDE OF WARRIORS OROCHITM

KOEI's DYNASTY WARRIORS® and SAMURAI WARRIORS® Crossover is an Undisputed Hit

Burlingame, CA - May 21, 2008 - KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, announced today that the company has shipped a combined one and a half million units worldwide of WARRIORS OROCHI™ across all video game platforms. The hit game is a crossover of two of the company’s biggest franchises, DYNASTY WARRIORS® and SAMURAI WARRIORS®.

“This milestone is a significant testament to the global impact not only of this game, but also to the tremendous admiration that fans worldwide share for the DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS characters,” said Amos Ip, Senior Vice President at KOEI Corporation. “As we celebrate, I would like to recognize and express our thanks to the video game world’s greatest fans for making this achievement possible.”

WARRIORS OROCHI is available for the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system, Windows-based PC, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

KOEI also announced that it is bringing WARRIORS OROCHI 2 to North America. The game will be available for the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®2 in September 2008. WARRIORS OROCHI 2 is not yet concept approved by Microsoft.

About WARRIORS OROCHI 2
Shattering time and space, the venomous Serpent King Orochi kidnapped the DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS in scheme to test his might. The heroes eventually defeated Orochi and his menacing army. While the slain Orochi lies in the netherworld, a mysterious alliance is hatching an otherworldly plan so that the Serpent King may rise again. Now a new group of warriors must join forces with history’s finest in an effort to stop this evil resurrection.

WARRIORS OROCHI 2 takes place after the events of the original game. The game’s main “Story” mode features storylines for the kingdoms of Wu, Wei, and Shu, and the SAMURAI WARRIORS, while a new Orochi storyline looks back to the first series of wars to expose some of the Serpent King’s secrets.
The game’s newly added “Dream” mode features an original storyline different from that of Story Mode.

A new two-player “Versus” mode comes action-packed with four different games including “Tag Team” matches that pit individual fighters in lethal head-to-head combat.

The popular “Team Battle System” which lets players create their own three-person fighting unit returns for this sequel. At any given time, one warrior will be engaged in battle, while the other two are recuperating; restoring their Life Meters and Musou Gauges.

WARRIORS OROCHI 2 features an overwhelming lineup of over 90 playable characters from both franchises including SAMURAI WARRIORS®2 XTREME LEGENDS®, plus new characters from Chinese and Japanese history.

Developed by Omega Force, WARRIORS OROCHI 2 is for 1-2 players (versus play).This game is not yet rated by the ESRB. WARRIORS OROCHI for Xbox 360 delivers the ultimate WARRIORS OROCHI 2 experience in stunning 720p HDTV and in game Dolby® Digital audio. This title is not yet concept approved by Microsoft. WARRIORS OROCHI 2 was released in Japan in April 2008 under the title, “MUSOU OROCHI: MAOU SAIRIN.”

Here's a clip of the game mode that just might have me heading back to the icy reaches of Lost Planet all over again when Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition is released later this month. Akrid Hunt features a team of players going up against a player-controlled giant bug. Finally a chance to pay back those bastards for round after round of spawn-sniped in the head-repeat.

Not that I ever sniped myself mind you. I like to think of it as surprise, long-range, precision brain removal. Those other guys? Dirty, dirty snipers.

Last week, Microsoft banned a user from Xbox Live for having the gamertag theGAYERgamer. Things did not end well. Now, tonight, we get an email from another Xbox Live user whose gamertag has been barred because it violates XBL policies (remember, you can't have a sexual term in your name, regardless of sexual orientation). The incriminating gamertag? RichardGaywood. The problem here? It's the gamertag of Richard Gaywood, a now-slightly-disgruntled 360 owner from the UK (and yes, we've confirmed this is his real name). Oops.

During his talk at the Electronic Gaming Summit today, Microsoft's Jeff Bell briefly, very briefly, touched on the long-lost, quickly becoming mythical Live Anywhere pipedream that Microsoft first mentioned at E3 in 2006.

The concept, captured in blurry pics later that year, would allow gamers to access Live via a cellphone so they could check friend status, Achievements, all the data of Live, on the go.

Bell said not to give up hope. "Live anywhere is not abandoned, it's just not easy to do."

And then he never mentioned it again.

Nintendo used to be bad for the environment. Now? Just sorta bad! Last year, Greenpeace singled the Kyoto-based game maker by giving it the lowest score in its "Guide to Greener Electronics" had ever awarded to a company — a 0/10. Part of the reason for this dubious honor was that Nintendo failed to provide any data about its environmental standards. Nintendo issued a response, and Greenpeace still wasn't satisfied. (In comparison, Microsoft got a 2.7/10 and Sony got a 7.3/10). Zeina Al-Hajj, Greenpeace's International Toxic Campaign co-ordinator points out:

Sony has a very good record in our ranking guide. They have committed to eliminating these chemicals from mobile devices. But why are we finding them in such high percentages in a console? This is a tool used by children in our homes. None of these chemicals exist in Sony's Vaio laptop. So if they can do it for a laptop, why can't they push this for the console also?

Greenpeace has taken things into its own hands. Literally. The environmental organization has dissected each of the three major game consoles and examined how environmentally sound the consoles' innards are.

Results, after the jump. Onward!

PLAYSTATION 3
• The console contains some bromine-free circuit boards — unlike the other two consoles
• The fan housing, however, has the highest level of bromine in a single component
• It contains PVC, but not as much as the Xbox 360

Xbox 360
• Only console containing DiNP phthalates — found in the AV cable.
• It contains the highest concentration of phthalates
• The console has more PVC than the Wii and the PS3.
• Its housing materials had lower levels of bromine, though.

Nintendo Wii
• Phthalates level is lowest of the three and doesn't exceed EU laws limiting phthalate.
• It has the lowest level of PVC of the three.
• Unlike the PS3 and the Xbox 360, the Wii doesn't contain Beryllium.

FASCINATING.
Greenpeace Results [SmartPlanet Thanks, Adam!]
Greenpeace Results [BBC]

Bill Gates visited South Korea earlier this month, and as is the custom when rich people visit powerful people, he had some gifts made up for everyone he stopped in to say hi to. No lapel pins or expensive wine here, though. No, when Bill went around for tea and buscuits with the President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, he gave the man an Xbox 360. And a very nice one at that! Designed by Korean company Gookbo, the custom 360 is decorated with "mother-of-pearl ume flowers and butterflies", and is called "Peace". Oh, and it's meant to symbolise, of all things, "patience and perseverance".

Bill Gates gifts Xbox inlaid with traditional Korean mother-of-pearl to Korean President [Fareastgizmos, via Gizmodo]

Data time! The PS3 gets the highest rating in online community Habbo's Global Youth Survey. Almost 60,000 young people worldwide between the ages of 11 and 18 rated the three game consoles. Which one got the best marks? 69 percent said the PS3 was either "great" or "good", while 64 percent said the same about the Wii and 58 percent about the Xbox 360. What's more, the PS3 was ahead in every age group save for the 11 to 12 year-olds, where the Wii reigned suprieme. Points out marketing guru Emmi Kuusikko:

The results of this survey are interesting as it gives us an insight into which brands these teens aspire to, as the level of ownership does not correspond to the consoles’ popularity...By order of ownership, the Wii leads, followed by the Xbox 360 and PS3... As Sony and Xbox strive to broaden their consoles' appeal, from hardcore to casual gamer, the results of the survey seem to indicate that gender, not previous gaming experience, determines console choice. Regardless of their level of interest towards gaming, boys prefer the PS3 and girls prefer the Wii.

What does that mean for the Xbox 360?
Youth Survey Says [Digital Spy] [Pic]

No game has ever delighted me quite as much as the original Spyro The Dragon for the PlayStation. I'm not saying it is one of the best games of all time here, just that it was a sheer delight to play. Controls, music, characters...everything fell into place for me in a way that they've never managed to capture since.

The reason I bring that up is that these new screens for the Xbox 360 version of The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon...specifically the screen I chose for the top image of the post...gave me a hint of that sense of delight that I enjoyed in the first game. This graphical upgrade, along with the power of flight that a maturing Spyro gains in the game just might return the franchise to a place it has missed for a long time.

Sure, EA was closer to Peter Moore's family than Redmond was. And San Francisco's a nice city. Very hospitable. But did that make leaving Microsoft behind to join EA Sports easy? No. Indeed, Moore says the decision to quit "broke my heart", which is a little more emotional, and a little less predictable, than I was expecting. Chin up, Pete! Like you said, Y'now, things break!

EA Sports' Peter Moore [Gamesindustry.biz]

Gamercenteronline begged and pleaded and got its hands on three screens for Halo Wars, the real-time strategy prequel still under a TBA release date for this year. One looks like a close crop of a Sparrowhawk that we've done before. Not sure what exactly is going on in the other two.

Loitering around the site I also found what they touted as a new Mafia II screenshot. You can catch everything after the jump

The Mafia II screenshot is said to be set in DeLuca's Restaurant, even though this is clearly a warehouse shot. Not sure if that's a level title or not. But that's Vito, and it looks like he's about to waste a competitor.

And here are the other two Halo Wars shots.

Halo Wars Screenshots Revealed and New Mafia II Screenshot Revealed[Gamercenteronline]

Namco Bandai's Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is multi-platform. It might be difficult for customers to pick which one they should get: Xbox 360 or PS3 version? Well, maybe PlayStation.com can help. Look at the "PS3" screenshots that appeared on the official Japanese PlayStation site. What do you notice? Oh, you can't see it? Well, hit the jump for a closer look.

Those aren't Sony buttons! What's going on here?!

ボタンが360なのにｗｗｗ [Namidame.2ch]
PlayStation Japan (cache) [Official Site Thanks, muu!]

As a long-time proponent for Aztecs as video game villains, Polish developer Gingerbread Studios' newly announced first/third person shooter The Protector couldn't help but pique my interest, even if it only features Aztec mythology being used by terrorists. The game, under development for the PC and Xbox 360, is really two games in one. You have British mercenary Jonathan Kane going in guns blazing to protect lithe American archaeologist Jennifer Guile, who uses stealth tactics to avoid the forces of Scarlet Vengeance, a terrorist organization that needs her to unlock the secrets of an ancient Aztec weapon.

Right now The Protector is at an early stage, so we'll have to wait and see whether or not it delivers on the standard shooter promise of intelligent AI, but the chance of fighting "mythical Aztec creatures" is enough to keep my watching. What can I say? I have an Aztec fetish.

Gingerbread Studios Unleashes THE PROTECTOR

Toruń, Poland (16th May, 2008) - Newly formed Polish developer Gingerbread Studios today announced The Protector, a thrilling PC and Xbox 360 first/third person shooter featuring visceral action, tense, tactical stealth and an enthralling storyline.

The Protector centres on the exploits of two vastly different characters - hardened British mercenary Jonathan Kane and beautiful US archaeologist Jennifer Guile. After an acrimonious two-year estrangement, these two former lovers are reunited when Jennifer's father - a leading archaeologist - is murdered by a new terrorist organisation called Scarlet Vengeance, which is looking for a powerful Aztec artefact to use for a devastating terrorist attack. When Scarlet Vengeance's attentions turn to Jennifer - the only person who knows the location of the artefact - Kane is forced to track her down and protect her. Thrown together in extreme circumstances, the duo must overcome their differences and use their unique skills to thwart the terrorists' horrifying plan.

'Gingerbread Studios has taken the theme of South American mythology and masterfully injected it into a contemporary setting that reflects the escalating threat of global terrorism within the modern day world,' said James Cato, CEO of Gingerbread Studios. 'The Protector's two distinct playable characters and eclectic mix of action and stealth make it highly unique, while its branching, thrilling plot promises to keep gamers captivated till the end credits roll.'

Features:

Play as both Jonathan Kane - a hardened British mercenary and former MI6 agent trained in counter-terrorist tactics - and Jennifer Guile - a beautiful and wily US archaeologist.

Two distinct gameplay modes - searing, tactical shooting action (Kane) and tense, stealth sections (Jennifer).

Use your environment to hide and take cover. Enter into third-person mode when in cover to acquire a better overview of your surroundings. Lean out from behind cover to engage your enemies with minimal exposure. Blind fire around corners when severely pinned down.

Superb world physics where objects are splintered, shattered and sent flying by barrages of bullets and explosions, creating massively believable battlefields. The player can even shoot enemies - and be shot - through thin walls, adding a further tactical element.

Enemies intelligently seek out and utilise cover - just like you.

Disarm enemies by shooting the weapons from their hands, leaving the enemies vulnerable. Once an enemy has been disarmed, they must either reach for a sidearm or run for cover - both of which take time.

Enemy AI uses lifelike line of sight and hearing to determine your whereabouts. Enemies are more vulnerable in darker areas, while their lifelike reactions to sight and sound also provide the perfect environment for stealth-based gameplay.

Fully interactive world, populated by civilians, commuters, students and workers who intelligently react to their surroundings and situations.

Wide range of enemy types, ranging from elite terrorist forces to mythical Aztec creatures.

Intriguing plot featuring two very different endings, depending on your choices.

Challenging puzzles and mini games.

The Xbox 360 is getting exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV DLC. Sony's been playing coy, and there are rumors that the PS3 will see GTAIV DLC as well. How would that work with that US $50 million deal Microsoft and Rockstar struck? Is that even possible? Says Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg:

It's not possible as far as I'm aware, but that would be a good question to ask Rockstar. Rockstar and Xbox have only said there are exclusive episodes coming this fall to Xbox 360. I might put that up for a bit of wishful thinking on their [Sony's] end.

Sounds like a "sorta no" and a "go ask Rockstar."
Aaron Talks [Gamasutra]

I remember the Dreamcast version of the original Soul Calibur blowing my baby blue socks clean off when I first saw it. Then again, that was on a 4:3, standard definition TV. This update, on a 16:9 screen and in HD? With those Windows 3.1 desktop-lookin borders? I...look, it still looks great, and I maintain the first is the best game in the series, it's just going to take a while to get used to seeing it look so different, that's all.

I am not ashamed to admit my slight bias towards Silent Hill. I am an unapologetic fan of the series so it should come as no surprise to discover that this was the title I was most looking forward to seeing at Konami's Gamer's Night. Between watching others play and playing a bit myself, I was able to see about the first half hour of gameplay and it was a blast. I know many of you are concerned given that the original team is not working on this one, but set those fears aside because this is still the Silent Hill that you know and love. After listening to some announcements about the game we got to see a little trailer and my interest was (even more) piqued by a short (less than 2 seconds) but exhilarating appearance by everyone's favorite Silent Hill denizen, Pyramid Head. Also visible in the trailer was a trucker who drops the player character off in his home town. Could this be a later version of Travis, the main character of Silent Hill: Origins?

When I arrived at the kiosks I was the third in line and I stood, shifting back and forth from foot to foot like a grade schooler who has to pee, waiting anxiously for my turn. While I was waiting I took the opportunity to compare the graphics since there were two stations side by side; one on the 360 and the other on the PS3. Of course, I have no idea what the final builds of the game will look like, but at the present time, the graphics for the 360 version were much smoother than that of the PS3. Enemies (including the ubiquitous nurses) were marred by some serious jaggies around the edges which hopefully will be fixed before launch. That aside, the game looked absolutely beautiful, retaining all the terrifying filthiness that the franchise is known for.

The story concerns a young man named Alex Shepard who is returning to his home town of Shepard's Glen. He is on a search for his missing younger brother Josh, a search that will take him to the spooky depths of Silent Hill which seems to have an unnatural connection to Shepard's Glen.

When the demo starts, you found yourself on a gurney and being pushed by a masked fiend through a dirty hospital. As you look from side to side, all sorts of terrifying, shadowed scenes pass you by. Silhouetted depictions of horrible things being done to patients by un-seeable evil forces. Eventually you are left in a room alone, strapped to the gurney and here your adventure begins.

Once you have removed yourself from your shackles you are free to start roaming the halls and rooms, constantly blocked by various locked doors. An early puzzle involving some x-rays and a number locked door was easily solved and soon we were treated to the switch from Silent Hill to dark Silent Hill. As you may have heard, the game designers lifted the world changing mechanic straight from the movie. No longer is there a fade to black, but you actually watch the world change in real time, with parts of the room lifting away like peeling paint and disappearing into the sky. The effect is quite nice and translated well from the movie to the game. And of course there were the nurses. Their new character models were terrific and also seemed to be based somewhat on the movie versions of the characters.

The battle system was basically the same with a few improvements. The addition of dodges to the fray makes avoiding damage quite a bit easier. There are perfect and imperfect dodges that can be executed. A perfect dodge will result in no damage taken while an imperfect one will have the player taking less damage than from a direct hit. There are also power up attacks and enemies can be stunned so that deadly finishing moves can be performed. The finishing moves are much more interesting than the old standard foot stomp to the head. Each weapon has a unique finishing move for each of the various enemies that are shown in glorious, graphic detail

It is now much easier to tell where your health is with the addition of an actual on screen health meter. Gone are the days of trying to determine what your health is like based on the pulsing green or red frame in your character's status menu. Now there is a nice red crescent meter that shows exactly how much health you have so you can drink those health drinks accordingly. Another nice touch was the ability to tear through certain walls with your equipped knife. Cutting through them leaves what looks like a horrible gaping wound with teeth sticking out of it that you must squeeze through to get into the next area.

At this point there was a huge line forming behind me and out of respect for my fellow journos, I reluctantly gave up the controls to the next fellow in line. My time with Silent Hill may have been short but it left me wanting more which I guess is the goal of any good entertainment. Silent Hill: Homecoming will be shambling its way towards your PS3 and Xbox 360 in September of this year, ready to scare the pants off you once again.

Seems like everyone is jumping on the music rhythm game bandwagon these days and seeing as Konami was somewhat instrumental in starting the whole genre it makes sense that the would come out with their own answer to Guitar Hero and Rock Band. That answer is Rock Revolution. Rock Revolution is mainly centered around the drumming although there will be guitar and bass available as well. There were no guitars in evidence but they were keen to show off their drum kit which features a total of six drum pads and a pedal. They also made sure to show us how quiet the pads themselves were so we could avoid the problem of "annoying family and neighbors with the constant tapping. I'm sure I have NO idea what they were referring to with that...

The game will be coming out for the PS3, Xbox 360. Wii and the DS with each version having it's own distinct features but all will include a career mode and forty songs to play along with. Oddly, the console versions will not include vocals, but the DS version will. There is no official song list yet, so keep your eyes peeled for more announcements regarding that but I did see a few that were available on the demo which were Blitzkrieg Bop, Detroit Rock city, We're Not Gonna Take It and All The Small Things. There are eight playable characters and various locales ranging from garage to county fair to rock arena. Unfortunately, even though they showed off the drum kit at the presentation, they didn't provide any photos of it so keep an eye for that as well.

Is Rock Revolution going to be a Guitar Hero or Rock Band killer? Probably not, but it will be interesting to see how it actually does in the market. I'm afraid however, that this might be a case of too little too late.

In case you missed it, the Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit demo went up on Xbox Live this morning, and in case you aren't near your Xbox 360 to play it, I went ahead and took care of that for you. Witness me finally triumphing over the auto focus demon! Thrill as I kick Raditz's hippie ass! Revel in my random button-mashing!

Not too shabby really. I'll definitely be picking the game up, if only to lord having it over my nephew. It's the tiny victories that matter.

Once upon a time, people thought Microsoft was going to enter the handheld console market. It hasn't! Maybe, it will one day, but for the time being, the company is sitting on the sidelines. Any regrets? Says Microsoft's Shane Kim:

I'm very happy we didn't get into it, because launching a handheld platform is like launching another Xbox 360. You have to be fully committed, as an organisation, from a resource standpoint, to doing that. Frankly we've got a lot on our plate with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. We don't have any experience in that space. Our content assets don't naturally lend themselves to driving success in that particular market.

So we're happy to let Sony and Nintendo slog it out. I do think mobile is probably the more important platform in the future, and the number of Windows mobile devices and hardware that's capable of running Windows mobile in the future is really a compelling opportunity, and one where we don't have to worry about launching a new hardware platform too.

Or dealing with that platform's hardware troubles. Zing!
Shane Kim Interview [Eurogamer] [Pic]

Denis Dyack (right, wearing glasses) might be stepping down. The Silicon Knights president has led the developer through the lengthly Too Human development process, and it seems Dyack is thinking of calling it a day. Says Denis:

I've been involved in a lot of IP creation within Silicon Knights and as the company grows, I have to look at whether I want to continue to be president and director, and I'm leaning towards staying creative... I'll certainly lend a hand wherever I can but there's...going to [be] a director for every project. So, in the end as the company grows, for my role I'll probably hire someone to be my boss and help run the company, which is kind of a weird thing, and I actually won't run the company while I continue to work at what is the company's bread and butter, which is original IPs with great stories and game concepts that are provocative to gamers.

Sounds like Dyack's definitely not going anywhere and would rather focus on making games than making bureaucratic decisions. Fair enough.
Dyack Stepping Down? [GameDaily via videogaming247]

Reader Matt writes:

Hi there! My name is Matt, gamertag: Velodyne. I am a 32 year old hardcore Xbox collector. I am married and have a very understanding wife who accepts my gaming addiction. I just wanted to share with you guys some pics of my Xbox 360 and Xbox collection. To date I currently own all of the North American Xbox 360 games (247 games) as well as all of the Xbox Live Arcade games (129). I also own 150 original Xbox games. Various accessories are also shown in the pictures. I am hooked on the Xbox platform and all of the achievements that can be had with owning the games for the platform. I try to play on average about 2-3 hours a night after juggling working as a full time home audio salesman, and looking after my 8 year old step daughter. My wife occasionally plays some of the puzzle games on the system and she can't wait for Ninja Gaiden to come out to watch me play. She loves the original! As a long time fan of your site, I thought you would like to see my collection as I am definitely an obsessed gamer.

Obsessed wasn't the word we were thinking of. Anyhoo, hit the jump for a look at Matt's Sony TV. Sony TV? Oh, the irony, the irony!