Amazon Game Room's Blog

Yup, it's part way into the weekend. So, what are you playing? Me I'll be attempting to get the most out of my Xbox LIVE membership and taking advantage of the three most recent demos to hit LIVE: X-Blades, Red Faction Guerrilla multiplayer demo and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. I believe that there was an earlier released Red Faction Guerrilla demo, but not multiplayer, so this one isn't entirely new, but I believe the other two are. Regardless, we are talking free here, at least if you are a LIVE Gold member. In that case you are just getting your money's worth.

So what about you? If not any of these demos, what's on tap?

Update - Steam has a Team Fortress 2 freebie going from the 21st to the 25th too, so PC gamers might want to take a peek there.

--Hobson's Choice

Batman Arkham Asylum has been delayed, so it is more important than ever that its PR machine keeps rolling along. The latest example of this is the trailer for the game's most recently announced villain, Poison Ivy. Yup, more female trouble for Batman. Check it out and look for the game on Xbox 360, PC and PS3, hopefully on its new release date of September 1st.

--Hobson's Choice

Good news for handheld gamers who are also fans of that galaxy "far, far away." It looks like LucaArts at some point in the near future will be releasing versions of Battlefront for the PSP and DS. This is totally unofficial at this point, but since the ESRB has descriptions of the two games up, it is safe to say that something is in the works. Here are to two games, according to a Kotaku post that took notice of the ESRB listings:

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Platform: PSP
Rating: Teen
Content descriptors: Fantasy Violence
Rating summary: "This is an action game in which players experience different battles from the Star Wars universe. Presented in a third-person perspective, the game allows players to engage in space, land, and air battles or build troops and upgrade armies in a strategy-based mode. Players can use laser guns (i.e., blasters), explosives, and lightsabers to destroy enemy robots (i.e., droids) and humans who often cry out in pain when attacked. During one dramatic cutscene sequence, an unarmed man is sliced by a lightsaber, while another character is shot in the back with a blaster."

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Platform: Nintendo DS
Rating: Everyone 10+
Content descriptors: Fantasy Violence
Rating summary: " Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron is an action adventure game in which players experience different battles from the Star Wars universe. From a third-person perspective, players engage in space battles, 'speeder bike' chases, and top-down battling. The ground battle includes constant laserfire combined with hand-to-hand combat using 'lightsabers.' A depleting health bar and various "yelps" indicate damage inflicted upon certain characters."

 --Hobson's Choice

Of course "features" isn't quite the word. Nintendo fanboy fav Donkey Kong is more of a hidden boss in Punch-Out!! that a post on GoNintendo this morning brought to light. Nice move on Nintendo's part to sprinkle an Easter egg or two in the game. Sorry for the spoiler if anyone has not seen this yet, but I warned you. Anyway, check out the fairly long, although a little shaky video of Little Mac taking on DK below.

--Hobson's Choice

Maybe it is just the fight fan in me, but Fight Night Round 4 is looking better and better. Personally I'm not so interested in all the slow motion effects, but it is cool to see the realism of the punches on the boxers during a fight, the diverse list of boxers, as well as the way that audio effects are linked to how your fighter is doing in the ring. Also, it features an improved ability to fight inside if you are a shorter fighter, as well as use your reach effectively if you are taller. Again, realism is nice. The only thing better would be the ability to fight dirty, and thus also the need to protect yourself against a dirty fighter; headbutts, low blows, etc. Regardless, I'll be picking this one up when it releases on June 30. Whether you are a fight fan or not, take a look at the trailer below and see if you don't feel the same.

--Hobson's Choice

Are you tired of music/rhythm games yet? The folks over at 505 games are hoping not. They've secured a partnership with Rolling Stone Magazine to bring Rolling Stone: Drum King to the Wii. Does the world need another music simulation game, especially one limited to drumming via the Wii Remote/Nunchuck controller configuration? Sure it does. Just think of all those Wii owners who also happen to be would be wild children on the skins. Anyway, looks like the game will come with several of the features Guitar Hero and Rock Band players have come to expect: character customization, color-coated tablature (followed through motion control and peripheral buttons), etc., and a multi-generational Rock song list made up of 30 covers.

I'm sure that 505 games is hoping for the same success/industry pull with Rolling Stone that Harmonix has enjoyed through its partnership with MTV on Rock Band. Maybe they will even get it, although it seems doubtful seeing as the game is shaping up to be a whole lot less cool that that, features all covers and is a little late to the music sim party. I could be wrong though. There are a whole lot of Wiis out there, and the game does have some sort of multiplayer, which might help. We shall see. The game releases May 26th, so just a few days away. Check out the track list below:

• All Star - Inspired by Smash Mouth
• Banquet - Inspired by Bloc Party
• Be My Baby - Inspired by The Ronettes
• Blister in the Sun - Inspired by Violent Femmes
• Born to Be Wild - Inspired by Steppenwolf
• By the Way - Inspired by Offcuts
• Can't Get Enough - Inspired by Bad Company
• Can't Stand Losing You - Inspired by The Police
• Cissy Strut (instrumental) - Inspired by The Meters
• Click Click Boom - Inspired by Saliva
• Direction - Inspired by Starting Line
• Feel Good Inc. - Inspired by Gorillaz
• Fight the Good Fight - Inspired by Triumph
• I Fought the Law - Inspired by The Clash
• In Too Deep - Inspired by Sum 41
• Let There Be Drums - Inspired by The Ventures
• Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous - Inspired by Good Charlotte
• Mickey - Inspired by Toni Basil
• No One Knows - Inspired by Queens of the Stone Age
• On Top of the World - Inspired by Boys Like Girls
• Pull Me Under - Inspired by Dream Theatre
• Saturday Superhouse - Inspired by Biffy Clyro
• She Sells Sanctuary - Inspired by The Cult
• Song 2 - Inspired by Blur
• Soundgarden - Inspired by Spoonman
• Stay With Me - Inspired by Faces
• The Take Over, The Breaks Over - Inspired by Fall Out Boy
• The Final Countdown - Inspired by Europe
• We Will Rock You - Inspired by Queen

--Hobson's Choice

It looks like Sega has secured the rights to the merchandising of the Aliens vs. Predator for gaming and as such have plans for a whole series of new games. According to a posting on the SEGA Europe Blog the first will be Aliens vs. Predator, which will be available on Next-Gen and the PC platform in early 2010. The game is being developed by UK outfit Rebellion Developments. Their first big game was the original Alien vs. Predator for the PC back in the 90s. They've of course done a whole lot more since then, but in a way this has got to be seen, and probably is design to be a bit of a homecoming for the game. The video below doesn't tell or show you much about the game other than that players will be given the choice of playing as a human, predator or alien. Each choice has its own storyline too. Sounds good. Like I said, don't expect too much from the trailer below, but take a look anyway. There is also more detail on the game at the SEGA blog link above. So hit that if you are so inclined. 

--Hobson's Choice

As if all the rumors of PSP Go, a possible new hardware version of the PSP, and everything that would go along with that, which mostly means the dumping of the UMD format and whatever backwards-compatibility solution Sony comes up with to deal with that were not enough, now comes another rumor related to a PSP game download rental service. As with several other video game related rumors in the recent past, this one got its start with an online survey. In this case I'm not sure where this survey came from, but it was reported on Joystiq earlier today. Regardless, whether it actually comes about I'm sure behind closed doors the idea is nothing new. If you can download demos or full games from PSN then what's to stop you from downloading rentals. Give me a good subscription rate and selection and I'd sign up now.

In the end, as with everything speculative regarding the PSP, I evoke the "let's see what we hear at E3" mantra in the hope that maybe we actually will. Anyway, take a look at the first part of the survey below. That's all that was made available. You can click on the image to view it larger.

--Hobson's Choice

Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits is the third release in the Guitar Hero franchise for the Nintendo DS and it could very well be the best. Along with the modes found in the previous games in the series, it introduces a revamped career mode, which is based on fan requests. This means that the game in many ways ceases to be about cranking through one song after another, although I'm sure you can still do that. This time around, to be successful at the highest level players must earn fan loyalty by taking on challenges. So, in a way that means that it doesn't really matter if you can rock the game at expert level. To me this sounds like a good move on Acti-Blizes part. After all, in order to keep a franchise that was originally developed for the big screens of consoles relevant on the small screen of the DS, changes must be made since visually and audibly it will never match up to those other versions. In addition, some other things to support the possibility of Modern Hits being the best of the DS Guitar Hero bunch include the introduction of two new playable characters, new venues, improved graphics and 'song share' functionality which gives players in multiplayer access to 75+ songs from the On Tour library. Not too shabby.

The game releases June 9. Until then, check out the video below which trots out the features.

--Hobson's Choice

Just a heads-up here for any PC gamers out there looking for a deals this weekend. As usual Valve's Steam-powered store is where it is at for core gamers ready to download. This weekend through May 18th they have Call of Duty: World at War for the nice price of $24.99. It is usually $50. Get yourself over there and get some if you are interested.

Hopefully some day you'll be able to take advantage of core gaming downloads like this here at Amazon.com. Unfortunately that day is not today. On the other hand if you are a casual gamer that future is now. Right now you can download a FREE copy of the PC game Big Kahuna Reef through Amazon Game Download Service. Free is free and it only requires a quick download client install before getting started, so get to it and check it out...Have a good weekend.

--Hobson's Choice