Angry Web

A ton of screenshots for the upcoming video game sequel “Batman: Arkham City” have surfaced online today, giving us a first look at Two-Face, Catwoman, and…Harley Quinn? Brace yourself for the ultimate nerdgasm.

“Batman: Arkham City” hits the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in Fall 2011.

The new Mortal Kombat trailer’s soundtrack is provided by the single “Another Way to Die” from the new album Asylum from hard rock band Disturbed.

Today we received some more assets for the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV Online title. With only a month to go, this beautiful trailer (music by Susan Calloway) is sure to excite those that were not lucky enough to get a beta code and are itching to start devoting hours of their life to the next big MMORPG.

Here are some screen shots sent to us today in regards to the next installment of Mortal Kombat. Warner Bros. has reinstated the mature content along with 2 dimensional fighting for the MK fans of old. Mortal Kombat is expected in 2011 on the PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360 and we will be sure to keep you up to date on any new details we receive.

With the announcement of a brand new Mortal Kombat coming to the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, the newest chapter of the iconic fighting game franchise marks a triumphant return to the series’ mature presentation and a reinvention of its classic 2D fighting mechanic combined with the latest technology to up the gore factor a few notches. Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios are unveiling two new characters who will join the fight in the upcoming Mortal Kombat – Cyrax and Kitana.

Cyrax, the robotic ninja warrior returns to the fray just as deadly as ever. Kitana, is back as well, always ready to stand in opposition to her evil clone Mileena and her fiendish ways. New screenshots of both Cyrax and Kitana in action are now available for publishing to your readers. In addition, two new environments in the game are also being revealed – The Desert and Bell Tower. Both levels will prove to be dramatic backdrops to the many punches, kicks, slices and fatalities that gamers will seek to execute in the new Mortal Kombat.

Thanks to our contact over at Square Enix, we have received the detailed information on the Final Fantasy XIV release. There will be 2 versions available on the PC: The normal version which will retail for $49.99 and the Collector’s Edition which will retail for $74.99 and include an in-game Onion Helm, 8 days of early access, a behind the scenes DVD, a security token, a travel journal, right of passage certificate, Amano cover, free gameplay for 30 days, the game disc and the manual.

Beta will begin in July and the official release will be September 30, 2010…See you there!

Last week Rockstar games released its latest title, Red Dead Redemption, to extreme success and sales. Here is a quick run down of the game if you happen to be one of the few people who have not yet purchased it yet or are still on the fence.

After five years of development and delayed release dates the main question is, does the game live up to all of the buzz? The answer is simply YES. The first thing that should be thrown out the door is that this game is not a GTA clone. Sure it has the same open world load out, map system, and mission structure, but you can rule out picking up hookers, thick accents, and drive bys.

Still reading? Good.

The game revolves around John Marsten, a former gang member of rag-tag outlaws who dropped out after his posse left him for dead. After that event he decided to walk a straight line, got married, and had a son. When he thought his past was long forgotten the U.S. Government pays him a visit and kidnaps his family. The catch is that they want him to go after his former gang in exchange for his family’s safety. John agrees and enters the last remnants of the Wild West and enters the world he left behind. Unlike other Rockstar games that have the protagonists enter a new land to hopefully make a better life for themselves, John finds his world changing at a rapid pace. The days of horseback riding are switching over to automobiles, cowboy hats are being replaced by top hats, and word is spreading quickly about the first airplane.

At its core, Red Dead Redemption is an action/shooter game that takes all the stereotypes from western movies including duels, lassoing, and the occasional damsel in distress. But what really drives the game is an epic story of a man trying to forget his past and redeem himself. It isn’t until the third act that this presents itself, and questions like “am I playing for the right team” are brought up. The last 13 missions of the games ending are juxtaposition very similar in structure to the ending of “The Lord of The Rings: Return of The King.” At first it seems like the story is complete and you are left feeling kind of cheated, but the next 12 missions are what really show what the games is about. Without giving the ending away just know that it is action packed, dramatic, and definitely unlike any other ending in gaming history.

From a graphical standpoint this game delivers even with a few glitches here and there. Everything from character facial expressions to the dirt on your boots is detailed with great accuracy. The controls are nothing new and can be pretty clunky at first. The cover system is not the worst I’ve played but compared to a game like Uncharted 2 it has a lot to learn. My only big complaint sadly was the lack of radio stations while traveling. Once again this is not a GTA game. However, the games soundtrack filled that void from the opening credits all the way till the bitter, rewarding end. The game allows for a easy to use fast travel system that will take you from anywhere on the map to your marker, but you will be missing out on some great scenery and ambiance. For example, at any given time while riding your horse through the map you may see a crime you can prevent, a stranger to help, a group of hunters out to get you, etc. Rumor has it there is even a few Easter eggs out in the world including a Mexican zombie. Missions for strangers are even sometimes more fun than the main missions since they always involve a darker tone and seem to end in tragedy.

The game’s multiplayer is comprised of the typical death match, capture the flag, and territories game types, but also introduces something new and unique. Free roam can easily described as a giant map for up to 16 people to gather in as a lobby and team up for more unique co-op missions not associated with the campaign. In fact there is so much to do in Free roam that it could have easily been a separate game on its own. All in all, it’s ok to believe the hype this game has generated. Will it be game of the year? It very well could be, but being released so early may make people forget once the fall lineup hits. My advice, stop what you are doing, get this game, and aim for the head.

Those who are on the email list for publishers, Square Enix, might have received an email this week promoting the Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition. With a major buzz around 3D in film, the gaming industry has begun to grab on. I could go on and on about how I think this 3D kick is just another fad that failed in both the 50s and 80s and may be used to distract movie goers from less than stellar storylines, but Batman: Arkham Asylum was a proven hit for Batman fans and gamers who like a solid action game.