Revived by Reboot: Devil May Cry

The Devil May Cry series from Capcom  has had players slaying demons and stringing combos together since 2001. The games follow Dante, a human with demonic powers who makes a living fighting and occasionally saving the world from demons. The games were all well received and the series had quite a following being one of the most popular stylistic action games on shelves. After four entries in the series though, Capcom decided to switch things up, reboot the game and start from scratch. Nobody really saw it coming and fans complained it didn't need a reboot.

As promotional material and trailers became available, fans really began to voice their concern, some threatening to never buy Capcom games ever again. I completely disagree though. The games never seemed to have a solid story nor did they ever continue from game to game. That isn't a bad thing but they just weren't being executed right and they were beginning to feel stale. The gameplay was fun, but that isn't always enough. This reboot really served to revive the Devil May Cry series.

One of the first major changes of the series was to the main character, Dante himself. Dante's long white hair was traded for a modern brunette cut and he was given a more "western" look. Promotions were released early on depicting the younger-looking Dante as a delinquent, punky guy. He definitely has the, I'm too cool for everything look, which I think put a lot of people off initially. Fans of the series were frustrated with the re-imagination of Dante but I honestly can't fathom why. The original Dante looked like some kind of gigolo stripper. Of course, I loved the series when I was younger and I thought Dante was awesome, but compared to the new Dante, the shirtless, leather pants wearing Dante of the original series just seemed silly in retrospect.

New Dante                                Vs.                                         Old Dante        

The redesign of Dante wasn't the only improvement however; it was only one of many. Perhaps my favorite improvement was to the actual story of the game. Instead of featuring some dude who runs a shop called Devil May Cry and contracts himself out as a demon killer, the reboot decided to take a less corny route. The reboot focused on telling the origin story (many reboots do these days) of Dante and begins with him before he even began fighting against the demonic forces. I won't spoil the story here but it does a great job of explaining where Dante's demonic powers emanate from and his motivation for fighting against the demons. It reveals a lot about Dante as a character and his grim past and the war between demons and angels and how mankind fits into the picture. The game also does a great job of creating an engaging story without sacrificing the self-reflexive humor and occasional one-liners of the original series; the only main difference is the voice actors in the reboot and their ability to not make the game sound like a B rated film on the SyFy channel.

The third and arguably greatest improvement the reboot featured was the enhanced combat. Don't get me wrong, the combat in the original games was amazing and the fact that the reboot was able to improve upon that, is phenomenal. Capcom spiced up the combat with new weapons players earn through the course of the game which can be switched on the fly without ever pausing or using a menu. Dante is still armed with his trademark sword Rebellion and trusty pistols, Ebony and Ivory but he can also equip an arsenal worth of other useful weapons.

These new weapons include a scythe that makes juggling multiple enemies at a time a cinch, an ax for obliterating armored foes, a pair of bladed boomerangs for crowd control and some heavy iron fists for pummeling enemies into a pulp. Dante also gains grappling weapons he can use to pull himself toward enemies or pull the enemies toward him for some deadly punishment. These new weapons allow players to create some seriously insane combos and makes the gameplay fun for newcomers as well. They also help create plenty of variety to increase your stylish rank score which earn you more points to spend on new abilities and upgrades. The combos and weapon switching isn't hard at all. You can be very effective without button mashing and without concentrating on any complicated button presses. The combat is very fluid, smooth and you feel like a total badass the entire time.

I know there have been some bad reboots out there but in some cases, I think a reboot can definitely turn things around for a series and reinvigorate the experience of the game. Devil May Cry is only one example and while many fans of the original series condemned the reboot, the game received mostly positive reviews. I'm eager for news concerning the sequel and I hope to see Capcom follow up with more demon slaying action. What do you think? Did this reboot save the series, or should Capcom have stayed with their original formula?

Michael Fassbender Cast in Assassin's Creed Movie

Ubisoft Motion Pictures recently revealed that Michael Fassbender will be donning the cloaks of Assassin, Altair for the movie adaptation of Assassin's Creed. Fassbender's most notable roles include Lt. Archie Hicox from Inglorious Bastards, Magneto from X-Men: First Class and the Android, David from Prometheus.

According to Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, Fassbender was their first choice and he will also co-produce the film. Ubisoft Motion Pictures originally had plans to work with Sony on the movie but chose to develop the film on their own to maintain greater control over the story line and deliver an experience fans of the game will also enjoy.

I've brainstormed several times about what possible actors could play the role of Altair and I had never considered Fassbender. However, after reading the report, he seems like an obvious and excellent choice. Fassbender is a very talented actor and should have no trouble portraying Altair. If you haven't yet, you should see him in Prometheus or X-Men: First Class where his excellent acting abilities are really showcased.

How do you feel about Michael Fassbender being cast as Altair? Will he pull it off or did you have someone else in mind?

Source [Variety]

Top Ten Video Game Weapons of All Time

Over the years video games have shown us a variety of different weapons, from blades to guns, bombs to chainsaws and let's admit, they make gaming fun. While weapons are common in many games these days, there are definitely those that stand out among the rest. They're those weapons that you that are so elusive you may spend days trying to get it. They're the weapons that may not be the strongest but are the most fun to use. Or it could simply be that they are the most powerful weapon in the game. With a handful of these great weapons to choose from, I decided to compose a list and countdown the top ten greatest video game weapons of all time.


10. Crowbar - Half-Life

It is the iconic weapon of the Half-Life series and the signature weapon of Alien killer, Gordon Freeman. The  crowbar is the first weapon that Gordon acquires in each game and aids him in combat and solving puzzles throughout the Black Mesa facility, City 17 and beyond. The single piece of cast iron painted red with silver tipped ends has made the crowbar one of the most noticeable weapons in gaming. Whether it be destroying crates, clearing obstacles, breaking padlocks or being your last defense after running out of ammo, the crowbar has always served as a trusty weapon.



9. Mehrunes' Razor - The Elder scrolls V: Skyrim

The deadly Deadric artifact is one of the most powerful blades in all of Skyrim and with a 3% chance to kill your opponent in one hit, the razor is definitely a weapon you'll want in your inventory. You can acquire Mehrunes' Razor after being prompted by Mythic Dawn fanatic, Silus Vesuius. Silus operates a museum featuring several artifacts of the Mythic Dawn but he also has a keen interest in the Deadric Prince, Mehrunes Dagon. To complete his collection, he employs the player to collect the pieces of the fabled dagger so that he can prey to the Deadric Prince to repair it. However, at the shrine, Mehrunes prompts the player to kill Silus and take the dagger which he will only repair for you. Killing Silus is a no-brainer, as it rewards you with one of the best weapons in the game and it's a one-of-a-kind once owned by a god. The razor is the perfect weapon for any stealth player but no doubt, its power and deadly effects can be useful to any character. Oh yeah, the 3% chance to kill a target in one hit, applies to dragons as well.

8. 211-V Plasma Cutter - Dead Space

The plasma cutter is to Isaac Clarke like the crowbar is to Gordon Freeman. The plasma cutter offers unrivaled reliability with firing options that allow players to dismember necromorphs with vertically fired lines of ionized plasma or horizontally fired lines for maximum potential. Ammo is plentiful, which in a game Like Dead Space is sure to make the plasma cutter one of your best friends when fighting through necromorph hordes. The ability to upgrade weapons allows you to craft an even deadlier plasma cutter and in the second game, you even have to option to ignite enemies in flames. Again, the plasma cutter is one of those weapons that has become a trademark or icon for a game series. The plasma cutter is often one of the first weapons people think of or recognize from Dead Space despite the large arsenal that is available to Isaac throughout the game, which earns it a spot on this top ten list.







7. Mk 2 Lancer Assault Rifle - Gears of War

The Mk 2 Lancer Assault Rifle is unlike any other rifle due to the fact it has an attached chainsaw for cutting up Locust hordes. Not only is the chainsaw intimidating, it's actually practical. The original Mk 1 Lancer only had a bayonet fixed to it which was not very effective against locust armor. Marcus Fenix and his father, Adam Fenix are actually the brains behind the Mk 2 Lancer and the design was conceived by Adam Fenix himself. The chainsaw addition allowed Gears to easily cut through Locust armor and aerved as a better melee component on the rifle itself. The rifle holds a whopping 660 rounds (550 in Gears 2) allowing you to mow down Locust hordes easily. However, if they close in or flank your cover, they'll be sorry when the mean-looking teeth of that chainsaw rips them apart.

6. Energy Sword - Halo

Easily one of the most popular weapons from the Halo series, the Energy Sword takes spot six on this list. The Energy sword is one of the most deadly weapons in all of Halo and is only wielded by the Covenant Elite or the Sangheili. The sword is extremely effective in close quarters combat and successful strikes from the sword almost always result in a fatality. The razor sharp ionized blades of the Energy Sword can cut through the densest of metals, reduce enemy shields to zero and kill in a single strike. White-hot energy produced by the blades burns and cauterizes flesh, organs and tissue inside the body creating wounds that are nearly impossible to recover from. The tactful Sangheili also devised a fail safe within the sword which destroys the weapon if the original user drops it. The energy housed within the sword destroys the hilt preventing enemy soldiers from retrieving it. One of the most awful sights a player can see in Halo during multiplayer is that of an enemy player running toward them with an energy sword equipped. If you don't have a rocket launcher, sniper rifle or sword to defend yourself, you'll add a tally to your deaths.With the ability to kill an enemy in a single strike or cause permanent damage, the Energy Sword easily earns its place among the top ten weapons of all time.

5. Fat Man - Fallout 3 (New Vegas)

Fat Man was originally the codename for the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki; in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout, it is a gun that catapults 'mini nukes' that will decimate your enemy. Don't misinterpret 'mini nukes' because there is nothing mini about this gun. The nuke which is loaded into the catapult like device is slightly larger than the average human head. Weighing in at about 30 pounds, the Fat Man is the perfect weapon for taking out small armies, enemy strongholds, or a pack of mutants with a nuclear strike. It makes the perfect explosive weapon, from far range; get to close and you could find yourself feeling the blast as well. It is much wiser to fire the weapon upward, similar to a mortar to avoid be caught in the nuclear blast range. Another variant of the Fat Man, the Experimental MIRV is even more destructive with the ability to fire eight mini nukes at once. The resulting explosion is a small mushroom cloud and a bunch of dismembered bodies. Also, be sure not to head into that blast radius to scavenge without a radsuit, or some radaway as the entire area with be irradiated.

4. Crissaegrim -Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

The Crissaegrim is considered to be the ultimate weapon of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The weapon allows the player to walk while swinging and each attack results in four great, successive swings. The swings cover the entire area in front of Alucard from above his head to below his feet allowing players to slash anything in their path. The lightning fast swings and power of the sword make it the most powerful weapon in the game. Coincidentally, it is also the most elusive weapon in the game. It can only be found by killing a schmoo in the Forbidden Library section of the castle. Schmoos are difficult enough to find and the chances they drop a Crisseagrim are very rare at best. With enough dedication though, players will obtain this legendary sword and if they feel up to the task can find a second to equip in their left hand making them a killing machine.

3. Master Sword - The Legend of Zelda

Possibly the most iconic weapon of video game history comes from a franchise that is 20 years old and one of the most famous game series of all time. The Master Sword is a recurring weapon in the Zelda games forged by the goddess Hylia and only worthy of being wielded by a true hero, Link. Imbued with the power to vanquish evil, the sword embodies much more than being just a weapon. It symbolizes true good, power, and is the definition of what it means to be a man and a hero of the people. It is the only weapon capable of destroying, Link's nemesis, Ganon and has become so recognizable with the Triforce etched blade and winged hilt. The moment in which Link pulls the sword from its alter within the Temple of Time is always a highlight in each title and gives players this ultimate feeling of accomplishment. The Master Sword may not be the biggest sword or the most deadly but you won't ever see Link fighting the forces of evil with any sword but the fabled Master Sword.

2. BFG 9000 - Doom

It isn't hard to figure out what the acronym BFG stands for and it fits the weapon well. With the ability to vaporize demons and other hellish monsters with a single blast of plasma, the BFG 9000 is hailed as the most powerful weapon in the Doom series and possibly gaming history. Described in the game as 'the most advanced firearm ever designed' the BFG is able to decimate anything within 15 meters of the blast radius. Each plasma projectile contains a computer chip capable of tracking and identifying enemies. The BFG has the ability to eliminate any enemy with a single blast of plasma and with the friend or foe identification system built into the gun, it is the perfect weapon. Carry this gun around Hell and you'll be unstoppable.

1. Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator (Gravity Gun) - Half-Life 2

Gordon is famous for carrying around his crowbar but there's another weapon that he's very often associated with. Simply known as the gravity gun, the ZPEFM was originally intended to handle hazardous materials or move heavy objects. The tractor beam on the weapon which is able to lift and manipulate any object in the game is powered by a Xen crystal.The gravity gun has two functions which make it especially useful. The first allows you to pick up and manipulate objects. It is useful for creating paths by stacking or moving objects. You can also create shields out of some objects which gives it a defensive use as well. The secondary function allows you to launch items from the primary mode or you can launch items while they aren't in the primary mode. The combination of these two functions allows players to pick up deadly objects such as saw blades and use them to kill enemies. A kill with a saw blade usually results in cutting the target in half. Other objects such as oil drums and propane tanks also make deadly projectiles to be launched from the gravity gun. Its ability to use a variety of different projectiles make it the most powerful weapon in the game. Paired with its ability to create shields, create paths and build barriers it is also the most effective and useful weapons in Half-Life 2.

There are a lot of other powerful and just plain awesome video game weapons out there. Did your favorite weapons make it on the list or are the others you would have preferred to see on here? share your thoughts in comment.

Mass Effect 3 Extended Endings Available Tuesday

Bioware recently announced that the extended endings for Mass Effect 3 will be available on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this coming Tuesday.

After some serious backlash from fans disappointed with the seemingly, simple endings, Bioware responded with this free to download DLC which will go more in depth to explain the endings and give players a better idea of what other ramifications their choices throughout the series had on the galaxy. The DLC is not meant to change the current endings or add new ones but is rather meant to expand and elaborate on the current endings with new scenes and dialogue. Bioware promises the extended cut will "provide more of the answers and closure that players have been asking for. It gives a sense of what the future holds as a result of the decisions made throughout the series. And it shows greater detail in the successes or failures based on how players achieved their endings."

I was initially somewhat disappointed with the endings of Mass Effect 3 but over time, I have come to respect them and actually embrace them. I am however interested in seeing what the extended cut will reveal. What do you think of the idea of these extended endings? Are you one of the players that was looking for more closure or were you fine with the endings as is?
Source [Gameinformer]

Agent 47 makes a visit to China Town

He's not there for Orange Chicken.

In the first hands-on footage for Hitman: Absolution, shown at E3, Producer at IO Interactive, Luke Valentine gives us some insight on what we can expect in the game. Our favorite bald assassin is after the King of China Town and the demo shows how assignments in Absolution can be completed in a variety of different ways. As Agent 47, you can draw attention to yourself and make a scene, do things quietly or just make the hit look like an accident. In the game, it's up to you.

The gameplay also does an excellent job of demonstrating the crowd effects in Absolution. Unlike the Mardi Gras level from Hitman: Blood Money, the crowd in Absolution behaves realistically. You can overhear conversations, you see people eating, buying or doing different kinds of jobs on the jumbled streets. All of it adds up to create an experience that feels like a real situation. Absolution also makes fine use of a more present soundtrack as well featuring plenty of low, foreboding tones.

You can see some of 47's new tricks and all the methods he employs to complete his assignment in the video below. What do you think of Hitman: Absolution so far?

Splinter Cell: Blacklist Announced

Microsoft made it clear that Sam Fisher is still a badass when they revealed Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Sam is making a comeback after the President of the United States assigns him to a 'black than black'
 special ops team. The team is formed after a group of hostile nations composes a list containing plans for terrorist attacks to be carried out if U.S. troops are not evacuated from their countries.

A cinematic trailer reveals that Third Echelon has been shut down as Sam Fisher hitches a ride into a Middle-Eastern terrorist compound crawling with goons. Sam uses his impressive, yet deadly skill-set to infiltrate the base and take out some unfortunate guards. It's obvious he hasn't lost his edge after he swiftly kills a group of terrorists in the blink of an eye. The action is amped up when Sam rappels down the side of a building and makes quick work of some more terrorists. A man being held prisoner by the terrorists is freed by Sam and given a gun. The two head into the hallway of the building and engage in a fierce fire fight while Sam's partner provides cover fire with a sniper rifle from a nearby building.

Sam and the man reach the roof and are momentarily clear of the action. The man asks Sam what agency he's with in which he receives the reply, "Welcome to Fourth Echelon."

While the cinematic trailer is great, we see the true brilliance of Blacklist in the gameplay demonstration (posted below). The trailer begins with Fisher using a disguise to gain access to an Iraqi terrorist camp where we see an improved mark and execute system. Sam uses his iconic goggles to survey the camp yard and tracks about seven terrorists. He tags the three closest and exits the tent in which he was hiding. The game enters bullet time and Fisher delivers one bullet to each of the three men while running toward a fourth. The game re-enters real time and the fourth man gets a knife in the neck as Sam marks the last two enemies. He slides over the hood of a pickup and violently executes the last two.

The whole sequence is stunning as Sam flows seamlessly from kill to kill. It all looks so clean and happens so fast, that when Sam had killed the last enemy, the guy was just reaching for his gun. Sam goes on to fight through the camp where he encounters a mounted machine gun and more terrorists. At one point, the player uses a voice command with their Kinect to call in an air-strike which disposes of the machine gun. The action of Splinter Cell has definitely been turned up a notch but still features plenty of stealth opportunities for player who prefer to keep things quiet.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is slated for a Spring 2013 release as of now. What do you think of Blacklist? Is Fisher too old to still be doing this or does age not even matter at this point?

Reality Pump announces Sacrilegium

Reality Pump, the developer behind the Two Worlds games, has announced their newest title. Sacrilegium is a survival horror experience that Reality Pump promises will deliver cinematic sequences and spine-tingling action in a way gamers have never experienced before.

Sacrilegium follows a pretty-faced 20 year-old college girl, Alex as she travels the globe in search of paranormal evidence linked with ferocious vampire-like creatures called Moroi. Reality Pump boasted in an interview that the Moroi are much deadlier than the average vampire and that they could easily "eat one for breakfast." Alex's treacherous journey will take her from comfortable California to mystery filled Europe where she arrives at the titular Sacrilegium.

Alex isn't just a pretty face; she is well trained in martial arts and likely has other skills that that will no doubt come in use as her limits and fears are tested by the horrors that await her in Sacrilegium. You can check out some screens posted below which look quite impressive. I have to say, I'm glad to see a new survival horror IP and I'm very interested to see more on Sacrilegium. Hopefully Reality Pump can live up to their promise and deliver a truly terrifying experience. No time frame was given for Sacrilegium but it has been confirmed for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

What do you think of Sacrilegium and Reality Pump's ambitious plans? It may be too early to tell now but hopefully information will surface soon on this mysterious title.

Lara Croft gets her hands dirty in New Tomb Raider Trailer

Lara Croft is looking better than ever as she takes on some bad guys in some kind of Mountain-top village. Tomb Raider now supports a cover based shooting system similar to the Uncharted games in which players must utilize cover from their environment. We see a beautifully rendered jungle as Lara runs and hurdles over some ancient looking bridges and wades across a small river. The lighting and shadow effects look brilliant as well. In the distance, you can see more mountains shrouded in mist as Lara treks onward.

She encounters a group of three men, past survivors who have adopted the ideals of a leader which is still unnamed. They operate as a type of cult which seems to pillage the remains of crashed ships and planes and violently indoctrinate any survivors into their cult. Those who oppose are seemingly killed. Director Karl Stewart revealed that not all of these scavengers are loyal to their leader though and still seek escape from the island.

Lara approaches the group scavengers stealthily, armed with a bow she must have found on the island. She peeks over the wall and fires an arrow into the head of one of the unsuspecting scavengers causing him to fall off the cliff he was standing at. Lara then turns her focus to the other two scavengers who are still unaware of their dead friend. She takes aim with her bow again and fires an arrow into the head of one. The other man, startled, dives for cover as he flips a table over and begins firing his gun at Lara. She scurries behind the wall dodging the sporadic shots which chip pieces of the wall, explode vases of water sending bits of ceramic in all directions. The  destructible environments look to provide a much more intense action experience.

The man takes a moment to reload his gun which allows Lara to charge him sending him to his death in a free fall off the cliff. Lara then turns her attention to a zip-line which takes her across the canyon to another part of the village. As Lara Lara explores further into the village, she encounters another group of men. She is able to ignite the tips of her arrows and shoot them into flammable materials resulting in fires and explosions. The fire spreads across the different materials and even ignites one of the scavengers at one point.

Enemies react to shots from the bow depending on where they're hit. Lara shoots one scavenger in the leg sending him in pain to his knees allowing her to finish him off with the ice-axe she has; Tomb Raider now seems to support a fair amount of close combat. After another brief fire fight, Lara attempts to cross some treacherous looking rapids but after a misstep, she is violently sent down the river with some other debris. As she is dragged down the river, Lara enters a couple of brief bullet-time sequences prompting her to destroy obstacles with her shotgun. The frantic fall ends with Lara in the cockpit of a crashed plane where Lara finds herself on a plane of glass which is about to shatter and send her falling hundreds of feet.

She carefully but quickly grabs a parachute and is able to put it on just as the glass breaks. The chute malfunctions on the first attempt but the reserve chute seems to save Lara as it opens just in time. She's then sent hurtling through the top of a pine forest where she's violently whipped around until she makes her eventual punishing descent.

While the new Lara Croft is inexperienced at her current youth and has much softer features, she can certainly take a brutal beating. By the end of the trailer, she is bloodied and can hardly walk. You can't help but feel sympathy for Lara as she struggles through these multiple fire fights and the harsh jungle environment. The intense action combined with the rough survival tactics is looking to be very entertaining. Check out the trailer below and see just how great this game already looks. I've been very excited since the game was announced last year and I am eagerly awaiting Tomb Raider's release on March 5th of 2012.

Ubisoft announces Watch Dogs

Perhaps one of the most stunning game demonstrations of E3 yet was delivered by Ubisoft during their press event in which they reveled their new game entitled Watch Dogs. The preliminary announcement trailer explains the back story of the game. In August of 2003, a power outage on the East Coast caused by a 'disgruntled employee' left 55 million people in a total blackout. Panic ensued and by the time it was all over, 11 people had died. In order to prevent such a tragedy again, a system named CTOS (central operating system) is installed; it is a very sophisticated program that controls online networks, traffic grids, data servers, surveillance cameras and power grids. A computer is responsible for controlling and managing an entire city but who controls the computer? The woman narrating goes on to explain the ulterior motives of big corporations controlling the content we see and how we see it, likely the main focus of Watch Dogs.

The gameplay demo follows shortly after the announcement trailer and pans over various shots of a very impressive and beautiful looking Chicago; I was stunned by the visual quality of the city. The camera catches up with main protagonist, Aiden Pearce, a hacker capable of infiltrating the CTOS system. As he walks casually down the street I can't help but stare in awe at the amount of detail injected into the game's visuals. The city streets replicate the feel of a city much better than any other game has done in the past. The amount of depth and small details like, neon signs, wind, litter and the pedestrians around Aiden just look so real. The behavior of clothes and accessories like a pedestrians purse even caught my eye as they seemed to move and react to movement and the wind in such a realistic fashion. To say the least, I was impressed in the first ten seconds of the camera following Aiden over his shoulder.

Aiden makes his along the windy streets to an art gallery featuring the work of a man named Flynn Demarco and it seems to be invite only. Instead of jumping in line, Pearce pulls out his phone and jams cell phone and radio signals. The guard at the front door is distracted and wanders away from his post allowing Aiden to slip inside. In the gallery, Aiden walks through the crowd of attendees who have actions above their head associated with what they're doing.

You can hack their phones to listen to conversations or jam their cell phone signals to prevent them from making contact. Pearce meets up with some kind of contact who he has some sort of arrangement with. Not much is revealed other than Pearce is after Demarco and is using himself as bait. After the contact hands Aiden a gun, he uses his phone to hack the phone of a employee of Demarco. She's calling Demarco to alert him of Aiden's presence which prompts Demarco to make his way over to the gallery. Aiden heads for the back door but is halted by a guard who he disposes of with a asp baton without drawing any attention. He exits the building and awaits Demarco's arrival.

Once he spots the car, Pearce causes a massive car accident between multiple vehicles after he hacks the traffic lights. A gun fights ensues as Demarco's body guards spot Pearce. The seamless cover and shoot system employed by Pearce allows him to take the guards down. At one point he even slides over the hood of a car and engages in close combat with one of the body guards which looked very clean and just awesome at the same time. After the security is eliminated, Pearce drags Demarco from his car and kills him with a single shot from a handgun.

Pearce opens his PDA but the camera switches to a man on a rooftop watching Pearce; The man, with the tag of Bixxel_44 talks to a another man on his phone and runs out of sight in a bit that seems to be controlled by the player. The camera then pans up and gets a view of the whole city where code names such as 'Siren', 'Fidget' and 'Valkyrie' pop up which seems to imply a network of players may be playable and have a role to play in manipulating the CTOS system. Aside from that, Ubisoft refrained from revealing anything else and no time frame was given for a release date although the game is planned for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Check out the trailers below to see how truly amazing this game looks. Keep in mind the screens in this post are all in game. Keep an eye out for more news on Watch Dogs.

Get a closer look at Dishonored

In a interview with Morgan Webb, Co-Creative directors, Raphael Colontonio and Harvey Smith show off the  Steampunk and stealth based gameplay featured in their upcoming game, Dishonored. Smith and Colontonio emphasize the focus on the stealth aspect in Dishonored and go as far as to claim that players can go through the entire game without killing a single person.

Players assume the role of Corvo, former body-guard to the empress. After being framed for her murder, he gains supernatural abilities (similar to Plasmids in Bioshock) and combined with his marksmanship and talent as a swordsman, he sets out for revenge against those actually responsible for the empress' death. We get a glimpse of these powers Corvo has throughout the demo. One of the powers demonstrated is called 'Blink' which allows Corvo to teleport over short distances. He can use the power to dodge enemy attacks, sneak past guards or even reach areas that are normally inaccessible. At one point in the demo, Corvo strangles a guard and must hide his body to avoid being detected; the player uses the Blink ability to teleport into the second story of a vacant building to hide the corpse.

One of the other powers demonstrated in the game allows the player to posses animals such as the vile rats that scurry along the streets or even a human. When you use the posses power, you can use animals such as a rat or a fish to find vents or tunnels to access the domains of your enemies. When the player controls  rat at one point, he accesses a tiny vent which leads to the inside of a mansion. Once through the vent, the player ends the possession and resumes the game as Corvo having successfully infiltrated the mansion. It sounds strange but Smith and Colotonio explained there are almost endless possibilities in the world of Dishonored. You can approach your missions with stealth in mind and find these hidden access points and even use other powers at your disposal to infiltrate certain locations without alerting a single guard. Not many of the other have been revealed just yet but they imply that missions can be completed in a multitude of different ways.

Also important to keep in mind is that the choices you make as Corvo effect your morality and the outcome of the ending. Smith and Colontonio explain that sparing the life of certain enemies will have an effect on the game in the future but killing them will have different results that effect the game as well.

As the demo begins, you get a glimpse of Dishonored's Dystopian setting as the two directors explain the city named Dunwall (one of the various locations you'll frequent through out the game) is part of a completely fictional world and inspired by the streets of London with a Steampunk-esque vibe. You can see primitive forms of steam based technology such as generators to power lights and other machines.

You can check out the whole interview below and see just how awesome this game looks. If you're a fan of Bioshock, Thief, or just stealth games in general, you'll definitely want to keep your eye on Dishonored which is set to release on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 9, this year.

Dishonored Trailer: Watch bad guys get devoured by rats

If vengeful assassins with supernatural powers are your thing, you may want to check out the new Bethesda title, Dishonored. You take control of body guard to the empress, Corvo, who is framed for her murder. Unfortunately for the people actually responsible for the murder, Corvo isn't a very forgiving individual.

The trailer (below) gives us a glimpse into the world of Dishonored, a Dystopian city ridden with a deadly plague. Guards dump dead bodies into ditches and rivers while armored vehicles patrol the streets and maintain the quarantine. The city resembles something out of the book 1984, where the government and upper classes hold all the power. Luckily for Corvo however, he has some power of his own. While he can use the traditional blade or firearm approach to eliminate his enemies, he also has unique abilities that allow him to summon rats to fight for him, stop time or even sprint towards enemies in a flash. One part of the trailer shows two guards being completely annihilated by a pack of rats, pretty gruesome. You can take a stealth approach to your missions creating distractions and silently killing guards or you can go all out killing everyone in your path.

Either way you chose, the game looks great so far and I'm really excited to see more. Share your thoughts on Dishonored below in the comments section.

Aliens: Colonial Marines update

SEGA has some good news and some bad news concerning Aliens: Colonial Marines. The good news is that the game finally has a release date, the bad news, it's been delayed until 2013. Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on February 12, 2013. The Wii U version of the game will get a later release date.

While Colonial Marines is joining a laundry list of games being delayed until 2013, it isn't all that bad; SEGA was kind enough to share an awesome trailer, entirely of gameplay. The visuals look spectacular with the classic blood-splashed walls, dimly-lit corridors and the xenomorphs themselves pouring out from every crack and crevice of the ship. The gameplay looks suspenseful as the characters explore the ship with the ever present, ominous beeping, emitted from the motion detector. The action is frantic as shots seem to fly in every direction as the xenomoprhs approach from the ceilings and walls and disappear just as quickly through holes and vents. The game almost made me think of something similar to a first person Dead Space experience.

I was already interested in Colonial Marines (I'm a big alien fan) but after watching the trailer, I have to say I'm even more excited than before. Hopefully we'll get even more news and a nice demonstration during E3. What do you think of Aliens: Colonial Marines so far? You can watch the trailer down below.