Desperate. Alone. Betrayed. Gabe Logan stands alone. They’ve disbanded his team. His partner is missing and accused of treason. How far will he go to find the truth? Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow will keep you wondering who to trust, featuring an engaging storyline, all-new combat actions and underwater missions. Experience an edge of your seat thrill ride featuring a gripping story by best-selling author Greg Rucka.

Synopsis
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow takes you on a heart-pounding adventure in a world where the only man you can trust is staring back at you in the mirror. More than 55 high-tech weapons offer plenty of options to annihilate your enemy. Watch as they go down and target specific body parts for maximum efficiency with advanced vision technology. Shock enemies and send them running for cover with exciting new combat moves like Blind Fire and Human Shield. Underwater combat and exploration missions force you to adapt to the deep and gain control of 360° navigation to stay on point. Gain answers and revenge as you fight for the life you once knew.

Features:

* 55 high-tech weapons allow you to blast away enemies in any mission with finesse or brute force
* Try out new combat moves including Blind Fire to send your foes running for the hills
* Make the most out of an enemy and preserve your health with the Human Shield move
* Use advanced vision technology to target, aim and shoot specific body parts
* Underwater missions let you explore with 360° of navigation
* Storyline written by acclaimed author Greg Rucka, writer of the Queen & Country series
* Soundtrack created by international recording artist Azam Ali

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/syphonfilterlogansshadow/index.html

Links
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is an upcoming multiplatform videogame developed by Ubisoft due for release on May 18, 2010, in North America and May 20 in Europe. The game is a latest installment in the Prince of Persia series, and will mark a return to the storyline started by Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The Wii and PSP versions are being developed by Ubisoft Quebec; the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows are being handled by Ubisoft Montreal with the help of Ubisoft Singapore, while the DS version is being made at Casablanca

Plot

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will return to the storyline established by the critically acclaimed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2003 and previously concluded by Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones in 2005. On December 14, 2009, Ubisoft UK released the first details of the story on their official video portal.

Visiting his brother’s kingdom following his adventure in Azad, the Prince finds the royal palace under siege from a mighty army bent on its destruction. When the decision is made to use the ancient power of the Sand in a desperate gamble to save the kingdom from total annihilation, the Prince will embark on an epic adventure in which he will learn to bear the mantle of true leadership, and discover that great power often comes with great responsibility.

The game is an interquel, taking place in the seven year gap between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within. The Prince character is supposed to be a cross between the character models in these two games. Once again he will be voiced by Yuri Lowenthal.

According to Nintendo Power, the Wii version’s plot will revolve around a female djinn seeking help from the prince to liberate a kingdom enslaved by a mysterious evil.

Gameplay

Xbox 360, PS3 and PC versions

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is to “feature many of the fan-favorite elements from the original series as well as new gameplay innovations”, according to a press release from Ubisoft. The Prince has the ability to rewind time from the very beginning of the game and throughout the game he learns new powers. The biggest new feature is the addition of elemental powers, which bring a new dimension to the core gameplay, because of the way these powers interact with each other and the Prince’s other abilities. There are four core powers in the game. For example, the Prince can “solidify” water fountains and turn them into climbable columns. Besides these core powers, there are also minor powers, that can be purchased to enhance the Prince’s abilities from a Djinn named Razia. Her character will be found in a mystical dimension similar to that one in The Sands of Time where The Fountain of Time could be found. These minor powers include a shield and the power to summon small tornadoes.

The combat in the game is similar to combat mechanics found in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The Prince will be able to fight multiple enemies in one battle, up to 50 at once. An important part of the combat is “crowd control” and evading enemies, as well as combos. There is no blocking and there are no quick-time events in the game.

The DS, PSP and Wii versions are developed separately and will feature different gameplay than the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC versions.

Wii version

In the Wii version of the game, the Prince will wield three new powers: a Sand Ring, serving as a wall grip to ascend areas where there are no ledges or grips; a pillar to get higher; and a protection sphere to avoid falling or getting caught in traps. These three magical sand powers will serve both in navigation sequences, during combat and also to solve puzzles. The source of these three new powers is a magical phial discovered by the prince. Later in the game, the challenges will necessitate the player to combine all of the three powers. With time, the powers will be found to have more than one specific usage; according to Nintendo Power, the Sand Ring will eventually serve to activate some special power crystals.

Combat in the Wii version makes use of the Wii’s motion sensing capabilities. A flick of the Wii Remote will swing the Prince’s sword, and the same gesture with the Nunchuk will make him throw a punch. The rest of his combat moves (like rolling, blocking, etc.) will simply use buttons, as the developers didn’t want to make the game exhausting by overusing motion controls. According to Nintendo Power, the swordplay does feel similar to the previous installments. From time to time, certain foes will have a blue aura surrounding them, meaning he is the “leader” of the group of enemies; bringing the player to the use of some strategy: if you kill the leader, the other enemies will flee instantly. Using a Sand Ring on an enemy will freeze him for a brief period of time.

The Wii version will also feature a cooperative multiplayer and will include the Super NES version of the original Prince of Persia.

Features:

* Latest installment in the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time story line
* Encounter enemies determined to take you down
* Confront the danger that lurks around you in a land of mystery and intrigue
* Unleash powerful offensive battle measures against opposing forces
* Face off against well-matched enemies in battles of deadly significance

info: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/princeofpersiatheforgottensandswii/

Links
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands PLAYSTATION 3 Games
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Nintendo Wii Games
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Xbox 360 Games
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Nintendo DS Games
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Sony PSP Games
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands PC Games

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance brings the Mortal Kombat series a new 3-D fighting engine, adds tons of features and extras, and still offers up classic gameplay.

This installment features a 3-D battle system that still manages to maintain a 2-D feel. For example, pushing up on your controller makes you sidestep your opponent’s attacks, yet also allows you to jump in the air by tapping up plus a direction. A revamped fighting system offers up three different styles for each fighter (one includes a weapon technique). The multiple styles provide countless varieties of attacks for any given fighter. Different combinations of punches and kicks can be combined for very lengthy and powerful chain attacks similar to those in the Mortal Kombat of old. Fatalities are also back and rich in graphic representation.

New fighters join the cast of old favorites such as Sonya, Kano, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Scorpion, Johnny Cage, Jax, Cyrax, Kung Lao, Kitana, Quan Chi, Reptile, and Shang Tsung. The lavish environments surround your fighters with animated backgrounds and rich skylines. On some levels there are even breakable objects and hazards that you can interact with, such as pools of acid–the perfect landing place for a thrown opponent.

In addition to regular modes of gameplay (arcade, versus, etc.), there is an option called Konquest mode. This mode allows you to learn more about fighting styles, read up on each character’s personal history, and gain Koins. The koins can then be spent in the Krypt, allowing you to unlock a host of new characters, costumes, and early concept drawings. The plentiful additional content offered with this title includes special movies of The Making of Deadly Alliance and The History of Mortal Kombat.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance successfully reinvents the series by offering up a unique mix of improved graphics and stylized gameplay without compromising any of the features that made the MK series popular over the years. –Carlos Rodela

Pros

* Complex gameplay
* Realistic 3-D graphics
* Hundreds of unlockable features

Cons

* Weak storyline
* Unbalanced combo system

Info: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/mortalkombatdeadlyalliance/index.html

Links:
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

Jackass: The Game is a video game based on the television series Jackass. It was developed under license by Sidhe Interactive in Wellington, New Zealand for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The game was first shown at the 2006 E3 behind closed doors.

The Nintendo DS version of the game was developed by Sensory Sweep Studios, out of Salt Lake City, Utah.

All of the Jackass cast and crew provided their own voices and supply their likenesses for the game (except Bam Margera who does not feature), according to Sidhe Interactive. Johnny Knoxville and other members of the Jackass team also provided stunt ideas to the developer based on unused stunts from the show. A trailer was released in June 2007 on the game’s official website, along with the cover art.

Gameplay

In an article by IGN.com, it was stated that the video game would consist of a set of 40 minigames that closely follow aspects of both the series and the movies. Jason “Wee-Man” Acuña has his own set of minigames in the video game. It is stated on the official game website that the DS version has an open environment with which players interact to pull off stunts.

Storyline

Filling in as director of Jackass, your aim is to collect the best footage from up to 36 stunts throughout the game to create a new Jackass series for MTV. All stunts have a minimum requirement for content before MTV will approve an episode for broadcast. The new series requires seven episodes of Jackass footage.

Gameplay modes

Jackass offers two gameplay modes for players:

* MTV Story Mode: The primary gameplay mode for Jackass: The Game, the narratives drives your progress through the game. By playing MTV Story Mode you can unlock new content within the game.

* Episodes – Stunts are collected into groups called “Episodes”. Episodes in the game are similar to the format and structure of the TV series, collecting a series of stunts which may or may not be related by a general theme. In each episode, the player is free to complete the stunts in any order.

* Game Progression – Completing goals within a stunt attempt means collecting footage for an episode.

Info: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/jackass/index.html

Links:
Jackass: The Video Game

Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as Biohazard 4 (バイオハザード4?), is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and most recently in Australia, THQ Asia Pacific. It is the sixth game in the Resident Evil series. The game was originally released on January 11, 2005 in North America, and later on January 27 in Japan.

The game was intended to be a Nintendo GameCube exclusive, but a PlayStation 2 version was announced before the game was released for the GameCube. Resident Evil 4 was subsequently released in full for PC (Microsoft Windows) and Wii, and in heavily condensed versions for other platforms, including the iPhone OS, Mobile phones, and Zeebo.

Gameplay

The player controls Leon S. Kennedy from a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective during a mission to rescue the daughter of the President of the United States, Ashley Graham. The gameplay focuses on action and shootouts involving crowds of enemies in large open areas. The camera is focused behind Leon, and it zooms in for an over-the-shoulder view when aiming a weapon. The addition of a laser sight adds a new depth to the aiming, allowing the player to aim in various directions and easily change their placement at any time. Bullets now affect the enemies specifically where they are shot: shots to the feet can cause enemies to stumble, while shots to the arms can cause them to drop their weapons.

Another new aspect of Resident Evil 4 is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, the player can interact with aspects of their environment: kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. There are also dynamic cut scenes, in which the player must press buttons indicated on-screen to execute actions such as dodging a falling boulder or wrestling an enemy to stay alive. These are often incorporated into the game’s many boss battles, where the player must avoid one-hit kill attacks. The Wii version expanded on this concept slightly by including a quick Wii Remote shake as a possible context sensitive action.

Capcom added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2, which was later incorporated into the PC and Wii releases. The largest addition is Separate Ways, a minigame which revolves around Ada Wong’s involvement in Resident Evil 4 and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of STARS, who is now attempting to revive Umbrella. Ada’s Report, a five-part documentary, analyzes Ada’s relationship with Wesker and his role in the plot. Other unlockable content in all versions included The Mercenaries minigame, new costumes for Leon and Ashley, new unlockable weapons and a Movie Browser.

Info: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/residentevil4/index.html

Links:
Resident Evil 4

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is a video game title encompassing three versions: a full-3D action game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows and Wii; a 2.5D sidescrolling beat em up action game for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2 (called Amazing Allies Edition), and a 2.5D side-scrolling brawler/platformer for the Nintendo DS.

PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360, and Wii
At various points in the game, the player is able to choose between good and evil paths. There are multiple endings depending on how the game is played out. In addition, the player can choose which villains to fight against. The player is able to switch between Spider-Man’s traditional red and blue costume and the Symbiote suit at any time during gameplay.[2] Chris Scholz from Shaba Games also commented that the developers “worked on really separating the black and red suits to give the player a different feel.” For example, red and blue-suited Spider-Man is fast and agile, while Symbiote Spider-Man is stronger and more destructive. The mini-map on the screen is also different from the style used in previous Spider-Man games. The traditional 2-D overhead view has been removed, replaced by a new 3D map with an “X”, “Y” and “Z” axis which shows the player’s position in three-dimensional space (north and south, as well as vertical position). Also, as a Wii exclusive, there are 6 alternate costumes (Spider-Carnage for the Black Suit, and Spider-Armor, Ben Reilly, Spider-Man 2099, Cosmic Spider-Man and the Iron Spider Suit for the Red Suit).

Plot

The game begins with Spider-Man searching for Mary Jane in a symbiote-infested New York. During a flashback to four days earlier, Spider-Man retells his account of how his encounter with Venom ended with a piece of the symbiote binding to himself. After the fight with Venom, Spider-Man meets Luke Cage during a gang drive by shooting. Cage explains that the Rolling Sevens and Park Avenue gangs are at war, and that their task is to bring the two to a truce. After pursuing the two gang leaders across the city, Spider-Man manages to get them to agree to a peaceful meeting in Central Park.

Outside the rendezvous point, Spider-Man discovers several high-tech assassins on top of the nearby buildings. He traces the assassins back to the Kingpin. After a few encounters with Black Cat, Moon Knight, Vulture, and Kingpin’s gang, Spider-Man and the Kingpin’s henchmen are attacked by symbiote-controlled citizens of New York City. The police soon arrive and Spider-Man is witnessed throwing a symbiote controlled person off of a building and is then considered to be a murderer.
Spider-Man swings through a symbiote-infested New York.

Wolverine, thinking Spider-Man to be possessed by a symbiote, tracks down and confronts the web slinger. After a brief battle, the two settle their differences and begin tracking down infected citizens. Eventually Spider-Man finds Venom throwing people into symbiote pods, leaving them infected. After the pods are destroyed, S.H.I.E.L.D. quarantines New York and sets up symbiote controlled citizen quarantine camps. Electro attacks one of the camps looking for his sister, who is symbiote controlled, and becomes infected himself attempting to help her.

Spider-Man decides the only way to save New York is to break the Tinkerer out of Ryker’s Island. Upon reaching the prison, Spider-Man frees the Rhino, using his strength to help free the Tinkerer. The Tinkerer then designs a device to be installed on the Trask building that removes the symbiotes from their hosts without causing harm to the host. After defeating symbiote controlled versions of Electro, Wolverine, Black Cat, and the Vulture, deppending on the player’s actions earlier in the game, Spider-Man either activates the device and destroys all the symbiotes including his own or destroys the device. Either way, Spidey responds an attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier by Venom and the remaining symbiotes.

Enlisting Moon Knight or Vulture to carry him to the Helicarrier, Spider-Man sets bombs to destroy the ship, but is attacked by a giant five headed version of Venom. Spider-Man is able to destroy four of the heads, and calls on Brock to try and assist with destroying the symbiotes. Realizing the destruction that has been caused by the Venom symbiote, Brock sacrifices himself, the Alternate ending involves Spiderman killing Venom. The symbiote monster weakens, and the Helicarrier explodes.

Based on the player’s actions throughout the game, Web of Shadows concludes with one of four possible endings, including;

* Spider-Man narrating about his victory on the top of a building before swinging away with Mary Jane
* Spider-Man calling Mary Jane to try and apologise about his actions during the invasion
* Spider-Man, now under the influence of the Black Suit, leading the symbiote conquest of Manhattan
* Spider-Man, now under the influence of the Black Suit and involved with a symbiote-controlled Black Cat, leading the symbiote conquest of Manhattan

Playstation 2 and PSP
Features

The PS2 and PSP versions were released as Spider-Man: Web of Shadows – Amazing Allies Edition. These versions of the game are a 2.5D scroller game instead of a free-roam game as on the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC. Spider-Man can still switch between the Black Suit and Red Suit. There are also conversations in which you may choose what Spider-Man says, which may affect the outcome of the game. There are also fewer upgrades. The story of the game is also changed a little.

Plot

Spider-Man is out in the city when he encounters Venom. Spider-Man defeats Venom and the symbiote explodes, scattering itself over the city and knocking Spider-Man unconscious. When Spider-Man comes to, he receives a call from Nick Fury explaining that Venom has infected the city and that S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents are quarantining Manhattan. He informs Spider-Man that he needs to help build a Sonic Generator and one of the components is Shocker’s gauntlets. Nick Fury tells Spider-Man that Shocker is breaking into the Duhart Hotel.

Spider-Man is then contacted by the Kingpin who receive instructions to build a Sonic Generator and advises him to obtain some vibranium from an underground laboratory run by his former associate Spencer Smythe who has allied with A.I.M.. At the Duhart Hotel, he encounters Shocker and defeats him. Spider-Man persuades him to hand over his gauntlets to help stop the symbiotic invasion.

Spider-Man then goes into the subways to find Spencer Smythe’s laboratory to obtain the vibranium and runs into traps set by Kraven the Hunter. He then faces Kraven the Hunter in the sewers on his way to Spencer Smythe’s laboratory to rescue J. Jonah Jameson from A.I.M. so Spencer can clone him. Spider-Man manages to defeat Rhino there and gain some vibranium for the Sonic Generator.
Spider-Man holds a webbed enemy over a ledge.

Spider-Man arrives in Harlem to meet up with Luke Cage before facing the first ‘infected’ citizens. After toppling a water tank to put out a fire, Spider-Man is presented with the option of changing the direction of a train filled with infected people (either the train continues along the current course or Spider-Man sends it in Luke Cage’s direction). When the player finds clues of the Tinkerer’s plot, he then appears near a sign that has Spider-Man on it and saying “Thanks Hero.” Just then, Luke Cage attacks Spider-Man. Depending on the decision at the train tracks, Luke will either appear infected by the Symbiotes or will attack Spider-Man to get the Black Suit off him.

Spider-Man then heads to a warehouse where the Tinkerer is building a missile that will spread the symbiotes to other cities. Spider-Man prevents this, but Tinkerer escapes.

Spider-Man arrives on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier where he helps to complete a sonic generator to stop the symbiotic invasion. After rescuing Jessica Drew, Spider-Man fights infected agents. He then restores the defense systems. Spider-Man encounters Jackal, who plots to obtain Spider-Man’s symbiotic suit for his own purposes. Spider-Man defeats Jackal who gives him a serum that will enhance his black suit. Jessica Drew then contacts Spider-Man informing him that the Helicarrier is going down and that they have to evacuate.

Spider-Man follows the trail of the helicarrier crash, then rescues some S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents from the symbiote monsters. Spider-Man finds Jessica who has become infected by the symbiotes. After defeating her and obtaining the S.H.I.E.L.D. plans, he gets a call from Nick Fury to obtain the Sonic Generator from the top of Fisk Tower.

While heading to Fisk Tower, Spider-Man gets a text message from Nick Fury to recover Egyptian artifacts stolen from a museum 2 weeks ago that are in a safe near where he is. After making it to the top and defeating A.I.M. soldiers, Spider-Man combines the vibranium, Shocker’s gauntlets, and power core with the serial port of a control interface computer. Jackal appears and steals the Sonic Generator. Spider-Man then gets a call from Spencer Smythe saying he has captured the Black Cat and is using a mind-control device on her. Spider-Man is forced to defend himself against Black Cat.

Spider-Man confronts Jackal at Central Park where Jackal states that he has modified the Sonic Generator to control the symbiotes. After defeating Jackal, Spider-Man activates the Sonic Generator to fry or to control the symbiotes, but takes time warming up causing Spider-Man to fight the multi-headed Venom monster in the fountain and smashing the symbiote pods on its body. Spider-Man destroys the pods and defeats Venom.

After collecting the Spider Symbol above the last destroyed pod, the game will let the player know if they had either saved or enslaved Manhattan.

Nintendo DS
Features

The Nintendo DS version is a 2.5D action brawler. Much like the console games, enemies drop exp points when defeated which can be used to purchase new moves for Spider-Man. As the player progresses through the story they will also obtain upgrades that will allow them to explore more of the open world map and eventually reach the end of the game. Many reviewers have often compared this game to the Castlevania and Metroid franchises for its similarities. At certain points in the game, the player will be need to decide which mission to undertake next, these decisions in turn will change the overall outcome of the game. This version is the only version that Venom is not the cause of the invasion and Venom can be your ally. This also shows the fewest number of allies: Black Cat, Venom, Green Goblin and Nightcrawler. During the game play the player can switch between the red and black suit at will with each suit having unique abilities (Red suit is more equipped for swift and dynamic movement and fast flurry of attacks while the Black suit is used for overwhelming powerful but slower attacks and devastating large masses of enemies).

Plot

The game begins with the symbiote invasion already in progress. Thinking Venom responsible, Spider-Man searches for him.

Along the way he encounters Black Cat who informs him of two things that he can help out with:

* Nightcrawler is helping out with the evacuation.
* Green Goblin is setting up bombs to defeat the Symbiotes.

Who Spider-Man helps is decided upon by the player. After defeating several Super Symbiotes, Spider-Man eventually arrives at a symbiote hive where he encounters and defeats Venom. Venom informs Spider-Man that he is not responsible for the alien invasion, but was trying to stop it. He reveals that if the hive’s Symbiote Leader is defeated, all of the infected will return to normal.

With Venom now too weak to accompany him, Spider-Man decides to infiltrate deeper into the hive by himself and eliminate the leader. Spider-Man defeats the Symbiote Leader, and the player is shown one of several endings dependent on the player’s actions.

Links
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows PLAYSTATION 3 Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Nintendo Wii Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Xbox 360 Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Nintendo DS Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Sony PSP Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows PlayStation2 Games
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows PC Games

Onimusha Blade Warriors, released in Japan as Onimusha Buraiden (鬼武者 無頼伝?), is a multi-player game from the Onimusha (series). Similar to Super Smash Bros., Blade Warriors is a simple 2D fighter game featuring many of the characters of the Onimusha franchise.

Players may use standard sword fighting with combos, blocks, block-breaking kicks, jump, switch planes (the different levels of the fighting area), use various items, and disarm their opponents. It also includes the original aspects of the Onimusha series, including the absorption of souls and special elemental attacks (lightning, fire, and wind). The story takes place months after the events in Onimusha 2 and 11 years before the events in Onimusha 3.[1]

Onimusha characters

* Samanosuke Akechi – A protagonist samurai from Onimusha 1. A warrior who wields the Oni Gauntlet. He disappeared mysteriously after defeating Fortinbras at Gifu Castle. Once again he has set out to defeat the demons with his Oni power.
* Kaede – A female ninja from Onimusha 1. Fought the demons with Samanosuke and searched for his whereabouts after the battle at Gifu Castle. Kaede will throw herself into the heat of battle no matter what the risk to life and limb.
* Keijiro Maeda – Yumemaru from Onimusha 1 ten years later, also known as Maeda Keiji. Famous eccentric swordsman. His gaudy dress conceals a warm heart. Rumored to have originally come from China, he wields a giant Nagamaki in battle.
* Grunt – This nameless warrior wanders battlegrounds in hopes of an opportunity to raise his stature. Lucky for him he rarely has a break from war, or he would realize how bleak his future is.
* Jubei Yagyu – A protagonist samurai from Onimusha 2. Oni blood flows through the veins of this mighty swordsman. He defeated the Demon Lord Nobunaga in the name of justice. He settled down at home until hearing that demons were on the move.
* Oyu of Odani – A swordswoman from Onimusha 2. Nobunaga’s younger sister. She fights alongside Jubei to defeat her monstrous brother. After many fierce battles, she has returned to her home castle to find some tranquillity.
* Kotaro Fuma – A ninja from Onimusha 2. Young leader of the Fuma ninja gang who serve the Houjyou family. Fought with Jubei against Nobunaga, and uses his masterful reconnaissance techniques to provide Jubei with Intelligence.
* Ekei Ankokuji – A warrior monk from Onimusha 2. Spear master of the Hozoin School. This monk with a taste for wine and women is still a top-class fighter with a sharp mind. He has served the Mouri family since the battle with the demons.
* Magoichi Saiga – A gun trooper from Onimusha 2. The head gunner the Kishu-Saiga gun team. Although he is trying to protect his homeland he hates Ekei.
* Gargant – A former Oni warrior that joined the Genma. He’s seen in Onimusha 3 and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams. He first swore his allegiance to the nefarious Demon Lord-Fortinbras. After the demise of Fortinbras, he had yielded his position as the righthand man under the new Genma Lord, Oda Nobunaga. It is unknown if Gargant formed and mutated into a Genma by joining them.
* Marcellus – A demon boss from Onimusha 1. He was once an Oni Warrior that converted into a Genma through Guildenstern’s experimentation. This engineered demon, created from materials fetched from the Cave of Treachery, is Guildenstern’s pride and joy. He wields a weapon resembling the Oni Gauntlet on his right arm.
* Gogandantess – Self-proclaimed, “The greatest swordsman of all demons” in Onimusha 2.
* Jujudormah – A demon boss from Onimusha 2, self-proclaimed ‘most beautiful’ concubine of Genma Lord Oda Nobunaga. A Combination of cunning mind and ferocious nature make Jujudormah one of the most feared demons. Confident of her looks, she has an interest in the Demon Lord Nobunaga.
* Zombie Warrior – A demon grunt from Onimusha 1. The first of Guildenstern’s engineered demons. This zombie makes up for his lack of intelligence with a powerful instinct to seek out and destroy life.
* Three Eyes – A demon ninja from Onimusha 1. This engineered demon was modeled after a ninja. Highly athletic, his agility far exceeds normal human levels. He can be spotted by his three eerily glowing eyes.
* Nobunaga Oda – The Demon Lord who appeared in Onimusha 1′ ,Onimusha 2 and Onimusha 3. He wants to rule over the entire world with his Genma Army.

Links
Onimusha: Blade Warriors

Guitar Hero: Van Halen is the third band-specific rhythm video game in the Guitar Hero series. As with the previous games Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica, the game features 25 songs from Van Halen along with 19 additional songs from selected artists that have been inspired by the group. The game was released in retail for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii systems on December 22, 2009, in North America, and in February 2010 for PAL regions. However, as part of a promotion with Guitar Hero 5, the game was shipped to Guitar Hero 5 purchasers in North America prior to its retail release. The game content was developed by Underground Development, with the primary engine code developed by Neversoft and Budcat Creations. The game is published by Activision Blizzard. The game has received mostly negative reviews from critics, most of which consider the game’s quality to be greatly inferior to its predecessor, Guitar Hero: Metallica and other games of the series. The critics identified the lack of former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Gary Cherone, the limited tracks selected from Van Halen’s discography, the selection of other tracks included in the game, and the general lack of features introduced in the previous band-centric games and Guitar Hero 5.

Guitar Hero: Van Halen is similar to the preceding band-centric game, Guitar Hero: Metallica, featuring support for four players in a single band on lead and bass guitar, drums, and vocals. The game does not feature the additions that are present in Guitar Hero 5, such as drop-in/drop-out play.

Only the current members of the band—Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen—are playable avatars in the game for the Van Halen songs; former band members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Gary Cherone are not included. The band is represented by their current looks, but by completing challenges in the game, players can unlock their older appearances from the “spandex era with the big hair and tight pants”; these outfits are also included for Wolfgang Van Halen who was not yet born during that period of the band’s history. Wolfgang will have an outfit that is based on Michael Anthony. User-created characters can be used to play non-Van Halen songs in the game.

A demo of the game was released to Xbox Live on December 9, 2009, featuring two Van Halen songs, “Eruption” and “Panama”, along with Weezer’s “Dope Nose” and Killswitch Engage’s “The End of Heartache”.

Like the other band-centric Guitar Hero games, Guitar Hero: Van Halen includes 25 songs from the band Van Halen, including 3 guitar solos by Eddie Van Halen, in addition to 19 guest acts. The Van Halen songs in the game are taken during the time when David Lee Roth was in the band, and do not include any works during the period that Sammy Hagar was a band member; Activision’s head of music licensing, Tim Riley, notes that the lack of such material was not due to any demands or requests made by David Lee Roth. Riley also stated that most of the guest acts were selected by Wolfgang Van Halen, at the suggestion of Roth. The following songs are included in the game:

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Guitar Hero Van Halen PLAYSTATION 3 Games
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An American first established the template that would go on to define the Japanese RPG. Henk Rogers, the man who would later bring Tetris to the world, designed, wrote and released the first Dungeons and Dragons-style game in Japan in 1984 – a game that went on to sell 150,000 copies. The following year Enix took the format, dressed it in anime-style visuals and a grand story and released Dragon Quest, the game that firmly established the RPG as Japan’s favourite videogame genre.
Hironobu Sakaguchi, founder of the small Tokyo-based game developer Square, looked at these developments with keen interest. His company had achieved modest success with the clutch of titles it had developed and released but on nothing like the scale needed to secure its future.

Sakaguchi decided to take a gamble and devise a JRPG of his own. He invested the last of the company’s capital in this last ditch attempt to make a success of it. Final Fantasy was named after the gambit as, if it sank at retail, it would be the final game the company could afford to develop.

The game, of course, defied its pessimistic title. Not only did Sakaguchi and his team manage to create a rip-roaring videogame story of knights, crystals and world-saving but also a team-based battle system that was engaging enough to last the course of the adventure. While the game can be tortuous to play today (especially in its original NES guise, with a lack of world map, constant flurry of battles and rudimentary sprites), its vision and ambition is still clear. The original Final Fantasy should be celebrated for laying down the framework upon which all subsequent games bearing its name were built.

Final Fantasy II
Original System: Famicom (NES)
Japanese release: 17 Dec, 1988

Only available in Japan until recently, Final Fantasy II is significant for establishing recurring series themes such as Cid, chocobos (here coloured white not yellow) and orphans for lead protagonists. In contrast to the first game, players assume the roles of four pre-named characters (Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon) that level up their offensive and defensive statistics randomly though repetition of moves. Headed up by Akitoshi Kawazu, it’s generally considered the weakest entry to the core series.

Final Fantasy III
Original System: Famicom (NES)
Japanese release: 27 April, 1990

The third entry was perhaps the first truly pioneering triumph; the previous games mainly copying Enix’s Dragon Quest template. Once again the story focused on the four young orphans, but its visuals pushed the Famicom system to its limit. As well as Moogles (originally called Moglies in Japan), summon creatures, the fat chocobo and his gyshall greens, FFII established floating hit points when characters dealt or received damage, the beloved job system, and the first special commands such as ‘Steal’ to the series.

Final Fantasy IV
Original System: Super Famicom (SNES)
Japanese release: 19 Jul, 1991
US Release: 23 Nov, 1991

While the move from NES to SNES brought with it an obvious graphical upgrade, it was the game’s more serious approach to storytelling that really captured the imagination. Casting the player as a noble knight sworn by oath to serve his king and country yet unsure of the ethics of these masters, FFIV’s storyline was by far the most ambitious in the series so far. The narrative’s core creativity was further enhanced by a dazzling translation by Ted Woolsey, the American responsible for localising each of the Super Nintendo-era Final Fantasy games into English. His neat turn of phrase and humourous interpretation of the original Japanese is part of the reason that FFIV is the first truly enjoyable title of the series’ formative years for contemporary gamers.

Final Fantasy V
Original System: Super Famicom (SNES)
Japanese release: 6 Dec, 1992

After the plot-heavy previous game, FFV shifted its emphasis onto the battle system, giving the heart of the JRPG a severe overhaul. Principle among its innovations was the Active Battle System, which made the amount of time you took to input a command a factor in deciding the order of moves. The game also widened the scope of the job class system that encouraged the mastery of up to 22 different job classes, all with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
Original System: Super Nintendo
US release: 5 Oct, 1992

Designed and produced by Square’s American office, Mystic Quest was intended to be a JRPG-lite, with low difficulty and more basic rules to ease Western gamers into the complexity of the genre. In reality, the game was far too simplistic to be much fun, and the fact that Square decided to release it instead of the vastly superior Final Fantasy V in America embittered many fans.

Final Fantasy VI
Original System: Super Famicom (SNES)
Japanese release: 2 Apr, 1994

Unusually for a JRPG, FFVI features a large ensemble cast instead of a single protagonist. The set-pieces, such as an impromptu opera or six months spent on a desert island, stand out too, as does the arch-villain Kefka, whom you pursue over the course of the adventure. The battle system may be more orthodox than other entries, but as each character has their own unique move list, the designers were thoroughly creative with animations and attacks.

Final Fantasy VII
Original System: Sony PlayStation
Japanese release: 31 Jan, 1997

The most-returned videogame of all time? Perhaps, if rumours are true. But there’s no denying that the seventh mainline FF game is also one of the most important. With 330 CG maps and 40 minutes of full motion video representing over two years work by over 100 full-time team members at a cost of over $45 million, FFVII broke numerous records upon its debut on Sony’s PlayStation in 1997. Moreover, set within a steampunk-style world, the game’s themes about pollution and corporations’ treatment of the earth were previously untouched by the series. But by personalising its ethical dilemmas with some of the most iconic character designs seen in the medium, FFVII managed to educate and challenge without preaching to a disinterested audience. In doing so, it booted its chosen genre firmly into the mainstream for the first time.

Final Fantasy Tactics
Original System: Sony PlayStation
Japanese release: 20 June, 1997

The first true Final Fantasy spin-off into another genre is also one of the best. A chess-like Tactical RPG in the style of Advance Wars, it was the first game to be designed and directed by Yasumi Matsuno, who would go on to produce other Square-Enix classics such as Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII.

Final Fantasy VIII
Original System: Sony PlayStation
Japanese release: 11 Feb, 1999

FFVIII’s traditionally proportioned characters, real-
world setting and emo teenage lead was the series’ first concerted stab towards realism. The less stylised graphical approach paid off, making FFVIII one of the highest grossing. While it still has fans today, it has failed to endure in the same way as FFVII. Its legacy of more realistic character design and teen dramatics may have reappeared in FFX, but it’s perhaps telling that there’s been no mass petition for a remake.

Final Fantasy IX
Original System: Sony PlayStation
Japanese release: 7 Jul, 2000

After two games set in steampunk fantasy worlds and one set within the grounds of a high school drama, FFIX represented a return to the series’ roots of knights, castles and honour. It was a chance for Square’s founder, Sakaguchi, to revisit the kind of fantasy world found in his first games. FFIX was a graphical triumph, though its whimsical visual style failed to win over audiences in the same way as FFVIII’s realism had. This back-to-roots approach delighted those disillusioned by the series’ courting of the mainstream. Today FFIX retains a great deal of its charm, and, thanks to the heavily stylized approach, the aesthetics have arguably aged the best of the PlayStation-era FF titles.

Final Fantasy X
Original System: Sony PlayStation 2
Original Release: 19 Jul, 2001

The shift to the next generation of consoles allowed FF’s backgrounds to be 3D. The greater amount of disc space also allowed characters to be voiced. While critics began to turn on the series, fans were blown away by its scale and ambition. The predefined character progression paths were exchanged for an open and customisable board game-style development grid. FFX was certainly responsible for bringing in new fans – however, the visual innovations are undercut by the strange story and unlikeable lead characters.

Final Fantasy XI
Original System: Sony PlayStation 2
Original Release: 16 May, 2002

With no previous experience in the field, Square’s decision to trade the single player linear RPG format for a Massively Multiplayer Online approach for the eleventh game in the series was astonishing. The first ever cross-platform MMORPG, allowing gamers across Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 2 to play together, Final Fantasy XI had around 200-300,000 players logging in per day at the height of its popularity. While these figures have dwindled in the shadow of World of Warcraft, Square-Enix has not been put off from the genre. Final Fantasy XIV will follow in XI’s footsteps as the second MMO to bear the series’ name.

Final Fantasy X-2
Original System: PlayStation 2
Japanese release: 13 Mar, 2003

The first direct sequel to a mainline FF game, focused on the three core female characters from FFX. A J-Pop soap opera, it’s wholly incongruous to the rest of the franchise, and well worth a play through because of it.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Original System: Nintendo GameCube
Japanese release: 8 Aug, 2003

Square’s return to Nintendo hardware was of mixed success. An offline multiplayer RPG, the game’s clunky execution spoiled its good ideas, which were improved upon in the more recent DS sequels.

Final Fantasy XII
Original System: Sony PlayStation 2
Japanese release: 16 Mar, 2006

FFXII overhauled almost every mechanical element in the series. While still a sprawling epic adventure with hundreds and thousands of monsters, turn-based random battles are discarded for in situ, free-flowing fights that owe far more to MMOs than orthodox JRPGs. Thanks to the Gambit system, which allows hundreds of AI directions to automatically set the behaviours of your team while they fight on screen, you act more like a team manager than a combatant in battles. Also, rather than following the standard narrative of orphan to world-saviour, FFXII’s plot focuses on grand political drama. FFXII is one of the most interesting JRPGs ever made; its attempts to reinvent the genre often successful. But for fans that just wanted more of the same, its innovations were a step too far and, despite its creativity and exemplary execution, its relative commercial failure will likely ensure its innovations are left behind in the future of the series.

Game Info
On the heels of winning 25 international gaming awards with FIFA Soccer 09, the top-selling soccer franchise from EA SPORTS™ is surpassed with FIFA Soccer 10. Responding to consumer feedback from more than 275 million online games played, FIFA Soccer 10 refines an already potent game engine, focusing on what matter most to fans.

An advanced FIFA Soccer 10 features core gameplay refinements based on responsiveness and intelligence, plus a completely overhauled Manager Mode that includes more than 50 major improvements. These enhancements and more deliver a new standard for authenticity, as FIFA Soccer 10 continues to set the benchmark in both innovations and gameplay as the most complete simulation of soccer.

On the pitch, critical gameplay fundamentals have been enhanced to ensure that FIFA Soccer 10 mirrors real-world soccer, providing more sophisticated ball control, and physical interaction. On attack, players now analyze space more effectively, curve their runs in an attempt to stay onside, create passing lanes naturally, and drive for more variety in attacking options. On defense, new concepts like position priority enable defenders to multitask so dangerous spaces left open by teammates out of position are covered. Plus, slide tackle targeting, press marking, and better urgency clearance logic provide new options that make defending a tactical skill in FIFA Soccer 10.

Three new innovations change the player control experience in FIFA Soccer 10. The first-ever true 360° dribbling system gives players finer control of the ball, enabling them to find spaces between defenders that previously were not possible. Using an all-new animation technology, skilled dribblers now have the ability to face the defender and use highly responsive lateral dribbling to skip past him. An innovative concept called Freedom in Physical Play enables players to perform wider dribble touches and new collision sharing creates a varied, less predictable, and extended fight for possession between the dribbler and a defender.

A deeper iteration of the ever-popular Manager Mode features more than 50 major improvements, including new match realism, ultra-realistic player transfers based on multiple decision points, and true-to-life player growth curves.

New game modes, and innovations to popular features like Be A Pro, will be revealed in the upcoming months.

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FIFA Soccer 10 PLAYSTATION 3 Games
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FIFA Soccer 10 Nintendo DS Games