If you've been losing sleep thinking about just how the other versions of LucasArts' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, DS, Wii) will measure up to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, then here to make sure you have a good night's rest is the developer team with their video about those exact versions. And yes, they do match up, but in other ways besides graphics. See what we mean in the full article.

Lego games are one of those few franchises where you could actually smile when your character dies. Exploding bits of Lego just can't fail to brighten up your day. A huge rolling Lego boulder is bound to do the same. New info and details are in for the upcoming Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. Check it out in the full article.

 Even after all the flak and the bullets have been fired, Rockstar Games is still standing as it gets ready to release of its gory survival horror game, Manhunt 2 (PS2, PSP, Wii). In an interview with Jeronimo Barrera, the game's producer, he talks about all the unexpected twists and turns the game has gone through until its grudgingly approved M rating from the ESRB.

Barrera wanted to take all the best aspects from the previous Manhunt game and work it into the new sequel. While everyone was too fixated on the violent aspects of the game, he said Manhunt 2 was quite story driven because of the close collaboration between the writers and the designers.

He also mentions that the audio will play a big role in immersing the player into the game. From the spine-tingling soundtrack to the psychotic dialogue, Barrera mentioned that all of this was designed to make the game world more "alive". Even the headset functionality for the PS2 version, as well as the speaker on the Wiimote will affect how you play the game.

He admitted though that the entire staff was shocked after the game was slapped with an AO rating. He reiterated that the critics were blowing things out of proportion and that Manhunt 2 was just like any other horror movie released in terms of violence and content. Even Nintendo, known for its strict stand on censorship took into account Rockstar's reputation before signing them onboard as a licensed developer.

However, Barrera ended the interview with a light hearted note on the new aspects the game will touch on. He had this to say:

There are so many things that need to get mentioned. We've elevated every aspect of the original and added so many new cool things. The interactions between Danny and Leo. The story of these two is the stuff of nightmares! The stealth gameplay is as great as ever. The environments are very dynamic. It doesn't look or feel repetitive. The animations are top-notch. Manhunt evolved out of a weakness we felt in stealth games- that people were hiding, but they weren't afraid of the people they were hiding from. For us, the most compelling reason to hide from someone is because you are frightened of them. This was the inspiration for the original Manhunt and it remains true for the sequel--to make the player feel like they are cowering in the shadows.

So, even after all the controversy, can we expect a third game in the Manhunt series after this one? Barrera said while there are gamers who enjoy playing Manhunt, there's a good chance we'll see more of the series. Only time will tell.

(Editor's Note: QuickPeek is sixteen, going on.. err.. seventeen - baby, it's time to think... Obscure lyrics to The Sound of Music songs aside, QuickJump QuickPeek's 17th issue is now out, complete with this week's top stories in the gaming industry. If you've been deprived of updates this week - due to your own viable reasons or whatnot *coughProvingGroundcough* - then we're reaching out a helping hand to you guys.)

Following last week's edition of QuickPeek, we've got quite a lot of news to catch up on. QuickJump QuickPeek 17 is up and about, touting a hefty dose of your weekly updates. What's in store for you in this edition? There's lot of announcements from Capcom - they've got their happy party going on in London, a party otherwise known as Capcom Gamers' Day event.

Other interesting stuff have also washed ashore this week: more confirmation on new SKUs, announcements of game demos to be made available online, and other general tidbits on science and technology that you guys might wanna hear about. It's another meaty edition for QuickPeek so without further delay... Here we go!

Click the Full Article link below to see the rest of QuickJump QuickPeek 17!

QuickJump QuickPeek 17 originally posted on October 20, 2007 at 01:23 PM.

Here are some new screenshots for upcoming title Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law straight from the High Voltage Software studios. The video game is expected to hit retail stores this coming November 13 and will be available on platforms Nintendo Wii and Sony PSP.

Aside from showing off some in-game scenes, this batch of screenshots also reveal the interface for some of the title's features. Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law treats players to a total of five new court cases with full animated gameplay and voice-over dialogue.

The game's Wii version has been made compatible with the console's motion-sensing capabilities so controls will rely heavily on the Wiimote. PlayStation Portable owners, on the other hand, get to have the exciting experience Nintendo DS owners have been enjoying in Phoenix Wright.

To be published by Capcom, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is based on the popular Adult Swim TV show. While waiting for more updates, just enjoy the screenshots below!

   

See the other screenshots after the jump!

Buy: [Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (PSP)]
Buy: [Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (Wii)]

(Editor's Note: We're cooking up something specially hot for you guys with our weekly QuickJump QuickPeek! Some of you may have already noticed that this current issue - the 13th issue, no less! - has rolled out early! Why? It's because we're gearing up for a QuickJump QuickPeek TGS 2007 Special Edition once the festivities are done! So while we wait for that, we're giving you this Early Edition that focuses on other news that have cropped up during the week!)

It's Tokyo Game Show week! And even though it's the 13th issue of QuickJump QuickPeek, it's anything but riddled with bad luck! This "Early Edition" will be focusing on the non-TGS updates that have surfaced through the week, because really, the TGS might be one heck of a show stopper on its own (that's why it's getting its own QuickPeek Edition all to itself), but the days building up to the trade show saw a couple of astounding news as well. Almost every gaming platform has had some rather leaky business to deal with, and we're not letting the taps run dry.

Grab your pirate accent and sing your favorite shanty; there are more reasons to celebrate than just Talk Like a Pirate Day! Yaaarrr!

Click the Full Article link below for to read this week's Issue!

*Article originally posted Sep 21, 2007 at 02:28PM

 

It's always important in any industry to give recognition where recognition is due, and it's the case with this year's Japan Game Awards - the outfit giving away a handful of prestigious awards to the contemporary games that made the most waves and broke the most barriers.

Two of these deserving awardees not only gained the top spot in the Game of the Year division, but also recognition for the unique impact they made on Japan's gaming community. These two titles are Wii Sports for the Nintendo Wii and Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (Monster Hunter Freedom 2 in the US) for the PlayStation Portable.

For Wii Sports, Japan Game Awards cited the game's use of the Wiimote controller, making it easy to play not only for the hardcore gamer but also for the entire family. The outfit also recognized the game's ability to break through to new demographic sectors, namely the female gamers and the senior non-gamers. Garnering huge support and a wide variety of users, Wii Sports was a shoe-in for the Grand Award.

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd also caught the Japan Game Awards' eye through its overwhelming success in the junior high and high school student demographic. Not only is Monster Hunter Portable 2nd a game that offered hours of multiplayer fun through its wireless ad hoc mode, but it also served as a communication tool between students and youngsters.

It was this that gave Capcom's monster-slaying game on the PSP its well-deserved Grand Award.

Other titles that won in different categories are: Pokemon Diamond/Pearl Version (DS) for Best Sales Award, Dead Rising (Xbox 360) for Global Award Japanese Product, Gears of War (Xbox 360) for Global Award Foreign Product, and The IDOLM@STER (Xbox 360)and LOVE AND BERRY Dress up and Dance!- DS Collection for the Special Award.

Congratulations, winners!

This week on shelves, we've got another plentiful supply of nice releases that we can sink our teeth on. The PC and the Nintendo DS are getting the bulk of fresh launches, but the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3 titles are making up with quality games such as Eternal Sonata and Stranglehold respectively.

The Nintendo Wii also has a new fill of quirky but fun titles that the young and the young at heart will be happy to tinker with. Overall, it's another good week for the industry so get ready to bust out that wallet and empty to on the cashiers.

Coded Arms Contagion. Konami's explosive sequel to Coded Arms is here and it's set in a VR world of a military training program. Randomly generated levels and square rooms are gone to give way to a heavier emphasis on story over action.

• Sony PSP - September 18, 2007
• US$ 29.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Konami

Eternal Sonata. Looking for that big RPG on the Xbox 360? Wait no more because Eternal Sonata is dropping in on the 17th of September. Destiny, deception and courage all come to play in this highly-anticipated tale of good versus evil.

• Xbox 360 - September 17, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Namco Bandai
  

Stranglehold. Both the Sony PlayStation 3 and PC platforms are finally getting its taste of John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat's bullet-riddled blast Stranglehold. Based on the movie Hardboiled, you'll walk the tough streets of Hong Kong and Chicago to rough up the bad guys with some well-deserved police brutality.

• PlayStation 3, PC- September 18, 2007
• US$ 59.99 (PS3), US$ 49.99 (PC)
  
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Midway Games

The rest of this week's line-up comes after the jump!

Buy: [Coded Arms: Contagion]
Buy: [Eternal Sonata]
Buy: [Stranglehold]

 

Most people think time is like a river, that flows swift and sure in one direction, but I have seen the face of time, and I can tell you, they are wrong. Time is an ocean in a storm. You may wonder who I really am and why I say this. Come, and I will tell you a tale like none you have ever heard...

Time. That's one iffy subject. When we reminisce about certain events past, we sometimes think about the "what if's" and the "if only's". Well, we were able to explore the idea of turning back time in Prince of Persia's Sands of Time story arc.

Find out what we thought about this second PSP entry in the series.

Totally Games has revealed that adding RPG elements and keeping things a little more logical for Alien Syndrome is proving to be a challenge. On a recent developer diary log from senior designer Jeff Kung, new details have been dropped as to what this new PlayStation Portable and Nintendo Wii title has in store.

Game historians will recall the original Alien Syndrome as an arcade-style run and gun classic by Sega. The resurrection of the franchise sees a change in genre as  a more action-RPG-oriented presentation is utilized. Emphasis on balance, realism, and quirkiness have taken the premium and it's looking good.

Starting with weapons, the devs made it a point that a balance must be struck between melee and ranged weapons to give everyone a playing field level enough to accommodate everyone's style of play.

While melee weapons require you to get close to enemies, they do offer a chaining effect that allows you to pull off devastating combos against foes. Ranged weapons such as fire trees cause immense damage from afar, but they do require lots of ammo which can be challenging to procure.

On the RPG side of things, the guys at Totally Games have realized that towns and stores can't be placed in space realistically, so they included a robot that tags alongside your character and recycles items you don't want to convert them into more useful commodities.

Lastly, about the Wii version, mini games in Alien Syndrome will have a profound effect on how you'll manage uber items. Great items will be dropped when you kill a boss. They'll have tremendous stats which can be harnessed if you can solve a maze puzzle with the Wiimote. If done correctly, the item will reflect its potential and reward you with gear that will help you own the enemies in the game.

That's it for now as far as new details on Alien Syndrome go. We'll give you a heads-up when new reports are forthcoming so keep it locked here.

Buy: [Alien Syndrome (Wii)]
Buy: [Alien Syndrome (PSP)]