Tuesday August 19, 2003

SCEA reveals new PS2 online bundle

Sony Computer Entertainment America announced new consumer pricing options for the PlayStation 2 today. Effective immediately, people who purchase the brand new PlayStation 2 Combo Pack will receive the PlayStation 2 console, the official Network Adaptor (Ethernet/modem) (for PlayStation 2), and a copy of the online-enabled game, ATV Offroad Fury 2, all for the suggested retail price of $199. Brand new copies of ATV Offroad Fury 2 and the Network Adaptor retail for $39.99 each. SCEA also confirmed that comsumers can still purchase a standalone PS2 unit for $179.99.

"As we moved past the 20-million-unit sales milestone this summer, it is clear, through our ability to attract a broad audience, that PlayStation 2 has become an even stronger focal point of the living room entertainment experience," said Jack Tretton, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Preparing for the holidays we know that in order to grow this massive base we must continue to engage new users through great gaming content, consumer friendly pricing and new technology. The new PlayStation 2 pricing plan will ensure sustained demand for PlayStation products overall and help drive a strong year for the category, particularly during the key selling season."

According to Sony, there will be at least 50 PS2 games that support online gaming by the end of 2003.

-Matt C.

Official Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This At Home web site goes online

Eidos Interactive announced last Friday that the official Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This At Home web site has gone live. On the web site, you can watch the latest trailer, listen to samples of the in-game soundtrack, view screenshots, and learn about the game's many impressive features. Backyard Wrestling will arrive on the PS2 and Xbox on October 7th, 2003.

Backyard Wrestling web site

-Matt C.

Namco to back Soul Calibur II with agressive marketing

Sega of America shipped Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution to stores yesterday, but the people at Namco Hometek doesn't want you to forget that its very own fighting game, Soul Calibur II, is less than two weeks away. The San Jose based company announced today that a multi-million dollar marketing campaign for Soul Calibur II is now in full swing.

"The launch of Soul Calibur II is truly becoming an industry event," said Robert Ennis, chief financial officer for Namco Hometek Inc. "The excitement being generated at retail for the title's release has been tremendous. Consumers can't wait to get their hands on the game."

Not only is Namco getting the word out through broadcast, cable and syndicated television advertising; print and online advertising, but retail stores are also backing the launch of the game with "midnight madness" events that will offer consumers the opportunity to be among the first to play and own the game, as well as receive free food and drinks, and the chance to win prizes and gear.

"The retail and gamer communities are backing Soul Calibur II in a major way," said Garry Cole, senior vice president of sales for Namco Hometek Inc. "The incredible retail promotional support and consumer pre-sell commitments we've already received have been a true testament to the power of the brand."

The U.S. version of Soul Calibur II features 10 game modes, console-exclusive characters, a host of unlockable characters and arenas, and over 200 collectible weapons and items. The game even received the "Best Fighting Game" award at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

Soul Calibur II will be in stores August 26, 2003. Please click on any of our Soul Calibur II banners for additional information.

-Matt C.

Metro3D announced that it has shipped Smash Cars to retailers nationwide today. Smash Cars is a PlayStation 2 execlusive title that offers no rules radio-controlled arcade-style racing game developed by Creat Studio, LLC. The game is rated "T" for Teen and it is available for a MSP of only $29.99.

"As one of Metro3D’s biggest titles to be released this year, Smash Cars is an electrifying and quirky off-road racing game that brings to life R/C racing fun in an action-packed world," said Joseph Morici, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Metro3D. "Introducing an entirely new level of game play rarely seen in R/C racing games, Smash Cars combines big stunt action with super-realistic control, suspension and physics to give players a taste for championing a real R/C toy car to the finish line."

To date, Smash Cars hsa already received good reviews from many gaming publications and web sites. According to Metro3D, here are some of the great features that the game offers:

In Smash Cars, drivers steer remote-control cars in a high-speed race where daily life is in full swing with giant objects, animals and people interacting with and hindering the path of your tiny car. Get behind the wheel of your own R/C car and be the first to the finish or nail some crazy stunts. Don’t drop the hammer too fast or a punk skateboarder, unruly crocodile, flying bird, rolling rock, and a variety of other real-life obstacles may spin you into trouble.

A one or two-player game, players select from 13 awesome R/C cars, including the Road Rage Monster Truck, Warhammer Off-Road Truck, Tornado Buggy Tournament Car, Stormbringer Centurion, or your own. Each car model comes equipped with four selectable skins for players to show off their own personal style as they race through 13 living off-road worlds across Arizona, Hawaii, Mexico, Russia, The Caribbean, and many other exotic locales.

The real fun of Smash Cars is in each R/C car’s special suspension and control features that dazzle and delight players with huge power boosts, jumps, and the most realistic physics for enhanced driving action and gnarly tricks. Experience full-throttle steering at its best as players perform extreme driving moves such as spins, fishtails, wheelies, hydroplaning, and more.

The game’s impressive interactive environments and visual effects immerse players even deeper into the game as they rip past waves rolling onto the beach, splashing water, clouds of blowing engine smoke, and more. For an extra challenge, players run through seven fun play modes, such as the Stunt Race, a special stunt mode where players can earn points for tricky jump and flip action. In addition, Championship Mode allows players to upgrade with prize money, unlock new racing tracks, and reveal secret shortcuts.

-Matt C.

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution ships to stores

Sega of America announced today that Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution is now available in stores for a MSRP of only $19.99. This PS2 exclusive fighting game offers 2 brand new characters, updated graphics, plenty of new unlockable items, and new game modes.

"'Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution' represents the closest thing to perfection a fighting game fan will find this year," said Noah Musler, product manager, Sega of America. "AM2 turned up the dial to 11 on every facet of this game."

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution also features a new Quest mode, where users battle highly tuned A.I. opponents modeled after the top players from the arcades of Japan. There is even a 'Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary' mode, in which gamers can play the original Virtua Fighter, using many of the same characters and moves as in VF4 Evolution.

-Matt C.

Namco Hometek announced today that it has launched the official web site for kill.switch, which is a military shooter shipping this October for the PS2 and Xbox. On the web site, you can view the latest screenshots, along with two trailers of the game in action. Check it out.

kill.switch web site

-Matt C.

Konami unveils DDRMAX2 song list

Konami of America revealed the main song list for DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution today. DDRMAX2 features over 65 songs and over 25 hidden songs, ranging from pop, R&B, techno, house, trance and more. The U.S. version of DDRMAX2 will offer exclusive music not found in the Japanese release, including tracks by The Crystal Method, Dirty Vegas, Jocelyn Enriquez, K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Kylie Minogue, and more.

"Dance Dance Revolution has always been known for its revolutionary gameplay and pulsating music. Now, DDRMAX2 brings the revolution to the masses by raising the bar in both areas," said Jason Enos, product manager at Konami of America, Inc. "The exciting catalog of music, videos and difficulty settings in DDRMAX2 offers something for everyone, and is a testament to the ever-growing popularity of the series."

DDRMAX2 also provides several new game modes -- such as "Beginner Mode", which is designed to help newcomers to the series, a "Nonstop Mode" that offers numerous themed courses that are played without any breaks between songs, and an "Endless Mode," the ultimate dance-a-thon where players dance to every song in the game as one continuous mix. Players can also link DDRMAX and DDRMAX2 to unlock additional features.

DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution is rated "E" for Everyone and will ship to retail stores nationwide on September 23, 2003.

Here is the partial song list that Konami sent us today:

A Little Bit of Ecstasy - Jocelyn Enriquez
AM-3P - KTz
Break Down! - Be for U
Busy Child - The Crystal Method
Celebrate Nite - N.M.R
Conga Feeling - Vivian
D2R - Naoki
Days Go By - Dirty Vegas
Destiny - Naoki feat. Paula Terry
Do It Right - SOTA feat. Ebony Fay
Dream a Dream - Captain Jack
Drifting Away - Lange feat. Skye
Get Down Tonight - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Ghosts (Vincent De Moor Remix) - Tenth Planet
Groove - Sho-T feat. Brenda
Heaven - DJ Sammy & Yanou featuring DO
Hysteria - Naoki 190
I Feel... - Akira Yamaoka
I Was the One - good-cool
In the Navy '99 (XXL Disaster Remix) - Captain Jack
Jam & Marmalade - Final Offset
Keep on Liftin' - DJ Nagureo
Kind Lady - Okuyatos
Let's Groove - Tips & Tricks Vs Wisdome
Long Train Runnin' - Bus Stop
Love at First Sight - Kylie Minogue
Lovin' You (Rob Searle Club Mix) - Vinyl Baby
Rain of Sorrow - NM feat. Ebony Fay
Secret Rendezvous - Divas
Silent Hill - Thomas Howard
So Deep (Perfect Sphere Remix) - Silvertear
Spin the disc - good-cool
Still in My Heart - Naoki
Super Star - DJ Rich feat. Tail Bros.
Take Me Away (Into the Night) (radio vocal) - 4 Strings
The Shining Polaris - L.E.D. feat. Sana
The Whistle Song (Blow My Whistle Baby) - DJ Aligator Project
Tsugaru - RevenG vs De-Sire
Twilight Zone (R-C Extended Club MIX) - 2 Unlimited
Will I? - Ian Van Dahl

-Matt C.

LucasArts cancels Full Throttle: Hell on Wheels

LucasArts announced today that Full Throttle: Hell on Wheels is no longer in development. Apparently, the game was not living up to expectations.

"We do not want to disappoint the many fans of Full Throttle, and hope everyone can understand how committed we are to delivering the best-quality gaming experience that we possibly can," said Simon Jeffery, president of LucasArts.

Looks like I have to delete our Full Throttle: Hell on Wheels preview now. More info later.

-Matt C.

Join the Soul Calibur II eTeam

Namco Hometek and The Hype Council announced recently that the official Soul Calibur II eTeam is now up and running. What exactly is the Soul Calibur II eTeam? It is a place where you can interact with fellow Soul Calibur fans and help promote the game. As a member, you will have access to exclusive Soul Calibur II content -- including your very own free SC2 e-mail account! In addition, the most tenacious and creative eTeam member over the next few months will be pronounced the eTeam "Valedictorian" and awarded the grand prize:

An official replica of the Soul Calibur Sword!

PlayStation Pro 2.0 has worked with The Hype Council for more than a year now, and we can assure you that they are very friendly people. Please click the link below or use the banner above to sign-up. In the referral field, please type in my e-mail address, matt@playstationpro2.com. Thanks.

Soul Calibur II eTeam Web Site

-Matt C.

Eidos Interactive informed us that the official Whiplash web site has launched today. On the site, you will find a trailer for the game, a free t-shirt offer, wallpapers, and more. Whiplash is due out this fall.

Official Whiplash Web Site

-Matt C.

Sammy Studios announced today that it has launched a new web site dedicated to Lethal Skies II, which is scheduled for release exclusively for the PlayStation 2 on September 9.

"Lethal Skies II should be on the radar of any PS2 gamer looking for a white-knuckle single and two-player jet combat game," said Tim Pivnicny, Senior VP Sales & Marketing for Sammy Studios. "High-flying action, epic story and a great variety of modern and futuristic fighter jets and enemy war machines make this a must-own for fans of arcade-style combat."

Lethal Skies II is rated "T" for Teen and has an MSRP of $39.99. Expect a hands-on preview soon.

Official Lethal Skies II Web Site

-Matt C.

Official Silent Hill 3 web sites launches

Konami of America announced today that Silent Hill 3 for the PlayStation 2 has shipped to North American stores today. Silent Hill 3 will include a bonus music CD featuring 60-minutes worth of songs from the game's soundtrack. Akira Yamaoka, producer at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo has composed, performed and arranged the CD, which is available exclusively in North America.

Silent Hill 3 has been out in Europe for quite some time now, and for the most part, it has received great reviews overseas. Expect a review of the U.S. version soon.

-Matt C.

Official Silent Hill 3 web sites launches

Konami of America announced today that the official website for Silent Hill 3 is now up and running. The site features in-depth story information, a history of the series, character biographies and downloadable goodies including artwork, wallpaper, song lyrics and a movie trailer.

Silent Hill 3 is finally arriving in North American stores for the PS2 on August 5, 2003. All copies of the game will include a free soundtrack CD.

Official Silent Hill 3 Web Site

-Matt C.

THQ announced today that Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild has shipped to North American stores for the PlayStation 2.

"Creating the highest-quality original content is a strategic imperative for THQ and Rainbow Studios," said Jack Sorensen, executive vice president of worldwide studios, THQ. "We are delighted with the critical response to Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild and believe that consumers can look forward to a fun and truly innovative racing game unlike any they've experienced."

-Matt C.

Level-5 'reveals' new PS2 RPG

Level-5, the folks behind Dark Cloud 2 and Dragon Quest VIII, somewhat revealed a new PS2 RPG that it is working on with Sony Computer Entertainment today. On its official web page, it has a section titled "New RPG", along with a nice illustration of this new game. We're guessing it is a new Dark Cloud title, but it could very well be something totally different. More info later.

Level-5 Teaser Drawing

-Matt C.

Madden 2004 has gone gold

EA Sports announced yesterday that Madden NFL 2004 has gone gold. The PlayStation 2 version is shipping to stores on August 11, and it is the only version that will offer online gameplay -- including voice chat, downloadable rosters, and more. More information later.

-Matt C.

Namco Hometek announced yesterday that it has acquired the rights to develop and publish several video games based on Snake Plissken from the feature films Escape from New York and Escape from LA. Director John Carpenter, producer Debra Hill and actor Kurt Russell own the Snake Plissken character rights and will be working with Namco on the development of the video games.

"Working with both the original team from Escape and the developers at Namco allows Kurt, Debra and me to reach a whole new generation of Snake fans and still be true to the original movie," said John Carpenter.

Escape from New York made its debut in 1981 and Escape from LA arrived in 1996. Both have gone on to spawn a bi-monthly comic book, action figures, novelizations and Japanese anime.

"Snake Plissken is a pop-culture icon and Kurt Russell's portrayal of Snake set the standard by which many action heroes followed," said Andre Emerson, Senior Producer for Namco Hometek Inc.

The first game is expected to launch Christmas 2005.

-Matt C.

Core Design loses Tomb Raider franchise

Eidos Interactive announced today that Crystal Dynamics, makers of the Legacy of Kain series, will be developing the next Tomb Raider title, which is expected to arrive June 2005. Core Design, located in the UK, has developed each Tomb Raider game since the beginning, but due to the poor quality of the recently released 'Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness', Eidos has decided to give a more successful company a try. More info later.

-Matt C.

SCE reveals new PSP details

For the first time since E3 2003, Sony Computer Entertainment revealed new information on its upcoming PSP handheld device. According to SCE President Ken Kutaragi, the PSP will take advantage of two 32-bit MIPS R4000 microprocessors running at 333 MHz. In comparison with previous Sony hardware, each processor will be about as powerful as the PlayStation 2 (the PS2 runs at about 300 MHz if you do a little rounding) and about 10 times as powerful as the original PlayStation, which only offers a clock speed of 33.86 MHz.

As for the graphics processor unit (GPU), it will have 2MB of VRAM to work with. That might not seem like a lot, but the 5.3Gbps of bus transfer rate should easily make up for it. Unlike the Gameboy Advance SP, which can render sprites on the fly, the PSP can easily create true 3D games using the same polygons that make up current PS2 games. As stated back in May, the display will be a widescreen 480x272 pixel LCD equipped with a backlight for use in dark environments.

Sony Computer Entertainment is still not ready to show a prototype of the PSP, but the Japanese company did mention that its traditional square, circle, triangle, X, L1, and R1 buttons will make an appearance in the final design -- along with one d-pad and one analog stick.

Of course, the PSP won't be just about games, as it will be able to play MP3s and DVD movies via Universal Media Disc format (UMD), which is essentially a small disc surrounded by a cartridge. Each disc can hold 1.8 GB of data. Other forms of media can be used as well.

The prototype design of the PSP will be unveiled to the public at next year's E3. It will ship worldwide in late 2004 for a price that is yet to be determined. We'll have more information on the PSP at a much later date.

PSP Specs:

CPU Core:
MIPS R4000 32-bit core
128-bit bus
333MHz 1.2V
8MB eDRAM main memory
2.6Gbps bus transfer rate
FPU, VFPU (2.6 billion flops)
3D graphics extended instructions

Graphics Core:
2MB of VRAM
5.3Gbps bus transfer rate
3D curved surface and 3D polygon engine
Features include texture compression, morphing,
bone, tessellation, hardware clipping, bezier, and b-spline (NURBS)

Sound Core:
VME (Virtual Mobile Engine)
Reconfigurable DSP engine
166MHz
128-bit bus
5 billion operations per second
CODEC capabilities
3D sound, 7.1 channels
Synthesizer, effecter, and other abilities
ATRAC3 plus, AAC, MP3 for audio

Media:
UMD (Universal Media Disc)
60mm-diameter disc
660nm laser diode
1.8GB capacity (dual-layered disc)
11Mbps transfer rate
Shock proof
Protected by AES
Unique disc ID

Other:
16:9-format widescreen TFT LCD (480x272 pixels, 24-bit full color)
MPEG4 AVC decoder
Wireless LAN (802.11)
IrDA (Infrared Data Association)
Powered a Lithium ion battery
USB 2.0
Supports Memory Sticks
AV in/out

-Matt C.

New Legacy of Kain: Defiance gameplay trailer

Eidos Interactive today posted a new gameplay trailer for Legacy of Kain: Defiance, which is expected to arrive in stores this Fall. Defiance allows gamers to play as Kain and Raziel. We'll have more info later.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance trailer

-Matt C.

New Soul Calibur II screenshots

We receieved some brand new screenshots from the U.S. version of Soul Calibur II today. I'll have an acutal preview for the game soon. If you are interested in Soul Calibur II (due out in late August), please click on the banner above.

Soul Calibur II Screenshot 1
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 2
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 3
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 4
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 5
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 6
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 7
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 8
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 9
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 10
Soul Calibur II Screenshot 11

-Matt C.

We got some new gameplay movies of Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel from Interplay today. Left click on the links below to download them.

Fallout Movie 1
Fallout Movie 2
Fallout Movie 3

-Matt C.

Activision revealed today that True Crime: Streets of L.A. will no longer be released this September. According to the publisher, the game has been pushed back to 4th Quarter 2003. North American retail stores are listing the release date to November 2003. We'll have more information later.

-Matt C.

Sega Sports, Visual Concepts Entertainment, and ESPN today announced a new feature in ESPN NFL Football, dubbed "The Crib". Gamers are given an empty house that can be filled with more than 300 unlockable items and goodies. The more you play the game, the more stuff you unlock.

"We already knew that our sports gamers were ultra-competitive, so we wanted to keep challenging them to be on their game when they play," said Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts Entertainment, maker of the acclaimed '2K' sports game series. "This is one of the many ways that we are raising the bar in 'ESPN NFL Football' this year with innovative features that keep the game not only challenging, but also fun."

ESPN NFL Football will be available this September for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

The Crib Screenshot 1
The Crib Screenshot 2
The Crib Screenshot 3

-Matt C.

New Xenosaga Episode II screenshots

A couple days ago, we refused to use images of Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose from Famitsu Weekly without permission. However, now that Namco themselves have officially released screenshots from the game, we can finally go ahead and share them with you guys. Namco also revealed that Yasunori Mitsuda will not be composing the music this time. Yuki Kajiura, from .hack, will be in charge of the tunes.

Anyway, on to the screens:

Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 1
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 2
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 3
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 4
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 5
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 6
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 7
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 8
Xenosaga Episode II Screenshot 9

-Matt C.

New Xenosaga Episode II details

The current issue of Famitsu has a small, but nice article on Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose -- and we were lucky enough to acquire a rough translation of it today. According to the Japanese publication, Shion's older brother, Jin Uzuki, will play a large role in Episode II. Nearly all the main characters from the previous game will make a return in the next installment, including Shion, KOS-MOS, Jr., Chaos, Albedo, and Margulis.

We're not allowed to just steal images from Famitsu without permission (sorry guys), but the feature on Episode II does show some interesting images of Shion and the gang. For starters, Shion herself looks like a totally different person. Her appearance is less like an anime character, and more of a real woman. As for KOS-MOS, she no longer looks like a teenager, and she does not seem to wear her head-gear any more. The other characters look different as well, but the most drastic changes can be found in Shion and KOS-MOS.

Xenosaga Episode II isn't even half-way done yet, so no solid release date is available at this time. Additional info will be released next week.

-Matt C.

EA Sports announced that NCAA Football 2004 has shipped to North American stores today. The PlayStation 2 version will offer online gameplay, and all versions of the game will have 150 new teams, an enhanced dynasty mode, and much more.

-Matt C.

Midway delays ESPionage

Midway Games announced today that ESPionage has been delayed into spring of next year. The game was originally expected to arrive November 2003. The extra development time will be used to polish the gameplay. Midway says that ESPionage should be ready to ship sometime in May 2004. More info later.

-Matt C.

Ubi Soft Entertainment revealed today that David Duchovny, best known as Fox Mulder from The X-Files, and Adam West known as Batman from the live-action TV show that aired during the 1960's; will lend their voices for two main characters in XIII. Duchovny and West will provide the voices for Agent XIII and General Carrington, respectively.

"XIII isn't like any video game I have ever seen--it plays like a suspenseful movie with a conspiracy-ridden storyline filled with enough twists and turns to keep everyone guessing," Duchovny said. "Players are in for a lot of surprises with this game--things are never what they seem, making for good drama and a great game."

"XIII's visual style is extremely eye-catching," West said. "The game's comic text and pop-up windows are similar to elements we used with the Batman series to stay true to the comic. In XIII, it builds this graphic-novel world to the last detail."

For additional information on Ubi Soft's unique cel-shaded first-person shooter, please visit the 'previews' section.

-Matt C.

Area 51 FPS game on the way

At its annual press event today, Midway Games announced that a new online first-person shooter game, based on the old Area 51 light-gun series, is currently in development for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Area 51 first appeared in arcades and on the original PlayStation back in the early 1990's.

Players will take on the role of Lt. Nick Cross, a hazardous biological waste specialist for the U.S. army. As he arrives at Area 51 in Nevada, he quickly discovers aliens roaming about the top secret facility. To make matters worse, Nick becomes infected with a mutagen that appears to be slowly turning him into an alien.

"The intrigue and rumors that surround the top-secret facility add a unique intensity and all-new dimension to this first-person shooter," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway.

Area 51 will offer full online gameplay, as well as standard four-player split screen and system link support. In the single-player campaign, players will be able to find over 15 human and alien weapons and the mutagen affecting Nick will give him new physical abilities.

Stan Winston Studio, the folks responsible for the special effects found in Jurassic Park and Aliens, will be designing the game's numerous creatures. Area 51 is due out in 2004. More info later.

-Matt C.

Koei wants gamer feedback

Koei Corporation announced today that in a continuing effort to listen to your opinions, it has launched a new polling feature on its North American web site.

"Over the years, we have sensed what our customers want to see in future KOEI games - from letters, emails, and even phone calls. Now with the Polls, we have a way to accurately measure our customers' opinions on a variety of issues," said Ben Stockwell, Webmaster for koei.com. "It's an invaluable tool and a major step forward in KOEI's efforts to incorporate user feedback in the development of our games."

If you wish to give Koei, the company behind the Dynasty Warriors series, your feedback, please click here.

-Matt C.

Agetec announced that its upcoming mech game, Silent Line: Armored Core, has gone gold today. The game is expected to arrive in stores in July for a suggested retail price of only $39.99.

"Our partnership with From Software has delivered what we feel is the ultimate Armored Core experience and we're confident that fans both new and old will agree," said Rob Alvarez, vice president of marketing at Agetec. "This is what has given the entire Armored Core series of games a replay factor that is limited only by the imagination of the gamers."

According to Agetec, Silent Line features more than 34 missions, 41 different arena opponents, 21 versus battle maps, and a total of 428 different mech parts.

-Matt C.

Konami Ships K-1 World Grand Prix

Konami of America announced that K-1 World Grand Prix for the PlayStation 2 has shipped to retail outlets nationwide today. K-1 is the world's premiere fighting sport that combines various forms of martial arts, including Karate, Kickboxing, and Tae Kwon Do. According to Konami, K-1 is the only stand-up mixed martial arts game available in North America.

"With K-1 World Grand Prix we accurately captured the power, strategy and speed of the real life sport resulting in a truly fun fighting game," said Justin Kubiak, product manager, Konami of America, Inc. "Fans of fighting games and K-1 alike will appreciate what K-1 WGP has to offer."

K-1 World Grand Prix is rated "T" for Teen and is available for an affordable MSRP of only $39.99. For a chance to win a free copy of the game from PlayStation Pro 2.0, click here.

-Matt C.

Namco passed along some new screenshots from I-Ninja today. Check out the links below:

I-Ninja Screenshot 1
I-Ninja Screenshot 2
I-Ninja Screenshot 3
I-Ninja Screenshot 4
I-Ninja Screenshot 5
I-Ninja Screenshot 6
I-Ninja Screenshot 7
I-Ninja Screenshot 8

-Matt C.

Koei announced today that its Dynasty Warriors series has exceeded sales of 5 million units worldwide.

"The Dynasty Warriors brand intertwines the action and drama of a story based on actual events and forges it into one of the most exhilarating video game experiences in history," said Amos Ip, vice president of sales and marketing at KOEI. "Achieving this sales milestone emphasizes the lasting universal appeal of the Dynasty Warriors saga."

-Matt C.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance reaches 2 million

Midway Games announced today that Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance has sold more than 2 million units worldwide across the PS2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and Xbox since its launch on November 22, 2002.

"Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance took gamers by storm, and these numbers prove the franchise is continuing to define the fighting genre," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway.

For more information on Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, please visit the Reviews section.

-Matt C.

Max Payne 2 teaser site launches

Rockstar Games launched a teaser Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne web site today. The site is nothing to get excited about, but there are wallpapers, screensavers, and other goodies to download.

Max Payne 2 Web Site

-Matt C.

Namco Hometek announced today that it has signed renowned animated filmmakers Don Bluth and Gary Goldman to create and direct the in-game cinematics, the opening, and closing movies for the upcoming game, I-Ninja. Bluth amd Goldman have created many Disney classics, including An American Tail, A Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Anastasia.

"It is a privilege for Namco to work with such prestigious animators as Don Bluth and Gary Goldman," said Jon Kromrey, Producer at Namco Hometek, Inc. "Their filmmaking legacy has spanned decades and they are making their mark in the video game world again. We are confident they will help Namco make I-Ninja the next new character game sensation."

I-Ninja is due out late 2003, and it will offer comical missions traversing five expansive environments. I-Ninja can scale buildings, "shred" on extreme rails, hover great distances with a "sword copter", ride drifting roller spheres and utilize specialized manga-style ninja moves. The game also features challenging enemies and ruthless bosses, ranging from foot soldiers of the evil Ranx Army to a menacing 150-foot giant robot.

"Gary and I truly enjoy the video games industry and would like to help bring the cinematic quality of video games to an exciting new level," said Don Bluth, co-founder of Don Bluth Films, Inc. "I-Ninja provides us a palette of dynamic characters and enchanting environments that will be a pleasure to work with."

Expect more info on I-Ninja soon.

-Matt C.

SOCOM online cheating spreads to Europe

Fire International, the asshats behind the popular Xploder cheat code device in Europe, announced today that it is the first company to release official and working cheat codes for the UK version of SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals. Normally this wouldn't bother us, but these cheats, which includes the ability to steal ammo from other players (along with other annoying codes), can be used while the game is played online. Fire International does not care about the quality of PS2 online gaming, as it purposely made these codes in order to boost sales.

To make matters worse, SOCOM was just recently released in Europe a couple weeks ago, so players over there have not had a lot of time to play the game online without having to worry about cheaters. More info later. (Ed: Sorry about the excessive commentary.)

-Matt C.

According to the current issue of Famitsu, Koei is currently working on an expansion game to Dynasty Warriors 4, titled Shin Sangoku Musou 3 Moushouden. The expansion will arrive in Japan this September at a reduced price. No word yet on a U.S. version, but we have a good feeling that it will indeed be published in North America. More info later.

-Matt C.

Konami releases new Karaoke Revolution screens

Konami sent over some new screenshots from Karaoke Revolution today, which is expected to arrive in November 2003. The game is designed for amateur singers of all ages and all levels of music abilities. Karaoke Revolution will offer more than 30 hit songs from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and present. For those of you singers who don't want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on one of those expensive karaoke machines, be sure to keep your eye on Karaoke Revolution. More info later.

Karaoke Revolution Screenshot 1
Karaoke Revolution Screenshot 2
Karaoke Revolution Screenshot 3
Karaoke Revolution Screenshot 4

-Matt C.

While America is celebrating its independence, our friends in the UK will finally be able to get their hands on a final release copy of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, as Eidos Interactive confirmed today that the game will arrive in that region on July 4, 2003.

-Matt C.

Acclaim Entertainment announced today that Summer Heat Beach Volleyball has shipped to North American stores today.

"Summer Heat Beach Volleyball was designed to provide a strong gameplay experience featuring an intuitive control system that makes the game very easy to learn and play," said David Knies, director of Acclaim Sports. "The result is a fast and addictive arcade-style volleyball game that is sure to provide hours of fun for PS2 owners."

-Matt C.

Splinter Cell sequel release date confirmed

Ubi Soft Entertainment confirmed today that 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow' for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube is currently on track for a March 2004 release date. Aside for the three screenshots below, very little information has been revealed thus far on the sequel to one of the hottest games of late 2002 and 2003. Once Ubi Soft spills the beans, we'll definetely give the game a proper preview. Stay tuned.

Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Screenshot 1
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Screenshot 2
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Screenshot 3

-Matt C.

The Italian Job shipes to stores

Eidos Interactive announced today that the Italian Job has been shipped to stores for the PlayStation 2. Based on this summer's blockbuster film from Paramount Pictures, The Italian Job allows gamers to race supercharged MINI Coopers throughout Los Angeles.

"The Italian Job movie has proven to be a major summer blockbuster. We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Paramount to bring this film's high-octane, nonstop action to video game consoles," said Renee Pletka, Product Manager at Eidos US.

Eidos also passed along some new screenshots from the game:

Italian Job Screenshot 1 | Italian Job Screenshot 2 | Italian Job Screenshot 3

-Matt C.

New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles media

Konami sent us some brand new screenshots from The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles today, which is expected to arrive on the PlayStation 2 in October 2003. After checking out the screens, be sure to read our preview here.

TMNT Screenshot 1 | TMNT Screenshot 2 | TMNT Screenshot 3 | TMNT Screenshot 4 | TMNT Screenshot 5 | TMNT Screenshot 6 | TMNT Screenshot 7 | TMNT Screenshot 8 | TMNT Screenshot 9

-Matt C.