Black College Football Experience – The Doug Williams Edition (XBOX 360)

Featuring over 35 HBCU schools, real-time interactive halftime shows, a jukebox with authentic music recorded from HBCU bands, and well-polished graphics, this football game takes the college HBCU experience and successfully translates it into unique sports gaming experience.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 1 & 2 (XBOX 360/PS3)

Though you can only play as two of the Watchmen (Nite Owl and Rorschach) this movie-inspired adaptation of the heralded comic book packs a major one-two punch.

G-Force (All Consoles)

G-Force is a fast-paced action game based on the movie of the same name. If you’re into rocket powered hamsters, this is probably your thing. If not, give it a pass and stick with Call of Duty 4.

When Killzone was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, the first person shooter gained a cult following due to its over the top violence and the hype that it would be the one game to put down XBOX’s Halo. Nearly five years later, Master Chief has since retired, but Killzone‘s only on its second installment, which is now available for PlayStation 3.

As a brutally bloody mix of first person shooter action, amazing visual presentation and meticulously designed multiplayer maps, Killzone 2 may be the only shooter you’ll play for the rest of 2009. That is, if you’re not on hung up on subtle details, like a storyline. 

Set on an off-world colony in the future, you’ll playas Thomas Sevchenko of the ISA (International Strategic Alliance), and venture to the home world of the Helghast, (who are a war-faring human-like species) in order to thin out their ranks. If you haven’t played the original Killzone, it’s not really clear why you’ve set out to wipe your the Helghast, but rest assured that you’re taking up arms to settle a beef they started. The plot is Killzone 2‘s weakest point, but thankfully the gameplay and graphics more than make up for the story’s short oversights.

In traditional first-person shooter style, you’ll wield a variety of guns and ammo with which to wipe out your foes. Through  your payload is filled with weapons like the LS13 Shotgun and Bolt Gun, the M82 assault rifle will probably be the one you use most often. A good mix of fire power with a strong zoom, makes this gun the most versatile weapon in the game.

The refined duck and cover system is what makes Killzone 2 a compelling title to play. While most will want to barrel though the terrain and decimate enemies, they’ll need to hone their strategy to a mode of  fire-duck-fire in order to get through successfully. The game is also weighted properly, as your movements correspond to the amount of armor you’re carrying, providing a more realistic experience.   

Even as the single player campaign is strong enough to warrant a few additional plays once the game has been completed, Killzone 2 succeeds extremely well in the online multiplayer mode. Playing with up to 32 players in eight available maps, first person shooter fans will be able to smack talk their way to online supremacy across the game’s rich visually lush presentation. Multiplayer also supports a variety of customizable options including:  classes & badges ( to combine abilities from different player classes), clan recruitment and the online-only feature of battle replay. 

Like some of the more prominent first person shooter games out there, Killzone 2 lacks in the aspect of creating a strong narrative, but it’s more than acceptable given the sharp visuals, array of weaponry and varied multiplayer options. For those looking to get the lead out, Killzone 2 is your game for 2009. 

Killzone 2 is available now exclusively for PlayStation 3. 

Is Street Fighter IV the best Street Fighter game ever?

Well, if you go by the lines of the people who lined up for the game’s midnight release at Gamestops around the country, then the answer is a resounding yes.

And if you go by the amazing graphics, fast and furious gameplay, robust online mode and return of the 12 core characters like Guile, Chun-Li and Blanka,  the answer is a deafeningly loud, hadouken enshrouded, yes.

While many still cling to the greatness that was Street Fighter II (and it’s various incarnations), there’s one thing that the classic 2-D brawler lacked- depth. Street Fighter IV solves this problem by adding a 3-D element to the game, but still making it a head-to-head brawler in a traditional 2-D fashion.

At the game’s start, you’ll be greeted with an incomplete roster, which you’ll need to fill in by completing the game several times. Doing so will get you Cammy, Gen and Dan, amongst others. But while you may not have everyone at your disposal, you will have host of characters to occupy your time. Fans of the series will be able to dive in immediately as the controls have essentially stayed the same.

Remember, if you knew how to throw a fireball in 1992, you can do it 2009.

Aside from the game’s impressive single player campaign which pits you against the world warriors and ultimately main boss Seth, SFIV‘s online campaign makes for the best way to solve beef.

(Perhaps 50 Cent and Rick Ross can settle their dispute over a match?)

The story mode is quick play through (depending on how good you are) yet it offers enough variety for continued replay value. Fans and newcomers will be able to quickly be able to pick up the controls and adapt the new super combo system, which when fully charged allows players the ability to deliver a devastating combo.

Mixed with the amazing visual presentation, a nimble control system and great story and online mode, Street Fighter IV is a game that will jump start fans who stopped playing at Street Fighter II or are just getting into the franchise for the first time.

Street Fighter IV is available now for XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3

Don’t you hate it when you’re immersed in session of Resistance 2 and get a message from an online buddy and, although you’d like to type back, you won’t simply because it takes too much time to write using your PS3 controller? (This is what happens when Kevin Clark hits me.)

Well, then this latest peripheral from Sony PlayStation, The Wireless Keypad, is for you.

Snapping on to any official PS3 controller, the QWERTY keyed, Bluetooth enabled device allows users to enter text and chat with friends online. It also features a touchpad mouse and short keys for quick connectivity to the PlayStation Network. And just like the PS3 controller, the keypad is charged by pairing it to a PS3 unit with a USB cable.  It’s also especially useful for those who will be frequenting PlayStation’s new social gaming community for the PS3, PlayStation@Home.

(Sure you could use a full sized keyboard, but what are you, some kind of PC gamer?)

Available now at Sony Style and wherever else video games are sold , the PlayStation 3 Wireless Keypad retails for $50.

The first official gameplay trailer for God of War 3 debuted last night at the Spike TV Video Game Awards.

The epic third title in the Sony PlayStation console series finds players once again reprising the role of Kratos, the ex-Spartan warrior who is hell bent on annihilating the Greek gods after they’ve broken their promises to them.

Check out the trailer below:

No official release date has been set for God Of War 3.

Actor (and part time rocker) Jack Black has signed on to become the playable lead in the upcoming Double Fine Production/EA video game Brütal Legend. 

The third person action adventure game finds Black in the role of band roadie Eddie Riggs, who embarks on an epic quest to build an army of rockers armed only with an axe, a guitar and his ride. 

In the game, Riggs is drawn back through time to a mythical world dripped in Rock & Roll folklore. Using his modern tactics in the past,  he pulls from his own experience in the only occupation he’s ever had – being a roadie for a Heavy Metal band. 

Brütal Legend will be available for the Xbox 360® video game system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system Fall 2009.

As part of my civic duty to you, the readers of GIANTmag.com, I played a bunch of video games, so you didn’t have too. Please, hold your praises. So in honor of the long weekend, I compiled a list of what games to check out what games to buy or rent before you gobble down seven pounds of turkey. This way you’ll be thoroughly entertained while fighting off the effects of of tryptophan.

Need for Speed: Undercover

After hitting a few bumps in past iterations, Need For Speed pulls a 180 and shifts back into its former glory. Liberally borrowing (or outright stealing, depending on your affinity for the film) from the plot of The Fast and the Furious, Undercover puts you in the driver’s seat as an undercover cop on who’s out to stop an international ring of thieves. Along for the ride, is Maggie Q, who will serve as your partner and tutorial as you weave in and out of the mean streets of fictitious city that’s a composite of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Missions include evading the cops (always fun), delivering a stolen car in mint condition and check point races.

Undercover excels in what the made the original Need for Speed games great – pedal to floor, tire smoking, gear grinding racing. From stock cars like the Audi A4 and Ford Focus ST to exotics like the Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 Edition and Shelby GT 500, Undercover delivers a nice garage full of slick rides.

Though it won’t go down as the best racing game in the NFS franchise, Undercover does have some grand moments as it delivers over the top racing and come action packed chases.

*RENT IT*

Need for Speed: Undercover is available now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Left 4 Dead

Just like a trip the beach, a good bottle of shiraz, and cold bloody revenge, Left 4 Dead is a first person shooter best enjoyed with friends. The plot is simple: it’s the zombie apocalypse (when isn’t it the zombie apocalypse?) and you’re one of the last four surviving humans with enough gall and guts to wield a .22 and buck the undead back into…well, being dead again.

Set over four thrilling well paced campaigns, L4D, presents co-op gaming at its best. Playing with up to three other friends, you’ll need to strategize, collaborate and time your attacks  in order beat back the what can often feel like an overwhelming horde of corpses who want to eat your brains.

Amazingly lit and immaculately paced, Left 4 Dead excels when played with others. If you’re going to play alone, you may want to rent it and just rifle through the campaign. If you’ve got some dedicated zombie killers at your disposable, then *BUY IT*.

Left 4 Dead  is available now exclusively for Xbox 360.

Tomb Raider: Underworld

Sure the movies sucked, but Angelina Jolie was a rather smokin’ Lara Croft. Not to mention, Underworld was that vampire flick where Kate Beckinsale was all leather-suited out, so how could those those two non-exclusive elements not combine to form an a awesome video game? Reaching? Yeah, lil’ bit. Actually, lots.

Tomb Raider: Underworld is a welcome break from the monotony of first person shooters that have flooded the market these past two months.

(Seriously, game developers, how many things can you expect us to shoot?)

Though it boasts a healthy mix of platforming and puzzle solving, Underworld sadly resumes some of the more trouble elements that have plagued past installments of the franchise such as awkward cameras angles, convoluted story line and poor voice acting. However if you can get past those elements, Tomb Raider: Underworld presents a good weekend of CGI-spelunking.

*RENT IT*

Tomb Raider: Underworld is available now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Never in their wildest dreams did nerds ever think that they would be able to see Sub-Zero foot sweep The Joker or Superman get in Scorpion’s ass. And while their dreams of waking up next to Olivia Munn are still just that, thanks to the good folks at Midway Games and DC Comics at least they can now embody their favorite character from either the Mortal Kombat franchise or the DC Universe and fight to the death in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe.

Released Sunday (Nov. 16) for XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3,  MK vs DCU (as it has been dubbed) is a true best of both worlds. GIANT recentl caught up with MK vs. DCU Associate Producer Hector Sanchez to talk about the game, playing against Lil Wayne and whether or not the game will include MK’s signature blood.

GIANT: How did the initial idea for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe come about?

Hector Sanchez: We have always wanted to do a mash up for MK. There happened to be someone who knew someone, who told this person, and lo and behold, we were offered to work with the DC license. [TK} Ed Boon had always been a fan of Shazam as a kid, and really thought we had something with the design inspiration we could draw from in developing fighting styles for all of these characters. Things worked out and now we have Scorpion and Batman on the front cover of our box.

GIANT: Given the variety of great characters in both franchises, how were the final 22 chosen?

HS: There was a lot of back and forth between the team members, a lot of heavy discussions. It was ultimate fanboy heaven. Who makes it? Who doesn’t? Who could NEVER beat THIS person? Things like that. It’s always amazing to be in conversations like this.

GIANT: At one point, there was talk about doing the game without the trademark MK blood. What made you guys decide to go with it?

HS: I can’t remember a time when we came out and said there WOULDN’T be blood. I think a lot of that was internet sensationalism from a very voracious vocal minority. People picked up on it and thought we were going a no blood route but Ed Boon has always said, “We are going to take the T-Rating limit and push it as far to the edge as it will go,” and we did. There is blood, there are finishing moves, there is progressive damage on all of the characters models, and it is an MK game, through and through.

GIANT: What do you think the best element of MK vs DC is? What’s something you wanted to but didn’t get to include?

HS: The updated fighting styles and the new fighting mechanics (Free Fall, Klose, and Kombat Rage) are something we are really proud of. We’ve really taken advantage of the next generation consoles’ strengths and updated MK to remain over the top arcade fighting fun.

If we had more time we could have probably made four or five separate finishing moves (Fatalities and Heroic Brutalities) for every character instead of two. There were THAT many ideas floating around. But two per character is still a good variety and only the best of the best made it in the final game.

GIANT: If you could play against one celeb in MK vs DC, who would it be? And why?

HS: I would definitely want to play against Lil’ Wayne. I’ve heard him spit little freestyles here and there about Liu Kang and Scorpion. SO, I know he’s gotta be a player, still. There is also a hip hop artist from Chicago, Nico B, who has said a few things in his songs about MK. I’d love to take on anyone that speaks up, because I would relish the competition. You’re not going to shout out MK unless you can pull a Fatality off, you know?

GIANT: What character is the most difficult to defeat?

HS: Darkseid and Shao Kahn are beasts. Dark Kahn (the Final Boss) is really difficult as well. Also, if I’m playing as Scorpion and we’re playing online against each other, I don’t know who will beat me. Really.

GIANT: Can you elaborate on the various online player modes?

HS: We’ll have ranked match, player matches, and chat room matches. Ranked matches will track your stats and award status based on the skill level of the opponents you are beating. Only the top fighters will be at the top of those lists. Player matches and chat room matches will be more like exhibition matches and won’t knock your ranking down. We wanted to keep it in the feel of an old arcade, where it was very simple to see who was the best, and you wait in line to play that person and hope to take them down.

GIANT: What’s was the most fun part of creating MK vs DC? What was the worst?

HS: Damage art design was the most fun, and mind blowing experience. To actually go through iterations with DC artists and our artists as to how exactly we should depict a fully beaten up Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern…..It was something I don’t think has ever been done before with these characters. As a fan of art and progressive stuff, it was a great experience. How would YOU draw a beat up Joker? The possibilities were endless and working and crafting together really yielded some great results.

The worst part was part was having to make the tough decisions of who made it to the final cut. I really would have loved to see Lobo make the cut, or Aquaman. Who doesn’t want to design Aquaman’s fighting style? It’s a dream assignment. Hopefully, we’ll get to do it if we decide to do downloadable content.

Be warned: Confrontation, Sony’s latest entry in the famed Navy S.E.A.L shooter series is solely an online multiplayer game. So, if you’re looking for a linear storyline, you’re out of luck. But, if intense firefights with your friends (and random strangers) is your thing, then Confrontation is your game.

As an added bonus, Sony has decided to debut its first PS3-dedicated Bluetooth headset via a Confrontation bundle (seen below). This way your “friends” can hear you talk smack while you’re in the fridge getting an Orange Crush.

With seven North African-based maps, SOCOM’s PS3 debut provides up to 32 players a visceral, yet tactical gameplay experience through hi-def destructible environments, unique weapon load out options, and online clan management. Hoo-rah!

As one of the launch titles for Play Station 3, Resistance: Fall of Man set the bar for what fans could expect in the early stages of the console. Due to its multi-faceted story and compelling, heart pounding, and frenzied gameplay, the title was met with critical acclaim. When Resistance 2 was announced, fans could only imagine what lay in store for the epic first person shooter and how Insomniac Games could improve upon the original.

Set in an alternate reality in the 1950′s, you’ll reprise the role of R:FOM‘s protagonist Nathan Hale, a soldier who while stationed in England, defeated an invading a technologically advanced alien force known as the Chimera. Hale is infected with a Chimeran virus that allows him to heal his wounds over time.

Picking up where the original game ends, Hale is rescued by a Black Ops team and quickly learns that there are more like him, infected with the Chimera virus and joins a  team to defend the United States from an impending Chimeran invasion.

Resistance 2‘s scope is massively bigger than its predecessor. Levels are more than twice the size of the original. Enemies have also grown to new heights, some so large in scale, they  tower over buildings. In fact, in addition to the run of the mill gun wielding monsters you’ll have to gun down, you’ll encounter aliens whose powers outshine their ability to buck shots. Some can disappear, some simply mob you while others…well, you’ll have to play the game for those surprises.

Graphically, Resistance 2 is a sight to behold. When you’re not making mince meat out of adversaries, there’s so much to take in, from the serene forests to the devastated cities which truly show the processing power of the PS3. The single player campaign should take seasoned player roughly 10-12 hours to complete, but the game’s real appeal comes from it’s massive multiplayer online campaign which can handle up to 60 players in one game and co-op mode, where players can work together to thwart the threat together.

For fans of the first person shooter genre, Resistance 2 sets a new benchmark. While the single player campaign is probably the game’s weakest element, in terms of gameplay length, it does its duty by adding insight to the lore of the franchise. Online is where the game truly excels, creating an experience that’s so massively entertaining and engaging, its potential has to yet to be seen in the realm of conventional gaming.

Resistance 2 is available now exclusively for PlayStation 3.

Presented in full 1080p hi-def resolution, the greatest one-on-one fighting title of all time gets a primere-skinning, allowing for Ryu and Ken to throw crystal clear hadoukens and Chun-Li to execute blinding spinning kicks.

The game features 17 playable characters including fan favorites like Guile and Blanka and new comers like Cammy and Akuma. Players will be able to fight against the computer, other players on the same console and against anyone in the world via online.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix will be released for PlayStation Network and XBOX LIVE Arcade. No official release date has been announced.

Aside from the ability to anger cops and the ban-all-video games right wing groups, there’s another thing that Rockstar Games’ Midnight Club: Los Angeles shares with the company’s other hit Grand Theft Auto IV – RAGE (as in, Rockstar Advanced Game Engine).

Running on RAGE, MC: LA is able to deliver a next-gen racing title that’s a visceral racing experience that takes place in an open world rendition of Los Angeles.

As with most racing games, the plot centers around you trying to prove to the underground racing community that you’ve got “it,” while taking on rival racers and their crews in a effort to bolster your rep and ultimately become the street king of the City of Angels.

Along the way, you’ll get being the wheel of rides from the tuner, muscle, exotic and bikes classes, whose ranks respectively include: Mazda’s 2008 RX-8, a Dodge’s 1970 Challenger R/T, Aston Martin’s 2008 DB9 Vanquish and Kawasaki’s 2008 Ninja ZX14. Like its predecessor Midnight Club: Dub Edition, MC:LA’s customization options are almost limitless, allowing a racer to trick out anything from rim sizes and type, to painting individual panels of a car in different colors and upgrade performance and body style. Then, there’s the vinyl editor, which can be used to create or modify any sticker. But MC:LA’s real thrills come from revving past the redline in races, which due to solid controls are .

The types of races you’ll take on include simple time trials, point-to-point races, and highway races. As you burn rubber from the outskirts of Beverly Hills to the glitzy streets of West Hollywood, you’ll encounter every street racers biggest foe, the police. Though the police aren’t overwhelming difficult in MC:LA, but they can prove to be a nuisance, as they’ll try to ram you off the road and total out your ride so they can arrest you. However there are some instances when 5-0 pulls over you that you can make a mad dash back into your car and leave them in dust and earn rep points.

But while you may be able to escape the long arm of the law with ease, you won’t be able to do the same with other racers. MC: LA’s overall difficulty is a few notches higher than previous installments, which may prove frustrating for first time players and casual veterans of the franchise. But like learning to drive a stick-shift, if you practice a little, you’ll be able to master the courses. If that still proves to be too difficult, you can hop online and through multiplayer play against up to 16 other players in a variety of games.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is available now for PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360.

In related news: Midnight Club: Los Angeles and Jordan Brand have teamed up for a limited edition sneaker. Check it out here.

In a world overrun with first person shooters and hack-and-slash games, comes one title that dares to be…different. That is to say, Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet is perhaps the most fun game you’ll play all year that doesn’t involve gunning down bloodthirsty aliens or taking on the role of an easily agitated non-descript Eastern European man on a violent quest for revenge.

LBP throws you into seemingly psychotropic induced re-imaging of the world, which looks like it was pulled from the most creative recesses of Tim Burton’s brain. You take on the roll of a “Sackboy,” an androgynously charming creature who hops, jumps and plops himself into precarious situations. LBP’s single player campaign clocks in at about seven hours, and is best enjoyed playing with up to three other friends.

But it’s the online multiplayer component where this quirky little platformer truly shines. Playing through the single player campaign, you unlock elements from throughout the game, which allows you to build your over levels and customize your Sackboy in a variety of different ways. Utilizing the level building tools, LBP allows anyone of any skill set to pick up a controller and create a level as complex or as simple, as they’d like. From constructing seesaws with real world physics applications, to platforming levels, and including enemies with surprisingly smart AI, creation is the cornerstone of LittleBigPlanet.

Once a level is created, it can be uploaded to the PlayStation Network, where it can be played and rated by other users. LBP allows level customization to the Nth degree with the ability to add music, respawning points and use templates to build upon or strip away and reinterpret. Which means that one can create a level completely from scratch or build a classic, well known setting – like a level from another videogame, setting in a movie, or the set of a music video.

Ultimately, LittleBigPlanet is a breath of fresh air in a market that’s oversaturated with more-of -the same-games. Despite the short single player campaign, it does benefit from an well-executed online multiplayer option, making it one the best games you’ve ever put into your PlayStation 3.

LittleBigPlanet will be available exclusively for PlayStation 3 on October 27, 2008.

For over a decade, design maverick and branding visionary Jeff Staple has been vertically integrating every aspect of New York’s creative culture. If you’ve ever been buzzed into his lower east side Manhattan hub of downtown cool, Reed Space, you’ll agree—the boutique is a choice destination for urbanistas looking to score exclusive kicks, premium street fashion, international art ‘zines and books, Lomo flickers, and Jeff’s own Staple Design menswear collection. More about lifestyle than anything, the Staple Design brand is forever expanding to include the most relevant cultural references. With last week’s Downshift Session event, Staple threw automotive design, gaming, and music into his stew of influences.

The experimental Downshift Session event was a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Gran Turismo, a highly acclaimed series of auto racing video games, and the game’s creator, Kazunori Yamauchi. Jeff explained, “There’s not much of a car culture in New York. I want to present the world of automotive design in a way that’s interesting to a New York scene, by including video games, art, and music all under one roof, and see what happens.” Held at Manhattan’s Classic Car Club, the evening featured a timed trial Gran Turismo competition (the game was projected onto a movie-sized screen), sounds from DJ’s Soul and Neil Armstrong, and the unveiling of a Lotus Exige performance vehicle, hand painted by iconic graff artist Eric HAZE, to be auctioned off. Later on, Chicago club-hop sensation Kid Sister would command the stage with several aerobic renditions.

While complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres kept everyone well lubed and fueled, Jeff provided further insight into his vision. “On the scale of aesthetic design influences, I’d rank video game and auto design pretty high up there. They’d probably come after movies, but video games are becoming more and more like actual movies…and yes, I still play them!” In a further effort to spread artistic influences, proceeds from the auction portion of the event will be donated to the Studio In A School organization, which provides visual arts programs to the city’s youth. Staple Design once again serves up proof of what can be accomplished when creative worlds coalesce.-Devin “Pan” Barrett

Guitar Hero 3 is one of the best games to ever hit consoles simply for the fact that it takes little talent to master and after about a week the average player is convinced that he or she is the next incarnation of Jimi Hendrix.

Sadly, dreams of rocking a stage to the sounds of thousands to screaming fans are thrown out the window when you realize that the standard Guitar Hero controller is the Vern Troyer equivalent of a real guitar and fans, pixelated  or not , can’t take you seriously if your shred stick isn’t up to par.

Enter the Starpex by Peak. Built to mirror Fender’s iconic Stratocaster guitar, the Starpex is a full sized Guitar Hero 3 controller for PlayStation 2 and PS3 (sorry Xbox fanboys). In addition to functioning as the standard Guitar Hero controller, the Starpex also boasts an extra set of controller buttons up the neck for “soloing,” wireless connection and is made from wood giving it a  weighty, realistic feel.

Available this holiday season, the Starpex by Peak will set you back about $180, which all things considered, is a small price for video game fame.