Still riding on the heels of the uber-successful title Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar Games has released the newest trailer for “The Ballad of Gay Tony” from the downloadable pack Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City.

Check out the first trailer, “You’ll Always Be King of This Town,” below to see all of the new mayhem including the some of the most over-the-top stunts ever featured in the franchise.

“The Ballad of Gay Tony” goes on sale for 1600 points ($20) on October 29 on XBOX Live and will also be sold in as part of a disc compilation with the original GTA IV expansion pack, “The Lost and Damned.”

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.

Most games set in World War II follow a common thread: Lock and load, shoot Nazis, repeat. And while Velvet Assassin (South Peak Studios) does stick to this theme of killing the enemy, it does so with cinematic grace, thanks mostly in part the dark, shadowy setting and tactile pacing. 

Taking on the role of Violette Summer, a female British spy, you’ll work covertly in Nazi controlled Europe taking careful strides to sabotage various operations the organization has set up. Velvet Assassin is shrouded in darkness and since you’re a spy, you’ll need to tip-toe and skulk in the shadows in order to snake through missions, kill enemies and achieve your goals. 

Most of the hand combat requires you to move behind enemies – which are seemingly always patrolling around you – in order to off them and trigger the stealth kill cut-scene. Overall, the key to winning is patience. Within the game’s 12 missions, you’ll need to stalk your enemies, observe their movements and time your attacks to ensure a seamless kill. Velvet Assassin approaches combat with well paced tension and lets the player utilize their creativity in order to reach the end of the mission, ensuring that scenarios can play out differently. While you’ll be armed with a knife, at times, you can use a gun to execute enemies, but the targeting system can be frustrating as aiming your weapon often proves to be difficult.

Despite a few missteps in the weapon targeting area, Velvet Assassin proves to be a solid effort, combining stealth play with gritty visuals and grim setting that serves as a reminder not all wars are fought on the battlefield. Some are silently waged in the shadows.  

Velvet Assassin is available now on XBOX 360 

With Capcom’s Resident Evil 5  stirring up controversy about the game having racist undertones (you play as a white special-ops soldier killing zombie African villagers), we took a look back at other video games that probably should have been shown in front of some people of color before they were made and marketed.  

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar Games, 2003) 

When players were told to “Kill all the Haitians” during one of the game’s missions, the Haitian-American community took it to the streets of NYC by protesting outside the offices of Vice City‘s publisher Take Two Interactive. Rockstar had the controversial line (and a few others) removed for the game’s Greatest Hits and PC release. 

Mike Tyson’s Punch Out (Nintendo, 1987) 

During the 80s Iron Mike ruled the boxing ring. So how was it that a scrawny white guy looks like Asher Roth could take down the champ? Well, he’d have pound his way through boxers who were stereotypical caricatures of the countries they repped. Examples include: a Russian named Vodka Drunkenski, an Italian named Pizza Pasta, and whatever country Great Tiger was supposed to represent.  

Super Street Fighter II – The New Challengers (Capcom, 1993) 

Really Capcom? The best way to depict Native Americans in best fighting game of its time is to get an ambiguous ethnic looking character, throw on some feathers and face paint, and call him T-Hawk (short of Tomahawk)? Why not just get Lou Diamond Phillips to play him while you’re at it? But considering the rest of the Super Street Fighter II cast,  we guess he fits in with whatever they were trying to accomplish. 

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision, 2007) 

War is hell. But when Call of Duty entered the Iraq Middle East conflict with its fourth installation, it took it killing your enemy to a whole new level. It was one where gamers got to riddle Iraqis Middle Easterners with bullets and decimate small villages from the sky. Ironically, even after the game is over, there aren’t any weapons of mass destruction to be found.  

Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Shaolin (Acclaim, 1999) 

No, wait that game wasn’t racist at all. It just sucked. Sorry RZA. 

Custer’s Revenge (Mystique, 1982) 

Once again, Native Americans get the short end of the stick. Made for the Atari 2600, this game falls into two categories – racist and pornographic, as pointed out here. What’s the premise? Well, as “Custer”, your duty is to rape as many Native American women as possible with his pixelated dong. Yeah, that’s it. 

Peep the video above if you don’t believe us.  

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (Naughty Dog, 2007)

Self proclaimed grave robber Nathan Drake, a white American, ventures through the Amazon looking for the fabled city El Dorado while bucking shots at brown-skinned, non-American foes. If he wore a hat, carried a whip, and was willing to have his legacy tarnished by a guy loves to ruin his own franchises, he could be the next Indiana Jones.

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard

1 1/2 Stars

Verdict: Skip It 

You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. You just have to have played more than Wii’s Super Smash Bros. in order to understand all of the video game parodies in the game. But if you really want to enjoy the third person shooter, you’ll also need a to have a high tolerance for aggravation. 

The game finds you taking on the role of Matt Hazard, a former video game action star who since the era of 8-bit has been a video game icon. Signed to a lifetime deal with his game publisher, Hazard has also made a few mistakes in his career, starring in video games that even Nintendo’s corporate whore mascot Mario wouldn’t take. Hazard’s career takes a tumble until he’s called back into duty and featured in the Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard - the game you’re playing.  

If that all sounds a little meta to you, it’s because it is a little meta. Actually, it’s a lot meta.  

Whether the game works as a parody depends on how deeply you’ve been invested into video games since the 80s. Obvious nods like the generic zombie enemies, Mario and standard Japanese game adversaries provide some good moments of “Oh I know what you’re making fun of” and keep you playing to see who else developer D3 has worked into the title. 

At points, the story is a little disjointed, but it actually excels when compared to how Eat Lead actually plays. Where the game could have been the dose the of humor that the shooter genre needs, it’s marred by a clunky, unrefined control system which can make gameplay as frustrating as getting your Genesis unplugged when you’re on the last level of Sonic The Hedgehog.

While Hazard moves easily, his targeting often times feels “off.” What makes that even more frustrating is that enemies can spawn all around and so you’ll need to use a little strategy and knowledge of the game’s weapons to take down various foes, over and over again in some instances. But, since your targeting is already clunky and you’re fighting with slight better equipped enemies, your chances of success are slim and therefore you spend time replaying the same parts of levels. 

Level wise, Eat Lead‘s also a disappointment. Sterile, repetitive environments only add to the game’s overall status of mediocrity. Sure, one could (and keep in tune with the game’s meta-tactics) that the boring level design is meant to mock the third-person shooter genre, but since there are so many recent third person shooter games with excellent level design (Gears of War 2, anyone?) those points would be moot. 

Much like the parody flicks that run on Comedy Central on a Saturday afternoon, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is one of those games that you’ll play if it’s just there and you can’t be bothered to find another disc.

But really, when has that ever happened?

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is available now on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.   

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

Hip-hop heads—you know, those cats who choose not to rock out to Bon Jovi while playing Guitar Hero—have long been ignored by the video game world (except those incredibly dope Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtracks). However, they just might find themselves spinning away on turntable controllers this summer, with the release of both DJ Hero (brought to you by the Guitar Hero folks) and Scratch: The Ultimate DJ (peep the screenshot).

Little is known about the former, but the latter title is shaping up quite nicely. Set to drop for PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii, Scratch will feature music from Eric B and Rakim, Kanye West, Beastie Boys, and The Gorillaz… and unfortunately, The Black Eyed Peas and Nelly. Beasties DJ Mix Master Mike will provide some original tunes as well.

Since summer’s a damn long time away, though, break out PaRappa the Rapper for PS1 and relive hip-hop gaming glory while you patiently await the scorching sun.

-Devin Chanda

Editing the video games section of GIANT is a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. After meticulously playing every game from 2008, I complied a “best of the best” list of must have titles from this year. Check them out here:

Best Third Person Shooter:

Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)

Epic’s gritty anti-alien adventure not only expanded the Gears saga, but also refined the elements that made the original so great. The guts, guns and gory-glory were ever present, and the lengthy campaign and over the top run and gun game play kept your finger on the trigger and ready to slice up Locusts. And if that wasn’t enough to satisfy your appetite for destruction, the online multiplayer and co-op play options added massive amounts of replay value.

Best First Person Shooter

Resistance 2 (PlayStation 3)

Although Resistance 2 fell short in terms of a delivering lengthy single player campaign compared to Resistance: Fall of Man, the 60-player online campaign more than made up for it. Couple those game options with co-op story mode, and you’re essentially getting three games for the price of one. Given the price of video games, that’s a pretty good deal.

Best Social Game

Rock Band 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii)

These days, it’s too expensive to go out for drinking and if you’ve stumbled into a karaoke spot that actually plays the music you want to hear, you know it’s going to take more than a few Bud Lights to really get grooving. Enter Rock Band 2. For the one time price of the average Friday night bar hop your whole crew can be thoroughly entertained by each others ability (or inability) to rock out on the guitar, bass, drums and mic.

Most Addictive Game

LittleBigPlanet (Playstation 3)

Why play through other people’s games when you can create your own? Seamless incorporating platforming elements with quirky fun, LittleBigPlanet proves that a game doesn’t need to have over the top violence in order to be fun. From a social aspect, it’s also one of the most engaging titles, allowing users to share the levels that they’ve made with other players through the PlayStation Network.

Best RPG

Fable II (Xbox 360)

“Should I live my life as a law abiding citizen and marry one mate and raise a family while embarking on an epic quest for revenge? Or should I loot, pillage and slaughter while committing varying degrees of adultery on my epic quest for revenge?

These are the questions you’re faced with in Fable II. And depending on what actions you choose to take, the look of your character will change. It’s the varying levels of morals that you choose to (or not) adhere to that make Fable II such a unique experience to go through.

Best Nintendo Wii Game

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Equally  addictive for the casual player as it is for the hardcore gamer, the third entry into the series dropped in slick gameplay and mixed it with the familiar Super Mario Bros. mechanics of jumping and hitting. Sometimes the best video games are the simplest ones.

Best DS Game

GRID

Packing a solid racing experience into the DS was no easy task, but Codemasters managed to pull it off while also adding elements not seen in Xbox 360 and PS3 version of the game. With the inclusion of the track creator, players could create their own tracks and share them with  friends. Couple that with the licensed cars and the fact that GRID is set up to feel like you’re playing a console game in  the palm of your hands and  you’ll be as fast as you are furious.

Best PSP Game

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

In addition to being one of the best RPGs to ever hit the PlayStation Portable, Crisis Core‘s mix of new and old Final Fantasy elements, interlocking storylines and rich graphics also make it one best RPGs to drop in the last three years on any platform.

Best Game of 2008

Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

The most visually compelling and robust Grand Theft Auto, ever. IV takes it “there”. And there, is almost anywhere you want it to be.

60+ hours of game play, loads of side missions, a compelling story line, multitude of hidden gems and an open world where cash is king and guns are the tools of the trade, made Rockstar’s first foray into next-gen consoles a must buy, must play and must replay.

If it was popping in 2008, we covered it! Check out list to end all lists here. It’s the GIANT 8 of ’08… We’re kind of a BIG deal.

MUSIC

Goodbye, and hello

My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #8
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #7
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #6
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #5
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #4
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #3
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #2
My 8 Favorite Albums of 2008: #1

10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #10
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #9
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #8
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #7
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #6
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #5
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #4
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #3
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #2
10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008: #1

Missing Notes Best of ’08 Mixtape, Vol. 1
Missing Notes Best of ’08 Mixtape, Vol. 2

MOVIES
Best Movies of ’08: #8
Best Movies of ’08: #7
Best Movies of ’08: #6
Best Movies of ’08: #5
Best Movies of ’08: #4
Best Movies of ’08: #3
Best Movies of ’08: #2
Best Movies of ’08: #1

Worst Movies of ’08: #8
Worst Movies of ’08: #7
Worst Movies of ’08: #6
Worst Movies of ’08: #5
Worst Movies of ’08: #4
Worst Movies of ’08: #3
Worst Movies of ’08: #2
Worst Movies of ’08: #1

Best Actors of ’08: #8
Best Actors of ’08: #7
Best Actors of ’08: #6
Best Actors of ’08: #5
Best Actors of ’08: #4
Best Actors of ’08: #3
Best Actors of ’08: #2
Best Actors of ’08: #1

Best Actresses of ’08: #8
Best Actresses of ’08: #7
Best Actresses of ’08: #6
Best Actresses of ’08: #5
Best Actresses of ’08: #4
Best Actresses of ’08: #3
Best Actresses of ’08: #2
Best Actresses of ’08: #1

Worst Actors of ’08: #8
Worst Actors of ’08: #7
Worst Actors of ’08: #6
Worst Actors of ’08: #5
Worst Actors of ’08: #4
Worst Actors of ’08: #3
Worst Actors of ’08: #2
Worst Actors of ’08: #1

Worst Actresses of ’08: #8
Worst Actresses of ’08: #7
Worst Actresses of ’08: #6
Worst Actresses of ’08: #5
Worst Actresses of ’08: #4
Worst Actresses of ’08: #3
Worst Actresses of ’08: #2
Worst Actresses of ’08: #1

VIDEO GAMES
Best Video Games of 2008

DVD
Best DVDs of ’08: #8
Best DVDs of ’08: #7
Best DVDs of ’08: #6
Best DVDs of ’08: #5
Best DVDs of ’08: #4
Best DVDs of ’08: #3
Best DVDs of ’08: #2
Best DVDs of ’08: #1

SPECIAL
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #8
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #7
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #6
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #5
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #4
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #3
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #2
The Epic Fail That Was 2008: #1

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.

Christina Milian likes it fast… she likes her cars fast. Watch the starlet talks about her role in the new driving game Need For Speed: Undercover, music, movies, what turns her on and more below:

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!

In video games, licensing is a double-edged sword. Using actual properties like sports franchises (Madden ‘09), car manufacturers (Need for Speed: Undercover) and even arms dealers (any Tom Clancy game) allows for a realistic and branded gaming experience. On the other hand, the companies whose products are being featured have a fair amount of say on how their product is represented, and as such, there are certain restrictions as it pertains to use (Grand Theft Auto IV).

Which is why Midway’s second installment in their football of frenzy series, Blitz II: The League, is so much fun to play – but only if you can look past some hurdles. While most licensed football video games skip the gruesome theatrics of players enduring a crushed collarbone or a busted spine, Blitz II makes delivering and receiving injuries the crux of its gameplay.

A taking on the role of an All-Star worthy player, Blitz II puts you in world where nothing is off limits. At the start of the game you’ll run through the usual treats that major league athletes enjoy – being courted by an agent, big deal signing, seductive winks from future ex-girlfriends. These anecdotes are a running theme throughout the game, they’re often executed merely as a humorous gag rather than compelling addition to the story line, rendering them almost obsolete.

Thankfully, Blitz II‘s bone shattering gameplay makes up for what it lacks in the narrative. Whether you’re fresh off the bench or a seasoned pro at playing football games, the easy to navigate control scheme will have you field ready in very little time. During a game, you’ll be able to injure your opponents with moves that would get any real player benched in an instant. Isolate your opponent’s body part and inflict damage to make sure that he’s not going to be a problem on the field later on.

But while Blitz II excels in flat out fun football, it drops the ball when it comes to visuals. Characters are rendered very stiffly, resulting in an unnatural and unrealistic look for a game where the players should be able to bend a move freely.

In short, Blitz II is for the die-hard football gaming fan who thinks that Madden is too soft and want some more gore in their game. If you can look past the awkward animation and lackluster storyline, then Blitz II: The League is the title for you. If not, you can always hope that they’re will eventually be a Mortal Kombat football themed game.

Blitz II: The League is available now for PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360.

In this exclusive interview with GIANTmag.com, Gears of War 2 design director Cliff (f/k/a CliffyB) Bleszinski chops it up about the locust ninja, his favorite parts of creating this epic title and why he’d take a chainsaw to Paris Hilton!

GIANT: The scale of Gears of War 2 is epic… to say the least. How did you go about defining the size of the gameplay space?

Cliff Bleszinski: I think that honestly a lot of people would not be able to play through the game, so when you get it – or whoever picks it up – grab a friend and enjoy saving humanity as Marcus [Fenix] and Dom [Santiago]. Enjoy the twists and turns that happen in regards to the set pieces, in the storylines and the great moments that are in there because it’s truly like playing a movie. The game is almost the length of a trilogy in measure of time and length.

GIANT: What do you think the best element of Gears of War 2 is? What’s something you wanted to but didn’t get to include?

CB: The best element and most interesting was how we kept our universe in its own space and not really take it too far out of alignment with the beginning series. Anything that’s political in the Gears universe will be kind of a sub-text of the overall experience that our gamers will be enjoying. I think that we put as much as we can on this go-around and the end result is Gears of War 2 and I hope that the fans, both loyal and new, will enjoy this game.

GIANT: If you could play against or with one celebrity, who would it be and why?

CB: It’d probably be Paris Hilton! I wanna take the chain saw to her face! [Laughs] She’s actually starring in a show right now, so this us playing the game would be a great way for me to remove her organs for the organ trade that’s depicted in the play that she’s in.

GIANT: Who’s the most badass enemy in Gears of War 2?

CB: I really think that the craziest characters that we’ve had in a long time is Scorch. He’s the leader of the Locust Priests and he wields a staff with chainsaws on both ends. He’s kind of like a locust-ninja, badass definitely.

I just think for years shooters were about running towards your enemies as fast as you can, while you shoot at each other. It was more like a water gun fight and Gears kind of shifted the paradigm to be more of a paintball arena, whereas you get shot and it hurts and you very much wanna stay and keep your head down. There’s something about seeing your heavily armored big character on-screen slamming bad guys into the wall and then popping up to take shots at enemies. That’s just very gratifying and its somebody that you empathize with a little bit more. You see your character yelling to his comrades about enemies whereabouts. Things like that, which is a designed decision, is a difference than a first person shoot-’em-up. We deliberately chose to make it third-person.

GIANT: What was the most fun in creating this game?

CB: The most fun part of the game was polishing it. Once everything is in there, then we can make the weapons hit a little bit stronger, you can make this part a little weaker. You can take out that line of dialogue or insert something innovative and new. Once you have something solid, you know that it’s going to be great, then it’s just gravy polishing it. The most difficult thing is the long hours and honestly, making a game takes a while. Gears 2 took two years and we had months of hard work towards the end and it’s important for game developers to have a good work life balance.

GIANT: Can you elaborate on the “Guardian,” “Wingman,” and “Submission” online multi-player modes?

CB: It’s great to pick up a game and play it with people in co-op mode, but even still, nothing is better than kicking the butt of your best friends and with “wingman” mode – it’s great because it’s team based. Five teams with two players on each team that are basically going for a free-for-all. It’s one-part buddy match, one-part every man for himself. “Guardian” is like “kill the leader,” where players wind up holding up in houses, planting grenades on walls and planting shields to protect their leader and submission is also great because it’s like capture the flag, where the flag is actually a person. We always want to have a great multiplayer element in Gears, but we always want our own unique twist on things, which is kind of the epic way to go!

Gears of War 2 is available now exclusively for XBOX 360. To read GIANT’s review, click here.

If there’s on thing that can be said about the Locust Horde, the antagonists in the Gears of War franchise, it’s that they’re persistent. Not content with wreaking havoc on a small scale, these technologically advanced bloodthirsty aliens have progressed to the point where they can now sink entire cities into the underbelly of the Earth.

Lucky for humanity, we’ve got Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago.

Picking up the story from a few months after the original, futuristic third-person shooter Gears of War 2 finds Marcus and Dom suiting up, packing heat and heading underground to bring the war to the Locust Horde. Think of it as a retaliatory strike.

Improving on game elements from the original such as cover combat, weapon systems and revival, Gears of War 2 preserves crucial components of gameplay that players are used to, but also refines them, and thus creates new ways to approach combat.

In terms of cover combat – which was the defining element of  Gears of War – the system has been tweaked to allow you to huddle closer to barricades or even pick up a wounded enemy and use them as a shield as you blast your way forward, allowing for newer approaches in close combat situations.

Playing through the game, you’ll amass a decent arsenal, which includes the some other worldly weapons such as a mortar cannon which literally makes it rain metal and Gorgon Burst Pistol, which unloads lead in quick bursts. You’ll need to master some of these if you want to figure out new ways to deal with baddies.

Of course Gears of War 2 wouldn’t named “one of the most anticipated games of 2008″ by nearly every fana and critic if it wasn’t for its complex and robust co-op multiplayer options. There are 10 new multiplayer maps in the game, and different game options include classics like Execution, Assassination, and Annex and a PC option what was featured in the original title, King of the Hill.

Overall, Gears of War 2 differentiates itself enough from its predecessor by adding refined elements and fixing the quirky difficulty issues. By Combining engaging objectives, a visceral combat system, impressive AI and a multi-facted multiplayer system, it’s definitively a must have title for fans of the franchise.

Or those who just really like to shoot things.

Gears of War 2 is available now exclusively for XBOX 360

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.

Since Sony dropped their first iteration of the PlayStation Portable dropped in 2005, on-the-go gaming hasn’t been the same. Crisp graphics, compelling titles and multimedia features all made the unit a must have for hardcore gamers, and even casual players on the side. With the third generation of the handheld console, the PSP-3000, Sony has further refined the device, adding features to both display and overall functionality.

First up, the PSP-3000 is lighter than both previous models, and boasts a richer LCD display with more prominent color display and anti-reflection screen.

On the sound side, the PSP-3000 has a built in microphone allowing for talking points during multi-player game sessions, or making phone calls over the Skype network.

Available now at Sony Style in the Rachet and Clank: Size Matters pack, the PSP-3000 retails for $199 and comes with a UMD copy of National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets and a 1GB memory stick.

It’s almost spring, so you know what that means. Baseball video games, of course. And while the boys of summer are tuning up in Florida, you can get your game on with the latest title from 2K Sports. It’s about as American as moms and a hot apple pie from Mickey D’s.

With Major League Baseball 2K8 due out on Tuesday (March 2), I got to get a quick preview today. And from Total Pitch Control (which allows you to place the ball exactly wher you want it) to Swing Stick 2.0 (their improved batting function), this game seems to have it all… except steroids (yeah, it was an obvious joke).

The title also features a crazy 2K Cards function that enables you to collect virtual baseball cards as you accomplish certain goals. The cards can be traded and unlock retro jerseys, retro stadiums and  legendary players of the past. MLB 2K8 will be available for all major platforms including Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii.

Breakthrough Productions has introduced ICED, a video game in which you play an immigrant teen who has to follow rules or “be detained with no respect for your human rights.” Wtf?!

In the game, you pick a character from various situations – undocumented, asylum seeking, unknowingly illegal, on a student visa, or green card holding – and attempt to follow regular rules and answer questions that teenagers usually screw up on account of being teens. However, instead of getting a slap on the wrist, Immigration comes to detain that ass, and then you’re screwed. Sucks, right? Well, it’s actually a very realistic situation for many young foreign teens in America, and the game is designed to highlight how ridiculous our government can sometimes be. Watch the gub’ment try to find some reason to take it down now. Ugh.

Love how the ICEman is an angry looking white cop. Anyone else finding comfort in the familiar? Har, har, har.

Play the game here