Assassin's Creed Revelations Confirmed for This Year

Despite some rumor that there wouldn't be an AC released in 2011, MCV is reporting that a fourth game in the hugely popular Assassin's Creed series from Ubisoft will be out this November. Assassin's Creed Revelations will cap off the 'Ezio' storyline and will feature not only the Italian landscape of the previous two games, but also the return of the series' original hero- Altair.

Alexandre Amancio, Creative Director at Ubisoft's Montreal studio, adds that Revelations will have "lots of new features and some significant surprises". The game will be fully shown off at e3 this June, so get your glider ready.

Need for Speed: The Run Announced

Ready to feel the Need again?

EA's long running and recently re-booted (into two different games) series is being readied for yet another release this Fall- it's been dubbed The Run:

The hottest blockbuster this holiday is a game that takes players on a heart-pounding cross-country race from San Francisco to New York. Launching on November 15, Need for Speed The Run lures players into an underground world of illicit, high-stakes racing. The heat is on – and it isn’t just the fuzz who are after you.

 Full release after the jump-

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record Detailed

Get ready to see Dead Rising 2's Fortune City through a new set of eyes, because Frank West is back.

This fall, Frank's part in Dead Rising 2 get a lot bigger when the original title get re-envisioned with the man who's covered wars in the protagonist role. It'll be interesting to see how the story changes and what kind of surprises Capcom has in store for fans of the series.

Screens of Mr.West in a leotard post jump-

Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition Coming Soon

Ready to buy another copy of Street Fighter IV?

Hot on the heels of the excellent 3DS version, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition is coming home. If you haven't kept track of anything in an arcade since 1986, SSF4AE (whew!) has a total of 39 characters- adding Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu, and (a newbie) Oni to the roster.

Apparently porting was a fairly simple task, as the game is expected to hit PS3's, Xbox 360's, and PC's this summer, possibly as early as June.

Click on for a whole mess o screens-

The Testament of Sherlock Holms Deducing this Fall

Fans of consulting detective Sherlock Holms have another adventure to look forward to this fall with The Testament of Sherlock Holms.

1898, London. All the evidence of police investigation points at Sherlock Holmes as the main suspect in a case involving theft, fraud and double-crossings. Unable to prove his own innocence, Holmes is rapidly losing London’s trust as doubt spreads through the city like wildfire. Even Doctor Watson's faith in his friend begins to waver, as the famous detective flees Scotland Yard and raises further suspicion; prowling around at night, destruction of evidence... would Holmes go so far as to commit murder?

Unlike last year's Holms vs Jack the Ripper, this new game is built from the ground up as a console experience (but still will be available for the PC) and as such has a third-person view and more controller friendly, um, controls. But even with it's shortcomings, Ripper was an enjoyable, adventurous romp through a Holmsian version of actual events- we'll takethe magnifier to this one as soon as we hear more.

Full release after the break-

The Hidden Announced for 3DS

Well it looks like at least one game will make use of the 3DS' Augmented Reality features. The Hidden, by Majesco, will be debuting this October for the handheld and actually sounds promising-

As a member of the elite G.E.I.S.T. squad, Ghostly Entity Investigation and Strike Team, you must work with your team to track, capture, shoot and eliminate evil spirits, including fast-moving  Kamikazes and Tanks, solid phantoms armed with claws.  Explore different real-world locations to find and destroy new ghosts.  Battle and defeat powerful entities using a full arsenal of high tech tools and upgradeable weapons, including the Plasmatic Disruptor, Ectoplasm Sensor and Spectral Shield. Navigate through tunnels to access a hidden dimension and collect power-ups to fight off dangerous threats.  You will also use the Circle Pad and Nintendo 3DS gyroscope control to shoot and destroy ghosts, while keeping a log of your otherworldly discoveries made at previously visited places using the Location History feature. 

Different specters hidden in different locations sounds like a neat idea, maybe a little like Pokemon? Gotta bust 'em all!

Full release in the netherealm (post break)-

Spiderman: Edge of Time Announced

Nary a year without a Spider-Man (or Spiderman, if you're a lazy typist) proclaimed Activision! And it was done...

Spider-Man: Edge of Time has officially been announced to be coming this fall from Shattered Dimensions developer Beenox. That last part should make Spidey fans happy as SD was one of the most well received Spider-Man games in a long time and just oozed charm (and production values). It also oozed something else- Spider-Man 2099.

Although the game featured three additional Spidey's (to the main Amazing Spider-Man storyline) from alternate times and realities, it was the Spider-Man from the year 2099 that grabbed players most. The 2099 series of books from publisher Marvel has been defunct for a while now, but fans haven't forgotten.

And future Spidey, you've got star quality. Edge of Time may not jump through dimensions, but it does jump through time.

Spider-Man: Edge of Time is a focused, action-packed adventure set in two connected and evolving timelines, from the contemporary times of the Amazing Spider-Man to the corrupted future world of Spider-Man 2099, against the backdrop of a rich, tightly crafted narrative by acclaimed Marvel veteran Peter David (co-creator of the comic book series Spider-Man 2099).  The game features all-new "cause-and-effect" gameplay, where players will see how the immediate and sometimes unexpected effects of their actions as one Spider-Man changes the timeline of the other Spider-Man.   Spider-Man: Edge of Time is slated for release this fall.

Sound good? Full release after the break-

Resident Evil 4 & Code Veronica X Announced for PSN and Xbox LIVE

To celebrate the fifteenth birthday of Resident Evil, Capcom is planning a year full of releases and "surprises". And here's the first one- they'll be re-releasing two of the most beloved titles in the franchises history- Code Veronica X and Resident Evil 4.

Both games will be out this fall, both will be download only, and both will receive HD makeovers.

To kick off the 15^th anniversary of Resident Evil®, Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games today announced that the highly acclaimed Resident Evil® 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica® X will be released as downloadable titles for the Xbox 360^®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Scheduled for release this fall, both titles have been enhanced with upgraded visuals as they make their debut on high-definition consoles.

SD/HD

Full release and a few more SD/HD side by side shots after the break-

Transformers MMO Coming Next Year

Developer Jagex and Hasbro have officially teamed up to bring Transformers into the online space:

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) announced today that it has signed a strategic development agreement with Jagex Limited to jointly create a new online game based on the globally iconic TRANSFORMERS brand.  Under the agreement, the two companies are slated to launch the TRANSFORMERS online game in 2012 in North America, Latin America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.             

Details are extremely light at this point but it could really only be one of two things- an online shooter, or an MMO with Massively Multiplayer seeming the much more likely option.

“Hasbro’s decision to align with Jagex speaks to the quality of their award-winning development and publishing team that boasts an outstanding track record of delivering  innovative and fun online games capable of reaching millions of gamers across the globe,” said Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro.  “We are extremely excited to create a dream team that combines TRANSFORMERS brand stewards with Jagex development experts to deliver an epic TRANSFORMERS gaming experience to fans in 2012.”

 More as we get it-

Painkiller Stakes the iOS

Lo and behold- we were just talking about Painkiller and here's an iOS version of the game! Painkiller Purgatory just hit the platform today in lite(demo), standard, and HD (for the iPad) editions.

The title promises fast, "visceral" gameplay with "high octane" weapons and the series' "trademark giant boss battles". Painkiller is one of our favorites and is a criminally underrated franchise- the first iOS entry looks great but we have yet to play it, so commenting on the controls can't be done quite yet.

Once we dig our clawn into it, we'll have a review up.

Torchlght Arcade Cancelled in Japan

In an odd turn, today's release of the critically acclaimed PC action/RPG Torchlight, on Xbox LIVE will not extend into the land of the rising sun. It seems that, while other territories' versions are just fine, Japan's edition has a fatal flaw in the form of a 'text bug'. And apparently, no work will be done to repair said bug as the title has been permanently canceled for release on LIVE in Japan.

Torchlight was released in 2009 as a fairly low profile game but garnered positive word of mouth from both critics and genre fans alike and was one of LIVE's more anticipated releases. It must be one hell of a bug to get the game canceled-

Uncharted 3 Villain Unveiled

Katherine Marlowe, the very name of Nathan Drake's newest nemesis just reeks of nastiness doesn't it?

So Evil...

Katherine is the head of an ancient order that Nathan finds himself at odds with. Her tactics are more manipulative than your typical villain and her men are better trained and much more dangerous than any thugs that Drake and his partner Victor Sullivan have faced in the past.

Let's hope she has a lot of them too- because if these games have taught us anything, it's that Drake's going to be shooting a lot of them. Full release and some fresh screens after the break.

Battle: LA Game Announced

The upcoming sci-fi blockbuster Battle: L.A. didn't look like it was getting the video game treatment, but lo and behold-

Video Games | Battle: Los Angeles | GDC 11: Debut Teaser

Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Nintendo Wii | PC Games                                

The game is download only and will appear on the LIVE, PSN, and PC platforms alongside the theatrical film this month.

Saints Row The Third Box Art Revealed

It's understated, elegant, refined... very dignified.

Final Fantasy PSP Details

Square/Enix is releasing a special package of Final Fantasy IV this April on the PSP- That's going to be a global release. There's also going to be a special edition coming that's only been announced for Europe at this point, that might change- but in the meantime, here's a shot and list of goodies in the pack to get you drooling.

FEATURES
·         Definitive collection of one of the greatest RPGs of all time: First packaged release of THE AFTER YEARS
·         An epic tale spanning nations, worlds, and generations: Brand new stories to further expand the revolutionary story line of FINAL FANTASY IV
·         All new cast of friends family, and foes: Fall in love with Cecil, Rosa, Kain, Rydia, and Edge again while getting to know Ceodore and a whole new cast of characters
·         Vibrant visuals and unforgettable melodies: Includes all new 2D graphics designed for PSP System’s 16x9 format, plus a new arrangement of one of the most acclaimed video game soundtracks of all time!

Full release after the jump-

Painkiller Redemption Released for PC

Painkiller is an odd game, it's been around forever, a lot of people like it- but for some reason, it's never really 'taken off', you know? Nonetheless, developer JoWood is still supporting the niche blast-a-thon with new content.

Painkiller Redemption is now available on Steam for the amazingly low price of $4.49- a great deal for a lot of action. Now, technically this is an expansion pack but here's the thing- it's stand alone. You don't need to have any of the previous 'Killers installed to play- you also get quite the bang for your buck:

About the game
The kingdom of heaven is threatened by a ruthless army from hell. Two champions, Daniel and Belial, who we already know as the two previous heroes of the series, combine their forces and join the never-ending battle between good and evil.

Features

• Standalone Add-On
• 7-10 hours playtime
• Transform yourself into a demon once you've collected enough souls!
• Use the occult powers of tarot cards
• More than 6,000 enemies and up to 1,000 monsters on all of the 6 new maps
• Easy to use map editor for your very own Painkiller experience
• Adrenaline pumping soundtrack

Add to that that Steam is having a 10% off sale on the game right now and you've got a nic e little deal there- that's .50 people! Two quarters!!!

Orcs Must Die!

No really- Orcs Must Die! is the first effort from former Ensemble staffers newest venture, robot entertainment. OMD! is an action strategy hybrid title that has exactly zero respect for green skins:

Robot Entertainment unveiled their latest creation today, the fantasy action-strategy game Orcs Must Die!™A white-knuckle blend of action and strategy, Orcs Must Die! challenges players to defend fortresses under siege. With a wide variety of traps and weapons to choose from, Orcs Must Die! dares players to find the best ways to hack, launch, flatten, gibletize, and incinerate an endless army of filthy orcs and their vile allies. Orcs Must Die! features a vibrant look, addictive gameplay, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of orcs.

Maiming the Orcish will be a download only affair that will appear on PC's, LIVE, and the PSN this summer. Click through the break for the full release as well as some very nice screens of the title in action-

L.A.Noire Box Art Revealed

Rockstar's gritty detective story launches May 17th

Gears of War 3 Box Art Unveiled

Gears 3 now has a box. We all knew it would come to this:

Now this is actually the European version of GoW 3, but the NA pack should be similar. No word yet on the inevitable special editions of the game but we'll post them as soon as we have them.

Gears of War 3 Release Date Announced

Gears of War 3 will emerge on September 20th.

One of the standard bearer's for the Xbox 360 and one of the most popular shooter series in recent years, the upcoming third entry in Epic Software's Gears of War will cap off the story arch that began in the original GoW.

Not that you need to wait quite that long to saw some Locust in half- if you pick up Bulletstorm (for the Xbox 360) during it's first run you'll be able to get in on the Multiplayer Beta test for the game. (again- only with the 360 version of the game)

Click through the jump for a mini story synopsis and some new features the Gears 3 will boast-