Halo 3: ODST will be PACKED to BURSTING with premium Halo 3 maps and content

Halo 3 "Oh Dee Ess Tee" - the downloadable all-new Halo 3 experience with stealth action, will also fill up your hard drive with all the previously released Halo 3 content - including the as-yet unreleased Mythic Map Pack.

All 24 of the "after market" free and paid-for Halo 3 add-on maps will be stuffed into the Halo 3 ODST download, so if you've been a bit slack in updating Halo 3 - or literally DO NOT CARE - buying ODST will give you access to the entire Halo 3 universe in one convenient bundle.

There's a vast, vast pile of new information about ODST and even more regarding the Mythic Map Pack over on Bungie's site, if you're still working the Halo 3.

(Via EG)

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Epic considering sweeping changes to Gears 2 - planning to introduce "experience levels"

The rubbish old TrueSkill ranking system that Microsoft has been using to match people up online could soon be ditched from Gears 2, with developer Epic planning a switch to to a system that takes into account a player's experience rather than their TrueSkill rank.

So you'll end up playing with people of an extremely similar skill level, hopefully. I don't get, understand, like and can barely even tolerate looking at screenshots of Gears 2, so here's Epic's Rod Fergusson explaining how the new system could work...

"What if, instead of skill rank, we instead showed your experience level. You would gain experience through your individual performance in Public multiplayer matches - the higher your score at the end, the more experience you acquire."

Sounds great, Rob. Whetever keeps the teenagers happy, playing Gears of War 2 and therefore off the streets so I can go to the chip shop late at night without fear.

(Via Epic)

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Konami delivering the JOINED-UP DIGITAL DREAM - PES 2009 team rotas updating at the end of Feb

It's always been the fantasy. The hazy, distant vision of a possible future - and Konami has finally MADE IT HAPPEN.

It's rolling out new team rotas for Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 at the end of Feb, which will update the game with all the player changes that have happened since the marginally disappointing football game released last Autumn. So whichever team mental TIMEBOMB Craig Bellamy is playing for this month will be accurately represented. See, dad? I do know about football.

Capcom cashing in on Street Fighter IV with massive DLC plans

Hang on, the game's not even out yet, and we're already being told what downloadable content is going to be available and how much we're going to have to pay for it?

Forgive us for being so cynical about a game as legendary as SFIV, a product we are not even worthy of looking at let alone daring to pass critical judgement upon, but if the DLC's already finished why not just stick it on the disc and make the game even better? You know, so we don't feel like we're being SHAFTED by the money-men?

Tekken 6 - new Xbox 360 shots of Namco's defecting fight game

Tekken 6, the latest in the long line of PlayStation games we're now having to pretend to like since they've been announced for Xbox 360, is coming to Xbox 360.

We already mentioned this a while back. But today, UK distributor Atari sent out a huge batch of new screenshots. They look like Tekken. They look like Tekken has always looked, and here's one of a man putting his arm into the chest of a bear. Tekken's never been about accurate collision detection.

Looks great. I'm just very adept at containing my enthusiasm, especially when it comes to games that are associated with PlayStations. Atari is yet to confirm a UK release date for Tekken 6. You can be sure I'll be pretending to be excited when it does.

(Via Spong)

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Mass Effect 2 confirmed by EA - arriving whenever "Fiscal Q4 2010" is

Hooray! I can't wait until whenever Fiscal Q4 2010 might be, as that's when EA boss John Riccitiello has said Mass Effect 2 is coming out.

If everyone's maths and understanding of EA's financial reporting system is right, Fiscal Q4 2010 is between January and March of 2010, meaning in about a year from now you might be pretending to be outraged while secretly enjoying a bit more tame lesbian space action.

That's it. John didn't give out any other facts about Mass Effect 2. He didn't say what sort of aliens or new kinds of spaceship might be in it, so there's not much else to say. I'm off to play a bit of R-Type. It'll easily be Fiscal Q4 2010 by the time I've completed it.

(Via MTV)

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DO NOT GET EXCITED: Today's dashboard update just fixes an HDMI audio bug

The next time you turn on your Xbox 360 you'll be prompted to download a system software update. That's the most exciting part about this entire news story.

There's no new stuff. No new menus, no new toys, no new complex group chat options, not even an alternate pair of trousers - all you get is a slightly updated dash that fixes some sort of sound bug that literally tens of people experienced when hooking their Xbox 360s up to HDTVs via an HDMI cable.

That's it. That's all. If you were marginally annoyed by an unspecific audio issue after downloading the NXE, you may now start being happy and less angry again. It'll be fixed tonight. The rest of you - carry on. This doesn't effect you.

(Via The Major)

Related posts: NXE - finally. FINALLY | HDMI rolled out across the fleet

Cor, yes, we WILL HAVE SOME of R-Type Dimensions when it arrives tomorrow

R-Type Dimensions is a combination of R-Type and R-Type II, mashed into one package for your shopping/playing convenience. It is this week's Xbox Live Arcade release, and yes, we shall be buying it. Few things make us as excited as playing through the first two levels of R-Type again, then realising it's BLOODY HARD and giving up.

You're actually sort of getting four games, with both original R-Type versions also coming with remade alternate editions that feature "3D graphics" so the kids of today will hopefully give them more of a chance. It looks like this.

The bad news is it costs 1200 MS Points for the twin pack. Which is quite a lot for a couple of old games we've all played a billion times before on every emulator known to man. Still, it's R-Type. It's better than The Maw. Support it.

(Via PALGN)

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1.8 million people had a bit of Resident Evil 5 for free, thank you very much

That Resident Evil 5 demo everyone got excited about, and was so exciting that even we got a bit excited about it, really did get LOTS of people excited - Microsoft has said that a stunning 1.8 million gamers downloaded it via Xbox Live, making it the most-downloaded demo ever.

There's been a bit of a "mixed" reception to it, to say the least, though. Everyone agrees the look of the game's sensational, but the idea of not being able to move and shoot at the same time has quite a few gamers confused - and slagging off poor old Resi 5 for being a backward step after the searingly brilliant RE4.

Which is a bit silly, because it's Resident Evil. It's different. It's supposed to play like that. It's like moaning that the new Space Invaders only lets your spaceship move left and right, not up and down. The full game's out on March 13.

(Via Shacknews)

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There will be no happy ending with "Rumble Massage" - out now via Community Games

Amateur developer Justin Le Clair has created a game for Xbox 360's Community Games channel which, supposedly, massages your neck by making the controller vibrate.

Yes, the idea is you put the controller on your neck. The vibrations then somehow massage you. We can't imagine it generates the sort of satisfying, lubricated friction and sense of B2B relief you'd get for £70 from an East European lady in a proper massage parlour, mind.

It's definitely not a joke - there's an official page on Xbox.com about Rumble Massage where you can download a free demo, or buy the whole thing for 200 MS Points, letting you "feel the soothing vibrations of the Xbox 360 controller."

(Via Atomic)

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A very BIG LIST of all the Street Fighter IV Achievements

If you used to be able to do a dragon punch, can still remember how to do a dragon punch and think you might be able to do a dragon punch on the GODAWFUL Xbox 360 d-pad, you're no doubt more than a bit interested in Street Fighter IV.

You'll be interested to hear - or have it re-confirmed - that the game arrives on February 20, and here's the full list of Achievements. Big lists of Achievements aren't usually very interesting things to read, but it's nice to know what kind of hoops Capcom's design legends are having us jump through...

10 Years Too Early - Win 50 Xbox LIVE battles

10 Years Too Late - Win 100 Xbox LIVE battles

All Dolled Up - Set your Title and Icon

Arcade Rat - Clear Arcade Mode with one character on medium or higher difficulty

Challenge Expert - Clear all challenges in Challenge Mode

Full version of Oasis album 'Dig Out Your Soul' arrives in Guitar Hero World Tour DLC format

If you're still living in 1995 and madly excited about Oasis, this one's for you. The remaining album tracks from the band's recent 'Dig Out Your Soul' release have just arrived for downloading and technically owning, via the Guitar Hero World Tour download tab.

Joining the tunes released late last year at Xtival 08, you're now able to have the full album for 1520 Microsoft Points, which is about £13 or thereabouts. You can also buy individual tracks for 160 points each, should you only want 'The Turning' and not be bothered about having 'Falling Down'.

That's not a review, I just picked those two tracks out at random to illustrate 'choice'. The full list of new new tunes is up after the jump...

Halo 3's "Sandbox" Mythic Map Pack level revealed. It's sandy. But not very box-shaped.

If you're still living in 2007 and madly excited about Halo 3, this one's for you. Bungie's shown off another part of its forthcoming Mythic Map Pack, this time giving the internet a look at a new map you'll be able to buy online soon - or get free with the limited edition version of Halo Wars if you can't wait for it to appear on Xbox Live.

It's called Sandbox. It's in the desert. It's all yellowy and covered in sand. It looks a bit different, but, rest assured, the gameplay will be 100% as tedious as ever.

In other Halo news, Bungie's also said that this weekend is "double EXP" weekend, although if you're STILL playing Halo 3 you presumably already have more EXP than you know what to do with.

(Via Spong)

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"Best of Halo" hardware bundle launching alongside Halo Wars this February

You'd think everyone who had a passing interest in Halo would already own an Xbox 360, with two or three worn out and broken ones up in the loft to be broken up for spares and repairs, by now, but Microsoft clearly doesn't agree.

Hence the way it's releasing a "Best of Halo" box in Europe at the end of February, combining Halo Wars and Halo 3 into one handy set. You also get an Xbox 360 Pro, with 60GB hard drive, to play the games on. And a controller, to make playing the games even easier.

Buyers also get a one month free Xbox Live Gold subscription, to make playing both games significantly worse by being able to interact with Halo fans online. The boxed set, and Halo Wars itself, are both out on February 27.

(Via TXB)

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Those Japanese people don't half love their RPGs - five of the top ten games are adventures

Some enterprising young chap, showing the short of self-starting initiative that would make his parents, future employees and young ladies very happy, has compiled a list of the 50 top-selling Xbox 360 games in Japan.

As you know, if you've been paying attention, Xbox 360's had something of a massive sales renaissance in Japan recently, with hardware and software shifting like nobody's business. It is no longer a laughing stock, at least.

Here's the top 10...

1. Blue Dragon 203,740
2. Tales of Vesperia 161,070
3. The Last Remnant 134,611
4. Infinite Undiscovery 112,444
5. Lost Odyssey 109,517
6. Dead or Alive 4 108,618
7. Viva Pinata (Platinum) 101,552
8. Forza 2 (Platinum) 100,591
9. Ace Combat 6 95,002
10. Halo 3 83,696

Numbers 11-50 are after the jump...

A dull but functional update about Rock Band AND Guitar Hero World Tour DLC

Whenever there's an emergency no-news-day, like today, you can always rely on something to do with Rock Band or Guitar Hero DLC catalogues to fill the void.

And that's what we have - Rock Band has been topped up with a few tracks from The Grateful Dead, with six new (to Rock Band) TGD tracks popping up for 160 MS Points each - or 800 for the lot.

Meanwhile, DEADLY RIVAL game Guitar Hero World Tour has added a few free tracks from Bruce Springsteen, to celebrate the fact that (a) he's still alive, (b) he's still going and (c) he's got a new album.

Don't worry, one of the free Bruce tracks is 'Born to Run' - you don't have to pretend to be interested in his new material.

(Via The Major)

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*Sigh* Gears of War movie might turn out to be a TRILOGY

Good luck to whoever's going to be put in charge of spinning Gears of War's plot ("Shoot the aliens!") and characters ("Holy shit, an alien!") out over three separate films.

Because director Len Wiseman (left), who's in charge of the Gears movie project at the moment, told movie news site Bloody Disgusting of the plan to make not one, not two (thankfully not four or six) but THREE movies set in the wafer-thin Gears of War universe. Here he is, laying out a NIGHTMARE vision of the future...

"It's going to be much more [on the] science fiction side of it than the creature side of it. I've always been much more of a sci-fi action fan than a horror fan. The hope is that were wanting to do three movies and really cover the bases on everything. Basically a harder edged Lord Of The Rings."

Three Gears of War films. That's one every two years until 2014. There is no escape from the world's dullest franchise :(

(Via BD)

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Braid man's next project - might be a 2D RPG, but then again might not

It's no-news Monday!

Speaking to serious gaming mega-blog Gamasutra, Jonathan Blow, he of virtually single-handed Braid development success, says he's currently working on a 2D RPG as his next game. But, then again, he might just bin it and do something else instead. Here's what he said...

"I don't really want to give much detail about it, though. And the reason is that I've had three or four different games that I was convinced was the next game I was working on, and I'd work on it for a little bit and decide I could maybe do something better... My newest game I started is looking very promising. I'm very excited to do it. But if the patterns of history continue, then I may not be working on it a month from now, so I don't want to start telling people about it."

But he finished off by saying "You never know. Next month, it could be a Pac-Man clone or something."

Focus, man. FOCUS! We know you're all important and famous nowadays, but it won't mean anything if your next game is rubbish. Stick with what you know. Braid 2. A guaranteed earner.

(Via 1UP)

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Resident Evil 5 demo UP NOW!

Jesus, it's finally happened. This "shit" has just "got real" thanks to a demo of Resident Evil 5 appearing today for download via Xbox Live. Resident Evil 5 is coming to Xbox 360. It's already here.

There is one tiny, minuscule piece of bad news, though - you have to be an Xbox Live GOLD subscriber in order to download the demo right now, thanks to Microsoft's odd system of making free-loading Silver members wait a week for most big-name demos.

If you are a special-special GOLD member, the demo lets you play on your own, offline, or with a friend on co-op mode in split-screen mode. And via Xbox Live. And it looks absolutely fantastic. And it's on Xbox 360. It exists. Everything is good today. It's even stopped raining in celebration.

The actual finished, entire game will arrive in our few remaining high street shops on March 13.

(Via The Major)

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Tomb Raider Underworld "Beneath the Ashes" DLC dated for next month

Despite the fact that no one really bought Tomb Raider Underworld - and publisher Eidos even publicly admitted it was a sales flop - everyone's being very brave and pushing ahead with the as-promised Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable expansions.

The first of which is Beneath the Ashes, which will be ready for download on February 10. Beneath the Ashes sees Lara exploring the ruins of Croft Manor - and the hidden crypts found beneath it - with a bonus 125 Achievement points on offer should you "win" at it. Here's a whopping great screenshot of it that took AGES to upload.

The second of the promised updates - Lara's Shadow - will arrive on March 10. If you bought/liked Tomb Raider Underworld you probably should buy both, as poor old Eidos hasn't got very much money and your MS Points would really help. Plus it's all Xbox 360 exclusive, so buying it helps fund the market share war on PS3.

(Via Eidos)

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Unexpected Displays of Genuine Excitement: Fight Night Round 4 shown off

Sorry to go against the aura of cynicism and misery that's been pervading the site recently, but BLOODY HELL! CRIKEY OH LORDY! Look at this. Some new shots of Fight Night Round 4 have hit the internet, and you can knock me down with an unexpectedly brutal blow to the kidneys if it doesn't look 100% awesome.

Fight Night Round 3 was a great game. Probably my favourite Xbox 360 game of around the post-launch era. I got at least 750 Achievement points from it, I think. Loved it. Still think fondly of it to this day. Want more of it. Three cheers for EA and its aggressive sequel policy.

Fight Night Round 4 will be out in the summer, with a hopefully-slightly-worse version also appearing on PS3.

(Via VG247)

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Second general update for Gears of War 2 hits - numerous tiny changes made for your pleasure

If you're the sort of person who played Gears of War 2, liked Gears of War 2, didn't sell your copy of Gears of War 2 and is STILL PLAYING Gears of War 2 instead of watching TV or going to bed, you might like to read this informative post over on developer Epic Games's official forum.

It lists the billions (about 50) of changes to the game that have just "gone live" via a required downloadable patch, changes which will make the game better. Make the game less broken. Make the game less depressing to play online against horrible people via the internet.

Loads of alterations have been made to the balance of the online play, exploits have been fixed and numerous other tweaks have been made to make the macho idiot simulator work and play better. If you still like it, you will now LOVE IT.

And I pity you.

(Via Epic)

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Today's Xbox Live Arcade game is... something called The Maw

Today, for 800 MS Points, you can buy a game called The Maw.

I won't lie to you - I was hoping it would be OutRun Online Arcade. I hope every Wednesday that it'll be OutRun Online Arcade, but it never is. They promised it would be "early 2009" which I stupidly assumed was January. It might be February. Or even the first half of March.

So today, your XBLA game is The Maw. The Maw is one of those wacky 3D platform games, the likes of which rose to fame between the years of 1996 and 1999. It looks miserable and depressing, despite all the zany colours.

Maybe next week will be OutRun. It has to be. I'm going back to bed until next Wednesday.

(Via The Major)

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GREENBERG ATTACKS: Sony has a "complacent attitude" and is "out of touch"

Yeah, Aaron! But next time try telling us something we don't know.

These latest anti-Sony words from Microsoft's angry man came after Sony boss Kaz Hirai claimed Sony would eventually overhaul Xbox 360 sales (mathematically quite hard when you're only selling half the amount, Kaz) and win this console generation. Here's how the ANGRY Greenberg responded...

"This sounds like an old hardware company that's comfortable with its market position. That complacent attitude is out of touch with where the industry and consumer is today. This generation won't be won over just hardware specs, but who can out-innovate when it comes to online and software. This is the kind of stuff that's in our DNA, and frankly moves the console war onto our home court."

More CRAZY FIGHTING TALK from Aaron after the jump...

PORN SHAME of Xbox Live video chat game Uno - family horrified by webcam sex film broadcast

Oh dear. It had to happen sooner or later. Bored men and webcams are a very dangerous combination.

Some guy was playing Uno - which lets players video chat with each other as they play thanks to Xbox 360's Live Vision Camera - and one of his opponents had, oh-so-hilariously, decided to point his webcam at some porn. So the guy was made to watch porn. As was his sister. As was his three-year-old daughter. Whoops.

At the moment, Microsoft will be happy to hear that this potentially devastating story is currently only circulating on internet forums and low-grade blogs like this. Here's hoping it doesn't hit the front page of the Daily Mail tomorrow.

Actually, here's hoping it does. It'd be very, very amusing.

(Via GZ and NeoGAF)

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Halo 3: ODST will be "stealthier" according to the game's writer and creative director

Loyal Bungie employee Joseph Staten has told Gamepro that Halo fans might need to do a bit of thinking for once, thanks to the ODST enhancement/upgrade featuring more in the way of clever, stealth-based play.

This is thanks to the new silenced SMG which, coupled with the night-time New Mombasa setting and powerful vision-enhancement visor, will have players sneaking round in the shadows like they're playing a much duller stealth game developed by, say, Ubisoft.

Joe also tells us that we won't get to meet, see, play as or lovingly fondle series star Master Chief at all in the game, thanks to the action taking place during a period of the official Halo timeline in which M. Chief is not on the same planet as ODST's star "Rookie". It's all very interesting indeed, should you be even the slightest bit interested in Halo.

(Via VG247)

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Brutal Kane & Lynch/Hitman developer's next project is... cute little puppy Mini Ninjas

Famed Danish developer Io Interactive has decided it's bored of doing games about angry bald men with guns - its next project will be called Mini Ninjas, and will follow the missions of pretty little ninja Hiro.

Mini Ninjas is going to be cute. Sweet. Girls and old people might even like it. There won't be any swearing or head-shots or levels set in lap-dancing clubs. It's going to be as far away from the company's previous work as you can imagine. It's so lovely and innocent the game's even going to come out on Nintendo's Wii.

Mini Ninjas will be out in the Autumn. It's got to be better than Kane & Lynch. Io Interactive is so serious about it it's even gone to the expense of registering a domain name and setting up a web site about it - although it currently links to information about Battlestations Pacific.

(Via CG)

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You few Lips owners might be happy to hear there's some new DLC on the way for it

Microsoft's been beavering away with the downloadable "content" for its karaoke game Lips, despite the fact that hardly anyone in the entire world seems to have bought it.

The weekly roll-out of new songs begins on January 16, with three tracks arriving for purchase - at prices between 160 and 180 MS Points - followed by three more on Jan 23, then another three on Jan 30. I'm no music critic, but it seems like a depressingly mainstream list.

Here is the list. Make your own mind up. You're sorted if you like Rihanna, put it that way.

Available on January 16

* When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
* You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
* Erase/Rewind - The Cardigans

US SALES: Xbox 360 hammers PS3 in December - outsells it by 2:1

Almost 2:1. Microsoft sold 1.44 million Xbox 360s in America during December, while poor old Sony only managed to get rid of 726,000 PS3s.

Twice 726,000 is actually 1.45 million, so, if you're a Sony fan looking for something to be brave about today, you can say Xbox 360 didn't quite sell twice the amount PS3 sold last month when people say it did.

Here's something depressing about the future of gaming, though - Nintendo sold 2.15 million Wiis. How is that even possible? I've been trying to work out how it's possible since Wednesday, and still just don't get it. It's just too many of one thing.

There's a full list of the US sales after the jump, should you be interested in how PS2 and PSP are fitting into things these days...

New kinds of clothes are now available

That right there is a photo of the screen, showing my Avatar wearing a new set of clothes. I never thought it would be possible to reach this kind of low, personally or professionally.

It's all thanks to Microsoft releasing a whole new pile of clothing to play Lifestyle Makeover TV Show with on the dashboard, with the set taking on a bit of a county-style feel. Here's a list of what's new. As ever, I've stuck the new clothes for girls after the break. It's extremely unlikely anyone will be interested in it.

New clothes for boys:

- Striped Polo Shirt
- Striped Jacket with Polo
- Checked Jacket with Polo
- Open Neck Cardigan
- Embroidered Pants
- Suspenders with Hi Pants (Dress Up)

Celebrity analyst Michael Pachter predicts Xbox 360 will CRUSH PS3 in December US hardware sales

According to estimates from everyone's favourite video game analyst, Xbox 360 sold nearly TWICE the number of Playstation3s during the critical and insane December shopping period.

Mike reckons Microsoft safely installed 1.35 million Xbox 360s into American homes during December, while he expects Sony to have shifted about 750,000 PS3s. That's not quite double, but is near enough to be able to get away with saying double to people who won't pressure you to go into more depth.

Get your astonishing (FREE) 13-minute concept remix of the Geometry Wars soundtrack

If you love GW2 and perhaps agree with my edgy and unpredictable claim that it was the best game of 2008, you might well be up for having a bit of this - a whopping remix of the game's already-awesome soundtrack.

It's 17.9MB in size, and can be had from here. The "Megamix" features all of the various mission's music - and the theme from the first Xbox 360 game - "mashed up" into one vast soundtrack.

Called '46860 Choices' and created by Chris Chudley, the blood relative of Bizarre Creations boss Martin Chudley, it's a superb piece. And free. Get it, if only to half-heartedly skip through then bin.

(Via CVG)

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Independent developer Binary Tweed reveals Clover - a puzzler for XNA Community Games

Clover is a "plot-driven platformer" featuring puzzles and a bizarre modern story indulging "political themes", according to newly-formed independent XNA developer Binary Tweed.

From what we can understand from the garbled press release, the game's a simplified puzzle game set in a more adult world, one that dumps traditional "health" and "lives" for an easier approach with an auto-save for all you elderly casual gamers who usually give up before the end of level one.

Here's a look at a couple of the game's characters. One of them looks a bit familiar. I think a share of the profits might be in order.

Nice watercolour-effect finish, although the characters do look like they've been made using an online South Park avatar-generation tool. Clover will be out in "Q1 09" via the Xbox Live Community Games channel, for a price of 400 MS Points.

(Via Binary Tweed)

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Xbox "720" is years away - Microsoft "not even thinking" about new hardware at the moment

Yeah, right. Our favourite Microsoft man Aaron 'Tell it like it is' Greenberg has revealed that Microsoft isn't working on any sort of Xbox 360 sequel or new console technology.

In an interview at CES 2009, Greenberg said that "We're delivering high-definition experiences. We have storage. We have high-speed connectivity. So you know we're not limited by the hardware at all. We see a very, very long future ahead of us as we think about the platform and we're not even thinking about the next generation at this point..."

See an "Actual 12-year-old girl" making a half-decent game in Kodu

An actual, real, 12-year-old girl apparently called "Sparrow" was dragged up on stage and made to demonstrate how Microsoft's user-generated mini-game-creator Kodu actually works.

There's a video of her masterfully manipulating Kodu over on GameTrailers, where little Sparrow does a pretty good job of whizzing around menus and making something approaching playable, despite no doubt feeling more than a bit self-conscious.

Well, the end result doesn't look that playable, but she does manage to make something resembling a very, very early test version of Viva Pinata. Still. It's user-generated and therefore fashionable. You have to say you like it. And don't be mean, she's only 12.

(Via X3F)

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