Apparently, there is a new hotness on HBO called A Game of Thrones, a series based on the books written by George RR Martin.  I don’t have HBO, so I have not watched the show, but I do know a lot of people that have raved about the books, and it looks as if Cyanide is looking to capture the feel of the 1000 year saga told in the books with their upcoming game release, A Game of Thrones – Genesis.

A Game of Thrones is set to follow the Westeros clan from their inception and through a thousand years of battles for their kingdom.  Cyanide was nice enough to send over a few screens from A Game of Thrones – Genesis, so feel free to hit the jump to peruse them.

A Game of Thrones – Genesis is set to release in the summer of 2011, exclusively on PC from Cyanide Studios and published by Focus Home Interactive.

Got to sit behind doors with Perfect World on Day 2 of E3 and enjoyed the hell of their demos. I was given the chance to check out Rusty Hearts, Blacklight: Retribution, and Raiderz. Each game brought a different element to the table, one is a mmo hack and slash, another a mmo monster hunter, and finally a shooter that will hopefully dominate in 2012.

The first game in the line up from Stairway Games and PWE was Rusty Hearts a mmo, hack & slash-dungeon crawler. The game graphics are in cell shading anime style look that was different from most MMOs I play, smooth running and clean looking the demo looked promising. You able to use your Xbox controller or gamepad instead of keyboard and mouse, performing combos and magic attacks the game rarely has a dull moment. You will face slurries of baddies and epic boss battles at the end of levels. You will have your usual loot drop like every MMO. The public launch is set up for September 2011, but you can get into the closed beta starting July 2011 details at Rusty Hearts Website.

Next, my favorite part of the session, Blacklight: Retribution by Zombie Studios. It was so damn hard for me to get off the computer when my time was up with Blacklight: Retribution, especially since I was kicking everyone’s ass. The beta showed extreme changes compared to the predecessor Tango Down, this time around DX 11 and Unreal Engine 3 have overdriven the game with awesome graphics and amazing gameplay. You have an ability to modify weapons, armor, and gear. There are weapon depots that are accessible during rounds that you spend your points and unlocking rail guns, flame throwers and even hard suits. There are no classes you are able to customize your character anyway you want, from a sniper with extra heavy armor to a heavy machine gunner with light armor. The weapon system is also extremely customizable from secondary fires to even changing the sights. The game is going to be a PC only title and will be free to play. Closed Beta will be available Q4 2011 and set for launch sometime in 2012. For more information check out Blacklight: Retribution’s website.

Finally we have Raiderz and open world MMO RPG brought to us by MAIET Entertainment (Korea). Raiderz is a monster hunting open world mmorpg that uses latest NVIDIA PHYSX and Unreal Engine 3 graphics for jaw dropping monsters and vibrant world. One thing that Raiderz stands is the ability to get down and gritty with the monster you are battling that will drop limbs or weapons that you use against them and the personal time the monster you’re battling gives you when it picks you up smacks you around and chews on you like a Slim Jim. There is a dynamic environmental element that effect the world around you from snow capped mountains to humid jungles that will change while you’re hunting down monsters. For more information check out Raiderz website.

I have to give it to Perfect World I was blown away with their presentation. My only problem is that they game me a taste of Retribution and I’m hooked, but will not be able to get my fix until 2012.

It seems that the War on Horror is underway in preparation of the Resident Evil Mercenaries 3DS, and we have a news broadcast that seems to show how bad the war is actually going for the heroes that are featured in the game. 

Yes, Capcom has put together a rather amusing live action news briefing that intersplices video from RE: Mercenaries 3DS.  In the report we get information on how bad the War on Horror is going and that the Mercenaries are going to have to save humanity from the violence.  Of course, nothing can be completely normal in the Resident Evil universe, so you might want to watch the full video below to see what happens to our dilligent reporting crew.

Also, we have some new screens from Mercenaries 3DS featuring Rebecca Chambers, one of the characters that can be used in the game.

There’s one major Nintendo Download release to discuss this week: Inchworm Animation, an impressively full-featured DSi animation studio for 500 teeny-tiny virtual not-even-real-money Nintendo coin points. We’re so accustomed to not paying much attention to Nintendo’s weekly assortment of iTunes App Store castoffs that I want to make sure you check this creation studio out.

Inchworm Animation is a full-featured paint and animation system for the Nintendo DSi™ system. Five years in the making, Inchworm Animation lets you create mind-blowing digital paintings and animations in the palm of your hand. Use the Nintendo DSi Camera application to record video, stop-motion animation and time-lapse photography. Paint with transparency and smooth anti-aliased brushes. Create images up to 9,999-by-9,999 pixels. An easy-to-use pattern editor lets you make cool repeating patterns. Other tools include onion skin, six-level zoom, cut/paste/rotate, undo and shape primitives. Inchworm Animation’s sophisticated layer system allows you to create structured animated scenes. Each layer can have its own independent frame loop. You can even draw on your animation as it plays. Comprehensive tutorials will show you the ropes. Export your finished masterpieces to an SD card (sold separately) as Flash or BMP image sequences.

Somebody – like maybe Billy Polard? – is going to make amazing stuff with this one.

Nintendo Download

Aviation and Animation Spread Downloadable Elation Across the Nation

Which sounds more fun to you: soaring through the skies or creating brilliant animated shorts? The latest arrivals on the Nintendo DSiWare™ service invite you to try your hand at both. The bustling, high-flying world of airline travel comes to life in Airport Mania®: First Flight, while the new Inchworm Animation puts an arsenal of powerful painting and animation tools within easy reach wherever you go. Check out all of this week’s additions to the WiiWare™ and Nintendo DSiWare services and set a course for instantly downloadable fun.

Virtual Console

N/A

WiiWare

Word Searcher Deluxe
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points™
Description: You’ll need a sharp eye and a quick mind to complete 100 themed word search puzzles. Word Searcher Deluxe contains fun words from multiple categories, including palindromes, pirates and painting. With a huge assortment of subjects to choose from, there are puzzles for everyone to enjoy. Test your vocabulary, memory and problem-solving skills with these challenging puzzles. Keep track of – and try to beat – your own play-through times again and again as words are scrambled every time you play.

Learning with the PooYoos: Episode 3 (demo version)
Publisher: Lexis Numérique
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: EC (Early Childhood)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to the first fun, poetic brain-trainer for children aged 3 to 6. With the PooYoos, a merry band of adorable baby animals, children will have fun while learning the basics for development, including numbers, letters, lateralization, shapes and colors. Children get to dance with their new friends and earn lovely interactive rewards. With two levels of interactivity, children of any age or level can play the activities based on plants and music. This game has been designed for use by children who have not yet grasped reading. The instructions are spoken in French, English or Spanish, depending on the language setting of your Wii™ console.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

Airport Mania: First Flight
Publisher: Lemon Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Pack your bags for a trip through the skies in Airport Mania. Travel through eight amusing airports while you land a variety of planes, purchase upgrades and avoid delays. Stay on your toes, as some planes carry precious cargo and will need to land in a hurry, while others might need a trip to the repair shop. With good planning, you’re sure to make it to the gate on time. With unique challenges and whimsical characters that will put a smile on your face, this is one flight you don’t want to miss.

Inchworm Animation
Publisher: Flat Black Films
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Inchworm Animation is a full-featured paint and animation system for the Nintendo DSi™ system. Five years in the making, Inchworm Animation lets you create mind-blowing digital paintings and animations in the palm of your hand. Use the Nintendo DSi Camera application to record video, stop-motion animation and time-lapse photography. Paint with transparency and smooth anti-aliased brushes. Create images up to 9,999-by-9,999 pixels. An easy-to-use pattern editor lets you make cool repeating patterns. Other tools include onion skin, six-level zoom, cut/paste/rotate, undo and shape primitives. Inchworm Animation’s sophisticated layer system allows you to create structured animated scenes. Each layer can have its own independent frame loop. You can even draw on your animation as it plays. Comprehensive tutorials will show you the ropes. Export your finished masterpieces to an SD card (sold separately) as Flash or BMP image sequences.

Ubongo
Publisher: Korner Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Language
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Ubongo’s mechanics are very simple. Just solve as many puzzles as you can and get gems of the same color. The player who has more gems when time runs out will be the winner. Game modes include History Mode, Quick Game, Time Attack and Multiplayer Mode. The original board game is a blockbuster in many countries.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.Wii.com or www.NintendoDSi.com.

While PC players have had to sit on the sidelines for Assassins Creed: Brotherhood while their console breathern were free climbing and assassinating their way through the game, the wait is almost over.  PC players will finally get to experience the continuing escapades of Ezio on March 22nd, 2011, and as a bonus, you will get a few extras for your wait at no extra cost.

Assassins Creed: Brotherhood will include the Animus updates, both 1.0 and 2.0, as well as the first DLC pack, Da Vinci’s Disappearance for $49.99.  A deluxe version will also be available for an extra $10 that will include a couple of extra multiplayer maps, one extra single player map, two new characters and one extra multimedia item (I assume it is some sort of making of video or a soundtrack).

Specs are also available for PC players.  You will need a good rig in order to play Assassins Creed: Brotherhood as advertised, with an Intel E6700 Dual Core 2.6GHz or Athlon 64 X2 6000 or better processor, 2GB or better RAM, Geforce 8800GT or ATI Radeon 4700 or better and about 8GB of Hard Drive space.

Continue on to see some additional specs, as well as a full presser on Assassins Creed: Brotherhood along with some screens.  Assassins Creed: Brotherhood is set for release on PC from Ubisoft.

UBISOFT® ANNOUNCES SHIP DATE AND SPECS FOR ASSASSIN’S CREED® BROTHERHOOD ON PC

Top-Selling and Critically Acclaimed Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Takes the Leap to PCs

SAN FRANCISCO – FEBRUARY 22, 2011 – Today Ubisoft® announces specifications, details and ship date for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood on the PC. The critically acclaimed, multi-million unit selling Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood will be available in North America on March 22, 2011 for the PC. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a worldwide production effort led by the Ubisoft Montreal Studio in collaboration with Ubisoft studios in Singapore, Bucharest, Québec City and Annecy.

The critically acclaimed single-player experience of Assassin’s Creed is back and better than ever as Ezio returns in an epic struggle against the powerful Templar Order. Now a legendary Master Assassin, he must journey into Italy’s greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy. Defeating the corrupt tyrants entrenched there will require not only strength, but leadership, as Ezio commands an entire Brotherhood that will rally to his side. Only by working together can the Assassins defeat their mortal enemies.

And for the first time, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood offers a never-before-seen multiplayer layer. Players can help the Templars by using Abstergo to train in the art of Assassination to eliminate the Assassins once and for all. Players can choose from a wide range of unique characters, each with their own signature weapons and assassination techniques, and match their skills against other players from all over the world in different game modes.

Assassins Creed Brotherhood for the PC will be available at retail stores and for digital download in two different versions:

Standard: Main game + Abstergo Project Update 1.0 and 2.0 and The Da Vinci Disappearance: $49.99 [Retail and Digital]

Digital Deluxe Edition: Main game + Abstergo Project Update 1.0 and 2.0 and The Da Vinci Disappearance + 2 multi-player characters + 2 singleplayer maps + 1 skin + additional multimedia content: $59.99 [Digital Only]

Assassins Creed Brotherhood PC Technical specs:

Minimum Configuration:

Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo 1.8 GHZ or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHZ

Video Card: Nvidia 7900 256 MB or ATI Radeon X1950 256 MB

Recommended Configuration:

Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better

Video Card: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better

Detailed version

Minimum Configuration:

SUPPORTED OS: Windows® XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista®(32-64 bits)/Windows 7® (32-64 bits)

Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo 1.8 GHZ or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHZ

RAM: 1.5 GB Windows® XP / 2 GB Windows Vista® – Windows 7®

Video Card: 256 MB DirectX® 9.0–compliant card with Shader Model 3.0 or higher (see supported list)

Sound Card: DirectX 9.0 –compliant sound card

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0

DVD-ROM: DVD-ROM dual-layer drive

Hard Drive Space: 8 GB

Peripherals Supported: Keyboard, mouse, optional controller

* This product does not support Windows® 98/ME/2000/NT

Recommended Configuration:

Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better

Video Card: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better

Sound: 5.1 sound card

Peripherals: Keyboard, mouse, joystick optional (Xbox 360® Controller for Windows recommended)

Supported Video Cards at Time of Release:

ATI® RADEON® X1950, HD 2000/3000/4000/5000 series

NVIDIA GeForce® 7/8/9/100/200 series

For more information on Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, please visit: http://www.assassinscreed.com.

About Ubisoft:

Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has teams in 28 countries and distributes games in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008-09 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated sales of 1.058 billion euros. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

Starting this Tuesday, Xbox Live owners will get the chance to get a sneak peak at the multiplayer action to be found in Crysis 2 with the exclusive multiplayer demo.  In the demo, players will get a level or two as well as all the nanosuit abilities to try out before the game hits retail shelves in March. PSN and PC users are left out on this one at least so far, but you can get a feel for the action in the game by watching the new multiplayer trailer that we have posted after the jump.

Here another video from EA’s Bulletstorm. I can’t stop drooling and whining like a dog in heat for this game. The visuals, the mayhem, the violence just blow me away. The game looks like if you took the first Unreal story line, Gears of War, and the violence of Doom finished by mixing it with adrenaline, then getting a rusty syringe and injecting it into your eyes.  Do not play this video around your kids because lets face it…. they might want to play it and you don’t want to share. We all have to wait for February 22nd of 2011 to fill that blood lust. So for the mean while we can just keep hitting the replay button on these videos and keep fantasizing. Enjoy!!!

This is a short one for you guys, promise. I recently became a victim of my GPU’s fan dying after a year of hard work and service. The card I bought was the PNY GeForce 9800GT, I bought it for the price which was rock bottom for this type of card, it played Crysis amazingly and other games as well, worth the 120 bucks I dished out a year ago. Well getting back to it dying, I called customer service after finding the receipt (which is another story in itself ) and I am greeted by Jake in their sales department. Not only I am greeted by a person, and not just any person, someone that spoke English and was in 20 miles of distance! I cannot stress on how fast Jake pointed me in the right direction and who to speak to. Since PNY tech support works on East Coast time when I called they were closed, but I left a message. Within a day I was contacted by “D”, in their tech support, in the USA. Guiding me through all the steps and information needed I had my GPU in route to their facility in New Jersey. A few weeks later my card was back in my hands. I want to thank everyone at PNY that made it so easy to fix a problem that has crippled gaming for some of us for so long and has come costly to us when dealing with companies that fail at their customer service. PNY has won my business and hopefully yours.

I wonder how much of a hit this put on Microsoft’s $500 million advertising budget?  Last night, Kudo Tsunoda from Microsoft and Naoko Takamodo from Harmonix visited Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with dozens of Kinect cameras on-hand.  Thankfully, Kudo listened to his mom (?) and decided not to sport his signature indoor Jackie-O sunglasses.

Dance Central was shown second and after Fallon plays for a moment, his female guest jumps in but the Kinect correctly follows Fallon on the side (look for the small black box on screen focusing on Fallon) instead of her.  She feels like a failure but obviously, Kinect was functioning as designed.

At the end, the entire crowd gets 360 Kinect combo packs!  Hurray!