Trailer Madness! - E3 2010 Edition

E3 2010 is less than a week away, and many developers couldn't take the wait. In this edition of Trailer Madness, we have the latest in rhythm games and first person shooters.

XCOM


XCOM is a relaunch of a classic PC game franchise that hasn't had an installment since 2001. 2K Marin, the creators of the original Bioshock, have resurrected the series with their own unique twist. The game is set in what appears to be mid 1950's suburbia. You assume the role of a federal agent part of a government extra-terrestrial defense force. From the gameplay on display, this has instantly become one of my top most wanted games and one that I can't wait to get more details on.

Red Faction: Armageddon


Next up we have the sequel to Red Faction: Guerrilla. The game seems to be running on basically the same engine. The series itself seems to be going in a different direction incorporating alien creatures and gore.

Rock Band 3


I hate to say it, but I am of the opinion that the rhythm game genre has been beaten to death. No doubt, the blame falls mostly on Activision and it's Guitar Hero franchise. Guitar Hero comes out more frequently than some of my favorite comic books. I have a feeling Harmonix is well aware of this and is aiming to raise the bar with Rock Band 3. First we see the inclusion of a keyboard. With three part harmony vocals, this brings the total band capacity to seven players. That has to be a first in gaming. The visuals are looking a bit better with some great art direction.

Killzone 3


Killzone 2 is one of my favorite FPS games of all time. It has a completely unique look and feel. When I saw the first footage of Killzone 3, I let out a girlish shriek of joy. Some major new additions are on display including a jump pack and various melee kills. The game is as beautiful as ever, and the action looks intense. It's going to be a long wait until May 2011.

Mortal Kombat


Mortal Kombat once ruled the roost of fighting games. I can scarcely imagine an adult gamer who hasn't played at least one of the many games in the series. Some installments have been better than others, but the game has shown unbelievable longevity. The new reboot has brought back fatalities and has included some cool new mechanics including combos where you literally see the physical impact your blows have on an opponent. The graphics are tight and clean and I am honestly really looking forward to getting my hands on this one.

That's all for now, but there will no doubt be plenty more game reveals as E3 kicks off. Keep it here for the latest E3 news and trailers.

The Digital Vine - 5/27/10

It's Thursday! You know what that means? One more day until TGIF, and yet another trip through gaming news via "The Digital Vine!"

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has made an interesting offer to Treyarch's Community Manager Josh Olin. He's willing to cough up an entire season worth of home game tickets (an estimated $3000 value) in exchange for an advanced copy of "Call of Duty: Black Ops." Olin responded with an offer for Ochocinco to visit the Treyarch studio's and get an early taste of the game behind closed doors. No word on whether or not he accepted the offer. In an amusing side note, Chad also petitioned Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling which obviously didn't yield any results.

President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Andrew House has revealed that plans are in motion for a premium version of the Playstation Network. House assured fans that the current free version of PSN will remain unchanged. No details yet on pricing or what the premium version will offer. Cross-game chat seems like a good place to start.

Mark Hammill has just revealed that he will no longer portray famous Batman villain The Joker following his work on Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. Hammill's words were a bit cryptic stating, "this will be my last, there's no question about that." The actor made famous by depicting Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, went on to lend his voice to the fan favorite villain for over twelve years.