The BioShock team has pulled off another masterpiece. One that expands the mythology, but doesn’t lose any of the mystery. One that introduces fascinating new settings and characters, but doesn’t forget or neglect those previously established. One that gives the player devastating new power, but balances that with devastating new fear. One that takes chances and makes changes, but almost always for the better.
Thev’ve pulled off Bioshock 2!

Bioshock 2 begins as you take control of one of the first Big Daddies, a prototype called Delta, who must find his way across the Rapture of 10 years later in search of Eleanor, the Little Sister to whom he was bonded. Along the way he is taunted by Lamb, who believes he is nothing less than a threat to the future of humanity, and like his predecessor in the first game the people he meets on the way help to explain his past, while your behaviour towards them has the potential to define the future.

Once again you are equipped with plasmids and standard weapons, but now you can use both at once, loosing genetic powers with one hand and regular projectiles with the other. You can cycle between alternatives in each category, or pause the action momentarily to change your loadout through quick-to-use radial menus. As a Big Daddy you have access to new weapons, too, including a drill, a magnificent spear gun that pins enemies to walls by their appendages, and a grenade launcher the size of a filing cabinet.

The weapons are better. The plasmids are better. The enemies are better. At some points, even the storytelling is better. What’s most amazing and surprising about Bioshock 2, however, is that by diving deeper into Rapture’s tortured history and exploring more of Rapture’s haunted world, it actually manages to make the original BioShock better, too.

Get into Bioshock 2 now for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC; it retails (even underwater) for less than US $ 59.99 (check latest price!)

Dante’s Inferno is available at last for PS3, XBox 360 and PSP, but who really dares?

In Dante’s Inferno, players assume the role of Dante as he travels on an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of Hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Players assume the role of Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, with Lucifer seducing her soul into the underworld. His mission is to save Beatrice, but he soon realizes he is also in Hell to face his own demons and ultimately to redeem himself.

To take down the demons of Hell, Dante is outfitted with two primary weapons: the Scythe he takes from Death and the Holy Cross given to him by Beatrice, which has spiritual powers that will help Dante collect souls and spells from the creatures he defeats on his journey. The game also features a deep upgrade system so gamers can customize their abilities to their specific gameplay style. Each circle showcases its own distinct look, with demons, monsters, damned and geography that are crafted straight from the poem’s vivid descriptions.

Key Game Features

• Epic story adapted from the first book of the Medieval Italian classic The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri.
• Nonstop action as you fight through Dante’s allegorical nine circles of hell.
• Wield the power of Death’s soul-reaping scythe.
• Beautiful fast-paced action and intense combat rendered at 60 frames-per-second.
• Choice-based finishes with enemies that allow players to punish the damned, or absolve them as they are defeated.
• Over 60 weapons, magic and combo upgrades and modifications.
• Huge destructive, ridable mounts that can be taken from defeated enemies.

Dante’s Inferno is available now for $56.99 (order quickly and save 5% with FREE Super Saver Shipping).

Prototype lets gamers feel the power of being the ultimate shape-shifting weapon
No conspiracy here… we promise…
Activision Publishing, Inc. confirmed that the long-awaited open-world action thriller video game Prototype will ship on June 9th!

You are the PROTOTYPE, Alex Mercer, hiding in human form. You step out onto the streets of New York with no memory, but limitless power. As a terrifying viral epidemic sweeps across Manhattan, top-secret Black Watch Special Forces move in, transforming it into a war zone. Delve into the mysteries of your origin, the true nature of your power and your part in a conspiracy 40 years in the making.

Fast and deadly combat: Shape-shift your body to the situation at hand … from claws to blades to hammers to whips, as you choose the right weapon for the situation. Change to shield or armor for defense or use advanced sensory powers (thermal vision, infected vision) to track your enemies.
Over-the-top locomotion: Seamlessly and fluidly bound from building to building, run up walls, bounce off cars and everything in your path. Adaptive parkour lets you move freely through the open-world environments of New York City.

Unique disguising abilities: Consume anyone at anytime, take on their appearance and assume their memories and special abilities.
Prototype features Deep conspiracy-driven storyline: Wake up with no memory of the past … just mysterious powers and a link to a town in Idaho. Delve into the mysteries of your origin, the true nature of your power and your part in a conspiracy 40 years in the making.

[PG 13 Warning! may not be suitable for under 13]

Price is US $ 59.99, if you dare!

Ninja Blade for XBOX 360 is an action adventure game set within modern day Tokyo. Parasites known as alpha-worms have mysteriously appeared, unleashing a wave of human destruction as they rapidly spread east, reaching the shores of Tokyo. With the future of humankind hanging in the balance, an exclusive and elite team possessing highly specialized skills is formed to eliminate the enemy onslaught, and ultimately save mankind from complete obliteration.

Ninja Blade features unique ninja abilities: Use your Ninja Vision to detect and analyze potential enemy weak points, secret paths, and hidden information within the environment, but be careful, as you are susceptible to extra damage while using your vision. And perform the todomé attack to destroy an enemy’s core (heart), by dealing a fatal wound. Balanced and calculated use of both these abilities will be critical to progressing through the XBox 360 game.

Ninja Blade sports a variety of weapons, tools, and Ninjutsu: Specialized ninja powers offer an enticing array of options. Varied environments force players to think strategically about which set of weapons and tools will be most effective at conquering the different levels. From dual wielding swords to grapple wire hooks to grenades, every item has distinctive features and characteristics, so choose wisely! Ninjutsu is a special power that results in an explosive electrical force to either stun enemies or protect oneself from attack. Only true Ninja Masters can achieve this technique.

Go ‘n’ grab your copy of Ninja Blade for XBox 360!

World’s largest online retailer offering gift cards in return for old video games.

E-commerce giant Amazon has unveiled a video game trade-in program, offering customers gift cards to the most popular store on the Web in return for old video games.

It’s a move that could position Amazon to better capitalize on one of the healthier media segments: games. Reselling used games also could be potentially lucrative for the world’s largest online retailer, considering that prices on pre-played titles can still remain fairly high while still representing a discount from the $50 and $60 cost of new products.

Amazon is accepting old games from the major console systems, including Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation. The online retail giant is not accepting PC games, however, a move that has garnered criticism in the site’s discussion forum.

Check here for Amazon’s video game trade-in program.

Microsoft has released a new game which finally makes use of the Xbox Vision Camera in You’re in the Movies Xbox 360, which is basically a collection of mini-games to try and put the camera to use on the Xbox 360.

Microsoft is trying to change the path of the Xbox Vision Camera though with You’re in the Movies Xbox 360.

You’re in the Movies Xbox 360 is a collection of mini-games which will have you doing a variety of tasks on-screen. When you take part in all of these tasks, they are then pieced together at the end, and you are presented with a movie trailer of sorts.

You are given certain tasks to do in front of the camera, which will then be recorded and played back to you. If you are in the mood to do a little acting, you can definitely take part in that type of stuff, and it is good fun.

Going beyond the basic acting and instructions you will be given, there are also a variety of mini-games that you are going to be taking part in, such as doing a hula hoop motion, among other things.

There are 30 different sets of these you are going to take part in to create your different movies. There are plenty of different types of films here, such as action movies, sci-fi movies, among other things.

The whole way in which the game is set-up is very interesting, as you have the ability to follow the basic set-ups of films, or take part in the Director Mode to basically allow you to piece together your own scene-creation.

Following this month’s beta testing release (see SourceCrowd’s report here), Microsoft has announced the highly anticipated XBox 360 game Halo 3 will be released on September 25, 2007 in the US (one day later in Europe). Hoping to drive games and consoles sales in the run-up to Christmas, Microsoft will launch the third chapter of the first-person shooter game in 3 versions: the basic game will cost $59.99, a limited edition retailing for $69.99 and a legendary edition for $129.99. Microsoft is set to mount a huge publicity campaign to boost the new game contender, hoping it will help in the console wars against Sony’s PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii.

Pre-order Halo 3 clicking here.

Microsoft is today set to launch the Elite version of its Xbox 360 console, a substantial upgrade which clearly targets competing next gen gamestations like Sony’s Playstation 3. The new console comes with reworked looks (sleek black surfaces with metallic detailing) a bigger storage space of 120GB and HDMI port to drive High Definition TV sets. Included in the package are HDMI and component cables, Xbox Live headset, and a wireless game controller.

The white clad Premium and Core packages of the console remain available alongside this new beefed up version, which is set to retail at $749.99.

The hotly anticipated game Halo 3 - an XBOX 360 best seller - will be released to the public in Beta form on May 16, 2007. Developers at Microsoft’s Bungie Studios will seek feedback from users regarding the online mutliplayer aspects of the first-person shooter hit. The Beta will be released exclusively on Xbox 360, lasting until June 7, 2007.The Halo franchise is one of the most popular on the console, helping to drive the original Xbox sales at its launch and going on to sell more almost 15 million copies of Halo and its sequel, Halo 2. The third chapter in the saga of humanity’s war against a breed of evil aliens is slated for release later this year, with Microsoft hoping it will give them an edge against their rival consoles, the Sony PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii.

Pre-order Halo 3 clicking here.