I want to be excited, and, well, I am excited. Left 4 Dead is an awesome game, and one of the finest multiplayer experiences I’ve had on Xbox Live. However, on the eve of Left 4 Dead 2, I can’t help but wonder why the Valve team hasn’t released more campaign content during the lifespan of this original game. With no Mall level or any of the PC/User-created campaign levels added to the Xbox 360 game, I think Valve might’ve missed the boat. At 560 MS points per download, hungry fans, and a near endless multiplayer experience, we’re talking damn near impulse purchase for thousands of fans. I’d have certainly bought any new map released. As is, grab Crash Course on Xbox Live and Steam, right now. Shiny new audio lines from the voice actors, new achievements, and additional story beats make this 560 points well spent…

Updated with Gameplay Video!

All I can say is Wow. I was underwhelmed when I saw the teaser trailer for this nearly a year ago, but having seen the entire 75 minute production, my opinion has changed considerably. I hope Hollywood is taking notes, or at least resumes. Sometimes talented fans with time and resources can do good work. Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy, apparently, is just one such example. Once you get past the fact that the characters don’t quite look like their gaming counterparts, you’ll see that the notes are not only dead on, but the movie’s heart is in the right place.

And make no mistake. It’s a movie. A full movie. And for your viewing pleasure, we’ve embedded the whole damn thing.
Enjoy, appreciate, and give those guys some love…of course, do so after the jump.

Straight out of the Tokyo Game Show 2009, SquareSoft just dropped the whopping new 7 minute Final Fantasy XIII trailer due in 2010 for Xbox 360 an PlayStation 3. It’s all in Japanese, folks, so brush up on your Nihongo-wa.
The eye candy is gorgeous for sure, but on the eve of the big rumor running through the show floor of Square letting 200-300 employees go (for reasons undisclosed but the Japanese economy is married to ours), will Squares biggest gamble be enough?

Check out the trailer after the jump.

Okay, seriously? I don’t even know anybody playing this game. I don’t even know anybody who HAS played this game…at least not all the way through. I tried. I REALLY tried, and I found that the game is great if you can accept that this isn’t a real platformer. Anyway, if great graphics and innovation (although not necessarily platforming innovation) is your cup, these WATCHMEN skins will make you giggle.

Capcom’s saying that in an update – possibly September 29th – Street Fighter IV will be getting a new challenger. If you rev up the waaaaaay back machine, Capcom hinted that we might be seeing Dee Jay, T-Hawk, Sean, and some of the other Alpha and SFIII folks that missed out on the last roll call. I say the more the merrier, because SFIV is an addiction for me lately. However, seriously Capcom, can you please give Chun-Li her rising kick again? Her Spinning Bird kick is about as useful as, well, Dan.

Okay, I’m so serious about Chun-Li. Anyway, here’s the Capcom teaser page…

Wtf?!@ I thought that this was going to be Rockstar’s VERY awesome The Warriors game from the PS2 /Xbox era, but nope. It’s a new game NOT from Rockstar, and judging by the fact that it’s missing most of the cool The Warriors soundtrack, voice talent, and sound effects, I can only guess that the legal quagmire surrounding the release of this game must’ve been staggering.

So despite all that missing crap, what are we left with? Exactly?
Well, for what it’s worth, it’s a pretty strong Streets of Rage clone. This side-scrolling beat-em up is actually above competent, and it’s surprisingly good.

I thought that I’d be tired of the whole zombie craze by now, but Zombie Apocalypse, Konami’s new arcade download game for the Xbox and PSN is like a shot in the arm. Think of it as a prettier version of the indie hit, I MAED A GAME WITH Z0MBIES INIT, except considerably more expensive. That’s 800 points on Xbox Live, btw…

So, this game is really starting to look good. I know that most of the Rock Band/Guitar Hero kiddies don’t know who Cut Chemist or J.Period is, but to hip hop heads, this game is looking better and better.

Cut Chemist and J.Period dropped a new video of them playing the game with that ‘cooler-by-the-minute’ turntable. Here’s the bomb drop: they bring exclusive mixes of: J. Period’s “Q-Tip ‘Good Thang’ vs. Billy Squier ‘Big Beat’” and “Gang Starr ‘Just to Get a Rep’ vs. Mobb Deep ‘Shook Ones, Part 2?”. See video after the jump.

Somehow missed this in the daily news sweep, but Electronic Arts just dropped a massive bomb on Xbox Live with Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Commander’s Challenge. If you want excellent real time strategy games, the Command & Conquer series isn’t a bad place to start. It’s an enormous 2 gig download, and so far it’s worth it. The entire game is only TEN dollars or 800 MS Points. Lately, the value on some of these Xbox Live Arcade games has been extraordinary, and Commander’s Challenge is no exception.

Looks like there’s no real online versus mode, but 50+ new levels and new vehicle types in this completely standalone game is worth it!

Sticky grenades, automatic shotguns, and a military helicopter? Wait, wait, wait…parachuting, train-jumping, and insane gun play? Day One Purchase.

Rockstar Games tackles critics head-on bringing back the series zaniness in this Xbox exclusive upgrade pack. I loved GTA IV’s go at being ‘artsy’, but if revisiting Liberty City through the eyes of GTA’s favorite bouncer is only a 40 buck investment of silliness, then sign me up! Rockstar’s upcoming retail collection requires the original GTA IV, but includes the hefty Lost & The Damned DLC, and the upcoming Ballad of Gay Tony. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the of psuedo-york, see the trailer after the jump.