More info can be found below in the release.

SAN MATEO, Calif. — August 3, 2009 — Capcom® Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that Monster Hunter™ Tri will be released in both North America and Europe for Nintendo’s Wii™ system in early 2010.

This desire to be one of the first to experience Monster Hunter Tri is indicative of the impact the Monster Hunter franchise has made on videogame culture in Japan. With sales of the series totaling well over 10 million units and 3.5 million sales of Monster Hunter Portable™ 2ndG alone, it’s no surprise to find that Monster Hunter has given rise to dedicated “training camps”, country-wide festivals and numerous licensed products. The franchise doesn’t just top the charts in Japan; it’s become a social phenomenon.

Never missing an opportunity to get some easy press for one of his products, Peter Moore recently issued a response on his official blog stating that “it may be time for the president and his family to put their Wii to good use and fire up the 30-day challenge with EA Sports Active.”

Not wanting to let Obama’s signature slogan go to waste, Moore added “Mr. President, here is my challenge to you: Try EA SPORTS Active and I guarantee you’ll need aides saying “Yes You Can!” to finish your first workout.”

Gotta love the guy.

One of the most difficult challenges in gaming is the production of an annual title. Sports titles have the unenviable task of creating a new and fresh experience for gamers, even though they typically have the shortest development cycle. Wrestling games, because of their rabid fan base, are some of the most difficult games to iterate. THQ made the educated decision to listen to what fans were clamoring for: more modes, more wrestlers, and more customization.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a game that can be defined as redemption for THQ. In honor of the franchise’s 10th anniversary, THQ has done an amazing job in re-creating the look and more importantly the feel of WWE programming. From the all-new Road to Wrestlemania, (which chronicles seven different wrestlers on their quest for the ultimate pay-per-view), WWE Highlight Reel to the innovative Create-A-Finisher, and the copious amounts of unlockable content, there is almost too much to do in the game.

Play control has stayed faithful to WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, with some important changes. One of the things added to help make the game more accessible are cues for everything from reversing strikes and grapples to unleashing finishing moves.

Building up the momentum meter is achieved by mixing up attacks, grapples and strikes to gain the crowd’s favor. Once one of the meters has been filled up, you can unleash a signature move or store it. After storing a signature move, you’re free to use it at will, but you can also fill up the meter again to perform a finisher. This balancing act between unleashing signature moves now or saving it for finishing moves adds a little bit more strategy to the matches.

The overall AI is vastly improved over previous years’. The best example of this is evidenced during Tag-Team Matches. Previously, during a single player Tag-Team match, the User would control one player, while the computer would pretty much just stand around, clapping their hands and begging to be tagged in. Tag Team Matches are now high energy, referee distracting, tag-team move performing gems. That’s right folks: Tag-Team Matches are now one of the most entertaining matches to be found in the game.

Road to Wrestlemania is the featured single player mode; seven unique WWE Superstars follow storylines written by actual WWE writers, on their quest for glory at Wrestlemania. There is even a Co-op storyline, featuring Rey Mysterio and Batista, a wrestling game first. Looking at the crowds signs that reference previous matches, the absolutely decadent camera work, as well as the disturbingly accurate light and smoke shows represent a level of authenticity never before seen in a WWE videogame. The announce teams also contribute to the atmosphere; making comments about each storyline, and referring to various events leading up to each match.

Graphically, the Superstars have received the obligatory upgrade in almost every area; most notably in the texture of skin and musculature. No longer will the player models stretch and their arms end up looking strangely contorted; the animation and smoothness overall is quite good, and realistic. Take a look at Ken Kennedy, when he is moving throughout the ring during his entrance. You can clearly see muscles flexing as he moves; even Chris Jericho’s pecs flex as he enters the ring – cool stuff, indeed.

In the ring, the referees are noticeably more physical and animated. I laughed out loud when the ref asked me if I wanted to tap out while Jon Cena had me in a submission hold, just another subtle touch to add to the overall feeling of immersion.

The main addition to the Create-a-Wrestler mode is the ability to create finishing moves. The process is very straightforward. There are ten slots for you to choose and select one of over 500 animations. You can manually adjust the speed of each segment of the move. Once complete, you can then name your finisher, or use one of the pre-selected names to assign. Custom finishers can be assigned to both created wrestlers, as well as any WWE Superstar.

Career mode allows you to use either a created wrestler or WWE Superstar. The goal is simple: go for the gold and try to win every belt in the WWE. During your journey, you will win attribute points to distribute to your wrestler, and build them up to become the next wrestling legend.

The real draw of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is that it keeps a nice balance between being insanely fun and addictive in single player, while offering a multitude of depth in multiplayer and creation modes. Someone will always complain that this game doesn’t have this, or that. Well, we didn’t have much when Wrestlemania 2000 came out, and yet it’s still respected as the greatest wrestling game of it’s time. I hope there’s room at the top, because WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is an instant classic – by paying homage to the Aki developed titles of yesteryear, while incorporating modern technology. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is highly recommended and a must buy for any wrestling fan.

Santa Monica, CA – November 11, 2008 – Check your gear and get ready to move out to your nearest retailer on Veterans Day, as Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and developer Treyarch, have shipped Call of Duty: World at War to retail stores nationwide. Available now, Call of Duty: World at War takes players to a grittier WWII than ever before – from facing down Imperial Japanese Banzai charges and guerilla tactics in the Pacific – to exacting ruthless revenge as you beat back the enemy all the way to the steps of Berlin one bloody inch at a time. In addition to introducing franchise-first four-person cooperative gameplay, Call of Duty: World at War serves up a host of new enemies/tactics and a cache of weapons, like the flamethrower. The highly-anticipated title also delivers deep multiplayer action that features squad and vehicular combat, as well as a lush audio landscape set in 5.1 surround sound, accompanying cinematically-intense, high-definition graphics.

“Our goal from Day 1 has been to make sure that Call of Duty: World at War re-defines players’ expectations of World War II first-person action,” said Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia. “From cooperative gameplay to a multiplayer that combines vehicle and squad combat, along with a host of new weapons, settings and enemies, we’ve left no stone unturned to make this the best experience possible.”

For the first time in the franchise, Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-op, bringing fresh meaning to the “No One Fights Alone” mantra. Call of Duty: World at War co-op features up to four-players online, or two-player local split-screen, allowing gamers to experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The title also incorporates traditional multiplayer components such as challenges, rankings and online stats into the co-op campaign for deeper re-playability and advanced gameplay.

Following the U.S. Marines in the Pacific campaign, Call of Duty: World at War shows a side of World War II never seen previously in the series. Players will experience swamps, beach invasions and tropical undergrowth as they go head to head with one of the most brutal enemies of the war. The European campaign will feature uncompromising and vicious battles as the Red Army pushes into the heart of Berlin.

Multiplayer delivers squad-based interaction while expanding on the Party System feature with party privacy and match-making preferences. Combined infantry and vehicle missions add a new dimension to the online warfare. Players unlock a dozen new Perks while participating in epic battles ranging from massive wide open fields in the European theatre to the intimate courtyards of a Japanese castle.

Call of Duty: World at War is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Strong Language, Blood and Gore and is available now on Xbox 360™ and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for a suggested retail price of $59.99 and the Windows® PC and the Nintendo® Wii™ for a suggested retail price of $49.99. Call of Duty: World at War is also available for the Nintendo DS™, developed by n-Space, the title is rated “T” (Teen) for Blood and Violence, with a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Since Spiderman hit the big screen a few years ago, the franchise has been a very lucrative one in all entertainment industries. So much so, that even during years when there was no Spiderman film release, Activision still tried its best to release a game that year anyway to capitalize on the franchise. While writing off those titles that weren’t attached to films as rubbish (i.e. Spiderman: Friend or Foe) was understandable and even advisable, doing the same to Spider-Man: Web of Shadows would be a mistake.

The plot of Spider-Man: Web of Shadows starts off simply enough, with our Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman chasing his good buddy Venom. Where things start to go awry is when the symbiote in Venom’s suit starts to react and behave strangely once it’s in the presence of Peter Parker again. This encounter sets off a chain of events that include Spiderman being consumed by the symbiote again, other Superheroes and Supervillains merging and combining with symbiotes and even citizens of New York City being overcome and infected by the symbiote. With the Avengers and Iron Man nowhere to be found, it’s up to Spiderman and a motley cast of Heroes and Villains alike to save New York City and the rest of the world from the absolute mayhem that ensues.

What caught many people (myself included) by surprise about Spider-Man: Web of Shadows was the footage I saw of it back at E3. The slow motion effect when using your web-strike attacks, the combos and aerial attacks were unlike anything I’d seen in a Spiderman title. What at first looked to be tantalizing concept footage did indeed make it to the final version of the game and it sets Spider-Man: Web of Shadows miles apart from the Spiderman titles that came before it.

One of the aspects of Spiderman that hasn’t quite been captured correctly in a videogame is his movement style, especially combat. While there have been many advances in how he controls and animates while swinging with his webbing, especially since the Spiderman 3 videogame, it all goes down the toilet when the combat comes into play. That was until now.

In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, the combat is broken down into three distinct types. Ground combat, aerial combat and wall combat are all accounted for here. What’s even better is that players can seamlessly blend together the three different types and put together combos that flow from one type to the other. Just having those various types of combat operating so fluidly is a large step in the right direction for the franchise.

One of the coolest additions to the combat system I think is the web-strike mechanic. Essentially, this is a simple button press that makes Spidey shoot a couple streams of webbing at his enemy that he then uses to pull himself towards them at high speed as a setup to a string of attack and combo opportunities. As the webbing shoots out and as Spidey propels towards his enemy, a slow motion effect begins. Not simply a gimmick for adding dramatic effect, it gives you time to react to the situation and decide in what manner you want to deal with your foe once you reach them. You start off with only being able to pounce on them once you make contact, but once you level up the maneuver, you’ll be able to all sorts of techniques to it such as wrapping them completely in webbing, slamming them into buildings, and all sorts of other attacks.

All of these attacks and combos are handled by pressing different buttons at the correct time during the web-strike. They’re not canned combos and can be strung together however you like. What’s even better is that after doing a full combo and tossing your enemy aside, if you have enough skill, you can bring them in for another web-strike and continue to do it until you’ve defeated them.

Another thing the web-strike mechanic allows you to do is to dispose of one foe however you wish, and after tossing them aside, initiate a web-strike on another nearby foe before even hitting the ground. This will let you take out multiple enemies in rapid succession and can even be used as a sort of platforming mechanic to help you reach enemies or areas much easier than you would have been able to otherwise in a sort of leap-frog type fashion.

Performing these different variations of the web-strike technique on enemies high above the skyscrapers of New York City adds a dynamic to the aerial combat that hasn’t been seen in a Spiderman game yet, while also feeling uniquely at home with the character.

The rest of the combat is your standard fare for action games. It’s all combo based, and you can upgrade the combos by spending experience points that you gain throughout the game. You’ll be able to spend the experience to level up combos and learn new moves for the ground based, aerial and wall based combat types.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows maintains somewhat the open world nature that was introduced to the franchise a few years ago. You’ll have main quests that you accept from different heroes (and villains), while also being able to do optional quests around New York City. All throughout, there will still be other crimes and capers being committed across the city that you’ll be able to participate in and foil at your leisure.

Unfortunately, these optional quests and crimes are all the exact same tasks as the missions you’re given for the main storyline, so it doesn’t do much in the form of giving you the type of variation and longevity that an open world environment typically lends to a game.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is a little bit on the short side, even for an action game. Still, for its few shortcomings, the title did succeed as far as providing new gameplay mechanics for the Spiderman videogame franchise that can be built upon in the future to make some fantastic games. Knowing Activision’s track record, we think it’s pretty safe to assume that we will be playing more Spiderman games in the years to come. Spiderman fans and those that have enjoyed playing the videogames previously should definitely check Spider-Man: Web of Shadows out. Action game fans in general should at least give it a look. You could do much, much worse.

In just a few hours, before the movie even hits US silver screens, Quantum of Solace will release on consoles. Below is a video trailer of some of the steps Activision took to bring Bond to life in the videogame.

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And as an added treat for the fellas, we’ve also added a trailer of Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko adapting to her videogame role. You know we had to do it.

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Santa Monica, CA – October 27, 2008 – Living-room legends are now free to jump on stage and rock as Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® World Tour, shreds, drums and wails onto retail shelves nationwide. Transforming music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s® signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience, Guitar Hero World Tour combines state-of-the-art wireless controllers in new online* and offline gameplay modes and a Music Studio feature that lets you compose, record, edit and share your own rock and roll anthems. Guitar Hero World Tour is the most complete music game to-date with 86 on-disc tracks from music legends such as The Eagles, Van Halen, Metallica, Michael Jackson and The Doors and featuring in-game appearances by world famous artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Corgan and Travis Barker.

“Only Guitar Hero World Tour has the star power and brand recognition to bring family and friends together to rock this fall,” said Dusty Welch, Head of Publishing for RedOctane. “With a massive on-disc set list and a host of downloadable content on the way, new high-quality controllers, including the drum kit controller and a redesigned guitar controller; multiple online and offline gameplay modes, plus the groundbreaking Music Studio music creator and GHTunesSM, a revolutionary user-generated music hub, Guitar Hero has again set the standard in the music-based videogame genre.”

Guitar Hero World Tour delivers more ways to play than ever before. Virtual musicians can live out their rock and roll fantasies by playing either a single instrument, or any combination of instruments within the game, in addition to the full band experience. In addition to all of the online gameplay modes from Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero World Tour introduces Battle of the Bands mode which allows eight players to join online and challenge each other band-to-band to determine who is the best of the best. In the Band modes, up to four players can jam together, online or off, as they progress through the game, and in single-player Career Mode, players can jam on any of the instruments in-game utilizing the controllers in branching venue progression enabling them to rock out in the order of their choice.

The game’s innovative new Music Studio lets players express their musical creativity by giving them access to a full complement of tools to create digital music from scratch, utilizing all of the controllers, and then play their compositions in the game. Music creators can also share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download their unique compositions and play an endless supply of unique creations.

The Wii™ version of Guitar Hero World Tour features the exclusive Mii™ Freestyle mode, an intuitive gameplay mechanic that connects players to music in a whole new way by incorporating their Mii and engaging players with the freedom to create their own groove.

In addition to a newly designed more responsive guitar controller which features a touch-sensitive slide on the neck and microphone, Guitar Hero World Tour delivers a genuine drumming experience by utilizing a realistic drum controller. Featuring three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a bass kick pedal, the drum kit controller combines larger and quieter, velocity-sensitive drum heads with soft rubber construction to deliver that certain bounce back when struck with a drum stick that drummers are used to and is easy to set up, move, break down and store.

Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo version is developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit worldtour.guitarhero.com.

No real details of the title were released as of now. Shinji Mikami only revealed that the game will be dark, scary and full of action. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled on this one folks

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii
Developer: Tiburon
Publisher: EA Sports
Release Date: August 12, 2008

20 years and counting, Madden NFL 09 has returned with an extreme makeover. Madden NFL has maintained its pop culture status over the last two decades. But with that success comes so much pressure on EA Sports on both sides to deliver innovation, while still not alienating the base. There are so many new and improved features this year, it seems that Tiburon may have finally broken their own Madden Curse and delivered upon a fresh experience.

Madden NFL 09 sports 85 new features, with the most surprising one being The Madden Test. The thing about this feature that will forever change the way that you view Madden NFL is that the game can now adapt to any player’s skill level. The Madden Test is essentially a series of skill based challenges to determine each player’s proficiency in passing, rushing, pass defense and run defense. The Madden IQ you’re given upon completion of this test corresponds with the four difficulty settings of the game.

To complement these new options, Tiburon has also created a new three tiered play call system, based upon player skill. Beginner mode being the easiest gives the three options of calling a play audible, coverage audible or player substitutions. The CPU selects plays for the player in this mode and it makes it really simple for those trying to cut their teeth on the Madden experience. Intermediate mode adds more audible options, as well as the option to choose plays based on type. The advanced mode will be the most familiar to hardcore Madden gamers.

Similar to this year’s NCAA ‘09, Madden NFL 09 also features a bluff mode. It’s very effective, and a great way to keep those cheaters from figuring out your selected play.

Madden NFL 09 is drop-dead gorgeous. From the player faces, stadium fly-bys to the introductions and pyro gamers will be treated to a visual tour-de-force. Amazingly, Tiburon has managed to complement the amazing visuals with fantastic animation, and a silky smooth frame rate. Player models have been revamped as well with details such as more offensive lineman wearing sleeveless jerseys, as well as a larger variety of facemasks. Even the weather effects have not been presented this well since ESPN NFL 2K5.

Rain, snow and wind have such a tangible effect on each game now. They can make tackling more difficult and thrown balls can be caught by strong gusts of wind.

Animation is solid overall. Gone are the days of the QB holding the football high in the air, with an unnatural motion for throwing. Veteran fans will also notice little things like lineman continuing to look downfield for blocks, and wide receivers throwing out cut blocks. Catching the ball has never been prettier; individual hand movements and well-animated diving catches are very natural.

Running backs and receivers also benefit from the all-new break tackle animations If a defender tries to tackle you, you can stiff-arm, then spin away from the tackler. Spending time learning various combinations to break tackles adds much needed depth and balance to the game, and will take some time to truly master.

For all the game’s improvements, there are still some legacy issues that plague the animation. Linemen still suction block on the line of scrimmage. When running backs catch passes out of the backfield, they will run out of bounds without attempting to head up the field. These are minor annoyances at best, but simple things that should be corrected nonetheless.

The only downside to the visual presentation that is really evident is the pixelated crowd. EA really needs to put in 3D animated crowds. This looks bad.

Artificial Intelligence has also been refined cutting out things such as the dreaded school of fish animation. Defensive backs heads turn towards tip balls, as well as to defend or intercept passes. Another nice tidbit to report is that in my 50 plus games played, I have yet to see a magic interception, or magnet catch by a receiver.

This year EA has brought in Tom Hammond, and ex-NFL receiver Chris Collinsworth to handle announcing duties. The concept here is simple; most of the time, the duo handle the play-by-play and color commentary admirably. The only real problem is that the two never really seem to be talking to each other. Even though they make pertinent comments about the action on the field, the banter and interaction between them is non-existent. While not a deal breaker, it is an area that can be continually improved upon.

Collinsworth explains the all-new EA Backtrack; a three screen breakdown of major plays during the game. As he breaks down the action, not only will he point out wide open receivers, misssed blocking assignments, or big hits but he will make suggestions for successfully executing the play. You are also given the opportunity to examine the success of rate of an offensive play, versus the defensive alignment. Post explanation, you can take advantage of another new feature. Dubbed EA Rewind, you can use the knowledge from the Backtrack and attempt the play again as though it never happened. Most experienced gamers probably won’t use the rewind feature; at least you have the option to toggle this on/off.

Madden NFL 09 represents the best of what Madden has always been about with great play control, fantastic graphics and non-stop competition with friends. The new options add depth to a game that was already insanely deep making it more fun to play than ever. Hat’s off to EA Sports and Tiburon for finally challenging themselves to bring out a truly quality product. An easy purchase for football fans and the best Madden experience of the last ten years.

Nintendo’s upcoming Wii MotionPlus accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote controller again redefines game control, by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player’s arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo’s commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.

“The success of Carnival Games is proof that the casual game market continues to grow,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “We are actively working to expand the 2K Play label and are committed to producing fun, quality games for the mass market with the Carnival Games franchise paving the way.”

“The consumer response to Carnival Games has been extraordinary,” said Steve Lux, vice president of business development for 2K Play. “The game resonates with every demographic and the feedback we have received from moms, dads, kids and grandparents shows Carnival Games as one of the drivers of family game time. Our new games build on the strength of the first title and will promote this growing trend.”

Carnival Games for DS brings the fun of the original to the world’s best-selling portable system during the summer vacation and travel season. Each game is designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the DS control mechanism. A frenzied combination of tapping, blowing, speaking and stylus maneuvering brings the now famous midway to life. Favorites such as Alley Ball, Frog Leap and Dunk Tank are complemented with fresh games including RC Raceway and Clown Hammer.

This fall, the all-new Carnival Games: Mini-Golf comes exclusively to Wii. Featuring Carnival Bob™ and characters made popular in the original, Carnival Games: Mini-Golf is home to larger-than-life, theme park style miniature golf courses. Whether back in time to the land of dinosaurs, keeping order in the Wild West or searching for treasure on an island full of pirates, the game combines traditional miniature golf fare with action-oriented game play utilizing the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote™. It is designed for four players and can best be described as “a hole in fun.”

“We work hand-in-hand with Nintendo on the design of our Carnival Games titles to make sure they deliver the best-possible gaming experience for their consoles,” said Harley Howe and Patrick Wilkinson, studio heads of 2K Play’s Cat Daddy Games. “These new titles in our growing Carnival Games franchise are fun, have true-to-life physics and deliver on the promise of the original: you can almost smell the cotton candy.”

Online battles aren’t the only wireless boost in this latest Super Smash Bros. installment. With Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, players also have the ability to share photos, swap replays, team up for challenging minigames and even create their own stages to share with friends or submit to Nintendo. Every day, Nintendo will offer one of these fan-created stages for players everywhere to try out.