As one added bonus, Microsoft has also permanently dropped the price of Crackdown’s “Getting Busy” DLC set from 800 Microsoft points ($10) to just 400 Microsoft points ($5). Should be a good enough excuse as any to hit the streets of Pacific City through a co-op buddy before Crackdown 2 hits.

ORIGINAL STORY - We know Naughty Dog is planning downloadable ease for Uncharted 2, and we may have just gotten a give an inkling of at what it will be via Joystiq. Last night, the developer tweeted, “in operation late tonight, got a ton of things that need to be in possession of done,” and included a link to an image (above). Fans of the intrepid’s multiplayer know it’s several Skelzors in the Wrecked Train picture. But being linked in a message about late-night work with impending DLC seems to imply something more.

Then again, the representation could just be a visual gag from some tired developers, or a spooky allusion to Halloween. If it was a tease for the DLC, it’s anyone’s conjecture what it could mean. We’ll have to wait to be careful the upcoming downloadable content for ourselves to judge if the drawing relates to it.

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (PS3) - Sam Kennedy: “I’ll acquiesce in that there might not be enough to tempt you here. But be sure this: I’m a casual fan of the series and I di~atory found myself excited to get home and play the game every one night the past week. It may be a lot of besides of the same, but more of the same has never been in the way that darn addicting.” (A)

Marvel Super Hero Squad (Wii) - Tina Sanchez: “Ultimately, nevertheless, all that really matters here is if you like the pattern of a very simple, kid-oriented brawler featuring cute versions of Marvel characters. The rest of the gamble falls in line adequately.” (C+)

The Wizard of Oz Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (DS) - Alice Liang: “The graphics and soundtrack assure a look for their own sake, but it’s a frivolous-on-story alternative view of a classic, that’s sometimes overmuch easy, sometimes too hard, and never quite the enchanting game I hoped it would have ~ing.” (C+)

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky (DS) - Jeremy Parish: ” If you fail a challenging RPG, you’re better off with Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer (again available for DS); if you want a superior Pokйmon actual trial, you should opt instead for Pokйmon Platinum. And if you’ve even now slogged through Explorers of Time/Darkness, the small additions on propose here aren’t really compelling enough to make the game desert playing again.” (C+)

Grand Theft Auto 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony (360) - Mike Nelson: “With The Ballad of Gay Tony complete and available for download over LIVE (or in the Episodes from Liberty City put into ~s pack that includes both The Lost and Gay Tony) GTA IV’s latest expansion sends itself off in style in some of the ~ly ridiculous ways possible; I think that’s why I like it thus much.” (A-)

DJ Hero (360/PS3/Wii) - Richard Li: “DJ Hero attempts to mold turntablism into a mainstream middle term. It succeeds, but stumbles along the way. I didn’t actual feeling the sensation of scratching and mixing, until I turned it up to Expert obstacle to belief. Beginner is way too easy, and Hard is lackluster. Expert hard nut to crack, however, mimics the actions of a DJ…” (B)

Tropico 3 (PC/360) - Scott Sharkey: “In fact, it’s very tempting to call Tropico 3 “edutainment,” and I no other than hesitate to do so because the word has long since been equipollent with “no damn fun.” In this case, however, the challenges the play presents are personally involving rather than being all teachy for its recognize sake.” (B)

Tekken 6 (PS3/360) - Richard Li: “Rather than spending resources on an updated Tekken Force, Namco Bandai should have wearied more time on Tekken’s online matchmaking. Currently, online is also inconsistent to be taken seriously. Without the quality online play, the Tekken common will have to take their battles offline, limiting the potential against community growth.” (B+)

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii) - Alice Liang: “Still, calm if you’re not a fanatic about 100% game completions and unlocking every piece of clothing (which only Miis, and not the licensed characters, have power to wear), sports equipment decals, Mario and Sonic related music tracks, or ranking ~ and foremost in the events, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games offers enough motion-controlled distraction to keep you busy.” (B-)

Critter Crunch (PS3) - Steve Watts: “Critter Crunch is undivided of the more clever puzzle games I’ve played recently, and it has magical power and personality to spare. The numerous modes grant it a longevity that makes the $6.99 asking cost easy to justify even for the tightest wallets.” (A)

Square Enix sent uncovered word today of the pre-order bonuses we can expect from diverse retailers for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers. The play for money is due out in December, and a few different goodies are fixed beforehand to entice customers. From GameStop, players save five dollars at the time of possession, bringing it down to $45. Not to be outdone, Amazon is sacrifice a 2010 calendar along with a price reduction that matches GameStop. Finally, Best Buy be pleased be giving out a soundtrack sampler, though its price is the vexillum $49.99 MSRP.

Not much is known at this point in various places the Wii-exclusive title, despite an impending release set for accurate after Christmas day. As part of Square’s more classic-styled Crystal Chronicles line, it seems to share more in common with the foundations of Final Fantasy than its in addition recent counterparts. Its Japanese release is set for late November, in this way we’re sure to hear more about it soon.

According to the details from the Nikkei discharge, this new DSi model will have a 4-inch screen (adding every extra 3/4 of an inch to the current DSi’s 3.25-twelfth part of a foot screen), and will still cost the same 18900 yen that the current DSi runs. Humorously, Nikkei evidently explains the larger defend will be an attempt to market the DSi toward an older demographic, the like way an older person with failing eyesight might, say, buy a watch by bigger numbers on it.

Other than the bigger screen, though, the functionality and horsepower of this just discovered DSi will reportedly remain unchanged.

It seems there’s no specifics attached when Nintendo will formally announce this new model (or a especial release date in Japan), and it’s still under discussion when this new model will be released in other regions. When we perceive more, we’ll pass it along.

The couple-year-old Dirt is going for $29.99 — pretty much in draw with other vintage releases for Games on Demand — while Dead Space is priced at some uncharacteristically reasonable $19.99. Anyone care to guess which one volition sell better?

“We’re not expecting a emblematical videogame curve where you sell the majority of the units in the primary month and then it decays quickly,” Huang said. “We’re expecting this to have ~ing the type of game that may come out of the gate a unimportant bit slower, but continue to grow over time.”

Huang explained that malevolence the built-in brand recognition, the drastically different gameplay style makes it a trial of almost starting from scratch. “We’ve got a bit of a place of honor start, people have an understanding what music games are, it has the ‘Hero’ quality on it,” he said. “But at the same time, people put on’t know what a DJ game is. They don’t comprehend what you’re supposed to do. Our strategy again is to focus on in-store demos.

“If you look at Guitar Hero 3,” Huang continued, “what one. to date has been the most successful Guitar Hero game selling 12 the great body of the people units, it did take three iterations to get the game loudly there and for people to know how it works.”

And in whatever manner DJ Hero sells at first, a sequel already seems certain since Activision is reportedly already scouting musical talent for the follow-up.

“I cannot make a word about time. However, I can promise a sequel,” wrote Kojima put ~ his KP blog (via Andriasang). He also explained why it’s vexation so long to make a sequel to Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. “It’s a appellation of dignity that even now, six years later, is extremely well received through the press and users. However, due to errors in setting the receipt in full time frame, while it was a medium hit, it did not do the expected numbers,” Kojima wrote. “

He refers to his decision to touch Z.O.E.2’s release from its original date in the holiday be ~ed of 2002, to February 2003. The idea was to move it fully of the way of all the other big holiday releases at the time, only then many other big 2002 holiday releases were moved into betimes 2003 as well, and suddenly Z.O.E.2 was formerly again faced with stiff competition (a situation that sounds familiar, doesn’t it, 2009 fкte-day game shoppers?).

“Everything was due to an error by me, the husbandman,” Kojima admits. “At that time, if I hadn’t made a mistaking with the release date, [Z.O.E.2] might have ended up a greater Kojima Productions title to follow MGS, still seeing development as a line.”

But the past is the past, Z.O.E. fans, likewise let’s look to the future: Kojima will make Zone of the Enders 3. There’s straightforward no telling when yet.

The theme features a scenic view of the Capitol Wasteland and will be available on October 1 for $3 (240 Microsoft points). Anyone who’s purchased every one of five downloads for Fallout 3, however, will receive a token to download the premium radical verb free of charge. Not a bad way of thanking the fans concerning their undying support, eh?

It’s entirely there, from the original Dark Forces to Jedi Academy. Dark Forces and Jedi Knight be able to be had for $4.99, with the expansion Mysteries of the Sith going by reason of $2.99. Meanwhile, the more recent Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy are one as well as the other available for $9.99.

Originally developed to capitalize on the good fortune of Doom, Dark Forces was a quality single-player experience, and is quiet regarded as a classic. The series really took off with Jedi Knight al~, as both multiplayer and the iconic lightsaber were added to the be blended.

For Star Wars geeks, Dark Forces is notable for having made a unite major contributions to the expanded universe. Both Kyle Katarn and the Dark Troopers be obliged appeared in various novels, while fan favorite Mara Jade went the other progress and starred in Mysteries of the Sith.

You can either download them individually, or as a complete package. The latter costs $19.99, and all of the games are advantageous now.