This has to be one of the more unique titles to hit the Xbox Live Arcade in a while.  You literally control a puddle throughout the game.  That should be weird yet fun especially with the cool design and style.

In Puddle, players must guide a puddle of fluid to its target destination, not by moving the fluid, but by tilting the game world. A new experience based on physics and liquid properties, players must work with friction, momentum, and the unique properties of each type of fluid and environment to send as much of each puddle past fires, rifts, spills and more.

The challenge lies in the fact that the fluid motion is realistic. If players tilt too quickly, droplets are left behind and if tilted too slowly, they may not be able to make certain jumps. Players also have to control their fluid and safely navigate through pipes, plants, laboratories, a human body, a sewer, a rocket, a foundry and a power station. The end goal- avoid being evaporated away.  With endless twists, turns and surprises, Puddle tests puzzle fans like never before in an unparalleled physics-based puzzle platformer title.  

Puddle is now available for download for 800 Microsoft Points.

Say what McFly?  In a bid to secure even more money from Call of Duty fans, Activision has apparently locked the Call of Duty Elite content to one console and one user.  That means that even if you have multiple profiles on your console, only the one who actually purchased the Elite content will be allowed to play it.

Thanks for the tip guys.  Users on the COD forums are chiming in …

“I got the Elite on my main profile but not on my second profile why is it not allowing me to use the dlc with second profile on the same 360 if you think I’m gonna pay you 50$ for each profile on the same console that’s ridiculous any way around this or what?”

I hope this is just an oversight.  I emailed my buddies at Activision to see if it’s just a glitch or done by design despite the content purchase saying the contrary.  Those who purchased were told it could be enjoyed by all users on the same console. 

I suppose we’ll see.

[Update] – Infinity Ward responds to the issue.

“We understand that ELITE Premium Members on Xbox Live who purchased the latest DLC Content Drop for Modern Warfare 3 are unable to access that content while signed into other profiles on the same console that originally downloaded the content,” Bowling said. “This is unintentional and we will work to get an update out as soon as possible that corrects this issue and allows you to continue to enjoy the new maps.”

In a move that I fully support, THQ has decided to put its focus on the core IPs that the studio publishers.  It will no longer dish out the mesh that is the kid licensed games and instead serve up more of Saints Row, WWE and the other reasonably successful titles.

As part of the alignment, THQ is in the process of exiting its relationships with kids’ licensed entertainment companies but will continue to sell certain previously released titles.

“THQ will be a more streamlined organization focused only on our strongest franchises,” said Brian Farrell, President and CEO, THQ. “The success of Saints Row®: The Third™ is an example of what our revised strategy and focus can achieve. We have now shipped 3.8 million units globally and are currently expecting to ship between five and six million units lifetime on this title. Additionally, our robust digital content offerings for this game have resulted in the highest digital revenue of any console title in our history.”

The company’s five internal studios are developing games aligned to several of THQ’s key franchises, including the upcoming launch of UFC® Undisputed™ 3 and Darksiders® II, as well as Company of Heroes, inSANE, Saints Row, Warhammer 40,000, and the new title from Patrice Désilets and his team. The company also continues to work with prominent external development talent on both existing and new franchises. THQ’s goal is to optimize its portfolio for the current generation of consoles and to establish new franchises on the next generation of game devices.

Good move I say.  Cut the fat and just stick with the beef of what makes you money.

If you believe in “sources” and such, then you’ll believe IGN when they report that they’ve learned the Xbox 360 successor will be six times more powerful.  According to their sources, mass production of the system’s GPU will begin by the end of 2012 and will be based on AMD’s 6000 series Southern Islands GPU.  You can expect support for DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output.

I’m sure the next console will be more powerful but what will it really matter when developers will likely take a year or two after its launch to even utilize the power.  That’s how these things go.  Towards the end of the console’s lifespan, developers will finally be tapping into its power.  So I expect the first round of games on the next console to be nothing more than Xbox 360 ports and nothing that will be significantly better than current games.

Does the fact that they’re reporting it will be 6 times more powerful impress you?

Are you feeling a bit perplexed at the lack of big titles slated for the Xbox 360 this year?  Or rather the lack of anything solid from Microsoft concerning its 2012 lineup?  We know about Halo 4 and Fable: The Journey but what about any other exclusives?  Microsoft responds to the lack of titles this year.

In a new interview with Game Informer Magazine, Microsoft Studios Corporate Vice President Phil Spencer stated that the important aspect of the Xbox 360′s future is “quality and impact, not number of releases in a year.”

“Creating core IP (intellectual property), as many first-and third-parties have seen over the years, isn’t an easy thing,” stated Spencer. And it’s the “equal amount of sweat equity and heart” that he feels will drive the company’s games into the future. He added, “it will continue to be something that we focus on with new partners like Crytek and new people that aren’t announced yet. We do think that it’s fundamental that core gamers look at 360 as the place they want to play games.”

What say you?  Has Microsoft set its sights on the next console already?