Remember that one Xbox Live Arcade title from those guys who make web comics that I told you was going to be $20? Well I was checking out the game’s page on Xbox.com and noticed that a release date has been etched in. Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness will make its way to the Xbox Live Arcade next Wednesday, May 21st. The price hasn’t changed so prepare to dish out 1600 Microsoft Points for it.
If you manage to get it, don’t forget to tell those of us who are not quite as fortunate at the points bank how it is.
Yay! Go Pinatas! Viva Pinata 2: Trouble in Paradise is the sequel to one of my favorite games on the Xbox 360. The first one I believe surprised many people in how colorful and fun it was so I’m excited that we’ll be revisiting the land of pinata. And the best part is that it’s being developed by the same people who brought you the first one, Rare Ltd.
An exciting, new “Just for Fun” setting makes getting into the game fast and easy. For the first time, players will be able to collaborate together on a garden through a rich co-op experience, connect and play with others online via Xbox LIVE as well as instantly introduce new piñata species to their garden through an innovative new feature utilizing the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera.
Screenshots: Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
There are other games on tap for Microsoft’s showcase event today that I’m sure a few of you are already excited about. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is finally in play and more information about Too Human, Gears of War 2, Fable 2 and Ninja Gaiden 2 will be given as well.
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise is scheduled for release this September.
June is almost here and Alone in the Dark will hopefully scare the pants off of some of you when it releases. I should have the Q&A with the folks at Eden Studios soon so stay tuned. In the meantime, Atari dropped some new in-game screenshots for you to enjoy. They’re dark and teasing…in a very “I want to be teased” way.
Screenshots: Alone in the Dark
Welcome to the second Monday in May! Mondays are special in May. That means it’s time for 2 more winners in the Monday FTW Lost in the City Giveaway. The turnout was massive on last week’s return of Monday FTW but of course it was only the beginning. Congrats to sedington86 for winning and confirming. I had to place one of the redeem codes back in the pool because MechaMonkey failed to confirm. So we’ll have threee (3) winners today!
I do the confirmation just to make sure that those who are really interested in winning, are the ones who win. I mean who doesn’t check back on a giveaway they’ve entered to see if they won? So to those of you entering today’s Monday FTW, just remember to check back to see if you’ve won or you could lose out.
What is this Monday FTW Lost in the City Giveaway?
Each Monday in May up until May 26th, someone will win an Xbox Live Arcade redeem code for Lost Cities! It’s really simple to enter. Each Monday I’ll have a Monday FTW post up. Just post a reply to it or send me a message on Xbox Live each Monday that it goes up. On each Monday at around 8PM CST (Central Standard Time) I’ll pick a winner.
I’m only taking entries on Mondays. It ties in to the whole Monday theme of course. Here’s the breakdown of what’s available and on what day.
May 5 - Lost Cities x1 (sedington86 wins)
May 12 - Lost Cities x3
May 19 - Lost Cities x2
May 26 - Lost Cities x4
Happy Mother’s & Gamer Mom’s Day from U360! Today is the day that I encourage every gamer out there to grab his or her mom and shower them with lots of love. And if your mom is into gaming, grab her for some fun with The Bourne Conspiracy demo on Xbox Live. Don’t tell her that I put you up to that.
I just wanted to wish all the mothers and gamer moms out there a happy day today. TriXie, Dangerdoll, kiki kat, Mocha Jive and all my gaming moms out there. Game the day away ladies!
“Game The Day Away” Suggestions
Rock Band - grab the kids and have some fun with drums, microphone and a guitar
Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action- trivia fun with cool big button pads for everyone
Xbox Live Arcade - a lot of family co-op fun in the Arcade
I almost soiled myself a little bit when I got the word from Sierra Entertainment that they released some free downloadable content for TimeShift. It’s called the Futures-Past Multiplayer Map Packand it features five new multiplayer maps for players to unravel while annihilating online enemies with time-bending chrono grenades and 2 new multiplayer modes. Each map presented in the DLC package supports classic multiplayer modes: One-on-One, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch.
And if you’re tired of the same old Deathmatch modes, it also includes two exclusive multiplayer modes, King of Time and Meltdown Madness, that they claim will reveal the future of multiplayer fragging. We shall see about that claim. The best and most ubertastic thing about this is that it’s all free! Yes, that’s F-R-E-E kind of free as in you don’t have to use any Microsoft Points on them.
That’s 5 new maps and 2 new modes at your disposal. What’s that reason again for constantly being charged for everyone else’s map packs?
Shortly after we’ve all wrapped up in the Unscripted Nights event tonight, Epic Games will unleash the very first look at actual gameplay from Gears of War 2. The trailer is set to hit the Xbox Live Marketplace tonight following the 10PM PST / 1AM EST premiere on Spike TV’s “Gametrailers TV with Geoff Keighley”. It’s supposedly a 2-minute trailer featuring a look at some insane chainsaw duels. I’m really excited to see the new Unreal Engine 3 in action!
It should be one hell of a night tonight with a little thuggin’ with Unscripted Nights followed by some good old fashioned COG Town action to wrap things up. Be ready to thug it up and then download the world premiere gameplay trailer for Gears of War 2 tonight!
[Update] - Check out the video below
“Remember me? I made my official debut back at E3 2007 and got quite the reception. I was supposed to hit the Xbox Live Arcade but I ended up on the back of a milk carton instead. I have been kidnapped by the dreaded TBA & TBD clan. I am Third Wave Games and Ubisoft’s War World.”
I just had what is easily the BEST TRIP EVER TO BLOCKBUSTER! In fact, the trip was so amazing that it has essentially killed any desires I had for visiting Gamestop or EB Games again. Let me explain.
A few days ago I received some information that Blockbuster was getting into the hardware, games and accessories business. It’s a new focus of theirs to tackle this crazy industry we all like to participate in. I decided to visit my local Blockbuster with a few titles I had with the intention of trading them in. I had previously attempted to trade these titles in at my local Gamestop but after being offered $16 for seven (7) games, I laughed and walked right out. The games were older titles but none of them more than a year old.
So there I was in Blockbuster after learning about their trade-in program. Yes, I know I’m late to the game as some of you knew this already. (shame on you for not telling me) After signing up for the program, the total for these same $16 games was an amazing $129 at Blockbuster! I quickly made good use of the credit by purchasing a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV. And to top it all off, Blockbuster was giving out a limited edition Grand Theft Auto IV picture and frame of Niko with every purchase!
Today, on an innocent trip to Blockbuster, any need to ever visit Gamestop again was destroyed. Thank you Blockbuster! I encourage you guys and girls who do get the trade-in bug every once in a while to visit your local Blockbuster instead of Gamestop or EB Games. They’re committed to beating the trade-in prices and I’m a witness to that being true. You have to use your credit at Blockbuster. There is no cash credit but with a trade-in policy that makes sense, it’s well worth it. You have to have a Blockbuster account and you have to sign up for the trade-in program in order to trade your games.
I am free of the Gamestop raping and I hope you all will soon be too. Go to Blockbuster to trade in your games. I can’t suggest buying all of your games there, but I will suggest you trade your games there. You can use the credit on games, rentals or movies.
There aren’t many motivations while playing a demo that speak as loud as this particular one does. Codemasters released a demo for their soon to be released racer, GRID, today and at the same time they pulled the curtains off of their eBay Motors Challenge. The GRID playable demo just so happens to be a US-exclusive fastest lap competition in which the ultimate winner will drive away with a brand new, customized, eBay Motors branded Ford Mustang GT-R.
For the game that’s all about the race, the GRID™ playable demo delivers intense competition right from the start as players compete in single-player GRID World events, 12-player online races, and then prove their worth in the white-knuckle Time Trial competition, which is home to the eBay Motors Challenge. It’s worth a shot don’t you think? It isn’t everyday that you get a free demo and could quite possibly walk away with a $90,000 car just for playing it.
