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Resistance 3 DLC brings the hammer, Mastodon, and survival

The $3.99 Brutality Pack DLC for the wonderfully unique Resistance 3 is now live on the PlayStation Network, and you'll get a survival mode that you can either play by yourself or with a friend (on- or offline), as well as a new character skin, the hammer weapon to use in all the game modes, and a PlayStation 3 theme. It's a pretty good package if you're a fan of Resistance 3, but the exciting part is the music that plays as you use that hammer to smash the faces of every Chimera you see.


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Xbox 360 update: new media features, no right to sue Microsoft

Sony raised the ire of gamers when it took away the ability to sue the company during a seemingly standard PS3 software update, and some gamers decided to opt out of the deal in order to retain their rights to legal action if wronged by the company. Microsoft is the latest console manufacturer to take this approach, as the new Xbox 360 update asks you to agree on neutral arbitration to solve disputes, and states that if you feel wronged, you can't go after the company in a court of law, nor join a class-action lawsuit.


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EPOCH developer on Skyrim launch, how indies compete for time, not money

EPOCH is a game for iOS devices where you control the actions of a single robot as it fights off hordes of other robots, with different types of enemies attacking in different ways. Much like Serious Sam 3, the strategy comes from how the game layers attacking enemies. You have to plan for distinct attacks and counter them by moving from cover to cover, popping up to attack the bad guys with your weapons and special attacks.

It's a simple formula, but the game remains fun for lengthy sessions even though the core mechanics may sound repetitive. You swipe left and right to move your character, swipe down to take cover, and tap on the bad guys to target them. You can unlock new guns and armor, and putting together specific loadouts adds another layer of strategy to the game. I caught up with Ryan Lancaster, one-third of Uppercut Games to talk about where the control ideas came from and how the game's release date hurt its chances of press coverage.


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Grand Theft Auto 3 coming to Android, iOS devices, may be tough to control

Rockstar games is releasing Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition for both iOS and Android devices next week, and the game will cost $5. This is good news, as Grand Theft Auto III remains a fun game, and the price is more than fair. Here is the list of supported devices that you can use to play when it launches on December 15.

  • Apple iOS Devices: iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, iPod touch 4th Generation
  • Android Phones: HTC Rezound, LG Optimus 2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Droid X2, Motorola Photon 4G, Samsung Galaxy R, T-Mobile G2x
  • Android Tablets: Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Dell Streak 7, LG Optimus Pad, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1, Sony Tablet S, Toshiba Thrive

So why does the game look like it could be frustrating? Take a look at the screenshot included in this story. Just look at it. The virtual buttons added to touchscreen devices when traditional games are ported tend to be hard to use and easy to miss, and the mess that's on the screen in that shot makes it hard to get excited about this release. I know Apple isn't keen on releasing a physical controller for iOS devices, but c'mon guys, something has to be done.

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Serious Sam 3 is hardcore, difficult, and lovely

Serious Sam 3 is a classical first-person shooter, much like the first two games of the series, or even something like Painkiller. You are a man who can carry a large number of guns, and you are presented with a series of bad guys you need to kill with those guns. You'll see many weapons return from the previous games in the series, along with a few new guns that are still familiar from other video games. There are no wheels being reinvented here; the developers at Croteam clearly want you to understand each weapon the second you see it in the game.


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Microsoft's bid to rule your living room with the Xbox 360 begins tomorrow

Microsoft laid out a grand plan to turn your Xbox 360 into an even stronger hub for everything from television shows and movies to music at E3 this year. That dashboard update launches tomorrow, bringing with it the ability to use your Kinect to search for content across every service you have connected to your system, as well as Microsoft's digital storefronts on Xbox Live and live television.

Unfortunately, not all of Microsoft's content partners will be ready for the service's launch tomorrow. HBO Go won't be available until early 2012, nor will Comcast's Xfinity on-demand library. Here are the services that will be available tomorrow, along with which market they will be active:

  • EPIX. United States
  • ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
  • Hulu. Japan
  • Hulu Plus. United States
  • LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
  • Netflix. Canada, United States
  • Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy
  • Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria, Germany
  • Telefónica España - Movistar Imagenio. Spain
  • TODAY (MSNBC). United States

The search functionality that allows you to look for content across a variety of outlets and apps is fascinating, as is the ability to control the service by waving your arms if you own a Microsoft Kinect, but the real power of these deals is the emphasis they place on Microsoft's hardware. By bundling all our digital subscriptions and content through the Xbox 360, Microsoft wants to make sure your gaming console is at the heart of your entertainment center. Xbox Live subscribers and subscribers of these digital services won't have access to much in the way of new content, but it will all be centralized in one location.

This is different than the Apple TV's strategy of offering content such as television shows and movies as discrete items and selling or renting them directly to consumers as well as streaming your existing content. Microsoft wants to be the box you turn on when you want to watch anything, whether it's live or streaming, no matter what content delivery service you're going to be enjoying.

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DRM-free gaming distributor GOG.com trades convenience for safety

Companies that handle the personal information of their customers are always going to be attractive targets for hackers, and consumers are becoming fed up with e-mails warning that their data may be in the hands of strangers due to security breaches. DRM-free gaming digital distribution service GOG.com is trying to fight this by keeping the minimum amount of information about its customers on the servers. This approach means that customers have to input their information every time they want to make a purchase, but a survey the company sent to its customers showed gamers are willing to put up with longer checkout times if it means their data is safe.

We caught up with Trevor Longino, the head of marketing at GOG, to ask about this approach, and why a little inconvenience is the right decision.


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Markus "Notch" Persson steps down as lead Minecraft developer

Markus "Notch" Persson has stepped down as the lead developer on Minecraft, according to a post on his Tumblr. Though he will still be involved in the game, Jens Bergensten, a developer for the game, will move into the role of lead developer as Persson goes to work on a "new project" with his development studio Mojang.

Persson notes that he and Bergensten have been working on Minecraft together for over a year. Minecraft 1.0 was finally released two weeks ago on November 18 during MineCon, creating a juncture that has apparently allowed Persson to feel comfortable scaling back his role with the game.

Persson will still be a developer for Minecraft, though he notes that he will "now rest for a while" following the leadership transition to Berngensten. When he returns, he will be starting work on a new project, the details of which he does not disclose.

Minecraft has a player base about four million strong, and they've been doing bigger things than ever with the game, including recreations from pop culture touchstones like Legend of Zelda, Star Wars, and Super Mario. May Bergensten enjoy a long and healthy reign.

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