Yup. More Black Friday deals. This time from Toys 'R' Us. Sure, they're not a blue chip games retailer, but if you're in the market for Guitar Hero or a PlayStation 2, they might be worth a look. Particularly for the PS2 deal, since every purchase nets you a DVD remote, a copy of...21 on DVD (OK, not so hot) and six free games. Those six are probably from a list, but hey, free is free.
Doorbusters:
* FREE Play Station 2 Deal – 6 FREE Games, FREE “21” DVD and FREE Play Station 2 DVD Remote with the purchase of the Play Station 2 System * FREE Nintendo® DS™ accessory with the purchase of Nintendo® DS™ Brain Age Bundle or Nintendo® DS™ Super Mario Bros. Bundle * More than 80% off Xbox 360 Wired Guitar Hero Game Controller * Up to 50% off Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360
It was a down week for hardware sales in Japan, with the Wii the only platform to see an uptick in sales week-to-week. The recently launched Nintendo DSi still tops the charts and is in no danger of losing its position to any of its hardware competitors. It does about half of the total hardware sales for the week of November 10 to 16. PlayStation 3 sales stay solid amid a half-dozen new releases over the past month, including Way of the Samurai 3, Resistance 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Wonder how long the DS Lite will continue to chart...
• Nintendo DSi - 85,327 • PSP - 38,153 • Wii - 26,787 • PlayStation 3 - 17,448 • Xbox 360 - 7,983 • PlayStation 2 - 5,421 • Nintendo DS - 3,559
Some of our more jaded readers may poo-poo Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's softer, more broad reaching one-on-one violence, but there's one organization who has no qualms with the T-rated brawler. That would be the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry which has reviewed the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game, finding that it "will likely facilitate an adult joining a teenager in video game play." Not a sexy box quote by any means, but maybe better than we were expecting.
T. Atilla Ceranoglu, M.D. weighs in with his (or her) opinion on the latest Mortal Kombat, talking up the game's decreased gore and parental control options. That and "the easy learning curve and easy to use controls make it quite manageable for those unfamiliar with video gaming." Is Midway swimming in the seas of the Blue Ocean?!
Getting the biggest games days before street date is about to get a whole lot easier thanks to 7-Eleven. The convenience store chain is expanding its video game offerings beyond what it currently carries, typically guaranteed blockbusters like Gears of War 2, Fallout 3 and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King or games tied to Slurpee promos like Halo 3.
Michael Jester, 7-Eleven category manager for gaming and electronics said in a statement “This is not just a holiday promotion for us, but a brand new product line-up that will be available year-round."
In addition to seeking to become the "most convenient destination" for the hottest video game titles, 7-Eleven will be ramping up the number of pre-paid gaming cards it carries. That includes MMOs like Guild Wars and City of Heroes, as well as pre-paid cards for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Oh, we'll definitely come again if this work out.
7-Eleven® Gets in the Game
Retailer Sets Sights to Become Most Convenient Destination for Hottest Video Titles, Prepaid Game Cards
DALLAS—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Gamers never die; they just grow up … and continue to play … and play … and play. Today, the average gamer is not in his teens, but in his early 30s and, not surprisingly, most likely male. They play at home, at social gatherings, at work (shhhh) and online.
That’s good news for 7-Eleven, Inc. whose customer base skews heavily male between the ages of 18 and 34. The world’s leading convenience retailer is ready to take the proverbial plunge into video game sales after dabbling in it over the past years with successful Slurpee® beverage promotions aimed at top-selling game franchises like Microsoft’s Halo and EA Sport’s Madden.
This month, participating 7-Eleven® stores introduce a line-up of seven of the top video game titles for sale as well as one of the most comprehensive selection of prepaid gift cards for another growing gaming phenomenon – Massively Multi-player Online Games, or MMOGs.
“Video games aren’t just for kids anymore, and they’re not just sold at big box and game stores either,” said Michael Jester, 7-Eleven category manager for gaming and electronics. “We can compete with the major players and offer consumers a more convenient place to purchase games and accessories. They can pay a deposit and reserve their copies ahead of time and pick them up starting midnight (12 am) on the release date at locations closer to their homes.”
The video game industry is a $12 billion business and growing. A recent survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that 65 percent of American households play computer and video games, with 41 percent of Americans expecting to purchase one or more games this year. Of the top-selling games, 85 percent are rated E for “Everyone” and T for “Teen.”
“AAA” VIDEO GAMES
“AAA” games, as they’re called in the industry, are the top-selling, most anticipated games, often sequels with proven appeal to both serious and casual player alike. Suggested retail prices are $59.99 for Xbox 360 and PS3 games, $49.99 for NintendoWii, and $39.99 for PS2.
Predicted to be the hottest sellers this holiday season, these game titles are available at 7-Eleven stores while supplies last:
* Guitar Hero: World Tour-Band Kit (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2, NintendoWii) * Fallout 3 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, personal computer or PC) * World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (MMOG available on PC only) * 007: Quantum of Solace (Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2) * Gears of War 2 (exclusive to Xbox 360) * WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (Xbox 360, Sony PS3 and PS 2) * Call of Duty: World at War (Xbox 360, PS3)
“This is not just a holiday promotion for us,” Jester said, “but a brand new product line-up that will be available year-round. We may not be a total entertainment destination … yet, but we’re hoping to expand our selection beyond the high-dollar, hot- selling games to include options for all budgets, like value-priced video games as well as DVD movies. For consumers wanting convenient one-stop shopping for at-home entertainment along with groceries and gas or who just want to avoid big-store shopping inconveniences, their local 7-Eleven store is open and ready.”
PREPAID MMOG GIFT CARDS
Displayed right next door to the console games is a broad selection of online game gift cards to make virtual purchases in MMOGs or pay for your monthly subscription. Played on the Internet, these online games feature at least one virtual world and enable players from around the world to communicate, cooperate and compete with each other.
“MMOGs got their start in Asia, but have gained a worldwide audience of millions,” said Brian Haynes, 7-Eleven category manager for services. “In November of 2007, 7-Eleven was the first convenience retailer in the U.S. to introduce the Nexon gift card, its first foray into the world of MMOGs.”
This year, the number of prepaid game cards available at participating 7-Eleven stores has expanded to approximately 20 different cards in varying denominations. So popular have these prepaid game cards become that 7-Eleven is placing a major focus on this growing segment of the prepaid business this year next.
While most games are free to play, players can use microtransactions, an innovative cash-shop system that allows payments of little as a quarter for a virtual item, to make purchases to individualize their characters and create unique identities. These features are purely optional, and players can try out items in virtual dressing rooms before making a purchase. They can also spend cyber-dollars to unlock clues and levels of the different games.
Most top-selling video games have action- or battle-oriented objectives popular with male players. Many of the online MMOGs, however, are classified as “casual,” “role-playing” or “experiential” and attract a higher percentage of female players.
The 7-Eleven prepaid game card line-up includes Nexon, Habbo, Gaia, Guild Wars, gPotato, Runescape, Aeria, City of Heroes, Exteel, ijji, IMVU, Neopets and Sims2 prepaid game cards. Sold primarily in denominations of $10 and $25, many of the cards can be used to make purchases within multiple online games. 7-Eleven and Slurpee have a presence in some games where players can receive a FREE Slurpee Machine to place in their virtual room.
Along with the prepaid MMOG cards, 7-Eleven offers prepaid gift cards for the two biggest game platforms – Sony PlayStation Network and Microsoft Xbox Live. Players can use the Xbox and PlayStation gift cards to download new games, and game content and access playable demos of upcoming releases.
“We think video games will be a great year-round seller for us,” Jester said. “Whenever a big-name game is released, it creates instant demand, and we plan on being there to meet it.”
You probably recall that two days ago, when the new Xbox Experience launched, sadly, about 300 Sony Pictures films were unavailable for Netflix Watch Instantly on NXE, thus quashing your hopes of streaming The Karate Kid series. At the time, it seemed possible that missing titles were due to the fact that Xbox 360 manufacturer Microsoft and Sony are direct competitors. Well, according to a Sony spokesperson, the problem isn't specific to the Xbox, nor is their beef competition-related in any way. Sony also says it is in talks with the several "relevant parties" to work out these vague licensing issues, though there was no word on when the issue would be resolved. We really do hope it's soon because we're dying to see how everything turns out with the Cobra Kai.[Via Joystiq]
That's right, Xbox 360 owners. Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, Sony Pictures has insisted that its collection of films hasn't been yanked from the Netflix streaming list just to spite you and your whirring, off-white system. "This issue is not specific to Xbox or any other individual platform," said a Sony Pictures spokesperson. As reflected in Netflix's comments on the sans-Sony situation, it's all just a matter of licensing. "Sony Pictures is currently in discussions with the relevant parties to resolve certain licensing matters related to the distribution of its motion pictures. Given the ongoing nature of these discussions, we don't think it is appropriate to comment further at this time."Sorry, conspiracy theorists. It seems a big film company actually does want you to watch its wares, regardless of your platform of choice. Well, as long as it's not a telephone. Get real!
For big kids, karaoke is dependent on friends, good track lists and alcohol. Remove any one of those elements - especially the alcohol - and there's probably going to be a problem. So, it's not unexpected when potentially sober and lonely video game reviewers get their hands on Lips, it's going to result in some scattered scores. Given Europe's long-standing history with SingStar, it's really not surprising to see Eurogamer's writeup on Lips being less a review and more a comparison between the two franchises.
Videogamer (80/100): "It's the only game of its type on the 360, it's got brilliant microphones and it at least tries to allow you to expand the potential track-list to infinity. If you like karaoke, and you have friends or family that like karaoke, it's a damn sight better in-law entertainment option than charades this Christmas, and for that we should be eternally grateful"
Kikizo (80/100): "While the ability to sing to your own music collection has its problems, overall Lips is absolutely brilliant fun, as well suited to a Saturday morning with the kids as it is a late return from the pub. In the end, that's what this kind of game should be about, and as a rival to SingStar, Lips can happily call itself equal. "
Gamespot (65/100): "The wireless microphones are convenient and innovative, and they make it difficult to go back to corded models afterwards. The song selection is also excellent, with 40 songs that are varied in style but united in anthemic quality. That said, the game's lack of camera support, vocal playback, and simple online functionality disappoint, especially given their proven success in Sony's SingStar series. Even worse, the nonexistent difficulty level means this is a game with practically no appeal for single players, aside from those who want to collect the easy achievement points."
Eurogamer (50/100): "But the saddest thing about Lips is that it suffers in comparison to SingStar's gameplay. We've long moaned about legacy issues with SingStar - that it can't cope with vibrato, punishes you for tailing off at the right time, and has a bit of lag in audio playback - but despite Lips' fancy mics and superficial improvements, it's too easy, too isolated from other players, and too buggy. The irony is that SingStar has glitches as well, now and then, and casual gamers seem to put up with this, whereas Microsoft - architect of the Red Rings - has little goodwill left to cash in on that front. Casual or not, though, you should only buy this if you can't get SingStar."
Now that you've created your first — and possibly last — Xbox 360 Avatar in the New Xbox Experience, you're most likely thinking "What kind of digital crap can I now purchase to make this thing look less horrid?" The answer is new Ninja Blade themed Avatar parts. If you're in Japan, you can purchase the new premium theme designed to promote From Software's upcoming Xbox 360 cinematic action game, netting you five new ninja parts for your virtual self. You knew this was coming, right?
The theme comes bundled with wallpapers and the Avatar backgrounds seen above, all for just 250 Microsoft Points. Pricey? Maybe, but you really can't put a dollar figure on something this useless. Expect even more wallet whittling microtransactions for the next... forever.
Microsoft has come bearing (GEDDIT? BECAUSE BANJO IS A BEAR) bad news, notifying 1UP that the general Xbox Live Arcade release of Rare's classic N64 platformer, Banjo-Kazooie, has been delayed until Dec 3rd. It would appear the high-res re-release has been pushed back in order to extend the period of exclusivity, granted to those who preordered vehicular adventure Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts and failed to receive their bonus XBLA download codes.Microsoft is currently "investigating" the holdup, urging customers who did not receive a redeem code to contact their retailers' customer service departments. That's always a grizzly task. GEDDIT? BECAUSE GRIZZLY IS A TYPE OF BEAR AND BANJO IS A BEAR. Gallery: Banjo-Kazooie (XBLA)
Phew! Now that we've got the headline out of the way, we'd thought you'd like to know:You've only got 24 hours before we pick a winner! And, if you comment on the official contest post today and again tomorrow, that's two more chances to be that winner. That makes your odds of winning ... uh, a little better?
I don't know Luke, it sounds like you're blaming your boring life on a lack of children. I'll tell you what, I won't write about Tristan or his adventures for the rest of the month. Just to make our notes equitable. Yes, this counts as one of them.
Once upon time, video codecs and formats were really only the concern of AV nerds, anime freaks and hardcore not-so-legal movie downloaders. Now, even the most part-time of geeks has to deal with them, whether they're trying to stream a flick across their house with an Apple TV, dump some video onto their phone or just trying to grab last night's episode of Dexter because they, uh, forgot to renew their Showtime subscription. It's messy and annoying, but we're here to clean it up. Take a deep breath.
You might recall our discussion about video bitrates earlier, or how much data is packed into a file. As a general rule, more bits per second translates into more betterer quality audio and video. The variable in that—the other part of the equation—is how the content is compressed and de-compressed. Better compression techniques—the zen of knowing what bits of data to pull out to make big data chunks smaller—make for better quality video while taking up less space on your hard drive. Basically, the part you need to know is that codecs are the software that make that magic happen.
Standard Standards • H.261 is not a term you have to worry about, but it's the technology that most video standards and codecs were originally based on. Originating in 1990, it's the first major digital video compression standard, and like other "H" standards, it was developed by the International Telecommunication Union. This one was primarily for teleconferencing over ISDN lines, and as such, it looks like ass.
• MPEG-1 Part 2 is another oldie, developed by the Movie Picture Experts Group and approved in 1991. (BTW, the whole "part" thing is because video is just one "part" of each MPEG standard.) Based quite a bit on H.261, MPEG-1 was designed to take VHS quality video and squeeze it down to a bit rate of about 1.5Mbps, optimized for CD transfers. No surprise, it's the standard used for all VCDs (which can play in most DVD players), but not a standard you would see hanging around today.
• With MPEG-2 Part 2, approved in 1994, we're finally talking decent vid. Also known as H.262, since it was developed jointly by the ITU-T and ISO, MPEG-2 is an extension of MPEG-1 that delivers better resolution and higher bit rates (3-15Mbps for standard def and 15-30Mbps for HD). It's the video codec used by DVD and digital television, though now it's slowly being replaced by the more efficient MPEG-4, except on DVDs, where it'll ride out that disc format's lifetime.
• MPEG-4 is where we really stand right now. It has a much broader scope than past MPEG standards, aiming to tackle both the low end (crappy cellphones on a crappy network) and the high end (Blu-ray). It's still developing, so it's not-so-coincidentally where this whole story gets messier. There are two relevant parts of the MPEG-4 standard for our myopic video purposes: Part 2 and Part 10—which is also known as H.264 or Advanced Video Coding (AVC). To be clear though, even though they're both part of the MPEG-4 standard, they're totally different formats. Nevertheless, both are more efficient at compression than past MPEG codecs, delivering better quality using less space.
• Okay, so if you've ever frequented a Torrent site, you've actually watched tons of videos that use MPEG-4 Part 2, though it's not like they would've had a flashing sign telling you so. MPEG-4 Part 2 actually has different "profiles"—the two that matter being Simple Profile, for low bitrate, low-res stuff, and Advanced Simple Profile. The latter profile is what's used by movies you would download in formats like DivX or XviD or 3ivx—which are all codecs that are essentially just differing implementations of the MPEG-4 Part 2 standard.
• MPEG-4 Part 10, the other part, was actually co-devopled by MPEG and the ITU-T, so it's also known—in fact, more commonly known—as H.264. It's more efficient than MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 Part 2, delivering the same quality video in as little as half the space, making it suitable for the low and high-end. Because of this, it's quickly becoming the standardest standard. It's part of the HD DVD and Blu-ray spec, replacing MPEG-2 in digital TV (like with satellite services and AT&T's U-Verse IPTV) and supported by pretty much every portable video player on the planet from the iPod to the PSP. Apple has a decent, if Kool-Aid flavored, FAQ about H.264.
• VC-1 is essentially a Microsoft developed alternative video codec to H.264 released as a standard by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, though it descends from the same H.26X/MPEG family. (It essentially started life as WMV9, but then Microsoft shopped it to the SMPTE to make it an industry standard, and now it is.) It too, is part of the mandatory Blu-ray and HD DVD spec, and is the official video codec of the Xbox 360. It's pitch is the same as H.264's—trying to deliver better quality using less space, like HD video in 6-8Mbps.
Free-Floating Codecs Okay, so all that stuff up there are industry-wide standard video codecs. On top of all of those, various entities love putting out their own spin on those standards. As we mentioned before, DivX (proprietary) and XviD (open source), for instance, use MPEG-4 Part 2 (more specifically, MPEG-4 ASP) compression, meaning stuff that'll natively play back MPEG-4 ASP will also play back DivX. Like the Xbox 360, for instance. There are a ton of MPEG-4 ASP-based codecs, actually, like FFmpeg, 3ivx and others, but DivX and XviD are the most common. Same deal with H.264: Some well known codecs that use it are Apple's Quicktime H.264, x264 and Nero Digital. You've also got Windows Media Video (WMV) codecs, which are Microsoft's proprietary twists on industry standards.
Containers aka Wrappers Alright, well you've probably noticed that none of your video files have the extension .h264 or .vc1 or the like. That's because videos are packaged in containers or wrappers that stuff things like the audio, navigational info, etc. along with the video in a single pretty file. Naturally, there are about as many of them as there are codecs. To be clear, you would take a video encoded with, say, H.264, and wrap it up as a .mp4 or .avi file.
So, in order to play a video file, your setup has to be able to handle both the actual video codec and the container. It's why you can try to play an AVI file and Windows Media Player laughs at you, even though it totally played one a minute ago— the container was no problem, but it didn't have the right codec. Or conversely, even though an iPod could play back an H.264 encoded video, if it was wrapped up in MKV, it won't be able to read it.
Okay, my brain hurts. Hopefully this will make yours hurt less when it comes to dealing with pesky videos. If you'd like to do even more homework, Wikipedia, as always, has a more in-depth discussion. And Doom9 is always an amazing resource for all things digital video.
Something you still wanna know? Send any questions about codecs, kitties or pad thai (but not RealMedia) to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.
Square Enix's new Los Angeles studio is still hiring, but they now have a small core staff of coders. To ease the new kids gently into the world of Squeenix development, the new studio is going to focus on downloadable games.
"We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small," explained the studio's US president John Yamamoto. "All formats – Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network – are all viable formats for us"
The LA studio will also be investigating middleware solutions, after successfully using the Unreal Engine 3 for The Last Remnant. "I want to [...] evaluate lots of middleware," said Yamamoto, "because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan."
There's nothing quite as terrifying as hordes of hungry, screaming, mindless undead, roaming the streets in search of human flesh. Survival horror has known this for ages, yet most have failed to realize the key to truly horrifying zombie movies - togetherness. True zombie horror is taken from the way groups of humans deal with desperate situations, rather than the monsters themselves.
Valve's new co-op intensive shooter Left 4 Dead aims to capture the more human side of zombie horror, pitting a team of four disparate survivors against the hordes of the damned, which is nearly as frightening as a lone game facing off against an assemblage of video game critics. Turn the corner slowly...
Cheat Code Central For good or ill, this is not a game that challenges your gaming skill. Rather, it's a title that plops you into the scariest parts of your favorite zombie/horror flick - think 28 Days Later meets Army of Darkness - and never lets go. As such, players will go through the entirety of the game guns-a-blazin' and on the edge of their seats. This is definitely one of the most exhilarating and heart-pounding experiences I've had in video games, though somewhat hollow and empty in retrospect.
GameSpot You'll travel through urban, suburban, and rural areas, each one grim, desolate, and littered with evidence of the apocalyptic event. You never learn exactly what happened, but the rich environments and thoughtful graffiti set the stage expertly. One campaign on normal difficulty (the second of four tiers) takes about an hour to complete, so you'll soon become familiar with each set of maps. Although the limited selection and grim, overcast color palette can sometimes feel a bit repetitious, the dynamic enemies, varying weapon and ammo spawns, and ever-changing human factor combine to make each play-through feel surprisingly unique.
Edge Online Normally, the giggling distraction of co-op promptly shatters whatever atmosphere developers had intended, but somehow Valve inveigles four players into the horror of its setting. It’s a pretty nerve-jangling scrimmage; rare is the game in which, shrill with panic, you find yourself shouting into the microphone: “Oh, Christ! It’s a Witch! It’s a Witch!” Valve has achieved this through its usual understated storytelling genius – taking something unscripted and dynamic, and seeding it with the right amount of narrative flavour, pacing and spectacle to make it feel like you are participating in an orchestrated horror set-piece.
Game Informer Online I’ve neglected to talk about single player, which the game lists as the third option on its title screen. There is no story to soak in, and sadly, it’s just not the same game without buddies at your side. If anything, this mode is worth a look just to witness Valve’s amazing teammate AI. They are almost too good, often shooting a little too quickly and taking down elite zombies before you see them (which sucks for multiplayer matches without eight players). The split-screen co-op is fun, but results in a drop in graphical fidelity.
OXM Online Left 4 Dead presents the zombie apocalypse the way we always hoped it would be: filled with non-stop tension and continuous carnage. Still, in your first match or two, you might be tempted to shrug off Left 4 Dead as too simple — “I get it, zombies.” But like the similarly “basic” Counter- Strike or Halo multiplayer, the strategies start to unfold. Where can you flank? Should you risk sending a scout ahead? Should you let the A.I. zombies take the lead? How can you use the terrain to your advantage? What if we work together here? The more you play, the deeper the experience gets, and the more satisfyingly strategic your play becomes.
Kotaku I've already logged about sixteen hours with Left 4 Dead on the Xbox 360, a figure I expect to be but a tiny fraction of my total play time. I'm addicted. It's rare that I enjoy a game this much from the get-go. This is a brilliant, tightly executed shooter that feels fresh and exciting. It may be a little light on content, but it has easily supplanted my other online multiplayer gaming choices as the title that will soak up the majority of my free time. Anyone looking for a different — but not too different — take on the first-person shooter genre can't go wrong with Left 4 Dead.
As if having your life in the hands of other Xbox Live players wasn't scary enough...
Yup. More Black Friday deals. This time from Toys 'R' Us. Sure, they're not a blue chip games retailer, but if you're in the market for Guitar Hero or a PlayStation 2, they might be worth a look. Particularly for the PS2 deal, since every purchase nets you a DVD remote, a copy of...21 on DVD (OK, not so hot) and six free games. Those six are probably from a list, but hey, free is free.
It was a down week for hardware sales in Japan, with the 
Some of our more jaded readers may poo-poo Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's softer, more broad reaching one-on-one violence, but there's one organization who has no qualms with the T-rated brawler. That would be the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry which has reviewed the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game, finding that it "will likely facilitate an adult joining a teenager in video game play." Not a sexy box quote by any means, but maybe better than we were expecting.
Getting the biggest games days before street date is about to get a whole lot easier thanks to 7-Eleven. The convenience store chain is expanding its video game offerings beyond what it currently carries, typically guaranteed blockbusters like Gears of War 2, Fallout 3 and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King or games tied to Slurpee promos like Halo 3.
Now that you've created your first — and possibly last — Xbox 360 Avatar in the New Xbox Experience, you're most likely thinking "What kind of digital crap can I now purchase to make this thing look less horrid?" The answer is new Ninja Blade themed Avatar parts. If you're in Japan, you can purchase the new premium theme designed to promote From Software's upcoming Xbox 360 cinematic action game, netting you five new ninja parts for your virtual self. You knew 
Square Enix's new Los Angeles studio is 
There's nothing quite as terrifying as hordes of hungry, screaming, mindless undead, roaming the streets in search of human flesh. Survival horror has known this for ages, yet most have failed to realize the key to truly horrifying zombie movies - togetherness. True zombie horror is taken from the way groups of humans deal with desperate situations, rather than the monsters themselves.
While