Well, the beta test application site for Final Fantasy XIV has opened up, and while the beta may only be for the PC, it is a great chance for those interested to poke around in what could be a fantastic MMO experience. For the curious, the requirements are: Be at least 18 years of age Possess a Square Enix ID account (Register for a Square Enix ID account here, if you don't have one already) Possess an internet connection Be capable of downloading large amounts of data Be capable of submitting bug reports in either Japanese, English, French, or German Like any other beta test, there will be several waves and opportunities to enter the beta so don't be discouraged if you don't make it in initially. For those looking for the PS3 experience, it seems that will be revealed "at a later date." Despite that, 2010 is going to be the year for this game's release, and I, for one, am excited. Read More...

A lot of people were disappointed by the recent Video Game Awards held on Spike TV, and in most cases the disappointment is very much deserved. Although the award ceremony was filled with professionals and had some fantastic exclusives to premier, it still comes off as very much forced and not at all exciting. Fortunately, for the gaming audience there were some great trailers shown. As Binh said in a great article that covered the results of the show, the true stars were the trailers. Read More...

Nier,or Nier Gestalt as it goes by these days, is one of those titles that I really feel could go either way. It could be a really compelling experience with a narrative that draws you in with some really deep action elements, or it could be a largely forgettable title with little to allow it to stand out among other similar entries in the genre. The design of the game is decidedly Square Enix and if we have learned anything from their protagonists, there will be a rich melencholy right below the surface of the gruff devil may care attitude. Will the style of the game be enough? Read More...

One of the more curious titles of the year has presented a demo for PS3 owners and Xbox owners. For the uninitiated, Wet is an action game that combines shooting and swordplay with all kinds of crazy acrobatics. The main character, Rubi voiced by Elisha Dushku, carries twin pistols and a sword and does all of the fun filled John Woo-esque moves that have become standard fare in most action titles these days. One of the better elements of the gunplay is that she automatically target an additional enemy which allows some ease and versatility with your firefight strategy. She also has the ability to fuse attacks together, and your acrobatics aren't limited to flipping off of a wall, but you can substitute a person instead of the aformentioned wall. Read More...

DataBox Games: Nine guys in their mid-20s on an island off Sweden. They are all attending Gotland University and working on their final thesis for their Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. Why is this important? Because much like the current wave of independent titles that flood the Xbox Marketplace - they are just a bunch of people with a love for games trying to deliver a unique experience. They don't have a major machine behind them, but they have a passion for crafting something that we can all get into and as such are definitely worth promoting around these parts. The game that they are currently working on is Penalty of Heroes, which I believe is their 26th title; most of the previous 25 have been made in ten weeks or less and have more fun crammed into them then a great majority of bigger budget titles. Read More...

You could potentially get your hands on the new Firefight mode from one of the most anticipated titles of the year. Bungie, Microsoft, and Gamestop have joined into an unholy alliance and are presenting a Halo 3: ODST Transport vehicle that will be making stops at GameStops all across the US, giving lucky folks a go with the title. Major Nelson via his blog, dropped the dates for the tour, and hopefully one of them are going to be close to you - if you are interested, that is: Halo 3: ODST Transport Vehicle Stops City Location Date Seattle (Redmond, WA) Redmond Town Center 8/22 Portland (Hillsboro, OR) Tanasbourne Town Center 8/23 San Francisco (Union City, CA) Union Landing 8/25 San Jose (Antioch, CA) Center At Slatten Ranch 8/26 Los Angeles (Pasadena, CA) Hastings Village 8/28 San Diego, CA Carmel Mt. Read More...

The original Way of the Samurai title was released on the Playstation 2 back in 2002. It was set in 19th Century Japan, where you would take on the role of a ronin who wanders into a remote village and becomes involved in a conflict between rival clans. One of the best features about this game was the branching storylines that offered some very solid replay value while at the same time offering enough in the way of varying weapons and side content to really constitute different gameplay experiences. Although the story in the first game follows one overall framing narrative, the actual events that the you would engage in really depend on the decisions you make. Some decisions, while seeming small, could affect who lived and died at the end of the story. Read More...

Gameloft, never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to the mobile gaming market, has released what might be one of the most ambitious iPhone titles to date.  NFL 2010 takes the thrill and excitement of the NFL license and goes mobile; allowing you to transport your favorite players and teams anywhere. From the site: "Experience real football and play for the Super Bowl against the Cardinals, Steelers and the rest of the NFL on your cell phone. Every 2010 player and over 100 plays make this a complete sports game. Read More...

There are the Madden purists out there, there always will be. I cannot consider myself one of them because for all of the "innovations" EA throw into the Madden games - it will always be the same experience for me. Since EA secured the NFL license, there's been false start after false start for competitors to the gridiron throne. I give all the credit in the world to Blitz: The League and the 2k series for creating some compelling gameplay, but because of either: dated gameplay and graphics, or leaning too much on novelty gameplay, they were never able to achieve the same numbers of units sold. Here's hoping BackBreaker becomes a serious contender. Read More...

After playing the first Saints Row for more hours than I can possibly count, I’ve been extremely excited since the announcement of Saints Row 2 coming in 2008.  After one delay, which has pushed the game back to October 14 2008, I about lost my mind.  But I would not have to wait that long to at least get a test run, and this is where PAX 2008 comes into play.    After a short five minute play through during the media time on Friday, I knew I had to get back and play the full first mission of Saints Row. Sunday, I got to finally get a full session in and take in the experience of Saints Row 2. Read More...