Talk about coming out of nowhere. Playlogic International’s Xbox 360-exclusive title Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance is available in stores right now. It’s a budget-priced ($39.99) prequel to the 2007 PC-only title Infernal. We’re guessing Hell’s Vengeance is capitalizing on what the original title did right — mindless action. Below the fold you can watch a launch trailer for the game featuring plenty of flames, violence and odd characters.

Have any of you picked this up yet? We’re set to the review the title, so consider it forthcoming. The original received above average scores. Most critics (this post made possible thanks to the poor man’s research tool, Wikipedia) thought it was a decent shooter that needed more polish. It’s certainly possible the kinks were ironed out for the sequel, so quit rolling your eyes. This thing could rock.

It’s being reported that Marvelous Entertainment is considering bringing its Wii games, including No More Heroes and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, to a console where they might get a tiny bit more appreciation, with ports to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Marvelous gave huge support to the Wii with a wide range of games, but so far hasn’t been highly rewarded in the sales department. Now the publisher is looking toward the HD consoles — first with an all new game called Rainy Woods, and second with a selection of ported Wii games.

Last week’s debate was the last odd game debate in our almost year long journey! It also ended with one of the ideal “odd debate” matchups of the entire series, with a legendary multiplayer game with virtually no story going up a legendary single player game that oozes in verbal detail. Even though Valve didn’t create the initial spark in Portal, I think the torch has officially been passed. Don’t worry, we’ll get some Team Fortress 2 debates going in a few months. Here are last week’s results:

• Portal (65 votes) — “Terrorists. Lose.” — Winner!
• Counter-Strike (37 votes)

This week we go back to our debate roots, picking random reader suggested game discussions over which game, series, developer, genre, console, characters or anything else you’re interested in, is the ideal out of group of options. This year’s worth of odd debates has bought us plenty of time to keep from running dry, so I’m looking for some really interesting reader debate ideas!

So which game do you think is better, and why? They’re both mindless fun games that feel like twins in some aspects, and definitely cater to the same crowds of gamer audiences. There’s already been countless debates between the two, so let’s get to the bottom of it once and for all! Give it some serious thought, get some friends to share their views as well, and check back next week for the winner.

Bonus Question: What’s one thing you disliked about the game you voted for?

Via Destructoid

Monolith Productions needs new blood for a new game. According to a fresh job posting on the F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin studios’ Web site (spotted by IGN), Monolith needs a software engineer capable of working on a “triple-A next-generation console title.” But that’s not all: the engineer must also be able to share with others and create a property destined to land on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Personal computer.

We haven’t the slightest idea what this “cutting-edge” FPS could be. That shouldn’t be a shocker, by the way: we’re not supposed to. We’re hoping it’s a game that has kittens, because frankly, there haven’t been many FPS games with kittens. Monolith probably won’t go that route — their latest game wasn’t too family friendly (or cute).

Speculation time: is this a new F.E.A.R., a new property or a sequel to one of Monolith’s older games? Discuss.

[via Joystiq, image]

Via Destructoid

Wikipedia: The future home of video.

(Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)

The long-rumored addition of video to on the web encyclopedia Wikipedia is finally near. According to a report in the Technology Review, Wikimedia, the company behind Wikipedia, is just a few months away from adding video to the site.

The Technology Review is reporting that Wikipedia will soon feature an “Add Media” option, which will allow users to search for copyright-free video. They’ll be able to drag the clip into the respective Wikipedia article.

Users will also be able to edit clips, as well as rearrange segments.

I’m excited. Wikipedia is one of my favorite destinations on the Web. From updates on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (I have no shame) to information on brain surgery, the site provides us with a lot of great information.

That stated, one of the issues facing Wikipedia is that the information can’t always be corroborated. And some feel that it can’t be trusted, due to editor bias or shallow research.

I think that video can help change that.

…

source The Digital Home

Sirius XM is at it again. The company that has faced numerous financial issues over the past few years has finally released its much-anticipated app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. There’s just one problem: it leaves out much of the good stuff.

The Sirius XM app (and its missing channels).

(Credit: Sirius XM)

The new app allows users to access some of the service’s sports, speak, comedy, and music channels. The available channels include, Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, NFL Radio, NHL Home Ice, Mad Dog Radio, The Foxxhole comedy channel, and NPR.

Users will also have access to a variety of Sirius XM music channels, including E Street Radio, The Grateful Dead Channel, Eminem’s Shade 45, Radio Margaritaville, Siriusly Sinatra, and others. All told, users will be able to listen to 120 channels. Any music track can be purchased in iTunes while listening to it in the Sirius XM app.

But it’s the omissions that’ll undoubtedly sway public view. According to Sirius XM, “some select programming, including MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, Nascar Radio, and Howard Stern, will not be available on the iPhone and iPod Touch.”

In its press release, Sirius XM didn’t provide any reason why some of its most popular channels aren’t included. But after some digging, I found that those omissions might be due to “mobile-performance rights.”

“Sirius and XM offer all of the channels for which we have mobile-performance rights,” the company wrote on its iPhone app’s FAQ page. “For that reason, certain channels which may be available on your satellite radio or online radio service may not be available on a mobile device like the iPhone.”

Sirius XM is giving users a free seven-day trial with the app. After that, it’s charging a fee to access the content. I called a Sirius XM customer service representative to see how much it would cost to get that service. He told me that as a current Sirius XM subscriber, I would need to pay an additional $2.99 per month after the seven-day trial. Those who currently don’t subscribe to the service will be forced to pay $12.95 per month for access.

…

source The Digital Home

Amazon is bringing the Kindle to all kinds of devices.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Lee/CNET)

Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos spoke on Monday at the Wired Business Conference, discussing his company and the future of the Amazon Kindle.

After discussions on Google Book Search and other topics, Bezos sprinkled in a few tidbits of information that could have a lasting impact both on the e-book business and the tech industry as a whole. According to Bezos, he plans to break the Kindle business into two parts: hardware and software.

Amazon’s e-books are already available on the iPhone. Users who want to access titles can download the Kindle app and purchase books from Amazon’s store. But Bezos wants to do more. He believes that the path to success is through sharing e-book technology with competing hardware makers.

“The device team has the job of making the most remarkable purpose-built reading device in the world,” Bezos stated at the conference. “We are going to give the device team competition. We’ll make Kindle books, at the same $9.99 price points, available on the iPhone, and other mobile devices and other computing devices.”

It might be the smartest move Amazon has made yet.

…

source The Digital Home

Metal Gear Solid Rising doesn't need to be this pretty.

(Credit: Konami)

Metal Gear Solid Rising won’t be using the Metal Gear Solid 4 game engine to help Kojima Productions save some cash. Instead, the game’s developer plans to build the title “from scratch” to ensure that it’s as beautiful as possible.

“We’re redoing the engine from scratch, and it’s going to look breathtaking,” Sean Eyestone, the host of the Kojima Productions podcast, stated in a recent episode. “It’s going to be a big project like Metal Gear Solid 4. The entire team is serious about making it look as good as possible on each platform.”

As a Metal Gear fan since the beginning, I really like the series. There’s something enchanting about Solid Snake, Liquid Ocelot, Massive Boss, and all the other characters that make up the story. But I’m deeply concerned by Kojima Productions’ focus on the beauty of the Metal Gear series instead of the content of the games. For years now, the franchise’s individual titles have been preachy and long-winded.

We don’t need better graphics from Hideo Kojima and his team; we need better writing.

…

source The Digital Home

Metal Gear Solid Rising doesn't need to be this pretty.

(Credit: Konami)

Metal Gear Solid Rising won’t be using the Metal Gear Solid 4 game engine to help Kojima Productions save some cash. Instead, the game’s developer plans to build the title “from scratch” to ensure that it’s as beautiful as possible.

“We’re redoing the engine from scratch, and it’s going to look breathtaking,” Sean Eyestone, the host of the Kojima Productions podcast, stated in a recent episode. “It’s going to be a massive project like Metal Gear Solid 4. The entire team is serious about making it look as good as possible on each platform.”

As a Metal Gear fan since the beginning, I really like the series. There’s something enchanting about Solid Snake, Liquid Ocelot, Huge Boss, and all the other characters that make up the story. But I’m deeply concerned by Kojima Productions’ focus on the beauty of the Metal Gear series instead of the content of the games. For years now, the franchise’s individual titles have been preachy and long-winded.

We don’t need superior graphics from Hideo Kojima and his team; we need better writing.

…

source The Digital Home

LG launched two broadband-equipped HDTVs this week–the 47-inch 47LH50 and the 50-inch 50PS80. Both televisions boast NetCast Entertainment Access, which provides consumers with the entire Netflix streaming library of more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes.

This LG HDTV streams Netflix content. Are you ready for more?

(Credit: LG)

The LG HDTVs released this week require a broadband connection to work with the NetCast Entertainment Access service. To select a film, users need only to surf through the items and make selections on the right of the screen. They can read movie synopses and rate films.

LG isn’t the only company bringing connected HDTVs to store shelves. Toshiba is well on its way to bringing its Regza line of HDTVs into the streaming realm. When the connected HDTVs launch later this year, Toshiba plans to give consumers access to a variety of content, including local weather, top news stores, sports scores, videos, and more. The HDTVs will also be able to access multimedia content stored on a connected PC’s hard drive.

Surprised by the sudden uptick in connected HDTVs coming to store shelves? Don’t be–it’s the future.

…

source The Digital Home