BioWare happened to Tweet a link to this Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Collector’s Edition unboxing on Youtube. At first we wondered what the Hell it was, since it looked incredibly ghetto. Then it dawned on us what happened, and we saw what they did there.

They actually had me going up to the unveiling of the dragon sausage.

Microsoft, along with Epic Games and Chair, had us over to give us a thorough walkthrough of Shadow Complex, showing us a build that is really close to finished. This makes sense, as we’re about three weeks away from launch. If you haven’t seen Shadow Complex, envision a Metroidvania-type side-scrolling adventure created with the Unreal Engine, with a story and setting based on the novel Empire, by Orson Scott Card. This was the game everyone was talking about at E3, and now that we’ve seen a bit more, we can’t quit talking about it either.

Chair’s Donald Mustard was on hand to give us the full run-through on this fantastic looking title, set to launch in the middle of August, for 1200 Microsoft Points. It may be a bit early to call, but this looks like one of the best offerings out there for only $15.

The sad situation that is Xbox Live Indie Games has been a topic I’ve addressed before, and its marginalized position as the red-headed stepchild of Xbox Live has been frustrating for creators and consumers alike. It looks like Microsoft is in a festive mood, considering there’s a rather large update to NXE around the corner, and it looks care about it has thrown a bone to all the indie kids in the XNA Creator’s Club. Yeah, that’s right, Indie Games is receiving a prett major update. While these changes are somewhat different from what I would expect, some of these changes could really go far to improving the service.

The most important update is a modification the the pricing structure of Indie Games. Whereas XNA developers could formerly price their games at 200, 400 or 800 points, any new games released will be priced at either 80, 240, or 400 points, with only games under 50 MB priced at 80 points. This price change is effective now, however current games will retain their original prices unless they are updated or changed during a price change event. Games can be priced to 800 points until October 22, and current 200 point games will drop automatically to 80 points then as well. October 22 is also the day that Microsoft forces all Indie Games to be developed on XNA Game Studio 3.1. For those wondering, the October 22 date, which is the same day as the release of Windows 7, is purely coincidental, as confirmed by an XNA rep.

Other major changes include the admission of Japanese and German XNA developers to the marketplace, with Japan receiving Indie Games for the first time on August 11. There is also a creator reputation system that might prove helpful in weeding out poorly developed games, and an auto-reminder for customers of Indie Games to be notified when a game has been updated. Finally, creators will be given 50 free Tokens to use for hyping their game or sending duplicates out to reviewers.

It’s a tiny early to see if this is going to make a major change to the success of Indie Games. A much cheaper price, streamlined update system, and a reputation-system to make finding superior developers easier is certainly helpful. Is this enough for you to pay attention to Indie Games?

[Thanks, power-glove!]

Via Destructoid

I was going to write this article and focus on 2K president Christoph Hartmann’s expectation that fewer AAA games will be released in 2009. However, in the same interview he discussed Borderlands, using one of the silliest metaphors I’ve ever heard an executive use. Since I love Borderlands and adore crap metaphors, I’m going to focus on that instead.

“Three or four years ago, we’d a tiny seed. We put it out in the field and wanted to grow an apple tree,” he explains, ridiculously. “We had two nice apples there with The Darkness and BioShock. Then there was the apple called Civilization, which was a tiny bit of an import.

“But now the tree’s going to blossom. It’s going to have more and more fruits, and I think you’ll see that. Borderlands is going to be one of those perfect apples on there.”

So there you go. 2K is apparently going to be full of fruits, and Borderlands is a perfect apple. As if I didn’t want this game badly enough, the knowledge that I have the ability to now bake it into a delicious pie has thoroughly sealed the deal. Seriously, this game is pretty much my most anticipated game of 2009 right now, and I can’t wait to play it.

If you want to be Batman and beat up skeletons, you might want to take into account pre-ordering Batman: Arkham Asylum with GameStop.

Those who pre-purchase the game with the retail will receive access to an exclusive Scarecrow “Challenge Map,” called “Dem Bones.” It’s there that Batman will get to beat up skeletons. Because skeletons are evil. We also have to take GameStop’s word that the level will be one of the most difficult Challenge levels in the game, “in true core gamer fashion.” Core gamers do like beating up skeletons; I know this because it’s true.

Game Informer has landed on doormats around the nation, and with it comes fresh details on id’s brand new shooter, Rage. The game puts players in the boots of a fortunate asteroid strike survivor, who awakens from suspended animation in a big underground Ark.

As is typical of such places, the Ark is full of dead bodies and ruined databases. Unfortunately, the surface world isn’t much better, now a desolate wasteland ruled by mutants and bandits who live in fear of a sinister organization called “The Authority.” No prizes for guessing what you’re going to have to do to stated sinister organization.

There are plenty of reasons for a nerd to attend Baltimore’s annual Otakon. Some go for the cosplay, some for the concerts, some to see the debut of the latest in anime, manga and related merchandise. Any of the above is fine and dandy with me, but the number one reason I wade through the sea of sweaty otaku every year is this: There’s an enormous room downstairs full of Japanese consoles, rocking games that will never come out here.

It’s always a glorious experience, but the current release of so many great shmups on the Japanese Xbox 360 made this year’s gaming room an especially tasty treat. After spending three days destroying my eyes and thumbs in said cavern of wonders, I’ve chosen a few of this year’s most notable new shooters for some hands-on impressions.

Epic Games just released two images taken from the Road to Ruin campaign mission included in the upcoming Gears of War 2 DLC, “Dark Corners.” As we said previously, “Dark Corners” isn’t a traditional bit of content. Road to Ruin is Epic’s first attempt at bringing downloadable single-player content to the series and it’s mildly different than the typical campaign stuff. In the add-on, players will be presented with a choice deep in the Locust Hollow: be stealthy or be Rambo.

Earlier this week, designer Cliff Bleszinksi talked about the Road to Ruin content on Major Nelson’s podcast. He revealed that it was a “ninety-minute” swathe of content cut from the game. In other words, Road to Ruin is ten sh–loads of new.

Interestingly, neither of the images have Dom and Marcus. Instead, we’re presented with Baird and Cole. We’re not complaining about it: it’s just that these two guys don’t look as adorable as the dynamic duo in their tiny Theron outfits.

Gears of War 2 “Dark Corners” hits with the “All Fronts” collection on July 28 for fifteen bucks.

First thing this morning, I’m looking at the title of this press release and trying to figure out why I know the name – Sarah Vonderhaar. The release tells me that the “up-and-coming pop star” and her music will be included in the shut beta trial for MTV Games’ groundbreaking Rock Band Network. So at the very least, I know she’s a musician, or at least that’s what her management is leading us to believe.

Then it hit me — Sarah was a contestant and finalist on America’s Next Top Model. Cycle 8, to be more precise; they call them “cycles,” not “seasons.” See, I know this because I watch America’s Next Top Model, and I know that Sara was the “class flirt” in that one episode where they dressed up like high school clich

Switch on your Xbox 360 and you might find that the Xbox Live subscription you’re already paying for has been further subsidized by all-moving, all-talking ads — full on commercials that have been smuggled onto your dashboard and will make noise at you whenever you scroll past them. You might have seen them in the past, at least for MS’ own stuff, but it seems that people are starting to notice them far more.