That, as you may imagine, was one of the Kickstarter records the Double Fine Adventure broke. The other came the next day, when the Double Fine Adventure became the first project to hit $1 million in total pledges during Kickstarter’s two year history. Now, with 29 days left to go before Double Fine can collect its cash and get rolling on the game, total pledges are closing in on $1.7 million, with $1,661,670 pledged at the time of this writing.

Pledges have slowed down a bit since the Double Fine Adventure started making the news, but they’re still coming in at a pretty steady rate. In any case, it doesn’t matter how much is raised now, because Double Fine was only asking for $400,000 to fund the development of both the game and behind-the-scenes documentary that will follow the Double Fine team every step of way as they create this new adventure.

The Kickstarter page for the Double Fine Adventure says that any additional funds raised beyond the needed $400,000 will go to improving the game and documentary, so with more than one million extra dollars to spare, this game had better shine when it’s finally released and the documentary better be 150 hours long (only kidding). Of course, I’m sure many of those who donated wouldn’t mind seeing some of the extra money go to another Double Fine production like Psychonauts 2, but it sounds like Minecraft creator Notch already has the funding for that game taken care of.

This is definitely some exciting news coming out of Double Fine. Presumably the team will get cracking on this game as soon as the Kickstarter campaign comes to a close, so keep it tuned here at TFTS for more information about the Double Fine Adventure!

Well, Guinness World Records did it anyway, posting a “definitive” list of the 50 best video game endings of all time. 13,519 “fans of gaming” voted on a poll held by Guinness for its 2012 World Records: Gamer’s Edition book, and you’re probably going to be surprised with which game came out on top.

Call of Duty: Black Ops snatched the first place spot away from the competition, followed by Halo: Reach at second and The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time at third. Going down the list, we see appearances from three Call of Duty games and three Halo games, along with the very first Super Mario Bros. game, which I don’t think even has an ending outside of finally seeing the princess show up on screen.

As I said above, all of this is subjective (so it’s really pointless to argue anyway), but it seems that most people simply voted for their favorite game out of principle without really considering if it had a halfway-decent ending. Still, there are games that are known for their excellent story ranking on the list, so even if you’re someone who rages at differing opinions frequently, there’ll likely be a game you enjoyed that shows up. Without further ado, here’s are the 50 video games that Guinness World Records says contain the best endings of all time:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. Halo: Reach
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
5. God of War
6. Red Dead Redemption
7. Portal
8. Metal Gear Solid 4
9. Final Fantasy VII
10. Heavy Rain
11. Super Mario Bros.
12. Pokemon Black and White
13. Halo 3
14. Halo: Combat Evolved
15. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
16. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
17. Portal 2
18. Grand Theft Auto IV
19. Mass Effect 2
20. Super Mario Galaxy 2
21. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
22. Kingdom Hearts
23. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
24. Shadow of the Colossus
25. Assassin’s Creed
26. Assassin’s Creed II
27. Metal Gear Solid
28. Sonic the Hedgehog
29. Super Mario Galaxy
30. Mass Effect
31. Kingdom Hearts II
32. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
33. Sonic Adventure 2
34. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
35. BioShock
36. Gears of War 2
37. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
38. Fallout 3
39. inFamous
40. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
41. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
42. Super Metroid
43. Half-Life 2: Episode Two
44. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
45. Call of Duty: World at War
46. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
47. Crysis 2
48. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
49. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
50. Resident Evil 4

So, what do you think? Do agree with Guinness’s list, or do you think it needs some work? Head down to the comments section and sound off!

Does Radiant Historia sound like a game that you’re interested in buying? Well too bad, because at this point in time, Atlus has only issued one limited print and copies of the game – both new and used – are very difficult to come buy. The copies you do find aren’t going to come cheap either, with some sellers on eBay asking for as much as $99.99 for the Nintendo DS title.

That’s all about to change though, because Atlus has announced that it will be printing another round of Radiant Historia copies. The publisher didn’t say when this re-print is expected to land or how many copies it will make, but it did say that the CD soundtrack won’t be included with this run.

So, if you were worried that the price of your first-print copy was going to drop dramatically once this second run is issued, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this printing won’t include content your copy came with. In any case, if you’re one of the lucky ones who got their hands on a first-run copy and enjoyed your playthrough, then you should be happy that other people get a chance to play Radiant Historia (because let’s be honest, you aren’t about to sell your copy).

What say you? Will you be buying Radiant Historia once Atlus prints more copies, or did you manage to nab a copy before the initial stock became so rare? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

This latest trailer is likely the most intense Mass Effect 3 trailer we’ve seen so far. But then, with Mass Effect 3′s release now less than a month away, it almost has to be doesn’t it? BioWare is definitely turning the hype machine up to full capacity with this latest trailer, and it’s totally working (at least as far as I’m concerned).

The trailer is a fast-paced action fest that shows Commander Shepard and various series regulars like Miranda, Kaidan, Jacob, Samara, Liara, and Admiral Anderson team up to fight back against the Reaper invasion of Earth. Naturally, there’s tons of explosions and FemShep herself is a complete badass in the trailer, but would you really have it any other way when we’re talking about the final game in Shepard’s trilogy?

There’s definitely something to be said of FemShep’s role in the Mass Effect series, but longtime fans of the franchise already know this. It seems that many out there prefer playing a female Shepard over a male Shepard, and even though there’s a variety of reasons for that preference, one of them is unquestionably Jennifer Hale’s superb voice acting – hell, if I’m being honest, I think prefer Jennifer Hale’s acting over Mark Meer’s (although Mark Meer is pretty damn good at playing Shepard as well).

So watch the trailer below and then head down to the comments section to tell us what you think of it. Do you prefer a male Shepard over a female Shepard, or is it the other way around?

So, now that you have Skyrim update 1.4 installed on your PS3, there’s a couple of things you should do in order to get the best experience while playing your post-1.4 game. Bethesda’s Nick Breckon took to the company’s official forums to tell players what they need to do in order to enjoy a lag-free experience as quickly as possible:

1. To ensure the fastest jump in performance after applying the patch, be sure to first create a new manual save by entering the save menu and choosing “save game.” You should then restart your PlayStation 3 before continuing to play.

2. If you encounter strange behavior while playing immediately following application of the patch, do not be alarmed – this is a temporary effect of Skyrim scripts correcting themselves after the update. Once this process runs its course, be sure to make a new save and restart your PlayStation 3.

Hopefully this fixes the issue once and for all, but even it does, I can’t see PS3 players being so trusting of Bethesda the next time around. After all, this same problem plagued the PS3 version of Fallout: New Vegas, and players who were hoping that Bethesda fixed this problem ahead of Skyrim’s release were undoubtedly very disappointed to discover the problems remained. After three months of having to deal with game-breaking lag, can you really blame PS3 owners if they decide to wait a while before purchasing Bethesda’s next game?

Are you still experiencing lag issues on PS3 even with update 1.4, or has Bethesda’s patch fixed it? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

Admittedly, the idea of a tablet-based Xbox just seems silly, so it wasn’t long after CES 2012 wrapped that we here at TFTS forgot about those rumors. Well, they’re back again, this time coming from Xbox World Magazine (via NeoGAF), which says that “sources” close to the project claim that the next Xbox will in fact feature a tabletesque controller.

Hearing Xbox World Magazine describe it, it sounds like this Xbox tablet controller will be a lot like the Wii U’s controller. It can function as a remote while watching TV (presumably using you console as a cable box), it can be used as an Internet browser, and even as a portable display if you ever want to take your games with you when you leave the house.

It sounds cool, but we’re not buying it. Reaction to the Wii U’s controller has been mixed so far, and Microsoft’s core audience are those who call themselves “hardcore gamers.” These gamers want a controller with face buttons and twin sticks, and are scarcely interested in gimmicks meant to capitalize on current trends. Perhaps Microsoft can offer a touchscreen controller that actually improves the hardcore gamer experience? Maybe, but it will catch a lot of heat from its Xbox 360 user base for even trying, and if Microsoft wants to stay on top of Sony in the next generation, its best bet is to simply play it safe.

But then, you never really know. Maybe Microsoft will take a chance and deliver a tablet-based console that consumers love. For now, what Microsoft is planning for its next console is for the company to know and for us to find out. That being said, what do you think? Is it really a possibility that Microsoft will ditch traditional controllers with its next console? Put on your speculation hats and jump down to the comments section to share your theories!

Steam was one of the victims of these attacks, and back when it occurred in November, Gabe Newell said that the hacker (or hackers) gained access to a database that included “user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information.” Today, Newell shared more news about the attack that’s sure to make some Steam users nervous once again. In message to Steam users, Newell said that Valve recently learned that the hacker was able to access a copy of Steam’s transaction history ranging from 2004 to 2008.

A lot of transactions took place between 2004 and 2008, so it goes without saying that a lot of credit card numbers and billing addresses are at risk. Newell said in his message (which you can read in full below) that there’s no evidence that credit card numbers were actually accessed, so at least that’s a little bit of good news.

Still, if you bought something on Steam between 2004 and 2008, it’s probably a good idea to keep a close eye on your bank account and immediately report any transactions you didn’t approve. If we’re to take Newell on his word here, there doesn’t seem to be that much to worry about, but as the old adage goes, “better to be safe than completely broke because you didn’t watch your bank statements.” Read Gabe’s full statement below, and then jump down to the comments section to tell us if you’ve experienced any suspicious charges popping up on your bank statements since Steam was hacked.

Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users:

We continue our investigation of last year’s intrusion with the help of outside security experts. In my last note about this, I described how intruders had accessed our Steam database but we found no evidence that the intruders took information from that database. That is still the case.

Recently we learned that it is probable that the intruders obtained a copy of a backup file with information about Steam transactions between 2004 and 2008. This backup file contained user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. It did not include Steam passwords.

We do not have any evidence that the encrypted credit card numbers or billing addresses have been compromised. However as I said in November it’s a good idea to watch your credit card activity and statements. And of course keeping Steam Guard on is a good idea as well.

We are still investigating and working with law enforcement authorities. Some state laws require a more formal notice of this incident so some of you will get that notice, but we wanted to update everyone with this new information now.

Gabe

Blizzard’s claim against Valve – which was filed back in November but only uncovered today by NeoGAF user Drkirby – says that Blizzard essentially has more right to the DOTA name since the original DOTA gained fame as a Warcraft III mod:

By this Opposition, Blizzard seeks to prevent registration by its competitor Valve Corporation (“Valve”) of a trademark, DOTA, that for more than seven years has been used exclusively by Blizzard and its fan community, under license from Blizzard. By virtue of that use, the DOTA mark has become firmly associated in the mind of consumers with Blizzard, including to signify a highly popular scenario or variant of one of Blizzard’s best-selling computer games, Warcraft III.

In contrast to Blizzard, Applicant Valve Corporation (“Valve”) has never used the mark DOTA in connection with any product or service that currently is available to the public. By attempting to register the mark DOTA, Valve seeks to appropriate the more than seven years of goodwill that Blizzard has developed in the mark DOTA and in its Warcraft III computer game and take for itself a name that has come to signify the product of years of time and energy expended by Blizzard and by fans of Warcraft III. Valve has no right to the registration it seek.

It’s definitely a tricky situation. On the one hand, Blizzard wasn’t the one that actually developed the DOTA mod, but rather Warcraft III player Icefrog was, who was later hired by Valve specifically to make a follow-up game. On the other, Blizzard does have a point when it says that the DOTA trademark has become associated with the company in the past 7 years.

According to the court schedule posted on NeoGAF, the case is currently in discovery, and pretrial will continue for the rest of the year. Let’s hope Blizzard and Valve can get this sorted out soon, because we already know that both developers are terrible at getting games out in a timely fashion without a lawsuit to distract them.

What do you think? Who’s in the right here? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

7. Capacitive Touch Screen Gloves

Terrific if you live in a colder climate, one thing you quickly learn in such an environment is that your hands need covered. And that’s not always conducive with touch screens. Better yet, you can get extra schmaltzy and pull the “cold hands / warm heart” gambit. And these are especially good for either front as they’re made with touch screen fibers in the fingers, allowing you to not only wear the gloves, but also interact with the touch screen. Best of all, they’re only $15.99 out at ThinkGeek.

6. Ballistic iPhone 4S Case

If your lady has an iPhone 4S, you know she’s put a lot of cash into it, and a lot of hard work just to get one. What better way to say “I care about the things you care about” than giving her one of the best multi-layer protection setups yet in the Ballistic iPhone 4S case? While the sentiment is certainly there, there’s no denying that a Ballistic case will do a nice job protecting your lady’s iPhone against drops and weather conditions, so it’s worth adding to the shopping list.

5. Kindle Fire

This one works delightfully on several levels. Is she a reader? It handles ebooks smoothly. Does she like mobile computing? This is a light-grade tablet. Or do you just want to get sappy? Tell her she Kindles that Fire in your heart and watch the misty-eye effect kick in. A Kindle Fire’s got just about every possible facet of gift-giving awesome you could want in your Valentine’s Day, so take advantage of the sheer array of possibilities!

4. A MP3 Player Mix Tape

This is a concept that’s steadily coming into vogue, and the perfect example of absolute customization. See, these days, MP3 players aren’t pricey. Some of them even serve double duty as USB sticks. And when you pre-fill them with your songs of choice, easily had at any of a variety of music sites, it only gets better. Couple a good shopping value together with the opportunity to make an emotional impact and that spells a smart move in the making.

3. Membership to your MMO of choice

A video game for Valentine’s Day? The hell you say!  It’s not so outlandish as you might think, as it’s been discovered that ladies like video gaming as much as guys do…okay, maybe not as much, but the numbers are closer than you’d think, and for different reasons. See, for many of the ladies, gaming is an opportunity for a social experience. And an MMO is a great opportunity for gaming to get social. Plus, it’s a game that she doesn’t have to stand around and watch you play–rather, she can play too. And if she’s playing right along side you, that’s a much, much different story.

2. Dave Barry’s A Complete Guide To Guys

Guys, we are not an open book to the ladies. In fact, much of our way of life confuses them about as much as theirs confuses us. And if you’ve ever wanted to make an impression, what better way than to hand over a complete guide to us? And let’s face it, guys, if you’ve read Dave Barry’s book, you know it’s not only funny, but it’s also disturbingly accurate. Everything from a description to our responses to the appearance of other guys in a public restroom to our relative confusion over the concept of relationships in general, Barry provides all the details you could ever want to know. And what better way to say “I love and trust you” than to hand over a primer to our most universal secrets? There’s only one way better that I can think of, and that way is…

1. 3D Chocolate Printer

A 3D printer is an impressive enough gadget by itself. It takes plastic, or resin, or even powdered metal and creates three dimensional representations of objects. With a 3D printer, you can actually create most anything you want, as long as you have the necessary instructions for it. And now, there’s currently research going on–this one might take a while to get to you–into 3D printers that use chocolate. And with that, you’ll be able to custom make anything out of chocolate. Anything. The possibilities stretch out before you, as anything you can think to make a chocolate replica of could be done with something like this.

And so, there you have it; seven great possibilities, both now and in the future, for great gifts for Valentine’s Day. Special thanks to our friends out at ThinkGeek, who dropped us a line on special Valentine’s Day gifts for the geek in your life. And for those who think this list may be a bit skewed, fear not: I consulted actual females in the list’s construction, who found it for the most part worthwhile, but acknowledged that the actual mileage on these gifts will vary.

And of course, for every one I managed to include, there are several others that I missed. So help out your fellow gadget buffs down in the comments section; what hits have you had as far as Valentine’s Day gift giving goes? What gifts have fallen short of the mark? No matter what your experience has been, head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

all pics copyright their owners.

Remedy has revealed that when the PC port lands, it will be arriving in two forms. The first is a standard edition that comes with the base game as well as the DLC packs The Signal and The Writer, the game’s soundtrack, six postcards, one poster, and seven stickers. So now that we know this, we’re wondering what’s in the collector’s edition if this package is considered the standard edition.

The collector’s edition, predictably, comes with quite a few more bonuses. Players who shell out for the collector’s edition will be getting all of the stuff that’s included with the standard edition, along with audio commentary from Remedy that can be toggled as you play through the game. The collector’s edition also comes with a making-of feature, a documentary on the history of Remedy, a collection of trailers and behind-the-scenes footage, and finally a 144 page book dubbed “The Alan Wake Files,” which features evidence compiled by one of the game’s characters, Clay Steward.

The standard edition and collector’s edition will both be available at retail as two and three disc sets, respectively. If you’d like to forgo the visit to a brick and mortar store, both editions will be available through Steam as well (and presumably Origin, after a period of Steam exclusivity), with the standard edition priced at $30 and the collector’s edition coming in at $35. Any way you slice it, that isn’t a bad deal considering how many extras you get with either edition.

So, which one are you going to buy? Are you going to buy a retail copy or the Steam version? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

I’m not sure you can technically say that this is another delay since Diablo 3 never had a solid release date in the first place, but regardless of what you want to call it, Diablo 3 is now being targeted for a Q2 2012 release. This means Activision and Blizzard are looking to release Diablo 3 sometime after April 1st but before June 30th.

This is simply the latest in a long line of set backs for Diablo 3 fans. First, Blizzard said repeatedly that it was going to try and get Diablo 3 out the door before the sun set on 2011, and then when it became clear that a 2011 release wasn’t going to happen, Blizzard pushed the date back to sometime in “early 2012.” Now we’ve been hit with a second quarter release window, so hopefully Blizzard can get it in our hands before Q3 2012 arrives.

Even though we don’t have an actual date for Diablo 3 yet, Activision-Blizzard CFO Thomas Tippl reiterated during the investor call that at least two Blizzard games will be launching this year. One of those games is definitely Diablo 3, while the other is likely either Heart of the Swarm or the World of Warcraft expansion Mists of Pandaria.

So, if you’re a Diablo fan who simply can’t wait for Diablo 3 to be released, you should probably take this Q2 release window with a grain of salt. Since there’s no solid date to speak of, it’s possible that Blizzard will move the date back once more before launch, so don’t get excited until an actual release date for Diablo 3 has been confirmed.

So no, the Call of Duty series isn’t dying, and it shows no signs of slowing down either. This will likely be considered bad news by the many who lament Call of Duty’s very existence, but it’s great news for Activision. Indeed, if Electronic Arts wants to see the Battlefield franchise kill Call of Duty one day, the folks at DICE are going to have to step their game up.

In other Call of Duty news, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said that Call of Duty Elite now sports 1.5 million Premium subscribers. Considering the service’s rocky launch, 1.5 million paying subscribers is definitely good, and Eric Hirshberg says that the Beachhead studios will be rolling out new features for Call of Duty Elite in the coming months.

He also said that Activision is working on Call of Duty Elite version 2.0, which will coincide with the release of Call of Duty 2012 – yes, Activision confirmed that there will definitely be a new Call of Duty game later this year. Hirshberg was light on the details about this new iteration of Call of Duty Elite, but with this year’s version, Activision appears to be kicking off a trend of releasing a new Elite along with each new Call of Duty game. Since Call of Duty Elite already seems to offer a good value for the subscription cost (as long as you’re playing on Xbox 360), I don’t think too many fans will mind that release model.

What do you think? Have you been enjoying Call of Duty Elite so far? Is it a good idea for Activision to release a new version of Elite with each Call of Duty game? Head down to the comments section to sound off!

Perhaps that’s why Double Fine went to fans instead of publishers for funding to make a new game. Yesterday, Double Fine began a Kickstarter campaign to secure the money needed to make a new adventure game, as so many aspiring game developers have done in the past. The target amount was listed as $400,000, and while that’s pretty tame when it comes to big-time game development, it’s still a lot of money to be asking complete strangers for.

But then something amazing happened. Just eight hours after the campaign kicked off, Double Fine’s fans had completely funded the project. It’s certainly an awe-inspiring story, but what’s even more awe-inspiring is the fact that donations continue to roll in. With 33 days left before donations are no longer accepted, Double Fine has raised $954,859 – more than twice what the company was originally asking for.

Donations show no sign of slowing down, either, so it looks like Double Fine will have more than enough money to make its adventure game. So, what’s going to happen to all of that extra money? Double Fine’s Kickstarter page says that all money raised will go directly to making the game and the planned companion documentary better, and the first thing on the list is bringing the game to Mac and iOS (at the moment, only a Steam release for Windows-based PCs is planned).

Things seem to be going Schafer’s way lately. It was only a few days ago that Minecraft creator Notch offered the funds needed to make Psychonauts 2, and now the gaming community has come out in resounding support of Double Fine’s adventure game efforts. Now let’s hope that Schafer has the energy to deliver both games and make tons of fans happy!

Specifically, Frazier says that the whether or not Amalur gets a sequel is more dependent on sales figures than anything else. We’ve seen it happen time and time again, too: games hit it big with critics, but perform poorly commercially, dooming what could have been a great series to be abandoned by potential publishers instead. But even if sales aren’t exactly to publisher Electronic Arts’ liking, Frazier says there still might be hope that Big Huge Games and 38 Studios are given the green light for a sequel:

It comes down to units sold at the end of the day, but it’s complicated. If the game doesn’t sell that many copies but the critical reception is really good, then our publisher might be like, well, it was the first in a new franchise, we’re going to take a bet and sign you up for another one. If the sales are really good you’re pretty much set no matter what. There’s a pretty big sliding scale there.

Alternatively, Frazier says that Big Huge Game may get the sequel it wants despite poor sales, but the budget won’t be enough to actually make the game the developers envision. That, as you may have already guessed, is not a desirable situation to be in, and Frazier says that having the plug pulled on the series is preferable to making a sequel with an insufficient budget.

The moral of the story? If you like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and want the see a sequel made, be sure to tell all of the RPG fans you know that they need this game in their library. After all, word of mouth is one of the biggest factors when it comes to video game sales (case in point, folks), and Big Huge Games will need all of the ammunition it can get when it pitches the idea of a sequel to Electronic Arts.

The footage below is from Todd Howard’s keynote at DICE 2012. One thing he talked about while up on stage was Bethesda’s annual Game Jam, during which developers are given a week to develop whatever they want on company time. This year, however, there was one stipulation: everything has to be made within Skyrim.

Howard then showed a clip that featured some of the more interesting projects to come out of Skyrim’s Game Jam, including giant mudcrabs, kill cams for both spells and arrows, seasonal foliage, hanging and moving structures in dungeons, mounted combat, fat giants, and the ability to build your own home from the ground up.

Of course, there’s much more than that included in the video below, but to list more features would ruin the wonder associated with seeing what the developers came up with in the week they had. There’s definitely some awesome features included in the video below, and the best part is that Howard hints that some of it might see the light of day at some point, either as DLC or free add-ons. Let’s hope that he follows through on that, because these additional features would do a lot to get Skyrim owners to return to the game once more.

So, watch the video below and then head down to the comments section and tell us what you think. Which of these new features would you like to see added to the game as actual content? Do you think Bethesda will eventually release this content for the full game if we bug Todd Howard and Pete Hines enough?

First up is “Project JFK” from Magicka developer Arrowhead studios. Paradox says that this is a multiplayer combat game with a focus on killing the other players in cool ways, which sounds a lot like Magicka. Yes, the goal of Magicka wasn’t exactly to kill off the buddies playing with you, but with as frantic as the game got in some places, it definitely happened anyway.

The second unannounced game Paradox will have on hand has been dubbed “Project Revenge!” from Brazil’s Critical Studio. According to the Paradox press release, this is an “action packed action game in a world that can be described as death trap for heroes and children,” which sounds both awesome and endlessly annoying at the same time. Finally – and this sounds like the most ridiculous one of the bunch – we have “Project Silverado” which is some kind of real-time strategy, shooter, tabletop war game, and sci-fi game hybrid. Quite frankly, it’s exhausting trying to think of all those genres rolled into one game.

Toss A Game of Dwarves and War of the Roses into the mix, and you have one GDC presentation that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Seeing as how I loved Magicka, I can’t wait to see what Paradox will be revealing at GDC, especially that new game from Arrowhead. Then again, after the statements made by Paradox’s CEO, I don’t really need much more of a reason to support the company’s publishing endeavors.

What do you think? Are you excited for the games that Paradox is planning to reveal at GDC? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

We’ve seen a lot of game companies issuing poor financial reports lately, so you can bet that a cheerful disposition has taken over at Time Warner. The company says that its Filmed Entertainment division, which its video game endeavors are a part of, saw revenues rise in the fiscal year ending December 31st 2011, climbing 9% to $12.6 billion. The company said that Batman: Arkham City was to thank for this rise is revenue, along with other successful games from 2011 like Mortal Kombat.

Sell-through rates for Arkham City weren’t revealed in the financial report, but regardless, 6 million shipped is great for any video game. It may not be able to challenge games like Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3, but you have to remember that before Rockstar’s Batman games, finding a good superhero game was a very rare event. Rocksteady raised the bar when it comes to making licensed games based on superheroes, and both it and Warner Bros. were rewarded handsomely for it.

So, now that we know that Batman: Arkham City was a resounding success, what’s next for Rocksteady? Whatever the studio ends up making, it’s going to be hard to top Arkham City in terms of gripping gameplay, but I’d like to see it try to put out a good Superman game. The Man of Steel has never starred in a game that can be called “great,” and it seems that Rocksteady would be the perfect studio to turn that around.

In any case, have you been enjoying Arkham City, or are you one of the few that doesn’t care for it? Head down to the comments section to let us know!

Unfortunately for PS3 players – the group of Skyrim owners who need 1.4 the most – Hines couldn’t really give much an update on when the patch will be available on their console of choice. He said that it’s looking good and that Bethesda will update players when they get more information from Sony, but from the moment it looks like the update is still stuck in approval stage.

Update 1.4 fixes a long list of bugs and glitches with Skyrim, but most importantly, it’s said to fix the issues with lag that PS3 players have been experiencing. If you’re one of the lucky PS3 players who hasn’t been plagued with lag problems, it goes a little something like this: Skyrim’s autosave files are poorly optimized on PS3, and as a result, they tend to grow much larger than autosave files on Xbox 360 and PC. When this happens, the game will begin to lag after an hour or so of play, and that lag very quickly renders the game unplayable.

It’s a bad spot to be in, and PS3 players have been dealing with this problem since launch. Since the problem was first reported way back in November, it makes you wonder why Bethesda has taken until update 1.4 to fix the issue. That’s assuming 1.4 even fixes the issue in the first place, as Bethesda has already released patches that break the game further. Fingers crossed, right?

If you’ve been experiencing game-breaking lag on the PS3, head down to the comments section and tell us about it. Otherwise, keep it tuned right here to TFTS for an update on when Skyrim patch 1.4 will hit the PS3!

The song list for SSX is 46 tracks long, with 36 licensed songs and 10 original songs created specifically for the game by groups like The Qemists, Camo & Krooked, Raffertie, and Amon Tobin. If you primarily listen to mainstream music, there isn’t going to be a lot on this list that you recognize, save for Run DMC’s It’s Tricky, which has been remixed for this entry in series by Pretty Lights.

Dubstep fans will undoubtedly be happy to see groups like Skrillex make the cut, though I have to be completely honest here and say that I recognize almost no one on this list save for a couple like Foster the People and Two Door Cinema Club. That wasn’t the case with SSX 3 – which I think had the best soundtrack of the series so far – but I’m willing to give this one a shot. Take a look at the full list below (artist – track):

• Camo & Krooked – Breezeblock
• Camo & Krooked – Portal
• Dels – Capsize ft. Joe Goddard & Roots Manuva
• Digitalism – Blitz
• DJ Shadow – I Gotta Rock (Irn Mnky Swagger Mix)
• Felguk ft. Example – Plastic Smile
• Flux Pavilion – I Can’t Stop
• Foster the People – Houdini
• Handsome Furs – Damage
• Hyper – Accelerate
• J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Magik (Egyptian Lover Remix) ft. Aima the Dream, Cait La Dee & Raashan Ahmad
• Kid Digital – Done With That ft. Profit
• Konrad Old Money – Big Error
• Lateef the Truthspeaker – Oakland ft. Del the Funky Homosapien & The Grouch
• Nero – Scorpions
• Noisia – Could this Be
• Noisia – Machine Gun
• Pretty Lights – Hot Like Dimes
• Raffertie – Twitch (It Grows and Grows: SSX Version)
• Run-DMC – It’s Tricky (SSX Pretty Lights Remix)
• Skrillex – Scatta ft. Foreign Beggers & Bare Noize
• Styrofoam – Ones Better
• The Big Pink – Stay Gold
• The Herbaliser – What You Asked For
• The Hives – 1000 Answers
• The Naked and Famous – Young Blood
• The Prototypes – Your Future
• The Qemists – Bones ft. Kellermensch
• The Qemists – Stompbox
• The Qemists – Lifeline
• Theophilus London – I Stand Alone (Ocelot Mix)
• TRS-80 – Mirage
• Turbowolf – A Rose for the Crows
• Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix)
• Wretch 32 – Traktor
• Zion I and the Grouch – Drop It on the 1

So there you have it. Not feeling this soundtrack? That’s okay, because Electronic Arts says that SSX will allow users to use their own custom playlists when browsing the menus or shredding on the slopes. You really can’t ask for much more than that (aside from, perhaps, an online pass that doesn’t sound too terrible).

What do you think of this soundtrack? Does it make you more excited for SSX, or will you be skipping it and using your own custom playlists?

But Valve may have something more planned for this Space Core mod, as one clever YouTube user has posted a video that suggests Valve is planning a Portal 2 quest line for Skyrim. In the video below, YouTube user Memborable shows viewers where they can find the Space Core and then proceeds to open up the console and type in “help portal.”

That command brings up a list of every Portal-related thing in Skyrim. Unsurprisingly, the list is pretty short, but one of the results – “portal2quest” – raises some eyebrows. Is Valve planning to continue this mod with a quest focused on the Space Core? The Half-Life developer hasn’t said anything, but considering the mod itself is titled “Fall of the Space Core, Vol. 1″ this probably isn’t going to be Valve’s only Skyrim mod.

Personally, I don’t even know how I’d react to a Portal 2-themed quest in Skyrim. Two of 2011′s best games coming together for a genre-bending quest? It sounds too awesome to even comprehend at this point. I suppose we’ll have to wait a little while before we find out how Valve is planning to continue this mod, but in the meantime, just get lost in the plethora of Skyrim mods that have been added to the Steam Workshop since yesterday.

What’s your take? Is Valve going to give us a Portal 2 quest for Skyrim, or do you think Valve and Bethesda are just trolling fans? Head down to the comments section and speculate away!

With the price now sitting at $149.99, this means that you can get a 3DS for a cool $100 less than the price of the cheapest PS Vita, which will set you back $250. That’s definitely something to consider, especially since the 3DS already has a year’s worth of games to check out. The PS Vita’s launch lineup is pretty strong, but can you really resist the lure of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 when you can buy both titles and a 3DS and still pay less than you would for a WiFi-only PS Vita?

Of course, that’s for you to answer, not us. Indeed, the PS Vita will offer crisper visuals and appears to be the multimedia device the 3DS wishes it could be, but at the moment, things aren’t looking so hot for the Vita. It’s struggling in Japan while the 3DS continues to dominate the charts, and if it meets the same fate in other regions, Sony will probably implement a price cut. Remember, good things come to those who wait.

Really though, both appear to be great in their own ways, so you really can’t go wrong with picking one over the other. So long as Sony can get the Vita in the hands of consumers, there’s going to be plenty third party support for the handheld, so even if you take the more expensive route and pick up the Vita, it’s seems pretty safe to assume that you’ll be pleased with your purchase.

What do you think? Are you going to head out to GameStop and pick up a 3DS on the cheap, or are you holding out for the Vita? Head down to the comments section to share your opinion!

While previously, we’d discovered that the Titan 17 was going to pack in an Intel Core i7-990X processor, the newest word says that that’s being pulled and replaced with either your choice of an i7-3930K or an i7-3960K, comparable to that of the AVADirect Clevo P270WM that we discussed here only yesterday. They’ll even be throwing in a backlit keyboard, just like that of the Clevo.

But that’s not the only thing they’ll be offering, oh no…the Titan 17 is also set to offer your choice of several memory cards, including the Nvidia GeForce GTX 580M or the Quadro 5010M, a 17.3 inch LED display showing at 1920 x 1080 resolution, up to 32 gigs of Quad Channel DDR3 RAM, your choice of a variety of optical drives including a Blu-ray reader / writer, your choice of up to three different hard drives (including  750 gig hard drives or a surprising 600 gig solid state drive), Bigfoot’s Killer Wireless wi-fi connection, a variety of ports, a Kensington lock and matching fingerprint reader, and an onboard high-definition audio system.

Oh, and just for added fun, they’ll ship these little beauties for free and offer up copies of Jagged Alliance: Back in Action and Batman: Arkham City with each preorder.

That’s a whole lot of laptop, no mistake, and considering that these start at $3499, well, it’s not hard to see that they’ve priced these like they’re a whole lot of laptop to boot. The question, of course, will remain, will anyone be looking to spend at whole lot of laptop levels when they can get much of what the Titan 17 will be offering in desktop form for significantly less instead of spending that kind of money to make it portable in laptop form?

But what do you guys think here? Figure that the Titan 17 laptop will make a big splash with buyers? Or is this one going to be too much price tag for too little value to too many people? No matter what your stance here, head on down to the comments section and make your feelings known!

The Xbox 360 is being sold in the Kinect Star Wars bundle, meaning it’ll be sold with a Kinect sensor bar (all white) as well as a copy of Star Wars Kinect. The preview coverage of Star Wars Kinect has been spotty and some of what we’ve seen doesn’t look that impressive (“Lightsaber on!”). Major Nelson did release more information about the game though. It’ll have a few different modes, putting you in the cockpit flying a ship in space battles, racing speeder bikes, a “Galactic Dance Off” mode and of course, a lightsaber fighting mode. All these new modes include the podracing and rancor fighting modes which were previously announced.

The Star Wars Xbox 360 console bundle will also come with a copy of Kinect Adventures, like all other Kinect bundles. Don’t expect to get your hands on the R2-D2 Xbox 360 outside of the bundle, but rumor has it that Microsoft will be selling the C-3PO controller separately. The whole package will cost you $449 (“Your Republic Credits are no good here.”) and again, is set to be released April 3^rd. Tell us, are these the droids you’re looking for?

Anyway, the pickings are slim this month, as there’s only one new map being released in February. That new map has been dubbed “Overwatch” and its description on the Call of Duty Elite site actually makes it sound pretty cool:

Shots break out on a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. Battle takes place along two levels in a near symmetrical layout, with the central bridge and side routes open to attack from multiple angles. Watch your every step, as a lack of boundaries surrounding the perimeter leaves nothing to prevent you from falling far to the ground below.

You might be wondering why a firefight would ever break out at a construction site, but the question you should be asking is “who doesn’t want that?” Knowing that certain death is only one misplaced step away should do a lot to add to the tension of multiplayer games, so I’m thinking plenty of Elite subscribers will be excited to check it out.

Overwatch will be available for Xbox Live subscribers on February 21st, while PS3 players are simply being told that the map is “coming soon.” PS3 players, however, do have the first two Elite maps – Liberation and Piazza – to look forward to, with both releasing on February 28th. That’s more than a month after they became available for Xbox 360 users, which begs the question of why Activision chose to play favorites when everyone is paying a subscription fee. I guess that’s what happens when Microsoft thinks it can create value by shelling out tons of cash for timed exclusives.

Are you a Call of Duty Elite Premium subscriber? Head down to the comments section and let us know if you’re looking forward to this new map!

But if you think all of that is going to ensure that you’re victorious against the Reapers, you’re wrong, because your arsenal is missing something essential: iOS apps! Today, Electronic Arts announced two new iOS apps that are meant to tie-in to the Mass Effect 3 story, and even though we know that marketing is the name of the game here, they at least sound pretty cool.

First up is Mass Effect Infiltrator, a third-person shooter for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch that will have you attempting to rescue prisoners from a Cerberus base. You’ll have powers and weapons from the Mass Effect universe at your disposal, and collecting data of the now-hostile Cerberus group’s crimes will increase your Galactic Readiness rating in Mass Effect 3. Weapons unlocked in Infiltrator can be used in Mass Effect 3 as well, and Electronic Arts is teasing that it may have a larger affect on the storyline of the main game.

Then comes Mass Effect Datapad, which will be available only on iPad. No one really has any clue what this app will do or how it ties into the main game, but if I were to hazard a guess, I would say that it sounds like a companion app for the main game that gives you detailed entries on the characters, races, locations, and weapons in the Mass Effect universe. Again, that’s just a guess, but what else would you use a datapad for?

In any case, if you’re a fan of both tie-ins and the Mass Effect series, it sounds like you just hit the motherload (provided you also have an iOS device). Be sure to keep checking back here with us – we’ll update you once Electronic Arts and BioWare spill some more details on these upcoming iOS apps!

In 2005, Schafer’s Double Fine Productions released Psychonauts, and even though the game was a critical success, it was a commercial failure. Since its release, however, it has gained a huge cult following, and fans have been bugging Schafer to put out a sequel for years now. In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Schafer said that he’s actually pitched the idea of Psychonauts 2 multiple times, but to no avail:

I mean I get a lot of, on Twitter or whatever, daily questions about Psychonauts 2. And I would love to do Psychonauts 2, I’ve actually pitched that to publishers several times and no-one has taken the bait so far. So it is hard because fans often don’t know how the business works, with the difference between a developer and a publisher, it’s hard to explain that. I’d love to do that game, but I’d have to convince someone to just give me a few million dollars, that’s all.

This is where Notch comes in. Earlier today, he tweeted Schafer saying “Let’s make Psychonauts 2 happen.” A few minutes later, he let Schafer and his followers know that he wasn’t kidding around by tweeting, “;D Also, I’m serious.” Since then, Schafer has apparently been talking to Notch about the possibility of getting together and bringing Psychonauts 2 into the world, but both Double Fine and Notch warn not to get your hopes up just yet, as the two have only been communicating through email and nothing is close to being set in stone.

Still, this is pretty awesome on Notch’s part. Everyone knows by now that Minecraft made Notch a multi-millionaire, and if Notch takes some of those earnings and pumps them into making Psychonauts 2 a reality, he’ll go down as one of the coolest guys in video game history (at least as far as Psychonauts fans are concerned). Let’s hope that these talks pan out and Psychonauts 2 actually becomes a thing!

What do you think? Can Double Fine and Mojang strike a deal here? Do you think Psychonauts 2 will one day be made? Jump down to the comments section to share your opinion!

Sounds like a pretty neat compromise to us! This transfer program launched alongside the PS Vita in Japan, but in a move that can’t be called anything but “stupid,” Sony has unfortunately announced that the transfer program won’t be making it North America. Hope you didn’t sell your PSP in order to put some money down on a new PS Vita, because if you did, those UMDs you held on to are pretty much worthless now.

So, those hoping to play their old UMD games basically have two options. Either keep your PSP around, or buy those games again digitally once you get a PS Vita. It isn’t a desirable situation for those early PSP owners, but this is what happens when companies like Sony try to force proprietary technology on consumers and that technology fails. Now, instead of trying to make it right for those customers who shelled out a lot of cash in support of the PSP early on, Sony’s dropping the ball.

Even worse is the fact that Kotaku, which originally reported this news, has been trying to get Sony to explain why it launched the transfer program in Japan but won’t in other regions, but at the moment Sony isn’t saying anything. There’s a lot of people who sold their PSP in anticipation of this transfer program, and they deserve an explanation as to why Sony isn’t going to honor what it originally said. Here’s to hoping they get that explanation.

Will the lack of a UMD transfer program be a problem for you, or are all of your PSP games digital? Leave a comments with your thoughts below!

I personally can’t wait to see what the community comes up with now that some actual mod tools are out in the open, but first thing’s first: what of that surprise Hines teased when he announced the date for the Creation Kit last week? Sure enough, its a mod from none other than Bethesda – a high-resolution texture pack for those who have beefy rigs and would like to get a little more beauty out of their game.

Valve and Bethesda have also teamed up for a bit of cross-game modding action. Valve has added the Space Sphere from Portal 2 to Skyrim with this mod, so dragon slayers with a high tolerance for rambling mad robots are encouraged to check this mod out. Both the Space Sphere mod and Bethesda’s high-res texture pack are available through the Steam Workshop, but at the moment Valve seems to have a problem keeping these mods online. Sit tight though, because Bethesda says that full functionality of the Steam Workshop should return shortly.

Don’t have Skyrim yet? That’s not a problem, because it’s been discounted to $39.99 in celebration of the Creation Kit’s release. As part of Midweek Madness, you can also get Oblivion and Morrowind for $10 each, or you can buy a bundle of all three games for $50, which is $10 off Skyrim’s normal sticker price. You really can’t beat that deal, especially if you’ve never played an Elder Scrolls game before.

What do you think? Are you ready to jump into a sea of mods? Head down to the comments section to sound off!

Not only will the Clevo P270WM throw in your choice of a hexa-core (yes, that’s six cores) i7-3930K processor or a slight step up from there to the i7-3960 (and, from what the AVADirect site is saying, overclocking is available), but it will also throw in a pair of GeForce GTX 580Ms, a Bigfoot Killer wi-fi adapter, space for three hard drives (you can top out at three terabytes of storage space, or instead go for three solid state drives), space for sufficient memory slots to offer as much as 32 gigs of RAM, and–brace yourself–a 17.3 inch full HD LED display that will even handle 3D. It’s even got a backlit keyboard.

Naturally, there’s all sorts of room for customization based on your needs and the dictates of your pocketbook, ensuring that this one is as close as possible to the muscle machine you’ve always wanted. And just the entry-level device on this one will set you back just over a whopping $3100, so you’d better be prepared for serious sticker shock before you go anywhere near this one.

Some may wonder why they’d want to go laptop with something like this, when a desktop would provide much the same specs and likely do it for less, but then there’s always something to be said for the ability to go mobile as needed, and a desktop just doesn’t provide that very effectively. Still though, if you don’t need that mobility, you’ll be able to find hardware to match this at much better prices.

But what do you guys think here? Think that the mobility is worth the extra cash you’ll have to lay out? Or do you think a desktop is just an all-around better value for your muscle machine needs? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section below and tell us what you think!

The only problem is that we’ve heard nothing about it since the announcement. That all changed today thanks to Japanese site gnn.gamer.tw (as reported by Andriasang), which finally got a smidgen of information out of Shinji Hashimoto. Unfortunately, it probably isn’t going to be information most fans want to hear.

According to the Hashimoto, Final Fantasy X HD will be a “remaster” and not a “remake.” This means that Square Enix isn’t going to be adding anything to this new version, instead just giving it a visual boost. In other words, think of it as more akin to the HD versions of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus – good looking, but aside from the cosmetic updates, there won’t be anything noteworthy.

It’s definitely a bummer to hear, but I have the feeling that this update was announced to show off the Vita more than anything else. Just like Final Fantasy X showed off what the PS2 was capable of back in 2001, Final Fantasy X HD will do the same for the PS Vita. And hey, at least you’ll have some pretty visuals to look at. That has to count for something, right?

So what say you? Are you disappointed that there won’t be any new content in Final Fantasy X HD, or were expecting Sony and Square Enix to go this route? Head down to the comments section to share your opinion and keep checking back with us for more news about Final Fantasy X HD!

Jameson thinks that would be a pretty simple idea to put into practice, saying that publishers could simply include a code with all copies of their games that tie those games to the console the code is entered on. Of course, this would create a problem with rentals and gamers who want to loan their games to friends, but Durall has a solution for that too. For instance, Microsoft could allow gamers to rent games for a fee and download them straight to their consoles, and it could allow the game owner to transfer the license to their friends for a limited time. While the license is in the hands of the other person, the owner would be locked out of playing the game, and wouldn’t be able to play it until that period of time is over.

Durall then ended his article by saying that whatever happens, something needs to be done about the used market:

In the end, I fully believe that we have to do something about these issues or our industry is going to fall apart. People often don’t understand the cost that goes into creating these huge experiences that we put on the shelves for only $60. They also don’t seem to realize how much they are hurting us when they buy a used game and how pirating a copy is just plain stealing. Maybe something as simple as educating them could help solve the problem…

The problem with Durall’s claim is that he seems to think all of the games that release are worth $60, when that quite obviously isn’t the case. Hell, even most of Volition’s games aren’t worth $60. I would even go so far as to argue that Saints Row: The Third, which is a very good game, isn’t worth $60. I say this because the publisher, THQ, locked content away behind an online pass and Volition has announced a buttload of DLC that honestly should have been included with the game in the first place.

If developers really want to see used sales decline, they would all do well to reconsider how much value their games truly offer. There are very few games that actually offer $60 worth of content, and that’s a big reason why people buy used. As well, Durall needs to keep in mind that $60 is a lot of money for the average gamer, and a fair number of gamers trade-in their old games in order to buy new games on release day. Kill the used market in the way that Durall is suggesting, and new sales will go down with it. It really is that simple.

What do you think? Is Jameson Durall on the right track with his idea, or do you think there’s a lot of variables he isn’t considering here? Head down to the comments section and share your opinion.

Considering that Dungeon Defenders is a blast to play, it’s not hard to see why the game has been doing so well. Toss in a few or your friends, and you’ve got one of the most addictive co-op games to release in recent memory, and the massive amount of gear to pillage will keep loot fans coming back time and time again.

Dungeon Defenders is already a pretty inexpensive title, but it goes up on sale through Steam rather frequently, which is why the majority of Trendy’s sales have come from PC gamers. There’s also small bits of DLC released for the PC version on a regular basis, and even though console players won’t be getting some of that (such as Holiday DLC and new characters), they’ll still be getting the major DLC like The Lost Eternia Shards: Mistymire Forest. There’s three more major DLC packs planned for consoles and PC, so regardless of the platform you bought it on, it’ll be getting plenty of support.

After that, who knows? It’s not like Trendy can support Dungeon Defenders forever, and the team is probably anxious to move on to something new now that their first game has been released. Whatever the studio does next, I’m excited to see it. Are you, or are you happy enough with Dungeon Defenders at the moment? Head down to the comments section to share your opinion, and keep it right here at TFTS for more information about Dungeon Defenders and its upcoming DLC!

What’s interesting about this list is that there’s a number of achievements for playing the game’s multiplayer mode, but most of those achievement can also be obtained through playing the single-player portion. It’s rare to see an achievement that can be completed through either multiplayer or single player means, but I suppose BioWare figured it was already walking on thin ice with the introduction of a multiplayer mode, so it decided to play it safe with the achievements.

Go ahead and take a look at the full list of Mass Effect 3 achievements, but those sensitive to spoilers should be aware that there’s plenty to be found in the list:

• Driven (5G) – Return to active duty.
• Bringer of War (10G) – Chase down an assassin.
• Mobilizer (15G) – Bring a veteran officer aboard.
• World Shaker (15G) – Destroy an Atlas dropped from orbit.
• Pathfinder (15G) – Explore a lost city.
• Tunnel Rat (15G) – Survive the swarm.
• Party Crasher (15G) – Sabotage a dreadnought.
• Hard Target (15G) – Call down an orbital strike.
• Saboteur (15G) – Disable a group of fighter squadrons.
• Arbiter (25G) – Win a political stand-off.
• Last Witness (25G) – Extract ancient technology.
• Executioner (25G) – Defeat an old adversary.
• Well Connected (15G) – Send a warning across the galaxy.
• Fact Finder (15G) – Discover an enemy’s monstrous origin.
• Liberator (15G) – Stop a Cerberus kidnapping.
• Problem Solver (15G) – Evacuate a scientific facility.
• Patriot (25G) – Make the final assault.
• Legend (50G) – Mission accomplished.
• Shopaholic (10G) – Visit a store in the single-player campaign.
• Master and Commander (50G) – Deliver most of the Galaxy at War assets to the final conflict.
• Lost and Found (25G) – Dispatch 10 probes to retrieve people or resources in Reaper territory.
• Long Service Medal (50G) – Complete Mass Effect 3 twice, or once with a Mass Effect 2 import.
• Insanity (75G) – Finish the game on Insanity without changing difficulty after leaving Earth.
• A Personal Touch (10G) – Modify a weapon.
• Paramour (25G) – Establish or rekindle a romantic relationship.
• Combined Arms (25G) – Perform any combination of 50 biotic combos or tech bursts.
• Focused (25G) – Evolve any of your powers to rank 6.
• Recruit (10G) – Kill 250 enemies.
• Soldier (15G) – Kill 1,000 enemies.
• Veteran (25G) – Kill 5,000 enemies.
• Bruiser (10G) – Kill 100 enemies with melee attacks.
• Untouchable (10G) – Escape a Reaper in the galaxy map.
• Defender (25G) – Attain the highest level of readiness in each theatre of war.
• Overload Specialist (15G) – Overload the shields of 100 enemies.
• Sky High (15G) – Lift 100 enemies off the ground with powers.
• Pyromaniac (15G) – Set 100 enemies on fire with powers.
• Eye of the Hurricane (10G) – Kill a brute while it’s charging you.
• Mail Slot (10G) – Kill 10 guardians with headshots from the front while their shields are raised.
• Hijacker (10G) – Hijack an Atlas mech.
• Giant Killer (10G) – Defeat a harvester.
• Enlisted (5G) – Start a character in multiplayer or customize a character in single-player.
• Tour of Duty (20G) – Finish all multiplayer maps or all N7 missions in single-player.
• Always Prepared (10G) – Obtain two non-customizable suits of armour.
• Tourist (5G) – Complete one multiplayer match or two N7 missions.
• Explorer (15G) – Complete three multiplayer matches or five N7 missions.
• Gunsmith (25G) – Upgrade any weapon to level 10.
• Almost There (15G) – Reach level 15 in multiplayer or level 50 in single-player.
• Peak Condition (25G) – Reach level 20 in multiplayer or level 60 in single-player.
• Battle Scarred (25G) – Promote a multiplayer character to the Galaxy at War or import an ME3 character.
• Unwavering (50G) – Finish all multiplayer maps on Gold or all single-player missions on Insanity.

Another thing you’ve probably noticed is that there aren’t any Kinect-centric achievements on this list, which means that Kinect is purely optional while playing Mass Effect 3. Since there aren’t any Kinect achievements, it’s a safe bet that the trophy list for the PS3 version will be identical to this one.

So, which do you think will be the hardest achievement to nab? Personally, I’m a little bit disappointed that there isn’t an achievement for taking a character through the entire series, but I suppose that would put PS3 players at a disadvantage. Head down to the comments section to tell us which achievement you think will be the hardest to obtain, and keep it tuned right here to TFTS for more Mass Effect 3 news!

That news comes from Naughty Dog co-President Evan Wells, who says in the latest issue of Game Informer that at one point the team was thinking it would be a great idea to apply what they learned while developing the Uncharted series to a new Jak & Daxter game. Obviously, that didn’t end up happening, and Naughty Dog started working on The Last of Us, with Wells saying that to make a new Jak & Daxter game at this point in time would be doing everyone a disservice:

Even if we felt like we’re going to give the fans another Jak & Daxter, we felt we weren’t going to give them the game that they wanted. We would end up limiting the direction that the company had this passion for while simultaneously not creating the game that fans wanted. We just realised we were going to just do everybody a disservice. So at that point, the conversations started to move in a new direction.

However, to say that the studio won’t ever make a new Jak & Daxter game is just silly, Wells claims. There may still be the possibility of the Uncharted team moving onto something with the Jak & Daxter franchise, but Wells warns not to get your hopes up, because the Uncharted team would likely run into the same problems that the other team did before deciding to begin work on The Last of Us.

So, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting any new Jak & Daxter game for a while. Even though the Jak & Daxter HD Collection is launching later this week, there hasn’t been a new Jak & Daxter game on PS3 yet. There’s been many fans crying out for one, but unfortunately, the appearance of a brand new Jak & Daxter is probably quite a ways off.

What do you think? Are you one of the many who has been asking for a new Jak & Daxter? Are you willing to give Naughty Dog a chance with its new IP even though you want a new Jak & Daxter game more? Head down to the comments section to sound off!

As we all know, The Witcher 2 will be arriving on Xbox 360 with a bevy of new features, but before this developer diary, we only knew that the Xbox 360 version will offer new story content, new characters, and new quests. In the video below, CD Projekt Red executive producer John Mamais talks about some additional new features, including new controls, an “intelligent camera system,” and a console-friendly user interface.

Mamais also says that the Xbox 360 version is more of an adaptation than it is a port. CD Projekt Red views it as an adaptation because it’s attempting to make the experience feel “native,” to the console. To do this, Mamais says that the game has rebuilt with a rewritten renderer, which he claims will allow the team to “achieve much better performance with the same fidelity as the PC version.”

This developer diary also features The Witcher 2 storywriter Jan Bartkowicz, who gives a little bit of backstory on both Geralt and The Witcher 2 for those that aren’t familiar with the series. He says that CD Projekt Red has beefed up the final chapter of the story for the Xbox 360 by including some new questlines and events, which is an announcement that should make anticipation for the Xbox 360 version climb even higher.

Frankly, it sounds like the Xbox 360 version is going to be a great addition to The Witcher 2 family, and toward the end of the diary, Mamais teases that there’s still some more new features to announce. We’ll have those details for you once CD Projekt Red reveals them, but in the meantime, watch the video below and then head to the comments section to tell us what you think – are you excited for The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360, or are you going to have to see more before you set some money aside?

So, you can see why it was a bummer when GameStop quit offering these classic titles and consoles. To help satisfy that retro gaming itch, GameStop has brought back some of the most classic games out there, but this time around, you can redeem those hard earned PowerUp points in exchange for these games. Since you rack up points through buying and selling at GameStop, that sounds pretty convenient, doesn’t it?

But hold on, because before you get too excited, you should know that these classic games are ridiculously expensive. Before we get into the specific prices of these games, I should probably give you a run down on how GameStop’s point system works: PowerUp Rewards members get 10 points for every dollar they spend on new games and new consoles and 20 points for every dollar they spend on used merchandise and for every dollar the earn on trade-ins. So, buy a new copy of Mass Effect 3 next month and you’ll get roughly 600 points. Pop in and buy two used games for a total of $80, and you’ll get right around 1,600 points.

These are rough figures since GameStop may be running promotions at any given time that allow members to net more points, but you get the idea. Now, of the classic titles that GameStop has listed, only three of them are currently available: Quake III Arena for the Dreamcast, and both Double Dragon and Super Mario Bros for the NES. Quake III Arena and Double Dragon will set you back 32,500 points each, while you’ll have to pay premium price for Super Mario Bros, which costs 43,250 points.

Since $25 off coupons cost 25,000 points, we can assume that GameStop equates 1,000 points to $1 in value. If that’s the case, then GameStop thinks that Quake III Arena and Double Dragon are both worth $32.50 while Super Mario Bros is worth $43.25. That’s absurd. This is a pretty cool idea, and I’m sure there’s tons of PowerUp Rewards Members out there who would be interested in scoring some classic titles with their points stockpiles. Until those prices come down a little bit, however, I’m sorry to say that you’re better off just spending real cash on eBay or Amazon, where you can get these games for a fraction of the price.

What do you think? Is this a good deal, or are the points requirements far too high for you to want to get some classic games through the PowerUp Rewards program? Jump down to the comments section to tell us what you think!

This means that the PSN account you’ve held for the past 5 years (provided you stuck with the PlayStation brand after that one really bad thing happened) will become a SEN account, but thankfully, that’s apparently where the changes cease. This switch was originally reported by NeoGAF user Psykotik, who received an email from Sony that stated the following:

On February 8, 2012, your “PlayStation®Network account” will be renamed a “Sony Entertainment Network account” or a “SEN account” in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation®3 system software and PlayStation®Vita system software updates. (Note, this change will not be applied to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system at this time.)

For general purposes, this account change is a change in name only. Your username or password will not change, nor are we asking you to change them. In accordance with this transition, some necessary naming changes will be made to the TOS and Privacy Policy.

Sony says that the purpose of this change is to “enhance its unique digital entertainment offering,” which means that the company will essentially join all of its existing services under the banner of the Sony Entertainment Network in an attempt to give users a more streamlined experience.

It doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but I question the necessity of the switch. After all, the PlayStation Network is a brand that has existed for a number of years now, and changing the name now is going to be confusing for many people, especially new and potential customers. Rebranding is always a risky endeavor, but then again Sony already has millions of active PSN accounts, so this particular switch probably won’t give the conglomerate much trouble.

What do you think? Is it about time Sony consolidated all of its services into one all-encompassing brand, or do want the PSN name to stick around? Head down to the comments section and share your thoughts!

This news come from the Team Fortress 2 blog, which says that Valve isn’t working on any new maps either:

The TF2 team is working on something brand new for 2012. We can’t tell you what it is, because they won’t tell us, but what they WILL say is that it isn’t a hat, it isn’t a map, and go away. From this we can only conclude that the TF2 team is working on some ungodly hat-map hybrid that you can wear on your head while you run around in it. You heard it here first. Also last, because they just told us it’s not that either. But it’s really cool.

So, if this project isn’t a new hat or a new map, what could it possibly be? Sounds like that’s for Valve to know and for us to find out. Needless to say, the thousands and thousands of Team Fortress 2 fans are going to be on the edge of their seat while they wait for a reveal. Hell, I don’t even play Team Fortress 2 and I’m intrigued.

In other Team Fortress 2 news, the TF2 blog also says that the Steam Workshop blog is officially up and running. Players can visit the blog to keep up on all things concerning the Mann Co. Store and even vote on their favorite user-generated items. 2012 will also be the year we see the final “Meet the Team” short. The Pyro will finally be getting his time in the spotlight, and with his short, we’ll have finally met the entire team.

All in all, it sounds like a pretty big year for Team Fortress 2. Are you excited? Head down to the comments section to let us know and keep it tuned right here to TFTS – we’ll have more information about this secret TF2 project once Valve shares some more details!

GameStop promises a range of PS Vita titles to test out as well, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Little Deviants (which comes with that recently announced 3G Vita bundle), Hot Shots Golf: World International, FIFA Soccer, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, Escape Plan, and wipEout 2048.

If you decide that you want to put some money down on a PS Vita, GameStop will be offering an extra $25 on the trade-in value of a Nintendo DS, 3DS, or PlayStation Portable, so long as you’re putting that trade-in credit toward the price of new Vita.

The PS Vita hasn’t been having an easy time in Japan, so Sony needs all of the exposure it can get here in the United States and Europe. Sony’s banking on the Vita selling well in both those regions to make up for lagging sales in Japan, and if the Vita fails to perform in the US and Europe, Sony’s in trouble. It’s then that we’ll likely see a worldwide price cut on the Vita, similar to last August’s 3DS price cut.

Indeed, a price cut would do a lot to rejuvenate lagging Vita sales, but Sony doesn’t seem ready to pull the trigger yet. There’s no doubt that the company is waiting to see how the Vita performs in the US and Europe before taking that drastic measure, but doing so before its release would ensure that anticipation for the Vita skyrockets ahead of launch, and that kind of anticipation would be invaluable.

So, how about it? Will you be going to GameStop to demo the Vita, or are you not interested in Sony’s latest handheld? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

Not only that, but Twisted Metal is being censored for its European release, with Jaffe saying that it was just easier to censor it for everyone than release different versions of the game where there are censorship laws. That seems pretty reasonable, especially because Jaffe explained in a post on NeoGAF that the edits were mostly reserved for in-game movies, rather than playable content:

99% of the cuts were in the movies and the movies are still intact and I sat with the editor – who was the same editor of the American movies – and we went thru and addressed the notes from Europe and made sure the stories still worked. And to be fair, there have not been that many cuts.

Jaffe did talk about one cut to the actual game, however, saying that the screaming patient strapped to Meat Wagon’s gurney has been changed to a dead patient. This means that instead of launching a fully alive and terrified man on a rocket-propelled gurney and sending him to certain death, he’s already dead when you decide to turn him into a missile. We’re not sure which is more disturbing.

Jaffe blamed the localization process as the reason for Twisted Metal’s delay in Europe, and wasn’t able to give an exact date for its release. He did toss around the idea that the game will be launching in Europe on March 1st, but since he couldn’t confirm it, the March 1st date is essentially speculation on his part. Keep it tuned right here to TFTS – we’ll be sure to update you once Sony gives Twisted Metal a European release date!