PlayStation 3

Capcom's latest trailer for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen shows off some of the expanded game's new monsters in action. The backing voiceover is all in Japanese, but the trailer's gameplay clips speak the universal language of "hey, doesn't this nasty monster-thing look badass?"

There are fire salamanders, hopping maggot-like creatures, a nasty-looking minotaur, a super-sized reaper, and a towering giant that vaguely resembles Soulcalibur's Astaroth. Dark Arisen expands on Capcom's 2012 game with new content and gameplay enhancements that address criticisms directed at the original release.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen arrives on April 23, 2013 as a $39.99 release available at both retail and the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 online stores.

Electronic Arts confirms that an apparent Dead Space 3 glitch allowing for easy resource farming is not a glitch and won't be patched out of the game. The publisher has taken some flak recently for the use of microtransactions in the Visceral Games release that allows players to spend actual dollars on in-game resources. An EA rep notes that resource farming is an intended feature, so there's nothing to fix.

"The resource-earning mechanic in Dead Space 3 is not a glitch. We have no plans to issue a patch to change this aspect of the game," EA's Jino Talens said in a statement to GameFront. "We encourage players to explore the game and discover the areas where resources respawn for free. We’ve deliberately designed Dead Space 3 to allow players to harvest resources by playing through the game."

"For those that wish to accumulate upgrades instantly, we have enabled an optional system for them to buy the resources at a minimal cost ($1-$3)."

The very telling evidence is accurate: Aliens: Colonial Marines will be supported by Gearbox Software with enough post-release content to merit a Season Pass (via Sega Blog). The $30 token will be good for four content packs in all, with the first one -- Bug Hunt -- coming in March 2013. The Season Pass will be available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC; no mention of Wii U.

Bug Hunt is a Horde-like co-op mode that plays out on three mode-specific maps. There isn't any mention of player count for this mode, but expect it to be four based on the way campaign and the No Escape co-op mode work. Three additional DLC packs will follow Bug Hunt, with the final one to be released by or before August 2013.

We’ve finally been able to get our hands on Sony’s The Last of Us, to see if the hype around this survival horror game stacks up. The game comes from Naughty Dog, who has already established that they know how to provide action with the Uncharted series, but rather than focusing on loot plundering, The Last of Us is meant to be a terrifying escort mission, taking you across a dystopian United States.

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Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge is confirmed for an April 2, 2013 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms as both a retail offering and a digital download. The previously Wii U-exclusive launch title will be relatively unchanged when it comes to the new consoles, save for the addition of new costumes for all playable characters.

Ninja Gaiden 3 was a bit of a disaster when it launched on the Microsoft and Sony platforms in the middle of 2012, but Team Ninja rose to the challenge of addressing criticisms for the game's Wii U release. The resulting Razor's Edge is a much stronger game overall, with fundamentally solid fighting mechanics further bolstered by the alteration or outright removal of the more offensive bits. Those who skipped NG3 last year may want to give it another look in April.

That other XCOM game, that one that was originally revealed to be a first-person shooter hybrid, is still in development at 2K Marin following multiple delays and a string of "no comments" concerning its status. The game came up during Take-Two Interactive's latest investor call (via Joystiq), confirming that 2K Marin "continues to make progress" on the game.

It's now looking like the XCOM shooter won't be making its way to gaming platforms until later this year, or perhaps early 2014. The game is on track for a fiscal 2014 release; Take-Two's fiscal year runs from April 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014, so that's the window we're looking at. Provided those plans don't change, you can probably expect to hear more about the game during the coming GDC-E3-Gamescom-PAX trade show gauntlet.

Zen Studios, the game developer and publisher best known for their popular Pinball FX franchise, announced Star Wars Pinball today. Developed in partnership with LucasArts, Star Wars Pinball will feature all new Star Wars themed tables and be available for download in February 2013 on most digital platforms (i.e. Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Google Play, Apple App Store). The first, 3 table pack will be based on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Pretty solid choices if you ask me.

“It’s been over 30 years since Star Wars, video games, and solid state pinball all burst onto the entertainment scene, and their popularity endures today. We’re excited to be combining all three for the very first time,” said Neil Sorens, Zen Studios’ Creative Director. “Our designers are huge Star Wars fans, and you can expect every detail in every table to reflect their passion for the Star Wars universe."

Each Star Wars table will feature different moments from the Star Wars universe with interactive 3D characters and unique gameplay. Check out the trailer below:

So we’re getting new Star Wars movies AND a new Star Wars pinball game? If McDonald’s brings back those lead paint based Star Wars novelty glasses it’ll be 1982 all over again. What do you think?

This is one of those good news/bad news situations. The good news is that Injustice: Gods Among Us has a confirmed DLC pack that was inspired Mark Millar's superb comic book miniseries, Superman: Red Son. The bad news is that the DLC is confirmed by way of a UK-only limited edition offer that packs in the DLC for free with the game.

Of course, DLC tends to not remain restricted to the realm of pre-order bonuses or regional exclusivity when there's money to be made. The content pack includes 20 missions set in the alternate universe spin-off's timeline along with three character skins, for Superman, Wonder Woman, and Solomon Grundy. Too bad there's not one for the Russky Batman as well.

Also, while I've got your attention: read Superman: Red Son. It imagines what would have happened if the spaceship that delivered Kal-El to Earth had crashed in the Soviet Ukraine, and it's great.

BioShock Infinite is slightly less than two months away now, and a newly revealed Xbox 360 Achievements list may help tide you over during the wait. The list is entirely spoiler-free from a story perspective, with all narrative-related cheevos seemingly locked away behind secret Achievements.

The larger, visible portion of the list contains plenty of new information as well, it's just more in the vein of content and features. You can, for example, find a full list of weapon names and types. You'll also learn how many Vigors (think: Plasmids) there are in the game, overall.

There are also a few cheevos related to the previously teased 1999 Mode; one for unlocking it, another for completing the game in it, and a third for completing a 1999 Mode game "without purchasing anything from a Dollar Bill vending machine." If you're only worried about story spoilers, know that you can read this list freely without fear.

The outstanding facial capture work of Depth Analysis was a key ingredient in Rockstar Games' L.A. Noire, and this newly released outtakes montage highlights just how capable the company's MotionScan technology is. The 32-camera setup captures everything about a person's performance (their face only) then reconstructs it as a virtual character. Even when said real-life actor screws things up.

Such is the case with this collection of clips, which delves deep into Uncanny Valley. L.A. Noire did a fine job skirting past the subconscious discomfort that many people feel at the sight of a "too real" digital creation, but that careful balancing act tumbles as you watch these actors break character after flubbing a line. It's really neat too, and the technology will only improve over time. For now though?

KILL IT! KILL IT!

Naughty Dog shows off a little bit more of The Last of Us this week with the release of a gameplay clip featuring the game's inhuman, infected enemies (via All Games Beta). Seen previously only in trailers, we now know that the game's fungus-headed creatures evolve through multiple stages after infection, ultimately becoming the blind, echo-locating pile of contagion known as Clickers.

Previous looks at The Last of Us gameplay suggested stealth and platforming, but this one is all about building a sense of terror. Joel creeps along through a ruined subway station, quietly dispatching the infected as he spots them with his flashlight. Everything goes very wrong when he, perhaps not so wisely, shoots his gun and the clip ends on a grim note. Watch carefully and you'll also spot a peek at the game's ability upgrade interface.

Square Enix has a treat for Sleeping Dogs fans, in the form of more DLC. It's not just *a* treat either. It's a *lot* of treats, to the tune of five content drops to be parceled out over the first three months of 2013. January's already behind us, so that leaves a two month window for this stuff to arrive in.

Some of this stuff is out already. Specifically, the Movie Masters Pack, which was released earlier this week on January 29, 2013. That pack, along with several of the others, add nothing more than new costumes to the game. There are two proper content expansions however, that both add new missions and other content to Wei Shen's world.

Check out the details for all five of these content packs after the jump, and stay tuned for news on specific release dates as they emerge.

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Sony's previously teased "Game Day 2013" has arrived and, just as many of us had figured, it's related to God of War: Ascension. Specifically, today brings the reveal of a live-action trailer for God of War: Ascension, a prequel story for Kratos that comes to PlayStation 3 on March 12, 2013.

And hey, you know what? This trailer is great. Whether or not you know just why Kratos is so angry or how he maintains that ashy white glow on his skin, this live-action peek at his back story hits every note that it should. Watch it. Enjoy it. Then wait two and a half months more before you can play it.

Resident Evil producer Masachika Kawata had some ear-perking things to say in a new interview with IGN concerning where the series is at right now and where it's headed. He does use the word "reboot," something that many believe the series sorely needs after the failure of Resident Evil 6 to be... you know... good, it's not entirely clear if that's the path being taken for whatever comes next.

"I think a lot of what people want now is to have Chris and Jill in a game, or they want it to look like Resident Evil used to look like. That’s what makes the game work for them. We should be able to start from scratch and reboot it. It would still be Resident Evil. We wouldn’t lose the essential nature of what makes it a good game just by changing the characters," he said. Not exactly a commitment to change. There's hope though!

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Sony released an unusual trailer yesterday advertising a non-specific PlayStation event that will be held on February 20, 2013. The belief is that this is where the company will reveal its next-gen gaming console, a fact that "people familiar with the matter" have confirmed to the Wall Street Journal (via Kotaku).

Those same sources also indicate that the console is due for release later on in 2013. The February 20 event is set to happen in New York City at 6pm ET, less than a week before the company's annual Destination PlayStation event. Expect the usual media circus, but the good news is that you'll be able to watch too; the event will be streamed live.