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E3 08: Borderlands trailer, video demonstration

2K Games and Gearbox Software's Borderlands (trailer embedded above) aims to be a marriage of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and Diablo -- a Mad Max-inspired open world shooter with RPG elements such as character classes, level progression, and system-generated loot.

Those features were put on display during a live gameplay demonstration at E3 this week, the video of which we've embedded on the other side of the jump. It's tough to see what's going on in too much detail because of the quality of the video, so the developer commentary is the real meat. The commentator spends rather a lot of time bragging about the random weapon generation, but there's some good stuff in there about the setting and character advancement. And hey; it's first-time live gameplay footage. That's something, at least.

Continue reading E3 08: Borderlands trailer, video demonstration

E3 08: Project Origin trailer

Alma is back and she doesn't seem happy. Project Origin, the storyline sequel to F.E.A.R. from developer Monolith, is a first-person horror shooter. Big Download went hands-on with the game earlier today and had some interesting things to note about the title. Take a look at the latest trailer for the game, courtesy of Xbox 360 Fanboy, and let us know what you think. Do it quickly, it'll be night out soon and you might not want to watch this in a dark room!

E3 08: Wolfenstein in motion


We hated teasing you about Wolfenstein footage so we decided to track some down for you ourselves. That'st the kind of team we are! Released by Activision is this teaser trailer for Wolfenstein that features quick, MTV style cuts, of single-player action for the upcoming first-person shooter. We can't wait for some hands-on time with the Wolf. The grand daddy of the shooter is coming home folks!

E3 08: EA debuts first trailer for The Sims 3


To this day, The Sims franchise continues to dominate PC gaming sales charts. But EA can only release so many expansion packs before the money flow starts to dwindle just a little bit, right? Enter The Sims 3, which premiered at E3 this year. Of course, we already knew it was coming, but what we have for you here today is the first trailer!

It looks like it's all done in-game. You'll recognize the art style from previous iterations of the series, but the graphical quality is quite a bit better -- so much so that we worry about it running on low end systems, as is necessary for a game that aims for mainstream gamers. Still, it looks cool, and it seems to imply that your sims will be able to roam freely and seamlessly around town. That's been a long time coming!

E3 08: Square Enix's The Last Remnant trailer is JRPG-ish


Yesterday, esteemed Japanese RPG developer Square-Enix announced that its new game The Last Remnant will be released on the PC, albeit a bit later than the console versions. This is pretty interesting news, since JRPGs and the PC platform don't usually get together. Some folks think that's a good thing, but others wish they saw more of the genre. If you're exclusively a PC gamer, we'll bet you haven't had much or any exposure to The Last Remnant. Well, this short E3 trailer should remedy that.

It's very JRPG-like, with a young, strapping swordsman hero, fantastic magic, Anime-like art -- the works. If you like what you see, though, you should check out an older trailer called "Soulbound," which was released long before the PC version was announced. It has some of the same content, but it's quite a bit longer and it features a peek at the combat system. We've embedded that for you beneath the cut. Enjoy!

Continue reading E3 08: Square Enix's The Last Remnant trailer is JRPG-ish

E3 08: Left 4 Dead videos reveal new player characters

Valve Software's Gabe Newell took the stage at EA's E3 press conference to present the cooperative horror game Left 4 Dead. We have the video of that presentation on the other side of the jump, but here are the Cliff's Notes.

All four current player character models will be replaced with the above-pictured folks. This was probably a good change; the old ones weren't very likable or varied. In addition to that bit of info, Newell talked about the game's AI director, which will adjust the gameplay to match players' playstyles, positions, and status.

He also said the game is coming out on November 4th, but that news ain't new. Anyway, the game seems to be coming along swimmingly. Be sure and check out the video after the break!

Gallery: Left 4 Dead

Continue reading E3 08: Left 4 Dead videos reveal new player characters

E3 08: Mirror's Edge makes live gameplay video debut


If you're looking for something a little different, you'll find it in Mirror's Edge -- an action-adventure platformer played, unusually, in the first-person perspective. Its Joss Whedon-inspired story follows a woman named Faith who combines parkour and light martial arts to carry secret communiques across a towering urban landscape.

So far, two Mirror's Edge-related videos have emerged out of the E3 conference this week. One, featured above, is a trailer. It picks up exactly where the last trailer left off (now that's class!), and shows a wider array of locales. It also has some of the best music we've heard in a gameplay trailer.

The other video, which you'll find on the other side of the jump, is a developer walkthrough of part of an early level in the game. Yep -- actual live gameplay footage! That's a first for this title. Check it out!

Continue reading E3 08: Mirror's Edge makes live gameplay video debut

E3 08: Far Cry 2 trailer showcases African setting


Never has there been a game so aptly named.

Far Cry 2, from Ubisoft Montreal, may sport the same name as the Crytek original but the game is completely different according to the developer. Focusing on a more realistic shooter experience, Far Cry 2 is doing away with insane alien baddies and instead focusing on the environment and strong gameplay mechanics. This trailer showcases some of the African setting and introduces players to Reuben Monday-Oluwagembi (it even teases his personal blog), the journalist who seems to be reporting on a man stalking through the smoldering heat -- the title's antagonist, the player. So far the game looks great. Let's see if this one can keep us engaged the way the original almost did. Far Cry 2 is set to release this October.

[via X3F]

Mirror's Edge becomes clearer thanks to new interview, screenshots


DICE's first-person action-adventure game Mirror's Edge is one of the wild cards of the 2008 lineup for all platforms (assuming it actually does come out in 2008). So far, we've had to rely on clues from a lone gameplay video and a recent story trailer. Now we have a bit more to work with; an interview and a few new screenshots. It's not much, but it's something, right?

In an interview at the EA3 (no, not E3!) press event, Mirror's Edge Senior Producer Owen O'Brien described the game design philosophy behind DICE's new game. The idea is that everything -- including combat -- is grounded in a free movement mechanic that is easy to learn but difficult to master. In fact, the combat controls consist of two buttons -- attack, and disarm. Exactly how those work depends on how you set up the action with movement beforehand.

Watch the interview for more, and be sure to check out the screenshots as well.

Download the Mirror's Edge Gameplay Video from Big Download!
Download the Mirror's Edge Story Trailer from Big Download!

Gallery: Mirror's Edge

Trailer for BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins emerges



A short CGI trailer for BioWare's PC exclusive Dragon Age: Origins (formerly just Dragon Age) premiered this past weekend. You can watch the trailer exclusively (for now) at GameTrailers. Don't expect to be very impressed, though. There are no indications as to what the game is actually about, in terms of either story or gameplay. And really, could this fantasy motif possibly be more generic? There's no hook at all.

Still, it's a PC exclusive, and we don't get enough of those these days. Hardcore BioWare fans will likely go for anything they can get. We hope the game will make up for its uninspiring setting with its world building and community options.

Red Alert 3 trailer features Japanese faction, bad voice acting

Gamespot is exclusively (for now) hosting the latest Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 trailer. The trailer introduces the new third faction -- the Empire of the Rising Sun, aka Japan. It features C&C's staple bad voice acting, lots of units, general mayhem, and the classic Hell March song that fans of the series will recognize.

It looks like the Empire of the Rising Sun mostly uses Anime-esque Mecha units -- Transformers-like battle robots. Also featured are airplanes that can dive underwater and attack naval vessels from below. We knew Red Alert 3 would have a lot of amphibious units, but it didn't occur to us that it might also feature air/water units. Makes sense, we suppose!

Anyway, check it out if you're a fan. And we figure you are, if you're reading this. C&C is not a franchise that gets pitched to a lot of new recruits. It's mostly about the oldschool, yo.

[Via Joystiq]

Big Downloads: July 5 - 11, 2008 (Calm before the storm edition)

Whether you like military shooters, innovative first-person platforming, or racing, Big Download had something for this past week. In fact, we had surprisingly a lot, considering that most game publishers are holding their cards until next week's huge E3 conference.

Next week is sure to be a big week (and rest assured we'll be on top of every new file that pops up amidst the frenzy), but hopefully this will be enough to tide everyone over until then! Here are just a few highlights from the latest new downloads

HAWX Developer's Diary #1
HAWX is an air combat game in the same near-future world as Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter. In this video, a developer talks about the game, and of course there's footage as well.

Frontlines: Fuel of War Beta Demo
Try out this shooter that tries something a little bit different with territory control.

LEGO Batman Bruce Wayne & Poison Ivy Trailer
A humorous sneak peak at a couple of the characters from the fourth entry into the LEGO pop culture franchise series.

GRID 1.2 Patch
The acclaimed racing game gets some important bug fixes.

Mirror's Edge Story Trailer
A beautifully animated sneak peak at the storyline and setting behind Mirror's Edge, an innovative first person parkour game.

The Big Round-up: Tuesday, July 8

Your daily wrap-up of the hottest stories in PC gaming in the last 24 hours.

Shipping this week: Guns v. Glowing Arms
This week the Capcom love keeps rolling in with the PC release of Devil May Cry 4. Previously released on the Xbox 360 and PS3, DMC4 follows the story of new character, Nero, and his powerful demonic arm. We know what you're thinking, when did Devil May Cry go realistic?!

Big Download's most anticipated PC games for E3 2008: 25-21
Despite what other articles might tell you the PC game industry will be represented very well at the expo this year with a number of highly anticipated game titles due to be shown to the invited press (and there may very well be a few surprise announcements in store for E3 that we don't know about yet).

Go to Quakecon 2008 and (maybe) win a Corvette
We are just a week away from the start of E3 but we are also just a few weeks away from the start of Quakecon 2008, the the 13th annual free LAN party-gaming convention sponsored by Doom and Quake developers id Software. Today the event's organizers announced that one lucky attendee of Quakecon 2008 will win a rather sweet prize; a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe valued at $55,000.

More Dragon Age info on July 9
It looks like BioWare is finally ready to talk a little bit more about their long-in-development fantasy RPG Dragon Age. The developer first announced the game and showed an early PC build at E3 2004 but since then there's been a cone of silence on the title (with the exception of one article in the now defunct Games for Windows magazine in 2006).

Deus Ex intro remix is kind of ridiculous

Deus Ex is the epitome of a PC gaming classic. So like other classics, it's been remixed. This modified intro video is patently absurd. It makes no sense whatsoever. But then, that's makes for great humor, right? Monty Python was all about absurdity, after all.

This still might be a bit too silly for some folks. Some of you will eat it up, though. Find out which category you fall into by watching the video. If you laugh, that's a good sign. On the other hand, you might find yourself just saying, "Huhwhaa?" That would be a bad sign. If you've never played Deus Ex before, don't even bother. It already doesn't make any sense if you have. We can't even imagine how lost you would be if you haven't.

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

Big Downloads: June 28 - July 4, 2008 (Diablo Edition)

This is the first time any one franchise has dominated our Big Downloads list. It's been almost exactly one week since Blizzard announced Diablo 3, and since then everything with the Diablo name attached to it has blown out through the door.

So four out of five of this week's top downloads are Diablo-related. We've thrown in the also-popular S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky trailer for some variety. To the Americans: have a great holiday weekend. To everyone else: have a great normal weekend!

Diablo 3 Cinematic Teaser Trailer
Blizzard has always been known for making lavish cinematics. Check out this gorgeous and forboding introduction to Diablo 3's story.

Diablo 3 Gameplay Trailer
Not much for flair and flash? Want to just get to the point? Download this for gameplay footage from Diablo 3.

Diablo 2 Demo (Windows)
After Diablo 3 was announced, everyone started playing Diablo 2 again. If you can't find your old discs, and aren't sure you want to spend any money yet, grab this demo.

Diablo 2 Demo (Mac)
Ditto for Mac users! Blizzard's a friend to Apple.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Atmosphere Trailer
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was praised for its deep atmosphere, inspired by a film of the same name by Russian art-house director Andrei Tarkovsky. Clear Sky aims to follow suit, as this video demonstrates.

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