This week sees the return of one of the most beloved new franchises we’ve seen so far this console generation in its new form as Bioshock 2. Largely off the radar for most until its demo awakened awareness to millions back in 2007, Bioshock 2 is now here to hopefully make another splash of brilliance. Returning to Rapture for a second time, can imaginations be captured once again or will it just be a mishap trying to capitalize on something that could have easily gone in the annals of history standalone?

On another front we have Dante’s Inferno. Divine comedy this and divine comedy that is what you’ll hear over and over. A hugely liberal take on the famous poem by the same name, the similarities to another action title on another platform is of some controversy around the larger gaming community. Those in for solid action, nudity, and a fair bit of gore will likely get a kick out of Dante’s Inferno, because you know; it’s VISCERAL!

Bioshock 2

Bioshock 2 Special Edition

Dante’s Inferno

Xbox 360 Power Pyramid Charger – Charging and Storage Dock for Game Controllers – Black

A few days ago we got a chance to attend a call with a few members of the Bioshock 2 development team. In this TXD Special you’ll get to hear as they answer a slew of questions about the game. From the Single Player and Multiplayer, if you have any questions about Bioshock 2 you’ll probably hear an anwser here. Enjoy!

On the call are (bear in mind the first few seconds got cut off):

• Jordan Thomas – Creative Director, 2K Marin
• Zak McClendon – Lead Designer, 2K Marin
• Hoagy De La Plante – Lead Environment Artist, 2K Marin
• Mat Tremblay – MP Art Director, Digital Extremes
• Jesse Attard – MP Lead Programmer, Digital Extremes

Music: Intro/Outro ”Truckers Delight” by Flairs

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The Serious Sam franchise has been alive and well on the PC and previous generation consoles for the past decade, but has never ventured over to the current generation of consoles until now. Last summer, when Croteam announced that Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter would be coming to the Xbox 360 and PS3 in addition to the PC, fans of first person shooters rejoiced. Many assumed at first that it would be a retail release, but Croteam announced that it would be a $15 title on Xbox Live Arcade.

Features

While the features list isn’t phenomenal, it’s more than enough for the price that this title will cost you. The main chunk of the game is the story, which is of reasonable length for a $15 Xbox Live Arcade title. There is also 4 player Co-Op over Xbox Live, which is great, but the PC version features 16 player Co-Op, which would’ve been amazing.

There will be dedicated servers added, as well as a Deathmatch mode added in coming months (reportedly), but as of now, the patch hasn’t been released, so comment cannot be made about that.

Presentation

The graphics are possibly the best ever seen on Xbox Live Arcade. The textures have all been redone from the PC version and look fantastic. The amount of enemies on the screen at one time can become ridiculous, and this game handles it all in stride. There is rarely, if ever, any slowdown or framerate issues, which is astounding for how much is really going on at any given time. The game also features pretty decent humor. The dialog can be intentionally campy, which is perfect for the gameplay itself. Think a lot less wise-cracking version of Duke Nukem.

Gameplay

Gameplay has been a strong suit for the Serious Sam series and that tradition is carried on through Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter. It is a pretty standard, yet very solid, first person shooter. The concept is to blast your way through various levels using many different weapons.

The concept may seem simple enough, but the game can be insanely difficult. As mentioned in the above section, the sheer number of enemies on screen at any given time can be ridiculous. Not only is there strength in numbers, there is strength in diversity. At the same time, you could be facing a long-range enemy, a charging enemy, several machine gun enemies and many suicide bomber enemies all at the same time. One thing that is very noticeable for these enemies is that they really have no sense of self-preservation. These enemies have the ultimate mob-mentality, in that if they send 50 enemies at you all at once (which they do), they don’t care if 49 of them perish as long as one of those enemies inflicts damage. The gameplay really elevates this game up to the top of the XBLA ranks.

The Verdict

If you are looking for a mindless, yet incredibly enjoyable first person shooter, you cannot go wrong with Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter. For $15, you get a great story mode, enjoyable Co-Op and promise of a big patch in the future. The game will be followed up with Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, which is rumored to be coming out on PC and XBLA early this year.

We’ve seen franchise’s come and go, yet when it comes to Dynasty Warriors it just keeps chugging along crossover’s with other franchise’s included.

The dash details for this title explains this game better than any one ever could. Sit back and relax as you’re told the wonders of Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce. The word “classic” comes to mind:

Create your own “strikeforce” and embark on a quest to conquer Ancient China in this team-based Tactical Action epic. Fight as a unit with up to four players, or battle it out as a single-player with AI-controlled team mates. Communicate with friends using voice chat to coordinate assaults on heavily-armed fortresses and colossal beasts. Storm the battlefield with heart-pounding “air” fighting techniques, and startling “Fury” transformations. Play as your favorite warriors, including the newly-added Meng Huo. Even trade characters online. Do you and your friends have what it takes to rule the land? Prove your mettle with this white knuckle, high-flying adventure!

*Click here to add the Dynasty Warriors: Strikerforce demo to your download queue.

Aliens vs Predator is back baby! No, not those stinky ass movies that untold numbers of abashed viewers endured. We’re talking about the Aliens vs Predator series that gamers aren’t ashamed of, which is too bad for their movie going counterparts. Aliens vs Predator in videogame form has been rather stellar up until this point with the series seeing a 10 year hiatus. But now, it’s back and now in glorious HD. Is this sounding like a PR wizards press release yet? Or more like an Apple event where the following would occur, “this Aliens vs Predator is the best Aliens vs Predator experience EVER. The Aliens are amazing! The Predator’s are AMAZING! The Marines (who will be killed A LOT) are AMAZING! Isn’t this is the most beautiful Alien you’ve ever seen?”

Now, about price. You’ll get this multiplayer demo for the low price of free (Gold account required). We’ve broken newground with that price. Never before has anyone given you a free demo. Not only is it beautiful, amazing, and down right the best ever, we’re giving it to you in a whopping 780 MB of deathmatch glory on the BEST MAP EVER!

*Click here to add Alien vs Predator demo to your download queue.

Up until now Fallout: New Vegas was just that — A title and nothing else to speak of. Then again, with the amount of content found in Fallout 3 it’s likely that you’ll still be plowing your way through that game much less be ready for more. Either way, Fallout New Vegas is still coming, but when (Nevermind that headline folks)?

Announced to today by Bethesda Softworks, Obsidian Entertainment developed Fallout:New Vegas now has a release window for fall 2010. More information on the game can be gleamed from the below video. Who knew “Wall-E” was in the Fallout universe?

Not all project names are stuck as so (Project Natal?) for forever it seems, as Sega’s Project Needlemouse is no longer shrouded in mystery. Revealed at last, Project Needlemouse is indeed what many thought it was going to or wanted it to be — Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Return to its 2D side scrolling roots, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is to be the first in a set of episodes ushering in 2D back to the franchise on a console.

Making way on Xbox LIVE Arcade this summer (fall for those in the southern hemisphere), Sonic 4 is continuing where Sonic and Knuckles left off. There’s no doubt long time fans of the franchise have felt a bit peeved with Sonic over the last several games (and I mean SEVERAL), but is this going to finally turn all of the bad blood around? Lets just say hopes seem to be dashes quite a bit when it comes to Sega revivals.

[Via Gamespot]

It’s Hazard time! Or is it? Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond is D3 Publisher’s latest game. You may remember him from a little game called:Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. Yes he is back. This time around he’s in a 2D side scroller playground. Limited from his full on array of jokes – the story being told is now in text – along with still images that follow it. According to a joke in the game it tells us they had budget cuts and bad reviews previously. This just makes the game’s text and images usage somewhat boring, as opposed to the usual cinematic storyline.

You play as Matt Hazard who is not voiced by the funny Will Arnett this time around, but they do sound quite similar and it still gives the game its “machismo” appeal. You go along the story chasing down his arch nemesis, since he evidently went back through time and stole 8-Bit Matt Hazard. Then…nope, that pretty much sums it up. Most of the achievements you’ll get through your first playthrough. While others you will need to continue racking up points for or go back to level select once you beat the game.

One thing I did not expect was this to game to be so difficult as the game decides to charge you with an overwhelming display of enemies. They tend to shoot at you from all directions and even into the 3D playfield which is a nice feature, but sometimes it can be frustrating. Given that, the game has Contra-like shooting where you can’t block bullets, which puts you in a position where you have to dodge every single shot. It does reward you with random weapon upgrades that have limited ammo — A laser beam and a flamethrower that always come in handy.

The graphics were nice, as it gives of a rich-smooth layer of epicness to the game as it makes killing the baddies all the more fun. Blood spilling everywhere, making an enemy explode will cause him to go flying onto your screen, and the ragdolls makes this game all the more satisfying. It also comes with a more than useful meter. By killing enemies without dying, you’ll see that your meter starts filling up. Once filled up, this meter can be used to become invincible for a short period and it makes your current weapon upgrade shoot in three directions at once. “It’s Hazard Time!’’

I did have a problem with the controls though. Using the left thumbstick happens to be you’re walking and shooting button. It made it hard to shoot something while walking towards it. Soon after I realized there was another button to have you stand still. Either bumper will let you stand in place so you can get the desired shot you want. As I did get used to it after a level or two a laser would have been an improvement so you can actually see what you’re aiming at. A dual stick system would have been the right way to go.

Some of the levels in the game looked recognizable from other games. It has you go through a Mirror’s Edge, Bioshock, and even a Mario stage with each level containing its usual boss battle at the end. These level bosses range from a walking lighthouse, a gigantic rhino, and even a metal scorpion. Some boss battles are trickier than others, but if you look closely you’ll find an easy way to destroy them.

The game does a great job being a side scroller, but it does lack a few key points that will make the game much more enjoyable although it doesn’t take the fun out of the game. Unless you are playing the hardest difficulty which is right to be called F*** This S**t! Mind you, The co-op play I did not even try. I don’t get why this game doesn’t have online co-op. It would have been much more fun having an online buddy playing along through the story with you. Shooting into the 3D playfield gives the game much more of a wide variety than the usual 2D scroller, but it would have been more comfortable if it had much better auto-aim.

Overall, Matt Hazard: Blood Bad and Beyond is much more tolerable than it’s previous: Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. With the game making fun of itself at every corner and having jokes that consist of different games always gives out a laugh. Sure this has been done before, but the corny jokes and it’s unique style of humor makes the game enjoyable. The game may not be worth the full $15 it charges, but it sure comes really close.

Now available on Xbox LIVE Arcade today is OneBigGame’s Chime. A music puzzler title that’s come by way of a non for profit effort with 60% of proceeds benefiting charity’s Save the Children and Starlight Children’s Foundation. The music of Philip Glass, Moby, Markus Schulz, Paul Hartnoll of Orbital and Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly are all found in the game.

“OneBigGame couldn’t have wished for a better launch title than Chime,” said Martin de Ronde, director, OneBigGame. “Its production values, innovative mechanics and overall quality perfectly show what can happen if top names in the games industry are asked to create an entertainment game for charity.”

*Click here to add Chime to your download queue.

Take to the skies this week with Medal of Honor: Airborne with Games on Demand. The last foray into the Medal of Honor franchise before the upcoming reboot or sorts, Airborne has you dropping from the sky as you get to choose your approach into battle in hopes of giving yourself a tactical advantage. Assuming you passed over this entry into the series here’s your second chance.

*Click here to add Medal of Honor: Airborne to your download queue. (at the time of this posting the web marketplace link is unavailable)

Also this week comes Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3. A title that’s no good to you unless you already have a dance pad (see below for a few options if that’s you). If you do have a dance pad, adding on to your possible Universe 1 and/or 2 collection is as easy as a download away unless you aren’t “buying” the deal attached to that convenience charge most Games on Demand titles have been receiving. With Project Natal still ages away you’d think this was the end all be all of “exercise” gaming on the Xbox 360 as of now. Or maybe, but probably not. Where my J-pop lovers at?

Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2 + 3 + Dance Pad Bundle [Xbox 360]
Buy new: $59.98

Dance Dance Revolution Universe Bundle
Buy new: $47.98 / Used from: $27.94

*Click here to add DDR Universe 3 to your download queue.