Let me start by saying "Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" is rated 'M for Mature' for a very good reason. There is more cursing in the game than at a Yankees/Red Sox playoff game and quite a bit of nearly full frontal nudity.
"Syndicate" tries to remake a '90s title into a modern-day, first-person shooter and as far as gameplay mechanics go, it succeeds. But, visually, the game falls so short that it ends up being far from an enjoyable experience.
Enough already about "Angry Birds" -- there were plenty of great console video games in 2011.
"Battlefield 3" continues its franchise tradition of offering a realistic wartime experience with a variety of weapons and vehicles in a beautiful environment.
"Rage" starts off full of promise and beauty but finishes with clunky game mechanics and an ending that was probably the most disappointing I've experienced in years.
Sound and fury are the hallmarks of the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, the biggest video gaming event of the year.
Summer is typically a slow time for video games as fans ditch their controllers in favor of sunny seaside vacations or the pleasures of the great outdoors. But this year, a number of high-profile new releases hope to buck that trend.
From an explosion of social games and iPhone apps to the rise of motion controls, cloud computing and retro revivals, 2010 has been a year of surprises and revelations for gaming enthusiasts.
"Tron: Evolution" tries to bridge the time gap between the classic movie and the new version, but it sometimes lets gameplay and combat fall into a time loop that is exciting but repetitive.
With controversial adult titles like "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Medal of Honor" so often hogging headlines, a truth of the industry bears repeating -- most video games are still for kids.
With hundreds of titles available in dozens of genres, choosing a holiday gift for the gamer on your list is never simple. It's even harder in 2010, with thousands of downloadable games, social games and iPhone apps competing for gamers' attention, as well.
With all the talk about new motion-control accessories and supporting games for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it bears remembering that handheld systems aren't sitting idly by either.
If there's one fundamental truth about video games, it's that smash hits tend to leave a lasting impression.
Microsoft will be offering up a new Xbox 360 wireless controller starting this fall that features an adjustable directional-control pad (D-pad).
From downloadable titles like haunting puzzle-action hybrid "Limbo" for Xbox 360 to the long-awaited release of PC sci-fi strategy juggernaut "StarCraft II," summer's been good to gaming fans.
Summer is a great time to barbecue, hit the beach or get out and explore the town. But for gamers it's often a huge disappointment, as the flow of new releases generally slows to a trickle.
From motion controls to cloud-computing solutions and 3-D gaming technology, there was no shortage of futuristic goodies on display at this year's interactive entertainment industry confab E3.
If Microsoft has its way, we all will be playing video games by moving our bodies instead of holding remotes starting November 4.
OK, so you've exhausted most of those video games you got for Christmas. And you've got a gift card or two burning a hole in your pocket.
Now that video game sales have eclipsed Hollywood box office revenues and sales of music CDs, you can bet your bitmaps some extraordinarily good games were released in 2009.
Like a well-placed power-up, the right gift can light up the eyes of that video gamer in your life.
For video gamers, the fall season is both a blessing and a curse. While many high-quality titles debut around this time each year, there are only so many dollars to go around.
There's general agreement that Sony stumbled out of the gate with the PlayStation 3.
Microsoft Corp. is trimming the price of its Xbox 360 video game console to make way for a new model with a bigger hard drive
updated: Mon Jul 14 2008 14:27:00
The editor-in-chief of Gamespot.com talks to Naamua Delaney about the upcoming E3 Media and Business Summit.
Microsoft is trimming the price of its Xbox 360 video game console to make way for a new model with a bigger hard drive.
While some of the biggest video games for 2008 have already smashed sales records, the rest of the year still has plenty of highly anticipated releases.
I've often asked myself what I would do without a cell phone. In "Grand Theft Auto IV," just as in real life, the answer is simple: not much.
Sick of children's games? If you're looking for something that's not on your kids' list, these are some of our favorite games that have come out this fall.
Cooperative games are those titles designed to allows (when desired) two players to work together to beat them.
Once your kids reach the age of "cool," they're going to want to play Teen games. You'll find a little more violence, crude humor, and/or slightly more suggestive themes than there are in E games.
There are hundreds of games published in the E category each year, but not all are worth your while. For parents worried about violence, gore, or fighting, nothing in the E category should be inappropriate for your children.
"Halo 3" might be all the rage these days among first-person shooter fans, but those looking for the most bang for their buck won't find a better deal than the action-packed "Orange Box" from Valve Software.
updated: Mon Oct 22 2007 10:45:00
Daniel Lee, coach of the ESTRO team, discusses training for pro gamers.
Not only is Microsoft Game Studios' "Halo 3" the most eagerly anticipated video game of the year -- it achieved a milestone of a million preorders two months ago -- but this action sci-fi series has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning novels, comics, action figures and a top-secret project with Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King").
Microsoft Xbox 360 owners in search of an intense 3-D shooter need not wait for Halo 3.
Microsoft Corp said it will cut the price of its main Xbox 360 video game console model by about 13 percent in the United States, hoping to boost sales ahead of the crucial holiday season.
Cadillac tried a novel approach last year to get young male car buyers excited about its tricked-out V-Series Collection luxury vehicles. Rather than make its pitch through magazines, TV commercials, or online display ads, the automaker took its campaign to the Xbox 360.
Wall Street will focus its attention Friday on one of the most anticipated economic reports of the month: the government's latest reading on employment.
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday said it would take a more than $1 billion charge to fix "an unacceptable number of repairs" to its Xbox 360 video game consoles and had missed shipment targets for the end of June.
If you listen closely, you might just be able to hear a confused video gamer struggling to find the single-player story mode in "Shadowrun," the latest video game published by Microsoft Game Studios.
Racing fans, listen up. If you think you've got what it takes to drive competitively, you can put your clutch where your mouth is with Microsoft Game Studios' "Forza Motorsport 2," a high-definition sequel to the hit 2005 racing simulator.
What's a video gamer to do while waiting for blockbuster titles such as "Madden NFL 08" (August 14), "Halo 3" (September 25) and "Grand Theft Auto IV" (October 16)?
What better way to unwind after a tough day at the office than by playing tennis against the likes of Roger Federer, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick?
Either Ubisoft is running out of ideas or they were so busy working on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game they didn't realize they plagiarized their own material.
Whether it's a future conflict on city streets or a 60-year-old war by sea and air, Microsoft Xbox 360 owners have two new action games to fight through with "Crackdown" and "Battlestations: Midway."
Stocks are set for an uneven start Monday as investors try to sort through a slew merger-and-acquisition deals in the first full trading week of 2007.
Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates on Sunday called the early success of its Xbox 360 game console a role-reversing change of fortune for the software giant looking to overtake market leader Sony Corp.
In the gaming world, being first to market has its advantages, but it also has some downsides. With its Xbox 360, Microsoft has staked itself a year lead over archrival Sony in the next-gen gaming wars and, just as importantly, the battle for living-room dominance--these powerful minicomputers also do double duty as digital media hubs. In those 12 months, Microsoft has managed to sell several million consoles, work through some hardware glitches, upgrade the system's internal software, and bring out a full selection of accessories as well as a few signature games, including the company's own smash hit, Gears of War. But that year has also given Sony time to polish its more ambitious--and pricier--PlayStation 3.
You've been waiting for the high sign for years, so here it is: If you want to buy a flat-panel TV, now's the time to do it. Thanks to competition and overproduction, prices have dropped like a roc...
While the Sony PlayStation 3 may have an integrated Blu-ray player, Microsoft is doing its best to blunt that possible competitive advantage with a next-generation DVD player of its own for the Xbox 360.
Tired of battling hordes of shoppers for Tickle Me Elmo, the latest Xbox 360 game and other hot holiday items that feed your children's rampant consumerism? Eager for a present that gives your kids...
Sony's New PlayStation 3 lives up to the hype.
Microsoft is getting into the movie business. The company will announce plans Tuesday for Xbox 360 owners to buy or rent films and television shows via its online Xbox Live Marketplace.
Bored with slashing orcs, carjacking vehicles or rotating puzzle pieces? Climb into a different gaming entertainment experience with "Flight Simulator X," the latest in the best-selling, 25-year-old franchise.
Director Peter Jackson, who won an Academy Award for his "Lord of the Rings" films, is adding another title to his resume: video game mogul. The filmmaker and Microsoft Wednesday announced a partnership to launch a development studio and collaborate on a new "Halo" game.
Grand Theft Auto is coming to the Xbox 360 - and Halo 3's not far behind it.
As long-distance revenues plummet and customers disconnect phone lines in favor of cell phones and VOIP, DSL has provided burgeoning broadband revenues for local phone companies. But could DSL be slowing down? Business 2.0 senior writer Om Malik notes that, according to research by investment bank UBS, fewer households are signing up for DSL as a percentage of homes where the service is available. That has AT&T, for one, scrambling to provide other options, including satellite broadband, high-speed fixed wireless connections, and fiber-optic lines. The new initiatives could help AT&T serve another 11.5 million households, the company estimates.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - While there aren't quite as many mysteries at this year's E3, there's plenty of anticipation. The video game industry's annual trade show may have revealed plenty of next generation secrets in 2005, but it left just as many unanswered questions.
Mention Epic Games to a hardcore gamer and their eyes glaze slightly as they begin rhapsodizing over a particularly memorable kill in "Unreal Tournament". Mention the company to anyone else, though, and you'll likely get a blank stare.
Microsoft has long set its sights on the living room. But the Xbox 360 could be the Trojan Horse that carries out its invasion plans into the world of entertainment. Take last week's announcement that pop star Natasha Bedingfield would release her next music video exclusively on the Xbox 360, the first in a year-long deal with music label Epic Records. Then, at this week's Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, the software giant announced that it would open up its Xbox Live online service to independent game developers so that they can program multiplayer online games for the new Xbox 360 console. With Xbox Live now offering online chat, video downloads and multiplayer games, Microsoft just needs one more thing to complete its hold on the Xbox's young, mostly male audience: the long-rumored Xbox Portable.
After Sony announced on Tuesday that the Playstation 3 won't launch until November, the Xbox 360 is in a better position to become the top gaming console, says Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The company behind "Grand Theft Auto," arguably the most controversial video game franchise on the market, is working on a new game for Microsoft's Xbox 360 - table tennis.
The trash talk was flying at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January. Microsoft's gaming czar, Robbie Bach, flush from his launch of the new Xbox 360, crowed that industry kingpin Sony is "behind right now." That same day Sony's U.S. game CEO, Kaz Hirai, brushed off his competitor like so much lint on his lapel: "We know that the next generation of interactive entertainment doesn't really start until we launch it, and in 2006 we are ready to introduce the future with Playstation 3."
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Despite a disappointing holiday season, video game sales around the U.S. reached an all time high in 2005.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - As it ramped up the hype machine for the Xbox 360, Microsoft coined a new term: The High Definition Era. Wednesday in Las Vegas, it took the next step, announcing plans for a HD-DVD accessory for the video game machine. Question is: Will the move do any good?
Top video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. warned that quarterly profit and revenue would be "well below" earlier estimates due to lackluster holiday sales that it blamed on shortages of the Xbox 360.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Who would have thought in a year where we saw the launch of two new major gaming systems and announcements about two more that the story of the year would be about a beverage?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - While Microsoft's Xbox 360 is one of the hottest gadgets of the holiday season, the rest of the video game industry isn't faring well.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday came and went, and you still didn't snap up that iPod nano or Xbox 360. Is there hope for you yet?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - So how's your holiday shopping coming along? Mine? Well, I've got most of my family covered, now I just need to take care of a few friends.
If Microsoft Game Studios' "Kameo: Elements of Power" is any indication, the new Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console has an incredibly bright future.
Peace on earth, an end to hunger, and an Xbox 360 would be nice. But for many CEOs of private companies, an initial public offering is at the top of the holiday wish list. Luckily for them, the moo...
MICROSOFT XBOX 360
Toy retailers are seeing interactive, tech-based toys and dolls leading the pack in Black Friday sales.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - As big box retailers quickly sell out of the Xbox 360, some lucky buyers are seeing a nice turnaround on their investment.
The centerpiece of Microsoft's strategy to take over the living room hit stores Tuesday.
For Microsoft, this week's launch of the Xbox 360 is the biggest thing since Windows 95. For the man leading the charge, it's also a chance for revenge against Sony's PlayStation mastermind.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - While there's no denying the horsepower underneath the hood of the Xbox 360, technological superiority doesn't mean much if there aren't any great games to capitalize on it.
NEW YORK (FORTUNE) - More than 96 million PlayStation 2 consoles have been sold worldwide since the PS2's debut in 2000, compared with some 25 million Microsoft Xboxes sold since 2001. Even if the new Xbox 360 is a rousing success, as it appears to be, Sony's dominance of the console universe is likely to continue, and there's a powerful new PlayStation coming next year.
The centerpiece of Microsoft's strategy to take over the living room hit stores Tuesday.
Microsoft's got game. After plunging an estimated $4 billion into the development and marketing of its Xbox videogame console, the centerpiece of its strategy to expand from the office to the living room, Microsoft has taken the wraps off its next-generation game box, the Xbox 360. And judging from the features Microsoft has packed into the new box, it's clear the company is playing for keeps.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - For gaming's most enthusiastic fans, the question of whether to get an Xbox 360 was answered long ago. It would be the first entry in the next generation and a status symbol amongst their friends. But is there a reason for the rest of the world - gaming or otherwise - to rush stores?
Home is where the Wi-Fi is. and the more Wi-Fi you get in your home, the bigger the business opportunity becomes. With a raft of new Wi-Fi-hungry devices arriving for the holiday season, consumers ...
It's not surprising, considering the products they sell, that executives in the videogame business like to pepper their speeches with trash-talking one-liners about rivals. But there are few opport...
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Getting your hands on one of this holiday season's hottest gifts might be even harder than you think - and it might get even more expensive.
Microsoft's next generation video game machine will go on sale before Black Friday, but just barely.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - It could be a confusing holiday season for some holiday shoppers.
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I played as a child. But when I became a man, I refused to put away my joystick. And if Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have their way...
It's that time of the decade again: The new game machines are coming, and the latest battle for the hearts and trigger fingers of gamers is on. Microsoft unleashed the heavy marketing artillery fir...
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - There was a lot of hype last week about the next generation of game machines. Microsoft said the Xbox 360 will ultimately reach 1 billion consumers worldwide, while Sony gave a laundry list of features for the PlayStation 3, showing some jaw dropping footage along the way.
It's easy to hear about the gaming frenzy that is E3 and assume that all the titles on display are imminent. Most are playable either on the show floor on in private meeting rooms - and run fairly smooth.
Want to enjoy the full experience of a next generation console game? It could cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,710.
Gaming behemoths Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo took the wraps off their respective next-generation gaming machines on the eve of the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3.
LOS ANGELES (CNN/Money) - When Microsoft launches the Xbox 360 later this year, it's going to have a lot of games to go with it.
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