New "Batman: Arkham Asylum" trailer, now with more Joker

Batman: Arkham Asylum takes a look at the darker side of the Dark Knight's world. It's nothing compared to the ruthless, brutal world of LEGO Batman, mind you, but it's still pretty dark. The game has potential to mix the world of Batman with the gameplay of Metal Gear and Bioshock. So here's hoping that they don't mess it up.

New games, 'Afro Samurai' edition

Today, a game was released that I know close to nothing about, but I hope with everything I have that it's good.


Afro Samurai, originally of Cartoon Network, Samuel L. Jackson and The RZA fame, is now a video game out for the PS3 and 360. I'm sincerely hoping that this game lives up to the hype that my brain has been surrounding it with. I mean, look at that image. The Afro Samurai aesthetic is incredibly awesome.

I guess I could break down my fascination with it step by step: I like samurais, I like swords, I like David Carradine (slightly unrelated, but stay with me here), I like the super-rad graphics of the new Prince of Persia game, I like The RZA and I'm a big fan of action games. So this has potential to make me super-giddy.

Don't let us down, Afro Samurai.

Review: "The Maw"

I've been busy lately. I just don't have time to play my brother's copy of Assassin's Creed or my new shiny copy of BioShock. Instead, I decided to spend the last week with a new XBLA title, The Maw.

There he is. The Maw. He's a big purple alien monster with a hunger for all living creatures. And that's the game. You play Frank, another alien who leads The Maw around on a leash. As you feed him, he grows, and his characteristics adapt to the monsters he eats. For example, if Maw eats a Gastro (a lava lizard), he can breath fire. If he eats a Loofer (a peacock with laser eyes), he can shoot lasers out of his eyes.

The game has fantastic graphics for a downloadable game, but perhaps the most obnoxious soundtrack I've heard on a game in a while. I did hit a glitch that made me completely replay one level just before I beat it, which was horribly frustrating. Also, although it's largely a very straightforward platformer, it gets unnecessarily complicated at times. The frustration sprouts from Frank trying to grab a creature to feed to The Maw. For whatever reason, it's just too hard.

Still, it's a very charming game, albeit a pretty quick play. If you're willing to spend a small amount of money to play this game through one time, go right ahead. Honestly, there's a part of me that wanted this game to end pretty quickly if only because of the headache that came from the soundtrack. You know what? Mute the TV and enjoy the game. That's probably the best idea.

Aside from my petty complaints, The Maw is legitimitely enjoyable. I say give it a go.

Grade: B

A great viral spin-off

If you haven't familiarized yourself with Matt, the gentleman who danced the silliest of dances in 42 countries, you should do so now.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

And now, here's what would happen if Matt was three characters in Team Fortress 2.

Watch more videos of TF2

Delightful.

Notable new games this week (January 19)

This week, there are four reasonably intriguing games coming out. The probable flops of the week include SimAnimals, Ultimate Shooting Collection, Deer Drive and Deal or No Deal (all for the Wii).

The Maw (Xbox Live Arcade), January 21 - The Maw is an interesting looking platform game that seems to be an aesthetic cross between Banjo-Kazooie and Lilo & Stitch. Here's a trailer for it.

Skate 2 (Xbox 360, PS3), January 21 - A sequel to Skate, a game I never played, but this one look pretty darn good.

Star Ocean: Second Evolution (PSP), January 19 - Yet another Star Ocean game, but this one is portable. It's a non-turn-based 2D anime RPG. If you don't understand nerd talk, here's a video.

Stoked (Xbox 360), January 20 - This game is what sparked the qualifier "reasonably" before "intriguing" in the first sentence of this post. Every other game seems like an interesting play. This one is a little more iffy. But who knows, maybe it'll be great.

HSM karaoke game announced, 4-year-old girls still screaming

That's right, Disney Interactive Studios announced yesterday that they just love money. Therefore, they're going to release Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year, a game with a title that's far too short.

DSI:HSM3:SY, which looks suspiciously like HTML code, will feature songs from all three High School Musical movies. Sing solo! Sing with friends!

The game will release February 17 for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii consoles. There's no word about whether or not this game is going to be compatible with the Lips, Rock Band or Guitar Hero: World Tour microphones.

But take heed. If you're over the age of 13 and are playing this game on the Xbox 360, all of your friends on the system can see how many achievements you've gotten while playing the game. So ask yourself: how brave are you?

Possible "Star Wars Battlefront III" Gameplay Footage Leaked

Catch it while you can, because here's a possible sneak peek at Star Wars Battlefront III, which is looking pretty incredible.

The video was allegedly taken from inside "an internal show and tell Alpha meeting back in November."

Perhaps this is exactly what happened to me when I watched footage for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (before I was hit with its mediocrity), but this game does look pretty snazzy thus far. Playable Ewoks and Jar Jar? Stop right there: Somebody just struck oil.

Miyamoto, Spore receive Jim Henson Awards

And bloggers everywhere rush to finish their haphazard Photoshopping jobs. Enjoy mine!

Shigeru Miyamoto and Spore were each awarded Jim Henson Honors, which are awarded to organizations, individuals or products that reflect the core values and philosophy of the muppet master himself.

“The recipients of this year’s Jim Henson Honors demonstrate true creativity and commitment to innovation,” said Brian Henson. “They have raised the bar in their respective fields, from Shigeru Miyamoto’s ground-breaking work fusing entertainment and technology at Nintendo, to the Center for Puppetry Arts’ dedication to enriching lives through arts education, this year’s honorees, who so strongly reflect the traditions of The Jim Henson Company.”

For those of you who don't know, Miyamoto is the co-creator of some of Nintendo's most popular franchises (Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and most recently, Wii Fit and Wii Music). Spore is a game where you create monsters - something Henson was quite accustomed to himself. In a lot of ways, Miyamoto is a creator in the realms of Henson and Disney, so the award is well received.

To put it in context, previous Henson Honorees include Al Gore, Google Earth, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Etsy, Richard Branson, The Gorillaz and The Prius. Those Hensons are eclectic, are they not?

Neversoft: No more Tony Hawk for us, thanks

Remember when Tony Hawk games were, of all things, fun? Seriously kids, you may be too young to believe this, but the Tony Hawk franchise used to be a staple in the Minsker household. If a new sequel to Tomb Raider, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or Grand Theft Auto came out, we'd all jump up and buy it.


Lately, however, Hawk hasn't been an alluring figure in gaming. His games have suffered in comparison to the Skate games. Plus, did anybody else play Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam for the Wii? Awful.

Finally, Neversoft have hung up their skating helmets and have promised to stick to the Guitar Hero games. Co-founder Joel Jewett has confirmed that they've passed off the franchise to another developer. So let's revamp and get back to the old favorite, shall we?

"Klonoa" heading to the Wii

The coming year isn't looking too kind to the Nintendo Wii. I've long gushed over the system, but alas, there hasn't been anything too impressive since I last played de Blob. Finally, one game is coming to the states that could actually catch my attention.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile was originally released in 1998 for the PlayStation. It was remade for the Wii and released in Japan. Finally, this year, it's going to get a North American release (under the title Klonoa).

Here's hoping that it lives up to the blogger hype. The Wii desperately needs another good game for the coming year.

No "Rock Band 3" in '09

In lieu of the news of a Beatles game coming within the next year, the people at Harmonix are taking a bold step away from a typical pattern. According to Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopolous, they aren't releasing a sequel to Rock Band 2 this next year.


Rock Band 2 was released a year after the original game came out. The game only expanded on a few initial problems with the original title, but the game has stayed fresh since its release with weekly downloadable content.

Personally, I'm happy to see that The Beatles game will go unrivaled by another Rock Band and am also happy to see the franchise taking a break. The game won't get any less fun without a sequel if Harmonix just keeps our attention with more downloadable content. I only wish Guitar Hero would take the hint and take a hiatus for a while as well. Each franchise is just going to get repetitive and stale if they just keep releasing game after game. Here's to you, Harmonix, on a brave step.

LEGO game wish list

The LEGO company has well established itself as the leader in kid friendly games for the PS3 and Xbox 360. So far, the company's iron fist has only been made more powerful with LEGO Batman, and LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Star Wars.

Recently, rumors have been circling the blogosphere that LEGO Rock Band is in development as well as LEGO Harry Potter. The latter is quite believable and encouraged, but LEGO Rock Band? Really? I think it's time to look at some awesome options for the LEGO company to explore.


First, some guidelines. It seems that LEGO is looking at adventure platform titles that require at least three stories to work with. So let's take a look at some adventure options with more than just one film. (Note: I absolutely do not endorse the creation of LEGO Matrix.)

- LEGO Lord of the Rings - Easy! You've got a huge cast of characters, you've got three major films and there's an opportunity for a prequel (with The Hobbit). The art would be wonderful and the stories are all in a can and ready to go.

- LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean - Not the best films, but come on - they're action packed and there's opportunity for LEGO Geoffrey Rush and Keith Richards.

- LEGO Firefly - Again, lots of playable characters with different personalities, lots of stories to go with and plenty of great visuals. I'd say LEGO Buffy, but I suppose I'm not a big enough fan to throw my vote that way.

- LEGO Bill and Ted - I know what you're thinking: "But Evan, there are only two movies!" This is true, but have you ever heard of the Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures cartoon? I rest my case. Go back in time and rescue LEGO Billy the Kid and LEGO Socrates. Also, there's endless slapstick opportunity for LEGO Wyld Stallyns!

- LEGO Back to the Future - OK, I'll bite. This one isn't nearly as awesome as LEGO Bill and Ted (a game that will only be made in my dreams), but with a LEGO Delorian and LEGO Biff, I think we're all ready for that drama.


- LEGO Kill Bill - Darker? Well, yeah, but violence is perfect for the LEGO games. When you chop off a lego head, there isn't any blood. Just LEGO hilarity!

- LEGO Smokey and the Bandit - The boys are thirsty in Atlanta. There's LEGO beer in Texarcana. 'Nuff said.

- LEGO The Prisoner - More avant garde, yes, but kids today need a good dose of culture. Let's get LEGO Number Six to try to escape that island.

Number of times I used the word LEGO: 31.

So come on, what LEGO games do you want to play? (32.)