Alpha Protocol to be released this summer

OBSIDIAN Entertainment’s much-anticipated Alpha Protocol is hitting store shelves in the summer.

The espionage game, an original take on the role playing game genre, will launch in Europe on May 28 and June 1 in the US for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC Games For Windows.

“Alpha Protocol offers a new take on the RPG genre giving players the chance to immerse themselves in the world of modern day espionage,” said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director of SEGA Europe.

“Being the first ever RPG in this setting, Obsidian have written a truly immersive storyline with a cast of characters everyone will remember.”

With a plot torn from today’s headlines and more twists than a blockbuster movie, Alpha Protocol brings a new level of modern day realism to the world of RPGs. Tasked with uncovering the perpetrators behind a tragic missile attack on a passenger jetliner, players dive into a story rich with characters and locations to discover an international arms-dealing conspiracy. Through their actions and choices, players direct the outcome of the game as they ultimately decide who to befriend, trust or kill.

In Alpha Protocol, players assume the role of rookie spy Michael Thorton and are given unprecedented control over the development of his abilities and interactions with other characters. Customizable character skill-sets, attributes and weapons all play an important role in allowing gamers to tailor Thorton to their play-style.

NO hard drive install for God of War III

GOD Of War III, Sony’s next big blockbuster, will require no HDD install despite the games storage capacity of up to 40GB on a dual-layer blu-ray.

GamingUnion writes: "Recently, PlayStation 3 gamers have been inundated with mandatory installs for games like Heavy Rain and BioShock 2, but God of War 3, which releases next month, promises to offer some good news on this front.

When posting on his personal Twitter account, Christer Ericson, who is the Director of Technology at Sony Santa Monica, said “God of War 3 does NOT do a HD install. The 5MB listed on box back is for save game only.”

That's great news - and should show other developers that it can be done, even with such an impressive game!

Heavy Rain banned in United Arab Emirates

ACCORDING to Kotaku, Sony this morning has confirmed the banning of Heavy Rain in the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement released by Sony, it says: "The UAE’s National Media Council (NMC) has banned Heavy Rain on PlayStation3. Heavy Rain has an 18+ PEGI rating and has been conceived from the earliest stages as a genuinely adult experience.

"This means that it deals with strong content including blood and nudity, but treats this content in a mature and sensitive manner.

"The game is not intentionally controversial or sensationalist, and all the themes and content are consistent with what consumers would expect to see in a mainstream Hollywood thriller."

Currently there has been no detailed explanation from the UAE.

Xbox Live user banned - video

HERE'S an interesting video - it shows an Xbox Live moderator taking a tough stance on a Live user.
It's good to see 'abusers' facing a crackdown - but do you agree, or do you think it is too harsh?
Watch and learn....

Battle of the motion controllers

THE battle of the motion controllers is set to commence - and analysts are predicting the Xbox 360 will come out on top.

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter is predicting the Xbox 360's Natal add-on will outsell the PS3's Arc motion control camera by 5 to 1.

He said: "I think that the Sony motion controller will have some problems gaining traction, since it is not an "in the box" solution. That will probably limit adoption to one or two million at the outset. Natal is different... It's only one piece (the camera), is likely to be cheaper, and I think it will come in the Xbox 360 package with new consoles once launched, meaning far deeper penetration."

Pachter thinks the games will be key to the success of both peripherals.

He said: "Sony's internal development is top notch, so I expect the launch titles to be fun, and likely on par with Wii Sports for quality, but ultimately, I think that the motion controller will only sell to 20% or less of the PS3 audience, limiting it's appeal to third party publishers. A year or so after launch, there will be 10 million Project Natal units out there, which will probably attract more third party support. Also, I think Microsoft will subsidize third party development to make it a success."

New Aliens vs Predator launch video

HERE is the latest Aliens vs Predator video to appear on YouTube - the graphics looks stunning, lets hope the gameplay is just as good!

New interactive gaming show coming to the PS3

A NEW interactive gaming show will soon be winging its way to the PS3.

FirstPlay is being launched on PS3, which will take the form of an on-console episodic gaming show which will bring together reviews, trailers, video previews, galleries, downloads and demos.

And it won't be limited to that alone; it will also be in high-definition and managed by the editorial team behind Official PlayStation Magazine at Future Publishing.

Weekly episodes will cost 99p each, while three-month subscriptions will be going for £8.99.

User-created content will also be available, as well as downloads exclusive to those buying the service.