This week's PSN network update features the triumphant return of Bionic Commando with Bionic Commando: Rearmed and get your old school fighting action with Street Fighter Alpha. We also get the usual Rock Band update, tons of videos and a BioShock theme!

Downloadable Games

• Bionic Commando: Rearmed ($9.99) Featuring intense shooting and iconic grappling action, this amazing update gets a HD makeover and more! Discover a remixed musical score, enhanced gameplay, new weapons, online rankings and new unlockable content for the upcoming sequel. Team up in the new 2-player co-op mode and take your own path while still in view on the split screen!

PS1 Classics for PS3/PSP

• Street Fighter Alpha ($5.99)
  FIGHT! The classic Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams returns! With an improved Super Combo system based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, the addition of the "Alpha Counter," "Air Blocking," and "Chain Combos," Street Fighter Alpha set a new standard in arcade-style fighting gameplay.

Add-on Game Content

• Rock Band Downloadable Content

  * "Constant Motion" - Dream Theater ($0.99)
  * "Aesthetics of Hate" - Machine Head ($0.99)
  * "My Curse" - Killswitch Engage ($0.99)
  * "Clouds Over California" - DevilDriver ($0.99)
  * "Runnin' Wild" - Airbourne ($0.99)
  * "Sleepwalker" - Megadeth ($0.99)
  * Roadrunner Records Pack 1 ($5.99) - includes "Runnin' Wild" - Airbourne, "Clouds Over California" - DevilDriver, "Constant Motion" - Dream Theater, "My Curse" -Killswitch Engage, "Aesthetics of Hate" - Machine Head , and "Sleepwalker" - Megadeth.
  (Price Promotion: these tracks will become $1.99 on 8/21. The track pack will become $9.99 on 8/21.)

Hit the jump for the entire list of this week's downloadable goodies!

• Bionic Commando: Rearmed Demo Featuring intense shooting and iconic grappling action, this amazing update gets a HD makeover and more! Discover a remixed musical score, enhanced gameplay, new weapons, online rankings and new unlockable content for the upcoming sequel. Team up in the new 2-player co-op mode and take your own path while still in view on the split screen! Download the free trial today!
• 1942: Joint Strike Demo
  Based on the popular arcade series, 1942: Joint Strike combines classic top-down shooting with amazing 3D HD graphics. Maneuver aircraft carriers to take on waves of enemy fire and face off with huge enemy bosses. Recruit a wing man locally or online to employ Joint Strike attacks, combining firepower into one explosive barrage. With a whole new arsenal, prepare to rejoin the battle!
• NHL 2K9 Demo
  NHL 2K9 brings fun back to hockey video games with a brand-new in-game presentation system, pick-up-and-play controls and hard-hitting action. The NHL 2K9 Demo consists of one 3 minute period with two teams to choose from, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Download now!
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 Demo
  Take on the world in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09. Save your most amazing - and unthinkable - performances and post on EA SPORTS GamerNet, a revolutionary interactive gaming hub that hosts user-created content online. Set the bar high by posting your top moments, and take on challenges set by others, to determine the world's greatest golfer once and for all.

Game Videos (free)

• The Last Guy Gameplay Trailer 2 You are the chosen one, and it is up to you to rescue the last survivors on earth by leading them to safety through zombie-infested streets. With a classic arcade style overhead view, make your way through detailed real-world cities and use your heat vision to find people hiding in buildings. Then lead them to the Escape Zone before time runs out in this frantic, addictive game. Download the latest trailer today to see the game in action.
• Bionic Commando: Rearmed: The Making Of - Part 3
  Explore the re-making of a classic side-scroller in part 3 of this 3-part documentary that looks at how Bionic Commando was brought back into action!!
• Bionic Commando: Rearmed Launch Trailer
• Saints Row 2 - Gangs Trailer
  Five years have passed since your crew betrayed you. Seek revenge and reclaim your throne as the rightful king of Stilwater.
• Vampire Rain Gameplay Trailer 1
  Vampire Rain: Altered Species provides a whole new way to play action-stealth games. Save the human race from the Nightwalkers who have taken over. Experience a variety of characters and weapons, intense heart pounding battles, and online multi-player mode. It's time to fight or die.
• Vampire Rain Running Alley Trailer
  A quiet city street proves to be more deadly than it looks. Be careful at night--you'll never know who (or what) is lurking in the shadows, waiting for its next meal. The Nightwalkers have been classified as highly dangerous and incredibly destructive. But how can you defeat such a strong and violent enemy? Keep your weapons close, move quickly, and always be the one to strike first.
• Legendary Behind the Scenes Teaser Trailer
  When rogue art thief Charles Deckard is tasked to steal Pandora's Box, he accidentally opens it, releasing mythological beasts into an unprepared world. Now, giant griffons rule the skies, ravenous werewolves stalk the streets and Deckard is left branded with a signet that is the secret to man's salvation.
• Madden NFL 09 Buzz Video
  Find out what the buzz is around the release of Madden NFL 09. Get a first look at the enhanced animations and the visual jump that Madden 09 possesses and see why this is the best Madden NFL ever produced!
• Madden NFL 09 Announcers Video
  See why this is the best audio featured in any Madden NFL game to date. You will be able to experience the exciting new audio including John Madden delivering game analysis. Chris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond also provide detailed play-by-play and color commentary to the game. You don't want to miss Madden NFL 09!
• Madden NFL 09 Presentation Video
  From the exterior shots to the ticker, the second you turn on the game, you are going to notice the new look and feel of Madden NFL 09. The authentic visuals create a completely innovative view to the game.
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 : Fusion
  Reveal Trailer for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 - Fusion
• Mirror's Edge Story Trailer 1
  Faith and other couriers used to be ignored by the police. But things have changed. And now Faith is being hunted.
• AST Dew Tour - Cleveland FMX Jam Session
  A compilation of the best moments from the FMX Jam Session at the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
• AST Dew Tour - Cleveland Skate Thrills
  A compilation of the best moments in Skateboard Park and Skateboard Vert from the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
• AST Dew Tour - Cleveland BMX Highlights
  A compilation of all the moments to remember in BMX Dirt, BMX Vert and BMX Park from the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
• AST Dew Tour - Hear it from Nyquist
  BMX Dirt athlete Ryan Nyquist talks about strategies across courses and how each dirt course on the Dew Tour brings something different to the competition.

PS3 Themes (free)

• BioShock Theme Customize your PS3 system with a cool BioShock Theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Download today!
• Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme (x2)
  Customize your PS3 system with a cool Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Download today!

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

• Bionic Commando: Rearmed Wallpaper (x2) Customize the background of your PS3 system with this new Bionic Commando: Rearmed Wallpaper
]]> tag:gaygamer.net,2008://1.35357 2008-08-13T16:00:00Z 2008-08-13T14:55:50Z
So despite what many, many in the gaming press might have to say about their showing at E3, Nintendo is still a giant in the industry. And as such, they have been in the business long enough to see many come and go. As per a story from Kotaku, it turns out that Nintendo have been gracious enough to send out thank you notes to members of the press who attended their press briefing at E3 this year. Our own Fruit Brute and TinyDancer received theirs just yesterday. The thank you's are signed by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, vice president of corporate affairs Denise Kaigler and vice president of sales & marketing Cammie Dunaway. Is this an apology from Nintendo? Are they acknowledging the discontent from the gaming press (and I'd imagine many gamers) about what was offered at E3? Or is this Nintendo thumbing their nose at the press, stating "We did what we wanted to, whether you liked it or not"? The way I was raised, sending thank you notes is a very polite and proper thing to do when you have some kind of gathering. Personally, I think that Nintendo is being genuine in thanking people for attending. It's a big deal to put on a show like E3, and it's an opportunity for the developers to show their wares to people who can ultimately influence attitudes about the games. Nintendo, you stay classy!...
LunarMouse http://gaygamer.net

So despite what many, many in the gaming press might have to say about their showing at E3, Nintendo is still a giant in the industry. And as such, they have been in the business long enough to see many come and go. As per a story from Kotaku, it turns out that Nintendo have been gracious enough to send out thank you notes to members of the press who attended their press briefing at E3 this year. Our own Fruit Brute and TinyDancer received theirs just yesterday. The thank you's are signed by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, vice president of corporate affairs Denise Kaigler and vice president of sales & marketing Cammie Dunaway.

Is this an apology from Nintendo? Are they acknowledging the discontent from the gaming press (and I'd imagine many gamers) about what was offered at E3? Or is this Nintendo thumbing their nose at the press, stating "We did what we wanted to, whether you liked it or not"?

The way I was raised, sending thank you notes is a very polite and proper thing to do when you have some kind of gathering. Personally, I think that Nintendo is being genuine in thanking people for attending. It's a big deal to put on a show like E3, and it's an opportunity for the developers to show their wares to people who can ultimately influence attitudes about the games. Nintendo, you stay classy!

]]> tag:gaygamer.net,2008://1.35336 2008-08-12T14:30:00Z 2008-08-12T14:12:05Z
For my first foray into writing for a gaming blog, I want to discuss something very near and dear to my heart: My Mac. I've been using OSX for 5 years now, and I'll never go back. However, for the first few years, the one thing I missed was all the games my friends were playing on PC. They mocked me, "Oh, you can't come to the LAN because you can't play any of the games!". When I bought my first Mac (a 12" Powerbook that I still use daily) it was with the intent that it was for work and school purposes, not gaming. Besides, at that point in my life, I had little time for gaming. Now, I have lots of time and a desire to play "PC" games, but without owning a PC. Thanks to various pieces of software, my 24" iMac can run almost anything I want to play! Hit the jump for a rundown and my opinions on various ways to play PC games on OSX....
LunarMouse http://gaygamer.net

For my first foray into writing for a gaming blog, I want to discuss something very near and dear to my heart: My Mac.

I've been using OSX for 5 years now, and I'll never go back. However, for the first few years, the one thing I missed was all the games my friends were playing on PC. They mocked me, "Oh, you can't come to the LAN because you can't play any of the games!". When I bought my first Mac (a 12" Powerbook that I still use daily) it was with the intent that it was for work and school purposes, not gaming. Besides, at that point in my life, I had little time for gaming. Now, I have lots of time and a desire to play "PC" games, but without owning a PC. Thanks to various pieces of software, my 24" iMac can run almost anything I want to play!

Hit the jump for a rundown and my opinions on various ways to play PC games on OSX.

]]> Now, the last thing I want to do is start some kind of Mac/PC debate here. We all have our preferences in OS, just like we have our preferences in men. It is what it is, and arguing about it won't change a thing.

That said, the PC gaming world is changing. With an ever growing market share, OSX converts are everywhere. One frequent question from new Mac users is "How can I play my PC games on my new Mac?"

I tell my friends that they have 3 options: emulation, Boot Camp, and waiting for a port.

Emulation requires an application, like Crossover by Codeweavers to change the code of your game/other application. This is what I use to run many games like CounterStrike: Source, Portal, and Team Fortress 2.

Boot Camp is Apple's way of letting you install a windows partition on your OSX hard drive. This works for many brand new games that emulators can't quite handle. Despite being a die hard OSX user, I find having my windows partition necessary so I can enjoy games like Age of Conan, Call of Duty 4, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Obviously, waiting for an actual port of a game works the best to run it under OSX natively. However, for a long time, it would take 6 months to a year before a port was finished and released for OSX. But, times they are a changin'. Many publishers are now releasing both Windows and OSX versions of games simultaneously. Blizzard has been one of the best companies for releasing their games for all platforms at the same time. And a short time ago, EA announced that it too would bring most of its games to OSX at release.

Now I'd like your thoughts. How many of you guys are Mac users? Do you game on your Mac? How do you do it? I'd like to get to know more of our Mac using gamers! We aren't alone, and we need to get together to show the PC gaming world that their monopoly isn't what it used to be.

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