Gaming Union is a comprehensive video games resources, covering news and reviews, while also producing exclusive features about the gaming industry http://www.gamingunion.net/ Gaming Union PSPgo owners looking for colors besides Piano Black and Pearl White may be in luck, according to a recent survey that shows off a variety of new proposed colors for the new handheld. The PSPgo is the latest iteration of the PlayStation Portable hardware. It ditches the UMD drive in favor of internal storage, which forces gamers to buy their games off of Sony's PlayStation Network as digital copies. Unlike previous versions, the buttons are hidden by the screen which now slides on top of them, giving the handheld a slimmer profile. Various colors were shown in the survey, ranging from darker colors like Burgundy to lighter colors like Coral. It's unknown if any of these proposed colors will be available at retail, but it is a good sign that Sony is planning to venture outside of the two colors that currently exist. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/rumour-proposed-pspgo-colors--672.html When BioWare proclaimed that Dragon Age: Origins would be the spiritual successor of its classic 3rd person RPG, Baldur’s Gate, the bar was instantly set high. Those unfamiliar with the 1998 title may not understand the weight behind that proclamation, but it meant that Dragon Age have to be a massively immersive. Things have moved along a lot since Baldur’s Gate arrived, and Dragon Age is set to contain BioWare's signature morality system as well as a world that constantly changes, developing with the growth of the player. Does it raise the bar even higher? Players taken control of a Grey Warden initiate who a single member of a group dedicated to eradicating a plague known as the Blight. Originating four hundred years ago, the Blight consists of the twisted forms of men and demons, warped by their own greed and bent upon ravaging the earth of all life. Through tragedy and circumstance players will eventually find themselves pitted against this vast force, with only a handful of allies ready to stand against it. To save the world against the Blight, players must then raise an army across Ferelden. No easy task considering the the land is torn apart through civil war and darker creatures are taking advantage of the chaos. http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/dragon-age-origins--114.html Borderlands was released a few weeks ago and actually did pretty well for itself. There were numerous stories of it even selling out and people are already talking about a sequel. When speaking with VG247, Mike Neumann, the creative director on the game, decided to fuel speculation even further by saying, Yes, I can probably confirm that there's a chance of a Borderlands 2. I mean, with anything, especially a new IP, if people want more and you can make more, and everybody can make money and do good business there, it obviously makes really good sense to do that.So, nothing's for certain, but it definitely sounds like they're interested in making one. For now though, they're concerned with the Borderlands DLC. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/borderlands-sequel-seems-like-a-no-brainer--670.html Some images have surfaced on the internet (see small image on the right) which show a potentially new look for the XMB (Cross-Media Bar). The Facebook icon can clearly be seen highlighted. We do apologise for not having larger images, but that's about as large as they get unfortunately. Also rumoured are the ability to change PlayStation Network gamercards and a more efficient way to scan through pictures that have been uploaded to the PlayStation 3. Sony Europe were contacted to see whether these pictures were legitimate, but they simply stated that they "don't comment on rumours or speculation". Read into that what you will. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/rumour-next-ps3-firmware-update-to-offer-facebook-integration--669.html For those who weren't aware, Modern Warfare 2 was released yesterday, and in the UK at least, it has completely destroyed the previous record held for first day sales. The record, which stood at 631,000 units and was held by Grand Theft Auto IV, has almost been doubled, as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 managed to sell 1.23 million units. People expected Modern Warfare 2 to do well, but the sales figures being thrown around are absolute out of this world. Did I hear someone say something about a global recession? http://www.gamingunion.net/news/modern-warfare-2-smashes-uk-sales-record--668.html Defense of the Ancients (DotA) was originally created in 2003 as a mod to Blizzard's successful Warcraft III. Few could have predicted its meteoric rise in the world of gaming, with it arguably the most popular free, non-supported gaming mode in the world; it's even been included in some editions of the World Cyber Games. Taking all this on board, Riot Games took it upon themselves to make a stand-alone version, which would feature an entirely new engine and would act as the spiritual successor to DotA. Due to the nature of the game, League of Legends doesn't really have any kind of premise behind the action. There's no dramatic story that tries to entice players to take part and while it might be seen as a negative, it's quite difficult to see how any kind of narrative could actually be included in a functional manner. There are numerous Champions, all with their own back story, but it's all quite circumstantial. http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/league-of-legends--113.html Microsoft have really been trying to get people excited about Project Natal, a new piece of motion-based technology that was announced at this year's E3. It was fairly obvious that it would arrive in 2010, but it's now received a more definitive release window - November 2010. It's also believed that it will be supported by up to 14 titles, which will probably be sold separately. Don't be surprised to see support from Lionhead, Rare and Epic games though. Interestingly enough, a suggested retail price has also been thrown around as £50, but it could be as little as £30. Definitely a lot cheaper than some of original prices that were estimated. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/project-natal-arriving-november-2010-with-14-games--666.html The Grudge came to the attention of the world in 2004, when the film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar hit the big screens. However, in Japan, where the series originated from, Ju-On: The Grudge was actually the fourth installment. The American version was a complete remake of the Japanese film, but since 2003, when Ju-On: The Grudge and Ju-On: The Grudge 2 were released, there hasn't been a film released under that name. The only thing that's followed are some lower budget American films, the most recent of which went straight to DVD and was released in May, 2009. However, this didn't stop feelplus from reviving the franchise on the Nintendo Wii by creating what they describe as a Fright Simulator. Focusing on the events of an average Japanese family, the game follows each of their individual challenges. Taking control of each family member in a separate episode, players must try to overcome the curse and avoid Toshio and Kayako, the two antagonists from the films. http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/ju-on-the-grudge--112.html MAG, formerly known as Massive Action Game, is a highly anticipated title for the PlayStation 3, being developed by Zipper Interactive. It's going to be a first for console gaming, as it will allow 256 players to play at the same time in a single match online. Gaming Union was finally able to get their hands on the game, although the version being played was the same displayed at this year's E3 2009. Either way, it was a fully comprehensive 256 player battle, and it seemed pretty stable. Check out our impressions in the full preview. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/mag-hands-on-preview--664.html Dante's Inferno is the latest game from Visceral Games and it's actually looking quite impressive so far. Soon though, you won't just have to take our word for it, as EA are going to release a demo on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network next month. The demo will allow players to play through the first section of the game, which even includes a full boss fight. They will be able to experience the combat and the huge enemies that the game contains. The game is actually coming out on the PlayStation Portable too, but there's no word about a demo for that system. Either way, the final game is set to come out in February, 2010, so that's not too far away. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/dantes-inferno-demo-arriving-on-ps3-xbox-360--663.html Since 1989, the Alien vs. Predator franchise has brought with it great interest. This was realised in video game form in 1999, when Rebellion Developments launched a successful PC and MAC game based on it. Now they're having another go, with the latest title being set for launch in Q1 2010 on PS3, PC and Xbox 360. AvP is first person shooter with 3 playable characters; Alien, Predator and Human Marine. GamingUnion.net recently had the opportunity to play a multiplayer death match against other players during which, we were able to gain some insight into how the game plays, and how it looks visually. Check out the preview to find out exactly what it's like playing as an Alien in Alien vs Predator. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/aliens-vs-predator-avp-multiplayer-preview-alien--662.html The Need For Speed franchise had something of a revival this year, with Need For Speed: Shift being a huge step forwards in quality compared to the entries from years gone by. It also helped the franchise to ship more than 100 million copies in its lifetime. However, EA have recognised that the brand is in need of a serious make-over, and Frank Gibeau, the President of EA's EA Games label, has stated that it's time they start to put their assets to good use.In recent years, we failed to put adequate resources behind the franchise and, as a result, quality suffered. Next year's Need for Speed has been under development now for some time at our award-winning Criterion StudioThis is definitely some huge news, although it means that Burnout will more than likely be put on hold. We're itching to see what Criterion can come up with. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/next-need-for-speed-being-handled-by-criterion-games--661.html The Prince of Persia series was on quite the roll last generation, debuting in 2003, with sequels landing in both 2004 and 2005. The latest Prince of Persia released towards the end of last year on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, a solid three years since the latest console entry in the series. This bares the question, when can gamers expect the next Prince of Persia game? Yannis Mallat spoke at last week's DIG London conference, a video game developers conference in London, Ontario featuring publishers and developers from across Canada. GamingUnion.net caught up with Mallat afterwards with a few questions, with Prince of Persia rounding out our list. When asked if gamers will have to wait three years between the last Prince of Persia and the next, Mallat put it simply. For Mallat's response and what it could mean, read our full story. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/next-prince-of-persia-likely-to-land-in-2010--660.html Capcom has announced that the extra content found in Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition, set to come out in Spring 2010, will be available via DLC in North America, Europe, and Australia. Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition will include a new flashback mission starring Jill Valentine of Resident Evil fame set in the Spencer Mansion, as well as support for the new unnamed PlayStation 3 motion controller. Unlike Japan, which will be receiving the game in boxed form, all other regions will be able to simply purchase the new content as DLC when it becomes available, assuming you kept the original disc. No word on the price point at this time, although it will likely be less than the original game at least. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/resident-evil-5-alternative-edition-content-coming-as-dlc--659.html Square Enix has announced through their latest official newsletter that Vagrant Story will be available for the PSP and PS3 as a PSOne classic this week in Europe. The game, which originally came out in 2000, got a perfect score from Famitsu, one the most influential reviewers in Japan. The game had a limited print run and regularly sells for a high price on auction websites like eBay. No price point was given, but the game does have a release date of November 12th, 2009. No word on an North American release of the game, although it's likely it will happen sometime soon. UPDATE: VG247 has received word from Square Enix that the game will not be coming this week, but instead will be coming "soon". http://www.gamingunion.net/news/vagrant-story-coming-to-european-psn--658.html Army of Two: The 40th Day is a third person shooter being developed by EA Montreal. The original was perceived to be an interesting take on the genre, as it focused specifically on cooperative play, where by the player must take advantage of two characters in order to complete objectives. Gaming Union was fortunate enough to get a chance to play the sequel which was played via system-link. It was clearly a work in progress, but the two of us were able to participate in a co-operative mission. The demo gave access to a fair few weapon types ranging from shotguns to sniper rifles, and just about every bad guy seemed to packing quite the muscle. Check out our impressions in the full preview. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/army-of-two-the-40th-day-hands-on-preview--657.html Gran Turismo 5 has been on the wish list of many gamers for what seems like an eternity. It's hard to believe that Gran Turismo 4 was actually released in 2004, meaning that by the time it arrives in Japan during March of next year, it will have almost been six years between installments. However, while Japan has an almost definitive release date, the West are still completely clueless about when they'll actually be able to play the game. Kazunori Yamauchi, the brain behind Gran Turismo, also doesn't know when the West will be seeing the game, We will release [GT5] in March in Japan but for other regions, it has not been decided yet. It's more dependant on SCEA's (Sony Computer Entertainment America) marketing decisionsNot exactly good news, and there was no real mention of Europe, which is renowned for being the franchises' biggest selling region. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/gran-turismo-5-delayed-for-marketing-reasons--656.html Racing games aren't synonymous with Disney Interactive Studios, but they are becoming more common place following the acquisition of Black Rock Studios in 2006. As well as purchasing new studios, there has been a real focus on creating new IPs within Disney, and the latest one, Split/Second, looks like it could be the real deal. Gaming Union recently had a chance to spend some extensive time with the game in a single-player race against numerous AI opponents. It enabled us to see what the hype is all about and it also enabled us to blow a ton of stuff up. Check out our impressions inside the full preview. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/splitsecond-hands-on-preview--655.html Those who have been playing the Left 4 Dead 2 demo and want to feel a little bit closer to the final product can now do so be pre-loading the full game. By using Steam, anyone can now pre-load the game, and get 10% off at the same time. It means that upon the game's released on the 17th of November, players will be able to jump straight in to the action, instead of having to download it then. Obviously those who don't want the PC version, and instead want to opt for the Xbox 360 version don't have this luxury but that's up to them isn't it? http://www.gamingunion.net/news/gamers-can-now-pre-load-left-4-dead-2--654.html Nintendo have made no secret of the fact they're working on a new Legend of Zelda game for the Nintendo Wii, which would be the follow-up to The Twilight Princess. However, when speaking to GameTrailers TV, Reggie Fils-Aime, who is the president of Nintendo of America, dampened suggestions that the game could come out in 2010 on the Wii,[we haven't] committed to Zelda for 2010. This is actually quite surprising news considering Nintendo's recent omissions about its lack of games, and the Wii losing momentum. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/nintendo-wont-commit-new-zelda-wii-to-2010--653.html Japanese publisher Level-5 is known for high-quality video games such as the Professor Layton series on the Nintendo DS and White Knight Chronicles on the PlayStation 3. Inazuma Eleven, a soccer/RPG hybrid, which had previously been Japan-only, will now be coming over to Europe in 2010 on the Nintendo DS. Arait Multimedia, a Spanish company, has announced that they have gotten the rights to the anime which is based on the game in Europe. They are not a video game publisher, but they reference the games on their website, and Level-5 has confirmed that the release dates for the games will be announced "when the time is right". The anime is set to be launched around the FIFA 2010 World Cup period and the release dates for the games will be revealed close to that time period. No word on an North American release of either the anime or the games, but if a publisher like Nintendo picks up the titles like they did for Professor Layton, it's likely both regions will have access to it. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/inazuma-eleven-coming-to-europe-in-2010--652.html Forza Motorsport 3 sees the Forza franchise return to the Xbox 360 for the second time, and the third time in four years on Microsoft platforms. The previous two titles helped it to quickly establish itself as the premiere racing simulator to be found on Microsoft's platforms and with their latest installment, Turn 10 are hoping to further impress gamers. It's no easy task, but with improved physics, even more detailed cars and more community options, the outlook is definitely promising. To get players instantly in the mood there is a newly remodelled career mode which focuses on seasons. Upon selecting a car, suggested events will appear and players must choose from one of three events. Once selected, they will then race the tournament, and earnings will be given depending on performance. After each of these events, there is then a classification tournament, in which players are limited to using cars underneath a certain Performance Index. As the seasons progress, they become longer, and the classification tournaments get more difficult. It makes the game get gradually more challenging, and makes for a nice feeling of progression. http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/forza-motorsport-3--111.html Those who are interested in picking up Atlus's upcoming PSP game, Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble, but can't make it out to the store are in luck, as Atlus has just announced the game will be available on PlayStation Network. Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble features over-the-top brawls complete with eye lasers and everything else that you need to take down your enemies while in Japan, even including banana suits and other wacky clothing choices. The game has a unique feature which allows you to recruit the other fighters you beat in battle to increase your reach and reputation. Those who are waiting for the PlayStation Network version will have to wait until November 12th, two days after the retail release. It will be available for $39.99 for both the retail and downloadable versions. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/kenka-bancho-badass-rumble-to-hit-psn--650.html The amount of games that focus on the World War II era is actually getting rather ridiculous now, so the prospect of another one being released probably isn't what gamers want to be seeing. Fortunately, Panzer General Allied Assault is very different from the standard fare, as it's a turn-based strategy game that utilises a card-based combat system. Definitely a unique take on the genre, and definitely worth investigating. Focusing on key battles that took place during the war, players are given a small text-based introduction to each battle, which in the single player campaign is always fought from the Allied perspective. The majority of missions involve the Allied forces trying to encroach on German positions, so it's generally a game about attacking, as opposed to defending. They never really advance very far, generally only advancing to increase their defensive line, so missions can only really be lost once the turn limit is reached. It works, for the purpose of the game, but even though the scenarios are quite different, it does give each battle a sense of deja vu. http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/panzer-general-allied-assault--110.html Skate 3 was announced earlier in the year, but up until now, EA had chosen to not really disclose that much information about their upcoming skateboarding title. That's changed with the release of the game's debut trailer, which shows off new gameplay and showcases the game's new ethos about teamwork. The game is due to be released on May 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. http://www.gamingunion.net/news/skate-3-debut-trailer-being-a-team-player--647.html