Yes, XBLA Hors D’oeurvres are back. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re simply a weekly feature where I play the latest Xbox Live Arcade game – in trial form – for no more than 10 minutes, and then summarize my impressions of the game based only upon that.

I think the most telling part about Buku Sudoku is that I really had a hard time putting my controller down after 10 minutes. (I actually ran over and play for 11:36, according to the handy in-game clock.) If you’ve ever played a Sudoku puzzle before, then you’ll know precisely what you’re getting into. I’m far from an expert on this particular genre of logic puzzle, but I do enjoy the occasional Sudoku.

When I wrote this week’s XBLA Wednesday story, I said, “As much as I like Sudoku, though, I can’t imagine buying this. When I first heard about it I was excited, but then I realized: Do I really want to stare at numbers on my TV screen?”

As it turns out, I really do.

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You’ve read Stephany’s impressions, you heard what Yahtzee had to say, now it’s your turn to try out Condemned 2. A demo has finally been released on the Xbox Live Marketplace after a long wait. While I imagine most of you have already either lost interest or bought the game, now you’ve got a chance to try the sequel to what was a pretty awesome game.

This single-player only demo is 736 MB and isn’t available in Germany. Not a big loss, though, if Yahtzee is right about this one. (Sorry Steph.)

It’s been two weeks now since there’s been a real update to the PlayStation Store, so much of what’s been released today is catching up for missing out on the past few weeks – Rock Band songs, videos, and a UEFA Euro 2008 demo.

Of course, the big news is that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has been released. I’ve spent some time today playing it, and I think it’ll be a fine holdover for diehard Gran Turismo fans.

The new Warhawk Broken Mirror pack is also now available for $8, as well as a bundle with both the Broken Mirror and Omega Dawn DLC packs.

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Ah, those simple drawings on a yellow background must mean that it’s Wednesday, and thus time for another hilarious Zero Punctuation review. This week, Yahtzee is tackling Condemned 2: Bloodshot with all the mirth you’d expect him to bring to a game that mostly involves wailing on the homeless. Naturally, he finds plenty in the game to poke fun at, since some of the first game’s odd quirks have either remained intact or been fleshed out in some strange ways. Personally, I have to agree that my interest in a game also tends to wane once something about a mystical cult starts to pop up along with all the derivitivenes that comes with it.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Developer: Monolith
Publisher: SEGA
Price: $59.99
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Category: Action/Adventure, Psychological Horror
ESRB: “M” for Mature
Release Date: 3/12/2008

When I first heard that the folks over at Monolith were making a sequel to Condemned: Criminal Origins, I was both excited and leery at the same time, because let’s face it, sequels are not usually up to par with the original. Granted, the God of War titles seem to do justice to our favorite Spartan, but that cannot be said of the majority of sequels sitting on shelves. My initial disquiet over another offering of Ethan Thomas and the maimed world in which he resides seemed to mitigate slightly when I viewed the first set of screenshots from the game, and the more I saw, better I felt. The trailers looked great, the weapon selection was both pacifying and hilarious at the same time, and the overall ambiance the trailers portrayed finally allowed me to let my guard down completely for Condemned 2: Bloodshot. However, before I get too far ahead of myself, I would like to point out that while this was indeed a very fun and entertaining game, it was far from perfect. So far, to be quite honest, that afterwards when I had played through it a second time, I started to feel extremely let down.

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The XBL demos for Condemned 2: Bloodshot and SEGA Super Star Tennis are already out, and now finally, like Chris mentioned last week, the PSN store  will be getting in on the love today – well, only in the US.

Both the PSN and XBL versions should be arriving on European shores soon but the exact dates depend on certification by Sony and Microsoft. I know, its a pain when most of the world already has it and you don’t, but we promise that we will keep you posted on the dates as soon as we hear more.

In the meantime, go ahead and just buy the games and trade them back in. You may loose about thirty dollars in the process, but if you are the impatient sort, this is your only option at this point.

Thanks: Eurogamer

This week’s PlayStation Store update is headlined by two new demos of Sega games: Condemned 2: Bloodshot and Sega Superstars Tennis. Xbox 360 owners have had access to the Condemned demo for nearly a week now, but Stephany thinks highly enough of the game that it’s something you have to download. The Sega Superstars Tennis demo allows you to try out match mode or mini-game mode with up to two players as you get to play as characters like Sonic, Shadow, AiAi, and Amigo.

This week’s Earache Trash Pack addition to the Rock Band DLC library has also been added. You can find all the details here. Other in-game DLC you’ll find includes a new free course – the Turnberry Golf Resort – for Tiger Woods 08 as well as a premium course – the Doral Golf Resort Blue Monster Course – which costs $4.99. And, if you’re feeling like a sucker, you can pay EA $2.49 to max out your golfer’s skills. Y’know, to do the same thing cheat codes used to do back in the day. For free.

There’s also a helping of new videos and trailers. You can find all the details after the break.

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SEGA announced today that gamers can now play a demo of Condemned 2: Bloodshot via XBL. The demo starts half-way through the first level and will reacquaint players with the game’s hero Ethan Thomas and if you have not downloaded it already you need to do so right away.I bought Condemned 2 the day it came out, and while I was a bit shocked to see some of the changes made to the game, my initial feelings of “what the hell have they done” went away very quickly. While I am still not too keen on the overabundant hazy and blurry special effects that flash across the screen – they could have left those to a minimum and still maintained the creepy feel of the game – there is nothing really to complain about.

You will notice when you play it that hit combos have been added to the game, and Ethan looks more like a drunken Glen Danzig on a shower-strike than the cool, buff detective that he did in the first game, but these new changes do not take away the fun violent hell that is Condemned 2.

I do not want to give away too much of the game because I really think you should play it, but you will be pleased with the storyline, the extra amount of environmental interaction, and the cool gadgets you get to wield. You also get to explore a demented doll factory with exploding babydolls and fight an insane clown lady – clowns, dolls, oh the horror!- its like my two biggest phobias brought to life. Thanks Monolith for the nightmares, I couldn’t love you any more!

For more information on Condemned 2: Bloodshot check out our previous posts.

Via: Press Release

More baseball action is now available on the PlayStation Store, as a demo of MLB 2K8 has been released. With the demo of it and MLB 08, you should be able to make an informed decision about which baseball game is right for you. (I think I’ll be going with 08, myself.) The free Dropkick Murphys DLC pack I wrote about here is also available to download for any Guitar Hero III players who are interested.

If you’re feeling like a sucker, then there’s something for you, too: two new PAIN characters are available for $0.99 each. Somehow I doubt the privilege of being able to launch Nurse Ginger and Muffy the Cheerleader around the city in PAIN is really worth a buck.

Other things you’ll find when you log onto the PlayStation Store today: Rock Band DLC (read about it here), an expansion pack for Toy Home ($6.99) and various themes and videos.

The full list of content can be found after the break. Read the full article

For fans of Condemned: Criminal Origins who have been eagerly anticipating the release of Condemned 2: Bloodshot, our wait is nearly over. Today, SEGA announced that Bloodshot has shipped and this news has indeed made me one very happy lady. Normally I do not pre-order games, but I absolutely had to with this one considering how much I loved the chills and thrills the first one gave me and I cannot wait for the psychological horror promised with this installment. Hopefully there will be no mannequins this time around though – eek.

Xbox 360 owners will be able to get the first crack at this first-person action thriller, while PS3 owners will have their chance on March 18 – not sure why there is a delay, but it is not that much of one at least.

Just in case you have been living in a cellar here is the storyline for the game: Condemned 2: Bloodshot follows Ethan Thomas, and his inner demons, in a string of gruesome murders where players must use their deductive skills and brute force to track down sadistic serial killers. The game features all-new fighting mechanics and high-tech forensics tools, giving players the resources they need to unravel the mysteries and cope with every disturbing event. Developed by Monolith Productions, creators of the original Condemned game, Condemned 2: Bloodshot also introduces a variety of online multiplayer modes, delivering the most brutal hand-to-hand combat experience the first-person genre has ever seen.

This sounds like it will be drenched in awesome-sauce. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my excitement will not be in vain and that it will be just as fun as Criminal Origins. You can read the full press release after the jump.

Via: Press Release

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