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Yikes. In a bit of a blow to Bethesda, Fallout 3 has been denied classification by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, which means that since it has received and “RC” rating, it is hereby banned from being sold in Australia.

Australia is very stringent when it comes to rating games, and if you have followed the history of such actions in the past, you may recall all the troubles Rockstar has has with the GTA titles, and more recently,  Dark Sector from D3P was cut to pieces just so it could be released in the land down under.

Australia does not grant games a rating above 15+, but allows movies to receive 18+ ratings, and to help you make sense of the classification system, here are the rules:

There are six classification categories for films (G, PG, M, MA 15+, R 18+, X 18+) and four classification categories for computer games (G, PG, M and MA 15+). The R 18+ and X 18+ categories do not apply to computer games in Australia. Films and computer games can also be classified RC (refused classification). RC films and computer games cannot be legally sold or distributed in Australia.

I suppose all the drug use, slavery and addiction references that were just recently revealed to be part of the game were the main factors in the decision. This means that Fallout 3 will have to be drastically cut to get the green light for our Australian brethren, which most likely will be the case because I seriously doubt Bethesda will just skip such a lucrative opportunity  to make money off Australian gamers.

Via: GamesIndustry.biz

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The game’s only been out for several months now, so it’s time for some demo action! A demo of the third-person action game Dark Sector can now be found on the Xbox Live Marketplace. As Jonathan put it when he wrote up his impressions of the game, the game suffers from “Gears of War Syndrome,” which is to say that it tries and fails to do nothing innovative with the formula that Gears perfected.

Overall, the single player game can be fairly engaging, but only for about the first half of the game. The glaive itself is entertaining enough for a few hours, but once the novelty wears off, there’s really not much in the story to keep you moving forward. The whole “Soviet world domination” angle has become a tired cliche by now, and there’s not a whole lot to define Hayden as a character — aside from one defining act in the prologue. He’s just a very quiet man with a whispy hairstyle and an affinity for slaughtering without mercy. That’s kind of creepy by itself if you think about.

It might not be great, but it might be enough to distract you from thinking about Metal Gear Solid 4’s impending release, and you’ll be able to appreciate Gears of War 2 that much more once it’s released.

Dark Sector
Developer: Digital Extremes
Publisher: D3 Publisher of America
Price: $59.99
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Category: Action
ESRB Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence)
Release Date: March 25, 2008

Dark Sector unfortunately suffers from a gaming ailment that I’ve begun referring to as “Gears of War Syndrome.” You see, Gears of War really nailed the whole “third-person, cover-based shooter” genre over a year ago; so much so that any title with similar gameplay since can be labeled as being “good…but not as good as Gears of War.” Army of Two has this problem, Kane and Lynch has this problem (among many others), and Dark Sector also has this problem. Even while playing the game, I found myself trying to pull off some moves from Gears of War — like blind fire — and was disappointed when I couldn’t. That’s not to say Dark sector is a bad game; it’s just mostly all been done before and better.

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It has been a slightly busy week as far as game releases go, and while the majority of the more mainstream ones are reported, some have slipped through the announcement cracks. While Dark Sector, Viking: Battle for Asgard, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Universe at War and Crisis Core: FF VII have been the media darlings of the week, included with these titles are some that you may have missed.

So without further ado, here is a list of all the games that hit between March 23-29, 2008:

DS
Backyard Baseball ‘09
Harvest Moon DS Cute
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword

PC
Australian Zoo Quest
Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath Expansion Pack
Command & Conquer 3 Limited Collection
Escape From Paradise City
Guild Wars Platinum Edition
Guild Wars Factions Platinum Edition

PSP
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Warriors Orochi

PS2
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3

PS3
Dark Sector
Viking: Battle for Asgard

Xbox 360
Dark Sector
Universe at War: Earth Assault
Viking: Battle for Asgard

Wii
Obscure: The Aftermath
Octomania
Opoona

The wait is over! D3Publisher of America has shipped their highly anticipated action-thriller Dark Sector to retail stores all across North America for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Utilizing the Evolution Engine, Dark Sector thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities; now he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero.

Dark Sector is available for the suggested retail price of $59.95, and is rated “M” for Mature.

For more information on Dark Sector, check out our previous posts and the official website. Press Release is posted after the jump.

Via: Press Release

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This Dark Sector enemy trailer featuring Nemesis, a latter-stage, Protoarmored Technocyte warrior who is first revealed on the Lasrian docks, working alongside Mezner. It doesn’t speak and barely reacts, serving as Mezner’s pit bull in his mysterious plans to both recruit or eliminate Hayden. The Nemesis armor is an impenetrable carapace whose weight and mass in no way inhibits the warriors’ movements. Able to contort and conform the organic metal into multiple stabbing weapons, the Nemesis proves far more than Hayden is capable of handling.

Yikes. How the hell do you defeat this monstrosity then? I guess we will find out when it ships on Tuesday, March 25 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

If you want more information on Dark Sector, look over our previous posts here and for more videos be sure and check out our FileFront page where there are over six pages of videos in every format you can think of.

D3 has revealed all the weapons that will be available in the upcoming Dark Sector game, excluding the signature glaive. Basically, imagine the usual guns you’ve seen in every other shooter (assault rifle, pistol, etc.). Now give those guns fancy, futuristic sounding names, and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect in the way of weapons in this game. Sawed-off shotgun? No, no; that’s called a “Spectre” now. Pistol? I believe you mean the “TEKNA 9mm.” RPG? Well, um, that’s still called an “RPG.” Good thing they’ve got the glaive to make this one stand out a bit more though. You can check out more weapons you’ve probably seen before by clicking the link below.

Via TheGameReviews.com

Every one of us who was around in the 80’s has learned to fear the word ‘montage.’ In an attempt to clear the good name of montages everywhere, this week’s 1UP Show features a montage of all of the following:

• A visit from Tony “Gimpyfish” Dennis, Hugo “HugS” Gonzales and Neal “Nealdt” Terrell of Smashboards and AllIsBrawl.com discussing the pros and cons of the US release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
• A exclusive first-look at the upcoming Live Arcade title Braid. Jonathan and David Hellman speak to 1UP about the platform/puzzle game.
• A look at Dark Sector and all the unique twists it entails. Was it worth the wait? Ryan O’Donnell, Nick Suttner, and Greg Ford seem to agree that it was.

Check out the montage, which features original music from 1UP’s own Nelson Laut, at the links below.

• QT M4V (Podcast)
• WMV 640×360
• QT 640×360

D3Publisher of America has announced that Dark Sector has officially gone gold and will go on sale on March 25th. The third-person shooter will cast players in the role of a black-ops agent who is infected with a virus that grant shim superpowers. The most unique of these talents is the glaive, a throwing blade that can also take on the aspects of some elements it comes in contact with. There’s also a new trailer out now that shows the game’s multiplayer mode in action. I’m kind of wondering how the online matches will work though. Will people even use the glaive over a gun? Or worse, will they just use it exclusively?

Via Press Release

Today, D3Publisher of America sent out a list for their upcoming Dark Sector which revealed the game’s achievements for the Xbox 360 version and “entitlements” for the PS3 version. You may recall that Sony announced they would be including “entitlements” in some of their releases as sort of an answer to the 360’s unfortunately popular achievement system. That’s right, in a short amount of time, the online PS3 community will probably give rise to a new breed of “Entitlement Whores.” I’m not going to say much more on the subject since William already made plenty of excellent points earlier today. Instead I’ll just say that you can view the full list of achievements/entitlements after the break.

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I’ve made no secret that I’m a fan of the Warhammer 40K games, both digital and analog – though the cost of entry generally has kept me away from the tabletop versions of Warhammer 40K. I’ve lapped up reading materials, novels, and enjoyed the story put forth in the various video games that have graced both the PC and consoles over the last two decades but the one thing I’ve always craved was to bring the dark gothic universe of the Space Marines to life in a tabletop role-playing game session.

The process of conversion never went smoothly for me because I often found it hard to grab players the way the setting had grabbed me as both a DM and fan. When I first heard about the Warhammer 40K based RPG Dark Heresy I was jumping out of my seat in excitement.

Finally, an officially licensed and sanctioned RPG was coming!

Finally, I could hand a player a rulebook and let it sell the setting for me, I could work more on creating epic tales and framing character stories instead of worrying about the minutia of a rule conversion and balance!

Well Dark Heresy hit the street in a bittersweet event that has upset many fans of the game and those with high hopes for the continued expansion of the 40K universe outside the miniature rules or in video games. Not because of its lack of quality or faith with the setting but because of a business decision by Black Industries, the game’s publisher.

Immediately upon launch it was announced the line would end with just three books. Three Books? Would that be worth the investment or was I better off going back to the conversion drawing board? How could they possibly translate this system in three tomes? Well I picked up the core book with trepidation and began to read. Did they make a worthy game? Was it worth the $50 investment? Well let me tell you..
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D3 has released a trailer featuring footage from Dark Sector which includes a behind the scenes look with Michael Rosenbaum doing the voice of the main character, Hayden Tenno. Developed by Digital Extreme Dark Sector is being toted as a dark, gritty, action-packed, third-person shooter where the main character possesses incredible superpowers. Sent on a dangerous assassination mission into Lasria – an Eastern European city on the brink of ruin that hides a deadly Cold War secret, Hayden is attacked by an unknown enemy, and he awakens later to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities.

I  described the contents of the trailer only for those who are underage according to ESRB standards - therefore all viewers must go through an age gate to watch it. For more information on Dark Sector, read through our previous posts, and proceed to the age gate by clicking here. Dark Sector is expected to hit shelves on March 25th in North America followed by a world-wide launch on March 28th. It will be available for both the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Fans of the hit WB…er, CW show, Smallville, will be happy to hear that Michael Rosenbaum will be lending his voice talents to the upcoming Dark Sector. Primarily known for his role as Lex Luthor in the show (and less known for his role in Sorority Boys), Rosenbaum will voice the main character, Hayden Tenno — a vicious killer who awakens to find he has been infected with a mysterious entity that grants him superpowers.

“We are thrilled to work with Mr. Rosenbaum on Dark Sector,” said Peter Andrew, vice president of product development, D3PA. “His experience in portraying tormented characters on-screen translates incredibly well to the tortured character of Hayden Tenno in Dark Sector, a true anti-hero who makes no excuses for his actions. The combination of his voice talent and the compelling storyline of Dark Sector will offer a truly immersive experience for players.”

Super fanboys of the show are already preparing their fan fiction which somehow puts the whole game of Dark Sector as a side story for the whole Smallville/Superman universe.

Via Press Release

If there’s one thing the upcoming Dark Sector is known for, it’s the glaive: a biological throwing star that can absorb environmental elements and rip apart enemies. But that’s only for the right hand; the left can still be used to hold a range of guns, which are, well, pretty standard in games these days. There are new trailers showing off the “Striker” (shotgun), “VX Carbine” (sniper rifle), and “Burst Pistol” (automatic pistol). About the only one that stands out for me is the “Hammer 1895″ (shown above), which is still basically a magnum; but I like my science fiction mixed with a little of the Old West.

This new trailer form Dark Sector gives a brief a outline of the game’s premise. Basically, you somehow get infected with a virus that is slowly taking over your body, forcing you inject yourself with a partial antidote periodically. On the plus side, the infection gives you a glaive, which you can fling at enemies and infuse with elements such as fire and electricity. So with your newfound abilities, you set off to take down a whole bunch of baddies. It’s an interesting twist on the third-person shooter formula, but I don’t know if it’s interesting enough to really make it stand out much.

A modern-day superhero saga, Dark Sector is a third-person shooter where players assume the role of the protagonist, Hayden Tenno who gains the ability to morph into dramatically different combat forms. Set in the crumbling infrastructure of a fictional Soviet-bloc country in the near future, the game features both single and multi-player action, with players working their way through a world where bio-weapons are no longer science experiments, but a hellish nightmare let loose on an unsuspecting populace.

D3 have sent us some cool new screens for Dark Sector, which is set for a January release on the PS3 and Xbox 360. For more information, please check out our previous posts and the official website. Game features are listed after the break.

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There’s a new trailer up for the upcoming Dark Sector that shows another enemy you’ll be fending off: “the infected.” As you might’ve guessed, the infected are pretty much zombies. Big, huge, horribly mutated zombies. See, this is the big difference between real life and video games. Not the hordes the zombies and mutants, but the fact that getting sick makes you more a more powerful killing machines. Get sick in reality, the only thing you’ll be killing is your brain cells from sitting in front of the TV.

It’s been anticipated for quite some time and certain companies already unintentionally confirmed its existence, but yesterday at Sony’s Tokyo Game Show conference Kaz Hirai confirmed a new Sixaxis controller with rumble - Dual Shock 3.

Kaz mentioned this being in response to what the fanbase was clamoring for. A number of titles at TGS are playable with rumble (in addition to Burnout Paradise) including Devil May Cry 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, and Rachet & Clank. Already-released games will support rumble; a full list of titles can be seen after the break.

The controller will be released in Japan this fall and in the spring for the US and Europe. If I was in the market for a PS3 this holiday season, I might hesitate knowing that next year there will be a superior controller released that I’ll then have to drop $50 on (which is presumably what the price of the controller will be) to get the best gaming experience. But, it’s likely this move is being made to sell through all Sixaxis controllers out there before the new wave hits.

Check after the break for a list of games that will support rumble.

via 1UP 

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D3Publisher of America has announced that Dark Sector for the PS3 and Xbox 360 will ship on January 22, 2008. To go along with this announcement, the game’s official website has been revamped with a countdown to the release date as well as development blogs, news updates, and more. The game is being developed by Digital Extremes, co-creators of the Unreal franchise, and puts players in the shoes of an elite black ops agent who gains mysterious inhuman powers that evolve over time. Central to these powers will be the Glaive, a bladed disc that can be thrown at enemies as well as absorb elements from the environment, such as fire or electricity. Says Yoji Takenaka, executive vice president and chief operations officer for D3PA:

“Digital Extremes is well-known for successfully pushing the boundaries of both game design and technology and Dark Sector promises to be one of the most intense gaming experiences to date. We look forward to delivering Dark Sector to fans around the globe early next year and until then, are providing fans a ring-side seat to stay in touch with the game through the official website at www.darksector.com.”

This game is already shaping up to be a hit by the time it’s released. If you want to read some more about the game, you can check out our hands-on feature here.

Via Press Release

D3Publisher of America has released the official box art for their upcoming action game, Dark Sector. The image above is for the Xbox 360 version, but the same image will adorn the PS3 version as well. Dark Sector puts you in the role of a super-powered soldier in a dark future. You’ll possess a number of powers, most prominently the “Glaive”: a bladed disc that can absorb elements form the environment. You may remember Dark Sector made gaming headlines a little over a month ago when the ESRB requested numerous sites (this one included) to remove a trailer for the game from public viewing. Hopefully we’ll get to see what all the fuss was about when the game is released early next year.