2K Games has unveiled a batch of new screenshots for Mafia 2. This sequel will move ahead a few years into the 1950’s, but will still have players taking on the role a new recruit to the criminal underworld. From the looks of the new screens, the game is caming along pretty well. It looks like you’ll be doing the usual Mafia-type stuff, liek taking care of “business deals” and ducking the cops. I just hope the developers ditch any plans they might have for a mission like the agonizing car race in the first gamer. I still get a twitch just thinking about that one.

You can check out the rest of the screenshots here.

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Seeing as it was one of the more critically and commercially successful games of 2007, it seems a sure bet that Hollywood would come knocking for the movie rights to BioShock. So why haven’t we heard anything definite about a movie based on this gem? Well, it’s not for Hollywood’s lack of trying. Rumor has it that a number of production companies have expressed interest in a deal with Take Two, but the publisher has so far rebuffed all advances. No idea why at this point, though some are speculating that it may be due to monetary disagreements or that they may be hoping to secure a much larger alliance with a studio. Or maybe they’re smart enough to realize that no matter how intelligent the story, Hollywood will certainly find a way to dilute it into box office dreck.

Via The Cut Scene

In response to rumors that surfaced a couple days ago, 2K Games has said they have “nothing to announce at all” concerning a follow up to their hit BioShock. The rumors alleged that the next game was already in pre-production and would actually be a prequel chronicling the fall of Rapture. The Czech publication that started the rumors also said the game was slated for release in the summer of 2009. So basically, who knows what’s going now? Another game seems highly likely given the success of BioShock, but there have been other rumors suggesting that the development team is forming a new studio specifically to create the next game without Ken Levine. We’ll just have to wait and see for now.

Via Video Gamer

2K and Firaxis are challenging modders out there to show them your best work. The companies are offering prizes for the best mods of Civilization IV and any of its expansions. One of the prizes is specifically geared to educational mods. Can you say “class project?”

Dell has sent us some brand new XPS machines (four desktops and a laptop to be more specific) and we will give them to the winners of this contest. What we are looking for is simple: we want to see your best work, in any of the following four categories:

• Best In-Game Asset (art, including units, buildings and/or wonders)
• Best World-Builder Scenario (just a single .wbs file)
• Best Map Script (just a single .py file)
• Best Educational Mod (only educators and schools can submit entries for this one)

The creator of the winning entry in each category will receive a Dell XPS desktop computer. The best over-all mod from the submissions above will receive the grand prize of a Dell XPS laptop.

Here are some things to remember. The prizes are awarded to individuals only, so if your mod is a team effort, the prizes will only be awarded to the designated team leader. You can use existing mods that you’ve already created, or you can create something from scratch using Civ IV or any of its expansions. Finally, please do not submit mods that are not yours. This not only makes our job harder, but also makes children cry.

The contest begins December 23, 2007 and will run through February 18, 2008, so crack your knuckles and crank out something fabulous. As an aside, this contest is U.S. only, and our lawyers have drafted up a lovely set of rules for you to follow, so be sure to check them out at the website below before starting. If you have any further questions, send them in, we’re all ears!

Those interested in testing their modding mettle should visit http://www.firaxis.com/community/modcontest.php to go over and the fine print. Give it your best shot and good luck.

via Press Release

This new trailer for Borderlands makes me think someone out there decided to mash together Fallout and The Road Warrior before shooting them both into space. Stephany discussed the details of this game a few months back when it was first announced. Not much is known about the story, but it is being designed as a co-op game, where players can jump in and out of games already in progress; plus there’s a “content generation system,” which the developers promise will create an almost endless variety of gameplay. I have to admit though, just the crazy gangs riding around on makeshift death machines are enough to pique my interest. Unfortunately, we’re not going to be playing this game until the Christmas time next year.

Shawn delighted BioShock players yesterday with the news of new Plasmids, achievements and widescreen options for both PC and Xbox 360 platforms. Today, 2K Games and Take-Two announced that the new Plasmids and Tonics, achievements and interface upgrades, are now available for the console on XBL and via a patch for the PC.

“As one of the highest rated games of the year, we wanted to continue to connect with the fans that made BioShock such an overwhelming retail and critically-acclaimed hit,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “We are excited to offer new downloadable content that will extend and enhance the replay value of this title.”

New downloadable content includes:

Four Plasmids and Gene Tonics:

• Sonic Boom: Hurls creatures and objects back with a blast of force
• EVE saver: Enables Plasmids to use less EVE
• Vending Expert: Reduces prices in the vending machines
• Machine Buster: Increases the amount of damage players deal to cameras, bots and turrets

Achievements (Xbox 360):

• Xbox 360 players can gain 100 points for “Brass Balls,” by beating BioShock on the “hard” difficulty setting without dying

In response to gamers’ requests and feedback from the Cult of Rapture community forums, fans of BioShock now have a widescreen option, granting a wider horizontal field of vision, as well as additional enhancements to the game. The Xbox 360 Title Update will be automatically applied at the game’s startup when users log into XBL. PC owners can access both the additional content and gameplay improvements by clicking on the badge at the end of this post.

Via: Press Release

It seems people over at the BioShock forums have been up in arms over news that the PC version of BioShock can only be installed twice. Apparently, that’s kind of true, but it’s not the full story. Originally people thought that once you installed the game, uninstalled it, and finally re-installed it again, the disc was rendered pretty much useless. In actuality, you can uninstall and reinstall to your heart’s content, provided you keep it contained to two computers. Each time you install your copy of the game, it sends an activation code to 2K’s server, alerting them each time it’s been installed. The same goes for when you uninstall it, so essentially you can only have the game on two separate computers at once. It’s all part of their anti-piracy software, and yes, the same goes for the digitally downloaded version as well.

So, it’s really not as bad as it seemed. Basically, if you lend the game to a friend, make sure they uninstall it when they’re done. And if your computer breaks down and you can’t uninstall it? No problem; just phone up Securom and tell them what happened. Of course, if you call every few minutes to get the game unlocked, they might start to get suspicious.

Via Voodoo Extreme

Pros: Creating your own team of all-stars is a blast, improved tackle system, same great 2k game mechanics you would come to expect
Cons: Annoying commentators, lack of additional single-player content

Premise: With Madden hogging all the NFL rights, what is 2k sports to do? Well, similar to “Bitz: The League”, All-Pro Football 2K8 uses fictitious teams. The key difference here is that 2K8 uses players from the stars of the NFL past to fill the roster. What sort of team would Johnny Unitas and Jerry Rice make? In 2K8, you can find that out for yourself.

The Civilization IV: Warlords expansion has an update out on Steam. Sid Meier’s popular strategy title is undergoing a few tweaks in an automatic update from Steam. While you are waiting for the new expansion, Beyond the Sword, log in and get your game tweaked. Here’s a run down of all the fixes included in the update.

Civilization IV: Warlords

• Ship combat odds no longer affected by crossing a river
• Game no longer crashes when you load a save with the diplomacy screen open
• Fixed bug where ships could sometimes attack ground units
• When the user is the last human player in a multiplayer game, the retire option now works properly
• Forts act as cities only if they within friendly (ally or vassal) to the defender borders
• GameCore DLL no longer loaded from CustomAssets folder. Mods can still have their own DLL
• Fixed pop-rush rounding bug
• Fixed absence of production popup for conquered city under certain circumstances
• Fixed multiple missions exploit from the same Great Person
• GNP graph shows total commerce generated, not only raw commerce
• Just one Cathedral required for OCC
• Barbarian Spearmen and Galleys appear as intended
• Fixed crop yield history reset on load
• Fixed removed spy teleportation mission
• Fixed hotseat tech chooser bug
• Game no longer hangs when you retire from a one-player hotseat game
• Widescreen Laptop video resolution 1280×720 is supported

After cranking out flight Simulators, Sid Meier turned his creative talents to one of the most beloved and addicting strategy titles for the PC, Civilization. Gamasutra has an article celebrating the series. It follows the birth of Microprose to the conception of Civilization through to its emergence as a cult classic.

“The fact that there are so many different ways to play, and that they all seem interesting and fun, leads you to want to play again after you finish the game,” said Meier in an interview.

The game takes players through the age of agriculture to the modern age and beyond as they bring new discoveries to their peoples shaping them into a powerful civilization. Civilization has continued to grow as a series with each new iteration. The latest title in the series is Civilization IV.

“With Civilization IV, we tried to take something out with every new thing we put in. We felt we where bumping up against the limit of complexity for Civilization game players.  We have new ideas, but we take the general approach that for every new thing we put in, or more complicated thing we put in, we either simplify or take out something that was in there before. It’s a very rich topic; we could put so much stuff in there that we could overwhelm the player. We are sensitive to that.”

Civilization IV is ready for a second expansion Beyond the Sword which is scheduled for release July 23.

Not long ago, I posted a trailer for 2K’s Sports’ newest MLB title The Bigs, slated for release this summer. Today, the soundtrack for the game was announced, and it confirms the over the top feel of the game. I am only wishing that the Guitar Hero games had such soundtracks. The Bigs will be available for the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii.

Track listing:

• Blue October - Somebody
• Fu Manchu - Hung out to Dry
• Highbench - Satisfied
• Jane’s Addiction - Ocean Size
• Killing Joke - Millennium
• Midnight Oil - Dreamworld
• Motorhead - Ace of Spades
• Primus - Jerry Was A Racecar Driver
• Rollins Band - Tearing
• Satellite Party - Insanity Rains
• Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You
• Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
• The Stooges - Down On The Street
• White Zombie - More Human than Human

To be released simultaneously with the movie on June 15th, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer will be available for next-gen, current, and hand-held systems. Based upon the best selling comic book series from Marvel, this third-person shooter is being developed by 2K and Seven Studios.

Click here for screenshots!

And have fun watching the game trailer!