G4 to Butcher Star Trek: TNG 01:11 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: Space Shooter (1 comment)
If you thought Star Trek 2.0 was bad, just wait for the Next Generation of atrocities courtesy of G4:

Following the extraordinary success of its interactive STAR TREK 2.0—which has generated 21.3 million lines of chat and 5 million transactions in the virtual stock exchange known as the Spock Market since its premiere in April 2006—G4 will launch an all new interactive version of another television icon when it premieres STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION 2.0 in January 2007. The show will feature on-screen live chat, behind-the-scenes info, trivia games, and interactive features that viewers can access via the G4 website, g4tv.com. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION 2.0 will premiere Monday, January 15, 2007 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, and will air Mondays through Fridays at 9 PM ET/PT, only on G4.

"The young male demo is driving today's media revolution," says Neal Tiles, President of G4. "Increasingly, they are demanding a more interactive, multiplatform experience. Our goal is to offer them TV that guys can get their hands on—literally."

Hardware & Tech Nuggets 12:59 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - hardware: General News (0 comments)

Audio

• M-Audio Revolution 5.1 - Digit-Life

  Boards
  

• 965/975 Chiset Motherboard round-up - BootDaily
• EPoX's Socket AM2 MF570 SLI Motherboard - Tweaktown
• MSI K9N SLI Platinum - HotHardware

  Cases
  

• Antec Nine Hundred Gamer Case - XYZ Computing
• NZXT Zero Crafted Chassis - Overclockers Club

  Cooling
  

• AMD and Intel Heatsink Roundup 2006 - Madshrimps
• ASUS Silent Square Pro - T-Break

  CPU
  

• Sempron 3000+ and Celeron D 331 - Hardware Secrets

  Mice
  

• Ideazon Reaper - Bjorn3D

  Video
  

• ASUS EAX1650XT 256MB - TechAge
• Sapphire X1950 Pro ULTIMATE - Hexus
• Video interview with ATI/AMD's Dave Orton - Hexus
• XFX GeForce 7900 GS 256MB DDR3 RoHS ExTreme - Modders-Inc

RPG Vault Goodness 12:54 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: General News (0 comments)

Star Wars Galaxies: Chapter 4 Interview With the latest content update to the online world from Sony and LucasArts now live, we check into what it adds - Includes four exclusive 1280x1024 screenshots

Game Reviews 12:45 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: General News (1 comment)

PC

• Anno 1701 - Gamesxtreme - 8/10
• Battlefield 2142 - Gameslave - 8.5/10
• Defending the Reich - Armchair General - 81%
• Evidence: The Last Ritual - PC.IGN - 8.1/10
• Gothic III - GameSpot - 7.6/10
• Microsoft Flight Simulator X - PC.IGN - 7/10
• Neverwinter Nights 2 - GameHelper - 7.8/10
• Secret Files: Tunguska - PC.IGN - 7.6/10
• Space Empires V - PC.IGN - 6.6/10
• The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-King - GameSpot - 7.3/10
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine - GameSpot - 8.3/10

  360
  

• Gears of War - Strategy Informer - 8.7/10
• Splinter Cell Double Agent - Boomtown - 8/10

  Xbox
  

• Need for Speed: Carbon - 1Up - 7.5/10

  PS3
  

• Fight Night Round 3 - PS3.IGN - 8.3/10
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance - GameSpy - 4/5
• Need for Speed: Carbon - Gaming-Age - B-

  PS2
  

• Guitar Hero 2 - Gaming Nexus - 9/10

  PSP
  

• EA Replay - GameSpy - 1.5/5
• Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - PSP.IGN - 9/10

  DS
  

• Star Trek: Tactical Assault - DS.IGN - 3/5
• Yoshi's Island - Game Revolution - C+

  Wireless
  

• Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII: Lost Episode - Wireless.IGN - 6.7/10

In Other News... 12:26 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - In-House: In Other News... (2 comments)
I picked up a few new games yesterday to help lube along the holidays. Rainbow Six Vegas, Need for Speed Carbon 360 and the boxed set of Oblivion: Knights of the Nine. R6: Vegas is really good. It looks a lot like Gears of War, 'cept you're killing Mexicans and stuff instead of Locusts. The pace is a little slower, but very enjoyable. NFS Carbon on the 360 is a Carbon copy (someone at EA has a sense of humor) of the Xbox version. Fun game if you like Need for Speed, but I really don't see where the extra $20 it cost went. It certainly didn't go to the art department. It looks very 480p. I haven't installed Knights of the Nine yet, but I haven't played any of the plugins yet, so I think that will keep me busy for awhile.

Today's question:

What's the last game you bought?

Halo 3 MP Beta Sign-ups 04:50 pm - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Consoles: Xbox 360 (10 comments)
Halo 3 multiplayer beta sign-ups are now underway at Halo3.com. You will need an Xbox 360 with a hard-drive, a gold Live! membership plus Microsoft. NET Passport account and a valid gamertag handle. Thanks TeamXbox.

RoboBlitz to Live this week 02:48 pm - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Consoles: Xbox 360 (0 comments)
Microsoft announced today that RoboBlitz will be going for sale on Xbox Live! this Wed at 1 am PST:

Using a combination of new graphics technologies and their customized Unreal Engine 3, Naked Sky has managed to get a game that would normally take gigs of space, into an amazing 50 Megs!

RoboBlitz is a humorous, physics-based action game full of inventive gizmos, weapons, characters and environments. Players take on the role of Blitz, a multi-talented robot who must activate an aging space cannon to save his world from a band of maladjusted space pirates.

Alan Wake Slips to 2008? 02:44 pm - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Consoles: Xbox 360 (16 comments)
OXM seems to think that Remedy's Alan Wake is going to slip to 2008:

Set in the deceptively idyllic town of Bright Falls, Wash., "Alan Wake" immerses players in an intense and expansive cinematic world that enables players to roam freely in hyper-realistic, dynamic and interactive environments. "Alan Wake" is mission-based with a deeply engaging and suspenseful story line unveiling new twists and profound character revelations at every turn. Players will unravel the riveting plot through multilayered character interactions, unique problem-solving and intense combat against terrifying enemies. In this nightmarish world, Alan Wake must use a variety of weapons to survive, including his most powerful ally against the creatures of darkness — light itself.

Update - Here's what Petri from Remedy said about it on the official boards:

Yes. We haven't announced anything on the release date. Once we do, you'll definitely hear about it here.

I'm really happy with all the recent progress O:-)

TES4: Knights of the Nine Boxed Set in Stores 02:24 pm - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: Role-Playing (4 comments)
I don't recall getting any press releases or what have you, but I picked up The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine (PC) at Best Buy today. The boxed set ($19.95) includes all of the previously released plugins including: Wizard's Tower, Vile Lair, Thieves' Den, Mehrunes' Razor, Horse Armor (whoopy!), The Orrery and Spell Tomes. Plus, of course the big new Knights of the Nine adventure.

I'll add this to the best expansion poll.

Neverwinter Nights 2 Patch 1.03 Released 12:23 pm - Andrew Burnes - Games: Role-Playing (0 comments)
A huge patch for Neverwinter Nights 2 has been released, so download here to de-bug your role-playing game.

The Week Ahead... 10:49 am - Andrew Burnes - Games: General News (9 comments)
Your guide to all that is being released in the week ahead.

PC:

• 18 Wheels Haulin'
• DNA
• Fly the Airbuss A380 V2
• Rayman
• SpaceStation Sim
• Star Trek: Legacy
• X3 Reunion 2.0 DVD-ROM
• Yatzhee, Pacheesi & Aggravation Collection

Playstation 3:

• Fight Night Round 3
• Full Auto 2: Battlelines

Playstation 2:

• Cartoon Network Racing
• Grand Theft Auto Trilogy
• Mercury Meltdown Remix
• Rayman: Raving Rabbids

Playstation Portable:

• Brothers in Arms: D-Day
• Hard Rock Casino
• Metal Gear Portable Ops
• Star Wars: Lethal Alliance
• WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007

Xbox 360:

• No Releases

Xbox:

• No Releases

Nintendo Wii:

• Barnyard
• Ice Age 2
• The Ant Bully

Nintendo GameCube:

• Zatchbell: Mamodo Fury

Nintendo DS:

• Cartoon Network Racing
• Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
• Kirby: Squeak Squad
• Lionel Trains: On Track

DVD:

• 1900 (Special Collector's Edition)
• 20 Centimeters
• 24: Season 5
• After the Rain
• Animaniacs: Volume 1-2
• Animaniacs: Volume 2
• Attack Force
• Beerfest (Full Screen Edition - Completely Totally Unrated)
• Beerfest (Widescreen Edition - Completely Totally Unrated)
• Beerfest (Widescreen)
• Black Christmas (Special Edition)
• Charlie Chan Collection: Volume 2
• Disney DVD Game World: Disney Princess Edition
• Disney DVD Game World: Dogs Edition
• Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Series
• Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Film Collection
• Frank Capra Collection (6 discs with Scrapbook)
• Garfield and Friends: Behind the Scenes
• Garfield and Friends: Behind the Scenes with Toy
• Greatest Moments in NBA History
• High School Musical: Remix Edition
• Holiday (1938)
• How to Eat Fried Worms: New Line Platinum Series
• Idlewild
• Lies and Alibis
• Look Both Ways
• Miami Vice (Theatrical Edition)
• Miami Vice (Unrated Director's Edition)
• Mission: Impossible - The Complete First Season
• My First Wedding
• New Year's Day
• NFL Greatest Super Bowl Moments I-XL
• NFL Hall of Fame: Complete History
• NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers Giftset
• Pinky and The Brain: Volume 1-2
• Pinky and The Brain: Volume 2
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2-Disc Special Edition)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Widescreen)
• Pulse (Rated)
• Pulse (Unrated)
• Queens
• Rocky Anthology
• Rocky: 30th Anniversary Two-Disc Collector's Edition
• Roseanne: The Complete Sixth Season
• Saturday Night Live: The Complete First Season (1975-1976)
• Someone to Love
• Survivor: Vanuatu
• The Complete Season
• TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume 1
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 6
• The Architect
• The Conformist (Special Collector's Edition)
• The Dukes of Hazzard: The Complete Seventh Season
• The Oh in Ohio
• The Year Without a Santa Claus
• Tracks
• Unknown
• Walt Disney's Legacy Collection: True-Life Adventures - Creatures of the Wild
• Walt Disney's Legacy Collection: True-Life Adventures - Lands of Exploration
• Walt Disney's Legacy Collection: True-Life Adventures - Nature's Mysteries
• Walt Disney's Legacy Collection: True-Life Adventures - Wonders of the World
• What's New Scooby-Doo? Monstrous Tails

Blu-Ray:

• A Christmas Story
• Flight of the Phoenix
• From Hell
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
• Rising Sun
• Rocky
• The Architect

HD-DVD:

• A Christmas Story
• Miami Vice
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
• Poseidon
• The Architect

Movies - Now Showing:

• 10 Items or Less
• 3 Needles [Limited]
• The Nativity Story
• Turistas
• Two Weeks [Limited]
• Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj

Movies - Opening Friday December 8th:

• Apocalypto
• Blood Diamond
• Family Law [Limited]
• Off the Black
• The Holiday
• Unaccompanied Minors

Games industry, don't blow your load just before Thanksgiving, kthxbye.

What will you be spending your money on in the week ahead?

VE Votes 2006: Best Expansion? 02:22 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: General News (25 comments)
This week's VE poll asks for The best expansion of 2006? Vote on your right!

Here are the results of the big FPS poll:

VE Votes 2006: Best FPS?
Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 [1843 votes]
Prey [875 votes]
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic [485 votes]
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas [455 votes]
Battlefield 2142 [336 votes]
Tom Clancy's GRAW [315 votes]
Call of Duty 3 [232 votes]
F.E.A.R. 360 [173 votes]
SiN Episodes: Emergence [155 votes]
Resistance: Fall of Man [118 votes]
Metroid Prime: Hunters [97 votes]

Hardware & Tech Nuggets 12:55 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - hardware: General News (0 comments)

Boards

• Gigabyte GA-M61PM-S2 - OCModShop
• Tech View: Motherboards and More - Anandtech

  Cooling
  

• Cooler Master Eclipse - Overclockers Online
• ECS's PX1 Extreme motherboard - Tech Report
• Sytrin KuFormula SHF1 High Performance HDD Cooler - Virtual-Hideout
• Zalman FATAL1TY FC-ZV9 Videocard GPU Cooler - Tweaknews

  CPU
  

• Interview with Intel's Pat Gelsinger - Hexus

  Keyboards
  

• Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard - GideonTech

  Memory
  

• Mushkin XP2-8500 2x1GB DDR2 - Virtual-Hideout
• Super Talent 2GB T1000UX2G4 - TechAge

  Mice
  

• Everglide g-1000 Professional Gaming Mouse - GGMania

  Pads
  

• NOIDpad Gaming Surface - TechPowerUp

  Power Supply
  

• Antec NEO HE 500w PSU - Maxit Mag
• be quiet! Dark Power Pro 750W - TechPowerUp
• Tagan TurboJet TG1100-U95 1,100w - Hardware Secrets
• Tagan TG1100-U95 1100-watt - Tweaktown

  Video
  

• ASUS Extreme AX1950Pro - Techspot
• ASUS GeForce EN7950GT - Tweaktown
• GeForce 7900 GT Roundup - [H]
• Gigabyte NX76T256D-RH Silent GeForce 7600 GT - Hardcoreware
• MSI NX8800GTX-2D3768E-HD - Viper Lair
• Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT - Xbit Labs
• NVIDIA 7950 GT Roundup - Madshrimps

Assorted Downloads 12:52 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: General News (0 comments)

• Evochron Alliance demo v2.008
• FlatOut2 demo
• Sword of the Stars retail patches v1.2.1
• Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines unofficial retail patch v3.2
• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos US D2D patch v1.3

Game Reviews 12:45 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - Games: General News (4 comments)

PC

• Anno 1701 AD - Hookedgamers - 5/10
• BFME2: Rise of the Witch King - ActionTrip - 85%
• GTR2 - Pro-G - 9/10
• Half-Life 2: EP1 - The Laser - B
• Neverwinter Nights 2 - Pro-G - 7/10
• Splinter Cell Double Agent - Bjorn3D - 8.5/10
• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Strategy Informer - 8.2/10

  360
  

• Gears of War - GameHelper - 9/10
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Strategy Informer - 8.5/10
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Bytesector - 8.5/10
• Need for Speed: Carbon - Inside Track Magazine - 79%
• Splinter Cell Double Agent - Play.tm - 92%
• Sonic the Hedgehog - Pro-G - 3/10
• Tony Hawk's Project 8 - GameHelper - 8.3/10
• Viva Pinata - GameHelper - 9.5/10

  Wii
  

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Pro-G - 9/10

  PS3
  

• Resistance: Fall of Man - The Laser - B+
• Ridge Racer 7 - The Laser - B+

  PS2
  

• Guitar Hero 2 - Bit-Tech - 9/10

In Other News... 12:27 am - Robert 'Apache' Howarth - In-House: In Other News... (19 comments)
Star Trek Legacy hits stores this week. Time to bust out the magic 8-ball!

Will Legacy end up being just another crappy Star Trek game, or will we be pleasantly suprised with what Bethesda did with the franchise?