Quick Take: Eschewing realism for arcade gameplay and an over-the-top style, this fighting game reminded me of mixed martial arts with some Mortal Kombat and Blitz: The League thrown in. It's still in the early stages, but it has potential and will certainly turn heads with its bold direction.

QUICKTAKE: The 50's "dawn of the atomic age" era provides a great atmosphere for an alien-hunt shooter whether you know the original or not. And for those who do, while it's not a strategy game, there are ample nods to the X-Com spirit to get the nostalgia flowing.

No, the new XCOM is not a tactical strategy game like its namesake from the 90s; it's a shooter. But in the over a decade since the originals, videogames have changed too. So while the play style may be different, developer 2K Marin hopes to translate much of the essence that made X-Com appealing to their new game. At the same time, they also have a creative vision that's more than just reimaging X-Com as a shooter. The new XCOM trades in the late 20th century setting of the originals for the 1950's, a time when people were still in wonder of major advances in technology. It's a period rife with potential for experimental devices and a secret organization that uses them to fend of extraterrestrials. Read more »

Upon announcing the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo vowed that the hardware would launch no later than March 31, 2011, but did not specify where.

Fortunately, in speaking with IndustryGamers, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime offered some clarification, explaining: Read more »

QUICK TAKE: The team at Sucker Punch created an enjoyable game with the first inFAMOUS. Players played the origin story of Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger that gains and grows electricity-based superpowers after a massive explosion in Empire City. Now, with inFAMOUS 2, Sucker Punch is back in the lab and gave the press a behind-closed doors look at the 2011 game still in development. First, Cole has been redesigned and re-cast. Second, he begins the games with a large set of powers already developed.

I first saw Civilization V at GDC 2010 back in March and it was already looking incredibly polished. After seeing a demo at E3 2010 last week, Firaxis and 2K have another solid Civ on the way. The latest entry will make some major changes to the franchise: hexes will replace square tiles and units can no longer stack.

While I still haven't had the chance to go hands-on with the game--I would have spent ALL of E3 playing it--the new demo revealed a good amount of new information, systems, and features for the game. These changes may seem minor to casual fans, but dedicated Civ players will likely find the tweaks promising. Read more »

QUICK TAKE: Gears of War 3 takes place around 18 months after the sinking of Jacinto at the end of Gears of War 2. The Locust, now without a queen to lead them, are struggling to survive after being forced to the surface. Human society on Sera has been reduced to small collections of people in an almost feudal or tribal system. Marcus Fenix and a small group of what remains of Delta Squad hole up and continue fighting.

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The multiplayer portion of Electronic Arts' Medal of Honor reboot is veing handled by Battlefield series creator DICE and use the Frostbite engine used in Battlefield: Bad Company 2. At first glance, the MoH multiplayer seems like a mod or re-skinning of BF:BC2. After a bit of hands-on time at E3 with the PlayStation 3 beta and some time at home with the PC beta, it feels like a cross between BF:BC2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with some subtle differences.

A new online, co-op RPG based on Tolkien's beloved fantasy series is under development at Snowblind Studios (Justice League Heroes, Champions of Norrath), and publisher Warner Bros. has blasted out some new media in celebration of E3.

Titled "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North," the game allows up to three online folk to take part in the War of the Ring, in which the armies of good and evil fight for control of the most powerfully malevolent piece of jewelry in fantasy canon. It's totally "precious." Read more »

Quick Take: Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are set to attack the Wii in a platformer that feels familiar and new at the same time. Retaining the classic elements of the original SNES game, DKC Returns also has a promising cooperative mode.

While most E3 2010 show goers flocked to Nintendo's 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword lines, the people that actually spent time with Donkey Kong Country Returns were extremely happy with what they played. The gameplay was tight and satisfying, even at this early stage. The developers at Retro Studio have done a fine job at maintaining the sharp game mechanics of the original and adding some new twists. The end result should be another excellent game in Nintendo's 2010 holiday lineup. Read more »

Fans of Sly Cooper won't have to wait for Heroes on the Move to see the furry thief on the PlayStation 3, as publisher Sony Computer Entertainment has revealed that the three Sly Cooper games originally released on PlayStation 2 are now coming to PlayStation 3.

Packing Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves on a single Blu-ray disc, The Sly Collection sees Sucker Punch's beloved trilogy "remastered in high definition for superb visual graphics and crisp picture quality" by Ninja Reflex developer Sanzaru Games. Read more »

QUICK TAKE: Mortal Kombat returns to its M-rated 2D roots complete with bloody character and stage specific fatalities and it immediately clicks.

The motion-controlled mascot-starring "action-adventure party game" Heroes on the Move coming from Sony Computer Entertainment and independent developer Nihilistic Software (Zombie Apocalypse, Conan) can be glimpsed in this debut trailer.

Supported up to two players and requiring each to have a PlayStation Move motion controller, the PlayStation 3 exclusive--which brings Jak, Daxter, Ratchet, Clank, Sly Cooper and others together for the first time--is slated to arrive sometime in 2011. Read more »

QUICKTAKE: A fun way of seeing things from the other side without disrupting the narrative flow of the single-player campaign, the new Beast co-op mode lets players become Locust creatures and take down successive waves of COG soldiers.

Developer Epic Games brought a new multiplayer mode for Gears of War 3 to show at E3 2010. Beast Mode turns the table, giving gamers a chance to play from the Locust side of a firefight. This five-player co-op mode features a progression through waves of COG soldiers. With each one cleared, the next enters with a little more firepower. For the E3 demo there were a total of four waves but that number will vary in the final game. We also got to play with increasingly powerful Locust in the demo but when the game comes out only basic Locust will be available at first--kills and support actions during play will earn points to unlock higher level Locust. Read more »

Continuing to take things higher and higher, Halo: Reach takes players all the way to the stars, as revealed at the end of this campaign gameplay montage from E3 2010.

Bungie's Xbox 360-exclusive shooter prequel hits store shelves on September 14.

QUICK TAKE: Lush environments and exquisitely detailed costuming imagine a fantasy world so vibrantly that anyone who sees the game pauses for a closer look. But it's the depth of interaction with that world that promises to keep role-playing game fans riveted for the long haul.

Based on the works of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, the Witcher told a darker tale in a more foreboding world than the typical swords and magic fantasy. It connected with many players looking for a more adult approach and helped the game go on to sell over 1.5 million copies in large part on strong word of mouth recommendation. For the sequel, developer CD Projekt has started by developing their own new engine. Along with giving them ultimate control in how the game looks, they made this decision because they wanted to create the framework and the tools to work with it to support the key mechanics they plan for the game. Read more »

QUICK TAKE: Like Guitar Hero before it, the stars are ready to come out for DJ Hero 2 after seeing the success of the first game. And to go with a star-packed playlist, the mechanics of playing DJ also enjoy refinements learned from creating and playing the original.

Though not to the degree of its rock-and-roll family member, DJ Hero and all its fans who plunked down their cash for turntable controllers earned a sequel. Much of that came on the strength of the soundtrack alone and for the sequel Activision found music makers more responsive to requests after seeing the success of the first game. Already announced are a lineup featuring Deadmau5, Z-Trip, Chemical Brothers, Rihanna, Usher, and host of other big electronica and hip-hop names. Read more »

QUICK TAKE: With a ridiculous amount of violence and blood joined by some puzzle solving, this classic franchise is coming back with a vengeance. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for heavy action that doesn't take itself too seriously then Splatterhouse is for you.

A remake of the 1988 classic arcade game, Splatterhouse was one of the most prominent titles at Namco's E3 2010 booth. Longtime gamers will be drawn by the old brand, wondering what a reimagined and modern Splatterhouse is like. Newcomers will be drawn by the crazy action, slick graphics, and gratuitous amount of blood. The gameplay shown at E3 was fast, fun, and stylish. Read more »

Klei Enteratinment's exceedingly awesome side-scrolling stabber-shooter Shank has long carried a summer release, and with that window approaching, the developer has gotten a bit more specific as to when the downloadable tale of stylish revenge--coming to PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360--will be exacted.

"Late summer," Klei co-founder and Shank co-creator Jamie Cheng told us when asked about its release window during E3 2010. "We're just finishing up the game now. I can't really give a more firm date [as that depends on testing and certification.]" Read more »

QUICK TAKE: It's a little on the ugly side -- even for a Wii game -- but NBA Jam has all the fantastic arcade excitement of the original games coupled with some fun motion controls. The game also features NBA legend Detlef Schrempf...as well as Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Larry Bird, Dennis Rodman, James Worthy, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Kevin McHale.

While most sports games have been upping the level of reality and real-world production values, NBA Jam for Wii is bringing back some classic arcade excitement. This two-on-two basketball title features all the fun of the arcade original -- crazy dunks, ridiculous blocks, breakneck pace, etc. -- and combines it with the Wii's motion controls. The end result is a super enjoyable time that's great for gamers of all skill levels. NBA Jam is one of those rare sports titles that's fun for people that aren't fans of the real sport. Read more »

QUICK TAKE: Flying under the radar at E3 2010 was Game Republic's upcoming title that combines Ico-like graphics, stealth, puzzles, and an adorably goofy creature that looks like a Studio Ghibli reject. The diverse gameplay on display was fun and the visuals were a joy. If it all comes together, this could be one of 2010's sleeper hits.

Amidst the gore of Splatterhouse and the cuteness of Pac-Man at Namco's E3 2010 booth was Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. Developed by Game Republic, the game has an Ico-ish vibe due to it graphics and use of muted colors, but that's pretty much where the similarities end. Although the gameplay features a duo just like Ico does, this isn't a young boy dragging around a helpless girl that speaks in symbols. The protagonist, Tepeu, is an agile thief that wields a weapon that resembles a King Hearts keyblade. The secondary character, Majin, is large rock monster with ridiculous strength and fiery breath. The pair meets up in the beginning of the game and quickly realizes that they need each other to survive. Read more »

The E3 trailer for ArcaniA: Gothic 4 has arrived to reveal a large number of massive and scary bugs that may very well halt your progress in the the fantasy RPG sequel.

We jest, of course. If it makes you feel more comfortable, know that this is developer Spellbound Entertainment's first entry in the Gothic series. Published by JoWooD, ArcaniA: Gothic 4 is scheduled for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this fall. Read more »

E3 screenshots and a trailer for Capcom's Okamiden have arrived to melt even the coldest of hearts while showing off a little more of the Nintendo DS sequel to Clover's Okami.

Our Garnett seemed to have a jolly good time when he picked up the Celestial Paintbrush and played Okamiden back in April but unfortunately you'll have to wait until 2011 to get your hand on the DS exclusive. Read more »

Sony's been awfully quiet on the subject of The Agency for some time now, aside from launching a Facebook game based upon the espionage MMORPG, but has broken its silence at E3 with a handful of new screenshots and a trailer showing PvP.

The last time Sony Online Entertaiment mentioned a release date for The Agency, way back in March 2009, the PC and PlayStation 3 title was said to be due out in 2010. E3 has brought no update to that. Read more »

A Driver: San Francisco walkthrough has emerged from E3, showing four minutes of kind-of sort-of mostly gameplay footage from Ubisoft Reflections' brum-brum sequel.

"What we've done... is very much go back to the roots of what made the original Driver game such a unique experience," Reflections founder Martin Edmondson explains as the comatose Tanner chases his imaginary foe through The City That Knows How. Read more »

One has to wonder why Donkey Kong is tolerated by the folks of Mushroom Kingdom. If he doesn't get exactly what he wants--a Pauline toy, in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem--the big galoot goes and abducts some poor lassy and one Mario or another must head off to rescue her from the manic ape.

Miniland Mayhem continues in the series' puzzler-platformer vein, requiring players "use the stylus to place objects like girders, springs, conveyer belts, pipes and ladders to guide the Mini Marios to the end door of each level." Read more »