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PC gamer, WorthPlaying EIC, globe-trotting couch potato, patriot, '80s headbanger, movie watcher, music lover, foodie and man in black -- squirrel!

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Shipping Announcements

by Rainier on Jan. 26, 2010 @ 9:23 a.m. PST

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:


We will update this throughout the day when new announcements become available. Read more for details ...

Mass Effect 2 (X360/PC)

The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA commented on the launch of Mass Effect 2 saying, “Rich, immersive worlds, compelling characters and stories, and intense action are some of the hallmarks of BioWare games, and Mass Effect 2 truly raises the bar in every area. I’m incredibly proud of our team, who worked passionately to deliver a very high quality game for our fans. This epic sequel in the stunning Mass Effect universe is an extraordinary accomplishment, one which we can’t wait to get into the hands of a world-wide audience!”

Gamers who purchase a new copy of Mass Effect 2 will also be able to activate the ‘Cerberus Network’, an in-game portal in Mass Effect 2 that will keep fans engaged with the Mass Effect universe through downloadable content (DLC) and news at no extra charge. The first piece of DLC is available today, featuring a new mission around the Normandy crash site. For players who do not buy the game new, the ‘Cerberus Network’ can be unlocked through a one-time, in-game purchase of an activation code for 1200 MS points on the Xbox 360 and $15 on the PC.** BioWare will release additional news on future ‘Cerberus Network’ content in the coming weeks.

Mass Effect 2, rated ‘M’ for Mature and ‘18+’, is available for the Xbox 360 and the PC.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)

Three years after battling for the rank of #1 assassin, Travis Touchdown returns to the secret and exclusive United Assassin Association. This time he is out for revenge and he must battle 51 of the world's strongest and most unusual killers to get it. With the addition of 2 new playable characters, an expanded set of weapons, an improved, over-the-top combat system, and signature 2-D job missions, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle brings the franchise to new heights of outlandish carnage.

"No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is the most wildly unique game to be released on the Nintendo Wii," said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. "Suda 51 has delivered an outrageously entertaining game that improves upon the original in nearly every way imaginable."

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, rated "M” for Mature, is now available in North America for $49.99.

Shadow of Destiny (PSP)

Originally released on the PS2, Shadow of Destiny puts players in the role of Eike, a 22-year old man who is about to embark on the most important quest of his life, solving his own murder. Using a special time travel device, players will guide Eike through multiple time eras ranging between the 1500s, to present day, in an attempt to find clues to unlocking the mystery behind his death. But remember, what you do in the past will affect the present.
 
Shadow of Destiny offers a fun and brain stretching experience that will keep players guessing the storyline until the very end through a number of Time Warp Puzzles. When solved, these puzzles give the players clues to reach the killer. Shadow of Destiny also features a number of multiple endings that can be unlocked through the players' course of choices throughout the game.
 
Shadow of Destiny is developed exclusively for the PSP and is now available on store shelves in North America.

MAG (PS3)

MAG features unprecedented online action on a scale never before devised. A first-person, online-only shooter, MAG lets players experience battles with up to 256 real people across a global battlefield, and employs a sophisticated command structure that aligns players into squads of eight to work together in order to progress through a persistent world known as the "Shadow War."

"By introducing a scale never before seen on a console, MAG is expected to revolutionize the shooter genre and create entirely new, large team-based strategic gameplay," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA. "Only with PS3's technological advancements, such as the SPUs and Blu-ray™ Disc player, as well as new proprietary dedicated server architecture, can MAG deliver such revolutionary large-scale console gaming at 30 frames-per-second with no lag."

MAG is set in 2025 when the world's nations are supposedly at peace, but under the surface a war rages. This "Shadow War" is the secret conflict fought between Private Military Corporations (PMCs) vying for dominance across a global battlefield. As the private military industry starts to flourish, it is dominated mainly by three companies: Valor based in Alaska, Raven headquartered in Vienna, and S.V.E.R. based out of Grozny. It is with selecting an allegiance to one of these three PMCs that the player enters the world of MAG.

MAG's PMCs are distinct in their own history, personality, and style, including unique soundtracks, user interfaces, character aesthetics, and geographical regions – each PMC has its own "home base" map for each gametype within MAG and is effectively camouflaged within that area. Players choose a character in one of the PMCs and begin to fight for that PMC's control of the Shadow War. Each battle victory or loss contributes to the PMC's world standing by gaining or losing contracts, and moving them to the offensive or pulling them back to the defensive. When a PMC earns a contract, a variety of in-game rewards ranging from experience bonuses to upgraded gear, weapons, and vehicles are bestowed upon all players of that particular PMC.

Using MAG's experience point (XP) system, which is vital to progressing players' characters, players can unlock new items in the skill tree, further specializing themselves on the battlefield. Through incentives of bonus experience points, players are motivated to follow the chain of command and work together to accomplish objectives and advance their PMC within the Shadow War.

After gaining enough experience points to reach level 15, players become eligible for the squad leader position. By gaining leadership points through completing objectives as a squad leader, players climb their way up the chain of command to reach the next levels of leadership: platoon leader of a 32-person platoon, and ultimately the "Officer in Charge" (OIC) of a 128-person army. Experienced players who choose to become a leader on the battlefield are able to communicate with their squad or platoon to assign objectives, call in airstrikes, and execute advanced command abilities that benefit the team. In addition to giving orders via the fragmentary order (FRAGO) system and over voice chat, leadership roles have their own set of abilities and enhancements they provide to nearby squadmates. While Squad Leaders focus on the tactics of the eight-man squad, Platoon Leaders coordinate the four squads under their command, and the OIC coordinates the four platoons — all while they are still boots on the ground, running and fighting with the rest of the operatives. All of this coordination is supported through built-in voice communications channels and directive game mechanics.

MAG's advanced matchmaking system groups players into squads, platoons, and armies by taking into account each player's geographic region, leadership standing, and the specialization of that player's character. MAG features deep levels of character customization, including aesthetic options of different head and voice types, as well as more functional choices of gear and weaponry. Rather than using a traditional class system, MAG focuses on character loadouts and takes players through a robust skill tree, whereby they can spend earned experience points to unlock new weapons, equipment, and inherent skills. The equipment and skills that players purchase will determine their specialty as a sniper, commando, direct action, field support, or rapid assault operative.

Experience points are also used to progress players through MAG's different gametypes. Before players can reach the full 256-player Domination battle, they must progress through the 64-player Suppression and Sabotage maps, followed by the 128-player Acquisition battles. Suppression missions, which do not impact the Shadow War, are PMC practice exercises with the objective to maximize casualties on the opposing force. Players also have the option of going through offline training missions to gain skills and experience points before leveling up to the Sabotage, Acquisition, and Domination gametypes that affect the Shadow War.

The 64-player Sabotage missions are the simplest game types in the Shadow War. The objective of the missions is for attackers to secure a pair of satellite uplinks. Once both are simultaneously held, a final objective will be activated which attackers must then demolish. The 128-player Acquisition missions involve two platoons of attackers trying to steal prototype transports. Defenders must stop them, destroying escaping transports if necessary. Should any two vehicles escape, regardless of which platoon takes them, the attackers are victorious. Finally, 256-player Domination missions require attackers to destroy the defender's fuel facilities. Attackers must secure two subsequent pairs of burn off and cooling towers, destroying one pair to activate the next. When all towers are destroyed, securing and holding the final control panels causes progressive damage to the facility.

MAG is rated "T" for TEEN.

Fast Food Panic (Wii)

In Fast Food Panic, players are determined to have their restaurant become known as the best in the country. In order to achieve that recognition, they will have to handle an increasing amount of pressure and manage a growing list of priorities, from greeting and quickly serving customers, to making the best food possible, to keeping dining tables clean and making deliveries.

3 Game Modes

  • Story mode: Complete increasingly fast food missions!
  • Free mode: Play your favourite bits again… and again… and…
  • Mini Games: Loads of cooking related mini games for great single and multiplayer fun

Use the right ingredients, don't burn your food, and make sure it's served correctly… or you'll have to do it again!

Key features

  • 10 exciting mini games to play along.
  • 4 types of meal to be cooked in several recipes : hamburgers, steak, pizza, pasta & pancakes
  • Crazy special events randomly generated to break the routine and make your job even funnier: washing up, cleaning rubbish, cashing up....
  • Multiplayer up to 4 (and 2 in coop).

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii)

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars continues the Capcom tradition of legendary fighting with a bold new entry into the VS. fighting game series, and pairs iconic characters from Capcom’s famous brands with beloved characters from Japan’s animation powerhouse, Tatsunoko Production,

From Capcom’s 30-year history come characters Ryu and Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series, Frank West from Dead Rising® and MegaMan Volnutt from MegaMan® Legends. Tatsunoko’s near half-century of Japanese animation excellence is represented by Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan from the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman anime (known in North America as Battle of the Planets),cybernetic warrior Casshan and comedic action hero Yatterman No. 1. All together, there are more than 20 colorful combatants to choose from in order to form the ultimate tag team combination.

Gameplay will instantly set fighting game fans’ fingers twitching, combining elements from previous entries in the VS. series with revolutionary new techniques. Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a wild, over-the-top fighting game designed for all levels of players. Players choose their favorite two man/woman/cyborg/robot tag team, to switch on the fly between the two players throughout the course of each match. Those new to the genre will appreciate the game’s bright visual style and simplified four-button fighting controls. Hardcore Capcom fighting fans will dig in to the game’s depth, uncovering huge Aerial Rave combos and unique Variable Assists, gorgeous Hyper Combos, and Variable Combinations that combine the capabilities of each tag team duo to unleash devastating attacks.

Key Features:

  • Wi-Fi multiplayer: TvC offers an innovative, robust online experience, including:
    • International play: Face off online against players all over the world.
    • Ranked battles: In addition to friendly battles, prove your worth in ranked matches that build up Battle Points and titles on your way to becoming the top player in the world.
    • Strategize: As you play your way through the world’s competition, scout your opponent’s profile in advance as each person is labeled Fire (Attack), Ice (Guard) and Lightning (Evade) depending on their play style.
    • Leader boards: Use the comprehensive online leader boards to check out the world’s top players or where you rank among your friends.
    • Iconic: Much like Street Fighter® IV, set your personal icon to show off your style.
  • 26 fighters to choose from:
    • o Capcom: Ryu, Chun-Li (Street Fighter), Batsu (Rival Schools), Alex (Street Fighter III), Morrigan (Darkstalkers), Soki (Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams), MegaMan Volnutt (MegaMan Legends), Roll (MegaMan), Saki (Quiz Nanairo Dreams), Viewtiful Joe, PTX-40A (Lost Planet), Frank West (Dead Rising) and Zero (Mega Man X).
    • Tatsunoko: Ken the Eagle, Jun the Swan, Joe The Condor (Science Ninja Team Gatchaman), Yatterman No. 1, Yatterman No. 2, Doronjo (Yatterman), Casshan, Tekkaman, Tekkaman Blade, Polimar, Karas, Ippatsuman and Gold Lightan.
  • Two-man tag-team action: Players build their own perfect team and use Assist Attacks and each character’s special moves to create their own unique fighting style.
  • Four button fighting controls: Accessible four-button control scheme opens gameplay up to new players with familiar movements and combos.
  • Depth of gameplay: Once the basics are mastered, players can go deeper into the fighting game controls to master Aerial Rave air combos, Delayed Hyper Combos, Mega Crash defensive moves, Assault attack moves and the Baroque extended combo system.

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is rated Teen by the ESRB and is available now for $49.99 at retailers nationwide or through online retailers and the Capcom E-store at shop.capcom.com.

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