Quite a busy day ahead of me today, partly caused by me zonking out last night and getting a late start, but also because we are heading out early to see that musical I mentioned a few days ago. Some people may be shocked at the thought of me sitting through that, but it's called Rock Of Ages and has nothing but '80s rock music in it. That makes it all bearable, probably even enjoyable!

Gaming-wise, it should be a big day as well with quite a few hot titles shipping to stores, including Crysis 2, LEGO Star Wars III, PlayStation Move Heroes, and a bunch of others.

But for now, back to work ...

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit will transform online racing by bringing to life the adrenaline and intensity of high speed cop pursuits and changing the way that people connect and compete with their friends.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Not sure why we need an official excuse to get smashed, but hey, I'll take it! Unfortunately the festivities will have to wait until this weekend because unlike most Irish people (which I'm not), I have a job to do. On the upside, my job does allow me to drink during the day ... hmm, there's a thought!

Been playing some more Homefront, and not quite sure how far along in the game I am, but it feels like I'm nearing the end. There have been a few plot twists, and I've moved on from the original setting and even faced some aerial combat. Can't complain, as I'm still having fun. Too bad there isn't really anything "futuristic" in a game that's set 10+ years from now; everything is pretty much modern-day contemporary.

Hasbro has signed a strategic development agreement with Jagex Limited to jointly create a new online game based on the globally iconic Transformers brand.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon allows players to fight through the battles on Earth that will shape the events of the upcoming film. Armed with a brand-new gameplay mechanic, fans will harness the power of Stealth Force to instantly convert to a third, hybrid state that combines the weapons and firepower of robot mode with the agility and maneuverability of vehicle mode.

Luckily, yesterday's tsunami warning wasn't as severe as first feared. However, it was wicked to see how an earthquake thousands of miles away still has an eerie effect hours later at the other end of the ocean. Glad to know that Hawaii was spared as well, since we are going there next year for our 10th wedding anniversary. At the same time, it is quite shocking to see the devastating effects the tsunami had in Japan. It's baffling how some people watch it unfold in front of their eyes and then scurry off in a panic when they realize it's real.

On a different note, last night, we went to the Asian Art Museum to watch a friend play the gamelan in "The Creatures of Balinese Mythology." Not really my cup of tea, but I persevered!

Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy faithfully recreates the experience of tactical land warfare in Western France during World War Two. The first installment in this new series covers the three months after the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944, from Operation Overlord in June through the Cobra Breakout in August.

Shift 2 Unleashed builds on the true drivers experience by introducing the driver’s battle, an even more authentic and primal feeling of power and speed which elevates the fundamental competitive race into a struggle for supremacy against other drivers and even the track itself.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a co-op multiplayer Arcade Shooter that gives the player the ability to destroy thousands of giant bugs and turn an entire city to rubble in an unforgettable gaming experience built for replay.

Duke Nukem will bring his signature brand of babe-lovin’, cigar-smoking, beer-chugging and ass-kicking action as he once again saves the Earth and our babes from hordes of invading aliens.

Featuring an 83-song set list and access to far more music than ever before, as well as innovative new gameplay modes and instruments, Rock Band 3 will change the way fans think about and play music games.

Happy Friday! On to the weekend!

It's the last day of GDC, so I'm going to rush through a few appointments, say hi to some people, and mayhaps check out a few games. It was oddly quiet yesterday, so hopefully it picks up a bit today.

This weekend, we're going to watch "The Adjustment Bureau" (new Matt Damon flick), but I'm REALLY looking forward to next week's Battle L.A. opening. I've been salivating over that flick for months now.

Last night we watched House, The Cape (which unfortunately got canceled, so cherish these last few episodes), The Good Wife and The Chicago Code.

Previously an Unreal Development Kit project, Dungeon Defenders throws action-RPG and tower defense gameplay into the proverbial blender to create a seamless mix of leveling, looting and high-action territorial combat for casual and core players alike.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a co-op multiplayer Arcade Shooter that gives the player the ability to destroy thousands of giant bugs and turn an entire city to rubble in an unforgettable gaming experience built for replay.

Shift 2 Unleashed builds on the true drivers experience by introducing the driver’s battle, an even more authentic and primal feeling of power and speed which elevates the fundamental competitive race into a struggle for supremacy against other drivers and even the track itself.

Set in a dark fantasy world, Hunted: The Demon’s Forge is an unforgettable cooperative action game, pitting you and your partner against waves of vicious enemies.

I have to agree with this statement from a fellow colleague about the recent surge of misinformation. PR folks say one thing, knowing very well that it's untrue, only to confirm the previously denied fact mere hours or days later.

It has been happening for much longer than the recent Dragon Age debacle, which was revealed, denied and confirmed in the span of 24 hours. Now Atlus has a similar case on its hands with initially stating that Catherine would not be coming to North America, refuting a prematurely launched product Web page on GameStop. This is, of course, while there is an official Web site and cover art. We often get the "no comment" at this point when we try to confirm similar info, but lately, the flat-out denial has been happening more frequently.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal announced that CCP Games, the Iceland-based developer of Eve Online, will relocate its CCP North America headquarters, which is expected to create 150 new jobs over three years, bringing the company’s U.S. staff total to 300 by 2013.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 expands on the traditional racing experience providing gamers with M.O.O.R.: Massively Open Online Racing; immersing drivers in a persistent online environment and revolutionizing multiplayer racing communities as players compete, team up, and share their achievements and creations online.

We'll be skipping out a bit early today as we are attending Microsoft's Gears Of War 3 press event, where, according to executive producer Rod Fergusson, "A big Gears 3 announcement" will be made. We'll let you know as soon as the news hits.

Been itching to try out Bulletstorm, so I'll be checking that out in a little bit. It's been getting good feedback, and I enjoyed the carnage when I was able to get some hands-on time a few months back. Then, of course, there is also the Mytheon open beta and the Nail'd and Dragon Age II demos to consider. Lots of love for PC gamers yesterday ...

Also, if you are into MMORTS games, don't forget to drop us a note to get a key for the Mythos closed beta.

Founded in 2003, Relentless Software is a British developer primarily known for the Buzz! franchise, who most recently released Blue Toad Murder Files, a 1-4 players episodic TV murder mysteries. Early Feb. 2011, Relentless Software was forced to lay off 20 employees who have now moved on to form Full Moon Game Studios, which will focus on casual gaming and digital distribution.

Shift 2 Unleashed builds on the true drivers experience by introducing the driver’s battle, an even more authentic and primal feeling of power and speed which elevates the fundamental competitive race into a struggle for supremacy against other drivers and even the track itself.

Our relaxing weekend is over too quickly, as usual.

We saw "The Fighter" yesterday, the last of the Oscar-nominated flicks that we wanted to check out, and now that we've watched it, it's quite apparent why Christian Bale is up for best supporting actor. Good stuff all around.

In between dozing off on the couch, we also watched Blue Bloods and The Cape. The DVR almost looks respectable, apart from nearly two seasons of Criminal Minds waiting to be viewed.

Today is Presidents' Day in the US, so coverage might be slower than usual in the afternoon, but we'll see what we can dig up.

Wine, spaghetti, meatballs, The Social Network and sleep...

That pretty much summed up last night, and it was all pretty awesome.

This morning was spent watching YouTube clips of Gary Moore, who passed away earlier this month. Saw some amazing performances like Parisienne Walkway, an awesome solo on Empty Rooms, an incredible cover version of The Thrill Is Gone with BB King, a live performance of Still Got The Blues (which made me tear up), and a sizzling tribute to Jimi Hendrix's Red House.

Too bad Gary Moore was way more popular in Europe than in North America. A lot of people are missing out on unbelievable-sounding guitar work, which we'll never get to hear live again.

Forza Motorsport 4 will bring together genre-defining, controller-based racing, the power and freedom of Kinect, and content from leading brands like “Top Gear” to create an automotive experience unlike anything before it.