The entire WorthPlaying staff would like to say "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to our readers all around the world. We hope everybody has a wonderful holiday, loads of good food, and a joyful time with friends & family. May Santa bring you all the games you wished for, but above all, stay safe! Our news coverage will not slow down, but the news itself might be lacking. If there is anything worthy of your attention, you can be sure to read it here ....

Rock Band 2 builds upon the original to introduce co-op band gameplay, multiple instruments, online multiplayer, unparalleled downloadable content and raises the bar by delivering an entirely new level of depth, connectivity, authenticity and features.

White Knight Chronicles provides RPG fans with a unique battle system, and robust online gameplay rooted in an epic adventure. Throughout the game you'll have the opportunity to explore the massive world, experiencing a medieval-like fantasy where the hero is able to engage in combat as the larger-than-life White Knight.

ArmA II is set in the near future, year 2009, in a fictional post soviet country called Chernarus. Players will be sent as members of a US Marine Corps Force Recon squad to this country to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure ongoing stability there.

Kenka Bancho is a Japanese beat 'em up for PSP which puts you in the role of a high school student on a class trip to a historic Japanese city, includes no shortage of fist-to-face and knee-to-gut action, and all in the name of pride and bragging rights.

Final Fantasy XIV, an all new massively-multiplayer role-playing game set in the vast realm of Eorzea, is planned for a simultaneous global release on PS3 and PC, with the possibility of it coming to X360 as well, but no confirmation as of yet.

Following the story of the previous game, A Twist of Fate is also very much an independent adventure, allowing those that have never played a Runaway game before to fully enjoy this brand new experience. Also, for the very first time in the series, the game will allow you to control Brian as well as Gina who has an important part to play in the story.

Publisher Zallag, founded in late November 2009, announced the signature of a three title development contract with the French studio Artefacts, known for having worked on such titles as Moto Racer DS, Stuntman Ignition, Test Drive Unlimited, Splinter Cell 4, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic and Assassin Creed 2.

Set during a tumultuous period of Japanese history, Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes follows players as they fight their way to the dramatic battle of Sekigahara. Players will take up the swords and spears of more than a dozen fierce samurai warriors in huge battles against hundreds of opponents in many exciting stages that lead up to the main event.

The Gottlieb Collection utilizes the same next-generation engine that won The Williams Collection rave reviews earlier this fall and will take pinball fans on a journey through seven decades of classic Gottleib tables.

SEGA is celebrating the season with a special 40% off sale for all PSP Go, PSN, and Wii Virtual Console (only in Europe) titles. There are a lot of titles here, as well as DLC, for games both past and present!

It's Christmas Eve, one of my favorite days of the year. We'll be flying off soon to see the in-laws and stuff ourselves with all sorts of delicious food, only to do it again the next day! Awesome ....

The laptop is all prepped and ready to go, so we'll be updating the site if anything comes in, but as expected, it will be rather quiet.

We are working on our Games of the Year 2009 feature, so hopefully we'll have that up and running in the next few days as well.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes allows players to fight as both Jedi Knights and Clone Troopers through over 30 unique missions, all created incorporating the same ground-breaking, stunning visual style from the TV series. LucasArts has rolled out a patch for the PS3/X360 versions, adding online co-op.

The loveable characters from the original Super Monkey Ball, AiAi, MeeMee, GonGon and Baby, are back with all new mind-blowing puzzles and party games specifically designed to fully utilize the Wii Balance Board accessory and the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

In Aliens vs. Predator, players will have the chance to take the role of the three infamous species: the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien. Each of the three species has its very own distinct story-driven, single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species. SEGA confirmed that the Euro Hunter's Edition is also coming to North America, with even more extras.

Mafia II immerses players in the mob underworld of a fictitious late 1940s-early 1950s scenario by fusing high-octane gunplay with white-knuckle driving and an engaging narrative. Players will easily become engaged in the game's cinematic Hollywood movie experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing city.

With customizable ships and characters from the Klingon Empire and United Federation of Planets, ground, space and shipboard gameplay and unique options for player-generated content set in the Star Trek universe, Star Trek Online is the MMOG that allows you to boldly go where no one has gone before!

Last year Slitherine and Osprey Publishing released the Field of Glory set of wargames rules, which in the meantime has sold over 200k copies. Slitherine is now making Field of Glory as a videogame, specially created with figure gaming fans in mind.

Isaac Clarke returns for another heart-pounding adventure, taking the fight to the Necromorphs in this thrilling action-horror experience. New tools to gruesomely slice and dismember the Necromorphs complement Isaac's signature Plasma Cutter, empowering him as he meets new characters, explores Zero-G environments, and fights against a relentless necromorph onslaught.

NBA 2K10 is expected to deliver the most realistic, stylistic, and feature-rich simulation experience ever available in the NBA 2K franchise – from gameplay to graphics, presentation and online features.

Carrier Command: Gaea Mission is based on the original Carrier Command released in 1988, fully licensed and endorsed by its creators,  and strives to deliver innovative and intense gameplay in a truly next-gen rendition.

Sony has rolled out new PlayStation Store content, starting with a PSN Game Sale, Battle Fantasia, Polar Panic, PixelJunk 3-in-1 Pack, demos for Army of Two: The 40th Day, Badman 2, LEGO Indiana Jones 2, Peggle, Polar Panic, DLCs for LittleBigPlanet, PAIN, Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ginyu Force, Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack, song packs for Guitar Hero 5, Rock Band and Karaoke Revolution 2009; and the usual game/movie trailers, PS3 themes, downloadable PSP games (Savage Moon, Aedis Eclipse, Me & My Katamari, Football Manager Handheld 2010).

The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom gives gamers the opportunity to choose the best way to lead their kingdom to victory, in a rich environment set in middle-Europe during the early Renaissance.

Namco Bandai Games America announced today their intent to increase its digital distribution presence. This overall strategy will ensure consumers have access to hard-to-find gems and the latest best-selling content available at their fingertips.

In Divinity II: Ego Draconis you will take on the role of a young Dragon Slayer and ultimately become a Dragon Knight, a legendary hero with unique abilities. Discover a detailed world full of twists and turns in which your actions can make a real difference.