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Review: 'Shank 2' Is a Cut Above The Original

Posted 2/13/12 2:52 pm ET by Charles Webb in Downloadable Games, PC, PS3, Reviews, Xbox 360

I'm actually pretty late to the Shank party, having missed the release of the 2010 game during its initial release. Don't worry, I caught up with the first game a couple of months back and this was actually very useful for this review since it allowed me to see, pretty much side-by-side the changes and improvements that developer Klei Entertainment put into the sequel to their 2D beat 'em up, released last week on PSN, XBLA, and for the PC.

So is Shank 2 worth a trip back into the grimy, killer dog and machete-wielding henchman world that Klei has created? Or is it just more of the same old same old? Check out the review and find out.
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Tags ea, klei entertainment, PC, PS3, PSN, Shank 2, xbla, Xbox 360

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'Mass Effect 3' Offering Extras Through 'Mission Command' Facebook App

Posted 2/3/12 5:08 pm ET by Don Hatfield in Xbox 360, ea

If you're looking to score some virtual Mass Effect 3 swag before the game hits shelves you may want to head over to Facebook. Microsoft and BioWare have created a new Facebook app to market the title called Mission Command that will also give you a shot at some in-game extras. Read more...

Tags Avatar Items, bioware, DLC, ea, facebook, mass effect 3, Xbox 360

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Book Review: 'The Art of the Mass Effect Universe'

Posted 2/1/12 4:00 pm ET by Charles Webb in Books, PC, PS3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Title: The Art of the Mass Effect Universe (Hardcover)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
MSRP: $39.99
Release Date: February 21st, 2012

Publisher's synopsis: The Mass Effect series is a groundbreaking epic that has immersed gamers in one of science fiction''s richest universes. Now BioWare and Dark Horse are proud to invite fans deeper than ever into the Mass Effect saga with The Art of the Mass Effect Universe! Featuring concept art and commentary by BioWare on the games'' characters, locations, vehicles, weapons, and more - Mass Effect 3 - The Art of the Mass Effect Universe is the most complete companion available to gaming''s most compelling series.

For those of you looking to remain spoiler-free about the events of Mass Effect 3 but you're really interested in picking up this hardcover volume due from Dark Horse, let me offer a piece of advice: just don't crack open the last third, which is actually pretty rich with minor and major details about the final game in the trilogy including plot points and (obviously) evolved character designs from the last game.

In essence, this is the function the book serves—providing fans of the franchise with a peek into the evolution of the series and the iterative nature of Bioware's vision for their sci-fi franchise. The 180-odd page book spends about a third of its length on each chapter in the Mass Effect series, detailing the specifics behind why characters and worlds came to look the way they did as well as the some of the technical limitations that resulted in modified visions for the game.

****Mild Spoiler Alert: Dark Horse has supplied several pages from the art book which are previewed below the break. Be warned that the images contain mild spoilers for the upcoming game.****
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Tags bioware, Dark Horse Comics, ea, mass effect 3, The Art of the Mass Effect Universe