Criterion Games Announce New Burnout DLC

"Burnout Paradise New Pack Announcement 

If the release of the Party Pack wasn't enough for you, we've got more!

Today, we're proud to announce a brand new pack for 2009.

But, you'll have to head for the pages of the all new Criterion Games Network in Burnout Paradise on PS3 or PC to find out about this one.

See you there!"

These guys just won't stop!. This is how DLC should be provided and Critertion are doing a great job supporting Burnout Paradise. I have to say, all this DLC keeps bringing me back to Burnout and keep me busy. You can get Burnout Paradise from PSN for $20. Criterion...I love you guys.

Metal Gear Solid 4 sells 4.5 million copies, Konami makes $195 million profit

"Solid Snake continues to get it done for Konami. Today, the Japanese game maker reported its results for the April-December period, saying that total revenues for the first nine months of its 2009 fiscal year grew 5.1 percent to ¥234 billion ($2.56 billion). Konami's profit margins also continued to outpace the year-ago period, given that net income rose 17.3 percent to ¥17.8 billion ($195 million).

Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which was released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in June, continued to be one of the company's top performers. The top-rated action adventure sold more than 4.5 million units in 2008, shifting approximately 500,000 additional copies in the October-December quarter.

For the first nine months of its current fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, Konami has sold 22.35 million software units across its various franchises. In addition to Metal Gear's gains, the publisher has been bolstered by the success of its Pro Evolution Soccer franchise, which has sold more than 7.41 million units during the nine-month period. Other top performers for the game company include Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for the Nintendo DS, as well as installments in its perennial Dance Dance Revolution rhythm franchise.

Despite Konami's positive growth during the period, the publisher provided a warning to investors that the global economic downturn will have a negative impact on its full-year returns. Citing slower consumer spending and a strengthening of the yen, Konami revised its full-year revenue and profit outlook downward. The publisher now expects revenues to rise 3.2 percent to ¥307 billion ($3.36 billion) during the year, with profits now projected to grow a mere .3 percent to ¥18.5 billion ($203 million)"
GameSpot

Great numbers for a great game. Well deserving. Seeing as how it's an exclusive game on expensive console, those numbers are very nice. If you have a PS3 and haven't picked up this game, I'm ashamed of you. As soon as you finish reading this, go out and buy MGS4. It's worth the $60.

Killzone 2 Demo Impressions

"Now this is what I call Quality"

The Killzone 2 demo finally hits the PSN today(At least in the UK and in the US for those who received the demo code for pre-ordering from Gamestop) after much anticipation and well-received hype. I've downloaded the demo to see if it can leave a great thoughts in my head since the KZ2 multiplayer demo. Not only did it leave me great thoughs, it made me asking for more.

The game starts you at the menu screen. You will notice the menu is different from other menus in First-Person shooters. This menu adds a nice effect to the menus. In a way, similar to Fallout 3's menu system. After selecting the campaign and the difficulty menu, it will take you a loading screen. The loading screen is actually 3D and you can use the sixaxis controls to move the loading screen around. Pretty cool, eh? After it loads, it will take you into action.

The first thing you gonna notice is the graphics. Very detailed, very gritty and grimy. If anyone ask you to point to a game that looks like pure warzone, just say Killzone 2. You will be amazed at the graphic presentation as you look as what is happening in the cutscence. This is the best graphics I've seen on consoles so far. I can go as far as saying this game looks better than MGS4. So, if you're a graphics whore, you will be locked on to your TV.

After you crash on site, almost instantly you will be in action. As you move along, it will tell you what buttons to press for the corresponding action. I found the default controls to be a little difficult, so I've changed the control scheme to Alternate 2. If COD4 ruined you in terms of FPS controls (like myself), Alternate 2 is the best control layout for you. Another thing I love about this game is that it's not a run & gun type game. If you like to be successful and not be killed, using the cover system is one of the important factors in combat. I found out the hard way by going out into the open only to be gunned down like a innocent man. Another thing I also like is that you have a sense of weight while controlling your character. With the heavy artillery and armor in your possession, you will run slow and aiming can take some time to get used to. This game will require you to rely on your skill and not just spray & pray.

The demo is pretty short. I say just about 15 minutes from a normal run through but just enough to have a taste of what's to come in a few weeks. This demo will make you asking...begging for more.

Killzone 2 is shaping up to be a potential game of the year by getting nothing but 9s and 10s across the internet. Kil(lzone 2 also have the potential to be a system seller. With reportedly 1.1 million pre-orders in Europe alone and a huge marketing campaign in mid-Feb, it's shaping up to put up some awesome numbers in it's first weeks of sales. Be sure to cop Killzone 2 exclusively for the PS3 on Feb 27th. Now I can officially retire COD4.