While most of the games featured at EIEIO this year were not playable, Hail to the Chimp was one of the few that were, and thank goodness for that. In the past I had heard the title described in several ways, sometimes as a party game, then as a fighting game, with never a clear explanation. Let me tell you exactly what Hail to the Chimp is. It’s Power Stone, with a boatload of game modes, animal combatants, highly interactive environments, being broadcast on the animal kingdom version of the Daily Show. Now, let me expand on that.

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With the rise of the Nintendo DS has been the increased number of point and click games, a genre that in the past could only be found on the PC. The DS’ bottom touch screen make these types of games a no-brainer for the system, but what happens when you take the old school Lucas Arts adventure gameplay, add a dose of platforming, some run-and-gunning, and a film noir detective tale? Insecticide happens, but the real question is, is it worth playing? Find out after the jump.

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Velvet Assassin, formerly known as Sabotage, loosely follows the real life story of Violette Szabo. Szabo was a World War II spy for the Allies, completing two major saboteur missions before she was captured and subsequently tortured and killed. So what will it be like to step into Violette’s shoes? Some details I learned about the game, though essential to the premise of the game, could be considered spoilers, so they will be placed after the jump.

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Do you know why Ninjas win? Because they kick ass, which is why I have high hopes for Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball. The simple premise of ninjas and pirates playing each other in a heated game of dodgeball is one of the most random, yet coolest game concepts I’ve ever heard of. I recently got a chance to play a few rounds of the XBLA title, and I learned a few unannounced details.

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This week is admittedly a little sparse, although everyone is too busy playing Brawl to notice. Condemned 2 was supposed to be coming out for the 360 and PS3, but unfortunately the PS3 version has been delayed a week, so you’re going to have to turn to Microsoft for all of your hobo-beating needs.

There are several ports released this week. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters was originally for the PSP, and now available on the PS2. The other port is more of a classic, with House of the Dead 2 & 3 coming to the Wii, utilizing the Wii Remote’s light gun-replicating capabilities.

Finally, the next installment in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series, Rings of Fate for the DS. Now, the only Crystal Chronicles game I’ve ever played was the original for the Gamecube, and I thought it was pretty horrible, so if Rings of Fate is anywhere near decent I will be happy.

What are you picking up this week?

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Yesterday morning I woke up and drove the two hours to Austin, TX, to attend Gamecock’s 2nd annual Expo For Interactive Entertainment, Independent and Original, or EIEIO. EIEIO showcased all 9 of the games they are currently publishing, some of them playable and some only being shown off by the developers. Last year EIEIO was held in Santa Monica, California, at the same time as E3, but this year was moved to Austin, where Gamecock’s main offices are located. Hit the jump to find out exactly what happened at EIEIO 2008.

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We have just become aware of the issues people are having with Bully Scholarship Edition on Xbox 360. It appears that some older 360s are experiencing framerate issues, freezes and other problems. You have our word that we never experienced any of this in QA - in any of our offices or at Microsoft. I am horrified, and we are now working around the clock to rectify this situation. Thanks to Neo-Gaf for bringing this matter to our attention. We love our games and put a huge amount of energy and care into making them all that they can be. We would never shove anything out the door - we never have and never will. We apologise to everyone affected for the inconvenience. Respectfully, Sam Houser

[via Kotaku]

As someone who didn’t get to experience Rockstar’s schoolyard tromp Bully the first time it was released, I was somewhat excited that it was being re-released on the 360 and Wii. But those who have bought the 360 version are finding out that this Bully isn’t very pleasant at all. Multiple gamers across the web are claiming a variety of problems, ranging from game crashing glitches to frame rate slowdown to broken achievements.

This brings up the pros and cons of downloadable patches. While Rockstar will (hopefully) be able to make things right soon as easily as having 360 owners update their game, this shouldn’t even be an issue at all. If developers didn’t have the ability to patch games after their release, they might not be so quick to skim on the QA process. Whoever’s to blame in the situation, we hope that Rockstar will quickly get Bully: Scholarship Edition in playable condition soon.

[Via NeoGAF]

One of the problems with being a (relatively) young gamer is the inability to get excited about older pop culture references and inspirations in the gaming industry. Such is the problem with the recent announcement of a Doctor Who Video game. I’m sure there are plenty of people that couldn’t be more thrilled that the long running British TV series is getting a video game title. But me? I really couldn’t care less. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll give the game a chance when it comes out, but there’s absolutely no hype in it whatsoever for me.

The details are sparse as of now, as an Eidos representative said they “haven’t announced a release date at the moment. It’s not too far away.” What we are sure about, however, is the game will be playable on the PS2, DS, and PC. More details will be posted as they come along.

[Via videogaming247]

SouthPeak Interactive, infamously known for releasing next-gen titles such as Monster Madness and Two Worlds, is trying their hand at the DS with their upcoming game Mister Slime. Slime is a side scrolling action-adventure game that makes use of the touch screen for players to swing the title character through each stage. Personally I hope SouthPeak can buck their trend of making mediocre titles and deliver a solid, old school, 2D gaming experience when Mister Slime is released in April. Full press release and screenshots after the jump.

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[Author's Note: I left Brawl out because it technically does not come out this week(Sun-Sat), but since it will be out by the time the next MEGAMonday New Releases is published, I have decided to include it]

Welcome to another MEGAMonday New Releases, this one being more MEGA than the others because, of course, the new site layout is up and looks awesome! But what about the games you say? Oh yes, the games.

America’s favorite pastime is getting quite a bit of love this week, with a baseball game on almost every console with the releases of Major League Baseball 2K8 and MLB 08: The Show. If you’re more worried about academics than athletics, pick up Bully: Scholarship Edition and enroll in Bullworth Academy. Finally, for those with a taste for blood, the anticipated prequel to the God of War series, God of War: Chains of Olympus, is coming not to the usual Sony home console, but to the PSP.

Oh yes, and BRAWL! After multiple delays, and more months than we could count, Super Smash Bros Brawl is finally out! I’m not even going to tell you to go buy it, since everyone that owns a Wii (and some who don’t) already have this at the top of their lists.

What are you picking up this week?

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Bionic Commando was, without a doubt, one of the biggest cult hits of the 8-bit gaming era, so it was no surprise when a remake was announced for XBLA, PSN, and PC. Capcom is now giving Bionic Commando loyalists the chance of a lifetime: a chance to design a level for the new version. To be more specific, Capcom wants your ideas for a “challenge level”, which are basically timed obstacle courses. Your design can be as simplistic or as detailed as you want it to be. All mediums are accepted, as long as you can get an image of your idea into email form.

What’s the prize for the lucky gamer who gets their level picked? Not only will they have their level featured in the game, but they will also get their name in the credits, which you can brag about for the rest of your life. Start thinking up your creation now though, as the contest only runs until at 11:59 PST of March 12th. Full details can be found at Capcom’s blog.

Needless to say, Two Worlds doesn’t have a whole lot going for it. Being basically a failed Oblivion clone, there isn’t much that it can offer the western RPG crowd. Developer Reality Pump is looking to expand on its one strength, the inclusion of multiplayer, by offering two new multiplayer expansion packs soon. Among other things, the new expansions will open up new co-op missions, improved PvP modes, and introduce new weapons. Each expansion will offer 10 more hours of gameplay, with the first one being due out in March and the second sometime in April. If you’re brave enough to play through them, each pack will put you back the sum of 600 Microsoft Points, or $7.50. Hit the jump for the full press release and 4 high-res screen shots.

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One of the wonders of XBOX Live is the feature for developers to immediately release a fix for any in-game bugs anytime they deem appropriate. The insanely popular FPS Halo 3 has seen its share of patches, and will see another one the next time you try to jump in an online match. Bungie.net has the full list of updates, with the most notable ones listed below:

• Simultaneous melee battles have been tweaked to be more fair
• If you die during a melee, no longer will you fly across the level
• The Elite Commando shoulder armor is now unlocked to all players
• The “Prefer Good Connection” option is now more efficient
• Problems were fixed in Theater mode concerning watching films on DLC maps which the player doesn’t own

Today at GDC Microsoft announced that all XBOX 360 owners will be able to download demos of XNA games as a part of an initiative to get more people to embrace the tool set. To access these demos, you must first download the XNA Creator Game Launcher from Live Marketplace. Then go into the Game Library menu, scroll over to the XNA Creators Club tab and press the Y button. There you will be able to download the following demos:

Culture
JellyCar
Little Gamers
ProximityHD
Rocketball
The Dishwasher
TriLinea

The only “catch” to this opportunity is that you must download the titles you want before Feb 24, and they will become unplayable after Mar 9. So hurry up and get downloading to see what independent games 360 owners will be getting their hands on soon!

As Nintendo tries to take over the casual gaming market, one of the biggest complaints has been the excess of minigame compilations and brain training programs. While non-traditional gamers can more easily enjoy these types of games, the lack of depth turns many people off. In this regard, Professor Layton and the Curious Village comes as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Layton is, in essence, a collection of puzzles and riddles, but it is wrapped in the enticing shell of a point and click adventure game. The full review after the jump.

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