Hollywood usually takes most of the slack when it comes to criticism for lack of originality, but in fact, the video game industry is even worse at creating original content, it’s a world dominated by franchises of every kind, from sports to action games, publishers and developers are usually taking the easy and safe way: sequels. And spin offs. And remakes. Etc.

We’ve compiled a list of top 10 original games that are scheduled for release for 2010 — and it was quite a challenge: out of the 130 games confirmed for 2010 by major publishers and developers, we found 19 that were original. Just 19.

10: Brink (Spring 2010)

Brink, an FPS developed by Splash Damage and published by Bethesda, centers around a two sides: Resistance and Security, and is a team based multiplayer shooter much like Quake Wars, which was also developed by Splash Damage. It looks promising as a multiplayer game, as it’s story based, much like Quake Wars, where one battle takes place over several maps, with a story connecting everything together.

9: Alpha Protocol (Spring 2010)

Alpha Protocol, developed by Obsidian Entertainment — developers of Star Wars: KOTOR 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2 — is a third person action RPG where the player assumes the role of Michael Thorton, a CIA agent who’s been betrayed and must not only fight his way through enemies, but also uncover the conspiracy that set him up.

8: Singularity (Q2 2010)

While time travel is a known concept in games, albeit underused, it’s still something that is difficult to fit in wiht the overall storyline, and the time feature never seems to be used properly. In Singularity, the player will have control over a TMD (Time Manipulation Device), a “weapon” which will be used to solve puzzles, for instance, if a door is locked, instead of looking for the key, you use the TMD and speed up time for the lock only, which will rust, and voila, door opened! Or use it on an enemy and watch him turn into a skeleton. The concept certainly seems intriguing, and offers some truly original puzzles.

7: Dante’s Inferno (February 9, 2010)

Dante’s Inferno has already caused a lot of controversy, from the fake E3 2009 protest, to gameplay elements where players can slay children. The gritty, hell based game is loosely based on the actual Inferno by Dante in The Divine Comedy, and the player assumes the role of Dante, who has to fight his way though monsters and demons in the 9 circles of hell, and decide whether he’ll be good and spare some (like children) or go reckless. It definitely looks as one of the darkest games of 2010.

6: MAG (January 26, 2010)

MAG (Massive Action Game) is a PS3 online FPS multiplayer who’s main feature is a massive 256 player online matches, with 128 players per team, divided into 8-player squads, 4 squads into a platoon, and 4 platoons into a company. With 256 players on the map, MAG is set to deliver some of the most intense and frantic combat yet, and will offer detailed stats and rankings, where higher ranked players will be able to command the battle and give orders to individual squads and platoons.

5: LA Noire (Q3 2010)

LA Noire, an open ended adventure game set in a recreated 1940s Los Angeles, which players can freely roam around, and chose to solve a number of murders around the city. The game has a great feeling of classic noir films based in LA, like LA Confidential, The Maltese Falcon and Chinatown, and draws inspiration from such works as well.

4: Rage (Q4 2010)

It’s been a while since Id Software has made an original game — actually, the last original game Id Software made was Quake, back in 1996. Id finally shows something new with Rage, a fusion between a first person shooter and a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max styled world. It’s built with the all new Id Tech 5 engine, and shows very promising visuals, to say the least.

3: Heavy Rain (Q2 2010)

Heavy Rain has been on the radar since it was originally showcased at E3 2006, and will be released almost four years later, in Q2 2010. The gorgeous looking game centers around a serial killer known as “The Origami Killer”, and players assume roles of different characters who try and solve the murders. It’s one of the most stylish and atmospheric games to come out in 2010.

2: Alan Wake (Q2 2010)

What Heavy Rain is for the PS3, Alan Wake is for the Xbox 360. Developed by Remedy, Alan Wake is a psychological thriller inspired by the likes of Twin Peaks and Stephen King novels, where players assume the role of Alan Wake, a writer who seeks refuge at a quiet place where he can write his next novel (much like Stephen Kings “Misery“). However, when his wife vanishes, it’s up to him to get her back.

1: APB (March 2010)

APB is not only the most original MMO game to his the stores in 2010, it’s also the most original game overall. It’s the classic cops vs. robbers gameplay, but on a massive scale, with endless customizations and options, tons of missions and weapons. Created by David Jones, the original creator for GTA, APB is hailed as everything he wanted to do wince he made GTA, and while originally trying to pitch and sell APB to Rockstar as GTA Online, it’s good that APB is on its own now, we need a great, original game. And an MMO that’s not fantasy based.

The PC version will support 3D monitors, so you can indulge yourself into even more gore, and will retail for only $30 when released next week. Unfortunately, the release is for North America only.

Last month we learned that the PSP title SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 would be hitting store shelves on November 24rd. Today, Sony has announced that the game is getting a delay to January 12th, 2010. But what gives?

Producer Mark Rogers says that the delay will give them more time to properly market the game and give it the proper attention it deserves. Then again, they probably just don’t want to release it in the same month as Modern Warfare 2.

Windows 7 is out, and with it is the latest version with DirectX — DirectX 11. The new graphics API is an evolution from DirectX 10, but it doesn’t only include more features, it’s faster than the previous version (unlike the DX9 to DX10 transition). Among the new features is Tessellation, which increases the amount of visible polygons, and multi-threaded rendering, which takes advantage of multicore CPUs a lot better than previous DX versions.

While only ATI’s 5000 series of graphics cards support DX11, Nvidia will join the club later this year, when new games which support the standard will emerge as well. We’ve picked top 10 games that are confirmed to include DirectX 11 support when released.

10: Battleforge (EA Games, out now)

Battleforge is the only game that’s currently available that supports DirectX 11. While it’s a card-based RTS with out much action to fully shocase the new visual features, the game was patched with DX 11 goodies, which provided smoother gameplay and better visuals. While it’s still not a Crysis-caliber game, it’s officially the first game to support the new API.

9: The Lord of The Rings Online (January 2010)

While LOTR: Online was released a few years ago, the game has received visual overhauls over the years, and it’s no different with DX 11 — the upcoming LOTR: Online patch will include DX 11 features, and will be developed in cooperation with AMD.

8: DIRT 2 (Codemasters, December 2009)

DIRT 2 was released on the Xbox 360 and PS3 a few months ago, but the PC version was delayed until December so Codemasters could implement DirectX 11 features into the game, with an added investment into the game by AMD (makers of the only DX11 available graphics cards on the market). And it appears the wait will be worth it for PC gamers, as DIRT 2 for PC will support tessellation, delivering more fluid crowd, particle and water animations.

7: F1 2010 (March 2010)

Codemasters not only have a rally game with DX11 support, the developer/publisher is also working on a new F1 racing game, which will used an enhanced version of the DIRT 2 engine, and will include even more DX11 features. Look for F1 2010 when the new F1 season starts next March.

6: Alien Vs. Predator (Q1 2010)

The team behind the original AVP from 1999, Rebellion, is back with what looks to be a solid remake. Alien Vs. Predator will feature all three playable classes (Aliens, Predators, Marines), and will include DX 11 features such as Shader Model 5 and tessellation, and the developer is noted saying that the new API not only improves the visuals, but overall speed of the game as well.

5: Alan Wake (March 2010)

While Alan Wake was originally a showcase for Intel’s quad core CPUs and DirectX 10, the game has for some reasons slipped from the PC lineup, and only Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are officially mentioned. However, the game was originally developed for the PC in mind, and all signs point towards a PC version which is delayed in order to get a DX 11 overhaul, and which is slated for release after the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.

4: STALKER: Call of Pripyat (January 2010)

Developer GCS World has already revealed screenshots comparing DX 10 and DX 11 versions of the game (see above), and while the differences are subtle, they’re noticeable. The biggest improvement should be speed and stability, which has plagued previous installments of the Chernobyl-based STALKER franchise.

3: Supreme Commander 2 (Q4 2010)

Supreme Commander, while released a good two years ago, still remains the most impressive-looking RTS out there, and the sequel, Supreme Commander 2, will be building using an improved engine from the first game, and will include support for DX 11, when released, about a year from now.

2: Crysis 2 (Q4 2010)

While CryTek hasn’t officially revealed DirectX 11 features for Crysis 2 (it hasn’t revealed the game yet — only announced), it’s a fact that the game will be build using the new CryEngine 3, which includes full DX 11 support across the board. Crysis was originally a poster boy for DX 10, and it looks like Crysis 2 will take the same role for DX 11.

1: Battlefield 3 (Q4 2010/Q1 2011)

Earlier this year, DICE announced that Battlefield 3 was in development, but didn’t reveal much further, other than the game would feature the new Frostbite 2 engine. While the upcoming Bad Company 2 will be build using a version of Frostbite 1 which includes DX 11 support, it unfortunately won’t be present in the final version of the game. Battlefield 3 on the other hand, will be build with Frostbite 2, and will include all the DX 11 bells and whistles, which should make the destruction and effects even more prominent. Look for BF3 late 2010 or early 2011 — depending on how successful Bad Company 2 on the PC is.

In related news, you can get ArmA 2 with a 50% discount, only $25. If you wanna know if it’s worth it, check out our ArmA 2 review.

While 2009 is drawing to an end, and with all the great AAA titles only weeks away, keep in mind that 2010 is going to see more top-notch titles released than the last few years. Here are 20 games that should/will make an impact next year, and while a lot more games are coming out, we obviously couldn’t include them all — our list grew from ten games to twenty games simply because even we were surprised how many title are lined up for 2010. Here’s our 20 games for 2010, in no particular order.

Postal 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Running With Scissors, Q2, 2010)

The original Postal was both hailed and damned for its controversial content, and the sequel, Postal 2 only made it better (or worse, if you’re a politician looking for some media attention). Postal 3 will expand on the sandbox style gameplay, and will even feature director Uwe Boll (who made the 2008 Postal movie) in a cameo role.

APB (PC, Xbox 360, March 2010)

After developing Crackdown for the Xbox 360, which has since become a cult classic on the console, Realtime Worlds shifted all their manpower to APB (All Points Bulletin), a revolutionary MMO set in a huge city where players battle each other as either law enforcement agents, or criminals. A kind of GTA online, as creator David Jones (the man behind GTA) is noted saying APB is “the bastard child of everything we’ve been striving towards over the 15-20 years”.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, March 2, 2010)

Battlefield: Bad Company almost managed to perfect something no other FPS had done before: creating a fully destructible battlefield, where walls would no longer provide infinite cover — one tank shell and you better be looking to hide somewhere else. Coupled with a single player campaign and a solid multiplayer, Bad Company has been one of the most played FPS on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Bad Company 2 will bring “destruction 2.0″, taking destruction to a whole new level, this time, entire buildings and towns can be leveled to the ground.

Heavy Rain (PS3, February 2010)

Heavy Rain has been highly anticipated ever since it was first showcased at E3 2006 for the PlayStation 3, the film-noir, thriller-styled game will feature an intertwined storyline, with four playable characters, all looking for a serial killed going under the name “The Origami Killer”.

Halo Reach (Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

The next chapter in the Halo series and Master Chief’s battle against the Covenant was unveiled at E3 2009, without any further details other than the game would be the last Halo game to be developed by Bungie. Owners of Halo 3: ODST will have a chance to check out the game’s multiplayer beta in the middle of 2010, by then we should have more details on Reach.

Red Steel 2 (Wii, February 16, 2010)

The original Red Steel was the very first Wii game that was revealed, and rode a wave of anticipation until its release — as a Wii launch title — where it showed a flawed control scheme, dated visuals and uninspiring gameplay. Red Steel 2 is said to correct all those issues, and will require (and be bundled with) the Wii Motion Plus accessory, giving it a true 1:1 control input, paving the way for some great sword fights. We sure hope so.

Crysis 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

The original Crysis is still bringing even the most powerful PCs to their knees, and is still hailed as the best looking game available, at least if a tropical island is what you crave. Crysis 2 continues the story where the original left off, and will use the new CryEngine 3, creating an even more immersive world. There aren’t many details of the game yet, but one thing is for sure: start saving for a new PC rig.

BioShock 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, February 9, 2010)

BioShock took the gaming community with storm in 2007, offering an amazing look at the steampunk/retro-futuristic world of Rapture, coupled with a story similar to Half Life, and in BioShock 2 — which takes place ten years after BioShock 1 — players can take control of the infamous Big Daddy, and will be able to step outside of the underwater city of Rapture. On top of that, BioShock 2 will include multiplayer as well, bringing a whole new dimension into the series.

Alan Wake (PC, Xbox 360, March 2010)

Alan Wake was originally a title known for its pretty visuals, actually, gorgeous visuals, but it soon became apparent that the game had much more to offer, as it showcased the first gameplay bits at E3 2009. It’s a psychological thriller, and draws inspiration from Twin Peaks and countless Stephen King novels, and is one of the most anticipated original games of 2010.

STALKER: Call Of Pripyat (PC, February 2010)

STALKER, and its expansion pack, was a promising action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world of Chernobyl, but both games were hammered by technical issues and a merciless difficulty. Call of Pripyat is set to correct those issues, and is set to become a more accessible game for both action and RPG fans. On top of that, the game will utilize new DirectX 11 technologies, offering an even more grittier-looking Chernobyl than before.

Crackdown 2 (Xbox 360, March 2010)

Crackdown was one of the sleeper hits on the Xbox 360, where some gamers eagerly purchased the game only for the bundled-in Halo 3 beta. They soon found out that Crackdown was a viable GTA contender, with its own unique style and gameplay. Crackdown 2 was revealed at E3 2009, and is set to expand on gameplay and destruction of Pacific City, complete with a new visual overhaul.

Deus Ex 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

Deus Ex and Deus Ex 2 have pretty much solidified their cult status among gamers, and especially, fans of dystopian cyberpunk. Deus Ex 3 will take place in 2027, 25 years before Deus Ex, so its views on a cyberpunk culture might dwindle a bit, but we’ll see — developer Eidos Montreal has yet to release any screenshots or videos of the game.

Max Payne 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, March 2010)

The original Max Payne and May Payne 2 were hallmarks of noir storytelling in vidoegames, and when the new look and feel of Max Payne 3 was announced — with a new, bald Max — taking place in Brazil, loyal fans to the series got worried. After all, what’s Max Payne without a gritty New York City, rain, and lots of voice over acting? It’s even got a new developer, and the original writers are not on board. Lots of things can go wrong, but new developer Rockstar Vancouver seems to be on top of things, both story and gameplay wise.

God Of War 3 (PS3, March 2010)

God Of War has been one of the most successful franchises on the PlayStation 2, and it was never a secret that Sony was bringing the third game in the series on the PS3. If screenshots and gameplay videos are anything to judge the final product by, PS3 owners have something very special waiting for them next year, as God of War 3 is looking to be the biggest PS3 release of the year, second only to Gran Turismo 5, perhaps.

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, Q2 2010)

Arguably the best racing sim franchise in history, Gran Turismo 5 will flex its muscles in beautiful high def for the first time, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to differentiate GT5 screenshots from real life photos of the cars. Compared to arch rival Forza 3, GT5 will have over twice the amount of cars (950 vs 450 in Forza 3) and more racing tracks as well. In addition, GT5 will include both NASCAR and World Rally Championship racing options.

Supreme Commander 2 (PC, Xbox 360, Q3 2010)

Supreme Commander, the spiritual successor for one of the greatest RTS games ever, Total Annihilation, revolutionized the way the battlefield was viewed, with a huge map that could be zoomed in and out to any point, effortlessly. That feature alone took gameplay and multitasking to a whole new level, and the game even had a proper support of multi-monitor setups. Supreme Commander 2 was unveiled during E3 2009, and takes place 25 years after the ending of SupCom: Forged Alliance.

Mass Effect 2 (PC, Xbox 360, January 26, 2010)

One of the many games delayed from late-2009 to early-2010 due to the clogging of several AAA titles this year, Mass Effect 2 continues the story from Mass Effect, this time, it’s a lot darker, according to the developers at BioWare. The game features an updated combat system, improved AI and more detailed characters and animations.

Army Of Two: The 40th Day (PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, January 10, 2010)

While the premise for a great co-op game was laid out in Army Of Two, poor execution and AI crippled the gameplay. The sequel, like all sequels should, will try and make up for those shortcomings. The 40th Day will feature refined controls, the ability to use human shields and to fake a surrender in order to outflank the enemy (meaning you better trust your teammate).

MAG (PS3, January 25, 2010)

MAG (short for Massive Action Game) is trying something no other FPS multiplayer game has been able to pull off before: massive 256 tribes and matches. It’ll feature 128 players per teams, divided into 8-player squads, 4 squads into a platoon, and 4 platoons into a company (8*4*4=128, see?). With 256 players on the map, MAG is set to deliver some of the most intense and frantic combat yet, and will offer detailed stats and rankings, where higher ranked players will be able to command the battle and give orders to individual squads and platoons.

Rage (PC, PS3, Xbox 360 & OS X, Q4, 2010)

Id Software’s first original game in decades, Rage is a fusion between a first person shooter and a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max styled world. It’s built on the brand new ID Tech 5 engine, and will ship on 3 DVDs for the Xbox 360 and PC versions, while the PS3 edition will ship on one Blu-ray disc. Id Software legend and Rage developer John Carmack revealed that the game takes up a whopping 1 TB in space when not compressed. 3 DVDs don’t seem that much of a big deal now.

Honorable mentions: LA Noire, Fable 3, Far Cry 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Ghost Recon 4, Guild Wars 2, Command & Conquer 4, Thief 4, Dead Rising 2 and Just Cause 2.

While some indulge themselves in MMORPGs, at the other side of the spectrum of multiplayer games, first person shooters have had players battling in fast paced action for a far longer time — no quest reading or storytelling here, it’s guns blazing and the laws of headshots. Here’s our top 10 pick of the greatest multiplayer first person shooters of all time.

10: Team Fortress 2 (2007)

Valve’s successor to Team Fortress not only received a complete visual overhaul, it also became one of the most stylized multiplayer shooters of today, complete with its own sense of humor. The continuous (free) updates from Valve have kept players involved for a long time, with new weapons and maps added frequently.

9: Battlefield 1942 (2002)

Swedish developer DICE broke on to the gaming scene with Battlefield 1942, which would go on to become one of the most popular online shooters for the next few years. For the first time, gamers could participate in large scale, 64 player matches with big assortment of classes, tanks, planes, jeeps, battling over huge maps — it was warfare like never seen before, and it took the FPS scene by storm.

8: Halo 3 (2007)

Microsoft’s first Halo game on the Xbox 360 was received with one of the biggest launches in gaming history, and the polished multiplayer, which offered a ton of modes, detailed rankings, achievements and maps, have secured the game a top spot in the most played Xbox 360 games ever since. On top of that, the new The Forge mode made it possible to edit the maps as well, adding a new layer of gameplay.

7: Quake 2 (1997)

Quake 2 is widely considered the game that popularized the multiplayer shooter on the PC, and was one of the first to offer custom created content, such as maps, to be shared among fans and modders. It was also one of the first games to be officially selected in the Cyberathlete Professional League, a testament to its legacy.

6: GoldenEye 007 (1997)

While Quake opened the eyes of the general gaming crowd to the PC multiplayer first person shooters, GoldenEye 007 did it for the console crowd. It wasn’t the first console FPS game to offer multiplayer, but it was by far the first hit and a major breakthrough. Released in 1997 on the N64, the multiplayer part wasn’t originally a part of the game, and developer Rare assigned the job to a single programmer, Steve Ellis, who created the multiplayer version virtually by himself from the single player mode.

5: Unreal Tournament 2004 (2004)

Following the release of UT 2003, which received a mixed reception from the fans, Epic Games almost started from scratch and created what would become the most popular UT game ever, especially among modders, who were given the tools not only to create new maps, but completely different games, like Red Orchestra and Frag-Ops.

4: Tribes (1998)

In terms of multiplayer shooters, Tribes was a huge success, and was a game that pioneered some multiplayer FPS aspects that exist to this day. The game had a ton of exciting modes, revolutionary gameplay, not to mention 40 maps, some of which were huge, even by today’s standards.

3: Quake 3 Arena (1999)

Quake 3 Arena is perhaps one of the most fast paced multiplayer shooters ever made, and is generally considered the “founding father” of all the frag fests. It was the first Quake game that was exclusively multiplayer-oriented, and was minimalist in eye candy and aesthetics, only focusing on what really matters: gameplay.

2: Battlefield 2 (2005)

DICE brought the chaos and large scale warfare of WW2 into a modern day scenario, and Battlefield 2 became and instant classic, perfectly balancing the line between realism and accessibility — far better than any other military multiplayer shooter had done before. Or since. And despite being considerably buggier than competing games, the sheer quality of the gameplay — not to mention the detailed statistics and awards system — has meant that the game is still one of the most popular online shooters, despite being 4 1/2 years old.

1: Counter-Strike (1999)

Originally released as a mod to Half-Life, Counter-Strike immediately took the world by storm and has since consistently been the most played multiplayer shooter in the world. And with the update coming with Half-Life 2, CS: Source, the new visuals have kept it at the top spot. A proper sequel, Counter-Strike 2, is expected to be released with HL2: Episode 3 next year, and will most definitely continue the reign on the online multiplayer FPS scene.

If you were one of the lucky people who got accepted in the All Points Bulletin beta you should be happy to hear that the beta will go live sometime next week.

News of this comes to us from Realtime Worlds CEO Gary Dale who took center stage during the Tech Media Invest conference to let us know of the beta’s next week appearance. Furthermore, he said that those who didn’t get accepted into the beta need not worry as Realtime Worlds plans on accepting more and more people as the game’s release date grows nearer.

via eurogamer

Battlefield Heroes is a completely free to play game so it was generally assumed that EA wouldn’t be putting much effort into release additional content for it. However, considering the game’s success EA has gone ahead and released the Heroes of the Fall content pack for the game.

The change list, included after the break, is quite long with some notable features being the all new Riverside Rush map, new items and a whole slew of bug fixes.

General Changes

• A New Map! “Riverside Rush”
• New Items and bundles
• End Of Round Screen now shows your Total HP, VP, BF and XP!
• You will now get Assist Kill credit for kills you were a large part of, but where you didn’t do the final damage
• Added a new system for selecting server locales for situations where ping failed. Now you can set your region on the update profile on the website. Should fix lag problems for quite some people
• You now gain titles starting at level 10, your title appears in the nametag and on your profile on the web
• When you receive health or repair a vehicle, the HUD will now tell you how much on the icons themselves
• Vehicle vs. vehicle collision should now feel better
• Removed fire delay when entering a tank
• Tweaked the nametags a bit so they should be more readable and appear in more natural situations
• Piercing Shot no longer allows for critical hits
• Hero Shield is now shared with nearby friends
• Frenzy now returns some health to the wielder
• Keg explosion now slows its victims

Game Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where sometimes vehicles would not spawn properly
• Fixed a black screen issue when you attempted to join a friend or bookmark on a different version
• Fixed a bug where sometimes the vehicles would not explode properly
• Fixes a crash with related to Character Names
• Fixed a bug that caused grenade spam to disappear if you switched too quickly to Burning Bullets
• Fixed a bug where a kill from troop trap gave the wrong message
• Fixed a ton of Text bugs
• Fixed a camera bug that allowed for view inside buildings
• Fixed a bug with Emotes, allowing you to use emotes you were not supposed to
• Fixed a HUD bug, where text would appear in wrong colours
• Fixed a bug that caused you to auto reload, even though you had it turned off
• Fixed a bug where if killed while in parachute, the character would look broken
• Fixed a bug where some key mappings didn’t show up correctly in the Tutorial
• Fixed a bug where you would get stuck if you did not have any weapons equipped
• Removed a “pregame” message in tutorial
• Fixed several Server Crashes
• Fixed a bug where you could type in green
• Fixed a bug where sometimes the in game score and end of round score were displayed incorrectly
• Fixed a bug where score received from flags wasn’t accurate
• Fixed a XP exploit
• Fixed a Visual bug where Combat Medicine would not remove the effects from Burning Bullets
• Fixed a bug with Hero shield , bandage and wrench timer where it kept going even though you had burnt
• through your shield
• Fixed a bug where you could blast strike a friend in e vehicle if he was in a passenger seat
• Fixed a bug where I eats grenades didn’t eat all explosives

Updater

• Fixed various bugs with admin/not admin/UAC install
• Will now reinstall game if local version is too old
• Should now handle PunkBuster better

Game Menu

• Added easy links when completing missions and other events that takes you to the relevant screen
• Replaced online/offline icons in the Friends Screen
• Fixed a bug where the use count on Widgets sorted wrong so it wouldn’t show
• Friend menu will now only show status of mutual relationships (you have to accept a friend invite)

Removed adding a friend through the game menu – this will be managed on the website from now on

Naughty Dog has recently announced that that public multiplayer beta for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be made available on the PlayStation Network at some point today.

According to the PlayStation blog, 4 maps, 4 competitive modes and 2 co-operative modes in addition to Cinema for replay viewing and a Stage map for machinima making  will be included with the 1.3GB multiplayer demo.

Not planning on downloading it? You crazy.

The latest addition to Red Faction: Guerilla’s library of DLC is to be called Smasher Pack and will be made available on October 1st for the 360 and PS3 and will be priced at $4.99.

Anyways, the contents of the pack includes 8 maps for the offline Wrecking Crew mode in addition to the new found ability to use mechs in multiplayer; a feature players have been asking for ever since the title hit store shelves.

That’s about it, we’ll keep you updated on more news as the Smasher Pack’s release date grows closer.

via destructoid