Summer seemed like it was just gearing up and now it seems to be readying itself to mellow out for fall. Oh, how time flies. Nevertheless, from July 19th to the 25th we had a fast-paced week with some snazzy news that’s definitely worth checking out. This includes Epic’s Mark Rein discussing Gears of War and Natal, some key members from EA’s Visceral Studios leaving for Activision, news and media from the San Diego Comic-Con event and, of course, the big clash between Halo 3: ODST and M.A.G with Electronic Theatre’s staff providing a bit of input for each game. Let’s get this hot-tamale train rolling on the tracks here at Blend Games, and don’t forget to check out some the latest gaming trailers featured throughout the recap, including the new Monty Oum crossover series, Dead Fantasy IV.
Sunday
NBA Jam’s Secret Mortal Kombat Court Revealed. This was back when Mortal Kombat was actually considered kool.
F.E.A.R. 2 Alternate Ending Released. Find out what happens in the real alternate ending.
The Top Ten Best Beat-E’m-Ups Of All Time. Streets of Rage and Final Fight better be on that list.
Industry Rant: Video Game Censor Troll Jack Thompson Is A Good Guy? If he’s a good guy than Cheney was a great Vice President.
Microsoft Turns Obama’s Stance Into PR Plug. And healthcare is not part of Microsoft’s promotional repertoire for the 360. Thank goodness, because MS had a tough time keeping the 360 from dying to three red rings.
Dark Void Hands-On Preview. The Game Reviews takes Dark Void on a test ride through the skies. Find out what they thought about this sci-fi, physics-based shooter.
Monday
Spyborgs Gameplay Media Blowout. In-game trailers of the game that will be sure to bore most gamers.
Gears Of War 2 Dark Corners Screenshots. Worth checking out if you plan on downloading the new content.
The Saboteur Release Date Announced. It’s just a matter of time before gamers can lace up their rebellious boots and get a lap-dance from a French hostess. Really.
Valve wants gamers to fund projects just not for the PS3. That’s not likely to happen but a developer can always dream.
Mafia II Walkthrough Includes Shooting, Driving And Censored Signs. It also includes a man’s gonads getting blown off but you didn’t read that here.
Microsoft Wants Handheld Xbox. Is a portable Xbox finally coming to the market? Click the link for the full details.
Tuesday
June PC Sales: Sims 3 Begins Its Reign. The once and future king of big-budget casual gaming is restarting its reign on the sales charts.
Epic Says Gears Of War And Natal Don’t Mix. Looks like gamers won’t be flailing their arms about to chainsaw someone in half. How sad and unfortunate.
Why The Hell Does Everybody Still Like Battletoads So Much? Blend Games’ Rich Knight knocks down the door of popularity for the iconic gaming franchise featuring violent, mutated toads.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Release Date Revealed. It’s time to mark the calendars dear PS3 gamers.
Why Games Fail To Emotionally Connect. The Game Reviews opens up on why games just don’t connect like movies and novels. Definitely an article worth checking out.
South Park XBLA Details. Gaming Front takes a look at the details surrounding the upcoming South Park game for Xbox Live Arcade.
Comic Con 2009 Halo Waypoint Coming To Xbox Live. All part of the over-promotional campaign for the Star Wars of the 2000 generation.
Halo Legends Announcement And Trailer. It won’t take much convincing to goad readers into clicking on this link…or will it?
Activision Wanted Brutal Legend To Be Guitar Hero Sequel. Honestly, as if all those darn Hero spin-offs aren’t enough? Really?!
Iron Man 2 New Trailer And Exclusive Screenshots. The trailer may not be new to you but the screenshots are.
Gaming Company Wants Naked Bald Guys. There’s no description suited for explaining this other than to direct readers to clicking on the link to find out what this is all about.
Activision Snags Visceral Games Leaders. You know the guys who made Dead Space not suck? Well now they work for Activision. Ouch, on behalf of EA.
Thursday
Avatar Game Trailer Will Debut On August 21st. A lot of people are hyped up for this game but the entire concept seems kind of lame. Check out the article to see what the trailer might feature.
Beyond Good And Evil 2 Might Not Happen. And it was such a good series too. Find out what happened to the sequel and why it may not happen. It’s just one click away.
EndWar 2 In Development. Tom Clancy’s EndWar is on the receiving end of a sequel…a bit unlike the above Beyond Good and Evil.
Guerrilla Games Taking A Break From KillZone 2. All the killing in the zone must have gotten to them. Click the link to find out what’s next for these guys.
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony Release Date Revealed. Find out when you can get gay’d up with Gay Tony on XBL.
Dreamland Online Puts Final Fantasy Into Super Mario Gameplay. This game could be described in no other way and it looks kind of cool, too.
Friday
Unreal Tournament 4 Is Years Away. That’s too bad because UT3 was a darn good game.
Epics Founder Discusses Developers Future. Find out what Epic has in store for gamers in their future endeavors at 360 Sync.
Namco Bandai Wants Inversion. New IP for a new game the company is working on. Click the link for all the details.
Halo 3: ODST Vs M.A.G Round 1: Multiplayer Versatility. Which game do you think will have better multiplayer versatility?
Halo 3: ODST Gameplay Trailer. Whether you’re into comparison articles or not, this here is just a straight-through gameplay trailer of an awesome game.
Sigourney Weaver Lends Her Voice To Avatar: The Game. James Cameron’s project has more than just the Aliens’ star voice-acting in the upcoming game. Click the link for the full details.
Mass Effect Save Files Affect Mass Effect 2 More Than You Think. And it’s not just pointless side-missions either.
Saturday
Valve Says Left 4 Dead 2 Easier To Make Than Half-Life 2: Episode Three. It’s often said that the Valve team is lazy, but are they now admitting to it?
Star Wars The Force Unleashed Ultimate Sith Edition Coming To PC And Mac. Even more Sitheir and Darthier than before.
Gamings Most Impractical Characters. The Game Reviews breaks down why some of these characters just don’t make a lot of sense.
Borderlands Co-Op Preview. 360 Sync Rounds out the week with a preview of the co-op heavy shooter, Borderlands.
That wraps up the second to last week of July's recap. Be sure to check out more of Cinema Blends San Diego Comic-Con coverage and remember to stay tuned in with Blend Games for further news and updates regarding all things gaming. We leave you with two new trailers for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 featuring both Jean Grey and Gambit. Enjoy!
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