RUMOR: Microsoft Has Two Major 360 Titles Up Its Sleeve

Citing "well placed sources close to Microsoft" CVG is reporting that Microsoft will be revealing two more "big" 360 titles at E3, that will be a part of their 2008 lineup. Currently, two big Microsoft titles are in limbo: Halo Wars and Alan Wake, but it's unknown whether the announcement will be for completely new games or a confirmation that these two will hit in 2008 after all.

CVG further speculates that one of the titles may utilize the rumored 360 motion controller (how awesome would Halo Wars be if you could use a motion controlled pointer device!?) but I'd say that if Microsoft really does have a motion controller in the works, they'd be crazy not to incorporate it into all of their first party games to some extent. Certainly Banjo Kazooie 3 as well as Viva Pinata 2 will both use it considering Rare are the ones rumored to be spearheading development on the controller.

In any case, it's nice to think there might be some surprise announcements at E3. Last year's press conferences were a joke. Now all we need is for Nintendo to pull out something more exciting than WiiFit and for Sony to show games that will actually be out by this time next year. And not just games like InFamous and Killzone 2 which they showed last year (and 2 years before that in Killzone's case). I'm betting Final Fantasy XIII will be a major part of their briefing. That game has got to be nearing completion, right? Right!?

[via CVG]

RUMOR: Condemned 2 coming this fall...

Xbox 360 launch title Condemned may be getting a sequel this fall if a product listing on UK based retailer play.com's website is to be believed.

Play.com even has an eleven word review of the game, calling it "A superb sequel of brilliantly brutal bloody hand to hand brawling..."

Uhhh....what? That sounds like something translated from English into Japanese and back again by V from V for Vendetta.

In any case, this pretty much must happen, because I wish it to be so. Condemned was arguably the 360's best launch title, displaying next-gen graphics and sound like no other title. It was very much a launch title though. You could tell there was a lot more Monolith wanted to do with the game. The forensic tools, for instance, seemed like something that could've been better integrated into the gameplay and the environments, while gorgeous, weren't particularly interactive...even if you could rip signs off of subway walls and beat crazed hobos with them.

Probably the most fun thing you could do in the game was whack one crazed hobo with something to piss them off, and then run away, often causing them to attack other crazed hobos.

Condemned 2 really should have a subplot where you get to play as a crazed hobo. That would be awesome. Hobo.

Source: 360s Condemned again? - Gamespot

TMNT Arcade coming to XBLA? Simpsons next?

This rumor has been making the rounds along with some screens but most sites seems to be skeptical about its authenticity. Personally I think that whether the screens are legit or not, it's inevitable. Konami's original NES TMNT game is already known to be on the way thanks to the ESRB ratings pages. While I don't pretend to know what's involved for one publisher to obtain rights for a classic game's license when another publisher now holds that license, it seems highly unlikely that Konami worked out a deal with Ubisoft (notice both companies logos on the title screen image) so they could release the craptastic NES game and nothing else, especially seeing as the TMNT arcade games are among the most requested XBLA titles.

It's also no coincidence that these rereleases are all surfacing a month before the new TMNT movie hits theatres.

Now, everybody cross your fingers that Konami can work out a deal with current Simpsons license holder, Electronic Arts, so that the never-before-released-on-consoles Simpsons arcade game can make it's way to XBLA too....perhaps alongside the upcoming Simpsons movie?

Source: Rumour: TMNT Xbox Live Clip - Kotaku

Okami for Wii?

File this under: Please God let it be true.

IGN tells tale of a juicy rumor originating from the ever mysterious "reliable industry insider" or Rii as he/she shall henceforth be known. According to Rii, Capcom is "seriously considering creating a Wii version and may even be working on it as we speak."

Capcom UK on the other hand claims it is "highly unlikely" but what the hell does Capcom UK know anyway? They're just there to ensure that poor British gamers get their games as long after their American cousins as possible. Besides, if you've got nothing nice to say don't say anything at all. A cursory "No comment" would've sufficed and helped perpetuate my hopes of this actually happening, if even for just a few minutes longer.

The bad thing about this is, I started playing a very little bit of Okami when it was originally released and found it to be quite enjoyable but I backburnered it to save it for the post holiday drought. I planned on starting it up again after I finish Zelda but now I've got to wait for confirmation or outright refutation from Capcom Japan. I'd much rather play it on the Wii, especially as they'll surely add extra stuff if it happens.

It seems like a no-brainer. The Wii is already getting plenty of PS2 ports (see Manhunt 2) and Okami is a game that deserves a second chance if there ever was one. It's cel-shaded graphics and Zelda-style gameplay would be a perfect fit on the Wii, not to mention the game's unique paint brush mechanic which were begging for motion control to begin with.

If Capcom had any idea how popular the Wii would become they probably would've made it a Wii game to begin with...

Wii could definitely use more games like Okami to battle the neverending flood of Nickelodeon games and licensed crap in general so let's hope Capcom takes pity on Wii owners.

Wii don't want no Spongebob!

Source: Okami Leaping Onto Wii?-IGN Wii