IO Interactive's hyperviolent criminal-underworld shooter continues this fall on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

It's been nearly three years since Kane and Lynch first shot up the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, and the criminal duo will soon emerge from their hideout for another violent outing. Eidos parent company Square Enix announced today that IO Interactive's Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days has been locked in for an August 24 release in North America and August 27 bow in Europe on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

The most immediate change IO has made to Dog Days is a new visual style, seen in the video below. The studio notes that the visual aesthetic is inspired by documentary films and sees Dog Days' camera following the in-game action in an "unscripted style."

In Dog Days, the titular psychopath and his ex-mercenary cohort travel to China, mixing it up with the Shanghai underworld over a 48-hour period. IO has included new Fragile Alliance multiplayer modes, expanding on the original's online play where gamers had to work together but at any moment could go rogue and steal loot from teammates.

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

---

Eidos and WBIE's rerelease of Rocksteady's acclaimed action adventure packing 3D upgrade, glasses on consoles, four previously released DLC maps.

Get the full article at GameSpot

---

Aliens vs. Predator 360, BioShock 2 PS3 barely miss NPD's top 10 non-PC game chart; Star Trek Online edged out by Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff atop PC rankings.

As the 2010 Game Developers Conference hit its apex last Thursday, the NPD Group released its US game sales report for the month of February. Besides showing an overall decline of 15 percent in sales of non-PC game software, hardware, and accessories, the report revealed the top 10 game products for the month.

The Xbox 360 edition of BioShock 2 topped the list, which also featured (in order of unit-volume sales): New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360), Just Dance (Wii), Wii Sports Resort, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3), Mass Effect 2 (360), Dante's Inferno: Divine Edition (PS3), Dante's Inferno (360), and Heavy Rain (PS3).




Now, NPD has release its full top 20 lists for both non-PC and PC games. Though the rankings don't divulge unit sales, they do show which titles missed the previously revealed non-PC top 10 but were still popular during the month. In 11th place was the 360 edition of the critically drubbed Aliens vs. Predator, followed by the PS3 edition of top-finisher BioShock 2.




No other new games made the top 20, which did include (by rank from 13th place on) New Super Mario Bros. (DS), Mario Kart Wii with Wheel (Wii), MAG (PS3), Wii Fit Plus, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, and the God of War Collection.

Over on the PC side, the picture was even more complicated. Since the rankings are by individual product, the a la carte and collector's editions of Star Trek Online were listed separately, coming in second and fourth place despite less-than-stellar reviews. (See bottom.) In first was The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff, the latest virtual goods add-on to the still-popular Sims 3, which came in third during the month.




BioShock 2 debuted in fifth place, just ahead of the Sentinel's Fate expansion to EverQuest II--a rare sighting of Sony Online Entertainment's massively multiplayer online game on the charts. (The collector's edition of the expansion landed in 13th place.) The only other newcomer was Sega's Aliens vs. Predator, which finished second-to-last in 19th place.




TOP 20 US NON-PC GAMES - FEBRUARY 2010




RANK / LAST MONTH / TITLE / PLATFORM / PUBLISHER / RELEASE DATE / SALES*

1 / ** / BioShock 2 / 360 / 2K Games / Feb-10 / 562,900

2 / 1 / New Super Mario Bros. Wii / Wii / Nintendo / Nov-09 / 555,600

3 / 4 / Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 / 360 / Activision / Nov-09 / 314,300

4 / 9 / Just Dance / Wii / Ubisoft / Nov-09 / 275,400

5 / 6 / Wii Sports Resort with WiiMotion Plus / Wii / Nintendo / Jul-09 / 272,500

6 / 7 / Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 / PS3 / Activision / Nov-09 / 252,800

7 / 2 / Mass Effect 2 / 360 / Electronic Arts / Jan-10 / 246,500

8 / ** / Dante's Inferno: Divine Edition / PS3 / Electronic Arts / Feb-10 / 242,500

9 / ** / Dante's Inferno / 360 / Electronic Arts / Feb-10 / 224,700

10 / ** / Heavy Rain / PS3 / Sony / Feb-10 / 219,300

11 / ** / Aliens vs. Predator / 360 / Sega / Feb-10

12 / ** / BioShock 2 / PS3 / 2K Games / Feb-10

13 / 18 / New Super Mario Bros. / DS / Nintendo / May-06

14 / 5 / Mario Kart Wii with Wheel / Wii / Nintendo / Apr-08

15 / 13 / MAG / PS3 / Sony / Jan-10

16 / 3 / Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Oct-09

17 / ** / Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games / Wii / Sega / Oct-09

18 / 20 / God of War Collection / PS3 / Sony / Nov-09

19 / 16 / Mario Kart DS / DS / Nintendo / Nov-05

20 / ** / NBA 2K10 / 360 / 2K Games / Oct-09




* = Sales only available for top 10 SKUs




TOP 20 US PC GAMES - FEBRUARY 2010




RANK / TITLE / PUBLISHER / DATE

1 / The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff / Electronic Arts / Feb-10

2 / Star Trek Online / Atari / Feb-10

3 / The Sims 3 / Electronic Arts / Jun-09

4 / Star Trek Online Collector's Ed. / Atari / Feb-10

5 / BioShock 2 / 2K Games / Feb-10

6 / EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate / Sony Online Ent. / Feb-10

7 / Mass Effect 2 / Electronic Arts / Jan-10

8 / World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / Nov-08

9 / The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / Electronic Arts / Apr-08

10 / The Sims 3: World Adventures / Electronic Arts / Nov-09

11 / Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 / Activision / Nov-09

12 / World of Warcraft: Battle Chest / Blizzard / Sep-07

13 / EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate Collector's Ed / Sony Online Ent. / Feb-10

14 / IGT Slots: Texas Tea / Masque / Sep-09

15 / The Sims 3 Collector's Ed. / Electronic Arts / Jun-09

16 / Dragon Age: Origins / Electronic Arts / Oct-09

17 / Mumbo Jumbo Assortment / Mumbo Jumbo / Jul-09

18 / World of Warcraft / Blizzard / Nov-04

19 / Aliens vs. Predator / Sega of America / Feb-10

20 / The Sims 2 Fun with Pets Collection / Electronic Arts / Jan-10



Source: The NPD Group

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

---

UK magazine Edge claims trailer for Epic Games' trilogy capper will arrive next month; game allegedly pushed out of Q4 to keep focus on Natal.

Get the full article at GameSpot

---

Electronic Arts gives players an early chance to try out massively multiplayer online racer, full release set for summer.

Gamers looking to kick the tires on Electronic Arts' massively multiplayer online racing game Need for Speed: World are about to get their chance. Electronic Arts today announced a new round of closed beta testing for the game, inviting would-be players to sign up for a testing slot at the game's official Web site.

While the game will let players compete online in standard Need for Speed drag, drift, and checkpoint races, it also adds a few tweaks to the series' formula. For example, a new power-up system will give players access to a number of new abilities, from turbo boosts to a "traffic magnet" that draws racers into a tight pack. There's even a power-up to add a lap to a race so lagging players have some extra time to catch up. The other big addition to the series is a stat-progression feature that lets players level up their cars as well as their drivers.

As with Tiger Woods Online (which recently entered open beta testing), EA has not nailed down pricing for Need for Speed: World yet. However, the publisher is expected to adopt a free-to-play model with basic content available from the outset and microtransactions spread liberally throughout the game.

Need for Speed: World is set for release this summer. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

[CORRECTION]: The original version of this story incorrectly referred to Need for Speed: World as a Web browser-based game. GameSpot regrets the error.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

---