I already took the time to tell you about my favorite game from the IndieCade section of this year’s E3 show floor, but it was far from the only game on display. I have an unhealthy love for independent games — you tend to see some of the most creative and least “safe” ideas in gaming when you’re not answering to a publisher. This isn’t to say that every independent game is a winner, but IndieCade is dedicated to putting indie’s best foot forward at various high-profile gaming events, so there’s typically some choice selections on display. We got to play a few, and we share these innovators with you, after the break. >> See more inside

Earlier this morning, we reported that the release date for Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 had been moved up by a week, allowing us all to enjoy our neon explosions that much sooner. At first, we figured this could only be good news for gamers, but then we started digging around, and we noticed a few potential problems with these sudden scheduling changes. Getting games sooner may be nice for players, but is it possible that these releases could be damaging to publishers and developers? We have a few observations, after the jump. >> See more inside

I feel like I might not have gotten the proper experience out of my Alpha Protocol demonstration last week, since I didn’t employ any stealth or guile when gaining access to Sega’s E3 booth. There I was, coming in to see an espionage RPG, and I walked right in the front door with legitimate credentials. What a wasted opportunity to spark an international incident and get burned! I learned from the demo, however, that not every spy game is about lies, hiding in the shadows, and/or choking people. When you play Alpha Protocol, you too will have plenty of chances to choose between a safe, boring entry and a sneaky, underhanded one. Our preview has more details, after the jump. >> See more inside

While most of Ubisoft’s Q1 fiscal report will consist of the usual gigantic sales numbers (up 25.8% to €169 million) and a smattering of bold, forward-looking statements, there’s also something for gamers to look forward to. On the last page of a press release, the international giant confirms that they will publish the formerly import-only mecha battler Armored Core: For Answer on PS3 and Xbox 360 this fall.

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Bizarre Creations let out the news this morning that Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 will be releasing a week earlier than anticipated. Originally scheduled for August 6th, the frantic neon shoot-em-up will now become available next week, on July 30th. We’re quite eager to play the full version of this game, based on the fun we had with it during E3 last week. It’s excellent that we’ll now get to do so a full week earlier than we expected, but we’ve also realized that, along with Double D Dodgeball, this is the second Xbox Live Arcade title to see an early release in as many weeks. >> See more inside

Though our last report from the company indicated that they were still afloat, there’s no question that what’s left of Flagship Studios is dangling precariously close to the water. As prognosticated in early June, most staff have been let go, further subscriptions for completed title Hellgate: London have been blocked, and work-in-progress Mythos has gone on hiatus. Meanwhile, Korean financier and online partner HanbitSoft has made public their intentions to pursue Flagship’s intellectual property, to the very doors of the bank if need be.

But amidst all this turmoil, hope springs anew. The Mythos and Hellgate forums, scheduled to die a quick death last Friday, are mysteriously still running. Community Manager Diane “Tiggs” Migliaccio told Hellgate: London players neither the forums nor the game would disappear come the end of July. And now, a representative from Namco Bandai has stepped in to say that “we’re working on it,” and that an announcement of some sort is coming. >> See more inside

Nintendo’s online offerings continue to to improve with today’s announcement of the new Wii Digital Camera Print Channel. Starting today, Japanese Wii owners can create prints, photo albums and business cards using pictures from SD memory card, and — through a new partnership with Fujifilm — have physical copies delivered directly to their home. >> See more inside

Think of it. The brain of a dead man waiting to live again in a body I made with my own hands! Now I know what it feels like to be God! Okay, so, maybe Monster Lab isn’t quite so fraught with moral dilemmas as your standard mad science story. We can still have a good time without the innocent flower girl being mauled to death, can’t we? That’s the hope, anyway, as I learned from my demo of Monster Lab last week at Eidos’ E3 booth. I was able to witness what man hath wrought in the name of science, and I share my horrifying tale after the jump. Step into my parlor… >> See more inside

Okay, so he didn’t actually use the word “casual.” But in an interview with Game|Life’s Chris Kohler, Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi dropped a variety of hints indicating that he was less than happy with the new “3-D versus action game,” and that he feels pressured to create cheaper, more casual gaming experiences.
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Poor Sonic. Intriguing RPGs and Smash appearances aside, the blue blur has fallen on some hard times lately; he hasn’t had a solid core game since, arguably, Sonic Adventure 2, 7 years ago. I know, I’ve been checking up on him. I played Sonic Heroes, and I played Shadow the Hedgehog. I played the demo for Sonic 2006, and that was enough. Still, I’m one of those irrepressible fans, the kind who puts on a big smile and says “This time, it’ll be great!” again and again. Thus, when E3 rolled around last week and I had a chance to visit the Sega booth, I took the time to stop by and check in once again with Sonic and his upcoming adventure, Sonic Unleashed. As a result, I’m not willing to give up hope just yet. Impressions after the jump. >> See more inside

Telltale Games has a nice little gift for their supporters, which they thought up with their huge brain: If you’ve bought the Sam & Max Season 2 downloadable set, you will be eligible to receive the Collector’s DVD for free (plus shipping). It gets better, though — if you haven’t bought Sam & Max Season 2, because you hate games or something, you can still buy it now, and the DVD will still be free. You can download the episodes right away, and then get them again on DVD, with a mess of video extras and original Steve Purcell cover art, when it ships in August.

That’s pretty nice of Telltale, don’t you think? Most companies would make you pay again for a collector’s version, and make no such gestures to early adopters. This is exactly how episodic commerce needs to work: Remember who made the series possible by ponying up at the start, and do your best to take care of those fans. We should really get Telltale a card, or something. Maybe one of those cards with numbers on it, which represents money, that can be exchanged for DVDs.

When it came time to play Off Road, a Ford & Land Rover-branded racing game from Empire Interactive, Xplosiv, and Razorworks, my biggest concern was the level of realism involved. When it comes to racing games, I distinctly prefer an arcade experience over a simulation. I’m not saying Gran Turismo or Forza are bad games by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ll take a game like Burnout, Daytona, or even Mario Kart every time. So, I was worried when Off Road loaded up and started showing off its vehicle selection — all Ford and Land Rover vehicles, modelled after their real-life 2008 counterparts. I quickly discovered, however, that I had worried for nothing: Off Road may have a selection of real-life vehicles, but it is nowhere near a simulation game. Ultra-simple controls and forgiving physics give Off Road a definite arcade flavor… it’s a shame, however, that that flavor is a little on the bland side. >> See more inside

When it was revealed just prior to E3 that Castlevania Judgment would be a 3D fighting game, the news was met with equal parts disdain and disbelief. How could classic 2D platforming possibly translate to 3D fighting? How could Konami — master of platformers, shooters and music games — even create a competent fighter? You’re kidding, right?

They weren’t kidding — but the other two questions still stand, because even though I got considerable hands-on time with the title, I still don’t quite know whether Castlevania Judgment has what it takes to succeed. >> See more inside

While Nintendo’s motion-sensing Wiimote and Nunchuk may have gotten off on a technicality (or two), the Wii Classic Controller, WaveBird and original GameCube controller may not be as lucky, should Texas judge Ron Clark and plaintiff Anascape Ltd. have their way. >> See more inside

It was somewhere around my visit to Eidos‘ booth at last week’s E3 that I started to realize just how many games are using the naming scheme “Something: Something Else.” This didn’t detract, thankfully, from my hands-on demo of Battlestations: Pacific, the sequel to 2007 WW2 RTS/action combat title Battlestations: Midway. I had a chance to take control of a few planes (well, several planes; I’m an awful pilot) and get a look at how Eidos’ upcoming alternate-history game would play out. >> See more inside

This just in: Games for Windows — LIVE is now free. Cross-platform multiplayer? Free. Matchmaking? Free. Voice chat? Free. Friends list? You betcha. And there’s more GFW functionality on the way. >> See more inside

We’ve known about Microsoft’s XNA and the Creators Club for a while now: Microsoft previewed the XNA suite of development tools and middleware back in 2006, and the game studio tools were released at the end of 2007. Today, however, at Microsoft’s Gamefest 2008 conference, the company detailed what it is now calling “Xbox Live Community Games,” a dedicated section of the Xbox Live Marketplace which will debut this fall — presumably as part of the revamped Xbox Live Experience unveiled at E3. The unveiling has also detailed how the process will work for aspiring creators who are hoping to make a buck off of their hard work, promising this new process “will allow anyone to turn the hobby of game-making into a full-fledged career.” Brief details inside. >> See more inside

As a lifelong gamer who’s lived through six generations of home consoles and their concurrent hype, I don’t impress very easily. I’m not completely cynical, mind you; I can appreciate nice visuals and inventive concepts when I see them. It’s just not very often, these days, that a well-executed game will get more than a verdict of “that looks nice” from me. So, when I attended the PlatinumGames demonstration at Sega’s E3 booth this year, I hope you understand that when I say my jaw hit the floor, I mean it. The two games being shown off by Capcom’s ex-development studio (and you know how I feel about their previous work) were easily the most impressive games I saw for the duration of the E3 summit. If Sega and Platinum can deliver on these titles, we’re all in for some incredible-looking games. It is my sincere hope that they play even half as well. >> See more inside

Back in May, 2K Games released a most frustrating document. While it confirmed the existence of critically acclaimed shooter BioShock’s port to PS3 and promised “new features and content,” the press release didn’t provide the foggiest idea of what that content might be. However, with E3 behind us 2K’s seals have begun to crack, and details about trophies, graphics and DLC have bobbed to the surface. >> See more inside

The British are coming! Also, the French, Russians, and possibly the Ottomans are coming, to Empire: Total War for the PC, the 18th Century addition to the Total War franchise. Until they get here, however, we’ll have to settle for preview coverage, like the demonstration we got last week at the E3 Summit while visiting Sega’s booth. We saw all manner of seafaring slaughter in this upcoming RTS/Turn-Based Strategy from The Creative Assembly, and our impressions await you after the jump. Step lively! >> See more inside