Episode 5: In A Video Game Far Far Away...

Star Wars geeks of the world rejoice... Star Wars: The Old Republic hits stores TODAY!



Old Republic is an MMORPG (World of Warcraft for you non-gamers) and comes with a free month of online play with purchase of the game. The game is set a few hundred years after Knights of the Old Republic but still a few thousand years before the rise of Darth Vader.

You will have to choose whether to follow the Light Side or Dark Side of the Force which will lead to more character options. The Sith have 2 types of Force users, a Bounty Hunter (i.e. Boba Fett), and an Imperial Agent class to choose from. The Republic also has 2 types of Force users (Jedi), a Trooper, or a smuggler (i.e. Han Solo).



And that about wraps up gaming news in 2011. I'll keep the info coming in 2012 but until then grab your favorite lightsaber and get your game on!

Episode 4: DLC FTW!

So it looks like the only real "release" this week is Grand Theft Auto 3 making its way to iPhone and Android this Thursday. Luckily, there are plenty of gaming extras coming out this week!

First up, today is the LAST DAY to become a founder with Call of Duty: Elite. Basically you get early access to new features and it covers the cost of all Modern Warfare 3 maps coming next year. Click here for more info and to register (today only).

Next, the first expansion pack out this week is for Battlefield 3 and it's called "Back to Karkland." 4 maps, 10 weapons, and 3 vehicles to add to your Battlefield experience. This expansion actually hit PS3 last week, launching on Xbox 360 this week. And it's FREE if you pre-ordered the game!

Gears of War 3 is next on the expansion list with "RAAM's Shadow." This is a prequel to the original GoW and features Zeta Squad (Lt. Minh Young Kim from GoW 1, Tai Kaliso from GoW 2, and Michael Barrick from the GoW comics). You also get to play as RAAM in one level.

Last on the expansion list, Assassin's Creed: Revelations is releasing it's Ancestors Character Pack. 4 new mulitplayer characters: the Privateer, Corsair, Brigand, and Gladiator.

Next week, very excited about this, Star Wars: The Old Republic hits PC. It's an MMORPG similar to World of Warcraft but set in the Star Wars universe a few hundred years after Knights of the Old Republic but still 3000 years before the rise of Darth Vader. Preorder now at swtor.com (click here for an explanation of the difference between Standard and Deluxe Editions).

So there you go, no new games but tons of new content. So expand your gaming world and get your game on!

Episode 3: "Major" Releases

Only 2 "major" releases this week. I use the quotation marks because neither seem very "major" but let's dive in.

First up, another movie made into a video game... The Adventures of Tintin: The Game (Xbox, PS3, Wii, PC, and DS). You play as Tintin (a Belgian reporter) who investigates mysteries. It's rare you see a movie game worth playing so I'm not going to lose any sleep over this one.

The only other big release this week is Just Dance 3 (Xbox, PS3, & Wii). This game is built for the motion control systems and by the name you can safely guess dancing will be involved. This one features multiplayer modes with choreography. I'm not a fan but these games have had a HUGE following so if you like to shake your booty, might be worth checking out.

In other gaming news, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are working on a South Park RPG. Not a lot of details yet but sounds promising. A bar in London has installed video games in the MEN'S BATHROOM! You control them with your pee stream. Interesting to say the least.

And lastly, the Video Game Awards will be on Spike TV Saturday at 8p (EST). Word is there will be TONS of game premieres this year so don't miss your first peek at what's coming next.

That's all for this week, now go out there and get your game on!