Angry Birds Space could have easily been a slightly modified version of the game we already know and love. As long as the structures holding the pigs were new and the art was different, Rovio would have still sold plenty. Instead, the developer released a game that feels like a true sequel to the physics-based title that has helped define modern mobile gaming.

Angry Birds Space, as the name so expertly clarifies, takes place in space. You launch assorted birds at sleeping pigs in questionable structures, with and without the aid of gravity. Sometimes you use the gravitational pull of small planets to help slingshot birds towards their destination, reminiscent of the gravity shenanigans featured in Super Mario Galaxy. Launching your birds into the black void is an awesome feeling, as i ... Read more »

Long before a game like Assassin’s Creed III can be played on a screen with a controller, the world of that game must be visualized. Strong concept art guides the vision of a project, informing the graphical style, locations, characters, and tone of the whole experience.

During our visit to AC III developer Ubisoft Montreal, we saw a wealth of evocative images from the project. We’ve drawn out some of the coolest pieces of concept art from what we saw to help illustrate some of the game’s most compelling locations, events, and characters.

For each of the images below, you may click on the picture for a larger version. Then, read the description below each image to learn more about what that piece of art illustrates about the larger game.

Enjoy your illust ... Read more »

Commander Shepard has already saved the galaxy twice, but the final entry in the Mass Effect trilogy could be either the hero's last stand or finest hour. Earth is in jeopardy, entire civilizations are at risk, and we've got all the details. Our latest issue has 12 pages of exclusive info, screens, and art that no Mass Effect fan should miss.

Subscribers should be receiving their issues in the coming days. After you finish reading up, don't forget to keep checking back with gamingarea51.ucoz.com throughout the month, since we'll have plenty of updates delving into Mass Effect 3 and the franchise as a whole.

In addition to explaining Shepard's latest mission, the May issue includes an in-depth look at Spider-Man: Edge of Time, a status report on upcoming Kine ... Read more »

I am usually one to bypass collector's editions of games. Most of the time they're overpriced, full of total useless crap, and take up eight games' worth of space on my shelf. I was fully prepared to pick up a nice standard copy of Mass Effect 3 when it releases on March 6.
Recently, the "From Ashes" day one DLC info leaked and was later confirmed. It sounds like it'll be an important mission and feature a new squad member. This will cost $10, unlike the free Cerberus Network content all new game buyers received with Mass Effect 2. Now BioWare and EA are saying that this will be free with all copies of the collector's edition, which is $80 instead of $60. Okay, I want the DLC so I guess I'll get the fancy version for an extra ten bucks.
Nope.
I'm not the only one to discover that pre-orders f ... Read more »

The Resident Evil series is filled with failed offshoots – from a light-gun game that doesn’t support light guns to a miserable Game Boy Color title. You can now count Operation Raccoon City among these missteps. SlantSix’s attempt to merge the iconic Raccoon City outbreak with intense third-person shooting is rife with buggy AI, debilitating glitches, and sloppy gameplay.

Operation Raccoon City puts players in the roles of Umbrella operatives on a mission to eradicate all evidence of the evil pharmaceutical company’s involvement with the outbreak. The brief 4-player co-op campaign takes players on an uninspired tour through Raccoon City landmarks like the police station and underground laboratory. How SlantSix managed to make such iconic settings look so gene ... Read more »