What do you think when you think turtle beach? Overpriced, problematic or too many models to choose from? I have thought all of the above at some point. I would love to purchase the XP500 but currently I cannot fit that into my budget. Their HDMI adapter does not come with the already expensive models so you have to purchase that separately. Which model do I really need? All these questions always plague my mind when I need a new headset and contemplate buying Turtle Beach. Recently I purchased a headset I didn’t need to think too hard about or too long. The Turtle Beach M5 mobile gaming headset.

Continue reading: Review: Turtle Beach M5 mobile gaming headset

Darksiders 2 was suppose to be released on June 26th. Unfortunately THQ announced that it wouldn’t be able to meet the originally intended street date, which is all too common in the industry. Brian Farrell, THQ CEO, hoped that the delayed was a  ”demonstration of our commitment to quality.” Now the Apacolypse-themed action-adventure game is set to be released on August 14th, which Farrell says, “is a more favorable release window.”

Darksiders 2 already has over five times the amount of pre-orders than the original, which seemed to gain a lot of popularity due to word of mouth. This is surely good news for THQ, considering they saw a net loss of $239.9 million for there last fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2012. They intend to double their marketing spend in hopes that Darksiders 2 will be a hit game that can get them out of the grave they have seemed to dig for themselves. However, does anybody else find it kind of ominous that the main character of the game is Death, the fourth and final horseman of the Apocalypse?

The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day is one of those games that I really was unsure about when it was first announced. The reason was because I didn’t know how I felt about yet another zombie game coming out. Our society is so obsessed with zombies, and they are everywhere in our media nowadays. It’s just a genre that has been done to death. So, when I heard that they were making a Walking Dead game my initial reaction was the obvious, “That makes sense based on the popularity of the show.” That was immediately followed by an eye roll. I fully expected a half-assed first person shooter that was based on the TV show, and not the comic. I was completely surprised by this episodic game. It is phenomenal.

Lost Levelers ASSEMBLE! The Lost Level is back with an exciting round table discussion for The Avengers! 

As always our round tables are SPOILER HEAVY so if you are the only person in world that hasn’t seen this movie yet then stop reading this and run out to your nearest theater! Go now! We will be sitting here waiting for you, literally. All right, are you back yet? Alex fell asleep waiting for you but he dreamt of Scarlett Johansson, so it wasn’t a complete loss. I bet you were regretting that large soda half way through the movie weren’t you? When did America decide that a “Large” soda is equal to a “Vat”? Luckily for you our podcast is bladder, and kidney friendly! Just download this round table and you can take us where ever you would like! Listen to Adam, Christina, and the rest of the cast as they discuss everything Avengers! Will Chris find something wrong with the latest from Joss Whedon? Can Alex refrain from gushing over Black Widow long enough to add his thoughts on the rest of the star studded cast? Listen now to find out!

When Spec Ops: The Line was announced a few E3s ago, something about it caught my eye. It seemed grander than your other basic military 3rd-person shooters. I was really looking forward to seeing a lot of coverage of this game, but the coverage never came. I forgot about it and was content to play the Call of Duty games that came out. Then, all of a sudden, I heard the announcement that a demo was out. I immediately started to download it and was very impressed with what I played.

The best way I can describe the game is Call of Duty meets Gears of War. It’s your modern-day/near-future military setting with a cover system. Cover works well enough, though it’s pretty hard to screw that type of mechanic up nowadays. The only problem with it is that moving from one piece of cover to another can feel sluggish. I expect the characters to move faster considering they’re, well, trying not to get shot when out in the open.

I’ll keep this short and sweet. Click on the link below to enroll to get into the Beta which is coming soon.

For North American Users this is the sign-up page . Europe here is your sign-up page.

Enjoy sackboys and girls!

It’s a brand new week, and that means a brand spanking new episode of The Lost Level! Is Awesomenauts as good as the reviews are saying? Christina and Adam have had some time with the game, and they discuss their thoughts. Alex also discusses his impressions of Fez in our ‘What Have You Been Up To” segment. We also cover the latest news in gaming and movies, like our impressions on the latest The Dark Knight Rises trailer, and so much more!

Stay tuned for our Round Table discussion of The Avengers! It will be coming later this week! What will the Lost Levelers have to say about it? Chris is happy he finally gets to talk about it after three weeks of having to keep his mouth shut!

Also, The Lost Level is going to be going through a minor format change in the coming weeks. We heard your feedback, and we are getting new equipment, and adding some new segments. Thank you for helping make the show better!

The setting of the Elder Scrolls games, Tamriel, seems like it would be the perfect place for and MMO, and apparently Bethesda though the same thing back in 2007. Since then, a team of 250 people have been hard at work on The Elders Scrolls Online for the PC and Mac. What we know about the game so far is that it will take place 1,000 years before the events of Skyrim. Most of Tamriel will be available for exploration from the beginning, but some sections will be locked for the purpose of introducing expansions.

The Elders Scrolls Online will feature full voice acting throughout the game and is played from a 3rd-person perspective. Furthermore, the gameplay will keep a balance between traditional MMO games and what we’ve come to expect from The Elders Scrolls series. So, not only will you be getting a hotbar to use your skills, but you’ll also be able to to enter massive player-vs-player combats. Some battles will even reach the scale of 100-vs-100, so “massive” is not an overstatement.

If you want to learn more, head over to the NeoGAF forum, where this information leaked, or wait until the newest issue of Game Informer.

Now I have three questions for you. Did you like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker cel-shaded look? Did you think those little sack people running around in LittleBigPlanet were cute? Did you like playing Castle Crashers with your friends on Xbox live? If you answered yes to all of these then Fable Heroes is a game for you.

Last week the PlayStation network update for the PS Vita included one of their newest applications, Skype.   I had a chance this week to use Skype on my PS Vita.

Continue reading: Get Skype on your PS Vita

I think everyone that has seen this trailer in the last week has been thinking the same thing. What is Microsoft and Majesco thinking?

This is for all those hardcore Call Of Duty fans out there.

There will be spoilers. Der.

To say that you didn’t like the way Mass Effect ended is to say you didn’t like Mass Effect 3 as a whole. Let me explain: Mass Effect 3 consisted entirely of an ending. From start to finish, the whole game closed out the trilogy that we have grown to love. I know that this subject has been talked about to death, and I’ll just be beating a horse that has already decomposed as it starts to fester in the hot summer sun. However, if you look at all three games together, what I’m about to say will make sense. At least it makes sense in my mind.

Theory Interactive is a new game studio that is trying to make a name for themselves, and if their debut trailer for Reset is any indication, they aren’t going to have much of a problem making their presence known. According to the developers, the above trailer is made entirely with their in-game Praxis engine. Yes. Entirely. There is no additional CGI added with any other programs, so that alone is enough to keep me interested in the studio.

Additionally, the gameplay concept does even more to draw me in. It’s a first-person game that centers around the player’s ability to travel back in time to solve puzzles with… yourself? The creators call it “single-player co-op,” which sounds like a very apt description. I’m thinking it will be something like Portal meets The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom.

Oh, did I mention that Theory Interavtive only consists of two people,  Alpo Oksaharju and Mikko Kallinen? I try not to get too excited for games out of fear of being let down, but the debut Reset is making it hard for me to do that right now. I really hope these guys can deliver a great final product.

Remember a few weeks ago when everybody was curious about project “Title Fight”? You know–  Sony’s supposed answer to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. franchise?

Well, it’s real and it’s called — OK, the title of this entry just gave it away, don’t you think? Typically expected, if I may add:

I am not going to draw this review out. Simply put, The Avengers is the best comic movie ever made. I normally don’t start reviews off like that, but The Avengers is one hell of a ride, and I can’t wait to see it again. Joss Whedon has taken the helm and made it his own. Joss has always had a knack for being able to write for many characters at once. He knows how to balance them, and give them a purpose in the overall story. For The Avengers, he was given a very tough assignment. He had to bring in several beloved characters and make sure they had enough to do in this movie. Joss exceeds expectations with every scene he creates, and he brings the team together in a way that makes sense. The strong dialogue between the characters is fresh, and very witty. The Avengers is everything you’ve come to expect from a Whedon script. It runs the audience through the full gambit of emotions, and you are left wanting more!

Robert Bowling, aka  fourzerotwo, was the Creative Strategist and Community Manager for Infinity Ward. After the mass exodus/exile from the company, he stuck around to see Infinity Ward release Modern Warfare 3. Well, now that that’s over and done with, Bowling has decided that it was about time he went off into his own direction, and quit the team. I’m sure many people thought he was going to join up with Respawn Entertainment, which consisted of the Infinity Ward exiles.

However, it appears as though he has decided to start a company of his own, which he is calling “Robotoki,” and it is going to be a “developer development studio that just happens to make games.” He decided to elaborate on the statement, presumably because the interviewer gave him a look which resembled that of a confused dog.

“We are focused on our team first and everything else second, because I believe as an industry, we have a lot to learn on how to treat talent. While we continue to out stride film and music entertainment in other areas, we are falling severely behind in how to properly inspire and support our creative talent.”

Robotoki is a self-funded project that only has backers who share Bowling’s vision of having complete creative control over the work. We won’t know exactly what it is that they are working on until after this year, but what we do know is that the game will be for the next generation of consoles, the PC, and mobile devices. If you would like to share Bowling’s creative vision, Robotoki is currently hiring.

The Lost Level: Episode 32 pits Alex vs Chris is a Cabin in the Woods discussion. Does Chris find his way into the basement to open Pandora’s Box to unleash Kratos on Alex? Does Alex counter with his own nightmare? You’ll have to listen to find out! There was some great news this week. We discuss the latest God of War trailer, the new Halo 4 announcement, and just how frustrated the Lost Levelers are about game sequels. There’s always great debate to have about sequels, and we share our thoughts on what needs to be done with the industry… And so much more!

There are two things that “bros” like: sports and Call of Duty. So it probably comes as great news to them that the latest Call of Duty game is going to be revealed on May 1st during the NBA playoffs on TNT, which is apparently a big deal in the sports world. If you are surprised that we are getting another Call of Duty so soon, then shame on you. Shame shame shame.

Considering the last installment in the series was developed by Infinity Ward, it is almost certain that the one that will be revealed during the playoffs is going to be developed by Treyarch. Also, due to the internet and it’s inability to keep anything secret, we’re pretty sure that the game we are going to see is Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. There. I just saved all the game nerds from having to watch basketball just to see what the game will be. I believe that counts as an hour of my community service fulfilled. Only 49 more to go!

If you have never been to an arcade then you have never truly lived. Back in the day (oh know, I am starting to sound like my mother) there used to be arcades almost everywhere. Now I have to google search arcade and if I am lucky I can find one maybe a little over 20 miles not including dave & busters or gameworks, which just isn’t the same. Lets face it, consoles took over not that long ago and helped make arcades a rare dying breed. The only thing saving arcades is the virtual arcade games you can purchase on almost every console, ipad, or phone you own.

A while back, it was suggested that there would be some DLC for Batman: Arkham City based on Harley Quinn. That rumor now seems more likely due to a post from the game’s official twitter account that included the above picture and the anonymous quote, “Don’t worry. This is all part of of my plan.” Given the slender legs and the large mallet/sledgehammer, the signs really do seem to point toward The Joker’s femme partner in crime. Other than that, nothing is really known, but I’m sure we’ll hear an official announcement in the near future.

The Lost Level Round Table discussion for Mass Effect 3 is here! Chris was really excited to sit down with the guys and discuss his favorite franchise. We haven’t done a Round Table in a while, so as a reminder this cast is spoiler heavy. We do not hold back, so if you haven’t played Mass Effect 3 then wait to listen to this until you have seen the credits roll. Unless you don’t mind being spoiled.

The Lost Levelers discuss everything from story, characters, and controls to the ending of the game. Find out what the guys think about the end of the trilogy. We loved recording this cast, so we hope you enjoy it!

I will start by saying that I have always been a Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard fan. Drew has written some of the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Lost episodes that I have seen. The Cabin in the Woods is Drew’s chance to co-write and direct a feature film.  Also, there has been so much positive buzz around this movie I was so excited to have the opportunity to finally watch it after a couple years of delay. So that being said, I can’t seem to grasp why I didn’t like The Cabin in the Woods very much at all.

When American Pie opened in 1999 it created the raunchy teenage comedy trend. It was a bold, fresh take on teen movies. It had great characters and over the top hi-jinx. It quickly became a franchise that turned out a couple decent sequels, as well as some direct to video movies that never quite lived up to the original magic of the three original Pie movies. America Wedding, the third American Pie movie felt like the perfect closure for this cast of characters. So why did we need to revisit these characters again many years later? The answer is simple, we didn’t.

Sometimes great ideas don’t always pan out, and that is why this episode was delayed the way it was. The original episode 31 was very different. Chris had the idea to do something special for April Fools Day, but he hates the bullshit story route that the internet always does, so he wanted to create an episode so funny, so ambitious it would have put Lost Level on the map for every podcast listener across the land. So he created the ‘Dubbed” episode. However, he did not atinicpate just how much Adam can swear when you let him go uncaged on an episode. So that idea couldn’t happen, but there is a sample of is at the beginning of this cast, I suggest you check it out!

It seems a though now, more than ever, GameStop has been getting a lot of flak for their used game sales. Maybe it’s because the public is opening their eyes to how it hurts the industry, or maybe it’s because game developers are recently doing more about counteracting these sales with things such as online passes. To that end, GameStop has recently settled a suit in which they are now required to post signs in their stores located in California that warn consumers about additional fees that are required to access online content when they buy a used game. GameStop is also giving people who bought “qualifying used games”  a $10 check and $5 coupon if they are PowerUp Rewards members or a $5 check and $10 coupon if they aren’t as a form of reimbursement.

Mark Pifko, attorney for firm Baron and Budd and counsel in the lawsuit, seemed pleased with the outcome. He stated, “The in-store and online warnings are an important benefit under the settlement as well, because if GameStop discloses the truth to consumers, it is unlikely that they will be able to continue selling used copies of certain games for only $5 less than the price of a new copy. In fact, we already know that not long after the lawsuit was filed, GameStop lowered prices for used copies of many of the game titles identified in the lawsuit.” Baron and Budd even set up a facebook page for consumers who have been affected by this. This is a small victory against used games sales, but we’ll take it.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I heard The Hunger Games was becoming a major motion picture. I had finished all three books exceptionally fast when I got my hands on them a little over a year ago. It was fun to get excited about a book series like that again which I hadn’t in a while since Harry Potter was over and done with. The Hunger Games had me completely enthralled. Needless to say I pre-ordered my tickets and went to the midnight opening.

Wrath of the Titans picks up a several years after the events of Clash of the Titans.  Perseus, still played by Sam Worthington is living a quiet life on the coast. He is raising his son to be a fisherman, not a fighter, the way his wife would have wanted. He accepts that he is a demigod, but would rather live his life as a human. The Gods have all but lost their power at this point, and the Titans are beginning to escape from the underworld. Zeus is captured by his son Ares, and his bother Hades with plans of their own.

Ok, that’s enough set up, Wrath of the Titans is not a good movie. It is average in every way. I really enjoy Greek Mythology, and Wrath does not disappoint in the visuals. They have captured the look, and the feel of the Gods, but the universe they exist in is just so mind-numbingly drab.

The Lost Level: Episode 30 is FINALLY here! It’s been a long wait, but here we are with a brand new episode as promised. In this episode the guys introduce a brand new person to the Lost Level family. Christina Rago has officially joined the site, and gives us a book vs movie comparison of The Hunger Games in this episode. She will be doing many reviews of all things games and movies, so make sure you stop by and say hi!

What’s up internet?! Long time no talk… The crew at Lost Level has been busy with some behind the scenes stuff. We never meant to take a few weeks off like we did, but sometimes life gets in the way, like (unsuccessful) Knight tryouts at Medieval Times. We actually recorded The Lost Level: Episode 30 a while back, but we didn’t think it was good enough to release. I know what you’re thinking, “But more than half the episodes you release are shit!” Well to you I say… shut up! Words hurt. To other fans I want wanted to apologize, and I wanted to announce that WE ARE BACK!

Fresh new episodes for your ear holes are coming… You will be unprepared… whatever that means. Where did I get that from? That just came out randomly. I just looked it up, apparently that’s taken from the poster for Sucker Punch. Jesus, even the tagline sucked for that movie.

In addition to new episodes, the Lost Level family has a new addition! I want you to please give a full and hearty golf clap to Christina Rago. Christina has already begun to fill our pages with reviews, and she will be a special guest on some of our podcasts! We are very happy to have her on board.

So stay tuned to the second coming of The Lost Level! New episode next week! I hope to get a report from G soon. We haven’t talked to him since Episode 29. All we know is that he woke up in the Philippines with no memory of recording the last episode.

Touch My Katamari makes you want to buy it just because of the suggestive title. Yes, my mind is always in the gutter so I apologize. Wait, no I don’t. If you’re a long time Katamari fan like myself you have been looking forward to something new in the series. This title is nothing of the sort. The only thing new about it is the front and rear, no pun intended, touch capabilities making your Katamari thinner or wider depending on the swip motion you give the Ps Vita. You can use the standard analog sticks as well as the touch screen to move your prince and his Katamari ball, which will give the same results. However, This game is better than the original PSP Katamari, Me and My Katamari. The controls in the older portable version drove me insane but in the PS Vita version I found that the controls actually were simple and I did better than any other game in the series. With that said this game will disappoint long time fans but if you’re new to the series you’ll enjoy the mindless fun this game will deliver. You really can’t go wrong with rolling up everything including the universe.

Continue reading: REVIEW: Touch My Katamari

I love horror movies but I hate horror games. I think it’s because watching something scary is just me watching it but playing a videogame I sometimes find myself totally immersed in the world feeling like I am actually there. With that said much to my surprise I picked up Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. I guess since I have been slowly converting from Xbox 360 to my ‘used to be lonely’ Playstation 3 I needed a multiplayer game to get into. I really enjoyed the Left 4 Dead games so I decided to give this Resident Evil a try.

So you bought a PS Vita and also purchased Uncharted Golden Abyss but never played the other three Uncharted games in the series. No problem! Golden Abyss’ story line takes place before Uncharted: Drakes Fortune which leaves plenty of room for new fans. Nathan Drake returns for the fourth time in the franchise as the protagonist of the story. Drake’s newest adventure has him exploring Central America in search of a legendary lost city. You get to reveal the cryptic secrets behind the 400-year-old massacre of a Spanish expedition’ with Drake’s old friend, Jason Dante and Marisa Chase, the granddaughter of a famous archaeologist who has gone missing with out a trace. Nate’s partner from Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, makes an appearance in this game as well to help on your quest to locate the lost city.

21 Jump Street is a movie that sneaked up on me. I didn’t even know it existed until a month prior to it’s release. So, needless to say, I was intrigued when Ii found out they were making a comedy out of a police drama from the late 80′s that starred a G. I. Joe and the fat kid from Superbad.  Having not seen a trailer or TV spot for it, I was definitely skeptical despite all of the good reviews it was receiving. So I was pleasantly surprised when I was nearly falling out of my chair from laughing so hard.

This movie hits the comedy beats consistently and offers some very quotable lines, which is what I love in a comedy. The action beats are there, even though they probably  aren’t why you went to see the movie. They actually seem to be there to add to the humor by poking fun at clichés and adding violence that tends to catch you off guard.

When I first reported about the reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I was very excited about it. That franchise defined my childhood. I ‘d watch the cartoon while playing with my action figures, and then I’d go read some of the comics, play one of the games, or watch one of the movies. So, as you can tell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is something I and many others hold very dear to our hearts. And Michael Bay couldn’t care less.

Everyone knows the origins of these amphibians trained it the ways of martial arts. They were turtles who got some ooze dumped on them that resulted in their mutation into full grown bipedal creatures that received martial arts training from Master Splinter, a rat who got doused with the same mutating ooze, and now they fight crime. Now, here’s Bay’s take on the our green heroes: “These turtles are from an alien race, and they are going to be tough, edgy, funny, and completely lovable.”

Continue reading: Michael Bay Wants to Ruin Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Back in 2008, Blizzard announced that they were going to make a follow up to there successful Diablo series. Now, almost four years later, we have finally got a release date for Diablo III. Fans of the series can continue their dungeon crawling adventures starting May 15, 2012 for the PC and Mac. That’s just two months away! That barely gives you enough time to create a proper countdown. However, we still have no official word on the console version.

You can pre-order the game from Battle.net, so that you can begin playing Diablo III the instant the servers go live. You can also sign up for the World of Warcraft annual pass to get a free copy of the game. However, if you are a true fan or just like having a bunch of useless clutter around your house (i.e. me), you can opt for the $100 collector’s edition, that comes with a behind the scenes DVD, soundtrack, art book, a Diablo skull, a 4GB USB Soulstone, and various in-game items like Diablo III Aesthetic Artifacts, a WoW pet, and a Starcraft 2 battlenet portrait.

Once upon a time, there was a game studio known as  Telltale Games. They lived a happy life, creating games like Back to the Future, Sam & Max, and Poker Night at the Inventory. One day, they were proud to announce that they started to work on Fables. It’s at this point in the story that I feel I need to pause and clarify that this game should not be confused with Fable, the ambitious Lionhead Studios game series that never fails to disappoint the people of the kingdom upon its release. Rather, this is based off of the incredible and majestic comic book series of the same name. It’s a series that one should read.

Fables was suppose to be offered to the people during the first 3 moon cycles of this year. However, our story takes a dark turn when news of its delay spread across the kingdom. While the reasons for the delay are shrouded in darkness, there is a glimmer of hope that remains in the knowledge that the game will see life  during the third quarter of 2012 A.D. It also fills my heart with joy to learn that we will be getting glimpses of the game during this year’s prestigious E3 and San Diego Comic-Con galas in June and July, respectively. We may also find this game to take on a new name, just so further confusion with the Lionhead game ceases. Whatever the case may be, I hope our tale ends with “happily ever after.”

It’s finally here! The Lost Level: Episode 29 is good to the last shot! Well in G’s case anyway… Gzep is taking a long vacation, and the guys try to send him off in style. Sometimes good intentions aren’t always the best ones, and that is why we had to record two different versions of Episode 29. There was a lot of great material from “the lost 29th” and we couldn’t ditch it all. So Chris decided to work in random tidbits from G’s adventure into a bottle of Tequila. This is hands down the funniest episode that will never see the light of day, but fear not, some parts are still alive in this new version of the podcast!

Click on more to find out more about the episode!

BioShock Infinite is one of the games that I’m anticipating the most this year. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait another eight-and-a-half months to get my hands on it. Yes, it was officially announced today that BioShock Infinite will be coming out on October 16th. The international release date is October 19th.

Despite my eagerness to play it, game designer Kevin Levine is just as eager to get it out to the fans. He states, “After BioShock, we had a vision for a follow up that dwarfed the original in scope and ambition. BioShock Infinite has been our sole focus for the last four years, and we can’t wait for fans to get their hands on it.”

BioShock Infinite will be available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Ubisoft is working on Assassin’s Creed 3. Derr. That was obvious. However, what wasn’t so obvious is the when and the where of the game’s story line. We’ve  all had our own hopes and theories, but those have all been put to rest. Today, Ubisoft revealed the box art of Assassin’s Creed 3, and it becomes clear we will be taking a trip to the American Revolution.

From the box art you can clearly see an assassin leaping onto a red coat as an American flag stands waves in the background. We can also see that the assassin is wielding hatchet that is made to look like the Assassin’s emblem that we’ve seen throughout the games. He also has a bow & arrow set and a firearm. The prevalence of guns during that era serves as an opportunity to create some interesting new gameplay features or situations. It will be interesting to see where Ubisoft goes with this.

Assassin’s Creed 3 will be out on October 30th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. It would be a lot cooler if it came out on July 4th. However,  I’m not in charge of making these decisions… but I should be!

Due to some internet delving, it was discovered that Double Fine has recently put in a trademark for something called “The Cave,” and it is listed as being ”computer game software and video game software.” While that is the only information we have at this juncture, I think it is pretty safe to say that this is the new adventure game that they raised money for.

For those of you who are unaware, a twitter and email conversation between Tim Schafer of dDouble Fine and Minecraft creator Notch led to them creating a Kickstarter project to develop a new adventure game. Even though this isn’t Psychonauts 2 like we’ve all been wanting, I appreciate any game that come from the mind of Tim Schafer. I’m now just really curious as to what The Cave holds in store for us.

[UPDATE] Apparently “The Cave” is not the Kickstarter project. A representative at Double Fine has stated “While we can’t comment on unannounced projects, we can say that Double Fine’s Kickstarter-funded adventure game has not been started, designed, or even imagined yet. No trademarks have been filed on its behalf.” Well, there you go. I guess I have to eat my own words. Such is the life of a journalist.

While we are still eagerly awaiting to get our hands on Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance by Platinum Games, it appears that Konami is already looking to give us more from the series. The developer has posted job listings for the next MGS that will be coming to “PC and high-end consoles.” They are asking for people who have had experience developing games for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

While this is very awesome news, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Even though Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots wrapped up everything very nicely, we have heard that from creator Hideo Kojima that a true sequel was coming. Now we just know that it will becoming sooner than we may have expected. Hideo has said, however, that his involvement in this won’t be nearly as great as it was for the original Metal Gear Solid. He his, after all, also busy working on “Project Ogre,” whatever that is.

Now, the question is what do you think this game will be about, and who do you expect to make an appearance? One concept image that is displayed shows a person with an eye patch, a badge that appears to read “[something] Dogs” with a picture of a dog on it, and a dog standing behind him. That’s a lot of hounds. So that’s all we have to go off of for now. Let’s start hearing those crazy theories. Ready? Go!

My first theory: the game will be called Metal Gear Solid 5: The Dogs of War… and you play as a dog.

[Update] Thanks to to a picture Hideo Kojima posted on Twitter, it is probably safe to assume that the badge says “Diamond Dogs.” Does this mean that David Bowie  is going to be in the game? I vote “yes.”

We knew this was coming anyway the minute it was announced last year (oh please, Atlus USA loves its fans in case you haven’t noticed yet). Not to mention the teaser image they released last week which was very P4 Ultimate Mayo-related.

Oh and yes, they’re simply calling it Persona 4 Arena, which makes sense. I do would’ve preferred though if they kept, at least, the Mayonaka name because it just sounds “right” unlike by simply calling it “Arena” that somehow feels generic, sort of.

Anyhoo, here’s the ad (story mode, woot!) and it’s coming out in Summer 2012. Nice!

The Lost Level: Episode 28 brings back our old segment East vs West. In this mega match up of action we have two new demos, Binary DomAin, and Chris’s love interest Mass Effect 3. Does the Mass Effect demo demonstrate the need to get a Kinect for people that are still on the fence? Does ChRis ever stop praising the Kinect functionality in the latest Bioware game? You know Adam will surely have something to say about it.

Gzep and Chris also discuss their thoughts on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in our “What you beeN up to” segment.

It’s kind of a better flick than its 5-year old forgettable predecessor (hey, seriously, does anyone have fond memories of the first?). That’s mainly because it has better action set pieces and/or visuals, plus Ghost Rider himself — or Nick Cage, if you will — seems like a fun character to watch this time. Mind you that I have near-zero knowledge or whatsoever of the comics and such, so I’m not really sure if that’s an accurate depiction of the character.

Oh, and you can clearly tell Cage is having a blast playing, umm, himself… to some degree.

The earliest memory of being at a movie theater I have is going to see the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. In particular, me laughing at an animatronic baby turtle jumping up and down, shouting “Radical!” So, hearing news that there is some forward movement with the new movie brings a heart-warming sense of nostalgia.

Jonathan Liebesman, the director of   Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, and Battle: Los Angeles, is in line to be the director of the Platinum Dunes and Paramount production of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Most other deatils about the movie are still vauge at this point. What we do know is that this will be sort of a re-imagining or reboot of the series. You can expect the Foot Clan to be in it, along with April O’Neil and Casey Jones. It’s also likely that it will be real human actors interacting with CGI ninja turtles and rats.

Should Jonathan Liebesman sign on for the movie, he says that there aren’t many kinks in the script to work out. So that means we can start hearing about a cast sooner rather than later. Who do you think will fit well into the movie? Give us your thoughts.

Okay. I know I’ve already made it clear that I’m a fan of the Twisted Metal franchise. So how can I not talk about Brian Taylor writing and directing a Twisted Metal movie? I’ve crunched the numbers, and, as it turns out, it’s not possible.

We’ve already gotten a pretty decent fan-made trailer, and that’s enough just to whet our appetite, but fans will need more now that the new game just dropped. So, now we’ll be getting an honest-to-god movie by the guy behind both Crank movies, Gamer, and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence. While I haven’t seen any of those movies, it’s to my understanding that they are pretty over-the-top. That seems like it would be a perfect fit for a Twisted Metal movie, because, I’m not sure if you realize this, a bunch of cars that have machine guns and rockets attached to them is pretty over-the-top as it is.

Granted, this will be a video game, and those don’t have the best track record. In fact, talking about them tends to make us rage quit our podcast. Be that as it may, Twisted Metal does have a solid universe behind it, that can be melded into an interesting movie plot if it’s done correctly. That’s a big “if,” but you can bet that I will be following this thing closely before I decide whether or not I will drop my hard-earned money on seeing it.

Who am I kidding. I’ll see it even if it’s garbage.

What an action packed episode of awesomness! Adam shares his thoughts on the circle pad pro and Resident Evil Revelations, while G briefly discusses the latest SoulCalibur!  The Lost Level crew also discuss this week’s news for games and movies in true Lost Level style.

G gets a little too excited about the new Avengers trailer! I mean words can not express his excitement. OK, they can, and they do in this episode. Stop reading this and just listen already!

Then after you are done listening and tell a friend, because we would like that very much. If you tell five friends we will send Alex to your house to hang out. He’s house broken, and he likes to play games. Ok, I can’t promise that he will go, especially after the last time I pimped him out. He’s still a little bitter about that, but I will try really really hard to make him.

Enjoy the episode!

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Special thanks to The Fold for supplying our intro/outro music. Purchase “Neverender” on iTunes.

Tobin Frost, played by Denzel Washington is a rogue CIA agent that has been dark for several years until he suddenly pops up on radar and turns himself in to an American Embassy. He is brought to a safe house for interrogation. Matt Weston, played by Ryan Reynolds is a young CIA agent charged with watching the safe house that the CIA brings Frost to. If you have watched a trailer for this movie then you know what eventually happens. The house gets attacked, and it’s up to Matt to bring Frost in. Safe House grabs you from the moment we meet Frost, and it quickly jumps from action beat to action beat. However, too much action can be a bad thing, and Safe House somehow manages to walk the line of intense and boring at the same time.

The Grey is about an Alaskan oil drilling team that is involved in a plane crash. The survivors are quickly hunted by a pack of wolves that seems them as easy prey. Let me start by saying that this movie has some bad marketing attached to it. My initial thought when I saw the trailers for this movie was, Liam Neeson dancing with wolves in only a way that Liam can… With his fists covered in broken glass. Even after seeing this film I am very reluctant to tell people that this is not the case because I want people to still watch this movie. The Grey is so much more than an action movie. It is easily one of my favorite movies of the early 2012 campaign.

Tim Schafer is one of the more notable game designers currently in the industry. One of his games, Psychonauts, was praised by critics. Unfortunately, it did receive the commercial success that it should have. This made the possibility of a sequel very unlikely. In an interview with  Digital Spy Mr. Schafer said that he has pitched the idea fora sequel a few times, but there were no takers.  He goes on to explain that he still need as few million dollars to back the project.

Thankfully, the right people were reading that interview. Specifically, Markus Persson (AKA: Notch), the developer of Minecraft, read it. So, earlier today, Notch decided to shoot Tim a tweet saying, “let’s make Psychonauts 2 happen.” The best part about that tweet: he’s serious! So far, all that has come from it is an exchange of emails between Notch and Tim with no official word about what will happen. Notch does warn everyone that everything is very vague at this point and no one should really get their hopes up. However, this is the gaming community we are talking about. Everyone’s hopes are always up for sequels to sleeper-hits like Psychonauts. The damage is already done. So I hope, for your sake, that Psychonauts 2 actually happens, or else you’ll have a mob of angry nerds on your hands. I’ll be the one in front with a pitchfork.

Furthermore, if this game actually happens, no one can ever say that Twitter is pointless ever again. It would have made video game history!

Welcome to another exciting installment of The Lost Level Round Table discussion a.k.a. the “spoilercast”. In this episode… the guys are reviewing Josh Trank’s first feature film: Chronicle. Is it truly a sleeper hit and one of 2012′s finest movies so far? Or is it simply another gimmicky, found-footage film filled with shaky cams and ho-hum thrills? And, seriously, do we still need a bastardized Hollywood live adaptation of Akira at this point? Tune in!

Just a heads up – this is a spoiler heavy episode! So if you haven’t seen Chronicle yet, then this is NOT the podcast for you. You have (obviously) been warned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tnxzJ0SSOw

A lot can be said about the Spider-Man franchise. Emo Peter in the third film might have set the franchise back. I know a lot of people that question if this reboot was needed so soon. The guys here at Lost Level were split on the decision to bring Spidey back for another go. The fresh blood, and the darker tone set in this trailer has shifted my interest meter from ‘Meh’ to ‘Intrigued’. I think this film has some potential to kick some serious butt. I still don’t understand the need to promote this as the ‘Untold Story’, but if it helps with the marketing then so be it.

What do you think? Are you ready for another Spider-Man movie? Share your thoughts.

I’m just going to come right out and say it: I’m a huge Twisted Metal fan. Twisted Metal 2: World Tour was one of my favorite games for the original PlayStation, and Twisted Metal: Black was the first game I got for the PlayStation 2. So I’m sure it’s pretty obvious that I’ve been eagerly awaiting the PlayStation 3 version of the franchise. When the demo dropped, I hopped right on in. After spending some time with it, I can comfortably say that I like were the series is headed. It’s been a while since I’ve played any of the games, but after an hour or so, it all came back to me. Everything started to feel familiar and natural.

While the formula has pretty much remained unchanged, the guys over at Eat Sleep Play have offered a few new things to keep the veterans on their toes. There are the basic things, like new weapons, that are to be expected. The sniper rifle rewards players for keeping their target in their sights for longer period of time, while the shotgun is most effective when you stay up close an personal with your opponent. Some classic weapons return but have been tweaked to have a charge up ability, which gives them the potential to do more damage. So you can either spam your opponent with a bunch of weapons that range from low damage to medium amounts of damage, or you can be surgical with your attacks by using weapons that can offer a large amount of damage if you take the time to master them. It all really depends on the your play style you feel most comfortable with. This becomes glaringly obvious when you realize that each car actually has two different special attacks that favor each strategy, as opposed to the previous games in which each car only had one special attack

Continue reading: Twisted Metal Demo Impressions

Finally, the first episode of the year that the guys can sit in one room and record an episode! Episode 26 is “action packed” with conversations about the next generation Xbox rumors, talk about The Darkness 2 demo, and so much more!

X-Men: First Class was my favorite movie of 2011. So I am giddy with joy to find out that Matthew Vaughn is going to be back in the director’s seat for the sequel, and Bryan Singer will be right there as the movies producer. This is really comforting to know considering Vaughn’s success with the first movie and his continued commitment to the project. According to James McAvoy, Vaughn has had ideas about where he wants to take the franchise for awhile.

Also, reports are saying that the production for X-Men: First Class 2 (tentative title) is going at a steady pace, as opposed to the first one, which was rushed. So, we got some great actors returning to some really good roles, a passionate director and producer who are also returning, and more time to make a movie. Yeah. This will probably be a midnight showing for me.

We were big fans of Resistance 3 here at Lost Level. While the first two games were decent and got the job done, the third installment really blew us away and exceeded our expectations. With that, it seems as though developers are ending the series on a high note. The Insomniac CEO Ted Price said, ”We won’t be making any more Resistances.” There’s really not a lot o wiggle room for interpretation in that statement.

While it is sad that we be won’t be seeing anymore of the series after Insomniac has finally nailed the formula down, it also bring s a sense of comfort. We won’t have to see them announce a new iteration of the game and worry about them messing up what they so finely polished. Furthermore, it’s rare that we see the end of a series these days. Companies find their cash cow and ride it until the thing passes out in the middle of the street and holds up traffic, creating an annoyance to the public. Okay, that metaphor may have gotten away from me

Continue reading: Insomniac Putting Resistance to Bed

The Lost Level is back with episode 25! The guys return to the weekly grind after the long holiday. They are excited to start covering the news again. Come listen as they discuss what they have been up to, the latest game and movie news, and find out what makes Chris so upset he rage quits at the end of the episode! Now that’s some serious rage!

G is back for his first episode of the new year. He has the opportunity to catch us up on Japanese gaming! There is some interesting news from the CEO of Sony, George Lucas, and lots of Resident Evil news. Also, the fellas make plans for Valentine’s Day, it might involve some scented candles…. You can’t miss it!

As always we thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy the episode!  Fans of Adam, need not fear, he will be back next week!

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t forget to spread the word, and tell a friend.

Special thanks to The Fold for supplying our intro/outro music. Purchase “Neverender” on iTunes.

The Fold have been busy, check out their latest video for the Lego Ninjago Theme song! 

Kate Beckensale is back as Selene in the fourth installment to the Underworld franchise. Underworld: Awakening begins six months after the events of Underworld: Evolution. Humans have discovered the existence of Vampires and Lycans (Werewolves). They begin a war against both races, trying to eradicate the species. In an attempt to escape, Selene and Michael are on the run, but are captured. We flash forward 12 years to Selene waking up from a cryogenic slumber. From the opening scene this does not feel like an Underworld movie. Everything feels off. Underworld has always had an interesting premise, and I liked the universe they created. Underworld: Awakening does its best to completely ignore the grittiness, and tone it has established in previous films.

Needless to say, games have changed a lot since 1999. They look better. The stories they tell are (generally) deeper and better, with characters you care about. And even though the action has been ramped up, games have somehow become easier. Back in the day, beating a game felt like an accomplishment. You wore it like a badge of honor. Now, it’s almost expected of you to beat the games you play. Granted, this makes sense because the designers want you to witness the whole experience they have slaved over for you, and they don’t want you to just give up because it’s gotten too hard for you pansies. So we’re given things like regenerating health and more ammo than one person can feasibly carry. Sure, Resistance 3 had an “old school” feel because it brought back the health pack, but the classic challenge still wasn’t there.

Ken Levine, who has worked on Thief, System Shock 2, and the original BioShock, is currently working on BioShock Infinite for its release this year, and he longs for the days when a game really challenged him. That’s why he is including “1999 Mode” in BioShock Infinite. “1999 Mode” is said to be a more demanding playthrough of the game. You’ll have to really learn how to manage all your resources and build your character in a way that compliments your play style. Your aim will have to be exceptional and you can’t walk around like bullet sponge. As for game saves, Mr. Levine said, “there are game saves, and you’re gonna f***ing need them.” It’s things like that quote that makes him one of my heroes. Levine goes on to say the following

Continue reading: BioShock Infinite’s 1999 Mode. Let’s Do This!

It always warms my heart to see an indie game become successful. We’ve seen it happen with such classics like Braid and World of Goo. It seems that the next indie game to join the rosters is Q.U.B.E., a game that I didn’t even hear about until very recently (Listen, I’ve been busy). Within four days of its release, the game has already sold 12 thousand copies and has earned back the money that was invested into it from the Indie Fund. There has even been talk about moving the game to platforms other than the PC. So we may be seeing it on the PSN, Xbox Live Market place, and/or OS X sometime soon.

Toxic Games, the developers of Q.U.B.E., are no doubt happy about this. The game, which was originally budgeted for $42,000, eventually cost $90,000 in investment money, so all the parties involved in the game being made must be breathing a sigh of relief to see that it was all worth it. I know I’m going to be making the investment worthwhile once I get around to buying the game. There has been a lot of good buzz surrounding it, and the trailer really grabbed my attention. However, that ‘s mainly because it reminded me (and probably many others) of Portal, which you all know I’m a sucker for. Either way, it’s definitely getting put down on the long list of “Games Alex Has To Play.” I’m accepting donations.

Contraband is the latest in a long line of paint by number action/thrillers. Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is an ex-smuggler that got out of the game for love. His love interest is his wife Kate (Kate Beckinsale). The limited screen time together, and chemistry makes their relationship non believable. Chris’s relationship with his best friend Sebastian Abney (Ben Foster) is better established, and has some genuine feeling during the time in the film they are trying to assemble a crew to go on another smuggling run because Chris’s brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones) gets in over his head, and it’s up to Chris to bail him out. There are a couple tense scenes, but they are too few and far between to make this movie and better than your typical movie going fare.

Without a doubt, Mass Effect 3 is one of the most anticipated games coming out this year. It’s true because Spike TV’s VGAs said so, and we all know how credible that is (SPOILERS: It’s not). This is a title that many gamers are going to want the day it comes out. So, if you wan to play it for the PC, Steam may not be your best option… or an option at all. BioWare’s community manager, Chris Priestly, hit the forums last weeks saying that Mass Effect 3 will not “initially” launch on the popular digital download service. Whether or not these means they have plans to launch the game for Steam on a later date is unclear.

Of course, this is so that EA, Mass Effect 3‘s publisher, can pimp their digital download service, Origin. In fact, any PC version of the game will require Origin to launch it, like they did with Battlefield 3. Because, god forbid playing a PC game would be as simple as installing and launching the product. Noooooo. That would be far too easy. Instead, you have to download and install Origin as well. Then you have to authenticate your copy of the game through the service. Requiring Origin to play the game may not sound like much, but it’s just a minor headache that doesn’t have to be there. EA shouldn’t make their customers have to jump through hoops just to play their products.

EA cites that the decision to not launch Mass Effect 3 on Steam stems from the distributor’s restrictive terms of services. You can choose to believe that if you want. However, I’ll go on believing that it’s because Steam the largest of the digital distributors, and EA is trying to topple this Goliath. Sure, in the end all EA wants to do is make money and not launching Mass Effect 3 on Steam ensures more money goes to them, but in the end it still makes them look like a whiny little brat that will keep stamping its feet until it gets its way. You can almost hear EA shouting, “No! It’s our game! You can only play it through us!” You don’t know how glad I am that I’ll be picking up Mass Effect 3 for the Xbox 360, and won’t have to put up with Origin.

We did it! The guys finally sat down and pounded out our top games and movies lists for 2011. Chris was even tinkering with his list up until the moment we recorded. Say what you will, but 2011 was a terrific year for gaming, this was the first year in recent memory that there wasn’t a clear cut winner for GOTY.

Listen as we heap praise upon what we loved in 2011. Chris, Adam, and Alex give their top 5′s, some honorable mentions, as well as some disappointments too! After hearing the choices, I have to say I was surprised by some of the picks. I know you will be as well.

You think we are wrong with our choices? We want to know what your picks were. Leave us a comment with your favorite games and movies from 2011.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t forget to spread the word, and tell a friend.

Please note that the lists we created are based on our personal enjoyment of the games and movies, and not based on technical achievements, or artist merit. Also note that Adam and Alex often find Chris’s opinion very wrong.

Special thanks to The Fold for supplying our intro/outro music. Purchase “Neverender” on iTunes.

The Fold have been busy, check out their latest video for the Lego Ninjago Theme song! 

Sometimes life happens… Like the one time you meant to mow the lawn, but the football game was on. Or the one time you were on your way to pay back your gambling debts, but on the way you met Champagne, the stripper with a heart of gold. It’s happened to all of us a thousand times. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to record our podcast on time this week. I know, I know. I want to tell you guys a lavish story, full of adventure, and danger. I want to tell you that on the way to recording Adam fought a bear with his bare hands, and now the bear walks with a limp. That would make a great blog, but the fact of the matter is Adam has a hooptie. It likes to break down on days that we are recording one of the most important casts we have ever done… So feel free to give Adam grief for the delay in our cast.

Well, it appears as though Outcome 1 is what transpired with the settlement between Bethesda and Interplay. The Fallout MMO that Interplay announced five years ago will no longer be in development, which is bad for them, but good for my social life. Bethesda, who developed Fallout 3 after Interplay sold them the rights, said “license granted to Interplay to develop the Fallout MMO is null and void, and all rights granted to Interplay to develop a Fallout MMO revert back to Bethesda, effective immediately.” Inteply will at least be getting $2 million from ZeniMax, Bethesda’s parent company, as a sort of compensation.

Furthermore, Interplay will lose their rights to sell Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics in December of 2013. That will also be the date that they lose the rights to any merchandising associated with the franchise. As for Masthead Studios, who was being subcontracted by Interplay to work on the Fallout MMO, they will also lose any rights to the IP and no payments were made in that lawsuit.

Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax, had this to say about the lawsuit:

“While we strongly believe in the merits of our suits, we are pleased to avoid the distraction and expense of litigation while completely resolving all claims to the Fallout IP. Fallout is an important property of ZeniMax and we are now able to develop future Fallout titles for our fans without third party involvement or the overhang of others’ legal claims.”

So, does that mean a Fallout 4 is coming in the near future (like December of 2013) or even a possible Fallout MMO from Bethesda or other related ZeniMax companies? Who am I kidding? At the very least a Fallout 4 is coming. Why? Studios like to make money.

A couple days ago, reports were coming out that Bethesda and Interplay settled on the lawsuit in regards to a Fallout MMO. For those of you who don’t know, Interplay, the original creators on the Fallout series, sold the IP to Bethesda and used that money reopen after being shut down. Bethesda let Interplay retained the rights to create a Fallout MMO provided they meet certain parameters. Bethesda then sued Interplay, claiming that those parameters have not been met. The first two injunctions that Bethesda filed were denied and the two companies went to court mid-December. Listen, it’s all very legal and very confusing, and there’s no real easy way to explain it. Let’s just say the fate of a Fallout MMO is up in the air at this point.

The specifics of the settlement are still unknown to the public, but they are expected to be revealed by the end of this month. Hopefully, the fate of the Fallout MMO will also be revealed. I, for one, am nervous about what will become of the game… and will probably be unhappy with any outcome. Let me explain

Continue reading: Bethesda and Interplay Lawsuit Settled

Says the latest GamesMaster UK magazine, that is. According to the mag and based on TheSilentChief‘s report:

“…Square Enix has something special planned for the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy next year.

According to a rumor found in latest issue of the magazine; Final Fantasy XV will be announced during a special Square Enix E3 2012 press conference. The next installment to the long running franchise is also rumored to be coming to Wii U and PC along with the PS3 and 360.”

With the Holidays upon us the Lost Level uncovers one last dungeon to navigate. Join us as we come out the other side with a Tri-Force in hand. Find out what G and Alex think about the latest Zelda game.

Will a princess be captured? Is this a prequel? An origin story? Listen to the guys discuss the story, the gameplay, the controls, and pretty much everything you can think of!

Reviewcasts are spoiler free until the end of the cast, so unlike our Round Tables you can listen and not have to worry about being spoiled. Don’t fret fans of our Round Tables, there is a spoiler section after we finish the initial review.

Happy Holidays from the crew at Lost Level.

Fans (or suckers such as moi) who have been following the Kingdom Hearts series since its incarnation should seriously check out this colossal, 8 minute trailer featuring a lot of familiar faces, as well as some gameplay samplings here and there. Those familiar faces, by the way, are mostly the hip kids from The World Ends With You; probably the only Tetsuya Nomura-related game that’s currently out there (in North America at least) which deserves every attention, unlike the rest of his crap. By crap, I meant some (if not most) of his games that are just disappointing for being too Tetsuya Nomura-ish, and not for their game playing faults or purposes.

In fact: I feel a lil bit shitty for not completing the game due to various reasons that I can’t really explain as of this point. Anyway, here’s the meaty Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Doopie trailer:

Recently, the “Back to Karkand” DLC pack for Battlefield 3 was released, and a few incredibly observant players have noticed a detail in the above image: the number 2143. Okay, so what’s the big deal about the number 2143? Many are speculating (and I’m praying) that this is DICE giving us a little Easter Egg teaser that Battlefield 2143 is on it’s way.

For those of you who don’t know, Battlefield 2142 was a futuristic spin on the Battlefield series which featured weapons and vehicles that fit the theme, including giant mechs that you could pilot. So hopefully this image of the number 2143 indicates that a sequel is being planned, but I’ll also settle for a treatment similar to that of Battlefield 1943.

Do you think that thought process is a little far fetched? Well the Battlefield 3 Blog takes note that the Battlefield 2: Euro Force expansion had a similar Easter Egg that hinted to Battlefield: 2142 long before it was officially announced. It seems very unlikely at this point that this is just a coincidence. Seriously, Battlefield 2143 needs to be made. DICE, make it happen.

This week on The Lost Level… it’s the holiday special episode and we have the usual crew, talking and bickering about basically their most anticipated video games and movies of 2012!

What will Chris pick from the extensive list aside from Mass Effect 3 and The Dark Knight Rises? Is Alex really not that interested in grabbing a PlayStation Vita? What about Adam and his love for Silent Hill and survival horror games? And can G actually pick anything else aside from a Final Fantasy game and a Marc Webb feature film?! Tune in, fellow enthusiasts, as TLL wraps the year up with one of their most fun episodes ever recorded!

The reason Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was made is simple, Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) plays an eccentric detective brilliantly. The chemistry between him and Jude Law (Watson) is one of the greatest ‘Bromances’ currently on film. They play off each other very well. The banter between the friends is definitely the strongest thing about these films. The settings look great, the costume design is wonderful, and the action beats work well. With so many positives, why did I leave the theater disappointed?

I know this feels too early for me to say this, especially that it’s only been a couple of hours after I left Navy Pier with a smile on my face, but Ghost Protocol is currently my favorite out of all the movies. It is also possibly, in my opinion, the best action film of the year.

I’m saying that simply because of the action sequences alone. They are stunning and I literally had my jaw open for a couple of seconds. Well, at least the Dubai set piece because that was fucking rad, especially on IMAX. Yes, IMAX is the way to go to watch this movie, and I won’t be surprised if it’s not the same experience when I watch it on a regular 35mm format next week (you know, a second viewing because I seriously want to check it out again).

The Lost Level is having our first annual Christmas party, and you’re all invited. We wanted to have a meet and greet for the fans of the show, so we thought it would be cool to combine the events.

If you are interested in joining us for a night of shenanigans then click on this link to our Facebook Event for details. If you are coming out please click on ‘Attending’ so we can reserve the proper amount of spacing. Thank you in advance.

If you are in someway against Facebook for whatever reason, then Alex wrote a reminder for the event that includes the details as well. So now you have two places to find information about the party! Click on ‘Read More’.

Nope, you’re not going to find any footage description(s) or any spoilery stuff in this entry. Why should I, anyway, in the first place? Do you seriously want to be spoiled?! Reading anything remotely related to the ultra-amazing-omg 6 minute prologue and watching it is the equivalent of say… trading an Xbox 360 over a PlayStation 2 because the Madden football game you-oh-so-love isn’t available for the 360.

Or something along those lines.

You know… I really wanted to love this movie, like a lot. From the superb voice acting to the stellar action set-pieces, and even the breathtaking opening credits, which is probably one of my favorite parts — I was really hoping it would be my top film of the year.

Unfortunately, that’s not really the case and I’m blaming it all to the semi-sloppy script. Coming from the scribes of Shaun of the Dead, Attack the Block, a couple of Dr. Who eps, and heck Scott Pilgrim — I was expecting something better. I don’t know, it just felt a lil bit loose for me at times and I sincerely wish it was tighter. Things probably just didn’t gel very well in my opinion. Especially towards the end which I thought was a bit anti-climactic. But yeah, so far, that was just mainly my beef with this movie.

Oh. My. God. I am now officially super stoked for this movie.

I mean c’mon — this is directed by the guy who did Step Up 2! Step Up 2!! Now don’t judge me quickly because the finale of that one was freakin’ insane. Probably one of the best choreographed dance sequences ever filmed in history. No, really I’m not kidding. Sort of. B-but anyway just… watch:

This week on The Lost Level… there was a show called the Spike Video Game Awards 2011 — pretty sure you’ve heard about it — that just happened recently, and we have the guys sharing their overall impressions of this year’s show, as well as the major announcements that were unveiled. Sony and Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us anyone? Or how about the craziest reveal of the show (according to G that is) which was Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance? Fun times.

This episode is indeed pretty huge, and they’ll be covering other meaty stuff as well namely: November NPDs, PlayStation Vita multiple accounts dilemma, the Shigeru Miyamoto “stepping down” story, Thor 2  and Star Trek sequel updates, Michael Bay possibly directing Transformers 4, Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises teaser posters, TDKR’s Operation Early Bird, and more!

Don’t forget the first Lost Level meet and greet coming up on December 16th. Details are on Facebook.

The movie posters for all the Nolan Batman movies have been absolutely amazing. The latest poster is no exception. The broken cowl is such a powerful symbol, and something we haven’t really seen in a Batman movie. Batman has always been portrayed as the icon. Nolan boldly has built a trilogy on the man. After the break I give my idea of what The Dark Knight Rises will be about, This is based on what we know about the story so far, so you have been warned. Spoilers

There’s no denying the appeal of Batman. He’s a dark and brooding superhero that protects the people of Gotham time and time again, who also happens to be a billionaire playboy when he’s not saving the world. So it’s no wonder that we can’t stop seeing him everywhere. Where is the next place he’s going to show his cowled head? On our phones.

NetherRealm Studios, the guys that worked on the latest Mortal Kombat, is releasing Batman: Arkham City Lockdown for the iPhone and iPad. The game features a series of one-on-one battles with popular Batman villains, such as The Joker, Two-Face, Solomon Grundy, Deathstroke, and more, and every boss fight boasts unique gameplay. You even get to upgrade the Bat’s abilities and select different costume skins for him. The game is already out in New Zealand, and the US will probably see it tonight or tomorrow. We haven’t got a price yet, but it is $8.25 in New Zealand which is about $6.45 in the US. So, let’s go with $7.

There is something special about listening to Bonnie Taylor’s “Holding Out For A Hero” while driving the hardened streets of Stilwater. To capture the spirit of Saints Row: The Third for the podcast Chris made Alex drive around with him listening to that song at full volume, and on repeat… for hours.

Well whaddya know: Xenoblade Chronicles, quite possibly my numero-uno game of the year, is finally coming to US on April 2012! Apparently it’s only available (as of this time) for pre-order at GameStop and/or Nintendo’s online store. To those who have joined Project Rainfall’s campaign and their crazy Amazon pre-orders, you should try reserving from either of those retailers instead.

If you really are looking for a game to get you back loving Japanese RPGs again — assuming you’re like me who grew up playing Final Fantasies II (IV) and III (VI) on the SNES and was pretty iffy with XIII — look no further! This is that game you are looking for! To set you guys up for the hype, here’s the US trailer:

It. Was. Phenomenal! I… just, wow, incredible.

This is one of those films that’s, no joke, perfect in every regard and I’m totally in love with it! Moving, charming and even yes “magical” — it’s clearly one of the best films of the year (hello Oscars!) and obviously one of my favorites of 2011 as well. Saw it twice already, both in 3D would you believe, and I actually had a semi different experience on both.

This week on The Lost Level… Nintendo strikes back with not just one, but two triple-A titles this season: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D Land. G, Alex and Chris are going to be sharing their impressions on Link’s latest escapades, while Adam (with his brand new sparkly Zelda 3DS) will be talking about Mario’s impressive debut on Nintendo’s eye-boggling handheld.

Then we also have Alex and Chris briefly discussing that ridiculous game called Saints Row: The Third. Is it worth playing despite the amount of triple-As we have this Fall? Find out!

And finally, as usual, the news which include: the newest Xbox 360 Dashboard, Gears of War prequel trilogy c/o the guys who made Bulletstorm, Sony’s very own Super Smash Bros. game, Metal Gear Solid 5′s subtle announcement, PS Vita memory cards, The Dark Knight Rises update, and more!

Welcome to another exciting installment of The Lost Level Round Table discussion a.k.a. the “spoilercast”. In this episode… the guys are reviewing this year’s Call of Duty entry — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Does the game still deliver that same blockbuster, non-stop action experience as previous Modern Warfare titles in spite of the whole Infinity Ward “drama”? What about the plot? Does it tie in well with its predecessors? And the Multiplayer — still fun all around, or a step back from last year’s impressive Black Ops? Tune in!

Just a heads up – this is a spoiler heavy episode! So if you have not played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, then this is NOT the podcast for you. You have (obviously) been warned.

If you listened to our Round Table discussion of Uncharted 3 (which you should) then you know we talked briefly about how the aiming in the game felt… off. We haven’t been the only ones to voice this complaint. In fact, many of the hardcore fans of the series have felt the same way, and Naughty Dog is doing something about it.

The developers took a few of fans to their studio to help them with tweaking the aiming mechanics in the game so that it felt more comfortable. The result ended up being an upcoming update that will have an optional setting that adjust the “feel” of the game’s aiming, along with a few other fixes. They haven’t said when the update will be released, but let’s hope they aim to release it soon. Hehehe. Did you see what I did there? I said “aim” because we were talk- okay, I’ll stop now.

Welcome to another exciting installment of The Lost Level Round Table discussion a.k.a. the “spoilercast”. In this episode… the guys are reviewing Naughty Dog’s latest adventure piece — Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. Is it still a solid game, overall, despite the issues and several nitpicks? Or is it a major disappointment all throughout? And how does it compare to the “classic” that is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves? Tune in!

Just a heads up – this is a spoiler heavy episode! So if you have not played Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, then this is NOT the podcast for you. You have (obviously) been warned.

Here, at Lost Level, we like to look out for you guys. We know that this is an expensive season for gaming, and it’s hard to get everything you want. So we try to make things a little easier on you and your wallet. That’s why we are letting you know that today only (November 17th) Best Buy is selling Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for $30. So, if that’s the price point you were waiting for to buy that game, act now! You may have to wait another week or two until you see this deal again, and who wants to wait?

Don’t get too excited just yet: The latest issue of The Official PlayStation Magazine UK has Kojima coughing out his plans for the “past, present, and future of Metal Gear Solid” which include, obviously, MGS5 and the mysterious Project Ogre.

In short, Kojima basically just said that there’s a game called “Metal Gear Solid 5″ he’s currently thinking about. Done.

Shocking? Hardly. We knew it was coming anyway.

Do you like free stuff? Yeah, you do. THQ knows this, so they decided to get on your good side. New copies of Saints Row: The Third come with an Online Pass code you have to redeem in order to access it’s online features. If you bought the game for the PlayStation 3, redeeming that code before February 13th will also get you a free copy of Saints Row 2 available for download over the PSN. Those free copies can be downloaded early next week. Until then, have fun tearing up the streets of Steelport before you go back to Stilwater.

NBC’s Community is one of the most clever TV shows to come out during the last few years. It’s hard to find people who don’t like it. So why on Earth would NBC think it’s a good idea to put it on hold for an indefinite amount of time come mid-season? Sadly, the ratings aren’t at what the higher-ups would like them to be at. Stupid higher-ups.

So what NBC is doing is replacing Community with 30 Rock. Furthermore, Whitney is being moved to Wednesday and will be replaced with Are You There, Chelsea?, which stars Chelsea Handler, who I now suddenly hate. It’s fine if they move Whitney to Wednesday. They could have had 30 Rock (which I love) replace it. But noooooooo, NBC had to start a new show with someone I’ve never heard of and put Community on hold. NBC, you were so close to having the best 2 hour block on TV. So close.

This week on The Lost Level… Mr. Howlett, who is currently making waves in TV, is unfortunately absent in this news-heavy episode. Hence, it is all up to the fun-tastic trio of G, Chris and Alex to discuss the hot gaming and movie news over the last 2 weeks, which include: Modern Warfare 3′s sales, the October NPDs, PlayStation Vita’s “UMD Passport” service, the GTA V teaser trailer, Akira live-action updates, Black Friday video game deals, and a bunch more!

People are really milking this whole Batman craze. Who can blame them? After two very successful games and movies, he is probably the hottest superhero out there now. That’s why we’re getting an online FPS based in the Batman universe. In Gotham City Impostors, you play as a team of Batman impersonators, The Bats, or Joker impersonators, the Jokerz, and you kill each other. With guns. The game will be available through the PC, PSN, or Xbox Live Arcade on January 10th.

Can’t wait that long? Then sign up for the open beta for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that is being held in December (they already had a PC beta). You can do this by going to the official site and creating a WB ID. Hopefully you’ll be selected so you can go around killing criminals with guns, just like Batman would do. Wait…

It has been previously rumored that a new and numbered God of War title is being developed as we speak, and now we have a release date! Well, according to a New Zealand retailer site that is; this supposed “God of War IV” will be coming out on September 28, 2012.

It would be interesting to see a console God of War having a September release date oppose to their usual March schedules. But, at the same time if you think about it closely, this sounds pretty bull. Not to mention that it’s a little bit too early as well since we haven’t even heard of any official statement of a “part 4″ from Sony.

I’m kind of excited for the “Galaxy at War” co-op feature in Mass Effect 3. My friends and I really enjoy the series, so it would be nice to go friend’s place, order a pizza, get some drinks, and play the game with him. Sounds like fun, right? Too bad the game will not support local co-op.

In a recent interview with Mass Effect 3 producer, Jesse Houston, he said there will not be a split-screen or PC-LAN option to play the game’s co-op. Granted, you can bring over you own TV or monitor to a friend’s place along with your own console and copy of the game if you local co-op that badly. It’s just a lot of work. Thankfully, Houston did say that it’s something they may add later to the game. But for now, I guess I won’t socialize with my friends in person once the game comes out. At least I won’t have to shower.

The live adaptation of Capcom’s Ace Attorney finally has a trailer and, frankly speaking, something’s off. Like say, it does feel a wee bit “dark” at times and they didn’t bother even using some of the game’s music. It’s one of the series’ strongest signatures, so it seems kind of weird they didn’t use it this video. Licensing issues maybe? Probably, or the guys who edited this preview are just a bunch of lazy farts.

In any case, I’m still going to watch this as soon as it comes out.

We’ve mentioned previously that Bioware was going to be showing off a new game during the VGAs, but Game Informer is the one that is teasing us with an image of it. The above piece of concept art looks very action-packed and seems like it would come from the Uncharted games. While this doesn’t really reveal anything, it has definitely capture my attention, and it really makes me eager to see what Bioware has in store for us on December 10th.

If you want to see a larger version of the image, you can check it out at the Game Informer website.

Heavy Rain is a game that tells a story in a very innovative way, even if that story lies to you and has parts that make no sense. Granted, there were deleted scenes from the game that would supposedly have those nonsense parts actually make sense. Thankfully, Sony has announced a Heavy Rain: Director’s Cut that presumably have those deleted scenes. Wait… It won’t? *sigh*

Okay, so what will this version have that makes it a “Director’s Cut?” Along with the full game, you will get “The Taxidermist” DLC, the soundtrack, a new front-end menu that supports the PlayStation Move, 8 “making of ” videos, Three Dynamic Themes (Heavy Rain, Heavy Rain ARI Forest, Heavy Rain ARI Mars), 15 new pieces of concept art, and 2 bonus trailers. Additionally, the Heavy Rain Crime Scene Dynamic Theme is going to be free for everyone through PSN. The Heavy Rain: Director’s Cut will be available on November 8th for $30.

It’s hard to take the VGAs seriously. I hold the awards to about the same standard as the VMAs, which is to say no standard at all. So, why be excited for the VGAs on December 10th? The reveals. The glorious, glorious reveals. Geoff Keighley, video game journalist and VGA host, tweeted some things about the VGAs and teased at what we can expect from the ceremony.

First off, he said “Alan Wake returns,” which I’m sure about 5 people are excited for. But who knows, maybe his return will bring closure to a story that still makes no sense, even after its DLC that was suppose to give the game a satisfying ending. More excitingly, there will be something revealed in regard to Metal Gear Solid: Rising and Bioware will announce a new game from a new studio. Is it too early to ask for a Mass Effect MMO? These are just a taste of the things that we can expect from the Video Game Awards Show. We can’t wait to see what else it brings.