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Showing posts from September, 2011

Blizzard Launches Diablo III Skill Calculator

Are you a hardcore Diablo player that's already creating a blueprint for your character's build? If so, Blizzard has just the tool for you: the Diablo III skill calculator. IGN directs us to the new Diablo III skill calculator on the official Diablo III community site. The tool allows players to choose a character class, fill out the character's six active skills by exploring the class' full skill tree, and then socket in rune stones for each skill to create different effects. "If you think you've found the deadliest combination for your class, be sure to export your build and spread the word!" Blizzard states, noting that the calculator features links to Facebook and Twitter. And once you create a build, you can even create a URL link to share your character anywhere you please. If you want even more information about the characters you can create, be sure to check out our video interview with Game Director Jay Wilson detailing the f...

Major League of Legends Patch Incoming

League of Legends patch 1.0.0.125 is on the way, and it's packing a host of changes to PVP.net and the PVP Store, a ton to tweaks to champions, and introducing a new champion for summoners to do battle with, Riven, the Exile. Ushering in Season Two of LoL, patch 1.0.0.125 features redesigned PVP Store navigation, PVP.net enhancements for improved performance, and Riven, the Exile, a new champion that looks like Riot Games ' tribute to Cloud from Final Fantasy VII. Along with the new kid in town, existing champions like Mordekaiser, Orianna, Shaco, Shen, and Taric are getting some TLC. See how in a video by the lead champion designers below: For the full rundown on the new champion, check out Riot's Riven preview page . And if you want specifics on everything the update will offer, surf on over to LoL's Riven patch preview .

Take Two Announces Civilization V Game of the Year Edition

If you held off on feeding your just-one-more-turn addiction when Civilization V launched last year, Take Two and Firaxis Games are back with an offer that could knock you off the wagon. It's the Civilization V Game of the Year Edition, it's brimming with add-ons, and it will retail for $50. Since Civ V was released in September of last year, Fixaxis has added seven new civilizations and a host of scenario packs to the game for $5 each. With the Civ V GoY Edition, you get all the DLC (except for the recently released Korea and Wonders of the Ancient World Scenario Pack) and more. The rundown on the Civilization V Game of the Year Edition: Sid Meier's Civilization V (standalone game) Civilization and Scenario Pack: The Mongols Civilization Pack: Babylon Cradle of Civilization Map Packs: Mesopotamia, Americas, Asia and Mediterranean Double Civilization and Scenario Pack: Spain and Inca Civilization and Scenario Pack: Polynesia Ci...

Fallout: New Vegas Lonesome Road Trailer

Bethesda and Obsidian have brought us their Fallout take on cowboys and Indians and pulp sci-fi with the last two DLC packs for New Vegas, and with the upcoming Lonesome Road, it looks like the devs will be dipping into horror. Bring all your weapons to The Divide, the narrator tells us in the new Lonesome Road trailer, a welcome message to Fallout fans used to leaving gear behind for DLC adventures. And it looks like you'll need it in what's billed as the end of the road for the Courier. Check the ominous trailer: The rundown on the DLC from Bethesda: In Lonesome Road you are contacted by the original Courier Six, a man by the name of Ulysses who refused to deliver the Platinum Chip at the start of Fallout: New Vegas . Ulysses promises the answer as to why he didn't take the job, but only if you make one last journey into the hurricane-swept canyons of the Divide, a landscape torn apart by earthquakes and violent storms. It's up to you whether y...

Rockstar Releases Max Payne 3 Debut Trailer

It's been eight long years since Max Payne fans had their fix, but the wait will be over in March when Rockstar Games finally launches the anticipated third chapter in the noir shooter. And the build-up begins today. The debut Max Payne 3 trailer has arrived, and we've got it right here for your Bullet-Time viewing pleasure. We'll refrain from any more jibber jabber and let you jump right in: Max Payne 3 is in development for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The game is now available for pre-order and set to ship in March 2012.

Blizzard Launches Hub for Soundtrack Downloads

Call it World of Tunecraft. Blizzard has partnered with Apple to create a new section on its website featuring digital downloads of the music from its biggest franchises. Individual tracks from World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo can be downloaded (from iTunes) for $.99 each or $9.99 for full game soundtracks. Blizzard Music is now live, offering nine original game soundtracks, various compilations, like Taverns of Azeroth, and hundreds of individual songs. Because the downloads come from iTunes, Blizzard music shoppers must have an iTunes account and software. Like other albums on iTunes, individual tracks sell for $.99 and there are significant savings when buying full albums. For example, the 17-track World of Warcraft: Cataclysm soundtrack sells for $9.99.

Wargaming.net Launches World of Warships Website

At Gamescom last month, Wargaming.net , the studio behind World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, announced it would complete its "World of" trilogy on the high seas with World of Battleships . The MMO's website went live today, a clear indication development on the game is full steam ahead. Featuring a trailer, screenshots, and updates, the World of Battleships website is now the source of info for all captains anxious to test their sea legs on 20th century war ships. "We're excited to launch World of Battleships website," Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi said in a statement. "We want to make it home for all those in love with naval battles and WWII-era warships." When the free-to-play game launches, it will feature: Multiple Warships to Choose from in three main classes of ships: -- Aircraft carriers that provide both naval and air support -- Battleships and heavy cruisers able to scarify the enemy with their looks alone -- Lig...

AMD Sets Guinness Record for CPU Frequency

How far will PC enthusiasts be able to go with AMD's upcoming 8-core FX desktop processor? A group of the world's top overclockers decided to find out, and they wound up setting the Guinness World Record for the highest frequency of a computer processor by pushing an AMD FX to a ridiculous 8.429 Ghz. On August 31, AMD gathered its "Team AMD FX" overclockers and the technology press in Austin, Texas to put the FX CPU to the test. And with some extreme methods, the team was able to push past the prior frequency world record of 8.309 GHz. See how they did it below: "The record-breaking processor speed that resides in the AMD FX CPU clearly demonstrates performance gains for the new AMD 'Bulldozer' multi-core architecture, which will provide x86 computing power for this CPU and future AMD Accelerated Processing Units," AMD GM Chris Cloran said in a statement. "Along with world-record frequencies, the AMD FX processor will ena...

Red Orchestra 2 Launch Trailer

Our review copy of Red Orchestra 2 is just about finished downloading, and we're already chomping at the bit to go and teach those nasty Nazis a lesson in Russian resolve. Thankfully we've got a shiny new multiplayer trailer to watch in the meantime, which we've helpfully uploaded for your viewing pleasure. Check it out while you're waiting for GameSpy's myriad of Red Orchestra 2 features, and check back tomorrow for our in-depth review. More Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad Videos

Battlefield 3's Community Manager Speaks

Just what does it take to be a community manager for a massively popular online game? We asked EA's Ian Tornay -- community maestro for the upcoming Battlefield 3 -- about that very topic. If you've ever wondered what goes into this kind of job, well... read on. Chances are, it's not quite what you expected! GameSpy: What skills did you need to be hired as the Battlefield 3 community manager? Ian Tornay, Battlefield 3 Community Manager: Community management isn't what some people think it is. Sure, it'd be cool if my job was to play a game, make buddies and surf a forum all day long while giving out beta codes and t-shirts, but there's more to it than that. A good community manager, especially in the last few years, needs really solid social media chops. You need to know the ins and outs of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the general social media ecosystem; which networks are rising, which are falling, what's on the horizon. Having str...

Failure to Launch: How Nintendo Killed 3DS Interest in 9 Easy Steps

Last year at E3 Expo 2010, Nintendo revealed the 3DS to the world, and shockingly, everyone in attendance went crazy over the thing. Folks who write about video games love criticizing Nintendo almost as much as they love neckbeards and jorts, but praise for the machine was pretty much universal. Yes, hype was at an all-time high... but in the year since, Nintendo seems to have been on a mission to systemically kill interest in the machine, to the point where it's now regularly being outsold by the dated DSi (and in Japan, the freaking PSP). Could Nintendo turn things around next week at E3 Expo 2011? Certainly -- but the game titan better have something big up its sleeves, because at the moment, only the "M" on Mario's hat is visible above the edge of the hole that's been dug... When not waiting for something new to play on his 3DS, Nathan Birch also writes and draws the webcomi...

The Interrogation Room: Mario Kart 3DS

Eric Neigher, Contributing Editor: Everybody loves Mario Kart , David -- but not everybody loves the 3DS. I watched you play for a bit, and while the little 3D effect started to hurt my eyes, and Nintendo's ridiculous bevy of cute booth babes distracted my mind, I must say it looked like a pretty traditional port of Mario Kart from the regular ol' DS. Any major changes or updates you came across? David Wolinsky, Contributing Editor: This Mario Kart boasts the most tricked-out rides this side of Xzibit's body shop. It's got hydraulics, lifts, and purple neon lights in every car, along with bass-thumping radios and Nintendo Wiis in every trunk. Wait, no. It has none of that. Mario Kart 3DS takes to the air and briny deep in some portions of the levels I played, which may or may not be representative of final courses. When you drive off a cliff, a glider wing emerges, and you can careen around the air to make what's hopefully a smooth landing. I coul...

The Interrogation Room: Kid Icarus Uprising

David Wolinsky, Contributing Editor: You played Kid Icarus Uprising in single-player, while I tried multiplayer. What were your expectations going in, and did the game live up to them? What pleasant surprises, if any, did you stumble upon? Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: This was actually a really weird game, but in a mostly cool way. As strange as it sounds, Kid Icarus Uprising reminds me a hell of a lot of Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. It's a third-person action game (and occasional on-rails shoot-'em-up), and your character movements are independent from your targeting cursor. Not quite what I expected a new Kid Icarus game to be! David Wolinsky: That's a really great way of summing the game up -- it is an awful lot like Star Successor. My theory for this title has long been that it was originally intended to be another game completely, and then they swapped in Kid Icarus characters after the fact. It wouldn't be the first time Nintendo...

The Interrogation Room: Super Mario 3DS

Eric Neigher, Contributing Editor: Hey man, so you got to play Super Mario 3DS while you stuck me with Luigi's Mansion 2, thanks a lot! So, just to clarify before we get started here: This is a completely new Mario game, yes? It's not a remake of that water-squirting one or anything, right? Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: Yep, it's a completely new 3D Mario platformer -- though it's got a lot of Super Mario Bros. 3 imagery, such as the leaf power-up and the Tanooki suit. And hey, Super Mario Sunshine was not a bad game at all! Eric Neigher: Wasn't implying that it was -- just saying that the water-squirting-Mario game was a game I could see being remade here. So, how does the 3D look with regard to the gameplay? Is it well-integrated, or sort of eye-piercing? It's cool that they're bringing back some of the Mario 3 paraphernalia -- any other new or remade features that fans should know about? Ryan Scott: I'll be honest: I turned th...

E3 2011 Nintendo Press Conference: Core Games for the Wii U Revealed

Nintendo's lack of third-party support for the Wii is one of the console's biggest shortcomings. The Japanese game maker revealed at its E3 2011 press conference today that it won't repeat that mistake with the Wii U, announcing a number of core games for the system. Electronic Arts, THQ, and Ubisoft were among the publishers to pledge their support for the Wii U, and a number of developers revealed that they're already hard at work developing core games for the new system. Batman: Arkham City, Ghost Recon Online, Assassin's Creed, Aliens: Colonial Marines, DarkSiders II, Metro: Last Light, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, and Madden NFL were among the big titles/franchises to be announced for the Wii U. Specifics on how these games will incorporate the Wii U's unique controller system were not revealed.

E3 2011 Nintendo Press Conference: Wii U Graphics Demo

Nintendo didn't share system specs for the Wii U at its E3 2011 press conference today, but it did say the system will deliver 1080p HD visuals, and Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime rolled out a trailer demonstrating the Wii U's graphical capabilities. Get a sampling of the Wii U's visuals with this cinematic: More IGN Videos

The Interrogation Room: Rayman Origins

Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: People have been comparing Rayman Origins to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Is it really that awesome-looking, or are they pulling my leg? Will Tuttle, Editor in Chief: I definitely noticed a New Super Mario Bros. Wii vibe going on with Rayman Origins, and that's a very good thing. I had the chance to play the available levels twice, both by myself and with others, and the two experiences were completely different. That makes me very, very happy. Ryan Scott: How does it play? It's a side-scrolling platformer, obviously, but what's unique about it? Will Tuttle: The platforming itself isn't really that unique, as Rayman Origins takes its cues from both the original PlayStation Rayman game and from more recent titles like LittleBigPlanet and the aforementioned New Super Mario Bros. Wii. One button jumps and another punches, and the latter button can be held to wind up for a more powerful attack. It controls a lot like the origina...

The Interrogation Room: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Eric Neigher, Contributing Editor: So, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword . Cool, right? What's new about this particular Zelda for Wii? Did you get to kill Ganon? Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: I didn't get to kill Ganon (although hey, let's be honest, you know he's the bad guy). I did, however, get some hands-on time with Skyward Sword's motion controls, which included things like looking around by waving the Wii-mote, aiming the bow with the Wii-mote, swinging the Wii-mote like a sword, and using the Wii-mote for one of those awkward motion-controlled flying sequences that we all want to see their designers burn in the ninth ring of Hell for. Eric Neigher: Sounds like the Wii-mote might not be the best fit for this particular game. Does it include an option to just use a GameCube controller? Also, what can you say about the story of Skyward Sword? What the hell is a Skyward Sword? Ryan Scott: I didn't get to delve too deep (I played a st...

Battlefield 3 Operation Guillotine Teaser Trailer

Electronic Arts ' marketing machine continues to churn out info on Battlefield 3 , and today it comes in the form of a teaser trailer for a nighttime mission in the single-player campaign called Operation Guillotine. Featuring in-game footage from Battlefield 3, Operation Guillotine takes us from the outskirts of a city at night to its downtown streets. Some features on display include launching mortar rounds, a melee attack kill move, and what happens when you throw a grenade inside a small room. Check the all-too-brief trailer: Battlefield 3 is in development for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The game is set for launch on October 25.

F1 2011 Developers' Diary

Co-op Championship mode is coming to F1 2011 , allowing two friends to drive on the same team and race for the Constructor's World Championship. And in the latest developers' diary for the game, the Codemasters gang breaks down what it will be like to race through an entire F1 season with a buddy. Look across the garage in F1 2011's Co-op Championship mode and you won't see an AI bot, you'll see your friend. Learn more about the experience below: More F1 2011 Videos F1 2011 is in development for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The game is set to ship on September 23.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Gameplay Demo

Journalists raved about Bethesda's near 30-minute gameplay demo of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at E3 this year, and now you get to see what all the fuss is about. It's been streamlined a bit, but more than 20 minutes of Skyrim gameplay is now ready for your viewing pleasure, complete with commentary from executive producer Todd Howard. Featuring a detailed look at the game's new setting, its towns, people, and creatures, the demo will take you up to the snow-capped mountains, down into the depths of a dungeon, and back out onto the grassy plains -- with plenty of action in between. See for yourself in the three videos below:

Activision Announces PC, PS3 Release Date for Black Ops: Rezurrection

Xbox 360 gamers have been up to their elbows in Moon zombies for nearly three weeks, and come September 22nd, PC and PlayStation 3 owners will get the chance to join the Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection fray. Activision and Treyarch announced the release date this morning, noting that the fourth DLC pack for Black Ops will herald another double XP weekend. Featuring the all new Moon level and four re-mastered levels of Zombie lore (Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, Shi No Numa, and Der Riese, the Zombie factory that started it all) Rezurrection is billed as a tribute to CoD Zombies fans everywhere. Check the trailer: More Call of Duty: Black Ops Videos Rezurrection will be available for PC and PS3 download on September 22 for $15. For die-hard CoD fans who purchased the Hardened or Prestige Editions of Black Ops, Rezurrection (the Moon level, soundtrack, and theme) will be available for free.

Mind Games #6: Video Games and ADHD

Mind Games #6: Video Games and ADHD Gaming is an interactive experience. We play games -- but at the same time, games play us. In this column, psychologist Nicholaus Noles explores how video games manipulate our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, all in the name of fun. Pay Attention! In a recent piece published here on GameSpy , writer Evan Hoovler -- who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder -- discussed how video games taught him skills that improved his life. At the end of the piece, our own resident commenter, Spy Guy, asked, "What do you think about scientific studies linking ADHD to video games? Are these brainiacs on the right track, or do they really have it all backwards?" Well, when Spy Guy asks a question about psychology, I feel that it's my job to give him an answer. ADHD is characterized by inattention and impulsiveness. Although people with ADHD are sometimes st...

AMD Bulldozer FX Series CPU Prices leak

We still don't have a firm release date on the desktop version of AMD's new Bulldozer CPUs, but now, thanks to a leak, we do have pricing on the AMD Bulldozer FX series. The long-awaited response to Intel's Sandy Bridge, Bulldozer is the first all-new processor architecture launched by AMD since the Athlon 64 in 2003. The Bulldozer is billed as the first 8 core desktop processor with superior multi-threading throughput, and if the leaked pricing today is accurate, that won't mean a superior price point. The leak comes by way of pre-order pricing obtained by AnandTech : AMD Bulldozer FX-series Processors FX-8150: 8 core, 3.6GHz (4.2GHz Turbo) -- $266.28 FX-8120: 8 core, 3.1GHz (4GHz Turbo) -- $221.73 FX-6100: 6 core, 3.3GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) -- $188.32 AMD has stated that the desktop version of Bulldozer will make its way to shelves sometime in the fourth quarter.

Hard Reset Review

If nothing else, playing sci-fi shooter Hard Reset taught me this: We're all totally screwed. When our toasters someday gain sentience and machines rise up to crush their human oppressors, we'll get carved up like soft, squishy pot roasts. Pairing the cool cyberpunk vibe of Blade Runner with the classic run-and-gun action of Doom, this crazy first-person shooter illustrates two things with horrifying precision: 1) robots are not your friends, and 2) given the opportunity, they'll rip your limbs off and stomp your entrails into a fine bloody paste. In the year 2436, the futuristic Bezoar City relies on soldiers from The Corporation to keep the peace. As a grizzled vet trying to enjoy a drink at the local bar after a long shift, your day gets a lot hairier when a rogue A.I. breaks its limiter and sends a throng of pissed-off automatons rampaging through the streets to shred civilians. You get called in to make things go boom. I find Hard Reset's "les...

Minecraft 1.8 Adventure Update "Leaked"

Mojang said Minecraft 1.8, the long-awaited Adventure Update, would possibly be ready for prime time by today, and, in a backwards kind of way, it is. The officially leaked Adventure Update is a download away. Minecraft designer Jens Bergensten has been providing tentative updates about the Adventure Update's launch via Twitter, and it appears he grew sick of speculating when 1.8 would be ready and decided to take matters into his own hands. With Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson's blessing, the Minecraft 1.8 Adventure Update "leak" is now available. See what you'll be getting in the official trailer below: Here's a rundown on some of the features the Adventure Update will be packing: -- NPC villages -- Randomly generated dungeons -- New biome code -- Fully working Creative Mode (and individual admins can enter Creative Mode on a Survival Mode server if they choose) -- Critical hits -- Sprinti...

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS Review

I never played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64. In fact, by the time I realized it's one of the most highly scored games of all-time, I had already finished both The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. With expectations based on its successors, how does Ocarina of Time hold up 13 years after its original release? Outclassed as it is by its descendants, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS still stands in a class of its own among modern adventures. Though the peripheral circumstances always change, the Legend of Zelda games generally revolve around the three bearers of the Triforce: Ganondorf, Princess Zelda, and the player-directed protagonist (Link, by default). This installment employs the now-familiar "enter dungeon, fight and solve puzzles to acquire dungeon item, and use dungeon item to defeat boss" formula of the series with an added twist: time travel. After retrieving the ubiquit...

Nintendo Wii U Hands-on Impressions

We've gotten our hands on Nintendo's new Wii enhanced controller/doohickey, the Wii U. We're still not entirely sure how to classify it yet, but we've definitely developed a few early impressions. Read on as two of our editors sound off from the E3 Expo 2011 show floor. David Wolinsky, Contributing Editor: So, for a moment, let's put aside the whole "is it a console or a controller?" confusion and cut right to the quick: What are your first impressions of Nintendo's Wii U? What potential do you see in it? Is your core aching all these hours later? Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: I've been describing the Wii U to people as "an iPad with buttons." I think the concept of this touchscreen tablet controller (or... whatever) is pretty cool, but we just have no idea what they're going to do with it. A lot of the "games" we saw were glorified tech demos and trailers -- understandable at such an early stage, of cours...

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Gameplay Demo

Journalists raved about Bethesda's near 30-minute gameplay demo of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at E3 this year, and now you get to see what all the fuss is about. It's been streamlined a bit, but more than 20 minutes of Skyrim gameplay is now ready for your viewing pleasure, complete with commentary from executive producer Todd Howard. Featuring a detailed look at the game's new setting, its towns, people, and creatures, the demo will take you up to the snow-capped mountains, down into the depths of a dungeon, and back out onto the grassy plains -- with plenty of action in between. See for yourself in the three videos below: More The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Videos Want the full rundown on all things new in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? Check out our detailed preview! More The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Videos The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is in development for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The game is set for launch on November 11.

Report: GameStop Creating Gaming Tablet

GameStop sent out a press release this morning announcing it would begin accepting Apple's iPad and other iOS devices for trade-in beginning today. Now we know why: the mega retailer also revealed today it plans to sell a GameStop branded Android tablet computer designed for gaming. This morning it appeared that GameStop simply wanted to entice customers to shop at its locations with a huge fall lineup of games on the way. Company president Tony Bartel said as much when he stated, "By trading in iOS devices, GameStop customers have yet another source of funds to put toward the purchase of new and pre-owned games, DLC, digital PC games and more. This is especially significant with the great title line-up slated for this fall." But now we know GameStop has other reasons for accepting iPads for trade-in: it wants you to swap Apple's device for one of its own upcoming branded gaming tablets. In an interview with GamesIndustry (by way of Joystiq ), Ba...

Sony Confirms Production Stopped on PSP Go

Multiple price drops couldn't save Sony's PSP Go from a quick death. Launched in October 2009 without a UMD drive and sporting a hefty $250 price tag, the device failed to find a foothold at retail. Today, roughly a year-and-a-half after its release, Sony has announced production on the portable has stopped. A day after reports of the PSP Go's untimely death began circulating on the Internet, Sony issued a brief statement to Japanese website AV Watch confirming that it will no longer ship PSP Go handhelds. The focus now, the company states, will be on continued production of the PSP-3000 and the upcoming NGP. When we first got our hands on the PSP Go back in October 2009, we couldn't help but ask, "Who the heck is this thing intended for?" Turns out Sony didn't really have an answer for that question. Sony announced its newest handheld, codenamed Next Generation Portable (NGP), in January. Featuring a 5-inch OLED touchscreen display, ...

The Interrogation Room: Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Welcome to the Interrogation Room, GameSpy's signature pre-release game coverage format. Here, a GameSpy editor (typically one who's relatively in-the-dark about the game in question) grills his peers for information on a hotly anticipated game -- hopefully with more entertaining results than the typical boilerplate preview would provide. Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: So, Nathan Drake's going portable, eh? What's the basic gist oh his first handheld foray, and how does it look on the Next Generation Portable? Will Tuttle, Editor in Chief: Not only is Nathan going portable, his first handheld adventure is undoubtedly the crown jewel of the NGP's launch lineup. Uncharted: Golden Abyss takes place before Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first game in the series, although it's not a prequel or anything like that. This is a standalone adventure -- a good direction to take for a series that isn't quite a cultural touchstone yet. Sony could ha...