BitSnark

Sony Online Entertainment have today opened up beta applications for their forthcoming DC superhero MMO; DC Universe Online.

Folks can apply to take part in the beta either on the PC or the PS3.

Personally, I signed up for the PS3 beta since i’m fairly interested to see how an MMO of this type and scale would work on the console.

The link to the sign up page is below:

http://www.dcuniverseonline.com/en/beta/

Go nuts.

Regarded by many as perhaps the best tower defence title available today, Popcap’s Plants Vs Zombies has long been seen as a notable omission from XBLA’s formidable lineup of tower defence titles.

That ends in early September however since Plants Vs Zombies will hit Microsoft’s digital distribution platform for 1200 of your Microsoft Points.

I must admit, i’ve been somewhat blind to the Plants Vs Zombies craze, so i’m quite interested to see what all the fuss is about.

Already in the sweaty paws of 360 gamers around the globe, the demo of Io Interactive’s Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, a sequel that is actually looking like it’ll be worth a punt, will be available to lucky Playstation Plus subscribers tomorrow and regular PSN users on Wednesday.

I didn’t get a chance to grab the 360 demo so i’ll be well up for this, (mostly due to me slacking and not renewing my gold membership) but the You-Tube esque handi-cam aesthetic of the game really appeals to me and the game certainly seems a lot more solid than the decidedly undercooked original.

Just when you thought you’ve seen your last Mudokon, comes the news that after nearly five years since the last Oddworld title, new Oddworld titles are in development for multiple formats.

Just Add Water, the developers behind successful PSN shooter Gravity Crash, are the code outfit in charge of rejuvenating the Oddworld brand.

No real details are available right now, but the mere confirmation of new Oddworld titles being development is superbly awesome.

Yes, superbly awesome.

The spiel from Just Add Water’s website can be seen below, with a link at the bottom of this article:

It’s with a huge amount of pride that we can announce that for the past 12 months we have been working extremely closely with the fantastic people at Oddworld Inhabitants, from what started off as brief discussions in June 2009, to now working on multiple projects, across multiple platforms.

Whilst we cannot go into specifics right now, we can tell you that over the coming weeks and months we will be announcing these exciting projects starring all of your favourite Oddworld characters.

“To work with the team at Oddworld has been amazing; being able to tap the minds of Lorne Lanning, Sherry McKenna and others has been fantastic,” said Just Add Water’s Managing Director Stewart Gilray.

“It’s almost symbiotic in that when something moves forward on any of the projects we just start chatting about new items, or what if we do this,” Gilray continued. “We’re all extremely excited to breathe life into the Oddworld universe and indeed to let it breathe life into us.”

Why not follow that loveable Mudokon, Abe on Twitter at twitter.com/abemudokon.

http://www.jawltd.com/?p=546

Ubisoft have today confirmed that their gorgeous E3 2010 announced XBLA & PSN 2D platformer Rayman Origins, will make it’s debut this Christmas when Episode One arrives for download on the 360 & PS3.

Returning to those 2D roots so ably established in Rayman, a launch title for the original Playstation console way back in the ancient times of 1995, the game looks to be quite the winner; filled with humour and interesting gameplay all wrapped up in a delicious 2D art style that looks as stylish as anything around today, this is one downloadable title that is most certainly on my radar.

Any of you folks out there excited for this?

Nintendo today has confirmed that the Team Ninja developed Wii Metroid title, Metroid: Other M, will release in European territories this September.

First announced at E3 2009, gameplay wise the title is a mixture of Metroid’s hallmark 2D gameplay and the 3D stylings seen in the more recent Metroid Prime titles. Metroid: Other M also features a stronger focus on story and the origin Samus this time round.

Likes quite impressive indeed.

Right so we’ve had the feudal period set Yakuza Kenzan spin-off, Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 for the PS3, not to mention the newly announced Yakuza: Project Panther for the PSP.

Yet somehow, someway, there is still room for more Yakuza goodness it seems.

Famitsu/Kotaku today have broken a story that the next Yakuza title for the PS3 will be different from the previous iterations in that you’ll be playing the series’ resident Yakuza crackpot Goro Majima.

The title isn’t officially being called ‘Yakuza 5’ however, so it could be that is just a spin off and not a primary entry in the series.

More on this soon with any luck.

Below is the link to the Kotaku article:

http://kotaku.com/5576152/there-is-another-new-yakuza-game-endless

Eurogamer this morning has confirmed that they have 5,000 beta keys to give away for EA’s online PC racing title, Need For Speed World.

Allowing gamers to build up persistent online identities through a levelling system which in turn unlocks extra tracks, vehicles and other items, Need For Speed World at least looks interesting enough to warrant a crack at the beta.

All you need is a free Eurogamer membership and a fairly specced PC to get in on the beta goodness.

Once you’ve signed up wih EG, go to the link below to claim your free beta key:

http://gamers.eurogamer.net/giveaways.php?id=87039

Square-Enix have today announced that lucky 360 owners will be able to get their hands on an exclusive campaign/multiplayer demo of the forthcoming Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days on July 1st.

As with everything however there is a catch; you must subscribe to their YouTube channel to be in for a chance to receive a demo code.

Luckily for you folks, i’ve provided a link to their YouTube channel below:

http://www.youtube.com/kaneandlynchofficial

Get subscribin’.

Ni no Kuni, the joint developed title between Dragon Quest IX/Professor Layton developer Level 5 and anime wunderkinds Studio Ghibli, is due to be released on the PS3 as well as the NDS.

Described as an RPG that mixes action and puzzle elements, one which requiring the player to consult a hard bound book that comes with every copy, the title is said to be epic in scale and faithfully recreates the atmosphere of a Studio Ghibli movie.

You know you want this.

Below is a link to a trailer which was released last year for the NDS version of the game: