We were quite surprised to see the announcement ofFinal Fantasy XIVthis morning during Sony’s E3 press conference. Now we have more details on the game and its launch, set to drop worldwide in 2010. Final Fantasy XIVis a massively-multiplayer role-playing game where you’ll explore the vast realm of Eoreza. We have learned that this release will have language support for Japanese, English, French, and German, and will see a global launch on both the PS3 and Windows PCs....

Microsoft and Bungie announced the nextHalogame right aftershowingHalo ODST. The next game is calledHalo Reach, which we heard was in the works last week. We only saw a quick little teaser showing the planet Reach blowing up. If you didn’t read the first book in theHalonovel series, the Planet Reach is a human military planet where the SPARTAN II’s were trained. The Covenant eventually find the planet, and like the rest of the human colonies, destroy the planet....

Teasing us with some new information, Jack Tretton announced that Rockstar is developing a new title exclusively for the PS3: an international spy thriller calledAgent. Set in the dark world of the late 1970s (hey, that’s whenPeace Walkeris set!), this title will “take players around the globe.” And that’s all that they’ve announced on the title. Much like theirResident Evilannouncement, details are scarce, but I’m sure we’ll be hearing more soon....

Look! It’sSonic 4in action. Is it everything you ever dreamed it to be and more? Is every single jump and spin like music to your Sonic-lacking eyes? Clearly, this is what we’ve been crying for all these years. Does it live up to your impossibly high expectations? Maybe you’ve seen trailers for it before, and the on-the-floor stuff ain’t your bag. Then let me direct you towardour previewof the game, which may answer many of the questions I just asked about it above....

Not a lot has been seen of the SEGA-publishedBinary Domainsince thefirst trailerreleased last year. Behind closed doors, however, we got a chance to see the game in action and get to grips with this third-person-shooter involving sentient robots. I will say this — I really want to like the game. I want to likeBinary Domainbecause it speaks to me on a narrative and stylistic level. The story revolves around robots that have been produced to replicate humans in terms of emotions and intelligence....

Literary bookworms who are offended by the fact that justonesacrilege againstThe Divine Comedyexists will be horrified to learn that a second one might happen in the future. Electronic Arts has expressed interest in doing aDante’s Infernosequel, with producer Johnathan Knight hoping to “earn” the right to a follow-up. “That is a problem I hope to have to solve by earning the right to do a follow up,” says Knightwhen askedabout the possibility of games based on the other parts of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem,PurgatorioandParadiso....

As any fan knows it’s been quite a while since any game in theFront Missionfranchise landed on English-speaking shores. So long, in fact that a few dedicated gamerswent and did it themselves. Now, the series is set for a return, albeit in a decidedly different form, asFront Mission Evolvedis more of 3rd-person action game than a turn-based strategy title. Old fans and new players alike simplymustknow more about this latest, current-generation installment....

The numbers are in! Bethesda Softworks has announced that five million units ofFallout: New Vegashave been shipped worldwide. And that’s not including anything from the digital distribution realm. They were also eager to point out how the guide book has been quite popular too, at least on Amazon. As someone who never buys guide books, ever, I believe it. The collector’s edition book is ridiculously useful, and sleek. Although, as of a few days ago, theNew Vegaswiki had racked up well over 475,000 man hours worth of updating....

At E3 2008, Square Enix shocked the world by claiming that, for the first time, a majorFinal Fantasyinstallment would be coming to the Xbox 360. Previously a PS3 exclusive,Final Fantasy XIIIwas the jewel in the crown of the Sony hype brigade. Well, theylostthat battle (for it was truly a battle), and now they cry over spilled milk. The milk, in this case, being a clever metaphor for third-party exclusivity. Square Enix has tried to assure fans that the game’s multiplatform status will not affect the game’s quality and thatFinal Fantasy XIIIwill be equal on both platforms....

Microsoft has sent word that four newGears of Warmultiplayer maps will be available for download this Thursday, May 3. The map pack, known as “Hidden Fronts,” will cost players 800 Microsoft points until September 3, when they will become available for no cost. The maps, predictably, look absolutely stunning. Even a grumpy, bitter old gamer like myself thinks that, for someone who playsGears of Warregularly, 800 points ($10) is reasonable. Of course, free is even more reasonable, and patience is a virtue....

With a flagship title likeRock Band 2debuting on Xbox 360 this week, in addition to Criterion Games releasing the bike update forBurnout Paradise, you know tonight is going to be something special in Friday Night Fights land. For those of you wanting to partake in the plastic instrument-fueled bliss that isRock Band 2, please post a comment with the following: A) your gamertag B) your instrument of choice C) your play style for tonight (serious or fun/relaxed) and D) what difficulty level you play at comfortably (hard, expert, etc....

THQ is holding a really neat contest for their gameFrontlines: Fuel of Warthat is set to come out some time next year (with ademo on the way next monthfor the Xbox 360). to win, you need toWeb site and search for ten hidden passwords. Winners will get a free copy of the game and chance tofly in a fighter plane. You can also invite friends to play and if one of them wins, so do you....

Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet — Harmonix has not officially confirmed the full setlist forRock Band 3, okay? Yes, a video leaked online that reportedly showed off a list of unannounced tracks on the game’s song selection screen. And yeah, we were basically embargoed to hell and back on personally commenting on it (we decided not to run it), but that’s not confirmation that we can confirm that the list is real, either....