One of the survival horror games coming out this year that intrigues me is Dead Space: Extraction. This Wii-only title is a tie-in to Electronic Arts' hit release from late last year. Basically, it's a survival horror game set on a spaceship overrun by hideous alien monsters.

The Wii version is a stand-alone game, and it differs from its big brothers in that it's an on-rails shooter. I've said before that I'm a little disappointed by the on-rails part, but after watching this new four minute video, I'm more interested in this game than I was before.

This latest video, hosted by guys from developer Visceral Studios, highlights how the Wii controls will work in the game. It appears as though a lot of thought has been given to ensuring that players won't be just swinging their Wii-mote around like a spastic kid after a sugar bender. This is good news.

My only real concern with the controls is the idea of having to turn the Wii-mote at a 90 degree angle to use the secondary fire mode of each weapons. Seems to me that using a weapon with your wrist turned like that for an extended length of time would probably be annoying (and uncomfortable), but other than that, this title seems to be shaping up nicely.

I downloaded the demo for ARMA II earlier this week, and I've spent some time dabbling with it. I never played the first one, but the concept of a realistic, broad-scoped military simulator/shooter sounded pretty neat. And, judging from the demo, it is indeed pretty neat. All it requires is a little patience. Actually, it requires mountains of patience. Despite my best efforts to really soak up the experience, the game just keeps getting in the way, and I admit, I just don't have the ambition required to get really immersed in this type of game.

Started Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood on PlayStation 3 tonight. I was having a little trouble keeping my eyes open so I didn't play past the first two chapters. However, it definitely seems better than the first Call of Juarez so far. It's still not a graphic powerhouse, but the visuals have improved and I'm always a sucker for a Western (or Western-ish) setting.

Deliverance, Part 2

HIGH Vast and rich, it feels like a perfect extension of the main game.

LOW The ending loot is a disappointment.

WTF Why are these 'shine-swilling hillbillies so bullet-resistant?

How'd they get it to fit?

HIGH A very faithful Shin Megami Tensei experience in a teeny package.

LOW Lacking the typically-excellent and usually-plentiful Atlus voice work.

WTF The AI gets another turn... why, again?

A star is born

HIGH Finding new nooks and crannies to explore.

LOW Bubble-hopping in Sogwood Forest. Man, that's hard.

WTF Rainbows are for swimming in, apparen

Anyone else remember this Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island commercial?

This is what happens when Nintendo gets outside of its wheelhouse and tries to outdo its edgier competitors—it signs off on a commercial featuring a gross, exploding man. Did it sell the game? Hard to tell. All that happened for sure was that more than a few people were appalled by what they saw and demanded it be taken off the air.

It's funny because even by today's standards and the expanded waistlines of today's Americans, this would still be an offensive ad.

Enjoy!

It seems the writers for The Colbert Report, or perhaps even Stephen Colbert himself, were watching the Microsoft press conference at E3. And after watching the no doubt inspiring video for Project Natal, they came up with their own successor to the popular console.

Feel free to watch the entire thing, but the Xbox 360 talk doesn't start until the 1:40 mark.