The new action RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, is almost upon us (it's set to arrive in early February) for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. In the meantime, perhaps you might want to check out the latest video, which explains more about the world you're soon going to be able to explore:

Aliens: Colonial Marines, the new shooter based on the ever popular horror sci-fi franchise, was originally slated to hit stores this spring. However, the folks at Gearbox Software and SEGA have officially confirmed that the game has been pushed back for a fall release, saying that the title is "a process of creativity and invention and those don't necessarily follow the structure of an assembly line."

While setting clear goals, deadlines and predictions is helpful, they are often subjective. We don't want to sacrifice the creative process just for the sake of following a blue print. We prefer to have the creative discovery shape that blue print because our goal is to make a great game, and we are prioritizing this goal over the previously targeted date.

Blue via GI.

Okay, I'm always prepared to accept delays in favor of a more polished game. I mean, who isn't?

Frantic combat, numbers everywhere, weird-looking characters... yep, it's time for a brand new Final Fantasy XIII-2 trailer:

The game is going to arrive to stores for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on January 31 (Hey, that's next Tuesday! Wow, something to play at fucking last!).

Finally. Ubisoft confirmed that they are bringing the lovely, cartoon-style platformer, Rayman Origins, to the PC (it's also one of those games I played in 2011, but just couldn't find the time to review - I'll make up for that, you have my word). Anyhow, the game is scheduled to arrive on March 29 and you may pre-order it via the Ubisoft Online Store.

Check out the specs for the game:

Minimum configuration
OS: Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP2 / Windows 7 SP1
Processor: Intel Pentium IV 3.00 Ghz or AMD Athlon64 3000+ @ 1.8 Ghz
Memory: 1 GB Windows XP / 1.5 GB Windows Vista - Windows 7
Graphics: 128 MB DirectX9 / Radeon X600XT or GeForce 6800GT
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c or higher
Sound: DirectX 9.0-compliant sound card

Recommended configuration
OS: Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP2 / Windows 7 SP1
Processor: Intel Core2Duo E4400 @ 2.00 Ghz or AMD Athlon64X2 3800+ @ 2.00Ghz
Memory: 2 GB Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7
Graphics: 256 MB DirectX9 / Radeon HD 2600XT or GeForce 8600GT
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c or higher
Sound: DirectX 9.0-compliant sound card

The really good news is that this is one Ubisoft game that won't include the publisher's dreaded DRM system. "No DRM at all," they said.

Source.

GOG.com have revealed that The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is going to be available for the PC on April 17. Gamers who purchase the current retail version in the meantime, will get the Enhanced Edition upgrade for free. Here are the juicy details:

New major adventures set in new locations. These consist of an underground system of chambers beneath Loc Muine and a temperate coniferous forest in the Loc Muine mountains, and a secret cave passage. These new adventures will add several hours of story-based gameplay to the game.

New major characters to the Witcher story. One of them is Brigida Papebrock Dame. This noble woman comes from the Temerian family Papebrock and is a 30 year old lady-in-waiting of the Temerian court. The other characters are secret--for now!

All new animations and cut scenes, including a new, three and a half minute pre-rendered cinematic depicting the assassination of King Demavend of Aedirn. BAFTA Award winner and Academy Award nominee Tomasz Baginski brings this key historical event to life, setting the stage for the story told in The Witcher 2.

Read our review of The Witcher 2 (I'm sure you'll like it).

Morning, folks! Took this nice photo with my phone. Thought you might like to know what the view's like from AT HQ. It's not bad, as urban settings go... wouldn't you say?

In a story that has absolutely nothing to do with that photo, there's this bakery shop not far from where I work. The relatively ugly girl working behind the counter always has this depressed look on her face. Well, maybe not depressed, but more like fed up with the lousy job she's been given. Or maybe she has some other shit going on in her life... I dunno. Anyway, this is part of the reason why I get pissed off every time I leave the bakery. This morning, however, a miraculous thing happened. She actually smiled at me when she handed me this vanilla pie pastry, which I prefer to eat every once in a while. It's just a little smile, but it was sincere.

Hold your freakin' hormones! It wasn't that kind of smile. She didn't lick her lips and roll her tongue. It was a simple, gentle smile. Nothing more. I went out of that fucking bakery, feeling great.

Something good may have finally happened in her life (maybe she got laid, maybe she finally figured out how to poison her boss without the police ever finding out... who the fuck knows). All I know is, I felt okay when I left that place this morning.

Little smiles are important.

Yeah, the whole pitch for Kinect Star Wars is that players will be able to experience Star Wars like never before. Well, that's true in a way. This is the first time you'll be able to "unleash your inner Jedi."

Hm, I haven't talk to my 'inner Jedi' in centuries. Of course, he lives beyond the dune sea these days. He's kind of a strange old hermit.

The new console from Nintendo, Wii U, is scheduled to hit the market in in Japan, Europe and the United States before the end of 2012, confirms Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Another hint about the Wii U launch date was made recently by US boss Reggie Fils-Aime who said "Wii U will launch some time between E3 - which is in June - at the end of the year so essentially the second half of the year."

In related news, the Wii U console is going to have hardware that's twice as powerful as the current Xbox 360 system, according to an unnamed source from the industry giant.

Yesterday, however, we did learn that Microsoft may be able to tackle this. There were reports that the next-gen Xbox console is going to be powered by a 2011 Radeon 6000 series graphics card, "sources close to the project" have said.

Here's another fresh dose of media from Rebellion's game, NeverDead, that gives us a glimpse at some of the action. Check it out:

click to view full gallery

click to view full gallery

Good morning, people. First off, let me just say a few words about our belated Bastion review. There are a few reasons why I decided to post it. One of the reasons is that everyone seems to be talking about it, even though it got released last summer. Another reason is welcoming our new freelance reviewer, who's probably gonna be recognized by most of you who visit AT regularly.

Anyway, on an unrelated note, I tried the PC demo for The Darkness II last night and have only just gathered my thoughts on it. For an action game, The Darkness II seems to encompasses a lot of the cool things that help keep the gameplay dynamic and fresh. There are tons of ways to take down enemies and the main character (Jackie Estacado) can also use a wide range of objects in the environment as weapons. As an alternative, he can also rip out stuff like car doors to use as a shield against enemy bullets. Combining the snake-like dark powers with dual-wielding firearms allows Jackie to fend off foes in numerous ways. The darkish ambiance and cell-shaded-flavored graphics makes for a superb setting for this type of game.

There is, however, one major beef that could potentially ruin the experience for me when the final version arrives. The demo seems to center around action and constant carnage, which has been executed brilliantly. Still, there's one important aspect missing here. The first game gave you a chance to explore the city to some extent, throwing a bit of freedom and exploration into the mix. This added to the immersion and it kind of made The Darkness stand out in a gaming scene crowded with generic action games. The Darkness II doesn't convey one bit of that feeling, which, in my book, is a bad sign that the gameplay was watered down and made more action-oriented.