Phoenix Wright is already loaded on my iPad and it’s feeling great! Go take advantage of the sale while you can!

Map Pack #2 for Lost Planet 2 includes two maps and will be hitting the PlayStation Store on June 1 and Xbox LIVE on June 2. That’s a lot of two’s!

The Dockyard Battle map houses a 16-player multiplayer match into the factory of the overland battleship of the campaign’s Episode 4. Frozen Wasteland takes players back the snow of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition.

You thought you knew, but you had no idea.  This cool tutorial shows you how things *really* work in the world of 2-D fighting games.

It has been rumored for a while, and demanded for almost ten years.  Today, Capcom officially announced that there will be a new game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series: Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.   More details, video and some character artwork after the jump!

It’s been almost a decade since the last installment in the series, and soon you’ll get another chance to mix and match your favorite Marvel and Capcom characters in what Capcom is calling  “a re-envisioned team fighting game for a new generation”.    In addition to an updated character roster and a stunning new “living comic book” art style, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will be the first VS. Fighting game powered by Capcom’s MT Framework – the same framework behind Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2.

The gameplay will feature the same  craziness you have come to expect from the series; 3 vs. 3 tag team fighting using signature aerial combos, hyper combos, assist attacks and other original systems.

“We are so pleased to be working with Marvel again. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been one of the most requested titles for us to produce by our fans,” said Christian Svensson, Corporate Officer and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Capcom.  “Our Capcom development studio is creating the most epic fighting game ever developed and Marvel’s input into that process has been invaluable.”

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is scheduled for release in Spring of 2011 on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  Until then – check out the video and character artwork!

Click the thumbnails for the full-sized versions!

[Source: Capcom Press Release]

Zombies are great, but zombies in 3D? Even better we hear. To help convince us of that Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment have sent us some brand spanking new pictures from the set of Resident Evil: Afterlife. Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, Resident Evil: Afterlife is set to debut September 10, 2010.

Release Date: 2/16/10
Genre: Point and Click Adventure
Rating: T

Eureka! We are back with another installment in the popular Ace Attorney franchise. Its been two years since we were last in the courts with Apollo Justice and it seems that we will have to wait a bit longer because in Ace Attorney Investigations, the player takes the role of Miles Edgeworth as he uses logic to deduct what really happens at each crime scene. The game takes a fresh and new approach on the Ace Attorney series introducing the first major changes that the series has seen since its creation. I appreciate that they are taking creative liberties, however, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

The Ace Attorney series is really all about the story. In fact, I would say that it is the only reason most people play the game. While the gameplay adds to the depth of it in that the player actually figures out the logic puzzles to further the story themselves, it still is all about the story. An element that is not found in many games these days.

The story in Ace Attorney Investigations (AAI), is interesting. Each case have its own story that all eventually leads up to the final case having a compilation of all three story lines. I must say I loved this the first two times they did it, but it just was not what I was looking for with AAI.  Since AAI is a sidestory of what Edgeworth is going through after the events of Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, I was really expecting some connection between Edgeworth and maybe some characters seen in Apollo Justice, however that is not the case. It really is just Edgeworth going through a series of four murder incidents he runs into over 3 days, and a fourth explaining the origin of some characters in the game. AAI has its own separate story.

To be honest, I am quite disappointed that it did nothing to expand Edgeworth’s connection to the rest of the Ace Attorney world. Overall though, the story was still good and the cases proved interesting with many twists. One of my only complaints is that everything moves faster than usual. Most Ace Attorney games the cases take two-three days but here there can up to two cases in one day. Also, the characters, while they do stay true to their roots, aren’t as much fun as Apollo Justice and Phoenix. AAI is not as quirky and funny as the other games. There are some classic character favorites like Oldbad and Larry that return, but overall the humor level just is’t there. I feel that most of my problems with the story are unavoidable due to the type of game the developers set out to make. I must say though, I would have preferred Edgeworth in court.

Gameplay changes up a bit in this Ace Attorney sidegame. Basically, the investigation mode of the previous Ace Attorney games is fully fleshed out into a game of its own. The player plays as Edgeworth dragging him around the screen to investigate different parts of the map while talking to people and gathering evidence for the case, like a standard investigation mode.

However, the investigation mode brings a few differences. First off, Edgeworth will always have a partner he can talk to about the case, it is kind of a help screen but you never really use it since it is never really fleshed out to mean anything. Secondly, Edgeworth has “logic” where two pieces of information must be connected together to create a conclusion. The problem? Usually there are only two to three choices and it always goes down to connecting two pieces together to finish the logic mode. It seems like a gimmick thrown in there as a new idea that is never really fleshed out. Another aspect is “deduction.” Some places of the crime scene will need deduction for what is wrong with the scene and evidence proving so.

Finally, cross examinations are held after each investigation to basically prove to that person why they’re thinking is wrong and everyone it eventually leads to the truth. While investigations can go on for multiple parts, it is very linear. Being that, it is usually on area at a time where the player investigates (unlike other Ace Attorney games there are not multiple locations to go), and also that the game literally until the final case (and even then some) is basically telling you the logic that the player is supposed to figure out themselves. It is very simplistic.

Graphics are standard for the Ace Attorney games. The new investigation mode 2.5d characters are alright sprites but nothing remarkable. It’s standard.

What usually stands out for me in Ace Attorney games is the music. Music for me has always been outstanding in AA games (besides Apollo Justice where it was alright), unfortunetly, AAI does not do much with music, even less than Apollo Justice which I thought wasn’t the best. AAI basically just recycles most themes with one or two more that really does not add to the game that much. I am also disappointed with the music. It just is not to the caliber of other games.

Obviously replay value is nonexistent unless one would like to play the game over again.

Overall, Ace Attorney Investigations really did disappoint me. It just isn’t the same caliber of most other Ace Attorney games and is obviously a side project. It holds the players hand too much and the story is nothing to brag about. Ample attempts were made to make a fresh gameplay style that overall is not deep enough to keep the player thinking. The graphics are the same and the music is probably the worst in the series. The series should return to court where it belongs.

VGTribune gives Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth an 8/10.

Capcom has annouced at X10 that Dead Rising 2 will be released in Europe on September 3 and in North America on August 31 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Capcom also revealed that the Xbox 360 will be getting an exclusive teaser of Dead Rising 2 with the release of Dead Rising 2: Case Zero which acts a s a prologues that bridges the storyline both games. This content will be available as a download only for Xbox 360 shortly before the release of the full game.

Attention DSi and Wii owners, the Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth demo is out now. So get on the Nintendo DSiWare store or the Nintendo Channel on your Wii and download it!

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is the latest installment in the popular Ace Attorney series. In this game, players take the role of Miles Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright’s friend/main opposition. While the game does not feature any court scenes like the previous games, it involves exploration and logic puzzles to figure out cases. The game was received high review scores in Japan and is coming out in North America on February 16th.

Look forward to a review later this month!

Monster Hunter Tri will be hitting Europe this April with and an announcement today confirmed that the European release of the game will be bundled with Wii Speak, being just one of two bundles. The second bundle includes the black Classic Controller Pro. For those not bundle crazy, like Nintendo and Capcom has been as of late, Monster Hunter Tri will be available as a standalone game disc as well.

North Americans interested in using Wii Speak with Monster Hunter Tri can do so as well, but they’ll have to purchase a Wii Speak peripheral separately.

Years ago Capcom asked Megaman fans for their boss ideas and submit them to Nintendo Power in hopes to make them an in-game reality. More than 15 years later it seems that Capcom has finally taken some of their fan’s suggestions and used them in the upcoming Megaman 10. You can find one more example here if you’re not convinced of Capcom’s inspiration.

[Thanks, Sean!]