Assassin’s Creed exclusive tracks from Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed is just a few days away from hitting store shelves, much to the delight of many a gamer. Ubisoft was kind enough to whet gamers’ appetites with a preview of a few songs from Jesper Kyd’s magnificent score. The songs are called City of Jerusalem and Jerusalem Horse Ride and can be streamed or saved for your aural pleasure. The songs really made me reflect on how far game music has come — these are lush, expansive compositions that match the atmospheric excellence of full feature film scores.

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Mass Effect Love Scene Finally Revealed

A couple of months ago, we had an article that discussed the merits of having a love scene or partial nudity in a game like Mass Effect. Well, GameVideos.com has released a video of the love scene in Mass Effect and I have to say that I found it to be in good taste and highly stylized. It is not graphic and it seems to be in the context of the story (more interpretation by me, but it just seems that way).

I for one have always championed the idea of adult themes in games, similar to the way that a movie has adult themes. Some nudity or even a sexual encounter is the norm for an R rated movie in Hollywood and can be of purpose when done with some style and in context. I guess the problem seems to be more with the fact that when someone puts some nudity in a game, it is over the top, a la Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, and less like a Fahrenheit or now, Mass Effect.

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New Entertainment Xbox – Microsoft unites with Toshiba

Microsoft, according to insiders at Toshiba owner of the HD DVD patents, claim that Microsoft is working on a brand new Xbox that will incorporate not only a new HD DVD drive but a large hard drive and new entertainment software that is a spin off from its struggling media centre offering.

The device is being developed in response to the PS3 driving sales of games software and Blu-ray content in several countries. A recent Sony Brand Wave study conducted in five countries including the UK, Australia, France Germany and Spain revealed that a key reason that consumers are buying a PS3 is because it includes a Blu-ray player.

Recent GFK research reveals that the recently launched Xbox 360 HD DVD attach player is not selling well. Another factor that impacted early sales of the Xbox 360 was that Microsoft failed to include a HDMI port – omitted because Microsoft wanted to cut down the costs of the console in an effort to compete up against the PS3.

The new Xbox device, while allowing for extensive gaming capability, will be positioned as an entertainment hub that includes gaming and extensive wireless networking capability as well as 1080p playback. There is also talk of it including a dual HD TV tuner and EPG capability and a docking port for an MP3 player. For Toshiba, the device is critical if it is to be successful in beating Sony and the Blu-ray promoters.

Also being discussed is the development of an open standard docking port similar to the 17 pin iPod port. This would allow all manufacturers to use the same port for docking. 

Zune 2 beats Wii!

Forget the Red Sox, Zune has just won CNet’s most wanted gadget poll. The new Zune has rocketed to the top of the pack weeks before the November 13th launch. Word is getting our about the larger glass LCD screen and thinner, smaller size of the Zune 80. Microsoft has invested heavily in R&D to make sure Zune defeats the competition in every aspect. A 27% reduction in size leaves the Zune lighter than the 80gb iPod and it’s still scratch resistant. Existing Zune owners are prepared to receive, free of charge, new Zune 2 firmware features including wireless Wifi sync and 1 click podcast subscription.

A Birthday on Halloween!

Ah.. The day of the dead is upon us and i m celebrating my 20th birthday !!

How cool is that!

I just cant wait!!! 😀

This is just a remider…

Anywayz    “Advanced Happy Halloween” *evil laugh* 😉

Xbox 360 IPTV still coming

The Xbox 360 fall update is just around the corner, and speculation is rife about what features it will introduce. Among the more talked-about-but-still-unconfirmed features is a tool which would allow parents to limit the amount of time their children can play. Another rumor claimed the fall update would finally give the 360s the IPTV functionality Microsoft promised it would have back in January at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Today, Microsoft confirmed one feature would not be included in the fall update. Following the discovery of some IPTV functionalities in a recently serviced 360 by self-explanatory site Xbox 360 Fanboy, Microsoft said the functionality would be excluded from its console’s looming firmware update.

“This was an isolated incident where these features were inadvertently exposed while the customer’s console was being serviced and is unrelated to the fall update,” the company said in a statement e-mailed to GameSpot.

Microsoft did not comment on the specific functionalities unveiled in the leak, which included on-screen chat while viewing live TV, recorded television, and on-demand movies. However, Microsoft did confirm that the 360’s IPTV functionality will be a version of its Microsoft Mediaroom software, which was unveiled in June.

Unfortunately, Microsoft’s statement also raised the possibility that IPTV won’t make it into 360 owners’ living rooms this year. At CES, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said his company was planning a holiday 2007 launch for 360 IPTV. Now, Microsoft says the functionality will be in the hands of IPTV service providers by year’s end–and not necessarily those of consumers.

“Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) features will only be available from the Xbox 360 through a service provider who has deployed Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV) services,” read the Microsoft statement. “Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV), will be available to service providers by the end of the year. Microsoft’s IPTV service providers will ultimately determine the timing of Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom deployments.”