Square Enix Europe and IO Interactive have formally announced a sequel to one of 2007’s most notorious releases. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days will reunite the criminal odd couple in another ultra-violent third-person shooter, this time set in the Shanghai underworld.

Citing documentaries and user generated media as key influences, IO Interactive is promising to break new ground in terms of visual presentation. Viral advertisements for the game have depicted action from the perspective of security cameras. To what extent this manner of artistry can be satisfactorily incorporated into gameplay remains to be seen. Personally, I’m hoping the entire game is presented as barely discernable CCTV footage.

The original title in the series, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, became embroiled in controversy following a 2007 staff shake up at GameSpot. Some commentators were convinced that the dismissal of popular Editor in Chief Jeff Gerstmann was directly related to his negative review of Kane & Lynch, which had been heavily advertised on the site.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is scheduled for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2010.

One of worst kept secrets of World War II has finally been declassified. In a bid to stave off defeat, an increasingly desperate Adolf Hitler authorised his scientists to unleash a hoard of dinosaurs upon allied troops. Though rumours were rife during and after the war, this is the first formal acknowledgement of what our boys had to face behind enemy lines.

As reported by Kotaku, the desperate interspecies conflict has been chronicled by Digital Ranch Interactive in its Half-Life 2 mod Dino D-Day. Available now, the mod is doubling as a prototype for a planned commercial release in 2010.

If the idea of facing down reptilian fascists doesn’t scare you away, you’ll be stepping into the shoes of Sgt. Jack Hardgrave, a crack shot and expert palaeontologist. This is a man who, if the trailer is any guide, doesn’t mind a spot of bare knuckled boxing… with a T-Rex.

More news on this one as it develops.

“Excuse me? Do you mind taking a survey?”

"In another Castle? Yeah right. I've been stood up for the last time."

Atlus has announced that it will bring the PS3 exclusive 3D Dot Game Heroes to the United States on Tuesday 11 May 2010. An Australian release is yet to be confirmed, however the existence of an English language version can only improve our chances. The retro themed fantasy action game was created by FromSoftware, the Japanese developer responsible for recent cult hit Demon’s Souls.

Atlus has promised a return to 8-bit sensibilities, ditching tutorials in favour of a simple and intuitive control scheme. You’ll delve into perilous dungeons, solve diabolical puzzles and battle gruesome monsters, all in a desperate quest to save the Kingdom of Dotnia (yes, Dotnia). The voxel art style will allow you to customise the appearance of your character and upgrade your equipment.

3D Dot Game Heroes immediately drew comparisons to The Legend of Zelda and its sequel A Link to the Past. Far from ducking the comparisons, the publisher is celebrating them, issuing a press release cheekily entitled ‘Atlus Links to Legends Past’. In assessing the game, I’ll apply the age-old ‘homage rule’. If I enjoy it, it’s a loving tribute. If I don’t, it’s a shameless rip off.

The Australian launch date for Final Fantasy XIII has been revealed as Tuesday 9 March 2010,  just four months subsequent to its Japanese release. While Japan received only the PlayStation 3 version of the game, Australians will also receive an Xbox 360 edition. I should have it finished and ready for review by Christmas 2012… as long as I don’t get stuck.