Welcome to The Black List, your one stop shop for the stories published on the site this week.

MONDAY JUST ANNOUNCED The Haunted: Hells Reach > The winner of Epic Games’ Make Something Unreal Contest is to receive a commercial release. Created by an international team headed by Michael Hegemann, The Haunted: Hells Reach will be published by THQ budget division ValuSoft (which apparently reduced overheads by dropping the ‘e’ from its name). READ MORE

TUESDAY NEW TRAILER Dead Island > Interest in Techland’s Dead Island was initially generated from its first cinematic trailer. The pre-rendered offering was unusual in that it tapped into the viewers’ emotions to remind them of the true underlying horror of a zombie outbreak. While this recent trailer is comprised of footage captured in-game, it continues with its efforts to navigate the same emotional undertone. READ MORE

WEDNESDAY NEWS nanoBITES 56 > The first wave of DLC has been announced for multiplatform cyberpunk sequel Deus Ex: Human Revolution. According to publisher Square Enix, The Missing Link will see protagonist Adam Jensen uncover “another layer to the conspiracy”. Look for it in October. This is just one of the stories in this week’s edition of nanoBITES, our ongoing feature devoted to small but important news items. READ MORE

THURSDAY NEWS A second circle pad for your 3DS > The addition of a circle pad certainly makes the 3DS feel like a step up from its immediate predecessor. However, for an entire generation of gamers, only dual thumb controllers are seen to provide the full range of movement required. Cognisant of this, Nintendo has found a way to bring just such a feature to its nascent handheld. READ MORE

FRIDAY FEATURE Developer Playlist: John Halloran > In the first of a series on developers and the games that inspire them, PopCap’s John Halloran tells The Black Panel about the influence of classic titles Super Mario Kart, Tetris and Civilization on his career. READ MORE

Recent instalments of The Black List: 03.09.11 l 27.08.11 l 20.08.11 l 13.08.11 l 06.08.11

Welcome to The Black List, your one stop shop for the stories published on the site this week.

MONDAY PODCAST Episode 37 > In this instalment of the Black Panel Podcast, the team talk Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Borderlands 2, Xenoblade Chronicles, Sine Mora, Child of Eden, House of the Dead banned, THQ studio closures and much more! READ MORE

TUESDAY REVIEW Age of Empires Online > An amalgam of the RTS and MMO genres, Age of Empires Online attempts to satisfy fans of both. This twin focus has unfortunately meant that the game has fallen short in both categories, leaving players with a solid experience at best and a snore inducing drudge at worst. It’s also one of the more expensive “free-to-play” games players are ever likely to encounter. Only truly dedicated Age of the Empires fans need apply. READ MORE

WEDNESDAY NEW TRAILER Scrolls > Mojang has issued a teaser trailer for Scrolls. The project has been shrouded in mystery, but after watching this 49 second clip, you’ll almost certainly agree that it is, indeed, still shrouded in mystery. From the modicum of information released about the game to date, it looks to have a few things in common with the likes of Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. READ MORE

THURSDAY NEWS nanoBITES 55 > Sonic fans rejoice! One of the most celebrated events in hedgehog history is about to be revisited. Originally released for SEGA’s ill-fated Mega CD system, Sonic CD will be making its way to XBLA, PSN and PC, as well as iOS and Android devices, in late 2011. This is just one of the stories in this week’s edition of nanoBITES, our ongoing feature devoted to small but important news items. READ MORE

FRIDAY NEWS Team Bondi Closes > The Australian studio responsible for one of 2011’s most ambitious releases has closed its doors. As reported by Smart Company, L.A. Noire developer Team Bondi has entered into voluntary administration. The studio’s Rockstar published open world detective drama, which utilised elaborate motion-capture technology, spent an agonising seven years in development. Though it eventually became a bestseller, it is now clear that Team Bondi had dug itself into a hole from which there could be no escape.  READ MORE

Recent instalments of The Black List: 27.08.11 l 20.08.11 l 13.08.11 l 06.08.11 l 30.07.11

Welcome to The Black List, your one stop shop for the stories published on the site this week.

MONDAY 1 NEW TRAILER Journey > Well folks, do you like sand? You do? Excellent, because do I have the trailer for you. Sand as far as the eye can see! There is white sand, orange sand and even red sand. You can fly over the sand, walk in the sand and even make the sand rise into the air. But that’s not all! Your avatar in this game is a strange genderless being. I mean, does it get any more artsy then that? READ MORE

MONDAY 2 REVIEW Child of Eden > If pop culture is any guide, the 80s and 90s were the golden years of computer hacking. This was an era in which penetrating the network of a nefarious corporation required you to fly through a realm of kaleidoscopic colour and clash with fearsome avatars in order to escape with the requisite data. Prepare to relive those halcyon days with Child of Eden, a game that understands that hacking has nothing to do with learning a programming language or poring over reams of code and everything to do with blasting barnacles from the hide of a neon whale as it glides majestically through cyberspace. READ MORE

TUESDAY NEW TRAILER Rock of Ages > When ACE Team came up with the idea of Rock of Ages, I imagine they were playing a lot of Super Monkey Ball and watching Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail because that’s the exact vibe I get when watching this mad cap trailer. Poking fun at video games through the ages and busting out a great one liner (Rock beats everything!) this is one of the funnier previews I have seen in a while. READ MORE

WEDNESDAY NEW TRAILER Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning > Are you a fan of open world RPGs? If so, the latest Kingdoms of Amalur trailer has arrived to tickle your fancy. The trailer is full of reborn heroes, destiny, and just a sprinkling of the inevitable saving of the world. It also offers a glimpse at the some of the game’s narrative details, while also showcasing its enemy-filled environments. READ MORE

THURSDAY NEWS nanoBITES 54 > The first post Halo title to emerge from Bungie won’t be its mysterious multiplatform project for Activision. Instead, it will be releasing iPad strategy game Crimson: Steam Pirates under its recently established Bungie Aerospace label. Look for it on Thursday 1 September. This is just one of the stories in this week’s edition of nanoBITES, our ongoing feature devoted to small but important news items. READ MORE

FRIDAY JUST ANNOUNCED Black Knight Sword > There’s no stopping Grasshopper Manufacture. Suda51’s studio, which already has three projects on the go (Lollipop Chainsaw, Codename D and Sine Mora), has announced that it has commenced work on a fourth. Like Sine Mora, Black Knight Sword is a downloadable collaboration with Hungarian developer Digital Reality. READ MORE

Recent instalments of The Black List: 20.08.11 l 13.08.11 l 06.08.11 l 30.07.11 l 23.07.11

Welcome to The Black List, your one stop shop for the stories published on the site this week.

MONDAY 1 REVIEW Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet > Metroid style games have returned with a vengeance in recent years. From Shadow Complex to Outland, it seems almost every month we are getting a new entry in the once almost extinct genre. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (ITSP from now on, as writing that mouthful in every second sentence would turn me into an Insanely Twisted Games Reviewer) was both my burden and pleasure and while it was nowhere near as good as the two games I previously mentioned, there was enough in the game to keep me going right ‘til the end. READ MORE

MONDAY 2 NEW TRAILER Dead Island > Thir There have been enough of the brain-hungry zombie games over the past few years to easily stand as a genre unto itself. However Techland’s Dead Island looks to be offering an interesting, if not new approach, to zombie murder. READ MORE

MONDAY 3 JUST ANNOUNCED Counter-Strike: Global Offensive > Valve’s online multiplayer favourite Counter-Strike is being updated for a new generation. According to the brief announcement, first person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will offer new maps, modes, characters and weapons. The new package will also include a range of updated content from the storied past of the series, including legendary desert map de_dust. READ MORE

TUESDAY 1 REVIEW Hunted: The Demon’s Forge > This is the latest is a string of rushed or seemingly unfinished games published by Bethesda. A co-op combat cover-based fantasy game should be a lot of fun, particularly as there is a generic feel to most of today’s fantasy action RPGs. There’s nothing wrong with what Hunted is trying to achieve, but it just isn’t fun to play, so really, what is the point of this title? READ MORE

TUESDAY 2 NEW TRAILER DOTA 2 > They’re certainly keeping themselves occupied at Valve Software. Just days after confirming that a new Counter-Strike is in the works, the increasingly prolific developer has issued the first trailer for DOTA 2. While it isn’t terribly informative in terms of gameplay, the clip does hint at the level of quality players can expect from the cinematics. READ MORE

WEDNESDAY NEW TRAILER Inversion > Publisher Namco Bandai has released another trailer for the latest project from developer Saber Interactive. Known as Inversion, the game is a third person shooter catering to those with a penchant for demolishing their surroundings. The video appears to consist purely of in game footage as the two protagonists we were introduced to in previous offerings take to destroying their enemies, their environments, and everything in between. READ MORE

THURSDAY NEWS nanoBITES 53 > Escape Plan is a monochrome PSVita adventure starring a pair of ink filled freaks. According to developer Fun Bits Interactive, you’ll need to “swipe, squeeze, poke and slap” your heroes in order succeed. It all sounds rather distressing, doesn’t it? This is just one of the stories in this week’s edition of nanoBITES, our ongoing feature devoted to small but important news items. READ MORE

FRIDAY NEW TRAILER Anarchy Reigns > A new multiplayer trailer for Anarchy Reigns, the forthcoming brawler from SEGA and Platinum Studios, has arrived with a bang (several actually). Though there is plenty of over the top action, there is also a decided lack of variety. READ MORE

Recent instalments of The Black List: 13.08.11 l 06.08.11 l 30.07.11 l 23.07.11 l 16.07.11