NanoBITES captures those small but important morsels of gaming information that otherwise might slip between the cracks.

ITEM! Six years after Jade Empire arrived on the original Xbox, BioWare’s Ray Muzyka has thrown a bone to those of us holding out for a sequel. Muzyka told Eurogamer that the company is “just looking for the right way to deploy it.”

ITEM! Epic Games is preparing to release the Horde Command Pack, the first wave of DLC for its 360 exclusive sci-fi sequel Gears of War 3. Launching in the first week of November, the pack will bring new maps, skins and fortifications to the Horde and Beast modes.

ITEM! A sequel to popular fantasy action game Infinity Blade is in the works. Development will again be handled by Epic Games subsidiary Chair Entertainment and just like its predecessor, Infinity Blade 2 will be an iOS exclusive. Look for it in December.

ITEM! Petroglyph Games has conceded that End of Nations won’t be available this year. As reported by Eurogamer, the ambitious RTS will ship in 2012. The most recent release from the studio was the free-to-play strategy title Rise of Immortals.

ITEM! The Kinect game announced as Codename D will henceforth be known as Diabolical Pitch, according to a report on CVG. Developer Grasshopper Manufacture has revealed that the game will challenge players to pitch and hit baseballs at their foes. This is not a joke.

Recent instalments of nanoBITES: 29.09.11 l 21.09.11 l 14.09.11 l 07.09.11 l 01.09.11

Internet memes and phrases tend to come and go, usually overused to the point of meaninglessness while they’re still around, yet if there was ever a fitting use for “what the? I don’t even…” NeverDead’s new trailer would certainly be it.

A collaboration between Konami and Rebellion, developers of the none-too-well-received Rogue Warrior, NeverDead looks set to combine third person shooting, demon killing and a distinctly Japanese style.

It’s a style shown off in the game’s latest trailer, where we’re introduced to a number of the cast. From demon hunter “Bryce Boltzmann” through to the macho, pink tights wearing Duke of Demons (do those words even make sense together? This is getting out of hand…)

There are also a few moments of combat thrown in, between the slow-mo close-ups, though these glimpses in the trailer alone looked mighty repetitive. It’s still too early to tell whether the game’s Japanese quirk will be crazily endearing or just crazy, though I guess we’re all hoping for the former.

Neverdead is still without a release date, though you can look out for it on both Xbox 360 and PS3.

In this episode: Syndicate, Rise of Nightmares, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Rock of Ages, Team Bondi closes, Techland apologises, Apple Gags its critics and much more!

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The Panellists: Erin Marcon (@ErinMarcon), Karen Jacobson (@KarenMJacobson), Peter Nickless and Joel Guttenberg

Twitter: @BlackPanelDaily l Facebook: Black Panel Readers’ League

Related links: Here we go again; Team Bondi hits the skids; Visceral Games Melbourne is no more; Techland says sorry; A second circle pad for your 3DS; Apple pulls plug on critics; THQ picks up Unreal winner; Card sharks; Rock of Ages Review; Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review; Rise of Nightmares Review; Age of Empires Online Review; Driver: San Francisco Review

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Presented in glorious alphabetical order, New Media: Retail Roundup is your indispensible checklist of the home console and handheld titles arriving in stores this week. What will you be playing?

MICROSOFT Xbox 360 Dark Souls * NBA 2K12 * PowerUp Heroes * Rage * X-Men: Destiny

NINTENDO Wii Nothing 3DS Nothing DS Nothing

SONY PS3 Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland * Dark Souls * NBA 2K12 * Rage * X-Men: Destiny PSP Nothing

VARIOUS PC Rage

New Media: Downloadable Digest is your handy reminder of the new downloadable titles released during the past week.

MICROSOFT XBLA Mercury Hg * Worms: Ultimate Mayhem

NINTENDO WiiWare escapeVektor: Chapter 1 eShop Nothing DSiWare The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords – Anniversary Edition

SONY PSN Elemental Monster * Free Realms * Max and the Magic Marker * Mercury Hg * Resident Evil: Code Veronica HD * Rochard Minis Galcon Labs * the Treasures of Montezuma

VALVE Steam A Game of Thrones: Genesis * The Binding of Isaac * Driver: San Francisco * Dungeons: The Dark Lord * Fate of the World: Tipping Point * GundeadiGne * Gundemonium Recollection * Hitogata Happa * Nuclear Dawn * Off-Road Drive * Rise of Immortals * Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Game of the Year Edition * Total War: Shogun 2 – Rise of the Samurai * Worms: Ultimate Mayhem

Recent instalments of New Media: 25.09.11 l 18.09.11 l 11.09.11 l 04.09.11 l 28.08.11