IGN: PGR 4: Through Rain, Sleet, or Snow

"June 14, 2007 - Bizarre Creations has always been under pressure with the previous three Project Gotham Racing titles. PGR 1 was an Xbox launch title, PGR 2 helped launch Xbox Live, and PGR 3 was a 360 launch title. For the first time, Bizarre has been given a little breathing room and the freedom to create the next PGR without being attached to a major console or feature launch. Free of launch concerns, Bizarre is tricking out PGR 4 with a dynamic weather system.

Racers will now experience ten different weather variations, which can change during the race. And, more importantly, adverse weather will change the race itself. But, as Bizarre Creations' Community & Web Lead Ben Ward assured us, none of these elements are going to turn PGR from an arcade racer into a sim.

IGN and its sister site TeamXbox spoke with Ward at length to get the full run down on the new dynamic weather system."

Guides: Forza Motorsport 2 Guide (Xbox 360), Forza 2 Walkthrough

Road racing is about more than high-powered cars and hairy banked turns. Racing is art, a delicate balance of speed and braking, the difference between an elegant line and a slide into oblivion beyond the bounds of the track. The best oil pigments in the hands of an unlearned painter account for nothing, as do high horsepower ratings at the hands of an unlearned driver. The art of racing takes practice and knowledge. You take care of the former. We'll supply the latter.

Our comprehensive guide to Forza 2 is packed with the sort of knowledge you need. Whether you're new to racing and starting from the bottom or returning as a seasoned petrolhead, check inside for a breakdown of racing theory and tips on tuning your chosen machine to optimal performance. As well, follow our Forza 2 walkthrough for a strategic run of the game's many challenging races.

In this Forza Motorsport 2 strategy guide, you'll find:

• RACING 101 // In-depth explanation of racing theory—braking, turning, weight transfer and more.
• UPGRADES & TUNING // Don't fiddle with your car's parts unless you know what you're doing. We'll set you straight.
• CAREER WALKTHROUGH // Our Forza 2 walkthrough with tips on vehicles to use and the order in which you should tackle races.
• FORZA 2 SECRETS // Info on unlockable cars and earning all Forza 2 Achievements.

Guide by: Mark Ryan Sallee

Guides: Forza Motorsport 2 Guide (Xbox 360), Forza 2 Walkthrough

Ace Combat 6 trailer locks on to internet

The first trailer for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation has found its way onto the intertubes, courtesy of GameSpot. Much to our surprise, the game features jets and the piloting of said jets. The first in the Namco series to appear on a non-Sony platform, Ace Combat 6 looks to up the ante with an emotional plot line centered around terrorism and protecting the next generation (of people, not consoles) from harm. The trailer features lots of interaction between a mother and her little girl, jets, terrorists, and plenty of swelling music. Check it out and tell us what you think.

Ace Combat 6 trailer locks on to internet - Xbox 360 Fanboy

Namco Announces Soulcalibur IV

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (June 13, 2007) – Swords will be honed and weapons optimized as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced Soulcalibur® IV, the newest installment to the world renowned weapon-based fighting series, for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Delivering new gameplay modes, characters and enhanced features with unprecedented 3D modeling and animation, Soulcalibur IV will be the definitive fighting game experience. The unrelenting pursuit of two legendary swords continues when Soulcalibur IV is released in 2008.

“Soulcalibur has been a cornerstone franchise for NAMCO BANDAI Games and this latest edition will build upon its legacy of groundbreaking fighting experiences,” said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With Soulcalibur IV, long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise will be amazed by its visual beauty and intense, pulse pounding weapon combat.”

Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade® and Soulcalibur® I-III, Soulcalibur IV will re-introduce classic warriors from the series as well as introduce new characters that will bring new conflict and intrigue. Fully realizing the processing power of the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360, Soulcalibur IV promises to propel the fighting genre into the next-gen era. With visually realistic environments, interactive stages, enhanced AI, and a new battle system, Soulcalibur IV will be at the top of everyone’s wish list.

Namco Announces Soulcalibur IV - Xbox

Lots of images of Mercenaries 2 - Xboxyde

Lots of images of Mercenaries 2 - Xboxyde: "Electronic Arts released this whole bunch images from the quite awaited Mercenaries 2. Taking the scope into account, it certainly doesn't look bad!"

Splinter Cell trailer sneaks onto XBLM

In addition to this morning's surprise Project Sylpheed demo, there is also a trailer for Splinter Cell Conviction. The trailer is the same one released at the Ubidays 07 event last month, so there isn't anything new for Splinter Cell fans to see. Also, the video quality is somewhat suspect, despite the video's label of "HD." Still, it's Splinter Cell Conviction on a larger screen, so we'll take what we can get (of course, we wouldn't mind if Ubisoft wanted to release a cleaner version in the future).

Splinter Cell trailer sneaks onto XBLM - Xbox 360 Fanboy

Images of Frontlines: Fuel of War - Xboxyde

Images of Frontlines: Fuel of War - Xboxyde: "THQ releases these new screenshots of Frontlines: Fuel of War, Tactical-FPS running on UE3 about which we should learn more details during this summer's E3."

Xboxic » Review: Shadowrun

One of the few notable releases these hot summer months besides Forza Motorsport 2, Shadowrun had thus far failed to elicit widespread enthusiasm from gamers as it slowly crept towards its release. With the game in stores now for both Xbox 360 and Vista gamers to play online together, it is time to put the game under the microscope and see whether it’s worth our precious money.

Final Score: 6 out of 10 – Average