iPhone 5 Announced September 12, 2012

It has finally been announced today that Apple will release their next iPhone, the iPhone 5.  Bringing with it all the capabilities of the previous iPhone models, it will have a slew of new features which will be exclusive to the new handheld.  The big announcement is that this device will support the LTE network, which is in many places superior in speed to home based networks.

The iPhone 5 will also make use of a larger 4″ retina screen.  This is the first time that the iPhone has come with a larger screen since it launched in 2007.  The screen is longer but not wider than previous devices.  This will not factor into its weight as the iPhone 5 is still lighter and slimmer than the iPhone 4s.  Its central processor is the A6 chip, an improvement over the 4s A5 chip.  It will also feature an improved FaceTime front camera, which will be able to take 720p video.

The iPhone 5 will also make use of a new charging port, called the lightning port.  This will likely break native compatibility with a lot of chargers and music devices that make use of the 30-pin port other iPods, iPhones and iPads have made use of for years now, or they’ll just simply have to get an adapter.

Three models will release, one with 16GB of storage, one with 32GB of storage and one with 64GB of storage.  Price will range from $199US-$399 US when bought with a wireless contract.  Verizon, Sprint and AT&T will all carry the device at launch.

The iPhone 5 launches September 21st, 2012 at 8am.  Preorders will start being taken September 14th on Apple’s iPhone site.

UPDATE:  iOS 6 will be released for users who already have compatible iPhones, iPads or iPod touch devices on September 19th.  iTunes 10.7 will support iOS6 devices.

Halo 4 Reborn PAX Prime 2012 Panel September 7, 2012

Straight from this year’s PAX Prime in Seattle, Washington, here is the entire Halo 4 Reborn Panel uncut courtesy of Halo Waypoint.

Halo 4 is coming November 6th, 2012 exclusive to the Xbox 360.

God of War Saga Announced September 6, 2012

All five God of War Games, God of War, God of War II, God of War: Chains of Olympus, God of War III and God of War: Ghost of Sparta, are being released on one Blu-Ray Disc exclusive to the Playstation 3, God of War Saga.

God of War Saga will include all five God of War games and 30 days of Playstation Plus for free.  It will also grant you access to the upcoming God of War: Ascension Multiplayer Beta.

Looks like the time to trade in your God of War Origins Collections discs.

God of War: Ascension Magaera Trailer September 6, 2012

Kratos is back and he’s madder than ever.  Set at the very beginning of the God of War timeline, God of War: Ascension is going to tell the story that has only been previously teased in previous games.  Kratos has renounced his oath of loyalty to Ares, the God of War, and now must free himself from the oath he took which cost him his soul and the life of his wife and daughter.

Over the course of the game, Kratos will do battle with three Furies.  This is the first Fury he will face in the game, Magaera.

Not enough God of War for you?  Here’s the entire single player demo which originally showed at E3 2012.

God of War: Ascension is coming March 12th, 2013 exclusive to the Playstation 3.  A beta is coming.

The Last of Us Extended E3 2012 Demo September 6, 2012

The Last of Us is continuing to shape up to be one of the biggest releases for Sony in 2013.  Announced at last year’s VGAs, it is part of a very short list of games, some of them by very big named developers, expected to be system sellers for the Playstation 3 next year.

What follows is the entire extended cut of the demo shown at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.  You get to see a lot more of the game’s universe than what was originally shown back in June, and just how highly polished the gameplay is.

Looks like they may have finally made a game where escorting the NPC is actually beneficial to the player as opposed to a hinderance.

The Last of Us is coming in 2013 exclusive to the Playstation 3.

Halo 4: A Hero Awakens Documentary Part 1 September 5, 2012

Halo Waypoint has officially released the first part of this amazing documentary about the making of Halo 4.

This documentary shows a lot more than just all the new technology being developed to create this game.  The new developers at 343 Industries talk about the differences that this game’s story has over the previous Halo games, and how they plan to present the game’s characters as more human than they have been in previous games.  There’s also a few tidbits to the game’s story, but really all it does is build upon what has already been teased to us in 2010 when Halo Legends released on DVD and Blu-Ray Disc.

Halo 4 is coming November 6th, 2012 exclusive to the Xbox 360.

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn “Cryo” Scene September 2, 2012

Straight from PAX Prime, the Halo Waypoint has released this preview scene from the upcoming film Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, which will be released episodically starting in October with a feature-length director’s cut of the movie to be included with the Halo 4: Limited Edition in November.

You can just tell by this scene that this is not going to be some mindless action romp, this is a story with heart. This could very well be the closest thing we ever get to a feature-length Halo movie, and I for one am glad 343 Industries is getting the opportunity to make it.

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn will release its first episode October 5th, 2012 to Machinima Prime and Halo Waypoint. The Director’s Cut will release with the Halo 4: Legendary Edition November 6th, 2012.

Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes Announcement Trailer September 2, 2012

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the next game by Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes.

The game is powered by the Fox Engine.  This was the engine that was originally designed for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, but that game’s development studio decided instead to use their own proprietary engine to work on that game, as it suited the gameplay that they were going for better.  However, as you can tell from the video, the Fox Engine is incredibly powerful graphically.  Previously we had only seen still images taken from the game’s engine and put into comparisons with real life pictures just to see who could pick what was real and what was false.  It’s amazing to see what this engine looks like in motion.

If I may speculate a bit just based upon this trailer, please indulge me.  It is just me or does Ground Zeroes sound an awful lot like a play on words?  Could the main antagonist of the game be Major Zero, the commander of FOX and Naked Snake’s Commanding Officer in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater?  Could Zero be the old man who appears to be running the Fox unit in this trailer?

And just who is this game’s Snake?  His appearance looks like Naked Snake from the games Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.  Of course, when we originally met Naked Snake in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we learned who he really was by the end of that game when the President awarded him with the codename Big Boss.  It looks like this game takes place some time after Metal Gear Solid 3 and possibly after Peace Walker, but before the other numbered Metal Gear Solid games.

Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes is coming to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  The trailer listed support for Xbox Live and Playstation Network, so the game could have a multiplayer client.

Kojima, welcome back, you’ve done it again.

ZombiU Gameplay Footage August 31, 2012

It could very well be the third-party killer app for the Wii U’s release, ZombiU takes the Wii U’s unique touchscreen controller and turns it into the greatest weapon you can have in the event of a zombie outbreak!

In this gameplay trailer, we get to see what its like going through England’s famous Buckingham Palace during the zombie outbreak.  We get to see some great features of the game, like the ability to investigate areas with a blacklight in order to find secret areas, as well as motion tracking and melee weapons.

You’re going to need to use every single feature of the Wii U controller just to survive, because when you die, it’s over.

ZombiU is coming Christmas, 2012 exclusive to the Wii U.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Gamescom 2012 Trailer August 26, 2012

Fresh from Gamescom 2012, here’s the latest trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengance, the highly anticipated sequel to the Metal Gear Solid series.  The new game follows Metal Gear Solid 2’s protagonist, Raiden, with entirely new powers and abilities, after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

This is probably the best trailer we’ve seen to date of the what is going to be Rising’s new trademark feature, the sword that can cut through practically anything.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is coming Feb 19th, 2013 to Xbox 360 and PS3.  A demo for the game will be coming to Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 with the Zone of Enders HD Collection.