My Nintendo News is reporting that Crytek plan to announce TimeSplitters 4 at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. This comes just days after a job posting involving the German-based studio was spotted on EA’s wall. Previously EA and Crytek worked on Crysis 2, which was released last March.

The most interesting bit of news is that Crytek is planning on bringing TimeSplitters 4 to the Wii U, alongside the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. These rumours certainly coincide with Nintendo’s willingness to secure third-party support for their future platform.

Rumours of a future TimeSplitters project have been ongoing for years now, with the last notable bit of news coming from Official PlayStation Magazine UK last summer. Crytek UK, formely known as Free Radical, were picked up by Crytek in 2009.

I’ve started to notice a trend when it comes to limited edition SKUs of Wii games released in Europe. I bought the Xenoblade Chronicles Bundle Pack (you know the one with the Red Classic Controller) back in September, and was surprised to see that the box inside differed from the regular edition I’d seen on the store shelf earlier that evening when making my purchase.

Xenoblade Chronicles Bundle Pack

Now it’s quite common to receive different cover arts with special editions, but this wasn’t different, instead it was a compromised version of the regular box art. What do I mean? Instead of the blurb and accompanying text we’re used to seeing alongside images of the game, the back cover is filled with two thirds of disclaimer text (or whatever you call that shit) in, wait for it… SEVEN DIFFERENT FUCKING LANGUAGES!!!

And if that isn’t enough, the front has PEGI and USK ratings on it. Yes, two ratings from two different boards, with “Not to be sold separately” spelt out seven times. I guess there wasn’t enough room on the back, huh?

Regular Edition/Compromised Edition

I know I’m probably part of a handful of people who actually care about this kind of thing, but it really puts me off buying these special editions, so much so that I’ve opted for the regular edition of Skyward Sword. I know, I know, gold Wiimote. How will I live?

Why do they do this? I don’t know. Probably to save money I guess. Whatever the reason, it just seems like a lazy effort on Nintendo’s part. They go to all the trouble of creating different PAL boxes for each territory with the regular editions, but they won’t do the same for the edition you end up paying more for, instead they give you the 7-in-1 edition, take it or leave it. I just don’t get it.

Anyways, here’s your Skyward Sword Limited Edition packaging incase you were wondering:

Present-day. San Andreas. These were the answers to two of the most important questions answered within seconds of the trailer going up online. Because on Wednesday afternoon, Rockstar pulled the curtain back for the first time on the industry’s worst kept secret, Grand Theft Auto V.

Rockstar have hardly been absent this generation

From the moment Grand Theft Auto IV hit shelves back in 2008, fans haven’t been able to stop speculating about the next city the series would gravitate towards. Amsterdam, Canada and others were laughed off, whereas some of the more serious suggestions (London, Cuba, Tokyo) seemed plausible. Whatever side of the fence you were on, one thing seemed certain; it was time for GTA to move outside of the United States.

Over the last few years Rockstar Games have focused their attention into various other IPs, notably Red Dead Redemption and this year’s detective thriller L.A. Noire, with Max Payne 3 waiting in the wings for an early release next quarter. With rumours of new consoles on the horizon growing fast, fans began to wonder if they might ever see another Grand Theft Auto this side of consoles.

Just last week, out of the blue, in typical Rockstar fashion I might add, Grand Theft Auto V was officially announced by Rockstar Games, with a trailer set to follow the following week. Speculation started up again; and characters, locations and time periods were all at the forefront of the conversation. Why were they moving straight to V? Why weren’t they following the 1-2 year development cycle that worked so well on the PS2? Did we need V and why had Rockstar taken four years out to develop the next GTA? Whatever the answers to those questions were, this was going to be huge.

On time and as promised the trailer hit the internet on Wednesday afternoon, bringing back a familiar setting along with it – San Andreas. Set in the current day, you play as retiree (sort of) who’s moved to Los Santos with plans of leaving behind a life of crime and settling down. Reaction from fans was mixed. While some were happy to be going back, others felt let down by Rockstar for playing it so safe.

Personally, I thought the trailer was phenomenal. Rockstar always fill their trailers with clues to keep fans guessing and pump out stuff so infrequeuntly, you can’t help but get caught up in the hype. Rockstar are masters at this, and just up until a few years ago, they used to keep gameplay screens and videos under wraps until launch day. I always loved that about them.

Now this would have been a bold move

I guess I’m okay with San Andreas, and I can wait until the next generational leap for them to do something completely different, I just believed the time was now. For the sake of the series, they either need to step outside of America, or do something completely revolutionary. I understand the allure of America, Grand Theft Auto’s always seemed to succesfully poke fun and thrive off of American pop culture, it’s been the backbone of the series in a way. The problem I have is that revisiting the same cities over and over gets repetitive, no matter how good the stories yet to be told are.

Building up to the release of the trailer, I’d hoped the series would return to London, the odd city out that has yet to receive the 3D treatment since the top down GTA games of the 90s. The underworld of organised crime in London would have worked so well as the backdrop to the next GTA game, with movies like Lock, Stock and Snatch acting as its foundation, just as Goodfellas was to III, Scarface to Vice City and Menace II Society to San Andreas.

I’ve always thought what made Vice City and San Andreas so great were the perfectly matched time periods. In the early 80s, Miami’s drug culture had shifted into the “designer” period. A booming economy, growth in disposable income and Miami’s club revolution were all cultural movements that caused scenes like the ones in the movie Scarface. This era lent itself kindly to Vice City while the gang culture in the late 80s and early 90s helped shape the vibe of San Andreas. San Andreas nailed a period where the public were coping with the aftermath of the L.A. riots and the beating of Rodney King. Where gangster rap was on the rise and feuding between the East and West Coast popularised a movement that was at the very heart of that game. These events shaped Vice City and San Andreas into games that mirrored the controversial cultural happenings of the time period.

Of course, the success of these games wouldn’t have been possible without the help of fantastic accompanying soundtracks. The music of both games did a great job of reflecting what was popular at the time, playing an integral role in capturing the time and social moods of each era perfectly, more so than any number of polygons possibly could.

As much as I loved Grand Theft Auto IV for the leaps it took, the noughties just weren’t as relevant and exciting as past eras. The soundtrack was bland compared to previous efforts and Liberty City just didn’t seem as fun this time around. The previous games seemed to take us back to the golden eras of crime, whereas IV seemed more focused on the American dream, my biggest issue with the game. This is the same problem I have with this upcoming release.

Now I’m not stupid enough to write Rockstar North off, especially after just one trailer, but I’d like to see certain game elements refined in GTA V. For instance, I wasn’t a fan of how side missions were handled in L.A. Noire. They seemed lacklustre and felt like more of an afterthought, one of the many things that game did wrong. The recent release of Arkham City redefined this concept, these self-contained stories are so well designed that they’re able to stand on their own against the game’s main story arc. As of writing this, I’ve still yet to dive into the main story simply because I’ve been so caught up in the side missions, which is testament to how well-rounded the game is.

GTA has never looked better

It’s hard to judge a new game from one trailer, especially when details are so scarce at the moment. What we do know is Grand Theft Auto V will “focus on the pursuit of the almighty dollar”, set against present-day Southern California. Judging by the many themes seen in the trailer, money deprivation might play a big enough role. What if the game were to use the current global economic crisis in place of the gang violence of the 90s, and the drug-soaked club scene of the 80s? Such themes are sure to provide new and interesting subjects for the series to toy with.

Here’s hoping Rockstar build on the great character development from IV, with enough change to keep fans on both sides of the fence happy. After all, this is being penned as the “largest and most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created”, that’s got to count for something, right?

The trailer for GTA V was unveiled this afternoon and recent predictions seemed to hold up. We’re going back to San Andreas (current day), and if the voiceover is anything to go by, you’ll take up the role of a father who has just moved to San Andreas to get away from “that line of work” and settle down with his family. Though knowing the GTA series, things won’t be quite that simple.

UPDATE:
As pointed out by GameTrailers user hobodealer, on a second viewing the narrator (seemingly the protagonist) seems to have moved to San Andreas to leave “that line of work” behind, to retire and start a family. Only to get sucked back into that life of crime on arrival.

Hang with us here as we dissect the trailer, and feel free to mention anything we might have left out. Trailer observations after the jump.

Location

We're back here again

The following locations popped up in today’s trailer:

• San Andreas
• Los Santos, East Los Santos, Los Santos Bay
• Vinewood
• Little Seoul
• Los Puerta Freeway
• Del Perro Freeway
• Vespucci Beach
• Downtown

Places of Interest/Brands

We spotted a dozen or so brands and places of interest throughout the trailer. Listed below in no particular order:

Rockstar, you slay me

• Pleasure Pier – It’s Totally Beachin’
• Postal – We Aim Not to Lose It
• e Cola – Deliciously Infectious!
• Pump Buddy Magazine – Plenty of Issues to Work Out
• Pump & Run Gymnasium
• Muscle Sands
• Bugstars Pest Control – Putting the FU in Fumigate
• 247 Supermarket
• Up-n-Atom Burger – Once it Pings, Eat Like Kings
• Enema – Tequi-la-la
• Brute
• Los Santos Golf Club
• Speedophile 2000
• HO BO
• STD Contractors
• Liquor Ace
• Glam Holes

Notable Things

Convertible Cars and Possible Customisation

A first in a GTA game, convertible cars are set to make their debut in GTA V. This makes me wonder if the high customisation and modification options for player and vehicles will make its way across from San Andreas. Going off this trailer, it’s looking likely. Those aren’t stock rims.

Mountains and Hikers

If this is anything like San Andreas, we’ll be able to make it to the top of that mountain. With handholding NPCs thrown in for good measure.

Jet Skis Are Back

Absent from GTA IV, Jet Skis return in V. The Speedophile 2000 joins the long list of wacky Rockstar vehicle names.

Dogs Included/Possible Pets

A dog was spotted in the early moments of the trailer. I wonder if Pets Overnight is responsible for all this? Please tell me so!

Jumbo Jets

At least five different types of aircrafts popped up in the trailer. What looked like a 747 drifted into the sunset as the trailer came to a close. Clearly a larger portion of the game will take place in the skies, at least more so than it did in GTA IV.

Biplanes

Wine fields, migrant workers and another one of the many aircraft types that made up this trailer.

Fighter Jets

Yet another aircraft. Military flavour.

Blimps, Check!

One of the more interested vehicles spotted. Since it popped up in at least two different parts of the trailer, I’m going to go ahead and make the assumption. Blimps confirmed!

Strip Clubs

What’s GTA without a strip club? Enema sure looks like the place to be. Yes, that’s right, Enema.

Hookers

For that matter, where would GTA be without hookers? Cowboy boots confirmed!

Los Santos

One of the three cities in San Andreas.

Heists

I’m down for a jewellery heist dressed top to bottom in full fumigation gear.

Muscle Sands, The Gym Returns

I guess it’s safe to say the gym mini-game is back, in some shape or form. See what I did there?

Buying/Selling Property Returns?

There’s a strong emphasis of buying and selling properties in the trailer.

Golf is Back, No DLC Required

Golf is one of many activities you’ll be likely able to take up when taking a break from the game’s missions. Beats pool, bowling and darts if you ask me. And the best part yet? No DLC is required to unlock it.

Piercing. Working Out. Character Customisation?

More evidence of possible character customisation.

Is This Our Protagonist?

This guy makes more than one appearance in the trailer. He’s either our protagonist or a very important character. The name Tommy Vercetti seems to be getting thrown around a lot at the moment. Could be, could be…

Niko, CJ, Is That You?

GAF posters are pointing out that CJ and Niko make cameos in the trailer. It is possible I guess. If it is, I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for Niko though. I guess the American dream didn’t work out for him so well after all.

Other Notable Things

Let me get on one of these

A few other things caught our eyes. I wonder how significant they’ll be? I’ve listed them below in order of significance:

• Topless Dudes
• Wind Turbines
• Pumpjacks
• Aerobics
• Surfboards
• Wine Fields
• Beaches
• Countryside

I’m sure over the next couple of days people will pull other things from the trailer that we haven’t picked out, so let us know via Twitter (@bitthirsty) if we’ve missed anything. We’ll be sure to credit you.

All in all, I thought it was a fantastic trailer, much more revealing than any of the series’ previous firsts. And while I’m a little disappointed we’re going back to San Andreas, I must admit, I’m ready for some more GTA. My body is ready!

At today’s Nintendo E3 keynote, the Big N teased the audience with five first party 3DS games slated to launch before the year is out. Reggie took the stage, teased the company’s new console, and then dove right into a bunch upcoming 3DS titles. Trailers aplenty after the break.

Mario Kart

The first 3DS title shown was Mario Kart. According to NOA President, Reggie Fils-Aime, this iteration in the series is a “tricked out version”, slightly different from previous Mario Kart titles. The footage shown revealed that both gliding and underwater racing will be added to the classic formula. Mario Kart will be on store shelves this holiday season.

Star Fox 64 3D

The next game discussed was Star Fox 64 3D. In addition to showing off the game’s ability to use the gyroscope to control vehicles, Reggie also revealed that the 3DS’ camera could be used to record the reactions of players in multiplayer squads. Star Fox 64 3D will be available in September 2011.

Super Mario 3D

A couple months back at GDC we saw Nintendo tease an upcoming Super Mario title for the 3DS, leaving the audience with only a logo that sported a tanooki tail “mysterious raccoon tail”. This year, however, Nintendo pulled back the curtain on Super Mario 3D and showed a gameplay trailer featuring the fan favorite raccoon suit. Reggie told the audience that Super Mario 3D will be out “before the year is over.”

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Kid Icarus: Uprising was the fourth game shown during the 3DS spotlight. While the game was shown at last year’s E3, the new footage shown this morning looked to be a polished build of the game. During the presentation Nintendo revealed that Uprising will sport a battle mode and multiplayer that takes advantage of the 3DS’ ability to read AR cards. Kid Icarus: Uprising is also slated for release later this year.

Luigi’s Mansion 2

Finally, in one of the biggest surprises of the keynote, Nintendo unveiled the brand new Luigi’s Mansion 2. This isn’t a revision folks, this is an entirely new game and even features several mansions for Luigi to explore. A release date was not announced for Luigi’s Mansion 2.

I had the privilege to attend my first MCM Expo over the weekend. Never being much of a manga, anime or comic fan, I made my way straight towards the Games Expo where Nintendo were in attendance amongst others.

Only being confirmed for Europe two months ago, I was genuinely surprised to see what looked like a fully localised version of Monolith’s Xenoblade Chronicles taking centre stage at Nintendo’s booth. In fact, I’m sure I played a near-complete build of the same game we’ll be seeing this September in Europe.

The game opens with two gods (Kyoshin and Kishin) locked in a timeless battle, until all that remained was their lifeless corpses. Set on the graves of these ancient Gods is where Xenoblade begins. Warfare has broken out between humans and machines and our race, looking worse for wear against the mechs, begins to retreat. Enter Dunban. Wielding the Monado blade, he forces back the Kishin army and restores faith to the Kyoshin soldiers fighting alongside him.

At this point you’re thrown into the fray with your party (Dickson and Mumca) and introduced to the game’s battle system. Similar to combat in Final Fantasy XII, battles unfold in real time, and everything, including movement, is done manually. Before I go any further, it’s worth mentioning that the booths were set up with Classic Controllers, which seems to be Nintendo’s preferred method of control whilst playing the game. To initiate battle you must target enemies using the L/R shoulder buttons. Doing so brings up the battle palette at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to initiate an attack on the selected enemy, while cycling through L/R switches between targets mid-battle.

Once in combat, your character will auto-attack when an enemy’s in range. Movement is vital and dodging incoming attacks and countering is often the key to success. Making your way behind an enemy allows the player to perform special attacks called “arts” that are triggered via the battle palette. Healing your party or dealing out powerful attacks were just two of the types of magic available, but I’m guessing this would vary between characters.

During the course of battle, Dunban is overwhelmed by the Kishin army and Mumca’s cowardice leads to his painful demise. An injured Dunban and Dickson are last seen charging into tons of incoming Kishin forces as the screen fades.

A year later and the dark war torn skies are no more. We’re introduced to the game’s main protagonist, Shulk, and his close friend Rein. While searching for lumps of scrap metal on an open field you’re attacked and the battle system is brought back into play. Diving deeper into Xenoblade’s combat system, the tutorial-like battle walks you through the game’s cool-down system and other battle mechanics.

Once defeated, enemies drop chests that can be looted for items and other useful things. Other features are touched upon; for instance a time winding feature let’s you jump to a specific time between the game’s day and night cycles (think Fallout), while a “save anywhere” feature eradicates awkward save points the genre’s so well known for.

In open fields such as this one, you’re able to engage monsters and creatures to level up and obtain items. However, different to the game’s main battles, it is up to the player to initiate combat in these areas. You’re not forced to battle when you come in contact with these enemies – à la Final Fantasy. While I only played a small part of the game, it’s worth noting that the world is huge, so huge that a waypoint marker is put there for good measure, keeping you in the right direction of the main quest.

After some time we reached Colony 9, which is Shulk and Rein’s hometown. In addition to the main path, there are plenty of side quests and other activities that deviate from the main storyline entirely, which will surely keep a player busy for hours on end if they ever want to take a break from the main plot. Built on top these side quests is the “bond system”, which plays a huge role and can often alter the perception of your character whilst in towns. For example, empty promises, like not helping a father find his daughter a gift after agreeing to do so would affect your image in that particular town. While we’re used to similar systems in games such as Fable, such a feature is rare to find in many JRPG’s, so I’m interested to see how this feature will grow throughout the course of game.

Visually, the game looks outstanding. The roaming creatures and monsters really have a way of bringing the land to life. The art direction really unearths the full power of the Wii, and while the character models aren’t up to the same standard, they don’t by any means dent the overall experience. The soundtrack is beautifully arranged and reminds me fondly of Dark Chronicle/Dark Cloud 2 (see the trailer below), which is not surprising seeing as Yoko Shimomura and Yasunori Mitsuda are on board.

NOE have done a fantastic job with the localisation, of which I heard had been finished just as of last week. The English voice acting is superb, and I, for one, am appreciative of some of the characters’ cockney tones. Despite having previous reservations, they really blend well with the game.

I left the Nintendo booth thoroughly impressed and wanting more. We haven’t been spoiled with great JRPG’s as we have in generations past. Luckily, Xenoblade Chronicles looks to change that. Let’s hope The Last Story makes its way across the ocean before Project Café makes the Wii obsolete.

Nintendo will hold its annual E3 presentation on June 7th at L.A.’s Nokia Theater. In addition to hearing about upcoming games for the Wii (the few that actually remain), DS, and 3DS, viewers will get their first glimpse of the Wii’s successor, Project Café.

Nintendo will likely be streaming video of the conference bright and early Tuesday morning at 9:00am PST. We’ll keep you updated on any official word of a webcast, good reader.

For more E3 related news, previews, and announcements be sure to check out all of our E3 coverage beginning June 7th.

President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, recently revealed a new feature available in Star Fox 64 3D in the companies’ Financial Results Briefing for March 2011. According to the briefing, the game will offer a new feature that uses the 3DS’ gyro sensor to control the Arwing.

Exciting, right? Well, not exactly. The news has many concerned that Star Fox 64 3D will be difficult to play due to the constant motion associated with the gyro feature. If you have played a 3DS, you know that the device must be held in just the right position to get the full 3D effect. Moving the device around and misalignment of your eyes will obviously lead to screen blur.

Star Fox 64 3D is due out in Japan on July 14, with a North American and European release following soon after. Until then, you can tide yourself over by repeatedly watching barrel rolls.

Source: Nintendo Financial Results Briefing

In addition to touting The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s first person gyroscope mode, Nintendo has revealed two new game modes for the 3DS version. Master Quest and Boss Challenge, two modes that were not featured in the original game, will be making their debut when the game releases in June.

The Master Quest mode changes puzzles, the locations of items, and reverses the land of Hyrule so that it is literally a mirror image. Enemies in the game are also said to be more difficult to defeat. All giving credence to the whole “Master” part in “Master Quest.”

After a certain point in the game the Boss Challenge mode is unlocked and will offer players the opportunity “to face any of the previous Bosses they have defeated.” You will also have the option to square off against the bosses one by one or in back-to-back battle.

You can check out the full press release right here. In other news, gamers everywhere are poised and ready to smash their handhelds in fits of rage after reaching the Water Temple in Master Quest mode.

On the back of some impressive sales figures, Level-5 kept their promise and celebrated in style by previewing Mask of Miracle to loyal Layton fans this morning. The live web broadcast saw discussions with Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino and the game’s voice cast, in what looked like one hell of a fan service. Too bad I couldn’t understand what was being said. New trailer though, after the break.

If you’re interested, the full broadcast can be caught here. Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle will launch in Japan tomorrow alongside the Nintendo 3DS.