In recent years we’ve become used to seeing the latest and greatest games running alongside a shiny new 360 dashboard. In fact, I’ve become so accustomed to seeing one every E3 that I almost expect it. This year’s show pulled no punches.

Using the Metro UI, made famous in Windows Phone 7 and Zune products, the new dash looks to line the 360 up with the upcoming Windows 8, as well as the rest of the Microsoft family. I’m a fan of the Swiss-inspired user interface and judging by these screens, it carries across well on the console, giving the dashboard a refreshing but familiar look and feel.

Also carried over from the Microsoft product line is Bing, which brings search to the 360 in a big way. Using Kinect’s voice recognition, finding games, movies and music on both the Xbox Live Marketplace and your console has never been easier.

What if you could find your favorite games, music, movies and TV shows, just with the sound of your voice? The solution: voice search with Bing on Xbox 360. Bing on Xbox searches Netflix, Hulu Plus and ESPN, as well as music, video and Xbox LIVE Marketplace to find exactly the entertainment you want to enjoy. With Bing on Xbox and Kinect for Xbox 360, you can effortlessly find the games, movies, TV shows, sports and music you want. You say it, Xbox finds it.

Microsoft have also cosied up with YouTube and plans to have the video service running on the 360 later this year.

Available fall 2011, YouTube on Xbox LIVE will deliver access to great Web original content from around the world, including the latest videos, gaming tips and more.

While the news of YouTube coming to Xbox Live is exciting, I’m less excited about its implementation. Like other services on Xbox Live, I fear they’ll only be accessible outside of games. I won’t go into this now but expect more on this in an upcoming post.

As the years tick on it’s undeniable that Microsoft have turned the Xbox 360 into the ultimate entertainment device, and I believe they’ll continue to do so if they keep striking up great partnerships, as they’ve been doing. The new dashboard launches this fall.

The Persona Team’s first HD title, Catherine, was released in Japan this Thursday. While I still wait for my copy to arrive, the guys over at Red Sun Gamer have done a fantastic job of translating it on the fly during a four hour playthrough – someone get these guys a fucking medal!

Now be warned, major spoilers ahead! So steer clear if you plan on waiting for a localised version, which I think is highly likely judging by the sheer quality of this game. For those that don’t mind spoiling the first couple hours, be my guest and dive right in!

You’re going to want to skip to the 11.00 mark, while Parts 2 and 3 can be found on their YouTube channel.

Amid the onslaught of NGP (PSP2) news this morning, a demo for a game I’ve been eyeing for months went live - Catherine. Available to download now on both Xbox Live and PSN (providing you have a Japanese account). 

I thought the demo was pretty fantastic, and I’ll be, without a doubt, picking up an import copy next month. The main portion of the game consists of you moving blocks to create a stairway, and despite being skeptical of the game’s block moving elements, I was convinced quickly once I sank my teeth into it. Seriously, once you wrap your head around the gameplay mechanics, it’s really quite terrifying enjoyable! Video playthrough after the break.

Judging by what I’ve seen, it’s likely that the puzzles will get pretty brutal later on, and a grading system should also give the game a fair bit of replayability, which never hurts.

If the Persona games are anything to go by, interaction and dialogue will play a huge role in the final game. The text messaging mechanic alone is a great addition to the social mechanics Persona has built up over the years. While being broken up into different bits (anime sections, gameplay and in-game movies), the game still managed to transition between parts seamlessly. If the final release is paced anything like the demo, we’re in for a treat!

Atlus had me at the start screen, a beautifully arranged demo which is definitely worth checking out if you’re on the fence. Oh, did I mention how gorgeous it is? Here’s hoping for a Western release. Until then, roll on February.

With the release of Metroid: Other M only days away, Nintendo of America have taken it upon themselves to run a live-action ad for the upcoming action-adventure. The moody sixty second spot sees a Zero Suit Samus reflecting on her past, and if the commercial is anything to go by, Other M will live up to its promise to deliver the best story-driven experience ever to grace a Metroid title.

Metroid: Other M for the Wii will release later this month in North America (Aug 31), and early next month in Europe (Sept 3).

“HYDROOOO THUNDER!” Ah yes, how can those of us who poured quarters into the arcades in the late nineties forget about the classic, boost-filled arcade racer. For those of you less familiar with the franchise, Hydro Thunder was an arcade game released in 1999 that benefited from it’s over the top jumps, drops and roaring high-speed boats. The series had been left untouched for years until Vector Unit and Microsoft Game Studios teamed up to reimagine the sequel, Hydro Thunder: Hurricane. Does the successor live up to its famous arcade predecessor – hit the jump to find out!

You’re a Boat

Staying true to its arcade successor, Hurricane’s story is as elementary as they come; you are a boat, go really fast and beat all the other boats at everything possible. Pretty straight forward. However, what Hurricane lacks in story is made up for by it’s addictive credit system. In the single player mode, the player will earn credits as they advance through the game by winning races and improving their times. As you earn these credits, new boats, courses, and game modes will be unlocked. Fortunately for Hurricane, it’s just enough to keep the player interested while still motivating them to learn the ins and outs of the courses.

Oh, and there is an announcer who will both congratulate and scold you in the same monotonous voice. A very odd choice, considering the entire game is supposed to be an adrenaline filled kaleidoscope of action, racing and stunts.

The water, it’s…it’s miraculous.

Use the Boost to Get Through

The true beauty of this game lies in the challenge of learning where to boost, when to jump, and where to cut the line. Mastering each course and understanding when to use those precious seconds of thrust are key in advancing to the other tracks and game modes. Completionists will be happy to know that Vector Unit has included ten Hydro Thunder medallions to collect in each track, which will unlock new skins for the different boats.

Hurricane offers players four different single player modes and adds two other multiplayer components to the mix. In addition to the familiar Race and Championship modes, Vector Unit has included Ring Master, which, not surprisingly, involves traveling through a predetermined course of rings while Gauntlet litters the track with explosive barrels.

Sea monsters and Vikings only add to the arcade action.

Unfortunately, I found the latter two modes more irritating than enjoyable. Hydro Thunder is first and foremost about jetting through levels and pushing your boat’s engine to the limit; modes such as Ring Master that have you carefully following a rigid path of rings fly directly in the face of the game’s real fun.

Fortunately the game offers the excellent option of local four-player split-screen, or racing against up to eight players over Xbox Live. Hurricane shines when it comes to replayability and offers modes of gameplay that are sure to keep you occupied until you get your $15 out of it.

Slow Down, You Might Miss the _______

Everything about Hurricane is fast. It’s exceptionally easy to blast through the game with your eyes only focusing on the blur of color around in peripheral. Despite having only eight tracks to choose from, environments are vibrant and unique enough to make each level feel like a new experience. From obstacle ridden ice fields of Asgard to the built-for-speed Japanese waterpark, each of the courses boast an interesting world full of color that truly conveys an arcade experience. Unfortunately, at 30fps, Hurricane’s gorgeous visuals are prone to the occasional slow down. Be that as it may, the game has enough colossal drops and hairpin turns to really give the player a sense of speed every time they hit that boost.

The real shining aspect of Hydro Thunder’s design is the feel and look of the water. I guess that is the one aspect of a boat racing game that should stand out the most, but seriously – this water is great. In addition to looking phenomenal, a player who knows how the waves move and break will have a distinct advantage at the finish line. Understanding how your boat reacts to the rough seas is a vital part of the strategy in Hurricane, and has the ability to change the entire outcome of a race.

There is no shortage of speed in Hurricane.

The fast paced, electronic music is exactly what you’d expect from a Hydro Thunder title. The soundtrack definitely adds to the spot-on-arcade-feel but is ultimately forgettable. Between the announcer repeatedly demanding that you boost and the high speed boats crashing into each other, the soundtrack of Hurricane is almost muted by distractions. Let’s be honest though, in a game that is this fast and this simple, all you need is some generic arcade techno.

Verdict

Hydro Thunder: Hurricane feels like summer in every way possible, and it’s naturally a perfect fit for the Summer of Arcade. However, it’s more than just a quick and dirty remake of a classic arcade hit; Hurricane feels like a brand new experience that captures the nostalgic arcade feel of racing games past.

Didn’t manage to catch the brand new Halo: Reach live-action short that premiered across television networks this evening? Watch it here in all its glory.

Directed by award-winning director Noam Murro, Birth of a Spartan tells the tale of (future Noble Team leader) Carter 259’s transformation from man to Spartan. An extended version will launch tomorrow on Xbox Live, including the launch of (www.welcometonobleteam.com) which will apparently allow users to upload photos of themselves to be converted into Spartan-IIIs – hopefully the process isn’t as painful.

Major Nelson has revealed that as of April 15, 2010 Microsoft will be discontinuing the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox 1 games playable on Xbox 360.

I know, just let that news sink in for a moment.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen, today marks the end of an era in video game history. The original LIVE service was a pioneer in online connectivity between gamers. Unable to comment on the specifics of the decision on his blog, Major Nelson stresses that the choice will allow the company to, “continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE community.”

So, as you go about your busy lives today, take a moment to look back and remember all the great memories you and your first Live account have shared – because those days are now numbered, friends.

Xbox’s own Major Nelson has just tweeted that Xbox LIVE has set a new record! Over two million users are currently connected to the service at once. Well done Xbox though I’m sure a certain game helped towards that number.