There has been a rumor going around about a successor to the XBOX 360. How long has this rumor been going around? Well, as soon as the XBOX 360 was released and reports of the 720 surfaced, gamers began rumors of a 500 series XBOX to be released in the fall of 2008. The new game console that was to be released from Microsoft was supposed to take advantage of newer technologies and offer a solution to current 360 problems. This new game console was purported to offer some huge upgrades, including a Blu-Ray drive and built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. It would also take care of current problems like the “Red ring of death”, which is supposedly caused by the 360’s lack of sufficient cooling.

Now the big question being asked by overly enthusiastic gamers is whether Microsoft will actually release a new revamped version of its flagship game console. As far as we know, the answer is “NO”. Microsoft denied a new “500” series game console, however I have heard rumors of a sleeker designed XBOX with a new GPU, which runs cooler than the current one.

So, for all you overly hyped up gamers crossing your fingers and saving your money for an XBOX 520 or 540, you can un-cross them and buy an extra set of cooling fans for your current console.

The Wii Fit Bundle will retail for $89.99, and come with plenty of exercises utilizing variations of yoga, strength training, and aerobics. The strength training includes push-ups, leg extensions, arm lifts, leg lifts, squats and lunges to name a few. The aerobics portion includes the stair steps, running, and rhythm boxing. The Yoga portion includes deep breathing exercises, half moons, poses,and a slew of other yoga routines.

The Wii Fit takes getting in shape to a whole new level and is a lot more fun than the standard workout DVD we’re all used to. The on-screen trainer critiques your every move and makes sure you do the exercises correctly. The computer trainer monitors your form and even encourages you to keep working out. All of your moves are transmitted through the included wireless balance board, which sends information to the main unit and measures your body weight and BMI (Body Mass Index).

If you still consider yourself a lazy couch potato and spend most of the time playing video games, you no longer have an excuse for not exercising. So, get off those couches, grab your joysticks and lets work out!

Keep in mind that the above figures represent a month’s worth of sales and could change next month or the month after that. It’s interesting to see how the console wars pans out. Keep your eye out for next month’s sales figures.

Call of Duty for the XBOX 360 is by far not only the best war game I’ve played, but also one of the best online war games. I was a Rainbow 6 and Ghost Recon fanatic. However, since the arrival of ‘Duty 4’, I can’t even pick up those games anymore.

The graphics are astounding; very realistic. Since childhood, I’ve always wondered how the graphics would be more enhanced with every new platform that came out. Fast forward to the present and the answer is here. Which brings us into the playability.

The game play is astounding; from the death scenes to the bullet time, coupled with the online play. Whilst zeroing on another player’s head with your sniper rifle from across the board, being ever so steady,the helmet shot gives you a sense of sick satisfaction. From the way the body drops from the well placed shot, to the blood spewing on the wall behind him. Another thing that the game developers finally got right was the bullet action. Other shooters were fun in the past, but I was very annoyed when an M-16 Nato 7.62 round could not penetrate the car glass or thin wooden door the enemy was hiding behind. Call Of Duty 4 takes care of that. Heavier rounds penetrate more. In time, this too will probably be corrected even more.

All in all it’s an addicting game. The only turn off is with the online feature, in communicating with other players (not a game flaw). Every now and then you get some pimple faced teenager or over sheltered idealist stating all sorts of foolery having nothing to do with the game. From preaching Hitler styled rhetoric to just plain screaming or rapping over everyone else. But, when it gets to that point, you can just shut the mic off.

Happy Gaming! by Contributing Editor: Lonnie Curwen

Ok, here’s the list of cheats for the latest released game Turok for Xbox 360.

Cheats and Unlockables

Sell Your Shotguns Use this cheat for completing “mother
Superior” without using the ORO Shotgun

Big Game Ribbon This cheat saves you from Mama Scarface Dino

Dominance Helps in killing 50 creatures in the
Story Mode campaign

Triple Kill Kills 3 opponents within 4 seconds of each other
in a ranked match

Thorn in Side Kills Flag carrier 5 times in a ranked match

Co-Op 1 Finishes Co-op Map 1

Co-Op 2 Finishes Co-op Map 2

Co-Op 3 Finishes Co-op Map 3

Hometown Hero Returns 5 Flags to your base in one public game

Arch-Nemesis This cheat kills the same player 5 times in a row
Without killing anyone else during public match

Crack Shot Helps in killing 5 opponents in a public game
with headhshots

Accuracy Award This cheat helps in achieving an accuracy of 75%
or greater with at least 20 shots fired in one
ranked match

Great Round Finishes a public DM match with a Battle Rating
of greater than 100

Grab Bag Kills at least 1 creature, 1 enemy, 1 teammate,
and yourself in the same round of a public match

Unbreakable This cheat helps in playing through a ranked
match without dying

Pacifist Plays a public match with no shots fired or kills
awarded, capturing the flag at least twice

Dino Hunter Kills 20 Dinos in one public game

Exterminator Helps in killing 20 Bugs in one public game

Resurrection Finishes a player match free-for-all game with at
least 10 deaths and 10 kills

Gamesman Plays a full round of each gametype in public or
private matches

Retribution Knife kill your rival in a public match

Primitive Weapons Plays a public match using only the bow or kinfe,
earning at least 10 kills

All-Purpose Warrior Helps in winning 10 public games of each team
game option (Small Team, Large Team, Co-Op)

Medal of Citation Achieves 100 player kills in ranked matches

Boomstick Destroys a with the stickygun during a public
match

Arsenal Kills at least one enemy with every weapon in the
game during public play

Massive Battle Participates in a public 6 on 6 team game

Buddy Blowout Helps in playing a full 8 on 8 private team game

Multiplayer First-Class Finishes a ranked match with 100% accuracy and
at least 5 kills

Multiplayer Master-Class Finishes a ranked match with all headshots and at
least 5 kills

Practically Canadian Time to defend your flag, And that’s in
ranked matches, sorry. Try this cheat and see what happens

Angler Ribbon Looks like its time to fish? Check this cheat.

Turok Service Ribbon Helps in Completing the Story Mode campaign and
unlock Inhuman difficulty

Turok Campaign Ribbon Completes the Story Mode Campaign on Inhuman
difficulty

Sniper! Try this cheat to Head shot 10 enemies in a row
during the Story Mode campaign

Impaler Ribbon Try this cheat to pin an enemy to the wall with an
arrow in the Story Mode campaign

Turok Defense Force Successfully fights off 20 Raptor mauls during the
Story Mode campaign

It’s A Trap! Cool cheat! Helps you in getting the dinos to kill 5
soldiers by sticking them with the flare in the Story Mode campaign

Loud Love Kills 3 soldiers with one ORO Copperhead Rocket
Launcher shot in the Story Mode campaign

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… BOOM! Kills 3 Soldiers with one Frag Grenade in the
Story Mode campaign

Pincushion Try this cheat to pin 50 enemies with the Bow in
the Story Mode campaign

Man or Animal Records 100 stealth kills of soldiers with the ORO
P23 Combat Knife

Defeating Mama Scarface

There is an easy way to kill the giant Tyrannosaur. All you have to do is quickly run to the giant tree in the middle of the nest site. You got to make sure that you have a shotgun, explosive tip arrows, and grenades. Once you are near the tree, shoot a flare so that the dinosaur’s head is in your line of fire. While the dino looks at the flare, start shooting as many explosive tip arrows as possible at or around the eye area. When the dino jams her head in the trunk to eat you, shoot her with the shotgun until she takes back. Once she frees her head, throw grenades. Repeat this step until she falls on to the ground. Then, quickly run over to her, and kill her with a knife through the eye. That’s it. You are done!

This game transforms the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail and realism. Resident Evil 5 introduces the theme of escape as its core survival nature. In this game your life will be in danger and you need to strive very hard in order to complete the mission. Evil beings will charge at you as you go ahead and your pulse keeps racing at your heart devastating pace. The graphics are pretty amazing and this game for sure will take away fans to a whole new level.

Operation Flashpoint 2: (PC)

This game focuses on the post US-Vietnam war. Operation Flashpoint 2 promises to deliver conflict scenarios in a whole new style. The game looks more realistic. The game’s main campaign focuses on events like US forces targeting over half a million people in South Vietnam and capturing them. Players will engage in Solo actions, driving military vehicles and more. Multiplayer gaming offers battles in an incredible way. Weapons and military and civilian mobile units are being accurately modeled from period military data. The game looks more challenging with players fighting to survive the chaos and evolving situations in the war zone.

Grand Theft Auto IV: (PS3)

The fourth in the row by Rockstar games. GTA IV comes with better features such as improved graphics, new gameplay and others. In the previous editions gunplay was a matter of controversy. With this edition, the company has tried its best to fix those issues thereby adding a cover system too. In this edition, player takes the role of Niko Bellic, a man from Eastern Europe. After his arrival in America, Liberty City, his cousin convinces him to join him in his mansion and then the scenes begin. Getting away from police looks more interesting. The game reinvents with a renewed version of Liberty City. The game promises more action with driving cars, steer boats and pilot helicopters.

Half-Life 2: Episode Three (PC)

This game is based on the previous episodes of Half Life. The game is not yet sure to be released in 2008, but reports say that developers are planning to launch at the end of 2008 likely. No much reports about this game is known, but Valve plans it make a big hit and pretty more interesting than the previous editions.

Episode Two was criticized for fewer reasons. So this game should hopefully push it ahead. More updates soon.

Race Driver One: GRID (Xbox 360)

This game challenges players to become the top drivers. The game takes the gamers on a tour like never before. The players travel around the world and race through variety of track locations. Track locations are set in different parts across the globe such as US, Europe, Japan and more. The graphics look real with real time vehicle damage and plenty of drama around. The game features lots of competitions such as street races, road races and official circuit based championships. Lots of fun around!

Splinter Cell: Conviction (Nintendo DS)

The adventures of Sam fisher continue in this game. Sam gets old. In Conviction, Sam is in his early 50s with hair and beard grown. In this game, the rules look changed as the story has a dramatic turning. Sam doesn’t seem to be equipped with his typical gadgetry. Here he has gone far off being a double agent. He’s a full fledged fugitive who instead of lurking in the dark, blends in with crowds. What I mean here is, in the earlier versions we’ve had him as a spy agent which was pretty exciting character.

Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)

Battlefield: Bad Company gives players a solid single-player experience. It drops the players behind enemy lines. The game features an experience loaded with adventure and humor. Battlefield delivers sandbox gameplay where almost everything can be destroyed. The game looks more realistic and offers more cynical humor as it brings in more destruction. The game also features multiplayer options with more intense gameplay. The game promises more action such as air strikes, battle field action and more. Seriously I just can’t wait getting it on my console!

Alan Wake (PC)

Alan Wake the game’s character is a horror writer. He writes on his darkest nightmares. The game features on his nightmares coming true. An adventure thrilled game as players keep exploring when advancing through missions. The game is anticipation, suspense and mystery related. Get ready to enjoy the single player experience.

Far cry 2 (PC)

This game engages players in an entirely whole new gaming experience that features a custom-made video game engine built from the ground up. Caught in between the rival factions of war torn Africa your job is to take out “The Jackal”, a character who has renovated the conflict between the warlords. The graphics are just awesome. There is an open world gameplay set in the locations of Africa. In order to complete missions you need to play factions against each other, exploit their weaknesses and more. Well, this is one game I have been real fan of and can’t wait it hitting the stores!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo Wii)

Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros game looks to be one of the most expected games. The game features with new characters hitting the board, new arenas to explore and new moves. An action packed that allows four players simultaneously play. The game also features online play with multiple gamers playing, adventure modes etc.

So these are the 10 games I picked for 2008. Let me know what you think about it. Comments appreciated.

Here are some of the latest games released in the month of December. I have listed out below.

Sims Carnival Bumper Blast (Platform-PC)
The Sims Carnival Bumper Blast is a game which will blast you away for hours! In this arcade-style game, before the shots run out you got to clear out all The Sims-styled bumpers. The player is challenged to master skill shots and get high scores! This game comes with over 140 action-packed levels; The Sims Carnival Bumper Blast is the fun casual game that will keep you going.

Sensible World of Soccer (Platform-Xbox 360)
This game is for soccer fans. Sensible World of Soccer brings along all the classic elements to a new generation of players. This game introduces all-new optional enhancements to make it more real. Sensible World of Soccer introduces all-new online multiplayer modes thereby allowing players globally to take up the challenge and get heated on international pitches and also compete in intense online football matches in true Soccer style. The game has custom graphics modes and graphics look pretty good. Cheats here.

Warriors of the Lost Empire (Platform- PSP)
Warriors of the Lost Empire is an action packed game. The game is about the lost empire located in a fantasy land, which was built by the great Emperor Hadrianus long ago. The empire was built as a testimony to his beautiful wife Antinos.

The city later gets besieged by criminals. Here comes the scene. A special team of warriors take up the task of investigating the lost city. Players can take the role of any of the four characters; High Lander, Amazoness, Gladiator and Dark searcher. The players are provided with full weapon customization.

As the player starts battling the dark forces, the player can learn new skills. The game gets more interesting as you pass through missions. Once collecting enough weapons, say your weapons cross 150, you can hire a blacksmith who can create weapons with other items.

The game has ten different dungeons to explore with mythical creatures and enemies battling on. The fast game play makes it a classic hack-and-slash that can get you cracking. The game can also be played co-operatively with two players over WLAN. Get cheats here.

Warhawk :Operation: Omega Dawn (Platform-Playstation 3)
Warhawk, this breath taking thriller will get even more intense this December with Operation: Omega Dawn, Warhawk’s first downloadable Booster pack. This game is developed by Incognito Entertainment. The battlefield known as “Omega Factory,” in which Eucadians and Chenovans fight for control. The game’s main feature Operation: Omega Dawn comes with six map configurations where warhawks take flight through the night skies of an isolated factory world. KT-424 Combat Dropship – a supreme vehicle which transports over seven troopers and a ground vehicle, all at one time. The Dropship acts as a multiplayer Boss character, and creates moments where seven players operate in smooth harmonization. Click here for Cheats.

Features:

• Invade Enemy Territories with the PMC-Dropship
• Dominate Opponents on a Brand New Battleground
• More Vertical Gameplay
• Bonus Layouts for the Dropship
  

Blades of Steel (Platform- Nintendo Wii Virtual Console)

This is it. With a stick in hand and your confidence bursting out, you get ahead of the game and look to win the cup, win the MVP award and hit the cover pages of sports magazines. But you got to realize one thing; everything doesn’t seem all too easy. Before you reach the highest point, you got to work well in order to fair. You have to score some. You’ll need the skills of a finesse player and you got to boost your morale. Defend your own goal against inexorable power plays, or pressurize your opponent’s goalie. Don’t forget to defend yourself. So strap on blades of steel and prepare to either make a name for yourself or be put on ice. This game is for Die hard freaks.

So much for now, its time for gaming action. Shoot it!

Tip #1:Don’t leave your device on for more than 6 hours. The reason is, it can result in a ‘burnt’ image on your TV set. So always, make sure you avoid using more than 6 hours. Use the Xbox dashboard to shut off.

Tip #2: The music in a game can make the volume of sound effects low. Use the Xbox media player to lower the sound of the music player.

Tip #3: What to do if people are bothering you online while playing a game with couple of friends? Best thing is set your online status to ‘Busy’, ‘Away’ or even ‘Appear Offline’. This can mask your status so your contacts won’t bother you. Follow these steps. Click Guide button and then ‘Personal Options’, then change your status.

Tip #4: Keep charging the batteries if you are using a wireless controller. This can help in playing for long. If you don’t want worrying to keep good batteries in your controller, then go and get a Play and Purchase kit.

Tip #5: If you want to remove the HDD, you can remove it so that you can insert in another one or take it with you to places. Just click the button towards the front of HDD, pull and you are done! If you want to insert back, slide in back end first and bring down into its place until you hear a click. Don’t press too hard.

Tip #6: Use the Xbox Live Marketplace for downloads. You can download game content, trailers, arcade titles, demos and more. Use the dashboard to access. Note that you need to be connected to internet in order to download content.

Tip #7 on’t want gamertag anymore? If you want to change to something new you can, provided it will cost. On the Dashboard, open your profile and go to “Edit Gamer profile”. Then hit “Gamertag”. Once done, you can change your gamertag to something new. Doing this can cost you 800 Microsoft Points.

Tip #8: Whenever you don’t play, keep charging your controller. Keep your Play and Charge cable plugged in before shutting off Xbox 360. So your controller will charge even though your console is shut down.

Tip #9: Keep your Xbox 360 to Busy or Away when watching a movie, or to temporarily stop notification pop-ups. You can also stop notifications by changing your personal settings.

Tip #10: If you want to send messages, you don’t have to be friendly with someone. Send messages to anyone just by putting in the Gamertag who you want to send a message. You can use the Guide button to send messages, or can use the dashboard.

Xbox gamers its time for some hot action. Presenting to you the Mass Effect game cheats.

Complete the game on normal mode to unlock the codes.

Unlock New Skills

Now if you beat the game and choose to replay the game with the same character, your character type will be able to learn some skills which otherwise he or she would be unable to learn. Let’s take for instance, on a second play-through; Adepts can learn to use Shotguns, First Aid, and other skills they were otherwise unable to use the first time through.

Infinite Credits

If you are interested to earn more credits than here is a way how you do. Follow the steps below closely.

1.) First off, fulfill the side quest involving Dr. Michel (from the Med Clinic) and her blackmailer. Once the quest is complete, you’ll get a discount from all the goods she sells.

2.) a. Sell her all of your expensive equipment. After you sell, next step is to travel to the Wards Markets and talk to the merchant named Expat. You can buy all the stuff which you sold for cheaper than you sold it. or

b. Sell Dr. Michel your items that have a sell value of 2400 credits or more. Anything less than that will not work. You can then go to Expat in the Markets and buy them through the “Buyback” option for roughly half of what you sold them for. For example, if you sell Dr. Michel 100,000 credits worth of items, you can buy them back from Expat for roughly 50,000 credits, giving you a net profit of 50,000 credits. However, the Buyback option will only list the last twenty items sold to Dr. Michel, so don’t sell her more than twenty items.( one of the readers, Joseph Hendon suggested this tip, if the first tip doesn’t work)

3.) Next, get back to Dr. Michel and sell your stuff again. Keeping repeating these steps as many times you want for earning more and more profit.

Infinite Renegade Points

Get more infinite Renegade points. When you get to the part of the game where Lorik Quinn testifies against Anoleis, you have to speak to Lorik Quinn and convince him to testify. Once done, you will earn twenty-five Renegade points. Then, walk away from him, return to him, and ask him something unrelated to the case. You’ll then be given the option to “Answer another question”, thereby you’ll be able to convince him to testify again, for another twenty-five Renegade points. You can repeat this step many times until you are satisfies with the points.

Unlock Higher Levels

You can increase your maximum level from 50 to 60 if you beat the game once through and opt to use your character from the previous game in a new game.

Unlock Play Again

After beating Mass Effect, you can play through the game again, with the same character, same skills, items etc.

A campaign by the mother of a ten-year-old boy who suffered an epileptic fit triggered by a computer game has finally persuaded a leading manufacturer to change how it vets its products.

The boy’s mother rushed to his room when she heard him screaming. As she entered the room, she found him twitching uncontrollably. Tests reveal that it was caused by flashing lights on his Nintendo game console.

The boy’s mother won the support of MP’s who signed a day motion calling on manufacturers to screen games for features that could bring in fits. After the incident, the boy’s mother also persuaded the world’s largest manufacturer of computer games, Ubisoft to vet all its products.

Mrs Gaye Hereford, the boy’s mother is believed to be a dentist from Somerset. Hereford said that most people didn’t know if they were vulnerable to diseases like epilepsy which were caused by flashing lights. The game manufacturers had to remove such scenes in the game which could bring in epileptic fits, she said.

The boy was playing Rayman Raving Rabbids when he was struck by the incident. She said that, when she reached him he was rigid. Later he pleaded her to stop the lights and the flashes.

Photo sensitive epilepsy which was revealed at Bristol children’s hospital is believed to be a common disease in the age group of 7-19, the age when most boys are addicted to video games.

John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, who tabled the motion, said: “We don’t allow toy-makers to sell products that could poison or injure our children. This shouldn’t be any different. We need government action, now, to change the law so no more young lives are affected by seizures triggered by electronic video games.”

The campaign is backed by Graham Harding, an authority on photosensitive epilepsy. He developed the Harding flash and pattern analyser, which the Independent Television Commission adopted in 1994 and which is still the standard test to guard against epilepsy-inducing scenes.

Professor Harding said that they wanted to avoid a war with manufacturers.

Rob Cooper, managing director of Ubisoft UK, said that their response to Gaye Herford was not to just take note but to take up her case seriously. Tests showed that Rayman Raving Rabbids, Nintendo DS game had no images with a high risk for photosensitivity epilepsy.