On XBLA we’ll be getting Puddle (800 Microsoft Points) and Quarrel (400 MSP) on 25th January – followed by Rhythm Party (800 MSP) coming 1st February. Also, don’t forget that the following week Microsoft will begin their House Party line up.

Two new pieces of DLC will also be coming each for 800 MSP – first up, The Mediterranean Traveler map pack will be arriving for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations on 24th January. Owners of UFC Personal Trainer for Kinect will be able to get the Cain Velasquez Workout Pack on 31st January.

The deal of the week running from 24th to 30th January will be 50 percent off a whole host of LA Noire content. This ranges from 40 MSP for The Broderick Detective Suit to DLC mission packs for 160 MSP. Bastion will also be 50 percent off the following week until 6th February, costing just 600 MSP.

In Games on Demand 2K’s Duke Nukem Forever will be out 24th January followed by a trio of games on 31st – these will be: Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures, Section 8 and First Templar – which will be releasing a demo also on this date along with EA’s remake of Syndicate. UFC 3 will be letting you try out your skills in the cage on 24th.

Finally you can dress up your Avatar in a host of new outfits beginning with Threadless apparel, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Ninja gear on 24th January. Then on 31st January you’ll be able to get your hands on Microsoft’s Deluxe Collection and Darkness 2 wear.

That’s a lot of stuff over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be looking forward to trying out Syndicate next week and if you haven’t already would urge you all to pick up Bastion.

This announcement comes as Windows 8 approaches release, along with Microsoft’s next push into the mobile OS market. So, now, Xbox Live can join the Android Market and Apple’s App Store in the realm of real currency and leave the rinky dink fantasyland of Mickey Mouse bucks in the dust.

I do wonder if this is at all in response to the increasingly trendy practice of scamming and phishing people’s Xbox Live accounts for MS points. Hopefully, when they see REAL money in their Xbox Live account eWallet, they will be less likely to fork over passwords and the keys to the proverbial kingdom. I also hope it will dissuade the casual among the Xbox Live account hackers, since the prize pot will now be filled with real currency as opposed to funny money. Then again, the hard core ne’er-do-wells will probably be that much more incentivized.

Cue Bioware and the thoughtful team at their helm. Instead of moping around all day, we will get the chance to play the opening sequence from one of the most anticipated games of 2012 – Mass Effect 3. The single player portion of the demo showcases the Reaper’s invasion of our home planet. The multiplayer portion, which is locked until the 17th for those of us who haven’t registered an online pass for Battlefield 3, is set to display the all new co-operative mode, allowing for four players to progress through alternate scenarios.

The demo will also have full Kinect voice support – one of the first pre-launch demos to do so on the Xbox Marketplace. All six classes are present and customisable in the demo, allowing players to get a real taste of their favourites before the games release.

The demo will hit the 360, PS3 and PC simultaneously on the 14th of February. The game is currently slated for a global launch of March 6th, 2012.

Yep, you can now ink up your Xbox LIVE avatar by adorning your virtual arms with a selection of new tattoo designs, with styles ranging from stars and flames to old school Kanji and the inevitable “I <3 MOM". Wondrously pain-free, you can choose to adorn yourself with a wrist or bicep placement, or even a half/full sleeve. However, Kat Von D it isn't; your tatts come not as standalone accessories, but more as transparent sleeves to a range of rather bland white or black tees and vests.

Annoyingly, the range is further restricted if you're female. With less than half of the range available to the fairer sex, and - at the time of writing - absolutely no female items available in black and only one with a full tattoo sleeve, here's hoping Xbox rectify this pretty sharpish. Nothing more off-putting than a healthy dose of baffling sexism.

You can pick up the tattooed range now from your local Xbox Marketplace with items ranging from 160-240 MSP. And just like your real life tattoo, we make no assurances than any of the Kanji is correct ...

Via: Joystiq

Key to this update and for most Microsoft products in the future is a unified look and feel to their products and this revolves around the Metro interface. Gone are products that work differently from one product to the next when it comes to Microsoft. The Zune application for your PC, the Windows Phone 7 and now the Xbox 360 all share a similar design, all based around tiles and apps. Windows 8 is also going to bring in the Metro interface when it is released and it will finally unify the way that you interface with a Microsoft product. I personally found the new look to be slick and familiar, but that could be because I am one of the few people on planet Earth that loves his Windows phone.

Each window is now a series of tiles, normally surrounding a larger center tile window. Some might not like the new main tile, as it is normally a spooling advertisement for new games and/or movies, but it felt a lot more integrated and smooth than the jarring ads that would show up on the previous iteration of the Xbox Live Dashboard. So far, I have yet to run into one of those obnoxious talking ads that starts off when you move over it.

This new dashboard update also brings in full functionality with the Kinect device. No longer are you relegated to moving to a separate dashboard to use Kinect. You can swipe through menus and select things at will, even while sitting on your comfy couch. The gesture system works relatively well, but it still requires very deliberate movements to make navigating the menus practical. I still found myself grabbing for the controller more often than not, but it is better than having to relegate yourself to a separate interface menu. The voice stuff on the other hand seems to be much improved and I found the Xbox responding to my commands very quickly, which is a plus. While I am not totally sold on the gesture commands, I love pausing and selecting stuff via voice commands.

Searching for stuff in the marketplace was always a pain in the ass when it came to finding content, and the way the Xbox team have looked to rectify that issue is with the integration of their search engine, Bing. While Bing will not search the web for you via your console, it will search out games, movies, music and other items that match your query. Using the search commands, I found myself locating content that was segmented by what was on my console vs what was avialble in the marketplace. It will also search out things like if the movie is available on Netflix if you are a subscriber, so you are not just railroaded into purchasing content. Searches worked most of the time, although I did have a few trip ups when the pronunciation was not specific enough. But overall, I did find myself using Bing quite a bit.

Unfortunately, the glaring hole in the update is the lack of the Live TV content that was talked about at E3 at the launch of the update. While there are new apps like The Today Show, Epix, and others, you do not have access to YouTube, Verizon FiOS, HBO Go and others at this time. While the are coming soon, it really stinks that I cannot get these apps now, as there has been six months to prepare for this launch. Part of me thinks it might be a behind the scenes billing thing, or they did not want to overwhelm the system at launch.

Other little goodies included are the new Xbox Live Companion App which allows for those with Windows phones to control media, search and other items with their phone instead of with Kinect or a gamepad. Not great, but a nice approach to unify the brands a little more and maybe sell a few more Windows Phone 7 devices in the process.

I can comment on the UFC stuff as preview members were able to watch a UFC fight card via the UFC app during the test. The video was surprisingly clear and you were allowed to vote on who you thought would win a fight and how they would win (submission, knockout or decision). There were some issues with the graphic overlays at the start of the fight, but overall, it worked very well, and could have a great future on the Xbox 360. It was also nice that you had a leaderboard with others that were watching the fight, complete with scorecard to see who could predict the fight outcomes better.

Overall, the new update has been a great experience. Sure, it still needs a few tweaks here and there, and the media apps are still lacking at launch, but with more coming in the near term, Microsoft has continued to solidify their encroachment on the living room TV with this update. Look for more updates on this as more features are unlocked. We will also have a hands on video with the new Xbox Companion app later today or tomorrow as we get it installed and running for you to see if it is worth the price of admission.

And for UK-only XBoxers …

Whilst the dashboard changes are unified across most Xbox territories, there may be some variations from country to country. In the UK, Xbox partners include LoveFilm and Sky Go (including live streaming from Sky), and then – later in the month – you’ll also be able to access 4 on Demand, blinkbox, Crackle, Dailymotion, Demand 5, MSN, Muzu.tv, VEVO and YouTube. And in early 2012, you’ll also be able to access the BBC … sweet!

The last big banning run occurred around this time last year, when Halo: Reach was leaked a month prior to launch day. Earlier this year, Microsoft tested out a new disc format as well that was supposed to combat piracy. It also gave developers an extra gigabyte of space.

Whether or not these techniques are actually helping in the fight against software piracy, the message is quite clear in Microsoft’s case: game piracy will not be tolerated. That’s not going to stop hardcore hackers, but Microsoft hopes that it will at least deter them for some time.

Via Team Xbox.

To put it simply, we’re going to see DLC that the likes of Fallout 3 had. While it won’t be frequent little episodic installments, Bethesda aims for more expansion-style DLC. Say goodbye to horse armor, and hello to even more hours whiled away in front of your console.

“Very quick DLC might sell well, but that’s not our priority,” said Howard. “We’re not going to be doing a lot of it. Our high-level thinking is that there’ll be not as many [pieces of DLC], but they’ll be bigger and more substantial.

“The goal overall is not necessarilyt o put out more content, but to make the game better.”

How you can make something like Skyrim even better is beyond comprehension at this point, but Bethesda is aiming to not disappoint. It already did that when it had us pony up about $3.00 for pieces of horse armor that really didn’t do much.

Since the DLC for Skyrim has just started development, it’s hard to say which direction it could go. Howard says that he didn’t “want to leave anything off the table.” Anything is go at this point.

There won’t be any new content so soon after launch, but Howard has said that DLC will launch first on the Xbox 360 console. “We’ll start hitting on everything after vacation,” said Howard. “We’ll take a break [after the game launches], see what consumers think of the game, then see which direction we want to go.”

Via Ars Technica.

Don’t mind the shadow above you as assassins will be the talk of the gaming community for the next few years. Building upon a solid framework first introduced in the original Assassin’s Creed, the next installment, Assassin’s Creed II, reached what I would personally call the pinnacle of the series.

In a masterful mix of exploration, action, and new mechanics that really should have been in the first game as well, Assassin’s Creed II introduces us to a much more fleshed out world. Beginning with Ezio Auditore da Firenze, you can already see the vast improvements from the previous title. Instead of a blank vehicle who occasionally spoke to refute his higher ups, Ezio had a family, a love life (well…lives, if you want to really be that specific), and has quite the attitude as well. NPCs are a little more lively as well, and Ubisoft has done many of us a favor by including an in-game database to tell us who exactly are these people you’re meeting. No more assassinating some shady looking guy with a name you couldn’t pronounce and not really understanding what exactly was his deal.

It’s no secret that any historical fiction junkie will love this game. Even if you don’t really care for history and all its particulars, this game will appeal to those of us who enjoy adventure. While you could complain about how it’s much more of the same “climb up the side of the building, find the viewpoint, make a dramatic leap, wash rinse repeat,” we’re given a larger world to traverse. From the gritty city of Florence to the more elegant Venice, the rural Tuscan countryside, and the muddy streets of Forli, it’s a lot more variety than the dust-covered Damascus, Jerusalem, and port town of Acre.

Don't mind me. No, really.

Following the variety of cities are the variety of side missions. Instead of simply sitting and listening in, stealing things, or saving citizens, players have a wider choice of what can be done as a side mission. From rooftop races, courier missions, beat ‘em ups, horse racing, to escort missions and chase sequences, Ubisoft invested more time and effort into the little things that encourage players to explore the world. Even the insides of select buildings, previously closed off to the outside, are now accessible to obtain those precious keys to unlock the Armor of Altair.

Perhaps one of the weaker points of the Assassin’s Creed series as a whole is the confusing plotline. The interlacing of the 2012 Doomsday scenario and the ancestral stories told during Animus sessions often make little sense when they attempt to coexist. There’s the story of political intrigue and assassination in Ezio’s memories within the Animus, then there’s a separate race called “The Ones Who Came Before Us,” clues left by Subject 16… It all becomes a jumbled mess after a while, and left me wishing that Ubisoft had simply left things in the historical time period.

All plotline complaints aside though, Assassin’s Creed II shines in many ways. A great addition to the world of Italia is player access to shops and money. It was almost a bit silly to have beggars come running up to you begging for money in the first game when you didn’t even have an option to throw some at them. Well, now you can, and those people leaning out of shop windows? You can talk to them too, to buy items and better equipment. No more of this, “Go back to the same three cities and assassinate people all over again” in order to unlock new items. Any time you had the dough or the store had the item unlocked, you can go and get the damn thing.

Gone are the days in which you had to think about slowly lowering yourself to the ground before assassinating an unfortunate guard, or trying to figure out the best way to take out a Templar. Ezio can assassinate straight from a rooftop or even pull people off of the side of buildings. We’re also given the option of hiring groups of NPCs to aid in distracting guards and luring them away. Either Altair really didn’t have that option, or he just thought a little too highly of himself. It could go either way.

Bitch, I cut you!

Perhaps something that Ubisoft failed to address in Assassin’s Creed II was combat itself. While in Assassin’s Creed Altair could break enemy guard, Ezio had none of that. The best course of action was to wait for an enemy to begin attacking, and counter attack for a kill. Clashing away at an enemy that refused to drop their defense often becomes monotonous and boring. If anything, fighting became a chore in this game, and it wasn’t a really fun nor short-lived chore.

It’s not all peaches and cream from there either. Another issue Ubisoft failed to address that will surely plague any future Assassin’s title are the terrible camera angles. Fighting through walls, shrubbery,

All in all, Assassin’s Creed II definitely brought the series to the forefront with all of its glorious trappings. With lovable characters, an immersive world to explore, and a full arsenal of variety in weaponry and missions, players who enjoy exploration, adventure, and action will have no problems sinking hours into this game.

The Good

Lively and lovable characters make the story more believable.

Wider variety of cities give many an opportunity to explore.

Addition of store fronts, more weaponry, and other collectibles encourage a lot of that exploration.

The Bad

Aliens and conspiracy theories? Seriously?

Fighting has become boring and a chore.

Camera angles once again plague the combat. Try fighting through some trees, will you?

Assassin’s Creed II is currently available in stores, and also on Xbox Live Games on Demand, and Playstation Network.

Family Focus
Blood, swords, sexual references, ESRB M and PEGI 18… Yeah, not one for the family.

Yes, the obligatory Avatar collection for Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are now available on the marketplace, with prices ranging from 240 Points to 400 Points depending on how elaborate you want to get. That set of armor will set you back 400 MS Points, but the dragon will only put you back 240 MS Points.

If these items help you immerse yourself in the lore of Skyrim, check out what you can grab for your avatar below.

* Dragonborn Armor – 400 MSFT points | $4.99

* Dragon Bone Armor – 400 MSFT points | $4.99

* Mage Robe – 320 MSFT points | $3.99

* Dark Brotherhood Armor – 400 MSFT points | $4.99

* Dragon Bone Helm – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

* Dragon Prop – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

* Elder Scroll Prop – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

* Magelight Prop – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

* Stormcloak Helm – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

* The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Premium Theme – 240 MSFT points | $2.99

If you can’t wait until then for a taste of some new Gears action, never fear. You can fire up your 360 and download the “Horde Command Pack,” which is available for download starting today for 800 Microsoft points. This particular pack is much denser than the freebie coming out on November 24 as it offers new Horde fortification upgrades (Command Center, Decoy, Sentry, Silverback), playable characters (Bernie Matzaki, Big Rig Dizzy, Onyx Guard), weapon skins (Team Plasma, Jungle Camo), maps (Azura, Rustlung, Blood Drive), and 250 Gamescore points worth of achievements. Epic and Microsoft put together a trailer available only on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace to give you a better idea of what those 800 points actually get you.

The November 24 release, titled “Versus Booster Map Pack,” is limited to the three maps listed above (Azura, Rustlung, Blood Drive) plus maps Bullet Marsh and Clocktower. The maps will be available in public playlists and allow you to go head-to-head with fellow Gears in some brand spankin’ new scenery.

The third DLC of the year, “RAAM’s Shadow,” will be available on December 13 for 1200 Microsoft Points. This one will likely be the most tempting of the three since it will deliver more than three hours of new campaign gameplay set in a storyline that predates the first Gears of War, six new multiplayer characters, a new weaponset and new achievements, along with access to play as Zeta Squad, elite Locust enemies, and Locust boss RAAM.

Season Passholders are guaranteed access to the first four game add-ons for free. The Pass costs 2400 Microsoft Points and its value gives you an overall discount in excess of thirty percent.