"SSX: Deadly Descents" Renamed to Just "SSX," Details Emerge

Originally unveiled at the Spike 2010 VGAs, SSX: Deadly Descents has gotten fans concerned since then, but with new details emerging about the reboot for the franchise, it's safe to say that SSX something to look into as time goes on. The one thing that's noticeable, even in the header of this news story is that the game has dropped "Deadly Descents" from its title.

Game Informer was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with the Creative Director of the game, Todd Batty. Apparently, Deadly Descents is a game mode in the game and "is all about survival gameplay." He also said that, "Speed Descent" and "Tricky Descent" will be other modes. Judging by the names "Speed Descent" may be like a time attack mode, while "Tricky Descent" sounds like a mode to set up a high score with, well...tricks!

People also complained that in the game's first teaser, it didn't look like the classic games, but rest assured, it'll all be in there.

SSX is set to release on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Mass Effect 3 in May Issue of Game Informer

Mass Effect anime movie isn't good enough for you? News that broke recently is that next month's issue of Game Informer Magazine will consist of BioWare's upcoming and highly anticiapted game, Mass Effect 3. With it being only just announced, there's already some info floating around the internet and of course from subscribers who have gotten the issue early. Some info from the issue are spoilers, so read at your own risk!

Here's some things that have been gathered, thus far:

• RPG Elements to be the core gameplay
• Weapon mods
• Plot-wise, your Commander Shephard starts on Earth, after the events of the recently released "Arrival" DLC
• Multiple Endings
• Characters making some returns, depending on your decisions made in the previous games (Wrex, Liara, Kaiden, Garrus, Mordin, Legion, Anderson)
• Like Mass Effect 2 on PS3, if the 3rd installment is where some gamers are beginning with the franchise, it will include a digital comic
• New character: James Sanders

That's all the info there is. Check back when we get our hands-on the May issue of Game Informer

Duke Nukem Forever's Multiplayer Detailed, Includes Slapping

The latest issue of Xbox Official Magazine has revealed multiplayer details about the long-awaited, (and we all know that it's REALLY long-awaited) Duke Nukem Forever. The modes we'll be seeing, when the game finally releases in retail are Dukematch, Team Dukematch, Capture the Babe and Hail to the King.

Hail to the King (ala King of the Hill), Dukematch and Team Dukematch are pretty self-explanatory, but Capture the Babe seems interestingly funny and entertaining. What Capture the Babe entails is the close similarity to the classic Capture the Flag game mode. The difference to this though is the fact that when you're carrying around your babe to get back to your base, she'll occasionaly start to "freak out," but with the small and gentle slap to the bum, gets her to calm down. Yeah, didn't expect that either.

Other things confirmed for multiplayer are

• Jetpacks
• Holo-duke
• 8 vs. 8 Multiplayer
• 10 Maps
• Variety of weapons such as pistol, shotgun, ripper chaingun, pipebomb, rpg, shrinker, railgun, freezer, devestator, tripbomb (confirmed by G4TV)
• Multiplayer Beta

It's awesome to see Duke Nukem Forever is finally becoming a reality, but it should be pretty damn interesting to see Duke's take on online multiplayer.

First Saints Row: The Third Details Come In

Looks like certain people may have gotten an early look at the upcoming Saints Row: The Third from Volition in the upcoming issue of Game Informer magazine. From weapon upgrades, to returning characters, how the game begins is a lot to even know, especially this early since it's coming out this hoiday.

Via a NeoGaf post, Destructoid reports all this will be included, with the exception of competitive online play, BUT co-op play will still stay.

• Saints Row 3 starts with a bungled heist that sees the majority of the gang jailed. This raises the ire of a new gang, the Syndicate, which holds you and your closest allies prisoner on a jet. The gang wants to squeeze a percentage of the Saints' monthly profits, which of course leads to a fight and causes your character to jump out of the jet.
• Johnny Gat and Shaundi, two of your major allies from Saints Row 2, will be returning as accomplices.
• Weapons can now be upgraded. For example, you can fit sniper scopes and under-barrel grenade launchers to the assault rifle.
  
• Another character is Oleg, an eight-foot-tall monster of a man that can toss cars around. The Syndicate attempts to clone him, but science goes wrong and creates a bunch of dumb copies. These will show up as new enemy types in the game.
• A new RC gun lets you shoot an electronic bug that can control vehicles remotely. You will be able to upgrade it to control tanks and air transport.
• Three new gangs: Morning Star, which model themselves after masked wrestlers. The Deckers, computer nerds into money laundering and security. STAG, a government-sanctioned group designed to destroy other gangs.
• Missions can be completed in multiple ways. For instance, you could blow up an important skyscraper, or take the building over. Another example if stealing a Morning Star boat full of prostitutes -- you can sell the boat back to the gang, or keep it and pimp the girls yourself for profit.
• A traditional leveling system has been included this time. Your Respect gauge now works like experience points. You'll rank up with increased respect, and kit out your character with new perks and weapons. Player choice will be paramount.
• Cars can be upgraded with more features this time. Various aesthetic and performance tweaks will be offered, such as durable bumpers, extra speed, oversized spoilers and colored underglows. More costume options for the player character are, of course, available. Confirmed costumes include space suits, cowboys/cowgirls, cheerleaders, mexican wrestlers, superheroes, pirates, ninjas, and furries.
• New weapons include a giant dildo and tactical airstrikes. That is the most extreme spectrum I've seen.
• Every single weapon has included a specific animation for nut shots. With a pistol, you'll drop to a knee and whip the gun into the fruits. With a bazooka, you'll take a full golf swing at the tender portions.
  
• The button for sprinting has been dubbed the AWESOME button because, in contextual situations, it will make your character do cool things. For example, if you sprint to a car, you'll do a missile dropkick through the window to hijack cars more efficiently.
  
• Confirmed Activity side-missions include: Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, a Japanese game show full of dangerous stunts and, I'm sure, plenty of charming racism. Tank Mayhem, in which you use a tank to destroy specific high value targets. Guardian Angel, where you must drive carefully around town with a tiger in the back of your car.

Keep a look out on Gamerzitch when we get our hands on April issue of Game Informer. There may be some extra details!

SOCOM 4 Beta Release Date(s) & Details

Notice the (s) above? Yep, that means more than 1 release date for the beta! The Official Sony Playstation Blog announced today that the beta will begin in just a few weeks, but certain batches of people will begin to play up until it's up for everyone else.

• On March 15th, a private beta goes live. We’ll be contacting eligible players soon.
• Beginning March 22nd, PlayStation Plus members will gain access to the beta
• On March 29th, anyone with a beta code included with Killzone 3 gains entry
• Starting April 5th, the beta will be freely downloadable to anyone via PlayStation Network

Via the Playstation Blog, "The SOCOM 4 Multiplayer Beta will include each of the game’s competitive multiplayer modes — Suppression, Last Defense, Uplink and Bomb Squad — all playable on the maps “Port Authority” and “Assault & Battery”. And of course, you’ll be able to play each of our modes in either of their Standard or Classic variants."

I just realized this, but there sure are a crapton of betas being released