As a fan of gangster movies and mafia flicks, I was looking forward to a quality "shoot-em-up" game with 'Mafia II.' I got that and so much more. The first thing that caught my attention was the detail of the storyline in between each action segment. Trust me when I say it feels like a cross between 'The Godfather II' and 'Casino.' The characters' voiceovers are impressive due to the crisp, clean delivery provided in each segue way. The graphics are outstanding, but I expected nothing less (this is, after all, the 2nd game - time to fix the errors).

Ok, so all that's well and good but what's the downside: the lack of ambition of the main character, Vito Scaletta. As the game progresses, he seems content with being a Mafia middle man instead of seeking to rise to the top of the family, as is often depicted in mafia movies. However, if that doesn't bother you, pick this game up ASAP. It's a winner.

Bonus: Gotta love a game that allows you to pick up a copy of 'Playboy' and check out the centerfold. :)

The Xbox 360's failure rate is five times the rate as the PS3 and eight times the rate as the Wii, The Consumerist reports, citing a study by Game Informer. The Xbox failure rate is 54.2%, the PS3's is 10.2%, and the Wii's 6.8%.

Not only that, the repair time for the Xbox is a month, and a week for the PS3 and the Wii, the study says.

But the Xbox 360 is the most played, The Consumerist says:

Results said 40.3 percent of 360 owners use the console three to five hours a day, compared to 37 percent of PS3 owners. Meanwhile, the plurality of Wii owners (41.4 percent) play their consoles less than an hour a day.

Maybe that explains the Xbox 360's high customer loyalty: Only 3.8% of the 5,000 Game Informer readers surveyed said they would never buy another Xbox 360 because of the failure rate.

Heavy gameplay could also explain the failure rate itself. More use means more overheating, which tends to affect the Xbox.

Source: The Business Insider

Bedlam Games Hired to Complete Development on Scratch: The Ultimate DJ

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Scratch DJ Game, LLC, a joint venture between Numark Industries, LLC and Genius Products, LLC, announced today that it has recently hired Commotion Interactive, the music and party game division of Bedlam Games Inc., to complete development of its much anticipated music rhythm game, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. In choosing the industry veterans at Commotion Interactive, Scratch DJ Game, LLC underscores its commitment to successfully launching Scratch and establishing a strong footprint in the progressively growing and competitive music gaming industry.

"With Scratch: The Ultimate DJ we will deliver an innovative, ground breaking video game for fans of hip-hop," said Jack O'Donnell, CEO of Scratch DJ Game, LLC. "We have selected Commotion and are confident that they are the best choice to help us achieve our mission. The team's rich and varied development experience includes talent from Rockstar Games, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts."

"Scratch: The Ultimate DJ offers a revolutionary take on the existing music/rhythm genre. The combination of the game and the proprietary Scratch Deck controller will bring the art of DJing to the masses," said Trevor Fencott, CEO of Bedlam Games Inc. "The Scratch Deck combines a touch sensitive turntable from Numark with the drumpads from the iconic Akai Professional MPC. This combination delivers an authentic music gaming experience unlike any other. We are thrilled to embark on this venture with Scratch, and can't wait for this exciting title to hit store shelves."

Commotion's mission is to deliver music and party game titles borne of exceptional design, fostered by meticulous planning, and realized by a world-class team. The studio was formed in 2006 by a seasoned group of industry professionals who are united in their belief that games can be developed on a creative level. The Commotion team is dedicated to providing quality titles that resonate with consumers looking for an entertaining and original gaming experience.

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will be available in early 2010 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. For more information on Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, please visit: ScratchVideoGame.com

Michael Jackson products could start appearing on store shelves, cell phones, even in X-Box add-ons if a judge signs off on a merchandising deal.

The current administrators of the singer's estate have presented several proposed contracts to a probate judge for approval. The agreements offer a taste of how the King of Pop may be sold in the coming months and years.

Trading cards, T-shirts, calendars, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson's music and games are among the tangible items being considered. So too are denim products and high-end clothing lines, according to the filings.

But Jackson seems destined to try to conquer the digital domain too. Some of the possible products include cell phone screen savers, X-Box themes, video games and digital tattoos for characters in games such as "Second Life."

The proposed deals are between Jackson's estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Bravado International Group Merchandising Services. The contract calls for Bravado, which is Universal Music Group's retailing arm, to receive worldwide merchandise rights.

AEG Live will retain rights to sell certain merchandise related to Jackson's canceled London performances, the agreements state.

Despite a tainted legacy while...click to continue reading

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - DJ Jazzy Jeff, GRAMMY(TM) Award winning hip-hop and R&B record producer, actor and world famous turntablist will ascend to the virtual stage this fall in Activision Publishing, Inc. and Guitar Hero's highly anticipated video game DJ Hero(TM). In addition to joining the distinguished rank of playable characters that will appear in the game, including DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, Grandmaster Flash, DJ AM and others, DJ Jazzy Jeff will shake the room and bring the party to life with his own set list featuring two exclusive mixes hand created by the legend himself - Tears for Fears "Shout" vs. Eric B. & Rakim "Eric B. Is President" and LL Cool J "Rock the Bells" vs. The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra "Bittersweet Symphony."

"I am very, very excited DJ culture is finally getting its due. To have a song in DJ Hero is a dream come true; to be a character someone can pick up the controller and select you and play is probably the biggest thing to happen to me in my career," said DJ Jazzy Jeff. "Music is so much a part of everyone's life, DJ Hero is going to appeal to almost everybody."

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero , DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to rule the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in over 80 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and electronica, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, blending, cross fading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii(TM) system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com.

For more information on DJ Jazzy Jeff, please visit DJJazzyJeff.com.

LOS ANGELES â€" Gamers, get ready for your close-up.

Steven Spielberg was on hand to introduce a prototype camera Monday that can be used as a controller for the Xbox 360. Codenamed Project Natal, the camera can track a player's full body movement while responding to commands, directions and a shift of emotion in voice without the need for a controller.

The announcement was made at Microsoft's flashy Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference at University of Southern California's Galen Center.

Microsoft also debuted 10 exclusive new games and the ability to access social networking sites Facebook and Twitter as well as streaming music service Last.fm on the Xbox Live service. The popular social networking sites Facebook and Twitter will be fully integrated into Xbox Live beginning this fall.

There were several announcements about the Xbox 360's video capabilities including increased functionality with the online Netflix service, 1080p high-definition video downloads, live TV in the United Kingdom and the ability to watch movies online with friends...click to continue reading

Designed by Leading DJ Technology Manufacturer, SCRATCH DECK Gives Players an Authentic DJ Experience Like No Other

CUMBERLAND, R.I.- Numark Industries, the world's leading manufacturer of DJ technology, and Genius, Inc., released today the first images of the videogame controller for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. SCRATCH DECK will be showcased for hands-on play at a special event in Los Angeles on June 3, during the week of the videogame industry's most high profile trade show, the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo.

"For decades, Numark has been developing turntables, DJ mixers and digital DJ controllers. We know what professional DJs demand, and we used that knowledge to produce SCRATCH DECK," said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Numark. "It was critical that we deliver an authentic DJ experience to gamers, whether they be experienced DJs or players who have never put a needle to vinyl."

SCRATCH DECK combines two essential elements of the DJ and hip-hop experience - a free-spinning, touch sensitive turntable with a crossfader and 5 Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads. The turntable allows players to add their own style and manipulate the songs in real time, while the MPC-style drum pads give players the opportunity to perform and customize tracks by triggering samples using the very same pads that are the cornerstone of professional hip-hop beat production. Samples can either be pre-loaded into the game using 60 unique battle records that will ship with the software, or players can record and upload their own samples using a compatible USB microphone.

In addition to the features created by Numark, SCRATCH DECK also contains standard game controls found in music rhythm games. The turntable features a realistic surface that feels remarkably similar to a vinyl record. The drum pads and the crossfader also deliver an authentic and realistic music production experience. Left-handed DJs will appreciate that SCRATCH DECK is designed for use in right or left-handed configurations.

"Being involved with Hip-Hop for so long, Numark has consistently been the standard for innovation and leadership in computer DJ controllers, their quality is second to none," said Quincy Jones III of QD3 Entertainment. "We are very excited to partner with them to deliver the most authentic DJ experience for gamers and look forward to letting gamers and Hip Hop enthusiasts get their hands on the controller for the first time at E3."

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ combines free-form DJ tricks with great rhythm game play similar to top-selling rhythm games. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is set in distinctive urban environments and will feature songs from the biggest names in Hip-Hop. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, featuring the Numark SCRATCH DECK, will be available in Fall 2009