EA: Dead Space 3 needs to sell 5 million units for further series investment

Dead Space was one of the new, quality experiences of 2008. Whether you agree with that statement or not, the list of awards from websites and events ranging from IGN to the BAFTA Game Awards definitely showed that Dead Space was not just another game that could be swept under the rug. A sequel was released on January 15th of 2011 to a divided fandom. Other than the horrible marketing campaign that pandered to 15 year-olds despite the game being rated for those of 18 years or older, some fans thought the game ditched the elements which made the first game truly scary while others did not mind the few changes. Whichever side of the fence you reside on, the game went on to sell little over two million copies, making itself a success. Since the general rule of thumb is for entertainment companies to keep pushing sequels, Dead Space 3 is planned released sometime in February of 2013. However, EA is expecting more sales than a small two million.

The weekend discussion: "What are you playing this weekend?"

Welcome to a new weekly feature at Digitally Downloaded! We all like games, and we all like to talk about games so, while the weekend brings us no news to ponder over, let's talk about games!

Each week we're going to have a different discussion topic to run over the weekend - we'll mix things up and we'd love for you to jump in and join the conversation.

So to kick things off, let's have an easy starter: "What game(s) are you playing this weekend?"

Look forward to hearing from you!

Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs gets a teaser trailer

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the few horror games that elevates itself to (and maybe even beyond) the likes of Resident Evil, Dead Space, and Silent Hill. The cold atmosphere is one of the main highlights; without Frictional Games (the developers of Amnesia: The Dark Descent) expertly crafting the world in which Amnesia takes place, the game would be only half as terrifying as the final product. However, the atmosphere was only one of the reasons as to why the game was successful in creating a foreboding environment. The question of whether an atmosphere-focused studio could come close to replicating what Frictional Games accomplished is an interesting one, and that question will be answered when the thechineseroom-developed, Frictional-Games-produced indirect sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent is released later this year, bearing the name of Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs.

The ten most disappointing games this generation

This generation has put up some truly amazing games – both high profile and niche. But, of course, it has also put up some real disappointments. Games that should have been great, or looked great in the promos, but didn’t follow through with the promise.

Review: Bang Bang Racing (XBLA)

Top down racers are a bit of a rarity these days, and top down racers that are actually good? Perish the thought.

Put a stake in these Van Helsing screens

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing finally opens the casket and gives gamers a peek at it's innards, and it looks like- Diablo?

New Zone of the Enders HD screens released

Konami released some brand new screenshots today of it's upcoming Zone of the Enders collected edition. Orbital Frame fans rejoice!

Spidey webs up the Nintendo Download

It's another quality week for Nintendo's download service as the eShop plays host to superheroes, outlaws, and a classic ape.

Nintendo: We cannot quickly overtake XBL, PSN, and the App Store

In an investor meeting that happened during E3, an individual asked Nintendo president Satoru Iwata how Nintendo would catch up and overtake the digital services of Sony, Microsoft, Apple, and Android devices. Iwata responded by saying that Nintendos solution to providing an online service would not quickly be able to do either of those things.

'Booth babes' aren't the problem, it's the booth babes that are the problem

Is this acceptable as a booth babe costume? Let us know your thoughts!

Penny Arcade has produced a rather interested editorial in which the author, Ben Kuchera, makes the claim that ‘banning E3 booth babes isn’t good manners, it’s good business.’ It’s a good read – I recommend everyone check it out. It’s also something he contradicts in his own editorial.

Nothing to see here folks, just the XBL update

Babel Rising headlines this very slow week on XBLA as the doldrums of Summer loom large.

First screens of Alien Fear released

City Interactive just released some new pics for its upcoming shooter Alien Fear.

Review: Autumn Dynasty (iPad)

One of the genres I have always assumed that the iPad would excel at is the real time strategy. The large touch screen is a natural fit for the genre, and should make manipulating units and controlling the ebb and flow feel natural, much like pouring over a real battle map.

The PSN update Vita-licious!

Yes Vita fans, there be games in that thar Playstation Network for yer portable console of choice. And they're not bad games either!

Wheels of Destruction is free to expand

What's the best kind of DLC? The free kind.

Tomb Raider reboot's 'goreporn' might just be the thing the series needs

It’s a bit like a rolling stone down a mountainside – though the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot didn’t cause a massive controversy in E3 (after all, we had Hitman for that), in the days since that rolling stone has become an avalanche of complaints over the extreme violence (including sexual violence) found within the game and very idea that this Lara Croft is a venerable woman that needs the player to “protect” her.

Trees of Doom invade Google Play

The ninjas of Ninjatown strap on their climbing gear for a free-to-play trip through the Trees of Doom.

MGS HD Collection available on PSV today

Get your cardboard box ready- Snake sneaks onto Sony's new portable.

Harvest Moon and The Legend of the River King coming to 3DS Virtual Console

Two more Game Boy Color titles will be making their way to the 3DS' Virtual Console service: Harvest Moon and The Legend of the River King. 

Review: CrossWorlds the Flying City (iPhone)

Okay I’ll admit it, when I first saw the title of this game I thought I was reviewing a crosswords game. Boy was I surprised, because it’s not about crosswords at all! Instead it’s a story of a daughter attempting to search for her lost father. Best crossword yet?

Review: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (PS3)

Tom Clancy has always appealed to me as a FPS franchise, in much the same way James Bond does. Like a big, brash, American version of Bond, Tom Clancy tales have it all – counter terrorism, stealth, exotic locations. The alcohol might be a little different – Tom Clancy heroes are more about beer than martinis, but the concepts are similar.

Wii U's online: it's time to get worried

Two interesting bits of news regarding Nintendo’s upcoming Wii U platform and its online and social structure hit the news feeds today. And I am not amused.

Long live Black Mesa: Source-powered, fan-headed re-imagining of Half-Life gets new screenshots

Almost eight years ago, Valve released an updated version of its first game, Half-Life, to run on their brand new Source engine. While the water shaders and lighting effects were updated thanks to the brand new engine, almost all of the original Half-Life's assets remained unchanged; textures were still basic, character modeling was simple, and the 1998 voice actors were still present. This aspect left fans full of disappointment, so much that two groups of modders began working on recreating and rebuilding the entirety of the original Half-Life in the Source Engine. These two groups later teamed up and pooled their resources to create Black Mesa: Source, one of the most ambitious fan mods to ever be in production.

Lollipop Chainsaw's four-hour runtime is not a problem, guys

So, it’s been revealed that Lollipop Chainsaw is “only” four hours long. And, predictably there’s been Twitter chatter about how much of a “ripoff” it is for a 4-hour long game to cost $60.

Review: Ys Origin (PC)

Ys: The Oath in Felghana was a game that succeeded in pushing the boundaries of what a remake should be. Ys Origins uses the same engine as that title and isn’t quite as focused, but to dismiss it as a lazy entry in the series would be a huge mistake. It features enough gameplay differences to warrant purchasing even if you’ve already played Felghana.

Max Payne Mobile double taps Androids

No, Max hasn't become a Blade Runner - the original bullet time shooter is landing on Android handsets and tablets this week.

Retro Review: Tumble Pop (3DS Virtual Console)

Tumble Pop is the kind of game the Game Boy really excelled at. It’s a simple, joyous little arcade game, and while it’s a title that’s largely been forgotten to history, it’s a game that is worth looking at again now.

Review: 3D Solitaire (3DS)

I’m not quite sure what the point of 3D Solitaire is. I mean, it’s a card game – perhaps the most basic popular card game of all time – and I’m not sure anyone was hanging out for a 3D take on it when the 3DS was announced. Card games are 2D in real life, for crissakes.

Review: Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Vita)

Treasure hunter, expert climber, fighter, even heartthrob? Pretty much all the characteristics Nathan Drake embodies. His first outing onto a portable device brings with it the same cinematic action sequences that are present on the console games whilst also showing off the power of the Vita.