Halo Wars deftly dodges between the hardcore micromanagement of real-time strategy and the instant gratification expected by Halo fans. Ensemble has nailed console RTS controls, but at the expense of some depth. The campaign missions often seem overly scripted and the experience doesn’t have the wide-open feel of some other RTSs. But the Halo feel is most definitely present, and serves as one of the game’s biggest strengths. The cinematic cutscenes are gorgeous, if the narrative is somewhat thin in places. Overall, Halo Wars is a fresh and expertly polished approach to the console strategy genre, and it’s a fitting goodbye from a beloved studio.

“Emil’s story helps illustrate what can happen when we choose to pursue something we’re really passionate about,” says Meggan Scavio, the director of Game Developers Conference. “Geoff and Emil’s chat is the perfect way to learn how a unique life, passion and capitalizing on opportunities can lead to a career in game development at any stage in one’s life.”

For more information about the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and scheduled events and seminars, please visit www.gdconf.com.

You can download a demo of the game and view a video (which I won't embed here because uhm, I want to live) of the gameplay. Egads, they have some pretty crap music on their playlist.

In a statement issued by Major Nelson, in response to the story broken by GamesIndustry.biz earlier this week, it has emerged that a gamer's achievement points can be recovered from an expired account, as long as they still remain on the Xbox 360's hard drive.

Previous advice from Microsoft customer support had recommended that the only solution to the issue was for a user to start afresh with a new Gamertag, explaining that achievements and friends lists weren't transferable.

But now the corporation is working on a solution that will enable users to link their Gamertags to new Windows Live IDs should their existing one become dormant through inactivity, meaning users will therefore not need to set up a new Gamertag.

If you were affected by this SNAFU then you can find further instruction on what to do here.

Audio

• Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1 sound card - XS Reviews

  Boards
  

• Foxconn Quantum Force X58 BloodRage - Tweaktown

  Cases
  

• NOX Myth Case - Tech Reviews

  Cooling
  

• GELID Solutions GC1 Thermal Compound - Verdisreviews
• GlacialTech UFO V51 CPU Cooler - Hardware Bistro

  CPU
  

• AMD gives first demo of six-core 'Istanbul' silicon - Tech Report
• AMD Phenom II X4 810 & X3 720 Black Edition - TechGage
• Crucial Ballistix Tracer 6GB PC3-12800 - Legion Hardware

  Memory
  

• OCZ Tri Channel 1600 Platinum - Bjorn3D

  Power Supply
  

• Rosewill Performance 650 W - Hardware Secrets

  Video
  

• VisionTek Radeon HD 4870 X2 Redux - TTL

Today's question:

What games topped your most played list last week?

Runnin’ rings around all them molasses-slow dummies out there on the battle- field is thirsty frickin’ work. But when it comes to quenchin’ that thirst, only one thermonuclear thirst detonator packs all the “Atomic Punch” you’ll ever need. Bonk! is fulla radiation, which as we all know is pretty great for givin’ people superpowers. Just one can’ll blast ya into a few-second rush of radioactive energy so powerful you’ll be dodgin’ bullets like they ain’t even there!

It runs for like 3 and a half minutes or so.

With the launch of Tom Clancy's EndWar less than a week away, this is your chance to get another great Tom Clancy game to play now. Get Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter to play for free right now when you pre-purchase EndWar before launch!

Live the thrilling career of an army commander and lead your army to victory in a massive online World War III! Take control of the U.S.-led Joint Strike Force, the European Enforcers Corps, or the Russian Spetsnaz Guards Brigade in a persistent ongoing World War. Create your army to match your tactical style and create a strategy that will defeat your enemies.

1) When will Aion be released in North America/Europe?

We expect to ship Aion in NCsoft West territories in the fall of 2009.

2) Why is localization taking so long?

The localization effort is enormous, with a vast amount of content. Aion is not simply being translated, a team of dedicated content writers are re-creating the written dialogue and content to provide AAA quality and to ensure that it is culturally relevant for our audience. We are going to do this launch "right" rather than fast.

Players will be challenged to achieve the fastest times possible on nine races across seven all-new and totally redesigned Time Trial maps. No guns, no cops, and no city: this is true aesthetics, agility and flow that will challenge any runner. This special DLC pack is available for $10 USD or 800 Microsoft points. As an added bonus, all PlayStation 3 Mirror’s Edge fans can now download an additional map for free.

Time Trial is a popular mode in Mirror’s Edge that challenges players to find the fastest route across various maps. Players can upload their best time to the Mirror’s Edge leaderboards for their friends to download and compete against. Players can see their friend’s ‘ghost’ run as they race their way through the course to the top of the leaderboards.

Mirror’s Edge delivers players straight into the shoes of Faith, a modern day heroine who traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat, fast-paced chases and challenging puzzles. With a never-before-seen sense of movement and perspective, players are drawn into Faith’s dangerous world.

Overall Game of the Year

• Fallout 3
• Grand Theft Auto IV
• Left 4 Dead
• LittleBigPlanet
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Computer Game of the Year

• Fallout 3
• Left 4 Dead
• Mass Effect
• Spore
• World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Outstanding Innovation in Gaming

• Braid
• Left 4 Dead
• LittleBigPlanet
• Spore
• Wii Fit

Favourites:

Pretty in Pink 3, 7, 28

Uggles:

Sparkles 9, Flowers 10, Gross Black Thing 18, Plain Jane 20, Smoker's Choice 21, Fuzzy Slippers 25, Sparkles 26, Scary 29, Even Scarier 30, Fluffy 36.

Funny:

Knitted 14 (can double as a weiner warmer?)

Champions Online is already running on the Xbox 360, but apparently any hold ups with the game will come down to the business end of things. On Champions vs. DC Universe:

We don’t really know when “DC” is coming out, unless you believe the rumors on the web or not, but they’ve neither confirmed nor denied a release date. And “City of” has been out for a long time. So I think we’re in a great window to get out there where people want to try a new superhero MMO but they don’t know how long they’re going to have to wait for whatever’s next.

As far as Hellgate: London goes...

MTV Multiplayer: Does it feel weird that “Hellgate” is moving on with HanbitSoft?

Roper: Well, I’d be interested to see if it does. I haven’t heard anything or seen anything. I am upset, obviously, that whatever happened happened — that we had to close the studio [Flagship Studios], that we couldn’t keep the [intellectual property] and do things with it. But for the fans that we did have, it would be great for them to get more of “Hellgate,” and especially [unreleased game] “Mythos,” if that ever happens. But ultimately, it was much more of a challenge than I think maybe the new people who came and took over at HanbitSoft realized. It’s one thing to go, “Oh this is great! We’re going to get the IPs, and we’ll just make the games!” But it’s been eight months, and they haven’t updated it. Namco had to close the services down just at the end of January. So I’ll be interested to see what happens when it happens.

Cases

• Silverstone Nvidia Edition TJ-10 Computer Case - Techware Labs

  Cooling
  

• Xigmatek Thor's Hammer S126384 CPU Cooler - Benchmark Reviews

  Memory
  

• Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR3-1,600 - Hexus
• OCZ Platinum 6GB DDR3-1600 - PureOC

  Power Supply
  

• Seventeam 850watt - Bjorn3D

  Rat Lube
  

• XTracPads Pro Mouse Mat - Verdisreviews

  Video
  

• BFG GeForce GTX 295 H20 - Guru3D
• HIS Radeon HD 4870 IceQ4+ TURBO - Tweaktown
• Sapphire HD 4670 Ultimate Edition - Overclockers Club

Andy should be back today. You might've noticed that he was off visiting Epic Games to play the Titan pack. I hope to shock and awe him with my new found video skillz. I'm sure he'll be shocked, not to mention awed, that I posted movies while he was gone.

Today's question:

What's the last game that shocked and awed you?