Joystiq [Xbox]

While our Live Top 10 posts are usually reserved for the endless slap fight between the Halo and Call of Duty franchises -- Halo 3 remains on top, if you must know -- our attention was drawn directly to Xbox Live Arcade this week. Major Nelson reports that South Park: Let's Go Tower Defense Play rests at the top of the most purchased XBLA games for the week, while Lucidity -- which debuted the same week to mixed reviews -- failed to make the top ten at all. It's not a direct measurement of the title's early success, but it certainly doesn't bode well for LucasArts' original puzzle platformer.

Based on the apparent success of South Park we have a suggestion for Lucidity 2: More cursing.

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It's possible that you'll be put off by Death by Cube when you notice the phrase "twin stick shooter" in its description; however, quick-to-judge players will miss out on one of the most creative titles in the genre's recent history. While Death by Cube doesn't revolutionize an overdone genre, Square Enix has provided one of the more memorable experiences I've had on XBLA since first playing Geometry Wars.

Gallery: Death by Cube

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I have to start by being brutally honest with you: Brütal Legend is not the game I hoped it would be. As a huge fan of director, designer and writer Tim Schafer's body of work – especially Double Fine's debut effort, Psychonauts – I had prepared myself for a wonderfully written, laugh-out-loud funny, constantly surprising experience filled with compelling characters that would have me grinning in anticipation of where it was taking me next.

What I came away with after beating the game in about six hours (granted, I didn't embark on many of the battle- and racing-based sub-missions, but I did do quite a lot of exploring) was the opinion that Eddie Riggs is a truly awesome character, along with a sense of wonder at the fantastic – and very metal – world Schafer and crew had created. Unfortunately, I also came away with a questioning of why so much of the game felt like a b-side to the hit single that had been its first couple of hours.

Gallery: Brutal Legend (10-13-09)

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We know a little something about adorable, so believe us when we say that this is, by far, the cutest, cuddliest Warthog we have ever seen. Created by flux83, the car is modified Power Wheels Chevy Silverado. It comes complete with custom windshield, hubcaps, chain gun and even the Warthog's trademark tusks. Check out a video of the Warthog in action after the break.

While you watch, ponder what it's like growing up with a father whose hobby is making awesome Power Wheels mods. Luckiest. Kid. Ever.

[Via Bungie.net]

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The marketing leading up to Brütal Legend's Rocktober 13 release date (hey, that's today!) has been unlike any Tim Schafer game to date -- a steady stream of content from the game on top of the occasional live-action short. And now, Schafer's biggest project is taking the marketing machine to the boob tube (we've embedded the ad after the break, via YouTube) with a 'Hell yeah!'-laden ditty.

The bad economy paired with Brütal Legend's same-day release alongside Uncharted 2 means EA needs to get the word out. Hopefully Eddie Riggs' repeated phrase will do the trick.

[Via Wired]

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Click to enter SplattergalleryWe had kind of forgotten that, despite the closure of developer BottleRocket, Namco Bandai's current-gen Splatterhouse revamp was still in the works. And even if we had remembered that, we would have assumed that the supposed 2010 release had been quietly canceled in the interim. However, October is the right time for horror games and Namco Bandai has decided to surprise us all by releasing ~~the game~~ five screenshots!

These new screens look pretty different from what we've seen, seeming to show a little bit of a cel-shaded effect and, for some reason, reduced muscle definition on Rick. We didn't really expect Namco to be messing around with the basic look of the game, but there it is.

The company also adjusted the previous "early 2010" release date we'd heard: now the game is slated for "Q3 2010." We're kind of hoping the extra time goes into the graphics. At least into getting them back to the state they were in last year.

Gallery: Splatterhouse (10/13/09)

Crime epic Grand Theft Auto IV has arrived (as promised) on the Xbox Marketplace's Games on Demand lineup. The grand theft mega-hit costs $30 to download, which is the same price as a fresh new retail version -- a tiny bit more in some cases. We should probably note that a used copy from GameStop is about $25. By all means, if you have no way of getting to a retailer please feel free to buy the game online.

Oh, wait, that was a missed opportunity for a "steal a car" joke, wasn't it?

We've got some good news for anyone already feeling just a bit overwhelmed by the impending holiday game season. Toys R Us is running a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" sale this week for all video games. Even better, the sale also covers accessories and items like Microsoft Points cards. Intrepid NeoGAFers have even uncovered some pre-orders that qualify for the promotion (any Dark Void or Bayonetta fans out there?). The sale ends Saturday, October 17, so hop to it if you're looking to save some cash.

[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]

The new game being teased by Koei Tecmo -- the one with the flowers? Um, yeah, it's actually about punching people: As predicted, the game's been revealed by Famitsu as Fist of the North Star Musou (officially, just Hokuto Musou, or North Star Musou) combining Koei's populous Dynasty Warriors series with the venerable manga series, and it's the smartest thing Koei has ever done with the Warriors series since the original idea.

The Fist of the North Star franchise follows a martial artist named Kenshiro who wanders around a post-apocalypse Earth, using his "Hokuto Shinken" style to fight gangsters that prey on hapless innocents. Why is this series so perfect for Warriors? Because it's a well-known universe in which it's perfectly believable for one guy to beat up a couple hundred enemies with his bare fists. This license will not require much adapting in the transition to a Warriors game.

Hokuto Musou, according to the magazine, will be out sometime next year on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

All work and no play may make Jack a dull boy, but for the folks at EA Montreal making Army of Two: The 40th Day, playing is no longer an option -- unless they're playing their own game as a part of their job. That's what this latest viral video marketing the game shows, as Rios and Salem continue checking in with their developers and try to keep them on the right track.

One thing we will say is that this new video is decidedly more downbeat than the pair's previous jaunt through the office. What's the matter, guys? Does somebody have a case of the Mondays?

Activision has sent out the intro cinematic for DJ Hero, and we can't help but think of Brütal Legend set in a hip-hop / club universe. A world filled with monstrous record needles and gigantic subwoofers. A place where DJs -- and truck drivers, apparently -- are kings, battling it out for rhythmic supremacy. We're not sure if the actual gameplay experience of twirling plastic records and tapping buttons will evoke the same feelings -- the signs are good so far -- but the intro video certainly has us pumped.

You'd best check it yourself, lest you wreck yourself.

The ol' Fancast keeps on truckin' this week, with intrepid hosts Alexander, Xav and Richard pressing on through some nigh indomitable audio issues. We discuss Forza 3, Dante's Inferno and the evils of Games on Demand. We also welcome back the Spoiler Warning feature, in which we discuss Batman: Arkham Asylum. Grab a blanket, sidle up next to the fire and warm your soul with some piping hot Fancast.

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Hosts: Richard Mitchell (SenseiRAM), Alexander Sliwinski (Sli Xander), Xav de Matos (Snypz).

Produced by Richard Mitchell

Music: Intro/Outro: "Electromooq" by Uma Floresta. "Punching Goodbye Out Front" by Kinski.

For fans: Xbox 360 Fancast Facebook group

The Achievement aficionados over at Xbox360Achievments.org have uncovered the Xbox 360 Achievements for Left 4 Dead 2. The Achievements offer some insane challenges -- "Survive a campaign on Expert skill with Realism mode enabled" -- and, if accurate, also confirm the recently uncovered "Dead Center" and "Hard Rain" campaigns. The Achievements also detail some new features and confirm other rumored features, most notably a defibrillator which can be used to revive teammates. Also mentioned is an adrenaline power-up to boost speed, deployable ammo upgrades and ... a bile bomb. We really hope that last one does what we think it does.

Head over to X360A for the full list (warning: watch for spoilers ... and Tanks).

Update: A Valve representative has confirmed the veracity of the two posters as official, saying simply, "They're legit."

There's an interesting piece over at InternetNews.com about how hackers target Xbox Live accounts, and from it, we were able to get some good tips on how you can protect yourself from a similar threat.

While you aren't able to hide your gamerscore, you can make your account a bit less desirable on the black market by hiding the games you've been playing.
Avoid services like Mygamercard.net that promote your gamerscore and, in doing so, make you a larger target.
Put fake information in your Xbox Live account, then use pre-paid cards to buy things and pay for the service, thereby making identity theft less damaging.

No, we don't actually do any of these things, but if you're a worrywart you can't say we don't have your back.