Rage HD is definitely not an app for children, but 
it is, hands down, the best looking app on the iPad (and iPhone — as a separate version of the same game is also available for other Apple iDevices). Id’s graphics engine was built for the current generation of consoles, and the fact it transitions so smoothly to Apple’s products is a technological achievement. The game itself is a standard “on rails” shooter — where the player only has to worry about aiming, not walking. That prevents you from exploring, which is a bit frustrating, but you’re so busy trying to stay alive that the point quickly becomes moot. While extraordinarily violent, the game also shows a sense of humor, with the Mutant Bash TV host interjecting comments from time to time. It’s not something you want your children to play, but adults who enjoy action games will likely have fun.
Author Archives: Chris Morris
Xbox 360 TV rumors resurface
Microsoft seems to be pressing forward 
with its plans to launch its own TV channel.
The company has reportedly held talks with several media companies about acquiring content for a pay-television subscription service that would stream through the Xbox 360 dashboard. The service, assuming it comes to pass, isn’t expected to launch for roughly one year.
Sony adds BBCA programming to PS3
Sony’s keeping up the pressure in the console 
wars. The company has begun streaming content from BBC America onto the PlayStation 3.
Episodes of “Top Gear,” are currently available for $1.99 (standard def) and $2.99 (HD) per episode. Other programs, including “Doctor Who” and “Being Human” will arrive in December. To promote the new offering, Sony is offering users the chance to download an episode for free through Dec. 7.
Beyond the screen: Non-game gifts for gamers
Holiday shopping for gamers should, in theory, be
an easy affair. After all, with so many titles on the market, it’s just a matter of choosing the best one, right?
But there’s a good chance your gamer already has a copy of what you’re buying. Or, perhaps, he or she isn’t a fan of the blockbuster that GameStop or Best Buy employee assured you was a surefire winner. And gift cards? They’re just so impersonal.
Video game culture, thankfully, extends beyond games themselves. Here are a few alternative suggestions you might want to consider:
Google/Miramax deal in the works?
While the networks and other content 
providers are throwing up hurdle after hurdle to slow Google TV, the search engine giant is looking for new ways to ensure the service stays relevant.
The Wall Street Journal reports Google is in talks with the holding company that’s in the process of aquiring Miramax to license the digital rights to the studio’s entire film catalog. If successful, the films would be available two ways: Via paid rental on YouTube and, for older catalog titles, free to watch, with ads.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
Game review: Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
The Rune Factory series is a hybrid game that appeals
to a niche audience. It’s one part farming, one part finding a mate and one part action. That’s an odd combination and won’t appeal to some people — but those who enjoy this type of title, they will find plenty to like here. The game offers lots of customization and numerous things to do (including tilling crops, cooking, crafting, fishing, or just wandering the town to talk with people). The town is actually one of the most interesting aspects of the game, as every citizen seems to have a distinct personality and their own quirks. That’s vastly different than many similar games, where non-player characters are more robotic. Combat is challenging — characters move freely and in a very fluid method. It’s anything but boring — a common complaint in earlier entries in the series.
Nintendo returns to CES
It’s been 16 years since Nintendo showed 
up at CES – but with competition growing and a revolutionary product launch looming, Mario and Co. are packing their bags and heading to Vegas this January.
The company will be one of the flagship exhibitors in the 2011 CES Gaming Showcase when the consumer electronics tradeshow returns to Las Vegas Jan 6-9. All totaled, more than 35 video game companies will be part of that display.
Google’s Growing Troubles With Google TV
Google TV just can’t catch a break – and the 
repercussions could reach beyond the search giant.
The Web-meets-TV set-top box was meant to make it easy for users to find whatever video they were looking for on their television sets—both on the air and online. But the number of content providers who are blocking access from Google TV has grown steadily since the service’s launch. Hulu was first, but it wasn’t long before the networks were also preventing the service from streaming their video content.
Interview: TimeGate’s Chaveleh Takes Control Of His Publishing Destiny
[Gamasutra catches up with Timegate Studios (Section 8) head 
Adel Chaveleh as the veteran console game development house growss “tired” of the traditional publisher relationship and strikes out on its own.]
As production costs escalate and the market becomes tighter, independent developers are increasingly finding their options limited.
They can partner with large publishers on a per-game level – but if the publisher has an internally-built title competing in that genre, it often means their games receive a smaller marketing push. They can join the fold, agreeing to an acquisition. Or they can roll the dice and self-publish.
Disney’s vidgame topper exits
Graham Hopper, who has guided Disney’s 
gaming division for the past eight years, is leaving the company.
Hopper announced his departure via an internal email Monday afternoon saying “the time has come for me to move on from the company and set my sights on new horizons.”
Chris Morris: Journalist 