4 new shots posted.

Geralt of Rivia is called upon to investigate a crime of passion during our hands-on demo of The Witcher 2.

It has been four years since Polish developer CD Projekt Red released The Witcher back in 2007. Inspired by the works of fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski, this dark, high-fantasy role-playing game followed the stoic Geralt of Rivia, a “witcher” well versed in the study of monsters and other creatures. Set after the events of the first game, The Witcher 2 pits Geralt’s martial and magical prowess against a deadly elven spy, Iorveth, as well as the mysterious assassin Kingslayer. The sequel also changes up the combat mechanics and forgoes the rhythmic timing and constant stance switching of the original Witcher in favor of one fluid system. We got the chance to see a few of the changes in motion during a hands-on demo set in one of the game’s numerous side quests. Be advised that although this story focuses on a side quest, it may contain minor plot spoilers.

Pickaxes are strictly forbidden indoors. But it doesn’t say anything here about giant swords.

Our journey began in the city of Vergen in front of an old tavern. Nearby, an elf was anxiously looking about, and we could tell just by looking at him that he was eager to tell his tale to anyone who would listen. Seeing his distress, we decided to approach but then passed right on by into the warm glow of the tavern beyond. Inside, we took the opportunity to try out one of The Witcher 2′s mini-games in a friendly round of arm wrestling with one of the dwarven patrons. While playing this mini-game, a bar appeared onscreen underneath the characters with a constantly-moving slider. In order to win the match, we had to keep our mouse cursor within the area of the slider long enough for Geralt to pin his opponent’s wrist to the table. Having proven our manliness, we were now properly warmed up for the inevitable adventure and stepped outside.

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5 new shots posted.

Check out the official trailer for DeathSmiles.

Here’s a trailer featuring the Pagani Huayra, which will be available exclusively in Shift 2 Unleashed: Need for Speed.

Here’s a gameplay trailer for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon.

Wedbush’s Michael Pachter breaks down NPD data, with Microsoft’s console coming out on top; Donkey Kong Country Returns sales come in at about 166,500.

Any hope that US game industry retail sales would be rounding a corner at the beginning of 2011 were squashed yesterday with The NPD Group’s January recap. Total retail sales, including PC and non-PC games, hardware, and accessories, slipped 5 percent year-over-year to $1.16 billion. Though NPD no longer offers precise software or hardware figures, the firm did say that Call of Duty: Black Ops, released in November, was January’s top-selling title.

Call of Duty: Black Ops failed to break 1 million at retail in January.

Today, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter issued a note to investors that provides more color on NPD’s report. In terms of console hardware, Pachter pegged the Xbox 360 as the top-selling system in January, echoing Microsoft’s announcement of 381,000 units sold. The Wii followed with 319,000 units sold, according to Pachter, with the PlayStation 3 picking up the rear, having sold 267,000 units.

Software also saw declines in January, falling 6 percent to $603.1 million. And though it was the top-selling title, Black Ops was a heavy contributor to that shortfall, Pachter said, as it sold only about half of his 1.5 million-unit prediction (or 750,000 units). Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Country Returns also vastly underperformed Pachter’s expectations, as the analyst said the game sold just one-third of his 500,000 unit projection (about 166,500 units).

More casual console titles also performed below Pachter’s expectations. THQ’s uDraw sold “well below our estimate of 300,000 units,” Pachter said.

However, it wasn’t all bad news. Two companies that exceeded Pachter’s expectations were Majesco and Ubisoft. The former was boosted by Zumba Fitness, whose fifth-place finish on NPD’s chart amounted to sales of 300,000 units. And while Just Dance 2 only sold about half of Pachter’s 1 million-unit expectation, the publisher’s sales were still up 63 percent compared to the same month a year ago.

Ruined suburban schools, double crosses, and mass graves make us uncomfortable in our latest hands-on with this upcoming first-person shooter.

Here’s what we know about Homefront’s single-player side so far: The game will be set in a besieged America of the near future; it will attempt to bring the fight “home” to players by showcasing familiar locales, such as ruined suburbs and shopping malls; and it definitely won’t be for the squeamish. All of those qualities were in force in our latest hands-on with the upcoming shooter from Kaos Studios, where we managed to play through the first three chapters of the game’s campaign to get a real sense of what it’s like to be part of a resistance movement fighting against a cruel and oppressive enemy.

Our last single-player preview went into extended detail about the first chapter. But to quickly recap, you play as Jacobs, a recently recruited member of a small band of resistance fighters battling against the overwhelming technological and numerical superiority of the North Korean People’s Army (NPA). And these North Koreans aren’t the comical, Team America type either. The NPA in Homefront are brutal and ruthless, as evidenced by the cruel deaths of innocent civilians you’re forced to witness in the game’s opening. After your first skirmish with the NPA, the second chapter of the game begins much as the first, with you waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. But unlike the rude awakening of the game’s opening, you find yourself in much more serene surroundings. It turns out that Jacob has been taken to a small refuge hidden amongst some near-ruined suburban houses, and it’s here that civilians have created their own self-sufficient community. As you walk around the refuge, which is hidden away from prying NPA drones by camouflage netting, you’ll see plenty of evidence of this small group’s determination to live–a man using a modified Stairmaster to pump water, couples tending to sickly looking crops, and even some emaciated livestock. In Homefront, the might of America has been reduced to this type of scene.

You won’t have much time for depression, though, as you’re soon thrust into your first real mission as part of the resistance–trying to secure some electronic trackers from a nearby forced labor camp. As you exit from some makeshift tunnels with a few teammates, you’ll find yourself in yet another ruined house. Outside on the street is an automated NPA turret sitting atop a tall crane, and you’re forced to slowly make your way closer to it while avoiding its roving spotlight; if it finds you, it unleashes rapid rounds of hot metal death. After getting close enough to the turret to dispatch of it with a well-placed grenade, you’ll soon find yourself fighting a skirmish against NPA troops in an abandoned school. This locale, much like the houses you’ve fought in previously, is yet another way that Homefront tries to make the fight “real” for players, placing them in familiar yet utterly destroyed areas.

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Jane Douglas speaks to Crytek’s Nathan Camarillo about the upcoming shooter Crysis 2.

Sinking hardware, software sales send overall stateside revenues sliding; Just Dance 2, Dead Space 2, Little Big Planet 2, Zumba Fitness make top 10.

Following months of sales declines in 2010, the US game industry started 2011 with£another month of sales declines. According to NPD figures released today, overall sales of PC games, non-PC games, hardware, and accessories sank 5 percent during the January reporting period, going from $1.22 billion to $1.16 billion.

Of the various sectors, hardware sank the most, falling 8 percent to $324 million. The only company to release sales figures was Microsoft, which reported that 381,000 Xbox 360s were sold during the month, a 15 percent year-on-year increase. Neither Sony nor Nintendo issued sales figures for their platforms as of press time.

Call of Duty: Black Ops was the top title in the US once again in January.

In terms of software, combined PC and non-PC games totaled $603.1 million, down 6 percent from $644.9 million in January 2010. The top game for the month was once again Call of Duty: Black Ops, followed by a repeat appearance from 2010 favorite Just Dance 2. Both beat off a strong debut from Dead Space 2, which
shipped 2 million units worldwide just weeks after its release.

In fourth place was another debut, Little Big Planet 2, followed by the workout game Zumba Fitness: Join the Party. NBA 2K11 returned to dunk sixth place, followed by fellow holdover Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood in seventh. Kinect favorite Dance Central sashayed into eighth place, while another dance title, the double-platinum Michael Jackson The Experience, moonwalked into ninth. NPD’s top 10 was rounded out by the massively multiplayer title DC Universe Online.

The sole bright spot in today’s NPD figures was accessories, which includes sales of Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’s PlayStation Move. The two motion-sensing systems helped sales in the category increase 6 percent from $222.8 million to $235.1 million year-over-year.

JANUARY 2011 US GAME SALES
OVERALL DOLLAR SALES
Total retail sales: $1.16 billion (-5%)
Non-PC hardware: $324.0 million (-8%)
Total software: $603.1 million (-6%)
Non-PC software: $576.0 million (-5%)
Accessories: $235.1 million (+6%)

TOP 10 GAMES
Title (Platforms) – Publisher

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, WII, NDS, PC) – Activision

2. Just Dance 2 (WII) – Ubisoft

3. Dead Space 2 (360, PS3, PC) – Electronic Arts

4. Little Big Planet 2 (PS3) – Sony

5. Zumba Fitness: Join the Party (WII, 360, PS3) – Majesco

6. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PSP, WII, PS2, PC) – Take-Two Interactive

7. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (360, PS3) – Ubisoft

8. Dance Central (360) – MTV Games

9. Michael Jackson The Experience (WII, DS, PSP) – Ubisoft

10. DC Universe Online (PS3, PC) – Sony

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