Namco Bandai has announced Tales of the World Radiant Mythology (man, that’s a mouthful) will be making its way to the PSP this summer. (You can all let out a collective “whoo hoo” now). I know Pete, our resident Tales fan will be ALL over this one the moment it hits stores. There isn’t a great deal of information readily available at this time, but here’s a brief synopsis stated in the press release. Hit the link below to read more and to check out our gallery and featured gameplay trailer.

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Bill Gates may not appear to be intimidating, but he’s the last guy on Earth you want to mess with. The man arguably has more power than the president of the United States or Oprah, a woman who isn’t even required to have a last name by law. Some big-shot attorney by the name of Jack Thompson –you may have heard of him– isn’t looking forward to the release of Halo 3, and decided to write emperor Gates a nasty-gram demanding he cease production of said game. See, when Halo 3 is released to the masses on September 25, people will die! At least that’s what Mr. Thompson is implying in his letter.

Dear Mr. Gates:

As you know, the Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly found that games rated “Mature�? by the video game industry-captured Entertainment Software Rating Board are routinely sold to kids under the age of 17 despite the age rating. The most recent failure rate of the ratings on “Mature�? games, according to the FTC, is 42%. The entire rating system is a fraud, and “broken,�? the latter description aptly provided by Senator Hillary Clinton.

As you also know, Lee Boyd Malvo trained on Microsoft’s Halo to further enable him to become the remarkably efficient “DC Beltway Sniper.�? That was reported by NBC News at the time and was noted in Malvo’s criminal trial.

You appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes II and rather revealing and usefully noted that “the cool thing about these games is that they transport you to a world you think is real.�? Precisely. Capcom has recently disclosed to investors that your video game industry’s violent games, sold to children, pose a real hazard to the health of the industry. Right on.

The hyperviolent Microsoft Xbox 360 game Halo 3 is scheduled by your company for commercial release in September of this year. The Beta version that was released last week shows us all just how violent the game is and how inappropriate it is for play by anyone under 17, as the “Mature�? rating it will surely receive indicates.

Here’s the deal, Mr. Gates: Either Microsoft undertakes dramatic, real steps, through its marketing, wholesale, and retail operations to assure that Halo 3 is not sold, via the Internet and in stores, directly to anyone under 17, or I shall proceed to make sure that Microsoft is held to that standard by appropriate legal means. I have done that before successfully as to Best Buy, and I shall do so again as to Microsoft and all retailers of Halo 3.

Regards, Jack Thompson

Would someone please explain to this man how the exchange of goods and services is conducted? In case you’re reading this Jack, retailers are responsible for ensuring the consumer is legally capable of purchasing a product, not developers. Even the power invested in Gates cannot stop a Best Buy employee from selling a copy of Halo 3 to a minor. That’s where the validity of your agenda looses its credibility. You better hope some very large men in well-tailored suits and dark sunglasses don’t come and find you for suggesting such a rickety case.

The wait is over. That is, if you’ve been dying for something new to download from the PlayStation Network. (It does seem like slim pickings compared to what’s available on XBLA). Starting tomorrow, Joust, a timeless Midway classic will be making its debut on the PlayStation Network — for the low SRP of $4.99. Your objective is to defeat all the enemy knights from a higher jousting point, while avoiding the rapture of creatures such as the dreaded lava trolls or pterodactyl. That’s really all there is to it. By now, most of you have already played this on Xbox Live (or the arcades… or that Atari system tossed up in your closet.)

It’s good to see some classics hitting the PS3. Now Midway just needs to break out NBA Jam, the entire Mortal Kombat series and Spy Hunter. Make it so.

Ph33r me!!!

Wow. Rayman Rabbids hasn’t even been out for a year and Ubisoft is already looking into a sequel. Only this time, the developer has opted to make Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 an exclusive Wii project. Hm, perhaps that’s where they saw the greatest degree of success?)

Those of you who’ve played the original release will have to agree that this game was born for the Wii (I loved it a LOT) - it just doesn’t feel the same on any other console.

Ubisoft’s Paris Studio will be developing the game, set for a fall 2007 release. Hit the link below to read the full press release:

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On the run…

The first footage of Splinter Cell: Conviction has hit the Web, giving us a two-minute glimpse of what to expect from Sam Fisher’s newest adventure.

Ubisoft has made it clear in numerous media reports that this will be a totally different stealth experience than what players have been accustomed to in previous SC installments. Toward the beginning of the game, Sam learns that Anna Grimsdottir is in danger and rejoins Third Echleon (again) to retrieve her safely. Unfortunately, Sam discovers Third Echelon isn’t quite what it used to be, receiving false intel and equipment that won’t effectively allow him to complete his mission. While his superiors continue to debate about the political and logistics of the organization, Sam discovers a disturbing truth that the threat against Anna is actually within Third Echelon, leading him to quit and become a fugitive.

Click here to check out the footage.

Source: Expohase