Earlier today Warner Brothers announced that they are issuing a new DLC for Batman: Arkham Origins, which has been expected of them for some time now. Based on an image posted on the game’s Facebook, the DLC will very clearly feature the classic villain, Mr. Freeze.

This is further substantiated by a  DC Animated Universe Wiki page which reads:

“As Bruce is leaving, Boyle comments that he is to be presented with a humanitarian award. Posing as a security guard, Batman sneaks into Gothcorp’s offices and finds a security camera tape with footage of the accident: on it, a man named Victor Fries records that he has put his wife, Nora, into cryogenic stasis after she became terminally ill, to give himself time to research a cure.”

This plot line follows very closely to the classic Mr. Freeze Batman plot line, which further confirms that he will be the main villain in this DLC. This will be Mr’ Freeze’s first appearance in the Batman: Arkham series.

Via: DSOGaming

Lego games have a formula that works. Take on an existing popular property, give it a Lego twist, wrap it up in oodles of charm, back it up with some solid if predictable gameplay mechanics, and then bam, you’re good to go. Whereas the amount of Lego games in recent years has gone alarmingly up, the quality has by and large never faltered. Except for when it has.

Lego Batman, released a few years ago, was one of the weaker entries in the ‘Lego franchise.’ For the sequel, developers Traveller’s Tales have enlisted not just the Caped Crusader, but also all of his DC cohorts, in arguably the best Lego game outing in years, that capitalizes on its inspiration, and really makes good on its underlying gameplay foundations.

The premise of the games is suitably silly and over the top. Based on multiple comic book men wearing spandex tights, and wrapped in a Lego exterior, the game, marketed as it is to children, was never going to be another Arkham Asylum or Arkham City anyway. However, DC Super Heroes is extravagantly, gleefully, ridiculously exaggerated, with little to no exposition provided to justify the team up of Lex Luthor and the Joker, as well as multiple DC super heroes teaming up with Batman and Robin. This decision to provide any sort of context to the story or events happening in the game is in spite of a clear spike in the game’s production values. The entire game is now voiced, for instance, and it puts you in an open world that is a joy as a Lego themed playground to mess around in. Simultaneously, the graphics have an all new sheen to them, looking rounder, smoother, sharper, more defined, and just shinier.

Lego Batman 2 shows some clear reverence for its source material. Perhaps as much as the Batman Arkham games, developers Traveler Tales have packed this game with multiple easter eggs and infinite nudges and mentions of the expansive DC universe, going above and beyond the call and including multiple characters in prominent roles when perhaps most of the target audience doesn’t even know of their existence. It is a game that prides itself on its comic book heritage, and it is a game that tries to capitalize on it by trying to familiarize the newcomer to said heritage, and providing plenty of material for the veteran.

Take, for instance, the music. Utilizing both the classic John Williams Superman track that blends in seamlessly with the iconic Danny Elfman scored original Batman theme as you take control of the titular DC heroes and scale the rooftops of Lego Gotham, the music is sure to stir some nostalgia within any comic book enthusiast, especially a DC enthusiast.

Lego Batman 2 is reverent about is source material, and it revels in that. However, contrary to the recent trend of moving towards the grittier, darker, edgier side of comic books, fueled in fact by none other than Batman himself, Lego Batman 2 is childish, cartooney, naive, with all the oodles of charm and the innocence of a Nintendo game. And unlike most games, that manage to nail down charm similar to Nintendo games, but can never quite master the game design (an important part of what makes Nintendo games so appealing to everyone- including kids- in the first place), Lego Batman 2 has it all nailed.

I’ve spoken already about the open world city. I have spoken about the twist to traditional open world mechanics that the infusion of Lego conventions adds to the game. I have spoken about the developers going unexpectedly above and beyond what was necessary or required of them, including in this regard- the fully featured day/night cycle, the random weather, and the AI behavior are all testament to that. It is a compliment rarely given, but Lego Batman 2 is a gem of a game, expertly designed, such that it’s hard to really fault it for anything. And if the really discerning eye does catch anything perceptibly out of place, the game’s heart and its charm are sure to smooth out that frown on your face.

Returning to the open world- it’s the meat of the game. The story is, as remarked previously, unabashedly silly, but the game almost makes a conscious attempt to sideline it and quickly brush it off, racing to its conclusion (which can take a hefty dozen hours, by the way), before presenting you with the true Lego Gotham city, with hidden nooks and crannies, which can only be explored and unlocked by using the appropriate characters’ abilities, sometimes in conjunction. There are additional villains to be hunted, there are free play missions that involve you saving the adorably trouble prone Gotham citizens, there are old story missions to be replayed with new characters. And if you’re just bored, and just want to muck around, you have a seriously enormous city to just wander about in. This game is massive, and by the end, you’ll probably have justified its value to yourself several times over.

Oh, and as for the other characters: there’s Batman, of course, as there is Robin. And then there is Superman, in what is perhaps his best video game incarnation to date. There are also other Justice League members: Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, all the usual suspects. By the end, you’ll have a veritable army of superheroes marching around at your command, in all their Justice League glory.

When you buy this game, you know what you’re getting: you’re getting all the varied and yet familiar gameplay concepts the Lego games have cultivated over the years repackaged in a new setting, a new scenario, with familiar properties, bundled in with lots and lots of charm. In that respect also, the Lego series resembles Nintendo’s brand of video game making a lot.

That is not praise to be lightly bandied about, and yet here I am, consciously having made that comparison twice in the course of this one review. But that is just how good Lego Batman 2 is. Charming and inventive, ridiculous and over the top, exaggerated and reverent, familiar and unexpected, Lego Batman 2 is that rare game that comes every once in a while that actually manages to transcend all demographics and appeal to everyone all at once. This is a game that will obviously cater to kids, given they are whom it’s targeted to. This is a game that will appeal to lifelong DC comic book fans. This is a game that will appeal to us adults, given the sheer expanse and its cheeky boldness in incorporating gameplay mechanics hitherto only reserved for Rockstar’s ‘mature’ open world games. It’s a game that will appeal to everyone, all at once, without really compromising on what it wants to be at all.

This is a game that represents what is undoubtedly an incredibly talented powerhouse at its very finest. Traveller’s Tales, take a bow. You’ve earned it.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

That’s right the demo is actually now available for Playstation Plus users on the PS3, since March 8th actually while the rest of us can’t get our hands on it until tomorrow, March 15th on the Playstation 3 via PSN.  As for Xbox 360 gamers, don’t worry a demo is coming to the console soon, just no official date yet.   The demo will feature Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Mileena as well as Johnny Cage with the Living Forest and the Pit levels. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive, developed by NetherRealm Studios, Mortal Kombat is due our April 19th for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  A Las Vegas Tournament has been announced with $21,000 worth in prizes for the game.  There is also a ‘Kollector’s Edition and ‘Tournament Edition’ of the game available.  There have also been talks of a PC release as well as free DLC, which is always a good thing, but nothing is confirmed yet.

Do you think you are the ultimate champion when it comes to Mortal Kombat?  Were not talking DC vs Mortal Kombat either, we are talking a super event with a lot of cash prizes on the line. Performance Designed Products (PDP) has officially joined the Mortal Kobmat team offering the announcement of their official Mortal Kombat Fight Stick. This will be the first official Mortal Kombat tournament in North America taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada May 14th & 15th.

The tournament will be held at Bally’s where the ultimate gamer contestants will battle for $21,000 in prizes. This is the tournament of tournaments when it comes to the fighting style games that has been with us for so long. PDP’s Official Mortal Kombat Fight Stick will be used for the tournament which features exclusive custom artwork. This extremely limited fight stick will only be available as part of the Tournament Edition of Mortal Kombat with other goodies included as well. Mortal Kombat will be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by NetherRealm Studios. The game will be out April 19th for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Official Press Release:

LOS ANGELES – March 9, 2011 – Performance Designed Products LLC (“PDP”), a worldwide leader in the video game accessory market, today announced that PDP is producing the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick, as well as sponsoring the first ever North American Mortal Kombat tournament. The Mortal Kombat Fight Stick is the ultimate arcade-style joystick controller for the upcoming Mortal Kombat video game, published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by NetherRealm Studios. The Mortal Kombat Fight Stick will also be used at the tournament happening in Las Vegas, NV, on May 14 and 15, where the top contestants will battle for $21,000 in prizes.

“Mortal Kombat is one of the most recognizable video game franchises on the planet and has a huge audience of dedicated fans,” said Tom Roberts, Chief Technical Officer, Performance Designed Products. “We’ve created the ultimate joystick for these fans and now we’re bringing them all together to find the top Mortal Kombat player in North America.”

Once Mortal Kombat players have had the chance to practice and familiarize themselves with the absolute control of the PDP Mortal Kombat Fight Stick, they will be able to pit their fighting prowess against one another in the Mortal Kombat tournament. PDP will be bringing together thousands of serious combatants within Bally’s Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, NV where hundreds of matches will be played using the fight stick in front of members of the Mortal Kombat design team. (Participants must be 18 years or older.)

PDP and NetherRealm Studios have collaborated to produce the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick, which features exclusive custom artwork. The Mortal Kombat Fight Stick will only be available as part of the Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition or for sale in extremely limited numbers on PDP.com. The Mortal Kombat Fight Stick has been designed to reflect the look and feel of the classic Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet and its ergonomic button layout has been updated with additional design and technological touches to create the ideal joystick for serious console players.

The inner workings of the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick are composed of high quality arcade parts from Suzo Happ and are easily accessed without the need of any tools. Inside the joystick base, all parts and wires are protected by a unique plastic shield emblazoned with the Mortal Kombat logo, and there is room to store cables and a copy of the game. The underside of the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick is lined with velvet-wrapped memory foam for the comfort of players who hold the stick on their lap, while rubberized feet at the bottom corners will prevent the stick from sliding when placed on a table or similar surface.

Mortal Kombat, the newest chapter of the award-winning videogame franchise, will be on store shelves starting April 19th, 2011 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. It marks a triumphant return to the series’ mature presentation and a reinvention of its classic 2D fighting mechanic. Mortal Kombat will introduce a number of new gameplay features including tag team, a deeper story mode, and nostalgic online and offline arcade battles. Players will be able to choose from an extensive lineup of iconic warriors and challenge their friends in traditional 1 vs. 1 matches as well as several new game modes.

In addition, Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation will make their Blu-ray debuts on April 19th from Warner Home Video.  Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation are also available for download through Sony PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, iTunes, Amazon and other online retailers.  The films are also available On Demand from cable and satellite providers.

In the latest trailer for Mortal Kombat, Noob Saibot is back and kicking some ass in this video.  The graphics and fighting styles for the game look great.  You also might want to check out the Kollector’s Edition and the Tournament Edition which comes with it’s own fight stick.  Mortal Kombat comes out for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on April 19th.  Finally, here is the sweet trailer below courtesy of IGN.

Warner Brothers Interactive along with Fear 3 developer Day 1 Studios have released a new trailer for FEAR 3.  The trailer showcases that you can play as Paxton Fettel in the game, in all story levels after you’ve played a level as ‘Point Man’. F.E.A.R. 3 will be out this May for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.