The latest entry in Namco's Tales role-playing series has a name. That's good, because it's major headaches when a game does not have a name.

Dubbed Tales of Xillia, the game marks the 15th anniversary of the Tales series and is a "RPG of flickering conviction".

It features character designs by Kosuke Fujishima and Mutsumi Inomata.

The game follows the adventures of Shuto Matis, a medical student, and Mira, a woman able to control the four elements (earth, wind, fire and water).

Back in early August, concept art was shown for the then-untitled Tales of Xillia. Check out the link below for more Xillia footage of giant eyes and tiny noses.

Tales of Xillia [Namco]

The game will be released on the PS3 in Japan next year.

In 1958, Tennis For Two went on exhibition at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. With controllers and an analog display, it's regarded as one of the first ever true video games.

The original Tennis for Two was only on show for two years before being dismantled in 1959, used primarily as a novelty for the lab's visitors. Wired reports that thanks to the work of a present-day team from Brookhaven, it's now almost back in action.

While an attempt was made in the 1990s to restore the game, it cheated and used more contemporary electronics in parts. This version, however, is shooting for complete authenticity, right down to the computer powering the whole thing.

As a man who loves history as much as he loves video games, this is awesome. Hopefully when it's done people can get the chance to play it!

Engineers Restore 1958 ‘Tennis For Two' Game, Now With Vacuum Tubes [Wired]

David Rushton, founder of Utah-based studio Sensory Sweep, is looking at one-and-a-half years jail time for tax fraud and racketeering as well as US$516,819 in restitution.

Sensory Sweep is best known for DS title Tiger Woods PGS Tour 2005, Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting and Justice League Heroes. More recently, the company released Major League Eating and a series of language games, such as My Japanese Coach and My French Coach.

"Failing to pay taxes and filing fake tax returns is not a game," says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff in an official release from the Utah Attorney General. "These crimes have real consequences on our schools and for those who think the law does not apply to them."

Rushton did not pay taxes in 2006 and 2007. He also filed phony W-2 forms in 2008, earning fraudulent returns.

Back in 2009, the US Department of Labor filed an injunction against Sensory Sweep on the grounds that it apparently hadn't paid nearly 200 employees in more than 100 days. More than $2 million was owed — the largest unpaid wages case in Utah's history. At the time, Sensory Sweep vice-president Chris Rushton told Kotaku, "We dispute some of the factual claims listed on-line regarding our business situation. We are working out an agreement with the Department of Labor. Rushton added that the company was "very grateful" to its employees for working so hard during those difficult times.

"The Tax Commission continues to vigorously pursue those employers who steal employees' payroll taxes that must be paid to the State of Utah," says Charlie Roberts, Utah State Tax Commission. "This is a serious crime that has negative impacts on all Utah citizens, particularly our school children."

The studio has since gone out of business, and the wages are still unpaid.

Rushton also has 72 months on probation and is prohibited from handling other people's money. He must perform 200 hours of community service. According to the Utah Attorney General, failure to do so will mean a further 20 years in prison.

My Japanese Coach? This guy should've been working on My Business Coach, My Accountant Coach and My Lawyer Coach.

UTAH VIDEO GAME DEVELOPER SENT TO JAIL FOR TAX FRAUD [Attorney General Thanks, Adam!] [Pic]

In the next four minutes, you'll see more Minecraft skins than you can shake a wooden pick-axe at.

It's testament to both the creativity of Minecraft's players and the flexibility afforded the game that in a 3:43 space we get Colonel Sanders, Mario, Darth Vader, Soundwave, a soldier from Half-Life, Batman, Vault Boy, Dr. Zoidberg and...Creepers ready for a day at the beach.

The ability to create custom skins for your character is available only to those who cough up and pay for the game, so if you want to do what these guys have done, go grab a copy before the price gets jacked up!

[via it 8-bit]

Massively-multiplayer online role-playing game Reign of Assassins Online goes into beta today. This is more than just some MMORPG, it's from one of the greatest film director's ever, John Woo. He'll put a bullet in your cinema-watching head.

Born in China, but raised in Hong Kong, John Woo rose to prominence during the early 1970s by directing the film du jour, along with a series of martial arts movies. But it wasn't until the mid-1980s that Woo really came into his own with bullet-riddled melodramas.

Heroes Shed No Tears (1986) flopped at the Hong Kong box office, but Woo's next picture, A Better Tomorrow, would not only smash box office records, but come to definite Woo's slow-motion bullet ballet style — something the director would perfect over the next decade and a half. And something that influences video games even today.

Inspired by the films of Jean-Pierre Melville and channeling the cinematic pyrotechnics of Sam Peckinpah, A Better Tomorrow spawned a generation of shoot 'em up crime films. Like Pechkinpah, Woo shocked audiences with violence that wasn't only graphic, but beautiful. A Better Tomorrow was a hit, and actor Chow Yun-Fat became so popular that he was brought back for the sequel after being killed off in the first movie. His leather duster look in the film inspired fashion trends in Hong Kong — as well as among Hong Kong film geeks in America. After seeing the film, a twenty-something Quentin Tarantino took to wearing a long, dark duster. Tarantino later borrowed the black-suits-with-black-ties look of A Better Tomorrow 2 for his own lurid crime films.

Woo ultimately disowned much of A Better Tomorrow 2 and, at the time, critics wrote off the film. But the film showdown isn't only one of the best shootouts in cinema history, but it's like a blueprint for how shootouts are portrayed in video games. There are countless enemies, all wearing identical clothing, that seem to respawn and respawn. There is a mini-boss, and then a final boss.

But with The Killer, Woo, a Christian, mixed bullets with religious iconography as he once again paid tribute to his hero Jean-Pierre Melville. Much of the story and melodrama is straight from Meville's Le Samouraï. The gun fights were more complex as Woo experimented further with different film speeds and film stocks. The Killer remains Woo's masterwork, not just in action, but in mood. It encapsulates his most recurrent themes (friendship, betrayal, religion), themes he would revisit in later films like Face/Off.

Woo followed The Killer with A Bullet In The Head. It was supposed to be his Apocolypse Now, and it was — in a way. The film's budget was big and bloated, and, like with Coppola's film, the final cut ran long. The film was butchered in the editing room by the studio.

Woo returned to form with Hard Boiled, the 1991 action film intended to take him from Hong Kong to Hollywood. The film is slick, and like The Killer, it would inspire video games like 2001's Max Payne. By then, dual pistols — along with Mexican standoffs — were Woo signatures, and later began popping up in video game references. Woo made a sequel to Hard Boiled: a video game sequel. The Midway-developed game Stranglehold aspired for Woo's theatrics, and hit them more often than it missed 'em.

After making his Hollywood debut with the Jean-Claude Van Damme mangled Hard Target, Woo went on to make successful pictures like Face/Off and Mission Impossible II. In the past few years, he's returned to China, making epics like Red Cliff and this year's Reign of Assassins. His recent movies are also a return to his earlier martial arts film, but his imprint on gaming goes deeper than simply licensing a MMORPG and a game sequel. Take this year's Call of Duty: Black Ops, which gives players dual pistols for the Hong Kong level. Even as he leaves the guns behind, Woo's influence continues to be felt. His films are what video game shooters aspire to be, lock, stock and two smoking barrels.

Culture Smash is a daily dose of things topical, interesting and sometimes even awesome - game related and beyond.

[Pic]

In 2008, Shadow Complex developers Chair revealed they were working on an Ender's Game title. People got upset. It's OK, people. Relax. The game's been canned.

While Chair acknowledges that there were some cool concepts in mind for how to adapt the science-fiction novel, the studio's purchase by Gears of War developers Epic — who have a drive to create original IP — put an end to their efforts at making a game based on somebody else's property.

No great loss for people who had never heard of Ender's Game, then, and for fans of the book — like fans of anything being adapted into something else, were wary — its probably for the best.

Ender's Game tabled by Chair [Joystiq]

Whether it's playing X-Wing or Tie Fighter, Super Star Wars or Jedi Knight, one of the defining experiences of the world's favourite fictional universe - including, you know, watching the movies - is defined by its sound effects.

So watching this clip is, quite literally, a blast, as it shows how some of Star Wars' most iconic sound effects were made. The sound of a blaster firing? That's a high tension wire being hit with a spanner. An AT-AT walker moving around? That's just some heavy machinery.

[via Gizmodo]

Sega has confirmed that, yes, early next year there'll be a collection of Dreamcast games compiled in a single retail package and released for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

A retail listing appeared in November blowing the lid on such a pack, but Sega's Alan Pritchard has since told Game Informer "We actually have a Dreamcast collection coming out soon. We are looking to bring some of the old Dreamcast games to market digitally and packaged."

While there's speculation this simply means that the recent Xbox Live Arcade and PSN re-releases of Dreamcast games like Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure will be put in one box, Pritchard says "The titles are still to be announced".

Those crazy kids praying for a Power Stone or Jet Set re-release, pray on!

Sega To Release Dreamcast Collection Title [Game Informer]

We're mere weeks away from the year 2011 and many video game makers are drawing lines in the sand, committing to release dates as late as next November. Let's chart 2011 as it stands right now to see how it's shaping up.

While Sony has locked in November 1 as the far-off release date of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and Bethesda has claimed November 11 as the day we'll get the next Elder Scrolls game, there's still much about 2011 that's unknown.

Nintendo, for example, has not told us when we'll get the Nintendo 3DS, the long list of announced 3DS games or its next big Wii game, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. And you won't see the Wii Vitality Sensor attached to a hard date on our list. But we're expecting (some of) those things to be released in 2011.

And though some of the titles below might slip into 2012, the year 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for video games. Get out your calculators, hide your wallets and let's see what the new year will bring in terms of big games.

(Note: The following release dates and release windows are for North America.)

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Q1 2011 (Winter)

The first quarter of the year—the new fourth quarter of the year—is stuffed with great games for all tastes. Whether you like horror (Dead Space 2) or cuteness (LittleBigPlanet 2), there's a game with a "2" in the title for you this winter season. Don't be surprised if Nintendo 3DS details and even the release of the stereoscopic 3D device pop up here.

January
1/4 - Lost In Shadow (Wii)
1/11 - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS)
1/18 - LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3), Mass Effect 2 (PS3)
1/25 - Dead Space 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

February
2/8 - Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
2/15 - Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (PS3, Xbox 360), Conduit 2 (Wii), LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
2/22 - Killzone 3 (PS3), Bulletstorm (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), de Blob 2 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)

March
3/1 - Fight Night Champion (PS3, Xbox 360), The Sims Medieval (PC)
3/8 - Dragon Age II (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), Homefront (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), MLB 2K11 (PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
3/15 - Shogun 2: Total War (PC), Yakuza 4 (PS3), Okamiden (DS)
3/22 - Crysis 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), F.3.A.R. (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
3/29 - Darkspore (PC)

Also out by this point: Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), DC Universe Online (PC, PS3), MotorStorm Apocalypse (PS3), Child of Eden (PS3, Xbox 360), The 3rd Birthday (PSP)

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Q2 2011 (Spring)

Spring is solid. Good shooters, one potentially great fighting game, and what could be a flood of 3DS games are due now. Be mindful of your winter budget, because the second quarter of 2011 may surprise you.

April
4/12 - Brink (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
4/19 - Portal 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
TBD - Mortal Kombat (PS3, Xbox 360)

May
5/10 - Hunted: The Demon's Forge (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
5/17 - The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC)
TBD - Red Faction Armageddon (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

June
(currently unoccupied)

Also out by this point: L.A. Noire (PS3, Xbox 360), ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (PS3), Sorcery (PS3), Shift 2 Unleashed (PS3, Xbox 360), Pokemon Black & White (DS)

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Q3 2011 (Summer)

Few video games have laid claim to the industry's slowest season, with the exception of big shooters Resistance 3 and Rage. Fortunately, summer will typically tide us over with great downloadable games and under the radar releases.

July
(silence)

August
TBD - Madden NFL 12 (TBD)

September
9/6 - Resistance 3 (PS3)
9/13 - Rage (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Also out by this point: Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

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Q4 2011 (Fall/Holiday)

Here's where the calendar gets hairy. A few games have already carved out release dates for November, including Uncharted 3 and The Elder Scrolls V, but expect the same pre-holiday madness. Just look at the long list of blockbuster games with a vague Q4 release date at the bottom of this section.

October
(strangely quiet)

November
11/1 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)
11/11 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

December
(don't expect much)

Also out by this point: Call of Duty (TBD), The Last Guardian (PS3), Mass Effect 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), SSX: Deadly Descents (PS3, Xbox 360), Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360), Max Payne 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One (PS3), Batman: Arkham City (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)

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The Unknowns

There are plenty of video games slated for sometime in 2011, including PlayStation 3 games Infamous 2 and SOCOM 4, the we-don't-dare-date-it Duke Nukem Forever, Wii game Mario Sports Mix and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, games that don't have solid release windows. When we get more concrete release dates on those, we'll update.

It's been a week since Blizzard unleashed the Cataclysm in World of Warcraft, and I spent the past seven days getting to know the Goblins and the Worgen. Which one did I prefer?

Kotaku's MMO reviews are a multi-part process. Rather than deliver day one reviews based on beta gameplay, we play the game for four weeks (or in this case, two) before issuing our final verdict. Once a week we deliver a log detailing when and how we played the game. We believe this gives readers a frame of reference for the final review. Since MMO titles support many different types of play, readers can compare our experiences to theirs to determine what the review means to them.

I'm going to try a slightly different format this time around. Instead of keeping a running journal of every single moment I spent in the game, I'm going to summarize. It's easier to read, easier to write, and works just fine.

What I Played

Upon launching Cataclysm for the first time early Tuesday morning, I created a pair of characters using the class suggestions voted on by our readers: One Goblin Rogue named Pokery, and a Worgen Druid I dubbed Quality.

I played the Goblin Rogue through the new starting area, which took me through level 11, and then spent three more levels adventuring in the Azshara region outside of Orgrimmar.

Then I moved on to the Worgen Druid, leveling her through the starting area reaching level 12, and then I got sort of carried away. She's now a level 29 Balance Druid.

How It Went

The new race starting areas had definitely improved since I last saw them in early beta form. Those early experiences were compelling enough, but now with new music in place, new game mechanics tweaked, and the cinematics all present and accounted for, the experience is quite immersive and enjoyable.

The Goblin starting experience is whimsical and fun, in a dark sort of way. The Goblins are fun-loving criminals, gleefully going about the business of extortion, racketeering, loan sharking, and the odd instance of insurance fraud.

Even as the dragon Deathwing tears his way out of the center of the planet, raining fire down upon the Goblin's technology-covered island the scheming continues; as the tiny island was being destroyed I was handing over my life savings in exchange for safe passage.

The action then moved to another island, where the Goblins struggle to survive after their ship was damaged in a battle between Alliance and Horde forces. As I progressed through the quest chain the bond between the Goblins and the Hordes forces on the island grows, culminating in this one particular Goblin faction signing up.

The overall tone of the Goblin starting zone is humorous and light-hearted. The story is well constructed, and I found myself getting attached to the cast of characters that followed me through the adventure.

Once off the island my questing continued in Azshara, previously a level 40 or so zone restructured in the recent world-changing patch as a zone for characters ten and above. I fought some Blood Elves and screwed with some Naga before reaching level 14 and calling it quits.

Why such an early end to my Goblin adventures? I blame our readers. I told them I had extensive Rogue experience, but they voted Rogue anyway. Despite a wide array of interesting quests involving gimmicks like mechs, shark submarines, and a giant turtle-slaying rocket launcher, I was just playing a Rogue again, and I knew what to expect.

What I didn't expect was loving the new Alliance race so much.

The Worgen can transform between human and werewolf form at will. As a Balance Druid, that gives me what, seven different forms at level 29? Human, Worgen, bear form, cat form, travel form, aquatic form, and Moonkin form. Later I'll get flying form. That's a lot of transforming.

I didn't really enjoy the Worgen starting area in beta. It wasn't nearly as entertaining as the Goblin starting area, and overall it didn't feel very new. I don't know what changed between then and now, but I found myself drawn into the storyline much deeper during my post-release playthrough.

Worgen start off as humans living in the sealed-off city of Gilneas. They spend the first five levels of existence fighting against the Worgen that seemed to have invaded. The quest lie took me all over the city, culminating in a massive battle at the town chapel that our side ultimately lost.

When I woke up I was a Worgen, half-man, half-wolf. The rest of my time in the starting area was spent in an effort to win back Gilneas from the Undead Scourge as part of a joint human and Worgen effort.

It's a decidedly darker storyline than the Goblin one. The themes presented are deeper and the plot points more mature. I was compelled to see how these new creatures integrated themselves into Alliance culture.

Once out of the starting zone I found myself outside of the Night Elf capital city of Darnassus, which makes sense seeing as the Worgen are the only Alliance race besides the Night Elves that can become Druids. The quest line that takes players from the Darkshore zone into Ashenvale is truly epic. Darkshore was torn apart by the Cataclysm, so much so that prominent Warcraft figures like Illidan's brother Malfurion Stormrage get personally involved.

It was so compelling that I made it all the way to level 29 before realizing I should probably start getting my high level mage ready to explore the level 80 and above zones that make up the other half of the expansion.

The Story So Far

When Blizzard introduced the Death Knights to World of Warcraft they created a compelling new character experience that put all other starting zones to shame, with unparalleled storytelling and unique game mechanics. With the introduction of the Goblin and Worgen they've bested themselves. The starting experiences for both races don't merely introduce the player to the world; they introduce the entire race to the world, making sure the player knows their place in Azeroth.

In other words, so far, so good.

Next week I'll take a look at the new level 80 and above content. Let's see how quickly my level 76 Mage can become a level 80 Mage. If anyone has leveling tips, feel free to pass them my way!