Xbox 360 Fanboy

Major Nelson just sent a note our way informing us that a new Universe at War: Earth Assault demo is available for download off the Xbox Live Marketplace right this very moment. The demo is available to all Xbox Live subscribers, weighs in at a quite manageable 546MB and includes two of the three factions featured in the retail build. As always, we recommend you download, play, get an opinion then voice said opinion. Now, get to it!

Well kids, this is it. The first "next-gen" game evar is finally on its way to retail shelves. That's right, Dark Sector, the one time space stealth action game turned Eastern Europe stealth action game, will soon see the light of day. Is it any good? We'll have to wait and see. But wait! There's more! Not only are we getting Dark Sector this week, but also Universe at War: Earth Assault and Viking: Battle for Asgard. Viking is a hack and slash action game in the vein of God of War, while Universe at War: Earth Assault is a new entry in the RTS genre. Readers may recall that Universe at War is somewhat unique as it offers cross platform play between the PC and Xbox 360. Given the 360's lack of mouse and keyboard support -- and the fact that the PC version has been out for months -- we're anxious to see if console players will even stand a chance.

[Via Joystiq]

Universe at War: Earth Assault, the upcoming SEGA published and Petroglyph Games developed title, is yet another real-time strategy game being shoehorned into a console control scheme. The difference between UaW:EA and other console-ported RTS titles is the inclusion of cross-platform play with the, already released, PC version -- a first for a third-party publisher. While on the surface UaW:EA seems complex, the Starcraft-esque three-different factions system, showcases the title's simplicity and accessibility.

The three factions, the Novus, Hierarchy and Masari are completely different in almost every respect and should make re-playability (other than online modes) one of the strongest bullet-points on the retail package. While we're a fan of the PC version, we wonder how the Xbox 360 version will control and what the balance will be when the PC crowd goes head-to-head with the Xbox 360 crowd.

Universe at War: Earth Assault is set to his retail on March 25, 2008 for the Xbox 360. Above is the trailer for the Novus faction, Hierarchy and Masari trailers await you after the jump.

Eurogamer has revealed the European release dates for the first quarter releases from Sega. Most notable to us, of course, are the 360 games on the list. Probably the biggest title on the list is Condemned 2: Bloodshot, the sequel to one of the 360's better launch titles, which releases March 14 across the pond. The other titles on the list are as follows:

• The Club - February 8
• Universe at War - March 7
• Viking: Battle for Asgard - March 28
• SEGA Superstars Tennis - March 28

Naturally, we can expect that these titles should hit North America at approximately the same time. Anyone out there looking forward to any of these titles?

If you're looking for some Play & Win opportunities, then garsh darnit you've come to the right place. Open for registration and about to begin are three (count 'em, three) Play & Win contests over on Xbox.com that run the gamut of gamers. We've got an Xbox Originals Play & Win that runs from December 4th-5th, a LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Play & Win that takes place between the 7th and the 9th and a Universe at War Play & Win between the 14th and 16th. There's all kinds of prizes to be won and rules to be read, so make the jump and register quick as a gopher! And remember, variety in Xbox Live sponsored Play & Win contests is the spice of life.

Read - Xbox Originals Play & Win
Read - LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Play & Win
Read - Universe at War Play & Win

We haven't been keeping close tabs on Universe at War, but we're starting to think we should. Loads of new gameplay videos have been released this week, and Joystiq got some interesting info from the developers at Petroglyph. It was revealed earlier this summer that Universe at War would feature cross-platform play between Xbox 360 and PC, which understandably raises the hackles of any self-respecting gamer. Cross-platform play on an FPS is questionable, but an RTS? Downright impossible, right? Not so according to Petroglyph. According to the devs, UAW "is going to be the act to follow when it comes to RTS interface and control." We hope that's true, because the gameplay videos (embedded after the break) look very impressive. We particularly like the Novus and their ability to travel along power lines. Check out the videos and hope that the controls really do live up to Petroglyph's words.