The story focuses on Elle Peterssen, a rich young beauty who is also the victim of an attempted murder. In an astral form, Elle must leave her comatose body and find out not only who tried to kill her, but the mysteries of her life as well. Elle must figure out who she really is, pieced together by how she is viewed by her friends and family.

Rodin Esquejo and Sonia Oback provide the artwork on this exciting new story, mixing the ethereal and supernatural with scenes of violence and a realistic perspective and blending her out-of-body experience with reality.

This new series will be available on May 2nd, in both digital form and in the full-color, 48-page print version for $2.99. This title looks to be an interesting addition to the Image catalog, so be sure to check out this interesting new series from Image Comics.

Here is the newest offering from BioWare and it takes place in space, of course.  No, it’s not what you are expecting. It’s a contest and a chance to win an early copy of Mass Effect 3. Starting tomorrow, February 23rd, copies of Mass Effect 3 will be launched from select cities into the upper atmosphere. Gamers can track the travel of each package and try to be the first one there. The Space Edition of Mass Effect 3 will include a special “fan” prize package. No details yet as to what that will include.

The launch schedule is as follows:

• February 23rd: San Francisco  7am-10am
• February 24th: Las Vegas  7am-9am
• February 25th: New York  7am-9am
• February 27th: London  Time TBD
• February 28th: Paris  Time TBD
• February 29th: Berlin  Time TBD

Unfortunately most fans do not live anywhere near these cities. Maybe if I am very lucky, the New York copy will make its way 400 miles west to me. I would love to get my hands on that prize package as well as play Mass Effect 3 before anyone else.

It’s not hard to work out. Game developers aren’t charities, and if you want to fight your friends over Xbox Live, you and your friends are each going to have to buy a copy of the game. Why try selling one game when you can get four sold? It does seem like rather a cynical move. You can rarely play split-screen these days, so instead of four friends huddled around the TV, it’s four friends, four TVs, four consoles, four copies of the game.

What I really want to know is this: is a multiplayer function really necessary? Should games developers forget all about it and concentrate on making their single player campaigns more exciting, more immersive, more glitch free?

Well, yes and no. Look at the spectacularly successful Call of Duty series. Those games – especially the Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles – have made their names based on the multiplayer facility; not just providing infinite playtime (as opposed to the comparatively short single player game), but also a satisfying and fun reward system to keep players coming back for more, even without the promise of those shiny achievements.

Even better, a multiplayer option fits. In the game, you’re a faceless soldier with a name and rank – there’s no emotional investment there. A lot of the time, you’re only playing those characters so that they can die later to further the plot. Playing the multiplayer in CoD means jumping in, shooting some folks, getting shot yourself, and having fun while you’re doing it. It makes sense. It fits.

Then you’ve got Grand Theft Auto IV. What?! The game built around picking up a prostitute, having a little extra-curricular fun in your car and then bludgeoning her to death with a baseball bat? What did a multiplayer mode add to that equation? The combat not being particularly wonderful made the multiplayer feel really out-of-place, though it’s still being played now several years on, so I guess it has its followers. Soon after, every game seems to have a multiplayer function, from Portal 2 to Mass Effect 3.

And this really got me annoyed. You’re delaying a game’s launch to tack on a function that hasn’t ever been needed before? That’s extremely annoying.

But you know what? A game is something that is played. Playing is fun. It might not fit perfectly into the game, but I found the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer bit of the demo a heck of a lot of fun. Being able to get a bunch of mates together and shoot the breeze while taking down enemy forces is hugely entertaining, and it’s even helped improve my combat skills for when the main game comes out.

So, if there is a message here, developers, I guess it’s this. If you have to attach a multiplayer bit onto your game, which you inevitably will, make it fun, make it challenging, make it so that those without the will or ability to indulge can abstain, and don’t alienate the real fans of your franchise.

And don’t forget to make your single player fantastic.

One thing I’m looking forward to is called asynchronous combat, multiple concurrent battles against other players. Along these lines, they will also be offering competitive ranked games and global leaderboards. Had a really sweet maneuver against your friend? You can use the cinematic replay feature to remind them over and over again.

It’s the year 3025. Hostile enemy lances are closing in all around you. As Commander of an elite mercenary company, it’s up to you to ensure swift victory and make your enemies pay dearly.

The brand new game in the BattleTech universe is definitely something to keep your eye on. For more information or to reserve your Commander Name (I already have!) visit www.mwtactics.com

The Xbox 360 version will have two discs and comes with a fun feature. When you take disc two out, you will see box art for FemShep. If you decide you don’t want the default male Shepard as the cover on your game, you can swap it with FemShep. Finally, FemShep gets some love. Included in the game case is a 2-day Xbox Live membership, an EA online pass, plus a promotion insert about the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo. If you play the KoA:R demo, you will unlock some sweet armor in Mass Effect 3 that was designed by Todd McFarlane and a weapon. The demo is only available until March 17th and you must play with the gamertag associated with your EA Online account. If you created an EA Online account through Mass Effect 2, you are good to go. Download the demo now and play. I already did.

Unearth lost secrets from the past and recruit the Prothean squad member in Mass Effect 3: From Ashes.

It looks like we will be getting a new squad member as well as a added mission. I was excited and I am pretty sure other Mass Effect fans were squealing with anticipation.  Bioware has since confirmed that the DLC will be available on March 6th across all platforms on their message boards.

We’re happy to confirm that Mass Effect 3: From Ashes DLC will be available at launch for all platforms. For those of you who have purchased the N7 Collector’s Edition (including the PC Digital Deluxe Edition), you will get this content at no extra charge. We’ll have a lot more details for you later this week! Stay Tuned!

Good news for those of you that have a Collector’s Edition or the PC Digital Deluxe Edition. I have my Collector’s Edition and I love the word free. Now hurry up March 6th, I need my Mass Effect 3!

“With Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, we wanted to challenge the conventions of what makes an Xbox LIVE Arcade title” says Matias Myllyrinne, CEO of Remedy. “The game is a combination of pick-up-and-play arcade action that players expect out of an Xbox LIVE Arcade title, as well as a substantial pulp inspired single-player campaign that Remedy is known for.”

The game has really interest premise in that the events of a book are beginning to manifest in reality. Alan Wake, his wife Alice and the world is under threat. Mr Scratch, Alan’s evil shadowy self is out for blood, Alan must look to him to for answers. Only then can he find answers and escape the Nightmare. There is also the new mode, Fight Til Dawn which is similar to horde mode in which the player must battle through waves of enemies. While this sounds fun, I know I won’t be playing it in the dark.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Scratch…

Alan Wake: American Nightmare is out today for XBLA. Purchase if you dare!

The Video Game Art Show: Mass Effect features large-format cinematics and wall-sized murals, along with giant character and creature cut-outs from throughout the Mass Effect universe,” according to Tavia Campbell, Co-Founder and COO of WALLS 360. “From FemShep and Miranda to the Normandy and Commander Shepard, this exhibition is an amazing showcase of some truly inspiring video game artwork.

The opening night details are:

• Hotel des Arts: 447 Bush Street at Grant, San Francisco, CA.
• March 6, 2012: 6pm – 9pm on Tuesday

If you are going to the GDC, you should not miss this and if you cannot make this art show, grab the book The Art of the Mass Effect Universe. Bioware had some of the most talented artists working on this game series and the art work is breathtaking.