Game Downloads

At the Tokyo Game Show, we sat down with Phantasy Star Portable director Satoshi Sakai and grilled him about the minute, detailed tidbits about the game that only a true loot whore would care about. Then again, if you're reading this, then that loot whore is you. As a veteran of Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe, I wanted to know about the changes to the portable version from the recent console versions (and expansions) of PSU, and Sakai fielded my questions like a champ. Stayed tuned for in-depth, hands-on impressions of Phantasy Star Portable very soon.

Recession Gaming
Get more game for your buck. By Robert Ashley

Patience is a virtue: The excruciatingly long lead time between the public debut of a game and the moment it reaches stores can create an overexcited condition known, scientifically, as a "game boner." As in: "After reading a new Fallout 3 preview, Robert's game boner grew to immense proportions." When a long-awaited release date approaches, take a cold shower. The longer you can wait to buy a game, the cheaper it will be.

Resident Evil 'Zombie Evolution' clip
If you paid attention to our Tokyo Game Show coverage last week, then you've already seen the latest trailers for Resident Evil 5, and if you've checked out the latest issue of EGM, you're all up-to-date on the game's co-op additions to the RE series legacy. But to continue our month-long celebration of all things zombie, we decided to take a moment to consider the franchise's past as well.

Last month ExtremeTech completed their yearly-ish overhaul of their Bang for the Buck PC Build guide to present gamers with a formula for building a rig that will perform without breaking their budget. Though we missed it at the time, we thought those of you considering a PC upgrade in time for the holidays would still appreciate the chance to check this one out. ExtremTech's guidelines can help you create an affordable yet highly customizable system that includes the latest technological advances, including Blu-ray and 64-bit computing.

Phantasy Star fans take note: Sega has confirmed the newest game in the series, Phantasy Star Portable, will be released in North America at long last in March 2009. The game takes place after the disappointingPhantasy Star Universe, which I think most of us have agreed to pretend never existed.