More screenshots from Ninja Gaiden 2.

Even more patches:

• Darkness Within v1.01 on Lighthouse Interactive

• Evochron Renegades v1.208 on the Official Website

• FIFA Manager 08 on the Official Website, FanGaming and Gamer’s Hell

• Live for Speed S2 Alpha Y on the Official Website

• Strategic Command 2: Weapons and Warfare on Battlefront

• SunAge v1.06 on Lighthouse Interactive

• SimCity Societies on AtomicGamer, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell and PixelRage

• Ship Simulator 2008 v1.3 on Lighthouse Interactive

The Two Worlds universe is being expanded with “The Temptation”, an upcoming add-on that adds a new gameplay feature allowing the player to influence the environment more than before. Players will be able to use chests, barrels and other items to defeat opponents as well as reach higher ground; there are also ladders.

New environments will also be present. Two have been disclosed – a Savannah and a Jungle. “So with ‘The Temptation’ we’ve succeeded in realizing a truly intensive gaming experience – an experience that also includes the refining of the ‘older’ elements together with truly stunning new features,” commented Zuxxez CEO Alexandra Constandache. “When you move objects, for example, the possibilities are almost endless… you can use all your creative talents and enable very interesting quests at the same time.”

Below are the first four screenshots:

Nintendo is back in the business and kicking ass, as reports have come in that the sales of the WIi till now has surpassed the lifetime sales of the Gamecube. Apparently, the Wii’s predecessor sold 4,179,963 during the five years it was in the market. The Wii has officially sold 4,231,044 units in Japan, outselling its older brother.

If you’re a hardcore World of Warcraft player, keep running Windows Media Player 11 in the background then! Gizmodo reports that running the media player speeds up loading in the popular MMORPG, strange as it may sound. Blizzard knows about this and is currently investigating.

KDV Games Company has announced Amphibian Man, an action-RPG based on a popular sci-fi novel by Alexander Belyaev. Here’s the deal:

In the XXI century science has made a breakthrough that has changed humanity forever. Mankind was finally able to function under the water without any kind of equipment. Mankind rushed to explore the underwater universe. But the discovery has also escalated old conflicts and problems. Things are coming to a crisis: the civilization is about to split and global war is about to break out.

Throughout the game the main character and his team will explore the unique and contradictive world of the future, solving mysteries of new civilizations. Colossal conspiracy has bound maverick scientists and their dangerous research, governments and even members of a dark religious cult, and only our hero is able to burst it.

The game is being developed for release on PC and PS3. It is powered by an in-house engine called VistaGame Technology; the game is said to combine hi-tech with futuristic and cyberpunk styles.

Red Mile Entertainment has announced that it has licensed Unreal Engine 3 for use in developing the upcoming Sin City game.

“The Unreal Engine is one of the most technically advanced engines on the market and is a perfect fit for our Sin City video games,” said Glenn Wong, president and COO for Red Mile. “The engine has powered several of the best-selling games of all time and I am very glad we have the opportunity to arm our developers with such a world-class product.”

The game is expected sometime in 2008.

Ubisoft has finally opened the lid on Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the forthcoming sequel to their popular tactical shooter series. Currently in development for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 for release in March 2008, the game will expand on the original by featuring more multiplayer modes, as well as new maps, two new adversarial modes, more rewards and a more intuitive matchmaking system; customizable experience; improved co-op mode, allowing the second player to join in the middle of the game; advanced AI; eleven new weapons and more.

The game will also feature even more of the sin city, letting players explore all new hot spots and more. Below are the first two screenshots from the title; a trailer was also released.

The very first trailer from Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the upcoming sequel to the tactical shooter.

Imitation may be the most sincere form of flattery, but when it involves the murder of a little girl, it’s gotten way out of hand. Two teenagers from Colorado have been arrested after killing a seven-year-old girl on whom they practiced moves from the Mortal Kombat fighting franchise.

The two teens were supposed to be babysitting little Garcia, on December 6, when they seized the opportunity to drink alcohol and immitate Mortal Kombat moves on the child.

Trujillo, according to released documents, admitted she’d “punched her in the stomach, karate chopped her lower arms, punched and pinched the victim’s thighs, kicked her in the shins, slapped her stomach and buttocks and poked at the victim’s chest.”

Witnesses say Roberts performed a back kick on Garcia, from which she did not get up. He then cracked an egg in her mouth, apparently to check if she was faking unconsciousness.

When Garcia regained consciousness Trujillo sent her to bed, according to the documents, but she stopped breathing 15 minutes later.

They reportedly tried to revive Garcia, but she later died in hospital. The autopsy showed she had suffered a broken wrist, bleeding in the neck, swelling of the brain and more than 20 bruises.

The teens are being held and will face trial for child abuse causing death, which could mean up to 48 years of imprisonment.

Here are the patches:

• Combat Mission: Shock Force v1.05 on Battlefront

• Galactic Dream: Rage of War v1.1H on RageofWar.NET, AtomicGamer, FileFront and Gamer’s Hell

• Guitar Hero III (Mac) v1.1 on Aspyr

• Hellgate: London v0.7 on the Official Website

• Neverwinter Nights v1.69 beta 2 on BioWare forums

• Space Empires V v1.66 on AtomicGamer, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell and The Patches Scrolls

• The Witcher v1.2 on ActionTrip, AtomicGamer, ComputerGames.ro, FanGaming, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, The Patches Scrolls and PixelRage

The final trailer for Devil May Cry 4 has been released, showing off both gameplay and cinematic moments from the coming game. Spoilers inside, so beware!

In even more release date news, Team Ninja disclosed that Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (DS) will come out in March 2008. The first portable entry in the series has players control the legendary ninja through the handheld’s touch screen. A downloadable demo of the game is currently available through the DS Download Stations scattered throughout retailers.

Publisher Eidos sent out word that Conflict: Denied Ops will be released on PC and Xbox 360 on February 12, 2008. The game, originally dubbed Crossfire, focuses on a co-op experience, having players take on the role of one or both main characters.

Earlier this year The Romantics, a band and not a hippie group, sued Activision on the grounds that the cover of their song in Guitar Hero ’80s was a little too accurate. It has been reported that their injunction for the publisher to stop the sales of the game has been denied in a preliminary hearing.

“Activision is pleased with the ruling and thinks that the case is without merit,” the publisher stated. “The company believes video games represent a growing opportunity for the music industry to reach new audiences and a strong source of potential license revenue for both bands and music publishers.”