Sony Computer Entertainment today announced Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time, the latest entry in the popular action-adventure franchise. Here’s the deal:

Concluding the events that began in Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction and Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time will answer some of the franchise fans’ biggest questions. After discovering that lovable robot Clank’s disappearance was engineered by Dr. Nefarious, the Wrench-swinging Ratchet races to save his best friend. Along the way, both will finally uncover the hidden truth behind their origins, and discover their ultimate destinies. As the duo come closer to reuniting, they’ll have to ask themselves the biggest question of all: Do Ratchet and Clank’s destinies lie with each other? Or is it finally time for the universe’s greatest duo to separate for good?

Powered by Insomniac Games’ fourth-generation PS3 technology, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time will continue to bring the experience of playing your own computer generated animation movie to PS3. Expect all the laughs and witty banter of a Ratchet and Clank title, as you enjoy all-new space gameplay that gives players the opportunity to engage in space battles, explore the surrounding star system, and discover hidden items and collectables… You’ll come head-to-head with a brand-new cast of baddies, and some old favourites, and obliterate them with cool new weapons and abilities.

The game hits this autumn exclusively on PS3.

Telltale Games sent word that Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures, the new comedy game series based on the popular claymation duo, will premiere for PC on March 24. Episodes will be delivered monthly from the studio’s website; it will also be available from Xbox Live Arcade soon.

The four episodes will feature four brand new stories, setting the earnest inventor and his faithful canine companion embarking on new adventures. A demo offering a sampling of what’s to come has been released exclusively through Yahoo.

As a special preorder offer, those who get the full, four episode series on PC before March 23 will receive a 25% discount off the regular $34.95 price. Customers who preorder will also receive two free bonus episodes, one from Sam & Max and the other from Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People.

From the Telltale Games forums comes word that the PC edition of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures is due on March 24 and that a playable demo will be released this Monday. Here’s the deal:

We’ve opened up pre-orders for Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures! And what’s more, if you pre-order, you’ll get a 25% discount AND two free games (one Sam & Max episode, and one Strong Bad episode).

But wait, there’s more! Check back Monday (that’s March 16) for the playable demo, available exclusively from Yahoo! Games. Then come back AGAIN the following Tuesday to get the actual playable game! That’s right, the game will be in the hands of you, the gamer, on March 24!

The English-language demo for Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 has been released by 1C Company and Battlefront. It offers an all-new mission from the US campaign, as well as one tutorial mission. Grab it from Battlefront’s website, AtomicGamer, ComputerGames.ro, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell and Strategy Informer.

A playable demo for Hysteria Hospital: Emergency Ward is also now available. The full game is due out on PC and Wii this May. Grab the 74MB demo from AtomicGamer, FileFront and Gamer’s Hell.

Today’s last demo is of The Maw, offering a sample of the recently released action adventure game. Grab it from Greenhouse, AtomicGamer, ComputerGames.ro, FileFront and Gamer’s Hell.

Variety reports that Activision Blizzard has threatened to sue EA for publishing Brutal Legend, Double Fine’s upcoming heavy metal-themed action-adventure game.

The site’s sources claim that Activision Blizzard sees EA’s claims to pick up publishing rights as invalid due to a belief that it was still engaged in negotiations regarding the title.

The game has quite a publishing history – it was originally set to be published by Vivendi, which merged with Activision to form Activision Blizzard last year. Following the merger, the new company said that it would not publish quite a few titles, including Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, all of which have found new homes.

It is being speculated that Activision is seeking a cash payment for the publishing rights.

GameTap has launched volume three of American McGee’s Grimm today with the release of The Frog King, the first episode in the new season.

As usual, the episode is free to play for 24 hours, after which a subscription is required. Here’s the deal: "In this episode of American McGee’s Grimm, a naïve young princess discovers just how messy love can get when she hooks up with an unusually charming (albeit slimy) frog. What would drive her to seek cold comfort in amphibian arms? Violent threats, or dastardly blackmail perhaps? Not quite. Grimm dives into the ooze with Frog King, keeping things greener than St. Patrick’s Day parade through a field of clover!"

On an unrelated and yet somehow related note, Serious Sam 2 has been rotated to their free-to-play area, so if you’ve missed out on the game’s awesomeness, you can do so now for free until February 19.

On a similar note, the Xbox 360-only DLC “Beneath the Ashes” episode for Tomb Raider: Underworld won’t be making its February 10 release date either. This is due to an “unexpected technical issue”.

Instead, the $10 expansion will be released “as soon as possible”. The second set – “Lara’s Shadow” – is still set for its March 10 debut though.

A new developer diary for Prince of Persia has been released, showing off footage from the upcoming action-adventure game. Developers talk about the open-world nature of the game, on-demand dialog system, story and other aspects of the title.

The game is due out December 2 on PS3 and Xbox 360; a PC version is expected on December 9.

Keeping in mind how downloadable content has become popular and how developers want to monetize their games further, Ubi producer Ben Mattes confirmed that “significant” DLC for single-player title Prince of Persia is in the making.

“We certainly have plans for downloadable content, [but] we can’t really say more than that right now,” said Mattes.

Thankfully, the content won’t simply be new skins or weapons, but actually something “significant” in the form of a “new story, a new experience, maybe a prequel, maybe a sequel,” according to the producer.

“We’re going to do something that really offers a lot of value for the player. In terms of when: sometime next year – I’m not sure of exactly when, it’s all still in discussion.”

The new Prince of Persia title is due out December 5 on PS3 and Xbox 360; PC is due out the following week.

Blade Interactive’s plans for releasing Hydrophobia have been dampened, as Eurogamer reports a delay to the game.

Initially set for release late this year, the self-published submersive action-adventure title is now expected in March 2009. No reason for the delay was given.

Following user outcry over the moderation of user-made levels in LittleBigPlanet, Sony today responded by issuing a list of suggestions for creators to follow while it and developer Media Molecule improve moderation policies.

Authors are requested to make sure that the content created is suitable for all ages as everybody has access to the level once it’s published. Other people’s copyrights are also requested to be respected; authors are urged not to use images, brands or logos they are not entitled to use. Finally, users are asked to report inappropriate levels; hoax reports are highly discouraged.

The unofficial Sony blog Three Speech notes that over 84,000 levels have been uploaded to the game, from where less than 0.5% levels have required active moderation.

The epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time by late author Robert Jordan is being transferred to movies, according to VentureBeat, who reports that Red Eagle Entertainment, the company holding the media rights to the franchise, has formed Red Eagle Games to lead development on the games.

The company hopes to make a trilogy of films on which a trilogy of games will also be made. In addition, they plan on making a massively multiplayer online game based on the franchise’s universe.

Surprisingly, platforms were mentioned: all consoles, PC, handhelds and wireless platforms. Damn, that’s ambitious! No release dates were given though.

The latest installment in American McGee’s Grimm, “King Midas”, is now available through GameTap. It is being offered for free for the first 24 hours after which you’ll have to part with cash to get it.

As one can expect, this installment brings the twisted vision of Grimm to King Midas’ tale of his famous touch which could turn any object to gold.

Two new videos from Tomb Raider: Underworld have been released, showing off some gameplay footage as well as developer interviews where they talk about the design of the environments.

Hit the jump for the second video.

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1C Company and Katauri Interactive today announced the development of King’s Bounty: Armored Princess, a new add-on to the adventure game that has players take on the role of Princess Amelie who travels around the world of Teana to search for the renowned knight Bill Gilbert.

The add-on offers a completely new storyline and a whole new continent to explore, along with a new Princess and enemies. There are also other enhancements including fast travel, hiring companions, contracts and headhunting, new smells, new engine and more.

No release date was given.