Some new screenshots from Silent Hill: Homecoming, the fifth entry in the series, have been released, showcasing the ‘nurse’ enemy in action. The game is slated for release this September on PS3 and Xbox 360.

KOEI today announced that it has shipped a combined one and a half million units worldwide of Warriors Orochi across all platforms. The hit title is a crossover of the company’s two biggest franchises - Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors.

“This milestone is a significant testament to the global impact not only of this game, but also to the tremendous admiration that fans worldwide share for the DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS characters,” said Amos Ip, Senior Vice President at KOEI Corporation. “As we celebrate, I would like to recognize and express our thanks to the video game world’s greatest fans for making this achievement possible.”

Warriors Orochi is now available for PS2, PSP, PC and Xbox 360. The company also announced the sequel Warriors Orochi 2, which it hopes to release this September on PS2 and Xbox 360.

While Hideo Kojima went on record to say that Metal Gear Solid 4 would be the last game in the series, MGS4 producer Ryan Peyton believes it to be contrary to what they are cooking up for the series.

Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, Peyton confirmed that the series would live on after the fourth game, but that future games may not include Solid Snake at all, saying that all loose ends would be tied up in the coming game.

“I think there’s been some misconceptions that this is the last ‘Metal Gear,’” said Payton. “This is really just the last chapter of the saga of the Solid Snake story.”

He also talks about the Assassin’s Creed costume in the recently released joke video. It was the result of a collaboration between Jade Raymond and Hideo Kojima, he says, as well as Ubisoft. “It was kind of a last minute thing [and] we were really lucky enough to have Ubisoft be so enthusiastic about this kind of cooperation,” he said. “They worked overtime to get that costume into the game.”

With the WiiWare service up and running, Nintendo today added two new original games to the service along with a lonely retro game to Wii’s Shop Channel.

Priced at 1000 Wii points, Konami’s Critter Round-up has players trying to herd farm animals and keep them from escaping (or whatever it is they are trying to do) from the player’s grasp. The second title is the latest entry in the popular top-down shooting series - Star Soldier R. Released by Hudson Soft, the game has players test their skills in 2 or 5 minute increments. It can be bought for 800 Wii points.

This week’s lonely retro release is Namco’s Skykid. Purchasable for 500 Wii points, the NES game has players enjoying the rivalry between Red Baron and Blue Max as they drop bombs on one another.

Except for the guys at Kojima Productions, no one knows the exact release date for Metal Gear Solid 4, which has been pegged with a Q2 2008 estimate by Konami, its publisher. However, it seems that the game is in its “last push” according to the weekly Kojima Productions Report podcast. Assistant producer Ryan Payton revealed that the game is now playable from start to finish and is about to enter the testing phase.

Payton also revealed that they will soon release further information on the game, including its release date, packaging content and various game details.

With the game due out next month, Konami released further details regarding PES 2008, the highly anticipated entry in the football series. Here’s the whole deal:

Following the announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo as the European face of the new game, Konami has also extended the number of officially licensed national and club teams in the game. PES 2008 will boast more licenses than ever before, with Brazil, Portugal, Greece, Scotland and Ireland amongst the new officially licensed National teams on offer. Similarly, the roster of licensed club teams has also been bolstered, with Newcastle, Tottenham, RSC Anderlecht, HJK Helsinki, IFK Goteborg, Panathinaicos, Spartak Moscow, Fenerbache, NK Dinamo Zagreb and FC Basel amongst those added to the ranks.

The new licensed club sides join the likes of Juventus Turin, AC Milan, Celtic, Porto and more, and demonstrate Konami’s commitment to adding the world’s greatest teams to what is regarded as the most realistic football game for any system. The new teams also combine to ensure PES 2008 has over 3000 licensed players realistically replicated within the game, and over 250 teams.

PES 2008 will mark a quantum leap forward for the Pro Evolution Soccer series. An all-new AI system entitled Teamvision has been designed to actively monitor the player’s onscreen movements and adapt accordingly. This means players cannot resort to overly-familiar tactics, and forces them to change their movements if they are to pose offensive threats. New set pieces have also been implemented, with players selecting key players to receive free kicks, and tailoring defensive walls to their specific needs. Coupled with a massively enhanced aesthetic upgrade that includes facial animation and shirts creasing, plus an extensive edit mode, and PES 2008 is already shaping up to retain its footballing crown.

PES 2008 will be released for PS2, PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and DS this October.

The Leipzig Games Convention has seen a new Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots trailer being released. The event is also host to new information regarding the game: series creator Hideo Kojima has unveiled the “Beauties and the Beasts” theme that runs through the game, revealing four new enemies. These creatures are unique ‘boss’ creatures and are all tied to the series. Scoop:

The characters - Laughing Octopus, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf, and Screaming Mantis - are empowered with special, supernatural abilities and have individual back stories that outline how they have become the beings they are. All were initially good people who, for various reasons linked to events in the Metal Gear Solid series and events they have seen in countless wars, are now altered beyond all recognition both physically and mentally - and are perfect examples of the ‘Beauties and the Beasts’ themes that run throughout MGS4.

Check out the trailer below.

At GC, Konami announced that it will be bringing its Pro Evolution Soccer series to the Wii, with a bespoke version of the game being developed for release on the platform in 2008.

Expected early next year, the Wii version of PES will offer the same level of realism that has become the hallmark of the series. It will make full use of the console’s motion-sensitive controllers, offering total control of every aspect of the players and their movements both on and off the ball.

“We are extremely keen to introduce PES to as wide a selection of football fans as possible, and the Wii and its unique abilities are a perfect fit,” commented Jon Murphy, Pro Evolution Soccer Team Leader for Konami. “The potential for PES on the format is enormous, and we look forward to a very exciting start to 2008.”

Already revealed at last week’s PlayStation event, Kojima fully announced Metal Gear Online, an upcoming 16-player online teamplay experience. The game will feature environments in the Metal Gear universe and will focus on having players use stealth to outwit their opponents. A new team function named SOKKU will be in the game, enabling players to access various data on their allies, as well as the ability to look through solid walls and trace teammates in the battlefield.

They also revealed that beta testing will conducted during August where they will take up to 3,000 participants. The selection process will begin today and runs till August 6, so if you’re interested check the official page out.

No release date for the game was disclosed, but they did send out some nice high-resolution screenshots. Check them out:

At its 20th anniversary part, Hideo Kojima, creator of the series, took center stage to demonstrate real-time gameplay from Metal Gear Solid 4. The video can be downloaded from FileShack in high-resolution; those who prefer streaming can check out this Shacknews post which includes the video as well as a description of the events in the video. If you’re feeling too lazy to click, then check out the embedded video below:

Konami has held its Metal Gear 20th Anniversary party where it revealed Metal Gear Collection, a special package on sale celebrating the event. This package will include Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear: Portable Ops - basically, all the entries in the franchise ever released.

They also showed off a music CD collection, 12-inch action figures, Kubrick dolls, candies, books, cars and more. More pictures can be found on 1Up.

Konami sent out word that Michael Owen, the Newcastle and England striker, will be featured on the UK packaging and promotional materials of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

Owen will be featured alongside Ronaldo as they grace the covers of the game which launches on PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, PC and DS this Autumn.

“Securing Michael Owen is a real coup for Konami,” commented Jon Murphy, Pro Evolution Soccer Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Since he burst on to the scene, he has proven himself an incredible goal-scorer, netting at every level both domestic and international. We are delighted to be working alongside such a talent on PES 2008.”

“PES 2008 is a fantastic game, and the only choice for pro players,” added Michael Owen. “It enjoys a brilliant reputation within many, many players and manages to be a true simulation of football while also being a real laugh to play. I look forward to working closely with Konami in the run up to launch, and being a key part of its development.”

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is now available on the PlayStation Network as a $9.99 download, playable on both the PS3 and PSP. It is currently the highest priced game on the store where most games top out at $5.99.

The game will also be available as an unlockable in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP), an enhanced remake of the PC Engine game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.

With the Leipzig convention just a month away, Konami has announced that it will be present at the show, presenting the PS3 version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 for the first time.

Visitors to the publisher’s booth will be one of the first few to experience the next-gen version of the popular football franchise. The company will also be showing off Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP) and Silent Hill Origins (PSP).

Konami can be found during the GC from August 23-26 in Hall 4, booth B11.

With the madness of E3 over, Konami decided to send out a couple of nice screenshots from Fatal Inertia, showing off the game’s sense of speed through motion blur. Check them out: