A demo of Torchlight has been released, offering a glimpse at the action in this newly released Diablo-esque game which is currently generating quite a bit of buzz at the moment. The demo is actually just a time-limited version of the full game; it will give you a two-hour taste and then if you get addicted you can just buy a product key which will unlock the full version. A snippet of the story:

The adventure is set in the mining settlement of Torchlight, a boomtown founded on the discovery of rich veins of Ember – a rare and mysterious ore with the power to enchant or corrupt all that it contacts. This corruptive power may have dire consequences however, and players set out into the nearby mountains and depths below to discover the full extent of Ember’s influence on the civilizations that have come before.

You can download the demo now locally from AusGamers. Don't forget to check out our review for some more information on the full game!

Under the instruction of the great Grandmaster Flash, AusGamers has been spinning decks to some pretty amazing music and mixes in Activision's latest rhythm game entrant, DJ Hero.

Offering up all exclusive mixes with an easy-to-master peripheral, DJ Hero presents itself as a great party game for the lounge, but unfortunately falls short in a few key areas that could have made it a real force to be reckoned with. If you dabble in any form of music that requires mixing and decks, you might want to hear our full verdict.

Click here for the review.

The depressing news continues to roll in with this post on Variety's gaming blog indicating that Carmack and id Software are not planning to have dedicated servers for Rage:

It’s too early to say what Rage will use, but Carmack indicated he believed the servers are something of a remnant of the early days of PC gaming.

Given that id Software essentially pioneered the dedicated server (despite never releasing a standalone server package for any of their games, sad face), this is not news the hardcore PC gamer will greet with enthusiasm, especially if they live in Australia and know how futile it would be trying to play a large-scale FPS game on a home broadband connection.

It looks like PlayStation 3 users will be the first to get a taste of the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2, with DICE revealing that a mutliplayer beta program will be kicking off on November 19 2009.

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer beta will feature the Arica Harbour map, where up to 24 players can compete in one of the game’s four intense multiplayer modes called Rush. This new map displays a superb balance of vehicle and infantry combat, as the American assault unit attacks the Russian army base with full force, advancing further through a beautiful desert town and towards the industrial area in a desperate attempt to overtake the Arica Harbour. Heavy vehicle warfare on the first bases gradually turns into an intense infantry fight as the level progresses, showcasing this best-in-class online war experience.

Gamers can get a taste of this incredibly intense action by a numbers of ways including reserving the game with participating retailers. While supplies last.

As for the participating retailers? Well they've only named Best Buy and Gamestop for North Americans, informing the rest of us to "Keep your eyes open for local opportunities!".

As for other platforms, word is that an open beta for PC games is pegged for December with a mutiplayer demo earmarked for "early next year" on Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 is due on March 5 2010 on all three platforms. For full details on the PS3 beta, check out the official battlefield blog.

Despite MW2's impending release in the next few days, Ubisoft have reminded us we have even more action coming early next year with the next instalment in the Sam Fisher saga with Splinter Cell: Conviction.

This is demonstrated today with another developer diary, this time talking about the changes to the game's main character on both a narrative level and in an action and gameplay sense. With his daughter dead, and his primary goal roaming around personal retribution, his usual laws of conduct have changed, making him even more dangerous than before.

For the full developer run-down, check out today's video.

It's literally only a few days away, and in celebration, Infinity Ward have debuted their official launch trailer for arguably the year's most anticipated release, Modern Warfare 2.

With all the hubbub surrounding elements such as a lack of dedicated servers, the seemingly controversial airport/terrorist sequence (which isn't actually as bad as the 'interwebz' would have you believe), and seeing America burning in flames - MW2 certainly has garnered more attention than even IW probably thought it would get. But there's no denying the quality of what's at-hand, and today's trailer demonstrates this in spades. The big secret reveal here: Space! Seriously, look out for the space bit.

Check it out here.

EA have sent through word they'll be releasing a special Collector's Edition of BioWare's forthcoming action/RPG sequel, Mass Effect 2, for Australian shores at EB Games exclusively, and in limited numbers.

Available on January 28 in Australia alongside the standard edition, the Collectors' Edition of Mass Effect 2 comes in a premium, tin case and includes the full version of the game, a 48-page hardcover "Art of Mass Effect 2" book, Issue 1 of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes and making-of videos. In addition, the Mass Effect 2 Collectors' Edition will include unique in-game weapons and armour that can only be obtained by purchasing this version.

Sounds pretty cool. We have some images of packaging of the CE as well as the armour you can view right here.

Mass Effect 2 is due to release on PC and Xbox 360 January 31, 2010, in Australia. We also have a new video showcasing some of the baddies you'll be facing throughout the game, which you can view right here.

More interesting information has emerged from the ongoing case against iiNet. ITnews.com.au continue their excellent coverage, in which the iiNet CEO Michael Malone has admitted "that half or more than half of traffic by volume across his company's network is BitTorrent traffic". In a more bizarre twist, the lawyers for the media companies are now trying to argue that the Freezone content encourages people to pirate more.

On the other side of the planet, the EFA reports on the secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement negotiations that are currently underway, where evidence has come to light that it is also very much about copyright enforcement on a global scale, which may have strong effects on Internet usage if it is taken up. Read Nic's analysis for more information, but here's a good summary:

There is a real danger here that Australia may abdicate its ability and responsibility to determine appropriate domestic copyright laws. If the text of the ACTA requires changes to our law, we risk being once again locked into the US-driven copyright agenda, without either public discussion and debate or proven benefit to Australia. The level of secrecy in these negotiations, for measures that could potentially drastically alter our copyright balance, is completely unacceptable. There is no rational reason that such negotiations need to be kept secret – copyright laws are assumed to be enacted to achieve a balance for the benefit of society; it is only if they do not achieve this balance that their details would need to be kept from the public.

The final entrant in the GTA 4 story arc finally hit late last week, and it hasn't disappointed one bit. With an over-the-top story and mission structure, the game offers a more varied and 'fun' approach to events at-hand, while its compelling characters do an amazing job of carrying it all forward.

This is by far the best of all three games, and its main character, Luis Lopez, is the strongest extension to the player, acting as a believable vessel through which Liberty City can be conquered. This review also celebrates the release of Episodes From Liberty City, which features The Ballad of Gay Tony and the Lost and Damned - two games for the price of one at retail.

Click here for our full review.

Dan has whipped up a handy video for anyone that hasn't seen the differences between the censored, watered-down Australian version of the Left 4 Dead 2 demo and the awesome hardcore rest-of-the-world-except-Germany version.

The video shows the two versions running split-screen, side by side at the same time (so half the scene is the censored version and the other half is raw). You really get a feel for the differences between the two versions. Check it out before deciding to spend money on the Australian version!

A Chinese regulatory body has ordered the cease of World of WarCraft gaming operation in its territory, in what is being suggested is nothing more than an internet "turf war".

It's not even clear if the body has the authority to do so, says Reuters, but NetEase, the company behind World of WarCraft distribution and maintenance, was told to no longer accept any new account registrations, and to stop taking money from existing subscribers.

It's believed the move is to redistribute growth in the online gaming sector to other companies and titles as the momentum for World of WarCraft, since its commercial launch in September, has been incredibly strong. Check the above link for more.

After a week of being exclusively available to pre-order customers, Left 4 Dead 2 is now available in demo form for any and all on both Steam and Xbox 360 (though the 360 version is only up for Gold members).

As we've pointed out previously though, the demo offered up for Aussies features the game's modifications in all their disappearing, grotesque glory. Maybe if it was pitched that the zombies were immediately turning into ghosts when they die - ascending to a better resting place, the vanishing act they pull could have been swallowed with a bit more ease (probably not though).

So if you're looking for a way to ruin your week, grab the modified demo now.

We gave a rabid Diablo fan Torchlight to review to see if the game lives up to the legacy it clearly homages, and Kosta didn't walk away *too* disappointed.

From ex-Diablo and Fate developer team-members, Torchlight fills that massive gap in the dungeon-crawling action-RPG genre with all the looting you could imagine in a game of this nature. It just happens to fall a little short in a few key areas, which are readily discussed in today's review. In saying that, if you're absolutely chomping at the bit for Diablo 3, Torchlight will have a little of what ails you.

Click here for the full review.

Walt Disney Pictures have finally debuted a theatrical trailer for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the big budget Jerry Bruckheimer production based on the classic videogame franchise.

A rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Gemma Arterton) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time -- a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world. Directed by Mike Newell ('Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire') with a cast that includes Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina.

Of the multitude of video-game film adaptations currently in the oven, this one sure looks to have the best shot at producing something worth watching. If nothing else, the environments are looking absolutely stunning. Check out the embed from Myspace below.



Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is due in Aussie theatres on May 27 2010.

If you haven't pre-ordered it up yet on Steam, Futuremark's stunning Shattered Horizons is offering you yet another glimpse as to why you should have put aside your own copy already.

Today's gameplay trailer is an extended video that shows off the game's anti-gravity gunplay mixed with team combat, those incredible visuals as well as the creative element the game harbours in level-design. It's also a bragging point that it's PC-only, and according to Steam, you'll be playing it in just under two days time.

Check it out right here.

If you have fond memories of the dark(er) and (more) twisted spin on the Alice in Wonderlands tale from American McGee, you're likely chopming at the bit for the much anticipated sequel, American McGee's Alice 2, of which we have a teaser trailer for up on AusGamers today.

The trailer only serves up some awesome stop animation for your viewing pleasure, but it's definitely a point of showing the style of the game to come, and that even in face of so much advancement in the world of games, McGee's Alice has simply not lost its charm.

Check it out right here.

A new version of TrueCrypt was released recently, bringing this popular encryption/security software to version 6.3. The new version adds full support to Windows 7 and Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard, as well as a new feature called 'system favorite volumes'.

If you carry around a USB key with you and want to make sure the contents of that stay secret in case it is lost or stolen, then this is definitely software that you want to have. It is free, open source, and easy to use. And you can download it now for Windows or for Mac OS X from AusGamers - it's only 3mb). We've also got various Linux flavours available.

We're back with yet another AusGamers Weekly Wrap, giving you all the past week's gaming news in one easy-to-digest post with relevant links and highlights. So without wasting any time, let's get into it.

In the Headlines
AusGamers offered up an awesome Borderlands comp, it was then revealed an 'accidental' release of a modified Borderlands hit Steam, Ubisoft launched the first of their Assassin's Creed "Lineage" short films, DICE confirmed they'd support dedicated servers for Bad Company 2, the first round of brutal Legend DLC was revealed, 2K officially addressed the modified Borderlands leak, Blizzard revealed their race changing system, The Who will potentially be the next Rock Band band, the Left 4 Dead demo hit servers showing Australia just how shit the modified version would be, BioWare revealed a new social networking system for Dragon Age: Origins, Bayonetta received a release date, Melbourne's eGames event kicked off and DICE (or EA) annoyed people with the announcement of pre-order LE unlocks for Bad Company 2.

Videos We Recommend

• BioShock 2 "Alone Amongst The Dead" Trailer
• Excitebike Rally Debut Trailer
• Torchlight Launch Trailer
• Avatar "Beautiful But Deadly" Dev Diary
• Shattered Horizons Soundtrack Trailer

In the editorial department, we ran up a few reviews in the way of Brutal Legend, Part 2 of our Aion review and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, while we also introduced an all-new ongoing feature looking at Aussies out in the wide world of game development, beginning with Double Fine's Music Director, Emily Ridgway.

That's it from us for another week, but as usual, stay tuned on Mondays here at AusGamers for your fix of game releases, weekend misses and the news on the week of games gone.

If you do, you'll be given heads up to secret give-aways we don't normally post on the site, and we always feature any major new news item, video, client or review/feature there as well, meaning you'll get friendly news-feed reminders (if you don't already subscribe to our RSS or just trawl all day) of the goings on, on AusGamers. And with all of our new regular features, you need to ensure you're not missing out.

Beyond that, you'd be helping spread the word about one of Australia's oldest and most respected gaming sites, and one we plan on growing into an even bigger and better entity.

So hit us up on Facebook, become a fan then suggest us to your friends.

We're powering through reviews as best as possible here at AusGamers, as you may have seen over the past week, and that was really just a taste of the critical layout we plan on presenting between now and the end of the year (and beyond, as it were).

So, here we are again on another Monday morning with that all-important list of games rocking your week from today, right through to Sunday. We've seen some stellar games kicking it of late, let's see if this week maintains the strong Triple A momentum:

• Dragon Age: Origins Xbox 360, PC - For actual age, read the dragon's tooth rings (November 5)
• Tekken 6 PS3, Xbox 360 - Because everyone needs to smash a Panda every once in a while (November 5)
• Ratchet and Clank: A Crack In Time PS3 - Sub-title changed from: "A Plumber's Crack" for fear of a Nintendo legal backlash (November 5)
• Cricket Wii - VB, Whites, Mullets and Zinc not included (November 5)
• Rabbids Go Home Wii, DS - Rayman who? (November 5)
• Buzz! Quiz World PS3, PSP - Buzz! Soon to replace Wikipedia as most knowledgeable information source (November 5)
• Hasbro Family Game Night Vol. 2 Wii - Loser changes Granny's Depends (November 4)
• Fairytale Fights Xbox 360 - Glass Slipper sold seperately (November 4)
• Need For Speed Nitro DS - For commuters, relativity applies (November 4)
• Stoked Xbox 360 - Making up for a lack of Australian white Christmas (November 8)

So there you have another list of games for the week. Among these we're most excited for Dragon Age: Origins and Tekken 6, but Wii Cricket might also be worth a bit of a bash.

Of course this list of games comes ahead of the week with the two biggest hitter this year: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 - war of the sequels. As usual, drop us a line in the Comments if we missed anything and a huge thanks to Kosta for loaning me his wit on another Monday.

Stay tuned for the Weekly Wrap coming up next.