An upgraded version of the PSP game for console players, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce brings the battle for ancient China online, allowing up to four players to participate in raids, take on giant enemies or simply battle it out competitively. Strikeforce also features new Fury transformations, drastically changing the look of your character, granting them new powers, enhanced speed and the ability to fly. It almost sounds like they’ve taken a page from Dynasty Warriors: Gundam.

The console version features more than 40 exclusive missions, an enemy Hyperbreak gauge, command of up to three AI-controlled officers in single player mode, a new character and the ability to trade officers online with other players.

Now how much would you pay? But wait, there’s more!

Both versions of the game will feature exclusive guest characters, with the PlayStation 3 version scoring folks from Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 and characters from Warriors Orochi 2 for the 360 version. Completing challenges with these guest characters allows players to use their signature weapons in combat.

All of this, plus planned DLC to keep the game fresh for a long time coming. It sounds like a Dynasty Warriors fan’s dream come true.

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce hits store shelves on February 16th.

Square Enix will be publishing Supreme Commander 2 in North America on March 2 of next year on the PC and March 16 for the Xbox 360. To celebrate the announcement, they’ve released a video of Chris Taylor, Founder and Creative Director of Gas Powered Games, walking us through a typical battle. It looks like exactly what I was shown at E3 2009, actually, only without Chris Taylor actually being in the room with you.

Set 25 years after the original Supreme Commander, Supreme Commander 2 features an extensive campaign mode and online multiplayer, all wrapped up in an engine that sacrifices polygons for performance but still manages to look spectacular.

The release marks one of the first times Square Enix is publishing a Western-developed game in Western regions, and Gas Powered Games Creative Director Chris Taylor couldn’t be more pleased.

“The partnership with Square Enix has been a highlight of my career. I couldn’t be more proud of what the team has accomplished, as the game has continually exceeded all of my expectations throughout its development.”

Supreme Commander 2 will be released on the Xbox 360 and PC in Europe this spring. I’d expect the North American release either at the same time or slightly earlier.

Speaking to Fast Company, Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten revealed the launch date for the eagerly anticipated dashboard update, which brings console-tailored versions of Facebook, Twitter and Last.FM to Xbox 360 users. With the release day announcement, Whitten stresses that these aren’t merely PC ports of the popular social networking sites, but entirely new entertainment experiences.

“We look at things like Facebook and Twitter as amazing social experiences, but also entertainment. We didn’t want to copy and paste from the PC.”

So who’s excited? I’m actually looking forward to seeing how many of my Facebook friends get converted into Xbox Live contacts. I’ll probably fiddle around with Facebook for a bit, and then turn on Last.FM and leave it running until the end of time.

Facebook and Twitter Come to Xbox Live This Tuesday [Fast Company]

Remember back when we used to fight over Tiberium? We were such dorks back then. Now that it is killing the planet, bringing the 15-year Tiberium saga to a close, it all seems so silly. Still, it wouldn’t be a C&C game without fighting, and that fighting kicks off on March 16th. If you’re looking to get an early taste of the action, pre-ordering the game will not only get you access to the upcoming beta program, but an exclusive prequel bonus mission and the game’s soundtrack as well.

“Finally, fans will learn what happens to Kane, Nod, GDI, Earth and Tiberium when Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight hits store shelves March 16th,” said Mike Glosecki, Lead Producer of Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight at EA Los Angeles. “We can’t wait for fans to experience the trademark C&C action with the new level of strategic depth we have added, especially with our new experience system.”

Make sure you get a good seat for the end of the world. It should be rather spectacular.

Star Trek Online is a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game based in the near future, or at least the near future of the Star Trek universe. Players become high-ranking Starfleet officers, customising their ships and boldly going many different places, both in space or planet side. Beta testing is now underway, and will likely continue until the game’s newly-announced February 2 North American release date.

“Star Trek Online is poised to become the ultimate Star Trek gaming experience,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari, Inc. “Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of fans through television, film and more. Star Trek Online opens a whole new chapter and expands upon this incredible universe in 2010.”

While I am excited by the concept of the game, the more stats-based side of me is even more interested in seeing how many Trek fans take to the game. It could become the new online destination for Trek fandom, or it could wind up one of those deserts where the crew of the Enterprise tends to run across the odd megalomaniac robot.

Mark November 18 on your calendar, and then set the rest of the week busy. That’s the date that Square Enix and Popcap bring the blend of puzzle game and RPG pioneered by Puzzle Quest to the next level, adding collectible monsters to the mix. Gyromancer has you summoning monsters to fight other monsters in Bejeweled Twist-flavoured puzzle battles. As if that weren’t bad enough, your monsters also gain levels as you fight with them, much like they do in Pokémon, and they come on pretty little cards that you’ll want to collect until you pass out dead on your couch or in your computer chair.

Maybe it’s just me, shaking with anticipation here. If I disappear after November 18, call the police. Better yet, call Dominos and have them deliver some pizza.

Sega wants to make Bayonetta the first triple A video game title of 2010, and they’ve got the release date to do it. The game drops in North America on January 5th for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with Europe getting in on the action come January 8th. Sega CEO Mike Hayes believes the delayed timing is perfect.

“PlatinumGames set out to deliver a game that redefines the 3D action genre, and we feel that they have set a benchmark for future games in the genre to aspire to,” said Mike Hayes, CEO of SEGA America & SEGA Europe. “We chose a January ship date for BAYONETTA as we firmly believe that it is the best time for SEGA and our retail partners to launch this exciting new IP in the West, and push for a number #1 retail slot. BAYONETTA is a huge title for us and the perfect start for the New Year, both for SEGA and gamers across Europe and America.”

Of course PlayStation 3 owners can opt to spend $US20 more and snag the English-language import a few months earlier, but then they’ll miss out on…well I suppose they aren’t missing out on much of anything. Good for you, region-free gamers!

The third chapter of Telltale Games’ episodic adventure game hit the Nintendo Wii on Monday, and the PC version of chapter four is coming out on Friday? What a difference the WiiWare approval and scheduling process makes! I suppose Wii players should stop reading to avoid spoiling the fact that Guybrush finds himself trapped back on chapter two’s Flotsam Island, now riddled with the pox that he brought there. Before he can progress to the series’ epic conclusion he must avoid being executed for his heinous crimes — though when your wife looks like Elaine does right now, it might be for the best to just let nature take its course.

Tales of Monkey Island: The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood will be available for PC purchase this Friday.

Until now, all we knew was that the collection, which remasters God of War I & II in full HD on a single Blu-ray disc for the PlayStation 3, was coming out in November. The collection is now slated to be on retail store shelves on November 17.

Along with the release date announcement, Sony has also released a full list of trophies for both God of War games, which we’ve reproduced below, courtesy of the magic of cutting and pasting. Behold our power!

GOD OF WAR

Bronze

1.21 Gigawatts – Acquire Poseidon’s Rage
Rocking Out – Acquire Medusa’s Gaze
Bolt Action – Acquire Zeus’ Fury
Sword Man – Acquire Blade of Artemis
Soul Search – Acquire Army of Hades
Matador – Win the first Minotaur fight
Scape Goat – Win the first Satyr fight
Roll Over … and Die – Win the first Cerberus fight
Don’t They Ever Shut Up! – Defeat the Desert Sirens
Beat a Dead Horse – Complete the Centaur sacrifice to Hades
Kickboxer – Complete the Spike Room Box Puzzle
Rockin’ the Boat – Complete the Sex Mini-Game
Don’t Leave Her Hanging – Rescue the Oracle with 10 seconds to spare
Get the Ball Rolling – Complete the Challenge of Atlas
Totally Baked – Complete the Human sacrifice
Splash – Kiss the Nyad
Get Me a Beer Kid – Free yourself from the depths of Hades
Zero Health = Bronze Trophy – Open a Health Chest when your health meter is already full
Hitman – Get a 100 Hits Combo
Getting My arse Kicked – Die enough times to get offered Easy Mode

Silver

Kratos’ Marble Collection – Collect all the Gorgon Eyes
Stick it in Your Cap! – Collect all the Phoenix Feathers
It’s the HUGE One – Retrieve the Captain’s Key
Take the Bull by the Horns – Defeat Pandora’s Guardian
God Killer – Kill Ares
Head Hunter – Obtain the head of the Architect’s wife
The Power to Kill a God – Retrieve Pandora’s Box
Hitman 2 – Get a 200 Hits Combo
Legend of the Twins – Watch the ‘Birth of the Beast’ Treasure
Seeing Red – Max out all Weapons and Magic

Gold

Prepare to be a God – Beat the Game on any Difficulty
You Got the Touch! – Climb the Spiked Column in Hades without taking damage
I’ll Take the Physical Challenge – Complete the Challenge of the Gods
Speed of Jason McDonald – Beat the game in under 5 hours on any Difficulty
Key to Success – Collect all of the Muse Keys

Platinum

Trophy of Zeus – Unlock all God of War Trophies

GOD OF WAR II

Bronze

Breaking Wind – Acquire Typhon’s Bane
Big, Tuff, Buff and Rough – Acquire Rage of the Titans
Blue Balls – Acquire Cronos’ Rage
Shiner – Acquire the Golden Fleece
Rock their World – Acquire the Head of Euryale
Learning to Fly – Acquire the Icarus Wings
Shaky Ground – Acquire Atlas Quake
Death from Above 2009 – Defeat the Dark Rider for the first time
Resurrection – Climb from the pit of Hades
Rock Hard – Defeat the Titan Minotaur inside Atlas
Pick’n on the Little Guy – Win the battle outside of the Palace of the Fates
Watcha Got on the Hot Plate? – Solve the riddle of the Fire Phoenix Statue
Whip it Good – Whip the Steeds of Time
Lift with Your Knees – Topple the Temple in the Bog of the Forgotten
Swinger – Cross the collapsing Grapple Bridge
Stoner – Stone and Shatter 30 Enemies
Super Sized – Get a 500 Hits Combo
Hitting Your Stride – Power up any item

Silver

Eye Can’t Believe it – Collect all the Gorgon Eyes
Go Make a Pillow! – Collect all the Phoenix Feathers
Eye Sore – Collect 20 Cyclops Eyes
Boss Batch 1 – Kill the Colossus of Rhodes, the Dark Rider, and Theseus
Boss Batch 2 – Kill the Barbarian King, Euryale, and Perseus
Boss Batch 3 – Kill the Kraken and all three Sisters of Fate
Daddy Issues – Defeat Zeus
Rise and SHINE – Awaken the Phoenix
Spread ‘Em – Open the wings of the Temple of the Fates
Shine King – Open the door to the Temple of Euryale
Blowin’ Your Wad – Max out all Weapons and Magic

Gold

The End Begins – Beat the Game on any Difficulty
Feel the Urn – Collect and use at least 2 Urns of Power
Bleeding Thumbs – Beat the Challenge of the Titans
15 Min Fight Scene – Battle your way to the Loom Chamber in under 10 minutes
You Know the Germans Make Good Stuff… – Collect all Uber Chests

Platinum

Trophy of Gaia – Unlock all God of War II Trophies

God of War Collection Ships November 17th, Plan Your Trophy Hunt Now! [PlayStation Blog]