urgo2 daily PS2 talk

There are just a few names you can count on in video games to inspire rabid excitement every time they're uttered. Grand Theft Auto. Halo. Metal Gear. This week, we can offer you the stirring E3 appearance of one of those franchises in crystal-clear high definition. Can you guess which one?
I'm as big a fan of Metal Gear as they come, and quite possibly the most thrilling thing about the series isn't playing through each game's exciting (and occasionally baffling) conclusion, nor peeling the shrink wrap off the just-released latest installment. No, my favorite thing about Metal Gear is seeing the epically cinematic new trailer creator Hideo Kojima has put together for each E3 at which the latest Solid Snake star vehicle is making an appearance. So I was both excited and a little frustrated this year when I got to cover the MGS4 trailer live. Frustrated? Yeah, because I spent more time typing furiously on a laptop than watching this 15-minute masterpiece. But now I and the rest of you can revel in the full trailer for Guns of the Patriots in glorious high definition. So I suggest you do that right now.
Next you can read about Sega's Yakuza, which you may remember from a GameSpot import-impressions piece some months ago, when it was called Ryu ga Gotoku. This tale of strife and betrayal in the Japanese mob is now hurtling stateside, and despite its star-studded-in-Japan voice cast, Sega has opted to dub the English version of the game with new voiceovers. Luckily, they've selected such luminaries as Eliza Dushku and prolific tough guy Michael Madsen to bring Yakuza's lineup to life, and our new Q&A with uber-producer Justin Lambros talks about the trials and tribulations of getting all this talent onboard and keeping true to the spirit of the Japanese original.
Lastly, I wanna rock. But without any Twisted Sister records within reach, what am I going to do? Why, the next best thing, of course: play Guitar Hero II. We were lucky enough to receive the E3 demo build of RedOctane and Harmonix's next rhythm masterpiece, and we've all been jamming on it until the wee hours. Oh yeah, and we made some movies so you can see what it's like, too. As you can see from the footage, this sequel isn't exactly overhauling the winning formula set forth in the original, but the two-player co-op mode--what with its rhythm-and-lead and guitar-and-bass combos--and the sometimes punishing new three-button chords have definitely added some new flair to the rawk here. Honestly, we would've just been happy with more songs, but then that new rockabilly dude is looking pretty rude.