Gran Turismo 5 Six years in the making, the latest in Sony's genre-defining Gran Turismo
series skid onto shelves Wednesday. It's been far from a smooth road,
though, as the game was originally scheduled to be released in March,
but repeated delays left some fearing it would miss 2010 altogether.
Those fears proved unfounded, but have the delays given Sony's Polyphony
Digital time to deliver fans the polished experience they wanted?

Yes, says Destructoid's Dale North.
Scoring it a perfect 10, he lavishes praise on its size ("massive"),
its driving feel ("both accurate and exciting at the same time"), and
its visuals ("one of the most visually pleasing games ever released").
Its damage modeling, a new

Read More »from Critics: Gran Turismo 5 good, but not for everyone

Holiday shopping for gamers should, in theory, be an easy affair. After all, with so many titles on the market, it's just a matter of choosing the best one, right?

But there's a good chance your gamer already has a copy of what you're buying. Or, perhaps, he or she isn't a fan of the blockbuster that GameStop or Best Buy employee assured you was a surefire winner. And gift cards? They're just so impersonal.

Video game culture, thankfully, extends beyond games themselves. Here are a few alternative suggestions you might want to consider:

Gunnar glasses Gunnar Optiks computer glasses — ($79-$189)

Hardcore gamers can spend hours staring at their monitors. Gunnar Optiks glasses not only relieve the

Read More »from Beyond the screen: Non-game gifts for gamers

Give thanks for games - Nintendo Thanksgiving isn't just about getting stuffed on stuffing and cramming your pie-hole with pie -- it's also about lounging on the couch
with your family as you try to shake off a tryptophan-induced haze.

Hmm...comfy sofa...food coma...sounds like the perfect combo
for a little gaming, eh? Since you'll likely be surrounded by relatives, try a
little family bonding with these great turkey day games. They'll thank you in
the morning.

Disney Guilty Party (Wii | More Info | Buy on Amazon)

Yes, there have been roughly 5,000 party games for the Wii,
and yes, roughly 4,995 of them have been terrible. But this one is actually
pretty great. Part 'Clue', part mini-game compilation and all kinds of

Read More »from 5 family games for Thanksgiving

Wahlberg, meet Drake - Getty Images Sorry, Nathan Fillion -- you're not funky enough for this
role.

I'm talking about the role of Nathan Drake, the rough-and-tumble
lead in Sony's hit Uncharted games for the Playstation 3. In an interview with MTV,
actor/producer/ex-dancer Mark Wahlberg revealed that he will, in fact, play
Drake in the big-screen adaptation.

It really shouldn't come as any surprise. The film is being
helmed by David O. Russell, who directed Wahlberg in the acclaimed 1999 war
film "Three Kings" as well as the upcoming Micky Ward biopic
"The Fighter." Like Drake, Wahlberg is tough as nails.

"David is one of the best writer/directors I've ever worked with," Wahlberg told MTV. "The idea that he has is just

Read More »from Mark Wahlberg to star in ‘Uncharted’ movie

Axl Rose - Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) Axl Rose really doesn't want to be associated with ex-bandmate Slash.

The Guns N' Roses frontman has just filed a $20 million lawsuit against "Guitar Hero" maker Activision claiming its use of the GNR song "Welcome to the Jungle" violated a deal not to include any imagery of ex-guitarist Saul Hudson (aka Slash) in the popular game.

In an amusing lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, Rose and his Black Frog Music claim Activision Blizzard fraudulently induced Rose into authorizing "Jungle" for use in "Guitar Hero III" by telling him during negotiations that it wouldn't feature any reference to the former GNR member or his subsequent band

Read More »from Axl Rose sues Activision for $20 million

Read More »from Get the Edge on ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’

Ah, Black Friday. Half the nation is in bed, nursing the year's biggest
tryptophan hangover -- and the other half is beating down the doors of
their local retailers, baying for bargains with a glint in their eyes
and wallets in their hands. If you're going to tackle the crowds, you're
going to need a game plan -- so here, for your convenience, are our
picks of the best Black Friday video game deals.

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Gamestop

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Gamestop: used Go-to video game retailer Gamestop is less of a hot Black Friday destination than other stores, and that's reflected in the selection of deals. You might do well with their buy-two-get-three offer on used games, but that'll depend completely on your local store's inventory. All the Read More »from Black Friday Video Game Deals

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
It's been nearly five years since The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion captivated
millions of gamers with its huge fantasy world, vast selection of
quests, and open-ended exploration -- and although the game was a
massive hit, publisher Bethesda has kept mum about another instalment in the series.

Until now, apparently. Credit Eurogamer Denmark for nailing the scoop, courtesy of an anonymous, loose-lipped source.

Eurogamer's mole "not only confirmed that the game is in current production," reads
a translation posted on the primary English-language Eurogamer site,
"but also spoke briefly about the content - with fantasy-sounding
phrases like Dragon Lord, something with The Blades - and that voice

Read More »from Rumor: New Oblivion in development