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Danish developer, IO Interactive has admitted to TVG that it was “hurt” by some of the feedback it received from the original Kane & Lynch, although the studio appears to be coming out fighting in the series sequel, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days.

During a recent first look at the sequel (read our impressions through here), we were impressed by a marked improvement in the destructible environments and gunplay in Kane & Lynch 2, which is a point that we put to the game’s Producer, Mads Prahm.

“We got a lot of comments on that in the first Kane & Lynch game and that was really a blow to the studio; it was a blow to our self-esteem,” he said.

“Things like the cover system and the gunplay are things that we were criticised for in the first game. That’s something we’ve worked a lot with,” Prahm continued. “We’ve tried to make the weapons very different but also work with what people expect from the accuracy of a weapon, camera shake, recoil, and all of those things. It’s a lot of different factors that play together to give you a good feeling of a weapon and that’s something we’ve spent a lot of time on.”

We also asked Prahm about the AI, which was a touch lacklustre in the 2007 original but appears to have come a long way in Dog Days:

“That was one of the things that got criticised in the first game and I think that we at IO feel that we’re actually quite good at doing AI, so again that hurt our self-esteem quite a bit, so we really wanted to get back at this and do aggressive, combat AI. Not the Hitman, smart, stealth AI but aggressive flanking AI and I think we’ve really achieved that.”

If our initial impressions are anything to go by, then we think they might just be right. Stay tuned for our full Q&A with Mads Prahm, which is scheduled to go live on TVG early next week.

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Tell the PlayStation community which games you think will define 2010.

Judging from the line-up of games already announced for PlayStation 3 and PSP, 2010 already looks like a fat slab of gaming birthday cake with a creamy layer of World Cup football in the middle.

MAG, Heavy Rain, Gran Turismo 5, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, God of War III, ModNation Racers and many more blockbusters will be launched over the next 12 months – which games are you most looking forward to?

Or is your highlight of the year so cutting-edge it doesn’t even know it exists yet?

Start talking at community.eu.playstation.com.

In a fortnight’s time, the top ten selections will be listed here on eu.playstation.com with quotes from you, the community.

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The Nintendo Wii gets another kiddy title in the form of Pirates Plund-Arrr, which isn’t going to score points with the bunch of hardcore gamers out there, that’s for sure. Thanks to the efforts of Majesco (yes, the company that was more or less saved by the success of Cooking Mama on the Nintendo DS and started rolling out a bunch of shovelware for both the DS and Wii after that), Pirates Plund-Arrr for the Wii takes a different approach by introducing some degree of fun in a frantic beat-’em-up title, allowing you to hunt the high seas for the renegade captain Rudebelly who has gotten away with the Scepter of Power, and has performed the dastardly deed of unleashing an army of cursed dead, ghastly ghouls and menacing bosses onto the world.

In Pirates Plund-Arrr, players will fight through creature-filled areas like a murky swamp, an underwater city, and a haunted village to ultimately face-off against the scallywag Rudebelly and retrieve their stolen treasure. It’s serious business in a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously: would-be pirates can ride warthogs for “drive-by style” attacks, battle hulking slug bosses and trigger meat meteor showers raining down from above. These cute, but dangerous, swashbucklers will take on more than 40 diverse enemies – including skeletons, slimefish, mummies and lots of other nasties that want to ruin an otherwise pleasant Caribbean adventure. Good thing players have cool combo attacks and a bounty of weapons, from razor-sharp meat cleavers to flaming axes, to ensure that mowing down monsters never gets old! Players can also use the environment to their advantage by picking up rocks and barrels to hurl or simply snatching up the baddies themselves to toss them overboard. As players progress, they’ll gain XP points that will earn them perks and upgrades that will cause more damage to enemies. In addition, Pirates Plund-Arrr, lets 4 mates plunder together for co-op, beat-em action!

No idea on pricing, but we do know that Pirates Plund-Arrr for Wii will roll out this coming April. Hopefully they won’t have the wind knocked out of their sails with disappointing sales figures, this.

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Co-op mayhem, jetpacks and plenty of snow feature in this week’s big PS3 releases.

New releases to get your teeth into

Salem and Rios touch fists once again as Army of Two: The 40th Day arrives on PlayStation 3 and PSP. Boasting the next evolution of co-operative play on the streets of Shanghai, it features unparalleled weapon customisation and an explosive story that’s best experienced with a friend, either online or offline.

From China to the Bermuda Triangle, Dark Void on PS3 straps you into the jetpack of William Augustus Grey as he is transported to a parallel universe and is caught up in a conflict between The Survivors and an alien race known as The Watchers. Expect high-octane action as you switch seamlessly between combat and graceful flight, thanks to your rocket pack.

You don’t need rockets to fly in the third PS3 release of the week; two planks of wood, a warm coat and a huge ramp are all it takes in Vancouver 2010 – the official game of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Hit the slopes to take part in a variety of alpine disciplines and challenge for world records online.

A pair of portable classics

PSP owners can download two blasts from the past from PlayStation Store this week. PS one Classic Constructor lets you take control of a building company as you try to undermine the competition using any means possible, while Star Wars Battlefront II lets you battle it out on Coruscant, Endor, Hoth and more, wherever you are.

On eu.playstation.com, there’s a fantastic Darksiders competition in which one lucky winner will get their hands on an exclusive white PlayStation 3, customised by artist Joe Mad, and one of only 10 in existence.

Also, check out the current Obsession Confessions feature running on eu.playstation.com and the official PlayStation Forums. Join the discussion over which upcoming games you’re excited about in 2010 and find out which PlayStation Store downloads have most impressed the community.

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Atari is back with an announcement that ought to make Trekkies salivate with anticipation – their efforts with acclaimed MMO developer Cryptic Studios has resulted in the highly anticipated Star Trek Online for PC entering open beta, making it but one step closer to playing in the final frontier. This open beta will be happening through January 26, 2010, where those who have valid open beta keys are able to explore the Star Trek universe and experience the first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Hmmm, first of a kind? We suppose Star Wars has an intergalactic theme as well, but that is different in scope compared to the Star Trek universe. Ah well, to each his/her own.

Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform. Star Trek Online allows players to become a warrior in the Klingon Empire or join the Federation’s esteemed Starfleet and explore a never-before-seen, completely interactive Star Trek universe.

According to Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online, “We are thrilled to give open beta access to fans as we draw nearer to the official release of Star Trek Online. We are looking forward to the launch of our first-of-a-kind MMORPG with anticipation and excitement and we expect Star Trek Online to explode onto the scene, giving fans and gamers a Star Trek experience like no other.”

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There are still Grand Final places up for grabs as the FIWC moves into its second phase.

It’s a very happy New Year indeed for 10 FIFA 10 players – they’ve secured their places in Barcelona in May 2010 for the FIFA Interactive World Cup Grand Final, via the online leaderboard.

More than 400,000 players fought online for those precious positions and competition is set to get fiercer as the second online qualification phase begins and 11 more Grand Final berths are up for grabs. The leaderboard has been wiped clean so start your copy of FIFA 10 on PlayStation 3, head to the FIFA Interactive World Cup menu and register in-game for your chance at virtual football glory.

The overall winner will follow in the footsteps of reigning champion, Bruce Grannec of France, in collecting a cheque for 20,000 USD at the Grand Final in Barcelona’s Port Olympic, May 2010. They will also get the chance to stand alongside football glitterati and collect their trophy at the 2010 FIFA World Player Gala.

It’s a prize that money can’t buy and only the nimblest thumbs and the most agile tactical minds will earn a trip to Barcelona.

Online qualification isn’t the only way to get there: an additional nine Grand Final spots can be won at live qualifier events in major cities around the world. Check fifa.com/fiwc for the latest details of when these events are happening in your country.

In the meantime, start up FIFA 10 and begin your online qualification campaign. With 10 of the best players already through to the Grand Final, this is the best chance yet to book your place among the elite of virtual footballers.

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The Lost Gamer writes "The official North American Final Fantasy XIII website has today received an update that features not only the new International Trailer, but also made additions to the Eidolon section. Within here, we learn about each characters Eidolon and within a series of new screenshots we can see some of the English Playstation 3 version but more importantly gain a further glimpse at the Xbox 360 version of the upcoming title." This blog is updated frequently every day with the latest games consle news.

Recent news: Capcom’s "bitching" (and subsequent back-track) about poor sales of Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles was ill-aimed, WiiWare developer Bloober Team has told Eurogamer.

"With such a strong install base it’s hard to believe that there’s not enough people to appreciate mature, core content," said executive producer Marcin Kawa. "It’s all about games and quality. I’m not surprised that another shooter on rails doesn’t sell well. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that people expect something more than that…" Slim-PS3.com is updated frequently each day with the latest games consle news, reviews and features.

Warfare or fitness? It’s a chart of differences this week

Leisure software charts compiled by GfK Chart Track© 2009 ELSPA (UK) Ltd

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Retailer Amazon has apparently revealed the North American box art for Heavy Rain. Slim-PS3.com is updated several times each day with the very latest Free PlayStation news and reviews.