Swedish development house Keldyn Interactive was cutting it close, but managed to clinch a last-minute win for "best game title heard this week." That title would be Dead Meets Lead, the name for its upcoming top-down shooter for PC in which players take on hordes of -- wait for it -- the undead.

This one looks to have a pretty neat twist, though, as it's set in the year 1716 -- the period leading up to the American Revolution -- and casts players as a gruff, white-wig-wearing British captain stranded on a zombie-infested island with only a sword and custom blunderbuss with which to fend the creeps off. While the screenshots are a little on the plain Jane side, the concept art, also in the gallery below, is really something special.

Keldyn Interactive has yet to set a date for when the dead will meet lead, but we'll let you know just as soon as one's announced.

Dead Meets Lead: another zombie game, but it's got a great name originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PC Gamer has posted the latest round of its Valve interview series, and today it's all about Portal 2. The interview covers a range of topics, including how GLaDOS tries to pit players against each other in co-op mode -- something we heard about during E3 -- and designing puzzles that require four portals to solve.

One of the most interesting bits revealed is that Valve originally toyed with the idea of not using portals at all. "What if [the Portal franchise] was always about introducing a new puzzle element that you're going through?" asked Valve's Erik Wolpaw. "It's about Aperture Science, and now you're going through this new testing track with this new element." The team tried using both paint (which is in Portal 2 as gel) and a gravity gun as central mechanics, but every tester wound up wanting the portal gun back (and who can blame them?).

Speaking of paint, Wolpaw revealed that there is another kind of gel in addition to the propulsion and repulsion gels. This third gel is apparently "sticky" and PC Gamer postulates that it may enable players to walk on walls, though Wolpaw noted Valve is still "working on it." Check out the full interview for more Portal goodness.

Valve: There was a Portal 2 without portals originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite the fact that Republicans in Congress have made reducing the deficit one if their signature issues this election season, they also have been arguing — without addressing the $700 billion cost — that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy should not be allowed to expire. Yet a new USA Today/Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans see it differently. “While 37% support keeping the tax cuts for all Americans, 44% want them extended only for those making less than $250,000 and 15% think they should expire for all taxpayers”:

Gallup notes the bottom line: “Democrats may not be putting themselves at great political risk by allowing the tax cuts to expire for wealthy Americans. In fact, the middle ground of extending tax cuts for low- and middle-income Americans but allowing them to expire for wealthy Americans — the Democrats’ most likely proposal — is the specific option the public prefers most.”

Steve Young Football, a new iPad/iPhone game, takes a football field and turns it into a venue for bizarrely fun minigames. These two similarly bizarre ads for the game spoof a pair of memorable, early-'90s commercials. Are you ready to grab My Buddy and get caught up in the Crossfire?

Continue reading Steve Young Football iPad commercials draw a Crossfire

Steve Young Football iPad commercials draw a Crossfire originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alright, alright -- that's not the only thing that we gleaned from this latest Shaun White Skateboarding trailer. Unfortunately, the clip front-loads the smelly snow boot situation on us. There's some Wii gameplay too, we promise!

Continue reading Shaun White Skateboarding showcases smelly boots

Shaun White Skateboarding showcases smelly boots originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A study by the Nielsen Company found that the glasses required for the 3D television experience -- which includes 3D gaming -- appear to be the tech's greatest hurdle. About half of those surveyed said the glasses were uncomfortable or a hassle, while 89 percent said the specs made it harder to do other things while watching TV (we assume the inability to multitask is less of a problem when playing 3D games). There's also the issue of no standardization -- your Sony glasses wouldn't work on your friend's Samsung TV, for instance.

The study noted that "active TV shoppers" who were considering a 3D TV purchase dropped from 25 percent to 12 percent after trying out the tech and considering the higher cost and limited available content. Still, half of the respondents were impressed by the 3D picture quality.

Nintendo's glasses-free 3DS tech could be a potential option for consumers wanting a 3D experience, albeit on a much smaller screen. Speaking of Nintendo's portable marvel, we're expecting the release date and pricing on September 29.

[Image Credit: Frank Reese]

Nielsen study: People don't like 3D glasses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Def Jam Rapstar gets another 7 tracks deeper today, adding cuts by Busta Rhymes, DMX, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Lil' Jon and Twista to the official track listing, in addition to another "oldie" by Public Enemy. As with all songs in the game, these will be edited versions, though it's as yet unclear if the censoring suits have finally caught on to the meaning of Lil' Jon's insistence that we all "skeet, skeet" on ... the windows and walls, is it?

Of course, players will be invited to invent their own catchy hooks in Freestyle Mode, which today adds a trio of beats from DJ Premiere, Bangladesh and Just Blaze, who has contributed the appropriately dubbed "8 Bit" production. Check out the full update and a new video promo after the break.

Continue reading Pull up your pants and check out these new Def Jam Rapstar tracks

Pull up your pants and check out these new Def Jam Rapstar tracks originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're one of the three football game fans on the planet without a copy of Madden 11 to call your own -- good news! Your inhuman ability to hold out for a deal has paid off, as Amazon is offering the latest iteration for $11 off its normal price today. Hmm, "$11" off ... Madden "11" -- coincidence? We think not!

The Amazon Deal of the Day page contains the complete details: Madden 11 for Xbox 360 and PS3 has been discounted to $48.99, while the Wii version is being offered at $38.99. Note: The price of beer, chips and a night with the TV all to yourself is not included.

Get Madden 11 without sacks (of cash) today on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're planning to pick up Halo: Reach next week, you may also be preparing for the inevitable question, "Would you like the strategy guide with that?" If so, you'd better be prepared to say "no" up to six times. BradyGames has revealed six different covers -- one for each of the Spartans in Noble Team -- for its $35 hardcover limited edition Halo: Reach strategy guide.

For those of you who were planning to purchase the guide, prepare to be surprised. The covers will be hidden behind the guide's dust jacket, so you won't know which Spartan you got until you unwrap the book. We've been thinking about it for a while, and we're really hoping we get Donnie. Er, Kat. We meant Kat.

Halo: Reach strategy guide gets six covers for six Spartans originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for PC is tapping the snooze button until Q1 2011. Ubisoft made the announcement this morning, along with confirmation of an October 4 start date for the European multiplayer beta on PS3 -- the North American beta begins on September 13.

PC Assassins are probably noticing an emerging conspiracy (by the Templars, perhaps?). The series never seems to make it out on the same day as consoles. Both Assassin's Creed and its sequel came out on PC a few months after their console counterparts -- with some extra DRM drama tossed in for good measure. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is still expected for Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 16 and 18 in North America and Europe, respectively.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood PC delayed until 2011, Euro beta on Oct. 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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