Another day, another batch of freshly bakedFinal Fantasy XIIIscreenshots for your stick your snouts into like rampant pigs hunting for succulent truffles. Thisnew selectionof imagery shows off red-haired Oerba and her summon, Hecatoncheir. This Eidolon has a bunch of arms that turn into machine guns. Hot. Also included in the gallery are new shots of Cid, who we revealed earlier in the week. Cid Reins starts offFinal Fantasy XIIIas a soldier of the Sanctum, making him a bad guy....

Late last year we told you about arough release datefor Square Enix’s upcoming DS and Wii cross-platform title Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time.Europelater got the same treatment. Their “Spring 2009” wasn’t precise enough for us. Now we have a solid date, coming in on March 24th. The folks atEurogamergot the scoop, straight from Square Enix. The folks at1UPpoint to GameStop’s price of $39.99 for both the Wii and DS versions of the game....

I love pumpkins as a concept, which is why I was instantly drawn toPumpkins vs. Monsterswhile looking for freebies. Turns out it’s a really good game, too! At first glance, you might think it’s a lamePlants vs. Zombiesrip-off, but it’s actually quite different. The aim is to match pumpkins of the same color on the bottom screen, then flick them up at the encroaching enemies before they reach your patch. You can only flick pumpkins once they’re joined to eat least three of their brethren, but you can join more up to take out wider waves of enemies....

The Internet has been ablaze withGrand Theft Auto IV“news” this week, and it’s driving me absolutely insane. Sure, it was nice hearing tidbits about the game before it was released, but can everyone shut up about it already and just play the damn game? If any of you share my frustration, I urge you to jump online tonight with the Friday Night Fights crew for some good old-fashioned simulated bloodshed to release all of that stress you’ve built up during this week....

If you’re one of those people who always dreamed of playingNHL 08with a hockey stick-like peripheral (à lathese worthless Wiimote shells), you might not be waiting much longer. Gamasutra brings us the followingintriguing tidbitfrom the Paris GDC: EA Sports VP David McCarthy gave a talk regarding efforts to produce more Wii titles, and in the post-lecture session, he revealed that EA Sports titles may begin shipping with bundled peripherals within the next year....

My favorite game in the whole wide world,Elebitsfor the Wii, has been smacked down with thedelay stick. Despite previously promised as a launch day title by Konami, it seems that the quality of this stellar title didn’t quite live up to Master Nintendo’s expectations:According to a spokesperson for the company, the title will now ship during either the week of December 12 or December 18 depending on whether or not Nintendo approves its latest build submission....

Back before that whole Internet thing caught on, serious glitches were a developer’s nightmare and little could be done to remedy the situation outside of replacing faulty game cartridges or discs. While we still see a game-breaking glitch pop up every now and again, it’s never quite as troublesome as the days back when Sega did what Nintendon’t. Take, for instance,Tomb Raider Underworldfor the Wii. According to forum postsNintendo Everythingfound on the Eidos boards, the gameapparently hasa majorissuein the Coastal Thailand level that brings story progression to a halt....

Comedian, handsome boy and friend of Destructoid Ray Peacock recently did a lovely bit of comedy forRussel Howard’s Good News, which is a telly show on the telly. He was very funny and made me do laughing out of the toothed arse on my face, so I am posting it here for you to watch at and enjoy. It will be good for you to do it, so F*CKING do it!...

Wondering what comes after Gas Powered Games shipsSupreme Commander 2in March? The “next big thing,” obviously. “Can’t wait to announce our next big thing on the 15th,” Gas Powered’s Chris Taylor wrote on his personal Facebook page. “I hate keeping secrets.” Whatcouldit be?Supreme Commander 3? Perhaps moreDungeon Siege? February 15 is marked on our calendars, and we’ve got the popcorn ready. Don’t disappoint us, Gas Powered Games. SupCom dev to show “next big thing”[CVG] [Image]...

I don’t get why more people aren’t going crazy forDragon Age: Origins. It stands to reason that the first BioWare game I’ve been truly excited for is also the first BioWare game that the massesaren’tbusting a big collective nut over. Their loss, as far as I’m concerned, because this game is hot. The new trailer sets the scene quite well, preparing players for their battle against the Darkspawn and their entry into the ranks of the Grey Wardens....

The first of surely many downloadable content packs forGears of War 3has been unveiled by Epic Games. Due out on November 1, the “Horde Command Pack” (800 Microsoft Points) introduces new maps, characters, weapon skins, and fortifications to — you guessed it — Horde mode. This add-on is also playable across Beast mode and privately-hosted Versus matches. Horde is currently my favorite part ofGears 3, and if I’m still into it come next month, the DLC will be hard to resist downloading....

The latestThe Sims 3expansion is letting the Sims party it up. The Sims will be able to go to clubs, meet celebrities, get hammered at bars and take dates back to their place for some hot tub action. Seriously. The expansion is also about having a reputation and the better it is, the more likely you’ll be able to get into the hottest spots. ‘Late Night’ also brings in vampires and players will be able to become vampires themselves....

Noobzhas what all v3.03 PSP owners have been craving — a firmware downgrader! Now, you too will be able to kick it homebrew style like the other cool kids. Well, that’s unless you accidentally brick your system or stab it with a sword until it breaks. But you don’t have to worry about doing anything stupid like that, because this extremelyhelpful guidewill get you through the process. It’s amazing how much time and effort is coming from PSP fans everywhere to make their favorite handheld that much more enjoyable for the masses....