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Every battle-hardened soldier should have the option of piping strangely fitting orchestral music into their radio sets.

Video Blips:

• EA and DICE's launch trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 seems fairly balletic. The graceful tumble of defeated soldiers in slow motion really demands some of those ubiquitous doves you see in action movies. [G4TV]

Continue after the break for an(other) Australian report on video game violence, some snarky words from the Terran army in Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty, and a trailer for MLB 10: The Show.

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Editor's note: I don't understand all the flak that Dark Void has taken in the press. I thought it was a pretty good game. Mark does, too, and after avoiding it for several weeks due to bad press, the title has him reevaluating whether or not he should place his sole faith in game reviews. -James

I learned an important lesson this weekend. It is a lesson that I sadly should have already known, but I guess I never truly grasped the true concept of it: My opinion on video games should matter more to me than someone else’s.

First and foremost, we’ll set the scene: I’m a huge fan of Capcom. Mega Man is, to this day, one of my favorite series, and it was one of the games that actually got me in to the hobby in the first place. As I’ve aged and my opinion on video games has matured in to what it is today, Capcom has always been the company that I've given more leeway than any other. The reason I've done so, with the exception of a couple games, is because they have introduced and published mostly quality titles.

When Capcom announced Dark Void, I was extremely excited. Aerial combat with a jet-pack, the ability to climb and shoot from cover at the same time, Tesla making your weapons, and a crazy story involving the Bermuda Triangle during World War II? Sign me up!

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It's always good to have a friend. Can you match these video-game characters to their loyal companions?

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I'm normally a very calm and patient gamer. I've never broken a controller in anger or rage-quit from a game. If I actually believed in the source material, the act of playing Dante's Inferno would have landed me firmly in the outer ring of the Seventh Circle of Hell. I'd be suffering eternal torment in the Phlegethon -- a river of boiling blood -- alongside the other violent sinners.

I endured the brutally difficult early years of gaming, but I can't remember the last time I was so thoroughly annoyed at a game. Some of the things I encountered on this journey through hell were such an affront to my gamer's sensibilities, I'd go so far as to call them sins against gaming.

Sin Number One: Trial and Error Should Not Be a Major Game Mechanic

The entirety of Dante's Inferno follows the same basic pattern: You first get trapped in a room by some sort of physical or supernatural barrier, and you're forced to kill everything in it to proceed. You then travel down a short corridor and are presented with a puzzle in which failure causes instantaneous death. Once you die numerous times trying to figure out the puzzle, you eventually succeed and earn passage to the next room with enemies to kill. Rinse and repeat, ad nauseum.

After enduring several of these puzzles, I actually found myself wishing for more combat. From beginning to end, I died a grand total of two times in actual combat. However, I would estimate my total number of deaths at around 200. The rest of these are instant deaths from falling off of ledges, falling in various liquid substances, or coming in contact with spiked surfaces.

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The month of March is starting out with a resounding bang! Bad Company 2 hits stores tomorrow, Final Fantasy 13 comes out in a week, and God of War 3 is looming on the horizon. If anything, this month will leave our thumbs sore and our wallets empty.

But don't worry, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite being tired and broke, we all have a goal to work toward, thanks to Austin Hargrave. Better known as "PeanutButterGamer," the prolific ScrewAttack blogger, has issued a challenge to all gamers. He wants us to beat as many games as we can by April 1st, 2010.

Are you man enough to accept his challenge? If so, hurry -- you only have 30 days left!

In recent weeks, I haven't been gaming as much as I would like. But with school winding down and new, exciting games just around the corner, Austin's challenge is enough to motivate me to pick up the controller once more!

I'll be playing (and hopefully completing) Bad Company 2, Metro 2033, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, and Doom 3. How about you?

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Comedians Sheila Bryson and Dave Karraker join Bitmob's Dan Hsu and Demian Linn on the latest and greatest episode of the Mobcast.

The group discusses each person's first professional experience in the gaming industry, Nintendo's recent press event, interesting console launches, personal metrics of nerd cred, and which game hunks Sheila finds attractive.

Have a question you want answered? Want to share some important insight with the world? E-mail the crew at letters@bitmob.com.

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If Kratos's weapons are all available at the same time, that means he must store them somewhere on his half-naked body. But where?

Video Blips:

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Editor’s note: When I was younger, "children's games" never earned a spot in my collection simply because they were usually poorly executed. I suspect those experiences have carried over with journalists reviewing games today. And I fear that I won't have the same patience as Matthew to sit through Bakugan with my own son when he's older. I can only hope to instill a decent sense of taste.... -Rob

When I read reviews that are meant for a younger mindset, I cringe. No matter how many times the reviewer says that he’s doing so with respect to the game’s audience, you can tell that just isn’t true. I don’t know whether it’s because reviewers can’t think like a 9-year-old or that they’re just afraid of losing their “hardcore” cred in whatever culture they wrap themselves, but they miss the point every time.

Want to know how to review a game with adorable woodland creatures sporting googly eyes or whatever flavor-of-the-week cartoon character happens to be the current fad? You play the game with a kid.

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This week on Hit or Miss: Nintendo announces some release dates or something (is that a big deal?); Doritos tries to convince us that lending their brand to a "Pro-Gamer Combine" can make the idea of a "Pro-Gamer Combine" not-absurd; Tecmo tries to convince us any pornographic undertones in Dead or Alive: Paradise were totally "unintentional" (large, obvious wink); and Electronic Arts suggests the new Medal of Honor may -- gasp! -- actually be a thoughtful and empathetic examination of real-life combat in a big-budget shooter.

Where the hell do they get off, right?

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We've seen some amazing BioShock artwork and cosplay, but nothing says "I love Bioshock" like taking a chainsaw and carving a Big Daddy out of a tree. Something about the dedication Jason (hockey mask -- get it?) gives making this statue is equally inspiring and disturbing. [via Geekologie]:

Unless he gets paid for sculpturing wood, this guy is wasting his time in whatever profession he is currently employed in. History Channel's Ax Men needs to swoop down and sign this guy up immediately!

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Look alive, private! The week's over and we're buggin' out. You know what that means? That's right -- the Bitmob Reviews Spotlight!

Kevin Zhang-Xing steps front and center like a good soldier with his review of Aliens vs. Predator 2. What's the game like? FUBAR! The online servers are offline, the graphics are old, and the game's no longer scary. But how's the nostalgia factor? Scroll down to find out, son.

Thomas Johnson chimes in with another celebrated rivalry. But instead of predatory aliens battling it out, it's Plants vs. Zombies!

Have you ever been bullied in the past? I bet you have, you nerd! Well, now's your chance to get back at the high school jocks who tortured you, because in Bully, you play as one. Richard Moss fills us in.

According to Alex Martin, Kana: Little Sister will blow you mind. Short of being trippy, the Japanese visual novel follows a young girl who is hospitalized for renal failure. Sounds weird, doesn't it?

Lastly, Ben Maltz-Jones shares his opinions on Comet Crash, a downloadable game available on the PlayStation Network.

So square yourselves, gear up, and get to the choppa -- you're now entering the Spotlight!

Aliens vs. Predator 2 - 9 Years Later
By Kevin Zhang-Xing
Almost a decade has passed since most of us last occupied the blood-soaked boots of Corporal Harrison. Without a functional multiplayer component or the same graphical awe, how does Aliens vs. Predator 2 fare after so many years?

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Having this fancy new article editor has doubled the number of posts I've seen in the Mobfeed compared to recent months. Glad to see so many people are taking advantage of this opportunity and cranking out intriguing stories.

Jeremy Sigor starts with his stance on Darwinia+, and how developers could learn a thing or two about porting RTS games from PC to console based on Darwinia's XBLA release. Next, B.J. Saricks is fed up with 1-10 review systems that refuse to accept five as their average score. It's in the middle, what's the problem?

Fred Olson II finds comfort in assuming a decisive role in games, finding the ability to make world-changing decisions and to do the right thing in situations empowering. Finally, Chas Guidry tackles the latest news on a remake of Final Fantasy 7, and why an HD version of the game may not be the best option.

Three Simple Ways Darwinia+ Teaches Us How RTS Games Can Work on Consoles
By Jeremy Sigor
Fans of the strategy game Darwinia were concerned at how it would fair when ported to Xbox Live. While many RTS titles don't stand up when brought over to consoles, Jeremy feels Darwinia+ not only works, but sets the bar for future games making the jump between platforms.

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