Earlier this afternoon, as I’m sure you’re all well aware of by now, Microsoft lifted the curtain on the Xbox One, the next generation Xbox console coming to market worldwide later this year.

From a gamer’s perspective, the unveil event was a complete dud. I’d say at least 80% of the showcase was spent talking about social interaction and “transforming television,” with little time dedicated to actual games. There were some EA Sports games, the next Forza, a new IP from Remedy Entertainment called Quantum Break, and Call of Duty: Ghosts, but all were shown with teaser trailers that didn’t show any footage from a functional gameplay point of view.

Obviously it would have been foolish to expect a bombardment of game unveils, especially with the upcoming E3 being better suited for that, but it’s sad that not even a single game was live demoed. However, Microsoft did say that 15 exclusives, 8 being completely brand new franchise IPs, are scheduled for release within the Xbox One’s first year on the market. Hopefully we’ll find out more about those games in a few weeks.

In terms of hardware, the Xbox One will feature an 8 core CPU, 8 GB of memory, a 500 GB HD, USB 3.0, HDMI in/out, 802.11n built-in Wi-Fi and a Blu-ray drive. The system will also feature an enhanced Kinect sensor (which will be required to operate the system) and game controller newly outfitted with vibrating impulse triggers and an improved D-pad. As for the system itself, it’s a giant black box that makes the original Xbox and the PS3 fat look like slimline consoles. It’s not ugly, just bulky looking and lacking style.

Other important rumors have been cleared up somewhat today as well. The Verge is reporting that the Xbox One will not feature backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games, and currently there are no plans to offer any form of digital download or streaming service to play older games without a disc.

Wired is also reporting that the Xbox One will not outright demand an always-online Internet connection, however developers are being encouraged to take advantage of Microsoft’s Azure cloud service to offload computing tasks instead of processing them on the hardware. If a game is designed to integrate with the cloud, it’ll require an online connection, even if it’s single player. It’ll be all up to the developers.

That same Wired story digs into used game compatibility as well. Xbox One games will be installed to the HDD (and play without need of the disc) and linked to the user’s Xbox Live account. If a second user wants to install the disc on their system, they’ll have to pay a fee to install the game and tie ownership of the title to their account. What’s not clear at this point is whether or not games will be able to run directly from the disc without needing to be installed, thus allowing for traditional used game sharing. Though it sure sounds like game installs will be mandatory.

Is console gaming as we once knew it on the verge of extinction? Sadly, I think it is. This is by far the least excited I’ve been for a new console generation, and not just Xbox One. The Wii U isn’t lighting the world on fire and I’m not gung-ho over the PS4 yet either. So for the next generation seems like it’s all fancy tech and all-in-one entertainment gimmickry, and little game innovation. The Big Three have a lot to prove at E3.

Man, it’s been quite a while since I wrote anything about LittleBigPlanet. I can’t remember the last time Mass Effect crossed my mind either. Well today the two mega-franchises are back in the news together.

When the PlayStation Store updates later today, Media Molecule will release the Mass Effect Costume Pack to the LittleBigPlanet universe. The pack will include all the necessary costume pieces to dress your Sackboy or Sackgirl up as Commander Shepard, Liara, Wrex, and Garrus. You’ll also get a small pack of new stickers. Yay, stickers!

All contents of the Mass Effect Costume Pack will be compatible with LittleBigPlanet 2, LittleBigPlanet Karting, and LittleBigPlanet Vita. And thanks to cross-buy a single purchase will share the costumes across all three games.

Media Molecule’s next great original IP is coming to retail with an equally special collection of pre-order prizes.

Pre-ordering PlayStation Vita papercraft adventure Tearaway from participating retailers (GameStop, Amazon, etc.) will get you the Special Delivery Bundle, including the game’s soundtrack, LittleBigPlanet costumes, papercraft pig plans with in-game skin, PSN avatars, and wallpaper art.

Of course, the official descriptions sound way more interesting:

– Audiolicious Tearaway Soundtrack with bonus track
– Opulent iota and atoi costumes for LittleBigPlanet
– Exclusive skin for the in-game rideable pig*, and printable papercraft plan to match
– Splendiferous iota and atoi Avatars for use on PlayStation Network
– Resplendent PlayStation Vita Wallpaper

That’s quite the pre-order treasure trove. Certainly better than some lame bonus mission or DLC cheat pack.

Pre-order now to ensure you receive a special delivery when Tearaway launches this October 22nd.

The latest round of Splinter Cell: Blacklist media puts the night vision spotlight on cooperative play, introducing us to CIA operative Isaac Briggs, Sam Fisher’s new partner in espionage.

Co-op will feature 14 maps and four mission types, an in-game currency system for unlocking new weapons and gadgets, and inter-connectivity with the main storyline through the Strategic Mission Interface hub which will directly link the co-op missions in with the single player. Pretty slick.

Another Kickstarter project needs some indie love and attention today.

After already raising over $100,000 through its own website, Stompy Bot’s turning to Kickstarter to raise the additional $800,000 needed to make Heavy Gear Assault the best damn Unreal Engine 4 e-sports online mecha arena shooter for PC.

One of the major features in need of funding is destructible environments, an early sample of which can be seen in the demo teaser below. Bridges and walls will crumble to the ground. Explosions will leave lasting craters in the arena floor. Metal surfaces, including Gears, will become riddled with bullet holes. Gear pilots will even be able to dismember the robotic limbs of other Gears and rip the equipped armament from their hands. Now that’s what I call next-gen destruction, baby!

Indie shop Frogdice has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Dungeon of Elements, a puzzle RPG described as a mix of classic tile-matching puzzle games like Dr. Mario and Tetris and fantasy dungeon crawling. From the RPG side, the game is said to feature a huge world, branching storyline, in-depth character creation, pets, crafting and loads of gear. The Dr. Mario influences can be seen during combat, where explosive capsules with different-colored halves must be matched four of a kind.

Pique your interest? Head over to the game’s Kickstarter page and make a pledge to help back the project. Dungeon of Elements is currently around 90% complete, slated for a PC release in July for backers and a full public release in August. But Frogdice is looking for another $20k by June 19th to hire a sound engineer and put the final spit and polish on the game. Pitch in if you’re game for some puzzle-RPG hybrid adventures in the world of Primordiax.

So there’s a cute chicken. And this geyser of bubbling, jet-black ink that’s threatening to pollute the entire world.

And that’s pretty much it. That’s about all you need to know—and about all you’re ever told–in Toki Tori 2, the beautifully minimalist platform-puzzler that landed recently on the Wii U’s eShop.

When I say “minimalist,” I’m not talking about the game’s art direction, which depicts colorful forests and creepy caves packed with all kinds of achingly cute critters, feathered and otherwise. No, I’m talking about the control scheme, where you can only do three things—move around with the analog stick, smack the Y button to stomp and hit the B button to unleash a tweet (no, not that kind) that summon or scares other animals in the environment to help you escape a predicament.

And that’s it. There’s no droll narrator to provide tutorial assistance or running commentary, no help menus or hints that pop up to give you a clue about why exactly collecting artifacts and activating Aztec-looking statues is going to forestall this world’s version of a BP oil spill. In fact, there’s not a single line of text associated with Toki Tori 2 beyond its title screen. Just keep moving, little chickadee. Just keep tweeting.

In this respect, Toki Tori 2 follows in the silent footsteps of memorable and groundbreaking games like Braid, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and Limbo, indie offerings where the contextual bells and whistles are stripped away in favor of an immersion that’s either creepily affecting, or, as is the case here, charming to the point of cute overload. That feeling really pops on the big screen. (If you’d rather, you can just play on the Wii U Gamepad.)

So how do you find your way in this universe? Why, trial and error, of course. Sometimes, what your chicken needs to do is obvious, like stomping to wake up the crustacean living inside the block that’s barring your path and then tweeting to get him to move the blasted thing out of the way. At other points, you’ll find yourself trapped in a dead end or stuck and at a complete loss, at which point you’ll have to tweet a specific melody that will teleport you back to the last checkpoint.

The thrill of discovery is Toki Tori 2’s palpable payoff. It’s really fun to experience that moment when what was obtuse suddenly makes sense and you can see your way clear to the next challenge. The agony of execution isn’t always quite so entertaining. There are points where the meticulous steps you’ll need to take to overcome an obstacle become frustrating, especially when blowing one piece of the solution means backing up and doing it all over again. Let’s put it this way: Luring creatures in this universe where you want them to go shouldn’t drive your blood pressure skyward.

Toki Tori 2 covers an expansive amount of territory—this isn’t a game you’ll finish in one or even two gameplay sittings—and it’s not nearly as limited as you might think it is. By the time you’ve used the Gamepad as a camera to snap pics of the environs, blazed through the silhouette levels and reached the point where you’re using teleporters to move around, you still won’t know all the tricks needed to bring the action home.

Toki Tori 2 is a textbook case of (much) more than meets the eye. Anyone who dismisses its simple puzzle mechanics and adorable vibe as mere kids’ stuff is missing out on a serious brain-teaser, and one of the eShop’s essential downloads.

Pros:
+ The minimalist approach amps the immersion
+ Trial and error at its simplest and most entertaining
+ Wonderful, evocative levels

Cons:
- Stumbling on solutions doesn’t exactly make you feel brilliant
- Sometimes, a hint or two would be helpful

Game Info:
Platform: Nintendo Wii U via eShop (also coming to Steam later this year)
Publisher: Two Tribes
Developer: Two Tribes
Release Date: 4/4/2013
Genre: Puzzle Adventure
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by developer

Amazon.com and GameStop are now offering retailer-specific pre-order content packs for Watch Dogs, each one featuring an exclusive single player mission and a couple extra gameplay perks. A limited number of collectable posters are also available in the GameStop deal, but only while supplies last so you better get your order in fast.

GameStop:

Players who pre-order Watch Dogs at GameStop stores across North America will receive a single player mission, The Palace Pack, which includes an investigation bonus and ATM hack boost. The investigation bonus will unlock exclusive investigation opportunities inside of the network and the ATM hack boost will increase cash rewards when hacking into bank accounts. In addition to the single player Palace Pack mission, players who pre-order the game will receive an exclusive poster designed by famed comic-book artist, Alex Ross – while supplies last.

Amazon.com:

For pre-orders on Amazon.com, players will receive the Signature Shot Pack which comes with an exclusive single player mission that once completed, unlocks both a unique Biometric Assault Rifle and the Black Viceroy’s Outfit. The biometrics weapon has been smuggled into Chicago for the captain of the Black Viceroy’s gang. The weapon only works for the first person to imprint their palm on the handle. Players will need to breach a stronghold, steal the package and be the first to imprint the weapon and get out of The Wards alive.

Last week’s exceedingly brief Batman: Arkham Origins teaser is greatly expanded upon in today’s release of the full official trailer, a nearly five minute CGI spectacle featuring the Dark Knight and Deathstroke engaged in an epic superhero vs. supervillain showdown. Yes, the entire trailer is pre-rendered, so unfortunately no gameplay footage to see here. The included half a dozen screenshots are your only taste of in-game action for now.

And speaking of Deathstroke, Warner Bros. has confirmed that the DC Comics assassin will appear as a playable character in the game’s challenge mode. Pre-ordering the game on PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 will score you early access to the Deathstroke pack, which will include two bonus challenge mode maps as well as two alternate costumes for the mercenary.

Batman: Arkham Origins launches worldwide on October 25th for PC, PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360, with the standalone 3DS/Vita companion game Blackgate to ship on the same day.

The war between Knights and Vikings rages next week when CastleStorm, the tower defense meets physics destruction genre mash-up from Zen Studios, makes its digital download debut at long last. May 29th is the official launch date, 800 MS Points is the price, and Xbox Live Arcade is the battlefield.

Read our interview with Zen’s Creative Director to learn more about CastleStorm.