Left 4 Dead DLC on "Course" to XBL, Steam

Valve has released the announced Crash Course campaign for Left 4 Dead today, making it their second DLC. Unlike the Survival Pack, Crash Course adds an entirely new campaign, and this time it will cost Xbox 360 users 560 Microsoft Points ($7.00/free for PC). Crash Course is meant to connect the No Mercy and Death Toll campaigns, giving it a sense of continuity. We'll see how that works (or doesn't work). The content is supposed to deliver "a complete Versus mode experience in just 30 minutes." So, this might be perfect for a quick game.

Mind the Bump

With the release of the much-anticipated Halo 3: ODST coming up in a matter of days, the reviews have started to pour in.  Bungie is swelling with their expected "newborn", and the oohing and ahhing has already begun.  Now, I've always found the Halo franchise to be "good, but not great".  A serious analysis of the games' merits would have a hard time seeing why they have such a fan base.   But, after all, games are about having fun, right?  And if something is wildly popular, it must be good?  Not quite.

"Dark", "Knight" Return with Steam Release

Steam has released the Star Wars Jedi Knight Collection, including not only Jedi Knight, Mysteries of the Sith, Jedi Outcast, and Jedi Academy, but also Dark Forces.  All of these can be yours for the low, low price of only $19.99!  Individually, they retail at a total of $32.95.  For that price, you might as well just buy the collection.  These are some of best Star Wars games to date (and perhaps the only good ones, sadly).  Throw in Tie Fighter, and it'll be a blast from the past of my favorite PC games from my childhood.

[Jedi Knight Collection]