When Sony announced the 3G PlayStation Vita launch bundle, a lot of gamers jumped on the promise of a Vita, Super Stardust Delta, 8GB memory card and one month of 3G service for $300. But now that the bundles are in people’s hands, some feel they’ve been duped.

The free month of 3G service for the PlayStation Vita is actually the second month of service. Basically, you have to pay for one month of service to get the next month for nothing. Similarly, Super Stardust Delta isn’t available as soon as you open the box. Thirty days after you activate your 3G DataConnect Pass, a voucher code for the game is sent to you.

While this information is detailed on the bundle’s Amazon and GameStop pages, the fine print is featured below the basic info. The restrictions aren’t advertised on the bundle’s box, and in last month’s PlayStation Blog post, PlayStation Hardware Marketing Director John Koller made no mention of the restrictions when talking about the 3G bundle, although he did mention the data deal when talking about the other launch bundle.

In addition to the PS Vita hardware, we will be including an 8GB PS Vita Memory Card, an ATT DataConnect Pass and a PlayStation Network game all for the usual MSRP of $299. This SKU is part of a promotional offer and will sell out immediately so we strongly recommend that you purchase your PS Vita early to make sure you get the extra value!

What do you think? Is the bundle still a good deal? What about how Sony promoted it? Let us know in the comments below.

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Re-Logic’s 2D Minecraftvania hit Terraria’s had quite the ride over the past year — culminating in a free 1.1 update that was practically an expansion pack — but it looks like there’s finally a light at the end of the development tunnel. In a heartfelt forum post, creator Andrew “Redigit” Spinks announced his plans for the future. Unfortunately, as of now, Terraria doesn’t appear to be among them.

“The future of Terraria has been highly debated as of late, not just with the community, but for us as well. The last year has been a crazy ride! When I started on this game, I just had a few ideas of what I thought would make a fun game. I had no idea that it would receive so much attention. I want to thank all of you for supporting us and making this game’s success possible.”

“After a lot of internal debate, we have decided that it is time to move on. My wife and I are due to have another boy soon, and I want to spend some time getting to know him. I also want to spend the time recharging and bettering myself as both a programmer and game designer. I have learned a lot from working on Terraria and plan on using what I’ve learned, building upon it, and moving forward with another, even better project. However, we are still planning at least one more bug fix for Terraria.”

Fellow designer Finn “Tiy” Brice, meanwhile, has already leaped headlong into development on procedurally generated planet explorer Starbound, which basically sounds like Terraria meets Borderlands meets all your wildest hopes and dreams.

There are, however, a few loose ends that have left fans clamoring for a Boy Scout (or knot guru equivalent) to tie up. Foremost, Terraria still lacks an official suite of mod tools, which is a rather large omission in such a community driven game. That in mind, I’ve sent a few questions over to Redigit. I’ll let you all know as soon as I hear back.

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Gamers interested in trying out ArenaNet’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game Guild Wars 2 can apply to join the March-dated beta today, the developer has announced.

Gamers can sign up for the beta now and cross their fingers about getting in.

Eager gamers will need to act rather quickly if they wish to have a chance for a spot in the trial, as the beta sign-up page will close this Friday, February 24, at 1 p.m. EDT.

Players will need to submit their PC hardware specifications to ArenaNet when applying for a spot in the beta and must sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) if granted access to the trial. ArenaNet will notify applicants via email if they have been chosen to participate in the beta.

The sign-up page is currently experiencing technical trouble, but the developer said it is aware of the issues and is working to resolve them.

The Guild Wars 2 beta will begin in March, with the full game expected to be released during 2012. The team at ArenaNet has a small group working on a console version of the game, but no announcements have been made concerning Guild Wars 2 arriving outside of the PC.

Guild Wars 2 puts players into a persistent fantasy word that is driven by a range of dynamic events. When Guild Wars 2 launches later this year it will cost a fee up front but will not require a monthly paid subscription to continue playing.

For more on Guild Wars 2, check out GameSpot’s latest preview and coverage of developer discussions from Comic-Con 2011 and PAX 2011.

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Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.

Reminder: Beat Sneak Bandit is this week’s collaborative wiki of the week! The reader that makes the most additions will win $20 in iTunes cash. Plus plenty of warm fuzzies for helping out their fellow gamers. So jump in and make some edits! You don’t need to be a game pro – help is needed listing achievements, and adding level names too!

Destiny Defense ($2.99)

The Korean obsession with 2D army defense titles continues. Destiny Defense innovates by giving players a directly-controllable commander.




BeyondDead ($0.99)

BeyondDead is a non-linear action platformer with heavy exploration elements, ala Super Metroid or Castlevania.




Mighty Mouse My Hero ($0.99)

CBS is bringing back Mighty Mouse for a new generation in this new action/arcade title.

Wind-up Knight (Free)

Excellent auto-runner Wind-up Knight is free, for today only! We just named this title the 19th best Android game, and the iOS version is equally as fun.




SnakeRace (Free)

This innovative spin on the classic Snake formula is free for the first time since its August debut.




Monkey Island Tales 1 HD

Monkey Island Tales 2 HD

Monkey Island Tales 3 HD

Monkey Island Tales 4 HD

Monkey Island Tales 5 HD

Another big sale from Telltale! The first Episode is completely free, so gamers should grab it at the very least. Episodes 2 – 5 are each $2.99 – 50% off. The iPhone versions are also on sale.

League of Evil 2

The terrifying “delete your entire save” bug has been fixed. Players can now play without fear! IGN just awarded this title an 8 / 10 “Great” review.




Squids

New missions, and a new Squid! Free content updates are always awesome. Doubly so when it is added to an already-excellent game.

Justin is Executive Editor of IGN Wireless. He has been reviewing cell phone games since the dark days of Java flip phones. You can follow him on Twitter and My IGN.

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The PlayStation Vita officially launches in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australasia, the Middle East, and Africa today. To mark the worldwide rollout of the handheld, Sony’s senior vice president of PlayStation brand marketing Guy Longworth spoke with GameSpot to make a last-minute push for the system launch and answer questions about the First Edition Bundle, customer adoption of the system’s 3G features, the decision to use proprietary memory cards for the Vita, and more.

Gamers around the world can finally get hands-on with the Vita.

GameSpot: What are you looking at to determine if the international launch is a success?

Guy Longworth: PlayStation Vita is a long-term platform for us, so we’re in this for the long term. We see it as a 5- to 10-year platform, and we’ll look at the success on a by-market and then at a total international level in 12 and 18 and 24 months’ time to see how we’re doing. Obviously we want to get off to a good start, but we’re in this for the long term, and we think that the value proposition that was put together is really going to resonate with core gamers and casual gamers over time. So it’s a long-term play for us.

GS: You took a novel tack to launching hardware, with the First Edition Bundle allowing some gamers to get their hands on the hardware a week early. How has the First Edition Bundle promotion gone so far?

GL: It went great. We sold out our prelaunch bundles, so we’re excited about that. We got a great response to it.

GS: What are the strongest sellers out of the gate from the First Edition Bundle week?

GL: The best-selling so far is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. It’s been warmly received, and that really doesn’t surprise us given the popularity of that franchise with our core consumers. There are a number of others that appear to be doing well: Little Deviants, Hot Shots Golf, Mod Nation Racers… It’s very early days, but Uncharted is top of the charts so far.

Nathan Drake’s first portable outing is proving the most popular Vita game at launch.

GS: You were quoted in a Eurogamer interview saying Naughty Dog would be making games for PS Vita, but their community manager has since publicly stated they had no plans for that. Can you straighten this out?

GL: I think I was slightly misquoted. I was asked the question which studios will be making games for Vita, and my answer to that question was, “A lot of our studios.” I might have said “all” by mistake–that’s not impossible. But a large number of our studios are currently making Vita games is the fact of the matter. Naughty Dog currently aren’t. So if I caused any confusion, I’m sorry about that.

GS: What was the thinking behind going with proprietary memory cards and the pricing behind them?

GL: There are many different types of memory out there, and what we have is a very high-end piece of flash memory that comes in an extraordinarily small size. What we’re trying to do is make sure that the gamer has the best possible experience and the proprietary memory we think gives gamers the best possible experience because we can very much control that memory and make sure it’s the highest possible quality.

GS: How is the postlaunch software lineup shaping up?

GL: We’ve got an incredible lineup of first- and third-party games this year. At launch we’ve got 26 titles, and there are currently over 100 titles in development worldwide, meaning we’re going to have compelling content right throughout the year. You’re going to have a whole range of titles coming out, including Ruin, Little Big Planet, and then from third parties, all the big brands are going to be there: Street Fighter, Assassin’s Creed, BioShock, Mortal Kombat, and, of course, Call of Duty.

Sony is selling pricey proprietary memory cards for the Vita. This 32GB card sells for $100.

GS: Why aren’t PS One Classics or PS2 titles from the PlayStation Network available at launch?

GL: At the moment we’re very much focused on getting our new first-party lineup and third-party lineup out there and available for consumers. So that’s our focus right now.

GS: Is the Vita competing with the iPhone, Android, and tablets?

GL: What’s happened is these new devices have introduced a whole bunch of people to gaming who haven’t been in gaming before. That’s good news. The pie is growing. In terms of the experiences that people get from an iPhone, an Android device, or a tablet, it’s a relatively casual experience, a limited gaming experience for gamers. With PlayStation Vita, what you have is an incredibly immersive gaming experience given the functionality of the product, the franchises and games coming out. And it’s really like having a home console in your pocket; it’s like having a PlayStation 3 and taking it with you. The experience the PS Vita offers is night and day from the experiences you can get on a tablet, an Android phone, or an iPhone.

GS: How has the 3G adoption been?

GL: We wouldn’t disclose that at this stage. We’re in the very early stages of launch. But we’re very encouraged by the reaction we’ve had with people looking at the 3G version. I think they realize by taking 3G, it means you can basically play wherever you want to, whenever you want to, and be connected the whole time. And not just through the games but also to your social media with the apps we have like Facebook and Twitter. Consumers are going to look at that and realize that it’s something that makes a lot of sense to have now, and also for the future. I think it really future-proofs them in terms of some of the things that will come down the line in terms of gaming experiences that will be possible through 3G, to be able to play online with your friends. We think gamers are understanding that, but we’ll wait and see what happens.

GS: The PSP came out in 2005, so it’s nearing seven years old, and its successor is launching. Should we expect it to be phased out soon, or do you see it as having a lot of life left in it?

GL: Well, the PSP is still a great entry-level device for people who want a handheld gaming experience. PS Vita is a revolutionary game-changing experience. It’s very different. I think for a period of time both will live comfortably next to each other in the same way PS3 and PS2 have lived comfortably together for a period of time. It’s an entry point for people into the PlayStation handheld experience at a relatively modest entry price with a wide range of content, so we expect it to be around for a period of time.

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Not much skiing was enjoyed during the mildest winter this side of the Bronze Age, but Hi-Rez aims to fix that. The studio announced today that the Tribes: Ascend beta will open to all interested jet pack skiers on Friday.

More than 300,000 players participated in the Tribes: Ascend closed beta, and Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris said they were instrumental in shaping and improving the game. As a thank you, the studio is allowing all those who participated in the closed beta to keep their character progress and unlocks.

The open beta also brings a massive new content patch to Tribes: Ascend, featuring:

New gametype, Arena Deathmatch, with two initial maps:

New Capture The Flag map, Temple Ruins

New Team Deathmatch map, Inferno

Two new unlockable items for the Soldier class:

Proximity

Grenade and Utility Pack

New default suits for Doombringer and Brute

Ability to view either Blood Eagle or Diamond Sword skins from Class menu

Service supporting Name Change

Large number of bug-fixes and balance adjustments

The Tribes: Ascend open beta begins at 5 p.m. GMT on Friday, February 24. Get your ticket in by registering at Tribesascend.com.

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One of the most exciting things about the Vita launch has been seeing just how the portable experience compares to its home console counterparts – and in many cases, the differences are negligible. If Dynasty Warriors Next is a little different from what fans are used to, that’s no technical complaint – this is the first handheld Warriors title not to be compromised by the format. Instead, it seems positively invigorated by its move to Sony’s new console. Many accuse the series of going through the motions with each sequel; here Koei has done just that – and this time it isn’t a criticism.

That’s because we’re talking about the touch and gyroscope controls which Koei has applied here at every opportunity. You’ll tilt your Vita to aim Musou attacks or pinpoint enemy weak points, circle your finger on the touchscreen to swing an axe, swipe to deflect arrows or aim projectiles of your own, and tap to block during leader duels or to open up a shielded enemy to attack. Even the rear touchpad gets a workout during sections where you’ll man a turret to defend an important stronghold.

These interludes – which occur during ambushes or special encounters and thankfully not during the flow of regular combat – are at times reminiscent of the first wave of DS games where developers tried to cram in as many of the unique features of Nintendo’s console as possible, merely for the sake of using them. Yes, they feel a little tacked on in one sense, but they’re framed with a typical Koei sense of theatre, punctuating the flow of play without truly disrupting them. Besides, they provide an injection of variety in a series often accused of lacking it.

Purists will be happy to learn that motion and touch controls are entirely optional, though most will welcome their addition, even if the duels, which bear more than a faint echo of Chair’s iOS hit Infinity Blade, all play out in a similar fashion. A diagonal flick blocks your rival’s attack, you’ll quickly tap flashing touch points to break their resistance when weapons clash, then you’ll rapidly swipe away to finish them off.

They’re put to better use during normal play, where you can swipe the map to zoom in, then drag your subordinate officers to attack enemy bases or defend the ones you’ve already captured. While on the default difficulty setting and below you can happily let them follow you into battle, on the higher levels, you’ll need to make sure your territory is well defended.

Before you start each skirmish, you’ll need to set up a stratagem. This involves spending the gold you’ve earned on cards representing the officers of your current kingdom, each of which provides a certain buff during combat. Select Sun Quan, for example, and you’ll start the battle with more bases, while Xiahou Dun raises the playable officer’s offensive and defensive stats. You can choose more than one per encounter if you have enough gold, but the least expensive officers usually have a weakness – pick Lianshi and the Attack level of both your and the enemy’s army will be substantially higher.

The Campaign mode is classic Dynasty Warriors, a series of battles across multiple territories of China as you take turns to play as the rival kingdoms vying for control of the land. On occasion you’ll get a choice of which territory to invade next, but for the most part you follow a prescribed path. You’ll often get to choose which officer to take into battle, though for the sake of historical accuracy, during certain key conflicts you’re restricted to one. As your army marches onward, gradually turning the map over to your kingdom’s colours, you’ll unlock additional weapons, new saddles for mounted combat, orbs which convey elemental effects and various other stat-enhancing items, of which five can be equipped at any time. You’ll also unlock costumes which can be used to clothe a user-created officer in Edit mode.

These characters can fight alongside the Three Kingdoms’ generals in Conquest mode, which proves marginally less restrictive in terms of your choice of route. You’ll only be able to invade adjacent territories with a level lower than the one your army is currently in, though a random region of your own will get a single-level boost before each turn. You can, however, capture several territories in one move when you venture into the realm of a ruler – liberate the land and you’ll obtain all areas previously under that leader’s control.

Minigames you’ve unlocked during play can be attempted in Gala mode if you want to beat your best score or time, and there’s an extra Calligrapher option where you try to reveal hidden kanji using the rear touch pad before tracing the character by swiping the touchscreen at the front. These might be fleeting novelties, but it’s heartening to see Koei make the effort for the series’ Vita debut. The developer has even found time to squeeze in some Augmented Reality silliness in Musou Snapshots, so if you’ve ever wanted a physique like Dong Zhuo, you can superimpose his body onto your own.

Visually, Dynasty Warriors Next looks on a par with the home console games, and on the Vita’s OLED screen, the character models look even sharper and more detailed. The frame-rate is consistent even when tigers, bears and wolves enter the fray, though you shouldn’t expect that draw distance to improve. Again, it’s disappointing to hear repeated voice samples and the same old guitar riffs, but that can be forgiven in the light of everything Koei gets right here. It might even pick up a few new fans – with interstitial story sequences kept brisk and the addition of motion-controlled content, not to mention the shorter, portable-friendly battles, it’s arguably the most immediate Warriors for some time.

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Handsome Jack is a tyrant, and in Borderlands 2, four new vault hunters will try to take him down with a gazillion different guns. Gearbox unveiled an info-packed trailer of its upcoming open-world shooter sequel today, and along with a peek at the characters, setting, and guns, guns, guns, we also get an official release date.

“Borderlands 2 is a passion project, through and through,” Gearbox President Randy Pitchford said in a statement. “The result is a sequel that has improved every successful aspect of Borderlands while innovating with an all-new experience.”

Get the longest look at that experience we’ve seen yet in the trailer below:

In case you missed it, Borderlands 2 is set for launch on September 18.

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Take-Two has had its fair share of problems getting games out the door, but it appears as if the Gearbox-developed Borderlands 2 won’t have that problem. Today, 2K Games confirmed Borderlands 2 will arrive within its projected 2012 window, having scheduled the game on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC for September 18 in the United States and for September 21 in the UK.

Guns will, of course, factor heavily into Borderlands 2′s preorder bonuses.

Along with debuting a new sizzle reel for the game (below), 2K Games outlined Borderlands 2′s preorder bonuses. In-game items are the theme of the preorder pack, with the publisher promising access to the Gearbox gunpack, which includes a handful of starter golden guns, as well as a golden key that can be used to unlock a special chest in the city of Sanctuary.

Lastly, the pack includes the Vault Hunter’s Relic, which impacts gamers’ loot-finding capabilities. Those interested in picking up the aforementioned bonuses with their preorders can do so through the game’s official website or at certain retailers.

For more information, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage of Borderlands 2.

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The Etrian Odyssey series is known for its hardcore RPG gameplay tailor-made for the dual screens of the DS. Japanese magazine Famitsu (via Andriasang) recently announced a fourth game in the works by Atlus that will be released for the 3DS on July 5.

A typical scene from Etrian Odyssey III.

The sequel ‘s full title is Etrian Odyssey IV: Densetsu no Kyojin (Myth of the Giant) and introduces seven classes like the sniper, dancer and medic. New to the series is the option to set the game’s difficulty to cater towards newcomers interested in the genre. The difficulty can be adjusted at any point during the game.

There is currently no word on a North American or European release at this point in time. The most recent entry in the franchise is Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City, which was released on the DS in 2010. The game was praised for its challenge level and sea voyages that complement the dungeon-crawling segments, but was criticized for its steep learning curve and bare-bones plot.

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