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The nominations have been announced for the 16th annual DICE Awards, and Journey leads the pack with nods in 11 categories including outstanding achievement in music composition, outstanding achievement in game direction and overall game of the year. The Walking Dead, Far Cry 3 and Halo 4 have each racked up eight, seven and six nominations, respectively. Dishonored and Borderlands 2 each pulling in five nods.

In addition to Journey, contenders for game of the year include The Walking Dead, Far Cry 3, Borderlands 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

The DICE Awards will take place on February 7 at 10:30pm ET, during the 2013 DICE summit, and will be hosted by Chris Hardwick of The Nerdist and Talking Dead. The event will be streamed live on Machinima. You can read the full list of nominations right here.

#theweekingames DMC: Devil May Cry brings 2013's major release calendar out of hibernation this week, along with downloadable content for Borderlands 2. BioShock has a special edition release hitting shelves, too. More »

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was announced as the winner of the MLB 13: The Show cover athlete vote held on the MLB's official site. McCutchen garnered over 100,000 votes in the five-day poll.

Second place went to New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who received just under 90,000 votes, while Detroit Tigers third baseman and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera got third with 76,000 votes.

MLB 13: The Show is set to launch March 5 for PS3 and Vita.

LittleBigPlanet 2: Extras Edition was recently announced for Europe, and is due to release in February. Extras Edition will include the original game along with three bonus level packs and a number of costumes for Sackboy to wear.

Of the packed-in level kits, the previously-released Cross-Controller Pack is included, which has players using their Vita systems to control Sackboy in the game. The other level packs bundled on the disc are the Move Pack: Rise of the Cakeling, which features PlayStation Move controls, and The Muppets Premium Level Kit. Click past the break to check out the full box art of the Extras Edition.

On January 16, wannabe gangsters across the pond in Europe and Asia will get a chance to check out the excellent Retro City Rampage on both the PS Vita and PS3. Developer Brian Provinciano hasn't used the extra month lightly, either - the extra time has allowed him to add extra polish to the game, he tells Joystiq.

If you don't have a PC, PS3 or PS Vita, the WiiWare version of Retro City Rampage is slated to launch sometime this month, though Provinciano is unable to say exactly when at the moment. The Xbox Live Arcade version has been available since last week.

Team 17 is bringing retro run-and-gun to PS3 and Vita with a PSN re-release of Alien Breed in early February. The British developer, better known for putting armaments in the (supposed) hands of invertebrates, first released this top-down shooter on the good old Amiga in 1991, the game inspired heavily by a certain big screen franchise.

The PSN re-release features cross-platform multiplayer between Vita and PS3, as well as ad-hoc/local and online co-op on respective platforms. New packs Convergence, Valiance, and Synergy bring up the total level count to 30, there's the option to play with original or enhanced visuals, and leaderboards are there for those who are competitive when it comes to extraterrestrial carnage.

Team 17 resurrected the Alien Breed franchise after over a decade with the downloadable isometric shooter Evolution in 2009, and that was soon followed by two sequel episodes. The original Alien Breed then came to iOS in August 2012, and Team 17 is now telling fans to "watch this space" for an announcement of an Android release.

#wakeupclub This is it, video games. You've hit your peak. Things aren't getting much better than Wake-up Club, a free game that comes out Tuesday for Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld. More »

Sony is planning to introduce the web-based Sony Entertainment Network store to the US this month. According to CNET, who spoke to Sony Network Entertainment chief operating officer Shawn Layden, the SEN store will ultimately let users buy content there and then set it to be automatically downloaded to their PS3s.

The SEN store, which allows users to buy PS3 and Vita content via a browser, launched very quietly last month in Europe, with Sony eventually saying the store is being tested there. As it currently stands, content bought via the SEN store appears on Vita and PS3 download lists, but cannot be automatically downloaded to those devices via the web-based store.

The film adaptation of Shadow of the Colossus is still chuggin' right along, edging ever closer to becoming either the best or worst thing ever, as is the expected fate of all video game movie projects.

The production has added Seth Lochhead to its staff, according to The Hollywood Reporter, who will be responsible for Colossus' story and/or screenplay. Lochhead's previous writing accomplishments include Hanna, the 2011 action thriller that starred Saoirse Ronan, Galadriel and The Incredible Hulk.

Script production will be overseen by director Josh Trank with Lochhead starting on a fresh adaptation rather than elaborating on the initial draft penned by Justin Marks, the same scribe behind 2009's disastrous Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li. We're not complaining.

Knytt Underground is the kind of game you can easily get lost in. I mean that in both the metaphorical sense of an engrossing experience, and the literal sense of a game in which I wandered around until I found where I was supposed to be.

Somehow, Nifflas's latest combines discrete chapters and an open, explorable map, and makes that seemingly impossible combination work. And it's pretty funny.

This week's PlayStation Store update opened preorders for the PSN version of Dead Space 3. More instantly gratifying: you can now buy Demon's Souls and Lord of the Rings: War in the North digitally, for $20 each.

Some Sega classics are bundled in "Sega Vintage Collections," one with Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Super Hang-On, and The Revenge of Shinobi, and another with three Wonder Boy games. These games were previously sold as bundles on XBLA, but only individually on PS3. And be sure to check out all the PlayStation Plus extras.

On Vita, Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable is the major highlight, but there are also a bunch of Disney PS1 games you can buy through the Vita store. So that's cool.

Corpse Party spins off into a series of new, smaller Corpse Parties next week, when the follow-up to last year's PSP game launches on PSN. Corpse Party: Book of Shadows is a set of short stories set in the franchise's universe, each focusing on different characters as, if the first game is any indication, they get tortured relentlessly by ghosts.

On the PlayStation Blog, XSEED localization specialist and professional Corpse Partier Tom Lipschultz introduces each of the stories, so you can get an idea about all the unfortunate kids you'll be putting through hell when you play the game.

#corpseparty More »

#theweekingames The Week in Games is back but, as is expected in January, we don't have much to share. The western release of Anarchy Reigns is the lone console title. It doesn't look like things pick up again until next week, when DmC: Devil May Cry arrives. More »

Epix subscribers will be able to access the streaming service on PS3 sometime before the end of March, and on PS Vita in spring.

Use of the free Epix app requires a subscription through cable, satellite or telecommunications distributors. A full list of other supported devices is available on the Epix website - just don't let your set-top box see you checking out those other devices. It's sensitive.

#finalfantasy The time has come. The time when I will finally play Final Fantasy Tactics. It's been a blind spot for years, a game that I have wanted to play ever since I became terribly addicted to Final Fantasy Tactics A2 on the Nintendo DS. More »

The next Lego game from Warner and TT Games is Lego: Legends of Chima. No, you didn't miss out on some hit cartoon or established franchise that's being adapted into a Lego game; this is a new original property, tying into a new collection of Lego toys about a "land inhabited by different magical animal tribes."

Legends of Chima's video game branch actually comprises three games. Lego Legends of Chima: Speedorz is a "racing mini-game" that will be available today on Lego.com and tomorrow on iOS. Lego Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey, coming to 3DS and Vita in the summer and DS in the fall, is an "amazing adventure" starring the warrior Laval, who is basically Lion-O from the Thundercats.

Lego Legends of Chima Online is the most ambitious of the three games, a free-to-play "online world" from WB Montreal that lets players build weapons and structures, and interact with the Chima characters in missions. It's due this fall.

Joystiq is revealing its 10 favorite games of 2012 throughout the week. Keep reading for more top selections and every writer's personal, impassioned picks in Best of the Rest roundups. Dragon's Dogma
There are so many things wrong with Dragon's Dogma, as noted in Joystiq's scathing review. For starters, its unwillingness to offer guidance makes the Souls games look helpful, its dialogue repetition is nothing short of maddening - yes I freaking know wolves hunt in packs - and no game has ever made fast travel more of a chore. But when it's good, oh how good it is. Combining in harmony with my troupe of automated pawns to take down giant foes in simplistic yet epic, challenging combat is just too delectable to exclude Dragon's Dogma from mention, flaws or no.

Because of New Year's festivities, Sony has updated the PlayStation Network a day earlier than usual. This week brings a bunch of discounts for some of 2012's best, including a few bucks off Sound Shapes, Skullgirls, Tokyo Jungle, Shadow of the Colossus and many more. Of course, if you're a PlayStation Plus member everything is discounted a tad bit extra.

PS Plus subscribers also get their requisite free games this week, including NBA Jam: On Fire Edition and PS Vita puzzle-platformer, Chronovolt. Both of those are available in PS Plus members' Instant Game Collection right now - for the full list of this week's deals, hit up the PlayStation Blog.

Tomba! and Tomba! 2 are out now on the PSone Classics section of the European PSN for £6.99 each, a MonkeyPaw Games rep told Joystiq today. The games, ports of the original NTSC versions, had some emulation issues but are now available for download on PS3 and Vita.

Additionally, Tomba! 2 is being discussed with SCEA for release in North America, and would be available on PSN for PS3 and Vita as well. Tomba! was originally scheduled to launch on the European PSN in September.

#thebests Something from Sony's video game hardware offerings found its way into your life this week. Maybe it's a hand-me-down PSP, a brand-new Vita or a skinnier-than-ever PlayStation 3. Whichever it is, you can look at the games we think are the best available on each system. More »

The latest PSN update is now live, and there are some notable additions for PS Plus members and regular users alike. Plus users get to add the excellent Retro City Rampage to their instant game collection. Munch's Oddysee HD also arrives on PSN this week, bringing the one-time Xbox exclusive to the PlayStation 3. The Vita version is slated to arrive next year.

The Holiday Essentials sale continues as well, with a hefty batch of discounted games up for grabs. Highlights include Journey or Papo & Yo for $10.49 ($7.35 on PS Plus), Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on PS3 for $24.99 ($17.14 on Plus) and Starhawk for 27.99 ($19.60 on Plus). Meanwhile, Resident Evil 6 has seen its price permanently dropped from $60 to $40. Head over to PlayStation Blog for the full rundown.

PlayStation Network is hosting a flash sale for Assassin's Creed 3 and Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation this weekend. The sale discounts the games by 35%, and also includes a bundle for both games at 50% off.

This weekend, Assassin's Creed 3 can be bought for $38.99, with the Gold Edition on sale for $58.49. Liberation costs $23.39, while a bundle including both Liberation and Assassin's Creed 3 Gold Edition is $59.99. The Gold Edition of the game includes a season pass for the game's DLC offerings.

Starting Monday, December 24, those that are still in the buying mood can net both the PS3 and Vita versions of Retro City Rampage for $9.99 on PlayStation Network. Of course, if the Steam Holiday Sale has you transfixed, you can pick up the game for $10 on there too.

If you're a bit more old-fashioned, you can download the DRM-free game direct from Vblank Entertainment for the same price, which includes a GoG and Steam key. Unfortunately, the direct PC download doesn't include floppy disks for you old codgers out there.

#onepiece I guess you could say that I'm a fan of One Piece. I don't follow the magazine on a week to week basis in Shonen Jump, but I've read all of the manga books. I haven't seen much of the anime, but I've watched a good deal of the movies, including the latest one. I haven't played most of the One Piece-based game bases, but one I did play was One Piece： Pirate Warriors. The game was enjoyable for the most part, but felt a little short and was not without its flaws. So when I got a chance to check out Pirate Warriors 2 at Jump Festa 2013, I figured I'd see how they've improved on the last game. More »

Halfbrick's Jetpack Joyride will become a free download on the PlayStation Network beginning today, December 21, in Europe and Monday, December 31, in North America. The game was previously available for $3.99 as a Mini for PSP, PlayStation Vita and PS3.

Jetpack Joyride on PSN includes everything found in the game's 1.3 update. Fly, Barry Streakfries, fly as long as you can!

Sound Shapes developer Queasy Games wrapped up a present for everyone this holiday season, and this package is simply stunning. Look at the care that went into that tape, the love in the creases, the compassion in the folds - oh, fine, rip it apart. Just tear it open. You animal.

The Holiday Sound Pack has five new, Christmas-themed instruments from classic carols, and it's an automatic addition to all Sound Shapes games, whether on Vita or PS3, that are connected to the internet. If you're so overwhelmed by this act of kindness, you can give back to the Queasy team by uploading your own holiday level with the tag #XMAS for them to play over the break.

That will almost make up for your treatment of the wrapping paper. Almost.

The PS3/Vita platformer Knytt Underground is available on PSN, promising grand subterranean adventure and "zen-like gameplay." It's Cross-Buy, so if you get it one platform, you have it on both.

Also on PSN this week: a lot of discounts! The Holiday Essentials sale is accompanied by other discounts, including the "Sega Heritage Collection" bundle, which offers Jet Set Radio HD, Sonic Adventure 2 with DLC, and NiGHTS for $20. Check the PlayStation Blog for a rather extensive list of deals. You can pre-order PSN versions of Devil May Cry and Metro Last Light starting this week.

A trio of Rockstar PS2 games is also on the Store today, for $10 each: Red Dead Revolver, Bully, and Midnight Club 3 Dub Edition Remix.

Criterion's latest racer, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, presents its first premium DLC pack today. The Ultimate Speed pack has five new rides up for grabs - the Pagani Zonda R, McLaren F1LM, Lamborghini Aventador J and Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse - with 25 subsequent challenges for each to overcome.

Fairview also has one new Most Wanted rival prowling the streets in a Hennessey Venom GT Spyder, which you may then take down and claim for yourself. The Ultimate Speed pack is available on Xbox 360, PS3 and Origin right now for 800 MS Points ($10).

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, you'll remember, is one of the weirdest of a series of weird games: It's a first-person shooter, essentially, based in Oddworld. The new PS Vita version of the game is now available for download through PSN, for $15. An HD version of the quirky shooter (which originally came out on the Xbox and later PC) was made for the PS3 last year.

The Vita version of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath features the enhanced graphics of the Just Add Water remake, and makes use of the Vita's front and back touchscreens for "extra controls."

If you haven't had a chance to play one of Oddworld's best, it's time to log into PSN and check it out.