I guess I should be telling you more about Halo Wars, but saying that Ensemble's RTS take on the Halo universe is going straight to the printer should be enough, don't you think? Well, it should be, but it's not. Why? I'll tell you why, don't worry, especially since I won't be able to grab that Halo Wars demo, and most of you will!

The story is very simple - for the start, only Xbox 360 gamers will be able to enjoy Halo Wars, but I hope we'll get some PC version later, too. Anyway, for now, here's the official mumbo-jumbo, still boiling hot(a few hours old), right from HaloWars:

"Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios announced today that “Halo Wars,” the highly anticipated action strategy game based on the legendary “Halo” universe, is finished and sent to manufacturing! Created from the ground up for the Xbox 360 console and controller, “Halo Wars” combines a peerless control scheme and gameplay with an incredibly rich, epic story set 20 years prior to the story told in “Halo: Combat Evolved”. The result is a commanding experience that is a must-have for “Halo” fans and a title that is sure to become a classic amongst fans of strategy games.
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As fans eagerly await launch day, a video documentary series announced today will explore defining themes of “Halo Wars” and give viewers a behind the scenes look at the game’s development and some of the people involved in its creation. The premier episode captures key elements that frame “Halo Wars” gameplay: the controls, perspective and strategy. The “Halo Wars” video documentary is available for download on Xbox LIVE and can be viewed at Xbox.com/Halo.

In addition, the recently announced Xbox LIVE public demo for “Halo Wars” will be available beginning on Feb. 5 at 2 a.m. PST in Xbox LIVE enabled regions worldwide. In the demo, players will be able master Ensemble’s groundbreaking control scheme in optional beginner and advanced tutorials or jump right into the action to experience the beginning of the “Halo Wars” story with the first two campaign missions. The demo will also include “Chasms,” one of “Halo Wars’” 14 multiplayer maps, wherein players can battle it out in Skirmish mode vs. A.I., playing either as the UNSC with Captain Cutter’s leader powers, or as the Covenant with the Prophet of Regret’s own unique abilities. Don’t forget to set your Xbox to download this demo!"

Yeah, right I won't forget to set my... damn, I don't have any Xbox around!

Next to MS-DOS, the Flight Simulator series is the main reason that would make this world really sad without Microsoft. Don't say anything about Vista, please! Linux has been around with much better GUIs since mid 1990s, and Windows XP or Vista didn't come with anything really innovative for the user, and I am not the only one to think about it this way. Anyway, we're not going to start a war now, because something really sad happened: Flight Simulator crashed!

According to various sources, and officially confirmed by Microsoft, the studio responsible for the outstanding Flight Simulator is going all the way down, despite the fact they have been doing this for more than two decades, and all their games were great.

Unfortunately, it seems the crisis also struck Microsoft, with about 5,000 employees to be laid off, of which 1,400 were fired on the spot, and the remainder will lose their jobs over the next 18 months.
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I don't know why, but I am not surprised to hear that Kelda Rericha of Edelman, Microsoft's public relations firm, says they decided this within Microsoft's Internal Entertainment Business "to align our people against our highest priorities." Mumbo-jumbo, as usual.

They should turn Windows into open-source software and focus on games, instead of laying off people who never released products so lame as Windows Millennium or the more recent Vista...

If you're looking for some new iPhone games, I think you should leave those pathetic so-called games for kids and get something serious. When I say "pathetic" I am not trying to be mean, it's just the way I think about most iPhone games - they are way below the capabilities of this device, and the games I want to tell you now prove exactly that!

Just think about Silent Hill running on the iPhone! Eh, that's quite of a game, don't you think? The strange thing is that both Silent Hill: The Escape and DanceDanceRevolution S Lite for the iPhone have been available for a few weeks already, but Konami announced their launch today!

Here's the official press release for those minds hungry for information:

"KONAMI LAUNCHES TOP FRANCHISE TITLES FOR THE
APPLE® iPHONE™ AND iPOD® TOUCH

Silent Hill and DanceDanceRevolution Now Available on the Apple App Store
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Jan. 22, 2009 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced the release of Silent Hill: The Escape and DanceDanceRevolution S Lite, now available in North America for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Based on top-selling franchises, these titles have been re-designed to take full advantage of the iPhone's capabilities, including the innovative Multi-Touch Interface™ and accelerometer.
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"Konami Mobile is pleased to deliver some of our most beloved franchises to the iPhone while providing a range of gameplay depth that casual and hardcore gamers alike are sure to appreciate," said Anthony Borquez, Vice President of Konami Mobile and Online. "Whether players are looking for a nail-biting survival horror experience or some music and rhythm, our lineup of iPhone titles promises to appeal to all consumers."

Silent Hill: The Escape
Silent Hill: The Escape features original gameplay, detailed graphics and spine-chilling sound effects created specifically for the iPhone. In this first-person, 3D shooter survival horror game, players navigate through various levels from an abandoned hospital to a cold subway with a dull flashlight while fighting off monsters and faceless nurses. The battery of the flashlight slowly dies throughout the game, limiting the player's vision as they search for a key to escape the monster-infested labyrinth. Players also carry a gun for protection to ward off the trail of chasing monsters. Taking full advantage of the iPhone's capabilities, players must employ the tilt sensor and skillfully tap the bullets to reload the revolver. Silent Hill: The Escape is available for $7.99 from the Apple App Store.

DanceDanceRevolution S Lite
The worldwide sensation that started the dance game craze doesn't miss a beat on the iPhone. DanceDanceRevolution S Lite is the first installment in the popular videogame franchise designed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. In this addictive music rhythm game, players tap the arrows on the control pad as they appear on the screen. Featuring 3D characters and simple controls, DanceDanceRevolution S Lite provides an on-the-go DDR experience for iPhone gamers of all ages. DanceDanceRevolution S Lite is available for free download from the Apple App Store.

Silent Hill: The Escape and DanceDanceRevolution S Lite are now available from the Apple App Store on iPhone and iPod Touch. For more information, please visit www.konamimobile.com."

Just be sure not to drop your iPhone or iPod Touch while playing Silent Hill! Despite the fact you won't be playing it for months, this game offers quite a thrill, believe me! ;)