If you're thinking of grabbing yourself a copy of the PlayStation 3 version of Vampire Rain: Altered Species today, you might want to check how much space you have on your console first. It seems the game has a mandatory 3.8 GB installation.

If you liked last year's undead-slaying offering Vampire Rain, you'll be thrilled to know that its sequel has been announced and is already in the works. Developer Artoon and publisher AQ Entertainment call this prospect Vampire Rain: Altered Species, and it's looking to deliver more stealth-based action than ever before. See the full article ahead for details.

 

If you've been penny-pinching to save up for upcoming games, here's a little primer on US retail releases this week, starting July 2.

Eye catchers of the week (for the grown-ups) would be Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PS3 and Vampire Rain for the 360. We've been covering both games for quite some time now, and the anticipation is fit to burst through Rachel's black leather suit.

Moms and dads may also want to get Platinum Sudoku or Vegas Casino for those quiet times when the kids are busy with Marvel TCG and Taito Legends 2. (More about these and other games in our Full Article).

What a way to start the month of July! New month, new week... new games!

Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The demo for this ninja action adventure title was one of the few demos that actually lived up to its hype. For those who are old enough to crave challenges and gameplay more suitable for mature audiences, this PS3 exclusive is a must-buy.

• PlayStation 3 - July 3, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Tecmo and Team Ninja

Vampire Rain. Take on the role of John Lloyd, the government's vampire hunter, as he purges Los Angeles of the vampire threat. We're hoping that this horror action adventure game will cast new light on the vampire game genre with its stealthy "high-tech Buffy meets Sam Fisher" gameplay.

• Xbox 360 - July 3, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Microsoft Game Studios and Artoon

See the other game releases by clicking on the Full Article link below!

Two new gameplay videos (as well as a downpour of screenshots) of Vampire Rain headed for you in this new batch of eye candy fresh for Xbox 360 owners. We get you the skinny on what's to look forward to the third-person shooter that has everyone talking.

The first video shows a brief moment of frantic multiplayer action - so frantic, that the player dies within four seconds. It's that fast, and no doubt it's going to be a race to see who frags the other player first if it's anything to go by in terms of multiplayer. The second video is a tad longer, letting us look into the scope of a sniper rifle used to pick off targets from afar. It's to note that the HUD is thankfully non-obtrusive and minimized, and from the ease of the kills, using the sniper rifle will be pretty much a breeze (good thing for those of us who easily get motion-sick while aiming).

A third-person stealth shooter with supernatural vampire horror? We thought we'd never see the day, but Artoon's Vampire Rain for the 360 looks like it could satisfy those of us who want a dash of horror in their espionage games. More updates about Vampire Rain as soon as we get them. In the meantime, enjoy the screenshots and the videos!

The boxshots and the two videos after the jump!

The battle of man against vampire seems endless, but it looks pretty cool as depicted in Vampire Rain. Swords, whips, massive guns - we've seen them all used against our bloodsucking friends. If you haven't tried the demo out yet, here's a video on how things go.

It's undeniable that Vampire Rain looks a lot like Splinter Cell games, and word has it that it plays a lot similar too. John Lloyd walks like Fisher, moves like Fisher, aims his rifle like Fisher, climbs like Fisher, and even zips through phone lines like Fisher. We can give him props for jumping a lot higher and being much more capable in hand combat, but even his look is a lot like the stealthy Sam.

This isn't to say the game is bad, definitely not. The graphics may not be groundbreaking, but the amount of action more than makes up for it. Vampires are attacking from all sides, with a company of creatures that don't resemble any humanoid form you know of. Find out for yourself on the video below.

Want some free love from Microsoft? Well, you're just in time because the Xbox Live Marketplace has just been updated with the addition of two new free demos. The two video game titles are Vampire Rain and Tenchu Z and the demo sizes are approximately 844.7MB and 641.8MB respectively.

First off, Vampire Rain was created by Artoon and will be published by AQ Interactive. The title itself is kind of a mix between survival horror, stealth, and shooting. Here, players are tasked to lead a black ops unit and eliminate the deadly Nightwalkers while keeping it secret the whole time.

When you get the demo, you should be treated to two full missions as well as two experience trials. Quite interestingly, it also comes with an Xbox Live multiplayer experience unlike any other where you can experience the power of a Nightwalker first hand. The download is available for members in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Then we have Tenchu Z, the localized version of hit Japanese title Tenchu Senran from From Software. The demo is available in all markets around the globe save for places in Asia. It includes a single player mission and pre-selected ninja accessories from the full game.

Tenchu Z has recently gone gold and will be available in stores this coming June 12.

Set to make its way to the Xbox360 and PS3 is the Artoon-developed thriller game Vampire's Rain (also known simply as "Rain") where, as we've mentioned earlier, will have players literally grappling in the dark trying to make out which ones in the crowd are blood-thirsty fiends and which are just plain... pale-skinned. (Or something.)

Anyhoo, players will get to take on the role of special operative John Lloyd as you try to wipeout them vampires (operative word is TRY) lurking in suburban L.A. And since this is essentially a vampire-hunting game, expect a lot of dark elements to come bleeding through your screens. If you wanna get a preview of just how dark and taunting this game will be, here's the Nightwalker Stalking gameplay vid courtesy of GameTrailers to give you that much needed quick-see of the game. Enjoy!

If the video doesn't work, just go through the "Via" link below and head on over to GameTrailers.

Blue Dragon comes straight from a powerhouse combination of Akira Toriyama (Dragonball) and Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy). It is the story of Shu and friends as they (of course) take an adventure to save the world.

Tag team developers Mistwalker and Artoon haven't announced a U.S. release date for this breathtaking RPG. In Japan, people reportedly stood in line to get copy and the title sold around 70 thousand copies on during its first week on the shelves.

Click on the link below to get a taste of the action in taste of the action in Blue Dragon.

Download: [Blue Dragon: Forest Fight]

Unfortunately they're barely bigger than a postage stamp, still, we'll take what we can get, especially since it's been a while since we've seen or heard anything on Artoon and AQI's multiplatform action title for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

   
   
   
   
 

Are developers Mistwalker and Artoon teasing us or what? We mean, we have today a new batch of in-game Blue Dragon screenshots. Just yesterday, we shared with you a short video clip revealing the game's rather breathtaking sceneries. Don't get us wrong, we are not complaining. It's just that we badly, madly want this game (goes to one corner and curls up into a fetal position).

Anyway, we guess we don't have to stay in that position for so long as we might have came across something here. How much do you trust Wikipedia? Well, we sometimes look things up there but if you ask us now, we'd like to say good ol' Wiki is our best friend. Why? Well, because their Blue Dragon article says the U.S. release for this game is on June 1, 2007. And believe us, we so like to take their word for it.

Until Microsoft or the developers confirm anything, however, we're not banking on it yet a hundred percent. In the mean while, just enjoy these screenshots.

See the rest after the jump!