Ask the question "What makes a next-gen game?" Game developers themselves got a chance to answer that question earlier this month in GDC. Towards the end of this month, the 29th of March, it will be the game journalists' turn to offer their opinion on the edge of gaming in an exclusive, free panel event hosted by International Game Developers' Association (IGDA)-San Diego chapter.

The panel, to deliver their thoughts on "What Makes A Next-Gen Game," features:

• editor-in-chief Dave Halverson from Play Magazine;
• editor-in-chief Francesca Reyes from Official Xbox Magazine;
• deputy editor-in-chief Kaiser Hwang from PSM;
• editor Brandon Sheffield from Game Developer Magazine;
• contributing writer Paul Semel for GamePro, Official PlayStation Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, and others;
• and Game Head host Geoff Keighley from Spike TV.

As the event is free, but space is limited, registration is required, via the Read link below. The event is scheduled for 6:30-9:45 PM at the Qualcomm Auditorium.

It looks like UK-based gaming magazine Play knows something all of us don't. In the mag's page dedicated to the most anticipated games of 2007, publisher Dave Halverson listed Dracula X: Rondo of Blood as his number 3 choice. Wait, what Rondo of Blood? As in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood?

Well, it looks very much like it. Back in mid-December, we shared with you a video interview with the producer of the Castlevania series, Koji Igarashi. In that interview, IGA, as he is popularly known, talked about the possibilities of classics being ported to the PSP. He specifically mentioned that there is now in fact a test Castlevaniadeveloped for the handheld.

If this pushes through, we guess we need to remind you how big Rondo of Blood was during its domination of 16-bit gaming. In this part of the series, sometime around 1788, Dracula was once more resurrected by cultists. The Count then seeks revenge on Ritchter Belmont, a descendant of the family that so often brings him back six-feet below, so to speak.

All in all, the game has seven levels, but there are five or six hidden levels. Also, there are some characters that can be unlocked and will then provide players the best ending of the game. There's really much to talk about Rondo of Blood, but we don't want to be counting chicks even before the eggs hatch, or something like that. We'll just keep you posted if something comes up.