Local developer Crunchtime Games is launching Shred Nebula in just a few more weeks. Check it out on XBLA on September 3rd!

Eric Gooch of Insomniac has an excellent tutorial on Creating the Lighting for Resistance: Fall of Man. The best part of the tutorial are the “before and after” shots that show how each scene looks lit and unlit. A lot of people underestimate the importance of good lighting, but these pictures really help make it clear. Well worth the read!

Rumors have been brewing for a while, but Capcom has now confirmed that the beautiful Okami will be coming to the Wii. The news was announced in London with an expected release date of early 2008.

I’m currently playing Okami myself, and it’s one of the more unique titles I’ve played in a long time. While the basic storyline and world design are very Zelda-esque, the Celestial Brush Techniques set Okami apart. By drawing on the screen, you can manipulate the world around you causing trees to bloom, the wind to blow and fire to appear. The graphics are done in an ink-and-wash style, as if the story were told in ancient Japanese scrolls. It’s breathtaking to look at, and a lot of fun to play.

The brush techniques seem a natural match for the Wii’s motion sensitive controller. I’m eager to see it when it is released.

Okami Confirmed for Wii

I hear this question all the time: “I heard asm was dead. Do video games still use assembly code?”

The answer? No, but yes. Sometimes. Sorta. It depends.

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Can’t convince your significant other you need to be playing more Halo 3? How about a Halo tournament to end breast cancer!

The Cave Girls are hosting their 2nd Annual “Fight Like a Girl” Halo tournament. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Susan G. Komen For a Cure breast cancer foundation. Tournament founder Kari Toyama explains how it all started in this interview at United for Pink.

They asked me, “Kari, would you like to participate in a bake sale?” I said, “Um, no.” So they asked, “Is there anything you are involved in that could potentially raise money?” I thought, “Hey, I love to play ‘Halo.'”

Get the full tournament details from the Cave Girls. Even if you don’t play, you can still donate!