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Sony released a collection of screenshots for Magic: The Gathering Tactics today. You can check out more of them in the gallery below.

I haven’t paid a whole lot of attention to Magic: The Gathering for a number of years now. As such, I did not know that Sony Online Entertainment was working on a free-to-play tactical strategy game based on the license. Combining both the gameplay and microtransactional nature of Magic with the tactics genre on a global network is a genius move and I’m interested in seeing how it plays out on PS3 vs PC.

Hell, I might even try it when it releases. But you won’t catch me buying any booster packs. I’ve seen the end of that path and only ruin exists there.

This was just too precious not to share. Octodad is a student-made (DePaul University) Independent Games Festival entry, it’s free to download for PC, and it is quite possibly the weirdest game I have played this year on both a conceptual and mechanical level.

This excellent trailer really does say it all, so I’d advise you to watch it. The best part is, the person playing Octodad in that footage appears to be unskilled … until you download the game and realize, “My God, that is the best player in the universe.”

It wasn’t until today that I could appreciate how truly difficult it would be to wear a suit and perform fatherly duties as an octopus without looking conspicuous. In that regard, Octodad is the perfect simulation game.

Freeware Game Pick: Octodad (DePaul University Student Team) [IndieGames]

For about a year now, a group of mental health researchers have been looking into the effects that Tetris has on PTSD-afflicted brain. Thus far, their research has shown evidence that playing Tetris shortly after suffering from a traumatic event will do more to prevent flashbacks than occupying your mind with a word-based quiz game, or doing nothing at all.

Last night, I had the opportunity to ask Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris, what he thinks of this research. His response was humble and to the point — “It’s a great thing that people are discovering even more of the benefits that videogames can provide, but I don’t think that it is just Tetris that can provide these benefits. They are studying Tetris now, and so far, the evidence is strong, but there are many other games that may provide a similar effect. I think that all games should be studied, because all games can be important.“

He’s got a point, but it makes sense that Tetris is the game they’re studying now. After over 25 years of global success, it’s clear that Tetris does something for the human brain that other games do not. Personally, I’ve seen it work. I used to be a social worker in a psychiatric hospital, and after hearing about this research, I brought in Tetris for one of my patients who suffered from PTSD and tenancies towards self mutilation. After getting into the game (which she’d never played before) she hurt herself much less often, and told me that when she played the game, she felt a lot better.

Traumatized? Playing Tetris may reduce Flashbacks [CNN]

_{[Editor's Note: Despite how hard cameraman and tech guy Roy Malcomber tried, we had several technology fails. Apologies for the sound quality and the delay in posting.]}

A lot of videogame charities exist, but I have never seen anything quite like the UK-based charity Special Effect. Special Effect works with gaming companies and technology experts to bring gaming to all people, young and old, who can’t enjoy mainstream gaming due to a disability.

Special Effect joins families in finding games that their children or loved ones can play, or help adapt the ones they can’t. At Eurogamer Expo 2010, they showed not only custom-built controllers, but how they can help those with almost full-body paralysis to play games. In the video, I chat with a representative of Special Effect as he demonstrates a racing game controlled by eye movement alone with surprising accuracy!

I was really blown away by what Special Effect does and how they achieve it; the technology is mind-blowing and their kindness and dedication towards bringing gaming to everyone even made me speechless (and a little choked up). The technology they have shown us can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and the charity covers all costs to the families. I ask you to please visit their website and show them some love.

Namco Bandai’s upcoming adventure game Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is being released at a very dangerous time period for a new IP with little marketing, but its pleasantly cheap price on Amazon may win it a few sales yet. The PS3 version of the game costs a mere $39.99, which is surely worth a gamble. 

I’ve been eager to give this game as much spotlight as possible, since I’ve loved everything I’ve played of it so far and I think it’ll be a wonderful new game that is tragically undersold. If you haven’t downloaded the demo on XBLA or PSN yet, I urge you to do so, because I don’t want you to miss a potential heart-stealer. 

Anyway, if you are tempted to pick it up, getting the PS3 version on Amazon seems you best bet!

[Thanks, Roberth!]

Got a Windows 7 phone? Got some love for the Haloes? You might be interested in Halo Waypoint. This is a free download for Windows 7 phone users. It gives you access to the entire world of Halo on the go, beaming you news, interviews, trailers, screenshots and more. Microsoft says that you’ll get Halo announcements and news before anyone else.

The Halo Waypoint also lets gamers keep track of their Halo career as it lists out their Achievements. Add in Twitter updates and Halo community forum access and it really does look like you’ll have everything Halo-related right there in your little phone. 

Halo Waypoint is available now on the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. 

Although Kinect isn’t selling out at every store in the world, a number of areas are reportedly suffering from shortages, and this has already inspired the vultures of eBay to start exploiting the stupid. According to Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian, Kinect is selling for $190 on eBay, significantly higher than the already too expensive $150. 

“While several retailers are indicating out-of-stock positions on their websites, the majority of bricks and mortar stores we called had units available for sale,” says the analyst. ”Nonetheless, we believe that early signs of demand for Kinect bode well for the device as a holiday gift item, and if the momentum continues, could provide the industry with a near-term shot in the arm.

“Our survey of completed transactions on eBay indicates that Microsoft Kinect, the motion sensing controller for the Xbox 360, is selling for an average price of roughly $190, or nearly a 30% premium over the retail price of $150.”

I’m really curious to see just how well Kinect has performed. There’s no arguing with the fact that MS’ marketing blitz has created a success, but did it outclass the Wii’s launch as Microsoft declared it would? I’m not quite seeing that level of hype for Kinect, but it’s still a long time until Christmas. That’s when people really get stupid.

Activision made a tactical error in printing up the pack-in download codes for the limited editions of Call of Duty: Black Ops. Seems they completely neglected to include one gender in the process and only codes for male avatar clothes wound up in the package.

To correct the error, Activision has created Xbox Marketplace codes that can be redeemed for those clothes which never wound up in buyer’s hands. Of course, they’re only the female outfits, so dudes are going to be out of luck. But hey ladies, free stuff! To get your reward for having no Y chromosome (or at least an Avatar without one), just hop over to Xbox.com and use these codes:

SR-71 Flight Suit: GYVF8-PF7RY-28D7V-VGWV8-CFGRM
Woods Outfit: R76BQ-CR3MF-G2TTF-9G36R-BQWJD

Free Limited Edition Avatar props for Female Avatars from C.O.D Black Ops [Cheapassgamer via Eurogamer]

There was definitely not enough Wu-Tang Clan in Def Jam Rapstar, but that changes soon.

A full pack of Wu-Tang Clan tracks has been announced for the title, and includes “Protect Ya Neck,” Raekwon’s “Ice Cream,” Ghostface’s “Cherchez LaGhost” and Method Man and Redman’s “How High.” You can get the entire pack for 560 MS Points, or pick up each track on the lonesome for 160 MS Points.

Also added to the title will be two new Freestyle beats, DJ Premiere’s “Dots” and 9th Wonders’ “IWW”; each of those will cost you 160 MS Points/$1.99 a piece.

These tracks should be available now for the Xbox 360; they’re said to hit the PlayStation 3’s PlayStation Network “soon.”