Also given the tie in with Games for Windows LIVE account, Microsoft Flight is clearly trying to make aviation more accessible and popular. According to Joshua Howard, executive producer of Microsoft Flight

Aviation can be incredibly technical, but we’ve taken great care to build an experience that makes taking to the skies thrilling and accessible for everyone.

Recently I’ve used Flight Simulator X with SE England satellite terrain add-on to practice for my Private Pilots Licence (JAR PPL) exams. I needed that high level of authenticity that Flight Simulator series has always provided.

I just hope the Microsoft Flight team haven’t forgotten those of us who don’t care about aero-caches or missions and just want to fly aircraft in the most realistic way possible outside a real cockpit.

You can still sign up to the closed Microsoft Flight beta if you can’t wait until the spring for the full release.

Microsoft Flight is currently in closed beta and will be available later on in 2012.

You can apply for the beta via Microsoft Connect. You will need to accept the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) agreement before submitting your application. It’s all fairly standard stuff for an NDA – don’t record, talk or write about anything in the beta. But I did find point 4 quite funny:

• Do not allow others to play or watch you play the beta software

So I’ll have to keep an eye on Weefz if I get selected as our PCs are in the same room. Hmmm, that could prove troublesome.

Chaps, It's Time For A Bad Weather Approach

Once you’ve accepted the NDA there’s a few basic questions to answer – Name, age, country, email address and gamertag. If you don’t have a gamertag you will have to create a new one otherwise no beta for you. The Flight team will then contact successful applicants in Jan 2012.

You can keep up to date with all the latest Microsoft Flight beta news via their website and/or Facebook page or right here on The Average Gamer.

Microsoft Flight will be released during 2012 for PC.

First impressions matter and here Diablo 3 does not disappoint. Everything about this game shows a new, improved Diablo using modern technology without ruining the heritage. If you’ve ever played the originals, you wouldn’t mistake this game for anything else.

While I’m sure most people on the beta are veterans at Diablo, it is clear that Blizzard want to make the game accessible to new people. There are great little tool tips that appear, highlighting what you need to look at to continue with the game. The controls are still very much in traditional Diablo style with mouse clicks destined to rule you.

I’ll be honest, I found it hard to break the MMO habit of a lifetime and found myself continuously hitting S to move backwards, causing the skills tab to appear instead. By the end of my session I wasn’t sure if it was note-taking or clicking that caused my hand to hurt. Then there is the difficulty setting of normal that has caused a little controversy on the forums. At first it seemed too easy, however close to the end of the beta a few of the mini-bosses almost had my guts for garters. I really think the game is well-balanced but without further higher levels, it’s pretty hard to say how it will play out.

The game is clearly designed to be fast-paced, featuring tons of little touches to help keep you moving and to ensure it doesn’t dissolve into a boring dungeon grind. As an example, you get these companion scrolls as drops. These create a tiny little creature that goes around collecting gold for you. Then there are the health drops. These appear in two forms; the normal potion you pick up and use at will but there are also ones that automatically heal you (and your hero). Very handy if you decide to wade into vast waves of mobs without forward planning. Yes, I’ve done this a few times and only made it out alive thanks to these automatic healing drops.

Dungeon crawlers have always been an inventory logistical nightmare, leaving you four floors down with bags full before an über item drops. Originally, you would have to sacrifice something from your inventory. Diablo 3 solves the problem by allowing you to sell or deconstruct items straight out of your inventory screen. It doesn’t let you access the player-supplied Auction House but even so, managing inventory on the fly is a great feature. I used it extensively instead of the returning to the town vendors.

Is it good? In a word, yes. The graphics, interface and quest lines all scream “Diablo!” yet without looking 15 years old. There’s a nice range of classes without causing over complication. Some might bemoan the fact you can’t (currently?) customize your toon. Personally I think it’s better this way. You get straight into the action without having to spend ages picking things. There’s only one little niggle. Does every game have to have achievements?

So how is the beta progressing? It’s early days yet. There’s no choice to change difficulty, no cinematics and no PvP, however the first act features a nice quest line. I actually did pay attention and while it’s not an epic it still ties everything nicely together. I’m hoping there are more acts to come. Until then, I’m off to try the Wizard class.

Screenshots

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations:

Ubisoft have announced that the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations multiplayer beta will begin on the 3rd Sep 2011 for PlayStation Plus and PlayStation 3 Uplay users only. Sorry, Xbox 360 owners no multiplayer stabby time for you lot. The beta will run until the 11th Sep and includes:

• 3 maps – Constantinople, Knight’s Hospital and Antioch
• 9 characters – the Bombardier, the Trickster, the Champion, the Sentinel, the Deacon, the Vanguard, the Vizier, the Guardian and the Thespian/li>
• 4 multiplayer modes – Artifact Assault, Wanted, Manhunt, and Deathmatch

Portal 2:

Valve Software recently ran a competition asking people to create a music video for the Portal 2 track Exile, Vilify. You can view the winners here. There are a few Portal 2 spoilers in the videos, so don’t watch them if you’ve not played the game yet.

The video that caught my eye was this one featuring Megan Gardner (NekoNariko) as Chell and a giant squishy companion cube. I want that companion cube. It looks so comfy.

OnLive:

The cloud gaming service OnLive will launch in the UK on the 22nd Sep 2011. OnLive, which launched in the US in June 2011, steams videogames via a broadband connection so they can be played on a PC/Mac. You can rent or buy games individually or subscribe to the PlayBack service for a monthly free and play as many games as you want. There are currently over 100 games available. UK pricing has yet to be announced.

Eurogamer.net announced the date last night along with the bombshell that thousands of OnLive microconsoles will be given out free to Eurogamer Expo attendees. With the microconsole you can play OnLive games on your TV rather than being tied to your PC/Mac.

OnLive microconsole and wireless controller

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3:

GAME have announced that Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will be playable at GAMEFest in Birmingham between the 16-18th Sep 2011. That’s a full 7 weeks before the game is officially released!

Here’s the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer showing off the game’s survival mode, purple smoke grenades and a poor doggie getting shot amidst all the carnage. Yeah, you could say this trailer is somewhat action-packed.

(Hat tip to @StickTwiddlers for the giant squishy companion cube link)

Resistance 3 beta:

European PlayStation Plus subscribers get to take part in the Resistance 3 beta from the 10th Aug 2011. According to the PlayStation blog there will be other opportunities for non-PlayStation Plus players to take part in the beta. That information is coming soon apparently.

Things to play with in the beta:

• 2 maps – Seaside and Trainyard
• 2 gameplay modes – Team deathmatch and chain reaction
• New characters skins
• Upgradeable weapons and abilities

Resistance 3 - Trainyard

Call Of Duty – UK championship 2011:

The hunt for the best Call of Duty: Black Ops team in the UK takes place on the 7th Aug 2011 in Leicester Square, London. A total of 128 gamers will be reduced to just 4 who will represent the UK in the World finals at the Call of Duty XP event in Los Angeles. If you think your team has what it takes to be the best in the country then fill in the tournament application form and get practising.

BAFTA Event – Playing Games with Cinema

At Somerset house in London on the 4th Aug 2011 the composer and developers behind Enslaved: Odyssey to the West will be discussing about the relationship between games and films.

Celebrated musician/composer Nitin Sawhney, who composed the score for the game ‘Enslaved: Odyssey to the West’ (also featuring the work of actor Andy Serkis and screenwriter Alex Garland), joins Tameem Antoniades and Tom Colvin from Cambridge games developer Ninja Theory to examine the creative relationship between the billion-dollar industries of cinema and games. With support from Nintendo.

Entry to the talk costs £10 (buy tickets) and includes a complementary drink. There’s also a Facebook page for the event.

Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge:

Check out the gameplay trailer for the second rugby game that is due to be released before the Rugby World Cup 2011 starts on the 9th Sep. The Rugby World Cup 2011 is the other game which will be available on the 26th Aug 2011. Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge has the official licences for the Australian and New Zealand rugby teams and also features the English Aviva Premiership, RaboDirect Pro 12 (previously known as the Magners League) and the French Top 14 teams . Nice :-)

Battlefield 3:

The Battlefield 3 beta will be taking place during September 2011. At the moment access to this beta is limited to people who have bought the Medal of Honor Limited Edition. You can also keep an eye on EA’s Battlefield 3 beta page for more information.

Avatar Kinect:

Available as the newest gadget in the Kinect Fun Labs menu on your Xbox 360, Avatar Kinect allows a “virtual you” to take part in 24 different stages by capturing your facial movements and voice. You can invite up to 7 friends to join in a party, talk show or just hang out and chat. Avatar Kinect is available to both gold and silver (free) members until the 8th September 2011, after which you will need a Xbox LIVE gold account to play.

There ain't no party like an Avatar Kinect party

The Sims 3 Town Life Stuff:

EA have released a new pack of stuff to give your entire Sims 3 town a good old fashioned makeover. It features new buildings, designs and items to brighten up your Sim’s homes. Check out the brand new trailer featuring some really weird floating scub diving Sims….

The PS3 beta for Journey opens with you, a nameless and faceless character, seemingly alone in a world flooded by sand; a gorgeous desert where golden plains carry off in all directions as far as the eye can see. You’re pointed towards a distant rocky mountain and sent on your way.

For the most part, you are left to your own devices. As you manoeuvre your way through the landscape, sliding down giant sand dunes and floating across eerily simplistic skylines, you may come across old ruins and mysterious pieces of cloth fluttering in the wind, but never an explanation. ThatGameCompany leaves it up to you to figure out the mythos of this world.

Journey - Lost in the desert

After the efforts of games like Shadow of Colossus and last year’s Limbo, many people are becoming open to the majesty of silence. Melancholy music may shatter the subsiding sound of the wind on occasion, but the only thing you are likely to hear on your journey are the thundering howl of your thoughts desperately trying to build a story to fit around the events you are presented with. You character does not speak; in fact a tap of the circle button will have you utter a shallow musical cry, your only form of communication.

You may have heard that Journey is a co-op experience. To an extent this is true. While you try to find yourself in the desert, you may hear the distant musical cry of another. My heart genuinely flickered to life when another soul wandered past me – begging me to follow with nothing more than a simple sing to the wind.

Journey is a quietly engaging experience, and deceptively realised.

A linear path forward may be presented to you but it is littered with many secrets. Places of interest may be hidden in crevices or behind behemoth sand mountains. Who knows what is scattered across the plains? That is where TheGameCompany’s greatest achievement lies, in this beta at least. They’ve brought a massively overbearing presence to a seemingly empty land.

Journey doesn’t hold any illusions of grandeur; those of you expecting ‘Dune’ style sand-worms to start appearing will quickly turn away disappointed. It’s all in the name – this is Journey, nothing more and certainly nothing less. It’s oft-said, “It’s not where you go, it’s how you get there that matters” and that sums up this experience better than any other.

Whether or not Journey will continue to mesmerise past these opening moments isn’t worth thinking about. What we have in front of us is an experience that could only be delivered through video games – it’s beautifully anonymous, and I ask you… how can it not be art?

Josh West blogs about comics over at Negative Zone

The first batch of Call of Duty: Elite beta invites have gone out. Don’t panic if you haven’t got one yet as there will be more going out later. I got to play with Elite back in May and whilst I was impressed with the amount of stats available for each player and how it was displayed, it’s not something I would pay for. Would you? (via MCV)

Someone should hire this guy to make Star Wars games. Unfortunately, you won’t be playing this amazing looking Star Wars RTS game any time soon as it was just his student project utilising a TacTile touch-screen. Ok, now I really want to play it (via Topless Robot)

Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to get their hands on the original Kirby adventure Kirby’s Dream Land later on this week from the Nintendo eShop for €4.

The Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta kicks off tomorrow – 28th June 2011 – for all inFamous 2 and PlayStation Plus owners. There’s a multiplayer beta FAQ available and if you follow the Naughty Dog Twitter account you will get to find out as soon as the beta starts. Check out the video showing off the co-op Hunter multiplayer mode which will be available to play between the 4th-8th July 2011.

From Dust, the latest game from Eric Chahi, the creator of the Amiga Classics Another World and Flashback, will be available to download on 27th July for 1200 MS points from Xbox LIVE Arcade. PlayStation 3 and PC versions will be available later in the year. Described as a “spiritual heir” to Populous, you have to manipulate an archipelago environment in order to save and enlighten a nomadic tribe. Here’s the official From Dust trailer.

The British Computer Society (BCS) is running an animation competition for students at Universities, Higher and Further Educational Establishments in 2011.

The theme of this animation competition would be an animation, lasting say 2 or 3 minutes, on the benefits of computing, working in computing, and should also include a positive aspect of BCS – the animation to be hosted by the relevant university, and the links submitted to the BCS by Tuesday 5 July 2011

Initial judging will be done via an online public vote to find the 10 most popular animations. Then a panel of judges will pick the final 5 animations from these 10 animations plus 2 wildcard entries per judge. Certificates from the BCS will be awarded to the winners and runners-up in the competition. The contact email for this competition is: AGDanimationcomp@bcs.org. Good luck to those who enter.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River “Valley of Death” DLC is now available on the PlayStation Store for £4.79 and will be available tomorrow on Xbox LIVE for 560 MS Points. The DLC pack contains 8 new Fireteam Engagements playable in single-player or in 4 player online co-op set across new locales. Here’s a breakdown of the 8 new missions and a trailer:

• 2 new Combat Sweep missions
• 2 new CSAR missions
• 2 new Last Stand missions
• 2 new Rolling Thunder missions

The following actions each earn 1 buddy token:

• Play 1 game in the beta
• Play 20+ hours of the Gears of War 3 beta
• Buy a 12-month Xbox LIVE Gold subscription
• Play 100 hours of any Gears of War title, to date
• Buy Gears of War from Games on Demand, a Gears Avatar, or any of the Gears DLC

You can earn a maximum of 5 tokens. Microsoft will then email you any tokens you’ve earned on the 8th May 2011. At least you can now tell your Gears of War 3 loving friends there’s not much longer to wait.

Don’t forget, you’ve only got until the 4th May 2011 to earn these tokens. Check out what Weefz thought of the Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta.

Gears of War 3 is due for release on the 20th Sep 2011 only on Xbox 360.