Alan Wake’s first add-on episode, The Signal, was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace today – hurrah! If you bought the game “new” you should have received a token, allowing free access to the game’s first episode of downloadable content – double hurrah!

The problem with this was loads of people (including myself), scratched away the strip and redeemed their free code right away after opening the game at launch – something the token never warned against might I add.

Well those unlucky few that redeemed too early were suffered to wait today until Microsoft sent out the new codes. Some received their replacement code straight away while others, like me, still haven’t received anything.

For those of you still waiting, make sure your email address is tied to your Xbox Live account and keep checking back for updates. Oh and don’t forget to check out The Signal’s official trailer after the break, we should be in for a treat judging by the look of it – I wouldn’t know though.

Update: New day. No code. Microsoft have really dropped the ball on this one. People are fuming over being forced to wait for these codes, some people have even finished it and are waiting on the game’s second DLC, The Writer.

Here’s something I found over on the Alan Wake Forums that’s worth a try, I didn’t work when for me but I hear its working for some.

On your Xbox 360, press the Guide/Home Button
Go along to Settings and down to Account Management
Then click on Download History
Find “Alan Wake Downloadable Content” in your history and download again

Let us know if you manage to get it working.

Kicking off this year’s annual Summer of Arcade comes the award-winning puzzle-platformer, Limbo – an extraordinary little title from Danish developer, PlayDead Studios. Following the likes of Braid and Lucidity on XBLA, Limbo succeeds in all the right places – but does its distinct art style and clever puzzles make it worthy of a place on your digital shelf? Hit the jump and dive in as we give our verdict on a journey through hell’s edge.

Entering Limbo

In Limbo the player assumes the role of a nameless young boy who is uncertain of his sister’s fate and so enters Limbo setting forth on a journey of unproportional magnitude. Unfortunately, unless you’ve read the game’s description, the game does very little to remind you what the hell’s happening (no pun intended) and why you are where you are.

Despite the lack of narrative, Limbo impressively manages to build a strong connection with the player from the start, without sparing even as much as a word. For some strange reason the hope of finding something, anything even, will keep the player ploughing on until the very end.

Don't let Limbo's simple controls fool you - Major Nelson

Good Old Puzzles and Platforming

A simple control scheme (above) has you at one with the game from the minute you start, after all PlayDead aren’t about to lose you here. Instead the game’s puzzles offer up the real challenge and intend to keep, frustrate and kill – over and over again. Adopting a trial-and-error approach, the game requires patience and experimentation – and lots of it. You’ll fail countless of times only to pick yourself up again and give it one last go.

When you’re not solving the game’s mind-bending puzzles, you’ll likely be hurdling death pits and bear traps. The platforming elements require precise button presses at times; gaps can just about be jumped and boulders just about avoided – it all comes down to timing. Both elements of the game work in tandem and create a fantastic gameplay experience for the player – one not to be missed.

Damn those onlookers!

Watch Out

From the minute you wake you’re instantly thrown onto this roller coaster ride through Limbo. The game doesn’t let up and you always feel like dangers lurk right around the corner. Set pieces are woven into the game beautifully and you soon begin to learn it’s never a good sign when quiet turns to silence – which usually means you’re about to die.

The game can be completed in five to six hours depending on the gamer’s puzzle solving abilities, though I’ve heard it’s been beaten in less. Retailing for 1200 MS Points (£10/$15) it doesn’t exactly scream value for money, there’s not much replayability unless you’re an achievement whore and even then the online leaderboard lacks key stats rendering the game useless after completion – fortunately this is the game’s only drawback.

Not for Kids

In case you haven’t noticed, Limbo is stunning! It’s dreary grey visuals and stark black silhouettes tear through the screen and encapsulate you within its hauntingly beautiful world almost immediately – though that’s not to say it’s all pretty.

The game doesn’t shy from being gruesome and after your first bear trap you’ll soon realise how messy it all gets thanks to Limbo’s brilliant physics limb-chopping engine. Bodies decorate the forest halls while whirring buzz saws keep you back, ready to decapitate in a heartbeat. Disturbing but yet so peaceful, Limbo triumphantly succeeds at creating a sick beauty.

The game also does a great job of placing you in between objects and elements that make up the world, layered objects stand above and below the two-dimensional plane making the player feel truly trapped, and escape that much more necessary.

Subtle grainy flickers fill the screen and monochrome styled visuals lend to the game’s dark atmospheric mood, an air of eeriness sets the stage and ambient noise in place of a soundtrack help craft Limbo into what it is – a truly breathtaking assault on the senses, an assault you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Worth the Experience?

Limbo’s one of those rare gems that comes along to shake up gaming once in a while, a glimpse into a truly untouched world and a reminder that video games are just as much as an art form as any other medium. It tells a tale without words, and that speaks volumes in itself.

Ever found yourself on the fence about buying a new game? This should get you off it! Watch the opening minutes of Limbo after the break.

GameSpot have been avoiding the summer drought in style by rolling out some quality clips of id Software’s latest offering, Rage. The video above shows a quick tour of the game’s first hub town, Wellspring. If you’ve already clicked the play button your jaw should be hitting the floor right about *checks watch*… now – gorgeous huh?

Notice how dust sweeps through the town, people go about their business and shop signs swing to the wind… Okay I’ve watched this video way too many times but I for one haven’t felt this convinced about a living, breathing town since Half-Life 2, and a game looking this polished so early on can only be a good sign, right?

Stay tuned for more info on Rage, alternatively you can head over to GameSpot for the rest of the videos or visit the gallery (below).

Capcom, trying to keep our minds off the recently delayed Dead Rising 2, think they can just buy us out with an awesome box art reveal and a fancy limited edition… sold and forgiven at the same time! Where do I pay?

I’ve already aired my views on the game’s box art and believe it will stand out amongst other titles on store shelves come September 28. As expected, us folks in Europe are subject to a delay and forced to hold out a little while longer (October 1), though I trust many will believe it’s worth the wait.

Announced yesterday “The Outbreak Pack” (a European exclusive) includes a 12” zombie figurine with accessories, a download token for a bonus theme pack, and bonus content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Count me in for two of those!

A delay might not be so bad after all: who’d a thunk it?

She’s back! For those upset about the recent Portal 2 delay, this is for you.

We hate to say it, but we told you so! Microsoft finished off their Monday E3 briefing with the unveiling of a new 360. The glossy new box not only looks great but sports a 250GB Hard Drive, and built-in Wi-Fi… isn’t it about bloody time?

The new design has been rumoured for ages and the sleek glossy black finish doesn’t disappoint. Ready for Kinect, you’ll be happy to know you won’t require an extra supply to power the motion sensor, it plugs right into the back of the box with no hassle.

The biggest surprise of this announcement was that it would ship this week while still retaining its $299/£199 price tag, what wasn’t surprising was the fact that Europe would have to hold out until July 16 – typical!

GAME are already trying to cash in on the new console, offering up their usual trade-in offers ahead of release. Be sure to check back as we’ll be providing a thorough hands-on once we get ahold of the new console.

Bungie’s Marcus Leto took the stage at Microsoft’s E3 briefing to show off the world premiere of Halo: Reach’s unseen campaign. The clip shows Noble Team pushing on through a beach as Covenant Pods fall from the sky and attack – all looking very epic in terms of scale, even by Halo’s standards. Announcement and video after the break!

It’s hard to keep your eye on what’s in front of you though, when set pieces are being triggered off at every other second you can’t help but glance (not that I’m complaining). My one huge gripe was not seeing much variety in the demo regarding the “openness” of enemy encounters, still – Ghost-splitting, space combat and unseen executions helped wet my appetite for later this fall.

Halo: Reach drops September 14. More footage to come!

New box, new kit, new look? With the launch of their new console and Kinect approaching fast, Microsoft look to be rebranding the Xbox 360. Kinect and its Hub (shown at E3) add more dimension to the Dashboard’s UI, and will likely bring new tweaks to the interface at launch. A revised boot screen would only be natural, right?

One of the more quieter announcements this afternoon was that Limbo, a game I’ve had my eye on for a while now, would be here just in time for this year’s annual Xbox Live Summer of Arcade.

In Limbo the player assumes the role of a young boy, uncertain of his sister’s fate he enters “Limbo” and sets off on a journey of unproportional magnitude through a hauntingly beautiful world. Check out the game’s trailer after the break.

Limbo will be available via Xbox Live Arcade this July launching alongside Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Lara Croft and the Guardian of the Light and Monday Night Combat as part of Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade.