Any apprehension I felt toward developer Starbreeze Studios' re-vamp of Syndicate melted away after witnessing all the manly things I could do in this trailer. Surgical chip brainjacking, people. 

Video Blips:

• This first look at Syndicate brings us cyberpunk corporate warfare, nonchalant guard slaying, and Skrillex's wubwub-tastic theme music remix. Deus Ex, Equilibrium, and now Syndicate...is there a secret society of corporate ninjas with an affinity for knee-high trench coats or something?

Continue after the break for more deals with death in Dark Souls, some numbers from Assassin's Creed: Revelations' multiplayer beta, and an introductory lesson on how gravity comes to heel in Inversion.

• Dark Souls doesn't tiptoe around the fact that you'll die a lot. In fact, I can't find even one positive portrayal of a battle in this trailer. If you need me, I'll be curled up in a ball in the far corner.

• The numbers don't lie -- the multiplayer beta for Assassin's Creed: Revelations attracted hordes of street-stalking killers. This is one of those rare games where curb-stomping extravagantly dressed women with a sandal isn't such a remorseful activity. 

• Inversion's solution for annoying, cover-hugging enemies might churn the stomach a tad. I suppose I'm glad physics-based weaponry doubles as a reversion to cavemen throwing rocks at each other. Keeps things simple.