Dragon Age players, meet Anders, the freedom-craving, magic-using, troublemaking new companion who'll be joining your party in the Dragon Age: Origins – Awakenings expansion pack.

Most mages get sent to the Circle Tower at a young age, never really knowing much about the outside world before being confined under the watchful eye of the Chantry. Anders didn't make it to the tower until adolescence, so he knows what he's missing, trapped with all of the other "dangerous" magic-users, and he wants out. And a good meal. And perhaps a lady or two.

You'll likely be instrumental in making Anders' dreams come true when Dragon Age: Origins – Awakenings hits stores next month.

Mass Effect 2 is out in stores later this week and the sex scenes have already made it online. The first sex scene above takes place with Miranda Lawson and is the best of the four uploaded so far. Miranda shows off the most skin but you really don't see much happen. Same goes for all the videos as they're all a big tease. Of course, if you're looking for hardcore sexing, then what the hell are you doing watching YouTube videos of videogame characters doing it?

Quantic Dream has revealed a new trailer for its big PS3 exclusive, Heavy Rain. Despite featuring the Japanese voiceovers, this new footage does not skimp on the epic, and makes the game look pretty bloody amazing. Drama, throat-slitting and women in tight vests are the order of the day. Oh, and shouting. Lots of shouting.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Quantic does with this game. It could be a huge triumph for story-driven gaming, or a spectacular failure, but it's going to be fun finding out either way. This video's got me pretty pumped, in any case.

Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 5 comes that much closer to reality today with the release of the PlayStation 3 game's North American box art, featuring the Mercedes SLS AMG, the 197 mph "gull-winged terror."

Sony says the Mercedes SLS AMG was "chosen from a total of nearly 1000 cars recreated down to the finest detail" to be Gran Turismo 5's cover star. It not only welcomes the box art viewer with its open gull-wing doors, it also says "Hey, we modeled the interior of this car, too. Check it out."

Until such time as Gran Turismo 5 sees fit to make it to store shelves, enjoy some new shots of the Mercedes SLS AMG in action via the gallery below.

PC gaming - will it finally die in 2010? No. C'mon, stop already with that. Sure, 2009 had its ups and downs, PC gaming is very much alive and maybe looking healthier than ever in 2010.

Blizzard will, we hope, stick to its early 2010 release date for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the first entry in the planned real-time strategy trilogy. And the publisher developer is threatening to release two titles next year, including the third World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm.

But 2010 cannot survive on Blizzard alone. Blizzard and Valve? Maybe, but beyond more Left 4 Dead 2 and Team Fortress 2 content, we're not sure what to expect. Episode III? Let's not set ourselves up for disappointment.

Thankfully, there are many strong contenders due in the following year, including highly anticipated MMOs like Star Wars: The Old Republic, DC Universe Online, Star Trek Online and APB, to name but a few. So let's take a look at what's will be pushing PCs to their limits in 2010, starting right now.

Note: We'll be looking at every platform's currently announced and estimated 2010 slate over the course of the rest of the week-and much much more.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
This little known Korean game pits humans, aliens and other aliens against each other in a battle for the biggest collection of minerals and gas. Said to feature more clicking than other real-time strategy games. (Serious portion: OH GOD STARCRAFT II)
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Higher level caps, more real estate, flying mounts, Goblins, Worgen, frothing anticipation, oh my! Everything you really need to know about Cataclysm is summed up here.
APB: All Points Bulletin
Realtime Worlds does cops and robbers in an massively multiplayer online environment, with more style and flair than a proper Grand Theft Auto MMO could afford.
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight
Tiberian Twilight may be the last traditional C&C game for the foreseeable future, the final chapter in the Tiberium saga. Thankfully, the Global Defense Initiative and the Brotherhood of Nod look to hash it out in a real-time strategy sense that taps the best of the Command & Conquer series.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
BioWare gives Star Wars fans another MMO to live and breath, this one set in the ye olde Old Republic era. Players side with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire, settling their differences with lightsabers and blasters.
DC Universe Online
Live your second life in the DC universe, hanging out with some of comics' greatest heroes and villains.
Natural Selection II
We're hoping that this real-time strategy meets first-person shooter sequel can make it to PCs in 2010 and we're keeping our fingers crossed all year just in case.
DeathSpank
Ron Gilbert's original DeathSpank should be on the radar of any Secret of Monkey Island fan, an action RPG spawned from Gilbert's own Grumpy Gamer comics.
Global Agenda
Kingdom Under Fire II
Metro 2033
Silent Hunter V
Naval sims? Not my cup of tea, but if you're looking for deep submarine control and find the prospect of first-person sub simulation exciting, look no further than Silent Hunter V.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
The sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl promises more first-person shooter horror and more irradiated beasts to shoot up.
Star Trek Online
Space battles! Away missions! Bridge socializing! Klingons on the starboard bow! Atari's Star Trek themed MMO is looking more inviting than an empty Jefferies Tube. And I'm out of references.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online
This browser based golf game starring old whatsisname will be an interesting experiment to watch, given Woods' new tarnished reputation. Could it be the final EA Sports golf game to bear his name?
Splinter Cell Conviction
Sam Fisher is back and looking less haggard than originally planned. Expect Splinter Cell-style stealth gameplay, with a few new innovations, including more cooperative and competitive multiplayer.
Mass Effect 2
BioWare's epic space saga continues, now with better shooting mechanics on top of the already intriguing intergalactic soap opera.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
EA adds more multiplayer shooting to the mix with the release of Bad Company 2, which looks to take the Battlefield formula to the next level.
BioShock 2
Be the Big Daddy in 2K Games' sequel to the mega hit BioShock. The prequel adds multiplayer, if you consider that a positive or negative.
Dark Void
Capcom's oft-delayed jetpack hero adventure may have a hard time standing out in a crowded early 2010, but the third person shooting, climbing, flying and UFO hijacking sounds like a good combination.
Dead Rising 2
Zombies require killing in Fortune City and you're just the right guy to do it. Kill 'em again with motorcycles, roulette wheels or moose antlers. Your choice.
Dead Space 2
Visceral Games follows up on the excellent Dead Space (and very good Dead Space Extraction) with a new Necromorph dismembering adventure for old Isaac Clarke. Rocket boots? Yes, please.
Lost Planet 2
Get up in them giant bug guts with the sequel to interplanetary adventure shooter Lost Planet. Everything's bigger!
Medal of Honor
EA reboots Medal of Honor, taking the series from World War II theaters and into the modern age. Could have more beards than any other first-person shooter released next year.
Mafia II
Shoot things '40s style with Mafia II, another game that should've been released in 2009, but will settle for a 2010 release nonetheless.
Max Payne 3
Max is back and far less attractive to women. The paunchier, less follicled Payne is drawn back into the dive and shoot at things world he tried to leave behind him. Expect this one late in 2010.
Aliens Vs. Predator
Aliens and Predators settle their differences in this, the first Sega game that will actually take advantage of the Aliens license. Rebellion is at the helm again, which can only mean good things.
Fallout: New Vegas
Crap, they got Vegas too? We don't know too much about Bethesda's follow up to Fallout 3, only that gambling and mutant showgirls are likely to be involved.
Alpha Protocol
The espionage RPG!
Brink
Splash Damage's squad based and class based tactical shooter is brighter and more promising than most, featuring a unique movement method dubbed SMART.
Singularity
Raven's time-traveling first-person shooter was moved out of Modern Warfare 2's way, but now lands directly in the middle of 2010's busy first half. Perhaps that time glove will find it a better spot to find an audience...
R.U.S.E.
Assassin's Creed II
Like a fine wine, the extra aging of the PC version of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed II will only make for a more flavorful experience. PC gamers will enjoy stabbing people in the neck as Ezio in the first quarter of 2010.

By pre-ordering Just Cause 2 at Amazon, GameStop, Target, or Wal-Mart -- The Man would rather I say "participating retails," but screw him -- you can get a whole mess of goodies, including a hovercraft. A hovercraft!

Avalanche Studios has got the full list with pictures and descriptions right here. For the lazy (more power to you), the five items are Rico’s Signature Gun, Bull’s Eye Assault Rifle, the Chevalier Classic, a Chaos Parachute, and the Agency Hovercraft.

These are all usable in-game, and will be available for download on launch, which means your pre-order will net you a download key, most likely. Note: this fun stuff is for North America only. As far as I can tell, pre-order bonuses for other regions haven't been divulged yet

This year's big releases are mostly behind us, so it's time for companies to start drumming up hype for next year's line-up. Today, EA announced Dead Space 2, and gave some details of what we can expect from the sequel. It stars Isaac Clarke again and features the same undead-slicing gameplay from the first game, along with its highly-praised zero-G environments. The press release promises new characters and tools, but doesn't detail any of them quite yet. The sequel is coming out for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Updates can be found on the Isaac Clarke Twitter account, which of course isn't the account of the real Isaac Clarke, since that would have many more tweets about creatures stuck to his face.

"We're thrilled to jump back into the series, making the next chapter in Isaac's journey," said executive producer Steve Papoutsis in the press release. "The infection continues to spread throughout space and our hero Isaac Clarke is the only person able to contain it. In Dead Space 2, not everything is exactly as it seems. Expect plot twists that will surprise you and a huge cast of twisted, disgusting monsters that are sure to scare the daylights out of you."

One piece of information notably missing from the press release is a release date, or even a launch window. But as we move into next year, and with several magazines promising coverage of the game, we're sure we'll find out soon enough.

With hours to go before the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, all eyes are on the game and its publisher, Activision. The company smartly used the media attention today to announce a new charity effort, called the Call of Duty Endowment ("CODE"). The Washington Post reports that endowment will donate $1 million towards efforts to help U.S. veterans find gainful employment. "The joblessness rate that [veterans] should have should be far less than the national average, not more," said CEO Bobby Kotick. "How do you expect people to join the military if when they leave the military they can't integrate back into the free market they're supposed to be protecting?" The report observes that in October, the unemployment rate for those who served since 2001 was 11.6%, as national averages have just barely reached double digits. The foundation's first donation will be $125,000 to the Paralyzed Veterans of America for a rehabilitation center. Activision is easily one of the richest publishers in the world, and putting some of that money to use for a good cause sounds like a wise move.

Australian rock legends Powderfinger have made their new album Golden Rule available to stream in full ahead of its November 13 release.

http://www.take40.com/music/playlists/featured/379021/exclusive-listen---powderfinger%27s-%27golden-rule%27-album!-?p=379021.0.0