Microsoft has launched a Facebook app called Mass Effect 3 Mission Command, that both serves as promotion for the upcoming Mass Effect 3, and an opportunity to get some in-game items. You "log in" to Mission Command (which grants EA access to your Facebook account and email), and then you have to fulfill missions like recruiting your friends, posting pickup lines for Liara, downloading the demo, or sharing movies of you pretending to be in the game.

The first prize on offer is an Xbox Live avatar prop of the Normandy (presumably the same one found in the Xbox 360 Collector's Edition), and later missions will give away an Xbox 360 console complete with the game and Kinect. Sure, doing missions for EA's promotional gain might not be quite as heroic as saving the universe from the reapers, but even Commander Shepard finds the time to sell out occasionally.

This is a weekly column focusing on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
Have you ever been horribly frustrated by one part of a game, only to think of it as the best and most memorable section of that game in retrospect? It's the ruins of D.C. for me. I played Fallout 3 on the PC a year or so after release, so the first thing I did was load up on mods, introducing different play balance, graphics, more weapons, and most motivating of all, more music for Galaxy News Radio. But at the start of the game, GNR is in trouble and the station's signal is weak. So I went to fix it as soon as I could.

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Nintendo's never sent me a Club Nintendo bonus for review before, and I thought it was kind of odd when one arrived. But I don't think there's ever been a Club Nintendo bonus this nice. The 3DS Game Card Case is both beautiful and genuinely useful, holding 18 DS or 3DS games in a case the size of a single DS game box. That's a rarity among DS game cases.

The transparent case comes with four reversible covers, for a surprisingly versatile look. I grabbed some random DS and 3DS cartridges from my desk, stored them in the case, and took some pictures so you can see for yourself.

Good news! THQ is back to "making decisions regarding the planned MMO" -- like, for example, the decision to look for help. During the Q&A portion of its investor conference call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell revealed that THQ is looking for a partner for the development of the expensive Dark Millennium Online.

"While the game in development promises to be a high-quality consumer offering," Farrell said, "because of the large financial commitment and associated risks, we are being realistic about our resources and we are actively seeking a partner for this compelling MMO."

It would seem that the publisher is trying its best not to cancel the MMO, despite being short of resources.

This happens to us every time: We walk into the cell phone store, search the displays excitedly, and are immediately disappointed by the lack of small firearms for sale. Every time. Mobile games developer Metal Compass is looking to change this depressing experience with the Xappr, a gun-shaped smartphone peripheral for a selection of augmented-reality and shooting apps, including AR Invaders and Spray'Em. Xappr is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows devices, although no Windows games are available at the moment.

Metal Compass will be showing off the Xappr at the Nuremberg international toy fair, which runs February 1-6, and expects to begin shipping it in June. Xappr is available for pre-order now, at the lowest price you'll ever pay for a gun you didn't steal: $30 (plus $15 shipping in the US).

Take-Two Interactive has released its financial figures for the third quarter of fiscal 2012, which ended on December 31, 2011. While "in line" with the publisher's predictions, results are down when compared year-over-year to the same period in fiscal 2011.

During Q3 2012, Take-Two's net revenue of $236.3 million was $97.7 million less than its net revenue of $334.3 million in Q3 2011. Operational income for the period was $14.2 million, down $22.6 million from the same quarter last fiscal year. Take-Two attributes this disparity to the fact that fiscal 2011 benefitted from the launch of Red Dead Redemption and its Undead Nightmare DLC more so than fiscal 2012 was able to.

When looking at the entirety of Take-Two's fiscal 2012 performance so far, the downward year-over-year trend continues with an overall net revenue of $677.7 million (compared to 2011's $954.6 million), and an operating loss of $76.2 million (compared to 2011's operating income of $76.2 million).

The company has also adjusted its outlook on Q4 in response to moving Max Payne 3's release date into the first quarter of fiscal 2013. It now expects net revenue for the period ending on March 31, 2012 to land between $112 million and $162 million, with its prediction for all of 2012 adjusted accordingly to a range of $790 million to $840 million.

THQ will no longer manufacture uDraw hardware, according to its fiscal 2012 third quarter financial report. "Sales of the uDraw GameTablet and related software, and other titles in the kids, family and casual category were far weaker than anticipated, substantially reducing our financial results for the quarter," reported THQ president and CEO Brian Farrell.

The uDraw is seemingly out of picture at this point, as the publisher "has no future commitments or plans to manufacture uDraw hardware." The Wii version of the tablet proved to be a success for THQ in 2010, leading the company to produce versions for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Sales of uDraw on Sony and Microsoft's platforms were underwhelming, however, leading the company to lower financial forecasts at the end of 2011.

THQ now plans to focus on "premium core and fighting franchises." The report doesn't specify whether or not THQ will continue to produce software for uDraw, though it seems unlikely given the transition away from children's products. Unless someone is working on a Saints Row art game, of course.

Your return to Russia's subway system has been postponed until Q1 2013 (THQ's fiscal Q4). THQ's third-quarter financial earnings report revealed the new launch window for Metro: Last Light, the follow-up to 4A Games' claustrophobic, survivalist shooter from 2010.

You can read our impressions of the promising sequel right here, or catch up on some in-game footage.

Recent rumors held that THQ had canceled its whole 2014 lineup, including Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online. THQ responded shortly after with the cryptic announcement that it "has not made any decisions regarding the planned MMO."

According to a release calendar in today's earnings report, DMO is still on. The title is listed in the "Fiscal 2014 and beyond" category (Fiscal 2014 begins in April of 2013, just after the original release date), alongside other games THQ claims are still in the works: Turtle Rock Studio's unnamed FPS; Volition's inSane; Homefront 2; and the "Patrice Désilets Original Title." Additionally, THQ has "four unannounced core titles" for fiscal 2014 and beyond, indicating an intention to remain in business beyond fiscal 2014.

Somewhat closer to home, THQ also has two "unannounced core titles" for fiscal 2013 (this year through March 2013). That's in addition to UFC Undisputed 3, Darksiders 2, South Park, a new WWE release, Metro: Last Light, and Devil's Third.

Darksiders 2 is scheduled to launch in June 2012, THQ's Q3 fiscal report reveals. It lists the ambitious action-adventure game for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Darksiders 2 is coming to Wii U as well, although Nintendo's platform isn't set to drop until the "year-end season."

Following the success of last year's entry, NBA 2K12 has demonstrably done well for Take-Two. Cited as one of the "strongest contributors to net revenue" during the third quarter of Take-Two's fiscal year, NBA 2K12 has managed to ship four million copies to date.

NBA 2K12 has the highest review scores in the history of the franchise -- we were certainly impressed with the title -- and its continued fortune leaves us with one question: will EA be able to snag a healthy slice of the pie when it brings its basketball sim back to market this fall?

Rockstar Games should be partying like, well, itself, according to the stats released in Take-Two's Q3 fiscal report. Rockstar has sold through more than 13 million units of Red Dead Redemption worldwide and more than 5 million units of L.A. Noire since launch. The mobile version of Grand Theft Auto 3 beat all the odds and reviews to become Take-Two's best-selling mobile title to date.

Perhaps some specific release dates will reassure you that Max Payne 3 won't be delayed again. Be soothed by these calendar entries, straight out of Take-Two's latest earnings report: Max will dive and shoot and dilate time on Xbox and PS3 on May 15.

The PC version will follow on May 29, which we suppose constitutes a safe little mini-delay within the announcement. To keep yourself occupied, have a browse around the new Max Payne 3 website.

NASA is exploring the strange new world of social and mobile gaming, with two new game apps designed to educate about math, flight, and the history of space exploration.

Sector 33 for iOS is an air traffic control simulator, in which players manage the speed and route of up to five planes coming into San Francisco from the east. Instead of the breezy gameplay of Flight Control, you have to deal with actual wind and other real-life complications.

Space Race Blast Off is a virtual game show on Facebook in which players compete to answer space-related trivia for points, in categories including "technology," "astronauts," and "math." Go learn something!

Despite using more electricity than a Lady Gaga performance and being the size of a small cathedral, the Game Gear was a pioneering handheld system than did many things better than its contemporaries. Twenty-two years later, the heart and soul of Sega's plucky little handheld lives on in the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console.

Shinobi and Sonic Triple Trouble have both been rated by the ESRB for the 3DS, which indicates that the ports are close to, if not entirely ready for release. If you had told us 22 years ago that someday we'd be playing Sega games on a Nintendo handheld, we'd have pushed you off the monkey bars.

It's official: The Mortal Kombat: Arcade Kollection does exist on PC, despite vehement, confusing statements from series creator Ed Boon to the contrary. Mortal Kombat: Arcade Kollection is available now on Steam, currently at 15 percent off, or $8.49.

The Kollection includes arcade classics Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, with all the conveniences of modern PC gaming, which unfortunately means it comes without the kabinets.

Make way, make way! EA needs space to trot through the seven publishers joining its Origin digital distribution service. Sure, chances are you only recognize one, maybe two, of these names, but it's important when the company is trying to make a show against Steam.

The seven new publishers include Remedy Entertainment, which will add Alan Wake after the Steam exclusivity window, slong with Focus Home Interactive, Iceberg Interactive, Strategy First (Disciples, Jagged Alliance), Macro Games, Selectsoft and Legendo Entertainment.

EA currently boasts 9.3 million registered Origin users, with a million daily active users.