The 15^th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was held around two weeks ago, and the awards show was opened with this delightful Lego stop-motion video, which only recently popped up online.

Created by Alex Kobbs, this three-minute short shows a montage of some of last year’s top-notch video games in recognition of their achievements. From Portal 2 to The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim, some of 2011’s biggest games get the Lego treatment, making Legos that much freakin’ cooler.

Overall, it took three months to finish the project. Well done!

Lego Video Game Montage (2012 Interactive Achievement Awards Opening) [YouTube, via Yahoo! Games]

Take a look at trailer number 2 for  Rockstar’s upcoming Max Payne 3. In the video up top you get a little glimpse on how great they have recreated Brazil’s Favelas or shanty towns as well as see some of the work that Max will be getting in the story. For those of you waiting for Grand Theft Auto 5, Max Payne 3 will probably be using the same Euphoria game engine in it that a future GTA. Watch the trailer up top and look for out Max Payne 3 on March 15 of 2012 on the XBOX 360, PS3 and PC.

Take a look at this new gameplay video that was featured on this month’s Qore episode. The video takes you inside the world of Twisted Metal, which is scheduled to release in mid February of 2012 and what separates this Twisted Metal game from the others is that back then the technology wasn’t available to make this game as awesome as it is going to be now. Be sure to check out the video that is up top to get a glimpse of the game.

You’ve soaked up the first full-length trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, now ogle at the debut trailer of Peter Jackson’s prequel to The Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

As the Huffington Post reports, The Hobbit follows Biblo Baggins as he, along with a fellow band of dwarves, attempt to reclaim the “Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor” from Smaug the dragon.

Some characters from the LOTR movies will return as the original actors reprise their roles: Gangalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellan) and Gollum (Andy Serkis) will be back, along with Frodo (Elijah Wood), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) who will reportedly play smaller roles.

The Hobbit will be released in December 2012, while the second Hobbit movie, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is reportedly scheduled for 2013.

[Photo by James Fisher, via The Hobbit Blog]

THE HOBBIT Trailer HD [YouTube, via Kotaku]

‘The Hobbit’ Trailer: ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Prequel ‘An Unexpected Journey’ Gets First Look (VIDEO) [Huffington Post]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM6Vs09Vyk0&feature=player_embedded

Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy comes to an end with The Dark Knight Rises and here’s a two-minute official look at it in action. The dark knight rises in summer 2012.

The Dark Knight Rises – Trailer #2 (HD) [YouTube, via Gizmodo]

There appears to be some technical problems with the newly-released PlayStation Vita in Japan.

As Shacknews and Kotaku report, some users of Sony’s gaming handheld, which went on sale in Japan on Saturday, are experiencing freezing issues and unresponsive touchscreens. Others reportedly can’t even boot up their Vitas, while one owner apparently has a stained screen.

Some of the freezing issues reportedly occur when installing a system update or when playing games like Dynasty Warriors Next (Shin Sangoku Musou Next). Sony’s Vita help page advises to hold down the power button to resolve this.

It’s uncertain how widespread these issues are, or if they’re simply due to user error, but hopefully there won’t be any problems when the Vita launches in the West on February 2012.

[Unedited pic]