Kinectimals Now With Bears

If you don't think these bears are super cute, you're probably dead inside a real hardcore gamer. For the rest of you, check out these new screenshots and impressions from Gamescom.

Kinectimals Now With Bears is an interesting move for Microsoft, seeking to blur the line between DLC and a proper sequel. It will be released both as a retail disc and as DLC for the original Kinectimals, selling for $49.99 as a disc or $14.99 as an add-on to the original. It's important to note that the $49.99 disc includes ALL of the original Kinectimals game plus the new Bears content, so it's a pretty good value if you didn't purchase the original.

As the title suggest, Bears are the big draw here. You'll be able to choose from black bears, cinnamon bears, grizzly bears, glacier bears, and polar bears, among others.

The game also adds new items like an R/C car and fishing rod, which are used in some of the title's new minigames. GI's Jeff Cork is in Cologne, Germany for Gamescom and just reported back with some hands-on impressions of Kinect Now With Bears:

"The core game is largely the same as before, though it's more than just throwing a bearskin rug over the first game. The bears have new animations, such as a panda playing dead by flopping onto its belly instead of its back like the cats did. There's a new fishing minigame, where you have to use a rod and reel to grab stuff out of a pool. There are juggling and tree-climbing minigames, too. There's a new guide in the bear island, the same species as Bumble from the first game. Her name is Lina, and she and Bumble used to be friends. Players who complete the quest on both islands can get a special third quest to reunite the flying meercat things."

Kinect Now With Bears will be available on Xbox Live and at retail on October 11. While you wait, check out these new screens.