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] [Posted by Bjorn on Tuesday, July 31 2007 @ 17:57 CET]LucasArts announces LEGO: Indiana Jones: The Videogame
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LucasArts and TT Games today announced that LEGO® Indiana Jones®: The Videogame [working title] will whip onto game consoles everywhere in summer 2008.
Developed by the same team at Traveller's Tales that created the LEGO Star Wars™ series, LEGO Indiana Jones presents a tongue-in-cheek take on the first three cinematic adventures of pop culture's most iconic archaeologist, including Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
"LucasArts and TT Games are setting the bar for next-generation family entertainment with the LEGO Star Wars franchise, and our incredible relationship continues with LEGO Indiana Jones," said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. "In addition to providing the quality bonding time inspired by any good family game, LEGO Indiana Jones delivers something a little different for everyone. Parents will enjoy the humorous take on some of their favorite movies, and their kids get some rousing action/adventure gameplay that may also introduce them to Indy's original adventures for the first time."
"It has been a real joy to work with LucasArts on the LEGO Star Wars games. Indiana Jones is the perfect character for the next LEGO-based videogame adventure," said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. "Indy also presents us with wonderful and memorable cinematic moments. The boulder scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark in LEGO is hilarious!"
Lucasfilm Ltd. recently announced that the LEGO Group will begin releasing LEGO Indiana Jones playsets in January 2008. Meanwhile, LucasArts remains hard at work on its revolutionary, internally developed Indiana Jones videogame, which takes place a year after The Last Crusade in an original story overseen by George Lucas.
Wii-Kly Virtual Console US Update
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Tuesday, July 31 2007 @ 17:56 CET]
Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
Star Soldier (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): The standard for vertically scrolling shooters, Star Soldier is the original game that spawned all of the titles in the long-running Soldier series. Go inside a floating space station inhabited by a giant computer known as Starbrain. Your mission: to stop Starbrain's galactic invasion by piloting Caesar, a new, compact space fighter through 16 deadly stages. Collect power capsules to increase three different attributes of your ship: firepower, movement speed and defensive shields. Blast wave after wave of approaching enemies or use the innovative Trap Zone feature to fly beneath a land mass and avoid incoming fire. Conquer each stage to make your way to the final confrontation with Starbrain.
Dynamite Headdy™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): Headdy, a toy with a detachable head, arrives in North Town to find that the evil puppet king Dark Demon is causing serious problems. Dark Demon is gathering up all the puppets in town and turning some into his own evil minions, while eliminating the rest of the puppets that aren't good enough to join his legions. Headdy is captured and is targeted for the incinerator, but escapes in the nick of time. Now he's got to save the town. To do so, Headdy has to take on all manner of bad guys and even has to contend with his lifelong nemesis, Trouble Bruin the bear. Can Headdy overcome all his foes and take down Dark Demon?
Drop Off (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Brave five rounds of haunting, nightmarish dreams in this take on the classic arcade puzzler. To save his dearly beloved from the malicious demon that controls her dreams and holds her captive, our brave hero plunges himself into the nightmare to vanquish this evil foe. Deftly use the arrow items and control the angle of the ball to shatter the blocks that descend from the top of the screen. Set your sights on the joints holding the blocks together and knock off multiple blocks in one exhilarating blow. As you drop more and more blocks, their shapes will change, allowing you to earn bonus points. You must use your concentration and reflexes to defeat the demon and save your beloved.
Super Paper Mario available in September on EURO Wii !
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With the power to flip between 2D and 3D, Mario must embark on a thrilling adventure to reunite his lost friends and save the world. Super Paper Mario launches across Europe for Wii on 14th September 2007.
As with the previous two games in the Paper Mario series, all characters are as flat as a sheet of paper. However, our hero Mario can manipulate the environment around him to his benefit, opening up new paths and possibilities with the ability to ‘flip’ from 2D to 3D at will. This ability comes in handy throughout the game and is crucial to the progress of the player in his rescue mission. Seemingly impassable barriers are only as thin as a piece of paper when viewed in 3D allowing our hero to walk past with ease and fearsome 2D enemies expose their weak spots in 3D.
The adventure begins when the mysterious Count Bleck, a mad genius who is determined to fulfil an ancient prophecy, kidnaps Princess Peach, Bowser and Luigi. Bleck forces Peach to marry Bowser so that he can unite good and evil and create a Chaos Heart that will destroy the universe. Only Mario escapes his clutches and now it is up to him to rescue his friends from the evil Count and save the world!
Players start out controlling Mario, but later on can unlock and control Princess Peach, Bowser and Luigi as well. Each character has their own unique ability allowing them to overcome different puzzles and obstacles. Also lending a helping hand are small sidekicks called Pixls, which Mario will encounter during his journey. Each of these Pixls has a different ability, which can be used to aid the player on their journey. These range from Tippi, who will give information on enemies and items pointed at with the Wii Remote, Carrie who will lift Mario over impassable gaps, and Dottie who can shrink a character to miniscule proportions.
The majority of on-screen action is controlled simply by holding the Wii Remote sideways using only the Control Pad and two buttons. However, the motion sensing abilities of the Wii Remote also add a dynamic edge to the gameplay. Unique special moves and abilities can be activated by shaking and moving the controller; so that players can not only set up chains and earn bonus points when defeating enemies, but also use abilities like fire, thunder and ice attacks.
Super Paper Mario mixes the role-playing game-style adventure of its predecessors with the platform action of classic Mario games from yesteryear, bringing players a deep, entertaining quest that is truly the best of both worlds.
So make sure your platform gaming skills are honed as Super Paper Mario bends, twists and flips its way into stores. Super Paper Mario launches across Europe for Wii on 14th September 2007 at an estimated retail price of around £35.
New Gameplay Features for NHL 2K8
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2K Sports today announced new standard setting features for NHL® 2K8, the latest edition of the top rated NHL video game series*. The new ProStick™ gives players precision puck handling movements and all new controls intuitively mapped to the right thumb stick while the groundbreaking face-off system brings an unmatched level of depth and strategy with every drop of the puck.
"The ProStick and face-off system work hand-in-hand to bring a new level of control to hockey video games," said Graeme Bayless, President of Kush Games, a 2K Sports studio. "With these two features, we feel NHL 2K8 offers a fresh gameplay experience that will appeal to gamers new to the series as well as our loyal fans."
Fans of realistic hockey action will be truly engrossed with the level of control introduced by the ProStick. Stick movement and commands are tied directly to the right analog stick, giving gamers authentic control and puck handling ability. Hundreds of new animations give users a full range of movement, creating a genuine NHL gameplay experience on both offense and defense.
The NHL 2K series has always set the standard in realistic hockey simulation, and with an all new face-off system, NHL 2K8 brings a never-before-seen depth to one of the most important aspects of the game. Working with 2005-2006 NHL MVP and NHL 2K7 cover athlete Joe Thornton, the development team gained unique and valuable insight into the key aspects and subtleties of real NHL face-offs. Based on timing and strategy and featuring warnings, toss-outs, and tie-ups, this innovative approach to face-offs provides gamers with unrivaled detail and realism.
NHL 2K8 will be available in September 2007 for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems.
Colin McRae: DIRT coming to PS3 in September
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Tuesday, July 31 2007 @ 17:53 CET]
Colin McRae: DIRT™ will launch this September for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Codemasters announced today. Thanks to a spectacular damage system, gamers will experience the game's high impact moments through detailed visuals, force feedback steering wheel functionality and a top-spec audio system exclusive to the format.
Colin McRae: DIRT takes traditional rally and turns it into an exhilarating thrill ride through a massive range of off-road racing experiences on gravel, mud and dirt, right across the globe. In any mode, on any surface, the car handling is sublime, the physics system thrillingly accurate and the damage effects are devastating.
Driving Colin McRae: DIRT's damage system is Codemasters' proprietary engine, Neon. Delivering the most detailed vehicle and environment damage effects, the soft body damage system replicates perfect deformation on any vehicle from any impact – from a paint scrape to a roof crumpling to the roll cage. Entire wheel and spring tyre sections can rip off spoilers and bumpers can snap into separate pieces.
Each individual car is modelled to a fine degree of accuracy, with car specific weak points and strengths, ensuring that they will break, bend, warp and disintegrate realistically and in fantastic detail.
The engine also provides for a totally destructible environment thanks to dynamic physics on track objects. Crash into a wall at speed and it will smash into its individual bricks and stones, branches will snap off trees and go flying onto your opponent's windscreen and signposts and other roadside objects can be knocked flying from the force of an impact.
For racers who to want feel the force of an impact, Colin McRae: DIRT supports a range of force feedback steering wheels. Every bump in the road, every loose rock and every inch of shifting gravel is represented by subtle vibrations and resistance forces as your vehicle's tyres interact with the track surface. All effects are dictated by the game's physics and, when a vehicle collides with rough ground or another car, the resulting forces make for a grip wrenching experience.
Colin McRae: DIRT will also be compatible with many wheels originally purchased for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system gaming. Wheels are fully configurable from action assignments to steering linearity, dead zones and saturation. Players will also hear the impact thanks to an advanced audio system. On the PLAYSTATION 3 system, one 3.2 GHz SPU vector co-processor is dedicated to audio and delivers 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound.
Colin McRae: DIRT is coming this September for the PLAYSTATION 3 system.
EA announces The Sims 2 Bon Voyage for PC
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Friday, July 27 2007 @ 12:05 CET]
EA today announced that fans of the popular video game franchise, The Sims™ 2, can whisk their Sims away on exciting trips to discover exotic locations, including the Far East, Rustic Mountaintops – even a Tropical Island!
The Sims 2 Bon Voyage will allow fans to travel with their Sims on a variety of magnificent vacations featuring a myriad of all-new activities when the expansion pack launches this year.
Whether your Sims are relaxing on a lush tropical island in a luxury suite, camping with the family on a pristine mountaintop, or exploring the culture of the Far East, they’ll enjoy new activities to relax and rejuvenate. From building sand castles and catching rays to meditating in the Zen garden after a visit to the pool, players can quickly transform their Sims from bumbling tourists to savvy international travelers. Sims will also learn new customs including local greetings and traditional dances to take home and teach to their friends. With The Sims 2 Bon Voyage, players can send their Sims packing for the trip of a lifetime!
As your Sims travel, they’ll interact and learn from a variety of real and mythical locals including the wise old hermit, fire dancers -- even Big Foot! Like all true vacationers, your Sims will be able to decorate their homes with unique souvenirs from their trips that are available only at destinations within The Sims 2 Bon Voyage. They can even buy unique jewelry to wear or take home as gifts! Fall in love with the hula dance lei from your Sims tropical beach vacation? Bring it back and flaunt to the neighbors! Love the moves your Sim mastered doing the Slap Dance at the rustic lodge? Teach fellow Sims the tricks of the trade back at home. What your Sims learn and collect, is up to you!
“The Sims 2 Bon Voyage brings so many new experiences and locations to the game, there’s almost no end to the surprises that fans and their Sims are going to discover as they travel to each of the three exotic travel destinations. It’s a perfect break from the everyday home routine!” said Vice President and Studio Head of The Sims Division, Rod Humble. “Every member of the family should be able to find activities that suit them—Mom can get a massage at the spa, Dad can practice Tai Chi in the Zen Garden, kids can explore the ruins of our largest object yet - the Pirate Ship! With The Sims 2 Bon Voyage, you can take your Sims – even your family – on the trip of a lifetime!”
The Sims 2 Bon Voyage will ship in Europe and across the US in early September as a PC expansion pack* that builds on the original The Sims 2 PC game experience.
New downloadable content available for TDU on 360
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Friday, July 27 2007 @ 12:04 CET]
Atari today announced that the Test Drive Collection Volume 5 downloadable car pack is available now on Xbox Live® Marketplace for Test Drive Unlimited, the ultimate automotive and lifestyle gaming experience for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Available for download on Xbox Live Marketplace for 350 points, the Test Drive Collection Volume 5 features five lovingly rendered supercars and one motorbike; the Chrysler®Crossfire® SRT6 Coupe, Dodge Charger Super Bee, Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, Ferrari 512 TR, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R, and the Spyker C8 Spyder. In addition, players can download the remarkable Holden Efijy Concept completely free. Australian-American manufacturer GM Holden Ltd.’s curvaceous future-retro masterpiece recently won the 2007 North American Concept Car of the Year Award at the sixth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards, and this download gives car fans a unique opportunity to take it for a virtual spin. Once downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace, all cars can be bought as normal from the relevant in-game dealerships.
“Since launch last year, we’ve been 100% committed to regularly bringing brilliant new content to fans to enrich the Test Drive Unlimited experience and give new and existing fans great reasons to keep the pedal to the metal,” said Mathias Hautefort, Executive Vice President of publishing and production, Atari. “This is the fifth instalment of brand new vehicles for Test Drive Unlimited, and makes this already essential game even more of a must-have for any self-respecting racing fan.”
Previously released Test Drive Collection downloadable car packs are available as follows:
Test Drive Collection Volume 1 (Nov 2006): RUF RGT, Koenigsegg CCR, Noble M400, Corvette® C6 Convertible, Ferrari 250 GTO 1962, Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition, plus free Chevrolet® Corvette® C1 1957 Hardtop and Lexus IS 350;
Test Drive Collection Volume 2 (Dec 2006): Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, McLaren F1 GT, Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupe, RUF Rt 12, Alfa Brera, 1971 Dodge Challenger RT, Edonis, plus free 1971 Dodge Challenger RT .
Test Drive Collection Volume 3 (Mar 2007): Ferrari F40, Chrysler Crossfire® SRT6 Roadster, RUF Rturbo, Audi S6, Chevrolet® Corvette® Stingray™ Convertible 1971, Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, plus free Cadillac® CTS-V, Lexus GS 450h hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan and Lexus LS 460 premium luxury sedan.
Test Drive Collection Volume 4 (May 2007): Dino 246 GT, Ferrari Challenge Stradale, Cadillac® Cien™, RUF RK Spyder, Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster, TVR T440R, plus free Saturn™ Curve™.
Test Drive Unlimited is packed with 90 vehicles, one thousand plus miles of open roads and a host of online options. Players can win races, challenges, missions and tournaments both on and offline to earn credits and purchase new cars, bikes, apparel, homes and garages, all in the wide open tropical setting of Hawaii’s Oahu island paradise. A new benchmark for racing games, Test Drive Unlimited is racing reinvented.
Test Drive Unlimited is available now for Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation®2 and PlayStation®Portable (PSP®).
Ubisoft announces Beowulf video game
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Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s leading video game publishers, announced that Beowulf™, an action combat video game based on Paramount Pictures’ and Shangri-La Entertainment’s Beowulf, the upcoming feature film from Academy Award®-winning director Robert Zemeckis, is currently in development for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Windows® PC.
The Beowulf™ video game is being developed by the award-winning team that created the original Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter® in Ubisoft’s Tiwak studio. The Beowulf™ video game is scheduled for worldwide release in conjunction with the film’s opening in November 2007.
The Beowulf™ video game takes players deep into groundbreaking director Robert Zemeckis’ vision of the classic saga, Beowulf. Gamers live the life of Beowulf, the legendary Norse warrior with the strength of 30 men who is torn between the nobility and brutality within him. Arrogant, self-serving and lustful for gold and glory, Beowulf will journey to Denmark to destroy a bloodthirsty beast wreaking havoc on a frigid land. But evil persists, and Beowulf succumbs to its lure of even greater fame, quietly maneuvering to claim the Danish throne. As King, Beowulf must face the consequences of ambition, even as war descends on the realm. As Beowulf, players lead their men, called thanes, into battle, slay the Titans of a dying age and crush the enemies that threaten to annihilate both their kingdom and people. Only then, when Beowulf looks Destiny in the eye, will he know what kind of hero he has truly become.
“Ubisoft, Paramount Pictures and Shangri-La Entertainment have been working extremely close in developing Beowulf,” said Gilles Matouba, creative director at Ubisoft. “From the very beginning, we have had an unprecedented level of access to information and assets from the movie. This access, coupled with the creative and technological abilities of our team, has allowed us to capture aspects of the film and translate them perfectly into compelling gameplay elements such as the visceral hand-to-hand combat, dynamic swordplay and amazing visuals, while giving us the creative liberty to go even further by creating exclusive content for the game that is unexplored by the film and even the classic tale.”
Free NA upgrades for Gripshift PS3
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Free upgrades for new and current players are being implemented into the North American version of GripShift® today, making it significantly easier and faster for players to get around the game. Additional improvements are being made around the leaderboards making the accomplishment of getting high scores more rewarding.
ABOUT GRIPSHIFT UPGRADES
Faster Load Times: Players now experience faster load times between levels.
Leaderboards: Now accessible without having to first complete the level for which the player wishes to view the leaderboard. Also, leaderboards are expanded to include the ability to browse all entries, and now include “car type” and number of resets with entries.
Other Feature Enhancements Include:
- Ability to change the vehicle without exiting a game session.
- Ability to change controls from the in-game pause menu.
- Ability to change current the music track from the in-game pause menu.
- Access to the full “Level Select” menu from the in-game pause menu.
- Players can now jump to the top or bottom of a leaderboard even if they aren’t ranked on that board.
For more information visit http://www.station.sony.com/ps3downloads.vm or www.gripshiftgame.com
WHEN:
The upgrades go into effect on Thursday, July 26th for North America only. GripShift® is available for download from the PLAYSTATION®Network store for US$9.99.
Wii-Kly Virtual Console EURO Update
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First up this week is Kirby’s Ghost Trap™, originally available on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Players must battle Kirby’s adversaries by strategically stacking and blending fast paced, colour-coded blobs! These blobs form huge chain reactions which in turn will cause a plethora of ghosts to fall on your opponent! With 16 levels of fast-paced action and familiar enemies from the Kirby universe to defeat, this is one puzzle game you don’t want to miss! Kirby’s Ghost Trap™ is available on Virtual Console this week for 800 Wii Points.
Get those fingers ready to flip as pinball simulation game Devil’s Crush makes its way onto the Virtual Console. Originally released for Turbografx in 1990, Devil’s Crush is the sequel to the successful Alien Crush. The fast-paced game sees players using the Devil Shooter to propel a ball onto a pinball board and using flippers to keep it in play and rack up a high score. After successfully completing certain conditions, up to six different bonus stages can be unlocked! Set against a ghoulish backdrop with ominous wandering enemies, this pinball game will flip your paddles! Devil’s Crush is available for download for 600 Wii Points.
World of Warcraft surpasses 9 Million subscribers worldwide !
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Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that World of Warcraft®, its award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has reached a new milestone, with a player base now totaling more than 9 million subscribers worldwide.
The company is currently working with its partner for World of Warcraft in China, The9, to prepare the game’s first expansion, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade™, for launch in mainland China and anticipates an influx of new and returning subscribers in conjunction with that event.
“We’re thrilled that gamers around the world have continued to embrace World of Warcraft so enthusiastically,” said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment®. “We’ve worked hard to provide a compelling experience for our players, and we plan to continue updating the game with exciting new content for them to enjoy for many years to come.”
Since debuting in North America on November 23, 2004, World of Warcraft has become the most popular MMORPG around the world. It was the bestselling PC game of 2005 and 2006* and has remained at or near the top of the weekly PC-game sales charts for much of 2007 as well. Blizzard’s Burning Crusade expansion released to critical acclaim in several regions earlier this year and shattered PC-game sales records in North America and Europe, with nearly 2.4 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of release and approximately 3.5 million in its first month. World of Warcraft is available in seven different languages and, in addition to North America and Europe, is played in mainland China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Wing Commander Arena from EA tomorrow on XBLA
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EA today announced the worldwide1 availability of a new take on its classic Wing Commander™ franchise with Wing Commander Arena for the Xbox LIVE® Arcade2 this Wednesday, July 25.
Up to 16 space pilots can take to the stars and blast opposing ships in a number of ways -- single player, multi-team, multiplayer duel and multiplayer free for all.
Wing Commander Arena takes the classic space combat game in a much more action-oriented direction, where dueling teams can pilot up to eight ships, each with their own unique assets. With 16-player play, Wing Commander Arena offers the largest multi-player melee experience to date. Players can propel their ships through space, fire torpedoes and unleash deadly particle cannons as they try to climb the leader board.
“We’ve updated the Wing Commander series and brought it to a new platform, making it an action-packed, pure arcade style game,” said Sean Penney, EA Wing Commander Arena producer. “We’re redefining the Arcade multi-player experience – the adrenaline rush you get in a 16-player fight is an unmatched experience and gives those who remember the Wing Commander franchise a new way to experience it.”
The game offers everything a space combat rookie or a veteran Wing Commander pilot would expect: four types of gameplay, eight maps including team maps, free for all maps and dueling maps, 18 different ships within nine environments and two races with light fighters, medium fighters and bombers. Online players compete for frag count, high score and dueling stats.
Wing Commander Arena is produced and published by EA and cooperatively developed with Gaia Industries. This is the second EA title for Xbox LIVE Arcade with EA’s first title Boom Boom Rocket™ currently available.
Ubisoft announces CSI: Hard Evidence for 360 and Wii !
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Today, Ubisoft announced that it will be releasing CSI:CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION™ Hard Evidence for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Nintendo Wii™ fall 2007.
This release marks the first time CSI fans will be able to play a CSI video game on the Xbox 360 and Wii.
Players will be able to use the Wii Remote™ to navigate through a crime scene, or experience cinematic-style graphics on the Xbox 360. The user interface has been completely redone with a console audience in mind, making the game more like the show than ever. The PC version of Hard Evidence will ship simultaneously with the Xbox 360 and Wii.
About CSI CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: Hard Evidence
Developed by Telltale Games, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION™ Hard Evidence will continue the crime-solving experience of Ubisoft's CSI video game series. Players will join Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows and the rest of the Las Vegas cast to help solve crimes using realistic techniques and lab equipment. The game features forensic reconstructions and atmospheric crime scenes taken directly from the television show, including an all-new garage lab for analyzing large pieces of evidence, improved evidence gathering, lab mini-games, and more. There are more areas to explore and increased interaction with the CSI team, resulting in a longer play experience. Game features include:
* More Crime-Solving Action
Break down the evidence and bring suspects to justice in five all-new, bizarre crimes. Unravel longer cases, search bigger crime scenes and uncover hidden evidence in unique locations like never before.
* Go Deeper into the Evidence
Master new forensic tools and find more evidence than ever. Use the new Garage Lab to examine large pieces of evidence like cars and trucks. Recreate gunfights with ballistic lasers, uncover shocking secrets with video analysis, and much more.
* The Ultimate CSI Experience
Experience your very own CSI episodes as you piece together clues with the real CSI actors. Take part in dramatic interrogations, create grisly crime reenactments and explore atmospheric crime scenes inspired by the show.
PlayDevil reviews in-depth Forza Motorsport 2 for 360
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Tuesday, July 24 2007 @ 16:39 CET]
Today we bring you a new, very in-depth review of the sequel to one of the best racing games on the Xbox, "Forza Motorsport 2" for Xbox 360.
After 2 years of Forza Motorsport hitting the Xbox, the sequel is finally here after months and months of delay. "Forza Motorsport 2" for the 360 has been hyped all over with its next-gen grahpics, much more details and impressive multiplayer.
When the first title was so amazing, can Forza 2 deliver the same racing goodness ?
Find out in our in-depth 360 review of "Forza Motorsport 2" right <"reviews/X_Box360/f/Forza_Motorsport_2/Forza_Motorsport_2.shtml">here.
The Settlers - Rise Of An Empire Official Site goes online
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Ubisoft, one of the world's leading producers, publishers and distributors of interactive entertainment, today launched the official site for THE SETTLERS® - RISE OF AN EMPIRE, Blue Byte's sixth game in this popular strategic simulation series, will be released in September 2007.
http://www.thesettlers.com
Visit this exciting new site and find out all about this greatly anticipated game. Check out the web kit or download some desktop art or register to participate in the beta coming in August.
EA's Army of Two gets November 2007 release
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EA today announced that ARMY OF TWO™ will be on retail shelves starting November 15, 2007 in North America and Europe.
Launching on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, ARMY OF TWO gameplay focuses on two-man missions, two-man strategies, two-man tactics and a two-man advantage to bring a new and groundbreaking gaming experience to players worldwide, online and offline. Co-op is no longer a mode, it’s the game.
ARMY OF TWO will captivate gamers with a politically charged storyline, centering on the impact and ethical issues of Private Military Corporations.
EA Montreal has also enlisted world renowned composer, Trevor Morris, to bring all aspects of the storyline and epic two-man gameplay to life through a powerful soundtrack. Morris has worked on numerous Hollywood blockbuster titles including Black Hawk Down, Bad Boys II, The Last Samurai and Pirates of the Caribbean 1 and 2.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam demo on Xbox Live Marketplace
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NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. and KOEI Corporation announced today that they have released a free single player demo of Dynasty Warriors®:GUNDAM® on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Also available on the PLAYSTATION®Network for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the fast-paced action demo will offer a taste of the satisfying cinematic experience for which the rich Dynasty Warriors and Gundam universes are known. Fight for the fate of the galaxy and become the ultimate hero of the cosmoswhen the full retail version is available for both the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems on August 28.
In the Dynasty Warriors:GUNDAM demo, Heero Yuy must try to stop what seems to be a mysterious planet that is veering towards Earth. With the aid of Master Asia and fellow pilot Jerid Mesa, conquering the Mausoleum battlefield is just the beginning of what lies ahead.
“We wanted to ensure that every Xbox 360 owner has the opportunity to enjoy the perfect melding of the Dynasty Warriors signature gameplay and GUNDAM’s Mobile Suits before its anticipated debut,” said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “The online demo of Dynasty Warriors:GUNDAM offers a glimpse of the unrivaled experience that made it a chart topping success in Japan.”
Powered by KOEI’s Omega Force development team, Dynasty Warriors:GUNDAM has players assuming the role of legendary heroes or villains while enabling them to get into the cockpits of their favorite Mobile Suits, the ultimate weapons of war.
Gamers will fight across a host of futuristic battlefields—both terrestrial and stellar–at lightning fast speed and all rendered in high definition graphics. Determination and skill will be put to the test as they lead an army against hundreds of enemies andimpossible odds. Customize Mobile Suits from more than six different epic GUNDAM animated TV series and strategically fortify their power, skills, and abilities while encountering storylines straight from GUNDAM lore. Additionally, dynamic gameplay modes including Official, Original and Versus Mode will ensure unlimited replay value.
Wii-Kly Virtual Console US Update
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Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
Kirby's Dream Course™ (Super NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Step up to the tee for the wackiest golf game of your life. This one- or two-player game features a floating golf course in the sky. High above Dream Land, players can pitch and putt the ever-popular puff ball, Kirby, through a maze of three-dimensional obstacles on a zany checkerboard course. Players must aim for the multitude of enemies that are spread throughout each fairway. Kirby must hit all the enemies to make them disappear, and the last one becomes the hole. Sink Kirby into the hole to advance to the next stage and clear all 8 courses – 64 holes in all.
Devil's Crush (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, 600 Wii Points): Devil's Crush is the exciting sequel to the hit pinball game Alien Crush and features even smoother ball movement and enhanced special effects. Shoot the ball onto the board with the Devil Shooter, then use flippers and nudging to keep it in play and rack up a high score. Complete certain conditions to play up to six different bonus stages. Get a "Perfect Clear" on those to earn a huge amount of points. The game's ominous theme is enhanced by its enemies: wandering skeleton knights, sorcerers and even a giant face that changes from a goddess to a sinister serpent.
Shining Force™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): In ages long forgotten, Light fought Darkness for control of the world. Finally, the Ancients defeated the evil ruler of the dark forces known as Dark Dragon and cast him into another dimension, though he vowed to return in 1,000 years. As time passed, all memory of Dark Dragon was buried, and the land of Rune enjoyed 10 centuries of peace. Yet, as promised, the dark ruler returned, along with hordes of evil creatures that ravaged the land. As chaos erupted, several strongholds of Good still held out, awaiting a hero who could wield the Powers of Light.
New demo of The Darkness on Xbox LIVE Marketplace
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2K Games has released a new demo of The Darkness video game on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This demo features a single-player experience from three early levels in the game, including the Tunnel, Cemetery and Grinders Lane.
Developed by award-winning developer of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, Starbreeze Studios, The Darkness is a next generation, first-person action game that features an immersive and gritty storyline written in collaboration with famed comic-book writer, Paul Jenkins (also of Civil War: Frontline).
Set in the dark and seedy underbelly of New York City, players experience the role of mafia hitman Jackie Estacado, heir to “The Darkness,” an ancient power that awakens within him on his 21st birthday. Jackie must use traditional weapons as well as learn to command his terrible new powers to seek revenge on his own crime family.
The Darkness is based on the popular comic of the same name published by Top Cow Publishing and created by Marc Silvestri and Paul Jenkins.
Dragon's Lair game joins HD DVD
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Friday, July 20 2007 @ 15:59 CET]
After first appearing on Blu-ray earlier this year, HD DVD owners can now also enjoy the classic arcade game Dragon’s Lair in full high definition. Making his HD DVD debut this August, Dirk the Daring swings in to action on the Xbox 360* with HD DVD add-on drive and standalone HD DVD movie players.
Dragon’s Lair was first introduced in the arcades in 1983 and its laser disc video quality and Don Bluth animation made it an instant smash hit. Now, Digital Leisure and authoring studio Infinite HD Inc. have created a true high definition gaming experience for this classic arcade game.
“I’m amazed at the high definition video.” says Don Bluth, one of the original creators of Dragon’s Lair. “Finally, the game looks as good as it did on film. And, the 5.1 audio sounds even better than original. Now whether you have Blu-ray or HD DVD you can enjoy this terrific, high definition version of Dragon’s Lair.”
All special features on the disc are in full 1080p HD including interviews with creators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and Rick Dyer, and even a full length visual commentary of the game.
Digital Leisure plans to follow up Dragon’s Lair HD DVD with the release of Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp in the HD DVD format.
Dragon’s Lair HD DVD will be available this August 15th.
Ubisoft announces Far Cry 2 for PC
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Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that it will launch Far Cry® 2 in Spring 2008 for PC. Far Cry 2 is being developed in Ubisoft’s Montreal studio.
The original Far Cry® won PC Gamer’s Action Game of the Year Award in 2004. Since then the combined installments of the Far Cry® brand has gathered critical acclaim and numerous awards, and sold over 3 million units.
“Far Cry marked the beginning of a new era for shooters. An era of gorgeous graphics and of advanced artificial intelligence,” declared John Parkes, EMEA marketing director at Ubisoft. “We are confident that Far Cry 2 will have the same impact again on the FPS genre landscape.”
Rockstar Games announces Bully: Scholarship Edition for Xbox 360 and Wii
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Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Bully: Scholarship Edition is coming to the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo this Winter.
Both the Wii and Xbox 360 versions will retain the wit and deep gameplay of the previously released PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system title and will boast additional new content.
Bully: Scholarship Edition takes place in the fictional New England boarding school of Bullworth Academy, and tells the story of 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins as he experiences the highs and lows of adjusting to a new school. Capturing the hilarity and awkwardness of adolescence perfectly, Bully: Scholarship Edition pulls the player into its cinematic and engrossing world. Universally acclaimed upon first release, Bully: Scholarship Edition is a genre-crossing action game with a warmth and pathos that is unrivaled.
Come and explore the zealous joy, mirth, and torment of youth with Jimmy Hopkins and Bully: Scholarship Edition when enrollment commences this Winter.
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel announced
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SACRED 2 – Fallen Angel is the highly anticipated sequel to SACRED; one of the most successful action RPGs ever created.
SACRED 2 is a purely action-based role-playing game, featuring six diverse and in-depth characters, each with their own distinct gameplay style. SACRED 2 will offer the player two different campaigns; one in the Light, the other in Shadow. The chosen path will influence the reception of the player in different environments; a city which welcomed a good character is likely to be hostile towards an evil one.
Learn stunning fighting techniques and sophisticated spells. Collect a huge variety of weapons and objects and enhance the character's attributes to create a unique, personalised hero.
A Hero's Decision Affects the Lives of Many
It is time to choose your destiny, whether to champion the cause of good or to delve into the twisted paths of evil.
The setting is nearly 2,000 years prior to the events of SACRED. The player assumes the role of one of six characters and enters into a story of quests and secrets, magic and sorcery, power and honour.
At the heart of the world of SACRED is the T-energy. For a long time it was the angelic Seraphim who watched over the T Energy, and therefore over the fate of the entire world. They passed their knowledge on to the civilised High Elves, so that they could benefit from the richness of T-Energy. The realm of the High Elves bloomed in prosperity, cementing it as the reigning culture in Ancaria.
As comes with all power, the snakes of deceit and unrest reared their hands and bared their fangs. The enormity of the energy was not something which the children of Ancaria had been taught to handle. And so it was that the tendrils of fear and loathing began to take apart that which the High Elves had built…
The player must choose their path wisely, as both Light and Shadow campaigns weave alternative journeys across the world of SACRED 2, where the unwary traveller may be aided or attacked by the various inhabitants in the vast land of Ancaria.
Dryad or Seraphim, High Elf or Inquisitor, Temple Guardian or Shadow Warrior, you must now take up your steel, recite your spells and prepare yourself for the harrowing conflict ahead. For good or ill, the gods are watching as a new dawn approaches.
Category: Hack 'n' Slash
Developed by: Ascaron Entertainment
Published by: Ascaron Entertainment
Distributed by: Ascaron Entertainment (UK)
Website: www.sacred2.com
Release date: Q1 2008
Platform: PC DVD-ROM/XBOX 360
Review Archive structure changed
[Category :
We have changed our "Review Archive" structure a bit.
Now under the "Latest reviews" on our "Review" page the first reviews you'll find are for :
- Xbox 360
- Wii
- PlayStation 3
then the two portable consoles that we cover which are :
- DS
- PSP
with a section for
- PC
and last but not least the old-gen consoles :
- Xbox
- Gamecube
Of course we might even further tweak it a bit. We doubt that we'll make any new Xbox/GC reviews since there are hardly (if none) any new games coming out for these systems.
First XBLA title from Eidos, "GEON: Emotions"
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Eidos New Media, part of Eidos Interactive, one of the world’s leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, has teamed up with Strawdog Studios to develop its first title exclusively for Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), GEON: emotions will be available later this Summer.
High octane visuals, with a fast and slick sound track to match, GEON: emotions is a psychedelic, pick-up-and-play game of rapidly changing tactics. Playing as one of eight emotions – Rage, Passion, Fear, Envy, Rapture, Courage, Bliss or Melancholy – players must race to collect pellets and score goals, using power-ups and their ‘emotional’ strengths and weaknesses.
There are three single player modes: Duel, Time Attack and Mini Games, and three multiplayer modes for up to four players: Duel, Team Geon and Last Man Standing and a huge selection of different arenas to get pulses racing.
“GEON: emotions is our first title for Xbox Live Arcade and we’re really proud of it,” said Simon Protheroe, New Media and IT Director at Eidos. “It’s the perfect mix of fun, action and head-to-head competition which works so well on Live Arcade.”
Contenders will need passion to overcome their fear in order to rage towards the bliss of victory. Do you have the courage to look melancholy in the eye, give a rapturous performance and become the envy of all as the Master of Geon?
Geon is a game that will appear on your Xbox Live Arcade this summer. It’s going to be emotional…
Visit Geon’s official website - http://www.useyouremotion.com
Atari Announces Asterix At The Olympic Games
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Atari today announced details of the forthcoming video game Asterix at the Olympic Games for PlayStation®2, Nintendo DS™, Wii and PC scheduled for release this coming winter.
The game of the upcoming live action feature film of the same name, Asterix at the Olympic Games blends live action elements from the film with high quality computer generated and video game animation to deliver fans an extraordinary and unique Asterix experience.
Developed by Etranges Libellules in close collaboration with Asterix licensor Les Editions Albert René and with film production company La Petite Reine, the game follows Asterix, Obelix and the faithful Dogmatix as they travel to Greece in aid of their lovesick friend Alafolix. Their journey takes them to the Olympic Games where they find themselves pitted against the athletic might of the Roman Empire. Adventure and hilarity ensue as Asterix and friends compete to get the better of Brutus, his muscle-bound champion, and their long-time nemesis, Julius Caesar himself.
“Over the last decade Atari has sold more than three million Asterix video games in Europe, and it’s a joy to be able to continue to build on this great legacy with something this brilliantly original,” said Cyril Voiron, Marketing Director, Atari Europe. “The fusion of elements from the film with original CGI and a unique storyline complementing the film, combined with Etrange Libellule’s know-how in consistently delivering high quality and extremely fun games, makes Asterix at the Olympic Games a must-have Christmas title.”
In Asterix at the Olympic Games players can choose from three playable characters, Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix, in an original story which takes a parallel course to the film and the comic book. Our heroes must stop Brutus who has opened the gates between the worlds of the book, the film and the game while still finding time and energy to triumph at the Olympic Games themselves. The mini-game mode lets players compete in Olympic challenges with their chosen character, while two-player multiplayer lets friends go head to head in a series of hilarious contests.
The live action feature film has the biggest production budget of any film in European cinema history and is scheduled for release across Europe in early 2008. Asterix at the Olympic Games for PlayStation®2, Nintendo DS™, Wii and PC is scheduled for release this coming winter.
PlayDevil reviews Magical Starsign for DS
[Category :
Yesterday we reviewed 'Phoenix Wright 2: Justice for All' for DS and today we bring you another interesting DS review called "Magical Starsign".
Developed by Brownie Brown and published by Nintendo, "Magical Starsign" is a cute RPG but can it deliver something refreshing to the DS RGP standard?
Find out in our review of 'Magical Starsign' right here.
Fyi, we have plenty more reviews coming up in a couple of days such as "Forza Motorsport 2", "Shadowrun" and much much more!
Stay tuned.
EA announces Medal of Honor Heroes 2
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Electronic Arts Inc. today announced Medal of Honor Heroes 2, a new game from the critically-acclaimed Medal of Honor franchise designed completely from the ground up for the Wii from Nintendo and the PSP (PlayStation® Portable) system.
It’s June 6th, 1944, and the war is in your hands. Step into the boots of OSS Operative John Berg and infiltrate Normandy from behind enemy lines to undermine the Nazi regime. On both the Wii and PSP system, choose to tackle all-new missions in traditional single player campaign or engage in massive, 32-player online, continuous-joining multiplayer battles where you can jump into the battle at any time! The Wii version also features full support of the Wii Zapper (name not final), allowing for a more immersive WWII experience than ever.
In addition to a fully-fledged single player campaign, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 also features an all-new mode designed specifically for the Wii that simplifies gameplay for players of all skill levels for easy pick-up-and-play action. This mode plays like an old-school rail shooter — the Wii moves you around, while you do your part—taking enemies out and achieving objectives. For the PSP, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 will deliver the most comprehensive shooter experience to date on the PSP, with robust single player campaign and on-the-go 32-player multiplayer capability that allows you to battle it out, anytime and anywhere.
From the same team at EA Canada that brought you Medal of Honor Heroes for the PSP in 2006, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 will be available this year for the Wii and PSP. This game has not yet been rated by PEGI.
Peter Moore Resigns From Microsoft !
[Category :
Microsoft Corp. today announced that Don Mattrick, a former president at Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), will lead the Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB), which includes overseeing the Xbox® and Games for Windows® businesses.
Peter Moore, who currently serves as corporate vice president of IEB, has decided to move his family back to the Bay Area for personal reasons and has secured another opportunity in the video games industry.
Mattrick will take over as the senior vice president of IEB at Microsoft, effective July 30. Mattrick was the founder of Distinctive Software Inc., which operated as a private company from 1982 until its merger with EA in 1991. Mattrick held various senior positions within EA, most recently as president of Worldwide Studios, until his resignation in February 2006. In February 2007, Mattrick began working with the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft as an external advisor.
“Peter has contributed enormously to the games business since joining Microsoft in 2003 and we are sad to see him go,” said Robbie Bach, president of Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “Since that time, he presided over the global launch of the Xbox 360™, spearheaded a revitalized and rebranded Games for Windows business, and helped steer the console’s ascent.”
Moore has decided to return with his family to Northern California, where they lived until he took the position at Microsoft. Moore will remain at Microsoft to assist in the transition through August and will then return to the San Francisco Bay area.
“While Peter will certainly be missed, we are delighted to have one of the industry’s most talented and passionate veterans on board to lead the business,” Bach said. “Don is well-known and respected throughout the industry for his deep knowledge, technical expertise and management savvy. Under Don’s leadership, the games team is looking forward to embarking on our biggest holiday ever, with a wide-ranging roster of some of the most highly anticipated titles.”
Mattrick brings 23 years of games industry and development experience to the strong Microsoft management team, having helped bring to life such celebrated game franchises as the “Need for Speed,” “Harry Potter” and “The Sims” while at EA.
“Over the past two decades, and the past few months in particular, I’ve worked closely with many of Microsoft’s top leaders and I’ve always been impressed by their talent, passion and commitment,” said Mattrick. “I’m thrilled to join an already strong team that’s delivering truly amazing gaming experiences to customers around the world. I’ve never been more excited about the future of the industry, and firmly believe Microsoft will lead the next great innovations in gaming.”
Rockstars' Table Tennis is heading to the Wii ?
[Category :
Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis will be making its way to the Wii home video game system from Nintendo this Fall.
Developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is the perfect Wii gaming experience. Feel the unmatched speed and intensity of the real-life sport with an authentic physics engine and intuitive gameplay that mimics the exhilarating experience found in international competition.
Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis made its debut in May 2006 on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and was met with huge critical acclaim, winning Gamespot's "Best Sports Title" at E3 2006.
"Ever since we released Table Tennis, fans have been asking us to create a Wii version," said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games. "By bringing Table Tennis to the Wii and utilizing the motion-sensitive Wii Remote™, a new audience can now experience a game that is beautifully designed and impossible to put down."
Addictive, fast-paced and above all fun, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is guaranteed to be the must have title for all Wii owners.
Atari announces My Horse and Me
[Category :
Atari today announced that it will publish My Horse and Me, the complete horseback riding and equestrian lifestyle video game experience for PC, Wii and Nintendo DS.
Boasting the first and only exclusive worldwide license from the world's foremost horse sports organization, the Federation Equestre Internationale FEI (International Equestrian Federation), My Horse and Me features a realistic and immersive video game representation of the world of equestrian sports and is being developed by W!Games for Wii and PC and by Mistic for the DS.
Delivering all the excitement and fun of the equestrian life, from sports and leisure riding to horse care, My Horse and Me is a unique gaming experience for anyone with an interest or passion for horses. The game features the most accurate horse models and animations yet realized in a video game, alongside a richly rewarding game play experience, all set against a beautiful backdrop of charming indoor and outdoor environments.
"We are looking forward to providing the horse-enthusiast community with a rich and authentic game that allows gamers to take care of and compete in a variety of challenges with their horse." said Emily Anadu, Senior Product Manager, Atari Inc. "The game's distinctive and charming depiction of these noble animals is sure to win the hearts of horse devotees."
My Horse and Me has a rich variety of game play modes and options to give players a deep and rewarding experience. The Championship mode lets the player take part in competitions at indoor and outdoor locations around the globe ranging from rustic stables and classical riding schools to world-class tournament locations. A series of fun mini-games offer a variety of game play experiences alongside rewarding horse care game play and extensive customization.
The first horse sports simulation game to launch for Wii, My Horse and Me on Wii and PC is the first title of its kind to offer both first and third person camera modes, putting riders right in the saddle and creating a perfect training tool for practicing disciplines that riders face in real life.
PlayDevil reviews Phoenix Wright 2 for DS
[Category :
Today and tomorrow we present you a few DS reviews that were already some time in our 'review queue'.
Our review section has been updated with a new review for Nintendo's portable console, the DS with the review of "Phoenix Wright 2: Justice for All", an adventure/puzzle game from developer Capcom.
If you like travelling to several cities, taking evidence, ask questions to witnesses and much more and even enjoyed the first Phoenix Wright, then this sequel might be something for you.
Read the full review right here.
Stay tuned for another DS review tomorrow !
Wii-Kly Virtual Console US Update
[Category :
Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
Paper Mario® (Nintendo® 64, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): Paper Mario is a graphically innovative game that breaks from the confines of the RPG genre. Now slimmed down, everyone's favorite plumber flips, spins, jumps and hammers his way through scads of exotic worlds that teem with a huge and hugely entertaining supporting cast. Players control numerous old and new characters in a complex, nonlinear story that follows different scenarios depending on player choices. A dizzying collection of spells, attacks, skills and special items can be collected by players willing to thoroughly explore the lush 3-D environments.
Balloon Fight® (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Control a character to pop your opponents' balloons before they pop yours. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Don't be fooled by this game's simple premise or cute exterior. Underneath you'll find a surprisingly addictive game with strategy to spare. After mastering the easy-to-learn controls, you still have to get a grip on the game's impressively realistic physics. And if that's not enough, there are the ever-increasing enemies and environmental hazards like lightning and water. Try the game's second mode, Balloon Trip, if you feel like taking a break from the action and just want to see how long you can stay aloft. And hey, who doesn't like popping balloons sometimes?
Silent Debuggers (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Fantasy Violence, 600 Wii Points): Make your way through a dungeon-like space station and defeat the prowling monsters in this real-time first-person shooter. You're a member of the elite Debuggers, a group of warriors who are jacks-of-all-trades. Assigned to inspect an unmanned space station, you have exactly 100 minutes to get in, destroy the monsters lurking in each block, make your way to the lowest level and deactivate the automatic detonator placed there. With each monster that slips by you, the core block becomes harder to survive in, so speed is key in preserving the facility and each separate block. Experience the thrill of survival as the timer ticks away and you uncover the truth of the events that occurred.
Konami's PES 2008 playable at Leipzig
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Visitors to the Konami stand (Hall 4, Booth B11) will be the first people to get a hands-on play of the eagerly-awaited next generation football title, which is just one of dozens of big new titles from the publisher.
With more details to follow, Konami has whet appetites with the announcement that key members of its development teams will be on hand to present new titles, including Koji ‘IGA’ Igarashi who will be showing Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable). Similarly, William Oertel, who is overseeing Silent Hill Origins for PSP® will unveil the future of the series.
PES 2008 will be released in Autumn and introduces ‘Teamvision’, a unique system of artificial intelligence that adapts according to an individual’s style of play to create the balanced and strategic play of a high stakes match. Player detail and animation have also been taken to incredible details thanks to the high-definition power afforded by the Next Gen hardware, and visitors to Games Convention 2007 will also be invited to play the game on PC, Xbox 360 and more.
“We will witness one of the most exciting system changes ever at this year’s Games Convention,“ commented Martin Schneider, Sales and Marketing Director Germany for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “We can promise visitors and gamers in Leipzig that Konami will play a major role in this year´s gaming year – delivering new games and additions to popular franchises, while producing exciting games for new systems and established formats.”
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH can be found during the GC from august 23rd to 26th in hall 4, booth B11. Further details will be announced shortly.
PS3 Starter Pack Announced For Europe
[Category :
Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCE UK) today announced the availability of a high value Starter Pack for PLAYSTATION®3, comprising a PS3, two first party games and two SIXAXIS™ wireless controllers, at £425.
Available in the UK from 18th July, and across all European territories by 1st August, the new Starter Pack represents exceptional value for money as an entry point into the exciting world of High Definition interactive entertainment with PLAYSTATION 3.
The choice of first party games available in the Starter Pack will vary to suit the interests of entertainment enthusiasts in each country, but will include million sellers such as Resistance Fall of Man™ and MotorStorm™; titles specifically chosen to demonstrate the stunning graphics and enhanced gameplay of High Definition games on Blu-ray disc.
With an additional wireless SIXAXIS, motion sensitive controller provided for head to head and multi player gaming, the Starter Pack is sure to appeal to those seeking to enhance their entertainment experience with the best of 21st century technology.
“With sell through of over 1.2 million units in the SCEE territories to date, PLAYSTATION 3 has proved to be an instant and huge success”, said David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
“The exceptional value of the new Starter Pack will bring the excitement of PlayStation® gaming to a much wider audience. Add to this a stellar lineup of software titles for the second half of the year and we are confident that this amazing value Starter Pack will encourage many more keen gamers to join the PLAYSTATION 3 community”.
It seems that Sony WILL NOT offer a PRICE CUT on the PS3 like in the U.S.
Again, Europeans are left behind by Sony.
Ubisoft propels Nitrobike Exclusively onto Wii
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Today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced it will release Nitrobike™ exclusively for the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo.
Developed by Left Field Productions, the creators of the classic Excitebike® 64 for the Nintendo® 64, Nitrobike will be published and distributed by Ubisoft for Holiday 2007. Players will navigate rocket-propelled motorcycles in this arcade-style game. Players can choose to race against the clock or against worthy opponents in Nitrobike's exciting multiplayer game mode and unique online mode.
"Ubisoft is thrilled to be introducing the first Motocross game available for Wii," said Jay Cohen, vice president of publishing at Ubisoft. "Nitrobike's fun and fast-paced gameplay is sure to be a hit for Wii owners for the holiday season."
Wii-Kly Virtual Console EURO Update
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This week Virtual Console comes over all origami as one of the most original role-playing titles of all time makes its downloadable debut.
Launched on the Nintendo 64 in 2001, Paper Mario™ brilliantly blends the world famous plumber’s platform exploits with a hilarious quest and interesting characters. On a mission to free the Star Spirits from Bowser, Mario finds himself as thin as a piece of paper, making the link between 2D and 3D like never before. Paper Mario™ is available now for 1000 Wii Points.
Also up for grabs this week is Air “Zonk”. Originally released on Turbografx in 1992, this shoot ‘em up - based on the popular Bonk’s Adventure series - sees the charged-up Zonk forming Team Cool with his friends to stop the evil King Drool from conquering the world. With three difficulty levels, ‘sweet’, ‘spicy’ and ‘bitter’ to choose from, players must travel through each level defeating King Drool’s robots and collecting Air Bones to gain new attacks. Featuring humorous bosses to defeat including a sentient garbage heap and an anthropomorphic boat, this game will have you in stitches! Air “Zonk” is available for download for 600 Wii Points.
These great games join the list of 109 classic titles already available for Virtual Console in Europe.
More info on online capabilities for DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 for Wii
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Atari today announced that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 will have online multiplayer capability on the Wii.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 combines the lightning fast fighting and action game play that have made Budokai Tenkaichi 1 and Budokai Tenkaichi 2 the #1 fighting games of 2005 and 2006. Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. / Spike, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is slated to release during the 2007 holiday season.
In addition to offering online game play on the Wii, Dragon Ball Z will celebrate the final installment of the Tenkaichi series for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system with an exclusive 'Disc Fusion System.' In combination with Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 when either Budokai Tenkaichi 1 or Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is inserted into the PlayStation 2 system, game play modes will be unlocked. Each game in the series will provide a different and exciting game play mode.
"Atari is incredibly excited to provide online game play for the Wii and a special 'Disc Fusion System' for the PlayStation 2 system version of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3," said Emily Anadu, Senior Product Manager, Atari, Inc. "Adding online game play for the Wii will finally deliver on a feature that the fans have been waiting for while the 'Disc Fusion System' on the PlayStation 2 system rewards those fans that have supported us since the beginning of the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Improving upon last year's hit 3D fighting experience, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 offers more than 150 playable characters, more than 30 battle stages, and upgraded shading techniques providing enhanced and devastating effects. Furthermore, the Wii control system has been fine-tuned, allowing players to easily direct characters, mimic their favorite DBZ moves and execute explosive attacks.
The immensely popular Dragon Ball Z® series is the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 25 different games and over 10 million units sold since May 2002.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is set for release this holiday season.
SoulCalibur IV announced for next-gen !
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Swords will be honed and weapons optimized as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced Soulcalibur® IV, the newest installment to the world renowned weapon-based fighting series, for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Delivering new gameplay modes, characters and enhanced features with unprecedented 3D modeling and animation, Soulcalibur IV will be the definitive fighting game experience. The unrelenting pursuit of two legendary swords continues when Soulcalibur IV is released in 2008.
“Soulcalibur has been a cornerstone franchise for NAMCO BANDAI Games and this latest edition will build upon its legacy of groundbreaking fighting experiences,” said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With Soulcalibur IV, long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise will be amazed by its visual beauty and intense, pulse pounding weapon combat.”
Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade® and Soulcalibur® I-III, Soulcalibur IV will re-introduce classic warriors from the series as well as introduce new characters that will bring new conflict and intrigue. Fully realizing the processing power of the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360, Soulcalibur IV promises to propel the fighting genre into the next-gen era. With visually realistic environments, interactive stages, enhanced AI, and a new battle system, Soulcalibur IV will be at the top of everyone’s wish list.
Metal Gear Solid 4: The Countdown Begins...
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Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has entered the next stage of its Metal Gear Solid® 4: Guns of the Patriots campaign, with the launch of a new trailer for Hideo Kojima’s first PLAYSTATION®3 entry to the legendary stealth action series.
Due for a simultaneous worldwide release early in 2008, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is set in a war-torn future where huge conglomerates fight for supremacy using armies of hand-picked mercenaries. This battle-scarred arena is seen through the eyes of an older Solid Snake who has been charged with infiltrating a number of key locations across the globe, including the Middle East and South America.
The new trailer features all new real-time footage from the PLAYSTATION®3 game and serves to whet players’ appetites with new revelations and glimpses of what the final game will contain. The new footage also showcases the return of popular characters from the Metal Gear Solid universe, including Meryl Silverburgh and Raiden – and confirms the return of iconic Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty adversary, Vamp.
The returning characters will again be voiced by the actors that have made them famous, with David Hayter breathing life into Old Snake, from an original script by series creator Hideo Kojima. Similarly, Paul Eiding returns as Roy Campbell, Quinton Flynn as Raiden, and Phil LaMarr and Pat Zimmerman as Vamp and Liquid Ocelot. The voice recording sequences have been directed by Kris Zimmerman.
“After several months under the radar, Kojoma Productions have broken cover to blow gamers away with its latest Metal Gear Solid 4 revelations,” commented Hans-Joachim Amann, Head of European Product Management from Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “The new trailer shows just how advanced the game is, and the sheer realism and genius we have come to expect from the Metal Gear Solid team. The new trailer is certain to whet the appetites of fans everywhere – and will reaffirm Guns of Patriots as the most anticipated title of the coming year.”
More info on Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
[Category :
The last days of man are at hand. Two years after the Infinite War the once great warring nations now lie in ruins, and humanity’s hope for a brighter future is nothing but a bitter memory.
A new, seemingly unstoppable enemy, supported by the zealots of The Order, now seeks to eradicate mankind; UEF, Aeon Loyalist, and Cybran alike. With their backs against the wall and staring into the abyss, the tattered remnants of Humanity’s forces must put aside old hatreds and band together as they prepare to make one last desperate stand. One last chance. An alliance forged in blood, steel and hope, they turn to face the dark.
Features:
- New Playable Faction: A completely new playable faction will be available in multiplayer games and serve as the main threat during the new single-player campaign. This new threat is a cunning and devious race with advanced technology and are true masters of quantum technology. New weapons, new strategies, new conquests!
- New Units: 110 new land, sea, air, base and experimental units evolve armies to address strategic weaknesses or become the ultimate expressions of factional military doctrine.
- Warfare on an Epic Scale: Fully realized navies, orbital weaponry and advanced counter intelligence technologies give commanders unprecedented, deadly new capabilities in what is already the most strategic RTS on the market today.
- New Multiplayer Maps: new multiplayer battlefields provide new grounds for players to prove their supremacy.
- New Single Player Campaign: Play through a brand new single player campaign as you gather your forces to save mankind from extinction.
SHIP DATE November 2007
GENRE RTS
PLAYERS 1-8
EA announces first Wii Trivia Game
[Category :
EA announced today that the first Wii trivia game will be available this holiday. The Wii trivia game levels the playing field for friends and family, combining age-targeted trivia with action-based gestures, making it a truly trans-generational game for the Wii.
“Our Wii family trivia game is a perfect addition to EA’s recently formed Casual Games label,” said Kathy Vrabeck, President, EA Casual Entertainment. “Part of our charter is to offer entertaining and stimulating games for the whole family. The prospect of kids being able to play with friends and parents on a level playing field is exciting.”
“The gesture-based answer methods are a perfect match for the Wii,” said Daniel Hagerty, Producer at EALA. “The experience isn’t just about who can press a button the fastest, it’s about getting the whole family up off the couch to get their minds and their bodies engaged.”
The EA Casual trivia game for the Wii tailors questions to the contestant’s age, allowing friends and family members ages eight to eighty to play simultaneously. The game tracks every player’s answers, and adjusts the difficulty level to provide continuous stimulation and challenge.
Exciting Wii gestures make everything a game, from spinning the category wheel and tug-of-wars over correct answers, to “dance-offs” for additional points. The game also features a family mode, where everyone tries to beat the clock and a rapid-fire competitive mode for groups of friends. With both competitive and collaborative game modes and 20,000 questions in multiple categories, the replay-ability and fun will be virtually endless.
The game is being produced at EA Los Angeles and developed in conjunction with Planet Moon Studios and will be available this holiday for the Wii. The game has not yet been rated by PEGI. More detailed information and the final name announcement will be forthcoming.
Ace Combat 6 demo available on Xbox Live
[Category :
Players can take the controls of NAMCO BANDAI Games’ highly anticipated flight action title Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation for the very first time with the free single player demo available now on Xbox Live®.
A massive enemy swarms over the city, shattering the peace. Amidst the chaos a pilot takes to the skies. Against countless enemies and cannon fire, he heads into the fray. A full scale war unfolds against a backdrop of breathtaking vistas. Detailed cities and sweeping landscapes reach out as far as the eye can see. Experience the roar of acceleration as you carve through swarms of enemy pilots, twisting missile trails and shattering explosions. Strap yourself in for the next evolution in Ace Combat.
Published by NAMCO BANDAI Games and distributed in Europe by Atari, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation for Xbox 360™ is scheduled for European release in autumn 2007.
The Next Generation of Silent Hill
[Category :
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will terrify a new generation of video game fans as its seminal horror series Silent Hill heads to PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360.
Silent Hill V (Provisional Title) marks the first appearance of the acclaimed series for Next Generation systems. The game follows Alex Shepherd, a war veteran returning home from an overseas tour of duty. Alex has taken compassionate leave following the news that his younger brother, Joshua, has gone missing. Initial investigations lead Alex to the small, insular community of Shepherd’s Glen, before he finds himself in the mist-shrouded and seemingly empty streets of Silent Hill…
Maximising the use of the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360’s high definition capabilities, Silent Hill V draws the players into an incredibly realised world of shadowy terror, while the unfolding story sheds new light on the inherent evil of the eponymous town. Building upon the series’ trademark foundations of atmosphere, adventure and storytelling, Silent Hill V introduces players to a frightening new experience and more control than ever over its central character.
When confronted by the perverse incarnations of evil that roam both Silent Hill and Shepherd’s Glen, players can now access an enhanced combat system to execute a number of offensive and defensive moves to counter the eclectic collection of nightmarish creatures that dwell within the town. The series’ famed puzzles have also been enhanced, with players using cues from the environment to unlock Silent Hill’s darkest secrets. And as the claustrophobia and unsettling sense of horror develops, Silent Hill V turns the screw even further with the addition of an all-new soundtrack from famed composer Akira Yamaoka…
“Silent Hill V is an international, cross-cultural production, with leading development talent from around the globe collaborating to raise the bar even higher for this incredible series,” said Brian Christian, Vice President of Product Development at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “With gritty graphics and sound combining to create a haunting atmosphere and all-new visceral gameplay elements, Silent Hill V shows the level to which next-generation hardware can enhance the player’s overall gaming experience.”
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. Official !
[Category :
GSC Game World announces S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky for PC, the official prequel to the most atmospheric game of 2007*– Survival FPS S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.
The story of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky brings the players one year prior to the events of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game in 2011.
A group of stalkers has for the first time reached the very heart of the Zone – Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and brings about a cataclysm on the brink of a catastrophe. An immense blowout of anomalous energy changes the Zone. There are no more reliable and relatively safe roads. The entire levels vanish in the outbursts of anomalies. Stalkers and even expeditions die or end up sealed on the lost territories. New areas, which remained unknown since the time of the Zone emergence, appear on the Zone map. The Zone continues to shake with blowouts. The Zone is unstable. The anomalous activity is at its maximum.
Changes of the Zone map known to stalkers shake the fragile balance of forces in the Zone. Among the groupings, there flare up hostilities for the new territories, artifact fields and spheres of influence. There are no more old enemies or friends – now everyone is for himself. The Factions War has started between the groupings.
The protagonist is a mercenary who appeared at the edge of the opposition between stalker factions, Strelok and even the Zone itself. The main character will have to play the key role in the events, which led to creation of the Zone up to the point from which the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game begins.
What’s waiting for stalkers in the opened depths of the Zone? Which new challenges bear in the new territories? Why blowouts continue shaking the Zone? Why did the Zone change? How to remove its instability? Which faction will take the upper hand in the factions war? Why did Strelok end up in the death truck? What happened to Strelok prior to that? Was there any other choice to make? These and many other questions will get answered in the official prequel S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky.
Experienced stalkers and newbies! Get ready for the new challenges in the exclusion zone in Q1 2008.
Unreal Tournament 3 exclusive for PS3 !
[Category :
Midway Games, world renowned developer Epic Games Inc., and Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the highly anticipated and award-winning Unreal Tournament 3 will be exclusive to the PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system and PC in 2007.
Thanks to the open network of the PLAYSTATION 3 system, Unreal Tournament 3 will also be the first game to feature robust user generated content including multiplayer maps, custom game modes and much more. Developed by North Carolina-based, Epic Games Inc., Unreal Tournament 3 is scheduled to be available in November.
The technology behind Unreal Tournament 3, Epic’s world class Unreal® Engine 3 will be fully optimized for the PLAYSTATION 3 system allowing game developers to take full advantage of the power and creativity that the engine offers.
“Midway is extremely excited to release Unreal Tournament 3 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and PC,” said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. “We expect Unreal Tournament 3 to set the bar for what a first-person shooter and next generation game can truly be.”
“We feel very confident that Unreal Tournament 3 will continue to deliver on Epic’s promise to gamers to develop only the highest quality titles using our cutting-edge Unreal Engine 3 technology,” said Mark Rein, vice president and co-founder, Epic Games. “The game takes full advantage of the power of the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and Unreal Tournament 3 will for the first time allow users to create robust user created content, known as “mods”, on the PC version and play them on the PLAYSTATION 3 system. We’re extremely excited about this and we feel this will bring a level of creativity, innovation and replayability not previously seen on home consoles.”
"We expect Unreal Tournament 3 to be one of the most innovative and defining titles of this next generation,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. “We are extremely pleased that gamers will only be able to experience Unreal Tournament 3 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system later this year.”
Atara announces Jenga
[Category :
Atari today announced that it will publish Jenga, based on the world famous wooden block tower building game.
Designed to make the most of the innovative control systems on Wii and DS, the game will offer unpredictable, quick-paced, tactical play that combines suspense and risk-taking, where mounting anticipation comes to a crashing climax. Licensed by Pokonobe Associates and developed by Atomic Planet, Jenga for the Nintendo DS and Wii will ship in November 2007.
“Fans of the Jenga family of games will fall in love with this exciting brand all over again,” said Jeremiah Cohn, senior product manager, Atari, Inc. “We are thrilled to deliver this timeless and renowned game with new variations and surprises for the Nintendo DS and Wii.”
“We are very pleased that Atari is now bringing Jenga’s universal entertainment appeal to video gamers worldwide,” added Paul Eveloff of Pokonobe Associates. “This new platform will extend the opportunity to play Jenga to video gamers and generate exceptional new play experiences. Atari’s Jenga for the Nintendo DS and Wii takes the Edge-of-Your-Seat Fun™ and party game style brilliantly to video game players of all skill levels!”
Players of the Wii version can get physical with the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers as they battle to keep the Jenga tower from falling, while on the DS the touch screen provides equally intuitive control of the fast-paced action. Players will experience sophisticated physics, and a multitude of game-play options (single and multiplayer). The game will contain all the fun, intensity and challenge of the original boxed game with a wealth of exciting new enhancements, power-ups and twists that are possible only in the videogame world. Simple to learn and fun to play, Jenga promises great entertainment for all ages.
Sega's Virtua Fighter 5 for Xbox 360 goes Online !
[Category :
SEGA® Europe, Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. announced today that the highly-anticipated arcade fighting game, Virtua Fighter™ 5 for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, will feature an online versus mode at launch in Autumn 2007.
The Xbox 360™ version of Virtua Fighter™ 5 is based on the latest arcade version update and features both analogue-stick and D-pad control, as well as vibration support.
The game also includes an improved Quest mode featuring more CPU rivals, items, and emblems for character customisation. The DOJO mode has added features including leaderboards, training move settings, improved throw and escape training, and the option to change your opponent’s position and recovery type. These all work to create a more refined DOJO mode where players can improve their fighting strategy.
Now featuring an online two-player versus mode via Xbox Live®, Virtua Fighter™ 5 will allow players to compete online. Players will also be able to select one of the 17 characters or customise them in Quest mode. Customisation features allow players to modify their characters by selecting from four base costumes and then attaching a wide range of unlockable and earnable items. Players will not only achieve victory by defeating highly-skilled opponents, but also by competing for prizes and earning in-game money which allows them to buy many items at an in-game shop.
“For a lot of very good reasons, Virtua Fighter™ 5 is regarded as the deepest and most revered fighting game available on next generation consoles”, said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe. “Bringing Virtua Fighter™ 5 to the Xbox 360™ will not only capture an entirely new audience, but will allow gamers to show their Virtua Fighter™ skills online against friends and foes”.
Created by the renowned development team AM R&D Department #2 out of Japan, Virtua Fighter™ 5 will be released in Autumn 2007.
Sega set to release Bleach for Wii and DS
[Category :
SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced that Bleach™: Shattered Blade will be available on the Wii™ video game system from Nintendo and that Bleach™: The Blade of Fate will be released on the Nintendo DS™ portable handheld system.
Based on the forthcoming and eagerly awaited Bleach™ animated series, Bleach: Shattered Blade and Bleach: The Blade of Fate offer relentless action and dazzling swordplay with crisp, stylised graphics that deliver an authentic anime experience.
Both versions feature a strong cast of characters voiced by the actors from VIZ Media’s award-winning BLEACH anime. The TV show, is scheduled to air across Europe later this year. With a lively cast of over twenty characters, including Rukia, Kon and hero Ichigo, gamers will spend hours furiously fighting and unlocking individual character stories, all based on the animated series’ story arc. Bleach: Shattered Blade for Wii™ and Bleach: The Blade of Fate DS™ will be released across Europe in early 2008.
The Bleach storyline follows fifteen-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki who has the power to see spirits from the afterlife, including warriors known as Soul Reapers. The Soul Reapers are tasked with defending humans from otherworldly beings called Hollows. One fateful day, Ichigo meets Rukia, a Soul Reaper who lends him her powers after she’s injured by a Hollow. In the game, players will progress through an exciting storyline facing increasingly difficult opponents in their quest to uncover the truth.
“The content of the Bleach story lends itself perfectly to an action packed arcade fighting game with a heavy dose of mighty sword battles”, said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director SEGA Europe. “Both the flexibility of the Wii and the portability of the DS have allowed us to bring the intense action of Bleach to a wide variety of gamers and make a great companion to the awesome forthcoming TV series”.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with SEGA Europe for the Bleach Wii and DS games”, explains John Easum, president of VIZ Media Europe. “The SEGA Bleach games are outstanding and have already enjoyed immense success in Japan. In Europe, the manga is already a top-seller, and the exciting TV series will soon launch. We are expecting a very big response to the SEGA games”.
Bleach: Shattered Blade for the Wii enables players to wield the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk as their weapons – slashing, jabbing, and lunging in furious battles like a real Soul Reaper. Bleach: Shattered Blade offers an exclusive storyline created specifically for the Wii with 32 characters to choose from. Once a new character is unlocked, players can replay the story episodes utilising the characters special moves and weapons adding a whole new perspective to the storyline.
On the Wii, players will be able to inflict enormous damage on opponents with powerful weapons and super power attacks taken straight from the TV series. Characters can summon supernatural allies such as a giant serpent, a samurai titan, or a tidal wave, for battle support. Players can also square-off against their friends in high-speed multiplayer combat in 3D arenas and environments based on settings from the series.
On the Nintendo DS, Bleach: The Blade of Fate offers striking 2D action and brilliant visuals that have become the hallmark of Treasure, the game’s legendary development team. Players will face a variety of opponents as one of 28 highly-stylised characters in intense action-packed battles based on the animated series. Bleach: The Blade of Fate on the Nintendo DS brings a twist to the traditional 2D fighting game with a new kind of battle system that enables players to move between upper and lower split-plane battle arenas to chase after or escape from opponents.
Bleach: The Blade of Fate for the DS also allows gamers to build Spirit Card Decks to strategically access power-ups and power-downs to perform special attacks, cast healing spells on themselves, displace opponents, or prohibit them from using their own Spirit Cards. Additionally, gamers can take to the streets battling against enemies in fast-paced combat via the Nintendo DS’ Wi-Fi capabilities.
Bleach: Shattered Blade on the Wii and Bleach: The Blade of Fate on the Nintendo DS are due for release in early 2008.
PS3 60GB gets price cut, 80GB version announced !
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Monday, July 9 2007 @ 17:39 CET]
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Inc. today announced a new 80GB model of its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system.
Beginning in August, the new PS3 model will be available in North America for a suggested retail price of $599/$659 CND and will be sold with the popular online-enabled racing game MotorStorm™. In conjunction with this news, the company also announced that effective immediately, the current 60GB PS3 model will be available in North America for $499/$549 CND, or $100 below the original launch price.
By featuring an expanded hard disk drive (HDD), the new 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the online gaming and entertainment enthusiast, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content from PLAYSTATION®Network. There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PLAYSTATION®Store, with expanded entertainment content coming soon. The new model features the million-selling game MotorStorm in the box, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time, hitting the dirt in this visually-arresting, fast-paced racing title.
Throughout the holidays and this fiscal year, more than 120 new first and third-party software titles will be available for North American PS3 users to enjoy, in addition to the more than 40 software titles currently available. Key upcoming first-party titles include Folklore™, Heavenly Sword™, LAIR, NBA ’08, Ratchet & Clank® Future: Tools of Destruction™, SingStar™, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Warhawk™.
Numerous third-party titles, including several exclusives, will also be available such as Devil May CryIV, Dynasty Warriors:GUNDAM, Grand Theft Auto IV, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hellboy, Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, SEGA Rally Revo, Stranglehold™, The Darkness, TimeShift™, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ 2.
Additional games and services will also be available for PS3 system owners through the PLAYSTATION Network including PlayStation Home, a state-of-the-art 3D online community that serves as a meeting place for PS3 users around the world, as well as numerous downloadable games including the highly-anticipated title PAIN.
“As we move into the next phase of PS3, it’s important that we continue to evaluate our product line, offering consumers the technology and features that meet their growing needs for new forms of media and the way in which it is delivered,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO of SCEA. “The introduction of the 80GB PS3, the new pricing for the current 60GB model, the availability of more than 100 new software titles this fiscal year and, finally, the expansion of services for PLAYSTATION Network, will provide even more options for users and will help bring new consumers into the PS3 fold.”
Both the 80GB and 60GB PS3 models come standard with Cell Broadband Engine™ (Cell/B.E.), Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) player, built-in HDD, 1080p high-definition output, Wi-Fi connectivity and SIXAXIS™ wireless controller.
2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition
[Category :
2K announced today Sid Meier's Civilization IV™: Gold Edition for PC.
Containing Sid Meier's Civilization IV™ and its first expansion set, Civilization IV: Warlords™ plus an impressive list of bonus items, the Gold Edition allows gamers who have not yet experienced the thrill of ruling the world to now own the two most recent games in the world's greatest strategy franchise for one incredible value. Developed by Firaxis Games™, 2K's world-renowned development studio, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition ships to retailers in North America on July 17, 2007.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV is an award-winning strategy game that challenges players to build and expand an empire, throughout all of human history, and become the most powerful ruler the world has ever known. With the Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords expansion pack, players have even more options to win by military might - including the powerful Warlord unit - and have six new civilizations, ten new leaders and eight additional scenarios from which to choose.
With more than eight million units sold, the Sid Meier's Civilization® series is recognized as one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time. Civilization IV has been hailed as "The best version of Civilization yet" by IGN and was awarded "PC Game of the Year" by several top gaming outlets, like GameSpot, GameSpy and IGN. In addition to Civilization IV and Civilization IV: Warlords, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition includes these bonus features:
Exclusive fantasy-style poster from world-famous artist Greg Hildebrandt (illustrator of the original "Star Wars" fantasy-themed "Clash of the Titans" movie poster, "Lord of the Rings" calendars and posters and other seminal artwork)
Behind-the-scenes DVD with developer interviews, insight into the Civilization IV development process and a short feature on Sid Meier's video game history
Tech-tree poster featuring the paths to researching and discovering all of the technologies needed to advance in Civilization IV
Civilization IV Game Manual
"Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition is a great way to get into the award-winning Civilization IV series," said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. "Gamers will now have the chance to change the course of world history and relive battles from every era of the past with both Civilization IV games in one box - in stores just in advance of the highly anticipated second Civ IV expansion pack, Beyond the Sword."
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition will ship on July 17th for the PC.
Wii-Kly Virtual Console US Update
[Category :
Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
Mach Rider® (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): It's the year 2112. Earth has been invaded by the forces of evil. Battle the invaders as you race from sector to sector on your motorcycle, searching for survivors. Feel the incredible sense of speed as you zip past evil Quadrunners and zigzag between treacherous rocks, oil spills and other obstacles on the course. For a different challenge, create your own course in Design Mode, using the various twists, turns and straightaways the game has to offer. Remember, you are Earth's only hope—you are Mach Rider.
Yoshi® (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Yoshi is an action/puzzle game starring Mario's dinosaur buddy, Yoshi™, who has been imprisoned in an egg. Now it's raining Goombas, Bloopers and Boo Buddies, and you have to help Mario™ stop the airborne invasion. As the critters fall, catch them on trays. Stack two of a kind and they both disappear, or capture the whole bunch in between eggshells. When the eggshells match, out hatches Yoshi and up goes your score. The action heats up as the characters fall faster and faster. To save the day, switch and shuffle, and don't let your piles get too high.
Air "Zonk" (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Cartoon Violence, 600 Wii Points): Air "Zonk" is a spin-off of the popular Bonk's Adventure series. This side-scrolling shooter retains the same cartoonish style of Bonk but is set in a cyberpunk future. The powered-up "Zonk" gathers his friends to form Team Cool, and they set out to stop King Drool's plan to conquer the world. Choose from three levels of difficulty and three Friend Modes. Shoot King Drool's cyber-robots and avoid their attacks while collecting the Air Bones to unleash a variety of unique attacks. Combine with a friend to create an invincible hybrid form or blast enemies with a charged attack. Air "Zonk" is filled with humor, made evident by the wacky theme song that plays when you post a huge score or when your game is over.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition !
[Category :
Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that it will release The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition (GotY) for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from Sony, and Windows this September.
Oblivion GotY will include the original version of the award-winning RPG Oblivion along with the official expansion, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™, and the downloadable content, Knights of the Nine™.
This new product will allow players who have never played the 2006 Game of the Year to experience Oblivion for the first time with additional content. In addition, gamers can continue their existing games of Oblivion and experience the new quests and areas offered by the expansion and downloadable content.
Released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in March 2007 for PLAYSTATION®3 system, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world and won numerous Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards. Gamerankings.com and MetaCritic.com list Oblivion as the highest rated game of all time on both Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3 system.
Oblivion features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics, cutting edge AI, character voices by acting legends Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Terrance Stamp, and Lynda Carter, and an award-winning soundtrack. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion’s epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges.
With more than 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles allows you to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion – the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides – Mania and Dementia –filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Sheogorath himself looks to you to be his champion and defend his realm and its inhabitants from destruction as you discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more.
Knights of the Nine features an all-new faction and quests for noble characters and answers many of the questions surrounding the Ayleid ruins found throughout Oblivion. Players can join a new faction and found their own order of holy knights – leading them into battle against a sorcerer-king and his demonic minions while exploring massive dungeons and searching for legendary relics – the holy armor and weapons of the Divine Crusader.
Hudson announce Fishing Master for Wii
[Category :
Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm for Hudson Soft, and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced Fishing MasterTM exclusively for the WiiTM home video game system from Nintendo, an arcade style fishing game that armchair angling aficionados of all skill levels can enjoy.
Under a publishing deal, Hudson will publish this title, while Konami will handle sales and distribution in North America.
Fishing gets closer to home in the upcoming game Fishing Master, a title that takes arcade style fishing and updates it for a whole new generation. Utilizing both the Wii RemoteTM and NunchukTM, players will be able to bait, cast, hook, & battle a variety of different fish, all from the comfort of their living rooms.
In Fishing Master, players assume the role of an up-and-coming fisherman tasked by his grandfather to compete in increasingly difficult fishing tournaments to attain the coveted Fishing Master title. Deep in accessible and varied gameplay, Fishing Master sports an enthralling single-player mode and a four-player head-to-head multiplayer mode guaranteed to have players reeling in the fun for days.
"For years, gamers have looked to Hudson for innovative and enjoyable video gaming experiences, and we're more than excited to say that we're back with a great game like Fishing Master," said John Greiner, President and CEO of Hudson Entertainment. "Fishing Master is sure to become an instant hit with the entire family."
Fishing Master will be on display for the first time in North America at Konami's E3 booth on July 11th, 2007.
Midway releases Touchmaster for the DS
[Category :] [Posted by Bjorn on Friday, July 6 2007 @ 10:39 CET]
Touchmaster™, the collection of classic tabletop touch screen games, has shipped to retailers nationwide.
Touchmaster consists of 23 addicting games that utilize the unique touch screen format of the Nintendo DS and is now available for £19.99/€29.9