Heres the full listing of game related releases for the last week:
PlayStation3™:
HORI Fighting Stick 3 US$ 49.90
PlayStation2™:
J-League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou 5 JPN US$ 64.90
Saint Seiya: The Hades / Saint Seiya: Meiou Hades Juunikyuu Hen JPN US$ 64.90
Zero Shikikan Josentoki Ni (Taito Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Nintendo DS™:
Bokujou Monogatari: Kimi to Sodatsu Shima JPN US$ 48.90
Fossil League Dino Tournament Championship US US$ 29.90
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 US US$ 39.90
InuYasha Secret of the Divine Jewel US US$ 34.90
Monster House JPN US$ 48.90
Sony PSP™:
Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean US US$ 39.90
Memory Stick Pro Duo 2GB US$ 99.90
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops KOR US$ 49.90
Sid Meier's Pirates! US US$ 34.90
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (Special Edition) JPN US$ 48.90
Magazines. Toys & Misc:
Arcadia Magazine [March 2007] JPN US$ 12.90
Bokusastu Tenshi Dokuro-Chan Figure Collection US$ 6.90
Doko Demo Issyo Fun Collection Plush Doll: Angel US$ 18.90
Doko Demo Issyo Fun Collection Plush Doll: Devil US$ 18.90
Dot-S Puzzle: Devil World (07-Type A) US$ 9.90
Dot-S Puzzle: Devil World (07-Type B) US$ 9.90
Dragon Quest Crystal Monsters 4 US$ 3.90
Famitsu Wave DVD [March 2007] JPN US$ 16.50
Gantz: 1/8 Scale Painted Extra! Story Image Figure! - Kishimoto Kei (Swim Suit Version) US$ 48.90
Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex (S.A.C. 2nd GIG) 1/7 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure: Kusanagi Motoko N/A
Melty Blood Pretty Collection Figure US$ 4.49
Neon Genesis Evangelion 1/7 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure: Sitting Rei in Plug-Suit (Rei Ayanami) US$ 48.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion Portraits Candy Toy US$ 5.29
Neon Genesis Evangelion Pre-painted PVC & ABS Figure - A-15 Arael-XX Blood Pattern Blue / Chromosome Type XX N/A
Nintendo DS New Super Mario Bros. Game Card Holder Gashapon US$ 2.99
Nintendo New Super Mario Bros. Keychain US$ 2.49
School Rumble 2 Keychain Figure US$ 2.49
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu Pre-painted PVC & ABS Figure - Mikuru Asahina US$ 42.90
Taisen Hot Gimmick Axes-Jong Ultimate Collection Figure US$ 7.90
Video Game related Soundtracks:
PS2 Ban Happiness Deluxe Original Soundtrack JPN US$ 27.90
Sakura Tree Mini Album: Cosmos [CD+DVD] JPN US$ 29.90
Super Eurobeat presents Initial D Non-Stop Mix from Takumi-selection JPN US$ 24.90
The Idol Master Masterwork 01 JPN US$ 19.90
Windows Vista version of Introversion's PC strategy game Darwinia is now available via the MSN Vista games page for $19.95 (about 10 quid).
Darwinia's become a cult classic and features a weird yet wonderful art style, the game focusing on a tribe of nomadic sprites that players have to save from doom and destruction.
A move to Vista means enhancements for the game. A switch from OpenGL to DirectX introduces new and improved visual effects, there's support for the Xbox 360 controller and three new levels have been added.
Introversion says that now it's finished work on the Vista version of Darwinia "we plan to make a Darwinia patch available to everyone that encorporates [sic] all the new features and enhancements we've written."
The developer also promises that "We've got some cool new stuff planned for Darwinia in the future and this is just the beginning."
Online retailer DVD Empire has quit selling games, blaming selfish publishers, slim margins, slow distribution and the fact that "80% of games are crap" as reasons for its decision.
"The video game industry only cares about mass merchandisers like Toys-R-Us, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. They completely ignore the needs and wants of the medium to small game retailers," the company says on its website. "You may not care whether or not we make money, but we cannot continue to pay to sell video games."
"We all know how fast games devalue in prices; this is due to the fact that 80% of the games created are crap. So take the fact that we only make $5, now if the price of a game drops $20, we are now losing $15 every sale," the statement continues.
"The game industry releases many bad games, and word of mouth spreads fast to the consumer. All of those bunk games sit on our shelves. If we do end up selling them, we lose more money."
DVD Empire then lists several conveniently-numbered reasons why it has decided to stop selling games, including the "video game industry does not care", "we do not receive price protection", "we are not big enough to return products", "distribution is dumb", "games are better suited for brick and mortar retailers".
And the only positive? Apparently 20% of games are indeed, fun - though there's some questionable inclusions on DVD Empire's 'quality game' listings.
Do you agree or disagree with the article above. ?
Dell is focusing its beady eye on the handheld gaming scene, with a potential view to entering the handheld hardware market it's being reported.
"You know, that's definitely one that's on the radar screen, but we have no plans to talk about anything today", Dell's gaming boss Abizar Vakharia told PCPlus.co.uk at a recent press event when quizzed about future plans for a handheld.
It's speculated that, should Dell go ahead with plans for a handheld games device, it could be an Ultra-Mobile PC as opposed to a dedicated gaming platform. We doubt Nintendo - or Sony - are quaking in their boots though.
Over the past few months we've seen a number of publishers embracing Valve Software's Steam. Numerous back-catalogue PC games from have appeared for digital distribution on the platform and, in the case of the likes of Dark Messiah, on the day of retail release.
It's a trend that's set to continue and evolve, according to Valve Software.
Speaking to CVG in a Steam-focused interview which we'll be publishing shortly, Valve's director of marketing Doug Lombardi explained, "Many of the developers and publishers using Steam presently have more planned - from bringing new day-and-date titles to re-launching critically acclaimed but out of stock titles to over 10 million active gamers.
"Of all the metrics we use to gauge the success of our efforts, the fact that our partners are excited and coming back for more is the most telling", he added.
Lombardi said that "Profits and improving the customer experience" are key factors that make Steam appealing to the publishers. "The word is out: Steam has established itself as a viable platform for selling and managing PC games".
Microsoft has responded to reports that its new operating system Windows Vista affects the performance of games.
A statement sent to TG Daily, Rich Wickham, director of Games for Windows, said that "the recent claims made about Windows Vista online game compatibility issues have been grossly overstated and in actuality, a fraction of casual games are encountering temporary upgrade issues - a situation we have largely corrected and are committed to fixing within days."
He added, "For context, of the more than 100 web-based games currently available on MSN Games, only five do not run on Windows Vista as of January 30 and nearly 100 percent will be fully compatible by week's end with an update to the Windows Vista installer."
Packom Interactive has whipped us into a frenzy this morning with a pre-announcement announcement for its space-shooter Divine, telling us to prepare ourselves for a mega-update on 6th February.
"What we will unveil at that point in time is only for us to know and for you to find out," the game's website reads. We expect maybe a trailer or some screenshots.
Divine is an indie title that started life back in April 2005 as a simple project with an achievable deadline. An asteroid crashed into earth causing people to flee to the available space colonies, you see, and only the "Divine" were granted access, making the rest of the population scatter across space in search of a home.
Naturally everyone is now at war, and it's up to you as Robert Akin to use your piloting skills to repair relations between the warring factions.
The title now offers 10 levels to play through in a 3D space-landscape built on an internally developed engine, and puts multiple flying craft at your disposal.
It seems the staff base is largely voluntary, with jobs advertised as "non-paying" on the website, though the game is expected to cost a small amount to play when it's released sometime this year.
The continued success of World of Warcraft has helped raise Vivendi Games' revenues by over 25 per cent, to EUR 804 million, for the full year of 2006.
Other solid performers for the full year include new IP Scarface: The World is Yours and FEAR, movie tie-ins Ice Age 2 and Eragon, and The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning.
For the fourth quarter, Vivendi Games' revenues were up 33.1 per cent over the previous year, to EUR 326 million, again with World of Warcraft driving success.
Revenues for the entire Vivendi group, which includes music, pay TV, mobile and telecoms divisions, reached EUR 20.1 billion in 2006, a rise of three per cent of over 2005.
If you had to pick an existing franchise to build a massively multiplayer role-playing game around, it doesn't get much bigger than Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was the top-grossing movie of 2006, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End could very well claim that honor this year. Not surprisingly, Disney Online has been working on an online game that will let players create a pirate character, adventure alongside hundreds of other players, and interact with virtual versions of Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, and other characters from the movies.
With the game's launch set sometime this spring, Disney Online today revealed that the game will feature a free, ad-supported mode of play as well as a traditional subscription model.
Consumers will have two options when Pirates launches. The basic access plan will give players access to many of the game's features for as long as they like, and there will be no subscription fee for the basic mode. Instead, the basic access will be supported by some type of contextual advertising that's not in the game itself.
No advertising partners were announced today.
At this point, it sounds like the basic access mode will run inside a bordered window, with the ads bordering the game. If users want to gain access to all the content in the game, as well as run without ads, they can choose the advanced subscription mode.
Disney Online has announced that Pirates will have a $9.95 monthly fee.
Given the popularity of the movie franchise, particularly among families and kids, Pirates is being positioned as a much more user- and family-friendly style of massively multiplayer game. For example, the game's system requirements will be very low, to ensure that vast percentage of the movie's fan base will be able to play the game on their systems. The graphics aren't cutting-edge, but they do have an animated cartoon style to them, which should certainly appeal to the teen crowd that Disney Online is aiming for.
Players will be able to pursue a wide variety of quests in the game, with the overall goal of trying to become the most notorious pirate of the Caribbean. Activities will include sword fighting, card playing in taverns, ship battles, and much more. The game features locales from the movies, as well as some created for the game. In addition, a new villain, Jolly Rodger, makes an appearance leading an army of the undead. Players can also expect to encounter Davy Jones and his crew throughout their adventures.
Issue 2 of PCGZine includes an exclusive Lord of the Rings Online preview, an exclusive Enemy Territory: Quake Wars interview and more.
PCGZine, the free magazine written by professional games journalists, has made its second issue available for download. Coinciding with the publication, Cranberry Publishing Ltd is pleased to announce that the title is now to be published every month.
“A free, well written magazine has obviously resonated well with PC gamers,” says Gamerzines Publishing Director, Dave Taylor. “The response to the first issue has been incredible, and so we’re pleased to confirm that the title will now be published monthly, bringing more of the writing and interactive content that the readers have asked for.”
Issue 2 includes an exclusive hands-on preview of Lord of the Rings Online, together with other previews of Fields Ops, Vanguard and a special preview of S.T.A.L.K.E.R, which includes the chance for readers to win on of 50 beta keys to play the game before their friends!
There’s an exclusive interview with Paul Wedgwood, better known as Locki from Splash Damage, talking about the development of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, one of 2007’s most anticipated PC games.
“With the interview on Quake Wars, as with other pages in the magazine, we decided to really go to town,” says Taylor. “Where print magazines are stuck with static images, we can add interactivity, like animations and even an interactive quiz where gamers can show just how much they know about ET: QW.”
Filling out the rest of the free magazine are reviews of Maelstrom, Armed Assault, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, Star Trek: Legacy and a feature on the implication of Windows Vista for gamers.
PCGZine is a Gamerzine, published in PDF format. Readers simply require a copy of the free Adobe Reader (version 6 or above) to read the magazines. Each Gamerzine includes more than 30 pages of professionally written games journalism and is enhanced with embedded video and multimedia.
EA has revealed that development of The Lord of the Rings: The White Council has been suspended, not completely canned as earlier rumour suggested.
According to report on GameSpot, Warren Jenson, EA CFO, said of the game that "The Lord of the Rings product is back in development in terms of being on hold," during a post-earnings call yesterday.
Jenson's answer was given in response to a question on whether The White Council had been binned.
He went on to add that the game won't release until after March 2008. The RPG has previously been confirmed for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
EA's UK arm was unavailable for comment on the future of The Lord of the Rings: The White Council at the time of writing.
Like your World War II strategy games on PC? Then you may want to mark March 16 in your diary - new RTS title Frontline: Fields of Thunder releases on that date and it's coming bundled with a free copy of 2005's strategy title Hearts of Iron II.
Frontline: Fields of Thunder focuses on the battle for the Kursk Salient, one of the major tank engagements from WWII and features two historically accurate campaigns that are played out over 20 missions. LAN and online multiplayer is included too with 10 multiplayer missions.
We've uploaded new Frontline: Fields of Thunder screenshots for you to take a gander at.
Blizzard has decided to provide World of Warcraft players with an option to upgrade to Burning Crusade without leaving their homes. (We're not going near that one with a bargepole.)
Presumably aimed at people who already play WOW, the new digital download option can be found on your account page, allowing you to grab the files once you've purchased an expansion key online.
A few lengthy treks aside, the Burning Crusade is obviously a good way into WOW if you've never bothered before. Beware though, because those deer will flipping have you if you're not tooled up or don't have someone riding shotgun.
Look out for more on the game soon as Rob continues to battle his way through all the high-end content on his slightly awesome new horsey. For more on Burning Crusade, which introduces a new continent, Outland, as well as tons of new quest and character content - well, we've been known to write the odd thing about it.
Outerlight's The Ship has undergone some careening and basic repairs, making good various holes in the hull as well as bolting some fancy new features onto the vessel.
Alongside an ocean of fixes, including bedpan interaction now working properly (phew), are two new team modes: Team Elimination and Team VIP.
The first of these is rather straightforward, charging you with the task of killing the other team. It works rather like the existing deathmatch mode; you'll not know where the other team are, you'll have to find them for yourself.
Of most interest is what happens if you're eliminated. Rather than become a dormant spectator, you can still take part in the game, but you will be limited by the fact you can't draw any weapons - despite being able to pick up and drop them (tactical options abound). You can also use this opportunity to spy on enemy locations.
Team VIP on the other-hand is focused around one person, the VIP. One player on each team will be assigned this role and the aim of the game is to take out the opposing team's chosen one. Your deck-plan shows the whereabouts of your VIP, with the opposing team's chief showing as your quarry. Being killed in this mode as a regular team member means losing your inventory, but you'll respawn and be able to take full part in the on-going game.
Both new team modes feature new location commands and will force one team to be all male, one all female, each squad with different costumes.
The Ship, originally a Half-Life mod, launched last summer on Valve's Steam service. Set in the art Deco era of the 1930s, the aim of the game is to murder people on boats: a cross between Cleudo and The Sims, wrapped up as an FPS.
Swing your axes into the tree of demos this weekend and you'll soon find yourself with a multiplayer taster of fantasy RTS, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos.
This meaty monster, weighing in at a slightly porky 1348Mb, features four maps: Balance of Chaos, Blood on the Snow, Castle of the Gods, and General Conflict - whoever he is. You'll be able to play these in normal, reinforcement or siege modes.
Mark of Chaos, developed by Black Hole, is set in the Warhammer world, and features familiar Skaven, Chaos, Empire and High Elf armies - as well as Orc, Dwarf, Vampire and Goblin races.
Naturally everyone wants to kill each other, with the focus of the game resting on battles rather than resource management unlike other strategy titles. Command heroes and champions, then customise your army before splattering ketchup everywhere in great big punch-ups.
Electronic Arts has revealed record revenues of US $1.281 billion (EUR 983 million) for the Christmas period, driven by key franchises that dominated the charts in North America and Europe.
Need for Speed Carbon, FIFA 07, The Sims 2 Pets and Madden NFL all sold over three million units each, helping the third-party publisher beat analyst estimates and prompting renewed interest in company shares, which climbed over US $2 to US $52.80.
FIFA 07 was EA's biggest seller in Europe, with six million copies sold across the globe since launch. The Sims 2 has now shifted 10 million units, accompanied by 5 million copies of The Sims 2 Pets.
Need for Speed Carbon sold over eight million copies in North America and Europe during the period, while Madden NFL 07 has sold the same amount since launch.
Next-generation products accounted for 32 per cent revenue share in North America, with EA the number one publisher on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC and PSP in North America and Europe.
"We are pleased with the performance of our products on next-generation consoles," commented Larry Probst, CEO of EA.
"In the year ahead, we plan to build on our leadership position on both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, and to significantly increase support for the Nintendo platforms."
Profits were down 38 per cent to US $160 million (EUR 122.8m), down from the previous year results of US $259 million (EUR 198.9m). North America was the strongest performing region, with net revenues up three per cent to US $637 million (EUR 489.2m), while Europe saw a rise in revenue of one per cent to US 583 million (EUR 447.7m).
Revenues in Asia were down 19 per cent to US $61 million (EUR 46.8m), and currency exchange rates impacted revenue by US $33 million (EUR 25.3m).
Blizzard Entertainment has signed a new deal with online game publisher The9 that will see World of Warcraft expansion pack The Burning Crusade released in China.
The add-on is currently being localised for the Chinese market, though a release date has yet to be announced. The deal also includes "provisions for hardware upgrades" designed to improve the WOW playing experience.
There are already 3.5 million Chinese gamers playing WOW, most of whom play via a pay-as-you-go system rather than having to pay a monthly subscription fee as in most other countries.
The original WOW deal has proved to be extremely lucrative for The9, which will continue to provide community management, technical support and in-game customer service.
The Burning Crusade launched in the UK on January 16 and was an instant hit with WOW fans, becoming the second fastest-selling PC game in chart history. As of this week it's available to purchase and download via the WOW website.
Rockstar has proven that Western developed titles do have an audience in Japan, with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas making its debut at number one in the regional charts.
Published by Capcom in Japan, the PlayStation 2 title has sold over 227,000 units on the first week of release.
While last week saw the debut of Microsoft's Gears of War in the top ten, this week the game is entirely absent from the top fifty games in Japan.
Namco's The Idol Master is the only Xbox 360 title in the top twenty, while From Software's Enchanted Arms is the only PS3 game in the top fifty, at number 29.
The Nintendo DS continues to enjoy healthy sales in the region, shifting over 194,600 units in the past week, with Wii sales reaching over 83,750.
Sony has sold 35,700 PSP units in the past seven days, with the PlayStation 2 outselling the PlayStation 3, with 20,995 and 19,996 units, respectively. The Xbox 360 sold just over 7360 units.
Earlier this week we brought you first word on Universe at War: Earth Assault, the new real-time strategy game from Star Wars: Empire at War developer Petroglyph. Now we've got screenshots to show you. Get those mince pies into action.
The game deals with alien invasion of Earth in the near future and the developer is promising to deliver an RTS experience of huge depth and customisation. Universe at War is being published by Sega and should be out on PC this autumn.
Getting its hands dirty under the hood of a PC this afternoon is none other than SEGA, which has announced Universe at War: Earth Assault, due for release in the autumn.
It's being created by Empire at War developer Petroglyph, and sets you the task of stopping aliens dominating the planet. In many respects it's a traditional RTS experience, with base-building, tech-trees, and multiplayer skirmishes available. However, "Tactical Dynamics" and its persistent world presentation make it somewhat different.
Units will be fully customisable and modifiable, you see, and you can retrain them on the battlefield, making a swap of tactics more achievable and immediate.
Aliens will use deadly sci-fi weapons and powers to destroy entire cities, and this damage will be waiting for you next time you play the same map. This persistence is echoed in an online on-going battle for ultimate faction supremacy of Earth, which shares more common-ground with an MMO.
"Petroglyph has a long and prestigious heritage within the RTS genre with key members part of the original Command and Conquer and Command and Conquer: Red Alert teams. Their determination to create the very best makes Universe at War: Earth Assault one of the most exciting games in development right now," said Matt Woodley, SEGA Europe's creative director.
"The RTS genre is once again becoming competitive and hugely popular and we're confident that Universe at War: Earth Assault will be at the forefront of the next generation of RTS gaming."
It's refreshing to see a publisher like SEGA introduce a new IP to the PC. Perhaps we really are on the verge of a renaissance. Or perhaps we really are on the verge of going to the pub.
Welcome to Telon, a vast and ancient world of magic, intrigue and adventure. Facing the challenges of a wartorn world, the diverse people here struggle to rebuild their once great civilizations. A fragile alliance has been struck, with the lands set upon by invading forces, the races must band together to survive. In the north, the sprawling green hills of Thestra are plagued by an unstoppable undead menace. To the south, the deserts of Qalia have been besieged by an elemental threat spawned from the depths of the earth and to the east; inhabitants of the tumultuous jungles of Kojan fiercely battle encroaching otherworldly fiends.
Telon is in desperate need of heroes. Your journey begins now.
Join a community of thousands of players online as you traverse a breathtaking landscape on the back of a dragon, exploring the grandeur of a world designed by the seminal fantasy artist Keith Parkinson. Create and customize your character from 19 races and 15 professions. Combat fierce opponents with a groundbreaking dynamic combat system that forces you to react to your opponents as you tie together devastating combinations of attacks. The challenge awaits the boldest of heroes.
Source: A report on trade site Gamasutra, citing a THQ quarterly conference call as its source.
What we heard: There were a lot of interesting tidbits coming out of THQ's quarterly conference call this morning. The company confirmed that it would be making WWE games on the Wii and DS in addition to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable. It talked about the cost of porting a PS3 game to the Xbox 360. It admitted it was planning its release schedule around Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV so as not to go head-to-head with those games for the same audience. It mentioned for the first time the actual name of its announced Stuntman sequel: Stuntman Ignition.
And according to Gamasutra, it also confirmed that it was going to release a new Red Faction game in its next fiscal year (April 2007 through March 2008 for those keeping track). Such a move would certainly be in keeping with the company's plan to increase the amount of revenue derived from intellectual properties it already owns, as opposed to pricey licenses like SpongeBob and WWE. THQ CEO Brian Farrell even told analysts in the call, "Our fiscal 2008 growth will be driven primarily by increased sales of proven owned intellectual properties, a cornerstone of our strategy."
Farrell also talked about original franchises in the company's longer-term plans.
"When you think about fiscal 2009 and beyond, there are three important takeaways we would like to leave you with," Farrell told analysts. "One, THQ has established six owned franchises which have reached the million-unit mark and our pipeline is growing. Two, our long-term license franchises, the WWE, Pixar, and Nickelodeon, have each shipped 30 million units. And three, we are exploiting new revenue opportunities such as microtransactions and in-game advertising and we continue to expand our global footprint."
After Farrell had wrapped up the presentation portion of the call, the lines were opened for analysts to ask questions. A Merrill Lynch analyst asked Farrell to "list out the six franchise brands you referred to." Farrell responded by mentioning Saints Row, Stuntman, Juiced, Destroy All Humans!, MX, "and my favorite, Red Faction."
Clearly THQ has not forgotten Red Faction. And with its increased emphasis on original IPs, a return to the series is not outside of the realm of possibility. However, nowhere in the call did the publisher actually say that it was developing games for all of its six established franchises, nor did anyone confirm there was a new Red Faction game in development.
The official story: A THQ representative chose not to comment, but referred us to a transcript of the conference call.
The latest hardware sales are in and most consoles are still in decline, the sales figures for the PS3 seem extremely low. DS Lite and Wii are miles infront still:
- DS Lite: 194,526
- Wii: 83,754
- PSP: 35,700
- PS2: 20,995
- PS3: 19,996
- Xbox 360: 7,365
- Game Boy Micro: 1,177
- GBA SP: 1,023
- Gamecube: 347
- DS Phat: 82
- GBA: 34
Welcome finally to the opening of the new PC Gaming Site at DCEmu, this site replaces the RTS News, RPG News and MMORPG Sites to give us a site that will focus on all genres of PC Gaming, Vista and also the best of PC homebrew.
As with any site we would love your news, reviews and PC Homebrew releases.
Just got the News Archive to sort out then we will be fully up and running
Thanks to Canvasch for the great logos and to Soully for his excellent design.
Finally its time to open the new look PC Gaming Site, a news site that takes over from 3 of our other sites and merges them into one site covering all PC Gaming and PC Homebrew News.
Id like to say thanks to Canvasch for the great logos and to Soully for his excellent design.
THQ expects revenue from in-game advertising and downloadable content to account for at least US $5 million (EUR 3.85m) by 2008.
The WWE publisher anticipates that next-generation releases in the Stuntman, MX and Juiced franchises will help the company take advantage of the burgeoning market.
"This is a growing market, and we have placed ads now in MX, Juiced, Stuntman, and at least one other franchise," revealed CEO Brian Farrell, during a recent conference call.
When asked how much revenue in-game advertising would generate for THQ in 2008, Ferrell replied: "Our best estimate is US $5 million, but I would not be surprised to see that number go up."
Ferrell also revealed he expects more than half the company's revenue in the coming year to come from next-generation product for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
THQ's titles for next-gen machines include sequels to Red Faction, Juiced and Stuntman, as well as further exploitation of THQ's Destroy All Humans, MX and Saints Row franchises.
features
Pages: 160
Detailed maps for every campaign mission, challenge engagement, and multiplayer encounter.
Stats for all ships, planes, and submarines—know your forces and your enemy's.
Detailed strategy and walkthroughs will help you master every battle.
Beautiful pull-out poster of a World War II pin-up*.
description
The only thing we have to fear...is war without strategy
It’s here at last on April 4 - the world’s first games magazine for women for € 1.90 at a six-figure print volume. At a media volume of € 2.8 million, the marketing campaign for the first issue of play vanilla is set to produce around 10 million new contacts.
Already introduced in the December issue of Joy fashion magazine as an insert, play vanilla will be appearing at around 130 pages in pocket format every two months from April 4. The play vanilla editorial office will be covering topics such as PC, video, and mobile games specifically aimed at younger women. This means inspiring articles, cool design, high benefit, and fun factor.
Computec Media AG will be supporting the play vanilla sales launch with printed ads at a media volume of over € 1 million in magazines such as Prinz, Petra, Joy, Cosmopolitan, Shape, and TV direct, along with TV and big-screen commercial spots at just shy of € 280,000 on Vox, MTV, Super RTL, and in UCI cinemas as well as advertising banners on high-outreach websites at just under € 1.5 million.
"The time has come for a women’s magazine,” says Petra Fröhlich, play vanilla and PC Games editor-in-chief. "The overwhelming reactions from thirty countries on the play vanilla launch plus the extremely positive results from initial reader surveys have confirmed it. Almost all participants want to see play vanilla appear on a regular basis. The fresh, feminine magazine concept is directly addressed to keen women gamers, who are out of the range for ordinary games magazines.”
According to Computec Media AG CEO Johannes Sevket Gözalan, "the unbelievable international reactions to the first issue of play vanilla along with excellent feedback from agencies and games publishers are unmistakable proof that Computec has again lived up to its pioneering and market leader position in electronic entertainment. This market-hitting innovation will not only extend our readership, but also serve one of the most important target groups in burgeoning entertainment segment in all social strata. We will be starting play vanilla as an independent print and online title supported by a seven-figure media volume and a six-figure print volume. The play vanilla magazine will build on our exceptional success story we enjoy with SFT, PC Games, and buffed.de.”
Argggh, the aliens are coming! A new Command & Conquer 3 trailer showcases the Scrin, the insectoid extra-terrestrials joining the Nod versus GDI war party in the RTS sequel. Check out the battle carnage via our video player on the right - swarms of rank-and-file buzzer units that cut up enemies, death-dealing lasers... Nice.
And while it's not shown in the movie, just wait till you see the Scrin end-game unit, a massive mothership that takes up nearly all the screen - it's a bit like Red Alert 2's Soviet air unit the Kirov Airship. But with aliens in it and more futuristic.
A new gameplay trailer released from imminent PC real-time strategy game Maelstrom reveals the title's destructible environment element - clap mince pies on the havoc via our video player yonder right.
In Maelstrom, war blazes across a future Earth struck by ecological meltdown, three major factions turning the planet's surface into a battle-scarred mess. The game's been developed collaboratively between Codemasters and KDV Games (the chaps that brought us Perimeter) and is out this Friday.
Developed by Ascaron, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is the follow-up to Sacred: Underworld, a decent enough PC action-RPG in the Diablo mould.
A Sacred 2 'first look' trailer released showcases gameplay along with new technology, weapon and armour variety and other fantasy-flavoured titbits (and big tits) to tickle action-RPG fans' sensitive spots.
Sacred 2 is actually set 2,000 years before events in Underworld, players adventuring in the land of Ancaria and caught up in a plot involving T-Energy which has worn "down the land and lures its denizens into fear and chaos. The world calls for a hero to end this war," says the game's official home on the interweb.
Sacred addicts have some time to wait before Sacred 2 launches - it's currently expected in early 2008. In the meantime, enjoy the new trailer.
Capcom has held onto the No. 1 spot in the UK all-formats software chart for the second week running as Xbox 360 exclusive Lost Planet continues to prove popular with consumers.
FIFA 07 and Pro Evo 6 are also still riding high, but swap places this week as Konami's offering rises one place to No. 2.
Making its debut at No. 4 is Sega Mega Drive Collection, which is selling well on both PSP and PS2. Wii title Wario Ware: Smooth Moves is up one place to No. 5, while EA follows with its second top ten title, Need for Speed: Carbon.
Nintendo takes the seventh and eighth spots with Wii Play and DS best-seller New Super Mario Bros. At nine again this week it's THQ's Cars, while The Sims 2: Pets rounds out the chart at No. 10.
New entries in the top 40 include TV tie-in Little Britain: The Videogame, which debuts at No. 14, and Star Fox Command at No. 26. Ubisoft's Rocky Balboa is in at 27, while MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes enters the chart at No. 34.
Big movers include The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, up eight places to No. 13. World Snooker Championship 2007 drops down ten places to No. 17, while World of Warcraft expansion pack The Burning Crusade says goodbye to the top ten as it slips from No. 5 to No. 18.
Florida attorney and game-regulation activist Jack Thompson has been involved in a number of public feuds stemming from his efforts against the likes of shock-jock Howard Stern, Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive, and the lawyers who have represented them. Thompson has even sued the Florida Bar, of which he is a member.
Now the Florida Bar has rolled up all those feuds and more into a 40-page complaint filed with the state's Supreme Court. Self-explanatory game blog GamePolitics broke the story over the weekend, reporting that the Bar's complaint makes five allegations against Thompson for violations of professional conduct.
GameSpot obtained a full copy of the complaint, which accuses Thompson of a number of misdeeds, such as repeatedly disobeying a judge's orders and violating Alabama's rules of professional conduct. Specifically, the complaint says Thompson made out-of-court statements that could tamper with the court case, knowing that they would be picked up and widely reported.
The complaint also alleges that Thompson directly violated a judge's orders multiple times. In November 2005, Fayette County Circuit Judge James Moore revoked Thompson's temporary license to practice law in Alabama for his behavior in the civil suit of a man convicted of killing two police officers and a dispatcher. Moore also ordered Thompson not to send him copies of any letters or e-mails he sent to a third party. The complaint says Thompson violated that order at least 30 times.
Another count accuses Thompson of making statements about Take-Two's lawyers opposing him "for no substantial purpose other than to embarrass, disparage, or humiliate them," of threatening disciplinary charges just to get a leg up in his civil suit, and for making statements about the qualifications or integrity of a judge with a reckless disregard for the truth. The final two counts allege that Thompson disparaged the lawyers representing Howard Stern in his legal battles with the radio host, accusing them of extortion and racketeering, among other things.
Thompson has filed a motion to stay any disciplinary action in the case and a motion for mediation. The Bar has not filed a response, and the judge has not ruled on either motion yet.
News and chances to win some nice hardware etc from Play Asia:
Play-Asia.com Lucky Lunar New Year Sale - Over 3,000 bargains at incredibly low prices. Plus a chance to win fantastic prizes, including an Xbox360 + HD DVD Player, Nintendo Wii, NDS Lite & lots more.
Kung Hei Fat Choi! Play-Asia welcomes the forthcoming Chinese New Year season, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese New Year for 2007 (which begins on February 18th) is the Year of the Pig. To celebrate this event, Play-Asia helps you to fill your piggy bank with thousands of newly discounted products, plus a chance to win fantastic prizes.
Now is the perfect time to browse through our extensive offerings and find one or another product that was left on your Christmas wish list, with a good chance of it now available at a lower price tag. We have spent time carefully reviewing our inventory and the result is a total of more than 3,000 in-stock items, all of them now available at discounted prices and only for a limited period of time.
Just like we've done with our sales in the past, you will again have the chance to win fantastic prizes, including an Xbox360™ Console + HD DVD Player addon, Nintendo Wii™, Nintendo DS™ Lite, store credit vouchers and much more by simply joining our New Year Sale.
And this is how it works:
Joining the Lucky Draw is easy. All you need to do is to place an order for any discounted item eligible for the Lucky Draw at Play-Asia.com between February 6th and February 28th. You can recognize these items by the "Piggy Bank Lucky New Year Sale" icon located on each individual product page.
Every paid order item will automatically join the Lucky Draw. The more items you order, the higher your chance to win one of our prizes. The winners of the 50 main prizes will be announced in this news post during the first week of March 2007 and will also be notified by e-mail.
Prizes:
1st Prize: Xbox360™ Console PRO System (Japanese or Asia Version) + HD DVD Player addon and 3 Xbox360™ Games or HD DVD Movies of your choice (*)
2nd Prize: Nintendo Wii™ Console (Japanese Version) + 2 Wii™ Games of your choice (*)
3rd Prize: Nintendo DS™ Lite Console + 2 NDS™ Games of your choice (*)
4th Prize: GP2X Game System Value Pack
5-10th Prize: A store credit voucher worth US$ 50 each, redeemable for any purchase at Play-Asia.com
11-20th Prize: A store credit voucher worth US$ 20 each, redeemable for any purchase at Play-Asia.com
21-50th Prize: A store credit voucher worth US$ 10 each, redeemable for any purchase at Play-Asia.com
(*) The "game of your choice" is only valid for any game priced up to a maximum of US$ 70 per title. Prizes cannot be redeemed as cash.
Discounted Items:
More than 3,000 different in-stock products have been discounted at Play-Asia.com, including over 2,000 video games and accessories, 800 movies, 300 CDs and 200 toys. Below you can find a small excerpt of some hot and featured products. A lot more can be found in our constantly updated Sales Category Pages.
Heres an excerpt of the Bargains available
PlayStation3™:
Genji: Kamui Souran / Genji: Days of the Blade JPN US$ 29.90
Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight JPN US$ 29.90
Ridge Racer 7 JPN N/A
Nintendo Wii™:
Call of Duty 3 US US$ 39.90
Elebits JPN US$ 39.90
Hajimete no Wii: Your First Step To Wii (w/ Remote) JPN US$ 39.90
Kororinpa JPN US$ 29.90
Odoru Made in Wario JPN US$ 39.90
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz US US$ 29.90
Super Swing Golf Pangya JPN US$ 39.90
Wing Island JPN US$ 39.90
Xbox360™:
Bionicle Heroes ASIA US$ 19.90
Call of Duty 2 ASIA N/A
Cars ASIA US$ 19.90
Full Auto JPN US$ 29.90
NBA Live 07 ASIA US$ 19.90
Prey ASIA N/A
Star Trek: Legacy US US$ 34.90
Super Robot Taisen XO JPN US$ 29.90
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 ASIA US$ 24.90
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent ASIA US$ 36.90
Tony Hawk's Project 8 ASIA US$ 42.90
Xbox 360 Faceplate (FIFA World Cup 2006) Europe US$ 6.90
Zegapain NOT JPN US$ 29.90
Zegapain XOR JPN US$ 19.90
PlayStation2™:
A.C.E. Another Century's Episode 2 JPN US$ 39.90
Death by Degrees Tekken: Nina Williams (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 4.90
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII JPN US$ 12.90
Front Mission 4 US US$ 14.90
Gran Turismo 4 JPN US$ 34.90
Kaido Battle 2: Chain Reaction JPN US$ 19.90
Kunoichi: Shinobu JPN US$ 6.90
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny: Generation of C.E. JPN US$ 29.90
Nano Breaker US US$ 9.90
Naruto: Konoha Spirits JPN US$ 39.90
Onimusha 3 JPN US$ 12.90
Onimusha Buraiden JPN US$ 9.90
Rumble Roses US US$ 12.90
Ryu ga Gotoku 2 JPN US$ 39.90
Sega SuperStars for EyeToy (w/ EyeToy) JPN US$ 18.90
Street Fighter Zero - Fighters Generation JPN US$ 29.90
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Ubisoft Best) JPN US$ 8.90
beatmania IIDX Controller US$ 49.90
Gamecube™:
Billy Hatcher & The Giant Egg (Best Price) JPN US$ 11.90
Biohazard 0 JPN US$ 19.90
Densetsu no Quiz (w/ Microphone) JPN US$ 6.90
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat JPN US$ 6.90
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (incl. drum controller) JPN US$ 19.90
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem JPN US$ 6.90
Giftpia JPN US$ 19.90
Gold Gashbell!! Friendship Tag Battle JPN US$ 9.90
Gold Gashbell: Yuujou Tag Battle 2 JPN US$ 6.90
Konjiki no Gashbell: Go! Go! Mamono Fight!! JPN US$ 6.90
Kururin Squash JPN US$ 14.90
Mega Man X Collection US US$ 19.90
Nintendo Puzzle Collection JPN US$ 14.90
Product Number 3 (P.N.03) JPN US$ 9.90
RockMan X Command Mission JPN US$ 9.90
Sonic Adventure DX (Best Price) JPN US$ 14.90
Super Mario Sunshine KOR US$ 14.90
Viewtiful Joe 2 JPN US$ 9.90
Xbox™:
Beretta 92FS US$ 24.90
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge ASIA US$ 6.90
Dead or Alive Ultimate Double Disc Collector's Edition ASIA US$ 44.90
Grabbed by the Ghoulies (Platinum Hits) ASIA US$ 4.90
Halo 2 ASIA US$ 44.90
Hello Kitty: Mission Rescue ASIA US$ 6.90
Nobunaga no Yabou: Ranseiki JPN US$ 1.90
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ASIA US$ 6.90
Project Gotham Racing 2 ASIA US$ 6.90
Sudeki ASIA US$ 6.90
Tenchu: Return from Darkness ASIA US$ 6.90
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow ASIA US$ 6.90
XIII ASIA US$ 6.90
Sony PSP™:
Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable ASIA US$ 6.90
Every Extend Extra JPN US$ 14.90
Finder Love: Fumina Hara JPN US$ 9.90
Jukugon JPN US$ 6.90
King's Field Additional I ASIA US$ 6.90
Pouch and Cloth (black) US$ 1.99
Pouch and Cloth (white) US$ 1.99
Simple 2500 Series Portable Vol. 4: The Mind Mapping Exercise ASIA US$ 5.90
Spectral vs. Generation ASIA US$ 9.90
Sweet Paradise JPN US$ 2.90
Talkman Euro ASIA US$ 10.90
Yarudora Portable: Blood The Last Vampire (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 4.90
Yarudora Portable: Double Cast (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 4.90
Yarudora Portable: Kisetsu o Dakishimete (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 4.90
Nintendo DS™:
Contact JPN US$ 12.90
Eyeshield 21: Max Devil Power JPN US$ 24.90
Gyakuten Saiban 2 (Best Price) / Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All JPN US$ 24.90
Hanjuku Eiyuu DS: Egg Monster Heroes JPN US$ 14.90
Kaitou Wario the Seven / Wario: Master of Disguise JPN US$ 29.90
Naruto: Saikyo Ninja Daikesshu 4 JPN US$ 19.90
Rockman ZX JPN US$ 24.90
Star Fox DS / Star Fox Command JPN US$ 14.90
Tales of the Tempest JPN US$ 14.90
Winning Eleven DS JPN US$ 9.90
Gameboy™ (Advance):
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Konami the Best) JPN US$ 14.90
Densetsu no Stafi 2 JPN US$ 14.90
Grandia: Parallel Trippers JPN US$ 2.90
Klonoa Heroes: Legend of the Star Medal JPN US$ 9.90
Mario Golf GB JPN US$ 7.90
Mother 3 JPN US$ 29.90
Pocket Bomberman [Tin Box] JPN US$ 9.90
RockMan EXE 6: Faltzer Version JPN US$ 9.90
RockMan Zero 2 JPN US$ 9.90
RockMan Zero 3 JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Boundish JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Coloris JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Dialhex JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Digidrive JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Dotstream JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Orbital JPN US$ 14.90
bit Generations: Soundvoyager JPN US$ 14.90
Toys, Books & Misc:
Animal Crossing Keychain - Model E US$ 0.99
Biohazard Stamp Collection JPN US$ 24.90
Bleach Screen Cleaner Phone Strap Gashapon US$ 0.99
Brave Story Brave Swing Gashapon US$ 0.99
Dead or Alive K.T Figure Collection US$ 3.90
Devil May Cry 5th Anniversary Frame Stamps Set JPN US$ 29.90
Devil May Cry 5th Anniversary Silver Layer Poster (A) US$ 10.90
Devil May Cry 5th Anniversary Silver Layer Poster (B) US$ 10.90
Figure Meister Noizi Ito Collection Neo Figure US$ 5.90
Gainax Toricolle Characters Collection Gashapon US$ 1.79
Ibara Figure Collection Vol.2: Meidi US$ 9.90
Ibara Figure Collection Vol.5: Shasta US$ 9.90
Jump Ultimate Stars Postcard Book US$ 1.99
Kabaya Little Dog Story Candy Toy US$ 0.49
Mai-Hime Collecton Figure Part. 3 US$ 1.99
SR Shakugan no Shana Collection Gashapon US$ 2.49
Ultimate Action Evangelion Gashapon Part 2 US$ 2.49
Viewtiful Joe Trading Figure US$ 1.49
Stephen Totilo, at MTV Games, has hit a gaming wall. At the newly un-flashed Multiplayer site he talks about the bane of gamers everywhere, what developer Jamie Fristrom calls a 'shelf-level event': a gaming wall that makes it hard if not impossible to complete a game. While a lot of gamers can overcome difficulties to reach the end credits, there are some frustrations that can suck all the fun out of play. He cites the bosses from Final Fantasy X and Super Paper Mario as dealbreakers. I personally am playing through God of War again, and the incredibly frustrating spear trap in the 'Paths of Madness' section of the game never fails to provoke hysterics. Have you run into any such obstacles lately? What game obstacles have caused you toss away a controller in frustration and swear off a game entirely?
Planning on getting a second or third mortgage to beef up your Windows box up to Crysis playable levels? You may want to read on. Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli told industry pub Next-Gen that gamers with older gaming PCs can still get their Crysis on, despite having a three year old set up.
So how does the current prettiest first person shooter plan to scale down to my current ghetto DirectX 9 hardware specs?
Fortunately this is much easier now that we can rely on the existence of hardware shaders. We believe clearly that Crysis will be enjoyed by a large audience that dates back to gamers with two- to three-year-old gaming rigs.
Yerli does warn though that you shouldn't spoil yourself on the DX10 version of the game, then try to go back to the decidely less gorgeous DX9 lest ye covet thy neighbor's graphics card. In other words, what you don't know won't hurt you.
Read on for the company's plans to move exclusively to Vista, but don't expect to find a release date. Yerli only gives us "asap". The wait doesn't bother me. I'll need to come across a few stray Benjamins before I'm signing up for Crysis.
We all knew that Nintendo has been leading the console scene over in Japan since the release of the Wii, but some sales figures provided by Enterbrain on the 6th reveal just how big the gap is. Over January, Nintendo sold approximately 405,000 Wii units, well beyond Sony's 148,000 PS3 units, the PS2's 111,000 units and the Xbox 360's 40,000 units.
In the race for next generation supremacy, this puts the Wii at 1,395,000 units, with the PS3 trailing at 614,000 units.
The Wii wasn't the number one system in January, though. That honor goes to the DS, which sold about 700,000 units. Nor was the PS3 the highest selling Sony system, as the PSP managed sales of 230,000 units over the month.
In software, the DS is still tops. Dragon Quest Monsters Joker, released late last year, sold 400,000 units over the month, besting the mighty Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, which combined for 370,000 units. Wii Sports is still selling hot. The Wii launch title took third for the month with 350,000 units. It's widely expected that the game will become the Wii's first million seller some time next month.
Here's the full top 10 software chart for January, as provided by Enterbrain:
1. Dragon Quest Monsters Joker (DS, Square Enix): 402,992
2. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl (DS, Pokemon): 370,832
3. Wii Sports (Wii, Nintendo): 355,243
4. Wii Play (Wii, Nintendo): 283,758
5. New Super Mario Brothers (DS, Nintendo): 229,797
6. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (PS2, Capcom): 209,974
7. Brain Age 2 (DS, Nintendo): 208,875
8. Common Knowledge Trainer (DS, Nintendo): 203,206
9. Animal Crossing (DS, Nintendo): 181,869
10. Kirby Squeak Squad (DS, Nintendo): 155,997
These sales figures cover from January 1 to January 28
It's been nearly a year since talk of a sequel to Monolith's FPS F.E.A.R., but today it's been reaffirmed that a follow-up to the horror-shooter is planned.
In a press release from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announcing that Monolith CEO Samantha Ryan has also now assumed the role of Senior Vice President, Development & Production at WBIE, it's mentioned that the company's "current production slate" includes "the sequel to F.E.A.R."
Developer Monolith is owned by Warner Bros.
Unfortunately, no further information is given on the F.E.A.R. sequel, but previously it's been mentioned that the follow-up will appear on PC and console and be tailored to each platform's particular strengths. It's expected that the sequel will go under a new as-yet-unannounced name too as the F.E.A.R. franchise is owned by Vivendi Games.
It's a whopping 1Gb download, but we doubt that'll stop hardcore RTS fans downloading the Supreme Commander demo that's been released. We certainly couldn't resist.
The demo allows you to dabble with the robot-powered Cybran, one of the game's three factions, in part of the single-player campaign and features a skirmish map. You can grab it from the usual download suspects.
Developed by Gas Powered Games and Chris 'Total Annihilation' Taylor, Supreme Commander is out on February 26.
Jade Empire might have appeared on Xbox an aeon ago, but at least with the Special Edition for PC BioWare is taking pains to deliver more than a direct console conversion.
In fact, there's encouraging word on the street that this new iteration of the kung-fu RPG doesn't really feel like a converted console game in the way the KOTOR titles did - although areas are often tight and confined, and it may be too short for PC RPG aficionados.
Anyway, a hefty load of new screenshots have been released along with a new trailer, which you can pass mince pies over and play spot the visual improvements with. The Special Edition also features the likes of new monsters, enemies and fighting styles. It's due for release on March 2.
Gears of War, Okami and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess are among the nominees for 'Best Game' in the seventh annual Game Developers Choice Awards.
This year's GDCA, the awards program where honours are bestowed to developers by developers, will take place during GDC 2007 on March 7, the ceremony to be hosted by legend Tim Schafer of Double Fine Productions.
Joining Gears, Okami and Zelda as 'Best Game' nominees are Oblivion and Wii Sports. Out of a total of eight categories in the awards, Okami and Oblivion have actually been nominated four times each.
Awards for Audio, Character Design, Game Design, Technology, Visual Arts, Writing and New Studio join the Best Game award. A full list of nominees for each category can be found on the official Game Developers Choice Awards website.
A new batch of screenshots from PC stealth-shooter Infernal are displaying what the employment of Ageia PhysX hardware means to the game. Look on and be amazed. Or unimpressed, depending on your point of view.
According to Eidos which is distributing the game, with PhysX enabled "the game takes players to a new level of physics interaction". It continues, enthusing, "Explosions in Infernal are truly a sight to behold, with dust particles filling the screen as collateral debris and wreckage hurtle through the air in all directions...
"...graphical effects from both weapons and supernatural powers look absolutely stunning, engulfing the player and the world in light, with fire bending and warping the player's vision; and fire effects become truly worthy of any agent of Hell."
Infernal is due Q1 2007 and finds player filling the boots of Ryan Lennox, a supernatural-powered special agent working for Hell and attempting to save the netherworld from collapse.
Via GameSpot, the news on the University of Rochester site is that playing videogames can actually improve your vision. Games, especially action shooters, actually change the way your brain looks at the world. According to the findings of researchers Daphne Bavelier and Shawn Green, visual processing is enhanced through consistent play of complex graphical titles. Simple orientation tests were much easier for a group that played UT, compared to a group that only played Tetris.
Fans of a romping good graphical adventure are in for a real treat because GamesRadar is exclusively hosting a demo of the upcoming and absolutely gorgeous looking PC game Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle later this week.
While the game isn't out until 9 March, we're giving point 'n' clickers the opportunity to sample Runaway's Alaska level and overcome its brain teasing puzzles playing as the game's charismatic leading man, Brian.
The demo will go live on GamesRadar this Friday at 2pm but, until then, hit the images tab above for a look at some fresh Runaway screens.
In a move that could have oppressed German game developers looking jealously towards the southwest, the French Parliament has approved a plan to allow game developers creating games with a "with a cultural dimension" a tax credit equaling 20% of development costs up to 3 million euros a year. That's a pretty sizeable chunk of change aimed at keeping developers in the country, providing a sharp contrast to Germany, where some game developers are looked on and treated like borderline criminals.
So what determines if a game has a cultural dimension? Anything from the story the music, the look and feel, etc., so while a game about killing space aliens on a made up planet might not fall under the criteria, killing space aliens in the Louvre to the music of Jean-Marie Leclair just might.
Devs shouldn't start counting their euros yet however, as the European Commission is currently looking the plan over to see if it constitutes a EU policy violating subsidy.
Goozex has become partners with DCEmu Reviews. Join Goozex now and get one FREE trade immediately. Then, once you have completed your first transaction with positive feedback(*), we will credit you an additional bonus of 100 points. Joining is completely free: no monthly fee, no credit card is required!
(*) A positive transaction is one which has received positive feedback from the buyer. To be eligible for the bonus, you can be either the seller or the buyer, so long as the transaction is successfully completed to the buyer's satisfaction.
Your first trades are on us!
What is Goozex and how does it work?
Goozex is the new innovative system developed and tested by video-gamers for video-gamers. Goozex provides a unique trading platform that allows peer-to-multi-peer trading of physical goods. The company delivers the following services:
Peer-to-multi-peer trading platform
Community experience
Video game reviews and multi-media information on the products
The system allows users to trade their video games in exchange for Goozex points, which can then be used to receive video games from other users. This helps gamers avoid paying enormous amounts of cash for games. Goozex runs on an internal currency that is dictated by points that are assigned to each game. The only payment that members make to Goozex is a payment of $1 transaction fee for each video game they receive. Learn more!
The following is how to register for free and what you get when you sign up:
Once registered, you get 1 FREE TRADE immediately.
Once you have received one positive feedback, you get an additional 100 points!
Deadline: July 31, 2007
Those interested in getting rid of console games that they have been trying to get rid of and want to get games that they want, this is a great and easy service. Depending on games and points value, you can swap games evenly without having to spend extra money. There is no support for retro systems such as NES, SNES, etc. but may be available in the future. Unfortunately, this is only available to residents in the US, Canada and Bermuda due to region and compatibility of consoles (REGION 1; NTSC).
With the launch of the PS3 and Wii 3 months behind us, we've taken a look back at those launches and as well launch of the 360 and tried to come up with a set of new rules for the next major console launch.
1. Thou shall not force us to kill for your system, thou shall have at least 600,000 units at launch
2. Thou shall have enough accessories to go with the system
3. Honor the father and the mother, do not charge more than $350 for thy next system
4. You shall not bear false witness against your system specs
5. You shall not steal extra money from us by not including key components in the box
6. Remember a gaming day and keep it holy (release new online content on a consistent basis)
7. You shall not covet your neighbors titles, make sure you have at least three solid first party launch titles
8. You shall not commit gaming adultery, backwards compatibility should be an all or nothing deal
9. Thou should have good tech support and a solid replacement policy in place for defective units
10. Future launches will launch with one and only one SKU
PlayStation3™:
HDMI Audio Video Cable (3 meters / 10 ft) US$ 46.90
HORI Fighting Stick 3 US$ 49.90
HORI Real Arcade Pro Stick 3 US$ 89.90
Sonic the Hedgehog US US$ 64.90
Virtua Fighter 5 JPN US$ 69.90
Virtua Fighter 5 ASIA US$ 59.90
Virtua Stick High Grade US$ 79.90
Outstanding Virtua Stick High Grade preorders are expected to be filled within next week.
Nintendo Wii™:
Cooking Mama: Minna to Issho ni Oryouri Taikai! JPN US$ 59.90
PlayStation2™:
Choro Q HG 2 (Atlus Best Collection) JPN US$ 24.90
Full House Kiss 2 (CapKore) JPN US$ 24.90
Hisshou Pachinko Kouryoku Series Vol. 1: CR Shinseiki Evangelion (Special Price Version) JPN US$ 34.90
Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono 18: Thunder Cross JPN US$ 25.90
Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono 19: Trio the Punch JPN US$ 25.90
OutRun 20th Anniversary Special Box JPN US$ 159.90
OutRun2 SP JPN N/A
OutRun2 SP [First Print Limited Edition] JPN US$ 64.90
Rogue Galaxy US US$ 49.90
StellaDeus (Atlus Best Collection) JPN US$ 34.90
Nintendo DS™:
Diddy Kong Racing DS US US$ 39.90
Jet Impulse / DS Air JPN US$ 48.90
Luminous Arc JPN US$ 48.90
Morita Shogi DS JPN US$ 39.90
Sony PSP™:
Magic Sudoku ASIA US$ 24.90
Medal of Honor Heroes JPN US$ 48.90
New Rainbow Island: Hurdy Gurdy Daibouken!! JPN US$ 48.90
Dreamcast&rade;
Last Hope US$ 39.99
PC Games:
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes US US$ 49.90
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Online Collector's Guild Edition US N/A
Guide Books:
Battlestations: Midway (Prima Official Game Guide) US US$ 19.90
Rogue Galaxy Prima Official Game Guide US US$ 22.90
Toys & Misc:
Bleach Complete Works III Figure - Justice vs Crimes of Treason US$ 4.99
Excellent Model Core Queen's Blade P-2 1/8 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure - Experienced Mercenary Echidna N/A
Final Fantasy III Square-Enix Characters US$ 6.90
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts: Continental Circus from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Non Scale Pre-Painted Action Figure) US$ 29.90
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts: Fenrir from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Non Scale Pre-Painted Action Figure) US$ 29.90
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts: High Wind from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Non Scale Pre-Painted Action Figure) US$ 29.90
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts: Kadaj's Motorcycle from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Non Scale Pre-Painted Action Figure) US$ 29.90
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts: Sister Ray from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Non Scale Pre-Painted Action Figure) US$ 29.90
From TV Animation One Piece Candy Toy US$ 3.49
Gainax Toricolle Characters Collection Gashapon US$ 1.79
Ikkitousen: 1/7 Scale Painted Figure Story Image Figure EX - Ryofu Housen US$ 52.90
Mai-Hime 1/7 Scale Painted PVC Figure: Natsuki Kuga US$ 52.90
Mai-Hime Z 1/6 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure - Arika Yumemiya Coral Robe US$ 52.90
Mai-Hime Z 1/6 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure - Nina Wang Coral Robe US$ 52.90
Melty Blood Series I Painted PVC Figure: Arcueid Brunestud US$ 48.90
Melty Blood Series I Painted PVC Figure: Hisui US$ 48.90
OS-Idol: 1/8 Scale Painted PVC Figure - Win Chan US$ 38.90
Sakigake!! Otokojuku Toshi Retsuden Figure US$ 6.90
Tales of the Abyss One Coin Grande Figure Collection US$ 6.90
To Heart 2 - Another Days 1/7 Scale Pre-Painted Figure: Manaka Komaki (Milky One Piece Ver.) US$ 52.90
Video Game related Soundtracks:
Kiniro no Corda 2 BGM & Monologue Shu JPN US$ 23.90
PC Game 'Edelweiss' Drama CD JPN US$ 28.90
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Get the hankies ready folks - Half-Life 2: Episode Two has been delayed. Again.
We were expecting it in summer - a delay from a previously announced early 2007 date - but it's now due this winter.
We're gutted here at CVG. No doubt you are too.
News of the new release date was sneaked in at the bottom of a press release announcing details on the Orange Box and Black Box versions of Half-Life 2: Episode Two that'll be released to retail.
HL2 Black Box is for PC and includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2, while the Orange Box is for PC, PS3 and Xbox includes all the content of The Black Box along with the original Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One.
We guess it's possible that Valve will release Episode Two for PC through Steam before it hits retail, but don't count your chickens.
With the developer aiming for a simultaneous release on all platforms with its Half-Life 2 projects, we can only imagine that the console versions have pushed things back.
We've fired off an email to Valve to get the score.
Standing proudly amongst the realms of fantasy is Koch, which today confirmed to Eurogamer that Silverfall will be released on 9th March across Europe.
The game, developed by Monte Cristo, is a traditional RPG romp for PC with a cel-shaded twist. Choose to follow science or nature in your quest to find the evil behind the attack on the city of Silverfall, which alters its appearance depending on your alignment and progress throughout the adventure.
Play as a human, elf, goblin or troll, and level up your abilities in two separate skill trees, each providing 10 unique talents. Kit yourself out in the best available armour, and arm yourself with the most menacing weapons, whilst gaining allies and fame on your quest for vengeance.
Phew, so, if you fancy trying an early portion of the game for yourself, you can ride the waves of digital guidance over to the recent single-player demo for the game.
Everyone's favourite business reality game-show will soon be coming to PC, thanks to Legacy Interactive, which has announced The Apprentice: Los Angeles for release in March.
Unfortunately it won't be Sir Alan Sugar's slightly chubby finger pointing at you, but that of Donald Trump, host of the original American series. It's him and his cheesy hairdo you'll aim to please, as you battle against opponents to avoid the infamous "you're fired," ultimately trying to secure yourself a place on Trump's staff with a salary of USD 250,000.
Legacy Interactive has developed the game, and aims to make it available to download from its website. The action will take place in iconic LA hotspots, where you'll have to find the optimum solution to business-based conundrums to win the day.
Those of you in the US will also be able to get your entrepreneurial fingers on ringtones from the show through major American mobile carriers. If only you could witness our jealousy first hand.
"We know fans of the show fantasize about what it must be like to take on Donald Trump's challenges and face him the infamous boardroom," boasted Conrad Riggs from Mark Burnett Productions - makers of the American series. "Now they will get that opportunity in the videogame. It's a great complement to the television show."
We wonder how long before we can expect a digital reprise of the heated UK show, gaining control of finalist Ruth Badger as she attempted to gobble-up eventual winner Michelle Dewberry - who we definitely would. Ah, wild fantasies.
Bohemia Interactive CEO Marek Spanel has said we can probably expect a second demo of Armed Assault (ArmA) after the came is released on 16th February.
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Speaking to Eurogamer in an interview due to be published tomorrow, Spanel moved to assuage fans' fears based on the original demo's frame rate by confessing that it "wasn't fully optimised".
"We probably will even release an updated demo after the game is released," he said.
Naturally the full game performs better than the original demo. "There are more options to customise the visual quality for lower end graphics cards," he noted.
"Still, this game draws very large scenes on the screen and it is the graphics card that is usually the bottleneck. Playing the game on modern high-end graphics makes is much more appealing than playing it on minimum graphics."
Armed Assault - sometimes known as ArmA - is Bohemia's follow-up to Operation Flashpoint, a name for which they no longer hold the rights, obviously.
RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser has identified five key areas of development which casual games companies must focus on if the sector is to achieve mass market success.
Speaking at the Casual Games Association's Europe: West conference, which kicked off in Amsterdam yesterday, Glaser began his upbeat keynote speech by tackling the hot topic of monetisation.
Claiming that only 2 per cent of customers commit to purchasing a casual game after a free trial period, Glaser predicted that advertising would provide the bulk of the sector's future income. He cited RealNetworks's Clicktopia and streamed video advertising templates as examples of how ad-based revenue systems could be successfully employed in casual games.
Glaser went on to state that the sector must capitalise on its promising growth by branching into new formats, including next-generation consoles and handhelds.
"We're seeing a lot of consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and DS being aimed at a wider demographic, not just the hardcore gaming market," he explained.
However, Glaser also sounded a note of caution - warning that each platform has its own unique requirements, and that if true multi-platform success is to be achieved, every product will need optimising for specific formats.
"Just making a great game on the PC is hard," he stated. "It doesn't automatically translate to these other platforms. The games have to be optimised for each platform."
While Glaser was confident that these multi-platform markets would grow over time, he also warned that growth rates "may not be as spectacular as some people have suggested in the short and mid terms".
Next up was the subject of casual gaming growing into a worldwide industry - with Glaser stating that many rapidly growing markets such as South America and Asia still remain relatively untapped.
Pointing to RealNetworks's new deal with Yahoo to power game sites across Europe as an example of how the industry must become more global, Glaser moved on to his fourth tip for future success - the need to integrate into communities and social networks.
Citing Asia as an example of how the industry needed to adapt, Glaser pointed to the failure of the Try Before You Buy model in most of the continent's major countries.
"[Try Before You Buy] works in Japan, but in the very large markets such as India, China and Korea, there's not a tradition of this model working," he observed.
"However, there is a model that's working great, and that's about being members of a community. If we want to become a global business we have to get smart at that approach."
Glaser rounded off by insisting casual gaming must start establishing itself as a mainstream entertainment medium on a par with hardcore gaming and film. He said that that in order to do this greater press awareness and wider review coverage is paramount, along with the introduction of known and trusted brands - like Monopoly and Scrabble - into the marketplace to attract new customers.
"Our goal is to make casual games to be seen as just another form of entertainment, where the press will review it just like they would a movie or a hardcore game," stated Glaser. He concluded that, "It's just a matter of time till we get into the mainstream."
Despite Glaser's perhaps overly optimistic final conclusion that the casual gaming market was the healthiest industry of all of the entertainment mediums, his assertion that the sector has one of the largest growth possibilities is far harder to argue against - and it's a sector that Glaser and RealNetworks are clearly determined to remain at the forefront of for years to come.
Microsoft Casual Games has unveiled a new initiative which will see developers receiving up to 20 per cent of the in-game advertising revenues generated by their titles.
The Ad-Share Program, which covers titles hosted on MSN Games, is designed to motivate developers and give advertisers a means of reaching consumers over a longer period of time.
There are two parts to the program. At Level I, developers will take away 10 per cent of revenues and there are no new requirements games must meet to qualify.
At Level II, developers will receive a 20 per cent share - but games must be submitted for an ESRB rating and there are extra phases to the development process such as localisation. In addition, Level II games must offer "a 'deluxe' game experience" that lasts for at least 10 hours.
According to Microsoft, the top five participants in the Ad-Share Program can expect to share more than US$ 250,000 annually.
"Casual game developers traditionally operate on a limited revenue model, typically receiving a set fee from downloadable titles or a small royalty associated with game subscriptions," said Chris Early, studio manager for Microsoft Casual Games.
"Now, by sharing in-game advertising revenue, we?re allowing a more diversified business model that gives our partners more resources to create new, innovative titles for the 13 million people we see every month on MSN Games."
Microsoft says developers who want to take part in the program should contact their Microsoft distributor or email MCG@microsoft.com for more details.
Burning Crusade and World of Warcraft reigned atop the industry-tracking NPD Group's weekly sales charts as the best-selling PC games for the week of January 21 to 27, with the recently released expansion continuing to draw interest from a fan base that purchased 2.4 million copies in the game's first 24 hours of availability.
Backing Vivendi's gruesome massively multiplayer twosome on the charts is another cash-cow/expansion pair, The Sims 2 and The Sims 2: Pets, in third and fourth place, respectively. The life-simulating games from Electronic Arts are followed in fifth place by a more militaristic effort from the publisher, the futuristic first-person shooter Battlefield 2142.
Leading off the back half of the top 10 in sixth place is the game based on Howie Mandel's latest paying gig, the TV game show Deal or No Deal. The similarly casual puzzle game Bejeweled 2 closed off the top 10, with hardcore strategy and simulation efforts from Microsoft and Sega filling the spaces in between.
Last year, North Carolina legislators pondered giving companies that make games in the state--like Gears of War developer Epic Games--a 15 percent tax credit for equipment and labor costs. This year the state's lawmakers are considering game-centric legislation of a different sort.
As reported by Game Politics, North Carolina State Senator Julia Boseman introduced Senate Bill 87, which would add violent video games--possibly including the sort made by Gears of War developer Epic Games--to the list of material considered harmful to minors. If it became law, the bill would make it illegal for anyone except a parent or legal guardian to sell, rent, or otherwise expose a minor to a game deemed harmful to minors.
Retailers and arcade operators would not be able to advertise that the games are available or display them except in a separate section of their stores labeled "adults only." Also, all retailers and arcade operators, regardless of whether they carried games that qualified as harmful to minors, would be required to post signs explaining the industry's gaming rating systems.
As for what games would be covered, the law would classify as harmful to minors any game featuring "the realistic visual depiction of serious injury to human beings…" if it was found to fail a modified version of the three-pronged obscenity test. The graphic violence in the game would need "a predominant tendency to appeal to a morbid interest of minors in violence," the violence would have to be "patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community concerning what is suitable for minors," and the game would have to lack "serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors."
If it comes to a vote, the bill appears to have a good chance of passing the North Carolina Senate; 29 of the state's 50 senators have signed on as co-authors of the bill. If passed by the Senate, the bill would then need to be passed by the House of Representatives and approved by the governor to become law. If it passes all that, it would go into effect December 1.
Wired has up a very thoughtful article examining the current anti-violent gaming trends in Germany, and reflecting on their connection to WWII. Article author Bruce Gain discusses some of the history of post-Nazi Germany, and points out how violent games rile politics in that country by reminding it of its past. Says Gain:
"Some German officials link these games to an increase in violence among the young and cite at least one instance where a gamer applied the lessons learned from a first-person shooter to a real-life murderous rampage. Remove the connection, they argue, and you prevent further violence. Germany has a lot of gamers, but the violence found in many of these games is widely criticized there. It has some of the strictest video-game censorship laws in the Western world. For example, laws prohibit the sale of Counter-Strike and other titles with blood-depicting graphics switched on. But for many politicians, the laws don't go far enough."
The move reflects the increasing importance of downloads in the entertainment sector in general – with the music industry, of course, already fully embracing non-physical sales of singles and albums. And the step will also further underline the strength of the ChartTrack UK data, which is already the envy of other territories around the world.
The fragmented nature of the sector means that negotiations are on-going, but ChartTrack has detailed plans in place already.
“We’re some way off downloads becoming a big part of the business, but it’s coming,” said ChartTrack’s Dorian Bloch. “And part of our mission statement is to follow the market wherever it goes.”
It is expected that downloads will appear first in the PC charts once retailers start to offer games via their websites, but as Bloch points out: “We can’t incorporate some retail downloads without incorporating them all.”
Downloads via Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, however, present a tougher challenge. “Console download data is held by the format holders, and for us to get that data will require a lot of negotiation as they might not necessarily be forthcoming with it straight away,” Bloch stated. “With consoles, the integration will probably be later rather than sooner as someone needs to independently verify the sales. And we hope that will be us.”
Telltale Games has released the third instalment in its six-episode Sam & Max adventure, the full release accompanied by a demo - so you can try before you buy.
The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball, as the third episode is subtitled, finds Sam & Max on the trail of a mole sent in to investigate an underground operation at the Ted E. Bear Mafia-Free Playland and Casino.
Hit up Telltale's website if you want to buy Episode 3, while the demo can be grabbed from numerous download sites - including this one.
The UK release of Bohemia Interactive's hardcore military shooter Armed Assault will be enhanced with extra content not appearing in the release versions already available in German and Eastern Europe.
Publisher 505 Games has informed that Blighty-ians - and indeed other European countries - are to receive "a raft of new weapons, two new aircraft and two motorbikes, as well as an exclusive new open-ended mission" when Armed Assault releases on February 16.
Although the extra content is being labelled as exclusive, a patch featuring the additions is being released for German and Eastern Europe versions of the game at the end of the month.
Armed Assault is Bohemia Interactive's successor to hit title Operation Flashpoint. Like Flashpoint, it's a hardcore, realism-heavy sandbox military shooter. Keep 'em peeled for a review hitting these pages shortly.
It's been know from some time that Vivendi's bringing a Battlestar Galactica title to PC and Xbox Live Arcade, but it's now got a release date according to the Hollywood Reporter - it's due autumn.
Based on the revived sci-fi TV series, the space combat game will be digital distribution-only for PC - and for Xbox 360, obviously - and features single-player and multiplayer modes. Players will be able to strap on space boots as both the Cylons and/or human factions and engage in combat from a first-person viewpoint, it's said.
Battlestar Galactica is being developed by Auran Games, with Vivendi subsidiary Sierra Online partnering with NBC Universal to make the game happen.
Galactica fans will be pleased to hear that the likes of the show's ships and sound effects are being brought over for the game, and it's possible that cast will provide voice talent, although that remains to be confirmed.
"We wanted to bring a more intense combat experience to gamers. From a story standpoint, fans will be able to relive key battles from the first two seasons of the show, and then we'll add new content and missions outside of that", explained Bill Kispert, vice president interactive of NBC Universal.
On the surface, the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (IAAs) seemed a lot like the Ninth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Same venue (The Joint at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino), same host (actor/comedian Jay Mohr), and same elbow-rubbing with industry celebs.
However, this year's coinciding D.I.C.E. Summit, put on by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS), has grown, and in turn so has the IAA show. This year's awards show was of particular interest, as it is the first AIAS awards show to include all three new game consoles.
Journalist Heather Chaplin interviews AIAS president Joseph Olin on the red carpet.
The awards show went off with just one technical hitch, which was filled with Mohr's semi-humorous tales of his cat fornicating. But as far as awards shows go, the AIAS pulled off a winner. Though there were plenty of people pulling for their own creations, the crowd, made up of industry big wigs and not the randoms off the street like Spike TV's Video Game Awards, clearly appreciated a worthy winner.
The real fight to watch was between two of the most critically acclaimed games of the year--Epic Games' Gears of War and Bethesda Softworks' The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Oblivion took home the top prize at December's Spike TV Video Game Awards, both were matched up tonight for Game of the Year, and both will go head-to-head at the GDC Awards in March.
Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski and Michael Capps accept Game of the Year honors in Las Vegas.
Over the course of the show, it was a dominating performance by Gears of War, which walked away with eight awards. The shooter took the very first two awards, prompting host Mohr to say, "Let's not get all sour after we're here for one-and-a-half hours for Gears of War. Don't get pissy. Just get a cocktail."
Gears won the awards for Outstanding Character Performance - Male, Outstanding Achievement in Animation, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Online Play, Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering, Action/Adventure Game of the Year, Console Game of the Year, and Overall Game of the Year.
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime stands guard over the Lifetime Achievement Awards handed out earlier in the night to Minoru Arakawa and Howard Lincoln.
One of the more surprising victors of the evening was Nintendo's pack-in Wii game, Wii Sports. If a category dabbled in innovation or game play, Wii Sports grabbed it. The game took home the awards for Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering, Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, and Outstanding Innovation in Gaming.
However the award for best reception of an award goes to Cliffy B, accepting the prize for Gears' win for Outstanding Achievement in Online Play. The prize was presented by Sony president of worldwide studios Phil Harrison, and when Gears was announced as the winner, many an eye widened in the crowd.
Sid Meier introduces the Hall of Fame award, given this year to M.U.L.E. designer Dani Bunten. Dani's two sons accept the award on their father's behalf.
As Cliff accepted the award, he made sure to mention how robust the Xbox 360's online capabilities were--a not-too-veiled dig at Harrison's PlayStation 3. Harrison took the jab in good humor even when Cliff left the stage without an acknowledgement to Harrison, and chuckled as he approached the microphone to present the next award. These are the moments that make award shows like this.
The PC MMO movement gets another shot in its great big arm as the distressingly-titled Vogster Entertainment announced CrimeCraft. It’s a sort of MMO GTA where thousands of people walk the shadier path of life, running shady businesses and generally getting up to no good - killing, robbing, smashing stuff, that sort of thing. Easily the best thing to come from the Ukraine since the Chicken Kiev, we’re sure.
No release date has been announced yet, but check back often for more updates and start wondering if you can grind levels by killing mimes.
It's true that the best things in life are free. Other peoples' firework displays. Your neighbour's WiFi connection. Garden snails. All free. And now, thanks to Gameshadow, you can also add awesome, award winning games to that list.
Having recently announced the winners of its 'Innovation in Games' awards, Gameshadow is now offering some of the winning games, plus a load of others, to download and play for free. It's an offer that any gamer really won't want to refuse, so click here and get playing some genuine gems, like Stickman Madness, Thing Thing 3 and the soon-to-be-available-on-PS3, Flow.
If you've got a thing for point 'n' click adventures then you'll no doubt have your peepers fixed on Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle. The sequel to the excellent and award-winning Runaway looks super hot, delivering a delicious graphical adventure filled with diverse environments, ingenious puzzles, gorgeous visuals and a cast of delightful characters. And GamesRadar is giving you the chance to sample it right now with an exclusive demo.
The sampler contains the Alaskan level and will give you a taster of the kind of puzzles you can expect to find in the finished game. Have you got the brain power to overcome Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle? Hit the link below to start the download and find out.
Acclaim has clashed the ancient gong and opened the door to its martial arts MMO 9Dragons, inviting players around the world to high-kick their way into the beta test phase of the game.
We chopstick-wielding Europeans will also be treated to a new server for the service, after our old one abruptly fell-down-went-boom. It will reside in the US for the time being, but we'll be treated to a full Euro-time game master team to answer our Kung-fu related questions.
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We'll also be able to get our hands double experience points until tomorrow morning at 07:59, at which time the offer runs out.
"We want to welcome all of the European 9Dragons players to Acclaim," said Acclaim CEO Howard Marks. "Our community is excited to have you join us, and we look forward to offering you 9Dragons as a free-to-play game."
9Dragons, developed by Indy21, is a free to play MMO for PC, which is set in Ming Dynasty China. You'll be able to chose between one of six martial-art clans, along with three advanced factions that will be run by players rather than computer controlled characters.
World of Warcraft meets Super Mario Bros. in a big way in this video. Frankly, we're surprised it's taken someone this long to do this. But here it is in the flesh, and it ain't looking too bad! The editing is top notch, and that underwater level is done really well. People with mad skillz like this will one day take over the world, and we'll be bowing down to these video editing overlords. Mark our words.
Given that the video comes to us from The Last Boss, it's a bit ironic that the only weak moment is the boss fight at the end of the lava level. Did he just use really bad breath on him FTW?
UFO: Afterlight is the next instalment in the UFO: Aftermath and UFO: Aftershock series, bringing a completely new insight to the story of Aftershock, this time from the perspective of lonely human inhabitants on Mars.
The PC strategy game UFO: Afterlight is in stock today, shipping as English language release version at US$ 24.90 only.
Game features:
Combination of global strategy and tactical missions
Completely new story built on the events from UFO: Aftershock
Large number of new technologies, weapons and equipment to develop
Completely new environments on a different planet than Earth
Highly replayable game because of the player’s key decisions on diplomacy and research
Strong RPG elements, the player knows his team by names
PC Gamer UK, via the CVG site, has a feature up on the influence Dungeons and Dragons had on the development of videogaming. The role D&D has had in inspiring gamers is fairly well known; Masters of Doom chronicles the inspiration the Johns' campaign had on the creation of Doom and Quake. The article discusses more recent confluences of the tabletop game and videogame development, such as Obsidian's use of pen-and-paper to develop the early areas of Neverwinter Nights 2. Ideas for the late, lamented, Fallout 3 was sparked by a number of tabletop roleplaying moments from developer campaigns
- DS Lite: 146,073
- Wii: 65,740
- PSP: 31,216
- PS2: 18,727
- PS3: 17,540
- Xbox 360: 6,130
- Game Boy Micro: 1,050
- GBA SP: 724
- Gamecube: 306
- DS Phat: 119
- GBA: 28
Again the DS Lite is doing extremely well, the Wii again in second place, most disapointing must be the PS3 sales which are lacking behind both PSP and PS2. Has Sonys bubble and control of Japans Gaming Market come to an end ?
It's been exactly a year since Activision last said anything about its game based on Michael Bay's upcoming robot movie, Transformers -- and even then, explicit information about the title was closely guarded (specific consoles hadn't been named; the developers weren't identified, etc). But after 52 weeks of nothing, our contacts at Activision have finally come clean and given us a couple of details to work with.
Officially known as Transformers: The Game, the Traveller's Tales-developed actioner is scheduled for just about every platform out there (PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360) and will come out this summer with nearly identical content. Its storyline will follow the movie closely, giving players control over both the Autobots and the Decepticons as they choose to either protect the earth or pimp slap it.
The final number of playable characters is still unknown, but Activision has confirmed that Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Bumblebee, and Ironhide are among them. Each bot has their own set of special skills and abilities too, and gamers will be able to switch between robot and vehicle form at any time. Fully destructible environments (including entire buildings and vehicles) and the ability to use wreckage as weapons are also expected.
Combat mechanics still aren't very clear, but developers do say that each character's scale and weight affects how they fight. Both ranged and melee battles are possible as well, and there are a few other elements that haven't been expanded on yet.
Handheld fans should also take note that PSP and DS versions are in the works from Savage and Vicarious Visions respectively. No details about the Dual Screen edition were made public, wowever, we do know that the PSP edition boasts 20 playable Autobots and Decepticons and follows an expanded telling of the movie's storyline (complete with bot customization and ad hoc/ infrastructure multiplayer modes).
In the wake of the news of further delay for Half-Life 2: Episode Two - and subsequently Portal and Team Fortress 2 - Valve has released a update on TF2 development saying the game "is really moving along".
"In fact, things have reached a point where people start getting pretty antsy around the office as we get closer and closer to the 6:00 p.m. playtest session," the dev's added. "We will be sharing more information about TF2 over the next couple of months..."
Valve has also released a new TF2 image showing "some of the TF2 characters.. that is currently being used for the start-up screen for the game." We've uploaded it to this page for you to check out.
Team Fortress 2 is the developer's remake of its superb team- and class-based multiplayer mod Team Fortress Classic.
One of this year's hottest PC RTS titles Supreme Commander releases on Friday, but just before battle commences a final trailer has been deployed for our viewing pleasure. Feast ya peepers on it by clicking on our video player over on the right.
Supreme Commander has been developed by Gas Powered Games and Chris 'Total Annihilation' Taylor.
Keep eyes peeled for a full review hitting shortly.
A World of My Own (AWOMO) is a new digital delivery platform that's being labelled the iTunes of the videogame world by mega-millionaire Branson.
Due to launch later this year, the 3D 'virtual world' platform's a product of a team-up between Virgin Games and Game Domain International (GDI).
It will allow users to download PC games "in minutes", according to Chris Gorman OBE, director of GDI.
Initial testing on AWOMO has just been completed, and according to Virgin Games several of the world's major games publishers have already registered their support.
It's not yet been announced which games will be available for download on launch, although GDI intends to debut the service with a large selection of games available "in order to meet the huge international demand expected".
As well as offering fast download speeds, the service also provides far greater security, it's said.
"This is a really exciting development for us, as it gives us the opportunity to do for PC Games what iTunes has done for music", Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin, said.
"The GDI technology will revolutionise how the mass market will play games, and will give them more choice for less money."
Chris Gorman, meanwhile, enthused about the "highly alluring combination of being able to download a game in minutes instead of the existing standard few hours".
He also spoke of "the promoted mega cash prize gaming tournaments" that "will create a Mecca of opportunities for sponsors and promoters to target the vast gaming community."
You're no doubt well aware that BioWare's revamped PC version of kung fu RPG Jade Empire features new fighting styles; revealed in latest footage is one such combat art - the Viper Style. Karate-leap over to the video player right to have a gander.
You've probably figured out by now that the DS and Wii were the hottest things in Japanese gaming over the holiday period. A recent poll conducted by Weekly Famitsu suggests just how big the two systems were.
The magazine asked readers of its Famitsu.com website which system they most played over the holiday season. While the DS was the biggest selling system over the period, Wii was apparently the most played system, taking up 244 votes. DS came next, with 185 votes, followed by the PS2 (148), Xbox 360 (146) and PSP (115). The PS3 didn't place in the top five.
Famitsu asked its nation wide army of retail friends (the same set of retailers that help parent publisher Enterbrain assemble its weekly sales charts) a similar question: which product was hottest over the holiday season. The DS Lite took the top spot, at 46 votes. The Wii hardware got second at 28, followed by DS software as a whole (9), Dragon Quest Monsters Joker for the DS (8) and Yakuza 2 for the PS2 (5). Once again, the PS3 didn't place in the top 5.
It's a bit surprising that the PS3 didn't place on either list, as the system was the fourth best selling piece of hardware for the period, beatin by the DS, Wii and PSP
Stronghold developer Firefly is leaping into the fantasy action-RPG genre with Hero, a game which we're told takes players "into a real dungeon" - we're guessing that means a hefty dose of the dynamic.
Plot details are a light, but it is mentioned that the dungeon is "at war" and the abode of a shadowy evil which feeds on despair. Mwahahahahaha...
Adventurers will be battling hordes of monsters in melee, ranged and magic combat, with the option to fight alongside a fellow hero that can drop in and out of the game at will, by the sounds of it.
It's additionally hinted that Hero will feature KOTOR-style good guy/bad guy paths to follow with players ultimately attempting to "survive - and maybe even save - the darkest society imaginable!".
A first trailer is viewable on this page and provides a brief glimpse of Firefly's new HD engine that's powering the game. Hero is due out on PC and a to-be-confirmed console platform in spring 2009, published by the newly launched Gamecock Media Group.
After almost ten years in the think-tank, PC gaming legend Chris Taylor's latest RTS is here.
Apart from providing the most epic battles we've ever seen in a game - putting more tanks on our monitor than currently reside in the Gaza Strip - it's also got a top-notch interface, wonderfully-designed factions and 100ft robots with laser-eyes and twin gravity guns. Age of Empires this isn't.
If you need more reasons to pick up this latest slice of strategy brilliance, we point you towards our UK online exclusive review, which is almost as epic as the game itself. Almost.
Gas Powered Games' boss Chris Taylor has called on the world to focus on the creation of games rather than dollar signs.
"Let's get back to the love of the art", Taylor requested during his address at this month's D.I.C.E. summit, adding, "I finally realised that I'm going to prove to myself that the love for the art is greater than anything else."
His comments, reported by Next-Gen.biz, formed part of a candid speech in which he took issue with the early videogame development work ethic established where thousands of hours of overtime would be put in by dev teams.
Taylor said that Gas Powered Games had worked in such a way when developing RPG Dungeon Siege - "We impaled ourselves on a sword", was the way he described it - but drew a line in the sand when it came to Supreme Commander and put the teams' personal lives before development.
"We built Supreme Commander without destroying our health or families," he explained.
Crack open your piggybank for these new mercenary-powered screenshots from Warhound, a PC and Xbox 360 FPS where you play a, ah, mercenary.
Developed by Techland (responsible for PC shooter Chrome), the game's set in present day and finds you executing a variety of operations around the globe for governments, businesses and organisations while climbing the ladder of mercenary stardom.
Achieve the highest rungs and you're rewarded with the most killer contracts around, and during the course of events you can tailor your character to particular fields of operation. Depending on your choices made in this regard, new paths of opportunity are opened up, apparently.
Once you start reaping in the cash for successfully completing missions, you can purchase weapons, equipment and intelligence data which can be used to plan missions. And throwing in a bit of replay value, completed missions can be tackled again with a random factor providing variety.
It all sounds a bit Hitman-ish to us. Check out the new screenshots and see what you think. Warhound is currently pencilled in for a Q4 2007 release.
Well we know you lot are salivating for more LOTRO beta keys, like trolls contemplating a particularly porky hobbit, so following the huge, unprecedented success of last week's Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar beta key and client giveaway, we're now ready to launch phase two of our campaign to take over Middle-earth this week, with 8000 brand spanking new keys, yours to be had this very Friday, the 16th February from around midday.
And to celebrate the success of the our initial beta key giveaway, Codemasters has very kindly released a few exclusive LOTRO treats for us to accompany this week's giveaway including:
Two Special Editions of Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
Two Pieces of Framed concept Artwork
Five copies of Lord of the Rings Online
Head on over to our great new LOTRO competition for a chance to win these hot goodies and full details on the saucy Special Edition packs, they're almost as precious as the one true ring itself.
Remember if you want to secure a beta key this Friday, you'll need to tune into the site, but can get started right now, by downloading the game client from our ultra fast servers, by simply clicking here and following the instructions.
As a super special bonus, we've also a brand new exclusive movie for you featuring the race of Man, childlike compared to the ancient wisdom of the elves and even the dwarves, but destined to inherit this land we call Middle-earth!
Eidos is at number one in the all-formats chart this week with Battlestations: Midway, which beat Little Britain: The Video Game to the top spot by just 1000 units.
Mastertronic's TV tie-in takes second place, meaning that there are two UK publishers riding high at the top of the charts - a rare occurrence, according to data providers Chart-Track.
FIFA '07 is a non-mover at No. 3, but Pro Evo 6 drops two places to No. 4. There's another small margin here, with just 50 units of difference between Little Britain and PES.
At five it's the Sega Mega Drive Collection, while last week's chart topper, Lost Planet, is down at No. 6.
EA takes seventh and eighth place with Need for Speed: Carbon and The Sims 2: Pets. Rounding out the chart are perennial favourites New Super Mario Bros. at No. 9 and THQ's Cars at No. 10.
New entries this week include Avatar: The Legend of Aang and Capcom's PS2 offering Okami. Two Nintendogs titles make a return to the top 40, along with Tiger Woods '07 and The Simpsons: Hit and Run.
There are some big movers in the chart - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is down 13 places to No. 26, while Wii Play is just behind, falling from No. 7 to No. 27. Ubisoft movie tie-in Rocky Balboa and THQ's Zoo Tycoon DS fall ten places each to hit No. 37 and No. 38.
Electronic Arts has acquired karaoke site SingShot as part of plans to exploit the growth of online communities and user-generated content.
Singshot allows users to upload recordings of themselves performing hit pop songs, and to watch and rate other users' performances. The site features audio, video and photos, and hosts a variety of competitions.
According to a statement issued by EA, SingShot will become part of the company's Sims division, and the acquisition "will help accelerate EA's efforts in community-building and promoting user-generated content through a unique music platform".
The statement also observed that SingShot technology "can be applied to several different community projects within EA".
Based in San Francisco, SingShot is just one year old and has five members of staff. CEO Ranah Edelin and CTO Niranjan Nagar, who co-founded the company, will join EA as vice presidents. The remaining employees will also take on new roles with the publisher.
EA's executive vice president, Nancy Smith, described SingShot's staff as "tremendously talented, technically adept and true experts in developing user-generated communities through music".
She added, "We see a bright future for the technology and each of these individuals within EA."
Ars Technica's Opposable Thumbs blog takes a look at the numbers for last year, and makes an interesting observation: hardcore gamers are probably not the future. Specifically, last year's videogame sales numbers show a huge trend in the adoption of mass-market licensed games. We've also previously discussed the extreme popularity of casual games. Despite Gears of War selling around the same amount as Cars (both around 2 million units), the cost in time and money to create Gears was substantially greater than the cost to create the Pixar-licensed title. The result?
"As growth continues, we're bound to see some substantial changes. As it stands, hardcore gamers are still a pivotal purchasing force in the games market: most of the top ten titles were what I would consider "hardcore" games. However, the trend away from the hardcore and towards the casual is becoming increasingly more predominant. We've talked quite a bit lately about the growing demand and response for casual games, and when coupled with the shocking sales of licensed products, I'm left wondering whether or not the number of hardcore gamers is dwindling."
Playing games can take a long time, like 70 hours for some. Worse case scenario, they never end. So you see, video game critics (read: journalists) are faced with a problem; if they're suppose to critique games as Roger Ebert does movies, shouldn't they play every single AAA title all the way through to do their job to the fullest?
Joystiq's own ninja columnist Kyle Orland examines the "limited time to complete so many games" dilemma in speaking with a variety of industry journalists. From his GameDaily column: "Many journalists that responded to my inquiry found they just didn't have the time to really get into certain epic games. CMP's Simon Carless lamented that he'd probably 'have to take a holiday' to put aside his current pile of games and finally get through Twilight Princess. GameDaily's Robert Workman is waiting for "a lazy summer day" to finally give Oblivion another go."
Yours truly? I've only played 20 minutes of Gears, probably won't play past the water temple in Twilight Princess, and have God of War (the first one!) still sitting in a box waiting to be played all because of fleeting time. Someone needs to tar and feather me. So what games are you ashamed to say you've never played or completed?
Battlefield 2142's recently announced first booster pack Northern Strike is entertaining our eyeballs this morning - new gameplay footage and new screenshots have been released. Pass mince pies over the goods, uploaded to this here page.
Northern Strike, EA has said, "contains new content to expand the war for the survival deep into the frigid wastelands of Europe", new content for the shooter including of three new maps, new vehicles and 10 new unlocks.
We've been bombarded by screenshots from Half-Life 2: Episode Two - and Portal and TF2 - and, with the recent delay to winter 2007 announced, this is likely the most we'll see of Valve's latest for a good few months.
The screenshots might have been taken from hi-res versions of previously released Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 movies, but nevertheless it's still great to look upon what's in store. Even if it has all been delayed. Again...
PC third-person shooter Infernal, which we've covered on these pages previously, has been slapped with a February 23 release date today. New screenshots, uploaded here, have accompanied the date announcement.
The game drops players into the boots of one Ryan Lennox who gets caught up in a conflict raging between Heaven and Hell. Armed with supernatural powers and firearms, Lennox is a fallen angel working for the Devil and attempting to restore the balance between good and evil.
An early release date for the Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars demo appeared on the net, but was pulled nearly as quickly as word went round the web.
Jumping in to save the day - and embargoed date perhaps - was an EA online community manager who told fansite Command and Conquer DEN, "The date is not official. We will be releasing this demo in conjunction with FilePlanet as we did with BFME2, but they put the cart before the horse. We will announce the date when ready and that is hopeful for later this week."
February 20 then? Pencil in the date.
There's nothing on a potential Xbox Live demo as of yet. And that's probably got something to do with the fact that the Xbox 360 game is a few months behind the PC version.
Last month, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback declared he would seek the 2008 Republican nomination for President of the United States. His first speech as a candidate was roundly mocked on the January 23 episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for his repeated use of the words "greatness" and "goodness." (The same program also pilloried the entire spectrum of Democratic candidates, including the "first Leprechaun president[al]" hopeful, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich.)
Today, Brownback took a very public step to prove the American public how "good" and "great" he is. The Senator announced that he was reintroducing the Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S.3935), a measure he first submitted last September. If made law, the act would require the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) to play the final build of a game from beginning to end before it gives said game a rating.
"Video game reviewers should be required to review the entire content of a game to ensure the accuracy of the rating," Brownback said in a statement. "The current video game ratings system is not as accurate as it could be because reviewers do not see the full content of games and do not even play the games they rate." The Truth in Video Game Rating Act would also commission a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study to "determine the efficacy of the...ESRB ratings system."
Currently, the ESRB reviews video of the "most extreme instances, across all relevant categories including but not limited to violence, language, sex, controlled substances and gambling" in each game it rates. Following the infamous hidden-sex-minigame Grand Theft Auto San Andreas scandal of 2005, publishers must now also submit "pertinent content that is not playable, but will exist in the game code on the final game disc."
Since then, the ESRB's system has proven fallible--or infallible, depending on one's viewpoint. In May 2006, the board rescinded the T for Teen rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion after it discovered graphically violent content at the denouement of the Dark Brotherhood questline. Despite being rated M for Mature, Oblivion went on to sell nearly 1.4 million copies in the US as of December 2006, generating just short of $80 million.* It has also won numerous accolades, including GameSpot's Role-Playing Game of the Year.
World of Warcraft has gathered eight million subscribers. Think of that number. Merely classifying eight million people as “subscribers” doesn’t seem to do them justice: 8,000,000 isn’t just a fanbase; it’s a nation.
An open-border policy has seen the MMORPG’s population swell in the two years it’s been online, placing it snugly in between Burundi (pop: 8,090,068) and Azerbaijan (pop: 7,961,619) in the world population charts. It’s now the 94th most populated place in the world, and the numbers are rising.
Of course, it’s not technically a country, but you try telling the people who regularly pledge allegiance to the Horde that they’re not part of a nation. Sure, there are no birth certificates, but Azeroth expands by roughly 406 people every hour, a stat that’ll have the hardiest inner-city pediatricians quaking in their boots.
We’re probably talking about one of the most middle-class countries of the world: having a powerful enough PC and a disposable income is a basic requirement of WoW citizenship.
With two million players in North America, more than one and a half million players in Europe, and more than three and a half million players in China, the Nation of Warcraft is a melting pot of capitalist and communist, the Alliance and the Horde of the real world.
Next time the government runs a census, fill the “race” box with Draenei, Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf, Blood Elf, Orc, Tauren, Troll or Undead. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Unless you’re a Murloc, of course.
Now this here's a press release. UK online game rental company Gametart has randomly sampled 200 British women and decided to let the world know the ins and outs of their sexual appetites. To the point, they asked them how often they had sex, and if they regularly played video games.
Of our sample of 200 women, those who played video games on average had sex 4.3 times a week while those who didn't play games only had sex just 3.2 times a week.
A completely useless poll done for the purpose of advertising their site, of course. Do they take into account age? Looks? What was their definition of having sex? Rumble or no rumble? Most importantly, where is the photographic evidence?
Perhaps even more promising for gamers is the fact that many of the women that we interviewed who have only recently started playing games said that they now have sex more often than before.
As a wise doctor once said, "You are telling lies!" So what they are saying here is playing video games will enhance your sex life. Anyone else notice this particular phenomenon?
The game industry is quick to trump its accomplishments; bestsellers, growing revenues, and market expansion. The optimist in us likes that, but what's a pessimist to do? Well the recent issue of EGM (Mar '07) has a listicle that's hard to argue over: the worst-selling games of 2006. Though the always-serious Seanbaby fails to mention a specific source, he says "These games were selected from sales figures of the least purchased games of 2006 -- cold, hard, indisputable measurements of suck." They are:
Unison: Rebels of Rhythm & Dance (PS2)
Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal (XB)
Frogger Beyond (XB)
Bomberman: Act Zero (XB360)
Freestyle Street Soccer (XB)
Egg Mania: Eggstreme Madness (XB)
Space Ace (XB)
That's a lot of Xbox 1 games. Translation: "She's going down! Send the dross with it!"
Play Asia have posted a list of the latest new games released:
Sony PSP™:
Kanon JPN US$ 48.90
Lost Regnum: Makutsu no Koutei (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 42.90
Nintendo DS™:
Layton Kyouju no Fushigi na Machi JPN US$ 48.90
PlayStation2™:
Appleseed EX JPN US$ 64.90
Appleseed EX [Limited Box] JPN US$ 99.90
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness / Akumajo Dracula: Yami no Juin (Konami the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Hiiro no Kakera: Ano Sora no Shita de JPN US$ 49.90
Hiiro no Kakera: Ano Sora no Shita de [Twin Pack] JPN US$ 99.90
Meine Liebe II (Konami Palace Selection) JPN US$ 20.90
Third party accessories (for PS3™ and Wii™):
Designer Remote Power Glove (Golf) US$ 6.99
Designer Remote Power Glove (Motorcycle) US$ 6.99
Designer Remote Power Glove (Tennis) US$ 6.99
Joypad Recharge Cable (3 meters / 10 ft) US$ 4.99 New toy releases:
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Hooter (Blathers) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Kinuyo (Mabel) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Tanukichi (Tom Nook) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Totakeke (K.K. Slider) US$ 18.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - 1up Mushroom US$ 7.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Hatena Block US$ 7.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Poison Mushroom US$ 7.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Super Mushroom US$ 7.90
Excerpt of interesting new Japanese CD releases:
14 message -every ballad songs 2- [Limited Edition] (~Every Little Thing) JPN US$ 42.90
Blue Blood Special Edition [Limited Pressing] (~X) JPN US$ 31.90
Egao Yes Nude [CD+Booklet Limited Edition] (~Morning Musume) JPN N/A
Jealousy Special Edition [Limited Pressing] (~X) JPN US$ 31.90
Kirakira Megane's [Limited Edition] (~Megane's) JPN US$ 7.90
Valentine Kiss [Limited Edition] (~Genichiro Sanada With Rikkaidai Fuzoku Chu) JPN US$ 7.90
LucasArts officially announced its latest game in the Star Wars saga. Coming November for PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed explores one of the more interesting time periods in Star Wars lore. Set between the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Force Unleashed puts gamers in the role of Darth Vader's secret apprentice.
As Palpatine rises to power and the Empire begins its conquest of the galaxy, Vader sends his apprentice to help exterminate the remaining Jedi. Your character has four primary Force powers to develop during missions to eradicate the Jedi: Force push, grip, repulse and lightning. Powers can be used together to create unique combos and cause massive destruction to enemies and the environment.
The next-gen versions of Force Unleashed utilize some new technologies that promise realistic environmental reactions. Beyond having wood splinter and plants bend in the wind, non-player characters also act and react more realistically. Characters are said to adjust their behavior on the fly, based on the player's actions. It's unknown how the PS2, PSP and DS versions will differ.
Created under the direction of George Lucas, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed offers new insights into the Star Wars universe. And it let's you kick some Jedi ass. Look for eyes-on impressions of The Force Unleashed in a few weeks.
In the wake of details hitting on LucasArts new Star Wars game, The Force Unleashed, the company has set up an official website.
Confirming a release for November 2007, the site features concept art, game details and an FAQ on the DMM (Digital Molecular Matter) and euphoria technology employed. Combined with Havoc physics, we're promised these "groundbreaking" technologies will "create true next-gen gameplay and the Force like it's never been seen or experienced before."
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is set between Episode III and Episode IV in the movie series and sticks you in the shoes of Darth Vader's apprentice, aiding the Dark Lord of the Sith in ridding the universe of Jedi. LucasArts has spoken of a branching storyline, explaining that "Decisions made by players throughout the game will determine the path of the story, including multiple endings that will rock Star Wars continuity as they know it."
Battlefield 2142 Unlocks Weekend will provide fans access to all the game's weaponry that usually has to be, ah, unlocked.
Although it's called Unlocks Weekend, the event actually kicks off tomorrow and concludes on Monday.
"In an effort to let everyone preview all unlocks while playing in a ranked environment we will be granting all soldiers every one of the upgrades over the coming 4 days," explains the official website.
"Starting Friday and lasting until midnight PST Monday every soldier who logs in will be able to fight it out with every unlock in Battlefield 2142! Jump on and play alongside us during this free for all weekend".
Descending gracefully over the hills of the internet today is Myst Online: Uru Live, which will be the first game in the puzzle-solving series to venture into an MMO setting.
The game is available now directly from GameTap in the US, with the promise of versions for other regions - although if you can find the links on the official site then you're better men than us. A Mac version will be released sometime in spring.
Developed by Cyan Worlds, the title is a traditional Myst experience, boasting fresh puzzles and a new storyline, which will continually evolve around the online community. You'll also now be able to interact with other players using familiar MMO communication such as voice or text char, as you form groups and take on mind-bending challenges.
"Myst Online: Uru Live is the most ambitious Myst experience we've ever created," said Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan Worlds. "By developing an interactive, online world driven by intrigue and exploration instead of violence, massively multiplayer online gamers now have a choice unlike any of the other options."
Myst Online will be the sixth game in the series, which started all the way back in 1993.
Details of THQ's Conan action game are starting to become apparent several months after the publisher signed it up.
Thanks to Game Informer magazine, we know that it's due out in the first quarter of next year, and that it's in development at Nihilistic Software, who had a stint on StarCraft: Ghost, you may remember, but are probably better known for Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption.
Platform details evade us, but the licensing deal - announced in November - was set to cover current- and next-gen consoles, PC, mobile and handhelds. THQ isn't saying anything else yet, with an official game announcement still yet to air.
It's also worth pointing out that the game, which will involve smashing your way through lots of enemies you've driven before you etc. etc. make your own jokes, is completely unrelated to the Age of Conan MMORPG that Funcom is developing for PC and Xbox 360.
The latest figures from ABC have revealed that gaming magazines appear to be in a continuing decline, with a few bright spots as readership of many Future and Imagine titles falls once again.
OPSM2's monthly circulation is down 24 per cent from the August 2006 figures to hit 76,351. But there has been a 17 per cent rise for Official Nintendo, with readership almost topping 43,000 copies per month.
Official Xbox 360 is also up from 42,680 to just over 56,000, with sales likely to have been boosted by the closure of Official Xbox Magazine. Figures for the new Official PlayStation 3 Magazine were not provided.
Excluding OPSM3, 175,368 official titles are sold each month - compared to 218,863 six months previously.
As for the battle of the unofficial mags, Future's PSW is down from nearly 34,500 to just over 26,000 copies, while Imagine-published Play is in the lead with 29,000 - despite a 37.5 per cent drop in readership compared to a year ago.
Circulation for Imagine's Powerstation was down to 15,171 from 22,288 in February 2006. Future-published rival PSM2, currently transitioning to become PSM3, saw a drop of more than 25 per cent over the past six months to hit just over 26,500.
Xbox 360 World, another Future mag, saw its circulation remaining steady at around 23,000, while readership for Imagine's X360 was up more than 20 per cent to edge past the 28,000 mark.
The figure for 360, also published by Imagine, fell slightly from 13,098 to 11,369. Relative newcomer Uncooked Media experienced a rise in sales for 360 Gamer, which went up from 9100 to top 10,600.
PC titles appear to be in a slow but steady decline - PC Zone is down from just over 30,000 to 27,000, while PC Gamer lost 1675 readers to hit just over 43,600.
It's a different story for the multi-platform titles, which appear to be in a stable position. Games Master's readership is now hovering around the 54,000 mark following a small increase in sales, while circulation for Imagine's Games TM still stands at just over 20,000. Once again, Edge faired better than many of Future's publications - readership is up from 33,597 to 35,145, a rise of more than 4 per cent.
Red Herring tackles the rush into virtual space, talking about the MMOG goldrush and the business consequences World of Warcraft has had on the games industry as a whole. Though sometimes it doesn't seem to fully understand the difference between a single player game and a Massive one, the article still touches on a number of important points. Lots of folks are looking to cash in on WoW's success, and they're importing or licensing every Massive game they can find to get on the bandwagon.
"The problem is that no one knows what the next WoW killer will look like. Creating a hit video game, which combines strong characters, a compelling story, and top-notch production values, is part art and part inexact science. Making a hit game can be much more difficult than producing an Oscar-winning movie. After all, the hit video game must be compelling enough to keep players coming back for more."
Even if a lot of their conclusions are odd, and they call Puzzle Pirates silly, it's worth a look. What do you think it's going to take to crack Blizzard's deathlock on the Massive genre?
In an interview with GamesRadar, Bethesda's Pete Hines, vice president for PR and marketing, has revealed that one of the next pieces of downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be a Fighter's Stronghold. This would follow in the same style as the previously released Thieves Den and Vile Lair plugins, but offering you a more noble pad to kick your heels in.
It's more than likely that this stronghold will be the Dragonfire Castle, a fortification that's long been rumoured as making its way to Cyrodiil's landscape. If that's the case, then you can look forward to enjoying a huge fortress that boasts a wine cellar, skill-boosting forge room and even a taxidermist.
The Crossing is Arkane’s attempt to blend single and multiplayer games, to cancel out what they see as the failings of both: the idiocy of single-player AI, the lack of meaning to multiplayer bouts.
When you start in Story mode, you’re playing fairly traditional single-player (or optionally co-op) shooter fare: you’re either a modern-day Knight Templar or a cop-like IBAT agent, and you’re shooting AI bad guys in an alternate-reality Paris. Yet at any time other players can jump into your single-player game to take control of any enemy.
The worlds don’t really collide, however, until you get to the Skirmish maps: warzones in which two teams are already deathmatching. It’s IBAT vs Templars, so whichever side you’re on you’re likely to have some allies, but there’s nothing to stop everyone switching teams to gang up on the story-mode guy - he’s much tougher and more powerful than the deathmatchers.
The game-mode can change, so the deathmatchers might be playing CTF until a story player turns up, at which point the map changes to give the two teams the objectives they have in that section of his story.
It’s a bold and immensely complex idea, but we’re not yet convinced that being an ill-fated extra in someone else’s adventure is the context multiplayer games have been waiting for.
NCsoft probably noticed that most of us spent our playing time in Far Cry trying to climb mountains or jump off cliffs. They've used a modified version of the tropical shooter's engine for their high-fantasy MMORPG Aion, a war of two worlds, three factions and a whole lot of feathers.
Two of the factions - the Chun and the Ma - are open to players, while the demonic Yong are all computer-controlled. Initially they're all at war with one another, but the players can change that: the Ma could even ally with the Yong to gang up on the Chun, for example. We should add that these names could - and should - change before release.
But that's a long way from the most enticing thing about the luscious Aion. Players can obtain the ability to sprout wings and fly. Watch the trailer: flight appears to have elements of real physics about it. Swoops give you incredible bursts of speed, and it all looks much more elegant than City of Heroes' vague floatery. Most excitingly, it also features aerial combat, something CoH has proved ill-suited for and which we've yet to see done properly.
But even if they get that right, it's unlikely to compare to the thrill of simply soaring high over these jungle-coated mountains, sheer cliffs and roaring waterfalls. More soon.
As a sort of semi-preview for what to expect in the next-gen versions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, kotakuite Ally directed me towards this technology demo from GDC 2006, which highlights Digital Molecular Matters methods for interacting with materials. The vid starts off with some Indiana Jones character reaction goodness as well.
Pretty exciting stuff there, but as another kotakuite, Pdubbs601 points out, LucasArts has stated that this new tech is only viable on next-gen consoles, so don't expect to see the same effects in the PS2 or PSP version.
Heres the full listing of Games and Game Related releases from Play Asia:
Xbox360™:
Battlestations: Midway ASIA US$ 49.90
Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 US US$ 49.90
Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows ASIA US$ 19.90
Nintendo Wii™:
Designer Remote Power Glove (Golf) US$ 6.99
Designer Remote Power Glove (Motorcycle) US$ 6.99
Designer Remote Power Glove (Tennis) US$ 6.99
Wii Play with Remote US US$ 59.90
PlayStation3™:
Joypad Recharge Cable (3 meters / 10 ft) US$ 4.99 PlayStation2™:
AR Tonelico: Melody of Elemia US US$ 59.90
Appleseed EX JPN US$ 64.90
Appleseed EX [Limited Box] JPN US$ 99.90
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness / Akumajo Dracula: Yami no Juin (Konami the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Harukanaru Jikuu no Kade 3 (Koei the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Hiiro no Kakera: Ano Sora no Shita de JPN US$ 49.90
Hiiro no Kakera: Ano Sora no Shita de [Twin Pack] JPN US$ 99.90
Meine Liebe II (Konami Palace Selection) JPN US$ 20.90
RoydsPad.Net US$ 59.90
Sangokushi VIII with Power-Up Kit (Koei Selection) JPN US$ 24.90
Shining Force EXA KOR US$ 59.90
Soul Cradle: Sekai o Kurau Mono JPN US$ 64.90
Soul Cradle: Sekai o Kurau Mono [First Print Limited Edition] JPN US$ 89.90
Zero no Tsukaima JPN US$ 64.90
Zero no Tsukaima [First Print Limited Edition] JPN N/A
Nintendo DS™:
Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Chinkon Uta JPN US$ 48.90
Death Note: Kira Game JPN US$ 48.90
Layton Kyouju no Fushigi na Machi JPN US$ 48.90
Lunar Knights US US$ 34.90
Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 US US$ 39.90
Sony PSP™:
Capcom Puzzle World US US$ 39.90
Gurumin US US$ 39.90
Hard Pouch Portable (blue) US$ 10.90
Hard Pouch Portable (pink) US$ 10.90
Kanon JPN US$ 48.90
Lost Regnum: Makutsu no Koutei (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 42.90
Lumines II JPN US$ 48.90
Rezel Cross (Chinese Version) ASIA US$ 42.90
Silicon Cover Portable (blue) US$ 10.90
Silicon Cover Portable (pink) US$ 10.90
Tales of Destiny 2 JPN US$ 48.90
Tales of Destiny 2 ASIA US$ 42.90
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 JPN US$ 48.90
Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 US US$ 39.90
Gameboy Advance™:
Final Fantasy VI Advance US US$ 39.90
PC Games:
Biohazard 4 (DVD-ROM) KOR US$ 49.90
UFO: Afterlight ASIA US$ 24.90
Guide Books:
You and Wii: Everything You Need to Know US US$ 21.90
Toys & Misc:
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Hooter (Blathers) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Kinuyo (Mabel) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Tanukichi (Tom Nook) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 10'' Super DX Plush Doll: Totakeke (K.K. Slider) US$ 18.90
Animal Crossing 7'' Plush Doll Collection 2: Hooter (Blathers) US$ 11.90
Animal Crossing 7'' Plush Doll Collection 2: Master (Brewster) US$ 11.90
Animal Crossing 7'' Plush Doll Collection 2: Perio (Pete) US$ 11.90
Animal Crossing 7'' Plush Doll Collection 2: Sally US$ 11.90
Animal Crossing 7'' Plush Doll Collection 2: Totakeke (K.K. Slider) US$ 11.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion Extra Pajamas Baby Pre-painted PVC Figure: Asuka Langley US$ 17.90
Neon Genesis Evangelion Extra Pajamas Baby Pre-painted PVC Figure: Rei Ayanami US$ 17.90
Nintendo DS Lite Mini Figure & DS Card Case Twin Strap US$ 5.99
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mat: Type A Mario N/A
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mat: Type B Question Mark N/A
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mat: Type C Goomba N/A
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mat: Type D Brick N/A
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mat: Type E Super Mushroom US$ 16.90
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mouse 2: Mario US$ 17.90
Super Mario Bros. Dot Design Mouse 2: Star US$ 17.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - 1up Mushroom US$ 7.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Hatena Block N/A
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Poison Mushroom US$ 7.90
Super Mario Bros. Kinoko Figure - Super Mushroom US$ 7.90
Video Game related Soundtracks:
Hidechan! Radio. 2.5 Two-Han Princess Singles + Music & Drama CD
EA Games' Los Angeles studio is putting the finishing touches on its highly anticipated real-time strategy game, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars. The game will return to the series' roots by attempting to tell an epic story involving the two primary pillars of C&C lore--the "good guy" Global Defense Initiative faction and the "bad guy" Brotherhood of Nod faction. Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars is scheduled for release on the PC on March 26, and on the Xbox 360 later this year.
The game will also make a return to the original series' storytelling techniques of using filmed live-action sequences to further the plot, using various Hollywood talent and an old series mainstay, Joe Kucan. Kucan was originally the director for the series' cutscene sequences, and also played the on-camera role of the charismatic and fanatical Nod leader, Kane.
Kucan has returned to again play Kane in the new game, and shares his thoughts on his return with GameSpot.
GameSpot: How does it feel to be back in the saddle as Kane?
Joe Kucan: It feels very familiar. It's a lot like being reunited with an old friend, if that old friend held you down, pinned your arms to your sides, and shaved your head with an electric razor. But then, that old friend helps you up, and the two of you have dinner at a Thai restaurant and reminisce about that one time the two of you shot Seth in the head in a tight close up. And then you get really, really drunk. And wake up in a Mexican jail. It's a lot like that.
GS: Oh yeah, been there, done that. Though it's good to see the original Kane return to reprise his role, it also begs the question of how it came about. Previously, it seemed like your work with EA had come to an unceremonious halt. How did you come to work with the company again? Was rekindling the relationship awkward? Were terms difficult to negotiate?
JK: I was flattered with the C&C team's insistence on my participation. It was clear from the start that the team's respect for the history of the series and the character of Kane were really the main focuses of this new production. As far as the negotiation, it was really just a small matter of coming to an agreement about compensation and time: We had to agree upon the exact size of the pick-up truck they would use to dump the money on my front lawn as well as how much time I would get to roll around naked in it before it was bundled up and sent off to orphans in Paraguay.
Rekindling the work relationship wasn't all that awkward. After all, I was really being introduced to a whole new group of designers and production personnel. But I will admit that stepping onto set exclusively as an actor was odd. I was so used to helming the entire production process. In previous C&C games, I could shoot a take, review it, and go back to re-shoot it if I found even the tiniest little thing I didn't like. I was not used to being in the position where I was acting through someone else's vision and under someone else direction--as Kane.
GS: And now that you're back working with EA on Command & Conquer 3, do you think we'll be seeing more of you in future game products?
JK: Oh sure--I play a 1969 Pontiac GTO in "Need for Speed 3." It's a tough role because that car had four-on-the-floor and as everybody knows, I'm a five-speed.
In "Lord of the Rings," I play Plinky, Gandalf the Grey's monkey side-kick. I took a lot of flack from the simian-rights community who thought that role should go to an actual monkey, but once I showed them my family tree, they relented.
And of course, I'll be reprising my role as "Frat Boy #3" in the soon-to-be released "Celebrity Cheerleader Tickle Fight 4000," a personal project I've been working on for quite some time.
GS: Why do you think EA brought you back to appear in the new game? What do you think you bring to the role of Kane that a lookalike or soundalike might not be able to capture?
JK: The real reason they brought me back was because I'm cheap and am easily persuaded to help move heavy pieces of scenery in between shots. In all seriousness, Mike Verdu, the game's executive producer, has made his enthusiasm for the original C&C series and the methodology behind his vision for the game very obvious from the start. He had an early love of the game even before he started working at EA and when he flew out to my house to pitch the project, I could tell right away that he was a big C&C fan because he had my face tattooed on his chest. I thought that was sweet.
I honestly think that I might be the only one in the world who understands the humor in Kane--the wry sense of absurdity behind a lot of the megalomaniacal snarkiness. It's a fine line to tread between that sort of humor and the over-the-top, hyper-dramatic, almost-Shakespearean villainy. It's a really tough distinction that I've worked very hard to create, right from the beginning of the C&C franchise.
GS: Did you have a chance to work closely with any of the other Hollywood talent that EA brought in for the game? Any interesting stories from working on the set with them?
JK: I was in charge of Tricia Helfer's hair and makeup. And I polished her boots between takes. I was not, however, flown to Hawaii to assist on Josh Holloway's shoot. Apparently they let just anyone polish his boots. Grace Park has a glass eye (not a lot of people know that) and it was my job to make sure it was pointing in the right direction when she spoke directly into the camera. There's nothing more disconcerting to an experienced gamer than to get a briefing from an actor with a wonky eye!
In all seriousness, Tricia was a lot of fun to work with and she is a real talent. She certainly deserves all of the attention she's been receiving lately. We had a good rapport on the set; I think that whole restraining order thing was just her idea of a joke. If you're reading this Tricia: Good one!
Any interesting stories...well, there was this one time when the bald cap on my head slipped off and my long, flowing blonde hair fell out and it looked like a mullet. And then someone on the set yelled, "Hey look! Kane's got a mullet!" And we all laughed and laughed. And then I had that person fired.
GS: From what we've seen of you in C&C 3, you don't seem to have aged a day since your appearances in the original games. What's your secret? Facial massages? Pilates?
JK: Just like Dorian Gray, there is a painting of me in my attic that just gets older and older. Oh, and I also do Bikram Yoga. Just like Dorian Gray.
GS: Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add about your role as Kane, Command & Conquer 3, or anything else in general?
JK: I would like to sincerely thank all of the loyal C&C fans out there. I'm constantly surprised by their sheer number and their loyalty. The honest truth is: I chose to reprise my role as Kane because of the huge outpouring of support and interest I saw online. I lurked in every newsgroup, surfed every fansite, and saw how energetically they argued that the game wouldn't be the same without my participation. It was very, very flattering and I was deeply touched. Not to mention surprised. So, thanks to the fans.
Last September, a slate of previously unannounced Wii Virtual Console titles from Sega were spotted with fresh new ratings on the Entertainment Software Rating Board's Web site. Two months later, another round of apparent Virtual Console games received new ratings, these ones pulled primarily from the Nintendo Entertainment System's collection of classics.
So far, only about half of those games have found their way to release, but the ESRB site continues to hint at future releases in the form of ratings for unannounced games. The ESRB has recently rated Wii editions of older games Galaga, Mighty Bomb Jack, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire, none of which have been confirmed for a US release yet. As yet unreleased TurboGrafx-16 Virtual Console offerings New Adventure Island and Chew Man-Fu are also in the ESRB database, and Hudson has confirmed both games are scheduled for a US release this month.
In addition, the site has a listing for Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, introducing the possibility that Capcom's Super Nintendo side-scroller could be the first downloadable game to land on all three platforms. A Capcom representative had not returned GameSpot's request for comment as of press time.
The ESRB database also includes ratings for a few retro collections. EA Replay 2 on the PlayStation Portable--which hasn't been confirmed by the publisher but was spotted at online retailers earlier this year--received a T for Teen, with content descriptors for blood and violence. Meanwhile, the site also lists domestic ratings for Empire Interactive's Euro offerings Taito Legends 2 for PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, as well as Taito Legends Power-Up for the PSP.
Finally, the site lists a rating for the Lumines Live Artist Pack: Madonna "Sorry" (originally seen in action at last year's E3). While this isn't the first bit of downloadable console content to receive a rating from the ESRB (The Knights of the Nine expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was rated), it appears to be the first time the additional content has received a different rating than the product for which it is intended. Lumines Live received a rating of E for Everyone, while the Madonna artist pack has been tagged as E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. There are no listings for Lumines Live's previous downloadable content packs.
First details on Sam & Max: Episode 4 - Abe Lincoln Must Die have confirmed it'll premiere on download site GameTap on February 22 and then be released worldwide on Telltalegames.com on March 8.
"The President of the United States has lost it. Federally mandated group hugs, a pudding embargo... what's next, gun control? Sam & Max are off to Washington to take care of this bozo, but the political climate will only get stormier... and a new power will rise...", Telltale has revealed about Episode 4's plot.
This has all been accompanied by first screenshots and trailer - which we've uploaded to this here page for you to pass mince pies over.
GRIN, developer of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 on PC, has been speaking about how the PC version differs to GRAW 2 on console.
Describing the PC iteration as "a more tactical game" in an IGN interview, the dev's explained that it will ship with a unique multiplayer mode Assault vs. Recon and that an included map editor will hand the community the tools employed by the development team.
Elaborating on the stronger focus on the tactical element the dev's said that, unlike in the Xbox 360 version, in GRAW 2 PC players "can give direct, specific orders to your team-mates".
"You also have the tactical map, where you can create way points and plan your whole strategy, which you can't do on the 360. The levels are designed specifically so you can benefit from the new gameplay elements" GRIN's further explained, adding that you can use the game's buddy-cam "to move the guys around" and issue "full orders from their perspective."
Assault vs. Recon, a team-based mode which pits the Ghosts with their kick-ass military gear against Mexican rebels who have the firepower but far inferior technology, is accompanied by multiplayer maps that will be unique to the PC version of GRAW 2, the developer revealed.
In the interview, the developer also said that it plans to support the sequel with post-launch content, although didn't go into details "because we'd like to keep it secret".
US retailer Gamestop has taken out a full-page advert in USA Today to highlight its ongoing commitment to stopping minors buying games about slaughtering hookers and that.
"We Gamestop, as well as other retailers, have already stepped up with ESRB to regulate ourselves," spokesperson Clive Olivera told Eurogamer this afternoon.
"That's what this is all about. We wanted to bump it up and let the public know, especially consumers, that it is something we actually take quite seriously."
The advert features Gamestop president Steve Morgan peering strangely out from under a gigantic "Respect The Ratings" slogan, which is joined on the page by cubes with ominous ESRB ratings stamped on them.
Hello slightly weird Steve Morgan.
Unlike the BBFC ratings in the UK, which are enforced by law, the ESRB system is used primarily as a guideline to highlight the content of a game; it isn't actually against the law to sell a Mature 17+ game to a minor in America.
"I think we can always do better," Olivera continued. "One mature-rated game sold to a minor is one too many. It's our goal to provide as much education as we can, not only to our employees but to consumers in general."
And hence RespectTheRatings.com was born, to help parents get a grip on the crazy world of videogames. Instead of, you know, shouting at them and being completely insane, like certain specific opponents to violent videogames.
"There is an audience for every game, just like there is a system for every consumer out there," Olivera added. "Gamestop is looking at providing as much information as possible so people can make an informed choice."
Which leaves only one question, really: what on earth is happening with Steve Morgan's face?
Blue's News reports that PC Gamer has some delicious new details up about Mad Doc's plans to revive continue real-time strategy classic Empire Earth.
Anything you discover is unlocked for your entire civilisation, rather than you having to stomp up the tech tree on each level. Survivors of the battle will be available on the strategic map to either garrison the new area or form the core of your onward-marching army. Similarly, any buildings you've constructed in an area will remain if an AI player invades. Many developers have tried to reduce the amount of dead time any RTS game starts with while you're building infrastructure, but few have gone nearly as far as Empire Earth.
Battles are more than straight skirmishes too, sub-missions spawning as you enter an area, depending on the current situation (which area it is, your tech level, what the prophets read in the open belly of a goat). For example, near the start of the game a local tribe might have their princess stolen, and you can rescue her to gain their allegiance. As you progress, you'll increasingly be given missions on the strategic level, such as conquering three of a faction's provinces to precipitate Empire Earth's equivalent of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
I don't know, I'm a huge, huge RTS fan but for some reason Empire Earth II lost me, perhaps forever. Increasingly, I'm feeling that way about a lot of new RTS. Sure I like Company of Heroes, but maybe it's time for some big shift in the way these games are played. And no, I don't mean moving them over to a console.
Writer Richard O. Jones has a lengthy article up at Black Voice News, where he discusses the dangers of racial stereotyping in video games. Citing examples like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, he contends that young Black and Latino children who constantly see themselves portrayed as thieves and killers are more likely to emulate them.
"If Blacks and Latinos are always portrayed as the villains, or as the victims who get killed often and easily, that is code for powerlessness," said Kansas State University psychologist John Murray, who's studied violence and stereotypes in the media for the past 30 years. "These image persist because too few minorities are in the industry."
It is a very good point he makes. The US video game industry is 80% Caucasian, and let's face it, white people tend to program white characters, mainly because it's what they are familiar with, but I suspect also out of a fear that if they portray a Black character they'll get it wrong, or offend someone. Just look at Barret from FFVII.
Jones goes on to suggest that the solution lies in more young Black and Latino children stop playing the games and start making them, and I agree completely. Not only would it help with their own self-image, it could help everyone understand each other a little bit better.
Next Generation examines while voicing support for the formation of a video game standards commission with the end goal of creating a standardized console format. Like, no more proprietary Nintendos, Sonys, or Microsofts; just commodified machines that adhere to a protocol and play the same games like DVD and MP3 players do with their respective media.
From the article: "Honestly, at its current rate I don't know how much further the industry can go unless we do all band together and start watching out for our best interests as a community... Cliché as it might be, a united front is a strong front – and we've got a hell of a lot to offer the world."
But alas, the technical gap between platforms is far too great and differentiated at the moment to concede to a set standard, not to mention the heavy resistance of major corporations protecting their proprietary pockets. And do we really want to commodify video games more than they already are?
From Amazon UK comes all the following releases for today and the week ahead:
Heres the listings:
Airbus Fleet (Add on for FS 2004/FSX) (PC CD) (2007) (Windows XP)
ARMA: Armed Assault (PC)
Arthur and the Invisibles (PSP)
Call of Duty 2: Game of the Year Edition (Xbox 360 Classics)
Chili Con Carnage (PSP)
Classic British Motor Racing (PC CD)
Classic British Motor Racing (PS2)
Delaware St John Adventure Double Pack 1 & 2 (PC)
Excite Truck (Wii)
Fritz Chess 10 (PC DVD)
Fuzion Frenzy 2 (Xbox 360)
God Hand (PS2)
Hammy goes Nuts (PSP)
HDMI 4 Way Switch Box with Remote & 3 Metre HDMI Cable (PS3)
Lumines Plus (PS2)
Mario Slam Basketball (Nintendo DS)
Paradise (PC)
Postman Pat: The Greendale Rocket (GBA)
Project Gotham Racing 3 (Xbox 360 Classics)
Robin Hoods Quest (PC)
Robin Hoods Quest (PS2)
Sherlock Holmes - The Awakened (PC DVD)
Ship Simulator 2006 (Official Add-on) (PC)
Shrek Smash 'N' Crash (PSP)
The Snow Queen Quest (PC)
The Snow Queen Quest (PS2)
Supreme Commander (PC)
Supreme Commander UEF Faction Pack - Amazon Exclusive (PC)
Test Drive Unlimited (PC DVD)
Test Drive Unlimited (PS2)
TOCA Race Driver 3 Challenge (PSP)
Tortuga: Two Treasures (PC)
War Front: Turning Point (PC)
World Series of Poker: Tournament Champions (PC)
- DS Lite: 201,177
- Wii: 78,550
- PSP: 32,175
- PS3: 23,431
- PS2: 16,033
- Xbox 360: 4,811
- GBA SP: 980
- Game Boy Micro: 884
- Gamecube: 383
- DS Phat: 121
- GBA: 36
The Wii/DS tag team are trouncing Sonys efforts in Japan, if they bring out connectivity soon between the consoles then watch Wii sales go through the roof.
Most games are released on Fridays (to maximise weekend buying activity) but if something is brought forward or moves, this is the place to come if you want to track the title that just keeps on slipping (naming no names, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.). We'll even throw in one or two hardware and peripheral releases if we think they're worthy.
The complete list of games released in the UK this week (23/02/07):
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, PSP, Ubisoft
You have to pity the publisher that brings a game out on the same day as the long anticipated Final Fantasy XII, which is exactly what Ubisoft is doing by releasing Pippa Funnel 3: The Golden Stirrup Challenge this coming Friday. It doesn't stand a chance...
Of course, different audiences, different markets but you have to wonder how anything is going to compete with Square Enix's 100+ hour PS2 behemoth. Can Crackdown make a dent in its hardcore following?
Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
How can we sum up this game in just a few words? 'Buy it!' is probably most succinct. If you've never played a Final Fantasy game before it's the perfect place to start. And if you have you should realise straight away that this mammoth chapter in the series has done away with random encounters entirely, the only thing that really grated in previous episodes.
There's a new 'gambit' system allowing you to tailor combat commands to your every whim and a kind of bizarre chess-style mini-game that lets you unlock special 'licence' abilities for your characters. It's all done with Square Enix's usual élan, story-telling genius and focus on sumptuous visuals. Pippa Funnel RIP.
Crackdown (Xbox 360)
This is Dave Jones' (the creator of GTA and Lemmings) latest title and it takes the free-roaming concept to the next level. Set in the crime-infested world of Pacific City the game sees you, literally, raining down justice on hundreds of thugs and perps. The title's main innovation is complete freedom of motion. There are no areas locked-off and the city's dizzy 'verticality' can be fully explored by your character's ability to leap and climb with abandon. But action is the main focus and there's a strong OTT explosive dynamic about the game that'll appeal to anyone who enjoyed Mercenaries or Just Cause. In fact it's everything those games aspired to be. Well worth a look if you prefer action over RPGs.
Ghost Rider (PS2, PSP, GBA)
Released to coincide with the movie, starring Nicholas Cage as a fiery-headed vigilante, Ghost Rider is Devil May Cry with a hint of Road Rash. We've played the game at preview stage several times and it's certainly enjoyable in a God of War-style way but lacks that game's exploratory charm and intricate boss encounters. The PSP version has been adapted to deliver shorter, more goal oriented missions and looks superb. Likely to be a decent movie tie-in but unless you are a fan of the comic-book there are better games out this week.
Kororinpa (Wii)
Now this one is interesting and we're pleased it's getting a European release. Certainly worth looking into if you've already grown tired of Wii Sports. Basically it's Marble Madness where you tilt the Remote to move your marble around the course.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (PSP)
Rainbow Six Vegas was a return to form for the series on Xbox 360 and was particularly effervescent in multiplayer. This is the PSP port and along with introducing new characters and new locations in the single-player component there's also some exclusive Wi-Fi multiplayer modes. Along with a Terrorist Hunt mode there's a 5-player Survival and Team Survival option available in both Ad hoc and Infrastructure. If the gameplay can be tailored to the PSP controls this could well be one of the best multiplayer games on the PSP to date.
Pippa Funnel 3: The Golden Stirrup Challenge (PC)
Our Week Ahead round-up wouldn't be complete without a short comment on the latest in the Pippa Funnel series. Bizarrely this is from the same developer that brought us the intriguing and innovative In Memoriam on PC. But Pippa Funnel 3: The Golden Stirrup Challenge is exactly what you'd expect: a horsey petting and dressage title, mainly aimed at girls (though CVG's Andy Taylor also has a soft spot for it). This time round you can visit Italy, Alsace and China and even raise your own foal.
Keep an eye out for next week's round-up going live on Saturday.
On Feb. 12 Turbine officially lifted their non-disclosure on Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmaron. Early word is that the game is actually a potential contender against the juggernaut known as the World of Warcraft. Turbine has incorporated the best elements from their semi-love-or-totally-hate Dungeons and Dragons Online game, while making LOTRO more accessible.
Turbine will begin stress testing the game on Feb. 23, which is the best opportunity to try out the game for those remotely curious. A few of the people we spoke with said that the reason the game works is because the Tolkien lore is solid and robust and it is WoW-esk enough to be accessible to the masses, but different enough to be an alternative. The game has an achievement system like Xbox Live, towns apparently change after major events and the instances have a more cinematic feel (a.k.a plot line). We've contacted Turbine to learn more about LOTRO. It would be nice to see some solid competition in the MMO marketplace.
Bioshock developer Irrational Games is being linked with the return of the much-loved X-COM strategy series.
A report on Shacknews is pointing to a resume allegedly discovered on the site of a law firm with ties with Irrational founders Jonathan Chey and Ken Levine, in which X-COM - along with System Shock 2, Tribes 3, SWAT, Bioshock and Freedom Force - is credited to the developer.
It's set speculation bells ringing that X-COM is to return. Adding further fuel to the speculation fire is the fact that Take-Two, Irrational Games' owner, also owns the X-COM property.
On top of that, our colleagues on PC Zone magazine learned during a trip to Irrational offices to see Bioshock last year that the developer is working on a old title which had a 'crappy interface' and which is being completely reworked from scratch. Hmm...
Take-Two responded with "no comment" when contacted about Irrational Games working on a new X-COM game earlier, and we're filing the return of X-COM in our rumour drawer for now. But keep 'em peeled.
Steam's gone kung fu with Jade Empire: Special Edition - the revamped PC version of BioWare's Xbox role-playing game is now available for pre-load through Valve's platform.
In addition, a new Jade Empire: SE trailer released reveals the Iron Palm fighting style in action. The PC iteration of the RPG features a number of brand new fighting styles, along with the likes of new enemies and monsters, improved combat AI and improved graphics.
Blizzard and Vivendi today filed against MDY Industries, the makers of the 'WoW Glider' software. Glider allows World of Warcraft players to 'play' while away from the keyboard; the software moves the player's avatar along a set path, following a complex set of instructions dictated in advance. Blizzard is seeking injunctive relief and money damages against MDY. What that means is they want him to stop the production of WoW Glider and they want him to pay them damages. Blizzard believes that Glider infringes on their intellectual property. They believe Glider allows players to cheat, giving them an unfair advantage and that they believe Glider encourages Blizzard customers to breach their contracts for playing the game. Last they claim that Glider is designed to circumvent copyright protections
Things in Korea are starting to change. A country known more for its voricious PC gaming appetite looks poised to be the settling for yet another console war. This year, the PS3 will launch in June, and the Nintendo Wii will hit stores sometime later. With the Xbox 360 out in Korea since 2006, is Microsoft worried? Says Microsoft Korea director Kim Dae-jin:
When we first started to sell Xbox 360 a year ago, many people from the game industry and the media worried about us. But now, things have turned rosier. We will have some healthy competition in 2007 and that will expand the market volume. Even though PlayStation and Nintendo are joining the race, we will still be able to make more sales than last year.
If the DS is any indication of how Korean gamers view Nintendo, huge initial sales since the product when on sale show that the Wii could be a hit. Sony has an uphill fight as Sony Computer Entertainment Korea faces big losses and recently cut its staff by a quarter — Hence the delayed PS3 launch in Korea. Piracy might be to blame for Sony's woes, though. And since Microsoft Korea is apparently moving more units than its Japan branch, things do look promising!
What do you do when you can't get a Wii? You stare at pictures of it. Nintendo's hardware shortage has likely encouraged a startling boost in web traffic for the company. According to data from Nielsen & NetRatings, Nintendo.com's unique visitor count reached 2.08 million in January, up 82% from last year's count.
The numbers were enough to trump both PlayStation.com (1.55 million uniques) and Xbox.com (1.5 million uniques) -- and land Nintendo.com in seventh place among the top computer hardware manufacturer sites. Nintendo also recorded the third longest browsing time per visit at 19 minutes and 29 seconds. Despite Nintendo's web growth, Apple.com proved it was still the destination for lustful consumers, recording 43.51 million unique visitors, who averaged 79 minutes and 25 seconds of perusing. It's called the iPhone.
According to Reuters, a new study involving 33 surgeons at a New York hospital shows 'a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities'. A statement by the senior author of the study even suggests the use of video games as a training tool for surgeons. Another of the study's authors cautions parents to curb excessive gaming, however: 'spending that much time playing video games is not going to help their child's chances of getting into medical school'
What if Sony had developed the SNES CD add-on? There might not have been the PlayStation. Find that and more in this interesting list. Would you have bought any of these systems if they had been released?
Sega Neptune
The Sega Neptune was basically a two-in-one game system (Genesis/32X), planned for release in 1995. Unfortunately, by the time a working protoype was ready, the Sega Saturn took the spotlight.
Sega felt that consumers would not be interested in the Sega Neptune, so the project was scrapped. Of the two prototypes that were made, neither actually functioned, but were just empty cases. The proposed retail price for the unit was US$200
Atari Jaguar Duo
Like the Neptune, the Jagaur Duo was a dual system, combining the Jaguar and Jaguar CD into one console. Unfortunately, the Jaguar CD didn’t sell as many units as the company had hoped, so they scrapped the idea before a prototype was built.
NanoGear
Basically a portable PC, NanoGear is what the GP2X should’ve been. It allows users to create their own games with the included tools and sports built-in networking.
Pretty high tech handheld that looks like it never got off the drawing board
Sega VR
Sadly, Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Virtual Boy never quite made it. Basically, it “was based around an IDEO virtual reality headset (HMD) with LCD screens in the visor and stereo headphones. Inertial sensors in the headset allowed the system to track and react to the movements of the user’s head.”
The company claimed the project was stopped because the VR was so real users would move while wearing the headset and injure themselves. The limited processing power of the system makes this claim unlikely, although there were reports of testers developing headaches and motion sickness
SNES CD
What some of you may not know is that Nintendo actually had contacted Sony to develop this accessory, but in the end, the talks fell through.
Ultimately, negotiations with both Sony and Philips fell through, and the two companies went on to develop their own consoles based on their initial dealings with Nintendo (the PlayStation and the CD-i respectively), Philips also gaining the right to release a series of CD-i titles based on popular Nintendo franchises
Games consoles such as Nintendo Wii require players to use body movements to control the action.
A study by Liverpool John Moores University found regular use could help shift 27lb (12.25kg) a year.
The study was carried out to establish whether computer games can contribute to the daily activity recommendations for children.
Parents should encourage other physical activities and outdoor pursuits in order for their children to lead well-balanced live
The researchers compared activity levels during gaming using the Wii with those achieved using traditional seated joypad-controlled consoles.
They found more active forms of gaming increased energy expenditure to a level which could help lose weight.
Heart rate
Lead researcher Professor Tim Cable said: "Through our testing it is clear that the motion sensor-controlled console can make an impact on a child's heart rate, energy expenditure and the amount of calories burned.
"Research from GameVision's Consumer Intelligence Report shows that, on average, gamers in the UK currently spend around 12.2 hours a week playing computer games.
"Therefore, it is important to promote as much activity as possible during this time."
Professor Cable said active consoles such as the Wii could provide a means of motivating children who are less active.
But he added: "Parents should encourage other physical activities and outdoor pursuits in order for their children to lead well-balanced lives."
Children do play these computer games because they find them fascinating, and so it would be best if the games they play include an element of physical activity
The study measured the impact on five girls and seven boys, aged between 13 and 15, of playing both an active and inactive console.
During 15 minutes of play using a traditional joypad operated console, energy expenditure increased above resting values by an average 60%.
In comparison, when using the Wii console, the participants' energy expenditure increased 156% above resting.
Based on the average gaming week of 12.2 hours, this translates to a potential 1,830 calories burned per week when using Wii - 40% more than when using a traditional format console.
In both conditions the energy expenditure of boys was greater than that observed for girls.
Heart rates were also much greater when using the active console, reaching values of 130 beats per minute, compared with 85 beats per minute for the traditional console.
Dr Ian Campbell, medical director of the charity Weight Concern, said children should be encouraged to play outside, and that parents should limit the amount of time they played computer games.
However, he said: "Children do play these computer games because they find them fascinating, and so it would be best if the games they play include an element of physical activity."
Heres the top10 games in the UK for the week ending feb17th:
FIFA 07 (EA)
Need for Speed: Carbon (EA)
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (Konami)
Supreme Commander (THQ)
Avatar: The Legend of Aang (THQ)
The Sims 2: Pets (EA)
Battlestations: Midway (Eidos)
Lost Planet (Capcom)
New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (LucasArts)
Mario bros still in the charts after all this time ?
Wii beat off Xbox 360 and PS3 over in the US having sold through 436,000 units in January, according figures released by NPD Group Inc.
This puts a gap of well over 100,000 unit sales between Nintendo's console and the second highest-selling machine, Xbox 360, which sold 294,000 units. The PS3 trailed just behind that with sales of 244,000.
While Nintendo of America will no doubt be chinking wine glasses together, getting more units to shelves remains a crucial matter, with the lack of availability still frustrating many gamers.
But if Nintendo and third-party publishers can keep a steady stream of software releasing throughout the year, 2007 will be a great year for Wii.
Big Huge Games is a developer best known for its work in the RTS genre with the Rise of Nations PC series, but it's now expanding its horizons and leaping into the world of the RPG.
Details on its RPG project are scant - all that's currently know is that it'll definitely be a console game, with a PC version on the cards according to Next-Gen.biz - but Big Huge has just announced it's employing the talents of RPG heavyweight Ken Rolston for the title.
Rolston was lead designer on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and has also been involved with pen and paper RPGs.
Rolston has explained he had planned to hang up his RPG spurs after Oblivion's release, but Big Huge Games "came along with a strikingly original and cunning concept for a console RPG...so now I'm back in the harness and chomping at the bit!" Sounds promising indeed.
Things are looking up for the PlayStation 3 in Japan this week, as stellar Sega bruiser instalment Virtua Fighter 5 blasts up the charts to snatch the console's first ever number one.
The fighter beat off Nintendo titles Wii Sports, Wii Play, Brain Age and New Super Mario Brothers for the top slot, selling 48,000 copies since it was released in the country almost two weeks ago.
Despite blitzing the competition in the sales charts though, the Wii continues to dominate Sony's console on the hardware front with 78,550 units shifted this week, compared to the PS3's 32, 175 and the Xbox 360's paltry 4,811.
The fifth fighting instalment hit US shelves just yesterday, and is currently pencilled in for a European debut alongside the PS3 next month.
Hold on, that's Michael Ironside. And that's Billy Dee Williams. And THAT'S Sawyer from Lost. Ah, and Kane...
What are we on about? A new trailer from Command & Conquer 3 - viewable via our video player on the right - which is giving us our first real glimpse of the game's cinematic cut-scenes, which we have to say are looking fantastic.
Explosive gameplay footage is included too and together it's all enough to send a little tingle of excitement down our collective spines.
Could this kick-start the revival of the live-action cut-scenes abundant in our favourite PC classics? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Yup it's that time of the week again, when we're pleased to announce that a fresh batch of Lord of the Rings Online beta keys will be available again this Friday, exclusively on CVG.
We've already given away thousands of keys for the beta phase of Turbine and Codemasters' brand new WOW challenger in our first two giveaways, but we're pleased to announce that this Friday we'll be giving away another 1000 keys because we know some of you guys and gals are desperate for more LOTRO goodness.
Although this week's allocation is a smaller than previous giveaways, there's some big things happening behind the scenes with the game, with new worlds being brought online and code being brought up to date and next week, we'll be back with a truly massive allocation which be enough to have the hordes of Mordor quaking in their Orcish boots at the prospect of facing a wave of heroes.
Still, if you want to get into the game this weekend, it's all the more reason to make sure you're here at the head of the queue on Friday, when once again around noon UK time we'll lob 1000 keys on a first-come first-served basis.
We've included a couple of new shots from the game for you to enjoy today and don't forget we've got a great LOTRO competition currently underway where you can win Special Editions of the game, exclusive prints and concept artwork and a whole treasure trove of LOTRO goodies.
SEGA and Sports Interactive have unleashed a data update for Football Manager 2007, bringing the game up to date with all the transfer window activity from last month.
That includes both playing and managerial staff, apparently, and SEGA says the patch will also fix a range of minor issues that had been annoying a small number of users.
It's available now from the Sports Interactive website for PC, Mac, and Intel Mac, so you should be able to take advantage whether you're a sheepskin-clad Mitchell or Webb.
Lineage II has only gone and expanded again, this time introducing The Chaotic Throne - Interlude, the beginning of a whole new storyline for players to experience sometime in April.
The current chapter, The Chaotic Chronicles, will be dramatically knitted-off - presumably resulting in some tremendous climax that will spread emotional turmoil throughout the land. So, to cheer you up, this free update has fantasy bucket-loads of new goodies to wallow in.
There's the new zone, the Primeval Isle. Dinosaurs be 'ere, and only top-level sunlight-shunning players will survive attacks from these historical beasts.
Joining this is a new duelling system that lets you fight your friends anywhere (previously restricted to arenas) without receiving any penalties, and for the first time ever you'll be able to see each others' hit points. Outrageous.
You'll also be able to augment the powers of your weapons at Blacksmiths to increase bonuses to your abilities, battle values, and skills. NC Soft is also including new shadow weapons in an effort to include less advanced players in the fun. These will look and behave like the real thing, but will be much cheaper, and will eventually wear out and disappear.
There is of course the usual onslaught of new quests and new skills to spice up your Lineage II pie, as well as 150,000 sparkly new items to be discovered.
If you've no idea what we're waffling on about, Lineage II is an MMORPG that was launched way back in 2003, and more than 14 million customers have enjoyed the experience to date, though most of which are in the eastern reaches of the world.
Console software sales for January in North America were US $549 million (EUR 418m), a rise of 53 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Partly due to there being five weeks in the month during 2007, as opposed to four in 2006, the numbers were still a rise of 22 per cent when the extra days are taken into account.
The figure smashes estimates by analyst Wedbush Morgan which expected a rise of 32 per cent, as software sales of next-generation titles exceeded expectations.
Next-generation software sales reached US $310 million (EUR 236m), compared to a forecast of US $250 million (EUR 190m), while current-generation titles accounted for US $239 million (EUR 181m), ahead of expectations of US $225 million (EUR 171m).
The top three selling titles for Microsoft's Xbox 360 were Capcom's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, Epic's Gears of War and Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas.
Warioware: Smooth Moves was the best-selling title for the Nintendo Wii, followed by fan-favourite Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess and Ubisoft's Rayman Raving Rabbids.
The PlayStation 3's high-selling games were Resistance: Fall of Man, Madden NFL 07 and Fight Night Round 3.
Cumulative hardware sales in the US have now reached 4.8 million units for the Xbox 360, 1.5 million for the Wii and 933,000 for the PlayStation 3.
As reported earlier today, Nintendo's Wii sold 436,000 units in January in the region, while the Xbox 360 shifted 294,000, and the PS3 sold 244,000 units.
Consumer gaming website Games Radar has come under fire from Gay.com UK for publishing an article "outing" five game characters.
The article, which is titled 'Are they gay?', begins by noting that God of War's Kratos "'accidentally' killed his wife and daughter. Which probably means he's got a grudge against women. Or something".
It goes on to suggest that Gears of War's Marcus Fenix, Bully's Jimmy Hopkins, Dead Rising's Frank West and Vaan from Final Fantasy XII also "show signs of covert - and not so covert - campness".
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz Hassan Mirza, news editor for Gay.com, said, "While it's reassuring to know that gamers are interested in the sexual orientation of digital superheroes, Matt Cundy's 'Are they gay?' article relies on a series of juvenile stereotypes and clichés.
"I can't imagine any homophobic intentions, but it can be dangerous to suggest that looking "camp" means gay, or worse, that gay men hold violent grudges against women. It's a completely misinformed suggestion."
Mirza also criticised the part of the article which states: "[Frank West] enjoys dressing in woman's clothes. And children's clothes. Probably not gay per se, but definitely a bit kinky and not one to shy away from carnal 'experimentation'."
According to Mirza, "Cundy's facetious tone, dismissive of an impressionable audience, justifies making jokes about the LGBT community."
The Games Radar article has been featured on gay news site PinkNews.co.uk, which poses the question, "What is the point of "outing" characters? Is this yet another bunch of childish "str8" boys laughing at gay people?"
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, online editor Tony Grew said he was not offended by the piece but did question its objectives.
"I didn't really know what to make of it. I know a lot of gay people play games and feel they're under-represented, and it's interesting that the macho world of games is taking this kind of approach," he observed.
"I'm not insulted by it, but I would question what it's trying to achieve. It will be interesting to see what our readers think of it."
Last year a bill proposing gaming regulations in the state of Indiana stalled before it could be voted on by legislators. Lawmakers are trying again, however, as last month state Senators David C. Ford (Republican) and Vi Simpson (Democrat) introduced a bill that would ban the sale of games rated M for Mature or AO for Adults Only to children.
The bill passed its first test this week, as the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology (which Ford chairs) voted 5-2 to recommend it be passed by the full Senate. According to an Associated Press article, the committee members were shown a video of objectionable material in games, including characters "urinating on victims and setting them on fire" and "gunning down people in a church." Another clip showed a game that rewarded players' achievements with footage of strippers.
A representative with the Entertainment Software Association argued before the committee that the law was unconstitutional like those struck down in other states, the Associated Press reported. Ford responded by saying he would continue to work on the bill to make it constitutional.
I had no idea that Rockstar was giving stuff away. How cool is that?
Reader Nick sent in a link to Rockstar Classics Free Download Series. The series, which is already on their third free PC game download. Includes Grant Theft Auto, Wild Metal and, the most recent addition, Grand Theft Auto 2.
According to the note, this is a modified version of GTA2 which now should work on most modern computers, but they make no promises.
Pretty neat idea. And before you trolls out there start your jabbering. Yes, this may have been available for decades, perhaps since even before the game's initial release. I also highly suspect this story is, in fact, not news.
Hi all got home today and its been a rough day, flat tyre on car this morning, dead umd drive on my PSP and worse of all my Cable Modem is dead, NTL say it will be monday before they inspect my modem even though i say its DEAD.
So if anyone can post news or submit news then please do and help out the staff until i get back online.
This Great article Comes Via the nice Folks at ,1UP, Weirdest Science Showcases what the hardest of the hardcore Gamer can do when they'er feeling a little bit creative.
On with the show.
Great games can make you think, sure, but sometimes great thinkers can make games, too--especially if your idea of games is a pee-powered gear-shifting simulator and a version of Tetris that builds your biceps. So, for the third year in a row, we travel the globe in search of scientists and students who clearly have too much time on their hands. Pee in a pod
Here
Here's a game where the strategy tip, straight from the designer, is to drink a lot of beer before playing. "Liquids aren't used much in today's interfaces and I found it an interesting idea," says John van Terheijden, a Leiden University grad student in the Netherlands (where else?). "One thing led to another and the idea of using pee came to mind."
His concoction is TopsPEEd (the pun kinda hits you like a bucket of warm liquid, huh?), a game where you urinate on four tiny seesaws in an enclosed urinal to shift gears on a racecar, which appears on an overhead monitor and shows rpm and mph. The faster you switch gears, the more the car accelerates. There's even an engine sound that roars louder as you race but, thankfully, there's no force feedback.
Block party Here
Two Milan, Italy, grad-school guys with names like Victor Szilagyi and Tristam Sparks must be quirky cool, right? Their xBlocks 3D project is like the ******* child of Tetris and Super Mario Bros, projected on a large 3D sculpture and controlled with standard console joypads. The interconnected blocks form a maze in physical space crawling with flickery blue monsters. "There are two ways to win," says Szilagyi, "either by getting to your opponent's base, or by catching them in the maze." Power-ups increase your speed or upgrade your weapon. But if you wander the maze too long, the monsters will eat you for lunch.
Kicking the habit Here
The Wild Horses Center in the Netherlands (yes, those guys again) is like a detox facility for addicted gamers. The recovery program lasts up to six weeks and treats afflictions of mostly the PC variety. "The most addictive games are World OF Warcraft, any role-playing game, Counter Strike, and Quake," says Keith Bakker, director of the center, which opened just last year. "The symptoms of addiction are loss of friends, bad grades in school, loss of self-control, and mounting debt from all the online-gaming fees." Bakker plans to build an online game-addiction center soon and wants to hear from players with stories to tell about their own game addictions. Just send an e-mail to danielle@smithandjones.nl. And if you don't get help at Wild Horses, please, get help somewhere.
Seven-block biceps Here
While benching the bulky Playstation 3 may seem like a sensible workout for your average muscle-nerd, Tim Tucker blasts his lats old-school. To cap off his Master's of Science in Human-Computer Interaction at Indiana University, he rigged up an "exploration in the area of entertainment fitness"--basically, a sweaty version of Tetris. After spending 650 bucks and a few months tinkering with a computer, some pulleys, remote controllers, and weighted buckets, Tucker had his phys-ed killer app--and the muscles to prove it. He realized that the simple mechanic of lifting weights to shift the onscreen pieces made people forget they were working out at all. Just take care to lift that extra-heavy straight piece with your legs.
Lean, mean grillin' PS3 Here
Who says your PlaySttation 3 has to collect dust once you've beaten best-of-the-batch launch game Resistance Fall Of Man? Not Aussie 17-year-olds James Kingham and Brendan Foley, who noticed something very as-seenon- TV about the system's concave casing. "Ever since the final design of the PS3 was announced, people have been joking that it looks like a George Foreman grill," says Kingham. One long Sunday afternoon later (not to mention $1,000 blown on grillin' parts and an imported PS3), the duo had completed their 2,000-watt, meat-heatin' masterpiece. It's roomy enough for two bloody T-bones, four kosher wieners, and a few whiskey-lathered memory cards.
Ghost buster Here
We think students at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan must have played too much Luigi's Mansion. Their Shadow Chaser game is part ghostsucking gun, part psychological experiment. As you race around capturing the projected virtual ghosts--which look like tiny Pokemon--with a special vacuum cleaner, your backpack fills up with their "weight" and the gun's barrel gets clogged. You can hear the goblins' footsteps through a headset as they try to evade your capture. "The purpose of the project is to give users another way to perceive the existence of objects," says student Yoshinobu Nakano. Sounds deep and fun. Ehhh, we think.
Head game Here
To quote one famously tongue-twisted former vice president: "Not to have a mind is being very wasteful." Enterprising engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are picking up what Dan Quayle put down. They hooked up an Atari 2600 to the brain of a teenager with epilepsy, allowing him to control Space Invaders with nothing but thought patterns. Amazingly, the system provides precise back-and-forth control in fine increments. "The patient's electrode array on the surface of their brain is wired directly to a biosignal amplifier," explains Tim Blakely, who helped design the interface. "The computer detects a specific pattern of neuron firings." Blakely found Atari electrical circuit maps on the Internet to get the thought-reading matrix working, and he has expanded the system's compatibility to include simple online games. Here's a thought: Will Nintendo pick up this technology for its Wii successor?
Space clamp Here
Forget driving wheels: The Control Freak lets you use any physical object as a game controller, including bus seats, recliners, tree limbs--anything you don't mind clamping it onto. "I had the idea of a device that could turn objects into controllers by sensing movement," says Haiyan Zhang, a graduate student at the Interaction Design Institute in Ivrea, Italy. "I'd like to eventually add a gyroscope for more precision in the sensing." The clamp prototype uses something called an accelerometer and transmits movement coordinates over a wireless signal. What's next? Home-console controllers that sense movement? That'll be the day...
The department of trade and industry is to award trading standards officers more authority and a GBP 5 million Government grant in a bid to boost the campaign against videogame piracy.
As announced by DTI minister Malcom Wicks at the Intellectual Property Crime Group in London, trading standards and other UK agencies will be given new powers under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
From April 6, officers will be able to make test purchases, enter premises and inspect and seize goods and documents. Customs, benefit fraud teams, police, trading standards and industry investigators will co-ordinate their activities on an ongoing basis.
According to Wicks, "There will be an additional 4,500 pairs of Trading Standards eyes watching counterfeiters and pirates. This will mean more surprise raids at markets and car boot sales, more intelligence, more prosecutions and more criminals locked up.
"IP criminals should know that the UK is not a safe place. The risk of 10 years' imprisonment and unlimited fines is very real and, from this date forward, a markedly higher risk."
Wicks quoted figures which say that piracy costs the UK film, music and game industries up to GBP 9 billion per year, adding, "The taxpayer is also losing out to the tune of £300 million. It's a serious offence, whether committed by small-scale hawkers or international crime organisations."
The new initiative has been welcomed by ELSPA director general Paul Jackson, who said, "The fight against IP theft remains a massive problem for not only the games business but film, music and branded goods.
"The DTI’s commitment to give new powers to TSOs around the country, plus a further £5 million in funding is a clear sign that the DTI understands that Trading Standards needs more help in the battle."
Ars Technica looks at recent failures to pass laws regulating the sales of violent video games. They ask whether politicians are finally wising up to First Amendment issues and the costs associated with lawsuits resulting from the laws. Recent attempts to pass video game legislation in Mississippi, Utah, and Indiana have either failed or been put on indefinite hold. 'Now, state lawmakers are more cognizant of the constitutionality issues at stake. The judicial landscape is littered with the charred husks of laws passed by Illinois, Washington, Michigan, California, Louisiana, and others. All of them tried in some way or another to regulate the sale of violent video games to children, and all of them were struck down on First Amendment grounds.
Fire Emblem: Akatsuki no Megami JPN US$ 64.90
Naruto Shippuuden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX JPN US$ 64.90
PlayStation2™:
Aammegami-Sama JPN US$ 64.90
Aammegami-Sama [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 99.90
Aoi Sora no Neosphere: Nanoka Franka no Hatsumei Koubouki 2 JPN US$ 64.90
Aoi Sora no Neosphere: Nanoka Franka no Hatsumei Koubouki 2 [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 89.90
Bomberman Land 3 (Best Price) JPN US$ 39.90
Destroy All Humans! JPN US$ 64.90
Fatal Fury Battle Archives 2 JPN US$ 49.90
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack JPN US$ 64.90
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri JPN US$ 64.90
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri Memory Card 8MB N/A
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri [Limited Edition] JPN N/A
Lupin III: Lupin ni wa Shi o, Zenigata ni wa Koi o JPN US$ 64.90
Pachi-Slot Club Collection: IM Juggler EX - Juggler Selection JPN US$ 49.90
Pachi-Slot King! Kagaku Ninja-Tai Gatchaman JPN US$ 49.90
Reijou Tantei: Office Love Jiken JPN US$ 49.90
Shoujo Mahou Gaku Little Witch Romanesque JPN US$ 59.90
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Soshite Kono Uchuu ni Kirameku Kimi no Shi XXX JPN US$ 64.90
Soukou Kihei Armodyne JPN US$ 64.90
The Prince of Tennis: Card Hunter JPN US$ 64.90
The Prince of Tennis: Card Hunter [First Print Limited Edition] JPN US$ 69.90
Nintendo DS™:
Boku wa Koukuu Kanseikan DS JPN US$ 48.90
Catz JPN US$ 48.90
Gakken DS: Otona no Gakushuu Kintaichi Sensei no Nihongo Lesson JPN US$ 39.90
Gamics Series Vol. 1: Yokoyama Mitsuteru - San Goku Shi - Vol. 2 - Ryofu no Matsuro JPN US$ 39.90
Keroro Gunsou: Enshuu da Yo! Zenin Shuugou Part 2 JPN US$ 48.90
Nova Usagi no Game de Ryuugaku!? DS JPN US$ 39.90
SimCity DS JPN US$ 48.90
Unou Tanren UnoTan DS: Shichida Shiki Otona no Shun Kan Training JPN US$ 39.90
Sony PSP™:
Akudaikan Manyuuki: Seigi no Yaiba JPN US$ 48.90
Boku wa Koukuu Kanseikan: Airport Hero New Chitose JPN US$ 48.90
Daisenryaku Portable (Genki the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
Ghost Rider US US$ 34.90
LocoRoco (PSP the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
Love Adventure Love x 2 Kiss Yuatomi Hiro to Doki Doki Date JPN US$ 37.90
Metal Slug Complete ASIA US$ 42.90
Metal Slug Complete JPN US$ 48.90
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd ASIA US$ 39.90
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd JPN US$ 48.90
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd Accessories Set N/A
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd Hunter Pack JPN US$ 349.90
PSP PlayStation Portable - Champagne Gold (PSP-1000CG) JPN US$ 199.90
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters US US$ 39.90
Sangokushi VIII [All in Guard w/ PSP Console] JPN N/A
Simple 2500 Series Portable Vol. 9: The My Taxi ASIA US$ 25.90
Simple 2500 Series Portable Vol. 9: The My Taxi JPN US$ 28.90
Star Soldier (Hudson the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
The Warriors US US$ 24.90
Valhalla Knights KOR US$ 49.90
WWE 2007 SmackDown vs Raw JPN US$ 48.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model A US$ 21.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model B US$ 21.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model C US$ 21.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model D US$ 21.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model E US$ 21.90
Animal Crossing Plush Doll - Model F US$ 21.90
Docomodake Plush Doll: Model A US$ 19.90
Docomodake Plush Doll: Model B US$ 19.90
Gantz: 1/8 Scale Painted Extra! Story Image Figure! - Kishimoto Kei (Gantz Suit Version) N/A
King of Fighters Maximum Impact 2 Pre-painted PVC Figure - B. Jenet (1P Sea Thief Ver.) US$ 38.90
New Super Mario Bros. Screen Cleaner Phone Strap Gashapon JPN US$ 2.49
New Super Mario Bros. Sound Drops Gashapon US$ 2.99
Tandem Twin Animal Girls Action Figure - Leopard (Cloe) US$ 59.90
Magazines & Books:
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Senko no Ronde SP & Rev.X Data Setting Collection Artbook JPN US$ 24.90
Video Game related Soundtracks:
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Akabe Sofutotsu Vocal Collection [CD+DVD Limited Edition] JPN US$ 31.90
Drama CD Idol Master New Stage.03 JPN US$ 29.90
Lupin III: Lupin ni wa Shi o, Zenigata ni wa Koi wo Original Soundtrack JPN US$ 23.90
Radio DJ CD Oh! Naruto Nippon Vol.19 JPN US$ 24.90
Rock Musical Bleach - The Dark of the Bleeding Moon - Live JPN US$ 28.90
Rising Force JPN US$ 11.90
Tales of the Tempest Original Soundtrack JPN US$ 26.90
The latest charts are in from Japan and whilst the Nintendo consoles see a drop in sales they still keep their places.
Heres the numbers
Nintendo DS Lite - 136,846
Wii - 63,618
PSP - 34,505
PLAYSTATION 3 - 20,676
PlayStation 2 - 16,192
Xbox 360 - 5,210
Game Boy micro - 953
Game Boy Advance SP - 843
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ videogame is in development. The game is scheduled for a July 2007 release to coincide with the Warner Bros. Pictures film based on J.K. Rowling's fifth book of the same title.
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first in the franchise that we have developed for the next generation consoles," said Harvey Elliott, Executive Producer at EA UK. "Together with current generation versions, we are creating an immersive and, above all, faithful Harry Potter experience that will both accurately reflect the world showcased in the film and also delight fans of all ages."
"Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans the most authentic Harry Potter game to date, one which captures the compelling story of the fiction and high visual quality of the movie," said Jason Hall, Senior Vice President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "After reading the book and seeing the film, fans will be able to take advantage of the complete interactive experience with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix game."
The close and synergistic relationship between book, film and videogame is more defined in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix videogame than ever before. Players will be able to explore the many key locations within Hogwarts in minute detail, each one a visual match to its film equivalent, while being engrossed in the thrilling adventures outlined in the rich narrative of the book.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community has been denied the truth about the teenager’s recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. Fearing that Hogwarts’ venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort’s return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge’s Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community, so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves “Dumbledore’s Army,” Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead.
With the ability to play multiple characters, including Harry Potter, Dumbledore and Sirius Black, the videogame of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix offers fans the opportunity to wield a wand, explore all around Hogwarts, and experience one of the most exciting and dangerous years in the life of the Boy Who Lived.
Under development by EA's UK Studio, the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of games, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is scheduled for release for the Nintendo Wii™, PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance, and Windows PC.
The ever-enjoyable Gamers with Jobs has up a fascinating look at the recently released MMOG Vanguard . The article's author, Elysium, takes pains to point out that it's not a review. He didn't play the title long enough to get a firm grasp of the game; he just didn't care enough to spend the time. He outlines what makes Vanguard a bad game, and then points out that the game's creator Brad McQuaid himself has as much as admitted it was released too early. Sony Online Entertainment saved the game from bankruptcy, and released it when the schedule said to and not a moment later. In Elysium's mind, this sets up a really, really bad precedent:
"Now that the game has released in its incomplete state, in a state that McQuaid himself describes as requiring patches, bug fixes and new feature implementation on par with a beta product, Sigil essentially comes to the consumer as the third investor in the process of the development cycle, and that is not just a terrible way of doing business, but an irresponsible step in the wrong direction for complicit consumers. Let me put it bluntly, if a game is not ready for retail when the money runs out find another investor or shut the doors. We are customers, and the retail end of the industry is bad enough about not supporting incomplete or inoperable products without developers and publishers assuming we are investors in the development process. Your job as the industry is to create product, and then, and only then, we buy it."
Here's another thing that's gone MIA - Ghouls Ghosts Online. It was being developed by Game Factory in taiwan (many people thought it was developed by Zona, because of this poser, but Zona is actually an online middleware provider), and was very very early. No enemies yet, just a trailer, and a playable environment. Why they showed something so early is beyond me, but I was glad they did!
Anyway, I got basically the only footage of it that exists, as far as I'm aware, so give it a gander if you're curious. The intro, and several gameplay segments are included - incidentally I have absolutely no idea who the person standing behind me making comments was! Ah, the mysteries of our time. The game was cancelled pretty early on without much pomp and circumstance - though it was further along than Metal Slug Online, which was supposed to have its first beta in december 2004. In fact, Game Factory's website is no more, so I wonder if they're still around? Here's the best other source for info on this game, in the form of an official press release. I'll excerpt a few clips:
"This is the first time that a Chinese digital entertainment company has been authorized to re-design a classic Japanese game and develop into a Massive Multi-Player Online Game (MMOG), which will be the first product launched into the international market since Game Factory Digital Entertainment Studios established its own brands.
Mr. Monte Singman, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Game Factory, states, "It is Game Factory's honor to be authorized to network Ghouls and Ghosts. It shows Capcom's confidence in the research and development capacity of Game Factory. Game Factory will create a brand-new version of "Ghouls and Ghosts" by integrating the essence of this classic game with the most cutting-edge 3D technology for the online game. We will offer 'Ghouls and Ghosts Online', a game created by the Chinese that meets the international standard. Game Factory hopes to navigate a new path for the Chinese game industry, that is, to initiate a development pattern incorporating international markets into originality."
"Ghouls and Ghosts Online", currently under development, is projected to be finished in the middle of 2004. At GDC, two versions, PC and Xbox, were disclosed, which will be displayed at E3 in the United States next May and will be launched into markets in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Europe and Greater China region."
Obviously that last part is the most interesting - PC and Xbox development. I'm not sure that an Xbox build was playable at the time. Another odd bit of info from my own post, was that there was a title called 'Ghouls & Ghosts Match Fight' as well - not sure if that was simply a renaming, or if it was a second title in development. At this rate, we may never know...
This [HaloRPG] is Version 1.1. It now has level two which is loosely based off "The Silent Cartographer". HaloRPG is a Halo based RPG game made with RPG Maker XP.
This project has been put on hold due to not having $60 to buy a lisence for RPG Maker. Halo is property of Bungie and Microsoft. This is a Fan Made game that I will never sell. It was made with sprites from a Halo Fan Made comic.
Known Bugs:
Spelling Errors
White Background on each character
Music may over lap
If someone wants to continue this project, I can give them the RPG Maker source as soon as I get the Worm off my PC.
Its now nearly March 2007 and time for a new State of the Homebrew Scene for 2007.
Because we are the only dedicated Homebrew Network on the web covering just about all scenes (and if not then we will ) i feel its a good time to give a low down on each scene and some pointers about where they are going from my point of view.
First off though lets remind all that Homebrew is not the same as warez.
Also I would like to point out that each scene owes its life to the many hardware and software hackers who discover the exploits we come to enjoy so much today, they are then followed by the many worldwide coders who make the homebrew scene a free and enjoyable place to hang out and make friends etc.
The Xbox360 has been the Next gen console thats been out the longest and while there has been advances we still have not seen any Homebrew breakthroughs for this System, Microsofts XNA platform is at the moment the only "Homebrew" but paying to use XNA doesnt appeal to me, the hackers have done a heck of a lot to this system but sadly that killer breakthrough hasnt arrived, the future should be fantastic once its broken, i predict PS2, Dreamcast and even Xbox Emulation should be possible on the Xbox 360.
The most powerful console of the next generation is a console that you can install Linux on and that opens the doors to a flood of homebrew, we are still awaiting a method to have homebrew without linux or some type of loader with a linux boot involved but out of all next gen consoles this looks to be the easiest and most powerful for homebrew in the future, as with the Xbox 360 i predict PS2, Dreamcast and Xbox emulators on this console.
Nintendos Wii console is already an emulation fans dream, the ability to play N64, Snes, Nes, Gamecube, Megadrive and PC Engine on this console make it a killer buy and recently Neogeo and MSX games have been announced to be arriving soon on the Virtual Console.
The Wii can play Gamecube Homebrew without a problem using the SD Load Option, that brings Snes, GBA, Genesis and more to the Wii, whilst theres no true Wii Homebrew breakthroughas of yet, the release of Nintendo Wii Modchips should hopefully speed along an homebrew breakthrough, but is it needed if Nintendo keep adding new systems to their Virtual Console.
The PSP Homebrew Scene is the one still getting the most attention at the moment and rightly so, the ease of getting homebrew to run on this up to the latest 2 firmware releases means millions worldwide can enjoy Games and Emulators for the price of a Memory Card and a copy of Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories (Original Unpatched Version) depending on what firmware is on the PSP, recently the releases of Dark Alexs Custom Firmware that basically lets you use Sonys Full Speed PSX Emulator on your PSP have been a major new addition to the PSP Homebrew Scene, we have also had full speed GBA emulation and a host of emulators for retro consoles and arcade systems like CPS1 and CPS2, on the application front Deniska`s Map This is now using Sonys Official GPS Adapter and continues to amaze even though sadly Sony have yet to release outside of Japan. The future of the PSP Scene is a very strong one with hackers that seemingly wont let Sony get the upper hand. Infact recently within hours we have seen decrypted firmware of Sonys latest efforts to stop homebrew on their handheld console. For the future we look to the likes of Nintendo 64 emulation at a playable speed and yet more Custom Firmware that opens the doors that Sony should have opened. Sonys handheld may not be the killer console in the handheld market but on the Homebrew arena its way out in front.
The GP2X is a console that was made for homebrew fans and coders, it has a worldwide base of people coding Emulators and Games for it and with 2x200mhz cpus and 64megs ram it sure can deliver the goods. The GP2X has a fantastic amount of emulators and games both original and ports, emulators for Snes and Megadrive and Neogeo are extremely advanced and recently the system was the first to have Sega Mega CD Emulation on a Console, a groundbreaking first for any handheld. Just lately the GP2X scene has slowed most likely due to the fact that most emulators have been ported and that possibly coders have become annoyed with Gamepark and the lateness of the Breakout Board a device that turns the GP2X into a computer of sorts. Theres still a long way to go on the GP2X interms of emulation and i feel that decent speed PSX, GBA and Nintendo 64 emulators are reachable in time.
Once you have the hardware above then the DS with its touch screen is a monster in the waiting, already it has over several hundred homebrew releases for it but with the touch screen, microphone and rumble addon you have an excellent base for games and more, not to mention the wifi mode.
As with the commercial games the DS cant match the PSP for pure power but it can easily bypass it in the innovation dept just like the commercial scene. With the DS you can also play the many hundreds of excellent GBA Homebrew Releases.
DS Homebrew has recently seen the release of Quake, Doom and even Duke Nukem 3D is being ported, emulators include Snes and Megadrive are very good now and many more systems have been emulated, i doubt you will ever see a PSX or N64 emu on the DS but the DS will be the home of the best Games on any Homebrew Platform, the touchpad guarentees that.
The Dreamcast is still the only non handheld Console to gain a massive legal scene without the use of modchips, the releases to date stand at over 500 and amongst them many ports of commercial games and awesome emulators, the scene has slowed a lot in the last year or so but it continues to pump out releases. Because of the fact that you dont have to Chip the console it makes the Dreamcast a cheap system to get emulators etc working on.
The future of the Dreamcast scene as i see is still a strong one with releases of a few a month and several dedicated coders and members of a scene who refuse to let it die. I do not envisage any great releases that put the system back into the mainstream but if you have never had a Dreamcast then you are massively missing out.
The GP32 is the younger brother of the GP2X, this console had some commercial releases but the main reason for its success was the hundreds of releases for it, the scene for the GP32 is just about dead with everyone having moved onto the GP2X, the console is still a great source for games and emulators if you can pick up a console cheaply.
The GBA has a console is on its last legs with only very few games being released these days and sadly not many homebrew releases either. The back catalogue though has some of the very best commercial quality homebrew games ever created and those with a DS and a Slot 2 flashcart should try out the many excellent releases.
The Gizmondo whilst being a commercial failure despite being a very powerful handheld is now spawning a decent Homebrew scene, in the last few months we have seen the release of around 50 games and emulators, again like the PSP all you need is a Memory card and your ready to go, because there wasnt many Gizmondos made this will never be a massive scene but it does have the built in GPS and Camera which none of the others do. The Gizmondo is seeing a lot of PocketPC games released either legally or not so on the system and that will keep the scene alive in the short run. In the long term i see the scene slowing to a crawl and with not a big userbase of consoles the long term future isnt good.
The most powerful console for the last generation of consoles has a massive range of full speed emulators and ported games for it, The best way to get homebrew to run is with the fitting of a Xbox Modchip, the shame about the Xbox scene is that 99% of the homebrew released is made with the Official SDK, so that means no sites can legally host the releases, at one time there were multiple releases on a daily basis but now its slowed to a trickle, the Xbox really needs the creation of a Legal SDK so that it entices more coders to release projects on the powerful console. If your after full speed emulation then this is the homebrew console to get.
The homebrew scene for the Nokia seems to have died a death, most likely because Nokia killed the console but it has quite a few decent emulators for it but the longterm future looks very grim, emulation on mobile phones isnt very easy to understand even if you are a pro in the scene.
Heres a console much like the Nintendo DS with its Touch Screen but its also a Pocket PC type device so you get the best of both worlds, the homebrew scene for this console has dried up massively since Tapwave gave up, it does boast some great emulators and games though so if your after a homebrew console and a pocket PC device then this is for you.
To get Homebrew on the Gamecube your gonna need a Modchip or use the SD Load Method, the Gamecube scene is very small compared to most other scenes with only a matter of 30 releases, it does however boast a great N64 and Snes emulator plus if you buy a Gamecube Gameboy player you can play GBA homebrew with a flash cart that way. Long term it doesnt look good for this scene.
The PS2 Homebrew scene despite being a powerful console and the biggest selling non handheld console of recent years has never really thrived, it has around 30 releases for it similiar to the Gamecube, but the long term prospects dont look great. A modchip is the best way to get homebrew working on this console.
The worlds most popular music player in time could be a real contender for mini games and emulation of simple systems, so far it does have some homebrew for it but controls are never going to be easy for it, because of the constant changing of hardware its unlikely to have a strong homebrew following. Best to stick to music
The Sega Saturn is another console for which youll need a modchip for, via a coder named Rockin-B the Saturn has a site with nearly 100 homebrew releases and although its never going to be a massive scene its great to see the console still getting some loving.
Spread the Word
Conclusion
I hope i havent bored you too much but theres some opinions and facts about homebrew across the systems, if your looking for a killer handheld homebrew scene then PSP, Nintendo DS or GP2X should be your focus.
Those looking for a Console based scene then the Dreamcast or maybe the Xbox Should be your port of call.
Out of the Next gen the PS3 should be the king of hombrew but until we see real breakthoughs all bets are off.
Spider-Man 3 is shaping up nicely, as this crisp new in-game trailer demonstrates.
As you will see, Spider-Man's flamboyant fighting skills are back, and his increased agility now sees him sprinting along walls as though he were on the ground.
One cool action scene shows Spidey swinging through a tube tunnel in New York's underground system alongside a speeding train. Then he goes all bad-ass in his dark symbiotic suit and shoves some dudes face into the side of a moving train. Eat that.
The game is set to release on almost every console format known to man on May 4, coinciding with the release of the film.
Dave 'Earthworm Jim' Perry and Acclaim have called on gamers to help the development of their "Top Secret" MMOG project, which will rely heavily on user input.
Perry will be building the online game from scratch and will be calling on members of the Acclaim player community to help him develop it in a "collaborative effort with some of the industry's best talent".
He'll then judge the contributors Simon Cowell-style and award the lucky winner a "Video Game Industry Directorship", working on the fully-funded MMO fulltime with Dave as their boss and royalty cash to boot.
Just like X Factor, there's even going to be some "surprise guests" to help "inspire and mentor the contributors," says Perry. As always, we've got our fingers crossed for Barry Manilow.
"This is the only chance I know of to jumpstart a directorship career in the video game industry," says Perry. "Everyone wins. They get to learn how to make professional games, and if they get anything in, they get a real professional credit on their resume." Perry finishes, "But, if they win, well then they get their life changed."
Interestingly, Acclaim notes that applicants needn't have prior game dev experience to apply and that Perry even refuses to look at resumes (perhaps the same strategy he used to make Enter The Matrix). "We only care about the pure, focused, passionate talent they show up with," he says.
To register for a free account and find out more about Top Secret, visit the Acclaim website.
Eidos is keen to show off the visuals of its DirectX 10-based action-RPG, Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures, on the way to PC and Xbox 360.
This footage gives you a scenic fly-through of a town called Khemi - a dusty town near a stretch of water, in what the trailer proudly boasts to be "in-game" graphics.
Although to be honest, apart from some nice water effects and a decent volume of buildings, we found it rather unspectacular.
Thanks to Vivendi we'll be able to rule the world again, as the company has announced the next instalment in the PC RTS series Empire Earth, due for release this autumn.
This third outing, developed by Mad Doc Software, will once again charge you with expanding one empire across the entire globe, starting in the distant past and progressing into the uncharted future, gobbling up anyone who stands in your way.
"Empire Earth III will take the series to the next level with its ability to capture the entire scope of the globe and give it to the hands of the player," said Cindy Cook, chief strategy and marketing officer for Vivendi Games.
The second and most recent game in the series was a solid strategy experience with few surprises and little to object too, leaving us to hope Mad Doc can pull out the creative stops with this time around.
The most exciting MMO news in recent memory for many of us was a Lord of the Rings themed MMORPG. Of course, no MMORPG can be discussed without pointing out the massive World of Warcraft currently shadowing over all games in the genre. Can Tolkein's hobbits slay the beast that is WoW? Or will they be quickly disposed of by Blizzard's fierce orcs?
Arkane's swords and sorcery action-RPG Dark Messiah has received a multiplayer boost.
A new update, available via Steam, introduces four new multiplayer maps, one of which is for a new multiplayer game mode called Colosseum. Colosseum "is designed for multiple players to duel amongst themselves in a series of individual fights".
In addition, the update features a number of multiplayer fixes and tweaks.
It's been over a year since we've heard anything on John Romero's MMOG project following the exclusive reveal on these pages, but today new information has come to light.
Romero's new company, Slipgate Ironworks, has selected the BigWorld Technology Suite as the game development platform for the massively multiplayer title.
The BigWorld Technology Suite will allow Slipgate to speed up the production and development process of its MMOG by providing key foundation tech required to produce such games.
Game details are still yet to emerge however, although in 2006 John Romero said we should get our first glimpse of the MMOG this year. At the same time he also described the project as being "very different from any other MMO for some special reasons."
Over at The Pensive Gamer I've put the final article up that discusses the coming of mass market homebrew. It looks at the past by discussing the barriers and looks to the future by looking at where each console might be going. Full article below:
SPREAD THIS NEWS
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Over the past few weeks I've explored the mass market homebrew options on the Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360. Today I finalize the 'Here Comes Homebrew' series by looking at what was preventing mass market homebrew and, for everyone's amusement, sticking my neck out with a few predications; appropriate on the eve of GDC.
What were the Barriers?
Four inter-related things: complexity, support, distribution and publishers.
Complexity
Console development is typically a complex undertaking. While Nintendo is historically credited with providing better tools than Sony, Microsoft and the Web changed things. Microsoft was built on the idea of providing tools to ease development and XNA lowers console development complexity to a new level.
As for the Web, its success was driven by the notion that anyone could bring their ideas to the world. Web development is more complex than envisioned in the early web days, but it is much less complex and more broadly reaching than traditional console development.
Support
Support needs cannot be understated. Not only are good tools needed, but so is good documentation and strong developer communities. This has been a strength of Microsoft's, from their developer website, MSDN, to Microsoft developer blogs, to communities built around Microsoft technology. The web is no different. Numerous companies provide free and commercial tools and there are plenty of communities built around Flash, JavaScript and HTML development.
Distribution
Until Xbox Live Arcade publishers owned the primary game distribution channel, retailers. With all consoles equipped with Internet connections and download services, along with two providing web browsers, getting homebrew to the console directly is no longer an issue.
Publishers
This one is not yet solved. It is easy to argue homebrew development isn’t competition for publishers but the consumer's time at the controller is likely a publisher concern. Particularly if homebrew games are free and publishers having rising development costs.
Microsoft Xbox 360
First off let's be clear, the $99 US annual fee for the XNA Creators Club isn't about Microsoft making money from the subscription. The number of people paying won't cover the engineering cost that has gone into creating and supporting XNA any time soon.
Requiring a fee and needing to provide source is about not drawing the ire of publishers and acting as a form of minimal quality control; only those serious enough to spend money will tend to create something. Microsoft is testing the waters while they complete full development and finalize their strategy.
So my predictions for Microsoft? I expect expanded APIs for Live support, including multiplayer, lobbies, etc. I do think they will eventually add VB.NET as a language choice, but they might wait to see some success first.
Microsoft will expand the Dashboard UI in a coming update. This will allow people to browse, play and rank homebrew games. Some form of both automatic and manual filtering mechanism will be put in place to minimize garbage, malicious and inappropriate homebrew applications.
While I don't believe they will remove the paid subscription for developing 360 homebrew apps, playing them will be free or require a Gold subscription. Publishers shouldn't view this as competition but as a way to find rough gems to turn into full titles. As a case in point, Sony took the free Flash game flOw and released it last week as a downloadable game.
Nintendo Wii
With the only current legitimate homebrew avenue being web, the question becomes what can Nintendo do to enhance it? They have already provided a strong browser. Providing some level of web API doesn't make sense when there really isn't the notion of a single sign-in/user focused central service nor the same kind of game completion tracking/achievements as on the 360.
They could offer extended support in JavaScript or Flash for mapping all aspects of the controller input, or offer application and game style guides including simple JavaScript/HTML/CSS templates. I don't believe this is high on their list and ultimately I don't think it matters. I really see the Wii community, not Nintendo, as the ones to carry Wii web homebrew along.
As for attracting native developers to the platform, a dev kit costs just under $2000 is well beyond homebrew developers. I think Nintendo is a bit taken back by their success and just trying to manage it. Demand by studios for dev kits even appears to be impacting Nintendo's ability to support indie developers, amateur support is likely an even lower priority. Ultimately, I don't see Nintendo sanctioned homebrew happening any time soon.
Sony PlayStation 3
While on the surface Sony has the most homebrew options, the options aren't viable as is. PS3's web browsers is apparently much weaker than Wii's and an installable OS is too complex. To compete at homebrew Sony has to bring changes.
While I can see Sony making updates to their browser, particularly as Nintendo gains attention with its browser, but just like Nintendo I don't expect Sony to create web APIs.
On the native homebrew side, Sony's Phil Harrison does have a keynote speech at next week's GDC that is meant to address 'Game Development 3.0'.
My primary guess is that it isn't homebrew, but instead APIs, store integration and maybe web support that game developers can use to allow user contributed content. While this will include game-specific scripts such as Unreal Tournament mods, this isn't true homebrew. Sony would need to officially provide tools and ideally allow mods without requiring the purchase of a game.
There are other options such as expanding upon IBM's Eclipse-based Cell SDK or porting Java with extensions just for the PS3. The former will definitely be more complex than XNA and harder to support. A Java port will be close to XNA's complexity, have benefits similar to XNA and even have a world wide developer community. I think both of these options are in the realm of possibility if Sony wanted to, but less likely than my primary guess. I anxiously await Sony's GDC announcements.
MUTANTS
The Zone explodes, spewing radioactive clouds that cover vast areas. A dreadful amount of people, animals and forest perishes. Thirty square kilometres are cordoned off by the army, and scientists fail to explain what has happened. The Zone grows, and expeditions face mutant animals, unlikely to have appeared in the Zone through just the natural course of evolution. Mutants, anomalies, contamination; everything appears to be the consequence of some inexplicable phenomenon...
Boar: A massive, mutated animal, reaching 1.5 meters at the shoulder. The Zone boar's aggressiveness and ability to survive surpass by far those of its relatives outside the contaminated area. Radiation and anomalies left their mark on the physical appearance of the animal as well: its fur is entirely gone in some places, and long and bristly in others. The hooves have evolved into sturdy, sharp claws, the pupils became colorless, and the boar's bald head is marred by pigmentation disorders and deep wrinkles. Zone boars are quite resistant to radiation and can stay in heavily contaminated areas for longer periods of time. They usually charge at their victims, trying to knock them over and then rip them to shreds.
Flesh: Like most other living creatures in the Zone, the domestic pig also underwent serious biological changes since the day of the catastrophe. It seems the genes responsible for metabolism were especially affected in this case. Mutant pigs, known simply as Flesh among the stalkers, are one of the most vivid examples of the Zone's disastrous perversion of nature. Mutant pigs developed a protective layer of scales and exoskeletal plates. Their regeneration potential increased several times, as did the complexity of their nervous system. Just like a normal pig, a Flesh is an omnivore and may attack a stalker if hungry.
Poltergeist: Supernatural in the eyes of some, invisible creatures haunting the deeper reaches of the Zone, usually haunting old, abandoned buildings. Nothing is known about their origin, although rumors in circulation claim they are spirits of stalkers hit by a massive wave of radiation. Their mysterious appearances and disappearances seem to correspond to the poltergeist legend, hence the name. Known encounters with poltergeists are quite diverse in fact: from mischievous laughter and blood-chilling howling, to deadly fireballs appearing out of nowhere. Unfortunately, all information about the poltergeist phenomenon originates from unclear and contradictory stories of questionable validity.
Pseudodogs: Despite the name, the pseudodogs evolved directly from wolves. The animals inhabiting the forests at the time of the catastrophe gave rise to one of the Zone's most dangerous mutant species. Pseudodogs are about as different from mutant dogs as wild wolves differ from poodles. The creatures mark and guard their territory carefully, attacking anyone stupid enough to venture onto their land on sight. Lightning-fast reflexes, uncanny dexterity and razor-sharp teeth make the pseudodog a formidable enemy for large mutants and well-armed stalkers.
Pseudogiant: The pseudogiant resembles a massive, drop-shaped abdomen with a pair of disproportionately large limbs. The limbs are arms and legs at the same time. The creature uses them to move around and grab its victims. An adult pseudogiant can weigh up to two tons and stand 2 meters tall. Their clumsy appearance might be deceiving, since they can move very rapidly if needed. Their muscles are exceptionally powerful and their bones are as hard as steel. The creature's brain is protected by a sturdy (up to 10 centimeters thick) skull, while many complex functions are controlled by the spinal medulla. Another astonishing feature of the beast is its ability to create local shock waves, which damage all living things in the vicinity.
Snork: It seems these creatures were human at some point, though it is difficult to imagine what conditions could turn a human being into such disgusting beast. Snorks are insane creatures leading a beast's life and differing little from other carnivorous monsters in the Zone. They move on all fours in long jumps, constantly sniffing the ground in hope of picking up the scent of prey. They hunt carefully, in a calculated manner, frequently setting up ambushes. Thanks to its uncanny reflexes and powerful muscles, the snork can approach the victim, pin it down in one long, accurate jump, and tear it to shreds in a matter of seconds. Strips of army uniforms and other clothing are occasionally found on their bodies. It stands to reason that they are all that's left of missing military stalkers.
Rodent: In fact these animals are not related to jerboas, although there is a distinct resemblance. Attempts at determining the exact species from which this rodent evolved have so far been unsuccessful, although its ancestor must have been a gregarious rodent. Reaching up to 40cm at the shoulder, the animal is far more dexterous, aggressive and ravenous than its desert cousin. Mutant rodents live mainly in basements of destroyed buildings, feeding on everything they can get their teeth in, from plants to careless stalkers. Occasionally a pack of rodents will attack and kill large animals and mutants, tearing them apart before they can escape.
Heres the charts and for the PS2 it makes good reading:
Final Fantasy XII
Crackdown
FIFA 07
Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Need For Speed: Carbon
The Sims 2: Pets
New Super Mario Bros.
Supreme Commander
Avatar: The Legend of Aang
Lego Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy
Freeze Interactive's PC project Field Ops combines RTS and FPS gameplay and drops the amalgam into a title focussing on modern-day military operations. An elite task force is sent into the field to, er, operate and cripple a terrorist network and eliminate its big cheese.
New screenshots released - and uploaded here - are from the game's fourth mission, where the good guys have captured a target in Cuba and are attempting to extract him via Guantanamo.
Introversion is developing a multiplayer version of cult, quirky strategy game Darwinia.
Called Multiwinia and due for release in 2008, the game will combine "elements of the award-winning Darwinia, with the addition of multiplayer support which will enable both co-operative and competitive battles between massive Darwinian armies," Introversion tells us.
Multiwinia lead designer John Knottenbelt has further explained, "We've created a new formation mode which will let you organise your Darwinians into ranks to create massive armies. In formation they'll have greater firepower in the direction they're facing, but virtually none from either sides or behind. It's going to get pretty messy, requiring a whole new set of tactical skills from the gamer."
Introversion's team developing the project will also be working on graphical upgrades, although the game will still feature Darwinia's "fractal vista".
New details on Sega's videogame tie-in with movie The Golden Compass, which is based on the first book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, have emerged.
Sega's game sticks closely to the screenplay adaptation of the novel - known as Northern Lights on these shores - players able to assume the role of the trilogy's main character Lyra as well as Iorek Byrnison, a warrior polar bear whom Lyra befriends during her adventure.
Accompanied by her daemon Pantalaimon, Lyra's adventures begin when she goes in search of a friend kidnapped by a feared and mysterious outfit that children call The Gobblers...
Additional new details reveal that the major environments from the movie will feature as well as areas unique to the game and that key actors - such as Daniel Craig who plays Lyra's father Lord Asriel - will be lending their likenesses to in-game characters.
"As Lyra, players will use their daemon and collaborate with in-game characters, collecting special items in order to explore, evade, and deceive their way through confrontations with the Gobblers, the Magisterium, and the horribly dangerous spy fly to find her friend," Sega has explained.
"They can also do battle as Iorek with special attacks and a riding mechanic as he protects Lyra during the journey."
Lyra's alethiometer, a compass-like device that determines truths, is used to unlock secrets and mini-games.
The Golden Compass is due out at the end of the year on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS and PC. All versions bar DS are being developed by Shiny Entertainment. The Golden Compass on DS is being handled by A2M.
Disney is to test the market for digital distribution by offering a range of casual games for PCs.
Partnering with Macrovision, The Walt Disney Internet Group will digitally distribute titles based on Pirates of the Caribbean, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Aladdin.
"Disney Game Downloads is a good example of our continued success in leveraging new technologies to deliver unique entertainment experiences," said Myles MacBean, vice president of technology for WDIG.
Games can be previewed on a trial basis before being purchased and once bought, consumers can share trials with other PC users on an unlimited basis.
"Digital distribution is a key focus for Macrovision and we enjoy working with our customers when they enter the online distribution market, seek to reach greater audiences, and move into new and different digital distribution areas," said Fred Amoroso, CEO of Macrovision.
Videogames are strangling the comics market, reckons long-time 2000AD artist Ian Gibson, as Judge Dredd's natural audience begins to overlook the ruthless enforcer's colourful antics in favour of the stronger appeal of PlayStation.
"The comics market, sadly, is dying," Gibson told the BBC News website, reasoning that "the PlayStation has taken over and comics can't compete". "Most comics I have come across haven't realised that they have lost the battle," explains Gibson, although he believes that comics do have an advantage over gaming, because "the PlayStation will never tell stories". We'll just assume he's never heard of such plot-strong videogames as Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and Half-Life 2.
Meanwhile, Marvel has revealed a stellar line-up of artists and authors for the upcoming Halo graphic novels. Promising more than just a single book from its deal with Halo developer Bungie, Marvel has enlisted big names (if you read comics) like Simon Bisley and French artist Moebius. Perhaps the way forward for comics is to embrace such crossovers?
This week's UK entertainment software chart (all formats, all prices) makes us sad. It makes us sad because no matter how hard we look at it we can't see Okami anywhere. One of the most utterly original and delightfully entertaining games to ever bound its way to PS2 has vanished just two weeks after its debut at number 12, before sliding to 30 and, now, it's plummeted with a forlorn howl into the abyss...
Little Britain: The Videogame, on the other hand, is still doing good business. It's enjoying its fourth week in the charts (it's currently at number 18) despite the fact that it's complete toss. Released a week earlier than Capcom's masterpiece, Little Britain defied - and defiled - belief by reaching the number two spot. Number two. That's very, very nearly number one.
We know it's ten quid cheaper and it's on PS2 and PC and yeah but no but yeah but no Vicky Pollard is like well hard, but Little Britain outselling Okami is a tragedy beyond words.... It's the ugly truth about the state of UK gaming.
