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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Apple iPhone v Palm Pre compare them here

iphone v palm
Apple and Palm kicked a lot of dirt at each other last week - acting Apple CEO Tim Cook flatly told analysts that "We will not stand for people ripping off our IP" when asked specifically about competition like the Palm Pre, and Palm responded with a similarly-explicit "We have the tools necessary to defend ourselves." At issue, of course, is that the Pre employs a multitouch screen and gestures almost exactly like those made famous on the iPhone - and if you'll recall, Steve Jobs introduced multitouch on the iPhone with a slide reading "Patented!"

To top it all off, the past few days have seen a number of media outlets proclaim that Apple's been awarded a "multitouch patent" without so much as a shred of analysis, instead hyping up a supposed future conflict.

That's just not how we play it, so we enlisted Mathew Gavronski, a patent attorney in the Chicago office of Michael Best & Friedrich, to help us clear up some of the confusion and misinformation that's out there - read on for more on engadget.

The Ultimate rosewood guitar Hero Guitar from Logitech

guitar hero
Like the standard strummers bundled with Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Logitech's Premiere Edition lets you play wirelessly, up to ten metres away from your PlayStation 2 or PlayStation 3.

The difference being that it boasts actual, proper guitar features – rosewood fingerboard, metal frets and humbucker pickups. So though there’s still no risk you’ll be mistaken for Jimi Hendrix, you’ll at least look the part as you clunk your way through Purple Haze.
guitar hero

Batman - Arkham Asylum's Madhouse tour


Nathan Whitman, an associate producer at Warner Bros.' videogame division, is proud of the way Batman's cape is coming along in the game Batman: Arkham Asylum. It's a third-person game, so you spend the entirety of it staring at the cape, and Warner's is taking particular care to get it right.

"We've got a guy working full-time on cape physics," Whitman says. That means that Batman's signature mantle won't act like most videogame capes, floating through walls and enemies as if it were a holographic projection. It'll animate and collide realistically with everything.

View full post here on WIRED...

Apple's next iPhone will rule the world of gaming

iphoneThe next upgrade to Apple's iPhone will have a strong focus on gaming, analysts and developers agree.
That's because the gaming market is an increasingly juicy segment of the mobile multimedia space — and it's one that Apple's phenomenally successful iPhone is well-positioned to dominate.

"The iPhone and iPod Touch are becoming a major new handheld gaming platform, and if you look at the App Store and look at what's doing well, that's reflecting," said Bart Decrem, CEO of Tapulous, developer of the popular Tap Tap Revenge iPhone game. "I would look forward to improvements in the device as a gaming platform both for the phone and iPod Touch."


Full post on WIRED here...

Gears of War on PC game stopped working? certificate expired? game killed? find out why...

gears of war game crash
Users on the Gears of War official forums are reporting that the digital certificates for the game have expired, as of 28th January 2009. 

This means that the game will not launch at a system date post-28th Jan. 

Obviously, this is awful news for those people who enjoy playing the game on the PC, since unless they keep their system date before the 28th, they cannot play the game.

This is what all the fuss about DRM (Digital Rights Management) is about; people who bought this game are essentially not allowed to play it. Ironically, the people who pirated the game, who the DRM is supposedly trying to stop, won’t be affected by this. The more that stuff like this happens due to DRM, the more the games are going to be pirated- only the customers are being punished. 

Anyway- bad show on Epic’s part; this needs to be fixed.

Necrovision zombie vampire horror packed video game details

necrovision
Zombies? Check. Vampires? Check. Ninja Vampires? Check. Giant robotic scorpions built by mad German scientists? 1C Company is pleased to reveal more details about NecroVisioN's horror-fuelled plot, which puts a whole new spin on the World War One genre.

NecroVisioN is a fast-paced shooter exclusively released for the PC in February 2009 under the 1C Company label. Developed by Polish developer, The Farm 51, it mixes historical accuracy with a twisted plot that sees players venturing into the very jaws of Hell itself to stop a zombie army and an evil demon overlord.

Set in 1917, the Great War has been raging for two long years and a new recruit, Simon Bukner, is a US Army soldier who is the latest to face the harsh realities of war. His first mission sees him getting lost deep behind enemy lines alongside his battalion of Allied troops after trying to break through the German positions and into Allied territory. The Germans attack hard and the Allies get pushed deeper into the enemy trenches until they're ambushed and gassed.

Bukner manages to escape into an underground safe-house but everything has changed. The dead are rising from their muddy graves and attacking any living creature they can find. Now Bukner must try and escape through the scores of German soldiers, while fighting off flesh-hungry zombies. As Bukner shoots his way through the trenches he uncovers a truly horrifying plot to create an army of the undead.

In a bizarre twist, Bukner discovers that the zombie force is actually being created for the benefit of humanity. A shadowy group of vampires has enlisted the help of a necromancer to make them their own personal army of the walking dead. This unlikely alliance is a final effort for the vampires who are struggling to stop terrible demons from opening up a portal to Hell and wiping out every living thing on Earth. Now, armed with powerful vampire weapons and a magical artifact called the Shadowhand, Bukner must venture into the bowels of hell and stop the demons once and for all.

NecroVisioN will be released on PC by Aspyr Media in North America in Q2 of 2009

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 on PlayStation 3 MUST be installed to play... 5 gig...

ryu ga gotoku install
Word has it that up coming PlayStation 3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 requires, like a lot of PlayStation 3 games do these days, a mandatory install. Sign of the times!

Apparently, the install will be 5120 MB (5GB ). So those living in Japan who plan on buying the game next month, make sure you’ve got the extra space or be very, very sad. Just like these children.

Lux Delux iPhone game makes $140,000 in a month plus PC game sales rise

lux deluxVancouver-based developer Sillysoft Games has made $140,000 (that’s Canadian dollars) in a month from its Lux DLX iPhone game, according to this article in local paper Business In Vancouver.

That’s based on 25,000 sales of the game in the App Store at $7.99 a pop, with Sillysoft taking the regulation 70 per cent share of the revenues.

“I’m tempted to not make anymore desktop games and just do iPhone games,” founder Dustin Sacks tells the paper.

He also claims that the success of the iPhone version has boosted sales of the PC edition, and that the free Lux Touch iPhone game has been downloaded more than a million times.

The same article talks to fellow Vancouver developer IUGO, which doesn’t cough up any figures, but does say that it’s now only developing iPhone games, rather than the J2ME work-for-hire projects it used to take on.

UFC 2009 Undisputed v Fight Night Round 4: Weigh-In

fight night video game
Is 2009 the year of the fighting game? Street Fighter IV is coming out next month; King of Fighters XII will be out sometime after that; and there are two huge releases for sports fans this summer, UFC Undisputed and Fight Night Round 4.

While information is light on FNR4, there is definitely enough to begin speculating. When it comes UFC Undisputed, THQ is clearly pushing the game hard; it seems like there is a weekly press release. The contrasting approaches THQ and EA are taking when it comes to showing off their wares perhaps has something to do with being a known commodity, and simply being unknown.

Either way, as fans debate which sport is better, these games might help or hurt their arguments. Therefore, it is time to start analyzing two games that will be battling for fighting game supremacy in the not-so-distant future.

Rosters

UFC Undisputed has over 16 confirmed fighters, but THQ is promising that over 80 grapplers will be in the final game. All the big (active) names are on the list, including the freak of nature, Brock Lesnar, and his next opponent, Frank Mir. You can also expect to see Rashad Evans, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson and Antonio Nogueira. Joining these guys is the freshly announced Georges St. Pierre, who will face B.J. Penn -- also in the game -- at UFC 94 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

FNR4 will have over 40 fighters, but only Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Winky Wright, Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson are confirmed thus far. This is Tyson’s first Fight Night appearance, and it seems the early ad campaign centers around a dream fight between Tyson and Ali. Get back on the topic of rosters, past games in the series have included Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Manny Pacquiao and Roy Jones Jr., and legends like Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran, Evander Holyfield and Jake LaMotta. FNR4 producer Jeff Atienza promises the deepest roster of fighters of any FN game so far, but the official list will not be released until late February at the earliest.

ufc video game


One on One

UFC Undisputed will feature plenty of fighting styles, including judo, Muay Thai, wrestling, kickboxing, boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Also, according to an interview Dana White had at UFC 92, each move will have a counter to it. Holding this all together will be a brand new control scheme that will supposedly be easy to use yet will still give players complete control of their fighters. Simply put, the fighting system has been built from the ground up, which should quell any concerns fans have about potentially playing Smackdown vs. Raw starring UFC.

FNR4 features a new physics system that focuses more on how cleanly your punches land, which should lead to a more realistic inside game. The blocking system will be different as well since you will no longer be able to consistently parry a right hook from Mike Tyson; a meter will tell you how strong your ability is to block. So if you are getting pounded, simply putting your hands up will not help you. The only video released for this game so far was the teaser trailer that premiered at the Spike TV Video Game Awards in December. That should change as the release nears, but we will have to live off of Tyson vs. Ali for at least another few weeks.

Things To Look Out for
While I have not played either of these games, this is not the first game for either developer. For one, UFC Undisputed is being developed by Yukes, which is the same company behind the Smackdown series. This is the same Smackdown series that has been mailing it in for the past few years. UFC fans should hope that the development of this game is the reason why there has been such drop-off in quality in the Smackdown series.

The Fight Night series usually misses out on adding a few big-name boxers to the roster. For example, Round 3 did not have Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Felix Trinidad or Joe Calzaghe. A few stars have risen (Manny Pacquiao), while others have fallen (Roy Jones Jr.), so who knows what Round 4 will hold. Hopefully EA can include some newcomers like Andre Berto and Yuriorkis Gamboa, which would keep boxing fans happy.

Both games will feature a career mode and the ability to create a fighter, but I will hold off judgment until there is a clearer picture from both developers.

As more information leaks out for both of these games, you will be able to easily add stuff to this article. But even at this point, both games look promising. To some, MMA (specifically UFC) has taken over boxing as the number one hand-to-hand sport in the world, while others will say that nothing will ever top the sweet science. We probably will not see a knock out this summer, so we will have to take it to the judges. May the best game win.

Source: Operations Sports

Persona 3 v Persona 4 video games compared

persona 4
Recent Persona games have become cult hits thanks largely to their gameplay framework - traditional Japanese RPG  leveling mechanics reframed around personal improvement, social relationships and the concept of the self. 

And though it’s about the lead character’s ultimately linear story  arc, this framework subtly becomes about  the player’s self, too.

Persona 3 and Persona 4 largely share the same main core gameplay concepts.

Players begin as a nameless, fac­eless protagonist, and  conduct that character through the events of a story as it unfolds across the calendar school year.

Read the full post here...

Zoo Vet Video Game - Parent's choice winner

zoo vet pc game
Have a wild time as you get up-close to animals in their unique habitats. Put on your stethoscope and become a Zoo Vet! Rescue Animals From harmful conditions and earn awards with each successful check-up!

Zoo Vet introduces players to life at the zoo and gives them the ability to care for a diverse group of animals. As the players become more knowledgeable, they’ll earn awards and praise from their fellow team members, and rise in the ranks to become the zoo’s most valuable vet!

Wildlife Park - video game


Wildlife Park is your chance to create the zoo of your dreams.
One that will impress visitors of all ages while turning a major profit!
Manage your dream zoo perfectly and watch as the animals grow healthy and strong along with your bank account!Subscribe to my RSS feed for updates

World of Goo publisher goes bust...

world of goo game
After being tipped off by an industry source, GameDaily BIZ has learned that Brighter Minds Media filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 28. Unlike chapter 7, which involves complete liquidation of the company, chapter 11 bankruptcy will enable Brighter Minds to remain in control of its business while it reorganizes.

Brighter Minds publishes a wide array of family-friendly software and most recently launched 2D Boy's critically acclaimed World of Goo, which won the 2008 Independent Games Festival award for Design Innovation and Technical Excellence and Spike TV's 2008 Video Game Award for Best Independent Game.

Brighter Minds also launched an online games destination in the middle of last year at BeanstalkGames.com.

GameDaily BIZ has reached out to Brighter Minds for comment, but has yet to hear back as of press time.

Full list of video games and release dates for Xbox 360 titles in 2009

halo wars video agme
Full list of video games and release dates for Xbox 360 titles in 2009...

50 cent: Blood In The Sand - Pub: THQ
Dev: Swordfish Studios - Release: 26th Feb 2009 (confirmed)

Afro Samurai - Pub: Atari
Dev: Namco Bandai Games - Release: 27th March 2009 (provisional)

Alan Wake - Pub: Microsoft
Dev: Remedy Games - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 TBC

Aliens: Colonial Marines - Pub: SEGA Australia
Dev: Gearbox Software - Release: 25th February 2009 (provisional)

Alpha Protocol - Pub: SEGA Australia
Dev: Obsidian Entertainment - Release: 25th March 2009 (provisional)

APB - Pub: Realtime Worlds
Dev: Realtime Worlds - Release: 1st June 2009 (provisional)

Battlestations: Pacific - Pub: Atari
Dev: Eidos Interactive - Release: 1st May 2009 (provisional)

Batman: Arkham Asylum - Pub: Atari
Dev: Rocksteady Studios - Release: 1st June 2009 (provisional)

Bayonetta - Pub: SEGA Australia
Dev: Platinum Games - Release: 8th February 2009 (provisional)

Beyond Good & Evil 2 - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Ubisoft Montpellier - Release: 1st May 2009 (provisional)

Bionic Commando - Pub: Red Ant
Dev: Capcom - Release: 1st April 2009 (provisional)

Bikini Zombie Slayers - Pub: D3 Publishing
Dev: Tamsoft - Release: 2nd Qtr 2009 TBC

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams - Pub: Activision
Dev: Take Two Marin/Australia - Release: 4th Qtr 2009 TBC

BOLT - Pub: Disney Interactive
Dev: Avalanche Studios - Release: 2st Qtr 2009 TBC

Borderlands - Pub: Take 2 Interactive
Dev: Gearbox Software - Release: 25th February 2009 (provisional)

Brutal Legend - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Double Fine Productions - Release: 3rd March 2009 (provisional)

Cabela’s Dangerous Adventures 2009 - Pub: Activision
Dev: Fun Labs - Release: 18th March 2009

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Pub: Activision
Dev: Infinity Ward - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 TBC

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Techland - Release: 4th Qtr 2009 TBC

Championship Paintball 2009 - Pub: Activision
Dev: Sand Grain Studios - Release: 18th March 2009

Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Athena - Pub: Atari
Dev: Starbreeze Studios & Tigon Studios - Release: 27th March 2009 (provisional)

Colin Mc Rae DiRT 2 - Pub: Codemasters/Atari
Dev: Codemasters - Release: TBC 2009

Damnation - Pub: Atari
Dev: Blue Omega Entertainment & Liquid Development - Release: 3rd March 2009 (provisional)

Dante’s Inferno - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: EA Redwood Shores - Release: TBC 2009

Dark Void - Pub: THQ
Dev: Vigil Games - Release: 24th April 2009 (provisional)

Darksiders: Wrath Of War - Pub: THQ
Dev: Vigil Games - Release: 1st September 2009 (provisional)

Dead Risings 2 - Pub: MGS
Dev: Capcom - Release: Date TBC 2009

Destroy All Humans: Path Of The Furon - Pub: THQ
Dev: Sandblast Games - Release: 12th Feb 2009

Deus Ex 3 - Pub: Eidos
Dev: Eidos Montreal - Release: date TBC at late 2009

Divinity 2: Ego Draconis - Pub: CDV Software Entertainment
Dev: Larine Studios - Release: 2nd Qtr 2009

Dragon Age: Origins - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: BioWare - Release: 4th Qtr (Nov) 2009 TBC

Dungeon Hero - Pub: Gamecock Media Group (New Pub TBA)
Dev: FireFly Studios - Release: 24th March 2009 (provisional)

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires - Pub: THQ
Dev: Koei - Release: 1st June 2009

Dynasty Warriors GUNDAM 2 - Pub: THQ
Dev: Koei - Release: 26th March 2009

“EA Sports Tennis” (working title) - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Electronic Arts - Release: 4th Qtr 2009 TBC

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard - Pub: AFA Interactive
Dev: Vicious Cycle Software - Release: 3rd March 2009

Edge of Twilight - Pub: SouthPeak Interactive
Dev: FuzzyEyes - Release: TBC 2009

FEAR 2: Project Origin - Pub: Warner Bros Interactive
Dev: Monolith - Release: 11th Feb 2009

FIFA 10 - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: EA Canada - Release: 1st October 2009 (provisional)

Fight Night Round 4 - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: EA Canada - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 TBC

FORZA 3 - Pub: Microsoft
Dev: Turn10 Studios - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 TBC

FUEL - Pub: Atari
Dev: Codemasters - Release: 1st May 2009 (provisional)

Ghostbusters: The Video Game - Pub: Atari
Dev: Terminal Reality - Release: 15th June 2009 (provisional)

GTA IV: Lost & Damned - Pub: Rockstar
Dev: Rockstar North - Release: 17th February 2009

Guitar Hero: Metallica - Pub: Activision/Blitz
Dev: Neversoft - Release: 5th May 2009 (provisional)

Hail To The Chimp - Pub: THQ
Dev: Wideload Games - Release: 23rd Feb 2009

Half-Life 2: Episode 3 - Pub: Valve
Dev: Valve - Release: TBC 2009

Halo Wars - Pub: Microsoft Game Studios
Dev: Ensemble Studios - Release: 26th February 2009

Halo 3 ODST - Pub: Microsoft Game Studios
Dev: Bungie - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009

HAWX - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Ubisoft - Release: 19th March 2009

Heist - Pub: Atari/Codemasters
Dev: inXile Entertainment - Release: 2nd March 2009 (provisional)

Heroes Over Europe - Pub: Atari
Dev: Transmission Games - Release: 2nd April 2009

Hydrophobia - Pub: Blade Interactive
Dev: Blade Interactive - Release: 1st June 2009 (provisional)

IL2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey - Pub: 505 Games
Dev: Gaijin Entertainment - Release: TBC 2009

I Am Alive - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Darkworks - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 TBC

Just Cause 2 - Pub: Atari
Dev: Avalanche Studios - Release: 1st March 2009 (provisional)

Kingdom Under Fire: II - Pub: Phantagram
Dev: Blueside - Release: TBC 2009

LA Noire ? - Pub: Team Bondi (Aust)
Dev: Rockstar - Release: TBC 2009

Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust - Pub: Vivendi Universal
Dev: Team 17 - Release: 1st March 2009 (provisional)

Lost Planet 2 - Pub: Capcom
Dev: Capcom - Release: TBC 2009

Mafia II - Pub: 2K Games
Dev: 2K Games - Release: 2nd Qtr TBC 2009

Major League Baseball 2K9 - Pub: 2K Sports
Dev: Visual Concepts - Release: 2nd Qtr 2009

Mass Effect 2 - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Bioware - Release: TBC 2009

Max Payne 3 - Pub: 2k Games
Dev: 3D Realms - Release: TBC 2009

Metro 2033: The Last Refuge - Pub: TBA
Dev: 4A Games - Release: TBC 2009

Mini Ninjas - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: IO Interactive - Release: TBC 2009

Monsters v Aliens - Pub: Activision
Dev: Activision - Release: 15th March 2009

MOTO GP 09 - Pub: THQ
Dev: Climax Studios - Release: TBC 2009

Need For Speed: Shift - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Electronic Arts Montreal - Release: dates TBC 2009

Ninety-Nine Nights 2 - Pub: Microsoft Game Studios
Dev: Q Entertainment & Feelplus - Release: TBC 2009

Ninja Blade - Pub: Microsoft Game Studios
Dev: From Software - Release: 2nd Qtr 2009 (provisional) - 24th March 09 US

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising - Pub: Atari
Dev: Codemasters - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 (provisional)

Overlord II - Pub: Atari
Dev: Triumph Studios - Release: 1st June 2009

Portal II - Pub: Valve
Dev: Nuclear Monkey Software - Release: TBC 2009

Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 - Pub: Atari
Dev: Konami - Release: 1st October 2009 (provisional)

Project Strike Team - Pub: Atari
Dev: Codemasters - Release: TBC 2009

Prototype - Pub: Activision
Dev: Radical Entertainment - Release: 31st July 2009 (provisional)

Race PRO - Pub: Atari
Dev: SimBin - Release: 19th February 2009

Red Faction: Guerrilla - Pub: THQ
Dev: Volition - Release: 28th February 2009 (provisional)

Resident Evil 5 - Pub: Capcom
Dev: Atari - Release: 13th March 2009

Risen - Pub: Deep Silver
Dev: Piranha Bytes - Release: TBC 2009

Rock Band: The Beatles - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Harmonix - Release: 4th Qtr 2009

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - Pub: Red Ant
Dev: Ascaron - Release: 15th April 2009 (provisional)

Saints Row 3 - Pub: THQ
Dev: Volition - Release: TBC 2009

Secret Service - Pub: Activision
Dev: Cauldron - Release: 2nd Qtr 2009

Section 8 - Pub: SouthPeak Interactive
Dev: Timegate Studios - Release: 4th Qtr 2009

SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection - Pub: SEGA
Dev: SEGA - Release: 26th Feb 2009

Shadow Harvest - Pub: TBA
Dev: Black Lion Studios - Release: 1st Qtr 2009 (provisional)

ShellShock 2: Blood Trails - Pub: Eidos Interactive
Dev: Rebellion Developments - Release: RC- Import Only

Silent Hill: Homecoming - Pub: Atari
Dev: The Collective - Release: 26th Feb 2009

Singularity - Pub: Activision
Dev: Raven Software - Release: 1st June 2009 (provisional)

Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection - Pub: SEGA

Splinter Cell: Convictions - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Ubisoft Montreal - Release: 4th Qtr 2009 TBC

Star Ocean: The Last Hope - Pub: Ubisoft
Dev: Square Enix/Tri Ace - Release: 1st March 2009

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: Bioware - Release: TBA

Stoked - Pub: Destineer
Dev: Bongfish GmbH - Release: 1st Quarter 2009

Stormrise - Pub: SEGA Australia
Dev: Creative Assembly - Release: 15th March 2009

Street Fighter IV: A New Begging - Pub: Red Ant
Dev: Capcom - Release: 20th Feb 2009

Tekken 6 - Pub: Atari
Dev: Namco Bandai - Release: 15th September 2009

The Godfather II - Pub: Electronic Arts
Dev: EA Redwood Shores - Release: 26th Feb 2009

The Precursors - Pub: Play Ten Interactive
Dev: Deep Shadows - Release: TBC 2009

The Watchmen: The End Is Nigh Part 1 - Pub: TBA
Dev: TBA - Release: “ DLC Only on PC-PS3 and 360

The Watchmen: The End Is Nigh Part 2 - Pub: TBA
Dev: TBA - Release: “ DLC Only on PC-PS3 and 360

The Wheelman - Pub: Red Ant
Dev: Midway Studios Newcastle - Release: 20th Feb 2009

The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf - Pub: Atari
Dev: CD Projekt Red Studio - Release: 3rd Qtr 2009 (provisional)

THEY - Pub: Eidos
Dev: Metropolis Software - Release: TBC 2009

This Is Vegas - Pub: Red Ant
Dev: Surreal Software - Release: TBC 2009

Terminator Salvation – The Videogame - Pub: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Dev: GRIN/Halcyon Games - Release: 1st May 2009 (provisional)

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen - Pub: Activision
Dev: Luxoflux - Release: 1st Feb 2009 (provisional)

UFC Undisputed 2009 - Pub: THQ
Dev: Yuke’s Osaka - Release: 1st May 2009 (provisional)

Velvet Assassin - Pub: THQ
Dev: Replay Studios - Release: 28th April 2009

Wanted: Weapons Of Fate - Pub: Warner Bros Interactive
Dev: GRIN - Release: 10th April 2009

WET - Pub: Vivendi Universal
Dev: A2M - Release: 30th June 2009 (provisional)

White Gold: War In Paradise - Pub: TBA
Dev: Deep Shadows - Release: TBC 2009

Wolfenstein - Pub: Activision
Dev: id Software - Release: 1st July 2009 (provisional)

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault - Pub: Vivendi Universal
Dev: Massive Entertainment/Swordfish Studios - Release: 27th February 2009 (provisional)

WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania - Pub: THQ
Dev: YUKE’s Future Media Creators - Release: 19th March 2009

X-Blades - Pub: South Peak Games
Dev: Gaigin - Release: 10th Feb 2009 - - US

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Pub: Activision
Dev: Raven Software - Release: 1st Feb 2009

PlayStation 3 - Cuboid - Magic Ball - Lumines Supernova - Crash Commando and Jeopardy! video games

playstation 3 video console
Two years into the lifespan of the PlayStation 3, Sony's online offerings are a mixed bag.

On the plus side, LittleBigPlanet and its energetic community of amateur level designers make it essential for PS3 owners to have an internet connection.

On the minus side, there's PlayStation Home, the drab, under populated virtual world that's drawn almost universal derision since its beta launch in November.

And then there's the PlayStation Network, whose library of software, game add-ons and movies has grown at a healthy clip over the last year.

Some of PSN's more experimental titles, like The Last Guy, Echochrome and the forthcoming Flower, have gotten plenty of much deserved attention.

But lately, I've been relishing some old-fashioned puzzle games from an unheralded Massachusetts developer called Creat Studios.

Cuboid: The object of Cuboid is to manoeuvre a rectangular brick (actually, two cubes glued together) through a two-dimensional maze.

Sounds simple, but one key restriction - you can only move the cuboid by flipping it on its sides - makes each puzzle much more difficult than it originally appears.

As the game progresses, you'll confront new obstacles, like switches, drawbridges and panels that can't bear the full weight of the cuboid.

Some mazes seem impossible until you stumble across that "a-ha!" moment, which is the most satisfying experience you can ask for out of a puzzle game. Three stars out of four.

Magic Ball: You know the old Arkanoid formula, in which you use a paddle and ball to clear a screen full of obstacles. That's the essence of Magic Ball, but the simple bricks of the original have been replaced with animated figures.

In a nautical-themed level, for example, you may have to knock out pirates and sharks. You can also juice up your attack with nifty power-ups, like cannons and meteors.

Magic Ball doesn't break new ground, but it's the liveliest, most colourful Arkanoid knockoff yet. Three stars.

Lumines Supernova: The hypnotic block-matching puzzler Lumines has been a reliable time-killer since its debut in 2005.

The PSN version adds one new mode, Dig Down, in which you're forced to start with a mess of unmatched blocks. Otherwise, most of Supernova is recycled from previous releases.

It's worth the investment if you're new to the game, but veterans may be disappointed. Two-and-a-half stars.

Crash Commando: If you get your online kick from running around and shooting your friends, you don't want to miss Crash Commando. It takes the 3D death match game play of, say Unreal Tournament and squishes it into 2D.

The result is as hectic and hilarious as any full-price shooter. Three stars.

Jeopardy!: You can't take America's most popular quiz show and make it multiple-choice.

And you definitely aren't going to meet another Ken Jennings among the dunderheads I've seen playing this lifeless translation of the TV hit. One star.

Source: AP

Resident Evil 4 movie to be shot in Toronto?

Resident Evil 4 movie
While nothing has been confirmed, Moviesonline is reporting that Sony Screen Gems is now prepping to shoot Resident Evil 4 in Toronto.

"Rumors are circulating to us by a VERY trusted source who so far has never been wrong that RESIDENT EVIL 4 will be coming to Toronto Canada to film." Remember to keep this filed under rumor until some confirmation.

I personally think this is a oad of crap considering there's no director, writer or actors attached to the project yet.

Source: BD

Top ten best selling video games of 2008

gta iv video gameThe results are in take a look at the top ten video games of 2008:
Grand Theft Auto IV - 13 Million - Average review 97%
Mario Kart Wii - 11 Million - Average review 82%
Guitar Hero - Various - 10 Million - Average review 85%
Wii Fit - 9 Million - Average review 80%
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 7 Million - Average review 93%

Wii Play with Wii Remote 5.28 Million
- Average review 90%
Call of Duty: World at War 2.75 Million - Average review 85%
Gears of War 2 2.31 Million - Average review 83%
Madden NFL 09 1.87 Million - Average review 76%
Mario Kart DS 1.65 Million - Average review 68%

Samuel L. Jackson wants you to kick butt in Afro Samurai

afro samuraiSamuel L. Jackson and Kelly Hu, who provide voices for Afro Samurai/Ninja Ninja and Okiku in the new Afro Samurai video game, told reporters they enjoyed putting M-rated violence in players' hands. Jackson, who also produces the TV series on which the game is based, felt violence was imperative to the Afro Samurai experience.

"I just wanted to make sure the game was true to the spirit of the series itself," Jackson told a group of reporters on Tuesday in Hollywood at the game's red-carpet premiere. "That it was sexy, that it was hip and had the elements of old and new and that the violence was of a level that made people really want to play it."
Okiku is a non-playable character in the game, but she still fights in the background and in cinematic sequences. Hu had to provide more grunts and huffs than a normal episode of the show requires.

"It's a lot more fighting, I think," Hu said on the red carpet. "A lot more fighting noises and stuff like that that you have to do for the game, but pretty much the same thing. I use the same voice. It's the same character."

Though she has not played the final game yet herself, Hu hopes that the player can actually kill her. "That would be fun, though, wouldn't it?" she said. "It wouldn't be the first time I died in a video game though, you know."

Jackson noticed no difference between recording voices for the game and the show. "Not at all," he said. "Same as on the series. I still do Afro Samurai and Ninja Ninja, the two characters, him and his alter ego or audience member that travels around with him."

The actor and samurai enthusiast added that video games are not his strong suit: "Not a big gamer, no."

The Afro Samurai game is in stores now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Source: Sci-Fi wire

Xbox Live most popular download content listed here...

xbox liveDownloadable content has been a tremendous success for us and we’re excited to be offering it up for Fallout 3, beginning with Operation: Anchorage. I recently put together a presentation about downloadable content, here are the highlights.

The main thing to note is this: you guys LOVE Oblivion. To this day, 2 years later. Looking at our Xbox Live reports, every day, tens of thousands of people STILL play Oblivion and they purchase thousands and thousands of downloadable content — again, every day. Yes, even Horse Armor continues to sell daily.

xbox liveSo here is Oblivion’s downloadable content, ranked by Purchased Downloads on Xbox Live, since launch:
1. Wizard’s Tower
2. Thieves Den
3. Mehrunes Razor
4. Spell Tomes
5. Vile Lair
6. The Orrery
7. Knights of the Nine
8. Shivering Isles
9. Horse Armor
10. Fighter’s Stronghold*
*If we rank by pure downloads and include the free promotions we’ve had, Fighter’s Stronghold becomes No1.

Xbox 360 Celebrates Superbowl with Football Fanfare Sunday

madden super bowl event
Turn your living room into the gridiron this Sunday, with Xbox LIVE’s “Football Fanfare”

The game clock only lasts 60 minutes, but we all know the big game is a day-long affair. That’s why all day Sunday, Xbox LIVE will feature a special “Football Fanfare” channel, featuring dozens of the hottest football-themed movies, TV shows and more.

With favorites like Any Given Sunday and Leatherheads, NBC’s hit series Friday Night Lights, and the latest tips and tricks for “Madden NFL ‘09,” Xbox LIVE has you everything you need to create your own pre-game, post-game, and half-time shows – right in your living room! So dish up the hot wings and nachos, and meet your friends on Xbox LIVE this Sunday.

Gridplane shows off their Xbox NXE designs

Xbox NXE designs
Design and animation studio Gridplane has revealed one of the many mock-ups it developed for Microsoft as a potential user-interface update, which later became the NXE.

Tasked with creating new ways for users to interact with multimedia, this particular mock-up showcases some of the style found in the NXE.
Xbox NXE designs
Xbox NXE designs
Xbox NXE designs
Notably, the use of full retail packaging to list titles and the panes of information, such as the disc in tray image for Halo 3, can be found on current Xbox 360s.

Second hand video game sales hit new game purchases and the developers don't like it!

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown WarsTake-Two has said that it is frustrated by the sale of second hand product through specialist chains such as GameStop.

The company is increasingly looking to online solutions to combat the loss of sales due to pre-owned goods, with the forthcoming release of Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and the Damned an example of breathing life back into an older game.

"GameStop continues to aggressively push their used game business, which is having a meaningful negative impact on sales of new games," noted analyst Doug Creutz, following a meeting with Take-Two CEO Ben Feder this week.
"Management is frustrated with this trend and is examining ways to ameliorate the problem, which includes strategies around online play and downloadable content which extend the lifespan of AAA titles."
Nintendo products are also high on Take-Two's agenda, with the company closely monitoring the performance of GTA: Chinatown Wars on the DS.
"The upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the DS will be an important test of Take-Two's ability to make inroads on Nintendo's wildly successful DS and Wii platforms," said Creutz
"Nintendo wants their platforms to appeal to all gamer segments (not just casual/family) and views Take-Two’s IP as an important driver of core gamer interest."

Source: GamesIndustry

Target discount video games - Too Human - Mercenaries 2 - Fracture - Viva Pinata - Virtua Fighter 5 - EndWar

xbox video games
Everyone's favorite aggressive clearance retailer, Target, is discounting their old video game stock. This means that your local Target has cut the price of Xbox 360 titles including Fracture, Virtua Fighter 5, Too Human, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise and others by as much as 30%. Playstation 3 titles including Mercenaries 2, Web of Shadows, EndWar and others have also seen a price cut.

As always, your mileage may vary depending on your local store's selection and price cutting schedule.

For those willing to tempt fate by not making a purchase just yet, expect what's left of the clearance selection to be discounted by as much as 50% in the next week or so. It's Target tradition.

Friday, January 30, 2009

RACE Pro unveal Mini Cooper car Class

Mini Cooper video gameCar Class Reveal: Mini Cooper

A front wheel drive icon named Mini was launched back in 1959 and was in production all the way up to the year 2000. Since its launch the Mini been a constant fixture on the international racing scene both on and off road. In 2001, BMW, current owner of the Mini brand and a key player on the racing circuit, re-launched the car under the name of The New Mini and also created the Mini Cooper Challenge backed by BMW.
For the Mini Cooper Challenge, it was decided that a 180 horsepower, supercharged Mini Cooper S would be the vehicle of choice. The street legal version of this car is already a formidable track car, and in RACE Pro, players can experience the real race car from bumper to bumper and all the close racing action that comes with it. The Mini Cooper Challenge is one of the most exciting one-car classes.
• Manufacturer Overview: BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke)
BMW is a German car and motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1916 with its headquarters in Munich. During the First World War, the company enjoyed rapid growth building engines for military aircraft until 1918. BMW’s logo therefore represents a rotating airplane propeller. BMW M is a division of BMW producing sports and high-performance vehicles. Since its creation in 1972, BMW M has had a rich history of motor sport success. BMW Group also owns the brands Rolls-Royce and Mini. BMW has been involved successfully in Saloon, Touring, Sports Car and Formula racing.
mini cooper race gameKey Stats
Power: 210 bhp @ 7250 rpm
Torque: 243 Nm @ 4750 rpm
Weight: 1080 kg
Top speed: over 200 km/h

F.E.A.R 2 - Project Origin Live event in europe

fear 2 video gameWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment are pushing F.E.A.R fans to the max with their European F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin Live event.

The F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin Live event will be taking part on February 12th 2009 in London and tests fans fears and gaming prowess against selected members of the community. Eight fans will be escorted to a secret location where they will go head to head in an intense gaming battle of skills, strength and spine chilling F.E.A.R.

For those that don’t make the grade or are too afraid, you can experience the event live online to witness and control the fate of the chosen players.

But for the rest of you that are brave enough click through to www.whatisfearlive.com and enter for your chance to face your fears and be the first people in Europe to play the new F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin game in a gaming session like no other.

F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin, developed by Monolith Productions, launches across Europe on February 13th 2009 on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 system and Games for Windows.

The sequel will continue the original game’s spine-tingling supernatural suspense story of an escalating paranormal crisis that threatens to destroy a major American city. At the center of the calamity is the mysterious Alma, whose rage against those who wronged her triggered a chain of events that have spiraled completely out of control. Now that she has free reign, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Need for Speed SHIFT, Need for Speed NITRO and Need for Speed World Online video games announced

Need for Speed Fifteen years - more than 40 countries - close to 100 million games sold. Need for Speed has helped to define automotive culture for millions of fans with its embrace of the car lifestyle and its cool rebellious attitude. Today, Electronic Arts unveiled the details of what is in store for the franchise over the next 12 months, as the property expands to new platforms, new categories and new media.

Need for Speed is committed to providing unique and customized experiences for all types of racing fans by establishing three independent series; simulation, action and arcade racing. Each series will be developed by a highly-specialized team dedicated to delivering the ultimate racing experiences to car enthusiasts around the world – whether they be interested in adrenaline action, arcade fun or authentic simulation.
“We recognize racing videogame fans are very passionate and unique -- they want customized gameplay experiences. Whether it’s more of a realistic driving game with accurate car physics or over-the-top cop chases, we are making different games for different audiences,” said Keith Munro, vice president of marketing, Need for Speed. “Each game provides a deep, engaging and rich racing experience. We’re giving players the option to choose the best racing title that suits their style of gameplay.”
Need for Speed SHIFT – Autumn 2009
Shift into high gear! Designed to deliver a true driver’s experience that reflects contemporary motorsports, Need for Speed SHIFT is built by racers for racers. Need for Speed SHIFT delivers an authentic and immersive driving experience developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with executive producer Michael Mann at Black Box and senior vice president Patrick Soderlund at EA Games Europe. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2. Need for Speed SHIFT replicates the true feeling of racing high-end performance cars like never before. Players are thrust into the heart of the action with immersive and exciting features including a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit view camera and an all-new crash mechanic, providing an unrivalled sensation of the speed and feeling of racing a car on the extreme edge of control.

Soderlund is also part of a racing team that recently competed in the 4th edition of the TOYO TIRES 24H Dubai 2009, the first major race event of the year. His team ranked #5 in the high-profile race. Soderlund and the SHIFT development team are committed to bringing the on-the-track experience to players across the world.

Need for Speed SHIFT will be released on PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) and PC in fall 2009.

Need for Speed
Need for Speed NITRO (Working Title) – Autumn 2009
Developed by EA Montreal, Need for Speed NITRO for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS will have players of all skill levels hooked from the moment they get into the action, while arcade racing fans will be exhilarated by the deep and challenging gameplay. EA Montreal has already established a strong track record of developing for these platforms and will bring their unique creativity and innovation to the Need for Speed franchise.

Gamers can build up their boost as they drift and drag behind their opponents and use it strategically to change the course of the race, but watch out for the cops! Offering a fresh and unique visual style, the game features a variety of licensed cars which can be fully customized to let the game reflect the player’s taste and personality. This evolutionary take on arcade racing, bringing back the best features found in Need for Speed games, comes exclusively to the Nintendo platforms this fall.

Need for Speed
Need for Speed World Online – Winter 2009 in North America, (Summer 2009 in Asia)
Co-developed by Black Box and EA Singapore, Need for Speed World Online takes the race into the largest open world in the history of Need for Speed - designed exclusively for the PC. Beginning in Asia, this Play 4 Free action racing game will give Need for Speed fans access to licensed cars, parts and multiple game modes. Players will prove their racing supremacy through the sophisticated online matchmaking features and fully customize their profile and their ride.

EA and Black Box will have more news about the Need for Speed franchise in the months ahead.

Cradle of Rome v.1.27 for Apple Mac - a Peasant Can Become an Emperor!

Cradle of Rome
AWEM studio announces a Mac version of its colorful and absorbing match-3 game - Cradle of Rome v. 1.27. Now Mac users can also enjoy the exciting process of building the magnificent ancient city of Rome! Fine graphics, match-3 puzzles of various forms and challenging obstacles that need special approach make this casual game a really addictive one. If you manage to accomplish all tasks and build all the glorious buildings, you will get the title of Emperor!

Cradle of Rome for PC was released in 2007 and became the Best Puzzle Game of the year. It was a real hit among people fond of casual games. That is why AWEM studio has developed Cradle of Rome version for Mac. There is no doubt that Mac users will appreciate this admirable game as well. It offers you a chance to build the legendary city and to feel yourself a part of the world History. There are five historical epochs in Cradle of Rome, and each of them corresponds to a certain stage of city development - from a small village to the great capital. Solving the puzzles, you collect enough supplies to pay for new buildings. So, as you build Rome step by step and gain experience, you get higher ranks. The highest possible one is Emperor, which is your main goal in this game.

The gameplay is at the same time calm and fascinating due to pleasant music, vivid colors, simple interface and challenging levels. You put together matching items and destroy marble plaques. Some of the items bring you money and supplies, others allow using bonuses. By the way, Cradle of Rome offers eight unique bonuses (hammer, lightning, shield, star etc.) which help to cope with chains, double plaques and other obstacles. When all the plaques are destroyed, the level is completed - now you can construct new buildings using the collected resources. Remember that Rome was not built in a day. Work diligently, and one day you will see the glories of ancient Rome! Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Temple of all the Roman Gods and other masterpieces of ancient architecture will show your imperial power, and you will enter the Home of Gods on the top of Mount Olympus.

System requirements for Cradle of Rome 1.27:
Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5
CPU: 1.83GHz
RAM: 512 MB

A single-user license costs 19.95 $. Further information on the product, as well as the free trial version is available here.

Mad Skills Motocross beta version released when 1001 fans have joined facebook site

Mad Skills Motocross
Turborilla promises to release a free beta version of their action motocross racing game "Mad Skills Motocross" when the number of fans on Facebook reaches 1001. The small, independent game developer whishes to increase their presence on social networks and are rewarding their fans accordingly.
After the beta has been released Turborilla has another ace up their sleeve and will announce an interesting concept involving a formula and the number of Facebook fans.

Mad Skills Motocross is a sidescrolling motocross game that reminds of the golden days of gaming while also utilizing high-tech features. The game sports neural networks for the AI and precise physical simulations of motocross bikes and riders. It can be played on Windows, Macintosh and Linux. One of the testers of an early development version had this to say:

"I have to really say, I really enjoy it. It's got quite a bit of replay factor even in its current form. The later tracks are really pretty sweet. The arcade mode is just straight fun."

Now Facebook users can also enjoy an early peek at Mad Skills Motocross.

All you have to do is go to the fan page,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mad-Skills-Motocross/58755926184 , and choose to become a fan. As soon as 1001 users have become fans, Mad Skills Motocross Beta will be released to all of them for free.

The fan page contains concept art, screenshots and videos showing just how fun Mad Skills Motocross is.

New, fresh, Intel has been declassified at the ARMA II headquarters as suitable for civilian eyes.

arma
505 Games are pleased to announce that ARMA II homepage updates will be coming on a weekly basis starting today! Intel declassified at the ARMA II headquarters as civilian suitable, is ready for immediate analysis at http://www.arma2.com/classified_en.html .

Enlist for duty in ARMA II , take part in the growing ARMA II community and get fresh Intel straight after its declassification.

The ARMA II homepage will be updated with fresh news: including, but not limited to, a description of all six factions, and analysis of weapons, vehicles and aircraft. Each time Intel is declassified it will be accompanied by a series of authentic visual references, in the form of screenshots and/or video footage.
ARMA II will be available across Europe in 2009.

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity PC video game

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!! We generally cut-and-paste the game's name to cut down keyboard wear, but it's spelled with 25 letter As and three exclamation marks: AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity, or Aaaaa! for short.
3 videos on my youTube channel here... please subscribe

10 FACTS...

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!
1 In Aaaaa!, you gain points by swooping past buildings and terrain as close as you can, while going as fast as you can.
2 You can score extra points giving a thumbs-up to spectators as you fall past them.
3 You can also gain points by flipping them off at just the right moment.
4 Dejobaan prototyped the initial concept in 3 days, spending much of that time cackling and smacking the player into things.
5 We're certain that the soundtrack really does change how players play a level. Fast-paced music has now been scientifically proven to make you more likely to break your bones against terrain.
6 The developers came up with the idea while when our level designer sent YouTube BASE jumping videos to our programmer.
7 The term BASE in BASE Jumping stands for Building, Antenna, Span, Earth.
8 In Aaaaa!, buildings can float above the ground.
9 One of the items is an electromagnetic harpoon gun that allows you to swing between (and into) towers. No radioactive spider bites required.
10 Free bonus fact: Eugene Andreev holds the world record for the longest free-fall parachute jump. His jump lasted over 15 miles.

Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble! Video game wins best on a table...

Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble!Mousechief, is keen to announce, 'Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble!' has won Casual Gameplay's 2008 award for Best Tabletop styled game of downloadable computer games.

http://jayisgames.com/best-of/2008/download/word-or-tabletop-results/

Five years running, Casual Gameplay have been awarding the brightest stars in casual and popular games. We are proud to accept their honor to Mousechief Co.

DHSGiT has been racking up kudos for a while.

Oct 2007 - Awarded Most Innovative Game by the Casual Game Association.
Jul 2008 - Gold Award for No 1 game of the month, by GameTunnel.com.
Oct 2008 - Finalist in the IndieCade international games festival.
Dec 2008 - Adventure G.O.T.Y., Innovation G.O.T.Y., and No 4 G.O.T.Y, by GameTunnel.com.
Dec 2008 - Two honorable mentions in Gamezebo.com's year-end wrap-up.
And on Jan. 15, 2009, the Writers Guild of America nominated 'Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble!' for Best Writing in a videogame, placing it's writing among the ranks of Fallout-3, Star Wars: Force Unleashed, C&C RA3, and Tomb Raider: Underworld.

On Feb. 7, they will announce the winner.

DHSGiT is an easily learned game of whimsically 'naughty' mini-games, literary satire, and adventurous role-playing. This is the game where good girls get better by being bad! Because you know, "Well-behaved women seldom make history."

It is not intended for children and has been rated TEEN using the T.I.G.R.S. rating system.

Kharkov - Disaster on the Donets is Updated to include nearly twenty significant improvements

Kharkov - Disaster on the Donets
Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Strategic Studies Group (www.ssg.com.au) are proud to announce the release of the new v1.1 update for Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets. This major new update includes nearly twenty significant improvements to the Kharkov game system. Among others, it adds variant units with differences in strength and OOB to the Mystery Variant system and allows entirely new “what if” formations like the 3rd Guards Rifle Corps to be part of the scenario variants. Also, the rules to refit a unit have changed to an explicit action by the player using a new refit button. Finally, the update comes with restrictions on viewing enemy OB screens have been implemented to prevent giving away the new variant unit information, along with more new features, rule tweaks, and several bug fixes.

As part of this update, SSG has also announced its future development plans, to provide a roadmap for what scenario designers and wargamers can expect in the future. Specifically, SSG plans to updates its older battles to the new game system on which Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets is based. This system, called Decisive Battles on the Eastern Front: 1941-1945, will initially accommodate a remake and update of Across the Dnepr to this new system. There are also plans to release Operation Husky, Operation Avalanche, and Operation Shingle from Battles in Italy as free scenarios based on this new game system.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “SSG has some ambitious plans for the new year and we know wargamers will be excited to see what they have in store. Decisive Battles on the Eastern Front: 1941-1945 is a very solid and realistic new operational wargame system that will grow more engrossing and rich with each subsequent release and the planned free scenarios.”

In Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets, you command the Soviet forces, newly confident after stopping and throwing back the Barbarossa offensive, or try the elite and seasoned German army now reconstituted after Winter losses and ready to regain the initiative. Two separate forces prepared offensives in the same area in the Spring of 1942. When the dust had cleared the Germans had managed a great victory that opened the doors to the drive on Stalingrad. But the outcome was far from certain and in Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets, history is yours to rewrite.

This new system supports both regimental and battalion level combat, while incorporating many innovative features such as off-map reinforcement decisions and on-map historical areas of operation with mystery variants to increase replayability and limit the effect of hindsight. Along with the streamlined supply and movement systems, a new bonus and advantage system for headquarters effects, simplified direct fire and improved combat tables, an improved strong points system and the ability to create hedgehog defenses make this the most advanced and realistic SSG design to date. This is the first in a new successor series to Decisive Battles, with an updated Across the Dnepr sequel already in the works!

This update is comprehensive and will bring any previous version of the game to version 1.1. Get more information on Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets from its official product page.

Smugglers 4 v. 1.1 Space-Trading gets Even Better, video game for the Visually Impaired (free demo)

smugglers 4
Niels Bauer Games has released Smugglers 4 v. 1.1, a Windows turn-based science fiction space trading game. You have complete control over your life, from managing the actions of your crew, to boarding enemy ships and taking over their fleets, and using these captured ships to conquer entire star systems. Before starting the Smugglers 4 adventure, you choose to be a greedy trader, an ambitious bounty hunter, a ruthless pirate, or other denizen of space.

New features in the latest version of Smugglers 4 include support for the visually impaired. The program is compatible with the popular screen reader JAWS, allowing blind people to play the game without any help from their sighted friends. The new version also features a new battleship class, a moveable trade window, and the ability to directly attack enemy starbases.

The flaw with most space trading games is the painfully long time that players must wait while they fly to a distant star system or planet, with much of the game's fun being sucked into the vacuum of space during the seemingly endless flight. Smugglers 4, by contrast, is a turn-based game, and it takes only seconds to arrive at a destination on the other side of the galaxy.

Smugglers 4 is fun to play, and fun to replay. Players' decisions directly affect life on your ship, in your star system, and across the galaxy. Each time you start a new game, you'll enjoy a completely different experience, with new challenges, and different results. Smugglers 4 simply cannot get old because it is completely different each time you play.
You can earn money through trading, pirating, or by fulfilling missions. And as you grow in your career, you earn awards and medals. With financial and personal growth come the additional resources and skills to buy new ships and upgrade your equipment. Smugglers 4's open-ended gameplay offers virtually limitless opportunities, and your actions will ultimately have an impact on a galactic scale.
There are 24 star systems with 75 planets. The professionally crafted planet art adds to the enjoyment of the game. There are four different factions, with different ship designs and different uniforms. There is a wide range of ships, each with unique weaponry and defense systems.

Smugglers 4's enhanced non-linear war and campaign system provides new ways to influence your battles. The program's unique text engine provides an enormous variety of story lines and mission descriptions, and more than 10,000 different descriptions of your battles and outcomes. Smugglers 4 is family friendly, and is fun for children, adults, and seniors. Smugglers 4 may also be enjoyed by the visually impaired. Using the program's special mode and a standard third-party screen reader, Smugglers 4 can be enjoyed by people who cannot see the screens well enough to use the standard mouse or keyboard controls.

Smugglers 4 v. 1.1 runs under Windows XP and Vista, costs $29.95(US), and may be purchased securely online from http://www.nielsbauergames.com/. You can download a free trial version from the same web site. The program comes with a 14-day money back guarantee.