Best of Tests on Nintendo DS - IQ-boosting game heads to stores

Put on Your Thinking Caps! "Best of Tests DS" Ships to North American Stores

Conspiracy Entertainment's new IQ-boosting game heads to stores

Get ready to exercise your brain in fun new ways, as Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation has shipped "Best of Tests DS" to North American retail outlets. The game challenges players to test their mental mettle through a series of skill tests based on those used in the famous Intelligence Quotient Test. Far more than just a simple exam, "Best of Tests DS™" uses a series of interesting, adaptive and enjoyable puzzles and challenges to give players the opportunity to improve their scores and knowledge as they play. For more information about the game, please visit http://www.conspiracygames.com.

"We're very excited to release Best of Tests DS, as it is the type of game that lets you increase your knowledge in a fast-paced, friendly and fun puzzle format," said Sirus Ahmadi, CEO of Conspiracy Entertainment. "This is the type of game we think will appeal to anyone who enjoys puzzle games, or is hoping to challenge their acumen in a fun way on the DS."

Logic, observation, memory, speed of perception and analysis: these are the qualities that define the famous Intelligence Quotient Test and these same skills will be challenged in Best of Tests for the Nintendo DS. Not only will the game challenge the skills of the player, it also aims to help the player improve them. By taking advantage of the unique features of the DS to challenge players, Best of Tests DS will calculate the player's IQ and adapt itself to offer a personalized challenge that is always fresh and fun.

Mister Slime action adventure game on Nintendo DS released by Southpeak

SOUTHPEAK ANNOUNCES "MISTER SLIME" TO BE RELEASED IN NORTH AMERICA

Slimy, Stretchy Adventure Coming To Nintendo DS in April 2008

SouthPeak Games today announced that it will release the action adventure game, Mister Slime, in North America. The title, developed by Lexis Numérique, features clever “elastic” controls using Nintendo DS’s unique features. Mister Slime will be available in April, 2008.

“Fresh, tactile, fun, and addictive. That is what Mister Slime is all about,” said Katie Morgan, Executive Vice President of SouthPeak Games. “The title’s creative features, imaginative characters, and great storyline make for a crazy, one-of-a-kind, can’t-put-it-down gameplay experience. Mister Slime is awesome right from the get-go.”

As the young but determined hero Mister Slime, players set off on an exhilarating adventure, trying to protect Slime Village from its evil enemies, the Axons. Using the touch screen and stylus, players must navigate the levels by dragging and stretching Mister Slime’s arms to grab hold of small anchor points scattered throughout the game. Mister Slime features inventive uses of characteristics specific to Nintendo DS, including sound and shape recognition. As an example, players are able to blow on Mister Slime to make him fly in the air or to help him breathe under water.

“We wanted to take an old-school 2D side-scroller and update it with innovative features and gameplay specific to the platform,” said Djamil Kemal, Development Director at Lexis Numérique.

“The advanced physics engine combined with elasticity, and interaction with many different objects creates a very engaging gameplay experience. There is nothing else out there like it.”

Mister Slime will feature both single and multiplayer game modes with a huge variety of level design. All together, Mister Slime will keep gamers busy for hours trying to stretch and manipulate their way through the wonderful world of slime.

In January, SouthPeak Interactive, LLC and Global Services Partners Acquisition Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: GSPA, GSPAB, GSPAW, GSPAZ) jointly announced that they have agreed to a business combination resulting in a new publicly held entity that will be called SouthPeak Interactive Corporation. The transaction will allow SouthPeak to access the public markets to accelerate its growth strategy and take advantage of strong industry growth trends.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – Co-op Collection 2 Available Now on Microsoft Xbox LIVE

MEDIA ALERT: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – Co-op Collection 2 Available Now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace!

Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, today announced release of the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter® 2 Co-op Collection 2, a new downloadable content (DLC) package for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This new premium content package will enrich and extend the original game by allowing players to expand their LIVE experience with an all-new co-op campaign and a total of nine maps, seven of which are inspired by classic maps from Ghost Recon’s illustrious history and two that are totally brand new. This premium content package is available now via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 Microsoft points. Take a look below for an outline of the full contents of the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection 2:

OVERVIEW: The GRAW2 Co-op Collection 2 consists of five co-op campaign missions that continue the story from GRAW2 Co-op Collection 1. In total there are nine maps, seven of which are classic maps from Ghost Recon’s illustrious history and two that are totally brand new. All nine maps (including co-op campaign maps) have exquisite visuals and support all of GRAW2’s thousands of customizable game modes.

ACHIEVEMENTS: The GRAW2 Co-op Collection 2 offers 8 achievements totaling 125 Achievement points (detailed list below).

CO-OP MAPS: New Co-op Campaign – Story: Rebel leader Manuel Suazo Azcona continues his quest to destabilize the governments of both El Salvador and neighboring Honduras despite the Ghosts’ efforts to disrupt his organization. As the vice begins to tighten on the rebels, more key players begin to fall out and defect. Using the information from the defectors, the Ghosts need to release Azcona’s stranglehold on the country by taking out his supply points and escorting relief trucks into the area. Finally, the Ghosts will need to infiltrate Azcona’s compound and take him out, ending the rebellion once and for all.

Bridges – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Mission Briefing: We’ve been contacted by an enemy defector with intel on Azcona’s plans. It appears he has since been captured, but not before dumping his laptop in the jungle. Find that laptop, save our turncoat, and extract ASAP – he won’t last long.

Stronghold – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder)
Mission Briefing: The rebel defector is now in your custody at an allied safe-house. A large enemy force is moving rapidly on your coordinates to try and silence him. You must defend this stronghold and keep the VIP protected.

Depot – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege)
Mission Briefing: The defector’s intel has revealed another of Azcona’s supply points: a rail depot. Take out the ADATS defending its airspace and then clear out the depot area. Let’s get a tracker on that helo and see if it leads us to Azcona.

Riverbed – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege)
Mission Briefing: This one is a bit different, Ghosts: You'll be escorting relief trucks to the refugees along the border. With Azcona’s army falling apart, his men are desperate and have begun raiding aid convoys. Let’s do some good, people, and put a stop to it.

Ghost Town – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege)
Mission Briefing: This is it, Ghosts. We’ve tracked those supplies to Azcona himself. He’s holed up in his junkyard compound with a large vehicle pool. Gather any maps or intel you may find, but your primary objective is to terminate Azcona’s command.

ADVERSARIAL MAPS
Bridges – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) - Medium map suitable for 8 to 12 players.
Overview: Numerous bridges span a river winding through hilly jungle. Thick foliage provides cover and a few sniper spots. Supports medium- and long-range combat.
Stronghold – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) - Large map suitable for 12 to 16 players.
Overview: A central stronghold on a hill surrounded by deep valleys. Supports multiple play types from stealthy sneaking to defending from towers.
Depot – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege) - Large map suitable for 12 to 16 players.
Overview: Large train depot facility surrounded by rocky hills. A high ground vs. low ground dynamic with lots of open terrain and long sightlines.
Riverbed – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege) - Large map suitable for 12 to 16 players.
Overview: A dry riverbed snakes through weathered rock formations and various ruins. A mixture of terrain and cover supports all types of combat.
Ghost Town – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege) - Medium map suitable for 8 to 12 players.
Overview: Dry, dusty shantytown in the midst of a sandstorm. A large villa sits on the hill in the center of the map. Some CQB in town and other opportunities for snipers.
Roadblock – (Ghost Recon: Desert Siege) - Medium map suitable for 8 to 12 players.
Overview: A steep hill with an ancient fortress at the top and a roadblock at the bottom. Rolling terrain and scattered ruins dot the landscape.
Island – (Ghost Recon: Island Thunder) - Small map suitable for 4 to 8 players.
Overview: Small tropical island with a lighthouse perched upon a rocky hill at its center. Maze-like paths through tall grass lead to the caves in the hill.
Treatment Plant – (Brand New) - Small map suitable for 4 to 8 players.
Overview: Rusting pipes and tanks highlight this water treatment plant under repair. An open center area contrasts with a dense mixture of waterworks and construction.
Mining Camp – (Brand New) - Small map suitable for 4 to 8 players.
Overview: An abandoned mining facility carved into a mountainside. Catwalks provide access to the interior cave spaces. Mostly medium range and CQB, allowing stealthy players to flank opponents.

ACHIEVEMENTS
· Bridges (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points

Complete Bridges Co-op Mission without respawns at default or hard difficulty.
· Stronghold (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points

Complete Stronghold Co-op Mission without respawns at default or hard difficulty.
· Depot (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points

Complete Depot Co-op Mission without respawns at default or hard difficulty.
· Riverbed (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points

Complete Riverbed Co-op Mission without respawns at default or hard difficulty.
· Ghost Town (Co-op) Perfect: 15 points

Complete Ghost Town Co-op Mission without respawns at default or hard difficulty.
· Untouchable: 15 points

Survive 10 minutes, killing at least 3 enemies in that time, on a Co-op Collection map. Minimum 5 players.
· Color Guard: 15 points

Kill 3 enemies while you carry a flag in a CTF match on a Co-op Collection map. Minimum 5 players.
· Pistoleer: 20 points

Kill 6 or more enemies with a pistol in a single match on a Co-op Collection map with 5+ players.

For more information on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, please visit www.ghostrecon.com.

Title Update for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation

New Title Update for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation Offers

NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc. today launched a title update for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, its hit flight action game for the Xbox 360. The update is free to all users with an active Xbox LIVE Gold or Silver account and will be downloaded automatically once the game is started.

The newly released title update offers several enhancements for the game’s online modes, resulting in a more seamless and balanced experience via Xbox LIVE. The following changes are included in the title update:

• The in-game HUD will now indicate when points are gained or lost in online play
  
• Players will now be penalized for crashing their aircraft, leaving the battlefield and being shot down by opponents in Team Battle and Battle Royale modes
  
• Players can now gain points by damaging enemy aircraft rather than making a complete kill in Team Battle and Battle Royale modes
  
• Players will now be invulnerable for a brief period of time after each respawn
  
• The overall strength of each special weapon has been updated for greater gameplay balance
  
• Players can now identify who is speaking in the pre-game lobby with a microphone icon next to their GamerTag
  

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation is currently available in stores nationwide for the Xbox 360. For more information on the game, please visit http://www.acecombatsix.com

Marc Ecko Entertainment and Showtime Networks Partner to Bring "Dexter" to Videogame Consoles

Marc Ecko Entertainment and Showtime Networks Partner to Bring "Dexter" to Videogame Consoles

Players Enter the Conflicted World of "The Dark Defender"

Marc Ecko Entertainment today announced it has entered into a production agreement with Showtime Networks to design a videogame based on the Emmy and Golden Globe winning hit television series “DEXTER”. Marc Ecko Entertainment will develop the property for interactive media in close collaboration with Showtime Networks to guarantee its faithfulness to the spirit of the groundbreaking show.

DEXTER follows Dexter Morgan, a forensic blood spatter expert for the Miami Dade Police Department whose perfectly respectable persona hides a dark compulsion: he is a serial killer who hunts down people who have escaped justice.

“DEXTER is the extremely rare TV show with enough layers of action and tension to translate perfectly into a compelling videogame,” said Marc Fernandez, Vice President of Marc Ecko Entertainment. “Our game designers, writers, and artists are going to give Dexter’s morally complex world the kind of interactivity that gamers will love.”

"DEXTER is one of the most popular shows on SHOWTIME with a particularly strong fan base among gamers. It’s a very logical jump to create a game with the website IGN.com naming it 2007’s ‘Best Television Program’," said Len Fogge, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Digital Media and Research at Showtime Networks. "We’re confident Marc Ecko Entertainment’s team has the unique talents to take Dexter to the interactive space in the right way.”

Marc Ecko Entertainment handled the production side of 2005’s Getting Up and is currently working on an untitled project with developer Human Head. The Dexter game is in pre-production and Showtime Networks and Marc Ecko Entertainment are in talks with a handful of developers to bring the game to life. More details will be announced in upcoming months.

Rockstar Games Bully: Scholarship Edition Available on Nintendo Wii and Microsoft XBox 360

Rockstar Games Announces Bully: Scholarship Edition Now Available in North America

Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, is proud to announce that Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is now available at North American retail stores for the suggested retail price of $49.99. Bully: Scholarship Edition will be available in Europe on March 7.

"With all the love and care that we put into Bully, we are excited that two new audiences can experience this game," said Sam Houser, President and co-founder of Rockstar Games. "It's really difficult to make a compelling comedy-action game about anything, let alone about the experiences of being at high school, and we think we achieved something unique with Bully. I hope people new to the game love it as much as we do."

Originally developed by Rockstar Vancouver, the critically acclaimed fan favorite finally makes its debut on the Wii and Xbox 360. "With new single-player missions and multiplayer games, as well as updated graphics, dialogue, and music, Bully: Scholarship Edition looks like it could attract a new audience with hours of next-generation juvenile mayhem...," says GameSpot, and Official Xbox Magazine writes "...there's so much gameplay richness and black humor in here that we'd jam a dunce cap on anyone who passes it up."

Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Wii and Xbox 360 is rated "T" for Teen.

For more information please visit http://www.rockstargames.com/bully/scholarshipedition

RHEM 3 brain-teasing third installment in the popular pure-puzzle adventure series

Got Game Entertainment Announces "RHEM 3" Now At North American Retail

From the "Prince of Modern Puzzles" comes the brain-teasing third installment in the popular pure-puzzle adventure series

Got Game Entertainment LLC today announced that “RHEM 3”, the third installment in the popular “RHEM” series of pure-puzzle adventure games for PC and Mac, has shipped to stores across North America. From the master mind of developer Knut Mueller, the critically acclaimed “Prince of Modern Puzzles”, “RHEM 3” is a mind-bending trip into a labyrinthine world of hidden rooms and secret passages, strange vehicles and odd machines. The game continues the puzzle-filled adventures of brothers Kales and Zetais in the mysterious land of RHEM. Like its predecessors, "RHEM 3" features non-linear gameplay and non-violent story. “RHEM 3” makes its retail debut at $29.99 (USD) and is rated “E” for Everyone by the ESRB. The game is also available for direct download purchase at www.RHEM3.com.

Opening the door to a new journey of mystery and adventure, “RHEM 3” finds you in the strange land of RHEM. In search of an unusual gem, and surrounded by atmospheric stereo-environment sound, your quest is assisted by hints hidden in a secret library and clues offered by the peculiar inhabitants of RHEM. With an adventurous spirit, logical thinking, and keen puzzle-solving, you will slowly but surely divine the location of this curious treasure and unveil the secret it holds.

“The hallmark of this game is, as one critic put it, its sophisticated, complex, and logical puzzles,” said Got Game Entertainment President Howard Horowitz. “If you’re the type who loses yourself in puzzles and loves challenging your mind, ‘RHEM 3’ is the game for you.”

For more information, visit www.Rhem3.com.

Angel Cat Sugar games on PC and Nintendo DS

PAN VISION GAMES BRINGS ANGEL CAT SUGAR TO THE INTERACTIVE WORLD

PAN Vision Games will start production of Angel Cat Sugar games to the PC and Nintendo DS format.

PAN Vision Games, the Swedish-based publisher, announced today that a three year exclusive deal to make PC and Nintendo DS games, based on the Japanese IP Angel Cat Sugar has been signed. The games are planned for simultaneous release all over Europe in spring 2009.

Angel Cat Sugar is a brand created by Yuko Shimizu, the creator of world-wide success Hello Kitty, and has been sold in Japan since 2003 as toys, merchandise etc. Ms. Shimizu used to work for Sanrio, but stepped out a number of years ago and started her own character Angel Cat Sugar. In 2007 Angel Cat Sugar came to Europe and the rest of the world through Bruno Productions B.V. licensing firm, based in the Netherlands, and is now quickly spreading across Europe as a licensing brand. Bruno Productions holds the rights to Angel Cat Sugar for all territories in Europe.

The brand story revolves around Angel Cat Sugar, a princess in a world of angels, and her three mice friends Parsley, Thyme and Basil. For more info about Ms Shimizu, the brand or the characters please visit the official website: http://www.angelcatsugar.jp/ .

“We are very happy to have found a committed partner such as PAN Vision to bring Angel Cat Sugar to the games market. This is the start of a new business relationship between PAN Vision and Bruno Productions, and from both sides we hope to expand this relationship in the future to new markets, formats and possibly also other brands,” says Nelleke Bruno, CEO and Attorney-at-Law of Bruno Holding B.V.

“Angel Cat Sugar is an exciting fast-growing brand that suits our catalogue and future publishing plans perfectly,” says Egil Strunke, Sr Business Development Director at PAN Vision, “While we are working on the game, Bruno Productions is spreading the license to all kinds of new products and markets, so a spring -09 release should be ideal from a timing point of view as awareness of the brand will be high,” finishes Strunke.

Capcom®'s Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Sells 1 Million Units on Nintendo Wii

Capcom's "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles" Ships 1 Million Units Worldwide!
Second Wii Game From the Company to Top 1 Million Units Following Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition
Capcom is pleased to announce that Resident Evil : The Umbrella Chronicles, which was released in November 2007 for the Wii video game system from Nintendo, has shipped over 1 million units worldwide. This is the second Capcom Wii title to ship over a million units, following Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, which was released in June of 2007.

The Resident Evil series, which has sold over 34.5 million units globally (as of February 29, 2008), is one of Capcom’s most critically acclaimed and beloved franchises. As a testament to Resident Evil’s longevity and success, the series remains as innovative and original today as when the first title shipped in 1996.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a brand new game in the Resident Evil franchise, with familiar locales from the entire series, created specifically for the unique characteristics of the Wii console. This action/shooter hybrid reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella’s stronghold. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles combines first-person, light-gun style combat with interactive pathways, multiple weapons and new enemies to create an entirely new Resident Evil experience that could only be delivered on the Wii. The game includes a two-player co-op mode and support for the Wii Zapper for even more intense light-gun style shooting action.

The Resident Evil series is not limited to the realm of gaming though, as evidenced by its popularity with movie-goers around the world. Autumn in 2007 saw the continued success of the series on the big screens when the Hollywood blockbuster “Resident Evil Extinction” opened in theaters worldwide, going on to generate $147 million US dollars in revenues. Currently, Capcom, in cooperation with Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd., is in the middle of producing a full-length CG movie, “Resident Evil: Degeneration”.

GGL LAUNCHES $40K TOURNAMENT: Warhammer $40,000: Dawn of War: SoulStorm

GGL LAUNCHES $40K TOURNAMENT Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War: SoulStorm

Strap on your armor, Space Marines, and gear up! GGL Global Gaming is proud to announce the launch of a 1v1 tournament for PC players.

WHO: GGL - The Leading Media Company for the Expansion and Culture of Videogames

WHAT: GGL’s Warhammer 40K: Dawn Of War: Soulstorm 1v1 $40,000 Tournament (http://warhammer.ggl.com/)
· Ladder Format - Join anytime, for your chances of advancing!

1 Overall prize purse of $40,000

· Top player will take home a Dell XPS M1530 gaming PC; plus a limited edition, hand-numbered Dawn of War: Soulstorm art!

1 Second place finisher will receive a NVIDIA 8800 GT graphics card, Creative Labs Zen 8GB MP# media player, Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-FI XtremeGamer sound card, Creative Labs Inspire T6100 speakers, Creative Labs Fatal1ty Gaming Headset and THQ Game.

2 Each finalist goes home with a THQ game, plus their share of PC gaming hardware from Creative.

WHEN: TODAY!

o Registration March 4th – April 13th by 8:59 PM EST
o Play from March 4th – April 13th

WHERE: Online Ladder (http://warhammer.ggl.com/)

GGL LAUNCHES $15,000 TOURNAMENT FRONTLINES: FUEL OF WAR VIDEO GAME

GGL LAUNCHES $15,000 TOURNAMENT FRONTLINES: FUEL OF WAR VIDEO GAME

The War of the Future Begins TODAY! GGL Global Gaming is proud to announce the launch of a 4v4 tournament for Xbox 360 players.

HO: GGL - The Leading Media Company for the Expansion and Culture of Videogames

WHAT: GGL’s Frontlines: Fuels of War 4v4 $15,000 Tournament (http://frontlines.ggl.com/)
Overall prize purse of $15,000.
Ladder Format - Join anytime, for your chances of advancing!
Final two teams (8 players total) receive Round Trip to New York City, NY, for live Final, from May 9 – 12, 2008, including round trip coach airfare, hotel accommodations for two nights/three days, ground transportation between airport and hotel, and $100 spending money.

WHEN: NOW!
Register between February 26 – April 6 by 8:59 PM
Play from February 26 – April 6
Finals on May 9 – 12

WHERE: Online Ladder (http://frontlines.ggl.com/) - Finals in New York City

Content and Software Update for its MMORPG, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons PC video game

Marriages and Navigators: Waygate Publishing Announces Major Content and Software Update for its MMORPG, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons

Waygate Publishing Limited, a London-based company specialising in the operation of Eastern European online games for the Western market, today announced the largest content update yet for its increasingly popular, free, browser-based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons. The update will see 27 new quests, set to be released over the next month, a Navigator function, to help players find their way round the growing world of Faeo, and the opportunity for in-game marriages between players.

New, new, new!

The content update will add 27 new quests, over 50 new items, 10 new monsters, 12 new locations and 6 new NPCs to the Legend. The majority of quests are for both the Magmar and Human races, though some are specifically tailored to the stories of the rival inhabitants of Faeo. The Magmars will find themselves exploring the new territories of Zviglod Brist, whilst Human adventurers will be led to the Berona Prairies. In addition, the contested Isles of Fay-Go will reveal more secrets. Hawken the Forester, Avelius the Scholar and the mysterious ivy-girl Edera are just some of the characters waiting to assign quests to brave warriors.

Navigator

The most significant feature of the software upgrade is the Navigator function which will make navigation around the game world much easier, a vital addition as the areas for exploration grow. Players will be able to select a location, resource, monster or NPC from a drop-down menu, after which a route will be plotted on the player’s map, from their current location to whatever it is they are seeking.

Weddings

The update will include the facility for players to marry each other, an exciting and fun addition to the gameplay which will become operational by the 17th March 2008. Players will be able to buy a set of rings and have their partnership officially recognised by a Consecrator.

For more information, visit www.warofdragons.com.

Beta to Cert Push – Condemned 2 video game diary

Our Beta was originally due on December 3rd, 2007 but we didn’t complete it until December 21st. We’ve been running about 3 or so weeks late since October but we’d reached that crux where making cuts to pull the schedule in by three weeks would have created more than three weeks worth of work (a true paradox) and would have definitely added more risk to the ongoing project than us just sucking it up, moving forward and getting the game done.

One of the areas of high risk in the development process was the user interface. Before Condemned 2, our UI system was our own creation. Even though it was sufficient for past products, we needed something that would allow for greater artistic expression and would be able to be updated more quickly and efficiently by artist types. We eventually settled upon the Flash-based Scaleform solution. We also expanded our UI team to include 2 Flash-based UI Engineers, 2 C++ UI Engineers and we had our Art Director cranking out assets for the UI as quickly as possible.

An area of concern was getting enough of the core gameplay locked down so we could focus on the UI support. One of the new features of the game is the Attack Chains. When we first worked on the UI, we wanted to get Ethan’s rage across so we tied the meter into a face graphic of Ethan. Once you hit a new Attack Chain level, you’d see the second face and have a 2-part meter. Once you hit the third and final level, you’d see the face on the far right and you’d have a 3-part chain attack meter (see image 001) It was a bit large and sucked up some screen real estate – but was quickly ignored by the player as they were more focused on the action on screen.

NARUTO CLASH OF NINJA REVOLUTION OUT ON NINTENDO Wii

NARUTO CLASH OF NINJA REVOLUTION STEALTHS ITS WAY ON TO Wii

Join the Ninja Revolution as the legendary Naruto anime franchise makes its long awaited European debut on Wii in Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version on March 28th. Featuring the very best of Naruto, this brand new game combines the latest characters, environments and storylines with the next generation technology of the Wii, resulting in a fast and furious fighting game guaranteed to bring out the Ninja in you.

Set in and around the mystical village of Hidden Leaf, Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version takes key elements from the recently aired Chunin Exam storyline and gives players the chance to play as their favourite characters to become the greatest ninja that ever lived. With four key modes of gameplay – Mission, Single Player, Multi Player and Mini Games – players are continually confronted with numerous, testing challenges to improve their combat skills and effectively use their Chakra energy. Learning the basics is easy, but only through dedication and commitment will players master the art of being a true ninja.

Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version features the largest number of playable characters from the Naruto series and introduces several prominent and popular characters for the first time, many of which are available to play from the beginning, in addition to the regular favourites of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke and Kakashi. Furthermore, it is possible for four players to join a single fight, heightening the battle ferocity to a level not previously experienced. As always though, managing your character’s Chakra is crucial as special moves and blistering combinations are dependent on this natural body energy. As an extra twist, during a fight it’s now possible to move the action to another environment by performing a strong attack near the border of the arena – a first in the Naruto series.

As with every Naruto game, the look of the game content is faithfully recreated using sharp, ‘cel-shaded’ graphics to perfectly reflect characters and backgrounds. Each character has had their fighting style and special moves reproduced perfectly bringing players closer to their heroes, while arenas are inspired by locations found in the original show. In addition, on carrying out special moves that require Chakra, unique animations take place that zoom in on the character to add an extra layer of intensity and atmosphere to the game.

Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version can be enjoyed using the Wii’s various controls and allows many different configurations. It can be played with a lone Wii Remote, a Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the Classic Controller or the Nintendo GameCube controller ensuring players can enjoy the game to its full.

Published by TOMY and distributed by Nintendo, Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version springs across Europe for an estimated retail price of £49.99 on the 28th March 2008.

KONAMI SHIPS SILENT HILL ORIGINS FOR Sony PlayStation 2

KONAMI SHIPS SILENT HILL ORIGINS FOR PlayStation 2 SYSTEM TO RETAIL STORES NATIONWIDE

Hit Survival Horror Video Game Makes Much Anticipated Evolution from Handheld to Console With Enhanced Graphics

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced Silent Hill Origins has shipped to retail stores in North America for the PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System. Now, console gamers can now enjoy the terror and fear-inducing chills of the PSP (PlayStationPortable) System game as well.

"Silent Hill Origins for the PlayStation 2 system gives console game lovers the same chilling, suspenseful and fear-filled experience that handheld gamers encountered with the release of Silent Hill Origins on the PSP system," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "PlayStation 2 system gamers will get the chance to learn more about the mystery and mythos hinted at in earlier Silent Hill games."

Featuring enhanced visuals for the PlayStation 2 system, Silent Hill Origins tells the tale of Travis Grady, a lone truck driver making a routine delivery when he makes an unfortunate detour to the mysterious town of Silent Hill. Players must help Travis escape the city's horrific inhabitants and unravel the mystery of the strange hallucinations from Travis' past, visions that have plagued him since childhood.

Throughout the game, Travis can use his fists, his wits and an array of weapons including a meat cleaver, pool cue and sledgehammer to fight his way through the nightmarish world of Silent Hill and face more than one possible ending.

The PSP System game was one of the highest reviewed titles for the platform, receiving high praise from media outlets such as GamePro, GameZone.com, Hardcore Gamer Magazine and PLAY Magazine.

Silent Hill Origins is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB and available for an SRP of $29.99. For more information, please visit www.konami.com.

Self-sufficient and realistic world of Heavy Duty gameplay video

New Heavy Duty Trailer

Self-sufficient and realistic world of Heavy Duty, detailed constructions and other elements of economics, and air battles in a new gameplay video.

Akella has prepped a new piece of Heavy Duty assets to unveil more secrets of the game development, its status and progress. A new gameplay trailer offers you a one-minute opportunity to plunge into this action strategy and participate in air interceptions.

In the works of Quant Games (the game development studio that was formed to focus on strategy games and includes key specialists that worked on Heavy Duty from the earliest stages of its development), Heavy Duty features a distant Earth colony attacked by aliens and defended by its chief military base. One of the stunning game peculiarities is the endless borders of its world, open to explore and navigate.

To get the Heavy Duty trailer please follow the link.

CRADLE OF ROME: GIVE FREE RAIN TO YOUR INNER EMPEROR

CRADLE OF ROME: GIVE FREE RAIN TO YOUR INNER EMPEROR

Have you ever dreamed of becoming an emperor? Just imagine: you bring your kingdom to the prosperous future, people make statues in your honor, and you become a living legend. Awem's Cradle of Rome gives you a unique opportunity to become the Emperor of the Roman Empire raising it from a small settlement to the immense state.

Awem Studio announces today Cradle of Rome v1.27, a new update for the popular and addictive casual game augmenting your enjoyment level.

Cradle of Rome is an unconventional mixture of a city building game and a major casual component set, as the title implies, at the dawn of the Roman Empire. Your job is to build up an elaborate Roman city from scratch by building forges, mills, fountains and other scores of buildings. When your city is big enough, you will be able to recreate the Coliseum with gladiators and even the Pantheon. All the construction work is subsidized by certain points you get after completing some intuitive and addictive puzzles. There are several types of points: silver, gold, iron, wood, flour and many others which are essential for building a thriving city.

The puzzles represent a field of multiple shapes, varying from level to level, that consists of squares with such items as wood, flour, silver, gold, etc. Your goal is to swap them, two at a time, in order to create horizontal or vertical rows of the same items. The more items in a row, the more points you get but the minimum is three. Matched items disappear causing those above to drop down and create other matches for extra points. Do not forget about water running out of the pitcher in the lower right corner of the game field, representing time elapse. Once the pitcher is empty, the game stops, and the player loses a life point. Various bonuses and gifts give additional energy to the game-play. To crown it all, if the citizens are satisfied with your work, they give you a special title. The highest one is Emperor.

Amplifying the fun experience are the fine graphics that enliven the city, the neat sound effects that dub clicking of the items and the explosions that go off as they vaporize, and the ancient-Roman backdrops that are set to change after each level.

The game is highly addictive and simple to play. If you come to have difficulty in matching, the game will give you a hint in a most unobtrusive way. Having completed a level, you'll have an opportunity to watch how life is going in your city by clicking an appropriate button.

Cradle of Rome is excellent for those who want to distract themselves from their routine and have their mind relieved of hard work.

Visit the website...

The Lord of the Rings Online at Connect '08 tickets available

Major announcement for The Lord of the Rings Online to take place at Connect '08

Codemasters Online and Turbine, Inc. team up for major announcement at the forthcoming Codemasters Online Connect Event
Codemasters Online and Turbine Inc announced today that they expect this year’s Connect event to be the staging area for a major announcement for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.

David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online commented “Connect is shaping up to be a great event with some massive news. We’re extremely pleased Turbine has agreed to make the trip out to Europe to share the major announcement we’ve lined up for The Lord of the Rings Online. I guarantee it is going to get the community buzzing”.

Jeffrey Steefel, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online, commented “We are very excited for Connect ‘08. We can’t think of a better place to make a big announcement regarding The Lord of the Rings Online than in Birmingham, the childhood home of J.R.R. Tolkien.”

Taking place on March 14th / 15th, Connect 2008 is Codemasters Online’s premier gaming event spanning all of Codemasters Online’s gaming titles including The Lord of the Rings Online™, ArchLord, RF Online, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach and much much more!

For more information or to sign up for tickets visit www.codemastersconnect.com

BATTLE THROUGH HISTORY IN NAPOLEON'S CAMPAIGNS NEW PC GAME DEMO AVAILABLE

BATTLE THROUGH HISTORY AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RENOWNED LEADERS IN NAPOLEON'S CAMPAIGNS

BECOME NAPOLEON AND CONQUER EUROPE IN NEW PC GAME

Napoleon’s Campaigns is an engaging battle strategy game from Ascaron launching in April 2008. The player can take on the role of the famous historical leader, or any of his opposing enemies, in the legendary battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo.

Based on extensive historical records, the battle scenarios within Napoleon’s Campaigns aim to provide the player with a realistic experience. The game takes into account the political scenarios, geographical borders and even personal character traits of an opposing enemy.

Begin the game as Napoleon, commanding the French army in the battle of Austerlitz. Once Tsar Alexander I and his Russo-Austrian army have been defeated, further campaigns become available to play. Conquer the enemy in well known battles of the century, replicating Napoleon’s victories in Prussia (1806,) Russia (1807,) Austria (1812) and many others, before reaching the infamous battle of Waterloo (1815.)

The unique and exciting challenge in Napoleon’s Campaigns then lies in the opportunity for the player to change history. What if Napoleon had won at Waterloo? Enjoy a victorious triumph to re-write the history books, and achieve Napoleon’s biggest dream; invading England.

To play the demo of Napoleon’s Campaigns visit www.napoleons-campaigns.com

Fast facts:

Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment / Nobilis
Web: www.ascaron.com
Developer: AGEOD
Release date: 11th April 2008
PEGI: 3+
Format: PC
Genre: Battle Strategy

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War video game – Soulstorm shipped by THQ download demo available

THQ Ships Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm

Next Standalone Chapter in Award-Winning, Multi- Million Unit Selling Real Time Strategy Series Continues Epic War with Two New Races and All-New Interplanetary Strategic Campaign

THQ announced that Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm, the next hybrid standalone expansion in Relic Entertainment’s critically acclaimed Dawn of War Real-Time Strategy (RTS) franchise, has shipped exclusively for Windows PC to retail outlets worldwide. Featuring an intense interplanetary campaign along with the debut of air units, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm delivers an immersive strategic experience with two new armies for an unprecedented total of nine playable factions. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm is now available for a suggested retail price of $39.99.

“As one of the best-selling RTS series, the Dawn of War franchise is renowned for its intense action oriented gameplay,” said Brad Carraway, director, global brand management, THQ. “As the next Dawn of War chapter, Soulstorm takes it to next level, offering RTS gamers an unprecedented depth of gameplay with nine playable armies and air units, and the ability to play Soulstorm by itself, or extend their multiplayer experience if played with any of the other games in the Dawn of War series.”

“In Dawn of War – Soulstorm, we’re giving fans an incredible amount of new content with two all-new races and an extensive campaign across an entire star system,” said Tarrnie Williams, general manager, Relic Entertainment. “With the debut of air units across all the armies and multiplayer achievements, we’ve given players of all levels a tremendous amount of strategic options to experience.”

About Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm is set in Games Workshop’s (LSE:GAW) Warhammer 40,000 universe – a dark, futuristic, fantasy setting where armies of technologically advanced warriors, fighting machines and hordes of implacable aliens wage constant war – and is played by millions worldwide. Executive produced and co-developed by Relic Entertainment in association with Iron Lore Entertainment, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm is a hybrid standalone expansion – enabling gamers to play Soulstorm by itself or expand their multiplayer experience when playing the game with any of the other titles in the Dawn of War series. Featuring two all-new armies – the malicious Dark Eldar and the fierce Sisters of Battle – Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm offers an unprecedented total of nine playable races through the single player experience or expanded multiplayer experience. In addition to new units across each of the seven existing races, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm will incorporate air units for the first time and introduce multiplayer medals, adding a whole new level of depth to online battles. The revolutionary meta-game introduced in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade is further expanded to an interplanetary scale in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm, allowing players to battle across an entire star system. A downloadable single player demo is now widely available on www.fileplanet.com and other sites worldwide.

Treasures of Ancient Cavern 1.01 – Can you solve the mystery of ancient cavern?

"Treasures of Ancient Cavern 1.01" – Can you solve the mystery of ancient cavern?

If you love casual games, those five-minute diversions you play for a quick break but somehow end up clicking away on for two hours, check out new "Treasures of Ancient Cavern" from DivoGames and you will discover plenty of head-scratching puzzles to enjoy!

DivoGames continues the recent spate of beautifully rendered games with a new title called “Treasures of Ancient Cavern”. In this tale of fantasy, adventure and ancient magic, players cross the equator and follow in the footsteps of the Incas to discover ancient artifacts and learn the magic of great Inca.

The goal of the game is to restore 18 Inca artifacts, which players can do by solving tricky puzzles as they travel through 90 increasingly challenging levels. Each level comes with a tile-matching puzzle. To finish the level, you must make matches over stone tiles. Unlike many other games, “Treasures of Ancient Cavern” lets you move the pieces in manner that doesn’t try to mimic how you would do this in a typical “swap-and-match” puzzle. With “Treasures of Ancient Cavern”, you click on and drag not a single tile but an entire strip of tiles to match three or more of the same kind. If the move doesn’t end in a match, the strip jumps back to its position.

The game lets you play against the clock in the timed mode or relax in the untimed mode and indulge yourself into unhurried puzzle solving fun. To add replayability to the game, the developers have added to “Treasures of Ancient Cavern” over 10 magic runes and power-ups.

Visually speaking, the game is a looker. Its visionary artistic
direction includes beautiful and lively backgrounds with palms slowly swaying in the breeze, clouds unhurriedly traveling in the evening sky and many other fine animation effects. Ambient, ethno-centric rhythms, weaving in the game, work well with the visuals and create the atmosphere for playing.

Key Features at a Glance:
• 90 levels in different locations to explore
• 18 ancient artifacts
• Unique magic runes and power-ups
• Amazing soundtrack

Pricing and Availability
“Treasures of Ancient Cavern 1.01” runs under Windows
98/ME/2000/XP/Vista. Additional information on the game, as well as its free evaluation copy is available from www.divogames.com.

Assassin's Creed on PC - video game launch Your Questions Answered...

Assassin's Creed PC

March 4th Q&A

1 The game is being released four months after the console versions. How did you use this extra development time ?

Based on the feedback we got after the release of the console versions, we decided to add even more variety by developing a total of 4 new investigation types (Archer assassination, rooftop race challenge, merchant stand destruction challenge and escort challenge). The archer assassination requires the player to assassinate the archers in a dedicated zone without being seen. In the rooftop race challenge, the player will meet an informer and will have a set amount of time to reach a second informer. In the merchant stand destruction, some merchants have ties to the assassination target and their activities must be stopped by Altaïr. Finally, in the escort challenge, the player needs to securely escort a fellow Assassin from point A to point B.

2 Will the game exploit DX 9 and DX10 ?

The game comes with both DX9 and DX10 executables. If you own a DX10 card running on a Vista system, the game will use the full capabilities of the board to optimize the performances of the 3D graphics. You'll be able to play the game at high resolutions with minimal impact on your framerate.

3 In your opinion, what is the average machine needed to play the game ?


Any dual-core machine running at 2.2GHz and over with a decent graphic card (such as a ATi HD2600 or a NVidia 8600) will give great performances.

Our minimum requirement is a Pentium D 2.4GHz or a AMD X2 Athlon 3800+, equipped with a Shader Model 3.0 card (ATi X1300 and better, NVidia 6600 and better).

4 AC has been perceived as a new milestone on consoles but pretty repetitive at times – did you try to tune this on the PC version ?


As mentioned in the first question, we included 4 new investigation missions to increase the variety so in total, we now have a total of 9 investigation missions. Also, you can now skip from one city to another without going through the kingdom once you visited every city.

5 How did you manage to adapt the gameplay to the PC and to the PC controls in particular ?


Even though we support the Xbox 360 controller just like the console version, the user can choose to play with the keyboard and mouse for a more direct control over the camera and access to the menus. There are 4 default keyboard and mouse configurations that can all be customized to the player's needs.

6 It’s been said quite a few times that the AI on guards and on the crowd was not always as “ideal” as promised : have you managed to, improve this on the PC version ?

We modified the reaction of guards in certain occasions. Blending when close to a dead body doesn’t work anymore; guards will spot you if you stay too close. Also, the reaction of the guards to stealth assassination is now based on the number of NPC around you making it more realistic. If there is no one around you, guards will spot you much faster and if the crowd is bigger, you won’t be spotted that fast.

7 How are the X360 achievements translated to the PC version ?

You can still collect flags and templars but there is no achievement in the PC version.

8 What is the game due to be released ?

The game will ship in the early days of April.

Disney Interactive Studios announces spring games for Nintendo DS up

Disney Interactive Studios announces spring campaign for Disney on the Go

Disney Interactive Studios today announced that selected titles within its range of handheld products entitled ‘Disney on the Go’ will move to a special promotion this April in the UK.

This is a welcome return of a popular promotion after the successful launch of Disney on the Go and a similar retail promotion in summer 2007.

Disney on the Go encompasses top quality handheld games from Disney Interactive Studios including Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Pirates of the Caribbean and Spectrobes.

Consumers can enjoy choosing from a product line-up which is continuously growing in breadth and includes something for all the family.

During the campaign, consumers who purchase a Disney on the Go game will be able to choose another game from the range for free.

This Disney on the Go promotion will commence on 4th April and end on the 11th May in UK stores.

There will be a wide range of retail, marketing and trade marketing activities to support Disney on the Go. Point of sale will be available in the form of counter top displays, FSDU’s, posters and wobblers. Trade marketing/marketing will include tagged national press, a 3 week TV campaign and a PR campaign targeting key national and regional press.

Matthew Castle, UK and Ireland Sales Director commented “Disney Interactive Studios have a fantastic catalogue of handheld titles; Disney on the Go’s buy one get one free offer provides amazing value to consumers who as well as choosing from an outstanding line up of games will now get double the Disney magic too”

The full line up of Nintendo DS titles for Disney on the Go:

• Herbie: Rescue Rally
• Disney’s Little Mermaid
• Meet the Robinsons
• Disney’s Kim Possible: Global Gemini
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Meteos: Disney Magic
• Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
• The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Circle of Spies
• Disney’s Enchanted
• Power Rangers: Super Legends
• Hannah Montana
• Spectrobes
  

Inno-Wear official Gears of Wars 2 licensee

Inno-Wear official Gears of Wars 2 licensee

An exclusive agreement for the most anticipated game of 2008

Inno-Wear A.G, European leader in textile and accessories under video game licenses, signs an exclusive Gears of Wars 2 licensing agreement with Epic Games. Gears of Wars 2 thus joins the widest catalogue in the industry, which encompasses over 50 licenses (Xbox, Resident Evil, Tomb raider, Devil May Cry, Unreal Tournament, Mario, Sonic, Guild Wars, Zelda,...).

"We are delighted that Epic has entrusted us with Gears of Wars,reinforcing our position as the leader in gaming licensing. Our challenge is now to develop unique end-of-the-year offers for our European distributors," declares Aurelien Palasse,development director at Inno-Wear.

The apocalyptic world of Marcus Fenix and his Delta Squad will be available through Inno-Wear's multiple brands in time for the official release of the game, scheduled for November 2008.

Infinity Online website to launch

Infinity Online

Action starts on March 6th

Have you enjoyed the fight against your enemies? Soon you’ll have new ways to beat them all…

As of March 6th Infinity Online will launch its new item shop! Get your favorite Aterion warrior, choose between pure strength and agility, destructive axes and swords or ranged spears!

GameTribe has prepared wide offer of skills, characters, weapons for you and the list will be always updated with new releases to provide you the best entertainment!

It’s time for action!!! Infinity is waiting for you…

Gametribe.com,

www.gametribe.com

Time to Play!

Softly kill me in Elf Online

Softly kill me in Elf Online

General speaking, ATB online game enjoys more popularity from female players who are averse from fighting and bloodshed. Meanwhile, it gains players more time and space to develop affection in team work. If you are now hunting for a game of this kind, please look no further. Elf Online (http://elf.happymmo.com) is a new coming cute style turn-based online game; it has caught many young players’ fancy, to the young, no limit will be imposed to the youth in a society flooded with desire and passion, so if one-night stay comes on the spur of the moment, it’s a nature. As for Elf Online, its nature is entertaining people and relaxing people. Following this guideline, Elf Online (http://elf.happymmo.com) has fine designed its gaming system to make players experience more fun through playing game and raising pet. Ultimately, players will get more chance to exchange with others, and then unleash their passion thoroughly.

In addition, here we introduce the wedding system and chatting system for your convenience.

Wedding system: The fate will bring the lovers together even though they are separated by great distance, the most romantic and unforgettable moment is to hand in hand with your loved one to step into the wedding hall and to be a happy couple envied by others. To meet your destined lover in the crowd of the world is always a most beautiful and most treasured experience in one’s life. Join in wedding system of Elf Online (http://elf.happymmo.com) to begin your happy conjugal life.

Chatting system: Chatting is an efficient way to catch others’ attention. You can chat with him or her whenever and wherever in the game. If you make a perfect debut at the very beginning, it’s half done. To add more funny and vivid air to the regular chatting, system has set kinds of expression icon in the dialog box, which can ease atmosphere and draw closer to each other.

OK, action speaks louder than words, please login the game as quickly as possible for the sake of love.

More information about Elf Online, please visit http://elf.happymmo.com

UK Games Chart for 1st March

CHARTTRACK WEEKLY CHARTS
All formats
(Full price) Week ending 1 March 2008

1 MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES SEGA
2 LOST: THE VIDEO GAME UBISOFT
3 FRONTLINES: FUEL OF WAR THQ
4 CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION
5 LOST ODYSSEY MICROSOFT
6 FIFA STREET 3 ELECTRONIC ARTS
7 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2008 KONAMI
8 THE SIMS 2: FREETIME ELECTRONIC ARTS
9 UNREAL TOURNAMENT III MIDWAY
10 DEVIL MAY CRY 4 CAPCOM
11 COOKING MAMA 2 505 GAMES
12 FIFA 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS
13 TUROK DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
14 PDC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DARTS 08 OXYGEN INTERACTIVE
15 BURNOUT PARADISE ELECTRONIC ARTS
16 GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK ACTIVISION
17 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. NINTENDO
18 ASSASSIN'S CREED UBISOFT
19 THE SIMPSONS GAME ELECTRONIC ARTS
20 NEED FOR SPEED: PROSTREET ELECTRONIC ARTS

Silverlode Interactive Releases SAGA – A Fully Persistent MMO RTS

Silverlode Interactive Releases SAGA – A Fully Persistent MMO RTS

Saga, a new Massive-Multiplayer Online Real-Time Strategy (MMORTS) game from Silverlode Interactive Launches Worldwide

The Saga begins… From now on it’s a persistent world. With over 1000 online quests at launch, SAGA boasts many of the features that made MMOs successful: auction house, guilds, raiding, looted treasure, gear upgrades, collaborative party questing… Combined with the RTS features of city-building, resource management and grand-scale massive warfare, SAGA has changed the landscape of RTS gaming.

Originally built by industry veteran Dallan Christensen (Lead Programmer of Starcraft: Brood War), the SAGA world is a traditional fantasy setting: Elves, Orcs, Dragons, Dwarves, and Giants are the characters in a story that develops through the quest threads and will lead to new expansions and new features as SAGA grows.

“Players are ready for massive online warfare where every battle really counts, because your empire is fully persistent; it doesn’t vanish after every battle.” says SAGA creator Jason Faller

Since Silverlode opened Beta to the public in July of 2007, SAGA has been balanced and rebalanced to suit both casual and hardcore gamers, who can fairly compete head-to-head in this highly tactical strategy game.

SAGA has no subscription fee; the purchase price is $19.95, which includes a persistent account with up to five nations (characters). The game trailer can be found at http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31166.html

Sign up to play SAGA now at www.playsaga.com.

New content update on Grand Chase the Action Adventure MMO Brawler developed by KOG

Ntreev USA, Inc. announced new content and updates today for the exclusive North American release of Grand Chase, the Action Adventure MMO Brawler developed by KOG.

Get Your Brawl On in Brand New Dungeons!

In the newest patch to update Grand Chase, three new dungeons have been added to the game. These new dungeons further expand the areas and maps that players can explore and conquer by themselves, or cooperatively. All dungeons have three distinct difficulty levels (measured by a rating of one, tow or three stars), and each have final bosses that must be defeated in order to successfully complete them. In addition, the release of these new dungeons add new unique monsters, item drops, quests, and higher difficulty levels!

Proud Knights of Bermesiah looking to further the fight against evil should prepare for high-octane, fast-paced, brutal battles in the Forgotten City, Gaikoz's Castle and the Cemetery of the Dead to face Lich, Gaikoz and Paradom! These new dungeons are for levels 24 - 31!

www.grandchase.net

Better Equipment for Better Action!

With the recent addition of more challenging dungeons, players now require better, more powerful equipment. Fortunately, the newest update will include gear that players need to meet the challenge! New items are available for all three player types, Archers, Warriors, and Mages such as the new Royal and Moonlight Sets for Level 25+!

www.grandchase.net

The Time is Right for North America's First True Action Adventure MMO Brawler!

Grand Chase is a fast-paced, heart-pounding, action brawler that combines elements of traditional RPG character advancement and customization, and adds new cooperative and competitive elements for players who aren't afraid to put their brawling skills to the test! Grand Chase raises the bar for free-to-play online gaming; setting itself apart from the pack with superior quality, design, and execution. Grand Chase is a title unlike any other, and is poised to make its mark on the North American, English market!

The North American release of Grand Chase is not only the most enhanced and upgraded version of the game available in the English market, it is also a completely different and unique title that pushes the boundaries of traditional online gaming fare. A fully realized fantasy world sets the stage for high adventure and epic action as players join the forces of the Grand Chase Knights to fight the evil Kaze'aze and protect not only the land of Bermesiah, but the entire world!

This completely Free-to-Play, five-star title is being brought to North America for the first time ever, through online game publisher Ntreev USA, Inc.

Players who think they have the skills needed to battle the forces of evil and protect the land of Bermesiah by becoming Knights of Grand Chase should immediately go to the official website, and Join the Chase to Save the World!

PUZZLE GUZZLE video game for SONY PlayStationPortable PSP launched - demo available

AGETEC RELEASES PUZZLE GUZZLE FOR PSP SYSTEM

Fast-Paced Puzzle Game Makes Players Think At Different Angles

Agetec, Inc. today announced Puzzle Guzzle for the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system has shipped in North America. In the game, players try to create complete shapes, but at diagonal angles and with either a human or computer player always trying to foil you.

“Puzzle Guzzle is a game that’s sure to challenge even the most experienced puzzle players,” said Mark Johnson, producer for Agetec, Inc. “It has a classically simple concept, but makes you think in ways that no other game does. On top of all that, it’s just plain fun.”

The premise of Puzzle Guzzle is simple: players attempt to turn different shaped pieces into shapes with 90 degree angles on each side. However, as the pieces appear faster and faster, and your opponents get more devious, this simple challenge soon becomes a maddeningly fun experience. As players defeat opponents, they steal their character’s appearance, features and special abilities, so the more you play, the more the game changes!

Puzzle Guzzle features hundreds of challenges that will tie players’ brains in knots, and it also features a wealth of downloadable puzzles to keep things fresh. Over 50 challenges are now available for free download. Puzzle Guzzle owners simply need to select “Launch Website” from the game’s title screen to access these new puzzles.

Puzzle Guzzle is rated E for Everyone, and is available now for only $19.99.

A demo of the puzzle game, Puzzle Guzzle, for the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system. The demo is available now as a featured download in the PLAYSTATION Store (http://store.playstation.com).

Twelve Sky MMORPG Release Content Update

Twelve Sky to Release Content Update

Twelve Sky, Aeria Games most highly anticipated massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is set to release new content that will forever change the game.

A player versus player based MMORPG; Twelve Sky embodies oriental martial arts style of battling tactics. Set in ancient China in the midst of an age old conflict between three factions.

The 9-Tier Pagoda will be open to players who are levels 113 and above with up to 150 players at a time. Players will experience the 9-Tier Pagoda three times a week at a specified time. During that time each faction will join the zone separately and team up to fight most difficult monsters Twelve Sky has seen.

The 9-Tier Pagoda will unleash the godliest of beasts and bosses that no one player can handle. These monsters feed off the blood of the weak, and only can only be killed by the most skilled Twelve Sky players. Each of its floors has new monsters and new trials that will take teamwork to master.

No one player can conquer this new zone, so players must team up with their respected factions to defeat the godly monsters. The skilled players who can defeat the 9- Tier Pagoda will be rewarded with some of greatest items in the game and become the heroes of Twelve Sky.

More info here