KONAMI SHIPS LOST IN BLUE 3 FOR NINTENDO DS

Escape the Enigmatic Island in the Next Installment of the Popular Survival Adventure Game Series

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Lost in Blue 3, developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS, has shipped to retail stores in North America. The latest installment in the Lost in Blue series offers multiple characters, a distinct storyline and enhanced game balancing to build upon the innovative game play of the original survival adventure series for the Nintendo DS.

In Lost in Blue 3, players guide one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through exotic locales on a mysterious island while surviving the elements to stay alive. Players can work alone or cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife. Completing one character's storyline will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing players to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings.

"The updated game balance and the inclusion of multiple characters and storylines have added depth to the brand," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "Lost in Blue 3 is sure to satisfy devoted fans of the franchise, as well as attract new players to the hit survival adventure series."

FEATURES

• Guide up to four separately playable characters, each with their own unique strengths and talents that will impact how you explore the island
  
• Each character's past gradually unfolds throughout the adventure in several flashback episodes; revealed lost memories may provide clues to help them escape the island
  
• Players can spend an equal amount of time between surviving the elements and having fun exploring the island, providing unique gaming experiences
  
• Over 20 mini-games that encompass all aspects of a thrilling island adventure, including rafting down rivers and communicating with dolphins
  
• Endure the environment and overcome various forces of nature such as lightning strikes and earthquakes; severe weather conditions will affect your character's health
  
• Challenge your friends to intense cooking battles via Multi-Card play or use Single Card Download play to share special mini-games
  

Lost in Blue 3 is rated "E 10+" by the ESRB and is available for an SRP of $29.99. For more information, please visit www.konami.com.

ATLUS CONJURES SUMMON NIGHT: TWIN AGE FOR NINTENDO DS

ATLUS CONJURES SUMMON NIGHT: TWIN AGE FOR NINTENDO DSTM

Unsheathe Your Stylus and Vanquish the Enemy this May 20th

Atlus a top 5 publisher in 2007 for overall game review scores*, today announced Summon Night: Twin Age for Nintendo DS, a fully stylus-driven action RPG set in the popular Summon Night universe. The stylus is your key to the world of Clardona, whether as your swinging sword or your shimmering wall of fire. Summon Night: Twin Age is currently scheduled to bring its precise controls, beautifully animated graphics, and addictive action RPG gameplay to the Nintendo DS on May 20th.

About Summon Night: Twin Age
From a very young age, the human girl Reiha displayed great aptitude for the magical art of Summoning. While still a child, her powers caused a terrible accident during a major Summoning experiment. It was reported that Reiha had died as result, but she survived, along with a young Summon Beast named Aldo that had been pulled into her world...

Following the accident, the two children grew up together as brother and sister on the tropical island of Jarazi, among a race of people with beast-like features. There they learned to commune with the Nature Spirits that surrounded them. One day, the Spirits began acting strangely, prompting Reiha and Aldo to investigate. Their quest to find out who or what is behind the corruption of the Spirits will lead them back to the human lands where the cataclysm first brought them together…

Key Features

- High-precision stylus control - Unleash the power of your Nintendo DS as you wield your stylus to attack foes, heal allies, and use items. Navigate your way around menus and maps with a responsive touch-based interface.
- Packed with gameplay features - Immerse yourself in a lavish gaming experience that lets you do battle, collect items, craft weapons, earn and improve skills, conjure beasts, build relationships with party members, trade items via local wireless, and much more.
- Choose the way you play - With alternate story paths, loads of battle options, side quests, and multiple ending sequences, there is a wide variety of ways to play. Replay the game and challenge yourself with extra dungeons.
- Richly woven tale of adventure - Two playable characters and several widely varying party members provide different views of your journey through the world of Summon Night.

Summon Night: Twin Age has been rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) with Mild Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes by the ESRB.

OPOONATM, KOEI'S ROLE PLAYING GAME FOR NINTENDO Wii

OPOONATM, KOEI'S ROLE-PLAYING GAME FOR Wii

REACHES GOLD STATUS

Pack your Bags and Get Ready to Explore a Distant Planet with Opoona

KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, today announced that Opoona, a new Role-Playing Game (RPG) exclusively for Wii has reached gold status, and is scheduled to ship to North American retailers on March 25, 2008. Gamers can begin their journey at Amazon.com, Game Crazy, Gamefly, and GameStop.

About Opoona

While on an interplanetary family vacation, the young boy Opoona crash lands on Planet Landroll after his family’s spaceship is involved in a mysterious accident. Separated from his family, Opoona is forced to live alone. On the planet, Opoona must find a job, search for his siblings, and defend himself and the people of Landroll against creatures known as the Dark Rogues. Luckily for Opoona, he is the descendant of a long line of warriors known as the Cosmo Guards. Thus, Opoona’s adventure begins as he struggles to establish a new life and reunite his family.

The game’s action-oriented battle system lets players use powerful “Energy Bonbons” against their enemies. Using just the Nunchuk™, players can manipulate an Energy Bonbon’s trajectory in a number of different ways. All of Opoona’s commands are also controlled by the Nunchuk, to allow a complete “single-hand control” of the game.

The gameplay in Opoona is not just about battling; it is a “Lifestyle RPG.” As Opoona, players must adapt to a new environment, meet new people, and contribute to society through work, all while becoming aware of the precious world and people around him. As the game progresses, Opoona will develop relationships and uncover a broader range of activities including new jobs and clues to new adventures.

The unique characters and a modern fantasy world created by Art Director, Shintaro Majima, are sure to fascinate gamers. From futuristic buildings to ancient ruins and strange rock formations in the wild, the world of Opoona is a remarkable fusion of both contemporary design and whimsical fantasy.

Developed by ArtePiazza, the team behind four installments of the best-selling DRAGON QUEST series of RPGs, Opoona showcases the talent of some of today’s most creative game designers including: Art Director Shintaro Majima, Planning Director Sachiko Sugimura, and Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, acclaimed for his contribution to the FINAL FANTASY XII soundtrack.

Opoona is rated “E10+” (Everyone 10+ - Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes) by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. Opoona is a single player game. For updates on Opoona, please visit www.koei.com.

WARRIORS OROCHI FOR PSP PLAYSTATION PORTABLE SYSTEM AND WINDOWS-BASED PC

WARRIORS OROCHITM FOR PSP (PLAYSTATION PORTABLE) SYSTEM AND WINDOWS-BASED PC REACH GOLD STATUS

KOEI's Hit Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors Crossover Arrives March 2008

KOEI, recognized worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and action games, announced today that Warriors Orochi for PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, and Windows-based PC has reached gold status. Warriors Orochi for PSP ships to retailers on March 25, 2008 and will be available for Windows-based PC in March 2008 exclusively through digital download.

PC Gamers can get a taste of the excitement and prepare for battle by downloading KOEI’s Warriors Orochi System Checker. This is a free tool that will analyze your PC and let you know if it meets the game’s minimum requirements. The System Checker will also show you how the game will actually look on your PC and the frame rate at which it will be running. Gamers can visit KOEI.com to learn how to download the free Warriors Orochi System Checker.

About Warriors Orochi for PC
Warriors Orochi for Windows-based PC features enhanced graphics (for PCs meeting the recommended system requirements) Players can adjust the anti-aliasing, textures, dynamic shadows and lighting, and even set the character count. More enemies means more KOs!

About Warriors Orochi for PSP
Warriors Orochi for PSP boasts the massive seamless battlefields of the console versions, while previous games in the series for handheld platforms had combat taking place on battlefields divided into smaller “cells”. The handheld release includes all 79 playable characters, and features 2-player co-op play via wireless (ad-hoc).

About Warriors Orochi
Without warning, the venomous Serpent King Orochi descended from the heavens. Using his unworldly powers to shatter time and space, Orochi kidnapped the strongest, wisest and most courageous warriors from Ancient China and Feudal Japan in a scheme to test his might against the heroes of these ages.

In Warriors Orochi the characters from both the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors® franchises must team-up to wage war against this new, yet powerful force. The game boasts an amazing roster of 79 playable characters, while four action-packed “crossover” storylines feature amazing team-ups and some long-awaited confrontations between characters from both series.

The game’s new “Team Battle System” and “Weapon Fusion” push Tactical Action to a whole new level. For the first time in KOEI’s Tactical Action games, players can create their own three-person tag team. At any given time, one warrior will be engaged in battle, while the other two are recuperating; restoring their Life Meters and Musou Gauges. Every character is categorized according to offensive ability, and with new fighting techniques, it’s up to the player to find the most lethal combination of warriors. “Weapon Fusion” lets players combine the attributes from different weapons for more devastating results.

This game is rated “T” (Teen- Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, and Violence) by the ESRB. Warriors Orochi for PSP is developed by KOEI CANADA, based on an original work by Omega Force. Warriors Orochi for PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and PC is developed by Omega Force. Warriors Orochi for Xbox 360 delivers the complete console Tactical Action experience with stunning graphics in 720p HDTV and in game Dolby Digital audio. Warriors Orochi is in stores now for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Warriors Orochi PC Minimum Requirements

OS: Windows XP and Windows Vista
CPU: Pentium 4 1.6GHz, Pentium 4 2.6GHz recommended
RAM: 256MB, 512MB recommended
Hard Disk: 4GB or more of free space
Display: 640×480 True Color enabled, 1024×768 recommended
Video Card: 3D Accelerator with Hardware T&L and Pixel Shading supporting 64MB or more of VRAM, DirectX 9.0c+, 128MB or more of VRAM recommended
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c+ compliant, 16-bit stereo with 44KHz playback supported by Windows XP/Vista
Middleware: DirectX 9.0c or higher, Windows Media Format 9 or higher Controller: Keyboard, DirectX 9.0 compatible 12-button gamepad recommended

For more information, please visit www.koei.com.

TWELVE new eGames Roller Rush, Puzzle Master 1,000,000, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Flip or Flop, Galaxy of Mahjongg 1,000,000, Greedy Words, Family G

Greenstreet are delighted to announce the release of a staggering TWELVE brand new full content titles from eGames.

Each title is packed with top quality family entertainment like all eGames titles, all are full release titles with no shareware and all are Vista compatible.

Releases include: Roller Rush, Puzzle Master 1,000,000, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Flip or Flop, Galaxy of Mahjongg 1,000,000, Greedy Words, Family Game Time, DROP! Anniversary Edition, Mahjong Tales, Sveerz, Teddy Factory and Wobbly Bobbly.

Full of fun, challenges and entertainment for all ages these are set to be an immediate hit with both retailers and consumers alike.

Fans of eGames will be pleased they won’t have to wait long - these fantastic Family Friendly titles are all due for release between now and the end of April.

Greenstreet are also celebrating a first in their longstanding history with eGames in that, due to popular demand, some of these titles will also be available via download from the www.greenstreetgames.com web store.

“eGames has continually been a strong brand in our expanding portfolio of products so we are delighted to be able to release twelve Vista compatible titles all promising to provide quality entertainment to the masses.” commented Jeff Fenton CEO Greenstreet Software. “It is a further demonstration of our commitment to continue to provide new quality family entertainment products in a market full of repackaged old material.”

Soul Nomad gives you the power of a God but wants your soul in return.

CRIME PAYS WHEN YOU'VE SOLD YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL

Soul Nomad gives you the power of a God but wants your soul in return.

KOEI today announced the release of Soul Nomad on PlayStation 2. Designed by the strategic geniuses at Nippon Ichi, Soul Nomad expands upon the tactical delights of their Disgaea games with a brand new innovative battle system. Soul Nomad combines the strategy of tactical RPGs with command based battles that put the controls at the player’s finger tips. Soul Nomad is scheduled for release in June 2008.

“Soul Nomad once again cements Nippon Ichi’s position at the forefront of tactical RPGs. Said Will Curley, KOEI Sales Manager. “Anyone who has fallen for the addictive charms of the likes of Disgaea and Makai Kingdom will revel in the ambitiously expansive battle system and a cast of characters that are truly memorable and utterly unique. This release also reaffirms KOEI’s continued commitment to bringing the very best Japanese RPGs to European gamers.”

About SOUL NOMAD

When an enemy emerges that is far too powerful for the good guys to defeat you do the only decent thing and sell your soul to the devil. Well, actually to someone worse than the devil. You strike a deal with your old arch enemy. And in return for some truly awesome power you’re giving your soul away to him one little piece at a time. How much power you wield and how much of your own body you give up to the ultimate incarnation of evil is totally up to you.

With a full army at your disposal battles are now an exciting combination of vast grid based battlefields and nerve shredding real time combat. By making the best use of your battlefield recon reports you have complete freedom to place your squads and take advantage of the terrain and ultimately inflict embarrassing defeat upon anyone who stands in your way.

You have total freedom to create your own army of terror and bestow each unit with their own unique talents and abilities. You can even try to press gang innocent townsfolk into your army. The entire world is your playground and you can be as good or as bad as you like.

Soul Nomad is the latest Strategy RPG spectacular from Nippon Ichi and follows in the footsteps of hugely popular titles Makai Kingdom, Phantom Brave, and the critically acclaimed Disgaea series.

NVIDIA Launches the Fastest Graphics Card on the Planet

NVIDIA Launches the Fastest Graphics Card on the Planet

New Generation Dual GPU solution provides a complete, high definition entertainment experience for the PC

The NVIDIA GeForce 9800GX2 is the latest graphics card to revolutionise your PC experience. GeForce 9800 GX2 gives the best gaming performance in the world, HybridPower means a quiet, low power and more environmentally friendly PC and PureVideo HD takes your PC to the cutting edge of High Definition.

Bar None the fastest Graphics Card on the Planet

The GeForce 9800GX2 is at the cutting edge of technology; with 256 screaming fast processor cores and a 1GB total framebuffer, all running through PCI Express 2.0, means the GeForce 9800GX2 is designed from the ground up for Gaming at Extreme HD resolutions.

NVIDIA Hybrid Power – gives you power when you need it most

Combining a GeForce 9800GX2 with one of the latest motherboards featuring NVIDIA’s nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset makes your system ready for Hybrid Power. Not all applications require a high end GeForce discrete GPU, for times such as these an integrated GeForce GPU can run these applications perfectly while saving power and therefore the environment. The intelligent Hybrid Power system can also combine the power of the GeForce 9800GX2 with the onboard graphics for maximum performance.

PureVideo HD – make your PC the centre of your digital home

PureVideo HD makes High Definition content come to life on your PC – whether video’s are downloaded, streamed, or on Blu-Ray – even the most demanding HD content plays back effortlessly thanks to the best HD engine available on the market. But it is not only the speed of HD rendering that is improved, with PureVideo HD films comes to life with dynamic Contrast Enhancement and automatic enhancements to Greens, Blues, & Skin Tones

The NVIDIA GeForce 9800GX2 Makes all of the above possible, for the very best graphics on the planet there is no other choice.

Processor Cores: 256 (128 per GPU)
Core Clock: 600MHz
Shader Clock: 1500MHz
Memory Clock: 1000MHz
Memory: 1GB GDDR3 (512MB per GPU)
Power Connector: 8-pin + 6-pin
Board Power: 197W
Thermal: Patent Pending Integrated Cooling Solution
Outputs: 2x DVI-DL + HDMI

Powershot Pinball Constructor PC video game is shipping!

Powershot Pinball Constructor is shipping!

Play it. Create it. Share it.

Oxygen Games is excited to announce Powershot Pinball Constructor for the Nintendo DS is shipping and will be available in the shops from 28th March 2008.

Powershot Pinball Constructor offers pinball with a twist – disrupt your opponent’s game with the unique sabotage feature – shake their screen, invert their flippers or even deploy the penalty multi-ball!

Powershot Pinball Constructor also allows you to create and design your own customised pinball table. Share your creation with your friends by sending it wirelessly to their DS, then challenge them to a game and see who has got what it takes to reign supreme on the leader board!

Play it… with multiple modes. Create it… with the unique table editor. Share it… wirelessly with friends!

Powershot Pinball Constructor for the Nintendo DS will be available in-store on 28th March 2008.

Rage Of War PC game Patch v1.2 announced

Announcing Rage Of War Patch v1.2

Evolution Vault announced today plans to launch a new patch for their space RTS game Galactic Dream: Rage of War.

Patch v1.2 will make several important changes:

- Adding a simplified, more reliable in-game menu to the bottom of the screen;
- Improving overall game performance;
- Tweaking multiplayer sessions;
- Introducing new game tutorial with voice;
- Adding queue for buildings (a list of structures which the drone will build);
- Enabling the mini-map "fog of war";
- Implementing camera rotation with mouse wheel (or middle button);
- Adding building/unit hotkeys.

Patch v1.2 will be released in the following days on the official Web site. Stay tuned to http://rageofwar.net for further details.

The Whispered World PC adventure game

The Whispered World: New Screens from the Autumn Forest

In the upcoming adventure game The Whispered World from Daedalic Entertainment, hero Sadwick sets out on a perilous journey. An ancient prophecy is supposed to lead him on his way, but first he will have to find it. His adventure begins in the Autumn Forest, where the foliage brims with color thoughout the year. Here he comes across the decaying remains of a building - only a doorway seems to have stood the test of time – but what secrets lie beyond? The second new screenshot shows an old grandfather clock that is part of another riddle for Sadwick to overcome in search of the prophecy.

Protagonist Sadwick is a young clown but and far from being in a laughing mood. He travels a fairy tale world with his family’s circus. One night, a mysterious form speaks to him in a dream and sends him on perilous journey. Many challenges await Sadwick, for the world he knows so well is doomed...

In the vein of classic adventure games, gamers direct Sadwick and his constant companion, a little worm named Spot, through the gorgeous backdrops of the game world. Hand-painted backgrounds filled with animated details and lovingly crafted characters in the style of classic animated films bring the story to life. The Whispered World meshes fairy-tale elements with melancholic undertones to create an epic fantasy story.

The fantasy adventure game will be released for PC in the 4th quarter of 2008.

http://www.the-whispered-world.de

Nintendo says bandwidth issues have affected online performance for its blockbuster Super Smash Bros.

Nintendo Responds to Smash Bros. Brawl Online Woes

Nintendo says bandwidth issues have affected online performance for its blockbuster Super Smash Bros.

Nintendo has blamed "pipeline strain" for lagging online Wii performance, while promising improvements. Despite this, Super Smash Bros. Brawl has become the fastest selling Nintendo game in history, the company said.

"As with the launch of any online-enabled game, especially one as popular as Super Smash Bros. Brawl, everyone wants to play at once," said a Nintendo spokesperson in an email to GamePro on Monday. "This puts a strain on the pipeline."

With regards to an immediate remedy for ongoing lag and outages of Play With Anyone matches, the representative said, "We have seen improvements in online play performance every day since launch." Those seeking additional troubleshooting support while Nintendo ramps up its network can be found at support.nintendo.com or by calling 1-800-255-3700.

In a separate statement released today, Nintendo of America announced that Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii has become the fastest selling Nintendo game in history, selling more than 1.4 million copies after just one week of availability. More than 874,000 units were sold on launch day alone (March 9), the company said.

Source: PC World

Nintendo Wii Fit event in London March 26

Can video games really make you healthier?

Fitness and gaming explored in new event at Science Museum's Dana Centre

Slimmers and gamers have the opportunity to visit the Science Museum’s Dana Centre this March to discover if video games could aid weight loss.

Play away the calories, taking place on Wednesday 26 March, will allow visitors a special preview of the new Nintendo Wii Fit (due to launch across Europe on 25 April) to ascertain if modern, interactive technology could really increase fitness levels.

Visitors will have the opportunity to try out Wii Fit for themselves and watch as its effectiveness is put to the test in a series of live tests. Human guinea pigs will be put through their paces exercising on a treadmill, testing out Wii Fit and playing a more sedentary game, whilst measurements of their heart rate and oxygen consumption are taken to calculate how much energy is burnt.

Throughout the evening sport scientists, physiologists and games experts will be on hand to engage and discuss whether gaming can promote a healthy lifestyle. Epidemiologist Andy Jones from the University of East Anglia will examine how and why adult obesity has quadrupled in the last 25 years and will look at the role technology has played in creating a more sedentary life.

Andy Jones said “Today individuals lead much less active lives than we used to. Levels of employment in manual jobs are falling and we drive everywhere rather than walking or cycling.”

“We need to do lots of things to combat the problem but should try to incorporate activity into our everyday life rather than expecting everyone to go to the gym. We need people to exercise without seeing it as such! So making games more active is one way forward.”

Gaming expert Margaret Robertson will reveal the history of healthy gaming and why this area has failed to make a significant impact before. Visitors will be able to test past examples of gaming technology aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle, such as the original NES fitness games and dance mats.

Gaetan Lee, Dana Centre event organiser said “The Dana Centre aims to explore the most exciting subjects of contemporary and controversial science and technology. Play away the calories is no exception and promises adults an energetic night of game-playing and discussion.”

The Science Museum’s Dana Centre café/bar provides visitors with the opportunity to explore and discuss the latest issues in contemporary science, medicine and technology through informal, interactive and stimulating events. All events are free. The centre is open to over 18s only.

Play away the calories takes place at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre on 26 March, 19:00-21:00 and is sponsored by Nintendo.

Tragnarion Studios now Nintendo official Wii developer - Doodle Hex on Nintendo Wii?

Following last weeks announcement of the release date for their upcoming Nintendo DS title “Doodle Hex” together with Pinnacle Software, developer Tragnarion Studios has more exciting news to share. The Spanish development studio has successfully acquired another Nintendo License, this time becoming an official licensed Wii developer.

“Now that we are releasing in May 2008 our Nintendo DS title 'Doodle Hex', we are really looking forward to work with our recently acquired Wii Licensed, so that we can bring the Doodle Hex saga to this amazing platform. We've been working on preparing some really innovative projects which will make full use of the Wii's unique capabilities”

said Ricardo Carretero, Lead Designer of Doodle Hex.

Doodle Hex is due for release in May 2008 and will be distributed for Nintendo DS only, check it out at www.doodlehex.com or www.tragnarion.com.

Heavy Duty Website Goes Live - Vast amounts of content, numerous unique feature sets in the mix of compelling strategy and fast-paced action

Heavy Duty Website Goes Live

Vast amounts of content, numerous unique feature sets in the mix of compelling strategy and fast-paced action available on http://hd.akella.com/.

Akella is pleased to announce the launch of the Heavy Duty official website that shows off latest assets and storyline additions. Visitors can now go online to http://hd.akella.com/ to get an in-depth look at game features, browse and download screenshots and videos (both promotional and in-game). The website also provides an integral insight into the game content (via fact sheet and FAQs) and features what others are saying about Heavy Duty .

The website also contains Forum section where players will be able to keep up with and discuss all the latest news, screenshots and videos that are released as development continues.

The site also features a news section to keep all fans up to date. Stay tuned as more updates are coming soon!

About Heavy Duty

With the spread of mankind throughout the galaxy new colonies had to be found in the vast reaches of space. Colonists and scientists made the first landings, tasked with setting up settlements for others to follow. These colonized planets are ruled by rival corporations entrusted by the governments of Earth to protect its citizens from harm.

Little did they think from where that danger might manifest itself...

On the frontiers of the human incursion into space hostile alien forces have made themselves known, and they aren't willing to share. Beholden to the organizations in charge of this fragile frontier is the militarized installation: Heavy Duty. Their task: to halt the advance of the alien menace at all costs.

This beautiful-looking game features many advanced technologies allowing new scope in the field of action/strategy games. Featuring the first full planet simulation the player can zoom in from the depths of space to the smallest blade of grass waving in the breeze next to a running stream.

Key features:

• Advanced graphical engine providing visual scale not seen before in real-time action strategy.
  
• Reverse kinematics mean the end of scripted animation and make sure that characters interact with the world on a believable level.
  
• Manage the base, characters and finances as you battle to keep the alien menace at bay.
  
• Engage the enemy in multiple ways from dogfights in the skies with UFOs, to ground-based cleanup operations after wrecked UFOs crash planetside as well as the whole-scale assault of alien bases or the defence of your own.
  
• Fully deformable terrain provides a new tactical challenge – blow craters in the ground to provide your units with cover.
  

Eidos breathes soul into new Nintendo DS title Soul Bubbles

Eidos breathes soul into new Nintendo DS title Soul Bubbles

Eidos Interactive, creators of some of the world’s leading videogame properties, is pleased to announce a new phenomenon to come to the Nintendo DS entitled Soul Bubbles.



In Soul Bubbles the player controls a young shaman apprentice, who is entrusted with saving lost “souls” and guiding them to safety. He must protect these fragile beings from the hostile and dangerous world around them, and he does this by creating protective bubbles to keep the spirits safe.

“This will be THE new phenomenon on the Nintendo DS,” said Brand Manager Ray Livingston. “Every single person who has picked up this game has fallen in love with it instantly. We can’t wait to introduce the world to Soul Bubbles.”

Manipulate your bubbles by first drawing them, then deflating them, cutting them or joining them to other bubbles, filling them with water or gas; then escape traps, extinguish fires and avoid all the sticky or dangerous surfaces that will slow the bubbles down.

The game features 8 worlds, with over 40 levels to explore which will challenge the shaman in a variety of ways – and push the physics capabilities of the Nintendo DS to the max. Soul Bubbles is designed with the next generation of casual gamers in mind.

EA Signs Multiyear Agreement With Massive to Offer Dynamic In-Game Advertising on Titles for Xbox 360 and Windows-Based PC Platforms

EA Signs Multiyear Agreement With Massive to Offer Dynamic In-Game Advertising on Titles for Xbox 360 and Windows-Based PC Platforms

Agreement enables integration of in-game advertising and premium video game content into long-term campaign planning and media buying processes.

Electronic Arts and Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and a leading network for video game advertising, today announced an expansion and two-year extension of their agreement to offer dynamic in-game advertising for EA video games. The new global agreement provides unprecedented opportunities for advertisers to engage with EA’s highly coveted audience — especially males ages 18 to 34 — through its roster of blockbuster games on the Xbox 360™ platform and exclusive rights to a majority of EA’s premium PC products.

With over three years of experience in dynamically serving advertisements in video games, Massive is the definitive in-game advertising solution for advertisers around the world, including Ford Motor Co. in the U.S., Rogers in Canada, and Puma in Europe. Massive’s long-standing relationship with EA, publisher of many of the world’s most popular games, provides advertisers with extensive reach through EA’s portfolio of premium content video games. This agreement represents a critical point of differentiation for Massive as the in-game advertising medium continues its momentum as a more attractive and effective medium compared with traditional forms of established advertising.

With the latest agreement, EA will further expand the opportunities available to advertisers by extending the participation of current titles in the Massive network as well as incorporating additional, highly anticipated games over the course of the deal. The wide range of EA content that will be available in the Massive network includes the next two iterations of popular EA SPORTS™ franchises including Madden NFL* football, NBA LIVE basketball, NASCAR* ® racing and NHL® hockey.

Massive will continue to be the exclusive in-game ad network for PC and Xbox 360 platforms of the world’s largest racing franchise, EA’s Need For Speed™, including current live titles Need for Speed Carbon and Need for Speed ProStreet. Massive is also working with marketers to incorporate dynamic advertising into another popular EA racing title, Burnout™ Paradise.

“We continue to utilize the breadth and depth of Massive’s content to market a range of our clients’ key brands,” said Brian Bos, senior vice president, Convergence Director, Mindshare - Team Detroit. “With this expanded partnership, we will be able to plan dynamic in-game campaigns several years out, which is critical in making Massive’s content platform a more integral part of our video game marketing strategy.”

“EA strongly believes that dynamic in-game advertising is an important growth area for our business, and is one of many opportunities we are pursuing in growing the advertising market,” said Kathy Vrabeck, president of the Casual Entertainment Label at EA. “We selected Massive because they are the industry leader in this space with a global sales footprint, solid brand recognition and in-depth experience in video game advertising.”

By providing certainty around Massive’s ad inventory for years into the future, the multiyear agreement enables advertisers to plan in-game advertising on a calendar year basis as part of a holistic campaign development process alongside other mediums such as TV, online and print media.

Rouwen Bastian, Coordinator European Media Strategies at Opel said: “In-game advertising plays an essential role for us in reaching today’s young adult consumers. The multi-year agreement between Massive and EA makes it possible for us to make greater strategic use of in-game advertising by incorporating it into the same long-term planning as other media forms.”

Richard Dance, Group Account Director at MindShare Interaction UK, said: “The growing channel of in-game advertising provides an exciting and creative medium in which to work. Although we are only scratching the surface with regards to the opportunities it provides, more and more of our clients are keen to include in-game advertising as a part of their multichannel strategy.”

“Our latest agreement with EA expands advertisers’ unprecedented access to EA’s world-class franchises to reach young male gamers around the world,” said Cory Van Arsdale, CEO of Massive. “This multiyear partnership reflects both the maturity of the dynamic in-game advertising medium and the benefits that our network continues to deliver for both publishers and advertisers.”

Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars for Nintendo Wii

Data Design Interactive a successful video games publisher, games developer and owner of the Popcorn Arcade label, is pleased to release the first batch of screenshots from the Nintendo Wii version of “Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars.”. The game is a 3D RPG action title set in a fantasy world and developed by Quotix Software, a games developer based in Serbia and Montenegro. Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars for Wii is due for release in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Story:

Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars is a third-person action game with RPG elements. The game places players in a fantasy medieval world, where a dimensional portal to the Outer Worlds has opened, and an enemy from the darkness has encroached upon the world. Led by a demon named Pompolic, the armies of demonic hordes have taken over most of the planet. With mysterious origins, Pompolic’s malevolent spiritual being possesses supernatural powers.

His desire is to possess the people and turn them into minions of his dark army, as he wields his power through his servants, the Dark Souls. These Dark Souls - protected by a horde of monsters - are poisoning the minds of his victims and making them slaves of evil. The denizens of this world are on the edge of total annihilation. However, a little hope still exists in the heart of the remaining citizens.

They believe that there are brave hearts who can save the world from the source of the evil power. If the Dark Souls were to be captured, the onslaught would stop, and Pompolic would be defeated; the call for heroes is made...

Features

· 2 unique characters to choose from

· Each character has unique weapons, items and special abilities

· Characters gain experience which will help them to upgrade strength, armour and health

· 15 special abilities per character

· Fantasy/medieval type world divided into 15 levels

· 18 different types of monsters and 3 bosses at the end

For more information on “Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars” please visit the Data Design website: http://ddigames.com/pompolic

Sho Online PC video game closed beta Test kicks off

Sho Online Beta Test kicks off with a fresh start!

Sho Onine, Lizard Interactive's second global service, kicks off with 1,000 testers from all over the world..

SSang-Wook Lee, CEO of Lizard Interactive Co., Ltd., announced today that Sho Online has successfully launched its Closed Beta Test (CBT).

The 1st CBT of Sho Online has launched 18th of March will continue until the 25th of March 2008 (GMT). Selected testers will have chance to take a first peek at what Sho Online is made of. So far 1,000 testers are testing the game under the stable service and server condition. Along with the promising result, Sho Online Team is planning to Invite 1000 more CBT users.(Soon will be posted through the official website www.shoonline.net )

Sho Online is also executing a CBT Event for users to win Nintendo DSL. Testers have to simply submit bug reports within the game or submit proud screenshots of their game play. It is a simple event to boost up the active participation and It also shows Sho Online project team’s great effort to revised the game to its perfection.

CEO Sang-Wook Lee said “I would like to thank all gamers who have applied for Sho Online CBT. With their support, we are off to a promising start. For those who couldn’t join our 1st CBT, We will try our best make more opportunity for more users to be part of the CBT. Finally, as CBT progresses, we will implement well-systemized game management and various updates to provide better service for you.”

‘Sho Online’ is 3D MMORPG developed based on true Chinese epic tale of the brutal and merciless war which took place between the two nations ‘Yin’ and ‘Zhou’, the game will take you to the mystic world of Taoism in the 11th century BC.

Players start the game by selecting the dynasty of their choice between Yin and Zhao. Once players choose their destiny, all must fight with honor to defend and conquer the 80 mutual territories based on true historical locations. More territories you gain more hunting grounds you secure for your nation. Players are to expand their territories by going through various quests and challenges that they encounter throughout the game. Players will fight for their fame, wealth, and honor till the day they are acknowledged as heroes. Depending on their active participation at the battle ground, rewards and earned fame will differ from one another.

Sho Online brings some of its unique and strong features. War System between the two rival dynasties naturally leads players to bond within their own community, but hostility to grow towards their enemy. When defending and attacking the enemy territory, players can transform into siege weapon such as catapult, ballista, and many more.

Games also may find other features such as differed Pet System and Rare Items & Enchant System enjoyable. Pets in Sho Online grow, transform, assist in combat, and, of course, its ride-able while Rare Items & Enchant System offers its players to test their nerves and luck. Player will get to choose to enchant and upgrade an item in exchange for possibility of loosing it even though it may be rare that everyone desires.

For further information on Sho Online, a globally played game, please visit www.shoonline.net.

Free Mac game - Mac Arcade

Reflexive announces new Mac Arcade

Reflexive Entertainment is proud to announce the unveiling of Reflexive Mac Arcade, a new extension of Reflexive.com offering casual games to Mac enthusiasts and a special free game for everyone who visits during the grand opening.

Reflexive Entertainment is proud to unveil its new Mac Arcade. Featuring a growing catalog that already contains over 70 games for the Mac, Reflexive's Mac Arcade brings the fun of casual and downloadable games to Mac users everywhere.

"We're very excited to be expanding the market and making Mac games available to the ever increasing number of Mac users," said Reflexive CEO Lars Brubaker. "It's been a long time coming and something that we've put a lot of effort into as we think Mac users have waited long enough to have a great destination to find the latest fun Mac games."

As an extra enticement for visitors to come and check out the new Reflexive Mac Arcade, Reflexive is also giving away one of it's own Mac games, Big Kahuna Reef.

Big Kahuna Reef is the first game in the best-selling Big Kahuna series, which has been one of the most popular franchises in the casual games industry over the last few years. Featuring addictive play in a gorgeous underwater setting, Big Kahuna Reef is mesmerizing fun that will be free to everyone who visits the Reflexive Mac Arcade at www.reflexive.com between now and the end of April.

In addition to opening up the new Mac Arcade and giving away a free game, Reflexive is also empowering everyone to create their own Mac Arcade. As part of the launch of the Mac Arcade section on Reflexive.com, Reflexive has added Mac games to the white-label affiliate program GameCenterSolution. Using GameCenterSolution has always enabled webmasters to offer PC games to their website visitors, and beginning today, Mac games are now also available to all affiliates of GameCenterSolution.

All combined, it's three things that Reflexive Entertainment is excited to be announcing at the same time in hopes of bringing just a little more gaming fun to the Mac.
- New casual game arcade for Mac users
- Free Mac game, Big Kahuna Reef, for all visitors during the grand opening
- Mac games added to the white-label affiliate program GameCenterSolution

Turning Point - Fall of Liberty Design a secret weapon competition

One of the main features of Turning Point™: Fall Of Liberty™ lies in its terrifying depictions of weaponry from a technologically advanced Nazi force.

We'd like to invite you to participate in our Turning Point: Fall of Liberty "Design A Secret Weapon" competition, where you have an unique opportunity to submit your vision of a devastating secret weapon and possibly win fantastic prizes for your efforts!

We are looking for outlandish and creative new designs for all sorts of weapons: planes, tanks, rifles, machine guns, ships, submarines, or whatever else you can imagine. Please don't think you are restricted to designing weapons just for the Germans either. If you have a weapon idea for the Resistance we'd love to see that too!

The contest winner receives a Limited Edition lithograph of Turning Point game art signed by creator Matt Hall along with an XBOX 360 Special Edition of the game. Runners-up win their choice of 360, PS3 or PC standard versions of the game.

In order to enter the competition, either email us a picture of your weapon to competition@codemasters.com with the subject title "Secret Weapon", or, using an image-hosting website of your choice, post it in this forum thread: http://community.codemasters.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262733

For more information and inspiration on Turning Point please go to www.codemasters.co.uk/turningpoint.

Video games release dates 2008 Microsoft XBox 360 Sony PlayStation Nintendo Wii

Games Industy provide a list of games platforms and publisher details for Computer and video games to be released in 2008.

Read the list here...

No Nintendo Wii version and no demo planned for Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Ubisoft will likely steer clear of hardcore shooters because the market is too narrow for it to be a viable business choice said Rainbow Six Vegas 2 game designer Phil Therien.

Therien had been asked whether the company planned to reintroduce more realistic shooters such as the original Ghost Recon on current-generation hardware.

He also revealed that there won't be a demo version of Vegas 2.

"We took the decision to spend our time on polishing the game and the demo option was cut," he said.

"It's really time-consuming to create a demo and we needed the dev time to finish our game."

He also explained that four-player co-op was reduced to two-player because the single-player levels couldn't easily support four players.

Therien says that there are virtually no differences between the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Vegas 2 - and at the moment there are no plans for working on the Nintendo Wii.

Read Eurogamer's LiveText Interview with Philippe Therien, Game Designer on Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

Read through the dialogue below.

Vegas 2 is due out on 20th March for PS3 and 360 and on 17th April for PC, and you can check out our review early next week.

Full Q and A can be read here

Europa Universalis: Rome PC Strategy game Fact Sheet

Experience one of the most defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy. The greatest cultural and military civilizations are brought to life through this epic title rife with great strategic and tactical depth.

Europa Universalis: Rome will cover the time period from the first Punic War to the start of the true Empire. Players will have thousand of gameplay choices ranging from country, culture, provincial and character options to name but a few, making each and every game infinitely customizable and truly unique.

"Europa Universalis: Rome combines the best of the Empire Building, Conquest and Warfare genres, wrapped into a title that contains all main characteristics of a typical Paradox Interactive game", said Johan Andersson, Director of Development. "This project has the potential to become the most talked about grand strategy game to date."



Key Features

• Fully 3D map with integrated graphics and detailed topography
  
• Start at any date between 280 B.C. and 27 B.C.
  
• Choose between 10 different cultures, including the Roman, Celtic, Greek and Egyptian civili zations, with more than 53 playable factions on a map spanning hundreds of provinces.
  
• Watch your characters develop new traits through political intrigue and various interactions with thousands of other characters.
  
• Trade, negotiate or fight with your neighbours and advance your technologies to unite the Mediterranean World.
  
• Robust multiplayer allows you to challenge up to 32 players either competitively or in co-op mode.
  

System requirements
VISTA COMPATIBLE
Microsoft Windows XP/2000
1.9 Ghz Intel Pen tium or similar
AMD 512mb
RAM Direct X 9.0c
128mb compatible video card & support for pixelshader 2.0

More information here